Forever - 02

by Lauren Burd

  I grimaced as she noticed my cold skin again. “You know me I’m always cold.”

  She stared at my hand in spite of my comment. I tried to withdraw it but she held firm.

  “Where is it?”

  “Where is what?”

  “The ring.”

  I blushed. “Oh … Well,” I stuttered. “I, um, we decided to take a break.”

  She gave me an incredulous look. “You have got to be kidding me. I had the perfect dress picked out.”

  I didn’t really know how to respond. Thankfully, Samuel walked in.

  “I’m sorry it took me so long. Your Dad… Hello, Tabby,” he said noticing her for the first time.

  “Don’t you hello me,” she snapped. My eyes widened in astonishment at her reaction and Samuel took a step back from her venom. “How could you do this to her? Taking a break my foot. That’s just one step away from don’t call me I’ll call you.”

  “What did I miss?” he asked innocently.

  “Like you don’t know. You drag my best friend off to Europe with some story about a sick friend or illness or whatever it was. Then you propose getting married. And now you want nothing to do with her.”

  “Tabby calm down,” I interjected. “Samuel didn’t call things off. I did.”

  “What?” Both she and Samuel stared at me.

  “I love Samuel but I need some time to figure out what I want. I don’t want to rush into anything that we may regret later.”

  Tabby considered my answer for a moment then calmed down. “I guess you’re right. I just thought it was so romantic being whisked away by your handsome prince and getting married in a foreign country.” She sighed.

  I grinned. I’d never thought having a prince whisk me away anywhere was particularly romantic. It only served to highlight how different the two of us were.

  “How are you doing?” I asked changing the subject.

  “Good now that finals are over. Without you here I actually had to get organized. Faith did help me a lot too.”

  “How did you do?”

  “I passed all my courses.” I could tell by the color in her cheeks that she probably only passed by a slim margin.

  “How is Faith doing?”

  “Good the last time I spoke with her. She went home for the winter break.”

  “How are her and Josh doing?”

  Tabby grimaced. “They broke up. Their grades were slipping and they decided to take a break for a while and concentrate on school. They still see each other every now and again but it’s much less intense. Seems like a lot of people are doing that sort of thing.”

  I ignored her not so subtle dig. “What are you doing until next semester?”

  “I’d planned on going down to Jamaica with my parents and Josh but then your mom…” she trailed off.

  “Thank you for staying.”

  “It was nothing. Besides, this way I get to spend the break with Scott.”

  I raised my eyebrow in a question.

  “He’s my new boyfriend. I think you’ll really like him.”

  “When are you going to bring him by?”

  “Maybe tomorrow. He’s not real big on hospitals.”

  I snickered. The thought of someone being scared of the hospital seemed kind of funny to me since I’d grown up around them.

  “Do you know what’s going on with the investigation?”

  Tabby shook her head. “I know it’s a Det. Johnson following up the case but they don’t have much to go on.”

  “What happened?”

  “The news said that it was a home invasion. A bunch of stuff is missing, and the place is pretty torn up. It happened late at night so no one saw or heard anything.”

  “Do they have any suspects?”

  She shrugged. “Your Dad would probably know more. He’s been harassing that detective every day.”

  I should have asked him about it before he left but he looked so tired it slipped my mind. I’d be sure to ask him when he got up later.

  Theories

  Three days passed with little change. Dad, Samuel, and I kept vigil by my mom’s bed day and night. She lay there, seemingly unaware of anything going on around her. I kept hoping she would open her eyes, but as the days dragged on, things only got worse. More tubes and monitors were placed around her, and the nurses made frequent trips in and out to check her status.

  The only breaks in the monotony were the visits from Tabby every morning. She managed to drag Scott in one morning so I could meet him as well. He glanced around the room like a caged animal waiting for someone to poke him with a stick. She gave me updates of what had transpired outside the four walls as well. The news had already lost interest in my mom’s story and moved on to the next tragedy.

  On the fourth morning, a woman I didn’t recognize stopped by. I assumed she was one of my mom’s negligent friends coming to pay a visit. She appeared confused to find me sitting by Mom’s side.

  “Can I help you with something?” I asked.

  “No. I was just coming by to see how she was doing,” she said.

  “May I ask who you are?” I stepped around to the end of the bed in a defensive gesture.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m Detective Johnson. I’m investigating the case.”

  “Oh,” I said, relaxing a little. “I’m sorry for being suspicious. We haven’t had too many people stopping by. I’m forgetting my manners, though. I’m Alina Taylor.” I offered the detective my hand.

  “You’re her daughter?” Detective Johnson took my hand. I nodded. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve been trying to get in touch with you.”

  “Sorry about that. I was out of the country, and I lost my phone, so I couldn’t get any messages. Thanks for coming by to check on her. It’s nice to know someone cares.”

  “So, how is she?” she asked.

  A sigh escaped me. “She hasn’t woken up yet.”

  “When did you get back into the country?”

  “Four days ago, I think. Time gets kind of muddled sitting in a hospital room.”

  “How long were you gone?”

  The tone of her voice put me on edge. “Since mid-November. Why do you ask?”

  “No reason. Was your trip pleasant?” She did a better job at making her question seem innocuous that time, but the undercurrent of tension told me she had been looking into my life.

  “I’ve had better trips.”

  She raised her eyebrow, but I didn’t elaborate. She appeared to make a mental check before continuing. “What was your relationship like with your mother?”

  I took a calming breath. “Strained.”

  Detective Johnson opened her mouth to ask another question, but the door opened before she could get it out. Samuel walked in carrying two cups of coffee. When he saw Detective Johnson, he came to a stop.

  “Samuel, this is Detective Johnson. She’s investigating my mom’s case.”

  He said, “Hello,” and handed me my coffee so he could shake her hand. “Have you found out anything?”

  “We’re still investigating, but we’re following up on a few leads.”

  Yeah, like me, I thought. “Do you have any suspects?”

  “That’s why I was trying to get in touch with you. I wanted to see if we could set up a time to speak. I thought you might be able to point us in the right direction.”

  “I’m not sure how much help I’ll be.”

  “You’d be surprised. Do you think we could meet around eleven?”

  I glanced at Samuel. Dad didn’t normally come in for his shift until three o’clock, and I didn’t want to leave my mom alone. “I’ll watch her until your Dad gets here,” he said, answering my fears.

  “Sure,” I told Detective Johnson. “Where did you want to meet?”

  “At the sheriff’s department. Here’s my card in case something comes up and you can’t make it.”

  I took the card and examined it. It was amazing how such an innocuous little piece of paper could hold so much wei
ght.

  The next few hours flew by as I considered every possible scenario. I’d watched enough police dramas and reality shows to know I’d be a suspect. I was her closest living relative, and we didn’t have the best relationship. Not to mention, I was conveniently out of the country when she had been nearly killed.

  “Stop brooding,” Samuel said, interrupting my spiraling thoughts. “You’re not allowed to worry. That’s my job. Besides, it will give you wrinkles.”

  I glanced at him, and he started laughing. I couldn’t help but join him.

  “Everything will be all right.” He squeezed me against his body and leaned down to give me a kiss on the forehead, but I quickly lifted my face and ended up with his lips pressed to mine. “What was that for?”

  I shrugged. “Just in case.” Before he could question me further, I walked off. I needed to get to my meeting with Detective Johnson.

  Walking into the sheriff’s department, I felt my heart kick into overdrive. I’d only driven by the building on occasion and never once been inside. The clerk sitting safely behind a Plexiglas window appeared completely disinterested as I walked over to her.

  “I’m here to see Detective Johnson.”

  “What about?” she asked in a gravelly voice.

  “My mother’s case. I have an appointment at eleven.”

  The woman rolled her eyes. “What’s your name?”

  “Alina Taylor.”

  “Have a seat, and I’ll see if she’s ready for you.”

  I took a seat on the other side of the small reception area. There was nothing to read or do as I waited. I was starting to get annoyed as the minutes slowly ticked by when a loud buzzing sound followed by a click caught my attention. The door opened, and Detective Johnson came out into the little waiting area.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting. I lost track of the time.”

  “It’s fine,” I said, my annoyance replaced with nervous anxiety.

  Detective Johnson led the way to a small interview room. There was no mirror, and I couldn’t see any cameras, but I would still be cautious.

  “Did you want something to drink?” she asked, throwing me off.

  “Um, no, but thank you.” I took a seat with my back to the wall.

  Detective Johnson sat in the chair across the table. “How are you holding up?”

  I felt unbalanced by the concern in her voice. “I’m pretty tired.”

  “I can understand that. If you don’t mind, I wanted to kind of pick up where we left off this morning. You mentioned that your relationship with your mother was strained.” I nodded. “Why was that?”

  I sighed. “I’m not sure how this is going to help you find who did this.” Detective Johnson leaned back in her chair and waited for me to answer her question. “We’ve never been really close. I think she wanted me to be like her, but I’m more like my dad. The last time we spoke was in August when she helped me move out. Since then, she’s refused to accept my calls.”

  She wrote something, then flipped through her little notebook. “Your parents have been divorced for six years?”

  “About that.”

  “And your father left your mother?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you know the reason for the divorce?”

  “Dad said he was tired of her mood swings and antics. Mom never gave me a reason. To be honest, though, I think Mom was having an affair and my dad found out about it.”

  “You chose to stay with her after the divorce even though you’re closer to your father?”

  “Yes. They had split custody at first, but when my dad decided to move back to California, I chose to stay here with my friends.”

  “That left your father paying alimony and child support.”

  “I guess.” I tried to figure out where she was going with her questions.

  “Do you know if there was any sort of animosity between them?”

  I thought about it for a moment. “Mom refused to see my dad or speak to him for a long time after the divorce, but my dad always remained civil.” I let a small laugh escape. “The day after Dad moved out, my mom had two dates.”

  “Has your father seen anyone since the divorce?”

  I frowned as I remembered the conversation I had had with him during the summer.

  I had told him, “Dad, you need to start dating again.”

  “I know. I’m just so busy with work and everything,” he had said, brushing me off.

  I rolled my eyes. He was never going to date anyone. I wasn’t sure if my mom had ever loved him, but I knew he had loved her. He still loved her.

  “No. He hasn’t dated anyone.”

  “Do think he would ever want to hurt your mother?”

  I couldn’t keep the shock from my face. She’d taken the long way to get there, but that was what Detective Johnson was thinking─ that my dad had something to do with Mom’s attack.

  “My mom is cold, selfish, mean, and vindictive. But my dad would never do anything to hurt her.”

  “I just have to check,” she said, trying to play off her question. “Do you know who your mother was dating recently?”

  I laughed. “I know there was some guy named Jeff who I didn’t particularly like. There was also some other guy named Richard, and I think a Tom or Thomas. I can’t really remember. My mother changes men like most women change their clothes. You would probably have a better chance checking her cell phone.”

  Det. Johnson nodded and made another note. “You were in school until November when you suddenly left. Why did you leave in the middle of the semester?”

  I had a psycho Immortal hunting me down. “A friend of mine was sick. When he felt better, we got engaged and went to France to meet his family.”

  “Is that the young man I met earlier today?”

  I shook my head. “Duncan and I called off the engagement after few weeks. We realized it was just a whim due to his being so ill. I stayed in Europe for a little while to try to clear my head. Samuel decided to join me when the semester was over.”

  Det. Johnson just stared at me. It appeared as if she was in shock. I was pretty sure my Dad had had the same look on his face when I told him. I shifted in my seat, feeling uncomfortable under her gaze. Was my story that unbelievable?

  “It sounds like you’ve made some pretty big decisions this year.”

  Was she making conversation, or was she still trying to get information? I couldn’t decide. “Yeah.” Detective Johnson glanced back down at her notebook and flipped through a few pages. “Was there anything else you needed to ask me?”

  She looked up with a raised eyebrow. “Were you planning on staying in town or going back to Europe?”

  I wanted to give her a sarcastic comment, but I knew that wouldn’t be a good idea. “I’m staying here until my mom gets better.”

  “I don’t have any more questions right now. If I think of any, I know where to find you or I can give you a call. Thanks for coming in.”

  “It’s not a problem. Let me know if there is anything else I can do.”

  After a handshake, she led me back to the entrance and buzzed me out. I held everything together until I was safely back in the parking garage at the hospital.

  I couldn’t stop shaking. The police were clearly grasping at straws. I could only hope they ended up with the right straw when it was over.

  Wrong Turn

  “How did your interview go?” Dad and Samuel asked as soon as I walked into the room.

  The two of them were sitting at a small tray with a deck of cards, playing Texas Hold’em for toothpicks. My dad’s pile was unusually large, considering he stunk at cards. It was nice to see the two of the getting along. I’d been worried because on our first day back, my dad had watched us like a hawk. He spent the second day interrogating Samuel about everything from his family to his intentions toward me. By the third day, he had given his approval for Samuel to date me.

  “It was frustrating. They don’t have a clue who did this. Detective
Johnson pretty much told me not to leave town.”

  “I doubt they suspect you, sugar plum.” Dad kept using his pet name for me. I knew it was just his reaction to everything that had happened, but I still found it a little annoying.

  “She asked me about your divorce and your relationship.”

  “She’s just doing her job. Besides, they can look into us all they want. We didn’t do anything, so they won’t find anything.”

  I frowned. I didn’t have the same level of trust in our legal system as my dad did. “How’s Mom doing?” I asked, changing the subject.

  “She’s running a low fever, but other than that, she’s doing much better than they expected. I actually have an appointment to speak with Dr. Smith in a few minutes. I’m hoping we can start bringing her out of the coma.”

  I gazed over at my mom’s slumbering form. The swelling in her face was nearly gone and even the bruises that covered most of her body were starting to lighten. I hoped my Dad succeeded in convincing Dr. Smith. I really wanted to see her eyes open. I knew she would probably just throw me out once she was lucid, but knowing she was doing better would be a relief despite our history.

  “Good luck.” He was going to need it. I’d been around enough hospitals and doctors to know that they were never big on having another doctor come in and suggest how to treat their patients. It often reminded me of two kids on a playground fighting over a toy.

  “I’ll let you know how it goes.” He stood to leave. “No cheating while I’m gone.”

  I let the air escape my lungs. “I was beginning to think he was never going to leave.”

  Samuel raised an eyebrow. “Is there something you wanted to talk about?”

  I wrinkled my nose. “You don’t smell that?” He gave me a skeptical look. “It’s like sickly sweet peaches, or pears maybe. I think my dad has been using a new body spray. Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “When did you start smelling it?”

  “When we got here. At first, I thought it was all the flowers, but it’s gotten stronger over the past couple days.”

  Samuel clenched his teeth. Then, walking back to Mom’s bed, he leaned over her.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.