Chapter Twenty-Two
Steaming Mugs
Post-5x05, Probable Cause
Rick glances over at the passenger seat and turns the radio down. He prefers to listen to something while driving, whether it be music or an audiobook or something else, but he wants his dozing girlfriend to rest.
She needs the rest; well, they both do, but she'd driven for the first half of their almost 6 hour drive while he'd slept, so he doesn't mind that she's asleep.
His mind wanders to the events of the past few days: a gruesome crime scene, strange evidence that seemed to point to him being the killer, the revelation that Jerry Tyson was the mastermind behind the whole thing. That Tyson had orchestrated the convoluted plot to have Rick killed.
That he'd placed cameras inside the loft.
A violent shiver travels through his entire body.
How long had Tyson been watching? How many times had he watched Rick and Kate together? Only one camera had been discovered, in the bedroom, but Rick can't help but wonder if Tyson had removed other cameras.
Rick reaches for his coffee and takes a big drink. They're only about an hour outside of Stowe, Vermont, where he's booked them stay at a bed and breakfast. Kate has been ordered to take the rest of the week off, so they'll be away for 3 nights, and Rick hopes that it gives them the break that they both need.
He sets the coffee back in the cupholder and gropes for Kate's hand, tries to find it without taking his eyes off the road. When he feels her fingers cover his, he allows himself a glance, finds her looking at him with a sleepy gaze, her head leaning against the back of the seat.
"Did I wake you?" he asks after clearing his throat.
She gives him a soft smile and shakes her head. "No. You didn't."
He doesn't miss the emphasis, and he flips his hand so he can grip hers properly. "What did?"
She shakes her head again and looks out of the window. "It's fine," she tells him. When he just squeezes her fingers, she sighs. "I was dreaming. He was here. In the backseat, coming with us, taunting me. Taunting us."
Rick lifts her hand and brushes his lips across her knuckles. He's tempted to pull over so he can look her in the eyes, but he continues driving. "I know, love." He doesn't say that Tyson's gone, despite the man disappearing over a bridge. Until there's a body, Rick will always think the man is alive, somewhere.
They're silent for the rest of the drive, but their hands remain clasped together until Rick pulls down the dirt road that leads to the B&B. He hears Kate gasp when the large Victorian mansion comes into view, and when he looks over she's leaning forward, mouth open in awe.
The pictures he'd seen online do not do the place justice. It's huge.
They check in with a woman who turns out to be the owner, who greets them with a cheerful smile despite their late arrival. By the time they settle into the large suite - the master bedroom, they're told - Rick's about to fall over from exhaustion. The adrenaline from the past few days is quickly wearing off, and he barely has enough energy to brush his teeth and change before he joins his wife in bed.
The sun is shining right in his eyes when he wakes in the morning, and he reaches for Kate, bolts up when he finds the other side of the bed empty. He blinks against the brightness, sees her familiar silhouette curled up in a wingback chair in the corner. The smell of fresh coffee draws his attention to the nightstand, and he smiles, picks up the steaming mug as he slides out of bed.
She's facing the large bay window, gazing outside with her own mug in her hands, and when he approaches she glances up at him with a small smile.
"Morning," he grumbles, bending to press a soft kiss against the top of her head.
She reaches for the hand he places on her shoulder and curls her fingers around his. "Morning," she returns. "I brought up some breakfast. Didn't want to wake you."
Rick glances at the window seat, sees a plate with a bagel and some fruit, but he ignores it for now. Instead, he nudges Kate to the side and squeezes onto the chair, holds her coffee while she adjusts to drape her legs over his. "Did you sleep okay?" he asks when she nestles into his chest.
"Mostly." Kate shrugs against him. "I don't usually sleep well in a new place, but I think I was so tired that it didn't matter."
"Me too."
They fall silent as they drink, Rick enjoying the snuggly, clingy version of his girlfriend that he's only seen a few times.
Although he'd known that the B&B is in the Vermont countryside, and he'd seen pictures of the grounds, they're much more impressive in person. They're here when the fall colors are at their brightest, and he's in awe of the sea or vibrant red, orange, and yellow that's just outside.
Later they'll probably go for a walk on one of the many trails, or take advantage of the boutique shopping in town, but for now, he's content to sip his coffee with the woman he loves curled up in his arms.