She screamed.
Hal Baker turned and fled.
Hal Baker telephoned Tyler Stanford. “I’m in Kansas City, but the girl is gone.”
“What do you mean, gone?”
“Her roommate says she left.”
He was silent for a moment. “I have a feeling she’s headed for Boston. I want you to get up here right away.”
“Yes, sir.”
Tyler Stanford slammed down the receiver and began to pace. Everything had been going so perfectly! The girl had to be found and disposed of. She was a loose cannon. Even after he received control of the estate, Tyler knew he would not rest easy as long as she was alive. I’ve got to find her, Tyler thought. I’ve got to! But where?
Clark came into the room. He looked puzzled. “Excuse me, Judge Stanford. There is a Miss Julia Stanford here to see you.”
Chapter Twenty-three
It was because of Kendall that Julia decided to go to Boston. Returning from lunch one day, Julia passed an exclusive dress shop, and in the window was an original design by Kendall. Julia looked at it for a long time. That’s my sister, Julia thought. I can’t blame her for what happened to my mother. And I can’t blame my brothers. And suddenly she was filled with an overpowering desire to see them, to meet them, to talk to them, to have a family at last.
When Julia returned to the office, she told Max Tolkin that she would be gone for a few days. Embarrassed, she said, “I wonder if I could have an advance on my salary?”
Tolkin smiled. “Sure. You have a vacation coming. Here. Have a good time.”
Will I have a good time? Julia wondered. Or am I making a terrible mistake?
When Julia returned home, Sally had not arrived yet. I can’t wait for her, Julia decided. If I don’t go now, I’ll never go. She packed her suitcase and left a note.
On the way to the bus terminal, Julia had second thoughts. What am I doing? Why did I make this sudden decision? Then she thought wryly, Sudden? It’s taken me fourteen years! She was filled with an enormous sense of excitement. What was her family going to be like? She knew that one of her brothers was a judge, the other was a famous polo player, and her sister was a famous designer. It’s a family of achievers, Julia thought, and who am I? I hope they don’t look down on me. Merely thinking about what lay ahead made Julia’s heart skip a beat. She boarded a Greyhound bus and was on her way.
When the bus arrived at South Station in Boston, Julia found a taxi.
“Where to, lady?” the driver asked.
And Julia completely lost her nerve. She had intended to say, “Rose Hill.” Instead, she said, “I don’t know.”
The taxi driver turned around to look at her. “Gee, I don’t know, either.”
“Could you just drive around? I’ve never been to Boston before.”
He nodded. “Sure.”
They drove west along Summer Street until they reached the Boston Common.
The driver said, “This is the oldest public park in the United States. They used to use it for hangings.”
And Julia could hear her mother’s voice. “I used to take the children to the Common in the winter to ice-skate. Woody was a natural athlete. I wish you could have met him, Julia. He was such a handsome boy. I always thought he was going to be the successful one in the family.” It was as though her mother were with her, sharing this moment.
They had reached Charles Street, the entrance to the Public Garden. The driver said, “See those bronze ducklings? Believe it or not, they’ve all got names.”
“We used to have picnics in the Public Garden. There are cute bronze ducklings at the entrance. They’re named Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack.” Julia had thought that was so funny that she had made her mother repeat the names over and over again.
Julia looked at the meter. The drive was getting expensive. “Could you recommend an inexpensive hotel?”
“Sure. How about the Copley Square Hotel?”
“Would you take me there, please?”