by Helen Conrad
“No problem,” she whispered, but it was only after a good three minutes of rest that she felt strong enough to make the climb. In another moment she was shimmying up and then she had one hand on the railing of Mavis’s balcony, then a leg over, and finally, the jump, and she was safe.
She sank into the corner, letting out her breath in a long, gasping sigh, leaning against the railing. She’d never done anything quite that scary before. But she’d made it! She could hardly believe it.
Now to get Alexander.
The balcony was a long one, spanning the rest of that side of the house. Two rooms opened onto it. The first and closer was unused, as far as she knew, and completely dark at the moment. The other belonged to Mavis. She could see a dim nightlight burning there. Maybe it was for Alexander. Or maybe it was for nightbirds, so that they could find their way to the food.
Bird feeders were hanging everywhere. Janet wondered fleetingly if Mavis had a guard-bird. She looked around warily, not looking forward to the prospect of being pecked at, but she could see no sign of one. She crept silently toward the sliding glass door, hugging the side of the house. The drapes were drawn partway across, leaving an eighteen-inch opening, but she couldn’t see anything inside other than the little light.
“Now I just need one more bit of luck,” she whispered to herself. “Oh, please let the door be unlocked.”
And it was. Reaching out, she gave the frame a little push, and miraculously, felt it move with her hand.
She waited, heart pounding, in case anything inside was going to react, if any alarm was going to go off. There wasn’t a sound. Holding her breath, she pushed a little more. The door glided smoothly, leaving a six-inch opening. Janet stared at it, waiting, her heart beating furiously. Perhaps Alexander would come to investigate on his own. Then she would scoop him up, head for the drainpipe, and down to her car. In minutes, this whole episode would be behind her, like a bad dream.
Matt’s handsome face flashed through her mind, but she shoved it away. That was a dream, all right, though perhaps not such a bad one. And she’d never been much of a dreamer. Reality was her style. Time to get back to it.
She waited another moment, still hoping for the best. But her luck wasn’t quite that good. “Alexander,” she whispered at last. “Here, kitty, kitty.”
There wasn’t a sound. Was she going to have to go in and find him? “Here, kitty, kitty,” she hissed just a little louder.
“Who’s there?” Mavis’s voice split the night.
Janet reeled backward, her heart in her throat. It was all over. She’d been caught.
“Who is it? Who’s there?”
Would she have enough time to make it down the drainpipe? Or should she jump for it? One look over the edge of the balcony wiped that idea from her head. It was a long way down and a rocky landing. It would have to be the drainpipe.
The whirr of Mavis’s wheelchair rang through the air. There was no escape. Mavis would see her, if nothing else. Janet turned, fists clenched. Maybe she should tough it out. Maybe she should confront Mavis.
A sliding glass door was opening. She could hear it. It wasn’t until she felt the strong arms come around her and jerk her quickly into the vacant room that she realized it wasn’t the sliding glass door to Mavis’s room that she’d heard.
“You little idiot!” Matt growled into her ear as he held her tightly from behind, closing the door as he spoke. He was furious. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“I ... I just ...”
“Shh! Be very quiet. Maybe she’ll think she’s hallucinating.”
Mavis was out on the balcony in her wheelchair. Matt held Janet and stared out at her through the glass, shaking his head.
“Even for this,” he muttered.
“What . . . ?”
“Shh! Wait.”
Janet stayed very still. Mavis called once more, then muttered, “Well, I declare, I guess I was imagining things.”
The chair whirred back into the room. The sliding glass door was shut with a bang, and this time they could hear the definite click of the lock being bolted.
Janet sagged against Matt. She’d failed again.
His hand clamped down on her shoulders and he shook her. “I can’t believe you did something so stupid. You could have killed yourself. And for what? One lousy cat?”
She stared up at him, seeing it from his point of view. It did look silly. But how could she expect him to understand?
“Don’t tell me you’ve never done anything stupid for a cause, or for someone else,” she said in her own defense. Then her eyes flashed. “No, I suppose you haven’t,” she said scathingly. “You only do things when you can reap direct benefit for yourself, don’t you?”
He didn’t bother to answer her, but his look of disgust said it all. Janet twisted out of his grasp and he let her loose. Careening away from him, she looked around the room. It was sparsely furnished with a bed and nightstand, and one lone dresser against the opposite wall. It looked as though Mavis used it mainly for storage. Large cardboard boxes and file cabinets were scattered about the floor.
Janet flopped down on the bed, her emotions in turmoil. Matt went to the wall and listened. She watched him, resentment mixing with the pleasure she always got when she saw him.
And as she watched him, she began to realize something about herself. She hadn’t done this just to get Alexander back. She’d done it in some sort of forlorn hope of getting her sanity back. Of wiping out the last two days and all the changes she’d been going through. Of wiping Matt from her mind—and her heart. Futile, wasn’t it?
“When she goes to sleep,” she said defiantly, her voice low but clear, “I’m going to try again.”
He whirled and glared at her. “You’re going to do nothing of the kind,” he whispered hoarsely. “If I have to hog-tie you and carry you down those stairs, that’s what I’ll do.”
Taking a step, he came near to where she lay sprawled on the bed. He towered over her. “I might have to tie you to the bed to make sure you don’t try a stunt like this again. Whatever it takes.”
He could hardly believe how angry he was with her. If she’d fallen, if she’d taken one misstep, and broken her pretty neck ... He swallowed hard and blinked back the knife thrust that thought made in his guts, turning away so she wouldn’t see it.
As he did so, his gaze fell on the boxes and file cabinets. Fumbling in his pocket, he came up with a small penlight and switched it on. He dropped to a squat before one box, pulling off the cover, and with his tiny light, began to peruse the contents.
“Now you’re going through her private papers?” Janet whispered angrily.
“At least I’m not breaking into her room in the dark,” he muttered, his attention more on what he was doing than on Janet. The box he’d opened was full of old bill receipts and canceled checks. He closed it and pulled open one of the file cabinets.
“I wasn’t going to hurt her and I didn’t even plan to scare her,” Janet grumbled. “At dinner she was talking about what a heavy sleeper she was, so I thought I might just get away with Alexander without her knowing anything about it.”
“Look at this!”
“Hmm?” She looked up with little interest. “What is it?”
“Look at this. Mavis isn’t rich at all.”
Janet frowned. “How can you tell that?”
“Look at all these withdrawals.” His voice was sharp with excitement. “What’s she doing with all this money?”
Janet sat up on the bed. “I don’t know. But I hope she knows better than to leave it to you.”
“She’s not going to have anything left to give to anyone,” he said, and Janet frowned, wondering at his reaction. If he really was interested in getting his hands on Mavis’s money, what made him sound so happy to find out she didn’t have any? “This just about proves it,” he said, waving a bankbook in her face.
“I’d say that just about six months ago she decided she needed some mo
re money fast. And that’s when she had her accident.”
Janet frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“Never mind, darling.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek, suddenly in the best of moods. “It doesn’t concern you.”
Janet watched as he went through more papers, and as she watched, his last words rang in her mind. She had a strong feeling that he was wrong. Somehow she knew it did concern her, and just wishing wouldn’t make it any different.
Matt took his time and yawning, eyelids drooping, Janet finally fell asleep on the bed while she waited for him. Matt continued until he’d been through every piece of paper in the room, then he sat back and digested what he’d found. He had the germ of a motive here, and ample opportunity. There were still parts that didn’t fit together. He hadn’t caught Mavis yet. Not quite. But tonight had been a long step forward.
He looked over at Janet asleep on the bed and his heart melted at the sight of her. She looked young, sweetly innocent. If she had fallen ... He winced. But what if he hadn’t awakened and realized she was missing and out doing something crazy? What if she walked out of his life tomorrow and never came back?
Even though it hadn’t happened yet, he could feel the hollowness inside, echoes of how it had been with Cecile. This was insane. He’d gone too far. He’d let himself come to care for her too much.
Reaching out he touched her softly, with a gentleness that seemed natural, though he didn’t remember having been capable of it before.
“Come on, sleepyhead. Let’s get going.”
“Hmm?” She looked up groggily. He pushed her hair back and kissed her face, overwhelmed by the wave of tenderness he felt for her.
“Animal magnetism,” he told himself cynically. “Pure body attraction.” But he knew he was lying once again, and this time it was to himself.
“Good morning, Baxter.”
“Janet!” Baxter’s usually sunny disposition seemed to have cooled. Even over the telephone Janet could feel the chill. “Where the hell are you?” His sympathy and patience of the previous morning had obviously evaporated into the clouds.
“Baxter . . .”
“We are getting absolutely zero help from you and we’ve got deadlines, you know! The journal must go out, no matter what games the editor decides she wants to play ...”
“Baxter! Hold on. I’m sorry, I really am. I will be back just as soon as I can be.”
“How soon? Give me a time, a date, anything.”
“I ... I can’t ...”
There was a moment of awkward silence. “What do you mean, you can’t?”
“Well, I’m kind of ... of tied up for a little while longer.”
“Tied up?” His voice sharpened. “Tied up?” He began to whisper. “Is that a code word, Janet? Does someone have you tied up?”
Janet pulled the receiver away from her ear and stared at it. What a guy. “No, Baxter. I meant that figuratively. If I was really ‘tied up’ how would I use a phone?”
“Okay, okay.” His voice was high and tense, then he caught himself and lowered it to a harsh whisper. “I get it, Janet. You’re trying to send me a message. Something the kidnappers won’t understand. But I just can’t decode it. You’re going to have to give me a better clue.”
She sighed. This was what came of playing too many video games.
“Janet, Howie and I will always be here for you. Just give me a hint of where they’re holding you and we’ll get in touch with the police right away.”
“Baxter, don’t call the police. Please!”
“Okay, okay. If it’s a ransom he wants, where’s the note? Isn’t there supposed to be a note? Or doesn’t your guy know the rules?”
Janet drew in a deep breath and took it slowly. “Baxter. Yoohoo. Earth to Baxter. Let’s get back to reality here. I haven’t been kidnapped. I’m staying away of my own free will ...”
Baxter didn’t seem to understand English any longer. Or perhaps she was speaking a dialect he wasn’t familiar with.
“I mean,” he went on intently, not paying any attention at all to what she’d said, “should we be getting some money together or something? Is there a drop site?”
Janet groaned, shaking her head in surrender. “Forget it, honey,” she said. “I don’t think Matt would be interested in the kind of money we could muster.”
“Matt? Is that another code word?” Baxter didn’t wait for the answer. “Okay, if it’s not money, it must be something to do with the journal. What are his demands? Does he want us to print some sort of political tract for the world to see?”
“In a fern journal?” She had to smile. Matt walked into the hallway at that moment and she ignored him, continuing. “Baxter, listen please. You are very dear to me, but you’re acting demented. I am not coming home because I have other things to do. No other reason.”
“I don’t believe it, Janet. I mean, it’s just not like you to go off this way and leave me and Howie all alone.” There was a plaintive sound to his voice, like that of a little boy whose mother hadn’t come home to fix his dinner on time. But this was a grown man here. Janet felt a twinge of rebellion.
“It is my life, Baxter,” she said softly, wishing Matt weren’t listening. “I am allowed to spend it any way I choose.”
“Not when you have responsibilities,” he returned stoutly.
“Baxter—“ She had to whisper. She couldn’t let Matt hear. “I’m having fun.”
And she was. Despite everything, despite failing to get her cat back, despite her misgivings—she was having a great time. That was crazy, but true.
But Baxter was shocked. “You’re not supposed to have fun. Not when there’s work to do.”
Matt turned away, answering a question Mavis had posed from the breakfast room, and Janet could talk freely again.
“Baxter, dear one, have you ever had fun?”
There was a deadly silence. “You are with a man, aren’t you?” he said at last, making it sound as though she’d done an unspeakable thing. “I thought maybe you were kidding yesterday. Like the time you told me the new glue pot was really Hawaiian poi and I ate half a bottle before my jaws got stuck together . . .”
“Baxter, I really am with a man. I’m not kidding.”
“What’s he doing to you?” The voice was puzzled, as though he couldn’t imagine why she could possibly want to stay with some strange man unless she were somehow being forced to.
Janet smiled. “He’s not doing anything to me. He’s doing things with me.”
That was more than Baxter could handle. “I’m going to have this call traced,” he announced firmly, though his voice was shaking a bit. “You’re obviously not responsible for your actions. Someone needs to take care of you.”
“Don’t you dare! I’ll leave when I’m good and ready.” Matt had returned and she wanted to get off the phone. “ ‘Bye now. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
She hung up even though she could still hear Baxter’s voice. She turned slowly. Matt was scowling at her, his arms folded across his chest. His plaid shirt was unbuttoned halfway down, exposing his muscular chest covered with curly golden hair.
When she looked at him she couldn’t help but remember how he’d made love to her, so wild and free. He was like a force of nature, something she couldn’t control, and that was scary. But she could feel his glance singe her cheek the way she felt the wind toss her hair. And he could hold her in the palm of his hand. He had the power. She wondered if he knew it yet.
“Tell me again,” he was saying coldly, “just who this Baxter person is and what he means to you.”
Something in his voice made her aware of something for the first time. She frowned and looked into his eyes, and there it was, for all to see. He was jealous.
Jealous. She stopped, blinking rapidly, startled and not sure how to react. He was jealous. Did that mean . . . that perhaps he really cared . . . just a little bit? Or was it just one of those male possessive things?
Confused, she
reacted purely on instinct, tossing her head and looking away from him and saying with teasing carelessness, “Oh, he’s just a friend. Someone I work with.”
“Someone you live with?”
His voice crackled like the lash of a whip and she looked at him, surprised at his vehemence. Then she remembered she’d talked to Baxter about coming “home.” She was about to explain to Matt that Baxter was only at her house during the day to work on the journal, but before she got a chance, he went on.
“I don’t care about that,” he said unconvincingly. “It’s none of my business, and I know it.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “I just don’t want him coming around here. Tell him to stay away. You’re in my territory here.”
His territory. How quaint. Janet had to force herself to keep a straight face. “Well, why don’t I just call him up and tell him that?” she said lightly, reaching for his cell phone.
His hand came down on top of it before she got anywhere near. “Forget Baxter,” he said evenly. “And come with me.”
His hand circled her wrist lightly, leading her back down the hallway and into the kitchen. “What do you think of that?” he asked with touching pride, pointing to a picnic basket on the counter. “Gloria and I put it together ourselves.”
“It’s beautiful.” Janet pulled back the red and white checkered cloth and discovered cheese, bread, and champagne hiding below. “But what’s it for?”
“Our rafting trip of course.” He frowned at her. “Have you forgotten?” .
The rafting trip. She had forgotten. She remembered Mavis talking about it, but she hadn’t given the trip another thought, expecting to be gone by the time they were ready for it.
“It’ll be fun,” he told her encouragingly. “I’ve never done it before.”
He wanted to spend time with her. She stared at him, bemused. He was trying to manipulate things to keep her to himself. Out of all the things in the world there were to do, he wanted her. Something swelled inside, something sweet and hot.
“All right,” she said, looking at him a little shyly.
