Never Go Home Read Online Free Page B

No need to worry about them.”
    I glanced at a
clock mounted above an office door. I performed a quick time conversion. It was
mid-day back home. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had happened.
Sean was a lawyer and a busy guy. He wouldn’t call in the middle of the day for
nothing.
    “You didn’t
call just to chat, Sean. I know you better than that. I mean, unless I blacked
out and it’s Christmas already. Just get to the point.”
    The door opened
behind me. Sasha mouthed, “What’s going on?”
    I shook my head
and walked away from her. An overhead light was out. The corridor between
cubicles and offices grew dim.
    “I don’t know
how to put this, so I’ll just say it.” He paused. It sounded like he took a
drink. “They found Jessie dead last night.”
    It felt like a
blast wave hit me. “Jessie? Jessie Kline? My old fiancé?”
    “That’s the
one.” Sean paused a beat. “She’s Jessie Staley now. Or, she was.”
    “Jesus.” I felt
the blood drain and my knees went weak. I found a wall to lean against for
support. “What happened?”
    “I don’t know
all the details yet, Jack, but I’m hearing suicide.”
    “That doesn’t
make sense. Jessie had always been a positive, strong woman.”
    “When did you
last see her?”
    I thought about
it. “Over ten years, I guess. Well, I saw her at Mom’s funeral. We said hi, but
that was it.”
    “Things change,
Jack. I heard rumors that she wasn’t happy. I spotted her husband at the bar a
couple times. He was with other women. I never made much of it. He wasn’t all
over any of them or anything. Maybe there was more to it than I realized.”
    “When’s the
funeral?”
    “Three days.
You thinking of coming?”
    I looked toward
Sasha’s office. “I don’t know if that’s possible right now, Sean.”
    “I’m sure
Jessie’s family would appreciate it. Deb’d like to see you, I know that. Kelly
doesn’t even remember you. She knows your picture, but nothing other than that.
I’m sure it’s the same way with you and her.” Sean paused. The emotional impact
of his words set in. “And I wouldn’t mind a couple days catching up with my
baby brother.”
    “I…” I couldn’t
say yes, and I couldn’t say no.
    “Look, think
about it for a bit. Talk to whoever you need to talk with. I’ll call you in a
bit. You’ve got my number now. If you come to a decision before I get back to
you, hit me up.”
    “Will do.” I
ended the call.
    “Jack?” Sasha
said.
    I walked away
from her, found an empty office and went inside. The chair behind the desk was
a replica of Sasha’s. I sat down. The chair glided in a half-circle. I looked
out over the Thames. An eight-person scull floated by. They worked in unison
with the exception of the coxswain who commanded their pace. Nothing in my life
worked as fluidly as that team.
    Jessie had been
a part of my life since I was a kid. We hated each other when we were little. I
tormented her from first grade through sixth. Dirt and earthworms turned into
signs pinned on her back and crude jokes. One summer I grew up, sort of, and so
did she, a lot. Then I fell in love with her. It took three or four years to
convince her to give me a shot. I left for the Marines at the age of eighteen.
From that point we were on-again off-again for a few years. Eventually we went
our separate ways.
    Eleven years
ago I wound up in a sticky situation outside of D.C. My partner Bear took a
bullet. I knew Jessie lived nearby. She was a trauma nurse at the time. I
thought the two of us might make a go of it then. It didn’t turn out that way.
I almost got her killed. I did get her and her parents threatened by someone
high up and out of my reach. We had busted a three-star Army General by the
name of Keller. Some folks didn’t respond well to that.
    Last time I saw
her was at Dulles Airport. She went one way, I went the other. I took a few
months off after that. Spent it down in the Keys. She had an open invitation.
Never