A Place In the Sun
40
"Where are we going?" Katalin asked after Ray had started the car and drove off.
"Back to the cabin," he said, looking at her in the rear view mirror.
"When's Mommy coming?"
"I told you; I just sent a note out to your Mom. She'll come soon enough."
……….
When Julia and Tyler got back to his apartment, she came in, sat down on the couch, and turned the television on.
"Do you want something for lunch?" he asked, putting down their bags.
"Yeah, in just a minute," she said, turning up the TV. "Hey, Tyler, come here."
"What?"
She pointed at the TV, which was playing the local news report, "They just said Ryan and Gillian's little girl, she was kidnapped last night from Wildwind."
They listened as the reporter went on, "Police suspect 34-year old Raymond James Conley, Jr., a former boyfriend of Princess Andrassy," a picture of Ray was shown. "Conley was last seen on November 27 when he assaulted Miss Andrassy in her home. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Ray Conley and Katalin Lavery, please contact the police at once."
"Oh, I feel so bad for them," Julia said, shutting off the TV. "Last night, they were all so happy, together."
Tyler still stared at the television, in shock.
"Tyler?" Julia asked, taking his hand. "Ty?"
"I—I'll be back in a little while," he said, brushing her away.
He grabbed his coat and his keys before she could say a word.
……….
"Is Gillian resting?" Maria asked as Ryan joined her and Edmund downstairs at Wildwind.
"She finally fell asleep, at least," Ryan told her, crossing the room to the phone.
"Who are you calling?" Edmund asked him.
"I'm just calling the apartment to check the voice mail," he told him, putting in his pass code.
Edmund and Maria watched him as he furrowed his eyebrows and then quickly put the phone down.
"Who was it?" Maria asked.
"Tracy…" he said, trailing off.
"Tracy?" Maria wondered, as Ryan quickly walked past them and out the door.
"Ryan's ex, you've probably met her before, she works at SOS," Edmund offered as an explanation.
"What could be so important with her that he would leave?"
"I don't know…they were together for about two years, but when Gillian came back to town, Tracy didn't have a chance."
……….
Bobby was relieved that Kelsey was not in her car. Within a few minutes, he had reached the Martin house and knocked on the door.
Bobby knocked again before Kelsey opened the door. She had a heavy blanket pulled tight around her shoulders, her face was pale, and her hair was stringy and tangled.
"Kelsey, are you alright?" he asked as he entered and she closed the door behind him.
Before she could answer, he said, "It's as cold in here as it is outside."
"The heater is frozen," she said, shivering as she sat down on the couch.
"Where is everyone?"
"My grandparents are stuck at the hospital."
"Why didn't you build a fire?" he asked, opening up the wood box.
"It's empty," she informed him. "And after walking from where my car got stuck to here last night and trying to clear the snow off the heater, I was too cold…." She pulled her knees up to her chest and clutched the blanket closer. Bobby found another blanket and wrapped it around her.
"I'll go get some wood from outside; I'll be right back," he promised her.
It only took a few minutes before he returned and quickly started a fire. He found an old quilt and laid it down in front of the hearth. Bobby took her hand and helped her down to the floor. He took off his coat and then pulled Kelsey's shivering, tense body close to his, wrapping the blankets around them.
Slowly she began to relax and her breathing became regular. Just when he thought she had fallen asleep, she turned her head and looked into his eyes and told him, "Thank you."
……….
Tyler pushed open the door to SOS and walked straight to the bar. He ordered a shot and downed it.
Mateo gave him a questioning look.
"Just trying to clear my head," he said and ordered something a little less potent.
"Santos women?" Mateo asked.
"It's not your sister's fault."
"Not even a little bit?"
"No, this one's all me," Tyler said, finishing his drink.
The door opened quickly and Tyler and Mateo turned.
"Is Tracy here?" Ryan asked as he practically ran towards the bar.
"She should be here soon, probably got delayed trying to get through this snow," Mateo told him.
"Okay if I wait?" Ryan asked.
"Do whatever you want," Mateo told him. "Any word on Katalin yet?"
"Nothing," Ryan said. "I had a call from Tracy, though, she might know something."
"I sure hope you find her soon," Mateo said. "I'll be in the back if you two need anything."
After Mateo had left, Tyler turned to Ryan. "How're you holding up?"
"Trying to keep it together for Gillian; she told me last night that she's pregnant. We're going to have another child. Perfect irony, huh? We're at home celebrating the new baby while our daughter is getting snatched by that lunatic."
Tyler didn't say anything in response.
"So, how are things with you and Julia? Looked pretty good last night," Ryan said, trying to pass the time till Tracy got there.
"I'm trying—trying to figure out how to tell her I can't be with her," Tyler said quietly.
"What? Man, are you crazy?"
"It's for her own good. I know I'll just end up hurting her," he shrugged.
"How can you know that? I mean, I don't know you that well, but you seem like one of the good guys."
"My older brother, I thought he was one of the good guys. Got mixed up in some stuff he shouldn't have a while back, but then he got his life back on track. Then he lost a job and we got in an argument over the phone and I haven't heard from him since. I came here to Pine Valley looking for him; we used to live not too far from here."
"Any luck?"
"Not till today. I found out what he's become. We always promised we wouldn't be like our father. I even went so far as to take our mom's family name. But it's how we grew up; it's all we know. He's just like him, if not worse," Tyler said, looking down in disgust. "I can't stay with Julia. Sooner or later, I'll just end up hurting her."
"You might," Ryan told him. "You might end up hurting her; I might end up hurting Gillian. Do you love Julia?"
"Yes," Tyler said, trying to figure out exactly where Ryan was going.
"Then you'll do everything in your power to make her happy. Just don't do anything stupid."
"Like?"
"Like what you're talking about doing now? Take it from someone who's been there, done that. Gillian and I married for all the wrong reasons, but we fell in love. Then my brother Braden came to town and he raped the D.A.'s sister. Here was my big brother who I had looked up to for so many years and who had protected me from our father, and Braden had turned out no better. I was scared that I was going to become just like him, too, and I pushed Gillian away. Sound familiar?"
"Somewhat," Tyler said, smiling slightly.
"I pushed her away and she filed for divorce. Apparently she got pregnant with Katalin before our divorce was final, and then she left town. She left because I pushed her away, and I missed four years of my daughter's life. Now I've known her for a week…" Ryan pushed his hands into his eyes, trying not to let any tears out.
"I'm sorry, man," Tyler told him.
"Just don't let it happen to you and Julia. Go home and just hold her and tell her how much you love her and don't ever let her go. Don't make the mistake I did."
"Thanks, I won't," he said, standing up. "I hope that girl Tracy can help you find your kid."
Tyler crossed the room to leave. As he put his hand on the door to open it, he turned back around.
"I'm really sorry for what my brother's done to your family," Tyler said. He turned and went through the doors before Ryan could say a word.