by Ladew, Lisa
Knox jumped in the truck. "You ready?" he asked her.
"I hope so," she whispered. They'd gone to her house to pack her more clothes, and found everything in order. Bailey hadn't been back there, or shown up anywhere else either. Both of their lives seemed to be put on hold as they waited for Bailey to do something, and even though Mica had seriously enjoyed the last few days, locked up in Knox's house, alone with him for hours on end, with nothing to do but fulfill all their fantasies, she was ready to move forward.
Knox pulled away from the curb and headed for the freeway. "Roadtrip!" he yelled, making Mica giggle.
They drove in silence for several hours, light small talk the only words between them. Mica opened her window to feel the California breeze on her face, delighting as they drove through mountain passes that made it chilly, more like home. Her emotions were chaotic, tangled, and she didn't try to sort them. She just let them be. Knox seemed to understand, occasionally touching her hand or smiling at her, but not pushing her to open up.
They stopped at a Chipotle to let the dogs out and stretch their legs. They herded the dogs back into the truck and Knox promised to bring them a burrito, then they went into the restaurant. Mica placed her order, then watched as Knox ordered three burritos and two more drinks. At the table, he lined his burritos up in a precise pattern and ate them with relish, his two drinks sitting seemingly forgotten. Mica remembered her earlier decision to ask him about how he always had to have two of everything, but decided to wait until they got back in the truck. She didn't want to waste driving time.
After the dogs got a few bites of burrito, they climbed back in the truck and started back towards Oregon.
"You still do that thing where you have to buy two of something, I see." Mica said lightly. Knox had been a bit sensitive about it when she'd mentioned it ten years ago.
He glanced at her, an amused look on his face. "I do, I'm surprised it took you so long to notice."
"I noticed days ago, I just didn't say anything."
Knox laughed. "Yeah, I'm worse these days."
"Worse how?" Mica asked, relieved that he seemed to not be sensitive about it anymore.
"My house? When I bought it I had to buy another one too."
"No!" Mica breathed, laughing. "Two houses? What did you do with the other one?"
"I gave it to the 5th Street Church so they could start a shelter in it."
Mica blinked as tears filled her eyes, taking her by surprise. One thing she'd never suspected about Knox was his generosity.
"What else have you bought two of?" she said when she trusted herself to speak again.
Knox thought for a moment. "When I get clothes, I always get two of everything. When I bought this truck I got another one just like it and gave it to Phoenix. All food and drinks. Anything really. If I can't think of a way to make two of something work, I have one of my brother's buy it for me or get it for me, that way I'm not breaking my rule."
Mica turned to him, fascinated. "But why is it a rule? What will happen if you don't get two?"
Knox shrugged. "I don't know, something bad."
Mica watched him openly, trying to figure out why such a smart, successful man would have such a weird ... eccentricity.
Knox squirmed. "Hey, it's not just me, we all have some sort of a weird superstition."
"Who's we all?"
"My brothers. And my dad." He said the last word with distaste, making Mica wonder if she ever really wanted to meet Felix Rosesson.
"What do your brothers do?"
Knox held up a hand and stuck out the thumb, then the fingers, counting off each brother.
"Phoenix always does everything to the left once first, even though he's right-handed. He kicks a ball to the left, writes one word with his left hand, eats one spoonful with his left hand, even tried to always fire his first bullet from his left side until his Drill Instructors broke him of that."
"Bronx has to kiss stuff before he puts it on or uses it, like his phone, his watch, his sunglasses, his clothes."
"He kisses his shoes?!"
Knox laughed. "I don't know about his shoes. Maybe. He did when he was a kid but I know he's been trying to cut some stuff out of the ritual."
Knox held up the last finger. "And Daxton always has to touch his left testicle whenever anyone says God. Like if you say oh my God, his hand dives into his pocket. He used to do it out in the open but we trained him to cover it up by the time he got into high school."
Mica shrieked with laughter. She remembered him doing it in her kitchen!
Knox laughed a little too.
"Why? Why does he do it?" Mica asked when she could talk again, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes.
"That one I can actually answer. When Dax was little, maybe three or four, he fell out of a tree and landed on a lower branch on that testicle. He was always holding it after that, saying it hurt, even though the doctor said it was just bruised. Our nanny at the time used to pray over him every time she saw him do it, touching his head and talking about God heal him, God help him be normal and still be able to have kids. Eventually, every time he heard the word God, he touched that testicle, no matter where we were."
Mica laughed again. "I bet he's fun in church."
A trace of laughter settled into Knox's voice also. "He's never been. None of us have."
Mica looked at him sharply. "Me neither," she said.
"We should go sometime, see what all the fuss is about."
"It's a date," Mica said smiling happily. "What about your dad? What are his superstitions?"
Knox's eyes darkened, but he rubbed his chin and told her a few. "Dad's a real nutcase. He can't live or work in a house with an odd-numbered address. He sub-contracts all of his jobs that are odd-numbered. He won't let you set an odd number of chairs for dinner, or for a wedding or barbeque. If he shows up somewhere and there's an odd number of anything that he can see right away, he just leaves, no matter what. Oh, and he always signs a cross in the air when someone mentions the number thirteen, but he does it backwards. Instead of against his chest he does it out in the air. He won't ever say thirteen. If he has to he'll say the number between twelve and fourteen."
Mica's eyes went wide. She and Knox fell silent as Mica thought about what Knox had said and wondered how his father, with all his many hangups had become so successful. It made her look at Knox in a new light, amazed that he was so well-rounded and down to earth. His superstition seemed minor compared to his fathers.
The rest of the trip that day passed quietly, as Knox seemed to be lost in his thoughts too.
They drove an extra two hours and found a hotel that would accept the dogs easily, with just a small pet deposit. Mica and Knox slept spooned in each other's arms, only making slow, soft love once before falling asleep.
Chapter XX
Mica
Mica woke early, as soon as the first morning light filtered into the hotel room. As she moved, Knox came awake also, sitting up and placing a calming hand on her hip.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"I'm not sure," Mica said, jumping out of the bed to pull on her clothes. "Nervous, I know that."
Knox nodded as if he understood, and Mica thought he probably did.
They grabbed breakfast for themselves, fed the dogs, and got back on the road, the three hours of driving they had left seeming daunting to Mica.
She wondered what Paul Banning would be like and if he knew where her father was. It seemed likely that in a few hours she would at least know her father's name.
She allowed herself a short fantasy of a welcoming Paul Banning, giving her pictures of her mom and her mom's family, and maybe even having a few pictures of her when she was a baby. Mica had nothing like that, all of her pictures had been left at Bailey's place.
As they drew close and the GPS called out the last mile's instructions, Mica felt her apprehension grow. She had promised her mother she would never do what she was now doing. Her mother must hav
e had a reason.
Knox turned into the driveway of the small house that belonged to Paul Banning, stopping at the closed gate. Mica stared at the white walls and black door, the curtained windows, and the immaculate yard. She could tell nothing about the man inside by the way the place looked, except that he was neat.
Knox jumped out and opened the gate, driving right through. He parked the truck and looked at Mica.
"Here we go," he said.
Mica nodded, her eyes still on the house.
Knox rolled down the windows for the dogs and told them to stay, then he jumped down out of the truck and went around to the other side to get Mica.
Mica was glad he was there. She felt her knees tremble as she tried to stand and she leaned heavily on Knox. She never would have had the courage to do this without him.
She squeezed his hand and he squeezed back, then they started towards the door.
Knox knocked and they waited. Not one noise stirred from inside.
Knox knocked again, but again no one answered. Mica felt disappointment course through her. She didn't want to have to come back later. Didn't want to have to find the courage for this a second time.
"He's in there," Knox said.
"How can you tell?"
"Just feel. Can't you feel his presence on the other side of the door? Listening to us?"
Mica went still, barely breathing, trying to feel what Knox felt, but she couldn't tell if she felt anything at all. She believed Knox though.
"Mr. Banning," she called, softly at first, then raising her voice to be heard through the door.
"M-my name is Marjorie Scott. My mother was Marylyn Scott, your niece. She's dead now, has been for a long time. I wouldn't have bothered you but a man named Dick Bailey has, ah, well, he's tried to kill me twice in the last week. I need your help finding my father because we think he might know where Bailey is."
Mica felt something then. A kind of panic in the air that she knew wasn't coming from her or Knox.
Knox nodded at her and gave her a patient smile. She'd done good. Now they would wait.
A click on the other side of the door startled Mica, and she stepped back as the door swung open.
On the other side, a man in a wheelchair stared at them, apprehension on his face. He looked to be about sixty. Mica's gaze traveled over him, taking him in. His hair was short and graying, and a certain set of his faded blue eyes made her think he did resemble her mother and her, at least a little.
"Come on in, then," Banning said, wheeling away from the door.
Knox held out an arm, keeping Mica in one spot. "Thank you for letting us in Mr. Banning, and I hope you don't mind, but we're a bit gun-shy after Bailey has almost gotten to Mica twice. He's a tricky bastard. You mind if I have a look around your place, make sure he's not here?"
Banning turned his chair smartly to face them. "I ain't seen Dick Bailey in ten years, but you go ahead mister. You look around if it makes you happy."
"I got dogs in the car, you mind if they come in? They'd sniff him out better than I could."
Banning eyed Knox and Mica held her breath. She would feel better with the dogs in here, but she didn't want to do anything that would make her great-uncle less likely to talk to them either.
Banning nodded. "Bring 'em in. Me and dogs get along just fine."
Knox nodded and pulled Mica with him back to the truck. He opened the door and the dogs were out in a second. He brought them in to the small house and introduced them to Banning, then told Lulu to sit next to Mica while he took Tiny through the house.
Mica stood just inside the doorway, looking around Paul Banning's house. She didn't see one picture. There was nothing on the walls but a clock. The house itself was neat, with only one couch and a TV in the living room, the small adjoining kitchen sitting silent and dark.
When Knox returned and nodded to Mica, he told the dogs they could rest. Lulu immediately went to Banning and put her head in his lap. Tiny lay down at his feet. Mica relaxed a bit. If the dogs liked him, he had to be a decent guy.
Banning looked at Knox. "Grab me a beer out of the fridge, young man. I don't get company much, but you'll find a few juices in there somewhere too."
Knox walked to the fridge and took out a beer for Banning, throwing Mica a questioning look. She shook her head. Knox brought the beer out and placed it in Banning's hand, then stood next to Mica, lending her his strength.
"Sit please," Banning said, motioning to the small, unused couch.
They sat. Mica stared at the man, not sure what to say now that she was here. He stared back at her, his face blank.
Knox spoke for her. "Mr. Banning, would you happen to know where Marjorie's father is?"
Banning just stared, rubbing the dog's head silently. Finally he spoke. "I can't say as I do," he said slowly. "I have a feeling he doesn't want to be found. Why is it that you think he can help you, anyway?"
Knox looked at Mica, and she understood it was up to her, how much she wanted to share.
Mica thought about it and decided on everything.
"Bailey said something to me that didn't make any sense. He said my father paid him money that had something to do with me. We thought if we found my father, maybe he would have some idea where Bailey might be hiding out, or what his plans are." She stopped talking, then pushed out the last little bit. "And I want to know why he paid Bailey money."
Banning didn't respond. Mica watched his face for some sense that he knew how important this was, but it remained impassive, stoic.
Mica felt her hopes fall down around her feet. This man wasn't going to tell them anything!
Knox spoke up. "Can you give us his name, then? We'll find him ourselves."
Banning sat quietly, his hands still on Lulu's head. Mica sensed a new tension in his shoulders that hadn't been there before. Lulu shifted and licked his hand. Mica's hope returned, as she realized Banning was wrestling with something. Mica pressed her knees together hard and prayed he would help them.
After several long, tense moments, Banning spoke again. "Let me tell you a little story 'bout your pa. He's done a lot of things he regretted in his life, and he's tried to make up for them as best he can, but some things are too big to be rectified, no matter what, and he knows that. He could try his whole life and never make this thing better, never make it right, so that's why he went into hiding."
Mica shook her head, wanting to say that almost anything could be made right. Nothing was unforgiveable, was it?
Banning held up a hand, silencing her with a gesture. "Your pa raped your ma."
Mica's world spun dangerously. Rape. She'd been a result of rape. Her mother had been raped. Knox stiffened next to her and pulled her under his arm, his eyes never leaving Banning.
Lulu whined at the tension in the room and left Banning, going to Mica, sitting on Mica's feet, trying to climb up into her lap.
Mica welcomed the big dog, opened her arms wide. Lulu climbed on to her lap and Mica put an arm around her, crying silently into the dog's fur.
"He feels sorry for it now, sorry like crazy, see he had one of them 'piphanies a few years back after an accident, figuring out all the things he did wrong, but he can't change it, and that's why he don't want to see you, not ever. He knows you can't forgive him. He doesn't want you to try. And that's why I can't give you his name. Wouldn't be right. If you want to go on out of here, go back home, I'll see if I can get ahold of him, pass on your concerns. If I can, I'll call you and tell you what he says."
Knox stood up, pulling out of Mica's grasp.
"Tell the fucking truth, old man, spill it right now," he growled, his voice tight and mean.
Mica picked her head up from Lulu's fur and looked at Knox. His eyes were locked on Banning. Mica looked at Banning and saw fear and resignation there, as he and Knox stared each other down.
Several tense minutes passed as Mica tried to figure out what was going on.
Finally, Banning nodded at Knox and looked at Mica
. "Your feller here figured me out. So I guess I'll come clean. I'm your father, Marjorie."
Mica saw the edges of her vision blacken and she tightened her hold on the dog's fur.
How she wished she had listened to her mother and never sought out her father.
<<<< >>>>
Author's note: I had hoped to finish Mica and Knox's story with this book but there just was no way. There is *sooo* much more to tell.
I HOPE I can fit it all into one more book. I am shooting for November 30th to release that one. It will be longer than these other ones have been, at least twice as long.
After that, I will write a prequel, the train story!! It will be free eventually, so if you see it at .99, just wait a day or two for me to announce it as free.
A note about shorter books and serial format! I have decided I won't be doing it like this again. I like the way Heat and Hide Me are set up, with each book being a longer, complete story, then a cliffhanger to the next story. The only way I'll split a story up again is if it just gets too long. I do like thinking up cliffhangers, though!! Sorry!!
Thanks for reading this far. I'd love to hear what you think of it! Lisa
p.s. I started an author's group with two friends, Adele Huxley and Jamie Garrett. Please consider joining us. There's lots of hot man candy pictures and fun discussions. It's called Books, Babes, and Badasses.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/booksbabesandbadasses/