“Oh, how stupid!” she fumed, running the automatic sweeper on the smooth tile surface. “Stupid, stupid, stupid!”
She was not irritated with the man, she was glad to help. What she was livid about was her actions after. She should never have got into that ambulance. However, what was a girl to do? The man was dying for Christ’s sake!
“They have telephones,” she mumbled. “I could have just called to check on him, but no, I just had to go all the way with this.” A groan escaped her lips. “Why am I so stupid?”
It wasn’t only that she missed the flight and the bridal expo - the hotel said she should have canceled in order to get her money back. What idiots! They said she should have canceled her room at least 24 hours in advance. How was she to know she would be busy saving a man’s life?
It would have made little sense boarding the next available flight, which was more almost 72 hours later. The Bridal expo would have been over by then. If a flight had been available at the time, she’d have paid the difference and boarded it to Hawaii.
The conversation through to the hotel customer service replayed in her mind. “I’m sorry ma’am, we have a no refund policy for missed reservations. You should have canceled,” the women’s icy tone said.
“How can a hotel not refund if the client does not show up?” she replied, trying to stay calm.
“We do refund, ma’am, only for cancellations before your arrival date. You must call to cancel your booking at least 24 hours in advance of the date you booked,” the woman replied, her tone less than polite.
“I know you’re not giving me attitude,” she sarcastically replied.
There was a second’s silence before the woman on the other end changed her tone. “Not at all ma’am.”
“So, will I get back my money or not?”
“I’m sorry ma’am, it is our policy not to refund for missed reservations. You must understand that we hold the room at no additional cost. If we refund we lose on potential income.”
After leaving the hospital on Thursday morning, she fetched her car and came home. She was planning to drive to the airport where she would to leave her car until her return. Because of that, she decided that she would take a short nap before leaving.
Leah overslept. When she awoke, she’d missed her flight by three hours. She still made it to the airport with the intention of catching another outbound flight, but no such luck. Taking the next available flight would have been pointless as the expo would have been over by then. By the time she returned home, it was late afternoon.
“So that’s it then?” she asked the woman one final time.
“I’m sorry ma’am.”
With a defeated sigh, she said her farewell and hung up the phone. After spending so much time cleaning the apartment, there wasn’t much left to do.
“Argh … how the hell should I have canceled if missing the flight was an accident?” she fumed. A little furry thing brushed up against her leg and she picked it up. “Lila, did mommy scare you?” she asked her white and ginger cat.
“Meow,” came a sweet reply.
“Now that my vacation is shot, might as well go to work,” Leah sighed.
The cat regarded her with curious eyes, then rested her head on Leah’s arm. It was Friday morning and she hadn’t even informed Bridget that she never made the flight. She put the cat on the sofa and went to put away the sweeper, after which she took a shower. Within half an hour, Leah was in her car and driving to the office.
One thing on her agenda was to get the building management to increase security, especially in the parking area. It was frightening thinking that it was unsafe for her to leave the office late at night. There were times she needed to pull an all-nighter, especially close to a wedding.
In a short while, she was pulling into her parking space. After getting out of the car, she observed the area where the man laid bleeding that night. His Jaguar was still there. She supposed he was not out of the hospital. She was staring at the bloodstain on the pavement when a silver-blue Benz pulled up beside the victim’s car. When the man got out, she recognized him as the investor on the seventh floor.
He looked up and smiled at her then went about his business. Everything that happened that night replayed in her mind. Leah closed her eyes as the image of the man lying on the pavement in a pool of blood flashed before her. At twinge of fear gripped her at the memory of it all. On wobbly knees, she made her journey to her office. It was strange; the feeling of terror that gripped her wasn’t for her own safety. It was the stranger she was anxious about.
It was when she reached her office and was about to enter, that she realized she hadn’t even called to check on him. Her anger with the hotel warped her judgment and she failed to do the right thing. All eyes turned to her when she pushed the office door.
“Leah, what are you doing here?” Bridget raised her head from her computer.
Ignoring Bridget, she said hello to Cara and Mike. Both of them return her greeting, but she could see the question in their eyes. The only trouble was that they were new and would never dare speak to her the way Bridget had.
“Leah, I’m talking to you.” Bridget rose from her desk and started following her.
“Well, I kind of own the business,” she replied in a semi-sarcastic, somewhat playful tone.
“Don’t give me that tone young lady,” her friend retorted. “I mean, what happened?”
“Oh, that.” She sighed. “I missed the plane.”
“What? How did you manage that? I thought you said you had plenty of time. I knew you shouldn’t have come in that day!”
“Slow down, Bridget,” she said. “No use crying over spilled milk, is there? Besides, I get to clean the apartment and spend time with Lila.”
“I know what you need.” Bridget gave her a severe look.
“What’s that?” What was her mischievous friend up to now?
“You don’t worry about that,” Bridget said, breaking into a wide grin. As quickly as the smile appeared, it vanished, a somber look in its place. “Did you hear what happened to the man on the 7th floor?”
“Huh?” Leah recalled seeing him get out of his car a few minutes ago. “What?”
“He was stabbed, almost killed on Wednesday night,” Bridget replied. “It happened right here in this building.”
She shook her head, her forehead creasing. “No, I just saw him a few minutes ago, he looked fine.”
“No, not that one. The fine one,” her assistant’s eyes became dreamy and her face lit up. “I heard that a woman saved him, but nobody knows who.”
Leah’s heart did a double take. So the man she saved was partner with the one she just saw? She’d wondered about him, now she knew. However, she wasn’t about to tell Bridget anything.
“I didn’t know there was another investor on that floor,” she said, her tone low.
“Yes, they are partners, hence Quinn & Smith, he is Quinn,” Bridget informed her.
Leah never gave the name of the business on that floor much thought. They’d only just moved in and the office wasn’t even completely set up yet. How did Bridget know so much?
Since they were new there, Leah had no idea who worked in the building. The only reason she knew about the man she saw earlier was that she’d ridden the elevator with him and heard him talk on his cellphone. She also knew their secretary because she was friends with Cara.
Bridget, on the other hand, was always looking out for Mr. Perfect and knew about all the men in the business district. Leah didn’t know when, but somehow she’d come to the decision not to let anyone know she was the one who helped this Quinn fellow. What if the attackers returned? They could easily target her. No way was she telling.
Quinn, the name found a place in her brain and settled there. The face of its owner loomed before her and she connected it with the name. Yes, the name suits him just fine, she thought. The picture of his aquiline nose and magnetic eyes made her heart skip a beat.
“I hope he’s fine,” she commented.
Bridget reassured her. “I hear that the surgery went fine but the knife barely missed his heart. Who would want to kill a gorgeous man like that?”
She had to chuckle and look at her assistant with renewed admiration. “Just because he’s good looking doesn’t mean he’s not a bad person.” Bridget looked at her in confusion as she continued. “I mean, looks can be deceiving. What if he’s a thug or has done something terrible to someone and they want payback?”
“Not possible,” Bridget said in defense. “And Quinn isn’t just good looking, Leah. That man is drop dead gorgeous.”
“Okay, I give in. Now, bring me the McClean file,” she chortled.
Though she conceded to Bridget, Leah wasn’t convinced. From what she saw, it didn’t seem as though they took anything of value. However, she couldn’t be certain. It was just peculiar that the obvious things of value were still there when she arrived. His briefcase alone would have fetched a fine sum not to mention that Hermes on his wrist. It didn’t make sense that they would attack him without cause. They wanted him dead, that was the conclusion she drew, and she wanted no part of that. She vowed never to reveal what she did.
She spent the next two hours in office going over files. There wasn’t much to do since she’d done all she needed prior to planning her holiday. What she hadn’t accomplished she’d delegated to her mini staff. Around five when she was about to leave, Bridget placed an envelope on her desk. The woman quickly disappeared before she could ask what it was. She opened it, thinking that it was official business when a gift certificate fell out along with a plane ticket.
“What the hell?”
She picked up the certificate, which was obviously downloaded and printed. It was from a lodge on the North Santiam River in Oregon. Bridget must have made a few calls to arrange it this quickly. However, she had to return it. There was no way she could afford another ticket.
“I know what you’re thinking.” Bridget popped her head around the door. “It’s a gift, and it didn’t cost that much anyway.”
“I can’t take this,” she said. Replacing the contents of the envelope and pushing it towards Bridget. “I can’t take a vacation, not now.”
“Why not? How many gifts you’ve given me since we were thirteen? Your grandfather paid my college tuition… I owe you.”
“It’s too much, besides…,” she was saying. “You don’t owe me anything. What grandpa did he did because he knew you were special.”
“Come one Leah, don’t make me feel bad. You need this. You’ve been working nonstop since you started this business,” her friend insisted.
“But….”
“I’m not taking that back and I know how much you hate to see money wasted. You would have been in Hawaii now, anyway?”
“Yes,” Leah nodded. “But still ... no, I can’t.”
“Why not and what did the hotel say about your refund?”
“They said I should have canceled. How the hell was I supposed to cancel when I was planning on boarding the darn plane?” she said, agitated.
Bridget pushed the envelope back towards her. “It’s only a few days and I feel bad taking a vacation every year and you don’t,” she said. “Do this for me.”
“I can’t. I have to make this business work… I can’t be gallivanting.”
Bridget frowned, her voice softening. “Are you still feeling guilty about dropping out of medical school to open the business?”
“You know grandpa had high hopes for me becoming a doctor,” she replied, her voice cracking. “If he were here…”
“Your granddad would be proud of you,” Bridget finished. “Is that why you’re killing yourself like this?”
“I have to make him proud, Bridget. I can’t afford to fail.”
Bridget reached across the desk and squeezed her hand. “You silly woman. Your grandfather was proud of you no matter what. He only wanted you to be a doctor because you told him you wanted to when you were six.”
“How did you know that?”
“You forgot our families have known each other forever. Nana told me about it,” Bridget told her. “She said your grandpa wanted you to be whatever made you happy.”
“You think so?”
“Yes,” Bridget nodded. “Wherever your grandpa is, God rests his soul, he would be proud of you. Now, take that break!”
“Really?”
“Just do it. And what makes you think you’ll fail? You’re the most sought out wedding planner in the city.”
“Okay,” she relented. “Just this once.” She stood and hugged her friend. “Thanks, I really need the break.”
“I know,” Bridget replied, giving her a squeeze. “Now you take that ticket and go. It’s only for three days.”
“When do I leave?”
“You leave tomorrow morning, at 10 o’clock.”
That was how she finally got a few days off. She and Bridget departed the office right after Mike and Cara. They descended the elevator together. When they were in the parking area, she paused as she looked across at the Quinn’s car.
After chatting briefly with Bridget about the incident, and what it might mean for their safety, she left. It wasn’t a conscious thought on her part. Leah found herself driving in the direction of the hospital. It was almost impossible to rid her mind of the memory of the blood and him lying unmoving on the floor.
If only for her peace of mind, she must check on him once to see how he was recovering. Hearing from Bridget about what happened made her feel guilty that she hadn’t the good sense to return to the hospital.
She stopped at the nurse’s station to inquire about him. The nurse looked keenly at her before asking her if she was a relative.
“No, I’m a….”
“You’re the one who brought him in aren’t you?” she asked.
“Yes.”
She smiled and told her which room he was. But as she moved off, she found her knees wobbling. A policeman who stood guard stopped her. The nurse indicted that she was free to go in and he stepped aside. She stood outside the room for about five minutes when she thought it was best to stay away. She’d made up her mind that she would not come forward and here she was presenting herself. What would she say to him when she went inside?
Instead, she decided to peek through the glass panel on the door. When she peered through it, he seemed to be sleeping. That was good, she didn’t want him seeing her. In addition to her having to resort to being a Peeping Tom, she’d begged the nurse not to say anything. The woman seemed puzzled, but Leah had convinced her that Quinn didn’t know her and she would rather meet him when he was better.
Now standing here, she felt like a pervert, peeking at a man through the slot in the door. Thank God, he was sleeping. Looking at him, she had to admit that Bridget was right about him. He was indeed gorgeous.
However, his looks meant nothing if he was involved in something shady. What if he was a criminal? Her eyes anchored their attention to his lips and his strong chin.
She’d almost done ogled the entirety of his frame when his eyes flew open and connected with hers. Startled, she turned and bumped into someone. The bleach blond woman was pretty with soft baby blue eyes.
“Who are you?” she demanded. “You’re not a nurse. Why are you looking in Quinn’s room?”
“Wrong room, sorry,” she mumbled and hastened away.
When she reached the other room, she peered inside, turned and smiled at the woman then pushed the door. The old man on the bed widened his eyes.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“I came to offer a word of prayer, she said, her heart thudding heavily.
Why did I lie to the woman? Was the woman his girlfriend or perhaps she was his wife? It didn’t matter. Now she knew he was okay she needn’t bother checking up on him. According to the nurse, he was recovering well.
The man on the bed looked expectantly at her as though waiting for her to pray. Leah closed her eyes and clasped her hands together, then said a short prayer. Fortunately, she’d gone to church enough to be familiar with how to do this. The man smiled as she finished. She quickly exited the room and checked the hallway. It was empty except for the police guard. She sprinted all the way out of the building and into the parking lot.
“Gosh, what’s wrong with me?” she panted. “Why am I running, I didn’t do anything wrong!”
Her actions agitated and confused her. Why was she scared? She knew in her heart, she was only using the attack as an excuse not to meet him. There was only a glimmer of doubt that he was involved in something shady. Nevertheless, the idea of meeting him scared her. She went home in a sour mood, regretting having gone to the hospital.
* * *
Quinn found that closing his eyes was the best way to see her face, though the image was blurry. He could not get a grasp on her features, except for her eyes. He dozed off thinking about her, hearing her voice asking him if he could hear her. He vaguely recalled hearing her talk to someone, maybe the 911 operator.
Something jolted him awake - a presence so strong that he could feel the energy in the room. Was he dreaming that she was there? He opened his eyes and they immediately rested on the door. Someone was there regarding him through the piece of glass on the door. He could not see the face or eyes clearly but he felt a pull toward them. There was no doubt in his mind it was she. By the time he could process the fact that she was standing outside the door, she disappeared, like an illusion.
“Hello!” he called out into the emptiness.
The door opened and Brittani walked in. The feeling rushed out the door, leaving him empty. Was he imagining things or was it Brittani he’d seen?
“How are you Quinn?”
“What are you doing here, Brit?”
She pulled up the chair beside the bed, her eyes lingering on the floral arrangements on the side table.
“I came to see if you were okay.”
“Did you happen to see someone outside the door just now?”
“Were you expecting someone?” she asked.
“No, forget it.”
Was she real or did he imagine her? He’d been thinking of her so much that he wasn’t sure what was real from his fantasies of her. The thought that he was going crazy occurred to him. Was he hallucinating?
Brittani stayed for a short time, only leaving after Doris told her that she needed to check the patient. After the nurse left his bedside, Quinn wondered what was wrong with him? He’d never chased after a woman before. He was never weak, nor helpless. Did this near death experience change him? Why was he acting so agglutinant to this woman … or rather, the fantasy that she was?
When he closed his eyes, her eyes danced before him. He needed something to take his mind off her. Before that, he would figure out why he was so obsessed with her. It was obvious she was not interested in knowing anything about him. Unless she knew who he was, and was waiting for an opportune time to seek a reward. He decided that was it. His reason for being fixated on her was that he needed to repay his debt. He owed her his life and that’s all it was. He would find her when he was discharged and repay her. It was simple.
Now that he got that out of the way, he needed work to keep his mind sharp. He pressed the button to the nurse’s station again, feeling guilty that Doris would come running having just left his room. She took about a minute to get there, with her usual sweet smile.
“Missed me already?” she teased.
He smiled, showing his even white teeth. “Always.”
Doris blushed. “You’re such a tease.”
“Did you happen to see my cell phone with my belongings?”
Rather painfully, he pulled himself into a sitting position and she stacked the pillows at his back.
“Yes,” she replied, pulling out the bedside table drawer and picking up the phone from it. “Here.”
As he took the cellphone from her, he allowed his hand to brush hers. “Thanks hon.”
Doris seemed flustered as she quickly retreated. As soon as she was out the room, he slid his finger across the smooth surface of the slim touch screen cellphone to open the first layer. He then added his motion code with the stylus to unlock it further. First thing he did was to check his messages. There was more than 30 there, most of which he ignored, only making notes for those he needed to return. The phone had 40% charge on it, so it would last a few more hours.
An anonymous message from Wednesday morning caught his attention. ‘$50,000 or die – your choice.’
“What the hell…?” Confusion, followed by niggling feeling settled over him as he read the balance of the message. “We will cancel if you meet our terms?”
Checking the time the message came in, he noted it was Wednesday at 9:02 AM. He read it several times as it was clear his assailants had sent it. Detective Lawson was the first number he dialed but it rang without answer. He left a voice message, hoping he would get back to him quickly. Next, he called Alan.
After three rings, Alan answered. “Hello?”
“What’s up bud?”
“Is everything okay?” his partner asked.
“Yes, I need the files pertaining to the deal.”
Alan seemed hesitant. “You should be resting, no work.”
“Lying here is driving me nuts! I need something to get my mind off things. If you don’t bring them, Vita will,” he said. “Might as well do as I ask.”
“Alright, but I don’t have to like it,” Alan retorted.
“Thanks, you’re the best.”
Quinn was pleased. He managed not to think about ‘Angel Eyes’ for a whole five minutes. Nevertheless, he could not get the text message off his mind. The words kept playing repeatedly – ‘We can cancel if you meet our terms’.
To keep from going crazy, he made notes on his phone and replied to a few messages. This was to keep him occupied and not think about the woman or the message. By the time he was done, Alan arrived with the files. What he really needed was his laptop, but his friend outright refused.
All went well for the balance of the evening – almost - until bedtime when the memory of the woman’s voice put him to sleep. His dream was of a glowing angel saving him from jumping off a cliff. At the bottom of the cliff were three figures wearing ski masks.
* * *
Leah’s heart raced out of control. She could hardly get the key into the ignition. When she did manage to get the key in the slot, her hand shook so badly that she had to pause and take a breath. Resting her head against the steering wheel for a few minutes, allowed her to get her bearings. Never had she acted so irrationally or skittish before. What was it about Quinn that made her feel that getting close was dangerous?
She shrugged, reprimanding herself for the state of mind in which she found herself. What he must think of her, running away like that! No more, she rebuked herself. Leah, get a grip on yourself. You don’t know this man, why bother yourself about him? With her internal lecture done, she set her face, started the car and was on her way.
This time, she would make sure to board that plane. All she needed to do was adjust her luggage to suit the Oregon weather. It was late spring and still cool along the river. She should pack a sweater and jeans, just in case the nights became frigid. That was exactly what she did when she got home, pushing Quinn Harrison from her mind.