Judy looked over. “No, what?”
Bennie snorted. “Who cares?”
Everybody laughed, and Mary was inclined to agree, but didn’t say so because Roger looked like he was warming up to tell them, whether they wanted to know or not.
“Lao-Tzu said, ‘Reputation should be neither sought nor avoided.’”
Bennie looked at Roger like he was crazy. “Oh please, enough with the Sage. What does he know?”
“He’s a sage,” Roger answered, good-naturedly. “That means he knows everything.”
Everybody burst into new laughter, and Lou threw a napkin at Roger. Mary felt happier than she had in a long time, surrounded by people she would miss, but without the panicky feeling she’d had before. She knew she wasn’t going to lose them and that the baby was just the next chapter in their lives together. She felt an ease inch over her and she sank back in the pillows.
Judy caught her eye. “You tired, honey?”
“Just a little.”
“I bet. Okay, we’re out of here.” Judy rose, businesslike. “Bennie and Anne are going back to the office to draft the settlement papers. Lou is going back to John’s to keep looking for cameras, God bless him. Roger and I are going to clean up this mess because we’re sharing a cab home, since he lives near the hotel.”
Mary waved them off. “No, you and Roger go, too. I can do it later, don’t worry about it.”
Judy shot her a look. “Don’t even start with me. We’re not leaving you with this mess.”
Roger looked around. “We need a trashbag. Do you have some, Mary?”
“Roger, please, you don’t have to clean—”
Judy interrupted, turning to Roger. “Trashbags are in the kitchen island, top drawer on the left.”
“Be right back.” Roger left the bedroom, then Bennie and Anne headed for the door, too.
Mary smiled. “Thanks for the pizza, guys.”
“Thank you, DiNunzio. Bye now.”
“Bye, Mary.” Anne left with Bennie, and Lou started picking up paper plates from the dresser, but almost dropped them.
“Lou, let me do that.” Judy crossed to him, taking the plates. “You go.”
“Okay, you convinced me.” Lou went to the bed and gave Mary a warm hug. “By the way, did you see the video I texted you? It wasn’t much help, eh?”
“It was, a little. I didn’t notice anything, but Machiavelli did. Look.” Mary realized she had forgotten to tell the others about it on the conference call, but she could do that tomorrow. She scrolled to the text and played the video, freezing it at the window. “See the outline on the left wrist, with the bump?”
“Yes.” Lou nodded. “Hmmm.”
Judy came over to see. “I do, too. What do you think that is?”
“Machiavelli tried to tell me it’s a woman’s bracelet with a pendant or a man’s oversized watch, worn loose. He was even wearing one, but still denied it was him.”
Judy snorted. “He says it’s a woman? Gimme a break.”
Lou frowned, puzzled. “Why would he even point out that he had a watch on like that? Is this a game? Cat and mouse?” He straightened with a grunt. “I’ll check it out later. Bye now.” He left the bedroom, and Mary set the phone down beside her, turning to Judy.
“Judy, really, please go. I can clean up later.”
“No, you should take it easy. I want to save the crusts for the dog.”
“You’re going to take garbage to a hotel?”
“When you’re a mother, you’ll understand,” Judy said, and they both laughed. “And you do have to start taking it easy. Bed rest means bed rest.”
“Not literally.”
“Yes, literally.” Judy smiled, stacking the plates. “So how are you going to do this? You have to stay home for two weeks.”
“I know.”
“Will you be okay?”
“Yes.” Mary rubbed her tummy, with a contented sigh. “I feel better about it now. I think I was being negative about the pregnancy. Anthony said so and he was right.”
“It happens.” Judy set the stacked plates on the dresser.
“Maybe it’s good that it takes nine months, so you can get used to the idea.”
“Right. I’m so glad you’re okay, and the baby is too.” Judy puckered her lower lip. “But I’m going to miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too.” Mary felt a pang.
“But I’ll bring dinner over and hang with you guys.”
“I know you will.”
“You won’t be able to get rid of me.” Judy gathered the crumpled napkins.
“I won’t try.”
“It’s not the end of anything.”
Mary felt touched. “No, it’s just the beginning of something else.”
“Aww, that’s deep.”
“It kind of is.” Mary heard Roger coming upstairs, and in the next moment he entered the bedroom with two trashbags.
“I got one for recycling, too,” he said, breaking the mood.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Mary listened to Judy and Roger laughing and talking downstairs as they took out the trash, finishing up their cleanup. A text alert pinged on her phone, and she glanced over on the bed to see that it was Anthony. She picked up the phone and read his text: Research went well. Will call later. Love you. She texted back, Great! I had a big day too. Love you too. She set the phone down, then leaned back in the pillows against the headboard, resting her hand on her belly, and in the next moment, she felt the baby kick.
“Ah!” Mary yelped, thrilled. She kept her hand on the same spot, trying to figure out if the baby had kicked her with his heel or its toe, but she couldn’t tell. Relief washed over her like a warm wave. It made her so happy to feel the baby move again, and she wondered if the pizza had done the trick. She made a mental note to eat more pizza, purely for medicinal purposes.
Mary heard Judy and Roger coming upstairs to say good-bye. “Guys, I felt the baby move!”
“Yay!” Judy cheered, entering the room with Roger. “Were you worried?”
“I was trying not to, but I was.” Mary looked up at Judy, who looked down with sympathy, her expression soft in the warm light from the lamp.
“Aw, let me feel.” Judy put her hand on Mary’s belly, and Mary moved her hand over to the spot.
“Wait for the magical pizza trick.” Mary felt the baby move again. “Ha! Did you feel it?”
“Yes!” Judy burst into laughter, turning to Roger. “Feel this! It’s the coolest!”
“That’s intrusive.” Roger recoiled, amused. “I would never do that.”
“I’m fine with it, by now.” Mary smiled. “Roger, have you ever felt a baby move before?”
“No, unfortunately, I’m not a father.”
“Go ahead then, I don’t mind. Here’s the spot.” Mary took his hand and placed it on her belly. He leaned over, and his jacket sleeve edged up his forearm, revealing a chunky bracelet of wooden beads, with a large silver medallion hanging down.
“I don’t feel anything.” Roger smiled, cocking his head. Judy was standing behind Roger’s shoulder, beaming.
“Just wait.” Mary looked at his bracelet again and did a mental double-take. She flashed on the enlarged video, with the bump on the left wrist. The outline of Roger’s bracelet was the same, with the medallion hanging down. It could have been his bracelet on the video.
“I still don’t feel anything.” Roger kept his palm against her belly.
“You will.” Mary’s thoughts raced, but she had to stay calm. If she was right, then Roger had killed John. But she couldn’t let him know she suspected him. And she couldn’t let Judy take a cab with him.
Roger smiled. “It’s amazing to think that there’s new life, inside you.”
“Damn, I think the baby fell sleep.” Mary forced a regretful smile. “Roger, if you don’t mind, you should probably go, but I’d love for Judy to stay awhile. We can catch up—”
“Of course.” Roger withdrew his hand from Mary’s belly. “You must be exhausted.”
“Mare, the baby can’t be asleep, it was awake just a second ago.” Judy stepped closer, and her gaze fell on the bracelet. Her eyes widened in shock, and she glanced at Mary, frozen.
“Judy?” Roger straightened, frowning. “Is something the matter?”