Like a Bird (14 page)

Louis nodded. “You’re a crafty one, I like that about you.”

- -

Gareth approached the bottom of the valley where a large, rotting log lay across the creek. He strode across it, leaving Wisdom pacing on the other side. He stopped to look back at her. “You can do it,” he said.

Wisdom hesitated before she finally set foot on the log, her paws struggling to find the right footing on such an unpredictable bridge. She slipped and her front leg landed in the shallow water near the bank, where she abandoned the log and hopped through the cold creek to reach Gareth. Once close to him she shook off the experience and continued down the path by his side. Gareth rewarded her with a quick neck massage and a piece of dried liver from his pocket.

They walked deeper into the woods until they reached a rocky hill with a small cave at the bottom. Gareth crawled inside and sat on a makeshift bench of a wooden board resting atop two large rocks. Wisdom sat outside the entrance to keep watch. Gareth arranged waiting tinder in a small blackened hole just in front of the bench. He took a lighter out of his pocket and coaxed a decent flame out of the little twigs and forest scraps while blowing on it to encourage the fire along. He gathered larger wood debris scattered about the cave, added some of it and the rest he placed in a little pile next to his seat.

After fussing with his fire for a bit, he eventually sat back and relaxed. He stared into the flickering firelight and became transfixed by its jagged dance. His breathing slowed, his shoulders and jaw softened, and he closed his eye as the flame warmed his face.

- -

Candles flickered on the table and gave the dining room a warm, comfortable glow. Louis sat at the table sipping wine and reading a business magazine when Gareth strode in wearing dirty clothes and reeking of campfire smoke.

Louis wrinkled his nose. “What the hell were you up to out there? Performing some ancient burial dance? Or destroying some evidence, perhaps?” Louis grinned and sipped more wine.

Gareth shook his head and sat opposite Louis. Takao brought him a warm cloth to clean his hands. “No, just getting some clarity.”

“Ah, me too! But I prefer the warm, sanitized environment of a whirlpool.”

Gareth smiled. “Don’t get used to that level of comfort.”

Louis scoffed. “Yeah, funny you should say that.” He paused for more wine. Gareth turned his ear toward his friend.

“I’ve been thinking,” Louis said, making Gareth chuckle. “Don’t laugh, it happens sometimes. But really, I was engaged in some serious thought this afternoon, and I think that if I have to take a hit for the team, I think you should also.”

Gareth frowned. “Why me? I didn’t create this mess.”

“Not directly, no. But you are very much responsible for our success and I think . . . that if you . . . showed your face in person a little more often it would be very beneficial for us. And for you,” Louis said while fondling his wine glass.

“I’m not going to fly out and meet . . .”

“No. You don’t have to do that. That’s over with. I do think you should consider going to the awards ceremony though. I mean, the award is for you after all, it’s not for me. Nobody wants to see my double chin at that swanky event.”

In the cozy sitting room, across the hall from the kitchen, Sky sat in front of a bowl of soup that grew cold as she listened to the conversation between Louis and Gareth. As their words faded and Takao brought out the first course, she dipped her spoon into the bowl and slurped the reddish broth.

After dinner Gareth walked Louis to the helicopter with a few bottles of wine packed in a box. They shook hands and Louis stepped into the cabin behind the pilot.

“I’ll have Denise book you a nice retreat to attend in the next week or two. Just take it easy until then,” Gareth said.

Louis nodded, “Right, and how about you have her confirm your attendance at the ceremony.”

Gareth sighed. “Take care,” he said as he shut the door.

Gareth headed back to the house as Sky looked on from the master bedroom window. She shut the curtain and scurried back to her room before he reached the front door. In her bathroom, where a fresh pack of little pills sat on the counter in their silver blister pack, she carefully popped one into her mouth and bent over the sink to fill her mouth with water, letting the pill slip out with the stream and swirl down the drain.

That night, the air was clear and the blue-black sky was littered with points of light, little white clusters so tightly packed they almost looked like bright clouds. From Gareth’s bedroom window Sky could identify the few constellations she knew.

“They’re mesmerizing, aren’t they?” Sky jumped when she heard the huskiness of Gareth’s voice, and her heart hit the wall of her chest.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.
”
He placed his hands firmly on her shoulders to turn her round. He cupped her head in one hand and guided her lips toward his. His touch was more delicate than usual and his kisses especially soft. Sky’s amber eyes held his gaze and she took his hand to lead him toward the bed.

Sitting on the bed, she opened her silk robe to reveal bare skin, her breasts begging to be devoured like overripe fruit. Gareth arched his eyebrow just enough that she noticed his reaction in the moonlit room.

He approached her slowly and knelt down, leaning in close enough for his energy to caress her even before he pulled her to him. His hair, his skin, his lips all grazed her so gently it was delicious torture at times. The roughness of his scars felt like a tactile map of suffering under her palm, yet other parts of him were unexpectedly smooth and warm. She swelled with longing, until it became unbearable, and she grabbed at him with her one hand, wishing she had two. Sky lay under him, her hips pulling him in deep, while he caressed the outside of her thigh.

As his temperature rose he pressed his lips onto hers to extract the nectar from her mouth. She gripped his hair so tightly she was left with strands between her fingers. He seemed not to notice but instead increased his pace and force until they were both satisfied. He rested his head beside her, making her cheek hot with his breath. Once he had regained his composure, he passed her a tissue.

Gareth excused himself to take a shower. As soon as he was out of view, Sky put her legs up in the air and stared at the small flecks of purple polish left on her toes.

When he returned, smelling of shampoo and soap, Gareth slid into bed next to Sky who lay curled around a pillow. He put his arm around her and inhaled the scent of her hair until he fell asleep.

Chapter 13

In the morning Gareth woke alone in bed. He yawned, rubbed the sleep out of his eye and headed toward the bathroom. He looked again at the control panel next to the light switch.

“Hmm,” he hummed to himself and made a mental note.

After he had showered and shaved, he put on a pair of jeans with holes at the knees and an old college T-shirt. He went straight to the basement and halted at the door to his workshop. He entered the code but received a red light in return. He scowled and turned the handle to find the door unlocked. His jaw clenched before he entered the room and turned on the light. Scanning the workbench and cupboards, he saw nothing out of place; the anger on his face shifted to confusion. He advanced into the room, until he felt the stab of glass under his foot.

He cried out as blood soaked the bottom of his sock. Gareth followed the trail of glass to the last cupboard where a few streaks of blood smeared across the handle. He hopped around the danger zone and whipped the cupboard open. Staring back at him from a broken picture frame was a younger image of himself, torn apart from his other half. Gareth picked up the ring box and flipped open the lid to find the diamond still there. Slamming the cupboard door, Gareth wheeled back to the hallway where he shouted for Rose, his guttural voice causing the fine art on the walls to rattle.

Rose ran to the top of the stairs.

“Where is she?” he hollered.

Rose shook her head, baffled.

“Sky! How did she get in there?” he shouted again, pointing at the door and throwing an accusing glance at Rose.

“I don’t know. She . . . might be in her room. I saw her earlier this morning,” Rose stammered, her hands trembling, her eyes frightened.

Sky sat in the cozy sitting room with a cup of tea and a book. Gareth’s rage reached her ears and stopped her heart. She was unable to move, every muscle in her body immobilized by fear. He stormed up to the main floor, and as his pounding footsteps ascended the second set of stairs, she seized the opportunity to fly out of the house through the kitchen door, not stopping to close it behind her. She ran across the helicopter pad, toward the thick forest, with nothing between her and the rough earth but a pair of moccasins.

- -

Meet me for coffee this morning. I have something to show you.

Kitty eagerly picked up her phone, hoping the message would be from Dream Date. She deflated like a blow-up doll when she saw it was a message from Creep. She sent a reply back.

This better be good. Really good.

Oh it’s good. In fact, it’s great! (I think).

Kitty rolled her eyes. She decided it was a sweatpants kind of day and chose a gray pair and a sheer shirt that hung off her shoulder. With her sunglasses on and her hair piled in a messy bun, she headed down the street toward the Rocket Fuel Café.

Creep was already seated at a table, hunched over a steaming cup of joe. After exchanging a kiss on each cheek she sat across from him.

“Do you want something to drink?” Creep asked.

“Only if you’re buyin’.”

“Pretty soon you’ll be the one who’s buyin’,” he said and gave her a mischievous grin. As he ordered coffee, Kitty glanced at the business magazine on the table before she checked her messages. There were seventeen new e-mails, not one of them from Dream Date. Kitty’s shoulders slumped and she dropped her phone on the table.

Creep returned with her latte, and the cup in her hands warmed her. Her agitation released as she closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of fresh coffee. She enjoyed a long sip.

“So,” she said to Creep, “what do you have to show me?”

“This.” Creep held up the business magazine.

Kitty shrugged. “Yeah, and . . .”

Creep tapped his finger on the cover of the
Top 40 Under 40
. “I think there’s someone in here you might know.” He opened the magazine to an earmarked page and turned it to show Kitty. He pointed to a description for Gareth Renaut. Unlike the other entries, there was no photo.

“I think this is
your
Gareth,” Creep said.

“How do you know that? There’s no picture, and I don’t know his last name.”

“Read this. It says he’s an investor and that he’s very private, rarely seen in public. Sound like anyone you know?”

Kitty sipped her latte. “It does sound like him, but that could describe thousands of guys. Unless I’m sure I’m not going to make a fool of myself . . .”

“I did some research after I saw this. Turns out he’s a recluse who lives in the woods just north of here. His business partner is some guy named Louis O’Byrne.”

Kitty’s face brightened. “Yes, he was with a chubby, obnoxious guy when we met, his name might have been Louis. I don’t really remember.”

Creep pulled out his phone to search for an image of Louis. He showed Kitty the first one that came up.

Kitty nodded. “Yeah, that’s definitely him.”

Creep smiled with a deep satisfaction. “Looks like what you needed was right under your nose all this time.” He stroked the tip of Kitty’s nose.

“Yeah, if only I hadn’t given him the brush-off lately.” She bit her bottom lip.

Creep shook his head. “Just put on a push-up bra and send him a picture. H
e’
ll probably respond.”

Kitty playfully whacked Creep on the head. “I’ll get him back on board, no problem,” she said.

- -

Heavy gray clouds rode a fast wind. Gareth and Wisdom had been searching the woods for a few hours but had been unable to find Sky. Wisdom proved to be a lousy tracker and had no idea what she was supposed to do. Rabbits and small game distracted her from the task, yet she seemed confused by Gareth’s sullen mood. His anger had dissolved into despair by the time the rain started, and he hurried back to the house for shelter and help.

Back in his office, he started the software for his tracking device, but the weather was not cooperating; he was unable to connect with a satellite. He cursed and slammed his fist on his keyboard, smashing it in half. Wisdom ran for the cover of an armchair with her tail between her legs. Gareth put his face in his hands for a moment and sighed, then stared at his screen as if something would magically appear.

Rose peeked into the room with her raincoat on. “Takao and I are going to out to look for Sky. We won’t be gone long if you need anything.”

“I’m coming with you,” Gareth said and followed Rose downstairs.

He ducked into the kitchen to collect half a baguette and a bag of salami. He stuffed both in the large pockets of his military raincoat, slipped on his rain boots, and checked the tracking app on his phone. Still no signal.

The three of them split up with Gareth heading west, Rose heading southwest, and her brother scrambling over the rocks to the northwest. Water from the heavy rain dripped from Gareth’s hair, reminding him that Sky was out in the woods alone with no cover. He knew hypothermia could overtake her and she might not last the night. He imagined running his fingers over her smooth, pale skin and her beautiful amber eyes staring up at him, taking in every crevice on his face. Gareth called out to her, but the wind carried his voice back to the house. Even a voice as deep as his was no match for the thunder that followed. In the distance ahead a bolt of lightning struck a tall pine and sent an ear-splitting echo through the valley.

Four beating hearts stumbling through the woods did not offer a bright enough beacon in such a vast landscape. Slick mud, large roots, and the encroaching darkness make it hard for Gareth to keep his footing. He slipped on a wet log and fell into a river of mud. As he picked himself up, he noticed his dinner had flown out of his pockets and was getting soaked. He shook the food off and ate the clean parts of the bread, the salami still safe in its wrapping.

Gareth called out again and heard her name bounce off the rocks and return to him. With his head lifted toward the clouds he screamed out her name until his throat hurt. He heard his own name behind him and turned to see Takao sliding down the muddy hill.

Takao frowned and shook his head; there was no sign of Sky. The two of them followed the trail back up the hill toward the house, the evening growing darker with each footstep.

As soon as he was inside and had taken off his wet clothes, Gareth was itching to head back out. Wearing fresh jeans and a T-shirt, he grabbed an old keyboard out of the closet and sat at his computer, trying to make a connection. When it failed he paced around the room, rubbing his chin as he mumbled to himself.

His phone rang and he rushed to pick it up. It was a picture and a message from Kitty.

I messed up and I’m sorry. Will you call me?

Gareth scowled and dropped his phone back on the desk. From the window he looked out over the dark valley, seeing nothing but flashes of rain in the house lights. He picked up his phone to take a closer look at the image Kitty had sent. Her pink hair fell over her shoulders and Gareth’s eyes drifted from the smile on her bright lips to her breasts, where cleavage spilled out of a blue top with lace trim. The distraction provided only momentary relief.

Gareth walked into the kitchen to find Rose scurrying about. She broke out of her trance when she saw the towering outline of him in the doorway and offered to make him tea. Gareth insisted he make it himself. Rose left him to stare out the kitchen window at the soaked earth as the kettle boiled.

With a hot cup in his hand, he went to the library for solace. He placed the cup next to the chair, but as soon as he sat his foot began to shake. He resumed pacing, stopping now and again to stare at the animated flames in the fireplace, his brow furrowed and his chin cupped in his hand.

The dancing yellow light whispered something to him. He left the library to gather supplies from the storage room and packed them in an old surplus backpack. He donned his rain gear, still damp from his earlier foray into the storm, and turned to Rose, who stood behind him in the foyer, waiting for instruction.

“I’m going to be gone all night,” he said. “I’ll return just after sunrise.”

Rose frowned but said nothing as her gaze followed the bulky, waterproof figure out the front door and down the trail.

- -

Kitty walked into her living room to find Daniella making out with someone on the sofa. Daniella startled at the interruption and pulled her face away from the boy she was attached to. Kitty was surprised to see Johnathan, her one-afternoon-stand sitting beside her roommate.

“Oh, hi!” Kitty said, still excited from her coffee date with Creep.

Johnathan stared at her with his mouth slack. Daniella wiped her lips with the back of her hand, too surprised to speak.

“Carry on,” Kitty said and went into her bedroom.

She gathered her sketchbook and pencils and sat at her desk, clearing off all the crap with a swipe of her arm. She turned up her music and sketched out the designs that had existed only in her head.

For almost two hours she wore down the graphite as her ideas spilled onto the pages. A hollow rumble in her stomach finally forced her to put her pencil down and raid the cupboards for a fast meal. Kitty grabbed a thick chunk of cheese and some crackers and returned to her desk.

Just after lunch she looked at the clock. “Oh, shit!” She spun around in her chair to find clean clothes for work. She threw on a simple stretchy dress and plain heels, spritzed herself with perfume in lieu of a shower, and ran, as best as she could in heels, to the bus stop.

Kitty hollered to the driver just pulling away from the stop. He noticed her pink hair waving behind her like a vibrant flag and stopped to let her on. She dropped herself into a seat, where she began applying makeup. The rough ride made for a messy application so Kitty didn’t dare attempt mascara.

She arrived at the shoe store with her hair windblown, her dress in a twist, and makeup hastily applied. Her manager, behind the counter training a new hire, raised her eyebrows at Kitty, who just smiled and headed toward the back room. In the half-assed bathroom with a dim light, she adjusted her dress and fixed her makeup. Looking somewhat pulled together, she strutted out into the showroom.

“You’re an hour late,” her manager said.

“I’m so sorry, I don’t have a good excuse. I just lost track of time.”

The manager glowered at Kitty. She lectured the new hire about the importance of punctuality as if Kitty weren’t standing there. Kitty went to the back room and pretended to organize the shoe boxes, although there was nothing out of place and there were no new shipments that needed sorting.

The manager eventually found Kitty waterproofing a pair of shoes with toxic spray. She made a futile effort to wave the cloud of chemicals out of her face. “It’s become clear that you don’t really want this job, so I’m letting you go. Collect your things and head home. You’ll be paid for a half day. You can pick up your check next Friday.” Without waiting for a response, the manager left. Kitty couldn’t hold back the sadness that crept up from her stomach and filled her eyes with tears. It was a good thing she wasn’t wearing mascara.