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Till We Meet Again
Part 2: Unshed Tears
Langer M. Fritz
Nightfall
Blue Cove Lawn Cemetery
Blue Cove, Delaware
Slivers of moonlight streamed through the trees onto the well-manicured lawns.
The lone figure made his way slowly but purposefully toward a particular headstone. If not for that single long-stemmed white rose clasped in his hand, the black-clad figure would have melted right into the shadows.
He knew the risks were great, coming back here on the anniversary of her death. But he also knew it was something he had to do.
To say that proper goodbye. To say the things he needed to say to her.
He had been too cowardly to face her the day of her funeral, having ran as far away as possible upon news of her death. And he had been running away since that day.
But here he was now. The running had finally stopped for the moment.
He stared at the black marbled headstone.
"Parker," it simply read, followed by the names of two tragic women who were so alike and different all at the same time. Together again. At last.
Catherine Parker M. Parker
Beloved Wife & Mother Beloved Daughter & Sister
He knelt down and placed the solitary rose in front of her name. There was a long, painful pause before he began awkwardly.
"I--" he stopped.
What do you say when you know her death was your fault? I'm sorry? I didn't mean it to happen? It was an accident? All inadequate. All already screamed countless of times from the throes of his nightmares this past 12 months.
He took a deep breath, and tried again; this time from the heart.
"I miss you," he began slowly, running his fingers tenderly across the letters of her name.
"I miss talking to you. I miss looking into your eyes. I even miss the fiery blue flames that burn within them when you're angry at me."
He allowed a small smile to creep in as he thought back to that time at the Dover Town Bank.
"You've got quite a set showing up here," she had spat out through clenched teeth as she glared at him with those blue eyes.
And she had never looked more beautiful.
"I wish--," he stopped again. No, no more wishes. They never come true. Not for him anyway.
He knelt there for the longest time, lost in his silent memories of that sweet young girl he first knew. And of that beautiful woman he wanted so much to hate, but could never quite bring himself to do. Of the regrets the way things turned out between them ...
"I knew you would come," a familiar voice broke into his reverie.
Jarod stood and spun around to stare at the figure before him.
"Sydney," the Pretender finally acknowledged.
"Hello, Jarod," Sydney said matter of factly, taking the few steps to close the gap between them. "It has been a while. How are you?"
"As well as can be expected," he replied, automatically glancing around out of habit to assure himself that Sydney was alone.
"Don't worry. I came alone," Sydney reassured him. "Broots made very sure Lyle and the others are traipsing across Big Sky Country right at this moment looking for you and the Major as we speak."
"Big Sky Country?" the Pretender asked naively.
Sydney smiled. He had missed these moments with his protege. For all his supposed worldliness, the man-child standing before him still had a million things to learn.
"Montana."
Jarod nodded silently.
"Why haven't you called at all?" Sydney prodded gently, and for the first time Jarod noticed that his mentor looked to have aged 10 years since they last saw each other.
"We've been very worried, Broots and I," Sydney continued.
Jarod avoided the question and instead asked, "How have you been Sydney?"
"Things have been different since ..." Sydney trailed off. "But we've learned to adjust. I'm glad to see you're all right Jarod. When you stopped calling after her death, we both thought ..."
"How did you cope with the death of your brother, Sydney?" Jarod interrupted.
"I blamed myself for a very long time," Sydney replied. "But then Jacob made me realize before his death that the accident wasn't my fault."
Jarod understood the parallel Sydney was trying to make.
"I'm to blame for her death, you know," Jarod berated himself. "All I ever wanted was for her to see the truth about them, but in the end I was the one ..." he whispered through unshed tears, "the one responsible for her death."
"It's not your fault, Jarod."
"How can you be so sure, Sydney? Did you know I purposely put a timer under the hood to cut off the engine? Purposely put all your lives in danger so that I could have some fun at her expense. Did you know that?" Jarod spoke bitterly, his voice rising with the suppressed anger he felt for himself.
"A miscalculated prank, Jarod. I know you never meant to hurt Miss Parker."
"It wasn't just a miscalculation," Jarod's pain and anger echoed through the eerie silence of the cemetery. "I KILLED HER."
"No you didn't, Jarod," Sydney spoke steadily, "The timer never had the chance to shut off the engine."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean someone shot out one of the tires, and that's how she lost control of the car."
"What?"
"Someone wanted us dead."
========================================================================
Motel 6
Somewhere in Delaware
Jarod stared intently at his computer screen. Sydney had spoken the truth, he thought as he pored over the police report on Parker's "accident." Someone had conveniently buried the case, presumably to discourage prying eyes and continued interest.
The police had in fact found a slug embedded in the right rear tire. They had also found the timer under the hood, but had attributed the sudden loss of control of the car solely to the bullet. There was also a witness who reported hearing a loud popping sound before the towncar hit the road divider and spun out of control.
It was murder, pure and simple.
And here he had been living in a haze this past year while Parker's killer walked free. All he knew to do was to run away from the pain and the guilt. At least Sydney and Broots did something. They found out the truth about Parker's death.
He had been mourning her for a year now. It was time to find the justice that was denied her.
Jarod straightened his shoulders. He needed to make up for lost time. And he knew just where to start looking.
Jarod accessed the Centre's computer mainframe.
He had a murderer to catch.
Till We Meet Again
Part 2: Unshed Tears
Langer M. Fritz
Nightfall
Blue Cove Lawn Cemetery
Blue Cove, Delaware
Slivers of moonlight streamed through the trees onto the well-manicured lawns.
The lone figure made his way slowly but purposefully toward a particular headstone. If not for that single long-stemmed white rose clasped in his hand, the black-clad figure would have melted right into the shadows.
He knew the risks were great, coming back here on the anniversary of her death. But he also knew it was something he had to do.
To say that proper goodbye. To say the things he needed to say to her.
He had been too cowardly to face her the day of her funeral, having ran as far away as possible upon news of her death. And he had been running away since that day.
But here he was now. The running had finally stopped for the moment.
He stared at the black marbled headstone.
"Parker," it simply read, followed by the names of two tragic women who were so alike and different all at the same time. Together again. At last.
Catherine Parker M. Parker
Beloved Wife & Mother Beloved Daughter & Sister
He knelt down and placed the solitary rose in front of her name. There was a long, painful pause before he began awkwardly.
"I--" he stopped.
What do you say when you know her death was your fault? I'm sorry? I didn't mean it to happen? It was an accident? All inadequate. All already screamed countless of times from the throes of his nightmares this past 12 months.
He took a deep breath, and tried again; this time from the heart.
"I miss you," he began slowly, running his fingers tenderly across the letters of her name.
"I miss talking to you. I miss looking into your eyes. I even miss the fiery blue flames that burn within them when you're angry at me."
He allowed a small smile to creep in as he thought back to that time at the Dover Town Bank.
"You've got quite a set showing up here," she had spat out through clenched teeth as she glared at him with those blue eyes.
And she had never looked more beautiful.
"I wish--," he stopped again. No, no more wishes. They never come true. Not for him anyway.
He knelt there for the longest time, lost in his silent memories of that sweet young girl he first knew. And of that beautiful woman he wanted so much to hate, but could never quite bring himself to do. Of the regrets the way things turned out between them ...
"I knew you would come," a familiar voice broke into his reverie.
Jarod stood and spun around to stare at the figure before him.
"Sydney," the Pretender finally acknowledged.
"Hello, Jarod," Sydney said matter of factly, taking the few steps to close the gap between them. "It has been a while. How are you?"
"As well as can be expected," he replied, automatically glancing around out of habit to assure himself that Sydney was alone.
"Don't worry. I came alone," Sydney reassured him. "Broots made very sure Lyle and the others are traipsing across Big Sky Country right at this moment looking for you and the Major as we speak."
"Big Sky Country?" the Pretender asked naively.
Sydney smiled. He had missed these moments with his protege. For all his supposed worldliness, the man-child standing before him still had a million things to learn.
"Montana."
Jarod nodded silently.
"Why haven't you called at all?" Sydney prodded gently, and for the first time Jarod noticed that his mentor looked to have aged 10 years since they last saw each other.
"We've been very worried, Broots and I," Sydney continued.
Jarod avoided the question and instead asked, "How have you been Sydney?"
"Things have been different since ..." Sydney trailed off. "But we've learned to adjust. I'm glad to see you're all right Jarod. When you stopped calling after her death, we both thought ..."
"How did you cope with the death of your brother, Sydney?" Jarod interrupted.
"I blamed myself for a very long time," Sydney replied. "But then Jacob made me realize before his death that the accident wasn't my fault."
Jarod understood the parallel Sydney was trying to make.
"I'm to blame for her death, you know," Jarod berated himself. "All I ever wanted was for her to see the truth about them, but in the end I was the one ..." he whispered through unshed tears, "the one responsible for her death."
"It's not your fault, Jarod."
"How can you be so sure, Sydney? Did you know I purposely put a timer under the hood to cut off the engine? Purposely put all your lives in danger so that I could have some fun at her expense. Did you know that?" Jarod spoke bitterly, his voice rising with the suppressed anger he felt for himself.
"A miscalculated prank, Jarod. I know you never meant to hurt Miss Parker."
"It wasn't just a miscalculation," Jarod's pain and anger echoed through the eerie silence of the cemetery. "I KILLED HER."
"No you didn't, Jarod," Sydney spoke steadily, "The timer never had the chance to shut off the engine."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean someone shot out one of the tires, and that's how she lost control of the car."
"What?"
"Someone wanted us dead."
========================================================================
Motel 6
Somewhere in Delaware
Jarod stared intently at his computer screen. Sydney had spoken the truth, he thought as he pored over the police report on Parker's "accident." Someone had conveniently buried the case, presumably to discourage prying eyes and continued interest.
The police had in fact found a slug embedded in the right rear tire. They had also found the timer under the hood, but had attributed the sudden loss of control of the car solely to the bullet. There was also a witness who reported hearing a loud popping sound before the towncar hit the road divider and spun out of control.
It was murder, pure and simple.
And here he had been living in a haze this past year while Parker's killer walked free. All he knew to do was to run away from the pain and the guilt. At least Sydney and Broots did something. They found out the truth about Parker's death.
He had been mourning her for a year now. It was time to find the justice that was denied her.
Jarod straightened his shoulders. He needed to make up for lost time. And he knew just where to start looking.
Jarod accessed the Centre's computer mainframe.
He had a murderer to catch.
