Exploring the Past
Part Three
by Ri
Disclaimers: See Part One
All I could do was go on pure instinct I had to get my Anne back.
I saw my opportunity in the form of a motorcycle near the wall where we were
working. I ran over to it, jumped on and sped after the love of my life. I rode
the bike like a maniac. I knew that I could get myself killed but I really couldn't
have cared less. I had to get to Anne and I wasn't going to let anything stop
me. I had the car in my sight and I wasn't going to lose her. The car was going
very fast but I was catching up with them.
When we came to an overpass I did the dumbest thing that I have ever done in
my life but I was desperate. I took the rails of the overpass at about 100 miles
an hour and landed on the other side right in the path of the on coming car
with my Anne inside. The car swerved careening onto its side and I jumped off
the moving motorcycle and landed on the side of a car that was spinning like
a top. I waited till it settled just long enough for me to get into the window
and pull Anne out. I cradled her in my arms and ran till I was sure we were
safe. Then I gently put her down on her shaky legs and examined her carefully
to make sure she was not hurt. I would never have forgiven myself if I had caused
my love the slightest pain.
A shaky little voice asked, “Dina, are you all right?”
I knew I was running on pure adrenaline, I couldn't even feel my heart beating
but I nodded and said in barely a whisper, “I think so.”
Tears were pouring down Anne's cheeks as she said quietly, “Thank God.”
She hugged me tightly to her stroking my hair.
I could feel that my eyes itched and I knew that I had been crying the whole
time, “My very words,” I said into a little ear as I picked her up
and started back toward our camp. As we walked back Anne tried to get me to
put her down but I just couldn't let her go till were safe and secure in our
own tent in the camp where my people would now work doubly hard to keep us safe.
Once we reached the site the police tried to pull us apart to question us but
I refused to be separated from Anne for a second. They could either question
us together or not at all. I had the backing of my whole team so they relented
and spoke to us in the field tent trying to get a handle on what had just occurred.
Three of our workers were killed and three badly wounded. I made sure that the
families were notified personally and that the wounded received the best of
care. Apparently I suffered a broken rib but I never felt it. Anne, Thank God,
was ok she was just scared and confused. The police were baffled. It was up
to me.
I was in bed under the constant supervision of one very angry blonde. Every time I tried to do anything for myself her response was, “Don't even think about it, Stretch.”
“Honey, I can't just lie here. There is some maniac out there who is trying to hurt you. I have to…”
“You are gong to let the God damn police do there God damned job…”
“But the police are not doing anything…”
“Well neither are you till your completely healed…”
“Honey…”
“Sweetheart, Shut up and lie still. You are going to heal, Damn it!” She was really pissed. I don't think that I had ever heard her swear at all, in all the time I've known her. She paced back and forth in front of me and ranted and raved in a way that I knew I had better watch my next step. “You are going to just stay right there and heal, Oh mighty hero of mine. I will tie you down to that mattress if I have to, now stop fidgeting and lie back. I don't want those ribs of your to curve in any way. To think you carried me 20 miles with broken ribs. Are you nuts!?! I can walk you know? Dina you are the most infuriating person I have ever known…” She said in steady tirade as she fussed with my pillows and blankets while continually slapping at my hands at every attempt to help her.
“I love you, “ I said quietly interrupting her tirade in midstream.
She stopped and looked at me. She sat gingerly on the edge of my bed and caressed my cheek with the gentleness one would use on a child, “ I love you too. You idiot. I love you more then life itself.”
“Ditto.”
Dominic lightly knocked on the flap of our tent. My attempt to get up to answer it was stopped by one green-eyed glare. She went to the door and asked quietly, “Yes Dominic?”
“The police have left and this was received directly after their departure…”
I attempted to get out of bed again and I was growled at, “Stay put, Damn it…Thank you Dominic. Well call you if we need anything.” She said to him sweetly and smiled slightly. He smiled and nodded. He gave me a sympathetic look and left me to my fate.
Anne looked at the enveloped as she started toward me, “This is strange, Dina…”
“What? What's strange?” I asked again attempting to sit up.
“Yeash, Sit still, I'm bringing it to you for God's sake,” Said the exasperated woman as she handed me the envelope. I took it anxiously and started to examine the outside of it carefully. It was a legal size envelope addressed to me personally not the project. I opened it and inside was a single piece of paper which had only one sentence written on it. That one line put me into a blind rage in seconds. “Why that crazy bitch why the hell would she go so damn far…!”
“Who? What are you talking about?”
I handed the paper to my love while I struggled with my anger. The page read, “Next time old friend she is mine- P” I was struggling to get out of bed and Anne was struggling to hold me down so I wouldn't hurt myself. “Lie still, Stop it, “she said breathlessly and I suddenly realized that I could hurt her. I stopped instantly and my head dropped in realization of what damage I could have done to my love in anger. She took a breath of relief and sat down next to me on the bed. She took my hand with one hand and gently lifted my chin with the other so I was meeting her sweet gaze and asked, “Would you mind filling in the blanks?”
I was trying to calm down, I breathed deeply and nodded that I would explain myself. She smiled at me and caressed my cheek, gently stroking my hair, I looked into her caring love filled eyes and felt a tiny bit better.
“I was in college and a woman I thought I was in love with named Paula betrayed me. I just figured out my orientation and she was an older graduate student. She was beautiful and accomplished and for some unknown reason she noticed me.”
There was an ironic smile on Anne's face as she said, “For some reason?”
I smiled back and shrugged. “Well anyway, She was my very first lover. I really was a complete idiot. I didn't even realize I was being used till it bit me on the butt. She stole my final paper for Peoples of India class word for word. When I saw her dissertation I went ape shit, I went right to the dean and the head of the Anthropology department with all my notes. I not only lost a lover I created an enemy. She was thrown out of the university. She some how managed to get accepted at another and graduated. When I got my Doctorate, the rivalry began. She wanted this dig but I beat her out fair and square. And now…now…” I started to cry.
Anne hugged me close saying,” She was going to get this from you one way or the other.”
I nodded and burst into tears holding Anne tightly, She held me and rubbed my back. She murmured things to me that I couldn't really understand but I found comfort in just in her voice. Finally I calmed down enough to speak, “I am so sorry. I want you to go home…”
“No..”
“Yes, Listen I need to know your safe…”
“No, Stop it! I'm not leaving you. You need me as much as I need you and I'm not deserting you just because it's getting a little tough. What do you think would happen if I leave? She will come after you…no….stop trying to interrupt me. I am not leaving you so you can just forget it.” Anne said as she put her hand gently but firmly over my mouth to stop me from interrupting her. “Ok, just nod your head like a good little girl that you are going to stop trying to send me home” I shook my head no and pleaded with my eyes. “Stop being stubborn, “She said, “You know I can out stubborn you any day. I could even do it when we were kids.”
I knew she could and had on many occasions. I nodded and looked down again. Tears fell down my cheeks but I didn't care I was so worried about my Anne. She gently lifted my head and said, “I won't allow anything to happen to you either. I love you,” She said as she dried my eyes and kissed my cheek.
I looked up at her and said, “ I love you so much. I felt like she tore out my lung when she tried to kidnap you. I love you too much to allow her to use you as bait for her sick little games…”
“Then my love we have only one choice, we have to beat her at her own game.”
I met angry green eyes and I realized she was holding it back to comfort me. I was astonished, “You are something else, you know?”
“I learned very early from someone in my youth that you need to deal with a bully head on…”
“Who did you learn that from?” I asked very curious. We were now very close to each other. Anne was being careful because of my rib but I wasn't, I wanted and needed her close.
Anne smiled and caressed my cheek, “You.”
I did what came naturally I pulled her down and kissed her passionately. To hell with my damn ribs.
Unknown to us my enemy was pacing in her hotel room. She is a tall beautiful blonde who is very attractive until you look into her dead emotionless black eyes. They were always void of any feeling even the anger she felt at the moment wasn't visible in those cold eyes. Paula never could show any feelings. How could she? She never felt anything except anger and curiosity. I've always wondered how I could have fallen under her spell. I was an idiot.
She answered the phone as soon as it rang and said a harsh, “Yes?”
“Its set.”
“I'll be there,” She slammed the phone down, “There is more then one way to skin a cat, Dina,” She said with a smile as she ran out the door.
What the bitch didn't know was that I wasn't going to let her win this time I would stop her any way I could since the stakes were now too high and I couldn't afford to slip up on this one.
I was feeling better, the doctor was still keeping me under tent arrest but at least I could get out of bed. I needed to move around and as long as I didn't exert myself too much he said I should be fine. I increased security at the site ten fold and Anne was now under constant guard. She hated it but I wasn't going to allow anything to happen to her again.
Anne walked in and saw that I was up, she stopped in the center of our tent with her arms crossed and her foot tapping angrily. She was about to say something when I put up my hand up to forestall her lecture, “The doctor said I could get up as long I was careful. I am being careful.” I looked at her sheepishly and said with my eyes pleading for understanding, “I can't just stay in bed, Sweetheart.”
Anne came over and put a hand gently on my shoulder squeezing it affectionately, which sent shivers down my spine. Because of my ribs we have only cuddled at night and I longed to touch my love in passion. She wouldn't let me till my damn rib was completely healed and it was driving me nuts.
“I know, if it makes you feel better you look a lot better. More like yourself. Um…we could…maybe…well….”
My eyes met her sparkling green and I asked hopefully, “Really?”
“Yeah, I think it would be ok, if were careful….I really need to …Dina , I…”
“Me too, Love.”
We smiled at each other and blushed at almost the same time, I took a step toward her but she held out her hand and said, “Later Sweetheart, Dominic is coming later to talk about the site and the police should be here any minute to talk to us…”
I looked down at my attire, I was only wearing a tee-shirt. I think the panic must of showed on my face, “Here I had your pants cleaned and pressed they were a bit of a mess” She said with a smirk on her face.
“Cute, “ I said as I took the jeans then I caressed her cheek,” I do love a smart alec.”
She put her hand gently over mine and said softly, ”Then I guess it's lucky that I am one, huh?” Her hand dropped and she caressed my back then the little hand went even lower to my butt causing me to moan and stand up very straight almost bumping heads with her in reaction, “Get dressed, Sexy.” She said in throaty voice, “Before I forget were expecting company tear that tee-shirt off of you.”
“Mmm, Not a bad idea…” I was interrupted by a knock on the flap of out tent. Our eyes met and she said, “We'll continue this later, Sexy now get dressed. I don't want anyone drooling over those legs but me.”
Then she crossed the room waiting till I was dressed before she let the police in.
The police lieutenant was a tall man with kind gray eyes and long golden hair.
He was calmly explaining to us that he didn't have any leads on Paula. This
didn't surprise me she was very clever. I knew it would be hard to do anything
to catch her. I knew her, very well unfortunately and I was going to beat her
at her own game whether she liked it or not. I wasn't going to accept defeat.
The lieutenant looked at us and said, “I'm very sorry. I really want to
help but I don't know where to go from here…”
“I do.”
The other two occupants of the room stared at me surprised by how intense I
had suddenly become, “We are going to catch the bitch in her own trap and
guess who is going to be the bait?”
Part Four
original
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