“What’s that?”
“An overnight bag.”
“You always carry one in your car?”
“Most times. You never can tell where the night will find you.”
Caitlin followed him to the room. He slid the plastic key into the door, and the locked clicked.
“Wait here,” John said.
Pushing the door open, John hit the lights and stepped inside. He told himself that he shouldn’t have worried about anyone being there ahead of them. He rarely came here and tonight’s trip had been decided after he went through an elaborate search for any tails. The final drive along the coast’s winding road made it easy to spot someone following. Still, there was no such thing as too much paranoia. He checked the closet, the shower and even under the beds before telling Caitlin, it was clear.
Caitlin came in and sat heavily on the bed farthest from the door.
“You’ll be all right here,” John said. “Since you don’t have any more business in town, I’ll go in later and see if I can get a lead on who’s after you.”
“Would it be all right for me to go with you?”
He shook his head. “I’d rather you stay here. You’re safe here, but if you were with me, they’d have the advantage.”
“The advantage? What do you mean?”
“They know what you look like. If they see you with me, then they’ll know me too.”
“That’s a problem?”
“I can’t sneak up on someone if he can see me coming.”
She nodded. “I guess you’re right. After all, it is your business.”
“That’s right.”
He turned away and went to the window overlooking Half Moon Bay. Drawing back the curtain, he looked out. Below the window, waves broke against rock, sending a thick saltwater spray into the fog. He leaned against the glass, blotting out the reflection of the room. The pounding of the surf cloaked Caitlin’s footsteps on the carpet. He flinched when her hand touched his shoulder.
“John, I appreciate what you’re doing for me.”
He nodded, once. Her words were echoes from the past.
“I never forgot you, John, or what you did for me.”
Did she expect a response? Twelve years had passed since the Canyon. A lot of water had passed down that Canyon in the years since. A lot of memories through his life.
“I’d almost forgotten about you,” he lied. “Hearing from you tonight was a hell of a shock, but that was then, this is now. I’ll get you through this safely and then you can go on with your life. Just like last time.”
Her arms went around his chest, and he felt her cheek against his shoulder. Part of him wanted to turn and take her in his arms, but he kept his hands firmly at his sides while he continued to stare out at the pounding surf.
“J-John,” her voice broke. “I owe you so much from before, and now I’ve shown up on your doorstep, in as much trouble as then.”
He kept his eyes on the surf.
“I’ve been thinking about seeing you ever since I learned you were out here. I ... I could have let Scott make this trip, but I thought it might give me a chance to see you again.”
“Then why didn’t you contact me before now?”
“You disappeared right after the canyon trip. I thought it was out of bitterness or something. I’m not sure. I was going to contact you tomorrow.”
He didn’t really believe her. Her answer was too convenient. Back in the Canyon, he hadn’t thought she was the lying type, but he’d been naive about many things back then. “Okay, so you were going to contact me. Now you have.”
“I wanted to see if you still had feelings for me. Back then, I was engaged. I couldn’t get involved with you, but there’s always been some regret over my decision.”
When he spoke, he picked his words carefully. “You may not have made the right choice then, but I’ve changed too much. You don’t know me.”
She gave him a final squeeze and let go. “I’m sorry. I don’t want you to think I only said this to make you help me again. I honestly had intended to look you up even before this trouble.”
“That’s all right. Either way, I’d help you. Business is business and don’t think it has anything to do with your choice twelve years ago. It’s only a matter of what I am.”
“And what are you?”
“I’m your bodyguard for now. Other than that, you don’t want to know.”
He could feel her stepping back and growing distant in more than space.
When she spoke, frost formed on the back of his neck. “I see.”
“No. I don’t think you do, but that’s all right. You’d better get some sleep. I won’t leave until you’re up.”
He watched her reflection in the window. She turned, took her purse from the bed, and went into the bathroom. Over the sound of the surf, he could hear water running. He left the window and went to the door.
He flicked off the interior lights then opened the door and looked outside. The fog was still thick, but all the cars he could see were there when they arrived. He activated his car’s silent alarm, then closed the door, latched it firmly, and threw the night bolt.
John opened his overnight bag and took out a ring and a small plastic box. The face of the box had a micro switch and two LED’s, one red and one green. A short loop of wire extruded from one end. He slipped the wire over the doorknob, letting the capacitance alarm hang free, and then pushed one of the buttons. The green LED lit.
John slipped the ring over his right pinkie and then touched the doorknob with his
