Broken Hearted Read online

  “All this information can wait, darling. You’re having those bad dreams again?”

  Trey shook his head “yes”. She took his head and laid it on her chest, massaging his forehead. She told him that she would be here when he wakes up to sleep now.

  As he drifted off, he didn’t know if he imagined it or if Faith truly whispered, “I love you Trey.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Faith

  Faith awoke to find it evening already. Trey’s head still laid on her chest with his arm around her. She hated to move him because he looked so comfortable. She needed to go to the bathroom so she tried to move his arm as not to wake him, but he jumped in fright with a panicked look on his face.

  Faith calmly whispered, “Trey, I have to get up and try to make it to the bathroom.”

  “I’ll help you, please wait until I get up, baby.”

  Faith tried to rise up and put some weight on her foot, but was unsuccessful and started to fall. Trey ran around to her side of the bed in time to catch her as she fell to the floor. Catching her and sitting her back on the bed, Trey leaned over and kissed the top of her forehead.

  “Please be careful, Faith. I’m sorry you’ve already been hurt. Try to be patient and let me help you. I love you and no matter how you feel about me, I want to keep you safe from harm.”

  “Stop, Trey. I’m not ready to talk about our relationship. We have a case that I’m not even up to speed on yet. So give me the room I need to breathe and do my job. We’ll discuss our future at a later date. When I’m emotionally ready to decide what I want and need in my life.”

  Trey sadly shook his head in agreement, helping her into the bathroom, not knowing if he should stay, he stood awkwardly, waiting for Faith to give him a sign.

  Faith grinned. “Trey, get out of here, I’ll yell when I need your help.”

  He laughed as he walked out, closing the bathroom door.

  Back in bed, Faith told Trey, “Truthfully, I started on the file when the medicine you gave me started taking effect and I fell asleep. Then you ask me to leave the file until you could rest. I need to go over all the papers carefully now.”

  He let her know that would be great because he needed to go for a walk and clear his head anyway. She asked if he’s all right, and he smiled and told her he would be back to his old self in record time. Before he left for his walk, Trey laid her pistol beside the bed. He went to her suitcase and got out her knife.

  Handing the knife to Faith, he sternly announced, “Put this where you always carry it, Faith, I don’t want anyone to be able to catch you venerable ever again.”

  “The knife goes in my bra, under my breast, Trey. I can’t put the bra on and get any rest.”

  He told her to keep the weapons ready to use if necessary. Faith smiled and nodded, choosing a file she begins to read. She’d be fine while he went for his walk. She saw his security system earlier this morning and watched him set the level too high before they went on their run. She’s sure Trey’s security would remain on high while she was staying with him.

  Faith opened the file as Trey closed the door to the bedroom. She was right when thinking the case had something to do with her. The open folder revealed a crime scene Faith is acquainted with all too well. A husband and wife lay shot to death in their own living room. As Faith studied the pictures closer, she realized a teddy bear was showing from behind the couch. The scared four-year-old little girl must have hidden behind the couch while her parents lay bleeding to death in front of her. The victims’ names were Nickolas and Faith Tallberg. The address of the shooting was the house Faith sold last year. She couldn’t live there any longer after her parents were murdered. She didn’t even know who purchased the beautiful house at One Twenty-Two Grand Avenue.

  Faith sighed as she remembered all the wonderful times she had living with her mom and dad in that house. Gloria and Tanner Julies, her delightful parents. She loved when her father came home from the jobs that kept him away from his family for weeks at a time. He was so loving and he brought her unique and precious presents. Faith realized for the first time that her mother was completely the opposite. Sadly, she remembered her mother wasn’t loving at all. Her mother constantly strained to create a perfect Faith. If she desired to play, her mother made her study.

  She kept telling Faith, “You must be smarter than everyone else in your class.”

  She prepared Faith to skip two grades in school. That’s how Faith met Dawn. Her parents did the same thing to her too. Faith smiled recalling her best friend, they were inseparable from the moment they met. However, their mothers made them compete against each other all the time. If it wasn’t school, it was sports or playing the stupid piano.

  They both hated competing against each other, but knew they needed to be better than anyone else in school or their parents wouldn’t let them see each other outside of school. Dawn’s younger sister, Roni, was always in trouble. She stayed drugged up and playing in some band all the time. Faith couldn’t help but feel sorry for her because she stayed in trouble with her dad all the time. Roni was always into Gothic, and she was a great singer when she stayed sober.

  Faith leaned back on her pillows, resting her head for a few minutes. Closing her eyes, she slowly remembered the day her parents were murdered. They were having a wonderful Christmas dinner with her aging grandparents. She loved visiting with them. Her grandfather was such a soft and gentle country man who loved his family with all his heart. Her grandmother was a lovely forgetful woman, who forgot things at the funniest times. Christmas had always been a special time in their house. Even her mother got into the celebration of decorating the whole house for the occasion. She smiled, remembering the many presents from her Mimi and Poppy. It was a perfect evening and Mimi and Poppy had to go home. They wanted to get home before it got too late. Poppy hated driving after dark. Shortly after they left the doorbell rang. Her mother called out.

  “I bet your Mimi forgot her purse again.”

  Faith heard her mother’s scream as if it were happening all over again. Her father ran past her into the living room, Faith followed behind him. The chill of death went up the back of her neck. As she recalled that night so vividly, as if she were watching a movie through a glass window. The young girl screaming couldn’t be her. She smelled the blood in the air. She’s crying for her mommy and daddy.

  “Please don’t be dead! Don’t die! Please don’t die!”

  Nevertheless, as she looked back and forth between the two of them, in her heart, she knew they were dead. She couldn’t believe the murderer turned the gun on her then shook his head, running out of the house. Faith was left alone with her dead parents at twelve-years-old. She remembered picking up the phone and calling nine-one-one but everything after that was a nightmare. She was surprised when her mom had left a will leaving her to the Moore’s. Dawn’s mother was her mom’s best friend, but she always wondered why she didn’t get to live with her grandparents.

  The Moore’s always said it was because her grandparents were too old to raise a young girl. That sounded like her mother, but the Moore’s wouldn’t let her visit her grandparents, she couldn’t even go to their funerals, and Faith would never forgive them for that one act of cruelty. Dee and John Moore were the perfect couple to the world. However, if her mom knew what happened behind closed doors, she never would’ve given her to them. She hated John, he made them call him Mr. Moore, and he was so cruel to all of the girls.

  In addition, his wife Dee closed her eyes to all the pain he inflicted on them. They knew why she didn’t help them. If she did, he would hurt her worse. Therefore, they were on their own with the sick monster. The Moore’s had three daughters. Janice was two years older than Faith. Dawn, her best friend, was the same age as Faith. Roni was the baby who was five years younger. They grew up in fear of Mr. Moore. He could be so cruel and vicious to them that they tried to stay out of his way.

  When Faith first read the files, she had glanced over them. She knew Trey
needed her, but now she knew why. Oh, Lord! She realized exactly how she fit into this scenario. Faith Tallberg was the same age, same build, and even the same hair, and eye color as her. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She lived because someone killed the wrong person… That’s why Trey was protecting her now.

  She moaned to herself, “Trey and I have to catch this man. We are good together in every way.”

  Working with Trey again would be great, but she would need to keep her feelings for him hidden deep inside her heart. She put the file down and thought about his kisses. She wanted to whisper to him, “Trey take me in your arms and make love to me with the passion I know is in your heart.” However, Faith knew he was guarding his heart again He did the same thing when she first met him.

  Trey was having bad dreams again, and he thought she didn’t realize he dreamed about finding Shana’s body in the dumpster. Even though they had discussed Shana’s death many times, he still tried to keep the dreams of her private. Faith could only believe he loved her so much that even his dreams of her were too special to share. She could honor those feeling, however, up to her this time, she needed to be secure in the fact that he loved her and only her. She didn’t want to take Shana’s place.

  Faith wanted her own special place in his heart. With everything that had happened in the last six months, they may never get that love back. She wanted the love that comes with true, honest trust. She didn’t trust Trey with her heart anymore. It’s still mending from the last time he broke it.

  Faith knew she needed to get well quickly. They had a job to do and finding Faith Tallberg’s murderer would only be the start of a long and deadly adventure. Faith gave a half grin. She and Trey lived with death at their shoulders all day and beside their heads at night. It’s the adrenal rush, she recognized they love. And knowing they made a difference in this crazy mixed up world.

  Somehow, deep in the pit of her soul, she knew Mr. Moore was involved in the murders. Nevertheless, why would he want her dead? She had nothing left to give him. If she found out he murdered her parents, she’d kill him herself. Dawn had been her best friend throughout life. Even though she was Mr. Moore’s daughter, she would pull the trigger herself on that bastard.

  Faith began to think about the four-year-old little girl in this case. She watched as someone shot both her parents to death. She’d never be the same happy little girl she was before they were killed. Faith knew because she’d been there. No one could take that pain out of your heart. The memory of that night was already seared into the little girl’s mind and heart. Faith must talk to the little girl soon. She needed to explain that she honestly knew how she felt right now. Losing both the people you loved and depended on to keep you happy and safe was devastating.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Trey left for his walk, winding down the path he and Faith took yesterday. He had no energy even though he slept for hours. The dreams about Shana Weston have returned. He remembered the touch and feel of her body. Even though they were in high school, their love for each other was real. She had the most beautiful long blonde hair and blue grey eyes and was so athletic. She loved to swim, hike, and run. All those things she and Trey did together because they were inseparable. Everyone adored Shana, so her death was hard on the whole school. Shana had broken up with him the last semester of school and had started getting hanging out with the wrong crowd. Trey still didn’t think he’d ever truly let her go. He remembered canvasing the streets watching for her with their friends. The last time he saw her, she was high and wouldn’t let him take her home. She was with some strange guy. Trey ran into her the night she disappeared, he tried to talk to her but she wouldn’t listen. Her boyfriend stood between them telling her to get in the car. She left with him yelling, “Shana, I love you. Please don’t go.”

  The next day he discovered she was missing. The police told all her friends to walk the streets and to check in all the dumpsters. Trey was hoping she might still be drugged or frightened so he needed to keep looking for her. He wouldn’t believe she might be dead. He needed to find her alive, huddled somewhere waiting for him. They walked the streets for hours. It’s cold, so cold he couldn’t move his fingers. He stepped up to a dumpster behind the local restaurant and opened the lid.

  Shana lay stripped and lifeless. He couldn’t say a word. A police officer approached him and took his arm, leading him away. The utmost beautiful girl in the world was dead. Shana was the reason Trey became a detective in the SVU. He didn’t want anyone else to feel as alone and abandoned as he did that night.

  He went down on his knees to the ground with his head in his hands. “I couldn’t help Shana but I won’t let Faith get killed. I will protect her from the people who are trying to destroy and kill her.”

  Trey still needed to make some phone calls and set up some meetings for tomorrow with Eli Bentley. The undercover FBI agent he worked with now. Faith would be surprised to find out Trey’s a FBI agent and not just a detective anymore. He loved undercover work and he hoped she understood. They offered him this job so he had to leave, he wanted her to come with him. He just didn’t have the opportunity to ask her. There was so much still unspoken between them.

  Trey walked back home and went straight upstairs to check on Faith. She slept soundly as he made his way quietly down the hallway to his office. He called Eli and they set up meeting for the next day. He’d be gone for a few days. Trey realized he'd better get his sister, Eve, to come stay with Faith while he’s gone. Faith would be off her foot for a few days any way. Eve and Faith were still best friends, he’s sure they both had a lot of catching up to do.

  Eve’s a Real Estate agent so she could do some of her work from home. Trey knew she’d be happy to visit with Faith while he’s away. He’s going to the stake out tonight instead of tomorrow morning because he needed to take the time to clear his head before diving into this job. Once he and Eli started, they wouldn’t stop until they took down this drug ring and hopefully catch the murder of Faith Tallberg. Eli believed in doing so, they would find out who killed Faith’s parents too.

  He strolled down the hall to Faith’s room to tell her Eve was coming to visit. His heart stopped, the bed was empty. He called her name, going to the bathroom door. He heard her singing like an angel. Trey doesn’t know how she made it to the bathroom by herself on that foot. Nevertheless, he’d leave her to her shower and fix some dinner. Eve would be hungry. He wished he could eat anything without gaining weight like Eve. Trey knew he had to run to stay fit and keep the pounds off. His Italian mom loved to cook so family dinners were always fun.

  Eve has had her trouble with love too. Trey remembered the night when Eve came back home one night when she was a freshman in college, and she was standing at the door crying.

  Her father asked, “Eve, what’s wrong darling? Why are you crying?”

  She looked him in the eyes and said, “Justin left me and has returned to Italy.”

  Our dad walked over and put his arms around her and she crumbled. He picked her up and carried her to his chair. He held her tight

  “Did he explain why?” he asked.

  “Yes, to study under a master chief at the Italian Chief Academy in Rome. He wanted me to go with him. I just started up my own real estate firm. I can’t drop everything and go to Italy with him. I’m still in school too. I have my plate full.”

  He laughed softly saying, “Okay, you will stay with us until you’re strong enough to decide if you love him enough to go after him. If you decide he’s not the one for you, I’m sure you’ll find a man who will love and cherish you one day, darling.”

  Our mom smiled and turned around, heading for the kitchen to fix Eve her favorite dessert. Mom always made our favorite food when things made us sad. Must be the Italian in her. She thought everything revolved around food. Trey loved to hear her break out into Italian when she wanted to curse his dad out. As if we didn’t know what she was saying, since she taught us all from the time we were little how to speak
Italian.

  Trey couldn’t believe how much Eve looked like their mother but she acted like their dad. She would make a great detective, however, she wanted no part of the police force.

  Trey hoped that being gone a few days would take his mind off Shana. He needed to sort his feelings out for Faith. He’d held on to Shana for all these years, wanting her to come back. Always remembering the day she died. He loved Faith and he wanted her in his life forever but he’s so afraid he’d lose her that instead he’s pushing her away from him. That’s not fair to him or Faith, so when he came back, he’d have his heart straighten out, and there would be no one but Faith inside his heart and soul.

  He stood looking out the window in the kitchen as he finished dinner. He had a beautiful house, however, it was only a house if he couldn’t have Faith and her love to help him make it a home someday. He hurried to finish dinner for Eve and Faith.

  He picked up his cell.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Trey

  Trey loved chatting with Eve. He called her this time not to chat, but to tell her to hurry and toss some clothes in a suitcase.

  He said, “Faith sprang her foot and she needs you to visit with her for about a week. I’ve a job that will take me away and she’ll require your help.” His job was extremely demanding.

  Eve wondered what happened between him and Faith now. They loved each other so much. He said they weren’t back together and the only thing he explained to her was he wanted her to help Faith while her ankle heals.

  Trey understood Eve needed protection too, and he hoped the security at his home would be decent enough. He made Eve learn to shoot a gun almost a year ago. He worried Faith would be taking care of Eve if something bad happened because she’s a take-charge person.