* * *
STEFANIE WAS INher studio giving tai chi lessons to a group of children. She had once been one of those children in her youth, with her parents encouraging her to develop skills in the ancient Chinese meditative martial art. She hoped to one day teach her own children tai chi, assuming she were so blessed to become a mother someday. The thought of Campbell being the perfect father of those children entered Stefanie’s head, making her tingle, though such a possibility was way too soon to get too out in front of.
She came back to reality for now as Stefanie went through warmups with her class of eager learners. Thiswas followed by tai chi short forms, then breathing exercises, or chi kung, while lying down.
The goal, for both children and adults, was to improve conditioning aerobically, balance and flexibility, and upper- and lower-body muscle strength.
She was satisfied that this was happening and the participants—or in this instance, their parents—were getting their money’s worth.
Just as the class had come to an end and the children—wearing white tai chi uniforms like her own—began filing out to their waiting parents, Stefanie was surprised to see Bella strut into the studio. For an instant, she wondered if Bella had thought that it was an adult class today but got her timing wrong. However, as she wasn’t exactly dressed for exercise and had designer sunglasses on the top of her head, Stefanie assumed Bella was only stopping by because she happened to be in the area.
Still, Stefanie couldn’t help but say jokingly to her, “Here for some beginner tai chi?”
Bella laughed. “Not quite.” She flipped back her hair. “Just came from a meeting and thought I’d come by to say guess who paid me a visit earlier today?”
“Uh…” From the look on her face, Stefanie guessed who it might be. But said instead, “Your ex, hoping to somehow win you back?”
“Only in his dreams.” Her curly lashes fluttered frivolously. “Actually, it was your boyfriend.”
“Campbell?” The name popped out quite naturally, though Stefanie didn’t exactly think of him as her boyfriend at this point.
“The one and only,” Bella told her, hand resting on a slender hip.
“We’re not official right now,” Stefanie had to say, though they seemed to be headed in the right direction. She eyed her curiously. “So why did Campbell come to see you?”
“It wasn’t to arrest me or anything.” Bella chuckled. “He came to talk about Mia O’Dell, who worked for my father as his housekeeper.”
“Right.” Stefanie was thoughtful. “I remember you saying that.”
“Basically, Campbell just wanted to know what I knew about Mia during that time—including possible drug use—and even afterwards when she joined the Braison Family.” Bella sighed. “I told him that my father caught Mia stealing and fired her. But I knew nothing about her taking fentanyl, for how long or who gave her the deadly drug. Or, for that matter, how she became indoctrinated by a cult.”
“Hmm…” Stefanie wiped her face with a towel. She was surprised that Mia had been a thief. But what did she really know about her, other than that Mia OD’d on fentanyl and was part of the Braison Family? “I’m sure that anything you were able to tell Campbell was helpful in providing clarity to Mia’s life, leading up to her death.”
“I hope so. But actually, it worked both ways,” Bella told her. “Since I had his attention, it gave me an opportunity to pick Campbell’s brain on his thoughts about a possible connection between Mia’s death and that of Lynda Boxleitner twenty years ago.”
“Oh, really?” Stefanie said, regarding her pensively.
“Campbell made a compelling argument that there may have been a link by bloodline and the cult to the two deaths.” Bella narrowed her eyes. “I told him that if thisproves to be true, then he should certainly do everything he can to bring whoever was responsible to justice. If that boils down to only Kenneth Braison because his father Wendell Braison is dead, then so be it.”
“I agree with you there,” Stefanie said, wondering if the Braisons were behind one or both deaths. Or were there other culprits responsible?
Bella looked at her and stated, “By the way, we talked about you, too.”
“Me?” Stefanie batted her lashes with surprise.
“Basically, we both agreed that you’re a lovely, wonderful person who deserves a second chance at love, wherever it may be and with whom—him, for instance.”
Stefanie colored. “Thanks for the show of support.”And thank you, too, Campbell, for seeming to really care for me.
“Anytime.” Bella showed her teeth. “I know you’d stick up for me were the shoe on the other foot.”
“Absolutely,” she assured her. “Well, I’d better jump in the shower. I’ll catch you later.”
“All right.” Bella pulled the sunglasses down and over her eyes. “I still want to learn tai chi one of these days.”
“Whenever you like,” Stefanie promised with a smile before heading for the locker room, thinking about Campbell and where things could go between them.
* * *
