"I wonder, Tony," she said, just as sweet as can be. "What would you say a machine like the one you're working on is worth?"
Surprisingly, Tony turned and glanced at it, almost casually, as if he were giving it thought. Only there was nothing casual about his reply. "Oh., I don't know. But since everything seems to go pretty cheap around here, I'd say whatever was offered."
Lydia expected a smart answer, but not that, and was all but stunned by the implication, though she managed a laugh of sorts as she said to Bob, "See what I have to put up with?" And they walked on.
Out in the hall, Bob excused himself to go to the men's room, and Lydia pulled Reed aside. "This was a dumb idea," she whispered emphatically. "Really dumb."
"Why? What do you mean? You have him eating out of your hand."
` "Yeah, well I don't care," she said, shaking her head. "You hear me? I don't care." All she could think about was what she'd read in Tony's eyes. What anyone could have read in them. "When we get back upstairs, I'm going to cut this short and leave the rest to you. Okay?"
Reed nodded and edged closer. "All right, but you gotta tell me how you got Tony to go along with this. I'd have sworn he wouldn't have…."
"And you would have been right," Lydia said. "That was no act, Reed. He meant every word he said."
` Bob came out then, they went back upstairs, and Lydia poured them both another drink. It was after nine. "I'll be right back," she said, and out in the hall, she leaned back against the door, trying desperately to put things into perspective.
Jan watched her from her desk, concerned. "What's the matter?"
Lydia shook her head and walked over to talk to her. "Give me about five minutes, then call me. Don't worry about saying anything, just call me."
Jan nodded agreeably. "How is it going?"
"Good.. .1 guess. But right now I have something else on my mind. Something I'm going to straighten out once and for all."
"Do you need me to stay?"
"No. Just call me and then go. Thanks, you've been a big help."
Bob and Reed were deep in conversation when Lydia walked back into the office, but she was too preoccupied to care, and for a while, all her attention seemed centered on her drink. Eventually though, with both of them turning to her when one or the other would make a comment, she focused and couldn't have been more direct.
"Do you think you can help me out?"
Bob nodded, licking his lips, his eyes glued to her breasts. "I'll see what I can do."
"What about the contract we lost?"
"I'm going to take a closer look at that, too."
The intercom buzzed then. She answered it and, listening, pretended to be distressed. "Okay, tell them I’ll be right there." She hung up and sighed regretfully. "I'm sorry, but it's my dad. It can't be helped."
Bob was disappointed, to say the least. He'd been looking forward to being alone with her, a fantasy he'd entertained off and on for years now. And that disappointment showed. But then Reed appeared to seize the opportunity, tossing a sideways glance at Lydia, implying he wanted to talk to him about her, suggesting they go out for a drink, and Bob accepted.
"Don't mind if I do," he said, finishing the rest of his bourbon and going over to kiss Lydia on the cheek. "I'll call you tomorrow. We'll work this out together."
Lydia nodded, smiling sadly as she looked up at him. "Thanks. As you can see, I really need your help."
Bob leaned down to kiss her again, this time brushing her lips, and when the door closed behind them, she wiped her mouth and downed what was left of her drink with a shiver. A chill. In the maze of everything crowding her mind, comments, expressions, implications, and feelings...only one thing was certain, Bob was playing a game too.
She walked over to the window and looked down at the parking lot to make sure they'd gone, then paged Tony and, after a good ten-minute wait, went looking for him.
He was at the far end of the shop, near the back door away from everyone, writing something down on a chart, and barely glanced up as she approached.
"Didn't you hear me page you?"
"Yeah, why?" he said, sarcastically. "Did you want something?"
Lydia drew a slow, calculated breath, trying to remain calm. "We have to talk."
"What? Aren't you already booked for the evening?"
"No goddamn it! And that's what I want to talk about!"
"Spare me!" Tony said, with his hand up.
Lydia glared at him. "You know, you're out of line here, Tony! Way out of line!"
Tony threw the chart down. "Oh really, Miss Lydia? Then why don't you tell me where my place is, so I know where to go."
Lydia's glare intensified, each word only adding to it. "I don't care where you go! You hear me? Because I've had it with you! I'm leaving!"
"Oh? Plan on walking?"
Her car. Jesus! She'd forgotten about it, and for a second, she just stood there. "No, I'm gonna take a taxi." She stormed over to a nearby pay phone and began digging in her purse for some change. Tony reached into his pocket and tossed her a quarter.
"Here!" he said.
Lydia caught it and threw it right back at him and would have hit him if he hadn't ducked.
"I'd walk first!" she said vehemently, starting past him for the door. Tony grabbed her by the arm.
"No you won't," he said, his voice an angry whisper as he pulled her close. "You're not going anywhere. Not until you tell me how in the fuck it is you can play a game like that. Rubbing all over him...."
Lydia tried to pull free, but there was no way he was going to let her go.
"Answer me!"
"I don't owe you any explanations! I don't owe you anything!"
Tony just looked at her, then shook his head. "No, you're right, I guess you don't. But just tell me this...." He swallowed hard, hesitating. "Did you ever stop to think how I'd feel watching you do that?"
Lydia stared, tears welling up in her eyes, then turned away, trying to get past him again. "No, but it seems like no matter what I do it's not right, so...."
Tony blocked her way with his arm, not about to let her go now either. "Listen to me,” he said.
Lydia looked at him reluctantly, the tears spilling down over her cheeks.
"It's not that I disagree with what you're trying to do," he said. "I don't. I just can't handle how you're going about it."
"But I told you how I do things, Tony. And I told you why."
Tony touched the side of her face gently with the back of his hand, and then her hair, wrapping it loosely around his fingers as he looked into her eyes. "Yeah, I know," he said. "But the trouble was, you also told me you could read my mind and then turned right around and shoved it down my throat."
His words, said so softly and so sincerely, had the two of them gazing into one another's eyes now, the hum of the machines and sounds of voices in the shop far off in the distance. But then a voice, one that seemed as if it was right on top of them, called out Tony's name.
He turned, saying he'd be right there, and when the young man walked away, he turned back to Lydia. "Let me drive you home. I can leave in about five minutes. I just have to make sure that kid's machine's cycling correctly and change my clothes."
Lydia shook her head. "Thanks, but I...."
"Just a ride," Tony promised. "Come on. Just let me drive you home."
Lydia finally nodded, and he backed up, smiling. "Don't go by the door. Stay right here."
Lydia's mind wandered while she waited, thinking about everything that had happened that day, and by the time Tony came around the corner, she was staring down at the cigarette machine.
"Hope you're not thinking of starting back up?"
She shook her head. "No, actually I was just reading the warning labels to kill time."
Tony smiled and took her by the hand. "Come on," he said, and they went out into the night. In the car, when Tony turned the radio on, Lydia adjusted the volume and rested her head back. It was nice having Lionel Ritchi
e along for the ride.
"Where do you live?" Tony asked.
"On Ocean Drive, down near the end. Take Vine to Chippewa, then over."
Tony smiled, having never been there, the directions were far too sketchy. "You want to stop for something to eat?"
"No, not really," Lydia said, yawning. "I stuffed myself with pizza. It was part of my dingy youth act."
Tony glanced out his side mirror as he approached a restaurant he frequented and put his blinker on. "Well, I haven't eaten, and I'm hungry."
"Then you should've joined us. It was a blast."
"I'll bet," Tony said, watching something in his rearview mirror and then turning his blinker off.
"I thought you said you were hungry."
"I was. I just lost my appetite."
"Gee, was it something I said?"
"No."
"Then what's the matter?"
"I think we're being followed."
"What?" Lydia turned to look, but Tony stopped her.
"Don't!"
Lydia's eyes widened. "You're kidding...right?"
Tony reached over and locked her door, glancing in the rearview mirror again. "Yeah, and I'm laughing."
Lydia swallowed. He wasn't kidding.
Tony switched lanes without using his blinker, still watching, then switched back, again without signaling, and with another look in both mirrors, shook his head, thinking out loud. "I can't believe they'd be following you."
"Who's they?" Lydia asked, edging over next to him and locking his door.
"Whoever is following us, obviously."
Lydia moved even closer now, taking hold of the side of his shirt, and tried to see in the mirror for herself.
"Is it the car right behind us?"
"No, the one behind that." Tony made a quick right at the next street, and at the stop sign, a left, then killed the lights, pulled to a stop, backed into a vacant drive, and turned the ignition off.
Not ten seconds later, a red sedan came by slowly, with the driver hunched over the wheel, peering out the windshield.
"Can you see who it is?" Lydia whispered, holding onto his shirt for dear life.
"No, we're back too far," Tony said. "I don't want them to see us." There they sat, watching it as it made its way down the street.
"I'm scared," Lydia said, when it turned at the corner. "Let's get out of here."
Tony clutched her knee to keep her still, and sure enough, it wasn't long before it came back, this time going even slower and with what now appeared to be two people. One in the front and one in the back.
Tony gave it about ten seconds, then pulled out, taking the same direction, and drove down to the end of the street without his lights, going left where it went right, and at the next intersection, crossed over and resumed their original course.
"This is really starting to scare me," Lydia said.
Tony glanced in his mirror, satisfied now that he'd lost them. "You say that a lot, you know."
"Yeah, well I seem to be scared a lot lately."
Tony smiled. "Getting any vibes on any of this?"
"Are you making fun of me?"
Tony shook his head. "No, not a bit. I couldn't be more serious."
Lydia thought different, from what she could see in his eyes. He was too making fun of her; he was almost laughing to himself. She was reading him wrong. Actually, what had struck him as funny was the way she was holding onto his shirt.
"Well?" he asked.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Fine.. Then don't. Just sit there and be quiet so I can think."
Lydia frowned at that, and had she not been so worried over their being followed, she might have told him what she thought of these constant chauvinistic remarks of his once and for all. But instead, letting go of his shirt, she moved back to her side of the car and, aside from giving him directions, remained quiet the rest of the way.
The security system tripped the outside floodlights when they pulled into the drive, something Lydia took for granted since they always did. But Tony remarked on it, and as she fished into her purse for the key, he looked around. "You live here alone?"
Lydia nodded. "Since I came back, yes."
"Where'd you come back from?"
"Clairborn. I was finishing up my degree. Sharon and I both went."
Tony smiled, and knowing she shouldn't, Lydia invited him in. "The least I can do is make you a sandwich," she said.
Once inside, Tony glanced around the living room, then walked over to the patio doors.
"Mind?" he asked, motioning outside.
"No, go ahead. The light's right there." She pointed past him and went into the kitchen. "Ham and cheese okay?"
"Fine," Tony said, walking out onto the patio.
"Mustard or mayonnaise?"
"Mustard."
"What do you want to drink?"
"Beer, if you have it."
"One beer coming up."
Tony walked over to the railing and looked out at the moonlit ocean, inhaling the salty night air. Lydia came out and handed him his beer. He thanked her and motioned to the view. "This is beautiful."
"I know," Lydia said, nodding. "I've always loved it here, especially this time of night. That's why when Dad wanted me to come home…." She trailed off. "Do you want some chips with your sandwich?"
Tony nodded and watched her walk away. He was still over by the railing staring out at the ocean when she returned. She motioned to one of the chaises and waited for him to sit down before handing him his plate, then sat down next to him, sipping a Scotch she'd fixed for herself.
While he ate, she told him stories about summers at the beach house when she was a child and would catch herself gazing at him, then she would glance away, only to look back and find him gazing at her. And they'd both smile.
"That was really good," he said, when he'd finished.
Lydia smiled, looking at him, finding it hard to believe he was really here, and wished the moment could last forever. Just the two of them, here forever. "You want another beer?" she asked, as she took his plate.
Tony nodded, and at the door, she turned to ask something else, but fell silent and watched. He was repositioning his right leg to make it more comfortable, which again made her wonder what was wrong with his legs. Especially from the way he winced. But she obviously wasn't supposed to see this, so she went on inside.
"Who do you think was following us?" she asked, from the kitchen.
"I don't know," Tony said, still wondering about that himself. "It could've been anyone. Maybe even one of the employees we let go."
Lydia came back and handed him his beer, studying his eyes as he looked up at her. "And probably the same person that did my car?"
Tony shook his head in amazement. "That reading minds stuff again?"
Lydia nodded sadly and sat down. "Be up front with me, Tony. Okay...?"
Tony just looked at her for a moment, remembering how she was about the car, then took a long, slow drink of his beer.
"Say okay," Lydia said. He'd kept things from her before. What was to stop him now? Aside from his word. "Tony...?"
He smiled, and surprisingly, she just shook her head. He believed in her ability to read his mind and wasn't going to lie. And she'd have to accept that. They looked at each other.
"I'm sorry about today, Tony," she said softly, losing herself totally in his eyes. "I never meant to...."
Tony smiled faintly and reached for her hand. His smile slowly faded as he slipped his fingers through hers. She was so beautiful. So very beautiful. The breeze dusted her hair back off her face. The lights around the pool reflected in her eyes. The curve of her mouth...
"I think I’d better go, Lydia," he said.
Lydia nodded. Because if he didn't leave now...
"Mind if I lock you in?" he asked, pushing down on his right knee to stand.
Lydia smiled. "No, please do."
Once the patio doors were secured, Lydia walked with h
im to the front door, where he turned to her. Even though he was still holding her hand, she stood back a little, as if she were afraid of getting too close.
"Are you going to pick me up in the morning?" she asked.
Tony nodded, melting her with his eyes as he urged her to come closer. Then he leaned down and kissed her. Gently. Then again, his arms around her. And again, until Lydia pushed against his chest and pulled back.
"Oh Jesus, Tony, I do want you," she said breathlessly, as she looked up into his eyes: eyes filled with desire. "But this is too fast for me. I don't really even know you."
Tony sighed, then smiled, as if to say, "That's okay, I can wait."
Lydia pointed to the door, because his eyes were still saying otherwise. "Please go now."
Tony nodded and leaned down to kiss her once more. "I'll pick you up around seven."
Lydia smiled, and when he opened the door, there on the sidewalk was another dead dog. Instinctively, he pushed Lydia back, not wanting her to see it. But she'd caught a glimpse, and as he turned, saying furiously to himself, "Who in the fuck!" Lydia was already going for the phone.
"I'm calling the police! This is too much!"
Tony went after her and took the phone out of her hand. "And what are you going to tell them, Lydia? I have a dead dog on my sidewalk?"
"Yes! And I'm gonna tell them about the other one! Because whoever is doing this is sick!"
"I'll get rid of it," he said emphatically.
"And then what, Tony? Tell me, what then? Are you gonna follow around behind me wherever I go, getting rid of them?"
"If I have to, yes! And anything else it takes until we find out who's behind this!"
Tears welled up in Lydia's eyes. "But I'm scared, Tony. I'm scared to death."
"I know..." he said. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. "I know."
Lydia clung tightly to him, much the way a child would, and when he kissed the top of her head and tried to step back, she wouldn't let go.
"I just want to take care of that outside," he said, tilting her chin up so she'd look at him. "Okay?"
Lydia nodded feebly. "There's shovels and stuff in the garage. And there's a garden on the side. Please bury it, Tony."
Call Me Lydia Page 30