Uncovering Secrets: The Third Novel in the Rosemont Series (13 page)

Chapter 32

“No, don’t interrupt him if he’s in surgery,” Maggie
sighed. “But ask him to call me as soon as he gets out, okay? Before he starts
seeing patients. It’s vitally important that I talk to him.” She hung up the
receiver after Juan promised to do as she requested. She’d declined to tell him
why she was calling. Juan might think that her ring being ready to be picked up
was not “vitally important.”

Maggie
pulled up her calendar for the day on her computer screen. Her morning was
uncharacteristically free, but she had a Transit Department meeting. Tonya
Holmes would be at that meeting. Maggie hoped that John could get away for a
few minutes to meet her at the jewelers this morning. Tonya was one of the
first people she’d like to see her ring.

Maggie
forced her attention on the report they’d be discussing at the transit meeting.
The prospect of curtailing bus service was unappealing. It disproportionately
affected low-income earners. Wasn’t this the group that needed their assistance
the most? The method the department used to set the schedule was archaic, to
say the least. She rifled through the papers and found the table she was
seeking. Surely there was a computer program that municipalities used to match
bus routes with rider usage.

Maggie
became engrossed in a detailed Internet search of the subject and almost let an
incoming call go to voice mail. She caught herself at the last minute and
answered in a breathless rush. “Maggie Martin.”

“Hey
there, good lookin’,” John said. “Juan insisted that I call you as soon as I
finished surgery. Is everything okay?”

“Yes.
Sorry. I didn’t mean to alarm you.” Maggie paused. “The ring is ready,” she
continued sheepishly.

John
laughed. “Well, I guess that qualifies as ‘vitally important.’ Do you want to
pick it up tonight after work?”

“No.
I’d like to pick it up now,” Maggie said, unable to keep the note of pleading
out of her voice.

“What’s
the rush?”

“You
have to ask? There’s a four-carat diamond sitting in a box less than a mile
from me, and it’s got my name on it. That’s the rush! Plus, I have a meeting
this afternoon, and Tonya Holmes will be there.”

“And
you’d like to show off your ring.”

“I’m
not sure I’d put it that way, but … yes.” She heard John typing on a keyboard.

“I’ve
had a cancellation, so if you can leave right now, I’ll meet you over there.”

Maggie
squealed. “On my way. Thank you, John.”

***

“You look frozen,” Harriet said, ushering Maggie into
the private room in the back.

“It
wasn’t too bad. When John said he could meet me here, I was so excited I tore
out of Town Hall like the place was on fire and made a beeline for the shop. I
didn’t even stop to get my car.”

“Jewelry
can do that to a gal,” Harriet observed. “Do you want to see it?”

“Yes,
but John should be here when I do. Is the watch ready?”

Harriet
nodded. “Can I get you a cup of coffee while you wait?”

“No,
thanks. John’s on his way. He won’t be long.”

John,
however, was not “on his way,” and it was a full thirty minutes before the
buzzer sounded again.

Maggie
turned to the door with relief. She knew she should have returned to Town Hall
and picked her ring up after work, but she also knew that she’d sit there all
morning, waiting for John, if that’s what it took.

“I
got snagged on the way out the door. Sorry, honey,” John said, giving her a
quick kiss.

Harriet
was right behind him, a beautiful purple velvet box in her hand. “I’m going to
hand this to John and leave you two alone in here. If it doesn’t fit or there’s
anything you don’t like, just let me know. We close at six. You can stay in
here until then, or as long as you like, and we won’t disturb you,” she said,
closing the door with a mischievous wink.

Maggie
and John smiled into each other’s eyes. He took her hand and led her to the
chair on the other side of the small table in the room. He moved the table
aside and got down on one knee. “I know we’ve already had this conversation—and
you’ve said yes. I’m not giving you the chance to change your mind,” he added
hastily. “But a proper proposal should include a ring, and I didn’t have one
last time. So I want to do this again—for the record books, as they say.”
He took both of her hands in his. “Margaret Martin, will you make me the
happiest man on earth and do me the great honor of marrying me? I will devote
the rest of my life to believing in you, supporting your hopes and dreams, and
loving you.”

Maggie
looked into the face of this dear man that she loved so completely. “Yes.
There’s nothing I want more.” They kissed long and hard.

When
they finally drew apart, she said, “Now let’s get that ring on my finger!”

Harriet
had sized it properly; everything was perfect. Under the bright overhead
lighting, Maggie turned her hand this way and that, admiring the remarkable
ring. John beamed.

“I
hate to break this up, but I’ve got to get back to my patients,” John sighed.

“Not
so fast. There’s one more thing we need to do while we’re here,” Maggie said.

John
raised his eyebrows. “I have something for you.” She leapt from her chair. “Sit
right here,” she said, moving him into the seat she had just vacated.

She
picked up a square box, wrapped in gold paper and tied with a maroon ribbon.
She got down on one knee and took both of his hands in her own. “I love you
with every fiber of my being. You are the kindest person I’ve ever met. And the
most honest. I trust you completely. I’ll devote myself to your happiness.” She
picked up the box and handed it to him. “I wanted you to have something really
special to mark our engagement, too.”

John
looked at her, flabbergasted. “What in the world is this?”

“Open
it and find out,” she said, wiggling like a five-year-old at a birthday party.

John
tore open the paper to reveal a Rolex box containing the classic watch. He
removed the watch from its holder and turned it over in his hands.

Maggie
watched him anxiously. “I think it’s the one you liked; it was in that magazine
ad you commented on. But if it’s not—if you don’t like it—Harriet
can order you whatever you want. My feelings won’t be hurt or anything.”

John
cleared his throat. “It’s not that. It’s perfect and I love it. I never in a
million years thought I’d own a Rolex, and I certainly never thought I’d receive
one as a gift from my fiancée.”

Maggie
beamed. “There you are then. We’ve both received lovely gifts today. Put it
on,” she encouraged. “I want to see how it looks. And Harriet can size it.”
John slid the watch on his wrist and secured the clasp. He locked Maggie into a
fierce embrace. “Thank you, darling. You are a most surprising woman, Maggie
Martin. There’s no one else like you on the planet. I’m one lucky guy.”

Chapter 33

Glenn Vaughn rushed to answer the phone before it woke
his sleeping wife. Gloria was fighting a cold, and he wanted her to get as much
rest as possible. At their ages, these things could turn into pneumonia fast.
He looked at the kitchen clock. If this were a phone solicitor calling before
nine in the morning, they’d get a piece of his mind.

“Vaughn
residence,” he answered sternly.

“Glenn,
it’s Frank Haynes.”

Glenn
brightened. He’d be forever grateful to the councilman for his help in
obtaining the zoning variance that allowed Fairview Terraces to conduct
profit-making ventures on their campus—activities that provided the
income to bring the mortgage on the senior center current and stop the
foreclosure on their community. “How are you, Frank?”

“Sorry
to call so early. I hope you were up.”

“Already
on my second cup of coffee. What can I do for you?”

“I
need your help, Glenn. Are you still working with David Wheeler? You’re his
court-appointed mentor, aren’t you?”

“I
was. David finished his program months ago. The court expunged the theft from
his record. I’ve talked to him a couple of times since, and he seems fine. Very
busy with school and that dog of his. Why? Is he in trouble again?”

“He’s
fine,” Haynes quickly replied. “Great kid. It’s his dog I’m calling about.”

“I
heard you two were taking agility classes together. And that David and Dodger
were at the head of the class.”

“They
were, until Dodger tore up his shoulder. It was so bad that John Allen couldn’t
perform the necessary surgery. We had to take him to a canine orthopedic
surgeon in Chicago. The operation was last week and went very well. Dodger will
recover, but he may never be able to run an agility track again.”

“I’m
assuming David has you to thank for that expensive surgeon, Frank.” Haynes
remained silent. “I’m glad to hear he’ll recover. I’m sure David is disappointed
to give up agility training for a while. The last time we spoke, that was all
he talked about.”

“That’s
why I’m calling, Glenn. David has gone into a tailspin over this. I’ve been
checking on him and Dodger every few days, but I think it’d help if you called
him. He likes you, and I think he’d listen to you. He needs to understand that
healing takes time before things can return to normal. I guess he just needs
some hope,” Haynes concluded.

“I’d
be delighted to help. He was doing a good job of getting back to normal at
school and recovering from his dad’s suicide. Thanks for letting me know,
Frank. I’ll see him after school today.”

***

Glenn Vaughn waited for David Wheeler outside the
entrance to the high school, much as he had the first time he met the boy after
being appointed his mentor. This time, David came through the doors with a
group of boys, jostling and joking. David wasn’t contributing, but at least he
wasn’t a loner anymore.

David
spotted the older man as Glenn raised his hand and waved to him. “Mr. Vaughn,”
he called, running over to him. “Is something wrong with the courts?”

“No.
Everything’s fine. I’ve missed seeing you and thought I’d pull in to find out
how you’re doing.”

David
shrugged. “Okay, I guess.”

“How’s
school?” Glenn asked, turning to walk to his car along the curb, drawing David
with him.

“It’s
school. Fine”

“Are
you doing well in your classes?”

“All
A’s and one B.”

“That’s
terrific, David. You’re a smart kid. Those are the marks you should be
getting.”

David
shrugged again.

“You
don’t seem too pleased with them.”

“It’s
not that, Mr. Vaughn.”

“Why
don’t we go get something to eat?” Glenn asked when they reached his car. “Spoil
my dinner and make Gloria mad at me. What do you say?”

“Yeah.
Okay.”

They
got in Glenn’s sleek old Cadillac, and he headed to Tomascino’s. “Pizza sound
good?”

“Sure.”

Glenn
let the boy recede into silence until they were tucked in a booth near the
kitchen and had placed their order. He looked at the boy steadily until he
returned his gaze. “So—what’s got you so down in the dumps?”

“I
dunno. It’s Dodger, I guess.”

Glenn
nodded. “I understand he had surgery. How’s he doing?”

“Okay.
Healing well. But it’ll be a long time before he’s fully recovered—if
ever.”

“I
hear that you’re doing a great job taking care of him.”

David
replied with his characteristic shrug.

“If
he’s recovering, why are you upset?”

“It’s
just that we were doing that agility stuff together and it was really fun. We
were good at it. He may never be the same. I just miss it, that’s all.”

“I
understand how disappointing it is to be forced to give up things that you
love. At my age, it happens all the time.” Glenn silently contemplated the
situation. “There are other activities you can do together, as a team. I think
that’s what you’re really missing.”

“Like
what?” David asked.

“You
could train him to be a therapy dog.”

“Like
for blind people? And give him up?” David asked. “I’m not doing that.”

“No.
Not a companion animal. I’m talking about dogs that go into hospitals and
nursing homes to see sick people. Visits from dogs can reduce blood pressure
and help healing. I’ve seen it. These dogs bring people lots of joy. They even
go to children’s hospitals. Is Dodger good with people? Do you think he’d like
that?”

“He’s
the friendliest dog in the world. He loves to get petted.”

“Does
he sit and stay? He can’t jump on anyone.”

“You
should see him,” David replied. “He’s really well trained, because of the
agility courses.” David drew in a breath. “How do we start?”

“You
need to be certified to go into hospitals. You’ll have to take a training class
and pass a test.”

“Is
it expensive?”

“Nope.
Free. I’ll pick up the paperwork tomorrow and leave it in your mailbox at
home.”

“Awesome,”
David replied as their server placed an extra-large, extra-cheese, five-meat
pizza on their table. David dug in with gusto.

“In
the meantime, why don’t you bring him over to Fairview Terraces this weekend?
You can check out how he behaves and see if it’s something you’d like to do. We
have lots of residents in wheelchairs. It would make their day to see him.”

David
brightened. “We can do that. How about Saturday morning? That’s when we had
agility class, but we can’t do that anymore.”

“Perfect.
Here’s the address,” he said, writing it on a scrap of paper and sliding it
across the table. “Come over at nine thirty, and I’ll take you to the nursing
wing.”

“Thanks,
Mr. Vaughn. I’ll see you Saturday.”

***

David was anxious to get going again and was certain
Dodger, cooped up inside the house since he came home from Chicago, was
suffering from cabin fever. An outing to Fairview Terraces would be just the
thing for Dodger.

“Come
on, boy,” he called as he clipped the leash on his collar. It was cold this
Saturday morning but at least it was dry, and they would only be outside for
the walk from the parking lot to the entrance. “We get to park in employee
parking because of you.” He gently lifted Dodger into his mother’s car. “How
’bout that? And your job is to walk around and let people pet you if they want
to. No licking anybody,” he admonished. “Does that sound good?”

Dodger
thumped his tail.

***

Glenn Vaughn was waiting inside the nursing wing of
Fairview Terraces when David Wheeler pulled into the employee parking space near
the entrance. He opened the door and hurried down the steps in case David
needed help, but he and Dodger were out of the car and turning toward him
before Glenn reached the parking lot.

“You
made it,” Glenn said, reaching for David’s hand and grasping it firmly. David
smiled and shook the older man’s hand. “How’s Dodger today? He looks good. Is
he up for this?”

“He’s
great. I think he doesn’t know he’s still recovering. I’ll bet he’d try to run
an agility course if he had the chance.”

“I
guess dogs don’t have any better sense than people,” Glenn observed. “Let’s get
you inside.”

“So,
we just walk up and down the halls and see if anyone wants to pet him?” David
asked. “What if no one’s interested? Do we leave?”

“They’ll
be interested, all right. The nursing staff posted a notice and they’ve been
telling the residents. There’s already a dozen people in the lounge waiting for
him, and the nurses on duty made me promise that you’d go see them. The head
nurse told me that studies show animals reduce the stress that nurses experience
and allow them to be better caregivers. There are hospitals back east that make
rescue animals available in the staff lounge. The staff loves it and a lot of
the animals get adopted, so everybody wins.”

Glenn
held the door open for David and Dodger to pass through. “Dodger’s still
recovering, so don’t get carried away. Let him stay as long as you’re both
having fun. If he gets tired or bored, take him home. This is just a trial to
see if the two of you enjoy it.”

David
nodded. “Thanks, Mr. Vaughn.”

Glenn
pointed to a line of six wheelchairs along the wall. The woman in the
wheelchair at the end smiled broadly and beckoned to them. “Looks like you’ve
got your first customer.”

Dodger
greeted the woman with polite restraint, sitting patiently by her chair and
allowing her to pat his head and rub his ears. When she was done, Dodger didn’t
try to paw at her hand or nudge her with his head for more attention. He waited
patiently for his master’s direction.

“What
a nice doggy you are. So well behaved. Thank you so much for bringing him,
young man,” she said to David. “I don’t think we’ve ever had a young person
bring their pet to see us. In fact, we don’t get animals in here very often. I
always had dogs and cats of my own. One of the things I miss most living in
this wing of Fairview Terraces is that we can’t have pets.”

David
looked at the woman. “I’d hate that. It must be really hard.”

“It
is,” she agreed. “Maybe you can come back on a regular basis. We’d all love it,
and by the looks of Dodger, he’d love it, too.”

David
nodded. “We’re just trying it out today. We want to be sure Dodger behaves
himself.”

The
woman laughed. “I’d say he’s passing with flying colors. You ought to see about
going to the children’s wing at the hospital as well.”

David
looked at the gentle, noble animal sitting so peacefully at his side. If it
weren’t for Dodger’s warm body in the bed next to him every night, snoring
lightly, David was certain he wouldn’t be able to put aside his sorrow and fall
asleep. And now Dodger was spreading his magic to others. David’s heart swelled
with pride.

“I’ll
look into it,” David said, moving to the man in the next wheelchair, patiently
waiting his turn.

The
scene was repeated over and over, and by the time David and Dodger were ready
to leave Fairview Terraces an hour and a half later, David’s mind was made up.
He found Glenn Vaughn reading the newspaper in one of the reception chairs at
the entrance.

“Mr.
Vaughn,” he stated solemnly. “We’d like to come back here. Next week, if that’s
okay. And we’d like to get tested so Dodger can go to the hospital.”

Glenn
folded his paper and set it on an end table. “I was hoping you’d say that. I
was watching the two of you for a while. Then I talked to some of the staff and
the residents. Everyone enjoyed your visit immensely.”

“Dodger’s
a wonder. He makes people feel better.”

Glenn
stood. “It’s not just Dodger, son. You have an easy, genuine way of interacting
with people. You put them at ease. You may not know this, David, but that’s a
rare and helpful quality to have.”

David
blushed and turned his head to stare out the door.

“People
will be talking about this visit all week. I’m proud of Dodger, but I’m more
proud of you. Let’s get the two of you certified as soon as possible. You may
not want to go back to agility after this.”