Chapter 12

(Saturday afternoon—1 pm)

Jodie pulls up to Amy’s apartment building and parks.  Minutes later she is banging on the door.

“What are you doing here?”  Amy is in a rumpled t-shirt and pajama bottoms.  She looks like hell.  She feels like it too.  Denbo ranted and raved all night.  She didn’t get home until 5 am.

Jodie pushes past her to enter and asks, “What were you doing at the exhibition last night?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t fucking lie to me!  I saw you and I heard you on the phone!  Bette was in accident last night.  Did you have anything to do with it?”

“I’ve had a long, fucking night and I don’t owe you any explanations about anything. So fucking what if I was there last night.  You can’t prove it.  And you’re in no position to be questioning anything I do.  Now get the fuck out of here now or you’re going to have more to worry about than Bette Porter.”

Amy pushes Jodie out of her apartment and slams the door….then looks for her phone.

Jodie walks back to her car contemplating the threat that was just made.  “What the fuck do I do now?”

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Bette speaks up from her bed.

“You know…last night one of the wait staff looked familiar to me.  I’ve been thinking about it all morning trying to place where I know her from.  She was the woman that Jodie was at the club with last weekend. But I don’t remember seeing the 2 of them together at any point in the night.  Don’t you think that’s strange? 

Sam immediately walks closer to Bette, “Are you sure, Bette?”

“Yes, I’m sure.  She served me a glass of champagne so I got a really good look at her.  I know it’s the woman who was with Jodie that night.    I’ve been thinking about it all morning.  It was her.”

Tina has been watching Sam the whole time…and is determined to get answers before anyone else leaves this room.

“Sam…what do you know about this woman….this accident…and Bette’s safety!”

“The girl who served the glass to Bette was Amy Sedekis.  She’s a drug dealer.  She’s been spending a lot of time with Dawn Denbo at her club…Denbo has negotiated a deal with Amy for exclusive rights to sell ‘party favors’ at She-Bar.”

Sam looks up at William, “Uncle Will.  I found the name and license of the driver of the car that hit Bette.  I took the info to the precinct to see if he has a record.  HIs sheet is full of petty crimes.  He’s been arrested for drugs, assault, criminal mischief. He’s been picked up and questioned on some “enforcement” issues.  He’s no stranger to the guys downtown.    Here’s the thing though, the most interesting thing I found is that he was arrested with Amy Sedekis on drugs and an assault case last year.  They are definitely connected to each other.

Shane and Alice look at each other while Helena states what is on everyone’s mind.  “What the hell is Jodie Lerner doing out in a bar with a drug dealer?

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(Saturday afternoon—4pm)

Jodie spent the afternoon driving along the beach debating what to do.  She wanted to see Bette and see that she was alive with her own 2 eyes.  Her mind was spinning….full of thoughts about what she suspected.  She knew Amy hung out with unsavory characters….but does that mean she was involved with Bette’s accident?  Again…why would Amy want Bette dead?  Bette dead…My god…this is lunacy!

So distracted in her thoughts was she that she didn’t see the 2 men waiting in the bushes outside the door to her house until it was too late.  The fist connecting with her face put her down for the count immediately.