AWLL 2 - Book 5 - Michelle

June 22, 1991, Chicago, Illinois

My knees went weak and I sagged to the loveseat, but I didn't feel faint.

"Is she alive?" I asked warily.

Jessica gasped and whispered, "Who?"

'Katy,' I mouthed back.

"All I know right now is that the fire is out, and the paramedics took her to Central Vermont Hospital in Berlin."

"What about her guests?" I asked.

"My deputy reported she was the only one transported to the hospital."

"And the building?" I asked.

"Frankly, I don't know. Let me give you the number to the hospital, and I'll give you the number here at my office."

He read off two numbers, which I wrote down on the pad I kept next to the phone. And I made a decision.

"Sheriff, I'm not sure of my exact plans just yet, but I'll most likely be there by the end of the day."

"Call here anytime. They know how to get in touch with me. I'll leave word. And if I hear anything, is this the best number to call?"

"Or my mobile phone," I said.

I gave him the number, thanked him, and hung up.

"What happened?" Kara asked.

"A fire. I have no details other than Katy being taken to Central Vermont Hospital in Berlin, Vermont. I'm flying out as soon as I can arrange a flight."

"Are you sure that's the right thing to do, Tiger?" Jessica asked.

"First of all, it's Katy, and she has nobody there. Second, we invested in the bed-and-breakfast, and somebody is going to need to see to the guests, handle insurance, see to repairs, and whatever else is necessary. So yes, I'm going. Kara, would you pack me a bag? My weekender with four changes of underwear and three changes of clothes, please. I'm going to call the travel agency emergency number."

"Did you feel faint?" she asked, switching to 'Doctor Jessica' mode, much like Pete used his 'Law Enforcement' voice.

"Weak in the knees," I said. "But, no, I didn't feel faint. I'm fine, Babe."

"Let me check you out," she ordered.

Kara giggled, "He'll miss his flight!"

Jessica ignored her, now completely in 'doctor' mode. She got her bag, took out the stethoscope and blood-pressure cuff and quickly checked my heart, lungs, breathing, blood pressure, and pulse.

"OK," she said, putting away her bag. "Make your call."

Three hours later, my wives and I were at Midway Airport for my flight. I'd pick up a rental car in Boston because the only connecting flight from Boston that could get me close to Montpelier was late in the afternoon and would need a forty-five-minute drive on the other end. I could drive there before that flight would arrive. We hadn't been able to get any more information on Katy or the fire before I'd had to leave home.

"Call as soon as you land," Jessica said. "I'll see if I can get any information."

We'd called the hospital, but they wouldn't give out any information, despite me being listed as Katy's emergency contact. In my bag, I had the 'Power of Attorney' papers for the bed-and-breakfast that we'd drawn up for just such a contingency, but I didn't have any that would give me any specific powers with regard to Katy.

"I will," I said.

"And remember how I told you to talk to the hospital," she said. "If you go in as her fiancé, they probably won't question it, especially with you being able to show your involvement with the business."

"She'll get a kick out of that. I wonder if they called her parents?"

"If you were listed as her emergency contact, I'd say the answer to that is 'no'," Jessica said. "The Sheriff called you."

"We should let them know," I said. "She wasn't estranged from them."

"Do you have their number?" Kara asked.

"No. And I suspect there are quite a few O'Connor's in Boston," I said. "Wait! In with the photo albums and memory books is the invitation to her wedding. It'll have her parents' address on the envelope. You can call information in Boston and get the number."

"What if it's unlisted?"

"Then call Sheriff Edson. He'll be able to get it, I'm sure. I left his number and the hospital number on the pad next to the phone."

My flight was called. I kissed my wives, hugged them, and then boarded the flight for Boston.

June 22, 1991, Boston, Massachusetts

"I got in touch with her parents about 7:00am our time," Jessica said. "They said they were leaving right away for the hospital."

"But no word on Katy?"

"No. I even tried using doctor's privileges, but they have some strict rules. The Sheriff asked that you call him. He wouldn't give me any information, either."

I sighed, "I'm all for privacy, but sometimes it's annoying as hell! I'm going to sign for the rental and call from the shuttle bus. I don't want to waste any time."

We hung up and I hurried from the gate to the Hertz desk, where I showed my license and signed for the car that Barney had reserved for me. The answering service, at my insistence, had called him, rather than the on-call person. I knew he'd have everything set. He'd also found me a hotel room in Montpelier. As soon as I was on the shuttle bus, I placed the call.

"Sheriff Edson, please. This is Mr. Steve Adams calling. He's expecting my call."

"One moment, Mr. Adams. I'll need to patch you through to his cruiser."

It took the best part of two minutes before he came on the line, and I could tell his end of the call was going over the radio. I immediately asked about Katy.

"She's stable, but suffering from smoke inhalation. The fire wasn't too bad, just smoky. My deputy says that it was in the chimney, but you'll need to talk to the Fire Department for details. Are you in Vermont?"

"I'm at Logan Airport. I'll be in my rental car shortly."

"OK. I assume you're going to the hospital first?"

"Yes!"

"Call when you want to head over to the bed-and-breakfast. I can get you inside. The Fire Marshal has it locked down until he finishes his investigation."

"Thanks, Sheriff. What about the guests?"

"They were able to get their things. We helped them all resettle in hotel rooms. When you get here, I'll get you in touch with the manager of the hotel so you can make arrangements if you need to."

"Thanks. I already have a room at The Inn on Main Street. As for the guests, I'll need to speak to the insurance company and my attorney."

"OK. Call when you want to meet me at Katy's place. I'll make sure the Fire Marshal is there as well."

"Thanks, Sheriff."

I hung up and was about to dial the house when the shuttle bus stopped in the lot. I grabbed my bag, and quickly made my way to the Pontiac Grand Am that Barney had reserved for me. I tossed my bag in the back seat, got in, plugged my cell phone into the cigarette lighter, and quickly got on my way. I dialed home at the first traffic light, and pressed the 'speakerphone' button.

"She's in stable condition with smoke inhalation," I said.

"No burns?" Jessica asked.

"The Sheriff didn't mention any. He said the fire wasn't bad, just smoky. Apparently, it was in the chimney, but until I meet with someone from the Fire Department, I won't know for sure. Did you get in touch with the emergency claims department at the insurance company?"

"Yes. They have your phone number. Someone will call you today. I also called Sensei Jim and your dad. Your dad wants you to call when you have a chance. I also talked to Elyse. She wanted to know how long you would be away."

I sighed, "I don't know. If anything comes up on the lawsuit, or anything else at work, she can call me. Did you get in touch with Jack Switzer?"

"Yes. He'll reschedule your interview with the FBI. He did say they were likely to be quite upset."

"Fuck 'em! It's harassment. They have absolutely nothing because they can't have anything! And if in some alternate universe they did, I'd either be under arrest or they would have made some clear threats."

"Are there any other calls I need to make?"

"No, I think that's it for now."

"Are you doing OK?" Jessica asked.

"Other than being concerned about Katy, and about her business, I'm fine. You checked me before I left, remember?"

"Yes. You did miss your run this morning, and you'll miss karate. That's not good, Tiger."

"One day won't hurt. I promise I'll find some time to exercise before bed."

"And watch what you eat."

I sighed, "I promise to look at every piece of food before I put it in my mouth!"

"Don't be snarky! You're under stress. The fire. The lawsuit. The FBI. All the other stuff from the past few weeks. You need to be extra careful! Do you hear me?"

"Yes, Doctor Jessica," I said flatly.

"Don't 'Doctor Jessica' me, Tiger! I'll call Doctor Barton right now, if you like."

"Sorry," I said. "I just think you're overreacting. I'm fine. Tell everyone I love them, and I'll call later."

When she hung up, I snapped the mobile phone shut and tossed it on the passenger seat. She was right that I was under stress, but I was also annoyed by her constant harping on me about my diet and my exercise. I had been exercising regularly since Junior High, and except for a brief period after I moved to Chicago, or because of travel, I hadn't slacked off in any way. It was the price of being married to a doctor. Kara was equally concerned, but more circumspect in how she handled it. The bottom line was, they both cared. I just wished Jessica would back off a bit.

June 22, 1991, Berlin, Vermont

I was happy that I'd grabbed the radar detector from the BMW when I'd parked at Midway and tossed it in my bag, as it allowed me to drive faster than I might otherwise have been willing to. I made good time, and pulled into the lot at the hospital in just over three-and-a-half hours. I parked and quickly walked inside.

"Hi. I'm Steve Adams. I'm Katy O'Connor's fiancé. She was admitted last night for smoke inhalation after a fire at a bed-and-breakfast we own together."

The woman at the desk accessed a computer terminal. As Jessica had predicted, she gave me a room number, and I headed straight for the elevator and up to the third floor. I stopped at the nurses' station, and was directed to Katy's room. I walked down the hallway, and found the door open. I recognized Katy's parents and sister from the wedding.

"Hey," I said.

I nodded to the others in the room, and walked over to Katy and took her left hand. The right one had IVs and a pulse oximeter. I glanced up at the monitor and saw that her 'sat' was only 89%, which was low, especially given that she was receiving 5 litres of oxygen per minute by mask, according to the gauge on the wall. In addition, her respiration was faster than it should have been, and her heart rate was elevated. All of that added up to decreased lung function, based on things I'd learned from Al Barton and Jessica.

"Steve! What are you doing here?" Katy asked, her raspy voice muffled by the oxygen mask.

"The Sheriff called me, and I got on the first flight to Boston. How are you?"

"My chest hurts, I'm coughing up black gunk, and I have a headache. Otherwise, OK."

Mr. O'Connor shook my hand, "Thanks for having your wife track us down."

"You're welcome. What did the doctor say?"

"That she should be fine in a few days. There doesn't appear to be any permanent damage. They need to run more tests."

I nodded, "OK. Do we know anything more about the guests?"

"All OK, according to the Sheriff," Mr. O'Connor said. "I guess they helped them all get hotels."

"Katy," I said, "I'm going to meet the Sheriff later and check out the building. I'm waiting for a call from the insurance company."

She was about to answer when a doctor walked into the room.

"Doctor," I looked at his name tag, "Markum? I'm Steve Adams, Katy's fiancé. How is she?"

Katy's sister's eyes went wide, and her parents looked confused. Katy went wide-eyed and squeezed my hand. I hadn't had time to explain, but I would afterwards.

"She's doing OK. We're monitoring her, and she should be released in a couple of days."

"Her sat level is low," I said. "I assume you've been doing regular blood gasses?"

"Yes, we have. Are you a physician, Mr. Adams?"

I was married to one, but there was no way I could say that now that I'd introduced myself as Katy's fiancé!

"No. I have a close friend who is head of Emergency Medicine at University of Chicago Hospital, and one of my housemates is a Resident in emergency medicine there. And I have other close friends who are medical students or Residents."

"Well, overall, given the smoke inhalation, everything is where it should be. We expect her PO₂ to come up overnight as her lungs clear. Once she's above 94% on room air, we'll release her. I'd say Monday, most likely."

"Thanks, Doctor Markum. Sorry to interrupt."

He nodded, and I moved so he could examine Katy. When he left, I got the expected question.

"Fiancé?" her sister Kaylee asked.

"A ruse my wife, the doctor, suggested. When we called here early this morning, they wouldn't tell us anything because we weren't family. So Jessica suggested I use a standard hospital ruse to get past them. It worked."

"I was wondering," Kaylee said. "You already have two women!"

"Kaylee, stop it," Katy rasped.

There was more going on here, and I had no idea what the dynamic was within the family. I moved back to take Katy's hand again.

"I'm going to call the Sheriff. I'll come see you later."

She nodded. I was sure she had a million questions, but just the little talking she'd done seemed to wear her out. That didn't surprise me, given her low blood oxygen levels. I stepped out of the room, and Kaylee followed me.

"Where's her girlfriend?" she asked.

That answered THAT question. Katy hadn't said anything to her parents about her personal life. And I had to be careful what I revealed. I decided to play it purely as a business arrangement.

"Katy moved to Vermont, and she doesn't fill me in on her personal life," I said. "Anything else you'll have to ask her."

"Did they break up?"

"Kaylee, I need to make some phone calls. You'll have to ask Katy any questions about her personal life. I need to deal with the business. That's why I'm here."

She frowned and walked back into the room. I checked my cell phone and saw there was no service, so I continued down the hall to a small waiting area. I dropped a dime in the pay phone and dialed the number at the Sheriff's office. We made arrangements to meet at the bed-and-breakfast in an hour, and he promised to have the Fire Marshal there. I went back to the room, let Katy know I'd be going to the bed-and-breakfast, and that I'd come back before I went to bed.

"Can I come along?" Kaylee asked.

I just knew that she'd spend the entire time pumping me for information, and I wasn't interested in dealing with that.

"I don't know that anyone but me will be allowed into the building, and I didn't say anyone would be with me, so it's probably not a good idea."

She frowned again but didn't say anything. I headed out of the hospital, consulted my map, and drove to Katy's place.

June 22, 1991, Apple Orchard Bed-and-Breakfast near Montpelier, Vermont

"Good evening, Sheriff," I said.

"Mr. Adams?" Sheriff Edson queried, and I nodded. "Pleased to meet you. I wish it had been under better circumstances. How is Katy?"

"According to the doctor, she'll be fine. They think she'll be released on Monday."

"That's great news! This is Evan Brainard, our Fire Marshal."

"Hi, Mr. Adams," he said, and handed me a hard hat. "Put this on, and we'll go inside."

A hard hat didn't bode well. The Sheriff removed his 'Smoky the Bear' hat and put on a hard hat with a Sheriff's star on it, and the three of us went into the building. The power was out, but both the Sheriff and Fire Marshal had powerful flashlights.

"The power company will turn the power back on in the next few hours," the Marshal said. "The fire wasn't electrical, and no electrical lines were damaged. The fire was contained to the chimney, and the smoke damage to the third floor living space."

"Any water damage?" I asked.

"Minimal. We extinguished the fire with a 1-inch line. Mostly you have sooty water in and around the fireplace in the great room, and on the third floor. There's minor water damage elsewhere, and we did have to chop out some wood paneling on the third floor to make sure the fire was out. The chimney sustained the most actual damage. Follow me."

He led us up the two flights of stairs to Katy's living space. Two powerful motor-operated exhaust fans were venting the space, and I could see small puddles of water on the floor, and the five-by-five-foot hole chopped in the paneling, revealing the brick chimney behind it. Several of the bricks were badly blackened, and there were a few missing. As the Fire Marshal moved his flashlight beacon, I could see smoke damage on the ceiling and upper walls, and, of course, there was a strong smell of smoke, even with the two exhaust fans.

"How did it start?" I asked.

"It was a chimney fire. I don't think it was cleaned when she opened the place. I'm really surprised it didn't happen earlier in the year."

"It's pretty nice out right now. Do you know why she had a fire burning?"

"It was in the upper 40s last night," Fire Marshal Brainard said. "I guess she has a fire every night, according to the guests I talked to."

I nodded, "I split enough wood back in March that I'm not really surprised!"

The Sheriff's radio squawked.

"Sheriff, I got a caller looking for Mr. Adams. An insurance adjuster."

"Is it someone we know?" the Sheriff said into his radio.

"Yes. It's Mick Kinnoc. Want me to just have him meet you there?"

"Yes. Send him here."

"10-4, Sheriff."

"Let's go take a look outside," the Fire Marshall said.

We walked back down the stairs and outside. We went around to the side of the house, and he moved the flashlight beam to the top of the chimney.

"See where it's blackened, and some bricks are missing? That's the opposite side from where the damage is on the third floor."

"What's your assessment, Evan?" the Sheriff asked.

"I'll certify the building structurally, but obviously no fires until the chimney is repaired. There are no citations because I found no code violations."

That made me feel a lot better. We'd had all the inspections, including one from the Fire Department, for occupancy. They'd found nothing then, and I was glad nothing had developed since.

"Captain Brainard," I said, noting his rank insignia, "How was this missed in the inspection?"

"I can't really say. If there was a bird's nest inside the uppermost part, that wouldn't be easy to spot. Once repairs are made and you re-open, make sure to have that chimney cleaned on a regular basis. Once a season might be enough, but I'd say twice."

"Got it," I said.

A truck from the power company arrived, and after a brief conversation between the Fire Marshal and the lineman, they turned the power back on at the transformer at the end of the long driveway. I went back inside with the Sheriff and Fire Marshal, and had a good look around. As best I could tell, the only things on the first floor that were a 'loss' were the area rugs closest to the fireplace that had soaked up sooty water. The heavily varnished wood floors looked as if they would be fine.

We went to the basement, and I saw some water had leaked through the floor. It had pooled on the cement floor, but didn't look like it had caused any serious damage. I checked the freezers and refrigerator, and they were running. I guessed the power had been out roughly sixteen hours, so we'd have to check everything, but it was possible that the food had survived.

We continued touring the building, and I was very pleased not to smell any serious smoke on the residence floor. We'd need to wash all the linens and have the draperies professionally cleaned, but other than one puddle of sooty water, I didn't see any real damage. Katy's things, on the other hand, were likely a complete loss, given how much smoke must have gathered in her room.

"Did the smoke alarms not go off?" I asked.

"They did. But they don't detect carbon monoxide or other gasses. We're pretty sure she was disoriented from the carbon monoxide. The rest of the guests got out quickly, and someone called the Fire Department. Our guys found her collapsed on the floor over there by the stairs. There was a lot of black smoke, but no flames."

About thirty minutes later, Mick Kinnoc arrived, and, after introductions, toured the building, taking copious notes. When he finished, we sat down at the kitchen table to talk.

"We can get a cleanup crew in here tomorrow," he said. "We want to get that water and soot off the floors before it does further damage. On Monday, I'll get a contractor here to look at the chimney, and a crew to begin working on the third floor. I have a check for you from the business continuity insurance that covers the next two weeks. We'll evaluate in ten days whether anything further will be necessary. If any of the guests make any claims, please give them my contact information. Do you have a local attorney?"

I pulled out my notebook and gave him the information that Katy had provided back in March. I also gave him Jamie's contact information.

"When do you think we'll be able to re-open?" I asked.

"I'd say two weeks, unless Evan says differently."

"There's no reason to keep them closed," the Fire Marshal said.

"Anything from you, Don?" the adjuster asked the Sheriff.

"No. Katy's a great girl, and she's never had any issues with my office."

I thanked everyone, and we left. I locked up the building, and gave the adjuster my keys so he could get his team in without me having to come back. I confirmed that he knew where I was staying given that my mobile phone had no signal. After handshakes all around, I drove back to the hospital, stopping at a diner to grab a burger, as I hadn't eaten since before I left Chicago.

June 22, 1991, Berlin, Vermont

"Two weeks," I said to Katy after kissing her cheek.

"That fast?" she asked.

"Mostly smoke damage, and mostly in your room. The chimney has to be repaired. I have a check to deposit on Monday from the insurance company. We'll need to contact any guests who are supposed to arrive in the next two weeks. I grabbed your reservation book."

She nodded, "Thanks. Can you?"

"Of course. I'll start making calls now. Was anyone supposed to arrive tomorrow?"

She shook her head, "Monday. Two couples."

"OK. Let me go make the calls, then I'll come back."

I went to the waiting area, and using my calling card, I placed twelve calls. I reached ten of the guests, including both the couples due to arrive on Monday. With one exception, everyone was sympathetic and accepted my offer of re-booking them at half-price later in the Summer. The one exception was a Boston attorney who, if I were to believe his rant, felt that the world would end if he couldn't keep his reservation. I let him rant and rave, threaten to sue, and otherwise act like a jackass. In the end, I gave him the name of our local attorney, and insisted he call him.

"Katy, some Boston attorney lost his mind when I told him," I said.

She smirked, "He and his mistress come here for a weekend every month!"

I chuckled, "Nice. Well, he's pissed."

"He'll get over it," she said with a smile. "How long are you staying?"

"At least until you're released. I want to supervise the work at the bed-and-breakfast."

She nodded. I knew her family would stay with her, and I wasn't about to start a fight about that. I kissed her cheek, said 'goodbye' to everyone and headed to the hotel.

June 24, 1991, Apple Orchard Bed-and-Breakfast near Montpelier, Vermont

"I guess it's not nearly as bad as it could have been," Katy said.

She still sounded weak, but the doctors had cleared her release.

"Your guests are all fine, you're out of the hospital, and there's already a crew working on the chimney! And I deposited the check from the insurance company this morning."

"What about all the food?"

"The stuff in the freezers is OK. I decided to toss everything in the fridges, especially given that it'll be another ten days before you have any guests. I already spoke to Mr. Kinnoc, and the insurance company will cover that loss. There's a deductible, but we want to make sure everything is on the final claim."

"Good. Did you get in touch with those last two guests?"

"Yes. No problems there. Seven of the twelve accepted re-booking later in the Summer, and four more agreed to vouchers for next year."

"And the lawyer?"

"I was surprised. He called and apologized. He'll be here for his usual tryst next month!"

"If you saw his mistress, you would see why!" Katy giggled. "She's a former Miss New Hampshire. Twenty-five, but looks like she's sixteen. And built like a brick shithouse!"

I laughed, "I could see why he might have been upset to miss a weekend!"

"When are you flying home?"

"Tomorrow morning," I said. "I have the first flight out of Logan. I'll need to leave here by 3:00am."

"Can we sleep here?" she asked.

"We could, but I think we should stay at the hotel. Even the small amount of smoke exposure won't be good for you, so you should stay at the hotel for the rest of the week. I figured we would be in bed early because of your condition, so 3:00am isn't too bad."

She giggled, "Still angling to get me into your bed? But I won't be much use to you in this state."

"Katy O'Connor! I have NO intentions of that sort!"

"Not even with your fiancée?" she giggled hoarsely.

"You know why I had to say that!" I chuckled. "I did not come here with ANY idea of going to bed with you. Not in that way, anyway!"

Katy laughed, "It's still easy to wind you up! My sister is available, I'm sure! She was making goo-goo eyes at you!"

"No thanks! Just the way she acted yesterday was enough of a turnoff to have me not even consider it."

"I think Kaylee figures a guy who has two wives and can get a lesbian to sleep with him has to be pretty damned good!"

"Well, THIS lesbian is just going to sleep tonight. And she knows it!"

"Yes, Dad!" Katy giggled.

I laughed, "Did I tell you about Birgit asking if she could marry me when she got older?"

"No!" Katy laughed. "She's at that age, though. It's cute, really. Now, if she were thirteen, I'd worry."

"You and me both!" I said.

June 25, Chicago, Illinois

"How's Katy?" Elyse asked when I came into the office on Tuesday afternoon.

She had Julia, Dave, and Cindi in her office.

"She'll be fine. She's still a bit weak, but she was cleared by the doctors. She'll have a checkup tomorrow."

"And the building?" Dave asked.

"Not a lot of damage; it was mostly smoke and some water. The chimney has to be rebuilt, but that's already being done. The inside cleanup is the real concern. A company called Service Masters is working to eliminate all the smoke smells. Katy's room is the worst, and the contractor is replacing most of the wood paneling and the wood ceiling because it absorbed so much smoke. She'll be able to re-open on July 8th, or so it seems."

"That quickly?" Dave asked. "Wow!"

"One of the values of taking out business continuity insurance. It makes damned sure the insurance company moves with alacrity to get the place open again!"

"Did you swallow a dictionary on your trip?" Julia laughed. "Alacrity?"

"Blame William F. Buckley!" I chuckled. "I ran out of reading material and picked up a copy of National Review."

"I thought you gave up on that right-wing claptrap years ago!" Cindi exclaimed.

"Yes, I prefer libertarian policies, but Buckley can write like nobody else."

"Is there any risk to our investment?" Elyse asked.

"None at all," I said. "We'll have a bit of a loss from the deductible on the fire insurance, but it's nothing compared to the lost revenue we'd have without the business continuity insurance."

"None of the guests will sue?" Julia asked.

"For what? I made sure we paid their hotel bills, and offered them free stays in the future. For the ones we had to cancel, we offered half-price re-booking. And, before you ask, we can claim most of that on the insurance. Things here are set up similarly. And if something happens to me, NIKA collects on a nice life insurance policy as well."

"Small consolation," Dave said.

"True, but I won't be in a position to care!" I grinned.

Elyse rolled her eyes.

"While we're here, did we hear anything from that recruiter?" Dave asked.

"I talked to him yesterday from Vermont," I said. "He said he'd have three or four names for me by the time I get back from Europe."

"Are you still going? Even with the lawsuit and the other thing?" Elyse asked.

"What 'other thing'?" Cindi asked.

I sighed, "The FBI wants to talk to me. Again. It's nothing. Don't sweat it. You know nothing came of it the previous three times."

"Don't those assholes have something, anything, better to do?" Cindi asked angrily.

"You would think, wouldn't you?" I sighed.

I went to my office and spent a couple of hours catching up on phone calls and paperwork before it was time to meet Jessica at the hospital. As usual, Kara met me at the office, and we walked to the ER together.

"Hi, Tiger! Hi, Kara!" she said when she came out.

We hugged and kissed each other.

"How was your flight?"

"Not bad. Only about thirty minutes late. Kara and Birgit picked me up from Midway."

"Is everything OK in Vermont?"

"Yes. Katy's fine. The repairs are moving along. Other than being tired because I had to leave at 3:00am for the airport, I'm fine, too."

"Did you talk to Jack Switzer?" Jessica asked.

"Yes. I was flying when they confirmed the meeting for tomorrow. He left word with Kara. I stopped at home and called him to let him know I'd be there before I went to the office."

"I guess if you were up at 3:00am, it's an early bedtime for you tonight! Elyse will be disappointed!"

I smiled, "Believe it or not, she'll be happy just to cuddle."