~ Chapter 11 ~
Alex North was having fun. It had been years since he'd needed to slip a tail, and he was enjoying every minute as he led his shadow up one street and down another. He drove aimlessly through various Salem neighbourhoods, knowing that the officer assigned to watch his every move would eventually find himself distracted for the few seconds it would take Alex to make his escape. Observing the man in his rear-view mirror, he saw his chance. While they were stopped at a red light, a little girl approached the police car and tapped on the passenger side window. Torn between keeping up the chase and helping a child in distress, the young man opted for the latter. After all, the target hadn't broken a single rule or done anything remotely suspicious so far, and the girl's tear-stained face reminded him of his own daughter. Just like that, the choice was made.
Advancing on the green light, Alex frowned. Although pleased at the tangible proof that his evasive skills were still top-notch, he was rather disappointed that the officer hadn't posed more of a challenge. Which was irrelevant, he reminded himself. His priority now was finding Marlena.
In the years that they'd been apart, Alex had kept close tabs on his beloved. Unbeknownst to her, she'd been under the watchful eye of many of his colleagues, who had sent him weekly reports about the goings-on in her life. There'd been so many times when he deeply regretted the choice he had made, and he'd barely restrained himself from giving everything up to head to her rescue. She had been through so much trauma, and he held himself accountable for all of it. If only he'd been with her… But he hadn't been, and that was that. There could be no going back. Thankfully, he had a second chance, and he was not about to blow it.
Owing to all the previous surveillance, he could hazard a reasonable guess as to Marlena's whereabouts. After a cursory check of his GPS, he made a right-hand turn, stepped on the gas, and proceeded down the road that led out of town.
John was attempting to focus on the work in front of him – and was failing miserably. While he'd been keen to separate Marlena from Dr. North for the afternoon, he was still worried about her. He had absolutely no clue where she might have gone. And why did she need to be alone? He hated to think that she was disturbed by his presence, and yet that seemed to be the case. It had to be the influence of that pesky shrink.
Even though the scheme he'd cooked up with Kate to get rid of Alex had been a total disaster, John figured that his ex-fiancée might have some other creative ideas.
She does have her devious side, and that's exactly what I need right now.
Reaching for his phone, he pulled up his favourites list and initiated the call.
"Kate? It's John."
"Hi, John. This is a pleasant surprise."
"I need to see you. Could you meet me at Salem Place in half an hour?"
"Sure, I'd love to."
"Great. Thanks. See you then."
As the elevator sped him to the ground floor, John began to relax. Kate would help him, and all would be well.
A self-satisfied smile played at the corners of Alex's mouth. He had found Marlena, and she was still by herself.
Obviously, I know her better than John does.
The doctor stood quietly, content simply to watch her as she sat on the log bench, deep in thought. He'd read about her visits to this place, and about how often she cried while she was there. It had been this behaviour that had led them to erase her memories, fearing that she would never give up on so great a love. They'd been right, of course. A love like theirs was fated, and would have withstood anything – except mind control, the effects of which had ripped them apart. Silently, Alex mourned the lost years once again.
From the shelter of the trees, he observed her, trying to gauge her mood. Serious, but not weepy. He wondered how she had managed to find her way back to this mountain. Something in her subconscious must have drawn her here, he hypothesized, and he knew for a fact that it had nothing to do with her current husband. This had been her private retreat, a sanctuary that she'd shared with no one else since her arrival in Salem. Even after they had changed her, turning her into a shell of her former self with huge gaps in her memory, she'd continued to frequent her solitary haven.
Her unexpected movement caught his eye and he crept cautiously closer, watching intently as she retrieved her phone from her purse and brought it to her ear. He was so absorbed in her actions that it took him a few beats before realizing that his own cell was vibrating. Pulling it out of his jacket pocket, a huge grin lit up his face as Marlena's number flashed on his screen.
"Hello, Alex North here."
He spoke in hushed tones and backed up a few paces, not wanting her to be aware of his presence just yet.
"Hello, Alex. It's Marlena. I hope I'm not disturbing you…" Her words trailed off, uncertainty in her voice.
"Not at all. I'm always happy to hear from you. Is everything alright?"
"Oh, yes. I somehow found myself in a place I just know I've been to many times before. It's so peaceful here, and it's helping me relax."
"Have you remembered anything?"
"I have, and that's why I'm calling. I really need to talk to you."
"Go ahead. I'm listening."
"No, that won't work. I want to do this face to face. If I text you the directions, can you come right away?"
At that very moment, she sensed a presence behind her. Spinning around, her eyes glistened in amazement as Alex emerged from the forest.
"I'm already here."
