THE BEST IS YET TO COME…

Part 2

By

K.J. Batten

Kari Holmes had just saved Kimble from getting mugged and he was not in good shape.

Kari smiled and said, “My car is just around the corner, let’s go before anyone comes out of the bar or drives by.”

Kimble and Kari got into the SUV and Kimble laid down in the back seat. He was shivering. He knew he was in the early stages of hypothermia and so did Kari. Kari started to drive the car.

“I’ll turn on the heat, but you’ve got to get out of those clothes. Dare I even ask how you got into this situation?”

Kimble was shivering as he answered. “To make a long story very short, I had a tip on Charnquist but he found me first and tried to kill me. Watch the late news I’m sure you’ll hear all about the explosion.”

Kari’s eyes got wide in the rear view mirror and she said, “Explosion? Richard, why didn’t you tell me you were in the area? Did it ever occur to you that I could have done some preliminary investigation on whatever it was you were checking out?”

Kimble was still shivering even with the heat on, “I was afraid you’d get in trouble and I wasn’t sure any of it would pan out. Besides, you seemed upset when I called you earlier this week. I know you never admitted it but I you’ve got to be having night terrors because of me.”

Kari shook her head and said, “Richard, stop worrying about me! I’m fine! Night terrors are what they are….they terrify you at night but I came to terms long ago that they can not hurt me and they will not interrupt my life! So don’t ever use that excuse again.”

Kimble realized that Kari was right. Logically if night terrors had affected her severely she wouldn’t be working homicides. Kimble said, “I’m sorry Kari. I should have had more faith in you. I won’t doubt you again.”

“Don’t worry about it Richard.”

After a bit of a drive, Kari pulled into her garage and shut the door. She walked out to the back door of her SUV and got Kimble out. He was barely conscious at this point. They walked with her holding him steady. She kicked off her pumps to keep in better balance. She took Kimble upstairs to her spare bedroom.

“Richard, here’s the bed. Get everything off and climb in.”

She let go of Kimble and he slumped to the floor. Kari realized he was in no condition to get undressed by himself. She got his coat off of him and helped him onto the bed. He had to get out of those wet clothes and Kari realized there was only one way to do it. She looked upward and said, “You’ve either got a really good sense of humor or You’re punishing me! Who would have thought this would be how my evening would end after catching a bridal bouquet!”

She then walked over and turned off the light. “OK Richard, the light’s off and that’s about all the privacy I can guaranty here. Don’t worry, I’m a doctor too…just not an MD!” She proceeded to undress Kimble as fast as she could and she was very thankful there wasn’t any moonlight shining through the window. As soon as she got every piece of clothing off, she opened up the closet door and took out a down comforter that’s only used in the winter time. She threw it over Kimble and then tucked it around him. She sat next to him as he shivered.

“Richard, it’s going to be all right. You’re body will warm up now.” She started to get up and a hand reached out from under the covers and grabbed her hand beckoning her to stay. “OK Richard, I’ll stay next to you for awhile. Don’t worry though, I promise not to go too far away.” He continued to shiver. She reached up and put her hand on his head. She continued to hold his hand. By the way Kimble was holding her hand she sensed fear in him.

She spoke softly to him. “Richard, you’re in a safe place. You’re starting to not shiver as much. That’s good. You’ll be fine sooner than you think. When you wake up in the morning or more than likely the afternoon, we’ll have a nice chat over lunch.” Kari was feeling like these words were superficial even though she meant them, but were they really giving Kimble comfort? She looked down at the hand that was holding on to her hand. It was the hand that had saved her life in the makeshift operating room just a few weeks earlier.

“Richard, you know when I first met you, I was scared…but, I knew as long as we were both alive, we both stood a chance of getting out of there. You helped me be not as scared as I would have been otherwise. I don’t know how much you even realized how terrified I was at the thought of being violated again but I was. You helped me remain Kari Holmes the FBI Agent as opposed to that helpless eighteen year old…I never had a chance to say it before but I’ll say it now, thank you for helping to keep me sane and for saving my life three times in twelve hours.”

Kimble slightly released her hand and reached over with the other hand so he could hold both of her hands. He wasn’t shivering anymore but just drifted into a peaceful sleep.

A few hours later Kimble woke up slightly and saw Kari sitting in a rocking chair across the room with a blanket draped over her. She was asleep. The clouds had parted and the moonlight was shining through the window and shining over Kari’s head like a halo.

“Everything’s going to be all right.” Kimble said quietly to himself.

Kimble awoke several hours later around 1:00 PM due to a purring sound in his ear. He opened his eyes and was surprised to see a calico colored cat staring at him and looking very content to be laying next to him. He saw his clothes neatly folded in the rocking chair that Kari had been sleeping in and he saw a note sitting on the nightstand next to him. The note read, “When you finally wake up, feel free to use the bathroom in the hallway and take a shower. Your clothes have been washed. I also have a toothbrush and a razor set out for you to use. I won’t come upstairs again until you come down….PS, Mousetrap appears to like you. That’s unusual for her!”

Kimble smiled as he petted her cat. All he could think of was that Kari knew how to take care of someone. He showered and dressed. He tentatively walked downstairs. For the first time he was seeing Kari Holmes’s townhouse. The living room that he entered was very neat and tidy. He noticed that all of the drapes were closed. It was apparent that she had thought ahead. He saw a dining area and could see the kitchen off to the left. Off to the right was another room.

He couldn’t see Kari but all of a sudden, he heard the sound of a violin playing. He followed the sound to the other room which turned out to be Kari’s den as he saw a computer terminal, file cabinets, lots of pictures of people on the wall and to his great surprise there was Kari sitting upright in a chair with her back to him playing a violin.

She was playing the song Summertime from Porgy and Bess. It sounded positively lovely Kimble thought. He never would have thought Kari was musically inclined. As Kari reached the end of the song, Kimble couldn’t help but applaud.

Kari whirled around very fast as though she had just been caught in the shower. “I’m sorry Kari for sneaking up on you, but that was just lovely! Will you play something else for me?”

Kari looked uncertain and said, “I’m sorry Richard, I thought you were still upstairs. I should get lunch started. You’ve got to be starving.” She proceeded to put the violin down and Kimble gently grabbed her wrist to stop her. Their eyes locked.

“Why won’t you play for me? It was beautiful. I never dated a woman before who played the violin.”

Kari looked at him funny and said, “Did we ever say we were dating?”

Kimble looked embarrassed. “Sorry, bad choice of a word. I really don’t know why I said it. Let me rephrase, I’ve never known anyone who played a violin…please play something else for me.”

Kari looked uncertain but in thinking about how Kimble saved her life, the least she could do is play him something. She sat down and grabbed the first piece of music sitting behind Summertime. She began to play Blue Moon for Kimble. Kimble smiled. When she finished he couldn’t help but say, “So your name is Holmes, you solve murders and you play the violin. If you lived at 221b Baker St. in London and called yourself Sherlock, it would be perfect.”

Kari couldn’t help but laugh. “OK, you’re probably hungry, let me go fix what I was originally going to fix for my mom and brother when they arrived on Friday. In the meantime, why don’t you sit at my desk and write down all the high points and names from your latest adventure. I did catch it all on Fox News about the explosion and the connection to Dave White in the pawn shop. Just to let you know, your name also hit national news again as the Wilmington PD received an anonymous tip that you were in the area. I can only assume that Charnquist had something to do with it…and just so you know Dave White is going to make it. He’s stating though that he doesn’t know who attacked him.” Kimble nodded. “Start writing and I’ll start cooking.”

Kimble started writing everything down about the pawn shop and Dave White and the Crystal Clear Water company. He took about ten minutes and when he went to put the pen away in the desk, his eye caught something else that he would have never thought to see.

Kimble walked in to the dining room area and Kari was busy at the stove cooking. She saw Kimble walk in and started talking very business like. “Richard, the next time you come across a tip on something, please let me know. I could have done a lot of investigating without even leaving my office and if something had turned up questionable, I could have alerted some agents in the Wilmington office.” Kimble looked a little embarrassed by what she was saying because logically he should have told her everything up front and yet, he was mesmerized that she was doing all of this while cooking something fantastic by the teriyaki smell of it. Since he had no answer, Kari said, “Look Richard, I know you’re used to doing all of this alone, but as I said in California, you’re not alone anymore. You’d be surprised at what the FBI can find out about someone. Heck, if I wanted to, I could find out who you lost your virginity to and when given enough time.” She raised her eyebrows at him.

Kimble finally spoke, “Leslie Hanson, sophomore year of college.” Kari looked at him very puzzled. Kimble smiled sheepishly and said, “I thought I’d save you the investigating trouble.”

Kari’s eyes got wide in disbelief that Kimble told her that. “Well Richard, thanks for clearing that matter up.” Feeling a need to change the subject Kari then said, “Now, I think I need to bring you up to date on some things I’ve learned since I’ve gotten back on active duty.” She began to set the table and Kimble instinctively started to help her.

Kimble said, “What have you uncovered?”

Kari began to put food in serving dishes and started to put them on the table. As they sat down to eat Kari said, “Be advised, the information that I have while it may explain a few things, it doesn’t really bring us any closer to anything.”

“Kari any news is worth mentioning, what have you found out?” Kimble started pouring milk in glasses.

“Well, first of all, let me tell you what I found out about our old friends Bud and Wayne.”

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot about them. Let me guess, you found out they had committed other crimes?”

Kari nodded and said, “Yes. I made it my business to find out if the MO they used on us fit any other crimes in California or any of the surrounding states…” Her voice trailed off.

Kimble said, “This doesn’t sound good.”

“No, it isn’t. There are six other incidents, three in California, one in Oregon and two in Utah. The other victims weren’t as lucky as you and I. They were all given bullets in the head and the women involved were raped first. The DNA and ballistics tests confirmed it all. Those two are suspected of abducting two other women in Arizona in the same fashion but their bodies have yet to be recovered.”

Kari put the food on the table in silence and they both started to dish up and then Kimble broke the silence. “As a physician I’m not supposed to think things like this because I took a Hippocratic Oath but, I’m not sorry you killed both of them Kari.”

Kari leaned in and said, “I’m not sorry either. Try to remember I took an oath to protect the public. I think it definitely applied in their cases.” Kari then said, “Richard, I also made it my business to see what I could find out about Buddy LaRue from New Orleans. You told me he never returned your call. Well, I called the insurance company he worked for and they told me a very disturbing story. Buddy LaRue never returned from New Orleans. They told me an official missing person’s report was filed with the NOPD.”

Kimble’s eyes got wide. Kari then said, “It gets worse Richard. I called the NOPD which was weird as I haven’t had any contact with New Orleans since 1986, but I spoke to the officer in charge of the case. Buddy LaRue went officially missing the day after you were supposed to meet him at the cemetery. They found his motel room with all of his belongings in it but the place was messed up like a fight had taken place. They found LaRue’s blood on a lamp.”

“Oh my God Kari! This sounds like….” Kimble couldn’t say it.

“It sounds like Ben Charnquist did to Buddy LaRue what he did to Helen. Unfortunately without a body nobody can pursue it as a homicide and Renee Charnquist who they attempted to contact since she was the person he was investigating, has disappeared off the face of the earth…at least for the time being. I have no doubt she’s hiding under some kind of a rock with all of that money you told me that she stole from Ben. God help her if he actually finds her! As for Buddy LaRue’s body, New Orleans has a lot of swamp around it…I suspect he may have ended up as alligator food.”

Kimble put his hands over his face and said “Is there anything else?”

“Yes, but I fear it will give you little comfort Richard.”

He took his hands away and said, “Nevertheless, I want to know.”

“It’s only a theory but I suspect that Charnquist has a federal immunity code which means that he can not be arrested nor can there be a record of the arrest. I never heard of these codes until last Friday. They’re primarily used by the CIA and with all of the passports you told me about and the fact that someone working with Gerard tried to kill you who apparently knew Charnquist from days gone by…It all makes a strange kind of sense. Charnquist must have done something for God and Country at some point but don’t ask me what it was.”

“Kari can you prove it? At least it would give credibility to my story that Charnquist is at least alive!”

“Richard, I’d like nothing better but my hands are tied at the moment. Those codes are classified and I have no idea how to get access to them. I could go to Baltimore and confront the two cops that arrested him but unless I’ve got some real tangible proof that Ben Charnquist is not dead, I don’t see how I can bully those cops into confirming anything for me.”

“So I’m still nowhere.” Kimble looked dejected.

Kari leaned in and put her hand on his. “No Richard, you’re somewhere. You’re in my house to start with.” She smiled and Kimble couldn’t help but smile back.

Kimble then said, “It’s a glass house though Kari. I feel safer here with you than I have in a very long time, but it’s going to shatter before too long.”

“Well until it shatters, eat some of this food that I took the time to prepare for you, and all kidding aside, you are somewhere. I said I’ll help you and I meant it. I’ll be with you to the very end of this no matter what it takes. I’m just scratching the surface but when I get everything that I need the truth will speak…nobody who’s innocent gets a lethal injection on my shift!”

Kimble looked down and started to eat his food. Kari had prepared Hawaiian chicken and shrimp with rice and she had also made up a Caesar Salad. Kimble started eating and was highly impressed. “Kari this Hawaiian chicken and shrimp is great!”

Kari smiled and said, “Well save room, I made a chocolate cake for dessert!”

Kimble’s eyes got wide and he said, “You made a chocolate cake…from scratch?”

“Well yeah, what other way is there?”

“I’m sorry Kari, I just wasn’t expecting anything elaborate. I mean you seem to live your life at the FBI and…” He realized this was starting to sound bad so he decided to make light of it. “I just wasn’t expecting Suzy Homemaker!”

Kari looked at Kimble quite thoughtfully as though she were contemplating carefully what to say. “Richard, have you got something against Suzy Homemaker?”

“No not at all!”

“Good because I’ll have you know that I had the complete Suzy Homemaker kitchen when I was a kid! What were you expecting? Did you think that because I was a career woman I was totally clueless in the kitchen?”

Kimble shrugged his shoulders and all he could say was “Well…”

“Richard were you expecting half done TV dinners?”

Kimble raised his eyebrows and was shocked that Kari was describing Jenny. However, he knew she couldn’t know about Jenny at this point. He didn’t tell her anything about her and even if she knew about Jenny she couldn’t have known that Jenny was incapable of cooking anything that wasn’t in a can first. “Kari I’m sorry. I guess I’ve just been out of the real world too long. Of course I’ve known career women who can cook. I knew many colleagues when I had my practice who were more than capable of cooking.”

Kimble then switched the subject and said, “Kari, is this yours?” He held up an Olympic Gold Medal from the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona Spain.

Kari rolled her eyes and said, “What are you doing with that?”

“I found it in the desk…it’s yours isn’t it?” Kari nodded affirmatively. “What did you win this for? And why don’t you have it on display?”

“I won it for shooting…and the reason why I don’t have it out on display is because it’s not the epoch of my life. Yes it changed my life but…I don’t know, to keep it out on display seems kind of egotistical. I get more satisfaction from solving a current case that I’m working than from looking back at something I did.”

Kimble was now very curious about Kari. This woman could shoot, solve crimes, play the violin and now she could cook as well. “How did it change your life?”

“Winning the gold medal?”

“That too.”

Kari put down her fork and looked at Kimble. “You want to know my life story don’t you?” Kimble nodded affirmatively. Kari was silent for a moment.

Kimble said, “Look if you don’t want to, it’s OK, I just find you interesting and I want to know everything. Where did you grow up? Where did you go to school? What’s your family like? You know the normal things. You certainly know more about me that I do about you.”

“This is true. I’m not normally forthcoming about my life with people but you’re not just anyone. Well, I was born in Austin TX to Jonathan and Marie Holmes. Marie is my middle name. My mother died in a terrible car accident when I was three. I lived with my maternal grandparents until my dad married my stepmother when I was five. My stepmother insisted I come and live with them. If it had been up to Dad I would have been relegated to Love Child status, but Mom to her credit said No. She legally adopted me and I had two subsequent siblings, Helen and Kyle.”

Kimble’s eyes got wide and said, “Your sister’s name is Helen?”

Kari looked at him funny then got embarrassed and said, “It’s this accent of mine that lingers. No her name was not Helen with an H. Her name was Ellen with an E. We actually called her Ellie, I guess that’s why I didn’t think of the similarities in their names initially. Her friends and her husband actually called her EJ for Ellen Jane but to us in the family she was Ellie!”

“What do you mean she was as in past tense?”

“I mean she died six months ago from cancer. She left behind a husband and a five year old son and…she was my best friend.”

Kimble looked very sad. “Kari I’m sorry, why didn’t you tell me any of this before?”

Kari replied, “Richard, I typically don’t burden people I’m trying to help with my problems. You’ve got enough problems.”

“I don’t mind Kari…burden away!” He smiled warmly at her. Kari wasn’t sure what to say. Kimble then said, “You know I feel very privileged that I was the only person outside of your therapist who knows about your rape. How did you cope at Tulane University?”

Kari looked very guilty. “Actually Richard, I wasn’t completely honest with you on that statement. The reason I told you that was because I didn’t want to go into the entire story. Let’s face it what Charnquist did to me is not relevant in the eyes of the law…you’re the one who’s wanted for murder and I wanted to hear what happened to you not go on about me, especially since the statute of limitations were up quite some time ago on what he did to me. So I apologize for that little white lie…although from a certain standpoint, you were the only person I told.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I told the police but that’s a gimme. The police radioed in to the hospital so I didn’t have to tell the doctors. The police called my parents and told them…my parents in turn told my siblings. I’ve had more than one therapist but they all fit as one entity. As for my boss, he found out by doing a background check on me so I guess you were the only person I told outside of the police and my therapists at the time I told you that. I told my priest but that was last week after I had told you so that doesn’t count.”

“Wait a minute, you just now told a priest about what happened to you when you were eighteen on Friday?”

“Well, yeah. I haven’t been to Confession Richard since I was eighteen. You see what kind of impact you have on people?” Kari was smiling.

“I have only one question. Did it help?”

“Yes it did…so that’s another thing I owe you for Richard Kimble!”

“Ah Kari I’ll throw that one in for free.” He smiled back at her. “So what happened between Tulane and that Olympic Gold Medal from 1992?”

Kari let out a sigh and said, “Well, Charnquist left me a parting souvenir. He hit me on both sides of my face after the attack was over. I was silently crying. He told me he had just done me a favor for the future and if I wanted to cry here was something legitimate to cry about.”

“Oh my God Kari! Are you telling me what I think you’re telling me? Was that your first…experience?” Kari nodded affirmatively. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. Anyway, after several minutes I managed to pick myself up and my book bag and I staggered to a pay phone about fifty yards away and I dialed 911. The police came, I was taken to the hospital and treated by a female doctor, my parents were called and I sat with a sketch artist. Then I just wanted to go home! So I did. I gave up my music scholarship and I went home.”

Kimble shook his head in disbelief. “Did you start therapy?”

“No I proceeded to go on a path of self destruction for a brief time. I started drinking wine a lot. The problem though was that it didn’t make me forget and it didn’t take away the pain. The night terrors were unbelievable. My parents and my sister and brother were at a loss as to how to help me because I wouldn’t seek help. I slept in the closet with a comforter around me, curled up in a ball and I held a butcher knife as I slept. I was also taking a lot of showers.”

“Kari, how did you get to the point of getting help?”

“Well, the turning point came on Christmas Day, Ellie tried to bring me some pecan pie.” She proceeded to cut a the chocolate cake for Kimble and herself as they had both finished eating the main course.

“She came into my room. I was lying on the bed like a drunk nursing a bottle of wine. I screamed a few obscenities at her and then she got infuriated and threw the pie at me and it got all over my long hair as I recall. She said ‘At least you’ve now got a real reason to take a shower.’ She then questioned why I was torturing those who loved her most and why I was letting that animal keep me locked up like an animal. She walked out and I got very angry. Finally my rebellious nature kicked in and I decided he would not be in control of me anymore. I walked into the bathroom and instead of jumping in the shower I simply cut my hair short to get rid of the pie…and it’s stayed short ever since. The next day I went to the Rape Crisis Center and then I bought a gun and started taking lessons. I reapplied to the University of Texas and it wasn’t long before I decided to study psychology. I decided to pursue criminal psychology and Georgetown University is where I ended up for my grad work…and in case you were wondering, I didn’t have a pregnancy or any STD’s as a result of what happened. My physical body healed, it was mental part that took a very long time.”

Kimble was so moved by her honesty that his voice shook slightly as he asked, “What about your music?”

“My violin stayed on the shelf for a very long time. I believed he killed that person who wanted to be a concert violinist. It was about four years ago that I finally dusted it off and started playing it again.”

“I’m sorry. How did you end up in Barcelona?”

“My first therapist had suggested to me that since I was determined to pack a gun why not turn it into something positive? She suggested I start taking part in competitions. Well, I’ve always been competitive. By competing, it gave me another reason to go shooting aside from just learning to shoot for protection purposes and I just kept on competing until the Olympic trials came and I made it on the team. It was good year overall, I finished my PHD that year, won a gold medal and got recruited by my boss Jason Merriman and so I went to the FBI Academy after I got back from Barcelona.”

“How did your boss find you?”

Kari took a bite of cake and said, “At Barcelona…you’d be surprised at how many government cops have been found at shooting competitions, particularly those of us who have the education that would be beneficial. Jason did a full background check on me and got my file from the New Orleans PD. He gave it to me. Nobody at the FBI knows about my past other than Jason. He recruited me because he was impressed with my education and he thought I’d have the unique insight into violent crime because I’ve been a victim of it. He’s one of the few people in the world I trust because he’s always stood by me, even when my hunches seemed totally outlandish.”

“Do you still go to therapy?”

Kari slightly laughed, “You really do want to know everything don’t you?” Kimble nodded affirmatively. “No, I no longer go to therapy. After five different therapists between Texas and DC, it just didn’t seem to be helping anymore. I felt I had been helped as much as I could be helped. I stopped going four years ago.”

“What about the drinking?”

“I gave that up once I got into therapy. I concluded that only a coward would drink to forget and I resolved that I would never be a coward again…and I haven’t had a drink since.”

Kimble raised his eyebrows and said, “So you gave up therapy and started playing your violin again?”

“Yeah, something like that!”

“What about men?”

Kari raised her eyebrows and said, “Is our trust level at this point Richard?”

Richard looked at her squarely and said, “Well Kari, we’ve both now seen each other naked in a very nontraditional sense…you tell me!” He smiled.

Kari laughed, “OK I see your point. Let’s not dwell too much on that fact though, the whole thing kind of weirds me out. But since you asked, I haven’t been out on a date in four years.”

“So you gave up dating as well?”

“Pretty much!” She shrugged her shoulders as though to indicate that was all there was to it.

Kimble still needed to know something. “Kari, have you had a serious relationship at all in your life?”

Kari was silent and then said, “Just cut to the chase Richard, you want to know if I’ve had an intimate relationship since Charnquist took away my virginity.” Kimble was now silent as he realized he had overstepped the bounds and yet Kari said, “No. There hasn’t been any intimate relationships…Ellie used to tell me I had standards that no man could live up to. She always told me I let the right guy slip by.”

Kimble said, “Maybe you just hadn’t met the right guy.”

They looked at each other for several seconds as neither one knew what to say. Kimble started to question himself on why he said all of that. Kari realized it was time to change the subject. “Did you like dinner and dessert?”

“Are you kidding, it was great! I could eat this stuff forever. How did you become such a good cook?”

“Practice and wanting to be good at it. I’m like that with a lot of things actually. I guess all things considered it shouldn’t surprise anyone that I ended up being an FBI Agent. I was always asking questions and I was always very thorough in researching everything and when I wanted to learn something I practiced at it relentlessly until I got it right. It tended to drive my family nuts…especially my father which is part of the reason why I did it.”

As she leaned over the table to clear dishes, Kimble noticed a symbol fall out of her shirt from around her neck. Kimble noticed it was a saint. “Kari, who’s around your neck?”

Kari looked surprised and then looked down and realized it was there. She said, “Oh, it’s Saint Jude, the Patron Saint of Desperate Situations. My father gave him to me when I graduated from the FBI Academy. He wasn’t thrilled with my deciding to make my living solving homicides so he thought I needed some extra protection.”

“You weren’t wearing him when you were carjacked.”

“Yes I know, I’m sure if Dad were still alive he’d never let me live it down even though it happened on vacation as opposed to being on duty.”

“I’m Catholic too!” He reached into his shirt and showed her his medal. “St. Christopher, the Patron Saint of Travelers…a gift from my dad on his death bed so that I’d be protected on the run.”

Kari looked at the medal. “We are quite a pair aren’t we? We both have dads who cared very much about us. I have a hunch you had a better relationship with your dad though!”

“Don’t bank on it!”

“Hmmm, which one us had a more dysfunctional relationship with our father? I think I’m going to win but take your best shot!”

“OK, don’t ask me why but we both never quite saw the world the same way. We seemed to argue a lot and when my mother died from cancer when I was in college, he really distrusted the entire medical establishment. I know he was proud of me but I think he would have rather I’d done something else. I tried to tell him I could make a difference. His response was it’s still a medical practice! You’re simply practicing to be a doctor, you really don’t know what the ultimate outcome will be. We could always talk about baseball though. That seemed to be the one thing that we did have.”

Kari looked thoughtfully at him and said, “You and your dad were normal Richard. OK, here’s the 411 on myself and my father. As I stated earlier my mother died when I was three. Dad was devastated, he was incapable of being a single parent. He married my stepmother Anna when I was five and she insisted on adopting me. However, from the moment my sister was born, it was very apparent that I was simply a leftover of what he lost. He couldn’t even say my real mother’s name to me. I know very little about her. Why did my dad love her so to the point that he couldn’t talk about her? My brother was born a couple of years later and I became the invisible child. I know he was proud of me, he was always buying me stuff but he hardly showed me any emotion, he just threw money and gifts at me. I’d have traded all of it to be able to talk to him like a friend the way Ellie and Kyle were able to. ”

“So that’s why you had the Suzy Homemaker Kitchen?”

“Exactly. We never got it right. Why? Because I look a lot like my dead mother. I was always doing rebellious and obnoxious things to get his attention and it worked but it was negative attention. I finally decided that if Dad wanted me out of his face I’d oblige him. So I took the scholarship to Tulane University…and you know what happened there. I came home and I realized after I got into therapy that the reason I initially didn’t seek help was because I was angry that he made me feel like I had to leave in the first place so I was inadvertently blaming him.”

“Did you and your dad eventually make peace?”

“No not really because in my sophomore year of college at the University of Texas there in Austin, Dad got this amazing job opportunity in Peoria. I overheard Mom begging him not to take it because Kari needed us there at home! Dad said Kari’s a big girl and she’s made it clear she doesn’t need me. But hey, the gifts kept on coming! Each month Dad would send a care package of sorts to me and when I graduated from the FBI Academy he gave me this.” She again showed Kimble the St. Jude Medal.

“OK Kari, I think you win on the most dysfunctional relationship, but I wish you hadn’t, yet, you still wear St. Jude.”

“Well, considering what I do for a living and what happened to me in California, St. Jude certainly can’t hurt especially now that I’m taking on yours and Helen’s case.”

Kimble smiled at her again as she stood up and started to make coffee. He wanted to know so much more about her. He started to imagine taking her to the symphony for a date and the best restaurants in Chicago that he knew. “Kari, tell me is there anything you can’t cook?”

Kari brought over the coffee and said “Well, I can cook pretty much any kind of food except I do leave Chinese food to the experts. They do it better!”

Kimble took a sip of coffee and said, “I know this great Chinese restaurant in Chicago that I’d love to take you to.”

Kari looked at him funny and said, “You’d want to take me out to dinner?” Kimble nodded. Kari smiled and said, “Well, that would be a first for law enforcement. You’re a fugitive and I’m an FBI Agent…”

“I know that Kari, I’m saying if I was just Dr. Richard Kimble of Chicago General Hospital. I’d take you to this place called the Dragonfly Mandarin. It’s the best Chinese food in Chicago. Helen and I used to go there a lot and we’d get….” His voice trailed off. Here he was proposing a would be date and he mentioned his late wife. He looked uncertain.

Kari looked just as uncertain but for other reasons. “Richard, why did you stop telling me about the restaurant?”

“I’m sorry Kari, I was saying that I’d like to share that restaurant with you and then I brought up Helen.”

Kari raised her eyebrows and said, “Why is it a bad thing that you brought up Helen? She’s a good part of the reason why we’re here together. You can’t walk around and pretend she never existed Richard. Look, I know you never got to grieve like a normal person would, but don’t shut out the pleasant memories. That’s part of dealing with it.”

“Is that Kari talking or Dr. Holmes talking?”

“Both. I’m telling you as a friend and as a psychologist. I’m also speaking from experience. My father never came fully to terms with the death of my mother. She deserved to be remembered fondly and my father wanted to pretend that she never existed. She deserved better than that and so does Helen.” Kari’s demeanor then turned more lighthearted and she said, “Besides, if you and Helen went to this restaurant a lot, the food must be fabulous and I’d be crazy not to want to try it out!” She smiled at him.

This was a new experience for Kimble. The last relationship he tried to have was with Jenny. She was sweet. However, she wanted him to ignore Helen’s death and just simply hide out at her place with her. Kari on the other hand wanted to confront the past and put it to bed once and for all so he wouldn’t have to hide anymore, he could have the life back that was snatched away from him.

“Kari, can I tell you something I never told anyone before?” Kari nodded. “Kari, when Helen and I were in the park, she told me she wanted to have a baby. I was teasing her about it. She ran ahead home and I stopped to buy her flowers because I wanted to tell her that I wanted a baby too.”

Kimble looked very sad. Kari reached over and took his hand and said, “I’m sorry Richard, so very sorry. I have a feeling she would have been a good mom and you would have been a terrific dad.”

“She used to volunteer at the hospital and work with kids who had various ailments and disabilities. There was even a little girl in our apartment complex who she had befriended who had been involved in a terrible accident and she just loved Helen.” Kimble looked like he wanted to cry. Kari said nothing as she felt like she wanted to cry as well. “Some might think Helen was out of another era. She just wanted to be a wife and mother. Unlike her sister she didn’t care about having a career.”

Kari then said, “Well, sometimes a career can be overrated.”

Kimble looked at her quizzically and said, “You don’t like your career?”

“Oh it’s fine. I’ve gotten a lot of fulfillment out of it, no doubt about that, but let me tell you where I work, for field agents at least, the divorce rates are high. Most women who work there when they get married and have kids, they either switch to desk work or they quit all together. The whole idea of having it all is a myth! Life is full of choices…for everybody. I don’t believe that men get to have it all either, they make choices too.”

“So Kari Holmes would throw away her badge if she got married?”

“Probably. You know I investigate the worst of the worst Richard. Part of the reason I never relocated to Chicago to be closer to my family in Peoria is because I would fear for their safety. If I had kids, it’s not even a question. Besides, if I had a child the last thing I would want to do is to leave my child with a stranger…Not only that my work sometimes takes me out of town. I couldn’t even imagine leaving a child or a husband for any length of time.”

Kimble looked at her in complete amazement. He had been thinking of late since he parted company with Jenny that while she was a wonderful person, if he hadn’t been on the run, he couldn’t help but wonder if he would have wanted to really have a life with her as driven as she was in her career. He was more and more curious about this woman and wanted so badly to woo her like a normal guy.

Kimble wanted to say something but the phone rang.

Kari stood up and answered it. “Hello? Oh hi! What’s up?” Kari’s demeanor changed. Kari was silently listening and then she said, “Thanks for calling.”

She walked over to the TV set and turned it on. There was Gerard’s face on TV being interviewed by a local reporter. Kimble came in and looked on in disgust.

Gerard said, “I believe Kimble may very well still be in the area of DC. I hope if anyone has seen him that they do the right thing and call the Fugitive Task Force or call the FBI directly.”

Kari turned off the news. She turned to Kimble and he said, “The glass house just shattered.”

Kari shook her head and said, “It doesn’t make sense. Why would he be here?”

“Kari that man would chase me to the ends of the earth on the flimsiest of leads. My head is what he lives for! Who was that on the phone?”

“It was Diane Lang. She’s Jason’s assistant. She and I were partners one time and I prevented her husband from being a widower and her kids from being motherless. She’s had undying loyalty to me ever since. She’s actually part of reason I concluded that family and being an active field agent don’t mix. All she said was ’Turn on the news on channel six.’ She also said that was all she was at liberty to tell me. Why would it be such a secret though?”

“Kari, Gerard is here. He’s obviously come to harass you some more.”

Kari nodded her head negatively. “No, maybe not. Remember, I told him I’d be happy to discuss the case further with him after I was back on active duty. I thought we’d just be doing a conference call though, this does seems rather strange.”

“Not if he wants you on the task force!”

Kari’s eyes got wide. “Richard, I seriously doubt he’d want that. He knows you saved my life. He’s got to know that as a detective I’m bound to take that into consideration. He’d be crazy to want to do that…especially with my track record of being difficult to work with. Get the likes of Gerard and myself together and say hello to fire and oil!”

“Don’t put it past him Kari. Please don’t let him do this to you. Talk to your boss and tell him you just can’t do it. I put nothing past Gerard anymore, you don’t know him like I do.”

“Richard, I’m sure it’s just a consultation…then again, if he did want me on the task force, it would be war of pyrotechnic personalities but look at the bright side of it.”

“There’s a bright side to it?”

“You bet, I’d have full access to everything regarding Helen’s murder and your trial. I could snoop to my heart’s content and nobody would question it. Heck, I wouldn’t even have to juggle it with my other cases that I’m working on because the task force appears to be a full time job!” Kari looked confident.

Kimble put his hands on Kari’s shoulders. “Kari, please don’t get mixed up with him. I’d prefer you stay out of Chicago. If Charnquist found out you were on the task force and discovered a connection with us assuming he didn’t catch the national news you and I made, but if he knows…he’d hurt you again. Then there’s my father in law who sent a psychopathic gorilla after me, what if you rubbed him the wrong way and he sent someone after you?”

Kari reached up and took Kimble’s hands in hers and said, “The gorilla better take his best shot…because the second shot is mine! As for Charnquist, the last thing he wants is to prove to someone in law enforcement that he’s alive. So I think it would be OK.”

Kimble was still unconvinced and said, “Kari please be careful. I’ve got a really bad feeling about this.”

“Richard, let’s jump off the bridge when we get to it. In the meantime, I took a little trip to Wal-Mart while you were sleeping and I got you a new backpack with some clothes and other necessary items. Here’s a sufficient amount of cash to add to your small amount and there’s also a phone card in there as well for you to use anytime day or night to my cell phone. I only ask that you don’t call too often, if someone did get suspicious and look at the phone records they might question why I get so many calls from pay phones.”

Kimble took it all from her, he couldn’t believe how organized she was. Her cat then preened against his legs as though she were saying goodbye to him. He set everything down and picked up the cat. “So Mousetrap is particular with who she likes huh?”

“Oh yes, the fact that she jumped up and slept with you speaks volumes about you as a person! Unfortunately we better go.”

Kimble put the cat down and nodded. They went down to the garage and got into Kari’s SUV and Kimble stayed in the back crouched down. They still talked about many things as she drove. They talked about different places they had been and where they would like to go. Kimble was surprised to hear Kari’s radio set to an oldies station.

Kari said, “As far as I’m concerned anything after 1980 doesn’t qualify as music! I love this Oldie’s station but you know what I like even better?”

“What’s that Kari?”

“Music from the Big Band era.”

Kimble raised his eyebrows and said, “I love that stuff too!”

“No kidding, you noticed I was playing songs from that era on my violin.”

“Yes I did.” Kimble could see Kari looking at him warmly in the rear view mirror. He really did wish it didn’t have to end like this.

They finally arrived after dark in Charleston West Virginia. Kari stopped two blocks from a bus station in a vacant parking lot. Kimble grabbed his stuff and they both got out of the SUV. However, Kari kept her door open and was keeping it between her and Kimble. Kimble looked upwards and said, “If I didn’t know better I’d say it was a blue moon up there.”

Kari smiled and said, “I think you’re right.”

Kimble turned to her and started to walk to her. Kari very tentatively backed up and pulled the door closer to her. Kimble looked at her funny and then said, “Is this how you end your dates?”

Kari raised her eyes and said, “I wasn’t aware that we were on a date.”

Kimble then looked at her squarely and said, “Kari, would you go to that Chinese restaurant with me? Forget I’m a fugitive for ten seconds would you go?”

Kari said, “Well sure…what are friends for?”

This was not the response Kimble was hoping for but he suspected that there was more to her dodging the issue than met the eye so he decided to pursue it further. “Well, Kari friends is good. There’s nothing wrong with that but would you go out with me like a date?”

Kari shook her as if in disbelief and said, “Richard, you don’t have to prove anything to me. I’m not a charity case here.”

Kimble was now very confused and said, “Kari, what are you talking about, why is it so hard for you to believe that I would want to take you out on a date like a normal man takes out a woman?”

“Honestly Richard I didn’t think I had to spell this out. I was violated by the same guy who killed your wife…that doesn’t bother you?”

“Why would it bother me Kari? Nobody understands my pain better than you and vice versa. Granted it’s not the initial common ground I would have picked but Kari, you’ve never been with someone and it’s different from what he did to you.”

“Yeah Richard, I know the drill I heard it enough in therapy. Spare me the explanation of it all.”

“Newsflash Kari, you don’t know what it’s like because you’re a virgin!”

Kari looked at him strangely. “Ah Richard, have you paid attention to anything I told you about my history?”

Kimble remained steadfast in his comments though, “Kari, if we were in your kitchen right now and I picked up a frying pan and hit you across the head with it, would you consider it an experience with cooking?” Kari looked surprised at his question. Kimble went on. “No, you wouldn’t. So don’t ever think that what Charnquist did to you is anything based in reality. You’re a virgin Kari. You thought Charnquist killed who you were that night but he didn’t. The fact that you’re here all these years later doing a job that not everybody would volunteer to do and you’ve once again discovered the beauty of making music tells me he didn’t succeed. So I ask you again would you have dinner with me?”

Kari nodded her head affirmatively. Kimble then ran his hand over Kari’s face and said, “You are a special lady Kari Holmes.”

He turned and started to walk away. Kari called out, “So Richard!” He turned around and looked at her and Kari said three words that she never in her life ever expected to hear herself say to a man…“You’ll call me?”

Kimble smiled and said, “Yeah, I’ll call you! Just don’t ask me when!” Kimble turned and walked away. Kari got into her SUV and started up the car and as she drove away the Oldies station started to play a song that her priest reminded her of in Confession. “To Everything Turn Turn Turn!…Kari couldn’t help but smile at the coincidence. Kimble walked toward the bus station as he did, he looked up at the moon and started whistling Blue Moon.

FBI HEADQUARTERS

The next day, Jason Merriman sat in his office with Capt. Gerard sitting across from him. Gerard said, “Thank you AD Merriman for seeing me. I trust with all of the information I sent to you that you believe that Agent Holmes would be a valuable asset to our task force.”

“Yes, I do believe she will be an asset in more ways than one. However, I’m going to lay my cards on the table with you Capt. Gerard. I question Kimble’s guilt.”

Gerard looked at him strangely and said, “AD Merriman I don’t understand. I think the evidence speaks volumes and not only that, you have a diagnosis from a psychiatrist who thought Kimble was borderline schizophrenic and another profiler concurred.”

“Well, I do not concur Capt. Gerard! Just because Kimble didn’t want to discuss his childhood with a psychiatrist doesn’t make him schizophrenic. This man saved the life of one of the best agents we ever trained now I’m not going to forget that and neither will Agent Holmes.”

“AD Merriman I don’t understand I thought you were going to let me have Agent Holmes.”

“I am going to let you have her. However, let me tell you a few things about Holmes. She’s a woman who does her homework as do I. Now I looked at the Kimble case and you’re right the evidence is compelling but I also find the evidence a little too convenient shall we say and considering the fact that Kimble hasn’t killed anyone else and he knowingly saved the life of an FBI Agent raises many flags of doubt.”

“However, he was convicted.”

“Yes, he was…as I said Agent Holmes will do her homework and now I’m going to say something else to you. I have suspicions about you and your motives Capt. Gerard.”

Gerard raised his eyebrows and said, “I don’t understand. Why would you be suspicious about my motives. I’ve worked the Kimble case from the very beginning.”

Jason nodded very methodically and said, “Yes you have Capt. Gerard formerly Lt. Gerard. Let me first of all tell you that I know about what happened to your first wife Lenore in Atlanta and I know you got a raw deal. The man responsible for her death is still walking around a free man attending Atlanta’s finest upper crust parties.”

“AD Merriman…”

“Capt. Gerard, I’m really not interested in your commentary because at the moment I don’t care what happened in Atlanta. I asked myself though what would that do to a decent upstanding cop who it appears never went to therapy? I know. He’s going to make sure nobody else who’s rich gets away with murder…right?”

Gerard was silent as he wasn’t sure what was coming next. Jason continued, “Now I was also very curious as to how a homicide detective would get put in charge of a fugitive task force because usually once a verdict is rendered the detective moves on to other things. So I called some of your old colleagues in homicide and I spoke to a Linda Westerschulte…name ring a bell by any chance?”

“Of course…”

Jason interrupted him and said, “Are you aware that you are not well liked? Linda told me the whole sordid story about McLaren, Ross, and Vasick! Now it turns out that Vasick is currently in jail on some petty assault charge and Ross and McLaren are still walking around free men. Now Capt. Gerard, Linda Westerschulte told me how you and she uncovered the murder for hire plot between the three of them to murder Kimble. Now correct me if I’m wrong but contract killing is against the law isn’t it? Yet, you let those three men get a pass and I have to ask myself why? If you had turned the whole lot of them in, you would have been given the keys to the city and probably gotten your promotion anyway and they would have offered you the assignment of your choice.”

Gerard was sitting in his seat not even sure what to say at this point other than “Linda was not supposed to discuss that with anyone.”

“Oh I’ve got news for you Captain, it’s all over the precinct, everybody in homicide knows what you did and you are reviled for it. In fact, Linda went so far as to say that you were once a good cop and now she has no respect for you.”

“AD Merriman, it’s my understanding that Agent Holmes has not always done everything by the book…”

“Capt. Gerard, don’t change the subject and for the record, while some of Agent Holmes’s methods have been unorthodox in the past, she has never been a party to blackmail or obstruction of justice. She does have standards which is something you appear to lack. No don’t try to tell me this is noble on your part for asking her to be on your task force. You know as well as I that doctors and patients have a bond with each other, so I’m putting you on notice right now. If I find out you are using Holmes as bait, I will take you down. If I find out you have purposely set her up to take a fall in the capturing of Kimble, I will take you down. Lastly, I know Holmes and she will dissect this case piece by piece and if she uncovers any wrong doing on your part and you purposely went out of your way to get an innocent man convicted, I will take you down.”

“Well, AD Merriman thank you for your terms, now I have a question for you. You said it yourself that there is a bond between doctors and patients, what if I uncovered that Holmes is aiding and abetting a fugitive?”

Jason gave a deep sigh and said, “Well, Capt. Gerard I suppose you’d have to send her up the river as you did with Becca Ross, but honestly, she’s such a sweet southern belle that I can’t possibly believe you’d want to get rid of her that way. The sheer fact that you want her on your task force speaks volumes that perhaps you need her to be your conscience because you clearly don’t have one.” Jason’s tone then turned dead serious. “But know this, if Agent Holmes goes to prison for aiding and abetting, then you will be right behind her going to prison for blackmail and obstruction of justice…so I really suggest you put those thoughts out of your mind!”

Gerard nodded and said, “Thank you for telling me your terms up front. I still believe that Kimble is guilty and Holmes will see it. Are you going to tell her any of this?”

“No, because I don’t want her to be affected by you in her job. However, I have no doubt if she hangs around the water cooler long enough she’ll hear about it in all good time.”

FBI SHOOTING RANGE

Kari Holmes stood with conviction and took careful aim. She fired and emptied the entire clip in the gun and pulled the target back. The marks were perfect.

“The gold medal champ is back.”

Kari turned to see Sam Davies who runs the range standing behind her. She smiled with pride at him and said, “Who said I ever left?”

“You did last week!”

Kari laughed and said, “Well, that was last week. I’ll see you later Sam, I’m going to the coffee cart in the lobby to get…”

“…a nonfat iced Irish Crème latte!”

Kari smiled slyly and said, “Actually no! I think I’ll indulge today and get a mocha!”

“A mocha? Since when does Holmes get a mocha? Hey, there’s something different about you Holmes!”

“Oh honestly Sam, don’t make more out of it than what it is…and no I’m still not going out with you! I’ll see you later!”

Kari walked out leaving a puzzled Sam as she approached the coffee cart and the woman behind it said, “Hi Holmes, I’ll start your iced Irish Cream nonfat latte for you!”

“Actually Jaime, make it an iced mocha today…in fact, make it a raspberry mocha with real milk and whipped cream!”

Jaime looked at her funny and said, “Are you OK today Holmes?”

“I’m fine Jaime, make the mocha!” Jaime made the mocha and gave it to Holmes as her cell phone rang. She took the mocha and opened up the phone. “Holmes.”

A very familiar voice said, “Agent Holmes, you weren’t in your office.”

“No Merriman, I was at the shooting range.”

“Ah and is the champ back?”

“I was always here Merriman. I’m on my way up though. I stopped in the lobby at the coffee cart.”

“Oh yes, what’s a morning without a tall iced nonfat Irish Crème latte?”

“Actually it’s a raspberry mocha today.”

“Is everything all right Holmes?”

“Good grief Merriman, I get a mocha instead of a latte for a change and everybody is acting like a hurricane has hit.”

“Has it?”

Kari had enough bantering standing at the elevator. “Merriman do you want to see me?”

“Yes, Holmes I do. Come to my office as soon as the elevator gets there.” He hung up.

The elevator came and Diane Lang came in on Kari’s heels. “Hi Holmes, good latte today?”

“Actually it’s a mocha.”

Kari was smiling and Lang looked concerned and said, “Is everything all right. You look different. You look happy.”

Kari raised her eyebrows and said, “Is that bad?”

“No, actually you’re more than happy Holmes. You’re…” Her voice trailed off as she couldn’t decide what adjective to use.

Kari finally said, “…alive?”

Lang nodded and said, “Yeah, you seem much more alive!”

Kari smiled and said, “Thank you Lang. That’s one of the nicest things anyone ever said to me. Excuse me while I go to into Merriman’s office.” She walked away leaving Lang wondering what could possibly cause the change in demeanor.

CINCINATTI BUS STATION

Kimble sat in the bus station waiting for a transfer to take him to Memphis. He couldn’t help but smile as he thought about what had happened in the past 24 hours. He realized he really could count on Kari and the next time a big tip came through he would tell her about it. She’s a resource that he could take advantage of. However, he knew he’d never take advantage of her personally. Helen was right he thought. Kari was a special lady in more ways than one.

He wanted so much to be able to get to know her in the normal way. But that was out of the question at the moment. He could only be patient and hope that one day, he’d be able to just sit in a restaurant and have dinner with her…until, then he’d have to be content with whatever fleeting moments they would have together. But for the first time in a long time, he felt hope for the future and he started to see that maybe he really did have a future. He wasn’t sure if Kari was going to be part of the future as she seemed so determined to be friends and nothing more but if she changed her mind he certainly wouldn’t rule anything out and with what he said to her last night, he hoped she wouldn’t rule anything out either.

All of a sudden an older lady sat across from him in the waiting area and she turned on a small CD player and he could hear Frank Sinatra’s voice singing,

Out of the tree of life I just picked me a plum…

You came along and everything started to hum…

Still it’s a real good bet the best is yet to come…

The best is yet to come and Babe won’t it be fine…

You think you’ve seen the sun but you ain’t seen it shine…

Kimble could only smile as he listened to the rest of the song and looked outside and saw the sun shining brightly.

THE END

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