RUNNING… CHAPTER 17


Aaron drove past slowly and after a mile or two pulled into the parking lot of a small public rose garden. “Wait here for me,” he said.

“How long?” My anxiety was already pretty high.

“Until I return, or a patrolman asks you to move. Probably not more than an hour,” he added. “Give me your keys, and the security alarm code if you remember it.” I handed him my keys and the security code. Aaron put a small backpack on, pulled a ball cap low on his forehead, and set off briskly walking back to the house. I noticed that he had a clipboard in one hand and could have been mistaken for a census worker.

I glanced at my watch. Ten-thirty A.M. I already felt sick from adrenaline racketing through my system. There was almost no traffic, just the occasional woman pushing a baby stroller. I wondered where the hell Aaron was. I wondered what the hell I’d been thinking to get us to this place. I wondered what the hell I would do if he didn’t show up soon. Eleven-thirty approached with glacial speed as I sat in the driver’s seat and kept looking down the street in the direction where he had disappeared. It started to rain; I was getting cold, but hesitated to start up the engine.

I was just beginning to panic when somebody opened the passenger door. I was so relieved to see it was Aaron that I verbally assaulted him. “Where the hell have you been? Why didn’t I see you coming,” I blurted.

“Just walked around the block,” he said glancing over at me. “How about you let me drive?” I guess I looked as frazzled as I felt. I moved over into the passenger seat as he got out and walked around to the driver’s side. Aaron pulled the RV smoothly out of the parking area and into the street. He chose not to drive by the house again. “You’ll have to direct me out of the neighborhood,” he said.

“Turn left at the end of the block,” I said. “So, tell me what you found out,” I said trying to conceal my impatience.

He flipped my keys over to me. They fell to the floor between my feet. I just left them there. “The keys still work, and the alarm code too. Even though you told me he was too arrogant and lazy to change them I had trouble believing it.”

“That’s it?” I asked.

“It took me a while to walk back to the house, to scout out a way to access the place without attracting attention, and to find a different way back here,” he explained.

I directed him back to Aurora Avenue and we headed south. “You still set on doing this?” Aaron asked.

“I’m ambivalent, but see no good reason not to.” Part of me was looking for Aaron to supply a good reason not to, but he had promised not to interfere and so he didn’t.

“We can’t stay at the state park tonight,” he said. ‘They lock down the park road at eleven P.M. Besides, this RV is too conspicuous. We need to rent a car, then find a motel, and rest up. Three A.M. comes early.”

“What happens at three A.M.?”

“We get up and drive back to your old neighborhood. I found a good place to park a car that won’t attract attention. Then you wait while I check to see if there’s any kind of a guard or patrol outside. Once that’s taken care of, it’s your show.”

“I need to go to Pioneer Square first and see my friend Katherine,” I said. I pointed to the off-ramp to First Avenue South and we searched for a place to park the RV. No easy task, but we finally found a spot on the street only three blocks away in front of a locksmith’s shop. “Will you come with me?” I asked.

“I’ll wait here,” he responded.

So, I fed the meter and rushed off to Katherine’s office hoping to find her in. I should have called ahead. Luckily she was just finishing up with a client and could fit me in. “What a surprise,” she said greeting me with a hug. Talking rapidly I filled her in on what had been going on and what I intended to do. I saw her face reflect increasing alarm. “Your plan seems both risky and unnecessary,” she said. She told me that she had heard that Vern was going in to work at the office as usual, that he was wearing an electronic ankle bracelet, and was on a very short leash. “What do you hope to accomplish?” she asked.

“I need to face up to my fears,” I said. “And it starts with Vern.” I explained that I had Aaron for backup, but had wanted someone to know what I planned. Just in case something went wrong. “And I want to hire you to help me get a divorce.”

She agreed to represent me, but made me promise to call her the following day to tell her how things had gone with Vern. I made my way back to the RV and Aaron and I headed to the airport where we found a dreary looking small car at “Rent-A-Dent.” Then we found a nearby motel where Aaron rented a unit with plenty of parking and twin beds. The room reeked of stale smoke and the fruity aerosol spray meant to disguise the smell. Its décor harkened back to the seventies. Everything was shabby and had originally been either brown or orange. Terminal ugly.

After dinner Aaron assembled gear for his backpack on one of the beds. “Do you have a jacket with deep pockets?” he asked. I showed him my only jacket. “I guess this will have to do,” he said. He set out two cell phones. “You will carry one of these and I will have the other. I expect you to keep the phone on and transmitting when we’re not together. That way you can let me know if you need help.” He showed me how they worked. “The phone will go in your left pocket,” he said handing it to me. “Do you still have that flashlight to hang around your neck?” I nodded. “Bring it along.” I went out to the RV to retrieve it.

When I got back he pulled something small and black out of his pack. “I’m not comfortable with a gun,” I protested.

“It’s just a stun gun,” he explained. “It’s lightweight, and you can carry it in your right pocket. Emergencies only. Let me show you how to operate it.” As he gave me further instructions I felt overwhelmed. When did my desire to confront Vern become so complicated? “Chances are you won’t have to use it.” His attempt to reassure me was too late.

“I can understand why Fern says, ‘I’m done,’ I said. “I think I need a nap.” I curled up on the other bed thinking I’d just rest a while. Suddenly someone shook my shoulder. I jumped up.

“It’s three A.M.,” Aaron said handing me a hot cup of coffee. “You’re lucky you could sleep a while.” Within ten minutes we were driving in the dark heading north on the almost deserted highway. “Don’t worry,” Aaron said. “Everything will be all right.”

“You don’t know that,” I challenged.

“But I’m well-prepared for whatever does happen.” I could see his grin in the strobe light of the streetlights as we passed.

“This is just a big adventure for you,” I said.

“Maybe so. But I’m deadly serious about backing you up. And,” he concluded, “if there’s one thing I’m good at it’s backup. Why don’t you tell me again about the layout of the house.” I realized he was trying to keep me busy so I wouldn’t worry, so I chattered on about the house and the property for a while.

Without much traffic it didn’t take us very long to return to the neighborhood. Aaron drove past the house again. “Let me know if you see anything,” he said. I looked up the driveway as we passed. The porch light was on, but everything else was dark. Nothing was moving. Aaron turned around at the rose garden, passed by the house one more time, then turned left at the next corner. He cut the lights and slowly drove a long half block to the alleyway in the middle of the block. I’d forgotten the alley was there.

He turned left heading south and drove almost to where our driveway intersected with the alley. He pulled over and parked beside a tall laurel hedge. “I’m going to leave the car keys under the front seat just in case you need to leave in a hurry. If so, don’t wait for me; just head back to the motel. Trust me to look after myself; I’ll know where to find you. All right?” He waited until I nodded. “Wait here – just a few minutes. I’ll let you know by phone when it’s okay to move. When you get out do not slam the car door,” he cautioned, and left the car making no noise whatsoever.

He disappeared down the driveway. I waited. “All is clear. Time to go.” Aaron’s voice was not loud, but it seemed to reverberate in the car. I quietly left the car and crept down the driveway. It was so dark out I could hardly see a foot ahead of me. The air was chilly and heavy with moisture; it smelled of decaying leaves. I clutched the house keys in my right hand. I decided to go in the front door since I knew Aaron had tested it with my key. I was surprised to see that the front porch light was out. Aaron’s doing no doubt. I tried very hard to make no noise as I felt around to insert the key properly.

The key worked fine and suddenly there I was inside the front door. I could see the faint glow of a nightlight in the upstairs hall as I pulled the door closed behind me and locked it. I quickly moved to the alarm box that was flashing red inside the coat closet. My heartbeat thundered in my ears. I punched in the security code. The light switched to green. The house was quiet except for the faint sound of snoring upstairs. That sound was somehow reassuring. I found I remembered the layout of the house, and even which of the steps used to creak. I quietly moved up the stairs. By the time I reached the second floor I felt calm and Morgan was back in charge.