Mourning Dove

by Donna Simmons

  “Time out, Louise you were through the door first. What’s up?”

  “Catherine called to say Mr. Starr will be a little late. He wants the meeting pushed back to eleven-thirty.”

  “Jonathon was on my line,” Sara said. “He’s stuck in traffic behind a nasty accident on Broadway. “Postponing the meeting is obvious.”

  “Steve?”

  He sat there suddenly serious, the color gone from his face. “My call was from Florence in reception. Joe Stein is dead.”

  CHAPTER 24

  The seatbelt sign blinked off as the cabin attendant passed by. Sara stared out the window to her right. The cotton batting cloud cover fit. She was wrapped in shock.

  “A penny for your thoughts,” Jonathon asked.

  “I was just thinking about Joe Stein. He was my daily dose of cheer and now he’s gone.”

  “Sara, you can’t cheat death. When it’s your time, it’s your time.”

  “He was so fit, Jonathon. He worked out at the gym, too. I know he was sixty eight but he looked and acted so much younger.”

  “Look at it this way; he went fast without warning, a heart attack on the way to doing something he liked.”

  “It still hurts.”

  “Focus on our plans for the week.”

  He opened his laptop and powered it up. She pulled a file from her briefcase and began reading the latest changes to the conference schedule. Within minutes he was keying in edits to his speech and she’d read the same paragraph a dozen times without retaining any of it.

  ***

  At the Marriott in downtown Chicago, Sara and Jonathon walked through the mammoth lobby, pulling their luggage behind them, “I’ll meet you in the lobby bar at six,” he said. “I understand they have a pool here and I know you like to swim. It might be good for you to get a few laps in.”

  “I think I’ll take a nap first. I’m beat.”

  “Swim first, Sara. You’ll be fresh for this evening’s meeting with the Chicago crew.”

  “Maybe you’re right.”

  Jonathon wrapped his free arm around her shoulders and whispered in her ear, “Buck up little lady, everything will work out.”

  She could swear he just kissed the top of her head. She was too exhausted for this.

  In the elevator, he added, “I expect to see a smile on your face when you come back down to the lobby tonight.” The number increased in red above their heads until it reached seven and Sara stepped out. “See you at six, Jonathon.”

  ***

  The man watched the Stafford woman’s room from the stairway. She came out with a blue tote slung over her shoulder, turned toward the elevator, and waited with her eyes closed. When the elevator car arrived she disappeared inside and he made his move. In her room he sifted through her luggage; then reached into his jacket pocket and placed a small black rectangle on the side of her nightstand. He added another at the back of the lamp on the desk. Pulling the curtain aside, he placed a wire on the edge of the window glass overlooking Michigan Avenue and let the curtain fall back into place.

  ***

  On autopilot, Sara walked out of the locker room and approached the long rectangular pool; Romanesque in design with white columns flanking its length, the pool was illuminated with the late afternoon sun by a wall of windows. She was alone with the scent of chlorine. If only grief was as easy to cleanse. She’d thought moving out and getting on with her life would change things but it hadn’t.

  The click of a door opening at the far end of the room announced the fitness club attendant in hotel uniform with an armful of folded white towels. She felt naked before him in nothing more than her black one piece. He walked the length of the room and disappeared through the door to the men’s locker room without acknowledging her presence.

  Dropping her towel on the first of a row of pool chaises lined up like padded soldiers; she stepped down into the shallow end of the pool and pushed off from the bottom step.

  Lap after lap, she cleaved the water, touched the concrete, rolled, reversed, pushed off and cleaved again. At the end of the last lap, she reached out for the wall and touched flesh. Masculine hands grabbed her waist and Sara rose up sputtering.

  “Hey beautiful, don’t sink now.”

  “Matthew? I didn’t expect you until tomorrow?”

  “Does that mean you’re glad to see me or disappointed I pulled a miracle and arrived at the conference on time?”

  “I’m glad to see you, of course. I’m sorry about yesterday. We weren’t very cooperative in your investigation. There were too many people; then the local police complicated everything by throwing us all out of our own offices. We hadn’t begun to touch anything but you would think by their attitude we had committed a cardinal sin.”

  “You still think of Stafford Sound Systems as yours?”

  “I’m a legal partner. He refuses to accept my request to resign.”

  “And you still care for him.”

  It was a statement of fact, not a question. Matthew let go of her waist and she began to tread water.

  “Yes and no. He’s still technically my husband. We’ve got a lot of history together; I’ve told you that before. The strongest bond between us now is our shared grief.”

  “And love?”

  “Past love, pain, parenthood, I’m not in love with him anymore. That died almost a year ago. Or at least, that’s when I first recognized it was missing.” She fell back into an easy backstroke putting distance between them.

  “What about the stone?”

  “What stone?”

  “Sara, please don’t play dumb.” He moved to cut the distance between them. “We both know better.”

  “It’s a monument and souvenir from our son. With the break-in, we both felt it was better off someplace else so we removed it, end of story. I told you yesterday it wasn’t important to the burglary.”

  He watched her in silence, “Something else happened. What is it?”

  She stopped her backward movement. “There’s been another death.”

  “Who?”

  “Joe Stein, the fitness club manager.” She pulled the water behind her with a couple of breaststrokes.

  “At Starr Shine?”

  “Yes.”

  “When.”

  “This morning, he was driving in to work and he had a heart attack. At least, that’s the preliminary guess. Jonathon was stuck behind the mess on the way in. He recognized Joe’s car and called the office.”

  “I’m sorry, I liked Joe. I didn’t know he had heart problems.”

  “I don’t think he did.”

  “Sometimes heart attacks hit without warning. How are you?”

  Sara shrugged her shoulders then realized he couldn’t see them. “Okay, I guess.”

  “I suppose that’s why you’re here instead of downstairs with the others.”

  “Oh my God! What time is it?” She swiveled around trying to find a clock.

  “It’s just past six,” he said with a smile on his face.

  “It’s not funny, Matthew. I promised Jonathon I’d be down at the lobby bar at six o’clock to meet the others.”

  CHAPTER 25

  “Mr. Farrell, you keep glancing across the room. Are you looking for someone?” The pretty blonde beside him was barely dressed in an emerald piece of satin and drenched in cheap fragrance. The overpowering scent had set off a pounding in his head. She’d been pushing her cleavage into his arm every chance she got, running her tongue over her upper lip in a calculated maneuver.

  From the corner of his eye, Matthew could see an elevator open across the room. Several people came out, not Sara. It had been nearly an hour. What was taking her so long? He was about to slide off his stool and find out when another elevator opened and there she was, one beautiful lady making a grand entrance. From across the room she looked toward their group and smiled. He returned it with a wink just before she ducked her head down. She was wearing something in black showing a lot of leg and a hint of cleavage.
He had the urge to slip off his jacket and cover her nakedness. Her pace was slow and deliberate stepping down into the sunken sitting area, weaving her way around clusters of businessmen.

  “Lorna, that’s the little filly who’s got him nearly hogtied,” he heard Jonathon say from behind him. One of these days Pierce was going to go too far. When he drank his mouth deserted his common sense.

  Matthew met Sara just out of hearing range of the others and placed a proprietary kiss on her cheek. “I was about to start a search and rescue detail.”

  “I’m sorry, Matthew. I put this dress on and then looked in the mirror. When I realized how blatant the message was, I took it off. Then I thought what the hell and slipped it back on. I trust you to keep me safe.”

  Matthew was stuck on the image of her taking it off and groaned at her vote of confidence in his ability to keep his hands, as well as the paws of every other male in the vicinity, off her.

  “Sara,” Jonathon called out, “let me introduce you to the Chicago group. Of course you know Matthew Farrell.” He snorted and Matthew started counting to ten.

  “Please meet Roger Bennett from the Chicago R & D unit.”

  “Roger, it’s a pleasure,” she said. “I read your report on the new chip. I’m happy we have your insight.”

  “This pretty li’l thing beside him is Pam Lawson, from finance.”

  Matthew could see the look of disgust flit across Pam Lawson’s face at Pierce’s remark, but Sara covered the moment with a handshake and a smile. “Pam, I’m glad we’re finally able to meet. How’s the new staff accountant working out?”

  “She’s a little timid, but she knows her stuff.”

  “That was my impression when I first met her. Give her a chance to settle in.”

  Jonathon continued, “Our host for the conference, Jack Stone the Divisional Manager.”

  She beamed a hundred watt smile with her offering hand. “Jack, at the risk of offending my boss, I want you to know the Chicago division is the stellar unit at Starr Shine. Please accept my apologies for my tardiness this evening. I was introducing myself to the pool and lost track of time.”

  “Sara,” Jonathon continued, “this is the hottest sales director anywhere, Lorna Craemer.”

  Sara’s smile never faltered as she turned toward the barracuda beside him, “Lorna, good hustle last month on the sales numbers. I’m glad we’ve finally met.” She brushed right over the snub Lorna’s envy was broadcasting and shook her hand without blinking.

  After the introductions, Jack added, “Our table is not quite ready. What are you drinking, Sara?”

  “Ginger ale and orange juice, please.”

  “You’re going to have something a little stronger than that.”

  “Jack, I fold after the first glass of alcohol. To prevent myself from being a major embarrassment this evening, I would like to go soft until the evening is almost over.”

  Jonathon added, “Well, Farrell, I think we found you a drinkin’ buddy to keep up with your liquid preferences.”

  Just one more comment and I’m going to take him into the stairwell and show him how to bloody well shut his trap, Matthew thought to himself.

  “Sara, use my seat,” Roger added and vacated the stool beside Pierce.

  Matthew leaned back and watched the cowboy wrap his arm around Sara’s waist. In a flash, her elbow made a sharp point and he dropped his hand. From this end of the group it looked like Jonathon Pierce was about to slide off the bar stool. For half a second, he considered letting him fall flat on his face. He shook his head at something the green barracuda was whispering in an attempt to draw his attention. He had no idea what she was babbling about. “Excuse me, Lorna.” He slid off his stool and skirted around her pocket of perfume. Squeezing in between Sara and Pierce he whispered a warning not even Sara could hear. Pierce got the message and staggered off the stool grabbing the bar edge to steady himself.

  Sara watched Jonathon’s attempt to stay upright as he exited the lobby and whispered, “Matthew, what did you say to him?”

  “I told him his fly was down. I’m going to follow him to the gents and convince him to go upstairs and sleep it off.”

  ***

  Matthew walked into the men’s room behind Jonathon, paced the length of the room checking stalls and then whipped Pierce around to face him. “Just what the hell were you trying to prove out there? How drunk you can get and still stay on your feet? Or how obnoxious you can be with a snoot full?”

  “Get your paws off me, Farrell. In case you’ve forgotten, we are both undercover. I was jus’ playing the part.”

  “Bullshit! You smell like a distillery! Your speech is slurred and your mouth is offensive.”

  “Fuck you! Better yet, fuck her! Tha’s what you’ve been tryin’ to do for the pas’ two weeks. Had any luck with your assignment?”

  “I’m making better progress than you.”

  “I got her in bed, have you?”

  “You drugged her.”

  “She looks hot tonight. Maybe you’ll get lucky.”

  Matthew planted a hard fist in Jonathon’s gut and watched him double over. “There is a time and a place, Pierce. Go upstairs and sleep it off. I have a job to do.”

  Matthew shoved the door out of his way nearly mowing over another man entering the facility.

  ***

  Much later in the evening, Matthew Farrell was back in the pool room. He knew he’d find her there again; the woman was part mermaid. She was putting a lot of energy into her swim. Energy he would like to redirect in his favor. He slid into the deep end and waited for her return lap. She stopped just short of a collision this time.

  “Hi, beautiful, I didn’t think you had any energy left after we got back from Rush Street. With all that dancing you should be sound asleep by now.”

  “I couldn’t sleep. What’s your excuse?”

  “You aren’t the only one with gills.” He pulled her in to him and kissed her nose. “It would have been nice to get in one slow dance with you.”

  “Lorna made sure you didn’t.” Sara pushed away, floating back into the center of the pool.

  “Don’t tell me you’re jealous of the green barracuda.”

  “She doesn’t bother me. I’m better than that.”

  “Yes, you are. Come here.”

  “I think I’d be safer with a shark.”

  “Probably, come here anyway. We need to talk.”

  “Is that what you have in mind?”

  “I can multitask,” he wiggled his eyebrows as he floated in for the move. She was skittish. Somehow he’d lost ground. “I want to watch you float; I want to see you trust me.”

  He pulled her up against his body so she could feel his need; then he laid her back against his outstretched arm. “Close your eyes and float.”

  “Why?”

  “I thought you trusted me.”

  “I did.”

  “That sounds a bit past tense. Come on; lean back. That’s better. Lift your legs. I’ll hold you up. Good. Now close your eyes.”

  After a few seconds he reached down and placed a light kiss on her lips. “Sara, are you relaxed?”

  “You know I am.”

  “Good. I want you more than a man has a right to, but I’m going to wait. I want your complete trust. This afternoon I thought I had it. This evening I know I don’t. No, don’t stand up, just float on my finger tips.”

  “Matthew, I can’t think rationally like this. If we’re going to talk, I have to have my feet grounded.” She stood and turned toward him.

  “What did Ron say on the phone this evening that took away your trust?”

  “Why do you think Ron is the reason?”

  “Because Jonathon was the only other distraction this evening and my gut says it wasn’t him.”

  He watched her eyes from within the loose circle of his arms, her feet firmly planted on the bottom of the pool. Her hands were stirring the water between them ready to push him away at any moment.

>   “The landlord checked out the empty unit beside Ron’s office. You know what he found, don’t you, Matthew?”

  “Continue.”

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “You tell me,” he said. She pushed away and he followed her back to the deep end of the pool.

  “What I can’t figure out is how you have time to do it all. How do you act as the government expert in satellite communications preparing to be the keynote speaker at this conference, track our movements, trash our homes and offices, and romance the Mourning Dove?”

  Sara swam up to him again, planted both feet onto his chest with the last of her accusation and shoved off to the other side of the pool. He let her go. Ten feet away she turned and sluiced the wet from her curls. “That’s the code name you asked me to leave when I needed you. And, that’s what you’re doing, isn’t it. That’s your assignment; don’t deny it. Jonathon tried first. Now he’s jealous because you appear to be succeeding where he failed and he can’t accept defeat. That’s why he was aloof on the plane. That’s why he was drunk before the evening got started. You’ve made this some kind of macho competition.”

  “Are you finished?”

  “I haven’t begun. Why not just come to Ron and me and ask? Why not just show your IDs, explain the predicament the government is in and ask for our assistance? No, you all had to play cloak and dagger games right out of a James Bond movie. What is all this deception getting you? You want me to trust you, but there is no reciprocal trust. Just ask me, damn it!” She slammed her fists down through the surface of the water.

  “Ask what?”

  “Ask if I found the disk Carl removed from the chemical lab in Toronto the day he died.”

  “I already know the answer to that question.”