Time, Death & Scar Tissue...

3. The Hunter and the Hunted

Kathryn found herself thinking about Lucien LaCroix often in the next couple of days, more than she thought was entirely logical for someone she had just met. It was a nice conversation, even if it had been plagued by interruptions. Leaving a card wasn't something she would have done at all if he hadn't seemed interested. The number was actually her number. That was a rare thing for her to give out, but he seemed to know who she was anyway and she didn't get the impression that he would be sharing that knowledge with anyone. She couldn't remember the last time that she was so anxious for the phone to ring. At least this was movie night. Corey would be over soon with some kind of take-out and DVDs of new releases she thought Kathryn just HAD to see. Kathryn liked the companionship in the evening, but the movies she could have done without.

Corey, who couldn't remember much of anything after their arrival at the club, had been shocked that Kathryn had not only met someone, but that she wanted to see him again. She claimed Kathryn had never had a date that wasn't set up by someone else, and those all ended badly. That wasn’t completely accurate, but the fact was that one date was usually her limit. There had been two exceptions, both times Kathryn had been the one to sever the association. She accepted that she wasn’t a social butterfly, and she consoled herself by saying that twenty-three was hardly an old maid anymore.

“He call yet?” Corey asked over General Tso's chicken. Just the question made her think about it all over again.

“No, and I really don't think he will.” Kathryn said, trying to sound nonchalant about the whole thing.

“So, you call him.” Corey grabbed the phone book and started flipping the pages. “What did you say his name was? I know it was something weird. It started with an “L” didn't it?”

“It does. And he's unlisted, I already checked.” Kathryn said with a small smile.

“Well the club has to be-”

“Nope. Checked that too.” Corey laughed and set the book aside.

“I'm impressed. You must have really liked this guy.” Corey actually looked a bit shocked as she sat down again.

“It was a really nice time. At least I didn't feel like I was boring him to tears. That's a plus.” Kathryn laughed a little and spooned some more pork fried rice out of the paper carton.

“Then we should go back. You can be on the hunt for once.”

Kathryn laughed out loud.

“I don't think I'm much of a hunter. Besides, nothing is clicking with the new book. Everything I start on seems to die after a few paragraphs.”

The knock at the door startled both women. Kathryn's house stood in a quiet neighborhood of mostly elderly people. While she knew and was friendly with most of her neighbors, no one usually dropped by after nine at night. Kathryn slipped a paring knife into her sweater pocket and opened the door only as far as the security chain would allow.

“Miss Paige?” The clean-cut young man on her porch asked.

“Who's asking?” She replied.

“Just a messenger.” He smiled benignly and handed her an ivory colored envelope through the narrow opening, then disappeared into the darkness.

“Who was it?” Corey asked.

“A messenger, or so he said.” Kathryn noticed that the paper of the envelope was unusually heavy and very fine. It reminded her of some that her great-grandmother had kept for 'letters of importance'. He name was written on the front in somewhat large, elegant script. The flap had been sealed with red wax.

“What kind of messenger works at nine at night?” Corey asked, looking a little nervous herself.

“I don't know, but let’s find out.” Kathryn said, getting ready to break the seal.

“You're not going to just open it are you?” Corey said.

“Well I can't read it if it's still closed, now can I? Besides, it's too small to be a bomb.”

“Maybe it's anthrax.” Corey was looking at the envelope as if it were something menacing.

“Why would anyone want to send ME anthrax? Honestly, you have some of the strangest ideas sometimes.” Kathryn broke the seal and took out two folded sheets of the same quality paper. Satisfied that there were no explosions to come, Corey looked over her shoulder.

“What is that? It's not English.” She said.

“No, it's Latin.” Kathryn flushed with pleasure and read slowly, absorbing the meaning of each line. Corey, on the other hand, was bouncing around the room, begging to know what it said, who it was from and all the other details that Kathryn wasn't ready to give. She kept her back to her excited friend until she got to the simple one initial signature.

“It's from him.” She said finally, smiling a little.

“You told him your weird language thing?” Corey asked, looking horrified.

“I did, and apparently it didn't make him want to run for the hills.” Kathryn was too happy to be offended.

“Well, don't keep me in suspense. What does it say?”

“He wants to meet again the day after tomorrow. I have to have a response ready for his messenger tomorrow night.” There was a bit more, a few compliments and a line that she wasn't quite able to understand in her excitement, but Corey didn't really need to know all of that.

“Are you going? What are you going to wear? Wait a minute, where are you going? Why didn't he just call instead of making you wait all this time?” Kathryn waited for the flood of questions to end before trying to answer any of them.

“Yes, I'm going. I'll be wearing clothes. I'll be in a private part of the club and he didn't call because he thought writing would be more personal.” Kathryn knew she was smiling and blushing but she was far too happy to care, she also wondered where he had gotten her address. Maybe she would ask him. “Movie time?”

“I'll come over and help you get ready.” Corey said.

“At my age I think I can get dressed on my own.” Kathryn laughed and slipped the two sheets carefully back into the envelope.

“Oh come on Kat! You know I always help you get ready when you go out.” Kathryn could tell that she was just itching to be involved, but for right now she wanted to have a bit of privacy about all this.

“I know you do, but I think I should be able to dress myself for drinks with a man without someone giving me instructions. Please?” Kathryn gave her a sweet smile and Corey relented.

“Okay, but you have to tell me all the details when you get home.”

“Deal.” Kathryn smiled broadly. “Now, is it movie time?”

Kathryn had no real interest in the movies, but at least Corey would be quiet and she could begin to formulate her response to the letter. She had thought of simply responding in English but dismissed the idea immediately. He had taken the trouble to have a message sent to her in Latin, she would respond in kind and hope he would be able to get it translated in time, if he needed to.

The next evening the same messenger arrived around nine again, and she gave him her carefully prepared response. The stationery wasn't as fine and she had no wax seal, but it was not a bad effort.

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LaCroix smiled appreciatively as he read her response. He hadn't anticipated her responding in Latin, but then this one seemed to be full of surprises. She was more competent with the language than she gave herself credit for, but there were a few flaws. He wouldn't bring them up of course, she might wonder where and how he had acquired such an intimate knowledge. If there was anything he knew for certain already it was that this one had a quick mind. The evening would be enjoyed in a variety of ways, by him anyway.