*
Victoria had trouble sleeping last night as horrible images ruled her dreams. She moved slowly this morning and in need of a strong cup of coffee. She was surprised when she heard the knock at the front door.
"Tod, what are you doing here so early? Is everything all right?” She was instantly concerned. Too many family members had dangerous jobs, and pictures of each of them flashed in her mind.
"I'm sorry I came over so early. Everything is fine, everyone is fine."
She motioned for him to come in and sit, then went to make him a cup of coffee. She knew exactly the way he liked it—black, extra sugar.
Glancing over her shoulder at Tod before picking up the mugs off the counter, she practically felt him glaring at her. The thought hit her instantly and she had a feeling she knew the purpose of the early morning visit.
"Go ahead, Tod, get it off your chest."
"I don't know where to begin."
"Sure you do. You want to know about my date with Bret,” she told him straight out, the way she had practiced it all last night. She felt bad, but Bret just kind of happened out of nowhere.
"It's none of my business, Victoria. You're a big girl. You've made your bed, and you've got to sleep in it."
He took a sip of the Kona coffee.
"This is really good.” He stared at Victoria over the rim of the cobalt blue mug.
"My friend Kuan sent it to me from Hawaii. It's delicious, isn't it?” she asked, but Tod just continued to stare at her. His gaze traveled over her body, then toward her bedroom, as if Bret would be there. Then his facial expression changed.
What did he think? That I would invite him into my home, serve him coffee while another man lay in my bed? Shock and annoyance filled her.
"I haven't slept with him, Tod."
"I didn't say you did. Listen, I didn't come here to fight with you. Just be careful.” He was annoyed at her for getting involved with Bret, she could tell.
"Listen, Tory, some evidence has come to my attention—"
"In my dad's case?"
"Yeah, hun, and I..."
"What is it? Just tell me, please?” She sat down on the couch, taking his hand to pull him down with her.
Tod placed the mug of coffee on the long, narrow wooden table that sat between the red floral sofa and the entertainment center.
"I have to ask you something, and I need you to be sure before you answer. If there's any reason that you believe what I'm about to ask you is true, I need you to tell me."
Victoria nodded.
"Do you have any reason to believe that your father was involved with another woman?"
Victoria's mouth dropped, and instantly, she jumped up from the sofa.
"No way! Absolutely not, Tod. No freaking way. Never! I don't know who told you that."
"Tory, calm down, all right? I need to ask these questions. You know this."
"I'm sure you heard about the body of a young woman being found on Memorial Day? Well, during our investigation of her home, we came across a picture of her and your father."
"So, what? Instantly, he's having an affair. This is bullshit, Tod. You knew my dad. You know my mom too. They're ... they were inseparable. The two most in love people you'd ever see. There is absolutely no way,” she insisted, but Tod continued to give her the information he had. As angry as she was, Victoria knew he was just doing his job, but the pain in her stomach now turned to nausea.
"There are witnesses, Tory, connections between your father and this woman that support this theory."
Victoria shook her head as the tears welled up in her eyes. She abruptly crossed her arms against her chest and turned away from Tod.
It can't be true. It just can't be true.
She felt Tod move closer, then instantly, he turned her around by her shoulders.
She wondered if he read the pain in her eyes, the pain he caused her by the information he gave her. Their gazes locked before he slowly embraced her.
She allowed the emotions to get the best of her although she had to admit that she felt the comfort in Tod's arms. Feeling his muscular
Victoria had trouble sleeping last night as horrible images ruled her dreams. She moved slowly this morning and in need of a strong cup of coffee. She was surprised when she heard the knock at the front door.
"Tod, what are you doing here so early? Is everything all right?” She was instantly concerned. Too many family members had dangerous jobs, and pictures of each of them flashed in her mind.
"I'm sorry I came over so early. Everything is fine, everyone is fine."
She motioned for him to come in and sit, then went to make him a cup of coffee. She knew exactly the way he liked it—black, extra sugar.
Glancing over her shoulder at Tod before picking up the mugs off the counter, she practically felt him glaring at her. The thought hit her instantly and she had a feeling she knew the purpose of the early morning visit.
"Go ahead, Tod, get it off your chest."
"I don't know where to begin."
"Sure you do. You want to know about my date with Bret,” she told him straight out, the way she had practiced it all last night. She felt bad, but Bret just kind of happened out of nowhere.
"It's none of my business, Victoria. You're a big girl. You've made your bed, and you've got to sleep in it."
He took a sip of the Kona coffee.
"This is really good.” He stared at Victoria over the rim of the cobalt blue mug.
"My friend Kuan sent it to me from Hawaii. It's delicious, isn't it?” she asked, but Tod just continued to stare at her. His gaze traveled over her body, then toward her bedroom, as if Bret would be there. Then his facial expression changed.
What did he think? That I would invite him into my home, serve him coffee while another man lay in my bed? Shock and annoyance filled her.
"I haven't slept with him, Tod."
"I didn't say you did. Listen, I didn't come here to fight with you. Just be careful.” He was annoyed at her for getting involved with Bret, she could tell.
"Listen, Tory, some evidence has come to my attention—"
"In my dad's case?"
"Yeah, hun, and I..."
"What is it? Just tell me, please?” She sat down on the couch, taking his hand to pull him down with her.
Tod placed the mug of coffee on the long, narrow wooden table that sat between the red floral sofa and the entertainment center.
"I have to ask you something, and I need you to be sure before you answer. If there's any reason that you believe what I'm about to ask you is true, I need you to tell me."
Victoria nodded.
"Do you have any reason to believe that your father was involved with another woman?"
Victoria's mouth dropped, and instantly, she jumped up from the sofa.
"No way! Absolutely not, Tod. No freaking way. Never! I don't know who told you that."
"Tory, calm down, all right? I need to ask these questions. You know this."
"I'm sure you heard about the body of a young woman being found on Memorial Day? Well, during our investigation of her home, we came across a picture of her and your father."
"So, what? Instantly, he's having an affair. This is bullshit, Tod. You knew my dad. You know my mom too. They're ... they were inseparable. The two most in love people you'd ever see. There is absolutely no way,” she insisted, but Tod continued to give her the information he had. As angry as she was, Victoria knew he was just doing his job, but the pain in her stomach now turned to nausea.
"There are witnesses, Tory, connections between your father and this woman that support this theory."
Victoria shook her head as the tears welled up in her eyes. She abruptly crossed her arms against her chest and turned away from Tod.
It can't be true. It just can't be true.
She felt Tod move closer, then instantly, he turned her around by her shoulders.
She wondered if he read the pain in her eyes, the pain he caused her by the information he gave her. Their gazes locked before he slowly embraced her.
She allowed the emotions to get the best of her although she had to admit that she felt the comfort in Tod's arms. Feeling his muscular
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