"Where are we going?" She asked.
"I called a friend. We're going to Nantasket, to his beach house rental. His name is Raymond Smith, and I work with him. He offered his place tonight so we'll have a safe place to stay."
She couldn't get the vision out of her mind. "Some man stood outside the house and watched us make love. Mike, I feel violated and embarrassed. Doesn't this ordeal bother you?" She suddenly felt desperately sick to her stomach. "Mike, please pull over; I need to throw-up."
By her reaction, he knew he had to hurry. He slammed on his brakes, and the truck slid to a stop just in time. She jumped out of the truck and didn't make it ten feet before she heaved. The pain in her head only heightened every time she vomited.
"Honey, what can I do?"
She cried and threw-up at the same time, letting her emotions got the best of her. "Nothing, I'm sorry I got sick." Tears flowed uncontrollably. She knew none of this was Mike's fault. The whole thing seemed unbelievable to her. She led an ordinary life at home, and all this was more than she bargained for.
"Honey we'll stop someplace and get something in your stomach. How does that sound?"
She stood up and took a deep breath. "How far do we have to go to get to Nantasket? Maybe we can get something to eat there." She could tell they were near the water because she could hear the ocean nearby.
"It's at the tip of a peninsula—about twenty minutes away."
"Do you think what happened tonight had anything to do with the two men who delivered the wood?"
"No, it was probably a vagrant wondering around the rentals, needing a place to sleep. Three years ago, I rented my beach house to a couple while they waited to close on their new home.
One evening they called to mention a person next door. When we close for the winter the owner's cutoff trash services, and if I rent a house, I'll pick up the trash. Anyway, they noticed a lot of trash piled on the porch. The sad part, my tenants could smell it. When I called the owners, they informed me that they had not rented the house. I went next door and arrested the man. It's a possibility that's what happened this time. I'm having Quent check the other houses next door, just to be safe."
"Whatever happened to the other guy who delivered the wood?"
"What do you mean the other guy?" Mike tried not to appear shocked by the statement. His cop interrogation mode kicked in, but he would be extremely gentle with Lana.
"One of the guys you arrested was not one of the two who delivered the wood. The police officer said it was the old man's son. So, I just thought he must have two sons," she explained while holding her stomach and listening to it gurgle.
Mike tried to act cavalier about her statement. "Did you tell the police?"
"No, because they never came to talk to me, I fell asleep in the car."
"Honey, that might be who was at the house tonight."
The hurt in her stomach started acting up again when she remembered him and his
demeanor. "I'd be a little shocked if it were him." She remembered he had seemed quiet and timid. Although he had seemed gross, he had been cordial to her. He had nodded to her as she'd walked by then had looked down toward the ground. Nothing about him gave her the impression he would harm her.
"Honey I'm going to stop at that diner to something to eat." He pointed to the diner down the road. "Then we are going to talk about this."
They sat in a booth at the farthest corner. She felt better when she smelled food cooking and heard plates clattering. There were many people in the restaurant including some truck drivers who sat at the counter and watched the news on the TV. The waitress walked over holding menus. Lana ordered without looking at it, "I would like a small cheeseburger, well done, with a side of onion rings."
He ordered crab cakes with slaw. She guessed every place on the coast must have crab cakes and slaw. The waitress asked what they wanted to drink, and they both ordered tea. She wrote down their order and left while never looking up at them.
"I want to make sure I have this straight." Mike questioned, "The two men who delivered the wood are not the same two men arrested at the house?"
"That is correct."
"Also, the older man who delivered the wood told you the man in the truck was his son?"
"That is correct."
"Well the older man who delivered the wood, according to detective Quentin, only has one son, and he's the one that was arrested at the house." When he saw the look on her face, he stood up, walked around the booth and sat next to her. Then he talked softly because he didn't want anyone to overhear. "Baby this is very important, what did the guy in the truck look like? Do you remember?" Mike waved over the waitress and asked for some paper. She brought him a piece of paper and a pen.
"He had filthy hair a little below the ears, but not quite to the shoulders, and he had brown eyes—his hair was about the color of Kevin's … the police officer. He's about 5'11" and average built, not muscular and not fat. He had a small scar on his chin and a mole by his eyebrow…
um… the left one. I noticed it because the hair in the mole was black. I guess it could be a birthmark, I'm not sure. He was missing a front tooth, third from the left, or there was a gap. He had a tattoo on his hand that said Satan lives here, or something about Satan. I think he might have been missing a pinky fingernail, but I'm not sure—I didn't want to stare. I want you to know I am terrible about remembering names, but I never forget a face," she paused, trying to think of something she might have missed.
Mike's mouth dropped open in shock. "How did you get all that information from looking at him in a truck on a gloomy wet, snowy day?"
"When I brought the money to pay for the delivery, he had started unloading the truck."
"Baby, you should have told me. He could have been the guy who was there tonight. He could have come back to hurt you. If I would not have been there, God only knows what might have happened to you."
Tears welled up in Lana's eyes.
He gave her a hug. "I've got to call Quent." As Mike grabbed his phone, the waitress brought their food, so he stood up and walked to a corner to talk in private.
When Mike sat down, Lana asked, "Do you think you will get him?" She played with her food. The onion rings weren't done enough for her. She liked them almost burned.
"I know we will, so don't worry your pretty little head about that. Besides, the description you gave and all those little details should cause something to pop up on the computer. I'm starved. Your burger looks great, and it smells delicious."
She could tell he tried his best to reassure her. "I'm hungry too, so much for the steak."
They looked at each other and grinned.
It amazed her how quickly Mike could put tragedy on the top shelf. She guessed that was the cop in him.
*****
They pulled up to the rental house. The air was much colder on the peninsula. When they arrived, Raymond was inside cleaning up, turning everything on, and making the bed. Lana noticed he had a new brown Dodge Journey, so new it didn't have a license plate yet. She wondered if all Mike's team liked Dodge vehicles.
Raymond greeted them at the door when he heard them drive up.
"Hey Raymond, I do appreciate you letting us use the house. I would like for you to meet my girlfriend, Lana. Lana this is a very good friend and colleague, Raymond Smith."
"Hi, it's nice to meet you and thank you so much for allowing us to stay here." Lana noticed he seemed a little younger than Mike. He had hazel eyes and was about six feet tall with sandy blonde hair. His frame was small but well-built.
When Mike introduced her as his girlfriend Raymond looked bewildered, but he didn't say anything. He knew when to ask questions and now wasn't the best time. "It's nice to meet you too. I'm sorry to hear about your troubles." He glanced quickly at Mike. He knew he could see in his eyes if there might be a problem. The look in Mike's eyes told him the answer—yes. He would call Mike later to get the scoop. "I'm going to head home if you don't think you'll need anything else. My wife sent some coffee, sugar and cream for morning."
"I don't think we need anything else. Thank you so much for giving us a place to stay," said Mike.
"No problem and if you need anything else just call. Good night… nice to meet you Lana."
"Same here and tell your wife thanks for the goodies."
He nodded and left.
She noticed that the house was smaller than Mike's. The colors were bright and vibrant, and she wondered if Raymond's wife had decorated the rental. This house had a lot of bright greens, blues and yellows, colors that matched the ocean and sunrise.
Exhausted, Mike turned on the TV, she snuggled in next to him, and within a few minutes they both fell asleep.