Unmerited Favor: The Compassion and Peril of Mercy ( Un missable Series Book 2)

by Jerry Summers

  Wendy rolls her eyes internally, knowing Harder had no sympathy for Tina and their relationship. “I’m sure he knows that and understands. Our hour is up, but I’ll see you Tuesday. For now, just rest and understand he’s in a better place.”

  “Thanks for that, Wendy.”

  Wendy walks out with Tina, gives her a great big hug, and then returns to her office, satisfied in the thought that her work has saved two vulnerable women from disaster. She muses at her ability to remain calm in the face of others’ distress, and then she is paged and told Bonnie is on the line for her.

  She picks up the phone. “Please tell me you have something good to tell me. This has been one hell of a day so far.”

  Bonnie grunts. “Well, I wouldn’t say good, but I did hear back from David Hill today.”

  “And what did Agent Hill have to say?”

  “He heard back from the military investigators. The Leupold scope and presumably the sniper rifle attached to it were assigned to a Sergeant Lance Sneed who was killed in action in 2002 in some highly classified military operation. When the army finally recovered his body, his rifle wasn’t located, and his boots and all the gold crowns in his mouth were missing. So the FBI finding the murder weapon is of no help whatsoever in catching Mark’s murderer.”

  Wendy groans. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Yeah, me too! All this classified bullshit is really pissing me off. Who killed my husband and why? Is it that hard to figure out? Why would a trained sniper want to kill Mark, anyway? Like…What the hell is going on?” Bonnie’s voice wobbles, and Wendy sighs.

  “I have no idea, but you have to remain patient and trust that the truth will one day be revealed.”

  “I’m sorry to drop all this on you. I’m just having a really bad day.”

  “That’s what I’m here for, and this is what I do. Talking with you is never a burden to me, OK?” Wendy replies reassuringly.

  “Thanks. Sometimes I just need someone to vent to, but I don’t want to be a downer to anyone.”

  “Well, what do you say I drive up to Marin for a few days next week? We can hang out. Maybe we can even get Jessica and Sean to come to the house, maybe enjoy a barbecue and lounge by the pool. I think everyone needs to unwind a bit after Ricardo’s funeral and the grand opening. Besides, I need a reason to get all dolled up with all this new stuff I have, and Sean can buy us all a really expensive dinner one night, since he’ll be surrounded by three incredibly beautiful ladies for the evening.”

  “That would be wonderful, and even if Sean and Jessica can’t make it, I would still love to have you for the weekend. You will not drive from San Diego. I’ll send the jet for you and pick you up at the airport. This weekend.”

  Wendy chuckles. “I forgot you can just send a jet. I’m still not used to this lifestyle.”

  “Get used to it because you’re part of it now. I can’t wait to have you here. You promise you’ll make it this weekend?”

  “Well, yeah! What kind of sister-in-law would I be if I didn’t come to cheer you up? You know I love you, especially if my coming up includes designer clothes, makeup, and all the other girly shit associated with it.”

  Bonnie scoffs. “Please, I don’t want to hear it. You made me wear a tight T-shirt and go braless to listen to music and swill beer at a dive.”

  “OK, you have a point there, but admit it—it was fun.”

  “Yes, and the same will be true for you. Thanks for cheering me up.”

  “Anytime. Love you.”

  “I love you, too. I’m so glad you’re coming. Can you head up Friday?”

  “Let me check.” Wendy puts her on hold and asks Mona what her schedule looks like on Friday. Wendy gets back on the phone and says, “My Friday schedule is clear after three, so I’ll go to the airport immediately after my last appointment and be on the plane by…four fifteen? I’ll just pack and bring everything to work and leave from here.”

  “Perfect. I’ll have the jet waiting for you.”

  “Awesome! I’ve got to get back to work. Call me if you need anything at all.”

  Wendy hangs up and sighs, hoping that whatever other disaster is looming out there will wait until next week, when the pager beeps. “Jim Baxter is on his way in, Ms. Stevens.”

  Wendy frowns as Jim, looking disheveled, walks into the office.

  Jesus, what now? Wendy thinks. She glances down at her planner to confirm she doesn’t actually have an appointment scheduled.

  “This must be an emergency,” she says as Jim sits down on the couch and stares blankly at his shoes. She sighs. “What is Gayle up to now? You look horrible.”

  He glances up at her. “She’s back to telling me I don’t truly love her, but this time she is threatening to kill herself if I don’t spend less time at work and more time at home with her.”

  Wendy nods knowingly. “Does she have a valid point?”

  “Of course not! You know how much I love her, and I’m actually on the verge of losing my job at the CPA firm because I’m not keeping up with my billable hours.”

  “Would that be a bad thing?”

  “Yes, it would be a bad thing! I was going to be made a partner, but now it’s completely flipped around, and the partners are considering firing me.”

  “But if the job is consuming too much of your time and is hurting your relationship, maybe getting a different job wouldn’t be a bad thing,” Wendy says patiently.

  “Come on, you know me better than that. I’ve always had a great balance between work and home, and you’ve told me that yourself. Gayle knows my schedule. She just wants more time and more money, and if I don’t work, I can’t make any more money. Nothing I do is ever good enough for her.”

  “So why don’t you leave her?”

  He jerks his head up. “Because I love her! You know that, too!”

  “Jim, we have this same conversation regularly. Sometimes we love people who aren’t good for us. This doesn’t mean they are bad people, they’re just not right for us. Is it possible Gayle isn’t right for you? When you first came to me for counseling, you were enthralled with Gayle, and it scared you. Now, being involved with her is threatening your chosen career, and I have never seen you look so unkempt in all our years of knowing each other. Do you think Gayle is serious in her threats of suicide?”

  “No,” he replies quietly. “I think she is using it to try to control me.”

  “Well, that says it all. You’re a smart guy, and you have to see if that’s what is truly going on. If it is, then this isn’t a good relationship for you.”

  “But I love her so much,” he protests.

  “Sometimes love isn’t enough.”

  “Wow, that’s a scary thought,” he says and is quiet for a while. Finally, he looks at his watch and says, “Shit. I forgot I have to be in Los Angeles in an hour and a half. Can I schedule another appointment for tomorrow morning?”

  “Yes,” Wendy replies, glancing down at her calendar again. “Let’s set it up for eleven o’clock.”

  “Perfect, thanks. I gotta go.”

  “Jim, wait. Put it in your phone so you don’t forget, and tuck your shirt in and comb your hair before you go out in public again.”

  Jim does as she asks, then nods at her. “Thanks, I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

  As Jim rushes out the door, Wendy thinks, Oh my, this has been one of those days. She begins to look over the paper work, bills, and checks to be signed that Mona had placed on her desk. She works for a little over an hour when suddenly Mona rushes into her office.

  “Jim is on the phone, and you need to talk to him right now.”

  Wendy grabs the phone and holds it to her ear only to hear Jim losing all semblance of self-control.

  “Jim, please, calm down and tell me what’s going on,” Wendy says loudly.

  “Oh, my God, Wendy
, Gayle just called me and told me if I didn’t get home in forty minutes she was going to kill herself and I’d find her body when I finally decided to make time for her. I told her I was an hour’s drive time from home, and she said I’d better start back there, and maybe I’d get there before she’s dead. She sounded serious this time, what do I do?”

  “Did she tell you how she plans on killing herself?”

  “No!”

  “Call the police, tell them everything, and have them check it out.”

  “I did, but they said they won’t go in the house without me there if she doesn’t have a specific plan. I’m worried. Can you go by, check on her, and see if she’s OK? Maybe talk to her until I get there? You can get in through the garage. The code is one three three two.”

  Wendy hesitates. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable doing this.”

  “Please, Wendy! I’ll be home as soon as I can. Please?”

  “OK, OK, but I’m not sure it’s smart to give in to her demands, especially if she is manipulating you as she always does. This is a game she’s playing, and it’s destructive.”

  “I know, but there was just something about her voice this time that makes me scared.”

  Wendy sighs. “OK, I’m on my way there. Hurry back.” She hangs up and looks at Mona, who looks horrified. “If you don’t hear from me in thirty minutes call the cops and send them to Jim’s house. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” Mona nods, and Wendy heads quickly out to her car, knowing she only has a short time slot to do what has to be done.

  When she gets to the house, she uses the code to open the garage and is surprised to find Gayle standing on a small stool with a noose around her neck in the empty car bay.

  “Who the hell are you and how did you get the garage code?” Gayle yells at her, wobbling slightly on her stool.

  She holds her hands up in surrender. “Gayle, please calm down. My name is Wendy Stevens and I’m Jim’s counselor. He gave me the code because he was worried about you and wanted me to check on you.”

  Gayle glares at her, obviously struggling slightly to remain balanced. “This has nothing to do with you! You need to get the hell out of my garage. This is between Jim and me.”

  Wendy takes a few cautious steps forward to stand in front of Gayle. “Look, the game is over. This is no longer about you. This is about extending unmerited favor to the man you’re emotionally abusing. It stops right now, with a simple act of mercy.”

  Gayle gives her a confused look, and Wendy smiles up at her, then hooks the toe of her sneaker under the stool and yanks, causing it to tip. She watches Gayle’s body drop and the noose tighten. Gayle twists, and her feet kick as she tries desperately to find the stool. Wendy waits for Gayle to stop kicking, then looks to see if anyone could have seen her. After she’s sure there is no one around, she gets a handkerchief out of her purse and wipes off where her toe had contact with the stool.

  She walks quickly to the garage door and dials 911. In a shaken voice, she reports she found Gayle hanging in the garage. Police arrive in four minutes, check for a pulse, and finding none, they contact dispatch letting them know to cancel the ambulance and contact the coroner. They close the garage door halfway so those passing by on the street can’t see the unhappy sight. Wendy’s phone rings, and she answers.

  Mona is on the other end. “Are you OK? What’s wrong? I called the police, and they told me units were already on scene.”

  Wendy replies, “I’m fine. Just shaken. I found Gayle too late. I’ll call you in a bit, because the police need to talk to me right now.”

  The patrol officers question Wendy about what happened.

  “I came over to check on her,” Wendy explains. “I opened the garage door, and there she was. That’s when I dialed nine one one. It was horrible! I counsel people on abuse, death, and suicide, but I’ve never seen a dead body in person until today.”

  The officers see Jim pulling up, and Wendy says, “That’s Jim Baxter, the husband. He’s my client. Please, don’t let him see her like this…he won’t be able to handle it.”

  The officers stop Jim and deliver the death notification. They decide to question him separately from Wendy, to see if the stories align. Jim relays the same story, confirming everything Wendy has told them. After the officers are done with their questions, Wendy takes Jim back to her office while the scene is photographed and documented. She gives him tea to settle him, and they wait for the officers’ permission to go back to the house.

  When everything is completed, the officers stop by Wendy’s office. “We’re very sorry for your loss, Mr. Baxter. You can go home anytime you want now,” one of the officers says.

  Jim swallows hard, holding back tears. “Thank you for your kindness,” he says, and Wendy nods in agreement. Jim continues, “What’s next?”

  The same officer explains. “Well, after the autopsy and medical examiner’s investigation, you’ll be able to have a funeral home of your choice claim Gayle’s body so arrangements can be made for burial or cremation. If anything unusual develops, which we don’t expect, we’ll let you know. Otherwise, everything should be completed within forty-eight hours. Here, we made copies of some documentation for both of you,” he says, handing them the papers. “Also, here are some cards so that you can reach the investigating officers if you have any questions. Again, we’re very sorry for your loss, and thank you for your time.” They leave Wendy’s office.

  Jim sighs. “I’m going to stay in a hotel tonight. I’ll deal with going home tomorrow.”

  Wendy makes sure he has all her numbers and sends him on his way. “Don’t forget about our session tomorrow morning. I’ll see you then.”

  Wendy doesn’t sleep much that evening because of the exhilaration she experienced looking into Gayle’s eyes as she struggled to keep living. The panicked expression—once Gayle realized she was no longer in control of her own destiny, much less her ability to control someone else’s—was a better high than Wendy had expected. Wendy feels the euphoric satisfaction of righting so many wrongs with a simple motion of her toe. But it’s also with some regret Wendy accepts that those benefiting most from her acts of mercy will never know the true benevolence of her counseling services. With that troubling thought on her mind, she falls into a fitful sleep.

  The next morning, she walks into her office, grabs a cup of coffee, and briefs Mona on yesterday’s tragic event. Mona is shocked and concerned. “I’m not sure if this will be good for Jim, or not. I hope it is,” she says, and Wendy nods in agreement, then waits for Jim’s arrival at eleven o’clock to assess the damage.

  Jim arrives, and to Wendy’s surprise, he is well groomed and put together. She studies Jim’s face and quickly recognizes the strain of grief and despair in the bags under his eyes and the lines of his facial expressions. He is, Wendy decides, a broken man attempting to put on a good face for her and the rest of the world.

  It’s my job to help him now, she thinks and stands to hug him. “How are you feeling, Jim? Please, don’t put on a brave face for me. Be honest.”

  “I’m not sure how to answer that question. I’m devastated she would do such a thing, and I feel guilty because I wasn’t there to stop her, but on the other hand, I’m relieved in a way, because I don’t feel like she was just doing it to hurt me anymore. It’ll also be nice to not have to worry about losing my job. I’ll be able to get my billable hours back up and onto a partnership track again. Does that make me a horrible person?”

  “No, of course it doesn’t! Everything you just told me is a normal human reaction to tragedy, and if you don’t hear anything else I say during this session, listen to me now, because this is important. Gayle’s choice to take her life is not your fault. Your being there would not have changed a thing. She told you that you might get home too late, didn’t she?”

  “Yes, that’s what she said, but I didn’t believe she was serious.”
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  “That’s the problem with suicide. It usually catches everyone by surprise, and most of the time someone who threatens suicide is either crying out for help or attempting to manipulate someone else. In this case, both of us felt it was the latter. But ultimately, someone truly intent on committing suicide will do so, regardless of attempts to intervene. Gayle was obviously intent on dying because she was dead when I got there, within ten minutes of your call. There is no way you could have prevented this, and frankly, I’m glad I found her and not you.”

  Jim nods. “I’m glad for that, too. But I’m sorry you had to go through it.”

  “Well, it is a horrible thing to find, but it will be easier for me to let it go than it would have been for you,” Wendy replies.

  Jim considers that for a moment. “So now what? Where do I go from here?”

  “Well, first you have to get through the investigation and funeral arrangements, and then comes the grieving process. My best advice would be to focus on getting back on track at work. Then slowly life will begin to return to a normal order.”

  “What is a normal order? What does that even mean?”

  “Good question, and I’m not sure how to adequately answer it, other than to say that grief minimizes over time and eventually you become comfortable in your routine, even without your loved one.”

  “Well, duh. That wasn’t really informative.”

  “It’s better than saying normal is just a setting on a washing machine,” Wendy replies, smiling slightly.

  Jim lets out a dry laugh. “I’m not sure about that one.”

  “Really, there are no set answers here. Everyone is different, and you just have to go on living the best you can. You’ll always remember yesterday, but you need to focus on the good, not the bad.”

  “So life just continues like nothing happened?” Jim asks, incredulous.

  “Of course not. A very significant event in your life happened yesterday, but as far as the world goes, in just a few days, the ebb and flow of life will continue for your friends, coworkers, and family, and you’ll be forced to put the pieces of your life back together by yourself. For everyone else, yes, life really goes on as if nothing happened, because to them it didn’t. It’s tragic for you but not for them, and while some will hang in longer with you than others, until tragedy touches their lives they will never understand what you are going through. Don’t be afraid to seek help, from me or a counselor specializing in grief. “