The Dead Man

Chapter Fifty-four

Lucy and Kate pulled up next to us in Kate's car. Lucy jumped out of the passenger side, leaving her door open as I got out of Carter's, engulfing me in a hug.

"You are so totally grounded," she said. "Hand over the car keys."

"You have to let go of me first."

She stepped back, her hand out. "Okay, let's have them."

I fished the keys out of my jacket pocket and dropped them in her gloved palm. "Thanks for coming to get me."

"Are you kidding? Like I've got time to find another tenant. I'll drive your car. You ride with Kate." She ushered me into Kate's car. "See you back at the ranch," she added, slamming the door behind me.

"You've made quite an impression on her," Kate said, nudging her car down the wet street.

"I'm the ideal tenant. I've got no place else to go."

She laughed. "It's more than that. She's had a hard time. You're filling a void for her."

"Actually, I think Simon's got that one covered."

"So she told me. Good for her and good for Simon. You can walk her down the aisle."

"Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself? So far, they're a one-night stand. There's a reason neither of them have ever been married."

"Doesn't matter whether it's Simon or someone else. Mark my words. When the time comes, she'll want you to do the honors."

I shifted my weight, the ride and the conversation making me uncomfortable. "I wasn't exactly Father of the Year material. I don't know that I'll do any better as a surrogate father."

"Don't turn your nose up. Second chances are hard to come by."

The ice was sticking to the windshield, building up on the corners outside the wipers' reach. The slick coating made the streets shine. Kate tap-danced her brakes, keeping her car under control.

"She's a good kid," I said.

"Good kids and second chances are both hard to come by."

I knew where this was heading and I wasn't ready to go there. "Children aren't fungible. You can't trade them in for next year's model. Joy and I talked about having another baby after we lost Kevin but we couldn't get past the notion that we were trying to replace something that couldn't be replaced. I know that works for some people and God bless them but it didn't work for us. No one, including Lucy, can take Wendy's place."

"And no one should. But life goes on."

I changed the subject. "How did it go with your staff this morning?"

"Dad is a lot better at those things than I am. He was terrific but everyone still cried."

"It may not be as bad as you think," I said. "You were right about Harper. He did sabotage your practice."

"How do you know that?"

"I called him on it and he told me."

"I hope he rots in hell."

"Don't worry. He's got the whole hell on earth thing going for him," I said, explaining that Harper had Alzheimer's and was turning control of his affairs, including the institute, over to Sherry Fritzshall.

"Well," Kate said, "I'm sorry that he's sick but I'm still going to sue his ass."

"You won't have to. Sherry overheard Harper telling me what he'd done to you. She wants to meet with you next week, no lawyers, and work something out. I think she's sincere."

Her jaw clenched and loosened. "I don't know."

"Don't turn your nose up," I said. "Second chances are hard to come by."

"It's not that. With Dad retiring and Alan moving to San Diego, I don't think I can make it work by myself."

"Sure you can. Sherry's not going to write you a blank check but she'll be reasonable. You'll be able to keep your staff together until you can recruit a couple of partners, maybe merge with another group. You can do it."

She didn't respond, paying more attention to the road then necessary even given the deteriorating weather. Then I realized that I'd missed the point.

"It's not that you can't do it," I said. "It's that you can't do it if Brian is going to be seventeen hundred miles away."

She stopped for a red light and turned toward me. "No, I can't. Like you said, kids aren't fungible."

I nodded. "No, they aren't. So, when are you moving?"

She took a deep breath. "Not until the school year ends. I made a couple of phone calls today. I'm flying out there tomorrow and meeting with some people. It's all very preliminary. Dad will finish reviewing the dream videos for you."

"Tell him that won't be necessary. The smart money is on Anthony Corliss. I was about to break into his house to look for evidence when that cop zapped me. The police are looking for him now. We'll see how that pans out."

"I'm glad you're letting the police handle it."

I gripped my armrests, holding myself in place as a new round of aftershocks rumbled through me, making me stutter. "About San Diego. That's the right decision."

She reached across my seat, her hand on my wrist. "It's not a zero sum game, Jack. You can come too. There's nothing keeping you here."

With her gone, she was almost right. "Who will walk Lucy down the aisle?"

"That's what airplanes are for."

We left it at that until she dropped me off, saying she had to go home and pack. Lucy was waiting inside with Roxy and Ruby who jumped me like they had just gotten out of solitary confinement. I sat on the floor, letting the dogs smother me. Ruby planted her front paws on my chest, demanding to know where I'd been while Roxy ducked under her chin, knocking Ruby from her perch as she curled up in my lap, the two of them starting over, jockeying for position, settling between my legs, their front paws draped over my thighs, their chins on my knees.

"It's good to be loved," Lucy said.

"Amen to that."