them racing into the night sky, as a fierce storm sprang into action.
In their large upstairs bedroom, Alan slept next to Kate. His eyes shifted back and forth under his closed lids. His pulse quickened. A small moan escaped him as he moved through the foggy terrain of his dream.
Moments later, he awoke with a start and sat up in a cold sweat. Anxiously, he scanned the dark bedroom. Shadows of wind-swept branches raced across the walls. He listened, but could only detect the sound of heavy rain drumming against the window.
He slid out of bed, taking care not to awaken Kate.
In the dark room, something glimmered on the floor, and he walked over to investigate. Startled, he picked up a sparkling object. It was a large feather of purest white that glowed with unearthly iridescence. He’d seen a feather like this one once before, in Nuremberg.
He stared at the luminescent feather resting in the palm of his hand. It hadn’t been a dream. A cold chill danced over his skin, and he trembled. Although he knew what he had to do, he was afraid.
Alan glanced at the nightstand clock. Four in the morning, five o’clock on the east coast. He went downstairs and picked up the phone, dialing a number he knew by heart. A sleepy voice answered on the other end, and Alan breathed a sigh of relief. “Joe, it’s Alan. I’m sorry to be calling at such an hour, but I’m in trouble. I need your help.”
* * * *
Just before noon, Joe arrived on Alan’s doorstep. Alan ushered him inside the house after scanning the street through the drizzly fog.
“Thank God,” he said, when Joe was inside. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been able to come.”
“I’m here, old buddy,” Joe reassured him. “Now, what’s going on?”
Alan avoided Joe’s worried eyes. “Let’s talk in the other room.” He led the way to the study and closed the door behind them.
For a long moment, Alan didn’t speak. Then he said, “Thank you for this, Joe. I know how it must sound—”
“Listen. I’m ready to do whatever you need, but you have got to tell me what this is all about. What are you running from? What’s going on?”
Joe, even if I could tell you, you’d never believe it. He looked at his old friend, unsure what to say next.
“Alan. Whatever you tell me stays between the two of us and these four walls. What is it? Did you get mixed up with the wrong crowd? Piss somebody off? Somebody in the Mob maybe?”
If it were only that easy. He shook his head no.
“What then?”
“I can’t tell you, Joe,” he finally said. “Believe me, I wish I could. But it’s better that you don’t know. Safer. Not just for you, but for Kate, Erin, and the baby, too.”
“Well, if you can’t tell me why you are going, can you tell me where?” Joe persisted.
Alan sighed, exasperated. “I don’t know. I have to leave, disappear for while. I’m not going to lie to you, so you’re just going to have to take this on faith. When I get to where I’m going, and it’s safe, I’ll contact you.”
After a long moment, Joe sighed. “All right,” he finally agreed. “If this is the way you think you have to play it. But I swear to God, Alan, if you get yourself killed, I’ll—”
“Don’t worry about me.” Alan assured him. “Your job is to worry about Kate and the girls.” Thinking about the possible consequences, Alan turned away so his friend would not see the tears welling up in his eyes.
Joe must have sensed his distress.
“Hey.” Joe reached out and touched his arm as if to offer comfort and reassurance.
“Rest easy, okay? They’ll be safe with me. I’ll see to it.”
Alan just nodded and then walked to the other side of the desk. He handed Joe a duffle bag. “You’ll need this. There’s enough in there to see to whatever they need,” he said.
Joe opened the bag and gave a low whistle. He then looked up at Alan, his eyes filled with worry.
Alan wanted to reassure him, but the awful certainty he was never going to see his old friend again crept into his heart.
He went upstairs where he knew he was going to face even more questions he couldn’t answer.
Kate sat on the edge of the bed crying.
“It’s time, Kate.” Alan sat down next to her on the bed.
She raised a tear-stained face to him. “Alan, please tell me what you’re running away from. Whatever it is, we can fix it together. Don’t do this.” Her voice broke.
“Look at me, Kate.” It was breaking his heart to see her like this. “Do you love me?”
“You know I do, but this is madness.”
“I need you to trust me. I haven’t done anything wrong, I swear to you. I’m not involved in anything illegal. It’s nothing like that. But,” he paused. “I received a threat that you, Erin, and the baby are in danger.”
“You received a threat? In the middle of the night?” Kate looked at him, her eyes narrowed.
“I know how this sounds, but I’m not crazy. All I can tell you is it has to do with something that happened a long time ago. I can’t take any chances with your safety. Do you believe me?”
She searched his face, and to Alan’s relief, she seemed to find the reassurance she needed. After giving him a kiss with trembling lips, she stood up and began to pack a suitcase. Her hand hovered over an antique perfume bottle given to her by her mother. “Are we ever coming back?” she suddenly asked. Then, without waiting for an answer, she wrapped it in tissue and tucked it in her bag.
In less than an hour, they were ready to go.
“Take our car, Joe.” Alan handed him the keys to the Mercedes, a gift he’d surprised Kate with just last month. “Look after my girls. They’re everything to me.”
“You know I will,” Joe said evenly, “and you know where to reach me.”
“As soon as I’m able to,” Alan replied. If I’m able to.
As they grabbed the suitcases, Joe murmured to Alan, “If you change your mind and need help with whatever it is, call me. I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
Alan didn’t acknowledge it, but he shared Joe’s sentiment. “Thanks.” He didn’t know what else to say.
Joe put the luggage in the car as Alan said a tearful goodbye to Kate, Erin, and Catherine.
Kate looked him in the eye. “You come back to us, Alan. Do whatever it is you think you have to, but promise me you’ll come back to us safe.”
“As soon as I can, Mermaid, I promise,” he told
