He said Talbert alone wasn’t dangerous, I kept telling myself. Part of me questioned, though, worried. Would Talbert betray Dean this easily? No matter how scared of Alec he was, would he cross the man with whom he worked so closely, the man whom he had to know was capable of atrocious things?
I was staring at the coils in the toaster, watching them warm to a glow, when Hanna came in.
“He let you get up this morning,” she said.
I looked up from the coils.
“Yesterday he said he was making you sleep, and I wasn’t to let you help with anything.”
“He’s too bossy.”
She opened the refrigerator. “I have a feeling I know who the boss is.”
I couldn’t help but to smile a little, only a little.
She started setting ingredients on the counter, more than she needed for the three of us.
“No one else is coming,” I said, “only Ben.”
“Oh,” she said, and put most of the food away. She seemed disappointed. I decided to do my best to keep up my end of the conversation today.
Luckily, Ben found something interesting in the paper. They talked about the closing of an old movie theater throughout breakfast. Apparently, it was someplace they went fairly regularly—and Ben was an even better friend than I realized. Hanna mentioned some of the more recent movies they’d seen, not likely to have been Ben’s choices.
After breakfast, Ben went to search out whatever indoor work he could find. The storm was not slowing. He said something about cleaning the pool. I was surprised Alec didn’t have a service for that. Then I realized—it was because of me. I doubted he would allow the risk of someone seeing me, someone whom he didn’t trust. There was, surely, usually a cleaning service as well. I tried to think of a way to fit in a little scrubbing without Alec or Hanna noticing—or Ben for that matter, the traitor.
“Does Alec ever go with you to the movies?” I asked once we were done cleaning the kitchen.
She sat on the sofa, and I took an armchair, my feet curled under me.
She smiled, obviously amused. “I don’t know that he’s ever watched a movie all the way through. And forget about TV and all the commercials. He’s never been a fan of sitting still.”
“So, he was that kid in school.”
“No, actually, when he was little, his teachers adored him. He was capable of sitting still—he just didn’t like to.” She laughed. “Just like his mother. I think the bed rest was torture for her.”
“What was she like?”
Her head tilted as she looked at me. “You remind me of her actually, except the quiet thing. She made this house feel like a home. She liked everyone—well, mostly. She didn’t like some of Mr. Kaden’s men.” She paused. “She didn’t like his business, either, but she loved him enough to look the other way.”
My eyebrows lowered. “She loved him?” It seemed like such an odd thought. Both Ben and Hanna spoke highly of her. How could she love someone like Alec’s father?
“Of course.” She looked down at her cross stitch.
“Did he ever…hurt her?”
Her hands, in mid pull of a thread, stopped. Everything about her stopped. She slowly looked up at me. “He told you?”
“He let me figure it out.”
I swore I saw tears beginning to form. She looked back down.
“I’m sorry, Hanna. You don’t have to—”
“He would’ve never hurt her,” she said. “He adored her.” By the faraway sound of her voice, I wasn’t sure if she was aware I was still in the room. “He’s never told anyone. He doesn’t even talk to me about it—or even allude.”
“Hanna.”
She looked up. She seemed only half there.
“How bad was it?”
“Sometimes, it’s like it never happened. I don’t know how he gets past it like that. I always thought he would have to be in therapy when he grew up, but it seems like he’s left it in the past.”
“He hasn’t.”
Her eyes were definitely welling with tears. I stood and took a seat next to her on the couch. I waited with a gentle expression.
She took a breath. “He’s always been too smart. He walked early. He talked early. And he understood far too early. I couldn’t keep things from him. He knew why his father kept him at a distance, why he rarely spoke to him, why he looked at him with such malice. As a child, he tried to gain his father’s affection, or just his attention in some nonviolent way, but nothing was ever good enough. He would tell him of his accomplishments, and it would fall on deaf ears, or…backlash.”
“But he rebelled eventually.” I hoped that meant he’d learned to stay away or at least that he fought back.
Her tears started to fall into the creases around her eyes. “I remember the exact day. It was all my fault. I can’t remember why, not that it really matters, but his father was angry and had hit him across the face. Blood splattered from his mouth as he stood there, taking it as always, and I forgot my place. I went to him, but his father hadn’t left the room yet. Nothing angered him more than to see Alec being helped, especially by a woman, and he stepped toward me, enraged. I thought for sure this time he was going to hit someone other than Alec. Then Alec stepped in front of him, the blood still dripping down his face. ‘Not her,’ he said. He stood perfectly straight, no hesitation, no waver in his voice. He was ordering his father. His father sneered something about Alec not being capable of defending anyone. His father continued beating and berating. Alec never spoke. He only stood there. It was torture—much worse than usual. It was my fault this time.”
I laid my hand on hers.
“I waited by the back steps,” she said, “hoping for Alec to come find me. I’d already been crying, but when I saw him…” She took a ragged breath. “It’s the only time he’s ever hugged me. He allowed a small amount of my affection over the years, but he doesn’t like to be touched. I blubbered through an apology, and he was perfectly calm, even as the bruises formed and the blood flowed. That calm was even more distressing to me. He let me take care of him, and I saw it in his eyes. He was done, done with his father, done caring. He wasn’t there anymore.”
Calm—just like the other night. He’d made his choices, decided to turn his back. He’d decided a long time ago he would never be with me. He knew it even when he kissed me, even when I told him I loved him. It didn’t seem to matter what I said or did. His father’s voice had stopped when I showed affection for him, which told me he trusted me, trusted that I saw good in him. He believed me ahead of his father—and yet, he still refused to think we could be together. There was something more to it, something beyond his father’s words, something I didn’t understand, and was, therefore, unable to fight against.
Hanna and I didn’t talk much more. We both seemed to be at our limit, or perhaps our minds were too busy. I worried that maybe I shouldn’t have talked to her. I hated seeing her tears. But she continued to calm, like it was a relief to talk to someone about it all.
I spent most of the morning watching the storm. The wind howled around the house and ripped leaves through the air, casualties of the trees’ fight to stay upright. Waves crashed against the rocks that braved standing in the wild ocean. White spray shot up to be instantly dispersed by the wind.
I stood at the French doors as the storm blasted them with rain, only a thin piece of glass protecting me from its wrath. That was what I felt like the last two days, like the glass was on the verge of shattering and then I would be thrust out into the storm to fend for myself. Alec was the glass.
The storm slowed while I helped Hanna make a small lunch, while I listened for the phone to ring. I hoped Alec would call. The silence was making me nervous. The others would call if something went wrong, right? At least to talk to Hanna. And why was it taking so long? He had to be meeting with Talbert still, or waiting for him, or… If he’d gone to work, I was confident he would’ve stolen a minute to call.
A feeling of foreboding began to trickle up my spine and seep under my skull. The rain finally stopped, so I left Hanna and Ben, who’d run out of inside work, sitting in the living room, and wandered out back. I hadn’t wanted to hide from Hanna today, but this feeling was too strong to conceal.
I focused on the pretty view. The light was such an odd shade. It turned everything pinkish-orange, even the colorful flowers sitting in pots along the low wall of the patio. The rain left little water droplets, now glistening on the petals. They reflected the color of the light while filtering the color of the petal on which they sat, making the prettiest shades.
As I moved toward the steps to the lawn, I glanced out to the horizon, and stopped. A spider web stretched between the few trees that snuck up to the edge of the cliff, directly in line with a beam of sunlight that had escaped the clouds. Like the flowers, the web held tiny specks of water, even more delicate. I happened to catch the exact right moment and saw as the web turned to strands of diamonds, sparkling in the light. I was frozen, mesmerized. I almost walked across the lawn to see if it really was gemstones.
The phone ringing brought me back to reality.
***Alec***
Vincent was already there when Alec arrived. He was sitting in a corner of the lobby by the bar, pretending to read the newspaper. Alec took the next chair at the small table. Vincent kept holding the newspaper up, as if he was engrossed in a story, and slid the throw-away cell phone toward Alec.
Alec sat back in his chair and laid his hand casually on the table. “Any word?”
“He just said he would be here as soon as he could and that he couldn’t say any more on the phone.”
Alec rolled his eyes. Overdramatic pussy.
“I got the impression he wasn’t sure exactly when he could get away,” Vincent said.
“Fucking great.” Alec picked up the cell phone and stood. “Walter Pike is over there. I’m going to play nice and pretend to be here on business. Sit here for a few more minutes and then disappear somewhere close by.”
Vincent didn’t look up from his paper. “Yes, sir.”
Alec walked toward the other end of the bar. The president of Second National was not his favorite conversationalist; he was an important business connection, but entirely too garrulous. Walter Pike had several documents in front of him. Alec knew this hotel bar was one of his favorite places to do business. He suspected he liked to drink a bit too much.
Pike looked up as Alec approached. “Well, if it isn’t Alec Kaden.” He stood and offered his hand. “You must join me.”
Alec hated shaking hands. He knew his grip was always a little too firm. He couldn’t help it. He took the stool next to Pike and tried to pay attention to the man’s jabbering, tried not to look annoyed that he couldn’t just get to the point. He could never seem to stay on one line of thought. He would veer off on different, loosely related topics. Usually, Alec lost patience and brought him back to his original point, but today he needed a reason to be here—just in case Dean showed with Talbert, just in case Talbert decided to go to Dean for protection. If he tried to lead Dean to Alec, no one would be able to keep him safe.
For what felt like a millennium, Alec sat at the bar and endured Walter Pike. At least he didn’t mind being seen in public with Alec. The general attitude toward the Kaden name was changing, but though most businessmen and women in the city would work with Alec, several of them still would not meet in public.
The cell phone, now in Alec’s inside pocket, refused to ring. What in the hell was taking Talbert so fucking long? He needed to show soon, or Alec was going to find him and beat the shit out of him, just for the fun of it.
Around noon, Walter Pike suggested lunch. Alec agreed, and made sure to pick the table at the hotel restaurant, still in view of the lobby.
Sitting here was driving him nuts. He was used to being in action. Talbert might get beaten just for making Alec sit here.
Then a feeling of foreboding began to claw its way up Alec’s spine. Something was off. But if Talbert wasn’t being straight, what could he be trying to accomplish? It wasn’t a setup to decipher Alec’s identity—no one was here who shouldn’t be, and the others had the rest of the place covered. They would’ve called if something didn’t seem right.
Perhaps Talbert was busy with something for Dean, something he couldn’t put off without raising suspicion. But why had he called? No, Talbert should be able to get away. Dean had been busy lately, rarely in his office, out trying to find Adriane.
“Son of a bitch.” Alec stood and dialed the number for the house as he moved quickly for the door. He ignored Walter Pike’s questions, and Vincent ran after him, unable to catch up before Alec peeled out of his parking space.
The phone kept ringing.
Dean was trying to find Adriane. Talbert had gotten Alec out of the way. Somehow Dean knew where she was. His only chance was that Dean had taken extra time to accumulate his henchmen and plan his entry.
The phone stopped ringing. He dialed again. No one answered.
“Fuck!” he roared. He hurled his phone, and it smashed against the passenger door.
He pressed harder on the gas. The Jaguar’s engine howled.
***Adriane***
My head whipped around at the sound of the phone. I made it just inside the great room before the front door flew open. It smashed into the wall with an echoing bang.
The phone continued to ring.
Two men walked into the house, two men I’d never seen before, who were definitely not Alec’s employees.
Hanna screamed.
There was noise from outside, like fighting. “Ben!” someone yelled. It sounded like they were asking for his help, or maybe warning him.
Ben leaped to the kitchen and emerged wearing the oddest expression, that same hard look as the others. He was holding a gun.
“Stay back,” he commanded.
One of the men, the tall, thick one, began moving toward him at a steady pace.
“Stop!” Ben yelled.
The man kept moving.
I vaguely noticed the other man scanning the room. His gaze stopped at me.
The gun fired.
The tall man stumbled back for half a second. From the way he tilted, it looked like Ben had hit his shoulder. Then he lunged, and Ben flew back, slammed into the wall, and slumped to the floor.
Hanna screamed again.
The man crossed the room.
“Stop!” I yelled as I took a step.
The man backhanded Hanna across the cheek. She fell to the ground.
I stared at her, at her limp body. I shifted to move, to do something, but I didn’t know what to do, what I could do. My friends were already down, and I knew I couldn’t fight these men alone. My only chance was to stay calm, watch for an opportunity.
My body tensed as I stopped myself from moving, from acting rashly, stupidly.
“Well, well, well if it isn’t Miss Graham,” said a greasy voice.
The other man casually moved forward. He was thick, not with muscle, and he wore a pin-striped suit with a shiny, blood red tie. A smile festered on his face.
“What a surprise it is to see you here,” he said. “But I forget myself. We have not been properly introduced. My name is Councilman Samuel Dean.” His smile twisted into pleasantly evil. “I’m sure you’ve heard my name before. I believe you did some bookkeeping for me.”
Dean. I hadn’t recognized him immediately. My mind wouldn’t grasp what this meant. Why was he here? How did he know I was here? I couldn’t breathe. It was Talbert. It had to be. There was no other way to find me. Alec. Oh God, Alec was in trouble.
“What, no pleasantries? Surely, your father taught you better than that.”
Dean came back into focus. What did he know of my father?
“Oh, surely, our friend Mr. Kaden told you about that.” His hand brushed along the back of the sofa.
I offered no response.
“Well, I guess not. He wouldn’t want his little pet to think poorly of him.”
He wasn’t making sense.
“You really don’t know anything, do you?” He laughed. “How ironic, a simple bookkeeper who figures out so much about me and yet knows nothing of her own past.” Another laugh.
I realized the man, who was now holding Ben’s gun, didn’t move while Dean was talking. I had to keep him talking as long as possible.
“What are you talking about?” I demanded.
“So you can speak.”
“I asked you a question.”
“Feisty. I like that.” His head tilted with interest. “Your Alec never told you your father did work for me?”
I didn’t know what to say to that. I didn’t understand where he was going.
“It was too bad, though. He was smart, too smart, really. Another point of irony—father and daughter both entirely too clever for their own good.” He glanced down at the back of the couch under his hand, as if curious what kind of fabric it was. “You see, your father also noticed the interesting ways in which government funds move. You know, this way, that way…my way.” His smile reminded me of the way horns curve. “Such a shame. If he could’ve gotten over his conscience, he could’ve lived.”
Everything snapped together in my head, like the click of a switchblade. My voice was hard. “You killed my father.”
“Well, not personally, but I suppose it’s all the same in the end.”
My chest tightened with anger. I wasn’t sure how long I could keep myself still, stop myself from attacking him. “What does any of this have to do with Alec?” I demanded.
He smiled as if impressed, and his hand dropped off the back of the couch as he continued slowly forward. “Oh, I’m guessing Kaden tried to get his father to step in, but the old man knew his place. Not even the city’s mob king can take me down.”
He was watching me closely, as though thoroughly enjoying my pain. I tried to hide it, to pretend to be strong, as if I wasn’t screaming inside. My lungs weren’t working right. He’d taken my father, and now Alec was in trouble because of him.
This was why Alec hated Dean—everything, all the things that were going on, seemed to circle around back to me. I swore I could feel Alec’s fear, his adrenaline, his anger. I had to do something, had to help him. I couldn’t let him be hurt anymore.
There was a smile in Dean’s eyes that was almost giddy. “But, you know, none of that is the most interesting part,” he said. “I don’t really get it, myself. Don’t take offense. You’re a pretty girl and all—innocent, if you like that kind of thing—but I don’t understand the draw for all those years. That was his downfall, you know.”
I kept eye contact and waited.
“It was his insane need to protect you that was my best asset,” he said. “I didn’t know where you’d gone. I’ve been combing the entire county. I had all of your coworkers interviewed, officially of course, but when all my searching was pointless, I had some people re-interviewed…unofficially.”
He inclined his head toward the other man. “Carl here is an excellent conversationalist.”
The man’s expression turned black with a grin.
“I suppose there are many one-syllable words,” I said.
The man sneered and took a step closer. Dean lifted his hand, and he stopped.
“It was that clerk you’re so fond of,” Dean continued. “Bobby, was it? Anyway, he was more forthcoming with a little persuasion. You see, he’s on more than one payroll.”
Bobby from the mailroom? What could he have to do with anything?
“Your Alec had him keeping tabs on you. That’s when I realized where you must be, but I wasn’t sure how to get to you. Then someone came to see my assistant. He concealed his identity quite thoroughly—scared the poor boy to death. I knew it had to be Kaden. I saw my opening and planted a false lead, then waited for you to be left alone—well...” He glanced back at Hanna and Ben “…almost.”
My voice was hard. “He’ll take you down. You know he won’t stop.”
“Oh, I don’t think he’ll be a problem anymore.”
My body stiffened. No, I screamed at myself, keep it together. Keep him talking. You have to figure something out. Hanna and Ben need help.
Dean’s tone became reflective. “I wonder… You’re right. I never have taken care of things personally. Hmm.”
His pudgy hands moved faster than I thought possible. He seized my throat.
I threw a punch at his face, his nose, but his arms were longer than mine. I slammed my fists into his forearms.
“Bitch.” He shook me. Pain seared through my neck as my head whipped back and forth.
I kicked at his shin. He grunted in pain, and then squeezed tighter. I gasped. My vision blurred. The room behind him disappeared. Only his fuzzy image was there, relishing, savoring my last moments.
My body wouldn’t work, wouldn’t strike, wouldn’t move.
I couldn’t yell, scream, nothing.
My vision continued to blur.
I knew without a doubt, could feel as my air ceased, he was going to succeed. My thoughts centered on the truth.
I’m going to die.