number to her parents. Sure, her mom knew where she was, but that was only because she had been in hiding from her for the last six weeks and didn’t want to put her through any more torment.
She hit a button and the screen popped to life. The caller ID revealed that she had been found. The one person she had been trying to avoid had found her number. And if he could find this phone number, he was very likely to find her. She retrieved the message, and his voice sent fear rising from her gut. “I know this is your phone, Tamyra. I’m glad you’ve had some time away to clear your head. And I’m sure when you get back home, you and I will have a lot to talk about. And trust me, I will be waiting. You can’t run forever.”
The desire to eat was replaced by a wave of panic. For the last two months she had fled that voice. That fear. But in one moment every ounce of it was back with such intensity that she felt like she wanted to crawl out of her skin. She reached for the door handle and jerked it open frantically, half-expecting him to be standing on the other side. She had to tell someone what had happened. What could happen. But she wasn’t even sure whom to tell. Riley? Riley had told her if she needed anything, she could call her. She darted toward the elevator and headed to Riley’s office. A lady stood behind the large console in the office suite. She was talking frantically on a cell phone.
“I’ve got it under control, Mother.” The lanky blonde’s voice reverberated through the lobby. Her blue eyes darted up and caught Tamyra’s. “I’ve got to go.” She shut the phone quickly. “Ms. Larsen?”
Tamyra tried to pull it together. “Yes? How do you know my name?”
“I’m sorry.” She laughed animatedly. “I’m Mia. I work with Riley. We make it our business to know all of our guests. Well, okay, that isn’t completely true.” Her lilting Australian accent lifted as she spoke. “We know as many as we can.”
Tamyra tried to calm the racing of her heart before she spoke. “Yes, you left a message.”
“I did. About the pool.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t think I want to go to the pool today. I’d really just like to see Riley.” She scanned the office desperately. “Is she around?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. She’s out with Ms. Fulton this morning. I’d be more than glad to help you.”
“No . . . no. That’s okay. I just really needed to talk to her. Do you know when she’ll be back?”
“I honestly don’t. I’m not sure what all Ms. Fulton intended for their day. But I assure you, as soon as she comes in, I’ll let her know you wanted to see her.”
“Thanks,” Tamyra said, backing up toward the door. “I’d appreciate that.”
“No problem. And you’re sure there’s nothing I can do for you?”
“No. No. I’m good, thanks.” Tamyra headed back out into the corridor. Her fear followed right along with her.
* * *
Winnie checked herself in the mirror that hung over the long table outside the elevator. Not bad for her age. The red bathing suit was reminiscent of a sixties pinup model with its strapless cut and tiny halter string that wrapped around her neck to keep her girls remotely pointed northward. The red looked smart against her olive skin, and the skirt hid the cellulite on her legs. And the ruche . . . oh, she thanked God for the woman who had created ruche. It ran across the front of the suit and did its best to hide her midsection, the section of her body that was the celebration of both her womanhood and her nightly bowl of ice cream.
Her white sunglasses weren’t quite as stark stuck on top of her white hair. She licked her red-colored lips and smacked them together in front of the mirror. Marilyn Monroe had nothing on her. She may have slept with a president but, hey, Winnie had slept with Sam. Winnie heard the ding of the elevator’s arrival and turned; her monogrammed canvas bag full of books swung with her.
The elevator doors opened and
She hit a button and the screen popped to life. The caller ID revealed that she had been found. The one person she had been trying to avoid had found her number. And if he could find this phone number, he was very likely to find her. She retrieved the message, and his voice sent fear rising from her gut. “I know this is your phone, Tamyra. I’m glad you’ve had some time away to clear your head. And I’m sure when you get back home, you and I will have a lot to talk about. And trust me, I will be waiting. You can’t run forever.”
The desire to eat was replaced by a wave of panic. For the last two months she had fled that voice. That fear. But in one moment every ounce of it was back with such intensity that she felt like she wanted to crawl out of her skin. She reached for the door handle and jerked it open frantically, half-expecting him to be standing on the other side. She had to tell someone what had happened. What could happen. But she wasn’t even sure whom to tell. Riley? Riley had told her if she needed anything, she could call her. She darted toward the elevator and headed to Riley’s office. A lady stood behind the large console in the office suite. She was talking frantically on a cell phone.
“I’ve got it under control, Mother.” The lanky blonde’s voice reverberated through the lobby. Her blue eyes darted up and caught Tamyra’s. “I’ve got to go.” She shut the phone quickly. “Ms. Larsen?”
Tamyra tried to pull it together. “Yes? How do you know my name?”
“I’m sorry.” She laughed animatedly. “I’m Mia. I work with Riley. We make it our business to know all of our guests. Well, okay, that isn’t completely true.” Her lilting Australian accent lifted as she spoke. “We know as many as we can.”
Tamyra tried to calm the racing of her heart before she spoke. “Yes, you left a message.”
“I did. About the pool.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t think I want to go to the pool today. I’d really just like to see Riley.” She scanned the office desperately. “Is she around?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. She’s out with Ms. Fulton this morning. I’d be more than glad to help you.”
“No . . . no. That’s okay. I just really needed to talk to her. Do you know when she’ll be back?”
“I honestly don’t. I’m not sure what all Ms. Fulton intended for their day. But I assure you, as soon as she comes in, I’ll let her know you wanted to see her.”
“Thanks,” Tamyra said, backing up toward the door. “I’d appreciate that.”
“No problem. And you’re sure there’s nothing I can do for you?”
“No. No. I’m good, thanks.” Tamyra headed back out into the corridor. Her fear followed right along with her.
* * *
Winnie checked herself in the mirror that hung over the long table outside the elevator. Not bad for her age. The red bathing suit was reminiscent of a sixties pinup model with its strapless cut and tiny halter string that wrapped around her neck to keep her girls remotely pointed northward. The red looked smart against her olive skin, and the skirt hid the cellulite on her legs. And the ruche . . . oh, she thanked God for the woman who had created ruche. It ran across the front of the suit and did its best to hide her midsection, the section of her body that was the celebration of both her womanhood and her nightly bowl of ice cream.
Her white sunglasses weren’t quite as stark stuck on top of her white hair. She licked her red-colored lips and smacked them together in front of the mirror. Marilyn Monroe had nothing on her. She may have slept with a president but, hey, Winnie had slept with Sam. Winnie heard the ding of the elevator’s arrival and turned; her monogrammed canvas bag full of books swung with her.
The elevator doors opened and
Similar Books
