Ava Montez, Her Life and Death

  "Of course, of course." Max had a big smile on his face. Then he asked, "Would you like me to do it?"

  Rae looked up at him. "That would be nice."

  She was wondering if she could possibly love Max any more than she loved him at this very moment.

  Halfway through their salads, Donna came over with their orders.

  Max said he couldn't believe it. It was impossible to take a bite, as it was filled with pastrami and looked like it was a mile high.

  Rae showed him how to squash it down, and then before it could pop back up, take a bite. He said he wished now he had either taken Rae's advice about making a small salad, or had skipped it altogether and gone straight for the pastrami and French fries -- and the dill pickle that was out of this world.

  He asked her, "Is this how the sandwiches always are, or are they extra special today?"

  "The same, always the same," Rae said with a smile. "The bread is always perfect. Not too hot, not too cold, always just right. The pastrami, French fries and pickle, you can always depend on them being like nothing you've ever tasted before. Do you like it, Max?"

  "How could I not like it? It's delicious, and as you said, the best this side of heaven."

  They talked, laughed, ate, and not once did they mention the threats on Rae's life.

  On the way back to the office, Rae asked Max if he could stay with her in the office after work while she waited for the call from Joseph Morgan.

  He said he could stay until about 6:30, but he had an appointment at 7:00. He was still reporting on the child kidnapping case, but would try to come back by 8:30 or 9:00 to walk her home if she was still there. He told her he would call her cell phone to see where she was.

  Rae said, "That's okay. Maybe Joseph Morgan will call early, but just in case he doesn't I'll be waiting for your call. If he doesn't call tonight, he'll call tomorrow morning. In that case, I'll have to get to the office early. I don't want to miss him. It's to arrange an interview tomorrow sometime. I believe he's only coming to New York for the next few days. I wish now that he had my cell phone number."

  Max shook his head. "I wouldn't give that to anyone at the moment. You have four main suspects. You need to keep your contacts formal until the story is wrapped up."

  As soon as they were back in the office, Sam waved to them to come in. He wanted to hear what they had told his brother-in-law, Larry.

  CHAPTER 22

  Max Can't Stay

  They started to tell Sam everything they had told Chief Larry Edwards. Sam warned them that he was having dinner with his brother-in-law that night, and was going to ask him for the details.

  He said, "So you'd better tell me everything. I feel sometimes like the two of you don't trust me."

  Rae said, "Sam, that's not true. I would trust you with my life. It's just that sometimes you have a habit of over-reacting. It was my choice not to tell you everything, not Max's. Please forgive me."

  Sam nodded. "Okay, maybe I'm over-reacting again. I know I do that sometimes. My wife and kids tell me the same thing. I'm sorry. I'll try to be more calm and understanding in the future. But, I am concerned about you, Rae, because I feel like you're part of my family, like another daughter."

  Rae realized that this was the first time Sam had shown any real affection toward her. She knew they had a good relationship at the office and that he thought of her as a very good reporter, but that was all.

  She went over to him and gave him a warm hug. "Thanks, Sam. That means a lot to me."

  When they were through telling Sam the details of their time at the police station, he thanked them for having confidence in him. "But please, you two, be careful. Don't do anything foolish, and listen to what Larry my brother-in-law says. And work with him, okay?"

  They promised that they would.

  It was now close to 5:00 p.m. and everyone else in the office was cleaning up their desks and getting ready to leave for the evening. The production staff and the duty reporters were still hard at work in the printing unit a few blocks away, but the editorial section would soon be deserted by everyone -- apart from Rae.

  Max asked Rae, "How about me going out and getting us a snack before I have to leave?"

  Rae touched her stomach. "No thanks, I'm still full from lunch. But a cup of tea would be great. The cafe downstairs makes a great ice tea with milk and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I should skip the ice cream, but it's too good to pass up. Try one, Max. You'll love it."

  "Sounds great! I'll be right back."

  Rae took out her notes from her interview with Kim Blakely, booted up her office computer and waited.

  She started to type in the heading, "MY INTERVIEW WITH . . . But before she could finish, Max came back carrying two ice teas and a couple of orange muffins.

  He said, "Just in case you want a little something later on this evening."

  "Thanks, I love these muffins. How did you know?"

  "I could read your mind." He laughed. "Not really. I asked one of the girls downstairs at the cafe if she knew you. When she said she did, I asked her what you liked. She pointed to these."

  "Max, you're truly my Prince Charming."

  They talked for the next hour, even planning their wedding date. It was going to be in September, but first Rae wanted Max to meet her parents who lived about two hours away.

  Max explained that his mother, who had been a widow for almost five years, lived in South Pasadena, California. They agreed to fly out and spend some time with her before the wedding. She lived with Max's only sibling, his sister Aileen.

  Max looked at the office clock. "I'm sorry, Rae. It's six-thirty and I have to be going. That kid is still missing. I'll be back no later than nine. In the meantime I'm switching my phone off for the interview. I'll call you first here on your office phone. If you don't answer, I'll try your cell phone. When you're through here, please go straight home, even if I've not phoned. Don't stop off anywhere. I want to know you're safe and at home when I call your cell."

  "Please stop worrying about me, Max. If I'm not here, I promise I'll go directly home, no stops. I'll be just fine. Anyway, I can always leave a message on your cell phone if I'm worried about anything."

  After Max left, Rae couldn't control herself. She picked up her muffin. Max had taken his with him at her suggestion, which was just as well -- she would probably have eaten his too. She finished the muffin with a little of her left-over tea, still thinking about Max, their wedding and meeting his family. And also about Max meeting hers. She would be proud to do that, and she thanked the Lord again for giving her Max.

  She went back to her story. It seemed uncomfortable to be working alone with all the heavy window blinds closed. Sam said that after dark all windows must be obscured to prevent anyone opposite snooping on them. Right now, she wouldn't mind seeing the friendly lights in the offices across the street, but the blinds were like blackout material.

  Once in a while she stopped and looked at the large clock on the wall, hoping Mr. Morgan would call soon. And then she decided she'd done enough for one day.

  She saved her work to the hard drive and to her memory stick and switched off her computer. It was 7:45. She heard a sudden noise behind her. At that moment, all the lights in the office went out.

  CHAPTER 23

  The Killer's in the Office

  All of a sudden, Rae knew that someone else was in the office.

  "Is that you, Max?"

  Just as soon as she said it, she knew Max would not do this kind of thing to her. She could feel the presence of someone getting closer and closer. If only the blinds would suddenly fly open. Every so often she could hear a chair roll in the darkness, the sound of its wheels on the tile floor. And then a sound of someone bumping against a desk, or the crash of a waste paper basket getting knocked over. The intruder didn't seem to know the office layout.

  She could almost feel the person's breath as if they were standing right next to her. She felt if she would reach out she'd be able to to
uch the person who was stalking her.

  She started to panic. Then she thought to herself, "I know this room better than my stalker does. What's the safest thing for me to do before our eyes adjust to the darkness?"

  The bathroom was the closest place. If she could get to it quickly she could lock herself in and be safe until help came. Maybe Max would come looking for her when she didn't answer his phone call. At least in the bathroom she'd be able to turn on the light and feel a little safer.

  She tip-toed toward the bathroom, trying not to make any noise. When she got a little over halfway, she felt like the person was right behind her. She could almost sense the warmth of their body. She panicked again and an uncontrollable fear came over her. She began to run, stumbling over a waste paper basket, sending it rolling across the floor. A cynical laugh came from the intruder, but she couldn't make out if it came from a man or a woman.

  That frightened her even more.

  She tried to hold her balance and stay on her feet as she hit her shin on the leg of a desk. She felt the pain but the desk had stopped her from falling. She ran to the bathroom, pretty sure there were no other desks in the way. She had used this route many times before.

  She was right, no other obstacles. She reached the door, pulled it open, ran in, slammed it shut and locked it. She felt for the light switch but couldn't find it. Then she realized she had forgotten that the switch was on the outside wall next to the door.

  She let out a scream, which was more like a scream of disappointment at herself for being so panicky, and not remembering about the switch. Even though it was still dark in the bathroom, she felt safer here than in the office.

  She gasped in horror. Stupidly, she had run to hide without thinking of taking her cell phone with her. Not that she would have had time to get it. It was still in her purse under her desk!

  She put her ear to the door and could hear the intruder moving around. Then the light coming under the bathroom door went on and immediately off, three or four times, followed by a sharp knock on the door after the lights came on again. Then there was a sick laughing coming from the other side as the handle was turned.

  "Who is it? What do you want?"

  No answer, just another knock, and a minute or so later more switching off and on of the office lights.

  Rae stepped back and sat on the commode seat. She could now see a steady light from the office coming through the space under the door for a few minutes, and then it finally went off. She thought maybe the person had left. She got up, listened at the door for any sound.

  Nothing!

  When she felt she was safe, she decided to open the door very slowly. Just then she heard a voice, not loud but very clear. Rae, don't open the door. It was the voice that had prompted her to ask Max about his Christian faith.

  She stopped, waiting in compete darkness. A minute or two later she heard movement again. Then there was another knock. This time it was very loud. Then rapid switching on and off of the bathroom light, and that cynical laugh began again.

  She went back and sat down when the light finally went off. "Thanks, Lord, for the warning. Now what should I do?"

  "Think," she said to herself in a whisper. "Don't panic, just think."

  The first thing that came to her mind was Max, and then she thought: It must be around eight-thirty now.

  With the office lights now out, it was too dark for her to see her watch from the light coming under the door, so she was guessing at the time. She knew Max would be calling her office phone soon. And when she didn't answer, what would he do?

  She was thinking, not to herself, but out loud, "When I don't answer, he'll try my cell phone – which I can't answer because it's under my desk. Then Max will surely come looking for me. I hope he starts looking here at the Reader first and doesn't go straight to my apartment."

  She started to pray again, this time for God's wisdom and protection. She'd been doing that a lot lately.

  After about ten minutes, her desk phone rang. She counted the rings . . . eight. Then it stopped. Was it Max?

  The muffled sound of a cell phone ringing brought her back to the situation at hand. This time it was her phone. It rang ten times. She knew it wasn't Joseph Morgan. He didn't have her cell number.

  She suddenly felt sure it was Max on her cell phone, and it made her feel good just knowing that part of him was on the other side of the door, even if it was only his voice leaving a message.

  Max would be worried that she'd not answered either of her phones. She was praying that whoever was on the other side of the door would be gone by the time Max turned up. Even if Max went to her apartment first, this door seemed secure, as it was substantial and opened outwards. She feared for Max's safety when he came here, but she had no way of warning him. She hadn't heard sounds in the office for the last ten minutes, but she was taking no chances. She was just going to wait until Max showed up.

  She had her eyes closed in prayer and everything was very quiet. She felt so peaceful. Then the lights came back on and she heard movement in the office. Could it be Max? As she jumped up she let out an involuntary scream.

  A loud knocking on the door, and she could hear the door handle turning. Someone was trying to get in.

  "Rae, Rae, are you in there?"

  It was Max!

  "Max, I'm here!"

  She ran to the door, pushed it open, and there was her Prince Charming. She threw her arms around him feeling weak, like she was going to faint. He helped her to one of the visitors' chairs where people waited in comfort for an appointment with one of the staff.

  Max brought her a drink of water from the nearby cooler.

  "What happened? I heard you scream. Why were you locked in the bathroom? And why were the lights out in the office?"

  Rae took a sip of the water and got her composure back. Then she proceeded to tell Max the whole story.

  They wondered why whoever was there had turned the lights on and off, and finally left them on for a few minutes before turning them back off. They started to look around, but nothing seemed to be disturbed. Rae's desk and notes were the way she had left them. Only her business cards where ruffled, but she could have done that herself. Then they noticed that Sam's door was open.

  They went in, and taped to Sam's monitor was a note similar to the one on the inside of Rae's apartment door. But this one was obviously for Sam. It read:

  EITHER RAE DROPS STORY, OR YOU DROP DEAD.

  CHAPTER 24

  Kim's Name Again

  Rae and Max left everything as it was, and called Sam's cell phone. They knew that the Chief was with him, since Sam had mentioned that they were going to have dinner together this evening.

  "Hi, Sam, this is Max. I'm calling from the office, and I'm here with Rae."

  Rae could hear Sam's anxious voice. "Why? What's up? You never call me this late. Has Rae had another note?"

  "We think someone was here at the office trying to murder Rae this evening. Can you and the Chief meet us here? Now?"

  Sam's voice came over so loud that Max had to push the receiver away from his ear. "MURDER RAE? WHO WAS IT? HOW? IS RAE OKAY?"

  Max had to wait a moment for Sam to calm down. "We don't know who it was. They left before I got here to pick Rae up. She's shaken, but doing okay considering what she's just been through."

  Max could hear a hasty discussion in the background. Then Sam came back on the phone again.

  "We'll be right over. Larry says don't touch anything. He's sending some of his detectives over to check for fingerprints and anything else they may be able to find. So just sit where you are and don't do any investigating, thinking you're the detectives. We're on our way."

  Max said, "We won't touch a thing. And, Sam, yes, there was another threatening note."

  "Oh no. Poor Rae. I wish I'd never had the idea of resurrecting the life of Ava Montez. Is she all shook up again over the new note?"

  "A little. But this time, Sam, the note was taped to your monitor
. It was for you."

  Click

  When Sam and Chief Edwards arrived, the detectives were already there, dusting everything in sight for fingerprints and checking for other evidence. They told the Chief that they were pretty sure that the intruder wore gloves. They had found many fingerprints on the light switches, but they were most likely of the staff who worked in the office, as they had been smudged. All except for Max's. He had been the last person to touch the switches when he arrived, and had smudged the others. Surely he wasn't the intruder?

  The Chief asked, "Where's the note?"

  They led them to Sam's office. It was still taped to his computer monitor.

  "Rae," the Chief asked, "who else knew you were going to be here, except for Max and Sam?"

  "Jake Austin, and of course Joseph Morgan. I've not told anyone else."

  "Do you have Jake Austin's telephone number?"

  "It's here in the back of my notes. Why?"

  The Chief said, "I want you to call him and ask him if he told anyone about you being in the office late tonight. Don't go into details."

  Rae got her book out and dialed Jake Austin's apartment using her cell phone. It was the maid who answered.

  Rae sounded more confident than she felt. "This is Rae Collins. I'm the reporter for the New York Reader he's been seeing. May I speak with Mr. Austin, if he's in?"

  "He just came in. One moment please."

  Rae's first thought was: I wonder where he just came from.

  "Hello, Rae, how are you this evening?"

  "I'm fine, Mr. Austin. I'm at the office waiting for Mr. Morgan's phone call. I was wondering if you told anyone I was going to be staying late at the office tonight?"

  "No, no one . . . Wait a minute, I did tell Kim Blakely. She called this morning. Wanted to know if Joe had agreed to talk to you about your story on Ava. She was Ava's best friend, so I told her yes, and said he was going to call you at the office before nine tonight. I'm sure she's the only one I told. Of course, if she's managed to contact Martha Brown she may have told her. It wasn't meant to be a secret was it? I hope not. Out of curiosity, can you tell me why you called me at this hour in the evening to ask such a question?"

  Before Rae could think of an answer, he continued. "Or is it a mystery that I'll have to wait to find out when I read the story?"