Fate and Destiny

by Claire Collins

  “Better yet, we could use the sponge in the kitchen sink and take sponge baths with cold water.”

  “Well, why don’t we just take off our clothes and roll around in the snow?” Destiny giggled. “That way, we will save water, propane, and sponges!”

  Andrew snuggled closer against her, enjoying her warmth. “There’s a lake, we could hike down there, cut a hole in the ice and bathe in there.”

  Laughing aloud, Destiny kept the game going.

  “That’s not a bad idea, as warm as I am lying here with you, we would probably thaw the lake. Hey! Then we could lie out to get tans.”

  “True,” Andrew stifled his own laughter. ”But there’s a bad side to that idea.”

  She glanced back over her shoulder at his sudden serious tone. “What’s the bad side?”

  Pulling her closer against his chest, Andrew replied. “We would have to get out of the warm bed.”

  Sighing, she settled into the curve of his body. Her face beginning to warm as the suns heat saturated the cabin. Despite the sense of ease after the nightmares, the safety and security she currently enjoyed would be fleeting. The comforts Andrew provided caused strange sensations within Destiny. As if when she left, she would leave part of her soul behind. Planning her getaway would be difficult now that she was attached to him, but it also made her even more resolved to leave. The longer she stayed, the more dangerous the situation became.

  The morning light dipped behind clouds then peeked through the windows again, playing shadows and highlights in Destiny’s hair. The silky strands twined through his fingers, a few pieces slipping through to fall against her shoulder. He could not imagine how he ever lived without her, or if he could live without her in the future.

  They remained in the warm bed so long that Andrew began to believe they really could stay there until the snow melted and they could leave. Maybe even stay there until summer came and the heat drove them to the lake for a refreshing swim. He had no objections.

  Shadow however, had other plans. He patiently sat near the door, eyeing the people in the bed. He would never understand people. They didn’t sniff each other, they didn’t roll around in the grass. They didn’t have tails to chase and they couldn’t lick themselves. People life must be boring. They did have interesting things though. That big box they slept on was comfortable. The other big box held good stuff to eat. They always left stuff around to chew on. People could not understand how it was to be a dog. Always have to be prepared. Protect the people, protect the people. That was his mantra. Sleep with one eye open. Protect the people. Scout the area and mark it so everyone knows that a dog is there. Protect the people. Learn to bark and growl. Protect the people. And all people had to do was feed the dog, let the dog outside, pet the dog. Too bad he hadn’t been born as a people. Shadow’s patience wore out. He whined to let Andrew know that if he didn’t get out the door soon, he wouldn’t be responsible for the consequences.

  Lifting his head to judge how badly Shadow needed to go out, Andrew sighed. Just a few more seconds of his head on the pillow next to Destiny’s and then he open the door for Shadow. Another whine from the front door. Andrew didn’t move. Nails ticked against the wood floor before Shadow jumped on the bed. His sudden weight was like a ton of bricks.

  “Take it easy Shadow! I’m getting up!”

  Ignoring Andrew’s protests, Shadow nudged the occupants of the bed with his head and whined again.

  “Okay, okay, okay.”

  Sitting up, Andrew threw back the blankets, climbed from the bed, and opened the door.

  Grinning, Destiny watched him shiver.

  “He’s insistent isn’t he?”

  “Yeah he is. That’s okay, you go ahead and laugh at me standing here cold and naked, but guess what?”

  An evil twinkle came to his eye as he skittered across the floor, jumping on the bed.

  “I’m putting this cold body right back against you!”

  He dove under the blankets.

  She gasped as he grabbed her and held her against him.

  “It's incredible how cold you got in that short amount of time!”

  “You go open that door and tell me how I got so cold!”

  His body temperature quickly rose to normal as she willingly shared her warmth with him. Too soon, Shadow was on the other side of the door, wanting back in. They repeated the process of Andrew jumping from the bed, then racing back to it and letting Destiny thaw him. Eventually, they left their comfortable corner of the cabin to brave the cold and test the theory of conservation by sharing the shower. Noon had come and gone by the time they began to think of breakfast. Sitting on the chair, Destiny combed out her damp hair in front of the renewed fire.

  From her vantage point, she watched with interest as Andrew flipped over the area rug designating the kitchen area. Reaching down, he grasped a handle set into the floor and pulled open a trap door.

  “What’s that?”

  “The cellar. One of the little luxuries I had put into the cabin. No matter what the season, this space under the building stays as cold as a fridge. In the winter, parts of it get cold enough to freeze.”

  Intrigued, Destiny reached for the walking stick Andrew provided as a cane, wanting to see the room under her feet. Her ankle still ached but not nearly as bad as before. She managed to move around the living space if she didn’t put weight directly on the leg. As she rose from the chair, Andrew appeared at her side. With his assistance, she limped to the cellar. Supported against the counter, she leaned over, peering into the darkness penetrated only by the weak light from the window near the kitchen.

  Steps led down to the earthen floor. Boxes sat on either side of the stairs. Retrieving a flashlight from a drawer, Andrew descended the stairs.

  “I have to bend over a little to fit down here. I wanted it deeper, but the builders hit a rock slab and they were going to charge me an arm and a leg to blast through it. I decided it was deep enough.”

  “What do you keep down there?”

  “Food that could attract animals. The builder lined the walls to keep anything from burrowing in. I store some things like clothes depending on the weather. Household goods I don’t want to freeze in the shed in the winter.”

  Emerging with milk and eggs, he switched off the flashlight and closed the door. His foot prodded the rug back into place.

  “The air down there is cold. Why isn’t it freezing in here?”

  “Ah good question. Another feature of this cabin is that the walls, floor, and ceiling are all heavily insulated.”

  “Is there anything you didn’t think of?”

  “Only one, and I just thought of it last night. I wish I had put in a queen size bed instead of a twin.”

  After situating Destiny comfortably on the floor to stretch her legs out and lavish attention on Shadow, Andrew returned to the kitchen. Food sizzled on the stove. Turning on the portable radio, Andrew searched the stations and adjusted the antenna, seeking a clear channel. A voice droned a sports report from the speaker.

  “Hopefully we haven’t missed the local weather report.” Andrew said. “We still need to get you to a doctor and the sheriff.”

  Destiny mumbled behind him. Turning, he discovered her inspecting her ankle.

  “What did you say?”

  “I said I think my ankle is much better. I should be able to walk on it in the next couple of days. It’s just bruised. I don’t need a doctor.”

  Puzzled by her expression, Andrew continued to watch her. She wouldn’t look at him, concentrating on the ankle and frowning.

  “What about the sheriff? The police can find the men who did this to you.”

  Finally lifting her head, she spoke quietly. “No. Things will be worse if the law becomes involved. I will just leave and start over where they won’t find me.”

  Before he could reply to her absurd suggestions, his attention was drawn to the radio newscast.

  “In other national news, police are still searching for the
murderer in the case of Marcus DeMont, multimillionaire and owner of the Diamond Casino in Las Vegas. Mr. DeMont’s personal assistant, Destiny Fisher, disappeared the day of the murder and is wanted for questioning in the case. DeMont’s son has offered a $30,000 reward to anyone who can lead police to the murderer. Now, for the weather in the valley area . . .”

  Andrew wasn’t listening to the weather report. Destiny’s head dropped back down, a tear rolled down her cheek.

  “Destiny Fisher? I thought you said your name was Destiny Rosen? And I thought you said it had been ruled a suicide? Now they want you for murder? That’s why you don’t want to go to the cops isn’t it? Did you kill him? What the hell is going on?”

  Still staring at her hands, she replied, “Your eggs are burning.”

  9.

  Removing the eggs from the flame, turning off the stove and the radio, Andrew kept his eyes on Destiny without leaving the kitchen. His mind raced. He was falling in love with this woman.

  He went from saving a life to harboring a fugitive, not that he had any choice.

  She couldn’t be a killer.

  Except she was.

  She did kill her uncle, even though it was in self-defense.

  So, maybe the news report was wrong and this was all a terrible mistake. Or had he made the mistake in bringing her to his cabin? Shaking his head, closing his eyes, he concentrated on the facts.

  A wounded woman is dropped on the side of the road. The kidnappers surely thought she was dead or dying. Could she have planned the whole thing? How did she get to the boulder then? There hadn’t been a car on the road that he could see. What could she gain by defrauding him? He was comfortable but certainly not wealthy. Okay, that ruled out the conspiracy theory. No one would collect life insurance if he died. Someone left her for dead. She said she was kidnapped. Feasible.

  Kidnappers think she knows too much, take her, rough her up and drop her on a mountain. Sounds like a movie, but still possible. But those eyes, and that smile. She didn’t seem to have a vicious bone in her body. She probably didn’t even step on spiders, just scooped them up in a paper cup and freed them back to nature.

  Regaining the ability to put one foot in front of the other, he moved to her side and took her in his arms. Stiffly, she did not return the embrace.

  He carefully softened his tone, “Destiny, honey, I don’t believe you killed anyone, please, just tell me what’s going on?” Destiny quickly turned her head towards him, shoving his hands away from her. Her eyes were piercing daggers. Andrew let his arms fall but did not back away.

  “You do think I killed him.” Her voice was as steely as her eyes. “If you didn’t believe that, you wouldn’t have jumped all over me with those questions.”

  Keeping his voice soft, he tried to defend his actions and calm her at the same time.

  “I was just shocked Destiny.” He paused, hoping she would listen. “Why do they think you killed him?”

  Her green eyes held a wild sheen as she stared at Andrew for a moment. Then her face twitched, her eyes moistening as though something inside her snapped. She looked away from him, wrapping herself in the security of the blanket.

  “What if I did kill him?”

  Andrew could barely hear her. Even as the words registered in his brain, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Ideas about Destiny’s role in the death of Marcus DeMont surged back. Maybe she really did kill the old man. His mind swam with thoughts and questions.

  Destiny wrestled with similar thoughts and questions. She already bared her soul to this man. He needed to know all of it, especially since she needed his help, but she wasn’t sure if anyone could help her. Andrew may be the only person in the whole world who cared about her. The only one who could save them both.

  “After I heard the news report about Marcus’ death being labeled an accident from a fall down the stairs, I had no clue what to do. I called the police and told them what I saw and they still labeled it an accident. I knew that meant Charles was still out there somewhere getting away with murder.

  “I was still lying in bed the next morning, trying to figure out what to do when that news report came on. I hadn’t slept at all that night thinking about what I could do. I figured it was just a matter of time until Charles got smart and associated me with the details of the finances.”

  She refused to look at him, drowning in her own guilt.

  “I should have gone straight to the police. I should have shown Marcus the proof at the casino so he would have had security to protect him. If I hadn’t been secretive, he would still be alive. Instead, I decided to run and hide somewhere until I could figure out what to do.

  “I dressed and got ready to leave the house when I heard a knock at the door. Before I opened it, I looked out the peephole, and Charles was standing on my front porch. I panicked and ran out the back door, right into the big guy who carried Marcus from the house. He grabbed me, put his hand over my mouth, and dragged me to a car parked next to my house.”

  Destiny gave Andrew a guilty look before focusing on the wall in front of her.

  “I know I told you they took me out of my bed, but I wasn’t sure how to tell you the truth.”

  Her face pleaded for forgiveness and Andrew gave it willingly. Hugging her to him, he stroked her hair.

  “It’s okay, I understand.”

  Searching his face for confirmation, Destiny let out a sigh of relief.

  “When the big guy got me in the car, there was another man already there. He drove the car. Charles got in the back on one side of me. The big guy, I think his name was Doug, sat on the other side of me. We drove off. The first thing Charles did was slap me across my face. He acted like a big man whenever other men were around.”

  Her voice filled with rage.

  “That little wimp never would have tried that without the others to help him. I didn’t even think. My first reaction was to hit him back, and I did. Big mistake. The big guy, Doug, pulled my arms behind me and Charles hit me again. Then he started laughing.”

  She paused, remembering the details of that night. “He didn’t look normal. He was sweating really badly and he was shaky. I think things were out of his control and he didn’t know what to do about it.”

  Resting her head on Andrew’s shoulder, her body relaxed a little, while he kept his arm around her to comfort her and waited for her to continue.

  “They drove out of Vegas, and into the middle of nowhere. That car ride lasted forever. We stopped and got gas once, but they wouldn’t let me out of the car, not even to go to the bathroom. Somewhere along the way, I fell asleep. I was completely exhausted since I hadn't slept the night before.

  “When I woke up, the car was parked in an airplane hangar. There were two small planes in it, and a big truck they used to clean the runway was parked in there too.

  “We must have just pulled in, because they were getting out and yanked me out of the car. There was no one else there, and one of them tied my hands and feet to a chair sitting in the office. Charles put a dirty rag in my mouth gagging me, and then he called his lawyer. I was sitting there and heard the whole conversation.”

  The realizations of what happened during her abduction were coming back clearly.

  “He wanted me to hear it. He told the lawyer that he was away on business and that someone had called and notified him of his father’s death. Then, Charles convinced the lawyer that it may not be a suicide and to check into my background and the financial statements of the Casino. He told the lawyer that I was Marcus’ personal assistant and that he thought I had been skimming off the company.

  “Charles went on to say he had proof that I used my position to cheat his father and that he told his father I was stealing from him. He arranged to have the lawyer check into my background, call the police and implicate me as the murderer. Charles told him this huge story about how upset his father had been when he told him I was a thief, and that his father said he would confront me with the evidence.

/>   “He even pretended he was all choked up over his father’s death when he told the lawyer he thought his dad had confronted me. I had murdered him to get away with embezzlement. Then, he offered the reward for my arrest and conviction. He made himself look innocent and made me look guilty, and my background didn’t help any.”

  Looking to Andrew for reassurance, she smiled sadly as he gave her a gentle smile and held her a little tighter.

  “As soon as we can get in touch with the sheriff, we’ll get it all straightened out,” he told her with confidence.

  Shaking her head, Destiny sat back from Andrew’s arms.

  “No! They will arrest me. I don’t know how I can prove my innocence. After all the things that Charles told that lawyer, they will never believe that I didn’t kill Marcus. And I know my fingerprints are all over that house. I was there that night. Charles took my papers. Those were my only proof. I can’t prove that I wasn’t there to kill Marcus!”

  Destiny was panicking, near hysteria.

  “Honey, calm down. Everything will be okay. Somehow, we will prove that you are innocent. I’ll get you the best attorney I can find. I’ll protect you. I won’t let any of them hurt you anymore.”

  Although he heard himself saying the words, he wasn’t so sure they could prove her innocence. The mere fact that she was dumped unconscious on the side of a remote mountain should be enough to make them go after Charles instead of her.

  His words seemed to calm her down somewhat, but the fear was still in her eyes when she looked at him. Besides fear, there was also trust in her eyes. Silently vowing to himself and her, he would keep her safe from harm and protect her with his very life if he had to.

  Unwrapping himself from her, rising to his feet, he left Destiny on the floor shaking from fear. She was in her own little world and would not miss him too much for a few minutes.

  In the kitchen, he prepared a cup of hot tea with a shot of Jim Beam to help her relax. As soon as he stood up, Shadow snuck over and stole his place next to Destiny. He put his head in her lap, but instead of just doing the required scratching of the ears, Destiny hugged the big dog tightly, burying her face in the fur around his thick neck.