The Twists Of Love

Carlotta sat by herself in the tony little enclave on this bright summer day....She was waiting for publicist Jai Peterson to show up....They had set up a meeting after Carlotta had discovered that Ms. Peterson was the publicist and close confidant of the slain Erika Ford....Black Interior Decorator to the rich and famous and mover and shaker.

 Subsequent interviews with both Rollie Rollerson and Stephen Bristol had turned her name up....Neither man liked her ...both men told Carlotta that Jai Peterson was a manipulative bitch and both men believed that she had steered Ericka towards the other one....Carlotta found her intruiging and called her and asked for a meeting..

Jai Peterson was a gorgeous woman herself...Dressed to the nines and stylish.....Carlotta was surprised that she knew who she was...

"Detective Carlotta Wallace....You took one of the city's most eligible bachelors and a man I had my eyes on myself at one time, Keith Wallace off of the market." she said smiling...

She then shocked Carlotta by looking at her salaciously and saying..

"Hmmmmm, but considering....Maybe he took you off the market...You are flat out gorgeous...my goodness..." she said looking Carlotta up and down the way a man would..

"Thank you so much for meeting with me...As you know I am trying to solve the very tragic murder of Ericka Ford."said Carlotta..

''What's Tragic about it to you?? You didn't know her...You didn't love her..." she said and then realized she had said too much...."I'm sorry detective...I uh get very emotional when I speak of her...She was a dear friend.." said Jai.

"When did you see her last?" asked Carlotta..

"The day before she died...We were supposed to meet for drinks.." said Jai.

"I have talked to both Rollie Rollerson and Stephen Bristol and they say that Ericka didn't make a move without you.."said Carlotta.

"I pity you then, having to spend a minute with those two egotistical clowns is a minute too long...I don't understand what Ericka saw in either of them....She was mere sport to them...I told her that...They were just trying to one up each other ,I told them that too." she said.

"You told her a lot.." said Carlotta..

''She was more than just someone I worked for..We were close...Closer than what people might think."she said with a wink.

"You loved her didn't you?" asked Carlotta..

She didn't answer...but her silence told Carlotta volumes.....



II-

While Carlotta was interviewing Jai...At our temporary headquarters, her partner...Detective James Barlow brought something to Sissy and my attention,..

"Hey Boss Lady,  ADA,you need to see this."said Jimmy...

''What you got Jimmy?" asked Sissy..

I was still sipping my tumbler of coffee....

''This Peterson dame that Carlotta is interviewing....She's a publicist right? But I'm checking her financials and within the past year...she made a pile of money on the stock market..."he said.

"Yeah? So what?" I asked...

''Well, it seems funny, but she bought and sold stocks belonging to both Rollie Rollerson and Stephen Bristol...and it's almost uncanny...but she made money off of both during the time Ericka was working for and sleeping with them both....I don't know...but it makes you wonder if pillow talk was being parlayed into big wins on the stock market...you know..Insider trading?" he asked.

"You might be on to something..Jimmy....let me check these records." I said.

"When I knew Rollie....He never talked about business while in bed...He never talked much at all..."said Sissy...

III-

My wife's other partner, Detective Tyriq Pile was interviewing Ericka Ford's jilted fiance..Brian Courtland...Another Millionaire playboy and socialite...

He was in tears....

"I was the only one who really loved Ericka....She broke off our engagement...." he wailed...

"Sir..I know it must have been hard for you...and all the talk about her and Rollie Rollerson and then Stephen Bristol..."

"Bahhhh those two fools...She didn't love them...That bitch, Jai Peterson pimped her out to both of them for stock market information....that's all." he snorted..

''WHAT?" said Tyriq..

"Mannn,I couldn't stand her...Ericka couldn't go to the toilet without first talking it over with Jai...She couldn't make a single decision without talking to Jai...Jai had such a hold over her..." said Brian sobbing uncontrollably...

"I see..So you say Jai was getting information, business information from Ericka from her dalliances with Stephen Bristol and Rollie Rollerson....?" said Tyriq..

"Yeah..it was a shell game they were running...When I discovered it...I spoke out on it...and Jai convinced her to leave me..said I was holding her back...But what she didn't tell Ericka is that she was the only one getting rich....Ericka wasn't seeing any of that money..." he snorted...

A wry smile came across Tyriq's face and he said-"Hmmmm Interesting..."

"The last time I saw her was the week before she died..I hired a forensic accountant to look at both women's portfolios...I showed them to Ericka....She was astounded at the amount of money Jai was pocketing...and the small amount she was getting...He warned Ericka that the two of them were very,very close to insider trading and that they both could face imprisonment and a huge fine..I think that scared Ericka...but I don't know...She was very hurt that someone she considered a friend had lied to her about the money." he said...

Again...A wry smile came across Tyriq's face and he said-"Hmmmm Interesting..."

Meanwhile Carlotta continued to eat and drink and interview Jai Peterson who was making her feel more than just a little uncomfortable..

"You are one fine Puerto Rican woman...Mmmmmmmmmmm hummmmm....Yesssssssss...You know Carlotta...Perhaps you and I could uh meet again sometime and have dinner, stop over my condo...Watch a movie or something....Get acquainted a little better..." said Jai.

"Your lover just died and you are coming on to me?" asked Carlotta..

"Nothing soothes a broken heart better than someone new in bed." said Jai.

"Ms. Peterson ,I'm married and I uh don't go that way." said Carlotta politely...

"You never know until you try....My goodness...I can't get you out of my mind...but oh well....I was married too once...and I still go for a man occassionally when I meet one that suits my fancy...Heh,heh,heh..." she said.

"You do?" asked Carlotta..

"Detective...I don't limit myself...I go with the flow...Whatever turns me on today..."said Jai.

''Well, I think we are done here."said Carlotta...

"Glad I could be of help...Wish we could uh help each other."she laughed and winked.

IV-

Back at our make shift headquarters.....Detectives Sirena Pile and her partner ,Tony Hopkins returned...

"Hey guys, where is Carlotta and my hubby?" asked Sirena...

"They're on the street...Rico is interviewing the fiance, Brian Courtland and Carlotta is interviewing Jai Peterson...."said Jimmy...

"Yeah, well I did some digging today into Ms. Peterson...apparently, she was involved with two very well heeled guys who worked for fortune 500 companies...Ericka Ford did some designer work for her...These guys were more than a little interested in Ericka Ford..and they may have let some interesting things slip about how well or how bad business was...Anyway....Ericka must have relayed that back to Jai because Jai made a killing on the stock market just weeks or in one case immediately after..."said Sirena...

''Yeah? I found the same thing ,when I looked into Rollie Rollerson and Stephen Bristol's affairs...Almost like she had the inside scoop." said Jimmy.

"Oh she did have the inside scoop as you say....This babe was making a fortune...far more money than as a mere publicist should be making...I looked into it Jimmy....She was spending a lot too...She and Ericka went to London, To Paris, To Rome and bought matching BMW's with their names engraved on the side.."I  said.

"So, so far we have her for suspicion of insider trading....It looks like the two were in on it together....but why would that be a motive for murder??....Jai needed Ericka to get the information from the unwilling guys right?" said Hop..

"There is something much deeper going on." said my wife Carlotta, who was just arriving..."They were in love....She was pimping Ericka out to get inside stock information, but Ericka was her lover too...Jai Peterson is bi-sexual."said Carlotta...

"She told you that Lotta?" asked Sirena...

"In sooo many words....Then something went wrong in the relationship....That's the missing piece...Either a dispute about the money or Ericka wanted to break it off for some reason..That's what I have to find out." said Carlotta...

"Well I don't know all about that...but check this out....The Traffic cam caught a BMW high tailing it from that direction just ten minutes after the gunshot was heard.....We caught a plate number and ran it and guess who's car that is.?  Your girl, Jai Peterson....And I got uni's checking all of the storm drains in that area...We found three guns...One fresh, with a silencer...I gave em all to Hazel..She's running ballistics now." said Hop...

"If Duke or my other partner were here he'd say....." said Carlotta.

"I'd say good pull..." said Tyriq ,who came in just then with Eddie C. and Angie Belton....

"So I see you guys found out everything I found out from Brian Courtland...We can talk about it after we eat....Yo ADA...We need to build a common space in this joint, where we can all eat."joked Tyriq..

"We have a kitchen area...Boss Lady and Hazel are down there now fixing Spaghetti and Meatballs and a Salad...We can table the shop talk until after we eat..."I said.

"My husband is sounding more like me everyday." laughed Carlotta...

''Everybody get a plate...Dinner is ready....It's a warm night...Hazel and I set up a long table outside...We can all eat out there." said Sissy...

"By the way...Where is my hubby?" asked Hazel...

"He and Sharon stopped by the office and then by our homes to pick up any mail..They should be on their way here now." said Sissy.

V-

Duke drove as Sharon rode shotgun.....It had been a long day...Appearences in court for the Amel Redding trial...A drive to the Dover Air Force Base in Deleware to check on their star witness, Wilton Jessup and stopping by C.I.D. Headquarters to deliver messages from Sissy to others and to pick up mail for Sissy and the others...

Here Duke was given several more packages just like the ones before with panties and bra sets in them..and more lurid love letters...To say he was exasperated was an understatement....Deputy Special Agent in Charge ,Sharon Hopkins felt sorry for him...

She took a call from Sissy......She looked at Duke and smiled...

"Hey Buddy...Some good news for a change...That was Boss Lady....She and Hazel have cooked a pot of Spaghetti and meatballs and have a hot plate waiting for you." she smiled..

"That is good news...I'm starving." said Duke.

Sharon's phone rang again....

''Who is this? Hmmm, it's Agent Stanton..Wonder what he wants?" asked Sharon.. ''Heyy Ray what's up?" asked Sharon...

"Heyy Sharon, listen..uh how much longer will you need the services of Agent Dickerson?" he asked...

"Agent Dickerson? Kelly Dickerson??" asked Sharon.

"Yeah, she was supposed to return to Atlanta with me, but she stayed behind...Said she was working on a case with you...We haven't heard from her in two weeks...I've called her cell, but she hasn't been picking up." he said.

"Ray...She wasn't working a case with me...She was done as soon we locked Wilton Jessup up.."said Sharon.

"How is that case going?" asked Special Agent Ray Stanton.

"Redding is sweating like a pig...He can't get to Jessup and he knows it and he's scared...and Keith Wallace won't except a plea...Tomorrow Jessup testifies...Redding is as good as done."said Sharon..

"Kelly told me that you wanted her to do some extra investigating into Redding's associates."said Ray Stanton.

"What associates? We got em all, convicted 39 of them and 5 of the others all cut deals and have testified against the others..This investigation is over except for him...."said Sharon.

"Hmmmm, it's not like her to lie...I traced the GPS on her phone and she's still in the Philadelphia Area....At least she was up until yesterday...She's turned the GPS off." he said.

Sharon began thinking...Thinking back to the only time she ever laid eyes on Special Agent Kelly Dickerson-

''How was your flight guys?" asked Sharon..

"It got a little bumpy over D.C.  Agent Dickinson lost her breakfast....."laughed Agent Ray Stanton..

"Detective Baylor held my hand and soothed me and stayed with me the entire flight back" said Agent Dickinson...

If I didn't know right,I'd swear she was swooning....Duke smiled weakly....


''Shucks...It was nothin.." he said.

"Noooo..it was very gallant...You're a very brave and gallant man..." she said.

Sissy smiled wryly and whispered -

"Hmmmm..I wonder how gallant Duke was?"

Keith Wallace giggled...She remembered...

Sharon whispered to Duke...

"You sure you just held her hand on the plane?"

''Come on now..The girl had thrown up and she was frightened...I held her hand and rubbed it, that's all..." said Duke..

"For some women....That's enough..."she said and giggled..

Now she wondered...What if?  She said to Ray....

"If I see her,I'll tell her to call you Ray." said Sharon...

"Okay thanks Sharon..Good Luck on that trial."said Ray...

After she hung up, she looked at Duke..

"What's up?" he asked..

"This is insane, but I think I know who is sending you their panties and bras and writing these letters..I don't know for sure...but I have an idea." she said as they drove up into the garage and joined the rest of us for dinner...

(CONCLUSION NEXT)-