CHAPTER 12
Trey was livid but managed to contain his anger until we were safely out of Daniel's hovel. I saw Tristan standing outside of what I presumed was Trey's rental car. Trey opened the passenger side of my rental car and told me to get in. I watched in the side mirror as Trey went over and spoke to Tristan briefly, then returned to my car getting in on the driver's side.
"Give me the keys," he ordered none too politely.
I handed the keys to him trying to make eye contact but having no luck.
As we headed down the rural road towards Indianapolis, I finally found the nerve to speak.
"Trey I know you are angry with me for coming up here but I did manage to find some potentially useful information. I know for sure now that my mom - Maggie has Preston."
"Tylar," he spoke softly but his voice was like steel, "Do you remember the promises that we made to each other on our wedding day?"
"Of course I do Trey - but if you'll---"
"I promised that I would protect you and keep you safe," he interrupted. "You promised you would be with me during times of joy and times of sorrow. This is a time of sorrow for both of us. Until we find our baby and she is safely back home with us, I don't want you out of my sight."
I looked over at Trey; I saw a tear roll down his cheek and then another. I reached my hand up to his cheek capturing it with my thumb. I couldn't take it if he fell apart on me right now. I had not allowed myself to cry for my baby. The thought that this would have anything other than a positive outcome was simply unfathomable to me.
"Trey," I whispered hoarsely, "Please don't think that I would ever do anything to make you feel like this. I just wanted to help. I wanted to get the ball rolling and not wade through all of the bureaucratic red tape to get started in this search for Preston. I didn't want to waste precious time while the authorities tried to figure out whether we were the perps in all of this."
"I know baby, that sickened me as well but as an officer of the court I know that they are just doing their job no matter how cruel it seems to us. When Gina told me where you went late last night I was scared Tylar."
"Why didn't you call my cell?"
"I tried. Your cell is shut off."
I rifled through my purse until I located my Blackberry. The battery had died.
"I'm sorry Trey - it was nothing that I was trying to keep from you. I told Gina to let you know when you came by today. Obviously, you found out sooner."
"Why would you put yourself in that kind of danger? You know damn well that your mother had plotted to kill you at one point for Chrissake? So you don't care what that does to me?"
"Trey I said that I was sorry and I am but I don't regret going because I found out some valuable information."
I filled Trey in on the main points of my conversation with Daniel; my mother was really my aunt; my birth mother was her twin sister and died before I was a year old; the car Maggie took was Daniel's white Ford Explorer for which he had provided the license and VIN numbers; she had received collect calls from a prison in Virginia; she had made multiple calls to Mississippi; there was a good chance she had hoarded the money she got from my trust and was potentially using it now to stay beneath the radar; and her maiden name was possibly 'Renaud.'
"Did you say 'Renaud'?"
I finally had Trey's attention.
"Yes, why? It's not a common name have you heard it before?"
"Yes. That's the last name of the agent for TJ Properties, the L.L.C. in Mississippi that held the deed to your house in Radcliff until you turned twenty-one, remember?"
"Yes, but I thought you said you didn't have any luck in finding out the identity of the Trustor when you went to Jackson last year."
"I didn't think that I had. All I had was the post office box number of the L.L.C., the phone number listed on the UCC filing was no longer a working number. I literally hung out at the post office for damn near a full day until someone came to collect the mail from it. It was a man named 'Renaud.' I think his first name was Matthew. I explained I represented you in a matter involving your trust. It was then that he informed me that the property in Radcliff was to be deeded to you upon your twenty-first birthday. He didn't offer much more information, nor was he required to do so. As I explained before, L.L.C's are not required to disclose."
"Do you remember what he looked like?"
"He didn't stand out one way or another. He was probably late forties why?"
"He might be my father," I replied.
"I thought you said that Daniel said 'Renaud' could have been Maggie's married name?"
"Yes - but he also said nearly everything that came out of her mouth was a lie. God I don't know what to think Trey. She wove such an intricate web of lies and deceit for all of these years; yet there is always a grain of truth hidden somewhere. It's just picking it out that is so fucking complicated."
"I know sweetie; but I do think the name is significant. Once we are back home, I'll get the investigator working on it okay?"
"How's your mom?" I asked, suddenly ashamed that I had caused Trey to leave her because he had been compelled to make sure that I was safe.
"Physically she will be fine. Emotionally she's a wreck. She is blaming herself for all of it. My father flew down and he will fly back with her this morning. Tristan will be staying with us for a couple of days and then will fly to Bristol to stay with Mom after dad's surgery."
"Why is Tristan staying with us?"
"Because I have to go back to the firm to get my case load divided up so that I can focus on getting Preston back. I don't want you left alone. Tristan will see to it that you are kept safe when I can't be with you."
The truth was I found it comforting to know that I wouldn't be left in our apartment alone. I hadn't been back there since the last morning that I had held and nursed my baby girl. She had looked so cute with her little 'Pebbles Flintstone' hair style. Tears brimmed in my eyes. I hadn't allowed myself to cry yet. I was afraid that if I allowed myself to cry then it was an admission that she might never be back with us. I couldn't bear the thought of that; I couldn't imagine wanting my life to go on without her in it.
My sobs escaped in a flood of tears. Trey pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned it off. He unfastened my seat belt and pulled me over into his arms. I let it all out not caring how loud or hard I cried. He held me in his arms, stroking my hair.
"I want my baby back!"
I wailed it over and over again.
"Trey I need her back with me."
"I know baby. I know," he choked unable to contain his tears.
"We will get her back I promise you that. The FBI has our phone tapped; they are checking the surveillance videos from the lobby and parking garage. The Georgia State Police have issued 'Levi's Call'. We will have our 'Chubbers' back soon, baby, I promise."
The tears and the emotion had caused a letdown in my breasts. They were so full of milk they hurt. Damn, why hadn't I thought to bring my breast pump? I had to keep my milk flowing or I would dry up. I was not about to let Maggie be the last one to nurse my baby.
"Trey do we have time before our flight back to stop somewhere and buy a breast pump? I need to keep pumping until Preston is back."
"Sure sweetie," he said, kissing my lips gently.
______________________________________
Our apartment seemed empty and desolate upon our return. Trey had obviously been back there since the incident to get his mom's stuff packed up. She and Clive had already flown out by the time we got in. They were to call Trey later this evening. Tristan would stay in the bed in the nursery where Susan had slept. I couldn't bring myself to go into that room. Trey had kept the door shut since we had arrived back home.
I immediately went to our suite to take a shower. I felt exhausted and drained. I emerged from the bathroom in my warm terrycloth robe, with a towel wrapped around my damp hair. I climbed up on our bed with my breast pump and empty bottles. I was able to fill two of them.
Trey came in just after I had finished pumping.
"Do you want me to put these in the refrigerator?" he asked.
"Yes please but make sure you put one of those stickers I have out there in the kitchen with the day of the week printed on it okay?"
"Sure baby," he said taking leave.
I removed the towel from my hair and combed through the damp locks. My eyes drifted to her white bassinet that was still in our room. She had nearly outgrown it but I still had occasionally put her in it for naps before I had started back to work at the firm.
The firm. Shit! I wondered who was going to handle Leah's responsibilities. Her surgery was scheduled for tomorrow. Something popped up in my mind as I was thinking about the firm. There was something I recalled coming up in the next few weeks in front of a panel of judges. That's right - it was with a federal judge that had a name like mine only backwards. Judge Preston James Tylar. It was scheduled in a court in Baton Rouge as I recalled.
I got off from the bed to find Trey. I had meant to mention this to him before all of this happened. I walked down the hallway and saw that the light was on in his study. I quietly approached the door expecting him to have his Blackberry up to his ear while typing on his laptop but his chair was turned so that his back was to me.
He was leaning back staring over at the corner of the room. It was Preston's empty swing. One of her little rubber squeeze toys was in the tray by the seat. I watched as Trey leaned forward and picked up the little pink rubber clothespin that had a face on it. He squeezed it a couple of times making it squeak the way she did when she chewed on it.
I saw his shoulders shake with sadness. He lowered his head into his hands, covering his face and sobbed. He was in just as much pain as I was right now. What had made me think that my pain was any worse than his?
I hurried over to him, placing my hand on his shoulder. He looked up at me with his beautiful sapphire eyes reflecting his pain and his sadness.
"God Tylar," he choked, "Will you ever be able to forgive me?"
I knelt down in front of him, taking his hands in mine totally confused as to why my husband felt that he needed to ask for my forgiveness.
"Trey I don't understand. What have you done that would make you think you need my forgiveness?"
"I didn't listen to you when you were having those dreams. They were premonitions, weren't they?"
He didn't wait for me to respond. He was hell-bent on torturing himself I could see.
"I fucking insisted you go back to the office even when it meant having to hire someone to come in to our home and take care of the baby. Look at what I've caused? Because of me my mother was injured and my daughter is gone… abducted."
"Trey - you were worried about me. You did what you thought was in my best interest. Remember you telling me that you wanted to know that I could survive in a world where peace of mind and security weren't guaranteed without withdrawing or freaking out? You wanted me to be a strong person, not a paranoid person."
"I thought it was concern," he replied angrily, "Maybe it was pure and simple jealousy."
"I don't understand," I replied.
"I don't know Tylar. Maybe I was just jealous of all of the attention you gave the baby and felt left out. Perhaps my motivation was more self-serving."
"I don't believe that for one minute, Trey. Even Dr. Hunter had concerns. You need to stop beating yourself up with this. We need to be a team more than ever now."
He raked his hands through his hair, continuing to look tormented. I couldn't bear to see him like that. I needed to do something so that we connected again.
I raised myself up and crawled into his lap. I cupped my hands around his beautiful face, kissing his tears away. Our lips met and we kissed hungrily. I pulled back my eyes searching his.
"I need you to make love to me Trey."
He lifted me from his lap and we retired to our suite. I undressed him so that he stood totally naked in front of me. I needed his love and his sweetness right now. He needed the same from me.
He undid the belt on my robe, pulling it gently from my shoulders allowing it to fall to the floor. I was naked before him.
He lifted me up and placed me gently on our bed. His hands gently massaged my breasts as he leaned over and suckled from one. It felt so good to be relieved of the milk once again. He lingered there for several minutes, and then moved to the other breast, emptying that one for me as well. His tongue traced downward over my belly then lower still to my womanhood. His fingers gently plied the folds of my sex as his tongue swirled around my clitoris over and over again. I was moaning with the pleasure that was sweetly unfolding.
Trey rolled over onto his back fully erect. He lifted me up, placing me above his erection. I was soaking wet; eager to feel his fullness within me. He gently lowered me down onto him, his hands on each side of my hips.
Once he was fully encapsulated within me I rolled my hips up and down slowly and rhythmically on him. He moaned with pleasure, his hands rotating my hips to his pleasure. I leaned over pressing my breasts into him, our lips meeting in a long, leisurely kiss. I continued rotating my hips in a circular motion, while he placed his hands on my ass, gently raising me up and down. I felt my uterus contracting around him, pulling and squeezing his shaft.
"I love you baby," he whispered against my lips.
"I love you," I answered, my tongue tracing the outside of his lips.
"Did you put your diaphragm in?" he asked.
Shit! I hadn't even thought about it.
I started to lift myself off of Trey. His hands firmly held my ass in place just where I was.
"It's okay," he said, "We need to finish this."
"Trey - no; let me---"
"Hush," he said, covering my mouth with his.
He rolled me over so that he was now on top. He pulled my legs up over his shoulders and increased his rhythm steadily. I felt myself quickening, my contractions around him were strong. He moaned each time he flexed himself within me.
"God baby, this feels so good."
"Trey I need you to hold me close please."
He scooped me up into his arms, my legs lowered now to wrap around his hips, my toes digging into his firm ass, pulling him in deeper. Our lips were joined again in a passionate kiss; our breathing coming faster. I felt so good I was whimpering with pleasure at the fullness I felt.
"That's my girl," Trey purred against my lips. "That's my angel."
My orgasm exploded around him as I cried out his name. He was right there with me, moaning and thrusting himself into me harder and harder. I felt him stiffen as he peaked, and then the pulsating of his climax as he emptied himself inside of me.
"That's it baby," he crooned, "Take it all, baby." He shuddered then collapsed on top of me, his lips finding mine once again. We kissed for several minutes as our bodies slowly relaxed from their orgasmic peaks.
"I love you Tylar. I love you so much."
"I love you too, Trey. I always will no matter what." I promised.
He rose up, slowly pulling himself out of me.
"You know that our baby girl is coming home, don't you Trey?"
He was lying on his side, his head propped up in his hand watching me.
"I know that sweetie," he said, smiling at me.
"I don't think you're as sure of that as I am."
I saw a frown crease his forehead.
"Why would you say that?" he asked, his eyes searching mine in confusion.
"Because you didn't let me correct the situation with respect to my diaphragm, or grab a condom from the bedside drawer when you realized we weren't protected just now."
"What are you saying exactly, Tylar?
"I'm just saying that in that moment, you were willing to play Russian roulette with birth control and taking a chance that I could get pregnant."
Trey didn't say anything reflecting upon what I had just said to him. He looked conflicted at the moment.
"Trey - all I am saying is that if Preston had been tucked away safely in her room here at home and the same thing would have happened just now, you would have taken a moment to put a condom on. Am I right?"
"For Chrissake Tylar. Let's not over analyze it, please?"
"I'm not trying to over analyze it, sweetie. You just need to believe that she will be back with us real soon. Another baby would never replace her, you get that right?"
"I know that, Tylar, it wasn't about that at all. I want us to have more children, you know that. If you were pregnant right now, I wouldn't have a problem at all with that. It has nothing to do with my not having faith that Preston will be coming home. I promise, okay?"
"Okay then," I said, smiling and snuggling up against him.
"I forgot to see if Tristan needed anything. Did he get settled in the guest room?"
I refused to refer to it as the nursery until Preston was back home.
"He's fine, "Trey answered. "He's watching ESPN in the living room in between 'sext messages."
"What?"
Trey chuckled good-naturedly.
"It appears that Tristan is either in love or in lust. I haven't quite figured it out yet."
--"With whom?" I asked, not that I would know the person.
"Someone named Libby," he replied.
"Does she live in California?"
"Actually she lives here in Atlanta. He met her on the plane."
"Are you serious?"
He nodded, smiling.
"I think Tristan is on the cusp of his mid-life crisis," he added.
"Oh right - he is turning forty soon. I guess I forgot about that. Your mom had said something a week or so ago about throwing him a major party for the occasion."
"We've had a lot on our minds baby. I'm sure if we fast forward to the party we will have Preston is our arms for the occasion."
"The sooner the better," I remarked tearing up again.
"Tristan is planning on moving back to Virginia."
"Really?" I asked.
"What about his winery?"
"He is going to sell it to Nigel and expand the winery at the 'Belle. He is going to make a major investment. He and my father have most of the details worked out."
"Go to sleep now baby."
Goodnight Trey; I love you."
Goodnight, Baby. I love you."