Until We Say Goodbye

by Jane Drager

  Table of Contents

  Excerpt

  Praise for Jane Drager

  Until We Say Goodbye

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  A word about the author…

  Thank you for purchasing

  Also available from The Wild Rose Press, Inc. and other major retailers

  “We’ll go to the bedroom together. Otherwise, I’ll blow off your head.” He yanked on her arm.

  Gun or no gun, she wasn’t one to be pushed around. I’m dead anyway. Lauren swung a fist toward his head while simultaneously lifting a knee to his groin.

  He released a loud oomph and buckled but recovered to swing the gun at her head.

  Metal impacted. Bone cracked. The room whirled.

  Eric clutched her throat and jammed the gun between her eyes.

  The metal felt cold against her skin, and the distinct smell of gun oil hit her nose. Images of her father and brother hunting groundhogs passed through her mind. Strange to think of something so silly when the hand gripping her throat tightened against her airway. Her father would never forgive her if she didn’t fight. Pain ignored, she again kneed Eric’s groin and buckled him enough to loosen his hold. But she hit the floor, too dizzy to escape. Nausea churned her stomach. She crawled along the floor, struggling to clear her vision. Blood dripped onto the white carpet. Oh, my God, Mrs. Stewart’s rug!

  Eric released a harsh laugh, jerked her to her feet, and struck her jaw with the pistol.

  Her head snapped, and a gray glaze covered her vision. She lost all sense of place and time. No sounds registered. No one rushed to the rescue. Eric forced her onto feet that refused to move. So, this is what it’s like to die.

  Praise for Jane Drager

  THE RIDDLE KEY is an interesting story. The characters were rich in life and realistic. The descriptions were great, they left you feeling like someone might be looking over your shoulder.

  ~ Candy B.

  ASK NOTHING IN RETURN is a great read. The story is well laid out with lots of clues and twists to keep one reading. Several players add to the mystery and how it all works out is a surprise. Loved this story from start to finish!

  ~ Leanne D.

  THE RIDDLE KEY was quite gripping. The book completely kept me hooked. The author made the plot interesting and kept the story flowing smoothly.

  ~ Krithika S.

  SECRETS AND ASSUMPTIONS was such a great book, I couldn't put it down. Nothing pleases me more than a woman who takes charge of her own destiny.

  ~ Elizabeth J.

  Until We Say Goodbye

  by

  Jane Drager

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Until We Say Goodbye

  COPYRIGHT © 2018 by Jane Drager

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  Contact Information: info@thewildrosepress.com

  Cover Art by RJMorris

  The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

  PO Box 708

  Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

  Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

  Publishing History

  First Crimson Rose Edition, 2018

  Print ISBN 978-1-5092-2314-5

  Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-2315-2

  Published in the United States of America

  Dedication

  To Betty, my sister and best bud.

  Chapter One

  Deems Lambert grumbled like a disgruntled orangutan as he trudged up the stairs to his sister’s third floor apartment. He was too old to be reprimanded by a mother living a thousand miles away, but to calm her before she stroked, he’d agreed to check on his little sister while he had the mid-morning free.

  He hadn’t seen Jan in months and rarely bothered to call her on the phone. Consequently, he hardly knew what was going on in her young life. She kept busy with college, and he with work─both in different sections of Manhattan. Two worlds apart in age and lifestyle.

  The staircase creaked underfoot, drawing the attention of a second floor tenant who peeked through a chain-secured door. The old woman’s gaze cut him in two. To keep the peace, he smiled politely, even though he hadn’t the slightest inclination to make her acquaintance.

  Thin, cheap carpet, worn in the center by years of foot traffic, covered the steps. The building was one of the city’s many brownstones, converted into an apartment occupying each floor, which helped the landlord pay for the high cost of living in New York. Before the start of the new school year, Jan moved from her dinky dorm room and found this place on East Sixty-Eighth Street, close enough to Hunter College, her school of choice. He helped her move what few possessions she owned but hadn’t taken the time afterward to see what she’d done with the place.

  Truthfully, he never expected her to last this long. Two years under her belt and still no declared major or plans for a future. Big deal, a bunch of liberal art courses. “Until I decide what I want to do,” she’d said. He’d be old and gray before she made a decision. But she was his little sister, and he’d help her in any way possible. If she wanted to live here, fine. The place was decent enough. At least, no odoriferous smells assaulted his nose, like decomposing garbage.

  Deems paused midway up the third flight, because a lion blocked his path. Not an actual lion, more like an over-sized tomcat fed too many snacks. He glared at the creature, willing it to move, but the furry ball lay spread on the step like a rolled-up rug, eyeing him through one open slit, his purr more like a growl. “Shoo!”

  Did one say shoo to a cat? What other word applied? Scat? Scram? The damn beast hardly twitched a muscle except to yawn. Since an important part of his anatomy was in danger of being clawed from his body, Deems cupped a hand around his testicles and stepped over the feline.

  The stuffiness worsened as he climbed. Too cool for air conditioning and too warm for a heater. No windows either. Hence, no air flow. The higher he climbed, the hotter the air, and he loosened his tie enough to relieve the strangling effect of limited oxygen.

  When Jan first chose this old place and called to tell him, she bubbled with the enthusiasm of a young woman finally on her own. Even though he’d agreed to pay her rent, he’d gladly dole out more for a better apartment. Unfortunately, she loved the layout the second she crossed the threshold.

  Slightly breathless and with leg muscles complaining, he stood before door number three, h
esitant. Maybe he should have called. What if she wasn’t home or still asleep? He had so much to do at the office. He checked his watch. Twelve twenty-three. Too late now. He raised a fist to knock when the door flew open. A woman stopped in her tracks, mouth agape, a pair of gorgeous green eyes wide. Her hair was a mane of dark brown, long and wavy, that floated around her shoulders.

  Gripping the doorknob, she retreated a step. “Oh!”

  His heart slammed against his rib cage. He attributed the sensation to the suddenness of her appearance, but wow, what a beauty! Swallowing hard and forcing a scowl, he dropped his hand. “You’re supposed to look through the peephole before you open the door. This is New York, you know, not the safest city on Earth.” She scowled right back, not in a mad sort of way since her sparkling gaze nearly bowled him over.

  She scanned him from head to toe. “We don’t receive too many well-dressed men at our door. What do you want?”

  “I’m looking for Janice Lambert.”

  “Jan, for you!” She rushed past him. “Behave yourself. I’m only running to the first floor for the mail.”

  A vanilla scent drifted to his nose, and he snapped his head in a quick double-take. Although a familiar fragrance, she somehow made it truly intoxicating. Clearing his throat, he cupped a hand near his mouth. “Watch out for the lion on the steps!”

  She glanced over her shoulder and grinned. “That’s King George. He’s harmless.” Within a second, she disappeared down the stairs.

  Without question, she had a strong-looking appearance with broad shoulders tapering to a slim waist, definitely not the pampered type with delicate bones and painted fingernails, but not a muscle-bound Goliath either. If he had to pick a word, he’d use healthy with meat in all the right places, filling her blue jeans and T-shirt nicely.

  “Hey!”

  Startled, he turned to see his sister standing in the doorway. Jan was a small woman, five foot if that, and fit his definition of delicate, except he knew her to be a feisty little devil. Her light brown hair, cut Afro style, was frizzier than ever, and combined with her tie-dyed clothes, she resembled a throwback to the 1960s flower-child era. As with most city dwellers, her skin had a milky-white appearance since the only way to obtain a tan was from spending time on a rooftop. She was younger by ten years, and because of their age spread, they were never close.

  She gave him a quick hug. “Well, this is a treat, especially for a guy who has to schedule a time to pee.” Hands on hips, she stepped back. “What brings you here?”

  Scrunching his face at her comment about his busy work schedule, he crossed the threshold and sucked in a whiff of her familiar citrus scent. “Mom called. She yelled at me for not checking on you.” He and Jan weren’t blessed with the same mother. Only four at the time, his mother had died after a short illness. A few years passed before his father remarried. Then, along came Jan. At ten years old, he was in no mood to have a baby sister, but he grew to love her and would do anything to make her happy—short of spoiling her to death.

  Looking around, he stood in the living room where nothing matched. Different size end tables, different colored lamps. A comfy sofa of red, a stiff side chair of purple. On the wall, a flat-screen TV faced the sofa along with posters of rock stars, none of whom he recognized.

  The living room led to the two bedrooms and one bath while a small eat-in kitchen sat off to the side in its own tight cubbyhole. A typical New York City apartment demanding exorbitant rent for scant amenities. At least, the place had a few windows—one in the kitchen, one in each bedroom, and a skylight in the bathroom since Jan had the top floor. “Nice job with decorating.” What else could he say…that the place was as colorful as her clothes? He had offered her money to buy furniture, but she stubbornly refused.

  Jan patted an orange pillow and positioned it in the corner of the sofa. “Thanks. I saved a bundle by shopping at yard sales.”

  More like something left at curbside for trash pickup. He motioned with his thumb toward the door. “Who was the woman I passed?”

  “My roommate. She’ll be back.”

  This was news. His brow cocked. “You never told me about a roommate.”

  Patting a blue pillow, she placed it in the opposite sofa corner. “She’s short term. She needed a place to stay for five months, and I wanted some company.” As she waved him to follow into the kitchen, Jan threw a furtive glance toward the open front door. “Hurry.”

  She shoved him through the archway and toward the stove. Leaning forward, she shot a quick glance over her shoulder. “I know you’re paying my monthly rent, but Lauren doesn’t know, and our agreement is for her to pay half. I use the money for the utilities and groceries.” She jutted her small chin and grinned. “You must have noticed I haven’t asked for any extra money.”

  When necessary, Jan never hesitated to call or text her big brother for a handout. She received an allowance but also had a credit card for emergencies. Sometimes, her emergencies created quite a bill. He nodded at his sister with a satisfied smile. “Not a bad arrangement. I commend your initiative.” He gave a slight bow.

  Jan’s face beamed. “A chip off the old block?”

  “Undoubtedly.” He suppressed a smile.

  “The arrangement’s been great, too. Lauren’s like an older sister. She’s closer to your age and has this maturity that I can only hope to achieve. We’ve become great friends, and I’ll miss her when she leaves.” She dragged out a kitchen chair from under the table and gestured for him to sit. “Did Mom really call you?”

  Wow, the two chairs and table matched! “’fraid so. She had every right to yell. I’ve been neglecting my little sister.” Applying pressure, he checked the chair’s sturdiness but wasn’t ready to sit. Curiosity about Jan’s roommate kept him on his feet, and he slowly inched toward the kitchen entrance. “Mom’s threatening to drag Dad back to Chicago so they can entice you to leave New York.”

  Her small mouth fell open. “Leave Florida for Chicago? Are they crazy? Maybe they’re getting too much sun.” She pulled out the other chair but didn’t sit. “Besides, Chicago isn’t that much different from New York. Like you, I’m used to city life.” She pointed toward the doorway. “Now, Lauren, she’s a fish out of water here. She comes from some small town in Pennsylvania.”

  The front door closed. Ever so casually, Deems leaned against the archway to see Jan’s roommate sorting the mail. Her hair fell forward in gentle waves but not enough to hide her soft profile with the cute chin and slightly upturned nose. No alabaster skin on this woman. Her face and forearms glowed with the tan of outdoor living.

  “Want some coffee?”

  Jan’s voice jerked his attention to the kitchen. “Sure.”

  “Sit and have a cookie.” She opened a tin and slid the container onto the table. “Lauren’s a fantastic cook. I can buy anything, and she’ll make something mouth-watering.”

  He settled at the small table and grabbed a cookie. Chocolate chip, one of his favorites.

  Eyeing his suit, Jan frowned. “You can take off your suit jacket, Deems.”

  Sacrilege in his book. A true violation of his dress code. Instead, he undid all three buttons.

  As Jan grabbed the coffee carafe and filled the glass with tap water, she rotated her head and smirked. “And the tie, dear brother. You don’t always have to dress so formally.”

  Irritation swept through him. “I just came from the office, Jan, and have every intention of returning. You should know that.” A suit and tie were a part of him, like a symbol of the man within. He never wore anything less. “How’s school?” Best to avoid the subject of a wardrobe he wouldn’t change for anyone.

  She sighed heavily. “Boring. I don’t know why I’m going.” She poured the water into the machine and then opened a can of coffee, sprinkling the grounds into the filter instead of measuring.

  After her high school graduation, he had encouraged her to spend a year working in either several service jobs or an office to see what capt
ured her interest. Disregarding his advice, she entered college with no vocation in mind, accumulating credits for subjects that held no value to the outside world. She wasn’t building a career. Instead, she majored in wasting time and money. “Is your roommate in one of your classes?” He popped another cookie into his mouth. The combination of butter and chocolate reminded him of his favorite bake shop in Chicago, and he just might wolf down the entire batch.

  “Oh, no. She’s studying with a well-known Italian artist and is only here for a few more months.” With her finger on the start switch, she paused. “I wish I had her focus.”

  Well, she admits the fault. A plus.

  Jan flipped on the appliance and turned, her thin face bright. “Do you want to meet her?”

  He’d been wondering how to broach the subject of a formal introduction without sounding interested. The last item on his agenda was for Jan to play matchmaker for her older brother. “Okay, but before you make introductions, what does she know about me?”

  She shrugged a set of small shoulders. “That we both have brothers. Other than that, nothing.”

  No bragging? No big-brother-is-the-best-in-the-world speech? He wasn’t sure whether to feel disappointed or relieved.

  “I know how private you are, Deems. We only talked about brothers in general.” She stepped toward the doorway. “Lauren!”

  Jan’s roommate wandered in while reading a letter. She glanced up with a jolt to meet Deems’ gaze.

  His breath hitched. He’d met a lot of beautiful women over the years but never one with such a down-to-earth look. She wore no jewelry, just a plain watch on her left wrist. A trace of mascara accented her eyes, which, in his opinion, needed no enhancement, but her face appeared natural with her cheeks slightly flushed.

  Jan grabbed Lauren’s arm and edged her toward the table. “Lauren Howell, meet my brother, Deems.”

  Two perfectly arched eyebrows rose. “Jan mentioned you once or twice.” She extended her hand. “Hi.”

  He stood to take her hand, and sparks shot up his arm on contact. She had a firm grip, stronger than some men on his payroll. Her mouth dropped open slightly as her gaze scanned his face but gave no impression if the spark was mutual. She was of average height, possibly five-six to his six-one, and even had biceps showing from below her T-shirt sleeve. The strong urge to hold onto her hand forever collided with common sense until she tugged a bit to break the spell. Clearing his throat, he released her before she labeled him as some sex-starved New Yorker. “Jan tells me you’re an artist.”