Chapter 103
Blurry-eyed and headed, I awoke the next morning oddly content and incredibly horny. Nick and I had made love all night in my dreams. I shook my head. It was a dream, right? Dreams and reality were starting to overlap. The fight in the trailer… No, that hadn't been a dream. I was too dazed to worry about it. My eyes focused on the clock. Eight-thirty. Holy hell! I was late. Oh, this was bad.
Scampering out of bed, I flew through the house, trying to get ready. After taking a quick shower, I located an outfit that sort of matched from my closet. My autopilot must have driven me to work, because my mind was completely elsewhere. Somehow I'd managed to make it to the training room only a few minutes late. Tardiness aside, the training itself was a struggle. The wrong PowerPoint was on the screen as I talked through the session. My fingers fumbled on the laptop while I searched for the correct one, only to finally give up. I trained the old fashioned way... on the whiteboard.
By lunch, I wanted to go home. Unfortunately, I was stuck with eating something unidentifiable out of the vending machine while I worked through my lunch on a flowchart I'd forgotten to do for one of my trainings that afternoon. How had I skipped it? That was so unlike me.
Thoughts of Monroe surfaced briefly as I typed away on the computer. I'd call him tonight… or perhaps tomorrow. But if I did, what would I say? How could I face him after what he saw? Even if he'd come out of his house to talk to me last night, the right words to say were still lost. I'd figure something out. There was no hiding from the inevitable, but I could delay it until I could explain it. Then we'd find a way to make up.
Instead of worrying about Monroe, I called Nick. It went to voicemail, and I sighed heavily. I needed to talk to him, hear his voice, and tell him I loved him. He was probably solving a crime somewhere. As I hung up the phone, I took another bite of my mystery sandwich. For something out of the machine, it tasted really good. I glanced down at the wrapper. Tuna salad. Tuna? Holy crap! I'd already eaten half of it. I quickly threw the rest away as I shook my head. So much for vegetarian today.
The brain malfunctions continued the rest of the day. I facilitated my other two trainings in a haze of terms and facts my subconscious helped me run through. Run through? Go through? Complete. No matter. My trainees looked as confused as I felt.
(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)
Nick texted me that he'd left work early, so I went to the trailer immediately after I got off at five. Being away from him for this long was so difficult. Nick opened the door quickly as I knocked, pulling me toward him as he kissed me. I held him close and almost tripped over something on the floor while walking forward. My eyes darted around the trailer, and I stepped back, gasping at the sight of it. Drawers were pulled out from their cabinets, and the shelves were ransacked. Even the trailer bed was completely disheveled and piled full of stuff.
"Oh, God. What… What happened?" I stammered out, taking off my jacket. "Did Monroe come back? Did someone find the trailer? Was it robbed?"
Nick shook his head. "No, nothing like that." He tugged at the row of buttons on the top of his red shirt. "I've been trying to figure out what this goes to while I waited for you." He held out a green key.
I moved forward to inspect further, dodging the books that were sprawled out on the floor. "It looks old," I replied. "May I?"
Nick nodded and handed it to me. "Help yourself."
I glanced around the trailer. "Where did you find this?"
"I didn't find it. My aunt gave it to me before she died." Nick walked back toward the desk and slumped down into the wooden chair. "She said to guard it with my life, but she failed to mention what it went to."
I tossed my jacket and shoulder bag on the bed and then studied the key in my hand. It was small, yet intricate. It reminded me of a skeleton key. "Does this part move?" I asked as I pointed at the base.
"Yeah, it's like a butterfly knife."
As I moved the two bottom parts, the key closed up inside. The markings on the outside were grooved into a pattern. But of what? I flipped it to the other side, but the pattern was different.
I moved toward the desk. "What do these markings mean?"
"Markings?" he asked.
"Yeah. Look at the design on this." I handed him back the key.
Nick examined it again and shrugged. "Maybe it's just decorative."
"This isn't just decorative," I replied with a shake of my head. "Have you ever seen the movie National Treasure?"
"No." He smirked at me. "Is it another black and white film?"
I smirked back. "This one came out not too long ago." Did he watch anything I liked? "It's a great adventure heist movie with Nicholas Cage." I sat on the edge of the desk. "Anyway, in the movie he uncovers a meerschaum pipe, and the pipe's handle has a secret message on the markings."
Nick set the key down and automatically leaned back in his chair. "So, you think that these markings might tell us something?"
"Maybe." I picked up the key again and turned it over in my hands. "Do you have a piece of paper and a pencil?"
Nick searched the desk, producing both items. Holding the paper over the key, I used the pencil to do a rubbing on one side. I attempted to analyze the paper, but it wasn't dark enough. I tried to do the same thing on the other side.
"Maybe it's just decorative like I said," Nick explained.
"It needs to be bolder, like…"
"Like with ink?" he asked.
"Yeah," I replied brightly while looking at him. "But you can't do a rubbing with ink." My shoulders slumped slightly.
"No, but you can use it like a rubber stamp in ink."
"Good idea!" I leaned over the desk and gave him another kiss. He was so clever. "Now, where do we find ink? Is there a stamp pad in here somewhere? In the movie Nicholas Cage used blood, but I really don't want to try that method." I cringed. Too much blood had been spilled in the trailer already.
Nick searched a few drawers, but then held up a square, glass bottle that was sitting on the edge of the desk. "I think this might be ink." He handed me the bottle.
I held up the glass, examining the black goo inside. "Does this come with a quill?" I chuckled.
"Have you seen the books in here?" Nick replied with a wave of his hand. "I'm sure that's how most of them were written."
Just then Nick's cell rang. Great, another murder or robbery. I should've spent more time kissing and less time with this key.
Nick checked his phone display. "Juliette."
"Oh." I bit back a groan. "I'll stay quiet."
"No, I'll just call her back later," he said and stuffed his cell back in his pocket. "Let's try this ink thing."
Nick laid out a clean sheet of paper while I opened the bottle. I poured a bit out, and Nick dipped the key in and pressed it down. It smeared all over the page in a huge, inky mess. The movies made it look so easy.
"This isn't working," he said while rubbing at the ink on his hands.
"Try coating it less and give it a firmer press on the paper."
After a few attempts and opening the key again, we had something. We had something big.
"Is it a…?"
"A map," said Nick, finishing my sentence. "It's definitely a map." He held the page closer to the lamp. "But of what?"
I looked at the markings, trying to search my mental filing cabinets for some recognition, but they were still foggy. "I'm not sure. It's a partial map… like there should be more. This isn't enough to figure it out without pulling out a real map and matching it up."
Nick's phone rang again. His ink-stained hands reached into his pocket, and I grimaced. "It's Juliette again." He shook his head, setting the paper down. "I've got to take this."
I nodded as I looked at the map once more. A map on a key… leads to… a treasure? Oh, this could be another adventure.
"Dinner, right. I forgot," Nick said into the phone. "Okay, I'm sorry… So, am I already late…? My butt is on its way."
I darted my head up at the mention of his butt as he hung up the phone. "Where does your butt need to be, Detective Sexy?"
Nick grinned, but then it faded as he sighed. "I kinda have a double date tonight," he sheepishly told me. "Hank wants to show off his new girlfriend, and Juliette arranged for us to meet over dinner. I have to go and make an appearance."
"You sure you have to go?" I tried not to pout. "I feel like I just got here."
"It's too late to get out of it or I would." Nick stood, wiping his hands on a handkerchief as he looked down. "I can't believe I forgot, but that's been happening lately." He glanced back up at me, tossing the handkerchief on the desk.
I walked around the desk and moved in close, my fingers dipping under his collar. "Anything I can do to change your mind?" I asked sweetly. "And I mean anything…" My tongue drew across my bottom lip on the last word.
Nick groaned. "I could meet his girlfriend some other time. Juliette will get over it."
"No." I sighed. She wouldn't get over it. She'd want to know why. "We don't need Juliette suspicious. We've already had one bad reveal with Monroe. We can't have your girlfriend catching you in a lie."
"Yeah, that wouldn't be good," Nick agreed. "We'll just meet back here tonight. Dinner shouldn't take long, and I'll make up some excuse to leave early." He gave me a kiss. "Can I still get anything if I cut out early?"
"Maybe," I teased. "Depends on how early you make it." I held in my disappointment, but it was for the best. It was bad enough Monroe caught us. We didn't need to hurt Juliette, too, if we could help it. Brushing past Nick, I went back to the trailer bed to grab my things. "Call me when you're done. I'm going to catch an early yoga class and maybe get a run in. Besides, I have a PowerPoint to create, so it's fine actually."
"Be safe out there," he said as I put on my jacket. "I Love you!"
I turned back, reaching for his face and pulled him into a kiss. "Love you, too, Nick."
He reached for the paper off the desk. "We'll figure out this map thing some other time."
I nodded eagerly. "It must be some treasure to go to these lengths."
Nick smiled in gratitude. "But we're one step closer."
My brain thought of maps on the drive home. Where was this place? What could the key open? What other secrets did that trailer hold? This was better than any movie.
(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)
Nick texted me as I checked my mailbox before going inside.
Can't wait till tonight. I can think of a few ideas for your offer of anything.
I bit my lip as I replied.
Make a list & maybe we'll pick 1. ;-)
I missed him already. The phone rang while I sat my bag and jacket down on the chair. "I said make a list, not call me," I taunted, grinning.
"Uhh… Renée." The disdain in Monroe's voice cut through the phone as he spoke.
"Oh, sorry! I thought you were..." I bit my tongue before saying his name. Dire straits didn't play, so I should've known, but my brain wasn't thinking clearly. "Umm, how are you?" I said instead, trying to sound cheery.
"You shouldn't have come over last night." The darkness in Monroe's voice was as black as the night.
"You didn't answer your phone." My heart tightened in my chest. "I needed to talk to you." He didn't need to know I was still lost for what to say.
"I was a little busy…" His growl came through more than the words.
"Busy doing what? Breaking things?"
"I'm coming over and we're… we're going to palaver."
"Palaver?" Huh? Even words weren't sinking in well today.
"Chat, Renée," he scowled. "We're going to chat." The way he said 'chat' sounded more like he was gonna to be the one chatting, and I was gonna listen.
"Oh, no, Monroe," I said rapidly as I was already in the process of changing clothes. "I'm headed to yoga." It was too soon to see him. I needed time to think, and time to come up with answers.
"Then I'll go to yoga, too, and we'll talk there," Monroe sardonically said, halting my thoughts. "I'm sure that will be so much easier."
"No, please don't do that." I sighed as held my head. "You and I can talk later. I promise."
"Why are you doing this to me, Renée?" he asked, taking me off guard with the question. He was good at that.
"I'm not doing anything to you, Monroe," I replied softly as I tied my tennis shoes. "I fell in love and I didn't expect it, but it happened."
"You're mine, Renée, not Nick's." His voice was deep and authoritative. He hadn't sounded like that in a while.
"I don't belong to Nick," I replied. Grimms didn't claim people like Blutbaden did. "I still adore you, Monroe. My feelings for you haven't changed. Oh, this is just…" I paused. How could I describe my own feelings when I couldn't understand them myself?
"Something's not right and I'm going to figure out what it is." He hung up before I could reply. I shook my head and went to yoga. Hopefully Monroe wasn't going to burst in and cause a scene.
A/N: Renée and Nick are both having trouble concentrating. Renée had tuna! Whoa!
We're back to story mode, with Nick trying to figure out what the key goes to. Renée changed it up a bit, using movies to help figure out the key had a map. National Treasure might come up again in a future story. I love those movies. LOL!
So as they do in the show, Nick is off to have his double date with Hank and Adalind while Monroe wants to talk to Renée. Eek!
4 more chapters for now. Don't forget to comment. I need to celebrate hitting 100 comments on this story! Woot! Witchbaby300 was my 100th! Loving these new comments and new story favorites! Thanks for supporting me on this journey! (: