I sped back downtown to the office. I looked like I’d gotten run over by a train. My face still stung from Dante’s love taps and half the buttons on my blouse were missing. But I wasn’t going to change. I wasn’t going to risk not getting back in time to get whatever these papers were that would help Alex.

When I pulled up in front of the building there was no parking. There was a fire hydrant and an emergency lane and an alley. I didn’t care. I squeezed into an illegal space, left the keys in it, and dashed through the revolving doors. What was an impound fee to a free man? Not a big price to pay.

Everyone was looking at me and the security guards tried to stop me, all asking if I was all right. I held my blouse shut and paid no attention to how much thigh I was showing from my ripped skirt. I’d survive.

When I reached the floor and the doors opened up, both receptionists looked at me. The younger one started to giggle. The older woman whose name I never could remember came bustling over to me.

“Nova, I’m not supposed to let you back there. Is Mr. Ramsey with you?” She looked nervously at the elevator doors.

“What? No. And you aren’t stopping me,” I said, adjusting my purse over my shoulder.

“I have strict orders from Mr. Ross that you and Mr. Ramsey are not to be allowed back. You’ve been fired and...”

“I’ve been fired? Then I’m going to collect my things from my office.” I started to head into the maze of cubicles when the older receptionist put her hands on me to prevent me from going.

“I can’t let you.”

I pulled the gun from my purse and showed it to the woman, who quickly released me and stepped back with her hands up.

“Go ahead and call security. I just need five minutes to collect my things,” I hissed and darted off. I headed directly for Joan and Florence Ramsey’s office. I was happy to see she was sitting at her desk and Florence’s office doors were still shut.

“Joan, please open the doors to Mrs. Ramsey’s office,” I ordered.

“What?”

“I waved the gun like I was talking with a drink in my hand. I had no intention of using it but it was a little more persuasive than just saying pretty-please. As if the seat of her chair had just released a jolt of electricity, Joan was up and with trembling hands unlocking the door.

“Just calm down,” I ordered. “Look at me. Do I look like someone who wants any trouble? I was just attacked for heaven’s sake,” I muttered. “Don’t worry, the guard at the reception desk has security coming!” I shouted as I hurried inside. The wall across from Florence’s desk was covered with pictures. There were certificates, awards, and family portraits and pictures of her and Alex. There were several with her and her husband when they were younger and none looked like a traditional wedding.

“I’ve got to start somewhere.” Quickly, I grabbed the first photo, turned it around and ripped open the back. Nothing. The next one yielded nothing as well. I could hear people getting excited and scrambling outside. The rumor had spread that there was a gun-wielding, disgruntled employee on the floor. I hurried. Another photo. Another dead end. Finally, I pulled down a tiny portrait of Florence and her late husband. They were young and healthy, sitting at a table with a red tablecloth, holding hands. Several champagne glasses sat in front of them.

When I flipped it over and ripped off the backing, two envelopes fell to the ground. I bent down, grabbed them, and when I stood up I could only scream.

“I’ll take those.” It was Dante. He looked crazed.

“No you won’t!” I shouted. “Security is on its way!”

“No. They aren’t. Now hand me those papers.”

I held up the gun in shaky hands. I didn’t want to shoot anyone. I was pretty sure that even under these circumstances there was no way I was going to be able to pull the trigger.

“You’ve been bad, Dante!”

“Shut up,” he hissed.

“You’re trying to kill your wife! You’ve had dozens of affairs! You’ve embezzled money and made your stepson take the fall!”

“Is that what he told you?”

“No. That’s what you told me when you kidnapped me and took me to your house!” By this time I was screaming. If I was going to die I wanted everyone to know that I wasn’t guilty of anything. “You tried to rape me! You were going to kill me and Florence!”

I could hear people outside the office muttering even though I didn’t see anyone. They were listening. Of course they were. This would be the talk of the entire building. It might even make the news.

“This is your butler’s gun! Here, take it!” I set it down on the desk behind me. “He tried to kill Alex! You were going to kill me! But you can’t do that now! Here, come and get this gun! I’m not going to use it!”

Without hesitating he dove toward the desk. I bolted for the door and ran down the hallway toward the bank of elevators when I heard two shots fired and then the click-click-click of the empty chamber. Dante roared with rage as several women screamed and he came bounding out of the office after me. I hit the elevator button but slipped into the stairwell, setting off the emergency alarm. Within seconds the stairwell was flooded with people hurrying down the stairs. No one noticed me as they were too busy worrying it was some kind of attack or national emergency. We all flooded the lobby and as I exited, I walked calmly down the street. Alex’s car had already been towed. I flagged down a cab, climbed in and had him take me to the hospital nearest Florence’s mansion. I hoped I’d find Alex there.

“Are you all right, miss?” the cabdriver asked as he pulled into traffic.

“I am now,” I chuckled with relief. “You wouldn’t believe the morning I’ve had.”

“You look like you’ve had a rough one. Are you sure I can’t take you to a closer hospital. That goose egg looks pretty bad.” I touched my head where I’d hit it on the dresser and it stung.

“No. Someone I know is at the other hospital. I have to get there,” I replied. The cab driver nodded and hit the gas. It was nice sitting in the back of the cab. No one knew I was here. No one knew what was happening and it was Dante who’d fired the gun. Maybe I’d get out of this yet. I’m sure I sounded like a ranting lunatic screaming at him, but I wanted everyone to hear what he’d done. Whether or not they believed me was another story. But the facts would back me up. Then I remembered Dante’s original threat. He had seen me with Alex. There was no way he wasn’t going to use that footage in order to smear me. He’d say Alex and I were in cahoots and he’d accuse us of the criminal activities he was waist-high in. It didn’t take a genius to figure that out. I held the documents tightly to me. I prayed they were what Alex needed.

As we pulled up at St. Joseph Hospital, I paid the cabbie and hurried inside. The information desk was straight across from the revolving door and I inquired if Florence Ramsey had been admitted.

“She’s in the emergency ward,” an old man responded, who was wearing a badge that read, Edgar, Volunteer on it.

“Can I see her?” I pleaded.

“You look like you might need a doctor yourself?” I watched his eyes bounce from mine to the bump on my head.

“I’m okay. Please, I’ve got something she needs.” I bit my lower lip and tugged at my blouse. I wondered if I could steal a smock or something once I was back there.

Edgar gave me a visitor’s pass which had a room number and today’s date. He pointed me toward a set of double doors and said to follow along the corridor until I saw the room number I was looking for.

When I finally reached the room, I carefully peeked behind the white curtain which had been pulled shut. Florence was laying there in a bed with an oxygen mask over her face. There were half a dozen IVs hooked up to her arms. The nurse inside the cubicle was an older woman with hair dyed an unnatural shade of red. She wore a smock with bulldogs on it and teal-colored scrub pants.

“Is she going to be all right?” I asked quietly.

“We don’t know,” the nurse said blandly. We are doing all we can. She needs to have her system cleaned, purged of the drugs she was on. We don’t know if that will affect her heart. It might. I’m afraid all I can say is we don’t know yet.” The nurse went back to her chart.

“Can I sit with her?” I asked, carefully stepping inside the semi-private room.

“Of course you can,” the nurse said. “Is she your mom?”

“No. She’s my boyfriend’s mom?” I sort of winced as I said those words. Boyfriend seemed so sophomoric but the term lover was even more embarrassing.

“Was he the fellow who filled out the paperwork?” the nurse asked. “There are a few things missing that we’ll need eventually. No hurry.”

“Probably. I’ll let him know when he comes back. Do you know if he’s coming back?” I must have looked like a hot mess. “And do you know if I can get a scrub or a paper robe or something to wrap around myself? I’ve had a rough morning.”

“Sure. And I’ll have the doctor take a look at that bump on your head too.”

I nodded as I carefully stepped closer to the bed and pulled up a chair. The nurse stepped out after sliding Florence’s chart into a slot at the foot of the bed. I sat down and took Florence’s hand. It was limp but I felt a pulse beating through her thin skin.

“Hi, Mrs. Ramsey. My name is Nova Lyons. I’m friends with your son, Alex. He told me to get these documents to you. I’m going to leave them right here.” I tucked them underneath her back and pulled the covers back up. They were as safe there as anywhere. “I don’t know what they are. But he said they’d prove he didn’t do the things Dante said he did.”

I continued to hold her hand. I didn’t think she’d heard me. I remember seeing in a movie once where they said it was good to read and talk to people who were unconscious in the hospital. It had a positive effect on them. I didn’t think there was any harm in it. So I started to tell Florence about my life. It wasn’t all that exciting. I focused on my grades until my parents died when I was eighteen. Then I really focused on my grades. It was the only way to go to college. I told her funny things my father used to say and some of the friends I’d had at the dorms. When it came to my recent past I sort of stumbled.

“I met your son in the elevator when I was applying for a job at RIT.” I felt embarrassed. “I think I was already fired from there for all the trouble that’s been caused. Alex and I overturned the applecart.” I looked at the woman hoping to see an eye flutter open or maybe even a deep breath. But there was nothing. “It’s okay, though. I’ve been through worse.”

I tried to keep talking. Something made me think if I stopped I might lose her. She might be ready to respond following my voice out of that darkness. If I stopped she might get lost again. But after everything, I was so tired. Since there had been no sign of Alex, I assumed the police took Dante’s side and had him behind bars. But if that were true, Dante would have come sweeping down here to have me arrested too. Right?

My head ached and I wasn’t sure if it was the goose egg or from thinking too much. I patted Florence’s hand and lay my head on the side of the bed. I don’t know what time it was when I fell asleep or how long I was out. But when I woke up, Alex was on the other side of the bed, holding Florence’s other hand and watching me.

“You aren’t in jail.” I smiled.

“Neither are you.” He smirked.