Tiger Time (2 page)

“911. What's your emergency?”

Tabitha wished there was something she could do for Alice, but the only thing she could give her was comfort. She knelt close to her neighbor, gently wrapping her arms around Alice. “My friend is in real bad shape. We need an ambulance. She's pregnant, and I think she might be having a miscarriage, and she was beaten badly.”

“What’s your location?”

“5050 East Liberty Street, apartment three on the second floor.”

“Okay, I have an ambulance on its way. Can you tell me what happened?”

Alice moaned in pain. Tabitha spoke louder for the dispatcher to hear. “I don't know. She’s my neighbor, and she came banging on my door. She told me her boyfriend beat her.”

“I am sending the police out also.”

Alice must have overheard because she whispered, “No, please. He’ll kill me.”

“Shh, it’s okay. You’re going to press charges and he’ll be in jail, unable to do anything to you.” Tabitha pushed Alice’s hair off her face, holding her to her body.

The 911 dispatcher continued to gather information for her report, and Tabitha answered them but her mind was racing.
Could Mike have followed her to finish the job he started? Will he come back later looking for her?

Two paramedics rushed up the stairs, leaving no time to quiet Alice’s fears.

Tabitha spoke into her cell phone again. “Thank you, the ambulance and fire department are here.”

 “You’re in good hands now,” the operator said before the line went dead.

Tabitha closed her phone and tried to step aside, allowing the paramedics room to assess her friend, but Alice grabbed Tabitha’s shirt. “Please stay. Don't leave me.”

The blond paramedic looked from Tabitha to Alice. “She's just going to move back a little so I can help you. She can go with you in the ambulance if you like.”

Eyes wide, Alice looked like a scared child. “Please come with me. I don't want to be alone.”

Tabitha brushed some hair off her friend’s face. “Sure, I’ll go. But let them look you over.” After a slight hesitation, Alice nodded in agreement. While the paramedics examined her, Tabitha took the time to change out of her sweats and into a pair of jeans.

She’d just stepped out of the bathroom when the blond paramedic looked over his shoulder. “Miss, if you’re going with us, we need to go. She’s lost a lot of blood.”

While they loaded Alice onto the stretcher and prepared to move her, Tabitha grabbed her purse and keys. She followed them down the steps and out to the waiting ambulance. As the ambulance pulled away from the curb, Alice passed out.

“Josh, call it in. The victim is out, and she’s going to need blood when we get there.” Then he turned to Tabitha. “Do you know her blood type and if she is on any medication?”

How could all of this be happening?
Tabitha sat there in shock for what seemed like ages. The blond paramedic reached over and touched her arm. His question clarified in her mind, and she shook her head to clear it.

“No, I don't know her blood type, but she wasn't taking anything. Maybe prenatal vitamins. She was so happy she got pregnant and didn't want to do anything that might hurt the baby.” She looked at her friend lying so still and death-like on the gurney, blood soaking her jeans.
The baby.

Tabitha just looked at him, tears filling her eyes, and said, “She lost the baby?” It wasn’t really a question. She already knew the answer.

He nodded. “I believe so. I'm sorry.”

The rest of the trip was a blur.

* * *

Upon arriving at the hospital, she tried to stay out of the way. It wasn't too hard since Alice was still unconscious and didn't need her. She stood against the wall away from everyone.  
How could that good-for-nothing jerk do this?
You didn't love someone if you beat them. That wasn't love.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't even notice the blond paramedic come up to her with a police officer at his side. “Miss, Officer O’Malley would like to have a word with you, if that's all right?”

“Yes, but I don't know if I can be of any help.”

“Thank you, Jason. If you will excuse us.” The officer led her over to the chairs in the hallway. “What’s your name?”

“Tabitha Leigh.” She perched on the chair that allowed her a clear view into Alice’s room.

When Officer O’Malley looked up from his notebook, his face was stone-cold and blank. A true cop's face. “Miss Leigh, what happened this morning?”

She tried not to cry as she thought back to how she got dragged into this and to the hospital. “When I woke up, Alice was pounding on my door begging me to help her. She told me her boyfriend did this.”

“What is her boyfriend’s name? Why would her boyfriend do this?”

“I don't know him. Alice refers to him only as Mike. He did this because she is pregnant. He told her he doesn't want children and since he doesn't want them, he believes he can't have them, so she must have cheated.”

Without blinking, Officer O’Malley asked, “Is she sure this is his baby?”

She couldn’t control the tears running down her face. It was unbelievable he had the nerve to ask that when her friend was in there dying. “She said it was. But I wasn't there. I don't know who she is sleeping with, but I have known her for years, and she is more honest and trustworthy than most people. She wouldn't tell him it was his child if she wasn't sure. She wouldn't cheat while she is in a committed relationship.” Her voice rose with emotions. She wanted to be with her friend, not sitting here answering the officer’s questions.

“We’re going to have to question the boyfriend. Do you know where I might be able to find Mike?”

“No.” With that, she was done with his interrogation. She stood and walked back to Alice's room. She wouldn’t sit there listening to him. He was just like all of the other people in her life—foster parents who would never believe she didn’t do something wrong, but she had taken all the blame. Well, Alice wasn’t going to take the blame this time.  There was nothing she could do to make him believe the story if he wanted to doubt it.

“Miss Leigh, I might need to ask you a few more questions later,” her interrogator called after her.

Without turning to look at him, Tabitha replied, “You know where to find me, but I don't know what help I can be.”

* * *

She didn't want to leave in case Alice woke up. The doctors said it could be a while. The day passed, and she stayed glued to the hospital bed waiting for her friend to come to. Darkness fell and her eyes were getting heavy when Alice finally woke.

“Thanks.” Her voice was hoarse.

Tabitha poured a glass of ice water from the pitcher the nurse had brought in a little while ago and handed it to Alice. “There is no need for thanks. If you need anything, I’m here. I’ll stay as long as you need me.”

Alice tried to sit up to take a drink from the glass. She winced from the pain but managed to force her body into a reclined position. “I feel awful. Tell me what you know. Will the baby be all right?”

“I better get the doctor.” Tabitha stood and walked toward the door.

“That bastard killed my baby, didn't he?” Alice screamed as tears started to flow down her cheeks.

Her heart broke for her friend. She wanted to do something to make things better. Give her the baby she’d lost, but there was nothing she could do. She went to her and held her close. Doctor Roberts rushed in.

Alice was crying so hard and was so upset that the doctor gave her a shot to help her sleep. As Alice closed her eyes, Tabitha laid her back down on the bed.

“I thought I gave you instructions to page a doctor and not to tell her that she lost the baby,” Doctor Roberts said, standing at the side of the bed her eyebrows knitted together.

She whipped her head around so fast, she couldn't believe it was still attached to her body. “I didn't tell her anything. When I wouldn't answer her questions and I tried to get a doctor, she freaked out. There was nothing I could do. She just knew.” Tabitha raised her hands in a “what can I do” gesture.

Doctor Roberts looked from her to the nurse. “Why is it that the family and friends always think they know what is best for the patient and disregard the doctors’ orders?” With that, he stormed out of the room.
They’re all the same. No one believes what I have to say.

Tabitha sank down into the chair by Alice's bed and began to cry. The nice nurse who had brought the pitcher hung back after the doctor left and said, “Miss, she's going to sleep through the night. Why don't you go home and get a good night’s rest? She's in good hands. When you come back in the morning, she’ll be awake and will need you.”

“Maybe you’re right. Could I leave my number and if anything changes, you can give me a call?”

The nurse nodded and handed her a pen and paper.

She wrote her number on it and handed it back. As the nurse walked out, Tabitha leaned over the bed. “Alice, I’m going home to sleep. I’ll be back in the morning. You rest, and we’ll figure something out tomorrow.” She kissed her friend’s forehead before grabbing her purse to leave.

* * *

It was a nice, cool October evening. To save some money, she decided to walk home. It was only ten blocks. Pittsburgh was a beautiful city with lots of different shops and so many lights. If the crime rate wasn't so high, it would be the perfect city to live in. But as it was, a young woman walking on the streets at night alone had to worry about being mugged or raped. She kept her hand inside her coat where her cell phone and a can of pepper spray were kept in case she needed it.

The walk home gave her time to think about Alice and how things had turned out for her. Tabitha suspected Mike had hit Alice before, but of course Alice had denied it. Her friend wouldn’t listen, and now look at her.
She could have died!
Tabitha’s angry thoughts were close to the surface and threatening to overtake her. She didn’t understand it, but lately, she was more emotional. Could it be because of the bug she had?

Opening the apartment building door, she found the lock broken. That was nothing new. Every time they replaced it, a few days later it was bashed in again. One day, the landlord was going to get tired of fixing it and just leave it broken. Having that extra lock on the main door made her feel a little safer. With the lock, the only people who could get in were residents or someone buzzed in by a resident.

She was more tired today than normal, so the fifteen stairs up to her apartment felt like climbing Mount Everest. At the top, she got her door open. Not bothering to turn on a light, she fell, eyes closed, completely exhausted onto the couch...onto a man.

Chapter Three

Tabitha screamed and jumped up quickly when she felt the solid body against hers. “Who the hell are you?”