Beach Reads Boxed Set

by Marie Force

“This is Tom Houlihan. May I speak to Michael please?

  “He went to the hospital.”

  “Damn it! I told him to stay home.”

  “He’s very upset. He felt like he needed to do something.”

  “All right.”

  “Mr. Houlihan?” Juliana swallowed hard. “Is she suffering?”

  “She’s been vomiting for the last hour, but she seems to be doing better now. They got her to the hospital before any permanent damage was done.”

  “Oh, thank God.”

  “I’ll call Michael’s cell,” he said. “Thank you.”

  Juliana dragged herself out of bed and into the shower. She tugged on sweats and a T-shirt and went downstairs to make coffee. The story was all over the TV news. Reporters and legal analysts predicted Michael would request a continuance of the trial until he figured out how to proceed with his star witness in the hospital.

  “Luckily,” one talking head said, “the jury was sequestered earlier in the week, so they won’t hear about this.”

  “Will the defense move for a mistrial anyway?”

  “I think they’ll try, but Judge Stein is tough. If he can find any way to finish this trial he will.”

  “Will the jury be told of the attack on the witness?” the anchor asked the legal expert.

  “Since it would color the current proceedings—unfavorably for the defense—the jury won’t hear about today’s events until after they’ve reached a verdict.”

  “To recap,” the anchor said, “the star witness for the prosecution in the Benedetti murder trial was poisoned in an Annapolis hotel room where she was being held in protective custody. A Baltimore police officer is in critical condition from what police believe was arsenic poisoning. The fifteen-year-old city girl is the lone witness to the shootings of three Baltimore teenagers last year. She was due to testify this morning in Baltimore City Circuit Court. The girl and three members of her police detail, sickened by a poisonous substance, were discovered by the girl’s mother just before six o’clock this morning. Two of the officers were treated and released. Chief of Police Dennis Noonan and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Tom Houlihan will hold a joint press conference within the hour. We’ll bring it to you live.”

  Juliana muted the television and called the salon. Apologizing for all the rescheduling the administrative staff would have to do on her behalf, she explained to one of the owners that she’d had a personal emergency and needed some time off. Since Juliana rarely asked for anything, her boss granted the unusual request.

  “Take as much time as you need, Juliana. I hope everything’s okay.”

  “Thank you.”

  Next she called Mrs. Romanello to assure her that she was safe despite this latest development in the trial.

  “Did you know this girl? The one who was poisoned?”

  “Yes,” Juliana whispered. “She’s adorable, the most wonderful kid. Michael and I love her very much.”

  “I’m so sorry. What a terrible thing. You know you both can come here if you need to, right?”

  “Thank you. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

  “Be safe, hon.”

  Juliana put the phone down and tuned into the press conference. Michael and Tom stood behind Chief Noonan, their faces grim with fatigue and anger.

  “This morning the entire city of Baltimore is praying for a decorated police officer and a fifteen-year-old girl who were attacked while in service to this city.” Chief Noonan paid glowing tribute to the career of the injured police officer. His photo was shown as the chief talked about him.

  Juliana gasped when she recognized Scott Brown, the officer who had laughed at Michael’s haircut.

  The chief paused for a moment to collect himself. “I know there will be a quick rush to judgment in this case, but I urge everyone to let the detectives do their jobs. We’ll find the person or persons who perpetrated this crime and we’ll bring them to justice. I’ll let Mr. Houlihan give his statement, and then we’ll take a few questions.”

  Tom stepped to the microphone. “The witness to the shootings is a brave, spirited, intelligent girl with an amazing zest for life. Every one of us who has worked with her has been forever touched by her amazing courage under the most trying of circumstances. We know that courage and determination will get her through this crisis as well. The hearts and prayers of everyone in my office are with her and her family this morning.”

  “Can you give us her name?” a reporter shouted.

  “In an effort to protect her and her family from further recrimination, we’ll be maintaining her anonymity,” Tom replied.

  Juliana’s heart broke as she watched Michael look down in a failed attempt to hide his anguish.

  “We will not rest until justice is served on behalf of these victims.”

  Reporters began shouting out questions the moment Tom stepped back from the microphone.

  “Chief, how do you know it was arsenic?”

  “A variety of common symptoms.”

  “Can you be more specific?”

  “No.”

  “What’s the theory on how the poison was delivered to the victims?”

  “We’re checking the room service and take-out delivery logs to see what they ate, when it was delivered, and by whom. We had video cameras in the hallway and the hotel rooms. Those tapes are currently being reviewed.”

  “What hospital is the witness in?”

  “No comment.”

  “Do you have any word on her condition?”

  “Her injuries are not considered life threatening.”

  “Do you believe the Benedettis are responsible for this attack?”

  “No comment.”

  “Mr. Houlihan, what’re the odds of a mistrial?”

  “We don’t believe there will be a mistrial, but that’ll be up to Judge Stein after he’s heard arguments from both sides.”

  “Mr. Maguire, can you comment on your ability to secure a conviction without the witness’s testimony?”

  Tom gestured for Michael to take the question. Michael cleared his throat. “I’m hopeful she’ll make a full recovery and be able to testify. We’ll request a continuance until she’s recovered.”

  “How well do you know the witness, Mr. Maguire?”

  “Very well,” Michael said softly. The room quieted while the reporters waited for him to go on.

  Juliana swiped at tears as she watched him struggle to find the words he needed to pay tribute to his young friend.

  “She’s a terrific kid. Like Tom said, all of us who’ve worked with her have grown to care for her very much.”

  “That’s all for now,” Chief Noonan said. “We’ll keep you informed of any developments.”

  The news cut away from the press conference for more in-studio analysis, but Juliana had heard enough. She turned off the television, put down her coffee cup, and curled up on the sofa, thinking of Rachelle and her Queen Bee T-shirt, her love of fashion, the way her face had lit up when Juliana cut her hair, the story she had told about the night that changed her life forever, her adorable crush on Michael, and her haunting last words to Juliana. “I think you belong with Michael,” she had said before saying good-bye. Not her usual “be cool” or “lata, gata.” No, she’d said good-bye, as if she had somehow known that something might happen.

  The house phone rang, and Juliana got up to answer it.

  “Hello?”

  Silence.

  “Hello?”

  “Your boyfriend’s next, Juliana,” the caller said in a raspy voice.

  The phone went dead.

  Juliana screamed and dropped the phone. She ran for the door, and with shaking fingers she punched in the code to deactivate the alarm. In light of the day’s events, her police detail had moved from across the street to the sidewalk outside the front door.

  “Juliana, what is it?”

  In a halting voice, Juliana told them about the call. She pleaded with them to find Michael and warn him of the threat. On
e of the officers reached for his shoulder microphone to report it.

  “You’ll tell Michael’s detail?” she asked the officer who escorted her back inside.

  “Yes, my partner’s taking care of it.”

  “He knew my name,” Juliana whimpered. “They know my name.” She jolted when the phone rang again.

  The police officer answered it. “Hello? Yes, she’s right here.” He handed the phone to Juliana. “It’s Mr. Maguire.”

  “Juliana,” he said, sounding panic-stricken, “tell me exactly what he said.”

  “He said, ‘Your boyfriend’s next, Juliana.’ He knew my name, Michael.”

  “I know, baby. I’ll be home in a few minutes.”

  “Be careful.” Tears fell from eyes already swollen from crying. “Please be careful.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Michael rushed through the door twenty minutes later.

  Juliana was so relieved to see him that she burst into tears as he wrapped his arms around her.

  The police officer who had waited with her returned to his post outside, closing the front door behind him.

  “Okay, baby.” Michael smoothed a hand over her hair. “It’s okay.”

  “They’re going to kill you, Michael!” Juliana knew she sounded hysterical but didn’t care.

  “Killing me won’t stop the trial. They know that.”

  She wiped her face. “What about the call? What he said?”

  “They’re just trying to scare me. And you.”

  “It worked.”

  The doorbell rang.

  Michael went to answer it. “Tom? What are you doing here?” He stepped aside to let his boss in.

  “Hi there.” Tom extended his hand to Juliana. “Tom Houlihan. Nice to meet you.”

  “Juliana Gregorio.”

  Tom cast an admiring eye around the room. “Nice place.”

  “You have time for social calls today, Tom?”

  Tom put his hands in his pockets, his shoulders stooping as he turned to Michael. “I want to get you out of here for a while.”

  “I’m in the middle of a trial. I’m not going anywhere until those bastards are convicted.”

  “I’m not asking you.”

  Michael stared at his boss. “You’re ordering me out of town?”

  “Either you leave for a week, maybe two, or you’re off the case.”

  “You can’t do this!”

  “Yes, I can. Maybe you don’t care about your own safety, but what about hers?” He nodded at Juliana. “They have her name, Michael. Are you really willing to risk her just to prove a point?”

  Michael sagged as the fight went out of him. “Of course not.”

  Tom put a hand on Michael’s shoulder. “The trial is in recess for now while we sort all this out and until Rachelle gets out of the hospital. Your detail will be taking you both to my house at Dewey Beach tonight.”

  “I want to go to the hospital,” Michael said. “I need to see her… And her mother.”

  “I’ll get you over there this afternoon.”

  “They followed us to Newport. What’s to stop them from following us to Delaware?”

  “That’s why you’re going in the middle of the night.”

  “And when the trial resumes?”

  “I’ll bring you back. This is nonnegotiable, Michael.”

  Juliana watched them lock eyes in a ferocious battle of wills.

  Michael finally looked away. “Fine. We’ll go. But I’m coming back the minute the trial starts up again. No one else is arguing this case, Tom. It’s my case. Do you hear me?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you’ll keep me informed of every development?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Michael glanced at Juliana. “I guess we’re going to the beach,” he said, but she could tell he was still fuming at being exiled.

  After Tom left, Juliana told Michael she needed to get a few things from the Collington Street house. The weather had taken a chilly turn in the last week, and she needed a winter coat and some warmer clothes if they were going to the beach. He insisted on accompanying her and her detail for the short ride around the block.

  Michael followed her as she unlocked the door and deactivated the alarm. She tossed the mail, including Jeremy’s letters, into her purse.

  “Have a seat. I’ll be just a minute.” She dashed upstairs and tried to be quick, knowing the last thing Michael needed today was to be in the home she had shared with Jeremy any longer than he had to be.

  A few minutes later she went downstairs and found him holding a framed photo of her and Jeremy taken on a cruise several years earlier. Michael studied the picture with such intensity he didn’t hear her approach him.

  “Michael?”

  He seemed almost surprised to see her as he returned the photo to the shelf next to the TV. “Ready?”

  She dropped her bag and went over to put her arms around him.

  He went rigid with resistance.

  “Please don’t check out on me, Michael. I need you.”

  His arms encircled her, but his embrace lacked its usual warmth. “I don’t have a lot to give right now.”

  “We’re going to get through this together.”

  “How much more do you think we can go through before there’s nothing left of us?”

  Startled, she pulled back to look at him. “What do you mean?”

  “It just seems like the deck’s been stacked against us from the very beginning.” Gesturing to the photo, he said, “Look at you with him. Anyone could see how much you love him. Paige might be pregnant, Rachelle’s sick… Maybe we just weren’t meant to be.”

  Juliana crossed her arms. “So you’re giving up? Five days ago you asked me to marry you. Now you’re saying we weren’t meant to be? Which is it?”

  He fixated on the photo. “I don’t know how to compete with that, Juliana. I have two months. He’s had ten years.”

  Juliana knew his despondency over what happened to Rachelle was fueling his despair over their relationship. Placing both hands on his face, she drew him down to her and kissed him with all the love and dismay she shared with him.

  He whimpered and tried to pull away, but she wouldn’t let him.

  When he gave up resisting, he hauled her tight against him and poured himself into the kiss.

  “I’m right here with you, Michael,” she said, kissing his face and then his lips again. “We’re going to get through this together. I promise.”

  Later that afternoon an unmarked police car took them to the hospital where Rachelle’s extended family had gathered. Apparently, the media had figured out where she was being treated so Michael and Juliana kept their sunglasses on to hide their red eyes from the cameras.

  In the parking lot, several TV reporters went into standup mode in front of cameras when they realized who was paying the family a visit.

  Rachelle’s cousin greeted them in the waiting room. “I’ll let Monique and Curtis know you’re here.”

  When Rachelle’s parents came into the room a few minutes later, Juliana was surprised to discover that Rachelle’s father was white.

  Monique’s pretty face was ravaged with fear and rage, which was directed at Michael.

  “You gave me your word,” Monique said in a barely audible whisper. “You gave me your word that she’d be safe.”

  Michael’s shoulders drooped. “I’m so terribly sorry. I don’t know what to say…” He shook his head when words failed him.

  Juliana introduced herself to Curtis. “How’s Rachelle?”

  “She’s been horribly sick, but thankfully they don’t think any organs were damaged,” he said. “They’re keeping her for a few days to monitor her. And she’s freaking out that they actually tried to kill her.”

  “I’m going to do everything I can to make sure whoever did this doesn’t get away with it,” Michael said.

  “So you catch them, what difference wi
ll that make to us, Michael?” Monique asked, swiping furiously at tears. “Can you tell me that? They’re in jail, and they still managed to do this. She’s always going to be afraid now.”

  “It might matter to her to know they can’t do this to anyone else.”

  “Whatever,” Monique snorted. With one last frosty glance at Michael, she turned and left the room.

  “I’m sorry,” Curtis said. “She doesn’t really blame you, Michael. You know that.”

  “She has every right to blame me. I promised her that her daughter would be safe, and she ended up poisoned.”

  “Do you think we could see her?” Juliana asked, contending with the huge knot of anxiety that had settled in her chest. “Just for a minute?”

  “Of course,” Curtis said, gesturing for them to follow him.

  Clutching Michael’s hand, Juliana forced her legs forward down a long corridor lined with cops in the intensive care unit.

  In the room, she gasped at the sight of Rachelle’s petite body hooked to beeping machines.

  As they approached the bed, Rachelle opened her eyes. “Hey,” she said softly.

  “How’re you feeling?” Juliana asked.

  “Like I’ve puked my guts up.”

  “I’m so sorry, Rachelle,” Michael said.

  “I can’t testify, Michael.” Her eyes flooded with tears. “I won’t.”

  “Let’s see how you feel about it when you get out of here,” he said.

  Tears spilled down her cheeks. “I can’t.”

  From behind them, Monique said, “We’re taking her to St. Louis as soon as the doctors give the okay.”

  “I understand,” Michael said. “I’ll make the arrangements to get you out of here when you’re released.”

  “I’m so sorry, Michael,” Rachelle said between sobs. “I know I’m letting you down, but I can’t take any more of this. They tried to kill me.”

  Michael reached for the girl’s hand. “You did great. I’m so proud of you, and don’t worry, I’ll find a way to get them without you. You need to focus on getting better. That’s all that matters.”

  Michael and Juliana visited with Rachelle until her eyes fluttered closed. They took turns kissing her forehead before stepping into the hallway.