

Lost Love

By Sherrie Sushko

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-soldor given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person,please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and didnot purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to yourfavorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hardwork of this author.

Text copyright © 2014 Sherrie Sushko

All Rights Reserved

All characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.

In memory of my mother,

whose spirit lives on around me,

through me,

within me.

CHAPTER ONE

Eric walked into the crowded restaurant, his eyes scanning the room. It was just like Scott to pick such a bustling place to meet up at, lively even on an early Monday evening. Eric was about to give up his search when he suddenly spotted Scott, waving him on frantically from the bar area.

"May I help you?" the hostess flashed a smile at Eric, finally aware of his presence.

"No, thank you, I found the party I'm looking for," Eric replied, nodding in Scott's direction.

"Great, enjoy," she grinned, quickly turning to the next patron.

"Hey!" Scott said, as Eric approached the table, "I was beginning to think you were standing me up!"

Eric sat down across from Scott. "Have I ever done that?"

"No, you're a man of his word," Scott paused. "And speaking of which, congratulations!"

"Thanks," Eric said, picking up a menu.

"I mean it, I can't think of a nicer couple. You have my blessings," Scott continued. "And just think – you're the first one in the group that's getting married."

"That I am," Eric agreed. "When you find the right one, you can't let her go."

"Absolutely! And don't you forget that," Scott laughed.

Eric was in a good place and he knew it. He felt extremely optimistic, almost invincible, which was something he hadn't always experienced in the past when things had been quite different.

"Where's your better half tonight?" Scott asked.

"Abby is wrapping things up at the school and then going out with some fellow teachers afterwards," Eric said. Abby taught Kindergarten at the local public school which had just reopened after the holiday break.

"Yeah, I guess it is that busy time of year again," Scott said. "Send her my best."

"I will, and we'll all be getting together soon enough," Eric added, although he wasn't so certain that they would be. Scott had been dating Abby's best friend, Cassie, for quite some time and it was Scott who had introduced Abby to Eric. However, Scott and Cassie were going through a rough patch at the moment, and the two couples hadn't gotten together in a while.

Eric listened intently, or at least he tried to, while Scott filled him in on the latest events of his life. He had just landed a high paying job at an accounting firm. Eric barely heard bits and pieces as his attention was drawn elsewhere. Something had caught his eye in the back of the room.

"I've wanted a job at this firm for a long time, now," Scott said, "Persistence has finally paid off."

"That's great," said Eric, "I'm happy for you." He leaned forward slightly, still trying to get a better look at the far wall. Scott didn't seem to notice.

"How's it going with you?" Scott asked. "How's the world of web development?"

"Pretty good," Eric said, still obviously distracted. "I'm freelancing now, you know."

"I did hear something about that," Scott said. "What are you looking at?" He turned around to get a glimpse.

"I thought I recognized someone," Eric replied, "but I guess not."

"Well, if you did there's nobody there now," Scott shrugged, picking up the conversation from where they'd left off.

***

After saying their good-byes in the parking lot, Eric jumped into his car and headed for home. Although the evening was fairly young, he was already tired and knew that tomorrow would be a full day.

He drove passed Abby's house and could see that she wasn't home yet. The windows were all dark and closed up tight. Abby lived in her parent's two-family house and her unit was in the back. He always felt concerned when she got home after a certain hour but her parents did keep an eye out for her and he was certain that she would be calling him when she got home.

Driving down the quiet road, Eric's thoughts left Abby and went back to the restaurant. He wasn't sure what he had seen now and thought that maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him. On the far wall beyond the bar he had seen her, or at least someone who resembled her, staring straight ahead. She seemed out of sorts, unhappy, and then she had looked right at him. He could have sworn it was her when their eyes met. It was at that moment that Scott had distracted him for only a second, but long enough for her to get up and slip away. The bar had still been full and she had gotten lost in the crowd. It was as if she had disappeared or had never been there at all.

Afterwards, when Scott had gone to the restroom, Eric had gotten up and walked to the back of the room where he had seen her. He figured there had to be a logical explanation as to how she had left so quickly. When he reached the far wall, he realized that it was mirrored from floor to ceiling. Eric was surprised to discover that there were absolutely no tables in the back, which made him thoroughly confused. Standing by the bar, he gazed intently into the mirrored wall across the way, when realization struck him. She must have been sitting at the bar with her back to him, facing the back wall. He hadn't seen her directly at all, but instead had seen her reflection in the mirror, just as she had looked back and seen his.

Noting that his eyes had deceived him with the layout of the bar, he noted that they might have very well deceived him in other ways. There was a good possibility that he hadn't seen her at all.

Eventually, Eric arrived at the apartment complex where he lived. It was a small structure with six units, each with their own parking space. He parked the car in his designated spot and made his way towards the building, glad to finally be calling it a night. His thoughts about his night out were temporarily forgotten, and were replaced with hopes of talking to Abby real soon.

CHAPTER TWO

Peace of mind didn't linger for long as Eric was becoming increasingly uneasy while the night went on. This was partially because of his experience at the restaurant, but he mostly felt edgy because he still hadn't spoken to Abby. He didn't want to call her just yet because he knew that one of the things she loved about him was that he gave her some space. Besides, she very rarely had a girl's night out and he wanted her to enjoy herself.

He was just beginning to drift off to sleep when the phone rang. Eric blindly reached over to answer it, his eyes barely adjusting to the darkness.

"Hello?" There was no response but he could tell that the line was open. "Hello?"

There was a soft click.

Concerned, Eric hung up the phone and decided to give Abby a call. The phone practically rang in his hand before he could do so.

"Hello?" he cautiously answered.

"Hi, Dear One," it was Abby, "Did I wake you?"

"Well, kind of, but that's okay" Eric said, "I was just starting to fall asleep. How did it go?"

"We had a good time," she replied. "I've been home for a while now. Did you guys have fun? I guess you had a late start."

"We didn't start too late," Eric said. "And yes, it was fun. I was going to come by but you weren't home yet."

"You stopped?" Abby asked.

"No," he answered, "but you didn't have the light on, so I figured you were still out."

"I did have our light on for quite some time," Abby playfully corrected. "But I guess we just happened to miss each other. I also tried to call you several times tonight, just to let you know I got home. I know how you worry."

"Yes, our light," Eric laughed. "And I was worried. I'm relieved that you called. The phone never rang here earlier, though, unless I slept through it." This was very unlikely because they both knew what a light sleeper he was.

"Well, not to worry because we managed to get a hold of each other," Abby said, "Now get some rest. We'll talk tomorrow."

"Alright. Good night and sweet dreams," Eric said.

"Nighty night," Abby replied, before disconnecting the call, "Love you."

"Love you, too," Eric smiled into the phone.

Still stretched out on the bed, Eric was lost in thought. He had probably missed Abby by moments tonight. There was no way that he would not see the light – their light – if it had been on when he drove by earlier.

Not long after they had met, Eric had discovered that Abby had a passion for hurricane lamps and she had accumulated a small collection of them. For their six month anniversary, Eric had searched high and low for the perfect hurricane lamp to gift Abby with, and finally settled on a beautiful, cranberry colored lamp that he thought would suit her living room. Abby was thrilled and knew what a feat it had been for Eric since he wasn't much of a shopper. In the end, the lamp had gone in her bedroom on a small table in front of the window. On nights when Eric had to work late he would drive by and, if Abby had the light on, he knew that she could use some company. It was their private signal, a beacon in the night, and Eric's spirit always felt a little bit lighter when the lamp was shining, only for him. Abby was his home away from home.

Tonight he had been on edge, and the sight of Abby's darkened house had only heightened his sense of dread. He realized he was overreacting, and that his trepidation had been inspired back at the restaurant. When he had thought he saw her there. He hadn't seen her for years and certainly hadn't thought about her in recent months. But there she had been, or someone who resembled her, a glimpse of a reminder. Apparently, she was never completely out of mind even if she had been out of sight.

For just a moment, he had thought it was her. Larissa.

CHAPTER THREE

After spending the past hour scouring over restaurant brochures that were now scattered across the table, Abby exclaimed, "I give up! Maybe we should just have it at your parent's house."

"Whatever you want. I'm fine either way," Eric replied.

"It's not just what I want," Abby said, "It's our engagement party."

"It depends on what type of gathering you'd prefer. Something casual, something a little fancier," he said. "It's true that my parent's house definitely has the space."

"Hmm... your parent's home is lovely," Abby said, thoughtfully, "and we are a laid back couple."

"They suggested it right from the start. They'd love to have the party there," Eric said. It was going to be a small gathering with about fifteen people attending, including family and close friends.

"Maybe we should," she pondered, "Yes, I think we should have it at your parent's house."

"That's settled then," Eric said, quickly scooping up the brochures.

"You just want to be done with it!" she laughed, swatting his arm. "Oh, I do have something to tell you, though, and I hope it doesn't put a damper on things."

"What?" Eric asked, feeling a slight twinge of apprehension set in.

"Scott and Cassie broke up," Abby said.

"You're kidding?" Eric was shocked, even though it wasn't a total surprise.

"Obviously, we'll be inviting both of them," she continued, "since Scott is a close friend of yours and your Best Man, and Cassie has been my friend practically forever, not to mention my Maid of Honor."

"Let's hope one of them bows out gracefully," Eric suggested.

Abby laughed. "You're awful! That won't work since they're part of the wedding party. But don't you think it can cause a little bit of friction?"

"Maybe they'll get back together by then," he shrugged.

"Or maybe one of them will find someone new and want to bring that person along," Abby said.

"We'll have to specify 'no guest allowed' on the invitations," Eric grinned. "Let's wait and see what happens when the time comes."

"You're right," Abby sighed. "I just want everything perfect for the party."

"It will turn out nice," Eric said, leaning over to kiss her forehead. She seemed to relax a little.

Eric sat at the kitchen table watching Abby put away the brochures and tidy up.

"Do you need help with anything?" he asked.

"No. It's getting late and I just want to wind down," she said.

"I'm pretty tired, too," Eric admitted. "I'd love to wind down with you but I really should go home tonight."

"I know," Abby agreed. They had been together the whole weekend. She knew that Eric was starting a big project tomorrow and he preferred working in his own designated work space.

"Not too much longer and this will be a thing of the past," Eric said, "the two of us residing in separate dwellings." They were looking forward to having their own home once they were married.

"Yes," she responded. Even though her parents were in the same house with her, she felt lonely when Eric wasn't there. "It will be nice."

CHAPTER FOUR

It was a short drive home from Abby's house. Eric lived in the bordering town, just a few blocks north. He was already missing her but he did plan on retiring early. It had been a busy weekend.

Once he pulled in the parking lot, he realized how quiet it was around the building. Usually there was some kind of activity, either one of his neighbors or a tenant. But tonight not a person was in sight, until he got a brief glimpse of a woman leaving the lot. She made a quick left turn, out of his view and towards the front of the building. It was fleeting, but enough for him to see her from behind, her figure eerily familiar. And for a moment he couldn't help but think of Larissa.

The hair stood up on the back of his neck.

Eric got out of the car as fast as he could, hoping to catch up with the woman. After all, it was a small lot and she was on foot. He was curious, half expecting to discover that it was Larissa. He was certain that he could meet up with her if he hurried.

After what seemed to be an eternity, he crossed the lot and turned the corner. There was nobody there. He walked past the building and looked all around. The street was deserted. Somehow it didn't surprise him.

There hadn't been enough time for her to make it down the block and turn the corner. There was always the possibility that the woman was a visitor to one of the tenants in the building and that she had already gone inside. He needed to rationalize the situation.

As Eric approached the front door, something on the ground caught his eye. There at his feet on the stoop laid a small bunch of white flowers. Kneeling to pick them up, he studied them closely. They were small, with a light pleasant scent and a yellow center. He believed they were some sort of daffodil but wasn't sure. Abby would most likely know.

"I would think it's a little early in the year for these," Eric said out loud to himself, noting that it was late January.

He brought them into the building, hoping that the woman would come back looking for the flowers since they were most likely hers. However, there was no sign of her. Resigned, he went straight to his apartment.

He placed the flowers on one of the living room end tables and made a beeline for the bedroom. Throwing himself down on the bed, Eric realized just how tired he was.

"Time to hit the hay," he stated out loud. Reluctantly, he rose to wash up and get undressed. Moments later he was again sprawled across the bed, this time in a deep sleep before his head hit the pillow.

CHAPTER FIVE

Slowly, very slowly, Eric's eyes opened. The time on the digital clock was blaring in the darkness. It was 1:54 a.m.; he hadn't been asleep for that long.

Hearing activity in the other room, Eric realized what had woken him up. Abby must not be able to sleep again. She was too excited these days, thinking about the upcoming wedding preparations.

He abruptly sat up as reality set in. He wasn't at Abby's house and Abby wasn't here now.

Who was in his apartment?

Eric quietly reached under his bed, where he kept a baseball bat. A person couldn't be too careful these days and he was always a little leery concerning the fire escape that was outside his living room window. He also didn't particularly care for the tenants upstairs over him and wouldn't be surprised to find them in the middle of his living room one night.

Softly walking across the bedroom floor, Eric gingerly opened the door. He stood there for a moment in the shadows straining to hear. It was totally silent. Bravely, he stepped out in the hall and walked down towards the living room, which was open to the kitchen. Flicking on the light, he took a look around. The room was empty.

After thoroughly inspecting the apartment, including the bathroom shower, Eric was satisfied that nobody was in the apartment. He then noticed that the living room window was open. Although it was possible, he didn't remember opening it. The room was quite chilly as cold air was rushing in, blowing the curtains in every direction. Eric shined a flashlight out the window and onto the fire escape to have a look around. There was nothing there.

Satisfied, he shut and locked the window. Then, turning to go to bed, his eyes settled on the flowers.

There they were, in plain view, lying in the middle of the coffee table.

***

The rest of the night was a complete washout with Eric getting no sleep at all. He tossed and turned, seeing every hour on the hour displayed on the digital clock. Finally, he decided to get up at an ungodly time and start working on his newest project. He needed to keep his mind occupied.

Trying his hardest to convince himself that he had been overtired and had, in fact, placed the flowers on the coffee table, he was almost positive that he had put them on the end table. But Eric also liked to pride himself on his logical thinking. Why would anyone break into his apartment just to move a couple of flowers? The concept was totally ridiculous.

Although he tried to get some work done, all he managed to do was make a light breakfast and bide his time until he knew Abby would be up and around. He needed to hear her voice for reassurance.

As soon as the time was right, Eric picked up the phone and dialed Abby's number.

"Hello," she answered on the first ring, sounding chipper. He knew that she would be leaving soon to go to class.

"I just wanted to say good morning before you start your day," Eric said into the phone, sounding more upbeat than he felt.

"Well, you made my day," she replied, "and good morning to you, too. You're up early today. Feeling eager to start your new project?"

"That I am," Eric replied. "Did you get a good night's sleep?"

"I slept like a baby," Abby said, "I didn't wake up at all last night. How about you?"

"I slept well, too," he fibbed. "I'm refreshed and ready to go. Have a great day and call me later tonight when you get a chance."

"You know I will," she responded. "Are you sure that everything is alright?"

"Just missing you," Eric said, truthfully.

"Awww," Abby said, touched. "I miss you too. I'll call you as soon as I can. Love you!"

Hanging up the phone, Eric still couldn't totally shed the feeling of unease.

CHAPTER SIX

The day of the engagement party arrived soon enough. Setting up the arrangements had gone smoothly, and Eric's parent's house turned out to be the perfect place to have it.

Since Eric had proposed to Abby in December over the holidays and the wedding date was tentatively set for the following December, mid-February seemed like the right time to have the engagement party.

"This is lovely!" Abby exclaimed when she walked into the house. Eric was equally as impressed.

"You like it, dear?" Eric's mother, Marie, asked. "I'm glad. Your mother and I really put our heads together."

"Thanks so much, both of you," Abby gushed, hugging both women. She was grateful that their mothers got along together so well.

The doorbell rang, breaking into their conversation. "Must be the first guest," Marie said, stepping away to answer the door.

"Come take a look," Candice said to her daughter. "It really did turn out perfect."

Candice brought Abby into the oversized kitchen which had an 11 foot long island, where the catered food was neatly laid out.

The layout of the house was spacious and open, perfect for entertaining. A large formal dining room, which was open to the living room, had a dining set that seated twelve people. This would accommodate all the guests that would be attending, including parents, grandparents and both Scott and Cassie. Thankfully, they were each attending the party solo.

Perhaps the party would bring the two of them back together. They had been such a happy couple when things had been good.

Abby was hoping that it did.

***

As the afternoon went on, it didn't seem as things were going to work out for Scott and Cassie. They stayed as far away from each other as possible and hadn't exchanged one word the entire time.

For Eric and Abby, however, it seemed as if things couldn't get any better. Their families were thrilled that two of them were getting married. Eric's father adored Abby and got along with her father wonderfully, which was a milestone in itself as he was usually an opinionated, hard to approach man. Eric could personally attest to that. Abby was glowing, enjoying her guests and talking about the details of the wedding and how she and Eric had decided to have it at a local, upscale banquet hall and restaurant. Eric smiled, observing her happiness and feeling the excitement in her conversation.

Once there was a lull in the action and everyone started to break up into groups, Eric took a quick step out back for some fresh air. It was beginning to feel a little stuffy inside.

He stood on the patio looking out into the impeccably landscaped yard. He was glad that the weather had cooperated today. It was sunny and the sky was a bright blue with not a cloud to be seen. Though it was still a little cool and brisk, it was actually a tad bit warmer than usual for this time of year. Eric couldn't have asked for a more perfect day.

"Your parents have some house," Scott suddenly said from behind, startling him. Eric hadn't heard him come out and wondered how long Scott had been standing there.

"They put a lot into it," Eric responded, not flinching in the least.

"I remember when we were kids and I used to come over," Scott continued, moving up alongside of Eric. "Man, this was one heck of a big house for just one kid to be in."

Eric laughed. "Yeah, I used to get lost in it sometimes. Great for hide-n-seek, though."

"Sleepovers were always fun, too," Scott added.

They stood there for a moment, breathing in the crisp air.

"I know I said it before," Scott spoke, breaking the silence, "but I have to say it again. Congratulations, man. You're a great couple and Abby is a real gem." He patted Eric on the back.

"Thanks, Scott," Eric said.

"You have my blessings," Scott continued, "I'm so happy that you found happiness. You deserve it, especially after your last experience."

"Excuse me?" Eric asked, completely caught off guard by Scott's comment.

"You know," Scott said, "Larissa."

Eric felt as if the wind was knocked out of him. "Why would you even bring that up? I haven't seen Larissa for about eight years now."

"You're right, I apologize," Scott responded. "Forget I just said that. I didn't mean to dredge up the negative past. For some reason Larissa's come to mind recently."

Eric stayed quiet.

"And these are happier times!" Scott cheerfully went on. "Let me also just add that you have me to thank! After all, I introduced you to Abby."

"I do agree that I have you to thank for that," Eric started to feel a little more at ease. "Now, it's my turn to ask something that will make you feel uncomfortable. What's going on with you and Cassie?" He thought he saw Scott squirm, if just a little.

"Nothing at the moment," Scott shrugged. "All this talk about marriage has got her restless. I'm just not ready for that yet."

As they went back inside, Eric wondered if Scott would ever be ready.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Eric was glad to see the party finally come to an end. All the guests had left, including Abby who had gone back home with her parents. Tomorrow promised to be another busy day and Eric exchanged a long good-bye with Abby at the door.

"Talk to you tomorrow, Dear One," she said, looking tired but extremely happy.

"That you will," he said, leaning over to give her a kiss good-night.

Afterwards, Eric stayed a while to help his mother tidy up a bit while his father retreated to the den.

"He'll probably fall asleep in his chair," his mother said, motioning towards the den. "It's becoming a nightly ritual."

Not much had changed, Eric quietly noted.

"I still have a lot of leftovers," she continued. "Why don't you stay and let me wrap them up for you to bring home."

"You don't have to do that, Mom. Why don't you just save them for you and Dad?" Eric suggested. "You've already given a lot away, how much could there possibly be left?"

"Oh, there's enough," his mother replied, "definitely too much for me and your father. How about I separate them and pack them up tomorrow? Then you can swing by later on in the day and pick them up."

Eric could see the determination in her eyes. "Alright," he agreed, "I'll do that. But I think it's time to call it a night."

"I guess it is, dear," his mother said, kissing his cheek. "It was a wonderful day. I couldn't ask for a nicer future daughter-in-law and I'm thrilled to see you so happy."

"Thanks, Mom," Eric said, giving her a hug. "Good night. I'll see you tomorrow."

***

After all the festivities of the day, Eric knew that it would be a long time before he fell asleep. He was still a little unnerved about Scott's remark, which also wasn't conducive of an early night's sleep.

Eric had come close to filling Scott in on the recent events concerning Larissa but didn't feel totally comfortable bringing it up, especially after Scott's mindless comment. It was just too uncanny that Scott had mentioned her name after all these years. Eric supposed it was possible that Scott had also seen the woman that resembled Larissa at the restaurant that night, and maybe that was what had brought her to mind. Still, it was out of character for Scott not to have mentioned it right away as he was generally, in fact always, outspoken.

Looking back at the day's events, Eric had to admit that there were a couple of things that had bothered him about Scott during the course of the day, and it wasn't just the fact that he had mentioned Larissa. It was also the way that Scott was interacting with Abby. Eric had never thought it before now, but it seemed pretty evident. He knew that Scott had a big ego and was the kind of guy who felt he was irresistible to all women. But today it had been a little more pronounced, obvious enough that Eric had noticed it. Scott's actions and the fact that he had just broken up with Cassie... Eric suddenly laughed at loud.

First, he starts seeing old friends in public places. Now he was getting paranoid and jealous, to boot. It was ridiculous and probably just pre-wedding jitters. Once the wedding took place Eric was sure that everything would go back to normal. At least, he certainly hoped so.

CHAPTER EIGHT

The day had been busier than usual, between ongoing projects and meeting with prospective clients. So busy that Eric had nearly forgotten to stop and see his mother later in the day as he had promised. Already halfway home, he turned around and headed back to his parents' house. He knew she would be waiting for him.

Sure enough, his mother was already waiting on the front steps as he made his way down the walk. "I was wondering where you were," she said.

"I'm right here, Mom," Eric said.

"Well, hurry up," she stated. "Your father ran to the store and should be home any minute now."

"That's fine with me, I don't mind seeing Dad," Eric replied, perplexed.

"Oh, never mind," his mother said, ushering him in. She closed the door behind him. "I have all the leftovers packed and ready to go." She led him out to the kitchen.

"Did you keep anything for you and dad?" Eric asked, pulling two generous sized bags out of the refrigerator.

"Plenty. Don't worry about that," his mother answered.

"Thanks, Mom," Eric said, "This is more than enough."

"Before you go, I have something for you," his mother said, looking a little nervous. Now Eric was beginning to worry.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" he asked.

"I debated even giving it to you. And I certainly wasn't going to give it to you yesterday at the party," she added.

"Give me what? What's going on?" Eric said, his concern growing.

Eric's mother opened a cabinet drawer and pulled out an envelope. "This came for you the other day in the mail. I don't know what it is, and I don't want to upset all the positive things going on in your life right now." She handed Eric the envelope. "It looks like her writing, though."

Turning the envelope over in his hands, Eric instantly recognized the handwriting sprawled across the envelope. He had to give his mother credit, too, with her eagle eyes.

"Are you two still talking?" his mother continued, "Eric, please don't jeopardize what you have right now."

"No, I haven't spoken to Larissa in well over seven years now," Eric said. He felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him although he retained his composure. "I don't even know where she is."

"Well, if it's any indication, it's postmarked Georgia," Eric's mother commented.

"Hmm," Eric muttered. "I have no idea."

"I hope you're not mad that I passed it on to you," his mother looked sheepish.

"Not at all," Eric said. "Of course I'm not mad. Anyway, you realize that tampering with the mail is a Federal offense."

"Very funny," his mother smiled, looking a little relieved. "Well, please be careful, Eric. You don't need to get caught up in any drama and possibly risk what you have."

"I'm fully aware, Mom," Eric said, "Don't you worry. Regardless of what is in this envelope, it's been over for a long time."

***

Eric had been home and settled in for quite some time, but still hadn't opened the envelope. Even though he hadn't had a single thought of Larissa in the past few years until recently, he still felt guilty just to have it in his possession. He didn't want to be dishonest in his relationship with Abby in any way, especially since they had always shared everything together. He put the letter aside and considered throwing it out, unopened.

His inner turmoil was disrupted with the ringing of the phone. Eric quickly answered it, welcoming the interruption.

"How'd your day go, Dear One?" It was Abby. Eric was so glad to hear her voice.

"It was busy. I stopped by my parents to pick up the leftovers," Eric answered.

"And there were a lot of leftovers," Abby laughed. "We brought home a lot, too. "

"How was your day?" Eric asked. He was starting to feel a little calmer. Abby had a soothing effect on him.

"It was okay. Typical," she replied. "I did have a long phone conversation with Scott earlier."

"Scott?" Eric's dismay was apparent.

"Yes, Scott, your friend," Abby sounded perplexed. "Is something wrong? He just called to wish us well. He enjoyed himself at the party. I wish that he and Cassie would get back together."

So do I, Eric thought to himself. He was amazed at his own reaction. "No, nothing's wrong," he said, "just a little frazzled tonight."

"I hope you're not taking too much on with all these projects and all," Abby said. "Don't overdo it."

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Eric said. "I think it's great that Scott gave you a call. Let's hope that the wedding will eventually bring them back together. I'll have to talk more sense into him, too."

They chatted a little longer and eventually said good night. Eric wasn't sure what to make of Scott but he did know that he wasn't happy about his friend's behavior. First mentioning Larissa and then calling Abby up at home. Scott's intentions did not seem the most honorable.

Looking over at his dresser and seeing the letter, still intact and not discarded, Eric suddenly realized that his actions could also be construed as improper, as well.

CHAPTER NINE

He was only fifteen when he had first seen her. Ninth grade was winding down and had become old hat. The only thing halfway exciting coming up was the prospect of a fun-filled summer vacation.

And then he saw her. She had shown up in his algebra class one day, a new student in the school. He remembered thinking, what an awful time to move to a new town and start in a new school, towards the end of ninth grade. And it was as if she heard him, that spring day in ninth grade, because as soon as he had the thought she had looked over at him. Their eyes met for just an instant, but it was a moment that he would always remember. It was the moment that he had fallen in love with her.

Eric's eyes flew open as he was suddenly woken up. He sat up in bed and stared out into the darkness of the room. Memories of Larissa were starting to invade his dreams and disrupt his sleep, something he hadn't planned on.

He felt wide awake but it was too early to get up. Checking the time on the digital clock confirmed that fact. It was 1:54 in the morning, which seemed to be the new customary wake-up time lately.

Still sitting there lost in thought, Eric turned his head slightly towards the bedroom door. His timing was impeccable as he just happened to catch a glimpse of fleeting motion, like a shadow, quickly move across the hallway floor. Now fully alert, Eric felt every muscle in his body grow tense.

A feeling of déjà vu came over him as he climbed out of the bed, bat in hand. He stepped out into the hallway, turning on the light and checking out the bathroom first. Satisfied with his inspection, he made his way back through the hallway and into the living room.

Instantly, when he entered the living room, he could feel the drastic drop in temperature. It was frigid, and he knew why. Once again, the window was wide open, screen included. It was true that he had opened the window earlier that evening to cool the room down. After warming up his dinner in the oven, it had gotten stuffy and he loved the crisp, February air. Eric didn't remember opening the screen, however, and he was sure he had closed everything up.

He rushed over to the window to close and lock it. Still uneasy about the fire escape, he examined it closely until he felt content. Eric knew there was nobody lurking around inside, as his apartment was tiny and there was nowhere for an intruder to hide.

It was possible that he opened the screen and forgot to close it. The current scenarios with both Larissa and Scott were stressful, and his mind was more than a little preoccupied. Eric shrugged it all off, trying to rationalize the situation.

Looking down to see a white petal in the middle of the living room floor, Eric realized that his efforts to downsize the situation were in vain.

CHAPTER TEN

After much thought for half the night, Eric determined that there was only one explanation that logically explained the petal. It must have blown in from outside when the window had been open. The breeze could have easily carried it in. He had to admit it was uncanny, but that's all there was to it.

Once Eric had somewhat convinced himself that it was nothing more than just a couple of unusual events, he finally retreated back to the bedroom. As he settled into bed, the first thing that caught his eye was the letter, still sitting on the dresser. He stared at it for the longest time until he couldn't stand it any longer. Then finally he relented and picked it up.

Eric looked down at the letter as he held it in his hands. The envelope looked like it had been on a long journey. It was scuffed up and a little bent around the edges. But there was no mistaking that it was Larissa's handwriting.

Georgia was a good distance from New Jersey. Since Eric had no idea where Larissa had moved to, she could literally be living anywhere. His curiosity grew in leaps and bounds. Although it was against his better judgment, he couldn't fight the urge to open the letter.

He felt a knot in the pit of his stomach as he carefully tore at the envelope along its seam. Once opened, he unfolded the letter inside, just one page and undated.

The room was silent as Eric sat there reading the letter. Time seemed to stand still as he took in every word. It was as if he was back in high school, reading a note that she had slipped him under the desk. It conjured up a flood of memories.

" _Dear Eric,_

I know it's been a while. I hope that life is treating you well.

I don't know where to begin. I'll start with saying that I've missed you terribly. I know I've made a lot of mistakes, the biggest one with you. You know that I've been with him for a while, but for me that's over with. Things have been really bad for a long time, and my decision to leave him was not made impulsively. I don't know if I'm going to be able to make it back to Jersey eventually, but I will contact you once I'm set up with a new, permanent address. I don't expect anything from you, but it would be so nice to be able to talk to you again. You've always been such a big part of my life.

I've been so lost for so long, and I'm finally getting my thoughts in order. Everything you've always said is so true, and you have wisdom beyond your years. I'm sorry for any pain I've caused in the past, but I just wanted to reach out to you and let you know that I'm always thinking of you, missing you, and am so grateful that you have been a part of my life—and will always be.

Love, Larissa"

Eric read the letter over several times. He knew Larissa well enough to know that she was reaching out, and was most likely having much bigger problems than she was even hinting at. He felt concern, alarm even; a feeling that was so often associated with her in the past, as she had always seemed to be plagued by misfortune. Although he had always helped her to find her way out of things, Eric wasn't sure if he would be able to help her this time.

Or if he even wanted to.

Eric instantly felt a wave of heat rush to his cheeks as a wave of deep guilt washed over him. She would always have a place in his heart, Larissa. But he was about to start a new life with Abby now and he had never been happier.

Yet the uneasiness was still there. It lingered, gnawing at his guilty conscious. The bottom line was that he would most likely help her all over again if she needed him.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Eric had been so busy working on projects, meeting deadlines and planning wedding details with Abby that he hadn't given much thought to Larissa or the letter lately. He had just wrapped up his work activities of the day, when the doorbell rang.

"Who could this be?" he asked himself as he glanced at his watch. It was just about six o'clock and he wasn't expecting anybody.

He walked over to the intercom. "Hello," he spoke, pressing the speaker button.

"Hello, nothing," Scott's booming voice replied. "Let me in!"

Eric pressed the buzzer, unlocking the lobby door as he grumbled to himself. Within moments, Scott was at the door.

"I've come to rescue you," Scott said, barreling in past Eric.

"Rescue me from what?" Eric asked.

"Yourself," Scott replied. "Abby thinks you've been working too hard and need a boys' night out."

"When did she say that?" Eric asked, not too happy to hear that Scott was discussing him with his fiancée.

"I do talk to Abby occasionally, you know," Scott said, raising his eyebrows.

"Hmph," Eric barely replied. He really wasn't in the mood for Scott's banter.

"Wait a minute," Scott remarked. "Do I detect a smidgeon of jealousy?"

When Eric remained silent, Scott continued, "I do! I can't believe this! "

"Knock it off," Eric finally said.

"If you really need to know, Abby has been helping me out with something," Scott said. "I've been trying to get back together with Cassie."

Eric was about to comment, but his expression gave him away.

"You don't have to look so shocked," Scott said, "I know it's out of character for me. I'm not usually this needy. But what can I say? You and Abby are rubbing off on me."

Eric laughed. "Well, I'm glad to hear this."

"I'm sure you are," Scott joked. "Just a moment ago you were eyeing me up and down as the competition."

"Can you blame me?" Eric joked back. "You just ooze charisma."

After a couple of good laughs, Scott finally said, "I didn't mean to just barge in on you. I figured it would be harder for you to say no if I just showed up. But if you're not up for it, we can do it another time."

"No," Eric said, giving it some thought, "I'm up for it. I need to get out of the house for a bit. Do you have a place in mind?"

"Nothing special," Scott said. "How about Buggy's?" Buggy's was a small, local bar and restaurant that served a mean chili and was very low key.

"That's a great idea," Eric replied. "Let me go grab my wallet."

Eric ran into his bedroom to get himself together and made sure that the letter was securely tucked away in his dresser drawer. He stopped to look in the mirror, quickly combing his hair back. Even with his boyish good looks, he was still starting to look weary. The lack of sleep was beginning to catch up with him, draining him of the physical vitality he usually had.

"Let's hit the road," he said to Scott as he walked back into the living room. They quickly departed, and neither one heard the ringing of the phone as the door shut behind them.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Eric crumbled some crackers into his chili while Scott bit into his burger. "This was a good idea," Scott said, wiping his chin.

"Yeah, it was," Eric agreed. "I haven't been here in years."

"Me neither," Scott said. "Not since the days of Larissa."

Eric visibly cringed.

"Sorry about that," Scott said, seeing his reaction. "I didn't mean anything by it."

"You know, you've mentioned Larissa a couple of times lately," Eric said. "You haven't said her name in years. What's this all about?" Their pleasant dinner out was quickly heading downhill.

"I don't know," Scott answered. "I guess she's been on my mind lately. I'm not sure what triggered it."

"Well, let's not ruin the engagement period for me by bringing up old, negative memories," Eric said. "I haven't thought about her in a long time." Not until recently, anyway.

"You're absolutely right, and, again, I apologize," Scott continued. "It's definitely not my intention to dredge up the past."

"Alright," Eric said. "But don't let it happen again." They both laughed, breaking the tension.

The rest of the evening went well. They finished their dinner and each had a piece of Buggy's famous cheesecake, which had decreased dramatically in size.

Once the bill was paid, they exited the pub and stepped out into the cold.

"I think I'll walk home," Eric said to Scott, who had driven. "I could use some fresh air."

"Don't be ridiculous," Scott replied. "It's only a couple of blocks."

"Exactly. I'll be fine," Eric insisted.

"I don't think Abby will like it," Scott tried.

"Don't worry about it," Eric's mind was made up. "I could use a little exercise."

"Alright," Scott was still a little leery. "I'll talk to you next week."

"Take care," Eric said. He watched as Scott walked away towards his car.

Turning to head back home, Eric acknowledged that although it was getting late out, he did need to blow off some steam. Scott had initially made him a little angry by bringing up Larissa again, but it also unnerved him. It was becoming uncanny and there was a part of him that almost didn't trust Scott. If he didn't know any better, it would be easy to think that Scott was setting him up. The letter, the sightings of Larissa, and the weird occurrences in his apartment, compounded by the fact that Scott was constantly bringing her up... it certainly was starting to look a little suspicious to Eric.

On the other hand, Eric desperately wanted to confide in someone about what had been going on, but it was still against his better judgment to reveal the latest events to anyone. There was a time when he would have told Scott, but these days Eric didn't trust Scott not to tell Abby, and that would open a can of worms. Besides, it would probably upset Abby if he were to reveal everything to Scott first.

The streets were dead quiet and the frosty air lingered around him like smoke with every breath he exhaled. He was just a block away from home now and could see his apartment building come into view on the far corner.

He hadn't made the connection between Buggy's and Larissa until Scott had mentioned it, but it was true. It had been a hangout for the younger crowd back then, and it was more Larissa's place. She would spend more time there than she did at home. In fact, that was where she had met Ned. And that was the beginning of many problems.

Eric opened the front door and stepped into the vestibule of the building. Fumbling with his key to open the inside door, there was a sudden bang right behind him, so loud that he physically jumped.

A strong gust of wind slammed into the front door once again, this time rattling it loudly. Funny, it had been totally calm outside just a moment ago.

Finally managing to unlock the door, Eric quickly stepped inside. It was amazing how uneasy he began to feel as soon as he got home.

Once he was in his apartment, Eric made a beeline for the phone to call Abby. She answered on the first ring.

"Hello," she answered cheerfully. "Did you end up going out tonight?"

"Yes, I did," Eric replied. "It was a wonderful idea, by the way." He felt instantly better just hearing her voice.

"I'm glad. I miss you, you know," Abby said, "When are you going to come and stay for a couple of days again?"

"You're right," Eric replied, "I've been so wrapped up with everything and trying to get this business off the ground. I should just take a break." This was an honest answer. It would also be honest to say that Eric was trying to avoid having to tell Abby about the letter.

"Do it," Abby said, "Come by tomorrow evening for dinner and then stay through the weekend."

"Tomorrow is Thursday," Eric said, thinking it over.

"I know it is, but I'll be at work during the day on Friday. Bring your laptop and do some work here – it'll be really quiet," Abby suggested.

"You're very convincing," Eric said. "What about your parents, though? Will they be home the whole weekend?"

"That hasn't stopped you before!" Abby exclaimed. "Besides, we'll be married before you know it!" Her father had always kept a close eye on things where Abby was concerned. Eric didn't want the older man to think he was disrespecting his daughter in any way.

"Okay, you've persuaded me," Eric replied. "Get ready – I'm packing my bags and heading on over tomorrow night!"

"Hooray!" Abby squealed. "You won't regret it! See you then, Dear One!" She blew a kiss into the phone.

Still smiling as he hung up the phone, Eric realized with a quick glance that he had a missed call. The light on the display blinked in red accompanying the message "Voice Mail". Eric hadn't noticed this before, and he quickly pressed some buttons for further details. The call had come in around the time he had left with Scott, and the number on the display came up as a bunch of X's. It was very odd.

He picked up the receiver and dialed into voicemail. After responding to several prompts, the incoming message finally began to play.

Listening to the message, Eric could hear that the line was open. Eventually, after what seemed to be an excruciatingly long pause, a voice spoke into the phone. "Eric?" One word followed by a click, ending the call. A feminine voice that whispered his name. Though the connection seemed distant and wasn't the clearest, there was no mistaking who it was. As much as he wanted to deny it, Eric was sure that it was the voice of Larissa.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"This was a great idea," Eric said, lounged across the bed. "I should just move in. Why wait until we're married?"

"I don't think that would go over too big with my father," Abby said, curled up beside him. "But I was thinking. We really should start looking around at houses soon. Just to get an idea of what's out there."

"You're right," Eric agreed. "We definitely should. The wedding is not that far off. It would be great to have a place of our own all ready to move into."

"This is so exciting!" Abby said, kissing his cheek. "We should make a wish list. How many bedrooms should we shoot for?"

"Yes, we should make a wish list," Eric said, "but I don't know if now is the right time." He stifled a yawn.

"Don't fall asleep yet," Abby said, jumping up from the bed. "I have something to show you." She ran over to her dresser and picked up a flimsy nightie. "See?" she asked, holding it up.

"Very alluring," Eric smiled.

"I thought you'd like it," Abby grinned.

"I do," Eric replied.

"I'll be right back," Abby said, heading for the bathroom.

"Hurry up, I'm fading fast," Eric called after her.

Abby quickly washed up, changed into her nightie and spritzed on just a dab of perfume. She pulled out the barrettes she was wearing, ran a brush through her hair to fluff it out, and added a smidgeon of lipstick. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she concluded that she was satisfied with what she saw.

"Get ready, Dear One," Abby said, making a dramatic entrance into the bedroom.

But she was too late. Her Dear One was already fast asleep.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"I have to run," Abby said, placing a quick kiss on his head. Eric opened his eyes, disoriented at first.

"There's a plate of eggs and sausage for you on the kitchen table," she continued, "It's wrapped up and still warm."

Eric sat up, rubbing his eyes. "I can't believe I slept this late."

"You slept straight through the night," Abby commented. He gave her a guilty look. "Don't worry, you'll make it up to me tonight," she laughed.

"I'll see you later," she said, giving him another kiss.

"Bye," he said. "Anything you want for dinner that I can make?"

"We'll figure it out tonight," she said. And then she was gone.

The house was dead quiet.

Getting up, he made his way to the kitchen to have his breakfast, which was still quite warm. Abby had even left the coffee pot on, which was set on a timer. She was too good to him.

It was pleasant sitting in Abby's kitchen, enjoying breakfast while he checked out email on his laptop. Not stressful in the least, like it had become at his apartment. He had never felt that way before when he was at home. It had always been comfortable, a place to unwind and do the things that he enjoyed doing at his own pace. But it wasn't like that anymore. Whatever strangeness he had brought home with him from the bar that night with Scott, it had remained behind.

Even though he did feel bad about falling asleep on Abby, the truth was he hadn't had a good night's sleep in a while. This morning he felt refreshed and relaxed. He had needed it, and he was confident that he was going to get a lot of work done today.

Eric decided that he was going to forget about the recent events that had taken place. He felt a huge weight lifted off of his shoulders just by the mere thought of forgetting. It didn't matter what caused the incidents to transpire, or even if someone was responsible for the whole state of affairs. What mattered was that he had a life, a future ahead with Abby, and this is what he needed to concentrate on.

Feeling lighter than he had in ages, Eric did just that. He forgot, and delved wholeheartedly into his work.

***

"Now you can fall asleep," Abby said, snuggling up to Eric. "You've paid your dues."

"Is this all that I have become? I feel so cheap," Eric grinned. She laughed.

After a constructive day, it had been a wonderful evening. They had decided on a local Italian restaurant where they wined and dined, to return home for some romantic time alone.

"I might take you up on that, actually," Eric said. "Get some sleep while I can."

"What's been going on?" Abby asked, propping herself up on one elbow. She looked concerned.

"I don't know what it is," Eric said, not being totally honest. "I just can't seem to sleep through the night anymore. I wake up hearing things and then I'm up for good."

"What kind of things are you hearing?" she inquired.

"I think I hear someone walking around in the apartment, but when I get up there's nobody there," he replied. "It is an apartment building, though. I may be hearing someone from upstairs."

"You never complained about that before," Abby said, obviously worried.

"Maybe they're new tenants over me, and they keep late hours," he suggested.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"No," he said, this time lying.

"I don't like it," Abby responded.

"Not too much longer and we'll be in a place of our own," Eric said. "My apartment will be a distant memory."

Abby's eyes lit up. "About that wish list," she said.

They both laughed.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

He had almost forgotten just how beautiful she was. The word that came to mind was exotic. With long, wavy dark hair, dark eyes, and an olive complexion, everyone had eyes for Larissa. Eric acknowledged that, and he knew that he was just one of many that had a crush on her. But he also knew that he was one of the only ones that she chose to spend any time with.

Larissa was a private person, not one to open up easily to just anyone. Her home life was unbearable and her family dysfunctional. She had a lot of secrets tucked away that she never intended on sharing with anyone. Yet she had revealed some of them to Eric, and because of this they shared a bond that had seemed unbreakable.

They became inseparable. Not a day would go by that they didn't spend some time with each other, even if it meant meeting for fifteen minutes in the library or walking home from school together. Eric never imagined there would come a day when Larissa wouldn't be a part of his daily life.

Eventually, that day did come and it had been proven that the bond was breakable. Over the course of time as the harshness of reality settled in and innocence was lost, the bond had not been indestructible. It had shown the first sign of weakening when Ned entered the picture.

Oddly enough, Ned wasn't with her now. There she was, standing alone with her back to Eric. She turned around, on cue, as soon as he approached her.

He was instantly breathless as soon as he saw her face. A rush of memories came flooding back, both good and unpleasant, and it seemed as if time hadn't passed at all. Even though it didn't seem logical, she was exactly as he remembered her. She hadn't aged a day.

"Eric," she smiled. Although she radiated warmth, she kept a safe distance and didn't step forward. "I've missed you."

He was at a loss for words. "I need to talk to you," Larissa said. "I really need your help." Her eyes were pleading, and Eric was overcome by a sense of urgency. "Please, Eric. Please, help me."

She turned and walked away, into the darkness. And finally, Eric found his voice. "Larissa, wait! No, don't go! Larissa!"

But it was too late. She was gone and Eric was left alone in the night. He squeezed his eyes shut, tears streaming down his face just like they had those many years ago.

***

Slowly, his eyes opened. He looked around the darkened room, remembering that he was sleeping in Abby's bed. He could hear her softly breathing next to him, in a deep sleep. He lay there listening, relaxing to the peaceful rhythm of her respiration, when off in the distance he heard it. That buzzing – what was that relentless buzzing?

Eric turned over, remembering that he had placed his cell phone nearby on the end table. He always left it on overnight if he wasn't home, in case of emergency. He grabbed the phone in a panic, hoping that everything was alright with his parents as it was the wee hours of the morning.

The phone stopped buzzing in his hand. Since it was too dark for him to see the display, he waited a few moments listening for the beep of a voicemail.

Sure enough, there was the beep.

Eric hurriedly dialed his voicemail to retrieve the message. He listened to the open, quiet line, filling with apprehension. He knew that something was wrong. "Eric?" the recorded voice finally said. "Eric, are you there?"

The message was as unclear as the one he had received previously. But he knew it was her. It was Larissa, calling him again. And again, it was 1:54 AM.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Despite the disruptive night's sleep, Eric awoke fairly early for a Saturday morning. He could hear activity in the kitchen. Judging by the aromas drifting into the bedroom, Abby was making breakfast.

"Hello, sleepyhead," Abby smiled, as Eric entered the kitchen. "Are you up for some breakfast? Do spinach omelets sound good?"

"Very," Eric said, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He sat down at the table. "What's this?" he asked, picking up a piece a paper that was lying there.

"One of my students drew it for me," Abby said, handing him a glass of orange juice. "I was thinking of putting it up on the refrigerator for the time being. One of the many perks of being a teacher."

"You should put it up," Eric said, not believing what he was looking at. The drawing was of a flower pot, filled with flowers; small, white flowers with yellow centers. "What type of flowers would you say these were?" he asked.

Abby laughed. "I doubt the artist had a particular flower in mind being that she's five years old, unless it was copied from an actual potted plant."

"They look familiar, but I can't quite place them," Eric said, taking a sip of coffee. Abby was familiar with flowers as her parents had owned a floral shop.

Abby looked over the picture. "I don't know," she commented, "They could resemble a daffodil. Minnows, maybe." She placed the picture on the refrigerator with a couple of small magnets.

Turning back to Eric, she said, "Well, we've solved that mystery!"

"Yes, we did," he agreed, making light of it. "The mystery of the flowers is solved." He tried to sound convincing, more for himself, as he knew that it was only the beginning of more to come.

***

Even though the rest of the weekend was enjoyable, Eric still couldn't get Friday night out of his mind. And once Sunday evening had rolled around, the thought of returning home was dreadful.

Unfortunately, he did come to a realization. He now knew that the situation would have to be dealt with, one way or the other. It was apparent that it was not something that could be ignored. It had actually followed him to Abby's house, the one sanctuary that he had always had. Eric didn't want to start his new life with Abby on the wrong foot, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Abby didn't deserve to start her marriage to him with circumstances from his past possibly overshadowing the wonderful union that they already had. The air would need to be cleared.

In addition, he had to acknowledge the uneasiness that invaded his being ever since he had the dream on Friday. He knew, without a doubt, that Larissa was in some sort of trouble and needed his help. This was evidenced by the letter and strange phone calls. She was trying to reach out to him and he couldn't turn away.

Eric knew that he wasn't obligated to help Larissa in any way. It was just a feeling that possessed him, a strong instinct. It felt right for him to pursue it.

He didn't mention anything to Abby yet, but he knew that he would have to. First, he wanted to do a little research of his own.

As soon as he arrived home, he immediately checked the letter over again. There was absolutely nothing distinctive about it, other than the fact that it was postmarked "Augusta, GA". It could be a starting point, and he could begin by looking up listings online in the Augusta, Georgia area.

It was getting late, but he was on a mission. He turned on his computer and began surfing the net. He started with listings in Georgia under Larissa's name.

"Alamos, Larissa," Eric stated, typing in the name. Eric searched the state of Georgia, to find no listing. He wondered if she might have married Ned, and struggled to remember his last name. Eric knew that Scott would probably remember it right off the bat, since his mind was like a steel trap.

"What was his last name?" he said aloud, in frustration. It suddenly came to him, out of the blue. "Dannel, Ned," Eric said, as he clicked on the search button. Once again, there was no listing.

Eric had heard that Larissa's mother had moved down to South Jersey. That was another dead end as he had heard she remarried and he didn't know her married name. But he did remember the name of Larissa's cousin.

"Tos, Anita," he said, this time searching for a listing in New Jersey. He was amazed when one listing came up.

"Anita's living in Holmdel now," Eric said to himself. He wrote down the phone number and planned to call it in the morning. Hopefully, he would finally get some answers.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Stretching, Eric rubbed his eyes to block the blaring sun as it poured in through the window. He had a wonderful night's sleep, which was an amazing feat these days. He felt extremely energetic and upbeat, knowing he was on the right track with calling Anita.

Since he wasn't sure what the call would end up entailing, Eric decided to try Anita before he got started on his work projects.

Once he was settled in at his desk with a cup of coffee, Eric picked up the phone and dialed the number that he had scribbled across his notepad. Not sure of how to start the conversation, Eric sat nervously in his seat as the phone rang. After the fourth ring, it switched over to her answering machine.

"Hi, this is Anita," the outgoing recording played, "I'm not available right now. Please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible." Eric prepared himself for the sound of the beep.

"Hi, Anita. I don't know if you remember me, but this is Eric Dunns. We went to high school together and I knew your cousin, Larissa. I'd like to talk to you about Larissa if you have a chance," Eric went on to leave his phone number and then promptly hung up.

Hopefully, she did remember him.

It would be a dead end if he didn't hear back from Anita, and he would have to figure out a new approach. Still, at least he would get some satisfaction in knowing that he tried. With that thought, Eric turned to his work, welcoming the routine.

***

After wrapping up his workload for the day, Eric was a little disappointed that he had not heard back from Anita. His hopes lifted for a moment when the phone rang, only to plummet again when he saw that it was Scott.

"Yes?" Eric said, answering the phone.

"Yes, I can stop by for dinner?" Scott's voice boomed into the phone.

"I didn't say yes to that," Eric replied.

"Well, you ought to. I've got some great news and I'd love to come by," said Scott. "I'll pick something up on the way over. What would you like?"

Eric could see that Scott was serious. "Alright," he answered. He was hesitant, hoping that Anita didn't call when Scott was over. "I don't care what you get for dinner. I'm not picky."

"Pizza, then?"

"Yeah, sure," Eric agreed.

"Great! I won't get out for another hour, though. So I probably won't get there until close to eight o'clock. Is that alright?"

"That's fine," said Eric. "See you then."

Eric made his rounds through the apartment, straightening up just a tad. He made sure his work station was clear and that all documents were locked in his desk drawers, including Larissa's letter.

Still concerned that Anita might call when Scott was there, it was obvious that he would have to let the call go into voicemail and try to reach her at a later date.

Scott arrived at fifteen minutes before the hour of eight o'clock, as predicted.

"I bear food," he said, walking by Eric into the apartment. The aroma of the pizza wafted in with him.

"Smells good," Eric commented.

"You better believe that it's good. Lanzo's extra cheese! Can't get any better than that! " Scott exclaimed. "Break out the plates."

"That would be paper plates," Eric said, grabbing a small stack from the cabinet.

"As a bachelor, I can relate," Scott said. "Although you won't be a bachelor for too much longer."

"So, what's this news?" Eric asked, joining Scott at the table with a couple of beers.

"I got a major promotion at work today," Scott said, digging into a slice.

"That's great," said Eric, sincerely happy for his friend. "That didn't take too long."

"No, it didn't," Scott said, "But that's not all. Cassie agreed to see me on Friday night." Before Eric could comment, he continued, "And, in case you're wondering, she agreed BEFORE I got the promotion."

Eric laughed. "No, I wasn't wondering. Good point, though."

Scott snickered, too. "All in all, it was a great day for me."

"Well, I'm glad to hear all of this," Eric said, picking up a slice. "Fantastic news."

"So, what's going on in your neck of the woods?" Scott asked, taking a swig of beer.

"Nothing as exciting as what's going on in yours," Eric said, cringing slightly after he said it. "Working to get my business established, spending some time with Abby when I can. The usual."

"That's all good," Scott said, "You'll have plenty of excitement once the wedding rolls around."

"True," Eric replied. "Abby wants to start looking around at houses."

"Not a bad idea," Scott commented.

"Regardless of where we end up, I can't wait to move out of here," Eric said.

"Getting too cramped?" Scott asked.

"Not so much that," Eric said. "There's too much activity at night. I think it might be the people upstairs, keeping late hours. I actually thought that someone had been on the fire escape one night."

Scott raised his eyebrows. "That's not cool. Who's living up there now?" His response seemed genuine.

"I'm not sure," said Eric. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen the people who were living up there, so maybe there are new tenants."

"I'd look into it, if I were you. Ask around or go upstairs and take a look," Scott suggested.

"I could do that," Eric said, thinking it over. "It's not like it's a big deal, it's just disturbing my sleep." Of course, there were other factors involved that were disrupting his rest, but Eric wasn't going to mention those.

The phone suddenly rang, breaking into their conversation. Eric sat there for a moment, frozen. "Are you going to get that?" Scott asked.

Eric hesitantly got up to answer the call. He braced himself for the worse, expecting Anita to be on the line, as he anxiously reached for the phone.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

After all was said and done, the evening turned out to be a success. The phone call had been Abby, much to Eric's relief, and she had been thrilled to hear that Cassie and Scott were going to get together. Scott hadn't stayed long, which also worked out well. It gave Eric some time to relax before retiring for the night.

He had just finished cleaning up and settled down to do some reading when the phone rang. It was pretty late for a call; nearly ten o'clock.

"Hello," he quietly answered.

"Hello, Eric? How are you? It's Anita," the voice on the other end said. "I hope I didn't call too late."

"Anita," he said, piping up. "It's not too late at all. I'm so glad you had a chance to call me back. How have you been?"

"Things are good. I have a demanding, but terrific, job in the city. I recently bought a condo. I'm doing great," she replied. "I have to say, I was surprised to hear your message. We haven't spoken in such a long time. How are things with you?"

"Pretty good," Eric said. "I've launched my own computer programming business. I'm engaged to be married in December. I can't complain."

"Congratulations! That's great news!" Anita exclaimed. She paused for a moment. "But I'm sure you didn't call just to shoot the breeze," she finally added. Anita had always been one to get straight to the point.

"You're right, I didn't," Eric responded, not sure where to start. "I'm actually calling about Larissa. I received a letter from her a few weeks ago."

"From Larissa?" Anita was genuinely shocked. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," Eric said. "She signed it and I recognize her handwriting. It was postmarked Georgia."

"I can't believe this," Anita said. She was quiet on the other end of the phone. "Larissa disappeared a few years back. Nobody has seen her since."

Eric was confused. "What? What do you mean? I'm holding the letter in my hands right now."

"Maybe she went into hiding for a while and has decided to come back out," Anita sounded hopeful. "We were all so worried about her for so long. Her relationship with Ned had become very abusive. She was planning to leave him."

"There have been other things," Eric hesitated.

"What other things?" Anita asked, concern in her voice.

"I've been getting phone calls," he finally said. "I recognize her voice; it's definitely Larissa. She left a phone message, and a couple of times I actually picked up the phone just to have the call disconnect." Eric certainly didn't intend on mentioning the dreams. He wasn't sure if he should tell Anita that he had thought he saw Larissa on more than one occasion, either. Looking back, he was convinced that it was just some sort of weird coincidence; probably just somebody who resembled Larissa.

"I hope she's alright, and that Ned didn't finally catch up with her," Anita said, more to herself than to Eric.

"I didn't mean to cause you any worry," Eric stated. "I just didn't want to ignore what was going on and you're the first person I could think of to contact. I couldn't find any contact information on Larissa or her mother."

"My aunt only lives a couple of towns over from me," Anita said. "She has remarried, and her husband is a really nice, stable guy. Her life is finally in order; nothing like it was when she was raising Larissa. And she's been worried sick. I think hearing about the letter will bring her a little relief."

"Actually, her mother would know a lot more about where Larissa might be than I do," Anita continued. "I'd love to meet up with you, take a look at the letter, and pay my aunt a visit. Would you be able to do that?"

Eric knew the suggestion would be coming and he was ready for it. "Yes, I could do that."

"Would your fiancée be okay with it?"

Eric let out a small, nervous laugh.

"Don't tell me she doesn't know anything about it," Anita said.

"No, she doesn't," Eric admitted. "But it's all okay. I plan on filling her in. She's great; very understanding. It will be fine."

"I hope so," Anita said, sounding doubtful. "I wouldn't want any of this to cause any problems for you."

"Don't worry about it," Eric said, wishing he felt as confident as he sounded.

"Alright, then," Anita said, "once you figure it out on your end, give me a call and let me know when it will be good for you to get together. Anytime is fine for me. I'll adjust my schedule to fit yours."

"I will do that, Anita," Eric agreed. "I'll talk to you soon."

Hanging up the phone, Eric realized that there was no turning back.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Arriving at Abby's house for dinner, Eric was not looking forward to what the evening had in store. He knew it was time to be honest and fill Abby in on what had been going on.

She had gone all out and prepared one of his favorite meals, dijon salmon. Abby had taken a gourmet cooking class and was an excellent cook, constantly pampering him with different dishes.

"That was fantastic," Eric said as he started on a small bowl of fresh fruit for dessert. "You're cooking just keeps getting better and better. I'm one lucky guy!"

"Why, thank you!" Abby exclaimed. "All these compliments!"

Eric grew quiet. "There is something I want to talk to you about," he said.

"This sounds serious," Abby said, her smile beginning to fade. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm not sure where to start," he said, wiping his mouth. "I recently received a letter in the mail." Abby patiently listened. "Remember that girl I told you about, Larissa?"

"Yes," Abby said, "your girlfriend in High School that ditched you?"

"She was never my girlfriend, but we were close friends," Eric replied. "Well, she's the one who sent me the letter."

"Did she hear you were engaged to be married?" Abby asked. He could tell she was already getting upset.

"It's nothing like that," Eric said. "I think she's in trouble."

"And this involves you how?" Abby asked.

"It doesn't really," he said. "But I didn't just want to ignore it, so I got in touch with her cousin."

"You got in touch with her cousin? Why didn't you just throw the letter away?" Abby got up in frustration to clear off the table.

"I'm glad I did contact her cousin," Eric said, deliberately ignoring Abby's question. "Apparently, she disappeared a few years back. She was in an abusive relationship and was planning to leave. Now her cousin thinks that maybe her ex caught up with her or something, and she needs some kind of help."

Abby shrugged. "And?"

"And I'm planning to pay a visit to her cousin in Holmdel and bring her the letter," Eric stated it flat out.

"Well, I don't like it," Abby said. "Why don't you just mail the cousin the letter? And who is this cousin?"

"That would be Anita. And I don't feel comfortable mailing the letter. Suppose it gets lost or something? I'm not sure if Larissa's family ever filed any police reports or anything. The letter could be evidence, for all I know," Eric said.

"I don't like you being involved in all this," Abby said. She looked overwhelmed.

"I know," Eric agreed. "But I'm already involved. The letter came to me." He got up and walked over to embrace her. "I just want to be honest and open with you. I'm hoping to go down there, give her family the letter and call it a day. If I need to speak to the authorities, I'll do that. But I didn't feel comfortable just tossing the letter away and not letting her family know. And I'm glad that I didn't, especially now that I know the situation."

Abby sighed. "Alright," she said, "but I hope that's the end of it."

"That will be the end of it," Eric said.

Abby looked him in the eyes and, trying to force a smile, said, "What a great guy I'm engaged to. Always trying to do what's noble. It's one of the things I love about you."

"So, you're okay with this?" Eric asked, almost pleaded.

"Yes, I'm behind you with this," Abby said, not entirely convinced that she was.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Anita and Eric had scheduled a Saturday in late March to meet. Eric found the ride down to be pleasant, as he relaxed and listened to music, preparing himself for his visit. Finally, an hour later, he pulled into the driveway of Anita's condo which was more like a townhouse. Newly constructed with professionally landscaped grounds, Eric noted that he'd like to find something similar with Abby. Anita opened the front door, breaking into his thoughts as he stepped out of the car.

"Eric!" she called out. "You look great! Come on in."

Eric followed Anita into her home. "Would you like anything? Something to drink?"

"No, thanks," Eric replied. "This is nice," he commented as he looked around.

"Thank you," Anita said. "I love it. I have two bedrooms and two baths. The bedrooms are upstairs. There's a deck out back. It's a nice community. I'm very happy here."

The two sat down in her living room. "I have the letter here," Eric stated, pulling it out of his coat pocket. He handed it over to Anita.

She gingerly opened it up and slowly read it over. After studying it for what seemed to be forever, she folded it closed and said, "This is definitely from Larissa." She handed it back to Eric.

"Don't you want it?" he asked, holding it in his hands once again.

"Maybe my aunt will want it," Anita answered. "Are you still up for paying her a visit?"

"Sure," Eric said. "Might as well while I'm here."

"We can leave now, if you want," Anita said. "She's only twenty minutes away or so. I already mentioned to her that there was a chance we might stop by."

"Alright, I can drive. Just tell me where to go," Eric suggested.

In a matter of minutes they arrived at Darlena's home, which was nestled among trees on approximately two acres of land in a high-end area of town. It was a far cry from the environment that Larissa had been raised in.

"Wow," was all that Eric could manage to say.

"It is nice," Anita agreed, as they pulled up to the house. "As I mentioned before, my aunt married a great guy. Stable and balanced. A good provider."

"And then some," Eric thought to himself.

They parked the car and approached the front door. Maybe Abby had been right. He suddenly wasn't so sure if he should be involved in this at all.

Darlena opened the door immediately. No doubt she had seen them driving up the circular driveway.

She approached Eric, giving him a quick hug. "Eric, I'm so glad you could make it. Look at you!" She took a step back. "Come in, come in!"

Darlena was exactly as he had remembered, except a little older. With the same bleached blonde hair, long red nails and heavy makeup, she hadn't toned down a bit.

"Good seeing you," Eric replied. "I wish the circumstances were a little better."

"Maybe they will get a little better," Darlena said, trying to sound convincing. "Maybe they will."

"I would have loved for you to have met my husband, Ron," she said, leading him into a sunken family room, "but he's away on business."

Anita and Eric sat down on an Italian leather sofa while Darlena sat across from them in an armchair. Once again, Eric took the letter out of his coat pocket. He handed it to Darlena.

"Oh, my," she said as she read the letter, her hand to her mouth. "I'm very optimistic about this. Very. We haven't heard a word from Larissa for the last three years. And it makes perfect sense that she would contact you first. She always considered you to be one of her best, truest friends."

Eric was at a loss for words.

"I see that the letter was mailed from Georgia. Larissa and Ned had moved down to the Carolina's. Ned had inherited a small house down there somewhere. Larissa never gave me the actual address," Darlena said sheepishly. "She was mad at me at the time, and I don't blame her."

"Did you ever contact the police?" Eric finally asked.

"We did, but it didn't really go anywhere, which was no fault of theirs," she said. "Larissa was planning to leave her boyfriend, everybody knew it, and then she disappeared, took off. It was pretty straight forward. But as time went on and nobody heard from her, I started to worry."

"If you weren't talking to Larissa at the time, though, how did you know she was planning to leave her boyfriend?" Eric came out and asked.

"I spoke to Larissa," Anita said, joining the conversation. "We spoke all the time. Ned had heavy drug and alcohol issues, he was abusive. Larissa was the only one working at the time, they were struggling. He started to demand that she bring in more money for his addictions. It got to be too much for Larissa. I suggested she come stay with me. She didn't think it was safe for me, if Ned were to follow her. She was that scared at the time."

Darlena spoke up. "Ron hired a private detective over a year ago. Supposedly, there was some sort of a paper trail that led back up here, but then it went cold. Ned still has family up here and for a while there seemed to be a connection there, but that ended up being a dead end, also. For a while I really thought and hoped that she might be living back up here and that she would show up at my door, but it never happened."

"I had given Larissa a necklace as a gift before she moved down south with Ned," Anita said. "Supposedly, it had surfaced up in this neck of the woods, but that lead had fallen through, too."

Eric felt his complexion pale a bit. "You know, before I received the letter, I thought I saw Larissa locally once or twice."

"Why didn't you mention that before?" Anita asked.

"When I received the letter postmarked from Georgia shortly after I thought I saw her, I thought it was just some sort of weird coincidence," Eric guiltily said.

"Well, it could be possible," Darlena said. "She may have mailed the letter and then came up here. It can take a while for the mail to travel."

"It could be," Eric said, thinking it over. "The letter was mailed to my parent's house and I no longer live there. My mother actually handed me the letter and I'm not sure how long she had it, so it took a while before I received it."

A deep silence fell upon the room. Eventually, Darlena broke into it. "I know it's a lot to ask, but I could really use your help with finding Larissa." She handed the letter back to him.

"I don't know what else I could do," Eric stated. "Don't you want to hold on to the letter?"

"The letter belongs to you," Darlena said. "Larissa sent it you; Larissa is reaching out to you. It's obvious that you're the one that she wants to find her."

"But maybe the private investigator could use it," Eric suggested.

"I'm done with the private investigator," Darlena stated. "He led me on a wild goose chase. I think you have a much better chance of coming across something."

Eric grew quiet for a moment, weighing his words before he spoke. "I care about Larissa and I am concerned but I do have a business and fiancée to tend to. I just don't see how much I can possibly contribute. Besides," he added, "just what is Ned involved with?"

"You mentioned to me that you have been receiving phone calls from Larissa," Anita commented. "Maybe you can try to keep the conversation going a little longer."

"I can definitely try that," Eric replied, "but it hasn't worked out too well so far."

"Eric, I'm certainly not asking you to stick your neck out," Darlena said. "But there is something you can help me with." She sat back in the armchair. "I know that Larissa worked for a small insurance company while she was living with Ned, but I'm not sure of the company's name. I had tried a while back to contact the different insurance companies down in the Carolina's, but I had no luck."

"You want me to give it a try? There's got to be an awful lot of insurance companies," the mere thought alone was overwhelming to Eric.

"Of course I would completely reimburse you for any charges that you incur, phone or otherwise," Darlena's eyes were pleading.

"Alright," Eric agreed, "I'll give it a shot. Maybe I'll stumble on to something."

"Oh, thank you so much, Eric," she said, appearing somewhat relieved. "Maybe you will have better luck with it than I did." She leaned over and gave him a hug.

"I'm glad to help," Eric said in a reassuring tone, hoping that he wasn't getting in over his head.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The ride home wasn't nearly as enjoyable as the ride down had been. For starters, he didn't have any music playing as he was deep in thought.

By the time he had left, Eric was feeling pretty disgusted. Although Darlena was a friendly and gracious woman, the family dysfunction was blatantly apparent. No matter how much luxury she surrounded herself with, it didn't change that point.

That fact that she chose not to actively seek Larissa was unimaginable to Eric.

Larissa didn't stand a chance; not then, not now.

He knew that he would have to look into Larissa's whereabouts as best he could. As a friend, and if she was in any kind of trouble, he felt he owed her that. It was obvious that she wouldn't get much help anywhere else.

During the short drive back to Anita's home, she had offered Eric some additional information on her cousin. Apparently, Larissa had worked for a brief period of time as a barmaid prior to landing her job at the insurance company. From what Anita could remember, the name of the bar was the Low Road and it was also located in South Carolina.

Now, driving home and alone with his thoughts, Eric didn't know where to begin. It all seemed so overwhelming, with so many loose ends. Although he had made his decision to look for Larissa, he was still filled with doubt; he questioned if he was on the right path.

He had barely finished the thought when he was suddenly cut off. He abruptly swerved to avoid a collision, and watched as the other driver quickly pulled over onto the shoulder. Slowing down to see if any help was needed, Eric saw a young woman with the window rolled down, shooting him a dirty look and shaking her fist in the air.

He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of responding. Barely giving her a second glance as he drove on by, he still managed to see the tattoo on her arm as she continued to wave frantically at him in anger. It was a tattoo of a flower; a flower that, at a quick glance, was awfully similar in appearance to a white daffodil.

Eric couldn't help but surmise that he had gotten his answer.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

A few days after his visit with Larissa's family, Eric had already spent a couple of hours making phone calls and doing research on her whereabouts. So far, he had gotten absolutely nowhere with it.

He had also spent some extra time with Abby, making amends for having any involvement at all. She was satisfied for the time being that he was wrapping things up by following up on some phone calls, and he left it at that. For now.

He had combed through pages of online listings and managed to accumulate a small stack of insurance companies scattered across the Carolinas. Before he began calling each one, he was hoping to narrow the list down somehow so that he could just concentrate on a certain mile radius.

Eric was just about to quit for the day, when he managed to find what he thought was the listing for the Low Road. He hadn't had any luck so far, but this time it came up as, "Below Ground Bar – formerly the Low Road". It was listed right on the first page of the search results, and was located in the southern part of South Carolina.

"It's got to be the same place," he said aloud to himself. Hopefully he was right.

He quickly picked up the phone and dialed the number before he lost the nerve to do so.

The phone rang several times before someone picked it up. "Below Ground," a young man spoke into the phone.

"Hi," Eric spoke in the phone, not sure how to start. He could hear music playing loudly in the background. "I'm looking for an employee by the name of Larissa Alamos," he stated.

"Larissa Alamos?" the guy suddenly called out, only half hearing Eric's request. "Could you hold on for a second?" Eric could tell that the young man's hand was covering the phone. Eric could tell that the guy was talking to someone, but he couldn't make anything out.

After a moment, the young guy came back on the phone. "Sorry, man, someone will be with you in a minute." Before Eric could comment any further, he could hear a woman's muffled voice in the background.

"Hello?" the woman spoke into the phone a moment later.

"Yes?" Eric replied, his heart starting to race.

"I know Larissa," she continued. "She used to work here. Who is this calling?"

"This is a friend of hers, Eric Dunns. Both Larissa's family and I have been trying to locate her," he said.

"Well, you're a few years late," she said sarcastically. "She hasn't worked here for a while now."

"Could you tell me anything about her?" Eric asked, ignoring her remark. "Any ideas of where she might be?"

"I'm more than willing to discuss Larissa," the woman remarked. "But not on the phone. You'll have to meet with me in person if you want to talk."

Eric felt as if the rug had been pulled out from under him. "I'm in New Jersey," he finally said.

"Well, I'm not going to New Jersey," she answered. "If you want to talk, I'll be glad to speak with you face to face, but you have to come to me."

Not seeing any way around it, Eric exchanged information with the woman.

"I'm not sure when I'll be coming down," he said, as they ended their conversation. "Hopefully, I'll be able to within the next week or two. I will let you know once I figure it out."

"That's fine by me, I'll be expecting your call," she said, pausing. "You know, it's nice that somebody is finally looking out for Larissa. You seem like a good friend."

"Thank you," Eric said. He knew that now there would be no turning back.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Strangely enough, everything had become calm once Eric had decided to fully immerse himself in the search for Larissa. There had been no more dreams; no more weird occurrences that awakened him in the night; and, no strange sightings of Larissa herself. He was sure that part of the change was within himself. Now that he had accepted the situation, he was no longer struggling with doubt and inner conflict.

All of his projects were completed, and anything new would not need to be started until the beginning of May. He had three weeks to go to South Carolina and meet with Ginny, the owner of Below Ground, as planned, and then have a look around for Larissa. Three weeks should be plenty of time.

The only thing outstanding, and that would be the hardest part to deal with, was speaking to Abby. He still had not discussed his intentions with her, and knew she would not be happy with any of it. But he wanted to continue to be honest with her, because that was always the type of relationship that they had. Both he and Abby had always discussed everything together, and he needed her support with this now more than ever.

The dreaded evening when he would finally have to face it head on had finally arrived. Driving back to Abby's house after a lovely dinner out, Eric suddenly had the urge to scrap the whole thing and go back to his happy, serene life.

"I really enjoyed that," Abby said, once they got back to the house.

"I always enjoy it there," Eric answered. "Their sushi is the freshest."

Abby fumbled with the key at the door. "Here, let me see that," Eric said, taking the keys. "I didn't have as much sake as you."

"Sure you didn't!" she said, giving him a swat.

"I had very little," he insisted. "I was the one driving."

Once the door was open, Abby walked in and threw herself down on the couch. Maybe telling her tonight would be easier than he thought.

"We should watch a movie," she said, jumping up for the remote.

"Alright," Eric answered, not entirely sure if she would be able to stay awake for one. "You should pick one out."

"We can pick one together," she smiled.

They browsed through the movie selection on the television screen, finally deciding on a romantic comedy.

After squeezing onto the couch together and settling in to enjoy some entertainment, it was only a matter of moments before Eric realized that Abby had fallen asleep. Snuggling up against her warmth, it wasn't long before Eric's own eyelids grew so heavy that he could no longer keep them open.

Tomorrow would be another day.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Once the morning sun came creeping in, Eric awoke surprised to find himself in Abby's bed.

"Wake up, sleepy head," Abby said from the doorway. "It's almost time for lunch."

"Lunch?" Eric sat abruptly up, clearly disoriented. "What time is it?"

"11:15," Abby said, before disappearing.

Eric couldn't believe it. He never slept this late. He climbed out of bed and made his way to the bathroom to clean up.

Although it had been a long and deep sleep, Eric felt far from relaxed as he stepped into the shower. His expectations were low as he prepared for his conversation with Abby. He felt as if he was making the right choice but he wasn't so sure that Abby would feel the same way. Even the warmth of the water against his skin failed to alleviate his tension.

Within moments he had dried off and thrown on some clothes. Running a comb through his hair, he thought he looked miserable as he caught his reflection in the mirror. It was time to face the music.

Abby was emptying out the dishwasher when he walked into the kitchen. "Good afternoon," he said, as he embraced her and gave her a kiss.

"Good afternoon," she replied, giving him a light squeeze. "I see you're all cleaned up and ready to go. Are you hungry?"

"A little," he said. He always ate well when he was with Abby.

"Would you like to go out somewhere for lunch, or stay in?"

"Why don't we stay in?" Eric suggested. It would be easier to talk privately in her house. "But you don't have to go out of your way and cook. We can order something, if you want."

"I can make sandwiches," she said. "I have turkey and swiss with rye."

"That's perfect," Eric said.

She had her back to him as she started to prepare the sandwiches. "Sorry I fell asleep on you last night," she said, turning around.

"I fell asleep right after you did," Eric said, "It was one of those nights. I don't remember going into bed, though."

"I managed to guide you into the bedroom," Abby said, "but it wasn't easy. You looked so uncomfortable on the couch."

He sat down at the kitchen table, not quite sure how to start the conversation. Surprisingly, Abby started it for him.

"Have you heard anything else about Larissa?" she asked, as if reading his mind.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that," Eric said.

"Oh, really?" Abby casually replied. "Did they find her?" She joined Eric at the table with their lunch.

"No, they didn't, and they asked me for some help," Eric replied.

"Who are they?" Abby asked, reaching for a napkin.

"Larissa's mother," Eric answered.

"When did this happen? You didn't mention that her mother called you again," Abby studied him for a moment.

"She didn't," Eric answered. Abby did not appear to be amused.

"Oh, I see," Abby said, "She asked for your help during your visit. And when were you going to tell me this? I thought you were just following up with some calls."

"Well, that was supposed to be all. But I spoke to one of Larissa's past employers on the phone and she won't discuss anything with me unless I meet her in person."

Abby was quiet. "And where is this again?"

"Down in South Carolina," Eric barely choked out.

"Well, I don't want you going," Abby said, attempting to stand her ground.

Eric had completely lost his appetite. "Abby, it wasn't an easy decision for me to make but I'm going," he quietly said. "Something just seems wrong about the whole thing. I feel that it's the right decision."

"No matter what I think," Abby commented.

"That's not true," Eric said. "I care a lot about what you think."

"Then you wouldn't be going," Abby stubbornly said.

The room grew quiet. Finally, Eric spoke. "I can't explain it, but I feel very strongly about this. I could really use your understanding and support."

"Well, I don't know if I can give it to you," Abby said, her composure rigid. Eric was at a loss for words.

Once their heated discussion was over, Eric's weekend visit was cut short. After futilely trying to convince Abby that seeking Larissa was something that he instinctually needed to do, he thought that Abby might need some time to cool off. He was frustrated and unhappy about the turn events. He was also saddened that Abby was upset, and bothered by the fact that she didn't really trust him.

Eric quietly gathered himself together and got ready to leave. He moved slowly and took his time, hoping that Abby would stop being so stubborn and meet him half way with his decision. Instead, she kept herself busy, ignoring his actions, and tried her best to put on a brave face.

She looked miserable when he was leaving and he hoped that he was making the right choice. Eric sincerely wished that Abby would have a change of heart and stand by his side before he left on his trip to the Carolinas.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

After packing lightly, Eric attempted to contact Abby one last time before he commenced on his journey. He had already tried to reach her various times unsuccessfully and left a couple of messages. His efforts were fruitless and he hung up the phone feeling truly defeated.

He had decided to drive down to South Carolina and although he knew it would be a long haul, he really needed the time to think and clear his mind. Besides, Eric enjoyed driving and had a natural sense of direction.

Throwing his small duffle bag into the back seat of the car, he climbed into the driver's seat and strapped himself in. He had addresses, phone numbers and maps all readily available. His cell phone was fully charged and on the passenger seat beside him. He was prepared to pull over immediately in case Abby decided to give in and call him. Eric didn't expect that she would, and he felt extremely uneasy leaving without her approval.

Elsewhere, Eric was at ease with leaving. He had made sure that all of his work projects were completed or up to date. All appropriate calls had been made, including to his parents. After telling them that he was going away on business, he wasn't so sure that his mother was totally convinced. And Scott had been totally avoided.

Still sitting behind the wheel as the car idled, the intense need to find Larissa almost seemed like a distant memory. Now Eric felt a strong sense of duty, driven by his commitment. He was on a mission, and in no way did it underestimate his devotion to Abby.

Abby didn't seem to understand that, however.

To be honest, despite his determination to begin on this quest, he had strongly considered letting it go to appease Abby. But in the end he knew that would be the wrong decision, if only because it would leave things unresolved and overshadowing his plans for the future.

It was going to be a long drive down, but it could be done in a day with only one stop for a quick meal and a brief period of rest. And he was getting an early start.

Pulling out onto the street, Eric's decision was cemented. Good or bad, the chips would now fall where they may.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

It had been somewhere close to seven hours when he had decided to make a stop in Virginia. Spotting a cozy diner, Eric pulled in and parked. He was absolutely famished.

Quickly checking his cell phone, Eric saw that he had missed a few calls. All three calls had been from Scott. There were no phone calls from Abby.

Eric slipped his phone back into his pocket. He certainly wasn't in any mood to talk to Scott right now.

The diner turned out to be an excellent choice as it was quiet, comfortable and the food was tasty. He could feel himself wind down, but he wanted to keep going. Eric figured he could get a good night's rest once he got to his destination.

After a fulfilling meal and a chance to stretch his legs, Eric walked back to his car to continue his commute. As soon as he buckled himself in, his cell phone vibrated against his chest.

Once again, it was Scott. Maybe he should get it over with.

"Hello?" Eric reluctantly answered the phone.

"You finally answer," Scott said. "Amazing."

"What's up?" Eric nonchalantly asked.

"What's up?! I should be asking you that!" Scott exclaimed. "Have you gone mad? Have you left yet on this wild goose chase? Abby told me all about it."

"I left and I'm more than half way there," Eric stated.

"I can't believe you're doing this. Abby is all upset," Scott said. "I think you should turn around and come back."

"I'm not going to," Eric replied. "I can't do that."

Scott sighed. "Do you want me to come down and meet up with you? Do you need some support?"

"Thanks, but I'll be fine. You can't be doing that, anyway. You just started that job, you're working things out with Cassie," Eric said. "But thanks, Scott, I appreciate the offer."

"Cassie and I have worked things out," Scott answered, "It's you and Abby I'm worried about. Don't be stupid and throw away what you've got."

"Well, that's great news about you and Cassie," Eric said, his sincerity apparent. "Don't worry about me and Abby. I'm not throwing anything away. I'll be back home before you know it."

Scott stayed quiet. Finally, he said, "Well, let me know if things change and you need me down there. I mean it."

"I will," Eric said. "Talk to you soon."

After talking to Scott, he felt worse where his relationship with Abby was concerned. The knot in the pit of his stomach grew more and more. It had started with his concern of finding Larissa. Now it grew with his concern of losing Abby.

Throwing the car into drive, Eric once again pulled out onto what felt like a never ending road to nowhere.

***

The rest of the ride down was a blur. Lost in thought and filled with doubt, Eric was hardly observing the scenery. Despite his uncertainty he continued to forge ahead, diligent in his actions.

He was on automatic pilot, steadily moving towards his target. He didn't mind traveling the distance as he had driven on more than one occasion to Florida. But he was getting tired and was looking forward to calling it a day.

That moment didn't come nearly quickly enough. The road seemed to stretch out ahead of him with no end in sight. Just when he thought he was almost there, he had to go a little bit further. He was seriously starting to question his decision to drive straight through.

After what seemed to be a lifetime, Eric finally reached the hotel that Ginny had recommended. It was clean, comfortable, and affordable. Located only a short distance from Below Ground, it was also convenient. He hadn't realized how exhausted he was until he checked in and collapsed on the bed, feeling his body give out a sigh of relief. It took all the strength he had to pick himself up, clean up and go to bed.

"If I don't sleep like a baby tonight, something is wrong," Eric said to himself as he climbed under the covers. Warm and cozy, he felt himself begin to effortlessly drift off. He had not a thought or a care in the world as he slipped into a deep slumber. Just like a baby.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

The morning brought with it an early start. Already showered and dressed, Eric bided his time over breakfast at the diner down the road. He was set to meet with Ginny at nine a.m. at the bar and grill, a couple of hours before they opened. Greatly anticipating the visit, Eric hoped that some questions would be answered.

From the outside, Below Ground appeared to be a small, local bar but was actually more spacious once inside. Upon entering, an L-shaped bar sat directly to the right. Various tables scattered the borders of the room, along with a couple of pool tables situated in the back. There was even a small stage for live entertainment, in addition to an even smaller dance floor.

A young man wiping down the bar greeted Eric as he walked in. "Can I help you?"

"I'm here to see Ginny," Eric replied. Most likely it was the guy who had answered the phone when Eric had called, as he recognized his voice.

"You must be Eric," the guy said, pleasant enough.

"That would be me," Eric said. He took a seat while the guy disappeared into a back room.

Moments later, he reemerged. "You can come this way, Ginny is ready," he said, leading Eric into a small room.

"Hi, Eric, nice to meet you," Ginny approached him, her hand extended. She was of average height, slender, blonde, and somewhere in her mid-fifties. An attractive woman who's beauty was fading and becoming harsh with age.

"Nice meeting you," Eric said, shaking her hand.

"Have a seat," she said, pulling up a chair. "Can I get you anything?"

"No, thanks, I'm fine," he replied, noting that the young guy had left the room, closing the door behind him.

She sat at the small table alongside him. "So, this is about Larissa. I never really expected to hear that name any time soon."

"Why is that?" Eric asked.

"I just figured she had moved on. Beautiful girl. Boyfriend was a handful, though," she said, thoughtfully.

"When did you see Larissa last?" Eric asked.

"I don't remember for sure, but I'd say about three or four years ago," Ginny said. "She bartended here one or two nights a week. She also worked a full time job in a small insurance company from what I recall," she paused, thoughtfully. "I don't remember where that was, but I know it wasn't that far off from here. She bartended here for additional income. She would get here around six in the evening, have something to eat and take a break, then generally work from about 7 to 1 am."

"Why did she leave? Did she quit?" Eric questioned.

"No, she didn't quit," Ginny continued. "She just stopped showing up. I'll admit, at first I was a little mad. Put me in a little bit of a bind, and the customers had loved her. Then, I realized as time went on that it was really out of character for her. She was pretty dependable. It must have been a quick decision, she must not have had enough time to stop by and let me know." She sighed. "A simple phone call would have been nice, though."

"Would you happen to have her last address on file from when she worked here?" Eric asked.

"Sorry, Hon, I don't think I ever had that," Ginny stated. "She worked off the books here, so there was never a need."

Reaching for her purse which was nearby on the table, she pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "Mind if I have a smoke?" she asked.

"No, go ahead," Eric replied, although he did. Cigarette smoke tended to give him a headache. It also seemed like an awfully early hour in the day to start smoking but to each his own.

"Her boyfriend was a regular here at one point," she finally said. "Larissa came around with him a few times, I got to talking to her, and that's how she started working here. I never cared for him, though. Couldn't hold his liquor, among other things. Stirred up too much trouble." She shook her head. "Can't think of his name, though."

"Was it Ned?" Eric asked.

"Ned... yes, I think it might have been," Ginny agreed. "Eventually, I had to ban him from the bar. After Larissa had left, he came around a couple of times looking for her. He was really off the wall." She took a puff on her cigarette. "John knows him," she added as she exhaled.

"John?" Eric was a little confused.

"My little helper who's working the bar today," Ginny said. "What can I say, I'm a cougar," she laughed. "Let me call him in."

Before Eric could protest, Ginny was up and out the door. Moments later she returned with John. "John, this is Eric," she said, as they entered the room. "He's the one looking for Larissa, the one who used to work here a while ago."

"Yes, okay," John said, looking a little nervous.

"You know her ex-boyfriend, don't you? Ned?" Ginny asked.

"I'm not a close friend of Ned's but I've talked to him, sure," John said. "I haven't talked to him lately, though."

"Has he moved on from Larissa?" Ginny continued to ask.

"I wouldn't know about that. When I spoke to him last, which was a while ago, he hadn't mentioned her. I do remember before that, he had been looking for Larissa for quite a while," he said.

"We were just wondering, John. Thanks," she said. John nodded as he again left the room.

"I guess that's all I really can offer you," Ginny said, turning to Eric. "The last I saw of Larissa was about three years ago, give or take. I'm not sure where she went, but I'm sure she left Ned and probably doesn't want to be found. Not by Ned anyway," she put out her cigarette butt in a nearby ashtray. "I would suggest looking up insurance companies within an hour's distance from here. You're welcome to use my computer," she leaned her head towards a computer desk that sat in a corner of the room, which accommodated an outdated computer system.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm good," Eric said, standing up. They shook hands again. "And thanks so much for your time. I really appreciate it."

"Anytime, Hon," Ginny smiled. "Sorry to drag you all the way down here, but I really wanted to see you first and get a feel for the situation before offering any information on Larissa."

"Sure," Eric said, "I understand."

"Nice meeting you, Eric. If you're ever in the area and want to kick back and have a good time, come on by Below Ground."

"I'll do that," Eric grinned. "Thanks again, Ginny."

"Come, I'll walk out with you," she said, leading the way. "I've got a couple of errands to run."

"I'll be back shortly," she said to John, after he and Eric exchanged formal good-byes. "Hold the fort."

"Sure thing," John replied, as he watched them leave. As soon as the front door shut behind them, he immediately pulled out his cell phone to make a call.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

It seemed like a pitifully brief amount of time with so little information obtained after such a long trip. But at least there was something gained. Eric was able to narrow down the area of where the insurance company was located. After scouring the internet for a couple of hours on his laptop, he was able to find a suitable, not too long list of businesses. It was more than convenient that the hotel provided wireless internet.

His meeting with Ginny had proved to be a little uncomfortable, and he wasn't sure why. She had been hospitable and friendly, but it wasn't enough. It was because of his nagging discomfort that he chose not to show her Larissa's letter. In fact, he hadn't even mentioned it. He felt as if he should guard the letter and he trusted his instincts, regardless of how unreasonable they seemed. And just the mere mention of Ned and the fact that he had even a slight connection to Below Ground was enough of a reason not to bring out the letter.

Leaving the bar and grill had been a relief and Eric had been glad to get in his car and drive off. He found the tavern to be stifling and unpleasant. Once outside, he practically had to gasp for fresh air after being cooped up in such a small space with all that cigarette smoke. He stayed outdoors for a bit savoring the crispness. Once rejuvenated, he had gone back to his hotel room and immediately turned on his computer. Eric was determined to make some headway as quickly as possible.

After making calls, unsuccessfully, to a quarter of the list he had compiled, he decided that he would take a break and get a nap in. It didn't take long once he got comfortable for sleep to overcome him, instantly bombarding him with a flurry of dreams that were most likely a compilation of recent events.

***

Sitting up in bed, he felt a little disoriented. Something was wrong; dreadfully wrong. The room had grown dark and gradually he remembered that he was in a hotel room in South Carolina. Remaining perfectly still, his senses heightened, he could tell that he wasn't alone. There was a presence in the room and he forced his eyes to focus. Shadows danced across the darkened walls deceiving his vision. He tried to sit up further and was surprised at how sluggish he felt. His limbs were heavy and felt like lead. He was about to give up when he finally saw it. A form stood in the darkened corner, half hidden by the curtain. As the figure stepped forward, he could see the form take the shape of a woman. And as she moved forward and his eyes began to focus, he could see that it was Larissa. As plain as day it was her, arms extended and reaching out to him.

"Eric," she said softly, her hand now lightly on his shoulder, "Eric, wake up."

He could feel her shaking him, softly.

"Wake up, Eric. Wake up, now," her voice was quiet, but urgent.

"Eric, wake up." Her shaking became harsher, but he couldn't seem to move.

"Eric," she said, her voice becoming stern. "You need... to wake up...NOW!"

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

It had been a miserable day. Heck, it had been a miserable few days. The unexpected turn of events had left Abby extremely upset, disappointed, worried, and even angry. Most of all, she was hurt. And because of her emotional turmoil, she couldn't concentrate on her lessons with her class and was having a hard time just getting through daily tasks.

Knowing that she and Eric shared a strong, loving relationship and that he was trustworthy just wasn't enough. She didn't see the situation as Eric doing the right thing or helping a friend. In Abby's eyes, Eric was choosing Larissa over her.

It didn't matter that her ego was getting the best of her. Abby justified her viewpoint by telling herself that as his soon to be bride, Eric should be striving to make her happy and honoring her feelings above all else.

His soon to be bride, Abby reminded herself. She wasn't his bride yet. And that was another matter that she was mulling over. Did she still want to become his bride? Was this a last hurrah that he needed to get out of his system, or was this a pattern that would plague their married life, a hint of things to come?

Sitting on her living room couch, Abby continued to silently debate the circumstances and decide whether or not she should call Scott to see if he had spoken to Eric. She didn't want to seem too eager, however, and she refused to speak directly to Eric no matter how many times he called. Still trying to make a decision, her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden sound that came from the kitchen.

Abby instantly sat up straight and grew extremely quiet. Waiting for several moments, she finally heard it again. It was the sound of something moving, but not someone walking. She didn't hear banging, or even scratching. It was almost like sliding. A sliding sound that she mentally confirmed was definitely coming from the kitchen.

Her senses were heightened as she filled with fear. Never since she had lived in the back apartment of her parents' house had she been so afraid. A troubling thought had never entered her head. But, then again, she had never heard a strange sound like this one originating from her kitchen.

It could be anything; a person softly shuffling across the floor, or a window sliding open. Whatever it was, Abby knew that she had to take a look.

Her immediate urge had been to call out, but she decided against it. Instead, she quietly rose and made her way around the perimeter of the living room until she reached the kitchen doorway. Then slowly, ever so slowly, she poked her head around for a peek.

Grateful that the light was on, she could clearly see that the kitchen was empty. Abby boldly stepped into the kitchen and looked further. Everything was locked and shut up tight. Perfectly still, there was no way that anyone was or could have been there.

It was then that she looked down towards the floor. There, at her feet in the middle of the kitchen floor, was the drawing that her student had given her. The drawing of the daffodils that Eric had pointed out and which had been secured to the front of her refrigerator, on the opposite side of the room from where she stood.

Abby finally decided that now would be a good time to give Scott a call.

CHAPTER THIRTY

He abruptly sat up, fully awake, practically gasping for air. Larissa hadn't been there at all as it had been a dream. Or at least that was his first impression. As Eric gained his composure, he realized that there was, in fact, someone in his hotel room. And it wasn't a woman.

The room was dark so he couldn't get a good look, but he could tell that it was definitely the shape of a man. The man had his back facing him and was quickly going through some papers that Eric had left over at the desk, which was on the other side of the room from the bed and near the door.

"Hey!" Eric yelled, jumping up. The intruder looked quickly over his shoulder and bolted out of the door.

Eric ran out into the hall and, seeing that the situation was hopeless, quickly went back into his room and called the front desk. After hanging up the phone, he looked around and concluded that the person probably came in through the window as the room was located on the ground floor. However, the window was only slightly ajar and that deduction didn't seem to completely fit, but Eric was sure that he had locked the door and couldn't see any other way for a person to get into the room.

The papers that had been rustled through had not been significant. A couple of receipts and some notes that Eric had taken that were practically illegible. Thankfully, Larissa's letter and the list he had compiled were in the computer bag along with his computer, which he had slid under the bed out of sight. There didn't appear to be anything stolen.

His first thought had been of Ned. Although he didn't get a good look, he had a strong suspicion that it was him. Judging by build and body language, it was pretty apparent. It seemed to Eric that Ned wanted to find Larissa as much as he did, and wanted to get a head start. His thoughts went to Ginny, as he found the whole occurrence too coincidental.

Jarred from his thoughts, Eric could hear the sound of approaching police car sirens in the far distance. He could tell that it was going to be a very long night ahead.

***

It really had turned out to be a long night. After filing a police report and moving to a new room, hours had gone by. The hotel manager had been extremely apologetic and moved him upstairs to an upgraded room at the same rate, as well as presented him with free meals for the remainder of his stay. Eric accepted the offer, even though his first reaction had been to leave and check into a new hotel. He decided that he would make the best of it, especially since he wasn't planning for his trip to last much longer.

Just settling into his new room, Eric realized that a call was coming in through his cell phone. He scrambled to look at the display, hoping it was Abby. Instead, it was Scott.

"Hello," he hesitantly answered.

"Try not to sound too thrilled to hear from me," Scott said. "How are things going?"

"They're going," Eric said. He wasn't sure if he should fill Scott in on the day's events.

"Any progress?" Scott asked.

"A little," Eric replied. "How are things there?"

"Not good," Scott curtly stated.

"Why, what's wrong?" Eric was immediately concerned.

"What's wrong is you're over 500 miles away from your fiancée!" Scott exclaimed. "She's worried, scared and upset, just to name a few things that are wrong."

"Alright, what happened?" Eric asked. When there was no reply, he repeated the question. "Scott, what happened?"

Scott gave out a sigh. "Abby gave me a call tonight. I was with Cassie and we went right over. Apparently, she heard something and thought someone was in the house. Everything seemed secure. We checked on her parents and they were alright. I think she was just spooked."

The hair on the back of Eric's neck stood on end. "Did you find anything out of place?" he questioned.

"No, everything was in order. She did mention that a picture had fallen in the kitchen and ended up clear across the room."

"What picture was that?" Eric asked, already knowing.

"It was a drawing from one of her students. Flowers," Scott said.

"Daffodils," Eric stated. Those damn daffodils.

"I guess daffodils. I didn't look that closely at it," Scott snickered. "She did have the picture stuck up on the refrigerator with a magnet. I told her it wasn't that odd for it to fall off the refrigerator and slide clear across the kitchen. It is a tile floor and paper is lightweight. Anyway, she did calm down. She's just worried."

"I've been trying to call her," Eric said. "She won't return my calls. Do her parents know I'm away?"

"They think you're away on business," answered Scott. "I think she'd like to talk to you, but she's not going to any time soon. She's mad, Eric."

Eric really couldn't blame her. He was making a mess of things.

"Look," Scott finally said. "I understand where you're coming from. I really do. Larissa is like an ex-girlfriend. She seems to be in some sort of trouble. You've taken on the mission of rescuing her. It's kind of sweet, even romantic. But it's not realistic. You have a fiancée and responsibilities; a real life, for crying out loud. Don't throw it all away on a whim, a problem that isn't even yours," Scott sounded exasperated. "What about her family? Aren't they doing anything about this?"

"No, they really aren't, which I find extremely disturbing," Eric replied. "And you've got it all wrong. I'm not romanticizing about anything or doing this to stroke my ego. It is way beyond that, and it's hard to explain. Something feels wrong. I don't know what it is or what course I'm even on, but I'm just moving forward. I don't really have a choice in the matter, I'm running on instinct. I've never experienced anything like this before, but I'm going to see this through to the end," he concluded.

"Well," Scott said loudly, "I guess I can't argue that! Just watch your back, and give me a call if anything crazy comes up."

"Sure," Eric said, deciding not to mention the hotel room break-in just yet. "Can you tell Abby for me that I'd really like to talk to her?"

"I'll try," Scott answered.

"Well, try harder," Eric stated. They both laughed and ended their conversation for the night.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

John hadn't spoken to Ned for quite a while, but he felt that he owed him one. Although they weren't bosom buddies, Ned had been a regular at Below Ground and the two had established a friendship.

Besides having John's back with the occasional rowdy patron, Ned had come to John's assistance in a more serious situation when John foolishly found himself in gambling debt. John had never expected Ned to negotiate on his behalf, and successfully, at that. To say that he had been relieved at the time was an understatement. It had been like a giant weight lifted off of his shoulders. Of course, Ned did expect some sort of payback and a request was eventually made. But it wasn't anything that John was expecting.

Ned had simply requested that John keep tabs on his girlfriend, Larissa. Although John did feel a little guilty spying on her, he couldn't really blame Ned because she was a beautiful woman with a lot of admirers.

That was exactly what John did while he worked with Larissa. He kept an eye on her and from time to time kept Ned up to date. There was never anything to report because as John got to know her, Larissa proved to be a down to earth, loyal person, and much more likable than Ned.

It all came to an end, however, once Larissa disappeared. Ned, who had become understandably distraught, eventually stopped coming to Below Ground. Larissa's disappearance had upset John just as much. Besides the fact that they had established a close working relationship, John had never expected Larissa to leave without even a goodbye.

Even though John had sort of joined forces with Larissa's ex and he felt indebted, he was fully aware that Ned wasn't the most reputable individual. Ned did have addiction issues and was extremely jealous. He had once even accused John himself of making moves on Larissa. John had managed to clear the air with Ned, but not before he got a glimpse of just how menacing Ned could be.

After struggling with his decision, John finally decided to pick up the phone and call Ned. Feeling a sense of loyalty, John wanted to make sure that he was still on good terms with him. He also felt that Ned should know that somebody was looking for Larissa. Since this guy Eric seemed to already know Ned, perhaps the two of them could join forces and actually find her.

John could attest that Larissa wasn't the kind of woman that a man could easily forget. Larissa would linger in one's thoughts, never far away. Just like she continued to linger in his own mind, John would bet that she was probably in Eric's mind, as well. And that was the real reason that John called Ned. John also wanted to find Larissa in hopes of seeing her again, too.

Despite his motives for calling Ned, John would have never imagined that Ned would choose to handle the information as he did.

***

It had been a particularly busy night at the bar. So busy that John had almost forgotten about his telephone call to Ned earlier in the day.

He had just closed everything up when a call came in through his cell phone. Taking a quick look, he saw that it was Ned.

"Odd," he said out loud to himself. He hadn't expected to hear back from Ned so quickly, and certainly not at this hour. He considered not answering the call, but his curiosity got the better of him.

"Hello?" John answered, walking towards his car.

"Hey, it's me. Ned," John heard on the other end of the line.

"What's up?" John replied.

"What's up is that I appreciate the tip you gave me. And I didn't want to wait to tell you that," Ned answered. He sounded a little under the influence.

"No problem," John said, now seated and buckled in his car. "I thought you should know. Maybe it will help you find Larissa."

"Well, I went to the hotel today," Ned said.

"And you talked to Eric then?" John asked. Ned certainly didn't waste any time.

"No, I didn't," Ned answered. "But I did break into his room."

"You did what?" John questioned. He wasn't sure if he heard right.

"I know the desk clerk there, and I got into his room," Ned stated.

"Why did you do that?" John sounded confused.

"Because I know Eric and I don't like the guy," Ned said loudly. "I didn't plan it right, though. I thought he was out because there weren't any lights on and I ended up walking in on him sleeping."

Anxiety washed over John. "Did he see you?"

"No, he didn't see me," Ned arrogantly replied. "He didn't even wake up right away. I managed to go through some papers on his desk but didn't find anything. I might have to start following him."

"I don't think you should do that, Ned," John suggested. He suddenly didn't want to be connected to Ned and his antics whatsoever.

"And why the hell wouldn't I?!" He exclaimed, growing angry. "This guy feels the need to get involved as if he's more capable of finding my girlfriend than I am? He was always trying to get his hands on Larissa, and he still is!"

"I see your point," John offered.

"You better see my point! " Ned said with a laugh. "Maybe he'll lead me to something more. I have no idea what he knows but I'd like to. And I'd certainly like to find Larissa before he does."

"And you should be able to," John said, now regretting that he had answered Ned's call.

"Well, just filling you in, dude," Ned said, "and thank you for thinking of me and Larissa. I will definitely let you know how things go. I may even need your help with some things down the road."

"Thanks, Ned," John replied. He didn't dare ask him what things he had in mind. "We'll talk soon then." Now John was certain that he wouldn't be answering any more calls from Ned and he regretted calling him in the first place. Hopefully Ned wouldn't just show up at Below Ground.

"Sure man," Ned said, "I'll be in touch."

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Feeling defeated, Eric put the phone down. After spending the majority of the morning making calls to various insurance companies in the area, his search had come up empty. He would now have to start contacting businesses out of the immediate area, which seemed to defeat the purpose. Ginny had mentioned that Larissa had worked at an insurance company not far from Below Ground but judging by the results, perhaps she had been mistaken.

Feeling his stomach starting to growl, Eric decided to order lunch through room service so that he could continue making calls. He didn't want to break into the flow of things and it was more than likely that the process would take a long time.

He worked straight through lunch and made an additional hour's worth of calls, all with the same results. Eventually, he decided to take a break and stretch his legs.

Eric felt uncomfortable leaving his suite, half expecting someone to break in again even though he knew the thought was unreasonable. He was also concerned about his car, realizing that it was easily identifiable with it's out of state plates. Eric knew that he could be easily tracked.

What he really wanted to do was pay Ned a visit. Eric never liked the guy and he couldn't help but think that Ned was up to something undesirable. If his suspicions were accurate and if Ned really had broken into his room, he really needed to be put in his place. Eric was more than willing to do that.

It was unfortunate that Ginny didn't have an address on file, which he didn't entirely believe. It was too convenient and Eric had the impression that she just didn't want to get too involved with the whole situation.

It seemed like nobody wanted to get involved.

In his heart, he knew that it was true. It was why he had to continue his search and why he was here. He sat back down and picked up his phone again.

Forget the break. He had to forge ahead.

He plugged in more searches into his laptop. Instead of searching in a ten mile radius, he would try branching out to twenty-five. Now the results also brought him over the State border and into Georgia. More leads to look into.

He braced himself for a long day ahead.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

And it had been a long day. Nearly four hours had passed without any results. Call after frustrating call, all to no avail. Responses varied greatly. Some people were sympathetic, some were difficult. Others were more than helpful and actually put him on hold to check employee records. But no matter what, the outcome was all the same. Nobody had heard of Larissa.

A main concern was the accuracy of the responses. The outcome relied on who answered the phone. Was it actually someone who knew if Larissa had worked there or not, or someone who just wanted to get him off the phone? There was no way to really know, and Eric couldn't allow himself to think too much about it because that would open a whole other can of worms.

He decided to make some calls in Georgia before wrapping it up for the day. After three unsuccessful attempts, he tried a fourth company.

"Good afternoon, Reasonable Rates," a young woman answered the phone.

"Hi," Eric said hesitantly. "I was wondering if you could help me with something."

"Can you please hold for a moment?" she asked quickly, before placing him on hold. This was getting to be overly familiar.

Eric waited for a few minutes, listening to music that he had heard before. He wondered if he was going to be abruptly disconnected.

Much to his surprise, the woman returned to the line. "Can I help you?"

"This will probably sound a little strange," Eric began, "but would you happen to know if a Larissa Alamos has ever worked at this company?"

"What is this about?" the girl cautiously asked. He hoped he was getting somewhere.

"Larissa has been missing for a few years now, and her family has been looking for her," Eric said.

"Are you a Private Detective?" she questioned.

"No, I'm a friend of the family," Eric said, hoping that answer would be adequate.

The girl hesitated before finally responding. "There was a Larissa that worked here," she said, "but I never met her. I actually replaced her. I'm not sure what her last name was, though."

"Is there any way you could find out for sure?" Eric mentally crossed his fingers.

"I'm sorry, could you hold again?" she said. A soft click was followed by more music.

Eric hoped this wasn't another dead end. At least he felt a little encouraged.

She came back on the line. "My co-worker Julia knew Larissa and she would be able to give you more information. Julia retired a year ago but I still talk to her. I can give her a call and see if she'd be willing to contact you to discuss it further."

"That would be great," Eric said. It was more than he could hope for.

"It may take a couple of days," she continued. "Can I have your name and number?"

"Sure," Eric said, giving her his information. "And your name is?"

"Savannah," she responded. "I wish you all the best. I hope Julia can help you."

"Thank you so much, Savannah," Eric said before ending the call. Things were looking up.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Ned sat in his car down the block from the hotel where Eric was staying. He had been staring at the building for a good hour, hoping that he would catch Eric going in or out. He had no such luck.

He was frustrated that he hadn't come across anything in Eric's room. Somehow he wanted to have another look around. The problem was he wasn't even sure if Eric was still staying at the hotel. And his friend at the front desk wasn't returning any of his calls.

After Eric had discovered him in his room and Ned had fled, he had sat down the road from the hotel in his car – exactly where he was sitting now – and watched as the police had arrived. The whole scene had left him feeling invincible, not threatened. Even if a camera had caught an image of him, he wasn't worried. He had put his hood up and his head down. He wasn't an idiot.

Ned didn't like this, with Eric poking around where he shouldn't be. Larissa was his woman, not Eric's, but Eric had always been in the way. Even now he was in the way.

There was always the chance that Larissa and Eric had never lost touch with each other. This was something that nagged at Ned, and at times he was almost sure of it. He wondered it now and thought maybe Eric's search for Larissa was a charade. Maybe the two of them were scheming together, trying to drive him crazy.

His deduction was completely logical, not irrational in the least. He had been getting phone calls from Larissa on his house phone. She hadn't actually spoken to him, but he knew it was her. The number came up as a "Private Caller" and the line was always open when he answered. As if someone was listening on the other end, waiting for him to crack. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction.

Ned also thought he saw her drive by in a car. She had been a passenger and he didn't see who had been driving, but he realized now that it could have very well been Eric. Although the car had passed by quickly, Ned was sure it had been Larissa. He felt like he was being harassed.

He was determined to beat Eric at his own little game. Ned had it all planned and John was going to help him. He wouldn't take no for an answer.

Starting his car, Ned pulled out onto the road. He was more than just a little obsessed and there was no time to spare.

***

John was starting to really feel stressed out. It was another busy night at Below Ground and Ned had been calling him on his cell phone non-stop. Every time his phone vibrated in his shirt pocket, he cringed. He knew that Ned wanted something from him.

John really regretted making that initial call.

Finally, the night had come to a close and the calls seemed to subside. John couldn't wait to get home. He hoped that Ned wasn't waiting for him outside.

Ginny was wrapping things up at the bar with him, and John was grateful for the company.

"Everything alright tonight, Hon?" she asked him as he was straightening up. "You don't seem like your usual, happy self."

"I'm just a little tired," John said.

He had barely finished speaking the sentence when the phone rang. "We rarely get a call after hours," she said, "Maybe someone left something behind."

John immediately knew who it was.

"Below Ground," Ginny said, answering the call. She shot John a look. "Yes, he's still here. Who's calling?"

The color drained from John's face.

"It's for you," she said, looking John over as she handed him the phone. "It's Ned."

John reluctantly took the phone. "Hi, Ned," he croaked, barely getting the words out.

"What's up, man?" Ned said. "I've been trying to get you all night."

"I've been working all night," John replied. He was getting annoyed.

"Let's not get testy," Ned laughed, "I need to discuss something with you. I'm going to need your help."

"It's been a long, busy day, Ned," John stated, "I'm tired and want to call it a night."

"That's fine," Ned said, "we don't have to talk about it tonight but it's got to be soon. How about tomorrow? I'm just giving you a head's up."

"I'll try," John said.

"Try?!" Ned exclaimed, half joking. "That's not what I want to hear, John. I expect to talk to you tomorrow. How about that?"

John was silent.

"Now, I don't mean to be pushy," Ned continued, "and I really appreciate your help with finding Larissa. I do, man, and there's nobody else I can turn to. I hate having to ask you for another favor, but can't we at least discuss it?"

"Sure," John said, "we can discuss it. Have a good night, Ned."

"Okay. Good night," Ned said, hanging up.

John turned to hang up the phone.

"I don't want to pry, but I'm going to," Ginny said. "What was that all about? I didn't realize you were still talking to Ned."

"I do occasionally, but not too often," John replied. "I'm not really sure what it was about. Ned wants to get together with me and shoot the breeze."

"It's odd that he chose to call now, so late," Ginny reflected. "Does it have anything to do with that Eric who came around, looking for Larissa?"

"It is odd, but it's just a coincidence," John said, "It's got nothing to do with Eric, as far as I know."

"Hmm," Ginny said, "I'm not buying it, John."

John looked at her with no response.

"Well, try not to get involved," Ginny stated. "And I'm hoping you're not too involved already. I know that it's terrible how Larissa just up and disappeared on Ned, but it's not your problem."

"Yes, I know that," John said.

"And you have to realize," she continued, "that there's always that chance."

"What chance is that?" John asked.

Ginny looked John square in the eyes. "The chance that Larissa doesn't want Ned to find her."

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

It seemed like days had gone by since Eric had spoken to Savannah, but in reality it had only been one. After catching himself several times anxiously waiting alongside the phone for Julia's call, he decided to keep himself occupied.

Eric opted to take a ride, check out some local sites, and stop for a bite to eat. The area had a charm of its own, and he could understand why Larissa chose to relocate with Ned. Eric thought of Abby and knew that under different circumstances she would have loved to join him. He missed her terribly.

Despite his efforts, he found himself consistently checking his cell phone for any incoming calls that he could have missed. After finally getting his impulses under control, his cell phone rang. Pulling over to the side of the road, he quickly answered without even a glance at the display.

"Hello," Eric answered the phone, almost cheerfully.

"Hello," the voice on the other end said. "Am I speaking to Eric?"

"Yes, this is Eric," he responded, instantly on guard. "Who am I speaking to?" He didn't recognize the male caller at all.

"This is John," the guy replied. "John Hason. We met at Below Ground."

"Oh, John, hi," Eric relaxed a little, recognition setting in. "What's going on?"

"Well, I was thinking about your visit with Ginny the other day," John said, sounding nervous. "I would love to help you in any way I can. During the time that I worked with Larissa and got to know her, I discovered what a nice person she is. It was upsetting when she just up and left, but if she is any trouble I'd really like to pitch in." His words seemed sincere.

"I appreciate the offer but I don't really know how you could help," Eric said, a little hesitant. Thoughts of the hotel intruder ran though his head, and he couldn't help but think of Ned.

"Maybe we could get together for lunch," John suggested, "before my shift at the bar. Any place you'd like. Sometimes conversation can stir up memories. I'd really like to contribute to finding Larissa, if possible."

Eric quickly mulled it over. He definitely had his suspicions and didn't like John's connection with Ned. But in the end, he decided that lunch out with someone that he somewhat knew and a chance to be social couldn't be all that bad.

"Lunch would be good," Eric said, "I haven't been getting out much these days. When's a good time?"

"Would tomorrow be good?" John suggested. "Just name the place."

"Tomorrow's fine," Eric agreed. "I'm not all that familiar with the area but there is a diner right down the road from where I'm staying. It's pretty good."

"I think I know the one," John said. "Are you staying at the hotel Ginny recommended?"

"Yes," Eric replied. He supposed the question was innocent enough.

"So, how about tomorrow at about 12:15?" John proposed.

"That's great," Eric answered. "I'll see you then."

John hung up feeling a little relieved. Since Ned had put him up to getting together with Eric, he hadn't felt good about. But after talking to Eric, John concluded that lunch might actually be enjoyable. He wouldn't pump Eric for information as he was sure Ned wanted him to. He would just have a pleasant lunch and then tell Ned that there was nothing to relay. And that would be the end of it. John wouldn't stand for anything anymore.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

It had been so effortless to make John bend, Ned thought to himself. John was such an easy mark, and Ned was so glad that he had stepped up to the plate at the appropriate time and helped John out. It provided him with some leverage.

Ned prided himself in his ability to manipulate people.

If John were to come back with any information from Eric, that would be an added bonus. It would definitely be welcome, but it was not his main concern. Ned's main concern was getting back into Eric's hotel room.

Ned had finally met up with his friend who worked the front desk at the hotel where Eric was staying. She had gotten cold feet when the police had showed up the first time he broke into Eric's room, but eventually she had come around. He knew that she would. Ned realized that his hard living and heavy drinking had taken a bit of a toll on him and that he was looking tired lately and a little older. But he also knew that he still had it. He still turned heads with the ladies, and he was sure that there would always be a woman around who would be willing to go out on a limb for him.

His friend at the hotel was one of them.

This time it wouldn't be a problem. He'd have the key card and she also managed to get him a proper cleaning staff uniform, so he was all set. And with John socializing with Eric over lunch, he was unknowingly supplying Ned with more than enough time to look around in Eric's room.

Ned felt that his actions were justified. There were games being played, and they were meant to be played on him. But he wasn't going to let that happen. He was going to beat them to the punch.

It was enough that he was getting weird phone calls and at least one drive-by with Larissa in the car. But she was also coming around the house. He could hear her late at night, outside by the front door or in the yard. At first Ned had thought that he was going crazy because it didn't make any sense. Why would Larissa risk being caught after she had left him? After giving it much thought, he believed he knew the answer to that. She was with her man now, her Eric, and she just wanted to drive him crazy. Maybe have him committed so that she could move back into the house. Maybe she and Eric wanted to gloat about the fact that they made a better couple.

Whatever their motive was, any suspicions Ned had previously regarding Larissa were now full blown. It had all built to a peak just a few weeks back.

For quite a while, Ned had a moderately successful landscaping business. True, his clients had dwindled as time went on thanks to his own irresponsibility, but he still had the occasional odd job and always made sure to tend to his own property.

It was during one of the latter moments that he had sworn he saw Larissa. Cutting the grass in the backyard, he had continued on to the side of the house when he had heard someone climb the front steps. Immediately after that, he heard the faint ring of the doorbell inside the house. Turning off the mower, he ran to the front of the house to see who was there. But he hadn't been quick enough. After hearing the rapid clicking of heels run down the steps and towards the front walk, he barely got a glimpse of a woman's back as she climbed into a car.

The car had pulled off way before he could get to the curb.

The woman resembled Larissa an awful lot from behind.

Ned had searched all around the front steps in search of anything left behind. There was nothing. His initial panicked reaction rapidly dissipated.

Remembering made him angry, and Ned was determined to beat Larissa and Eric at their own game. This time he planned on winning.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Having lunch with John didn't turn out to be such a bad idea after all. He seemed like a relatively pleasant young guy, attending college classes while working at Below Ground. He was obviously fond of Larissa and was sure that she had disappeared to start a new life as Ned had become unmanageable.

"Larissa isn't a stupid person and wouldn't just run off without some kind of a well thought out plan in place," John stated. "It would have been the only way to handle Ned at that time, although he's become pretty burned out recently. I just wish she would have called, but I can understand why she hasn't."

"You still talk to Ned then?" Eric casually asked.

"Occasionally," John admitted. "He's had addiction issues since I've met him, and they seem to be taking a toll on him. He's still his usual, conniving self, and he seems a little unstable to me."

"Do you think he might have caught up with Larissa?" Eric asked, growing concerned.

"I don't know what I think," John replied, "but probably not. He seems a little paranoid lately, as if Larissa is keeping tabs on him."

"Odd," Eric commented.

During their conversation, Eric had felt his phone vibrating in his pocket but didn't dare answer. He wondered if it was Julia finally getting back to him and he couldn't wait to check his messages, assuming there were any.

"I hope you don't mind me asking," John said, breaking into his thoughts, "but what made you come looking for Larissa now?"

Eric hesitated for a moment before responding. "Larissa and I haven't spoken for quite some time. She was busy with her life, I was busy with mine. I recently got engaged."

"Oh, congratulations," John said, appearing legitimately surprised.

"Thanks," Eric said. Hopefully, he still was engaged. "Around the same time of my engagement, I heard from Larissa." He decided to be honest.

"You did?" Eric looked like he was about to fall off of his seat. "You spoke to Larissa? How is she?"

"We didn't verbally speak," Eric continued, "She sent me a letter."

"Do you have that letter with you?" John questioned, not being able to contain his curiosity.

"No, I left it back home," Eric said, this time not being totally honest.

Seeing that John was at a loss for words, Eric continued. "In high school, Larissa and I always communicated through notes, so it didn't surprise me that she had sent a letter. What did surprise me was that I received it totally out of the blue."

"Did the letter indicate that she was in any trouble?" John asked.

"Not exactly," Eric said, "but I know Larissa. She'd always write me when she felt unhappy. The only thing I can't figure out is why she waited so long to contact me."

A deep pause settled around them. Eric decided to break the silence. "That's why I decided to give it a try and find Larissa. I just couldn't leave her hanging."

Finally, John commented. "How's your fiancée with all of this?"

"I'll admit, she's not too happy about it," Eric sighed. "In fact, she hasn't spoken to me since I left. Hopefully, I'll still have a fiancée when I get back home."

"I guess it's understandable," John said, finishing up his meal.

"And I do understand," Eric said. "I tried convincing her that I'm not carrying a torch for Larissa. It's just that for some reason I can't seem to let it go and I need to look into it further."

"Sometimes you just have to follow your instincts," John agreed. "I hope everything works out for you."

Eric hoped so, too. He hoped so more than anything.

***

Once Eric left the diner, he felt a little relieved. This was partially because his lunch with John was over and done with; but mostly, the relief came rushing in when he saw that he had a voice mail.

Walking down the road back to the hotel, Eric retrieved his message. It was Julia, as he had hoped.

"Hello, I'm looking for Eric and I hope I've reached the right number. My name is Julia and I understand that you spoke to Savannah, a friend of mine. I do believe that I worked with the same person that you are looking for, and I have some information for you that you might find helpful. Please call me back when you get a chance," the voice, older and cheerful, said. A call back number was also left.

It was a positive outcome due to his perseverance, and he had great expectations. Of all the endless numbers he had dialed and countless businesses that he had communicated with, Eric was sure that he was bound to make some kind of progress now that he would be speaking to a woman who had actually worked with Larissa at the time she disappeared.

His mind was in overdrive, considering all of the possibilities. Perhaps Julia had spoken to Larissa lately, or had a forwarding address.

Eric practically ran all the rest of the way back in anticipation. He couldn't wait to get to the hotel room and give Julia a call.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Things hadn't worked out very well for Ned. Getting back into Eric's hotel room hadn't panned out at all, and he had been so thorough this time.

After donning the cleaning uniform and being handed the proper key card, Ned had confidently made his way to Eric's room eager to have a look around. This time he was equipped and would not have to rush as his front desk contact was on duty and ready to ring his cell as soon as Eric stepped into the lobby.

Ned took his time strolling through the hotel, and finally arrived at his destination. He casually took out the card and felt the door unlock with a click as he swiped it. The door handle turned loosely in his hand but as he pushed the door to open it, it wouldn't budge.

Startled, Ned dropped the door handle which instantly locked again. He swiped the card again, heard the click of the door unlocking, and turned the door knob. He could feel the door give, ready to open, but then it stopped.

It was as if someone was holding the door shut from the other side.

Feeling the anger rise up from within, Ned now fully shoved his full body weight against the door.

He could swear that he felt someone shove back.

"What the hell is going on?!" Ned exclaimed, on the verge of yelling. He was quickly becoming agitated. "Is somebody there?" He pounded on the door.

It was dead quiet but somebody was there, alright. He knew when somebody was holding the other side of the door closed. That damn Eric. He bet that John had tipped him off. Maybe they didn't end up meeting for lunch or maybe Larissa was in there giving Eric a hand.

He decided to give it one more shot.

Swipe, click, turn, push. Same result. This was getting ridiculous.

Ned pulled out his cell phone and quickly dialed the front desk. His friend answered immediately.

"Did you give me the wrong swipe card?" he practically growled.

"One moment please," she said, placing him on hold. He rolled his eyes impatiently.

"Hello, sir," she came back on the line, "that should be the correct card."

"Well, it's not working," he said.

"I can have another one sent up, but it will take a bit," she replied.

"Never mind," he said, hanging up. "I'll take care of this myself," he said out loud to no one in particular.

Ned struggled with the door for the next ten minutes, making no progress. He stopped and tried giving John a call, but he didn't pick up. He was just about to try the door again when a security guard approached him.

"Everything okay here?" the guard asked, looking him up and down suspiciously.

"I was just having a problem getting in to do some cleaning," Ned answered.

"The key card isn't working?" the guard continued to question. "Did you have a problem getting into any other rooms? That is a master key card, isn't it?"

"Well, yes, but I just seem to be having a problem with this room," Ned bluffed.

The guard took the card key and gave it a try. "No, it doesn't seem to work," he handed it back to Ned. "I suggest you let your supervisor know and get yourself another card."

"Guess I'm going to have to," Ned replied. "Thanks." For nothing.

"No problem. Take care."

Ned could feel the security guards eyes on his back as he made his way down the hall. This was just what he needed. That John was in for it.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

It wasn't long after Ned had left the hotel that Eric had arrived there. He made his way up to his room and entered without a problem.

Feeling that he was getting closer to something, he sat down in an armchair and dialed Julia's number.

"Hello?" It was the same voice that had left the message on his cell phone.

"Hello, Julia, this is Eric," he said. "I'm returning your call. I'm the one who had called about Larissa Alamos."

"Yes, Eric, I've been waiting for your call," Julia said. "I know Larissa and we worked together. She's a lovely girl."

"Have you heard from Larissa recently?" Eric asked, hoping.

"No. Unfortunately, I haven't spoken to her since she left the office. I hear you're looking for her?"

"I am, yes," Eric answered. "I did receive a letter from her not too long ago, so I was hoping maybe someone else had heard from her."

"Unfortunately, I haven't heard a word out of her since her last day at work," Julia sounded apologetic. "But I would like to meet up with you and discuss Larissa, if that's alright."

"That would be great," Eric said.

"I'm in northern Georgia, however," Julia said. "Would that be a problem for you?"

"Not at all," Eric replied. She gave him her address and basic directions. "When would be a good time?"

"How about Thursday? That will give us both a couple of days to get ourselves together," Julia suggested.

"Thursday is good," Eric said. "Would mid to late morning be alright?"

"Yes, I'm an early riser," Julia sounded pleased.

"I'll see you then, Julia," Eric said before hanging up. He felt one step closer.

CHAPTER FORTY

Still fuming, Ned waited in his car outside of Below Ground for John's shift to end. He wasn't going to be tolerating this bull any longer.

He had been sitting here for hours, his eyes peeled for the sight of John walking out the door. He didn't care how long it took, he wasn't planning to budge.

The lot still had several cars parked in it. From what Ned could see through the window, there were two bartenders tonight behind the bar, and that count included John.

After what seemed to be an eternity, Ned could see some activity at the door. He fidgeted in his seat, trying to get a better look. Lo and behold, it actually was John leaving for the night.

Ned rolled down his window and called out, "Early night for you, eh?" He had parked next to John's car.

"Ned," John said, not looking too happy. "Why don't you go inside? Don't sit out here all by yourself."

"I'm not here to socialize at the bar. I've been waiting all night for you," Ned stated. "What happened today?"

"What are you talking about?" John asked, moving closer to his car.

"Well, I've been trying to call you for hours!" Ned exclaimed. "Don't you ever check your phone?"

"It's been hectic. I was going to call you when I got home tonight," John nervously replied.

"Sure you were," Ned said. "So, what did happen? You did have lunch with Eric, right?"

"What? Of course we had lunch," John answered. "There's not much to tell, though. Eric hasn't had any luck with finding Larissa."

"And you didn't tip him off?" Ned pressed on.

"Ned, I don't know what you're talking about," John was at his wits end. "I had lunch with Eric like you wanted. We made small talk, discussed Larissa somewhat. I'm telling you nothing is going on, and no one was tipped off."

"Well, I decided to make a stop by Eric's room when you were out to lunch," Ned stated.

"You didn't," John was thoroughly disgusted.

"Don't sweat it, I didn't get in," Ned spat. "But somebody was in there already and wouldn't let me in. Don't tell me it wasn't either Eric or Larissa."

"Look, Ned, you've got to stop this," John said. "Eric was with me at lunch. If you don't believe me, go to the diner down by the hotel and ask the staff in there. As far as Larissa goes, I doubt that she's with Eric. He's engaged to someone else."

"Oh, is that what he told you," Ned half laughed. "And you believe him? I think that's a ton of crap."

John just stood there.

"Don't worry yourself," Ned said, turning his car on. "I won't be needing anything from you anymore. From now on, I'll do things on my own. My way."

"Ned, just let it all go," John said. "It's not good for anyone, including you."

"Ah," Ned almost grimaced, waving his hand. He sped off exiting the lot, leaving John bewildered and in a cloud of dust.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Thursday morning had quickly arrived. Eric had set the alarm on his cell phone for six o'clock as he wanted to make sure he got an early start on the road. According to Julia, the drive wouldn't take any more than two hours but since he was unfamiliar with the area, he wanted to allow himself extra time in case he got lost. He was hoping to arrive at Julia's around ten o'clock and no later than eleven.

He was surprised that he felt as alert as he did since it really hadn't been a good evening. He had dreams of Larissa all during the night, which was happening more frequently lately. Snippets of their school years raced through his head and problems she had been having during that period of time. He was surprised that he even remembered some of them and marveled at the mind's ability to store information that seemed to be long forgotten.

He had also received another strange phone call. Eric swore that he once again heard Larissa say his name on the other end before disconnecting. He hadn't been receiving any calls lately, and this time a number showed up on his cell phone's display. Since he kept a small note pad with a pen by the side of the bed, he was able to quickly jot the number down before drifting off back to sleep. He did notice that the time was 1:54 a.m.

Oddly enough, when the alarm sounded and awoke him, it wasn't Larissa that was on his mind. It was Abby. Abby, who he missed immensely and who he hoped would give him another chance. He decided to call her before he drove off to Julia's, although he was sure that she wouldn't pick up.

Thoughts of Abby lingered while he showered and shaved, and just to hear her recorded voice on her outgoing phone message brought him comfort. He hadn't talked to her for a couple of weeks now and he was feeling miserable. He spoke into the phone, still hoping that she would pick up.

"Abby, it's me, Eric. I just wanted to call, let you know what's going on, and tell you that I miss you. I'm off today to meet with a woman in Northern Georgia. She's retired but used to work with Larissa. I'll give you another call when I get back and let you know how it went. I love you, Abby. Please talk to me," he said, ending his message.

He tried, and would continue to try as best as he could. But it was up to Abby now. The outcome rested on her.

***

Abby had seen Eric's name on the caller display and just sat there, trying to decide if she should answer his call. In the end, she decided not to.

Despite her avoidance, Eric was on her mind all the time. She could barely complete a thought and found herself constantly distracted. It was hard to believe how quickly everything had changed. In the blink of an eye, things had spiraled downhill uncontrollably.

Everything they had planned seemed to go up in smoke. Things had been so good, so positive. The future had looked bright. Never in a million years would she have thought that anything like this would happen.

Listening to his message now was heart breaking, and Abby found herself choking back tears. She had the urge to call him back but desperately fought against it. She loved Eric deeply and knew that he loved her, but she couldn't get passed the hurt, disappointment and abandonment that she was feeling. At least not right now.

The pain was so deep that she couldn't even bring herself to talk to anyone about it. Abby had found herself avoiding her family and her friends. Cassie and Scott had tried to speak to her various times. She knew that they meant well and that they wanted nothing more than to patch things up between her and Eric. And she appreciated that, wholeheartedly. But she just couldn't deal with discussing her failed relationship with Eric right now, and she certainly did not want anyone trying to convince her that she should be giving him the benefit of the doubt.

She wished Eric well and hoped he found some kind of an answer to what he was looking for. Some closure so that he could move on. She just wasn't sure that she would be able to move on with him.

As harsh as it sounded, he was on his own with this.

Abby hung up the phone, but not before deleting his message. She told herself that sometimes it was best to just let things go.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Arriving timely at Julia's home, Eric was surprise at just how accurate her directions had been. Julia lived near the coast, in a quiet and quaint family community. The area overflowed with beauty and charm.

Eric pulled up to Julia's home and approached the front walkway. A big man in his early forties opened the front door before Eric even had a chance to ring the bell.

"Eric Dunns?" The man asked as he looked Eric over.

"Yes," Eric was a little taken aback.

"I'm Gregory Bartons, Julia's son," the man said, extending his hand. "Nice meeting you."

The two men shook hands. Eric entered the house behind Gregory and followed him into the parlor.

"Hello, Eric, I'm Julia," a petite, older woman said as she joined them. "Don't mind my son here. He's an officer of the law and naturally suspicious." She chuckled.

"I don't mind," Eric said. "You can't be too careful these days." The three each took a seat.

"Would you like anything?" Julia offered.

"No, thanks. I'm fine," Eric replied.

"So, you're looking for this Larissa Alamos," Gregory abruptly began. "How did you manage to come in contact with my mother?"

"Well, it wasn't easy," Eric answered. "I had spoken to family members of Larissa's who pointed me in the direction of South Carolina. They had mentioned that Larissa worked for both a bar and an insurance company. I managed to find the bar first and then, after many hours or calling different insurance companies in the area, I came across Reasonable Rates where I spoke to Savannah, who suggested I speak to your mother."

Gregory nodded, accepting the information.

"I did work with Larissa, and she was just lovely," Julia began. "We shared a large desk and worked closely together. She was a hard worker, very smart and personable. She did work a night or two at that bar for extra income. Didn't get home until about 1:30 or so in the morning from what I remember. Some mornings when she came into the office she was really exhausted. I don't know how she kept it up."

"Do you remember anything that was going on in her life when she left?" Eric asked.

"It was just a couple of years ago, and I do," Julia said. "Larissa was having more serious problems with her boyfriend, Ned, and was definitely planning to leave him. I even suggested that she stay here with me, I have so much room. But she didn't want to involve me."

"My mother spoke to me about it on various occasions," Gregory joined in. "The town where Larissa and her boyfriend lived was outside of my jurisdiction, but I did manage to have the local cops there intervene on one occasion. I was also aware that there were various complaints of domestic violence and I had heard one time that Larissa had been locked in one of the rooms by her boyfriend. She never filed any charges, though, that I am aware of."

Eric was in disbelief.

"You know where Larissa was living with Ned, then?" Eric asked.

"Yes, I may still have the address in my phone book. Excuse me for a moment," Julia got up and left the room.

She returned moments later. "Here it is," she handed Eric a small piece of paper. "They lived out the outskirts of North Augusta, South Carolina."

"451 East Lane," Eric read aloud, more to himself. Putting the paper in his pocket, he then pulled out the letter and the phone number he had written down the night before.

"A couple of things here," Eric said. "I keep getting these strange phone calls that I thought might have been Larissa, but a number never came up. Last night a number actually did come up." He handed the paper to Gregory. "You may want to do a trace on this number and see who it is. I could have sworn I heard Larissa on the other end of the phone last night."

"Sure thing," Gregory gave the number a quick glance. "Looks like a landline." He walked out of the room with the number in his hand.

"Which is why I tend to think she's alright but in some sort of trouble," Eric said, turning to Julia, "the fact that I've been getting these phone calls and, of course, the letter. Do you have any idea at all where Larissa might have gone? Did she ever mention a place that she was fond of visiting?" He handed the letter over to Julia.

"You know, when I retired last year, I completely cleared out my desk," Julia said, as Gregory walked back into the room. "I threw everything into a big box without even looking at it and brought it all home. I didn't even start going through it until a couple of months back."

Julia threw her son a glance before continuing. "As I started to look through things, I realized that there were a couple of items that had been Larissa's. As I mentioned earlier, we had shared a desk."

"What things?" Eric asked.

"A personal pen that she liked to use, a hair clip that she would sometime use to pull her hair back when she was working. Her name plate that had been placed in the drawer over time," Julia paused. "And an unstamped, sealed and addressed letter."

"I don't understand," Eric said.

"This letter that you just handed to me," Julia said as she held it out to Eric. "I'm the one who mailed it."

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

Perplexed, Eric looked over at Gregory and then back to Julia. "You're telling me that you mailed this letter that I received?" he asked.

The room fell silent. "Yes, I am," Julia quietly said. "I'm sorry, Eric. I never thought that mailing the letter would cause any harm. I just had this sense of urgency that I needed to mail it. Gregory was mad at me when I told him, too."

Eric turned to see Gregory leaving the room again, this time to answer his cell phone.

"I don't know what came over me," Julia continued. "Out of the blue, I had decided to go through the box that I had brought home from work. When I started out, I never expected to run across anything of Larissa's. And then I came across the letter."

She looked down at the floor, seeming embarrassed as she recalled her actions. "I instantly recognized the handwriting on the envelope as Larissa's. I also recognized your name. She spoke about you often and with great fondness. I know that she was planning to contact you."

"You said the envelope was sealed?" Eric asked.

"Yes, the envelope was sealed and not stamped. I never saw the letter inside," Julia turned to look directly at him. "When I held the letter in my hand, I had this strong impulse, this need, to mail it. It didn't matter that the letter had sat there for a couple of years. I'm sure Larissa's intention was to mail the letter although she never got around to it, so I did it for her. I stamped it and I mailed it. I guess I caused more harm than good."

This changed everything in Eric's mind. Here he had thought he was making progress finding Larissa and it was back to square one. The letter had been the main focal point with its Georgia postmark. Now there was no way of knowing where she could be.

"Well, don't blame yourself for anything," Eric said. "I understand strong impulses. I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you right now if I hadn't had a strong impulse of my own."

"Thank you, Eric, for your understanding," Julia said. She looked relieved.

At that moment, Gregory came walking back into the room. "I got an address on that phone number you gave me," he said.

"What is it?" Eric asked.

"451 East Lane," Gregory said, "Ned's and Larissa's residence."

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

The day was turning out to be a rough one for Ned. He had woken up still intoxicated from the night before and continued drinking in an attempt to avoid a hangover.

Part of the reason he drank was to try and forget. Specifically, he drank to forget Larissa. She had left him high and dry yet still had the audacity to harass him. It was infuriating.

He had received the phone calls again during the night. He knew it was her. Who else would bother? Even though she didn't say a word he could still feel her presence on the other end of the phone. Listening silently, reveling in his discomfort. It was becoming unnerving.

Waking up to the daylight didn't make things any better. He had planned to go out and work in the yard but he was too sick to do so. He had started to nod out on the couch late morning and awoke to hear footsteps in the other room, but there was nobody there when he had gone and checked.

He had heard the footsteps in the same room that Larissa had once gotten herself locked in. The room had a small window, too small for an adult to fit through. Or so he had thought. Lately he caught himself wondering if she was climbing in through that window and into that room. He didn't underestimate her ability to be calculating at all anymore.

Every time he began to fall back to sleep, it was something else. First, a soft knock on the door, followed by a rustling in the other room, and ending with the phone ringing once and then falling silent. Ned wasn't sure how much more he could take. Maybe he was finally going mad.

Ned knew he had to call someone because the situation had grown to where he could no longer handle it. And since he wasn't talking to many people these days, the only person that he could think of was John. Although he was mad as hell at John, he knew that today he could not be alone. After trying numerous times and leaving various messages he decided to give up, have another drink, and drift back off to sleep.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

"Ned's residence?" Eric questioned. "You mean this is where the calls have been coming from?" Or at least last night's call had. As the thought registered more deeply, he couldn't believe it. "I think I have to go there."

"You really shouldn't do that," Gregory stated.

"No, I think I need to do this," Eric said. "I'm not interested in what I should do or shouldn't do anymore. What's to stop Ned from keeping Larissa captive in that house?"

"Alright," Gregory said, "then I'm going with you. If anything comes up when we get there, I do have some contacts in that area and can call to have them scope it out immediately."

"I don't like this," Julia cut in, clearly becoming upset. "I don't think either one of you should be going there. Gregory, please just call somebody you know up there now and have them check it out."

"It'll be fine, don't worry," Gregory gently said. "I'll give you a call once we're there and know what's going on."

Julia just stared at Gregory with no response.

"You know that I work responsibly," Gregory continued. "I wouldn't be going into anything that I didn't feel was safe, especially when I'm off duty and it's not in my jurisdiction."

"Alright," Julia said hesitantly. She still didn't feel at ease.

"Well, we should get going since it's a good ninety minute ride," Gregory stated. "You can follow me since I know the way."

"Sounds good to me," Eric replied. He turned to Julia. "Julia, thank you again for meeting with me. You've helped to shed some light on things and I really appreciate it."

"You're more than welcome," Julia said. "I wish you the best and hope you find Larissa."

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

John was fully aware of the total amount of times that Ned had called. He was also aware of the number of messages that Ned had left. He chose to ignore all of them, going about his day as usual.

After just arriving home from his morning class, John could once again hear the buzz of his cellphone. He grappled for his phone, seeing that it was Ned. Just as he knew it would be.

"What does this guy want?" he said in annoyance out loud to himself.

After three more calls, he decided to hear what Ned had to say. John certainly didn't want him to show up at Below Ground during his shift. He didn't want to have to worry about dodging any of Ned's calls or, worse yet, find him waiting outside in the parking lot again during the wee hours of the morning.

Reluctantly, he began to retrieve his messages. Although he always dreaded hearing from Ned, John had to admit that his curiosity was somewhat stirred. He couldn't imagine what was stirring Ned up this time.

"Hi, John, are we going to play tag again?" Ned's first message went. John could tell that he was under the influence. "Could you call me back please?"

With a press of a button, John deleted the first message.

"Where are you, John?" Ned said in the next message. "Stop giving me the runaround."

John went on to the next message. "I really need to talk to you," Ned continued in another message, this time a little on edge. "Larissa won't stop calling."

As he continued on, weeding through Ned's other various messages, John realized that they were getting stranger and stranger.

Finally, by the sixth message, Ned sounded like he had gone completely over the edge. "John," Ned's voice was almost a whisper. "I think Larissa is breaking into the house."

John just looked at the phone, uncertain of what to do next.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

His mind racing as he followed Gregory's car back to Ned's, Eric struggled to process everything that was going on. The fact that Julia had actually mailed Larissa's letter had never been a consideration. It changed the whole direction as to where he had been looking in finding Larissa.

Now with the knowledge that Larissa's phone calls might have been coming from Ned's house the whole time, he wondered if it could be possible that Ned was holding Larissa captive there. Eric wasn't sure what to expect.

The thought of seeing the house that Ned and Larissa shared was a little unnerving. There was no telling how he would react once he walked through that door.

Thoughts of Larissa came rushing in, bombarding his concentration. Keeping track of Gregory's car was becoming quite a task as he tried to keep up with his notions. Eric felt the need to pull over to the side of the road and let his thoughts play out, but that wasn't an option.

He felt as if everything was starting to come together and he couldn't arrive there fast enough. He wondered if there would finally be some sort of resolution.

Eric stayed focused on the road, keeping a safe distance behind Gregory but not losing sight of him. Glancing at the digital clock on his dashboard, he was surprised to see that they had been driving for a good hour. It wouldn't be much longer before they arrived at their destination. Eric gripped the wheel tightly in anticipation, feeling an increased sense of urgency. He felt as if there wasn't a moment to lose.

***

Still holding his cell phone, John shared the same mixed feelings as Eric. He had listened back to Ned's last few messages again and began to feel anxious, anticipating the worst. Ned seemed confused, delusional, possibly a danger to himself or someone else. John found it all increasingly disturbing.

He never wanted all of this involvement and John really regretted that he hadn't permanently cut all ties with Ned. But it was all too late for that now. No matter how much John wanted to avoid acknowledging the fact, he knew that he couldn't. A decision had to be made that would more than likely alter Ned's life as he knew it, and possibly John's, as well.

It was more than apparent. Things were dreadfully wrong at Ned's house and something had to be done.

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

No longer on the highway, Gregory and Eric were now driving through local towns. Eric was starting to wind down, taking in the picturesque scenery of the neighborhood. The homes were well-kept with manicured, lush lawns and ample curb appeal. Eric could imagine Larissa living in this neighborhood, perhaps reading on her back patio or doing some gardening in her yard.

Gregory suddenly indicated and started to slow down. Eventually he pulled over and parked his car. Seeing this, Eric did the same. He got out of the car and approached Gregory.

"Is this the place?" Eric asked.

"Around the bend," Gregory answered. "451 East Lane."

The lots in the area looked to be close to an acre in size. Ned's property was situated on the corner with an empty lot on either side, so it was fairly private. The house appeared small on the oversized lot, but was cute and well maintained. The grounds were immaculate and it was apparent that they received ample care.

The two men walked quietly up to the front door. Gregory knocked loudly but there was no response. He knocked again. Finally, a small voice was heard from inside.

"Go away." Eric couldn't tell if it was Ned or not.

Persistently, Gregory knocked again. "Ned, could you open the door?" he called out.

There was a bit of rustling on the other side of the door. "Go away, Eric," the voice was closer to the door and clearer. Now Eric could tell that it was definitely Ned.

Gregory shot Eric a questioning look. "Have you spoken to Ned lately?" he quietly asked. Eric shook his head no.

Gregory knocked one more time. "Come on, Ned. Open the door. Nobody wants any trouble."

They stood there, Eric and Gregory, for what seemed to be the longest time, waiting for some kind of response. "Ned," Gregory repeated, this time forcefully.

Slowly the door began to swing open. Gregory stepped inside first to find Ned stretched out on the couch. "I thought I told you to do away," Ned said, waving his hand.

Eric stepped in behind Gregory.

"You!" Ned bellowed, spotting Eric. "Do you have Larissa with you?"

"We came here to ask you about Larissa," Gregory said calmly. "We thought maybe she was with you."

"Oh, she's been here alright," Ned said. "But she's not with me. More like with Eric over there, the two of them harassing me. Calling me all hours of the night and coming to the door. In fact, they were just here this morning. Why don't you ask him about it?" Ned pointed to Eric.

"That's impossible. He's been with me all morning," Gregory stated.

"Good excuse!" Ned yelled.

Before the conversation could get any more heated, the room filled with the sound of blaring police sirens. There was a flurry of activity as police entered the house, took Ned aside and spoke with Gregory.

Feeling oddly distant from the scenario, Eric began to walk through the house. The inside of Ned's home was quite the contrast from the outside grounds. Run down, dirty and neglected, Eric practically shuddered at the wave of despair that suddenly came down upon him. He had the distinct impression of a desolate home resulting from a decayed mind.

He came upon a small room that was off of the dining room, not much bigger than a walk-in closet. There was a tiny window on the far wall barely big enough for a child to squeeze through. Amazingly, there was a closet, although miniscule, directly on the left. This was no doubt the room that Ned had once locked Larissa in.

Vaguely aware of the chaos that continued in the room behind him, Eric then walked through the kitchen and out through the back door, seemingly unnoticed. His mind was muddled, as if he were in a trance. A feeling of doom seemed to be closing in on him and he needed to get away, far away.

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

Stepping out into the yard instantly cleared away all of the negativity that Eric had felt while inside the house. It was beautiful and calm, peaceful in a way that he had never experienced before. The backyard was exquisite, with plush green grass beneath his feet and a garden with a variety of flowers just beginning to bloom. The sun was dazzling and shining down on this early afternoon, warming Eric to his very core.

As he stood there in the middle of the yard, totally unaware of any of the sounds or actions around him other than the occasional singing bird or the slight early-April breeze that softly stirred, Eric could feel Larissa's presence stronger than ever. This was her place, he felt that. Not the inside of that barren, dismal house that he had just stepped out of, but here; in the beauty and serenity of this garden.

Memories of Larissa came flooding back to him. Her face and her smile, her sense of humor and the jokes they had shared. All of the hopes and plans that they had made together during that time of their lives; everything that had comprised their friendship from so long ago, yet was still alive at this moment. He now realized that his lost love, Larissa, had never really been lost to him at all.

Slowly, Eric broke out of his spell of reminiscing and returned to the present. Looking over to his right, for the first time he noticed a beautiful tree, standing tall and strong amidst a small field of daffodils. White minnow daffodils, beautiful and pure, reaching up towards the sun.

And suddenly, he knew. He just knew.

CHAPTER FIFTY

From that point forward, everything happened quickly. The police that had arrived at Ned's house had not been called by Gregory, as Eric initially thought, but rather by John after he had received several disturbing calls from Ned.

John believed that Ned was drunk and hallucinating, and that he was possibly suicidal. Expecting a submissive individual, the police had instead encountered someone who was initially irate and violent. Immediately, Ned had to be restrained.

Questioning Ned hadn't been easy as he went through a wide range of emotions in a matter of minutes, from yelling to laughing and, finally, crying. He was paranoid and angry, certain that Larissa had broken into the small room that Eric had come across. He rambled on about her walking around the property and approaching the front door. Upon inspection, the police determined that Larissa had not been in the room or on the grounds, and had probably not been in the home at all for quite some time.

Eric had been questioned briefly and was advised to stay in the area for a couple of days to answer any further matters that might come up. Larissa's letter was taken off of his hands and put into evidence. Eric found the police to be cooperative and patient. He believed it had helped that Gregory had accompanied him as it gave him credibility.

Once he was able to leave, he walked out of the house with Gregory and thanked him for all his help. Gregory promised to call him as soon as he received any further information. With so many questions bombarding his mind, Eric felt his thoughts becoming more and more scrambled. He went back to his hotel room, dazed and wondering what he should do next.

Eric didn't have to wonder for too long as Ned sobered up somewhat within the next day and decided to fully cooperate with the police.

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

Things had become really rocky for Ned and Larissa. Ned had gotten in way over his head with his addictions and could no longer properly function as a responsible adult. With less money coming into the household and Ned taking more money out for his habits, Larissa was under immense stress and had decided to leave Ned. She could no longer tolerate his behavior, which was becoming violent, and live in such a manner. She regretted leaving other people in her life behind but knew that the only way to do it would be to just silently leave one night after her shift at Below Ground, with no good byes.

She had begun to start packing a small bag that she had hidden in the house. Tonight she was planning to add the rest of her measly belongings and move the bag to a safer spot. Just two days away, which was her next shift at Below Ground, she was planning to make her break.

Larissa was tired when she got home at one thirty that night. She was tired more and more these days. Soon it would be over, she reminded herself, and she could make a fresh start for herself.

Ned had fallen asleep on the couch when she walked in, and Larissa was grateful for that. Quietly, she walked into the small room where she had the bag hidden under a floor panel in a tiny, corner closet.

She hadn't heard Ned behind her when she first stepped into the room. His booming voice caused her to nearly jump out of her skin.

"You're home late," he said, slurring his words.

"I always get home at this time from Below Ground," Larissa said. "You know that, Ned."

Who are you seeing?" Ned hissed. "One of the customers, or is it that John?" Although they needed the extra cash that Larissa brought in from Below Ground, Ned was insecure about her working there.

"Stop being ridiculous," Larissa said, turning to leave.

"What are you looking for?" Ned said, blocking her path. "Your bag?"

Larissa turned white. "What are you talking about?"

"You're planning to leave me, and I want to know with who," Ned was becoming increasingly agitated.

"I'm not planning to leave you with anyone," Larissa said. "Now please let me by."

"You're not going anywhere," Ned said, grabbing her arm.

Larissa pulled her arm hastily away which resulted in a power struggle. Ned, drunk and enraged, gave her a good shove and watched as she bounced off the wall and hit the floor with full force.

"Serves you right," he said, sulking out of the room.

He returned back on the couch, stretched out and fell back into a deep sleep until the morning.

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

As pacing his hotel had become the latest and practically only activity that Eric was engaging in, he more than welcomed a phone call from Gregory.

"Hi, Eric," Gregory said when he picked up. "Do you have a few minutes?" He then went on to fill Eric in on the details of Ned's confession. "According to Ned, he got into an argument with Larissa and he shoved her, accidentally killing her. Ned claims that he didn't even realize that she was dead until the next morning when he woke up and went looking for her. "

Eric was silent.

Gregory continued, "Also, as instructed by Ned, the authorities believe they found Larissa's remains buried behind the house along with a watch that she had been wearing. The face of the watch was cracked and stopped, most likely broken in her fall. It may be useful in providing some insight on an approximate time of death. Ned also admitted to disposing of her belongings and he actually gave some of her jewelry away to family members up north in the New Jersey area."

"Good God," Eric said. He was numb.

"I'm sorry, Eric," Gregory said. "I wish it could have turned out differently. You know, you're free to go back home now."

"What's going to happen to Ned?" Eric asked, his stomach beginning to turn.

"Well, right now he's on suicide watch. He's very unstable and although he had a moment of clarity and confessed to the crime, he seems to slip back into hallucinations, thinking that Larissa is still harassing him."

"Unbelievable," Eric said, shaking his head. The whole thing was tragic.

"I wish I had something more positive to tell you," Gregory said. "I know how hard this must be."

"You've been more than helpful, Gregory. Thank you," Eric said. "Please, keep in touch."

"I will," Gregory responded. "And I'll let you know if I hear anything else."

As Eric ended the call, he also wished that the outcome had been different for Larissa.

Still processing the information that Gregory had provided, Eric realized that he had never asked Gregory where her remains had been found. Eric never asked because he already knew, just like he knew that Larissa's watch had stopped at 1:54 a.m.

He knew that Ned had buried Larissa's remains out back, under the tree, beneath a bed of white daffodils.

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

It had been the first peaceful night's sleep he had in weeks, with no dreams, no calls, and no odd occurrences. Eric had an early rise and was feeling surprisingly renewed, as if a huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Planning on an early start, he figured he should arrive home sometime that night providing he drove straight through.

Eric had tried once again to reach Abby but had no such luck. Leaving another voicemail, he decided to give Scott a call before starting on the drive back.

"Hello?" Scott answered, sounding both a little groggy and a little concerned.

"Hi, Scott," he said, "It's me, Eric."

"Good Lord, boy!" Scott exclaimed. "Do you know what time it is?"

"I know, it's early for a Saturday morning," Eric agreed. "Sorry about that."

"Is everything alright?" Scott then asked, sounding a little more awake.

"We found Larissa," Eric stated. "I'm coming home today."

"You did? What happened?" Scott was now fully awake.

"Apparently she and Ned got into a heated argument," Eric said, still in shock over the whole event. "Ned eventually confessed that he got physical with Larissa and that it accidentally resulted in her death."

"Oh, that's awful," Scott said. "Did they find any evidence?"

"Her remains were buried on the property," Eric answered.

"I can't believe it. I'm so sorry, Eric," Scott said. "What about her family?"

"The authorities notified them. I haven't spoken to anyone," Eric replied.

"That's a shame," Scott said. "I'm amazed that you found her, though. It is a good thing you followed your instincts."

Eric had to agree.

"Listen, are you going to be up for that long drive back?" Scott asked.

"I'll be fine," Eric said. That was the least of his worries. "I find driving therapeutic."

"Have you spoken to Abby?" Scott finally questioned.

"No," Eric admitted. "And that was the next thing I was going to mention to you. I've tried calling her many times, and I'm going to try her again before I leave. She hasn't returned any of my calls. Has she said anything to you?"

"No, she hasn't," Scott sighed. "I had spoken to her quite a few times in the beginning when you first left and I know she was mad, but I haven't spoken to her lately. Cassie hasn't spoken to her, either. Did you want me to call her?"

"No, that's alright," Eric said. "I can only try so hard. I'll just have to leave it in her hands."

"Well, I hope she comes to her senses," Scott said. "Be safe coming home and I'll talk to you once you are back and settled. Call me if anything comes up and you need anything."

"I will, Scott, thanks," Eric said. "Talk to you soon."

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

All packed and ready to walk out the door, Eric paused to give Abby one last call. After the fourth ring, he knew he would be transferred to voicemail.

Waiting for the beep after hearing Abby's very familiar outgoing message, Eric once again spoke into the phone.

"Abby, it's Eric," he said. "I just wanted to let you know that Larissa's remains were found and I'm coming home." He paused for just a second. "Please, Abby, I hope you'll see me once I get back."

He hung up the phone. There was nothing more he could do.

Picking up his bags, he left the hotel room and shut the door behind himself without looking back.

Once he pulled out on to the road and started on his drive, he started to relax. The ride going back home was not stressed like the ride down had been. Eric actually noticed the scenery and was leisurely enjoying the drive.

Despite his disappointment with where he and Abby were heading, Eric was glad that he followed through on his hunches. Larissa deserved to be found and properly laid to rest. She, as well as her family, had a right to closure after all these years. And it all started with a letter, when her voice was finally heard.

As the series of events ran through his mind, it was easy to see how all the loose ends came together. The only things that Eric couldn't make any sense out of were the phone calls he had received from Larissa. After talking to Gregory the day before, Eric had gone back to check his incoming call log and voice mails that Larissa had previously left. There was absolutely no record of any of them.

He also couldn't explain the various sightings of Larissa. Try as he might, he just could not come up with a logical explanation. Eric decided then that perhaps some things were better left alone.

After driving for quite some time, Eric made a stop mid-point in the vicinity of Richmond, Virginia for a light dinner. He checked his phone in the hopes of a message from Abby, but there was none. He would not be calling her again before his arrival back.

Continuing on his journey, he was beginning to get tired and it was getting late. Time seemed to be dragging now, and it seemed like he had been on the road forever. Before he had started back, Eric had estimated that he should be arriving home sometime around ten o'clock that night. Glancing at the digital clock on the dashboard, he guessed that he had about an hour to go.

As he got closer to home, doubt was starting to settle in and he realized what a mess his existence had actually become. Like a ton of bricks, he saw what repercussions his actions – although he didn't regret them – had created. He had had a life with a new career ahead, friends, and a fiancée. Now Eric was uncertain about what lied ahead and acknowledging what he stood to lose saddened him.

It was only a matter of time before he arrived back just blocks from Abby's house. He would be driving by her place on his way home as it was en route. As he got nearer, his unhappiness increased. He was truly sorry for hurting Abby and hoped that someday, even if they were no longer together, she would forgive him.

The streets were dark as he got closer. Nobody was out and it was eerily quiet. He could see Abby's block coming up ahead and his heart instantly sank in his chest. Eric wasn't sure if he was ready to let go, even though he knew there was a good possibility that he would have to.

Eric slowed down slightly as Abby's house was coming up on the right. Everything looked dark and closed up, just as he feared it would be.

Resigned to the fact that his relationship was over, Eric hung his head in defeat.

And then he saw it; a beautiful, cranberry hurricane lamp glowing in Abby's bedroom window, shining bright. Like a beacon in the night, it shined out for him and for the love that they shared together. He had never been happier than he was right now, in this moment.

Eric was home.

###

About the author

_Sherrie Sushko is the author of two books, Lost Love and Remain, and works in the legal field when not writing and reading. Sherrie currently resides in the United States with her family and two dogs._

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