Though there were some things from which she couldn’t move on. Julie glanced at Eric’s office and saw the door was closed. She wasn’t sure if she should go and knock. He had been guarded, very aloof, after they had called the police.
At first she thought it was because he was trying to stay strong when he was in so much pain. But she hadn’t heard from him since they’d given statements. Her call went unanswered and none of the excuses she came up for him erased her uneasiness.
“Oh, hi, Julie.” Asia looked up from an opened file and stopped at her cubicle. “Perry’s called a meeting.”
“This early in the morning?” She looked around and noticed everyone else was walking into the conference room. Julie dropped her purse in the bottom drawer of her desk as Asia waited for her. “So…” Julie tried to hide her smile. “How was your weekend?”
“Not as exciting as yours.” Asia playfully swatted her with the file folder.
“Oh, you heard?” she asked modestly. “Gossip travels fast around here.”
Asia linked her arm with Julie’s. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you,” she said. “I really thought…”
“It’s okay, Asia.” She patted her friend’s hand. “You were right to question it.”
“I should have believed you,” she said as she shook her head with regret. “I should have been there to back you up!”
“Next time,” Julie promised. She opened the door to the conference room and stumbled to a halt at the threshold as she was greeted with confetti and cheers from her coworkers.
Julie spluttered the confetti out of her mouth as she stared at the banner and balloons. “What’s all this?” she asked.
“Julie!” Perry greeted her with a big hug. “Thanks to you, we have a very lucrative security contract with Z-Ray Studios.”
“How? Why?” She didn’t expect anything like this. She didn’t look that far ahead and had only wanted to figure out what had been going on.
“Z-Ray is very appreciative and Eric finalized the deal last night,” Perry explained.
“That’s great.” Her heart did a funny flip at the mention of Eric. She looked around the crowded room but didn’t see him.
“And,” Perry continued, “because you saved our bacon with your perseverance and instinct, you are moving out of your cubicle and moving into Eric’s old office.”
“Old office?”
Perry nodded. “You can move in right away. Eric’s medical leave is over and he returned to D.C. late last night.”
“He left?” Her heart stopped. No, he wouldn’t do that without saying goodbye. Without promising to keep in touch. Not after all they’d been through. Not when they had shared something special.
Perry turned to the group. “Let’s get the guest of honor some coffee cake.”
“Eric left?” she repeated weakly.
“That reminds me…” Perry snapped his fingers and reached into his pocket. He pulled out an inner-office envelope. “Eric says congratulations and he wanted me to give you this.”
She grabbed the brown envelope from Perry’s hands and clutched it to her chest. She had no idea what was inside, or what he wrote. Her heart was galloping as she made her way to a corner and cautiously opened the heavy envelope.
Julie—forget everything I said that morning. You will make a great detective. I’m glad we’re on the same side.
E
She tipped the contents into her hands. Her cell phone slid out along with a gold cigarette lighter and Swiss Army knife.
Julie bit her lip as she stared at the gift. He remembered her joke about how a detective only needed a cell phone, lighter and pocketknife. It should make her smile but she was breaking inside.
Because she knew what he was saying with the gift. She would be fine on her own. He didn’t need to watch over her anymore.
It was what she’d always wanted. His respect. His belief in her abilities. But it wasn’t enough. She was greedy. She wanted the whole dream.
15
Two months later
JULIE FLINCHED WHEN SHE heard the ball crashing against the pins. She looked up just as Asia exclaimed with joy and punched her fists high in the air. The electronic beep and whoops of the overhead monitor declared a strike.
So that was what a strike sounded like. Julie yawned and drank the last of her warm soda. She never did like bowling.