1. Weekend Warriors

by Fern Michaels

  “Does everyone have a laptop?”

  Myra nodded. “Top of the line, according to Charles. He managed somehow to get what he calls a secure line. It’s a line that no one can bug. That means listen in on, dear. I believe they have them in all the big government buildings. It’s in case the girls have to call in. From a pay phone, of course. Although Charles did give them some kind of new cell phones. He held a class yesterday for two hours teaching them how to use it. It was all Greek to me.”

  “After I shower, I’ll volunteer my services. Are you wishing your case was first, Myra?”

  “I have to be realistic, dear. The man’s embassy returned him to China. There are billions of people in China. We could never touch him over there.”

  “That’s what you think. Myra, the man comes from an influential family. If Charles hasn’t already done it, he can get on the information highway and pull him up, in I’d say no less than thirty minutes. I always wanted to see China,” Nikki smiled.

  “Are you saying we won’t have to wait for him to return here at some point in time?”

  “That’s what I’m saying, Myra.”

  “They never let you out of those Chinese prisons,” Myra said.

  “First you have to be caught and be in a prison,” Nikki said smugly. “That won’t happen. Yoko speaks Chinese. Fluently. Kathryn speaks Chinese and seven other languages. She told me she and her husband used to listen to the Berlitz tapes while on the road. She could brush up and be as fluent as Yoko when your time comes. She’s also a brown belt. So is Yoko. Alexis can make us all look oriental. The possibilities are endless. Now, you have something to think about and plan while we’re on the road or involved in a case.” She gave her a quick hug. “I’m going to take my shower now.”

  Myra beamed, her eyes sparkling. “Nikki, Jack is so unworthy of you.”

  “Tell that to my heart, Myra. From lovers to adversaries.” She shrugged.

  “You always tell me everything happens for a reason, Nikki.”

  Nikki carried her cup to the sink. “Myra, is there any way, any way at all, that Jack Emery can find Marie Lewellen and her family?”

  “Absolutely none, dear. He will have to get his notoriety from some other case.”

  “And they are going to earn a living…how?”

  “Marie is going to make quilts. She does lovely work. Handmade quilts are outrageously expensive, as you know. Mr. Lewellen is going to make Shaker furniture and sell it on the Internet. He is so detail-oriented. He does magnificent work.”

  Nikki burst out laughing. “And you’re going to buy it all up, is that it?”

  “Only in the beginning until they get established. I’ll donate them all to the church bazaar at Christmastime,” Myra smiled.

  “I love you, Myra Rutledge,” Nikki called over her shoulder as she made her way upstairs.

  “And I love you, too, dear,” Myra called after her.

  Ten days later, the eighteen-wheeler gobbled up the miles on the interstate as Kathryn Lucas and Yoko Akia sat in companionable silence, the Belgian Malinois nestled between them. They spoke from time to time about the highway, the miles to a gallon the rig got, the scenery and the different loads of merchandise she had transported over the years.

  They’d been on the road for two days and still hadn’t discussed what had transpired back in Virginia or what would transpire once they got to California.

  “We’re going to stop at the next road stop, Yoko. Fish some money out of that shoebox. I’ll need to fill up and it’s time to eat. Remember now, don’t do anything to call attention to yourself. This is a straight, legitimate run but we still don’t want to give anyone anything to remember.”

  “I understand, Kathryn. Three hundred dollars should be sufficient,” she said, reaching for the Ferragamo shoebox. She snapped the rubber band back into place and set the box back on the floor. She settled her baseball cap, a gift from Kathryn, more firmly on her head. She looked like a child of thirteen when in fact she was thirty-six.

  “Are you going to keep driving, Kathryn? It must be very lonely for you with no one to talk to. I understand you talk to Murphy but he does not answer you back.”

  “It is lonely. I’ve been thinking about a lot of things but I’m so in debt I have to keep doing this. If I live to be a hundred, I’m not sure I can ever get caught up. Alan’s medical bills were in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. If I don’t drive, I don’t know what I’d do. I can’t see myself sitting in some engineering office working on something I probably wouldn’t like. I’ve been on the road and in the open too long. They’d probably fire me after the first week, if I lasted that long.”

  Yoko stared out the window. “What state are we in again?”

  “Kansas. We’ll be bypassing Oakley soon. There’s a decent stop ahead and the food is pretty good. They don’t have rice, though, Yoko, and they aren’t big on fresh vegetables.”

  “It is all right, Kathryn. When in Rome…” she giggled.

  “You were so worried about being away the other day. How did you manage the time with the nursery? Who’s going to take care of it?”

  “A family friend. My husband is in California. I hope I do not run into him. He is a cinematographer. A very good one. I, too, am fond of the camera but the nursery pays the bills. I like working with the earth, with flowers and vegetables. I told my husband a fib. No, it was an outright lie. I said I had family matters to take care of and he would see me when I finished my business. When I thought about it, I realized it was not a lie. One day it will be my turn to avenge my mother but in order to do that I must be patient and help those who go before me. My husband is very modern in his thinking. He wants me to have my life, my space. We talked about this very much. Many times. It is I who worry. I will not let you down.”

  “We got off to a rocky start that first day. I’m sorry.” Kathryn reached across to pat Yoko’s arm.

  “I understand. We were all jittery, not knowing what to expect.”

  “What we did, what we more or less expected, did it turn out the way you wanted? I guess that’s what I’m trying to say.” Kathryn said.

  “I think so. I think each of us wanted our case to be first. I am content to wait my turn. I see now how things will work. Charles appears to have all the right connections. He must have been a very powerful man when he was in service to the Queen. I’m happy that you were chosen first, Kathryn. You have carried too many things too long on your shoulders.”

  “But you don’t approve of the punishment.” It was more of a question than a statement.

  “I’ve had time to think about it and sleep on it. I now agree. However, I think the others are wrong about the men only going after you because the circumstances just happened to be right that night. I think those men have done this many times before. I think they feel confident enough, macho enough, to believe they won’t get caught. And they haven’t been caught. Until now. I think I will be proved right.”

  Kathryn concentrated on the overhead signs on the interstate. “That doesn’t make me feel any better, Yoko. Nothing will make me feel better until those bastards get what they deserve.”

  “It will happen. We must stay calm, centered. You know that from your martial arts teachings. I like this truck,” she said suddenly.

  “I can teach you to drive it when this is all over if you like,” Kathryn smiled.

  “My legs are far too short. I am content to ride…lookout.”

  “Shotgun,” Kathryn laughed. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Yoko scratching Murphy behind his ears. The big dog was in seventh heaven with all the attention he was receiving.

  “Do you think your dog is starting to like me, Kathryn?”

  “Yep. Show Yoko how much you like her, Murphy.” The Malinois wiggled around, placed his front paws on her lap, and barked for her to lower her head so he could lick her chin. “Okay, you’re his bud now. It’s comforting to know there’s someone, even if it’s an animal, who will protect you
with their life. If I tell you something, Yoko, will you promise never to tell anyone? You have to swear to me.”

  Yoko looked across at Kathryn, noticed the grim set of her jaw, the white knuckles on the steering wheel, the stiff set of her shoulders. “I swear,” she said solemnly.

  “I’m afraid. Every time I get in this truck, I’m afraid. I’m afraid to fall asleep for fear someone will break in and attack me. I’m afraid to go to strange places. I’m afraid of everything. I tried to put up a good front for Alan, but he knew. He did everything he could humanly do in his condition to help me but it wasn’t enough. I tried to be so strong and so tough but it was all an act. I bluster, I say outrageous things just to get me over the bad moments.”

  “I know that. We Chinese are an intuitive lot, you know.”

  “So I’ve heard. I’m turning off here. This place is called Sam Slick’s Truck Stop. There is no Sam but there is a Samantha. Everyone calls her Sam. She owns the joint. Nice lady. A little hard around the edges but she’s good people. Good food, too. She likes to deck out in diamonds and spandex. Beats the hell out of me how she’s never been robbed. Course she could be lying by saying they’re diamonds when they’re really zircons, but who cares. She says she likes to sparkle for the drivers. You’ll like her, she’s a hoot. The best part, though, is she’s got clean showers and bathrooms. That counts when you’re on the road. I’ll gas up and meet you in the shower, okay?”

  “Okay, Kathryn.”

  An hour and a half later, Kathryn slid into the booth across from Yoko. “What looks good today?”

  “Actually everything sounds good.” She pointed to the chalkboard over the cash register.

  “Kathryn, long time no see,” a pretty waitress with rough, red hands said.

  “Hi Penny. Yes, it’s been a while. How’s everything? Did you get married?”

  “No,” the waitress sighed. “One of these days. Sam’s out back. She’ll be real happy to see you. Now, what can I get you?”

  “I’ll have the fried chicken, mashed potatoes, carrots, French dressing on my salad and cherry pie for dessert. Coffee of course, and I need an order to go for my dog. Three hamburger steaks, double order of carrots, and a cherry pie. Two bottles of water and fill our thermoses.”

  “Miss, what will you have?”

  “I’ll have the carrots and string beans. Cherry pie, apple pie and chocolate cake. Ice cream on all three. Coffee, too,” Yoko said.

  “Whoa, little lady, that’s some dinner. Did you ever hear of the three food groups?”

  “Yes, but I do not care for them. Thank you, my order stands.”

  Kathryn was finishing her pie when she felt a poke to her shoulder. “Move over, sister. Hey, hey, what’s the matter? You turned white as a ghost. It’s me, Sam. Sorry, kid, I didn’t mean to spook you.”

  “You didn’t, Sam. I guess my mind was somewhere else. Sam, this is Yoko. She’s riding as far as San Fran with me. It’s good to see you.

  ”Sam Slick was as flashy as her neon establishment. Today she wore her waist-long hair piled high on her head with little ringlets cascading around her ears and down her back. Diamonds winked in her ears. Not just one but three to each lobe. Alan always said she put her makeup on with a trowel. He was probably right. She had a perfect smile and beautiful teeth that glistened when she talked.

  Sam wiggled inside the lemon-yellow spandex dress that was two sizes too small. “We were just talking about you not long ago, Kathryn. Haven’t seen you in a while and then one of the boys told me about Alan. I’m real sorry, kid. I didn’t know. I would have sent flowers but none of us knew where…where you were when it happened. The boys took up a collection. Yeah, yeah, they did. They wanted to, Kathryn. All the girls kicked in, too. You okay, kid?”

  “No. It’s hard, Sam. Alan was part of me. Now I have a dog. It’s not the same.”

  “Of course it isn’t the same. I felt like that when Beau passed on. Life didn’t have any meaning for a long time, but time has a way of taking care of everything. I know you don’t believe that right now, but in time you will. Let me get that collection for you. I’ve been keeping it in the safe all this time.”

  “I see what you mean about her being a nice lady,” Yoko said.

  “Salt of the earth. Did you see those diamonds on her hands?”

  “I felt like putting my sunglasses on,” Yoko giggled.

  “Here you go, kid,” Sam said, holding out a shoebox that said Pappagalo on the side. “We collected over ten grand. You’re not going to bawl and embarrass me, are you, Kathryn? If you start howling then I’m going to howl, and I don’t feel like gluing on these eyelashes again much less applying my makeup all over again.”

  Kathryn struggled for the words but her tongue felt too thick in her mouth. “I didn’t have enough money for flowers and I had to put his funeral on tick. Will you thank everyone for me?”

  “No. You just get on that CB and thank them yourself. Listen to me, kid, don’t ever be too proud to ask for help. You should have called me.”

  Tears burned Kathryn’s eyes. “I wish I had called you. No one came to the funeral except me and a local trucker named Carl Manning. Maybe it was better that way. Thanks, Sam.”

  “My pleasure, kid. Drive with the angels. You hear.”

  “I hear ya, Sam.”

  “Grab the food, Yoko, while I pay the bill. Leave the waitress twenty bucks. She has to hustle here and she’s trying to put two kids through college.”

  Kathryn paid the bill, fed Murphy, and then walked him.

  They were back on the highway in less than thirty minutes.

  Fifty-two hours later, with catnaps of an hour or so along the way, Kathryn pulled the rig alongside the loading dock of the Home Depot. While her cargo was being unloaded she used the CB to call the dispatcher at the wholesale produce mart. “Vernon, this is Kathryn Lucas. Listen, I’m sorry but I can’t take that load of carrots to Denver for you. My husband passed away and I need to get away for a few days. I’m going to park the rig and get a flight to someplace where I don’t know anyone. Four, five days, I’m not sure. I can take some lettuce that way if you want when I get back. If you don’t have anything for me on my return, I’ll just head on home on empty. I appreciate your condolences, Vernon. Thanks. I’ll call you the minute I get off the plane.”

  “Now what?”

  “Now we head for Los Angeles and the motel to wait for the others. Call Myra and tell her we’re right on schedule. Find out if everyone else will be on time. I really need to get some sleep. I can’t wait to fill the tub and take a good long bubble bath. We have to find a laundromat once we check in. Sometimes motels have a facility but just as often they don’t. I suppose we could buy some clothes. We certainly have enough money to do that.”

  “I can take care of all that while you sleep, Kathryn. I will call Myra now.”

  “Be careful what you say. Just generalities. She’ll get the drift. We can’t be too careful.”

  “Myra, it is Yoko. How are you? We’re fine. A little tired. And the others? That’s nice to hear. I hope you’re well. The weather is very nice. I’ll call again when we both have more time. Goodbye.

  “She said everything is whirring. I have to assume she meant everything is in motion and we’re all on schedule. It’s just a matter of days now, Kathryn. Tell me something, if you could have anything you wanted right now, what would you wish for?” Yoko asked.

  “A little cottage somewhere near the water. Maybe a lake or the ocean. A couple of acres so I had some privacy and Murphy could run. A house with a front porch with rocking chairs. A nice kitchen you could eat in. Modern appliances. A pretty bathroom with flowered wallpaper. A walk-in closet. I’d like one of those canopy beds with white lace. I’d like one of those big televisions and a chair that would hold both Murphy and me while we watch it.

  “I saw some dishes once in a catalog that had tiny little bluebells on them. They were so delicate and so pretty. I’d like to eat off dishes like t
hat instead of Styrofoam. I want big, fluffy pink towels with my initials on them so I know they belong to me. I’d like some bookshelves with lots and lots of books to read on cold winter nights. A fireplace, of course. I’d want a stack of cherrywood because it smells nice when it burns. I want to learn to cook and bake. I love looking at the pictures in cookbooks.”

  Kathryn laughed ruefully. “Since I’ll be around eighty when I get out of debt, I doubt I’ll ever get a house like that. It’s okay to dream, though. I know how Alexis must have felt when she had to sell off her house to pay her legal bills. She told me she owes over two hundred grand in legal bills. I’m right up there with her.”

  “I think it’s a wonderful dream, Kathryn. I hope it happens for you someday.”

  “I hope so, too. If it doesn’t, my life won’t be ruined. I’m going to get on the CB now and thank all my friends for the…you know. Go to sleep, Yoko. You look as tired as I feel.”

  “That’s a very good idea, Kathryn.”

  Kathryn brushed at her eyes as she reached for the CB. “Hey you guys, this is Big Sis. Anyone out there?”

  Chapter Eight

  March 2000

  The room Myra called the sunroom was a beautiful room. It was an addition she’d added to the old farmhouse the year Barbara and Nikki turned thirteen. The year when sleep-overs, scout meetings, and parties took up both days of the weekends.

  The sunroom was always both girl’s favorite room in the entire house. They did their homework at back-to-back desks listening to loud music while the television blared in the corner. Back then there had been a litter box in one corner and a dog bed in another corner. More often than not, Sophie and Bennie could be found snuggled together in the tufted dog bed. Both were gone now, dying of old age. Irreplaceable, Myra had elected to forego animals in her life because it was too painful when they passed on.

  The room was alive with luscious green plants and tall, bushy ficus trees that somehow had managed to survive her two-year hiatus in the nether world. Charles had seen to everything, making sure he fed the plants, trimmed them back and watered them faithfully because he knew how much Myra loved the room.