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Disclaimer: The characters Miss Parker, Sydney, Jarod, Broots etc. and the fictional Centre, are all property of MTM, TNT and NBC Productions and used without permission. I'm not making any money out of this and no infringement is intended.
Lost and Found
By Jennifer DeNaughel
The royal blue eighteen wheeler slowed and turned into the parking area. The brakes engaged with a rush of air as the truck slowly came to a stop. The logo on both doors as well as the trailer read ‘Crossbow Trucking’. The driver climbed down from the cab, stretching his long legs and broad shoulders. He gave a low groan as his exhausted muscles began to relax.
Walking slowly toward the welcoming lights of the ‘Long Haul Grill’, his stomach grumbled with hunger. Pulling open the glass door, he was instantly hit with the aroma of food and cigarette smoke. Finding a seat in a booth near the door, he pulled one of the menus from where they were tucked between the napkin dispenser and the salt and pepper shakers.
“Well, what can I get for you, handsome?” The pretty, dark-haired waitress approached him flirting shamelessly. “You look like you could use a good meal and a rest...and perhaps some company,” she winked playfully.
Jarod flashed her a tired grin, “Thank you for the offer, but I think I will just have a cup of coffee and an order of your barbecue ribs please.”
“I sure hope you have a huge appetite,” she warned with amusement twinkling in her green eyes. “The ribs are all you can eat, and not too many people have been able to finish even one plate.”
“I haven’t eaten since yesterday afternoon, believe me I have a huge appetite,” Jarod grinned.
“Well then, I had better get your order right away, I can’t have you wastin’ away on me, now can I.”
“Thank you,” he said as she walked away. Checking his watch, he noted that it was nearly one in the morning. Removing his cell phone from the pocket of his black leather jacket, he dialed a familiar number.
“What?”
“Rise and shine, Miss Parker.”
“Jarod. What the hell do you want,” she asked. The huskiness in her voice told him he had wrenched her from a deep sleep.
“Let’s just say I needed to hear a friendly voice.”
“Then call Sydney. I am sure he wouldn’t mind a midnight call from his favorite lab rat.”
Jarod ignored the jab and gave a short laugh, “But he is not as much fun to wake up in the middle of the night.”
“Funny, Jarod.” Miss Parker hissed.
“Actually, Miss Parker, I was wondering if I could persuade you to meet me…alone.”
Suddenly alert, Miss Parker laughed, “Okay, Jarod. What kind of game are you playing now?”
“No game, Miss Parker. Not this time. You and I need to talk.”
“What could we possibly have to talk about? Unless of course it’s about you coming back to the Centre.”
“You know that’s not possible, Parker. I can never go back there, not even for you.”
There was a moment of silence before Miss Parker spoke again. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that I care, Miss Parker,” Jarod whispered. “Now will you meet me or not?” he asked more harshly.
“Why?”
“There is something you need to know. Something I cannot tell you over the telephone. Miss Parker, please. You have to trust me.”
“I can’t believe you even have the nerve to ask me to trust you.”
“I have never lied to you about anything important, Parker. You know that and that is what scares you.”
“Jarod, I am not stupid.”
“No, you are not stupid. You trusted me without question when we were children. Your father destroyed that trust with his lies.”
“My father lied to protect me...”
“Your father lied to protect himself. And to control you.”
“Damn you, Jarod,” Miss Parker swore as she finally relented. “All right, I will meet you, but I swear, if you try anything funny...”
Jarod smiled with relief, “Long Haul Grill restaurant, the truck stop just west of Blue Cove.”
“I can be there in half an hour,” Miss Parker said and then the line went silent.
Jarod placed his cell phone back into his pocket just as his food arrived. The plate or more accurately, the platter was piled high with ribs smothered in delicious smelling barbecue sauce. “You weren’t kidding,” he laughed, his eyes wide with pleasure.
“Can’t say I didn’t warn you, darlin’,” the waitress refilled his coffee cup and walked to the next table.
Digging in with both hands Jarod quickly finished one plate and asked for a second helping, which he was only able to eat half of. After drinking the last of his coffee he leaned back and smiled. “That was excellent,” he grinned as the waitress reached for his plate.
“I am glad you enjoyed it. Can I get you some fresh apple pie?"
“No,” Jarod waved his hands in surrender. “I honestly could not eat another bite. Thank you very much.”
“You are very welcome, darlin’. Be sure to come see us again,” she left the check and headed for the kitchen.
Dropping a twenty on the table, Jarod stood and left the restaurant. Halfway to his truck he heard the unmistakable sound of Miss Parker’s angry voice coming from the side of the building.
“I am warning you, back off,” she hissed.
“Come on, pretty lady. We just want to talk.”
“Now, don’t go screaming cause it will only draw attention,” warned the taller of the two men who had Miss Parker backed up against a wall. “It won’t hurt a bit, we promise.”
Jarod rounded the corner and leaned against the wall. With an all-knowing grin, he watched as the scene played out before him.
Miss Parker waited patiently for her unsuspecting prey to move into position. Then with a wry smile, she said, “You’re right, this won’t hurt a bit.” Before they knew what hit them, both men were on the ground moaning in pain. She stood over them, shaking her head, “Next time boys, know who you’re messing with before you decide to have your fun with a ‘helpless’ female.”
Jarod clapped loudly and grinned, “I’m impressed, very impressed.”
“Thanks ever so much for your help,” Miss Parker glared at him. “So much for your knight-in-shining-armor reputation.”
“It didn’t occur to me that you needed any help. Actually, I almost felt sorry for them.” Jarod stepped away from the wall as she walked toward him. He could not help but stare, never having seen Miss Parker in blue jeans before. Wearing a black suede jacket white tank top and simple black boots, she looked relaxed, almost human. She had taken the time to put on make-up, but not a lot. He liked this Miss Parker. Nothing like the ‘Ice Queen’ he was used to.
Miss Parker could not stop the smile that found its way to her lips. “I’m glad you enjoyed the show,” she said glancing back at her victims. “Men are pitiful.”
“Thanks a lot,” Jarod grinned.
“Ah, Jarod. Did I hurt your male pride?”
“Not as much as you did theirs,” he chuckled.
“Yeah, I guess I did, didn’t I,” Miss Parker laughed softly.
“I’d ask for an encore, but I don’t think your costars are up for it,” Jarod smirked. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
“Where are we going?”
“I have a load to deliver,” Jarod said as he walked toward a tractor-trailer parked a few yards away.
Miss Parker followed him shaking her head slowly. What the hell am I doing here? And why am I trusting Jarod?
Opening the passenger door for her, Jarod offered a hand to help her up into the cab, which she promptly ignored. Shaking his head, he shut the door and moved around to the driver’s side. Climbing up behind the wheel, he noticed that she was giving the interior a once-over.
“Not bad,” Miss Parker nodded. “For an eighteen-wheeler, this is nice. And leather seats too.”
“Are you telling me you have ridden in one of these before?” Jarod asked with a questioning look.
“Once or twice,” Miss Parker stated cryptically.
“Somehow I cannot imagine that,” Jarod smiled.
“Actually, I can drive if you need a break later on,” Miss Parker flashed him an amused grin. She was thoroughly enjoying the perplexed look on the Pretender’s face. “Guess you don’t know everything about me, do you, Jarod.”
“Evidently not,” he shook his head.
Settling back in her seat and fastening her seat belt, Miss Parker watched as Jarod brought the diesel engine to life and shifted through the gears, pulling the truck slowly out of the parking lot and onto the main highway, heading west. Like every other occupation the man had taken on, Jarod drove the truck like an expert, as if he had been behind the wheel for years rather than days.
They rode in silence with only the CB radio occasionally intruding. Once Jarod picked up the mike and responded to another driver. “Freeway Joe, this is J-man, you have got to try the ribs at the Long Haul Grill, they are unbelievable.”
“Thanks for the tip, J-man. Watch out for the black and white two miles up the road.”
“Much obliged, thanks. J-man out.”
Miss Parker had listened to the exchange, rolling her eyes and chuckling softly. Jarod was enjoying this way too much.
They drove on for two hours in continued silence. Then Jarod turned on the radio. The station was playing country music, which Miss Parker had always despised, but somehow it suited the situation so she didn’t complain.
“Why are you so quiet?” Jarod asked finally.
“Just thinking, wondering what I am doing here.”
“I guess I owe you an explanation,” Jarod frowned, clearly dreading her reaction to what he was about to tell her.
“Gee, you think so?” Miss Parker raised an eyebrow and waited for him to speak again.
Jarod reached down between their seats and produced a small black duffel bag, handing it to her. “Look in there, inside you will find the answers you have been searching for.”
Miss Parker quickly unzipped the bag and rifled through its contents. Her hand closed over a small, leather-bound book, which brought tears to her eyes the instant she saw her mother’s initials on the cover. “My mother’s journal, I have searched everywhere for this.”
Jarod braced himself for her wrath as he continued, “She wanted you to have it, she said that it is time for you to come home.”
Miss Parker’s blue eyes flamed, “Damn you, Jarod, stop talking in circles and tell me what the hell you are doing with my mother’s diary.”
“She gave it to me. And I promised her that I would take you to her.”
Miss Parker could not bring herself to open the book, instead she shoved it back into the bag and zipped it closed. “I can’t believe I fell for another of your little practical jokes, Jarod. I never would have believed that you could be so cruel. Take me back now.”
Jarod shook his head, “I would never use your mother to hurt you, Parker. You know that. Family is the most important thing in the world to me. I would never toy with your emotions like that. I am telling you the truth.”
Miss Parker shook her head and fought back the tears that were building up behind her eyes. “What is the truth, Jarod? That my mother is alive? Is that what you are trying to tell me?” she hissed through clenched teeth.
“Parker, your mother loves you more that anything it this world and it hurt her deeply knowing that you believed that she was dead. But she also knew that if the Centre ever learned that she was alive, they would not hesitate to threaten you to get to her.”
“How did she survive? Jarod, I saw her…lying in the elevator…all the blood...her blood. How could she possibly be alive?”
“Someone inside the Centre helped her fake her death. She learned of the plan to eliminate her and used it to free herself from the Centre. She had planned to find a way to save you too, but your father made sure that you were always out of reach.”
“Are you saying that my father suspected that she was alive and didn’t tell me? He wouldn’t do that to me, Jarod.”
“How can you trust him after all the lies and deception?” Jarod asked, as he turned the truck onto a narrow two-lane highway.
“He is my father, Jarod.”
“He is the man who signed your mother’s termination order. Raines only pulled the trigger.”
“Do you have proof of this, Jarod?”
“No, but she does. She knows all his dirty little secrets. And he is not your biological father.”
“We have all ready been down that road, Jarod. Ben Miller. Remember?”
“He is not your father either, Miss Parker. I did the DNA test myself. He wasn’t a match.”
“What are you telling me, Jarod? My mother cheated on my father with someone else? That makes no sense at all. If he isn’t my father and I am not a Parker, then who the hell am I?”
“Welcome to the club, now you know what I have gone through my entire life.”
“Jarod, this is insane. I can’t even begin to accept this. Why would my mother just leave me behind, like excess baggage?”
“On the day of her funeral, she disguised herself and slipped into the church so she could see you one last time. Longing to take away your pain, she said that her only consolation lay in the knowledge that Sydney was there to watch over you.” Jarod reached over and covered her hand with his own. She was shivering, and her skin was deathly pale.
Suddenly worried about her, Jarod found a place to pull over and shut off the engine. The eastern sky was showing signs of the coming dawn as he jumped down from the truck and ran around to open her door. Stepping up on the running boards he placed his hands on both sides of her face and raised her gaze to meet his.
“Miss Parker, I am sorry.” Jarod pulled her to him and held her. He was surprised when she didn’t offer any resistance. “I am sorry,” he whispered softly.
“Jarod, where is she?” Miss Parker choked slightly on the words.
“Your mother is in a safe place. I promised her that I would bring you to her but you have to agree to never return to the Centre.”
Miss Parker pushed Jarod away, throwing him off balance and nearly sending him to the ground. “Damn you, Jarod. I am sick and tired of your mind games. My mother is not alive. I watched them take her away. The image of her lying there, in that elevator, is permanently etched into my mind. I see her every time I closed my eyes. I hear her screams. She would never do that to me. She loved me,” Miss Parker cried out and brought her hands to her face, covering her eyes.
Jarod whispered, “That is exactly why she did it. Can’t you see, it was the only way she could protect you.”
Miss Parker shoved Jarod aside and climbed down from the truck. Pulling her jacket tightly around her, she started walking along the side of the highway. Jarod jumped down and started after her.
“Miss Parker, where are you going?”
“Away from you,” she called back over her shoulder. A moment later, a red sportscar pulled up beside her. With not so much as a glance in his direction, she slid into the passenger seat and the car soon disappeared over the next hill.
“Damn,” Jarod swore and kicked gravel at the tire of the truck. Catherine warned him that her daughter would not accept the truth at face value. That she would rebel and that is exactly what she had done.
Once the truck was back on the road, Jarod headed for the next town. He needed fuel and he was tired. He needed to get some sleep before he could figure out a way to convince Miss Parker that he was telling her the truth.
****
BLUE COVE, DELAWARE: The Centre
Broots knew that something was wrong the second he entered Sydney’s office and found Lyle sitting in the chair behind the desk. Sydney stood with his arms folded staring down his nemesis.
Clearing his throat to announce his presence, Broots moved toward the couch and sat down. “Good morning, Syd...Mr. Lyle,” he nodded cordially.
“So good of you to join us, Mr. Broots,” Lyle smiled like he owned the world and everyone in it.
Shifting uncomfortably under Lyle’s scrutiny, Broots stammered, “Um, where’s Miss Parker?”
“Funny you should ask, Mr. Broots. It appears that my dear, sweet sister has disappeared...vanished...without a trace. Do you know anything about this little situation?”
Broots gave a startled glance and turned to Sydney. “Sydney, what’s going on? What is this all about?”
Sydney said nothing, he just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.
“Relax, Mr. Broots,” Lyle chuckled. Nobody is going to be shot...yet. I just wondered if maybe she mentioned something to you about a trip...maybe a little vacation without authorization from my father.”
Broots shook his head, “No, nothing. She didn’t say a word to me.”
“She may be ill,” Sydney offered.
“She better be, or she will be facing our father’s wrath. I suppose I should go tell him that she is missing. He is going to be furious,” Lyle got up from Sydney’s chair and waltzed out of the office.
Both Broots and Sydney heaved a sigh of relief.
“Where could she be, Syd?” Broots asked.
“I don’t know, but I hope she knows what she is doing.”
***
ROANOKE, VIRGINIA: The Smoky Mountain Inn
He pulled into Roanoke, Virginia and spotted a small motel just on the edge of town. The Smoky Mountain Inn had only one vacancy left and he took it. The sun was high in the morning sky as he dragged himself slowly up the stairs to his room. He put the key in the lock and turned it. Switching on the light, he ran a tired gaze around the room. It was actually one of the nicest rooms he had ever stayed in. Very clean, with a king bed, an antique highboy dresser, table and chairs and a spacious bath, with an enclosed shower.
With a heavy sigh and a yawn, Jarod dropped his bag on the table, kicked off his boots, and collapsed on the bed. He was just drifting off to sleep when he heard a knock on the door. With a groan, he lifted his exhausted body up from the bed and opened the door. He was too tired to even care if it was an army of sweepers coming to haul him back to the Centre.
The door swung open to reveal a still angry Miss Parker. She was leaning against the railing of the stairs. “I came for my mother’s journal,”
Jarod nodded and moved toward his bag. Returning to the door with the journal in hand, he held it out to her and smiled slightly, “I’m glad you came back, Parker.”
“Don’t, Jarod. I don’t want to hear anymore. I just came for my mother’s diary, nothing more nothing less”
“Where will you go now?” Jarod asked softly, his eyes filled with genuine concern.
“Back to Blue Cove, where else.”
“Before you do,” Jarod took a step toward her. “I think you should read the last entry,” he said pointing toward the book she held tightly in her arms.
Miss Parker glanced down at the book and shook her head slowly, her blue eyes brimming with tears, “I don’t think I can.”
“I could read it to you,” Jarod offered with a note of tenderness in his voice.
“No, I have to get going. I have a rental car waiting.” Miss Parker turned and started down the stairs. She had taken only two steps before she turned back to face Jarod. “Thank you, for the offer, Jarod,” she smiled slightly and then continued down the stairs.
Jarod watched her go, and then went back into his room, closing the door. He tried to ignore the insane little voice inside telling him to go after her, to ask her to stay...to stay with him. I just need sleep that’s all, I need sleep, he told himself repeatedly as he lay back on the bed and closed his eyes. He slept, but his dreams were haunted by the memory of holding her in his arms.
Miss Parker paused to look back toward the motel. Something inside was telling her to go back, to stay with Jarod. Shaking off the feeling, she slid behind the wheel of her rented Dodge Intrepid and started the engine. The radio blared to life, playing some bizarre tune from an eighties one-hit wonder. She stared at the book lying in the seat next to her. ‘Read the last entry’, Jarod’s words echoed in her mind. Could she find the strength to open the journal and read the words written by the one person she had ever loved and trusted completely. The words that could prove beyond all doubt that her mother had betrayed her.
With shaking hands and tears in her eyes, she opened the book. The pages were yellowing slightly and in between two of them was a bookmark, a laminated card with her mother’s favorite poem printed on it. There was no doubt in her mind, as her eyes quickly scanned the pages, that it was her mother’s handwriting...she’d know it anywhere. As much as she wanted to deny it, this was not another one of Jarod’s elaborate schemes to get her to turn her back on her father. He was telling her the truth.
The date above one journal entry caught her attention immediately...May 4, 1970... less than a month after her mother “died” in the elevator. Miss Parker took a deep breath and started to read:
May 4, 1970
My darling daughter,
When you read this, I beg you to try to understand the reasons behind what I did. I know what the truth will do to you, how much you will be hurt by my deception. I am alive, and well...if such a thing is possible being separated from my heart. I miss you my sweet and beautiful little girl, I long to see you... Sydney promised me that he will do all he can to help you through this difficult time. He loves you so much, you and Jarod. The two of you are his life and the only reason he goes on. He would die to protect you from the Centre, though I pray it will never come to that. I do not know where I will go now, but I hope that I can find a way to save you, Jarod and Timmy from the Centre. Trust in your friendship with Jarod, he cares for you. Do not let the Centre destroy what the two of you share. Never let go of those people who love you and want to protect you. I pray that you can forgive me for the pain I have caused you.
All my love, your mother,
Catherine Jameson Parker
Anger boiled up inside Miss Parker as she thought of all the times that she had gone to Sydney for comfort after her mother’s death. All the times that he could have told her the truth and didn’t. He had held her hand at the funeral... As soon as the memory entered her mind, her anger faded into oblivion. Sydney helped her mother escape the Centre. The consequences of which would have meant certain death if the Centre had ever learned the truth. She wondered what would have driven Dr. ‘don’t rock the boat’ Sydney to take such an insurmountable risk? She shook her head as she turned to an entry dated simply ‘September 1996’:
...Jarod has escaped from the Centre. I am relieved and happy for him but it breaks my heart when I think about all the years he has lost with his family. I thought about trying to find him, but I know that eventually he will find me. When he does, I will give him this journal and ask...no beg him to save my daughter. I cannot bear the thought of what will happen to her if she remains in the Centre. Unfortunately, I was told that her father has placed her in charge of capturing Jarod. That she is hell-bent on returning him to the Centre and proving her worth to her father. I know from experience, that he will never see her true worth. Michael Parker lives for power, thrives on it. He will not be satisfied until he has total control of everything and everyone... He is destroying her humanity bit by bit. My beautiful, sweet little girl is slowly becoming exactly like him, cruel, bitter, and calculating. I wish with all my heart that I could go back and erase the mistakes I made...if only I could have taken her with me back then, she would never have followed in his footsteps. I can only pray that Jarod can find a way to reach her before she loses herself completely. I know in my heart that he is the only one who can.
Shifting the Intrepid into drive, Miss Parker slammed her foot down on the accelerator and drove out of the parking lot. The back wheels spun in the loose gravel as she turned onto the highway and headed east. Her mind was in a tailspin, her heart in turmoil. “How could you do this to me Mama? I hate you,” she screamed at the top of her lungs, pummeling the steering wheel with open hands. “I hate you,” she repeated, her voice barely a whisper. She pulled the car over to the side of the road when she could no longer hold back the blinding barrage of tears.
Collecting herself, Miss Parker picked up the journal and turned to the last entry. It was dated April 13, 1999. This was only written two weeks ago, she gasped. Jarod had seen her mother within the past two weeks. And the date it was written...twenty-nine years to the day. Twenty-nine years since Catherine Parker ‘died’.
Miss Parker fought back her tears and struggled to focus on her mother’s words. She could almost hear her mother’s voice speaking to her from the pages as she read.
April 13, 1999
My darling daughter,
It is after midnight, and as I am writing this, Jarod is sleeping soundly upstairs. I had always known that he would find me. Today, as I was trimming my rose bushes, I suddenly looked up, and found myself staring into the eyes of the man and seeing the boy I once knew. He hugged me tightly and thanked me for trying to save him. We sat on my front porch and talked for hours. Knowing the life that Jarod has lived, I am amazed by the depth of his compassion and his ability to selflessly give happiness to others when he holds such deep sadness in his heart. I can see his loneliness, his pain. I am going to give him this journal to give to you. I hope you will read it and know that what I did I did out of love for you. I know now that it was a mistake to think you would be okay without me. You are far from okay. Jarod told me how angry and bitter you have become. You have lost faith in humanity and it breaks my heart to know that you have forgotten everything that I taught you about love and helping those in need. I blame myself but regrets will never save you from the darkness. You must believe in my love for you. And you must trust Jarod. I can see it in his eyes when he speaks of you, he remembers the friendship you once shared. He misses you. I will be counting the days til I see you again, my beautiful little girl...yes, I fear I still see you that way. I love you.
Mama
Miss Parker felt her heart breaking as she reread the entry. “I am sorry, Mama,” she whispered softly. “Please forgive me.” She turned the key in the ignition and started the engine.
Jarod had finished fueling the truck and was under the hood checking the oil. He had slept all afternoon and after a shower and shave he felt much better. He was thinking clearer too but he did not like what was running through his mind. He was worried about Miss Parker and he was missing her…a deadly combination where she was concerned. He was contemplating calling her on her cell phone when he heard a voice behind him.
“Hey cowboy, ya got room for lil ole me in this here fancy big rig of yers?” she asked with a perfect southern drawl.
Jarod turned around, and froze. She was dressed in new black jeans and a silk blouse that matched the ice-blue color of her eyes. Her black suede jacket was flung over her shoulder and her hair fell in dark waves around her face. “Parker? I thought you’d gone,” he stammered as soon as he could get his heart out of his throat.
Miss Parker nodded, “I made it all of five miles.”
“Why did you come back?”
“You tell me and we’ll both know,” she shook her head slowly.
“You read the journal?”
Miss Parker nodded, staring down at her feet for a moment then she raised her gaze to meet his. “I’m sorry, Jarod. I know you have never lied to me. I am sorry for rejecting the truth.”
Jarod raised an eyebrow and laughed softly, “That must have really hurt.”
“More that you’ll ever know,” Miss Parker smiled.
“I’m glad.”
“Glad it hurt, or glad I came back?”
“Both,” Jarod chuckled and slammed the hood down. “Let’s go, Parker. We have to make up some time if we’re going to get this load to Nashville on schedule.”
“Nashville,” Miss Parker echoed.
“Yeah, you know…Music City, USA.” Jarod opened her door, but she still refused to allow him to help her up into the cab.
“Great, and I suppose we’re going line dancing while we’re there.”
“Actually, I have always wanted to try that,” Jarod chuckled as he started the engine.
“Me and my big mouth,” Miss Parker rolled her eyes like an annoyed teenager. “I hope I don’t regret this.”
“You won’t, Miss Parker, I promise you.”
There was no mistaking the message behind Jarod’s words. And in the endless brown depths of his eyes, she saw something she had thought she had destroyed long ago.
*****
BLUE COVE, DELAWARE: The Centre
“Where the hell is my daughter?” Mr. Parker’s voice boomed through the corridors as he approached Sydney’s office. Broots tried to dart for cover, but was too late as the chairman and Mr. Lyle entered the room. “Sydney, I demand to know where she is,” Mr. Parker scowled as he leaned over the Centre psychiatrist’s desk.
“I am sure I don’t know, Mr. Parker,” Sydney responded, his voice calm and even. “Broots and I just assumed that she was ill. We haven’t seen her in a little over thirty-six hours.”
“Sydney, if you are keeping something from me, I will find out about it and when I do...” Mr. Parker’s warning was cut off by the ringing of Sydney’s phone.
“Excuse me a moment, I need to take this call. It may be a lead I am expecting on Jarod’s whereabouts,” Sydney did not wait for permission. Picking up the receiver, he held his hand over it and waited as a fuming Mr. Parker left the office with Lyle in tow. Broots closed and locked the door once they were out of sight. “Jarod?”
“How did you know it was me?” Jarod asked.
“Just a hunch,” Sydney smiled. “I have another hunch that you have something to do with the mysterious disappearance of our Miss Parker.”
“You are on a roll today, aren’t you, Syd,” Jarod laughed.
“I have my moments.”
“I take it that you weren’t alone.”
“No, I wasn’t. Mr. Parker is going ballistic over his missing daughter, but it isn’t out of fatherly concern, believe me.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
“So are you going to tell me what is going on?” Sydney asked as he pressed the button for the speakerphone.
Jarod paused for a moment to say something to a person in the background. “Miss Parker says hi,” he said as he returned to his conversation with Sydney.
“She is with you. How?” Sydney asked with a hearty laugh that said he was more than thrilled that Miss Parker had finally followed her heart.
“She is and she is driving me nuts...OUCH! See what I mean?” Jarod said with a playful whine.
Sydney shook his head smiling, “So where are you two?”
“We are on our way to Tennessee, Nashville to be exact.”
“I hope that she isn’t planning on coming back here.”
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Jarod said.
“Will she listen to you?”
“Probably not, but I know someone she has to listen to. After all, you are supposed to obey your parents right?” Jarod asked cryptically.
“What are you saying, Jarod? You can’t possibly mean her father and Catherine is dead.” Sydney was baffled by Jarod’s words.
“You know Syd, I read Mark Twain once. He is a very good author,” Jarod laughed softly. “We will contact you again later,” he said then the line went silent.
Sydney hung up the phone and glanced sideways at Broots. “Did that make any sense at all to you, Broots?”
Broots thought for a moment, then slowly a smile spread across his face. “I’ve got it. Jarod said ‘Mark Twain’. Mark Twain once said something like ‘Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated’.”
“My God,” Sydney gasped as he turned toward Broots and shook his head.
“Syd, does that mean...?” Broots asked.
“I can’t tell you now, Broots, not here.”
Broots nodded in understanding. “What do we do now?”
“We wait,” Sydney said as he settled back in his chair and buried his face in his hands. He had a terrible feeling that they were all heading into very dangerous territory and if not careful, they could find themselves in the middle of a war they could never hope to win.
***
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: The Whitehorse Hotel (2 days later)
“Jarod what are we doing? I thought we were going to keep a low profile,” Miss Parker asked as they entered the main lobby of the Whitehorse Hotel.
“What better place to hide from the Centre. This place is huge, so many places to lay low and still have a good time. Besides, the Centre is paying the bills,” Jarod laughed and winked at her.
“Jarod, you are unbelievable,” she smiled.
“Come on, Parker. Relax, have some fun for once in your life. You are free now.”
“Yeah right, Jarod. Just like you have been free for the past four years.” She had not intended for the remark to come out sounding so cold and unfeeling. And as she saw the flash of pain in Jarod’s eyes, she wished she could take it back. In one thoughtless moment, she had shattered the fragile veneer of friendship they had been slowly trying to repair the past few days.
“Parker, I would give anything to be totally free of the Centre. But as long as you are out of that place, I can live with being on the run.” Jarod shook his head, and then he walked away leaving her standing in the middle of the lobby.
Miss Parker made her way to the front desk. Approaching one of the clerks she flashed the young man a brilliant smile and folded her hands together on the white marble ledge of the desk. “We would like a room please.”
“Just one moment,” he nodded and tapped on his computer keyboard. “I only have one room available. It is one of our nicest suites though, with a king size bed and a hot tub.”
Miss Parker nodded, “We’ll take it.” Somehow, the thought of sharing a room with Jarod did not bother her as much as she would have thought. She wondered what he was going to think about it though.
“May I have your name, please,” the clerk asked.
Miss Parker thought quickly, “Jameson, Mr. and Mrs. Jarod Jameson.”
“Thank you, and will this be cash or credit card?”
She handed him the credit card Jarod had given her and smiled, “You can use this one. My parents are paying for everything...not a total lie...we are on our honeymoon.”
“Congratulations, I will have our bellman place a complimentary bottle of champagne in your room,” the young man smiled.
“Thank you, that would be wonderful,” Miss Parker smiled back at him.
“Shall I have him take up your luggage?”
“No, thank you. We haven’t even gotten it out of our car yet and it is parked across the street at the gas station. We had some car trouble. They had to tow us all the way here from halfway between here and Murfreesboro.”
“What a shame, and on your honeymoon too,” he gave her a sympathetic nod.
“I guess that’s what we get for borrowing my brother’s old fixer-upper. The darn thing is held together with duct tape and baling wire,” she shrugged. She was thoroughly enjoying herself. This pretending thing was rather addicting and she wasn’t half-bad at it either.
“Will you be needing a rental car then?”
“Yes, that would be nice.”
“There is a car rental desk over there,” he smiled and motioned across the lobby.
“Thank you so much. You have been a great help.”
“You are welcome. Here is your key, you are in Suite 27 on the 16th floor. Enjoy your stay, Mrs. Jameson.”
“We will,” she smiled. She turned and walked into the crowd.
Miss Parker wandered through the many hotel shops. She stopped to admire a particularly attractive black dress and immediately wished she could use her credit cards.
“Why don’t you try it on?” Jarod said leaning over her shoulder.
“Jarod, are you out of your mind? It’s not me, it’s too...” she searched in vain for the words that would convince herself more than him. She had fallen in love with it immediately. “I can’t buy a dress, we’re on the run. We have to travel light.”
“One dress won’t matter, Parker. Treat yourself, call it...well, a reward, for a job well done, from the Centre,” Jarod grinned.
Miss Parker stared at him for a moment, then smiled, “Don’t you mean a job left undone.”
Jarod raised an eyebrow and laughed, “I am not complaining. I am pleased with the results.”
“I’ll bet my father isn’t.”
“Do it, Parker. Buy the dress.”
With a glance over her shoulder at the dress, Miss Parker gave up the fight. “Okay, I will try it on. I still don’t think it’s me.”
“We’ll see,” Jarod chuckled and followed her into the shop. He waited as she disappeared into the dressing room with the saleswoman. It seemed like forever before the woman returned with a wide smile on her face. Miss Parker came out a few steps behind and the sight stole his breath. She looked so beautiful in the floor length strapless gown. He could not tear his eyes away.
Miss Parker, surprised by his reaction to her appearance, froze in place. Jarod’s eyes were locked on her, his every emotion playing out within their depths. She had never felt more beautiful than at that moment.
“Jarod, what do you think?” Turning around slowly Miss Parker watched herself in the mirror. The dress was perfect for her. It hugged every curve, the silky smoothness caressing her skin every time she moved.
Jarod was held spellbound to the point that it took several moments for her voice to penetrate dragging him back to reality. “You...you look incredible,” he managed to whisper.
“Are you sure it’s okay?”
Jarod nodded raising both eyebrows. “Oh yeah,” he grinned.
“Thank you, Jarod.” Turning quickly away so he would not see the effect his reaction had had on her, Miss Parker rushed back into the dressing room.
Jarod approached the saleswoman and handed her enough money to cover the dress and a little extra. “Make sure she gets everything she needs, shoes and all. I will be back in a few minutes.”
“Thank you, sir. I will.”
Miss Parker just gathering her packages when Jarod returned. “And where have you been?”
“It’s a surprise, for you. But you can’t have it yet.”
Miss Parker shook her head and smiled, “You are going to spoil me.”
It was so hard to believe the woman standing before him was the same woman who had spent the past four years hell bent on catching and dragging him back to the Centre. Jarod watched her in amazement, she was like a kid in a candy store, smiling and laughing...she was happy.
He suddenly realized that although she had lived outside its walls and had been exposed to the real world, in many ways, she had also been a prisoner of the Centre. She was experiencing true freedom for the first time, just as he had when he first escaped. They were both free and he would do anything to keep it that way. He would rather die than see her retreat behind her Ice Queen facade again.
“Earth to Jarod,” she teased.
“Sorry,” Jarod grinned.
“Thought I’d lost you for a minute there, Boy Genius. Where did you go?”
“Just tired I guess. Shall we go to our rooms?”
Miss Parker glanced quickly away, “That’s ‘room’, Jarod. They only had one available. A suite with a king bed and a hot tub.”
“Hmm, sounds romantic,” Jarod smiled.
“Don’t go getting any bright ideas, Jarod. It also has a sofa bed, so guess where you will be sleeping.”
“No, Miss Parker, I couldn’t possibly ask you to sleep on the sofa, you can have the bed,” he teased.
“Think you’re funny dontcha?”
“Well, I was a stand up comedian once,” he grinned. They liked me, well except for the joke about a wheezing bald guy with an oxygen tank and the thumbless man. That one, well let’s just say didn’t get it,” Jarod grimaced.
Miss Parker nodded her head and smirked, “I think they had to be there.”
Jarod shrugged his shoulders and motioned toward the elevator. “I’ll tell it to you sometime.”
“Sounds like a real belly buster,” she chuckled as she pressed the button on the panel.
“Well, I thought it was anyway.”
The elevator doors opened on the sixteenth floor. Miss Parker followed Jarod to their room and unlocked the door. It swung open to reveal a breath-taking sitting room with plush furniture and heavy drapes on the windows. All the wood in the room was mahogany and polished to a shine. The carpeting was thick and soft as Miss Parker found out as soon as she kicked off her boots and headed for the adjoining bedroom.
It was incredible. A massive king bed with a walk in closet and doors that opened onto a garden terrace. The master bath was nearly as big as the bedroom. The spa stood in the corner, next to it an enclosed marble shower. Dual vanities and a full mirror lined the other wall.
“This is incredible,” Miss Parker said as she walked out onto the balcony.
Jarod was equally awestruck, the room was definitely beautiful. But it somehow paled in comparison to the woman standing on the terrace. He knew it was futile to keep denying his feelings for her. He was in love with her, had been for as long as he could remember. It saddened him to think of all the wasted time they had spent being enemies. All the bitterness and anger that they had allowed to come between them. He was afraid to think about the road ahead and where it might lead.
Miss Parker came back inside and caught the distant look on Jarod’s face and the flash of apprehension in his eyes. “What is it, Jarod?”
“I was just thinking about...”
“...About us,” she finished.
Jarod glanced up at her in surprise as he sat down on the edge of the bed, “So you’re a mind reader now?”
“No, I was just on that same train of thought. Jarod, I am not sure of my feelings right now so I cannot say the words that you need to hear. I will say that these last two days have been the happiest days of my life and I never want it to end,” Miss Parker moved toward him just as he stood. “I want to be here with you. Nowhere else but here,” she whispered then wrapping her arms around his neck she kissed him.
When she backed away, Jarod laughed softly, as he touched her face and ran his fingers through her silky dark hair. Gathering her to him, he held her close. “I love you, Madeline. I always have,” he whispered. “And I understand that you aren’t ready. God knows, you need time and lot’s of it. But even if you can never say the words, I see the truth in your eyes and that is all I need.”
Stunned by his using of her first name almost as much as she was by the three words that had preceded it, Miss Parker stared silently into the dark pools of his eyes. With tears streaming down her face, she shook her head slowly. “How, Jarod? How can you possibly love me after everything I put you through? I don’t deserve your forgiveness, much less your love.”
Jarod took hold of her hand and brought it to his lips, “Madeline Parker, you deserve that and so much more. We were both victims of the Centre. They took our innocence and destroyed it bit by bit, but they could not destroy the bond that has always been there between us. I felt it from the moment I first saw you on the other side of the glass.”
Miss Parker nodded as the memory of that day found its way into her heart, “I know, Jarod. I felt it too.”
“Maddie, it’s okay. Take all the time you need. I won’t pressure you. Let’s just go out tonight and enjoy ourselves. There’s no telling how long this reprieve will last. I am sure that it won’t be long before they figure out where you are and who you’re with.”
“I guess we had better make every moment count then,” Miss Parker laughed as she kissed him again and then went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
Jarod just stared after her with a raised eyebrow and a crooked grin. They were in for a bumpy ride, and they both knew it. But this night...it was for them.
*****
THE CENTRE: Mr. Parker’s office
“Dad, there is no sign of her. I have three teams of sweepers searching and they have found nothing. She covered her tracks well, which tells me that she doesn’t want to be found,” Lyle said as he calmly pulled the glove back over the place where a thumb had once been.
Mr. Parker paced furiously back and forth in front of his son. “I want her found. Where could she possibly have gone? She has not taken any money from her accounts, which means she has little or no money. There has been no activity on any of her credit cards. Where the hell is she?” he bellowed.
“I have Broots working on it. Though, I am betting that he and Sydney all ready know where she is. Word is, she is with the Centre’s other infamous runaway.”
Mr. Parker spun on his heels and grabbed Lyle by the lapels, “That is impossible.” He shook Lyle roughly, “My Angel would never betray me that way. No, there has to be another explanation. She would never side with Jarod against me,” he bellowed.
If Lyle had any sense at all, he would have been afraid. Instead, he just smiled and raised his hands in a mock gesture of surrender. “Hey, Dad, I am only repeating the standard opinion. I, myself, do not believe my sister would do such a thing.”
Mr. Parker huffed and turned away from his son. “She could never choose Jarod over her own father.”
“What if she has somehow learned the truth? What if Jarod was finally able to give her undeniable proof of your deceptions?” Lyle asked softly as he braced himself for the blow that never came.
Sinking slowly into his chair, Mr. Parker contemplated Lyle’s questions, and he knew the answer to both. She would leave him, and the Centre, for good. And yes, she would run to Jarod. He had known long ago, of the bond between his daughter and the Pretender. The friendship had been allowed only because the Triumvirate felt that it would keep Jarod at the Centre if he had someone other than Sydney to connect with. It had also been the reasoning behind putting her in charge of his pursuit, knowing that Jarod would never be able to totally break free of the Centre as long as they had her and Sydney under their control.
“Dad, are you all right?” Lyle asked, with something that almost resembled concern, in his voice.
“Lyle, I want her back here. I don’t care how you do it. I want her back.” Mr. Parker slammed his fist down on his desk with so much force that it toppled a priceless sculpture, sending it crashing to the floor. Without blinking an eye, he hissed, “Bring her back, and Jarod too, dead or alive. Fail me this time, Lyle, and son or no, you will lose more than a thumb. Is that clear?”
“Crystal,” Lyle stammered as genuine fear flashed in his eyes. “I will find them. They can’t hide forever.”
“You had better hope not, for your sake,” Mr. Parker stood up from his chair and stormed out of the office.
“Damn,” Lyle swore under his breath. He did not want to kill Miss Parker. Frankly, he was hoping to tell her the truth himself one day and convince her that they would be great together, running the Centre...once Mr. Parker was eliminated. He knew there was little chance of that, but even he had dreams. He smiled slyly as he left his father’s office. He would go to Sydney and get the truth out of him one way or another.
****
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: The Whitehorse Hotel
Jarod waited patiently for Miss Parker to emerge from the elevator and join him in the restaurant for dinner. He watched people as they wandered through the lobby. There were many families and children everywhere. He wondered what the future would hold. Would Miss Parker stay with him? Would she ever be able to open up and allow herself to love again? He knew that it would be difficult for her. She had loved Thomas and the Centre took him from her. Shot him down in cold blood on her front porch.
Just then, the elevator doors opened and she was there. The brilliant blue of her eyes, so alive with emotion, focused only on him. Her smile lit up the entire room as she walked and every eye in the place was focused on her. She was a vision of beauty.
“Hey there, handsome. Care to buy a lady a drink?” Miss Parker asked in a manner that rivaled that of any native southern belle.
Jarod was unable to find the words so he just bowed like a gentleman and kissed her hand.
“I could definitely get used to this,” she laughed softly as Jarod straightened, offering her his arm. She was almost uncomfortable with all the attention they were drawing. Though, at the same time, it was rather exhilerating.
Miss Parker felt the eyes of every female in the room turn to admire the man next to her. As they waited for the hostess to take them to their table, she took the opportunity to admire him herself. Wearing black jeans that fit him like a second skin and a button front, white shirt and black leather vest, he looked incredible. He even wore a bolo tie and new black boots, which reminded her of polished obsidian.
Once they were seated, Jarod ordered a bottle of wine. Then he took her hands in his and smiled, “You are so beautiful, Maddie.”
“You aren’t so bad yourself,” Miss Parker whispered.
“I have something for you,” Jarod handed her a long, black velvet box. His eyes were lit up with an excitement that was contagious.
Miss Parker accepted the box and carefully opened it. Her eyes filled with tears as she took in the beauty of its contents. “Oh, Jarod, I can’t accept this. It’s too much.” After a moment of hesitation, Miss Parker gently lifted the heart-shaped necklace from the box. It was a sapphire surrounded with diamonds. “Jarod, I...”
“Let me help you put it on,” Jarod grinned as she turned her back to him and lifted her hair. He fastened it quickly, but lingered there, mesmerized by the porcelain softness of her skin and the silky strands of dark hair that had escaped her grasp. He gently placed a kiss at the nape of her neck. “Perfect,” he whispered.
Miss Parker turned to face him, “Jarod, I have lived my life never allowing anyone to get too close. I thought I had to because of my father and the things I have done. I realize now that the real reason I could not give my heart fully to anyone, including Thomas, is you. A part of me always held on to the hope that someday we would find our way back to each other.” Raising one hand to his smooth-shaven cheek, she smiled brightly, “Jarod, I love you.”
His eyes brimming with tears, and a broad grin on his face, Jarod laughed softly taking her into his arms. “Maddie, we have to promise each other that no matter what happens, we have to hold on to this moment. The Centre cannot hurt us as long as we never allow ourselves to forget tonight. I love you more than you will ever know, always remember that.”
“Jarod, what are we going to do?” Miss Parker held on to him as if it was all a dream and by letting go she would wake up back in Blue Cove in her bed, alone.
Jarod gently eased her away, “First we are going to eat and then we are going to have some fun. This night is ours. Tonight the Centre and the past do not exist...they are forgotten.”
“Agreed.” Miss Parker nodded and kissed him just as the waiter appeared with their wine and took their dinner order. She only wished it were easy to forget the past. They both knew it was not far behind. She could feel its fiery breath on the back of her neck. Tomorrow would come soon enough and then there would be no avoiding it. Jarod was right, this night was theirs, and they had to make the most of it.
****
THE CENTRE: Sydney’s office
Sydney was waiting nervously for Broots to return from the tech room. He was about to reach for his telephone to call and see what was keeping him when the door of his office opened and Lyle waltzed into the room with a satisfied smirk on his face.
“Lyle, I am very busy right now...” Sydney stopped mid-sentence when he saw a badly beaten Broots being dragged between two sweepers. They let go and he fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. Sydney moved toward him but found his path blocked by the sweepers. “Lyle, what in God’s name have you done?”
“Oh don’t worry, Syd. Broots is going to be just fine. That is unless you continue to refuse to tell us the whereabouts of Jarod and Miss Parker. I know they called you. Jarod would never allow you to worry about Miss Parker’s safety. I also know that you care very deeply for them, that you will do anything to protect them.” Lyle turned and approached the unconscious man. “Are you willing to sacrifice the life of a friend and perhaps his daughter to protect them?”
Sydney’s struggled to keep calm, “Lyle, I can’t tell you anything. I don’t know where they are. They called, yes. But they never told me where they were.”
Lyle nodded slowly and kicked Broots in the ribs. “You see, Syd. I know you are lying. Now I suggest you tell me the truth or I will put an end to Mr. Broots’ pitiful existence here and now.” To emphasize his point, Lyle placed his gun against the back of Broots’ head.
Sydney sank slowly to the sofa and buried his face in his hands. “All right, Lyle. You win.”
***
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: The Whitehorse Hotel
They were just finishing their dinner and the band was playing a soft country ballad as Jarod reached for Miss Parker’s hand. “I have been dying to dance with you. Would you do me the honor?”
Miss Parker laid down her napkin and smiled. “I’d love to,” she said as she took hold of his outstretched hand and followed him to the dance floor. As she stepped into his embrace, they began to move together among the other couples. She could not tear her eyes away from his. If she died tomorrow, it wouldn’t matter. This was the moment she had lived her entire life for...and the man she had loved for her entire life.”
Jarod could not believe that she was finally in his arms and she loved him. They had overcome every obstacle fate had thrown at them and now nothing could tear them apart.
The song ended and another began as the two of them danced. No longer noticing the people around them, they were only aware of each other.
“I don’t want this night to end. I want to stay like this forever,” Miss Parker smiled gently.
“I wish I could make it last forever,” Jarod closed his eyes and listened to the music, enjoying the closeness with her.
“Jarod,” Miss Parker purred. “Let’s go up to our room.”
Jarod feigned disappointment, “Already, but what about line dancing at the Wildhorse Saloon?”
“As much as I am dying to do the ‘boot scootin’ boogie’, I would rather spend my evening in the hot tub with you,” she whispered playfully.
“Hmmmm,” Jarod teased. “Line dancing, or hot tub?” he grinned as he ‘weighed’ the options.
Miss Parker laughed and grabbed his hand, leading him out of the restaurant, pausing just long enough to pay the bill. As soon they entered the elevator and the doors closed, she kissed him with a passion she never knew she possessed.
Jarod broke the kiss and chuckled, “Hot tub it is.” Then just as soon as the doors opened on their floor, he swept her up into his arms and carried her toward their room.
***
SOMEWHERE OVER TENNESSEE: The Centre Jet
“Yes, Dad. We are on our way to Nashville. Our passengers are resting comfortably.” Lyle cast an amused glance toward Broots and Sydney where they sat tied in their seats next to each other. “We couldn’t risk leaving them behind to warn Jarod and Miss Parker.”
“Are you sure Sydney is telling the truth?” Mr. Parker’s voice boomed over the speakerphone.
“Yes. His humanity overcame his loyalty to our two runaways.”
“Call me when it’s done. I will not tolerate any mistakes.”
As the line went dead, Sydney’s heart sank. He had been afraid this would happen. Mr. Parker wanted his daughter back at any cost. Even if it meant killing her, and Jarod as well. “What have I done?” Sydney asked, his voice barely audible. Only Broots heard him.
“Don’t worry, Syd. Miss Parker and Jarod will be okay.”
“I wish I could be so sure.”
“For what it’s worth, thank you for what you did.”
Sydney smiled slightly, “Broots, I could never allow them to hurt you and Debbie.”
“What are we going to do now?” Broots tried to keep his voice low, but Lyle heard him.
“Mr. Broots, I suggest that the two of you make yourselves comfortable. You are going to be tied up in here for quiet a while,” Lyle shook his head slowly and with contrived regret, he checked their bonds for tightness then walked away laughing quietly to himself. “Have fun boys, oh, and enjoy the inflight movie.”
Once Lyle had gone, Sydney released the breath he had been holding for so long that he had nearly passed out. The action caused his ropes to loosen slightly. Working quickly he managed to turn enough to allow himself access to Broots’ wrist restraints. “Hold still Broots.”
“Hurry, Syd.”
“We will be landing soon, Broots. We have to get out of here as soon as they leave the plane.”
Broots glanced at him in confusion. “What to you mean, get out of here. How?”
“I don’t know...yet. But we have to find a way to warn Jarod and Miss Parker. Lyle will kill them.”
Once Broots’ hands were free, he quickly untied Sydney. “Syd, I have an idea, I think it could work.”
“What is it Broots?”
Lyle returned a minute later. After observing that his prisoners were still in the same position as when he had left them, he made sure that they saw him take out his 9mm and release the safety. Then he settled down in the seat across from them. “We will be landing in a few minutes. Don’t worry, Syd. You will not have to witness the demise of Jarod and Miss Parker. But of course, once they are out of the picture, you will be of no use to us any longer. You will both be rendered obsolete.”
“How can you even consider killing your own sister, Lyle?” Sydney bowed his head shaking it slowly.
Lyle chuckled, “Sydney, you seem to think you know everything that’s going on around you. Well, I hate to tell you, but you are more in the dark than Jarod is.”
Sydney aimed a lethal gaze at Lyle, “Why don’t you enlighten me, Lyle.”
“I’d really like to, Syd, but my father would not approve,” he grinned maliciously. He started to leave them alone again but paused. “Oh what the hell, you aren’t going to live long enough to tell anyone anyway.” As Lyle took a step toward the restrained men, he laughed, “Sydney, I can ‘consider’ killing her because she is not my sister. No relation whatsoever. My father is not her biological father.”
Sydney stared up at him, clearly stunned by Lyle’s revelation. “What are you saying? Who is...”
Lyle cut him off, “Her twin...vegetable boy of course. And their father, why Sydney, I am surprised at you. Oh but then you didn’t know about Nicholas either, did you.”
Broots turned to Sydney in utter shock. “Sydney?”
“He is lying, Broots. As much as I would love to believe it, there is no way that Miss Parker and Angelo are my children. Catherine would have told me.”
“Believe it, Sydney. I am telling you the truth. You and Catherine had an affair, she became pregnant. She told my father the truth and he threatened to have you killed if she left him.”
Sydney longed to wrap his hands around Lyle’s throat and choke the life out of him, but in his heart he knew it was the truth, had known it all along. He had always felt a connection with Miss Parker and even Angelo.
Broots could not believe what he was hearing. How could Sydney be Miss Parker and Angelo’s father? “Is it true, Syd?”
Sydney could only nod his head as his eyes filled with tears. He had failed them all...his children...Nicholas, Miss Parker, and Timmy.
As the plane set down on the runway of the Centre’s private airstrip near Nashville, Lyle stood and slipped his gun back into his coat. “Well, my job here is done. I’ll be seeing you both very soon.”
“Lyle,” Sydney shouted vehemently, “You can’t do this.”
“Oh but I can,” Lyle smiled. “And I am going to enjoy every minute of it. Maybe I will live out one of my little fantasies with Miss Parker before I kill her...she is a very alluring woman. It has not been easy, these past few years...keeping my hands to myself, that is.”
“You son of a...”
“Ah, Syd. Now I don’t think you really want to make me angry. I might kill you and I really do not want to do that...yet. I wouldn’t want to deprive myself the pleasure of seeing the look on your face when I bring Jarod and Miss Parker back in body bags.” Lyle left, closing the door and locking it behind him.
Sydney lurched to his feet, ignoring the excruciating pain in his limbs and lower back brought on by being in a seated position for so long. “Broots, I swear on my own grave that I am going bring down the Centre one stone at a time starting with that twisted bastard.”
“Calm down, Syd. You aren’t going to do anyone any good if you don’t calm yourself and think straight.”
Sydney stopped and took a deep breath, fighting to gain some sort of control over his emotions. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it before, Broots.”
“It’s not your fault, you couldn’t have known.”
“She is alive, Broots.”
Broots shook his head in confusion, “Who is alive?”
“Catherine Parker. I helped her fake her death. She and I have kept in touch over the years. I promised to watch over Miss Parker, Jarod, and Timmy for her.”
“So that’s what Jarod meant by his reference to Mark Twain.”
“Which means that Miss Parker knows that her mother is alive.”
“What is she going to do when she learns the whole truth?”
“If we don’t get to them before Lyle does, we will never have the chance to find out,” Sydney said as he headed for the door.
Broots swallowed the fear rising in his throat and followed Sydney to the front of the plane. Luckily, the sweepers that Lyle had left behind to guard them were outside. In the cockpit, Broots set to work on the computer that controlled the entire aircraft, from the engines and air conditioning to the toilets. He hoped his plan would work, it had to work, or they were all as good as dead.
Sydney watched for any sign of movement from the sweepers. He said a silent prayer for Miss Parker and Jarod. “Hurry, Broots.”
“I’ve just about got it. Just one more minute.”
The sweepers started up the ramp into the plane. “They’re coming,” Sydney warned.
“Got it. I’m in, and sending message now. There, it’s done. Let’s get out of here,” Broots jumped up just as one of the sweepers burst through the door of the cockpit with gun in hand.
In one fluid motion, Sydney bashed the man over the head with the fire extinguisher and knocked the gun out of his hand. It fell at Broots’ feet.
Broots grabbed it up just as the second sweeper fired his weapon at Sydney. He raised the gun and shot the man in the knee. He went down screaming in pain as Broots followed Sydney out of the cockpit and down the ramp to the runway.
“There,” Sydney pointed to a black car parked a twenty yards away from the jet. “You drive.”
Broots was afraid he would have to hot-wire the car but some kind soul left the keys in the ignition. This is my lucky day, Broots though as he shook his head and started the engine.
***
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: The Whitehorse Hotel
Miss Parker awoke early. Jarod was still sleeping soundly. She kept still so she would not wake him. She just wanted to watch him, to listen to the steady rhythm of his breathing. He was real. It had all been real.
She had never believed in destiny, but there was no other way to explain it. Despite everything they had put each other through and all the roadblocks, they had somehow managed to come full circle and find each other again. That night, two lost souls had become one in a union that only the stars could have predicted. And somehow, she knew that although the future was uncertain, they would survive, their love would carry them through any storm the Centre could throw at them.
Jarod opened his eyes and grinned sleepily, “Good morning, beautiful.”
“Good morning. Sleep well?”
“Better than I ever have in my life.”
“Me too.”
“What shall we do today?”
“It’s still early,” Miss Parker smiled with mischief in her blue eyes.
“Well, then. Let’s go back to sleep,” Jarod teased.
“Not on your life, mister,” she whispered as she moved closer to him, running her fingers lightly over his bare chest.
“Oh,” Jarod grinned. “I suppose, I mean we could...”
“Shut up and kiss me, Jarod.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
***
Sydney’s heart was racing when Broots finally drove the car up to the front of the Whitehorse Hotel. As they entered the lobby, Sydney noticed that it was crawling with police. Grabbing the arm of the closest officer he asked as calmly as possible, “I am a doctor, what has happened here? Can I be of some assistance?”
“The officer, a young blonde woman, shook her head, “All I know is there was a shooting and two people are dead. A suite on the sixteenth floor...a newlywed couple.”
Sydney fought to control his emotions as he thanked the officer and made his way through the crowd with Broots close behind. They took the elevator as far as the fifteenth floor and the stairs to the sixteenth floor where they found the hallway filled with police and hotel security.
Taking a deep breath, Sydney walked right into the hotel suite as if he belonged there and quickly scanned the room. As he entered the bedroom, he saw two bodies lying on the bed, covered in sheets.
“I am sorry sir, you cannot be in here,” an officer started to usher him out the door.
“Wait,” Sydney shouted. “I am her father.”
Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him. A detective approached and waved off the officer. “I am Detective Marsh. You say that you are the father of one of the victims?”
“Yes...no, I’m not sure,” Sydney shook his head in desperation.
“I’m not sure I understand, are you or are you not the father of one of the victims?”
“I came because my daughter and her new husband are staying here. I have to know if it is them. Please. Let me see the bodies.”
The detective nodded and led Sydney over to the bed. He gently folded back the sheets revealing the brutally murdered bodies of a man and woman.
Sydney braced himself for the shock. When he looked down at them, he almost cried with relief. Shaking his head he whispered, “It’s not them. Thank God, it is not them.” Then he whispered, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so insensitive.”
Detective Marsh nodded in understanding. “It’s all right. I am glad that it wasn’t them. Unfortunately, they do have families and we need to identify the bodies so that we can notify them.” Then he turned to another officer. “Did you find any ID for them?” he asked.
“Only their room receipt and the name on the hotel registry. Jameson, Mr. and Mrs. Jarod Jameson,” the officer replied.
“Oh my God,” Sydney said softly.
“Did you say something, Mr...” Detective Marsh turned back to Sydney but he was nowhere to be found.
Broots could hardly keep up with Sydney as he ran from the hotel and slid into the passenger seat of the car, which amazingly still sat where they had left it upon entering the hotel.
“What is it, Sydney? Was it them?” Broots started the car and drove away from the entrance. He parked a distance away near a stand of trees.
“No, it wasn’t them, but there were two dead bodies. A young couple who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“My God, Syd,” Broots gasped. “Do you think that Lyle killed them?”
“I know he did, the room was registered under Mr. and Mrs. Jarod Jameson. Jarod and Miss Parker must have gotten our message. Lyle must have killed those two people out of anger and put their bodies in the room to throw the police off track or to cover his backside with Mr. Parker.”
“Where would they go?”
“To Catherine.”
“Are you sure?”
“No, but it’s my best guess. I am not Jarod, but I can try to think like him.”
“Where is she? Do you know?”
“Yes,” Sydney nodded. “But first you need to call Debbie. Tell her to go someplace safe, someplace where the Centre cannot find her.”
“Sydney is there anyplace that is truly safe from the Centre?” Broots asked.
“Tell her to go to Michelle’s. Here is the address. I will call her and tell her to expect Debbie. She will be safe there, Broots. I promise you.”
“I hope you are right, Syd,” Broots said as he started the car and drove a few blocks away to small, inconspicuous motel where they could lay low for awhile.
***
Jarod drove into the deep forests of the Smoky Mountains. Miss Parker was next to him, her eyes red and swollen from crying. He wanted to comfort her, to tell her everything would be okay. But he too felt the overwhelming guilt of what had happened. Because of them, two innocent people died at the hands of Lyle. He shook his head as his own eyes filled with tears to the point that he had to pull the car over to the side of the road. He turned to her and she came to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“What are we going to do now?” Miss Parker’s voice sounded so small, like that of a frightened child.
“I don’t know, Maddie. I really don’t know,” Jarod held her tightly. “We have to get to your mother. We will be safe there.”
“Where is she?”
“We are close. She lives in a cabin, deep in the woods, on Mirror Lake. It is very secluded. We will only be able to reach it by air. With any luck, we should be there before dark.”
“What if she isn’t there?”
“She is there, believe me. I am bringing her daughter to her, remember.”
“I’m scared, Jarod.”
“So am I, Maddie. So am I,” Jarod said as he kissed her gently on her forehead. Then he pulled the car back onto the narrow, winding road and drove until they reached the small airport nestled in a large clearing among the trees.
Jarod pulled the car into an outbuilding and covered it with a canvas tarp. As they walked across the airfield, a man in gray overalls met them halfway and shook Jarod’s hand.
“Jarod, you made it. Good to see you again.”
“You too, Jack. This is Madeline. Madeline this is Jack Stevens.”
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Stevens,” Miss Parker smiled.
“Jarod, you lucky devil. Where on God’s green earth did you find such an incredibly beautiful woman?” Jack bowed slightly and took Miss Parker’s hand in his. “It is a pleasure, and call me Jack.”
“Watch her, Jack. She bites,” Jarod warned with a grin.
“Beautiful and feisty,” Jack winked at her. “I do like that in a woman.”
“Is the plane ready?” Jarod asked.
“All gassed up and ready to go. I stocked it with all the supplies you asked for,” Jack said as he reluctantly released Miss Parker’s hand.
“Thank you so much, I don’t know how I will ever be able to repay you for your help.”
“Jarod, If not for you, I would be flying crop dusters in Idaho about now. You saved my business and my life. It is I who can never repay you."
Miss Parker followed the two men. She was starting to see the whole picture of what Jarod had been doing since his escape from the Centre. It was true, what they say about good deeds coming back to you. The people Jarod helped were now helping him when he needed it most.
She waited in the hangar as Jarod readied the plane on the lake nearby. As soon as the engine started, she headed out to join him. Jack helped her into the seat next to Jarod and closed her door. He stepped back, waved as the plane began to move across the water, and lifted gracefully into the air.
“Are you okay, Maddie?” Jarod asked as he took hold of her hand.
Miss Parker nodded. “What if they followed us, Jarod? Jack won’t be safe if they did.”
Jarod gave a slight smile of reassurance, “Jack will be fine. He knows all about the Centre and what they want. He was also a pilot in the Gulf. He knows about war and what it means to fight for your life...for freedom.”
“Is that what this is, Jarod...a war?”
“That is what it’s turning in to, and I am afraid it’s going to be a bloody fight.”
“We can’t let the Centre win.”
“We won’t, Maddie. I promise you, we won’t.”
Miss Parker settled back in her seat and turned to stare out the window at the breathtaking scenery below. Soon the lush, green forests gave way to a narrow valley and the clear blue waters of Mirror Lake. Jarod set the plane down on the glassy surface and steered it toward the boat docks. Nestled back in the trees, Miss Parker noticed a simple but beautiful, two-story log home with a steady plume of smoke coming from its chimney. The lights were burning brightly from its windows since the sun had dropped behind the mountain.
“Is that it? Is that my mother’s house?” Miss Parker asked with a mixture of excitement and fear.
“Yes, Maddie,” Jarod smiled as he climbed out of the plane and tied it off. Then he reached in and helped her out.
As soon as her feet hit the weathered wood of the docks, she started to walk toward the house. When the front door opened, she started to run. “Mama?” Miss Parker called out to the woman who had stepped out onto the porch.
Catherine gasped and her hands flew to her mouth as her eyes filled with the tears of recognition. “Madeline. Oh thank God, my baby girl.”
Miss Parker ran up the steps and into her mother’s arms. “I’m home, Mama, I’m home,” she whispered.
“I missed you so much. I love you, Madeline. I love you,” Catherine cried as she drew back slightly from her daughter. “Let me look at you, oh my, you are beautiful. So very beautiful.”
“I look just like you,” Miss Parker smiled with tears in her eyes and embraced her mother again. “Just like you.”
****
BLUE COVE DELAWARE: The Centre airstrip
Angelo found a place to hide just as Mr. Parker, Mr. Raines, and several sweepers boarded the jet. He laughed softly to himself as he made himself comfortable in the baggage compartment. He covered himself with a blanket and smiled. “Must save Jarod and Miss Parker,” he whispered.
“Mr. Parker, you have a phone call,” Willie said as he handed his cell phone to the chairman. “It’s Mr. Lyle.”
Mr. Parker grimaced as he brought the phone to his ear. He knew that it would not be the news he wanted to hear from Lyle. “Mr. Parker here.”
“Dad, we have a problem.”
“Lyle, I warned you about failing me.”
“Sydney and Broots have escaped. They must have warned Jarod and Miss Parker because they knew we were coming, they got away.” Lyle didn’t dare tell him the whole story. That would come out soon enough. He needed time to figure out what to do about the two dead bodies they left behind.
“I want them all dead, Lyle. Jarod, my daughter, Sydney, Broots and anyone else that gets in the way of my plans, if a war is what they want, then I will give them one.”
“Dad, there’s something you should know,” Lyle said, bracing himself for the explosion. “Jarod and Miss Parker...they are together.”
Mr. Parker remained silent for a moment, gathering himself before he spoke again. “Lyle, do not fail me. I want this finished, once and for all.”
After the connection had been cut, Lyle rolled his eyes and tossed the cell phone to a sweeper. “The old man is nuts,” he laughed. “Certifiably nuts.”
“Like father, like son,” Sam said under his breath as he placed the cell phone in his pocket and watched Lyle walk away. He didn’t have to hear the other side of the conversation to know what was said, and he knew that if he didn’t do something soon, Miss Parker would die. He made his way quickly toward the car, slid behind the wheel and started the engine. No one noticed as he drove slowly away.
****
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: The Cumberland Inn
Sydney sat at the small table in the motel room where he and Broots had holed up for the night. He was going over the maps of the area where Catherine had told him her cabin was. It was not going to be easy getting there. He was sure that Jarod and Miss Parker had flown in. He hoped he could figure out how they could get their hands on a helicopter and pilot to take them where they needed to go.
Broots came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around him. “Shower’s all yours, Syd.”
“Thank you, Broots.”
“Well, have you figured out what we’re going to do.”
“Only if you are a helicopter pilot.”
“Sorry, Syd. That I am not.”
A knock on the door startled both men. They looked silently at each other for a moment before Sydney finally managed to get up and move slowly toward the window to see who was outside.
“Sydney, Broots, I know you are in there. It’s me, Sam. Let me in. We have to talk.”
Opening the door cautiously, Sydney stepped back and let the sweeper in. “You’re alone?”
“Yes. I came because no matter what you think of me, I was only doing my job. But my job does not include the murder of Miss Parker. I won’t stand by and let her die. I want to help you.”
Sydney paused for a moment then a smiled spread slowly across his face, “So Sam, tell me, can you fly a helicopter?”
****
NEAR NASHVILLE: The Centre Airstrip
Mr. Parker exited the Centre jet and stepped into the waiting car. Mr. Raines followed but in a different car. As the two vehicles sped away, Angelo came out of his hiding place and ran across the airfield.
***
NASHVILLE: The Southern Comfort Hotel
Lyle was fuming as he stood in the middle of the empty space where the missing car had been parked. It didn’t take a genius to notice that Sam, the sweeper, was also missing. “Damn.” He swore under his breath, he should have known that the sweeper had a soft spot for Miss Parker. “What ever happened to loyalty,” Lyle shouted at the other sweepers in his company.
There was no point in worrying about a missing sweeper when his father was only minutes away. It wouldn’t be long before he would be there breathing down his neck and Lyle was not looking forward to it. It won’t be long dear old Dad, one day very soon you will be history and I will run the Centre, Lyle thought to himself, a malicious grin pasted on his face.
Just then, two black limos pulled into the parking lot of the Southern Comfort Hotel and stopped near him, “Speak of the Devil,” he said with a smirk.
****
THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS: Mirror Lake
Jarod sat quietly on the front porch listening to the two women inside the house. They had not stopped talking all evening. He smiled as he wondered if it would be like that with his mother when he saw her again.
He watched as the full moon rose high over the mountain, it’s soft, glowing light casting shadows over the earth and reflecting off the lake giving it the mirror-like appearance it had been named for. He had never seen a more beautiful place.
“May I join you?” Catherine asked as she came out of the house.
“Please,” Jarod looked up at her and smiled. He took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders as she sat down next to him on the steps.
“Madeline fell asleep on the sofa while we were talking. You both must be exhausted after your ordeal this morning.”
“I doubt I will be able to sleep,” Jarod shook his head. “I feel like I should have seen it coming...it’s my fault those two people are dead.”
“Jarod, it isn’t your fault. No one is to blame except the Centre. They killed them, you didn’t. Don’t let the guilt eat you up inside.”
“I just wish I could have spared her that kind of pain,” Jarod whispered.
“You love her, don’t you.”
“More than anything.”
“Then let it go. As terrible as it was, you have to let it go.”
Jarod nodded in understanding, “I will try. For her sake, I will try.”
Catherine pulled him gently into her embrace, “Jarod, how can I ever repay you for bringing my daughter back to me?”
Jarod smiled as she released him, “Catherine, the only thing I ask in return is your blessing. I would like to marry your daughter. I love her more than anything in this world, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I know I am probably not what you wanted for Madeline, I am not exactly normal...”
Catherine silenced him with a finger to his lips. “I never wanted anyone but you for my daughter, Jarod. I love you as if you were my own son. Of course you have my blessing and her father’s as well I am sure.”
“Who is her father?”
Catherine smiled, “I think you know.”
“Sydney.”
“Yes,” Catherine nodded.
“He doesn’t know, does he.”
“No, I swore that I would never tell him. Mr. Parker threatened to have him killed. It was hard, but I knew that my husband meant it. I also knew that if anything were to happen to Sydney, there would be no one there to protect you from Mr. Raines. It breaks my heart every time I think about what that monster did to poor little Timmy.”
“Timmy...Angelo is okay. He basically has free reign. He spends most of his time in the air ducts watching the goings on in the Centre and contacting me via email if anything comes up that could be another piece of this twisted puzzle I call my past.”
“Jarod, I am sorry. I know how much you miss your family. I wish I could help you, but I lost touch with Margaret long ago. Your sister, Emily, she must be about thirty now. I heard about Kyle through Sydney. I am sorry.”
Jarod smiled slightly, “Thank you. I know you would help if you could. I did find my father but we were separated again. I have another brother...well sort of. He is actually my clone, another of Raines’ experiments. My father and I rescued him. He and my Dad are together now.”
Catherine nodded slowly, deep regret in her blue eyes, “I knew about the Gemini Project, Jarod. I knew what they were trying to do. I fought them on it but they would not listen. I should have fought harder,” she said softly as she glanced up at the moon.
“You tried, that is what matters. That and the fact that the boy is safe and the Centre cannot hurt him anymore.”
“Yes, that is what’s important,” Catherine smiled and squeezed Jarod’s hand. “Now if you will excuse me, I am going to take these tired old bones to bed. Good night.”
“Good night, Catherine,” Jarod smiled as he accepted his jacket from her outstretched hand.
Miss Parker came out of the house and kissed her mother’s cheek, “Going to bed, Mama?”
“Yes, darling. I will see you in the morning.”
“See you in the morning.” Miss Parker waited until her mother was inside the house and heading up the stairs before taking her place next to Jarod on the steps. “Gorgeous night, isn’t it.”
“Even better now that you are out here to share it with,” Jarod wrapped his jacket around her shoulders just as he had done for Catherine.
“You are such a sweet-talker, Jarod.”
“Have I told you lately that I love you?”
Miss Parker glanced at her watch, “Oh not for about an hour.”
“I love you, Madeline,” Jarod smiled and kissed her.
“Mmmm, I guess this is the part where I melt into your arms and say ‘I love you to’.”
“That is the general idea,” Jarod kissed her again.
“Okay, if you insist. I love you to, Jarod,” she whispered and melted into his embrace.
“Okay, this is the part where I ask you to marry me,” Jarod held his breath waiting for her response.
Miss Parker lifted her gaze to look into his eyes. “Did you just ask me what I think you just asked me?” she asked, her eyes glistening in the moonlight.
“Depends on your answer.”
“My answer is yes.”
“Then I am the luckiest man on God’s green earth,” Jarod laughed. Then he swept her up in his arms and took her upstairs to bed.
****
Sydney, Broots and Sam left before dawn and found a small airfield where they were able to obtain a helicopter. They took off just as the sun was rising and flew over the mountains in the direction of secluded Mirror Lake.
Sydney prayed that he was right, that they had gone to Catherine. If not, there would be little hope of finding them in time to stop Lyle.
***
Opening his eyes slowly to allow them to adjust to the bright sunlight coming through the bedroom windows, Jarod rolled over to look at the clock. It was just after seven. The pillow next to him was empty so he dressed quickly and went downstairs. He found mother and daughter in the kitchen cooking breakfast.
“Morning, lazy bones,” Miss Parker kissed him. Then she took her finger and left a dusting of flour on the end of his nose. “Hungry?” she winked as she returned to the batter she was mixing.
“Starving,” Jarod laughed as he wiped the flour from his nose.
Catherine shook her head, “What am I going to do with you two?”
Miss Parker spoke up, “You could spank us and send us to our room.”
“You would like that wouldn’t you?” Catherine swatted her daughter playfully on the backside with the dishtowel she was using.
Jarod could not hide the blush that crept into his face. He cleared his throat and smiled, “I think I will go take a shower before breakfast.”
“Uh-oh, Mama. I do believe we have embarrassed Jarod.”
“Madeline, stop picking on the poor boy,” Catherine scolded her.
“But it is so much fun,” Miss Parker whined.
“Go ahead, Jarod. It won’t be ready for a while yet.”
Jarod started up the stairs until the unmistakable sound of an approaching helicopter froze him in his tracks. The women heard it at the same instant and all three hearts started to pound.
“Stay here,” Jarod said as he moved cautiously toward the door. “I will go check it out. If anything happens, run out the back door and head for the plane. I will meet you there.”
“Jarod, be careful,” Miss Parker called after him but he was all ready gone. “There he goes playing hero again.”
Catherine nodded, “He is his father’s son.”
Miss Parker turned to her mother in confusion, “You knew Jarod’s father?”
“Yes, I helped hide him and Margaret from the Centre after Jarod and Kyle were taken. I took them to a friend who put them up in rooms above her barn.”
“Harriet Tashman,” Miss Parker stated.
“Yes. I take it you know the rest of the story?”
“Kyle...he kidnapped her because he believed that she had information on the whereabouts of his family.”
“Yes, that is when they ran. I sent money to the caretakers. I wanted the place kept up in case they returned. They never did.”
“We have to find them before Jarod and I get married.”
“We will. Somehow we will.”
Jarod made his way quickly through the trees to the clearing where the helicopter had set down. He slowed his pace as he drew closer. It only took a moment for him to recognize Sydney and Broots walking toward him. He was startled for a moment by the sight of Sam following close behind.
Sydney saw Jarod as he emerged from the shadows of the woods. “Jarod, thank God you’re safe,” he called out.
Jarod ran to and embraced his mentor, “I’m glad you are here, Sydney. Thank you for sending that message warning us of Lyle’s plans.”
“Actually, it was Broots’ doing. If not for him, we would have never been able to reach you in time.”
Jarod hugged Broots, “Thank you, Mr. Broots. You saved our lives.”
Broots smiled, “We’re even now, Jarod.”
Jarod nodded. “Come on, the ladies are fixing breakfast. You are probably hungry,” he said as he showed them the pathway through the woods and brought up the rear.
Sam paused for a moment turning to face Jarod with an outstretched hand. “Just so you know, I am here as a friend. I hope you will forgive me for the past, Jarod. I want to help you stop the Centre from hurting anymore innocent people.”
Jarod gripped the sweeper’s hand and smiled, “It’s forgotten. I am glad you are here. We can use all the help we can get.”
“Thank you,” Sam smiled.
“Well, then let’s go eat so we can figure out what we are going to do,” Jarod laid a hand on Sam’s shoulder and guided him up the path to the house.
Miss Parker was watching out the window and saw them coming. “It’s Sydney and Broots,” she cried out.
“Sydney,” Catherine whispered and quickly took off her apron as she followed her daughter out the front door.
Sydney glanced up and saw Miss Parker running toward him. “Miss Parker,” he smiled as she reached him and threw her arms around his neck.
“I am so glad to see you...Dad.” Miss Parker smiled as she hugged him.
Sydney drew back in surprise, “You know?”
She nodded, “I knew the moment I read my mother’s journal.”
“I am so sorry, I did not know until Lyle told me.”
“Lyle?”
Sydney nodded, “It’s a long story, Miss Parker.”
“It’s Madeline, just Madeline,” she smiled and hugged him once more.
Catherine came down the pathway just as Miss Parker moved to greet Broots and Sam. “Sydney,” she whispered.
Sydney gathered her to him, “Catherine, my beautiful Catherine. I have waited so long to hold you again.”
“I’m here, Sydney. And I am never leaving your side again. I love you,” she smiled as she kissed him.
Jarod and Miss Parker looked on with wide smiles as Broots stared in confusion and Sam just looked uncomfortable. After a few moments, they all went inside the house to have breakfast.
While the others finished their coffee, Sydney and Miss Parker went outside and sat on the porch steps. The smiled at each other but remained silent for a few moments.
Sydney reached over and took hold of Miss Parker’s hand squeezing it gently. “Miss...I mean Madeline.” He laughed at himself for the slip, “This is going to take some getting used to.”
“For me too,” Miss Parker smiled and raised her free hand to his cheek. “I just can’t believe that after so many years of working side by side that we didn’t realize...”
Sydney nodded, “I think we did, on some level. That is probably why I was always so protective of you.”
“Then I guess that explains why I always hated your interference,” Miss Parker laughed.
“Madeline, Lyle also told me that he is not your brother. He must have tampered with the DNA test after Broots took them to the lab. Angelo...Timmy, he is your twin. He is my son.”
Miss Parker sighed with a mixture of sadness and relief, “I knew it, I knew there was no way a monster like Lyle could have come from my mother and you. We have to get Angelo out of the Centre.”
“We will. Very soon.”
“Sydney, I mean Dad, I have something to tell you. Jarod and I are going to be married.”
Sydney’s eyes filled with tears of pure joy as he embraced her and laughed softly, “Well, it is about time. When is the big day?”
“I don’t know, it all depends on how soon we can locate his family.”
“I will do what I can to find them. It would not be right for him to be married without his family there to share in the most important day of his life.”
“Let’s just hope and pray that it doesn’t come to that. I love him and I want more than anything to be his wife.
“I remember when you used to visit Jarod at the Centre. I knew then that it was meant to be, that the two of you belonged together.”
“You knew? But why didn’t you tell my fath...Mr. Parker?” Miss Parker asked. She felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders as the realization finally hit her that she was not a Parker. The man she had spent her entire life trying to gain the approval of, was not really her father.
“I convinced the Triumvirate that you would be good for Jarod that they should allow the friendship to continue, without interference. Unfortunately, I did not foresee how that request would backfire. It is the reason they put you in charge of Jarod’s capture. I saw what it was doing to the both of you and I was helpless to stop it.”
“It doesn’t matter now, it’s over. Jarod and I are together now and together we are going to destroy the Centre. Their days are numbered, I promise you.”
“I want to help. I need to help. To make amends for the evil that I was a part of.”
“Sydney,” Jarod said as he stepped out of the house. “There is nothing for you to make amends for.”
Sydney stood and looked directly into Jarod’s eyes, “I kept you in that hell, Jarod. I should have fought them. I should have...”
Jarod stepped toward and embraced his mentor, “Without you, I would have given up, I would have died in that place. You kept me going, gave me hope. I am sorry I didn’t tell you before now. I am sorry that I laid the blame solely on your shoulders. I know you did the best you could. I love you, Sydney.”
With his eyes brimming with tears, Sydney whispered, “I love you too, Jarod.”
Jarod backed off slightly and smiled, “Did Maddie tell you the news?”
Sydney nodded, grinning widely, “Yes, she did, and I could not be happier. I will be honored to call you my son.”
Jarod gathered Miss Parker to him and kissed her tenderly, “Well, Madeline, if it all right with your father, I would really like it if you would accompany me on a morning walk by the lake.”
“Can I Dad, please?” Miss Parker fluttered her eyelashes at Sydney like a teenager.
Sydney laughed heartily, “I suppose so, but have her back before midnight.”
“Yes, sir,” Jarod winked as he led Miss Parker down the steps and along the pathway to the lake.
Sydney was still laughing when Catherine came out of the house to join him. She wrapped her arms around his waste and smiled. “What is so funny, Dr. Green?”
“Catherine, I would sure love another stack of those mouthwatering pancakes,” he asked as he pulled her into his embrace.
“Sydney, you can have anything you want,” she smiled mischievously.
“Anything?” Sydney asked with eyebrows raised.
Catherine nodded, “Anything.”
“Marry me.”
“In a heartbeat.”
Sydney kissed her deeply and together they went inside the house.
Jarod led Miss Parker to the edge of the lake where he helped her up onto a large flat boulder. He climbed up after and sat down pulling her back against his broad chest and wrapping her in his embrace.
The lake sparkled like molten glass in the morning sunlight. In the trees, the birds were singing perfect accompaniment to the rustling of the leaves in the breeze.
“Jarod, can we stay here forever?”
“I wish we could. But until the Centre is destroyed, we will never be safe and we will never be able to stay in one place without endangering those around us.”
“I want to come back here. When this is all over. Promise me we will, please.”
“I promise we will.”
“I am scared.”
“So am I. Just never let go of our love. It is our lifeline.”
She nodded slowly in response. “How long do we have before they make their move?”
“We aren’t waiting to find out, Maddie. We are going to have to make the first move. It is the only way that the people we love will be safe.”
Miss Parker nodded, “So when do we go.”
“If there are no surprises, we will leave tonight.”
“What if there are surprises? What if they get to us first?”
“Then we go to Plan B.”
“Which is?”
“I’m still working on that one,” he smiled trying to lighten the mood.
Miss Parker lay back against Jarod and stared up into the brilliant blue sky. She did not like the fact that Jarod was keeping the details of his plans from her, but she knew better that to press because he would leave her behind if she did.
It took only a split second for the sound of an approaching plane to catch their attention. Jarod tensed for a moment, but relaxed as soon as he recognized Jack Stevens’ logo on the tail and saw his friend waving as he flew over then circled back.
The seaplane touched down and gently moved toward the docks. Jarod ran down to tie off the rope and then opened the door on the passenger side.
“Hi Jarod,” Angelo said as he gave his friend one of his crooked grins.
“Angelo, what are you doing? How did you get here?” Jarod hugged his friend as soon as his feet touched the wood planks.
Jack smiled, “Sorry, Jarod. He showed up at the airfield in a state of panic. Said he had to warn you. I almost denied knowing you like you told me to, but there was such desperation in his eyes...”
“Thank you, Jack. Angelo is a friend. I never in a million years expected him to show up here,” Jarod shook his head as he watched Angelo run toward Miss Parker who was waiting on the shore.
“I had better be going now. Good luck and radio me if you need anything, anything at all,” Jack said as he shook Jarod’s hand.
“I really appreciate that, Jack,” Jarod nodded and closed the door of the plane. After untying the rope, he watched until the plane lifted up into the air. Then he walked quickly back to the shore.
Miss Parker could not believe her eyes when she’d seen Angelo running toward her. His face lit up the moment he’d reached her. She hugged him tightly, laughing softly, “Angelo, how did you get here?”
“On Centre jet, Mr. Parker...Mr. Raines. Angelo hid in the dark. Had to find Jarod...warn Jarod.”
“What is it, Angelo?” Jarod asked as soon as he reached them.
“Thumbless man kill Jarod and Miss Parker...Father come to make sure no mistakes.”
Jarod’s eyes immediately clouded over with worry, “That means we will have to go to Plan B. They are all ready here.”
“Jarod, I think it’s time you let me in on this ‘Plan B’ of yours. We don’t have much time,” Miss Parker said as she guided Angelo up the pathway toward the house.
Jarod hesitated, taking a moment to look back at the lake and say a silent prayer that his plan would work.
Miss Parker smiled at Angelo as they walked, “Angelo, I now know the truth, I am your sister.”
Angelo just grinned and nodded, “Angelo knows...always known.”
Miss Parker hugged him again, “Sydney is our father, Angelo.”
Angelo nodded, “Angelo knows.”
Miss Parker laughed, “Does Angelo know everything?”
Angelo stopped for a moment and frowned while he thought about her question. Then he grinned and nodded, “Angelo knows everything.”
“That’s what I thought,” Miss Parker kissed him on the cheek.
Angelo blushed and touched his cheek where she had kissed him, “Sister loves Angelo?”
“Yes, I do. Very much.”
Sydney and Catherine had both come out of the house to see what was going on. They saw their daughter and Angelo coming toward them. Sydney took Catherine aside and hugged her, “Catherine that is Angelo. I know now that he is our son. He was taken from you when he and Madeline were born. They told you he was stillborn, but he was stolen by Raines and used for experiments. You knew him as Timmy.”
Catherine gasped, “Oh my God, Sydney. I tried to save Timmy. I didn’t get to him in time to stop Raines. He destroyed our son, our precious little Timmy.”
“Angelo is an empath. Like Jarod except that he actually absorbs the personalities and emotions of other people. He is very unstable at times, but he understands very well.”
“Jarod told me about him, I just never knew that he was my son,” Catherine’s eyes filled with tears as she moved away from Sydney and went down the steps.
Angelo looked up and locked gazes with her immediately. He smiled, “Angelo’s mother?”
Miss Parker nodded and let go of his arm as he went into Catherine’s embrace without hesitation.
Catherine laughed and hugged her son tightly, “I am your mother and I love you.”
“Angelo loves mother and father.”
Sydney smiled as he came up behind Catherine and embraced his son. “Let’s go inside. Angelo is probably hungry.”
“Angelo is very hungry,” Angelo nodded.
Jarod came up the path and wrapped his arms around Miss Parker. “It appears, my love, that you finally have a family,” he smiled but she could see the sadness in his eyes.
“We will find yours too. I promise, Jarod. We will find them.”
“I know, Maddie.”
“Let’s go inside and discuss this plan of yours,” she said.
“I just hope that it works.”
“It will, it has to.”
***
NASHVILLE: The Southern Comfort Hotel
“Dad, we’ve got them. Our men spotted Sydney and Broots at an airfield about fifty miles south of here this morning. The missing sweeper, Sam, was with them. I swear am going to put a bullet between his eyes in return for his betrayal,” Lyle added as he placed a loaded clip into his gun and locked it in place.
“Lyle, the last thing I am worried about is a renegade sweeper. I want them all dead. No loose ends, no mistakes, no excuses. And if my ‘dead’ wife is there, kill her too.”
Lyle gave Mr. Parker a startled glance. “Dad, are you telling me that Catherine Parker is alive?”
“I have suspected it for many years. She has been hiding from us for a very long time, I can only assume that Jarod located her somehow and then used that knowledge to persuade my daughter to turn against me.”
Lyle returned his 9mm to his shoulder holster and slipped into his suit jacket. “It really is a shame that I have to kill Miss Parker. She is a very beautiful woman,” he shook his head and smiled.
Mr. Parker stood up from his desk and walked toward the door of the hotel room. He paused just long enough to slap his son on the back so hard that it nearly knocked him off his feet. He chuckled softly, “Lyle, she despises you. Make a move on her and I can guarantee you that she will make damn sure it will be you last.”
Lyle shrugged his shoulders and followed his father out of the room. Oh, but it would be worth it, he thought to himself.
Mr. Parker boarded the first of the three waiting Centre helicopters. Lyle followed him and took his seat next to the pilot. As the helicopters lifted off, no one noticed the figure standing just beyond the airfield near the main hangar.
Jack Stevens waited until they disappeared over the trees then ran inside to the radio. “Jarod, this is Jack, are you out there?”
“We’re here, Jack. What do you have for us?”
“Three choppers, at least twelve armed men, Mr. Parker, Mr. Lyle and Mr. Raines. I think we just hit the jackpot, buddy.”
Jarod’s voice came back over the mike, “Are you ready to go there?”
“All set. Just give me the signal.”
“10-4, Jack. We will be expecting our guests very shortly then. I just hope we are ready for them.”
“I will be standing by, Jarod. Just say when.”
“Thanks, Jack. Keep your fingers crossed. Jarod, out.”
Jarod turned away from the radio and gave a single nod to Sam, who then went to signal the others. He hoped his calculations were correct on the time it would take for the enemy to reach them. One variation from the plan could spell disaster for all of them.
Miss Parker came into the house and smiled as she witnessed the genius at work. Jarod was so deep in thought that he didn’t even hear her enter. She stood silently with her arms folded until he finally looked up and noticed her. Then she shook her head, “Now I know we are in trouble. I have been standing here for a full three minutes, Jarod. If I were Lyle, you would be dead.”
Jarod gave her a sheepish grin as he stood and walked toward her. “Sorry, I guess I slipped into simulation mode. I was going over every possible scenario of my plan. I have to admit, I am scared. There are just too many variables, to many things that could go wrong. If anyone gets hurt...or worse tonight, I will never be able to forgive myself.”
Miss Parker took him into her arms and kissed him lightly, “Jarod, I love you. And those people out there love you too. They know that, whatever happens tonight, we are in this together and we must fight if we are ever to be free of the Centre and the darkness that has kept all of us prisoner for so long. There is a risk, but we are all willing to take it.”
Jarod held her for a moment longer then released her reluctantly. “I love you, Maddie. No matter what happens, always remember that.”
“I hope you are not planning to do anything crazy, Jarod. I am warning you now, pull one of your hero moves to save the rest of us and get yourself killed, I will never forgive you.”
Jarod smiled, “I will remember that, but you don’t have to worry. I have way too much to lose now. I won’t take any risks that are not absolutely necessary.”
“That’s what worries me,” she frowned.
Jarod kissed her and together they walked out of the house. “Go, now. Your mother will need your help. We don’t have much time. They should be coming over that mountain in approximately ten minutes.”
As they went their separate ways, Jarod toward the lake and Miss Parker into the woods, neither could resist a look back in the other’s direction. With a smile of reassurance, Jarod waved goodbye and Miss Parker’s eyes filled with tears as an overwhelming sense of impending doom washed over her. It took everything she had to keep from going after Jarod. Somehow, she managed to continue along her path and into the relative safety of the woods.
Jarod reached the docks a few minutes before the first helicopter appeared followed by the other two. He waited for them to reach the clearing. Removing the compact mirror from his pocket, he signaled Sydney and Sam to move. Then staying hidden in the brush along the lake, he circled around to the other side of the clearing. Placing the enemy between himself and the house, as he waited patiently for them to exit all three helicopters.
Just as expected, they left only one guard with their mode of transportation. Jarod smiled with relief as he ran across the open ground to his targets. Quickly placing the explosives on the underside of each helicopter, he ran back to the safety of the underbrush.
Taking a deep breath, he ran back around to the lake’s edge just in time to see the enemy entering the house. Finding the cabin empty, they soon congregated outside with Mr. Parker ordering his men out in different directions while he, Lyle and Raines remained at the house.
So far, everything was running like clockwork. Jarod was amazed at how predictable they actually were. The only one he really worried about was Lyle. He was a wild card. A time bomb just waiting to go off and that was one of the biggest variables in his plan. There was no predicting what that psychotic lunatic would do when cornered.
As a pair of sweepers approached him, Jarod pulled his gun and with a steady hand, he took hold of a rope that was looped up and over the tree branch above him. He waited until they were almost into position then stood up and moved out into the open.
“Hey guys, lookin’ for me?” he asked with his eyebrows raised.
The two men were taken by surprise, which is what Jarod had been counting on. As soon as they raised their guns and moved toward him, Jarod sprung the trap. Pulling the rope, the ground under the sweepers opened up and swallowed them without a sound.
Looking over the edge of the hole, which measured precisely twelve and a half feet deep by six feet in diameter, Jarod laughed at the sight of the two men. They were both out cold. Quickly, he lowered the carefully constructed cover which was insulated to reduce sound if they should come to and start calling for help, while still allowing them enough air to breath. The cover was also nearly invisible to anyone who didn’t know it was there. It appeared to be just an extension of the nearby docks.
Jarod then went to join Sydney for the next phase of the plan. With a little luck, things would fall into place just as he had planned and they would finally be free.
Miss Parker and Catherine were hidden in the woods just north of the house. They waited in complete silence, both afraid to utter a word for fear of giving away their location. Using hand-signals, Miss Parker told her mother to get ready as the three sweepers drew closer.
As soon as they were in position, she lowered her hand in a ‘chopping’ motion. Catherine raised the ax and brought it down on the taut rope. As the rope severed, a heavily weighted fishing net dropped over the three men.
Before they could utter a word, Miss Parker was standing over them with her gun in hand. “Okay, guys. Hand them over. Do not make me angry. I would really hate to have your deaths on my conscience.”
Catherine rushed in and gathered their guns. “Very nice, Madeline, I shall have to thank Jarod. I haven’t had this much fun in years.”
“Just wait until the real fireworks begin,” Miss Parker smiled.
It had only taken eight minutes to capture and subdue all the sweepers leaving Mr. Parker, Lyle, and Raines very vulnerable, and totally unaware of the fact. Mr. Parker paced impatiently while Mr. Raines sat down on the steps. He was wheezing uncontrollably and mumbling something to himself.
Lyle noticed that none of the men had returned and that made him nervous. “Something is wrong, Dad.”
Mr. Parker stopped pacing and listened. The only sound that could be heard was the birds singing in the trees. “Lyle go find out what is going on,” he ordered as he pulled his own gun and started walking away from the house in the direction of the lake. Lyle headed for the woods just north of the house with his gun lowered slightly toward the ground.
As he walked, Mr. Parker noticed footprints and followed them to where they abruptly ended near the boat dock. “What the hell is going on here?”
“I would be happy to answer that question for you,” Jarod said as he emerged from the brush behind Mr. Parker. “That is, just as soon as you drop your weapon.”
Turning, Mr. Parker saw Jarod and bowed his head slightly, laughing to himself. “I should really learn to stop underestimating you, Jarod.”
“I would rather you just leave me alone. I will never return to the Centre. I will die first.”
“It really is a shame that we can no longer control you. Now we have no reason to let you live. You are a security risk, Jarod. The Triumvirate has given orders to eliminate you and the rest of your renegades. Including my daughter,” Mr. Parker sat down on the edge of the dock. He laughed as he heard the men beneath him calling for help. “Very clever, Jarod. Very clever indeed.”
Jarod’s eyes narrowed, he suddenly realized that Lyle was nowhere to be seen. “Where is your psychotic son?”
“Who knows? I really could care less he is useless, an imbecile.”
“You do not know your boy very well, Mr. Parker. Are you totally unaware of the unspeakable things he has done? He tortured and murdered innocent Asian women, six that we know of, probably more.”
Mr. Parker glanced up at the Pretender and shook his head, “You are lying. Lyle could never do those things. For one thing, he is too weak and a coward.”
“You are right, he is weak and he is a coward. That is why he preys on women. He relishes the feeling of power that it gives him. He thrives on the terror of his victims. Their screams feed his ego like raw meat to a starving beast. You created a bloodthirsty monster, Mr. Parker? Oh you had help. Raines is the original monster, he trained Lyle, fed him full of hate and slowly drained him of any humanity he might have had. Raines tried to do the same to Kyle, but my brother was stronger. He resisted his conditioning.”
Mr. Parker had bowed his head and fallen into total silence as Jarod spoke. The older man knew that Jarod was telling him the truth. Jarod knew what Lyle had done because he was able to ‘become’ him, to get into his head. “I had no idea that he was so out of control.”
“You created him, Mr. Parker. You know what he was capable of,” Jarod shouted.
“I had feared that Raines’ influence would corrupt him, but the Triumvirate insisted that he be trained by Raines. They wanted a man with the instinct of a killer. He was to be used as an assassin.”
“Instead, you ended up with a homicidal maniac who killed his best friend when he was just a boy. He used the body to fake his own death and frame his foster father for his murder,” Jarod said. This happened following a visit from Mr. Raines. I would say that Raines controls him more than you realize.”
Mr. Parker nodded, “I fear that you are right.”
“Get up. Lyle is out there and I am going to stop him once and for all.”
“Jarod, he is going after my daughter.”
“Madeline is not your daughter,” Jarod hissed.
Mr. Parker grimaced, “I know, and so does he.”
“What are you saying?” Jarod asked as he pushed the chairman along the path toward the house.
“He is obsessed with her.”
Jarod’s eyes flashed in sudden understanding. “Move, now.”
Miss Parker and Catherine fell into total silence the second they heard him coming. With her gun ready, Miss Parker waited for Lyle to appear. He was close.
Catherine lay on the ground two yards to her daughter’s right and watched nervously. It both frightened and amazed her witnessing first-hand what her little girl had become and what she was truly capable of. The Centre had trained her well, a beautiful weapon to wield against their enemy. What they had not counted on though, was her heart and her iron will.
Miss Parker rolled onto her back when she heard a noise from behind but she was too late. Lyle was on top of her before she could raise her gun.
He pinned her hands above her head and smiled maliciously, “Hello, Sis. So nice to see you again.”
“I am not your sister, Lyle, and you know it,” Miss Parker hissed. “Now get the hell off me.”
Catherine knew she had to do something and fast. She waited until Lyle’s attention was totally on her daughter, then she rushed him.
Lyle smiled as Catherine flew at him, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Catherine.” He nodded toward his gun, the barrel of which was pressed into her daughter’s neck. “It will either kill her or cripple her, makes no difference to me.”
Catherine froze in place not daring to breathe. “Please, don’t hurt her. I just found her, please.”
“Heartwarming plea Mrs. Parker. I almost sympathize...almost.”
Miss Parker tried to move but Lyle had her pinned to the ground with his body. “Lyle, what the hell do you want?”
Lyle’s eyes drifted back to her as he raised his eyebrows. “I want you, Miss Parker,” he said as he slid his free hand along her cheek and neck. When he lowered his head and kissed her she bit his bottom lip.
He yelped in surprise as he touched his fingers to his lip. They came away covered in blood. “Bitch,” he growled as he hit her repeatedly until she was unconscious. “You had your chance, now I am going to kill you. We could have been so good together.”
A flash of movement to the left caught Lyle’s attention. Angelo flew at him with a speed that left no time to react. “Kill you, you hurt sister,” Angelo screamed.
Lyle was knocked off Miss Parker and hit the ground. “You are going to pay for that, freak,” Lyle smirked.
Catherine ran to her daughter’s side, her eyes filled with tears. “Madeline. Oh God, please, save my children,” she whispered as she watched her son risking his life to save them.
Angelo smiled at Lyle, “Angelo stop you, can’t hurt my family.”
“Wrong,” Lyle said as he raised his gun to fire a bullet into Angelo’s heart. “Time for you to die, you little freak.”
“Wrong,” came a voice from behind. Jarod approached them with his 9mm trained on Lyle. “It’s over Lyle drop it. You can’t win.”
“Jarod, so nice of you to drop by. You are just in time to watch me kill your friend here. Then I am going to take my prize and walk out of here,” he motioned toward where Miss Parker lay still and silent on the ground. Her mother was rocking her gently in her lap.
“Over my dead body,” Jarod hissed.
“So be it,” Lyle shrugged as he revealed a second gun and aimed it at Jarod. “Good bye, Jarod. It has been a great ride.”
Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Lyle pulled the trigger. Jarod dove to the ground and rolled firing his gun at the same instant. A second and a third shot followed his almost immediately. Miss Parker’s hands trembled as her gun slipped from her grasp. Sydney approached Lyle and nodded. He was dead. There were three bullet holes, one was in his chest. The other two, directly between the eyes, and he did not have to be a genius to figure out from which guns those two shots had come.
Jarod stood and stumbled to Miss Parker’s side. He gathered her into his arms and held her, “Maddie, are you all right? I am so sorry I didn’t get here sooner.”
She managed a weak smile although her lip was bleeding and her cheek was badly bruised, “I’m fine Jarod.”
Angelo dropped to the ground next to his friend, “Sister safe now.”
“Thank you, Angelo,” Miss Parker took hold of his hand. “You are my hero.”
Angelo blushed as he shook his head, “No, Angelo not hero.”
Jarod hugged him, “Yes, Angelo. You saved her.”
“Thumbless man dead? Can’t hurt family now,” Angelo nodded.
Sydney turned to Jarod and asked, “Where are Mr. Parker and Mr. Raines?”
Jarod gave him an amused grin, “I locked them in the woodshed and I radioed Jack, the police and the FBI should be here very soon.”
“So it’s over?” Miss Parker asked.
“It’s over,” Jarod smiled as he leaned over and kissed her.
“Thank God,” Catherine sighed as Sydney gathered her into his arms.
“Amen,” Sydney nodded.
Within hours, the lake cabin was crawling with FBI agents as one by one the sweepers were arrested with the exception of Sam. Mr. Parker had all ready been taken away in a police helicopter with the body of his dead son. There had been grief in his eyes but not for Lyle. The grief was only for himself and the fact that his tyranny had ended.
“I will be back before you know it, Maddie. Take care of your mom and I will see you soon.”
“Jarod, why do you have to go with them?” Miss Parker asked as he held her.
“I have to go. They need my help in locating the families of the children still held in the Centre. They are also going to help me find my family.”
“I am happy for you, Jarod,” Sydney smiled and embraced him.
“Thank you Sydney, for everything,” Jarod nodded then turned his attention back to Miss Parker. “I love you, Maddie and I can’t wait to marry you. Plan our wedding and when I get back I will have my family with me.”
“Be careful Jarod,” Miss Parker kissed him.
“I will,” Jarod said as he turned to the agents and gave a nod to let them know that he was ready to leave.
The agents led Jarod to the clearing where he boarded a helicopter. He waited in the copilot seat while they loaded Mr. Raines and his oxygen tank into the back. He was not exactly comfortable with the idea of being in the same helicopter with the man.
The pilot climbed into his seat and shortly after, they lifted off. Just as they flew out over the water, Jarod heard a commotion in the back and turned just in time to see Mr. Raines opening the valve on his oxygen tank. Then with a malicious smile he reached up and pulled loose a hand-full of wiring causing a shower of sparks. A split second later a ball of fire filled the sky.
“Oh my God, no,” Sydney gasped.
“Oh God, Jarod,” Miss Parker screamed as she ran toward the lake. “No, Jarod. Please no.” She hit the water and started swimming, burning debris rained down all around her.
As she swam, she noticed a body, covered in blood and floating face down in the water. Swimming faster, she recognized Raines. When she rolled him over she checked to make sure he was dead. Somehow she knew that he was responsible for the explosion.
“Raines, you are lucky you are already dead. I could kill you with my bare hands right now,” Miss Parker hissed. Then she released him and searched the area around her. “Jarod, don’t leave me now, I need you,” she whispered.
Diving several times and staying down until her lungs cried out for oxygen, she searched the bottom of the lake. There was no sign of Jarod though she found the bodies of the pilot and the FBI agents. Panic filled her heart as she desperately searched for him.
Then suddenly she spotted something black near a floating piece of wreckage. “Jarod,” she called out. “I’m coming, Jarod. Just hold on.”
Jarod heard her. His vision was blurred and his head felt like it was split in two. There was a constant ringing in his ears but somehow he heard her. He heard Madeline calling to him. Struggling to remain conscious, he hoped that his imagination wasn’t playing tricks on him.
Miss Parker swam as fast as she could even though her arms and legs were cramping and they felt like dead weights. Finally her left hand brushed his jacket and she grabbed for it.
“Jarod, talk to me. Please be alive,” she said as she pulled back on his coat and he came loose from the twisted piece of metal he had been clinging to. “Jarod, open your eyes, breath. Don’t die on me.”
Jarod managed a painful smile as he forced open his eyes. “Hi,” he gasped.
Miss Parker smiled as she pulled him close to her and kissed him, “Jarod, why do you insist on playing hero?”
“It’s...a living,” Jarod laughed then grimaced in pain.
“You need a hobby,” Miss Parker said as she positioned herself behind him and started to swim to shore towing him along behind her.
A boat approached a few minutes later. Sydney and two other men leaned over the side and carefully lifted them out of the water. Miss Parker was exhausted. She knelt beside Jarod as the boat moved through the water toward the shore.
Within minutes, they were in a medic helicopter and heading for the nearest hospital. Miss Parker never left his side. She held his hand until the moment they took him into surgery and even then they had to literally tear her away.
Sydney and Catherine arrived a few minutes later followed by Broots and Angelo. Time seemed to drag on forever as they waited for news.
Miss Parker sat on the sofa in the waiting room with her knees pulled up to her chest. Catherine and Sydney sat next to her.
It was nearly midnight, when the doctor finally came into the waiting room and approached Miss Parker. He took hold of her hand and smiled, “Jarod has a few broken ribs, a concussion, a dislocated shoulder, and a broken arm. All in all, I can say that he is a very lucky man. You can see him now, he is asking for you. He is in room 310 down the hall.”
Miss Parker’s face lit up as she hugged the doctor, “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
She ran down the hallway to room 310. Pushing open the door, she entered to find him smiling at her from his hospital bed. He was hooked up to several machines but he was alive.
“Hi,” he said.
“Hi, yourself.”
“How do I look?”
“Like hell.”
“Thanks a lot.”
“You’re welcome,” she said as she moved closer to his bedside.
“Thank you for saving my life. I guess that makes you the hero.”
“No, that’s your job.”
“I guess I should start looking for that hobby you mentioned. Got any ideas?”
Miss Parker’s eyes filled with mischief as she bent down and kissed him. “Oh, I have a few ideas,” she smiled and kissed him again.
“I don’t know, Maddie. Hobbies like that can be very dangerous.”
“I’m counting on it,” she whispered huskily.
Jarod raised both eyebrows and grinned. “Life with you will never be boring will it.”
“Never.”
“I can live with that,” Jarod grinned as he pulled her closer for another kiss.
****
MIRROR LAKE: Two years later
“Jarod, we have to get up. They will be here soon and I still have to shower, get the kids and myself dressed and fix breakfast.”
“That can wait, my love. I want just a few more minutes alone with my beautiful wife before we are invaded by family,” Jarod grinned as he kissed her deeply.
“I suppose a few more minutes wouldn’t hurt,” she surrendered as his lips brushed her bare shoulder.
Their few minutes was cut short as the unmistakable howls of their hungry twins resonated through the entire house.
“So much for that, “ Jarod chuckled.
“So much for my shower,” Miss Parker shrugged as she rolled out of bed and placed her feet on the floor.
“You go ahead, I will take care of the kids,” Jarod smiled.
“I knew there was a reason I married you,” she leaned over and kissed him before darting into the bathroom and closing the door.
Jarod slid out of bed and wandered across the hallway and into the nursery. “Hey, there. What’s all this fussing about?” He laughed softly, the sound of his voice halting their crying instantly. “You guys hungry, I know I am,” he said as he lifted his son and daughter from their cribs.
He carried them downstairs and placed them in their highchairs. Then went about fixing breakfast for them. “What’ll it be? Steak and eggs or baby cereal?” He kissed them both on the tops of their fuzzy little heads and grinned, “Baby cereal it is,” he said as he went to the refrigerator and pulled out the milk.
Miss Parker came downstairs a few minutes later to find her children and her husband covered from head to toe in white goo. She could not hold back her laughter as she took in the sight before her. “I can’t leave you three alone for one minute. Kyle, Katie, did you do that to your daddy?”
Both children looked up at her and giggled.
“I thought so,” she laughed. “Jarod, I will take over from here. You go take a shower.”
Jarod whined, “But we were having so much fun.”
“Go, now,” she laughed and kissed him.
“Oh, all right,” he smiled then ran up the stairs taking them two at a time.
Miss Parker shook her head as she washed up the twins. “I swear, I don’t know what I am going to do with that daddy of yours,” she smiled.
She barely had time to clean up and dress the kids and herself before the doorbell rang. She placed Kyle and Katie in their playpen and headed for the door. Jarod met her at the bottom of the stairs and they opened the front door together.
Sydney and Catherine entered the house and hugged their daughter, “Madeline, you are still the most beautiful daughter in the world,” Catherine laughed and kissed her cheek. “Now where are my grandchildren,” she said as she headed for the living room, pausing only to hug Jarod.
Sydney followed suit, as he too could not wait to see Kyle and Katie. “Hello you two, you are looking well,” he said as he passed them on his way to the living room.
“Hi Jarod, hi Sis,” Angelo said and hugged them both then followed Catherine and Sydney.
“Well, I guess we know where we stand, Maddie,” Jarod chuckled as he wrapped his arms around his wife from behind.
“Grandparents,” Miss Parker shook her head, rolling her eyes and smiling.
“Well, here comes the other grandparents now,” Jarod said as he released Miss Parker and opened the door.
“Mom, Dad,” he met them on the porch with open arms.
“Jarod, I am so sorry we are late,” Margaret said as she hugged her son. “Your father had to stop and pick up more presents for the kids.”
Charles glanced at his wife in confusion. “I had to stop for more presents?” he smiled as he embraced Jarod and whispered, “It was actually her idea. Hers and your sister’s.”
Jarod threw an arm over his dad’s shoulder and grinned secretively, “Now come on, Dad. I know you better than that. You can tell me the truth.”
Charles shrugged his shoulders and nodded, “Okay, okay, you got me.”
“I thought so. Where’s Josh, didn’t he come with you?” Jarod asked.
“He will be here shortly, he is talking to Jack down by the docks. He has his pilot’s license now so all he thinks about is flying. He wants to buy one of Jacks old planes and fix it up. Your mother is dead-set against it of course.”
“Hey, Sis, you look beautiful as usual,” Jarod said as he turned to help her up the steps.
“And you are a liar as usual, big brother,” Emily laughed as she gently patted her protruding middle. “I look like a beached whale.”
“Well, isn’t that what every pregnant woman looks like when she is eight months pregnant.”
Miss Parker came out of the house to hug her sister-in-law, “You look beautiful, Emily.” And then to Jarod she glared playfully, “Don’t think that I didn’t hear that last comment, mister. I did not look like a beached whale...elephant maybe...but definitely not a beached whale.”
Jarod raised his hands in surrender, “Hey, don’t get mad at me. She said it, I didn’t. I only said that...”
“I think you had better quit before you dig that hole any deeper, darling,” Miss Parker kissed him quickly then together, she and Emily went inside.
Broots came up behind Jarod with Debbie, “Is she getting you in trouble again, Jarod?”
“Isn’t that what little sister’s are supposed to do,” Jarod chuckled as he shook hands with his friend.
“Hi Uncle Jarod,” Debbie smiled.
“Hello Debbie,” he hugged her. “You are growing up way to fast. Your mom and dad are going to have to beat the boys off with a stick.”
“Baseball bat, actually,” Broots frowned as he looked at his daughter.
“Oh Dad,” Debbie complained, but her eyes were focused on Josh as he bounded up the path toward them.
“Hey, Jarod,” Josh laughed as he hugged his older brother.
“Josh,” Jarod smiled. “It’s good to see you. How is school going?”
“Great, except for one class. I just cannot get into Shakespeare.”
Jarod laughed, “I know what you mean.”
Debbie stepped forward and smiled as Josh took her hand. “I am dying to see the babies, let’s go inside.”
“All right,” Josh grinned.
Broots shook his head, “You know, Jarod. It is a good thing he is so much like you or I would be beating him off with that baseball bat too.”
Jarod nodded, “Well, Broots, just think. In another month, you will have a bouncing baby boy. I hear they are much easier to raise than girls.”
Broots laughed heartily as he slapped Jarod on the back, “My friend, you have been misled.”
Jarod and Broots went into the house and closed the door behind them. And above the door hung a wooden sign. Painted on it, in fancy script, were the words ‘Lost & Found’ and below them a poem.
If ever you are lost
Alone in the world
Never give up
And never let go
Love will find you
And guide you home
By Jennifer DeNaughel
The royal blue eighteen wheeler slowed and turned into the parking area. The brakes engaged with a rush of air as the truck slowly came to a stop. The logo on both doors as well as the trailer read ‘Crossbow Trucking’. The driver climbed down from the cab, stretching his long legs and broad shoulders. He gave a low groan as his exhausted muscles began to relax.
Walking slowly toward the welcoming lights of the ‘Long Haul Grill’, his stomach grumbled with hunger. Pulling open the glass door, he was instantly hit with the aroma of food and cigarette smoke. Finding a seat in a booth near the door, he pulled one of the menus from where they were tucked between the napkin dispenser and the salt and pepper shakers.
“Well, what can I get for you, handsome?” The pretty, dark-haired waitress approached him flirting shamelessly. “You look like you could use a good meal and a rest...and perhaps some company,” she winked playfully.
Jarod flashed her a tired grin, “Thank you for the offer, but I think I will just have a cup of coffee and an order of your barbecue ribs please.”
“I sure hope you have a huge appetite,” she warned with amusement twinkling in her green eyes. “The ribs are all you can eat, and not too many people have been able to finish even one plate.”
“I haven’t eaten since yesterday afternoon, believe me I have a huge appetite,” Jarod grinned.
“Well then, I had better get your order right away, I can’t have you wastin’ away on me, now can I.”
“Thank you,” he said as she walked away. Checking his watch, he noted that it was nearly one in the morning. Removing his cell phone from the pocket of his black leather jacket, he dialed a familiar number.
“What?”
“Rise and shine, Miss Parker.”
“Jarod. What the hell do you want,” she asked. The huskiness in her voice told him he had wrenched her from a deep sleep.
“Let’s just say I needed to hear a friendly voice.”
“Then call Sydney. I am sure he wouldn’t mind a midnight call from his favorite lab rat.”
Jarod ignored the jab and gave a short laugh, “But he is not as much fun to wake up in the middle of the night.”
“Funny, Jarod.” Miss Parker hissed.
“Actually, Miss Parker, I was wondering if I could persuade you to meet me…alone.”
Suddenly alert, Miss Parker laughed, “Okay, Jarod. What kind of game are you playing now?”
“No game, Miss Parker. Not this time. You and I need to talk.”
“What could we possibly have to talk about? Unless of course it’s about you coming back to the Centre.”
“You know that’s not possible, Parker. I can never go back there, not even for you.”
There was a moment of silence before Miss Parker spoke again. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that I care, Miss Parker,” Jarod whispered. “Now will you meet me or not?” he asked more harshly.
“Why?”
“There is something you need to know. Something I cannot tell you over the telephone. Miss Parker, please. You have to trust me.”
“I can’t believe you even have the nerve to ask me to trust you.”
“I have never lied to you about anything important, Parker. You know that and that is what scares you.”
“Jarod, I am not stupid.”
“No, you are not stupid. You trusted me without question when we were children. Your father destroyed that trust with his lies.”
“My father lied to protect me...”
“Your father lied to protect himself. And to control you.”
“Damn you, Jarod,” Miss Parker swore as she finally relented. “All right, I will meet you, but I swear, if you try anything funny...”
Jarod smiled with relief, “Long Haul Grill restaurant, the truck stop just west of Blue Cove.”
“I can be there in half an hour,” Miss Parker said and then the line went silent.
Jarod placed his cell phone back into his pocket just as his food arrived. The plate or more accurately, the platter was piled high with ribs smothered in delicious smelling barbecue sauce. “You weren’t kidding,” he laughed, his eyes wide with pleasure.
“Can’t say I didn’t warn you, darlin’,” the waitress refilled his coffee cup and walked to the next table.
Digging in with both hands Jarod quickly finished one plate and asked for a second helping, which he was only able to eat half of. After drinking the last of his coffee he leaned back and smiled. “That was excellent,” he grinned as the waitress reached for his plate.
“I am glad you enjoyed it. Can I get you some fresh apple pie?"
“No,” Jarod waved his hands in surrender. “I honestly could not eat another bite. Thank you very much.”
“You are very welcome, darlin’. Be sure to come see us again,” she left the check and headed for the kitchen.
Dropping a twenty on the table, Jarod stood and left the restaurant. Halfway to his truck he heard the unmistakable sound of Miss Parker’s angry voice coming from the side of the building.
“I am warning you, back off,” she hissed.
“Come on, pretty lady. We just want to talk.”
“Now, don’t go screaming cause it will only draw attention,” warned the taller of the two men who had Miss Parker backed up against a wall. “It won’t hurt a bit, we promise.”
Jarod rounded the corner and leaned against the wall. With an all-knowing grin, he watched as the scene played out before him.
Miss Parker waited patiently for her unsuspecting prey to move into position. Then with a wry smile, she said, “You’re right, this won’t hurt a bit.” Before they knew what hit them, both men were on the ground moaning in pain. She stood over them, shaking her head, “Next time boys, know who you’re messing with before you decide to have your fun with a ‘helpless’ female.”
Jarod clapped loudly and grinned, “I’m impressed, very impressed.”
“Thanks ever so much for your help,” Miss Parker glared at him. “So much for your knight-in-shining-armor reputation.”
“It didn’t occur to me that you needed any help. Actually, I almost felt sorry for them.” Jarod stepped away from the wall as she walked toward him. He could not help but stare, never having seen Miss Parker in blue jeans before. Wearing a black suede jacket white tank top and simple black boots, she looked relaxed, almost human. She had taken the time to put on make-up, but not a lot. He liked this Miss Parker. Nothing like the ‘Ice Queen’ he was used to.
Miss Parker could not stop the smile that found its way to her lips. “I’m glad you enjoyed the show,” she said glancing back at her victims. “Men are pitiful.”
“Thanks a lot,” Jarod grinned.
“Ah, Jarod. Did I hurt your male pride?”
“Not as much as you did theirs,” he chuckled.
“Yeah, I guess I did, didn’t I,” Miss Parker laughed softly.
“I’d ask for an encore, but I don’t think your costars are up for it,” Jarod smirked. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
“Where are we going?”
“I have a load to deliver,” Jarod said as he walked toward a tractor-trailer parked a few yards away.
Miss Parker followed him shaking her head slowly. What the hell am I doing here? And why am I trusting Jarod?
Opening the passenger door for her, Jarod offered a hand to help her up into the cab, which she promptly ignored. Shaking his head, he shut the door and moved around to the driver’s side. Climbing up behind the wheel, he noticed that she was giving the interior a once-over.
“Not bad,” Miss Parker nodded. “For an eighteen-wheeler, this is nice. And leather seats too.”
“Are you telling me you have ridden in one of these before?” Jarod asked with a questioning look.
“Once or twice,” Miss Parker stated cryptically.
“Somehow I cannot imagine that,” Jarod smiled.
“Actually, I can drive if you need a break later on,” Miss Parker flashed him an amused grin. She was thoroughly enjoying the perplexed look on the Pretender’s face. “Guess you don’t know everything about me, do you, Jarod.”
“Evidently not,” he shook his head.
Settling back in her seat and fastening her seat belt, Miss Parker watched as Jarod brought the diesel engine to life and shifted through the gears, pulling the truck slowly out of the parking lot and onto the main highway, heading west. Like every other occupation the man had taken on, Jarod drove the truck like an expert, as if he had been behind the wheel for years rather than days.
They rode in silence with only the CB radio occasionally intruding. Once Jarod picked up the mike and responded to another driver. “Freeway Joe, this is J-man, you have got to try the ribs at the Long Haul Grill, they are unbelievable.”
“Thanks for the tip, J-man. Watch out for the black and white two miles up the road.”
“Much obliged, thanks. J-man out.”
Miss Parker had listened to the exchange, rolling her eyes and chuckling softly. Jarod was enjoying this way too much.
They drove on for two hours in continued silence. Then Jarod turned on the radio. The station was playing country music, which Miss Parker had always despised, but somehow it suited the situation so she didn’t complain.
“Why are you so quiet?” Jarod asked finally.
“Just thinking, wondering what I am doing here.”
“I guess I owe you an explanation,” Jarod frowned, clearly dreading her reaction to what he was about to tell her.
“Gee, you think so?” Miss Parker raised an eyebrow and waited for him to speak again.
Jarod reached down between their seats and produced a small black duffel bag, handing it to her. “Look in there, inside you will find the answers you have been searching for.”
Miss Parker quickly unzipped the bag and rifled through its contents. Her hand closed over a small, leather-bound book, which brought tears to her eyes the instant she saw her mother’s initials on the cover. “My mother’s journal, I have searched everywhere for this.”
Jarod braced himself for her wrath as he continued, “She wanted you to have it, she said that it is time for you to come home.”
Miss Parker’s blue eyes flamed, “Damn you, Jarod, stop talking in circles and tell me what the hell you are doing with my mother’s diary.”
“She gave it to me. And I promised her that I would take you to her.”
Miss Parker could not bring herself to open the book, instead she shoved it back into the bag and zipped it closed. “I can’t believe I fell for another of your little practical jokes, Jarod. I never would have believed that you could be so cruel. Take me back now.”
Jarod shook his head, “I would never use your mother to hurt you, Parker. You know that. Family is the most important thing in the world to me. I would never toy with your emotions like that. I am telling you the truth.”
Miss Parker shook her head and fought back the tears that were building up behind her eyes. “What is the truth, Jarod? That my mother is alive? Is that what you are trying to tell me?” she hissed through clenched teeth.
“Parker, your mother loves you more that anything it this world and it hurt her deeply knowing that you believed that she was dead. But she also knew that if the Centre ever learned that she was alive, they would not hesitate to threaten you to get to her.”
“How did she survive? Jarod, I saw her…lying in the elevator…all the blood...her blood. How could she possibly be alive?”
“Someone inside the Centre helped her fake her death. She learned of the plan to eliminate her and used it to free herself from the Centre. She had planned to find a way to save you too, but your father made sure that you were always out of reach.”
“Are you saying that my father suspected that she was alive and didn’t tell me? He wouldn’t do that to me, Jarod.”
“How can you trust him after all the lies and deception?” Jarod asked, as he turned the truck onto a narrow two-lane highway.
“He is my father, Jarod.”
“He is the man who signed your mother’s termination order. Raines only pulled the trigger.”
“Do you have proof of this, Jarod?”
“No, but she does. She knows all his dirty little secrets. And he is not your biological father.”
“We have all ready been down that road, Jarod. Ben Miller. Remember?”
“He is not your father either, Miss Parker. I did the DNA test myself. He wasn’t a match.”
“What are you telling me, Jarod? My mother cheated on my father with someone else? That makes no sense at all. If he isn’t my father and I am not a Parker, then who the hell am I?”
“Welcome to the club, now you know what I have gone through my entire life.”
“Jarod, this is insane. I can’t even begin to accept this. Why would my mother just leave me behind, like excess baggage?”
“On the day of her funeral, she disguised herself and slipped into the church so she could see you one last time. Longing to take away your pain, she said that her only consolation lay in the knowledge that Sydney was there to watch over you.” Jarod reached over and covered her hand with his own. She was shivering, and her skin was deathly pale.
Suddenly worried about her, Jarod found a place to pull over and shut off the engine. The eastern sky was showing signs of the coming dawn as he jumped down from the truck and ran around to open her door. Stepping up on the running boards he placed his hands on both sides of her face and raised her gaze to meet his.
“Miss Parker, I am sorry.” Jarod pulled her to him and held her. He was surprised when she didn’t offer any resistance. “I am sorry,” he whispered softly.
“Jarod, where is she?” Miss Parker choked slightly on the words.
“Your mother is in a safe place. I promised her that I would bring you to her but you have to agree to never return to the Centre.”
Miss Parker pushed Jarod away, throwing him off balance and nearly sending him to the ground. “Damn you, Jarod. I am sick and tired of your mind games. My mother is not alive. I watched them take her away. The image of her lying there, in that elevator, is permanently etched into my mind. I see her every time I closed my eyes. I hear her screams. She would never do that to me. She loved me,” Miss Parker cried out and brought her hands to her face, covering her eyes.
Jarod whispered, “That is exactly why she did it. Can’t you see, it was the only way she could protect you.”
Miss Parker shoved Jarod aside and climbed down from the truck. Pulling her jacket tightly around her, she started walking along the side of the highway. Jarod jumped down and started after her.
“Miss Parker, where are you going?”
“Away from you,” she called back over her shoulder. A moment later, a red sportscar pulled up beside her. With not so much as a glance in his direction, she slid into the passenger seat and the car soon disappeared over the next hill.
“Damn,” Jarod swore and kicked gravel at the tire of the truck. Catherine warned him that her daughter would not accept the truth at face value. That she would rebel and that is exactly what she had done.
Once the truck was back on the road, Jarod headed for the next town. He needed fuel and he was tired. He needed to get some sleep before he could figure out a way to convince Miss Parker that he was telling her the truth.
****
BLUE COVE, DELAWARE: The Centre
Broots knew that something was wrong the second he entered Sydney’s office and found Lyle sitting in the chair behind the desk. Sydney stood with his arms folded staring down his nemesis.
Clearing his throat to announce his presence, Broots moved toward the couch and sat down. “Good morning, Syd...Mr. Lyle,” he nodded cordially.
“So good of you to join us, Mr. Broots,” Lyle smiled like he owned the world and everyone in it.
Shifting uncomfortably under Lyle’s scrutiny, Broots stammered, “Um, where’s Miss Parker?”
“Funny you should ask, Mr. Broots. It appears that my dear, sweet sister has disappeared...vanished...without a trace. Do you know anything about this little situation?”
Broots gave a startled glance and turned to Sydney. “Sydney, what’s going on? What is this all about?”
Sydney said nothing, he just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.
“Relax, Mr. Broots,” Lyle chuckled. Nobody is going to be shot...yet. I just wondered if maybe she mentioned something to you about a trip...maybe a little vacation without authorization from my father.”
Broots shook his head, “No, nothing. She didn’t say a word to me.”
“She may be ill,” Sydney offered.
“She better be, or she will be facing our father’s wrath. I suppose I should go tell him that she is missing. He is going to be furious,” Lyle got up from Sydney’s chair and waltzed out of the office.
Both Broots and Sydney heaved a sigh of relief.
“Where could she be, Syd?” Broots asked.
“I don’t know, but I hope she knows what she is doing.”
***
ROANOKE, VIRGINIA: The Smoky Mountain Inn
He pulled into Roanoke, Virginia and spotted a small motel just on the edge of town. The Smoky Mountain Inn had only one vacancy left and he took it. The sun was high in the morning sky as he dragged himself slowly up the stairs to his room. He put the key in the lock and turned it. Switching on the light, he ran a tired gaze around the room. It was actually one of the nicest rooms he had ever stayed in. Very clean, with a king bed, an antique highboy dresser, table and chairs and a spacious bath, with an enclosed shower.
With a heavy sigh and a yawn, Jarod dropped his bag on the table, kicked off his boots, and collapsed on the bed. He was just drifting off to sleep when he heard a knock on the door. With a groan, he lifted his exhausted body up from the bed and opened the door. He was too tired to even care if it was an army of sweepers coming to haul him back to the Centre.
The door swung open to reveal a still angry Miss Parker. She was leaning against the railing of the stairs. “I came for my mother’s journal,”
Jarod nodded and moved toward his bag. Returning to the door with the journal in hand, he held it out to her and smiled slightly, “I’m glad you came back, Parker.”
“Don’t, Jarod. I don’t want to hear anymore. I just came for my mother’s diary, nothing more nothing less”
“Where will you go now?” Jarod asked softly, his eyes filled with genuine concern.
“Back to Blue Cove, where else.”
“Before you do,” Jarod took a step toward her. “I think you should read the last entry,” he said pointing toward the book she held tightly in her arms.
Miss Parker glanced down at the book and shook her head slowly, her blue eyes brimming with tears, “I don’t think I can.”
“I could read it to you,” Jarod offered with a note of tenderness in his voice.
“No, I have to get going. I have a rental car waiting.” Miss Parker turned and started down the stairs. She had taken only two steps before she turned back to face Jarod. “Thank you, for the offer, Jarod,” she smiled slightly and then continued down the stairs.
Jarod watched her go, and then went back into his room, closing the door. He tried to ignore the insane little voice inside telling him to go after her, to ask her to stay...to stay with him. I just need sleep that’s all, I need sleep, he told himself repeatedly as he lay back on the bed and closed his eyes. He slept, but his dreams were haunted by the memory of holding her in his arms.
Miss Parker paused to look back toward the motel. Something inside was telling her to go back, to stay with Jarod. Shaking off the feeling, she slid behind the wheel of her rented Dodge Intrepid and started the engine. The radio blared to life, playing some bizarre tune from an eighties one-hit wonder. She stared at the book lying in the seat next to her. ‘Read the last entry’, Jarod’s words echoed in her mind. Could she find the strength to open the journal and read the words written by the one person she had ever loved and trusted completely. The words that could prove beyond all doubt that her mother had betrayed her.
With shaking hands and tears in her eyes, she opened the book. The pages were yellowing slightly and in between two of them was a bookmark, a laminated card with her mother’s favorite poem printed on it. There was no doubt in her mind, as her eyes quickly scanned the pages, that it was her mother’s handwriting...she’d know it anywhere. As much as she wanted to deny it, this was not another one of Jarod’s elaborate schemes to get her to turn her back on her father. He was telling her the truth.
The date above one journal entry caught her attention immediately...May 4, 1970... less than a month after her mother “died” in the elevator. Miss Parker took a deep breath and started to read:
May 4, 1970
My darling daughter,
When you read this, I beg you to try to understand the reasons behind what I did. I know what the truth will do to you, how much you will be hurt by my deception. I am alive, and well...if such a thing is possible being separated from my heart. I miss you my sweet and beautiful little girl, I long to see you... Sydney promised me that he will do all he can to help you through this difficult time. He loves you so much, you and Jarod. The two of you are his life and the only reason he goes on. He would die to protect you from the Centre, though I pray it will never come to that. I do not know where I will go now, but I hope that I can find a way to save you, Jarod and Timmy from the Centre. Trust in your friendship with Jarod, he cares for you. Do not let the Centre destroy what the two of you share. Never let go of those people who love you and want to protect you. I pray that you can forgive me for the pain I have caused you.
All my love, your mother,
Catherine Jameson Parker
Anger boiled up inside Miss Parker as she thought of all the times that she had gone to Sydney for comfort after her mother’s death. All the times that he could have told her the truth and didn’t. He had held her hand at the funeral... As soon as the memory entered her mind, her anger faded into oblivion. Sydney helped her mother escape the Centre. The consequences of which would have meant certain death if the Centre had ever learned the truth. She wondered what would have driven Dr. ‘don’t rock the boat’ Sydney to take such an insurmountable risk? She shook her head as she turned to an entry dated simply ‘September 1996’:
...Jarod has escaped from the Centre. I am relieved and happy for him but it breaks my heart when I think about all the years he has lost with his family. I thought about trying to find him, but I know that eventually he will find me. When he does, I will give him this journal and ask...no beg him to save my daughter. I cannot bear the thought of what will happen to her if she remains in the Centre. Unfortunately, I was told that her father has placed her in charge of capturing Jarod. That she is hell-bent on returning him to the Centre and proving her worth to her father. I know from experience, that he will never see her true worth. Michael Parker lives for power, thrives on it. He will not be satisfied until he has total control of everything and everyone... He is destroying her humanity bit by bit. My beautiful, sweet little girl is slowly becoming exactly like him, cruel, bitter, and calculating. I wish with all my heart that I could go back and erase the mistakes I made...if only I could have taken her with me back then, she would never have followed in his footsteps. I can only pray that Jarod can find a way to reach her before she loses herself completely. I know in my heart that he is the only one who can.
Shifting the Intrepid into drive, Miss Parker slammed her foot down on the accelerator and drove out of the parking lot. The back wheels spun in the loose gravel as she turned onto the highway and headed east. Her mind was in a tailspin, her heart in turmoil. “How could you do this to me Mama? I hate you,” she screamed at the top of her lungs, pummeling the steering wheel with open hands. “I hate you,” she repeated, her voice barely a whisper. She pulled the car over to the side of the road when she could no longer hold back the blinding barrage of tears.
Collecting herself, Miss Parker picked up the journal and turned to the last entry. It was dated April 13, 1999. This was only written two weeks ago, she gasped. Jarod had seen her mother within the past two weeks. And the date it was written...twenty-nine years to the day. Twenty-nine years since Catherine Parker ‘died’.
Miss Parker fought back her tears and struggled to focus on her mother’s words. She could almost hear her mother’s voice speaking to her from the pages as she read.
April 13, 1999
My darling daughter,
It is after midnight, and as I am writing this, Jarod is sleeping soundly upstairs. I had always known that he would find me. Today, as I was trimming my rose bushes, I suddenly looked up, and found myself staring into the eyes of the man and seeing the boy I once knew. He hugged me tightly and thanked me for trying to save him. We sat on my front porch and talked for hours. Knowing the life that Jarod has lived, I am amazed by the depth of his compassion and his ability to selflessly give happiness to others when he holds such deep sadness in his heart. I can see his loneliness, his pain. I am going to give him this journal to give to you. I hope you will read it and know that what I did I did out of love for you. I know now that it was a mistake to think you would be okay without me. You are far from okay. Jarod told me how angry and bitter you have become. You have lost faith in humanity and it breaks my heart to know that you have forgotten everything that I taught you about love and helping those in need. I blame myself but regrets will never save you from the darkness. You must believe in my love for you. And you must trust Jarod. I can see it in his eyes when he speaks of you, he remembers the friendship you once shared. He misses you. I will be counting the days til I see you again, my beautiful little girl...yes, I fear I still see you that way. I love you.
Mama
Miss Parker felt her heart breaking as she reread the entry. “I am sorry, Mama,” she whispered softly. “Please forgive me.” She turned the key in the ignition and started the engine.
Jarod had finished fueling the truck and was under the hood checking the oil. He had slept all afternoon and after a shower and shave he felt much better. He was thinking clearer too but he did not like what was running through his mind. He was worried about Miss Parker and he was missing her…a deadly combination where she was concerned. He was contemplating calling her on her cell phone when he heard a voice behind him.
“Hey cowboy, ya got room for lil ole me in this here fancy big rig of yers?” she asked with a perfect southern drawl.
Jarod turned around, and froze. She was dressed in new black jeans and a silk blouse that matched the ice-blue color of her eyes. Her black suede jacket was flung over her shoulder and her hair fell in dark waves around her face. “Parker? I thought you’d gone,” he stammered as soon as he could get his heart out of his throat.
Miss Parker nodded, “I made it all of five miles.”
“Why did you come back?”
“You tell me and we’ll both know,” she shook her head slowly.
“You read the journal?”
Miss Parker nodded, staring down at her feet for a moment then she raised her gaze to meet his. “I’m sorry, Jarod. I know you have never lied to me. I am sorry for rejecting the truth.”
Jarod raised an eyebrow and laughed softly, “That must have really hurt.”
“More that you’ll ever know,” Miss Parker smiled.
“I’m glad.”
“Glad it hurt, or glad I came back?”
“Both,” Jarod chuckled and slammed the hood down. “Let’s go, Parker. We have to make up some time if we’re going to get this load to Nashville on schedule.”
“Nashville,” Miss Parker echoed.
“Yeah, you know…Music City, USA.” Jarod opened her door, but she still refused to allow him to help her up into the cab.
“Great, and I suppose we’re going line dancing while we’re there.”
“Actually, I have always wanted to try that,” Jarod chuckled as he started the engine.
“Me and my big mouth,” Miss Parker rolled her eyes like an annoyed teenager. “I hope I don’t regret this.”
“You won’t, Miss Parker, I promise you.”
There was no mistaking the message behind Jarod’s words. And in the endless brown depths of his eyes, she saw something she had thought she had destroyed long ago.
*****
BLUE COVE, DELAWARE: The Centre
“Where the hell is my daughter?” Mr. Parker’s voice boomed through the corridors as he approached Sydney’s office. Broots tried to dart for cover, but was too late as the chairman and Mr. Lyle entered the room. “Sydney, I demand to know where she is,” Mr. Parker scowled as he leaned over the Centre psychiatrist’s desk.
“I am sure I don’t know, Mr. Parker,” Sydney responded, his voice calm and even. “Broots and I just assumed that she was ill. We haven’t seen her in a little over thirty-six hours.”
“Sydney, if you are keeping something from me, I will find out about it and when I do...” Mr. Parker’s warning was cut off by the ringing of Sydney’s phone.
“Excuse me a moment, I need to take this call. It may be a lead I am expecting on Jarod’s whereabouts,” Sydney did not wait for permission. Picking up the receiver, he held his hand over it and waited as a fuming Mr. Parker left the office with Lyle in tow. Broots closed and locked the door once they were out of sight. “Jarod?”
“How did you know it was me?” Jarod asked.
“Just a hunch,” Sydney smiled. “I have another hunch that you have something to do with the mysterious disappearance of our Miss Parker.”
“You are on a roll today, aren’t you, Syd,” Jarod laughed.
“I have my moments.”
“I take it that you weren’t alone.”
“No, I wasn’t. Mr. Parker is going ballistic over his missing daughter, but it isn’t out of fatherly concern, believe me.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
“So are you going to tell me what is going on?” Sydney asked as he pressed the button for the speakerphone.
Jarod paused for a moment to say something to a person in the background. “Miss Parker says hi,” he said as he returned to his conversation with Sydney.
“She is with you. How?” Sydney asked with a hearty laugh that said he was more than thrilled that Miss Parker had finally followed her heart.
“She is and she is driving me nuts...OUCH! See what I mean?” Jarod said with a playful whine.
Sydney shook his head smiling, “So where are you two?”
“We are on our way to Tennessee, Nashville to be exact.”
“I hope that she isn’t planning on coming back here.”
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Jarod said.
“Will she listen to you?”
“Probably not, but I know someone she has to listen to. After all, you are supposed to obey your parents right?” Jarod asked cryptically.
“What are you saying, Jarod? You can’t possibly mean her father and Catherine is dead.” Sydney was baffled by Jarod’s words.
“You know Syd, I read Mark Twain once. He is a very good author,” Jarod laughed softly. “We will contact you again later,” he said then the line went silent.
Sydney hung up the phone and glanced sideways at Broots. “Did that make any sense at all to you, Broots?”
Broots thought for a moment, then slowly a smile spread across his face. “I’ve got it. Jarod said ‘Mark Twain’. Mark Twain once said something like ‘Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated’.”
“My God,” Sydney gasped as he turned toward Broots and shook his head.
“Syd, does that mean...?” Broots asked.
“I can’t tell you now, Broots, not here.”
Broots nodded in understanding. “What do we do now?”
“We wait,” Sydney said as he settled back in his chair and buried his face in his hands. He had a terrible feeling that they were all heading into very dangerous territory and if not careful, they could find themselves in the middle of a war they could never hope to win.
***
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: The Whitehorse Hotel (2 days later)
“Jarod what are we doing? I thought we were going to keep a low profile,” Miss Parker asked as they entered the main lobby of the Whitehorse Hotel.
“What better place to hide from the Centre. This place is huge, so many places to lay low and still have a good time. Besides, the Centre is paying the bills,” Jarod laughed and winked at her.
“Jarod, you are unbelievable,” she smiled.
“Come on, Parker. Relax, have some fun for once in your life. You are free now.”
“Yeah right, Jarod. Just like you have been free for the past four years.” She had not intended for the remark to come out sounding so cold and unfeeling. And as she saw the flash of pain in Jarod’s eyes, she wished she could take it back. In one thoughtless moment, she had shattered the fragile veneer of friendship they had been slowly trying to repair the past few days.
“Parker, I would give anything to be totally free of the Centre. But as long as you are out of that place, I can live with being on the run.” Jarod shook his head, and then he walked away leaving her standing in the middle of the lobby.
Miss Parker made her way to the front desk. Approaching one of the clerks she flashed the young man a brilliant smile and folded her hands together on the white marble ledge of the desk. “We would like a room please.”
“Just one moment,” he nodded and tapped on his computer keyboard. “I only have one room available. It is one of our nicest suites though, with a king size bed and a hot tub.”
Miss Parker nodded, “We’ll take it.” Somehow, the thought of sharing a room with Jarod did not bother her as much as she would have thought. She wondered what he was going to think about it though.
“May I have your name, please,” the clerk asked.
Miss Parker thought quickly, “Jameson, Mr. and Mrs. Jarod Jameson.”
“Thank you, and will this be cash or credit card?”
She handed him the credit card Jarod had given her and smiled, “You can use this one. My parents are paying for everything...not a total lie...we are on our honeymoon.”
“Congratulations, I will have our bellman place a complimentary bottle of champagne in your room,” the young man smiled.
“Thank you, that would be wonderful,” Miss Parker smiled back at him.
“Shall I have him take up your luggage?”
“No, thank you. We haven’t even gotten it out of our car yet and it is parked across the street at the gas station. We had some car trouble. They had to tow us all the way here from halfway between here and Murfreesboro.”
“What a shame, and on your honeymoon too,” he gave her a sympathetic nod.
“I guess that’s what we get for borrowing my brother’s old fixer-upper. The darn thing is held together with duct tape and baling wire,” she shrugged. She was thoroughly enjoying herself. This pretending thing was rather addicting and she wasn’t half-bad at it either.
“Will you be needing a rental car then?”
“Yes, that would be nice.”
“There is a car rental desk over there,” he smiled and motioned across the lobby.
“Thank you so much. You have been a great help.”
“You are welcome. Here is your key, you are in Suite 27 on the 16th floor. Enjoy your stay, Mrs. Jameson.”
“We will,” she smiled. She turned and walked into the crowd.
Miss Parker wandered through the many hotel shops. She stopped to admire a particularly attractive black dress and immediately wished she could use her credit cards.
“Why don’t you try it on?” Jarod said leaning over her shoulder.
“Jarod, are you out of your mind? It’s not me, it’s too...” she searched in vain for the words that would convince herself more than him. She had fallen in love with it immediately. “I can’t buy a dress, we’re on the run. We have to travel light.”
“One dress won’t matter, Parker. Treat yourself, call it...well, a reward, for a job well done, from the Centre,” Jarod grinned.
Miss Parker stared at him for a moment, then smiled, “Don’t you mean a job left undone.”
Jarod raised an eyebrow and laughed, “I am not complaining. I am pleased with the results.”
“I’ll bet my father isn’t.”
“Do it, Parker. Buy the dress.”
With a glance over her shoulder at the dress, Miss Parker gave up the fight. “Okay, I will try it on. I still don’t think it’s me.”
“We’ll see,” Jarod chuckled and followed her into the shop. He waited as she disappeared into the dressing room with the saleswoman. It seemed like forever before the woman returned with a wide smile on her face. Miss Parker came out a few steps behind and the sight stole his breath. She looked so beautiful in the floor length strapless gown. He could not tear his eyes away.
Miss Parker, surprised by his reaction to her appearance, froze in place. Jarod’s eyes were locked on her, his every emotion playing out within their depths. She had never felt more beautiful than at that moment.
“Jarod, what do you think?” Turning around slowly Miss Parker watched herself in the mirror. The dress was perfect for her. It hugged every curve, the silky smoothness caressing her skin every time she moved.
Jarod was held spellbound to the point that it took several moments for her voice to penetrate dragging him back to reality. “You...you look incredible,” he managed to whisper.
“Are you sure it’s okay?”
Jarod nodded raising both eyebrows. “Oh yeah,” he grinned.
“Thank you, Jarod.” Turning quickly away so he would not see the effect his reaction had had on her, Miss Parker rushed back into the dressing room.
Jarod approached the saleswoman and handed her enough money to cover the dress and a little extra. “Make sure she gets everything she needs, shoes and all. I will be back in a few minutes.”
“Thank you, sir. I will.”
Miss Parker just gathering her packages when Jarod returned. “And where have you been?”
“It’s a surprise, for you. But you can’t have it yet.”
Miss Parker shook her head and smiled, “You are going to spoil me.”
It was so hard to believe the woman standing before him was the same woman who had spent the past four years hell bent on catching and dragging him back to the Centre. Jarod watched her in amazement, she was like a kid in a candy store, smiling and laughing...she was happy.
He suddenly realized that although she had lived outside its walls and had been exposed to the real world, in many ways, she had also been a prisoner of the Centre. She was experiencing true freedom for the first time, just as he had when he first escaped. They were both free and he would do anything to keep it that way. He would rather die than see her retreat behind her Ice Queen facade again.
“Earth to Jarod,” she teased.
“Sorry,” Jarod grinned.
“Thought I’d lost you for a minute there, Boy Genius. Where did you go?”
“Just tired I guess. Shall we go to our rooms?”
Miss Parker glanced quickly away, “That’s ‘room’, Jarod. They only had one available. A suite with a king bed and a hot tub.”
“Hmm, sounds romantic,” Jarod smiled.
“Don’t go getting any bright ideas, Jarod. It also has a sofa bed, so guess where you will be sleeping.”
“No, Miss Parker, I couldn’t possibly ask you to sleep on the sofa, you can have the bed,” he teased.
“Think you’re funny dontcha?”
“Well, I was a stand up comedian once,” he grinned. They liked me, well except for the joke about a wheezing bald guy with an oxygen tank and the thumbless man. That one, well let’s just say didn’t get it,” Jarod grimaced.
Miss Parker nodded her head and smirked, “I think they had to be there.”
Jarod shrugged his shoulders and motioned toward the elevator. “I’ll tell it to you sometime.”
“Sounds like a real belly buster,” she chuckled as she pressed the button on the panel.
“Well, I thought it was anyway.”
The elevator doors opened on the sixteenth floor. Miss Parker followed Jarod to their room and unlocked the door. It swung open to reveal a breath-taking sitting room with plush furniture and heavy drapes on the windows. All the wood in the room was mahogany and polished to a shine. The carpeting was thick and soft as Miss Parker found out as soon as she kicked off her boots and headed for the adjoining bedroom.
It was incredible. A massive king bed with a walk in closet and doors that opened onto a garden terrace. The master bath was nearly as big as the bedroom. The spa stood in the corner, next to it an enclosed marble shower. Dual vanities and a full mirror lined the other wall.
“This is incredible,” Miss Parker said as she walked out onto the balcony.
Jarod was equally awestruck, the room was definitely beautiful. But it somehow paled in comparison to the woman standing on the terrace. He knew it was futile to keep denying his feelings for her. He was in love with her, had been for as long as he could remember. It saddened him to think of all the wasted time they had spent being enemies. All the bitterness and anger that they had allowed to come between them. He was afraid to think about the road ahead and where it might lead.
Miss Parker came back inside and caught the distant look on Jarod’s face and the flash of apprehension in his eyes. “What is it, Jarod?”
“I was just thinking about...”
“...About us,” she finished.
Jarod glanced up at her in surprise as he sat down on the edge of the bed, “So you’re a mind reader now?”
“No, I was just on that same train of thought. Jarod, I am not sure of my feelings right now so I cannot say the words that you need to hear. I will say that these last two days have been the happiest days of my life and I never want it to end,” Miss Parker moved toward him just as he stood. “I want to be here with you. Nowhere else but here,” she whispered then wrapping her arms around his neck she kissed him.
When she backed away, Jarod laughed softly, as he touched her face and ran his fingers through her silky dark hair. Gathering her to him, he held her close. “I love you, Madeline. I always have,” he whispered. “And I understand that you aren’t ready. God knows, you need time and lot’s of it. But even if you can never say the words, I see the truth in your eyes and that is all I need.”
Stunned by his using of her first name almost as much as she was by the three words that had preceded it, Miss Parker stared silently into the dark pools of his eyes. With tears streaming down her face, she shook her head slowly. “How, Jarod? How can you possibly love me after everything I put you through? I don’t deserve your forgiveness, much less your love.”
Jarod took hold of her hand and brought it to his lips, “Madeline Parker, you deserve that and so much more. We were both victims of the Centre. They took our innocence and destroyed it bit by bit, but they could not destroy the bond that has always been there between us. I felt it from the moment I first saw you on the other side of the glass.”
Miss Parker nodded as the memory of that day found its way into her heart, “I know, Jarod. I felt it too.”
“Maddie, it’s okay. Take all the time you need. I won’t pressure you. Let’s just go out tonight and enjoy ourselves. There’s no telling how long this reprieve will last. I am sure that it won’t be long before they figure out where you are and who you’re with.”
“I guess we had better make every moment count then,” Miss Parker laughed as she kissed him again and then went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
Jarod just stared after her with a raised eyebrow and a crooked grin. They were in for a bumpy ride, and they both knew it. But this night...it was for them.
*****
THE CENTRE: Mr. Parker’s office
“Dad, there is no sign of her. I have three teams of sweepers searching and they have found nothing. She covered her tracks well, which tells me that she doesn’t want to be found,” Lyle said as he calmly pulled the glove back over the place where a thumb had once been.
Mr. Parker paced furiously back and forth in front of his son. “I want her found. Where could she possibly have gone? She has not taken any money from her accounts, which means she has little or no money. There has been no activity on any of her credit cards. Where the hell is she?” he bellowed.
“I have Broots working on it. Though, I am betting that he and Sydney all ready know where she is. Word is, she is with the Centre’s other infamous runaway.”
Mr. Parker spun on his heels and grabbed Lyle by the lapels, “That is impossible.” He shook Lyle roughly, “My Angel would never betray me that way. No, there has to be another explanation. She would never side with Jarod against me,” he bellowed.
If Lyle had any sense at all, he would have been afraid. Instead, he just smiled and raised his hands in a mock gesture of surrender. “Hey, Dad, I am only repeating the standard opinion. I, myself, do not believe my sister would do such a thing.”
Mr. Parker huffed and turned away from his son. “She could never choose Jarod over her own father.”
“What if she has somehow learned the truth? What if Jarod was finally able to give her undeniable proof of your deceptions?” Lyle asked softly as he braced himself for the blow that never came.
Sinking slowly into his chair, Mr. Parker contemplated Lyle’s questions, and he knew the answer to both. She would leave him, and the Centre, for good. And yes, she would run to Jarod. He had known long ago, of the bond between his daughter and the Pretender. The friendship had been allowed only because the Triumvirate felt that it would keep Jarod at the Centre if he had someone other than Sydney to connect with. It had also been the reasoning behind putting her in charge of his pursuit, knowing that Jarod would never be able to totally break free of the Centre as long as they had her and Sydney under their control.
“Dad, are you all right?” Lyle asked, with something that almost resembled concern, in his voice.
“Lyle, I want her back here. I don’t care how you do it. I want her back.” Mr. Parker slammed his fist down on his desk with so much force that it toppled a priceless sculpture, sending it crashing to the floor. Without blinking an eye, he hissed, “Bring her back, and Jarod too, dead or alive. Fail me this time, Lyle, and son or no, you will lose more than a thumb. Is that clear?”
“Crystal,” Lyle stammered as genuine fear flashed in his eyes. “I will find them. They can’t hide forever.”
“You had better hope not, for your sake,” Mr. Parker stood up from his chair and stormed out of the office.
“Damn,” Lyle swore under his breath. He did not want to kill Miss Parker. Frankly, he was hoping to tell her the truth himself one day and convince her that they would be great together, running the Centre...once Mr. Parker was eliminated. He knew there was little chance of that, but even he had dreams. He smiled slyly as he left his father’s office. He would go to Sydney and get the truth out of him one way or another.
****
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: The Whitehorse Hotel
Jarod waited patiently for Miss Parker to emerge from the elevator and join him in the restaurant for dinner. He watched people as they wandered through the lobby. There were many families and children everywhere. He wondered what the future would hold. Would Miss Parker stay with him? Would she ever be able to open up and allow herself to love again? He knew that it would be difficult for her. She had loved Thomas and the Centre took him from her. Shot him down in cold blood on her front porch.
Just then, the elevator doors opened and she was there. The brilliant blue of her eyes, so alive with emotion, focused only on him. Her smile lit up the entire room as she walked and every eye in the place was focused on her. She was a vision of beauty.
“Hey there, handsome. Care to buy a lady a drink?” Miss Parker asked in a manner that rivaled that of any native southern belle.
Jarod was unable to find the words so he just bowed like a gentleman and kissed her hand.
“I could definitely get used to this,” she laughed softly as Jarod straightened, offering her his arm. She was almost uncomfortable with all the attention they were drawing. Though, at the same time, it was rather exhilerating.
Miss Parker felt the eyes of every female in the room turn to admire the man next to her. As they waited for the hostess to take them to their table, she took the opportunity to admire him herself. Wearing black jeans that fit him like a second skin and a button front, white shirt and black leather vest, he looked incredible. He even wore a bolo tie and new black boots, which reminded her of polished obsidian.
Once they were seated, Jarod ordered a bottle of wine. Then he took her hands in his and smiled, “You are so beautiful, Maddie.”
“You aren’t so bad yourself,” Miss Parker whispered.
“I have something for you,” Jarod handed her a long, black velvet box. His eyes were lit up with an excitement that was contagious.
Miss Parker accepted the box and carefully opened it. Her eyes filled with tears as she took in the beauty of its contents. “Oh, Jarod, I can’t accept this. It’s too much.” After a moment of hesitation, Miss Parker gently lifted the heart-shaped necklace from the box. It was a sapphire surrounded with diamonds. “Jarod, I...”
“Let me help you put it on,” Jarod grinned as she turned her back to him and lifted her hair. He fastened it quickly, but lingered there, mesmerized by the porcelain softness of her skin and the silky strands of dark hair that had escaped her grasp. He gently placed a kiss at the nape of her neck. “Perfect,” he whispered.
Miss Parker turned to face him, “Jarod, I have lived my life never allowing anyone to get too close. I thought I had to because of my father and the things I have done. I realize now that the real reason I could not give my heart fully to anyone, including Thomas, is you. A part of me always held on to the hope that someday we would find our way back to each other.” Raising one hand to his smooth-shaven cheek, she smiled brightly, “Jarod, I love you.”
His eyes brimming with tears, and a broad grin on his face, Jarod laughed softly taking her into his arms. “Maddie, we have to promise each other that no matter what happens, we have to hold on to this moment. The Centre cannot hurt us as long as we never allow ourselves to forget tonight. I love you more than you will ever know, always remember that.”
“Jarod, what are we going to do?” Miss Parker held on to him as if it was all a dream and by letting go she would wake up back in Blue Cove in her bed, alone.
Jarod gently eased her away, “First we are going to eat and then we are going to have some fun. This night is ours. Tonight the Centre and the past do not exist...they are forgotten.”
“Agreed.” Miss Parker nodded and kissed him just as the waiter appeared with their wine and took their dinner order. She only wished it were easy to forget the past. They both knew it was not far behind. She could feel its fiery breath on the back of her neck. Tomorrow would come soon enough and then there would be no avoiding it. Jarod was right, this night was theirs, and they had to make the most of it.
****
THE CENTRE: Sydney’s office
Sydney was waiting nervously for Broots to return from the tech room. He was about to reach for his telephone to call and see what was keeping him when the door of his office opened and Lyle waltzed into the room with a satisfied smirk on his face.
“Lyle, I am very busy right now...” Sydney stopped mid-sentence when he saw a badly beaten Broots being dragged between two sweepers. They let go and he fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. Sydney moved toward him but found his path blocked by the sweepers. “Lyle, what in God’s name have you done?”
“Oh don’t worry, Syd. Broots is going to be just fine. That is unless you continue to refuse to tell us the whereabouts of Jarod and Miss Parker. I know they called you. Jarod would never allow you to worry about Miss Parker’s safety. I also know that you care very deeply for them, that you will do anything to protect them.” Lyle turned and approached the unconscious man. “Are you willing to sacrifice the life of a friend and perhaps his daughter to protect them?”
Sydney’s struggled to keep calm, “Lyle, I can’t tell you anything. I don’t know where they are. They called, yes. But they never told me where they were.”
Lyle nodded slowly and kicked Broots in the ribs. “You see, Syd. I know you are lying. Now I suggest you tell me the truth or I will put an end to Mr. Broots’ pitiful existence here and now.” To emphasize his point, Lyle placed his gun against the back of Broots’ head.
Sydney sank slowly to the sofa and buried his face in his hands. “All right, Lyle. You win.”
***
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: The Whitehorse Hotel
They were just finishing their dinner and the band was playing a soft country ballad as Jarod reached for Miss Parker’s hand. “I have been dying to dance with you. Would you do me the honor?”
Miss Parker laid down her napkin and smiled. “I’d love to,” she said as she took hold of his outstretched hand and followed him to the dance floor. As she stepped into his embrace, they began to move together among the other couples. She could not tear her eyes away from his. If she died tomorrow, it wouldn’t matter. This was the moment she had lived her entire life for...and the man she had loved for her entire life.”
Jarod could not believe that she was finally in his arms and she loved him. They had overcome every obstacle fate had thrown at them and now nothing could tear them apart.
The song ended and another began as the two of them danced. No longer noticing the people around them, they were only aware of each other.
“I don’t want this night to end. I want to stay like this forever,” Miss Parker smiled gently.
“I wish I could make it last forever,” Jarod closed his eyes and listened to the music, enjoying the closeness with her.
“Jarod,” Miss Parker purred. “Let’s go up to our room.”
Jarod feigned disappointment, “Already, but what about line dancing at the Wildhorse Saloon?”
“As much as I am dying to do the ‘boot scootin’ boogie’, I would rather spend my evening in the hot tub with you,” she whispered playfully.
“Hmmmm,” Jarod teased. “Line dancing, or hot tub?” he grinned as he ‘weighed’ the options.
Miss Parker laughed and grabbed his hand, leading him out of the restaurant, pausing just long enough to pay the bill. As soon they entered the elevator and the doors closed, she kissed him with a passion she never knew she possessed.
Jarod broke the kiss and chuckled, “Hot tub it is.” Then just as soon as the doors opened on their floor, he swept her up into his arms and carried her toward their room.
***
SOMEWHERE OVER TENNESSEE: The Centre Jet
“Yes, Dad. We are on our way to Nashville. Our passengers are resting comfortably.” Lyle cast an amused glance toward Broots and Sydney where they sat tied in their seats next to each other. “We couldn’t risk leaving them behind to warn Jarod and Miss Parker.”
“Are you sure Sydney is telling the truth?” Mr. Parker’s voice boomed over the speakerphone.
“Yes. His humanity overcame his loyalty to our two runaways.”
“Call me when it’s done. I will not tolerate any mistakes.”
As the line went dead, Sydney’s heart sank. He had been afraid this would happen. Mr. Parker wanted his daughter back at any cost. Even if it meant killing her, and Jarod as well. “What have I done?” Sydney asked, his voice barely audible. Only Broots heard him.
“Don’t worry, Syd. Miss Parker and Jarod will be okay.”
“I wish I could be so sure.”
“For what it’s worth, thank you for what you did.”
Sydney smiled slightly, “Broots, I could never allow them to hurt you and Debbie.”
“What are we going to do now?” Broots tried to keep his voice low, but Lyle heard him.
“Mr. Broots, I suggest that the two of you make yourselves comfortable. You are going to be tied up in here for quiet a while,” Lyle shook his head slowly and with contrived regret, he checked their bonds for tightness then walked away laughing quietly to himself. “Have fun boys, oh, and enjoy the inflight movie.”
Once Lyle had gone, Sydney released the breath he had been holding for so long that he had nearly passed out. The action caused his ropes to loosen slightly. Working quickly he managed to turn enough to allow himself access to Broots’ wrist restraints. “Hold still Broots.”
“Hurry, Syd.”
“We will be landing soon, Broots. We have to get out of here as soon as they leave the plane.”
Broots glanced at him in confusion. “What to you mean, get out of here. How?”
“I don’t know...yet. But we have to find a way to warn Jarod and Miss Parker. Lyle will kill them.”
Once Broots’ hands were free, he quickly untied Sydney. “Syd, I have an idea, I think it could work.”
“What is it Broots?”
Lyle returned a minute later. After observing that his prisoners were still in the same position as when he had left them, he made sure that they saw him take out his 9mm and release the safety. Then he settled down in the seat across from them. “We will be landing in a few minutes. Don’t worry, Syd. You will not have to witness the demise of Jarod and Miss Parker. But of course, once they are out of the picture, you will be of no use to us any longer. You will both be rendered obsolete.”
“How can you even consider killing your own sister, Lyle?” Sydney bowed his head shaking it slowly.
Lyle chuckled, “Sydney, you seem to think you know everything that’s going on around you. Well, I hate to tell you, but you are more in the dark than Jarod is.”
Sydney aimed a lethal gaze at Lyle, “Why don’t you enlighten me, Lyle.”
“I’d really like to, Syd, but my father would not approve,” he grinned maliciously. He started to leave them alone again but paused. “Oh what the hell, you aren’t going to live long enough to tell anyone anyway.” As Lyle took a step toward the restrained men, he laughed, “Sydney, I can ‘consider’ killing her because she is not my sister. No relation whatsoever. My father is not her biological father.”
Sydney stared up at him, clearly stunned by Lyle’s revelation. “What are you saying? Who is...”
Lyle cut him off, “Her twin...vegetable boy of course. And their father, why Sydney, I am surprised at you. Oh but then you didn’t know about Nicholas either, did you.”
Broots turned to Sydney in utter shock. “Sydney?”
“He is lying, Broots. As much as I would love to believe it, there is no way that Miss Parker and Angelo are my children. Catherine would have told me.”
“Believe it, Sydney. I am telling you the truth. You and Catherine had an affair, she became pregnant. She told my father the truth and he threatened to have you killed if she left him.”
Sydney longed to wrap his hands around Lyle’s throat and choke the life out of him, but in his heart he knew it was the truth, had known it all along. He had always felt a connection with Miss Parker and even Angelo.
Broots could not believe what he was hearing. How could Sydney be Miss Parker and Angelo’s father? “Is it true, Syd?”
Sydney could only nod his head as his eyes filled with tears. He had failed them all...his children...Nicholas, Miss Parker, and Timmy.
As the plane set down on the runway of the Centre’s private airstrip near Nashville, Lyle stood and slipped his gun back into his coat. “Well, my job here is done. I’ll be seeing you both very soon.”
“Lyle,” Sydney shouted vehemently, “You can’t do this.”
“Oh but I can,” Lyle smiled. “And I am going to enjoy every minute of it. Maybe I will live out one of my little fantasies with Miss Parker before I kill her...she is a very alluring woman. It has not been easy, these past few years...keeping my hands to myself, that is.”
“You son of a...”
“Ah, Syd. Now I don’t think you really want to make me angry. I might kill you and I really do not want to do that...yet. I wouldn’t want to deprive myself the pleasure of seeing the look on your face when I bring Jarod and Miss Parker back in body bags.” Lyle left, closing the door and locking it behind him.
Sydney lurched to his feet, ignoring the excruciating pain in his limbs and lower back brought on by being in a seated position for so long. “Broots, I swear on my own grave that I am going bring down the Centre one stone at a time starting with that twisted bastard.”
“Calm down, Syd. You aren’t going to do anyone any good if you don’t calm yourself and think straight.”
Sydney stopped and took a deep breath, fighting to gain some sort of control over his emotions. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it before, Broots.”
“It’s not your fault, you couldn’t have known.”
“She is alive, Broots.”
Broots shook his head in confusion, “Who is alive?”
“Catherine Parker. I helped her fake her death. She and I have kept in touch over the years. I promised to watch over Miss Parker, Jarod, and Timmy for her.”
“So that’s what Jarod meant by his reference to Mark Twain.”
“Which means that Miss Parker knows that her mother is alive.”
“What is she going to do when she learns the whole truth?”
“If we don’t get to them before Lyle does, we will never have the chance to find out,” Sydney said as he headed for the door.
Broots swallowed the fear rising in his throat and followed Sydney to the front of the plane. Luckily, the sweepers that Lyle had left behind to guard them were outside. In the cockpit, Broots set to work on the computer that controlled the entire aircraft, from the engines and air conditioning to the toilets. He hoped his plan would work, it had to work, or they were all as good as dead.
Sydney watched for any sign of movement from the sweepers. He said a silent prayer for Miss Parker and Jarod. “Hurry, Broots.”
“I’ve just about got it. Just one more minute.”
The sweepers started up the ramp into the plane. “They’re coming,” Sydney warned.
“Got it. I’m in, and sending message now. There, it’s done. Let’s get out of here,” Broots jumped up just as one of the sweepers burst through the door of the cockpit with gun in hand.
In one fluid motion, Sydney bashed the man over the head with the fire extinguisher and knocked the gun out of his hand. It fell at Broots’ feet.
Broots grabbed it up just as the second sweeper fired his weapon at Sydney. He raised the gun and shot the man in the knee. He went down screaming in pain as Broots followed Sydney out of the cockpit and down the ramp to the runway.
“There,” Sydney pointed to a black car parked a twenty yards away from the jet. “You drive.”
Broots was afraid he would have to hot-wire the car but some kind soul left the keys in the ignition. This is my lucky day, Broots though as he shook his head and started the engine.
***
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: The Whitehorse Hotel
Miss Parker awoke early. Jarod was still sleeping soundly. She kept still so she would not wake him. She just wanted to watch him, to listen to the steady rhythm of his breathing. He was real. It had all been real.
She had never believed in destiny, but there was no other way to explain it. Despite everything they had put each other through and all the roadblocks, they had somehow managed to come full circle and find each other again. That night, two lost souls had become one in a union that only the stars could have predicted. And somehow, she knew that although the future was uncertain, they would survive, their love would carry them through any storm the Centre could throw at them.
Jarod opened his eyes and grinned sleepily, “Good morning, beautiful.”
“Good morning. Sleep well?”
“Better than I ever have in my life.”
“Me too.”
“What shall we do today?”
“It’s still early,” Miss Parker smiled with mischief in her blue eyes.
“Well, then. Let’s go back to sleep,” Jarod teased.
“Not on your life, mister,” she whispered as she moved closer to him, running her fingers lightly over his bare chest.
“Oh,” Jarod grinned. “I suppose, I mean we could...”
“Shut up and kiss me, Jarod.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
***
Sydney’s heart was racing when Broots finally drove the car up to the front of the Whitehorse Hotel. As they entered the lobby, Sydney noticed that it was crawling with police. Grabbing the arm of the closest officer he asked as calmly as possible, “I am a doctor, what has happened here? Can I be of some assistance?”
“The officer, a young blonde woman, shook her head, “All I know is there was a shooting and two people are dead. A suite on the sixteenth floor...a newlywed couple.”
Sydney fought to control his emotions as he thanked the officer and made his way through the crowd with Broots close behind. They took the elevator as far as the fifteenth floor and the stairs to the sixteenth floor where they found the hallway filled with police and hotel security.
Taking a deep breath, Sydney walked right into the hotel suite as if he belonged there and quickly scanned the room. As he entered the bedroom, he saw two bodies lying on the bed, covered in sheets.
“I am sorry sir, you cannot be in here,” an officer started to usher him out the door.
“Wait,” Sydney shouted. “I am her father.”
Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him. A detective approached and waved off the officer. “I am Detective Marsh. You say that you are the father of one of the victims?”
“Yes...no, I’m not sure,” Sydney shook his head in desperation.
“I’m not sure I understand, are you or are you not the father of one of the victims?”
“I came because my daughter and her new husband are staying here. I have to know if it is them. Please. Let me see the bodies.”
The detective nodded and led Sydney over to the bed. He gently folded back the sheets revealing the brutally murdered bodies of a man and woman.
Sydney braced himself for the shock. When he looked down at them, he almost cried with relief. Shaking his head he whispered, “It’s not them. Thank God, it is not them.” Then he whispered, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so insensitive.”
Detective Marsh nodded in understanding. “It’s all right. I am glad that it wasn’t them. Unfortunately, they do have families and we need to identify the bodies so that we can notify them.” Then he turned to another officer. “Did you find any ID for them?” he asked.
“Only their room receipt and the name on the hotel registry. Jameson, Mr. and Mrs. Jarod Jameson,” the officer replied.
“Oh my God,” Sydney said softly.
“Did you say something, Mr...” Detective Marsh turned back to Sydney but he was nowhere to be found.
Broots could hardly keep up with Sydney as he ran from the hotel and slid into the passenger seat of the car, which amazingly still sat where they had left it upon entering the hotel.
“What is it, Sydney? Was it them?” Broots started the car and drove away from the entrance. He parked a distance away near a stand of trees.
“No, it wasn’t them, but there were two dead bodies. A young couple who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“My God, Syd,” Broots gasped. “Do you think that Lyle killed them?”
“I know he did, the room was registered under Mr. and Mrs. Jarod Jameson. Jarod and Miss Parker must have gotten our message. Lyle must have killed those two people out of anger and put their bodies in the room to throw the police off track or to cover his backside with Mr. Parker.”
“Where would they go?”
“To Catherine.”
“Are you sure?”
“No, but it’s my best guess. I am not Jarod, but I can try to think like him.”
“Where is she? Do you know?”
“Yes,” Sydney nodded. “But first you need to call Debbie. Tell her to go someplace safe, someplace where the Centre cannot find her.”
“Sydney is there anyplace that is truly safe from the Centre?” Broots asked.
“Tell her to go to Michelle’s. Here is the address. I will call her and tell her to expect Debbie. She will be safe there, Broots. I promise you.”
“I hope you are right, Syd,” Broots said as he started the car and drove a few blocks away to small, inconspicuous motel where they could lay low for awhile.
***
Jarod drove into the deep forests of the Smoky Mountains. Miss Parker was next to him, her eyes red and swollen from crying. He wanted to comfort her, to tell her everything would be okay. But he too felt the overwhelming guilt of what had happened. Because of them, two innocent people died at the hands of Lyle. He shook his head as his own eyes filled with tears to the point that he had to pull the car over to the side of the road. He turned to her and she came to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“What are we going to do now?” Miss Parker’s voice sounded so small, like that of a frightened child.
“I don’t know, Maddie. I really don’t know,” Jarod held her tightly. “We have to get to your mother. We will be safe there.”
“Where is she?”
“We are close. She lives in a cabin, deep in the woods, on Mirror Lake. It is very secluded. We will only be able to reach it by air. With any luck, we should be there before dark.”
“What if she isn’t there?”
“She is there, believe me. I am bringing her daughter to her, remember.”
“I’m scared, Jarod.”
“So am I, Maddie. So am I,” Jarod said as he kissed her gently on her forehead. Then he pulled the car back onto the narrow, winding road and drove until they reached the small airport nestled in a large clearing among the trees.
Jarod pulled the car into an outbuilding and covered it with a canvas tarp. As they walked across the airfield, a man in gray overalls met them halfway and shook Jarod’s hand.
“Jarod, you made it. Good to see you again.”
“You too, Jack. This is Madeline. Madeline this is Jack Stevens.”
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Stevens,” Miss Parker smiled.
“Jarod, you lucky devil. Where on God’s green earth did you find such an incredibly beautiful woman?” Jack bowed slightly and took Miss Parker’s hand in his. “It is a pleasure, and call me Jack.”
“Watch her, Jack. She bites,” Jarod warned with a grin.
“Beautiful and feisty,” Jack winked at her. “I do like that in a woman.”
“Is the plane ready?” Jarod asked.
“All gassed up and ready to go. I stocked it with all the supplies you asked for,” Jack said as he reluctantly released Miss Parker’s hand.
“Thank you so much, I don’t know how I will ever be able to repay you for your help.”
“Jarod, If not for you, I would be flying crop dusters in Idaho about now. You saved my business and my life. It is I who can never repay you."
Miss Parker followed the two men. She was starting to see the whole picture of what Jarod had been doing since his escape from the Centre. It was true, what they say about good deeds coming back to you. The people Jarod helped were now helping him when he needed it most.
She waited in the hangar as Jarod readied the plane on the lake nearby. As soon as the engine started, she headed out to join him. Jack helped her into the seat next to Jarod and closed her door. He stepped back, waved as the plane began to move across the water, and lifted gracefully into the air.
“Are you okay, Maddie?” Jarod asked as he took hold of her hand.
Miss Parker nodded. “What if they followed us, Jarod? Jack won’t be safe if they did.”
Jarod gave a slight smile of reassurance, “Jack will be fine. He knows all about the Centre and what they want. He was also a pilot in the Gulf. He knows about war and what it means to fight for your life...for freedom.”
“Is that what this is, Jarod...a war?”
“That is what it’s turning in to, and I am afraid it’s going to be a bloody fight.”
“We can’t let the Centre win.”
“We won’t, Maddie. I promise you, we won’t.”
Miss Parker settled back in her seat and turned to stare out the window at the breathtaking scenery below. Soon the lush, green forests gave way to a narrow valley and the clear blue waters of Mirror Lake. Jarod set the plane down on the glassy surface and steered it toward the boat docks. Nestled back in the trees, Miss Parker noticed a simple but beautiful, two-story log home with a steady plume of smoke coming from its chimney. The lights were burning brightly from its windows since the sun had dropped behind the mountain.
“Is that it? Is that my mother’s house?” Miss Parker asked with a mixture of excitement and fear.
“Yes, Maddie,” Jarod smiled as he climbed out of the plane and tied it off. Then he reached in and helped her out.
As soon as her feet hit the weathered wood of the docks, she started to walk toward the house. When the front door opened, she started to run. “Mama?” Miss Parker called out to the woman who had stepped out onto the porch.
Catherine gasped and her hands flew to her mouth as her eyes filled with the tears of recognition. “Madeline. Oh thank God, my baby girl.”
Miss Parker ran up the steps and into her mother’s arms. “I’m home, Mama, I’m home,” she whispered.
“I missed you so much. I love you, Madeline. I love you,” Catherine cried as she drew back slightly from her daughter. “Let me look at you, oh my, you are beautiful. So very beautiful.”
“I look just like you,” Miss Parker smiled with tears in her eyes and embraced her mother again. “Just like you.”
****
BLUE COVE DELAWARE: The Centre airstrip
Angelo found a place to hide just as Mr. Parker, Mr. Raines, and several sweepers boarded the jet. He laughed softly to himself as he made himself comfortable in the baggage compartment. He covered himself with a blanket and smiled. “Must save Jarod and Miss Parker,” he whispered.
“Mr. Parker, you have a phone call,” Willie said as he handed his cell phone to the chairman. “It’s Mr. Lyle.”
Mr. Parker grimaced as he brought the phone to his ear. He knew that it would not be the news he wanted to hear from Lyle. “Mr. Parker here.”
“Dad, we have a problem.”
“Lyle, I warned you about failing me.”
“Sydney and Broots have escaped. They must have warned Jarod and Miss Parker because they knew we were coming, they got away.” Lyle didn’t dare tell him the whole story. That would come out soon enough. He needed time to figure out what to do about the two dead bodies they left behind.
“I want them all dead, Lyle. Jarod, my daughter, Sydney, Broots and anyone else that gets in the way of my plans, if a war is what they want, then I will give them one.”
“Dad, there’s something you should know,” Lyle said, bracing himself for the explosion. “Jarod and Miss Parker...they are together.”
Mr. Parker remained silent for a moment, gathering himself before he spoke again. “Lyle, do not fail me. I want this finished, once and for all.”
After the connection had been cut, Lyle rolled his eyes and tossed the cell phone to a sweeper. “The old man is nuts,” he laughed. “Certifiably nuts.”
“Like father, like son,” Sam said under his breath as he placed the cell phone in his pocket and watched Lyle walk away. He didn’t have to hear the other side of the conversation to know what was said, and he knew that if he didn’t do something soon, Miss Parker would die. He made his way quickly toward the car, slid behind the wheel and started the engine. No one noticed as he drove slowly away.
****
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: The Cumberland Inn
Sydney sat at the small table in the motel room where he and Broots had holed up for the night. He was going over the maps of the area where Catherine had told him her cabin was. It was not going to be easy getting there. He was sure that Jarod and Miss Parker had flown in. He hoped he could figure out how they could get their hands on a helicopter and pilot to take them where they needed to go.
Broots came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around him. “Shower’s all yours, Syd.”
“Thank you, Broots.”
“Well, have you figured out what we’re going to do.”
“Only if you are a helicopter pilot.”
“Sorry, Syd. That I am not.”
A knock on the door startled both men. They looked silently at each other for a moment before Sydney finally managed to get up and move slowly toward the window to see who was outside.
“Sydney, Broots, I know you are in there. It’s me, Sam. Let me in. We have to talk.”
Opening the door cautiously, Sydney stepped back and let the sweeper in. “You’re alone?”
“Yes. I came because no matter what you think of me, I was only doing my job. But my job does not include the murder of Miss Parker. I won’t stand by and let her die. I want to help you.”
Sydney paused for a moment then a smiled spread slowly across his face, “So Sam, tell me, can you fly a helicopter?”
****
NEAR NASHVILLE: The Centre Airstrip
Mr. Parker exited the Centre jet and stepped into the waiting car. Mr. Raines followed but in a different car. As the two vehicles sped away, Angelo came out of his hiding place and ran across the airfield.
***
NASHVILLE: The Southern Comfort Hotel
Lyle was fuming as he stood in the middle of the empty space where the missing car had been parked. It didn’t take a genius to notice that Sam, the sweeper, was also missing. “Damn.” He swore under his breath, he should have known that the sweeper had a soft spot for Miss Parker. “What ever happened to loyalty,” Lyle shouted at the other sweepers in his company.
There was no point in worrying about a missing sweeper when his father was only minutes away. It wouldn’t be long before he would be there breathing down his neck and Lyle was not looking forward to it. It won’t be long dear old Dad, one day very soon you will be history and I will run the Centre, Lyle thought to himself, a malicious grin pasted on his face.
Just then, two black limos pulled into the parking lot of the Southern Comfort Hotel and stopped near him, “Speak of the Devil,” he said with a smirk.
****
THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS: Mirror Lake
Jarod sat quietly on the front porch listening to the two women inside the house. They had not stopped talking all evening. He smiled as he wondered if it would be like that with his mother when he saw her again.
He watched as the full moon rose high over the mountain, it’s soft, glowing light casting shadows over the earth and reflecting off the lake giving it the mirror-like appearance it had been named for. He had never seen a more beautiful place.
“May I join you?” Catherine asked as she came out of the house.
“Please,” Jarod looked up at her and smiled. He took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders as she sat down next to him on the steps.
“Madeline fell asleep on the sofa while we were talking. You both must be exhausted after your ordeal this morning.”
“I doubt I will be able to sleep,” Jarod shook his head. “I feel like I should have seen it coming...it’s my fault those two people are dead.”
“Jarod, it isn’t your fault. No one is to blame except the Centre. They killed them, you didn’t. Don’t let the guilt eat you up inside.”
“I just wish I could have spared her that kind of pain,” Jarod whispered.
“You love her, don’t you.”
“More than anything.”
“Then let it go. As terrible as it was, you have to let it go.”
Jarod nodded in understanding, “I will try. For her sake, I will try.”
Catherine pulled him gently into her embrace, “Jarod, how can I ever repay you for bringing my daughter back to me?”
Jarod smiled as she released him, “Catherine, the only thing I ask in return is your blessing. I would like to marry your daughter. I love her more than anything in this world, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I know I am probably not what you wanted for Madeline, I am not exactly normal...”
Catherine silenced him with a finger to his lips. “I never wanted anyone but you for my daughter, Jarod. I love you as if you were my own son. Of course you have my blessing and her father’s as well I am sure.”
“Who is her father?”
Catherine smiled, “I think you know.”
“Sydney.”
“Yes,” Catherine nodded.
“He doesn’t know, does he.”
“No, I swore that I would never tell him. Mr. Parker threatened to have him killed. It was hard, but I knew that my husband meant it. I also knew that if anything were to happen to Sydney, there would be no one there to protect you from Mr. Raines. It breaks my heart every time I think about what that monster did to poor little Timmy.”
“Timmy...Angelo is okay. He basically has free reign. He spends most of his time in the air ducts watching the goings on in the Centre and contacting me via email if anything comes up that could be another piece of this twisted puzzle I call my past.”
“Jarod, I am sorry. I know how much you miss your family. I wish I could help you, but I lost touch with Margaret long ago. Your sister, Emily, she must be about thirty now. I heard about Kyle through Sydney. I am sorry.”
Jarod smiled slightly, “Thank you. I know you would help if you could. I did find my father but we were separated again. I have another brother...well sort of. He is actually my clone, another of Raines’ experiments. My father and I rescued him. He and my Dad are together now.”
Catherine nodded slowly, deep regret in her blue eyes, “I knew about the Gemini Project, Jarod. I knew what they were trying to do. I fought them on it but they would not listen. I should have fought harder,” she said softly as she glanced up at the moon.
“You tried, that is what matters. That and the fact that the boy is safe and the Centre cannot hurt him anymore.”
“Yes, that is what’s important,” Catherine smiled and squeezed Jarod’s hand. “Now if you will excuse me, I am going to take these tired old bones to bed. Good night.”
“Good night, Catherine,” Jarod smiled as he accepted his jacket from her outstretched hand.
Miss Parker came out of the house and kissed her mother’s cheek, “Going to bed, Mama?”
“Yes, darling. I will see you in the morning.”
“See you in the morning.” Miss Parker waited until her mother was inside the house and heading up the stairs before taking her place next to Jarod on the steps. “Gorgeous night, isn’t it.”
“Even better now that you are out here to share it with,” Jarod wrapped his jacket around her shoulders just as he had done for Catherine.
“You are such a sweet-talker, Jarod.”
“Have I told you lately that I love you?”
Miss Parker glanced at her watch, “Oh not for about an hour.”
“I love you, Madeline,” Jarod smiled and kissed her.
“Mmmm, I guess this is the part where I melt into your arms and say ‘I love you to’.”
“That is the general idea,” Jarod kissed her again.
“Okay, if you insist. I love you to, Jarod,” she whispered and melted into his embrace.
“Okay, this is the part where I ask you to marry me,” Jarod held his breath waiting for her response.
Miss Parker lifted her gaze to look into his eyes. “Did you just ask me what I think you just asked me?” she asked, her eyes glistening in the moonlight.
“Depends on your answer.”
“My answer is yes.”
“Then I am the luckiest man on God’s green earth,” Jarod laughed. Then he swept her up in his arms and took her upstairs to bed.
****
Sydney, Broots and Sam left before dawn and found a small airfield where they were able to obtain a helicopter. They took off just as the sun was rising and flew over the mountains in the direction of secluded Mirror Lake.
Sydney prayed that he was right, that they had gone to Catherine. If not, there would be little hope of finding them in time to stop Lyle.
***
Opening his eyes slowly to allow them to adjust to the bright sunlight coming through the bedroom windows, Jarod rolled over to look at the clock. It was just after seven. The pillow next to him was empty so he dressed quickly and went downstairs. He found mother and daughter in the kitchen cooking breakfast.
“Morning, lazy bones,” Miss Parker kissed him. Then she took her finger and left a dusting of flour on the end of his nose. “Hungry?” she winked as she returned to the batter she was mixing.
“Starving,” Jarod laughed as he wiped the flour from his nose.
Catherine shook her head, “What am I going to do with you two?”
Miss Parker spoke up, “You could spank us and send us to our room.”
“You would like that wouldn’t you?” Catherine swatted her daughter playfully on the backside with the dishtowel she was using.
Jarod could not hide the blush that crept into his face. He cleared his throat and smiled, “I think I will go take a shower before breakfast.”
“Uh-oh, Mama. I do believe we have embarrassed Jarod.”
“Madeline, stop picking on the poor boy,” Catherine scolded her.
“But it is so much fun,” Miss Parker whined.
“Go ahead, Jarod. It won’t be ready for a while yet.”
Jarod started up the stairs until the unmistakable sound of an approaching helicopter froze him in his tracks. The women heard it at the same instant and all three hearts started to pound.
“Stay here,” Jarod said as he moved cautiously toward the door. “I will go check it out. If anything happens, run out the back door and head for the plane. I will meet you there.”
“Jarod, be careful,” Miss Parker called after him but he was all ready gone. “There he goes playing hero again.”
Catherine nodded, “He is his father’s son.”
Miss Parker turned to her mother in confusion, “You knew Jarod’s father?”
“Yes, I helped hide him and Margaret from the Centre after Jarod and Kyle were taken. I took them to a friend who put them up in rooms above her barn.”
“Harriet Tashman,” Miss Parker stated.
“Yes. I take it you know the rest of the story?”
“Kyle...he kidnapped her because he believed that she had information on the whereabouts of his family.”
“Yes, that is when they ran. I sent money to the caretakers. I wanted the place kept up in case they returned. They never did.”
“We have to find them before Jarod and I get married.”
“We will. Somehow we will.”
Jarod made his way quickly through the trees to the clearing where the helicopter had set down. He slowed his pace as he drew closer. It only took a moment for him to recognize Sydney and Broots walking toward him. He was startled for a moment by the sight of Sam following close behind.
Sydney saw Jarod as he emerged from the shadows of the woods. “Jarod, thank God you’re safe,” he called out.
Jarod ran to and embraced his mentor, “I’m glad you are here, Sydney. Thank you for sending that message warning us of Lyle’s plans.”
“Actually, it was Broots’ doing. If not for him, we would have never been able to reach you in time.”
Jarod hugged Broots, “Thank you, Mr. Broots. You saved our lives.”
Broots smiled, “We’re even now, Jarod.”
Jarod nodded. “Come on, the ladies are fixing breakfast. You are probably hungry,” he said as he showed them the pathway through the woods and brought up the rear.
Sam paused for a moment turning to face Jarod with an outstretched hand. “Just so you know, I am here as a friend. I hope you will forgive me for the past, Jarod. I want to help you stop the Centre from hurting anymore innocent people.”
Jarod gripped the sweeper’s hand and smiled, “It’s forgotten. I am glad you are here. We can use all the help we can get.”
“Thank you,” Sam smiled.
“Well, then let’s go eat so we can figure out what we are going to do,” Jarod laid a hand on Sam’s shoulder and guided him up the path to the house.
Miss Parker was watching out the window and saw them coming. “It’s Sydney and Broots,” she cried out.
“Sydney,” Catherine whispered and quickly took off her apron as she followed her daughter out the front door.
Sydney glanced up and saw Miss Parker running toward him. “Miss Parker,” he smiled as she reached him and threw her arms around his neck.
“I am so glad to see you...Dad.” Miss Parker smiled as she hugged him.
Sydney drew back in surprise, “You know?”
She nodded, “I knew the moment I read my mother’s journal.”
“I am so sorry, I did not know until Lyle told me.”
“Lyle?”
Sydney nodded, “It’s a long story, Miss Parker.”
“It’s Madeline, just Madeline,” she smiled and hugged him once more.
Catherine came down the pathway just as Miss Parker moved to greet Broots and Sam. “Sydney,” she whispered.
Sydney gathered her to him, “Catherine, my beautiful Catherine. I have waited so long to hold you again.”
“I’m here, Sydney. And I am never leaving your side again. I love you,” she smiled as she kissed him.
Jarod and Miss Parker looked on with wide smiles as Broots stared in confusion and Sam just looked uncomfortable. After a few moments, they all went inside the house to have breakfast.
While the others finished their coffee, Sydney and Miss Parker went outside and sat on the porch steps. The smiled at each other but remained silent for a few moments.
Sydney reached over and took hold of Miss Parker’s hand squeezing it gently. “Miss...I mean Madeline.” He laughed at himself for the slip, “This is going to take some getting used to.”
“For me too,” Miss Parker smiled and raised her free hand to his cheek. “I just can’t believe that after so many years of working side by side that we didn’t realize...”
Sydney nodded, “I think we did, on some level. That is probably why I was always so protective of you.”
“Then I guess that explains why I always hated your interference,” Miss Parker laughed.
“Madeline, Lyle also told me that he is not your brother. He must have tampered with the DNA test after Broots took them to the lab. Angelo...Timmy, he is your twin. He is my son.”
Miss Parker sighed with a mixture of sadness and relief, “I knew it, I knew there was no way a monster like Lyle could have come from my mother and you. We have to get Angelo out of the Centre.”
“We will. Very soon.”
“Sydney, I mean Dad, I have something to tell you. Jarod and I are going to be married.”
Sydney’s eyes filled with tears of pure joy as he embraced her and laughed softly, “Well, it is about time. When is the big day?”
“I don’t know, it all depends on how soon we can locate his family.”
“I will do what I can to find them. It would not be right for him to be married without his family there to share in the most important day of his life.”
“Let’s just hope and pray that it doesn’t come to that. I love him and I want more than anything to be his wife.
“I remember when you used to visit Jarod at the Centre. I knew then that it was meant to be, that the two of you belonged together.”
“You knew? But why didn’t you tell my fath...Mr. Parker?” Miss Parker asked. She felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders as the realization finally hit her that she was not a Parker. The man she had spent her entire life trying to gain the approval of, was not really her father.
“I convinced the Triumvirate that you would be good for Jarod that they should allow the friendship to continue, without interference. Unfortunately, I did not foresee how that request would backfire. It is the reason they put you in charge of Jarod’s capture. I saw what it was doing to the both of you and I was helpless to stop it.”
“It doesn’t matter now, it’s over. Jarod and I are together now and together we are going to destroy the Centre. Their days are numbered, I promise you.”
“I want to help. I need to help. To make amends for the evil that I was a part of.”
“Sydney,” Jarod said as he stepped out of the house. “There is nothing for you to make amends for.”
Sydney stood and looked directly into Jarod’s eyes, “I kept you in that hell, Jarod. I should have fought them. I should have...”
Jarod stepped toward and embraced his mentor, “Without you, I would have given up, I would have died in that place. You kept me going, gave me hope. I am sorry I didn’t tell you before now. I am sorry that I laid the blame solely on your shoulders. I know you did the best you could. I love you, Sydney.”
With his eyes brimming with tears, Sydney whispered, “I love you too, Jarod.”
Jarod backed off slightly and smiled, “Did Maddie tell you the news?”
Sydney nodded, grinning widely, “Yes, she did, and I could not be happier. I will be honored to call you my son.”
Jarod gathered Miss Parker to him and kissed her tenderly, “Well, Madeline, if it all right with your father, I would really like it if you would accompany me on a morning walk by the lake.”
“Can I Dad, please?” Miss Parker fluttered her eyelashes at Sydney like a teenager.
Sydney laughed heartily, “I suppose so, but have her back before midnight.”
“Yes, sir,” Jarod winked as he led Miss Parker down the steps and along the pathway to the lake.
Sydney was still laughing when Catherine came out of the house to join him. She wrapped her arms around his waste and smiled. “What is so funny, Dr. Green?”
“Catherine, I would sure love another stack of those mouthwatering pancakes,” he asked as he pulled her into his embrace.
“Sydney, you can have anything you want,” she smiled mischievously.
“Anything?” Sydney asked with eyebrows raised.
Catherine nodded, “Anything.”
“Marry me.”
“In a heartbeat.”
Sydney kissed her deeply and together they went inside the house.
Jarod led Miss Parker to the edge of the lake where he helped her up onto a large flat boulder. He climbed up after and sat down pulling her back against his broad chest and wrapping her in his embrace.
The lake sparkled like molten glass in the morning sunlight. In the trees, the birds were singing perfect accompaniment to the rustling of the leaves in the breeze.
“Jarod, can we stay here forever?”
“I wish we could. But until the Centre is destroyed, we will never be safe and we will never be able to stay in one place without endangering those around us.”
“I want to come back here. When this is all over. Promise me we will, please.”
“I promise we will.”
“I am scared.”
“So am I. Just never let go of our love. It is our lifeline.”
She nodded slowly in response. “How long do we have before they make their move?”
“We aren’t waiting to find out, Maddie. We are going to have to make the first move. It is the only way that the people we love will be safe.”
Miss Parker nodded, “So when do we go.”
“If there are no surprises, we will leave tonight.”
“What if there are surprises? What if they get to us first?”
“Then we go to Plan B.”
“Which is?”
“I’m still working on that one,” he smiled trying to lighten the mood.
Miss Parker lay back against Jarod and stared up into the brilliant blue sky. She did not like the fact that Jarod was keeping the details of his plans from her, but she knew better that to press because he would leave her behind if she did.
It took only a split second for the sound of an approaching plane to catch their attention. Jarod tensed for a moment, but relaxed as soon as he recognized Jack Stevens’ logo on the tail and saw his friend waving as he flew over then circled back.
The seaplane touched down and gently moved toward the docks. Jarod ran down to tie off the rope and then opened the door on the passenger side.
“Hi Jarod,” Angelo said as he gave his friend one of his crooked grins.
“Angelo, what are you doing? How did you get here?” Jarod hugged his friend as soon as his feet touched the wood planks.
Jack smiled, “Sorry, Jarod. He showed up at the airfield in a state of panic. Said he had to warn you. I almost denied knowing you like you told me to, but there was such desperation in his eyes...”
“Thank you, Jack. Angelo is a friend. I never in a million years expected him to show up here,” Jarod shook his head as he watched Angelo run toward Miss Parker who was waiting on the shore.
“I had better be going now. Good luck and radio me if you need anything, anything at all,” Jack said as he shook Jarod’s hand.
“I really appreciate that, Jack,” Jarod nodded and closed the door of the plane. After untying the rope, he watched until the plane lifted up into the air. Then he walked quickly back to the shore.
Miss Parker could not believe her eyes when she’d seen Angelo running toward her. His face lit up the moment he’d reached her. She hugged him tightly, laughing softly, “Angelo, how did you get here?”
“On Centre jet, Mr. Parker...Mr. Raines. Angelo hid in the dark. Had to find Jarod...warn Jarod.”
“What is it, Angelo?” Jarod asked as soon as he reached them.
“Thumbless man kill Jarod and Miss Parker...Father come to make sure no mistakes.”
Jarod’s eyes immediately clouded over with worry, “That means we will have to go to Plan B. They are all ready here.”
“Jarod, I think it’s time you let me in on this ‘Plan B’ of yours. We don’t have much time,” Miss Parker said as she guided Angelo up the pathway toward the house.
Jarod hesitated, taking a moment to look back at the lake and say a silent prayer that his plan would work.
Miss Parker smiled at Angelo as they walked, “Angelo, I now know the truth, I am your sister.”
Angelo just grinned and nodded, “Angelo knows...always known.”
Miss Parker hugged him again, “Sydney is our father, Angelo.”
Angelo nodded, “Angelo knows.”
Miss Parker laughed, “Does Angelo know everything?”
Angelo stopped for a moment and frowned while he thought about her question. Then he grinned and nodded, “Angelo knows everything.”
“That’s what I thought,” Miss Parker kissed him on the cheek.
Angelo blushed and touched his cheek where she had kissed him, “Sister loves Angelo?”
“Yes, I do. Very much.”
Sydney and Catherine had both come out of the house to see what was going on. They saw their daughter and Angelo coming toward them. Sydney took Catherine aside and hugged her, “Catherine that is Angelo. I know now that he is our son. He was taken from you when he and Madeline were born. They told you he was stillborn, but he was stolen by Raines and used for experiments. You knew him as Timmy.”
Catherine gasped, “Oh my God, Sydney. I tried to save Timmy. I didn’t get to him in time to stop Raines. He destroyed our son, our precious little Timmy.”
“Angelo is an empath. Like Jarod except that he actually absorbs the personalities and emotions of other people. He is very unstable at times, but he understands very well.”
“Jarod told me about him, I just never knew that he was my son,” Catherine’s eyes filled with tears as she moved away from Sydney and went down the steps.
Angelo looked up and locked gazes with her immediately. He smiled, “Angelo’s mother?”
Miss Parker nodded and let go of his arm as he went into Catherine’s embrace without hesitation.
Catherine laughed and hugged her son tightly, “I am your mother and I love you.”
“Angelo loves mother and father.”
Sydney smiled as he came up behind Catherine and embraced his son. “Let’s go inside. Angelo is probably hungry.”
“Angelo is very hungry,” Angelo nodded.
Jarod came up the path and wrapped his arms around Miss Parker. “It appears, my love, that you finally have a family,” he smiled but she could see the sadness in his eyes.
“We will find yours too. I promise, Jarod. We will find them.”
“I know, Maddie.”
“Let’s go inside and discuss this plan of yours,” she said.
“I just hope that it works.”
“It will, it has to.”
***
NASHVILLE: The Southern Comfort Hotel
“Dad, we’ve got them. Our men spotted Sydney and Broots at an airfield about fifty miles south of here this morning. The missing sweeper, Sam, was with them. I swear am going to put a bullet between his eyes in return for his betrayal,” Lyle added as he placed a loaded clip into his gun and locked it in place.
“Lyle, the last thing I am worried about is a renegade sweeper. I want them all dead. No loose ends, no mistakes, no excuses. And if my ‘dead’ wife is there, kill her too.”
Lyle gave Mr. Parker a startled glance. “Dad, are you telling me that Catherine Parker is alive?”
“I have suspected it for many years. She has been hiding from us for a very long time, I can only assume that Jarod located her somehow and then used that knowledge to persuade my daughter to turn against me.”
Lyle returned his 9mm to his shoulder holster and slipped into his suit jacket. “It really is a shame that I have to kill Miss Parker. She is a very beautiful woman,” he shook his head and smiled.
Mr. Parker stood up from his desk and walked toward the door of the hotel room. He paused just long enough to slap his son on the back so hard that it nearly knocked him off his feet. He chuckled softly, “Lyle, she despises you. Make a move on her and I can guarantee you that she will make damn sure it will be you last.”
Lyle shrugged his shoulders and followed his father out of the room. Oh, but it would be worth it, he thought to himself.
Mr. Parker boarded the first of the three waiting Centre helicopters. Lyle followed him and took his seat next to the pilot. As the helicopters lifted off, no one noticed the figure standing just beyond the airfield near the main hangar.
Jack Stevens waited until they disappeared over the trees then ran inside to the radio. “Jarod, this is Jack, are you out there?”
“We’re here, Jack. What do you have for us?”
“Three choppers, at least twelve armed men, Mr. Parker, Mr. Lyle and Mr. Raines. I think we just hit the jackpot, buddy.”
Jarod’s voice came back over the mike, “Are you ready to go there?”
“All set. Just give me the signal.”
“10-4, Jack. We will be expecting our guests very shortly then. I just hope we are ready for them.”
“I will be standing by, Jarod. Just say when.”
“Thanks, Jack. Keep your fingers crossed. Jarod, out.”
Jarod turned away from the radio and gave a single nod to Sam, who then went to signal the others. He hoped his calculations were correct on the time it would take for the enemy to reach them. One variation from the plan could spell disaster for all of them.
Miss Parker came into the house and smiled as she witnessed the genius at work. Jarod was so deep in thought that he didn’t even hear her enter. She stood silently with her arms folded until he finally looked up and noticed her. Then she shook her head, “Now I know we are in trouble. I have been standing here for a full three minutes, Jarod. If I were Lyle, you would be dead.”
Jarod gave her a sheepish grin as he stood and walked toward her. “Sorry, I guess I slipped into simulation mode. I was going over every possible scenario of my plan. I have to admit, I am scared. There are just too many variables, to many things that could go wrong. If anyone gets hurt...or worse tonight, I will never be able to forgive myself.”
Miss Parker took him into her arms and kissed him lightly, “Jarod, I love you. And those people out there love you too. They know that, whatever happens tonight, we are in this together and we must fight if we are ever to be free of the Centre and the darkness that has kept all of us prisoner for so long. There is a risk, but we are all willing to take it.”
Jarod held her for a moment longer then released her reluctantly. “I love you, Maddie. No matter what happens, always remember that.”
“I hope you are not planning to do anything crazy, Jarod. I am warning you now, pull one of your hero moves to save the rest of us and get yourself killed, I will never forgive you.”
Jarod smiled, “I will remember that, but you don’t have to worry. I have way too much to lose now. I won’t take any risks that are not absolutely necessary.”
“That’s what worries me,” she frowned.
Jarod kissed her and together they walked out of the house. “Go, now. Your mother will need your help. We don’t have much time. They should be coming over that mountain in approximately ten minutes.”
As they went their separate ways, Jarod toward the lake and Miss Parker into the woods, neither could resist a look back in the other’s direction. With a smile of reassurance, Jarod waved goodbye and Miss Parker’s eyes filled with tears as an overwhelming sense of impending doom washed over her. It took everything she had to keep from going after Jarod. Somehow, she managed to continue along her path and into the relative safety of the woods.
Jarod reached the docks a few minutes before the first helicopter appeared followed by the other two. He waited for them to reach the clearing. Removing the compact mirror from his pocket, he signaled Sydney and Sam to move. Then staying hidden in the brush along the lake, he circled around to the other side of the clearing. Placing the enemy between himself and the house, as he waited patiently for them to exit all three helicopters.
Just as expected, they left only one guard with their mode of transportation. Jarod smiled with relief as he ran across the open ground to his targets. Quickly placing the explosives on the underside of each helicopter, he ran back to the safety of the underbrush.
Taking a deep breath, he ran back around to the lake’s edge just in time to see the enemy entering the house. Finding the cabin empty, they soon congregated outside with Mr. Parker ordering his men out in different directions while he, Lyle and Raines remained at the house.
So far, everything was running like clockwork. Jarod was amazed at how predictable they actually were. The only one he really worried about was Lyle. He was a wild card. A time bomb just waiting to go off and that was one of the biggest variables in his plan. There was no predicting what that psychotic lunatic would do when cornered.
As a pair of sweepers approached him, Jarod pulled his gun and with a steady hand, he took hold of a rope that was looped up and over the tree branch above him. He waited until they were almost into position then stood up and moved out into the open.
“Hey guys, lookin’ for me?” he asked with his eyebrows raised.
The two men were taken by surprise, which is what Jarod had been counting on. As soon as they raised their guns and moved toward him, Jarod sprung the trap. Pulling the rope, the ground under the sweepers opened up and swallowed them without a sound.
Looking over the edge of the hole, which measured precisely twelve and a half feet deep by six feet in diameter, Jarod laughed at the sight of the two men. They were both out cold. Quickly, he lowered the carefully constructed cover which was insulated to reduce sound if they should come to and start calling for help, while still allowing them enough air to breath. The cover was also nearly invisible to anyone who didn’t know it was there. It appeared to be just an extension of the nearby docks.
Jarod then went to join Sydney for the next phase of the plan. With a little luck, things would fall into place just as he had planned and they would finally be free.
Miss Parker and Catherine were hidden in the woods just north of the house. They waited in complete silence, both afraid to utter a word for fear of giving away their location. Using hand-signals, Miss Parker told her mother to get ready as the three sweepers drew closer.
As soon as they were in position, she lowered her hand in a ‘chopping’ motion. Catherine raised the ax and brought it down on the taut rope. As the rope severed, a heavily weighted fishing net dropped over the three men.
Before they could utter a word, Miss Parker was standing over them with her gun in hand. “Okay, guys. Hand them over. Do not make me angry. I would really hate to have your deaths on my conscience.”
Catherine rushed in and gathered their guns. “Very nice, Madeline, I shall have to thank Jarod. I haven’t had this much fun in years.”
“Just wait until the real fireworks begin,” Miss Parker smiled.
It had only taken eight minutes to capture and subdue all the sweepers leaving Mr. Parker, Lyle, and Raines very vulnerable, and totally unaware of the fact. Mr. Parker paced impatiently while Mr. Raines sat down on the steps. He was wheezing uncontrollably and mumbling something to himself.
Lyle noticed that none of the men had returned and that made him nervous. “Something is wrong, Dad.”
Mr. Parker stopped pacing and listened. The only sound that could be heard was the birds singing in the trees. “Lyle go find out what is going on,” he ordered as he pulled his own gun and started walking away from the house in the direction of the lake. Lyle headed for the woods just north of the house with his gun lowered slightly toward the ground.
As he walked, Mr. Parker noticed footprints and followed them to where they abruptly ended near the boat dock. “What the hell is going on here?”
“I would be happy to answer that question for you,” Jarod said as he emerged from the brush behind Mr. Parker. “That is, just as soon as you drop your weapon.”
Turning, Mr. Parker saw Jarod and bowed his head slightly, laughing to himself. “I should really learn to stop underestimating you, Jarod.”
“I would rather you just leave me alone. I will never return to the Centre. I will die first.”
“It really is a shame that we can no longer control you. Now we have no reason to let you live. You are a security risk, Jarod. The Triumvirate has given orders to eliminate you and the rest of your renegades. Including my daughter,” Mr. Parker sat down on the edge of the dock. He laughed as he heard the men beneath him calling for help. “Very clever, Jarod. Very clever indeed.”
Jarod’s eyes narrowed, he suddenly realized that Lyle was nowhere to be seen. “Where is your psychotic son?”
“Who knows? I really could care less he is useless, an imbecile.”
“You do not know your boy very well, Mr. Parker. Are you totally unaware of the unspeakable things he has done? He tortured and murdered innocent Asian women, six that we know of, probably more.”
Mr. Parker glanced up at the Pretender and shook his head, “You are lying. Lyle could never do those things. For one thing, he is too weak and a coward.”
“You are right, he is weak and he is a coward. That is why he preys on women. He relishes the feeling of power that it gives him. He thrives on the terror of his victims. Their screams feed his ego like raw meat to a starving beast. You created a bloodthirsty monster, Mr. Parker? Oh you had help. Raines is the original monster, he trained Lyle, fed him full of hate and slowly drained him of any humanity he might have had. Raines tried to do the same to Kyle, but my brother was stronger. He resisted his conditioning.”
Mr. Parker had bowed his head and fallen into total silence as Jarod spoke. The older man knew that Jarod was telling him the truth. Jarod knew what Lyle had done because he was able to ‘become’ him, to get into his head. “I had no idea that he was so out of control.”
“You created him, Mr. Parker. You know what he was capable of,” Jarod shouted.
“I had feared that Raines’ influence would corrupt him, but the Triumvirate insisted that he be trained by Raines. They wanted a man with the instinct of a killer. He was to be used as an assassin.”
“Instead, you ended up with a homicidal maniac who killed his best friend when he was just a boy. He used the body to fake his own death and frame his foster father for his murder,” Jarod said. This happened following a visit from Mr. Raines. I would say that Raines controls him more than you realize.”
Mr. Parker nodded, “I fear that you are right.”
“Get up. Lyle is out there and I am going to stop him once and for all.”
“Jarod, he is going after my daughter.”
“Madeline is not your daughter,” Jarod hissed.
Mr. Parker grimaced, “I know, and so does he.”
“What are you saying?” Jarod asked as he pushed the chairman along the path toward the house.
“He is obsessed with her.”
Jarod’s eyes flashed in sudden understanding. “Move, now.”
Miss Parker and Catherine fell into total silence the second they heard him coming. With her gun ready, Miss Parker waited for Lyle to appear. He was close.
Catherine lay on the ground two yards to her daughter’s right and watched nervously. It both frightened and amazed her witnessing first-hand what her little girl had become and what she was truly capable of. The Centre had trained her well, a beautiful weapon to wield against their enemy. What they had not counted on though, was her heart and her iron will.
Miss Parker rolled onto her back when she heard a noise from behind but she was too late. Lyle was on top of her before she could raise her gun.
He pinned her hands above her head and smiled maliciously, “Hello, Sis. So nice to see you again.”
“I am not your sister, Lyle, and you know it,” Miss Parker hissed. “Now get the hell off me.”
Catherine knew she had to do something and fast. She waited until Lyle’s attention was totally on her daughter, then she rushed him.
Lyle smiled as Catherine flew at him, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Catherine.” He nodded toward his gun, the barrel of which was pressed into her daughter’s neck. “It will either kill her or cripple her, makes no difference to me.”
Catherine froze in place not daring to breathe. “Please, don’t hurt her. I just found her, please.”
“Heartwarming plea Mrs. Parker. I almost sympathize...almost.”
Miss Parker tried to move but Lyle had her pinned to the ground with his body. “Lyle, what the hell do you want?”
Lyle’s eyes drifted back to her as he raised his eyebrows. “I want you, Miss Parker,” he said as he slid his free hand along her cheek and neck. When he lowered his head and kissed her she bit his bottom lip.
He yelped in surprise as he touched his fingers to his lip. They came away covered in blood. “Bitch,” he growled as he hit her repeatedly until she was unconscious. “You had your chance, now I am going to kill you. We could have been so good together.”
A flash of movement to the left caught Lyle’s attention. Angelo flew at him with a speed that left no time to react. “Kill you, you hurt sister,” Angelo screamed.
Lyle was knocked off Miss Parker and hit the ground. “You are going to pay for that, freak,” Lyle smirked.
Catherine ran to her daughter’s side, her eyes filled with tears. “Madeline. Oh God, please, save my children,” she whispered as she watched her son risking his life to save them.
Angelo smiled at Lyle, “Angelo stop you, can’t hurt my family.”
“Wrong,” Lyle said as he raised his gun to fire a bullet into Angelo’s heart. “Time for you to die, you little freak.”
“Wrong,” came a voice from behind. Jarod approached them with his 9mm trained on Lyle. “It’s over Lyle drop it. You can’t win.”
“Jarod, so nice of you to drop by. You are just in time to watch me kill your friend here. Then I am going to take my prize and walk out of here,” he motioned toward where Miss Parker lay still and silent on the ground. Her mother was rocking her gently in her lap.
“Over my dead body,” Jarod hissed.
“So be it,” Lyle shrugged as he revealed a second gun and aimed it at Jarod. “Good bye, Jarod. It has been a great ride.”
Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Lyle pulled the trigger. Jarod dove to the ground and rolled firing his gun at the same instant. A second and a third shot followed his almost immediately. Miss Parker’s hands trembled as her gun slipped from her grasp. Sydney approached Lyle and nodded. He was dead. There were three bullet holes, one was in his chest. The other two, directly between the eyes, and he did not have to be a genius to figure out from which guns those two shots had come.
Jarod stood and stumbled to Miss Parker’s side. He gathered her into his arms and held her, “Maddie, are you all right? I am so sorry I didn’t get here sooner.”
She managed a weak smile although her lip was bleeding and her cheek was badly bruised, “I’m fine Jarod.”
Angelo dropped to the ground next to his friend, “Sister safe now.”
“Thank you, Angelo,” Miss Parker took hold of his hand. “You are my hero.”
Angelo blushed as he shook his head, “No, Angelo not hero.”
Jarod hugged him, “Yes, Angelo. You saved her.”
“Thumbless man dead? Can’t hurt family now,” Angelo nodded.
Sydney turned to Jarod and asked, “Where are Mr. Parker and Mr. Raines?”
Jarod gave him an amused grin, “I locked them in the woodshed and I radioed Jack, the police and the FBI should be here very soon.”
“So it’s over?” Miss Parker asked.
“It’s over,” Jarod smiled as he leaned over and kissed her.
“Thank God,” Catherine sighed as Sydney gathered her into his arms.
“Amen,” Sydney nodded.
Within hours, the lake cabin was crawling with FBI agents as one by one the sweepers were arrested with the exception of Sam. Mr. Parker had all ready been taken away in a police helicopter with the body of his dead son. There had been grief in his eyes but not for Lyle. The grief was only for himself and the fact that his tyranny had ended.
“I will be back before you know it, Maddie. Take care of your mom and I will see you soon.”
“Jarod, why do you have to go with them?” Miss Parker asked as he held her.
“I have to go. They need my help in locating the families of the children still held in the Centre. They are also going to help me find my family.”
“I am happy for you, Jarod,” Sydney smiled and embraced him.
“Thank you Sydney, for everything,” Jarod nodded then turned his attention back to Miss Parker. “I love you, Maddie and I can’t wait to marry you. Plan our wedding and when I get back I will have my family with me.”
“Be careful Jarod,” Miss Parker kissed him.
“I will,” Jarod said as he turned to the agents and gave a nod to let them know that he was ready to leave.
The agents led Jarod to the clearing where he boarded a helicopter. He waited in the copilot seat while they loaded Mr. Raines and his oxygen tank into the back. He was not exactly comfortable with the idea of being in the same helicopter with the man.
The pilot climbed into his seat and shortly after, they lifted off. Just as they flew out over the water, Jarod heard a commotion in the back and turned just in time to see Mr. Raines opening the valve on his oxygen tank. Then with a malicious smile he reached up and pulled loose a hand-full of wiring causing a shower of sparks. A split second later a ball of fire filled the sky.
“Oh my God, no,” Sydney gasped.
“Oh God, Jarod,” Miss Parker screamed as she ran toward the lake. “No, Jarod. Please no.” She hit the water and started swimming, burning debris rained down all around her.
As she swam, she noticed a body, covered in blood and floating face down in the water. Swimming faster, she recognized Raines. When she rolled him over she checked to make sure he was dead. Somehow she knew that he was responsible for the explosion.
“Raines, you are lucky you are already dead. I could kill you with my bare hands right now,” Miss Parker hissed. Then she released him and searched the area around her. “Jarod, don’t leave me now, I need you,” she whispered.
Diving several times and staying down until her lungs cried out for oxygen, she searched the bottom of the lake. There was no sign of Jarod though she found the bodies of the pilot and the FBI agents. Panic filled her heart as she desperately searched for him.
Then suddenly she spotted something black near a floating piece of wreckage. “Jarod,” she called out. “I’m coming, Jarod. Just hold on.”
Jarod heard her. His vision was blurred and his head felt like it was split in two. There was a constant ringing in his ears but somehow he heard her. He heard Madeline calling to him. Struggling to remain conscious, he hoped that his imagination wasn’t playing tricks on him.
Miss Parker swam as fast as she could even though her arms and legs were cramping and they felt like dead weights. Finally her left hand brushed his jacket and she grabbed for it.
“Jarod, talk to me. Please be alive,” she said as she pulled back on his coat and he came loose from the twisted piece of metal he had been clinging to. “Jarod, open your eyes, breath. Don’t die on me.”
Jarod managed a painful smile as he forced open his eyes. “Hi,” he gasped.
Miss Parker smiled as she pulled him close to her and kissed him, “Jarod, why do you insist on playing hero?”
“It’s...a living,” Jarod laughed then grimaced in pain.
“You need a hobby,” Miss Parker said as she positioned herself behind him and started to swim to shore towing him along behind her.
A boat approached a few minutes later. Sydney and two other men leaned over the side and carefully lifted them out of the water. Miss Parker was exhausted. She knelt beside Jarod as the boat moved through the water toward the shore.
Within minutes, they were in a medic helicopter and heading for the nearest hospital. Miss Parker never left his side. She held his hand until the moment they took him into surgery and even then they had to literally tear her away.
Sydney and Catherine arrived a few minutes later followed by Broots and Angelo. Time seemed to drag on forever as they waited for news.
Miss Parker sat on the sofa in the waiting room with her knees pulled up to her chest. Catherine and Sydney sat next to her.
It was nearly midnight, when the doctor finally came into the waiting room and approached Miss Parker. He took hold of her hand and smiled, “Jarod has a few broken ribs, a concussion, a dislocated shoulder, and a broken arm. All in all, I can say that he is a very lucky man. You can see him now, he is asking for you. He is in room 310 down the hall.”
Miss Parker’s face lit up as she hugged the doctor, “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
She ran down the hallway to room 310. Pushing open the door, she entered to find him smiling at her from his hospital bed. He was hooked up to several machines but he was alive.
“Hi,” he said.
“Hi, yourself.”
“How do I look?”
“Like hell.”
“Thanks a lot.”
“You’re welcome,” she said as she moved closer to his bedside.
“Thank you for saving my life. I guess that makes you the hero.”
“No, that’s your job.”
“I guess I should start looking for that hobby you mentioned. Got any ideas?”
Miss Parker’s eyes filled with mischief as she bent down and kissed him. “Oh, I have a few ideas,” she smiled and kissed him again.
“I don’t know, Maddie. Hobbies like that can be very dangerous.”
“I’m counting on it,” she whispered huskily.
Jarod raised both eyebrows and grinned. “Life with you will never be boring will it.”
“Never.”
“I can live with that,” Jarod grinned as he pulled her closer for another kiss.
****
MIRROR LAKE: Two years later
“Jarod, we have to get up. They will be here soon and I still have to shower, get the kids and myself dressed and fix breakfast.”
“That can wait, my love. I want just a few more minutes alone with my beautiful wife before we are invaded by family,” Jarod grinned as he kissed her deeply.
“I suppose a few more minutes wouldn’t hurt,” she surrendered as his lips brushed her bare shoulder.
Their few minutes was cut short as the unmistakable howls of their hungry twins resonated through the entire house.
“So much for that, “ Jarod chuckled.
“So much for my shower,” Miss Parker shrugged as she rolled out of bed and placed her feet on the floor.
“You go ahead, I will take care of the kids,” Jarod smiled.
“I knew there was a reason I married you,” she leaned over and kissed him before darting into the bathroom and closing the door.
Jarod slid out of bed and wandered across the hallway and into the nursery. “Hey, there. What’s all this fussing about?” He laughed softly, the sound of his voice halting their crying instantly. “You guys hungry, I know I am,” he said as he lifted his son and daughter from their cribs.
He carried them downstairs and placed them in their highchairs. Then went about fixing breakfast for them. “What’ll it be? Steak and eggs or baby cereal?” He kissed them both on the tops of their fuzzy little heads and grinned, “Baby cereal it is,” he said as he went to the refrigerator and pulled out the milk.
Miss Parker came downstairs a few minutes later to find her children and her husband covered from head to toe in white goo. She could not hold back her laughter as she took in the sight before her. “I can’t leave you three alone for one minute. Kyle, Katie, did you do that to your daddy?”
Both children looked up at her and giggled.
“I thought so,” she laughed. “Jarod, I will take over from here. You go take a shower.”
Jarod whined, “But we were having so much fun.”
“Go, now,” she laughed and kissed him.
“Oh, all right,” he smiled then ran up the stairs taking them two at a time.
Miss Parker shook her head as she washed up the twins. “I swear, I don’t know what I am going to do with that daddy of yours,” she smiled.
She barely had time to clean up and dress the kids and herself before the doorbell rang. She placed Kyle and Katie in their playpen and headed for the door. Jarod met her at the bottom of the stairs and they opened the front door together.
Sydney and Catherine entered the house and hugged their daughter, “Madeline, you are still the most beautiful daughter in the world,” Catherine laughed and kissed her cheek. “Now where are my grandchildren,” she said as she headed for the living room, pausing only to hug Jarod.
Sydney followed suit, as he too could not wait to see Kyle and Katie. “Hello you two, you are looking well,” he said as he passed them on his way to the living room.
“Hi Jarod, hi Sis,” Angelo said and hugged them both then followed Catherine and Sydney.
“Well, I guess we know where we stand, Maddie,” Jarod chuckled as he wrapped his arms around his wife from behind.
“Grandparents,” Miss Parker shook her head, rolling her eyes and smiling.
“Well, here comes the other grandparents now,” Jarod said as he released Miss Parker and opened the door.
“Mom, Dad,” he met them on the porch with open arms.
“Jarod, I am so sorry we are late,” Margaret said as she hugged her son. “Your father had to stop and pick up more presents for the kids.”
Charles glanced at his wife in confusion. “I had to stop for more presents?” he smiled as he embraced Jarod and whispered, “It was actually her idea. Hers and your sister’s.”
Jarod threw an arm over his dad’s shoulder and grinned secretively, “Now come on, Dad. I know you better than that. You can tell me the truth.”
Charles shrugged his shoulders and nodded, “Okay, okay, you got me.”
“I thought so. Where’s Josh, didn’t he come with you?” Jarod asked.
“He will be here shortly, he is talking to Jack down by the docks. He has his pilot’s license now so all he thinks about is flying. He wants to buy one of Jacks old planes and fix it up. Your mother is dead-set against it of course.”
“Hey, Sis, you look beautiful as usual,” Jarod said as he turned to help her up the steps.
“And you are a liar as usual, big brother,” Emily laughed as she gently patted her protruding middle. “I look like a beached whale.”
“Well, isn’t that what every pregnant woman looks like when she is eight months pregnant.”
Miss Parker came out of the house to hug her sister-in-law, “You look beautiful, Emily.” And then to Jarod she glared playfully, “Don’t think that I didn’t hear that last comment, mister. I did not look like a beached whale...elephant maybe...but definitely not a beached whale.”
Jarod raised his hands in surrender, “Hey, don’t get mad at me. She said it, I didn’t. I only said that...”
“I think you had better quit before you dig that hole any deeper, darling,” Miss Parker kissed him quickly then together, she and Emily went inside.
Broots came up behind Jarod with Debbie, “Is she getting you in trouble again, Jarod?”
“Isn’t that what little sister’s are supposed to do,” Jarod chuckled as he shook hands with his friend.
“Hi Uncle Jarod,” Debbie smiled.
“Hello Debbie,” he hugged her. “You are growing up way to fast. Your mom and dad are going to have to beat the boys off with a stick.”
“Baseball bat, actually,” Broots frowned as he looked at his daughter.
“Oh Dad,” Debbie complained, but her eyes were focused on Josh as he bounded up the path toward them.
“Hey, Jarod,” Josh laughed as he hugged his older brother.
“Josh,” Jarod smiled. “It’s good to see you. How is school going?”
“Great, except for one class. I just cannot get into Shakespeare.”
Jarod laughed, “I know what you mean.”
Debbie stepped forward and smiled as Josh took her hand. “I am dying to see the babies, let’s go inside.”
“All right,” Josh grinned.
Broots shook his head, “You know, Jarod. It is a good thing he is so much like you or I would be beating him off with that baseball bat too.”
Jarod nodded, “Well, Broots, just think. In another month, you will have a bouncing baby boy. I hear they are much easier to raise than girls.”
Broots laughed heartily as he slapped Jarod on the back, “My friend, you have been misled.”
Jarod and Broots went into the house and closed the door behind them. And above the door hung a wooden sign. Painted on it, in fancy script, were the words ‘Lost & Found’ and below them a poem.
If ever you are lost
Alone in the world
Never give up
And never let go
Love will find you
And guide you home
