Star Bright

by Catherine Anderson

  “Well, good-bye,” she said hollowly. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  He nodded and backed away from the vehicle. “Ten minutes,” he called as she backed the car around to head down the driveway. “I can be there just that fast.”

  Rainie watched him in her rearview mirror as she drove along the rutted road that led to the highway. He was still standing there, gazing after her, when she executed the turn and lost sight of him. Coward. She glanced in the mirror, hoping to see a vehicle in the distance, but if two agents were tailing her, they were nowhere in sight.

  With a shaky hand, she turned on the radio, but not even George Strait’s honeyed voice could soothe her frazzled nerves. She wouldn’t even have Thomas to keep her company, she thought forlornly. Because he had gotten so upset the last time she transported him, she’d decided to leave him at Parker’s place, where he’d come to feel at home.

  Her stop at the grocery store took over thirty minutes, so it was a little over an hour before she reached her place. After parking in the short driveway, she sat in the car for a long while, staring at the house. She didn’t want to go in there. Peter hadn’t been served the papers until sometime that afternoon. Odds were good that he was still in Seattle, and he was far too smart to do anything impulsive. Instead, he’d probably circle the situation, wondering why she hadn’t been arrested. The FBI agents seemed to think that he would accept at face value the story he would be told by Seattle law enforcement officers, namely that she hadn’t broken any law by faking her own death.

  Rainie worried that Peter wasn’t quite that gullible. He’d smell something fishy. She just knew he would. Besides, it had never been far from her mind that he might already know where she was. She’d been safe on the ranch over the last two weeks. For all she knew, he could have cased her house during her absence and be hiding in there right now, waiting to pounce on her. Would she have been notified if he wasn’t available when they tried to serve him with the divorce papers? What if he wasn’t in Seattle, but right here in Crystal Falls?

  Stop it, Rainie. Just stop it! She forced herself to get out of the car and collect the grocery bags. As she walked toward the front porch, she whispered under her breath, “I can, I can, I can.” But somehow the words gave her little comfort. Though she knew agents were watching her, she couldn’t see them. What if they weren’t out there?

  Once in the house, she locked the door behind her, then walked straight into the kitchen. Her skin felt as if it had been turned inside out, and her heart was pounding like a piston. She set the bags on the counter and grabbed the rolling pin from a drawer. Then she took a tour of the house, ready to clobber anything that moved. All clear. She checked every conceivable hiding place, even looking under the beds.

  Satisfied that her husband wasn’t inside the house, she set herself to the task of bringing in her suitcase, unpacking, and tidying the rooms. That kept her busy until almost dark. Then she fixed herself a ham sandwich and some vegetable soup, sat at the table, and tried to eat. Yeah, right. Every time the floor creaked, she about had a heart attack. No amount of lecturing herself settled her nerves. Special Agents Slaughter and Simpson seemed positive that Peter would come after her. They just couldn’t say when. And wasn’t that just ducky? In the interim, all she could do was wait. Did either of them comprehend how frightening that was for her?

  Chapter Fifteen

  Before it grew fully dark, Rainie pulled all the curtains. Peter could be out there right now. She could imagine him peering through a crack in the drapes, smiling and planning his revenge. She envisioned him wearing gloves and a stocking cap to avoid leaving behind any trace of his DNA during a struggle. Her only comfort was in the knowledge that he wouldn’t rape her. Peter was far too intelligent to leave any physical evidence that might implicate him, and semen was as damning as a fingerprint nowadays.

  Unable to settle anywhere, Rainie started pacing from room to room. Within thirty minutes, she’d bitten her fingernails to the quick. Oh, God. She couldn’t do this. She went to the phone, wanting to call Parker. She knew he would come if she asked. But then what? Peter wouldn’t make a move unless he felt certain she was alone. By inviting Parker over, she would only be prolonging the torture. Eventually, she had to stay here alone and be okay with it. It was the only way to lure Peter into the FBI’s trap.

  Her feet almost parted company with the floor when a soft tap came at her back door. Scrambling to retrieve her rolling pin, Rainie faced the portal.

  “It’s me, Parker,” came a hushed voice. “Shut off all the kitchen lights before you let me in, Rainie mine. I don’t want to be spotted.”

  Parker? Rainie wanted to whoop with joy. Instead she dashed to the light switch and plunged the kitchen into darkness. Then she hurried over to disengage the dead bolt. The next instant, she was enveloped in his strong arms, a wonderful sense of safety radiating through her.

  “Oh, Parker.”

  “It’s okay now,” he said in a gruff whisper. “I’m here. You don’t have to be alone.”

  He moved away from her, his boots tapping softly as he made his way to the living room. The next instant, her television blared to life, the sound up so high that it made her jump. When he cut back through the gloom to her, he drew her into his arms. She shivered and pressed her nose against his shirt, immersing herself in the smell of him, a delightful blend of puppy slobber, horses, freshly washed cotton, and musk cologne.

  “What on earth are you doing here?” she asked, keeping her voice low. “How did you get past the agents?”

  “I didn’t,” he said with a laugh. “Bastards caught me at the edge of your yard.”

  “And they let you through?”

  His arms tightened around her. “It took a little negotiatin’ to bring ’em around to my way of thinkin’. I told ’em I could slip in without Danning seein’ me, and that the only way they could stop me was to throw me in jail. They powwowed about it for a bit and then called the higher-ups. I reckon they decided my bein’ here won’t do any harm as long as Danning doesn’t spot me.” He buried his face in the lee of her neck. “God, Rainie, it seems like an eternity since you left the ranch.”

  She clung to him, never wanting to turn loose. “You can’t stay, Parker. I know you tried to slip in without being seen, but the bottom line is, Peter will never make a move if he suspects you’re here.”

  “He won’t suspect. I parked my truck six blocks away and worked my way through about three hundred backyards, all guarded by vicious dogs, to reach your back porch. Not even the agents saw me until I was right on top of ’em.”

  Rainie was smothering tearful laughter when he kissed her. Silk on silk. He tasted of coffee and mint, his breath soft and warm against her lips. She ran her palms over his shoulders, glorying in the strength she felt bunching beneath her fingertips. Safe. Now that he was with her, she wasn’t afraid of anyone or anything.

  As he lifted his head, she whispered, “I’m so glad you’re here. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? I wouldn’t have been so nervous if I’d known. I’ve chewed my nails to the quick. I couldn’t eat. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  He pressed a light kiss to her forehead. “I wasn’t sure I could get through. I didn’t want to get your hopes up and then disappoint you.” He straightened away from her to peer through the darkness. “You got all the curtains drawn? I don’t want to be seen when we turn the light back on.”

  “All of them are drawn, but the kitchen ones are kind of thin.”

  “Got any tacks?”

  A mere minute later, Rainie was stifling giggles in the darkness as she helped Parker tack towels and sheets over her kitchen windows. “They’re going to hear us laughing,” she whispered, “and think we’re certifiably nuts.”

  “I don’t think they can hear much with that television up so loud.”

  Only when the windows were safely covered would he allow her to turn on the kitchen light. In the sudden illumination, she stood and grinned at him, fe
eling so happy to have him there that she couldn’t think what to say.

  “You could have gotten in big trouble for this, you know. What if they’d taken you at your word and tossed you in the clink?”

  He winked at her. “Like Dad said, a spot of trouble now and again keeps life interestin’.”

  Just then Rainie’s phone rang. When she picked up, a strange male voice came over the line. “Ms. Hall, this is Special Agent Brandson. Are you okay in there? Our bugs are useless with that television up so loud.”

  Rainie glanced at Parker. “I’m sorry. We turned up the volume for a little privacy.”

  “Well, please turn it back down. We agreed to let Mr. Harrigan through because he convinced us that he wouldn’t be seen. But we still need to monitor the house in case Danning makes a move.”

  “All right. We’ll turn it back down.”

  After hanging up the phone, Rainie went to the living room and lowered the sound. When she returned to the kitchen, she shrugged and said, “I guess I’ll count my blessings and just be glad that you’re here. No private conversation allowed.”

  Bending close, he whispered, “I’ll find the damned bugs. If we want to have privacy, I can temporarily move one of them and put it back later.”

  He grabbed her bowl of soup from the table and stuck it in the microwave. When it was hot, he insisted that she sit down and eat. “You won’t be able to kick Danning’s ass if you let yourself get puny again.”

  As he sat across from her, she paused with the soup spoon halfway to her mouth. “Was I that puny?”

  His firm mouth tipped into a smile. Voice pitched low so he wouldn’t be heard, he said, “Beautiful, too, of course, and definitely not puny in all the places that matter.”

  “What’s that mean?”

  “It means you have a knockout figure that keeps me awake at night, tryin’ to picture you naked.” He inclined his head at the bowl. “Now, eat, lady. I want you to keep your strength up.”

  Between mouthfuls, she asked, “How long can you stay?”

  “Until right before dawn. Toby’s at the house with Mojo and Thomas.” He sat back on the chair, the outline of his shoulders evident under the wash-worn cloth of his shirt. “Hopefully the agents will let me slip through again tomorrow night. They may powwow again and decide Danning might see me, you know.”

  Rainie didn’t want to think about facing the night without him. “I’m just glad they let you through tonight.”

  “I’ll do my best to be here tomorrow night, too,” he assured her. “If they give me any guff, I’ll tell them to throw me in jail. If that happens, Dad will raise so much sand they’ll rethink their decision right quick.”

  When Rainie had finished her meal, Parker grinned broadly and handed her his cell phone. “I’m thinkin’ that there are a couple of people you’ve been wantin’ to call.” He arched a dark eyebrow. “It’s safe for you to contact them now.”

  Rainie stared at him incredulously. “Maggie and Janet, you mean?”

  “Why not? He knows where you are now. It can’t hurt.”

  Rainie dialed Margaret first. When her friend answered on the third ring, tears filled Rainie’s throat and she could barely speak. “Maggie,” she pushed out. “It’s me.”

  “Oh, shit. Hang up! Have you lost your mind, Rainie Ann? What if my line is tapped?”

  Rainie laughed wetly and quickly filled Margaret in on the events of the last two days. “You’re in the clear. The FBI says any charges they filed against you would be tossed out of court.”

  “I never cared about getting racked for helping you. There wasn’t a choice. How are you, Rainie Ann? Are you happy? More important, where are you?”

  “A place called Crystal Falls. It’s wonderful here. I’m great!”

  After the initial catching up was over, Rainie suddenly turned serious. “Maggie, listen to me. When Janet and I pulled the switch aboard ship, she walked away wearing a forty-thousand-dollar diamond necklace and my engagement ring, which set Peter back almost twenty grand. I want you guys to hock them.”

  “Hock them?”

  “Yes, he gave them to me. They’re mine. I want you to sell them and split the money. You won’t be able to get what they’re worth, but it should cover the loan you gave me, plus some. I want you and Janet to keep all of it.”

  “Ah, Rainie. We never cared about the money.”

  “I know, but I did. I want us to be square. Will you do that for me?”

  “Do I get to spend my share however I want?”

  Rainie laughed again. “Of course.”

  “Good. I’m flying to Crystal Falls.”

  “Oh, I’d love that. But not until this mess is over.” Rainie smiled at Parker, who sat watching her with a gentle expression on his face. “I can’t have any company yet. But when I can, you’ll be first on my list to call.”

  Moments later, Rainie was on the phone with her irreverent friend Janet, who shrieked with delight when she heard Rainie’s voice. “Where are you, girlfriend? Is it safe for you to call me?”

  “Absolutely safe.” Rainie went through the spiel again, updating Janet on the situation. “Remember when I dropped the goblet and Peter beat the hell out of me?”

  “Bastard. Yes, I remember.”

  “Well, I saw a town on the Oregon map called Crystal Falls, and that’s where I am. It’s wonderful here. I have a great job.” She looked at Parker again. “And I’ve met a really nice man.”

  “Oh, shit. Rainie Ann, you don’t have a very good track record. Are you sure he’s nice?”

  Rainie grinned and put Janet on speakerphone. “I’m sure. He’s helped me out from the very start and been my friend through thick and thin.”

  “Give him a message from me. Tell him if he lays one hand on you, he’s a dead man.”

  Parker suppressed a laugh, afraid to make a sound for fear she’d realize he was listening.

  “I’ll tell him,” Rainie promised, “but I think hitting women is against the cowboy code.”

  “Cowboy code? Rainie, what’d you do, lasso yourself a cowboy?”

  “Something like that. He doesn’t have cows, though. He raises quarter horses.”

  “Horses, cows, it’s all the same to me. Does he wear cowboy boots and a hat and all that stuff?”

  “Yes. Do you have something against a Stetson and riding boots?”

  “No.” Janet chortled in delight. “Does he have any cute friends?”

  Rainie rolled her eyes. “Janet, you’re impossible. Cowboys aren’t your thing.”

  “How can I know until I try one?”

  Parker winked at Rainie.

  “He’s got a couple of cute brothers you might try on for size,” Rainie informed her. “When it’s safe for you to visit, I’ll introduce you to both of them, and you can take your pick.”

  “How long before the coast will be clear?”

  Rainie laughed. It felt so good to be talking with her friends again. “Soon, I hope. I just want this to be over. You know?”

  “I just pray those FBI agents know what they’re doing, and you don’t get hurt.”

  A few moments later, when Rainie ended the call, she gave Parker his phone along with a fierce hug. “That felt so awesome,” she whispered. “I love them so much.”

  He curled a hard arm around her. “I love ’em, too,” he murmured huskily. “They stood by you and took huge risks to help you. I’ll always feel indebted to both of ’em.”

  True to his word, Parker stayed until just before dawn and returned the following night, waiting for the cloak of darkness before walking the six blocks to her house. Over the next week, it became their ritual—his tapping on the back door and Rainie dousing the lights to let him in. With the bugs to contend with, they quickly determined their locations in the house, and when they wanted to engage in private conversations, Parker grew adept at moving them from room to room. One night he brought movies to watch. Another night he showed up with a board game. But mostly they just clu
ng to each other like two partially uprooted trees that were trying to weather a fierce storm. When they slept, they lay wrapped in each other’s arms.

  On the eighth night, Special Agent Brandson called Rainie again, this time to request that she turn off the kitchen lights long before Parker’s arrival so it wouldn’t appear that she was flipping them on and off too quickly, which might be interpreted by Danning to be a signal of some kind. They wanted nothing peculiar going on that might alert him to the fact that she was being watched.

  Only Peter still didn’t make a move. As the divorce proceedings progressed, he hired a top-notch lawyer to defend his assets, claiming that Rainie was a gold digger who had married him only for his money. When the news media learned that his missing wife had resurfaced, Peter was also vindicated in the public eye, his sterling reputation as an upstanding Seattle businessman restored. Rainie was the one who took hard hits in the newscasts, portrayed as a young and beautiful woman on the take who’d used her feminine wiles to marry a wealthy older man. She was dubbed the “Runaway Bride.” On the surface, it all looked normal in a celebrity sort of way. Even Rainie, who’d once looked into Peter’s murderous eyes, began to wonder if he might allow the divorce to happen and let her lay claim to half of his money.

  “Maybe he senses the trap,” she said to Parker over lunch one afternoon. “Could be he’s decided that it isn’t worth it to risk his freedom to protect his assets. Even after splitting everything with me, he’ll still be a rich man.”

  Parker tossed a half-eaten piece of pizza to Mojo, who’d nearly doubled in height and weight. As he wiped his fingers with a napkin, he replied, “Maybe he’s content to play the hoodwinked rich man and wait for all the hoopla to die down so he can start searchin’ for another victim.” He rocked back on the chair and crossed his arms, the posture showcasing the breadth of his muscular shoulders and chest. “A man like him has to play the odds. Maybe the next gal won’t have the guts to run.”

  “This is driving me crazy,” she cried. “What if he’s just biding his time until the FBI stops guarding me? Surveillance is costly. Eventually, if nothing happens, won’t they consider reassigning the agents here to another case?”