by Joanne Fluke
“Quite a showplace, huh?” Mrs. Henley laughed at Connie’s startled reaction. “If you don’t want the mirrors, I can have them removed.”
Connie nodded. “Good! I don’t think I want to see my reflection first thing in the morning—especially on the ceiling.”
“Then we’ll take down the mirrors and repaint the walls. What color would you like?”
“Anything but green.” Connie shuddered as she remembered the institutional-green walls in her bedroom at home and what had happened there, so long ago.
“We ask our new tenants to sign a three-month lease. After that, it’s month to month. Will that be a problem for you?”
Connie shook her head. Then the full impact of what Mrs. Henley had said struck her. “You mean . . . I’ve got the apartment? Just like that?”
“Of course.” Mrs. Henley nodded. “Mark will be out on the sixteenth. You’ll have to give us a few days to repaint, but it’ll be ready for you on the twentieth.”
Connie was puzzled. “But don’t you need references, bank statements, things like that?”
“That’s not necessary.” Mrs. Henley smiled at her. “I pride myself on being a good judge of character. I can tell you’re not the type to cause any trouble. Just give me the first month’s rent and a hundred-dollar damage deposit. That’s fully refundable if the apartment passes inspection when you leave.”
Connie smiled as she opened her purse and counted out the money. Mrs. Henley thought she was a good judge of character. What would she think if she knew about Willy Rossini and how Connie had been forced to eliminate him from her list of candidates? And what would she say if she knew that Connie’s reason for renting an apartment was to seduce Mark Turner?
CHAPTER 20
Jill had kept her promise to Doug, but she hadn’t been able to get a doctor’s appointment right away. Her family doctor had been on a three-week vacation, so the earliest appointment she’d been able to get was for the twentieth of February. Since this was the twentieth and her appointment was at one o’clock, she had slept late. She wasn’t going to the office, and it felt like she was having a vacation.
Neil’s conciliatory mood had passed. He’d already exchanged angry words with Sarah, the older woman Helen had hired. Sarah had stormed out in a huff, telling Jill she refused to work for a man who didn’t respect her, and Jill had hired Neil’s sixth companion, a pretty young farm wife named Bonnie.
There was a giggle from downstairs, and Jill began to frown. Neil was flirting with Bonnie. That meant she wouldn’t last long, either. It was practically a given that he would try to get Bonnie into bed. Then one of two things would happen. Either Bonnie would refuse and Neil would fire her, or she would accept and her husband would find out and make her quit.
Jill ignored the giggles and took a quick shower. She’d already chosen the outfit she wanted to wear. She’d bought it last year at an after-Christmas sale, a hand-knit, pale pink sweater with wool slacks to match.
The sweater had been a little loose last year, but it seemed to fit her now. As a matter of fact, it was quite snug. Jill frowned slightly as she pulled on the slacks. They were so tight she had to struggle to zip them up.
It was silly to wear something uncomfortable. She hung the outfit back on its hanger and chose a blue sweater dress instead. That seemed to be much tighter, too, but the material stretched.
Jill sighed as she remembered that day in The Beef Barrel and how worried Doug had been when she’d told him she’d hadn’t eaten for several days. He certainly didn’t have to worry any longer. Jill’s aversion to food had passed. She’d been snacking with a vengeance. She’d even stocked up on all the foods she knew she shouldn’t eat like potato chips, Twinkies, and candy bars.
Her overeating could be a symptom of anxiety. She frowned as she considered it. There were days when she was hideously depressed at the thought of leaving Neil, other days when she could hardly wait to file for divorce. Her emotions seemed to change like the wind, whipping her from one extreme to the other. She’d get up in the morning feeling wonderful, invincible and on top of the world, but depression would set in on the way to work, and she’d end up weeping in the car.
She didn’t think she was having a mental breakdown. Although she was sometimes distracted, she could still do her job. The DA and the opposing counsel had both complimented her on her last closing argument, and she’d won her last five cases.
Perhaps it was just a touch of the flu. Jill found herself almost looking forward to her physical. She was hoping that the doctor could diagnose her problem, write a prescription, and have her back to normal in a couple of days.
She went downstairs and slipped on her coat and boots. Bonnie and Neil were in the kitchen, but she didn’t bother to go in to say good-bye. She’d told them earlier that she was leaving, and the way she felt right now, she could hardly wait to get out of the house.
Her spirits seemed to lift as she backed out of the garage and pulled out into the street. She felt better and better with each mile she drove, and by the time she pulled into the clinic parking lot, she was actually smiling. If this was a case of simple depression, she should definitely get out more. Going to work didn’t count. It was something she had to do. She should make a point to do something she wanted to do, for the sheer fun of it, at least once a week.
“Hello.” The receptionist, a friendly gray-haired woman who’d been working for Jill’s doctor since he’d first opened his practice, greeted Jill with a smile.
Jill smiled back. “Hi, Delores. How are the grandkids?”
“Just fine, but they’re not exactly kids anymore. The youngest just started college this year.”
Jill knew she looked surprised. It seemed like just yesterday Delores had shown her baby pictures.
“You’re looking good, Jill. Have you put on a little weight?”
“I’m afraid so. I couldn’t get my favorite pair of slacks zipped up this morning.” Jill knew she was blushing. She must have gained more than she’d thought if Delores had noticed.
“Well, you carry it well. These modern girls are too thin, all skin and bones. It’s like my daddy used to say. What kind of man likes to hug a washboard?”
Jill laughed, but she wondered if anyone under sixty even remembered washboards. They’d become obsolete when automatic washers and dryers had come on the market.
“Come with me and I’ll weigh you in.” Delores picked up a chart, then led Jill into one of the small examining rooms. “Take off your boots and hop up on the scale.”
After pulling off her boots, Jill stepped on the scale. Then she watched, in shock, as Delores moved the metal weight to a spot near the end of the bar. “My God, Delores! I’ve gained fifteen pounds!”
“Sixteen, but who’s counting?” Delores jotted down Jill’s weight on her chart. “You’re still not overweight, Jill . . . not for your height.”
“Maybe not, but I think I’d better go on a diet before I have to buy a whole new wardrobe.”
Delores gave her a sympathetic smile. “It’ll be easier to diet, now that the holidays are over.”
“I hope so.”
“Take my word for it. I have to lose ten pounds every January. I just can’t resist those Christmas cookies.” Delores opened the closet and took a paper gown from the shelf. “Take off your clothes, Jill, and put on this gown. Doctor will be with you in just a few moments.”
As Jill undressed and put on the paper gown, she was frowning. No wonder her slacks hadn’t fit! She’d go on a diet immediately. There was no time like the present to get back in shape. The minute she got home from the doctor’s office, she’d toss out all the chips and candy, and if she felt the need for a late-night snack, she’d eat healthy things like carrot sticks and celery.
* * *
Connie smiled as the movers carried in her couch. Since Alan’s parents had taken all of the furniture, she had arranged to rent everything she needed, including bedding and dishes. It had been Alan’s suggestion,
and it made good sense. Connie knew she’d only be staying at The Palms long enough to accomplish her goal, and owning heavy pieces of furniture would present a problem when it was time to leave.
“Where do you want it, lady?”
“Right over there, under the windows.” Connie smiled at the two movers. “Put the two round tables on either side with the blue glass lamps on top.”
“Where do you want the TV?” Another mover brought in the console television that Connie had rented.
“I’m not sure, but the manager told me this building has cable. Do you see the jack?”
The mover nodded and pointed to the wall opposite the couch. “It’s right over here. Do you want me to set it up for you?”
“That would be wonderful!” Connie gave him a smile. If he hooked it up, she’d have to tip him, but she’d been planning to do that anyway.
“How about the bed?”
The first two movers came back in with the bed frame and mattress, and Connie shrugged. “I don’t know. Where do you think it should go?”
“As far away from the window as you can get it.” The older mover grinned at her. “There’s nothing worse than sun in your eyes when you want to sleep.”
“That’s true. You’ve set up a lot of places, haven’t you?”
The older mover nodded. “Too many. I’ve been on this same job for fifteen years.”
“Then you’re the expert, not me. Just set it up the way you’d want it, and it’ll be fine with me.”
“Hey, lady.” The older man gave her a thumbs-up signal. “If you want to get married, I’ll ditch my wife for you. She makes me rearrange our furniture every couple of weeks.”
It didn’t take long to get everything in place. The older mover supervised, and the two younger men moved the furniture. When they were through, Connie gave the younger movers ten dollars apiece, and the older mover got a twenty.
After they’d left, she walked through the rooms, a smile on her face. The apartment looked like a furnished rental, but she didn’t care. It was larger than the hotel room, and she didn’t plan to spend many nights here. If she had her way, she’d be a frequent overnight guest in Mark Turner’s apartment.
“Will you be all right alone here, Alan?” Connie addressed the picture she’d placed on the mantel. She listened for a moment, and then she smiled a soft smile. “I know. But I won’t be sleeping with Mark Turner. I’ll be sleeping with a part of you.”
* * *
“Are you sure?” Jill felt faint, and she gripped the arms of the chair tightly.
“You tested positive, Jill.” The doctor smiled at her. “Didn’t you suspect you might be pregnant?”
She shook her head. “Not really. I’ve never been regular, and I just thought I had a touch of the flu.”
“Well, this touch of the flu will be due in September. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” Jill tried to look happy as she stood and picked up her purse. She was about to leave the room when the doctor called her back.
“Jill? Is this pregnancy a problem for you?”
“A problem?” She turned to look at him. There was no way she wanted her family doctor to know that her world had just turned upside down. “Of course not. I’m just surprised, that’s all.”
“Good. Make an appointment for next month. We’ll do monthly checkups, and I’ll write you a prescription for prenatal vitamins. You know the rest, don’t you?”
Jill’s mind went blank. “The what?”
“Get plenty of rest, exercise regularly, eat right, and be happy. That’s the prescription for a healthy baby.”
“Yes.” Jill nodded. “I won’t have to stop working, will I?”
“Of course not. You’re young and healthy, and I don’t anticipate any problems. Just don’t overdo it. Keep a regular schedule and make sure you don’t wear yourself out.”
Jill kept a smile on her face as she picked up her prescription and accepted Delores’ congratulations, but her smile disappeared and her emotional state bordered on panic when she got into her car. How could she be pregnant? She hadn’t slept with Neil since . . .
“Our anniversary!” Jill groaned as she remembered that night. She’d been so surprised by the catered dinner and the gift Neil had given her she’d forgotten to use her diaphragm. Now she was pregnant, at the worst possible time. The last thing she needed right now was the added responsibility of a baby!
She started the car and pulled out of the lot. What was she going to do? She believed in a woman’s right to choose, but she didn’t want an abortion. This was her baby; she couldn’t bear the thought of losing it. It was a part of her. But it was also a part of Neil. Did she have the right to leave him now, when she was pregnant with their child?
A horn honked behind her, and Jill realized that she had stopped at a green light. The winter streets were icy; she had to concentrate on her driving. As she pulled forward and turned onto the ramp that led to the freeway, she shivered slightly. She didn’t want to stay with Neil, but was it right to divorce him now and deprive him of the chance to be a full-time father to his child? And how about their baby? Was it fair to raise a child without a father?
Jill sighed. It was a real dilemma. She knew that children from broken homes had problems. She encountered them almost daily in court. But children whose parents stayed together and fought constantly also developed problems. Which way was best? Could anyone say for certain?
The truck she was following swerved slightly, and Jill dropped back another car length. The Department of Motor Vehicles put out a traffic safely manual, and she had read the rule for following other vehicles. Drivers were advised to drop back one car length for every ten miles of speed. Since Jill was doing fifty miles an hour, she should be five car lengths behind the truck. There was only one problem with this rule. She’d found that if she dropped back five car lengths, at least four other cars attempted to squeeze into the space ahead of her.
Life was complicated when people refused to follow the rules. Jill sighed and moved over to the slow lane where the traffic was lighter. If Neil had followed the rules, he’d be a faithful husband and if that were the case, she’d be delighted about the baby.
But was Neil the only one who’d broken the rules? Jill frowned deeply as she thought about it. There were rules for wives, too. A wife was expected to love her husband, but she didn’t love Neil. Though she hadn’t been unfaithful to him in the strictest sense of the word, she’d given her heart to another man. Could anything get more complicated than this? Here she was, pregnant with her husband’s baby, and she was in love with Doug Lake.
CHAPTER 21
Connie turned around slowly, in front of Alan’s picture. She’d made another purchase, a black satin bikini that was so tiny she almost felt she’d gone back to her job as a stripper.
“How do I look, honey?” She listened for a moment, and then she giggled. “Really? I just hope Mark Turner agrees with you!”
It was always nice to receive a compliment, especially when it came from the man she loved. Connie rushed over to press her lips against Alan’s picture. The glass was warm against her lips, as if a living, breathing person stood just on the other side of it. She replaced the picture and picked up a white cotton robe to wear to the pool. “I’ll be back later, Alan. And if I’m not, you’ll know exactly where I am.”
She turned at the door and looked back once more, blowing Alan’s picture a kiss. He seemed to be frowning slightly, and she raced back to see what was wrong.
“What is it, honey?” Connie picked up the picture and stared into his eyes. Then she nodded, the smile returning to her face. “Thanks for reminding me. I’d almost forgotten I used a fake name on the lease. It’s Cheryl, not Connie. I’ll remember.”
The hallway was deserted as Connie walked toward the elevator. Mrs. Henley had been right. This was a quiet building, especially during the day when most people worked. The pool would be deserted, too, and it was a perfect setting for meeting Mar
k Turner.
Connie pushed open the double, glass doors and entered the pool area. It was in the center of the building, patterned after a Spanish courtyard, completely enclosed by stucco walls. The domed glass roof let in the sun, so the area was always warm. Made of thermal glass, the dome effectively shut out the cold air.
Just as she’d expected, the pool was deserted. Connie took off her robe and stretched out on one of the lounge chairs arranged around the pool. Mrs. Henley had told her that Mark was a bartender who worked the night shift at the Odyssey Club, an expensive bar and restaurant at the top of the Marquette Hotel. He usually came home at three or four in the morning, slept until noon, and swam laps in the pool when he woke up. On some mornings, a girlfriend accompanied him to the pool, but usually his lady friends left long before noon.
Connie glanced at her watch. It was noon now. Mark should be here at any minute. He’d probably be surprised to see her. No one used the pool on weekdays. If he seemed interested in talking to her, she’d give him the same story she’d given Mrs. Henley. Her name was Cheryl Walton, and she did freelance work for a research company. One of her clients was an insurance company who was interested in the survival rates for transplant recipients. She’d only come to The Palms Apartments to interview him for her survey, but she’d liked the place so much, she’d decided to move in.
The glass doors opened, and a man walked in. Connie felt her heart race as she watched him approach. He moved like an athlete, his muscles rippling in the sunlight. His physique was perfect, that of a modern Adonis, and he was so handsome he could have been a superstar.
Connie stared as he stopped at the end of the pool and stretched. No wonder the girls in the apartment complex turned out to watch him swim on the weekends. He still hadn’t seen her and she held her breath. Her heart was racing, she suddenly felt weak, and on top of all that, she experienced a twinge of guilt. When she’d decided to have Alan’s baby, she’d never anticipated that one of the transplant recipients might actually turn her on.
