by Eden Ashley
Wes relaxed then. “Great. I’ll find you at lunch.”
He left, and Kali shifted her attention to other things. Her desk was an organized mess, the drop zone for everyone else’s slack. During the middle of the busy season, it wasn’t uncommon for edits from the office’s two historians to fall through the cracks. Due to her efficiency and low error rate, Kali’s desk had become a sort of unofficial safety net situated directly beneath those fissures. In front of her were stacks of files needing typed updates and addendums. She threw herself into the work and kept her mind off Wes’s odd request. Lunch would come soon enough.
At about twenty minutes before twelve, Shannon came by. In grad school and proud of it, Shannon’s position was a part of an internship from an out of state college. She was smart. But snooty, self-entitled slut described her better.
Today, the intern was dressed to resemble a prep school pinup. She gave her blonde hair a toss and sat right on the edge of Kali’s workspace. Kali glanced at her briefly. For blonde hair to be a recessive gene, the office sure is crawling with it.
Shannon wasn’t very attractive from the neck up. But her body was killer. She knew it and dressed to keep the guys looking. Standing up, her skirt had been too short. Seated, it was criminal. Kali glued her eyes to the monitor and kept typing. It never took Shannon long to get to the point. The girl wouldn’t have known subtlety even if someone tied the adjective to a brick and hit her in the face with it.
“You were called in early this morning.”
From that statement, Kali already knew what direction the conversation would take. During the first summer she started, Shannon had developed the mistaken idea that she and Kali were rivals. A one-sided competition for Mack’s praise and attention had been ongoing ever since. But Kali was determined to be mature and respectful. Interns were important to the office.
“What do you want, Shannon?” she asked politely.
Flipping her hair again, Shannon shifted. The material of the skirt slid further up her long legs. Bobby from accounting was on his way to the copy machine and stepped into the trashcan because he was gawking so hard. Kali suppressed a laugh as papers flew everywhere and the man sprawled onto the floor.
The intern leaned in closer. “Are you and Mack working on some special project?”
“Um…” Kali edged away from the boobs that strained against Shannon’s too small cotton blouse and vest combo. “No. Nothing I know of.”
“People are saying he’s planning to take you to meet with a private collector.”
She had no idea what her coworker was talking about, and made her face as blank as possible to express that fact. Shannon missed the hint or ignored it. So Kali stated it plainly, “I really don’t know what you are talking about.”
“You don’t have to be cagey. You’re a glorified secretary. Why would he need you on this project? The deal has already been made.”
“Maybe he needs my help to take notes.” She cast a meaningful look at Shannon’s outfit and smirked. “Strippers don’t usually spell too great.” The phone at her desk rang, picking up overflow from the department for inquiries. Kali reached out to grab it. “Excuse me. I have to get back to work now.
Shannon slid off the desk and pulled her skirt down. The material rebounded as soon as her hands left. Raising her chin, Shannon sauntered off with an exaggerated sway. Kali gazed after the intern in wonder, and then glanced around on the floor for the rest of the marbles that must have fallen out of the blonde’s head.
Wes appeared at her desk a few minutes later to collect her for lunch. There was a sandwich deli situated a few blocks down from the office. They walked to it and didn’t say much. From the silence, Kali knew something was weighing heavily on Wes’s mind. His mood only watered the worry already seeded during their last chat.
He abruptly broke the silence. “What happened to your face?”
Surprised by the question, Kali automatically angled her chin away from him and felt her cheeks blush. Thinking of her fight with Cal again, her jaw clenched…so tightly the bruise began to throb.
“Are you still seeing that guy?”
Unlike Greg and Lisa, Wes had never been a fan of her relationship with Cal. It was as if Wes saw past the charm and didn’t like what was beneath. And he didn’t try to hide his distaste.
“No. We’re done. And this is the last time.”
“Because of the bruise or is it why you got the bruise?”
“Wes, I know you don’t like Cal. But don’t judge him because of his abusive past. He overcame that. He’s not a monster.”
“Maybe not now, but he’s capable of it. One look at your face proves that.”
She sighed. “Last night was the first and last time he ever laid a hand on me.”
They walked a bit further. “Okay,” he said.
They reached the restaurant and seated themselves after placing an order. The meal arrived and was halfway eaten before Kali gave in and asked for the second time, “What’s going on?”
The sandwich was almost to Wes’s mouth, but he placed it back in the basket. He ran both hands through his pale blond hair before speaking. “I’m not sure.”
“You gotta do better than that.” She leaned back in the chair and waited.
“The file you’re working on, its entries are from the team’s last project near the Mongolian and Chinese border. Mr. Richards went there to retrieve an item for a private dealer.”
“What sort of item?”
“A rare statue…and it looks as if this dealer paid a large sum of money for the job.”
“Sounds like business as usual. What’s the big deal?”
“Our permits and licenses give us clearance in many areas. Other places grant us permission by request, but some zones are off limits. Mr. Richards took the item from one of those zones.”
“So he stole it?”
Wes shook his head. “It’s more likely that someone else stole the statue and our boss bought it third party.”
She lowered her voice to a whisper. “You mean off the black market?”
This time he nodded. “I know you’ve noticed how some of the data you’re working with is completely irrelevant and some of it doesn’t match at all. Maybe a few legal loopholes were found?”
“Yeah, but besides the fact that it’s my job to compile the records, what does this have to do with me? I’m a weekend secretary. If Mr. Richards is dealing in the black market and wants to go to prison, it’s not my problem. I could have pleaded ignorance up until a minute ago.”
“For some reason this dealer has requested you to be with Mr. Richards to deliver the relic.”
Kali frowned in puzzlement. “The client asked specifically for me? How does he, assuming it is a he, even know me?”
“I don’t know, Kali. Something doesn’t feel right about this whole thing.”
She folded her arms. She had known Wes for a long time. “Why do I get the feeling there’s more you’re not telling me?”
“You’re right. But I can’t tell you…not until I fully understand it all myself.”
“Okay.” She considered it and decided to trust him. “So what am I supposed to do until then? Should I agree to go and act like it’s any other summer trip I’ve taken with the company?”
“I can’t tell you to go.”
“Should I refuse?”
He hesitated. “Act surprised when Mr. Richards asks. You shouldn’t know any of what I just told you. He’ll possibly approach you at the end of today.”
Kali chewed her bottom lip, mulling over the implications of what Wes had revealed. The fact that he was worried made her anxious.
“I didn’t mean to upset you, Kali.” He reached over, placing a hand on her arm. “I’m sure everything will be fine.”
“Okay…and thanks for telling me all this.”
His expression became pensive. “You’re seventeen now, aren’t you?”
“My birthday was a few months ago.”
“How does it feel?”
“It feels the same as sixteen.”
“No bad dreams?”
“Only of third eye zits and teenage boys.” She tried not to think of being chased by terrifying wolves and the dark horseman.
“What about blackouts or trouble remembering things?”
Kali scowled. The question had hit close to home. “No,” she lied again. “Why?”
He answered with a dismissive nod and an abrupt subject change. “How are Greg and Lisa?” And for the rest of lunch the conversation was of everyday, mundane things. It was one more day of normalcy before things would begin to spin out of control.
Chapter 14
The terrain was gradually getting worse on the barely maintained road that cut through an isolated wilderness. Traveling much faster than the recommended speed limit, Rhane kept an eye on the sinking sun. For reasons he wasn’t sure of, the approaching darkness summoned a ripple of unease through his gut. He scanned the surroundings constantly. For miles, he hadn’t seen anything except open pastures grazed by cows and horses. A few trees occasionally punctuated the landscape. The asphalt disappeared and became a dirt road, causing the SUV’s suspension to rock and jar as it covered the uneven topography. The vehicle had been designed for rough off-road excursions, but maybe not at such a high rate of speed. Rhane eased off the accelerator. He had to be careful with this one.
Kali hadn’t gotten the whole story about Greg’s BMW. There hadn’t been enough time to fix everything, especially the ruined leather. Rhane had actually ended up buying an identical vehicle and then paying a mechanic to the forge the mileage and VIN number. But with that handled, he was free to dispose of the body in the tool-box. In three days, a bath of lime and hydrochloric acid would have the problem eliminated.
Rhane’s sharp vision made out an odd change in the road ahead. The right lane and most of the left were severely deteriorated. Heavy rains had dug out a crater six feet across and several inches deep. He braked, swerving to avoid a direct hit. The vehicle jolted violently as the right tires clipped the crater’s jagged edges. He hit the gas, letting his reflexes guide the Jeep out of a fishtail.
He glanced back at the half-eaten highway and made a mental note to return with a tractor to level the bad patch out. As he brought his eyes forward again, a large black mass streaked into his field of vision. He slammed down the brakes. The vehicle lurched, but continued forward in a controlled skid. Dust kicked up by the tires reduced visibility to zero. The SUV had almost come to a complete stop when he felt the front bumper collide with whatever was standing in the road.
Rhane shoved the gear to park and exited in one smooth motion. Rounding the front, he found himself staring at empty ground. He went to the passenger side. Nothing there either. Rhane frowned. He definitely hadn’t felt that special bump of a furry little animal being flattened. Dropping to one knee, he peered beneath the SUV. Instantly recognizing the breed, Rhane froze.
The animal’s coat was dark and blended perfectly with afternoon shadows cast between the silhouettes of the tires. He could tell it was watching him with the same intensity he observed it. He also knew that despite its large size, the canine was half-grown.
“Where’d you come from?”
Rhane flattened himself against the ground and eased forward. He couldn’t smell or see any blood, but internal injuries were a possibility. Common sense said not to corner something injured, beast or human. So he approached from an angle to give the animal plenty of space to escape if it felt threatened. But the canine remained where it was. Rhane stopped moving when only a foot separated them. A low sound came from its throat, practically a whisper.
“I’m sorry. There was no way to miss you.”
As the canine crept toward the reassuring tones of his voice, Rhane kept speaking. “I want to make sure you’re alright.” When it came close enough to be touched, Rhane stretched out his hand. His fingers had nearly reached the thick coat of fur when the canine bared its teeth, growling fiercely.
He backed off at once. Easing away until he emerged from beneath the SUV, Rhane immediately spotted another vehicle approaching from the opposite direction he had come. He leaned against the door and waited.
The dark pickup slowed as it neared him, gradually rolling to stop. “Department of Natural Resources” was written in block lettering across the door panels. Blacked out windows mirrored a cloudless azure sky behind Rhane’s impassive countenance. The driver’s window rolled down and revealed the face of a man young enough to be in college. Unfortunate features, long and sharply angled like a large bird of prey, gave him a much older appearance. His eyes were so narrow and black; they seemed fixed in a permanent glare. Rhane was reminded of a suspicious hawk.
“Are ya havin’ some trouble, sir?” Even the officer’s voice was sharp, managing to clip words spoken in a southern drawl.
Rhane glanced at the name badge. Jackson. “No. Everything is fine here.” The officer continued to glare, obviously waiting for further explanation. Rhane was silent.
“What’s your name, sir?” Jackson asked gruffly.
“Harvey, Wilfred Harvey,” Rhane lied easily, giving his current alias in case any further inquiries were made. He extended a hand to soften the coarse introduction.
There was noticeable hesitation, but Jackson shook it. “Mr. Harvey, ya mind telling me why you’re standing in tha middle of tha road?”
“I clipped a pretty nasty pothole about a quarter of a mile back. Thought it was a good idea to stop and check for damage.”
The officer leaned out his window, surveying the road ahead as if to verify the story. He looked back at Rhane. “Did ya find any?”
“No.”
“Well, I’m going to have to ask ya to move it along then. This here is private property.”
Rhane blinked. “Yeah, it’s private. It’s also mine.”
Jackson regarded him with a critical eye. “Holsenbeck Hall has been vacant for years. Rumor was tha last owner wouldn’t sell.”
“No one had made the right offer.”
Jackson’s frown deepened. “A pretty city bred thing like you will never make it out in these parts.”
Wondering why people around here kept calling him pretty, Rhane mustered up an affable grin. He was going to keep things civil. “Officer, you’re doing a fine job keeping my land safe. Don’t let me hold you from other business.”
Jackson’s gaze drifted away to the tree line on his right. “I was serious about that warning. There’s something bad in these woods. Been tracking it for a few days.”
A cold and wet nose bumped against Rhane’s ankle. He shifted his foot away, having nearly forgotten about the animal hiding beneath the Jeep. The canine nudged him more persistently and whimpered faintly. “What kind of animal did you say it was?”
The young man’s eyes were suddenly frightened. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
Chapter 15
Those who served with the Department of Natural Resources had the reputation of being great outdoorsmen as well as by-the-book-mean law enforcement. Trained to deal with threats ranging from armed poachers to black bears and mountain lions, it took a lot to spook one of them. That in itself was enough to pique Rhane’s interest. “Try me,” he said.
Jackson hesitated. Then he shook his head. “Probably been watchin’ one too many monster movies. If you have a gun I suggest you keep it with ya…especially at night.” He held up his left hand. It was heavily bandaged. “Shoot first. Wait until morning to find out whatcha killed.”
Rhane nodded, hoping the officer’s words didn’t explain the uneasy feeling he’d gotten earlier. “Thanks for the warning.” He added as Jackson put the truck in gear, “Keep an eye on that wound. Animals tend to carry nasty diseases.”
Jackson nodded curtly and hit the accelerator. The pickup sped off, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake. Rhane didn’t move until it was well out of sight.
“I can see why you would hide from him
.” He looked down. The large canine was sitting at his feet, waiting expectantly. Its expression was grateful. Rhane shrugged. “As long as you’re not the monster that bit him.”
The canine turned its head to stare at the surrounding forest. Then it looked back at Rhane.
“Okay, then something else is out there. Great.” He opened the door of the SUV. “Are you coming or not?”
Without hesitation, the canine bounded inside and moved over respectfully into the passenger seat. Rhane climbed in behind it and started the engine, glancing at his new charge. The animal returned his look with its own steady gaze.
“I guess we can’t start a good relationship based on a lie. I’m Rhane from the line of Whytetree.” He grinned and loosened his tie, tossing it into the backseat. “But I think you may have already known that.”
The canine relaxed even more and settled into the seat. Placing two large paws on the window seal, it stared out at the countryside. Rhane nodded. “Tell me who you are when you’re ready.”
He gunned the accelerator. The estate was six miles ahead and he was pressed for time. Things on the freeway had sidetracked him. The satellite meeting had to be pushed back a few hours. Rhane was relieved it had still happened. Although his liaison remained as shifty as ever, things were on track. The deal had held. A little piece of the past would soon be his again. Since Kalista didn’t seem to remember him or anything else, he was absolutely going to need it.
#
Wes had been right about one thing. Mack did come for her at the end of the day.
By five, most everyone had gone home. Kali and a few others stayed behind to finish assignments that couldn’t wait until morning. Shannon was there too, but Kali suspected the intern’s main motivation for staying was to make sure a lowly high school kid didn’t overshadow her. Every now and then, Kali glanced up and saw Shannon staring from across the room with an unfriendly expression.
Kali suppressed a smile. Outlast and outstay. The game would have to go on a while longer. There was a large pile of papers to be tackled before she called it quits.
