The Blue Zone

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

Geller. The name went through Kate’s mind, as she told the taxi to come to a stop a way down the block from the white clapboard house that backed onto the lake, off Juanita Drive in Kirkland.

Nice house, Kate thought. Even in the dark, there was something about it she liked immediately. It could be anybody’s house. The family next door. Just knowing that her mom and Em and Justin were inside made her smile. Geller.

“This where we’re going, miss?”

She thought back to the day they all saw their house in Larchmont for the first time. Mom just stood in the giant vestibule, eyes wide. “It’s so big.” Dad took her to the windows overlooking the sound, beaming proudly. “We’ll fill it, Sharon.” Em came back in and grabbed Kate’s hand. “You’re not going to believe this”-her eyes excited-“it even comes with a turret.”

“We’ll fill it, Sharon.” Then we’ll leave it all behind.

“You want me to pull in?” the turbaned taxi driver turned around and asked.

“No,” Kate said, unsure what to do, “just pull over here.”

The taxi drew up to the curb in front of a modern cedar-and-glass house under tall evergreens, two houses down. Kate was nervous. She spotted some cars on the street. She knew there were probably WITSEC marshals all around, that they were probably alerted to her, too, and that if they found her, she’d be in cuffs in thirty seconds flat.

But the fact that her family was this close, just beyond her reach, made her know she couldn’t pull back now. She hadn’t seen them in over a year. Suddenly Kate wasn’t sure what to do. She didn’t know if there were agents inside. If their phones were bugged. Maybe she should wait for them at the squash club? Maybe she should turn around and do this another day?

“What do you want to do, miss?” the driver asked, pointing toward the meter now.

“I’m sorry. I’m not sure.”

Finally she took out her cell phone. Her fingers were trembling a little, sweaty, and she felt like she was back in her shell, grabbing hold of the oars at the start of an important race. Nervously, she punched in the number the girl had given her at the squash club. It started ringing. Her stomach was knotted. Any second she expected voices to start shouting and lights to go on.

It was Emily who picked up. “Hullo.”

Kate could barely contain herself. “I was just wondering what you might say to an all-expense-paid dream date with Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind?”

There was a pause. “Kate?”

“Yeah, Em…” Kate felt her eyes well up. “It is. It’s me, baby…”

Suddenly she heard Emily break out screaming, “It’s Kate! It’s Kate!” It was like she was tearing up the stairs through the house. “Mom, Just, Kate’s on the phone! How did you find this number? I can’t believe you’re calling here! What are you, totally crazy?”

Kate laughed, giddy. “I don’t know… Maybe I am.”

She heard voices in the background. Her mother and Justin surrounding the phone. Em didn’t want to give it up. “God, it’s been so long… There’s so much I have to tell you, Kate. Where are you?” Emily asked.

Kate stared at the house. For a second she had to dig deeply to find her voice.

“I’m right outside.”