Dark Moon, page 7
Alexa wilted with boredom at her desk each day. Sometimes she went home at four o’clock to the big empty house and sat out on the back patio, staring at the ocean and drinking cold white wine in the sharp September sunshine. One day in early October, she realized she was not only living in Michael’s mother’s former neighborhood, she was developing Myrna’s fondness for excessive alcohol to dull the pain of loneliness. Like Myrna, she never saw her husband. Night after night, Michael was on “business development” dinners with his father’s clients while she was home alone.
She wanted to talk to him about it, but the violence of that May night remained etched in her memory. Michael was obviously happy in this new life. She obviously was not. And more obviously, he did not care. Alexa wracked her brain to figure out how to make her situation more bearable. Starting with finding a new job.
She made discreet inquiries but found there were no boutique appellate firms in San Diego. When a trial lawyer lost a case, he or she simply filed his or her own brief in the court of appeal. She quickly deduced that Chuck Reilly fed like a vampire off his litigation partners’ losses. And since Warrick, Thompson did not lose many cases, she realized to her horror that Chuck Reilly was significantly underemployed.
Deeper research into the problem demonstrated Alexa would have to go to Los Angeles or San Francisco to find the job she wanted. One night in October when they had been at the firm a little over a year, she broached the subject to Michael when he came in very drunk and reeking of perfume. He laughed in her face. Instinctively she’d realized if she pushed the subject, she’d see the frightening, violent Michael she’d seen in D.C. She was too afraid of him to say more.
There were rumors in the firm that he was dating other women. She tried to ignore them, but the scent on his clothes and the hours he kept confirmed their truth without her having to ask. Alexa held her head high but stayed mostly in her office. When she asked Chuck Reilly for work, he apologized and said he’d try to find something. Only he never did.
November 2006, Law Offices of Warrick, Thompson, San Diego
Then one Friday afternoon, a week before Thanksgiving, the horrible truth came into her office around three o’clock.
“Mrs. Reed, I have to talk to you.”
Alexa looked up from one of the small research projects she had finally wrestled from her boss to find a curvaceous red-head in a form-hugging black suit standing in her office doorway.
“Have we met?”
“I’ve seen you a few times at firm cocktail parties. But, no, we haven’t met. I’m Stacy O’Connor, I’m a litigation paralegal.”
Alexa’s stomach tightened. “You work for my husband.” She immediately recognized the perfume, the scent of too many roses in a small space.
“Yes, I do. I need to talk to you.”
“If you want to talk about Michael, I’m not going to listen to anything you have to say.”
“Please. I’m frightened.”
Alexa studied her face. She was in her late twenties, she guessed; and her dark eyes were full of terror.
“I can’t help you.” Alexa wanted her to go away.
“Maybe you can; maybe you can’t.”
“I’m not making any promises. But I’ll listen.”
Stacy came in, closed the door, and took one of the chairs in front of Alexa’s desk. She twisted her hands together as if summoning the courage to speak. “I’ve been having an affair with your husband.”
Alexa willed herself not to display any emotion.
“I see. For how long?”
“Since late September. Not long after I started working for him.”
“And didn’t you know he was married?”
“Yes, of course. But he said it wasn’t happy. He said you’d be leaving him soon and going back to D.C.”
“And then?”
“He promised we’d be married.” Stacy pressed her hands together tightly. “Look, I know how this sounds. And I had a boyfriend, too. But Michael–I mean Mr. Reed–well, he just–”
“Swept you off your feet?” Alexa asked dryly, thinking of that December night when she’d let Michael drive Josh away and had been vulnerable to his ridiculous proposal like something out of a really bad romance novel.
Stacy nodded, looking down at her hands, now motionless in her lap.
Alexa leaned back in her chair and willed this interview to end. “Okay, Stacy. I understand. I hope this confession has helped you in some way. I don’t want to listen to any more.”
“But there is more!” Stacy looked desperate. “I’m pregnant!”
Alexa closed her eyes and let the blow sink in. Then she opened them. “And how can you be sure my husband is the father?”
“Because I haven’t slept with anyone else.”
“What about your boyfriend?”
“We broke up because I was seeing Michael. I mean, Mr. Reed.”
Alexa waived her hands impatiently. “I don’t care what you call him. I can’t help you.”
“Look, I just came to ask for one thing.”
“And what is that?”
“Michael says I have to have an abortion. He says the firm is going to pay for it. And then I’m getting a big severance check to leave and find a new job.”
Alexa was incredulous. “He told you the firm would pay for your abortion?”
“I have the check right here. See? A cashier’s check made out to the Women’s Health Center.”
Alexa took the paper from her as if it were a snake. It was, indeed, exactly what she said.
“And this is the severance check. Fifty thousand dollars.” Stacy handed her another piece of paper, and Alexa stared at it.
“Fifty thousand dollars? But you don’t make that in a year. Why is the firm paying you that much to terminate you?”
“I don’t know. Michael just said I had to leave, but he’d see that I was well looked after.”
“If you have all this money, why are you here in my office claiming to be terrified?”
“Because I’m scheduled for the procedure tomorrow. And I’m afraid I’m not going to make it.”
“What?” Alexa stared at her. “That’s ridiculous!”
“I wish it were. But I heard Michael arranging things. The clinic is one of his clients. I heard him say he was expecting ‘the outcome he wanted.’”
Alexa tried to focus on Stacy’s words even though her world was spinning.
“You’re reading too much into a simple statement.”
“Maybe. But I’m still terrified.”
“I can’t help you.”
“But you can. I’m not going through with the abortion. I’m from Seattle. I’m going to head out tonight for home and have the baby there. No one will ever know. But just in case something happens to me, I wanted you to know the story and to see these checks.”
Alexa stared at the paper in her hand. “They’re drawn on the firm account, not on Michael’s personal account.”
“Right. He said he was so important to the firm that it had to pay for everything.”
“What?” Alexa stared at her.
“He said his father’s clients bring in forty percent of the firm’s revenue. His father sent him here to look after those clients; so the firm will do what he wants, including paying for my abortion and severance.”
“I can’t do anything about this, Stacy.”
“Yes, you can. I’m giving you these checks to keep.”
“But then you can’t cash them.”
“I don’t want to cash them. Michael will find me if I do.”
“But why give them to me?”
“Because if anything happens to me, you’ll be able to prove Michael was involved.”
“Are you saying your life is in danger from my husband?”
“Yes. That is exactly what I am saying.”
* * *
November 2006, San Diego
She would return to D.C. She’d been a fool to go through with the wedding, but she didn’t have to go on being a fool. She could salvage her career, even if there’d be questions because she was going to be Coleman Reed’s ex-daughter-in-law. She hid Stacy’s original checks in the bottom of her jewelry box with the diamond bracelet that she’d worn only once: the night of the make-up dinner at Bistro La Mer. Looking at it made her remember the terror of Michael’s attack and how humiliated she’d felt afterward. All weekend, she planned her escape while Michael spent hours on his cell phone.
He seemed distracted and upset; and on Sunday night, around ten o’clock, she passed the bedroom that served as his home office on her way to bed and heard his voice loud and angry through the door.
“What do you mean you haven’t found her? She didn’t show up at the clinic on Saturday morning. The checks I gave her were never cashed. She’s got red hair and a body to die for. She stands out in any crowd. You can’t be much of a private investigator if you can’t find Stacy O’Connor!”
Suddenly the door opened, and an angry Michael Reed found her standing in the hall in her pajamas. Alexa’s heart began to race. His eyes went from angry to cold and hard, the way she’d seen them that night in Georgetown. She braced herself for a blow.
But it never came. His face softened, and he asked, “How much did you hear?”
“Enough to know what’s going on. Stacy came to see me on Friday, and she told me everything.”
“That’s why you’ve been so quiet this weekend.”
“I’m going back to D.C., Michael.”
He nodded in defeat. “Of course. This hasn’t been much of a job for you, has it?”
“No.”
“If it makes any difference, I didn’t know. Chuck claimed he had a busy practice, and you’d have lots to do.”
“If he said that, he lied.”
“Then he lied.”
“What did Stacy tell you?”
“Everything. The affair. The baby. The money you gave her drawn on the firm’s account.”
“That’s just a loan. I’ll have to pay it back when I make partner.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Well, you will someday when I have to pay it all back.”
“How did you know Stacy’s checks were drawn on the firm account?”
“She showed them to me.”
“They haven’t been cashed. Any idea where she is? I’m worried. Alone, pregnant with a married man’s child. Who knows what she’d do?”
“I have no idea,” Alexa lied. “I’m going to bed.”
“Would you let me talk to you for a few minutes first?”
“You’re not going to change my mind about leaving.”
“I know. But I’d like to apologize. I can’t do it properly standing here in the hall.”
She hesitated for a split second but agreed. He followed her to their bedroom.
A pair of matching love seats faced each other with the fireplace in the middle. Alexa sat down on one, Michael on the other. She was amazed to see tears in his eyes.
“You’re crying. I’ve never seen you cry.”
“What else can I do?” His green eyes met hers, dark with pain. “I’ve lost the person I love most in the world, and it’s all my own stupid fault.”
“But surely you knew what would happen if I found out about Stacy? And how could you have believed you’d get away with it when we work at the same place?”
Michael wiped away a tear that had fallen on his cheek. “Arrogance. Plain and simple. And stress. I’ve been worrying about whether I could live up to Coleman’s expectations. Look, I admit being fired from Steptoe shook my confidence. I’ve had nightmares about Coleman’s clients leaving because I wasn’t giving them the attention they expected.”
“But you don’t actually handle all that work. It’s distributed throughout the firm to other attorneys.”
“Right. But Coleman expects me to make sure they are all happy with the service Warrick provides. I’m supposed to watch over all of their accounts.”
“So where does Stacy O’Connor come in?”
“She came on to me.”
“That’s not the impression I got from her.”
Michael nodded in defeat. “So you believe her and not me? I’m not surprised after what I’ve done. But for the record, she pursued me.”
“Why?”
“To put it bluntly, she wanted to be a partner’s wife.”
“And you didn’t tell her you were married?”
“I didn’t have to. Everyone knew. But she kept after me. Working late. Tight dresses. Backrubs at my desk when my shoulders were tense from worrying.”
“She said you knew she had a boyfriend and got between them. The way you got between me and Josh.”
“Okay. I admit I planned everything that night at my parent’s party. I wanted to get you alone and ask you to marry me.”
“So you staged that kiss for Josh to see?”
“I admit I did. But I didn’t do anything to come between Stacy and her boyfriend. If he broke up with her, it was because she was pursuing me.” Michael got up and came to stand in front of her. He went down on one knee dramatically.
Alexa frowned. “I already told you that you are not going to change my mind about leaving.”
“I know. But I just want a chance to explain. I’m sorry if you think my proposal was a dirty trick. But I fell in love with you the first time I saw you in Paula Moreno’s office. And I loved being with you. I tried to find any and every excuse to see you. Come on, you have to admit, you enjoyed being with me, too.”
“I did, but I felt guilty because I knew Josh wouldn’t want me seeing you.”
“And Paula didn’t approve of me, either.”
“Please get up and sit down.”
“Can I sit beside you?”
He looked so contrite that she agreed. He gave her a little smile as he settled next to her. “Thanks. When are you leaving?”
“Tuesday morning. I want to miss the Thanksgiving rush at the airport.”
“Would you consider staying until after the holiday?”
Alexa eyed him suspiciously. “What for?”
“Well, you don’t have any family back in D.C. to celebrate with. And I’ll be alone here and missing you terribly if you go on Tuesday. We could at least part friends and have one last nice time together. And I also want you stay because I have a proposition for you to think over.”
“Such as?”
“One of Coleman’s clients just lost a very, very big appeal in the Ninth Circuit, and wants the firm to take it to the Supremes. Chuck Reilly thinks that’s going to be his case, but I can get it for you.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Can I be honest?”
“I don’t want to be lied to anymore.”
Michael winced. “I deserved that one.”
“Then why are you trying to do something nice for me after ignoring me for more than a year and getting another woman pregnant?”
“To do more than just say I’m sorry and that I love you. To show you, too.”
“I’ll have to think about it.”
“Of course.”
“Will you put off leaving for a week?”
“That depends. Tell me why Stacy said she was afraid for her life.”
“You mean she thought I might do something to hurt her?”
Alexa nodded.
“That’s ridiculous. My whole career would be over. Why was she paranoid enough to think I’d harm her?”
“Because she overheard a call you made to the abortion clinic telling them you expected the outcome you wanted.”
“That’s ridiculous. I wanted everything to go well for her. Do you believe me?”
Alexa studied his face, tear-streaked and sad. Her heart ached for him and for her. She remembered all the good times they’d had at their own personal table at Bistro La Mer. She remembered how funny and charming he could be, and how much she had enjoyed having him pursue her. “Yes, I do. I didn’t think I did, but I believe you.”
“Good. And will you stay? For another week? And think about taking that case. You could still have it, even if you go back to D.C. I can make that happen.”
“Okay, I’ll stay another week.”
“May I hug you?”
He opened his arms, and she went into them. She smelled his deep, musky aftershave, and her body remembered all the times they’d made love. He clung to her like a drowning man, and she settled closer, grateful for his warmth. He was now all the family she had. Deep in her heart, she didn’t want him to be Bad, Cruel Michael Reed. She would far rather believe he was the husband who loved her and was genuinely sorry.
Later they made love, and afterwards Michael held her close. “Does that feel like I love you?”
“Yes.”
“So you believe that I do?”
“Yes.”
“And do you trust me?”
“Yes.”
“Then will you tell me where Stacy has gone?”
“Why do you need to know?”
“If there’s going to be a child, I want to do the responsible thing and pay my share. I won’t interfere in her life. But I owe her child support.”
“Seattle. She’s grew up in Seattle.”
They made love again and again until they were exhausted and drifted into sleep.
CHAPTER EIGHT
First Tuesday in September, 2013, San Diego Superior Court
Sitting at the defense table with Jim next to her on the Tuesday after Labor Day, Sarah stared up at The Honorable John Charles Tomlinson and tried to quiet the butterflies in her stomach. Judge Tomlinson was the opposite of Judge Tyler, who had been thin and sharp. He appeared to be around Sarah’s age, and he had no angles. He was slightly portly, with an open, round face, kind gray eyes, and a thatch of light brown hair sparsely streaked with gray. He treated everyone in the courtroom with the upmost politeness. He had been more than willing to listen to Jordan Stewart, although Sarah had entered the hearing very worried about whether her witness would be allowed to testify.
