by Maria Xystra
I barely register what Alex is telling me, keeping only the important bits like the fact that he has work to do and is still out of town.
By the time I finish my call, Cole is at the door.
“Where are you going?” I ask him, almost pleading him to stay. Almost.
“I gotta meet someone,” his answer comes back through clenched teeth.
“Someone like who?”
“Just someone,” he says and starts walking away.
“Jus- Oh, OK, tell Charlotte I said hi!” I bite back.
“Will do,” he replies and bangs on the door to the stairs.
I slam the door shut and it’s the first time in all these years, my back leans helplessly against it. I slump to the floor unceremoniously and bury my face in my hands.
I can’t believe this…just like that, we shared a moment, we came so close, and he sets off to…find someone else. How fucked up is this?
His smell is still all over me and I curse myself once more for letting him get too close.
CHAPTER 23
For the next couple of days things got more complex than I expected.
The Digit case gave me a few sleepless nights and the fact that I couldn’t go to Cole with it made me even more frustrated.
The short trip to the bank Monday morning only got me a transaction history printout that says Cole has been paying ‘Over the rainbow’ large sums of money.
But it confirmed that the company is legally registered with an address and a contact number. The numerous phone calls I made to that number were never answered, so I had to go there to check the address. That led to a ‘jogging’ trip and a very confused Sam.
“Since when do you go jogging?” she asked me that night.
“Since I got some issues I can’t deal with.”
“Are you feeling OK? How’s it going with that headache you’ve been having?”
“I’m fine. Headache’s still there, but I’m OK, Sam, don’t worry.”
She contemplated for a bit and lowering her voice she leaned closer to me over her barstool, out of Eric’s earshot.
“How’s your diet? Are you getting all the vitamins you need?”
“You know,” Cole butts in, “research has shown that headaches can go away with sex.”
“And let me guess, you’ve never had one?” I shot at him.
“Pff, please. Oh, wait! I think…I think I’m getting one right now. Do you wanna have sex and help me cure it?” he wiggles his brows at me.
“You know,” I start feigning a smile, “you wouldn’t have the problem of a headache if you didn’t have a head at all! I don’t mind helping with that!”
“Oh, hold on a minute, I think it has just passed!”
“Is that so? Well, if it comes back maybe you can call Charlotte!” I reply as if happy to provide a solution.
He laughs and leans over the bar to talk to Eric.
I turn to Sam and find her staring at me, amusement drawn all over her face.
‘What was that all about?’ she mouths to me.
I give her an exaggerated eye roll.
“Just have sex with him already!” she whispers.
“I’m going jogging,” I state and leave the bar.
Since the ‘company address’ I jogged to has proven to be an abandoned warehouse just out of town, I had no other choice but to call the one person I could count on for getting the information I wanted.
“Hey, Al.”
“Alexandra!”
Recovering from the shock of hearing my full name after a long time, I smile and answer back.
“Yeah, how are you? Is this a bad time?”
“Never a bad time for you, dear.”
“Look, I’m sorry I’m calling you so late-”
“Nonsense. What’s up? Is everything alright?”
“I…,” I hesitate at first but remembering everything Al has helped me with, my resolution is firm. “I need your help.”
“What is it, kiddo?” his kind voice lets me know that if there’s anything in his power he can do to help me, he will.
“I…um... I need to get a hold of some information concerning an account number.”
His silence is my cue to start explaining. “You see, I have this client that has been giving money to this company and according to the bank, the company is registered but there haven’t been any receipts issued and I get the feeling that something foul is going on.”
“Did you try to contact the c-,” he starts with the obvious question.
“Yeah. Yeah, I did. But the number simply goes to a machine and the address belongs to some old warehouse.”
“Hmm. I see.” He stays silent and I can picture the wheels in his brain spinning rapidly.
“I just need to know what has happened to the money my client has been donating to it.”
“Have you talked to your client about it?” he asks me.
“I tried but… but he’s…” a jackass! “He’s super busy and I don’t want to go to him without any proof.”
“And what if he asks how you got it?”
“It doesn’t matter,” I reassure him.
Al took note of the account number and the details I gave him.
“Right. Give me a few days, kiddo, and I’ll get back to you.”
*****
Right after Ty and Toy leave my apartment – leaving me with empty pizza boxes and beer bottles – I change my clothes and get ready to discover the truth. Hopefully, tonight’s ‘jogging’ trip, unlike the one last night and the night before, will give answers to all those questions concerning ‘Over the rainbow’, and not multiply them.
Feeling like Lara Croft on a mission, I go over the information Al got for me. He rang me yesterday morning and said the money was all gathered up in the account of the ‘ghost’ company just sitting there. Until now that is. On July 1st, that was yesterday, someone withdrew all the money and transferred it to a new private account. I hadn’t been able to get any information on this new account, but Al apparently was and got me an address, which is where I’m off to right now.
Having scouted the area last night, I am aware that the address belongs to a complex of apartments in one of the eastern neighborhoods of town and if I lay low in one of the alleys across the street, I’ll stay undetected. My trip last night was uneventful so maybe tonight I’ll get lucky. If not, I’ll have to come back again after the weekend.
The street is not crowded with cars, but a few pedestrians keep it busy, so I park my car a few blocks away and make my way there on foot.
I choose to remain on the opposite side of the road and discreetly check the entrance of the building. I feel the need to put my hood on, in a slight attempt to go unnoticed.
Well over an hour since I got here, and right on the edge of giving up for the second time, I notice a car slowly approaching the building and I immediately get the impression that I’m not the only one on lookout this evening. The dark HR-V drives by and right after that, a white saloon stops a few feet away from the entrance of the building.
I can make out the silhouette getting out of the white car – it’s easy, since I already have a suspect in mind. Digit locks his car and checks his surroundings as if to make sure no one followed him.
I knew it!
Tomorrow morning I’m going to Cole with this.
Walking away from the building I join a group of people who just walked out of a bar.
The screeching of tires draws my attention and I turn to see the dark HR-V making a U-turn, and hastily parking on the pavement right in front of the entrance. The driver jumps out of the car and hurries to stop Digit from entering his building.
OK, things just got interesting.
Digit draws back and adopts a defensive stance with his body while the driver wildly animates in front of him.
Keeping my distance is no longer an option.
I quickly join a couple crossing the street quite far from where the two men are standing, and I have half a seco
nd to make a decision.
I can’t get any closer to them without being seen. I have to get to the other corner of the block to get better visual and sound. I turn and walk away from them and as soon as I pass the corner, I run like hell.
Going around the block led me to the other corner close to the entrance of the building, closer to them.
I try to stay out of sight but within earshot, so I use the wall of the building as a hideout.
I hear Digit speaking in a hushed voice.
“She’ll be a problem and if she starts looking into it…”
“She won’t be an issue,” a familiar voice cuts him off.
Shocked by this new revelation I lean to tie my shoelaces and cast a look in their direction. My assumption is confirmed. Alex. WTF?
“He trusts her,” Digit says. “And I get the feeling it won’t be long before she figures it out.”
“Did you take the money out of the account?”
“Yes, I took it all out yesterday.”
Alex mumbles something to himself. He raises his head to Digit. “Then we’ll proceed as planned,” he states.
“So, my part is done then,” Digit fidgets.
“Not so soon. We still need eyes…on her, too.”
“What- What are you going to do with her?”
“No need for you to know,” Alex says, and his tone leaves no room for arguments.
Digit picks up the unspoken threat. And so do I.
“That was not part of the plan, man.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Alex says and turns to leave. I immediately turn around and start walking back the way I came. I hear his car engine roaring to life and him speeding away.
I slowly walk towards my car and my thoughts are in turmoil. I’m guessing that ‘she’ would be me.
Shit, shit, shit and double shit.
CHAPTER 24
“Ready, babe?” Sam’s voice comes through the receiver and as I try to balance the phone between my ear and my shoulder, it eventually hits the floor.
“Hey, are you still there?” I pick it up and finish closing my bag.
“Yeah, we’re downstairs!”
“I’ll be there in a sec!”
Wait, did she say ‘we’?
“Hey, Frank! Bye, Frank” I salute the doorman and my greatest fear becomes a reality as I see the black Wrangler parked right outside.
Cole is leaning on the car with his arms and feet crossed and as soon as we make eye contact he steps towards me and takes my luggage, without saying a word.
In the course of the three feet I need to cover the distance to the car, I think of multiple teasing comments to throw Sam like ‘I didn’t know we needed drivers’ and ‘where are we dropping them off?’.
“Hey,” I simply end up saying as I take my seat, casting a poisonous look in Sam’s direction.
She smiles and shrugs and I keep looking at her in my ‘you set me up’ gaze.
“Hey, Tipsy, how’s it going?” Eric turns from the front seat to greet me.
“Well, it was going well…until…” I wait for Cole to return to the driver’s seat, “Now.”
Eric laughs and even though he gets my point he says nothing more.
“So, where are we going?” I try to maintain a level of politeness.
“Not far, Eric’s lake house is a few miles out of town,” Sam informs me.
The three of us engage in conversation concerning our week and the upcoming gala, while Cole stays silent and focused on the road. I meet his eyes in the rearview mirror and I can tell that something is troubling him, but I choose not to get into that just yet.
When we arrive at our destination, Sam grabs me by the arm leading me inside for a tour and we leave the boys to unload the car.
I realize that she’s been here before. I also realize that there are two bedrooms. One on the ground floor, and one on the top floor. Standing right outside the second bedroom I turn to her.
“What is that?” I point towards it.
Sam sighs dramatically and starts in a slow, clear voice: “This-is-a-bedroom. This-is-a-door.”
“This-is-my-hand-about-to-land-on-your-face!” I mock her.
She laughs and shakes her head.
“You’re such a scheming little trickster!”
“Ohhh, I love you too!! I knew you’d be alright with it!” she says and hugs me as Eric and Cole join us.
Eric puts his arms around both of us. “Did she say yes?” he asks in a muffled voice as he chews down some marshmallows. “So, are we having a threesome tonight then?”
“Ha-ha,” I reply sarcastically.
The happy couple giggles and I get ready for Cole’s comment. But it never came. I turn and find him walking into the bedroom and dropping our bags on the floor. There’s definitely something going on with him.
Sam and Eric move downstairs leaving us alone.
“So, are we gonna flip for it?” I try to tease him. “Heads I win, tails you lose.”
He immediately gets my trick and chuckles. He doesn’t even give me a dimple.
“You can have the bed; I’ll sleep on the couch.”
Stunned by his response, I give it one more try to get any kind of reaction from him.
“What? That’s it? No argument? No sexual innuendos? Nothing? Zero? Nada?”
“It’s OK, Lexy. I’ll keep my stuff here if you don’t mind, but I’ll sleep on the couch downstairs.”
I slowly walk to the bedroom door and shut it.
I lean my back on it and cross my arms.
“What’s the matter with you?” I start.
“Huh?” he says and starts unpacking.
I keep my distance and repeat myself. “What is it?”
He remains silent for a while and when he realizes that I’m not taking my eyes off of him, he gives me an exasperated sigh.
“I’ve been busy, that’s all.”
“Is that why you haven’t returned any of my calls?” I ask him. “You know, Hans has been getting worried…”
“Has he now?” he raises an eyebrow.
“Sure! I think he might be into you,” I joke and get a grin as a reward.
“I meant to call you back, but I’ve been swamped.”
I understand that he doesn’t want to talk about what exactly the problem is, so I decide not to push it.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” I offer as I take a few steps closer to him.
He drills me with his eyes and shakes his head in a silent ‘no’ as he puts his stuff into a drawer.
Really? Again, no sexual innuendos? I scold myself for my reply but offer it anyway.
“How about sex?”
This catches him a bit off guard. He raises his eyes and looks at me through the mirror. He dismisses my comment with a half-hearted smile and, rolling my eyes, I give up. I let go of a deep sigh.
“Well, can you do anything about it? Like tonight? Or tomorrow?”
“Not really,” he mumbles.
“Then I suggest you shake it off and put it aside for the weekend and you can get back to it, first thing Monday morning. How does that sound?”
“I can try,” he says after a moment of considering my recommendation.
“Yes, you can try. And besides, I’ll be around so if you want to relieve your tension on me, I can take it. I’m tougher than you think,” I say and punch him playfully on the arm. He chuckles and the mere sound of it reaches my core. “I’ll go make some coffee, do you want some?”
“Sure.”
I pull the door open.
“Lex…” I turn to find him scratching his chin. “Thanks.”
“What was that?? I didn’t quite get it; can you repeat it please?” I tease him.
“I said thanks,” he repeats and locks my gaze with his. A million things go unspoken between us.
“Don’t mention it. Colie bear!” I reply and walk out the room.
*****
I keep myself busy making coffee for the four of us, while
Sam and Eric are locked in their bedroom.
The Digit case is buried in the back of my mind and I try to keep it there at least until the weekend is over, but it keeps shoving itself into the spotlight of my thoughts.
Here’s how this is going down: I need to tell Cole about the money. But he will ask how I know. And I can’t get away with a simple ‘I just know’. Or can I? I would have to confess about me stalking Digit. And he’d go like ‘are you out of your mind? That’s fucking dangerous!’ And then I would need to tell him about Digit’s meeting with Alex and he’d be like ‘I told you to stay away from him!’ and then we’ll end up fighting about me putting myself at risk and him wanting to control my life and so on and so forth. And then maybe I can just buy a white jacket – the one with the really long sleeves that tie at the back, you know?
“You know, I can see your reflection in the window,” Cole’s voice scares me, and I nearly spill the coffee. I look up to find him smiling and realize I must have been acting the dialogue I was thinking with ridiculous facial expressions.
“Glad to know you find me amusing,” I reply offering him a cup.
“You’re a complete nutcase,” he declares.
“Meh, I’ve been called worse,” I clink my cup with his and we both take a sip.
Immediately, our faces wrinkle in disgust and realizing we got the wrong coffee, we exchange cups.
When the rest of our quartet joins us in the kitchen, we spend some time discussing ideas about what our plans will be for our stay. We finally agreed on having dinner at home tonight, celebrating the 4th of July at the funfair in the town square tomorrow, and on Saturday we’ll hang around until it’s time to go back. With the AMC annual gala on Sunday, Sam will need all the help she can get.
I start exploring the kitchen to find some cooking equipment and – of course – all the pots and pans are in the last cupboard I open.
Cole roams around the house talking on the phone, on what looks like his 40th call today. I’m starting to realize why his gang refer to him as ‘the Boss’, since apparently everything that goes down needs to be cleared by him.