26
Jared was numb. He had gotten into his SUV with the intention of going to work, but two hours later he was still sitting in the driveway fingering the tiny gold ankh hanging from his neck, lost in his nightmare, cursing himself for sleeping with Evonne. If he could turn back the hands of time, he would turn it all the way back to Christmas Day thirteen years ago when Tandi gave him the ankh. She said then, “Women get heart-shaped trinkets as symbols of love and since I can’t give you a locket, I’m giving you this sign of life, an ankh. It’s also a symbol of my eternal love.” At that moment he could not imagine their love wouldn’t always be strong.
It was 1:45 when he finally went on to work. He didn’t know what else to do. Secretly, he was hoping—no, praying—Tandi would show up to drop MJ off. Jared kept praying in his head as he walked into his office. Marci was on the telephone trying to explain his absence. He quietly sat behind his desk and waited for her to finish the call.
“Jared, where have you been? I started to put an APB out on you.”
“I’m sorry I’m late.”
“Late? Jared, I called your house fifty times. You had a court appearance. Raoul had to go and have the hearing postponed.”
“Damn, I forgot.”
“You forgot? Jared—”
“Did I get any calls?”
“Of course you did. And two of the lawyers you were supposed to be interviewing were here on time. They left here pretty angry. One guy came in from New Jersey.”
“Damn. Call him back. Reschedule. I’ll go to him in Jersey. Did Tandi call?”
“No,” Marci answered, looking more carefully at Jared. “Where did you sleep last night?”
“Why?”
“Because you don’t look like you got any sleep.”
Jared rubbed the tight, pulsating spot between his brows.
“You and Tandi are having a hard time, huh?”
“How—”
There was a loud knock on the open door. Marci and Jared both looked at Raoul standing in the doorway.
“We were worried about you,” Raoul said.
“I know, I’m sorry. Did you get a continuance?”
“Twenty-four hours. No one was happy, particularly Mr. Hickson.”
“I bet. He’s been waiting to go to trial for three years. Marci, please call him and offer my apologies and tell him I’ll be there tomorrow.”
“I’ve already done that.”
He should have guessed that. Marci was always on point.
Raoul placed a folder on Jared’s desk. “This is the Kirsch file. I need to go over the hospital report with you. We might have a problem.”
“Specifically?”
“It seems the hospital is saying that Mrs. Kirsch’s blood was scarred with the hepatitis B marker long before her gall bladder surgery. If that’s the case, then we can’t claim she got infected blood during that surgery. Hence, the hospital is not liable.”
“Then the pre-surgery bloodwork should have picked up on that marker. Mrs. Hirsch contracted hepatitis after the surgery according to her primary doctor.” Jared’s headache was coming back. The painkiller was wearing off. “Try to get in touch with the doctor’s office and see if you can speak with him. If you can’t get clarification from him, call me later at home, and I’ll get on it.”
“Will do.”
“Marci, Raoul, I should apologize to both of you. Things are pretty rough at home right now, so forgive me. I’m not exactly myself.”
“Is there anything I can do?” Marci offered.
“No . . . no.” Jared looked hard at his watch, trying to focus. His headache wasn’t letting up. He stood. “I just stopped by to see if everything was okay and to pick up MJ but I don’t think he’ll be here today.”
“Why not?” Marci asked.
“Raoul, you get on that for me. I’ll be in touch.”
Raoul acknowledged Jared with a nod. He left right away.
“Marci, I have some business to take care of. Take care of things here for me.”
“Of course, but your clients—”
“Tell them I’ll return their calls tomorrow. Call me at home if something really important comes up.”
“And how am I to determine that when everything is really important?”
“If no one is on their deathbed, then it’s not important.” That said, Jared left the office. He trusted Raoul. He was the best paralegal he’d ever had. And, Marci—no one was better. She had been working with him for four years, and this was no time to doubt her abilities.
Outside in his SUV, Jared waited—just in case Tandi brought MJ. He prayed she would.