which housed the Illinois Workers’
Compensation Commission. On such a gorgeous July day, nothing could
go wrong. Sure, she had tons of work and it might take a while to
follow her dream, but she’d survive.
Another good thing was her dizzy spells had vanished. They’d
probably been caused by overwork. That situation wouldn’t last
forever. Her goal was within reach.
She just knew she’d win all of her cases today.
Stop woolgathering , she told herself, using a favorite phrase
of her mother’s.
Upstairs on the eighth floor, she glanced around for Dade but didn’t
see him. Just in case he turned up, she left a message with the
receptionist for him to call the office. She called Pam back and told
her what she’d done. After that, she gathered her client, Danny
Devers, out of the waiting room. “Let’s go get ‘em,” she
said.
He flashed her a timid smile.
“Don’t be nervous. Just tell the truth.”
The man had a good case. They’d get through in no time.
Her prediction proved correct. It wasn’t long before Julie
smilingly sent her client on his way. She sailed through the next
case as well, then strolled across the concourse to look for Dade.
She didn’t see him in the hallway, meeting rooms or the downstairs
eating area where the attorneys often met to hash over cases. He must
have already gone back to the office.
She may as well head back too. When she saw him, she’d learn soon
enough how the mix-up had occurred.
As soon as Julie stepped into the office, Pam’s frantic voice
greeted her. “You didn’t see Dade at all at the Commission?”
“No. You mean he still hasn’t called?”
Pam shook her head. “He never did. I don’t know where he is. The
phones are going crazy. What do I tell the clients?”
“Just say he’s at an emergency trial and will get back to them.”
Julie frowned. A strange uneasiness gripped her, making her terrific
mood evaporate. Dade was meticulous about advising the office of his
whereabouts. Something was wrong.
Her steps quickened. Even before she reached her desk, she grabbed
her cell phone from her purse and punched the quick dial. “Be
there,” she said.
It didn’t even ring. Strange. If the telephone were out of range,
at least his voice mail should kick in. Maybe his phone was broken.
Or maybe his mom was sick and he had to rush her to the hospital and
didn’t have time to call. No, it couldn’t be that. Marcia and
Avery had gone to Wisconsin. They wouldn’t be back for a week.
Now what to do? Julie glanced at her watch. It was past one. Maybe
she was being an alarmist, but she couldn’t help it. What if Dade
had fallen and banged his head in the shower this morning. His life’s
blood could be flowing out of him while he hung on, hoping to be
rescued. God forbid, it might already be too late.
She called the operator and asked for his condominium’s office.
Once she was connected, she requested a well being check. Ten minutes
of pacing passed. Julie was about to dial back when Dee’s voice
rang over the intercom, “There’s a Linda, from Dade’s building
on line nine.”
Julie snatched up the receiver. “Is he all right?”
“I’m sorry,” the woman said. “No one’s there. We searched
the entire condo.”
“Thanks so much for your trouble.” Not knowing if she should be
relieved or upset, she slowly hung up.
Where was he? Had he been in an auto accident? Though his condo was
only three miles away, Loop traffic was a nightmare. All it could
take was one careless driver.
To reassure herself, she glanced out the window at the cloudless
aquamarine sky. It was a stunning summer day. The streets were dry.
Dade was an excellent driver.
No matter how she tried to reassure herself, a knot kept growing in
her stomach, making her feel nauseous. Something was wrong.
She punched Dade’s cell phone number again, only to hear the same
dead tone.
Pam’s voice cut in, “Julie, there’s a Lieutenant Pruchnicky on
line
Compensation Commission. On such a gorgeous July day, nothing could
go wrong. Sure, she had tons of work and it might take a while to
follow her dream, but she’d survive.
Another good thing was her dizzy spells had vanished. They’d
probably been caused by overwork. That situation wouldn’t last
forever. Her goal was within reach.
She just knew she’d win all of her cases today.
Stop woolgathering , she told herself, using a favorite phrase
of her mother’s.
Upstairs on the eighth floor, she glanced around for Dade but didn’t
see him. Just in case he turned up, she left a message with the
receptionist for him to call the office. She called Pam back and told
her what she’d done. After that, she gathered her client, Danny
Devers, out of the waiting room. “Let’s go get ‘em,” she
said.
He flashed her a timid smile.
“Don’t be nervous. Just tell the truth.”
The man had a good case. They’d get through in no time.
Her prediction proved correct. It wasn’t long before Julie
smilingly sent her client on his way. She sailed through the next
case as well, then strolled across the concourse to look for Dade.
She didn’t see him in the hallway, meeting rooms or the downstairs
eating area where the attorneys often met to hash over cases. He must
have already gone back to the office.
She may as well head back too. When she saw him, she’d learn soon
enough how the mix-up had occurred.
As soon as Julie stepped into the office, Pam’s frantic voice
greeted her. “You didn’t see Dade at all at the Commission?”
“No. You mean he still hasn’t called?”
Pam shook her head. “He never did. I don’t know where he is. The
phones are going crazy. What do I tell the clients?”
“Just say he’s at an emergency trial and will get back to them.”
Julie frowned. A strange uneasiness gripped her, making her terrific
mood evaporate. Dade was meticulous about advising the office of his
whereabouts. Something was wrong.
Her steps quickened. Even before she reached her desk, she grabbed
her cell phone from her purse and punched the quick dial. “Be
there,” she said.
It didn’t even ring. Strange. If the telephone were out of range,
at least his voice mail should kick in. Maybe his phone was broken.
Or maybe his mom was sick and he had to rush her to the hospital and
didn’t have time to call. No, it couldn’t be that. Marcia and
Avery had gone to Wisconsin. They wouldn’t be back for a week.
Now what to do? Julie glanced at her watch. It was past one. Maybe
she was being an alarmist, but she couldn’t help it. What if Dade
had fallen and banged his head in the shower this morning. His life’s
blood could be flowing out of him while he hung on, hoping to be
rescued. God forbid, it might already be too late.
She called the operator and asked for his condominium’s office.
Once she was connected, she requested a well being check. Ten minutes
of pacing passed. Julie was about to dial back when Dee’s voice
rang over the intercom, “There’s a Linda, from Dade’s building
on line nine.”
Julie snatched up the receiver. “Is he all right?”
“I’m sorry,” the woman said. “No one’s there. We searched
the entire condo.”
“Thanks so much for your trouble.” Not knowing if she should be
relieved or upset, she slowly hung up.
Where was he? Had he been in an auto accident? Though his condo was
only three miles away, Loop traffic was a nightmare. All it could
take was one careless driver.
To reassure herself, she glanced out the window at the cloudless
aquamarine sky. It was a stunning summer day. The streets were dry.
Dade was an excellent driver.
No matter how she tried to reassure herself, a knot kept growing in
her stomach, making her feel nauseous. Something was wrong.
She punched Dade’s cell phone number again, only to hear the same
dead tone.
Pam’s voice cut in, “Julie, there’s a Lieutenant Pruchnicky on
line
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