She laughed a little.
“I’ll do my damnedest to make you feel better,” he said. “No matter what it takes. Okay?”
“Okay,” she said. “You’re too good to me, Quinn.”
“Nah,” he said. “You’re just a treasure neglected too long.”
“I have to go. The doctor just got here.”
“Alright. Call me, okay?”
She laughed. He heard the smile in her voice.
“Okay, Quinn.”
She ended the call. He smiled at her name and wandered some more, between the old gravestones.
Chapter 20
LOVE AND KATE
He pulled into the driveway and got out of the car. The old woman stopped her singing to stare at him. He turned to her and waved.
“I still say you have a lovely singing voice, Mrs. Bitters.”
She only stared back at him, the horse nodding close by. He smirked and jogged up the steps, unlocking the door.
Gravel popped and cracked in the driveway. He turned around. Kate burst from her car, running straight to him. She pushed past him, into the kitchen. He stared at her car a moment, frowning. The woman across the street whispered something to herself.
He shut and turned the bolt in the door. Kate sat at the kitchen table. A second horrific bruise covered her right jaw. A set of thin bruises circled her neck, a few of them cuts that had scabbed over. He sat beside her.
“What… What happened?”
Her angry eyes met his.
“Jack came home.”
“That can’t be, Kate.”
“Jack. Came. Home,” she said again. “I tried to tell you. Tried to tell the police. No one will listen to me.”
Quinn turned on his phone. He tapped Jack’s number.
“It’s going straight to voice mail,” she said.
He listened to the message.
“Jack, Kate is here, looking like someone tried to kill her. Give me a call, man.”
“He’s not gonna call you,” she said. “He’s on the run from the police.”
Quinn closed his eyes and rubbed his face.
“What do you want me to do, Kate?”
“I came here because they told me to go somewhere safe,” she said. “I told them I feel safest with you.”
Quinn groaned.
“You can’t push me off somewhere this time,” she said. “You have to watch out for me. He’s out there. Somewhere. Watching. He probably knows I came here.”
“Then why come here? Why not go somewhere far? Don’t you have a brother up north?”
She turned to him, staring into his eyes.
“I came here because of you,” she said. “I love you, Quinn.”
“Oh, Kate…” He sighed. “This is not a good idea.”
She sighed, wringing her hands. One of them had cuts and bruises too.
“I’ll take care of you, Quinn,” she said. “I’ll cook, I’ll clean, I’ll stay out of your way while you work.”
“I can’t have distractions, Kate. That’s the reason why I go away to write,” he said. “You know this.”
She burst into tears. He groaned again and stood, moving close behind her rubbing her shoulders and pulling her back toward him. She clutched his hands, lifting one to her lips and kissing it.
“I know you have to be lonely out here, Quinn,” she said. “I’ll stay out of your way all day. I’ll do my work in one of the other rooms.” She touched both his hands, rubbing them. “But this way neither of us will have to sleep alone at night.”
Damn it. Now what?
A rumble outside made her jump. The train whistle blew.
“Afternoon train,” he said. “And I’ve gotten so little done today.”
“Then you get to work and I’ll go in the back in your room,” she said. “I’ll get my suitcase and unpack my things.”
She stood.
“Kate…”
She was out the door before he could finish what he wanted to say.
***
Quinn stared at the screen of his laptop, his mind racing.
What do I do? I have to get rid of her. Damn it! I need to get up with Jack.
He looked up the hotel where Kate and Jack had stayed and called it, keeping as quiet as he could. The phone rang five times before someone answered.
“Pink Tree Inn.”
“Hello, yes, I’m trying to locate someone who might be staying there? His name is Jack Weller. Been trying his cellphone all afternoon and not getting him. Thought I might try his room.”
“Oh, of course, just give me a moment.”
The hold music blasted in his ear. He held out the phone, watching the door to the living room.
“Alright,” the woman said. “Room 216. I’ll forward your call.”
“Thank you so much.”
The number gave him a busy signal. He dialed the hotel again.
“Pink Tree Inn.”
“Hello, I’m so sorry to trouble you again, but when I dialed the room I get a busy signal. Would you mind knocking on his door?”
“Um… well… I could ask someone to check his room, sir. But if he’s busy…”
“Yeah, of course.”
“Please hold.”
The music blasted again. He waited, tapping his foot nervously. Five minutes later the woman spoke again.
“I’m so sorry. Mister Weller asked that he not be disturbed.”
Quinn rubbed his face with his hand.
“Sorry, we couldn’t be of more help.”
“That’s fine,” he said. “Thank you very much.”
He ended the call and stared at Jack’s name in his contacts. He tried to call again. After a few rings, it went to voice mail.
Come on, Jack. Call back, man.
He stared at his work on the book. The same page stared back at him for another hour. He heard her puttering around in the back of the house.
I cannot work like this.
He stood and sighed, looking through the fridge and cabinets. Kate appeared in the doorway.
“What are you doing?”
Quinn frowned at her.
“Looking for something to make for dinner.”
She waved her hands at him, smiling.
“Shoo,” she said. “I’m making dinner, silly. You’re working.”
His jaw set as she pushed him back toward the table and fluttered around, all domestic and happy. His hands on his hips, he paced around the table, staring at the floor, thoughts racing through his head.
“You don’t have anything at all here to cook.”
“It’s only been me,” he said. “I really wasn’t too concerned about making big meals.”
She looked over her shoulder at him wearing an irritated scowl. He raised his brows, his tongue going in his cheek.
“Then I’ll go get something.” She smiled and disappeared back down the hall.
He folded his arms across his chest and waited, watching as she returned with her purse. She stood in front of him, looking all black and blue. The marks on her neck made him wince. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips.
“I’ll be right back.”
She left the house, bounding happily down to her car. He watched her leave and tried Jack’s number again.
“God, Jack, man, what the fuck? She’s here, cooking for me. I can’t work like this man. Please call me back.”
He dropped hard in the chair by his laptop again, running his fingers through his hair.
***
Twenty minutes later, Kate returned with three bags full of food, vegetables, bread, meat and rice, and a bottle of red wine. Without saying a word, she smiled at him and started right up, chopping, slicing and mixing. He stayed out of her way, watching her over the screen of his laptop. Bruises lined the back of her left arm, two in the shape of a handprint. She pulled her hair back and wrapped it up in a claw-shaped clip. Long stripes marred the back of her neck.
Something thin wrapped around it.
&nb
sp; He swallowed, staring at the back of her head.
Someone did that to her. Someone’s abusing her. But if it’s not Jack, then who?
Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe he is as bad as she says. Maybe he did come back.
He stood and walked up to her.
“I told you,” she said. “I’m cooking. You write.”
He breathed in her perfume and slipped his arms around her, pressing his lips to her neck. She winced but smiled.
“Does it hurt when I do that?”
“Just a little.”
He nuzzled her neck and kissed it again. She laughed a little, rolling her eyes.
“It looks so painful,” he whispered. “I just want to kiss and make it better, baby.”
“You can do that after I put it in the oven,” she said. “But you should be writing.”
“I can’t, baby,” he said. “You distract me too much. I just wanna do something else.”
She smirked. He grinned.
“Now you’re distracting me,” she said. “Let me get this thing in the oven, silly.”
Fifteen minutes later he walked her to the kitchen table, bending her over.
***
Just as the clouds finally broke outside, the sun lit up the sky in brilliant orange and dipped behind the horizon. It gave the rooms an odd vintage glow. Kate had made herself scarce after their brief lovemaking, going in the fancy little girl’s room to set up an office for herself.
While Quinn was disappointed she was there, hindering his chance to bring Carol or Tamara over, he was grateful for the distraction from the house itself and the chance to share the weird place with someone else.
The scent of food cooking made his belly growl and complain. He knew Kate was an excellent chef, but she never had the chance to make anything for him personally before. The thought thrilled him a little. He was now her protector, her savior, and while she gave in to his advances, she made him work a little at it, which turned him on even more.
The buzzer on the stove chimed loudly, startling Quinn out of his thoughts. Kate came rushing in. He watched as she pulled the pan out of the stove and checked the various pots she had steaming on the burners.
“Would you mind moving your office, Quinn? So we can eat at the table?”
He smirked and did as she asked, taking it all into the living room and setting it on the table by the recliner. When he returned, she laid out a pretty floral tablecloth and arranged the place settings. He watched, her little fluffy skirt creeping up each time she bent forward.
She wore that for me.
He reached out and slipped his hand under the flowing fabric. She glanced over her shoulder at him, biting her lip and he smiled.
Yeah, she did that for me.
He kissed her when she turned back to the stove.
“Go sit down, silly.”
He laughed and spanked her bottom, squeezing hard once. She bit her lip again as he walked around and dropped into his usual chair. She served the food and handed him the wine and a corkscrew.
“So, this place is giving you lots of ideas?”
“Oh, baby, you don’t know the half of it,” he said. “I’ve seen things I can’t explain, heard things, there’s just so much here. So many stories. The graveyard is fascinating. The people here are unique.”
“I saw that young man at the grocery store,” she said. “Billy, I think. Told me he’s in a rock band.”
“He is. Haven’t heard him yet.”
“He said he’s playing on Friday night and that we should go.”
A little shock rattled inside Quinn. He paused chewing letting the thought sink in.
We. She said we.
Did she tell Billy she’s staying here with me?
Was Tamara there? Did she hear her?
He finished chewing, glancing up at her. She was staring at him as if waiting for him to speak. He blushed and nodded, making an agreeing sound in his throat.
“Yeah,” he said. “He’s mentioned that before.”
“And that name,” she said. “Christmas. All over the place. Is everyone here a Christmas?”
He laughed.
“Seems like it,” he said. He tried to relax.
Maybe Tamara didn’t see or hear her.
“And you get those trains every day?”
“Yep,” he said. “One in the morning about nine and one in the afternoon close to five.”
She laughed a little, shaking her head.
“A lot of history here.”
“I read a little about the mine,” she said.
He nodded.
“They’re all in the cemetery,” he said. “Sons and fathers. Sad story.”
As they talked, a new idea formed in his head. He tapped his fork on the plate, staring at nothing. She watched, still eating.
“You know,” he said. “I just realized what I need Reginald to do to the old man in chapter nineteen.”
His eyes met hers.
“My god. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“You need someone to sound things off to,” she said. “Otherwise you’re working in a vacuum.”
He chuckled.
“Maybe you’re right,” he said. “But that means I need to work after we eat. I have to get this down.”
She smiled proudly.
***
“The last fired shot echoed into the trees. Reginald stumbled to Christina and dropped to his knees. He cut the rope around her wrists and she wrapped her arms around him.
“Oh my god, Reginald, she said between sobs. I thought you had left me.
“Stupid woman, he said. How could I ever leave you behind? I love you.
“He kissed her. And that’s the end of the first draft. Hallelujah.”
Quinn leaned back and sighed, grinning.
“My twenty-sixth book,” he said. “Of course, I’ll probably have to rewrite it twenty-six more times, but hey, the story is told.”
Kate appeared at the doorway, yawning. She wore a simple sheer negligee and pressed against the door frame, peeking around it at him.
“What was that excited exclamation?”
She smiled, blinking sleepily. He got to his feet and danced around a little, singing in a soft voice at her.
“The book is done, the book is done!”
He took her hand and pulled her away from the wall to spin and dance with him. She laughed.
“I had no idea you get so excited when you finish a book.”
He laughed out loud.
“It’s like climbing a mountain,” he said. “Once you get to the top you just wanna shout.”
She giggled as he spun her around.
He pressed his forehead to hers.
“And I had no idea you wore such lovely things to bed,” he said.
She blushed. He walked her to the wall, pressing her against it and kissed her.
“Let’s go to bed,” he said.
***
After another bout of lovemaking, they dropped into a deep sleep, tangled together, both in the sheets and with each other.
***
Quinn stirred. He opened his eyes. Blue light crept in from the floodlight by the warehouse. He blinked at it a moment, trying to remember where he was.
“Mister Tilman, this is your last chance. Miranda is screaming at you, warning you, but you’re not listening.”
Ben? That fucking freak got in my house while I’m sleeping?
He sat up, pulling himself out of Kate’s grasp.
“Where are you?” His whisper seemed loud in the quiet.
He slid off the bed and crept silently through the house, peering in every room in the darkness, holding up his phone as a flashlight.
He yelped when it jingled. He checked the name.
Unknown.
Sucking in a deep breath, he answered the call. At first, it was garbled, but slowly he began to make out words. He recognized the voice.
Jack?
“Quinn… she’s fucking… you need to… I can’
t help…”
The call ended.
Quinn stared at the screen a moment. He tapped Jack’s name and listened as it rang, once, again, a third time. At the same time, he heard a noise in the kitchen. The call went to voice mail. He left another message but accidentally hit Jack’s name again as he tried to turn on the flashlight app. As the call rang, Kate’s purse hummed. She left it hung on a chair by the table. He peered inside. A glowing screen greeted him. He reached in and plucked it out.
Jack’s phone.
He blinked in the darkness.
Oh my god, he did go home.
He glanced back over his shoulder toward the hall.
“Quinn?”
The light came on. Kate stood at the doorway, rubbing her eyes and yawning.
“You left the bed.”
“Got a call from an unknown caller,” he said.
He held up Jack’s phone.
“I accidentally dialed Jack’s number and found this.”
“Oh,” she said.
“I have to confess,” he said. “I didn’t believe you, Kate. I really thought-”
She shook her head and touched his lips. He spoke behind them.
“He told me he was staying in that hotel,” he said. “That he met some girl. That he wasn’t planning on ever going back. But obviously, I was wrong.” He motioned to Kate’s bruises. “Sorry, baby.”
She hugged him and he wrapped his arms around her.
“God, you must be scared to death.” He half laughed, checking the bolt on the front door. “I gotta be honest, I am too now. I really believed him.”
“He’s good at that,” she said. “Making people believe what they want to believe.”
She studied his eyes. He smiled down at her.
“And here you are in that lovely little gown again,” he said, a little growl creeping into his voice. He kissed her again. “Let’s go back to bed.”
He walked her backward, all the way to his room. At the bed, she wormed free of him.
“I’ll be right back,” she said. She blew a kiss at him. He stretched and yawned, stripping down again and dropping across the bed, tugging a sheet half over him.
Lasting Shadows Page 24