Tymber Dalton - Pinch Me

Laura started out laughing, but it immediately turned into more tears. She hated that, hated not being in control of her emotions on top of everything else.

Thomas chose that moment to take his leave as Shayla stepped forward to put her arms around Laura and console her.

“I hate this,” she tearfully sobbed against her friend’s shoulder. “I hate all of this. I want my life back.”

“It’ll happen,” she said. “We’ll get you there. He’s right, there are two things you don’t need to question. Rob loves you, and we all love you.”

“I keep hoping someone’s going to just pinch me and wake me up from this nightmare.”

Shayla kissed her forehead. “Believe me, if we could fix this for you, we would. In a heartbeat.”

* * *

After leaving the hospital, Thomas headed back to Englewood to talk to the neighbor, Tom Edwards. Fortunately the man was home, even though his wife was out.

“I’d like to run through your statement with you again.”

He didn’t miss the caution in the man’s face. “All right.”

“Why didn’t you head next door immediately when you heard the first noises?”

“Because…” His shoulders slumped a little. “I didn’t think much of it.”

He needed to play his hand. “Mr. Edwards, I’m aware of extenuating circumstances regarding Laura Spaulding and Rob Carlton’s relationship. That is not a factor in my investigation. Would you like to restate, unofficially and off the record, what happened?”

Relief filled the man’s face. “Let me tell you something, before I say anything else. We’ve had them over for dinner, and been to their place for dinner, several times. They’re a sweet couple. I know Rob would not hurt her if his life depended on it.”

“We have completely eliminated him as a suspect, Mr. Edwards.”

The man nodded. “I heard the door slam, but it was the screaming that got my attention. She never screams. They don’t raise their voices, either one of them. Ever. And it sounded like they were pounding on the walls.”

“But you’ve heard other things?”

“Rob would never hurt—”

“I don’t care if you’ve heard Rob spank her, all right?”

The man drew back a little, but nodded again. “Okay. Just so we’re clear.”

“We’re clear. I’ve already discussed that with Rob. I need to know exactly what you heard and saw.”

“Like I told you that night, his hair was lighter than Rob’s, and I think he was a few inches shorter than Rob. He wasn’t built like him, either. Thinner.”

“Did you hear anything he said to her before the screaming and other noises started?”

“Not clearly. It was the yelling that caught my attention first. Like I told you, they never raise their voices. Well, laughter. I’ve heard that. Playful squeals from her. Never screaming. Never crying like that.”

He shook his head. “I’m not saying they don’t ever disagree with each other. They love to debate things. I’ve seen them go head-to-head at dinner sometimes. But even then, when Rob looks at her, you can see the love in his eyes. Pride. Like he thinks he’s the luckiest son of a bitch in the world to have her.”

Thomas tried to ignore that and the pain of loss it dredged up in his own soul. “And you’ve never seen anyone hanging around who didn’t belong here?”

“No. They have friends over, but I’ve seen them all plenty of times. They’re very friendly.” He rubbed at his chin again. “I’m just glad we got home when we did. We’d been out of town for two weeks and got back home that morning. If we hadn’t been here…” He shook his head. “Our cars were here while we were gone. A friend took us up, and we took an airport limo home.”

Even though he’d left his card before, Thomas handed the man another one. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Edwards.”

“I hope you catch him.”

He glanced over at Laura Spaulding’s door. “So do I.”

It was a little after six when Carol arrived, and Shayla and Laura had already eaten dinner. Shayla had run out and picked up a pizza for them, which they shared with the deputy on duty. Laura watched as Shayla seemed to act wary, maybe even careful around the other woman.

It felt like there was a whole layer of context she was missing out on and didn’t even know how to ask about it. Or if she should ask in front of Carol.

Shayla introduced herself. “Shayla Daniels. We’ve met at Laura’s shop before.”

Recognition crossed the older woman’s face. “Ah, that’s right. Rob said you and your husband actually introduced him to Laura.” She gave Shayla a warm hug and Shayla appeared to marginally relax. “It’s good to see you again.”

Shayla walked over to Laura’s bed and gave her a hug. “Omelet tomorrow morning?”

“Are you sure I’m not imposing?”

Shayla smiled. “It’s not an imposition, believe me. Besides, I have to be at work Monday. So take advantage while you can.”

The thought that she wouldn’t have Shayla there with her on Monday saddened her. “Thank you. Then I will.”

When Shayla left, Laura honestly didn’t know what to do with Carol.

Apparently, Carol felt the same. She nervously straightened cards and flowers on the windowsill and squared up the stack of photo albums. “Did you want to go through the albums again?”

“I think I’d like to talk.”

“Okay.” She walked over and sat in the chair Shayla had occupied most of the day.

It hadn’t felt like this with Shayla. Forced, in a way. “Tell me about my parents.”

They talked for a couple of hours. Actually, Carol did most of the talking, with Laura asking her questions.

Unfortunately, it stirred few new revelations, only a couple of old childhood memories.

It was a decided relief when Rob arrived a few minutes after ten. Laura wasn’t sure what things in common she had to talk about with Carol before, but the conversation didn’t flow easily between them like it had with Shayla.

Carol hugged her good-bye. Laura felt more than a little guilty about the tears threatening in the older woman’s eyes. Laura wished she could have been a better conversationalist and hoped that under normal circumstances Carol hadn’t borne the bulk of the talking.

Once they were alone, Rob sat on the edge of the bed and gently tucked her hair behind her ears. She wanted to lean into him, to snuggle with him.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She closed her eyes. “You’re here. I am now.”

When he didn’t reply, she opened her eyes. He looked sad. “I’m sorry I’ve got to work.”

She grabbed his hand and pressed it against her cheek. “Please don’t apologize.”

His torn look ripped her own soul apart. “I…I don’t know what to do when you come home. How to keep you safe.”

“Det. Thomas came to talk to me today. He said I should get a concealed carry permit.”

He slowly nodded. “That’s one idea.”

“How do you feel about it?”

“I won’t force you to carry a gun.”

“Let me rephrase the question. How would I have felt about it before?”

Dammit, I hate that word.

“You’re not against them, if that’s the question. You spearfish.”

Right. She’d forgotten about that. “Shayla said one of our friends is a retired cop?”

He nodded again, even more slowly. “Sully. Clarisse’s husband.”

“When do I get to meet him? Them. All of them.”

A sad sigh escaped him. “If they don’t release you soon, I’ll call them. Otherwise, I was thinking let’s get you home and settled first and see if that jostles anything loose.”

“Okay.” She wondered if she always let him make decisions like this for her. It felt right, she wouldn’t deny it.

Did that make her weak?

She scooted over on the bed to make room and patted the mattress next to her.

When he climbed into the bed, she immediately snuggled against his side as carefully as she could without hurting her ribs. She closed her eyes.

And burst into tears. Being next to him like this felt so right, so good.

So perfect.

He didn’t say anything, simply held her, his lips pressed against the top of her head, his arms wrapped around her, comforting.

Familiar.

She didn’t know much, but she knew she wanted to stay like this as long as possible.

When she eventually stopped crying, he reached for the box of tissues on the bedside table and handed it to her. “When do you have to be back to work?” she asked.

“Six. The captain’s working with me.”

“Tomorrow night?”

“I wish. In the morning.”

She looked up at him. “I’m sorry.”

His confused frown looked adorable. “Why are you apologizing?”

“Because you should be home getting sleep and you’re here.”

She hoped he didn’t start crying, because that would totally finish her off. He brushed the hair from her face again. “Sweetheart, I’d walk through hell for you. A little sleep deprivation is nothing.”

Still, at eleven thirty she gently suggested he should go home and get some sleep. She could see the exhaustion in his face, deep worry lines in the outer creases of his eyes and dark circles under them she suspected he didn’t have a little over a week earlier.

He gave her a hug and a kiss before heading out. As she settled in to sleep, she thought about the warmth of his body, how right it felt being snuggled next to him.

I want to go home. With him.

* * *

Sunday morning, they came to take Laura for another MRI early in the morning, before six o’clock.

She was already awake.

This time she didn’t mind being in the machine without a nurse in the room because she knew the deputy would stay in the control room.

Am I finally accepting this?

It seemed hard to believe. Every hour that passed without more memories returning seemed one step closer to acceptance of her fate.

She didn’t want to accept it. She wanted to beat this, to regain everything. She refused to believe she’d never have those memories again.

Of the Christmases and other holidays as a kid with her brother and parents.

Of her first days with Rob.

Of all the milestones in her life. She couldn’t even remember her high school or college graduations.

Of working with her father at the shop.

She closed her eyes and listened to the music. Today, they had the radio tuned to a station playing light jazz and other easy listening music.

It wasn’t possible to drift to sleep with the sound of the machine hammering away, or with the way the head brace dug into the back of her neck. She opted for trying to process her dreams from the night before.

Instead of being on a boat, she’d been kneeling at Rob’s feet, naked. A feeling of utter contentment had filled her.

But…that’s not normal. What’s wrong with me? Something deep inside her wanted it more than anything despite her rational mind telling her it had to be an analogy for something else.

I can’t even tell Shayla this. What would her friend think of her if she admitted something like that? Would she think she was weird? Would she distance herself?

She’d have to deal with it in her own way. Maybe I should call Dr. Simpson’s office tomorrow and make that appointment.

At least the psychiatrist got paid to hear weird shit.

* * *

Shayla was waiting for her in the room with a freshly made omelet and even more goodies. She greeted Laura with a hug. “Ready for breakfast?”

“You’re spoiling me. I hope they let me out tomorrow or I’m going to hate tomorrow’s hospital breakfast with a passion.”

“How did your visit with Carol go last night?”

Laura pondered that as she savored the first bite of the omelet. “Good. But I didn’t get any new memories.”

“Sorry.”

“No, it’s okay.” She forked another bite into her mouth. “But it was odd. I feel like I’m closer to you than I am to her.” She looked at Shayla. “Does that make sense? I mean, I feel like I can talk to you all day with no problem. Last night, I felt like I had no idea what to talk to her about except to ask questions.”

Shayla cocked her head as she considered her answer. “Well, we were…are pretty close. Carol is kind of like a mom to you. I know there are a lot of things I don’t talk to my mom about.” She shrugged. “And you saw a lot of her at work. She helps out in the shop. So you sort of had a different relationship with her than me.”