The Way of the Guilty Part 1

THE WAY OF THE GUILTY.

by Jennifer Stanley

Acknowledgments.

The author is grateful to Jessica Faust of Book Ends for being a faithful cheerleader, Laura Bourgeois and Hope Dellon of St. Martin's / Minotaur Paperbacks for championing Cooper and friends, Frank Howarth for answering questions about car sales and doc.u.mentation, Kim Faulker for providing the comfort cookie recipe, Mary Harrison for reading an early draft, and my family for reminding me that sometimes I just need to step away from the computer and play a little.

The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

Proverbs 21:8

1.

The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones.

Esther 1:6 (NIV).

If Cooper Lee had known she would spend Friday night chugging champagne at an unfamiliar woman's mansion while a trio of busty coeds modeled lingerie, she would have come up with any number of creative excuses in order to avoid the whole thing. Unfortunately, Cooper had completely misunderstood her sister's invitation to accompany her to "a pajama party" being hosted by one of her church friends.

"Georgia Ferguson has such a gorgeous gorgeous house! Wait 'til you see it!" Cooper's sister Ashley had shouted over the roar of Cooper's power sander the weekend before the infamous fete. "Can you turn that d.a.m.ned thing off for a second?" house! Wait 'til you see it!" Cooper's sister Ashley had shouted over the roar of Cooper's power sander the weekend before the infamous fete. "Can you turn that d.a.m.ned thing off for a second?"

After gently putting down the tool, Cooper slid her safety goggles onto the crown of her head, picked up a piece of sandpaper, and began working on the rough areas on a chapel-shaped birdhouse. "And why exactly should I be interested in Georgia Ferguson's house?" she asked her sister while gently stroking the wood smooth. "I don't even know this woman."

Stopping Cooper's hand with her own, Ashley announced, "Because I'm I'm going to a party there next weekend and going to a party there next weekend and you're you're coming with me." coming with me."

Imagining a room populated by Ashley's worldly acquaintances, Cooper grimaced. "In case you've forgotten, I repair office equipment for a living." She rubbed the tip of the steeple gently with a folded sc.r.a.p of sandpaper. "Why would I want to go to Georgia's party? These are your your church friends. I've got my own," she added happily. church friends. I've got my own," she added happily.

Ashley drummed her fingers against the workbench and Cooper couldn't help but admire her sister's pristine French manicure. "You're going to this party because you're a mature, confident woman. That's just the kind of woman I need by my side to help me select an array of fabulous fabulous new night things with which I can seduce my husband." new night things with which I can seduce my husband."

Cooper's neck flushed as it always did when she was embarra.s.sed. "I am well aware that you're trying to get pregnant, but I'd rather not have to hear too many details, okay? Some things are meant to be kept private."

"Some things? things? You can't even say the word!" Ashley giggled. "Go on, I dare you. Say 's.e.x.' Say it! s.e.x, s.e.x, s.e.x!" You can't even say the word!" Ashley giggled. "Go on, I dare you. Say 's.e.x.' Say it! s.e.x, s.e.x, s.e.x!"

"You talk about it enough for both of us, thanks very much," Cooper retorted. "I'm going to start calling you Dr. Ruth." She playfully elbowed her sister out of the way and reached for the power sander. Removing her safety gla.s.ses from the top of her wheat-blonde hair, she stared at Ashley with her intriguing, mismatched eyes. "Is that all? I'd like to get back to this."

"Don't you give me that blue-eyed, green-eyed glower," Ashley commanded and then began to push sawdust sc.r.a.ps around with her finger, forming the outline of a wobbly heart on the surface of the table. "The truth is that I could use Dr. Ruth's advice these days. Listen to me, Coop. I need need to go to this party. I'm looking for a way to knock Lincoln's socks off. To make him sit up and take notice of me like he used to." to go to this party. I'm looking for a way to knock Lincoln's socks off. To make him sit up and take notice of me like he used to."

"Are you two having difficulties again?" Cooper looked at her sister with concern though she couldn't comprehend how a party could change how Ashley and her husband felt about one another. "Over the baby issue?"

Looking miserable, Ashley marred the sawdust heart with a sweep of her hand. "I think Lincoln's avoiding me. For the last few months he's been going to all these late late meetings. Then there's the golf outings with his daddy and brother every weekend-not to mention the poker nights." Tears pooled in her lovely azure eyes. "I feel like I'm losing him." meetings. Then there's the golf outings with his daddy and brother every weekend-not to mention the poker nights." Tears pooled in her lovely azure eyes. "I feel like I'm losing him."

Pulling off her gloves, Cooper put her arm around her sister's tiny waist and squeezed. "He loves you, Ashley. He'd be crazy not to."

Ashley sighed. "Love is hard work, isn't it? Harder than I ever thought it would be. I had my dream wedding, Lincoln carried me over the threshold of our perfect house, and for a while, everything was wonderful. A fairy tale. But then I was supposed to get pregnant and grow all round and cute and waddle and have that glow glow. I'd deliver the most precious beautiful little baby this world has ever seen and give it like five names and dress its precious little body in hand-embroidered smocks and Robeez booties. When we'd stroll around downtown, people would stop us on the street and just stare at my Gerber baby." She sniffed. "Instead I find out I have a bicornuate uterus and even after surgery will have a tough time getting pregnant. It's all I think about now!" She thumped the workbench and then eyed the sawdust on her palm in distaste. "I've never wanted anything anything so badly as I want this baby! Why did there have to be something wrong with me?" so badly as I want this baby! Why did there have to be something wrong with me?"

Cooper cleaned up the sawdust using a small broom and dustpan. "Ashley, maybe you need to take a break from thinking about babies all the time. It obviously upsets you and if you're worried about your marriage, perhaps you and Lincoln need some time alone together."

"That's exactly exactly what I'm planning!" Ashley's good humor immediately returned. "I've booked us a romantic cruise to the Bahamas as a surprise, but I need something what I'm planning!" Ashley's good humor immediately returned. "I've booked us a romantic cruise to the Bahamas as a surprise, but I need something incredible incredible to wear when I tell him about the trip. Something that will ensure he won't say no to taking a week off work. That's why we're going to Georgia's party. I feel compelled to buy a whole bunch of things that'll be on display there." to wear when I tell him about the trip. Something that will ensure he won't say no to taking a week off work. That's why we're going to Georgia's party. I feel compelled to buy a whole bunch of things that'll be on display there."

"So it's like a trunk show?" Cooper asked, silently wondering if she had the name right.

"Exactly. And all the women attending are married and go to my church, so I doubt there'll be anything too scandalous for sale." Ashley added, "I know it's not your scene, Cooper, but it would really mean a lot to me if you were with me. And you might even find yourself picking out something to wear for that magical magical moment when you and Nathan are moment when you and Nathan are ready. ready."

"So this is all about buying pajamas and nightgowns?" Cooper shook her head. What a bizarre reason to have a party, What a bizarre reason to have a party, she thought. she thought.

Ashley scrunched up her lips as though stifling a smile and said, "Precisely. Nightgowns and robes and stuff. And whatever you set your cap on will be my treat. It's the least I can do since you've agreed to come." Shouldering her bright orange purse, Ashley flicked a wave of glossy blonde hair off her shoulder and smiled. "This whole plan has given me a fresh dose of hope, Coop! I'll pick you up at seven. Georgia always serves the most unbelievable unbelievable desserts, but make sure you eat something for dinner." She straightened several gold bangles on her wrist. "You're going to need something in your stomach to soak up all the alcohol." desserts, but make sure you eat something for dinner." She straightened several gold bangles on her wrist. "You're going to need something in your stomach to soak up all the alcohol."

During the following week, Cooper forgot all about the Pajama Party. This was understandable, being that a manufacturer recall on one of Canon's most popular copiers had every employee from Make It Work! scurrying to replace drums and fuser units across the city of Richmond as quickly as possible.

Cooper was just returning from an a.s.signment updating all the copiers at a pharmaceutical company's headquarters when she was accosted in the break room by one of her coworkers.

"Cooper!" She drew back as Emilio Calabria's ba.s.s voice with its heavy New York accent boomed in her ear. The dark-haired, square-jawed, muscular hunk grabbed her by the elbow. With his nut-brown eyes ablaze, he looked more like a romance cover model than ever, but Emilio was too arrogant and chauvinistic for Cooper's tastes. "You gotta help me!" he insisted without preamble. "I mean, you're you're a girl, so you must get how girls think." a girl, so you must get how girls think."

"Glad you noticed," Cooper replied ruefully as she looked down at her ink-stained uniform top. "What's the problem?"

"It's our three-month anniversary. Me and Carla's. I need to think of something cool to do. Should I take her out to dinner? Buy her something? How much is it gonna cost for me to show her I'm better than all her ex-boyfriends? Do I have to get her some ice?"

"As in diamonds?" Cooper inquired after a moment's puzzlement. When Emilio nodded glumly, she tried to rea.s.sure him. "I don't think 'ice' is necessary. Unless you're preparing to propose?"

Emilio paled. "h.e.l.l, no no! I like this girl, but I am not not ready to wear the old ball and chain. No way, man." ready to wear the old ball and chain. No way, man."

Grinning, Cooper moved over to the sink and began to scrub her hands. It was too easy to push Emilio's b.u.t.tons. Still, her coworker had earnestly sought her help, so the least she could do was take him seriously. "You don't need to buy anything. You could take Carla somewhere special. What does she like to do?"

"Same as me. Watch ESPN and reality shows on TV. Go out for big slabs of steak and cold beers. And when we wanna get our groove on, we go clubbin'."

"You could make her a mixed CD of her favorite dance songs," Cooper suggested.

He frowned and handed Cooper twice the number of paper towels she needed to dry off her hands. "No dice. Did that for our two-month anniversary."

Two months? This is so junior high school, Cooper thought. Cooper thought.

"What about your man? Your church boy?" Emilio prodded. "What's he given you that made you go weak in the knees?"

Turning away from Emilio, she said, "Nathan bought me a bicycle for Christmas. It's the old-fashioned kind, with lots of chrome, a straw basket, and a big rubber horn. I love it." She smiled, remembering how Nathan had covered her eyes while he led her into his garage where he had hidden her shiny blue bike beneath a bedsheet. He had whipped off the sheet in a dramatic flourish, revealing the bicycle and the curled red ribbons hanging from the handlebars. She had thrown her arms around him in delight, kissing him fervently.

"Now for your gift," she'd whispered a few minutes later.

He'd pulled her close once again and stared at her intently. "I don't need anything else but you."

Eventually, Cooper had managed to disentangle herself from Nathan's embrace. She'd led him through his kitchen and out the back door. Standing in the small garden area behind Nathan's row house, she'd waited for his reaction upon seeing his gift. For the past month, she'd been busy in her father's garage making a birdhouse in the shape of a TIE fighter, the s.p.a.ceship Darth Vader piloted in Star Wars Star Wars, Nathan's favorite movie.

"Did you make this?" Nathan had been utterly delighted by the workmanship. When Cooper nodded, he told her that it was the best gift he'd ever received and then led her inside.

"I can thank you more properly in here," he whispered, kissing her lightly just below her earlobe. "No prying eyes."

But just when Cooper was wondering if this was the moment to indicate her readiness to make her way upstairs to Nathan's bedroom, the doorbell rang. Nathan's sister had stopped by with her boyfriend, and what was supposed to be a romantic evening for Nathan and Cooper quickly became an intense Monopoly compet.i.tion between the two couples.

"Carla isn't gonna be bowled over by a bike bike," Emilio grumbled, bringing Cooper back to the present.

"Why are you freaking out about this gift, Emilio?" Cooper inquired as they headed for the employee break room. "Are you worried she's not, ah, as keen on your relationship as she was in the beginning?"

Emilio's thick brows creased in worry. "She's been hanging out a lot with the other mailmen. What if she's thinking about ditching me for one of them? I don't see why she would, seeing as they wear those dorky uniforms, but women don't make sense, most of the time."

Cooper decided not point out that Emilio was currently dressed in a rather lackl.u.s.ter uniform comprised of black pants and a gray shirt embroidered with the company logo in charcoal-gray script. "Buying Carla something for your anniversary isn't going to make everything better. You need to talk to her-find out how she's feeling about your relationship."

"Who do I look like?" Emilio spluttered indignantly. "That Dr. Phil clown? Ever since I told her how crazy I was about her she's been less into me. I sure as h.e.l.l am not gonna do that that again. Maybe I'll make her jealous-make her realize how good she's got it. Tons of chicks would thank their lucky stars to be able to get with me." He squared his shoulders and touched a lock of gelled hair. again. Maybe I'll make her jealous-make her realize how good she's got it. Tons of chicks would thank their lucky stars to be able to get with me." He squared his shoulders and touched a lock of gelled hair.

Cooper pushed open the kitchen door. "That's not a good plan, Emilio."

"Pfahh! What do you know, anyhow? I can tell you and your man haven't even brought your relationship to the final level yet. You still get all embarra.s.sed to even think about doing the nasty, don't you? What are you scared of, anyhow? It's not like you haven't done it before." He sat down in front of a foot-long sandwich and slung his arm around Angela, Make It Work!'s office manager. "Tell her what she's missing, gorgeous. I'm sure you know how nice it is to have someone keeping you warm in the winter."

"I like it downright toasty." Angela handed Cooper an Italian hero from Subway and winked. "That's right, darlin'. I've got the fire department on standby, just in case things get too too hot." hot."

As Angela and Emilio unwrapped their subs and bantered companionably, Cooper ate her lunch in a state of mute irritation.

I'll show them! I'm going to buy something at that Pajama Party that'll make Nathan weak in the knees. I'm going to tell him I love him and that I'm ready to spend the night in his arms. She tore open a bag of Sun Chips and bit down on one savagely. She tore open a bag of Sun Chips and bit down on one savagely. Nothing is going to get in my way this time! Nothing is going to get in my way this time!

"Why are you wearin' pajamas to the table? You sick?" Grammy scrutinized Cooper from top to bottom. "'Cause if you are, you need to turn right around and go back to your apartment. I'm goin' to the P. Buckley Moss Museum tomorrow and I wanna do some real damage at Golden Corral's breakfast buffet beforehand."

"I feel fine, Grammy." Cooper squeezed her grandmother's shoulders affectionately. "I'm going to a party with Ashley tonight and I'm supposed to dress like this."

"You're a little old for sleepover parties, ain't you? Unless you're havin' one with Nathan," she cackled.

Not Grammy, too! Cooper lifted her eyes to the ceiling in appeal. Cooper lifted her eyes to the ceiling in appeal.

Cooper's mother entered the kitchen and peeked into the oven. "Leave her be, Mama. She's a lady and ladies don't kiss and tell."

Grammy snorted, but mercifully remained silent. Cooper expected one of her grandmother's long-winded lectures on how to procure a marriage proposal from Nathan, but for the moment Grammy was more interested in Maggie's pot roast than Cooper's love life.

"You look cozy," Earl commented to Cooper as he took his seat at the head of the table. "I saw your latest birdhouse in the garage. What are you doin' with that one?"

"Donating it to Hope Street's winter bazaar. The church is raising money for a youth mission trip to Mexico," Cooper replied.

"Can they send your daddy and me to Mexico?" Maggie laughed. "Seems like we haven't been out of the state of Virginia since man walked on the moon."

"Don't stick around on my my account," Grammy remarked huffily. "I know my way around the coffeepot and the can opener. What else does a woman my age need?" account," Grammy remarked huffily. "I know my way around the coffeepot and the can opener. What else does a woman my age need?"

Maggie smiled indulgently at Grammy. "We all know how independent you are, dear. It's more about our empty piggy bank than us frettin' over you. After all, Cooper would look after everything if we went away, wouldn't you, honey?"

Cooper nodded-her mouth full of scalloped potatoes. She glanced at her father, who looked especially tired. As the head groundskeeper for one of Richmond's private schools, he performed physical labor that men half his age would find fatiguing. And her mother baked gourmet cookies for a dozen sandwich shops in the West End of Richmond, waking up at four in the morning in order to produce three varieties of her famous Magnolia's Marvels.

They've worked all their lives, Cooper thought. Cooper thought. They really deserve a special vacation. They really deserve a special vacation.

"He can retire in three years," Maggie had told Cooper one Sat.u.r.day as she'd packed plastic baggies of fresh-baked cookies. "But we've put aside every spare penny in case Grammy develops a need for special medical care. We're not gonna have her rot away in some nursing home. She's gonna leave this earth with dignity-from her own bed-if it costs us the roof over our heads."

Fortunately, Grammy was still perfectly healthy and spry. Sharp-tongued and witty, the matriarch of the Lee clan spent her time caring for stray animals, hovering in the kitchen in hopes of receiving rejects from Maggie's cookie production, watching reality shows, and nagging her granddaughters about her desire to become a great-grandmother before meeting her Maker.

Cooper glanced at her grandmother, who was shoveling pot roast into her mouth as though it were her last meal, and then flicked her gaze to her mother, who was a.s.sessing her husband from the corner of her eye. Cooper was about to suggest to her father that he should get checked out by a physician and had just opened her mouth to speak when her first syllable was cut short by the blast of Ashley's horn.

"Ain't she even gonna come in and say h.e.l.lo to her family?" Grammy shot a cross look at Maggie. "You raised her better than that!"

Cooper noticed that her younger sister had been avoiding Grammy lately. Ashley wasn't trying to be rude, but she already put so much pressure on herself over becoming pregnant that she couldn't bear to hear anyone else raise the subject. Unfortunately, Grammy brought up the topic whenever she had the chance.

"We're probably running late is all," Cooper said hastily, covering for her sister. On impulse, she kissed her grandmother on the cheek and was warmed by the approval in her father's smile. "Maybe I can start selling birdhouses, Daddy. Send you two on a vacation."

"And go for days without seein' your pretty face? Now what fun would that be?" Earl stacked his fork with b.u.t.ter beans. "Better get a move on. If your sister lays on that horn again, Grammy might run out there and give her what for."

"Run?" Grammy laughed. She loved to be teased by her son. "You know I only pick up my pace when they're givin' away samples of chocolate at Costco."

Cooper put on a long wool coat, b.u.t.toned it up to the neck, and exited the toasty house. Stepping into the dark night, she hunched her shoulders against the brisk winter wind and trotted over to Ashley's Lexus. As soon as she opened the door, she was a.s.saulted by the heady floral scent of her sister's perfume. Ashley was dressed in a knee-length fur coat and brown leather boots with sharp heels.

"Is this real?" Cooper asked and placed a hesitant hand on her sister's coat. "No wonder you didn't want Grammy to see you! She would've had your head on a platter."

"It's faux sable, actually, and it still still costs almost as much as the real thing. Isn't that ridiculous? I should get a costs almost as much as the real thing. Isn't that ridiculous? I should get a huge huge discount for being so humane. And you know why I didn't come inside." Ashley accelerated on the empty road leading through the rural county where Cooper and the rest of the Lees lived. Watching the stark trees pa.s.s outside her window, Cooper suddenly longed to be back in her tiny apartment, laid out on her sofa beneath a thick afghan while Masterpiece Theater treated her to a Jane Austen remake. discount for being so humane. And you know why I didn't come inside." Ashley accelerated on the empty road leading through the rural county where Cooper and the rest of the Lees lived. Watching the stark trees pa.s.s outside her window, Cooper suddenly longed to be back in her tiny apartment, laid out on her sofa beneath a thick afghan while Masterpiece Theater treated her to a Jane Austen remake.

"I know what you're thinking over there," Ashley stated as though she were truly clairvoyant. "You're already figuring on not having fun. Just because these women are married with kids does not not mean they're boring. And even though they have plenty of money in their wallets, they're not necessarily shallow. So don't feel intimidated by how they look." mean they're boring. And even though they have plenty of money in their wallets, they're not necessarily shallow. So don't feel intimidated by how they look."

"We can't look too different, anyhow," Cooper reasoned. "Since we're all wearing pajamas."

Ashley was too busy maneuvering the onramp to the interstate to answer right away. "What did you say?" she asked after merging directly into the center lane; she then proceeded to zip by a dozen cars while fiddling with her radio b.u.t.tons. Ashley had always been a dangerously oblivious driver. "Who's in pajamas?"

Cooper unb.u.t.toned her coat in order to reveal her pink flannel top. "I am, for one thing! Aren't you?"

At first, Ashley looked horrified and then she began to laugh. The sound of her laughter overshadowed the music coming from the car's speakers as well as the chiding honk delivered by the truck in the next lane. Ashley had been drifting again. "Oh, Coop!" she said after controlling herself. "You've already made this a night to remember! The girls are gonna love love you." you."

Suddenly, Cooper reached over and yanked up the hem of her sister's coat, revealing a white skirt embroidered with black flowers and a pair of tights. "Uh-oh. I totally misunderstood." She gulped. "Turn around, Ashley. I need to change."

"Not a chance. We're late as it is and Georgia was adamant adamant about people getting there before the show starts." about people getting there before the show starts."

Visualizing Chippendale dancers, a fog machine, and strobe lights, Cooper groaned, but when they entered Georgia Ferguson's Spanish villa-style mansion fifteen minutes later, she was not surrounded by half-naked men, but by boisterous and cheerful women holding champagne gla.s.ses. To Cooper's relief, they were dressed quite casually in pressed khakis and cotton blouses or simple skirts and sweater sets. Their jewelry, shoes, and handbags were expensive and elegant, yet understated, and they welcomed Cooper warmly. Twice, Georgia offered to take her coat, which Cooper had thus far refused to unb.u.t.ton.

"My sister's embarra.s.sed because she thought she was supposed to wear wear pajamas tonight," Ashley explained, pulling apart Cooper's coat in order to allow her friend a glimpse of her sister's ensemble. pajamas tonight," Ashley explained, pulling apart Cooper's coat in order to allow her friend a glimpse of her sister's ensemble.

"I think that's a fabulous fabulous idea!" a woman wearing tight jeans and a lime-green turtleneck exclaimed. "I wish you had thought of that, Georgia! We could all be as comfy as this pretty thing is. Aren't you clever!" She beamed at Cooper. "Instead, we're all tossing back the booze and waiting for this show to start-about as comfortable as turtles lying on their backs in the middle of the desert!" idea!" a woman wearing tight jeans and a lime-green turtleneck exclaimed. "I wish you had thought of that, Georgia! We could all be as comfy as this pretty thing is. Aren't you clever!" She beamed at Cooper. "Instead, we're all tossing back the booze and waiting for this show to start-about as comfortable as turtles lying on their backs in the middle of the desert!"