Enough Time, Part 1

Author's Note: This is the fourth story in the Barbara Williams Series. It takes place in April, 1995 and thus falls between "Unfinished Business" (1994) and "Return to Cyprus" (late 1995).

It is loosely based on the Equalizer episode "A Distant Thunder." The episode aired in the first season, so obviously the time has been moved forward. Michael Rosa and Carla and Viset Holden are characters in the episode, along with McCall, Kostmayer, Shepherd, and Control. Most of the plot is my own, as are the other characters.

Chapter One

On that Friday afternoon, Barbara locked the door to her Portland house and walked down to the car parked in the steep driveway. Turning to look back one last time, she knew that she hadn't lived in this home long enough to have a lot of memories, good or bad. Still, when she had walked through the kitchen on her way out, one memory came through clearly: Company assassin Jeff Peters lying dead on the floor in a pool of blood. No trace of his blood remained, and the couple who were about to buy Barbara's house would probably never know she had almost been murdered in their kitchen.

After marrying Robert a year ago, she'd been undecided what to do about this place. She'd been renting it out, but a while ago she'd decided that she would let it go, realizing she'd been holding on to it because it represented the independent life she wasn't quite ready to give up. Selling it now meant she had forsaken that life once and for all. Her future was with Robert.

Barbara smiled as she thought about Robert. Their marriage was his idea; she had believed she was happy sharing her life with him without the formality of a wedding. In the end she had admitted to herself that she did want to be officially and forever committed to the man who was the love of her life. Not that marriage had been easy for her. In the last year she'd learned a lot about commitment and sharing. Thinking about Miami, she sighed, recalling her mishandling of that adventure. She certainly would never repeat that mistake. Of course, she laughed to herself, she would probably soon make another.

Despite the finality of the house sale, a lot of loose ends remained. Like most Manhattan apartments, Robert's…. No, she admonished herself; it was THEIRS, not Robert's. THEIR apartment wasn't very big, so most of her possessions were in storage. At some point she'd have to sort them out and decide what she could take to New York. She didn't see how she could blend her things with his, but they would work something out.

She drove the few miles from the West Hills to downtown, parked, and spent the afternoon wandering around Portland, getting wet, but enjoying the ambiance of the quirky Rose City. Short as her residence here had been, she'd liked living in this part of the world. During a downpour, she ducked into Coffee Time, and over some good, strong Pacific Northwest java she reflected on Wednesday's phone conversation with Robert. He'd explained that Michael Rosa had appeared out of nowhere and asked his help to save Robert's old flame, Carla, and her husband, Viset Holden, from assassination. Michael said he had been hired to kill them, but because he, too, had loved Carla, Michael actually wanted to save Carla from the inevitable backup assassin. To do that, he claimed, he needed Robert's help.

The more she mulled it over, the less Barbara liked it. She had worked with Rosa several times, and she appreciated his well-honed skills, but on a personal level, he gave her the creeps. However, Robert felt he had to help Carla, and there was no way Barbara could tell him not to do it, especially from three thousand miles away. She'd just have to trust that he was doing the right thing.

At 5:00, she met the buyers at the escrow office and finalized the sale. The Kleins were a nice couple with two children who would certainly fit into the West Hills neighborhood better than she had. There was little likelihood of an assassination attempt in the house when they lived there, she imagined.

It was 6:30 by the time the signing was over. After dinner at her favorite Portland restaurant, Jake's, she returned to the hotel. When she called home, the answering machine picked up, even though it was already late on the East Coast. Knowing that she should have no reason to worry didn't keep her from doing it. Oh, well, now that she had someone to worry about, why not, she told herself nervously. She left a message telling him that she'd take a taxi home from the airport the next day.

At 10:00, the phone rang.

"Hello, Barbara?"

"Robert, I'm glad you called."

"Everything's fine, don't worry. I had some business with Michael to take care of this evening." After a pause, he went on, his annoyance clear: "I talked to Carla about Viset. I think the damned fool wants to be a martyr."

"He's a man with a cause, Robert. You can't save him if he doesn't want to be saved." She then asked: "Do you think Carla will convince him to leave?"

"I don't know. I only talked to her for a few minutes. I tried to reason with her, but I don't know."

Barbara wanted to ask what it was like to see his ex-lover for the first time in many years, but of course she couldn't. In fact, she was trying not to get involved in any part of this job. She even hoped that Michael didn't realize she and Robert were married. If he knew, Michael might tell Robert about the mission she and Michael had shared in Vienna in 1982. She hadn't told Robert about that yet, and she didn't want Michael to be the one to do it. Was it time to tell her husband about Vienna? OK, yes, when she got home, she promised. Or maybe not. After all, there was plenty of time.

"Did you get my message, about tomorrow?"

"I'm sorry, yes. That's why I called. I hate to make you take a taxi, but…."

"I know. You don't have any idea where you'll be. A taxi is fine. What ARE you going to do tomorrow?"

"Why don't I tell you when you get home?"

"Sounds good. See you tomorrow."

"Good night, my darling," he said in that special tone he reserved for her.

"Good night, Robert. I love you." She said it far less than he did, for he was the romantic one. She was determined to say it more.

"I love you too, Barbara."

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters, settings, places, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No money is being made from these stories. No copyright infringement is intended.