Christian shook her head. Cara was right. She was wasting precious time, and she knew exactly what to do now.
*
Chacey opened the door to the restaurant and placed her hand gently on Elaine’s back, following her inside. A waiter led them to a balcony overlooking the Tennessee River. It was nice to be outside for a change. They had spent most of their time since Chacey’s arrival inside the hotel, and Chacey was eager for the fresh air and sunshine.
Elaine sat looking out over the water, her face peaceful and serene. The city lay along the shore framed by the majestic mountains towering in the background.
“What?” Elaine asked playfully.
Chacey chuckled. “It’s nice to see you so relaxed. I’d say you even look happy.”
Elaine turned to face Chacey squarely and reached across the table to take her hand. Leaning in slightly, holding Chacey’s gaze, she said, “I am happy.” Smiling broadly, she squeezed Chacey’s fingers.
The waiter returned with two tall glasses filled with an icy blue mixture.
Chacey laughed. “Oh my goodness! I haven’t had one of these in years. Remember that trip we took to the beach and you entered that karaoke contest…”
Elaine laughed. A faint buzzing noise caught Chacey’s attention and she pulled her phone from her pocket. It was Mike. She hated the intrusion and knew it would dampen Elaine’s joy. “Do you mind if I take this call? It’s my partner. He may have some new information.”
Elaine’s smile disappeared. “Okay. Go ahead. I’ll be waiting here.”
Flipping her phone open as she moved away from the table, Chacey said, “Bristol speaking.”
“I think we may have found something.” Mike’s voice sounded stern and urgent.
“What have you got, Mike?” Chacey’s heart pounded and her skin tingled with anticipation.
“We went back over the list of people known to be in the building the day Elaine Barber was shot. Based on the description you gave us, we came up with a woman by the name of Katherine Marie Waters. I read through her interview and it seems clean enough, nothing stands out. There wasn’t any connection between her and Ms. Barber other than working in the same building. She was a new employee, working as a security analyst for a company on the third floor. They were doing some restructuring of the security system, and that’s why the cameras were turned off. Most people in the building didn’t even know her since she had only been there for less than a week.”
Chacey could hardly control her excitement. They had a name. “That’s great, Mike. Where is she now?”
“That’s just the thing, Chacey, we’re tracking her down now, but it could take a while. She’s no longer in the area and didn’t give a forwarding address. But she’ll be in the system somewhere. We’ll find her.”
“Then she could be anywhere. Damn it!” Chacey cursed and began to pace the hallway outside the restroom.
“Chacey, I don’t like this. You really need to tell me where you are. If you’re in the middle of this, let me help you.” When Chacey didn’t answer, he said, “It’s me, Chace. Trust me.”
Chacey thought about her promise to Elaine. She didn’t want to do anything to pressure her or make her pull away. But now that she had Elaine back, her first priority was to keep her safe, and that meant doing her job and finding the shooter. “All right, Mike. But I want this low profile. Understand? I can’t afford to have anyone blow this.”
“I understand. I’ll see to it myself.”
*
Elaine studied Chacey as she worked her way through the crowd on her way back to the table. Her shoulders were tense and she had the look of a warrior about to go into battle—or one who carried bad news. Chacey sat in her chair and heaved a sigh.
“What is it?” Elaine asked, mentally preparing herself for the worst.
“Mike found the name of someone in the building matching the description you gave us. They’re tracking her down now, but we don’t have a current location.”
Elaine’s brow creased in frustration as she took in the information. “Well, that just leaves us at the same dead end we were at three years ago. I’ll just have to keep working and hope the hypnosis continues to give us more.” Elaine felt a little sick to her stomach, but seeing the look of frustration and despair on Chacey’s face made her want to treat everything as if it was no big deal. She had let the shooting come between them once, and she was determined not to let that happen again.
“What was the name they found?” Elaine asked suddenly. “It’s supposed to be someone I know. Perhaps I will recognize the name and be able to give you more information.”
Chacey looked hopeful. “Katherine Marie Waters.”
Elaine searched her memory for anyone in her life by that name. It definitely wasn’t one of her friends or anyone she knew from work. “I don’t know, Chacey. The name isn’t familiar to me. I know it isn’t a friend or colleague, but there’s no way I could know if she was somehow connected to one of my private clients. There could be any number of people related to clients that wouldn’t be listed in any of my files.”
“But that tells me you must have known her by some other name. Like you said, this is supposed to be someone you know. You said you were surprised to see them at your office, remember? That tells me it’s someone from your personal life or connected to your work for the FBI.”
Elaine sighed. “I’m sorry, Chacey. I want to remember. I just can’t.”
Chacey took Elaine’s hand in both of hers. “Listen to me. We’re going to figure this out. Together. Okay?”
“I know, sweetheart. I know.” Elaine pulled her hand free, taking Chacey’s hand and giving it a little squeeze. “I guess that leaves us no choice now but to enjoy our dinner. This place is so beautiful, and the day is too perfect to let this thing ruin it for us.”
Chacey smiled. “You’re right. Okay. Change of subject. You know, I’m dying to see what Willow Springs is like. I can’t believe you still haven’t taken me there.”
Elaine averted her gaze from Chacey, who chuckled at her obvious hesitation.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I understand you want to take things slow. I get it. Willow Springs has been your safe place, and I don’t want to intrude.”
Elaine shook her head. “It isn’t that you would be intruding, Chace. I’m just not ready to let go of that small bit of anonymity I have. You’re right. Willow Springs has been my safe place. It has been the only place where I’ve felt sheltered from all the fears that haunt me. It isn’t that I don’t want to share it with you, it’s just that I’m not ready to let go of the one place on earth where I can go and the world doesn’t follow.”
“It’s okay. Really, Elaine, just having you back in my life is enough. But I can’t help but be curious. We once planned to experience Willow Springs together. I haven’t forgotten.”
Elaine took in a deep breath. “What did I ever do without you?”
“You never have to figure that one out. I’m never leaving you again.”
Elaine smiled. “Well. Come to think of it, I suppose I will be needing a date for the dance.”
Chacey frowned. “What dance?”
“Oh, they have a ball every summer. I’ve always gone alone and no one will expect you. I can’t wait to see the looks on everyone’s faces when they see us together. I will be the queen of the ball.”
Chacey laughed. “That’s my girl.”
Chapter Twenty-five
Karen sat on a park bench on the river walk, peering onto the deck of the restaurant. She’d followed Chacey from the hotel when she saw her leave with Elaine Barber. At first, she’d thought about trying to follow them inside but spotted this view from the landing and knew she would be able to observe without risking being seen.
This wasn’t the first time she had followed Chacey, but this was the first time she had seen her with Elaine since the shooting. A pain began to throb in her temple. Elaine always got in the way of Chacey’s happiness. Why couldn’t s
he just go away and leave Chacey alone?
Chacey looked troubled. Karen watched her brief exchange with Elaine and saw Chacey leave the table. Elaine must have said something to upset her. Karen watched the door, but Chacey didn’t leave the building. Karen seethed as she sat staring at Elaine. Why was she back? What if Elaine had remembered?
Karen glanced around her and nervously pulled the hat she was wearing down a little lower over her eyes. No one was watching her. But why would they be? No one knew she was here, and it wasn’t like she didn’t know how to change her appearance when she didn’t want to be noticed.
She had to put a stop to this. She had to set Chacey free once and for all. And this time, she would make sure Elaine Barber didn’t come back.
*
Elaine strode into the parlor at Willow Springs at eight o’clock with the intent of gathering clothes and other things she needed to refresh. She had agreed to meet Chacey back at the hotel for breakfast in the morning.
“Good evening, Ms. Barber. It’s good to see you,” Hannah said as she climbed down from a ladder where she had been hanging decorations.
“Thank you. How are the plans for the ball going? Looks like you have everything well under way.”
Hannah grimaced. “I just don’t know how we’ll manage to get everything done by Friday. Every year I go through this, and just when I think there’s no way we’ll be ready, it’s like everything just magically happens.”
“Well, I think you do a wonderful job. You always pull through.” Elaine was smiling at the unusually disheveled look about Hannah. Her ponytail had fallen at some point and hung limp against her back, and she had a smudge of dust on her left cheek. She looked positively delightful.
“You aren’t trying to do all the work yourself, are you?” Elaine asked skeptically.
“Oh no, Alex has been helping as much as she can, and the rest of the staff are doing their parts as well. I just get a little carried away sometimes.”
Elaine became thoughtful at the mention of Alex. She hadn’t heard anything from Christian since her sudden departure. She wondered now how her friend was doing and how Alex was dealing with her sudden absence. She’d been so wrapped up in the changes going on in her own life that she hadn’t thought about anything else. The realization made her feel a little guilty—and concerned for Christian.
“Has there been any word from Christian?” Elaine asked.
Hannah sighed. “No. To be honest, I’m a little worried about her. She said she’d be returning, but we haven’t received any word at all from her.”
“How is Alex?”
Hannah glanced over her shoulder toward the ballroom. She shrugged one shoulder slightly and drew in a heavy breath. As she exhaled her shoulders seemed to slump a little. “She tries to put up a good front, but I can tell she misses her. She’s been spending a lot of time around here lately. I think she just wants to be here in case Christian returns or calls or something.”
Elaine thought of the talk she’d had with Christian before she’d left. Christian seemed in such turmoil about her feelings for Alex and her unresolved loss of her lover. Elaine knew these were complicated issues that wouldn’t be solved easily, and she hoped her friend was okay.
“Well, perhaps we will hear something soon.” Elaine looked about the familiar room, searching for the familiar face she knew she wouldn’t see. She had the odd feeling someone else had entered while they were chatting, that they were being watched. Seeing no one around, she dismissed the thought, but decided it was time to head to her room.
She loved being with Chacey at the hotel, but they’d both needed an evening apart. Chacey had some things to catch up on with work, and Elaine knew the call from the FBI earlier had her distracted. Elaine herself had been more rattled by the call than she had admitted and had wanted to retreat to the safety of Willow Springs. Now here, though, she felt a little lonely and missed the comfort of having her lover with her.
“Have I missed anything exciting while I’ve been away?”
“Nothing much. We did have a new guest arrive while you were out. She’s a little different from our usual guests, not really the outdoorsy type. She seems pretty intense. I don’t know much about her yet, and she’s mostly kept to herself so far.”
Elaine paused. “That’s odd. You usually win everyone over immediately with your sweet charm.”
Hannah stepped away from the work she was doing. “I don’t think she’s here to make friends. She made me a little nervous, to tell the truth.”
Elaine studied Hannah’s expressions as she talked. Her body language was unusually tense. Something had definitely put Hannah on edge, and that made Elaine uneasy.
“Well, I’m sure she has her reasons for being here. Just like the rest of us.” Elaine forced a smile. “I think I’ll turn in for the evening. Good luck with the decorations.”
“Oh, there was one more thing,” Hannah said, stopping Elaine as she turned to leave. “I got a weird phone call earlier.”
Elaine’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. “What kind of call?”
“Well, a woman called, asking if you were a guest here. I didn’t give her any information, of course, and explained that all client information was confidential. But then she got really upset with me and became a little confrontational. Something about the tone in her voice and her evasiveness made me uneasy.”
“Evasiveness, what do you mean?”
“Well, when I asked her name, she wouldn’t tell me who she was despite her claim that she was a friend of yours. Anyway, I thought it was something you should know about.”
A cold chill settled over Elaine, and she felt the desperate instinct to run. She drew a ragged breath and searched her mind for a plan. Trying to hide her panic, she turned to Hannah. “Thank you for letting me know about this, Hannah. I don’t know what it means, but I think it’s important. Please let me know if anything else unusual happens, anyone asking questions about me in any way. Okay?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
*
Karen relaxed in a vanilla-scented bubble bath, contemplating her evening. She had watched Elaine leaving the hotel and been pleasantly surprised that Chacey wasn’t with her. Maybe Elaine wasn’t getting inside Chacey’s head so easily, after all. Chacey only thought she loved Elaine, but Karen knew Chacey really wanted her. She’d had the sudden urge to run Elaine down with her car. But it would have been too risky. There were too many cars around, and she might have missed. There could be no more mistakes.
She’d watched Elaine get into a black sedan with a round logo on the side. It looked like a rental. She’d been about to follow Elaine when, as luck would have it, the car turned and headed straight toward her. As the car passed she’d read the logo on the door. Willow Springs Resort. She smiled, remembering the moment with satisfaction. She wouldn’t need to follow Elaine. She already knew where to go. She could stay put and focus on her real interest, Chacey.
*
This new information had shaken Elaine. She didn’t know what to think about the call. Since the shooting, she always took extra precautions to protect her privacy, especially when she was at Willow Springs. She had no friends. Christian was the only person she could think of besides Chacey who would have called her, and they both knew how to reach her. No. This didn’t feel right.
Once in her room, Elaine bolted the door and called Chacey. She couldn’t risk either of them being in danger. It was time for Chacey to come to Willow Springs.
As the phone rang, her sense of unease continued to grow and she began to pace back and forth across the floor by her bed. When Chacey answered on the third ring, Elaine was almost in a panic. “Oh, thank God, Chacey, you’re there.”
“What’s happened? Are you okay?”
“Yes, darling. I’m okay, but there’s been someone calling Willow Springs asking if I’m a guest here. Chacey, no one knows I’m here. No one should be calling for me. What does this mean?”
Chacey’s voice
was hard when she answered. “I don’t know, sweetheart, but I don’t want you alone. I need to be with you. I need to keep you safe.”
“I know. I feel the same way. I don’t want to be alone. And I don’t want you to be alone. Are you ready to come to Willow Springs?”
“Of course. I’ll come tonight.”
Elaine gave Chacey the directions to Willow Springs and then called down to let Hannah know to be expecting her. Then Elaine paced some more, anxiously waiting for Chacey to be safe in her arms.
*
Chacey made good time getting herself cleared out of the hotel and finding Willow Springs. She arrived only two hours after Elaine had called. When she entered the room, she breathlessly grabbed Elaine and squeezed her tight, needing the reassurance of touch. She stroked Elaine’s back and fought back the bile that had been seething in her stomach since Elaine’s call.
After a few moments, Chacey pulled away reluctantly and peered into Elaine’s eyes, searching for any sign of the demons that had separated them for so long. She saw only love. Chacey chuckled in relief. “Look at us. I feel like my legs are rubber. I’ve been freaked out since receiving your call. God, Elaine, I’m so glad you called. I don’t ever want to be separated from you again. Not ever.”
Elaine brushed her hand along Chacey’s jaw. “I know, sweetheart. At least we’re safe here. You can stay with me, I’ve already made the arrangements. You don’t have to worry.”
Chacey led Elaine to the small sofa, and as they sat close, their bodies cleaving to one another, Chacey wondered how she had ever existed without Elaine and how she would keep her safe.
Healing Hearts Page 19