Free Fall

Forty

Manhattan, New York

They know where we live!

Fear raged through Kate like a wildfire as seconds ticked down and buildings rushed by her cab’s window.

Frantic, she’d shown Zarathustra’s new threat to Chuck. He’d tried to calm her, and he’d made calls, but Kate hadn’t waited. She’d torn out of the building, flagged a taxi and demanded the driver get her uptown to Grace’s school on 115th Street as fast as possible.

Now, as her cab zigzagged through traffic, Kate made her second call to Grace’s school.

“As I’ve said, Ms. Page, we’ve sent an assistant to Mrs. Blake’s class. I assure you that we have nothing unusual to report. Your daughter’s fine.”

“Thank you. I’ll be there to pick her up shortly.”

“Is there something we need to be aware of, Ms. Page?”

Kate didn’t want to alarm the entire school.

“No, I’m sorry. A family emergency’s come up.”

Catching her breath, Kate ended the call then pressed the number for Big Tony DiRenaldo’s Grill, the diner where Vanessa worked. Kate needed to hear her sister’s voice. Needed to know she was safe. The sounds of cutlery and dishes clanking amid the din of conversations spilled into the phone before Vanessa came to the phone.

“Are you okay?” Kate asked.

“Of course I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be okay? What’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you when I get to the diner with Grace.”

“You’re coming here with Grace? Kate, what’s going on?”

“I’ll explain it all when I see you.”

Kate had to think, had to keep calm. Yes, she’d already been followed by a private investigator. That was one thing, but she’d handled that.

Or had she?

Then there was her feeling that someone had been in her hotel room while she’d been in London.

Could the Zarathustra messages be related? The emails are the bigger issue, a greater unknown. If it’s all real, if Zarathustra has the ability to crash jetliners, then imagine what they could do to us.

Her mind swirled with scenarios and sweat trickled down her back as the cab halted at Grace’s school. Kate told the driver to wait. Her hands trembled as she waited at the school office where a staff member eyed Kate closely over her bifocals.

“Is everything all right, Ms. Page?”

“Yes, a family matter.” Kate turned when Grace arrived.

“Hi, Mom. What’s wrong? Why’re you here? Am I in trouble?”

“No, no, sweetie. I just need to have you with me for the day.” Kate took her hand and then, for the benefit of the staff member, said, “I’ll have you back in school tomorrow.”

Big Tony DiRenaldo’s Grill was on 130th Street.

Again, Kate told the driver to wait knowing she was facing a huge cab fare. The diner was busy, and it took a minute before Vanessa saw them. She led them to a booth and gave Grace a glass of chocolate milk, her favorite.

Kate took Vanessa aside, so Grace couldn’t hear.

“What’s going on, Kate?”

Kate pulled the printed email from her bag. Vanessa read it quickly.

“This isn’t good, Kate.”

“I know.”

“You told me this story was giving you problems. Now someone is trying to scare you.”

“I want you to know because I don’t want to take any risks, okay?”

“I get that, but after all we’ve been through, you know that we don’t scare easily. I don’t like this. It makes me nervous, but I’m not going to let this idiot control my life.”

“Yes, but we’re not taking chances. I want you to text me all the time, where you’re going and when you get there. Be vigilant, be careful, okay?”

Vanessa touched the back of her hand to her moist brow as a bell rang.

“Vanessa!” a man dressed in white called through the small opening to the kitchen after setting two plates on the shelf. “Pick up!”

“Okay?” Kate repeated.

“Okay. I gotta work.”

Kate sat down with Grace, who was blowing chocolaty bubbles through her straw just as Kate’s phone rang.

“It’s Chuck. We need you back in the newsroom.”