The Plan

Chapter 29

April 7, 2011 (12:00pm)

Lawson and Tanaka were sitting inside their office looking at the white board full of information about Kyla Howard. Their faces were blank as both of them were deep in thought.

Yesterday, they’d contacted every possible person who might have helped her, but no leads whatsoever. No trace as well.

The knock on the door drew them back to the present.

“Hey, I got a package for you,” a police officer addressed Lawson. In his hand was a package wrapped in brown paper. “Said it should be handed to you directly.”

Lawson got up and slowly made his way to the young officer and took the package with a frown. Who would send him packages?

Open alone. Those were the only words written on the brown paper. Tanaka was already on her feet and was frowning at him and at the package.

“Close the door,” he told her which she immediately obliged much to his surprise.

Once they were finally alone, he ripped the package open and he saw the tape. With it was a small note that said: I told you I’m not going to say anything while I’m in chains. Let this tape make amends to my escaping before your eyes. Don’t show this to anyone except your partner. Don’t trust anyone. –K.H

Lawson’s eyes snapped at Tanaka’s already curious eyes. “I guess we need a more private room with a VCR player.”

“Let’s go to your house,” Tanaka suggested.

He nodded and grabbed his jacket, “Let’s go.”

(1:30pm)

Carter was sweating furiously inside his office. He couldn’t find the damn tape!

It must be Stuart!

No, that can’t be. Where the hell is my tape?!

The ringing of the phone made him jump.

Stuart.

He hadn’t received any call from him when the news of Kyla Howard’s escape broke out. Simons was bugging him, but Stuart was silent.

“What?” he answered the phone.

“What happened?” Stuart’s voice demanded coldly.

Carter couldn’t find the words to explain. He never thought Kyla Howard was capable of getting help that included a blasted chopper.

“Where’s the tape?” Stuart asked.

“It’s with me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, of course.”

“You better destroy it, or I’ll destroy you.”

He forced a laugh despite the alarm he felt. “You can’t destroy me.”

“We’ll see about that.” Then the senator clicked off.

“Son of a bitch!’ Carter cursed himself. He should have made a copy of the tape. And now it’s gone. It’s not for long before Stuart found out it’s missing.

Sean Lightman. The name popped into his head like a bubble. He was the only one who was left alone in his office in the last few days.

“God dammit!” Carter bellowed, throwing papers across the room.

The knock on his door brought alarm to his nerves and he didn’t know why. Call it animal instinct. He just knew he got to run—but it’s already too late.

The door opened without an answer from him and Tanaka and Lawson’s grim faces were staring at him.

“Paul Carter,” it was the first time he heard Lawson address him without the chief word. “I think we need to transfer you to another room.”

“The interrogation room,” Tanaka added, waving a paper at him. He very well knew what it was. He saw the very familiar tape in Lawson’s hand and his face paled.

(2:00pm)

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked Sean for the second time that day. She knew he was finding it hard to know that his father had had an affair with Georgia Stuart.

Sean took her to an estate he owned and they were currently inside the bedroom.

“Yes, of course,” he smiled at her and held her close. “Are you sure about the tape?”

She nodded. “I guess. But I made a copy just in case.”

He chuckled down at her. “That’s the Phoebe I know. Planning ahead.”

She smiled. Yes, she was Phoebe. “I need to change my name, you know,” she said.

“I already handled that.”

“You did?”

“Of course. I plan ahead as well, remember?”

She grinned. “Yes, I know.”

“I like Megan. Megan Lightman.”

She snapped her head up at him. “You’re making me your sister?”

“Not a chance,” he drew her lips to meet his. “I’m making you my wife.”

“Don’t you think it’s too fast?”

He frowned. “No, I don’t”

“But it is,” she insisted. She breathed deeply and stepped back from his arms. “I need some time alone.” It was a statement she had been practicing since last night.

Sean knew it was coming. He sighed. “Until when?”

“I don’t know…a year? Two?”

He looked at her for a long time. “You better leave now before I chain you to the bed. Your new papers are in that drawer.”

She looked at the bedside cabinet, and then back at him. His eyes were already filled with longing.

 But she got to do this. For her own self. For everything she had done.

Sean gave her one last long kiss before he walked to the door. “Just make your soul searching stuff fast, okay? You know where to find me.”

She smiled at him. “You bet I’ll find you, Lightman.”

He looked at her for a long time before he closed the door. She took a deep breath and reached for the drawer. She got to pack.