Chapter 26
Mac had been fine, holding in her emotions with just a few tears shed as she'd listened to AJ's moving words at the service, but that changed when the planes flew overhead at the cemetery. As she saw Keeter peel off and fly skyward, she knew how much that would have meant to Harm. Her composure slipped and she gave way to tears.
AJ had been standing close enough to her to feel the shudder of release that went through her body. Not caring how it looked to those around them, and even knowing she didn't want his friendship, AJ still wanted to offer comfort to someone he cared about. Putting his arm around her shoulders, he was surprised when she turned and buried her head in his shoulder. He brought his other arm up around her and let her cry.
Held in the arms of the man she loved, Mac allowed herself to let go. She cried for the loss of her best friend. She cried for the life that had been cut off too young. She cried for all the pain his mother and friends were going through. She cried for the loneliness of loving a man she could never have, and she cried for the selfishness of that last thought as the echo of the guns and planes faded and people stared to leave the cemetery.
It had started to spit rain while the service had been going on, but some time between the drive to the cemetery and the end of the graveside memorial, the rain had turned to tiny pellets of sleet. Virginia residents were used to the hazards of winter driving, but even they knew the roads could quickly become treacherous in such conditions.
The third time Mac slipped on the icy ground as they walked back to the Escalade, AJ swept her up in his arms and carried to the vehicle. "You don't have to carry me!" she gasped.
"I know, but I don't want you to fall," he told Mac as he put her on her feet next to the passenger side door.
The darkly dressed figure watching them through binoculars, seethed at the intimacy of the two, as they stood so close together.
Opening the door and making sure she was safely tucked inside, AJ hurried around to his side of the Escalade. Turning on the heater and defroster, he waited for them to do their job. When the windshield cleared enough for him to see, AJ put the Escalade in gear.
The luncheon was going to be held at a small reception hall that the Burnett's had rented. AJ was carefully driving on the slick roads when there was a loud pop followed by a large bang. The right front tire had blown out and AJ was turning into the skid this caused. He was trying to get the Escalade under control when there was a second pop followed by another bang and the left rear tire blew.
Fighting to keep on the road, time seemed to stand still. AJ twisted the wheel back and forth trying valiantly to keep them from disaster. Fishtailing out of control, he spared an instant long glance at Mac saying, "Hold on!"
The Escalade slid off the road and only AJ's consummate skill as a driver kept them from flipping over. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, but Mac knew it was really just over a minute from the first pop, the Escalade came to rest in a snow bank.
"Mac, are you hurt?" AJ asked undoing his seatbelt and turning quickly to see for himself.
"I'm fine, and you?" she asked looking him over also.
"Yes, fine," he assured her. Pulling out his cell phone, AJ called the auto club while asking Mac to call the police.
"So you suspect foul play too?" Mac questioned as they both dialed.
To be continued….