A/N: Cru--I'm glad I surprised you, it's always fun to do that. This story is rolling right along, not sure where I'll be in it when the wedding date gets here, but I'll try to not leave you with a cliff hanger (unless I want to be really evil--hmmmm, decisions decisions). Anyways, everyone enjoy and I hope you especially enjoy the last sentence of this chapter ;) Until next time--PCGirl.
John pulled his truck into the parking lot—he hadn't figured out an explanation for his being here, but decided he'd just wing it—that's what worked that night when he tried to get her to hear his reasons. He waved to a few of the guys on the basketball court and went inside, taking the proper turns to where Natalie's office was.
He smiled at watching her in front of the copier—she was lost in her own world and he walked so quietly usually people didn't hear him coming up behind them. He slipped up behind her and put his arms around her waist—feeling her jump for a moment and then relax as he hugged her tighter and his warm breath fell against her neck, "How does lunch sound?"
Natalie grinned while trying to accomplish her task at hand, "That sounds divine. What are you doing here?"
"I can't come and see my wife?" he said, kissing her neck softly. He knew the longer he had her not facing him the easier it would be to hide his fear of Rae's death. The whole time he'd been at the other crime scene and then the drive over here he kept asking himself the same questions—how could the man have survived? Was it a ploy and everyone—including his brother—was fooled by this madman?
"Of course you can see me," she said finally turning around and leaning upwards to kiss him. "I just have an interviewee in my office, and then let me tell Adrienne I'm going out for lunch."
"That's fine," he said as he began to play with the copier buttons for a moment and smiled when she returned a second later, "That was quick."
"She's gone—that was really odd, I mean I was only gone for a moment."
"Hmm. Maybe she's in the bathroom."
"Maybe. Do you want to come with me to Adrienne's office and then we can leave?"
"Sure," said John as he followed behind her. They had come around the corner when the closet door next to Natalie's office opened and Cairyn stepped out, taking a look towards where Natalie and John just walked off to and then left quietly as she came in.
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"So explain to me why you picked me up for lunch today?" asked Natalie as she chomped down on a fry as they sat in the bar near the Center. The first week of work Adrienne had introduced this place to Natalie, and soon her and John would meet here a few times a week for lunch if possible—they had made it remind them more of Rodi's when they had talked the owner into putting in a pool table over in the corner.
"I told you—I was coming back from a case, it was lunchtime and I was coming by the Center—nothing more than that," he said wiping his mouth and looking towards the pool table where a game was about to finish up. He knew he couldn't keep her from the Center for long, but thought he'd get a quick game in to keep her in his sight.
"You're looking at the table—you want to play or talk, McBain?" laughed Natalie as she got up and turned towards it.
"I was thinking--."
"Hi Natalie," said Adam, one of the boys from the Center and quickly becoming a pool shark like Natalie.
"Hey," she said as she messed up his hair, "What are you doing here?"
"I got bored, so I decided to come down and play pool—you want to play with me?"
"Sure, but you know we've got a table at the Center—why use this one?"
"The one at the center has more hills and valleys in it than a roller coaster," he snorted off as he began to collect the balls and rack them.
His comment made John chuckle as he pulled out his cell phone, "I'm going to make a call—I'll be right back." He knew Natalie would be fine in there playing a game with Adam. He turned the corner and stopped at the pay phone—there was a scent in the air that was bothering him. It was familiar—soft, airy, reminded him of a field of wildflowers. It wasn't Natalie's—he knew what she wore, it was roses, strong and rich with fragrance, but still fragile—just like her.
He shook off the scent and continued outside to where he had a full signal and began dialing, "Hey," he said as he leaned against the brick wall and put his head back, closing his eyes for a moment.
"Hey John," said Bo on the other end.
"Any news from Antonio yet?"
"He's not even there yet—it takes more than two hours to fly across the Country. But they did call and tell me a few tid bits."
"Such as?"
"Rae had been mentioning odd things to her coworkers—the newspaper was moved to the front stoop a few times at home, she'd get bizarre faxes a few times in the past weeks."
"Ok, where was she found?"
"Her office—she was having a new patient come in for a session. The bizarre thing is that it was in the middle of the day—people saw him come in and leave the office. It wasn't for a few more hours until someone went to check on Rae and found her dead."
"Ok, let's see—where to start? I guess see if we can get a copy of the faxes, and surveillance tapes from the stores close to her office—have they shown her co-workers a picture of Haver yet. Anything else—I'm sure they've already talked to her neighbors?"
"Antonio already has those on the list of questions—except for surveillance tapes."
"Good," said John as he suddenly smelled the wild flowers again and opened his eyes to see someone walking past him in a black hooded coat. "Hold on Bo," he said as he ran around the corner but found the coat thrown in a trash heap.
"John, you there?"
"Yeah, sorry—I—nevermind," he said as his words trailed, "I need to get Natalie back to the Center—I'll call later after I talk to the boss and tell him what's up," he said hanging up the phone.
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"Bye Natalie!" yelled Adrienne from inside the kitchen as Natalie walked by on the way out to her car. Something felt immediately wrong and she almost went back inside the Center but continued on to her car. She sighed when she saw what had happened—all four tires had been slashed on her car, "Great. Just great," she said as she took out her cell phone and turned to go back to tell Adrienne. She stopped as she realized someone was now standing behind her, "Oh, Cairyn—hi."
"Hi Natalie. What's the problem?"
"Oh, I guess I made someone mad," she sighed as she pointed to her car, "I was just going to tell Adrienne to call a tow truck and have my husband come pick me up."
"Well, why don't I give you a ride home? You don't live to far away, do you?"
"No, just a couple miles, but you don't have to do that."
"Sure I do—it's no trouble at all," she said as she motioned towards her car that was parked towards the front of the lot.
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John took a look at his watch and outside the bedroom window again—where was Natalie? He had called Adrienne after she was supposed to leave the Center to explain to her that he and Natalie had to leave for Llanview in the morning—she had been completely understanding over the whole ordeal and hoped it turned out alright. Then five minutes later she called him back to tell him that Natalie's tires had been slashed but she couldn't find Natalie anywhere. His heart raced as he thought of what could have happened to her—there was no way Haver knew they were in Philadelphia now. Unless he somehow saw the news article for the award she had received. He heard the front door open and ran in to see her walking in, "Hey."
"Hi," she smiled as she put down her bag, "You're home early."
"Yeah," he said pulling her in for a hug.
She pulled out of the hug and looked at him, "John—you're scaring me—what's wrong?"
"Adrienne called and told me the tires were slashed, but she couldn't find you. How did you get home? Did you take a taxi?"
"No, Cairyn drove me home."
"Cairyn?"
"Yeah, the interviewee that disappeared before we went to lunch."
"And she suddenly reappeared in time to drive you home after your tires were slashed?"
"She had a phone call coming in on her cell phone—you know how bad the reception is inside of the Center. I guess we just didn't see her walk by us before."
"Yeah, I guess so," he said as he relaxed some that she was safely at home now.
"What else is there you aren't telling me? And don't say nothing because I know better."
John sat down on the edge of the couch and looked down before looking up at her and grabbing her hands, "You know I'll do anything in the world to protect you. I'd die for you if it meant you'd be safe and alive."
Natalie tried to smile but couldn't, "I know that—you've already saved me multiple times. Especially when Haver was on the loose."
John sighed at the name and stood up, releasing his hold on her, "I don't know how—I mean I've been wracking my brain all day on how this happened, and the only thing I can figure out is the guy is some damn vampire," chuckled John.
"Are you saying Stephen Haver is still alive?" asked Natalie and then answered her question, "Oh my God, John—what happened?"
"Rae Cummings was killed in her office in California—her coworkers said she had an appointment with a new client—she was strangled with a red leotard. I—uhm—their expecting us back in Llanview tomorrow."
"Oh really? Well, how would you like me to get my car fixed then?"
"Adrienne and Greg are having it towed to their house and then he's going to get it fixed while we're gone," he said as he watched Natalie's mouth open, "Wait—yes, I know I should have talked this over with you before I went ahead and did all of this stuff. But let me say my peace before you yell at me, I love you Natalie—you are my world, and you know that, and I need to be in Llanview to help out Bo and Antonio with this case and there is no way I am letting you out of my sight," he said as he pulled her against him and covered her mouth with his.
She pulled back, "So what happens when we meet face to face with the damn vampire?"
"I'm sure I'll have found some silver bullets to shoot him with by then," laughed John.