Running Scared
(c) 1998 Alicia

Why am I doing this? Shawna Lane stood on the deck of the Escape and watched the Virgin Islands go by. The sea air blew her tawny hair around her face. She felt completely on her own. Uninhibited. Free. Un-bound. She knew instinctively that it was a very dangerous feeling. She wasn’t free, she was in hiding. She wasn’t “unbound,” she had many, many responsibilities awaiting her back in New York. She had a life -a husband- she had everything awaiting her back home. Everything but peace and safety. She was running scared.
Chapter One: Shawna
Shawna had never felt such fear as she had that day when she’d been sitting in David’s Chevy waiting for him to come out of the office building. She’d had her friends drop her off in the parking lot of his office building so she could surprise him when he came out after he finished work. She’d gotten hot, sitting in the sun shining in through the window, so she’d crawled into the back. She laid back on the tiny seat, thinking she would pop up and surprise David when he got in the truck. She was feeling a little drowsy by the time she heard someone fumbling with the lock. It was open, because she’d left it that way. The man who got in was talking to someone else. It wasn’t David’s voice. Shawna’s stomach tightened and her heart began to pound. She tried to scrunch down in the seat without calling attention to herself. She listened, frightened. The men were discussing David. Her David. She knew it was, and yet she tried to deny it when she realized what they were saying about him.
“So he’s seen visiting the messier and other places of dubious reputation. He’s an upright fellow... supposedly. Got a little wife... kids?”
“No,” replied the other man. “Not yet, anyway.” his voice was hard and grated on Shawna’s taut nerves.
“Well, anyway, he’s highly respected. But when this information gets around town, there ought to be some pretty angry, and suspicious people, right?” He was rifling through some papers in the front seat and waved a brochure that had apparently come from the stack Shawna had seen earlier. She saw enough of it to realize what it was advertising. Put simply, a house of adultery.
“Anyway,” the man went on, “then pretty soon it’ll get around town that his business dealings aren’t quite as honest as they ought to be. Before you know it, David Lane isn’t the big business man he used to be.” The man laughed. Shawna could see his black felt hat above the back of the seat. He was about to go on when the other man cut him short. Shawna had been so caught up in the first man’s horrible words that she hadn’t noticed his partner walk over to stand by her window. He’d seen her.
Shawna watched with eyes wide in alarm as the older man leaned into the pickup. “Hello, Mrs. Lane.” His harsh voice made her name -the name she’d been so proud to receive just 3 months ago- seem something to be hated. “And what are you doing back there?” He didn’t wait for an answer. He smirked as he surveyed her. “Too bad you had to hear about your husband from us.”
“I was rather interested in seeing who the wife was, anyway,” put in the man with the black cap. His eyes watched her with something like amusement.
It registered in Shawna’s frightened brain that they were trying to decide why it was that David couldn’t remain loyal to her, even after only three months of marriage. Shawna suddenly sat up straight. “I don’t believe you!” she announced. She wasn’t certain that her own words were true, but she’d been taught that a wife always stands by her husband. No matter what he was accused of.
The older man’s face grew dark. “Listen up, Mrs. Lane; I don’t really care if you believe me or not. But you sure aren’t going to get in the way of David Lane’s punishment.” He glared at her.
She was suddenly frightened again. “What do you mean?” she asked softly.
I mean that you’re leaving. Now.” He nodded at the other man. “Or else we’ll get rid of you another way.”
“What are you talking about?” Shawna gasped. But the younger of the two was already helping her none-too-gently out of the truck.
"We’re going to drive you to the docks. We’re going to put you on an obscure cruise, and you’re going to take a nice unexpected vacation. And while you’re gone, things will take their course. “ He leaned down close to her face. His breath smelled of tobacco. “Without you.”
And so Shawna had left New York. Without a word to her husband, her family, or anyone else. What they must think she could only imagine. And yet there was no way she could return. What was there she could do, anyway? The last thing she wanted was to be caught in the middle of all the ugly rumors about her husband.
The two men...G&J they called themselves... had provided her with ample proof of her husband’s infidelity. Photos, times, dates -it was all there. The only thing she couldn’t find was a reason. Why? Why David? Why after only 3 months of, to her mind, a completely blissful marriage?
And so her fear had turned to anger and confusion. The ship was aptly named but the tour was not. The Virgin Islands. What she was contemplating was about as far from virginity as anything could get.
Chapter Two: David
David Lane didn’t look around much as he walked down the hall of his office building. He was shunned among the honest business workers. Just two weeks ago he’d been an honored part of them. Now he lived his life with nothing but scorn from everyone around him. His business was fading fast. No one wanted to do business with such a disreputable character. And if his own wife had left at the beginning of the whole scandal, for parts unknown, they all thought, it must be true. As for David, he still couldn’t understand what had happened. The proof was so flawless that he was beginning to wonder if he was an extreme yet undiscovered sleepwalker. But surely, under no circumstances, could he be coerced to break all his moral codes in such a despicable sweep. And what about Shawna, his wife of just over three months? Did she really believe that he could have been so faithless to her? And if she did, how had she heard the rumors before everyone else? It frightened David to think about how she’d left without even asking him about the whole thing. What if something had happened to her? He had been so frantic that first day, before all of this started. Her friends said she’d asked to be dropped of at his office after the group had finished a shopping trip. And that was the last they’d seen of her. But no one believed him anymore. They all thought Shawna had left him, and for good reasons.
Chapter Three: The Scam
Shawna couldn’t help wondering if she was being watched as she hurried into the photo lab. After all, G&J wouldn’t have gotten rid of her for sure without being certain she wasn’t getting into trouble, right? But she had to know if it was true. Her love and loyalty were so fierce that she really couldn’t believe that the man she’d married could have betrayed her so. At least, she wouldn’t be able to accept it until she was absolutely certain. Shawna hesitated a moment in her brisk walk towards the counter as she realized that that would mean a confession from her own husband.
The man at the counter smiled as she walked up to him. He looked ready to be of any help as he offered his services. “Yes, I, uh, need ...” Shawna hesitated, realizing how pitiful she was going to sound to this stranger. “Can you tell, somehow, if a photo is, like, real or fake?” She looked at him pleadingly.
He raised his eyebrows, but nodded slowly. “I think I can help you with what you’re needing.”

“If it’s a fake, it’s very good. One of the best, that’s for sure-”
Shawna cut him off. “But there is a chance it’s a fake?” She locked eyes with him.
He eyed her cautiously. “Yes, Mrs. Lane. There’s always a chance.”
Shawna nodded gratefully. Then she glanced over her shoulder, as she had been doing all afternoon. “There’s a man across the street in a sailor’s uniform who’s watching me.” She hesitated. “I don’t know if he’s the only one, or if I have a chance to get away, but... do you think you...?”
He immediately was ready to help her, far and above the service his position called for. “I’ll keep him entertained.” The look in his eyes said he had an idea how to go about it.
“Just long enough for me to get on a plane,” she said. “Thank you so much.”
He nodded. “I’ll call the airport. I have some pull around here.”

David’s lawyer’s name was Ted Williams. He was surprised to see her, especially in the state she was in. Her eyes must have conveyed the fright she’d been through, as well as the desperation she felt now. “Mrs. Lane, where have you been? Listen, if you’ve come to file for a divorce...”
Shawna blinked at him. “You believe it too?” she murmured.
Ted stared at her. “Shawna, you’ve been gone for almost a month without word. There are shocking rumors circulating throughout New York. There’s a hearing tomorrow that is already lost to absolute proof of David’s ethical behavior. As if that weren’t enough, here you-”
“Please, Ted. Don’t give up. We’ve got to try to clear David’s name.” Shawna’s voice was sure. She believed completely in her husband’s innocence.
Ted sank back into his leather chair. “I think you’d better start at the beginning.”

David was definitely at the bottom of his life’s barrel. Everyone was convinced of his guilt, but he’d already known that. Still, at least his lawyer had remained by his side... up until now. It wasn’t that he hadn’t agreed when Ted had said the battle was lost, it was just that he’d dared to hope that justice would prevail like it was supposed to and his innocence would be proved. Because he’d definitely been declared guilty. He had no trouble admitting that the evidence was very compelling. He was grateful, but not exactly relieved, when the door swung open and Ted walked in. Ted sat down beside him and put a firm hand on his shoulder, saying, “Don’t worry, boy, the truth is on the way.” David raised his eyebrows but didn’t have time to question this hopeful statement because the hearing began.
Those that had once respected David’s business talent and honesty had requested a very small, private hearing, for which Shawna was thankful. Old friends were there, as well as her family. Shawna was glad to see them but thankful they didn’t notice her slip into the back of the room with Officer Rutledge.
David watched hopefully as Ted stood to speak. New evidence had come to his attention that proved without doubt the innocence of his client (surprised murmuring) ...and if everyone would be patient, he would explain. After he was given the go-ahead, Ted said he would like to proceed by calling forward witnesses to testify, and called his first:
“Shawna Lane.”
The shock of the crowd was lost on David as he swiveled to see his wife walking towards the front of the room. Shawna. Here to help him. She hadn’t deserted him after all. He’d never felt such emotion surging through him in all his life. She smiled at him, and his responding one was rather weak from relief.
“Now, as you all know, Mrs. Lane has not been heard from for around three weeks. However, she approached me at my office yesterday and she will now explain how her disappearance came about and what happened to her during her absence.” Ted sat back down.
As David listened to Shawna’s story, he felt no satisfaction at realizing he had been right that Shawna hadn’t left him. He was horrified that she’d been, in effect, kidnapped, right in front of his office. He realized that she’d had her own doubts about his fidelity, yet had overcome them. And he was amazed at the complexity of the smear campaign launched against him. G&J Smitty, well known, police officer Rutledge testified, as professional con men, had been hired by Thomas Lithman, a former business associate of David’s to bring the latter to his knees. Apparently Mr. Lithman was so bitter about his self-caused fall from the world of business that he wanted to avenge himself on David, who’s increasing success in the business was quite apparent. G&J had been planting evidence (while gloating over their plan) in David’s truck when Shawna overheard them. After identifying the two men, it had been a simple matter for Ted and the police to trace their activities to one of their old spots of business, a photo lab that did a little faking in it’s spare time.
When the hearing was over and David walked out a cleared man, he still could hardly believe it. “Shawna,” he said huskily, turning to her, but without the words he wanted to say. She smiled and reached up to put her arms around his neck. “Don’t say anything, darling; I know. I love you.”
“I love you,” he replied. They’d both found their way through the fear and doubts and confusion, on their own, true, but becoming more sure of each other -and themselves- in the process. The whole long affair was really over, and life... and their marriage ...could get back to normal, but even stronger than before.

--- The End ---

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