Love by Association

Chantel went high into cop mode. Why would Julie be angry with Leslie? What had she missed back there?

And to do with her subject?

“Why?” Julie’s question was sharp. “This has nothing to do with Leslie.”

“She should have given you a heads-up.”

“I never told her who he’d...” She broke off right when things were finally getting good.

Whether all eyes were on her or not, Chantel felt as though they were. In her world, she’d have turned around and asked what was going on. She’d have risked being told it was none of her business, but she’d have asked.

Her crash course in polite society hadn’t prepared her for this moment.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I feel as though I shouldn’t be here, and yet I can’t politely exit a moving car.” She spoke softly in character with Chantel Johnson, gentling her voice. But the Chantel Harris in her hadn’t been able to keep her mouth shut.

“No, I’m sorry,” Julie told her. “I’ve behaved horribly, letting my personal feelings put a damper on what was a really nice afternoon...”

“Your personal feelings matter,” Chantel said. Just as Leslie Morrison’s personal feelings mattered. People got upset for good reason. “Clearly you need to speak with your brother...” And she needed to keep her mouth shut.

Colin had glanced in the mirror a couple more times but was otherwise driving with his attention seemingly on the road.

“It’s just... Patricia Reynolds...”

Not Leslie Morrison? Chantel waited.

“She’s following me.”

What?

“She’s not following you, Jules.” Colin was stopped at a light and turned toward his sister.

“Yes, she is, Colin. She’s the police commissioner’s wife,” Julie said to Chantel, who’d also turned around. Chantel continued to face backward as the light changed and Colin was driving once again.

She’d known, of course, exactly who the woman was. Knew, too, as soon as she’d appeared in the room, that the woman had made an excuse for joining the committee late so that she could watch over Chantel. Either to report back to the commissioner on how his undercover rookie was doing in case she was screwing up and he needed to intervene or to provide inside support in what was a very sensitive investigation.

A question she’d intended to ask Captain Reagan first thing Monday morning.

“You think the police commissioner’s wife is following you,” she said now. Curious.

“I know she is.”

And the obvious response to that, in any society, had to be, “Why?”

“I’m on four committees, and she’s managed to somehow be involved in all four projects.”

“Our circle isn’t all that big,” Colin said. “Patricia has been heavily involved in volunteer projects since before she married Paul. You know that.”

Paul. To him. Commissioner Reynolds to everyone in Chantel’s circle.

“Yes, but over the past several months, she’s joined each project I’m involved with, and they didn’t just all start up,” Julie said. “I know I’m right on this one, Colin. She’s spying on me.”

With a mental step back, Chantel faced front but had to ask again, “Why would she spy on you?”

It would be weird if she didn’t ask. Right?

“I was...involved...in something. Years ago. And recently, another woman we all know had a situation...something that came out through her son at school...and Patricia, I’m sure at Paul’s behest, is watching me.”

“Why?”

Colin glanced at her then. “They want her to stay quiet.”

“About what she was involved in years ago? Or what happened recently?”

“Nothing happened recently,” Colin said. “It was just a misunderstanding stemming from the wrong interpretation of a harmless school project. But Julie’s friends with the woman. She thinks that Commissioner Reynolds is nervous that she’ll try to bring up old grievances.”

“I know he is. And it’s not just that I’m friends with...the woman. The things they’re saying...there’s something in it similar to my situation. And we know mine is true.”

Colin didn’t respond to Julie’s remark. This time Chantel followed his lead.

Heart pumping, she made a mental note to check Julie Fairbanks again. She’d already run a check on the family, the night after she’d met Colin. But maybe she’d missed something?

She had to find a way to get Colin to explain to her why he didn’t have much faith in his sister’s judgment on the matter. And why the commissioner would send his wife to spy on her for being friends with someone.