Aboard the Wishing Star

by Debra Parmley

  Maybe she could find one of those places that bought and sold used furniture and arrange for someone to come out and buy it all. She'd pack what she wanted to keep and move to Florida to start a new life.

  The waitress set her juice down.

  Even if it means I end up waiting tables, I have to get out of here. This is not my home any more.

  *****

  Nate's phone rang and he answered it, cutting off the first ring.

  "Kara. Where are you? Are you okay, babe?

  "Yes, I'm okay." Her voiced sounded tiny and tired. "It's so good to hear your voice." She was nearly crying now. "My phone broke and I couldn't--"

  "Sweetheart, where are you?" He hated to cut her off, but he needed to know where she was and that she was safe.

  "I'm at the cell phone store, but I can't stay here. He might find me."

  "You just keep staying on the line, sweet." He swallowed as the image of her trusting eyes looking up at him while she faced her fears came back to him. He'd give anything to have her gazing at him right now, close to him where he could protect her. "Just keep talking babe, tell me where you are and where you are going. I'll find you."

  "Okay, I will." Again that small sounding voice.

  "You're doing great, Kara, what street are you on now? I'll put it into my GPS."

  "You're in Ohio?"

  "Yes. Now where are you?"

  "I'm getting on the bus now. It will move too fast for GPS."

  "Kara..."

  "I'm going to the main library. Back to the library. It's big and full of people. It's on Grant. I'll stay near the front desk where the librarians are."

  "Okay, babe. I'll find you." He found the library on his GPS and turned the truck around. "Just stay on the line, sweetheart."

  "Yes, Nate."

  "Tell me what's happened since you got home. Everything you can think of. I'll put you on speaker phone and keep listening."

  *****

  She watched the front doors of the library and then she saw him.

  Nate.

  Her heart lurched.

  He was only a few feet away moving toward the door with strong purposeful strides. She hurried out the door and then he saw her.

  His eyes riveted her to the spot. Everything around her took on a clean brightness that had nothing to do with the snow. Suddenly she no longer felt the cold.

  Nate is here. Now everything will be all right.

  Kara hurried toward him and in one forward motion she fell into his arms. She wound her arms inside his jacket and around his back, searching for his warmth, his strength. Wanting to be held as she'd never been held before.

  His arms closed around her, pulling her to him, holding her close, lifting her off the ground until only her toes touched before letting her back down softly.

  She burrowed her nose into his neck inhaling his scent. He was so warm, so solid, and so very strong.

  "Kara," he breathed into her hair. "Thank God you're safe."

  Safe. Yes, safe. That thing she longed for that seemed always to be out of reach.

  "I'm glad you're here," she mumbled and her breath bounced back off the side of his neck, along with the heat radiating from his body. She felt the movement of his breathing as her body settled into a rhythm to match his. His scent filled her senses.

  Kara closed her eyes. Safe. She'd be safe now. As long as Nate stayed with her, but how long would that be?

  He was here now. That was what mattered. She wouldn't think about tomorrow or if something would take him from her. Now was all that mattered.

  Nate kissed the top of her head and caressed the side of her face with one strong warm hand. "I was so worried about you."

  The soft brushing of his thumb against her cheek made Kara close her eyes. She turned her face up toward his and looked into his shining eyes, which gazed down at her with such intensity. How shiny his eyes were, as if they held tears.

  "I didn't think you ever worried."

  Nate blinked the moisture away and squeezed her close to his side with the arm that remained around her waist. "Come on." He pointed with his other hand. The truck is over there."

  They turned and he kept his arm around her as if unwilling to let her go, even for a minute. She matched her pace to his as they crossed the parking lot.

  Nate unlocked the truck and helped her inside.

  As he hurried around to open his door, she wondered if he'd driven all night to get here. He must've received her message. He'd come all this way just for her.

  Nate climbed in and started the truck. He cranked up the heat and she turned to him, tears welling in her eyes. Her chest felt as if it would burst. "I still can't believe you're here."

  "Believe it, Kara. You're safe now." He riveted his concerned gaze on her face for several seconds before inspecting her from head to toe. His voice broke with huskiness. "Are you cold?"

  "Not anymore."

  His hand reached out to cover hers on the bench seat. He grinned that slow grin that melted her heart and made her toes want to curl.

  "I'm glad you're all right." His voice wrapped around her like a warm blanket as he squeezed her hand.

  Kara sighed and leaned back against the seat. There was no place in the world she'd rather be than right here next to him.

  He released her hand to drive and once out of the parking lot he glanced at her again. "Are you hungry?"

  Kara couldn't tear her gaze from his profile. No one ever looked better to her than Nate did right now. Her eyes drank him up and her breath caught in her lungs as it hit her. She'd lost her heart to this man. She loved him and she'd follow him anywhere. She'd fallen so hard she might never recover if anything took him from her.

  His deep-timbered voice resonated in her ears, and his eyes held so much feeling.

  A warm glow settled over Kara as the heat from the truck mingled with the heat his words created in her.

  A part of her wanted to revel in the love she felt for him, but her feelings were too intense. It was dangerous to love like this, so completely. She'd loved Neil, but not with this depth of feeling. She'd never felt this out of control. Ready to pack a bag and follow a man she'd only known for a week. If losing Neil had devastated her, what would losing Nate do to her?

  How did she know some crazed gunman wouldn't shoot Nate when he was doing something ordinary like pumping gas? How did she know he wouldn't die tomorrow in some horrible diving accident?

  She closed her eyes and leaned into the seat, trying to will away her fears. She wanted to be safe, happy and with Nate. She wanted a safe, normal life.

  Now he was here. He came all the way to Ohio for her just when she needed him most. Could it mean they had a future together? Dared she hope for that?

  It was her greatest wish of all that they'd be together until they grew old.

  How fast she'd fallen for him. So fast it scared her. She wanted this so much.

  When the truck came to a stop and Nate turned off the engine, Kara opened her eyes.

  His gaze was soft. "I thought you were asleep."

  "No. Just thinking."

  His warm hand closed over hers as his eyes examined her as if searching for something. "Sweetheart, are you really all right?"

  She nodded, wanting to cry at his endearment and the concern in his voice. This wouldn't last. It couldn't. Nothing lasted. Her emotions had been all over the place from the moment she reached the airport. Beneath his warm gaze they now started to settle.

  "Then we'd better get you inside where it's warm." Nate slipped out of the truck and came around to open her door. She watched him through the truck windows, unable to take her eyes off of him. How many more days would they have together before he went away?

  He opened her door and held out his hand as he tipped his head, assessing her. "You have such a serious look on your face."

  She put her hand in his warm palm and he helped her down with the other hand on her waist.

  "Careful, there's a slick spot." He held he
r elbow as she stepped to the sidewalk. He pulled her around to face him and pulled her close. His eyes gazed down into hers.

  She moistened her suddenly dry lips with her tongue, almost without realizing it.

  He looked into her eyes for a moment then bent toward her and she knew he'd kiss her. Her breath caught and her lips parted as she waited for his kiss.

  His lips brushed hers gently before he murmured, "I've missed you, Kara."

  Her knees weakened.

  "I couldn't stand the thought of anything happening to you."

  Kara knew the feeling. She felt the exact same way about him.

  Back inside her house, Nate settled beside Kara, linking his fingers through hers. His thumb rubbed circles on her palm.

  Kara closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the couch. If only they could stay here like this. She was warm, relaxed, and with each circle of his thumb a tiny bit more of her came alive. She lay with her eyes closed and thought; soon he'll kiss me again. And I'd like that, if only I wasn't so tired.

  *****

  Kara awoke on the couch and sat up.

  Nate stood up from the recliner and rolled his neck.

  "How long have I been asleep?"

  "A while. But you needed it."

  "Sweetheart, I'm going to pick up some equipment and then go over your house to look for bugs." He held out his palm. "I've already found one."

  She peered at the strange object. "It's so small."

  "Yep."

  "Where was it?"

  "Right under this lamp."

  "Nate, this is really frightening." She stood. "Can I come with you?"

  "I'm not leaving you here by yourself."

  *****

  The feeling he was being followed nudged Nate.

  He glanced in the rear view mirror and decided to test the driver in the small, brown car that followed each lane change and exit he took. He pulled off the highway and into a gas station despite having a half tank of gas.

  "What are you doing?" Kara asked.

  "Thought that car might be following us."

  The brown car pulled into the gas station across the street.

  Nate's eyes narrowed as he drove away and the brown car kept going down the street in the opposite direction.

  Too late, pal. It's easy to spot the pattern if you know what to look for.

  "Was it?"

  "Nothing to worry about, sweetheart. Let's go check out your house."

  Nate pulled into the drive, then he got out and opened Kara's door. He'd be on guard but would downplay this to Kara.

  She'd been scared enough.

  He wasn't going to be the cause of scaring her further.

  Once inside the house, Nate went over each room thoroughly, checking for bugs and cameras. Each time Nate found another piece of surveillance equipment, he cursed. Her computer was compromised and there were cameras in the kitchen and bathroom. But her bedroom was worse.

  Kara stood in the doorway of the bedroom with her arms wrapped around herself, her face pale beneath her tan, her eyes wide.

  Nate wanted to throw something or better yet, pound the life out of Daryl. Still the sight of her helped him control his rage toward the man.

  "I can't stay here," she said. "I don't ever want to sleep here again."

  He quietly said, "You won't have to."

  Relief flooded her face.

  "This is serious. It's time to call in the police."

  *****

  Daryl threw the remote control across the room where it hit the wall, breaking before it fell to the floor. He made fists as he stared at the blank TV screens.

  Nate had found every piece of expensive equipment Daryl had installed in Kara's house. Rage built as the cameras went blank one by one.

  He knocked over a lamp, breaking it before he gained control again, pushing his anger back down.

  Soon he'd have Kara. She'd regret running to another man.

  He liked her scared, but she was supposed to run to him. All the time he'd invested in her, being a friend after her husband died. All wasted now, because she'd run from him and no longer trusted him.

  He placed a tape in the VCR, hit play. He reached under the pillow for the pair of panties he'd stolen out of Kara's dirty laundry then brought them to his nose and inhaled sharply, filling his nostrils with her scent as he watched her naked image on the screen, and began to touch himself with his other hand.

  The thought of what he'd soon do to her filled him with excitement and painful anticipation. Soon she'd be the one feeling pain. Then he'd do as he wanted with her. How dare she run from him? She was his.

  His anger built but he found a different kind of release.

  *****

  Nate kept watch in the rear view mirror for the car that had followed them earlier but saw no sign of it. The police had finished at Kara's house and Nate was taking her to a large hotel, one with security.

  Her stomach growled.

  "Sounds like we'd better get something to eat first," he said.

  "Can we order room service? I just want to stay in."

  "Anything you'd like."

  He wanted to make her as comfortable and safe as possible after what she'd been through.

  The police had found no fingerprints, so there was nothing to tie Daryl to the surveillance installed in her home, but a search warrant of his home might turn up evidence.

  She hadn't helped matters by deleting all Daryl's messages, but the officer in charge had assured her records could be obtained from the phone company, showing incoming calls and if they were lucky text messages.

  In the meantime, until they locked Daryl away, Nate was taking no chances with the love of his life.

  She didn't know it yet, but he intended to spend the rest of his life with her, if she'd have him. He'd held her last night as she'd drifted off to sleep and all through the night. Holding her next to him like that felt so good. Better than he would even have imagined.

  *****

  They'd just visited a different branch of her bank and she'd closed all but one account, her checking. She'd get all her bills written today and send them out. She didn't like the fact he had access to her accounts by working at the same bank. So she was opening an account at a new bank today. One that had branches in many cities, some in Florida.

  Nate had suggested the bank he did banking at. What he hadn't said was he hoped she would move to Florida with him.

  These errands took most of the morning and as Nate drove her around he kept an eye out for anyone who might follow them.

  He had a bad feeling again.

  When Kara had called a coworker to say she was taking a sick day today, the woman had said, "Oh, do you have the flu too? Daryl called in sick with it today."

  The man was not at work and he was not at home. Yet his car sat in the drive. The police were keeping an eye out for him, but who knew where he was right now.

  Kara watched Nate. "Is something wrong?"

  "Nothing I can't handle."

  Nate glanced in the rear view mirror again, and she turned around and looked behind her into the truck bed. "Did something fall out?"

  "No. I'm just keeping an eye on things. So, what are you hungry for? It's time for lunch."

  "Oh, I don't know. Maybe chicken and mashed potatoes and gravy."

  Comfort food. Of course. What people ordered when they were upset. How could he lighten things up for her?

  "How about something more fun. Like pizza?"

  She sighed. "That sounds good. What kind of pizza do you like?"

  "I like them all. But I haven't tried any Ohio pizza before." He smiled. "You can teach me about Ohio. Let's pick one up and take it back to the room."

  "Okay. We could get a Cassanos pizza."

  His hand closed over hers. "Sweetheart, that sounds good."

  "Yes, sounds good to me too."

  *****

  After lunch and a long nap Kara asked if they could go to her house and pick up some things,
since it looked like they might be staying in the hotel more than one night. She didn't want to sleep in her house even with Nate there to keep her safe.

  "Of course," Nate said. "If you have bath stuff bring it along and I'll run you a hot bath, then if you'd like we can watch a movie together."

  "That sounds good."

  They'd enjoy a quiet evening together, just the two of them cuddled up in comfortable companionship watching a movie. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the seat of the truck.

  "You deserve some pampering." His voice deepened. "I might even give you a back rub."

  Her eyes opened. "Oh, that sounds wonderful."

  "Come on."

  It didn't take long for her to pack a bag with the things she wanted and to collect her mail. Soon they were headed back to the hotel.

  Nate pulled into the parking garage, parked, then hefted her bag and they headed toward the hotel elevator.

  The parked cars were empty, the garage silent.

  A brown Ford sedan raced around the curve toward Nate, the man driving holding a gun out the open window.

  Dropping the bag Nate reached out and hauled Kara behind him with one hand as he pulled a gun out of his coat with the other raised it and aimed.

  Kara watched frozen in disbelief.

  Shots rang out. A bullet hit the door of the car beside them. Nate's shot went through the windshield hitting the gunman in the forehead. The gunman slumped forward over the steering wheel. The car crashed into a minivan and came to a halt.

  "Stay back," Nate held one hand out warning her to stay and edged forward, his gun pointed at the man who was surely dead.

  Kara was glad Nate was taking no chances.

  He checked to see there was no one in the back seat and then opened the car door. He reached in and took the man's pulse. Then he stood and turned to look at Kara. "He's dead. Call the police."

  Pulling out her phone, she hurried over to him, "What should I say?"

  "Tell them there's been an attempt on your life. Tell them exactly what happened."