“You don’t say.”
“Yes, I do. Her name is Kath. She moved into the townhouse next door. Funny thing is, I met her when we were both taking out the garbage. Anyway, we got to talking and we’ve hit it off. I’m taking it slow, but so far, so good. She’s a lot different than Laura, but special in her own way.”
“When do I get a look,” Dade asked.
“Well, we could meet you and the rest of the bunch at Kimball Hill next week and get it over with all at once.”
“Oh, yeah, the fireworks. I forgot. Sure, I’ll meet you at the usual spot.”
About seven years ago, after fighting the crowds at the Chicago lakefront once too often, the family had tried the fireworks at the small town of Rolling Meadows, halfway between where Mom, Julie, Avery and her husband, Garrett, lived.
After the first visit, the display had proven so breathtaking it became a tradition to keep going there. Todd and Laura had once had been part of the entourage, but he’d stopped when he’d lost his wife. It was a good sign he wanted to participate again.
Dade dialed his mother. “Everyone’s going to the fireworks, right?”
“Of course, don’t we always? I’ll meet you at Julie’s and you can drive us to Avery’s. Then we can have Garrett haul us all in the van. You know how crowded it gets.”
* * *
Dade leaned against Julie’s kitchen counter, watching her blonde hair fly, as she darted back and forth, grabbing containers, plastic utensils, plates and a tablecloth.
If only he could stop her in her tracks and make her see reason. She couldn’t leave him high and dry. He needed her.
It was a holiday and he wouldn’t spoil it, so he’d keep his mouth shut.
“Okay, I think I’m ready,” she said, glancing around the room in search of stray items. Apparently satisfied, she closed the wicker basket and handed him a bag to carry.
He gave her a knowing smile. “Not so fast. I believe you’ve forgotten something.”
Her forehead puckered prettily. “I don’t think so.”
“Well, those fluffy pink slippers are sure to get grass stains on them.”
She almost dropped the basket.
“Hey, steady,” he said, reaching to grab it.
His wrist brushed against hers, making him jump. She flashed him a strange look and practically threw the basket at him.
“Fine, you hold it. I’ll get my gym shoes. I know they’re in the bedroom somewhere.”
Oh, brother. The bedroom. He knew from all accounts that Julie was a sporadic housekeeper. He would not think of the invitation of her unmade bed.
The doorbell rang. Dade breathed a sigh of relief. Mom to the rescue.
* * *
They all climbed out of the van, the women carrying picnic baskets, the men, coolers, chairs and blankets. Dade set down the cooler and Garrett spread the comforters over their usual spot under the maple.
All around them, families claimed their territories. The smell of popcorn filled the air, along with children’s laughter. The scene was familiar and right. It might seem corny to some people, but he dug this sort of thing.
Dade contentedly breathed in the warm summer air. He smiled, watching his Mom tell Julie about the real estate class she was taking. It was good to see Mom enjoying herself. Her heart still held a lot of sorrow, but after all this time she was finally coming out of her shell.
Last Christmas, when they were gathered at her house, he’d reached into the bureau drawer for a set of matches to light the holiday candles. His fingers had closed on his father’s picture.
He pulled it out and stared at the face that was so much like his own: the same dark hair, the same blue eyes, the same high cheek bones.
The photographer had done remarkable job of capturing Kurt Donovan’s essence: the reckless, all-knowing eyes and the devil-may-care smile. Dade felt sick just looking at the likeness of the man who’d deserted his wife and family. He jammed the picture back in the drawer.
Damn, why was he thinking of that scum now instead of enjoying the moment? While he’d been dwelling on the negative, Julie and Mom had gone off on another tangent, this time about flower gardens. Mom proudly proclaimed how many plants she’d nurtured, while Julie took the opportunity to confess if she hadn’t planted perennials when she’d first moved into her ranch home, she’d have no garden at all.
“Just as well or your beautiful long fingernails would get dirty and broken like mine are most of the time,” Mom said.
“I’m quite good at breaking my fingernails. Planting’s not the only way to do it, you know,” Julie quipped back.
As the two of them laughed, Dade couldn’t help but smile. It was only right that Julie and Mom got along so well. After all she was family, though in looks she bore no resemblance to them.
Flowers were pretty, but discussing their relative merits was a bit much. Dade turned to see what Avery and Garrett were up to. He found his sister, her straight dark hair escaping from her pony tail, lifting a mysterious plastic container from her picnic basket. She placed it with ceremony on the vinyl tablecloth spread on the grass.
“Must we be your guinea pigs? Have some mercy.” Dade groaned and clutched his stomach. His sister’s lack of cooking prowess was legendary.
She pushed her hair from her face and glared at him. “This time your gastrointestinal tracts will be spared. Garrett made the taco dip. I only bought the chips.”
“Poor man has to cook his own meals. I guess he’s learned the hard way to fend for himself.”
Garrett leered. “There’s a lot to be said for the hard way. Avery’s cooking is definitely not why I married her.”
Refusing to rise to the bait, Avery arched her eyebrows and remained silent.
The stocky, crew cut haired Garrett was down-to-earth and a great sport. He seemed a great match for Avery, and Dade sensed he could be counted on in a pinch. Not like their Dad who preferred booze to people.
Dade enviously tuned into the interplay between his sister and her husband. What would it be like to have a soul mate? Julie was the only person he’d ever been able to talk to like that, but now things had changed. He’d thought he knew her inside and out, but man, had he been wrong.
“Hi there,” a familiar voice broke in on his thoughts.
He glanced up to find Todd clutching a picnic basket with one hand and a tall, multi-freckled redhead’s hand with the other. Her face held an innocent quality. Dade hoped her appearance wasn’t deceptive. Todd deserved a break.
“And who might this be,” Dade asked.
“Okay, here goes. Kathy O’Reilly, meet the whole clan. Here’s my good buddy, Dade Donovan, his mother, Marcia Donovan, his sister, Avery Jacoby, her husband, Garrett, and honorary sister, Julie McGuire.”
As Todd set down the basket, Kathy beamed and shook hands all around. She then bent down, lifted the cover, and withdrew a platter of deviled eggs. “I brought something for the occasion. I hope you like it.”
Dade smiled with approval. “Better keep this one, Todd. She knows how to cook. No offense, Avery.”
His sister gouged him in the arm and he let out a mock groan.
They sat joking and watching the sky darken. Kathy’s laugh was infectious, her witticisms astute. She fit in as if she’d always been here.
Except she hadn’t. Once upon a time, Laura had been Todd’s leading lady. She still would be if it hadn’t been for the drunken driver who’d erased her.
“Ahh,” Julie said, glancing up at the burst of color.
As Dade looked over at his partner, a scary thought hit him. What had happened to Laura could happen to anyone. Thank God, it hadn’t been Julie.
Chapter Twelve
Julie sat smiling in her downtown Chicago office, the blinds partially open. Mid July sunlight splayed across the desk, transforming her scattered papers into psychedelic creations.
The sun glinted off the paperclips in their open holder. She’d purchased the wooden trinket box with the two loons etched
on top at Loon Land Trading Co. in Minocqua, Wisconsin last year. The small box with its swinging hinge was designed to hold pills or jewelry, but she’d converted it to its present utilitarian purpose. Whenever she got nervous or depressed, a glance at her loons reminded her of the peaceful time she’d spent at Dade’s North Woods cottage on Big Arbor Vitae Lake, near Minocqua.
Dade had graciously handled her caseload last summer, while she, far removed from Chicago’s rat race, had enjoyed a carefree week of solitude and writing
She’d flung open the doors and windows, letting in the cool lake breeze. A blue heron, ungainly on land, turned graceful as it majestically flew over the water. A mama duck with her tribe of five ducklings swam lazily by.
She loved such glimpses of nature, but even more intriguing were the black and white speckled loons. The mournful, beautiful sound of their yodels to each other across the lake inspired an inexplicable wanting deep inside of her.
If it weren’t for her decision to leave the firm, she would have been in Wisconsin right now vacationing with Marcia and Avery. Instead of hearing horns blaring and sirens pealing from the street below, she’d have been listening to the gentle sounds of the Great Outdoors and breathing in the pine scented air.
Julie sighed. Vacation must wait until she waded through the mounds of paperwork which claimed her attention. Legal descriptions to examine, trials to get ready, new cases to consider, telephone messages to answer, her duties were endless. Would she ever break loose?
She needed to remind Dade to look for a partner. He seemed to be ignoring the inevitable, as if that would make her stay longer. He had to accept she couldn’t go on like this. It wasn’t her anymore.
She’d driven downtown early his morning instead of relaxing on the train, since she’d be working late again.
Julie swung the top of the holder closed and took a deep breath. In a few minutes she’d tear herself away from the office and trek to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission where she’d fight for her clients’ rights. Before that, she’d relax a few more minutes, enjoy the loons on the paperclip holder, and think good thoughts.
Like how in a few days she’d be at the workshop. Delicious anticipation shot through her at the thought. She loved the learning process and could hardly wait to incorporate some of it in her book. Also, she had to admit Jensen’s continued interest in her was flattering.
It was fun daydreaming and not thinking of chores. With her mind still in the clouds, she grabbed her briefcase and told Dee she’d be back around noon.
As she stepped into the dreaded elevator and the doors closed behind her, the familiar helpless feeling rushed over her, making her feel faint. The slow descent began. Would the torture every stop?
It wouldn’t hurt to adopt Jensen’s advice. Transferring her fears to the typewritten page would be daring, but ignoring them hadn’t helped. As soon as she got a chance, she’d explore that possibility.
As the doors swung open on the ground floor, she breathed a sigh of relief. She’d made it. She was safe.
* * *
Julie was almost in front of the Thompson Building, when her cell phone rang.
“I’m sorry to bother you, but do you know where Dade is,” Pam, the receptionist asked.
“He didn’t say anything to me. What’s the problem?”
“Mr. Burns says Dade was supposed to meet him an hour ago at the Commission about an offer, but he hasn’t shown up. I can’t reach him on his cell.”
“The client may have gotten the date wrong. Dade’s good at remembering appointments. Just in case, I’ll look around for him inside. If I see him, I’ll let you know. Don’t worry, he’ll show up.”
As she replaced the phone in her purse, she smilingly admired the play of sunlight across the glass panes of the octagonal architecture of the James R. Thompson Center, which housed the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. On such a gorgeous July day, nothing could go wrong. Sure, she had tons of work and it might take a while to follow her dream, but she’d survive.
Another good thing was her dizzy spells had vanished. They’d probably been caused by overwork. That situation wouldn’t last forever. Her goal was within reach.
She just knew she’d win all of her cases today.
Stop woolgathering, she told herself, using a favorite phrase of her mother’s.
Upstairs on the eighth floor, she glanced around for Dade but didn’t see him. Just in case he turned up, she left a message with the receptionist for him to call the office. She called Pam back and told her what she’d done. After that, she gathered her client, Danny Devers, out of the waiting room. “Let’s go get ‘em,” she said.
He flashed her a timid smile.
“Don’t be nervous. Just tell the truth.”
The man had a good case. They’d get through in no time.
Her prediction proved correct. It wasn’t long before Julie smilingly sent her client on his way. She sailed through the next case as well, then strolled across the concourse to look for Dade. She didn’t see him in the hallway, meeting rooms or the downstairs eating area where the attorneys often met to hash over cases. He must have already gone back to the office.
She may as well head back too. When she saw him, she’d learn soon enough how the mix-up had occurred.
As soon as Julie stepped into the office, Pam’s frantic voice greeted her. “You didn’t see Dade at all at the Commission?”
“No. You mean he still hasn’t called?”
Pam shook her head. “He never did. I don’t know where he is. The phones are going crazy. What do I tell the clients?”
“Just say he’s at an emergency trial and will get back to them.”
Julie frowned. A strange uneasiness gripped her, making her terrific mood evaporate. Dade was meticulous about advising the office of his whereabouts. Something was wrong.
Her steps quickened. Even before she reached her desk, she grabbed her cell phone from her purse and punched the quick dial. “Be there,” she said.
It didn’t even ring. Strange. If the telephone were out of range, at least his voice mail should kick in. Maybe his phone was broken.
Or maybe his mom was sick and he had to rush her to the hospital and didn’t have time to call. No, it couldn’t be that. Marcia and Avery had gone to Wisconsin. They wouldn’t be back for a week.
Now what to do? Julie glanced at her watch. It was past one. Maybe she was being an alarmist, but she couldn’t help it. What if Dade had fallen and banged his head in the shower this morning. His life’s blood could be flowing out of him while he hung on, hoping to be rescued. God forbid, it might already be too late.
She called the operator and asked for his condominium’s office. Once she was connected, she requested a well being check. Ten minutes of pacing passed. Julie was about to dial back when Dee’s voice rang over the intercom, “There’s a Linda, from Dade’s building on line nine.”
Julie snatched up the receiver. “Is he all right?”
“I’m sorry,” the woman said. “No one’s there. We searched the entire condo.”
“Thanks so much for your trouble.” Not knowing if she should be relieved or upset, she slowly hung up.
Where was he? Had he been in an auto accident? Though his condo was only three miles away, Loop traffic was a nightmare. All it could take was one careless driver.
To reassure herself, she glanced out the window at the cloudless aquamarine sky. It was a stunning summer day. The streets were dry. Dade was an excellent driver.
No matter how she tried to reassure herself, a knot kept growing in her stomach, making her feel nauseous. Something was wrong.
She punched Dade’s cell phone number again, only to hear the same dead tone.
Pam’s voice cut in, “Julie, there’s a Lieutenant Pruchnicky on line three.”
Julie’s heart skittered. She stared at the telephone as if it were a rattlesnake. Please don’t let it be about Dade. God, please let him be all right.
* * *
“Hello, Ms. McGuire speaking.”
“Lieutenant Pruchnicky here, Chicago Police. One of my men found your business card on an accident victim, one Dade Donovan.”
Julie’s lungs constricted and she could barely breathe. She wanted to cover her ears to block the officer’s next words, but she had to know.
“He’s my partner. How is he?” she choked out.
“In critical condition at Northwestern Memorial. Can you contact the family?”
“They’re out of town. It’ll take at least six hours for them to get back. Listen, I’ll be right over.”
She threw the receiver down, not looking to see if it landed on the cradle. Dade was hurt. He needed her.
Darting past Pam, she called back, “Cancel my appointments, and Dade’s too. He’s in the hospital.”
The receptionist’s mouth gaped. Julie had no time to fill her in. She had to get to Dade. She barely noticed she was riding in an elevator as it sped to the lobby. Her legs shook, but she forced them to move around the block to the parking garage. The process took forever.
Her hands trembled as she turned the key in the ignition. Pulling onto Monroe Street, she grasped the steering wheel as if it were a lifeline.
Dade couldn’t die. He had to be all right.
The sunshiny July day mocked her concern.
* * *
Julie spied a clerk seated behind the desk at the patient’s entrance. “Where’s critical care?”
“Fifth floor. You can take those elevators.” The woman pointed to a bank on the right.
Julie rushed into the elevator as soon as it stopped. An excited father, grasping his son with one hand and a stuffed giraffe with the other, joined her.
“When’s Bobby coming home? I want to play with him,” the boy asked.
“Maybe tonight, but he’s too small to play with yet. You’ll have to wait until he gets bigger or you might hurt him.”
Killer Career Page 8
