BRAVE, Episode Three - the Color of Danger Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Now I’m going to go take that shower.”
    “You do that. And remember to breathe deep.”
    Chloe limped away to the bathroom and took the liberty of flipping him off. His guffaws followed her into the shower.

    * * * *

CHAPTER FOUR

    The week of grace passed by all too quickly. Each day the bruises faded from purplish-blue to yellowish-green, the black eye lightened, and the pain of the injured ribs eased. She was strong enough to shower and dress, but Logan continued limiting her physical activity. She cooked a little, cleaned a little, stuffed an occasional load of laundry into the washing machine and that was about it. How boring.
    Logan’s companionship, in the early mornings and in the evenings, made the whole situation bearable. Hell, he made it pleasant.
    This sharing, this sense of intimacy, was such a novel experience: the simple joy of pleasant conversation between a man and a woman (“Hey, wanta another cup of coffee?” “Thanks, I’d love some.” or “I found this 10,000 piece puzzle tucked away in the closet; wouldja like to work on it with me?” “Sure. Couldn’t you have found one any bigger?”); the give-and-take of an amiable squabble; the teasing and banter and easy laughter. It was a breath of fresh air.
    It was a journey of discovery that’d begun with a rescue and continued with friendship. The more she learned about him, the more she liked him. It was tough to keep her hands off.
    One day, Logan went off to work as usual, and she screwed up her courage, threw on a pair of jeans and a tee and slipped out into the big wide, Halterman infested world. God help her. Even climbing into a cab gave her the jitters. David might’ve located her by now; he might have someone watching the building, ready to send in an assault team.
    Quaking inside, she made it to her bank, and her goal: the safety deposit box she’d maintained during her two New York years.
    Paranoid!
    A quick survey of the bank lobby: clear; a careful scan of the wide marble steps descending to storage: clear; a deliberate perusal of every corner of the vault room: clear.
    The tentacles of David’s power reached far and wide, and his information was about every facet of her life thus far. That’s why she fully expected to find the box empty and her entire future puddled away.
    It wasn’t.
    She drew in a great gasping breath. Not of relief, not here, not vulnerable and unprotected. The relief would come once she had safely returned to the temporary haven of Logan’s apartment.
    Hurry,hurry; don’t linger, don’t inspect; fill the tote and go!
    She unlocked the box with the small facilities key she kept on a chain around her wrist. Then she took it all, practically turning the box inside out: CD’s, new passport and driver’s license forms, divorce decree, checkbook, credit cards, and other legal documents.
    Then Chloe returned upstairs to the main floor, still shaking with apprehension, though she kept as straight a face as possible. She approached the window and studied the middle-aged teller carefully. She handed over a signed request to withdraw most of what remained in her checking and savings accounts.
    “Oh, that’s quite a large sum, dear,” expostulated Mrs. Radcliffe – name on the desk said so. “Are you leaving us for another institution?”
    “In a way,” Chloe conjured up a weak smile. “I’m moving soon, and I’ll need my funds available.”
    “Moving? We’re sorry to hear that; you’ve been an excellent customer. Where will you be settling down?”
    The question was an innocent one, inspired by pleasant conversation with a valued customer. But the alarming drumbeat started again: Hurry, hurry; don’t linger, don’t inspect; and her mouth went dry with renewed fear.
    “Uh—Phoenix,” was the first location that popped into her head. “I’ll be moving to Phoenix.”
    “Ah. Quite a distance. You didn’t want to use a wire transfer? Miss Sheldon, how would you like your funds—in 50