Finding Us

by Debra Presley

She was a little stiff from not moving, but at least the dizziness was gone. And she knew her face was still a mess, but she had some pain meds to help with that. Too bad the meds couldn’t help her with the other stuff.

  Danny gestured at the vehicle. “Get in the back for now.”

  She stuck her tongue out at him.

  “I think the drugs they gave you are making you loopy.” He opened the Rover’s door, giving her a stern glance, but she saw the smile on his mouth. She climbed into the backseat and settled herself before she put her seatbelt on.

  “Probably.”

  “When we’re out of the city, I’ll stop and you can get up front,” he said.

  “Sounds like a plan.” She smiled at him. Sophie’s opinion about Danny’s feelings had Abby a little nervous about going with him to his house. He got into the driver’s seat and started the engine, and she stared out the window, trying not to think about what had happened.

  Within a few minutes all four cars pulled out of the alley and went in different directions. Decoys. Like she was in a spy movie. He turned on some music, and Abby watched him drive for a while. She liked his hands, she decided, and she never really got a chance to look at them, but there they were on the steering wheel. Strong hands. But gentle. She moved her gaze to his jaw line and thought about kissing it. She jerked her attention out the window again, watching as the city and its traffic started to diminish.

  “How’re you doing?” Danny said.

  “Okay.”

  “There’s a rest stop ahead.”

  Almost every parking slot at the rest stop was occupied and groups of people milled around. Some were eating snacks while others congregated near the bathrooms and vending machines.

  Abby decided not to get out of the car. She didn’t have to go to the bathroom, so she climbed through the space between the two front seats and plopped down in the passenger seat.

  Danny stared at her. “What are you doing?”

  “It’s crowded here. I’m saving us time.”

  “Are you trying to hurt yourself more?”

  “What? It’s not like I did it while you were driving. I thought about it, but I figured you wouldn’t appreciate that, either.” She gave him an innocent smile.

  “Put your seat belt on, and I’ll go.”

  “No problem.” She saluted and clicked her seat belt in place.

  “You think you’re funny?”

  She grinned. “I do.”

  He started the engine and backed out of the parking space. “I guess that’s a good sign.”

  “And I’m thankful to be out of that hospital and away from my mother.”

  “Abby, with all due respect, she’s a piece of work.”

  “She’s something all right,” she shot back, and the words were venom on her tongue.

  “Don’t stress over her, though. She has no idea where you are, and you can rest without her harping on you.”

  “I feel bad that I left Sophie to deal with her.”

  “If anybody can handle your mother, it’s Sophie. Plus, it’s part of her job description.” He accelerated onto the interstate.

  “I picked well. She likes a confrontation.” Abby watched the asphalt out the front window; the lines on the road sort of meditative.

  “Then don’t worry about her. She’ll call if she has to. Relax.”

  “Good idea.” The painkiller she’d taken in the city made her eyelids feel like a hundred pounds each.

  “Hit the button on the side for recline and make yourself comfortable.”

  Abby did that and within a few minutes she was out.

  * * *

  Danny lowered the radio to let her sleep. He cruised down the thruway, constantly checking to make sure they weren’t being followed. Getting out of the city was easier than he thought. The media thought Abby was going to be in the hospital a few more days for monitoring, so that no doubt had helped with the escape. He liked thinking of it that way. An escape, like they were running away together.

  He glanced over at her, glad she was sound asleep. The bruises on her face made a cold, hard anger sit in his gut like a rock. He’d find Sean. Sooner or later, he’d find him, and make sure he knew what it was like to be hunted. Abby made a little noise in her sleep, and Danny resisted an urge to brush a strand of hair out of her face. How he longed to gather her in his arms and feel her against him, feel her lips on his. He glared out the windshield.

  Worst idea ever, especially after what had happened. They had a great rapport now, and he shouldn’t screw that up. Whatever that one incident had been, he was pretty sure it was stress that drove her to almost kiss him. Though now, he wished she had so he could at least have that. He adjusted his position and stretched his back a little. Thoughts like that will get you nowhere, he scolded himself.

  “Mmm. Where are we?” Abby yawned and looked out the window.

  “Hello, sleepyhead. We’re almost there.”

  “Really? I slept a long time.”

  “Good. You needed it.” He took the Lake George Village exit and made a left onto route 9N.

  He passed the tourist shops; they were preparing for the summer season that started in a few weeks. When Lake George was busy, the local two-lane road was impossible to drive without constantly stopping because of the influx of traffic. Soon they were passing a huge statue of Uncle Sam, standing outside a theme park. He smiled, thinking about how his parents brought him and his sister here as kids.

  “Earth to Danny. Hello? How do you know this place?” Abby sat up in her seat, and Danny glanced over at her as she stared out the window at the quaint shops.

  “My family spent most summers here when I was growing up. We’re going to a cabin I had built a few years ago. It overlooks the lake. I love coming up here.”

  “It’s beautiful,” she said.

  “I have such good memories of this area that when I thought about buying a place I knew it had to be here. I searched for land and found the perfect spot. And that right there,” Danny pointed to a small, almost shabby diner, “has the best breakfast you’ll ever eat. That’s all they serve. I think they close at one every day, then later in the afternoon, they open up the building next door and serve the best homemade ice cream way into the night. The chocolate is really good. We went there almost every morning for breakfast and begged our parents to take us back every night for ice cream.”

  “Did it work?”

  He grinned. “A few times.”

  “Breakfast and dessert. That’s ingenious. My two favorite meals.”

  “I’ll make a note of that.” Danny reached the stoplight and turned right onto Lake Front Road and drove past the passenger tourist boats. He remembered going out with his family on the local steamboat, the Minne-ha-ha, for the July Fourth fireworks show on the lake, and how the bursts of color in the sky would reflect off the water. Maybe some time Abby could see that, too. They followed the winding lane up the mountain.

  “How far up are we going?” Abby leaned forward to see out the front window.

  “Another mile.” He loved hearing some life in her voice. She sounded almost like herself again.

  “Is that Lake George?” She pointed at the water below. The reflection of the setting sun made it appear nearly orange.

  “Yep.”

  “God, it’s beautiful.”

  “I know. That’s part of why I love it so much.” He turned left and traveled down Pond Road past two elegant homes before he made another left into his driveway. While moving up the long driveway, he pushed the garage door opener on his visor.

  “This is yours?” Abby looked over at him.

  “Yes. Surprised?”

  “Maybe a little. I guess I didn’t take you for the rustic log cabin, mountain man type.”

  “I don’t think mountain men had two stories in their cabins.”

  “Or big stone pillars on their porches.” She laughed.

  “I’m a special kind of mountain man.”

  “Clearly. Oh, look
at that. An outside staircase up to a wrap-around porch. It looks like something a Southern Belle would come down. In a big gown.”

  “I can arrange that for you,” he said, and she laughed.

  “Maybe later.” She laughed along with him. “It’s magnificent.”

  “I come up here when I need to get myself grounded.” Danny pulled into the four-car garage and shut off the engine.

  “I can see why.” Their gazes locked, and Danny stared at her, fighting the urge to lean in and kiss her. “Let’s go,” he said instead.

  Abby climbed out of the vehicle and stretched. Danny opened the back door to take the few bags they brought with them in the house. Abby looked around; Danny could already see a small difference. She looked relaxed, with a carefree smile on her face. He set the bags on the floor.

  “Okay, want a tour?”

  “Seriously? You’re asking me that?”

  He grinned. “This way, then, to the house.”

  Abby followed Danny through the door that connected the garage to the kitchen.

  “It smells awesome in here.”

  “Connor must have something in the oven. Let’s hope it’s something he brought in and that he didn’t cook.”

  “I heard that,” Connor yelled.

  “Hi, Connor, where are you?” Abby yelled back.

  “Hey, darlin’.” He stood and emerged from behind the kitchen island, a hand towel over his shoulder.

  “Tell me I don’t speak the truth,” Danny said.

  “Pfft, whatever, dude.” Connor flipped him the bird.

  “Well, it smells yummy,” Abby said. “Did you make it?”

  “Hell, no. I can’t cook.”

  Abby laughed.

  “So it’ll be totally edible,” he added.

  “Get back to work,” Danny said, though he was smiling. Connor shrugged.

  Danny looked at Abby. “Okay, let me show you around. We’ll start with second floor. The bedrooms are up there, and we can drop everything off before I show you the main level and outside.”

  “Sounds good. Lead the way. I love how open the first floor is laid out,” she said.

  “You can see everything from the stairs.”

  “Thanks. I drove the architect crazy for a while, but the end result is what I had in my head.”

  “You have good taste.”

  “Why, thank you.”

  “Who knew?”

  He huffed at her. “I assure you; I am a man of many talents.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Which room’s mine?”

  He guided her down the hallway to a room adjacent to his.

  She made a little happy noise. “It’s beautiful. And spacious. Exactly what I need.”

  “Glad you like it.”

  “I’m gonna take a quick shower and change.”

  “Hell, take a long shower. You’re on R and R, girl.” He set her bags down in her room.

  “Well, all right.”

  “Come down when you’re ready,” Danny said. She nodded and shut the bedroom door. Danny sighed and went back downstairs.

  * * *

  “How’s she really doing?” Connor asked when Danny walked in. He was sitting on a stool at the counter, a slice of pizza on a plate in front of him.

  “Okay, maybe. I’m worried.” Danny lingered by the oven, not sure he was hungry.

  “Dude, she took a beating.”

  “It’s not just the physical shit. They did a rape kit because she can’t remember anything. She doesn’t even know if Sean got that far. And if he did…” Danny shoved that thought out of his head. He couldn’t even think it, let alone speak it out loud.

  “Mmm.” Connor nodded.

  “And the biggest concern she’s mentioned is how she’s worried her mother will freak out because she’s canceling the tour.”

  “Maybe it’s okay she can’t remember right now,” Connor said, echoing Danny’s thoughts. “But the rape kit is some heavy shit. She’s going to need some time to process that. As for her mom, I’d flip too. Seriously, bro. Give her time. She’s all fucked up, but she’ll pull through. I think she’ll surprise us all.”

  Danny nodded, hoping Connor was right. “It would help if we could find that fucker.”

  “Um, dude?”

  “What?” Danny looked up from what he was doing.

  “What’s the latest on that?”

  “We’ve got nothing. He’s in the wind.”

  “Fuck.”

  “My contact at the precinct says they got jack shit, too.”

  Connor picked up the slice of pizza. “I’m thinking everyone’s looking in the wrong spot.”

  “How so?”

  “Well from what you’ve told me about Vivien and her relationship with Abby, she really doesn’t have boundaries. You can’t rule out that Vivien might be helping him. She’s smart, so she has to know we’d be watching her.”

  “King says she’s clean, but he’s still following her.” Danny confirmed.

  “What about that alleged friend Abby met at the club?”

  “Kelly.” Total skank.

  “Yeah. She was there. She has to know what happened, and even if she didn’t, it’s all over the fucking news that Abby was attacked. Has she even called to check on Abby?”

  “Don’t know, but I don’t think so. I’m not a fan,” Danny admitted.

  “That’s why I’ve got John looking into her,” Connor told Danny.

  This surprised Danny a bit, but it was a smart move. “Good thinking.”

  “Kind of fucked up, how she went all radio silence after the attack.” Connor took a pull from his Coke.

  “I agree.” Danny chewed on his lip, thinking. His money was on Kelly as responsible for some of this. He just wasn’t sure quite how.

  They both looked up when they heard Abby approaching.

  * * *

  Abby pressed end on the phone and wiped away the few tears clinging to her lashes. God, she was an emotional basket case lately, but it felt good to talk to Ms. Sohm. She always knew how to get Abby back on track and focused on the positive.

  She smelled the food from the hallway, and her stomach growled, letting her know she needed to get to the kitchen before it protested louder.

  “Hey,” she said from the doorway. “You gotta love a hot shower. I feel so much better.”

  “Good,” he said; his voice wobbled a bit. “Food’s ready.”

  “Here take this.” Abby handed Danny her phone. “I just talked Ms. Sohm.”

  “How was that conversation?”

  Abby sighed. “She’s worried and wants to come up here to check me out for herself, but I think I convinced her to stay home.”

  “Abby… I’m glad you called her, but are you sure you don’t want her to visit? I could have someone drive her up.”

  Of course she wanted to see her, but she just couldn’t; not like this and not when there was real danger surrounding her. She’d always been there for Abby. She had helped Abby deal with so much when she was growing up and trying to manage fame and being a kid. Whenever she needed a mother, she turned to Ms. Sohm. She provided comfort that Vivien never did.

  But her life was a chaotic mess right now, and Sean made sure she was a liability to everyone around her. Abby loved her too much to put her in harm’s way. There was no easy way to explain how she felt about it, and if she tried, she’d just end up crying all over again. Her emotions were just too raw.

  “That’s sweet, thank you, but I don’t want her to see me like this.” She gave Danny the simplest version of the truth and hoped he’d drop it from there.

  “Oh Abby…” He reached for her hand but pulled back at the last second without touching her. He swallowed hard and glanced at Connor out of the corner of his eye. He gave her that look, the one that said he cared, that his feelings for her went well beyond their professional relationship. She loved when he looked at her like that. Part of her shifted in a small, indefinable way, and her heart yearned for him. That look said she belonge
d with him, and it was all she could do to hold herself still.

  As much as she loved it, lived for that perfect, possessive, aching need so plainly written on his face, she also hated it. Because as soon as it appeared, it disappeared just as quickly. Instead of fire and passion, he stared at her with a carefully blank face, his professional façade taking over where his personal feelings used to be. And, inevitably, he would do or say something to remind Abby that he was just doing his job.

  As predicted, by the time Danny spoke again, whatever internal battle he was having no longer showed on the surface. “If you’re sure. Let me know if you change your mind.”

  “I will. But right now I just…I don’t want to think or talk or do any of the other things that I’d have to do. That’s why I’m giving you my phone. If Sophie needs me, she can reach me through you. I don’t have the energy for anyone else right now.”

  “All right, let’s eat.”

  * * *

  Danny jerked awake, listening. Something wasn’t right.

  From across the hall, he heard Abby whimper and then, “No. Help!”

  He jumped out of bed, ready to fuck somebody up. But Abby was alone and thrashing wildly in her sleep.

  “What’s going on?” Connor said from the doorway, and Danny caught the glint of a pistol in his hand.

  “Nightmare. Go back to sleep.”

  “You sure?” Connor asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay.” He withdrew, and Danny moved to Abby’s bed.

  “Hey,” he said softly as he placed his hand gently on her shoulder. “Abby.”

  She snapped awake. “Danny?” she said breathlessly, blinking up at him.

  “It’s me. You were having a nightmare.” He sat down on the bed next to her.

  She covered her eyes; her breath was coming hard and fast as if she’d been running.

  “On second thought, I’m going to do a quick sweep of the house,” Connor announced from the doorway. He didn’t wait for an answer.

  Abby grabbed Danny’s hand, and he gently caressed her arm with feather light strokes.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  She didn’t respond.

  “You shaved at least ten years off my life tonight, and Connor’s ready to take down an army. Did you hear something?”