Chapter Seven
ADAM
Alicia called me around six. “I found Miles. I see why you were so worried about what he would say. He’s an idiot for such a smart man.”
“I know,” I said. “You can fill me in on the details at dinner if we’re still on?”
I could almost hear the smile in her voice as she said, “There is nothing I’d rather do tonight. You sound better than earlier, I’m glad.”
“Yeah, I feel better. I’ve spent the day with Mac going over just exactly what Marjorie can and cannot do as far as my firm is concerned. I stand to lose a chunk of money, but she cannot take my business over.”
“That is good news!” Alicia said happily. “Does this mean she can’t fire me, either?” She sounded like she was kidding, but it had crossed my mind, too.
“Never!” I told her, “My employees, and my lover for that matter, are out of her control.”
“I’m really glad things are looking better, babe. Where are we having dinner?”
“At Romaletti’s, if that’s okay?”
“Of course.”
“Would you mind meeting me there at seven-thirty? I just have a few more things to take care of first.”
“Not at all, I’ll see you then.
Alicia was already seated at the table Marco saves for us when I walked in at seven fifty-five. She was looking out the window watching the ducks and I got to study her profile as I approached the table. She’s so beautiful it takes my breath away. When she looked up and saw me, I could see the light in her eyes, and I loved it. I bent down and kissed her cheek. “Hi, baby, I’m sorry I’m late.” I had stopped and bought her a bouquet of orchids from a street vendor. I handed them to her and she buried her nose in them and then smiled up at me. “It’s okay, I was just getting worried.”
“I’m sorry you worried, but all is well.” She didn’t ask any questions about why I was late and I was glad. I was just happy being here with her and I didn’t want anything else getting in the way of that. Marco prepared an exquisite meal for us, and while we ate, I said, “Okay, tell me what happened with Miles today.”
She rolled her eyes. “So, I was in my office making phone call after phone call and he was suddenly on the line saying, ‘Hi there, young lady, I hear you’re looking for me.’
“‘Yes, Mr. Brigham, I have been. I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but the District Attorney has issued a warrant for your arrest.’ He cussed so much and so loudly I had to hold the phone back from my ear. Finally, he calmed down and said,
“‘So what now?’
“‘I need you to meet me at the station, to turn yourself in.’
“‘And why the hell would I want to hand myself over to the piranhas?’ was his reply.”
I shook my head. I could just hear him. “So what did you tell him?”
“The truth,” she said. “I told him, ‘Because, sir, if you don’t, they’ll come looking for you. It won’t be pleasant when they find you, and they’ll make sure the media is on full alert, as well.’ He didn’t agree to turn himself in right then; he wanted to see me at the office first, so I agreed.’”
She looked like she was remembering something else. She had a pained expression on her face and I asked, “Did he not show up?”
“He showed up. It was just that in between that time was when Marjorie came in shooting off her mouth and I smacked her,” she admitted. I couldn’t help it – I laughed loud enough for other people to glance at our table. Marjorie had it coming, and I was sorry I missed it.
I laughed again and she said, “I’m so sorry. She made me so angry I just wasn’t thinking.”
“I don’t know why you’re still apologizing.”
“She marched into my office and told me she was taking over the business and I were going to be fired.”
“Sounds like she asked for it.”
“I’ve never hit anyone in my life.”
“Some people don’t understand anything else,” I told her. “Besides, I’m sure everyone knows she goaded you into it. Tell me more about what happened with Miles.”
“I spent a half an hour telling him what evidence the DA claimed to have. He denied killing Vick again, but then added that, ‘the stupid little bastard had it coming.’”
“He has no filters,” I said. She nodded and grimaced.
“So what happened at the police station?” I asked
“He was read his rights and booked. I watched the video. It’s grainy and it could be Miles, but I don’t see it as proof. Anyways, I pushed for the bail hearing, and he was let go on two million dollars bond and he had to surrender his passport.”
“Did he cuss a lot?”
She laughed. “Under his breath, thankfully. Brett called while I was there, though, and told me he found David.”
“Great! Where is he?”
“He is surrounded with police and federal agents. They are there for his protection, but Brett says the manpower is overkill.”
“Yeah, the Feds have some kind of stake in him they’re not telling us about.”
“Right? So anyways, Brett is going to look into that. There is one more thing…”
“What’s that?”
“Probably nothing, but I ‘ran into’ Jack again at Starbucks after I left the courthouse. Once again, he said it was a coincidence, but I’m beginning to wonder…”
I didn’t like that at all, but I also didn’t want it to damper what I had planned. “We’ll talk about that later, baby. In the meantime, promise me you won’t be alone with him until we figure out his angle.”
“I don’t think…” The look on my face must have convinced her not to argue because she said, “Okay, I promise.”
Marco sent over a rich piece of chocolate cake and when we finished our dessert, we walked around the duck pond again and watched the swans glide across the surface. Toward the end of the deck was an old-fashioned light post. I led her over to it and turned her so her back was against it. She grinned up at me, thinking I was going to kiss her, but I had bigger plans. I knelt down on one knee and watched her eyes widen.
“What are you doing?” I pulled the velvet box I was carrying in my pocket out and flipped it open to reveal the ring inside. “Adam…”
I laughed. “Shush! I was going to wait for Christmas to do this, but with all that’s been happening; I thought we needed something to look forward to right now. Alicia Winston, will you marry me?”
She looked stunned. We had spent so much time talking about mine and Marjorie’s marriage that we had never mentioned our own happening someday. I had thought about it though, a lot. I knew I wanted her to be my wife more than anything in the world and I was sure that somehow everything else would work out if only we were together.
Alicia’s face told me she felt the same way once the shock wore off. “Yes, oh, Adam, yes, I’ll marry you,” she said with tears in her eyes.
I slipped the beautiful diamond on her finger and then stood to kiss her. Marco’s staff came out on cue and suddenly violins were playing somewhere across the pond. We kissed in the moonlight, feeling the warm glow that love brings with it. It was a beautiful night that I knew I’d look back on forever when I needed to smile.
When it was time to go, I left my car with the valet at Marco’s and told him I would send for it tomorrow. I drove Alicia’s car to her apartment, and we barely made it across the threshold before we began tearing at each other’s clothing like teenagers. The stress of the day and the excitement of the evening had manifested itself in an animal-like lust that neither of us could – or wanted – to control. When we were fully inside and the door was locked behind us, I lowered her down to the carpet in the living room and began my exploration of her body with my hands, lips, and tongue.
Alicia moaned and writhed on the carpet, begging for more. I gave it to her, licking and sucking her to an almost screaming orgasm before I finally slid my throbbing erection inside of her. It didn’t take long for both of us to explode simultaneously, and I held her afterwards and rocked up inside of her for a long time before looking at her face and saying, “Damn! If that’s what stress does for us, I think we need more of it.”
“I agree,” she said as she snuggled into me.
We lay there like that for a long time enjoying the silence like only lovers can until it was rudely shattered by the ringing of my phone. I refused to let go of her, so I half-dragged her along with one hand while I reached my jacket and pulled the phone out of the pocket. I looked at the face and said,
“Hmm, it’s Mac. I wonder why he’s calling so late. Hey Mac, what’s up?”
“Marjorie’s dead.”
I pulled my arm out from underneath Alicia and sat up. “What?”
“She’s dead, Adam. The police are here…”
“Jesus, I’ll be right there.” I ended the call and Alicia said,
“Your face is as pale as a ghost. What happened?”
“Marjorie is dead.”