~~~~~~~~~
 
 

"I posed as a new detective for the LAPD," Jarod continued, his voicestill grim. "A child had gone missing in the area, second in a month fittingCrawford's type. It'd been a little over 24 hours, I thought there wasstill time...When I tracked him down, I found the little girl's doll inhis basement, dirty and ripped...he ran off, but I caught him, held himin a warehouse. He wouldn't admit to doing it, just kept giving me thisnauseating smile and politely telling me that I was mistaken." Jarod'svoice was angrier, and his fists were clenched.

"He got to me, the little hints he'd drop...Finally, he let somethingslip--," his voice dropped, "--or so I thought, and I raced away, leavinghim tied to a chair. I-I wasn't thinking, I just wanted to find that littlegirl...She was locked in the basement of an abandoned home. God, she wascovered in cuts and bruises--all I could think of was getting her to ahospital..."

"Crawford escaped, didn't he?"

Jarod gave a weak nod. "Somehow managed to cut through the ropes, andslipped through an open window...And when I realized...I-I didn't knowwhat to do, where to go first looking for him. Every available officerwas scouring the city, but LA is such a big place...I was so sure I'd lethim get away, allowed him to be free to hurt another child, that when aman called from this museum on the east side, saying he'd spotted Crawford,I got there as fast as I could...I knew I couldn't let him get away again."

"Why the museum?"

"I wasn't sure at first, but then I saw the elementary class there fora field trip. There were a couple of girls that fit his preference--hemust've spotted them."

Parker paled. She was not liking where this was going.

"Four kids, three boys and one girl, all first-graders, had wanderedoff from the group, and he'd trapped them on an upper floor. By the timeI'd reached the place, there was a hostage negotiation. The officers toldme to wait, but I, I wouldn't listen...I was just so furious, at him, atmyself, that I ran right in and up the stairs. I broke down the door tothe room where they were being held, and we got into a fist fight. I knockedhim unconscious...I turned to the kids, led them to the stairs and toldthem to go down to the police. Once I was sure they were outside, I wentback to the room...There was a flight of stairs at the other end, I hadn'tnoticed them before--I could hear him running up them, so I chased after...Thestairs led all the way up, past the fifth level, to the roof. I corneredhim at one edge, we fought...and before I even realized what was happening,he'd fallen, five stories, to the concrete sidewalk..."

"The children saw?"

"No, thank god...they were with the police on the other side of thebuilding. But as I stood there, looking down at him, I heard these shouts.Then, the alarms went off and I finally smelled the smoke."

"Oh no..."

"I went back down the stairs, saw the flames were coming from the roomI'd just left."

"Crawford?"

"Yes. Who knows what he was thinking. I heard all these cries, and realizedthat people were trapped in the building. The smoke was so thick, I couldbarely breathe—it was terrifying, how fast that fire was spreading. I managedto find three, a group of the kids, and got them downstairs..." His eyeswatered,and his voice began to choke up. "I tried to go back in, but officers heldme back...By the time the firefighters arrived, there was no chance foranyone else. The building collapsed just before they arrived..."

"Jarod..." He was crying now, tears pouring down his face. She did theonly thing she could think of: reach out, hug him, and comfort him. "It'snot your fault. You didn't plan this...You can't blame yourself."

"Who else can I blame?!" he demanded hoarsely. "If I hadn't gone inthere after him, there wouldn't have been five casualties. Five, Parker.Four students, and a tour guide. Four children, ripped from their parents,and a mother, whose two little girls will never see her again."

"It wasn't your fault," she insisted.

"I want to believe you," he whispered. "I want to believe you so much..."

"I know," she soothed, brushing a hand through his hair. "I know. Andno matter how long it takes, I'll be right here, helping you. I promise."

He wrapped his arms around her, allowing himself to put down his defensesand rest his head on her shoulder, and sobbed, a sob of old pain and new-foundrelief.

And then it was daybreak, casting brilliant colors and warmth aroundthem, as the sun rose above the ocean and ancient ruins.

~~~~~~~~~

Parker placed the last shirt into her suitcase, and closed it with asigh. She'd put off packing all morning, then all afternoon, and even thoughit was nice to have the dreaded duty over with, there was a feeling offinality that she didn't like at all.

It'd been eleven days since that morning at the ruins. They'd gone backtwice, packing a picnic and spending all day there, talking. For Jarod,it'd been a long and hard road back to normality -at least, all the normalitythat his lifestyle could allow for- and for them both there'd been a lotof emotional moments. Parker'd had a hard time dealing with what her fatherhad done, but never shown it around Jarod. He'd had enough to deal with.Even now, he wasn't completely over it--Parker doubted he ever would be,but at least he could move on, accept the past.

A bellboy arrived to take her bags, and she followed him downstairs.Outside, streetlights came on as the stars appeared. She walked into theGarden Lounge, and spotted Jarod at the bar, slowly stirring his cappaccino.

"This seat taken?" she smiled, sitting down next to him. She orderedcoffee from bartender, then turned her attention back to him. "My cab willbe here in five minutes to take me to the train station."

"Sure you don't want me to go with you?"

"No," she said, looking fondly out past the open French doors to thesmall garden that his room had overlooked; the air was filled with softclassical music wafting from speakers hidden behind trees at each corner."I'd rather say goodbye here."

He nodded, and put his spoon down. "It's gonna seem weird, going backto the real world after all of this."

"Yeah," she agreed cautiously. Slipping something from her jacket pocket,she added, "Jarod, are you sure that you're ready?"

"Have to go sooner or later, and the more time I spend here is lesstime spent helping others."

"Maybe...you could start off somewhere good; you know, where you'llbe reminded about the happier side of reality?"

He gave her a confused glance. "What do you suggest?"

"A little time in the country." She revealed what was in her hand--ahandheld tape recorder. She pressed play, and placed it on the bar.

>From the tape came a small, excited voice. "Hi, Jarod!"

He gave the recorder, then Parker, a surprised look.

"Samantha?"

The recording continued. "I'm so excited about your visit. Miss Parkersays you aren't really decided yet, but I know you'll come. Hey, if youhurry, you can meet my new friend, Julia! Oh, and I've got so much stuffplanned--we can ride the horses -I have a brown pony named Penny- and playin the river and you can check out my new treehouse and..." The hyper voicecontinued on.

Parker stopped the tape with a smile. "They've moved into this greatcountry estate in Quebec," she explained. "Her parents were more than happyto have you come for a visit. And I figured, what better, than time withone of your successful pretends."

"Parker, I...Thank you."

"Hey, you've earned it." She glanced down at her watch. "I'd bettermake sure that all my bills were taken care of this morning. Back in amoment." She walked off.

Jarod watched her go with a thoughtful look, then spotted an old-fashionedjukebox behind the bar. "Excuse me," he called to the bartender, "but doesthat still work?"

Parker returned a moment later and, spotting Jarod out in the garden,joined him. He turned to her. "Dance with me?"

Nodding consent, she moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around hisneck as he placed his loosely on her waist. As she leaned near, pressinga cheek against his, Jarod gave a small wave to the bartender, who movedto the jukebox.

The antique lamp posts lit up, bathing them in soft light. Under a blanketof stars, among the flower beds, they danced slowly on the cobblestonepath. As the classical music was interrupted by the beginning of a newsong, Parker pressed closer, closing her eyes and letting herself becomeengulfed in the moment. And, when she heard the new song, Parker smiledas she realized the title: Return to Innocence.
 
 
 
 

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Night To Remember