I'll Always Find You

by Curry, Edna

  Dee’s house was empty and seemed a little forlorn as Loni walked quickly through it to make sure everything was okay. It smelled stuffy, but she didn’t have time to air it now. She’d have to come back another day.

  She moved the picture hiding the safe and carefully turned the dial to the numbers Aunt Dee had given her before she left. Dee had taken her valuables to California with her and told Loni to use the safe for her own things if she wanted to.

  The lock clicked and Loni opened the door and put the device in. She pushed it to the back of the empty safe, spun the dial to lock it again and repositioned the picture.

  Then she went back to work at her gift shop, deciding to say nothing about this to Sheriff Ben. The whole thing was too embarrassing to discuss with him. She shivered, imagining Ben typing it into his computer report for half the policemen in the state to access and read. No way!

  * * * *

  Cuddled in bed that night, Matt asked about her doctor’s appointment. She told him about the implanted object, said she thought it was a bug and explained what she’d done with it and why.

  “The nerve of the bastard!” Matt swore. He wrapped his arms around her. Hot fury rolled over him at her stalker’s despicable behavior in planting it on her person. Icy dread followed when he wondered what else the depraved man might try.

  Reluctantly, she pulled out of his arms. She showed him the incision site and pulled the blanket over herself again. “I’m sorry I’m too sore for lovemaking tonight.”

  He hugged her close and kissed her lips. “Of course you are. I wasn’t even considering it.”

  She smiled and kissed him. “Thanks.”

  “Do you have any idea when he could have put it on you? I mean, you had to have been out, or you’d have known, right?”

  “Yes,” she said. “The night we broke up, when he said I passed out. He had to have done it then.”

  “But wouldn’t you have noticed? I mean, it must have hurt.”

  She shrugged. “It was tiny and just under the skin. And I was pretty bruised up in various places, as I told you, so I hardly noticed the individual injuries after that night. I thought they were all from the fall on the ice, but…”

  Matt growled, “But they might have been from his fists. He took out his anger on you to keep you from noticing the discomfort of implanting his little device.”

  She cuddled closer in his arms. “I suppose you’re right.”

  So that’s why I got such a feeling of danger in my vision when I saw him carrying her. He did mean her harm.

  Matt held her close and gently stroked her hair as she fell asleep. He swore he’d get the SOB if it was the last thing he ever did.

  Chapter 11

  The next few days passed without incident. Loni stayed with Matt, but was beginning to feel self-conscious about it. She hadn’t told anyone where she was, partly because Matt and Ben insisted on it and partly because she felt embarrassed that it was necessary to hide from someone she’d once thought of as a friend. She knew Maria and Cindy were getting antsy about Jolene’s party.

  On Friday, Maria popped into her shop. “I see you’re fine,” she said, accusation coloring her voice. “Why didn’t you answer your phone last night?”

  “I was out with Matt,” Loni told her. Which was the truth. She just didn’t mention they’d had an all night love-in. “What did you want to talk about?”

  “The party, of course. We have everything all set for tomorrow night.”

  “Oh. I’m really sorry I didn’t do more to help plan it,” Loni said. She pointed to the new phone lying on her desk. “My schedule has been pretty full.”

  “That’s okay. Cindy helped me with it. Oh, a new phone. Can I see it?”

  Maria picked it up and turned it on, exclaiming over the new features. “It’s got a lot more memory than mine.”

  “Yeah. But I’m still figuring out some of the stuff it can do. So what did you finally decide on for the party?”

  “We’re meeting at the Lagoon at six for dinner then we’re going to the motel pool for a swim to work off some of those calories. Then back to Cindy’s house for Jolene’s birthday cake.”

  “Yikes, I’m really going to need a diet.”

  “That’s why we’re going swimming. If we exercise enough, we can eat whatever we want, you know.”

  Loni sighed. “If so, I need to go swimming more. Are the guys invited?”

  Maria laughed. “Nope. This is girls’ night out. Want me to pick you up at your house?”

  Loni thought fast. She could hardly say, ‘pick me up at Matt’s house’ without admitting she was staying with him. “No, why don’t we just leave from here? I’ll bring my swimsuit and towel to work in the morning.”

  “All right. See you tomorrow night.”

  * * * *

  The birthday dinner was a boisterous affair, with lots of laughs and teasing comments among the women. They sat chatting over coffee, then went to the motel and changed into swimsuits.

  There were a few others, mostly hotel guests, using the pool which was also open to the public for a fee. Loni had used the pool often in her teen years, so was familiar with the routine.

  She swam laps for a while then sat chatting on a lounge chair with the others. They were about ready to leave when they all decided they’d do a couple more laps, just to make up for the birthday cake they were about to indulge in.

  Loni was halfway across the pool when a blond head popped up next to her. She stopped swimming and treaded water, gaping at him. “Hank!”

  “Hi, Sweetheart. Remember me? The guy you were supposed to have dinner with last Saturday?”

  “I was not! Leave me alone!”

  “Aw, Sweetheart, that’s no way to greet your boyfriend.”

  “You’re not my boyfriend. I don’t want anything to do with you. Go away!”

  “That’s not nice, Loni.” He grabbed her and pressed a kiss on her lips.

  Loni struggled free. “Leave me alone!” She shoved him away from her and quickly struck out for the side of the pool where the others were waiting. They were busy talking, but Jolene had noticed.

  She grinned and helped Loni up the ladder. “Wow! Who’s the handsome kissing Romeo, Loni?”

  Loni was trembling with anger. “My ex-boyfriend. And he’s no Romeo. He’s more like Mr. Awful.”

  “Where is he?” Maria and Cindy asked, hearing Jolene’s angry comment.

  “Over there in the pool,” Jolene said, turning to point him out to them. But Hank had disappeared behind a crowd of teenagers arriving to use the pool.

  “Come on, let’s get out of here,” Loni said. She grabbed her towel and wrapped herself in it, feeling cold to the bone.

  He’d actually dared to show his face here and touch me! He wanted to let me know he knows where I am, wherever I am. How does he do it? I got rid of that bug the doctor found, so that can’t be it. Is he following me? She shuddered and stayed close to the other women as they dressed and went to Cindy’s house to finish off the evening.

  As soon as she politely could, Loni pleaded a headache and called Matt to come pick her up. Her headache was all too real.

  As Matt drove them back to his house, she told him about Hank showing up at the pool.

  Matt was furious. He pulled out his cell phone and called the sheriff. “Hank is in town, Ben,” he snapped as soon as Ben answered. “He accosted Loni at Jolene’s party tonight.”

  “Is she okay?”

  “Yes, she’s fine. Just shook up.”

  “Where did they see him?”

  “In the motel pool. She was swimming and he grabbed and kissed her right in front of the rest of the women. Jolene saw him do it, but he’d disappeared when they got out of the water and turned to look for him. The pool was crowded with teenagers.”

  “That figures. I’ll head over that way to see what I can find out. Maybe someone there will remember what he was driving.”

  “Thanks, Ben.”

  “Keep an
eye on Loni.”

  “I won’t let her out of my sight.” He punched the off button and shoved the phone back in his pocket.

  “You’re mad. Well, I’m mad, too,” Loni said. “But other than scaring me, I think Hank’s being careful to do nothing illegal. It was a public pool and anyone who walks in and pays the fee gets in until they do something to get them thrown out or banned.”

  Matt glanced at her as he drove into his garage and turned off the motor. He reached over and took her in his arms. “I hate it that he’s able to upset you. I wish I could keep you safe.” He stroked her hair and kissed her gently.

  “Thanks, Matt. You’re so good to me.” If only she’d never met Hank. If only she’d come home and met Matt first. But she couldn’t change the past, however much she’d like to do that.

  They went inside Matt’s house. She took some aspirin and got undressed, then cuddled close to Matt in his bed. “Why is he doing this? Why won’t he leave me alone?”

  Matt held her close, stroking her silky hair back from her forehead. “I don’t know. But you’re safe here with me. I won’t let him near you.”

  “He’s got to be following me or something. How else did he know I was there at the pool?”

  “Did you tell anyone you were going there?”

  Loni thought and shook her head. “No, only the girls who were there knew. We kept the party a surprise for Jolene, so I doubt anyone said anything outside our group. They’re pretty careful because they all know how word gets around in a small town.”

  “Did you talk on the phone to each other? Maybe your phone at the shop is bugged.”

  Loni gasped at the thought. “Matt, that would mean someone would have had to break into my shop to bug it, wouldn’t it? I haven’t seen any evidence of a break-in.”

  “I hate to mention it, but there wasn’t any sign of a break-in at your house, either,” Matt said grimly. “But we know he was there.”

  “You’re right,” Loni said in a small voice.

  Panic welled in her at a new thought. “But what if he followed me here, too? He might try to hurt you like he did Don.”

  Matt’s arms tightened around her. “I can take care of myself. It’s you I’m worried about.”

  * * * *

  Hank watched the women leave the motel pool and get into their cars. He followed at a safe distance as they drove to Cindy’s house and went inside, laughing and talking.

  So…the bitch had plenty of time for her friends, but no time at all for him, did she? He needed to teach her a lesson.

  He took the precaution of driving to the next town. He bought a can of gasoline and put it in his trunk. Then he drove back to Cindy’s house and watched some more. All the same cars were still parked outside. Soon two women came outside and got into one of the cars and drove away. Neither of them was Loni, so she must still be inside, he thought. The draperies were closed, so he couldn’t see inside to make sure.

  Soon all the lights went out on the first floor and one went on upstairs. It looked like Loni was staying overnight. So that’s where she’d been staying. That’s why the bitch hadn’t been getting his messages and hadn’t been there when he visited her house. Well, her hostess deserved to be taught a lesson along with her, then.

  He waited another hour, until the house had been dark and everything quiet for quite a while. Then he quietly picked the lock and slipped inside with the gasoline.

  In just a minute, he’d found and disabled the smoke alarms. He got the fire burning good and quickly drove back to Minneapolis via Interstate thirty-five. He didn’t even know whose house he’d set the fire in, so no one could connect him to it.

  * * * *

  Matt had fallen asleep with his arms around Loni.

  A couple hours later, a vivid dream woke him. He sat up with a start. He’d seen Cindy’s house as clearly as though he were standing outside it. It had smoke pouring from the downstairs windows, and he could feel a strong sense of immediate danger.

  Cindy had a child, too. He switched on the light.

  Loni woke and sat up. “What are you doing?”

  He shook his head at her, grabbed the phone book and found Cindy’s number with shaking hands. He dialed it and listened to it ring over and over.

  Finally Cindy answered in a sleepy voice. “Hello?”

  “Cindy Lathrop? Is everything all right?”

  “Who is this? What are you doing, calling me in the middle of the night?”

  She might think he was nuts, but Matt stood his ground. “It’s Matt and Loni, Cindy. Are you sure you’re okay? Is Harvey there? Do you smell smoke or anything?”

  “Harvey’s working tonight. Smoke? Oh, my God, yes, I do smell smoke!”

  “Grab your baby and get out of the house! Now! I’ll call the fire department for you and we’ll be right over.”

  He slammed down the phone, said over his shoulder to Loni, “Get dressed. There’s a fire at Cindy’s house.”

  Loni gave him a strange look, but hopped out of bed and hurried to obey.

  Matt picked the phone up again and dialed nine-one-one. He pulled on his pants with one hand as he talked into the phone, giving the fire department directions to the Lathrops’ house.

  He put on his shoes and grabbed his keys. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes, I’ll put my shoes on in the car.” Carrying her shoes, she grabbed his hand and they ran out to his car.

  On the way, Loni asked, “How did you know something was wrong, Matt?”

  He sighed and growled, “I’m psychic.”

  She gave a nervous laugh and grabbed the dashboard to steady herself as he turned a corner way too fast. “Yeah, right!”

  Matt only shrugged at her disbelief, keeping his eyes on the dark streets. He raced through a red light and turned onto Cindy’s street.

  “Okay, so don’t tell me then,” she said, gritting her teeth. Under her breath, she muttered, “Men! You can all be so irritating at times.”

  He pulled up at Cindy’s house. The house looked just as it did in his dream, with smoke pouring out of the windows.

  Cindy was at an upstairs window wearing only a thin cotton nightgown. She’d gotten the screen off and was helping her little girl out onto the roof over the porch. Teri also wore only her pajamas, but was clutching a crib-sized blanket and her Teddy Bear.

  Matt drove his car onto the lawn right next to the porch. He shut off the engine and leapt onto the hood of his car, then reached up to help the child down. He handed her to Loni, who’d followed him, then reached back to help Cindy down.

  Sirens screamed as the fire trucks turned onto their street.

  Loni cuddled Teri close, wrapping the crib blanket around her. The little girl whimpered in her arms.

  “We’re denting your car,” Cindy objected as Matt helped her step down onto the roof of it. Her bare feet slipped on the metal surface.

  “The hell with the car,” Matt growled, steadying her. They gained the ground as Canton’s fire truck roared up, lights flashing and siren blaring. Firemen leapt out and one yelled, “Is everyone out?”

  “Yes, we’re all fine,” Cindy answered, coughing in the smoky air.

  “Then move back away from the house,” the fireman ordered. Some of the men hooked up hoses and others hurried toward the house. Flames were now shooting from one of the downstairs windows.

  Teri reached out her arms to her mother and Loni surrendered the little girl.

  Cindy hugged her daughter tightly, murmuring, “Mommy’s here, darling. You’re okay, now.”

  Matt grabbed a blanket from the back of his car and handed it to Cindy.

  “Wrap up in this. I’d better move my car away, too,” he said and went back to do that as the others hurried across the grass to the street.

  He parked on the other side of the street and they all got inside the car to stay warm and watch the firemen work. Cindy huddled into the back with Teri on her lap, with the blanket wrapped around both of them, since the evening had t
urned cool.

  Loni noticed that Ben’s police car was parked behind the fire truck. She saw him talking to one of the firemen as they worked, then Ben came over and beckoned to Matt. Matt got out and they talked for a minute.

  Matt got back into the car and Ben went back to the firemen.

  “How did you know we had a fire?” Cindy asked, turning to Matt. “If you hadn’t called when you did and woke me up, we’d both be dead.” She shuddered, and hugged Teri closer.

  Loni put her arm around Cindy to comfort her.

  Matt shrugged and pulled out his cell phone. “Just a hunch. What’s Harvey’s work number?” he asked. Cindy looked blankly at him for a minute, then she finally remembered the number and told it to him.

  Nodding, Matt dialed it and told Harvey about the fire, then hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket. “Harvey will be here in a few minutes,” he told them. “Do you have anywhere to stay or do you want to come to my house?”

  Cindy stared at him. She seemed unable to think clearly.

  “You won’t be able to stay here,” Matt said gently, nodding at the firemen who were sending streams of water into the lower floor of her house to douse the flames.

  “Oh. No, it doesn’t look like we’ll be able to go back in for a while.” She stared out the car window at her smoking house, and then looked back at him. “Harvey’s sister, Mary, lives across town. I suppose we can stay with them.”

  “Do you know her number?”

  Cindy thought a moment then gave it to him. She roused herself and added, “Let me talk to her.”

  Matt nodded, dialed the number and handed Cindy the phone.

  Cindy broke into tears as she explained the situation to Mary. She hung up and gave the phone back to Matt. Loni rummaged in her purse and handed Cindy some tissues.

  “Thanks. Mary’s coming over here to get us,” she said.

  “We could have taken you over there,” Loni protested.

  “I know, but I think she and her husband want to see what’s happening, anyway,” Cindy said.

  Harvey arrived and hugged his wife and sleepy daughter. Cindy explained how Matt had woken her up with his phone call and Harvey looked at Matt in amazement then shook his hand in appreciation.