CHAPTER FOUR
McKinnon was staring transfixed at her. Come to think of it, he had cause. To suddenly stop driving, ask him to be quiet and then sit back with her eyes shut, must make him think she was losing her sanity.
"Can I ask what that was all about?" He was still staring at her, a frown wrinkling his brow.
Before she could form an answer, she saw his expression change and heard him swear. The SUV was filled with an unearthly roaring, and as they watched, trees slammed down into the road in front of them. The car rocked in the force of the wind and rain, as it drove against them. Turning to look behind, she couldn't see a thing. The windows were streaming with water and the roar of the wind was deafening.
Looking over at McKinnon, she saw the white line around his mouth and his clenched fist as it rested on the dash. Feeling sudden compassion for him, she placed her hand on his thigh for a moment. "It's okay, McKinnon. We won't be harmed."
"How can you know that? Why aren't you terrified? Why did you stop the car when you did? We almost got wiped out." His words came out jerky and grim at the same time.
"I can't explain it right now. Maybe later. Just believe me that we're going to be safe. The storm won't touch us." She quickly withdrew her hand from his thigh.
As though to give credence to her words, the rain began to slacken, and the wind came in bursts. With visibility now returned, they looked out and couldn't believe the devastation around them. Large trees and small had been uprooted and were flung every which way, some in front of the car, some behind it, but none touching it. They could see a swath cut through the bush and it seemed to part, and go around the car, then continue on. McKinnon stared at her for long moments. He looked outside again at the destruction and then looked back at her. "I don't know what you did just now, but I have a feeling I owe you my life. How did you know you should stop the car? I didn't hear a thing."
"Please don't ask me right now, McKinnon. I don't have time. I have to let my mother know I'm okay. No interruptions, please."
"You can't do that. We don't have a phone signal here."
"Please, no questions." Once more, she did her deep breathing, cleared her mind, and concentrated on sending her mother the knowledge that she was safe. Letting the thought go, she waited a few seconds until she felt the message had been received, then opened her eyes, only to see him staring at her again.
"Are you a witch?"
"No, McKinnon. I'm not a witch. And I really will try to explain later. But right now, I think we should try to figure out what to do next. Unless I'm mistaken, we're going to be here for some time, like maybe all night."
Opening the car door, he stepped out and looked around. The rain had stopped as quickly as it had come, and only a few gusts of wind swirled around him. Charly got out and looked around too. It was unbelievable. The road was blocked in both directions, with many fallen trees, and she knew they wouldn't be able to clear it.
"I'm afraid your estimation of the situation is right, Miss Benson. We'll be here for the night." He didn't look in the least happy at the prospect.
Knowing it would be a long night in the confines of her small SUV, Charly suggested they stay outside for a while and stretch their legs while they could. The storm had abated totally, although there was still a low cloud cover moving rapidly overhead.
"Let's climb over the trees and have a look at the road on the other side. Are you game?"
She challenged him with the question, knowing it was a bit unfair because he was again wearing dress pants, shirt, tie, blazer and loafers.
"Oh yes, I'm game, Miss Benson. Let's go."
Progress was slow as they tried to make their way over and under and around trunks and branches of trees. Some still had roots attached with earth clinging to them, torn from the ground like matchsticks. Finally crawling through to the far side of the blockage, they stood looking up the road to another mess of trees in the distance, also blocking the road.
"One night here may be a slightly optimistic estimate, Miss Benson." McKinnon had his hands in his pockets and, as she was just behind him, she had a good chance to admire his firm hips, the material of his trousers stretched tightly across them.
Moving up beside him, she suggested hopefully, "Maybe the other side isn't so badly blocked. Want to come and see?"
"Why not? There really isn't much else to do. Besides, we're already quite wet from climbing around this mess. Or hadn't you noticed?"
She hadn't, not until he mentioned it. And suddenly Charly began to wonder at the wisdom of her actions. The temperature had dropped considerably with the arrival of the tornado and it would be a long night. Making their way back to the car was a bit easier and once there, she changed her mind about exploring further. In fact, the car was beginning to seem like a better place to be, with every passing minute.
Once inside, she started the engine and turned the heater on full power. Then she fiddled with the radio until she found the Belleville station. As news of the devastation reached them, they listened in silence, each wondering and worrying about their own family and friends. The reports made no mention of the Isle. Most of the damage was to the northeast end of the city and outlying areas. There had been no fatalities reported as yet and, on the whole, it seemed less severe than the Barrie tornado.
"Well, I guess I can assume my property is safe. What about your family?"
"South west end of the city. I imagine they're safe if they were at home."
"Well, Miss Benson, where would you like to dine this evening? I was going to take you out to dinner to celebrate your new position as our Farm Inspector, but it looks like that will have to wait. By the way, you are good at your job and you will be an asset to the company. My apologies for the rough time I gave you the other day, but there were extenuating circumstances."
"Apologies accepted and I thank you. Getting this position means a great deal to me, Mr. McKinnon, and I won't let you or the company down. As to dinner, all is not lost."
Climbing out of the SUV, she went to the back and removed her 'care' package, as she called it. Her Dad had presented it to her when she had bought the vehicle and she had carried it around ever since. There was an auto rug, a sleeping bag, and a box. She tossed the rug and sleeping bag into the second seat and carried the box back to the driver's seat with her.
"This is one advantage of being an only child and female. Fathers tend to worry more and be more protective."
Shutting off the car engine, she took out four cans of drinks - grape, V-8, apple and orange. Next was a large bottle of dried fruit and nuts, and lastly, another large bottle jammed with granola bars, still in their wrappers.
"Dinner is served, Mr. McKinnon. If there's any danger that we'll be here much beyond breakfast, we'll have to conserve this stuff, but at least we won't go hungry. Sorry I can't provide a hot meal."
"Believe me, Miss Benson, this looks like a royal feast. I'm not very good at going to bed hungry. By the way, can you drop the Mr. McKinnon and call me T. G.? Formality seems a bit ludicrous under the circumstances, don't you think?"
Glancing at him, she was surprised to see a genuine smile lighting his face. The change in him was quite remarkable, as though the storm had released him from some emotional prison.
"As you wish, T. G., although I've been thinking of you as McKinnon for three days now, so I may slip once in a while."
"Just McKinnon? No Mr.? How unprofessional, Miss Benson!"
Not only smiling, but almost actually flirting. Wow! He's coming to life with a vengeance.
"Which kind of juice would you like, T. G.?" she asked, and smiled when he chose the grape.
"Maybe I can imagine it's a very young wine. And you?"
"Oh, I'm definitely a V-8 person. If I had made up this box, it would have been all V-8. Although I suppose one could get tired of that, given a long enough period of isolation. And that reminds me; I must have a word with dear old Dad.
By putting this stuff in my car, he set up the expectation of my becoming stranded and maybe even caused it. He should know better at his age. Oh well, I guess I can forgive him this time."
"I won't pretend to understand what you just said, Charly, but I thank your dad from the bottom of my heart. I'm starving."
"Why don't you remove your tie, unbutton a couple of buttons on that shirt, and act like you are home by your fire, relaxing?" Shaking a handful of fruit and nuts out for herself, she offered him the jar, adding, "You do have a fireplace at home, don't you?"
"I do, yes. But how did you know that?"
"Because you look like a fireplace person." Popping a cashew in her mouth, she watched as he pulled off the tie and stuffed it into his blazer pocket. He unbuttoned three buttons on his shirt, giving her a glimpse of a hair-darkened chest and a gold chain gleaming at his neck. Finding their relationship changing a little too rapidly for her liking, Charly began to ask him questions about the company she now worked for. He answered freely enough, until she came to one that threw him.
"Why did your last inspector leave, T. G.?"
She felt him stiffen beside her before the question was completed and knew somehow she had entered forbidden territory. He was silent for so long she was sure he wasn't going to answer, then began to speak.
"He was fired. You see, Miss Benson, he was spending time inspecting my dear wife when he was supposed to be out inspecting farms. When he left, she went with him. End of story."
"Oh, McKinnon, I'm sorry. I wouldn't have dreamed of asking if I'd known." Charly wished with all her heart that she'd done some research into the directors before now. She felt as though she were a Peeping Tom, looking into his life in a way that was none of her business.
"Don't be sorry, Charly. I'm only telling you this because you're going to hear it from someone else, and I'd like you to know the truth. The marriage was a mistake from the start. We were both too young and didn't have any idea what we were getting into. I wanted children, she wanted to party. He wasn't the first man she'd had an affair with, but it was the first time she was so blatantly indiscreet."
He chewed on a piece of dried apple, then continued, "Anyway, we've been divorced for a year now, and except for the anger that remains at her betrayal, I'm much happier living alone."
Tearing the wrapper from a granola bar, he bit a chunk off, then asked, "What about that diamond on your left hand? I've bared my soul. Now it's your turn. Besides, I have an idea about it and I'd like to know if I'm right."
Charly shifted slightly to try and get more comfortable. Damn small vehicles anyway!