The Beast Within (5 page)

Smaller shops like his mother’s gave way to name brand stores. Burger joints like the one he had just passed through were nowhere to be seen, and instead, fancy restaurants with five star ratings appeared.

Houses seemed to grow in size with each passing block. Connor was all too familiar with his current destination. He had driven the same way numerous times to pick up and drop off Katie. She lived in the biggest house on the block. It was a massive structure, any bigger and one could have called it a castle. Large red brick walls made up most of the house, with four white pillars in the front and white trim complimenting the building.

The large black iron gates that stood sentry around the estate were adorned with a huge emblem of a sun. The sun was the same color of the gate and about three times the size of a basketball. It was a large flat orb with flames shooting out in every which direction like fingers pointing everywhere.

Connor pulled up to the intercom and pushed the talk button. Very soon a familiar voice came through the line. “I was hoping it would be you delivering today and not Pete or Joe. They’re nice, but they always argue about the best way to unload the truck.”

“Well, open up the gate and you and I can argue how to unload the truck.”

“Hmmm. How about I open the gate, we don’t argue, and while you unload the truck, I’ll get you something to drink.”

“You drive a hard bargain, Kat, but you have yourself a deal. Where do you want this stuff?”

“Probably in the back near the guest house. See you soon!”

The gates swung open and Connor drove through. Passing the house on the way to the backyard, he recognized all the familiar vehicles: there was Katie’s father’s BMW, her mom’s Cadillac, and of course her Volkswagen Passat. Aside from all of these there was one car Connor had never seen before, a newer, white Audi. Connor was unsure of the model, but one thing he was sure of, it was very expensive.

The guesthouse looked like a smaller version of the actual house. It was made out of the same red brick and white trim and had a walkway that snaked through the backyard and connected with the rest of the property.

Connor stopped his truck, and as he began to unload, he had to laugh. Here he was, a small time local boy in a beat-up truck, in the middle of what might have well been the White House. It would have taken three or four of his trucks to equal the value of just one of the cars he saw when he drove in.

The money factor had never bothered Connor when he was dating Katie and it still didn’t now, Connor just couldn’t help but find it ironic.

He picked up the various insect repellents and bug sprays from his truck and headed over to place them by the guesthouse. No doubt it was for the same bug infestation Katie mentioned when he ran into her in town.

As he approached the guesthouse, he could tell someone was inside. The door was open and he caught the figure of a man walking through the front room. Connor had never known anyone to actually stay in the house, it was more of a added amenity for the Hubers than anything else.

“Hello?” he called, placing the anti-bug equipment by the door. He knocked and stuck his head in. “Hello, is anyone there?”

“Why, what are the odds? It was Connor, right?”

Connor recognized the German accent and saw its speaker at the same time. There in the doorway was Randolph, fake smile and all.

Chapter 4

C
onnor stepped back, mouth as
open as the door. Randolph continued to smile.

“Oh, I see you two have already met!” Katie’s cheerful voice rang out behind Connor. “Connor, this is my second cousin on my mother’s side, Randolph.”

Connor turned to Katie. She was standing there, beautiful as ever, holding two large cups of lemonade. She was wearing a bright yellow shirt that reminded Connor of a sunflower, blue cut-off jeans, and yellow sandals. “Well, here you go—drink up!” She handed him one glass and gave the other to Randolph. “I brought you one, too. Thought you might be thirsty with all the moving.”

Randolph smiled at her. “Thank you, cousin, I was a bit parched. Now with Connor being so polite as to bring the necessary equipment, I can destroy these wretched bugs and finish the moving process.”

Connor, finding his voice, spoke up. “So, the two of you are related, and now you’re going to come and live in Katie’s guesthouse?”

“That’s right. Katie is a relative and her family has been nice enough to open their home to me while I’m in town on business. Just for a week or so.”

“What kind of business?”

“Oh, I won’t bore you with the details. Let’s just call it…” He paused, his blue eyes shifting as he searched for the right word. “Business of a personal nature.”

“Don’t be silly, Randolph. You can tell Connor,” Katie chimed in. “Randolph and his immediate family are from Germany. They’re very profitable bankers here to expand their business ventures and look into buying property.”

“Property,” Connor repeated the word as if it was the first time he had heard it. “Property, like businesses? Maybe small shops in the area?”

Randolph looked as though he was starting to get uneasy with all the talk directed at his activities in town. “Yes, small businesses and much more, but it would be a conflict of interest speaking about the matter with you, since you have another friend interested in the same industry, don’t you, Connor? Larentia, or as you might know her, Laren.”

Katie’s eyes scrunched a little at the brow. “Connor, you know someone else in real estate?”

“If you call a dinner date ‘knowing,’ well then, yes, Connor knows Larentia very well.” A smile appeared on Randolph’s face, replacing the look of unease.

“Yeah, I did meet someone involved in that area of business, but more so her family than her.”

Katie didn’t say a word. She just stared at him with a look Connor knew all too well, but he wasn’t going to feel guilty about a date. Katie was the one who had ended it with him and that had been months ago.

“Well, I still have another delivery to do. Randolph,” he said, nodding in his direction. “Katie, I’ll see you later.”

“I’ll walk you to your truck,” Katie said.

“Good-bye, Connor. Oh, and do give Larentia a message for me next time you see her. Tell her she’s in way over her head on this one and should call her daddy for help.”

Connor, avoiding any more conversation, just nodded in acknowledgement as he walked to his truck.

Katie kept pace with him and waited till they were out of earshot. “So, you started dating again?” Katie tried to make the question sound as innocent as possible, but Connor couldn’t help but think there were ulterior motives at work.

“I wouldn’t call it dating. I went on a date, as in one. Besides, why should it matter?”

“Oh, it doesn’t. Just thought you would have mentioned it, is all.”

“Katie, you broke up with me.”

“I know. It’s just that I’ve been thinking, and I miss you, Connor. I know this is unfair to say after I’ve put you through all this, but what if I made a mistake?”

Connor couldn’t believe his ears. Yet here she was, standing right in front of him, the light breeze playing with her natural blond hair, her passionate blue eyes looking for some type of response.

“I don’t know how I feel anymore, Kat. I’m confused, I miss you, too, but we can’t be this way. I don’t want a relationship where we’re on again, off again, on again, off again.”

“I know, and neither do I. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything, but it’s the truth, Connor.”

“I think we both need time to think about things before we make any decisions.”

Katie nodded in agreement. The two gravitated toward each other like they had so many times before. Katie fit perfectly in his arms; it felt natural, normal, to hold her again.

After an embrace that seemed much too long for two “friends” to share, they separated. “Okay, well, you better get going. I know you have deliveries to do. Call me, though. Maybe we can hang out tomorrow after you get off work.”

“’K,” Connor responded as he got into his truck. His mind was spinning as he turned the key and the engine roared to life.

There was too much to think about without making his head hurt. Instead, Connor turned up the radio and listened to AC/DC as he enjoyed the scenic ride out of town.

This methodology only worked so long before he found his mind wandering back to Laren, with her green eyes, her smile and her willingness to open up to him. She was such a strong individual but she had a vulnerable side that she had allowed him to see, even if it was only for a few hours. The way he was drawn to her couldn’t be discounted, either.

But Katie was the girl he’d thought he would marry. They had been through so much together and had so many great memories. She had been there for him whenever he needed her, and they fit perfectly together. Everyone said so at one time or another: they were supposed to be a perfect match.

Aware the radio distraction wasn’t working, Connor decided to take it up a notch. Turning the radio on full blast, he rolled down the windows and started to sing the lyrics to “Wheels in the Sky” by Journey at the top of his lungs.

Soon the one-man karaoke machine pulled into the Catskill Forest Preserve, thirsty and hoarse. He parked his truck in the Welcome Center parking lot. With no clue where to make his delivery, he picked up the insect repellent, two water bottles, and pickaxe and made his way to the front entrance.

Dressed in his flannel shirt and now carrying a pickaxe, Connor couldn’t help but feel like a lumberjack. A few days’ absence from shaving didn’t help the picture and Connor had to laugh at himself.

“Hey! What’s so funny?”

Connor’s head swung around to the side of the building so fast it threatened to give him whiplash.

Laren was there, eyebrows raised, waiting for a response. Her hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail and she was dressed in runner’s attire. Connor had to force himself to keep eye contact and not stare at her outfit.

“Nothing. What are you doing here?”

Laren approached him playfully. She had a bag in her hand that Connor hadn’t noticed before. As she got closer, her expression changed from one of playfulness to concern, her eyebrows furrowed. Her nose scrunched like she had gotten a wiff of skunk and she looked around the area as if she were searching for someone.

“Are you okay?” Connor asked, taking a look around their surroundings as well, not really sure what or who he was looking for.

Laren opened her eyes bigger and shook her head. “Yeah, sorry, I’m fine. Just allergies.” Reversing her demeanor, she placed a smile on her face and continued. “I was waiting for my delivery and I have something for you.”

“Wait, you ordered this?”

“Yes, and thank you,” she said, taking the waters, insect repellent and pickaxe from him.

The way she handled the pickaxe like some kind of toy was surprising. Connor was in the prime of his life and exercised on a daily basis. The pickaxe wasn’t a struggle for him to lift, but neither was it light, especially for a one hundred and twenty pound girl. There was no grunt of exertion or show of strength, she merely took it from him and placed it down on the side of the Welcome Center building.

She was back in a second, handing him the bag. “Here. Open it up, and stop looking at me like I’m some kind of freak.”

Connor took the bag and looked inside. It was everything he needed to go on a run; a brand new pair of black and red Nike running shoes, socks, and a black pair of running shorts.

“Well, hurry up and change, mister. Let’s go. We’re burning daylight.”

Connor looked at the items in the bag closer and examined the sizes of the shoes and shorts. “Wait, how did you know what size I am?”

“Call it female intuition. Thank you for providing the insect spray and water, we’ll need those.”

Connor still in disbelief, walked behind the Welcome Station and began undressing, taking off his shoes and pants first and replacing them with the provided shorts and Nikes. The clothes fit perfectly. The shorts were neither too tight nor too loose, and the shoes hugged his feet like they were his own. Laren had guessed his size exactly. As he began to unbutton his shirt, he realized there was no replacement. Laren hadn’t provided any kind of running shirt or tank top.

“I did that on purpose,” her voice rang out behind him.

Connor wheeled around, his newly unbuttoned shirt still hanging open. He saw her standing behind him, watching.

“Come on, don’t be shy. You’re going to get all sweaty and would want to take it off even if you had one on.”

“Oh, I’m sure that’s what it is. You’re thinking of me. This has nothing to do with you wanting to see me with my shirt off.”

“Why, Connor Moore, I am a lady from an esteemed family. I would never—” Even as she said it, a sly smile played across her lips.

“All right, you have a deal if you tell me what the pickaxe is for. I get why you needed bug spray and water, but what’s the deal with the pickaxe?”

Laren glanced at it propped up against the side of the building. “It seemed silly to just order bug spray and water. I thought your mom might cancel the order and think it was a joke, so I had to order something else.”

“So, of all the things you could have bought, you chose a pickaxe?”

“Well, I don’t have a lot of experience with gardening equipment and it looked cool. I’ve never bought a pickaxe before.”

“The things I do to satisfy our customers.” Connor shrugged off his shirt. Active in sports his entire life, Connor was a perfect physical specimen of what a man should look like. His chest, abdomen, and arms were perfectly chiseled. He looked like a Greek statue had come to life. His olive skin soaked in the sun and his brown eyes focused on Laren.

Winking, Connor broke the silence. “What did you say to me the first time we met? ‘Stare much?’”

Laren had to tear her eyes away from Connor’s body and force herself to look at his face. “Only when I see something I like.” It was her turn to wink now.

It was about two o’clock and the hottest part of the day as the two joggers made their way through the forest. They chose a slower pace to start, their feet making a light, consistent sound like a metronome.

Rabbits scurried from their path as they approached, birds sang songs only they knew, and Connor was at home. The smell of the forest was intoxicating as a variety of floral scents played with his nostrils. The trees welcomed him, extending their limbs in his direction like open . If he listened hard enough, he could even hear the slight trickle of water, indicating a stream nearby.

“So, what brought this about? Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great idea, but why?”

“After our dinner, and especially the way you handled our run in with Randolph, I just wanted to say thank you. Not every guy would have been so understanding.” Laren paused. “No guy has ever been that understanding. There’s so much I want to tell you, Connor, but because of my family’s business, I can’t.”

“None of that matters to me. I just want to get to know you. The real you, not Larentia, but Laren.”

She turned her head and smiled. “Thanks, Connor. It’s been a long time since anyone was interested in getting to know me. Most of the guys my parents approve of are just dating me hoping for an opportunity to get in with my family, or worse, are too intimidated by my father and family to even have anything resembling a decent conversation.”

When another mile had passed, Connor nudged his running partner. “Think you can keep up?”

“You have no idea.”

“Oh really? Is that a challenge?”

“Sure, wanna make a bet?”

Connor thought about this for a minute. He had run in this forest for years and now he pulled on his extensive knowledge of the various paths that crisscrossed the preserve. “Okay, there’s an abandoned ranger station four miles from here. If I get there first, I get to take you out again. This time minus the awkward run-in with the creepy business associate.”

“Okay, but if I win, I get to take you out, minus the run in with the creepy business associate, and you have to let me pay. Deal?”

“Deal.”

Connor grinned, turned his head, and started to really run. His arms pumped alternately as he began to pull away from Laren, slowly at first, but with each stride, a few more inches. After a few minutes, sweat beginning to form over his body, he looked behind him. Expecting to see Laren a few yards in his wake, he was shocked to see her just behind him, a smile playing across her smug face. No sweat on her brow, no signs of exertion.

Connor shook his head in disbelief. Maybe he wasn’t running as fast as he thought. Redoubling his effort, he focused on his breathing and began to sprint. How embarrassing would it be if she beat him? No, she wouldn’t. Connor was the fastest person he knew. Playing football, track, and soccer in school had confirmed this. There was no way she would be able to keep up. Focusing on his breathing, he pushed himself. Faster and faster his legs flew beneath him until the dirt ground looked like a brown blur instead of hard packed earth.