Meeting Destiny (Destiny Series)

by Nancy Straight

  Rather than sitting there arguing with myself, I bolted after him. “Max, please stop.” He stopped and looked at me but remained quiet.

  “I know you’re angry. I would ask you to give me a chance to explain, but I don’t know that there is anything I can say to you in the next thirty seconds that would make you understand why I did what I did.

  “Lauren, I really think if I just go for a walk, I’ll be fine.”

  I pointed to a bench a few feet away and asked, “Give me five minutes.”

  Max lowered his head a little, looking at the pavement and nodded. He reached for my hand and I gladly grabbed his. He breathed in deeply and then let the air out, “I’m listening.”

  “I know after such a short time together you may still be struggling with this, but you’re not just a boyfriend, you are much more. As far as I’m concerned this is just as much a fact as anything else I’ve ever known. Normally a couple gets to know each other, go on a few dates, meet each other’s friends, find common interests, experience life together for a while before they make this kind of commitment. I’m okay if you want to slow things down to catch your breath; I really wouldn’t even care if you got mad and broke up with me.”

  A hurt look shot through his eyes. “There’s a reason I tell you that I don’t care, because no matter what, I know that no one, anywhere, will ever be a better match for you. Being the right match doesn’t translate into being your carbon copy. It also doesn’t mean that you’ll always be happy with decisions that I make. It means that I’ll never lie to you – even if telling the truth pisses you off.”

  Max didn’t interject and was still in receive mode, so not wanting to lose my momentum, I continued, “There are things that I just know. One of those things is that Paul Stratford is not a murderer, and I needed to get him out of jail. I talked to him, and I know that he was the one in danger Sunday morning. Whatever crazy sixth sense I have was telling me I needed to keep him from returning Mr. McMasters’ car. I think if he would have, whoever killed the McMasters would have killed him, too.”

  He made no move to interrupt me, so either I was making sense or he was just holding it all in until I stopped speaking. “As for the party this weekend, I didn’t plan to go, but now that you’re here, I’m ready to celebrate a little.” I paused after this last statement making it clear that Max needed to respond to something.

  “Lauren, I like that you’re so sure of your feelings. Believe me, I’m all for being tied to you until your last breath; but as a courtesy, if you choose to do something that might result in your last breath being taken several decades too early, I’d like for you to share that decision with me before you act on it. Is that fair?”

  I couldn’t help but nod at his logic, and he continued, “I understand better than anyone else how special your abilities are. I don’t understand how it works. I’m glad that you limited a triple homicide to a double. Paul’s a lucky person for you to take such an interest in him. And yes, I’d love to go to your party with you, or anywhere else you want to go, but I need to see if I can move my work schedule around.”

  “Was there anything else we needed to discuss, or am I back in good standing?” I asked Max with a half smile.

  Max’s face got a very serious look on it, “So, what’s your next step?”

  “I need to wait for Paul to call me. He should be out in the next few hours. By the way, what’d you and Seth talk about last night, or was that a secret male bonding experience or something?” I knew this question took him by surprise.

  “I don’t know if I would classify it as male bonding, but he’s as genuine a friend as you’ll ever have. He asked me about what happened at the hospital.”

  “Oh. He and I had never talked about that. What’d you tell him?”

  “There wasn’t much I could tell him. I told him we met, and we both felt a connection. Before we did anything about the connection, you needed to get things in order with him.”

  “How did he take it?”

  “Seriously? He wasn’t pissed. I think he just wanted to know. He said he was taken by surprise when you broke up with him on the way home from the hospital. He said the last few months you wouldn’t discuss any of it with him. He felt like you’d shut him out.”

  “I guess I did, but when you left town, I pretty much shut everybody out.”

  “He actually told me he was glad that I was back – that you seemed really happy now. I’m sure he said a lot of other things but...”

  “But what?”

  “I just got the impression he’s not over you. He was telling me he is happy for us, he’s glad to see you back to your normal self, but he’s still really hung up on you. I guess I don’t blame him.” With this Max wrapped himself around me and followed with, “I don’t know what I’d be in his situation, but three months wouldn’t be enough to get over you.”

  “It was strange to see you two together. Strange in a good way. So do you finally believe me that you could have skipped the three month hiatus and stayed here?”

  “Yeah,” Max stood up, “Let’s walk.”

  We strolled hand-in-hand for a while when he asked, “Don’t you graduate next weekend?”

  “On Saturday.”

  “Have you thought any more about what you plan to do after graduation? Go on for a graduate degree or dive into the workforce?”

  “Wanda told me to call her whenever I was ready to come back to work. I think I’ll take a week or two off to do nothing, then maybe go full time at Tasty Burger in June. There’s a pretty decent management program. My degree’s in Marketing Management, so it should be easy to get into it. Other than that, no real plans.”

  “I know this is going to sound crazy, but sometimes you seem to radiate crazy. What if I took a couple months off of work and we went backpacking together for the summer? It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. We could trailer a couple horses and go to the mountains.”

  Could there be anything more romantic than a couple months with Max? “I like the idea, but I also like the idea of hotels with showers every night, too. I don’t know how much hiking around I can do on my leg.”

  “Are you forgetting? I’m a paramedic. I’d be the perfect person to go hiking with. And if we stay in national parks, most have showers. If you’re up for it, I can let my boss know to take me off the schedule until September. I hafta go back to work tomorrow; I could finish the week and then start planning the trip. Once you’ve got your degree, we could just take off, the same day if you want.”

  A thought occurred to me, my stomach knotted, “Max, maybe today you should come by and meet my parents. I’m sure they’d take issue with me leaving for a couple months with someone they’ve never even met.”

  “But you’re twenty-two?”

  “Yeah, I know. It’s a little weird because I live with them. They don’t give me a hard time or anything, but before I tell them I’m taking off, they should at least meet you. Unless you don’t want to?”

  “Are they home now?”

  “Not yet, but they’ll be home in an hour or so.”

  Without hesitation, “Let’s go.”

  *****

  My parents knew who Max was, and I’m pretty sure Mom even knew how I felt about him, so the introduction shouldn’t be more than a formality. Mom had finally accepted the fact that Seth and I weren’t going to be more than friends. She seemed to be okay with it. I doubted any parents would be happy with the idea that their daughter had decided to take off for a few months with her boyfriend. Maybe I’d save that topic for later. The drive to my house was quick, and, sure enough, we had beaten both Mom and Dad home.

  Max sat on the couch with no outward anxiety at all. I heard Mom’s car pull in the driveway, and I must’ve tensed up because Max reached down and collected my hand in his. She opened the kitchen door and saw us sitting in the family room. She walked over immediately and introduced herself, “Hi, I’m Molly, you must be Max?”

  “Mrs. Davis, it’s very nice
to meet you.”

  Mom sat down on the recliner across the room and began the first stage of twenty questions, “So, Lauren tells me you are a paramedic. That must be an exciting job?”

  “It can be. I was in training for the last few months in New Orleans, so I’m not completely in the swing of things again. But I’m getting there.”

  “That’s a very nice truck,” as she pointed out the window. “Paramedic pay must be better than I realized.”

  “Mom!” My embarrassment echoed in my voice.

  Max just smirked, “It’s fun to drive and convenient at drive-up windows.”

  “I’ll bet it is fun to drive,” Mom gushed with more enthusiasm than I would have expected.

  “I live in Ridgeville, and there are times that the fun to drive function comes in handy.” Max had never mentioned Ridgeville. I knew he only used his apartment for work. How strange that the first mention of his home wasn’t to me, but to my mom.

  Mom continued her grilling until my father walked through the front door thirty minutes later. She stood up, “Excuse me, it’s my night to cook, and I haven’t even started dinner yet.” I relaxed a little, knowing that the worst was over. It was Mom’s approval that was required; my father would like anyone I liked. Dad sat down, and we went through his round of questions. After a full hour with both my parents, I stood up and announced, “Max and I are going out for dinner. I’ll see you later.” Max was surprised at this announcement but followed without complaint.

  Once we were in the truck he asked, “Why the abrupt departure? You didn’t even mention our after graduation trip to either of them?”

  “Sometimes less is more. I like the idea of them meeting you, deciding that they like you before I announce that we are taking off for a couple months together. No sense pushing our luck the very first day you meet them.”

  We drove the whole way to his apartment without a word and were all the way inside before anything was spoken. Max began with, “I was thinking the Great Smoky Mountain National Forest. Have you ever been there?”

  At that moment my cell phone rang. I held a finger in the air, pausing the conversation with Max, so I could answer this unknown call.

  It was Paul, “Hi, Lauren, I’m out. I’m staying at my grandmother’s house. I don’t know how to thank you for posting bail for me. I really wasn’t expecting it. I promise I’ll pay you back, every dime.”

  “Don’t sweat it. Can you hold on for a minute?” I turned to Max with my hand over the phone and quietly asked, “I want to meet with Paul. You asked me earlier to ‘involve’ you when I did something you felt might be dangerous. Do you want me to meet him at a coffee shop or at his grandmother’s house?”

  Max’s lip tightened into two thin hard lines, his brow furrowed, and every muscle in his face seemed to be tight, “I don’t want you to meet with him at all.”

  “That wasn’t one of the options. Grandma’s or coffee shop?”

  “Can I talk to him?” I handed the phone over. “Paul, this is Lauren’s boyfriend, Max. Lauren wants to meet with you, but I’d rather she not meet with you by herself. I’m sure you understand. Will your grandmother be upset if we come over or do you want to meet in a coffee shop?”

  Max paused for a minute while Paul answered him. “Fair enough. We’ll see you in fifteen minutes.” He pressed the end button on my cell phone and with an over-emphasized sigh, “Let’s go.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Max and I pulled into the parking lot of the coffee shop after another silent trip in his truck. I reached out to touch Max’s hand before he could get out. My touch caught his attention for a moment and made him look my way, “Max, I know I’m doing the right thing. I know you don’t like it, but I am glad you’re here.”

  He paused long enough to gently squeeze my hand, then opened the door and got out. We walked into the coffee shop and saw that Paul was already sitting at a table in the far back corner. His back was to the wall, and he gave us a half-wave when we looked in his direction.

  Paul held out his hand in a gesture to Max to introduce himself. Max took his hand and held it for a second longer than was necessary, another male ego thing I’m sure. We all sat down in awkward silence for a minute. Then Paul began, “Look, I have no idea why you decided to help me, or even how I’m ever going to pay you back, but I promise you I will.”

  Max interjected before I could say anything, “Well, that’s funny, that makes two of us. If you’re innocent, like you say you are, the police would have released you. Being out in public when the public thinks you killed a well-liked couple is insane.”

  Paul responded, talking directly to Max, “Have you ever been in jail, Max?”

  “No.”

  “Being on the outside, no matter how many people believe you to be a criminal is far better than being in a cage like an animal. I know I didn’t kill them, I had no motive, and depending on the timeframe the coroner comes up with, I don’t think I even had the opportunity. The last time I checked it wasn’t my responsibility to prove I am innocent; it’s the cops’ job to prove I’m guilty.”

  As Paul’s voice began to rise, Max’s body stiffened, and I was worried it might come to blows if I didn’t interject. I placed my palm on Max’s knee and gave him a gentle squeeze right before I spoke. “Paul, I believe that you didn’t kill them. I’m not so naive to believe I can be as accurate as a polygraph, but rather than argue over who should prove guilt or innocence, I’d really like to ask you more about the timeframe.” I paused for a second, and Max rested his hand on mine that was still coupled over his knee. “I’m friendly with a couple of the police officers involved, and believe I can be of some assistance, if you want me to be.”

  Now it was Paul’s turn to stiffen and his eyes widened momentarily as if he were calculating the likelihood of this being some sort of a trap. I continued without acknowledging his new found nervousness, “I know police shows on television are not exactly like real life, but in order for you to prove it wasn’t possible for you to kill the McMasters, you should write down specifically where you went from the moment you left their house, until you met Rachael and me at the mall. List every street you drove down, any stops you may have made, anything you noticed along the way. If you can reconstruct your route, you may get lucky and find surveillance footage along the way that proves you weren’t at the house. My guess is you’re most likely their only suspect, so they’re less willing to identify new suspects than they are just to prove that you are the one who did the crime.”

  “How could you being friendly with the investigators possibly help me?”

  “If you have a solid timeline, I can give it to them. That way you don’t have to be interviewed.”

  “I don’t want to sound ungrateful, because I really am, but what’s in it for you? I mean you don’t know me, you sneaked into the jail under a false name, . . .” I could feel Max’s eyes burrowing through my head when Paul shared this revelation. “You made my bail, and now you’re offering to act as a go-between for me and the police investigators. Why?”

  Considering the question for a few seconds, I realized I didn’t have a good answer, “I guess because I feel responsible that you were arrested.”

  “Lauren, I appreciate that you want to help, but you know that the minute I pulled back into the McMasters’ driveway, I would’ve been an immediate suspect, right? I mean you don’t really think that you’re the reason that I was arrested?”

  With a sigh and not meeting Paul’s eyes, “Well - I did call the police to report you as suspicious at the mall.” I wasn’t sure if he was aware of this, and from the look he was giving me, obviously he wasn’t.

  “Suspicious? Really? You called the police from the mall?”

  “Yeah, I gave them the license plate number and within minutes all the police cars screamed into the parking lot.” Paul leaned back in his chair. This had obviously not occurred to him. “In my defense, you were coming on really strong to Rachael, and I wasn’t sure what so
meone our age was doing driving around in a Porsche.”

  “Now I really don’t understand. You were concerned enough to call the police at the mall, but two days later you met me at the jail to ask me questions? Wouldn’t it have been a lot less work just to ask me about the car at the mall?”

  “Yeah, in retrospect it would have been easier to, but I…never mind, it isn’t important. If you want my help with the police, I am happy to help; if you don’t, then I won’t bother you again.”

  “Lauren, you aren’t bothering me. I just don’t understand why the sudden change?”

  “It’s hard to explain.” Boy, that was an understatement. I got this crazy danger vibe and was sure that my friend Rachael was in danger from you. As the day progressed, I met with some cosmic secret keeper for the universe, and later decided that you were in danger from a murderer at a house where you borrowed a car, and if I let you take the car back you might be killed. I could just tell him that, right? “Let’s just say that I believe you’re innocent and would like to help if you want me to.”

  Paul turned his attention back to Max, “How do you feel about all of this?”

  Max shrugged his shoulders, “Lauren will do whatever she believes is the right course of action. Right, wrong, or indifferent, I am a bystander on this one. My opinion is irrelevant.” Though Max’s tone was frustrated, I felt a boost of power, as if his words had cemented that he truly was supporting my decision. After a short pause Max added, “If it were relevant, you’d still be in jail.”

  Paul nodded and his eyes fell to the table. The waitress finally came up and asked if she could get us anything. We all ordered a coffee, but it didn’t seem like there was much else to say. A few minutes of silence passed before Paul finally broke it, “Lauren, I have no idea what to make of you, but I’m glad you’re willing to help me. I’ll put together the timeline. I think I’ll head back to my grandmother’s house, so she doesn’t worry.” Paul stood up and left without another word.