Multiples Mystery

Olivia couldn’t keep from counting the motels and hotels they passed. Nineteen of them between the hospital and the Marina Inn. Anthony had bypassed nineteen opportunities to be closer to her.

Except apparently he hadn’t stayed at the Marina Inn after all.

“How’s it feel to be free?” Zac asked.

She looked over at his familiar profile, so glad they were friends again. “Like heaven.”

“How much longer do you have to stay at the hospital?”

“Technically, I’m already rooming with Faith at a place across the street, but in reality, I’m living more or less in the nursery. My mom and sisters are going back to Westerly tomorrow.”

“Have all the babies reached four pounds yet?”

“Not all of them. The doctors want them to stay another few days, but I don’t know. We have an excellent hospital in Westerly, as you know. My sister in California is on her way, too.”

“Sandy?”

“Yep. The doctor seemed impressed I’d have a real live nurse in residence for two weeks. I think he can be persuaded to let the babies leave a little early. I hope so. I want to go home.”

He gestured at the wedding photo Olivia held on her lap. “I thought the photo place burned down while you were on your honeymoon?”

“Right before we left. Mom took this picture herself without telling us and had it blown up. Anthony didn’t want a bunch of amateurish photographs floating around. However, you know Mom. She wanted one of her own so she snapped this without him knowing it.”

She gazed down at the photo again. Her own face wreathed in smiles, Anthony’s tall well-built shape towering over her. He was looking to the right of the camera, holding a champagne flute. Sunlight glinted off the gold and diamonds of the Super Bowl ring he always wore, claiming it was impossible to get off his finger as he’d gained weight since first putting it on.

She’d been blown away by the intensity of their whirlwind romance and had allowed herself to be swept into the exciting world he proposed. It was as though he’d known exactly what she wanted—and what her life lacked—and offered it on a silver platter. She’d convinced herself his love was real and that hers was real, too. She’d married him nine weeks after they met.

Nine weeks!

She dug in her handbag for her house keys. On the ring with the keys was a small pocket knife that also housed a pair of scissors. With a few quick stokes, she cut the photo in half, putting the half with her image and the knife back in her purse.

Zac watched her do this without saying a thing.

They pulled into the hotel parking lot. Olivia struggled a bit getting out of the low-slung car, glad when Zac lent a hand.

Using his badge to grease the way around the long line of guests waiting to check in, Zac showed the wedding photo to the staff. “Have any of you seen this man before?”

Almost everyone at the counter recognized Anthony. “That’s Mr. Gray,” a woman with beautiful slanted eyes said. “Paul Gray.”

“He’s a NASCAR driver,” a kid in a bowtie said.

“And a deep-sea diver,” another added. “And a Super Bowl star.”

“He tipped like there was no tomorrow.”

“‘Tipped’ as in past tense?” Zac said.

“Well, yeah. He checked out yesterday.”

Yesterday! Two days after the babies’ births? Olivia didn’t know what she’d expected to hear, but this wasn’t it. And since when had Anthony driven NASCAR? Her stomach did a backflip and she leaned against the marble counter for support.

Zac said, “Did he say where he was going?”

“Home,” the first young man said without hesitation. “He said his wife was having a baby and he had to get home.”

“Did he say where home was?”

“Uh, I don’t think so.”

“Local,” the woman said. “He seemed very well-acquainted with Seattle.”

“He went out every night he was here. Really nice guy. Really generous.”

“Did he seem distracted or upset when he checked out?”

They all looked at each other and shook their heads.

“Think carefully,” Zac said after a moment. “Was he alone when he checked out?”

“There were people in the lobby,” one girl said.

“No there weren’t. It was mid-morning and all the business people had left,” the boy insisted.

“No, there was a kind of jumpy guy over by the potted palms and a woman and two teenagers by the elevators.”

The boy shrugged. “He had the valet bring his car around,” he volunteered.

“What kind of car, do you remember? A van?” This from Olivia.

“No, a sleek white coupe,” the girl said. “Joey, didn’t you take a picture of him with Alyssa and Tommy?”

“Sure,” one of the boys said, and rummaged in a pocket. Out came the ubiquitous cell phone.

Olivia’s gaze fastened on Anthony, smiling as usual. Green numerals flashing on the screen identified the date as the day before. It had been taken in front of the Inn and in the background she could make out what appeared to be her white car.

She suddenly couldn’t bear to stand there a second longer. She turned on her heels, and heedless of the spasm of pain the jerky movement caused, kept on going toward the front door, quaking inside.

She made it outside before she could go no further. Bending at the waist, she clasped her thighs. Tears dripped onto the pavement by her feet. A small knot of tourists looked away as though embarrassed for her.

She couldn’t stop the tears. She could barely catch a breath. So, this is what it’s like when your life falls apart…

She saw Zac’s shoes before she heard his voice. He put a warm hand on her back and she straightened up, leaning against him as he ushered her out of the traffic pattern.

“Are you all right?”

She said, “No,” but a new thought had just struck her.

“Let me take you back to the hospital,” Zac murmured.