Chapter Nine #2
Once the waitress had taken their order and drifted away, Owen asked, “Have you given any thought to where you go from here?” His blue eyes searched her face as she scrambled to figure out how to answer his question, since she really had no idea.
“I mean, I’m sure you’ll be finishing at the university.
But will you be staying in the same apartment, or do you feel a change is in order? ”
“Good question.” She hadn’t gotten that far with any sort of plan. “The lease has her name on it, so I’ll have to see how or if I can change that.”
“I imagine the rent is fairly steep for a student with only a part-time job.”
“I have some savings.” Actually, what she had was the remainder of the trust her father had left her. Not exactly enough, but something. But she really wanted to save that for anything her mom might need. “I would probably need to find another roommate.”
She’d used the larger portion of her trust for her mother, and she did not regret doing so.
With her whole heart, she was confident her father had expected his wife to be well cared for.
The problem was, he hadn’t noticed that the payment information hadn’t been updated on the life insurance policy he’d purchase years ago to take care of her if something happened to him.
In part, Leah had blamed the life insurance company for not trying to call a longtime customer, but there was no changing that sad fact once her father was gone.
Instead, the policy had lapsed, and there was nothing for her mother.
The savings her father had accumulated had already been established as a trust for Leah.
He’d changed their will and set up the trust since, at the time, their only daughter had appeared determined to screw up her life.
The trust only allowed for the withdrawal of a certain amount each year.
Except for medical needs—which was how she had managed to use the money at a faster pace for her mother’s needs.
“I have a friend,” he said, “who owns a building not so far from where you live now who has great studios for really good prices. I can put in a word, if a move to something smaller and less expensive would help.”
“I should do that,” she agreed with a resounding nod. “The idea of looking for a roommate is…” She made a face. “Not something I really want to do.”
“Understandable. I’ll give my friend a call. We can go have a look when you’re ready.”
We. A rush of warmth gave her goose bumps.
The very best part of this conversation was the idea that he anticipated seeing her even after this investigation was finished.
As foolish as it sounded since she hardly knew him, she really hoped that was a possibility.
Maybe it was the hero-worship thing, but it felt like something more.
“Thank you.” She smiled. “I really appreciate everything you’re doing.”
The smile he flashed back at her made her heart beat even faster. She really had to slow down. She was getting far too accustomed to having this man around.
They both ordered a cheeseburger and fries, which hit the spot. Leah added a vanilla milkshake to hers. She hadn’t inhaled that many carbs in a while, and she desperately needed the boost they provided—however temporary.
Maybe it was all the sugar from that milkshake, but the words were out of her mouth before she could stop them: “Do you have siblings?”
She instantly bit her lip. In all the discussions about her personal life, he had never once offered any details of his own. Maybe it wasn’t allowed. Whatever the case, the question was out there now.
“Two sisters,” he said without hesitation. “Both older. I’ve spent my entire life being bossed around by them.”
Leah laughed. “I thought you were going to say protecting them or scaring off boyfriends.”
“That too,” he admitted. “But mostly I’ve always done whatever they asked. Lauren got married three years ago and has the first grandchild on the way. Madilyn is engaged. But both still call me first when they’re worried.”
A smile tugged at her lips. “I love that they respect your input so much.”
He inclined his head toward one shoulder. “Lauren is a psychologist, and she has told me many times that I’m far too calm and steady for a man just turned thirty-two. Madilyn insists that I take after our mother, and the wild child that never developed will appear when I least expect it.”
“I’m not sure I want to know what that means.” Leah grinned when he turned up his hands. “Wait, yes, I have to hear it!”
“The story goes,” he explained, “my mother and father married very young—which is true. She was eighteen and he was twenty and still in college. By the time Mother was twenty-five, she had three kids. Our father had graduated by then and was working as an engineer in a coveted government position. So all was good financially. But then, at thirty, Mother suddenly experienced an early midlife crisis and took off for Paris.”
Leah’s jaw dropped. “Paris as in France?”
He nodded. “She said she’d never gone to Paris the way she always wanted.
Father was forever too tied up at work to take any real time off, so she decided to just do it alone.
She landed in Paris and then spent fourteen days traveling around Europe as if she hadn’t a care or an obligation in the world.
Both grandmothers were appropriately appalled and came to take care of the children.
For the three of us, it was like a trip to Disney World.
The grandmothers spoiled us entirely during her absence.
On day fifteen in Europe, Mother woke up, spent the whole day in tears and trying to get the fastest flight back home. ”
“What a story.” Leah grabbed another french fry from her plate. “What happened when she got back?”
“Father apologized for ignoring her and promised it would never happen again, and just like that, life returned to normal, except for one thing.” He held up one finger.
“From that point on, no matter how busy work got, we took a real family vacation every year, and each year on their anniversary, our parents took a mini vacation, just the two of them, to wherever Mother wanted to go.”
“I love it! Your family sounds wonderful.” Leah supposed the way she had pined for siblings her whole life made her more vulnerable to someone like the roommate who had misled her so completely.
Or maybe she just wanted to believe such a cool relationship could be real.
Either way, she yearned for those close attachments.
Too bad she’d always chosen the wrong people to form attachments to.
“I’m certain they would adore you,” he said. “Both sisters and my mother are avid readers. You would have much in common.”
Another stream of warmth filled Leah at the possibility of meeting his family. She smiled, though her lips tried hard not to shake with uncertainty. “I’d love to meet them one day.”
His smile slipped and he reached for his cell phone. He looked at Leah. “It’s Detective Lambert.”
Leah held her breath.
Owen took the call but didn’t put it on speaker since they were in a restaurant. He made several comments, but none that provided any inkling as to what Lambert was saying. When he finally ended the call, Leah found herself holding her breath once more.
“Two things.” He pressed his lips together for a moment as if he wasn’t looking forward to the necessary share. “The body of the real Isla Morris’s mother was found in a freezer in the basement of the Morris home. It will take some time before the ME can determine cause of death.”
The possibility that the woman Leah had trusted killed the poor woman tore at her like the claws of a rabid bear. “This just gets worse.” She blinked back the tears of regret and frustration. “I’m afraid to ask what the second thing is.”
“If you still want to see Painter,” he said, obviously no happier about this part, “Lambert has made the arrangements.”
The warmth Leah had been enjoying while listening to Owen talk about his family vanished. A cold flood of defeat and fear replaced it.
Another person was dead. And then there was the other. She didn’t want to see Chris…but she had to.
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
East Huron Street, 3:30 p.m.
A UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICER stood outside the hospital room.
Owen showed his ID, and the officer nodded. “Detective Lambert gave approval for the two of you to go in.”
Owen looked to Leah. “Do you want me to go in with you?”
She chewed her lower lip a moment before forcing the words from her mouth. “I should do this alone.” She didn’t want to do it alone, but she couldn’t be sure what Chris would say… Oh God, how had she allowed her life to end up at this place?
So damned screwed up! She’d spent all these years pretending this day would never come. But here it was.
Owen nodded. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”
Leah resisted the urge to hug him. She wasn’t sure there was a way to ever properly show her gratitude. This decision to see Chris alone, she hoped, would not make Owen doubt how much she trusted and appreciated him.
Still, this private meeting was necessary.
Leah took a breath and stepped up to the door. The officer opened it and she went inside.