Just a Memory (35 page)

"Mac! Don't you dare pass out, because I could never catch you!"

Mac smiled through his lightheadedness at her sternness. "Yes, ma'am. I'll do my best."

He could smell her herbal shampoo. He longed for two good arms to hold her with. Instead they shuffled together to the bathroom door. Carolyn leaned her shoulder against the doorframe and looked at him questioningly.

"I'll be okay from here." He wished he felt as confident as he sounded, but there was only so much he was willing to have her do for him at this point.

"You're sure? This is no time to be modest."

He kissed her temple and lowered his arm from her shoulders, reaching for the sink for support. His stomach was churning. He swallowed hard as Carolyn stepped out and closed the door behind him.

While he took care of his immediate need to be there, he eyed the room as a possible escape route. Maybe, just maybe, the window was big enough to climb out. Not for him, though. He wouldn't have the strength to climb out even if the window was big enough to accommodate his size. Carolyn was slender enough to go through and tall enough to get down outside safely, he judged.

Under the camouflage sound of flushing water, he staggered to the window and found it unlocked. Not lockable was more precise. He gave it a push upward. It wouldn't budge. He wished he could use two hands. He ignored the pain stabbing his chest. His anger and rising panic on top of worrying about Carolyn's safety led him to gather his waning strength and try again, harder.

This time the window moved, but too far. It flew open and Mac was thrown off balance against the wall. He hit the glass shelf over the sink with his elbow. The glass shot off the narrow metal shelf holders and smashed into the sink. Lunging back to the window, he just managed to get it shut and turn around again when Harry flew into the room, gun pointed at Mac.

"What the hell is goin' on?" He saw Mac leaning against the wall, holding his bad arm. He took in the smashed glass all over and looked back at Mac suspiciously.

Not wanting Harry's attention called to the window behind him, Mac said, "I started to pass out. I grabbed for the sink and knocked the shelf off. I'll be all right in a minute, Harry. I know how very much you care."

Mac leaned his head back against the wall and gave a good performance of a dizzy man in a lot of pain. Only he wasn't acting at all.

"They just said on TV the state cops have closed the highways 'cause of the damn snowstorm. I don't know how Morris will get here now and I don't want nothin' happenin' to ya before he does, got that?"

"That makes two of us. I don't want anything happening to me either, Harry."

With a "
Hmph
!" Harry stepped out of the little room to make room for Carolyn, who had found a broom in the kitchenette. She swept the shards of glass out of the way under the sink.

Mac watched her careful movements. His shoulder burned and he was getting more light-headed by the minute. He held out his hand to her and said softly, "Come here."

She leaned the broom against the wall and stepped into his arms. They melded together in a kiss that burned straight from their hearts. They longed to have the kiss go on to wherever it would lead, but that wasn't the reality of the situation. When they ended the kiss reluctantly, Mac held Carolyn's head against his good shoulder. He kissed her hair and whispered, "We'd better get back in there."

He felt warm blood running down his chest, but said nothing. She would discover it soon enough. Carolyn nodded and helped him raise his arm to around her shoulder for support for the walk back.

"It took you long enough," Harry said, hardly glancing at them.

With Carolyn's help Mac settled in bed. She went through the process of cleaning his chest and stopping the bleeding yet again. She covered him with the spread and resumed her position at his side, holding his hand.

Mac could see she was exhausted. So was he. The trip to the bathroom had taken a lot out of him. He wanted to shut his eyes and had to fight to stay awake. Hell, it had been hours since he'd been shot. How much longer could he hold out to be sure Carolyn was safe?

"I gotta get some shut eye." Harry yawned and stretched. "I'm gonna leave the TV on so I can hear any news bulletins that come on about the weather. But you two are a problem. I got to be sure you ain't goin' no place. I got to tie ya up."

"You can't be serious," Carolyn said at once. "I have no boots or gloves or even a hat, and Mac is too weak to walk. Just how do you think we'd be able to go anywhere?"

"How would I know, sugar? I didn't get where I am takin' chances and I ain't startin' now. But to show you what a good guy I am…"

Harry reached for Mac's good arm at the wrist and in a flash snapped on a handcuff he pulled from his pocket. "Mac here has generously provided us with the handcuffs. These and his gun and the TV was about all he had in his house."

Laughing, Harry pulled the other end of the handcuff around a metal post in the headboard next to Carolyn's head. The movement raised Mac's arm up over his head and although he gritted his teeth, he couldn't prevent the low groan of pain.

"You slide down," Harry told Carolyn. "I'll handcuff you two together. Then I know you'll stay put."

Harry slackened the pull of the cuff allowing her room to slide down until her head was at the same level as Mac's. Harry reached for her wrist and snapped the other cuff on her.

"And don't forget, I got my friend to keep you two in line." He opened his jacket and patted the gun in his shoulder holster.

Carolyn shivered, and Mac thought she was reacting to the cold. "How about a blanket?"

"What am I, a butler or somethin'?" Harry complained quickly enough, but he grabbed the bloodied bedspread and tossed it to them. Carolyn managed, using her free hand and her legs, to arrange it somewhat over them both.

"Give me your hand so the cuffs won't pull." He held her hand high on the pillow so the cuffs didn't bite into their wrists.

"Thanks."

He bent the elbow of his injured arm so his hand lay on her other arm across her stomach. He leaned close enough to kiss her temple. She turned to him and their lips met.

Goodbye, Caro,
he intended the kiss to say.
You'll never know how much I love you or how happy I've been since I met you.

Mac's last thoughts were that they had to make their move before the fever got the best of him. Carolyn had to get away. She had to if it was the last thing he did. With her free, she would have a chance at staying alive, even if he did not.

Their foreheads touching, Mac and Carolyn fell asleep, their bodies exhausted and in need of healing rest.

"Looks like a roadblock ahead," the driver said when he saw the red and blue flashing lights flickering across the snow-covered road.

The radio news in the long black car announced that the New York State Highway Department had closed the upstate highway system and advised no travel except in an emergency.

"Do whatever they say," Morris said from the back seat, his dark eyes taking in the scene. "Don't give them any reason whatsoever to stop us."

The flashing lights reflected rhythmically on the driver's face as they turned near the police cars and headed up the off ramp.

"Keep going on this plowed road. When you get a chance, get out a map. We'll find another route to that damn town, but we're not stopping."

"Yes, sir, boss…ah, Lieutenant."

The big car's chained snow tires hummed as the driver turned onto the county highway heading west.

Bathed in the blue light from the television droning on through the night, Carolyn smiled as she dreamed of sunbathing on a
South
Sea
island. She could feel the warmth of the sand and sun on her face. Slowly the dream faded away, and she woke up to the fact that the warmth was none other than Mac's fevered body leaning heavily on hers. She looked up to find him watching her.

"This isn't the way I ever pictured us in bed together," he whispered with a smile.

"Me neither." After peeking to see that Harry was still asleep, she leaned up to captured Mac's mouth in a gentle kiss. "Mac, there has to be a way I can get away and get help."

Mac thought about the plan he had formulated. It meant she would be in danger, but it was their only hope. "There is a way," he said.

"Just tell me what to do." If there were any chance of getting out of the cabin to get help, she'd do it. They had no chance if she stayed.

Mac nuzzled her cheek and she moved her head up so his mouth was right next to her ear. Their whispering might wake Harry if they weren't careful. "Caro, we've only got one chance to make it work. First, we get you out of the handcuffs and into your coat. Then you get yourself into the bathroom and out the window. I was loosening the bottom section that was stuck shut when I broke the glass tray in there. It should open for you now, but use running water to hide the sound."

She nodded.

"Once you're out the window, skirt away from the cabin down to the road for help. The snow may be crunchy, and he could hear that through these crummy walls since he's got the TV so low. I'm praying you know where we are, and you can find some place to call for help."

She turned her head to whisper directly into his ear. "I know someone who lives back down the road. I thought about going there before I fell asleep, but I couldn't figure how to get out of here."

The relief on Mac's face was enormous.

"When you talk to Hines, tell him I finally remember the whole night my partner was killed. This is very important, Caro. The killer was a cop. Tell Hines it was Brown Eyes who murdered Sam and shot me."

"Brown Eyes," she repeated.

"Now here's what you have to do to get out of here. We've got to be quick. First, unbutton the waist of my jeans."

Carolyn gulped in surprise.

"Why, Caro, what are you thinking of?"

She looked at his smile and recognized a tease when she heard it. It helped her relax a little. She slid her hand down across his hard stomach to the waist of his jeans. Finding the button she slid two trembling fingers inside the belt to hold it while she pulled the buttonhole off the button with her thumb and first finger.

She didn't think Mac's sharp intake of air was all from shoulder pain. She looked up into his eyes sheepishly and whispered, "Sorry."

"My pleasure," he whispered with a smile.

As soon as he felt the button release, he went on with the instructions. "Now run your hand around the waistband until you come to the little leather patch with the brand name of the jeans on the back of my hip."

A couple of seconds later she nodded.

"Now the waist should be loose enough to get your finger under the label from the slit on the side and get the extra handcuff key I keep there. Be careful not to drop it."

"I wish you hadn't added that last part," she responded. "I wouldn't have thought of dropping it if you hadn't suggested it."

"Just think about how lucky we are I didn't have any nylon cuffs in the house. Once they lock on we'd be sunk."

Realizing it was their only chance made her sure-fingered. She managed to get the key firmly between her fingers and around Mac's waist to the bed between them. She looked up for further instructions.

"I want you to loosen mine just a little–enough to force my hand through to get it free later. I'm hoping that when Harry realizes what is going on he won't notice it's loose. Leave your side just as tight as it is. I'll wake him to say I need a drink, or… No, better yet, we'll tell him
you
have to use the bathroom this time. He can't refuse that and he should leave you alone in there long enough to get out the window."