Free Swan Song (Julie O'Hara Mystery Series) by Lee Hanson Page B

somehow, she got the knife away from him. Wait a minute, how come his prints weren’t on it?”
    “They probably were until she got a hold of it. Think about it. Dianna would have been gripping the knife for all she was worth, Merlin. That would have obliterated any other prints.”
    Julie sighed.
    “Oh, God,” she said, stretching her neck back. “I am so tired, Joe.”
    “Not too tired, I hope.”
    He took her empty plate, set it on top of his, and held out his hand.
    “Blow out the candles,” she said, taking his hand.
    Joe picked up a candle and blew it out.
    “What else can I do for you?”
    •
    It was midnight and Joe was snoring softly. Julie hated like hell to get up, but she needed clothes and she needed to tend to Sol. Most of all, she didn’t want to run into Luz or Janet if she overslept.
    Gathering up her clothes from the bottom of the bed and the floor, she went into the bathroom, careful to close the door as she switched on the light. She dressed quickly, not bothering with a shower. She’d shower and wash her hair in the morning.
    Quietly, she left the apartment and descended the staircase past the offices, making sure the front door locked behind her. She got on her scooter, kicked the stand and headed for her condo.
    Julie pulled into the garage beneath her building a few minutes later. All the assigned spaces were filled, but it wasn’t a problem. She had bought a red VW convertible a year before which was parked in her space. When she pulled the mini-car in, she always left room for the scooter in front of it. She killed the ignition and, still seated, walked the bike between the cars to the front of the VW. Her neighbor’s Prius was parked leaving her plenty of space.
    God bless Mr. Gladwell. He probably doesn’t want me to clip his new car.
    Julie never saw her attacker. He came from behind before she got her helmet off. She did manage to press the panic button on her keychain, though.
    Twice.
    * * * * * 
     
    Chapter 17
    “J oe Garrett?” said the woman on the phone.
    “Yeah,” said Joe, switching on the light, wondering at the unfamiliar voice. Groggy with sleep, he noticed that Julie was gone. He picked up his watch.
    It’s two; who the hell is calling me?
    “Who is this?”
    “My name is Megan Sewell, Mr. Garrett. I’m a triage nurse at the ORMC Emergency Room. I’m calling for Julie O’Hara, she gave me your name.”
    “What? Julie ?” Joe’s stomach lurched as if he’d eaten bad food. “What hospital?”
    “Orlando Regional Medical Center, sir. Ms. O’Hara is here in the Emergency Room. She asked me to call you to let you know she was here.”
    Joe was fully awake now.
    “What happened? Is she all right?”
    “I can’t give you details, sir, but you can come into the Emergency Room and speak to the doctor.”
    “But what happened ?”
    “She was assaulted, sir. She came in by ambulance. That’s all I can tell you,” said the nurse. “Do you know where we’re located, on Kuhl, off of Orange Ave?”
    “Yes, yes, I do. Tell her I’ll be right there,” he said, hanging up.
    Joe pulled on his pants and shirt, and grabbed his wallet and keys off the dresser.
    I knew something like this would happen! Why does she have to leave here in the middle of the night! Just so she doesn’t run in to Janet or Luz…
    Joe was angry with Julie and scared at the same time.
    Please, God, let her be all right!
    Joe had been in love with Julie for five years, ever since she walked in his door asking about the office space across the foyer. Julie, on the other hand, was icy and barely spoke to him for nearly three years…until her best friend, Marc Solomon, was murdered.
    Joe ran down the stairs now and hurried out to the Land Rover. He backed up, then sped down Cypress and turned left on Eola Drive, his mind racing…thinking about Julie.
    Their affair had begun during Marc’s case and they’d been together since. Joe thought he’d lost her when he proposed a couple months