Chapter Twelve

Monday morning, after Luke insisted on dropping her off, Julie headed up the steps in her office building with her cream colored heels clicking on the pavement. Protective as he was, she should feel suffocated, but she didn’t. Maybe it was how great the weekend with him had been, or maybe it was the nightmares about Elizabeth that continued to haunt her.

She turned to wave to him where he waited by the curb and then headed into the building. With a smile, she refocused on the glass doors, catching a glimpse of herself in a light blue suit dress. The reflection of a man drew her up short.

She froze, then frowned. The image had disappeared. It couldn’t have been who she’d thought it was. It was so ridiculous that she wasn’t even going to let herself finish the thought. She forced herself not to turn around again and to head into the building for fear of alarming Luke, but as she walked across the glossy white lobby floor she was more bothered than not. The thought she didn’t let herself finish came to her mind of its own accord.

The reflection had been of a man who looked just like the stranger from the Chicago hotel, the one from the elevator and the bar. Which again, she thought, was insanity. Julie waved at the security guard sitting at the long black glass panel, and headed for the elevator.

She stepped into the quiet lobby of the law firm she had considered her second home for years. Once she was in the private office area she found her secretary, Gina, already sitting at her desk working.

“Morning,” Gina said, her auburn hair twisted elegantly at her nape, her olive green suit matching her eyes perfectly. “Coffee’s ready. I’ll bring a cup in to you.”

Julie stopped in front of Gina’s desk. She was pretty and efficient, and even played cat sitter for Julie on this last trip, and yet Julie barely knew her. She didn’t let herself get close to people at work. She didn’t let herself get close to anyone but Lauren and...Luke.

“That’s thoughtful,” Julie said. “Thank you. I’m not sure I say that enough.”

Gina blinked and a stunned look slid over her face. “I’ve been bringing you coffee for as long as I’ve been here, and you have, uh, never said anything like that.”

Julie silently replayed Gina’s words in her head. Anything like that. Surely she didn’t mean ‘thank you’. When had she become that uncaring of others? Had she survived this life, this world of divorce, by blocking out the rest of the world to the point she didn’t even behave politely?

“Well,” Julie said slowly. “I should have. I’m really sorry.” Julie left Gina gaping at her, and the reaction twisted her in knots. She wasn’t liking the view of herself from her assistant’s eyes. She’d had to withdraw to survive her career, and it had changed her.

Julie walked into her office without another word. She deposited her briefcase on the credenza and her purse in a drawer before sitting down behind her desk. Dropping her elbows on the flat surface, she let her chin settle on her knuckles.

Julie’s cell phone rang and she answered it without looking at the caller. “Did you read it?”

Spine stiffening, Julie recognized the voice, so like Elizabeth’s, “Diana,” she said surprised, not wanting to say too much, too soon. “I’m working on it but reading someone’s personal journal is rather disconcerting.”

“I know,” she said. “But please read it. There are things in it that will change how you feel about her death, I promise you.”

“Okay, yes.”

“Thank you, Ms. Harrison. Thank you.” She hung up.

Julie looked up to find Gina standing in the doorway. “I didn’t want to interrupt. I have your coffee.”

“Yes please. Thank you.”

Gina set a cup of coffee in front of Julie. “Why are you a paralegal instead of an attorney?” Julie asked her.

Surprise registered in Gina’s expression. “It wasn’t by choice. It just sort of happened.”

Julie’s eyes narrowed. “Meaning?”

“Life, finances, a sick parent. All those things combined kept me from achieving all of my goals.”

Julie’s eyes dropped to her desk. She had worked herself through school, so she understood struggling. She just had never tried to understand Gina’s. Maybe she could help her finish school.

Impulsively, Julie looked at Gina and asked, “Would you like to go to lunch today?”

“Ah,” Gina paused as if she couldn’t figure out how to respond and then suddenly smiled. “Sure.”

“Excellent,” Julie said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

The phone in the lobby buzzed. ”I better get that,” Gina said, and rushed away.

The next few hours went by quickly, and not without a number of distracted thoughts of Luke, and a text message to check on her. She’d liked that message, too, far more than she would have ever expected.

It was close to lunchtime when Gina buzzed Julie’s office again. “Judge Moore is here to see you.”

Julie drew back in surprise. “I wasn’t expecting him, but...yes. Okay. Send him in.”

Dropping her pen onto the desk, Julie leaned back in her chair, resting her elbows on the arms. She had no desire to stand and greet the judge, regardless of the fact he deserved the respect if she was to keep him a courtroom ally.

Her office door opened and Gina poked her head in. Waving the judge forward, she offered him coffee and he refused. Good, Julie thought, he won’t be staying long.

The judge appeared in her doorway. “Julie,” he said with a nod, looking his normal proper self, in a blue suit that was custom-fitted to his trim fifty-something physique, his gray hair neatly trimmed.

“Judge,” she greeted.

Clearly taking the greeting as an invitation, in several long strides, the judge stood in front of Julie’s desk. Usually she would have moved to the conference table in the corner of her room. No doubt, he noticed that today she did no such thing.

He gave her an assessing stare, letting her know that yes he noticed, before sitting in a visitor’s chair.

“I’m sorry about Elizabeth,” she said when he didn’t immediately speak.

His expression was respectfully grim, his eyes surprisingly direct as they met hers. “As am I.”

“I was shocked,” she said, awkwardness expanding in the room.

“Yes,” he agreed. “I was as well. I had no idea she had taken this all so hard.” He sighed. “Obviously, I won’t need your services. That is, unless her family causes trouble over our assets.”

Julie went cold. She had a bad feeling this visit had a hidden purpose. “Do you expect them to?”

He ran his hand over the back of his neck as if all the tension in the room had settled there. “I doubt it, but the quicker I get this behind me the better. It’s hard enough –divorce, that is – without this turn of events.”

How hard was it, she wondered? “I assume there are no documents or will that I need to know about other than what I’m aware of?”

“She had life insurance,” he said. “I have no idea if it was left to me or her sister at this juncture of our relationship.”

“Sister?” Julie asked in a voice that was a bit too high.

“Her twin. Never did like me. She was always trying to get Elizabeth to leave me.”

“Considering that’s what you wanted, I would think you would like her.”

He shrugged. “I preferred to do the leaving on my terms.”

As do most rich men who want to shuffle their assets, but Julie didn’t say that.

He made a disgusted sound. “Believe me, Diana – that’s Elizabeth’s sister – is trouble. She only wanted her to leave me to take my money. If she can get an attorney to take the case, she’ll fight for some of it now. The life insurance won’t be enough for her. She’s a greedy little bitch.” He waved a dismissive hand. “There’s another reason I came by. You’ve handled a number of children’s charity functions and I know they’re dear to your heart. Elizabeth was in charge of a Children’s Cancer Association function tomorrow night and my artwork will be on display. I must admit I wish it wasn’t this week, but it was impossible to cancel with such advanced planning. I’d appreciate it if you would consider playing hostess in her absence.”