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Authors: M. Leighton
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my
peeping slit, my eyes never leaving her as she makes her way slowly
toward me. I smash my cheek against the glass to keep her in my
sight as she bends. That’s when I see the woman lying in the bed. I
can’t see much more than her profile, but her platinum hair is the
exact shade of Tommi’s and their nose and mouth could be that of
sisters. Or, considering the age of this woman, mother and
daughter.
Tommi leans down and presses a kiss to the
woman’s cheek. She lingers for a few seconds and then straightens,
lovingly stroking the woman’s face before she walks out of the
room, cutting the overhead light off as she goes.
I think back to what I know about Tommi,
about her mother who draws disability checks. I didn’t give it much
thought, but this is more disabled than what I would’ve expected.
From the looks of it, the woman needs more professional care. Yet
Tommi is providing it. All by herself. But why? Why, when I’m sure
Lance would give her as much money as she wanted or needed, would
she do this to herself?
I back up to follow her through the house.
She passes the kitchen and disappears into another room, one
without a window. She’s in there for five or six minutes–maybe
starting the laundry?–and then she comes out again, her arms
empty.
After she gets herself a yogurt and a bottle
of water from the fridge, Tommi heads for a room toward the front
of the house. I walk around, sticking to the deeper shadows of the
yard, away from the windows, until I see the blue flicker of the
television pour out into the night. The sheer curtains in the
living room are pulled shut, but they’re so thin they provide
little in the way of privacy. Of course, if she doesn’t turn on the
lights, it’s pretty hard to see in unless you’re right on top of
the place, like I am.
I watch her pull her feet underneath her,
covering her legs with a blanket as she delicately spoons yogurt
into her mouth. Even in the low light, I can see her tongue trail
across her upper lip to clean it off. My mouth waters as I think
about licking those lush lips and then tasting the flavor of the
yogurt on her cool tongue. I’m guessing that not even the most
decadent variety could compare to the taste of Just Tommi.
I stifle a groan.
After half an hour, she’s fast asleep on the
couch, obviously having meant what she said about staying in. As
much as I’d like to stay and watch her, I’m too restless. Instead,
I walk back to my house to get my truck. Maybe I’ll stop back by
Tonin’s place under the guise of just reporting to him about
Tommi’s activities over the last couple of weeks. See what he’s up
to.
What I find when I get there, while not
really valuable to my investigation, pisses me the hell off!
CHAPTER FIFEEN- TOMMI
I straighten my black sleeveless blouse and
slim, short black skirt as I give myself one last glance in the
mirror. I try to ignore the longing for relaxed fit jeans and a
comfy tee. There won’t be any of that today. Maybe not until all
this is over, considering that I now have a shadow.
I walk by Travis’s room and knock again. “If
we don’t leave now, you’ll be late. Let’s go!”
I know he’s tired. He didn’t get in until
almost 1:30 last night. I could’ve fussed, but I didn’t. I was just
glad he came home in one piece and that I didn’t get a call from
the police or the hospital. Those are always my two biggest fears
when he leaves at night. But my hands are tied, so…it’s a fear I’ve
learned to live with.
Travis finally comes out of his room, hood
flipped up, hat pulled low. He doesn’t meet my eyes again this
morning, just brushes past me and flings open the front door.
I follow him out, my eyes traveling
immediately to the spot across the street that Sig occupies. It’s
empty.
I’m surprised and disappointed. Very
disappointed. Much more than I should be, which should be not at all. I should be relieved to have a few minutes to myself.
Only I’m not. I like
peeping slit, my eyes never leaving her as she makes her way slowly
toward me. I smash my cheek against the glass to keep her in my
sight as she bends. That’s when I see the woman lying in the bed. I
can’t see much more than her profile, but her platinum hair is the
exact shade of Tommi’s and their nose and mouth could be that of
sisters. Or, considering the age of this woman, mother and
daughter.
Tommi leans down and presses a kiss to the
woman’s cheek. She lingers for a few seconds and then straightens,
lovingly stroking the woman’s face before she walks out of the
room, cutting the overhead light off as she goes.
I think back to what I know about Tommi,
about her mother who draws disability checks. I didn’t give it much
thought, but this is more disabled than what I would’ve expected.
From the looks of it, the woman needs more professional care. Yet
Tommi is providing it. All by herself. But why? Why, when I’m sure
Lance would give her as much money as she wanted or needed, would
she do this to herself?
I back up to follow her through the house.
She passes the kitchen and disappears into another room, one
without a window. She’s in there for five or six minutes–maybe
starting the laundry?–and then she comes out again, her arms
empty.
After she gets herself a yogurt and a bottle
of water from the fridge, Tommi heads for a room toward the front
of the house. I walk around, sticking to the deeper shadows of the
yard, away from the windows, until I see the blue flicker of the
television pour out into the night. The sheer curtains in the
living room are pulled shut, but they’re so thin they provide
little in the way of privacy. Of course, if she doesn’t turn on the
lights, it’s pretty hard to see in unless you’re right on top of
the place, like I am.
I watch her pull her feet underneath her,
covering her legs with a blanket as she delicately spoons yogurt
into her mouth. Even in the low light, I can see her tongue trail
across her upper lip to clean it off. My mouth waters as I think
about licking those lush lips and then tasting the flavor of the
yogurt on her cool tongue. I’m guessing that not even the most
decadent variety could compare to the taste of Just Tommi.
I stifle a groan.
After half an hour, she’s fast asleep on the
couch, obviously having meant what she said about staying in. As
much as I’d like to stay and watch her, I’m too restless. Instead,
I walk back to my house to get my truck. Maybe I’ll stop back by
Tonin’s place under the guise of just reporting to him about
Tommi’s activities over the last couple of weeks. See what he’s up
to.
What I find when I get there, while not
really valuable to my investigation, pisses me the hell off!
CHAPTER FIFEEN- TOMMI
I straighten my black sleeveless blouse and
slim, short black skirt as I give myself one last glance in the
mirror. I try to ignore the longing for relaxed fit jeans and a
comfy tee. There won’t be any of that today. Maybe not until all
this is over, considering that I now have a shadow.
I walk by Travis’s room and knock again. “If
we don’t leave now, you’ll be late. Let’s go!”
I know he’s tired. He didn’t get in until
almost 1:30 last night. I could’ve fussed, but I didn’t. I was just
glad he came home in one piece and that I didn’t get a call from
the police or the hospital. Those are always my two biggest fears
when he leaves at night. But my hands are tied, so…it’s a fear I’ve
learned to live with.
Travis finally comes out of his room, hood
flipped up, hat pulled low. He doesn’t meet my eyes again this
morning, just brushes past me and flings open the front door.
I follow him out, my eyes traveling
immediately to the spot across the street that Sig occupies. It’s
empty.
I’m surprised and disappointed. Very
disappointed. Much more than I should be, which should be not at all. I should be relieved to have a few minutes to myself.
Only I’m not. I like
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