Man with the Muscle by Julie Miller

pompous.” She tunneled her fingers beneath the tendrils of hair loosely pinned at her nape and massaged the back of her neck. “No child should live in fear of walking home from school… What’s this?”
    Lowering her glass, Audrey picked up the sealed envelope lying on top of the basket of pledge cards on the counter. Recognizing the neat handwriting on the front, she smiled. “Charlotte.”
    Feeling as if she’d just gotten a hug, Audrey slit open the flap and pulled out a note card that was as smart and unassuming as the woman who’d sent it. CharlotteMayweather was another classmate who’d gone to the same private high school she, Gretchen and Harper Pierce had attended. Audrey tried to remember the last time she’d seen Charlotte—certainly not at Gretchen’s funeral. And she hadn’t been included on the guest list tonight because Audrey had known she wouldn’t be able to come.
    Still, as Audrey read the note, she wasn’t surprised to see that Charlotte had enclosed a check for the scholarship fund. Somehow, Charlotte had known that they were honoring an old friend tonight. Although she’d never been the social butterfly Gretchen was, Charlotte had always been adamant about supporting the causes—and people—she cared about.
    I wish I could be there
    the note began.
    Like you, Gretchen made a point to come visit me from time to time. She could always make me smile. Here’s a token of my affection for her, and how much I miss her. Thanks for doing this for her, Aud.
    Good luck with the trial. I’ll be following you in the papers.
    Charlotte
    Good luck? Audrey sighed with a bit of melancholy as she tucked the note and check inside the envelope and dropped it back into the basket. Was there anyone in Kansas City who wasn’t watching how she handled the Smith case?
    And how many of them expected her to fail?
    The swish of the kitchen door sweeping across the threshold gave her a split-second notice to paste a smile on her face before company joined her. “There you are.”
    Audrey turned to the distinguished man with the silvering, receding auburn hair and smiled. “Daddy.”
    â€œI wondered where you’d gotten off to.” He picked up her sandals and carried them over to the counter where she sat. He pressed a kiss to her temple and dropped the shoes into her lap. “No fair skipping out if I can’t. Our guests are starting to leave. Will you see them off at the door while I chat up another ten grand from the Bishops?”
    â€œOf course.” Pulling up the skirt of her gown, she pinched her feet back into the high heels. She inclined her head toward the basket on the counter. “We received a card with a check from Charlotte Mayweather, too.”
    â€œCharlotte? Now there’s a name I haven’t heard for a while.” He pulled the card from the basket. “How is she doing?”
    â€œI’m not sure,” Audrey answered, fastening the delicate buckle at her ankle. “I haven’t been to see her lately. But I know she misses Gretchen as much as I do.”
    â€œYou had a wonderful idea with this scholarship. Gretchen was such a patroness of the arts, it’s fitting that she be remembered this way.” Audrey knew by his frown that he’d reached the end of Charlotte’s note.
    â€œEven she knows about this unpleasantness with the Smith trial.”
    Audrey plucked the card from his hands and returned it to the basket. “That unpleasantness is my job. If I win,I’ll have the track record to be able to run for district attorney myself one day.”
    â€œAnd if you lose, you’ll be vilified by the press. Why don’t you come back to Kline, Galloway & Tucker?” Where I can protect you.
    Where she’d never be anything more than Rupert Kline’s daughter. Or wife to one of his partners, if he had his way. The unspoken arguments were clear