Chapter 2

Kate left the restaurant and headed to the local bar to make sure Wayne was there as usual. Then, she would go home and wait. Wait to set her plan in motion.

She was driving fast, faster than she should have been on that uneven road. But she knew it almost by heart, having worked at the restaurant for several years and, before that, having often ridden her bicycle down this path after school. She had been in the habit of doing her homework at the restaurant when her mother was working. Anything to avoid being stuck at home with Wayne.

Within a few minutes, Kate arrived at the bar. She entered the parking lot and immediately noticed Wayne's old blue pick-up truck. So he really was there, drinking until he was barely able to drive back home. Just as he did almost every night.

He was a drunk, a violent, disgusting man and had always been that way. She hated him with all her heart. The fact that she had just found out that he was her biological father only made her hatred of him increase exponentially.

If she went through with her plan... She and her mother would be free at last, she repeatedly told herself as she stared blankly at the bar's door. All he did on this Earth was bring pain, she reasoned, trying to convince herself that this was the right thing to do. Since she had decided to do this, her resolve had not waned a bit, but now that the time had come... She realised she still had doubts. Could she really go through with this?

Maybe if she went inside the bar and watched him for a short while, seeing him one last time for who he really was, it'd strengthen her decision?

Kate got off her motorcycle and entered the joint.

The first notes of Patsy Cline's 'Crazy' reached her ears as she looked around and quickly noticed Wayne being his usual repulsive self. What her mother could see in such a person was beyond her. How could she prefer him over the man Kate considered to be her father, Sam Austen?

She ordered a beer and sat in a corner, far enough away so Wayne wouldn't see her. The last thing she wanted was for him to come and bother her, for him and his disgusting friends to make stupid comments about her.

She hadn't been seated for longer than five minutes when a tall, blond man entered the place and walked up to the bar. His back was turned to her as he spoke with the barmaid, but she easily recognised him.

It was the man from the restaurant.

As Kate discreetly watched him, he sat at the bar and scanned the room. It seemed to her as though his eyes stayed on her for an instant longer then they normally should have. Did he recognise her, even in the shadows? Would he come and talk to her?

In another time or place, maybe she would've wished he did, but not now. The life-changing act she was about to make occupied all her thoughts, and that was the way it had to remain.

But as she watched Wayne, she found her gaze wandering more and more often towards the blond man. He intrigued her, she had to admit that much to herself. Yes, he was handsome. If he'd shave, he could have been the star of some of those old black and white movies her mother watched all the time.

But his good looks weren't the reason she felt such curiosity towards him. From the moment he had set foot into the restaurant, she had noticed how tired, even haunted he looked. In fact, he looked just how she felt lately.

The thought was a bit unsettling. Could someone really be going through something remotely similar as to what she was?

Trying to focus once again on Wayne, Kate glanced in his direction. He had just ordered another beer and ungentlemanly touched the waitress as a thank you. Kate felt like throwing up. How could such a person count for half of her genetic baggage?

Without her really wanting them to, her eyes settled once again on the stranger. He was watching Wayne with interest and Kate wondered why. Maybe he found him funny? She had a hard time believing such thing. No, there was something about that man that lead her to think he would never treat women the way Wayne did. Even when he had hit on her, she had found it so ridiculous it was funny. And his smile at her reaction had shown that he agreed.

Suddenly, his gaze left Wayne and their eyes met briefly.

Troubled, Kate decided it was time to go.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A few minutes later, Kate was home. No, this wasn't home, it hadn't been since the day Sam had left. Rather, this was the house she was living in, was captive in.

Why hadn't she left the place before? She could easily have started a new life somewhere. But she had stayed, probably to protect her mother as long as she could stand it. What would he do to her if Kate was gone? No witness, no one to call the police or take her to the doctor?

But upon learning the truth about Wayne, Kate had decided enough was enough. Something had to be done to stop him, to allow Kate to leave this place without looking back, with the knowledge that her mother would be fine. They could both start over. Her mother could find herself a nice man, a man like Sam Austen. Be respected, get to travel a bit, maybe. Get out of this awful Iowa town.

As Kate entered her bedroom for the last time, reflecting on a few good but mostly bad times she'd had there, she saw her reflection in the mirror. She quickly averted her eyes. Would she ever stop seeing his sickening face in hers?

She glanced at her watch. Wayne wouldn't be home for another two hours at least. Everything was ready. She had packed a few of her mother's belongings and hidden the box in the garden shed. All there was left to do was to turn on the gas. And then she'd leave. Forever.

Kate grabbed her own bag and, without looking back, left her room. In the kitchen, she opened a drawer and picked up a lighter. As she did, she heard a car coming. She froze for a second. Could it be Wayne already?

She walked up to the window and saw the car slowly go past the house. She exhaled, relieved. It wasn't him.

Deciding to be ready if Wayne came back early, she turned on the gas and exited the house. Outside, she sat on the porch, playing absently with the lighter.

So, she was going to do it? End another human being's life? She had no illusions as to what would happen after that. The cops would quickly find out about the insurance policy she had taken out for her mother's benefit and suspect something. They'd look for Kate, she had no doubt about that.

But she didn't mind running. Running from this life, running from herself... it suited her perfectly.

Suddenly, Kate heard a noise coming from the trees bordering the property. There was someone there, she was certain of it.

Going back inside the house, she knew what she had to do.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Sitting at the bar, drinking his beer, Sawyer tried to understand what was going on.

Something was evidently up with Kate. So far, he had gathered that her mother was with a man who hit her. And that man was probably the one Kate was staring at right now. Middle-aged, not exactly what you'd call handsome, no respect for the waitresses, heavy drinker... Why would she come here and watch him?

Slowly, Sawyer took another sip. He knew exactly why Kate was here tonight, studying her prey. He knew it because she was doing the same thing he'd been doing since Hibbs had showed up in his hotel room: trying to convince himself that he had murder inside of him. Focusing on what had happened because of Frank Sawyer and how he'd ruined his life. Trying to find the strength to become someone he hadn't been meant to be.

Clenching his jaw, he glanced at Kate. He'd have bet that this was exactly why she was here, too. To steel herself enough to go through with what she had planned.

Unexpectedly, their gazes met in the shadows. Why was she looking at him? Had she recognised him? Upon meeting his eyes, Kate immediately looked away before getting up and leaving the bar in a hurry.

Surprised with her sudden move, Sawyer once again faced a choice. Now that she was gone, he had no interest in staying here in this sty bar. What could he do now? He was too tired to go very far, so his only option, really, was to get a room at the local motel. Maybe he'd be lucky and fall asleep rapidly, forgetting about his problems for a few hours, but there was virtually no chance of that happening. Even if he fell asleep, the nightmares would come, he knew this from experience.

Leaving his unfinished beer, he got up and exited the bar.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

In a re-enactment of what had happened earlier, Sawyer stepped outside as Kate's motorcycle roared out of the parking lot. Once again, Sawyer got into his car and hit the road. Coincidentality, the path to the motel was the same Kate had just left on and he tried to keep up with her, never losing sight of her.

What did he want exactly? Why couldn't he just forget about her, get a room and drink till he passed out? What was he going to do anyway when she stopped? Somehow, he didn't want to answer these questions.

He kept on following her for a couple of minutes until a car arrived in the opposite direction, blinding him briefly with its lights. When Sawyer was finally able to see clearly again, Kate was nowhere in sight.

He had lost her. He cursed under his breath, irritated. Now he couldn't pretend that he was going to the motel anymore. No, he wanted, needed to find her. He didn't know why exactly, but he felt like Kate's fate was intimately tied to his own.

So, going slowly, he scrutinized every house he passed by, in search of any sign of her. He was getting restless when he finally came by a house in front of which a motorcycle looking like hers, was parked.

His heart rate increased. What should he do now?

There were trees bordering the property, so he stopped his car on the side of the road, hidden from any occupants. Not taking a second to think the whole thing through, he exited his car and shut the door.

Trying not to make too much noise, Sawyer entered the trees and walked towards the house. An instant later, he saw Kate sitting on the front porch. Waiting, obviously. She was absently playing with something that he couldn't quite distinguish. Was it a lighter? Curious, he took another step, but, focused as he was on Kate, he hadn't noticed the big rock at his feet. He tripped, grabbing a branch to stop his fall. Of course, it made some noise and Sawyer let out a muffled curse when he saw that Kate was looking in his general direction. She had heard.

From where he was standing, Sawyer saw her get up and go inside the house. Swearing repeatedly, he wondered what to do now. Would she come back outside again? Was she calling the police? He cringed. The last thing he needed was the authorities to get interested in him. But instinct was telling him that it was the same for Kate, so he relaxed a little.

A few moments went by as he stood there, undecided. At last, he sighed. There was no point in staying here like a moron. As he prepared to take off, a voice startled him.

"What do you want??"