Chapter Thirteen

 

The next day was a little blurry for her. Ric had persuaded her to stay at his place for the day. He’d called in and taken the day off himself. She’d spent most of the morning asleep and woke up just before noon. When she walked into his living room, he was sitting at the dining room table with a cup of coffee and he was staring at his laptop screen.

 

“Good morning,” she walked over and sat across from him. Her head still ached and her vision was totally messed up in her right eye.

 

“Morning, your partner called and wanted to me relay that he fed Jack this morning.” She almost laughed at the face he was making.

 

“I bet that was an awkward call.” When he just shrugged his shoulders she leaned back in the chair.

 

“Would you like something to eat?”

 

“I don’t expect you to wait on me, I can take care of…”

 

“Rob,” he interrupted, “It’s really not that big of a deal. I was about to fix myself a sandwich for lunch.”

 

Smiling and feeling a little embarrassed, she nodded her head.

 

After lunch, he forced another pain pill on her and tucked her back into bed where she remained until the whole scene was repeated around dinner time. This time, he’d ordered Chinese from the corner restaurant.

 

She’d taken another bath and sat up in his bed to watch the evening news, but must have ended up asleep. When she woke again, it was the next morning, and she was feeling almost like her old self. How had he recovered in only one day?

 

Ric couldn’t concentrate the next day. He had hardly gotten any sleep the last couple nights, which gave him such a lack of focus.

 

His early morning meeting with clients had gone smoothly, now as he sat behind his laptop he had a few other items he’d been trying to deal with. He’d been doing some more research on Dante Cardone and what he’d found he didn’t like.

 

He knew he had to make the call. But, he preferred to talk to her in person. Calling his mother was always an event. He’d promised Katie he’d get to the bottom of the mysterious man in their mother’s room. He just didn’t want to hear what he thought he was going to hear from her. He stood in his office and just as he was about to pick up his phone, Rob walked in. The bruises were even more colorful today. He knew she was on admin leave, so when he saw her partner trailing behind her, he frowned. He hadn’t really spoken to the man often and he’d actually forgotten his name.

 

“Mr. Derby,” she nodded her head and sat in his chair. He could see she was all business today. “You remember my partner Detective Thomas.” The tall man nodded and stood leaning against the door frame. Ric thought he looked like a guard dog watching over his pup. So, this was how she was going to play him today. Smiling he walked over and leaned on the front of his desk. “He’s taking lead on your case while I’m on leave.”

 

“What can I do for you today?” He crossed his ankles and arms.

 

“I’ve finally,” her partner cleared his throat, “We’ve finally received word from Mr. Cardone’s secretary that Mr. Walker had been an employee less than a year ago at his company. He was actually still on the roster as a consultant. Did you know this when you hired him?” She looked at him.

 

Leaning over, he pulled Mark’s file from the top of his desk. “You can see for yourself. Every reference he gave me is there. I checked them all myself. He never mentioned he worked at New Edges.”

 

She looked over the paperwork. “Can I,” her partner coughed, “We keep these?”

 

He nodded his head. She handed the file over to her partner.

 

She started to get up.

“I’d like a moment with you, alone.” Ric said, looking towards the doorway, where her watch-guard was still standing, almost looking bored.

 

“Tom, I’ll met you downstairs in a few.”

 

When her partner left, Ric asked. “His name is Tom Thomas?”

 

“Yes,” she said without any hint of humor. “What did you need to talk to me about.” She crossed her legs.

His face sobered. “You were right. I’m amazed I didn’t see it myself. I was just about to call my mother to have her confirm what I think I’ve just found out myself.” He was pacing up and down in front of his desk.

 

“You’ve lost me.” She un-crossed her legs and leaned forward.

 

“He’s my brother., well, half-brother, at least I think he is…” Ric sat in the chair next to hers and looked as if he’d been kicked.

 

Rob came and knelt in front of him.

 

“You think that Dante Cardone is your half-brother?”

 

“Yes,” he ran his hands through his hair.

 

“Do you want me to wait around while you make the call?”

 

He looked at her, she had knelt down in front of him. Her dark brown pants rested against his knees, and her hands were holding his. He unconsciously played with the gold ring on her finger.

 

“I don’t quite know how to ask her.”

 

“Sometimes these things need to be done in person. Where is she now?”

 

“Last time I heard, she was in Italy. Where Dante’s father runs the New Edges corporate office in Rome.”

 

“I’ll wait around if you want me to.”

 

He stood and pulled her into a light hug. “Thank you, no. I’ll call her myself. I’ve missed you today.” He enjoyed the spicy smell of her, the soft feel of her skin that was just under her ear, where he touched her.

 

She relaxed into the hug, “How’s the shoulder?”

 

“Fine. I’m fine. How’s the head?” He smiled as he reached up and pulled her hair off of her forehead and looked at it. Then, he kissed the bump there softly.

 

“I told myself I wasn’t going to do this,” she said against his chest. “What is it that keeps pulling me back to you?”

 

“You mean beside murder, millions of dollars worth of art missing, me being shot at, and you being attacked?” He smiled down at her.

 

She chuckled, “Yes, well there is that,” she tried to pull away.

 

“Not just yet,” he leaned down and took her face in his hands and kissed her slowly. “That might get me through the rest of the day.” He let her go and when she just stood there, he said. “Have dinner with me tonight.”

 

“I can’t. I have…” she was thinking.

 

“No good excuse?” he said as she laughed.

 

“Fine, your place around six?” When he nodded she said, “Good luck with your mother.”

 

After she walked out, he reached over and picked up the phone. On the third ring, he heard his mother’s voice.

 

“Mom, do you have a son named Dante Cardone?” He thought the best way to handle her was to rip the Band-Aide off quickly.

 

“Well,” she sounded like she was at a restaurant. He could hear the clatter and chatter in the background. “That’s a fine way to greet me.”

 

“Hello, Mother. Now, answer my question.” He waited as he heard her excuse herself from someone, then he listened to her breathing as she walked someplace more private. When there was silence on the other end, she answered. “Yes,” her voice sounded small.

 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” His heart sunk.

 

“It was so long ago. You were so young. It was when your father and I split up that year when you were five. I met Damiano Cardone, the week after I arrived in Italy to recover from the hardship your father caused me. I was so heartbroken and Damiano is quite charming.” Her slip caused him some alarm and he could hear her babbling on.

 

“Is quite charming, Mother?”

 

“Oh! Ric. I don’t know what to say to you.”

 

“Are you leaving Dad for this man?”

 

“No! Of course not! I didn’t leave your father twenty-five years ago, why would I leave him now.”

 

“Mother? You know what I’m asking.”

 

“Rodrick,” his mother’s use of his full name didn’t hinder him from getting the answers he needed. “This is really none of your business. It has nothing to do with you.”

 

“It has everything to do with me!” He was almost shouting at this point. “I’ve been doing business with this man for a few years. Does he know?”

 

“Dante knows who I am and that I have other children, yes. Does he know that I’m married? I don’t know. But, he’s a smart boy.”

 

“Did you know he’s in Portland?”

 

“Yes, of course. His father opened the branch there a few years back when…” She cut off.

 

“When I opened my gallery here?”

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she tried to evade him.

 

“Mother, I want the whole story now or I’m getting on the next plane to Italy and I will shake it out of you.”

 

He heard her take a large breath. “Fine. I’ve been leading a double life, alright! I’m married to your father that’s true.”

 

She let out another large breath, “But, I’m also married to Dante’s father, Damiano. Our marriage, I suppose, isn’t legal in the States. We were married in Italy shortly after I found out I was pregnant with Dante. When, I came back to divorce your father, we ended up making up instead and I’ve lead a double life ever since. I’ve been coming here to Damiano and Dante once a year for the last twenty-six years.”

 

He could hear her pacing and knew she had talked herself into telling him everything.

 

“I’ve helped raise my son, until he went away to college a few years back. I’ve also helped him start the branch of New Edges there in Portland. When I visited you a few months ago, I visited him as well. He knows about you and that is why he uses your gallery exclusively to purchase art for his clients. He’s dreamed of the day he could tell you who he is. Oh, Ric,” she sounded relieved and excited, “you’ll absolutely love him. He’s such a good person. He’ll be so happy that you’ve finally found out.”

 

His head was swimming, he sat down in his chair and put it in his hand.

 

“Does Katie or Dad know?” This question was met with silence. “Mother?”

 

“No,” It was a whisper over the line.

 

Then, he asked the question he knew the answer could end up breaking his heart.

 

“Does Katie belong to Dad?”

 

More silence, “Ric, please I can’t do this now. I… I have to go, please, don’t tell your father or Katie. I’m coming home, I-I’ll take the next flight. Please don’t say anything until I get there.”

 

When the line went dead, he laid his head on the cool wood of his desk and for the first time since he was a young child, he felt like crying.

 

There was only one way to get what you wanted. You either got it yourself, or you hired competent people to get it for you. So far, he wasn’t having any luck finding someone who could do the job right. If this kept up, he was going to have to take care of Ric himself.

 

He’d waited long enough, longer now than he’d had to wait in his entire life. After all, bloodlines were very important to him, he had a job to do and he’d make sure he completed his task soon. Even if he had to accomplish it himself.

 

The little side project of getting his hands on the pretty detective was just the added bonus he was looking for. After all, it had been years since he’d had his hands on a woman he wanted. The last time was before he’d come to America. He’d be damned if he was going to wait much longer.

 

Rob had managed to bum around with Tom for the first part of the day. No one in the office would dare rat her out to her superiors. She knew which buttons to push, punch, or who to avoid. But she had to sneak out of the building just before noon, when she had seen Brian coming into the office. Brian was her least favorite person on the force, because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut. If you wanted to know the latest gossip, Brian was usually spouting it off to someone within minutes.

 

Leaving the building, she was more cautious this time. She figured she had a few hours left before she was supposed to be at Ric’s and might as well do a little shopping. She hated shopping. She wasn’t the kind of shopper that went into a store and could walk around for hours and not buy anything. No, when she walked into a store, she usually walked out broke.

 

She supposed it was a side effect from having nothing when she was younger. She even had to start limiting her shopping sprees to one credit card, just so she didn’t spend too much. It wasn’t that she was the kind of person who bought anything and everything. No, her one weakness was shoes. Not just any shoes, boots. Boots of any kind and color. She had over a dozen of them and in the last three years had spent more than… well, she didn’t know exactly how much, but she had maxed out her credit cards twice, so far.

 

She’d forgotten to eat lunch again and by the time she had entered the mall, her head had been throbbing. She knew that she needed to eat something before taking her next pills so she steered herself towards the food court and her favorite Chinese noodle place.

 

Two hours and one pair of boots later, she made her way back to the caramel apple store she frequented.

This was one more of her weakness, caramel. Most people loved chocolate, Roberta Stanton was no chocoholic, she was a caramel-oholic. If there was such a word.

 

She was standing at the counter, when the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Positioning herself so that she could see out the front windows from a small mirror that sat behind the counter, she watched as one of the men who’d been in on the robbery, stood just outside the glass watching her.

 

Acting like nothing was wrong she walked over to the clerk behind the counter and pointed to a display of apples.

 

Taking out her cell phone she speed-dialed the office. Tom answered on the first ring.

 

“Hey Tom, I’m down here at Washington Square Mall getting a caramel apple, I was going to stop and get you some shoes and was wondering what size you wore.” She used their code, knowing he would immediately get her signal for backup.

 

“Be there in five. Are you secure?”

 

“Oh, yeah. Size eleven. Thanks, see you in a bit.” She punched a button on her phone and slipped it into her back pocket, still connected to the line. She knew that he would trace her phone and most likely have the geek squad recording anything that might happen. When she exited the store, she kept her eyes on her apple and pretended not to see the man standing down the way just behind a large potted plant. Taking her time, she walked slowly, swinging her bag with her new boots inside. She’d taken a few bites of her apple when he approached her from behind.

 

“Keep walking Ms. Stanton.” She felt the gun at her back and faked a gasp. “Just do as I say and you won’t get hurt, no one needs to get hurt.” He pulled her arm tight and pushed her closer to him. He was a lot taller than her and he had about eighty pounds on her as well. She gauged her chances and decided to wait for backup, she didn’t need another bump on the head.

 

“What do you want?” She tried to add stress and fear to her voice.

 

“My employer would just like a word with you. Nothing more. Just a word.”

 

“Your employer? Who’s your employer?”

“Just follow my directions and no one needs to get hurt.” He started pulling her towards an employee exit that she knew led to the parking garage.

 

“This exit is for employees only and leads to the parking garage.”

 

“Just be quiet,” he pushed her down the long darker hallway.

 

“What is this all about? You’re Robbie Bender aren’t you?”

 

“I said shut up,” he pulled her arm farther behind her and she dropped her caramel apple. They entered the parking garage and he pushed her towards a dark sedan. The windows were tinted, and she thought how nice it would be to catch him and his employer, all while she was on admin leave.

 

They approached the car slowly and just then, Tom’s squad car and two others stormed into the parking garage. Robbie Bender chose that moment to point his gun at her partner as he was exited his car.

 

Rob did a move she’d only practiced a hand full of times. By the time her partner stood over her and Robbie Bender, her eyes were teared up and she was feeling as if she’d just given herself another concussion. But, it had worked.

 

Her partner helped her up.

 

“That’s for pointing a damn gun at my partner, scum-bag.” She watched as the man was yanked on to his stomach and handcuffed by another officer.

 

The other officers had stormed the dark sedan, only to discover it had been empty. A cell phone sat on its leather seats. Walking over, she picked it up and listened.

 

She could hear breathing, then a deep accented voice said. “I had hoped you would cooperate Ms. Stanton. But, it seems you don’t want to play the game fair and square. Your choice.” There was a long pause. “Oh, I’ll say good bye to Mr. Derby for you.” Then, the line went dead.

 

“Shit,” she threw the phone back in the seat. “He’s got Ric. Send units to his apartment and the gallery. I’m taking this car.” She ran towards the squad car blocking the exit and then punched the gas once she was out of the garage.

 

Taking her cell phone out of her pocket, she punched Ric’s cell number. It rang three times and then went to his voice mail just as she saw a large plume of smoke and a fire ball coming from his apartment building three blocks away. The tall building’s windows had blown out completely on his floor, she could see smoke bellowing from what she knew would be his apartment.

 

“Shit, shit, shit!” she screamed as she dodged a truck and narrowly avoided hitting a couple pedestrians who hadn’t heard or seen her sirens and lights. Her hands gripped the wheel as she took a corner at thirty miles an hour. Please god, please.

 

She hit redial on her phone praying for the first time in her life.