Too Close to Home

by Alison Stone

  Run.

  She peered around the corner then flattened herself against the wall. She couldn’t see anything. Where was he?

  “Kathryn, oh, Kathryn, come out, come out wherever you are,” he called. He had trailed her to the backyard. She closed her eyes for a second, wishing to be invisible. His disguised voice seemed vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t place it. Perhaps one of the intruders at the warehouse?

  “Kathryn,” he called, his voice getting closer.

  She took a deep breath. Now or never. She ran toward the trees behind the house. She heard his heavy footsteps. Faster. Faster.

  She reached the tree line and plowed forward. The branches whipped her bare legs. Her bare arms. Her face. Stay to the right, she told herself. Find the path.

  She silently prayed. Prayed for home-court advantage.

  She stopped and hunkered down. Branches snapped not far away. She heard soft cursing.

  She remained motionless. For an eternity. Save for the uncontrollable shivering. An owl hooted above, sensing an intrusion.

  Then nothing.

  Kathryn stayed silent, arms wrapped around her legs, rocking on her heels, breathing slowly. Trembling. Listening.

  He’s gone, she convinced herself. She strained to see her house. A single light bulb burned bright under the eaves on the back of the house. He must have flipped it on to find her. The back door remained open. He could be anywhere. Waiting for her.

  In a crouched position, she scrambled through the woods toward the dirt path. To a place she had once felt safe.

  Chapter Ten

  A persistent dinging at the front door woke Benjamin from a fitful sleep. What in the world? Rubbing his eyes, he stumbled toward the noise, now a steady banging.

  He pulled back the curtain, uncertain what he’d find. What he did see sent fear pressing into his heart. Kathryn stood shivering, her thin nightgown no match for the frosty night air. Her glistening eyes were wide with panic. He scrambled to release the deadbolt and opened the door.

  Instinctively, he wrapped an arm around Kathryn’s shoulders and swept her into the room, kicking the door shut behind him. Grabbing the folded quilt from the rocker, he enfolded her trembling frame and pulled her down onto the couch beside him.

  “What happened?” he asked as she clung to him. Her tear-stained cheeks conveyed some unspoken terror. He drew a knuckle across her icy cheek and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Through fresh tears, she told him about the intruder and her escape through the woods.

  Relief and anger warred for his attention. This maniac could have killed Kathryn. He fisted his hands. And it would have been his fault. He should have protected her. Insisted she not stay alone.

  Benjamin called the police, and then he gently pulled back the blanket to see the cuts on her legs. She flinched when his fingers brushed the cold skin of her calf. “We have to get these cleaned up.”

  Kathryn nodded, glassy eyed. Her normally pink lips had turned purplish. Her teeth chattered. He pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders.

  “We should get you to a hospital,” Benjamin said, not sure of the extent of her injuries. A new wave of concern crashed over him.

  She shook her head, her auburn curls loose around her pale face. “I don’t want to go anywhere. I’m so tired.” She leaned forward and put her head in her hands.

  Tenderly, he rubbed the back of her neck. A fist squeezed his heart.

  She lifted her head, tears in her eyes. “What’s going on?”

  Benjamin felt powerless. “Did the person say anything?”

  She swiped at a tear running down her cheek and sniffled. Her eyes widened. “He knew my name.” She bit her quivering lower lip. “I never saw his face. I was so freaked. But he seemed familiar somehow.” She pulled the quilt over her shoulders and hugged it in place. “Something about his voice…”

  “What about it?” Benjamin shifted to get a better look at her face.

  “I don’t know. I can’t place it. He disguised it. Like the man in the warehouse.”

  Benjamin handed Kathryn a tissue and she dabbed her eyes. Just then, red and blue lights flashed through the window. He brushed a tender kiss across her forehead before he reluctantly stepped away to let Officer Gavin in.

  “I sent another officer to the McNabb’s house to make sure it’s secure,” Officer Gavin said as he crossed the room to Kathryn. Skipping all formalities, he hit her with one question after another. She didn’t tell the officer any more than she had told him.

  Near the end of the interview, the officer’s cell phone rang. He stepped away to take the call. When he was done, he tucked the phone into a holster on his belt and turned toward Kathryn.

  “There’s no sign of forced entry at your mother’s house. Are you sure you locked the doors?”

  “Yes, I’m sure.” She sat ramrod straight and hiked her chin. A look of determination lit her eyes.

  “Does anyone else have a key?” Officer Gavin pulled a notepad from his pocket.

  “Only my mom and sister.”

  Office Gavin made a few notes. He tapped his pen on his notepad. “Obviously someone’s not happy you’re in town.”

  Kathryn shrugged. The quilt slipped down her shoulders. “Like all the employees at Midport Industries after they learned I want to sell the plant.”

  The police officer puckered his lips and whistled long and low. “That probably made you a few enemies.” He clicked his pen closed and hooked it onto the pad. “But these attacks seem over the top.” He tucked his pad into his breast pocket. “We will patrol by your house every hour.” He moved toward the door. “Unless there’s anything else you’d like to add, I’ll be going.”

  Kathryn shook her head. Benjamin pulled the blanket up over her shoulders, letting his fingers brush her cool flesh. He squeezed her arm before following the officer to the door. “Thanks for coming.”

  Benjamin returned and found Kathryn leaning forward rubbing her arms, her teeth clenched. “I never liked him.”

  “Who? Officer Gavin?” Benjamin sat on the coffee table in front of her and brushed a hand across her knee. She trembled under his touch. “He can be a little curt, but he’s not a bad guy. He moonlights security at the plant.”

  “I know. I’ve seen him.” Her mouth twisted into a wry grin. “No wonder there’ve been so many problems.”

  “You think he’s incompetent?” Benjamin furrowed his brow.

  “He was the officer that responded after my—” Kathryn’s lashes swept her cheeks as a tear escaped. She quickly swiped it away.

  “Sean Gavin was the first to respond to your 9-1-1 call?” No wonder she didn’t like him. A heaviness settled in his chest as he watched her delicate features contort in pain.

  She nodded and exhaled sharply. “He moved my dad’s body before anyone got there.”

  “Why?”

  “To administer first aid.” Kathryn stared unseeing, a distant memory haunting her eyes. “First aid to a man missing the lower half of his face.”

  Benjamin captured her hand and ran his thumb across her soft skin.

  “The first time I heard the mention of suicide, it was from Officer Gavin.” She hitched a shoulder. “The medical examiner agreed.” Her eyes locked onto his. “If he hadn’t moved the body would they have come to a different conclusion?” The pain flowed off her in waves. “Everyone thought I was being silly. Hysterical.”

  Benjamin rubbed her arm through the thick blanket. The knowledge of the tragedies she had endured twisted his gut. No words could make this right. Clearing his throat, he stood. “I’ll get you something warm to drink.” A few minutes later, he found Kathryn still on the couch, her head tilted back, her eyes closed. The quilt was tucked under her chin. Her features were relaxed. Something in his heart shifted.

  He set the mug on the coffee table and slid his hands under her shoulders and legs, lifting her despite her quiet protest. Her head flopped onto his shoulder and a soft moan escaped her lips.
/>   “Shhh,” he whispered.

  The floral scent of her shampoo tickled his nose. A yearning coursed deep within his soul. He pushed open the bedroom door with his foot and carried her to bed. Gently, he drew back the covers and laid her down. He pulled up the comforter and tucked it around her shoulders.

  Benjamin stood there, staring at her delicate form under his covers. Her rhythmic breathing convinced him she had fallen back asleep. She had found peace. A temporary respite.

  “I love the view of the lake from here. I always have.” Kathryn glanced over at Benjamin’s strong profile, his hands braced on the wooden rail of the deck. He’d had a tense look about him since her unannounced arrival late last night. The brisk wind off Lake Erie blew his wavy brown hair from his face. She hadn’t been to the Nowak family cottage in Crystal Beach in a long time. She remembered why she loved it here. Immediately, the knot in her back began to loosen.

  Benjamin’s grandfather had built the cottage in Canada in the 1920s at a time when the family traveled back and forth from Western New York on a lake steamer, a far cry from the congested Peace Bridge that had brought Kathryn and Benjamin here today.

  “If their motive was to scare me, what purpose did it serve?” Kathryn turned and rested a hip on the rail. “Do they think I’ll turn tail and run? Give up my stake in the company?”

  “I don’t know. Angry people aren’t always logical.” A lopsided smile brightened his face. “You’re safe.”

  “For now.” Kathryn didn’t bother to hide the irony in her voice.

  “I put your bags in the master bedroom,” Benjamin said.

  A warm flush crawled up her neck. She pretended to be mesmerized by the few remaining boats tethered to shore, bobbing on the swelling waves. Billowy silver clouds hovered on the horizon. The master bedroom?

  Why hadn’t she thought about sleeping arrangements before she agreed to come here with him? “I, um…” she stammered, struggling to compose a coherent sentence while her mind reeled. “I can sleep on the sofa.”

  The corners of his mouth turned up into a coltish smile. “I’m a gentleman. I could never allow a lady to sleep on the sofa.” The sight of his mischievous grin wasn’t lost on her. “I’ll sleep in the back bedroom. The one with the beautiful view of the parking lot.”

  Kathryn had forgotten about the guest bedroom. “Of course.” She pulled up the zipper on her fleece to block out the wind. She was a tad embarrassed about her assumption.

  Benjamin jerked his chin toward the water. “Want to take a walk?”

  “I’d love to, but don’t you think we’ll get blown away?”

  “Come on.” He reached out, caught her hand and laced his fingers with hers. “I promise to hold on to you.”

  The warmth of his hand was a stark contrast to the cold winds. They descended the steps to the beach and strolled in silence for a ways before he spoke. “Remember coming here as kids?”

  “How could I forget? It was a rite of passage.” She pushed back the strands of hair that had escaped her braid. “Let’s see. Every Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day we’d come up to the Nowak’s beach house.”

  “Yeah, and you’d figure a way to come here any other chance you got.” Benjamin stopped at an outcropping of rocks and pulled Kathryn down to sit next to him. The cold from the damp rock seeped through her khaki pants.

  “That’s why we were such good friends.” She waved her palms in a grand display. “Beach house.”

  His face turned serious. “I often wondered.”

  She nudged his thigh with hers. “I’m kidding.”

  He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, warming her with his body. He planted a soft kiss on her forehead. “We had something special.”

  We had something special. Of course had as in past tense. Under the circumstances, she was crazy to think they’d renew their childhood friendship. Their trip down memory lane was just a way to get through the stress of recent events. Nothing more.

  “After your dad’s death, you took off.” A deep line creased his forehead. “Has your life turned out like you hoped?” Benjamin’s question seemed to come out of nowhere.

  “After college, I took a position with General Industry’s management training program. I traveled to different manufacturing sites around the country before settling in Buffalo.” Kathryn tried to ignore his hand resting on her waist.

  “Close to home, but not too close,” Benjamin said.

  “Exactly. After my dad…” She let her words trail off, tears biting at the back of her eyes. “Being in Midport is too painful. But I achieved everything I set out to do.”

  “But is your life everything you hoped?” He stared at the churning water, as if he were contemplating the question himself.

  Kathryn gave it consideration. She had a successful career, a beautiful townhouse, a nice car and expensive clothes.

  Is your life everything you hoped?

  All those things seemed superficial. Unimportant. Empty. She had been successful in carving out a life where no one could hurt her. She had become untouchable. Alone.

  Benjamin must have sensed her inner turmoil because he reached up and touched her cheek. He drew her into the crook of his neck. Surrendering, she snuggled against him, his five o’clock shadow brushing against her forehead. Despite her best defenses, she felt herself drawn to him. Even after all this time.

  Benjamin brushed a kiss across her forehead. “I’ve missed you.”

  Kathryn closed her eyes and a wave of nostalgia washed over her. A lump in her throat hindered a response. What would she say to that anyway?

  “I had a huge crush on you when we were teenagers,” Benjamin said, his white teeth exposed by his huge smile. “But you always brushed me off, like it was some big joke.”

  She playfully slapped his thigh. “Very funny.” Benjamin was one of the most popular boys in school and had his pick of girlfriends. Although she was no slouch, she was more of an intellectual. Not exactly the homecoming-court type. No boys had sought her out in school. Her friendship with Benjamin was simply a byproduct of their fathers’ relationship.

  “What’s so funny?” He twisted his lips. “I’m serious.”

  “But you had all those other girlfriends.” I saw you.

  “Because you didn’t seem interested.” He tapped her nose with his index finger. “So I had to settle for being your friend. Best buds.”

  Kathryn smoothed the loose strands of hair, a useless gesture in the steady winds. She thought of the night when she had gone to tell him she had feelings for him. She had ignored his flirting for so long, fearing she’d get hurt. Maybe she was afraid it would be weird because they had been friends for so long. Or maybe deep down she didn’t believe someone like him could fall for someone like her.

  And then when she saw him with that girl. He had hurt her. More than he could ever know.

  “What are you thinking?”

  “I’m thinking maybe I don’t believe you.” I should have never believed you.

  Benjamin touched her chin, drawing her eyes to his. He stood abruptly and reached for her hand. “Ready to go back?”

  “Yes.” She faltered, standing without his offer of assistance. She swatted at the dirt on the seat of her pants. She pulled the sleeves of her jacket down to cover her hands. Benjamin stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and hunched his shoulders as they trudged back to the cottage, this time facing the howling winds.

  Back in the cottage, Benjamin insisted Kathryn relax while he fixed something to eat. After they enjoyed a dinner of steaks on the grill, fresh salad, garlic bread and new potatoes, she helped him do the dishes. They didn’t talk much, but when they did, the conversation stayed light.

  Yet her thoughts ran deep.

  Where would they be today if their families hadn’t had a falling out? If her father hadn’t blown— She stopped before she painted a picture in her mind.

  If the fates had been kinder, would they have grown
apart anyway? A childhood friendship destined to be outgrown? She glanced over at him as he dried the salad bowl. Maybe it was time to let bygones be bygones.

  Everything between them seemed oddly comfortable. In a good way. Kathryn finally broke the companionable silence by turning his question from earlier around on him. “Has your life turned out like you planned?”

  He fed the dishtowel through the handle on the oven then turned around and rested his backside against the handle. He twisted his lips before speaking. “As a kid, I fought hard for my father’s attention.” He lowered his eyes then lifted them to meet hers. “I would have done anything to hear my dad give me a compliment, but he focused all his energies on Craig. So I decided to carve my own path in life. I did everything to aggravate dear old Dad.” He let out a quick breath through tight lips.

  “I quit college. Took up motorcycle repair. Opened my own shop.” Benjamin moved across the kitchen to stare out into the black night, his back to her. “Did whatever I wanted—exactly the opposite of what my father would have for me.”

  He turned on his heel and studied her face. “I even chased away a longtime girlfriend when she started to tell me motorcycles were too dangerous.” He laughed. “No one was going to tell me what I could or couldn’t do.”

  Benjamin lowered his voice. “I learned at an early age it hurts too much to seek approval from other people. Especially when you don’t get it. So I stopped looking.”

  Kathryn took a step toward him, but something in his expression made her pull up short.

  “Funny thing,” he said, “now that I’m back here, I like it. I enjoy running the plant. The pace. The familiar people. I realize I probably wouldn’t be here if Craig hadn’t signed up for the military. But some things just work out. You can’t overanalyze the reason.” He hung his head and rubbed the back of his neck. He lifted his green eyes. “Sometimes you have to stop running.”

  Kathryn opened her mouth to disagree, to tell him sometimes a person can’t stop running because their past is bound to catch up with them. But who was she to give herself a pity party when Benjamin had obviously found contentment in his life? Why couldn’t she be happy for him?