AllFreeNovel
Share Us
While she soaked in the tub, he packed his clothing and gathered what he would take. He plotted the route and ended up with four days on the road. Leaving Wednesday would put them in Guymon by noon on Saturday. The long haul would be grueling, but Javier could handle it.
After Cecily’s indulgent bath, she packed her garments and curled up to sleep. Javier climbed in beside her and although he held her in his arms, they didn’t get intimate. He needed sleep for the long journey ahead.
Accustomed to irregular hours, he rose at four and woke her at five. By the time she dressed, he had loaded his car with their suitcases, his laptop, and his gun bag. Javier also took the cash from his safe, tucked into his laptop bag.
Before Cecily got up, Javier checked the news. He filtered everything out except Harrington’s murder, but the emerging details made his blood run colder than January sleet.
“Hotel employees report that although a good likeness was not captured on the security cameras, they can describe a Hispanic man, thirty to forty years of age, who came through the lobby in the early hours of Monday. The desk clerk on duty, Tabitha Brown, Brooklyn, stated she believes it’s the same individual who exited with the woman.”
The scene cut to a woman on camera, wringing her hands and ill-at-ease. “I’d swear on a Bible if I had one it’s the same dude. He’s hot so I noticed. And the woman, I didn’t recognize her, but I bet she was at something here at the hotel early. We had an engagement party, a retirement celebration, and a sorority reunion. I think he might have had a car parked nearby.”
The camera returned to focus on the news anchor. “When pressed for a description of the vehicle, Ms. Brown could tell us it was black and late model. Since black is the most common car color in the city, that wasn’t much help. As more details emerge, you can count on our news desk for coverage.”
Javier realized he couldn’t show his face in Midtown Manhattan anytime soon. Getting out of town for a while seemed to be the best option if he wanted to maintain his anonymity. A new concern raised an ugly possibility. Narrowing down guests at the three events might result in someone identifying Cecily. They both had much to lose.
They crossed over the Hudson River, a first for Cecily who had always traveled by plane, and into New Jersey. Hoboken and Newark were just place names on a map, unfamiliar to Javier, although he’d passed through before. Just before they got onto the Garden State Parkway, which they would follow most of the way through Jersey, Javier drove through and bought breakfast. He ordered two large coffees. “What do you want, Azúcar?” he asked.
Cecily peered at the menu board. “I can’t read this from here. What’s available?”
“What are you, from outer space?” he asked. “Biscuits or croissants with bacon or sausage or chicken with egg and cheese, some kind of potatoes, or biscuits with gravy.”
Her smile segued into a pout. “I’ve never eaten fast food before, so I don’t know. Order for me.”
Rolling his eyes, Javier ordered them both sausage croissants with egg and an oatmeal-raisin bar. He handed her one coffee, then the bag of food. “Go ahead and dig yours out. I’ll eat mine once we’re back on the Interstate.”
“We’re eating in the car?”
“Yeah, Fancy Pants, we are, but try not to drip on the leather seats or make a mess. We have a long ass way to go so we can’t stop at a restaurant with linen tablecloths and a wine list every meal.”
Javier drank a long swig of coffee, needing the caffeine hit. Cecily sipped hers and unwrapped her sandwich. She nibbled it, swallowed, and asked, “How far is it anyway?”
“Over sixteen hundred fucking miles. Shut up and eat, will you?”
Muttering, she did as he asked.
Javier donned sunglasses and sighed.
This would be a long trip. Maybe they should have flown after all.
Chapter Four
Four days, more major cities than Javier could count or remember, and almost two thousand miles passing under the wheels. They picked up I-70 which would take them most of the way to his brother’s town at some dinky burg in Pennsylvania. For Cecily’s sake, he found a place near the bridge over the Ohio River in Wheeling, West Virginia, that offered trendy chef creations. Javier had a strip steak with fries, but she ordered braised sea scallops with wild rice and sauteed mushrooms. Over the meal, they managed a conversation that wasn’t all insults, although he kept watch in case she tried to flee.
The long hours behind the wheel took a toll on Javier. He loved driving but the long distances on unfamiliar freeways with heavy traffic made him antsy. Cecily alternated between radio silence and endless chatter. Sometimes she slept while he battled a nagging headache. If something delighted her as they passed, she pointed out the landmarks or something as simple as grazing livestock.
At Columbus, Ohio, they spent their first night in a decent chain hotel. Javier insisted on two beds because if he slept with her, they would have wild monkey sex half the night. His body ached and he needed rest to face another road marathon. Javier had trouble sleeping, though, his heart full of this woman he was dragging to the wilds of Oklahoma. He cared about her, maybe even loved her a little, although he wasn’t sure what that meant or how it would feel. Sometimes she acted as if she might like him, other times like she hated him.
In the wolf hour, Javier couldn’t wait. He missed her being close and wished he’d asked for a king, not two queen-sized beds.
“Cecily,” he called but she didn’t reply. Javier tossed back the tangled sheets where he’d tossed and turned, then climbed into her bed. He kissed her, soft and gentle, until she woke.
“What are you doing?”
He thought it was obvious but said, “I’m kissing you, Azúcar.”
She fussed. “I want to sleep. I thought you didn’t want any sex because you have to drive. Go back to your own bed.”
“I want to tell you something. Open your eyes, look at me.”
