Joint Venture Read online

  Joint Venture

  by

  Tey Holden

  Copyright © 2011 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including recording, printouts, information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the author. Copyrights to this publication, and the entire Addy and Karen Series are registered with the Library of Congress.

  Acknowledgements

  My deepest appreciation to my patient editor, and beta readers.

  Part 1

  When the phone rang, Karen picked it up immediately. It was Addy.

  “Hey baby, I’m on my way to the Manor. Do you have some time to talk now, or are you too busy?”

  “I’m never too busy for you. What’s going on?” Karen replied.

  “I’ll tell you in a minute. I’m already here.”

  Karen looked out the window and immediately smiled when she saw Addy pull up the driveway of the Manor house, which was where the law offices were located. She watched her step out of the car and walk towards the house. Addy looked fabulous in her orange turtleneck sweater, brown pants, and gold loop earrings. Her brown hair shone in the afternoon sun as she approached the entrance. She came in and greeted everyone.

  “Hi Rose, hi Phillip.” Rose, the receptionist was always happy to see her and Phillip immediately directed his attention to her. He always found it delightful to talk to Addy.

  “Addy what brings you here?” He asked.

  “I need to see my attorney. And here she is!”

  Karen was coming out of her office as Addy was making her entrance, but without even stopping, Addy grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back into her office. “Excuse us, please.”

  As she walked Karen back into her office, she spoke. “I think we are going to need a lawyer.” She smirked, definitely implying that she needed Karen’s input and that trouble was lurking. Addy closed the door behind them.

  Accustomed to Addy’s constant happenings, Karen no longer worried about eventualities. “What happened now?” Karen couldn’t help smiling.

  “Do you remember when you said that having an ‘ex’ in town could only mean trouble?”

  “Yes, what’s going on?” She was staring at Addy as seriously as she could, but had trouble holding her grin as she mentally prepared for another ride in the Addy driven roller coaster. The fact that her adorable brunette was also grinning didn’t help. According to Karen, Addy’s smile could easily melt Iceland.

  “Well, looks like we are going to have ourselves some local lesbian drama.”

  “Oh, no! Who? What? Tell me.” She sat on the arm of the chair in front of her desk.

  “Marshall just came to talk to me. She was all shook up, apologizing, with one black eye and a bunch of bruises and scratches all over.”

  “What happened to her?”

  “Well, you know that she and Carol have become quite acquainted, right?”

  Karen chuckled at Addy’s choice of words. Addy also grinned. Ever since Marshall had arrived in town, she had kept her eyes on Carol. Carol at the time was unattached. She and Mary had split on account of Mary having extracurricular activities with Sarah, which culminated in Mary moving in with Sarah. Marshall and Carol became friends and later began to date.

  “It seems that Carol and Marshall have established a visiting routine. On Fridays, Marshall spends the night at Carol’s, and on Saturdays, Carol spends the night at Marshall’s. This arrangement has to do with the rush hour thing, but that’s another story.”

  “Rush hour? In Altee?” Karen chuckled. “Can’t wait to hear that one! Please, continue.”

  “Yeah, yeah, you’ll die laughing when you hear it. Anyway, yesterday was Friday and Marshall was at Carol’s, and guess who showed up?

  “Mary?”

  “Yes. She apparently had been at the pub and had a few beers, this is all according to Marshall, of course. When Carol saw who was knocking from the upstairs window, she was reluctant to open the door. Apparently, Mary had attempted to see Carol on two other previous occasions and had gotten a bit frisky. Marshall was aware of the situation and wanting to put an end to it, she went downstairs and opened the door.” Addy paused to catch her breath. It seemed as if her stories were never short.

  “Oh, no!” Karen exclaimed and continued to smile and listen attentively.

  “When Mary saw Marshall at the door, she demanded to see Carol. The conversation got heated and it deteriorated to yelling and screaming. When Carol heard the yelling and screaming, she came down from the bedroom. Both Marshall and Carol were apparently dressed in lounging clothes and when Mary became aware that they were not playing Chinese checkers upstairs, she was furious and tried to claim Carol as her woman. Again, these are Marshall’s words.”

  Karen placed her hand over her mouth to cover her grin, as Addy chuckled and continued with the story.

  “Don’t laugh! You’ll make me laugh and there’s more to tell.”

  “Okay, I’ll try. Go on.”

  “It appears that angry words were exchanged between Mary and Carol and things escalated. Marshall again intervened and demanded that Mary leave the premises because she was not welcome there. Mary then got rough with Marshall claiming that she had no business there either, and that she should get out as well. At this point, all of them were yelling and screaming, then there was some pushing and shoving, and then it got really ugly when things escalated into a fistfight between Mary and Marshall, with Carol trying to separate them. According to Marshall, Mary came out in worse shape than she did. It appears that Mary had to go to Dr. Naylor’s clinic to have some stitches on her eyebrow.” Addy paused to chuckle and to wait for Karen to stop laughing. She loved to see her laugh.

  “Oh, God! I knew there would be trouble, I just knew it.” Karen commented.

  “I’m not finished.”

  “There’s more?”

  “Yes. Now, Mary is threatening to sue Marshall and us as her employer. That’s it.” Addy pursed her lips and smiled as the story ended.

  Karen continued to chuckle, still sitting on the arm of the chair. Addy placed her arm over Karen’s shoulder and brushed a strand of Karen’s hair back. Karen kissed her hand and looked at her. “Are Marshall and Carol okay?”

  “Yes. Apparently with all the pushing and shoving things were broken in the house, but thankfully, Carol was not harmed, and Marshall seems to have walked out of it better than Mary. I say thankfully, because if Carol had gotten hurt, Marshall would have probably killed Mary.” Addy chuckled.

  “Well, you know that we don’t have to worry about Mary suing us. She has no claim against us. This is clearly a domestic situation. Marshall was not acting in her capacity as our employee, and the incident did not occur on our property. I’m worried about them, though. That Mary is something else. I knew she was trouble all along. Although I have to say that I don’t blame her.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know how I would react if I saw you with another woman.”

  Addy rolled her eyes. “Well, luckily for you, you don’t have to worry about that. There’s never been, and there will never be another woman.” Karen always liked when Addy made that type of statement. “I, on the other hand, would make sure to tear her heart out, if I ever found you with another woman!”

  Karen chuckled. “Well, luckily for you, you don’t have to worry about that either. I’m a woman possessed, or blinded by love. I have never looked at another woman since the day I met you.”

  “Well, since that is settled, let us focus on the local and very active lesbian drama. The situation is not one for recrimination, but one for some corrective action.”

  It was the way she sp
oke that made Karen laugh. “What kind of corrective action do you have in mind, Ms. Lightning Bolt?”

  Addy made a face. “Well, I was thinking of talking to Mary to see if we can calm her down. I don’t know if Sarah knows about all of this, but what do you suppose Mary told her when she arrived home all smashed up?”

  Karen couldn’t help laughing. She was still sitting on the arm of her chair with Addy standing between her legs. Karen leaned her forehead against Addy’s chin. Then she pulled out enough to look at Addy’s smiling face. “I don’t know, but Sarah is no saint in my book either. She knew Mary was with Carol and she allowed Mary in her pants, so she doesn’t have my sympathy. And, if you don’t mind, I would like be the one to talk to Mary.”

  “I don’t think you should get involved, Ker. You have your professional reputation to uphold. This could get ugly and there may even be another brawl.” Addy chuckled.

  “Precisely because of that, I should be the one talking to her.”

  “Why? You think you can fight better than I can? Are you forgetting the blow I gave Charles that time in court?” Addy was referring to Karen’s uncle Charles and how she had kneed him in his privates when he attempted to lay a hand on Karen after they had won the trial over the McGill estate.

  Karen grinned, she loved Addy’s feistiness, and the memory of that particular event was forever engraved in her memory as one of Addy’s most glorious moments. “No, I assure you that I will never forget that one.” She brushed her cheek over Addy’s arms, which were still over her shoulders, then took Addy’s hands in hers and kissed them several times.

  “The reason why I want to be the one talking to Mary is because I don’t want to risk her laying a finger on you. Because if that were to happen, I would be the one killing her.” She paused and looked at Addy who was now smiling. Karen smiled also. “So, because I don’t want to kill anyone, or go to jail for killing anyone, I will be the one talking to her.”

  “Are you in your protective mode again?”

  Karen grinned. “Yes, very much so. As a matter of fact, I’m going to go into overdrive on this one. I don’t like Mary. There’s something about her that I can’t put my finger on, but just in case, I don’t want you to go near her. And Ms. Adriana, I’m pulling that card you gave me many years ago, after the accident. Remember? The right to put my foot down in the face of what I feel to be imminent danger?” Since the accident at the loch, Addy had given Karen the right to call certain shots as her prerogative.

  Addy pouted, pursed her lips, and wrinkled her nose in her typical way. “Oh! Alright, but you better not get home all smashed up, because I could very well kill her myself, and you know I’m not kidding.” Addy started to walk towards the door to leave.

  “Addy, you have to promise me, you are not—.”

  She stopped before opening the door. “I’m not! You’ve exercised your privilege. Don’t rub it in now! Bye, I have to pick up Alex.”

  “Wait!” She was already opening the door, but closed it again when she heard Karen. Karen walked over to her, put her hand under her chin and brought her close to kiss her. “I love you, Ms. Marcos, and I don’t want anyone touching you.”

  Addy twisted her mouth in a weird, stoic, kind of grin. “I know.” She searched Karen’s face and grinned. Karen smiled, but knew that Addy had something in mind. “Rest assured, Ms. Larsen,” she straightened Karen’s blouse collar and looked at her straight in the eyes, “you are the only one touching me.”

  Karen grinned and her eyes slowly turned that peculiar color of green that Addy knew was indicative of desire. “Pay back is a bitch!” She winked, kissed her and walked away. “Ta ta!”

  Karen smiled, as she watched Addy walk down the hallway. She always liked the way Addy’s rear filled her pants. Phillip caught Karen’s smile, and how she followed Addy with her eyes as she exited the building. He smiled and came over to talk to Karen. “I may be old fashioned, but truth be told, you are the only couple I know who after so many years still have, what do they call it? The ‘hots’ for each other?”

  She smiled delighted with Phillips observation, but said nothing. Karen was naturally subdued when it came to emotions, except with Addy, of course.

  “What is Ms. Addy up to now?”

  “Phillip, you really don’t want to know about this one.”

  “Okay. Can we then talk about our new case?”

  ***

  When Phillip left her office, she was about to pick up the phone to call Sarah in search of Mary. But she stopped to look out the window almost visualizing the earlier image of Addy getting out of her car and entering the office.

  Phillip was right. She was totally, and blindly in love, even after so many years. She took a moment to bask in the pleasure of the moment. Addy shook her world from day one, turned it upside down, gave it several spins and somehow made it all settle back to be beautiful and happy. What she said was true. She had never looked at another woman since she met Addy. Addy occupied every second of her life, night and day and made everything better and beautiful, no matter how complicated things had been at times. Then she remembered she had to make the call, and she had to do it before Addy intervened.

  Karen picked up the phone to call Sarah’s inn to schedule a face-to-face meeting with Mary. She did not know of any other place where to reach Mary, so she figured Sarah would know.

  “Hi, Sarah, this is Karen Larsen, would it be possible to speak to Mary?”

  “Hi, Karen.” Sarah did not sound totally okay. “I’m afraid, she’s not here, Karen.” Sarah began to cry. “I threw her out. She’s a two-timing bitch! Oh! I’m sorry Karen. I shouldn’t have spoken like that to you.”

  “It’s okay, Sarah. What is wrong? Can we help? Is there something we can do for you?” Karen always found it safer to speak in plural when it came to relationship matters.

  “No, Karen, I suppose you know what happened with Marshall.”

  “Yes, that is why I need to talk to her.”

  Sarah told her what she knew. “So, that is how I found out the truth, from third parties! She might be staying at the hardware store. They have a storeroom in the back. I really don’t know and don’t care anymore.”

  Mary still worked at the hardware store although she was no longer the manager. After Isabella Ludwig sold the winery, she also sold the hardware store. The new owner and Mary did not get along, and she was demoted from manager to a regular employee. She remained working there because she had limited skills and couldn’t find another job, and because she didn’t want to leave Altee because of her ties to the local volunteer fire department.

  Karen said goodbye and called the hardware store. “No, she’s not here, Ms. Larsen. The boss fired her this morning.” Not knowing what else to do, Karen turned off her computer and locked her office. She told Rose that she was leaving early and that she would be home, if needed.

  She walked in the house and went straight to the kitchen where she knew she would find Addy making the delicacy of the day. Alex was sprawled on the floor of the living room, which was adjacent to the kitchen. She was coloring and had several books around her on the floor.

  “Don’t we have tables and chairs in this house for people to sit and color?”

  Alex turned around, still lying on the floor, and looked up at her mom. “Hi, Mommy! How waz your day?”

  Alex was really cute on the floor with her golden hair all over the carpet. Karen knelt down bending over the little one and tickling her. She then rolled, on the floor with her, pretending to have been pulled down and beat to the ground. All the action culminated in a lot of screaming, laughter and kisses. When the commotion died down she replied, “my day was good, but apparently, not as good as yours. What are you doing, little girl?”

  “I’m coloring. Look, Mommy. Look!”

  “Wow! Those are really beautiful colors. Back on her feet Karen headed to the kitchen to find the source of her happiness. While mother and daughter had been wrestling on the floor, Addy had b
een watching with delight as she usually did when the pair interacted. It was her dream come true, and she would stop whatever she was doing to watch.

  “Hi, my gorgeousness.” She kissed Addy behind her ear and tapped her left buttock.

  “Hi, baby. You are early today.” Addy turned to kiss her and immediately asked. “Did you talk to Mary?”

  “Couldn’t find the woman anywhere. I called the inn and the hardware store. By the way, Sarah kicked her out, and she also got fired from the hardware store.”

  “Oh no! That is not good. She could be more disgruntled now.”

  “Yes, apparently, when she got to the inn Friday night, she told Sarah that she had an accident at the hardware store, and that she was hurt when things fell off a shelf on her. However, on Saturday, Sarah had to take her son to Dr. Naylor for allergy shots and there she found out that Mary had been there for the stitches. As it turns out, Carol’s neighbor was there also and told Sarah everything.”

  “Oh, God!”

  “So, Sarah went home and threw her out. Later at the store, she apparently took her anger out on a customer. The owner overheard her and immediately fired her. Apparently, he didn’t like her much already. So, I don’t know where she is, or where to find her.”

  “The firehouse. You know she volunteers there, and they have places for volunteers to sleep. If she doesn’t have anywhere to stay, she’s probably there.”

  “Do you think I should call her now? I don’t want her coming here, and I don’t really want to go there now. Maybe I’ll call her and ask her to meet me tomorrow at the office. I think it’s safer for everyone if we are surrounded by people.”

  “I agree. Call her now and make the appointment for tomorrow.”

  “So what was that about the rush hour arrangement thing with Marshall and Carol?” Karen attempted to taste the food on the stove, but Addy slapped her hand away. Karen nevertheless, managed to grab a piece of meat. “Yum, this is good!” Alex had been watching and was smiling.

  “According to Marshall, it’s easier for her to get into town on Fridays because she is going towards town when everybody is coming out of town.”