A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews and I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in a while! Real life has gotten in the way. But here is the latest chapter and I hope that you enjoy it! Please read and review!!
Lilly seemed to walk quicker than normal across the parking lot as they headed towards the building. Scotty shook his head as he sped up to an almost jog to catch her and grab her arm making her stop abruptly.
"Lil…what's the hurry?"
"I…it's just we're late that's all and Mrs. Hughes is probably waiting for us."
"You sure it ain't got nothing to do with what happened last night and this morning?"
Lilly's cheeks blazed red as she shook her head and continued walking but this time at a slower pace with Scotty at her side. When he slipped his hand in hers she looked down at it before looking up at him with wide cornsilk colored eyes.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Scotty sighed as he reluctantly dropped Lilly's hand before they reached the doors to the Police Headquarters. She gave him a small smile and whispered a quick apology before they headed inside. They stood waiting for the elevator doors to open in complete silence. Scotty looked around to see if anyone was watching them. When he was satisfied that they weren't being watched he took a step closer to Lilly. Then the elevator doors swung open and the two partners stepped inside. They happened to be the only two on the elevator and once the doors slid shut again Scotty took his opportunity. Pushing Lilly against the wall quickly he crushed his mouth to hers pushing his tongue inside her mouth as deeply as he could. Taken aback by his sudden assault on her lips all Lilly could do was struggle to catch her breath as Scotty only seemed to deepen the kiss. But once the sound of the elevator doors sliding open reached her ears she snapped out of her stupor and pushed Scotty away abruptly. He shot her a crooked grin as she quickly straightened her jacket and made sure that her pink tinted lip gloss wasn't smeared all over her face before stepping out of the elevator. Scotty followed quickly behind his blonde haired partner.
Reaching the homicide department Lilly saw that Mrs. Hughes was indeed sitting at her desk waiting for her. Quickening her pace Lilly didn't even bother stopping to grab a cup of coffee from the half full coffee pot. Mrs. Hughes turned around in her chair to greet Lilly.
"You're late Detective Rush."
Lilly's cheeks reddened for what seemed like the millionth time to her that morning. Sinking down into her chair she forced a smile at the old woman before clearing her throat to speak.
"Yes I am…I'm very sorry Mrs. Hughes."
"That's quite alright young lady…from the looks of it I'd say your reason for being tardy was more than worth it."
Lilly blushed again before taking a breath to steady herself before trying to speak again.
"Well shall we pick up where you left off yesterday?"
"Changing the subject…I'll take that as a yes then."
"Right…now where were we?"
Seeing that Lilly wasn't about to confess to the obvious shift in the definition of the relationship that she had with her handsome partner Rosemary finally consented to getting on with telling her what she knew about Norah Jane's murder all those years ago.
"I believe we were discussing why I just now decided to come to the police with my knowledge of Norah Jane."
"Right…so why did you wait all these years to come forward Rosemary?"
"Part of me was afraid that if I came forward that if Frankie had been the one who ordered Norah Jane's killing that I would be the next in line."
"So you were afraid of Frankie then?"
"Well not really afraid but I knew when to keep my mouth shut and when to speak my mind where he was concerned."
"And the other reason you waited so long in coming forward?"
"Well we all have our reasons Detective Rush. You see I met my husband, Archer Hughes, one night at the Clubhouse. I was performing and he was for whatever reason smitten with me from the first glance."
"Sounds romantic?"
"Oh it was…Archer was a big time wealthy real estate tycoon and was worth millions. What he ever saw in a lounge dancer like me I'll never know."
"Love is a strange thing…hard to explain how the heart works."
"Yes…well after that night Archer told me that he wanted to take me away from that life and he did. He told Frankie that I was no longer working for him and he took me to live with him in his big fancy mansion in Chestnut Hill."
"I suppose that didn't exactly sit well with Frankie? Being that he had already lost Norah Jane and all?"
"No it made him madder than I'd ever seen him. Frankie sent Billy Taylor, his enforcer at the lounge, to try and persuade me to come back to the Clubhouse."
"Billy Taylor? Wasn't he…"
"Norah Jane's boyfriend? Yes he was."
"And what happened when Billy Taylor came to your mansion in Chestnut Hill?"
"Oh it was quite embarrassing…I had a couple of our neighbors' wives over for tea that afternoon. "
"What were their names if you don't mind telling me?"
"Certainly…it was myself, Annette Barrington, and Lila Chandler. Annette was William Barrington's wife, he was a big shot lawyer…owned his own practice and everything. And Lila was John Chandler's wife…he was a well to do doctor."
"So they were both wealthy women then?"
"Yes very wealthy…so you can imagine my embarrassment when that thug Billy Taylor showed up on my doorstep."
"Go on…"
*flashback to April 15, 1942*
Laughter pours out of the lavishly decorated parlor of the Hughes mansion on 2212 Harbor View Drive in the prominent wealthy suburb known as Chestnut Hill just outside of Philadelphia. Frank Sinatra's smooth as silk voice was floating out of the radio that was on the coffee table in the parlor. The conversation was light and full of laughter between the three young wives that sat around the coffee table drinking tea. Suddenly the doorbell rang interrupting the conversation. Turning around from where she sat on the black leather sofa Rosemary waved her hand to get the attention of her young black maid.
"Would you mind going to see who's at the door Corinne?"
"Yes ma'am Mrs. Hughes."
Corinne hurried to the front door and opened it to see a young man of about twenty three or twenty four years old. He was handsome with a muscular build and short dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. Corinne could see right away that he didn't belong anywhere near Chestnut Hill and that he was more than likely up to no good.
"Can I help you sir?"
The young man grinned a crooked grin at her as he straightened his black tie and then took off his black fedora styled hat before extending his hand as he introduced himself.
"I'm Billy Taylor…is Ro around?"
Corinne's dark brown eyes widened at his casualness with the way he referred to Mrs. Hughes.
"I'm sorry are you a friend of Mrs. Hughes?"
"Yeah…she and I go way back."
"I don't believe Mrs. Hughes was expecting any visitors today sir…and I'm afraid that she has guests right now so she is very busy."
"Look missy…just tell Ro that Billy is here to see her and that I ain't leaving you got that?"
"I'm very sorry Mr. Taylor but Mrs. Hughes is entertaining guests at this time and I'm afraid that she just can't be disturbed."
Billy raised his voice in annoyance at the young African American girl's attempt to send him on his way.
"Listen here missy…you're the wrong color to be getting all uppity with me! Now I said go and fetch Ro for me now! Tell her Billy's here…she'll make time for me you hear?"
Upon hearing the loud talking coming from the foyer Rosemary got up and walked out of the parlor shutting the doors behind her as she headed out to see what the commotion was all about. She stopped short when she saw Billy Taylor practically strong arming his way into the house past Corinne.
"Oh Mrs. Hughes I'm so sorry…he just wouldn't take no for an answer!"
"It's alright Corinne…now go and see if the cook has finished with those tea cakes you hear?"
"Yes ma'am."
Corinne hurried towards the kitchen to do as she had been told leaving Billy and Rosemary alone in the foyer. Turning back around to face Billy she narrowed her chocolate brown eyes at him.
"You have some nerve showing up at my house Billy Taylor!"
"Look at you acting all uppity now that you got that big shot real estate husband of yours."
Billy's dark brown eyes raked over Rosemary's body sending a shiver down her spine. He seemed to be stripping off the light blue silk cocktail dress she was wearing the harder he stared at her.
"What do you want Billy?"
"Frankie asked me to come by and see if you was interested in coming back to work."
"Well you can tell Frankie that I certainly am not interested in coming back to work in that dive he calls a lounge!"
"You know money suits you Ro…you're looking good doll. Better than when you was letting me get a little piece every now and then. How about you give me a little taste just for old time's sake?"
"Oh you're a pig you know that?"
"And you ain't nothing but a whore dressed up in fancy clothes doll. Remember where you was before mister moneybags came in and swept you off your feet."
"How dare you speak to me that way!"
"Don't act all indignant like we never did the deed before."
"What do you want Billy? I already said I didn't want to come back to the Clubhouse."
"Alright…and I'll take no for an answer but Frankie won't."
"What's it going to take?"
"To get Frankie to forget about you coming back?"
"Yes! How much?"
"I don't want money doll. You know what I want."
"I'm married Billy!"
"I'm not asking you to leave your husband doll…just this one last time."
Lilly's voice interrupted Rosemary's story making the old woman look up from the coffee cup she had been fixated on.
"So did you go there? Did you…you know?"
"What let him sleep with me? God no!"
Before Rosemary could get back to telling her story Scotty interrupted them.
"Hey Lil…"
"Yes Scotty?"
"Boss wants to see us in his office now."
"I'm right in the middle of an interview…can't it wait?"
"No…he said now Lil…he sounds pissed."
"I'm sorry Mrs. Hughes…if you will excuse me for a moment?"
"Of course…I'll be right here I'm not going anywhere."
Nodding Lilly pushed herself out of her chair and followed Scotty into the Chief's office. A knot began to form in the pit of her stomach. She didn't have a good feeling about this little impromptu meeting that they had been summoned to.
A/N: Sorry it has been way too long since my last update but here it is and another chapter will be following shortly!! Please read and review!!