Jack Beale 00 - Killer Run

in each other’s arms, exhausted and satisfied.

CHAPTER 40
    “C’MON, CAR’S LOADED, let’s go!” Jack called out.
    Max waved at him. He and Dave were waiting by the car, and the sky was getting uglier by the minute. A cold, driving rain had been predicted for the next two days as a storm that had pummeled the mid-west now had its sights squarely on New England.
    “Ya’ know, we really timed this right. Two perfect weather days, great runs, and we didn’t have to worry about entertaining Max and Patti all the time. Good thing they like shopping so much, even if I don’t get it.”
    “I know,” agreed Dave. “Look. They’re finally coming.”
    As they reached the car, Jack asked Max if they were finally ready to leave.
    “We are.”
    “All right then. Get in and we’ll be out of here.”
    Just as Jack turned the key and started the car, Polly came running toward them with a large, dark green plastic bag. She waved her arm and called, “Max, wait. I have something for you.”
    Max opened her door and got out. “What? Did I forget something?”
    “No. I wanted you to have this.”
    “What?”
    “It’s one of my old unfinished quilts. It’s kind of crappy. I don’t remember why I saved it. It’s not really good for anything except as filling for a new one. I had so much fun yesterday, well, I just …”
    Before she could finish her sentence, Max cut her off. “Polly, you shouldn’t have.”
    “No, I want to,” she said pushing the bag into Max’s hands. The first raindrops, big and fat, began to fall. “Now, get going.” With that she turned and began walking back to the Inn. In an instant those few raindrops became a torrent, and Max jumped into the car while Polly started to run.
    “This drive is gonna’ suck,” said Jack.
    * * *
    “What is she giving that woman?” Alfred whispered, wondering to himself. For the last two days, he had been watching the Inn, keeping out of sight, all the while formulating a plan. He hadn’t seen Malcom at all and the only guests were now leaving. Polly would be alone, and if she went out, he would have his chance.

CHAPTER 41
    BY THE TIME POLLY made it to the house, it was pouring buckets and the wind was blowing. The door was nearly torn from her hand as she opened it, but she managed to hold on and pull it shut behind her. The storm had hit with such intensity that it took only those few moments outside to soak through her clothes. Water dripped from the ends of her hair and a puddle was beginning to form on the floor. She shuddered and went in search of a towel.
    * * *
    While Polly toweled off, found dry clothes, and started some water for tea, the lone occupant of a truck that was parked in the turnoff for the fire road was also toweling off. He too had been caught in the sudden downburst and was soaking wet.
    * * *
    The two-hour ride to the Inn was nearly doubled on the return. When Jack and Max dropped off Dave and Patti at Patti’s place, goodbyes were short, sweet, and wet. The storm had become a full-blown Nor’easter. The wind drove the rain horizontally and it seemed as if the entire world outside was painted in shades of grey. Even at their highest setting, the wipers couldn’t keep the windshield clear.
    As they approached Ben’s, they saw that there were only two cars in the parking lot. One belonged to Courtney. “Jack, pull in.”
    “What?”
    “Pull in. I need to see Court for a minute.”
    “You can’t call her?”
    “Just pull in.”
    He pulled up next to the front door so the building blocked the wind. The rain was still coming down hard, but now, without the wind driving it, the wipers were just able to keep the windshield clear. Even so, Max didn’t jump out right away. The flag in front of the restaurant was snapping furiously and Jack twisted around and looked up. Through his window he could see the flagpole bending like a fishing rod with a fish on the line. “You going in?” he asked. His tone implied that she should get going.
    She kept looking out the window, with her hand on the door handle, as if trying to time her exit to coincide with some nonexistent lull in the rain. “Yes …”
    Jack didn’t hear the rest of her sentence because she suddenly threw open the door, jumped out, pushed it shut, and ran up the steps.

CHAPTER 42
    “ALL SET?” JACK ASKED as Max climbed back into the car.
    “Uh huh,” was her positive reply. “Cat’s still at her house. She’ll keep her until tomorrow. I told her