Free Juliet's Law by Ruth Wind Page B

helped Helene carry the dishes from the dining room into the kitchen. “She’s a terrific little girl,” Juliet said.
    â€œThanks. You must have experience with children. You’re very good with her.”
    â€œI don’t have any of my own, but I do some work at a center that offers services to displaced immigrant women. A lot of kids there.”
    Helene stacked plates into the dishwasher. “That sounds like interesting work. Do you like it?”
    Scraping frosting and the shell of pistachio nuts into the trash, Juliet nodded. “Better than my actual job. That’s a side job, pro bono work, but it feels like I’m really doing something when I’m there.”
    â€œSometimes it happens that way—the side trip leads to the main road.”
    Startled, Juliet looked up. “I never thought of that.”
    Helene smiled and finished loading the dishwasher. She dried her hands on a cup towel. “Will you mind if I leave you with Glory now? Josh is supposed to be back within a half hour.”
    â€œThat’s fine.”
    Glory ran back into the kitchen, a picture book with a glossy cover under her arm. “I got my book.”
    â€œOkay, sweetie. Let’s go read.”

Chapter 6
    T he room was warm, the fire crackling at her feet. Juliet grew sleepier and sleepier, and she could tell when Glory slumped against her in a heavy slumber. Juliet put the book aside. She thought about the slight shock she got from reading about princesses falling in love with a prince at first kiss, the whole myth and shocking suddenness of it. No wonder, she thought drowsily, there was so much discontent in the world of romance. They’d all been fed this nonsense of love at first sight for the whole of their youth.
    Cynic, said a little voice in her head. But Juliet could find no words to protest. Glory’s head nestled against her shoulder. The dog snored lightly. The chair was deep and soft, her feet cradled on an oversize ottoman.
    When she startled awake some time later, she had noidea how much time had passed, but it was the sudden cold spot where Glory’s warm body had been that alerted her. She sat straight up, blinking, to see Josh carrying the very asleep weight of girl in his arms.
    â€œHey, sleeping beauty,” he said, his voice very soft.
    She waved vaguely, surprised at how deeply she’d fallen asleep.
    â€œBe right back,” he mouthed.
    Juliet rubbed sensation back into her right arm, and yawned. She must have fallen really asleep. The room was gloomy with late afternoon, and the fire had gone very low. Desi would be worried about her!
    Jumping up, she tried to remember where she’d put her purse, and finally found it by the table. She dug in the pocket where she kept her cell phone and pulled it out. It was off; with a stab of guilt she turned it back on. The screen told her there were five missed calls.
    Five? Yikes! How had she missed five calls?
    Then it came to her. She’d turned the phone off yesterday on the plane and never turned it back on. Guiltily, she pushed the button to review the numbers before she picked up voice mail. The first was Scott, yesterday at 4:00 p.m., about the time Desi had been pointing a rifle at Claude. The second was Scott, about 9:00 p.m. last night. The third, Scott, this morning. Desi, number four. Scott number five, just a few hours ago.
    She was about to punch the number for voice mail when Josh came back into the room. “Don’t bother. I saw Desi about ten minutes ago, and she said to tell you she left a message on the phone to tell you she’s going to be awhile. A farmer with some sick pigs.”
    â€œOh.” She closed the phone, feeling suddenly the enclosed silence of the room, the pair of them essentially alone.
    He seemed to notice it, too. “Where’d my mom get off to?”
    â€œShe had to meet someone. She said to tell you to call her later.”
    â€œAll