Chapter 29 The Meeting

A/N:

Check the Pinterest page to see the lady I envision as Joyce's friend whom I call Donna.

The next day it was business as usual at the firm. The investigators had a few open cases they were working on and everyone was busy with their individual work. It so happened that on that Monday everyone had a reason to be out of the office at one point or another. Terry had a 10:00am appointment with a client in lower Manhattan as he collaborated with the man in person. Then Edgar was late coming in because he had a few errands to do for the firm before coming to work. While David and Jim had a late afternoon conference with Inspector Barbara Marshall about the case involving the McPhersons.

The United States government was one of Kami's clients in the past as they commissioned her to write programs for them. One such program needed to be updated and government representatives were expected in the office at 1:00 pm to go over the updates the FBI department needed. Hildy on the other hand was the only person who either did not have to leave the office or was expecting a client to drop by. As such she used the time for catching upon a lot of paperwork.

Around eleven am, Abbi came over to Hildy's desk and told her that someone from the law firm called Jamieson, Purcell & Walters called. Abbi explained that the law firm said one of their clients needed a New York based investigation firm to handle a sensitive matter. The firm requested that Hildy meet with their client at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel's main restaurant for 1:00pm.

Hildy looked at Abbi and frowned. "I never heard of that law firm. You said they specifically asked for me?"

"Yes. The receptionist from the firm is the one who placed the call. She said the matter is sensitive and preferred a female investigator to handle the case on behalf of their client. They seemed to have done their home work because the receptionist said she knew that Terry was also a former police inspector, but they wanted a woman, therefore you Hildy Mulligan, not a man to spear head the investigation. The receptionist also asked if you could come alone for the initial meeting even if you bring your partners for any subsequent ones, Abbi explained.

"Come alone?" Hildy raised her eyebrow.

"I found that request a bit unusual myself" Abbi replied. "That's why after I hung up the phone, I Googled the name of the firm. They seem legit. I also placed a call to one of your old officer friends in California where the law firm is located for him to verify they are on the up and up. He called me back a few minutes later and said yes they are one of the top firms in southern California".

"Hmm. Well if everything is above board, I will go meet this mystery client. Thanks for making the extra enquiries Abbi", Hildy thank the young receptionist and part time investigator.

Hildy walked over to Kami's work area and gave her a chaste kiss and she pulled up a chair to look at what she was doing.

They chatted while Kami worked on different programs and before they knew it, it was after 12 noon.

Abbi came over and reminded Hildy to keep her eye on the time as she did not want to be late for the meeting.

"Hildy, don't you find it is a bit odd the way this meeting with this unknown client was set up?" Kami asked.

"It is, but the meeting is set for the middle of the same restaurant we had our family luncheon on Thanksgiving Day last year. I figured the person is skittish, as much as they chose that busy restaurant. Maybe they are afraid of something and they need a lot of people around them to feel safe".

"Just be careful, OK. I have a feeling my meeting with the FBI agents, will last awhile. If your meeting with this client takes longer than you think let me know OK. I may not be able to take any calls while I am in the meeting but leave a message with Abbi, if you will be gone long, please", Kami requested.

"I will do that if I am going to be out long. Don't worry, I will be fine". With that Hildy left. As it was still a bit early and the weather was cool without being cold, she decided to walk to the restaurant rather than take a taxi.

Joyce sat at the table in the middle of the restaurant awaiting the arrival of Hildy.

The afternoon before she was scheduled to fly to Baltimore to perform the two back to back surgeries, she contacted one of the persons in her network of helpers, a woman by the name of Donna Walters. Donna was a walking miracle because from all medical accounts she should be dead. Four and a half years ago she developed an aneurism on her aorta. When her doctor and the team of specialists diagnosed her condition, they realized she was a walking time bomb. Joyce was immediately called in and performed emergency surgery. If the operation was delayed by minutes Donna would have experienced a bloody explosion in her chest cavity, the operation saved Donna's life. She recovered and eventually went back to work at the law firm that bore her name along with two family members who were also lawyers. To say that she and her family were eternally grateful to Joyce would be an understatement.

Joyce called the firm and spoke to Donna briefly outlining that she needed an appointment with a specific investigator to assist her with a sensitive problem while on the East Coast. Donna listened and told her she would get back to her.

An hour later as Joyce was about to leave her office at the Loma Linda Hospital someone walked in without even knocking and took a seat across from her at the desk. The person was Donna. No doctor, much less nurse would dare to enter Joyce's office without knocking and waiting to be acknowledges. Donna on the other hand was no doctor nor nurse, she was Joyce's friend.

There were very few persons in Joyce's network of helpers she would consider to be friends, by and large they were acquaintances yes, but friends no. Joyce was the surgeon who saved the lives of the persons in her network not their attending physician. As such she did not consider herself stepping over any professional lines in becoming cordial towards them after they were released from hospital. She maintained an air of professionalism yet still was friendly towards them all. Donna was an exception to this rule Joyce imposed on herself.

"Donna what are you doing here, I was just on my way out. You could have just called me back with the confirmation of the meeting with Ms Hildy Mulligan. There was no need to make a personal visit", Joyce explained, and she began packing her briefcase in preparation to leave the office.

"Oh, come on Joyce, I know you better than that. You are up to something and are trying to use me to reach your goal. I have told you before I will not be a Pawn in your chess games. Now I might willingly become the Queen on your board if you level with me, but you have to be straightforward", Donna fixed her with a steely glare.

Joyce stared right back at her with her own steel glare, then Joyce said, "I told you all you need to know". With those words Joyce cut her eyes away and continued sorting her papers for her briefcase, effectively dismissing her friend.

Donna had come to know Joyce very well and knew how her mind worked. Her friend was putting up walls and expected it to left in place. Donna on the other hand had no intension of letting Joyce, dismiss her the way she dismissed people at her convenience.

Joyce finally stood up and cocked her eyebrow at her friend, "Why are you still here? Don't you have a case to try? Briefs to write, or some underdog client to defend?" Joyce asked in a sarcastic tone.

Making a show out of taking a deep breath as if trying to breathe in patience, Donna said "I am here for answers, and yes I have things to do so do not waste my time, woman".

"Waste your time? You are the one who came in here unannounced just as I was about to leave and demanded answers to questions that has nothing to do with you", Joyce said in her superior tone that she reserved for her staff when they performed as a standard below what she expected of them.

Donna matched Joyce's superior tone with one of her own that she reserved for the courthouse when dealing with members of the judiciary whom she deemed unworthy of 'the silks'.

"Joyce need I remind you that you need the services of my legal firm to set up this meeting of yours with this unsuspecting woman who ever she is. You called me remember. I will not be a party to anything that will cause harm to someone directly or indirectly. I know you my friend, and you are up to something. So, either you supply me with some answers to why you don't want to call this woman's office directly and schedule an appointment like a normal person or you can forget my firm's involvement. Take it or leave it".

Both women stared down each other for a few moments before Joyce conceded and said, "Very well".

"In a nutshell and I mean a nutshell … the reason I do not want to call the detective firm directly is I do not want my name to be recognized by one of the owners of the business. So there, are you happy?

Donna listened to what her friend said and did not say. Then she asked, "What did you do to the owner that makes you want to hide?"

Joyce immediately got defensive. "I did not do anything to anyone", she said with steel in her voice that Donna immediately pick up on.

"So then, what did the person do to you?".

Joyce remained quiet.

Donna continued to look at her as she played several scenarios in her head as to why her friend would want to place herself in the path of someone who wronged her in the past.

"You know I am an excellent lawyer, right. And you know I am not going to give up until you explain everything. So just tell me", Donna said in a softer tone because she realized that Joyce needed someone to talk with. Her friend was almost vibrating with tension like a tightly coiled spring about to bounce off the wall.

Sitting back down on her executive chair Joyce was quiet for a few moments then she confided in her friend that she saw a picture of Kami a few days ago, and thoughts and memories she kept deeply buried in her subconscious pushed their way back to the surface of her mind. Donna listened in genuine surprise as that was not what she expected to hear. When Joyce was finished the two women sat in silence.

"Joyce what do you want to accomplish by having the meeting with Kami's fiancée?" Donna asked and saw how her friend's eyes narrowed at the word fiancée.

Joyce did not answer.

Donna remembered about two years ago, she and Joyce decided to visit a resort together for a weekend of friendly relaxation. Joyce had just broken up with at that time her latest fling, and she was in a bit of a reflective mood. As they lounged at the side of the pool Joyce confided in her about her relationship with Kami. Joyce told her that Kami was the closest she came to be in love. She was the only woman who caused her to second guess herself even though she never let on to Kami that she had that power over her. After listening to her friend that day by the pool, Donna concluded that it more pride that was hurt, than a heart that was broken for Joyce when Kami walked out of her life.

Now sitting here in Joyce's office and hearing the reason for this New York meeting, Donna had some more questions.

Donna continued, "Do you want Kami back? Do you want to put an end to their relationship? What is your end game? What move do you see as your check mate?"

Joyce sat with a slight frown between her eyes. "I have not consciously thought about Kami in a really long time. I know in my calm moments that it is not realistic to expect Kami to come back into my life. After all she is the one that left. Too much time has passed. I have moved on and so has she apparently. It is just that I feel angry at the thought of her being engaged to someone other than me, someone who she has known for a less than one year I will have you know. She left me for no apparent reason. It is as if in walking away she said I was not good enough. Yet here she is five years later looking sickeningly happy in the photo engaged to a cop".

Donna looked and listened to her friend for a long time.

"It seems to me the person you should be talking to is Kami not her lover". Donna softly said. "So, this leads me to still ask …. what are you up to Joyce?"

The two women looked at each other then Joyce said, "I just want Hildy to know that even though Kami is no longer in my life, I have a claim on her that Hildy will never have. Donna, at the risk of repeating myself, I will say it again, Kami has known this woman for less than a year. How could they be getting married? I want to test the depth of this love Kami seems to have for this woman. To do that, I will offer her a second chance to a life with me and watch her reaction". Joyce paused and then softly said;

" I want to understand why she left me".

Donna softly expelled a breath that she did not realize she was holding as she looked at her friend. The last words were the crux of the matter it seemed to Donna. What gnawed at Joyce the most was that question she did not have the answer to, 'why did Kami leave?'

"Joyce, I think it is more your pride than your heart that was hurt. I am not saying you did not love Kami in your own Joyce-way but the fact that she walked out on you instead of you walking out on her is something you never got over".

Donna finally stood up. "Joyce you said that it is not realistic to expect Kami to come back into your life after all this time, yet you are going to offer her a second chance with you. My friend, you plan to play mind games with that couple ", Donna said as she shook her head.

"I will set up the appointment, but I will time it for the first morning you are in New York City. Go meet your old lover and her fiancée. Play your games. Exorcise the ghosts from your past, claim what you feel you have a right to claim, make your offer. But remember you cannot control a person's response to your claims, offers, or plain old words. Mind games can backfire. The smug, dominant, superior, feeling you anticipate you will feel when you play your game, may turn out to be more feelings of 'not good enough' upon your return to California in few days time".

With those words Donna gave her friend a hug and left her office.

Hildy arrived at the restaurant and the hostess directed her to the table reserved under the legal firm's name.

Joyce saw Hildy approach and the first thing that struck her was that Hildy's photographs did not do her justice. She was more than just good looking, she was beautiful. Her walk was confident, and she had an aura about her of no nonsense.

Hildy stopped at the table and looked at the woman seated as she asked; "Are you the client the legal firm made the appointment for?"

Joyce remained sitting and inclined her head as she said "Yes I am. Please have a seat".

Hildy accepted the chair the waiter pulled out for her.

Joyce continued to look at Hildy as she memorized every part of her to analyze more deeply later on in the day. Hildy for her part also looked at Joyce and noted immediately that she was drop dead gorgeous. From the professionally styled hair to the Jimmy Choo shoes. Hildy still could not figure out why her firm was invited to this meeting, and more specifically why she was singled out. She did not believe the cock and bull story the receptionist of the legal firm told Abbi.

Hildy did not want to alarm Kami when Kami asked her to be careful, but she too found the way the luncheon meeting was arranged was odd. Hildy did not always walk with her firearm but she strapped it on before leaving the office, and it was securely in place under her blazer.

Joyce signaled the nearby waiter and asked Hildy if she wanted coffee or tea to which Hildy replied just water.

As the waiter left their table to get some tea for Joyce, Hildy turned to her and asked in a soft but firm voice; "What is your name? Where are you from? Where are you staying? Why did you ask the legal firm to get in touch with us? And what can be so sensitive that the initial meeting has to be with the female owner of my company?"

Joyce was not sure how this meeting with Hildy would start but she grudgingly admired how she did not beat around the bush.

Joyce looked at Hildy intently because she was about to tell her her surname and she wanted to see if it registered anything on Hildy's face. She wondered if Kami ever shared with her new lover anything about her old one. She remembered when Kami lived with her, she mentioned Dexter's name a few times, but she never gave much details about their life together besides saying that he was her first and only lover prior to Joyce. And to be honest, Joyce never encouraged Kami to speak about Dexter because it annoyed her that someone touched Kami before she did. No other lover ever made her wish she was the first, but Kami had that effect on her that way.

"My name is Doctor Zachery. I live most of the time in California. I am staying in this fine hotel. The legal firm got in touch with you because I asked them to. And the sensitive matter involves something that I have a claim to, that someone else is in possession of".

Hildy listened and frowned because the lady's name did not ring any bells and the reason for choosing their firm still did not make sense. Hildy decided to go along with the woman and see where she leads with her information.

The waiter returned with the tea and Joyce requested a salad for lunch and asked Hildy what she wanted. Hildy found the entire situation strange but told the waiter that she too would have a salad.

Joyce requested that they leave their business talk until after their meal and Hildy reluctantly agreed. For the next thirty minutes Joyce made small talk with Hildy about New York and the various places of interest around the city. When Joyce made up her mind to be charming very few people could resist her. Hildy was not swayed by Joyce's charm but she did begin to relax a little in the company of the mysterious woman and enjoy the conversation even though she was on guard at all times.

Finally, they finished their salads and Hildy declined the offer for desert. Joyce signaled the waiter to bring over the bill and she paid for the meal. As the waiter stepped away from their table Hildy said;

"Dr Zachery, I do not know what your game is, what you really want from my investigation firm, but we will not be assisting you in getting back whatever item you have a claim on as you said. Find another team of investigators to assist you doctor".

Hildy stood and was about to leave but Joyce held up her hand; "One more minute of your time detective". Hildy looked at Joyce and reluctantly sat back down.

"I cannot go to any other investigation firm detective because the something I have a claim to is in your office as we speak".

Hildy slowly felt a chill run down her spine. She suspected that this woman specifically chose her firm out for a reason but now she knew there was something dangerous about the woman. Hildy began to wrack her mind trying to figure out that her firm owned that this woman could believe was hers.

"Doctor Zachery, if that is your real name. I do not know what medication you are on, but you are delusional if you think anything my firm owns belongs to you"

Joyce looked at Hildy and smiled a smile that did not reach her eyes.

"I never said the something that is presently in your office belongs to the firm".

Hildy stood up and kept her voice soft as to not cause a scene in a public place. "I do not have time for this".

Joyce too stood up and looked at Hildy with an unwavering stare and spoke just as softly as Hildy. "The something is Kami".

Hildy looked at her in genuine confusion and asked "Kami?".

Then Joyce smiled, a real smile, reaching her eyes this time as she saw the confusion on Hildy's face.

"My name is Joyce Amy Zachery", she said as her smile turned into an arrogant smirk. She did not wait for any further response from her lunch companion but rather she turned and walked out of the restaurant.

Hildy stood there and the colour drained from her face as she softly said

"JAZ".