Chapter 4

Leo arrived at the office early to find Kate already at her desk. She looked haggard and tired, though immaculately dressed. He arrived light hearted as Lauren wasn't going to be in today. She had a case out of town and wasn't expected to return for a couple of days.

Leo tapped on the slightly opened door leading to Kate's office. She looked up and motioned for him to come in. She asked him to close the door.

"Kate! Good morning!" Leo said in his usual enthusiastic manner.

"What's so good about it?" Kate replied apathetically. Her elbows were on the desk with her chin resting in the palms of her hands. Leo sensed something was wrong, but didn't want to pry.

"Well, one good thing is," he said with raised eyebrows as he leaned toward Kate while looking around to see if anyone else was in earshot, "the battleax is gone for the day. I think we'll all be able to breathe easier." He waited for Kate's response.

"Leo, have you ever felt that something bad was about to happen?" She took a sip of orange juice that she bought from the coffee shop across the street earlier.

"Yeah, but it usually passes. My experience has been that feelings like that are usually connected to fatigue or stress." Leo was puzzled.

"That's been my feeling, too. But, brother, I got kicked in the gut yesterday."

"What! Are you alright? Did you call the police?" Leo asked urgently as he raced around to her side of her desk. "Wait until I get my hands…"

"No, no, Leo. I'm fine," Kate replied with a nervous laugh, shaking her head, and waving off his concern. "No. I meant that to be metaphorical," Kate said with a slight smile and reassurance.

"What? Please tell me what's going on?" Leo's interest was piqued and he wanted answers now. He liked Kate and was protective of her, even though she was his boss. He had to sit down.

"I won't go into details right now, but my life has been changed forever because of a single letter."

"A letter? From whom?" Leo could feel his heart racing.

"It was in the envelope you left on my desk yesterday. It's from someone who knew my dad, someone I don't even know." She looked up at Leo, her brown eyes sad and tired.

"Kate, is there anything I can do?" Leo asked as he leaned forward in his chair, his forearms resting on his thighs.

"The person who wrote the letter grew up with my dad and there was information in it that was unbelievable."

Leo was still puzzled, but knowing the chain of command, he was reluctant to press her any further. Kate looked toward the window of her office. Tears were glistening in her eyes.

"I don't know what to say, except that my offer to help you in any way I can still stands. Kate, we have a strong sense of trust between us and I won't do anything to betray that trust." He restrained himself from being too sympathetic. Kate was a strong woman and he had great respect for her. She was his role model. He hoped to be as good a lawyer as she. He'd seen her in action. She possesses a great deal of common sense and sensitivity, particularly in her position as mediator.

"I need to rely on someone and you came to mind. Leo, this information will change my life forever, if it's revealed. I don't know what to do with it yet. I've got a lot of thinking and a lot of research to do. I just don't know where to start."

"My experience has been that the best place to start is at the beginning," Leo said wryly.

Kate managed a slight smile. "You're right. But right now," Kate took a deep breath, "we have a lot to do today and we might as well get on with it."

"I could rearrange your schedule for a week or so." Leo offered.

"No. I want things to remain as they are. Lauren will get suspicious and cause me more grief that I can handle right now. I'll just have to muster-up and get through this. There is one thing that I would like to ask you." Kate stood up and crossed her arms in front of her more as a position for comfort rather than a sign of cautiousness.

"Anything, Kate. You know that," Leo replied as he rose out of his chair out of respect for her.

"I may need some help with checking the background on this person who wrote me the letter. Would you be willing to help me with this after hours? I know you're busy with school and such. I'll pay you for your time. I want to do this on the weekends away from work so Lauren won't become suspicious of anything."

"Consider it done. Let me know when you want to get started," Leo said with conviction.

"Thanks. I'd like to get started this Saturday, if that's good for you. I think the sooner I start, the sooner I can unravel all that's happened and get on with my life."

"Saturday is good. Have you talked to Justin about this?" Leo hoped that she hadn't.

"No. I've decided I'm not going to him about this. I've been thinking for a while about whether he fits into my life or not. I've decided I'm done with him. There's no use trying any longer to make a go of a marriage that ended long ago. I'm meeting him for dinner tonight to tell him that I'll agree to the divorce. There are so many hurdles that have popped up in my life lately. I intend on knocking them down one-by-one until I see a clear road ahead of me. There's no use in hanging onto something that's in the way of my being happy."

Leo was glad to hear this from Kate. He'd long felt that she needed to set herself free, but knew that she would come to her senses in time. The loss of her dad, the breakup of her marriage, and now this mysterious letter has been a lot for her to handle. He hoped she would have the mettle to get through this tough time in her life.

"I'll be honest Kate. I'm glad to hear you say that. I hope I'm not out of line for voicing my opinion."

"Not at all, Leo. I consider you a friend and confidant, "Kate said with a slight smile. "O.K. now, let's get our day started. There's a lot to do.

David Smith got an early start this morning for his hike. He'd have to drive about ten miles to reach the mountain trail. He packed a backpack of high energy foods, a few bottles of water, and a first aid kit. He planned on hiking for a couple of hours, then return to his cabin for a late breakfast.

The weather was clear and cold, the air crisp and clean. The high temperature for the day was going to only reach 38°F which meant it would be colder at the higher elevations. He arrived at the hiking trail parking lot about an hour after sunrise. Other vehicles were parked indicating that other hikers were already on the trail. He began walking, taking it slowly at first to give the muscles in his body a chance to warm up, even though he stretched before leaving the cabin. The trail was smooth, requiring little effort as he gradually ascended. David was in pretty good shape; he liked to take a run a few times a week before work. He wasn't a fanatic about exercise, but liked how well he felt afterwards.

David had been hiking about an hour and a half when he noticed someone ahead of him sitting alone on a small bench made from tree logs. It was a woman. He saw that she was rubbing the area of her left ankle. He walked up to her and asked if she was alright. Her eyes were squinting against the bright sunlight as she looked up. Her hair was dark brown with auburn highlights and was worn off her neck in a ponytail with a few strands of loose hair about her face. She replied that she was fine, but she had sprained her left ankle as she descended down the hill.

"I have an instant ice pack in my backpack. You're going to need it from the looks of your ankle." As he said this, David noticed she had green eyes. Her dark green parka enhanced the color in her eyes. She also looked familiar. Then he remembered—she was the waitress from the café where he had eaten lunch at about a week ago on his day trip.

"Thanks. I didn't think to bring any first aid." She said in a self-deprecating manner. She furrowed her eyebrows. "You look familiar to me. I've seen you somewhere before, and that's not meant to be a pick-up line by the way," she said wryly.

"I recognize you, too. I ate lunch at a café on Highway 101 about a week or so ago. I rode in on my Harley motorcycle, but you probably see a lot of those. That area is very popular with bikers."

"I remember you now. You left me a rather large tip. It was very much appreciated," Veronica said with genuine kindness.

"My name is David Smith," he said smiling as he extended his right hand to shake hers.

"It's nice to meet you, David Smith. My name is Veronica Myers." She shook his hand. His hand was much larger than hers. He had a gentle grip.

"Well, Veronica," David said as he reached into his backpack. "Here's the instant cold pack for your ankle," he said as he squeezed and shook the packet to activate it. "Do you have another pair of socks?"

"No. Why?" she asked puzzled.

"Well, another sock pulled over the one already on your foot would make a support vessel for the ice pack when it's placed in the tube part of the second sock."

"You sound experienced in this kind of thing," she said as she took the ice pack from David.

"I may have an extra pair of socks," David said as he rummaged through his pack. "Here's one. It's clean by the way," he said jokingly.

"I don't think it would be a good idea to remove my foot out of the boot just yet. The swelling may get worse," she said concerned.

"Good thinking. If you don't mind, I'll loosen the first few grommets on your boot to allow for the ice pack to be placed as close to your ankle as possible, then tie the shoelaces to secure it," he said reassuringly. "You really shouldn't continue your hike, but you obviously already know that."

"I began hiking just after sunrise and was on my way back down when I turned my ankle just there," she said pointing to an uneven area on the trail.

"Oh. Well, I'll be glad to walk with you back to your car." David said as he applied the ice pack and retied the boot. He hoped she would say yes.

"But this will take you away from your hike," she said as she began to rise from the bench. "It's really not necessary." She groaned from the pain in her ankle and immediately sat down. She looked up at David and said, "I guess I do need some help."

"Ok, then." he said as he picked up his backpack. "Lean on me as you get up from the bench. Try not to put too much weight on that ankle. I'll put my arm around your waist to stabilize you as we walk. I promise I won't get fresh." They both laughed. They began their slow descent, chatting a little along the way.

When they finally arrived at the entrance of the trail and the parking lot, David asked, ""Why don't I carry you to your car? I would have offered before we started walking, but the trail was a little steep and I was afraid we'd wind up tumbling downhill."

Veronica forced a smile. "Thanks, but my SUV is just ahead of us. It's the silver one."

"Oh. Ok. Will you be able to drive?" he asked as they continued gingerly to the SUV.

"I think so," she said as she limped to the driver side. "When I get back to my cabin I'll soak my ankle, and then wrap it." Veronica winced as she unlocked the door.

"If you need any help when you get back to your cabin, I'm a pretty good medical attendant," he said as he held the door open for her as she eased into the driver seat.

"You're kind, but I think I can handle it. I've got some ibuprofen at the cabin and some ice. I should be fine."

"Well, if you need anything this is my cell number," David said as he jotted down the number on a piece of paper he had in his backpack. "No obligation," he said as he handed her the paper. He hoped she would call later.

"Thanks." She took the piece of paper and put it into a pocket of her jacket. She put the key into the ignition and started the engine.

"Well, take care, Veronica. Before you go, you mentioned you were staying in a cabin. I'm also staying in one located in a recreation area called Deer Valley. It's about ten miles from here at the foot of the mountain."

"Really? Mine's not far from here either. Look, thanks again for your help. I'll call you if I need anything." She smiled as she closed the door, and then drove away. She was in pain and wanted to get back to her cabin.

"Hmm," David said, a bit perplexed, as he watched her drive away. "One thing's for sure, she ain't easy," he muttered to himself. He walked to his Jeep and tossed his backpack onto the front seat. He started the engine and drove off.

Veronica finally arrived at her rental log cabin after stopping at a local store to purchase a small basin, some soaking salts, and a couple of cold packs for her ankle. She also found a handcrafted walking stick carved by a local artisan, and so included that in her purchase. She figured that not only would it serve as a walking aide for now, but it would also be a nice souvenir of her trip. Supported by her new walking stick, she hobbled from her SUV, up the two steps leading to the front porch, and opened the door. She closed it behind her and proceeded to the thermostat located on the wall of the small entrance hallway to turn up the heat, as the temperature was dropping outside. Her cabin was similar to David's in size and design. She limped to the kitchen to fill the small basin with warm water. She added a handful of salts, swishing the water with her hand. She limped back to the small living room, and then set the basin on the floor in front of the sofa and placed her bare foot into it. The warm water was soothing to her ankle. As she sat, she began reminiscing about this morning's encounter with David Smith. She recalled how she had been struck by his kind demeanor when he had lunch at her café. She assumed he wasn't aware that she owned the café. It just happened that the day he came in for lunch Veronica was covering a shift for a waitress who had left her employ the day before without giving notice.

Veronica was thinking how it would be nice to have a meal with this seemingly decent guy while on her vacation, but her heart was still recovering from her last relationship. It was a physically abusive one, and fortunately for her, with the support of her family and her own good sense, she got out of it before more serious harm came to her. The day before her court date a year ago her ex-boyfriend was killed in a single-car collision. The investigation into the cause of the accident found that he'd passed out from heavy drinking. His vehicle crossed the center line of the highway, crashed into a grove of trees at a high rate of speed, and then caught fire. Kismet apparently had other plans for her.

She dried her foot and, following the directions on the package, wrapped her ankle with an ace bandage and put on a clean sock to keep her foot warm. After emptying the basin into the bathroom sink, she limped to the kitchen and managed to cook a late breakfast as she realized she was hungry. After eating and taking two ibuprofen tablets, she propped herself up with pillows that were on the sofa and elevated her injured ankle on two pillows from her bed. As she lay on the sofa, she pushed the ON button of the remote control to switch on the small TV that sat on a small wooden table across from her to check the local weather. A winter storm warning had been issued. A storm was approaching from the west and was forecasted to potentially bring a significant amount of snowfall to the area. She became concerned for her safety as she obviously couldn't begin emergency preparations on her own for the impending storm. She remembered David's offer to help her while she was recovering from her ankle injury. However, she knew more help would be needed than just for her ankle. Her survival could be at stake.

David decided to eat a late breakfast at a nearby restaurant on his way back to his cabin as the cool, crisp air of this morning whetted his appetite. As he consumed his meal, his thoughts were of Veronica. He was surprised when he saw her on the trail. He wanted to see her again and soon. He thought about cooking her dinner and just spend some time with her. When he returned to his cabin, he turned on the radio to listen to some music. The station interrupted the program to inform the listeners of a winter storm heading in their direction that could potentially dump a significant amount of snow overnight and bring subzero temperatures. It could mean a loss of electrical power and frozen water pipes. He went into an emergency mode to make preparations for the impending storm and its forecasted dangers. He walked out to the back porch and began bringing firewood inside for the fireplace. As he was finishing this task, he looked out in the distance from the porch and saw an SUV the same color as Veronica's. He wondered if that was the same cabin where she was staying. He made a mental note to drive over to make sure she had what she needed when the storm hit. He carried in the last of the firewood that he felt he'd need for a couple of days and started a fire in the fireplace. He decided to cook the meat being stored in the freezer compartment of the small refrigerator in case there was a power outage. While the meat was cooking, David began to draw up water in pots and any other large containers. As he continued his preparations, his cell phone rang. It was Veronica.

"Hello, David Smith here," he said, not recognizing the caller's number.

"David? It's Veronica Myers. We met this morning on the trail."

"Of course, Veronica. How's your ankle?" David asked with genuine concern.

"It's ok. I've wrapped it and have it propped up on some pillows to keep the swelling down. Listen, the reason I'm calling you is about the snowstorm that is headed our way."

"Yep, I just heard the report on the radio. I've been bringing in firewood and filling pots and other large containers with water."

"Sounds like you've been busy. I checked the weather channel just now and found I had missed the worst part of an earlier report. It sounds like it's going to be a bad one. The reason I'm calling is I'm unable to prepare for the storm because of my ankle and I wondered if you wouldn't mind helping me with bringing in firewood and all that." It wasn't easy for her to ask for help.

"Of course I don't mind. I'll be happy to help you." David was pleasantly surprised. "Where is your cabin located?"

"I'm in the same rec area as you. My cabin number is 5."

"Then we're neighbors! Mine is 8." Veronica confirmed his hunch that she was, indeed, close by.

"Oh. Ok. Then you won't have far to come."

"I have a suggestion that's not meant to be suggestive." David was still in his emergency prep mode.

"Yes?" Veronica replied with hesitation.

"Well, since you're ankle is injured and you're unable to get around, wouldn't it make sense for you to stay with me at my cabin. I mean, if you were to need help, it might be very difficult to get to you. Being with someone could make it easier for you… I mean… oh damn…" David didn't know what he was saying, just hoping that she wasn't going to take his offer the wrong way.

Veronica was smiling as she heard stammering in David's voice. She was touched by his concern for her safety.

"Veronica, what I am trying to say is it would be better for you to stay with me at my cabin and rest your ankle. You won't have to get up and down to do cooking, replacing firewood in the fireplace if there's a power outage, and considering how bad the weather forecast is… uh, I think you get my drift. If you stay with me, you could be a lady of leisure. I could do those things and keep you company." David hoped this attempt at clarifying his intent was better understood.

"David, thank you for your concern. I am worried about this storm. I can be rather stubborn in accepting any offers of help because of my independent nature, but in the face of reason, I'll accept your offer. I just want to be sure you don't mind having to attend to me." Veronica was still emotionally wounded by the actions of her now-dead, ex-boyfriend that made her feel as though she were an inconvenience to him and who treated her with indifference rather than as a loving partner.

"I wouldn't have mentioned it if I didn't want to help," David said softly. "Listen, I'll be over in about fifteen or twenty minutes, if that's ok. I'll bring my Jeep and help you pack a few things and we'll pool whatever food we have and…"

Veronica interrupted. "David?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it."

"You're very welcome. So, I'll see you later." David said smiling. He liked this woman and was going to make sure that he earned her trust.

"Ok. I'll see you later." Veronica ended the phone call. She took a deep breath realizing that for the next couple of days or so she'd be in the company of a complete stranger. But her heart was telling her that she'd be safe and well cared for. She eased herself off the sofa, reached for her handcrafted walking stick, and limped to her bedroom to begin packing.