Till Dark

Releasing a long shaky breath she turned on the tap for a long soothing bath, after which she planned for a peaceful nap. The day's events kept Jordan's mind reeling as the bubbles soothed her aching muscles. "She tried to remember the details of events leading up to the explosion in the alley. The police had informed her that the explosion was set off by someone close by and that it had been aimed directly at her, and that, she was lucky to be alive. Her only thought was Andy. Why would Andy be trying to kill me? she asked herself. The restaurant, where she had eaten that morning with Clark, had burned nearly to the ground from the explosion. Officer Neil, who was head of the investigation, had put out an APB on Andrew Nichols since he had been the only one Jordan had seen just before the explosion. Unfortunately he had seemed to vanish from sight. This bit of information made Jordan cringe inside. Jordan thought about calling her friend and telling her everything but she would just insist that Jordan come home immediately or fly down to rescue her. She prayed Alex wouldn't see it on the six o'clock news and come try to rescue her. She loved her best friend but the last thing she needed was to have her arrive half-crazy with worry with Cody in tow. "No! I have to deal with this. If someone were trying to kill me they would not stop just because I left the island. They might want me dead bad enough to follow me home. I can't put Cody in that kind of danger or Alex for that matter." Officer Neil had suggested that she stay close to the hotel tonight as there would be extra Officers assigned to the area. That was just what she intended to do, for tonight anyway, but in the morning she would make a point to be up early and examine the alley herself. The police would have it roped off and she would be able to see things just as they had been when it first happened. Still a bit shaken Jordan dragged herself from the now cool water and slipped a pair of lavender colored velvet sleep shorts on with a matching tank top on and collapsed on the queen sized bed. Sleep took her almost before she could pull the flowery comforter over her.

Night blanketed the room in dark secrecy and the moon shown through the open window spilling light onto Jordan's face. She sat up slowly so as not to hurt herself and tried to make her eyes focus. The red lights of her bedside clock said seven - thirty. She looked around sleep dazed for a moment and then gasped "Oh no! Clark will be here any minute!" She jumped out of bed on shaky legs and rushed to the closet, where she had hung several outfits, and searched for her dark blue dress. Finally locating it, she quickly stripped the shorts and tank top off and slipped the slinky chiffon over her smooth skin. Jordan stood back to look at her reflection in the mirror that hung on the closet door. A fair-haired beauty stared back in a short straight dress with spaghetti straps that crossed in the back. Tanned, smooth legs stretched to the floor. A pair of strappy dark blue heels to completed the look. hurrying into the bathroom she applied some light powder to soften her features and mascara to enhance her large blue eyes. Burgundy lipstick brought her face to life and gave her a very regal almost untouchable appearance. Playing with her hair for a few moments she finally decided to put it into a chignon and pulled a few strands loose at her nape and temples. Satisfied with her handiwork she fished around her toiletry bag for the small box of jewelry and pulled out her favorite pair of gold hoops. Darien had given her the hoops for Christmas the first year they were married and before she knew it tears were falling down her cheeks as the memories came flooding back. She had blocked out all of the pain for so long now she could not be strong anymore so she let out a loud sob as she collapsed to the floor. She and Darien had been high school sweethearts and then went to college together where she became an accountant and he a lawyer. Their lives had been blessed with the birth of their only son Cody, a year after they were married. That's when Jordan had decided to bring her business home. She opened a small practice out of her home she could be with Cody but still have some sort of profession, which was equally important to her. Darien had been the proudest of fathers as if he had given birth to Cody himself and now he would never even see Cody drive or graduate middle school for that matter. She tried to pull herself together but everything seemed to remind her of her husband and the fact that she was nearly killed today didn't help. What happened if this madman had succeeded today? Then Cody would have lost both of them.