Second Chances

by Phelps, K. L.

  "You don't think that it is possible?"

  "At this point I have no clue what is or isn't possible. But you just blew my mind with that theory."

  She got out of the car and walked around to his side. He got out and shook his head.

  "I don't think it is another Paige."

  "Why not?"

  "Her voice. She doesn't sound like you."

  He scanned the parking lot. No one was following them or watching them as far as he could tell.

  "I hope you are right. I have to say I don't know how I would handle meeting another...me, I guess."

  He looked around the parking lot once more, before taking her hand. They walked down the path to the beach. He stopped and looked to the far left. He pointed and counted to three.

  "That one," he said pointing at the nearest lifeguard stand to their left.

  They drudged through the sand until they reached the red painted wooden lifeguard stand.

  "Look around and see if anyone is watching us," he said as he dropped to the ground and began digging in the sand beneath the stand.

  Paige wanted to laugh. There were very few people out on the beach, but she was sure anyone who went by them would surely give them more than just a simple glance.

  "Got it."

  Nathan stood up and brushed the sand from his clothes. In his hand was a ziplock baggie with a piece of paper in it. He opened the bag and found another phone number.

  They walked slowly back to the car, both of them looking to see if they were being followed or watched. Nathan frowned at the cars in the parking lot. Were there more or less of them now?

  "Does it look the same to you?"

  Paige shrugged.

  "Exactly," he said. "Neither of us is cut out for this cloak and dagger crap."

  He opened the car and then reached into his bag and retrieved another phone. He checked the reception and saw it was strong, then dialed the number.

  "So far, so good?"

  "Yes."

  "Being followed?"

  "Not that I can tell."

  "But you are looking now, right?"

  "Yes," he snapped. He hated being patronized.

  "Good, just checking. Here is what you do next."

  "Swansea Mall?" Nathan asked Paige as he closed the phone, stomped on it and then tossed the pieces into the sand dunes.

  She nodded and came around to his side of the car. She took the keys from him and slipped in behind the wheel. He walked around to the other side of the car and stood there with his hand on the door handle, looking once more around the parking area.

  Paige pushed a button and the passenger window rolled down.

  "What is it?"

  Nathan leaned over and stuck his head in the car.

  "I'm not sure. I...I think she might be here."

  "Here? As in here at the beach?"

  "Maybe. I...the phone call. I thought I heard the sound of the ocean coming over the phone. I mean, yes I could already hear the ocean since we are only a couple hundred feet or so from it, but it also sounded like maybe it was coming through the phone as well. Or maybe I just imagined it."

  "Do you want to search the beach?"

  Nathan shook his head no, opened the door and got into the car.

  "We wouldn't have a clue who the heck we'd be looking for. I'm afraid we'll just have to play her game." He looked past her and out the window at the cars in the parking lot. Was it possible the woman from the phone was in one of them?

  "Maybe she is here and is trying to see if we are being followed."

  "Anything is possible. More than likely I am just being paranoid."

  Paige laughed. "Well, then it's catchy, because I swear I feel like there are a million eyes on us."

  "I know what you mean."

  "Well then, let's see if I can find out if we are being followed and if so, let's give them the slip."

  "Oh, do you have some James Bondesque skills I don't know about?"

  She didn't say a word, only winked at him and started the car.

  Chapter Seventy-Seven

  CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT

  "They are definitely being more watchful," Cameron said.

  Linda nodded in agreement, her eyes locked on Paige and Nathan. She watched as the two of them talked while standing outside of their car. She wished she could hear them. She had to resist ducking down when Nathan turned and scanned the parking area again. Cameron had insisted that the car's windows were too tinted and they were parked too far away for them to tell there was anyone in the car.

  He reached over and placed a hand on her leg. "Remain calm. Don't rock the car."

  Remain calm? With his hand on her leg? Was he serious?

  "Look," he said, his hand still on her leg.

  She tried to focus on what he was saying and looked back across the parking lot. Paige had taken the keys and was sliding into the driver's seat.

  "Must mean they are driving somewhere she knows well."

  Linda opened her mouth to agree, but her throat was dry and no sound came out. She looked away from the car and down at his hand. She felt the warmth of it on her leg. It seemed to radiate through her entire body. She felt beads of sweat forming on her brow.

  "Let's give them a few seconds before we follow."

  A second, a minute. As far as she was concerned, they could stay there all day. She shivered when he removed his hand. He looked her way, but she quickly turned away so he wouldn't see the flush in her face and wiped at her brow.

  "Okay, let's go," he said as he turned the engine over and put the car in gear. He pulled out and turned right. As he followed the natural curve of the road he began to get worried. Where had they gone? Then he spotted them in the distance. Paige must have gunned the engine and raced down the road. He sped up a little, trying to keep them in sight. He knew where the road led and it wouldn't be that long before they hit a large residential area where there were so many roads that it would be easy to lose sight of them.

  He turned a blind corner and had to hit his brakes. They were almost right on top of them. She had obviously slowed after taking the corner. He knew there was no way he could slow enough to stay behind them and for it to appear natural so he swerved into the empty oncoming lane and went around them, slamming the horn as he did. Once past them he gradually slowed a little, trying to keep them in his rearview.

  He cursed when he saw them take a left off the main road a few moments later.

  "Son of a bitch."

  "Turn around and we can catch up to them."

  "Yes we could, but then they would know we were following them."

  Linda nodded, falling silent. She knew he was right. "So now what?"

  Cameron pulled the car over to the side of the road and stopped. "Now," he said, turning to her. "We hope your plan works. Otherwise I think we are screwed."

  He looked at the slip of a smile on her face and wondered what the heck she could find amusing about the situation, but decided he'd rather not know. He put the car into gear again and made a U-turn.

  Linda wanted to slap herself. She just found it impossible to concentrate. She knew he hadn't said what she thought he had. Her imagination was simply out of control. She closed her eyes and tried to focus before saying, "Okay, let's go find a phone."

  CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE

  Paige gunned the engine as soon as she turned out of the parking lot. Nathan grabbed the door handle. He looked over and saw a hint of a smile on her face. She barely let up on the gas as she slid into the curve of the road. They raced for another twenty seconds or so and then she hit the brakes as they took a sharp turn and then slowed to barely ten miles an hour.

  "What are you doing?"

  "Driving like a maniac," she said and then laughed. She looked into the rearview mirror, the road was clear.

  Nathan laughed and nodded, understanding hitting him.

  "So this mall, about how far away is it?"

  "I don't know how far, but we should be able to get there
in about thirty minutes or so. I feel like we are on some twisted scavenger hu...holy crap!"

  Paige sucked in her breath and tensed, expecting an impact. The car in the rearview mirror was almost on top of them. It swerved into the oncoming lane, its horn blaring, and then was beyond them. Paige could swear she could hear the driver cursing at her.

  "Are you okay?"

  She nodded yes, while her trembling hands seemed to indicate otherwise.

  "Okay, so how about we skip any further James Bond moves."

  Paige managed to smile and nodded in agreement. She checked the rearview mirror again and then took a left hand turn.

  "You sure you want to drive?"

  "Yeah. I'll be okay. Just wasn't expecting that. You don't think they were following us, do you?"

  He shook his head. "You were barely crawling along and that was a blind turn. Probably not the smartest move." She frowned and nodded her agreement. The car had kept going, but still he glanced back as they drove on, watching for any pursuit.

  He could tell she was actually a little more shaken by the incident than she let on. The drive up to the mall took nearly forty minutes and Paige kept her speed at or below the speed limit the entire way. They turned into the mall parking area and she parked by the entrance to Sears.

  They got out and entered the building, weaving their way around the store until they exited from the Sears and into the main body of the mall. Nathan looked around, spotted the directory map and walked over to it.

  "Figures," he said. "Other side of the mall."

  Paige reached out and took his hand.

  "Let's get going then."

  They slowly strolled through the mall. Nathan looked around at the familiar shops that seemed to be in every mall. He looked over his shoulder numerous times as they walked, but couldn't tell if they were being followed. After the twisting and turning route Paige had taken to get back to the main road from the beach he would've been surprised if anyone had managed to stay with them, but he wanted to be able to tell the woman on the other end of the phone that he had kept a vigilant watch.

  They reached the far end of the mall and Nathan brought them to stop outside of Bath & Body Works.

  "Here?"

  He nodded and then they entered. Paige let go of his hand and began to walk around the store. Nathan looked around until he spotted the shower gel. He walked over to the display and looked over the lines of bottles. He grabbed the last bottle in the row of Candy Apple. A small slip of paper was taped to the bottom of the bottle. He pulled the paper free and then went over to Paige who was looking at bars of scented soap.

  "Find what we need?"

  He nodded and then tilted his head toward the exit. Once they were out of the shop, he unfolded the paper and read it.

  "New phone number?"

  "No. Did you see a Yankee Candle store?"

  "Yeah, it was near where we came in."

  Nathan held out his hand. "Shall we?"

  Paige took his hand and they began to walk back down through the mall.

  "What do you think this is all about?" she asked.

  "I think that she is here."

  "Here in the mall?"

  "Yeah."

  "What makes you say that?"

  "Well I think she'd have to at least have been here recently to place these little notes. She couldn't have done that too long ago or there would be a chance that they would have accidentally been found or moved by someone else. I also think she wants to see for herself whether or not we are being followed. She is likely here and is watching us walk back and forth."

  Paige looked around at the faces of the people around them.

  "Don't bother. If she went through all this trouble, she has likely positioned herself some place we won't be able to see her."

  "So what do we do?"

  "I don't see that we have any choice. We play along."

  He found the next note exactly where the last one said it would be, taped to the underside of a butter cream scented candle. From there they traveled back to the bath store and found another note under a display basket full of soaps, lotions and loofas.

  "You aren't going to believe this."

  "Back to the candle store?" Paige asked.

  He smiled and nodded.

  "My legs are getting tired."

  "Would you like me to carry you?"

  Paige smiled and seemed to consider the offer, but in the end she took his hand again and they began walking back to the candle store.

  When they reached the store, Paige waited outside. She scanned the people walking around the mall. Could one of these women be the one who was leading them on this scavenger hunt? None of them seemed to be looking at her, but then she didn't suppose that the woman would be staring directly at her.

  "Bingo," Nathan said as he rejoined her.

  "What?"

  "Phone number," he said, holding up a piece of paper.

  She gave him a weak smile.

  "I know how you feel," he said taking her hand. "I'm nervous too. Come on, let's go."

  She nodded and continued to look at the people around them as they made their way out of the mall and back to the car.

  Once in the car, Nathan pulled a phone from his bag and dialed the number on the paper.

  "You were watching us, weren't you," he said as soon as he heard the phone connect.

  "Had to be certain."

  "So we passed then?"

  "That last slip of paper wouldn't have had a phone number on it if you hadn't."

  Nathan let out a sigh of relief. She was being honest, he was certain of that.

  "So now what?"

  The line went silent and for a minute he worried she'd hung up.

  "I guess," she began and then sighed. "I guess it's time we meet up."

  He could tell she wasn't happy about it. She sounded as if she had been hoping she could just have ended the situation and left them roaming the mall indefinitely.

  "Where and when?"

  The woman let loose a string of expletives before giving him instructions.

  Nathan opened the window and tossed the phone out before turning to Paige. She started the car and asked, "Where to?"

  "Back to Middletown, the Seaside Motel."

  They rode back in silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts and fears of what they might find.

  "I feel like I am going to throw up," Paige said as she turned into the parking lot of the motel. She drove around and parked toward the back.

  "I know what you mean, but we'll be okay. I promise, we will make it through this. Room twenty-three," he said pointing.

  She brought the car to a stop and they sat there for a moment. He reached over and gently rubbed her shoulder. "Come on."

  They got out of the car and walked to the door. Nathan moved in front of Paige and then knocked.

  The door swung open and a tall woman stood in the doorway. Nathan guessed she was several years older than himself, but that could have just been from the stress she was obviously under. She was attractive, but he had a hard time looking at anything other than the gun in her hand.

  Paige wasn't looking at the woman or the gun, she was looking beyond her to the man sitting on the edge of the bed. She squinted at him, a puzzled look on her face. Her eyes went wide, she gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. She nudged Nathan aside, her eyes never wavering from the man.

  "Dad?"

  CHAPTER EIGHTY

  Paige pushed past Julie, bumping the gun in her hand. Julie let out a startled gasp and quickly took her finger off the trigger and tumbled into Nathan.

  Paige knelt on the floor in front of Jason, her eyes locked on his. She reached out and touched his face. He looked down into her eyes, tears glistening at the corners of his own.

  "It really is you, isn't it?"

  Jason placed his hands over hers and gently squeezed them.

  "How?"

  Julie grabbed Nathan's arm and pulled him into the room and after a q
uick look in the parking area, closed the door.

  "You...died," Paige murmured. "But...then so did I. Didn't I?"

  Jason swallowed hard, his tears now running freely down his cheeks.

  Nathan looked at Julie then down at the gun still in her hand. He arched his eyebrows questioningly.

  She frowned and then sighed before lowering the gun.

  "So much," Jason began and then his voice cracked. He dropped his head into his hands.

  "Take your time, Dad."

  Nathan shook his head slightly. None of this made sense. He had spent the last few days trying to convince Paige that he knew her and she had fought him every step of the way. They had entered the room only seconds ago and yet already she was certain the old man on the bed was her father, even though she remembered him dying.

  His laugh caught everyone off guard. It actually took Nathan a moment to realize he'd been the one who'd laughed. He dismissed the questioning gazes of the others with a wave of his hand. How could he explain that he was partially upset with Paige for doing exactly what he had done only days earlier in the airport. He had seen her and instantly known, believed, it was her, just as she was doing now with the man on the bed.

  "How?" she asked again, looking from Jason to Julie and back again.

  Jason cleared his throat and wiped at the tears. "So much to tell you. So much," he paused again and gently slapped his right hand against his head. "So much, I don't remember. Julie, help me remember. Please."

  Paige studied the face of the man for a minute before looking over at Julie. "What is wrong with him?"

  Nathan studied the woman and swore the look on her face was guilt.

  Julie sighed. "As your dad said, so much to explain."

  "So he really is her father?"

  "Yes. No." Julie tossed her hands up in frustration. "I don't know exactly how I would say it. He is Jason Kendall and he had a daughter named Paige."

  "And she died in a fire?" Paige asked.

  "Not in the fire," Jason corrected. "After the fire."

  "Can we start from the beginning?" Nathan asked.

  Jason began to open his mouth, but Julie waved him quiet.