Gone

Scott grins down at Katie. “Chin up. Breakfast sounds good, and Domino and I already had a nice long discussion, where she told me that staying with you sounded a might more pleasing than Wyatt.”

He leans down for a kiss, then stands up, offering Katie a hand. “Come on. That breakfast is already waiting. I’ve been up for a while.”

During a light breakfast in the kitchen Scott keeps the subjects happy ones, avoiding talk of his leaving, until after they’re done and everything is cleaned up. Before he knows it, all his bags are in his car and he’s stepping out of his house, giving Katie keys so she can come and go, or get Domino whenever she wanted.

Shutting the screen door behind them, Scott takes Katie by the shoulders and looks into her eyes, a smile on his face. “I gotta go now…I’ll call you when I get there, alright?”

Leaning in, he gives her lips a tender kiss, his thumb moving to caress her cheek. “My phone is always on – call me any time for any reason.”

Pausing a moment, his eyes search hers. Why did this feel like such a deeper goodbye than what it should be? “I’ll see you in a few days.”

Giving her one last big hug, Scott steps off the porch and walks quickly to his car. Within seconds, he’s pulling away, one arm out the window, waving goodbye.

Domino stands inside the house, staring out the screen door as her master drives away, and suddenly she throws her head back to let out a howl. Seeing it did no good, she starts to whimper and whine, scratching at the door.

And back at TJY, waiting for Katie to come in to work, on her desk sits a white stuffed rabbit with a red ribbon around its neck that says “I love you.”


Carson grits his teeth, knowing that Nate was right, even if he didn’t like it. His fingers tighten around Misty’s. “You have my word. When I know Dani’s safe, I’ll come back without a fight.”

That settled, no one has to say that it’s time for action. The drop off point awaited.

A short ways of driving, and less than an hour later, the park is in view. Parking a distance away, Carson directs Misty to stick with him and walks deliberately to the designated bench, leaving the brown paper sack under the one end. Withdrawing, they head away again, but instead of leaving completely, they round a bend behind some trees where they will wait. They can see the bench from there, but no one would notice them.

Carson nods to Nate. “Alright. Go and sit. And when he comes, let him know quietly that he’s got a gun to him, and try to bring him over here without a scene.”

Once Nate is sitting down as directed, all they can do is wait. And they do…but only for fifteen minutes.

A short wiry man strolls casually down the park walk, glancing at children playing, and nodding to those who pass him. Approaching the bench, he gives a sidelong glance to the package, then to Nate before sitting down over the package.

Carson almost drops his binoculars. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he hisses. “That’s Zane? I could take him down with my hands tied behind my back!”

Zane sits for a short while, then moves to lean down and pick up the package.