Tim started to say something, but Tasha stopped him with a hand on his chest. Turning to Jason, she plastered a saccharine smile on her face and answered him. “Apparently your memory is faulty. I broke off our engagement three years ago—right before I started running to get away from you. I am no longer, and never will again, be your fiancée. You need to get over it.” She turned to leave.
Jason grabbed her by the arm, and Tim forcefully removed his hand from Tasha’s arm. “I don’t think you want to do that,” he threatened.
“This isn’t over!” Jason yelled as they walked away.
Tim could tell Tasha was on the verge of losing it and guided her to a quiet corner and pulled her onto his lap. “Just breathe, baby, breathe,” he told her, rubbing her back and holding her tight.
Tasha took several deep breaths and tried to relax. “I can’t believe he had the nerve to show up here. How could he have found out I was coming home to even know to be here? I made sure I only told family and was very specific that they not tell anyone else I was coming. I have to find out who he’s talking to.” She was furious and thoroughly embarrassed.
“Don’t worry about it, baby. We’ll figure it out.” Tim was concerned also but didn’t want to upset Tasha any more than she already was. Somebody she knew was working with the jerk, and Tim needed to find out who and why.
They got their rental car, and Tasha gave Tim directions to her parents’ home. They would be staying at a local motel, but she wanted to see her mom as soon as she could.
On the way to her childhood home, Tasha and Tim discussed whether or not to tell her parents about what had happened at the airport.
“I think you should. Maybe they will have an idea of how he found out you are here.” Tim’s point was a good one.
“I’m afraid I’ll upset my mom, and I don’t want to do that. I just want a good, quiet visit,” Tasha countered.
“Let’s just casually mention he was at the airport and avoid any mention of the confrontation and see what is said,” Tim argued. Tasha agreed it was a good point and promised to work it into the conversation.
The visit went well, but Tasha cut things short when she saw her mom was getting tired. Promising to be back early the next morning, they went and checked into their motel. Tasha made sure she told no one where they were staying. Her parents could reach her by cell phone.
By the time everything was done, Tasha was so tired that she and Tim fell into bed and immediately were asleep.
The next morning they woke early and had breakfast before leaving to go to her parents’ house. When Tasha had casually mentioned that she saw Jason at the airport, her parents were as shocked as she had been. She was sure neither of them had said anything to anyone. She still needed to talk to her sisters. Either one of them could have said something.
Tasha was the middle sister. She had an older sister, June, and a younger sister, Kathy. She had always been close to June, but Kathy was jealous of everything she did, something Tasha never understood. Her sisters were supposed to be at her mom’s tonight for dinner. Maybe she could talk to them then.
Tasha enjoyed showing Tim where she had grown up and the different things in her hometown. When they finally got to her parents’ house, it was late morning. Tasha had a good time visiting all day with her mom, while Tim and her dad chatted about various things. Evening came, and her sister June arrived first. Tasha and June had a good time catching up, and about an hour later, Kathy arrived.
Kathy swept into the house like a tornado, disrupting everything and everyone in her path. She had obviously been drinking, and Tasha was immediately embarrassed to have her meet Tim. Tasha and Kathy were similar in build, with Tasha being a couple inches taller and several pounds heavier than her younger sister, something that Kathy had always thrown in her face. This occasion was not any different.
“I see you are still carrying that baby fat. Don’t you think you should do something about that? Jason would have never dumped you if you had been thin like me. He likes thin girls, you know.”
Biting her tongue not to tell her sister off, Tasha hugged her and asked, “What do you know about Jason?” worried that there was something she didn’t know.
“I know way more than you think I do,” Kathy answered defiantly.
Tasha pleaded with her sister, “Kathy, please tell me that you don’t have anything to do with him. He’s dangerous. You know
what happened to Mom’s cat.”
“You don’t know that he had anything to do with that. Besides, you don’t live here anymore, and we all know you don’t care about us or Jason or anything that happens here. It’s no longer any of your business!” Kathy screamed at her as she flounced off up the stairs.
Tasha’s mom was upset, and the evening was ruined by the fight the two girls had. After they calmed her mom down, Kathy came back down the stairs. Tasha tried to talk to her but to no avail. Their flight back to Denver was early the next morning, and this was the only time she would have. Finally giving up, she explained to her older sister what was going on, hoping June could talk some sense into Kathy.
“I hope she’s not seeing him,” Tasha finished before changing the subject.
They left early the next morning, and Tasha was sure that Kathy was the one who had been telling Jason how to find her. “I’m worried about her, Tim. She doesn’t know how dangerous he can be.”
Tim was worried also but couldn’t do much. They had alerted the police while they were there of what was going on and had been assured that they were working with the police in Denver and would keep an eye on the situation. Tim didn’t have much confidence, though. He knew how busy the police were and how understaffed most departments were.
Chapter Ten
When they got back to Denver, Tim took Tasha to her apartment. They were going to stay at his house, but she wanted to pick up a few things first.
As they walked through the lobby at her apartment, one of the ladies stopped them. “I’m so sorry, dear. If there’s anything I can do, please let me know.”