"Please finish your packing so we can leave."
Chris picked up a stack of folded jeans and placed them in the already
bulging suitcase.
"No, in fact I'm having second thoughts about leaving at all. Why
should I?"
Mary retrieved a stack of underwear from the suitcase, and placed
it in an open bureau drawer.
"Well you wouldn't have to if you hadn't insisted on writing that
expose on how the Crucifix gangs are receiving stolen guns."
"The people need to know."
"I didn't say they didn't need to know; it's just that now your safety
is at stake. They probably know where you live and if they don't, they
will find out..."
Before he could finish Mary interrupted with "I can take care of myself."
She picked up a small zipper pouch full of make-up from the bed and
made her way to the bathroom.
Chris moved to the open bureau drawer and replaced the underwear stack
in the suitcase.
"I know you can take care of yourself under normal circumstances but
these are not normal circumstances. These people want you out of the
way so you can't testify next week. They will do everything in their
power to make that happen." This last statement had come out a little
louder than he had wanted and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Mary exited the bathroom and picked up her jacket on the bed and made
her way to the closet to hang it up.
"Do you forget I live in a secure building, guard on duty at all times,
surveillance cameras? And I don't have to worry about Billy since I sent
him to his grandparents' last week."
Chris's voice wafted out of the bathroom, "Did you hear what I just
said? These people will hurt you. What do you think that little weasel,
Sly Rivera was doing here yesterday lurking around the hallway? He got
past all your security! He probably was checking out this building, looking
for you!" Mary turned away from the closet and glanced around the room.
Chris threw the make-up bag back into the open suitcase.
"JD told me he was here casing the building to rob later."
"Well, that's what we though at first, but when we looked further
into Sly's record we found ties to gang activity."
Chris knew this wasn't a truthful statement. Even though Sly was a
two-bit burglar and sometime informer, he had managed to steer clear
of gang involvement. But since the statement seemed to get Mary's attention,
he embellished the statement a little further.
"Yes, he's been involved in gang activity for a long time and is suspected
of being present last year in the shooting of Judge Brawn. But that's
not the point; the point is that he made it into the building. If he
can make it in here, anyone can."
Chris moved to the open closet door and pulled the jacket from the
hanger and threw it back on the bed next to the suitcase.
All Mary got out was a small "Oh."
She looked from the suitcase to the bureau to the bathroom and back
at the suitcase and frowned.
"You'll be much safer out at the ranch. It will only be until the
trial is finished. The federal prosecutor seems to think the trial won't
take long. Either I or one of the boys will be with you at all times
and drive you back and forth to the trial. Ready to go now?"
"You're sure I won't be to much of a bother?"
"No, Mary you won't be to much of a bother. I'd like you to see the
ranch. You can go riding, read, go swimming down at the river and relax.
I promise it won't be too bad. Better than a stuffy hotel room."
Mary looked around the room and walked to the night stand and threw
a thick paperback onto the pile in the suitcase. She then attempted to
close the lid and lock it down, but the suitcase was too full.
Chris stood next to Mary and pressed both hands down on the stubborn
suitcase lid until Mary managed to get the locks shut.
"Thanks."
Chris grabbed the suitcase from the bed. "You're welcome. Can we go
now?"
"Would you please get my laptop and briefcase next to the desk in
the living room?"
Chris went to the desk and picked up the laptop and briefcase, then
stood waiting for Mary. He began to tap his foot.
"Mary are you coming?" Desperation could be heard in every word.
Hearing no answer, he walked back into the bedroom and saw Mary digging
in a bureau drawer. Mary looked up. "If I' m going to ride I need my
boot socks." She held up a thick pair of brown flecked socks.
Chris dropped the suitcase, laptop and briefcase on the bed.
Mary cheerfully popped the locks on the suitcase and the lid flew
up. She stuffed the socks in a corner and attempted once again to close
the lid.
"I'll get it." Chris slapped the lid shut and leaned on the top until
he managed to get the locks in place once again.
Mary picked up her shoulder bag, grabbed her jacket and a clothes
bag holding her court clothes, and quickly scanned the room and then
moved in the direction of the front door.
Chris walked behind her, herding her along, and just when he thought
that they would actually make it out the door...
"I forgot my boots."
"What?"
"I forgot my cowboy boots. I need them to ride." She turned as if
to reenter the apartment.
"No, you stay right here and I'll get the boots."
He blocked the doorway with the suitcase, laptop and briefcase, making
it very hard for Mary to even think about reentering the apartment.
"Don't you want to know where they are?"
Chris turned, already halfway across the living room, and waited for
her to tell him.
"Bedroom, on the floor."
He retrieved the boots in record time, got the suitcase, laptop, and
briefcase all in hand and, with relief, shut the door. He reached back
to make sure the door locked and, with Mary leading the way, made it
to the elevator.
Thankfully the elevator did not take long in arriving. They piled
in and Mary pushed the button for the parking garage.
"I ..."
"No."
Mary looked at him and frowned.
"But I didn't say anything."
"You were going to say you forgot something and you needed to go back
to the apartment, and I said 'no.'"
"You're wrong.........I was not going to say anything like that."
Her eyes became little slits and her mouth began to form a grim line.
Chris eyed her and sighed. It had been a hard week on her and even
harder days were ahead with the trial and testifying. Besides, he did
not want to begin her stay with him on the wrong foot.
"I'm sorry for interrupting. What were you going to say?"
The elevator came to a halt.
They began to haul the gear to the waiting black Dodge Ram.
"I was going to say it's very nice of you to let me stay out at the
ranch and I wanted to say thank you for helping me pack." There followed
a moment of silence and then she continued. " I didn't know I would be
causing so much trouble when I wrote those articles." Her voice trailed
off and she looked out into the darkening garage.
He put down his load and searched his pants pockets for the key and
when he found it beeped the door locks open.
"It's going to be okay, Mary. I won't let anything happen to you."
Mary stopped staring out into the garage and focused on the man in
front of her who at the moment was looking rather intently at her.
"I know."
He flashed a quick smile at her and then proceeded to open the passenger
door and shove the seat forward. He heaved the suitcase, laptop and briefcase
into the backseat of the Ram, then took the clothes bag and jacket from
Mary and placed them in the back along side the suitcase. He shoved the
front seat back into its upright position and held the door open for
her. She stepped up into the truck and belted herself in.
With that, he shut the door and walked around to the driver's side
and got in. He started the engine and sighed as they finally made their
way out to the street.
The End
