LETHAL OBSESSION (24 page)

He
was the only man she had ever loved. No matter what he did or where he was, she
would always love him.  Martha wanted her husband home and it no longer
mattered about the photos.  If the Lord could forgive him so could she.

      Ellen
and Rick were helping Martha out of the car with her luggage when a tall, lanky
young man with a mop of blond hair opened the front door.

      "Eugene,
you're home." 

      "Hi
Mom. Hey Uncle Richard."

      Ellen
couldn't help staring.  This boy was the spitting image of Gene. Those electric
blue eyes were just as mesmerizing. He took the suitcases from his uncle and
they all went in the house.  Ellen immediately felt relieved that Martha would
not be alone.  Even though she would be spending her days at the shelter teaching
and overseeing the preparation of meals, Ellen worried for Martha.  Being alone
was bad enough, but being confronted by a desperate, estranged husband could be
catastrophic.

      "Eugene,
this is Ellen."  Rick put his hands on her shoulders. She's going to be my
wife."

      "Hey,
that's cool. Congrats, Uncle Richard."

      "Well
Sis, Ellen and I are going home to get settled in.  You know how to reach us if
you need anything."

      Martha
hugged them both.  “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Eugene is here. Seeing mom and
dad was wonderful. Thank you for that.”

      “I
love you, Sis.”  Rick gave her a kiss and so did Ellen.

      “I’ll
see you tomorrow,” she said.

      Martha
was so happy to see her son.  She wasn't sure about his schedule but hoped he
would be home for awhile.

      "I'm
so glad you're here."  She touched his face.  "How long can you
stay?"

      "I
need to find out what's going on with Dad.  Uncle Richard didn't exactly give
many details when he called.  Then you take off to Florida to see Pops and
Nana.  What's going on, Mom?"

      "It's
complicated, Sweetheart."

      "So
what's so complicated about it?  Dad's disappeared, the police are involved. 
What did he do, or rather what has he done this time?" 

      "I
don't like your tone, Eugene.  Have more respect for your father."

      "Hey
Mom, take off your rose colored glasses.  Dad's never been around for you or
for me.  His family always came last."

      Martha
lashed out before she thought.  Her palm reached her son's face with a
resounding slap that stung her hand. Then she was mortified as huge tears
blurred her vision. 

      "Oh
Eugene, I didn't mean to do that.  I'm so sorry."

      "Yes
you did.  You're always defending him and he doesn't deserve it. I hope he's
gone for good."  Eugene threw his keys in the air and caught them. 
"I'm staying with friends.  See ya."                                       "No,
Honey, please don't go. I'll tell you what happened." Eugene pulled out a
kitchen chair, sat in it backwards and waited for his mother to talk.

      Martha
took a deep breath.  There was no easy way. "I found some photos hidden in
your father's drawer.  They were intimate pictures taken of your Uncle Richard
and Ellen... in their bedroom.  He had to have broken into Ellen's home to hide
the camera.  Richard made copies and called the police. There's an internal
investigation going on at the Sheriff's department as well. That's when your
father disappeared."

      "Why
would he do something like that?  It's political suicide."

      "I
don't know why. Back several months ago Ellen lost her husband in a private
plane crash.  Gene was the one to notify her and he started hanging around her,
pretending he was available."

      Eugene
smirked. "Ah, I think I'm getting the picture now.  Ellen fell in love
with Uncle Richard and Dad went crazy jealous.  Am I getting close?"

      "I
guess that’s true. Richard is happier than I've ever seen him.  He and Ellen
started a project for the community and it's so wonderful.  It's a women and
children's shelter.  I'm working there myself planning meals and teaching
cooking, and I love it.  But I miss your Dad so much.  I don't know what will
happen to him when he comes back and it scares me."

      "You
mean if he comes back."

      "Oh
Eugene, I can't bear to think about that."

      He
put his arm around his mother and it was her undoing. The tears she was trying
so hard to hold at bay came streaming out.  "Hey Mom, I'm glad Uncle Richard
and Ellen are looking out for you.  I can stay for a couple of days but I need
to get back to my classes after that.  Maybe you should consider moving in with
them until all this blows over."

      "I
know you’re right, but I want to be here when your dad comes back.”                    

      “I
don’t like that idea, Mom.  Dad is a wanted man. I don’t want to see you caught
in the cross fire.  You could be accused of harboring a fugitive you know.”

      Yeah,
you’re probably right.  I love you, Eugene.”

      "I
love you too, Mom."

            After
kissing her son goodbye, Martha walked through the empty house hearing her
footsteps.  Nothing was really out of place except all of Gene's things were
gone.

She
sat on the couch putting her head in her hands.  "Oh Gene," she
murmured.  Where are you?  Why did you do those things?  I love you, please
come home to me."                   

      Sleeping
in their cold empty bed was the hardest.  Martha found herself constantly
feeling for his warm presence.  She had cried so many tears, she felt like
there were none left.  Was this to be her future?  Would Martha be living in
this home, old and decrepit, waiting for Gene to come home to her?  It probably
should, but it didn’t matter all the horrible things he’s done.  Martha loved
him just as much now as she did when they first met.  She would wait for the
man she loved.

      As
days turned into weeks, Rick and Ellen tried to look out for Martha without
invading her privacy. Her deep depression was slowly fading away. The saying
was true, that time heals all wounds. She was beginning to embrace her job at
the shelter with enthusiasm.  Being in charge of shopping and food preparation,
Martha became a mentor for the residents, some of whom had never heard a kind
word. She taught these young mothers cooking skills, money management, and time
saving tips.  Each resident took her turn at meal preparation which gave them a
sense of belonging.

      Ellen
sat in her office agonizing over the long waiting list of mothers and children
needing the shelter.  How she wished they all had a safe place to go in order
to get away from the threats and violence.  There were other shelters and she
did her best to try and find a place for everybody.                 

      Looking
out her office door, Ellen had a perfect view of the children's play area. 
Heather loved working with the children.  She had a natural knack for keeping
these children involved. Her face was glowing and Ellen smiled.  Heather was so
changed from the pathetic, abused woman found on the highway.  She seemed like
a whole new person.  If only Ellen could save the world but of course that was not
reality.  She was making a dent, saving families one at a time.  It had to be
enough for now.

      Rick
was relaxed and smiling as he drove home to Ellen's chalet, their chalet.  Yes,
it was home now, a place of happiness after so much sorrow.  The home he had
shared with Laura and the children was sold quickly.  He could not tolerate
being there without them. Their voices were everywhere making him crazy.

      At
that point in his life, Rick had made up his mind to spend the rest of his days
in solitude.  No woman could replace Laura in his heart. Then he opened his
office door and saw Ellen sitting in the waiting room.  She was nervous to the
point of fleeing.  That was the day the dreary darkness became dazzling
sunlight.

      Rick
had bid farewell to his small, lonely apartment of the last two years.  Ellen
was his world now.  He loved her so much, that life without her seemed impossible. 
Rising from the ashes of hopelessness, fate was giving them both another chance
at love.

      Feeling
the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, Rick knew something was terribly
wrong.  He glanced in the rear view mirror.  The speeding, black sedan coming
up fast was suddenly on top of him.  This was a winding, treacherous part of mountain
highway.  High walls of granite on one side and a sheer drop off on the other
there was no place to get out of the way. The person behind him had to be drunk
or suicidal. 

      Adrenalin
fueled fear shot through Rick's system like an electric jolt. His brain
desperately searched for a way to get away from this car.  Rick felt the ramming
concussion clear through his body as his neck snapped from the sedan crashing
into his rear bumper. This was no random drunk driver. Rick was a target and
whoever these people behind him were, they meant to kill him. Terrified now,
Rick struggled with the steering wheel to prevent his car from going over the
edge of the cliff. Would he die here? Please God, not now, not when his reason
for living is home waiting for him.

      His
car was hit hard again, shoving him off the highway.  As the sheer, vertical
mountain came hurtling toward his vision, Ellen was Rick's last conscious
thought.                                                              

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

      Ellen
had just removed her fragrant, chicken curry from the oven.  Martha was putting
the finishing touches on her squash casserole. Together they set the table and
lit the candles.  This was going to be a celebration.  SMOKY MOUNTAIN HAVEN had
been up and running for two weeks.  The vision was now a reality and total success
in so many ways.  Women, who once were helpless victims, were now learning how
to take care of their babies and themselves with a myriad of opportunities. 
Once they felt safe, these mothers and children seemed to blossom and grow into
happy, thriving human beings.

      Ellen
looked at her watch.  Where was Rick? She couldn't imagine why he wasn't home
yet.  Perhaps there was a late client.  But Rick always called her when he was
running late and he should've been here an hour ago. 

      A
tiny niggling of unrest began to settle in her solar plexus.  Of course it was
silly to worry.  Ellen and Rick promised each other they would not dwell on
negative possibilities.  But they both had slogged through that hell and back.
It was easier said than done.

      Ellen
wiped her hands on the dish towel and picked up the phone.  It was dark with no
messages.  She called Rick's office and got his voice mail for the fifth time. 

      Calling
his cell, she left a message there.  "Hi, it's me.  Martha and I have
dinner almost ready. Just wondering where you are.  Call me.  Love you."                                                    

      The
distant purple hills had faded to pitch darkness.  The candles had melted onto
the tablecloth.  The chicken curry and squash casserole were put in the fridge. 
Ellen and Martha sat at the dining room table looking at each other with a
sickening dread.     

      "Cedar
Grove Police department, how can I help you?"

      "This
is Ellen Anderson.  My fiancé, Richard Carrington was due home three hours
ago.  I think something has happened to him."

      "Ma'am,
we cannot file a missing person's report until it's been twenty four hours. 
I'm sorry."

      "So
that means you can’t even begin a search, right?"

      "That's
right."

      "Thank
you."  She slammed the phone down in frustration and looked at Martha. 
"They won't do anything for twenty four hours."

      "That's
ridiculous, what are we going to do?" 

      "We're
going to start looking for Rick. To hell with them, let's go."                                                                  

      Ellen
started her search at the clinic.  It was locked up and Rick's car was gone. 
That told her he had probably started for home.  She carefully followed the
highway as she and Martha looked for clues.  It was not easy in the dark. The
sharp drop off made her stomach lurch.  If Rick's car had left the highway, no,
she could not allow herself to think about that.  Rick was not dead.  If he were,
her heart would know it. But the feeling of impending doom was stronger than
ever.  Something tragic has happened.

      Out
of the corner of her eye, Ellen saw that Martha was crying. Seeing a vista
turnout up ahead, she pulled her car to a stop.  Ellen put her arms around the
woman who has become like a sister to her. 

      "I
know this is hard.  I want to cry too, but I have to be strong and keep my
thinking clear."

      "You're
right.  I need to buck up too, but so much has happened I'm just overwhelmed. First
Gene disappears and now Richard."  Martha wiped her eyes and took a deep
breath. "Okay, I'm fine now."