by Freya Barker
"I know. I feel the same way, but so much is happening all the time that maximizing on some good moments shouldn't make us feel guilty. Let's use our time wisely here and once the contractors are gone, we'll head over to Emma's. You come with us. We'll all do some thinking and figure out where we are going to put Julie and Liam when they bring him home."
"God, that poor little boy."
Caleb overhears. "Likelihood is that he’s alright. If they were using him to keep her in check, they won't want to do anything to the one bit of leverage they have. We have some decent leads, an area to check out. Gus is talking to the FBI agent in charge and with his record for tracking people, you know the best people are on it. As soon as Seb is here with Emma, Gus and I will take off, but I promise one of us will stay in touch with you. Beth, I would feel a whole lot better if you hung around as well. Don't think it's smart for anyone to stay alone right now."
"I'd rather stick close anyway." Is Beth's response.
Just a few minutes later, Seb is back with Emma in tow. She must have been ready and waiting by the door when he got there.
"Hey Ems." I give her a big hug when she makes her way over. "How'd you get here so fast?"
"Gus called and told me to be ready. Gave me two sentences of explanation before telling me he had to go, so fill me in, girls. What's this about Liam and Julie?"
We fill her in as best we can, given that we really don't know that much either, but it seems to satisfy Emma. By this time Gus and Caleb have finished a little powwow they held with Seb just outside the doors and Gus came in to quickly kiss his woman.
"Stay together, okay? Neil is in the office in Grand Junction and Dana is going to run central post from there. You need anything and can't reach me, call Dana. Okay, Peach?" With a kiss to her forehead and a wave to the rest of us, he is out the door, Caleb on his heels who lifts his chin in our direction before he closes the door.
Well. With Emma and Beth walking into what is left of the kitchen, chattering, that leaves Seb and I in the diner. Without thinking I walk into his arms to find a little comfort and he wraps them around me instantly.
"Hurry up and wait for us again. I hate this," I say, the sound muffled by the hoodie Seb is wearing because my face is buried in his neck.
"I hate it too, but they are best at what they do and we have things to do here. Make sure everyone has a place to work when this is all over." Seb's little pep talk helps… a bit.
I lift up on my toes and whisper in his ear. "Sorry I was a crankpot earlier. Love you." A squeeze of his arms indicates he has heard me.
It isn't until close to three that afternoon that the second contractor leaves. Boy. The first one was a bit of a tool. Never had done anything in the food industry but was willing to learn. Learn? Hello, we are not an apprentice program here. We are in need of some serious expertise. Both Seb and I nixed him right off the bat when we found out he had no clue about food industry code when it came to the kitchen. Sorry, no time to do your research for ya, bud.
The second guy was better… marginally. At least he had some experience and appeared to be able to start at the drop of a hat, but whenever we asked for a written quote, he kept pushing for a non-written agreement that would be cheaper for us and more beneficial to him. Yeah right, I need that paperwork for the insurance company, smartass!
Given the record so far, I didn't have much hope for the Durango guy tomorrow, but we would wait and see.
By 3:30 pm, we’ve closed up the diner and pile into Seb's truck, whose extended cab barely fits Beth and me in the back. Tired and a bit punchy, the lot of us make our way to Emma's place. She assures us she has plenty of food and Seb volunteers to cook so he can 'stay in shape'. None of us complain, not even Emma. By now we are all filthy and smell like the inside of a fireplace, but given that Seb promises to feed us we give him first dibs on the shower, despite his protests.
"Share a shower with me." Seb says in a low voice, when he slings his arm around my shoulders as we walk up Emma's porch.
"Not here!" I'm not about to have wild monkey sex in the shower with Beth and Emma sitting 10 feet away in the living room!
Seb chuckles. "You have a one-track mind, you know that? Nothing I'd like better than where your thoughts are at right now, Spot, but I was thinking we could save time and water if we showered together. Besides, I just want to feel you close."
Well, damn if that doesn't turn me into a puddle. A little one.
The snow starts falling just after we finish our dinner and are trying to kill time waiting for some news. Nothing yet. Emma is jumping out of her skin wanting to call Gus but trying to be 'good'. We've figured out sleeping arrangements, which didn't go without some disagreements. Staying here is a bit tight but it is a bit easier for Seb and I to adjust than it would be for Emma at ours, especially now that Beth had called her son in Durango and he was on his way to pick her up to stay with him for a few days. When I mentioned that of course Emma was pissed off good and it took no time at all for her to point out that I had been hiding pain all day long. That had Seb glaring at me.
"You were in pain and hiding it? Why?"
"Oh geeze, Seb. Maybe because it's an everyday occurrence and there is little I can do about it?"
"I know, babe, but I also know if you pace yourself, you last longer. I'm surprised you haven't gone into a full on flare yet."
"Since when are you an expert on my health?"
Seb now looks a bit sheepishly from me to Beth and Emma who are observing our interaction with a little too much amusement.
"Read up on it." He mumbles.
"You what?"
"I overheard you talking to Emma when she first came to Cedar Tree, about specialists in the area and you mentioned someone you were seeing for your Fibromyalgia. Didn't know what it was so I looked it up. Found the information was a little vague so I did some research. Just to keep up on things."
I am stunned. Without words. No one has ever gone to these lengths for me. Hell, what am I saying; I can't recall anyone simply accepting the fact I have this invisible chronic disease. I look over at Emma and I can see she understands my amazement. If I didn't already love this man, he would have sealed himself into my heart permanently now. Fuck me sideways.
Obviously uneasy with the stunned silence, Seb disappears into the kitchen announcing he has some 'cleanup' to do.
"You better frickin' go to that man, Arlene, if you know what's good for you!" Emma whispers, emotion drawn across her face. Even Beth looks affected.
"Hey." Is my brilliant opening when I walk up behind him in the kitchen.
"Hi." Seb doesn't turn around, simply continues to do dishes. He's embarrassed, maybe? Angry? One way to find out. I sidle up behind him and slide my arms around his waist, resting my cheek between his shoulders.
"You once said to me that I amazed you. But I have to tell you, Seb; if I could write a list of the things I would most value in a mate, you would fit the bill perfectly. You are incredible and I can't believe I was afraid to let myself see it for so long. Thank you for loving me so well, it’s the best…the safest feeling I have ever had."
He stills in my arms and slowly turns around, soap and water dripping off his hands when he takes my face between them.
"You make it worth it, Spot."
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Thank God the couch is huge. I've been restless all night without Arlene. She's still sleeping with Emma in the bedroom and there has been no sign or sound of Gus yet. We stayed up until near midnight before calling it. When I wander into the kitchen to get a pot of coffee going¸ I peek out into the misty morning light and am surprised to find a decent pack of snow on the ground. Fuck. That's going to make work at the diner a bit more complicated.
A slight rustling behind me has me turning around to find Emma shuffling into the kitchen.
"Morning." She mumbles, stifling a yawn behind her hand. "I can't believe I fell asleep after all. Any word from the guys?"
"Nothing. M
aybe we can give Dana a call in a bit and see if she knows something." I suggest.
"Yeah, good idea. It's not so much that I'm worried about Gus, although I am, but I find it odd they haven't let us know Julie is alright. You'd think they'd have called." She pulls up on a stool at the counter.
"I know. Drives me nuts to sit and wait. I'll get some breakfast going, I need to do something, and besides, we have to be back at the diner in a couple of hours to meet up with the final contractor. Hope he turns out better than the other two." I pull open the fridge and start pulling breakfast ingredients out. "Arlene still sleeping?"
"She is. But she was tossing and turning most of the night. I think she missed you in bed." Emma chuckles.
"Feeling is mutual." I smile back.
"She seems stronger. With you, I mean. Of course she was always a rock, but the attack was so hard on her and I thought for sure the fire would do her in, but instead she just seems to be able to take it in stride. It surprises me. You're better for her than the shrink we took her to that one time."
"I don't think Arlene is ever one to sit down and spill her guts on command. She's more likely to share bits and pieces when she feels she needs to. When it comes down to it, she has a survivor's instinct and knows what is best for her and when. She just forgot to trust herself for a bit there."
Emma tilts her head, contemplating me. The scrutiny makes me slightly uncomfortable.
"You really do get her. I'm glad. You're both lucky."
"I know it." I lean over and kiss Emma on the forehead.
"Should I come back later?" Arlene walks in, all sleep-rumpled and cute. Just the sight of her after a long night alone perks me up like nothing else could, even morning-grumpy as she is.
"Nah-" Emma says, deadpan. "There's room for one more."
"Kiss my ass, Ems." She grumbles, plopping down on a stool next to her.
"Wash it first and I'll consider it." Emma grins.
Arlene throws up her hands. "Gross and too much perky, so dial it down. I need caffeine and my man. You done with him yet?"
"Have at it, you cantankerous cow."
These two crack me up with the constant bickering. I pour mugs of coffee for all of us and hand-deliver Arlene's to the other side of the counter, where I can plant a good-morning kiss on her pouty lips.
"Did I get the order right? Caffeine first, your man after?"
"Mmmmmm" Is all I get from the warm snuggly woman in my arms.
Emma almost leaps off her stool for the phone before it finishes its first ring.
"Gus?"
"A little worried… That's okay, I did sleep some. How is Julie?… What do you mean?… I'm worried now.… Seb? Yes he's here… No, Beth went to Durango with her son for a few days…I agree. Yes, I'll let them know. Love you too. Careful." A little white-faced, Emma turns to us.
"Julie was gone."
Arlene's sharp intake of breath illustrates the shock I feel to my system. Fuck.
"From what I understand, someone came asking for someone with her description at the drugstore, when the owner told her, she got scared and took off. They spent the night trying to track her movements but lost her trace at the side of the highway, where they think she was either picked up or hitched a ride. Problem is, she may not trust anyone anymore, thinking her call to you sent whomever was looking for her."
"Ah, Christ. What a clusterfuck." Arlene is wiping her hands over her face.
My mind is going a mile a minute, trying to think where Julie would go. Who would she think she could trust?
"So now what?" Arlene wants to know.
"He wants me to tag along with you guys today, if that's okay. Told me to stick close because he doesn't have a good feeling about this whole set up. Joe is going to pop in here or at the diner later. He is checking out connections and may want to pick our brains."
"Wasn't thinking of leaving you by yourself anyway, Emma." I assure her.
Joe drops by a little after nine and Emma busies herself in the kitchen with another pot of coffee while he fills us in.
"Gus and Caleb tracked Julie as far as Monticello. She managed to catch a ride with a truck driver who dropped her off at the first gas station in town. The FBI is letting the guys take the lead on this, at least visibly, since she knows them and is more likely to come out of hiding for them than someone she doesn't know. As soon as we can ask her some questions we can hopefully put on a more focused search for her little boy, although I have a feeling they wouldn't have kept him too far from her. I've been trying to find any connections between Mr. Collins and you, Arlene, and I may have come up with something. Have you ever heard the name Bob Armetidge?"
I can feel Arlene shifting in her seat. "Yes. He was the slime bucket for a lawyer my ex had handle our divorce. What does he have to do with all this?"
"Apparently, Mr. Armetidge became a silent partner in Koko's only a few months ago, but that isn't all. One of the partners in his firm is part of Will Flemming's defense team."
A dead silence falls while we all try to digest and process that tidbit of information. Emma comes in from the kitchen and sits down on Arlene's other side, grabbing her hand.
"It's like waking up in the middle of one of my nightmares to find it still going on around me. Geoffrey and Will Flemming in one sentence is almost too much to take in." Arlene whispers. "The idea of the two of them connected, however distantly is terrifying."
I need to swallow a big lump. Truth be told, I am both terrified for her and enraged.
"We have to be careful with conjecture at this point, but I think it's safe to say that the odds of those two violators from your past this closely connected are too rare to call coincidental. Will has quite a network behind him and might easily try and use any and all information he can get his hands on to delay or derail his upcoming trial. Especially the raping and sodomizing, Arlene."
I feel her flinch at the mention and look up sharply at Joe while bringing my mouth close to her ear.
"Just us here, love. You're safe here."
When I feel her relax slightly into my side, I nod at Joe to continue.
"Sorry, girl, but those charges are the harshest ones, and will be difficult for him to defend away. Everything else, even the murder charge, can be painted or slanted a certain way to make him less culpable, but those, especially with your testimony, will throw all of his defense into the pile of 'unbelievable'. He is pulling out all the stops it would seem and somehow fate has placed him on the path of your ex. Also, there is one other thing you should know."
I don't like Joe's tone of voice. It implies more bad news.
"Because the DA has not been able to finalize the depositions, he has had to request a trial delay, which the judge granted. The catch however is that the judge also allowed for bail and house arrest this time, while he awaits trial. Arlene, Will is fitted with an ankle bracelet and restricted in his movements. Any move he does make is traced. He is monitored 24/7."
"I don't understand… Are you telling me he is out? Free?" Arlene casts him an incredulous glare.
"I swear to you I am keeping tabs on you. He won't come near you. Hell, he can't come near you. He is stuck in New Mexico with no breathing space. I promise."
The truck from Mason Brothers Construction shows up right on the dot at 11 am at the diner as scheduled, which is a damn good sign. The big burly guy who gets out of the cab introduces himself as Clint Mason. I can tell he is already pissing Arlene off since he seems to insist on addressing me and dismisses her and Emma outright. Not a good idea, given the disturbing morning she’s had. When he tells them to have a seat while us 'men' discuss business, she blows and I cross my arms, stand back and watch the fireworks.
"Excuse me, Cliff… is that right?" She pokes his upper arm, trying to get his attention.
"Clint, ma'am. I'm just finishing up some business with your husband here and then I'll be out of your hair."
"Ok, Clint. I can see we need to get a few things straight. Why don't you
have a seat, this may take a while." With a little shove against his shoulder she has him taking a step back and he almost falls in the chair right behind him, then she turns to me with a saccharine sweet smile on her face. Evil Arlene has come out to play. "Seb, honey. Can you see if there is some more coffee left in the thermos for Mr. Clint here?"
Deciding to play along with her game, I pull a Styrofoam cup out of Emma's picnic basket and grab the thermos from Emma, who is almost bursting with contained laughter. She knows it's coming too.
"There you go, Clint, honey… Now. Where were we? Ah yes, I was going to enlighten you on a few things. Namely the way things are run around here. You see, Clint, this place here? It's mine. My name on the deed, my money in the bank, my check that was gonna pay your ass. And that man over there? He's fine, I'll admit, but he's not my husband, he's my cook. And just because he has a fine set of tools dangling between his legs doesn't put him in charge, you hear me? Now, if you are too big of a pussy to deal with the likes of me, I can't really blame you - I can be a harsh task master - but if you want the job, you had better start off by showing some goddamn respect to everybody here! To my friend Emma over there, who will be here a shitload and has a large amount of input; to our friend Seb here, who aside from his impressive equipment is an equal partner in everything and last but let us be very clear - not least; to me, the person who will have final say in whether you stay or go." Planting her hands on her hips, color high on her cheeks she looks down on her by now rather wilty looking victim who has little beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead despite the frigid temperatures. "Now. If that is something you think you can manage, I suggest we try and start this again."
Without a word, Clint gets up out of the chair, throws back his coffee and stalks out the door. Leaving us to look after him.
