A Lost Love
Page 7
Quickly, she twitched the sheets and coverlet in order before grabbing some clothes and heading into the bathroom. Getting herself ready for the day, she took care of her morning needs before dressing in a pair of black cargo pants with a long-sleeve, green t-shirt.
Tori got up and stretched before jumping off the pillow she had been resting on and slowly making her way towards the kitchen. She stopped every once in a while to make sure that Laurel was following.
Laurel came around the corner of the kitchen to find Alex slicing strawberries, kiwis, and bananas and then putting them in a bowl of yogurt, while keeping an eye on frying bacon. She walked up behind the taller woman and placed a hand on the small of Alex’s back. “Morning, sunshine....”
Alex turned towards her with a grin, “Morning.... Did you sleep well?” She offered the older woman a slice of kiwi.
Laurel accepted the fruit, but instead of taking a bite, she reached up with her other hand to gently draw Alex’s head down so that she could give her a kiss.
Silky lips gently pressed against each other as Alex dropped the knife on the counter so she could take Laurel into her embrace. Wrapping her arms around the taller woman’s neck, Laurel let her tongue trace along Alex’s bottom lip before it was accepted into a warm mouth.
They spent a few moments enjoying each other until a loud splat of bacon caught their attention.
“Don’t burn the bacon, stretch,” Laurel teased as she finally stepped away and took a bite of the kiwi.
Quickly removing the pan from the stove, Alex efficiently placed the bacon on a paper towel so that it would soak up the fat, before turning back to her lover with one hand on her hip. “Watch it, shorty, or you won’t get any at all.”
The two women looked at each other for a moment before they both cracked up giggling. Laurel headed over to the fridge and said, “I could definitely get used to this...every morning. Do you want some juice?”
“Me too, and no. I’ll just have some coffee,” Alex answered as she was whisking up the eggs that she had ready to go. “Would you prefer an omelet or scrambled?”
“Scrambled will be fine with me,” Laurel answered as she poured herself a glass of orange juice. Taking a sip, she then reached for her cell phone and called the place where she would board Tori while they were gone. After she finished, she carried the now filled plates to the breakfast counter and sat down to eat.
Alex fixed herself a cup of coffee before joining her. For the next few minutes, the women were quiet as they concentrated on their meal.
“The crew should be here in a little over an hour so you can get your packing done. I’ll get everything in the car so as soon as we are finished, we can get on the road,” Alex suggested as she finished up a bite of eggs.
Nodding her head, Laurel looked a little apprehensive as she asked a question, “Do you have any idea what they will ask me?”
Thinking for a moment, Alex softly answered, “Pam will probably ask you about your past relationship with Dawn, and what all you were going through while you were buried, but that should be it. They are likely going to ask about my involvement in this and what our relationship is. I just want you to know that whatever you decide to tell them is fine by me.”
Laurel paused while getting a spoonful of yogurt. “I don’t want to jeopardize your job. You are more important to me than this interview.”
Alex reached over to take Laurel’s free hand. “I did a lot of thinking over the past couple of days, and this morning I’ve decided to find something else to do.” She let her thumb gently graze over the scabs on the hand in her grasp. “I can’t do it anymore.... I can’t interview someone who’s been through a dramatic event in their life, make them talk about it, and then just go on with my life like normal. So you can tell them whatever you want to tell them and it will be fine with me.”
Laurel stared at her for a moment before saying, “So you said that you could get used to being here every morning.... How about we make it permanent? Why don’t you move in with me once we get back?”
The slow grin that appeared on Alex’s face was all the answer Laurel needed, but she didn’t stop the younger woman from leaning over to give her a sweet kiss. “I think that sounds like heaven to me,” Alex husked.
They stared at each other for a moment more, before finishing their meal. While Alex cleaned up, Laurel proceeded to pack and get Tori’s stuff ready to be boarded.
* * * * *
Too soon, the guard from the gate was calling them to alert Laurel that the news crew was there and they were being escorted to her home.
Alex walked over to where Laurel was standing in the living room, bringing her a blazer to go over her t-shirt. “This will look a bit more professional on you than just the shirt.” She helped the older woman shrug it on and then brought her up close against her. “Now, you remember that in a couple of hours we’re out of here and heading to sun, sand, and relaxation. I’ll be right next to you the entire time and I love you so very much.”
Staring up into beautiful blue eyes, Laurel sighed as she answered, “I love you too and I can’t wait to be alone with you.” She rose up on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on Alex that was hot enough to leave her breathless.
Pulling back a bit, Alex shook her head to clear the thoughts that were now running wild through her mind as she licked her bottom lip. “That was just mean. How do you expect me to carry on a proper conversation with Pam after that?”
Laurel didn’t reply, but she wore a smirk as she walked towards the front door to answer the knock.
During the next fifteen minutes or so, Laurel was introduced to Pamela Whitkey again, along with the director, Kevin Strong. While the technician carefully wired the three women, another tech was rearranging the living room so that it looked inviting and cozy on the monitor.
Pam Whitkey was an attractive blonde with hazel eyes and a serious expression on her face. “I know that this hasn’t been an easy experience for you to go through, but I want to thank you for allowing me to tell your side of the story.” She motioned to the loveseat where Laurel and Alex would sit and to the Queen Anne chair where she would sit. “I am going to briefly touch on your relationship with Dawn Lorrayne, but people are really interested in what happened and how you felt during the whole situation.”
Turning to Alex, the reporter continued, “Once we get to where Laurel was talking to the 911 operator, it will be your turn to tell us everything from your point of view.”
Kevin called Pamela over to go over a few things so Laurel and Alex went over and sat on the love seat. They watched as the director showed her something on a laptop and gave her some instructions in whispered tones. They both then walked over to Laurel and Alex.
“Thank you for allowing us to interview you, Ms. Taylor,” the director stated. “I know that this has to be a difficult time for you, and it means a lot that you chose us to get your story out to the public.”
Laurel nodded her head and waited for him to continue, her nerves were beginning to act up.
“We’re going to be live, but we may tape additional parts afterwards if necessary,” he continued. He placed the laptop on the coffee table in front of Pamela’s chair, but angled it so that only the reporter could see it.
Alex frowned at that statement, but didn’t say anything.
Pamela took her seat while the director went back to his spot near the camera and the cameraman began the countdown.
“In three...two...one,” and he pointed to the reporter.
Pamela looked into the camera and said, “Good morning. I’m Pamela Whitkey and we are talking today with Laurel Taylor and Alex James. I’m sure everyone knows that Laurel was abducted from her place of business, Nature’s Scent, on Tuesday morning and was found buried later that evening.” She turned to Laurel. “Thank you for speaking with us today. I know that this has to be a difficult time for you now. How are you doing?”
Laurel took a deep breath and gave her a thin smile. “I’m
doing okay at the moment. It’s going to take some time to get over it completely, but I’m confident that I will, in time.”
“I’m sure that you will,” Pamela answered back. “We also have Alex James, our own reporter, here with us. Welcome, Alex. I know that this has been hard for you as well.”
While Alex was answering, Laurel reached over to hold one of her hands. “Hello, Pamela, and yes it has.” She squeezed Laurel’s hand and gave her a smile.
Pamela paused for the briefest moment before continuing, “So as we know it, Laurel, you were in a relationship for two years with Dawn Lorrayne, the woman that abducted you. Is that correct?”
Nodding her head, Laurel answered, “Yes, we were together for that long, but we had broken up almost a year ago.”
“Now, while you were together, I understand that you were subject to emotional and physical abuse from Ms. Lorrayne for two years. What exactly did you have to suffer through?”
Laurel frowned at the woman and looked over at the director before answering, “I don’t know where you got your information, but what I may have gone through has nothing to do with what happened the other day.”
Ms. Whitkey looked slightly surprised that her question wasn’t answered completely. “Alright, but can you confirm that you did have a restraining order out against Ms. Lorrayne? What did she do to warrant that?”
“Dawn had a hard time when we split up. She would show up at my place of business and my home, making threats and causing minor damage. I couldn’t have that going on at work so I reluctantly took out the restraining order,” Laurel explained.
Alex glared at Kevin. To her, this interview felt like it was an ambush, trying to get dirt on both Laurel and Dawn. It wasn’t the way that she felt it should be done. She was, however, very biased on the subject.
“So, Ms. Lorrayne showed up at your place of business, Nature’s Scent, on Tuesday morning. How did she lure you out?” Pamela leaned forward, anxiously awaiting the answer.
Taking a deep breath, Laurel said, “She came by and said that she had some items I had left at her house...a family photo album and some knickknacks, I believe. I hadn’t seen her in over eight or nine months, so I just thought that she was returning my stuff.”
Looking down at her notes, Pamela took a brief moment before she continued, “Now, I understand that Emma Becker was injured when Ms. Lorrayne abducted you from your business. Do you know how she is doing?”
“She has a broken leg and had a concussion, but is doing well and is scheduled to go home today.”
Nodding her head, the reporter asked her next question, “So how did it feel when you woke up in the coffin...box? I’m sure that it was quite disconcerting. Wasn’t the lid clear Plexiglas?”
Laurel swallowed and took a breath before she replied, “Yes it was, and it was the most horrifying experience of my life. Opening my eyes and seeing dirt about a foot away from my face...” she stopped and closed her eyes for an instant before continuing, “I can’t describe how I felt.”
Alex squeezed Laurel’s hand again, letting her know that she wasn’t alone. She was getting madder and madder about how the interview was progressing.
“We’ve been told that approximately two hours after you were taken, Ms. Lorrayne was spotted at a coffee shop and then at Lake Eola Park,” Pamela stated. “Are you planning on bringing a suit against the Orlando police for not getting out a BOLO or APB on her quicker? I mean, it was, like I said, a good two hours after she had taken you before she showed up at our station.”
Shaking her head, Laurel quickly answered, “No, my business is in Lake Mary, which is Seminole County and they, along with the Orlando Police, did their jobs to the best of their abilities. I have no complaints with them at all. In fact, I would like to thank the Orlando Police Department and Detective Daniel Walters for everything they did to rescue me. I can never repay them.”
Looking at her notes once more, Pamela continued, “So you finally called 911. What took you so long to call? I mean, you were buried and your air was dwindling...why didn’t you call sooner?”
“I thought that I had left my phone on my desk. I didn’t even find it until right before I made the call. You don’t think I would have called sooner if I had known it was in my side pants pocket?” Laurel shot back. She was getting rather perturbed at the questions.
“No, no...that’s not what I thought at all, but that does bring us to Alex James,” Pamela smiled sweetly at the reporter. “Good to see you, Alex. Thank you for agreeing to this interview.”
“Not a problem. Laurel wanted me to be here, so here I am,” Alex answered back without a smile. She was barely able to contain her rage. It was only because this was going out live that she did so.
Pamela shifted slightly in her chair before posing her next question, “And what exactly is your relationship with Laurel?”
“She is my friend and life partner,” Laurel quickly injected.
Alex grinned over at Laurel while Pamela pretended to look shocked.
“So you are a lesbian, Alex? How long have you been out and in a relationship with Laurel?” Pamela pounced.
“My sexual preference is a known fact at work and within my professional community and I’ve been in our relationship for the last six months,” Alex simply replied.
Leaning forward, Pamela asked, “So you were not the reason that Laurel and Ms. Lorrayne broke off their relationship?”
“I believe that Laurel already answered that question, Pamela. They had been apart for a while before we got together,” Alex clarified.
Clearing her throat and leaning back a bit, Pamela continued, “Right, so Ms. Lorrayne showed up and told you that she had taken Laurel. Did she tell you that she had buried her and was that the first that you had heard about it?”
“A mutual friend had called me minutes before to let me know that Laurel had been taken. I was on the way to the hospital to see Emma when I literally ran into Ms. Lorrayne in the reception area,” Alex paused for a moment as the memory spun in her mind. “She told me that I would never see Laurel again, but I would pass by her every day.”
“Yes, Laurel was buried in a vacant lot next to your home. Didn’t you ever see Ms. Lorrayne there...digging the hole, placing the coffin, and setting everything else up? I mean, how could you miss it?” Pamela was barely able to keep the snide tone from her voice.
Clenching her teeth and getting her anger under control, Alex answered directly and to the point, “You know as well as I, Pamela, that a reporter is hardly ever home. I get up early so that I’m at work by daylight and I usually don’t get home until after dark. Like most people, I hardly pay attention to things in my own neighborhood until they’re pointed out to me.”
Laurel ran her thumb over Alex’s knuckles, trying to calm her down. This interview wasn’t going like she thought it would. It seemed to her that Pamela was going for the shock value and not really concentrating on what happened.
“I’ll let you have that, Alex. It is understandable that you have a beautiful partner and she’s all that you concentrate on,” Pamela shot back. “So, Ms. Lorrayne shows up at the reception area and you run into her there...we have the video of what happened next so let’s show everyone and they can form their own opinion of how you reacted.” She turned the laptop around and hit a button, starting the playback.
Laurel watched what had transpired. She saw Alex come to a skidding halt in front of Dawn, who was pointing a gun at her. She listened as the older woman taunted Alex with her passing Laurel every day, and her explanation that she was sparing the reporter the pain of Laurel eventually leaving her. She gasped in horror, and her free hand came up to cover her mouth, as Dawn put the gun to her own head and pulled the trigger. The video stopped with Dawn on the ground, bleeding, and Alex standing over her, covered in Dawn’s blood.
Pamela quickly apologized, “I am so sorry...that was the wrong video. I thought I had loaded the one that ended before she pulled the trigger.”
Laurel’s hand was still over her mouth, but now her eyes were closed and she was trying to control her rolling stomach. Taking a few breaths through her nose, she finally calmed down enough to open her eyes, looking directly at Pamela Whitkey.
“I agreed to this interview because I didn’t want people clamoring for different interviews and exposés. I agreed to have WHSE conduct the interview because Alex works for the station and I thought they would be fair,” Laurel held up her hand as Pamela tried to interrupt.
“No, I’m going to finish what I have to say and then this interview is over. Whether or not Dawn and I ended our relationship on good or bad terms, it was not your right to show me or the public what happened at your station. I have some very nice memories of my time with Dawn, but forever forward, I shall remember what I have just seen. You had no right to show that to me without my consent; I never wanted to see that. I knew that she had killed herself, and as bad as that was, it was enough for me. I hope that you never have to go through something like this yourself, Ms. Whitkey, and now the interview is over.” Laurel stood up, removed the microphone, and walked off with Alex right beside her.
Pamela turned to the camera and was silent for a moment before saying, “This is Pamela Whitkey and I wish you a good day.”
Laurel made it all the way to her bedroom before she turned to Alex and was enfolded in a strong, but gentle embrace. Silent tears fell down her face and wet Alex’s polo shirt.
All Alex could do was tell her that she loved her and that everything would be all right. They stayed there for a few moments before Alex pulled away slightly. “Hey, let me get them out of the house and then we can get out of here. We’ve got a vacation to get started.” She was trying to lighten the mood, but felt that she was falling way short.