Read Online City of Mirrors by Melodie Johnson-Howe - Free Book Online Page A

this time comforting me. “I can’t even imagine what you’ve been through, having to pick up your mother’s ashes and finding Jenny Parson. What can I do?”
    â€œYou could get me some bread and cheese,” I sobbed.
    Along with the urn, there was a Kleenex box on the table next to a half-empty bottle of white wine. She grabbed a tissue and stuffed it into my hand.
    â€œDid you know Jenny Parson well?” She opened the refrigerator, letting its cold light escape into the warm kitchen.
    â€œJust enough to feel what a horrible waste her death is.”
    â€œWas she talented?”
    â€œFunny, Gwyn asked the same question. Would it matter less if she wasn’t talented?”
    â€œGwyn? You went to the birthday party for Ben after discovering … ?”
    â€œZaitlin wanted to know what had happened.” I blew my nose and tossed the Kleenex onto a pile of other discarded tissues. I looked more closely at Celia’s face. “Have you been crying?”
    She nodded. “I don’t think I’ll ever be the same again. Will you? After what you saw?”
    â€œI haven’t been the same since Colin died so I don’t know what ‘the same’ is anymore.”
    Retrieving what she needed, she slammed the refrigerator door and glanced at the TV. Jenny’s face had disappeared and now there was a picture of the alley, police cars, and the body bag containing her corpse on a gurney being loaded into the coroner’s van. The gurney hit a bump, and the body moved and jerked as if Jenny were kicking, trying to get out. We both turned away from the awful image.
    She placed a baguette and some Brie on the table. “The bread is stale.” She sat down and poured us more wine.
    â€œI have to tell you something, Celia.” I stared into my glass.
    She pushed the cheese plate closer and waited for me to continue.
    I raised my head. “It’s … it’s about the man who hit you.”
    Her body went rigid. “What about him?”
    â€œI met him. He was introduced to me as Leo Heath. Not Ward.”
    â€œIntroduced? Where was this?” She balled up a tissue, tightening her fist around it, her knuckles going white.
    I gulped wine. “Tonight at Ben’s party. In Zaitlin’s office.”
    â€œIn Robert’s office at his house?” Her brow furrowed as she tried to take in what I was telling her. “What was Ward or whatever his name is doing there?”
    â€œHe owns a security firm and does some jobs for Robert. His guards were working the party.”
    â€œYou’re telling me Robert knows him?” The fear I had seen in her this morning returned full force.
    â€œRobert had called him about Jenny’s death. He’s a Hollywood fixer.”
    Her hand trembled as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Did Ward … Heath say anything to you?”
    â€œNot really. I mean, he knew I recognized him. I tried to dump a plate of food on him.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI know it was stupid. But I felt I had to do something.”
    â€œYou always have to do something. I never should have told you.”
    â€œCould Robert have sent him to Bella Casa?”
    â€œAnd have me show him the house without telling me? It doesn’t make sense.” She threw the wadded tissue onto the same pile. Her expression darkened. “What are you implying, Diana?”
    â€œNothing.” I sat back. “I’m just telling you what happened.”
    â€œWell, don’t.” Standing, she walked the length of her kitchen, terry slippers scuffing on the planked floor. “I asked you to stay out of it.”
    I tore off a piece of bread. She was right—it was stale.
    â€œOh, my God,” she blurted, pointing to the screen.
    There was a photo of me slumped down against the alley wall, clinging to my mother’s urn. Eyes half closed, lips drooping, I looked as if I’d been