Seth (The Casella Cousins Book 2)

by Kathryn Shay

  “One day, Beatrice was staying at her Grandma’s house and made friends with the creatures around her. Oh, she thinks, here comes one.”

  The flute played a light high-pitched sound. “Now, think about what animal that might be.” After a bit, the narrator filled in the answer. “Right, the bird.”

  Julianne wrote on the white board, “Flute—Bird.”

  “Next is this creature.” The oboe played a nasal sound. “Right again, the duck.”

  She went through each animal, the cat as the clarinet, the bear the French horns, grandma as the bassoon, the hunters as the drums and last of all, the strings as Beatrice.

  Julianne had written the comparison of animal to instrument on the board. She smiled at the kids and passed out a paper with the information on the board. Next to each was room for notes. “I’m going to play the introduction again. And you’re to write down what emotions you feel when you listen to each animal sound.”

  She replayed the birds and stopped.

  Some kids wrote notes, others didn’t. Junita raised her hand. She was a chunky little girl with a fierce frown and glorious smile. “The music’s fluttery.”

  “Like birds flutter. Do they make you feel sad or happy?”

  “Happy.”

  “Excellent, Junita. For those of you who didn’t get that, which is okay, write it down now on your papers.”

  When they finished, she replayed the section with the duck as the oboe. After they had time to write, Perry’s hand shot up. “I can see the duck moving around on the lake.”

  “Yes, Perry, we can see it glide on the water. Is it scary?”

  “No. It makes me feel calm.”

  “Go ahead and fill in what you didn’t get.” This time, only two kids hadn’t recorded something.

  “This one’s for you Darcy.” The French horns blared the bear sound. “Why did the composer choose those instruments for the bear?”

  Darcy was the sweetest girl in the room. Her hair today was in braids. Someone took good care of her. “Because they’re loud, they make me want to step back, they can be scary.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Like a bear would,” Darcy said, smiling because she knew she got it.

  After more notetaking and discussing the clarinet, the bassoon and the drums, Julianne said, “Now look down at your notes.”

  All of them followed directions.

  “You’re probably wondering how this helps you. Do you ever hear people talk about what music makes them feel?”

  Mackenzie’s hand shot up. The little girl was dressed in drab clothing and scuffed shoes. “My sister’s fourteen. She says some songs make her feel hot for her boyfriend.”

  Julianne held back laughter. Be careful what you ask for. “Do you know what that means?”

  “She likes him?”

  “Partly. I think it also means she likes to be close to him physically.”

  Xavier jumped in here. His tight curls made him look young, though she knew he was two years older than the rest of the kids. “My brother locks lips with his girlfriend all the time. Yuck!”

  “Maybe you’ll feel differently about locking lips when you’re his age.”

  The boy rolled his eyes and the rest of them giggled.

  “Now, the point we’re trying to make is that music affects our moods. It changes things inside us. So, whenever you feel, say, anger, you could listen to soothing music.

  “But we’ll take it a step further. This time, I’m going to play sections of some different music and you can write down what they make you feel.”

  At the end of class, Julianne was satisfied with what the kids learned today. They seemed to like listening to Clair de Lune, the William Tell Overture, and a lullaby. Better yet, they were able to express some of what they felt. On the way out, Mackenzie spoke to her directly for the first time. “That was fun today, Ms. Ford.”

  “I’m so happy to hear that.”

  The girl skipped out of the room. They’d said the strings sounded happy, so maybe Mackenzie was happier now than when she came in. Julianne couldn’t ask for anything more than that.

  * * *

  Today, as he walked into Legal Aid, Seth thought about what Julianne looked like this morning after sex, her face flushed, her eyes gleaming. I love you, she’d said. I’ve always loved you.

  That gave him the strength to do what he had to do today. He brought lattes in for his early morning meeting with Ellen and found her seated in her office at the small conference table. “I think you like latte, right?” He handed her the coffee and she sipped the strong brew.

  “Absolutely. Thanks for thinking of me.”

  He sat, they chatted a bit about his birthday weekend, beginning with the staff having a small celebration for him on Friday. “So, you want to talk about the Cordello case?”

  “No, I’ll update you later about that. I have something personal to talk to you about first.”

  “About the injuries you suffered?”

  “No. I’m not even having dreams about the incident anymore.”

  “Oh. Then what is it?”

  “I want to talk to you about finding a therapist.”

  “For who?”

  “For me.”

  “You said you—”

  “It doesn’t concern Malone and my injuries. It concerns my love life.”

  Ellen’s brows skyrocketed, then her eyes narrowed. “Julianne?”

  The people at work had met her and knew she was his on-again-off-again girlfriend. “Yes. We’re back together. This time, I want it to be forever.”

  “So, you want a couples’ counselor?”

  “No, Ellen, one just for me. I’m the reason we haven’t been able to stay together. I want to change that.”

  She shook her head. “You know, I always knew you were special. But to hear a man admit he needs help, well, it’s refreshing. You’re refreshing.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Do you want a man or woman?”

  “A woman, I think.”

  “Young or old?”

  “Older than me. Maybe forties. Fifties”

  “Let me call up our referral lists.”

  He nudged his chair closer in front of her laptop and she scrolled through the type of counseling each one practiced. Afterward, Seth said, “I think Christina Bell. I’ve worked with her too.” He sighed. “She’ll be busy.”

  “She might do this for me, though. We see each other socially with our husbands.”

  “I hate to take anyone else’s spot.”

  “She’ll fit you in. I’ll call her right after our morning meeting.” She glanced at the clock. “Which starts in five minutes.”

  He stood. “Sure, I’ll go so you can review your notes.”

  “Before you leave, know that courage doesn’t happen when you have all the answers. It happens when you’re ready to face the questions you’ve been avoiding all your life.”

  “Wow, where’d you get that?”

  “It’s one of my favorite quotes. By Shannon Adler.”

  “Huh. Well, now it’s mine.”

  Seth left his boss, feeling better than he thought he would. He’d taken the first step toward figuring out why he’d been such a shit to Julianne. And to help him never do it again.

  * * *

  Julianne gazed at Seth across the candlelit table in the corner of The Hidden Cove Inn. His face was relaxed, his hair a bit tousled and his smile broad.

  “I’m so glad we came out for dinner,” she told him. “We have a lot to celebrate.”

  “More than you know.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I found a counselor today.” Seth’s expression was chagrinned. “I have an appointment next Sunday.”

  “Oh Seth. I’m so glad. And don’t be worried. It’s for the best.” She was thoughtful. “It’s on Sunday? Therapists don’t usually work on weekends.”

  “I confessed to Ellen that I needed her input into getting counseling for personal rea
sons. I didn’t tell her what, though.”

  “She called in a favor?”

  “Yep. But the woman, Christina Bell, can start seeing me on a weekday after that because she’s finishing up with a patient.”

  Reaching over, she took his hand. “I love you, Seth, for doing this.”

  He squeezed her fingers. “Let’s toast.” He lifted his beer. “To us.”

  She clinked his glass with her Chardonnay. “To us.”

  “Julianne? What the hell are you doing?”

  Both she and Seth startled at the man who’d come up to their table. Jason Zyzeri. Her heart leapt in her chest at his appearance and she couldn’t speak.

  Seth threw back his chair and stood. His expression was concern bordering on anger. “Who are you to approach us and yell like that?”

  “I’m Julianne’s boyfriend.”

  Seth recoiled. To his credit, he didn’t ask her if this was true. “Like hell you are.”

  “We’ve been dating. And this is our place.” Jason faced her. His eyes were…wild. “I’ve been trying to get in touch with you.”

  “You can stop calling her, too.” Seth kept his voice low, but now it was menacing. “She and I got back together.”

  Jason locked his gaze on her. “Tell me it’s not true, Julianne.”

  “It is.”

  “It can’t be. Tell him you love me. RIGHT NOW.” His shout attracted the attention of the other patrons. Two men stood and walked over to the table and a woman approached them from the front of the restaurant.

  “Sir, lower your voice.”

  “No, I will not!”

  “I’m the manager here, and I’d like you to leave the Inn, please.”

  “Like hell.”

  From behind, they heard, “Do as the lady said, buddy. Now!”

  “Who are you?” Jason asked.

  “We’re part of the fire department. Just here having dinner. And you’re disturbing us.”

  The manager said, “Thank you, Mitch.” Her voice was strong but Julianne could tell by her face she was upset. “We need him to leave.”

  “I’m not—”

  Each guy took an arm and practically dragged Jason toward the door from the Inn, which was closest to them. He blustered and kicked and swore until he disappeared. The manager followed them.

  Seth and Julianne watched open-mouthed.

  The firefighters came back in. “Thank you so much.” She held out her hand. “I’m Julianne Ford.”

  “Mitch Malvaso.”

  “Zach. His brother.” He transferred his gaze to Seth. “Hey, Seth.”

  “Hi. Thank you for helping.” To Julianne he said, “These are friends of Rafe’s.”

  “What did you do with him?” Julianne asked.

  “The Inn has security. We handed him over. I’d guess the restaurant and bar need a bouncer of their own.”

  The manager returned. “The hotel guards escorted the man out of the restaurant and made sure he drove away. I’d like to pay for dinner for all four of you.”

  “No need,” Mitch told her. The Malvaso brothers went back to their table.

  “Do you want to stay and eat or leave?” Seth asked her.

  “Leave.”

  “Me, too.” To the woman he said, “Maybe next time. We’ll pick up some food on the way home.”

  He took her hand and led her to a front entrance of the room on the far wall, not used much because it would distract diners. Once in their car, Seth turned to her. “Who was that, honey?”

  “A guy I dated once.”

  “Only once?”

  “Yes, he’s been sending me texts and voicemails for another date. I finally blocked him.

  “One date. That’s all? And he got so mad?”

  Again, Julianne’s pulse sped up and her mouth went dry.

  “Where did you meet him?”

  Shaking her head, she clamped her hands in her lap. “I don’t want to talk about this now.”

  “Jules, I bared my soul to you, my worst flaws. Why can’t you tell me this?”

  “Because I’m embarrassed!”

  His brows rose. “With me? We’re never embarrassed about anything.”

  A heavy sigh escaped her mouth. “I’ve been using online dating sites. I met him that way.”

  His jaw dropped. He didn’t talk for a minute. “You have to know how dangerous those sites can be.”

  “I do now.”

  “How long have you done that?”

  “During the last two times we broke up.”

  His face crumbled. But not in anger. “Oh, God. This is my fault.”

  “No, no, Seth.” She reached out and grabbed his hand. “I made the choice to go online. I knew the risks and took them. This isn’t because of you.”

  He stared through the front window. Finally, he shook himself. “We should call the police and let them know about the incident. And your…online thing.”

  “I already told Anabelle Sanders about my dating history. She’s investigating it.”

  “Did she find anything?”

  “Of the six guys I dated in that time period, they’ve either moved out of state, or were happily married and at home during the break-in. One was still single but he was in the hospital then.”

  “What about that jerk in there?”

  “He’s the only one she hasn’t been able to trace. Nobody by the name of Zyzeri is in the Hidden Cove census data base or criminal registries.”

  “He gave you a fake name. Did you suspect something?”

  “No. I was only with him an hour.”

  “Why only that long?”

  “That was my policy for every first date.”

  “Jesus, Jules.”

  She settled back and took out her phone. “Now, either take me home or to your house like we planned. I’ll call Anabelle and tell her what happened on the way.”

  “I’m planning to do that, honey. I’m just mad about this whole thing.”

  “Me, too.”

  Their evening ruined, she had to deal with this mess.

  * * *

  Seth called Gideon after she phoned Anabelle. He didn’t ask Julianne if he could. He was mad at himself which she said was stupid and he supposed it was. They made the drive home in silence, but he held her hand all the way.

  Both cops arrived at Seth’s minutes apart. Both were in street clothes.

  Before the door even closed, Anabelle asked, “What are you doing here, Casella?”

  “I came for my brother. He called me.” His expression darkened. “I got a right to be here, Sanders.”

  “Not officially.”

  Seth and Julianne exchanged “What the hell?” looks.

  “Just so everybody understands I’m in charge,” Anabelle stated.

  They nodded and took seats at the dining table.

  Taking out her tablet, she talked directly to Julianne. “Start from the beginning.”

  As Seth listened to her recount their experience at the Hidden Cove Inn, he tried to think about the online dating thing in a different light. If she was a man, he wouldn’t be upset. On the other hand, if Ali got dates that way, he’d be pissed. Was he chauvinistic? He’d never thought so.

  “Julianne, I don’t understand why you’d go on these sites.” Gideon couldn’t keep himself from speaking up after she finished. “You’re a beautiful woman.”

  Anabelle rolled her eyes.

  “I’ll talk to you later about why women go online to find dates.” She faced Anabelle. “What do we do now?”

  “Can you arrest him on this and the texts and calls? Seth asked.

  “We could, if we can find him. He gave a fake name. But to get him on texts and phone calls and confronting you in a restaurant wouldn’t necessarily get him jail time.”

  “Isn’t that harassment?” Julianne asked.

  Again, Gideon jumped in. “Harassment charges range from misdemeanor to felony. The charges are more likely to stick if the person has previously been convicted of
harassment or of communicating a threat.”

  “That’s right,” Anabelle put in. She didn’t bother to tell Gid to shut up. “If he has previous charges against him, he’ll get jail time.”

  Julianne twisted the linen napkin on the table. “How can we find him if he gave a fake name?”

  “Maybe we can turn tonight into an asset.”

  “How?”

  “I would guess our mystery man frequents the Hidden Cove Inn. Maybe he’s trying to pick up women or meeting them from an online connection. But I’m more inclined to believe that he was hoping all along you’d show up there, Julianne. It’s the site of your first date so it’s special to him. And he’s convinced himself you feel the same.”

  Seth had a bad feeling about this. “What would you do? Surveil the place until he shows?”

  “We could.” She focused on Jules. “Or you can go to the Inn with me. And other police officers, all in disguise, of course. If Jason shows, we can grab him up and find out his real identity. Get his DNA and see if it matches what we found on the bathroom mirror at your house.”

  Seth’s blood pressure spiked. “That sounds like you want to use her as bait? And I object.”

  Anabelle ignored him. “What do you want, Julianne?”

  “I’m sorry, Seth. I want this over. I’m in, Anabelle.”

  * * *

  With a new case file in front of him, Seth thought back to last night. Their evening had ended surprisingly well. He told Julianne he was mad at himself not her, and she made him see that she needed him to trust her to make her own decisions. They’d fallen asleep in each other’s arms.

  He started reading the new file on a discrimination case and five minutes into it, his cell phone buzzed. “Seth Casella.”

  “Seth,” a voice croaked, then the speaker cleared his throat. “It’s Johnny Cordello. My application got rejected by OCFS committee.”

  “Aw, John. Did they give reasons?”

  “Yeah. I’m not the cookie-cutter candidate. I’m young, unmarried, kicked out of my own house and was in a group home myself.”

  “I’m sorry. But there’s one more step we can take. We’ll get a Fair Hearing set up.”

  “What’s that?” The kid didn’t sound hopeful. He sounded dejected.

  Seth explained to Johnny that a Fair Hearing was a meeting with an unbiased officer or attorney from OCFS. Usually, Seth had attended them on the side of biological parents who had kids taken from them. Evidence, testimony, cross-examination and rebuttal would be allowed. The children in question would be interviewed.