by Jean Martino
Determined not to break down again, she let Scott set the tone for the conversation. She could sense him trying to deliberately steer her away from the problem at hand, and her heart filled with gratitude at his thoughtfulness. But she couldn’t eat very much, she felt too tired, and the wine had made her sleepy.
“Time to turn in,” he said. “You’ve had a long day, my lady.”
“I am feeling a bit jetlagged,” she admitted. “I’ll just clean up here and then---”
“Nothing to clean up,” he said indicating the table. He had placed the dishes in the dishwasher and all they had in front of them now were the glasses. “Let’s go before you fall asleep right here.”
She walked upstairs while he turned off all the lights and checked all the locks to the doors and windows. Obviously Cindy and Michael believed in security, he thought, noticing all the dead bolt locks. Then he picked up Linda’s shoes and went upstairs and stopped at the guest room to make sure Linda was alright before heading for the den, where he had already placed a pillow and blanket and sheets he had found in the linen closet on the couch.
The bedside lamps in the guest bedroom were not turned on but from the light in the hallway he could see Linda curled up on top of the bed, still dressed. Walking quietly over to her he saw she was fast asleep and smiled. She must have been really fighting to stay awake during dinner, which made him wince with guilt. She’d been too tired to even get undressed. Placing her shoes near the closet he got an extra blanket out of the linen closet and covered her with it, then left to head down the hall to the den, leaving the hall light on in case she awoke and become disorientated as to where she was.
He was in a deep sleep himself when something brought him awake with a start. He sat up listening, hearing crashing noises that seemed to be coming from outside. Quickly getting off the couch, he pulled on his pants, cursing under his breath for having left his gun at Dan’s, then heading out into the hall. He walked past the guest bedroom and saw Linda was still sleeping, then headed down the stairs, not turning on any lights, his eyes adjusting to the dimness as they swept around the rooms in the semi darkness looking for movement. But he saw nothing unusual and continued on into the garage, opening the door at the back that led into the back yard. A strong Santana wind had come up during the night and as he stepped outside the security lights came on flooding the back yard. Walking quickly over to the patio, from where the sound was coming, he found a large metal watering can that the wind must have overturned and which now was rolling back and forth crashing against the iron legs of one of the patio chairs.
Quickly up-righting the can and pushing it into a corner where it wouldn’t be blown over again, he started walking back to the garage when a light came on in one of the windows upstairs. Linda, he thought, glancing upwards. The noise must have woken her. Damn. He hurried back inside, his mind racing with the thought of electricity bills and who was paying them if no one was living there as it seemed at that moment.
As he stepped into the family room off the garage he heard Linda yelling in a panicked voice.
“Scott! Is that you? What’s happening? Where are you?”
He raced up the stairs taking two at a time to find her standing on the landing, her clothes disheveled, her hair tousled, and a frightened look on her face.
“Oh my God!” she cried. “I thought you’d left. Some loud noises woke me up and I went into the den and you weren’t there and I thought you’d left and someone was breaking into the house and---”
“I heard crashing noises outside and went to investigate,” he explained quickly. “It was only a watering can banging around on the patio. Nothing’s wrong.”
She reached her hand up and rubbed it across her forehead, then, realizing what she must look like, turned quickly and hurried towards the bedroom. “God! I’m a nervous wreck,” she cried, keeping her back turned to him.
He walked after her, noticing from the digital clock on the bedside table it was just after 3:00 am, then turned her around to face him. ”You have every right to be,” he said. “But for now let’s do something about that. You need to undress and put something more comfortable on and try to sleep for a while.”
She nodded. “I know,” she said. “I’ll be alright. I can manage okay now. Just panicked I guess.”
Scott stared at her intensely. Majoring in psychology in college had taught him to observe as much with his eyes as what he heard. Linda was not alright. She was about to pack up, and he couldn’t just walk away from her now and leave her standing in the middle of her confusion. “Let me help you, Linda,” he said. Then he turned and walked over to the bureau, opening the top drawer which he’d seen her earlier unpacking some of her clothes into. “This should do it,” he said, taking the pink silk nightgown out and carrying it back to her. “Now take off your clothes and put this on. I’m not leaving until you are snug in bed. Okay?”
Linda couldn’t understand what was happening to her mind; it seemed to be all cluttered up for some reason making it impossible for her to think clearly. Had to be jet lag, she decided, undoing her blouse as Scott turned away and busied himself pulling the gold satin bedspread down over the end of the bed, revealing cream colored sheets. Feeling embarrassed now, she hastily removed the rest of her clothes tossing them on the nearby chair as she pulled the nightgown down over her head.
Scott hadn’t turned around yet, and she stared curiously at his bare tanned back, wanting to touch it but knowing she shouldn’t. “I’m finished,” she said, picking up her clothes and holding them in front of her.
“Good,” said Scott, then turned to face her. He reached out to take her clothes from her. “You get into bed. I’ll hang these for you.”
She stood staring at him, the pink silk nightgown pressing against her naked body; its bodice sculpted around the fullness of her breasts. He stopped, returning her stare, his heart racing. He could feel her sensuality drawing him to her, surrounding him, clouding his senses. If he didn’t get out of there right now he would not be capable of leaving at all. He started to turn away from her when her arm lifted, her hand reaching out to touch his bare arm, grasping it. She didn’t say a word. He knew from the look in her eyes she was feeling it too.
Taking her clothes he dropped them on the chair next to the bed then placed his hand on her face. She tilted her head, rubbing against it, and then he was lost to all reason, his arms drawing her closer, his lips seeking hers and the electrifying feeling rushing through him making his whole body shiver. Pulling away, he lifted her in his arms and carried her the few feet to the bed, lying her gently on it as he knelt on the carpet, his hands stroking her face, her hair, her throat; small moans bursting from her mouth as his hands reached down the front of her nightgown and found her breasts, cupping their fullness, feeling the hardening of her nipples, lowering his face over them to kiss them.
Linda cried out loud, her body writhing with a passion she had not felt for many years. Her hand touched the back of his neck, her fingers running up into his hair then down over his back, her cries changing to groans. Quickly he moved away, stood up and pulled off his pants, tossing them aside on the carpet. Then he was on top of her, his total nakedness stretched over her own flimsily clad body as he kissed her, forcing her mouth open, their tongues sliding across the others.
She could feel his hardness pressing into her groin and all she could think of was the aching inside her, wanting him to go there so bad she was unable to stop her body pushing back against his. As if sensing her need, Scott reached down and spread her legs apart, and when she felt him enter her, she sucked in her breath her legs wrapping around him. A thought in the back of her mind kept trying to push through but she refused to let it, she no longer cared about the right or wrong of what they were doing. She knew it was right, she knew as she felt him pushing deeper inside her that this moment was theirs and theirs alone, that nothing else that could or would happen was of any consequence, at that moment. As she struggled with her conscience
she could feel her body moving to the brink of that precipice where she could not turn back; it was there, she was there, within its reach, feeling the strength of her passion pulling her closer and closer, and then she threw abandon to the wind. As the spasm began, her back arched, her head flung back against the pillow and she heard the sound of her husky voice bursting from her throat, mingling with Scott’s loud gasps that reverberated through her head before he collapsed on top of her.
Both drenched in perspiration and unable to find the words to express their feelings at that moment, they fell asleep like that, later curling up in each other’s arms and sleeping till late the next morning, when they woke to make love again, and again, their hunger insatiable.
* *
Wednesday June 18, 2003:
They showered together, every new experience bringing them more delight. When they stepped out of the shower stall, Linda draped in a big fluffy sheet towel and Scott tying a smaller one around his waist, he realized he would have to get a change of clothes.
“After breakfast,” he told her rubbing his hand across his morning beard stubble, “I have to go back to Dan’s and pick up some clothes and stuff.”
Dropping the towel on the floor, Linda grabbed her pink silk robe and pulled it on, tying the belt tightly around her slim waist, feeling guilty that she felt so happy at that moment.
“I will only be gone a half hour. Dan just lives a couple miles away in the older section of Newport Beach, nearer the ocean. You’re quite welcome to come with me and meet him if you want.”
“I want to meet your son very much,” she said. “But my mind right now is too focused on finding Cindy and Michael. I’d rather wait till I can give Dan my full attention. Do you mind?”
“Of course not,” he said, stepping into his pants and pulling them up over his slim hips. He put his arms around her as she stood facing the mirror and for a split second she remembered how Vito used to do that.
She laughed to cover her confused feelings. “No more today,” she said, wriggling out of his embrace. “I won’t be able to walk properly soon.”
He laughed too. “Me neither. Let’s see what we can rustle up for breakfast.”
An hour later, Scott left the house. He kissed her lightly as she stood at the door then pulled it closed behind him. For a minute Linda leaned on the door still smelling his maleness and feeling that funny stirring in the pit of her stomach. She placed her hand on her stomach not wanting it to stop but knowing if it didn’t she wouldn’t be able to concentrate on what she had to do. Her feelings for Scott had taken her completely by surprise but she couldn’t even begin to think beyond now and what would happen with them.
* *
As Scott left the house, he stopped to check the mailbox. It was locked but there weren’t any letters sticking out the front and from the little he could see inside it, it appeared to be empty. He swung into his car thinking if they had stopped their mail delivery then the post office would have some notification of it, but getting the post office to tell him anything would prove difficult. He would notify Detective Grant at the Newport Beach police department and let him check it out.
There were also no uncollected newspapers lying around so he presumed they had been stopped also. He drove off feeling more concerned than he would admit to Linda. Everything had been made too clean. It was as though they had never even lived there. If it hadn’t been for that file he had found, and that letter from Cindy giving Linda the shutoff code to the security system, and Cindy’s car in the garage, he would have thought it was all a bad joke of some kind. It puzzled him that Cindy had not notified her mother also that she was not flying to Australia as planned.
Dan was in his electronically equipped garage as Scott drove into the driveway. The house was nothing like the one he had left Linda in. It was an older house in the older section of Newport Beach and the yards were small and packed together. Jocelyn had made it very homey; filling it with plants and wall hangings she made herself, and giving it an early American flavor.
“Hi,” he said as he entered the garage.
“Hey Dad!” said Dan jumping up from his chair. “How’d it go with Linda and the investigation?”
“Long story,” said Scott, thinking how very much Dan looked like him. Same height and build, same squarish shaped face, same brown eyes, except his hair was still brown and not gray like his. “It’s getting more and more complicated so we have to take everything one step at a time. Linda filed a Missing Persons Report yesterday and has been allowed to stay at the house for as long as she wants. I’m just here to collect my things I brought down from Sacro... clothes and stuff, then I’m going to stay with her and help her solve this problem.”
Dan nodded, and then smiled. “And is she just what you expected?” he asked. “I mean in looks and, well, stuff like that.”
Scott grinned and gave him a playful punch on his arm. “Better,” he said. “And don’t you go imagining anything more now, and telling your sister things that are still in the early stages.”
At that moment a little bundle of energy came flying into the garage and leaped at Scott. He burst out laughing and reached down to pick up his eighteen month old grandson, Mark. “Hey boy! How’s grandpa’s favorite little guy?”
“Papa! Planes!” he squealed as Scott lifted him high in the air and was about to spin him around playing airplanes which he loved.
“Dad! Don’t!” Jocelyn cried, hurrying into the garage. Her white pedal pushers and low cut white tee shirt enhanced her tall, slim body, her long blond hair tied back in a pony tail. “He’s just had breakfast.”
As Scott held Mark above him the little boy burped and regurgitated all over him. “Oops,” said Scott lowering his grandson into his mother’s arms. “Better change now for sure.”
“And we have to get to the Child Care Center,” said Jocelyn, holding Mark a foot away from her as she hurried inside to clean him up.
After shaving and changing, Scott grabbed his stuff and tossed it into the trunk of his car before joining Dan again in the garage. “Dan, I need my gun in your safe.”
Dan looked at him inquiringly but said nothing. Scott followed him into the study where Dan opened the safe and retrieved the Smith and Wesson and handed it to him, watching as his father inserted it into the shoulder holster under his jacket.
“Do me a favor,” Scott said, “and call Maggie and tell her everything is okay and I’ll be talking to her real soon. Give her my love.”
He went back into the kitchen and hugged Jocelyn and Mark, who were ready to leave also, then hugged his son. They had always believed in showing their love for each other despite Dan now being a 32 year old man. “Love you all,” he said as he got in the car.
“Love you too, Dad,” said Dan. “Good luck and be careful, and call.”
As he drove back to the house he added another item to his mental list... to go see Michael’s boss, who Linda had been told would be returning from his out of town trip today, and find out what plans Michael had told him of if any.
* *
While Scott was gone, Linda got dressed then drove Cindy’s car to the supermarket. She filled a trolley with fresh fruit and vegetables, which she had been yearning for, and fresh whiting, she knew Scott loved fish and so did she, and lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, avocados and anything she could find to toss into a salad. On arriving back at the house she unloaded her supplies and put them all away before perking some fresh coffee and reaching for the phone.
First she listened to all the messages on the answering machine, most from Michael’s friends, asking about getting together for drinks or dinner when he had time. She didn’t return those calls, not wanting to get into any complicated explanations about why it was her voice on the answering machine and not Michael or Cindy’s. Then she listened to the messages from Cindy’s closest friends, Beth Ann and Melanie. Both of them had called to ask Michael how Cindy was enjoying her visit in Australia.
“I am really confused
,” Beth Ann told her, after Linda explained Cindy had not arrived and she couldn’t find her or Michael. “Melanie and I took Cindy out for a farewell dinner three nights before Cindy was leaving and everything seemed fine then. She said she was real excited about seeing you again and spending your birthday with you. She told us all not to go to the airport because she hated goodbyes and the flight wasn’t leaving till near on midnight anyway.”
Beth Ann and Melanie had grown up with Cindy, living just down the street from her old house in Costa Mesa. They had both been bridesmaids at Cindy’s wedding, and even though both of them now had children they still kept in close touch.
“It’s all very strange,” said Linda. “I’ve filed a missing person’s report with the police and right now I’m staying in Cindy’s house till I find out what happened to them.”
“She did mention something at that dinner that sounded a bit strange,” said Beth Ann. “It probably doesn’t mean anything.”
“What was it?” Linda asked quickly.
“Well, she said she was working on a special assignment that involved some rather unscrupulous people in the desert. She said Michael wasn’t aware of it and we weren’t to tell anyone. When I asked her what it was about she said she couldn’t say anything more.”