"Was it that obvious?"
"It was the only explanation. And I'd seen some evidence of that kind of behavior back when we were kids. It was always easier for you to avoid an emotional situation than confront it. Anyway, I've respected that, but now I'm asking you to put it aside and come up here for me, for my daughters, and for Craig."
"How long is the trial supposed to take?"
"Most of the week is the general consensus."
"The last time we talked, there was something new in my life I didn't tell you. I'm getting married."
"Jack! That's wonderful news. Why didn't you mention it?"
"It didn't seem right after you told me the latest about your marriage situation."
"It wouldn't have mattered. Do I know her?"
"You met her the one and only time you visited me here at work. Laurie Montgomery. We're colleagues. She's also a medical examiner."
Alexis felt a shiver of distaste descend her spine. She'd never visited a morgue before visiting Jack's place of work. Even though he'd emphasized that the building was a medical examiner's office and that the morgue was merely a small part of a larger whole, she hadn't found the distinction convincing. To her it was a place of death, plain and simple, and the building looked and smelled as such. "I'm pleased for you," she said while she vaguely wondered what her brother and his potential wife might talk about over a routine breakfast. "What makes me particularly happy for you is that you've managed to process your grief about Marilyn and your girls and move on. I think that's terrific."
"I don't think one ever gets completely over such grief. But thank you!"
"When is the wedding?"
"This Friday afternoon."
"Oh my goodness. I'm sorry to be asking for a favor at such a critical time."
"It's not your fault, that's for certain, but it does complicate things, yet it doesn't preclude it, either. I'm not the one making all the plans for the wedding. My job was the honeymoon, and that's all been arranged."
"Does that mean you'll come?
"I'll come unless you hear back from me in the next hour or so, but I'd better come sooner rather than later so I can get back here. Otherwise, Laurie might start thinking I'm trying to get out of it."
"I'd be happy to speak with her to explain the situation."
"No need. Here's the plan. I'll come up on the shuttle late this afternoon or early evening after work. Obviously, I have to talk with Laurie and the deputy director, as well as clean up a few things here in my office. After I check into a hotel, I'll call your house. What I'll need is a complete case file: all the depositions, description or copies of any evidence, and if you can, any testimony."
"You're not staying at a hotel!" Alexis said with resolve. "Absolutely not. You have to stay at the house. We have plenty of room. I need to talk with you in person, and it would be best for the girls. Please, Jack."
There was a pause.
"Are you still there?" Alexis questioned.
"Yeah, I'm still here."
"Since you are making the effort to come up, I want you at the house. I really do. It will be good for everyone, although that might be selfish rationalization, meaning I know it will be good for me."
"All right," Jack said with a touch of reluctance in his voice.
"There's not been any testimony at the trial as of yet. The defense is giving its opening statement as we speak. The trial is very much still at the beginning."
"The more material you can give me about the case, the greater the chance I might be able to come up with some suggestion."
"I'll see what I can do about getting the opening statement of the plaintiff."
"Well, then, I guess I'll see you later."
"Thanks, Jack. It's starting to seem like old times knowing that you're coming."
Alexis ended the call and slipped her phone back into her bag. When all was said and done, even if Jack didn't actually help, she was glad he was coming. He would provide the kind of emotional support only a family member could offer. She headed back through security and took the elevator to the third floor. As she entered the courtroom and allowed the heavy door to close as quietly as possible behind her, she could hear that Randolph was still describing the deleterious effect current-day medical economics was having on the practice of medicine. Choosing to sit as close as possible to the jury, she could see by their glazed eyes that they were no more engaged than when she had left. Alexis was even more pleased that Jack was coming. It gave her the sense that she was doing something.
5
For a few minutes after hanging up with his sister, Jack sat at his desk and drummed his fingers on its metallic surface. He hadn't been completely up-front with her. Her assessment of why he'd avoided visiting her had been on the money, which he hadn't really acknowledged. Worse yet, he hadn't admitted it was still the case. In fact, it might even be worse now, since Meghan and Christina, Alexis's two youngest, were currently about the same ages as his late daughters, Tamara and Lydia. Yet he was caught in an emotional bind, considering how close he and Alexis had been back in Indiana. He was five years her senior, and the age difference was just enough for his role to be somewhat parental yet close enough to also be solidly brotherly. That circumstance, plus guilt from having avoided Alexis for the entire ten years he'd been in New York, made it impossible not to respond to her pleas in her hour of need. Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be easy.
He stood up and for a brief moment debated whom he should talk to first. His first inclination was Laurie, although he was hardly excited about the prospect, since she was clearly uptight about the wedding plans; her mother was driving her crazy and she was, in turn, driving Jack crazy. Consequently, he thought perhaps speaking first to Calvin Washington, the deputy chief, made more sense. Calvin was the one who would have to give Jack permission to take time off from the OCME. For even a briefer moment, the hope that Calvin would say no to additional leave passed through his mind, since both Jack and Laurie were already scheduled for two weeks' vacation starting Friday. Being denied leave to go to Boston would certainly solve his issues of guilt toward Alexis and reluctance to confront Alexis's daughters, and the need to bring up the idea with Laurie. Yet such a convenient excuse was not going to come to pass.
Calvin wouldn't say no; a family emergency was never turned down.
But before he'd even logged off his computer, rationality prevailed. Intuitively, he knew he should at least try to talk with Laurie first, since if he didn't and she found out that he hadn't tried, there'd be hell to pay, as close as it was to the wedding date. With that idea in mind, he walked down the hall toward Laurie's office.