Stolen Kisses

by Gray, Khardine

  It was everything and more. “Thank you for telling me.”

  “Don’t be scared of me, I would never hurt you.”

  I nodded. “I know.”

  “Come back to me tomorrow night.”

  “I will. I promise.”

  He planted a kiss on my forehead and I finished getting ready.

  Leaving was hard.

  I managed to do it though with my legs shaking and my soul bustling with anticipation.

  So many emotions swirled in my mind and I was torn between everything.

  Mostly I just felt that maybe I should just accept the break life was handing me.

  Maybe this was my second chance to fix my life and give Flynn a better one.

  It sure beat the plans I had lined up for us next.

  Running away from Franco, moving to God knows where and having to start all over again. It was no real way to live.

  I walked back to Vira’s, my head spinning and body buzzing like I was on some kind of drug. It was chemistry and emotion overload.

  I never saw the dark shadowy figure following me until I accidentally walked too far down the road.

  I should have turned down the road before and realizing my mistake I quickly whirled around. It was then that I saw the person and my turning around threw them off.

  I didn’t see their face, but knew it was a tall lanky man wearing a trench coat. He slipped into the alleyway of the street ahead before I could get a good look.

  It happened so fast. Too fast.

  So fast I could have questioned the occurrence on whether or not I really saw what I thought I saw. But I’d been around danger long enough to know when I was being followed and when I should take heed of a threat.

  I practically ran to Vira’s house. I got inside, moved to the curtain and carefully pulled it back so I could look outside.

  My heart leapt into my throat when I saw him standing by the park. He was looking around. He looked around and then walked away.

  Jesus …

  Who’d want to follow me?

  Foolish question.

  What if it was someone Franco sent?

  God what if he’d sent someone here and they found me. That man, he could be from him.

  What if he was?

  Damn it … what if I was just acting crazy and paranoid because I was on the run?

  I wanted to believe the paranoid part more, because I really didn’t want to run to anywhere else. Not now, not when I had this thing with Dante.

  I knew there was so much I would have to tell him eventually just as I promised.

  I didn’t want to run now. I didn’t have the strength.

  Vira stomped out of the kitchen with her pink fluffy dressing gown tied in a big bow in front of her. She scowled when she saw me.

  “What’s wrong with you?” she huffed.

  “Nothing.” I shook my head.

  “Better not be. I don’t want any trouble.” She frowned, turned on her heels and walked away.

  Trouble …

  I didn’t want trouble either.

  * * *

  I was hoping to move the little we had into the apartment at lunch time, but I didn’t want to spend any longer than I needed to here.

  Sophia came back with her boyfriend early the next morning and I figured it was a chance to have someone to watch Flynn while I took the stuff to the apartment.

  She offered to take Flynn to the park and look after him.

  I left straight away and got to the apartment just after nine to find the fucking place still had mice and rats.

  Damn it, the only reason we delayed moving was because the landlady promised to take care of that. The place was filthy with rat shit everywhere.

  It was so bad I had to start cleaning. There were some bottles of bleach, cleaning sponges and disinfectant in the kitchen cupboards so I used those. I couldn’t allow Flynn to come here and get sick. I got sick once when Vira had mice and it was horrible. I was sick for the whole week, vomiting and completely unable to keep any food down

  It was just after midday when I finished cleaning. I was putting back all the bleach bottles when I got a phone call.

  First, I froze up when I saw the no caller ID come up, because this could be one of those incidents where it could be Franco.

  What if it was?

  I allowed the phone to ring out to voicemail. When a message pinged through, I answered that. I called the mailbox and waited with anxiety filling my soul with every second that passed until the person spoke.

  “Hello this is Officer Damson from the Chicago State Police, we’ve just picked up your cousin and her boyfriend for possession and we have your son. Can you either call us back or come down to the station when you get this message?”

  “Oh my God, no.” I gasped as my chest tightened.

  Before the messaged finished I was already out the door. I couldn’t even remember if I even locked it.

  This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t.

  The police had Flynn. What the fuck was Sophia doing? Possession.

  Fucking shit that was worse than bad.

  I hailed a taxi and got to the station.

  I rushed right up to the reception desk and asked for Officer Dempson. When she came out I saw her take one look at me and I knew I just landed myself in more shit.

  “Hi officer Dempson, I’m Maria Ferrara, you have my son. I was moving our things into our new home.” I was babbling. Just talking and not giving her the chance to speak.

  “Miss Ferrara, I’m afraid I’ve had to call child services.” She told me in a matter of fact manner.

  “What? No, why? My cousin was watching him.”

  “When things like this happen, we have to look into where the child is staying and make sure their safety comes first. I’m very concerned at what I found. You’ve been living next to a brothel with a bunch of drug addicts. It makes me wonder what you, yourself are like.”

  I was shaking my head. “No, I’m a good mother, please. I just want my baby.”

  “You’re going to have to make arrangements with child services for that. Here is the number.” She handed me a business card and I could have died.

  With my hands shaking uncontrollably I took it.

  I took it not quite believing what it was. Not quite believing what was happening.

  I’d just lost my son.

  I’d just lost Flynn.

  Feeling hopeless I did the only thing I could.

  Run to Dante.

  Chapter 16

  Dante

  As promised Vinny sent the names over.

  He’d narrowed down the list of potentials to two hundred guys.

  We were all at the office, everyone including Gibbs who wanted to come and see what we were getting from Vinny.

  The fax came through just after twelve with the note attached to it saying

  It’s one of them.

  I felt more hopeful last week when I knew I’d be getting a list of names what I never factored in was that having just the damn initials on a name meant there would be dupes. Not just one and two either there were several.

  Lots of J.S.’, lots of E. L.’s, a shit load of M.S’ and even more K.G.’s.

  It was going to take forever. It was going to take fucking forever to just go through the names and narrow them down even more.

  Alex looked the way I felt. Claudius did his trademark smirk and Gio just stared. Marcus being Marcus templed his fingers and glared at the paper.

  “I don’t want to be an ass and point out that this is going to be quite the task.” Gibbs said.

  “I will search through every fucking name on that list.” I said, that was my plan.

  Tedious as it was the fucking upside was I had two hundred names on a list and one or two of them could have been Christina’s killers.

  “Looks like that’s all we can do,” Claudius said.

  Gio straightened. “We search and combine techniques. We just need to know specific things. For exa
mple, we have a date the picture was taken at the Crowthorne society. Maybe if we can get some kind of footage of the people inside the building at the time. Or a record. Maybe they signed in. Can we get our hands on something from so long ago?”

  “Records and footage from the Antonella property?” I raised my brows at him. “You think we’re going to be able to get our hands on that?”

  Gio shrugged. “It’s an idea. I’m just trying to think of ways to narrow the search.”

  “It’s not a bad idea,” Claudius offered up.

  “How are we going to get our hands on stuff like that?” I had to ask.

  “Walk in and take it,” Alex said.

  Claudius snapped his fingers and pointed at Alex nodding.

  “The man knows me.”

  Marcus sighed. “Please make sure you have enough back up.”

  “Jesus Christ. You guys are serious?” Gibbs asked.

  “Yes, of course we are. It’s simple we go in, split off to where the records are kept. Some of us keep watch, others sniff around and see if we can get what we need. I don’t have any other ideas. Anyone else want to share?”

  “I’ll come with you,” Marcus said. “I think we do it like this. Get the secret squad to have a look see on the layout of the place so we know where we’re going. Me and Claudius go in the main building and look around like we’re there for an exhibition or something, you guys split duties on who’ll look out and who’ll get into their records. Get the other guys to keep watch too. Double up just in case there’s trouble.

  I was so glad Marcus and Claudius were on the ball with this. In fact, everyone seemed to be. My damn mind was too drained to see for shit.

  It was a good plan. “Thanks guys.” I said looking at all of them. “I’ll contact the squad and round up the boys.” That meant Luc’s boys.

  Even though Luc wasn’t part of the business anymore, they still followed him and came in when we called them. Donny, Lois, and Saul were the main ones I’d contact. I didn’t think we’d need any more guys.

  “Good, let’s plan for Wednesday evening,” Claudius stated. “Until then we go through these names and see who’s who. Match people up with their initials.”

  “I can help with that,” Gibbs said. “I can help match people over the ten year span. I have access to government records. I was thinking,” he looked at me. “Is there anywhere else your sister could have met this guy besides the Crowthorne?”

  I wasn’t sure. “She worked for a charity in their office. It doesn’t feel like the two could be linked.”

  Gibbs narrowed his eyes. “Which charity?”

  “Help the Homeless,” I replied.

  “Well, some politicians and government officials do a lot of charity work to support their campaigns.”

  “I didn’t think of that,” I answered. There seemed to be so much I hadn’t thought about and I wanted to know everything. Having this new direction opened up the floor.

  “It’s an avenue I’d like to explore. Leave no stone unturned. What about your sister’s things? Looking through some of her stuff may have more meaning now.”

  I nodded. That part I did think of. “Her stuff is at my mom’s house. We never threw anything away, just in case.”

  It was a good thing we kept it all. Even if I didn’t think I’d need it I don’t think I would have had the heart to throw anything of hers away anyway. It would feel so final, like I was letting go.

  “Are there any friends of hers too that we could speak to?”

  Friends …

  There sure was. Maria was here at the right time, but I didn’t want to involve her.

  Asking her anything would involve her more than I’d want, because I’d have to tell her the other stuff too.

  “There’s a friend, but I’ll only involve her if it’s necessary.”

  Gio narrowed his eyes. “Why? Why wouldn’t you ask her straight up? Maria would want to help.”

  “I just think I’d like to see what we come up with on our own first. She’ll want to know what I’m up to and worry about it. She’s the kind of woman who’ll want to get too involved.”

  “We can’t have that.” Claudius gave me a pointed stare. “Don’t ask her anything unless if you have to. We have enough works in motion to go on. The last thing we need if anyone involved could be seen as a weakness.”

  I nodded in complete agreement. “I’ll swing by the charity though and see what I find.”

  “That will help,” Gibbs agreed. “Perhaps get a list of officials who’ve worked with them. Help the Homeless is going to be a big one to work with in Chicago. Running a campaign and supporting such a charity is bound to make you look good of course, assuming our guy could be as important as that.”

  “I’m on it. I’ll do that today.” Christina’s old manager had been very supportive. He might not still be there, but it would be good if he was.

  “Good, we all have something to do.” Claudius chimed in.

  There was a knock at the door and we all looked around to it.

  No one would just come by like that and knock. Not even Claudius’ secretary.

  This office was off limits to everyone.

  Claudius readied his gun, as did the others. We were trained to shoot if that door swung open and there was any sign of a gun.

  No questions asked, no one would be crazy enough to come knocking on the boss’ door.

  All that from an incident years back when the Fontanes thought they could assassinate Raphael. A hitman came for him. Old Raphael hit him with the first bullet that went straight between the man’s eyes, But before he went down his body was riddled with bullets.

  He was dead, dead, dead.

  The knock sounded again and then I heard whimpering, like a woman crying.

  Hearing it too Claudius lowered his gun and rushed to the door.

  “Ava,” he gasped.

  I’d forgotten her. She was actually the last person to come here to the office and knock.

  Claudius opened the door, but it wasn’t Ava standing there. No, it was Maria.

  I jumped to my feet when I saw her and rushed over to them. Tears ran down her cheeks.

  “I’m so sorry to come here, I didn’t know where else to turn,” she cried.

  “What happened?” I asked taking hold of her shoulders.

  “Flynn. The police took Flynn to child services.” She could barely talk. With all that I was concerned about with her staying at Vira’s I had never factored in that possibility. Fucking hell.

  Her shoulders shook as she sobbed, but she continued. “I left him with Sophia and her boyfriend while I went to sort out the apartment and the police picked them up. They won’t give him back to me. They think I’m a bad mother.” She broke down and practically collapsed against me.

  I pulled back just so I could look at her.

  “Listen to me, I’ll get him back. You hear me?”

  “They said they —"

  “No, listen to me. I’ll get him back Maria. Trust me. Can you do that?”

  She nodded.

  Thank God we were who we were, otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to make such a promise.

  I looked at Claudius who was already grabbing his jacket.

  “You coming, or you gonna just stand there?” Claudius asked.

  Marcus came over, sympathy in his eyes. I used to roll my eyes when I watched him make a fuss over Amelia and Ava. Now I was grateful he was here.

  “I’ll get her home.” Marcus offered. “Come on pet.”

  “Thank you.” Maria winced.

  I wished I’d just stepped over that damn line and did what I said I’d do last night.

  Maybe she’d listen to me now.

  Chapter 17

  Maria

  Luc was standing outside the apartment when we got there.

  Not outside in the street, but actually inside the building waiting outside the apartment door.

  “Don’t you dare tell me to leave. I’m not going anywhere,” w
ere his first words.

  I just looked at him and pressed my lips together to hold in the tears. I wasn’t going to tell him to leave.

  While my mind was on Flynn, I felt very different to the way I’d felt the other day.

  “Well, I guess that’s my job done,” Marcus stated, but then he eyed Luc with caution. “Lucian, I don’t have to tell you not to upset her any more than she already is.”

  “I’m not here to upset her,” Luc replied.

  “Okay, well call me if I’m needed,” Marcus said.

  “Thanks for coming with me.” I told him.

  “Try not to worry, I’m sure you’ll have your boy back before nightfall.”

  I really hoped so.

  I prayed so. I was so worried I could barely breathe. It was the first time I’d been without Flynn and not have any control over where he was.

  I nodded. “Thank you.”

  With one glance at Luc then me, he left. Marcus had always been nice to me. Treated me like I was actually … well, like I was Luc’s girl.

  He showed that fatherly respect. He did it again on the way over. If I’d had a father, I’d want him to be just like him.

  When I turned back to face Luc, he was already looking at me.

  “The door was open, so I checked the place out,” he said.

  “I left it open by accident.” I guess I did run out and leave it open.

  He pushed the door and it swung through. He waved his hand signaling for me to go inside.

  I did and he followed.

  As we stepped inside I was instantly embarrassed by the place.

  I’d spent hours cleaning earlier and there were the mice again running around with fresh shit in the corner.

  The sofa bed looked like it came from the dumps and the curtain that had been up at the window had fallen down.

  At least the place smelled of the disinfectant. Maybe a little too strongly.