Linked

by Barbara Huffert

  “How old were you?” Tori asked, knowing he was using this to distract her.

  “I was nine and she was seven.”

  “How could you?”

  “Hey, it wasn’t as easy as you think. Giti was fearless. After a few days of peeking under the porch as she left the snack, she decided she didn’t believe me. She hadn’t seen anything or heard them moving around so she concluded they must have moved away.”

  “So she stopped?”

  “She would have if I hadn’t gotten two of my friends to hide under the porch. One grabbed her foot through the steps and the other rolled around, scraping the boards with a stick and growling.”

  “Why didn’t she tell your parents or other sisters? Didn’t she wonder why she was the only one they were after?”

  “I told her the trolls weren’t the greedy kind and only needed one child to keep them happy. I said I had been the one when they first picked our house but they wanted her instead. I explained that she wasn’t allowed to talk about it with anyone who didn’t already know they were there or they’d get mad and eat the whole family. I said it was up to us to protect the others. I even volunteered to put her treat in the hiding place so she didn’t have to get too close.”

  “You were awful!”

  “Yeah, I was. Especially since I didn’t think ahead to when school left out for the summer. I made up some lame story about weekends but I forgot about summer. When Giti couldn’t figure out how to sneak her cookie or cake out of the house after lunch, she started having bad dreams. She’d flop around and whimper until Mom or Dad woke her. She started crying every time someone left the house but I was too busy with my buddies to pay much attention. She held out a whole week before my parents got her to tell them.”

  “What did they do to you?”

  “Dad took me to the garage and explained all about the responsibilities of being a big brother as well as a good man and pointed out how my behavior went against most of them. He always had the uncanny knack of knowing when to yell and when a reasonable discussion would be more effective. Mom, on the other hand, usually yelled until she got it out of her system unless it was one of the rare occasions when she was too angry to say a word. When that happened she’d just stare instead. We would all be together, like at dinner and in the middle of a conversation she’d give the offender a look that said it all.”

  “Was this one of those times?”

  “Oh yeah. She was waiting when Dad and I went back in the house. I’ll never forget the expression on her face. I could see how much I’d disappointed her. I felt like the biggest failure in the world. I wanted to fall down and cry at her feet but I was too afraid she’d push me away so I just stood there, wishing there really were trolls who would open up the floor and eat me.

  “Dad eventually took pity on me and told me to go apologize to Giti and then go to bed. He said that they’d decide my punishment later.”

  “What was it?” Tori prompted when Guy got lost in his memories.

  “Officially, what you’d expect. I gave Brigit my share of all the goodies Mom baked for the same amount of time I’d taken hers, was grounded with extra chores and had to tell my friends’ parents what I had them do. Unofficially, I opened myself up to ridicule because I became the one to derail schemes that would hurt others the way I’d hurt Giti.”

  “Protector of the innocent at nine. What about your mom and sister?”

  “My sister was easy. After the first week she was trying to sneak me cookies. I promised I’d never lie to her again and that if she was ever afraid of anything, no matter what, she could come to me, knowing that I would never make fun of her and would help however I could.

  “Mom kept her distance so long I thought she’d never forgive me. Imagine all of us at the table, my sisters all talking over each other, Mom and Dad trying to make comments to each of them and talk to each other, Dad asking for an update on my extra duties and my older sisters doing their best to include me because, even though they were pissed at me for tricking Giti, they knew what it felt like to be on the receiving end of Mom’s cold shoulder. Then, in the middle of all the chaos, Mom would give me one of her looks and I’d go back to feeling lower than a worm. Giti walked in on me crying in my room one night after dinner and without thinking, I told her it was because Mom hated me. She went to Dad and asked if he hated me too. Of course Mom heard her and before I knew what was going on, she was hugging me hard and crying all over me.

  “Once we were square again, Mom dragged me down to the living room where Dad already had my sisters waiting for a family meeting. Mom started by asking my sisters if they’d ever felt like I had. They didn’t say anything but Mom knew they had. That set off another round of hugs and tears until Dad stepped in and explained that Mom stopped talking when she didn’t trust herself not to blurt out something in anger that she didn’t really mean because she didn’t want to hurt us.”

  “So her silence was a sign of how much she loved you,” Tori snorted. “That would make me the most loved kid ever.”

  “Tori.”

  Guy let Tori go when she shifted away from him and scrambled out of the bed. “Sorry I scared you. I’m okay now so you don’t have to worry about me waking you again.”

  “You didn’t wake me. I was reading something and lost track of time. Want to talk about it?” He stood, ready to follow her.

  “No. It was pretty much the same as last night.”

  “Oh Christ,” Guy groaned and sat heavily on the edge of the bed.

  “What?”

  “Not only did I scare you when I woke you but I interrupted. I didn’t stop to think at all.”

  “That’s because you were too busy coming to my rescue.” She sat next to him and nodded toward her dresser. “Bet you grabbed that without thinking too.”

  “Yeah. When you screamed I thought someone had gotten in without me hearing them. The question now is how I’m going to avoid making the same mistake again.”

  “I guess you really shouldn’t wake me,” she paused. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, you or even someone else staying here. They think I’m the one drawing them here so why would they hurt me if they managed to find me? Maybe you could just call me and I could give you a signal to let you know they’re here.”

  Guy took a deep breath for control. “How can you even suggest that? Have you forgotten how they’re saving themselves for you?”

  “No, but I could stall them. Make up some sort of ritual so you’d have time to get here.”

  “For Christ’s sake, Tori!” He gaped in disbelief. “These guys aren’t meek little Cub Scouts. They’re cold-blooded killers. Psychopaths. What happens if they take one look at you and know you’re setting them up? What if they can see that you’re horrified instead of impressed? Do you seriously believe they wouldn’t turn on you?”

  “Well, no, but maybe instead of phone calls and a signal you could get Todd to give me one of those panic buttons so I could let you know as soon as they show up.”

  “No, and by no I mean hell no, as in I don’t want to hear another word about it. I am not leaving you alone. Period. End of discussion. Yes, it goes against everything in me to sit by and let you scream yourself awake but I’ll do it because I have to. Damn, I’d give anything to be able to help for real.”

  “You are helping. If you hadn’t been here to talk to me I would have been up the rest of the night. Thanks to you I think I can go back to sleep.”

  “Really? You’re not just saying that so I don’t feel completely useless?”

  “No, Guy. I may be Beverly Hills but I’m not going to lie to you just because it’s something you want to hear.”

  “Okay then.” He patted the bed behind them. “Stretch out and I’ll say goodnight.”

  “You don’t have to tuck me in,” she stated but did as he’d asked anyway.

  Guy straightened the covers and tucked them under her chin. “Just doing my job, ma’am.” He kissed her forehead and winked when Tori
giggled as she was supposed to.

  “Thanks, Officer. I’ll be sure and tell your captain how dedicated you are.” It was his turn to chuckle. “Really, Guy, thanks. Not just for tonight but for staying. I think if you come turn on the light and start talking after I stop screaming I won’t be scared like I was tonight.”

  “Then that’s what I’ll do. Mind if I leave the doors open? I might hear you if you’re restless before you scream and then I won’t be scared either.”

  “Deal.” Tori stopped herself from saying more.

  Chapter Eight

  The following days passed in a whirl. The first day, Todd arrived soon after his warning call to Guy. He spent hours, gently coaxing Tori out of her shell until she was comfortable with him. The second morning, Todd arrived with a soft-spoken, baby-faced boy who looked all of fifteen. Tori wondered if he’d even started shaving yet as Todd explained that Ned, who was Tori’s age and not a kid at all, was one of the top sketch artists on the East Coast. In a remarkably short amount of time, Ned unloaded and set up a whole slew of electronic gadgetry. After meeting Tori, Todd had decided that it would be less stressful to bring Ned to her rather than vice versa because of the sheer volume of work involved.

  Leaning against the archway that separated the small dining room from the kitchen, Guy watched with growing respect as Ned erased the awkwardness between them by explain how he combined his hand-drawn images with the computer-generated ones. By the time Ned was ready to begin, he and Tori were chatting so companionably that Guy was able to stop hovering and concentrate on what Todd was saying.

  “Can we take a little break?” Tori interrupted when Ned brought up the sixth set of descriptions that some nameless FBI person had filtered from her notebooks and entered into Ned’s program.

  “Sure.” Ned’s eyes snapped up at the change in her tone. “You okay?”

  Guy heard Ned’s question and would have rushed to her if Todd hadn’t clamped onto his arm.

  “Sit,” Todd ordered quietly. “She knows where you are. Give her a chance to come to you if she needs you,” He prevented Guy’s response with a look. “I understand what you’re going through but you have to back off or you’ll smother her.”

  “Am I that obvious to everyone?”

  “You are to me but I know you well enough to read you. Why? Who else has noticed?”

  “Diana, the day I went to the library to apologize.”

  Todd whistled softly. “Happened that fast, did it? This must be killing you. What’s Barry saying?”

  “Exactly what you think he would and nothing I haven’t already told myself. You going to pull me?”

  “As if I could. It’s the right thing to do but, as long as you don’t lose it, I won’t. Much better to keep you close where I can keep an eye on you than let you charge off on your own. Terese would never forgive me if I let something happen to you.”

  “Thanks, Todd. I’d apologize for sticking you in the middle of this but it would be a lie since I’m not at all sorry you’re involved.”

  Todd shrugged. “Hey, you had to call me. If you hadn’t I would have been highly insulted, not to mention pissed off and then your sister would have lashed out at you. She’s already hormonal enough with the pregnancy. We don’t need you adding to that.”

  “Oh Christ, please tell me she’s not going to barge in here. You know how much I adore my sister but the last thing Tori needs right now is Terese on a rampage.”

  “Relax. I haven’t told her anything other than we both got assigned to a joint investigation. You led me to my wife and I am eternally grateful. No way would I ever sell you out before your woman accepts the inevitable. Your family en masse can be a little intimidating until you get used to them. If I opened my big mouth and they scared her off I’d have to let you shoot me and that would make Terese very unhappy. Besides, they’ll all know soon enough anyway since they’ll see you at our open house.”

  “That’s not even a month away. What do you think the odds are of this being resolved by then?”

  “Doubtful at best. Why? You know they’re not going to care how inappropriate your beginning was.”

  “I’m not worried about them. Tori’s semi-convinced that we’re only attracted to each other because of the situation. She’s not going to accept it completely until this is behind her.”

  Todd’s eyebrows rose. “If you came up with that excuse, you’re selling Tori short. If she did, I’m willing to bet she already knows it’s bullshit meant to keep you from getting close enough to hurt her like whoever it was who did before.”

  “No bet since I’m sure that’s why she said it even if she doesn’t realize it. I’ve heard the details and it’s not as bad as it could be.”

  “Then it’s only a matter of time.”

  “The one thing I don’t have a lot of. If I don’t put in an appearance, they’ll all swarm in on us and call me on whatever excuse I give Terese. If I call everybody and ask them to play it cool with Tori, they’ll switch into thundering elephant stealth mode which Tori will pick up on right away. If we just walk in together, they’ll be overwhelming to someone who has no experience with anything even remotely like our bunch. The choices all suck. And the only acceptable way for us to not be there sucks more than all three combined since it would mean we’d be in the middle of something related to Tori’s situation. You’d miss your own party which would be ruined anyway with them all worrying about us.”

  “Hate to say it but you’re definitely screwed on this one. Guy, if Tori’s the one for you, you’ll find a way to handle it, just like Terese and I did when we lost the babies. Either you’re together for everything or you’re not and if you’re not you didn’t belong to each other in the first place.”

  “Damn, I should have kept my mouth shut. Compared to what you got through, this is inconsequential.”

  “Nothing that threatens to come between you and your partner is inconsequential. Every couple has their own demons.”

  “You guys are awfully serious in here,” Tori commented from the kitchen doorway. “Did something new happen?”

  “Nope.” Guy gave silent thanks that she hadn’t overheard their conversation since he was fairly sure she wouldn’t be thrilled that they’d been talking about her instead of the investigation. “Just keeping it down so we didn’t distract you. How’s it going in there?”

  “Okay. I hope it’s all right that I asked Ned if we could take a break. I’m heating up some stew in case you guys are hungry so it isn’t really a waste of time.”

  “We owe you an apology,” Todd spoke before Guy could. “We should have made it clear that Ned’s here for however long it takes. He’ll work at whatever pace you’re comfortable with. We know this can’t be easy for you and are very appreciative that you’re putting yourself through it to help us. Stop as often as you need to and don’t push yourself beyond your own limits, Tori. This is all very important but not so important that you make yourself sick by going back over too much at one time.”

  “Thanks but I’m fine.”

  “Good.” Todd could feel the tension radiating from Guy because of the tremor in her voice. “I have some things to go over with Ned first but then I’m more than ready for some lunch now that I’m smelling it.” He winked at Guy once he was behind Tori to let him know they’d have a few minutes alone.

  Guy wrapped Tori in his arms as soon as Todd was through the archway. He made sure they couldn’t be seen from the dining room so Ned wouldn’t be forced into an awkward position.

  “You’re tense, tiger. I can feel it.” His hands kneaded her back. “Is Ned as good as Todd says he is?”

  “Better I think. It’s fascinating in a sick way. By the time he finished each one I could hear them again.”

  “Them? How many did you do?”

  “Five.”

  “No wonder you’re so tense. Five sketches in four hours is tremendous.”

  “Five dreams. After the first set, Russ and Stan don’t take long to cha
nge. Seeing them isn’t as bad as I expected it to be. Kimmie and Sam and all that go with them was worse than awful but it was the others that got to me. I know Todd’s right that it might help pinpoint the locations but it was bad enough watching them die the first time. Seeing them again, knowing that they’re real people…” Tori broke down, sobbing helplessly into Guy’s chest.

  As he had before, Guy crooned softly to the top of Tori’s head, not really saying anything but using his voice to soothe her. He abandoned the massaging caresses to hold her firmly against him.

  A movement caught Guy’s eye. He raised his head to find Todd standing in the kitchen, silently offering support. Guy shook his head ever-so slightly, indicating that he wanted more time alone. He knew Todd would see all he was feeling but trusted him not to betray them by sharing the information he now had.

  “It hurts so much,” Tori managed through her tears.

  “I know it does.” Guy understood all too well from personal experience. “It’ll fade but it might not ever disappear completely. Or it never has for me.”

  His statement sank in and Tori jerked back so she could see his face. “How can you stand it? Why do you keep doing this to yourself? And Todd and Barry too. How do you get up every day knowing you could face something even worse than the day before?”

  “You can’t let the hurt rule you or it’ll destroy you, Tori. You have to find a way to put it in perspective.”

  “Perspective?”

  “Mm. Everyone has their own technique for coping but I use the pain to remind me not to take anything for granted. All life is precious but those closest to me are even more so. I’ve learned to cherish the special people in my life because I know all too well that they could be taken at any time. I can’t give you any magical solution because there isn’t one. You’re the only one who can find peace. I’ll do anything to help but in the end it all rests with you.”

  “I don’t know how.”

  This time Guy nodded for Todd to join them. He must have been listening, out of sight, because he gave Tori’s shoulder a squeeze and said, “That’s how I feel most days too but I always seem to figure it out just when I need to. I know it’s rude to eavesdrop, even worse to butt into a conversation uninvited but one of the things I learned from Terese is that sometimes it’s better not to be politically correct.