the park. Immediately the thought of where I want to be sets in. I snatch my phone out of my purse and call Tracy. "Are you at work right now?"
"Yeah, I'm here, but just chatting with the girls. My last client left for the day. Why?"
"Will you come with me to the beach?"
"Oh―kay."
"I’ll pick you up and explain on the way." I make a U-turn, heading back in the direction of her hair salon.
• • • •
An hour later, we’re being escorted to our table on the patio of the Love Shack. "Do you think he did it?" Tracy asks, sitting down at the table.
"I would like to think not, but I don't know. I haven't been in contact with him in over thirteen years. I have no idea the person he's turned out to be, or what he's capable of." I shake my head.
"It was on the news last night. They were saying that one person is in custody, and they’re questioning another. They never mentioned who it was, but it must be Travis and his brother," she says, with a concerned expression. "They mentioned that the victims were both stabbed multiple times. The police have the murder weapon. The news showed the house with police tape around it. The cops were carrying out bags of evidence."
"I can't even wrap my mind around the fact that they’re dead, Tracy. The thought that they were murdered makes my stomach hurt. They were such great people. I can't even think of anyone who would have wanted to harm them. I now regret not keeping in touch. They were like family to me. When Travis cheated on me, I couldn't get myself to talk to anyone in that family. I felt like they all betrayed me." Our drinks arrive, and I down mine in one swift gulp before the waitress leaves.
"Can I get you another?" she asks, looking at me from the corner of her eye.
"Keep 'em coming."
"Not to change the subject, but did you ever find more out about Rich?"
"No. I haven't had much time alone the past couple days. He's been borderline sugary sweet, even bringing dinner home from Alexander’s last night. He went over to my mom's to get the itinerary for the cruise on Thursday, and scheduled a car to take us to the port in the morning," I say, with a quizzical look on my face. "I think Maria found the battery to the TracFone. It was sitting on my dresser when I got home from work yesterday."
"Are you sure it was her that found it? Could it have been Rich?"
"I thought the same thing too, but Maria was over yesterday. I know she swept and mopped the floors. Rich was still in his suit, and showed no signs that he had been upstairs at all when I got home," I shrug. "If he was the one to find it, I think he would have confronted me with it."
"I'm not so sure of that, Amy," she says, furrowing her brow and shrugging. "So Rich is really going to take time off from work to go with you guys this weekend?"
"Yeah. I have to admit that I’m just as surprised. I can barely get him to spend a Friday evening with me, so I was certain he wasn't going. But he is."
"Hmm, interesting."
She stands, telling me that she has to go to the restroom. I sit, looking out at the ocean and attempt to push back the thought that Travis' parents were killed. It consumes me with complete sadness.
"Amy. Hello, Amy," Tracy says, waving a hand in front of my face. I look at her. "I've been trying to get your attention. What were you thinking about?"
“Sorry. I can't get the thought of Travis' parents out of my head. Not to mention, he’s only thirty-two, and now has to live without his mom or dad. And his ki d— or kids,since I don't even know how many he has no w— lost their grandparents."
"Are you becoming soft, Amy?" she questions with a hint of concern. "Because, I swear, during the entire ride here, you did nothing but curse his name repeatedly."
"Don't worry, I still want to curse his name. But his parents don't deserve what was done to them. And no child deserves to have their parents brutally ripped out of their lives."
"I know. So what now?"
"What now?" I repeat. "Nothing. I
"Yeah, I'm here, but just chatting with the girls. My last client left for the day. Why?"
"Will you come with me to the beach?"
"Oh―kay."
"I’ll pick you up and explain on the way." I make a U-turn, heading back in the direction of her hair salon.
• • • •
An hour later, we’re being escorted to our table on the patio of the Love Shack. "Do you think he did it?" Tracy asks, sitting down at the table.
"I would like to think not, but I don't know. I haven't been in contact with him in over thirteen years. I have no idea the person he's turned out to be, or what he's capable of." I shake my head.
"It was on the news last night. They were saying that one person is in custody, and they’re questioning another. They never mentioned who it was, but it must be Travis and his brother," she says, with a concerned expression. "They mentioned that the victims were both stabbed multiple times. The police have the murder weapon. The news showed the house with police tape around it. The cops were carrying out bags of evidence."
"I can't even wrap my mind around the fact that they’re dead, Tracy. The thought that they were murdered makes my stomach hurt. They were such great people. I can't even think of anyone who would have wanted to harm them. I now regret not keeping in touch. They were like family to me. When Travis cheated on me, I couldn't get myself to talk to anyone in that family. I felt like they all betrayed me." Our drinks arrive, and I down mine in one swift gulp before the waitress leaves.
"Can I get you another?" she asks, looking at me from the corner of her eye.
"Keep 'em coming."
"Not to change the subject, but did you ever find more out about Rich?"
"No. I haven't had much time alone the past couple days. He's been borderline sugary sweet, even bringing dinner home from Alexander’s last night. He went over to my mom's to get the itinerary for the cruise on Thursday, and scheduled a car to take us to the port in the morning," I say, with a quizzical look on my face. "I think Maria found the battery to the TracFone. It was sitting on my dresser when I got home from work yesterday."
"Are you sure it was her that found it? Could it have been Rich?"
"I thought the same thing too, but Maria was over yesterday. I know she swept and mopped the floors. Rich was still in his suit, and showed no signs that he had been upstairs at all when I got home," I shrug. "If he was the one to find it, I think he would have confronted me with it."
"I'm not so sure of that, Amy," she says, furrowing her brow and shrugging. "So Rich is really going to take time off from work to go with you guys this weekend?"
"Yeah. I have to admit that I’m just as surprised. I can barely get him to spend a Friday evening with me, so I was certain he wasn't going. But he is."
"Hmm, interesting."
She stands, telling me that she has to go to the restroom. I sit, looking out at the ocean and attempt to push back the thought that Travis' parents were killed. It consumes me with complete sadness.
"Amy. Hello, Amy," Tracy says, waving a hand in front of my face. I look at her. "I've been trying to get your attention. What were you thinking about?"
“Sorry. I can't get the thought of Travis' parents out of my head. Not to mention, he’s only thirty-two, and now has to live without his mom or dad. And his ki d— or kids,since I don't even know how many he has no w— lost their grandparents."
"Are you becoming soft, Amy?" she questions with a hint of concern. "Because, I swear, during the entire ride here, you did nothing but curse his name repeatedly."
"Don't worry, I still want to curse his name. But his parents don't deserve what was done to them. And no child deserves to have their parents brutally ripped out of their lives."
"I know. So what now?"
"What now?" I repeat. "Nothing. I
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