I stopped to sit on a bench outside the police station and bask in the warm sunlight and my glory. They both felt wonderful. Then I called Lizzie’s office number.
“Oh hey, Mrs. Sullivan,” her assistant Josh said. “Mrs. Farina’s with her client, Mr. Pierce, at the jail. Lots of paperwork to fill out before he can walk out of there. But she said to meet her at the gallery around two.”
“I imagine she’s very happy today.”
“I’d say she’s more relieved than anything else. She’s had a hard time of it. Good thing you were here to help her.”
“Thanks, Josh. Tell her I’ll see her later.”
“Will do. Have a nice day.”
“It can’t get much nicer.”
***
Squeezing Nathan’s car into a parking space, I could see a crowd of people inside the Pierce Gallery. It looked like several women were holding champagne glasses and one man was laughing uncontrollably, but I couldn’t see Randolph or Lizzie.
As I entered the building, I was overwhelmed with the joyful scene. An old Elton John song played through the speakers, red and gold metallic balloons clung to the ceiling, and a waiter walked by with a tray of appetizers. When I waved him off, he told me that champagne was being served in the back of the room.
Walking the perimeter of the room, I sipped champagne and planned to stay another ten minutes before leaving. After years of hearing Lizzie complain about Dandy Randy, listening to Sully tell me all the trouble the Pierce boy was constantly getting into, I was glad to see he had enough friends to fill the gallery. But then I reminded myself that Randolph Pierce was a grown man now. He was a business owner and, from the looks of it, a respected and well-liked member of the community. Not the troubled rich kid I remembered.
“There you are!” Randolph stood in front of me. “Lizzie was afraid you wouldn’t come.”
“Why is that?” I asked.
“Come on, Mrs. Sullivan. We all know I’m not your favorite person.”
“I don’t really know you, Randolph.”
“Well in spite of what you think of me, I thank you for helping me clear my name. And I bet for a while that maybe . . . just maybe . . . you might have thought I had murdered Stacey, didn’t you?”
“Well . . .”
“I don’t blame you, Mrs. Sullivan. I was a real jerk for a lot of years. But you and Mr. Sullivan were always fair with me.”
I was starting to warm up to him. “Well it looks like you turned out okay.”
“Almost getting arrested for murder? I don’t know how good that is but at least it’s over. I’m just afraid this will follow me forever. Once something gets put out there, it never goes away. And I have plans, things I want to do with my life, which could be difficult if people think I’m capable of murder.”
“Do you want some motherly advice?”
“From you . . . always.” He started to put his arm around me but realized it was too soon for such an affectionate gesture.
“People are always going to think what they want to think. Some won’t like you for no good reason at all. It might be for something silly like the way you comb your hair. Others will hate you on sight. Maybe you remind them of a bully who taunted them in school.”
His smile drooped. “So you’re telling me to not even try because it doesn’t matter?”
“If trying is what you want to do, then by all means try to change public opinion. But what I’m saying is don’t waste your precious time worrying about things you can’t change—that’s all. Do what makes you happy but never hurt anyone along the way.” I patted his shoulder. “And I’ll tell you a secret.”
“Which is?”
“We’re all blessed with short memories. Once a new scandal hits, some teen idol gets picked up for shoplifting or getting into a fight at a dance club, you’ll be old news.”
“But Lizzie told me you gave her a lecture a few days ago about how important her reputation was. How people don’t forget and hold grudges.”
He’d caught me. “Well, she’s my daughter. When you have children, you’ll learn that you have to kind of customize your advice, depending on the child and situation.”
“Oh, I get it. Different strokes for different folks.”
“Exactly.”
When we started laughing, it was hard to stop.
“There you are!” Lizzie hugged me. “Isn’t it wonderful? Everything worked out perfectly. I’m so proud of you, Mother. Isn’t she wonderful?” she asked Randolph.
“Katherine Sullivan is an amazing woman.” Randolph held up his crystal champagne flute and then took a drink.
“Houdini was amazing. A man walking on the moon, now that’s really amazing. But me? No.” Where had I been the day that word had been reduced to it basest form? And why was it that everyone now used it when describing anything barely acceptable?
“Okay then, how about . . . wonderful?” Randy asked.
“Much better.”
While the three of us continued talking, people kept arriving for the celebration and I started feeling claustrophobic. I was nibbling on a cracker spread with brie when Nathan walked through the door. I watched him study the room and the people in it, but he didn’t see me.
Shoving the rest of the cracker in my mouth, I grabbed another glass of champagne and pushed through the crowd.
He was looking thoughtfully at a canvas splattered with cobalt blue and bright yellow. I walked up behind him and tapped his shoulder.
As he turned around, I asked, “Champagne, sir?”
“Don’t mind if I do.” He took the glass, never giving me the satisfaction of showing one bit of surprise at seeing me there.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Looking for you . . . and my car.”
“I was going to bring it back right after I left here. I’d never leave you stranded.”
“I know, Kathy, I was just playing with you. I used E.T.’s van. He’s still wrestling with furniture. When I left, he was moving pictures around. No, I got a call from DeYoung. Sounds like you got in the last word with ol’ Bostwick. You’re big news.”
“But how did you know I’d be here?”
“That took some real detective work.” He winked. “Lizzie called and invited me.”
“Well I’m glad you’re here.”
“If you’ve had enough pats on the back, the crew wants to say good-bye. How much longer do you think you’ll be?”
“I’m ready to leave this party now.”
“Just let me go say hi to that lovely daughter of yours, and Pierce of course, then we’ll get outta here.”