“What we learned from Audrey Star’s last journal is this. Audrey and her husband had a suicide pact, but Mr. Star, or Mr. Clements, whatever you prefer to call him, changed his mind. Audrey Star committed suicide. You will all be given copies of the journal once we finish with it.”
It was Spenser’s turn again. “Mr. Star’s confession to killing his wife to free Sophie Lee was something none of us contemplated. He wanted to die without the world knowing his wife committed suicide because she was mentally challenged. In the end, whether Audrey Star committed suicide or her husband killed her, Sophie Lee was wrongly imprisoned. All we hope for now is that Sophie Lee can get on with her life with the assistance the state of Georgia will give her for wrongly imprisoning her. That’s it, ladies and gentlemen.”
Spenser turned aside to let Kala and Sophie go ahead of him. They all ignored the shouted questions from the media.
Inside, they all fled to a room Spenser had had the good sense to prepare before the conference. There was a huge urn of coffee and a plate of pastries sitting in the middle of the table. No one said a word.
“You did well out there, honey,” Ben whispered in her ear. He turned to shake Spenser’s hand. “You were just as good, son.”
“Can I see the journal?” Sophie asked.
“Afraid not, Sophie. It’s evidence,” Kala said.
“Are you certain it’s Mrs. Star’s journal?” she asked.
“We’re positive. We compared the handwriting to all the other journals. There is not one scintilla of doubt.”
“I would have thought you’d want me to authenticate it since I saw it,” Sophie said.
“It wasn’t necessary, Sophie. You are free now to do whatever you want. You don’t have to stay hidden. In a few days, people won’t remember who you are or what happened. Your life will be whatever you want it to be. You just have to do the interview with Patty, and you can be on your way. We’ll say good-bye now. I wish you well. When you finally locate somewhere permanent, advise me, so I can forward all the estate papers you’ll need to sign and go through. We’re making great headway, and should wrap it all up in a few weeks.”
Tears rolled down Sophie’s cheeks. “I don’t know how to thank you, Kala. The words don’t seem to be enough. I wish there was something I could do for you. If there is, just tell me.”
Kala smiled. “I just did my job the way Ryan did his job. It’s over now. I don’t like to dwell in the past. Have a good life, Sophie.”
Everyone hugged, shook hands, or kissed each other. Finally, the only two people left in the room were Patty and Sophie.
“Let’s get to it, Sophie,” Patty said, switching on her recorder.
Back outside in the hallway Kala spotted the Speaker of the House at the same time Spenser did.
“Oh, shit!” Spenser said. “He never misses a photo op. Wait for me, Kala.”
Kala and Ben watched as Spenser walked over to his father. They shook hands. They said a few words, and Spenser was back at their side, a stricken expression on his face.
Suddenly, red-hot rage coursed through Kala. She excused herself and told Spenser and Ben to wait outside for her. She literally ran down the hall, calling out, “Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, can I talk to you for a minute in private?”
“Certainly, Ms. Aulani. Do you have something to say to me?”
“Damn straight I do, Mr. Speaker, and I sure hope to hell you’re man enough to hear me out.”
The Speaker heard her out, his face draining of all color when Kala said, “You don’t deserve a son like Ryan. Didn’t you ever wonder, even once, why he never called you ‘Dad’? Because you don’t deserve that title, that’s why. You have to earn it. I personally don’t give two hoots in hell what you do in Washington, DC. But I do care about what you do here in my home state with my friend Ryan. You are a loser in every sense of the word. That’s all I have to say. Enjoy your trip back to Washington, and I hope this little photo op was all you wanted it to be.”
Kala turned around and hurried to the exit where Ben and Spenser were waiting for her. “What did you want to talk to my father about?” Spenser asked.
“I wanted to tell him he isn’t as photogenic as he thinks he is.”
Spenser laughed as they made their way down the courthouse steps. “Where are we going?” he finally asked.
“Back to my office. There’s one more bottle of champagne we need to drink, then Ben and I are going home. We have a wedding to get ready for.”
“I hope I’m invited,” Spenser said.
“Now that you bring that up, Spenser, I was waiting for just the right moment to ask you if you’d be my best man. Kala and I would like that very much.”
Spenser’s smile rivaled the sun. “I don’t know what to say. Yes, of course. I’m honored, I’m flattered. I can’t wait.”
“I want you to give me away, Spenser. I need to tell you, though, you are my second choice. I asked Jay, and he adamantly refused. He said he wasn’t giving me away to anyone.”
Spenser swallowed hard. “I can do that, too, Kala. I really can. I don’t mind being second choice.”
“Okay, then, let’s go celebrate.”
Two hours later, the minicelebration was over. Spenser was gone, and Ben went to get the car. Kala’s things were packed up once more. This was her final exit from the Aulani law firm.
“So, you’re finally getting out of our hair, eh?” Jay said.
“You finally got something right. And I’m not coming back. You need me, call me at home. Home as in Hawaii. Ben and I are outta here first thing in the morning. Get that damned will probated so I can cut all my ties with the Star estate. And do not, I repeat, do not call me for anything frivolous, like you miss me.”
“It won’t happen. Have a safe trip. See ya at your wedding unless you chicken out.”
“No chance.”
“Well then, this is good-bye.” They hugged, but this time there were no tears. Sadness, yes.
The console on Kala’s desk buzzed. She pressed the button as she waved to Jay.
“Sophie Lee is here, Kala,” Linda said.
“Tell her to come on back.”
“Damn,” was all Kala could mutter under her breath.
“Can’t get enough of this place, is that it?” Kala said by way of a greeting. She watched as Sophie closed the door behind her. “Is something wrong, Sophie?”
“No. I did the interview. Patty said it went well. I left my itinerary here last night. In all the excitement, I guess I just forgot it. The receptionist gave it to me. I guess I wanted to say good-bye one last time.”
“I hope it is the last time, Sophie.”
“That’s not a very nice thing to say, Kala.”
“You killed Audrey Star, didn’t you?”
“Yes, Kala, I killed Audrey Star. When Adam wouldn’t go through with their suicide pact, she begged me to do it. I couldn’t say no. I didn’t tell you because it was only a few years after Dr. Kevorkian had been sentenced to a long prison term for second-degree murder, and I didn’t think Spenser really had enough evidence to convince a jury I was guilty of anything. Turns out I was wrong about his persuasive powers. Or maybe it was just luck.
“Either way, I broke the law to do what I thought was right and what Mrs. Star wanted done. And the law took its pound of flesh, ten years of my life. If what I did makes me a bad person in your eyes, then I’m sorry about that.”
Sophie tucked her itinerary into her purse. “But there’s one thing I’m not sorry about-attorney-client privilege.”
“Sophie?”
“Yes!”
“Have you forgotten something?”
“What’s that, Kala?”
“Okay, people, showtime!” Kala said in a neutral-sounding voice.
