Virgo's Child

After arriving at the apartment, Ty changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She needed to clear her head. There was only one place she could go to do that. Making the decision quickly, Ty began to pack her clothes and toiletries. After calling her aunt, she called Chris.

“Chris? It’s Ty and I guess you’re in the office again or grabbing a bite to eat. I’m leaving town for a couple of days. Don’t worry about Tala I’m going to take her with me. See you in a couple of days.” Ty said as she left a message on Chris’s voicemail.

“Tala, we’re taking a trip.” Ty said as she turned her attention to Tala. After hearing that she was taking a trip, Tala began running around in a circle before gathering her favorite toys and putting them into a pile at Ty’s feet. Ty grabbed her bowls and, after making sure they were clean and dry, packed them and the toys into a canvas bag and carried it out to her Equinox. As she headed back into the apartment, she mentally began making a list of groceries. By the time she got back, Tala was sitting by the door next with her leash in their mouth.

“I guess I don’t have to ask if you are ready to go or not.” Ty asked them as she began jotting down the grocery list. Ty had to admit that she never really had to train Tala. She had always seemed to listen as if she was a person instead of a dog. Ty looked over the grocery list one last time, then as an afterthought she wrote a note to Chris. After gathering the last of their bags, Ty and Tala headed for the open road.

The trip to Connecticut was uneventful. Tala curled up on back seat and slept most of the way, and even with the stops at rest areas and then the grocery store she was able to make before nine. The house was located in New London near the beach. The house had been in the family for years, and sometime in the 1800’s it was destroyed by a hurricane and rebuilt shortly after. Ty smiled as she pulled into the driveway. It was her retreat home, a refuge from the mental storms that would blow through from time to time. No one, aside from her aunt, knew about it. It was here that she could relax, unwind, and collect her thoughts. The house overlooked a private beach and dock. Sometimes after an investigation she would find herself here where there was always a Zen like peace. The house, like a siren’s call, had beckoned her to come many times before. Its large open foyer with a winding staircase, welcomed her as stepped into her personal sanctuary. On the lower level there was an office, the Kitchen, a sun room, and a formal sitting room. The office had a masculine Old world feel and had been used often by Ty’s father when he was alive. The walls were painted a deep burgundy and were decorated with antique maps. A large overstuffed brown leather chair set in one corner, flanked by an antique globe and coffee table. A roll top desk and leather-rolling chair sat in the other corner. The desk hid the fax and printer. Leather bound books sat neatly in the large bookshelves, flanking the doors. Ty’s pride and joy was the overstuffed love seat underneath the picture window, the leather matched the chair and faced the fireplace. The fireplace was a light colored brick with a marble mantle. To the left was the large L-shaped living room that opened to a sun room. The walls were painted with a warm yellow color, and the couch and upholstered chairs were a rich cream color. The room was accented with splashes of burgundy. Copies of Sorolla’s famous beach paintings hung over the couch and fireplace. The sun room with its warm floral prints, and honey colored oak wood, had been her mother’s favorite room. Ty could remember many summers spent at the house with her father in the office and her and mother painting or working clay out in the sun room while she would sit and read a book. She could still remember that last summer there together, she had finally talked her mother into teaching how to work clay. Her first few bowls were lopsided, but her mom was so proud that after they had glazed and fired it, she had proudly displayed it on the mantle, where they were still sitting collecting dust. Her dad had hugged her and said it was his favorite and to celebrate they had walked down town to the ice cream shop. The special had been cherry cheesecake that day and her dad had even splurged and gotten them all waffle cones. Ty smiled at the fond memory of that summer. Tala after doing laps headed straight for the kitchen with its Spanish tile counters rose-colored ceramic tile floor and rich terra cotta walls. In the center of the kitchen was an island over which hung a black wrought iron pot rack, setting her bags down Ty unloaded and filled Tala’s food and water dish. The cupboards were a rich cherry colored wood with black wrought iron hardware. Ever since the death of her parents, Ty’s aunt had not wanted to change anything in the house and in the months following the accident she didn’t even want to visit to clear out their few personal belongs. Following the accident, Ty’s summer and life took a drastic change. Her carefree attitude seemed to disappear overnight. Gone was the carefree summers at the cottage, days on sailing on the water and extroverted laughing little girl, in her place was a sad, serious, and inverted miniature adult instead.

Tala followed Ty back and forth as she unloaded her vehicle. Ty sighed as she wondered how anyone in their right mind could abandon her especially as tiny as she when Ty had first happened upon her. She was always well behaved and if she were able, Ty would bring her with her on investigations. Tala grabbed the bag with her toys and carried it into the house leaving Ty standing in amazement. It wasn’t long before they were settled, and Ty was preparing a plate of take-out spaghetti, her favorite since she had been a little girl. After fixing her plate and pouring a glass of wine, she headed into the study. Although it was almost June the evenings were still cool enough for a fire. Ty built a nice roaring fire in the fireplace and settled down with her dinner and glass of sparkling Italian white wine.

James rolled over and immediately noticed the empty spot where Megan had been laying just moment before. More and more it appeared as though she was leaving before he awoke. Sighing he rolled over to check his phone; it was only 3 am. He sat up quietly straining to hear anything that would indicate where she went. Hearing only silence, he quietly slipped out of bed and padded toward the bathroom, grabbing the baseball bat by the night stand. Looking in the bathroom and finding it empty, he continued in the hallway, a quick search of the apartment indicated that she had slipped out sometime after their sex session. Scratching his head, he headed back toward the bedroom and nearly knocked over his best friend and new roommate Josh Peters.

“What’s wrong?” Josh as he looked at James and the bat in his hand.

“Megan’s gone. I was afraid that something had happened, did you hear anything?”

“Yeah, she left about 1. Said something about having to go pick up a friend or something.”

“At 1? I am amazed that I slept through it, she must have tired me out more than thought.” James said as he looked behind him. Something was up with Megan and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

“Well see ya in the morning.” Josh said as he brushed past James toward the bathroom.

James shook his head and headed back to bed, he needed a plan to see what was up with Megan.