Be My Baby Lite

by ANDREA SMITH

  I found something to wear in my suitcase. Most everything else had been destroyed. Some of the torn clothing was taken by the crime unit for further examination.

  I made lunch for Trey and me in the kitchen. He was sipping coffee at the table.

  “Honey, I don’t want you to worry about this, okay? I’ll contact our insurance agent Monday to file a claim to replace the clothing. I'll also arrange to get a security system installed.”

  “I’m okay. I don’t believe that this was Amber, though. You remember what my father told me at Thanksgiving.”

  “Yes, but I can’t fathom what Ms. Deeny would hope to gain by doing this. Also, that doesn’t explain my computer password being changed.”

  “So, do you think that all this stuff is related to the same person?”

  “I don’t know,” he said rubbing his face with his hands.

  “It might be random things but the timing is suspect. Someone knew we were going to be gone; someone knew my password; and how would someone get into the house without forced entry?”

  “Let’s think about that for a minute,” I said, taking a seat next to him. “Amber would have knowledge of us being out of town. Amber would have knowledge of your password. We know for a fact that she used it to download that special ring tone to your phone that one time. Amber wouldn’t have a key to this house though. Besides that, would she really risk her career to cut up my clothing?”

  Trey shook his head. “It makes no sense that she'd take it that far, I agree. Perhaps these incidents aren't tied together. I want to find out if the bitch cancelled my credit cards though.”

  “Trey - how are you going to do that?”

  “I can find out how they were cancelled.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Unless she cancelled my credit cards directly from my laptop which is extremely unlikely; then she had to do it from another computer with a different IP address. That can be tracked. Otherwise she'd have to have done it by phone or mail. Those records are kept. I need to dig into it before I arbitrarily accuse her of anything.”

  “Okay. If we’ve narrowed the suspects to either Amber or Ms. Deeny, then how would either of them gotten into this house?”

  “We need to talk to Marcus and see if he saw or heard anything this past week. I can’t think of any way Amber could have had access to my keys. Unlike my phone, I don’t misplace my keys.”

  Something Trey said then triggered a memory of mine. My keys had been lost. I recalled it now.

  “Wait a minute! I lost my whole set of keys last year, remember?”

  “That’s right,” he said, his voice getting excited. “It was shortly after we returned from Baton Rouge. You thought you'd left them at your father’s house.”

  “That’s correct. I called him and he had his staff search high and low but they never found them. I figured after that I'd either left them on the plane or in the limo. I bet Ms. Deeny took them.”

  “Yeah, but Tylar, we hadn’t moved out here yet.”

  “I know Trey, but I still had a key on the chain for this house. It even had one of those circular white tags that had the address on it. We both had them for when we came out during construction, remember?”

  “That’s right,” he replied. “Do you suppose she's been lying in wait all of this time?”

  “It’s possible. I need to let Dad know what happened. I’m going to call him Trey and then we’ll leave to get Preston.”

  “Okay, baby,” he said, pulling me to him. “I love you, Tylar. I had a great time with you this past week. I want more of those times for us.”

  My butterflies surged as I pressed against my husband. We kissed and held each other for a moment. “I love you, Trey.”

  An hour later Trey and I were on our way to pick up Preston. I had Gina’s stuff in my purse. I'd brought an envelope full of the pictures we had taken on our cruise. The ship’s photographer had taken about twenty pictures of Trey and I that we bought as we left the ship. I'd printed the others out that Trey and I'd taken, from our home computer.

  There was no available parking in front of the apartment building. Trey had to circle the block twice before finally finding an open parking space on the street the next block down. It was on the other side of the street from our old apartment building. We got out and started down the sidewalk toward the cross walk.

  As we neared the crosswalk, I remembered that I'd left our vacation pictures in the car.

  “Hold up, Trey,” I called out as he turned from the curb to see where I was.

  I unlocked the car with my remote and pulled the envelope full of pictures off of the front seat. I relocked the car and joined him at the curb.

  “You aren’t going to bore Gina and Tristan with our vacation pictures, are you?” he teased.

  “They're gorgeous. I’m sure they'll enjoy seeing all of the fun we had.”

  We waited for the light to change to enter the crosswalk of the busy street. Trey was several steps ahead of me as usual due to his long legs and the fact I'd unfortunately decided to wear the new pointed toe, high-heeled leather boots that I'd purchased in Montego Bay. They weren’t quite broken in yet. I was stumbling along after him, my feet in pain.

  “It might be nice if you waited for me, Trey,” I called out after him.

  Trey turned to look back at me and that’s when we both heard the squeal of peeling tires coming from around the line of stopped cars. It was a cream-colored SUV traveling at a high speed and going in the wrong direction. The driver was headed directly for me. I froze.

  In that split second it was if everything unfolded in slow motion. I saw the look of fear and panic register on Trey’s face; I saw him instantly dive in front of me. He shoved me back full force towards the curb and sidewalk. I rolled up against the sidewalk, my head slamming against concrete.

  My purse and the envelope full of photos went airborne and landed several feet from me on the sidewalk. I heard the sound of metal and glass shattering further on down the block. I tried to raise my head up to see what had happened. The SUV had crashed into a storefront; the vehicle’s horn was blaring.

  I saw a pair of men’s shoes standing in front of my face as I tried to get up; a voice instructed me not to move. I figured the voice belonged to whoever was wearing the shoes. It wasn’t Trey’s voice. Those weren’t Trey’s shoes.

  My head was reeling as I rolled on my other side to search for Trey. I saw his black coat lying in the street. It took me a moment to realize he was still wearing it. He was face down in the street; he wasn’t moving.

  People had gone over to him. I could hear shouting; someone said they'd called for the police and an ambulance.

  From somewhere I heard a very loud, plaintive wail. It seemed to go on forever. It took me a few moments to realize that it was coming from me. Then it was dark and silent.

  CHAPTER 23

  (Trey)

  Christ - what the hell happened? One minute Tylar and I are getting ready to cross the street; the next moment I spot that crazy bitch steering her car on a deadly path towards my wife! The crazy look in her dark, beady eyes was enough to make me spring into action.

  I'm flat on my stomach in the street. That much I can tell. I hear people yelling and on top of that, there's a long, plaintive wail in the distance. What the fuck? That sounds like Tylar. Christ! That is Tylar! I need to get to her and get to her right now.

  There's a problem. I can’t move - at all. This is fucking crazy! I can’t move a muscle but I can hear everything that's going on around me. I need to get to my wife! I need to get to Tylar!

  Things are getting weirder by the second. It's as if I'm watching a recap of the last couple of years through a colorful kaleidoscope. I relax to enjoy the show as it unfolds in my mind. Perhaps I'm dreaming...

  There's Tylar, in the barn with Derringer. I see her slim body brushing away at him. He's so fucking calm for her. That's not like Derringer at all. I realize that he likes her. Who the fuck is she? She do
esn't see me watching her. All I want to do in that moment is to stay there and just continue to stare at her while she grooms my horse; talking to him her voice making him calm in a way that Tess never could . . .

  Then the pictures flip ahead a day or two later. There she is again! This time she's walking, leading Derringer up near the mansion at the Belle. It's pissing me off that Derringer's taken to her so quickly. He's my damn horse! It wouldn't be the first time he's come between me and a woman though. Christ! I'm such a prick to her! Telling her no one mounts Derringer except me - threatening to fire her ass! Then I leave in a cloud of dust as I take off on him, leaving her in my wake. Never meaning a fucking word of what I'd just said to her . . .

  On my ride back to the stable I think about how exquisite she is. I want to chuckle as I watched her face earlier after she'd realized I wasn't a townie working over at the smokehouse! Christ! Am I in junior high school again? She's embarrassed that I’ve dressed her down in front of Jenna. That’s fine. I need the upper hand here.

  Later on, I glance over as I put my Lamborghini into full throttle heading past the field where she's walking toward the cottages. There's something very different about her. I might be interested in exploring it but Charlotte's waiting. Horny, ready Charlotte - what the fuck?

  The images of pulling Tylar out of the pool that night are vivid. My God! I'd thought she was gone. My heart was heavy in fear that this beautiful creature that'd captured my attention so suddenly could be gone from my life before I'd ever gotten to know her. I held her against me; telling her that everything would be all right; and I'd prayed that it would. I didn't leave her side until she was out of danger.

  My kaleidoscope imagery has fast-forwarded. It's going quicker now - too quickly to suit me. There's Tylar in the saddle in front of me while we ride Derringer together; so soft as she leans back against me. Christ - I want to take her right then like some rutting stag…then in the meadow together. She blurts out that she’s a virgin of all things.

  There we are together at Morelli’s. Tylar ‘pretending’ not to know Italian as I admit to Carmelita that I love her right off the bat! The little shit knew it the whole time. I’m walking her to her cottage. I want her safe. Now she's screaming on the porch of her cottage; those fucking silk pajamas have set her off. I comfort her and ease her fears; God, I love her.

  Fast forwarding again; it's her 21st birthday in Atlanta. I feel like a jealous, pimply-faced teenager watching her dance with Rodney! I'll rip his fucking throat out if he touches any part of her magnificent body! This feeling of jealousy is new to me. I don’t like it. He glances over and senses my rage.

  He’s out of there leaving her alone on the floor. Smart move, Rodney. She's been under my skin from the moment I laid eyes on her.

  Next up on the kaleidoscope, its Tylar and Derringer taking the dressage cup with their superb performance in Malvern Park; then I watch as she tosses her cookies all over my new Bruno Magli shoes, as we collect our trophy.

  Pictures flash by me of Tylar giving birth to Preston. She does it with her usual flair for trying to be brave (except for the cussing and yelling.) I chuckle in my dream at how she held her own during all of it.

  Now I can see my little Preston at her breast and the way Tylar's looking at her. I see the way my newborn daughter's looking at Tylar. The love between them is unmistakable. Preston looks just like me; Tylar says her personality is mine, too. I adore them both!

  There are Tylar and me sitting together in that court room in Baton Rouge. Wow! Tylar's giggling in the stone cold silence as Judge Tylar banishes Mr. Louderdick from the room.

  I'm watching now as Tylar views the open casket of her mother; seeing her for the first time ever and trying to make sense of it all. Her mother's beautiful in that red knit dress. It disarms me at how much Tylar resembles her mother.

  Tylar and me at the cemetery as they lower Marley’s casket into the cold earth; standing so close to each, but yet so far apart. These pictures bring me discomfort as they flash in front of me.

  Oh God, I'm at Judge Tylar’s home. I want my wife to come home with me. She comes into the room and I almost don’t recognize her! She's her hair dyed and cut like Amber’s?? What the hell?

  There I am waiting in Tylar’s room for her to get home. I want her to walk through that door so that I can make sweet love to her; I'll fix all of this between us. She finally comes through her bedroom door and hears my voice. She looks over at me and I can see that she's disheveled; she has that ‘just fucked by a stranger’ look. My heart breaks into a million pieces; I want to vomit but I know deep down I helped her get to where she is at the moment. I watch myself bathe her; I need to wash that random guy’s scent from her and get her to bed.

  Finally! These pictures unfold to more recent - happier times! I watch in amazement as we comb the beaches of Montego Bay together; we laugh and talk; we love and explore. We're in our own little paradise that we’ve created together. It's just her and me and it's beautiful. I want it to last forever. We take all of those pictures to capture the memories of our paradise and she wants to share it with Tristan and Gina.

  My God! That’s where we were going when all of this happened! Why the hell am I unable to move? I’ve got to find my Tylar. I hope like hell I was able to get her clear of the lunatic’s car. I don’t want to live my life without her. I know that now. I’ve always known that.

  Sirens are in the distance.

  Thank God. They'll help us get off this cold pavement and send us on our way. I feel something deep within my chest. Someone's pounding on my freaking chest. What the...?

  Blackness... the wailing from the short distance away has not stopped.

  For me, everything goes blessedly silent in my mind.

  CHAPTER 24

  I awoke to blinding bright ceiling lights shining from above. My head was throbbing; my mouth was dry and my throat was sore. Where the hell was I?

  A nurse came into the area of what I presumed to be the ER of a hospital. All that provided privacy was a curtain on a rod that was easily pulled aside when someone wanted to enter. At that moment it was a nurse who came in and breathed a sigh of relief at seeing me awake.

  She quickly put a blood pressure cuff on me and pumped the rubber bulb up to get my reading. I was still in a daze.

  “What the hell happened?” My voice was weak and raspy.

  “Don’t worry,” she replied in a very calming voice as she recorded my BP reading, “You're going to be just fine, Mrs. Sinclair.”

  Then I suddenly recalled the chain of events that had brought me to this hospital; to this ER.

  “Where's my husband? Where's Trey?” I asked my voice did little to hide the panic that was evident.

  “Mrs. Sinclair,” she said in an almost scolding tone, “the important thing at this moment is for me to get your vitals and then the doctor will be in shortly to examine you. You have a head injury that needs to be addressed. Please lay back down. Try your very best to relax.”

  There was no freaking way I was going to lay on this gurney and relax. I wanted Trey; I had to know if Trey was alright. I started shouting for him. The sound of my own hysterical voice resounded in my throbbing head. I didn’t care. I was going to scream his name until he heard me and came to me. I needed him here with me. I needed my Trey.

  “Doctor!” It was the nurse screaming now. “I need help here in ER 2, stat.”

  The curtain was pushed aside and a man in a white lab jacket was beside my gurney in moments. I saw the syringe in his hand; I felt the prick of the needle in one of my arms as the nurse was lying across my torso to keep me from moving.

  Once again I sank into deep, dark silence. My dreams swirled around me like a carousel of memories. I could hear carnival music in the background; crowds of people were murmuring to one another. Bits and pieces of conversations floated above me. I was suspended in an abyss without a care. I was searching faces for recognition; I was calm now.

  The fogginess of my
dream was clearing. Sights and sounds were becoming more distinguishable. I was not at the carnival any longer. The noises were now reminiscent of my earlier awakening. They were hospital noises. My eyes stayed closed. My lids were too heavy to move. It seemed as if no time had passed at all since I'd drifted off to sleep that I was awakening.

  I heard a familiar voice now. It was smooth and silky. I felt relieved when I heard it. Thank God. It was my Trey.

  “Trey?” I whispered loudly. I felt someone near. Someone’s hand was stroking my hair gently.

  “It’s Tristan,” the voice said to me. “You're going to be fine, Tylar.”

  I willed my eyes to open. Tristan wasn’t Trey but he was family and the closest thing that I had to Trey apart from Preston. Tristan would tell me what the hell had happened.