Chapter 19

         "Here... hold this," Trevor said, passing his coat and Janet's shoe to Derek as the
     paramedics loaded Axel into the ambulance.
         "What's up, Trevor?"
         "I'm combing that car for clues. We've gotta have something more to go on than
     the hope that he MIGHT wake up."
         "But they've already done that..."
         "Derek-- I'm gonna go crazy if I don't do something that might help me find her..."
         "Yeah, I hear you. Go ahead."
         As Trevor crawled back in through the passenger window, a Harrisburg cop
     approached Derek. "Does he know we've already..."
         "...Done a complete search, yeah. We've got to cut him some slack though. Poor
     guy's already been widowed twice, and he's supposed to marry this woman the
     weekend after next..." Derek shook his head in disbelief.
         "Wow. I wouldn't wish that kind of luck on some of the lowlifes we bring into the
     station."
         "Yeah..." Derek's ears perked up. "Do you hear a phone ringing?"
         "Sounds like it's coming from you, actually."
         Derek then realized it was the cell phone in Trevor's trench coat pocket. He
     opened it up. "Hello?"
         "I'm... I'm looking for Trevor Dillon."
         "Janet-- is that you?"
         "Yes-- Derek?"
         "Yeah! Are you all right?"
         "For the most part... I called the house and Belinda said you and Trevor were in
     Harrisburg too?"
         "Janet, hang on... if I don't get your main man on here soon he's gonna have my
     head..." Derek went to the car and told Trevor he had a call.
         "It's Belinda, right? Maybe she's heard something." He scrambled out the side
     window again. "Yeah, Dillon here."
         Janet smiled wearily and leaned on the pay phone. "Well, I've had one helluva
     night... how about you?"
         Trevor couldn't believe his ears. All he could do was gasp at the sound of her
     voice.
         "Trevor? Are you still there?"
         "I'm... yeah I'm here, Gorgeous... God, I can't believe you're all right! You ARE
     all right, right?"
         She laughed. "Yeah, I'm basically allright-right."
         "Where ARE you?" Trevor asked as he and Derek waved the remaining police
     over.
         "Would you believe a 7-11 near the tracks on Lampley Road? "
         Trevor repeated this to the locals, who nodded and headed for their car,
     motioning for Derek and Trevor to follow. "We're on our way, Janet."
         He heard her sigh in relief. "OK... well, then, I'll wait out front I guess..."
         "Uh-uh. No way."
         "What?"
         "Just... keep talking, sweetheart. I'm not hanging up until I see your beautiful blues
     lookin' right at me." Trevor looked sideways at Derek, who gave him a "don't worry,
     I'm not listening" look and continued trailing the local car.
         "So, would you rather hear the details of the great DATE with Axel or the great
     ESCAPE?"
         "In a minute. Tell me how you are."
         "Trevor, you're gonna see me in just a few--"
         "I don't care. Humor me."
         She sounded exasperated, but somewhere inside she was thrilled to pieces at his
     concern. "OK, let's see... I'm tired, I'm starving, I'm a little shaky. But I've got my
     teeth, got my health, and all my limbs seem to still be in working order... though I
     AM missing one shoe. And I don't think I'll be running any marathons soon."
         "How'd it happen that you're missing one shoe?" he asked with a grin, tightening
     his grasp on the brown pump.
         "Well, that would have to do with my great escape. Can I tell you about it yet?"
         "Nope."
         "NOW why not?"
         "Because your coach is arriving, Cinderella. The 7-11 is straight ahead of us."
         Janet turned and saw the squad car pull in. Trevor leaped out with the phone still
     in hand. "Gotta go" she said, without realizing she'd already hung up the phone.
     Still barefoot, she hobbled out the door, taking in the sight of him from a few yards
     away just as he was taking in the sight of her. "Prince Charming, I presume?" she
     asked after a tiny silence.
         He pulled the shoe from behind his back and waved it at her. "You know it,
     Babe," he said softly. "Ready to be swept off your feet?"
         "Please... they're killing me."
         They were in an embrace in no time.

         Up until the moment they were in each other's arms, Janet and Trevor seemed to
     be pretty calm and cool just hearing each other's voice. But now, seeing each
     other for the first time in this very long day, they hung onto each other for dear
     life. They'd both been so frightened; now they were so relieved.
         Derek and the others watched their emotions fusing together for a minute or two
     before anyone had the heart to try and interrupt. Then the others all turned to
     Derek who cleared his throat and finally stepped forward and reminded them
     that Janet would still need to give a statement to the police before calling it a
     night.
         "A little busy here, Derek," Trevor growled between kisses.
         But Janet broke off the next kiss and tipped her head into Trevor's chest. "The
     sooner we get it over with, the sooner we get home, Trevor." Throwing her head
     back with renewed energy, she looked to Derek. "Take me wherever you need
     me," she offered.
         "Wait-- just give us one more minute," Trevor interrupted, spinning Janet towards
     the hood of the squad car. "Janet, we don't have to do this tonight," he
     suggested, boosting her up so she could have a seat. "It's gonna be 4 AM before
     we get home as it is."
         "So when should I wrap things up, huh? Right after Amanda's birthday party
     tomorrow? Or just before we go over the final details with the minister? What do
     you think? Hmm?"
         He slid his hand down her leg, caressing her ankle. "OK, OK. You're right... I just
     want to make you feel better NOW. From your head down to your stubbed little
     toes."
         "You're already making me feel better," she assured him.
         "Yeah, but there's only so much I can do in a convenience store parking lot with a
     half dozen onlookers... know what I mean?" He raised an eyebrow, then took one
     of her shoes and slipped it back onto her foot.
         She flashed a smile right back, then winced as the shoes went on. "Dare I ask
     where Axel is now?" she asked the cops.
         "Harrisburg General, probably. He got pretty banged up when his car flipped into
     that ditch..."
         "He had an accident? Well, I can't say I'm surprised. Be sure to test his blood
     alcohol level. It might have done him in, but it probably saved me."
         "How do you figure that?"
         "Well, I suddenly remembered how careless and clumsy he'd get when he was
     drinking, and then I remembered this stupid little way he'd play with things... I'll
     explain it all in my statement, don't worry."
         "Sounds like you escaped just in time," Trevor said, shuddering at what might have
     happened as he took her in his arms again.
         "Yeah... I guess so."
 
 
 
 
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