Second Chances

by Phelps, K. L.

  "You know how I feel, don't you? I wanted to marry you so long ago. The timing, the circumstances..."

  "I know, Jason."

  "Do you?"

  She smiled. "Do you really need to ask? The years I spent...staying with work, doing...what I needed to do. The last few years I spent researching how to get us free. Do you think I would do that if I wasn't sure of how you felt?"

  He answered her with another kiss, long and deep.

  "I can't tell you how much I have missed you. Have missed that," Julie said when they ended their embrace.

  "Perhaps we should test just how much of my strength I have gotten back."

  She blushed and shook her head.

  "What? We have years to catch up on, don't we?"

  "Later. We still need to put some more distance between us and Cameron. Let me finish with these plates and then we need to get goi..."

  She stopped talking. She waited a minute and then the noise came again, a series of five beeps from inside the car. She left Jason and walked around to the front door. The noise came again and she realized it was from her purse. She reached in and pulled her purse out then unzipped it. The sound was coming from the cigar box they had taken with them from Ocean View. She looked from the box to Jason and back as the beeping came again. She opened the box and her eyes went wide. Inside was an old yellow Motorola cellphone."

  "Jason, you kept your cellphone?"

  He nodded. The phone began again but stopped after the second beep.

  "How old is this thing?"

  He shrugged. "Fifteen years, maybe more. I don't know anymore."

  "How the hell does it still have power?"

  He simply flicked his head. She understood and looked back into the cigar box, now noticing the charger."

  "You charged it last night, didn't you?"

  He nodded.

  "What if they are tracking this?"

  "A phone that old? I wasn't even sure if it would still work until I tried it last night."

  "But it is tied to you, Jason. I don't know if they can't track this. Neither do you."

  "It's not tied to me, well not really."

  "What do you mean, of course it's tied to you. It's yours, right?"

  "Yes and no. It was signed out to me. One of the perks from one of my teaching gigs."

  "You haven't taught since...I don't even know how long."

  He grinned. "Neither do I, but I have an excuse."

  "That isn't funny, Jason."

  "Sorry. The only way that phone is tied to me is by the past. The distant past. I just couldn't get rid of it."

  "Why not?"

  "It was on that phone that...that I got the call about..."

  Julie nodded, now understanding.

  "Somewhere, on some campus, in some ledger that phone is tied to me and some university is still paying the bill. The amazing thing is that it still gets service."

  "But why, Jason? I guess I can understand keeping it, but why charge it? Who do you think even knows that number? Who do you expect to ca..." She stopped, understanding hitting her.

  He looked at her, but said nothing.

  "No. No, Jason. I am sorry but you can't believe that."

  "Paige knew the number, Julie. She did and I thought maybe...maybe she still does. She needs help and I thought maybe she would call."

  "But that just isn't possible. You have to know that."

  Julie looked down at the phone as it made a noise and she saw the outline of an envelope flash in the corner of the screen.

  CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE

  He was driving aimlessly. She had been quiet since they had left Daniel's. He had tried to engage her several times, but she had waved off his attempts. He had decided to just give her time and space, but when she erupted into tears he pulled the car off the road. He got out and came around, pulling her out of the car and into his arms. She sobbed into his shoulder.

  "We'll figure something else out. I promise."

  She shook her head.

  "I died in the fire."

  "No. No, you didn't. That wasn't you."

  "Yes it was. Somehow it was. I don't know how, but I died in that fire. I know it. I feel it."

  Nathan could think of nothing to say that could possibly soothe her, so he did the only thing he could and held her tightly as she cried.

  Her tears gradually subsided until they ran out completely. She hugged Nathan tightly, her unspoken thanks.

  "You going to be okay?" Nathan asked, when she pulled away.

  She shrugged.

  "Can we go to the beach?"

  He looked at her questioningly, but said nothing. When it became apparent that Paige wasn't going to elaborate on her request, he nodded yes and they got back in the car and he followed her instructions.

  He passed the sign that welcomed them to Sachuest Beach and pulled into the parking lot. Beach season was over, but there were still a smattering of cars scattered throughout the parking lot. They got out and Nathan began to follow Paige. He couldn't see the beach yet, but he could smell it and hear it. They walked along a wooden path from the parking lot. They crested the rise and Nathan saw the waves crashing along the shoreline.

  Paige slipped out of her shoes and wiggled her toes in the sand before starting to walk toward the water. He could see a few others on the beach, some jogging with their dogs along the waterline, others slowly walking and even one or two working on a sandcastle a ways down the beach. He took off his sneakers and socks and followed after Paige.

  She was standing just on the edge of the waterline. Waves crashed and the water ran up the beach toward her feet, just barely tickling the tips of her toes before retreating back into the ocean. He stood next to her, unsure what to say or do.

  "Sachuest Beach. No one calls it that. None of the locals anyway. It's second beach. The beach you can see from school, that's first beach. This one is better. Gets better, bigger waves and usually stays cleaner, less seaweed."

  Nathan nodded, unsure how to respond.

  "See that," she said pointing down the beach. "That's St. George's School."

  Nathan followed her finger. He looked down the arc of the beach and up at the hills well beyond. Among the buildings, he could see one of them rose above all others. It looked like a church.

  "That's the chapel, gorgeous isn't it?"

  Nathan nodded again. She was right, it was impressive, the entire view was breathtaking.

  "Why do I know that? Why do I know any of this? How come I know that locals call this second beach?"

  "Because you've been here."

  "Have I? Have I really?" She was looking at him with such intensity that he couldn't lie to her.

  "I...I honestly don't know, Paige."

  She stepped forward a few steps until her feet were underwater and the bottoms of her pants started to get wet.

  "What do we do now?

  "We'll figure something out."

  "How? What leads do we have left to follow? Am I supposed to call Linda and ask her for help? I don't know who the hell she actually is. I don't know who the hell I am for that matter."

  Nathan looked down at the sand. He had no answers and didn't want to lie to her. The truth was she was right, they had no more leads to follow. How much of what she thought she knew was actually true? How much of what he'd known about his own wife had been true? As he started to walk forward, the phone in his pocket began to ring.

  "Hello?"

  "Nathan King?"

  "Yes."

  "Listen very carefully," an angry female voice growled at him through the phone. "I'm only going to give you these instructions once."

  CHAPTER SEVENTY

  Nathan glanced at his watch again. It was only ten minutes later than it had been the last time he'd checked it, but it felt much longer. He knew that they were getting close and that the exit they needed wasn't far off, but part of him feared they would be too late. Too late for what exactly? He knew he was likely just picking up on Paige's anxiety.
He prayed this wasn't some elaborate hoax.

  Paige hadn't believed him when he told her about the phone call. She had watched him take the call on the beach, but still she hadn't believed it. Honestly, he wasn't sure what to believe himself. But who in the hell would send them on a wild goose chase like this? Who would be toying with them and to what purpose? How the heck had they even gotten his phone number? He had tried to ask, but the woman on the other end of the phone was in no mood to carry on a dialogue, she had told him he could either listen or talk to a dial tone.

  "Why Mystic?"

  Nathan shrugged. "Hell if I know. Hell, why McDonald's? This entire thing is crazy."

  "My entire life has been crazy since you came up to me in the airport."

  He winced.

  "Sorry," she said. "That wasn't fair. I think it's obvious my life was already crazy, I just wasn't aware of it."

  He wanted to say something to comfort her, but he didn't know what that possibly could be. He wondered what Paige would be doing right now if that woman at the airport hadn't helped him track her down. Would she be happy now?

  She seemed to be thinking the exact same thing. "I wonder if I would be at work now if you hadn't found me."

  "I'm sorry, Paige, really. Had I known all of this..." He trailed off, unwilling to finish.

  She looked over at him. She could see the sadness in his eyes and it made her heart ache.

  "Don't Nathan, don't be sorry. Ignorance is not bliss. I don't really believe that. It may be easier, but it is not better. I...I really do want to know the truth, even if I am terrified of what that might be."

  He didn't know if he believed her or not. Was that conviction or fear in her voice? Probably both. Nathan guessed it didn't matter. He had seen her and he had tracked her. He had started the dominos falling and it was much too late to stop them now.

  "Next exit," he said.

  A few minutes later they were pulling off the highway and both he and Paige were looking for signs to McDonald's. She spotted it first, pointed to the left and a moment later they went up a small hill and pulled into the McDonald's parking lot.

  Paige stared out the window at the building.

  "I can't believe we are coming here for answers. Of course this is all so crazy who the hell knows. Hey Ronald McDonald I'd like a happy meal and oh yeah, how about the secrets of my life."

  Even though he didn't want to, Nathan couldn't help but laugh. She had said it so seriously. Paige looked at him and gave him a shaky smile.

  "Okay, maybe not."

  "Probably not," he agreed. "Besides everyone knows Grimace is the real brains of this operation."

  Paige started giggling and couldn't stop until she ran out of breath and began coughing. Nathan knew it hadn't been that funny but she was so nervous it was the only way her body knew to release some of the tension. He patted her gently on the back while she tried to catch her breath.

  "Are you ready?"

  She nodded and together they exited the car and went into the building. They got in line behind a short old man. A moment later, the old man got his meal and then they were at the register.

  A cute teenage girl with electric blue hair stopped chewing her gum long enough to give them her long practiced plastic grin. "Welcome to McDonald's, what can I get for you?"

  "I'm looking for Mike Tobin, is he here?"

  The girl dropped her phony smile and blew a bubble until it popped and then tilted her head back towards the grill area. "Hey Mike, you got visitors," she yelled.

  "Be right there," a voice called back.

  The blue haired girl tilted her head, indicating they should wait off to the side and then said, "Next."

  Nathan was reminded of the old man back in San Diego and smiled as he and Paige moved out of line and waited.

  Mike turned out to be maybe a year or two older than the blue haired girl. He had short cut brown hair and a tattoo of a rose on the right side of his neck with the thorny stem wrapped completely around to the other side.

  "Mike?" Nathan asked.

  "Yep."

  "You are supposed to have something for me."

  The boy looked from Nathan to Paige and then back. "You are supposed to have a hundred bucks for me."

  "It's fifty and that's if it is still sealed, otherwise it's nothing."

  Mike grinned and Nathan saw he was missing a tooth. "Hey, I had to try, right?" He pulled an envelope out of his back pocket and held it up for Nathan to see. Along the back of the envelope were a series of animal stickers, it was clear the envelope hadn't been opened.

  Nathan pulled out his wallet. "I'll make it a hundred if you can tell me what the woman who gave it to you looked like."

  "Okay or how about fifty and you tell me what's in here," he said fanning the envelope.

  "No deal. I can't tell you what I don't know."

  The kid grinned again. "Far out. You don't even know. This is crazy cloak and dagger shit, isn't it?."

  Nathan held two fifty dollar bills up. "So?"

  "Oh, yeah sure. Umm, tall like maybe six feet or so. No clue how old she was, but definitely older."

  "What does that mean? Older? Older than what?" Paige asked.

  "I don't know, older then me. I don't know at least thirty, thirty-five. Like I said, I don't know, just definitely older."

  "What else?" Nathan asked.

  "She was cute as hell, blondish hair in a ponytail. She had glasses, which really worked for her. You know the whole naughty librarian look."

  Nathan did his best not to shake his head. "Anything else? Was she with anyone?"

  "Nah, she was alone. She was pretty intense though. I got the feeling she was hoping you wouldn't show up, like she didn't want to do this. Whatever this is. What exactly is this?"

  Nathan didn't answer. He simply snagged the envelope out of the kid's hand and then gave him the money.

  Mike stuffed the cash into his pocket. "Thanks, did you want fries with that?"

  Both both laughed and then Nathan looked at Mike and said, "Yes."

  A couple of minutes later they were back in the car. Nathan popped a straw into his shake and then popped a french fry into his mouth. "Do you want to?"

  Paige shook her head. "No, you do it."

  Nathan passed her the fry container and wiped his fingers on his pants before he pulled the envelope out. He opened it, ripping most of the animal stickers in two. There was a single sheet of paper. He opened it and read it. Then read it again.

  "Well?"

  He started to hand her the paper.

  "Just tell me."

  "Well it's not the secret of life. It's a web address, phone number and some instructions."

  "What?"

  He held the paper up. "See list of supplies below. Do not call until tomorrow. Before calling, check out the website listed below. This is a one time only phone number so be ready to listen."

  CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE

  "What the hell? Why would someone drive almost two hours just to go to a place that is on practically every corner?"

  "Are you sure you didn't recognize anyone inside?" Linda asked.

  They had arrived at the McDonald's just in time to see Paige and Nathan get back into their car and then drive off a few minutes later. Cameron had parked and rushed into the restaurant, quickly checking the patrons.

  "No. I checked everywhere, even both restrooms. If they met someone there then they must have left before we arrived. I didn't see anyone alone, every person was there with at least one other person and none of them seemed the least bit suspicious."

  Linda took the phone out of the small console shelf and dialed.

  "Jimmy, has there been any activity on Mr. King's phone?"

  "Negative, Linda, not since that call a few hours ago. Could you tell Mr. Kassar I am sorry again? I really don't know why I couldn't intercept any clear audio. Maybe it was a weak signal or some kind of interference. I'm trying to clean it up, but I'm not too hopeful of getting anything useful. They
are on the move again though, I am tr..."

  "We are following them. Keep us posted," she said coldly and hung up not waiting for a response.

  Cameron gave her an approving nod. "He still having no luck with the audio?"

  "No," she said with a shake of her head. "McDonald's? Do you suppose it may mean something to them? Or to him?"

  "In what way?"

  "I don't know. Maybe their first date was at the aquarium and they came to McDonald's after that. Or some stupid crap like that."

  Cameron was quiet for a minute as he considered her words.

  "No, I doubt it. It had something to do with that call. Jimmy said they immediately began moving after that call."

  "You really think they met with someone?"

  Cameron nodded.

  "Julie and Jason?"

  "No," he said without hesitation. "We were maybe ten minutes behind them at the most. If they had met up I don't imagine it would have been that short of a meeting. I also don't think they would have done it at a McDonald's. I don't know what the hell that was. All I know is that I don't like it. Not one bit."

  "Do you think they know they are being followed?"

  Cameron shook his head no. "They've made no erratic moves. They have not been speeding or ducking off the highway. No, I don't think they suspect they are being followed."

  They lapsed into silence as they continued to trail Paige and Nathan. The trip back to Newport was uneventful. After they got off the Newport Bridge they followed them into a Walmart parking lot. Cameron debated following them into the store, but decide to hold tight. When five minutes stretched into ten he began to reconsider and was just getting ready to get out of the car when Linda spotted them exiting the store. Paige was holding a plastic bag in her left hand.

  "What do you think is in the bag?"

  Cameron shrugged. He wished he knew, but at this point he figured it was anyone's guess. Nothing was making sense.

  "McDonald's? Walmart? What the hell are they up to?"

  Linda knew he didn't really expect her to answer, but she racked her brain just the same looking for a solution.

  The sun was low in the sky and dusk was upon them when they followed the couple from Walmart back to their hotel.