Halfway through her to-do list, Jessica took a quick trip to the ladies’ room through the all-but-empty office floor. As she passed Philip’s cubicle, he stood up suddenly and startled her. He was already wearing a cap with the earflaps down and a thick scarf wound several times around his upturned coat collar.
“Happy New Year, Philip,” she said warmly.
“I would like to stop and speak with you except I’m running late for the bus,” he said, hurrying past. “We’ll talk in the New Year.”
She managed to hold in her chuckle until he was around the corner. He was truly the oddest duck in the flock. Then she continued on her way.
As she was flushing, Jessica was surprised to hear the restroom door open. She emerged from the stall to see an attractive, aristocratic woman of about forty-five checking her lipstick in the mirror. She looked familiar.
“Happy New Year,” said the woman warmly.
“To you, too,” Jessica said as she began to wash her hands.
Was she a new hire? And if so, had she started during the last few tumultuous weeks, or had Jessica somehow forgotten her?
“I apologize if we’ve already met,” Jessica said, feeling embarrassed. “I’m Jessica Meyers, director of medical monitoring and consulting.”
The woman flashed a practiced smile. “Holly Wright.”
Jessica willed her knees not to buckle. She’d studied the photos in Jon’s office, the limited public pictures on Holly’s Facebook profile, and everything else she could dig up online, which wasn’t much. But none of the pictures did her justice. Somehow, she’d come away with an impression of Holly Wright as taller, sturdier, and certainly crazier-looking than the willowy, impeccably groomed, gray-tinged blonde poised at the next sink.
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Wright,” Jessica stammered, grabbing a paper towel and drying off thoroughly before shaking hands.
“Doctor, actually,” Holly said, still smiling. “And you’ve got a big job. I don’t believe I’ve heard of you before.”
Jessica had no reason to feel nervous. Jon had separated from Holly before they’d even met. That Holly didn’t know about Jessica’s existence was Jon’s decision, not hers. She also had always known she would someday encounter the unbalanced Holly Wright face-to-face, although she had always assumed it might be outside a courtroom or even at an event for one of the children, long after tensions had cooled following the divorce. Never in a million years would she have expected their tête-à-tête to occur today, in the employee restroom at Cancura.
“I’m somewhat new, and things move quickly around here.”
“There’s no doubt of that,” Holly said. “Where did Jack find you?”
Jack?
“I was at Mayo . . . in Phoenix,” Jessica said, still feeling shakier than she should. Why was Holly at the office?
“Makes sense,” Holly said cryptically. “It’s getting late, and I’m surprised you’re even still in the office. Do you have big plans tonight?”
“I’ve been traveling a lot lately, so I’m really looking forward to a quiet night at home.”
“Not alone, I hope,” Holly said.
“With . . . a friend. And you?”
“I’m here to take my husband out for New Year’s Eve,” Holly said. “We’re going out for drinks at the Palmer House, to dinner with friends at the Union League Club, and then we’ll watch the fireworks. Just like we do every year.”
Jessica was texting Jon even before she shut herself into her office.
I just ran into Holly.
WTF are you talking about?
She was in the second-floor bathroom.
You’re sure it was her?
We had a conversation. She’s here to pick you up for drinks, dinner at the club, and fireworks, “just like you do every year.”
There was a long moment before his next reply. Shit! Now you see what I’m dealing with. We haven’t done that dinner thing in three years.
She doesn’t seem to know that.
Well, this is fucking awesome. I see her. She’s headed right for me.
Do you want me to call security? Maybe Holly Wright was crazy enough to be dangerous.
No. I’ve got this.
You sure?
I’ll be home by dinnertime to ring in the New Year with you.
Spotting a bar on Randolph Street, Jack pulled over and said to Holly, “Let’s try this place.”
“What’s wrong with the Palmer House?” she asked. “We do that every year.”
“Exactly,” he said, shutting down the engine.
Holly peered out the window. The bar’s window was filled with posters and neon beer signs. It looked like the kind of place that would be frequented by what Ava called “bros and hoes.”
“I don’t think I’m dressed for this,” she said icily.
Jack opened his door. “Let’s just do something different for once.”
He had seemed distracted ever since she’d surprised him at his office. Usually, they met in the Loop for drinks before dinner, but she had wanted to get a look at Jessica, and disguising that as a spontaneous visit worked well—after all, Jack had told her she was always welcome.
His new director of “medical monitoring and consulting” didn’t look at all like Holly was expecting. Sienna had said she had blue hair, but if Jessica Meyers had recently returned to her natural, beautiful chestnut brown, her stylist deserved a medal. The woman herself had been hard to read. A little flustered, but that could have been brought on by the awkward location. Or the fact that she’d just met the wife of the man she’d been sleeping with.
The bar was cold and cavernous, with most of the light coming from several dozen TV screens. She stopped just inside, but Jack continued threading his way through an acre of tall tables. There were almost no other patrons, and the heavy metal music was deafening. Reluctantly, she followed him to a two-top in the middle of the room.
“Should we get Jell-O shots?” she asked.
“I think I’m just going to have a beer,” he said, ignoring her tone.
Eventually, an amused barmaid wandered over and shouted at them over the music, “We don’t have table service. You have to order at the bar.”
Holly was already
