Chapter 4 #2
“For the record, she hogged the first.” Jackson looked at her lovingly then, he turned back to Noreen. “I want my own copy. I loved how intricate the plot was in Do No Harm .”
“You’ll find another intricate plot in Let the Children Come .”
“Great.” Jackson gave her a huge smile. “You’re so talented.”
Noreen didn’t realize how much fun it would be to have acquaintances come to a book signing. They chatted a bit then left to join their others.
A second couple approached her. “Hello, Will. Good to see you.”
“This is my wife, Katie.” He put a hand lovingly on her stomach. “And these two are Butch and Buck.”
“Like hell,” Katie said. “Alyssa and Alexandra.”
Noreen grinned even though she was jealous of the two of them.
Will asked Noreen, “Did you get the invitation to our Christmas party?”
“Ah, yes. I’m going to try to make it.”
“I hope you come,” Will added. “We’re friends, after all.”
His comment warmed her. When they left, she smiled at the next person who approached her. This was the man who had come to her last signing in Syracuse. He stared oddly at her. “Hello, Noreen.”
“Hello.”
“Do you remember me from the last book signing?”
“Ah, no I’m afraid I don’t.”
Which was a lie. She even remembered he said he didn’t read female authors.
“That’s okay. Do you like my flowers?” He gestured to the bouquet on the cookie table.
“I thought the store provided them but thank you.”
He scowled at that. Then he shook it off and held out a book. “I want another copy for my aunt.”
She smiled. “What’s her name?”
“Celia.”
She signed the page and he left the table smiling. She’d overreacted to him. Nothing to worry about here, she guessed.
Two more friendly faces appeared before her. “Well, hello there. When did you two get back?”
Pax greeted her. “A couple of days ago. We couldn’t miss this.”
Steph gushed, “This is so cool, Noreen. You’re famous.”
“I’m making my mark in the literary world, I guess. Do you want me to sign it to both of you?”
“Yes.” Pax again.
“How was the honeymoon?” She shrugged. “I feel foolish even asking you that.”
Steph got a dreamy expression on her face and leaned into Pax. “It was spectacular.”
“You’re both tanned. Looks good on you.”
“Thanks. Enjoy the rest of this. We’re going to go talk to Jackson and Maisy.”
Noreen grinned broadly. This was so much fun.
She recognized other familiar faces in the crowd like the shopkeeper across from the clinic, the woman from a coffee shop, and two neighbors.
Her spirits were high the entire time. The last fan came to the table.
She was thrilled at the sight of him, though she tried not to be.
He was dressed down in jeans that fit him well and a navy cashmere sweater with a matching quilted vest.
“Hello, Noreen.”
“Hello, Nick. I didn’t expect to see you today.”
“From what I hear, the whole town’s came out. Congratulations on your success.”
“Have you read the first book yet?”
“No, I haven’t. I’ve been busy with Pax’s case. I want both of them now.”
Her hand shook as she reached for her novels. He placed his over hers. “Don’t be nervous, Noreen. I’m here as a professional friend, like you wanted. I don’t want to spoil this for you.”
“You aren’t. You…”
Suddenly, she was yanked out her chair. Pulled back and a heavy arm went around her waist. “Get your hands off her,” the man behind her said to Nick.
Oh, my God. What was happening?
* * *
Nick saw red when some jerk yanked Noreen out of the chair and pulled her back. “What the hell are you doing? Let her go.”
“Not until you leave.”
Before he could circle around the table, Jackson, Caleb, Pax, Will and Steph strode forward.
The man kicked Jackson with his foot and her friend went down.
He hit his head. It was Steph who got behind the guy and yanked him into a headlock.
The gesture freed Noreen and she staggered to the side.
Nick grasped onto her. As the guy struggled, Steph said, “Somebody call 911.”
Will was on the phone right away.
Maisy rushed to Jackson. Bent down. “Are you all right?”
“Dizzy a bit.”
Caleb and Gemma and Pax surrounded the table. She caught sight of her mother standing in the back, her hand over her mouth. Then she rushed up front.
“Let me go,” the man choked out. “I’ll leave.”
Will said, “Not so fast.”
The police must have been close because they entered the shop and wrangled the guy from Steph, into handcuffs and dragged him out of the store. The other cop stayed back and asked, “What happened?”
Noreen stepped forward. “That guy grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go. He said he was protecting me from Nick.”
“Who’s Nick?”
“I am.” Nick pulled her closer. “I touched Noreen’s hand and he freaked.”
“Do you know the guy?” he asked Noreen.
“He was at another signing but seemed innocuous.”
“A stalker maybe?”
Her heart beat a clip. “I think that’s a stretch.”
“What happened to you?” he asked Jackson.
It was only then that she saw her mother down on her knees tending to Jackson’s wound.
He looked up. “I tried to help Noreen but he got the better of me.” He rolled his eyes at Maisy. “I guess I’ve lost my street smarts.”
“We’ll take him in and talk to him. Do either of you want to press changes?”
Jackson said, “I don’t. Noreen, you can if you want to.”
Nick still had his arm around her. He said softly, “If you don’t, he could come back to the next signing.”
“I think he’s just an overzealous fan. I will get a restraining order for him.”
The police officer left.
Her agent, who’d been agape at the unfolding events, came forward. “We’ll stop the signing.”
She looked to the back and more people had gotten in line. “No, we will not. I’ll be damned if I let one man ruin today. I’m going to sign until the crowd is gone.”
Nick said, “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“It’s up to me. But would you stay till the end?”
“Of course.” He let go of her and she sat back down. “Go ahead, Marcy, escort the next person up.”
A woman with a child approached her. “Well, that was something.”
Noreen shrugged. “You may see the whole thing in a future book. Everything’s material.”
* * *
“Thanks for giving me a lift here,” Pax said to Nick the next day, as they headed to the courthouse in Syracuse for the pretrial hearing.
“No sense in taking two cars.” He surveyed Nick.
“You’re pretty upbeat.”
“I am.” Pax forced himself to suppress the events at Noreen’s book signing. She and Jackson had gone to the police station and filled out the forms for restraining orders. The man, Hank Pierson would be held for twenty-four hours for assaulting Jackson.
“Yeah, with their paltry evidence, I expect a dismissal of the charges.”
“I don’t want to get my hopes up, but it seems that way to me too. So I’m focusing on the positive.”
The courthouse on Main Street was large and stately. Because Nick’s offices were in the city, he’d been here many times. He knew the best place to park and soon he and Pax climbed up the steps. The building was made of stone, with a dome and another peak rising over the doors. Pillars flanked them.
“I’ve never been here,” Pax said. “Even when I was living in Syracuse.”
“No reason to. But Redmond Associates have tried a lot of cases here.”
“You’re very successful, Nick.”
In the law, he thought. Not in love. Of course, that was of his own doing. He was forty years old and still afraid of getting too close to anybody.
Inside the third courtroom on the second floor, Pax came face to face with Lance Kramer, the son of the woman who’d died on Pax’s table. He was a diminutive man with a receding hairline, glasses and a frown.
Nick sat next to Pax at the defendant’s table.
The judge came out and took his place on the bench.
He was a big man with linebacker shoulders.
“We’re here to discuss the charges against Dr. Paxton Barry by Mr. Lance Kramer.
I’d like the attorneys to come forward. Nick buttoned his suitcoat and walked up to the bench.
The lawyer of the complainant stood next to him.
“Mr. Lansing, you provided the statements of witnesses for discovery. I have to ask if that’s all the proof you have. ”
“The autopsy report is there, too.”
“It is. The report is inconclusive. Did your client know that?”
“Yes.”
“Did you search for more proof?”
He cleared his throat. “There isn’t any more.”
“So you brought this lawsuit thinking we’d settle at pretrial.”
“Ah, no, not really. My client suffered horribly over the loss of his mother. He asserts that he’s entitled to compensation.”
“Mr. Redmond? What do you have to say?”
“It’s clear to me, your Honor, that the depositions speak for themselves. One of them is by somebody who wasn’t even in the operating room.”
“I realize that. I hadn’t seen the evidence when you asked for a dismissal weeks ago. But now that the discovery is in, I’m declaring a dismissal of charges.”
Pax said aloud, “Wow.”
The judge bit back a grin. “Case dismissed.” The sound of the gravel was loud in the silent courtroom.
Nick walked back to Pax who stood up. “What do you think, buddy?”
“I think it’s great. I’m relieved.”
“Shame on you.” They turned to see Kramer had come up to them. “It doesn’t matter what the judge decided. You killed my mother.”
“Don’t say a word, Pax.” Nick turned to the man. “Please leave my client alone.” He looked past the guy and said to the other lawyer, “Keep you client away from us. The case is over.”