 |
 |
|
| E-mail this page to a friend | Tell me when this page is updated |
| IMPOSTER BY MARIQUA |
CHAPTER 76 |
From somewhere in some soundless tunnel, she heard her own voice speaking out distinctly, "Have you known Nick Lord long?"
"Yes." Tea said and waited expectantly for what might come next.
Sherry bit her lip instinctively -- forcing herself not to ask the question she was dying to ask. She wanted to find me...I'll let her tell me...
The doors shot open to the garage level. Tea walked out and stood silently as Sherry followed behind her.
"Why do you want to see me...Miss...or is it Mrs. Manning?"
"It's Mrs." Tea said and noted that the slanted eyes got wider.
"This is so complicated," Tea attempted to speak again. "I don't exactly know where to begin..."
Sherry's eyes swept over the garage with a rapidly sinking feeling, and she broke in. "Look, I've got an appointment, and I can't be late. I'm sorry we can't talk now, but..." she snapped open her bag and rummaged through it, ..."here's my number. Just call me."
Tea nodded and accepted the card given to her -- a rueful expression forming on her face. "Well...okay. Perhaps we could meet somewhere later?"
She seems so determined to talk to me...maybe I should...but I can't...Nick will be there...waiting...
"I don't know exactly when I'll be back. Uh...the second number listed is my cell phone number. Call me in about an hour, okay...maybe we can set something up."
Seeming relieved, Tea fingered the card and smiled briefly at Sherry.
"Thanks."
"Well...nice meeting you...Tea," Sherry forced herself to be polite as her eyes studied Tea Manning again. Elegant and classy...and obviously educated...
"Thank you...nice meeting you, too," Tea said somewhat awkwardly as Sherry stepped off the curb and walked away through the lot to her car.
I did it! I contacted her...all I need now is a little time with her and maybe...just maybe...I'll find out what I need in order eliminate this "Nick" forever.
As Tea eyes followed Sherry's retreating form, she felt the same disturbance in her soul that she had felt when she was in the elevator. Such a beautifu l woman...intelligent...skin like porcelain...wonder what Nick thinks of her?
Walking briskly toward her car, Sherry's mind began filling up with a barrage of unanswered questions. Who is she? She knows him...and maybe they are m arried. What if he's done this before? What if he has multiple wives and she's just one of many? There are people like that...who live alternate lives and have other familes and no one knows. Slider...I just couldn't get past my anger at him and listen...now I have a rendezvous with Nick. Well, he's going to tell me just who the hell this Tea Manning is!
Stopping in front of her maroon Volvo, she looked back again, but saw nothing in the space where Tea Manning had stood. She's gone...
What do I need to drive for? It's only a few blocks...
****
"Slider! We were getting worried!"
"Oh," Slider slammed down the trunk and turned to her apologetically. "Sorry...I ran into an acquaintance of mine. I guess I lost track of the time."
"I told Todd I'd come look for you. I thought you might have had trouble finding the car."
"Nope," he said and picked up her bag. "No problem."
"I ran into someone myself just a few minutes ago," Tea said as they walked together.
"Really...who?"
"Well, a friend of yours and Todd's. I understand she's the doctor who has helped Todd with his recovery."
Slider's muscular arms tensed, and he continued walking in a casual manner. "You've never met her...have you?"
Tea noticed that Slider's face was looking slightly strained.
"Oh, no...we just got into a little conversation, and I told her I was knew you. One thing led to another, and she told me who she was."
"...she did seem to be in a hurry, though. She said she had an appointment. Must be those doctors' hours."
Slider turned toward Tea and looked squarely at her.
"Where...where did she say she was going?" he asked her sharply and Tea blinked in astonishment at the lightning change in his face.
"She didn't." No...don't let this feeling I'm getting be anything...she told me she was on the way to the hospital....let this just be my imagination playing with my overactive mind!
****
Entering the park, she looked with admiration at the neatly clipped mounds of shrubbery and abundant collages of blooming flowers strategically placed at different points. She loved this park. It was one of the few left that hadn't been taken over by developers, and preserving it had been a constant battle fought by its nearby residents. Even this will probably go someday...
As she walked back toward one of the old wooden park benches, her heart began to pound again with thoughts of what she was doing. I'm looneytoons, that's what...promising to meet him like this! Yet now...I don't know...after seeing that woman...Tea...well, I want to hear an explanation from his own lips...
An unusual, flat stillness seemed to surround the one spot where she was sitting, and she noticed that a few people who had been there when she came in had already left. Well, great! He's late!
****
"Slider...what's wrong?" Tea asked quickly as she tried to keep up with him.
"Damn! You don't have a cell phone on you, do you?"
"Well, no...I do have one, but it's in my purse at your place."
His head did a full turn to scan the garage lot. "You didn't happen to see her drive out of the lot, did you?"
"No...why?"
"Oh...nothing," He muttered and moved back toward the elevator.
Opening the door to his apartment, he waited as Tea stepped in ahead of him. Speaking out brightly, she called out her husband's name.
"Todd?"
No answer...maybe he's in the back...
"Todd?"
Before she could repeat the name again, Slider's body rushed past her, and she heard an expletive yelled out in the hallway seconds later.
When he returned, she nearly gasped as she saw his face -- this time white as a sheet and his blue eyes snapping as if they were on fire.
Grabbing the phone in his living room, he punched in some numbers.
"Dr. Liu...is she there today? Yes...I was told there was an emergency and she was called in."
Tea heard the crashing slam of the phone receiver and gaped open-mouthed at the man who was advancing toward her -- a crazed expression on his face -- and speaking as if he were the only one in the room.
"I wasn't imagining it...she's with him!"
A low wind blew by her legs and rustled through the leaves of a nearby tree. Just another day at the park...I haven't been here in so long...it feels good just to sit even for a minute or two...
Time seems to stand still in this place...as if nothing else around exists but this little retreat from reality. I don't make time for myself much anymore...how did I ever get to this point?
Well...that's that...he's not coming...another game that he's playing with me!
A touch so light on her shoulders that she barely felt it eased into her flesh and then clamped down suddenly -- making her heart almost jump up into her throat. Not able to see or be distracted by the speaker, her ears could pick up the unique tonal quality of each word emitted in the smooth, rich, dangerous-sounding voice.
"Been waiting for me long...beautiful?"
