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The stalker part2
by elessar73
26. chapter: The long way home part2
Don lifted the receiver of the phone. He pressed the zero button to connectwith the front desk.
A kindly female voice answered the phone. The front desk girl listened attentively and though it was in the middle of the night the woman checked the means available for the Eppes to get back to L.A. as fast as possible.
Alan's eyes were glued to Don's lips while he was speaking and noticed with distress when Don's body tensed and began to tap his thighs nervously.
Alan felt his own heartbeat increase. He could barely remain silent, let alone sit still. In the moment Don slammed the receiver back on the phone, swearing badly, Alan was on his feet and at Don's side.
"What is it, Donnie?" Alan asked impatiently, though he was afraid of the answer.
"We can't go home," Don pressed through clenched teeth.
"What do you mean 'we can't go home'?" Alan laid a hand on Don's shoulder. "Donnie?"
The worried voice of his father filled his head. Harshly, he broke free from the older man. His thoughts were on a rollercoaster ride and the agent didn't have the nerves to deal with his concerned father. Resentfully, he began to pace the room again and this time he really hit his thighs hard.
"There's a storm front heading towards the island. The airport is already closed. They'll be no flights to the mainland for at least 12 hours," Don finally explained. "We're stranded." Don shook his head in disbelief. "This is crazy..."
Alan had paled by the words. His mind refused to understand the meaning of what Don had just said. "But we have to get to Charlie," Alan mumbled in a low voice. His legs began to wobble and the older man collapsed, mentally frazzled, on the bed.
"I know, dad," Don spat out. When he turned around he noticed the bad shape his father was in. Instantly he felt guilty. He repressed his own fear and anger and sat down beside the other man. Don grabbed Alan's hands and pressed them tightly. "Don't worry, dad. Colby, Megan and David will take care of Charlie. He'll be fine."
The two Eppes locked eyes. Alan managed a despondent smile. "Sure, son. Now then, how's Charlie doing? You've surely talked to him already." Expectantly Alan blinked, but what he saw made him shiver.
Don's face was white as a sheet and his features were tense. "Damn it! In all that mess I forgot the most important thing."
Alan remarked the change in Don's behavior, knowing his son by heart he felt that his older son was close to losing it. Encouragingly he tapped him on the shoulder. "So let's do it now, together. I'm sure Charlie is pleased to hear from us."
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"Charles, don't open the door!" But Larry Fleinhardt's sream went unheard when Charlie had looked through the window and had stared straight into a blood covered face. The young genius' heart had skipped a beat and his trembling hands had dropped the phone. Shattered, he had taken a step back thinking despairingly about what to do.
Jason's instruction to keep the door locked, no matter what, had become insignificant when Charlie's cooperativness had taken over.
Whosoever stood in front of the door was in need of help and Charlie was the last person who could deny it.
Against all reason, Charlie banished the moving words of his friends into the back of his mind and unlocked the door. He opened it a gap and for a brief moment he stood eye to eye with the female intruder. Blood ran freely down the woman's face till it dropped from her chin onto the ground. Charlie let his view wander further, but despite the cuts in the face the woman seemed to be unharmed. "What happened?" he dared to ask and looked back up again. But any further question died on his lips when he noticed the cold, evil, green eyes.
Recognition hit him hard. Surprised the genius howled and stepped away from the entrance, ready to slam the door shut again. But it was too late.
Mary didn't say a word. She was captured by the sight of Charlie. Her awe for the young professor had impended to ruin her plans, but just in time she was able to react again.
Forcefully, she threw herself against the wooden door. The power of the collision took Charlie by surprise. The door hit his shoulder and he stumbled backwards. He reached out his arms to find his balance or at least something to steady himself.
His mind searched for an escape. Knowing his house by heart it should have been easy for him to use this advantage, but his head refused to work right. As a point of fact it was occupied with Larry's former question; was it was possible to be in two places at the same time?
A small smile appeared on his mouth. Obviously he was wrong when he had purported that it was impossible. Right here was the proof - Mary Clark was in his house even though she was locked up in a high-security facility.
TBC