He took a hot shower to shake the cobwebs from his brain. It didn’t help much. He decided to skip his morning run and get into work early. The traffic was lighter than normal, so he pulled into the parking lot at 7:30. As he grabbed his briefcase from the back seat, he felt arms encircle his waist, and a soft kiss on his neck.
“Hi, sweetie. How are you?” Devon asked. “How was your night out with Pete?”
Nick turned to face her and bent down to give her a quick kiss. “It was fun, but I’m paying the price this morning. My old body doesn’t handle liquor so well any more. My head feels like a hammer is smacking it every minute or so. I’m a bit nauseous too, so watch your shoes.”
Devon laughed. “Okay, I’ll jump if I need to.”
“How was your night? Did you do anything fun?”
“No, it was pretty boring. I took a long bubble bath, did my nails, and then watched an old movie. A Hitchcock thriller. Did you ever see Stranger on a Train? It’s a great film.”
“No, I haven’t seen it.”
“Oh, it’s so good! Maybe we can rent it. You can come over for a sleepover,” Devon kidded.
“But you just watched it.”
“I don’t mind seeing it again. Besides, watching it with you will make it fun. We can make popcorn.”
“With lots of butter?”
Devon patted Nick’s stomach. “Maybe a little butter. We don’t want this tummy getting too big, do we?”
Nick laughed. “No, we don’t. I recently had to move to a new notch on my belt. I’m not happy about it.”
They walked into their office building and took the elevator to the fifth floor. Since they were alone, Nick bent down and gave Devon a deep kiss. She sighed and wrapped her arms around him. “That’s a great way to start the day.”
Nick nuzzled her neck for a moment. “I’ll talk to you later, okay? Maybe we can have lunch.” He waved goodbye and moved down the hall towards his cubicle. As he passed Pete Mitchell’s office, he could hear Pete yelling at someone. Nick stopped by the open door as Pete slammed the phone down.
“What’s up?”
Pete grimaced and fell heavily into his chair. He waved at the phone like it was the bearer of bad news. “That was the AG, Monetti. She talked to Detective Scanlon, and he told her about Walsh’s car on the garage roof when Haskins was killed. She wasn’t happy to hear it. She thinks the immunity agreement may absolve Walsh of any wrongdoing.”
“But why were you yelling at her?”
“Monetti wants our office to accept some of the responsibility, since we had the first contact with Walsh. She thinks the scope of our original investigation was too narrow.”
“That’s bullshit!” Nick said hotly. “We couldn’t know these other things were going on, and that they were related to the Sierra Health matter. We’re not clairvoyant.”
“That’s what I told her.” Pete was still mad too. “It’s just politics as usual. That’s why I’ll be happy to pass the baton to you, Nick. I’ve had enough of this crap to last me a lifetime.”
Nick tried to lighten the mood. “Thanks, Pete. I better ask for a new pair of hip waders for Christmas.”
Pete laughed. “Just make sure they’re extra high. This job requires them.”
Nick started to leave when Pete called him back. “Hey, one more bit of news. The AG’s office is preparing indictments for the senior managers at Jordano. They expect them to be executed in the next day or two.”
“Boy, that was quick.”
“They want to keep the pressure on. The prosecutor’s office believes they have a strong case, especially after getting the details from Walsh. Monetti mentioned that your team did a great job on the transaction summary. She said to tell you that.”
“Thanks, Pete. I’ll let them know.” Nick was pleased. He knew this would reflect well on the entire group. And he hoped the positive feedback from the Attorney General would strengthen his chance of being selected as Pete’s replacement.
Chapter 54
Tuesday, November 18
Harry woke from a brief restless sleep, but felt like he hadn’t slept at all. The anxiety and despair that had consumed him that morning was still with him. He felt flushed and hot, like he had a fever. The problems seemed insurmountable.
Just focus on Jeremy, he thought. That’s the only situation I can influence. Everything else is out of my control.
Harry heard the telephone ring. A moment later, Sandy called to him, her voice sounding panicky. “Harry, pick up the phone! It’s Mrs. Caldwell!”
Harry reached for the phone next to the couch. “Hello?”
“Mr. Wainright? Is that you?” Harry recognized the quavering voice of the elderly woman.
“Yes, Mrs. Caldwell. What can I do for you?”
“Oh, it’s terrible, just terrible. I just got a call from Elizabeth. She is so depressed, Mr. Wainright! She said she couldn’t take it anymore. She threatened to kill herself! I’m so scared for her. What should I do?”
Harry was shocked. He didn’t expect this reaction from Nora. She didn’t seem the type to hurt herself.
“Call the police, Mrs. Caldwell. They’ll send someone to check on Elizabeth.” Harry still felt weird calling her that.
“I don’t want to do that right away. Could you go to her apartment, Mr. Wainright? I would feel much better if someone she knew checked on her.”
“I’m not sure...” But as Harry thought about this, he realized that Jeremy had a lot at stake. He wanted to ensure that Nora was okay. “Alright, I’ll stop by her place, Mrs. Caldwell. Can I have the address?”
Harry wrote it down. He told Mrs. Caldwell that he’d call her as soon as he knew something. He threw on some sweatpants and went to tell Sandy. This news wasn’t going to make her happy.
*****
Harry quickly approached the old Victorian home and double-checked the address to make sure he had the right place. The front door allowed entry into a small hall. The door to the first floor apartment was on the right. Stairs on the left led to the second floor apartment.
Mrs. Caldwell had told Harry that was Elizabeth’s.
He rang the bell and waited for a response. Nothing. He tried the knob and found the door unlocked, so he entered quietly. He went up the stairs, trying to minimize the creaking from the wooden treads under his feet.
Nora’s door was made of heavy oak stained a deep brown. There was a brass knocker in the center. Harry rapped it a couple of times, but heard no noise from inside.
“Nora?” he called. Are you there? It’s Harry.” Still no response.
“Nora? Your mother asked me to check on you. Are you okay?” Harry tried the door knob. To his surprise, the apartment door was unlocked.
Harry entered the apartment slowly, not wanting to surprise her.
The living room was empty. It was furnished with comfortable looking couches and chairs that faced a large stone hearth. Harry could smell the smoky remains of a recent fire. Filtered light slipped through paisley curtains to brighten the room, making the dust motes that floated through the air visible. An empty wine bottle, tipped on its side, rested on the end table next to the couch.
Harry moved slowly down the corridor towards the other rooms. He passed the kitchen, where dirty dishes cluttered the sink. He walked by a bathroom with small white and black tiles on the floor, and larger ones that went halfway up the walls. Harry noticed that the door to the medicine cabinet was open.
One door remained at the end of the hall. It was slightly ajar, a shaft of light piercing the open space.
Harry pushed the door open and gasped. Nora was sprawled on the bed, facing him, eyes closed. She was deathly pale. There was an empty prescription bottle lying next to her.
“Nora!” Harry rushed across the room and checked for a pulse. He thought he felt a faint throb. He reached into his pocket, grabbed his phone and dialed 911.
“Nine-one-one, what is your emergency?”
“I need an ambulance sent to 44 Wi
ndsor Road. There is a woman here who may have attempted suicide. I need help sent immediately!”
“Alright, sir. I am notifying EMT and the police. They should be there within several minutes. What is your name?”
Harry sat on the bed next to Nora’s inert body. He reached out to hold her hand. “My name? It’s Harry. Harry Wainright.”
“What is the name of the injured person?”
“Her name is Elizabeth Caldwell.”
Or Nora Lincoln, Harry thought to himself. He couldn’t believe what a Kafka-esque world he had entered.
“Are you related to the victim?”
“No, no, just a friend, a co-worker. Her mother asked me to check on her because she received a disturbing phone call from Elizabeth.”
“Okay, sir. Please wait with her. The ambulance is on its way. It should be there soon.”
Moments later, Harry could hear sirens approaching. He looked around Nora’s bedroom, feeling helpless. That’s when he noticed the two envelopes on the bedside table. The top one was addressed to “Mom.” The second envelope was addressed to him.
No, Harry thought. I don’t want to read this.
He heard the ambulance pull up outside. Harry tucked the letter into his back pocket, and ran down the stairs.
“This way!” he called to the paramedics, pointing up the stairs. “Please hurry!” The EMTs ran past him with a stretcher.
Harry found himself alone on the porch. He could hear the hurried efforts of the paramedics preparing Nora for transport to the hospital. Harry walked to the far end of the porch and slipped the letter out of his pocket. He looked at it for a minute, wondering if he had the courage to open it. He thought about the brief and intense relationship that he and Nora had shared. He thought about the past month, the impact of unexpected events on him and Sandy and Jeremy. He felt badly about everything that had happened. But he knew that he had to read the letter.
Harry ripped the envelope and unfolded the piece of paper inside. It was written in clear, neat script.
Dear Harry,
The greatest challenge in life is to find happiness. I wanted to be happy, not just act like everything is fine. But I hurt inside, Harry. I envy people that wake up each morning and don’t dread the coming day. That’s what I face. Every day is a struggle. So I put a smile on my face and pretend I’m okay. I pray that no one sees through the façade. I fooled you too, Harry.
I’ve watched you and Jeremy for years now. After I found out where you lived, I took trips to Boston to be near you and my son. I watched you take Jeremy to the park, or the beach, or to a Sox game at Fenway. I watched you ride bikes with him. I even came to a couple of Jeremy’s baseball games. One time I actually sat in the stands behind you. You were always so proud of everything he did.
Harry, I know you’re a good father. I saw it first-hand. I could see the love that you have for Jeremy, my son. I would have been a good mother. That would have made me so happy. You should have given me that chance.
But you’ve made your choice. You want to keep the life that will destroy mine. I hope this is a decision that you can live with. I wish I understood, but I don’t.
I truly did love you.
Nora.
Harry stared at the letter. He was in shock. His hands trembled. He couldn’t think. He couldn’t process the meaning of Nora’s message.
Why, Nora? Why did you do this?
Chapter 55
Tuesday, November 18
Nick told the team at his 9am staff meeting about the compliments from the AG’s office. They nodded their appreciation. Sam grinned and said, “It’s about time someone around here noticed how talented I…I mean we…are. My feelings were beginning to get hurt.” He laughed behind his hands.
“Okay, enough of that, Sam. Let’s accept the kudos and move on. Pete also told me that indictments will be handed down by the grand jury today or tomorrow. For starters, the AG will charge the senior management team at Jordano with fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud. Once the indictments are executed, other staff may be willing to talk. That’s the only way they can avoid jail or financial penalties. It’ll give us a chance to learn about other illegal activities, or at least corroborate what Jack Walsh has told us so far.”
“What about Walsh? What happens to him? Devon asked.
“I’m not sure yet,” Nick responded, chagrined. “He may get off with no charges. But I think there are bigger issues at play.” Nick told the team what he’d learned from Detective Scanlon about Walsh’s involvement in the death of Jerry Haskins.
“Shit,” Sam started, “What the hell was going on at that company? Sounds like a den of thieves and murderers! What are we gonna hear about next?”
Nick shrugged. “I’m not sure, Sam. I think there’s still a lot that we don’t know.”
“Geez, maybe I should write a book about it. Make millions. You’d buy it, wouldn’t ya, Nick?”
“Sure, Sam. Right after I write your letter of dismissal for exposing classified information from a confidential SEC investigation.”
Sam snapped his fingers. “Oh, yeah, I forgot about that rule. When I write my memoirs in thirty years, I’ll include a chapter on Jordano.”
Nick laughed. “That’ll be a bestseller, no doubt. I’ll write the introduction for you.”
“I’d like that, Nick.”
“No problem, Sam.”
*****
Harry followed the ambulance to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. He gripped the steering wheel tightly to stop his hands from trembling. The paramedics had asked Harry how much of the prescription was taken, but he didn’t know. He suggested they speak to Elizabeth’s mother. He told them he would try to reach her. The EMTs looked very concerned, so Harry was worried too.
“Please don’t die, Nora,” he said out loud to himself, as he followed the ambulance through red lights and stopped traffic. “I don’t want you to die. And Jeremy needs you.”
Harry called Sandy to tell her what had happened. She agreed to meet him at the hospital. He called Nora’s mother from the lobby. He thought the bad news might be too much for the old woman, but she surprised him.
“Lizzie has been troubled ever since she was little. My husband and I tried our best, but nothing worked for long. We took her to counselors. We tried different medications. We even tried shock therapy. Lizzie would get better for a while, but it wouldn’t last.” Mrs. Caldwell’s voice lowered to a whisper. “We did our best.”
“I’m sure you did, Mrs. Caldwell. But Elizabeth needs you again. The paramedics asked me to find out which medications Elizabeth was taking. Do you know?”
“I’m afraid I don’t. Lizzie was very secretive about that.”
“That’s too bad. I’ll let them know.”
“It will take me several hours to get there. Will you be able to stay with her until then?”
Harry knew he’d do whatever was necessary to keep Jeremy alive. “Yes, I’ll be here when you arrive. But hurry.”
“I will.”
Harry hung up the phone and walked down the hall towards the emergency room. He watched the paramedics wheel Nora’s stretcher behind a curtain. A doctor called for a stomach pump machine, and one of the nurses walked quickly down the hall to retrieve it. When Harry tried to follow the doctor into the bay, another nurse stopped him. She asked if he was related to the patient.
“No, she’s a friend. I’m the one that found her.”
“I see. You’ll need to wait until Dr. Harris has completed his initial examination. He’ll come out to speak to you when he’s done. You can have a seat in the visitor’s lounge. Down the hall to the left.”
Harry thanked her and followed her directions down the corridor. He stopped at a vending machine for a Diet Coke. His throat was parched. He gulped the soda, burped softly, and moved into the room to wait for some news.
Sandy arrived about twenty minutes later. “What’s going on, Harry? How is Nora? I mean Elizabeth. Whatever the hell her name is.”
“What if she dies? What do we do then? Can the doctor still extract her bone marrow?” Sandy sat down next to Harry and bit her fingernails.
“I don’t know.” Harry knew the topic was morbid. “I’ve been thinking the same thing.”
They sat in silence. Harry couldn’t think of any safe topics to discuss with his wife. He was too tense, hoping for the best, fearing the worst. He couldn’t focus on anything but Nora. The lounge TV was showing a rerun of Friends, but Harry didn’t find any of the jokes funny.
A doctor appeared at the doorway. “Are you here for Elizabeth Caldwell?”
“Yes, we are,” Harry replied. He stood up.
The doctor crossed the room, a medical chart under his arm. He had a grim look on his face.
“I’m Dr. Harris.”
“I’m Harry Wainright, and this is my wife Sandy.”
“You’re friends of Ms. Caldwell, is that correct?”
“He is. I’m not,” Sandy replied tersely.
“I see. Well, I examined Ms. Caldwell when she arrived. Although she was breathing, her blood pressure was very low, and her pulse was weak. I pumped her stomach to remove any of the medication that had not been absorbed yet.”
“How is she? Will she be okay?”
“It’s too soon to tell. Her pupils are fixed and dilated. That’s not a good sign, I’m afraid. We plan to do a brain scan next to see if there is damage. At the moment, Ms. Caldwell remains in a comatose state. We should have a better prognosis within the next twenty-four hours.”
Harry was in shock. “Is she going to die, Dr. Harris?”
The doctor shook his head. “We just don’t have an answer right now. In the event that a DNR decision needs to be made, we’ll need authorization from a family member. I believe you told the nurse that her mother is alive?”
“Yes, I just spoke with her. She’s on her way. But it’ll take several hours for her to get here.”
Shell Game Page 24