A Fragmented Journey (The New York Journey Book 1)

by Gracie Guy

  After a few more shovels of muck, Kara returned for her coffee. “By the way, I’m closing on my farm in two days.”

  “Cripe, you sound so casual.” Laurie squeaked at her.

  “Trying not to get too excited. When the ink’s dry I’ll celebrate. What are ya doing Friday night?”

  “Me, nothing. I’m all yours.”

  “Good, the dogs and I will be over with some lobster and champagne. Plan on a drunken slumber party.”

  Laurie grabbed the empty coffee mugs and started toward the door. “You got it. I’ll make something chocolate to go with it.”

  Kara laughed as she finished cleaning the stalls and prepped the hay and grain for nighttime feeding. She’d been through so many changes in a few short months—sometimes it felt like her life up north with Dan was a dream.

  Chapter Thirty

  The light snowfall of Wednesday morning morphed into a full-blown storm on Thursday. In the past, December snow always lifted Kara’s spirits with the tease of the coming holiday. She loved the frenetic pace, the food, and the music of Advent and Christmas. Unfortunately, with everything she’d been through in the past few months, Kara dreaded this year’s holiday period. She was thoroughly surprised the storm excited her and put a smile on her face. She played with the dogs, taking pictures as they plunged into the fluffy white depths to retrieve various toys.

  As the storm raged on, Kara worried it might delay, or cancel, the closing on her farm. She wasn’t concerned about herself or Matt Colby getting there because they both had four-wheel drive vehicles. But if the seller’s attorney or the bank representative couldn’t get there, the closing would be rescheduled. Meaning she wouldn’t officially buy it until the next year, creating a whole new set of issues regarding capital gains.

  However, when she woke up Friday to a beautiful sun-laden morning and clean roads, all of her stresses faded away. By three in the afternoon, she had handed over a certified check for ninety-three thousand dollars, and signed her name repeatedly. Walking to her truck, Kara extended her hand to Matt Colby.

  “Thanks very much, Matt.”

  “No problem. That piece has been sitting for a while so it’s nice to get it off my list.” He jingled the keys in his coat pocket. “You meeting with Mike Corbin soon?”

  “Yes, sir. In about half an hour. He’s got some plans to show me.”

  “Well sign a contract and get the prints to my brother A-SAP. He’s ready to issue a building permit. You might wanna get it taken care of while everybody in town is busy with the holidays.”

  Kara reached out to shake his hand again, grinning broadly. “Thanks. Thanks so much.” He nodded silently and climbed into his own vehicle. Before she left the bank parking lot, Kara called the contractor. “Hey Mike, Kara Elliott.”

  “Hello. Done with your closing?”

  “Yes I am. And ready to meet with you.”

  “Great. How about I come over to your house around four thirty? You’re in the ranch with the new roof on Winding Brook Road, right?”

  Silently Kara wondered how he could possibly know the roof was new. But it was a small town, and people in small towns tended to know everyone. “Yes I am. I’ll see you then.”

  When Michael Corbin arrived, the dogs went crazy over a strange truck in their driveway. Pointing to their bed, Kara reined them in quickly. “Boys, now. Sit.” She gave each of them a new bone to keep them busy.

  “Hey Mike, come on in.” She held the door for her company, keeping an eye on the dogs to make sure they didn’t move off the large pillows stationed under the big front window. “Let’s unroll those over there on the table.”

  She noticed he carefully wiped the snow and salt off his boots. “Don’t worry. I walk in here with boots on all the time.”

  He shrugged his shoulders and crossed to the table, located midway between the kitchen and the backdoor, to set a large roll of papers there. Removing his deep green work coat, he hung it on the back of one of the maple chairs surrounding the table.

  “So, based upon your criteria, I worked up floor plans for three different single story homes. The first is a standard ranch exterior with lots of big windows and a deck facing east.”

  Kara ran her fingers over the prints, mentally measuring the space. After a minute, she raised her hand, allowing Michael to flip the large page, revealing the second set of prints.

  “This one is a semi-standard ranch except the floor plan is wide open on the east side of the house. The bedrooms and bathroom are all on the west side. No hallway.”

  Kara shook her head. “No, sorry. There’s no way to hide stuff in those rooms when unexpected company shows up.”

  Laughing, Michael turned the page. “I think you’ll like this one the best.” She let out a delighted gasp at the eight-sided floor plan staring back at her.

  “So, this one is still considered a ranch. But the main area is an octagon.”

  Kara could feel him staring at the grin taking over her face.

  “I planned a fireplace for the middle of the octagon, open floor plan with no interior walls in the main area. You get them in the bedrooms and bathroom.”

  All she could do was nod and smile. She’d found her house.

  “What do you think? Any of these interest you?”

  Kara resisted the urge to hug the handsome contractor standing next to her. Instead, she offered her right hand. “This last one is what I want. It’s so cool. So unique. Has lots of windows and I love the deck. When can you start?”

  “The ground’s just barely frozen. I might be able to get started right away.”

  “Great. Get a contract ready and I’ll be over tomorrow with a down payment. How’s twenty-five thousand to start?”

  She watched the shock settle in before he spoke. “Kara, you do realize we haven’t discussed the price, right?”

  “Yeah, I do. Will it come in under a hundred and fifty?”

  He held up his hands. “Yeah, I…I guess it will.”

  “Well, Mr. Corbin. If you get it to come in under that and have me moving in by April, then I’ll throw in another ten grand as a bonus.” She stuck out her hand again. “Deal?”

  His eyes lit up when he shook her hand, never once wavering from their lock on her own. “You got it.”

  “Great. Then I’ll see you tomorrow around noon at your office.”

  He shrugged into his coat and rolled up the blue prints. When he reached the front door, he turned to face her. “This seems awfully quick. Are you sure?”

  “Mike, I couldn’t be more sure.” She walked over to him, the dogs watching her closely. “I know a fair bit about construction and I’ve got plenty of time on my hands over the next few months.” She reached to open the door. “Have yourself a great night.”

  Stepping off the front stoop, he waved back at her. “G’nite then.”

  Once Michael Corbin left her driveway, Kara locked the front door and made a beeline for her landline resting on the kitchen counter, punching a familiar number into the handset.

  “Hi Robin.” She was surprised when her friend didn’t respond. “It’s Kara.”

  “Oh, hi honey. I didn’t recognize the number. I’m used to you calling me on your cell.”

  “Yeah, this is the landline I got for the rental.”

  “What’s up?”

  Kara wrestled with the impatient tone she heard from her friend. “Sorry if I’m interrupting dinner.”

  “No, it’s okay. The kids just came in from gymnastics. And my mom has dinner in the oven for us. You sound excited.”

  “I am. I am. I am.” Kara looked around the living room of her rental as she paced. “I picked out a floor plan for a house today.”

  “Holy shit. This is so exciting.”

  “Yeah, I’m gonna sign the contract tomorrow. He’s willing to get me in it by the end of April.”

  “Wow. I’m so excited for you.”

  “Thanks. So when are you moving down here?”

  “Well, now th
at it’s so far into the school year, I’m thinking the kids should stay until June.”

  Kara tried not to let this pronouncement disappoint her. “Oh, a long way off.”

  “Yeah, but I have an idea.” She waited patiently for Robin to continue. “Is the house you’re living in available to buy?”

  “I think so. Why?”

  “If I move now, anything I lease will be a year. But if I buy the one you’re in, I can make the arrangements in May and then move in once the kids are done with school.”

  “But you know it has, like, no land with it, right?”

  “What do I need land for? You’re buying forty-some acres with a barn, aren’t you?”

  Kara chuckled at her friend’s welcome assumption. “You’re right. Why would we both own a farm? I’ll send you the info for the bank who owns it.”

  “Okay, now that’s settled.” Her friend paused a moment. “I was over at the outlets in Lake George the other day when I ran into someone asking me a lot of questions about you.”

  Instantly, as she thought of the mystery woman, the small hairs on the back of Kara’s neck stood up, her muscles tightening with fear. She shrugged her shoulders to ease the stress in her neck and shoulders. That woman can’t find you here. “Yeah, who?” She hoped she sounded nonchalant.

  “Funny thing is, he recognized me. Not the other way around.”

  “He? So, who was it?”

  “That good looking trooper who was at the cabin in Ticonderoga the night Dan died.”

  She felt the tension in her neck drain at the mention of John Harley. “Oh really?”

  “What’s his name again?” Robin inquired.

  “John. John Harley.” She grinned a little at the familiarity she’d developed with him. “Sergeant John Harley to those in his professional world.”

  “He was asking me how you were doing. I told him fine, moving on with life.” Kara heard her friend take a swallow of something liquid. “I didn’t say anything about the cowboy you met.”

  “No reason to.”

  “Something wrong there?”

  “No. Things are fine.” Kara wasn’t ready to define her concerns about Mark.

  “Oh. So you’re not interested in talking to the trooper?” Kara could hear kitchen noises in the background on Robin’s end.

  “Actually, I have been talking to him. He stopped by the house a couple times before I moved. And, he called recently to tell me about the people involved with...” Impatient voices in her friend’s house caused Kara to stop speaking.

  Robin’s voice was muffled for a second while, Kara assumed, she was speaking to her kids. When she returned to the conversation, it bore a twinge of frustration. “Listen, dinner’s ready, so I’ve got to go. Think about my idea of buying the house you’re living in. I’ll call you next week.”

  “Sure thing. Give your mom and the kids a hug from me. Buh bye.”

  Kara walked around the house aimlessly. It was too late to do the barn chores—Laurie would have wrapped everything up already—but too early to go there for the closing celebration with her friend. Digging in her purse, she pulled out her cell phone to call John Harley. He answered on the second ring.

  “Hi John, Kara Elliott.” Her hands were shaking.

  “Hello. To what do I owe this pleasant surprise call?”

  “You and I once discussed the search and rescue courses they were going to be starting up at the Academy. Were you able to find anything about it for me?” A deep, warm chuckle greeted her question.

  “You have incredible timing. I’ll be in Albany for two days next week for meetings. One of the topics is that program.”

  She couldn’t resist laughing in response. “Hhhmmm, call it ESP.” Relaxing as they fell into a chatty pattern, she teased him. “Or maybe I’ve got somebody spying on you.”

  “Ha. I hope they’re not taking pictures now since I’m chilling by the fire in a pair of sweats.”

  She tried to picture his long legs propped up on a coffee table, a cold beer in one hand, his phone in the other. “Hey, even troopers get to take a night off.”

  “Yeah, right. Except it feels like I’m always on duty.” This time his light laugh sounded tired. “I’ll be up and out early Monday morning. First meeting is at nine.” She thought she heard him take a drink when he paused. “I might be able to find some free time for lunch to give you an update. But, it’d have to be quick. There’s another meeting at two.”

  “I have a better idea.” Forge ahead before you lose your courage. “How about dinner?”

  His voice carried a hint of interest in response. “Where’d you have in mind?”

  “Where are you staying?” She countered without answering his question.

  “Downtown.”

  “Then Jack’s Oyster House it is. I’ll make reservations for six. Do you know where it is?”

  “Yeah. If it’s still at the bottom of State Street hill.”

  “It is. On the right going down the hill.” Even though he couldn’t see it, she was grinning. “I’ll see you then.”

  “Great. I’ll bring you all of the info about the program.”

  When he hung up, Kara stood staring at the phone in her hand, trying to figure out why the idea of dinner with John Harley gave her an exciting flutter in her belly. She hadn’t physically seen him in weeks, but his handsome, dimpled face frequented her thoughts. “Who knows? Maybe there’s something special there.” The dogs stood up from their beds at the sound of her voice. “Guess I’ll go get changed and so we can head over to Laurie’s house to celebrate.” Her buddies followed her down the hall to the bedroom.

  #####

  John stood up to get another beer. His refrigerator contained a few staples—like milk, butter and bread—but not other food. Just beer. It didn’t matter, he wasn’t hungry anyway.

  When he returned to the couch, he stared at the TV, but his mind was on Kara. He couldn’t believe that she’d reached out to him and suggested dinner, but she had. He felt like an idiot, grinning by himself. In a moment like this, he wished he had a dog. A big solid one, like a Lab or Rottie, that would accept his happy and exuberant hug.

  John took a swallow of beer. With the other hand he grabbed a throw pillow and squeezed while he laughed. Imagine. A date with the pretty red head. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been out with a woman, let alone something initiated by the fairer sex. Doing a mental inventory of his social life, his mind stopped spinning when he got to Lonnie Fields, a woman he met in a bar when he was stationed in Plattsburgh.

  “Shit.” He swore out load to himself. “Almost five years since you had a girlfriend?” He stopped shaking his head long enough to take a pull from the bottle of beer. “And look how that one turned out.”

  They fought, a lot, during their several years of couple-dom. Lonnie hated that he traveled so much for work and frequently complained about being alone. John tried to make her understand how large of territory he covered and that he couldn’t always make it back home each night. But her loneliness turned into lust and she found a new cop to keep her warm during the long, cold North Country winters. One day he came home to an empty apartment and a cryptic note with a little heart dotting the I in her name.

  John –

  DONE. GONE.

  Lonnie

  Less than two months after that, sitting at the local diner eating his dinner, he saw an article in the Community column of the Plattsburgh newspaper that she’d gotten married to the Assistant Chief of Police. At the time, it felt like an ice pick had been driven through his heart. Two months wasn’t much of a courtship, so he assumed Lonnie had been cheating on him. With his standard, tough cop bravado, he gave their picture in the newspaper his middle finger and went home to drink himself to sleep.

  But now, for the first time in five years, he understood the loneliness. And he hoped the date with Kara would be the first step down the path to smashing the hell out of the cold, dark spot in his heart he had developed since Lonn
ie left him.

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Despite the hangover she woke up with, Saturday morning was a pleasure. Laurie made breakfast while Kara took care of the barn. She hit the bank when it opened and then at noon she was on Mike Corbin’s doorstep to sign for the house. They reviewed the prints a second time; she made some changes on the side facing the creek—adding a second patio door and extending the deck. As she was leaving, he promised to deliver a new set of prints to her on Monday.

  With her excitement over the house, the remainder of the weekend flew by. Just as she was about to hunker down on the couch with the dogs to watch the Sunday night football game, her cell phone rang. She looked at the display. Shit. Mark’s name stared back at her.

  “Hi cowboy.”

  “Hey gorgeous. How are things up there in the tundra?”

  She thought it was funny that Mark thought upstate New York was comparable to Northern Canada. Well, maybe parts of the Adirondacks were, but where she was living now was balmy compared to places like Old Forge and Lake Placid.

  “Good. The weather’s actually warming up. The snow from the other day’s storm is melting pretty quickly.”

  “What?” He gasped in mock surprise. “Ya’ll aren’t going to have a white Christmas this year?”

  “Don’t worry cowboy. We’ve got another two weeks for more to arrive.”

  “So does it mean you’d consider me coming up there?” His voice carried a note of uncertainty.

  “Um, what?”

  “I was wondering if you’d like me to come visit at Christmas time.”

  Kara turned the volume down on the football game. “I didn’t know you wanted to.”

  “Well I haven’t heard much from you. And you never answer the phone at work.”

  She groaned before responding, knowing she’d never told him about her leave of absence. “I’m sorry. Things have been so hectic around here. And believe it or not, anytime we have a snow storm, another layer of work gets added to things.” Pausing a moment, she expected him to tease her. “Do you remember the kid’s book The Cat in the Hat Comes Back?”