Chapter 17 -- Research and Discovery
A/N: Rating = PG-13
She can see him on the jetty where they used to go
She can feel him in the places where the sailors go
When she's walking by the river and the railway line
She can still hear him whisper
Let's go down to the waterline
Dire Straits - Down To The Waterline
Chapter 17 -- Research and Discovery
Back at the library the next day, Mara set up today's carrel with her pens and pencil...and notebook. She grinned, remembering, as she pulled the notebook out of the backpack she had borrowed from Kevin.
When she had returned to the Kuntzlers' apartment the night before, she had found both Kevin and Lara in residence. Lara had given her a conspiratorial grin and rolled her eyes. Kevin was seated on the sofa, reading a book.
He looked up from it, and mock-scowled at Mara, "Ah, the prodigal guest returns!"
Mara had flinched, not sure if he was going to lecture or tease.
Kevin's expression became rueful when he saw her reaction. "Ms. Pitts, I have a feeling I know exactly what you've been up to today. However," he eyed her small handbag, "I find myself a bit bewildered as to how on earth you're stashing any kind of decent pad to write on in that bitty purse.
She had smiled and pulled out her fistful of scratch now rather crumpled after being shoved into a purse without a lot of room.
Kevin had burst out laughing, "I can do something about that." He opened a drawer in the coffee table and pulled out a steno pad and a notebook. "Choose your weapon."
Mara had reached for the notebook and he pulled it back from her, saying, "Ah-Ah! Before I give you any encouragement in what I presume your research is, promise me you'll come to me if you do find anything that looks like a lead. I don't want to have to answer to my wife here if something untoward happens to you."
Lara had merely grinned and rolled her eyes again. She was still concerned about Mara, but saw that the other woman looked much better today. Mara still looked under slept, but there was some color in her face and her eyes didn't look as dull.
"Okay, I promise," Mara had said, annoyed with herself that she was that transparent.
Kevin picked up on that and teased, "My dear Ms. Pitts, it's not rocket science. Mr. Moretti returns to Chicago. Mrs. Kuntzler contacts you to see...if you are alright. She, in the inimitable way women have of communicating with each other, pries the necessary information out of you and invites you to come out to Chicago. You, surprisingly, at least to me, jump at the chance. The only thing that still has me a bit puzzled about all this, and what I'm concerned about is: did you come out here to kick Rafe's butt or to save it?"
"Since at the time I didn't know he was in need of saving, Mr. Kuntzler," she teased in return, "You'll have to assume the former."
"Poor Rafe," Kevin had said, half seriously.
Mara had looked away from Kevin, exasperation clear on her features, "I'm not here to 'kick Rafe's butt' as you charmingly put it." Her eyes had filled with tears. "I'm not sure why I'm here except...Maybe I'm a crazy, lonely, old fool." She abruptly sat down in the armchair next to the sofa.
"All I know is Lara invited me and here I am." She covered her face with her hands, refusing to give into tears of loss and worry. Drawing a deep breath, and swiping at her eyes with her fingertips, she said, "And there you have it. When I figure it out, I'll let you know. I may be a writer, but I'm no poet and I'm afraid and mortified to find that there's poetry involved here. I have no use for that kind of thing, usually, except to read the occasional verse, and suddenly find myself looking for the right words... and all that comes out are the most banal clichés."
She had let out a watery giggle at that and grabbed a kleenex from the box that Lara offered her and blew her nose. Kevin smiled in understanding.
After a brief moment of silence, she asked, "So do you think Rafe is in need of rescue?"
Kevin shrugged, "I really couldn't tell you. He's usually pretty good about checking in every couple of days, but it isn't unheard of for him to not touch base for four or five days."
"And?" Mara had prodded, "What now?"
"Today is day four by my reckoning," Kevin slowly replied, "That means we can officially start to worry tomorrow evening. Okay? If I don't hear from him by tomorrow afternoon, I'll check with the Chicago Police Department to start filing a missing persons report."
"Okay. I think I can live with that."
They all sat in silence for a few minutes, then Lara had said in the most prosaic way possible, "Poetry and missing persons aside, dinner'll be ready in a few minutes, so come help me set the table..."
----------------
Mara at the library, found herself tearing up again, thinking about the kindness and understanding her friends were showing. Kevin hadn't read her a riot act after all, and was showing concern about Rafe's whereabouts.
After a couple of hours of sifting through articles, she stretched and felt her spine popping. Bleary eyed, she knew she couldn't read any more for a bit. She needed a break.
She packed up her backpack and headed out to walk around the city. After about 45 minutes of wandering, she found herself in Grant Park. Feeling the lake breeze on her face she started walking more purposefully in an easterly direction.
A bit later, she found herself on the Grant Park pier, which overlooked Lake Michigan. She walked along the pier, a bit surprised at the number of larger sailboats already moored there. Brave souls going out on the Lake in the spring. Wetsuits, wind and choppy waters with whitecaps, the boaters had to have a sense of adventure.
She sat down on the pier, dangling her feet over the edge. The sound of the waves and the occasional scree of a gull flying over head helped her relax from stress she hadn't even realized she was carrying.
Looking out at the mist rising over the lake, she was able to ignore the city sounds behind her. Not quite willingly, she slid into a day dream of Rafe. She had known he would be trouble the first time she set eyes on him, but little had she suspected that trouble would bring her back to Chicago, the city she had been forced to leave abruptly and hadn't visited since.
Rafe. His grin, his sarcasm, his smirk, his sweet smile, his intelligence, his sense of humor, she could go on and on about what she liked about him. And that just barely touched the tip of the iceberg.
She shivered in the damp breeze. Rafe certainly was no iceberg, but he had...such unsuspected depths. She had enjoyed just sitting around and talking with him, knowing that she most probably wouldn't have to explain anything she said. That camaraderie, and the sex, well, that had been mind-blowing.
She smiled sadly. Even if they never got back together, she certainly had enough fuel to feed her fantasies for the rest of her life. Closing her eyes against some tears that threatened, she realized just how long that life would feel, how long and how bleak, without Rafe in it.
Mara turned her mind towards a more pleasant fantasy than imagining her future without Rafe in it. His kisses, all their contrasts, gentle, passionate, devouring, she wished she were a poet so she could encompass everything he had made her feel with just the touch of his lips. She drifted in her mind imagining his kisses.
A particularly loud screech from a gull almost covered the sound of a footstep too near her for comfort, brought her out of her daydream. Her eyes snapped open and she looked around.
A man was standing to her left, not more than two yards away, apparently admiring the view of the Lake. She turned away to enjoy the view of the lake as well, mildly annoyed that out of all the many yards of lakefront pier, this person decided to stand so close. Oh, well, city folk were used to less space around them, so he probably didn't think he was in her space. But it felt like it to her.
The man sat down, drawing Mara's attention. She saw that he had moved even closer, and began to get perturbed. It was time to get back to the library anyway, so it was fortuitous that this stranger was invading her space.
"You're Mara Pitts," said the man with no doubt in his voice.
Mara twisted herself to look at him in shock, neither confirming nor denying. Though with the way he had said it, she was almost certain he knew who she was.
"Do I know you?" she quavered, her voice cracking in startled surprise.
"Nope. I do know someone that you're probably looking for, at least if your research at the Library was any indication."
She gasped. The man had evidently been following her, and she hadn't even noticed. She looked out at the Lake again, this time fighting tears. "Rafe," she murmured.
"That would be him."
"Where is he? Is he alive? What's going on? DO you know where he IS?" her voice rose with each question.
"Shh shh, keep it down. No need to announce our business to the whole park. In fact, it would probably be in your best interest not to attract any attention."
She looked at the man again, really seeing him. "Where is he?" she demanded in an undervoice.
"He's currently a guest of my boss."
"Can I see him? Take me to him. Now." she grated out, starting to shake with fear and adrenaline.
"As a matter of fact, I was hoping you would say that. Come with me."
Mara swallowed and stood up. The man took her arm, and started walking westward away from the lake. She was tempted to yank her arm away from him, but he didn't have a hostile grip on her upper arm, so she followed along.
'Like a sheep being led to the slaughter. Hell's Bells, Mara, what have you gotten yourself into now?' she thought.
She can see him on the jetty where they used to go
She can feel him in the places where the sailors go
When she's walking by the river and the railway line
She can still hear him whisper
Let's go down to the waterline
Dire Straits - Down To The Waterline
Chapter 17 -- Research and Discovery
Back at the library the next day, Mara set up today's carrel with her pens and pencil...and notebook. She grinned, remembering, as she pulled the notebook out of the backpack she had borrowed from Kevin.
When she had returned to the Kuntzlers' apartment the night before, she had found both Kevin and Lara in residence. Lara had given her a conspiratorial grin and rolled her eyes. Kevin was seated on the sofa, reading a book.
He looked up from it, and mock-scowled at Mara, "Ah, the prodigal guest returns!"
Mara had flinched, not sure if he was going to lecture or tease.
Kevin's expression became rueful when he saw her reaction. "Ms. Pitts, I have a feeling I know exactly what you've been up to today. However," he eyed her small handbag, "I find myself a bit bewildered as to how on earth you're stashing any kind of decent pad to write on in that bitty purse.
She had smiled and pulled out her fistful of scratch now rather crumpled after being shoved into a purse without a lot of room.
Kevin had burst out laughing, "I can do something about that." He opened a drawer in the coffee table and pulled out a steno pad and a notebook. "Choose your weapon."
Mara had reached for the notebook and he pulled it back from her, saying, "Ah-Ah! Before I give you any encouragement in what I presume your research is, promise me you'll come to me if you do find anything that looks like a lead. I don't want to have to answer to my wife here if something untoward happens to you."
Lara had merely grinned and rolled her eyes again. She was still concerned about Mara, but saw that the other woman looked much better today. Mara still looked under slept, but there was some color in her face and her eyes didn't look as dull.
"Okay, I promise," Mara had said, annoyed with herself that she was that transparent.
Kevin picked up on that and teased, "My dear Ms. Pitts, it's not rocket science. Mr. Moretti returns to Chicago. Mrs. Kuntzler contacts you to see...if you are alright. She, in the inimitable way women have of communicating with each other, pries the necessary information out of you and invites you to come out to Chicago. You, surprisingly, at least to me, jump at the chance. The only thing that still has me a bit puzzled about all this, and what I'm concerned about is: did you come out here to kick Rafe's butt or to save it?"
"Since at the time I didn't know he was in need of saving, Mr. Kuntzler," she teased in return, "You'll have to assume the former."
"Poor Rafe," Kevin had said, half seriously.
Mara had looked away from Kevin, exasperation clear on her features, "I'm not here to 'kick Rafe's butt' as you charmingly put it." Her eyes had filled with tears. "I'm not sure why I'm here except...Maybe I'm a crazy, lonely, old fool." She abruptly sat down in the armchair next to the sofa.
"All I know is Lara invited me and here I am." She covered her face with her hands, refusing to give into tears of loss and worry. Drawing a deep breath, and swiping at her eyes with her fingertips, she said, "And there you have it. When I figure it out, I'll let you know. I may be a writer, but I'm no poet and I'm afraid and mortified to find that there's poetry involved here. I have no use for that kind of thing, usually, except to read the occasional verse, and suddenly find myself looking for the right words... and all that comes out are the most banal clichés."
She had let out a watery giggle at that and grabbed a kleenex from the box that Lara offered her and blew her nose. Kevin smiled in understanding.
After a brief moment of silence, she asked, "So do you think Rafe is in need of rescue?"
Kevin shrugged, "I really couldn't tell you. He's usually pretty good about checking in every couple of days, but it isn't unheard of for him to not touch base for four or five days."
"And?" Mara had prodded, "What now?"
"Today is day four by my reckoning," Kevin slowly replied, "That means we can officially start to worry tomorrow evening. Okay? If I don't hear from him by tomorrow afternoon, I'll check with the Chicago Police Department to start filing a missing persons report."
"Okay. I think I can live with that."
They all sat in silence for a few minutes, then Lara had said in the most prosaic way possible, "Poetry and missing persons aside, dinner'll be ready in a few minutes, so come help me set the table..."
----------------
Mara at the library, found herself tearing up again, thinking about the kindness and understanding her friends were showing. Kevin hadn't read her a riot act after all, and was showing concern about Rafe's whereabouts.
After a couple of hours of sifting through articles, she stretched and felt her spine popping. Bleary eyed, she knew she couldn't read any more for a bit. She needed a break.
She packed up her backpack and headed out to walk around the city. After about 45 minutes of wandering, she found herself in Grant Park. Feeling the lake breeze on her face she started walking more purposefully in an easterly direction.
A bit later, she found herself on the Grant Park pier, which overlooked Lake Michigan. She walked along the pier, a bit surprised at the number of larger sailboats already moored there. Brave souls going out on the Lake in the spring. Wetsuits, wind and choppy waters with whitecaps, the boaters had to have a sense of adventure.
She sat down on the pier, dangling her feet over the edge. The sound of the waves and the occasional scree of a gull flying over head helped her relax from stress she hadn't even realized she was carrying.
Looking out at the mist rising over the lake, she was able to ignore the city sounds behind her. Not quite willingly, she slid into a day dream of Rafe. She had known he would be trouble the first time she set eyes on him, but little had she suspected that trouble would bring her back to Chicago, the city she had been forced to leave abruptly and hadn't visited since.
Rafe. His grin, his sarcasm, his smirk, his sweet smile, his intelligence, his sense of humor, she could go on and on about what she liked about him. And that just barely touched the tip of the iceberg.
She shivered in the damp breeze. Rafe certainly was no iceberg, but he had...such unsuspected depths. She had enjoyed just sitting around and talking with him, knowing that she most probably wouldn't have to explain anything she said. That camaraderie, and the sex, well, that had been mind-blowing.
She smiled sadly. Even if they never got back together, she certainly had enough fuel to feed her fantasies for the rest of her life. Closing her eyes against some tears that threatened, she realized just how long that life would feel, how long and how bleak, without Rafe in it.
Mara turned her mind towards a more pleasant fantasy than imagining her future without Rafe in it. His kisses, all their contrasts, gentle, passionate, devouring, she wished she were a poet so she could encompass everything he had made her feel with just the touch of his lips. She drifted in her mind imagining his kisses.
A particularly loud screech from a gull almost covered the sound of a footstep too near her for comfort, brought her out of her daydream. Her eyes snapped open and she looked around.
A man was standing to her left, not more than two yards away, apparently admiring the view of the Lake. She turned away to enjoy the view of the lake as well, mildly annoyed that out of all the many yards of lakefront pier, this person decided to stand so close. Oh, well, city folk were used to less space around them, so he probably didn't think he was in her space. But it felt like it to her.
The man sat down, drawing Mara's attention. She saw that he had moved even closer, and began to get perturbed. It was time to get back to the library anyway, so it was fortuitous that this stranger was invading her space.
"You're Mara Pitts," said the man with no doubt in his voice.
Mara twisted herself to look at him in shock, neither confirming nor denying. Though with the way he had said it, she was almost certain he knew who she was.
"Do I know you?" she quavered, her voice cracking in startled surprise.
"Nope. I do know someone that you're probably looking for, at least if your research at the Library was any indication."
She gasped. The man had evidently been following her, and she hadn't even noticed. She looked out at the Lake again, this time fighting tears. "Rafe," she murmured.
"That would be him."
"Where is he? Is he alive? What's going on? DO you know where he IS?" her voice rose with each question.
"Shh shh, keep it down. No need to announce our business to the whole park. In fact, it would probably be in your best interest not to attract any attention."
She looked at the man again, really seeing him. "Where is he?" she demanded in an undervoice.
"He's currently a guest of my boss."
"Can I see him? Take me to him. Now." she grated out, starting to shake with fear and adrenaline.
"As a matter of fact, I was hoping you would say that. Come with me."
Mara swallowed and stood up. The man took her arm, and started walking westward away from the lake. She was tempted to yank her arm away from him, but he didn't have a hostile grip on her upper arm, so she followed along.
'Like a sheep being led to the slaughter. Hell's Bells, Mara, what have you gotten yourself into now?' she thought.
posted by Dace @ 12:47 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home