Robert Walker - Primal Instinct

“ Message, ma'am. Western Union.”

“ Slip it under the door.”

She watched the envelope creep into the room. What the hell's this, she wondered, word from Zanek? Maybe the long-awaited and too late apology from Alan Rychman? “Thank you, got it,” she said through the door.

But she let it lay where it was and started back for bed when the phone rang.

“ Christ,” she sleepily muttered, lifting the receiver.

“ Jess? It's me. Jim.” Where the hell've you been she silently screamed, but only said, “Where… where are you?”

“ I'm in the lobby. Can I come up?”

“ It's late Jim, and I'm booked on an early morning flight.”

“ I'm sorry I disappeared on you, Jess, but-”

She unnecessarily shook her head, saying, “That's all right. Jim. We both knew this day was… inevitable.”

“ Honey, listen, I…”

“ I'm hanging up now, Jim, and I think we ought to make a clean break of it here and now. You and I are going to be too far apart to ever… really… to…”

“ Jess, the State Department's asked us to stand down on the Kowona case.”

“ What?”

“ They've asked us to comply with the wishes of the nationals. To let it alone.”

“ Well, that's good… actually…” Jessica imagined all that might have happened to Kaniola, Awai, Chief Kowona and his followers if the U.S. Government had actually decided to investigate. In fact, she wondered if she'd come out unscathed in such a review if anyone with the know-how were to go through her autopsy reports with a fine-toothed comb. Would they then prosecute Jim and her, according to the letter of the law? The thought rubbed her nerves raw. She feared more for Jim than herself, however, and somehow this made her breathe easier. Perhaps, if she had to, she could be something other than an M.E. and an FBI agent. The fact that she could let go if she wanted to offered its own reward and peace, and the fact that she cared more about Jim's jeopardy than her own was uplifting, hopeful and inspiring. Maybe she could love someone completely and without reservation as she had once before.

Just hearing his voice had put her at ease. “Come up. I'll put some coffee on, and you can tell me all about it.”

She sleep-walked about the room, lifted the Western Union envelope off the floor and found the coffee-makings in the kitchen area. She was halfway through the fixings when his knock came at the door. She went directly to him, and helplessly they fell into one another's arms.

“ You must be stone tired,” he told her. “I know I am. Forget the coffee.” He gently took her into his arms and returned her to the bed, where she could not have resisted him if she had wished. He tenderly kissed her and caressed her forehead and ran his fingers through her thick, auburn hair. “Just rest, just rest,” he chanted.

“ I'm worried about promises we made to Kaniola and Kowona.”

“ Me, too, but for all intents and purposes, Jess, it's out of our hands.”

“ This could cause a terrible new rupture in race relations here. Do they know that?”

“ Nobody knows more than our guys just how sensitive the situation is, Jess. Leave it alone. It's in capable hands. The higher-ups've had their eye on the case from day one.”

“ Yeah, I guess they have.” She momentarily thought of Paul Zanek.

“ Things are mellow.”

“ I'm just afraid for you, Jim,” she admitted. “This could cost you big time if the details leak out.”

“ They're not going to. Now quit worrying.”

“ God, I wish we could just go back to Maui… hide out there…”

He kissed her, remembering their night on the isolated black sand beach in Maui. She passionately returned his kiss.

“ One good thing'll come of this,” he said into her ear.

“ Oh?”

“ Could mean you'll stay on longer?” It was a wishful question.

“ Maybe… maybe I just will.”

They embraced, kissing until she felt as weak as a feather drifting in the trades. She trembled childlike at his touch.

“ Make love to me, Jim, and sleep with me tonight. I don't want to be alone.”

Wordlessly, he obeyed and the sound of the surf outside kept cadence with their lovemaking.

What's another night of uncertainty, she told herself.

Dawn. July 22, the Rainbow Tower. Honolulu

The Hawaii dawn crept into their private world, awakening Jessica first. She turned to find Jim beside her, fast asleep. Now, she thought, I can see straight to make that coffee.

But first she stepped onto the balcony and surveyed the inviting expanse of ocean outside. How wonderful it would be to go on a pleasure dive or another excursion to one of the islands she hadn't as yet seen with Jim. She knew he'd love the idea, but she also wondered if she dared hang on here longer. She wondered, too, if she dared tell Zanek where to go when she next heard from him; wondered if she dared quit the bureau, remain here with Jim Parry, remain in paradise, made the safer for her being here. Wondered finally if the HPD needed a good forensics person on staff, or better yet on call, so she could have more time to wander the beaches. Maybe that young fellow who worked for the county here had the right idea: spend more time outside instead of inside the lab.

She wandered back into the room and went toward the kitchen area to make that coffee.

As she did so, she passed the Western Union envelope where it lay, still dangling on the ledge. She now lifted it and placed it beside her as she put the coffee together. It was a simple Mr. Coffee and the brew was bubbling in no time, sending out an aromatic wake-up call to Jim. Already, she'd missed her flight from Oahu, but she'd call later and book anew, maybe… It all depended on Jim.

She began peeling open the Western Union envelope along the dotted line, watching Jim turn over at the same moment, his fingertips groping, trying to find her.

She pretended indifference, looking into her correspondence instead. She turned out the tight folds of the paper and read the typed message, someone having no doubt paid extra for the red ink:

Warm thy blood Hawaii.

Make ready for T.

Make it good and tasty.

More better for me… Teach

Her mind and stomach crossed in a dizzying somersault as she gulped down a palpable fear. No, it's impossible; can't be, she argued with herself. If this is Alan Rychman's idea of a joke, she'd send him a response he wouldn't soon forget. But then she immediately knew better. Alan was not so callous as to sign off as the maniac who had cut her. Teach Matisak. But who? Matisak? Christ, how could he have gotten out a Western Union from the federal pen in-”What's 'at?” asked Parry, interrupting her thoughts.

— unless that idiot Dr. Arnold wired it for him, she silendy guessed.

“ What the devil is it, Jess… Jess?” Jim stood tall and lean in his underwear.

“ Sure, that's the only explanation,” she said aloud, almost convinced, almost relieved. “What're you going on about?” Parry remained confused.

“ Look at this crap. Do you believe they'd let a psycho like Matt Matisak send a Western Union to me here!”

“ Must be somebody's idea of a sick joke. Look at the origin. Where'd it originate from?” He was instantly alert, his face creased with anger. “Let me see it.”

He examined the origin of the message. “Says here Norman, Oklahoma. You know anybody in Oklahoma?”

“ No, no one.”

The phone rang and the coffee was perked at the same time. Get the coffee,” she said. “I'll see who that is.”

“ Right, sure.”

“ Coran,” she said into the phone.