Do You Want to Know a Secret? (54 page)
Read Do You Want to Know a Secret? Online
Authors: Mary Jane Clark
Judge Dennis Quinn
was leaving for the PNC Bank branch office to draw out a $500,000 cashier’s check when his phone rang.
“Judge Quinn, we’re sorry to inform you, sir, but we’ve arrested your mother for murder. She refuses to speak until she has legal representation and she’s asking for you.”
Dennis hung up, realizing that when Haines Wingard made it to the White House, he could never appoint the son of a murderer to a federal judgeship.
Mack’s kiss was
warm and sweet.
“You look much better today, darling.”
Mack had broken away from work at lunchtime to visit Eliza at Roosevelt Hospital. The bullet wound to the torso had caused a lot of bleeding, but miraculously no vital organ had been hit. As he gazed at Eliza smiling from her hospital bed, Mack was relieved to see that color was returning to her cheeks.
“You just missed my mother and Janie. I can’t wait to get out of here. Tell me what’s going on,” she said eagerly.
Mack grinned. “Now I know you’re feeling better.” He pulled up a chair next to her bed. “The Wingard campaign is disavowing any connection to Dennis Quinn.”
“Of course.” Eliza nodded.
Mack continued. “And since Quinn didn’t break any laws himself, save the embezzlement, which can’t be proved, he’ll likely be keeping his Superior Court seat.”
“Well, the embezzlement could probably be proved if we handed over Bill’s notes.”
For a few moments, they considered the implications.
“Let’s let Bill Kendall rest in peace,” Eliza said.
Mack nodded. “My sentiments exactly.”
“It’s a good example, though, isn’t it?” Eliza asked and then answered her own question. “We have a legal system—not necessarily a justice system.” Shaking her head wearily, she asked, “And what about Pete Carlson?”
Mack spoke solemnly.
“He has no career left at
KEY News.”
Nate Heller snapped
off the set with a sigh of relief. The story about the apprehension of the murderer of Dr. Leo Karas and Bill Kendall’s secretary, and the murder attempt on Eliza Blake, did mention that Frances Twomey was the mother of a New Jersey Superior Court judge, but there had been no hint of any sort of connection with the Wingard campaign.
Thank God Quinn had delayed coming up with the money.
As all good generals do, he looked at the bigger picture.
I may not have gotten half a million bucks, but I
will
be going to the White House.
The results were
back.
Negative.
Haines Wingard was grateful. He was also bitter. He could never trust his wife, or his campaign manager, again. He’d like to ax Nate, but he couldn’t. Nate knew that the future president had cheated on the bar exam.
Eliza sat on
a gaily colored beach towel fiddling absent-mindedly with her grandmother’s charm and watching Janie dig in the powdery sand of Gooseberry Beach. The baking, late July heat was eased by the ocean breeze blowing gently off the Atlantic. Eliza looked out at the open sea, entranced. It was so beautiful and soothing here. Therapeutic.
Janie’s shoulders were looking too pink. Rummaging through the canvas beachbag for the sunblock, Eliza didn’t want the week to end. It had been so good for the two of them to have this time away together.
She brushed away the sand that was sticking to Janie’s arms and rubbed the lotion smoothly over the soft skin. Silently, she prayed. Thank you, God. Dear God, thank you. The thought of how close she had come to losing her precious Janie still took her breath away.
“Want to make a castle with me, Mommy?”
“You bet, sweetpie!”
Together, mother and child scooped the sand.
Eliza still hadn’t taken it in fully. Her beloved and trusted Mrs. Twomey, capable of cold-blooded murder. How could she have so misjudged that woman? It frightened her to think her antennae could be so faulty.
But Mrs. Twomey had never, ever given Eliza any reason to mistrust her. She’d been a wonderful caretaker for Janie. Until the end. . . . Mrs. Twomey had wanted to protect her son. She shivered in the summer heat.
And now the press release that Yelena read in New York this morning made it official. Pete Carlson, anchorman of the
Evening Headlines
, had resigned. Eliza Blake had been named the new anchor.
Eliza knew her life was about to change. Whatever little anonymity she had would soon be gone completely. She wondered if she’d be able to handle that. And still, it was the top of the heap. In her profession, it didn’t get any bigger than the anchor chair!
Mack ducked under the beach umbrella, balancing two iced teas and a grape juice. He carefully placed the cardboard tray on the blanket.
“Thanks, honey.” As she looked up at Mack, Eliza thought just a moment about John. She wished she could share with him this incredible accomplishment and the concerns that went with it.
But John was now part of her precious past. Mack was the wonderful future.
Mack. How he had been there for her when she lay in the hospital. She’d read the concern in his eyes that he tried to mask with his wry humor. Afterward, he’d admitted how scared he’d been, scared of losing her. As she recuperated, Eliza had plenty of time to think. She’d realized that she, too, was afraid of losing someone that she loved. Again. But she knew she couldn’t let the fear paralyze her, keep her from living and loving fully. She knew now that she was ready. Ready to take a chance again, with Mack. She thought of Dr. Karas and how happy he’d be to know that she was moving on.
Sadly, Eliza thought of Bill Kendall. His life had touched hers in so many ways. She was sure he would be happy for her now.
Janie, oblivious to the wisps of fine brown hair which blew across her face, diligently decorated their lopsided sandcastle with some tiny seashells she had collected from the water’s edge. She considered her handiwork.
“Isn’t this a pretty house, Mommy?”
“Beautiful, Janie.”
“I wish we had a house, Mommy.”
“I do, too, sweetheart. When we all go home, I think we should look for one.”
“You do?” the child asked gleefully.