“Did they appear to be a couple?”
“Not at all. I suspect she’d hired him to help her.”
“How did she seem?” he asked.
“Upset, crying, throwing things into what looked like a rental truck. I got the feeling she couldn’t wait to get out of that house and who can blame her after what happened there. After that, the house was rented to a lot of different people, college students mostly. The police gave up looking for the killer. Everyone just forgot about all of it.”
Not everyone, he thought, reminded of what Charlie must have been going through all these years.
“I often wondered what happened to the little dark-haired girl,” Edna said. “I saw her that day when social services took her away. Poor child. She looked devastated. I remember she was wearing this rust-colored sweater and had her arms locked around a large book.” The photo album and that rust sweater he later saw her in at boot camp. “How does a child get over something like that?”
“Sometimes they don’t,” he said. “But in her case, I hope she is able to put it behind her.”
* * *
AFTER WT LEFT, Meg smiled to herself. She hadn’t been sure that he would even remember their conversation. It had been years ago. They’d been so young, so full of themselves, so sure they were going to make their mark in the world. WT had. She’d followed his career. She’d even started a program like the one he had, to give youth that came before her a second chance.
She’d felt bold and brazen on the bench and off. But she’d felt vulnerable and a little scared when she contacted WT. Mostly because she wasn’t sure he would remember—let alone reply. Yet he’d driven to Bozeman, her note in his pocket and he’d remembered their conversation just as she had as if he’d thought of it long after—just as she had.
From her desk, she picked up the photograph of Hal. He’d been her English professor her freshman year. A good thirteen years older, he’d been her first. She’d spent her high school years with her nose in a book, and Hal had brought out the shy girl she’d been. He’d always been there for her, encouraging her, taking care of her and yet never holding her back.
She could smile back at the man in the photo instead of cry, but it had taken a full year. Having always advised others to wait a year before making any big decisions, she’d taken her own advice. And was now glad that she had.
Hal was her past. She had no idea what the future held—but she had a date tomorrow night and that was a good place to start.
At a tap on her door, she turned to see her assistant with an armful of papers. “You asked for these?”
Meg took them, thanking the young woman. Hannah was studying criminology and getting a second degree in criminal law.
“Was that WT Landusky I saw leave your office?” Hannah asked.
“It was.”
“He’s a legend,” Hannah said, getting stars in her eyes. “Good-looking, too.”
“I hadn’t noticed,” Meg joked. She almost blurted out that he’d asked her out. Instead, she stepped to her desk to put down the papers.
“He was a guest speaker in one of my classes. He’s tough.”
“Yes. But I believe he’s saved more than he’s sent to prison. He and I went to law school together.”
“Is he in town for a conference?”
“No, I think it’s personal.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
“I FEEL AS if I misjudged you,” Amanda said the moment she and Charlie were seated at the table. The office manager had chosen an expensive, upscale restaurant for their lunch. “Thank you for accepting my invitation.”
Charlie nodded, afraid of what this might be about. “If you’re worried that I’ll—”
“No, it’s not that,” Amanda said quickly and picked up the wine list. “Let’s splurge on something expensive.” She motioned to the waiter and started to order a bottle of wine.
“None for me,” Charlie said quickly. She had to keep her wits about her. “I have too much work to do this afternoon.”
Amanda was clearly disappointed. “Fine, then I’ll take a scotch. Make it a double on the rocks. The good stuff.” She smiled at Charlie. “Our boss is picking up the tab.”
“And you, miss?” the waiter asked her.
“A diet cola.”
Amanda shot her a withering look. “One drink wouldn’t hurt you.” She sounded offended, as if Charlie’s not drinking alcohol somehow reflected badly on her.
“I still have a lot of work to do this afternoon,” she said again.
“Whatever,” Amanda muttered.
They both busied themselves looking at the menu until the drinks arrived. Amanda took a healthy gulp of hers and seemed to relax a little. “I wanted us to have lunch because I don’t think I’ve been...fair to you.” She let out a nervous laugh. “If I’m being honest, I’m jealous of you.”
Charlie frowned. “Why would you—”
“Because of the way Greg had to have you.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Amanda must have seen her confusion. “When he hired you. He saw some designs you did, he said, and he was determined to get you to come to work for him.”
“But he didn’t contact me directly,” Charlie said.
“No,” Amanda said. “I don’t get it but he had a friend of his who’s a headhunter to contact you. I guess he thought it was more professional or something. I don’t know. But he was definitely obsessed with hiring you.”
Charlie had had no idea. “That’s flattering but I’m sure he was the same way with the others on his team.”
Amanda laughed again. “Yeah right. Well, anyway that’s why I was jealous.” She drained her glass and ordered another. “I thought, who is this woman that he would go to that much trouble to get? She can’t be that talented. No offense, but I just didn’t see it. I mean you’re good, don’t get me wrong. But to go to extremes to make sure you were working for him? You can see why I would be suspicious.”
Not really. Though Charlie thought Amanda might be suspicious because she was a cheater and thus expected to be cheated on. But she kept that to herself as the waiter came over to take their meal orders.
Amanda ordered a lobster roll.
“I’ll take the lobster roll as well,” Charlie said, only to have Amanda look at her in surprise as if she expected her to order the cheapest item on the menu or maybe not eat at all.