Chapter 4
“You’re from where?� Stuart asked as he and Charlie sat down on the couch. Stuart couldn’t stop staring at the woman.
“I am from the future, 2030 to be exact,� Amber told him. “I found a time portal to the year 2001, Stuart, from the notes you discarded.�
Stuart and Charlie exchanged glances.
“And you found the new portal by using my calculations?�
Amber nodded. Now she wasn’t so sure that coming back here was the right idea.
“And was there a reason you came back here?�
“Yes, there are several, but the main reason was to share my findings with yours and compare our data. According to my calculations, there are several more portals in the East River. I haven’t tried them all and,� she smiled, “one of them is extremely confusing. I came back for your help and advice, Stuart.�
Stuart was speechless. He continued to stand there staring at her.
“You said there were other reasons,� Charlie asked. “Can you tell us about them?�
Amber looked at Charlie and tried not to smile. Here he was and a lot younger than the picture she carried of him.
“Yes, but I don’t think that I…�
There was a knock at the door.
Chapter 5
Stuart walked to the apartment door and opened it. Charlie looked at Amber a moment longer before he turned away.
“May I help you?� he asked, innocently.
“Kate?� the man at the door called out. Standing behind him were two policemen. “Kate McKay, are you in there?�
Stuart shook his head. “I have no idea who you are and I do not particularly like strange people to come barging in my house…�
“Ah, J.J.,� Charlie said, walking over to him. “Remember me? I’m Kate’s brother, Charlie. You know, from that night at the restaurant? How did you get here?�
J.J. smiled. “You, you were the one with Mr. Margarine that night? The one who embarrassed the hell out of me?�
“Just answer me one question,â€Â? Stuart asked. “How did you get here.â€Â?
“I got a hold of the company telephone book.� J.J. said, “It listed the downstairs apartment as Kate’s address.
Somewhere in the back of the room, Bart, Stuart’s dog, began to bark.
“BART!” Stuart called.
“Look, Stuart, or whatever your name is, if you don’t produce Kate McKay in five minutes I will have the two of you arrested on murder charges. Do you understand that?”
“Wait, wait,” a female voice called out, “Stuart, what’s going on here?”