A Busy Day by Pauline
This
follows on from ‘Monster from the Inferno’.
A Big thank you to Helen for all her help.
Lee
straightened up from the plot table. ‘A busy
day’ Nelson had called it. That was an
understatement, it had been hell.
“Chip, set this
course,” Lee said, pointing at the chart.
“Aye, sir,”
Morton acknowledged.
Lee put down
the pencil he’d been using and walked forward to pour himself a cup of coffee
from the pot in the observation nose.
Perching on the edge of the table, he sat staring unseeing out of the
windows. It was good to be headed home;
they had come close to disaster on this mission. He had been taken over by some thing that they had brought aboard and while
under its influence, had nearly killed Nelson.
Unconsciously
he rubbed his jaw where Kowalski had hit him; the crewman packed quite a punch.
He couldn’t remember anything that had happened while under the thing’s control. A deep sigh escaped his lips. He was getting tired of every monster/alien
they encountered invading his mind and body against his will. Tired of being violated and used for whatever
twisted scheme they were trying to perpetrate.
If there was a way to stop this, no one had discovered it yet.
“Lee?”
He turned at
the sound of Chip Morton’s familiar voice. “What is it, Chip?”
“Are you all
right?” Chip’s blue eyes studied him.
Lee forced a
smile. “I’m fine, Chip,” came the almost automatic response. He was a little bruised from his brief fight
with Kowalski, but he’d had worse. “What about you?” Chip had been injured in an accident in the
circuitry room the previous evening and Lee had not had a chance to check on
his condition.
Chip smiled.
“I’m okay, just a little singed.”
Lee nodded. “Good.”
He knew that Chip hadn’t come forward to give him a status report, but the
control room was not the place to discuss personal matters.
As he followed
Chip back to the plot table Chief Sharkey handed him a report from Engineering
on the reactor. Taking the report, Lee
spent a few minutes reading the pages before signing it and handing the papers
back to the Chief. “Very good Chief, take this to the admiral, he’s in his
cabin.”
“Aye, sir.”
Sharkey took the report and headed forward to the spiral stairs.
Lee shook his
head in self-recrimination. He’d tried
to kill Nelson again!
“Don’t worry
about it, Lee. Everything is under
control,” Chip told him.
But Lee
couldn’t help worrying. What would have
happened if Nelson hadn’t come up with the counter probe? Would the whole crew have been taken over or
killed? And what did the creature intend to use Seaview for?
He forced down
his worries and guilt and focused on the job at hand. Allowing himself to get hung up on the events
of the last eighteen hours was counterproductive and would serve no purpose.
Lee pushed to
his feet; it was time to stop brooding.
They would be home in a few days and able to relax and forget about duty
and responsibility. He didn’t have
anything specific planned for his coming leave.
While he loved what he did, he was looking forward to having a normal
life for a few weeks, to walking on the beach, to sleeping in at the weekend
and to driving his car, feeling the sun on his face and the wind in his
hair.
****
Nelson put down
the pen he was holding and let out a frustrated breath. He’d been trying to write a report on the
death of Dr. Lindsay, the scientist who had been aboard when all of this
started. The doctor had disappeared, presumably
killed by the creature that had been controlling him and Crane. However, the events were so incredulous that no
one would believe it.
He should have
realised earlier that something was wrong and taken action. Instead, the creature had time to take over
Lee and the Seaview. He was only thankful that he was able to come
up with a device to counter the creature’s control and free Lee. Unfortunately it had been too late for
Lindsay. Nelson wondered now whether he
should have sent Lee to get checked out by Doc.
There could be residual effects from exposure to the creature’s power. He considered calling Lee to his cabin, but
decided that Lee would not appreciate his fussing. For now he would leave Chip to keep an eye on
the captain. Chip was the brother that Lee
had never had, if anyone could ‘read’ Lee, it was Chip.
With another
heavy sigh, he pulled open his desk drawer and took out the bottle of whiskey
and a glass. After pouring himself a
measure, he took a sip before returning his attention to the report; he’d
wanted to write it while the details were still fresh in his mind. But what was he going to tell the big brass
at the Pentagon? Seaview had been on a mission to investigate a communications
blackout for the Navy and Lindsay had been their specialist in electronic
energy. They would not be happy to learn
that not only was Lindsay dead, but that there was no body.
Hoping for
inspiration, he took another drink, aware that he shouldn’t be drinking on an
empty stomach. They had all had a busy
day and he had somehow missed lunch. Not
that unusual in itself when he was engrossed in his work. However, there was no real excuse now and he
lectured Lee enough about eating, he should follow his own advice. He considered having a tray brought to his
cabin, but changed his mind. He would go
to the wardroom; it would give him an excuse to check on Lee.
****
How long had it
been since he’d eaten? He couldn’t
remember; the last thing he recalled was being in the lab with Dr. Lindsay. Although
not particularly hungry, Lee did not want to give his friend cause to hassle him
regarding how much he didn’t eat. It was
quiet; they were on the way home. It was
safe to turn the conn over to the OOD, gather up Chip and head to the wardroom
and dinner.
While they ate,
the two friends made plans for their leave.
Although they would both be spending time in the office catching up on
paperwork, neither Nelson nor Seaview’s CMO would allow them to spend their
entire leave working. Lee sometimes
found his friends’ attention frustrating; especially when, for the most part,
he did not consider that there was a need for it. He was not a child.
Lee surprised
himself by eating his entire main course.
He pushed the empty plate away and started on his dessert just as Nelson
arrived. “Good evening, Admiral.”
“Evening Lee,
Chip.” Nelson eyed the empty plate as he
took a seat at the table, but made no comment.
Catching the
look, Lee smiled. “No, I didn’t give any of it to Chip.” Lee glanced towards the galley. “Wouldn’t
dare in case Cookie caught me,” he joked.
Chip had been known to help Lee out on occasions in order to keep Cookie
happy.
“Busted,” Chip
grinned and carried on eating.
Nelson
chuckled. “That obvious?”
“Yes, sir – just
a little,” Lee replied, giving him a shy smile.
He was well aware that Nelson had been checking on him, but he let it
pass without further comment. He was
happy that they had all survived without any major injuries amongst the crew.
Although he had been sorry to hear about Lindsay; it was another reason that he
did not like having civilians on board.
****
Finally Lee’s
day had ended and he’d made it to his cabin.
Events were starting to catch up with him; he was beyond tired and he
had the beginning of a headache. Wearily, he made his way to the head,
unbuttoning his collar and cuffs as he walked.
Switching on
the light, he entered and stood looking at his reflection in the mirror above
the basin. A bruise had started to
colour his chin, but he was pleased to see that he did not look as bad as he
felt. He quickly washed his face and
brushed his teeth before swallowing a couple of aspirin and returning to the
cabin to get ready for bed. The
paperwork could wait until tomorrow.
He half expected
a visit from Will Jamieson, Seaview’s
CMO, but wasn’t going to complain about the fact that he seemed to have escaped
that pleasure for the moment. Feeling a
sudden chill run through him, he pulled another blanket from the closet and
spread it on the bunk before climbing in and settling beneath the covers.
****
Lee shivered,
it took him a few seconds to realise that he was naked – and in a tank in
Seaview’s lab. What? How had he gotten here? He tried to sit up but found that he couldn’t
move. Panic began to wash over him. What was happening to him?
Nelson moved
into his field of vision and stood watching him.
“Admiral...what
am I doing here?”
Nelson ignored
him and Lee noticed a second person approach.
Dr Will Jamieson, Seaview’s CMO was holding a clipboard. He spoke to Nelson but Lee could not hear
through the glass.
“Admiral?” Lee asked with growing apprehension and
embarrassment.
Nelson and
Jamieson were watching him as if he was one of the admiral’s specimens,
seemingly oblivious to his discomfort.
Why were they
doing this? Lee closed his eyes to the
scrutiny – however it was not so easy to ignore the cold plastic mattress
beneath him.
Waking, Lee
found himself in his bunk. With a sigh
of relief, he scrubbed a still slightly shaky hand across his face. Thank
heavens; it had only been a dream.
Still a little
rattled, he reached up and turned on the light above the bunk. Looking at his watch, he found that he’d only
managed three and a half hours sleep. He
thought about going on a walk about; the crew was used to his nocturnal
habits. However, if Nelson or Chip got
to hear about it, he would get the third degree as to why he wasn’t in his bunk
asleep, like normal people were at that time of the morning. With another sigh,
he put his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes.
At what he
considered to be a safe hour, he’d showered, shaved and dressed, and headed out
of his cabin for the wardroom. He wasn’t
really hungry, his stomach felt like he’d been punched. However, he knew that if he didn’t put in an
appearance, he’d have Chip and Jamie on his case. He particularly didn’t need a run in with the
doctor right now. He’d have some toast
and coffee and then head for the control room.
After only a
couple of bites of toast, it seemed to stick in his throat and his stomach
threatened to mutiny; he couldn’t force down any more. Returning the toast to the plate, he picked
up his coffee to help wash everything down.
“You okay, Lee? You look tired,” Chip asked as he joined Lee at the table.
Lee nodded, but
was unable to stifle a yawn. “Didn’t
sleep very well, indigestion kept me awake.”
“Why didn’t you
go to Sickbay for something?”
“I didn’t want
a Corpsman making a drama out of it,” he said, giving Chip a warning glare.
“You were afraid
that he might call Doc, more like,” Chip suggested teasingly.
Refusing to
rise to the bait, Lee pushed the plate away and got to his feet. “I’ll see you
in the control room.”
“Err, Lee, what
about your breakfast? You’ve hardly
eaten anything.” Chip’s blue eyes
regarded him with concern.
“I’m not
hungry,” Lee replied sharply, then instantly regretted snapping at Chip. It wasn’t Chip’s fault that he felt lousy,
but his friend’s nagging got on his nerves sometimes. Lee made a hasty exit before he said or did
something that he would really regret.
****
Lee was
standing at the plot table when Chip stepped through the hatch into the control
room. He seemed to be engrossed in the
charts spread on the table in front of him and Chip couldn’t help wondering
what had Lee so absorbed. They were
headed back to Santa Barbara and their course had already been plotted. That was of course, unless there had been a
change of plans that he was not aware of.
Chief Sharkey
was standing at the vertical plot table, turning as Chip approached.
“Morning, Mr
Morton,” he smiled cheerfully.
“Morning, Chief.” Chip nodded and continued forward to
join Lee at the plot table, glancing at each station as he passed. Lee took his responsibility as Captain very
seriously and he suspected that was partly responsible for Lee not sleeping and
his lack of appetite.
Continuing on
past the plot table, Chip went forward to the nose and poured two cups of
coffee and then retraced his steps.
Wordlessly, he placed one cup down in front of Lee.
Lee raised his
head and turned to him. “What’s
this? I didn’t ask for coffee.”
Chip
shrugged. “Since you didn’t finish your
breakfast, I thought you might like a cup,” he replied casually.
Lee nodded and
seemed to relax a little. “Thanks.”
“Anything I
should know about?” Chip asked before taking a sip of his coffee.
“No, we’re on
course and should reach Santa Barbara in just over 72 hours.” Lee tapped the end of the pencil he was
holding on the chart.
Even with Lee’s
olive complexion, the bruise on his chin was still noticeable. “That’s some bruise, has Jamie seen it?”
“It’s nothing,”
Lee replied dismissively.
Chip knew that
he was not going to get anything out of Lee while he was in this frame of mind.
It would be better to say nothing and
keep a discreet watch on his friend.
****
Feeling a chill
run down his back, Lee cupped his hands round the mug and took a swallow of the
hot coffee, feeling it warm him inside.
He glanced over to the ECS board, wondering why the control room had
suddenly turned several degrees cooler than normal. There was nothing to indicate that there was
a problem and nothing had been noted in the log. “Chip?”
“Yes, Lee,”
Chip replied quietly.
“What’s wrong
with the environmental controls, it’s freezing in here?” Lee complained.
Chip frowned.
“There’s nothing wrong with the environmental control, Lee. Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m
fine,” he replied, but was unable to suppress a shiver. He was freezing. He wanted
to find somewhere warm. He drained the
last of his coffee, but it did little to dispel the chill that seemed to
permeate his body. No one else seemed to
be affected and Lee was reluctant to press the issue. He’d go and check it out for himself, he
decided. “Chip, you have the conn. I’ll be in Engineering.” Not waiting for Chip’s acknowledgement, Lee
quickly turned and hurried aft.
****
Having found
nothing wrong in Engineering, Lee
made his way to the wardroom for coffee.
With the heat from the galley, that part of Seaview was usually warmer than the rest of the boat, maybe he
could get warmed up before returning to the control room.
There were only
two other people in the wardroom, Lieutenant Williams and Sparks’ counterpart, Lieutenant
Walker. They started to rise as he
entered, but he waved them down. “As you were.”
Pouring himself
a mug of the strong brew, he added sugar and stirred absently as he moved to a
seat where the heat from the galley penetrated the room. Finally beginning to
feel warm again, he rested back in his seat with a sigh of contentment. He had wondered if he was coming down with
something. He smiled in amusement as a
steward appeared with a plate of cookies.
“Compliments of
Cookie, sir, he thought you might be hungry,” the steward told him.
“Thanks,” Lee
snagged one of the cookies and took a bite. Seaview’s
cook never missed an opportunity to try and feed him. Often a plate of sandwiches or pie would
appear with a fresh pot of coffee in the observation nose. The oatmeal and raisin cookies were Moorish
and Lee took another one. He thought
about taking them with him to the control room to share with Chip. His friend’s appetite was legendary; he could
eat anytime, anywhere and still find room when it came to meal times.
The cookies
were going down easy and by the time Lee had finished his coffee, he had eaten
most of them. At least the chef would be happy. Although Lee was sure that Doc would
prefer that he have a proper breakfast.
****
Lee did a walk through the boat before
returning to the control room. He joined
Chip at the plot table, they exchanged nods but Chip made no comment about the
earlier incident regarding the ECS. The
rest of the morning passed without incident and Lee sent Chip to get lunch,
saying that he would have something later.
Having eaten the cookies, he wasn’t particularly hungry. Leaving the plot table, Lee did a circuit of
the control room, pausing to get a printout of their position from the computer
before returning to check it against the charts.
He tried to
ignore it, but it was no use, he didn’t feel right. He smothered a yawn, feeling suddenly
extremely tired and a little woozy. It
was getting hard to concentrate and he shook his head, trying to clear the
fuzziness. What the hell was wrong with
him? Needing a distraction, he walked forward to
the ‘front porch’ and stood looking out at the vista as it unfolded,
illuminated by Seaview’s powerful
searchlight as she moved through the depths.
He had the observation nose to himself; there was no need for anyone on
bow watch at this depth.
He hadn’t
realised how long he had been there until Chip’s return broke into his
thoughts. Pouring himself yet another
cup of coffee, he rejoined Chip at the plot table.
“Coffee isn’t
considered a food,” Chip commented.
“I had
something earlier,”
“You can’t
survive on cookies and coffee, Lee. You
need proper food occasionally,” Chip told him.
“I’ll eat when
I’m hungry,” Lee retaliated. “I’m fine,” he added, hoping that Chip would take the
hint and leave it alone.
****
Lee stood at
the plot table beside Chip, who with clipboard in hand was checking the last of
the crew off the boat. Seaview had made it safely back to port
without further incident, much to the relief of her captain. Lee had had enough excitement this cruise and
although he would never admit it, he was tired.
He glanced forward at the sound of footsteps on the spiral staircase, to
see Nelson enter the control room.
“Admiral,” Lee greeted his boss with a smile. However, it quickly faded as he caught the
expression on Nelson’s face. “Is something wrong, Admiral?”
Nelson huffed.
“Damn bureaucrats. I’ve been summoned to
Washington. It would seem that the Navy
is not satisfied with my report concerning Dr. Lindsay’s death,” Nelson replied
with more than a little irritation.
Lee nodded
sympathetically. It had been a tough
cruise for all of them and Nelson needed a break as much as the rest of them.
“Do you need me to come along?” Lee offered.
Nelson shook
his head. “No, thank you, Lee. You two
go and have a good leave. Anything
special planned?”
Lee shrugged.
“No sir, apart from dinner and a few beers later. Do you have time to join us?” He and Chip usually had dinner together their
first night back in port.
“Unfortunately,
no.” Nelson looked thoughtful for a
moment. “The cabin’s free. Why don’t the
two of you take off for a few days? You
both deserve a break.”
“Thank you,
Admiral, but there is a lot of paperwork to take care of,” Lee hedged. If Nelson was going to be in Washington, then
they would be needed to take care of things at the Institute.
Nelson frowned.
“Nothing that can’t wait a few days,
I’m sure.”
Lee exchanged a
look with Chip. “But, Admiral...” he started to argue.
Nelson gave him
an enduring look. “Lee, Seaview and
the Institute can survive without you for a few days. I promise it will still be here when you get
back.”
Lee still
wasn’t happy with the idea. Seaview was his responsibility and it
didn’t feel right taking off and leaving her to someone else right now;
especially after coming so close to losing her.
Nelson looked
at his watch. “I don’t have time to argue with you, Captain,” he snapped and then smiled. “Will you just humour me and
go? You can pick the keys up from
Angie.” He started towards the ladder.
“I don’t want to hear that you two have spent your leave working when I get
back,” he warned.
“Yes, sir.” Lee
watched Nelson leave before turning on Chip. “You could have backed me up,” he
complained.
“Might not be
so bad,” Chip shrugged.
Lee looked at
him suspiciously. “You’re plotting again.”
****
The last time
they had been to the cabin, there had been several feet of snow on the
ground. Now, although the peaks were
still capped with snow, everything was lush and green. “You really don’t want to be here, do you?”
Chip asked, noticing Lee’s hesitation in getting out of the car.
“And you do?”
Lee scowled.
“No point
complaining, we’re here now, so may as well make the most of it,” Chip reasoned
as he pushed open the car door and slid out from behind the wheel. He moved around to the rear of the vehicle,
leaving Lee sitting in the passenger seat.
He hoped that once they unpacked and settled in, Lee would unbend a
little. Lee didn’t take kindly to being
manipulated and Nelson was one of the few people who could sometimes get away
with it. Chip heard the car door open
and close as Lee got out and came around to get his gear from the back. He had wondered if Lee was even going to get
out of the car.
Lee silently
collected his luggage from the car and carried it the short distance to the
porch, where he waited for Chip to unlock the door.
Chip let Lee precede
him inside before closing the door and heading for the stairs. “Do you mind
which bedroom?”
“No, which ever.”
Lee dumped his gear and headed in the direction of the kitchen. “I’ll get the
generator going and get some coffee brewing.”
“Sounds good. Do you want to eat in or find
somewhere?” Chip called from the top of
the stairs.
“Eat in, we can
explore tomorrow,” Lee replied.
Chip was happy
with that arrangement, it had been a long drive and he was hungry. He deposited his bags in the double room and
returned to find Lee in the kitchen just starting on making coffee. Chip made for the pantry and the supply of
canned goods that were always kept on hand.
Grabbing a couple of cans of hearty stew, he headed for the stove.
After they had
eaten and cleared the dishes, Lee decided to take a stroll outside to help him
relax. Stepping off the porch he stood
for a moment looking up at the night sky.
Out here in the wilderness the stars were so much brighter. There was something about the night, standing
under the starlit sky, at one with nature.
Lee shook his head; was he becoming sentimental?
Walking around
the side of the cabin, he found a wooden footbridge over a dry gravel bed,
leading away from the cabin. Strange, I don’t remember that the last time
we were here. Curious, he walked
across the bridge. On the other side the
trees thinned out into a small clearing where another cabin, smaller than
Nelson’s, sat nestled amongst the trees.
So the admiral has a
neighbour. Lee wondered who he/she
was; maybe they would get the chance to meet while they were here. There was a light coming from inside
indicating that someone was home.
He looked up as
the ghostly sound of an owl hooting disturbed the silence. Feeling the night air cool on his skin, he
turned back towards Nelson’s cabin. Nelson
had been right; he needed a break from the Institute. He’d felt the tension slowly leave his body
over the past few hours. Tomorrow they
would hire a boat and go fishing on one of the nearby lakes. Umm, the thought of fresh stuffed baked trout
for dinner tomorrow night made him smile.
You’re getting as bad as Chip,
thinking about your stomach, he chuckled to himself.
****
A waft of cool
air from the open door signalled Lee’s return from his early morning run. In spite of being on leave, he had still been
up early for a run before breakfast. He
was met by the aroma of fresh coffee and he poured himself a mug before taking
a seat at the table.
Chip had cooked
enough to feed the whole crew; eggs, bacon, hash browns, pancakes and
toast. Lee had worked up an appetite
from his run and his stomach growled in protest.
“Are you going
to eat, or sit there and watch me?” Chip asked as he took a seat opposite Lee.
Lee smiled and
picked up his knife and folk without further prompting. “Ummm... this is good,” he said between mouthfuls
of food.
Chip nodded.
“Figured the fresh air and exercise would give you an appetite.”
Lee hadn’t
realised how hungry he was until he’d starting eating, even at home he never usually
ate this much breakfast, but everything tasted so good. He glanced up to see Chip watching him.
“What?”
“Nothing, it’s
just a pleasure to watch you enjoying a meal.
Hey, maybe I should take a photo for Jamie, he’s never going to believe
it,” Chip teased.
“Don’t spoil
it,” Lee grumbled in mock disgruntlement, but then he grinned and helped
himself to another pancake.
Chip grinned
back and refilled Lee’s coffee.
****
Sitting on a
log, waiting for a bite, Lee was getting bored.
He had never been good at doing nothing.
He hoped that Chip, who was fishing from the small wooden jetty, was
having more luck or they would be going out for dinner this evening. He found his mind going back to Seaview and all the paperwork that would
be waiting for him in his office.
Gradually Lee became aware that he was not alone. He looked up, expecting to find Chip, but
instead found himself face to face with a Golden Retriever dog. Big brown eyes regarded him expectantly.
“There you are,
Bonnie. Hello, I’m sorry if she’s
disturbing you,” a thirty something woman smiled apologetically. “I’m afraid she’s not very well trained.” She
hastily clipped a lead to the dog’s collar.
“That’s okay. I was beginning to think that I was the only
living thing out here,” Lee smiled as he climbed to his feet and stepped over
the log. “I’m Lee Crane.”
“Melissa
Hewitt. I have the cabin next door.”
“Arr, yes, I
noticed it last night.”
Her hair was a
mass of soft curls and coloured an almost unnaturally Bordeau red. He also
wondered if she was wearing contact lenses, her eyes were the most vivid
green.
“I take it you
haven’t had much luck catching anything?” she observed, keeping a firm hold on
the leash.
“No.” Lee
glanced at the empty stringer. “I was
just thinking about taking a break.”
“Don’t let us
keep you. Bonnie was just taking me for
a walk,” she laughed.
Lee held out a
hand to the dog. “Hello Bonnie, pleased to meet you.”
Bonnie licked
his hand and wagged her tail enthusiastically.
“I’m trying to
train her as a therapy dog, but she’s a little too animated.”
“You should
introduce her to our CMO some time.” Lee patted the dog’s head; he couldn’t
imagine Jamie ever letting a dog into Sickbay.
It might be fun to suggest it some time, just to watch the doctor’s
reaction.
“CMO?”
“Chief Medical
Officer, also known as Jamie,” Lee smiled.
Melissa nodded
understanding. “Of course, the Seaview,
Admiral Nelson has mentioned you.”
Now it was all
beginning to make sense. No wonder
Nelson was so keen to get Lee up here. “I’m afraid the admiral has never
mentioned you.”
Melissa
shrugged. “No reason that he should. Don’t
let us keep you.”
She turned and
walked into the trees, and Lee watched her go.
Was Nelson playing matchmaker? While Lee found Melissa intriguing,
another lady had been on his mind of late.
****
Having failed
to catch any fish, Lee and Chip had driven to Stateline for dinner. Lee had Trout and Chip had Prime Rib with
baked potato and the house salad, followed by hot chocolate lava cake, while Lee
had gone for Apple Pie. Chip was pleased
to see Lee’s appetite improved from his diet of cookies and coffee.
The roads
around the High Sierras were remote, stretching for miles with nothing in
between but lakes and mountains. When
they had left the restaurant, Lee had seemed content to let Chip drive; he’d walked
around and climbed into the passenger seat.
Chip glanced at his friend. “Come on buddy, out with it.”
Lee turned his
attention from the windshield. “What?”
“You’re too
quiet, something is eating at you. Care
to share?”
Lee smiled and
shook his head. “I’m fine, Chip – a little tired maybe, that’s all.”
“And why aren’t
you sleeping?”
“Who said that
I wasn’t sleeping? All that food has
made me drowsy.”
Chip didn’t
believe that for a moment, but he knew that if he pushed too hard, Lee would
turn defensive; he hated people fussing. Hopefully, after a few days of
relaxation and regular meals, Lee would bounce back to his usual self.
****
Melissa was
taking Bonnie for her evening walk around the lake before they both turned in
for the night. As she neared Nelson’s
cabin, the door opened and Lee Crane stepped out. “Evening,” Melissa greeted.
Lee waved. “Hello again.”
Bonnie gave an
excited bark and bounded towards the cabin.
“Bonnie!” Melissa yelled, chasing after her, surprised by her pet’s
unusual behaviour towards Lee Crane. Not that she could blame her, the man was
tall, dark and drop dead gorgeous. Before she could catch up with the wayward
dog, Bonnie had reached the cabin and vaulting up the steps with another
playful bark, she jumped up, knocking Lee backwards onto his butt.
“I’m so sorry!”
Melissa dropped to her knees beside Crane. “Are you okay?”
Lee blinked up
at her. “Yeah – I think so.”
Melissa grabbed
Bonnie’s collar. “Bonnie, sit.” Bonnie
sat, tail still wagging. “I think she likes you,” Melissa teased.
“The Crane
charm strikes again.”
Melissa looked
up to see Chip Morton standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame,
grinning.
Lee’s glare
turned to a grin before accepting the hand Chip offered to help him to his
feet. “Thanks.” He dusted himself down. “No harm done.”
Chip sniggered.
“Do I need to check the deck for damage?”
He held out a hand. “Hi, I’m Chip
Morton. Lee tells me your name is
Melissa.”
What else has he told you? Melissa reached out and took his hand.
“Hi, nice to meet you. Please
excuse my dog, she can be overly friendly.”
Chip folded his
arms over his chest. “From where I’m
standing she looks just fine.”
Melissa
attached the lead to the dog’s collar.
“If you’re sure you’re not hurt, I’ll go and leave you in peace. Good night.”
Lee nodded.
“I’m okay, really. Actually, I was going
to take a walk, do you mind if I join you?
I’ll be back in a few minutes, Chip.”
He eased himself off the porch and waited
for her answer.
“No, please
do.” Melissa reminded herself that she
couldn’t afford to get involved with this man.
She needed to keep a low profile.
If Levinson found her, it would put all their lives in danger. It’s just
a walk, she told herself.
Together, they
started away from the cabin.
She’d come here
to start a new life after her husband had been killed by Levinson’s men and she
had barely escaped with her life. She
had changed her name and found a job at Barton Memorial Hospital at South Lake
Tahoe. In her old life, she’d been a doctor, but she
could not return to that role without revealing her true identity, so she was a
nursing assistant.
“Is there a Mr
Hewitt?” he asked, breaking into her thoughts.
She shook her
head. “No, just me and Bonnie.” She
didn’t need to ask if there was a Mrs Crane, Nelson talked a lot about his
‘boys’, he was very proud of Lee Crane.
“What do you do
with yourself, up here alone?”
“I’m a nursing
assistant and when I’m not working, Bonnie keeps me busy. What about you? What’s it like being captain of the Seaview?”
A wide grin
spread across his face. “It’s amazing,
she’s a remarkable boat and I have a great crew.”
She couldn’t
help smiling at his enthusiasm. She’d
felt that way about her job, before that fateful day when her life had changed
forever. They walked on in silence, with
Bonnie running on ahead, stopping to investigate when she found an interesting
scent. Having a dog made her feel safer. Bonnie would alert her to anyone that came
near the cabin.
“How long are
you staying?” she asked.
He shrugged.
“Probably the week, I have a lot of work waiting for me.”
Melissa
chuckled. “Admiral Nelson said that you were a work-a-holic.”
“You have me at
a disadvantage; I don’t know anything about you.”
“There’s not
much to know, Bonnie and I lead a pretty boring life. Well, this is my stop,” she smiled as they
reached her cabin. She would like to have asked him in for coffee, but she
didn’t need the complication of getting involved with anyone, especially
someone like Lee Crane. “Good night.”
“Good night
ladies,” he smiled and turned away.
She stood and
watched him for a moment before turning and heading inside.
****
Lee returned to
the cabin to find Chip sitting on the porch drinking a beer. “Grab a beer and
join me?”
Lee
smiled. “I don’t mind if I do.” He grabbed a bottle from the cool box and
settled himself on the step next to Chip, stretching out his long legs.
“So, what’s
going on between you and the lady? Are you getting sweet on her?” Chip grinned,
a hint of mischief in his blue eyes.
“Give me a
break. There is nothing ‘going
on’.” He had enjoyed her company, but
that was as far as it went.
“Really? Well,
she’s interested.”
Lee shook his
head and swallowed a mouthful of his beer. “She’s not my type.”
“If you say
so.”
Lee gave his
friend a sideways glance. “Why are you here, instead of back in Santa Barbara
with Lindsey?”
“I’m doing my
job, looking after my captain.”
“We’re not on
the boat now.”
“Yeah, but you’re
still a trouble magnet.” Chip grinned at
him.
Lee opened his
mouth to deny the accusation but changed his mind, deciding not to rise to the
bait. Remembering what had happened on
their last mission. There was no telling
how long Nelson would be tied up in Washington or what repercussions might
result. Lee couldn’t ignore the fact
that a man had died on their last mission.
As Captain, he was responsible for everyone aboard, not only had he
failed to protect a civilian, but he had allowed himself to be taken over
again! He didn’t want to think about
giving up command of Seaview, but he
acknowledged that his job was affecting him in ways that he didn’t like.
“Damn, Lee – I
didn’t...”
“It’s okay,
Chip. Forget it.”
****
“Come on,
Bonnie.” Melissa stepped out into the
early morning sun, filtering through the branches in shafts of soft gold. She sighed; she loved it here, it was so
serene. As they headed towards the lake,
she glanced towards Nelson’s cabin. If things had been different.... Lee Crane was just too desirable. With
those looks, that voice and those amazing eyes, she couldn’t help being
attracted to him. But she was deluding
herself, it wasn’t going to happen, she needed to keep him at arm’s length.
She wished that
she could put her old life behind her and start over, but as long as Levinson
was out there, she couldn’t take the chance.
Melissa didn’t relish the thought of spending the rest of her life
alone, always looking over her shoulder.
How long would it be until she’d have to move on again? She was tired of having her life on hold,
having to use a false name. She hadn’t
even been able to attend her husband’s funeral.
She missed her parents and her sister desperately, but she didn’t dare visit
them; the only means of contact was an occasional letter from a “friend” that
she and her mother had invented. Despite
the best efforts of the law, it seemed that Levinson eluded them and they had
never been able to link him to the car bomb that had killed her husband. She hadn’t been in the car, but she had been
injured by the blast. It had taken
months for her to recover and she had persuaded her friends at the hospital to
fake her death.
Ribbons of pink
and gold stretched across the sky, reflecting in the gently rippling surface of
the lake. Ducks and geese were
congregating around the small wooden jetty in the hope of scrounging some
morsels of food. They took off as Bonnie
ran to the edge of the jetty, barking happily.
“Shhh, you’ll wake the neighbours,” Melissa reprimanded.
****
Jairo Levinson
had always suspected that Melissa Haslett wasn’t dead. He had
someone on the inside at the hospital, who had said that there had been no
body, she had simply disappeared. The
house that she and her husband had shared still stood empty, like her parents
were expecting her to return one day. He
had someone watching that as well, but so far there had been no sign of
Melissa. He didn’t like loose ends.
John Haslett
had been a freelance investigative journalist; he’d gotten too close to Levinson’s
drug operation and had to be eliminated.
Jairo couldn’t be sure that Melissa didn’t know what her husband had
been working on and wouldn’t go to the Feds.
He had enough to worry about without the threat that one day Melissa might
turn up. So he watched and waited.
Then one day a mailman
on his payroll had intercepted a letter from her mother.
****
Lee and Chip
had packed a picnic and driven to Lake Tahoe. Tahoe City had been busy and as usual, they
had both attracted their share of female attention, even out of uniform. However, eventually they had managed to find
a quiet spot at King Beach on the north shore and after Chip had found a shady
parking place, they had hiked down to the lake.
They had
stopped for dinner on the way back and it was getting dark by the time they
arrived back at the cabin.
“Home, sweet
home,” Chip smiled as he pulled up outside of the cabin and put the car into
park.
Lee opened the
door and got out, pausing beside the car, looking around.
“Looking for
Melissa?” Chip teased.
“No, I thought
I heard something,” Lee replied distractedly.
“Like what?”
Lee shrugged.
“I’m not sure.” Turning back to Chip, he walked to the rear of the car to help
unpack their gear.
“Want some hot
chocolate?” Chip offered once they had unloaded everything.
“A Chip
special?” Lee smiled, pausing once more to look around before closing the door
and following Chip inside.
****
Levinson cut
the motor and let the boat drift the rest of the way to the shore of the lake;
he didn’t want to announce his arrival.
The two men dressed in dark clothing, waiting on the bank, secured the
rope and helped him onto dry land. “Is
she here?”
The man
nodded. “Yeah, she’s here, but the cabin
next door is occupied, so we’ll need to keep it quiet.”
“We’ll watch
for a while until the lights go out.”
They moved
closer to the cabin, crouching low and keeping to the shadows amongst the
trees. It was impossible to move
silently in the dark as they tripped over fallen branches and struggled through
brambles that caught at their pant legs.
“Who is this
woman anyway?” one of the men asked.
“Never mind who
she is. She’s a problem that needs
taking care of.”
The alarm call
of a Woodpecker, disturbed by their progress, echoed through the trees.
“I hope we
don’t run into any bears,” one of the men complained.
“You’ve got a
gun, what are you worried about.”
“Quiet, both of
you,” Levinson snapped.
The night was
calm with a clear sky and a last quarter moon was on the rise. They hunkered down at the edge of the trees,
where they could keep watch on the cabin.
Levinson was going to make sure that Mrs Haslett was taken care of this
time, with no slip ups. He wasn’t
particularly worried about collateral damage, but would prefer not to have the
complication of involving the neighbours.
****
Lee sat in one
of the comfortable armchairs, drinking his hot chocolate. He was tired, but had to admit that he was
feeling better. The memory of what had
happened on their last cruise was beginning to fade, along with the feeling of
guilt. He acknowledged that he needed to
put it behind him and move on or he would never be able to function
effectively.
Lee rested his
head back and closed his eyes. He would
need to go for a run in the morning to work off the food he’d eaten
earlier. He felt the mug being taken out
of his hand and opened his eyes.
“Why don’t you
turn in?” Chip suggested, handing the
mug back to him.
“In a minute.”
He’d come a
long way since Annapolis, had achieved everything that he’d dreamed of. However, he was beginning to realise that
there was something missing – a woman that he could spend the rest of his life
with. Some-one to share his home and to
raise a family with. Up until now he’d
been married to the job, but maybe it was time to think about bringing some
stability to his life. He knew that his
mother wanted to see him married, she wanted grandkids, and he had to admit
that he loved kids and wouldn’t mind a couple of his own.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, Chip –
I’m great,” Lee smiled. Holidays spent
with Chip and his family had made Lee realise what he’d been missing.
“I know that
look, what are you plotting?” Chip asked with suspicion.
“Oh, just the
rest of my life,” Lee grinned.
“Should I be
worried?”
****
Bonnie ran to
the door, barking.
“What’s the
matter girl? Is there something out there?”
Melissa walked over to look out of the window but couldn’t see anything
in the darkness beyond the porch. “Come
on, Bonnie, there’s nothing there.”
Melissa made her way through to the kitchen to make herself a hot drink
before bed. The dog started to follow
her, but then stopped, staring at the door, growling.
Melissa
suddenly had goose flesh. She told
herself not to panic, that no one knew she was here. But Bonnie did not usually react like that;
there was something or someone out there and she didn’t think that it was the
neighbours coming to visit. “Quiet
Bonnie.” She quickly turned out the lights
and grabbed the dog’s collar, just as the sound of breaking glass shattered the
peace.
“Thank God for
a basement,” Melissa said to herself as she made for the small door under the
stairs. In the dark they might not find
it right away; that would give her time to get to the outside door and make for
the woods. She reached for the
flashlight kept right by the door, and snapped it on. She needed something to use as a leash for
Bonnie. Spying the length of cord on the
far wall, she looped it through the dog’s collar. Now at least she could run without worrying
about losing Bonnie. Levinson would think
nothing of killing a dog. Unlatching the
door, she slipped out, turning off the flashlight at the same time. Taking a few seconds to acclimatise her eyes
to the darkness, thankful for the slim light from the quarter moon, she began
moving away from the cellar, praying that Levinson -- for she was sure it was
Levinson -- would not have left someone behind the cabin.
****
The sensation
of falling jolted Lee awake. He groaned
as he rolled onto his back. For what
seemed like a long time, he lay listening to the sounds of the night. It was too quiet here. He always missed the noises of the boat the
first couple of nights back ashore. Back
home at the lighthouse, he had the sound of the ocean to lull him to
sleep.
He could hear a
dog barking and assumed that it was Bonnie.
She had probably heard a deer or coyote. Then the quiet was shattered by the sound of a
gunshot. Lee threw back the comforter
and bounded out of bed. As was his habit
when he was on shore, he was wearing only skivvies. He grabbed his jeans and pulled them on
before snatching his shirt and slipping his feet into his trainers. He paused long enough to take his revolver
from the bedside cabinet. He was still
dressing as he pulled open the bedroom door and headed down the stairs.
“Lee?” Chip came out of the other bedroom, also
pulling on jeans. “What’s going on?”
“I’m not sure,
could be nothing. I heard a gunshot, but
it could just be someone hunting.”
“A little late
for hunting, isn’t it?” Chip followed
him down. “Are you armed?”
“Yes, I have my
revolver.”
“I’ll grab the
shotgun,” Chip headed for the study where Nelson kept a shotgun.
Lee unlocked
the door and cautiously took a step out onto the porch. “I’ll go left, you go right.”
“Aye, aye,
Skipper.”
Moving with
stealth came naturally to Lee, but he still wished that he had a pair of night
vision goggles. He crossed the bridge
towards Melissa’s cabin and took a long look around the clearing. The cabin door was open and the lights were blazing. Then he spotted someone moving, dodging from
tree to tree. As he watched he realised
that it was Melissa and she had Bonnie with her.
What the devil was going on?
Glancing back
towards the cabin, he saw three men emerge; he had the feeling that they were
not friendly. Keeping one eye on the
men, Lee started in the direction that he’d seen Melissa – she had disappeared
behind a tree. He worried where Chip was
and hoped that he had not run into the three men.
****
“Christ
almighty, what are you shooting at?”
“Sorry, boss,
thought I saw a shadow.”
“Well, that’s
torn it. Go upstairs, I’ll look around
down here.” Shaking his head, Levinson
moved through the family room into the kitchen/dining area. The cabin was small and it didn’t take long to
establish that the downstairs was empty.
There was a cup of coffee on the kitchen table and it was still warm so
she couldn’t have gone far.
****
Melissa hadn’t
been so scared since her husband had been murdered. What
did she have to do? She’d moved
across the country, changed her name and appearance, and still Levinson had
found her. She’d slid around the side of the cabin and taken a peek before
making a dash for the trees. She didn’t
know where she was running to. The
distance between her and the cover of the trees felt like miles, she hoped that
they wouldn’t spot her. She knew that
she was making too much noise, twigs and pine cones crunched under her feet,
the sound echoing in the silence. She
forced herself to slow down and move more cautiously. It was difficult to see in the dark, although
her eyes had adjusted to the dim light.
Her heart
nearly stopped when someone grabbed her from behind and put a hand over her
mouth.
“Shhh, it’s
Lee,” he whispered. “Let’s get out of here.”
Taking the rope holding Bonnie from her, he held her arm with his other hand.
She didn’t argue.
Although she was worried about his safety, she had to admit she welcomed his
presence. Bonnie walked obediently
beside Lee as they moved further into the trees. She wanted to ask where they
were going, but she was afraid to make a sound.
Suddenly she
tripped on something and would have sprawled on her face if he hadn’t been
holding her arm.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded and
then realised that he couldn’t see her in the dark. “Yes, thanks.” She worried where Levinson and his men were,
but she didn’t dare look back.
Lee led her
through the trees to a cave in the granite rocks that made up the peaks surrounded
the valley. “Stay here until I come back,” he told her quietly.
“Where are you
going?” she asked, suddenly panicked by the thought of being left alone.
“To take care
of those guys.”
“Aren’t you
going to ask me what’s going on? I could
be a fugitive for all you know.”
“I don’t think
so.” With that, he’d disappeared back
into the night.
****
Chip was trying
to keep track of Lee and the bad guys.
He searched the trees for any sign of where Lee had disappeared. The ground was uneven, with exposed tree
roots protruding through the soil. Unfortunately,
his foot found a rabbit hole and he went down heavily, face forward on the hard
ground. The rifle flew out of his hand
as he automatically put out his hands to try to catch himself. Pain lanced through his ankle and extended up
his leg. He cursed at himself for being
clumsy. For a moment he lay immobilized
by the pain. The crash had sounded loud
and he knew that sound would carry a long way outdoors.
Biting back a
groan of pain, he rolled to his hands and knees and searched around for the
rifle.
A dark shape
emerged out of the trees. “Where are
your friend and the woman?”
“I dunno, I
lost them.” Chip stayed where he was, not sure that his ankle would support
him.
“That’s too
bad. Over here,” he called to the other
men.
The man was
joined by two others. “What are we going
to do with him?” the first guy asked.
“Bring him
along, he can help persuade his friend to tell us where the woman is,” he man
in charge instructed.
“On your feet,”
the first guy ordered.
You don’t know Lee Crane, Chip thought. “You’ll
have to help me up, I think my ankle is busted.”
“Help him,” the
guy in charge ordered.
The first guy
stepped forward and hauled Chip to his feet. “Where to?”
“Back to the
cabin,” Levinson nodded towards Melissa’s cabin.
****
Across the
lake, Ben Stern and his wife were just getting ready for bed. Luckily the damned barking dog had quit for
the evening, it seemed; it had stopped yapping a few minutes ago. There seemed to be a lot of activity tonight,
he’d heard a boat engine earlier.
He knew that
Nelson had a cabin across the lake and kept an eye on the place when it was
empty. He was just turning out the light
in the kitchen when he heard the shot.
And Ben Stern, being an ex-range manager, knew a shot when he heard one. He reached to the phone by the door and
dialled 911.
****
Lee carefully
retraced his steps. He’d laid a false
trail before doubling back towards the cabin to call for help. He was expert in moving invisibly through the
shadows. He’d hoped that his false trail
would have the bad guys chasing around in circles, but now they had Chip,
things had changed.
He considered
taking them out one at a time. He had
the advantage of surprise and could probably take out two of them before the
third retaliated. However, he couldn’t
risk Chip; therefore he followed them and waited. So far they seemed focused on returning to
the cabin and had given up looking for Melissa.
Lee worried that they were going to use Chip to get Melissa.
Two of the men
were supporting Chip, who did not appear to be able to walk on his right
leg. Lee couldn’t see how badly hurt he
was, so he moved in closer to the guy in charge, who was bringing up the
rear. They were making enough noise to
wake the dead, and he had no trouble following.
Dodging from tree to tree, keeping out of sight, he was only a few feet
away when the wailing sound of sirens pierced the night air.
“Get moving,”
Levinson ordered urgently.
The thug on
Chip’s left panicked voice was loud in the darkness. “Cops!
We’ve got to get out of here!”
“Not without
the woman.”
The two men
with Chip stopped and turned to look at Levinson. “Forget it, the cops will be
here any minute.”
As Lee watched
the exchange, it seemed that Chip had decided to take things into his own
hands. He threw himself backwards,
slamming an elbow into one of the men’s stomach before he went down, taking the
other guy with him.
Lee didn’t
hesitate; he sprang at Levinson, grabbing him around the throat.
Levinson
struggled, trying to pull Lee’s arm from around his throat. But Lee had the advantage of height and
strength. He tightened his choke hold on
Levinson, using his other hand to strengthen his grip. Levinson slowly subsided and went limp. Lee let him fall to the ground and went to
help Chip, who was struggling with the other guy on the ground. The butt of
Lee’s gun against the back of the guy’s head rendered him unconscious. Lee dragged him off Chip.
“Are you okay?”
he asked, offering Chip a hand up.
“Yeah,
thanks. Just twisted my ankle in a
rabbit hole.”
The approaching
sirens were getting closer and Lee caught sight of flashing lights. “Looks like
the cavalry has arrived.”
****
Lee couldn’t
quite stifle a yawn as he sat waiting for Chip to come back from Radiology. Melissa had strapped Chip’s ankle and told
him that he needed to get it checked; seemed she was full of surprises. It had
been the early hours of the morning before she had finished telling her story
to the police and they had given their statements. He had listened in while she went through her
story, her escape from the blast that had killed her husband and subsequent
life on the run. He wondered if Nelson
had known about Melissa. He couldn’t
image that Nelson wouldn’t have checked on her, for security reasons. Perhaps Nelson knew that the cabin would be
a refuge of sorts for her. It had been,
up to a point.
Lee was about
to go in search of a coffee machine when Chip came limping down the corridor
with the aid of a cane. Lee smiled and
pushed to his feet. “Chip, good to see you on your feet, buddy.”
“I’m okay, doc
say’s nothing is broken,” Chip told him.
“Good, let’s
get out of here.”
“Can we stop to
eat somewhere? I’m starving,” Chip
complained.
Lee laughed.
“Some things never change.” He had to
admit that all the activity last night had also made him hungry. “Where do you want to eat?”
Chip
shrugged. “Wherever we can find
somewhere that’s open.”
“Okay, I could
use some coffee.”
“Jamie wouldn’t
approve of you having a liquid breakfast,” Chip teased as they made their way
towards the exit.
“No liquid
breakfast for me, I want pancakes and eggs and everything that goes with them,”
Lee admitted.
Chip stopped
and looked at him. “Are you sure you’re all right? Maybe you
should see a doctor,” he kidded.
Lee batted Chip’s
arm. “Get out of here!”
“Hey, some
respect for the invalid!”
Lee snorted,
opening the door to allow Chip to precede him outside. “Invalid, my foot.”
“No, it’s my foot,” Chip shot back.
Lee shook his
head and followed his friend. “Just you wait until Jamie gets his hands on
you.”
“Wasn’t
planning on telling him.”
Lee
snorted. “You think he’s not going to
notice?” Opening the car door, he slid
in behind the wheel. “No chance.”
****
Melissa stood
and watched all the cars drive away, Levinson in the back of one of the patrol
units, a dark expression on his face, Lee and Chip headed for the ER and x-rays
for Chip’s ankle. The local police had
been delighted at having apprehended such a big fish. She sighed deeply, knowing that it would
probably be the last time she would see Lee Crane. The past had caught up with her and it was
time to move on. She’d be sorry to
leave, she loved it here. She would miss
the cool, clean mountain air and the beautiful, tranquil valley.
On the way to
meeting up with the police, Melissa had told Lee that she wished he’d killed
Levinson. She would never feel safe
while he was alive. Even in prison, the
man had a long reach and could send someone to kill her. Lee in turn had told her that on some level
he could relate to her fears, there were more than a few people who would like
to hurt him, given the chance. But
danger was part of what he did. Well,
she didn’t want it to be hers. She
wanted it to stop. Maybe it would, this
time. Just to be safe, she would find
another place to hide for a time. Melissa
hated her life, always looking over her shoulder, never able to put down roots
and have a normal life. She had no idea
where she was going. Beside her, Bonnie
whined, bringing her back to reality.
“Come on, girl.” Turning, she
headed inside to pack their belongings.
They’d be gone before her rescuers returned. A part of her regretted not saying goodbye,
but it was easier this way.
****
Arriving back
at the cabin, Lee was looking forward to a shower and some sleep after being
awake for most of the night. As they
approached, they caught sight of FS-1 moored at the small jetty.
“Looks like we
have company.” Lee pulled up and killed the engine. As they climbed out of the car,
he was surprised to see Don Hunter, the institute’s head of security -- and
beside him, Will Jamieson. “Don, Jamie,
what are you doing here? Is something
wrong?”
“Well that
depends. Suppose you fill us in on last
night’s events,” Jamieson asked.
Lee
groaned. “How’d you find out?”
“Got a call
from the local P.D., wanted to confirm your identity,” Hunter answered. “Said you two had been involved in an
“incident” with some bad guys. That
triggers a Priority One NIMR staff alert, as you know.”
“Yeah, don’t we
know it,” Lee said with a grimace. “We’re
okay, for the most part. Nothing a
shower and a few hours sleep won’t fix,” Lee assured him.
“Mr
Morton?” Jamieson advanced on Chip.
“Easy, doc, I
twisted my ankle, nothing broken,” Chip hastily reassured Jamieson.
“But how did you
find out, Jamie?” Lee asked.
“Kinda like
Don, my office got a call from the hospital wanting to make sure you were who
you said you were, since you didn’t have your medical cards on you,” he
chuckled. “Thought I’d take a look for
myself, so Don got to dust off his
flying skills.”
“Not the
easiest job in the world, keeping track of you two, but at least I get to fly
the Flying Sub once in a while. Makes up
for it,” Don said, grinning.
Lee ran a hand
over his face. “I’m beat, but I’ve got to check on Melissa first.”
Don stopped him
with a hand on his arm. “Your neighbour’s
gone, Lee. The place is empty.”
“Empty? Where’d she go?”
“Couldn’t tell
you. But there are signs that she
cleared out in a hurry.”
Lee shook his
head wearily. “I guess she felt she
wasn’t safe here, anymore. I’ll tell you
all about it later,” he added as Don seemed to be about to say something. Lee followed them up the steps to the cabin
and headed straight for the stairs. “I’m going to turn in; it has been an
eventful night.”
“Of course, Lee, get some sleep. You too, Chip. We’ll be here when you wake up,” Jamieson
replied, heading for the kitchen. “I’ll
put a pot of coffee on, Don, can’t beat the taste of the water up here.”
Lee left them
talking and followed Chip up the stairs.
He should have known that they
couldn’t get rid of Jamieson that easily.
*End*