CHAPTER 34
I had a phone call to make once Trey and I got back to the apartment. I pulled Daniel's number up in my phone's contact list. I hoped that he hadn't changed it.
I heard his voice on the other end when he answered.
"Daniel - it's Tylar Sinclair. I'm afraid that I have some bad news."
Once I had broken the news to him about Maggie's death, I filled Daniel in on the specifics concerning where she had wanted to be buried; I shared with him her message that she had loved him. He was silent for several moments.
"I guess if she said it on her deathbed then it just might be the truth for once," he said solemnly.
I explained that an autopsy was to be performed and the body would be released in a couple of days for transport to Indiana. I asked Daniel if he minded making the arrangements with a local mortuary at his end; I would do the same here to handle the transfer of her remains to the mortuary in Indiana. I told him that we would pay the cost for everything. The cash in Maggie's possession had turned out to be a little more than $15,000 which would more than cover it.
"No Tylar," Daniel replied startling me.
"I will cover the costs for this. She has taken enough from you. I want to do this."
"Are you sure Daniel? Aren't you back in school?"
"I held back some of the reward money you and your husband gave me so I'm good. I started taking night classes. I work a job during the day. My farm is out of foreclosure and I'm leasing the land to a farmer down the road so I get some income from that. I've straightened my life around because of that money. I want to do this for Maggie as well," he said.
"Well okay then. I'll call you just as soon as I get the notification that the coroner's released her body."
"Sounds good," he replied, "I'll contact the local mortuary up here as well and put them in touch with the county coroner's office down there. Is there any particular reason why they are doing an autopsy?"
"It's what Maggie wanted. She told me that before she passed away. She felt that she had been poisoned."
"No shit," he said with surprise.
"That reminds me Daniel. I remember you telling me that Maggie had run up your cell phone bills with calls being made to Mississippi last year?"
"Yeah," he scoffed, "She claimed she had some business partner down there."
"Is there any way that you can get those phone records? I'd like to have that phone number."
"Yeah I sure can. I can request copies of my phone log going back as far as I want. I'll get them for you. Do you think her business partner had anything to do with her death?"
"Just making sure that I cover all of the bases in carrying out her last requests."
I gave Daniel Trey's office address and told him to send the phone records there to Trey's attention. I assured him that Trey would get to the bottom of this and that I would keep him posted on our progress.
"I appreciate that Tylar. I know that Maggie was not good to you. The fact that you even give a damn about carrying out her dying wishes is, well it's impressive."
"She was my mother's sister Daniel and if what Maggie told me on her deathbed is true, I've a score to settle myself on my mother's behalf."
We left it that we would be in touch with one another in the next day or two.
That had not been a difficult conversation for once I thought to myself as I searched for Trey. I needed him to hold me right now. I felt vulnerable and scared with all that Maggie had told me.
Trey was in his office; his Blackberry was on speaker mode and I recognized Tonya's voice on the other end. He looked up at me and smiled; he waved for me to come in. I climbed into his lap and buried my face against his shoulder. The tears started flowing.
"Tonya, let me call you back in thirty and we'll continue updating my schedule."
Trey ended his call and pulled me back so that he could see my face.
"I know sweetheart," he said gently, kissing away my tears. "I know that it hurts baby."
Trey lifted me from his lap and took me by the hand leading me to our room. He sat me on the bed and removed my boots and socks.
"Climb under the covers baby," he instructed.
I did as he said and he tucked me in. He sat beside me on the bed gently stroking my face with his fingers. He leaned over and kissed me warmly.
"You've been through a lot these past few days Tylar. Why don't you take a nap while I go and pick up Preston from Gina's? The three of us will spend a nice quiet day together. I'm having Tonya clear my calendar so we will have the whole week together, okay?"
"Thank you Trey. I love you."
"I love you too, baby. Now close your eyes. I'll sit here with you until you fall asleep."
I wasn't sure how much later it was when I awoke. Someone was on the bed with me. Someone that was fussing and saying, "num-num" over and over again.
Trey was sitting on the edge of the bed and Preston was crawling towards me.
"Sorry baby," he said smiling. "I was trying to feed her some pureed carrots but she wants num-num."
"That's okay," I said pulling the covers back to let her in, "She's just what I need at the moment."
I pulled my sweater off and rolled onto my side making myself available to Preston. She quickly latched on and started nursing.
"What time is it Trey?"
"It's nearly noon. Are you getting hungry?"
"A little bit. Have you eaten?"
"Not yet. How about if I make some tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches?"
"That's my favorite comfort food," I said smiling up at him.
Trey was also just what I needed.
"OK then lunch will be ready as soon as Preston finishes," he said on his way to the kitchen.
I thought about what Maggie had said the other day when Trey and I saw her the first time about Preston vomiting every time she finished nursing from Maggie.
I recalled how resistant and reluctant Preston had been when we got her back to nurse from me. Suddenly I was filled with fear at the possibility that if Maggie was being poisoned Preston may have ingested some of whatever poison it was through Maggie's breast milk.
I needed to stay calm at the moment. I would discuss this with Trey as soon as Preston finished to see if he thought she should have blood testing done. The problem was we didn't know what we would be looking for as far as a specific poison.
Trey returned to our room a little while later lifting a sleeping Preston from my arms to put her in her crib. I pulled my sweater on and went out to the kitchen. Trey joined me momentarily.
Over lunch I discussed my concern about having Preston tested in case Maggie had been poisoned during the period of time that Preston was with her.
"Christ," he said shaking his head, "How in the hell do we explain that to her pediatrician? I suppose it's worth putting a call in to see if anything can be done when nothing is conclusive on Maggie's assertion at this point."
He looked over at my worried face and took my hand into his.
"I really think the baby is fine though, sweetie."
"I know Trey but it would put my mind at ease knowing that some slow-acting poison hasn't infiltrated one of her organs."
"I suppose you want me to make the call to the doctor right?"
"Please Trey? I'm too embarrassed. Apparently there's some bayou trash amongst my mother's siblings it would seem. I'm too emotionally drained at the moment."
"Alright Tylar," he said, "But there is a call that I think you need to make yourself."
"What call?"
"The call to Judge Tylar. I happen to have his cell phone number. He left all of his contact information when he phoned me at my office last week."
I was reluctant to make that call. What would I say? What if he didn’t like the message? What if he rejected me like a lot of others had in the course of my life? I couldn't take a rejection like that. What if he didn't believe me?
"Tylar," Trey said, watching me toss around the 'what ifs' in my mind.
"I know Trey. I know that it is my call to make. What do I say to him?"
"How about: Congratulations Your Honor; it's a girl?"