Before The Moon Rises

He knew she stayed with Ritter. Knew there was no way he could claim her on his property. So, here he would wait.

Taking her out from under Ritter would be exactly what Gorman needed to claim his position as head of the pack.

Ritter had plagued him and his like for years. Now, Gorman had a chance of evening the score. Turning the blonde in front of him would give him the leverage he needed to take the title which was rightfully his.

His cell phone rang from the seat next to him, after checking the caller ID, he answered. “Talk!” he ordered.

“They are leaving his place now.”

“They?”

“Yeah, Ritter is with her.”

Gorman let out a curse then mumbled, “Follow them. If they come within a mile of here, call me. And don’t let them see you.” He hung up and sat back.

All he had to do now was wait.

****

“What is this?” Max held a piece of paper in his hand and waved it in front of Janet’s face.

“A grocery list,” she told him.

“Aren’t you going to come in the store with me?”

“No, I want you to drop me off at my dad’s so I can take care of things there.”

“That shouldn’t take very long.” He glared at the list as if it were a foreign concept. He had grumbled about the grocery store stop ever since they left his house.

“You don’t know my dad. When he calls and says he needs me to look after his cat, it’s really his code way of asking... Can you come over and help me pick up around the house?”

“Oh, I see. How long could that take?”

“Long enough for you to pick up a few things at the store.” Janet saw his lip drop into a pout. Damn, it was such a cute pout. “The store is right around the corner, and the list is really small. The sooner we’re finished, the sooner we can get back to your place.” Janet slid her hand over his upper thigh.

“You don’t play fair.”

Lightly tracing the outside of his groin with her fingers she said, “I didn’t hear you complaining.”

Max lowered his sunglasses and put his car in gear. “Let’s get this done.”

****

Max walked around her father’s house, inspected every room before he deemed it safe for her to enter.

“I’ll be fine,” Janet tried to convince him while pushing him out the door.

He glanced around at the busy neighborhood. “I don’t know.”

“You’re trying to get out of going to the store.”

“Well... I tell you what, I’ll help you here, and you help me at the store.”

Shaking her head, Janet gave up and put Max to work cleaning out the litter box. If he wasn’t going to cooperate she would give him the dirty work.

She hated to admit it, but cleaning up her widowed father’s house did go faster with help.

Within a half an hour, they were pushing a cart around the market. The store was an anomaly Max didn’t understand. The produce department had him picking up every vegetable and looking at it as if it came from the moon. Having pity on him, Janet gave him a job. “I’ll pick out the vegetables. You take a look at the meat department and find some steaks.”

“Now we’re talking.” Happily, he scurried off to much safer territory.

He rushed away, past a very attractive brunette, who made a point of smiling his way and flipping her hair. A smile brushed Janet’s lips when Max ignored the other women’s flirtatious gestures.

Surrendering to the happiness that bubbled inside her, she continued to shop with a spring in her step.

After fondling a few apples and bagging three pounds of grapes, Janet worked her way to the back of the store where the organic vegetables were kept.

An employee barged through the swinging doors, which lead to the stock room almost knocking Janet over in his haste. Frightened eyes stared her way with a rushed apology. “I’m sorry, oh God. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Janet told him, straightening her shirt.

“Oh, shit!” The kid turned back to the employee only area, then back to her again. Janet noticed the shake in his hands.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, no. Listen, can you please run to the front of the store and tell someone to call 911. There’s a guy back here who isn’t breathing.” The kid’s eyes bugged out their sockets.

Janet dropped her handful of vegetables. “I’m a nurse. Show me where he is.” Her heart rate jumped as it always did when she knew time was critical.

He walked her in a few feet and pointed to an open door. “He’s in there.”

“You go call the paramedics,” she ordered while she ran in the direction he pointed.

The door was open, but no one was on the floor of the room. There was another door, which she ran to and opened.

Empty.

Frantic, knowing time for the patient was ticking away. Janet scanned the first room again. Boxes were stacked high with very little room for a person to be behind. She searched anyway but found no one. “Where is he?”

Walking back the way she came, Janet heard the creak of a hinge. The weight of someone’s stare burrowed into the back of her head. Hair on her neck stood as the cold bristle of tension wove along her spine. She stopped mid step and swirled around. A cloth covered hand clamped over her mouth and nose in a firm grip. The last thing she remembered before blackness came was the distinct smell of ether.

****

The first thing Max thought when he rounded to corner and saw their cart abandoned with Janet’s purse in the basket was; she thinks I’m the one who doesn’t know anything about grocery stores. Everyone knows not to leave your purse in the cart.

The closer to the cart he moved however, the stronger the smell became. He spun in a complete circle then called her name. He tossed the packages of meat on the russet potatoes and followed her scent. Each step brought his fear for her safety closer.

Her scent mixed with Gorman’s when he passed through the swinging doors. He ran around yanking open doors and calling her name, his search frantic.

Gone.

He ran his hand through his hair searching for clues. There, on the floor outside a small room was a matchbook. On it was an address and the words. “Before the moon rises.”

He snatched the small paper and placed it under his nose. Bile rose in his throat.

Jaw clenched, Max cursed Gorman’s name.

He retrieved her purse, pushed through the crowded store and hopped into his car.

Alone, he flipped open his cell phone and dialed. He started with his parents, and then moved on to the rest.