by Tami Kidd
“What! Are you kidding me?” Mara cried, jumping to her feet.
Alex heard her squeal and came running. He peeked inside. Her wide grin brightened up the entire room. He saw the excitement on her face, winked, and eased the door closed so she could finish her conversation in private.
“Oh my God, Carol. I can’t believe it! Please tell me this isn’t a joke.”
“Calm down, Mara, it’s not. However, let me emphasize again that this is a small independent film company, not a major motion picture company.”
“I don’t care! Lots of hit films have come from independent film companies. Hello, Dirty Dancing!”
“Sugar, I don’t want you to get your hopes too high. We haven’t even talked details yet. I’ll get back with them and tell them you’re willing to discuss it.”
“Yes, yes, yes!”
“I’m glad I could make your day. This will teach you not to wait so long before returning my calls.”
“I’m sorry, Carol. I promise, it’ll never happen again. And just to let you know, I started my next novel.”
“Good news! We’ll discuss the details later. Gotta go, sugar cakes. I’ll be in touch.”
“Bye, Carol, and thank you.”
Mara ran into the hall and screamed, “Alex! Alex! They’re interested in making my novel into a movie!” She ran into him as he came out into the hall from the office.
“I heard. Congratulations!”
“Can you believe it? A movie!”
“Of course. You’re a fantastic writer.”
Mara stopped and looked at him. “How do you know?”
“I know, because I’m reading your books. I read the first one and now I’m halfway through the second. It’s great too.”
His news stunned her. “I didn’t know.”
“I didn’t tell you.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t think it was important.”
“It’s very important. I value your opinion. It really means a lot to me to know you are reading my work.”
“If I had known it was that important, I would have told you sooner. I’ve been reading them when I go to bed at night.”
“Uh oh, are they putting you to sleep?”
“No, quite the opposite. I find it impossible to put them down. You’re very talented, Mara. So, I’m not at all surprised that they want to make your novel into a movie.”
Mara beamed with pride. Alex was full of surprises and around every corner she discovered a new and beautiful aspect of him that she hadn’t known existed.
“Wee, a movie!” Mara jumped up and down again like a kid at Christmas. Excitement pulsed through her. Nothing could bring her down. She felt so good she wanted to cook. Looking in the pantry and fridge, she searched for something spectacular to make for dinner. Unfortunately, she found nothing worthy of such an austere occasion.
“I’m going to make something fantastic for dinner tonight. I’ll be back in a half hour. Don’t go snacking on anything. Your mouth is going to party tonight!”
Laughing at her, Alex said, “Is it a private party or is anyone invited?”
“Anyone is invited.”
“Good, because Matt called and he’s on his way home.”
Mara stopped on her way out the door. She knew Matt would return someday, but assumed that she and Alex would be long gone and the case closed.
“Should we leave? I mean, this is his home and—”
“Don’t worry, Matt’s fine with us staying here. I think the danger is over, but I don’t want to take any chances. Gerard thinks he’s getting what he wants and has no reason to go after us. We don’t know who else may be involved, so laying low is a good idea until this is settled.”
“Okay. I hope he likes my cooking. Will his girlfriend be with him too?”
“No, she’s upstate visiting her parents for a few weeks.”
“Okay, I’ll be back in a jiffy.” Mara smiled and waved as she closed the door behind her.
Driving to the grocery store, she decided to cook a genuine southern meal like her mother used to make. She had no idea if the guys would like what she planned to make and couldn’t wait to find out.
****
While Mara prepared her surprise dinner, the guys sat in the great room watching the Angels play the Rangers on TV. Neither were allowed to come into the kitchen while she worked—and given the game, she knew that suited them just fine. Last she heard, the Angels were up by four in the bottom of the fifth. Several times, she heard them whoop and holler.
Alone in the kitchen, she prepared a delicious southern-style dinner: chicken fried steak served golden brown and crispy, homemade mashed potatoes soaked in brown southern-cream gravy, sweet whole kernel corn, fried okra, and sliced tomatoes. To top off the meal, she baked fluffy buttermilk biscuits. Paula Deen would be proud. Finished, she called from the kitchen, “Come and get it!”
Matt and Alex stood staring at the food on the table with their mouths open.
Worried they might hate everything, Mara asked, “What’s wrong?”
“You made all this?” Alex waved his hand over the table.
“Yeah, why?”
“I’ve never seen so much food!” Matt said, astounded. “Not on this table anyway, especially home-cooked food. I mostly eat takeout. This looks great.”
“I hope it tastes as good as it looks,” Mara said with a worried look on her face.
“I’m sure it’s going to be awesome.” Alex took his seat. “I’m starved.”
“Good, because there’s enough for an army. I think I went a little overboard.”
“Hey, don’t worry, we’ll eat it—probably in one sitting.” Matt laughed.
Mara liked Matt. She could see why Alex loved him so much. Matt had an easy manner. He passed out smiles like they were candy. His curly mop of red hair, gleaming emerald eyes, and a dusting of freckles gave him an adorable boy-next-door charm.
The southern food was a hit. For the duration of the meal, the only sounds coming from Alex and Matt were moans of delight.
Patting his belly, Alex said, “If I ate like this every day I’d weigh 300 pounds in no time.”
“Me too.” Matt sopped up the remaining gravy on his plate with his fourth biscuit.
“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Chicken fried steak is one of my favorite southern meals, next to a nice rack of baby back ribs.”
Alex rose and began clearing the table. Mara got up to help, but he motioned for her to sit. “No! Relax. Matt and I will clean up. It’s the least we can do after you slaved over the hot stove.”
“Hey,” Matt protested, “I don’t recall volunteering for KP.”
“Didn’t have to. I volunteered you,” Alex said, grinning.
Mara got up from the table. “Well, I’m going to let you two duke it out between yourselves. I’m going to go take a long, hot bubble bath. See ya.”
Twenty-One
After soaking for almost an hour in the tub, Mara got out, dried off, and threw on some sweats and a t-shirt. About to walk out to see what everyone was doing, she paused when she heard a knock on her door. “Come in,” she answered.
Alex opened the door and poked his head in.
“Pack your bags. We’re going to New Jersey.”
“What? You heard from Gerard?”
“Yep, got an email about five minutes ago. His contact emailed him the address. I’ve got the decoy letter ready to ship and we’ll drop it off on the way to the airport. If my calculations are correct, we should arrive in plenty of time.”
“Where in New Jersey are we going?”
“Plainview.”
“Never heard of it.”
“Me neither. The map shows it’s about one hour south of Newark. I booked us two seats on the next flight. From there we get a rental car and drive south.”
“What time is the flight?”
“In about two hours, so pack a small carry-on. We’ll head out in about thirty minutes and fly out at 11:05 p.m. Ou
r flight will arrive at approximately 6:40 a.m. local time. We’ll pick up a rental and drive about an hour south on I-95 to Plainview. We’ll stake out the post office to see who picks up the letter. Hopefully, all your questions will be answered.”
It was hard for Mara to believe. Most of all she hoped they’d find out what made this letter so valuable. What could be worth twenty-five million dollars? She reached for his arm, but pulled back. “Do you think this is going to work? What if we don’t get to the post office in time?”
“We’ll have plenty of time. Try not to worry.”
“You’re right. I shouldn’t worry. What we find out isn’t going to change the past. Whether Thomas had an affair or not, worrying about it isn’t going to help. I just want answers.”
“Soon all your questions will be answered, and all you will have to think about is the new movie and finishing the next book.”
“That would be wonderful.”
“I’m going to go tell Matt what’s going on in case we run into any trouble.”
Mara’s chest fell. She hoped that wouldn’t be the case.
Traffic was light. They arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare. At this hour, few people traveled. They settled down outside the gate to wait for the announcement that their flight was ready to board.
Mara took a notebook out of her bag to pass the time. She made notes for her novel. She wanted to bring her laptop, but chose not to because they weren’t going to be in New Jersey long enough for her to write. Next to her, Alex surfed the web on his tablet.
After a few minutes, Mara realized she had been staring at him and felt her face grow red with embarrassment. Engrossed in his search, Alex hadn’t sensed her stare. Before he became aware, she switched to people watching instead. Some ran to catch their flights while others strolled, killing time. She liked to imagine where they might be headed.
Looking around and seeing happy families zooming off on fun-filled vacations, Mara gaze settled on a woman, about her age, crying while she waited for a flight. A man next to her held her hand and stroked her arm to soothe her. Mara assumed the woman must have received bad news, such as a loved one being sick, injured, or perhaps worse. It would be hard to be so far away from someone you loved when they needed you most. Shame washed over her as she watched the vulnerable moment in the woman’s life. Mara invaded her privacy, but she couldn’t look away.
I wonder what people see when they look at me. Could they see the loss and guilt in her face? She wondered what Alex saw when he looked at her. Did he see someone weak? Someone stubborn? Did he see her as a client, friend, or more?
The announcement that their flight was ready to board broke her thoughts. She and Alex rushed to the gate. On the plane, they sat in a row with three seats. Alex sat in the aisle seat while Mara sat next to the window. The seat between them remained empty for the entire flight. Mara enjoyed sitting next to the window, even though she couldn’t see much in the dark.
“You should try to get some sleep. It’s going to be a long night,” Alex said, leaning closer to her.
Mara propped her seat back and closed her eyes. Sleep eluded her once again. As a rule, she never slept on planes. Her nerves never allowed it. Mara’s logic and superstitions dueled for chief position in her mind. To Mara flying seemed unnatural, like wearing your favorite jeans backwards. It could be done, but it just didn’t feel right.
She gave up, raised her seat, dropped her tray, and started making notes in her notebook.
Alex looked over at her and smiled. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little anxious.”
“I know what you mean. I’m feeling a flutter in the pit of my stomach.”
Looking at Alex, Mara asked, “So, what are you going to do when this is all over?”
“I’ll start working on another case. I’m sure Janet will be happy to see me return to the office. She’s been handling things on her own while I’ve been out.”
Mara felt a pang of regret and guilt for dragging him into this. She wondered if she had overdramatized the situation. She questioned her motives. What did it matter if Thomas had an affair? Knowing for sure wouldn’t help. Or would it? She told herself it might. Put the question to rest and carry on with her life. She also felt a little sad that Alex seemed to be preparing to go on with his life. He made no mention as to whether he included her in his future plans or not. What am I expecting from him? Did I dare hope he intends to spend the rest of his life making me happy? Really, Mara, you’re such an idiot!
“What about you? Oh—wait, I know, you’re going to finish your novel, make a movie, and become rich and famous.” Alex smiled.
“Of course! What else is there? Fame and fortune. The ultimate prize.” Mara turned her head to gaze out the window at the dark sky beyond the wing.
Silence sliced into the rest of the flight until they arrived in Newark on schedule. Within half an hour, they drove the rental on I-95, heading south to Plainview. Mara stared out the car window as the world around them began to wake and come alive.
An early morning fog hung low as the sun tried to burn its way through. It felt like they were chasing a ghost. They couldn’t see it but knew it existed, causing constant aggravation.
Mara dove headlong into chasing her past and brought Alex along for the ride. She felt like such a fool, but she believed the secret to a solid and lasting relationship was honesty and communication. Now her beliefs had scattered with the wind. Would the answers mend the pain she felt inside? Would she ever be able to trust again? Could she use the past as a reference point to carve a better future, like the stars guiding the way for ancient explorers? Would the answers make her feel different about her life with Thomas? Part of her wanted to tell Alex to turn around and go back to the airport. But it was too late to just get along with life again. They had already dived in too deep, too late not to see it through.
****
Plainview was a small picturesque community located about a mile off the interstate. A quaint country feel, it was the kind of place where everyone knew everyone on a first name basis. A place where townsfolk could shop for groceries with a side order of gossip—juicy chitchat not published in the local paper. It was also a place where they didn’t have to make an appointment to get their hair cut because of a standing appointment every Thursday at ten o’clock for fifteen years. And if they didn’t show up, someone would drive to their house to check on them. As outsiders, Alex and Mara’s visit would certainly draw attention.
They drove down Main Street, heading south. A modern brick building with a glass front, the post office was located on the left at the corner of Main and Euclid. Situated in the back, the post office had a front parking lot. The view inside was unobstructed. No trees or shrubs prevented Alex and Mara from watching the inside. Patrons could enter the lobby, check their boxes, buy postage from a vending machine, or use the mail slots without going into the main office. The normal hours of operation were painted on the entrance doors.
Alex parked on Euclid facing the post office. Huge oak trees and modest forties to fifties-style homes lined the street.
“As soon as it opens, I’m going to go inside and find out where the box we’re watching is located. That way we’ll know if someone goes to that particular box.”
At 9:00 a.m., an old white Ford pickup pulled into the parking lot. A gray-haired man in a postal uniform walked to the main entrance and unlocked the doors.
Alex waited five minutes and then walked over, went inside, and slowly scanned the boxes. Mara saw him turn to face her. He pointed at a box located about halfway from the top and to the far right of the wall of boxes. He strolled back and got into the car.
“This should be a piece of cake. Glad I brought my compact binoculars. Makes it a lot easier to see when someone opens the exact box.”
“We could go in one at a time and pretend we’re getting something from the postage machine or mailing something,” Mara said.
“Yeah
, we might have to if it gets busy.”
Two hours passed while people milled in and out. Most went inside the main office. Two more postal employees worked alongside the gray-haired man. Only a handful of people entered the lobby. Those that did, went nowhere near the target box.
At noon, Alex said, “Take the car and find someplace to grab a bite to eat. You need to take a break. I’m sure you must be exhausted.”
“I’m fine,” Mara said.
“Are you hungry? Thirsty?”
“No, I’m good. What about you?”
“I’m fine. I’m used to stakeouts, though.”
“Well, I’ve written about enough to know what to expect.”
Alex laughed. “Yes, but writing about one is different than doing one.”
Mara punched his arm and smiled. “I’m sure if you can handle it, so can I.”
“Okay, okay,” he said, holding his hands up in surrender, “but if you need a break, let me know.”
“I will.”
The post office closed at five o’clock. No one had gone near the box. Disappointment filled Mara. “What do we do now?” she asked as they pulled away and turned south on Main Street.
“We find a motel, get a bite to eat, trade in the rental for another, and come back tomorrow.”
“We’re coming back?”
Alex turned to look at her in surprise. He paused before he said, “Are you giving up?”
“No, but what if we are chasing our tails? What if no one ever picks up the letter? What guarantee do we have that it’s going to be picked up tomorrow? Or the next day. How long do we plan to stay?”
“We stay as long as you want. It’s all up to you, Mara. We’ll go home now if you want. I don’t want you to feel like you’re under any pressure to continue. You’re calling the shots.”
“I do want to know, but sometimes I have my doubts. Will any good come from it?”
Alex pulled the car over to the side of the road and looked at her with his deep-blue eyes and said, “Mara, I can only tell you what I feel in my heart. If we leave before we find out the truth, you will regret it. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but someday you will wish you’d finished it. We’ll do whatever you want. Sleep on it. If you feel the same tomorrow morning, we’ll fly back home.”
