Julia

Chapter 15

Two weeks went by. Harvey called Julia at work and at home multiple times each day. She always hung up on him, but it seemed to have no effect. He just kept calling. Every night when she got home the car across the street was waiting for her, and it stayed there until the wee hours of the morning. Envelopes kept arriving daily, and the message was always the same – 'Come back to me so I don't have to kill Stu Bailey.' Harvey succeeded in driving her absolutely crazy. She couldn't eat, she couldn't sleep, she couldn't work. She was falling apart right before Stu's eyes.

He had to do something, and he kept trying to figure out what. He finally decided there was only one thing he could do short of murder . . . confront the man that was causing the problem. Stu was aware Julia didn't want a confrontation, but he couldn't let this go on. The woman he loved was withering like a flower that's been in the vase too long.

Stu went to the house on Summerset, but there was no car in the drive and no evidence that Davis had been there recently. Then he tried Schulman and Jacobs, only to learn that the man no longer worked there. It appeared that Stuart only had one choice . . . force the man in the car that watched Julia's apartment to talk to him.

He left work early so he could pick Julia up when she got off work. She seemed surprised to see him. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" she teased as she got in the car.

"Oh, I just felt like I needed to see a beautiful woman, and your name was the only one in my Rolodex. Feel like an early dinner? I have something to take care of tonight."

"A client?" Julia wondered.

"An ex-client. Some unfinished business."

"I think I can handle that. Any place special in mind?"

Stu nodded. "Joe's Seafood House. It's just a few minutes from here. I'm going to buy you the biggest lobster on the menu."

"That sounds good, but I don't know how much I can eat." Julia glanced at him and smiled. Her stomach still resisted food when she thought about Harvey.

"And a nice glass of wine."

"Now that sounds really good. Proceed, my lord." They both laughed at Julia's directive.

He was both surprised and pleased by how much she actually ate of her dinner. She even shared a Crème Brulee with him for dessert. When they were finished they walked to the car together and he opened the door for her. Once he was inside she moved close to him, like she usually did, and he gathered her into his arms. "Do you know how much I love you, Julia Benson?"

"I can only imagine," she giggled.

It was good to hear her laugh. That was something she hadn't done in quite a while. "I meant it when I told you I'd never said those words to anyone else in my life, and I'll never say them to anyone but you."

"Why so serious, Stuart? Do you know something I don't?"

He shook his head and laughed a little himself. "I just wanted to make sure you knew." Then he leaned down and kissed her.

"I know, Stuart. Believe me, I know."

They drove in silence back to her apartment. The street across from her front door was empty of cars. He was glad of that; he wanted one more night with her. They sat on the sofa and cuddled, then read today's paper together. Almost an hour later Julia got up to get a drink of water, and Stu peeked out the blinds. Harvey was across the street. It was time.

When Julia came back she seemed to sense a change in him. "Sit down, please, I want to explain something to you."

"Alright." She didn't argue, almost as if she knew what he was going to tell her would change everything.

"I've stood by and watched your ex-husband do his best to drive you crazy. I know you've tried to ignore his machinations, but it's been almost impossible. I've tried to reach him several different places, and he seems to have disappeared, except for his appearances across the street. I'm going over to talk to him, Julia, and try to work this out. I want you to promise me you'll stay inside, no matter what happens. I need to know you're safe."

He took her hands in his. "You don't expect this to go well, do you?" she asked him.

"I'm going to do my best. That's all I can tell you." He kissed her hands, then her lips. "Promise me."

"I'll do my best," she answered him.

"I love you, Julia. I'll always love you."

"Stuart," she started, knowing that she wouldn't be able to change his mind. "I love you, too."

Stu had attached his gun sheath to his belt when she was in the kitchen, and he reached down now and touched it. "Wish me luck."

"Please stay safe. You hold my heart in your hands. Good luck."

He kissed her once more and opened the door. She closed it behind him and watched him as he walked slowly across the street.

"Harvey!" Stu called. He could see Harvey's head turn towards him. "You're a hard man to find."

"Really?" There was a wicked laugh from Julia's ex.

"Why don't you get out? We need to talk." Stu was walking slower now as he approached Harvey's car.

"We have nothing to talk about, gumshoe. Unless you intend to give me back what belongs to me."

"You mean Julia? She doesn't belong to either one of us. She only belongs to herself."

"That can be fixed. Just like this," Harvey insisted.

Julia saw the gun before Stu did and, contrary to her promise, she ran from the house yelling, "Stuart! Stuart, he has a gun! Look out!"

Stu grabbed for his own gun, knowing he'd never reach it in time. Just then a car drove past between the two men, and when Harvey pulled the trigger his aim was off; the bullet went wide and ricocheted off the fender of the passing car. It was just enough time for Stu to pull his gun and fire, and his bullet caught Davis in the throat. Harvey tried to say something but all that could be heard was an ugly sounding gurgle before his head slumped against the inside of the car window.

Stu turned, about to chide Julia for breaking her promise, and that's when he saw her. She was lying on her back where she'd fallen in the street, and he rushed to her frantically. He could see the red stain moving rapidly across the front of her dress, and he yelled to the people gathering on the sidewalk, "Call an ambulance!" Then he picked up her shoulders and held her to him. He kissed her lips and her eyes fluttered open.

"Stuart! You're alright!" she whispered, and tried to smile.

"Julia, stay with me. An ambulance is on the way." He choked out the words and knew there was nothing anybody could do for her.

"I . . . love . . . you," she gasped as her eyes started to close.

"Julia! Julia stay with me! Oh baby, I love you. Please don't go," he pleaded as the tears streamed down his face. He could hear the ambulance in the distance.

"Can't . . . stay . . . Stuart," she coughed and took a last breath. He pulled her to his chest and rocked her back and forth. When the ambulance arrived the attendants tried to find a pulse, with no luck. When they knew she was gone they wanted to take her from him, but he wouldn't let them. They stood for almost ten minutes, waiting for him to turn loose of her voluntarily, until he finally looked up at them and nodded.

"We'll take good care of her, mister," the driver told him. Stu just stared at them, glassy-eyed.

He wasn't sure what happened after that. The police came and tried to question him, but he was incapable of doing anything more than handing them his P.I.'s license. They put him in the back of a police car and drove him to the station, then sat him in a room and left him alone. He had no idea how much time passed until the door opened and through the fog that had descended on him he heard a familiar voice. "Stu, Stu it's Jeff. Can you look at me, buddy? Stuart?"

He glanced in the direction of the voice and saw his partner. "Jeff. Where's Julia?"

Jeff's heart almost broke. "Stu, Julia's not here, she's gone. The police need to get some information from you. Can you answer their questions?"

"Ask Julia. She can help them." The words were said quietly, without emotion.

The door opened and Lieutenant Roy Gilmore entered. Jeff spoke up. "He needs a doctor, Gil."

"Let's get him out of here, Jeff. I've assumed custody until he can answer their questions. We'll get him back home and get him a doctor."

A few minutes later they were in Gil's car, with Stu laying across the back seat as best he could and Gil driving down the freeway like a maniac, with sirens blaring. "Do you know what happened?" Gilmore asked.

"Just what the officers could learn from the witnesses. Stu went out to talk to her ex-husband, and Davis pulled a gun and shot at Stu just as a car went by. The shot ricocheted and hit the girl. She never stood a chance. Stu pulled his gun and shot Davis. Killed him. That's all we're gonna know until . . ."

"I know. You got a key to his apartment?"

"Yes."

"Good. I'll radio to have a doctor meet us there."

Stu laid in the backseat and wondered what had happened. 'Where's Julia?' he thought. Maybe she was at his place, waiting for him. He couldn't wait to see her.

tbc