by Ladew, Lisa
A soft snort came through the door and West smiled. He’d made her laugh. That was a good start.
He heard the lock click as she unlatched it and pulled open the door.
West swept down on her, covering her mouth with his, telling her with his tongue that it was OK, it was good, it was right and he was the happiest man in the world. He finally pulled back and let her breathe. “A baby, a baby Noemie! Why in the world are you sad?”
“So many reasons,” she sighed into his chest.
“Didn’t you plan it?” he asked cautiously.
“No,” she said with finality. “I took my pill faithfully every day, but the best I can figure is that when I had the stomach flu a month ago and was throwing up every day, my hormones got out of whack.”
West dropped to his knees in front of her and lifted her shirt, kissing her belly soundly. He stood again and looked her in the eyes, cradling her face tenderly. “Still, a baby is never a reason to be sad.”
“West,” she whispered and a thrill shot through him. He hadn’t heard that name on her lips in years. “School – I’ll have to put it off.”
“That’s okay.”
“And work. I want to stay home with the baby.”
West kissed her on each cheek. “We’ll figure out how to make it work, Katerina. I promise.”
They had simple jobs that didn’t bring in a lot of money, Katerina working as a veterinary tech and West fixed motorcycles, occasionally able to build one out of used parts.
Katerina looked at him and the pain in her eyes tore at his soul.
“West, I can’t help thinking of your father. We don’t even know if he is still alive. Are we really going to have a baby all the way around the world and never tell him?”
West hugged her for a long time and didn’t speak a word. Finally, he told her the only thing he knew to say. “Some things can’t be helped, Katerina.”
***
West pushed open the door to their home and flipped on the light, taking a good look around before he walked inside. Habit. His nerves stayed on high alert until he had walked through the house and ensured it was empty. When finished, he found Katerina in the kitchen, wiping the counter down absently. He wrapped his arms around her waist and tucked her body into his, where it fit so well.
“Thanks for dinner,” she told him. “Although it was a bit too extravagant.”
“We had a lot to celebrate,” he reminded her. She lifted her arms to his neck and West prepared to kiss her, but something caught her eye and turned her face to the left. She was staring at the TV in the living room.
“Hey, is that Craig?”
West looked too and recognized him at once. He rushed towards the TV to turn the volume on. Breaking News flashed across the screen in bold red letters. West’s finger froze on the volume button as he read the text that followed.
.. entire section of the government shut down. Congress raided by FBI. Twenty-two senators led away in handcuffs. President denying responsibility or knowledge.
West flipped on the volume just as the picture of Craig was replaced by one of Wolf Blitzer. His voice flooded their small house. “This is the biggest investigation into our legislature since, well, ever. FBI investigators have uncovered reports of the government locking up citizens with no discussion of their rights, no chance at a trial, and actually without any proof of wrongdoing. Many of these people have knowledge or abilities the government is interested in. We have uncovered four secret bases around the country.”
West sat heavily in his TV chair, all of his recent good news forgotten.
“The investigation started after a fire at one of these bases three years ago. A lawsuit filed against the government some months later captured the notice of the FBI. Lead investigator Craig Masterson will be holding a press conference in a little over an hour.”
Katerina sat down next to West and they watched all night, neither daring to say what the other was thinking. Could they go home now? Were they safe?
Chapter 21
Three days later, West walked out to the mailbox, leaving Katerina behind to monitor the news. They had both decided to not change anything until they were able to talk to Craig. They’d been away from home for almost three years, what would a few more days matter? But so far, they hadn’t been able to speak with Craig. They saw him on the news, night and day discussing his ongoing investigations, looking harried and tired, but satisfied and strong. His old cell phone number no longer worked, his home number was unlisted, his secretary answered his business line, and West couldn’t bring himself to call Emma. He was supposed to be dead, and he didn’t know if it was safe yet to shatter that illusion.
His heart was beginning to ache though, at the thought of his family and friends, so far away, thinking he was long dead and gone. It was something he had never let himself think about it until now.
He pulled open the mailbox and reached inside, finding a large, heavy-duty envelope almost big enough to be called a package. West pulled it out and looked at it curiously. The postmark said it was from America - California. West’s heart sped up in his chest. Excitement laced through his bloodstream. In all the years they lived here, they never had received anything from America.
It was addressed to Noemie and Marcus Girard. No return address.
West slipped a thumb under the flap, then changed his mind and ran back to the house, yelling his wife’s name. It was good news, he knew it.
Katerina met him at the doorway, her eyes wide with fright. He thrust the package into her hands.
Katerina turned the item over, reading what he had read, drawing her own conclusions. With shaking fingers she unsealed the flap and looked inside. West watched her, his breath stuck in his lungs.
Her face clouded for a second and he reached out to steady her. Her eyes misted and she took a step backwards, then ran for their tiny kitchen table.
She turned the fat envelope upside down and shook it. Pictures spilled out across the table.
Jordan and Blaise, kissing at a restaurant, a diamond ring blazing on Jordan’s hand.
Brody, a sweet-looking girl on his arm, standing in front of a car in someone’s driveway.
West’s dad at a festival with an ice cream cone, a devilish grin on his face for the camera.
More, so many more pictures flowed out, telling a story of almost three years without them.
Katerina sobbed, picking up each picture with wonder and exclaiming over it in turn.
West felt wild laughter bubble in his chest. Their family knew they were alive! And they were reaching out!
Katerina pulled out a piece of paper with sloping writing on it, covering both sides. He recognized Blaise’s handwriting immediately. “You read it,” Katerina said, tears streaming down her cheeks.”
Dear Katerina and West,
Hopefully, when this letter reaches you, you will know that we have finally won. We have tailed the corruption as far as we could and all of the people responsible will be going to jail for a long time. We have forty-two former prisoners testifying and we don’t need you to do so at this time. Maybe in the future. But right now, you are free to return to your lives whenever you would like.
Craig told us that you both were still alive only six months ago, when it became clear that our investigation was going to be successful. But he swore us all to secrecy and made us promise we would not try to contact you until he was certain you would be safe. Brody and I have been working closely with him since our lawyer filed our first lawsuit against the government for your unlawful detention and death.
Jordan has written you a letter every day since we found out. I have included them all here.
Katerina pulled out a fistful of smaller pieces of paper and held them up, her sobbing turning to laughter. West went on.
We miss you guys more than words can express. Things have been hard here without you. The investigation has been draining in so many ways, and I even had to send Jordan away for a few months when I started
receiving threats and our home was broken into. But that’s a story for another time. Craig’s wife refused to leave, so he moved his office into hers at the fire station and they began to wear Kevlar helmets and jackets to get to and from work. That was a very tough time, but things got safer when the first congressional interviews started. Everyone began pointing the finger of blame at everyone else and forgot about trying to shut us up. Now that the truth is discovered and out, we are as safe as we will ever be.
Enough about that. Enough about that for the rest of our lives.
No matter what you guys decide to do, we need you to stay put there for at least a few more weeks. A wedding is heading to the church down the street from you.
Jordan finally said yes. She kept putting me off until the investigation and lawsuits were over and done with but then I managed to get her pregnant and she couldn’t say no anymore. The date will be on August fifteenth.
Katerina let out a shriek and then ran to West, hugging him tight to her chest, deep sobs wracking her body. West felt his own tears fall into her hair.
“That’s a week from now,” she said, her voice muffled.
“One week,” West repeated and kept reading.
Everyone’s coming. Brody, Sam, Agnes. Not Craig though, he’s too busy. He sends his regards. We will even be bringing your cat, Nina. She loves to travel – she went with Jordan when I sent her away. We will be there in two days.
Yours in everlasting friendship, Blaise.
Katerina’s knees buckled and West had to catch her by the arms to keep her from falling to the floor. She looked up at him, her body limp. “It’s over. Truly and forever over. We can go home.”
She found her feet again and stood up under her own power, her face wet with tears. She rubbed her still-flat belly. “Our baby will know his or her family, and be raised surrounded by love and friends. That’s all I ever wanted.”
West kissed her deeply, knowing in his heart that it was all he ever wanted too.
<<<<< The End >>>>>
Author’s Note: When I did my planning for the Hide me Series, I ordered the covers and thought the story would be entirely complete by the end of the 4th book. As you see here, the story grew beyond my control and there are so many ways it could continue on. Does Blaise have powers? Does everyone who abducted West and Katerina end up in jail? What about the woman in the hospital who Katerina saved? Does she have powers? And Jordan and Katerina’s babies … are they girls, boys, best friends? Do they have powers?
I don’t know the answers to these questions although they do intrigue me. The Hide Me Series will be put to bed for now, but I’m sure these questions will fill my dreams, and if I ever decide to write another book, you’ll be the first to know ;)
Edge of the Heat 7 available Sep 30th 2015.
as always, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Writing is hard work, but every time I get an email that says I made someone’s day a little brighter, a little sweeter, it is all worth it.
If you haven’t read the Edge of the Heat series and you are wondering about Craig and Emma, who feature so prominently in this series, they are the H/h of the Edge of the Heat 1 and 2. Check out the free first book of that series, Edge of the Heat 1:
About the Author
Lisa became a full time author in the summer of 2014, fulfilling a childhood dream. She lives in the Inland Pacific Northwest, and is married with 2 sons. She is a U.S. Army veteran, plus former paramedic, 911 calltaker/police radio dispatcher, and volunteer firefighter. Her husband is also a veteran, and a retired police officer. Connect with her on her facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LisaLadewAuthor or email her. [email protected]
