Meeting Destiny (29 page)

A hurt look shot through his eyes. “There’s a reason I tell you that I don’t care, because no matter what, I know that no one, anywhere, will ever be a better match for you. Being the right match doesn’t translate into being your carbon copy. It also doesn’t mean that you’ll always be happy with decisions that I make. It means that I’ll never lie to you – even if telling the truth pisses you off.”

Max did not interject and was still in receive mode, so not wanting to lose my momentum, I continued, “There are things that I just know. One of those things is that Paul Stratford is not a murderer, and I needed to get him out of jail. I talked to him, and I know that he was the one in danger Sunday morning. Whatever crazy sixth sense I have was telling me I needed to keep him from returning Mr. McMasters’ car. I think if he would have, whoever killed the McMasters would have killed him, too.”

He made no move to interrupt me, so either I was making sense or he was just holding it all in until I stopped speaking. “As for the party this weekend, I didn’t plan to go, but now that you’re back, I’m ready to celebrate a little.” I paused after this last statement making it clear that Max needed to respond to something.

“
As your boyfriend, I’m all for being tied to you until your last breath; as a courtesy if you choose to do something that might result in your last breath being taken several decades too early, I’d like for you to share that decision with me
before
you act on it. Is that fair?”

I couldn’t help but nod at his logic, and he continued, “I understand better than anyone else how special your abilities are. I don’t understand how it works. I’m glad that you limited a triple homicide to a double. Paul’s a lucky person for you to take such an interest in him. And yes, I’d love to go to your party with you, but I need to see if I can move my work schedule around.”

“
Was there anything else we needed to discuss, or am I back in good standing?” I asked Max with a half smile.

Max’s face got a very serious look on it, “So, what’s your next step?”

“
I need to wait for Paul to call me. He should be out in the next few hours. By the way, what’d you and Seth talk about last night, or was that a secret male bonding experience or something?” I knew this question took him by surprise.

“
I don’t know if I would classify it as male bonding, but he’s as genuine a friend as you’ll ever have. He asked me about what happened at the hospital.”

“
Oh, he and I had never talked about that. What’d you tell him?”

“
There wasn’t much I could tell him. I told him we met, and we both felt a connection.”

“
How did he take it?”

“
Seriously? He wasn’t pissed. I think he just wanted to know. He said he was taken by surprise when you broke up with him on the way home from the hospital. He said the last few months you wouldn’t discuss any of it with him. He felt like you’d shut him out.”

“
I guess I did, but when you took off, I pretty much shut everybody out.”

“
He actually told me he was glad that I was back – that you seemed really happy now. I’m sure he said a lot of other things but...”

“
But what?”

“
I just got the impression he’s not over you. He was telling me he is happy for us, he’s glad to see you back to your normal self, but he’s still
really
hung up on you. I guess I don’t blame him.” With this Max wrapped himself around me and followed with, “I don’t know what I’d be in his situation, but three months wouldn’t be enough to get over you.”

“
It was strange to see you two together, strange in a good way. So do you finally believe me that you could have skipped the three month hiatus and stayed here?”

“
Yeah,” Max stood up, “Let’s walk.”

We strolled hand-in-hand for a while when he asked, “Don’t you graduate next weekend?”

“
On Saturday.”

“
Have you thought any more about what you plan to do after graduation? Go on for a graduate degree or dive into the workforce?”

“
Wanda told me to call her whenever I was ready to come back to work. I think I’ll take a week or two off to do nothing, then maybe go full time at Tasty Burger in June. There’s a pretty decent management program. My degree’s in Marketing Management, so it should be easy to get into it. Other than that, no real plans.”

“
I know this is going to sound crazy, but sometimes you seem to radiate
crazy.
What if I took a couple months off of work and we went backpacking together for the summer. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. We could trailer a couple horses and go to the mountains?”

Could there be anything more romantic than a couple months with Max? “I like the idea, but I also like the idea of hotels with showers every night, too. I don’t know how much hiking around I can do on my leg.”

“
Are you forgetting? I’m a paramedic. I’d be the perfect person to go hiking with! And if we stay in national parks, most have showers. If you’re up for it, I can let my boss know to take me off the schedule until September. I hafta go back to work tomorrow, I could finish the week and then start planning the trip. Once you’ve got your degree, we could just take off, the same day if you want.”

A thought occurred to me, my stomach knotted, “Max, maybe today you should come by and meet my parents. I’m sure they’d take issue with me leaving for a couple months with someone they’ve never even met.”

“
Are they home now?”

“
Not yet, but they’ll be home in an hour or so.”

Without hesitation, “Let’s go.”

*****

My parents knew who Max was, and I’m pretty sure my mom even knew how I felt about him, so the introduction shouldn’t be more than a formality. My mom had finally accepted the fact that Seth and I weren’t going to be more than friends. She seemed to be okay with it. I doubted any parents would be happy with the idea that their daughter had decided to take off for a few months with her boyfriend. Maybe I’d save that topic for later. The drive to my house was quick, and, sure enough, we had beaten both my mom and dad home.

Max sat on the couch with no outward anxiety at all. I heard my mom’s car pull in the driveway, and I must’ve tensed up because Max reached down and collected my hand in his. She opened the kitchen door and saw us sitting in the family room. She walked over immediately and introduced herself, “Hi, I’m Molly, you must be Max?”

“
Mrs. Davis, it’s very nice to finally meet you.”

My mom sat down on the recliner across the room and began the first stage of twenty questions, “So, Lauren tells me you are a paramedic. That must be an exciting job?”

“
It can be. I was in training for the last few months in New Orleans, so I’m not completely in the swing of things again. But I’m getting there.”

“
That is a very nice truck,” as she pointed out the window. “Paramedic pay must be better than I realized.”

“
Mom!” My embarrassment echoed in my voice.

Max just smirked, “It’s fun to drive and convenient at drive up windows.”

“
I’ll bet it
is
fun to drive,” my mom gushed with more enthusiasm than I would have expected.

“
I live in Ridgeville and there are times that the
fun to drive
function comes in handy.” Max had never mentioned Ridgeville. I knew he only used his apartment for work. How strange that the first mention of his home was not to me, but to my mom.

My mom continued her grilling until my father walked through the front door thirty minutes later. She stood up, “Excuse me, it’s my night to cook and I haven’t even started dinner yet.” I relaxed a little, knowing that the worst was over. It was my mom’s approval that was required; my father would like anyone who I liked. Dad sat down and we went through his round of questions. After a full hour with both my parents, I stood up and announced, “Max and I are going out for dinner, I’ll see you later.” Max was surprised at this announcement but followed without complaint.

Once we were in the truck he asked, “Why the abrupt departure? You didn’t even mention our after graduation trip to either of them?”

“
Sometimes less is more. I like the idea of them meeting you, deciding that they like you before I announce that we are taking off for a couple months together. No sense pushing our luck the very first day you meet them.”

We drove the whole way to his apartment without a word and were all the way inside before anything was spoken. Max began with, “I was thinking the Great Smoky Mountain National Forest. Have you ever been there?”

At that moment my cell phone rang. I held a finger in the air, pausing the conversation with Max, so I could answer this unknown call.

It was Paul, “Hi, Lauren, I’m out. I’m staying at my grandmother’s house. I don’t know how to thank you for posting bail for me. I really wasn’t expecting it. I promise I’ll pay you back, every dime.”

“
Don’t sweat it. Can you hold on for a minute?” I turned to Max with my hand over the phone and quietly asked, “I want to meet with Paul. You asked me earlier to ‘involve’ you when I did something you felt might be dangerous. Do you want me to meet him at a coffee shop or at his grandmother’s house?”

Max’s lip tightened into two thin hard lines, his brow furrowed, and every muscle in his face seemed to be tight, “I don’t want you to meet with him at all.”

Trying to be as lighthearted as possible, I kept my hand over the phone and whispered, “That wasn’t one of the options. Grandma’s or coffee shop?”

Max took the phone from my hand in a motion that was so swift I didn’t realize until the phone was in his hand. “Paul, this is Lauren’s boyfriend, Max. Lauren wants to meet with you, but I’d rather she not meet with you by herself. I’m sure you understand. Will your grandmother be upset if her alleged murderer of a grandson has guests for the evening, or would it be more appropriate to meet in a coffee shop?”

Max paused for a minute while Paul answered him. “Fair enough. We’ll see you in fifteen minutes.” He pressed the end button on my cell phone and with an over-emphasized sigh, “Let’s go.”

Max and I pulled into the parking lot of the coffee shop after another silent trip in his truck. I reached out to touch Max’s hand before he could get out. My touch caught his attention for a moment and made him look my way, “Max, I know I’m doing the right thing. I know you don’t like it, but I am glad you’re here.”

He paused long enough to gently squeeze my hand, then opened the door and got out. We walked into the coffee shop and saw that Paul was already sitting at a table in the far back corner. His back was to the wall, and he gave us a half-wave when we looked in his direction.

Paul held out his hand in a gesture to Max to introduce himself. Max took his hand and held it for a second longer than was necessary, another male ego thing I’m sure. We all sat down in awkward silence for a minute. Then Paul began, “Look, I have no idea why you decided to help me, or even how I’m ever going to pay you back, but I promise you I will.”

Max interjected before I could say anything, “Well, that’s funny, that makes two of us. If you’re innocent, like you say you are, the police would have released you. Being out in public when the public thinks you killed a well-liked couple is insane.”

Paul responded, talking directly to Max, “Have you ever been in jail, Max?”

“
No.”

“
I can assure you, being on the outside, no matter how many people believe you to be a criminal is far better than being in a cage like an animal. I know I didn’t kill them, I had no motive, and depending on the timeframe the coroner comes up with, I don’t think I even had the opportunity. The last time I checked it wasn’t my responsibility to prove I am innocent; it’s the cop’s job to prove I’m guilty.”

As Paul’s voice began to raise, Max’s body stiffened, and I was worried it might come to blows if I didn’t interject. I placed my palm on Max’s knee and gave him a gentle squeeze right before I spoke. “Paul, I believe that you didn’t kill them. I’m not so naive to believe I can be as accurate as a polygraph, but rather than argue over proving guilt or innocence, I’d really like to ask you more about the timeframe.” I paused for a second, and Max rested his hand on mine that was still coupled over his knee. “I’m friendly with a couple of the police officers involved, and believe I can be of some assistance, if you want me to be.”