Back to Salem

by Alex Marcoux

  “I don’t know. I keep thinking about my present and future. What karmic situation am I involved in? Who is causing me danger? What is going to change…or who is going to die?”

  “Taylor, I don’t think you should worry about those things. Start reading about metaphysics and see how it feels.”

  Taylor smiled. “Thanks for listening to me.”

  Jessie changed the subject. “I saw Kurk at the set on Wednesday. Are Kurk and Travis old buddies?”

  “Well, I’m not sure I would call them buddies, but they’ve known each other for years. Kurk has been Travis’s leading man in most of his movies for the last five years…ever since the two of us started seeing each other, anyway.”

  “Does Kurk have another project lined up with him?”

  “Not that I’m aware of. But the two of them talk about investments all the time.”

  Throughout dinner, Taylor watched Jessie closely. There was a familiarity about Jessie she did not understand. She knew, based on earlier discussions that they had met before, but even now, she couldn’t place where. She was surprised by how comfortable she was talking with her, a place very few of her friends had reached. Taylor had come to realize that she looked forward to seeing Jessie on the set and their dinner that night. She never had many close girlfriends so this was a new experience for her. But as she watched Jessie, she started wondering if she was attracted to her. She shook the thought from her head, trying to assure herself it wasn’t sexual. It’s something else. But…what?

  When Taylor arrived at the courtroom to continue shooting, the following Monday morning, Travis approached her. “Here.” He handed her a cream-colored envelope. “This came in the mail for you, in care of me.” Taylor saw the initials I.D. in the upper left-hand corner of the envelope, but there was no return address.

  “When did this come?”

  “Either Thursday or Friday last week. You should discourage any mail coming to me. I’m bad enough keeping on top of my own stuff. I don’t need the added responsibility of someone else’s mail.” Travis hurried away.

  Taylor sat on the court bench and opened the envelope. The short note was typed on the same letterhead as the other letters. It was high-quality cream stationery with the initials I.D. professionally printed as letterhead on the paper. There was no address on it. Taylor’s hands shook as she read the note.

  Taylor,

  I am your Destiny. It’s only a matter of time before the two of us can be together. I have come beyond the reaches of time to be with you, again.

  I.D.

  “Are you okay?” It was Mark who drew Taylor back to reality.

  Taylor handed Mark the note. He read it. “This is getting serious. How many letters is this?”

  “This is the fourth,” Taylor answered. “But I also got that postcard, remember?”

  “Yes.”

  “Mark, the first three letters came to me in care of the record company. The postcard came in care of you, now this was mailed to Travis. This person is giving me the creeps.”

  “I don’t blame you, Taylor.” Mark sat close to her on the bench and gently took her hands in his own. “I’m going to take the letters to the cops.”

  “Do you think that’s necessary?”

  “I don’t know. But we don’t know what this person’s intentions are. I would feel better if we did.” Mark gently stroked Taylor’s back to comfort her.

  “Yes. I guess you’re right.” she agreed.

  “I’ll go right now. I’ll go back to my office, get the other letters, and then swing by LAPD. You just relax.”

  By this time the cast was gathering. Travis had been eyeing their conversation and knew something was up. He approached Mark and Taylor. “Is everything okay?”

  “No. There’s some nutcase harassing Taylor.” He showed Travis the note. “I’m taking the letters to the LAPD, now.” Mark whispered to Travis, “Would you keep an eye on her? I’ll be back within a few hours.”

  Jessie arrived on the scene shortly after Mark had left for the police station. The cast was getting ready for action, but Jessie sensed something was wrong when Taylor’s eyes met her own.

  “What’s wrong?” Jessie asked as she approached Taylor.

  “I got another letter.”

  “You did? What did it say?”

  “Pretty much the same stuff. You know—we’re destiny and meant to be together. Except…he wrote something about coming to be with me again.”

  “Again?”

  “Yes. Again.”

  “Could it be an old boyfriend?”

  Taylor shook her head. “No. The way it was worded was strange. The letter said that he was coming beyond the reaches of time to be with me again. Do you think it could have anything to do with my reading?”

  “Reaches of time…implying a past life?”

  “It was just a thought.”

  “Places everyone,” Travis shouted.

  “I better get to work,” Taylor said.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah.” She moved away from Jessie then abruptly came back, meeting Jessie’s familiar brown eyes. “Thank you for dinner the other night. I really enjoyed myself.”

  “You bought! Thank you.”

  “Are you sticking around? Do you want to do lunch?”

  “Places, now,” Travis said. He was speaking to Taylor.

  Jessie nodded as Taylor moved to her place.

  After the filming started, Taylor settled down. This was the last scene to be filmed in the courtroom, so Travis kept the cast working through lunch, anticipating an early afternoon wrap-up. Mark arrived around 12:30 and approached Jessie.

  “Hi, how are you today?” he whispered to Jessie.

  “Good. And you?”

  “I just spent the morning at LAPD. Needless to say, I’m much better now.”

  “Why were you at the police station?”

  “Taylor has been getting some harassing letters. I filed a complaint for her.”

  “Oh, that’s good. She told me about them. What did the police say?”

  “Not much. Just to let them know of any other developments. They can’t do anything about it now.”

  Jessie and Mark sat together and watched the scene play out.

  A couple hours later Travis yelled, “That’s a wrap.” The cast quickly left the set.

  Taylor approached Mark and Jessie. “Hi Mark, how did it go?”

  “Fine. At this point, we just need to keep LAPD informed. So if you receive any other letters, postcards, anything, let me know. Okay?”

  Taylor smiled at Mark. “Thanks, Mark.” Then she turned to Jessie, “Ready?”

  “Sure.”

  “I took a limo here. Should I call for a limo or do you have your car?”

  “I have my car.”

  Chapter 14

  Security men escorted the cast to a rear exit. As expected, a group of observers had gathered outside the courthouse, anticipating the cast’s departure. The majority of the observers followed Jennifer Kendrick as she made her way through the crowd to her limo that waited at the curb. But a smaller group surrounded Taylor and Jessie. Taylor graciously autographed items that were handed to her by swarming fans, until the group reached Jessie’s car.

  Jessie opened the door for Taylor, and she got in. The group backed away, permitting the car to pass. As Jessie pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road, she caught a glimpse of blue in her rearview mirror. A second look confirmed that a car pulled out behind her, a blue Mustang.

  “Where do you want to go for lunch?” Jessie asked.

  “There’s a good place not too far from here. The Moonlight Café. Make your next right, then a left on Broadway.”

  Jessie obeyed and turned at the intersection. “The letter still has you spooked?”

  “I’m better,” Taylor lied.

  As Jessie approached Broadway, she noticed that the blue Mustang was still behind them. She changed lanes to make a left on Broadway and stopped at the
light. The Mustang also changed lanes and waited directly behind the Lexus. I don’t like this, Jessie thought. She couldn’t get a good look at the driver of the Mustang because of its dark-tinted windshield. Jessie sat at the intersection waiting for a green arrow while cars still passed on the right side, going straight through the intersection. The traffic signal for the passing cars turned yellow. This doesn’t feel right. Just as the traffic signal turned red, Jessie abruptly maneuvered the Lexus from the left turn lane into the center lane behind a vehicle that was trying to beat the red light.

  “What are you doing?” Taylor was startled as Jessie pulled the car into the intersection. She saw Jessie’s eyes fixed on the rearview mirror and turned around in time to see the blue Mustang recklessly peeling into the intersection from the turning lane. The Mustang barely missed a passing car which delayed the Mustang, allowing Jessie to put distance between them.

  “The Mustang is following us?” Taylor asked.

  Jessie increased speed and made a sharp right-hand turn at the next intersection. When the Mustang also turned, Jessie said, “It sure looks that way.” Jessie sped through the streets of downtown Los Angeles. “Where are the cops when you need them? We’ve got to get off this street.”

  “There’s an entrance ramp to the Pasadena Freeway two blocks up,” Taylor said.

  Jessie’s car took the ramp at a high speed with the Mustang following close behind. As she merged onto the highway, Jessie aggressively maneuvered to reach a passing lane. Horns honked and fingers flew in response to Jessie’s aggressive driving.

  “You really know how to piss them off,” Taylor teased. “Who would be following you, anyway?”

  Jessie knew they weren’t following her.

  As if reading Jessie’s mind, Taylor said, “They’re not after you. They’re after me, aren’t they?”

  Jessie’s speedometer passed 60, then 70, and was approaching 80 when they came up behind an old man driving below the speed limit. Jessie braked to prevent hitting the old man. Whatever distance she had put between the two cars had been lost. The Mustang again was closing in fast.

  Jessie eyed an exit ramp about a quarter of a mile ahead. Two lanes of cars separated the Lexus from the exit lane. She floored the accelerator, pushing the car to within inches of the car in front of her, then broke across the two lanes of cars. Horns honked as the Lexus peeled in front of a car taking the exit ramp. Tires screeched behind them. Taylor could see the Mustang attempt to repeat Jessie’s move, but it missed the exit ramp.

  Jessie’s heart beat wildly from the close call. She looked at Taylor. “Are you okay?”

  “They were after me, weren’t they?”

  Jessie remembered the blue Mustang that was behind Taylor’s car the previous Friday evening. She realized that whoever it was must have followed Taylor out to her place.

  There was an outburst of sirens and lights behind the car. “Shit,” Jessie said.

  “Where are the police when you need them?” Taylor said.

  A voice was amplified by the police car’s PA system, “Pull over and turn off your engine.”

  Jessie pulled over. She lowered the driver’s window and was pulling her insurance card from the glove compartment when an anxious voice shouted into the car, “Hold it right there. Step out of the car and place your hands over your head.”

  “Great,” Jessie said.

  She opened the door, stepped out and found two very nervous young men pointing guns at her.

  Taylor could see what was going on through the rear windshield. She opened her door and got out. Both police officers’ guns were diverted toward the passenger side.

  “No, Taylor. Stay inside,” Jessie said.

  “I will not,” Taylor said as she stepped out of the vehicle. “Why do you have guns pointed at us?” she boldly asked the officers.

  “Hey, you’re Taylor Andrews.”

  “Yes. Why do you have your guns drawn?”

  “A car matching this description was seen driving recklessly on the interstate,” the older police officer said. Both officers lowered their weapons.

  Taylor and Jessie tried to explain to the officers that a blue Mustang with California plates had chased them. The officers appeared skeptical and suggested that the ladies drive to the nearest precinct, to sort everything out. The police car followed Jessie’s Lexus to the police station. By the time they arrived, an eyewitness from the highway had confirmed that a blue Mustang was chasing the Lexus. The officers also confirmed that Mark Rutledge had filed a complaint earlier that day regarding harassment letters.

  The women were in and out of the police station within an hour. When Jessie started the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot, she made note that no one followed her. Taylor took out her cell phone. “I need to call Kurk. We were supposed to go over to some friend’s house for dinner tonight. I’m really not up for it.”

  “I don’t blame you.”

  Taylor punched in the numbers. “Hi Kurk…yeah, I’m sorry. I’ve been detained.” Taylor laughed at the truth to her statement. “No really. I just left the police station. It’s been a long day. I don’t think I’m up to going out tonight…I got another letter and had an incident after I left the set, I’m just on my way home now…I’ll tell you about it when you get home…I know this party is important, I’m sorry, sweetheart. Just go. What time will you be back in town?…You haven’t even left yet? Just go directly to the party and enjoy yourself. I’ll see you when you get home. Love you…Bye.”

  Jessie drove Taylor to her home in Malibu. A security gate stopped the car at the bottom of the driveway. Taylor entered a password and the gate opened. The Lexus drove up the driveway to the stately home that overlooked the ocean.

  Taylor had remained quiet most of the way to her home. “Are you going to be okay?” Jessie asked.

  “I hate to inconvenience you. But…would you want to come in? I know you haven’t had lunch yet. You must be famished. I’m sure I can find something for the two of us to eat.”

  Jessie sensed that Taylor was nervous about being left alone. “Sure, why not?”

  Kurk and Taylor’s property was beautiful; the contemporary home offered every comfort imaginable and had an incredible view of the ocean.

  Taylor immediately went to the fridge and took out some salsa and guacamole, then served them with tortilla chips. She handed Jessie a pamphlet.

  “What’s this?”

  “A menu. There’s an Italian restaurant down the street. They deliver. What do you think?”

  Jessie dunked a chip in the salsa. “I think that sounds good.”

  The two munched on the appetizers and sipped wine while they waited for their food to arrive.

  “Where did you learn to drive like that anyway?” Taylor asked.

  “You know how teenagers always hangout someplace. The mall, beach, or something like that.”

  Taylor nodded.

  “I hung out at this race track. Before I had my license, I was racing my brother’s GTO.” Jessie smiled at the memory. “I wasn’t bad either.”

  “So…today you weren’t just driving like an asshole. You knew what you were doing?”

  Jessie laughed. “Maybe a little of both. I’m sorry if I scared you.”

  Taylor sipped her wine. “Do you think it was I.D.?”

  “The thought has crossed my mind,” Jessie admitted. “The other night, when you were driving from my house to the restaurant, there was a blue Mustang behind us.”

  “There was? So maybe they are after you.”

  “Or maybe they followed you out to my place.”

  Taylor cringed at the thought of having someone following her.

  “Are you sure it was the same car?”

  “No. I’m not sure, but I think it’s a good possibility. The car got my attention because my last girlfriend had a blue Mustang.”

  “Could it be her?”

  “Oh, no. Ellen’s car would be about three years old, now. This was a newer model.
Besides my exes have no reason to follow me around.”

  Taylor changed the subject. “So, Ellen was your last lover?”

  “Yes.”

  “What was she like?”

  Jessie smiled. “She was fun, intelligent, attractive. Overall she was a nice person.”

  “Why did it end?”

  Jessie thought back to that period. “There was just a lot going on in my life back then. I wasn’t able to give her what she deserved.”

  Jessie and Taylor enjoyed their drinks, then dinner. They spoke for hours, getting to know each other better. Jessie felt as if she already knew Taylor, and she did. Taylor remained intrigued with the feeling of connection she had with Jessie.

  It was close to nine o’clock when Jessie said she needed to get going.

  Taylor walked Jessie outside to her car. It was a warm September evening and the ocean breeze felt refreshing. The sound of the waves swelling against the rocks was relaxing.

  “Thank you.”

  “For what?” Jessie asked.

  “For being with me today. I’m glad you were with me in…all that. And for spending the evening with me.”

  Jessie smiled. She marveled at how familiar Taylor’s eyes were to her. “You’re welcome.”

  Unexpectedly, Taylor hugged Jessie then released her. “Good night.” Taylor boldly met Jessie’s eyes with an unwavering stare.

  “Good night, Rebecca.” Jessie opened her car door.

  “It’s Taylor.”

  “What?”

  “You called me Rebecca.”

  “I did? I’m sorry.” Jessie got into her car.

  Taylor went to the car window and leaned over. Jessie opened the window. “So, who’s Rebecca?” Taylor asked.

  Jessie smiled. “Someone I once knew.”

  “Was she an ex of yours?”

  “Yes. She was.”

  A curiosity sparkled in Taylor’s eyes. “Do I remind you of her?”

  Jessie could not help smiling. “I’ll see you later.” She started the ignition and drove away watching Taylor’s reflection in the mirror.

  Taylor also watched Jessie drive away.

  That evening when Jessie went to bed, she had difficulty sleeping. She tossed and turned hour after hour. She couldn’t get Taylor off her mind. I can’t believe I called her Rebecca.