by Lee Hanson
“Oh, my God, I think I met him. Is his name Avram? Dark hair and eyes, tall, kind of…brooding? “
“That’s him. He looks more like my father. I look like my mother.”
“He asked me to lunch…”
“Did you go?”
“No. I was too busy at the time,” said Julie. She stared at Marc. “I can’t believe you’re brothers.”
“Yeah, sometimes I can’t believe it, either.”
They sat for a moment, watching some teenage boys riding the breakers while the gulls swooped and squawked overhead.
“Not to get too personal, Marc, but who else knows you’re gay?”
“Well, my friends at school and some teachers, and …you’ll never guess who else, Jules.”
“A sister you didn’t tell me about?”
“No. I don’t have any other siblings. Give up?”
“Yes.”
“The Divine Dan!”
“Really…How did that happen?”
“He just asked me. He’s very straightforward, you know. Actually, I like him a lot. He’s a terrific guy. Too bad he isn’t gay.”
Just then Alan came back with their drinks, and Marc quickly changed the subject.
“So, Julie, did you enjoy the Pops Symphony and the fireworks?”
“Oh, yes…especially the fireworks…”
* * * * *
Chapter 13
September 18, 2007
Salem, Massachusetts
“Julie. Wake up, Julie.” said Joan.
“Hmm?” Dreaming, Julie tried to orient herself. It’s not Marc; he’s gone. It’s Joan.
“I’m sorry to wake you, hon. It’s late; you must have needed the sleep. There’s a phone call for you. It’s Joe Garrett. Here’s the phone. I’ll be downstairs.”
“Thanks, Joan,” said Julie, taking the phone and rubbing her eyes. “Joe?”
“Hi, Merlin. Sorry. Guess I’m waking you up. I got the number from Luz…you weren’t answering your cell…”
“Oh, that’s okay. Did you find out something else?”
“Yes, and no. Jake said the police still think it’s a suicide; there was no forced entry into the house. But there’s been some artful reporting in the local papers that you may not have seen up there. Jake said that if it became necessary, he’d represent David Harris.”
“David? That’s ridiculous! He loved Marc!”
“Julie. They found an empty syringe in Marc’s hand. Even though the police only found Marc’s prints on the needle, there’s a lot of speculation about David. Some have gone so far as to suggest a ‘mercy’ killing. And of course, they’ve checked the Key West public records about the house. The fact that David has survivorship rights to a mortgage-free, waterfront home worth $2 million…well, that’s definitely more grist for the rumor mill.”
Julie was wide-awake now.
“That’s crazy. David already owned half the house. None of this makes sense, Joe. Marc just didn’t seem that sick to me. Not for any of these stupid scenarios.”
“I know. It’s only sensationalism, Julie. Key West is a small place; the local media are trying to hang on to the spotlight. Jake and I thought you should know, in case the story heats up beyond Florida. And we thought you might see your friend at the funeral…”
Of course. Poor David, thought Julie.
“You’re right, Joe. I haven’t talked to David yet. Frankly, what you’ve just told me, what they’ve suggested, that was the furthest thing from my mind. I can’t imagine what David must be feeling. Especially if he knows about this.”
“Yes. Well, that was one of the reasons I called. How are you doing?”
“I’m doing okay, I guess. Thanks for asking. We met up here, Marc and I. Being here is bringing back a lot of memories.”
“Well, concentrate on the good things.”
I’m trying to, thought Julie.
“Listen, Merlin. You’ve got my cell number. Call me if you need me, all right?”
“Okay, Joe. Thanks. I will.”
They hung up, and Julie sat there for a while, thinking about that. No. There are other investigators…maybe in the Keys.
Shaking her head with resolve, she got up and pulled on her jeans and a sweatshirt. She twisted her hair up into a ponytail, brushed her teeth and headed downstairs. Joan was by herself in the kitchen, loading the dishwasher. It was a cozy room, filled with sunshine and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and bacon.
“Hey, sleepyhead, welcome up! Want some breakfast?”
“Maybe some coffee and toast? Guess I missed everyone this morning.”
“Yep. Pete’s gone to work, and the boys have gone to school. But that’s good. We can catch up on old times.”
“Joannie, speaking of that,” said Julie, sliding into the breakfast nook, “it’s been a long time since I’ve been up here. I thought I’d go for a drive later. Would you mind if I met you and Pete at the wake?”
“Of course not.”
“Good. Thanks,” said Julie, accepting the coffee Joan set in front of her.
“So, how do you like being a stay-at-home Mom? Do you miss work?”
“Not at all. I haven’t worked since Pete got transferred. Frankly, I was glad to get out of there, you know? I just hated working for Avram Solomon when he took over our payroll department.”
“Why?”
“Well, we’d expanded to two dealerships at the time. There’s three now, of course. But there’s only one central payroll department, Julie. It’s still at our old place, you know? So, for one thing, my workload had doubled. And you know Milton Solomon! He doesn’t like to spend ‘unnecessary’ money, so of course they didn’t enlarge our space, or hire extra help. So I was really overwhelmed, you know?
“And then Avram, well, he thinks he’s always right, you know? Well, get this… on more than one occasion, we actually had paychecks bouncing! Can you believe that? With all the money the Solomons have?”
“How could that happen?”
“Well, it was just a matter of them, you know, putting a reserve into the payroll account. But, no, every month we’d have just enough. So if there were an error, even a small one, the checks would bounce, you know? Can you imagine how embarrassing it was for me, as payroll manager? People like Bill and Red that have been there for years, you know, friends of ours, coming in to tell me their checks bounced? Of course, we honored them right away. But, there was just no need for it, you know?”
“Did you talk to Avram about the reserve?”
“Yes, and you know what he said? He said it was ‘none of my business’ how they handled their money; that my job was, you know, ‘just to cut the checks”! He did apologize the next day, but it was humiliating, you know? Anyway, Pete got promoted to GM of the Lynn store right after that, and we moved here to Salem. I wasn’t going to commute all the way from the North Shore to Boston…especially to work for Avram.”
“Marc never got along with Avram,” Any idea why?” asked Julie.
“No, I don’t. But it sure didn’t help for Miriam Solomon to leave everything to Marc and put Avram in charge of it, you know?”
* * * * *
Chapter 14
The crisp chill of fall in Massachusetts was bracing, a nice change from the long Florida summer. It was good, though, Julie thought, that she had chosen to wear her dark brown pantsuit and turtleneck, rather than the black dress she’d brought specifically for the occasion.
The park was filled with colorful elms and maples, accented by paper-white birch trees. Some of the dried leaves had already fallen to the ground, and they crunched beneath her boots as she walked along the single-lane road. She knew the pond was just around the curve up ahead.
The wooden bench was still there, in the clearing overlooking the water. Some Canadian geese swam in a V-formation on the pond, sending ripples across the surface.
Julie sat down on the bench.
Now what?
Memories came flooding back.
They were unstoppable, like her tears.
* * * * *
Chapter 15
July 11, 1992
Boston, Massachusetts
Dan slid the ring on Julie’s finger.
“I, Daniel Patrick O’Hara, take this woman, Julia Danes, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”
He turned his head toward Julie then, and it was her turn.
Julie’s eyes never left Dan’s face as she made her vow.
“I, Julia Danes, take this man, Daniel Patrick O’Hara, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”
They held hands tightly.
“In the eyes of God, and before this congregation,” intoned the minister, “with the power invested in me by the state of Massachusetts, I now pronounce you, Daniel and Julia O’Hara, man and wife.”
The bride and groom kissed for longer than they should have, while the little church exploded with clapping and cheers.
•
They had already bought a home and a sunset reception was held there. A dance floor was set up in the center of the rear lawn while a live trio played on the deck attached to the house. Patio tables with floral centerpieces surrounded the pool, and candles in lily pads floated on the surface of the water.
Julie’s parents were there and they seemed genuinely happy and proud. To her relief, they didn’t over-indulge. Dan’s Dad, a tenor, sang at every available opportunity, and Julie was forced to admit to herself– with not a little guilt about her own mother - that she simply adored her new Irish mother-in-law.
The rest of Dan’s extended clan attended as well: grandparents, in-laws, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews. It was a bit overwhelming for Julie, coming from a family of three, but she was sure she’d get them all sorted out…sooner or later.
The real treat was when Julie saw her friends from Solomon Chrysler…Milt and Miriam Solomon with Avram and Marc, Laura Bennett, Annie Tiegs, Joannie DeAngeles and Pete Soldano.
“You look beautiful, Julie,” said Pete. “We miss you at the store.”
“Oh, I miss you guys, too. But I’m really enjoying school; Dan was right about that.”
“I went to Boston College, Julie,” said Joan. “It’s a huge campus. Do you like it?”
“I do. I’m certainly getting plenty of exercise walking from class to class. “
“What’s your major?”
“Psychology. I’m not sure what I want to do with it, yet. Right now, I mostly use it to figure out Dan,” she said with a laugh.
“Oh, yeah, right,” said Dan. “She had my number the day she met me!”
Julie was glad they had a few days to recover before flying to the Caribbean. Still, she was excitedly looking forward to their honeymoon.
Castle Cay, their destination, was an outer island in the Abacos chain, a group of cays - or “keys”, as Marc pronounced it - in the Northeast Bahamas. The island was privately owned by the Solomon family, who had made the whole trip a fabulous wedding gift.
Marc had raved about Castle Cay:
“You’ll love it, Julie. It’s so beautiful! It’s wild and rugged on the Atlantic side and so lush and different where our house is, on the Caribbean side. That’s where our caretaker’s farm is, too. The water’s not deep at all there and it’s as clear as your swimming pool.
“And it’s completely private,” Marc added, winking. “There couldn’t be a better place for a honeymoon!”
* * * * *
Chapter 16
Julie and Dan flew from Boston to Miami, where they changed planes for Treasure Cay in the Abacos. It was just a short flight from Miami; it seemed that they no sooner had gotten on the small plane, than they were getting off. The passengers descended an open staircase, swept by the warm Bahama breeze.
“Oh, Dan, look! Look at the palms!”
The tall trees swayed gracefully, swishing in the gentle trade winds like exotic dancers, filling Julie with wonder.
“Boy, it sure is warm,” said Dan. “It reminds me of Hawaii, only flatter.”
“It’ll be cooler on the water, honey,” said Julie. “Marc said to take a taxi to the Ferry dock.”
They still had quite a way to go to get to Castle Cay. First, they had to board the ferry to Green Turtle Cay, where they were to meet John Drum, the Solomon’s caretaker. Mr. Drum would be aboard the Solomons’ boat, Wave Dancer, which would take them to the island.
Once aboard the ferry, Dan became as excited as Julie. He’d brought his camera and was snapping pictures, one after the other. “This is great! What an adventure, huh?”
“Yes. I can’t wait to see the island!’
They had no trouble finding the Solomon’s slip at Green Turtle Cay. Wave Dancer was an impressive craft in pristine condition. It was obvious from the equipment on board that the beautiful boat was mostly used for fishing. There was a short, dark haired man on the deck. He had a wiry look about him and a ruddy, weathered face.
“Hello! Are you John Drum?” said Dan.
“Yessir,” the man said, smiling. “You must be Mr. and Mrs. O’Hara?”
“Yes, we are.” Dan said, as they climbed aboard. “Please, call us Dan and Julie. Thank you for meeting us! Should we call you John?”
“Yessir. That’ll be fine, sir…ma’am”.
Although he seemed quite friendly, he was plainly uncomfortable calling them “Dan” and “Julie”. Just then, a dark-haired teenage boy climbed onto the boat with his arms full of groceries.
“This here’s my boy, Alfred.”
“Hi,” Julie said. “I’m Mrs. O’Hara…or Julie, if you like. This is my husband, Dan. Do we call you Alfred, or Al?”
“Al’s fine, ma’am.”
John Drum stowed their bags, and directed them to some blue padded seats in the rear of the boat. “There’s a cooler right there, if you want a coke. My missus made some sandwiches; thought you might be hungry. Takes about 45 minutes to get to Castle Cay. The sea’s calm today, so I figured you might want to sit back here…but go ahead inside, if you want. Call Alfred if you need anything. I’ll be topside, and I might not hear you. Welcome aboard, and enjoy the trip!”
* * * * *
Chapter 17
As Julie and Dan approached the western shore of Castle Cay, the first thing they noticed was a high ridge of limestone rock that bisected the island from north to south like a spine. They could see a small wooden building on the beach facing them, and a long dock reaching out, welcoming Wave Dancer.
There was a road behind the little building that went to the left, and disappeared from sight. To the right, the road led to a large house. It sat back into the lush greenery, about halfway up the hill, nestled right up against the ridge. Directly in front of the house, down the hillside, was the prettiest beach Julie had ever seen, ringed all around with coconut palms.
John Drum explained to them that his farm was at the other end of the road around to the left. He also said that the two houses had their own large generators for electricity, and that each had fresh running water.
“We have a jeep, if you want to use it, but this here’s the only road, and it don’t go far…just between the houses,” he said. “There’s paths going around and up over the ridge to the other side of the island. We got three horses, and that’s how we usually get around. You’re welcome to borrow ‘em.”
Once the boat was secured, they piled into the jeep and John drove them to the ridge house. After unloading their luggage and groceries, he headed for the door.
“Well, I’ll leave you to your unpacking. We’d sure like to have you over to dinner tomorrow night…if you’d like to come? “
“Oh, we’d love to!” Julie said, catching Dan’s eye.
“Good enough, then. I’ll be by to pick you up at six o’clock. Good night.”
They wandered around
, from one room to the next. The house appeared to be constructed of heavy wood, save for the stone fireplace in the living room. The floors were a darker type of wood, covered with large, tightly woven mats. Big, colorful cushions graced oversized rattan furniture. Ceiling fans hung from a high roof, which rose on solid beams to a point in the center of the house. Outside, the roof extended well beyond the house in the front and on the sides, and covered a wide veranda.
They stood there, overlooking the beach, gazing out to the sea.
“Julie, this is so beautiful. I don’t think I’m going to want to leave.”
“Me, either,” said Julie, putting her arms around his neck, reaching up into his dark, curly hair. She kissed him, and said, “Let’s go try out the bedroom.”
The master bedroom was to the right of the living room on the corner of the house. It was a large room with triple sliding-glass doors on both sides opening onto the veranda. On the inside of the doors were white louvered panels, folded all the way to the sides, accordion-style. A telescope on a tripod stood positioned to watch the panorama of sea and sky.
They slid back the glass doors all the way to let in the balmy trade winds, and flopped on the big white bed. Despite their best intentions, in minutes they were sound asleep, lulled by the whoosh, whoosh, of the sea.
* * * * *
Chapter 18
The morning sky was just beginning to lighten when Dan woke up. He thought he should probably slip out of bed and go make coffee. He looked over at Julie, sleeping soundly, still wearing her shorts and tee shirt. Her thick brown hair, coppery from the summer sun, fanned out across the pillow on the left, her right hand resting, palm-up on the pillow over her head.
She looked so open and vulnerable. Dan was becoming aroused, but he knew that if he attempted to pull off her shorts, he’d wake her up. He wanted to make love to her while she slept, to wake her that way. His near continuous desire for his new wife amazed him, and he was no sexual novice! That Julie was a virgin that first night in the boathouse was an important component of it, he knew. Dan had been with many women, but he had never experienced this sense of possession. Julie wasn’t merely married to him…she was his. She belonged to Dan alone, now and forever.