“I see.” Steven could not believe what he was hearing. “You had your tuition paid.”
“Me? No. I was on a scholarship, but when I met Sarah, something clicked. She and I were both committed to getting our degrees in record time, and worked hard. We enjoyed each other’s company and having her as a friend, made college fun. I liked the idea of having such a beautiful girl on my arm with no other pressure. We studied together, and did the necessary social functions, but school was all work. I tried to get closer to her, once, even though the agreement would’ve been nullified. I was tempted. She and I dated, were close friends, almost exclusively for two years. We still keep in touch, although, maybe a Christmas card is stretching the truth a bit. I’m married, now, but for a long time we did write frequently.
“I’d talked her into traveling across the U.S. on my motorcycle after graduation. She loved the open road, the outdoors. Instead of partying, she preferred hiking. Sarah was fun, adventurous. I couldn’t believe my luck when she agreed to take a break from the books and have one last hurrah before finishing our Master’s program, but a hit and run accident put a stop to that. The accident left me severely injured and our trek never happened and the other guys had to step in. If I remember correctly, one guy had his loans paid, the others were on scholarship like me, but the fraternity received a nice check each of those years and again, once she graduated. A gentlemen’s agreement is recorded in the minutes of the fraternity—no names are used, but it’s there. The checks cleared, and everyone was happy. Everyone but me. I would’ve loved an opportunity to win her heart in earnest, but because of the accident, I finished school online from a hospital bed. That’s what I mean by broken hearts. Sarah never knew what we were doing and not wooing and wining her in earnest was pretty devastating, at least for me, but we honored the agreement.”
“Can you give me the names of the others, and the attorney you spoke to?”
“Sure, I don’t see why not, but can I ask a favor?”
“Certainly.”
“Don’t tell Sarah. I don’t want her to feel bad. We all loved her. She’ll always be our little sister. Always.”
Steven agreed to Gregg’s terms, but he flew to Seattle to meet him and do a more complete investigation. After three days, Steven had still learned nothing new. The attorney’s name, Alder Hanson, was false, and there was no such firm. The check, and the money, were real, but there would be no simple trace to the source.
Steven consulted with John, and they discovered there was no such agreement made with any group at the University of Alaska, where Sarah first attended school. But Steven knew, at least in his gut, Chase was behind the fraternity setup in Washington. John assured him he would find the proof; no matter how long the task took.
After another sleepless night, Steven made another call to the FBI.
“Frank, I found some disturbing evidence.” He explained about the fraternity, and his suspicions regarding the Porsche. Steven believed that it was Chase who saw to the cars disappearance, another hunch, he couldn’t prove.
“I see where you’re going. You think Chase has been pulling the strings since she walked out of his life. It’s possible, especially with the kind of money he has. I’ll call Seattle, have someone look into it.”
A phone call from Emma with an invitation to dinner at Sarah’s the next day really lifted his spirits and for the first night in many nights, Steven slept soundly.
The day of the dinner party Scott was the first one to knock on the door. It was ten days after the accident, and Emma let him in but told him Sarah was resting, and if he wanted to see her he would have to wait. Then one by one visitors began to fill the house. Eddie and Alexis, Leeann and John, Jackson with Karen and Joe, Tom and Ethan, with their significant others, even Steven, but Emma held them all at bay.
Emma set out a few plates of hors d’oeuvres and announced, “Dinner will be ready soon. If you want to stay that’s fine, but I won’t disturb Sarah until dinner is on the table. Help yourself to the coffee and tea, there’s alcohol on the bar.” she told them as they waited.
Steven cornered her. “How is she?”
“Not good, not good at all, but she won’t talk. She’s barely left her room. It’s why I thought getting you all out here would help her.”
“So the dinner party was your idea, does she know?”
“Yes, of course. I told her yesterday. She was all for it, but a headache sent her back to her bed, and I gave her some of those pills the doctor prescribed, they really knock her out. I’ll wake her in a few minutes to let her get ready for dinner. Sorry, for the delay.
“No, don’t apologize. I’ll just be glad to finally see her.”
Half an hour later Emma returned to the party, the look on her face was one of deep anxiety. She found Steven and John and pulled them aside. In the den tears streamed down her face. “She’s gone.”
“What?” John said.
“What do you mean she’s gone?” Steven demanded.
“Here read this.” She handed Steven a folded piece of paper.
Emma, I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve put you through, but I need to disappear for a while. Thank everyone for coming out today, and please extend my apologies. I’ll be back, but right now I need to be alone, away from the people I care the most about. See you soon, Sarah.
Steven was speechless. John looked panicked. Eddie open the door to the den and popped in unaware of the drama that was about to unfold.
“Hey you two, Emma, I’m starved. When’s the party girl going to join us?”
He grew silent when John shoved Emma’s note in to his hand.
“Emma, you need to go outside and tell the rest of the crowd that dinner has been cancelled. Sarah has suffered a setback; you’re calling her doctor, but everyone will have to leave. Eddie, I want you to follow Emma. Have Tom and Ethan take the girls home, and then get their asses back here. Understood? But I don’t want anyone, and I mean anyone knowing that Sarah isn’t here. Can you do that Emma? Mum’s the word on Sarah.”
“I don’t understand why, but yes, I’ll do what you say. It’s just all that food, who’s going to eat all that food?”
Steven touched her arm. “Emma, I promise you, the food will be eaten, just keep it warm.”
“Okay, Oh dear, I almost forgot.” She pulled two envelopes from her apron pocket. “She left these for you two.” She handed one to Steven another to John.
“Thank you Emma, now please tell the others dinner is cancelled.” He nodded to Eddie, and the two of them left the room.
John immediately tore his envelope open and the two men read her words: John, I’m sorry. You’ve done everything possible to protect me, but I’m not the one needing protection. It’s everyone who knows me. Please, please get Leeann as far away from Anchorage as possible. If anything should happen to her, to you, to… Please! I’ll be fine I promise. I just can’t watch another person I love die. I went into hiding after Michael’s death, and no one bothered me. Maybe that’s all it will take this time. I know, that doesn’t make any sense, but nothing does these days. Please know that I’ll be safe, and please don’t look for me. If you do, I fear he will. I’ll be back soon, I promise. All my love to you both, Sarah.
“Oh God!” John looked to Steven.
Steven cursed.
Steven walked away from John and tore open his envelope.
Steven, my sincerest apologies, but I’ve decided to take my life in my own hands. I can’t stand by and watch while he picks off the people I love one by one. Please don’t try to find me. If you don’t, he can’t. I’ll be safe, I promise. Sarah
He looked at the words she written and had never felt so inadequate, but, despite her request, he would find her. He just hoped he could do it before her stalker got wind of her disappearance. His biggest fear was that, while they were waiting to celebrate her recovery the stalker had stood by and watched, and now knew Sarah had no protection.
The rest of the dinner crowd had
now gathered around the distraught Emma and Eddie. She delivered the words John told her too, and Eddie backed her up. The crowd dissipated, with the Dun brothers each taking one of the Thomas brothers significant others home, both Leeann and Alexis had questions, but knew better than to ask. The crowd cleared, and Emma began cleaning up the party remnants, but she did not have to worry about the food going to waste, as the new ‘find Sarah headquarters’ was established and numerous hungry men tromped in and out of the house, all with appreciative appetites.
It took Steven three days, but he tracked her down. She’d driven her Mercedes back to town, parked it in the empty garage space of her apartment building, and taken a cab to the Merrill Airfield. Using the name Jenny Rhome and cash, she chartered a flight to Fairbanks. Where she rented a truck and drove to Ester, and her parent’s cabin. She had done an excellent job of disappearing, her only problem was that people recognized her. After the Jeep accident, her picture made the newspapers, and it didn’t take long before well-placed cash found the loose lips that led him straight to her. Steven was impressed with her ingenuity and he was tempted let her remain hidden, but as more and more people became aware of her location, he feared the killer would too, if he hadn’t already.
Steven chartered a flight to Fairbanks and then asked a friend, Carey Fisher, to drive him to Sarah’s cabin figuring they would both come back to town in the truck she’d rented. Once he found her, she would not go anywhere alone, even if he had to use handcuffs. The afternoon of the fourth day since her disappearance, he was dropped off in front of her cabin. A rustic four-room log home that sat high on a hill, back in the trees but with a view that looked out on the valley. Her truck was sitting in the driveway, lights lit each room, and smoke curling from the chimney. He immediately caught the aroma of fresh baked bread. He stomped the snow from his boots as he crossed the porch to the front door. He knocked, but there was no answer.
“Sarah, it’s Steven.” He tried the door. It was locked. “Please answer the door.”
No sound came from inside. He looked through the living room window but saw no one, he checked the other window, and his concern grew when he realized that water sat steaming on the stove, and a meal, barely touched sat on the kitchen table. Where had she gone? Then he saw it, the valentine, on the floor under the table. He couldn’t make out the wording, but it didn’t matter he gave the door one kick and it flew open, evidence that someone else had already kicked it in, and then carefully set it back in place to give the illusion all was well. Steven could tell by how severely the locks were damaged and how lightly he’d kicked it.
He picked up the valentine, it read You Can’t Escape Me, Valentine. He took out his cell phone to call for help, but there was no signal.
The back door stood partially open, and he saw footprints in the snow leading to the woods. Two sets of prints, the small print of a woman, and the larger print of a man. Steven took off running, following their path. He pulled out his gun, and trudged through snow, several feet deep in some places but lighter in depth under the trees, still it made progress slow. He heard a gunshot, then another, and another, in total he counted six. He picked up his pace. Deeper and deeper into the woods he went, darkness and with it the cold deepened. When he’d first arrived it was right before dusk, that light quickly disappeared and he had to pull out his flashlight to find the tracks. He’d started out going uphill, but for the last few minutes he’d been going steadily downhill. Suddenly, the terrain changed again, it had leveled off and a frozen stream cut across his path. He carefully cut across the ice and snow and the path headed once more into the darkness of the trees. But soon boulders the size of small buildings filled the landscape; he heard the gurgle of water and hoped he’d see it before he felt it, but he kept moving forward.
He stopped and listened. He swore he heard cursing, a woman’s voice. Sarah. He moved closer to the sound. He carefully and silently climbed the rocks, and then he saw her. Above the tree line where the moonlight could reach. He saw her clearly. She was sitting with her back against a boulder and had her head bowed. A shotgun lay on the ground beside her.
“Sarah.” He said, trying not to startle her, but she immediately picked up the gun.
“It’s all right; it’s just me.” He came out in the open holding his flashlight so she could discern it was him.
“Steven? Thank god!”
He hurried to her side. “Are you all right? What happened? Who were you shooting at?”
“I don’ know; I honestly don’t and that pretty much answers all your questions. Someone, and don’t ask me what he looked like, because all I saw was a grizzly bear of a man, and mean. I managed to grab a parka and the gun before he tore the door completely off its hinges. I took off running for this place, I knew it’d give me the best advantage, and honestly, I think I scared him off. I was up there.” She pointed to the top of the boulder she was sitting next to. “I had a bird’s eye view of the forest and his approach. I took six shots at the guy and told him I had enough ammunition to last all night, I think he gave up. I never saw him after that. He was probably more afraid of the dark and the cold than my shooting, but given enough opportunities and bullets I think I could’ve wounded him!”
Steven grinned. “Come on let’s get you back to the cabin.”
“Yeah, good idea, except for one thing. I can’t walk, twisted my damn ankle. Getting up there was easy, coming down not so much. Just like a girl. Manage to save myself only to die of hypothermia because I can’t get home due to a twisted ankle. I swear in my next life I’m coming back as a man!”
Steven laughed. “Come on, arms around my neck. I am a man, I’ve got this.”
“Show off.” She said, put complied.
At the cabin he settled her in with ice for her swollen and black and blue ankle and re-secured the door. Then, using her suggestion, he found the high spot on the property and called John to let him know they were safe and would be home the next afternoon. He called the local police and informed them of the intruder, several hours later they found out one of Sarah’s shots had hit the man. They picked him up a local hospital where doctors were removing buckshot from his backside. Brandon James was arrested, but claimed he’d caught his unfaithful wife at his best friend’s cabin, alcohol had played a major role in his delusion.
“How’s your ankle.
“Better, I think I should try to stand on it.”
“Nope, not yet. Besides, now that I know you can’t run away. I like my odds of keeping you within sight.”
“Well, unless you plan to pee for me, I need to test my ankle.”
“Oh, you got me there. Come on, I’ll be your crutch.”
Steven helped her to her feet, and, while she cringed with each tentative step, she didn’t complain. But he couldn’t stand to see her hurting, so he carried her the rest of the way, but left her alone in the bathroom. Soon he heard the water running in the tub.
“Hey, you all right in there?” He yelled through the door.
“Yeah, just thought I’d save some time and take a bath while I’m in here. Besides a good soak will help the ankle too.”
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll put dinner on. I see you made a pot of chili. Will that work?”
“Wonderful, thank you.”
Sarah finished her bath but found she had another problem. She couldn’t step out of the claw foot tub. She wrapped the towel around her body and sitting on the edge, yelled for Steven.
He opened the door and smiled. “Need some help?”
“Unless you want me to eat and sleep in here, yeah.”
He carried her to the bedroom where, under her direction, he found her a pair of underwear and a flannel nightgown. He turned his back as she dressed and then carried her to the kitchen table, set with chili and a freshly baked loaf of bread. He put a cushion on an extra chair so she could keep her foot elevated.
He put a cup of tea in front of her.
“Thank you,” she said.
Stev
en noticed there was no smile behind her words. She looked tired, drained. He dished up a bowl of chili for both of them, and Sarah tore into the bread, giving the largest hunk to him. She buttered a small piece and popped it in her mouth.
“Feeling better?”
“If I say yes, will you believe me?”
“No.”
“Then don’t ask.”
He took a spoonful of chili. “Hmm, this is good, some of the best moose chili I’ve eaten.”
“My mom’s recipe, the bread too.”
“It’s delicious. Why did you leave, come up here and try to go it alone?”
“For the reasons I wrote in my notes to you and John. I can’t see anyone else die. I just can’t.”
“So today, you almost died, is that better?”
“Not better, but preferable to attending someone else’s funeral.”
“I don’t agree.”
She shrugged. “I am impressed that you found me so soon. I thought I had at least a week, before I had to move again.”
His brow furrowed. “Tracking is my passion. I don’t suggest you try this again.”
“Smartass.” She smiled.
He chuckled. “Actually, you did a good job, but next time you may want to try a disguise. All I had to do was ask them to describe Jenny Rhome, and they all said. ‘You know the woman that’s been in the paper recently. She looks a lot like her, that lady must have a double.”
“Thanks for letting me know, but I thought I’d bought their silence.”
“When cash is involved along with a badge, they cave every time.”
“Noted. Next time I’ll wear a red wig and false nose.”
“True, Bozo the clown would have been harder to track.” Steven laughed as he cleaned dinner from the table. Without asking, he picked Sarah up and deposited her gently on the couch, cushioning her foot once again.
“I really think I need to start using it; sprains get stiff if you don’t.”
Murder, Madness & Love (Detective Quaid Mysteries #1) Page 21