The Advocate (The Advocate Series) (25 page)

After the last session, Sabre and the two doctors had met and made a list of the similarities and differences between Ron and Dr. Steele. They hoped to emphasize the things more “Steele-ish” so Carla would see the doctor rather than Ron. One of the most obvious to Sabre was Dr. Steele’s walk. Another difference was that Ron almost never stopped smiling and joking. Dr. Steele, on the other hand, acted more serious.

Phyliss brought Carla into the room. Her eyes lit up as she saw Dr. Steele, and she dashed toward him. “Carla, you remember Dr. Steele,” Dr. Vincent said.

Dr. Steele walked toward her with his hand extended to shake hers, trying to act natural and hoping to avoid another bear hug from Carla. Carla stopped for a second and looked at him, her eyes following his movements, his expression, appearing to drink in the very essence of him. Her expression, quizzical for a few seconds, changed to sheer joy as she neared. She reached for his hand and then pulled him into a hug, mumbling stuff in his ear that apparently made no sense to him. After some coaxing from Dr. Vincent, Carla let go.

To Sabre, the session seemed much like the first two, but in their recap after Carla left, Dr. Vincent seemed encouraged. Although he couldn’t be certain what Carla was thinking, there seemed to have been several times when she had questioned Dr. Steele’s behavior. Dr. Vincent also pointed out that Carla had left with less resistance. “I believe, with a couple more sessions, Dr. Steele will be able to resume his work here. I’m not suggesting, in such a short amount of time, Carla will be convinced he’s not Ron, but I think it’ll help for her to see him conducting his work. Maybe you’ve noticed she doesn’t believe Ron left and became a doctor. That doesn’t seem to be possible for her.”

“That makes sense,” Sabre said. “Anyone who knew Ron knows he would never choose medicine. He fainted at the sight of blood, and he didn’t believe in taking prescriptions. He believed something existed in nature to heal anything ailing you and you didn’t need synthetics in your body. He wouldn’t even wear polyester because he didn’t want it on his skin. His clothes had to be cotton, or silk, or something natural. Besides, he’d never have made it through med school. He squeaked by in college, not because of his intelligence, but because they didn’t hold classes outside. He couldn’t stand to be cooped up. No, the one thing Ron would never be is a medical doctor.” Sabre looked at Dr. Steele and realized she was also convincing herself. There was hope for Carla.

Dr. Vincent put his hand on Sabre’s shoulder. “I know this must be difficult, but we couldn’t do it without you. Your insight is invaluable. Thanks again for coming. See you in a couple of days.”

“Anything for Carla.” She stood up, smiled, and left the room.

Sabre drove to the beach, parked her car, and walked toward the boardwalk, hoping some time by the water would help take her mind off Honey. Fall was her favorite time of the year for the beach.

She approached the beach, smelling the salty ocean air and enjoying the breeze on her face. She wandered along the boardwalk, breathing in the air and admiring the magnificent ocean, the tide high and the waves crashing down. She loved the sound they made and the way the white caps of foam formed as they reached their crests. She took a deep breath, sucking in the majestic beauty before her. She imagined every one of her troubles being washed out to sea as the tide went out. She let them all go, and each new wave brought her more tranquility.

Reaching her favorite spot, she hoisted herself onto the concrete wall that acted as a breaker for the high tide. Feet dangling, she waited for the sun to set. About sixty feet away, she saw a man sit on the wall. He wore a black overcoat and a dark green knit cap, and he appeared to be looking in her direction. Within a few minutes, several other people sat on the wall between them. The sun started to set, and all along the boardwalk, people stopped to watch.

The bright yellow sun set, painting the ocean bronze, and the sky streaked with hues of pink, promising another breathtaking view. Sabre wondered if there would be a “green flash.” Every so often, when the sun set on the ocean, the atmosphere was such that it created a flash of green light.

Sabre remembered the first one she had seen. During her freshman year of college, she and Ron were at the beach watching the sunset, unaware the flashes even existed until then. Just as the last bit of sun disappeared into the water, the horizon briefly flashed a bright green. Both she and Ron exclaimed, “Did you see that?” Sabre had only seen about half a dozen of them over the years, but every one she saw gave her brother back to her for that moment in time.

The rounded edge of the sun disappeared into the ocean, the sky fuchsia for miles around it. Sabre watched the last bit of yellow light meet the dark blue waters. She waited, watching for the flash of green. The sun sank, but no flash. She continued admiring the beautiful sky. Flash or not, it delivered a tranquil sight.

Before she descended from the wall, she glanced to her right and saw the man who had seated himself there earlier. As she rose, so did he. She walked toward him, in the direction of her car. After a few steps, he turned and went between some houses along the shorefront. She knew she was letting every little coincidence make her uneasy, and she didn’t want it to ruin her beautiful evening at the beach. She had to let go of this crazy paranoia. She took a deep breath.

As she approached the spot where the stranger had been sitting, she smelled the familiar odor of Kantor cologne. Once again her heart skipped a beat. It was the only cologne Ron ever wore. The smell grew stronger the closer she came to where the man had been seated.

She peered around, but he seemed to be gone. She watched as she walked to her car, but no further evidence of him or the smell presented itself. More paranoia?

Frustrated, she drove home. Her relaxing time at the beach had lost its effect because she let her imagination run away with her again. The smell of the cologne, however, still bothered her.

She ate some leftovers and cleaned up the kitchen. She put in her favorite old movie,
When Harry Met Sally
, and climbed into bed. It made her laugh, no matter how many times she watched it, but her attempt to lose herself in the movie proved unsuccessful. Both the stranger at the beach and Honey occupied her mind. What happened to that poor little girl? She would try again to talk with Alexis.

After she tossed and turned for an hour, she fell asleep, but woke up several times thinking about the child whose world was void of sound. Where could she be? Each time Sabre fell back to sleep, she had a nightmare; either someone chased her or she dreamed of Honey, lost somewhere, wandering around by herself, scared and hungry.

After Sabre woke up for the third time, she went downstairs and warmed a glass of milk. As a child, if she had a hard time sleeping, her mother would bring her one. It always seemed to work when she was younger. Sabre couldn’t be certain if it was because of the milk or because her mother would snuggle up to her and hold her until she fell asleep.

She sat on the edge of her bed and sipped her milk. She finished, crawled under the covers, and after lying there about ten seconds, she felt something move in the bed. She first thought she had moved the covers, until she felt it crawling on her leg. She screamed as she jumped out of bed. Her heart pounded. She trembled as she stood frozen in place trying to catch her breath. She just stood there with her body convulsing until she had the good sense to turn on the light. Her reluctant hand reached for the blanket, grabbed the corner of the covers, and threw them back. Something darted away. She screamed again, jumped back, and bumped her head on the wall. Finally, she saw it, a harmless, little lizard. She tried to calm herself. She took a step, but her legs felt like jelly. Her heart beat faster, as she inched her way around the bed, pulling the covers off onto the floor. He seemed to be alone.

Too frightened to get back in the bed or to lie down anywhere, she took a blanket from the closet and shook it out. She went downstairs, took the cushions off the sofa, and checked each crack and crevice. When satisfied there was nothing in it, she sat down on the sofa with the blanket wrapped around her, her knees pulled up to her chin. She sat in the dim light, still shaking. She wanted to call Bob, but it was three o’clock in the morning. For the rest of the night, she remained on the sofa in a state of fright, waiting for the sunrise.

26

Sabre dragged herself into the courthouse on Monday morning with dark, puffy bags under both eyes. Between the lizard and the nightmares about Honey, she had only slept a few hours over the weekend.

Mike, her favorite bailiff, was working the metal detector. “Good morning,” he said.

“Hi, Mike. How are you today?” she asked in a less than enthusiastic voice.

“Obviously better than you. Rough weekend?”

“You might say.” She forced a smile.

“Well, you look like something the cat dragged in. I hope it was worth it.”

“Absolutely.” Sabre winked, as she exited the machine. She didn’t want to talk about what was really on her mind, and complaining about her lack of sleep wouldn’t do any good. So she left him with the impression she’d had a wild weekend.

She picked up her stack of files and walked over to her usual spot. Setting the files on the shelf, she spotted Bob at the front door. She walked over to greet him. His presence alone gave her comfort. “Mornin’,” she said.

“Hi, honey,” Bob said, putting his arm around her shoulder as they walked. “You doing any better?”

Sabre had called Bob as early as she thought appropriate Sunday morning. After sharing her lizard experience with him, he came right over and checked her house, but they couldn’t find the little culprit. Bob tried once again to encourage her to leave her house, but she refused.

“I’m okay. I just need to catch up on my sleep. I’d sure feel better if we knew what happened to Honey Stone.”

“Still no word, huh?”

“Nope. The police, both here and in Atlanta, are investigating, but no one seems to know where she is. They’ve questioned everyone involved and none of the stories have changed. Gaylord and Peggy say they left her with the cousin, Adelle. Adelle and her husband say she should be with Peggy.”

“What about Alexis? Does she know anything?”

“Oh, I think she knows a lot, but she isn’t talking. She has either blocked it out, or she’s just too afraid to say anything.”

“So what are you going to do at the hearing this morning?”

“All I can do is set it for trial. I can’t let Alexis go home until I know Murdock isn’t involved with Honey’s disappearance.”

“So the department hasn’t changed their recommendation? They still want to send her home?”

“Marla doesn’t, but she had pressure from her supervisor. They’ve decided Murdock is a good guy and Alexis should be able to go home. Marla was delighted when I told her I was setting it for trial. We’re both hoping by the time we go to trial, we’ll have some answers on Honey’s whereabouts.”

“Let’s go get it done,” Bob said.

They went to Department Four for the Murdock/Smith case. The other attorneys were already in the courtroom when she and Bob entered. Sabre informed everyone she needed a trial date on Alexis. The recommendations for Jamie and Haley to remain in foster care went unopposed by Sabre, but Peggy’s attorney asked for the return of those children to their mother and Murdock wanted Haley in his custody. The attorneys took out their calendars and, along with the court clerk, agreed on a trial date of December 28, which placed the trial about a month out. Then they called the parents in for the hearing.

Tom Gilley, Murdock’s attorney, argued for the return of Alexis to her father, pending the trial. Nevertheless, Judge Cheney denied his request since that was the crux of the contest by the minor
’
s attorney. Gilley was not surprised; he didn’t expect anything different. However, Murdock’s disappointment was evident. He tried to maintain his usual calm demeanor, but his face reddened with anger. Sabre caught him looking at her with contempt. It only lasted a few seconds before he regained control. Although his look had sent a chill down Sabre’s back, she thought about how he must feel.
What if he hasn’t done anything except try to protect his unborn child? What if he is a victim like the children? How unfair, then, to him and to Alexis. Who am I to decide, to play God, if you will, and keep them apart, especially now during the holidays?
Nevertheless, she had no choice. She had to know what happened to Honey before she could let Alexis go home.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Judge Cheney spoke, “. . . trial date, December 28
^th
; settlement conference, ten days from today. The parents are ordered to return for both hearings. All previous orders remain in full force and effect.”

Sabre stayed in the courtroom until the parents had left. She didn’t want to face Gaylord Murdock.

“What’s the matter, Sobs?”

“I’m okay. I just hope I did the right thing. I hate to see families split up, especially for the holidays. And now Alexis will be in Jordan for Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

“She’ll be fine. She likes it there, and they love her. Besides, she’ll be with Jamie, and you know how important that is to her.”

“True, it would be hard for her to be apart from him. But maybe they should both be with Murdock. He’s doing everything the department has asked him to do,” Sabre said.