Chapter Three

Jessica was up early. The weather wasn't cooperating at all. It had rained all night and promised to be another wet, rainy day. She gathered her shower bag and went to take a lukewarm shower, if she was lucky. George wasn't in the tent so he must be having a shower of his own.

When she returned, he was rolling up the sleeping bags while the mattress deflated.

"Good morning, George," she kissed his cheek and began dressing. She noticed he didn't look her in the eye nor was he paying any attention to her at all. "Is something wrong, dear?"

"They know that they can get to me by hurting you." He looked up into her eyes. "I want you to return to my house and wait there for me."

"What? No! George, we're in this together." She couldn't believe her ears.

"No lass, I can't bear you being in harm's way. It was hard before we were together but now I can't risk your wellbeing." He stood and grabbed her hand but she snatched it away. "We'll have another holiday."

Jessica was shaking her head. "No, I'm not leaving. I haven't done anything wrong. You don't get to make my decisions for me, George Sutherland." The fire in her eyes was pronounced and with her hands on her hips, he knew they were going to have quite a row. "You are not in charge of my safety, I am."

"Lass, I've made up my mind. I shouldn't have put you in jeopardy." He looked at her regretfully.

Jessica was about to respond but voices outside the tent stopped her.

"Knock knock," called someone from the outside.

George opened the tent flap and pulled aside the flap to let two police bobbies see inside.

"Here she is, lads. Please drive her back to London. You have the keys to my flat?" He turned to Jessica. "I'll see you in a few days. I love you."

Eyes full of hurt stared back at him before filling with tears. It crushed him to know he was hurting her and in such pain. "Please go, love."

Jessica picked up her knapsack and walked out without a word. Several riders were watching and the two sisters, Gloria and Gayle, ran over to ask what was happening. She looked at them for a second before telling them, "George's been cheating with another woman and I just found out so I'm leaving." She knew the news would circle around quickly and hoped it caused him to be inconvenienced. She entered the police vehicle without a backward glance. His words reverberated in her ears over and over.

It was lonely riding in the rain without a partner. Everyone was giving him a wide berth. He kept remembering the look in Jessica's eyes, the hurt on her face, and the misery he knew she was suffering. Didn't she realize that everything was different between them? She was always important to him and he never wanted her hurt but he never felt like he could tell her what to do, only it has changed now. He was responsible for dragging her into the tour even if she was excited about it.

He would call her this evening and hope she forgave him.

The Bobbies allowed her to enter George's flat but she refused to accept the key. She walked from room to room gathering her things and packing them. They kept telling her she was supposed to stay there for a few days but she told them to take a leap off of the Tower of London and continued packing. She was taking her passport out of his desk drawer when she saw his file of the drug ring investigation. She packed that as well. She walked through his place one more time, making sure she hadn't missed anything. The bobbies took her luggage downstairs for her and since she refused to go with them, they hailed a cab.

As soon as the cabbie lost the bobbies in the busy London traffic she instructed him to take her to the Savoy Hotel. Channeling her hurt into anger, she perused the file and took notes. George was very meticulous and detailed so she was able to sift through the entire file by the time she turned in for bed that night. She refused to cry and focused on her anger. The very gall of the man! She tossed and turned all night.

George was frustrated. Jessica wasn't answering her phone nor his telephone at his flat. He knew he mucked things up. The women on the tour were giving him a hard time for being a 'cheater' and hurting such a wonderful woman. The males found it amusing he was caught and tried giving him advice. He was worried though. His relationship with Jessica was fragile at the moment. Becoming intimate, being vulnerable, was not easy and as soon as her brakes were tampered with he should have told her to go home.

He wished he had his notes with him. It was too dangerous though since his belongings would be in a truck and anyone that wished could rifle through his bag if they wanted. Even sleeping on the air mattress reminded him of her thoughtfulness. Didn't she know he would never intentionally hurt her if it wasn't absolutely necessary?

Jessica woke up with one thought on her mind. So George thought he could tell her what she could and couldn't do? He was going to take away her rights? She had no free will? She took a cab to Piccadilly Circus. At one of the restaurants they were using a courier service to deliver coffee and other drinks to a different restaurant in SoHo. In George's notes, he described possible meetings but Jessica had a different idea. What if instead of meetings, the couriers were delivering drugs? Someone in the tour group could drop it off to a courier and it can travel to the city practically unnoticed.

For three days Jessica took note of the comings and goings. She asked a few questions, being a tourist made it easier. She was fueled by anger. It was better than giving in to the hurt it was masking. It didn't take long to figure things out and to find the evidence. Positive that she was correct, she addressed a letter to New Scotland Yard.

New Scotland Yard

George Sutherland, Chief Inspector

My name is Jessica Fletcher. As I leave for home, The United States, I thought I'd inform you that your drug ring is the Townsend Courier Service. They deliver at 9 AM and at Noon each day to Roger Pelly's Pub and give containers of 'coffee' to Winston Purcell. The drugs are then passed on to the Eagleton Cycling Tour Group who distributes the drugs as far north as Scotland. I'm sure your able bodied detectives and inspectors are close to figuring it out but I thought it prudent to make you aware as I do consider England my home away from home and if I could assist in any way I should.

Regards, Jessica Fletcher

P.S. You're welcome

George read the message his supervisor gave him and felt his stomach sink. Not only did he send her to stay at his flat and she refused, she did her own investigating, solved the case, and snubbed her nose at him. Arrests went down yesterday and the drug ring was currently being arraigned. They already had a confession on the murder as well. He brought all the supplies home and it was difficult looking at his living room rug, imagining them lying in their sleeping bags.

She wouldn't take his calls on her cell phone or at her house. It had been over two weeks since he had seen her. How long was she going to be angry at him? Is it over between them now?

Jessica had been moving non stop since returning home to Cabot Cove. Outside of informing Seth that she was back early, she never left home. She turned out her house, cleaning and organizing. She scrubbed, mopped, vacuumed, and had loads of trash carted away. By focusing on her anger, she didn't give way to tears. When she finished, she abruptly left town and went to her apartment in New York where she repeated the process. Now there was nothing left to do. She didn't want to slow down. She couldn't let the hurt catch up to her.

Seth grimaced every time he thought of Jessica. He has known her for many, many years and he wasn't foolish enough to ask her what was wrong. The fact that she returned nearly a week early told him things didn't turn out the way she hoped. George was now calling him, begging him to get word to Jessica. George told him the story of how Jessica was made to leave the tour early and Seth couldn't help but wince. The man had absolutely no clue about Jessica and her tenacity. Telling her what to do was the worst thing George could have done. No, sending her away was the worst, telling her what to do was just going to be ignored by her.

She stood at the window staring out at the city. It was a steamy hot day and she would rather be home at Cabot Cove but she was tired of her phone ringing. She gave herself to George. It had been years, no one since Frank had been able to get as far as she allowed George. She loved him, thought he loved her. But he tried to stifle her. He had no right! They weren't married. He had no say in what she did. If he wanted an old fashioned traditional relationship then he chose the wrong girl. What made it worse was he used to encourage her in solving murders. He spent a whole vacation in San Francisco with her doing just that. How insufferable!

Her cell phone rang and she looked at it. She had been refusing most calls but it was Seth so she cleared her throat and answered.

"Hello Seth," she said.

"Jessica." He didn't say more.

Her throat clogged up. Her dear friend knew she needed him but she didn't want to need anyone. She wasn't going to let him chip away at her carefully constructed defenses.

"It's been lonely in Cabot Cove. When are you coming home?" drawled Seth.

Jessica opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"Your inspector friend has been calling me every few days."

She closed her eyes, squeezing them as tight as she could.

"So I came down here to the city to see you. He told me you were so angry with him but that doesn't seem like you." Seth lowered his voice. "You can hold your own in any battle. I've seen you spitting mad when you're angry so that can't be the problem. Seems to me something else is going on."

"Oh Seth!" The dam burst and suddenly she was bawling and unable to make herself heard.

Pounding on her door startled her but she was crying too hard to move. She heard the jangle of keys, then the door opening and Seth stood behind her.

She turned and threw her arms around him. He held her close and let her cry all over him.

"There now. What do you say we both fly over there and knock him down a time or two?" He pulled out his handkerchief and put it in her hand.

She tried to stop crying to wipe her face but she couldn't. Seth walked her over to the sofa and sat her down.

"I never thought I'd see the day that you ran away from anything," commented Seth. He kept his arm around her and patted her back. She cried until she had no more tears and Seth gently led her to her bedroom and told her to take a long bath and relax. He knew she had been keeping things locked inside of her. He decided to look in her kitchen and check her food supply.

Just as he suspected, she was living on air and water. He let himself out of the apartment and went to the nearest grocery store. He bought enough food for a few meals along with staples and returned. She was lying on her bed asleep. He had a feeling she hadn't been sleeping well.

He quietly chopped vegetables and began sauteing onions. He tossed a salad and put it in the refrigerator to chill. He marinated chicken breasts, in his special concoction, preparing to grill them just before serving. He washed potatoes and pierced their skin with a fork before rubbing oil on them and dusting them with salt. He wrapped them in foil and put them in the oven to bake. He hated microwaved potatoes.

He mixed a pitcher of iced tea and put a bottle of white wine in the refrigerator to chill before dinner. He opened a package of dinner rolls and put them in a basket on the table.

He knew she needed the rest but wanted her to be able to sleep tonight so he went over to wake her. She sat up groggily but with a little encouragement she went off to to freshen up for dinner.

He kept the conversation light while he chided her a bit to eat up. She glared at him for trying to handle her but her heart wasn't in it so she cleared her plate without comment.

"Now Jess, I don't want to interfere in your business but if I need to have a strong word with George, let me know." They were doing the dishes and clearing up dinner when he broached the subject.

Jessica shuddered slightly. "He invited me to join him to keep an eye on things without doing much. I was enjoying the bike tour. Meeting people, eating in authentic British locales while getting fresh air and exercising. Seth, there hadn't been any problems until the brakes on my bike might have been tampered with and George decided someone might try to get to him by going through me. It was nonsense. It wasn't the brakes on a car, and you know I've been through that once before."

Seth wisely stayed quiet.

"He didn't even ask me if I wanted to leave. No, he decided and insisted I must leave. He contacted Bobbies to escort me back to his place like a naughty child! It was embarrassing to be hauled away in front of everyone!"

His place? thought Seth. He watched her closely before deciding to ask. "His place?"

Jessica looked uncomfortable for a moment. "He thought we should sleep in the sleeping bags on his living room floor so I wouldn't be uncomfortable sleeping in a tent with him. You know, the awkwardness."

He arched an eyebrow.

"Seth, when we were in New Mexico you and I didn't even share a tent with each other and I've known you for ages. How many times do you think the option of sleeping in a tent with a man comes up in my life?"

"Now, now, don't get your knickers twisted." calmed Seth. "I can see how it would feel a little odd to share space with someone you haven't shared with before…" He ended his sentence as a question.

"No, Mr. Nosy, we hadn't shared space together before this trip," grumped Jessica. "That's besides the point. I can't imagine you ever telling me not to seek answers or even telling me what to do!"

"Actually, I tell you all the time not to go chasing after murderers, you just don't listen to me," complained Seth. "Of course, I would never have you shipped off somewhere safe either. Must be that he loves you very much and got scared."

Jessica sniffed and turned back to washing the dishes. "He's not the boss of me."

"Seems he would feel mighty guilty if something happened to you," suggested Seth. "Why not speak to him about it?"

"If he wanted to speak with me, then he should have done so before sending me away. He had the opportunity." She started wiping the counters.

"Well, why not listen to what he has to say? Maybe he wants to grovel and beg for your forgiveness."

"No, he just wants to try to justify his actions."

"So you never want to speak with him again? You're never going to forgive him?"

Jessica remained quiet.

Seth approached her cautiously and removed the plate she was drying. No point in her being armed when he spoke again.

"Seems to me like he's in love with you. People in love do foolish things, I hear." Seth cocked his head toward her. "Seems like he's not the only one in love."

Jessica crossed her arms. "He had no right…"

"No, he didn't and he probably knows that now."

Jessica remained quiet until the kitchen was straightened and she poured herself a glass of wine. "Are you staying the night?" she asked, changing the subject. At his nod she got up and gathered sheets and blankets together. She aired out the mattress while she was gone so she made up his bed and made sure there were towels in the bathroom for him.

When finished she settled on the sofa in the living room and turned on the tv.

Seth didn't speak about the matter any longer and settled on the sofa next to her. Flipping through the channels he stopped at a documentary on treasures found in Asia. His cell phone rang half an hour later. It was George. He glanced at Jessica while he answered.

"Ayuh George, I'm at Jessica's place in New York," he said, as he watched her get up and leave. "She was mighty upset when I got here, crying and everything. I have to tell you I'm not happy with you about that. Uh huh, yep." Seth listened for a few minutes. "I'm not going to hand her my phone. If you want to speak with her, I suggest you call her." He hung up a few minutes later. He decided to go on to bed. He turned off the tv and went into the guest room. Jessica's phone rang a minute later. She didn't pick up. Then her cell phone rang and she ignored it. Sighing, he hoped George would give up quickly but he knew if he were in his shoes, he'd keep trying so he put the pillow over his head and tried to sleep.

Jessica ignored the phone, going so far as taking a shower to get away from the ringing. She could shut it off again but she hated missing important calls. She didn't want to disturb Seth however so finally after an hour of hearing her phone's shrill tone, she picked up.

"Hello," she said in the flattest voice George ever heard.

"Jessie, please talk to me," he pleaded. "I know we can talk things out."

She was silent so he continued. "I know you don't agree with what I did but darling, please know it wasn't an easy decision for me either."

"It wasn't a decision for you to make. Not alone. You didn't allow me a voice or opinion at all, George. You shut me down and out. You broke my heart," she whispered. She hoped Seth couldn't hear her. It would be embarrassing to explain, for both of them.

"Jessie, it dawned on me that I could lose you and I couldn't take the chance. Not since we have gotten closer. I didn't want to risk us, being together I mean. We didn't even get the chance to discuss the two of us." He was speaking earnestly and quickly, hoping she wouldn't hang up on him.

"So you were planning on wrapping me up in cotton and tucking me away somewhere?" she asked bitterly.

"Darling, I waited years for us to be together, not just physically but I was hoping to have a deeper relationship and when you allowed me to pleasure you, in that way, of course my hopes rose and then instead of the carefree time I thought we'd have together, I realized we were caught up in something that could turn out very wrong and the thought of losing you filled me with such fear I couldn't even sleep."

"So you've decided I can no longer give you any help in whatever case you're working?" She was very curious about this as she had assisted him before, not actively, but as a sounding board.

"I know I was rash but I've had time to think now and we could take it case by case," he suggested.

"And if I'm involved in a murder here, I'm just supposed to keep it to myself?" she asked.

"No, of course not. I want to know what you're doing." He countered.

"I see. Well, you've given me much to think about. I'll say goodnight now." She hung up without waiting for him to speak. She crawled into bed and hugged her pillow to herself.