Chapter 31

Wednesday, June 17, 1987 – Late Morning

After Donovan helped Julie dress he'd carried her to the couch then tucked a couple pillows behind her back. To her disappointment, Steve hadn't helped with the water mess in the hall as Donovan instructed. Instead, Steve made himself comfortable in the living room and waited for Julie. She watched as Donovan knelt on the floor, pressing towels into the carpet.

"What happened in there?" Steve asked.

"I fell." Julie cleared the growing discomfort in her throat away then reached for a glass of water. Beside it were a manila envelope and surgical mask. Julie wondered why they were there.

"Are you hurt?"

She wasn't going to confirm the obvious and gave him as dirty of a look as she could.

"You should be in a rehabilitation center. Not with this clown," Steve said.

Julie glanced at Donovan and saw him crack a smile. She looked at Steve.

"But he's my clown and he cares for me a great deal-"

"Oh, please." Steve rolled his eyes. "Don't you think I haven't considered this whole notion of you and him getting back together is some sort of sick charade?"

"Really, I don't care what you think, Steven. You wanted to see me… to give me an update on the project. I haven't eaten yet or had my medication. I'm tired. So tell me about it… then leave."

Donovan walked into the kitchen. Julie guessed it was to escape the monotony and didn't blame him.

"I can't update you on something I can't continue to work on," Steve said.

Can't continue to work on? Julie mulled it over, not understanding.

"What?"

"I mean there's no point in trying to continue when your friend probably has the information I need."

"What… friend?"

Steve nodded at Donovan as he passed through the living room carrying a mop and bucket.

"I don't understand," Julie said, trying to ignore the hunger pains in her stomach.

"He has an explanation, though not a satisfactory one."

"Mike… can you come here please?" Julie asked.

Donovan returned to the living room. "Need something?"

"Tell her what I came for," Steve said. "And about the secrets you've kept from her."

"I did it to protect you," Donovan said to Julie.

"Aww… how sweet," Steve said.

Julie flashed him a look then addressed Donovan again. "Protect me?"

Donovan snatched up the surgical mask and held it out to her. "Put it on."

"What?" She held onto it, not following his order.

"Do it. No telling what kind of germs are on these papers." He picked up the manila envelope then sat on the couch.

"Papers?" Steve asked. "That's not wha—"

"We'll get to that."

Julie watched Donovan unfasten the envelopes metal clasp while she put the mask on her face.

"I wish I had some latex gloves for you," Donovan said, dumping the envelopes contents; Newspaper clippings, photographs and other documents, onto the coffee table.

Julie glanced over the items, recognizing images of herself alone, one with Donovan, one with Steve, and articles pertaining to her achievements at Science Frontiers.

"You jerk. You've been keeping tabs on me!"

"Yeah. Like I had the time," Donovan said, picking up a stack of documents fastened together with a stapler.

Looking at them as he held them out to her, Julie recognized the Metzgar contract she and Steve had signed. She took it.

"I don't understand, Mike."

"Pico had them in his possession. Under the circumstances, it shouldn't come as a shock to you. It must be the motive behind him wanting to destroy your career."

Julie thumbed through the contract, wondering how long Pico had stalked her.

"Do you know if he bid on the contract?" Donovan asked.

"I don't know." She stared at him, trying to process the information. "How long have you known about… this?"

"Too long," said Steve.

Donovan shot him an angry look. "Can it." He turned to Julie. "Sweetheart, you weren't in any condition to deal with this."

"Why haven't you turned it over to the police?" She asked. Remembering yesterday's KDHB report on Pico's autopsy results, and the cause of Pico's death, she questioned, "Do you know who killed Pico?"

"I'm pretty sure. But it doesn't matter."

"What do you mean, it doesn't matter?" she demanded. "Did you kill him, Mike? Where did you find this stuff?"

"Julie, are you familiar with Carlton Laboratories?" Steve asked.

She coughed. "Where… they found… his body?"

Donovan nodded. "I'm going to be completely honest with you and Maitland."

"That'd be a first," Steve sneered.

"I didn't kill Pico," Donovan said. "Ham went after him and found him, then called me to pick them up. Pico insisted we take him to Carlton."

Donovan spent the next several minutes sharing details about an interrogation gone awry and Ham using excessive force. Donovan explained how he'd left the facility that Sunday morning and returned later to discover Ham missing, and Pico's corpse.

Ham's failure to visit Julie in the hospital last week had bothered her. He'd been a good friend these past couple years and was now responsible for taking the life of a man who'd tried to kill her.

"He'll be truthful with me," she said to Donovan. "He respects me."

"I'd love to get him over here for a confession," Donovan said.

"I'd love to attend," Steve said.

Ham won't put up with you. Julie drilled him with an icy stare.

"That won't be necessary," she said.

"Oh, c'mon," Steve pleaded. "You can't still be sore with me after you've seen what Donovan kept from you."

"And you knew about it," she said. "That makes you an accomplice."

She stole a glance at the VCR clock above the TV. It was a quarter until noon.

"If you'll excuse me Steve, I need to take care of myself."

"You want me to leave now?" He looked stunned.

Julie grabbed a hold of Donovan's hand, and he helped her stand. "I need to eat something."

"I'm not leaving until he tells you everything," Steve said.

Now what? She turned around to glare at him then felt Donovan's hand on her shoulder.

"Just sit. Try to ignore him."

Julie lowered herself to the couch.

Donovan headed to the kitchen. "Maitland, come give me a hand."

Hand with what? Julie watched Steve get up.