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  She went back inside and took a long shower. Found some clean sheets and stripped her mother’s bed. Once the bed was made to her satisfaction she crawled under the covers and lay there looking up at the ceiling. She didn’t much like her new name. Karla Wassenbaum. She had never told anyone that Wassenbaum was her name before she changed it to Clark, and it was a good thing she kept her mother and her sister under wraps the whole time she was working as an actor. It would take the police awhile to figure things out, especially since she had committed her crime in Washington State. By then she would be in a tropical paradise on an extended vacation. Hello, my name is Karla Wassenbaum. What a god-awful name! She slipped into a dreamless sleep.

  Next morning she woke up feeling refreshed and eager to start her new life. She hauled the suitcase full of meat to a Safeway and dumped it into the trash behind the store. Then she went inside and bought a padlock for the freezer. She returned to her mother's house and locked up the freezer and the house. She adjusted the scarf around her neck and went next door to talk to Mandy. She put on her saddest expression when the neighbor answered the door.

  "Hi, Mandy. I'm Karla, Mary's daughter from next door?"

  Mandy, an overweight woman in her late fifties, squinted through thick glasses at her. "Oh, yes of course. How are you?"

  "Not so good. I have some bad news." Karen sniffed and pretended to struggle with her next words, "My mom passed away two days ago. She had a massive stroke."

  "Oh, no!" One of Mandy's fat hands came up to her mouth. "I saw the ambulance, but since I hadn't heard anything I assumed um…that everything was okay."

  Karen realized that this woman had heard about her sister and when she saw the ambulance had thought Karla was overdosing again.

  "It's not okay," she sobbed.

  Mandy put her arms around her and Karen could smell her sweat through the tatty blue sweater she was wearing.

  "I'm so sorry, is there anything I can do? I liked your mother a lot. We were friends."

  Sensing that she was about to break down, Karen stepped back and said quickly, as if she couldn't bear to speak, "I'm going to visit my uncle in Texas, he's the only one I've got now." She watched Mandy for any knowledge of a twin sister, but the woman's face was completely blank.

  "I'll be gone for a few weeks, maybe more. I'm taking her ashes so me and my uncle can scatter them in her favorite place. Could you keep an eye on the house? I've locked it up and left a light on, I'll be back after the New Year."

  "Of course, dear, I'm so sorry about your mother. I will miss her."

  "Thanks so much!" Karen left Mandy standing on the porch. She walked around the side of the house and got into the Ford. She started the car, turned the wheel a hard right, and drove right over the sidewalk onto the street, out of sight from Mandy's prying eyes. "Mexico," she said, "here I come."

  A policeman came to Nina’s hospital room the next morning and took her statement. One of the officers at the scene had picked up her purse and it was returned to her. They had an APB out on Karen but so far no one had seen her. The cop asked several questions about Karen and the whole story poured out. When Joseph heard the details of Karen’s attack a deep, dark anger took root in his mind. The cop took down all the information they had on Karen, including Joseph’s knowledge of a twin sister, a heroin addict, who might be hard to find, the guy at the gate who refused to let Nina into the housing development where Joseph lived, and the unknown man who had called Nina to warn her about Karen.

  "We’ll alert the proper authorities in Los Angeles," the cop said, "and do our best to find her. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that you need to be very aware of your surroundings. If you see anything suspicious, or if you can think of any other information we might need, call us immediately." The cop laid a card with a number on Nina’s bed tray and left.

  Joseph gave Nina a kiss and said, "I’m going to make some calls, I’ll be right outside."

  In the hallway Joseph's phone rang before he could place a call. It was Peter.

  "Joseph, Karen was in my office the other day and when your name came into the conversation she became very agitated and left here on a tear, saying something about revenge."

  "Yes, she was here in Seattle." Joseph quickly explained what had happened.

  "I should have called sooner! She's insane!"

  "Don't worry about that. What I would like you to do is give me the name of a reputable security firm here in Washington."

  "Right away! And I do feel responsible. I told her that you two were expecting a child and this might have put her over the edge. She’s obviously had a break from reality," Peter said.

  "Peter," Joseph said, "we all thought she had given up. Everything is my fault. I’m the one who dated her for two years, and I should have called the police after I found out what she did in Las Vegas. You could help by alerting every one of what she's done and that she's wanted by the police."

  "Consider it done. I've got some great head shots that I can post online. And I will arrange for a bodyguard at the hospital immediately, and please, Joseph, let me foot the bill on this one."

  "Okay, Peter. I'll keep you posted."

  Joseph made calls to his sister and his parents. They insisted on coming on the next available flight, as he knew they would. Gather the forces, he thought and walked down the hall to the nurse’s station. He informed them about a bodyguard and gave explicit instructions on who would be allowed to visit Nina, and who would be allowed to see the baby. Then he stepped back into the hospital room.

  Nina looked at him questioningly.

  "No one is ever going to hurt you again," he said.

  Neil Joseph Walker grew stronger and the breathing tube and IV were removed. He was kept in the NICU for three days and the proud parents spent most of the time there holding and feeding him. Nina had little choice but to bottle feed. With two handicapped arms it was going to be hard enough. This way both she and Joseph spell each other on the feedings.

  John and Linda Walker arrived at the hospital and it was decided that they would stay a few days and then come back at Christmas. They were a distinguished looking couple in their late sixties, both tall and thin like their children and, after an initial reserve, they warmed up nicely to Nina and fell completely in love with their grandson. Laura also showed up with armfuls of gifts for the baby and a gorgeous bouquet of white roses tied with blue ribbon. The room started to look like a flower shop.

  They got an unexpected surprise when Trevor, the guy that drove Joseph when he first came to Seattle, showed up at the hospital as Nina's bodyguard.

  "When I heard it was you I volunteered," Trevor said. "I was there at the beginning, and thought it was only fitting that I should be the one to protect you."

  "I'm glad to see you." Nina held his hand and something passed between them. Trevor wouldn't let anything happen to her. Strong and capable, he took up a position outside her door and Nina was able to relax.

  Four days after she entered the hospital, carts of flowers and gifts followed Nina and her little son on their way out. Joseph put Neil into his infant car seat and Trevor drove them home behind the wheel of black Cadillac Escalade. They pulled into the drive at the house to see a bright blue banner strung across the front door reading "Welcome Home".

  Nina looked at Joseph. "Trish?"

  "And Laura." Joseph winked.

  The house had been decorated with blue and silver balloons and streamers. A crowd of people greeted the couple as they entered. In a corner of the dining room was a stack of gifts that reached almost the ceiling. Cake and chilled champagne were set out on the table. Everyone in her family, Joseph's family and everyone from the club were all there to celebrate the safe arrival of their son.

  Trish came up to her. "I hope you're not too tired. Laura and I wanted to give you the baby shower you never had."

  "No, Trish." Nina felt tears threatening. "Stupid hormones! I cry at the drop of a hat."

  Joseph passed Neil to his moth
er and he and Laura poured champagne for everyone.

  Nina took a glass. "I'd like to propose a toast! To the first drink I've had in six months!" She waited until the laughter died down. "Seriously, everyone I love is in this room." Her eyes met Josephs. "I'm so lucky and so grateful to have you all in my life. Neil will grow up with a great bunch of people. To Neil!"

  "To Neil!" they chorused.

  Laura stayed on in the house for an extended visit and became more and more like a sister to Nina. Trish had postponed her trip to Puerto Vallarta in order to be by Nina's side. She convinced Lamont to come and stay in Seattle for the time being. Joseph's parents were over every day for their four day visit, and then flew home with a promise to return soon. Plans were tentatively made for a March wedding in Michigan. The New Years Eve party was cancelled and Nina and Joseph settled into the routine of a newborn with all the feedings and burpings and diapers and sleepless nights. They adored their son, who flourished under their loving care. Joseph started calling him NJ and the name stuck.

  As the days passed and Nina physically healed, the trauma of her experience faded from her mind. There was Trevor, who came in the afternoon and stayed every night, and another bodyguard named Eric, who arrived early every morning to take over from Trevor. They accompanied her everywhere she went. They were good guys, and became like one of the family. But their continued presence reminded her that Karen was still out there. Every day she waited for news that Karen was caught and in custody. Until then she would never be completely at ease. She would never feel safe. She would always feel that Karen was watching her. Waiting for a chance to finish the job.

  THE END

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