Chapter Twenty Two

The blonde walked around to the passenger side and opened the door. Inside was a car seat that she began to unbuckle. Kelleigh could see a little sneaker kicking in excitement. In a flash, a little red-haired boy was out of the car seat and running across the yard. The sight of the red hair made Kelleigh suck in her breath. She expelled it in one quick rush when she heard the woman turn and call "STEVIE! Come back here!"



Kelleigh was struck dumb. The familiar car, the red hair like Steve's, the little boy's name. She waited while the woman scooped up her rambunctious toddler and went into the house. She sat, still and mute for a few more minutes trying to comprehend what she just witnessed.



Finally, she shook her head as if to clear it, put the truck into gear and pulled back onto the street. As she pulled slowly past the house, she noticed the numbers above the door. Indeed, this was Becky's house. For the first time since hearing of Steve's death, a sob escaped from Kelleigh.



Kelleigh had one of those out-of-body experiences. She didn't know how she got home but she did. She found herself sitting in her driveway, tears finished but still on her cheeks. The initial shock had subsided and now she was experiencing a collision of feelings: anger, hurt, frustration, and betrayal. She felt the pressing need to do something, she just didn't know what, something to help her cull through her feelings.



She jumped down from the truck and headed toward the garage. She had the need to hit something and visualized taking a hammer to the damn racecar. As she unlocked the door, her cell phone rang. Hoping it was Delly, she answered it on the first ring. "Hi. Where the hell have you been?"



There was a moment of silence on the other end before she heard a small cough and then
"Is Kelleigh available? This is Eddie, calling in response to a message left at the racetrack."



At least three bad words rang through her head and nearly out of her mouth while she tried to gain composure. "I'm so sorry, I thought you were someone else."



"I should hope so."