Jessie is a transgender. Of course that explains everything— the extravagant body, okay I guess just the body because I could have never even guessed she was once a guy.
"Did you have to tell her like that?" she whines. "I hope that doesn't make you like me any less Cassi," she tells me.
"N-No it's just..." it's just the fact that you've seen me naked from head to toe and on top of that you grabbed my boobs when it turns out you're technically a man. Gosh, I feel so weird now. "...nothing I'm okay with it," I reassure her with a smile.
"I'm so happy to hear that... both of you come in," she offers, stepping through the gate. We follow behind her, stepping into the courtyard which is adorned with potted plants and a bubbling fountain. She leads us into her house where we walk into a cozy living room bathed in the warm sunlight pouring through the large windows. The room is tastefully decorated with vibrant artwork and plush furniture.
"Take a seat," she offers. "Can I get both of you anything?" she asks as we get seated on the couch. "I'm good," I say.
"Got cigarettes?" Levi asks. She nods and heads into the kitchen area. "So both of you met earlier huh," Levi mumbles.
"Yeah... I was kind of lost looking for the boutique before she saw me and helped me there... she even helped me pick out some nice clothes," I say, turning to him. "I don't think she's the killer."
A smile spreads across his face as he shakes his head. "You're so naive," he states.
"No I just mean... she seems nice..."
"Yeah... but your mum seemed nice too."
I feel a sudden pang in my chest as those words hit me. I get that he's trying to prove a point but did he have to put it that way? "That was a bit unnecessary Levi," I mutter.
He rolls his eyes. "Just let me handle this, remember you're just an escort."
"Ugh like I even wanted to come here in the first place." I can't believe he called me an escort knowing everything he's put me through to this point.
Jessie comes back holding a pack of cigarettes. She flips the top open and stretches it out to Levi, smiling. He flashes her a small smile too and pulls out a cigarette, taking the lighter from her other hand before lighting the other end. He turns to me. "You good with me doing this next to you?"
I shrug. Normally I would have overreacted about how smoking can erode the bones. But I'm just so mad at him.
Jessie awkwardly goes to sit on the couch beside us, crossing her legs. "Both of you are dating?" she asks.
"Ye-"
"No she's my assistant," he replies. Well, I didn't know we changed the script.
"Your assistant? So that means you own a business or something now?"
"No I'm a detective," he states, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a badge I've never seen before.
"Oh... I see... although it was unexpected... from basketball player to detective... you don't see that everywhere," she chuckles. "So what brings you to me after all these years... finally realized I'm the one for you?" she smirks.
"Well... my answer to that depends on your answer to my questions," he replies and releases a puff of smoke. "Really? I'll try my best to answer them correctly," she beams.
"Good. Are you aware that Ace Finnegan is dead?" he asks. She gasps, clasping a hand over her mouth. "No... no... please tell me it's not the Ace I'm thinking," she shudders.
He rolls his eyes. "How many do you know?"
"I can't believe this... how did it happen?"
"He was murdered." Okay, that was a bit too blunt.
"Oh my days... no," she cries. "Could you excuse me for a moment please?" She gets up, and heads to the kitchen.
Levi takes another puff, leaning into the chair. "Strategy," he mutters. "She has to cry so we can let off some suspicion... we have to consider these things just in case she's the one."
I just can't imagine it that way. Jessie killing someone. I mean I know all she did was help me find a store but I saw a lot more than some random stranger dragging me around. I saw a kind person who would never do anything so appalling, no matter the case. I just wish Levi could understand what I was saying instead of being so mean.
She returns, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. "Sorry," she mutters. "That's alright," Levi replies.
"So you're probably here to interrogate me right?"
"Thanks for catching on," he smiles.
"I... I didn't kill Ace," she stutters.
"There's a lot more to it than denial. You have to provide an alibi." He places the cigarette between his lips, releasing another puff. "He died three years back, December 28th. What were you up to then?"
"You expect me to remember what I was doing on a random night three years ago? Everything is a blur."
He shakes his head. "You know something. And don't think I've forgotten that letter you left for him after what he did to you."
She clears her throat. "That was high school, Levi. I was childish and stupid and I just really wanted him to know how angry I was at that moment. Not like he even cared," she mutters. "Sure he embarrassed me in front of the whole school... but I acted like an idiot and I guess I deserved it. That wasn't nearly enough for me to begin plotting a murder... that's so absurd."
"Yes, I agree it's absurd. So why did you do it?"
"I already told you I had no intention of hurting Ace... I can swear, I meant nothing in that letter. I was just stupid okay?"
He rolls his eyes. "Tell me the truth already."
"I... I already did," she mutters.
"Then why are you fidgeting in your seat, why are you playing with your fingers, Jess? I can bet your palms are already sweaty. Just confess and I promise no one will know a word about this. This is a private investigation that I'm carrying out with my assistant. Only the three of us will know, is that okay?"
"No it's not," she fumes. "I already said I have nothing to confess to you. You can't just march into my home and begin accusing me of murder. I don't care what you are, that is very wrong!"
Is this really how murder cases are solved? You just find a suspect and without enough evidence, start accusing them of doing it and forcing them to say the truth? What if that is the truth she's saying? I would never dream of being in a position like this. Knowing the emotional wreck I am, I would start weeping on the spot.
I nudge his arm, throwing him a flustered look. "Don't you think you're being too assumptive?" I whisper.
"I have to make her feel like we know she's done it, if we don't she'll never talk," he whispers back and turns to her. "Now then... there's no need to raise your voice okay? Let's talk like adults. Even if it wasn't you who committed the murder you must know something. You hung out with the jocks, the gamers, the nerds... the cheerleaders... and I'm quite certain a lot of people hated Ace because he was a player, arrogant, pretty much a son of a bitch... you're telling me you don't know... anything?"
"Why are you so adamant it was one of our schoolmates that killed him? You know how that town is... it could have just been a random person."
"No. I know when something is random and that wasn't random," he growls. "A random person cannot walk up to a stranger and stab them 46 times, okay? This murder was personal as hell and I just know it was someone from that God-forsaken school. So don't try arguing with me," he hisses.
"Well sorry but... I don't know anything," she mutters. He stubs out the cigarette on his wrist. "Do you still like me?"
"Excuse me?" she snaps. "It's a question. Do you still have that little crush on me? And don't lie."
"And if I do? What's that got to do with any of this?" she questions. "It's simple," he begins, getting up from his seat. I have the urge to pull him back knowing exactly how he's going to milk her for answers.
"You'll give me answers... and I'll give you something else in return." He walks behind her chair, gently placing his hands on her shoulders, massaging them. I can see the stiffness of her body from here, her eyes as wide as plates as she realizes what Levi is offering her.
"I-I... I don't know-"
"You do... you want this and you know it."
"L-Levi I have a boyfriend," she stammers. He begins laughing. "Oh, now you have a boyfriend? Didn't seem that way earlier."
"I was just messing around okay? I do have a boyfriend-"
"And so what? I don't give a damn about your boyfriend and neither do you. You just don't want to say anything." He goes to sit beside her, folding his arms. "How does a one-night stand sound? Your so-called boyfriend won't have to find out, all I ask in return is that you tell me everything you know."
"Wow... you've downgraded me Levi... you still think I'm just desperate for you-"
"Are you taking the offer or not?"
Jessie and I glance at each other for a brief second, sharing the same look of disbelief. Just how conceited is Levi? Just a few minutes in here with him and I've already seen everything Emily told me about. I judged him too early I guess.
Then a small smile spreads across her face as though she saw all this coming. "I'll take it."
My breath hitches. I honestly expected her to give him a hard pass, seeing the way he was so confident she would say yes. But I guess when you love someone, you do desperate things. "I used to hang out with the cheerleaders a lot because I wanted them to like me and accept me as one of their own. So I would usually be included in their gossip once in a while," she begins. "Then there was one day... they were talking about you and Ace... about how they would make both of you pay for what you did... to Stacy."
His eyes go wide. As though a distant memory of his past had suddenly resurfaced, flooding his mind with emotions and nostalgia. "S-Stacy?" he rephrases. "I... have you heard from her?" he asks.
She shakes her head. "No... maybe you should have considered looking for the people Ace offended the most... what do you think? Or are you just afraid to approach her knowing both of you ruined her life?"
Levi's gaze flicks to the ground. He looks too anxious to even reply to her sass, fueling my curiosity. Who is this Stacy girl and what happened to her?
"That's all I know Levi... I hope that information can help you move forward in your investigation," she adds.
He nods, getting up from the couch. "Thanks... for that," he says, turning to me. "Let's go, Cassi."
"What do you mean?" Jessie asks, getting up. "We made a deal."
"Calm down... I'll be back tonight by 11 on the dot. Just make sure you're ready," he states. "Oh..." she casts her gaze to the ground, trying to conceal her red cheeks. "I'll be waiting for you." She then raises her head, clearing her throat. "I'll escort you outside then."
We exit the house and walk towards the gate, Jessie trailing behind us. "Cassi it was nice seeing you again... at least now I know you didn't purposely leave without saying goodbye," she smiles.
I nod with a smile. I'm really happy I got to see her again too, although we didn't talk that much and I found out she's a transgender woman. All is good.
We step out of the gate and I wave her goodbye once more before getting into the car. I have just one question I need to ask Levi and it's biting at me so hard. But I have a feeling he's just going to give me the most dissatisfying answer on the planet, knowing the person he is. He inserts the key and the engine purrs to life. "So... you know Jessie didn't give you that much information, right? All she did was remind you of an old high schoolmate."
He nods his head. "I know."
"So who is Stacy?" I ask with little hope that he'll answer the question. "A former schoolmate," he bluntly replies, his eyes locked on the road. I know she's your former school mate ugh. I guess I'll try my luck again. "I was curious to know... what Jessie was talking about... concerning you and Ace ruining her life." Now that I hear that out loud it sounded a bit too harsh.
"It's nothing," he replies.
"Well it didn't look like nothing when you were struggling with your words," I grumble. He ignores my remark, leaving his focus on the road ahead.
"Maybe it would have been better if you just carried Jessie along with us so you could do the whole one-night stand thing in your hotel room... then drive her back home or..."
"I'm not doing the one-night stand," he states.
I give him a sly glance. "What are you talking about? Didn't you just promise her you would be back by 11?"
"No actually... I just wanted to get something out of her... did you think I would waste my time going back there all because of some stupid deal? And besides... it's weird because I've known her as a guy all my life," he shrugs.
"But that's wrong Levi... now she's probably getting all pretty because she thinks you're going to show up... meanwhile..." I sigh. It just hurts because she doesn't deserve that. "Who cares? I have a lot of things on my mind Cassi. I'm a busy man."
"Then maybe you should have just found another way to get her talking instead of playing with her feelings," I snap.
"What is wrong with you? It's like you've gotten unbearably annoying in the past hour."
"I can say the same for you! And now I'm finally seeing your true colors, Levi. I guess everything I heard about you was true," I hiss. His gaze flicks to me. "Everything you heard?"
"Yes, Levi. Emily told me you're the cruelest person alive... but you know what? I didn't believe her because once upon a time you were the sweetest person I'd ever met. I guess I was wrong."
"Whatever Cassi. Like hell, I give a damn about all the venom you're spewing. At least we're leaving tomorrow... I'm just sick of this."
Deep down that hurt but I just have to act like I don't care. At least this little banter helped me suppress the feelings I had for him. "Whatever... I can't wait too... And I hope we never have to partner up again."
About to turn into the next street, his window blasts open, shards of glass flying everywhere. The car roughly collides with a tree, cracking the windshield. The impact jolts me and I groan in pain. I turn to Levi, my breath seizing. I'm staring at an unconscious person who has three bullet holes launched into him. I glance around, my brain lagging, unable to comprehend what's going on. People in the quiet neighborhood are beginning to poke their heads out of their windows, hearing the three loud shots.
I shake him back and forth praying for even the slightest sign of life. But he isn't moving. Not one bit. He's just lying there, blood gushing out of his wounds. "Levi!" I scream at the top of my lungs. "Levi you have to wake up!" I cry.
No Cassi this isn't the time to cry. I hastily pull out my phone, dialing 911.
Suddenly I hear a thud on my window. And from the corner of my eye, I can tell someone is standing there. I reluctantly turn my head, seeing a hooded man. His hands are pressed against the window and his breaths create a mist on the glass.
My heart is torn between pounding and stopping. Meanwhile, 911 has picked and the operator is confused by the silence on my end of the line.
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
Slowly, with my eyes still on this man, I bring the phone up to my quivering lips. "H-Hello... please help."