"I got the hospital to bag her clothes for Detective Donahue to collect," said Solomon. "They might find gunshot residue that would tie her to firing a weapon, not just getting shot at."
"Is Detective Donahue taking this seriously?" I asked.
"He is." Solomon paused as the van door slid back and Maddox's head appeared in the gap. "Get in," he said and Maddox climbed in, but not before briefly nodding in my direction. I smiled back.
"This is cozy," said Maddox, looking around. "What did I miss?"
"We found Penelope's disguise in the trash," I told him. "Then, Solomon got a call from the hospital with concerns about the trajectory of Penelope's wound. Apparently, her surgeon worked a bunch of shooting cases in New York and was suspicious of her story."
"So I didn't miss much," Maddox quipped. "Where is she?"
"No one knows," said Lily. "It's really disappointing."
"We're looking," explained Solomon. "I've got Lucas monitoring traffic cam footage, and Detective Donahue put an APB out on Penelope's car. He has people posted at her home, too, but it doesn't look like she returned after she discharged herself from hospital."
"Where's her kid?" I asked. "He's not with Rob or Juliet. I think Rob said something about him being with his grandparents, but I expect he'll be at the fake wedding."
Glances were exchanged. Finally, Solomon said, "I'll ask Donahue to put an alert out on the kid."
"We should tell Rob," I said. "He should know his son might be in danger from his own mom."
"Keep him in the dark for now. We have nothing to tell or warn him about."
Behind me, Lily huffed her disapproval.
"I mean it. That's an order," said Solomon, his voice denouncing any attempt to defy him. "Notify me the minute the kid is spotted, and then keep your eyes on him."
"Still nothing at the house," said the beefy guy in front of the monitor. "Guests are starting to arrive."
"Everyone in place? Fletcher, are you watching?" Solomon asked the air.
"I have eyes on the front of the house," came Fletcher's voice.
"Flaherty?
"Eyes on the west alley," said another voice. I looked up, wondering where the voices where coming from. Lily, I noticed, was doing the same thing.
"Ferrara?"
"Eyes on the east alley," said a voice I didn't know. Ferrara, I deduced.
"Where do you want me?" I asked.
"Where do you want to be?" Solomon countered.
"At the house. Juliet is still my client."
"Keep in contact," he said, handing me an earbud. He leaned in and attached a pretty pin to my lapel. "You'll be able to communicate with me at all times using this. You can listen to me via the earbud and speak to me using the pin."
"Do I get one?" asked Lily.
"Again, are you on my payroll?"
"No, but neither is Lexi," said Lily smartly.
"But we are working as a team," said Solomon.
"I really don't know why I help out when I don't get to play with the gadgets too. And to think I was going to name my firstborn after you!"
I rarely see Solomon surprised, but this time, his eyebrows rose and he blinked. "You were?"
"Not anymore!" quipped Lily, folding her arms.
He smiled and winked as he caught my eye.
"Lily is with me," I said. "We'll blend in as guests."
"It's likely the perp knows who you are already," pointed out Solomon. "All eyes are looking for Penelope Cera. Remember: she is armed and considered dangerous."
I nodded. I thought that already. "That's all the more reason why I should be there. If she's going to try something today, Penelope will expect to see me; and of course, expect to outsmart me again."
"I pity the fool," said Lily, doing her best Mr. T impersonation.
The main wave of Rob and Juliet's guests had already arrived by the time Lily and I returned to the house. We both got an orange juice from the bar, and I agreed with Lily what a shame that it wasn't a real wedding, and our drinks weren't real mimosas. We moved easily through the guests, trying to take in every face. Rob's family was there, but I couldn't see his son. Juliet's friends were standing together, talking softly and laughing. I smiled, pleased to know they made up with Juliet. At least, she could get something more out of this than just dropped charges, I decided as I turned around looking for her.
"I'm going to go upstairs and check on Juliet," I told Lily.
"Where you go, I go."
"You don't have to. You can sit on the couch and wait, or look out for Rob's son."
"I don't know what he looks like, and I'm not so pregnant that I can't make it up the stairs yet."
"Yet."
"So mean. Oh, is that the cake? Be right back!" Lily shot off before I had the chance to suggest that she mingle instead. With her occupied for the moment, however, I ascended the stairs, knocking at Juliet's bedroom door when I reached the top.
"Who is it?" she called.
"Lexi."
"Just a moment." Footsteps sounded across the floor before I heard a lock click and a bolt being drawn.
"You had the locks refitted," I observed, as I stepped inside, stopping still when I took in Juliet's dress: full lace with a sweetheart bodice, a nipped-in waist, and a mermaid skirt that pooled at her feet, and left only her satin-enclosed toes peeking out. Her hair was wild and loose, with only a sparkling crystal pin above one ear. "Juliet... You look sensational!"
"Do you think?" she asked, picking up her skirt to twirl, then dropping it self-consciously. "This is all crazy, isn't it?"
I shut the door behind me and flipped the lock, securing us both inside the room. "No, it's going to work," I said as I took in the brand new bathroom door.
"I keep thinking how annoyed everyone will be when they realize it's all a farce. People even brought gifts."
"They know you've been through a hard time. They'll understand."
"That I'm just using them? That I've made them get all dressed up for nothing? And bringing gifts, and taking time out from their lives to catch... to catch..." Juliet shrugged as she turned and dropped onto the stool in front of her dresser. She watched her reflection and smoothed her hair before applying a slick of lip gloss. I could imagine how fast her heart must have been thumping in her chest. I unexpectedly felt a wave of sadness for her. I didn't know how she managed to hold it together.
"It isn't for nothing."
She met my eyes in the mirror. "You got hurt!"
"I'm fine."
"If this doesn't work, they'll know soon that the charges against me are being dropped."
"You know that for certain?"
"Detective Donahue came by this morning, and said it was clear to all that I was being set up."
"That's good news."
Juliet recapped her lip gloss and placed it on a small, silver tray before she turned towards me. "Please don't think I'm not grateful, I am. I'm thrilled that I'm not going to prison, and that the police and my employers know this is a big setup."
"You've spoken to your employers?"
"Not yet, but they suggested a meeting."
"You might get your job back."
"I'm not sure I want it. My job used to be such a huge part of my life until... until all of this happened and I realized how little it matters. All those things that used to stress me out? They seem so irrelevant now. Do you ever feel like that?"
"I have… at moments."