Into The Black PART THREE

"You know," Trent took a sip of his coffee, slipping his arm around Molly while they relaxed on the Malloy veranda after a casual Saturday lunch. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit concerned about Carlos."

"I suppose that's natural," Molly relaxed against Trent, "since he's your best friend. I know I would feel the same way if it were Katheryn."

"Yeah," Trent sighed. "I just hope I did the right thing."

"What do you mean?"

"Insisting that him and Kath still go on this camping trip they've been wanting to go on for a while now. I should have let Kath take her pistol at least."

Molly raised herself off of Trent to look at him directly. "You did what you thought was right. What else can you do? Besides, you said yourself that it's pretty safe there this time of year."

Trent nodded vaguely, not willing to admit that he had said that entirely.

"Trent," Molly exhaled. "They'll be fine. You know, I'm sure they're just about to the cabin right now, enjoying a few drinks while talking about whatever."

"Yeah. But you didn't hear Carlos when I brought up the subject. He was very much against the whole idea at first."

"Oh," Molly frowned. "I couldn't have guessed that from the way Kath acted when she was packing last night."

Molly sank into her thoughts for a second before relaxing again next to Trent, turning to look towards the scattered clouds as Trent looked down at the sun-bathed lawn ahead.

"Molly, Carlos will be devastated if he has to quit the force because of this," Trent broke into the silence a few seconds later, drawing Molly's gaze. "This trip may help him and Kath work things out. But he won't get used to the idea so quickly."

Molly listened, letting Trent sort his own thoughts. A silence fell between them, filled in only by the oncoming summer cicadas. Molly wanted to echo that everything would be alright. But even she was doubting this now. Trent was right. Yet something deeper concerned her. Katheryn and Carlos made a great team not just because they loved each other but because they were like sidekicks to one another. They worked together on cases and searched for the truth as a team. Molly secretly feared this could change that for them. And not for the better either.

"Trent," Mrs. Malloy stepped outside with a smile. "Telephone for you."

Trent reluctantly slipped his arm away from Molly and handed her his mug before following Katie inside. He answered the call just off of the foyer in the living room. "Trent Malloy….Walker, what's up?"

"Sorry to interrupt your Saturday, Trent. But I need your help."

"No problem. What do you need?"

"Well, it appears that one of Perez's closest friends escaped away from the hideout when we took down Perez at the airport. He's at large currently. There's a car missing from Perez's home. We have an APB out on it now."

"What do you need me to do?"

"I have a list of places this Darrin is said to hang out regularly according to a few of Perez's goons we talked to. He'd be laying pretty low right now. I doubt if he is even at any of these places."

"So what's the plan?"

"I still want you to check out these places. Perhaps he was seen by someone since yesterday."

"That's a pretty long shot."

"Yeah. But it's the only one we got right now."

"Okay," Trent exhaled. "I'll get on it right away."

##

The cabin itself was tucked nearby in a cluster of trees, the front of it facing the lake by about fifty feet from the shore. The grasses were sparse in front of the cabin and were replaced by a majority of well-worn dirt paths with only a few green blades peeking through here and there along with a nice mix of smooth and jagged-edged gravel. The backside of the cabin was an entirely different matter though. Several yards of good, plush grass grew at liberty beneath the minimal shade and softly-blowing winds, almost forming somewhat of a meadow.

Katheryn noticed a pair of grosbeaks perched on a dogwood as she took in a deep breath of the fresh spring air, almost allowing herself to smile as she continued holding Carlos' hand while they walked together. They were almost one hundred yards away from the cabin when she felt Carlos' snug grip loosen as he stopped walking.

Carlos sighed, pointing his nose in the air and taking a couple of sniffs. "Are we near the lake?"

Katheryn chuckled almost inaudibly as she looked out over the shimmering waters in the distance. "Yep. Just about a stone's throw away. And the cabin is just to our left about a hundred yards. There's also some beautiful dogwood and oak trees. Can you hear the birds? So sweet listen to them."

Carlos smiled. "And you was willing to put off this trip. Pfft!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kath cocked a wide-eyed glance. "I do believe it was you who was reluctant."

"Alright," Carlos surrendered with a lift of his hand. "So it was me. You forgive me?"

Katheryn smiled towards the cabin, wishing Carlos could see it. "Whatever for?"

"For being such a stick in the mud." Carlos turned to Katheryn, also longing to look into her eyes instead of having to imagine how pretty they looked. "I think the fresh air may be doing me some good after all."

A bit of relief could be seen in Kath's eyes this time as she smiled. "I'm glad." She then gripped Carlos' hand back in hers and started forward for the cabin. It was turning out to be a better trip than she had thought it would be from the start.

Katheryn then began thinking back to Trent's smirks and teases as he had devised this plan. It wasn't like him to be very secretive. But perhaps he had indeed known what he was doing when he conjured up this whole plan in the first place.

As the twosome maneuvered a slight incline in their path, the came to the cabin and carefully made their way around to the front side that face the lake.

Katheryn paused once more. "The lake's even prettier than what we saw from back there."

"I guess I'll have to take your word for it."

Katheryn looked over to Carlos to see the bit of longing in his face and admitted a bit of a downward frown herself. It was bittersweet not being able to fully share in this moment together. Shaking of the reverie with a deep sigh, Katheryn turned to view the cabin and smiled. "Well, what do you say we check out the accommodations?"

Seeing Carlos' faint nod, Katheryn returned her hand into his and slowly traced a path up to the door of the cabin. She then set her hand on the knob and turned it slowly. Carefully. Carlos perked up a bit as he heard the hinges creak, and kept alert despite the fact he was helpless to defend against anything that might have taken up residence in the home before their arrival. Still, his sense of urgency was something his loss of sight would not be able to steal so quickly.

"Looks safe," Katheryn announced and took a step forward, briefly letting go of Carlos' hand so that she could enter through the narrow space before him. She then paused, turning back to be sure Carlos could make it inside on his own. As he walked, Katheryn back up slowly, allowing a greater amount of space for Carlos to test his limits.

Carlos had almost taken his fifth step when Kath felt something grab her at her heel. Before she knew it, she had fallen backwards, tumbling onto her backside with a yelp and subsequent groan.

"Kath!" Carlos nearly dove forward but held himself in check, reaching out a hand as if he could help her from that distance. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Katheryn grunted, gathering herself to her feet to look at the rather large head of a bear skin rug that had tripped her up.

Carlos creased his forehead as he waited to hear Katheryn assure him further but only heard her laugh. He couldn't deny the agitation that welled with him as she heard her light-hearted response. "What's so funny?"

Katheryn laughed a bit louder, as she worked her way out of her camping pack and set it on the floor.

"Kath! I wish you'd tell me something!"

Trying hard to settle her laugher, Katheryn returned to Carlos' side and squeezed his hand. "I'm okay. I promise. I just tripped over Smokey bear's head."

"What?!"

"Nothing. Let's just say I'm sort of glad you didn't see that."

Carlos finally took a deep breath and reluctantly let the matter drop before letting Katheryn help him with his own camping pack. "Just don't do that again."

Katheryn took Carlos' pack and set it with hers nearby. "Do what?"

"Not telling me whether or not you were okay until I had time to worry if you were hurt."

"I can take care of myself, you know."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Carlos grinned, pushing the sleeves of his shirt up. "Kind of warm in here." He felt around himself, briefly feeling the warmth from the window by the door. "I'll just open this window here."

Katheryn nearly cringed as she noticed the stool he was about to trip over. "Carlos!"

Kath sprang forward, fearing she wouldn't be fast enough as Carlos began to fall. She quickly caught him by the chest with an arm on each of his shoulders, her body beneath him as he fell forward on top of her. Both of them groaned pretty loudly as their weight on each other came to an abrupt collision on the wooden floor, Carlos straddling over Katheryn. Although he felt the pain begin to affect his hand that had broken their fall against the floor, he tried his best to hold his weight up, knowing Kath was under him.

Katheryn could tell Carlos wasn't sure what to do as she lay there motionless within the awkwardness, Katheryn staring up towards Carlos as he cringed from the pain. Despite the urge to help him and free herself, she wanted him to take charge. He needed to manage getting out of these situations on his own. But as much as she wanted to see him stay independent, Kath also couldn't deny the desire to help him. It wasn't the first time she had felt this way today. And she knew it wouldn't be the last.

Carlos finally managed to get back to his feet. Yet he stayed long enough to extend a helping hand towards Katheryn. Kath took his hand quickly and let him pull her up to her feet. A bit of pride twinkled in her eyes as she stood there for a moment to straighten her shirt. No matter the circumstance, she was glad to be by his side.

Katheryn smiled, somehow oddly cherishing the awkward moment. "Now, let me look at your hand."

"It's fine," Carlos insisted, backing away slowly. A bit of anger tinged his voice.

Yet Katheryn ignored his rash display of emotion when she noticed him cradling that hand some, her investigative instincts causing her to watch him from the corner of her eye while retrieving the first aid kit from her camping pack. She returned to his side and sighed. "Come on. Let me look at it."

Carlos exhaled sharply as he hesitated but finally began to convince himself. "Only for you."

Kath grinned. "That's better. The table is just over here." She led Carlos' to the square table and pulled out a chair for him. She then took a seat herself and popped open the kit before examining his hand. Carlos winced a bit as she looked it over with a sigh. "Yep, it's sprained a bit. I think there's a wrap for the wrist somewhere in here."

Finding the wrist brace, Katheryn wrapped Carlos' wrist in the item snuggly before shutting the kit and letting him know she was through. It was then amid the silence that her stomach decided to grumble.

Carlos raised an eyebrow. "That was loud."

Katheryn chuckled. "I'm going to go fix up some lunch. Are you alright here?"

"Yup," Carlos sighed, wishing he didn't feel so helpless. "I don't think I'm going anywhere."

##

"Hey, Perez! It's about time you called. I about had my man come down there to Dallas and show you who's boss."

"Uh," a shy voice shook unstable from the other end of the telephone call. The one to whom the voice belonged looked this way and that in the darkness as he huddled inside the phone booth, a train sounding in the distant background. "It—it's not Perez. It's Darrin."

"Darrin?!" The first man rolled his eyes before taking a puff of his cigar and standing from his neat and tidy chair and desk. He paced to the window with a scoff on his lips. "Don't tell me. Perez got caught."

"Y—yeah. The Rangers got him. But I got away. They didn't even see me. I—I was hoping you could help me out."

"No. Don't you realize how dangerous that would be for the entire organization if those Rangers got wind of your disappearance? Perez was just one of my many henchman down there. If you come to Chicago, they'll trace you here eventually. And my entire empire will fall to bits."

"Please," Darrin pleaded, "I'll do whatever you say. I just need some place safe to go, Mr. Rios. Please."

"Oh, don't beg me, Darrin." Rios exhaled sharply, watching as his high-tower guard kept his eyes on the driveway with a keen eye as the night grew darker. "Fine. But you must not come straight here. I'll have one of my men meet you at the airport and take you to one of my rural emergency hideouts. That's the best I can do."

"Oh, thank you sir!" Darrin smiled before letting off a few more morsels of thanks to one of the top crime organization bosses in the country. He probably didn't realize that the grace was not offered freely. He would be paying in some way. Somehow. Somewhere. But for now he relished what freedom he had secured for himself with little thought to anything except his successful escape from Texas.