'I'd prefer to help,' Jeffrey said.
'Suit yourself. How about firing up the barbie on the back porch? The matches are in that drawer.' Kelly pointed with a lettuce leaf
Jeffrey grabbed a book of matches and went outside. The barbecue was one of those domed types powered by a cylinder of propane. He quickly figured out how the valve worked and lit it, then closed the dome.
Before going back inside, Jeffrey looked around the untended yard. The tall grass was a fresh spring green. There had been a lot of rain that spring, so all the vegetation was particularly healthy and lush. Lacy fern fronds could be seen within the thicket of trees.
Jeffrey shook his head in disbelief. It seemed almost inconceivable that only last night he had come so close to committing suicide. And only that afternoon he'd tried to flee to South America for good. And now here he was standing on a porch in Brookline getting ready to have a barbecue with an attractive, sensitive, disarmingly demonstrative woman. It almost seemed too good to be true. Then Jeffrey realized with a shock that it was; before too long he'd probably be confined to prison.
Jeffrey took in a deep breath of the cool, late-afternoon air, enjoying its purity. He watched a robin yank a worm from the moist soil. Then he went back inside to see what else he could do to help.
The dinner was delicious and a great success. In spite of the rather dire circumstances, Jeffrey managed to enjoy himself immensely. Conversation with Kelly was natural and easy. They dined on marinated tuna steaks, rice pilaf, and a mixed green salad. Kelly had a bottle of chardonnay hidden in the back of her refrigerator. It was cold and crisp. Jeffrey found himself laughing for the first time in months. That in itself was a major accomplishment.
With coffee and more of the frozen cheesecake, they retired to the gingham couch. Chris's notes and the textbooks brought Jeffrey's mind back to more serious thoughts.
'I hate to revert to unpleasant subjects,' Jeffrey said after a
pause in the conversation, 'but what was the outcome of Chris's malpractice case?'
'The jury found for the plaintiffs estate,' Kelly said. 'Payment of the settlement was divided between the hospital, Chris, and the surgeon according to some complicated plan. I think that Chris's insurance paid most of it, but I don't know for sure. Fortunately this house was in my name only, so they couldn't count that among his available assets.'
'I read a summary that Chris had written,' Jeffrey said. 'There certainly wasn't any malpractice involved.'
'With that kind of emotionally charged case,' Kelly said, 'whether there was actual malpractice or not isn't all that important. A good plaintiff attorney can always get the jury to identify with the patient.'
Jeffrey nodded. Unfortunately, it was true. 'I have a favor to ask,'
Jeffrey said after a pause. 'Would you mind terribly if I borrowed these notes?' He patted the pile.
'Heavens no,' Kelly said. 'Be my guest. May I ask why you're so interested in them?'
'They remind me of questions I'd had about my own case,' Jeffrey said.
'There were some mild inconsistencies that I could never explain. I'm surprised to see that the same inconsistencies appeared in Chris's case.
The thought of a contaminant hadn't occurred to me. I'd like to go over his notes a few more times. It's not immediately apparent what he was thinking.
Besides,' Jeffrey added with a smile, 'borrowing them will give me a good excuse for coming back.'
'You hardly need an excuse,' Kelly said. 'You're welcome here anytime.'
Jeffrey left soon after they finished their dessert. Kelly walked him out to his car. They had eaten so early that it was still daylight outside.
Jeffrey thanked her effusively for her spontaneous hospitality. 'You have no idea how much I've enjoyed this visit,' he said with sincerity.
After Jeffrey had climbed into his car, along with his briefcase, which now contained Chris's notes, Kelly stuck her head in through the open window.
'Remember your promise!' she warned. 'If you start thinking foolish thoughts, you have to get in touch with me.'
'I'll remember,' Jeffrey assured her. He drove home in quiet contentment.
Spending a few hours with Kelly had done much to elevate his mood. Under the circumstances it amazed him that he'd been able to respond in such a normal fashion. But
he knew it had more to do with Kelly's psyche than his. Making the final turn onto his street, Jeffrey reached out to steady his briefcase, which threatened to fall from the seat. With his hand on it, he thought of its strange contents. Toiletries, underwear, $45,000 in cash, and a pile of notes written by a suicide victim.
Although he didn't expect to find anything absolving in the notes, just having them in his possession gave him a feeling of hope. Maybe he could learn something from Chris's experience that he hadn't been able to see himself.
And although he'd been sorry to say good-bye to Kelly, Jeffrey was glad to be getting home so early. He planned to go through Chris's notes more thoroughly and pull out a few books of his own for some serious reading.
TUESDAY,
MAY 16,1989
7:49 P.M.
Jeffrey stopped just short of the garage door, got out of the car, and stretched. He could smell the ocean. As a peninsula that jutted into the
Atlantic Ocean, all of Marblehead was near to the water. Bending back into the car, Jeffrey dragged his briefcase toward him and hefted it into the air. He slammed the car door and started up the front steps.
As he walked he noted the beauty that was all around him. Songbirds were going crazy in the evergreen tree in the front lawn and a sea gull shrieked in the distance. A bank of rhododendrons was in full bloom in a riot of color along the front of the house. Having been preoccupied by his problems during the last months, Jeffrey had completely missed the enchanting tran- sition from bleak New England winter to glorious springtime. He was appreciating it now for the first time that year. The effect of having visited Kelly was still very much on his mind.
Reaching the front door, Jeffrey remembered his suitcase. He hesitated a moment, then decided he could get it later. He put his key in the front door and went inside.
Carol was standing in the entranceway, her hands on her hips. He could tell by her expression that she was angry. Welcome home, thought Jeffrey. And how was your day? He put his briefcase down.
'It's almost eight o'clock,' Carol said with undisguised impatience.
'I'm quite aware of the time.'
'Where have you been?'
Jeffrey hung up his jacket. Carol's inquisitional attitude irked him. Maybe he should have called. In the old days, he would have, but these weren't normal times by any stretch of the imagination.
'I don't ask you where you've been,' Jeffrey said.
'If I'm going to be delayed until almost eight at night I always call,'
Carol said. 'It's just common courtesy.'
'I suppose I'm not a courteous person,' Jeffrey said. He was too tired to argue the point. He picked up his briefcase, intending to go directly to his room. He wasn't interested in fighting with Carol. But then he stopped.
A large man had appeared, leaning casually against the doodamb leading into the kitchen. Jeffrey's eyes immediately took in the ponytail, the denim clothes, the cowboy boots, and the tattoos. He had a gold earring in one ear and was holding a bottle of Kronenbourg in his hand.
Jeffrey gave Carol a questioning look.
'While you are out doing God knows what,' Carol snapped, 'I've been here putting up with this pig of a man. And all because of you. Where have you been?'
Jeffrey's eyes went from Carol to the stranger and back again. He had no idea what was going on. The stranger winked and smiled at Carol's unflattering reference as if it had been a compliment.
'I'd also like to know where you've been, sport,' the thug said. 'I already know where you haven't been.' He
