Un-betaed

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Taking the long way home

Thoughts are captured in /italics/

Chapter 2

Later the same morning in Llanview, Lt. John McBain arrives at his office at the police station and checks the nightly blotter of arrests.  Nothing too serious but enough that these folks will need good lawyers to handle their cases.  Maybe one of them will choose Evangeline and he will get to see her today.  They’ve not connected with each other in the past week and he misses her.  John starts working on the files on his desk and gets absorbed in his work.  Then next time that he looks up it is lunchtime.  He decides to take a break and get some fresh air and maybe pick up lunch and try to catch Evangeline in her office.  He doesn’t call because he wants to surprise her.  Natalie stops him as he heads out of his office. 

“John would you like to have lunch with me? I’m on my way to the diner.”

“Thanks Natalie but I have other plans.  I will walk with you to the diner though because I’m on my way there too.”

“Well if you’re on your way there why can’t we eat together.”

“Natalie as I said I have other plans.  I will pick up my lunch from the diner but will not stay there to eat.  Are you ready to go?”

“No that’s alright John I have to finish something else before I leave, you go ahead.”

“Alright.  See you later.”

“Yeah, bye.”

John makes his way to the diner, collects his lunch and heads for Evangeline’s office. When he arrives he finds her door closed and locked.  He thinks that maybe she went out for lunch.  Just as he pulls out his phone to call her he sees her receptionist.

“Hi Carla, I just stopped by to have lunch with Attorney Williamson.  Has she left for lunch already?”

“Lt. McBain, Attorney Williamson is on vacation.  She won’t be back in the office for at least the next two weeks.  Haven’t you spoken with her?”

“Oh Carla I don’t know where my memory is going.  Of course, she’s on vacation.  I forgot that it started today.  Thanks for reminding me.  I will call her later. Have a good day.”

“You too Lieutenant.”

John thinks, 

/When did Evangeline decide to go on vacation and why didn’t she tell me?  I’ll call her cell phone and her apartment./

Ring, ring

‘Hello, you’ve reached Attorney Evangeline Williamson.  I am not available at this time.  Please leave a message and I will return your call at my earliest convenience.’

“Evangeline, it’s John.  I just heard that you are on vacation.  I didn’t know that you were going on vacation. Please call me.”

/Why isn’t she answering her cell phone or her house phone?  She always answers her cell phone.  I’ll call Nora and ask if she knows where Evangeline is./

Ring, ring

“Nora Hannen.”

“Nora, it’s John.  Do you know where Evangeline went on vacation?”

“Vacation?  John I don’t know anything about Evangeline going on vacation.  Who told you that?”

“I’m at her office now and her receptionist told me that Evangeline is on vacation.  Her office is closed and locked.”

“Did you call her John?”

“Yes Nora I called her cell phone and apartment phone and got her voicemail.”

“That’s not like Evangeline to just up and leave without saying anything to anyone.  Did you guys have an argument?”

“Not that I know.  We haven’t had a chance to really spend any time together in the last few weeks.  The last time that we really talked was the night that she had the stomach flu. You remember you came by with chicken soup.  I’ve been working on that Killing Club case non-stop so I have had much time to spend with her. Do you think she got upset that we haven’t spent any time together?”

“I don’t think so John.  Evangeline knows that you take your work very seriously.  Maybe she just needed time away.  She did just win a major case and perhaps she thought this was a good time to take a break. That’s probably what happened and it was a spur of the moment decision.  I’m sure that we will both hear from her and she will apologize for not telling us about her leaving.”

“I hope that’s the case Nora. Thanks.  If you hear from her before I do please ask her to call me and if I hear from her I will make sure that she calls you.  Bye Nora.”

“Bye John.  Try not to worry.”

John leaves Evangeline’s office and goes to the park to eat his lunch.  While there Natalie sees him and goes and sits with him.

“I thought you had other plans John?”

“I did but they fell through.”

“Well can I sit with you?”

“Sure have a seat.”

John quietly eats his lunch all the time thinking about where did Evangeline go and why didn’t she tell him that she was leaving.  So absorbed in his thoughts he heard nothing of what Natalie was saying to him.  Finishing his sandwich he stands to leave.

“John did you hear anything that I was saying to you?”

“I’m sorry Natalie but I have something on my mind.  I’ll see you back at the station.”

And with that he leaves heading back to the police station.  Upon his arrival he checks his office phone for messages and he does have a message.

‘Hello John, it’s Evangeline.  Something came up and I have to leave town for a few days.  I will call you later.”

/That’s all she has to say, something came up and she had to leave?  What is going on with her?  This is not like her.  Oh!  Maybe something happened with her mother and she had to leave.  That’s probably it, something as simple as that.  All right I feel better now./