Magic Moment (2 page)

“I offered my services as an attorney, but she refused.”

“You?” Dick laughed. “With the FBI sniffing around her, the woman already has problems.”

Chase flinched. “Okay, I can’t find my way around a courtroom,” he admitted soberly. The politics of being a practicing attorney had disillusioned him years ago. “I still keep up my license. Those guys just walked in and grabbed her like she was a modern-day Bonnie Parker.” He stopped, recalling how Laura’s forlorn expression had torn at his heart. “I wish she had accepted my offer. She wouldn’t be alone. She’d have someone advising her.”

Dick exhaled a deep breath. “Chase, don’t get involved. Sometimes you have your mother’s overly kind heart.”

“As opposed to your screw ’em attitude.” Chase never appreciated his father’s remarks toward the late Michelle Donovan. As if his mother’s kindness toward others had been a bad attribute.

Dick ignored his son’s comment. “Laura is an employee. Granted, a good one, but still an employee. If the FBI made a mistake, and I’m sure they have, she’ll return to work. And this will all be forgotten. I repeat — let’s stay out of it.”

Chase silently conceded his father’s point. He, too, found it difficult to believe Laura was involved in any illegalities, but he really didn’t know much of her personal business and liked it that way. Chase tended to keep his distance from the female staff. On the other hand, being forced to admit his father was right galled him.

“I doubt if she’ll be back today,” Chase said. “Have Rachel shut down her computer.”

“I’ll tell Rachel there was a family emergency, and Laura had to go home.” Dick paused. “Although Laura doesn’t have any family. I remember her once saying her father was killed in a car accident when she was a little girl. Her mother died a few months ago. Stroke, I think.”

Laura’s mother had passed away on Thanksgiving Eve. Chase remembered Rachel asking him to sign a check to a charity in the woman’s name. Years earlier, Chase’s own mother had passed away a few days before his birthday and as he had signed the check in memory of Ann Roberts, he recalled feeling badly that Laura’s mother had died near a holiday. He knew well that in the following years, an occasion that should be happy would have a dismal overcast.

“I don’t care what you tell Rachel as long as it’s not the truth.” Chase frowned. “Gossip is Rachel’s national obsession.”

Dick relaxed back in his brown leather chair and picked up his computer printouts. For Chase, it was a familiar signal that their conversation was finished and he was dismissed.

“I’m heading down to Atlantic City.” Chase walked toward the door. “If you hear anything on Laura, call my cell phone.”

• • •

The Food Mall residents considered 8:00
A.M.
mid-day. Workers, dressed in overalls and wearing thick padded gloves, loaded crates of apples, spinach, blocks of cheeses, and other edibles from the various warehouses onto the customers’ vans and massive freight trucks. The atmosphere was loud, full of activity and rambunctious.

Beneath her beige wool coat, Laura was dressed in a simple black long-sleeved knit dress with red trimming around the crew neck collar and cuffs. As she took the stairs with tentative steps, she did her best to quash the butterflies in her stomach. The previous day’s mortifying meeting with Special Agent Ross Saunders, still etched in her mind, had kept her tossing, turning, and staring at the ceiling all night.

Inside the office, she didn’t take off her coat and go straight to the coffeemaker as she generally did. When she switched on her computer, she didn’t immediately click into her email. She called up a blank screen, sat down, and typed.

Through the closed door, she heard Dick Donovan’s hushed voice. He was on the telephone. Dick Donovan, if he didn’t have someone in his office, was
always
on the telephone. Laura printed and signed the letter, and waited until she was certain he had finished his call. She took a deep breath, straightened her posture, and knocked on the wooden door. This had to be done quickly.

“Come in,” he called.

Her boss pored over the spreadsheets that indicated how his business was profiting. Seeing Laura, Dick looked up and broke into what she thought might be a relieved smile. As always, he wore an impeccable Italian designer suit, this one a deep blue.

“Laura.” He stood, and walked around to the front of the desk covered with financial spreadsheets. “Sit down. I’m glad to see you.” He pulled out the straight-backed chair. “Chase told me what happened yesterday.”

“There’s no need for me to sit down,” she said with as much grace as she could muster. “Before I forget, Chase was very considerate yesterday. Please thank him for me.”

“We were both worried.” Dick sat on the desk’s corner edge. “What’s going on? Is it something you can discuss? Something I can help with?”

Laura gave a brief smile and shook her head. “It was all a mistake.” She sort of lied. It was a mistake if anyone assumed her involvement in criminal activities. “Something has come up, and I need to resign.” She handed him the folded paper.

Dick’s gray eyes widened. “Resign?” His words rushed out. “Laura? Why? Are the hours too long? Salary and benefits not competitive?”

Laura shoved each hand in a coat pocket. “No, that’s not it,” she said, shaking her head. Instinct told her to say something positive. “I’ve enjoyed working here. It’s a pleasant atmosphere, the salary and benefits are more than fair.” Rattled nerves threatened her poise. “It’s in the letter.”

“If this has anything to do with yesterday,” Dick said. “I understand a lot of Food Mall people were in the diner. I’m sure you feel awkward. Let’s talk — ”

“Read the letter,” she said with more snap than she had intended.

He unfolded the paper and read aloud. “Dear Mr. Donovan. Due to an unforeseen personal situation, I must resign from my position as bookkeeper, effective immediately. Thank you for the opportunity to work for The Produce Market. Sincerely, Laura Roberts.” He refolded the paper, breathed deeply, and looked up. “I don’t understand, and definitely don’t know what to say.”

Her heart beat rapidly. She just wanted to leave and blurted out whatever words popped into her head. “I have this — issue.” Her thoughts came in a rush. “I’ll need so much time off, and it’s not fair to your business.”

“We can talk about a leave of absence.”

A cold sweat formed on her brow. “A leave won’t do. Resigning is best.”

Dick’s forehead furrowed. “If leaving is what you want, I can’t change your mind. You’ve always kept your private life out of the office, which I appreciated. All I can do is respect your decision and wish you luck.” He sighed. “But I’m not happy. Your work is perfect. You don’t spend time on the phone with personal business. I hate losing you.”

“That’s kind of you to say.”

“Along with your accrued vacation, I’ll add two weeks’ severance.”

Laura was taken aback. “That’s not necessary. I don’t deserve it. I’m not giving the proper notice.”

“I insist.” He slid off the desk. “Consider it my appreciation for the excellent job you’ve done. It goes without saying you’re welcome to a recommendation.”

She smiled. “That’s more than generous. Thank you.” Laura didn’t want the money, didn’t need the money, and didn’t care about a recommendation, but if she refused, a new discussion would develop, delaying her departure.

“I do have one favor to ask,” Dick said.

It figured strings were attached to the severance. “Yes?”

“That you not pack your desk right now.” He nodded his head toward the door. “Rachel will be in at any minute. If she sees you packing, she’ll start with her questions. I have a report she needs to start on immediately.”

For Rachel, badgering Laura for details took priority over work. She saw the point to Mr. Donovan’s request. As much as she hated returning to this office, avoiding the secretary was appealing.

“Sounds fair.” Rachel left at five
P.M.
like the proverbial bat out of hell. “I’ll come back at 5:30.” There would be no one around asking questions.

• • •

In a large, luxurious Atlantic City hotel room, Chase awoke in a king-size bed wearing only his white boxers and nagged by the worst hangover of his life. With a slight groan and a considerable wince, he pictured two munchkins from Oz standing on his brain, smacking his skull with a hammer. Normally he held his liquor with no problem, but when he did overdo, his hangovers sucked big-time.

Rolling on his back, he pressed his throbbing head into the pillow. The two munchkins banged out a classic Rolling Stones tune. Agonizing temples could be only the beginning.

Chase nestled his head into the pillow. He enjoyed his own space in bed. Even when sharing one, he had a tendency to settle himself as far away as possible from his bedmate. Once the sex act was over, he wanted his breathing room.

He closed his eyes, put each index finger to a temple, and massaged until the immense pain turned into more of a dull ache. Tossing his bare legs over the side of the bed, he decided a shower would take care of any remaining kinks.

Standing under the running water, the warmth soothed his tired muscles and settled the thumping in his temples. His body relaxed and he started to feel like a coherent person again. He stepped out of the shower, dried himself off, and pulled the complimentary white robe from the back of the door.

Perched on the edge of the bed, Chase called downstairs for room service. He needed coffee, hot and black. He glanced at his watch laying on the nightstand. Ten-thirty. By now, he had generally been at his warehouse desk for three hours, reading his third news-related website and drinking his fourth cup of Laura’s special-blended brew.
Heavenly Hazelnut
, she called it. He sniffed, almost smelling the sweet aroma, and smiled.

There was seldom anything pressing for him at the warehouse, which was why he spent most of his day tuned into world events or sports updates via the Internet. Nevertheless, while he waited for room service, he made the dutiful phone call.

“There’s nothing on your calendar.” Rachel paused. “Oh, I do have a note from your father. He wants you to meet his new lady friend. He’s planned a dinner tonight.” She rattled off the specifics.

Chase listened with a frown. His father had a different lady friend every evening. Most were not ladies, and none were friends. Whatever made this particular one so special that Chase had to meet her, he had no idea, and he didn’t want to go.

As the knock on the door announced the arrival of breakfast, he thanked Rachel and disconnected. After signing the receipt including a generous tip, Chase left a message on his father’s voicemail. He was stuck in Atlantic City with a stomach bug, he lied. And he was sorry he had to miss the dinner. Another lie.

He poured from the coffee pot. The aroma of dark, roasted coffee caressed his senses, and he salivated at the prospect of his first sip. Gulping half of the strong brew, he regretted not asking for Laura when talking to Rachel. If the busybody secretary had thought the request suspicious, Chase could have claimed he needed a vendor check processed.

He had always liked Laura. She was a pleasant, quiet woman. Pretty, too. He often admired her shoulder-length blonde hair. It wasn’t a cool or brassy blonde, but a warm golden color with a copper twinge. She wore dresses often, and Chase enjoyed looking at her long, slender legs. He munched on a bacon strip. She had looked so damn scared yesterday, her expression wringing his heart. He hoped she was all right.

Chase downed the rest of the coffee. He’d come to Atlantic City for a night of casino gambling, drinking, reminiscing, and debating sports and politics with two of his college fraternity brothers. One, Tom Paulson, lived in Atlantic City and worked for the county. The other, Ned Stahl, was an attorney and lived in a central New Jersey yuppie development complex. Both were married. Both had kids. Both always welcomed the opportunity for a night out with Chase to see how the single half lived.

While Chase overstated most of his colorful bachelor stories for their amusement, there was one convenience being single afforded him. Like Cinderella, his two buddies had to be home by midnight, or there would be hell to pay with their wives. Chase, on the other hand, reserved a hotel suite. Midnight was much too early for a healthy, wealthy unattached male to call it a night. Prowling around in search of other mischief-making activities, Chase had ended up in the casino at the blackjack table, requesting that the cards and drinks keep coming.

But the remaining hours hadn’t brought Chase the enthusiasm he’d anticipated. He felt drained, and not from the hard night of being a carefree bachelor, but from his life. On the books, he had the freedom to make his own choices and be with anyone he wanted. Women were lining up, even knocking each other over for a roll with him. He stayed out until all hours. Being on his father’s payroll, no one cared if Chase showed up for work on time, or if he even showed up at all. He had the life, his buddies had insisted. Chase chuckled at their envy.

So why was he miserable?

Drinking, gambling, plenty of money, and picking from a buffet of delicious women, Chase mused over his life’s options. Oddly, none held the same magnetic appeal he had grown accustomed to. Last night, while sitting at the blackjack table, he had ignored the flirtations of a buxom, bouncy redhead in a too-tight scarlet dress. He had only stopped drinking when the dealer’s cards no longer made sense.

Chase was in the mother of all funks and was stymied on how to shake it off.

He eased back on the bed.

Magic Lake Island.

The ocean, tranquility, solitude … the most peaceful place on earth …

Magic Lake Island, where nothing out of the ordinary ever happened …

… and exactly what Chase needed.

“How much of that shit you give her?” the male voice drawled.

Terror gripped Laura’s very soul. Her head ached, and her throat was dry. Breathing weighed down her lungs. She had to stay still. She couldn’t let on that she was awake.