Undercurrents

by Traci Hunter Abramson

  Now Jimmy slipped a thin notebook from the inside pocket of his tailored suit. “We know she went into a safe house right after the cop was eliminated.”

  “What did our contact at the FBI say?”

  “Very little.” Jimmy flipped through his notes nervously. “We know she wasn’t handled out of the Phoenix office. When I checked the airlines, there weren’t any FBI agents who flew into Phoenix the day she went into protective custody.”

  “Get a list of agents working in the field offices within a day’s drive from Phoenix.”

  “I’m already working on it.”

  “I want this girl dead.” The voice deepened. “Soon.”

  * * *

  When the phone rang Tuesday evening, Colleen answered it automatically. She raised her eyebrows as she held the phone out to her roommate. “Shaye, it’s for you.”

  Shaye was aware of her roommate’s curious stare as she spoke to Matt on the phone. She hoped Colleen couldn’t hear her heart pounding, and she tried to sound casual as she made plans to meet Matt in the library before going out to dinner.

  “Are you going to tell me who that was?” Colleen asked as she watched Shaye put her books in her backpack.

  “Just a guy I’m studying with,” Shaye told her. “We do have finals coming up in a few weeks.”

  “Don’t remind me.” Colleen cringed.

  Shaye left her room before Colleen could continue her inquisition and made her way to the library. She was well into her research for her term paper by the time Matt slid into the seat next to her. They studied in near silence until finally Shaye had exhausted the library’s resources on her subject.

  As she gathered her research, she glanced over at Matt. The pencil he held in his hand doodled carelessly on a piece of scratch paper as he read the open textbook in front of him. Shaye slid her research into her backpack before breaking Matt’s concentration. “I think I’ve done as much as I can for tonight.”

  “Let’s go get something to eat.” Matt gathered his things and led her out to his car.

  The little Italian restaurant he chose served them huge portions of lasagna that even he had difficulty finishing. Conversation was surprisingly easy even though their kiss that morning was still on both of their minds.

  Matt sensed Shaye’s hesitation when they entered her dorm. He led her through the lobby past a group of girls watching television, unaware that one of them was Shaye’s roommate.

  “Thanks for making time to see me tonight.” Matt stopped in front of Shaye’s door.

  “Thanks for dinner,” Shaye said, bracing herself for the onslaught of sensations she knew would come as Matt framed her face and touched his lips to hers. His kiss should have been such a simple thing, yet she could feel her world tilting until she wasn’t sure it would ever be right again.

  When he stepped back, Shaye mumbled a good-bye and forced herself to open the door and slip inside. She walked to the window in time to see him step onto the sidewalk below. Confused, she watched him walk away. She couldn’t pinpoint the moment when her loneliness had subsided or when the emptiness had ebbed, yet as she watched Matt walk out of sight, she knew that his friendship the past few weeks had contributed to the healing taking place in her heart.

  The pangs of grief could still overwhelm her at times, but good memories of her father and Chase were beginning to creep into her consciousness. Sometimes she could even convince herself that the life she was living now was truly her own and that the horror of Chase’s death was merely a bad dream that had happened to someone else.

  * * *

  On Wednesday morning, Shaye expected to see Matt waiting for her after practice and was oddly disappointed when he wasn’t outside the locker room. Instead of eating in the cafeteria, she bought breakfast from the vending machine and spent her extra time doing homework. Now that she had resigned herself to spending the weekend at Matt’s house, she didn’t want to take any homework with her.

  Her afternoon practice let out an hour early, but Shaye stayed and put in a full practice since the pool would be closed on Thanksgiving. When she arrived back at her room, she found that Colleen had already left for the weekend.

  Shaye settled down at her desk and began working on her homework. Her mind wandered to Matt, and she found herself worrying that she had not seen him at all during the day. His phone number was tucked into the top drawer of her desk, though she had never had occasion to use it. She managed to focus on the work at hand, glancing at the desk drawer between assignments.

  By six o’clock, she had completed her assignments for Monday and was restlessly pacing her room. She glared at the phone, willing it to ring. A glance out the window showed only the sleepy campus with an occasional figure walking along the sidewalk below.

  Sighing impatiently, Shaye pulled open her closet and retrieved her suitcase, sorting through her clothing and packing a few items for the weekend. She also arranged her swim gear as she would for any practice, then snapped the suitcase shut, setting it neatly at the end of her bed.

  Crossing the room, she picked up the phone just long enough to hear the dial tone. She placed the receiver back in the cradle and crossed to the window once more. The sidewalks below remained vacant.

  Surely it would be okay if she called Matt, she reasoned. After all, they hadn’t really settled on a time to leave in the morning. The internal debate lasted five minutes before she retrieved his phone number from her desk. Her hand shook as she dialed the number, and she scolded herself for being nervous.

  With each ring, the muscles tightened in her stomach. On the fourth ring, she was about to hang up when Matt answered

  breathlessly.

  “Matt?” Shaye managed to say.

  “Hey, I was just thinking about you,” Matt said, still breathing heavily. “I’m sorry I missed you this morning. I had a project I needed to finish and it took longer than I expected.”

  “That’s okay.” Shaye let out a ragged sigh of relief. “I just wanted to find out when we were leaving tomorrow.”

  “About nine,” Matt told her. “I just got back from a run, but I was going to see if you wanted to go grab a sandwich or something.”

  “That would be great.” Shaye nodded to the empty room.

  “I’ll see you in about twenty minutes.”

  Matt was as good as his word. Twenty minutes later he knocked on her door. Hand in hand, they walked through the brisk weather to a sandwich shop across from campus, neither apparently noticing how seamlessly their relationship had gone from friendship to romance. Conversation still flowed easily—amazingly so.

  When they returned, Matt walked Shaye to her room, watching her dig out her key and unlock the door. When she turned to say good night, Matt took her hands in his. A shiver ran through her as he pulled her toward him to kiss her good night. When he drew back, she placed a hand on his chest to steady herself.

  “I’ll see you in the morning,” Matt told her with a slight smile.

  Shaye entered her room and slid into her chair, her body still in shock from his kiss. As her system steadied itself, she pulled out her journal and wrote of her feelings, never even realizing how easily she had pushed aside her concerns for protecting her cover.

  Chapter Seven

  The drive to Matt’s house took just over three hours. On the way, he told Shaye more about his family. His brother, Charlie, he said, should have arrived home from college the night before along with a couple of friends. Whether one of Charlie’s friends was a girlfriend was still an unknown. He didn’t say much about his younger sister, Amy, except that she played basketball for her high school.

  Shaye stared in awe at the huge houses as they drove through Great Falls. The Whitmores’ home was barely visible from the street, hidden by large oak trees that lined their property. Matt pulled into the circular driveway in front of the large, stately home. There was no visible end to their property.

  “This isn’t a house. It’s a mansion!” Shaye told Matt as he pa
rked in front of the house.

  Matt just laughed and got out of the car. He opened the trunk and pulled out both of their suitcases, not giving Shaye the chance to carry hers. The front door opened as they walked up the front steps, and an older version of Matt stepped outside. The man had the same sparkling blue eyes, but silver hair was mixed in with the blonde.

  “How was your drive?” he asked, enveloping Matt in a bear hug even as he turned to study the petite brunette standing a step behind his son.

  “Not bad.” Matt set the bags down and reached instinctively for Shaye’s hand. He pulled her up the last step, unaware of the blush rising to Shaye’s cheeks. The man’s gaze was more observant. “Shaye, this is my dad.”

  Matt’s dad offered his hand to Shaye and noted the caution in her eyes contrasting with her flushed skin. “Just call me Jim.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Shaye said, shaking his hand. “Thank you so much for having me.”

  “It’s our pleasure. Come on inside and we’ll introduce you to the gang.” Jim opened the door and lifted one of the suitcases.

  Shaye smiled as she passed the large, framed picture of the Washington, D.C. Temple prominently displayed in the entryway. After depositing their bags in the study, Matt took Shaye’s hand and led her into the kitchen, where his mother and sister were well into preparations for the Thanksgiving meal. Despite the size of the enormous kitchen, the room was warm and homey. Mouthwatering scents already drifted from the oven, and a multitude of pies lined one of the slate countertops.

  “I told you he would show up right before dinner,” Amy told her mother, shaking her auburn hair behind her shoulders. She stood a willowy six feet tall, making her appear older than her sixteen years. Surprise came to her eyes when Shaye came into view, but it was quickly replaced with genuine pleasure as Matt scooped her up

  for a hug.

  “Please tell me that Mom isn’t letting you cook.” Matt set her down with a tug of her hair.

  “Be nice.” Amy hit Matt with a dish towel.

  Matt’s mother dried her hands and then hurried across the room to hug her son. “I was starting to wonder about you.”

  Shaye watched from the doorway as envy overcame her. Matt embraced his mother, holding on a moment longer than she expected. The woman was tall and elegant, with deep brown hair swept back from a strong and beautiful face. The pure pleasure in her eyes shone brightly, and the warmth of her smile turned to encompass Shaye as she released her son.

  Matt glanced back at Shaye. “Mom, Amy, this is Shaye Kendall.”

  Even with her apron stained with turkey drippings, Matt’s mother had class. More than that, she exuded an air of calm cheerfulness as she offered her hand to Shaye. “I’m Katherine Whitmore. We’re so glad you could come.”

  “Yeah. Anyone who can help keep Matt out of the kitchen is welcome here.” Amy grinned, assessing her brother’s new friend.

  “I’ll do my best.” Shaye smiled back at her.

  “Mom, where do you want me to put our stuff?” Matt asked, plucking a carrot off the cutting board.

  “Charlie’s friends have taken over the upstairs guest room, so I thought Shaye could stay in the downstairs room.”

  Matt nodded and turned to Shaye. “Come on. I’ll give you the grand tour.”

  Shaye nodded and followed Matt back to where they had left their suitcases. He picked up her bag and led her down a long hall to a bedroom. An antique, four-poster bed filled the middle of the room, and a love seat occupied the corner by the window. Off to the right of the bedroom was a private bathroom.

  “This is definitely bigger than my dorm room,” Shaye told him, watching him set her suitcase down next to the dresser.

  “Do you want to see the rest of the house?” Matt asked.

  “Sure, I can use the exercise before the big meal,” Shaye teased.

  Matt showed her the downstairs first, which was comprised mostly of the large kitchen, formal dining room, and a huge living area. Despite the size, the living area truly looked lived-in. Matching sofas were situated among two worn recliners, and a colorful afghan was thrown haphazardly over one of the sofas.

  The study, library, and Shaye’s room were all kept closed off from the rest of the downstairs. Family portraits of years past adorned the walls of the hallway. The upstairs bedrooms were enormous. The master bedroom and Amy’s room both had balconies overlooking the backyard. Amy’s balcony boasted two mismatched chairs and a worn basketball.

  Shaye smiled when she glanced at the hastily made bed in Amy’s room. She remembered how frustrated her dad would get when she would clean the house and neglect her own room. As they entered Charlie’s room, Shaye realized that despite the size, Matt’s house was very much a home, not so unlike the one she had grown up in.

  The walls in Charlie’s room weren’t visible from behind the sports posters plastered from the ceiling to the floor. As Matt’s mom had indicated, Charlie’s friends had made themselves comfortable in the upstairs guest room. Both of the twin beds were covered with clothes.

  When Shaye stepped into Matt’s bedroom, she looked back at him, eyebrows raised. Instead of the typical sports paraphernalia she had seen in Charlie’s room, Matt’s room was adorned with sketched portraits of famous baseball players including Cal Ripken Jr. and Jackie Robinson. A drawing table occupied the corner nearest the window.

  “Did you draw these?” Shaye turned around in his room, taking in the various portraits and sketched logos.

  Matt nodded. “Do you like them?”

  Shaye looked at him in awe. “I had no idea you were an artist.”

  “I’m full of surprises,” Matt said mysteriously as he took her hand in his. “You should let me draw a portrait of you.”

  Shaye shook her head and let out a nervous laugh. “I don’t think I’ll ever be one to model. I don’t even like to have my picture taken.”

  “Why not?”

  Shaye shrugged her shoulders and ignored the question. “Are you studying art at Royal?”

  “Graphic design,” Matt replied as he led her down the hall. “I’ll probably try to get my MBA and work in marketing somewhere.”

  As Matt and Shaye walked down the sweeping staircase, Charlie and his friends, Pete and Roger, came crashing through the front door. Introductions were exchanged, and Shaye immediately felt uncomfortable when she caught what looked like a glimmer of recognition in Pete’s eyes. His stare was intense as Shaye shifted her weight and forced herself down the last stair.

  “I’m going to see if your mom needs any help in the kitchen,” Shaye told Matt, making her way through the entryway.

  “Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked when she entered the kitchen.

  “How are you at peeling potatoes?” Amy asked.

  “I can hold my own.” Shaye grinned and took the potato peeler Amy offered, thinking how odd it was having someone else cooking Thanksgiving dinner for her. For the past six years she had fixed their holiday dinner entirely on her own, only needing her father’s help to transfer the turkey in and out of the oven.

  “Did Matt give you a tour?” Katherine asked.

  Shaye nodded. “You have a beautiful home, Sister Whitmore.”

  “Thank you, but please call me Katherine.” Her smile was warm and welcoming.

  Shaye smiled as she picked up a potato off the counter and wondered briefly what her life would have been like had her own mother survived to see her grow into adulthood. Within minutes, Shaye found herself deep in conversation with Amy after finding a mutual enjoyment of snow skiing. Katherine contributed to the conversation frequently, bantering easily with her daughter in a way that made Shaye sigh with envy.

  A short while later, voices erupted in the entryway. The talking and laughter quickly made its way to the kitchen, and Shaye found herself in the middle of Matt’s extended family. Introductions were made, but Shaye could barely hear the names, much less remember them all. The men were sent out of the kitchen to watch foot
ball and the women began helping with meal preparations.

  Shaye continued peeling potatoes diligently, wishing she could escape from the now-crowded kitchen, but the thought of joining the men in the living room was even less appealing than staying where she was. Ten minutes passed as the other women chatted companionably.

  Finally, Matt poked his head into the kitchen. “Can I steal Shaye from you? I thought I could go show her the stables.”

  “Of course, dear.” Katherine gave Shaye’s hand a quick squeeze. “Thank you for all of your help.”

  Shaye nodded and followed Matt out of the kitchen. They both grabbed their coats and then went out the back door.

  “I thought you might need to be rescued,” Matt told her as they stepped into the crisp air that hinted of snow.

  “Thanks.” Shaye rolled her shoulders to relieve some of the tension.

  “You really don’t like crowds, do you?” Matt asked. He had watched her from the living room when his family arrived and noticed that she appeared to simply withdraw around lots of people.

  “I guess I just get a little claustrophobic,” Shaye admitted.

  Matt took her hand and led her to a slightly overgrown path. After winding through mature trees for nearly a quarter of a mile, they emerged into a clearing. Shaye could see stables and a pasture nearby.

  “You can’t even tell this is here from the house,” Shaye said in amazement, admiring the long, wooden building attached to a

  large corral.

  “Dad didn’t want to be able to smell the horses from the house.” Matt showed her into the stables, where several horses put their heads over their doors in an apparent greeting.

  Shaye breathed in the familiar scent of leather and hay, and for a moment she imagined she was back on her grandfather’s ranch. She shook her head to focus on the present as they stepped inside. Six of the eight stalls were occupied, and she stopped to look at each horse. When she got to a tall palomino’s stall, she stopped and waited as the horse approached her. The mare rubbed her head against Shaye’s shoulder as Shaye patted her on the neck. She reached into a nearby grain sack and then held out her hand to the mare. The palomino sniffed, then ate the proffered oats gingerly.