Eyes by Joanne Fluke Read Free Book Online

If he found out she had no one to call, he might not release her. It was kind of him to worry about her, but there was really no need. Once she got back to the condo and surrounded herself with Alan’s things, she’d be perfectly fine.
    * * *
    Jill was at her desk in the Criminal Courts Building, going over a brief. There really hadn’t been any reason to come in on a Saturday, but after she’d stopped to see Neil at the hospital, she hadn’t felt like going back to the house. There was always work she could do at the office. Her caseload was heavy and that was exactly the way she liked it. Work kept her from thinking about Neil and what her life would be like if the transplant failed.
    A familiar voice floated in from the hallway, and Jill began to smile. She recognized the trace of a Texas drawl that had never been completely erased by twelve years in Minnesota.
    â€œDoug? Doug Lake?” Jill got up from the desk and poked her head out the door. And then she saw him, her favorite cop on the Minneapolis force.
    â€œHey, Jill!” Doug grinned from ear to ear. He was a tall, lanky man with sandy hair that always looked tousled, more at home in blue jeans and a checkered shirt than in the business suit he was wearing. “Long time no see. How’s it going Mrs. Assistant District Attorney?”
    â€œJust fine, Mr. Lead Sergeant Detective.” Jill grinned back. She’d met Doug when she’d first come to work at the district attorney’s office. He’d been a rookie working crowd control, part of the small equestrian unit, and she’d been the youngest lawyer in the office, at the very bottom of the pecking order. Jill’s boss had assigned Doug’s case to her. A drunk had thrown a bottle at his horse. The drunk had gotten a fine and a considerable amount of jail time; Doug and Jill had been friends ever since.
    â€œThey told me about your husband.” Doug’s grin disappeared, and he looked very sympathetic. “I’m really sorry, Jill.”
    Jill nodded. “Me, too. I just hope the transplant works.”
    â€œWhen will they know?”
    â€œAt two o’clock tomorrow.” Jill clasped her hands behind her back. They were starting to tremble. “The doctor’s taking off the bandages to check.”
    â€œDo you have someone to go to the hospital with you?” Doug still looked concerned. “I can switch my schedule if you need me.”
    â€œThanks, but I’ll be just fine.” Jill was surprised by the offer. She knew how difficult it was for him to switch schedules. He would have to call in a favor to get someone to cover his shift.
    â€œHere.” Doug scribbled a number on a card and handed it to her. “You shouldn’t be alone at a time like this. That’s my home number. Call me if you need to talk.”
    Jill tucked the card into her pocket and nodded. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
    â€œHey, no problem. What are friends for? Let me know how it goes, okay?”
    â€œI’ll do that.” Jill nodded, and just then the receptionist motioned to Doug.
    â€œGotta go. I’ve got an appointment with Hayes, and it’s not smart to keep the big man waiting.” Doug grinned at her. “I get off at eight. Call me anytime after that.”
    As Jill watched him stride down the hall, she felt much better. She’d shared an occasional lunch with Doug, and they’d worked together on several cases, but she hadn’t realized that he thought of her as a friend. She knew very little about his personal life, only a few things about his professional one. He’d left Texas when he’d finished college, and he’d graduated from the Minneapolis Police Academy with honors. He’d risen rapidly in the ranks, everyone including his supervisors liked him, and he’d passed his detective’s exam the first time he’d taken it. Jill didn’t know whether