Julia
Chapter 14A week passed, then two. Stu and Julia had begun to believe that Harvey had finally given up trying to make Stuart's life miserable. The stitches were taken out and most of the bruises had faded, and he'd stopped having his ribs wrapped. They weren't healed, but they were a lot less painful.
They were still careful and saw each other almost every night, but they were hopeful. One Wednesday Julia came home from work and found a letter in her mailbox. It was addressed to 'Mrs. Julia Davis' and she recognized the handwriting as Harvey's. It made her shiver.
She waited until Stu got there to pick her up and handed it to him, unopened. He sat down on the couch and pulled her down beside him. "Do you want me to open this?"
"Yes," Julia answered.
'My Dearest Julia,' he read, 'as you can tell, I now know where you live. You've been gone three months and it's time you stop playing this silly game and come home. I see that you have taken up with that slimy Private Investigator, Stu Bailey. If you return to me immediately I promise not to kill him. It's foolish for you to remain in this little life you've created for yourself; I will never leave you alone. I will not allow you to get a divorce. You are mine, Julia, and I will not let anyone else have you. Your loving husband, Harvey
It was quiet for almost a minute, and then Julia sucked her breath in sharply. "Well, that settles it, doesn't it? I'll have to go back to Harvey."
"Do you want to go back to Harvey?" Stu asked her softly.
Julia shook her head. "No, not in a million years. But I can't let him kill you, can I? I have to do whatever's necessary to stop him. And that's the only way."
"No, it isn't. Hand me the phone." Stu dialed a number, and in just a minute Julia heard him say, "Lieutenant Gilmore, please. Gil, it's Stu. That situation I told you about? I have a death threat in my hands. In his handwriting, yes. No, not the girl . . . me. Alright, I'll bring it up to you. How late are you going to be there? Yes, yes, ok, we're on our way."
Julia had already grabbed a wrap and her purse and was ready when Stuart was. "Do you really think your friend can help?" she questioned.
"It's sure worth a try. If that doesn't work I'll figure something else out. I love you, Julia, and I won't let you go back to him if you don't want to. Let's go see Gil. Then we can stop at Dino's and get something to eat."
Ten minutes later they were in the car and on their way to North Hollywood to see Gil.
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"I can't go after him with this, Stu. He's not threatening to kill you. He's only saying he won't."
"But Gil . . . " Stu began to protest.
"Sorry, buddy. My hands are tied. Both of you, get an order of protection and I can arrest him for breaking it when he comes after either one of you, but that's the best I can do right now."
"Thanks anyway, Gil." Bailey wasn't happy, but he knew there wasn't much he could do about it. "Do you want to go to Dino's? If not, there's a Chinese take-out down the street from my place."
"How about your place . . . and we skip the take-out? I don't feel much like eating, do you?" Julia asked.
"Not really. But I could stand a drink," Stu answered. "I have scotch and vodka. Do either one of those appeal to you?"
Julie leaned over in the seat and kissed him. "Can I get either one of those with a side of Bailey?"
"That's the specialty of the house."
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Stu left Julia at her apartment with a promise that she would tell him when she heard more from Harvey. And, more important, that she wouldn't go back to her soon-to-be ex-husband. One day went by, then two, then the phone rang at Orlofsky's the third morning after she'd received the letter. "Orlofsky's," she answered as usual.
"Hello, Julia," Harvey's voice assailed her. She hung up immediately, but every time she answered the phone she heard Harvey in her head, and she was afraid. She took the bus home, but when she got to her apartment there was a strange car parked across the street, with a man in it. It was too far from her to see if it was Harvey, but she suspected it was. She hurried inside and locked the door, then picked up the phone and called Stuart.
"Bailey." He always answered his private line like that.
"Stuart." He could hear the apprehension in her voice.
"What's wrong, Julia? What has Harvey done?"
"He called . . . he called me at work. I hung up on him, but when I got home today . . . there's a strange car with a man in it sitting across the street. I can't tell if it's him or not, but he keeps looking this way. Stuart, I'm frightened."
"Stay right there, Julia. Don't unlock the door for anybody, and don't answer the phone. I'll be there as fast as I can."
"Alright, Stuart." Julia heard the phone go dead and knew he was on the way. She changed clothes and looked in her refrigerator to see what she could put together for dinner, but every time she heard a strange noise she jumped. By the time she heard someone at her front door she was a nervous wreck.
The knock was followed by Stu's voice. "Julia, it's Stu. Let me in, honey."
She unlocked the door and practically jumped into his arms. "Is the car still there?" she asked.
Stu shook his head. "The street's empty. You sure there was somebody there?"
"I'm positive."
"Well, they're gone now." He sniffed the air. "Is that dinner I smell?"
She realized the food would burn if she didn't take it out of the oven. It didn't matter how upset Harvey had her, they both had to eat. She'd skipped breakfast and lunch today, too nervous to put anything in her stomach, and she didn't want Stuart doing the same thing. "Pour us a drink, would you?" she called to him. "And make mine whatever you're having." She finished tossing the salad and put dinner on the table as he walked into the kitchen.
"Here," he said, handing her a glass. "Scotch. How'd you know I haven't eaten today?"
"Because I haven't either. I've been too afraid to eat." She took a swallow, then another. The scotch burned its way down her throat and into her belly, and she felt her nerves begin to settle down for the first time since she'd gotten up. Just as she turned around to get to her chair he took the glass from her hand, set it on the table, and pulled her close. He kissed her tenderly, gently, and pressed his hands against the small of her back until she felt like she was part of him. His body warmth spread through her and she laid her head on his shoulder. "Dinner's getting cold," she announced, and he laughed quietly.
"Dinner, maybe, you, no." He let go of her then and they both sat down at the table. He picked up her hand and kissed it, then asked, "Better now?"
"Better," she answered.
When the meal was over she put the leftovers away, and he helped her with the dishes. Then they went back to the living room and curled up on the couch. "Do you want another drink?"
"No," she answered, "I've had enough scotch."
"I brought a bottle of brandy with me. Thought you might like some of that."
"With coffee?" Julia started to get up, and he pushed her back gently on the couch.
"You stay there. I know how to make coffee." She laughed, and she decided she'd let him. In a few minutes he brought them both a cup of coffee, then pulled the brandy bottle out from under his coat, which he'd laid across the chair when he first came in. "I thought this might help settle your nerves."
He poured some brandy into her coffee and handed her the cup. "Mmm, you make good coffee."
"It's not the coffee, it's what you put in it."
They sat on the couch and finished their coffee and brandy, and finally Stu stood up. "I should go." He turned on her porch light and opened the door. There was a car parked across the street. "Is that the car you saw earlier?"
She looked out the door and nodded. "That's it."
He went out the door and ran across the street. The car turned on its headlights and sped away. Stuart came back to her front door. "Don't leave me alone, Stuart. Stay here tonight."
"What will your neighbors think?"
"I don't care what they think."
He made a quick decision. He'd get up when she did and head for his apartment then. "Alright, but I'm sleeping on the couch."
"Then I'm sleeping on the couch with you."
He shook his head. "You won't get any sleep that way."
"Then come to bed and hold me until I fall asleep."
Dare he be that close to her? If that's what she needed, then he'd do it. No matter how difficult it might be for him. "Go get ready."
When she was ready he went to her and held her until the sound of her soft, steady breathing told him she was asleep. She was warm, and soft, and he longed to stay with her all night. Instead he made himself get up and head for the couch. He stopped by her front window and stared out at the street; the car he'd chased away earlier was parked right where it was before. When Stu laid down he removed his holster from his belt and set it on the coffee table next to him, then stayed awake until the wee hours of the morning, listening to the sounds the night makes.