Epilogue

Two Months Later

The day was warm and sunny. Nicole was feeling especially upbeat when she arrived at the Polo Lounge for lunch with Sue. Today was their first chance to reschedule celebration of Nicole’s bequest. Since then, Sue had been tied up in a long trial, and Nicole had been busy at work and occupied helping her sister get back on her feet. As for Nicole, she was still struggling to make peace with two million dollars that had caused them so much grief.

She was ten minutes late. As she looked around for Sue, she couldn’t help remembering what was to be a celebratory breakfast two months before. It felt as if years had passed. A lot had happened since David’s desperate call had sent her racing home just as the waitress arrived with the meal they’d ordered.

She found Sue waiting at a table overlooking the garden. With her cloud of red curls and delicate beauty, Sue could have been mistaken for a movie actress. As Nicole sat down across from her friend, she realized lunch was a better time for celebrity sightings at the Polo Lounge than breakfast. Seated at a long table behind Sue were the film megastar Hattie Longelle and her entourage. Nicole couldn’t help glancing at them every time a burst of laughter came from that table. She hadn’t seen any security guards in front of the hotel or near the restaurant’s entrance. She wondered how they managed to keep out paparazzi and looky-loos.

“You could take the view that your inheritance is cursed,” Sue was saying. “It certainly caused you enough trouble. But you have to stop regarding it as Robert Blair’s dirty money and think of all the good it can do. You told me you wanted to get rid of it by making a one-time gift to Doctors Without Borders or The Homeless Project, but as time passes, the charities you feel passionate about will change. If you keep the money and it produces income, you’ll be able to continue being a benefactor for a long time. It will also be there in case you or Steph need a cushion to fall back on.”

Nicole nodded, pulling her eyes away from Hattie’s table and back to Sue. “You’re right,” she said. As she knew too well, anything could happen. And if the world came crashing down on their heads, it would be good to have something in reserve. But she also knew that money wasn’t the answer to every problem.

As she considered how the money could be used, she thought of the ancient Toyota Stephanie drove. It had one hundred eighty thousand miles on it and a history of regular, undiagnosable breakdowns. Now Nicole could easily afford to buy her sister a new car. And there were Steph’s medical bills, which were considerable. Yes, she thought, that money could be used to help mitigate the fallout from their streak of bad luck.

“By the way, how is Stephanie?” Sue said.

“She’s still staying with me, but she’s doing a lot better. I finally convinced her to go to a therapist specializing in PTSD. After she was released from the hospital, she was in pretty bad shape emotionally. She kept having nightmares of being buried alive and would end up in bed with me, afraid to be alone. But she’s pretty much past that.”

“What about her fiancé?”

“David? They’re still a couple, but they’re not living together, and Steph insisted on putting the engagement on hold. She did a lot of thinking in that basement. She took a long, hard look at her life and decided she wasn’t sure she wants the same things David does.”

“Like what?”

“The big wedding, for starters. But her main problem was David’s resolve to start a family right away. Steph isn’t ready. In fact, she doesn’t know if she even wants kids. She feels she’s been wasting her life being what she calls ‘a flake,’ although I’ve always thought of her as a free spirit. She’s determined to go back to college and get a degree in graphic design. She’s applying to art schools and looking for work she can continue part-time after school starts in the fall. She’s completely turning her life around. And she wants to be well on her way before she gets married.”

“Good for her!” Sue said. “Maybe something positive came from her terrible experience.”

“I think it did.” Nicole said. Behind Sue, Hattie Longelle and her companions had gotten up and were starting to file out. One man remained seated to settle the bill before following the others. He and Hattie, who’d been seated together, had been demonstrably affectionate. He was bald and at least twice the actress’s age. Nicole recognized him from the news as one of the top agents with CAA. He was probably Hattie’s agent, as well as her boyfriend.

That evening, Nicole and Steph had just finished dinner and were thinking about going to a movie when the doorbell rang. Nicole was surprised to see Greg Arnault standing there.

Nicole was so surprised to see him that she stared at him for a very long moment without speaking.

“Are you going to invite me in?” Arnault said. “I’d like to talk to you.”

“Sorry,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting to see you.” She opened the door wider and motioned him in.

Just then, Stephanie came in from the kitchen, where she’d just finished doing the dishes, a chore she and Nicole alternated. At the sight of Arnault, Steph tactfully headed toward the hall. “I’ll be in my room,” she called back.

Nicole led Arnault into the living room. She gestured him toward the couch, while she settled into her favorite overstuffed chair.

After they were seated, she said, “What’s up? Is it about the case? Did you catch Ashley?”

“I’m afraid not,” he said. “But I’m not here about work. It’s because I can’t stop thinking about you. I’d like to start seeing you, get to know you better. If you’re not interested, just say so, and I’ll leave.”

She hesitated. She was interested, but she had the feeling that it would end badly, and she didn’t need another heartbreak.

There was an awkward silence. Finally, Arnault got up. “Maybe you need time to think about it.”

Despite her doubts, Nicole didn’t want to him to leave. “I have thought about it,” she said quickly. “I’d like to give it a try.”

He sat down again. “How about dinner?” he said.

“Tonight? I just had dinner.”

“You can have a drink, then, and watch me eat.”

“We have leftovers I can heat up and a nice bottle of Malbec I’ve been saving for a special occasion.”

As they smiled at each other, Nicole thought maybe she was wrong. It might work out after all.