She's Not There (34 page)

Richard Conlin was back in TJ’s life, and surprisingly, more excited than TJ herself about the baby. The couple seemed to have moved past the fact that Jeff Denison was the father.

Lisa and Eric split their days between both of their residences. They’d been spending a lot of time at Lisa’s lake house, weekends mostly, returning to Eric’s during the week to give Paige, who was back for an undetermined amount of time, an opportunity for some privacy.

After they’d eaten grilled steaks and salmon, and played charades until they couldn’t laugh anymore, the party prepared to take the pontoon out on the lake to watch the fireworks. They’d stocked it with a pitcher of margaritas, sodas, and assorted snacks, and been ready to leave the dock when Lisa remembered she’d forgotten to bring her CDs of patriotic music, a ritual every year during the show.

Lisa ran back into the house and was rifling through a corner cabinet when a phone rang, startling her. She realized it was her work number and couldn’t imagine who’d be calling her at that number on a holiday—her clients called on her cell phone when they had emergencies.

She picked it up. “Lisa Rayburn, can I help you?”

There was no response on the other end. “Hello? Is someone there?”

Maybe it was only a wrong number.

“Lisa?”

The voice sounded choked with emotion. It must be a patient.
There go the fireworks for me.
But someone needed her.

“Yes, this is Lisa Rayburn.”

“Lisa . . . it’s me, Jamie. Jamie Denison.”

Lisa gasped, unable to muffle her shock.

“Lisa, I know it’s too late, but I’m sorry. I am so, so, sorry.