C Box - Three Weeks to Say Goodbye

C.J. Box 2009.

The author would like to thank those who provided background, suggestions, careful reading, and inspiration for this novel, including Allison Herron Lee, Ann Rittenberg, Laurie Box, Molly Box, Becky Box, and the wonderful team at St. Martins Minotaur-Matthew Baldacci, Andrew Martin, Hector Dejean, and, especially, the peerless Jennifer Enderlin.

IT WAS SATURDAY MORNING, November 3, and the first thing I noticed when I entered my office was that my telephone message light was blinking. Since Id left the building late the night before, it meant someone had called my extension during the night. Odd.

My name is Jack McGuane. I was thirty-four years old at the time. Melissa, my wife, was the same age. I assume youve heard my name, or seen my image on the news, although with everything going on in the world I can understand if you missed me the first time. Our story, in the big scheme of things, is a drop in the river.

I was a Travel Development Specialist for the Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, the city agency charged with bidding on and hosting conventions and encouraging tourism to Denver. Every city has one. I worked hard, often staying late and, if necessary, coming in on a Saturday. Its important to me that I work hard, even in a bureaucratic environment where its not necessarily encouraged or rewarded. You see, Im not the smartest guy in the world, or the best educated. My background doesnt suit me for the job. But my ace in the hole is that I work harder than anyone around me, even when I dont have to. I am the bane of an office filled with bureaucrats, and Im proud of it. Its the only thing Ive got.

Before doing anything, though, I punched the button to retrieve my voice mail.

Jack, this is Julie Perala. At the agency

I stared at the speaker. Her voice was tight, cautious, not the confident and compassionate Julie Perala from the adoption agency Melissa and I had spent hours with while we went through the long process of adopting Angelina, our nine-month-old. My first thought was that we somehow owed them more money.

Jack, I hate to call you at work on a Friday. I hope you get this and can call me back right away. I need to talk with you immediately-before Sunday, if possible.

She left the agency number and her cell-phone number, and I wrote them down.

Then: Jack, Im so sorry.

After a few beats of silence, as if she wanted to say more but wouldnt or couldnt, she hung up.

I sat back in my chair, then listened to the message again and checked the time stamp. It had arrived at 8:45 Friday evening.

I tried the agency number first, not surprised that it went straight to voice mail. Then I called her cell.

Yes?

Julie, this is Jack McGuane.

Oh.

You said to call immediately. Youve got me scared here with your message. Whats going on?

You dont know?

How would I know? Know what?

There was anger and panic in her voice.

Martin Dearborn hasnt called you? Hes your attorney, isnt he? Our lawyers were supposed to call him. Oh dear.

My heart sped up, and the receiver became slick in my hand. Julie, I dont know anything. Dearborn never called. Please, what is this about?

God, I hate to be the one to tell you.

Tell me what?

A beat. The biological father wants Angelina back.

I made her repeat it in case I hadnt heard correctly. She did.

So what if he wants her back, I said. We adopted her. Shes our daughter now. Who cares what he wants?

You dont understand-its complicated.

I pictured Melissa and Angelina at home having a lazy Saturday morning. Of course well work this out, I said. This is all some kind of big misunderstanding. Itll all be fine. Despite my words, my mouth tasted like metal.

Said Julie, The birth father never signed away parental custody, Jack. The mother did, but the father didnt. Its a terrible situation. Your lawyer should have explained all of this to you. I dont want to be the one going over legalities because Im not qualified. As I said, its complicated

This cannot be happening, I said.

Im so sorry.

It doesnt make sense, I said. Shes been with us nine months. The birth mother selected us.

I know. I was there.

Tell me how to make this go away, I said, sitting up in my chair, leaning over the desk. Do we pay off the kid, or what?

Julie was silent for a long time.

Julie, are you there?

Im here.

Meet me at your agency now.

I cant.

You cant or you wont?

I cant. I shouldnt even be talking with you. I should never have called. The lawyers and my executives said not to make direct contact, but I felt I had to.

Why didnt you call us at home?

I got cold feet, she said. You dont know how much I wished I could erase that message I left for you.

I appreciate that, I said, but you cant walk away. I need to understand what youre saying. Youve got to work with me to make this kid go away. You owe us that.

I heard a series of staccato sounds and thought the connection was going bad. Then I realized she was crying.

Finally, she said, Theres a restaurant near here called Sunrise Sunset. On South Wadsworth. I can meet you there in an hour.

I might be a little late. Ive got to run home and get Melissa. Shell want to hear this. And on such short notice, well probably have Angelina with us.

I was hoping Her voice trailed off.

Hoping what? That I wouldnt bring them?

Yes. It makes it harder I was hoping maybe you and I could meet alone.

I slammed the phone down. Stunned, I wrote down the address of the restaurant.

I SENSED LINDA VAN Gears arrival before she leaned into my office. She had a presence that preceded her. It could also be called very strong perfume, which she seemed to push ahead in front of her, like a surging trio of small, leashed dogs. Linda was my boss.

She was an imposing, no-nonsense woman, a force of nature. Melissa once referred to Linda as a caricature of a broad. Linda was brash, made-up, coiffed with a swept-back helmet of stiff hair like the overlapping armored plates of a prehistoric dinosaur. She looked like she wore suits with shoulder pads, but they were her shoulders. Her lips were red, red, red, and there was usually a lipstick line across the front of her teeth, which she moistened often with darts from a pointed tongue. Linda, like a lot of the people who worked international tourism marketing, had once had dreams of being an actress or at least some kind of indefinable celebrity, someone who judged amateurs on a reality singing show. Linda was not well liked by the women in our office or by many in the tourism industry, but I got along with her. I got a kick out of her because everything about her was out front in spades.

Hello, darlin, she said, sticking her head in the doorway, I see you found the leads.

I hadnt even noticed them, but they were there: a bulging manila envelope filled with business cards that smelled of her perfume, cigarette smoke, and spilled wine.

Theyre right here.

Couple of hot ones in there, she said with mock enthusiasm. Theyll singe your fingers when you touch them. Lets meet on them in a half an hour. She squinted, looking me over, asked, Are you okay?