Beside the Brook (18 page)

With that one statement Kirsten knew what had happened. Tyler had left her the dress; slipped it onto her bed while she had been taking a bath. But why? What motive did he have for wanting her to make a fool of herself in front of everyone? And why had he seemed so pleased with the way she looked?

Craig appeared by Beth’s side, and with little effort scooped Kirsten from the floor, cradled her into his warm arms. Kirsten nuzzled into his neck, hid her face from view as they walked out of the room.

They took the service elevator to the third floor and Beth met them on the landing.

“You can put me down now.” Kirsten said as Craig pushed her bedroom door open.

“Are you sure, on your feet?” Craig asked.

Kirsten nodded. “Ah-huh, I’m okay.”

“Hang on, honey. I’ll just get your shoes.” Beth unbuckled her sandals and cast them onto the floor under the window. Then Craig placed her onto her feet.

“I’ll leave you to it.” Craig left the room and pulled the door closed behind him.

“Beth, I’m so sorry, I had no idea.” Kirsten blinked in despair. She felt like such a victim as she remembered how Beth and Jamie had stared in disbelief.

“Where did you think the dress came from?” Beth demanded in a puzzled tone. Of course to someone who didn’t know the history between Kirsten and Jamie it would be an obvious question. A dress just magically appears from nowhere; wouldn’t you wonder where it came from?

Kirsten found her robe in the wardrobe and pulled it over her shoulders. Then she released the dress tie from around her neck and yanked it down from her waist. It fell into a limp pile around her ankles. She sighed. She wasn’t ready to tell Beth everything.

“I’m the victim here remember.” Her defenses engaged in low gear as she reminded Beth who the culprit was. “I should be asking you what you know about it. This was Tyler’s doing wasn’t it?”

“Yes it was,” Beth conceded. “But for heavens sake don’t ask me what his motivation was. I’ve yet to find that out.”

“Oh I’ll be asking him the same question, don’t you worry about that.” Kirsten folded her arms across her chest and scowled.

Beth pursed her lips. “Well what a wonderful night this turned out to be.” She sounded deflated, disappointed and a little angry.

Kirsten slumped onto the bed, emotions getting the best of her as a new torrent of tears escaped and ran tracks of mascara onto her cheeks.

“I’m so sorry, Beth,” she sobbed.

“Oh no honey, I didn’t mean it was your fault.” Beth lowered herself onto the bed and put an arm around Kirsten’s shoulders. “
I’m
sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel worse.”

Kirsten wiped the flood away with the sleeve of her robe and sniffed.

“Why don’t you get changed and come downstairs, I’m sure we can forget this happened.”

Kirsten was horrified. She couldn’t imagine showing her face, en masse, again this early. She shook her head. “No, I can’t, Beth. You go, I’ll be fine.”

“I never thought I’d use this analogy but you know you’re supposed to get right back on the horse don’t you.” Beth attempted a smile to try and lighten the mood.

“In this case I don’t think so.” Kirsten sighed. “I think I’ve done enough damage for one night.”

Beth stood up. “Well if you’re okay I really must get back downstairs, before those two go head to head.”

Kirsten knew immediately who she was referring to. But she doubted Jamie would do anything until Sarah was safely out of the way. She was already upset by what had happened, the poor girl. She was Jamie’s priority and he wouldn’t cause a scene in front of her.

“Yes you go, Beth. I’m fine, really.” She fixed her boss with a convincing stare.

“Okay dear, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With Beth gone Kirsten swung her legs onto the bed and stretched out, closed her eyes against the light. She still couldn’t believe what had just happened. How could she have been so caught up in Jamie that this huge misfortune had slipped past her guard? If she had paid more attention surely she could have picked up that something was incredibly wrong with the situation. Couldn’t she?

Kirsten still couldn’t believe that Tyler would do something like this. Was this still about Brook? Was he so twisted and bitter about Jamie that he would use Kirsten so blithely against him? Did he somehow know about her relationship with Jamie? It was the only way he could have expected she would simply put the dress on without asking any questions. He had to know she would assume it was there for a reason. Later, after she had rested she would seek out the answers. But for now her head pounded louder than any thought that invaded her mind. Kirsten closed her eyes and let her body drift away into sweet oblivion.

* * * *

The cold woke her several hours later. She shivered as she sat up, pulled her robe around her as she blinked in the dark. Disoriented for only a moment, she remembered the events leading up to her sleeping on top of the blankets. Her heart sank. Jamie. What had she done?

She pulled herself up and walked to the bathroom, clicked on the tiny fluorescent light above the mirror. She took the pins from her hair and let it fall around her shoulders, wiped the black bags of makeup from under her eyes and stared at her forlorn image in the glass.

She had to find Jamie to make sure he was okay. Earlier they had been so cheerfully discussing the possibility of him joining her after the party, and now she felt completely abandoned. Not surprisingly things had gone awry between them. What could she expect? She had gaily slipped into a dead woman’s dress and presented herself to him. He wouldn’t know what she had assumed. Right now he probably thought she was just as much the villain as Tyler was. She had to set him straight, make him aware that none of this had been her doing.

Kirsten padded barefoot down the stairs to the second floor. The house was dark and still. She glanced at the clock as she passed. It was just after eleven. She wondered if anyone was still up. Carefully she picked her way down into the bowels of the house, crept silently through the lounge, abandoned hours ago. A sliver of light seeped from under the kitchen door, Kirsten could see it as she weaved her way past the furniture in the dining room. The divine aroma of Craig’s cooking lingered and Kirsten’s stomach growled, reminding her she had skipped dinner. But the sound of raised voices from behind the solid oak door stopped any thoughts she had of placating her appetite right now. She could hear Jamie in muffled tones, his voice raised in anger. She pushed open the door and the bright halogens of the kitchen blinded her for a moment before she could focus. Jamie had Tyler up against the far wall, pinned by the neck with one large hand. His face was a picture of pure hate, his stature one of a man who was not about to back down. He had already struck Tyler at least one blow, the left side of his face was split open, his eye already swollen shut as blood trickled over one purple cheek. Tyler gagged for breath as Jamie continued to clasp him firmly, the fresh adrenaline in his veins spurring him into a blind rage.

“Jamie!” Kirsten screamed as she closed the gap them in mere seconds. She clawed at Jamie’s arm. She knew physically she would not be able to pull him off the smaller man, but luckily the sound of her voice interrupted his onslaught. He let go of Tyler, who instantly put his own hands up to his neck and slumped against the wall. There were large red indents on his throat where Jamie’s fingers had been.

Jamie took a step back and glared at Kirsten, his own breath coming in short raspy gulps.

“Jesus, Jamie, you were going to kill him.” Kirsten blurted before she had time to think.

“It’s what the bastard deserves,” Jamie said far too calmly for Kirsten’s liking. She looked into his eyes, saw something extremely unnerving there. If she hadn’t come into the room when she had, Tyler would quite possibly be dead before morning. Right now

she needed to get Jamie away from Tyler. Despite anything that had happened, Tyler didn’t deserve to die, especially by Jamie’s hand.

“Nothing is worth that.” Kirsten stepped in between the two men, pushed Jamie back toward the door as she tried to break his intense stare from the man lying broken on the floor. “Jamie?” She put her hand up to his face, forced his gaze down to her own. The haze seemed to clear and Jamie looked almost remorseful, as if it just dawned on him what had happened. “You need to go.” Kirsten pointed to the door and without a word Jamie turned and pushed through the door to the back hallway. He disappeared into the dark before the wooden panel closed with a dull thud behind him.

“Tyler, are you okay?” She turned and crouched beside his limp form. Tyler opened his mouth to say something but the only thing that escaped from his crushed windpipe was a croaky groan.

“Come on let’s get you up.” Kirsten pushed her own weight under his armpit, forced his arm around her neck and hoisted him to his feet. The faint smell of whiskey wafted over her as she helped him to a chair by the window. She crossed to the fridge and pumped a cold glass of water from the chiller then opened the freezer, found a small packet of frozen peas and wrapped them into a tea towel. Going back to the table she pressed this against Tyler’s cheek bone. He winced as the makeshift icepack touched his skin.

“Ow,” he managed to get out through clenched teeth.

“Here drink some water, it should help.” Kirsten handed him the glass and he sipped it cautiously, his face contorted in pain as he swallowed. She sat in the chair opposite him, pulled it closer and crossed her legs to the side so she could still hold the ice pack against his face. Her robe slipped so she grabbed it quickly and stuffed it between her knees to hold it in place. She stared at Tyler, lost for words. She was so mad at him for what he had done earlier, but now he just seemed so pitiful she couldn’t feel anything but sorry for him.

“Damn you, Tyler Frampton,” she muttered. “
You
are nothing but trouble.”

“Thank you,” Tyler forced out in a whisper. Then he cleared his throat, took another gulp of water and his voice seemed to come back. “If you hadn’t come along God knows what would have happened.”

“Oh, I know what would have happened,” Kirsten said with authority. “Jamie would have killed you.”

“Hey I was half tanked. He had an advantage.” Tyler tried to make light of the situation but he knew how serious it had been. He clunked his empty water glass onto the table.

Kirsten scowled. “And a better motive. I have half a mind to thump you myself. In fact I still might,” she paused, “when your face heals from this lot.” She took Tyler’s hand and placed it over the icepack, replacing her own. “Hold this for a moment. I have to get the first aid kit.”

“No, I don’t need that.” Tyler grabbed her arm with his free hand.

“Yes you do.” She yanked her arm free and stood up. She felt Tyler’s eyes on her and she tugged her robe tighter around herself. It had been poor judgment on her part to wander round the house at night wearing only her robe and a thin pair of panties. She left Tyler and ventured out into the hallway, wound her way past the staircase to the downstairs bathroom. She didn’t see Jamie sitting on the stairs until he spoke.

“Is he okay?” His voice was deep and low, with no emotion. He stood up as Kirsten stopped.

“Jamie,” she said with a fright.

“Is Tyler
okay
?”

“Yes. Or at least he will be.” Kirsten moved toward Jamie. She could just see his face under the dim moonlight filtering through the narrow pane of glass at the base of the stairs.

“I just wanted to make sure.” Jamie moved back as Kirsten came closer. “I’m going to bed now.”

Kirsten frowned. “Jamie, don’t you want to talk about this?”

“Talk about what?” He sounded tired and annoyed.

“About what happened tonight,” she started. “I know you’ve certainly had it out with Tyler.” There was a hint of conceit in her voice as she finished the sentence. She couldn’t understand why Jamie was acting so blasé about the whole thing. “Don’t you want to hear my side of the story?”

“I don’t know, do I?” He dug both hands deep into his pockets.

“You must know none of it was my fault. I had no idea where the dress came from. I thought you had put it there.”

“Jesus Christ, Kirsty. If that was the case then why didn’t you come and ask me?”

Jamie ran a hand through his golden hair in frustration.

“Why would I?” Kirsten raised her voice a notch. She couldn’t understand why Jamie thought any of this was her fault. “And what do you mean
if
? You don’t believe me?”

“I don’t know what to believe right now,” Jamie said through clenched teeth as if he were accusing her of something.

“What is
that
supposed to mean?”

Jamie sighed. “Look I don’t want to talk about it with you now. I need to get my head around everything first.” He flashed a look of contempt at Kirsten. “Besides you’re rather preoccupied with Tyler right now.”

“Jamie, that’s not fair.” Hurt trembled in her voice. “You just about killed the man.
Somebody
has to look after him.”

“Oh and how convenient that it has to be you.”

Kirsten flared, “God the two of you are so infuriating. Maybe I should have just let you kill each other.” She turned and walked away from Jamie, so frustrated that he was in this frame of mind and not willing to listen to her side of the story. When she came back from the bathroom Jamie had disappeared. Tyler however, was still in the kitchen, feeling sorry for himself. He looked up and smiled warily as she came into the room. He looked as though he were perched on the edge of the chair, ready in case he had to make a quick exit. Kirsten smiled. “What, did you think I was Jamie coming back to finish you off?”

“Hey, with what just happened wouldn’t you be touchy too?”

Kirsten sighed as she sat down at the table and took the packet of frozen food from Tyler, laid it on the table to assess his face.

“You have my wrath to come, remember,” she teased. It was so hard to be mad at him right now.

“I’m sorry for that,” Tyler murmured. “I honestly didn’t think it would upset so many people. It’s just a dress.”

“Just a dress.” Kirsten stared in disbelief. “Just a-,” she paused. “Tyler you have got to be kidding me.” She took out a bottle of antiseptic, poured some onto a cotton ball and dabbed Tyler’s cheek with it. The strong clinical smell reminded Kirsten of a hospital. Tyler winced and pulled away, but didn’t say anything.