Night Talk

by Rebecca Daniels

  Kristin would have normally chafed at such blunt orders, but there was something in Ted's tone that made her think better of it. Following Cindy, she returned to the folding chair and sat down.

  "As I said," Ted went on, "Jake and I have come up with a plan. It isn't perfect but it could work." His gaze slid purposefully to Kristin. "As long as we all cooperate. We've worked out a plan for you to stay at Eagle's Eye."

  "Eagle's Eye?" Kristin felt the tingling of apprehension again.

  "The ranger station at Mount Holloway. It's remote, hard to find and Jake would be there to protect you."

  "You want me to stay up there?" Kristin literally choked, her hand going to her throat. "With…with him?"

  * * *

  Jake reminded himself it was a good thing he wasn't taking Kristin's reaction to Ted's proposal personally, because if he was, he would have had to be pretty darned insulted. Watching the woman choke at the thought of spending time alone with him was hardly flattering and no doubt would be a blow to any man's ego. But she was upset, her nerves were on edge, so he'd give her the benefit of the doubt.

  He hadn't really expected her to jump at the idea. After all, dropping everything and walking away from your life wasn't the easiest thing to do—he knew that from personal experience. But serious times called for serious measures and this was about as serious as it got. There was plenty of motivation for her to agree to the plan. Whoever it was who'd been stalking her wasn't about to give up easily. He had too much invested to just give up and go home. Ted had sought help from the FBI and the case had been moved to the front burner in both agencies. All efforts would be directed to finding the stalker. The trick would be making sure he didn't find her first.

  He had to admit he'd been a little taken aback when Ted had first suggested the idea to him, but actually, the more he thought about it, the more sense the plan seemed to make. After all, Eagle's Eye was certainly off the beaten track. The miles of wilderness alone would offer considerable protection, and with the tower's sweeping views, it would be virtually impossible for someone to approach without being observed.

  But exactly what he was going to do with the woman was a different story. Of course, he understood no one would expect him to entertain her. After all, he had a job to do and his daily work routine couldn't change. She would have to find something to occupy her time.

  Except for an occasional visit from another ranger, a hunter or a camper or two, he was alone at the tower. He would have difficulty imagining what it would be like to have anyone else around, let alone her. Of course, given the separation between the tower's living quarters, they would hardly be tripping over one another. In fact, he could almost assure her complete privacy. But having someone around, whoever that might be, would take some getting used to.

  "I couldn't," Kristin was saying. "I really couldn't. It would be too much of an imposition." She turned to him. "Thank you, honestly, it's very sweet of you to offer, but it's too much to ask."

  "I think it's a terrific idea," Cindy said, jumping up. Some of the strain had disappeared from her face, and her eyes were wide with excitement. "Oh, Jake, you're a godsend. Would that plan really be possible?"

  "No, it's not possible," Kristin insisted before he could answer. "You can't ask that of him. This isn't his problem, it's mine. Too many innocent people have been affected by this situation already. I will not ask anyone else to take the risk."

  She spoke with intense resolve and determination, but not everyone was on such an intimate basis with her voice as he was. He heard the slight quiver, the momentary hesitation, the uncertainty he was sure she thought she'd disguised.

  "You're not asking," he pointed out after a moment. He would have to proceed slowly. He knew her better now, understood a little more why she behaved the way she did. She could also be stubborn and unwavering, and pushing her would only make her dig her heels in deeper. "I'm offering."

  "I appreciate it," she said in a quiet voice. "I really do."

  That voice was so familiar to him and hearing it was like finding an old friend again. He couldn't help but respond. "Then I wish you'd reconsider. Did you ever think that staying here is putting everyone else at risk?" It was obvious by her expression that she hadn't, but he didn't give her time to counter. "I realize the whole thing sounds extreme—it is extreme—but it just might be the best solution for everyone." He knelt down in front of her. "The risk if you go is minimal. Staying is what would be dangerous. With you safely in one place, law enforcement could concentrate all their efforts on getting this guy." He shrugged a shoulder. "And maybe Ted and Cindy would even feel good enough to still go on their honeymoon."

  He'd dealt her a low blow and the crack in her resolve was apparent, but she still wasn't ready to give up.

  "But I can't just pack up and be gone indefinitely. A few days, a week maybe, that would be one thing, but who knows how long this could go on."

  "Kristin," Ted said solemnly. "We're going to nail this guy, I promise you that. It may take a week, it may take a month, two months, I don't know, but we will get him. I hate asking you to do this, but believe me, it's necessary."

  "And, sweetie," Cindy added, reaching down and taking her hand, "wouldn't you do whatever it took to get your life back?"

  "You know I would." Kristin's shoulders slumped. She pushed the chair back and rose slowly to her feet. "But I've got clients who are at critical stages in their therapy. What about them? What about all those who listen to the show every night, who phone in? Do I just walk away from them?"

  The latter struck a chord with Jake. He knew she wasn't suggesting anyone would shrivel up and die without their daily dose of Dear Jane, she was grasping at straws, grabbing at any excuse to hold her ground.

  "Didn't you say you had a partner in your practice?" he asked, straightening up.

  "Not a partner exactly," Kristin said. "We share office space."

  "You two ever on call for one another?"

  "Of course they are," Cindy jumped in. "You and Nancy are on call for each other all the time." She turned and looked up at Jake. "Nancy has even filled in for her at the radio station."

  Nancy, Jake thought, remembering another voice over the radio waves. The Sly Fox.

  "You don't think she could fill in for you with your more critical clients?"

  "I'm sure she could," Kristin snapped, defenses up again.

  "Well, if she could do that, I think I might be able to help with 'Lost Loves.'"

  As though on cue, all three of them stopped and turned to him.

  "What do you mean?" Kristin asked.

  "Eagle's Eye may be surrounded by hundreds of miles of wilderness, but it also has state-of-the-art radio communications."

  "Brilliant!" Ted shouted, tossing his hands in the air. "Why didn't I think of that?" He turned to Kristin. "You could do the show from there. Dear Jane would be broadcasting from the top of the world."

  And with that the plan was solidified.

  Chapter 5

  Kristin opened her closet door and stared at the row of clothes hanging inside. She didn't even know where to begin. What did you pack when you were heading for the wilderness—down jackets, wool socks, thermal underwear?

  She pulled down a couple pairs of jeans from the shelf where she'd stacked them and reached for a hooded sweatshirt from a hanger. Jake had advised her to bring warm clothes. These would have to do.

  She still couldn't believe she was doing this, that she was actually packing a bag and leaving. She felt as though she was giving in, as though she was letting him win. That creep, that bastard who had been terrorizing her was driving her from her home and from her work. But Jake had been right, staying only put everyone else at risk and she couldn't bear to do that.

  She thought about Jake, about how rude she had been to him, how unpleasant. Tossing the jeans and sweatshirt onto the bed, she sank down beside them and buried her head in her hands. She felt so foolish now, so embarrassed. It was a wonder the man was willing
to speak to her let alone offer to help.

  She didn't doubt for a moment that Ted had done some heavy-duty arm-twisting, that he'd taken full advantage of his longtime friendship with Jake to coerce him into agreeing to this plan. The poor man probably felt he had no choice.

  She opened her eyes, fell back and stared up at the ceiling. She'd tried to give him an opportunity to back out, tried to make it easy for him to change his mind, but he hadn't budged. Instead, he'd done his best to convince her this plan was a good idea, making it all but impossible for her to refuse. Why would he do that? What sense of duty would have him reaching out to a stranger, especially one who hadn't been particularly nice to him?

  "I don't know," she muttered in answer to her own question. She sat up, picking up the clothing beside her and tossing the items into her nylon athletic bag. "Maybe it's some kind of ex-cop thing."

  "What's some kind of ex-cop thing?"

  She turned, hopping up from the bed. "Nancy, thank goodness."

  "I came as soon as I got your message. What is going on around here?" Nancy Fox asked, motioning with a nod out the bedroom door. "It looks like you've got the entire LAPD out there."

  She was joking, of course, but the two black-and-white units and two unmarked sedans parked outside her house were hard to miss.

  "Don't forget the FBI."

  Nancy's dark eyes narrowed. "It's got to be him, your stalker."

  Kristin had met the petite brunette in college, having shared a number of classes together. While they'd never been close friends, they had often studied together and when, after graduation, they each decided to open private counseling practices, it had only made sense that they both save overhead by sharing a suite of offices. It became even more convenient when the late night radio show went on the air and Kristin's hours changed. Nancy could book her clients in the morning, leaving the afternoon free for Kristin.

  "Did you hear about Tori?"

  "Oh my God," Nancy gasped. "That was him?"

  Kristin closed her eyes to a surge of emotion—a cocktail of anger, outrage, guilt mixed with terror. "He thought she was…he mistook her for me."

  "How awful," Nancy commented, shaking her head. "Well, that explains the police then."

  She reached out and gave Kristin's arm a pat. Nancy wasn't openly affectionate, a skill Kristin had often thought served her well as a therapist.

  "They seem to feel he'll make another attempt."

  "Do they have any suspects?"

  She shook her head. "I don't know, and frankly, I haven't asked," she admitted with a tired sigh. "They're going to be studying the tape from the security cameras in the parking garage and they're talking to people who were in the area at the time of the attack."

  "Well, at least they're working on it. That sounds encouraging," Nancy said, walking over to the bed and gazing down at the athletic bag. "What's this? Are you going somewhere?"

  "Believe me, not by choice," she said dryly. "Ted and Jake—"

  "Jake?"

  Kristin gave her head a small shake. "I'm sorry. Jake Hayes, he's a friend of Ted's. He used to be with the LAPD."

  "The ex-cop thing," Nancy concluded with a nod.

  Kristin breathed out a small laugh, feeling foolish to think Nancy had caught her talking to herself. "You're right, the ex-cop thing. Anyway, they seem to feel it would be better if I got away for a while, you know, safer."

  "I think they're right," Nancy agreed. "There's no telling where this guy is. So where are you going?"

  The words were almost out before she remembered Ted's warning. "I'm sorry, I'm not supposed to tell anyone."

  "Not even me?"

  Kristin cringed, embarrassed. "I know, it all sounds so cloak-and-dagger but the police feel it would put those who knew in too much danger. If he thought you knew my whereabouts, he might try and…well…" She shrugged. "You know."

  "I guess that makes sense."

  "Which is why I asked you to come by. I need to ask a huge favor."

  Nancy smiled. "If it's about doing the radio program, don't worry about it. I'll take care of it. The show went off without a hitch last night and—"

  "Well, actually, it's not about that," Kristin said, cutting her off.

  Nancy's eyes widened. "No?"

  "Don't ask me how, but Jake and Dale have worked out a way for me to do the broadcast from…well, from where I'll be. It may take several days to get things set up, maybe a week so, if you wouldn't mind filling in until then?"

  "Of course not, you know I'd be happy to." She regarded Kristin for a moment. "But are you sure you're up to doing the show?"

  "To be honest, if I wasn't able to continue the broadcasts, I'm not sure I'd be able to leave." She grabbed a sweater from the closet shelf and tossed it into the bag. "I have to have something of my life to hold on to, something to do while I'm away."

  "But what about the practice?"

  "I've been on the phone all morning. I've arranged for the majority to attend group sessions at the counseling center until I get back, but there is one critical case I was hoping you'd be able to help with." She walked over to the bureau and picked up a thick manila file folder. "The chart is in the office but these are my notes. If you have a few minutes, we could go over them now."

  "Of course, I'll help in any way I can," Nancy assured her, taking the file from her and flipping through it. "Have you spoken to the client yet? Is she going to be okay with this?"

  Kristin thought of the young teen she had been working with. After many months of counseling, she had felt the young woman was about to open up. It was a critical point in her therapy and definitely not the best time to be switching counselors.

  "I have, and I'll be honest with you, I'm worried. I'm not sure how she's going to deal with the change."

  "I see what you mean." Nancy nodded, perusing the file. "This kid has some problems."

  "I know, and she's come a long way already. I feel so guilty leaving right now but…" She let her words drift, tamping down another rush of emotion. "But I had a thought. I'll have my cell phone, I'll be able to check in with you, we can discuss the sessions, we could even think about doing a conference call during a couple of them."

  Nancy nodded again. "That certainly sounds doable. Why don't you finish packing while I go find someplace quiet to read this over, then we can talk."

  Kristin breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Nancy."

  "Get packing," Nancy scoffed with a dismissive gesture as she headed through the bedroom door. "I'll let you know when I've finished reading."

  Kristin turned back to the closet. It had been a frantic morning, but for a plan that seemed impossible twelve hours ago, things had come together remarkably well. She felt enormously better to have most of her clients taken care of, and with Nancy's help, and the help of her cell phone, she could still stay in touch with her most critical case.

  She looked at the down jacket hanging in the closet, the price tag dangling. She had bought it for a ski trip a couple of years ago, but for some reason the trip had been canceled and she'd never had reason to wear it.

  She walked to the window and glanced outside. The March sun was bright and the temperature warm. It was hard to believe she would need such a warm jacket this time of year, but Jake had said to pack warm.

  She walked back to the bed, looking down at the bag stuffed with sweaters, socks and jeans. She couldn't even imagine what it was going to be like up there on that mountain. She'd always enjoyed the outdoors, enjoyed riding her bicycle, taking nature walks—she'd even camped a time or two in her life. But this would be the wilderness, some of the harshest and most unforgiving country in California. Nothing she had ever done prepared her for this.

  Things had been rushed last night. After she'd—reluctantly—agreed to Ted's plan, they had all returned to the reception. She'd been too distracted to do little more than sit and stare, but she hadn't wanted to disappoint Cindy. It was no doubt due to Jake's sense of obligation as best man that he felt
he had to sit with her. She would have protested but it seemed to ease Cindy and Ted's concerns knowing she wasn't alone, at least long enough for them to enjoy the rest of their wedding reception.

  Of course, Jake had been a perfect gentleman throughout the rest of the evening. But his kindness had only made her feel all the more uncomfortable. She suspected he had no idea when he'd agreed to be best man that he would end up having to baby-sit her as well.

  So she was relieved when the evening finally wound down. At Cindy's insistence, she agreed to stay in a hotel near the reception hall as a precaution last night, where two uniformed officers kept watch outside her room. Another pair replaced them this morning to drive her home, where they'd remained ever since, sipping coffee in her kitchen. She'd gotten on the phone the moment she'd walked in the door, and by the time Cindy and Ted had arrived, she'd made arrangements for most of her clients. The plan called for her to be packed and ready to leave by noon. Once she and Jake were headed for the mountains, Cindy and Ted would leave for their honeymoon.

  "Knock, knock."

  The deep voice startled her and she jumped. "Jake!"

  "I'm sorry," he said with regret. "I can't seem to stop scaring you."

  "Don't feel bad," she said with a sigh. "I can't seem to stop being so jumpy."

  "You'll feel better when you're up on the mountain."

  Kristin doubted that. "You're early."

  "I am, but I'm not rushing you," he added quickly. "It didn't take as long with your producer as I'd thought."

  "Dale? What did he say? Is the remote feed possible?"

  "Doesn't seem to be a problem. In fact, I've got the equipment loaded in the Jeep."

  She was thrilled. There was so much uncertainty ahead of her. She had no idea what awaited her up on that mountain, no idea what to anticipate, but at least she had something—she had "Lost Loves" to hold on to. It was something familiar, something she recognized, a part of her that creep hadn't been able to touch.

  "You finish up," Jake was saying. "I'll be talking to Ted, so just give me a shout when you're ready."