Haunted Memories Author: Shirley Email: sgoates2607@charter.net Rating: PG-13 Context: This storyline takes place prior to “Lawyers, Guns & Money” and the three subsequent episodes. This story does reflect back, somewhat, on Nick’s childhood. Disclaimer: Some of the characters portrayed herein are taken directly from “The Guardian” – CBS TV Series. Others are strictly figments of my imagination. The resemblance to any person(s) living or dead is purely coincidental. Any similarity of events, dates, or characters or the portrayal of events, dates or characters depicted in any Fanfic previously posted is totally unintentional. This is a work of FICTION. ~*~*~ Alvin was pouring himself a cup of coffee when Nick stepped off the elevator. “Nick. Your 8 o’clock is in the conference room. I’ve got the file in my office.” Taking his coffee, Alvin walked to his office. Nick followed. “What’s the story?” Nick asked. Alvin set his coffee cup on the desk and picked up the file. “Teri Logan. She wants to get her child back.” He handed the file to Nick. Nick raised his eyebrows. “Drugs,” Alvin said and shrugged. He figured, with Nick, it didn’t need any more explanation. Nick smirked and backed out of Alvin’s office. He opened the file and scanned it quickly as he walked to the conference room. As he entered the room, he scoped out the girl. She was attractive, in a plain sort of way. Dressed in a simple cotton dress, belted at the waist, you could tell she had a nice figure. Her light brown hair hung straight around her face. She looked up at him. “Hi,” he said. He sat down in a chair across the table and opened the file. “My name is Nick Fallin. I’ll be your attorney.” He looked up from the file. She smiled. “Nick Fallin?” “That’s right,” he said, hesitantly. “O’Hara Township? Your mother baked the best chocolate chip cookies in the neighborhood.” He wrinkled his brow as he nodded. “Teri Watts. We were neighbors.” “Teri?” he said, surprised. He leaned back in his chair and smiled. “It’s been years.” “Yeah,” she almost whispered, bowing her head. Nick could see she was suddenly uncomfortable. He returned to the file and clearing his throat, he asked, “Your daughter is three years old?” “That’s right.” She looked up and smiled. “She’s been in foster care for the last six months.” “I see you were arrested for drugs and spent three months in rehab.” “Yeah. Now, I’ve got a good job and I’m off the drugs. The judge said I could get her back so that’s why I’m here.” “And the child’s father?” “He left us about seven months ago.” “Where did he go?” “I don’t know where he is. I haven’t heard from him since he left.” “Okay. Social Services will want to check out your house to make sure it’s suitable. And, I see the hearing is set for Wednesday, at 3:30.” “Okay. Is that it?” She checked her watch. “I need to get to work.” “Yeah. That’s it for now.” “It was good to see you again, Nick.” She stood up and pulled on a well-worn trench coat. She held out her hand to shake. Nick stood and extended his hand. “Bye,” she said, and turned to leave. “Bye.” He watched as she got on the elevator. He returned to the file which detailed the drug arrest. She had been picked up, with others, in a raid on a club and charged with possession. Since it was Teri’s first offense, the judge had sentenced her to three months rehab and one year probation. Her daughter, then not quite three years old, was removed and placed in foster care. ~*~ The judge asked, “Ms. Solt. What is your recommendation for the child?” “Your Honor, we recommend the child stay in foster care for awhile longer. We do not feel Mrs. Logan has had enough time to establish an appropriate environment for the child.” “Mr. Fallin?” the judge turned to Nick. He stood to address the judge. “Your Honor, my client completed her rehab without a problem and has a good job. Her employer has provided a statement for the Court about her job performance.” He handed the statement to the bailiff who passed it to the judge. The judge scanned the statement. “What assurance does the Court have that Mrs. Logan will not fall back into drug use?” “Well, Your Honor, I guess there’s no way to guarantee that. But, she had no prior trouble with the law and, since rehab, has shown no indication that she would return to drugs.” The judge deliberated for a moment and then stated, “Mrs. Logan. I’m going to agree to return your daughter to you at this time. I remind you that you have time remaining on your probation. If I get any negative reports during that time from your Probation Officer, you could risk the removal of your daughter, permanently.” “I understand, Your Honor.” The judge pounded the gavel and called for the last case of the day. Nick followed Teri out of the courtroom. Just outside the door, the foster parents were waiting with Tara. The child was small with a mass of naturally curly hair which hung almost to her waist. Teri went immediately to her and, stooping, she held her close. “Mommy, I want to go home,” the child cried. “We are, Tara. We are.” She kissed her on the forehead and picked her up in her arms. Teri thanked Mr. and Mrs. Hall, who had been Tara’s foster parents for the past six months. She turned to Nick. “Thank you so much, Nick.” Nick smiled. “It’s okay. Do you need a ride home?” He knew she had taken the bus to the courthouse straight from work. “Sure. You don’t mind?” “No. I’m parked at my office about a half-block from here.” Tara squirmed to get down. Teri took her by the hand and they started down the corridor towards the front door. Nick was surprised when the girl reached up and took his hand. He looked around, self-consciously, to see who might be watching. Teri belted Tara in the back seat of the BMW. “Now you be a good girl.” “Okay, Mommy.” On the drive to Teri’s house, Tara was very well-behaved. Nick had not been to the house before. It was very small in an older neighborhood. It wasn’t the best environment for raising a child, but given limited funds, it wasn’t so bad. Teri had an old car, probably 15 years old, but she usually got a ride with one of her co-workers to her job. And, she had arranged for childcare with the next door neighbor, an elderly woman who watched her own grandchildren during the day. Nick pulled up to the curb and got out to help Teri with Tara. “Thanks for everything, Nick.” Nick nodded. She looked to Tara. “Tara. Say bye to the nice man.” “Bye. Bye,” she said, in her tiny little girl voice. Nick melted. He had never realized a child could affect him so much. He stooped down to her level and held out his hand. She put her tiny hand in his. “Bye,” he said, smiling. The little girl giggled and pulled away, running to the house. Teri followed, then turned to wave goodbye. He raised his hand in response. ~*~ It was Thursday; a full week after the hearing and Nick still couldn’t keep his mind on his work. Several times a day, he found himself thinking about Teri and Tara. On the way home, he noticed ads for the circus, which was in town for the weekend. Quite out of character for him, he called Teri. “Teri. It’s Nick.” “Oh, hi, Nick. How are you?” She sounded pleased to hear from him. “Good, thanks.” He took a deep breath and asked, “I noticed the circus was in town and I wondered if you and Tara might want to go Saturday night?” “Oh, Nick. That would be great. Tara has never been to the circus.” Nick smiled, pleased that he’d gotten up the nerve to call. “I’ll pick you up at 6 o’clock.” ~*~ Nick dressed in his black jeans with a white shirt. Over that he wore his light-weight black jacket. It was late September and the temperature could get chilly in the evenings. He was unusually nervous when he knocked on the door. Teri opened the door wearing a long-sleeved nubby-knit turtleneck sweater over a pair of jeans. She had her hair clipped up with a banana clip on top of her head. She seemed a little harried. “Oh, Nick. Come in. I was late getting home so it’s been kind of a rush.” She yelled to Tara. “Tara. Nick is here.” To Nick, she said, “I’ll just get my purse and jacket.” She closed the door and headed to the back of the house. Tara came bounding into the living room. She pulled up short and smiled at Nick. He smiled back. “Hi, Tara.” Nick didn’t know that much about kids but Tara seemed to be especially bright. She giggled and ran over to grab his hand, pulling him to the sofa. He sat down and she climbed up beside him. He didn’t know exactly what he was feeling right now, but he knew it was very different. “Can we see tigers?” Tara asked. “Yes. And lions. And elephants.” Teri came into the room. “Tara. You’d better get your jacket.” “Okay, Mommy.” She scrambled down and raced to her bedroom, returning with her coat in her hands. She ran over to Nick and handed the coat to him. He looked quizzically at Teri. “She wants you to help her put it on.” Teri smiled. “She’s not usually this friendly with strangers. She must really like you.” He took her little coat and helped her put it on. “Okay. Are we ready?” “Let’s go,” Tara said, impatiently, running to the door. On the way down the walkway, Teri said, “Nick. We need to get the booster seat out of my car.” “Okay.” Nick didn’t have a clue how to put the booster seat in his car. Teri was very practiced and had the seat installed within minutes. Tara climbed in and Teri buckled her in securely. ~*~ Tara had been totally entranced by the circus. It had been a joy for Nick to watch her thrill at every little thing. She was especially fond of the tigers. On the way home, Nick glanced back into the backseat and noticed Tara had nodded off, her little chin resting awkwardly against her chest. “Nick. It was really special of you to treat us to the circus. Tara really enjoyed herself.” “Glad to do it.” He thought to himself, as dates go, it had been a fairly inexpensive evening. He usually paid more for a dinner for two. It was almost 9 o’clock when he pulled up in front of Teri’s house. He went around the car to help her with Tara. “Nick. Can you carry Tara while I put the booster seat back in my car?” “Sure.” Teri unbuckled the straps and stood back to let Nick remove Tara from the booster. He took a deep breath before he carefully picked her up, trying not to wake her. He held her in his arms. She didn’t weigh anything. He looked down at her sleeping face. She was a beautiful child. Teri put the booster into her car and came back to Nick. “You want me to take her?” “No. I got her,” he said, reluctant to surrender his little package. Inside the house, Teri led Nick to Tara’s bedroom. She pulled back the covers and stepped aside so Nick could lay her down. He leaned up against the doorway and watched as Teri carefully removed Tara’s overcoat and her little clothes then put on her gown. The child didn’t wake during the process. Teri leaned over and kissed her tenderly as she tucked the covers around her. At the door, she turned off the light. Tara stirred and then settled into sleep. In the doorway, Teri looked at Nick and smiled. “I think she likes you,” she whispered. Nick reached out and touched Teri’s cheek, tenderly. He bent to kiss her softly on the lips. She reached up and pressed his hand against her cheek with her eyes tightly closed. She whispered, “Nick.” He answered, “Yes?” She turned away breaking the spell. “Can I make you some coffee or get you a coke?” She was already moving towards the kitchen. “Coffee’s fine.” He followed. When the coffee was ready they settled down in the living room. Teri kicked off her shoes and curled up on the sofa. Nick sat in the adjacent chair. “Nick. I often wondered what happened to you. You were always smarter than the other kids. I might have known you’d be successful.” “What’s to know when you’re 9 years old?” He grinned. “Even then, I could tell you were special.” He bowed his head, embarrassed. “Does your mom still make those killer chocolate chip cookies?” He squirmed in his chair and then said, “She died when I was 12.” “Oh, I’m sorry, Nick.” “What about your parents? I never heard anything after you moved away.” “Yeah,” she said, looking away. “Dad’s business was going great when we moved. We moved to a bigger house, more expensive neighborhood. But he didn’t realize his partner was embezzling from the company. By the time I was 12 the company was completely bust. His partner had disappeared and the creditors were suing for payment. I came home one afternoon from school, Mother was still at her bridge club, and found Dad with his brains splattered all over the living room.” She looked back at Nick. He sat stunned. “Dad never bothered to take out insurance so there was nothing. The bank took the house and the cars. Mother drank herself to death within a year. I spent the next five years in the foster care system, until I got out of high school.” “I’m sorry.” He really didn’t know what to say. “What about your daughter’s father?” “Out of high school I had one job after another and one relationship after another. When I met Doug, I thought he was the one. We moved in together and when I got pregnant, he married me.” She took a sip of her coffee. “I’m not really sure what happened to cause him to leave. He had been out of work for awhile and had gotten really depressed. It seemed like we were always fighting. And, one day, I came home and he was gone. No note, no nothing.” “Is that when you got into drugs?” “Yeah. I guess I was a little depressed by then myself. I got hooked-up with the wrong crowd. At least I could forget my problems for a little while. I guess you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you Nick?” Nick looked away. “Actually, I would.” He looked back at Teri. “I was arrested for drugs about eight months ago. That’s why I’m working with Legal Services. Community service.” He shook his head and looked at the floor. “But, you had the perfect life.” “Yeah. Until my parents divorced and my mother died.” Nick glanced at his watch. “I should be going.” He got up and pulled on his coat. “I had a fun time tonight, Nick.” Teri took his arm and walked him to the door. “I know Tara did, too.” Their eyes met. Finally Nick said, “Goodnight,” and turned to leave. He noticed Teri standing at the door as he drove away. ~*~ It was Thursday. He heard the living room mantel clock faintly chime 9 o’clock and realized he was not going to be able to focus on a complicated contract which was lying before him on his desk. He got up and walked over to peer out the window of his library. He saw the neighbor across the way walking his dog. Finally, he decided to make the call. “Teri. It’s Nick.” “Hi, Nick.” “Listen. How would you like to go to dinner tomorrow night?” “Are you talking about a date, Nick?” “Yeah. I guess I am.” “I’d have to get a babysitter.” “Would that be a problem?” “I’ll have to check with Agnes; the lady next door.” “Let me give you my home number and you can call me back.” Teri took down the number. It seemed like a very long time before she called back, but it was really only 10 minutes. “Nick. Agnes said she’d be happy to sit for me tomorrow. What time?” “I’ll pick you up at 7:00.” “Okay.” ~*~ Nick was in a very good humor all day Friday. His phone rang. “Nicholas.” It was his father. “Yeah, Dad?” “Do you have a minute?” “Sure.” He immediately started for his father’s office. He didn’t bother to knock. “What is it, Dad?” “Would you be able to sit in on a meeting with Henry after work? He’s got Ainsley coming in around 6:30 about that Tri-Corp merger. He can probably handle it but I’d like someone to sit in just in case.” “I can’t tonight, Dad.” “Oh?” Burton looked quizzically at Nick. He waited for an explanation. “I have another appointment.” He looked at the floor. “Oh. You finally set up something on that Jacobs deal?” “No.” He looked at his father and finally said, “I’m seeing someone.” “Oh. Anyone I know?” He grinned. “As a matter of fact, it is.” His dad waited quietly. “Do you remember Gary Watts? Lived next door to us a long time ago.” “I do remember him. I heard he killed himself years ago when his business failed.” “Yeah. Well, I ran into Teri a couple weeks ago.” Burton remembered back. “His daughter. How can I forget? She spent almost as much time at our house as she did at her own.” He grinned, widely. “So, what is she doing these days?” “Well, it’s a long story.” Burton could tell that was all he was going to get from Nick on that subject. “Okay, son. I’ll see if Jake can sit in.” “Good.” Nick rose abruptly and left the room. Burton leaned back in his chair and ran his hand over the top of his head. ~*~ Nick parked and noticed he was a few minutes early. He knocked on the door. It was answered by a woman. She opened the screen door to let him in. “I’m Agnes. You must be Nick.” “That’s right. Nice to meet you.” “Teri’s still getting dressed. Have a seat.” Agnes sat in the chair beside the sofa while Nick settled onto the sofa. There was a brief, uncomfortable moment until Tara came running in from the hallway. “Nick. Nick,” she squealed, crawling up beside him. He grinned all over. She had a book in her hands and indicated she wanted him to read it to her. She squeezed into the crook of his arm as he opened the book. She pointed at the characters and said their names and made the sounds of the animals she saw in the pictures. “Tara. You’re gonna wrinkle Nick’s suit.” Nick turned to see Teri standing in the doorway, putting on her earrings. She wore a simple black dress and had her hair pinned up in a sophisticated do. She grabbed her tiny black handbag off the end table and went to the coat closet for her coat. Nick shut the book and, kissing Tara on the head, he scooted her aside in order to stand. He helped Teri on with her coat. “Agnes, she should be ready for bed by 8:00.” She looked to Nick. “Nick, can you say when we’ll be home?” “Oh…ah…probably by 10:00.” “No rush. I just live next door. Have a good time.” As they went out the door, Nick looked back and said, “Goodnight.” Tara sat on the sofa with her book and waved goodbye. Agnes locked the door behind them. “Must be nice to have someone right next door you can count on,” Nick said, as he opened the car door for Teri. “I wouldn’t have made it without Agnes. She’s a godsend.” Nick had made reservations at a small restaurant he had only been to on one other occasion. It had a great view of the rivers, good food, and nice atmosphere. “Wow. I’ve never been to a restaurant this nice. It’s got to be expensive.” Nick smiled. He was happy to show her a good time. They enjoyed a leisurely meal and then drove down by the river. They sat in the car, talking, for awhile until Nick noticed the time. “I guess we’d better get going. It’s almost 10:00.” He pulled up in front of the house. Before he could get out of the car, Teri placed her hand on his which was resting on the gear shift. He looked at her. “Nick. Will you come in for a bit?” He paused a moment, then said, “Sure.” As they entered the house, Agnes was watching TV. She got up and put on her sweater. Nick reached into his pocket and handed her a $20 bill. She tried to hand it back to him. “You don’t have to do that. I’m happy to help out.” “I want to. Keep it.” Teri waited for Agnes to go across the lawn and get inside her house before she turned off the outside porch light. She removed her coat and hung it up in the closet. Nick removed his overcoat and threw it over a chair. “Would you like something to drink?” “Maybe some water.” “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back.” She went to the kitchen. She was standing in front of the sink, filling two glasses with water, when he walked up behind her. He kissed her on the back of the neck. She set the glasses in the sink and turned to him. They kissed. She took his hand and said, “Come with me.” He followed her down the hall to Tara’s bedroom. She pushed the door open quietly and slipped in to kiss her daughter goodnight. Nick waited at the door. They continued down the hall to the last room on the right. This was obviously Teri’s bedroom. It was small; barely large enough for the queen-sized bed centered on the back wall and a bedside table on either side. Across the room was a tall chest and, in the corner, a chair. There was a small bathroom which opened off the bedroom. Teri pulled the drapes closed over a large window on the adjacent wall and turned the light on in the bathroom which cast a pale shaft of light across the room. She shut the bedroom door and pulled back the covers on the bed. Kicking off her pumps, she walked over to Nick, who was still standing by the door. She put her hands on his chest and he put his on her shoulders. He pulled her to him and they kissed. She put her arms around him and they embraced. They kissed passionately. She loosened his tie and then removed his suit jacket. She placed it carefully over the one chair in the room. He removed his tie and put it with the jacket. He unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt while she unbuttoned the shirt itself. She kissed his chest. He pulled the shirttail from his pants and threw the shirt onto the chair. They kissed again. She turned so he could unzip her dress. She let it fall to the floor. She wore black lace panties and a matching bra and had on thigh-hi stockings. She walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge and began removing her stockings. Meanwhile, Nick took off his shoes, socks and pants. Wearing only his boxers, he walked to the bed. He pulled Teri to her feet and removed her bra. She lay down on the bed and he pulled her panties off. After shedding his boxers, he lay down beside her. He rubbed his hand over her body. Such smooth skin. They kissed and caressed each other; becoming aroused. They made slow, deliberate love for what seemed like a long time and, afterwards, they lay in each other’s arms. “Nick? You don’t have anyone special in your life?” “No.” He kissed the top of her head. “What about you? Your husband?” “I don’t know. I don’t know where he is.” “I could help you file for divorce.” Nick wasn’t sure where he was going with this. They had just met after years and years and they had never been anything to each other when they were kids. “How can I do that, if I don’t know where he is?” “You have to publish the notice of divorce for so many days in the newspaper. If there’s no response, then the divorce is finalized.” She didn’t answer. Nick turned her face up to his. She averted her eyes. “I don’t know, Nick.” “I understand.” And he did understand. She still obviously had feelings for her husband. He glanced at his watch. “I need to be going.” He wriggled his arm free and sat up on the side of the bed. He pulled on his boxers and went into the bathroom to relieve himself and wash his hands. When he returned, Teri had wrapped herself in her robe. He finished dressing. She walked him to the door and said, “Thanks for a wonderful evening, Nick.” He took her hands in his. “I’m sorry if I overstepped my bounds.” Teri bowed her head. “It’s just that he’s Tara’s father and she loves him. I don’t want to do anything to harm that relationship.” “Sure,” he said, lamely. He kissed her on the forehead and turned to leave. She watched as he drove away. She closed the door and leaned against it, thinking. She really liked Nick and he obviously liked her. What would happen if Doug never returned? Maybe she should go ahead with the divorce like Nick suggested. She shook her head and started towards the bedroom. She would think about that tomorrow. ~*~ Nick stared out the window of his office. It had been over a week and he hadn’t heard a thing from Teri. For some reason, he felt a kind of emptiness. He had really liked spending time with Teri and Tara. It was the first time in a long while that he felt part of a family. After work, he stopped at a local toy store and found a stuffed tiger. It was something he knew that Tara would love. Without calling, Nick drove by Teri’s. He would just drop off the toy and be on his way. There was no harm in that. He pulled up in front of the house and parked. He waited a few minutes, garnering the courage to go to the door. Finally, he stood at the door and knocked. He waited with his back to the door. It opened and he turned around. He was surprised to see a man standing there. “Can I help you?” the man asked. Nick was finally able to speak. “I’m here to see Teri.” “She’s gone to the store. I’m her husband. Is there anything I can do?” After a moment of stunned silence, Nick said, “No. No.” He turned to leave and then realized he was holding the stuffed tiger in his hand. “Oh, can you give this to Tara?” Doug opened the screen door and took the toy. ~*~ The last few weeks, Nick had made a concerted effort to keep his mind on the business at hand especially after his dad had mentioned that his mind seemed elsewhere, at times. More than two weeks had passed since he had dropped off the toy for Tara and he hadn’t heard anything. He figured Teri and Doug had patched things up and he had decided to leave things alone. He did really miss seeing the little girl; she had really captured his heart but, he was determined to get over it. He was getting ready to walk out the door when his phone rang. “Nick Fallin,” he said, into the receiver. “Nick, it’s Teri.” She seemed frantic. “What is it?” “It’s Doug. He wanted me to go off to Texas with him and I told him I couldn’t. He got really angry. He thinks there is something going on between us. I told him there wasn’t; that you were just my lawyer.” “Where is he now?” “He stormed out of the house to go get drunk, probably. I didn’t know if I should call you or not.” She started to sob. “Is there someplace you can go to be safe?” “I can’t go to Agnes’. That would be the first place he would check. And my car isn’t running right now.” Nick heard a loud noise in the background and Teri screamed and dropped the phone. The connection went dead. He grabbed his briefcase and raced out the door. There was construction going on everywhere in the city and traffic was backed up for what seemed like miles. There was nothing he could do but wait impatiently for it to clear so he could make his way to Teri’s. It had been almost an hour since the phone call. He quickly parked the car and raced up the walkway. He listened at the door and hearing nothing, he knocked. “Teri. Teri. It’s Nick.” He listened again and thought he heard whimpering beyond the door. He carefully turned the knob and the door opened. “Oh, God, no.” He was shocked to find Teri lying in a pool of her own blood, her eyes glazed over. Tara was sitting beside her mother, frightened and whimpering. He quickly checked for vital signs and, feeling no pulse, he grabbed up Tara and took her out the door. On the front porch he sat with the child while he dialed 9-1-1 on his cell phone. She climbed into his lap and clung to him, crying softly. She had blood on her little hands and all over her little dress. Nick cradled her gently and tried to quiet her. He took his handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wiped the tears from her face, all the while trying to comfort her. It wasn’t long before he heard the wail of sirens. As the police and ambulance pulled up in front of the house, many of the neighbors began to appear on their front lawns, looking on with curiosity. Nick stood and was holding Tara in her arms when Agnes approached him. “Nick. What happened?” Her eyes were wide with surprise to find Tara covered in blood. He nodded his head towards the house but didn’t say anything in front of the child. “Here, let me take her.” Agnes took the little girl who had stopped whimpering and was now enthralled with the activity of the EMTs and police. “I’ll take her home and clean her up.” Nick was approached by a police officer, obviously the one in charge. “I’m Officer Charles. Are you the one who made the emergency call?” “Yes.” “Can you tell me what happened?” Nick watched as the EMTs entered the house. It was already dark and all the emergency lights cast an eerie glow on the scene. Nick related the story as they walked onto the porch of the house. He remained outside, preferring not to look again upon the carnage in the living room, while the police and EMTs did their jobs. One of the medics determined that Teri was, indeed, dead. Nick joined the officer at the police cruiser as he called for the Crime Scene Unit from his car radio. “Mr. Fallin, would you come down to the station and give us a statement?” “Sure.” “You believe the person responsible is the victim’s husband, Doug Logan?” “Yes, I do. Like I said, I was talking to her when the phone went dead. She was terrified of him.” He listened while the officer called for an APB on Doug Logan. “And what is your relationship to her?” “I’m her lawyer. Was her lawyer,” he corrected himself. “Would you mind if I call someone from Social Services to look after the child?” “Are there any relatives that you know of?” “No. Teri’s parents are both dead. I know nothing about Logan’s parents. Right now, the neighbor, Agnes, is looking after the child.” He pointed next door. “Go ahead. Make your call.” Nick dialed his cell phone. “Laurie. It’s Nick. Yeah, I know it’s late but I have an emergency. Teri Logan has been murdered and her daughter needs someplace to stay. Okay. Yeah. It’s 1244 Oakview Drive, Hazelwood. Thanks.” Crime Scene arrived about the time Laurie did. “Nick.” Laurie looked around for the child. “Laurie, thanks for coming.” Nick met her at her car. “Where’s the child?” “She’s at the neighbor’s.” He pointed to the house next door and began to walk that way. It was already after 10:00. Nick knocked lightly on the door. Agnes answered. “Oh, come in, Nick.” “Agnes, this is Laurie Solt of Social Services. She’s come about Tara.” Nick looked around and didn’t see the little girl. Agnes noticed Nick’s consternation. “Oh, I bathed her and put her to bed. I keep some of her things here for when I baby-sit.” “Can we see her?” Laurie asked. “This way.” She led them down the hallway. The door was slightly ajar. As the door was opened it cast a shaft of light across the child’s bed. She was sleeping soundly with her thumb in her mouth. Laurie turned to walk back to the living room. “Ms…?” “It’s Burnett. Agnes Burnett.” “Ms. Burnett. It might be better to wait until morning to take the child to the shelter. Could you look after her tonight?” “Of course, I can.” She turned to address Nick. “What about Teri?” Nick bowed his head. “She’s dead.” “Oh, no. That poor child.” Agnes put her hand to her mouth. Nick wasn’t sure who she was referring to. Laurie produced her business card with her phone numbers just in case of an emergency. “We’ll be back first thing in the morning. Goodnight, Ms. Burnett.” Laurie and Nick walked towards her car. “Nick, what happened?” “Her husband came back and wanted her to go to Texas with him. She wouldn’t go—actually couldn’t go because of her probation and he apparently didn’t like it. She called me to say she was afraid and we were on the phone together when it all happened.” He ducked his head and clenched his teeth, the trauma of it all beginning to surface again. “I found Tara…” Nick bit his lip to stop its quivering. He was suddenly choked up and unable to go on. He swallowed hard. Laurie then noticed the blood on Nick’s white shirt. “Nick, the blood.” She pointed at his shirt. He looked down and noticed for the first time that he was covered with blood. “Tara was covered in blood when I picked her up.” He closed his eyes tight to stem the flow of tears. Then pinched them with his fingers and looked away. Laurie patted him on the back. “Nick, it’s okay. I understand. Is there anything else I can do?” “No. No. Thanks, Laurie, for coming.” “You should go home and get some rest,” she said kindly. “I have to go to the station and give them a statement.” “Well, I’ll let you know about the child.” “Okay, sure.” Nick followed the officer to the Precinct to provide them with a statement and then drove home. By this time it was after midnight and exhaustion was taking its toll. He couldn’t get the sight of Teri, lying in her own blood, out of his mind. He removed his suit jacket and tie and went into the bathroom to splash cold water on his face. Suddenly his stomach roiled up inside and he retched until he was weak. Afterwards, he sat on the bathroom floor, leaning against the wall with his head in his hands, and cried like a baby. ~*~ Nick stepped off the elevator at Legal Services and made his way to Alvin’s office. Laurie was just leaving. “Nick. Social Services picked Tara up this morning. We’ve already started interviewing for a permanent adoption.” “That’s good, Laurie. Hey, can I talk to you a minute?” He motioned towards the conference room and she followed. He shut the door. “I want to take care of the funeral arrangements. Can you tell me how I do that?” “Well, I think the coroner still has the body until they complete the autopsy. Once you decide on a funeral home, you should get in touch with the coroner’s office and tell them where to send the body. Contact a funeral home and they can take care of the burial arrangements. You know, Nick, the State has funds to take care of this sort of thing.” Nick looked at Laurie with determination. “I wanna do this.” “Okay.” “Okay.” Nick walked back to Alvin’s office. “Do you have anything new for me?” “Nothing right now, Nick.” Alvin could tell that Nick was still traumatized by the death of Teri Logan, no matter how he tried to disguise his feelings. “Good. I have things I can do at Fallin & Associates.” Nick made a hurried exit. Back at his office, Nick made the necessary calls to arrange for a decent burial for Teri. ~*~ When Laurie stopped by the Allegheny Children’s Shelter it was around 4:30 that afternoon. She wanted to make sure that Tara was being properly cared for. She walked to the playroom. You could observe the children through a large picture window from the hallway. She was surprised to see Nick, seated on the sofa, with Tara on his lap. He was reading to her. At one point, the child reached up and put her little arms around his neck. Laurie had to admit, she never expected to see Nick this attached to a child. It was a heartwarming scene. She decided not to disturb them. Tara’s previous foster parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hall, had agreed to take her until permanent arrangements could be made. The child’s father was still on the loose. Once captured, if he was convicted for the murder of his wife, his parental rights could be terminated and a permanent adoption could then be arranged. ~*~ It was a dreary, overcast day, threatening snow. It had turned off bitterly cold. There was a small party, dressed all in black, gathered around the graveside as a preacher said a scant few words over the dearly departed. At a distance was a lone figure, dressed in a black overcoat with the collar turned up. He had his hands in his pocket, his face a picture of sorrow; not so much for Teri, as she went to her Maker, but for the small child she left behind. Nick observed the child, seated on Mrs. Hall’s lap at the edge of the grave. You could tell the little girl didn’t know what was actually taking place. She sat quietly, looking at the strangers around her. Suddenly she squirmed free of Mrs. Hall’s grasp and ran towards him. She held out her arms and he stooped to scoop her up. She squeezed his neck as he held her firmly but gently, burying his head in her mass of curls. All eyes watched the tender display between man and child. Nick held her until the brief service was completed. Mrs. Hall made her way towards him. “It’s time to go home now, Tara.” Mrs. Hall held out her arms. The child shook her head and said, “No,” holding Nick even tighter. Nick got a lump in his throat and couldn’t speak for a moment. Finally, he said, “Where are you parked? I’ll carry her, if you want.” They made their way to the car. “Poppy Hall has a surprise waiting for you in the car, Tara.” Mrs. Hall was still trying to entice her. Nick set Tara down beside the car and stooped to her level. “Promise me that you’ll be a good little girl for Mrs. Hall.” She kissed him on the mouth. He smiled and opened the rear car door for her to get in. She climbed into her car seat and Mrs. Hall strapped her in. Poppy Hall produced a tiny rag doll for her to play with. She held it out for Nick to see. Nick smiled. He watched as they drove slowly away. Tara waved and he waved back. Nick reflected, as he walked to his car. ‘Here was another child whose life was forever altered by events totally beyond their control’. He tried to promise himself that he would stay in touch with Tara, but he knew he wouldn’t; the memory of it all, much too painful to endure. He only hoped that Tara was still young enough to forget the day her mother died. As for him, he knew that day would forever haunt his memories. THE END