Chapter Five
Jordan opened the door of her apartment and pulled her luggage through the door. Right after their talk in her office, Garrett had arranged an appointment with Dr. Beechler at Duke University. Three days later, Jordan found herself on a flight to North Carolina. She had landed in Charlotte, got a rental car, and drove into Durham.
She had been impressed with the program. She had been impressed with Duke. And she had been impressed with the morgue at Chapel Hill.
And Dr. Beechler had been impressed with her. A large, imposing-looking man, Jordan nearly had pulled up short when she met him...he was even taller than Nigel and much bigger. A giant of a man, with a full-beard and a deep voice. She had nearly found herself intimidated by him, until he had caught her in the gentlest hug she had ever had. "So you're Jordan?" he had asked, with a twinkle in his eye, "Macy's protégée?"
"Ummmm, I guess?"
Dr. Beechler had chuckled. "Garrett and I went to grad school together. Got into more trouble than I can even begin to remember, or care to. He's told me a lot about you." They had talked and he took her on a tour of the university, and then the morgue. "This could work, Jordan," he had told her. "You've got skills we could use here and there are some new procedures and methods you could learn from us. The two year program is all yours, if you want it. We'll help you find housing. We'll do whatever we need to in order to make this a smooth transition for you."
She had swallowed hard. It was all becoming so final. "Can I have a few days to think about it?" she had asked.
"Sure. It is a big decision. Garrett said you'd been in Boston most of your life. And while two years isn't long, it is a good while to uproot yourself from your home. Take a week. Give me a call. But the position is yours if you want it and I won't offer it to anyone else until I hear from you."
She had shaken his hand and said good-bye to the rest of the morgue staff and flew home. Which was where she was now. Back in her stuffy, little apartment faced with what seemed like a huge decision in her life. What do I do? she thought. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. I could learn so much...and get over him at the same time. But two years...so much could happen in two years...
The strident ringing of her cell phone broke through her thoughts.
"Cavanaugh," she said as she flipped open her phone.
"Jordan, are you home?" It was Garrett, and unless she was wrong, she could hear a note of panic in his voice.
"Yeah, just walked through the door. What's up?" I hope he doesn't need me to come in right now...I have a lot to think about.
"It's Woody, Jordan...there's been an accident."
She felt like the bottom had dropped out of her world.
"Is he okay...alive?" she asked, nearly choking on the words.
"He's alive, but he's not in real good condition, Jo."
"What's...what's wrong, Garrett...tell me. I can take it."
"He's blind."