Broken

Wait & Hope

"Malcolm! Is your mom still bringing that suit? We have to get these pictures done before we have to leave." I called from the front door as I let in our photographer, Julia Ward.
"Yeah, babe. She's on her way now." He called back.
I was already dressed in my floor length black rayon wrap dress with a sultry surplice bodice, fluttering short sleeves and high slit over my right leg. Malcolm was still in black sweat pants and a green hoodie.
"Will you show Ms. Ward where we were thinking of setting up so I can finish my makeup?" I asked him walking through our kitchen.
"Of course. I'm sorry she's late." He answered standing up to kiss me as I walked passed him.
"It's not your fault, baby. I just don't want to rush Ms. Ward or miss our flight."
I ran my hands through my hair allowing it to cascade down between my shoulder blades. I finished my mascara and rounded out my classy natural look with a dark pink lip.
I walked back into the living room where Jessica was presenting Malcolm with the garment bag.
"Thank you, mother." He smiled at her.
"You've gotta change. We're running late." I insisted.
"I'm so excited you two are going on a vacation! A real vacation. Time away from all of this murder business." Jessica exclaimed when Malcolm disappeared into the bedroom.
"Yeah. We need to get our engagement photos taken then to the airport." I smiled at her.
"I arranged for a ride for you two."
"You didn't have to do that. We could have just taken a cab." I chuckled softly.
"Not on my watch."
I heard the door open and glanced towards the sound.
"You do look good in white." I smiled at my fiancé.
"I bet you'll look even better." He smirked.
"Oh, I fully intend to."
Julia expertly guided Malcolm and I into various classic engagement poses as his mother looked on off to the side.
"I'll have these edited and ready for purchase when you guys get back from Tahiti." Julia told us at the front door after collecting her equipment.
"We look forward to looking over them. Thank you."
Malcolm and I bid goodbye to Jessica and walked out to find the ride she'd arranged for us.
"My mother called in a police escort?" Malcolm sighed when Gil walked over to take our bags.
"Kid, I'd drive you all the way to Tahiti if I could. Nice suit. I'm proud of you."
Malcolm climbed into the back of the Pontiac so I could sit in the passenger seat.
"Attention all units. We have a 10-54 DOA at 328 Pearl Street." Dispatch called over the radio almost as soon as Gil turned on the car.
I sat back in the seat knowing instinctively that Malcolm was looking at Gil.
"Forget about it. I'm not taking you to a crime scene."
"Come on, it's practically on the way. Our flight's not for hours."
"Bright"
"Look, I'm taking care of myself. But we can still help. How about quick drive-by, then straight to the airport? In and out. I promise. Lily?" He said my name.
"Do not bring me into this. If Gil says we can go then we go." I answered trying to hold back my laughter.
"Fine. But only because I want everyone to see you in that suit." Gil conceded.
I smirked in my seat feeling Malcolm's joy from the backseat.
"JT, Dani." Gil greeted them as we pulled up outside the building.
"What up, Miami Vice?" JT joked as Malcolm stepped out of the car.
"Aw, that's no way to talk to a friend, JT. How is everything? Were you able to kill James Bond?" Dani added.
I laughed as he glared at me. It was mostly my idea for him to wear the white suit.
"You never make fun of Lily." He grumbled quietly.
"Lily will literally kill us." JT answered as we walked into the office where the body lay on the floor.
"Our vic's name is Jules Connor. Former district attorney. Been in private practice for the past decade. This dude was connected." He continued.
"Talk to me about that camera." Gil instructed.
"The security system is all in-house and it's all been fried. Our killer covered his tracks." Dani added.
"Hmm. Based on the murder weapon, he had a flair for the dramatic. Double-barrel flintlock pistol. Walnut handle, gold filigree." Malcolm observed while I walked carefully around the room.
"A real pirate's gun."
"Dates back to the 1730s. I have two."
"Who invited their coke dealer? I mean, hello. Colonel. I love your chicken." Edrisa teased my love walking into the room.
"Okay, now, I'm glad I brought you." Gil smiled at him.
"Hello, Dr. Tanaka. Lily and I were..."
"Going to poach ivory in the Serengeti. Sorry, I had to do it. Comedy comes in threes. But you can't leave until you see this." She motioned both of us forward.
"Hmm. Villefort is a central character in The Count of Monte Cristo. One of my favorite books growing up. In the story, the Count's life is destroyed by three men Villefort, Danglars and Fernand. And he enacts his vengeance on them all. We may be looking for a revenge killer with a penchant for poetic justice." Malcolm said looking over at me.
"And if your profile's right, then two more bodies are gonna drop." I sighed as I walked over to the window and Malcolm walked back behind the desk.
"We're not gonna let that happen." He did that thing with his eyes that I couldn't manage to deny.
"While you are on vacation." Gil insisted but I knew Malcolm would convince him to let us work this.
"What's this?" Edrisa asked moving the body slightly.
Malcolm and I heard the click at the same time.
"Edrisa!" He called leaping over the desk and slamming his hand on the trigger.
"Land mine!" JT yelled.
"It's a black widow." Malcolm told me.
"We got a bomb. Get me ESU, the bomb squad and the level-one mobilization. All non-essentials clear the area. Everyone, evacuate now. Edrisa, Get your people out of here." Gil took control of the situation as best as he could.
"Get the body, let's move. Let's move! Let's go. Come on." Edrisa instructed firmly as I crouched down in front of my fiancé.
"What the hell is a black widow?" Dani asked.
"A Russian anti-personnel mine. Been around since the '50s." I answered looking in his eyes.
"Taliban love these things. Keep that thing steady, bro. The only thing keeping this place from blowing is a weak creep spring on the pressure plate." JT said.
"Oh, good thing I don't have a hand tremor." Malcolm joked.
I sighed. If he wasn't stabilizing an actual landmine I might have smacked him.
"You're making jokes?" Gil asked.
"There's no reason for you to stay here. I can handle this until the bomb squad gets here." He said loud enough for everyone to hear but he was speaking to me.
"We're not leaving you." I answered.
"It's fine. I..." Suddenly the mine clicked again.
"That's the spring. It's activated." JT told me.
"Okay, turn of events. This mine is definitely not stable. Uh, which means I need to speak quickly. Uh, JT, auction houses will have records of the gun's sale. Gil, the killer identifies as the Count, which means that the victim would have deemed him inferior or unworthy in some way."
"You are not dying today." I told him firmly.
"Lily. I love you so much."
"I'm not leaving you."
"I need you to trust me, baby. I can get my way out of this but I need you safe. Lily, please."
"Come on." Gil touched my shoulders gently.
"Lily. Tell me." Malcolm asked me.
"When you get out of this, I will." I told him as Gil lead me out of the room.
The seconds felt like hours as we waited for the bomb squad to show up.
"Is it supposed to be taking this long?" I asked Gil as glass shattered above us.
I looked up as Malcolm leaped out the window followed closely by an explosion.
"Malcolm!" I screamed out for him as he slammed into the top of Gil's classic car.
I raced forward towards him.
"I think we're gonna miss our flight." He told me.
"I love you, you shit. You're going to give me an aneurysm." I told him.
The firefighters arrived and helped me get him off the car. After the paramedics checked him over Dani drove us back to my loft so we could change into something more suitable for working.
"Bright, talk to me about The Count of Monte Cristo." Gil growled at him when we walked in.
"Well, the story begins on the 24th of February, 1815 in Marseilles, when a three-masted ship - named the Pharaon..."
I squeezed his waist gently.
"Kid." Gil warned.
"The Count was in prison for 14 years because he was wronged by three men. Our killer identifies with that. To him, this wasn't murder. Connor was executed for a crime. His original sin."
"Lieutenant Arroyo, there's a Inspector Boville on the line." An officer told him from the doorway.
I looked up at Malcolm already knowing what was happening. I'd read the book too.
"Who?"
"It's my father. Boville was the detective in The Count of Monte Cristo. He must have figured something out. He called me at the crime scene - when I was alone with the mine." Malcolm told me holding onto me.
"Why'd you pick up?"
"I was in a weird place. I'll talk to him myself."
He tried to walk away from me.
"No. Put him through." Gil said.
"The hell you just say?" JT asked him.
"Excuse me?" Dani added.
I wasn't thrilled about the idea but I'd rather us all be together than him talking to him alone.
"You're gonna talk to your dad, we do it together as a team." Gil looked at me.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Nope."
"Dr. Whitly, you're on with me and the rest of the team." Malcolm answered the phone.
"Really? The gang's all there?" Martian's voice asked.
"I hope you're calling about the case."
"Well, yes. I've been thinking about your body. You know, Villefort was procureur du roi - "prosecutor to the king.""
"Our victim was a former D. A. He could be responsible for sentencing our killer to prison."
"Mm, I don't think it's so one-to-one, Malcolm. You said there was a bomb?"
"Land mine." JT answered.
"Ooh. Who said that?"
"Nobody."
"I don't think the bomb was meant for our victim. I think it was meant for all of you. You know, the police do prosecute for the king. Maybe you should have joined the family profession, Malcolm, by which I mean medicine."
"Okay, we're done." Malcolm reached forward to end the call.
"Hold on. Could this be about something the police helped cover up for Connor?" Gil asked.
"Oh, that's good. Is that you, Gil? Who else is there? Should we do quick introductions?"
"Dr. Whitly, if you don't have anything else."
"Now, I would like to discuss the cause of death."
"He used a flintlock pistol." I said.
"Hello Lilian. An antique. Oh, how romantic. And intricate. You know, uh, it takes a lot of time and investment to load and fire."
"Our killer wasn't in a rush. He savored all of this, every detail."
"Which is why they may run the risk of being overly myopic, you know, that they may, uh, focus too much on the details and miss something in the overall gestalt. That's how we're gonna catch him."
"I got a hit on the gun. The pistol was purchased at an auction last year by William Voight. He's a money manager to the one-percenters." Dani added.
"Oh, there's another lady cop? Oh, how wonderf..."
Malcolm reached forward and ended the call.
"Your dad seems nice." Dani smiled at Malcolm.
"He's not." He offered her a short chuckle.
"Why would a guy like William Voight kill Connor?" I asked leaning against Malcolm.
"Let's find out." He wrapped his arm around me again.
Malcolm begrudgingly sat in my backseat so Gil could sit beside me as we drove over to Voight's loft.
"Hello? NYPD." Gil called into the room.
We heard muffled yelling from around the corner. As we rounded the corner, William Voight was bound at the center of a circle of swords.
"The Sword of Damocles." Malcolm muttered next to me.
"It's another trap and Voight's at the center of it." Gil looked between me and Malcolm.
"We trip any of these wires, the swords will fall, and they're all anchored to Voight. If he moves, he dies." Malcolm explained taking off his coat and walking to the back of the room.
"What're you doing?" I asked pointedly.
"I'm gonna save this guy. Dani, JT, get up on the balcony." He looked at me and ran to slide under the wires into the middle of the circle.
"You got to get me out of this." Voight told him as Dani and JT made it to their separate sides of the balcony.
"Good idea. I need you guys to cut the lines, one at a time."
"But what about the swords plunging at our key witness?" JT argued.
"I'm gonna catch them."
"Malcolm!" I protested.
"Bright. We have to call someone." Gil agreed next to me.
"Who we gonna call The department of falling sword death? That's us. Besides, I'm a two-time silver medal axe thrower."
"Silver medal." Gil sighed looking at me.
"That's actually true. He has them in one of those intricate boxes in a drawer on his weapon wall."
"Start cutting. Easy."
"Here comes number one." JT stated chancing a glance at me.
"Okay. Now two." Malcolm looked at me too.
"Number three."
I flinched as the first sword flew towards them and Malcolm caught it in his hand.
"Now you. Okay, William, while we're here, do you have any idea who would do this to you?"
"No, I didn't see his face. He must have drugged me, and then I woke up like this."
"Bright, cutting now." Dani called out.
He caught another falling sword.
"You know, your antique pistol was recently used in a homicide?"
"Yeah, Connor. Look, yeah, it wasn't my gun. I acquired it for one of my clients, uh, for a collection, and I think these might be his swords, but it wasn't him who did this."
"Got another one." JT called.
"Oh, God!" I sighed flinching again.
"Ooh! Who's the client? Because right now, they look pretty guilty."
"You know I can't tell you that."
"Is he connected to Connor? Come on, William, tell me before it's too late."
"Bright, you can't threaten him."
"I'm not threatening him, just being pragmatic. This is scary stuff." He smiled innocently at me.
"Cutting the next line. Another one."
"Oh, God! Aah! Calvin Taylor!"
Malcolm caught another sword. I was about five seconds from having an actual heart attack.
"Your client was the Cal Taylor?" I asked suddenly.
"Yeah." Voight looked at me for what was probably the first time.
"You're Lilian Russell." He said.
"I am, yes."
"There are only two left, and they're tethered to him. We're coming down." Dani called.
"Like a deadly 7-10 split." Malcolm said.
"The Taylors. A few years ago, the boat crash." Voight said still looking at me.
"I remember the story. Official report was that a cook's daughter stole a boat and crashed it, drowned in the sea. It always stank of a cover-up." Gil looked at me.
"Couldn't we talk about this later?" Voight asked.
"Hopefully. You cut, I'll catch." Malcolm looked at Dani.
"You brought it up. Why?" I pushed.
"Okay, here it comes." Dani told Malcolm.
Malcolm lunged and caught the sword flying down from behind Voight. I watched the sword fall towards Voight's face. JT reached out and grabbed the hilt of the falling sword.
"So is now a good time to talk?" Malcolm smirked at me.
"Why do you do this to me?" I asked him leaning against him.
"I'm sorry." He hugged me to him.
"No, you aren't. I love you anyway."
"I love you too."
"Connor and I worked for the Taylors. We handled the whole Isabella situation. I recognize you from the FBI team who was investigating the Taylors." Voight told me.
"I remember. You were very instrumental in making our lives difficult."
"Which situation, exactly?" Gil asked next to me.
"Well, she was the cook's daughter. She didn't steal the boat, she wasn't alone. Cal Taylor was with her. They were an item. He was drunk and high and she was underage."
"Not the type of details you want spilled on Page Six." Malcolm mentioned.
"Exactly. After the crash, Cal was able to swim to shore, but Isabella wasn't so lucky."
"But you covered all that up." I sighed.
"Connor handled the police and I moved the money."
"Isn't it Cal's wedding tonight?" Malcolm asked.
"Yep. Tally and I are doing a whole thing. Watching it live. She's gonna wear a hat." JT smiled at us.
"When we spoke to my father, he called the killings romantic. I think our Count would agree. He's gonna kill Cal at his own wedding. Did we get an invite to the wedding?" He asked me.
"Of course we did. I'm the sole heiress to the Russell fortune." I teased him.
"Well, if it's about the accident, then it's got to be somebody close to Isabella." Gil mentioned.
"What happened to the cook? Her father." Malcolm asked.
"We sent him back to Ecuador." He told us.
"Dani and JT run down her family. Bright and I will talk to Cal. You should call your lawyer. We're not done."
"I'm going to go to the FBI office and pull my file on the Taylors. Do not let him die." I told Gil.
"Like I can stop him." He shook his head.
"And you. No more near death experiences." I growled at him.
"No promises, my love." He smirked at me.
I sighed and shook my head.
When I arrived back at the precinct Gil was back to trying to convince Malcolm that we could leave now that Ernesto was in custody. I already knew that he wanted to attend the Taylor wedding. He wouldn't have asked me about the invitation if he didn't.
"You don't look like someone thinking about taking a vacation." Dani mentioned as we walked over to her SUV.
"I don't like Ernesto for this." He sighed.
"Wow, you just can't take a break, can you?"
"It's not that."
"Isn't it? I think it's time that you had the profile turned on you for once. Why can't you just tune it all out? Walk away from it? What are you so afraid of?"
"I'm afraid of me. The more relaxed things are out there, the more time I have to think in here. And when that happens..."
"It's terrifying. Even with Lily? But you already know all this, don't you?" She looked at me and I nodded.
"Yeah. Imagine a theater that only plays horror films about you."
"That is the worst idea for a movie theater I have ever heard. I don't think anybody would go." Dani smiled softly.
"Right? But the problem is I'm trapped inside."
"All right, so, where are we really going?" She asked looking at me again.
"I have a terrible idea."
I sighed and nodded when her eyes widened.
"Malcolm. Oh, what a wonderful surprise. And you brought company. Oh, delightful. I'm Martin. What has he told you about me? All good, I hope." Martin said cheerfully.
"Does Lilian know about this?"
"Hello, Martin." I said finally stepping into the room.
"Dr. Whitly, this is Detective Powell of the NYPD." Malcolm introduced her.
"Ah. A friend?" He asked her still eyeing me.
"Partner."
"Ah. Well. Whatever you kids are calling it these days. Have a seat. Uh, how are you? I heard you met John. I was worried about you."
I took a step forward but Malcolm reached for my arm.
"After he kidnapped me, John Watkins told me about the camping trip. You took me there because I found the girl in the box." Malcolm confronted him.
"John always had an active imagination."
"You were going to kill me."
"Malcolm. I have done bad things. But I never did that. I mean, if I wanted to kill you I would have."
I watched his face as he spoke to his son. I still wasn't sure what to believe. Neither of these men were reliable sources of information. I caught his gaze fall to my hand and I knew my new engagement ring didn't escape his notice.
"Is there something you have to tell me?" He asked his son taking a step forward.
I felt Malcolm stiffen beside me and stepped forward between them.
"We're here to solve a case." Dani said in an attempt to defuse the situation.
"Let's do that." I said still looking right into his face.
Martin reached out and grabbed my left wrist.
"It is beautiful, Malcolm." He ran his thumb over the ring on my finger.
"Don't touch her." Malcolm hissed over my shoulder.
"Malcolm." I said his name gently.
As badly as I didn't want his hands on me I knew that if we upset him too much we wouldn't get what we needed.
"When?" Martin asked me.
"Midnight on New Years." I answered.
"A little cliché, no?"
"We spent the entirety of the last decade getting to know one another. We're starting the new decade pledging our lives to one another." I answered.
"Sickeningly romantic." He sighed releasing my hand.
"We arrested a suspect. A good one." Dani pushed again.
"Ticks all the boxes. But something doesn't feel right." Malcolm conceded touching my waist.
"All right. Tell me everything."
Malcolm, Dani, and I set Martin up with the file on Ernesto.
"I got to say, I don't like Ernesto for this, either. We're agreed on that." Martin said after looking over the file.
"Why? He has all the indicators of suspicion. Means, motive, opportunity." Dani asked as I stood off to the side.
I had no desire to go back and forth with Martin Whitly anymore than I had to.
"Oh, but where are the intangibles? The passion, the finesse. The joie de vivre. Killing people is not easy, believe you me."
"You're right. Where's the drama in this story?" Malcolm asked.
"Well, I'll tell you. Between father and son. George Taylor always wanted his son to live, uh, a certain life, even if Cal didn't agree. And according to Page Six, Cal has felt trapped by his family for years. If George is forcing Cal into a life he doesn't want... Marriage without love... That could cause anyone to snap."
"So you think Cal's gonna kill his father."
"Well, I mean, I could be projecting. But he certainly has motive. Add to that a classical education, enough time in the Army to learn about land mines. He could be showing off for his father. An almost narcissistic display of premeditation. Which means his final act of justice will be delivered in the most public way possible." Martin concluded.
"The wedding." Malcolm looked over at me.
"We have to stop Cal before he kills his dad." Dani said urgently.
"We have to get to that wedding." Malcolm told me.
"They're never gonna let me in like this." Dani told us.
"I've got this." I told her.
We raced back to my home where I found Dani and I dresses to wear to the wedding. I chose a floor length dark navy halter dress with an open back and mermaid silhouette for myself and a floor length burgundy sequined V-neck strapless mermaid gown for Dani.
After pulling my hair up into a sleek and elegant ponytail I helped Dani straighten her naturally curly hair and style it into a night bun with side swept bangs.
"Can I ask you something?" I asked gently before we joined Malcolm.
"Of course you can." She smiled at me.
"I know this isn't traditionally how this is done but I'd like to ask you if you'll be my maid of honor?"
"Of course I will." She smiled at me looking slightly taken aback.
"Did you ask Ashlyn first?"
"No. What I need most in a maid of honor is someone who will be able to help keep Malcolm and I calm throughout this planning process. Ashlyn has never been that for me. She's an amazing friend and I love her dearly but you have a way with him that is only second to myself and the way you helped me while he was missing... You were always my first choice." I explained.
Dani and I met Malcolm down in the living room.
"You both look incredible." He smiled between us.
"You clean up nice too." I teased.
It was effortless for me to get both Dani and Malcolm into the wedding reception so we could find Cal and George Taylor. However, I caught sight of Jessica Whitly a fraction of a second before she saw us, but not in enough time to steer Malcolm away from her.
"Malcolm? I knew you'd never join a conga line! What the hell are you doing here?" She sighed angrily.
Conga line?
"Do you really want to know why we're here?" I asked with a small smile.
"A case? God. Fine. Just whatever you do, please don't embarrass me." She glared pointedly at Malcolm.
"Lily, Bright, there's Cal." Dani said touching my shoulder.
"Go on. I want to walk the perimeter." I told them.
Malcolm leaned over and kissed me.
"Be careful." He breathed.
"I'm not the one who almost died twice today." I winked at him.
My mind raced as I watched the guests and the vendors mingling around the room. I wasn't sold that Cal was our killer. It didn't fit. The cover up benefitted him. He's not in prison for criminally negligent manslaughter. Did they ever find her body?
"Lily. Bright thinks that Isabella is still alive and that she's targeting George Taylor." Dani said quietly rushing up to me.
"Then she's here. Let's find her."
Dani and I branched off to opposite sides of the room to search for Isabella.
"When I was a kid, I knew my father would've done anything for me. Anything. But that doesn't mean that he was always right. You see, fathers do bone it from time to time." Malcolm's voice broke into my consciousness.
"That perfect life they always wanted for you... Maybe it was all wrong. That special girl that they didn't approve of... Maybe she was the one. That accident they covered up... Maybe it didn't have to be so tragic."
Isabella suddenly stood in the center of the room almost directly in between Dani and I. She was too far for me to rush her without her seeing me. Malcolm knew and looked at me as I motioned Dani forward.
"He's not worth it, Isabella. None of them are. You can find peace. Without killing. Dumas said it best: "All of human wisdom can be summed up in these two words: 'Wait and hope. '"
"Thank you." She said quietly before pulling an antique gun from her camera bag.
"Gun!" Malcolm yelled out spinning away from me and rushing at George Taylor as the gun went off.
"Malcolm!" I called his name as Dani knocked Isabella's gun away from her.
"Lily! Go!" She called to me.
I spun on my heel and raced over and around the table Malcolm launched himself over.
"You saved my life. Thank you." George told him as they stood up.
"You should be in cuffs, too. And you will be." Malcolm said with a sigh.
"You're okay?" I asked as he stepped into my arms.
"I'm okay." He answered kissing my hair.
"That was outstanding. You're-you're a hero. What is your name?" A blonde woman said leaning over the table towards him with Jessica standing behind her.
"Malcolm. I'm Jessica Whitly's son." He smiled at his mother.
"Yes, he is. Darlings, I find myself underwhelmed by the social scene here. Shall we?" She asked reaching for us.
"You really were spectacular in there. And you did look happy." She smiled at him as he walked between us.
"When I'm on a case, I usually am." He smiled glancing at me.
"Well, to each his own, my love." She conceded.
Outside Jessica met with Gil and who nodded at us.
"I guess murder really does follow you everywhere." Ainsley said as we walked over to where she was setting up.
"I could say the same for you." I teased.
"Hey, you want to know something weird? The table they put Mom at It was full of media people. Almost like she got the invite because someone in that world went to bat for her." Malcolm smiled at his sister.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Did she look happy?" She asked looking between us.
"Very. You did a good thing, Ains."
"Ainsley? We're ready for you." Her cameraman called to her.
"I'll see you later." She smiled.
I sighed leaning my head on his shoulder.
"We might be able to catch a redeye out to Tahiti." He suggested walking us towards Dani's SUV.
"We probably could but your mom's right. You are the happiest when we're working. We are taking an uninterrupted honeymoon though." I looked up into his face.
"I wouldn't have it any other way."