Accused: A Rosato & Associates Novel (42 page)

“What is it?” Jane asked, mystified.

“If you remember, this all began when Allegra came to us, saying that she knew Lonnie Stall. She told us that she had seen him when Fiona was babysitting her, yet John said that Fiona was never asked to babysit.”

Jane’s expression darkened, and her pace slowed on the gravel, though she said nothing.

“Jane, I don’t think your husband was lying to me when he said that, so the only logical conclusion is that you lied to him. That means that you were having Fiona babysit Allegra without his knowledge, and I can think of only one reason you would do that.”

Jane hung her head slightly.

“It doesn’t matter to me if you were having an affair.” Mary paused, waiting for Jane to tell her to shut up, but it didn’t happen. “Again, my concern is Allegra. She knows what she knows. She remembers what she remembers. If she’s to have any hope of reclaiming her mental health, somebody has to tell her the truth.”

Jane groaned, shaking her head. “I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because John doesn’t know.” Jane kept shaking her head. “What do I do? Tell Allegra not to tell him?”

“No.” Mary didn’t hesitate. “You need to tell him yourself.”

“About the affair?”

“Yes.”

Jane’s lovely eyes locked with Mary’s. “Even if the man I was having an affair with was Richard?”

Mary absorbed the information without showing the dismay she felt. “Even then, and especially then.”

“But it’s so awful, and of course it ended the night Fiona was killed. It didn’t even go on that long. Now I see that Richard never really loved me, he just wanted to best John.” Jane closed her eyes. “It’s mortifying. It was just Richard proving he was smarter than John. I was a possession to be won.”

Mary touched her arm. “Jane, you’re a good person, and I’m sure there’s a reason why you strayed, but that’s between you and John. Allegra’s welfare is what matters now, over John’s feelings, or yours. She didn’t create the problem, and she doesn’t deserve to suffer for it.”

“I know.” Jane nodded, and they both looked over when Alasdair shouted to them, walking over with a grin.

“Jane! I just had an amazing ride, and Paladin’s so fit, I swear. You must ride out today. He’s keen to go.”

Jane quickly put on a smile. “Maybe I will, tomorrow.”

“Brilliant!” Alasdair reached them in an effusive good mood, gesturing at the green BMW. “And did you see Mary’s car? That’s almost as beautiful as a warmblood, at least to my eye.”

Jane smiled again. “What is it with men and cars?”

Alasdair laughed, throwing back his head. “What is it with women and horses?”

But Mary was already getting an idea. “Alasdair, you like my car?”

“Love it! Who wouldn’t? It’s a classic, the BMW 2002. I bet it runs beautifully, doesn’t it?”

“Here, see for yourself.” Mary fished in her back pocket for the keys and handed them over.

“I can take it out for spin? Awesome!”

“No, I have a better idea.” Mary was thinking about what she’d said to the Gardners, which she’d never realized until now. The way to honor Mike was to embrace Anthony. “Give me a ride to the train station, then you can keep it. It’s yours, as a gift.”

Jane gasped. “How terrific!”

“Are you serious?” Alasdair’s eyes popped open. “What are you talking about? I can’t accept it, no way!”

“Take it, please.” Mary smiled, bittersweet. “I want somebody to give it a good home, and love it as much as my late husband did.”

“But why let it go?” Alasdair asked, astounded.

“Because it’s time,” Mary answered, simply.

Chapter Fifty-four

CONGRATULATIONS
, read the banner, and Mary scanned the happy scene in the conference room, amazed that so much had happened in a few short months. Richard Gardner’s confession and guilty plea to conspiracy in the attempt to kill Mary, and the statement he gave the authorities about Neil’s murder of Fiona had been instrumental in forcing Neil to plead guilty to Fiona’s murder, and both were both serving time in Graterford Prison. Richard had been given a twenty-year sentence for third-degree murder, and Neil was serving life without parole. In the aftermath, the Gardners had begun to heal their family. Allegra was happy and healthy in school, seeing her bees every day and her therapist once a week. John and Jane Gardner seemed closer than before, and at the moment, the three Gardners stood together by the baked ziti, engaged in an animated conversation with Rita Henley and Lonnie Stall, who had been released from prison last week, completely exonerated.

Lonnie had been so thankful to Mary and Allegra, and he’d denied having a personal relationship to Fiona because he’d thought it would look like he had a motive for murdering her, or subject him to a charge of statutory rape. He and Fiona had been falling in love, talking on the phone and online, and seeing each other when they could. They’d been planning to go public after The Gardner Group’s grand opening party, when her life had been cruelly cut short. Mary felt deeply satisfied that she’d been able to help Lonnie, in addition to proving that the law did lead to justice, however belatedly.

The Tonys were at today’s party too, and though Feet’s foot had healed, he sat in front of the chocolate chip cannolis, for obvious reasons. Tony-From-Down-The-Block was to his right, chatting up Sister Helen, who had come with Rita and let it be known that she was single. Pigeon Tony was on his third cup of black coffee, speaking caffeinated Italian to Judy, Lou, Anne, and Marshall, who had no idea what he was talking about until it was translated by his grandson, Judy’s live-in boyfriend Frank Lucia. Mary felt so happy that all of them were at the party, though there was a hole in her heart, without Angie there. Her twin was still out of the country on her mission, but they’d reached her and she’d promised to be home for Mary’s wedding.

Bennie lingered near the head of the conference table, talking with Mary’s mother, her father, El Virus, and Dom. Mary watched them with anticipation, knowing that it was time for a surprise announcement, which they’d agreed should come from the senior partner.

“Excuse me, everyone!” Bennie called out after a moment, turning to the crowd with an expectant smile. “If I may have your attention, I’d like to propose a toast to Allegra, for being so smart and brave, and to Lonnie, who has gotten the justice he deserved, however belatedly.”

Everyone raised his glass, shouting approval in English and Italian, and Rita called out, “Amen to that! Praise Jesus!” Allegra and Lonnie beamed, standing happily together, one covered with bees and the other with tattoos.

Bennie smiled. “In addition, I have an announcement. All of us at Rosato & DiNunzio are so impressed with Allegra’s talents and abilities, and we like her very much. She’s been looking for something to do after school, and we’ve offered her a part-time position as our intern. Welcome on board, Allegra!”

“Yes, welcome!” Mary chimed in.

“Thanks!” Allegra grinned, and Jane gave her a big hug.

“
Bravissima,
Allegra!” shouted Mary’s mother.

“ATTA GIRL!” said her father.

“Hear, hear! To my stellar daughter!” John Gardner raised his glass. “And I have an announcement, of my own. I was just speaking with Lonnie, who’s been looking for a job, too. I’m happy to report that he’ll start on Monday in management training at The Gardner Group, while he returns to classes at Temple.”

“Congrats, Lonnie!” Mary called out, applauding.

“Way to go!” Judy nodded.

“Praise Jesus!” Rita clapped.

“Hallelujah!” Sister Helen beamed.

Anthony leaned over and whispered to Mary, “This is your handiwork, isn’t it?”

“Shhh.” Mary smiled, because he knew her so well. She was lucky to have him, and she remembered it every time she spied her engagement ring sparkling on her finger—though she’d come to think the diamond wasn’t all
that
big.

“What a happy, happy day!” Rita beamed. “And congratulations to Mary, too, because she’s getting married!”

“Best wishes to the bride!” Sister Helen peered at Mary over her pink glasses. “What kind of dress you gonna get, honey?”

“Uh, I’m not sure.” Mary may have become a partner, gotten an innocent man exonerated, and sent a guilty man to jail, but she still hadn’t settled the War of the Wedding Dresses.

El Virus chirped up, “She’s gonna wear my wedding dress, ain’t that nice?”

Her father frowned. “NO, SHE’S GONNA WEAR HER MOTHER’S DRESS.”

Mary looked from one mother to the other. She couldn’t hurt her mother by choosing Elvira’s dress, or hurt El Virus by choosing her mother’s, or hurt them both by buying a new dress. In other words, Mary still had her guilt, doubts, and insecurities, which would probably guarantee that she would walk down the aisle completely naked.

Anthony stepped forward, looking sheepish. “Mom, Vita, I have a confession to make. You know I took the dresses to the dry cleaners, to freshen them up, but the cleaners told me he can’t find them. They might have lost them.”

“Oh no!” Mary couldn’t believe her good luck, though she felt a wave of sympathy for her mother and El Virus.

“Ant!” El Virus’s eyes flared in outrage. “Ant, where did you take them? That discount place onna corner? I told you not to go there, ever! They lose everything!”

“Sorry, Ma.” Anthony puckered his lower lip, with regret. “I’ll keep trying with them. They might be able to find them, but we can’t take a chance that it’s in time for the wedding.”

Mary’s mother deflated into a chair, and her father frowned. “ANTHONY, I KNOW IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT, BUT WHAT’S MARY GONNA DO FOR A WEDDING DRESS?”

Anthony faced Mary, shrugging unhappily. “Sorry, babe, you’ll have to pick out your own dress. The silver lining is that maybe you can take your friends along, and my mom and yours, when you go shopping?”

“Of course,” Mary answered, but suddenly caught a suspicious twinkle in Anthony’s dark eyes.

And she realized that she had met her perfect match.

Acknowledgments

It feels great to be back with the women of Rosato & Associates, and my first thanks in these acknowledgments go to my editor, Jennifer Enderlin; my agent, Molly Friedrich; and my assistant and bestie, Laura Leonard, who encouraged me to write the Rosato series on a more routine basis, and from now on, there will be a new Rosato every year. Ladies, thank you all so much for your encouragement, faith, and vision.

As for the research aspect of the novel, I’m a former lawyer, but criminal law wasn’t my field. I seek out help when I need it because the facts matter, especially where the law is concerned, and I was lucky enough to find some brilliant and kind souls. A huge hug and enormous admiration to Jennifer Creed Selber, Chief of the Homicide Unit of the District Attorney’s Office, who gave me her time and expertise in the clutch, and who is so astoundingly impressive that she should be fictional. Thanks, too, to Ed Cameron, also of the D.A.’s Office, who answered all my questions with good humor and kindness. It goes without saying that any and all mistakes herein are mine.

On the defense side, thanks to my legal team of attorneys extraordinaire Glenn Gilman, Esq., now in private practice, and Daniel Stevenson, Esq., of the Defender Association of Philadelphia, both of whom helped me a great deal with the legalities that I forgot and/or never knew. I adore and admire you both, gentlemen.

Thanks to the folks at SCI-Graterford Prison in Graterford, Pennsylvania, especially Superintendent Mike Wenerowicz, and Wendy Moyer, Sgt. Randall H. Lacey, and C.O. David M. Weaver, as well as Gina, Tracy, Becky, and everybody else in the superintendent’s office. Thanks to Peter Zimmerman, architect and beekeeper, who inspired the bees plotline. Someday, I’ll get the nerve to get my own hives. For spot-on trusts-and-estates advice, thanks to Margaret Sager, Esq.

Last but far from least, thanks so much to the brilliant and amazing Dr. Sandy Steingard, who’s been my bestie since high school and who grew up to be one of the most prominent psychiatrists in the country. Sandy kept me straight on the psychiatric details, and I owe her for that, and for being such a wonderful and loyal friend for so long.

A big thanks to St. Martin’s Press, starting with the terrific John Sargent, Sally Richardson, Matthew Shear, Matt Baldacci, Jeanne-Marie Hudson, Steve Kleckner, Brian Heller, Jeff Capshew, Nancy Trypuc, Kim Ludlam, John Murphy, John Karle, Paul Hochman, Stephanie Davis, Sara Goodman, Caitlin Dareff, and all of our wonderful and energetic sales reps. Big thanks to Rob Grom, for designing a wonderful cover to last an entire series. Hugs and kisses to Esther Bochner, Mary Beth Roche, and Laura Wilson, and the great people in Macmillan Audiobooks. I love and appreciate all of you.

Thanks and big love to the amazing Lucy Carson and Molly Schulman.

Finally, love and deepest thanks to my daughter Francesca, my brother Frank, my Mother Mary, and my late father Frank, without whom there would be no DiNunzios, because my family is at the heart of their family.

Also by Lisa Scottoline

Rosato & Associates Novels

Think Twice

Lady Killer

Killer Smile

Dead Ringer

Courting Trouble

The Vendetta Defense

Moment of Truth

Mistaken Identity

Rough Justice

Legal Tender

Everywhere That Mary Went

Don’t Go

Come Home

Save Me

Look Again

Daddy’s Girl

Dirty Blonde

Devil’s Corner

Running from the Law

Final Appeal

Nonfiction (with Francesca Serritella)

Meet Me at Emotional Baggage Claim

Best Friends, Occasional Enemies

My Nest Isn’t Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space

Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog