The Emerald Key

by Vicky Burkholder

  “I suggest you buckle up and hang on,” Cass said as she squealed around a corner. Nic looked to their rear. A dark car tailed them.

  “We’ve got one behind us,” Nic said.

  “Yeah, I know.”

  Nic grabbed his seat as Cass sped up. He knew for certain several of the turns she took had to have measurable distance between the tires and the pavement. He had to admit, she knew how to drive—maybe better than he did. If they lived through this crazy trip, he’d have to ask her about her skills. Witchcraft had nothing to do with this. He’d bet his good leg on it.

  They slowly pulled away from their tail. Cass swerved into a darkened parking garage, stopping behind a wall and shutting down the engine. The other car roared past.

  “Do you think we’re safe?” she asked after several minutes passed.

  “I’d say yes. But let’s wait here a little longer to make sure they don’t double back.”

  Cass glanced at his hands and grinned. “And that will give you a chance to dig your fingers out of the seat.”

  “Where did you learn to drive like that?” Nic asked.

  “When all my friends learned to drive, I didn’t want to have anything to do with it.”

  “Your parents’ accident?” Nic asked, wondering if he should tread there.

  She glanced at him, then blew out a breath and nodded. “Yeah. Anyway, Aunt Minerva wouldn’t let me stay afraid so she enrolled me in a special driving school.”

  “The Indy 500 School of driving?”

  She laughed. “Sort of. She signed me up at one of those schools where they teach professional drivers how to get away from terrorists and kidnappers. I balked at first, but then I got kind of interested and discovered I’m rather good.”

  “You are. I have to admit, I couldn’t have done some of what you did.” He opened the door. “I want to make sure we’re clear. Please wait here.”

  “This time, I will.”

  Nic climbed out. A quick survey of the nearby street and alley showed no lurkers. He returned to Cass. “If you can keep the lights off, that will give us a bigger measure of safety. Big question is, where do we go? We know they’re watching your place, the store, and Minerva’s. And I’m assuming you don’t want to drag any friends like Greg and Dori into this.”

  “Correct.”

  “Can we stop at the inn? I’d like to pick up a few things. Maybe we can stay there till things cool down.”

  Cass chuckled and he wondered at what. “What’s so funny?”

  “You really don’t know this town, do you?”

  “I’d say that’s obvious.”

  “The inn is right across the street. Which room is yours?”

  Nic shook his head, a wry grin on his face. Right across the street and he hadn’t even realized it. “Two oh one.”

  * * * *

  Cass caught her lip between her teeth. Her heart lurched as she studied his face. How had he become so important to her in such a short time? “Come on, we might as well get going.”

  As she reached for the door handle, Nic yanked her down.

  “What the—”

  “Quiet!” Nic hissed. “We’ve got company.”

  The gearshift jabbed her in the ribs, but Cass lay still, her heart pounding so hard anyone could hear it. She sensed Nic moving slowly, then quickly ducking down, covering her and wedging the shift more thoroughly in her midsection. If not for her discomfort, she could really enjoy having Nic on top of her, her face in his lap, his face against her hips. She could feel each breath he took and smell the spicy forest scent so uniquely him. She also noted an interesting bulge growing against her cheek.

  Despite the pleasant distraction, the excruciating pain in her ribs brought her back to reality. Cramps shot through her stomach, and bile rose in her throat. She placed her hands on Nic, ready to shove him off when she heard a car stop outside the garage and two doors slamming.

  “Where are they?” a guttural voice asked. Cass caught her breath. Only Nic’s warning hand on her ankle kept her from moving—from barely breathing. She prayed they wouldn’t come around the barrier.

  “There’s nothing here,” a second voice said.

  “The boss said the guy with her had rooms at the inn.” The first voice again. “We can see the entrance from the top lot. The others can chase ghost cars. We’ll wait there for them.”

  “You sure they’ll come here? The boss won’t be happy if…”

  “The boss will reward us for catching them when the others couldn’t. And in the meantime, we can sit in a warm car, eating instead of running all over this damned town. Come on.” Doors slammed and engine noise moved on.

  Cass waited an eternity before Nic’s weight lifted off her.

  “Can you get us out a different way than what they went?” Nic asked.

  She started the engine. “Yeah. Lots of alleys around here. I’ll drive dark until we’re out of town.”

  “We should change vehicles. They know what this one looks like. If you can find a car lot, I can hot-wire something.”

  “Oh yeah? Nice to know. But I know how this one handles and what limits I can push with it. This is safer than one I’m not familiar with.”

  “Good point,” he agreed.

  “You have a specific place in mind?” she asked.

  “No. Any low-budget hotels around? The lower, the better.”

  “Yes.” Cass whipped the car around and drove the back alleys and side streets, careful to avoid places where light would give them away. As she drove, Nic kept watch to their rear and sides. Every time he twitched, she pulled into the shadows and waited.

  “How far?” Nic asked.

  “A couple of minutes. You wouldn’t happen to have any more of those kisses handy, would you?”

  Nic grinned and her heart fluttered. He held the unwrapped candy to her mouth. She took the chocolate, and attempted to keep her libido in check. They had a madman after them. And goons. And who knew what else. This wasn’t the time to think about things like beds. Concentrate. She needed to concentrate. “Thanks. I needed that. But if we want to get to where we’re going, I need to pay attention to driving.”

  His fingers left her mouth, but her concentration didn’t improve. She rolled down her window, letting the cold air blow over her.

  “Mind telling me where we’re going?” Nic asked.

  “There’s a place a few miles down the road. Not a place I’d go to given a choice…”

  “But we don’t have one. It’s after midnight. Will the office be open?”

  Cass felt her face heating up. “It’s, uh, the type of place that does most of its business in the wee hours.”

  “I’d love to hear how you know about this place.”

  “The owner is an acquaintance of Aunt Minerva’s.”

  “Your aunt does seem to have an odd collection of friends.”

  “That’s Aunt Minerva.” Cass pulled into a parking lot with more shadows than light. The red neon sign proclaimed “ OTEL—Vacan y” and a sign in the window informed them rooms could be had by the day, week, month—or hour.

  “I’ll go in,” Nic said. “You stay here and stay out of sight.”

  He returned less than five minutes later, key in one hand and two sets of towels in the other. “We’re on the second floor around the back.”

  “You only got one room?”

  “Unless you have an ATM in that outfit of yours, I didn’t have a choice. This is a cash-only place and I don’t have a lot on me. I had to leave a deposit on the towels and amenities too.”

  “Oh.” Cass pulled the Jeep around to the back, which had even less light than out front. At least there’d been streetlights out there. Here, only dim lights glowed above the doors, and more than a few of them showed empty sockets.

  Nic followed Cass up the metal stairs to the second floor balcony. “This way.” He pointed to the left. “Our room is on the end.”

  He unlocked the door and pushed it open. The reek of old cigare
ttes and cheap perfume assaulted them. Cass flipped the switch on and a feeble glow lit the room. A single queen-size bed covered in a dark blue paisley spread took up most of the space. To one side of the bed sat a small table holding a clock. On the other sat a rickety desk with a lamp and phone. Opposite the bed stood a low dresser, a TV bolted to the top.

  Cass shivered. Even with Nic’s shirt and her jacket, the cold nipped at her, but it wasn’t just the frigid air that made her shake. Being here with Nic filled her with molten heat, but her nerves tried their best to squelch the flames. To hide her feelings, she pulled the top of the blankets down on the bed. At least the sheets appeared clean. She refused to let her mind think otherwise. She smoothed a hand over one pillow, unsure whether to be upset he’d only gotten one room—or glad.

  While Nic closed the drapes on the window next to the door, Cass punched the buttons on the heater. The ancient metal creaked and groaned, but at least it kicked out some decent hot air. She sat on the edge of the bed and wrapped the spread over her legs and feet.

  “So what now?” she asked.

  “Now, we get cleaned up and get some rest.” He stood at the window.

  Although he stood as far from the bed as he could get in the room, two good steps would bring him to her. Two short steps. Two steps and she could touch him. Hold him. She fought the feelings. Fought how much she wanted him. How much she wanted to be with him. Concentrate. She had to think of something else. She pulled out her cell phone. “What about Aunt Minerva? I should call her. Let her know we’re okay.”

  Nic snatched the phone from her before she could hit the speed dial and powered it down.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Don’t call Minerva, or anyone else.”

  “She’ll be worried. And she may need help. She’s alone out there somewhere.”

  Nic shook his head. “I think Minerva is doing fine. Actually, I’d feel sorry for the thugs if they weren’t after us too.”

  “But that scream—”

  “Think hard, Cass. Did the scream sound like your aunt in pain? Or like her causing pain to someone else?”

  Cass chewed her lip as she thought. “I guess she sounded angry.”

  “And would she have been able to call us if she’d been in trouble?”

  “But the call got cut off.”

  “If she had to fight, she couldn’t take time to be nice. A lot of things could have caused the interruption. I’ve only known Minerva a couple of days, but I believe she’s doing better than we are at the moment. Who are the others she mentioned?”

  “I’m not certain. She might mean Dori and our other friends. We always get together at the solstice—kind of a holiday party.”

  “I have another question for you. Your…affinity with glass and things of the earth—I believe you experienced some pretty high emotions while driving.”

  “You want to know why the windows didn’t shatter.”

  “Yes.”

  “Car windows are layered with plastic. I can’t affect it.”

  “But what about the streetlights and other things?”

  Cass laughed. “You must think I’m some kind of superwoman or something. All the things I’ve broken before have been in close proximity—like in the same room. But check the papers tomorrow to see if the cops have reports of a rash of vandalism involving broken windows and lights. If they follow our route…”

  “The blame could be placed on you.” He laughed and strode to the bathroom and flipped on the light. “It appears clean. At least I didn’t get attacked by roaches.”

  Cass couldn’t help the shudder that shook her and drew her feet up farther. She didn’t think of herself as squeamish or a snob, but this place stretched her sensibilities to the limit.

  Nic emerged from the bathroom. “I believe it’s warm enough for a shower. You want to go first? Or me?”

  “I will.” She dug into the pocket of her jeans and held out a handful of coins. “Think you could get us a soda and some crackers or something from the vending machine by the steps?”

  “Your wish is my command, my lady.” Nic took the money. “I’ll take the room key. Do not open the door to anyone.”

  “Nic, you’ll be gone all of five minutes and won't be out of sight of the door the whole time.”

  “Yeah, just remember what I said.” He went out the door, and Cass heard him testing the lock.

  She disappeared into the bathroom and stopped in shock as she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. Blood and dirt streaked her face, neck, and arms, and her hair looked like someone had stuck it inside a tornado. So much for being a femme fatale. She looked worse than a homeless person who’d spent years on the streets. She sniffed her shirt and grimaced. Smelled worse too.

  She stripped out of her clothes, dismayed at the myriad holes and bloodstains. Shower first, worry about the clothes later. She hung the towels and washcloths on the fake chrome racks and unwrapped the tiny cake of soap, blessing Nic for the shampoo and conditioner he’d thought of. She let the water run hot, wishing she could scrub away the last day as easily as she washed away the dirt.

  *

  Nic closed the door and leaned against it. How in heaven’s name would he spend the entire night in the room with her? A room with one bed? He supposed he could sleep on the floor, but she’d still be there. Close. Too close. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, willing his libido away, and headed for the vending machine.

  He plugged the coins into the machines and got a ginger ale and a pack of peanut butter crackers, then paused. A twenty-four-hour adult store sat next to their motel. No cars other than theirs appeared in the lot, nobody lurking around. Nic checked his wallet and headed down the steps.

  He almost turned back when he opened the door. But the woman sitting behind the counter looked up from her book, surprise on her face. He felt certain he had a similar expression. She wasn’t what he expected. He’d thought this late, in this area, he’d probably get some Goth kid or maybe some fat slob in bad need of dental work and with a penchant for stogies, anything other than this nicely dressed woman who looked like she should be baking cookies for an elementary school party.

  “Hi! How may I help you?”

  “I, uh, need some clothes.”

  “For yourself? Or a friend?” She stepped out from behind the counter. She barely topped five feet and could definitely stand to lose some weight, but she had a pretty face and beautiful smile. Nic found himself smiling back at her.

  “Um, a friend.”

  “Okay. Female?”

  “Of course!”

  She chuckled. “These days, I can’t assume anything. What are you looking for? Lingerie?”

  Nic felt his face heating up. “Um, no. We sort of lost our luggage. She needs something to wear out in public.”

  “Oh, now that may be a bit of a problem. You see, we aren’t exactly a department store here. We carry clothes that promote a certain mood.”

  “I don’t have a whole lot of choice. Nor money.”

  The saleslady patted his arm. “Relax, honey. We’ll find your lady something. Do you know what size she wears?”

  “Um, no. But she’s about a head taller than you…”

  “And probably a hundred pounds thinner.” She laughed and led him to a rack toward the back of the store. “This is the sale rack—usually stuff that doesn’t sell well. Some of the things may be more conservative.”

  Nic and the woman dug through the rack. Some of the outfits made him wonder what people did with them. Then he decided he didn’t want to know. He found straps and holes where there shouldn’t be holes and pieces that defied explanation. Nowhere did he see anything that Cass could wear in public. Heck, he’d be embarrassed to see some of the clothes in private.

  “What about this?” The saleswoman held up a pair of dark leggings with bright pink hands across the butt. Not great, but the best things he’d seen yet. He held them up to himself, judging the size.

  �
��This should work.”

  “There’s a matching top. I know it’s not what you wanted…”

  “They’ll be fine.” Nic just wanted to be done and out of there.

  “If you’ve no luggage, your lady will need some underwear.”

  Nic pulled out his wallet, judging the cash he had left. He could use his debit card, but that would leave a trail—something he’d rather not do, especially here. Plus his personal accounts left something to be desired. “I’m not sure how much I can get.”

  “That’s all right, sir. This outfit just went on special. It’s a dollar for everything.”

  “Ma’am, I can’t let you do that.”

  She placed a pair of silk panties and a “one size fits all” tube top with the clothes as well as a box of condoms. “Do what? You’re the first decent customer I’ve had all night. As for that outfit? I’d donate it, but no charity will take stuff from here. I have the feeling you could use a little luck right now. When you’re back on your feet, maybe you can help someone else down on theirs.”

  “Thank you, ma’am. I have to say, you’re not what I expected to find here.”

  She shrugged and grinned. “Everyone has to make a living. Sometimes, we don’t have a lot of choice where and when. Besides, this gives me time to catch up on my reading—and even do some writing of my own.”

  “You’re a writer?”

  She laughed. “Yeah, I write romance novels.”

  “Published?”

  “Yes.” She handed him a bookmark. “Here. Maybe someday you’ll have a chance to read one.”

  Nic glanced at the title and picture on the card, then around the store. “I guess you get a lot of inspiration from this place.”

  “You have no idea.” She rang up the sale and bagged his purchases. “Have a good night, sir.”

  “You too, ma’am. Thank you. And I can’t wait to read your books.”

  A few minutes later, Nic knocked at the bathroom door. He heard the shower still running. “Cass?”

  “Yes?”

  “You okay in there?” He pushed the door open a crack. Steam billowed out at him.

  “Best I’ve felt all day. I’ll be out in a few.”

  “No worries.” He laid the clothes he’d bought on the sink. The T-shirt and pants wouldn’t win any fashion contests, but at least they were clean and free of glass. The heavy shower curtain kept him from seeing anything, but his imagination worked overtime, especially after some of the things he’d seen in the store. He exhaled loudly and left the room.