Tuesday, December 13 - Part 3
Getting her motley group safely out the hotel unnoticed was no easy effort. The ice covered streets made driving treacherous. Still, the deserted streets made it easy to see that no one was following them. Bobby sat in the passenger seat, barely able to stay awake and Louisa and Bell huddled in the back, repeatedly surveying the empty streets. Rubbing her tired eyes, Tara pulled into her parent’s driveway an hour and half after leaving the hotel.
Before opening the door of the car, she picked up her gun, which she’d placed on the seat beside her, and clicked off the safety. “Stay here with Bobby,” she told Louisa. “Let me make sure everything is clear.”
Keeping a wary eye on the neighborhood, she rang the doorbell to the house and waited. When no one came, she rang it again. Finally, she saw her dad push the curtain on the window aside. The door flew open. His eyes dropped to the gun in her hand almost instantly. “Tara, what’s wrong?”
“Daddy, I need your help.” Quickly, she explained and Bill, donning shoes, hurried out to help her get both Bobby and Louisa inside quickly.
Bill half carried the tall Aussie to the pink room while Tara locked and bolted the door and checked all the windows.
“No, I need to help her,” Bobby protested.
“Take it easy, Son, ” Bill told the obviously distraught agent.
Bobby grabbed Bill’s arm. “You don’t understand. She needs help. She’s exhausted.”
“I know. Don’t worry. I’ll help her. Honest.” Bill started to leave, but paused at the doorway. “Remember, she was my girl before she was yours.”
Bill hurried to the living room where Tara was explaining briefly to her mother what was happening. To her surprise, her mother handled the news remarkably well. Taking Louisa under her care, she led the young woman to the master bedroom to sleep through what was left of the night.
Riffling through a ring of keys, Bill opened the lock on the bureau drawer in the dining room. Tara watched him pull out a revolver and ammunition.
“Dad! What do you think you’re doing?”
“Come on over hear and sit down. We need to talk.”
Tara shrugged and sat in the chair he indicated. “You need to put that away. I know what I’m doing and I know how to use this gun. I’ve even killed someone before. Daddy, I don’t work in a cyber crimes unit.”
Bill laughed. “You think I believed that? I didn’t think so before Bobby came – seeing as I couldn’t picture my little girl who could never keep her nose out of anything being content on the sidelines – but after Bobby came, I was absolutely sure. Why would a cyber crimes unit need someone like Myles or Jack? Or especially Sue? But Bobby? That certainly didn’t fit your well-contrived story.”
“I’m sorry I lied to you.”
“I know. You just didn’t want us to worry.”
“I really didn’t. Now, will you put that away.”
“Tara, it’s my turn to tell secrets. I wasn’t in charge of requisitions. I’m was a major in intelligence. You came by your deceitfulness genetically.”
“Why didn’t you tell us? Does mom know?”
“Yes, your mother knows. She didn’t at first. Like you, I didn’t want her to worry. You know what? She’d already figured it out. For you kids, I wanted to be able to tell you things about my day at the dinner table beside I had an egg sandwich at lunch. Pretending I was someone else, made it okay to do that.”
“I can understand that,” she said, yawning.
“You’re exhausted. It’s been a long night. Tara, let me help you. I know this neighborhood and who belongs and who doesn’t. I can and will protect this house and everyone in it. Go get some sleep ….. please.”
She wanted to protest –- even knew she should, but she was suddenly so relieved that the adrenaline keeping her awake seemed to fade in an instant. Her weary shoulders slumped. “Maybe you could spell me for a couple of hours,” she admitted. “But you’ve got to promise to come get me at the first sign of any trouble.”
“I promise.”
Tara stood and hugged her dad’s neck. He patted her arm with his rough hand. “Tara, I’m proud of you.”
“Tara,” the female voice called gently shaking her, “you need to wake up!”
All at once, the previous night’s situation flashed in her mind and she bolted upright. Seeing her mother, she shook her head. “Mom? What’s going on?”
“Your dad said he’s spotted something suspicious. Bobby’s with him now.”
“Bobby?”
“His fever broke a couple of hours ago. He says he’s feeling much better.”
Tara jerked her head to the clock. She’d been asleep for five hours. It was now after ten in the morning. Securing her weapon, she headed for the living room, and joined her dad at the window.
“See that car over there. I don’t recognize it or the men inside.”
Tara took a deep breath. “We shouldn’t have come here.”
“Tara Williams, don’t you dare say that!” her mother stated. “When you need help, you should always know you can count on your family.”
“Your mom is right – as usual,” Bill said smiling. “We need to get you guys out of here, though, while we can.”
“Sir, we aren’t leaving you to deal with those guys alone.”
“We can call the police and have them check on that car,” Carol suggested.
“Yeah, and while they are doing that, you guys can high tail it out of here.”
“They’ll just see us go,” Tara reminded him.
“Not if you take my Explorer. It’s in the garage so they wouldn’t see you load up, and since the garage faces the back of the house, they won’t even see you leave. Besides, the four-wheel drive will make your trip back a lot safer.”
“We couldn’t take your car,” Tara protested.
“Yes, we could,” Bobby said stepping towards her and placing his hands on her shoulders. “And we will. Thank you. We’ll see that it gets back to you.”
“But Bobby . . .” she said, turning to argue.
“Luv, your dad is right. We need to get out of here. You’ve had some sleep and if we get on the road now, we’ll have Louisa in D.C. by six or seven. I believe a well-placed phone call can keep our unknown friends delayed.”
A tear trickled down Tara’s cheek. “I can’t let them get in the middle of this.”
“I’ll stay,” Bobby offered. “You can take Louisa and get out of town.”
His offered touched her deeply. He would protect them with his life, she knew.
Carol draped an arm around her daughter. “That won’t be necessary, Bobby. We’ll be fine. You have a job to do. Go on, now. Together – like you belong.”
As soon as the police approached the unknown car, Tara, Bobby, Louisa, and Bell climbed into the S.U.V. and raised the garage door. Tara pulled the large vehicle onto the streets telling Louisa to stay down. If someone else came back to her parents place and ….She shook her head not allowing her mind to go down that path. Her mother’s words echoed in her ears. “We’ll be fine,” she’d said. ”Dear God,”Tara prayed, ”let that be true.”
An hour out of town, Tara took a chance and called home. Relief flooded her like a wave upon hearing her mother’s voice. The police had decided to have someone keep an eye on their home for the rest of the day. According to their sergeant, an FBI agent with an Australian accent ordered it.
When the Explorer neared the city, Bobby phoned Jack. Arrangements were made for Tara and Louisa to stay at a hotel with Jack and Myles taking turns at standing guard. Jack was still concerned about Chavez trying to get Louisa. Until she testified, he didn’t want any of them to go home.
>”Of course, you’re welcome to stay, too, Crash,” Jack told him. “I just didn’t think you were up to babysitting Tara all night.”
“You better not let her hear you say that, mate, or you’ll be wearing your knickers around your ears.”
>Jack laughed. “Then, please don’t tell her. Hey, what’s your calendar picture for day?”
“Thanks for reminding me. I almost forgot.”
>[i]”Well, if you need any help, I figure I owe you one.”
“Thanks mate.”
After delivering Louisa safely to her room, Bobby excused himself to make a few phone calls in the lobby. Myles followed the Aussie at a discrete afraid that the pale man might need some assistance.
As Myles rounded the corner of the hall, he was grabbed and flung up against the wall. “Myles! It’s you!” Immediately, he released his hold. “You of all people should know better than to sneak around someone like me.”
Myles adjusted his tie. “Someone like you?”
“Who’s been on edge for days. I felt like I was being followed.”
“And you were.” He noticed the color drain from Bobby’s face and Myles steadied him with a hand to his arm.
“Sit down, Koala Boy,” he ordered. “I’m not in the mood haul your Australian carcass back to your room.
Bobby slumped into a chair and held his head in his hands.
“I just wanted to plan our calendar date for the night.”
“Let me plan it for you. I can assure you that you won’t be disappointed.”
“I don’t know, Myles.”
“You let Lucy plan a date, and certainly you realize that I am infinitely more qualified in social matters.”
“It needs to be low key.”
He sensed his pale friend relenting. “I can do low key. What’s the picture?”
“Okay, you two have a limo to meet in front of the hotel in twenty minutes,” Myles told Bobby.
“Myles, I said low key.”
“Don’t worry. You won’t even be getting out of the limo all evening. Dinner will be waiting inside and he’s taking you on a tour to go with your picture.”
Bobby cocked a skeptical eyebrow. “What am I going to owe you for all this?”
“Nothing. My treat. Tara deserves it after the last 24 hours. Koala Boy, you’re not the only one who cares about her.”
“Thanks, mate.”
Bobby pulled a reluctant Tara away. Louisa promised to keep an eye on Bell and Myles to keep an eye on both of them. D would be joining him within the hour as well.
Just as promised, the white limo sat waiting when they emerged from the revolving doors. The driver stepped out as they approached and opened the door for them. Tara slid in, followed by Bobby. Sparkling floor lights welcomed them along with tray full of covered dishes. Suddenly, Bobby realized he was starving. He hadn’t eaten anything in the last twenty-four hours. He lifted the first lid and inhaled the scent of the bacon wrapped filet mignon. Picking up his fork ready to spear one, he stared at Tara who still his hand.
“Do you mind if we say thanks first? We have a lot to be thankful for.”
“Right you are, luv. Sorry.” Dropping his head, he prayed, “Father, we want to say thank you. Thank you for keeping us safe. Thank you for keeping Tara’s family safe. And thank you for this amazing woman who you used to keep us all safe. Amen.”
Tara giggled.
“What?” Bobby asked.
“You forgot the food.”
The delicious meal was consumed leisurely. The driver informed them they had an hour drive to their destination so they should take their time and relax. Reconnecting, both emotionally and physically, Bobby and Tara were surprised when the driver told them they were there.
“And where exactly is there?”
“The Winter Lights Festival at Seneca Creek State. There are 380 illuminated displays and 60 animated vignettes along a three and a half mile drive. We’ll be driving through the gates in a few minutes. If you want to see the lights at their best, however, I’ll need to roll down the tinted windows.”
“Can you open the sun roof?” Tara asked, her eyes alight.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Then, we’ll watch them from there,” she told him.
“Sir?”
“You heard the lady,” he laughed. “She wants to see them from up there.”
With their head poking up through the sun roof, Bobby held Tara. She laughed and pointed at the different displays and he watched her as much as he did the spectacular lights. There were waterfalls of lights, carousels, trains, stockings and even a Ferris wheel. Each display caused Tara to gasp a new set of oohs and aahs.
Forty-five minutes after they started, Bobby pulled Tara back inside as the show concluded. She landed in his lap with a giggle. “Oh, Bobby, this has been so wonderful. I really needed this.”
“I know.” He said kissing her cheek. “Now, how about giving me something I really need.”
“Like?”
“A few more of your kisses,” he said, displaying his best dimpled smile.
She caressed his cheek, allowing her thumb to dip into the dimple. “I think I could be persuaded.”
Do you ever sleep?! You're not going to burn out on us, are you????? Because we don't mind if you post one day over two days if you have to...it just means we get to enjoy it longer. And you do have until the 31st to finish so you have plenty of time. 
you know you were waiting for the right moment? 
