FULL CIRCLE
Chapter 47
Natalie had been thinking a lot about the piano concert. It was a chance to meet someone she greatly admired and when she listened to his CDs she could usually forget how hectic or frustrating her day had been. When she saw Eva entering the room a big smile on her face, she made up her mind to see if the younger woman could possibly find her a ticket. "Might as well take advantage of all this down time. Eva certainly is," she said to herself.
Eva tossed her purse on the bed and looked over at Natalie. "How is Miles this morning?" she asked.
"He's better. Frank's calling him 'Grumpy'." She turned to Eva and said, "I was wondering if you could do me a favor. I know it's a big thing to ask."
"I will if I can. What kind of favor?" Eva asked.
"There is a classical pianist Sergei Ivanoff playing at the San Francisco Concert Hall tomorrow night and I was wondering if there was any way I could obtain a ticket to it," Natalie replied. "It's
probably too late to get one though."
"I'll talk to BJ since I'm meeting him for lunch. Maybe the paper has some comp tickets nobody's claimed," Eva said thoughtfully.
"Tell him I'd really appreciate it."
"You're going to probably need to find something more suitable to wear. I think this is calls for a more formal an attire than the usual," Eva pointed out.
Natalie shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I don't always take along a little black dress like you do."
Eva flipped back her hair. "You should try it sometime. You'd beamazed at the kind of doors it opens. After lunch we are goingshopping."
"Just let me get the autopsy results written up and I will be finished. I'll meet you here about 1:30 or 2:00," Natalie told her.
"You've got a deal. IN fact I'll give BJ a call right now," Eva said, pulling out her phone and quickly dialing BJ's cell phone number.
"Eddington here," he said.
"BJ" Eva said.
He smiled, instantly recognizing her voice. "You're not calling to cancel are you? Because I have the perfect place in mind for lunch," BJ wanted to know.
"I'm not canceling and I can hardly wait for lunch," Eva said sweetly. "But I do have a little favor to ask of you."
"Name it," he said.
"Does the paper have any comp tickets for the Sergei Ivanoff concert tomorrow night?" Eva asked.
"Let me see. Are you wanting to attend?"
"No, but I have a friend who'd like to attend," Eva replied.
"Okay. Just give me a minute," BJ told her. He walked over to where a young woman was working at a keyboard. "Claire, are there any tickets left for that Russian pianist?"
Claire went over rot a drawer and unlocked it. "A couple. You want them?" she asked.
"Yeah. Eva has a friend who wants one," BJ explained.
"The little brunette who came by two days ago? And the reason you were so eager to get away last night?" Claire asked.
"Yeah. Eva's an old friend," BJ replied.
"I'll bet she's just a friend," Claire commented, knowing the way he blushed slightly she was right about it being more. "You're welcome to them. I already made sure Cliff has one to cover the concert."
"BJ was speaking into his phone. "Eva, tell your friend I've got her a ticket.'
"Okay, I'll tell her I'll pick up the ticket at lunchtime. BJ, you are such a darling," Eva replied.
"Darling? Now that's something I've never heard before," BJ replied. I'll see you at lunch time and just wait until tonight. My world famous spaghetti."
"I call hardly wait. Bye, BJ," Eva said and turned to Natalie. "BJ was able to get you a ticket."
"That's great. Now I'd better get to work," Natalie said. Picking up her purse, she headed for the door.
Natalie had been working on the reports for about an hour when Stephen came in. He watched the smile flitting across her face for a moment before finally asking, "What are you looking so happy about?'
"Eva's friend was able to get me a ticket to the Sergei Ivanoff concert tomorrow night,' Natalie replied.
"Well, have fun. Hey, isn't that the piano player whose CDs you're always listening to?" Stephen asked.
"A classical pianist and he's someone I always wanted to see perform in person," she replied.
"I stand corrected then. You about finished on the reports yet?" Stephen asked.
"Give me another hour or so and I will be. It'll be good to actually have a free weekend off for once," Natalie answered.
"I'd say enjoy it while you can," Stephen said and watched as she returned to work.