by Joanne Fluke
“All right, I won’t force you. But if that’s what happened, I’m really glad. And I promise not to let on that I know. Is that fair enough for you?”
“Yes.” Jan smiled. David was really very understanding.
“I’ll see you in the morning then.” David’s voice was warm. “Don’t forget, we have a tennis date at ten.”
Jan smiled. “I won’t forget. Are you going to pick me up?”
“Of course. Is nine all right? We could catch a quick cup of coffee before we get out on the court.”
“Wonderful!” Jan’s smile grew wider. She could tell that David was eager to see her.
“Good night, honey. Now go back to sleep. And dream that you love me. Maybe, when you wake up, it’ll be true.”
Jan said good night and placed the receiver gently in the cradle. David loved her! She snuggled back under the covers, and smiled up into the darkness. She’d been perfectly honest with him when she’d told him that she wasn’t sure she loved him back. And he was adult enough not to be disappointed.
Jan’s eyes closed and she thought of David. She certainly liked him a lot, even though they had some differences they had to work out. David was reasonable and fair, and Jan was sure that once she explained how his competitive behavior spoiled the fun of tennis with him, he’d change his attitude toward the game. Of course he’d been a bit jealous, but that was understandable, now that she knew he loved her.
Jan thought about the meeting they’d had, and she began to smile. David had handled his jealousy very well. Instead of resenting the time she spent with Hank, he’d asked to become part of the project. And now that he was helping them, he seemed to get along just fine with Hank.
She sighed in contentment. David loved her, and he was willing to wait patiently until she returned his love. It was entirely possible she loved him already. She’d never been in love before, and she wasn’t quite sure how she’d feel if she was. When she’d entered high school, she’d asked Nita how she could tell if she was in love. And Nita had told her not to worry, she’d definitely know when the time came.
What would it be like if she married David? Jan knew it was a Hollywood illusion, but her thoughts turned to a little frame house in the valley with a white picket fence and climbing roses, always in bloom. There she was in a pretty dress, serving dinner to her husband and their happy, well-adjusted children. After dinner, she could imagine him holding the baby, rocking him gently while she read stories to the older children in their small, comfortable living room. When it was time to put the children to bed, they’d come back downstairs to sit by the fire and enjoy each other’s company. And later, when they went up to bed, he would turn to her and look deeply into her eyes, and he’d tell her how happy he was to have her as his wife. And then they’d kiss, holding each other tightly under the warm blankets. And he would say, “I love you, Jan.” And she would say, “I love you too, Hank.”
Hank?! Jan’s eyes flew open in shock. She was supposed to be thinking of David, not Hank!
Quickly, she ran through the fantasy again, but she knew it was Hank’s face she’d seen. Hank had been holding the baby, smiling at her as she’d read to the older children. And it had been Hank who’d looked deeply into her eyes, and kissed her as he held her tightly under the warm blankets.
Jan frowned and rolled over, trying to find a comfortable position. But her thoughts were in turmoil, and she gave a sigh of pure frustration. This really didn’t make sense. If she was supposed to love David, why was she thinking about Hank?
* * *
Maura felt her heart rate jump as Steve finished reading the last page of the script, and put it down on the coffee table. She told herself that there was no reason to be nervous. Steve wasn’t the type to judge what she’d written on its literary merit, but she couldn’t seem to quell her feelings of anxiety.
“These are your dreams?”
Steve’s voice was soft, and Maura felt a little better. “Yes. I started having them right after I came home from the hospital.”
“Do they wake you up at night?”
Maura shook her head. “Not always. Most of them are more like daydreams. I get a terrible headache and I close my eyes to try to relax. And that’s when I start dreaming these strange things.”
“Do you think there’s a basis for any of this?” Steve tapped the script with his finger.
“I . . . I don’t know. It seems very real, and then I found . . .” Maura stopped and visibly winced. She really didn’t want to tell Steve about the picture of Nick she’d found in her album. Or his wedding band with the inscription. Or the lovely sapphire ring in the hidden compartment of her jewelry box. If she told him that she was beginning to suspect her dreams were actual memories, he’d think that she was crazy.
“What is it, Maura? Please tell me.”
“There’s nothing to tell. I . . . I’m just very confused, that’s all.”
Steve slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against her chest. “Don’t be afraid, luv. Just tell me what you found.”
She could feel herself start to waver as she nestled into the warmth of his embrace. She could tell Steve, and he’d understand. Steve was her friend. He’d been her friend for years. He knew everything about her, all the things that she’d forgotten.
“Maura?” Steve reached out and caressed the back of her neck. “I really need to know what you’re thinking.”
“Just . . . that you were my friend. You’re the only friend I’ve got. And you’ve known me longer than anyone else. Actually, you’ve know me longer than I have.”
“That’s true.”
He chuckled and Maura felt his muscles quiver. It was nice being so close to him, and she cuddled up a little more. She was safe from harm as long as Steve was here.
“So why can’t you tell me?” Steve’s voice was low, and he sounded very serious. “You used to confide in me. Don’t you trust me anymore?”
Maura sat up with a sudden movement and stared at him. “I used to confide in you?”
“Yes. You told me everything, right up until the time you married Keith. That’s when things changed between us. I guess that’s why I’m not really upset that you’re divorcing him. I’ve wanted my Maura back for a long time now.”
Maura nodded. And then she moved close again. She rested her cheek on his chest and sighed in contentment. “I’m back, Steve. And I promise I’ll never go away again.”
* * *
He’d managed to catch a little sleep after she’d left. She’d been particularly good tonight, pulling him into the fantasy the moment she’d stepped in the door. And she’d maintained his fine edge of arousal through the whole scenario. But the contentment he’d felt had faded, and now he was awake again. He’d spent some time thinking about the assignment, and planning out his moves. And then he’d switched on the television and stretched out on the lumpy couch.
He was watching a dull horror movie on the tube when the telephone rang, and he knew immediately who it was. No one else would call him at this hour. He let it ring three times, and then he reached out to answer it.
“Hello?”
“Yes.” The voice that carried across the phone line was low and gruff. “We’ve decided that it’s time. You’re to go ahead with phase two.”
“You’re sure?” He gripped the phone tightly, and a smile spread across his face.
“Very sure. Are our terms acceptable to you?”
He thought about asking for more. He really had them over a barrel. But that would have been foolish and he had never been a foolish man. If he performed well, as he knew he would, there would be other assignments. They would learn that they couldn’t get along without him.
“The terms we discussed are more than adequate. I accept the assignment.”
“Good.” The voice sounded a little warmer. “Can you make it look like an accident? We don’t want any inquiries.”
“No problem. Accidents are my specialty.” He chuckled, relishing
the moment. He’d earned their respect with his excellent surveillance, and they’d called on him to finish the job. “You want this to happen immediately?”
“Any time in the next two days will do. Just make sure nothing comes back to us. And call us the moment you’ve succeeded in eliminating our problem.”
He nodded, barely containing his excitement. He truly loved this part of the game. Killing gave him a high he’d never been able to duplicate. He’d tried to achieve that lofty plateau with drugs, sex, and any other vice he could think of, common or uncommon. But he’d found that nothing else would do. Of course it was best if he could see the terror in their eyes, and watch the life fade from their bodies, but this time he would restrain himself. They wanted an accident that no one could trace, and that was exactly what they’d get.
“We have an understanding then?”
The voice prompted him out of his lovely anticipation, and he gathered himself to reply. “Just leave everything to me. I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
It was the morning of the fashion show, and Maura was on pins and needles. Although Nita had made her favorite French pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream, she hadn’t been able to eat more than a bite before she was up, dialing Sylvia at home to make sure she’d remembered to arrange for the caterers and the musicians.
“Relax, Mom.” Jan grinned at her across the table. “You’re always nervous before a show. Everything’ll go just fine.”
Maura shook her head. “No, it won’t. Some sort of disaster happens every year, but somehow we manage to muddle though.”
“Remember two years ago, when you forgot to order the folding chairs?” Jan stared to laugh.
“Of course I do. Steve rented a U-Haul and you raced down to your high school to borrow their folding bleachers.”
“You remembered, Miss Maura!” Nita smiled broadly. “Do you remember what you forgot the year before that?”
Maura shook her head. “We didn’t forget anything, Nita. It wasn’t our fault that the caterers brought chili dogs and beer instead of salmon rolls and chardonnay.”
“That was a mistake?” Jan’s eyes widened. “I thought you planned it that way!”
“So did everyone else. It was lucky we were featuring our line of sports clothes. Will you excuse me for a minute? I need to check with the florist.”
Nita and Jan exchanged smiles as Maura rushed off to the phone again. It was clear she was nervous. Her fall fashion show was covered in all the papers, and invitations to the event were prized by those lucky enough to receive them.
Maura was smiling as she came back to the table. “We’ll use those along the runway.”
“Which color?” Jan was curious.
“White. Anything else will detract from the clothes. We’ll use the pink and fuchsia in the reception tent.”
“You are right.” Nita nodded. “They must think the clothes are very beautiful, not the flowers. Tell me about the reception, Miss Maura. Will it be fancy, with linen tablecloths and silverware and crystal?”
“Not this year. The tent is decorated to look like a patio garden with areas of real grass and trees in tubs. We’re using white wrought iron tables and chairs and picnic ware.”
“Plastic silverware?” Jan looked dismayed.
“No, honey. But the silverware has white handles, and the plates are white china. Everything will be white and green, with the exception of the flowers.” Maura took one more bite of her breakfast, and then she put down her fork. “This is wonderful, Nita, but I’m not very hungry. I think I’ll get down to the boutique early, to make sure everything happens on schedule.”
“Good idea.” Jan put down her fork, too. “Do you want me to drive you?”
“No, honey. Steve’s picking me up in twenty minutes. I asked him to come early, and he offered to stay with me for the whole day. What time are you and Nita coming?”
“Around two. That’ll give us a chance to help you a bit before the show starts. I told David and Hank to be there at three-thirty sharp.”
“How about Mr. Keith?” Nita frowned slightly. “Will he be there?”
Maura nodded. “He called Sylvia to tell her that his flight arrives at three. That’ll give him plenty of time to get there before the show starts.”
“Do you want me to drive to the airport to pick him up?” Jan didn’t look happy at the prospect.
“That’s not necessary, honey. I’ve already asked Liz to do it.”
“Liz?!” Jan looked horrified. “Why did you ask her?”
“She’s the only one I can spare. I told her to take the morning off, and pick up Keith at three. It’ll keep her out of my hair, and I won’t have to deal with her.”
Nita looked very worried. “You are not going to tell Mr. Keith today, are you?”
“No. I have to check with a lawyer first, to see where I stand financially. When I have all the facts, I’ll talk to Keith.”
“It sounds like you’ve got everything under control.” Jan grinned and picked up her fork again. “Relax, Mom. Today’s your day. It’ll be wonderful, you’ll see.”
Maura nodded, but she wasn’t as sure as Jan seemed to be. She’d been nervous and edgy from the moment she’d opened her eyes this morning, and she didn’t think her attack of jitters was entirely due to the fashion show. She’d awakened with the feeling that some sort of crisis would occur today, some event that would shape her life for years to come. But she had absolutely no clue as to when it would happen, or what it would be.
* * *
He didn’t like being in the building, but it was the perfect spot. She owned the three-story warehouse in Santa Monica, and it was where she kept all her records. The building had been red-tagged, right after the last earthquake, and it was locked and entirely surrounded by yellow caution tape. The structure would eventually be demolished. It had been weakened beyond repair. But she had petitioned to delay the demolition, until a team of specialists could go in to remove her property.
Her business records were kept in a room on the third floor, and that was where he was. There was no power. They’d shut it off for fear of fire from the twisted and exposed wiring, but that didn’t present a problem for him. He had packed in battery-operated tools, and he’d weakened several floor joists so that they would snap under her weight. When she stepped inside the room, she would crash through to the floor below where the floor joists had been weakened in a similar manner. She would fall through two floors and land on the concrete slab that made up the first floor. No one could survive such a fall.
He stepped around the dangerous spot and moved several file boxes to the edge for bait. They contained the business records she’d need. Then he backed out carefully and closed the door, knowing that the hours he’d spent in preparation would be well worth the effort.
As he let himself out of the warehouse, he began to frown. For the first time in his career, he didn’t want to stay to see the expression of terror on her face when she fell. The enjoyment wasn’t there, and the twinge of pity he’d felt for her when the car had crashed through the barrier was back in full force. He liked her, and that was a real problem. He’d never gotten this close to his target before, and he actually felt sorry that she had to die. Unfortunately, business was business and it couldn’t be helped.
The car he’d stolen was parked on a side street. He got in and began to drive toward the airport where he’d return it to long-term parking. The owner would never know that it had been used, and even if someone had spotted it, there would be no way to trace it to anyone other than the owner. It was a foolproof plan. All of his plans were foolproof. But he didn’t have the high he usually felt when he’d set one of his death traps.
After he’d returned the car, he stopped for breakfast at the airport restaurant. The waitress who brought his bacon and eggs was young, with her hair in a ponytail. He flirted with her, and she flirted back. That made him feel a little better. And then he
remembered the babysitter, and he knew what he had to do to feel that exhilaration high again.
* * *
“More coffee?” Maura smiled as Steve nodded, and reached across her desk to pour him another cup. The morning had been hectic, and Sylvia had insisted she take a coffee break in her office with Steve.
Maura felt the change in their relationship. It had happened right after she’d announced that she was divorcing Keith. Neither one of them had said anything, or made any references to what would happen once Maura was single again, but Maura felt much more comfortable around Steve. Now there was the sense of something wonderful waiting to happen, rather than something they both had to fight to keep suppressed.
“I think Sylvia’s idea was a good one.” Steve captured her hand and held it. “You look much more relaxed now.”
“Having you here helps a lot. Jan says I’m always a bundle of nerves before a show, but I don’t ever remember being this nervous. . . .” Maura stopped in midsentence as her intercom buzzed. “Just a second, Steve. I’d better get that. Sylvia wouldn’t buzz me if it wasn’t important.”
Maura pressed the intercom button and picked up the phone. “Yes, Sylvia?”
She listened for a moment, and then she frowned. She made a little gesture of dismay, and then she nodded.
“Okay. I’ll take care of it. Tell him to hold and I’ll pick up in a second.”
“Problems?” Steve raised his eyebrows. Maura looked upset.
“Yes. It’s Agent Richards from the I.R.S. He wants to talk to me personally, and he says it’s important.”
Steve nodded. “You’d better speak to him. It’s probably just a routine question, and you can refer him to your new accountant.”
“I hope you’re right. Grant used to take care of everything, and I don’t know a thing about my corporate taxes.”
Maura was still frowning when she picked up the phone again. “Hello. This is Maura Thomas.”
“Agent Richards from the Internal Bureau of Revenue.”
The voice on the other end of the line was muffled, and Maura strained to make out the words. Either Agent Richards had a bad connection, or he was coming down with a terrible cold.
