Chapter 13

According to procedure, Nicole had to be handcuffed when she boarded the FBI jet to Washington. Once it took off for the flight across Canada and the lower States, she was freed from her restraints and permitted to wear one of her outfits Zachary sent.

“Thank you,” Nicole sat down across from Agent Kennelly. She found him to be an attractive man but the gold band on his finger made him out of bounds. Nicole never played with married men. Even sob stories about how bad his home life was, didn’t move her. But Kennelly was all business and knew that he’d be taken off the case as soon as the plane landed.

He knew that this case was beyond him. Nicole didn’t look like the type to kill another human being. To him, she should be a movie/television star or a super model. Not a cold blooded murderer.

They talked affably for an hour until Kennelly yawned. She excused herself to take a small nap herself. The small nap turned into almost a full night’s sleep. Kennelly awakened her an hour out of Washington.

“Thank you,” she still felt sleepy.

“This is where I say goodbye to you,” he told her. “A man called Mr. Z will takeover when we land.” He stuck his hand out. “It’s been a pleasure.”

“Thank you,” she gave him her professional shake. “It’s been a pleasure too.” Kennelly was surprised at the firmness of her grip. He knew men who couldn’t grip his hand as much as this beauty did.

Horace had not heard from Nicole since her arrest. He wondered if she were going to prison. Or if she had forgotten all about him. He was packed and awaiting for his ride to Fairbanks then a flight to Seattle for his sixty day vacation. He planned to be put up at the Marines barracks in Bremerton and just take things easy. Maybe hit a few bars but mostly just getting things to prepare for next winter.

From a distance he saw a mud splattered SUV heading toward him.

It was a warm and wet day. But now the sun was shining. It was June and it was only dark for an hour or so. In a few more days it would be light twenty-four hours. Not being too used to constant sunshine, he looked forward to Seattle where it would be night for at least a few hours.

The flight was boring. He tried listening to music, read the magazines the plane provided, and ate the sandwich with a few peaches in a side dish. He tried taking a nap but his mind was wide awake. Her face was branded into his mind and he couldn’t get it out. She had told him he was a wonderful lover but did she mean it or was Nicole stroking his ego? If she was, she had done a good job of it. She made him feel like a real man. Where other women looked at him as he walked through the concourse most were repelled by his distortions.

Nichol never made him feel like an ogre or a troll. The only thing she demanded of him was that he shave and shower daily. His heart continued to sink deeper into despair.

“I see you had a little trouble,” Zachary smiled seeing Nicole for the first time in nine months. “You don’t look any worse for wear.”

“No thanks to you,” she sat across the desk from him with her long nylon clad legs crossed. She had one of her heels balancing on her toe. “I spent the whole winter half freezing to death.”

“Oh come now,” Zachary chuckled. “You were snowbound with a male.

What do you take me for?”

“All right, I admit it. It could have been worse,” Nicole conceded.

“So you didn’t suffer that much, I see.”

“After I got over the affects of the crash, I was fine. It was getting over all the pain that was the hardest thing. I was sure happy that Horace had enough morphine so I could rest. I almost became a junkie. But he weaned me off the shit so I’m not into the drug.”

“Happy to hear it, my dear,” Zachary tossed a bulging envelope over to her. “There’s fifty thousand in cash for you as a bonus. All of your money is in Aruba. Just about twenty million.”