by K. C. Crowne
“Yeah, yeah, you’ll kill her,” I said fearlessly. “Got it.”
The man hummed. “You have one hour. Don’t keep me waiting.”
My hands shook violently as I struggled to gain control over my breathing. My heart was erratic, beating so hard and so fast I thought it was going to pop straight out of my chest. I inhaled through my nose and concentrated on the facts.
Molly was alive. Her captor wanted me to bring the USB. I had one hour to meet him at his specified location. If I didn’t comply, I might lose Molly.
My phone pinged, alerting me to a text from the same unknown number that called, citing the address to a restaurant downtown.
The tiny voice in the back of my head told me it was a trap. Molly told me so herself. But what other choice did I have? The smart thing to do would be to go to the police, but I wasn’t going to risk Molly’s safety. I only had an hour and dwelling on the best course of action would waste what little time I’d been granted.
Now was the time to act.
And the first thing I needed to figure out was how to get past Lance.
Chapter 30
Jesse
I may or may not have camped out on the couch watching Jeopardy all day in lieu of work. I didn’t even like the show, probably because I was terrible at trivia games. I watched regardless because it reminded me of her. It never ceased to amaze me what weird and obscure facts she could pull out the top of her head. Watching made it feel like she was still here.
I must have dozed off at some point because I awoke with a start at the sound of the elevator door sliding open. At first, I thought it was an intruder. Instead, it was Wally.
I sprang out of my seat. “Wally? What are you— I mean, I’m glad to see you. I need to talk to you about—”
Wally brushed right past me, headed toward his room. “I have nothing to say to you.”
I followed, determined to get him to listen. “That’s fine. You don’t have to say anything, but please listen.”
“No. I’m only here to get my things. Save your breath.”
He slammed his door and nearly clipped off my nose. I pressed on. “I’m sorry. I’m really truly sorry, alright? Vivian and me… I didn’t plan on anything happening. It just sort of did.”
All I could hear inside his room was shuffling and rummaging through drawers. I spoke a little louder to make sure I got through.
“I care about her, Wally. A lot. And fuck! I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but I haven’t felt this way about anyone in a really long time. Vivian’s… special.”
“I’m not listening,” my son shouted.
“I didn’t want you to find out the way you did. I swear, it was never my intention to hurt you.”
He yanked the door open furiously. “Hurt me? Do you have any idea how screwed up this all is? What the fuck did you think was going to happen, Dad? Were you going to sit me down at a family dinner and let me know that you’ve been screwing my ex behind my back and expect me to be okay with that?”
“No, that’s not—”
“Vivian’s still my friend, alright? I brought her to you because I thought she’d be safe.”
“You make me sound like a fucking predator.”
“I mean, she is half your age.”
“Don’t you fucking go there,” I hissed. “This was something that we both wanted. I didn’t mean to fall in love with her, alright? But I did and I don’t regret it. I want to keep her safe just as much as you do, so don’t—”
“You’re in love with her?” The question was deafening.
The words fell out of my mouth before I had a chance to think, but they rang true. I was in love with Vivian. I loved her more than I ever thought possible.
I nodded slowly. “I love her.”
Wally pressed his lips into a thin line. “And does she love you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Where is she?”
“I sent her away. She’s at a different location with another bodyguard.”
“Why?”
“Because when we saw how upset you were, we decided we weren’t going to work.”
My son shifted his weight from foot to foot, anxiously crossing his arms over his chest. “You sent her away because of me?”
“She didn’t want to get in the way of family. And I wasn’t going to risk losing you, so…” I rubbed a hand over my face. I was weary to the bone. “So I sent her away. Because you’re the most important person in my life, Wally. I know I haven’t done a very good job of making that known, but you are. You’re my son. And if my being with Vivian makes you that upset, then I won’t see her anymore.”
Wally frowned. “But you love her.”
“Yes. But I love you, too.”
My son stood there for a long time, studying me from head to toe. He searched my face for something. A crack in my resolve, perhaps. Or maybe a hint that I might be lying, which I wasn’t.
“Does she make you happy?” he asked after a while.
“Yes,” I answered without hesitation. “Happier than I’ve been in a very long time. And it kills me that she isn’t here. But if you never want me to see her again—”
“No, don’t…” Wally sighed heavily. “Don’t do that.” He leaned against the door frame, glaring at his shoes. “I just… I thought you were just screwing around. I didn’t know you loved her.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Of course it does, Dad.” He looked me in the eye, unwavering. “I reacted the way I did because…it was a shock, alright? I thought maybe you were mad at me about the whole culinary school thing, and I thought you were trying to get back at me by sleeping with Vivian.”
“I would never do something like that, Wally.”
“I know, I know. It sounds stupid in hindsight. It’s just what I was thinking.”
“What are you saying, son?”
“If Vivian really makes you happy and you really do love her, I don’t want you to not see her for my sake. I mean, it still kind of weirds me out. Really weirds me out.”
“Okay,” I said quickly, cutting him off. “I get it.”
Wally shook his head. “I’ve never heard you talk about anyone like the way you do Vivian. Not even Mom. I can see now how much you care. It’s… I’m just going to need some time to get used to it, I guess.”
“Thank you,” I whispered. “I mean it, Wally. Thank you.”
He chewed on the inside of his cheek. “I’m still moving out.”
“Oh. I see.” I took a deep breath. “Well, I’m… I’m proud of you. It’s a big change.”
He shrugged a shoulder. “I figured it was about time. Spread my wings, or whatever the clichéd saying is.”
“If you need anything, please let me know. If you need help with the move, I can always outsource my guys at the firm.”
Wally chuckled lightly. “I might take you up on that, actually.”
I swallowed. “Listen, about culinary school—”
“We don’t have to talk about it.”
“No, I think we should. I’ve been giving it a lot of thought. If it really means that much to you, then I’ll support your decision.”
A smile crept onto his lips. “Seriously? What about medical school?”
“Something to fall back on, if need be, but I doubt you’ll need to.” I smiled at my son. “You’re a smart kid. Smarter than I give you credit for.”
“Gee, thanks,” he replied dryly.
“What I mean is you’ll land on your feet. No matter what you end up doing with your life, I know you’ll give it your all. I know you’ll make me proud—”
Wally lunged toward me, throwing his arms around me to pull me into a tight hug. I laughed softly, patting him on the back. I couldn’t remember the last time we’d hugged like that.
“Fuck, when did you get so tall?” I muttered, ruffling his hair.
“I’ve always been this tall. Maybe you’re shrinking in your old age.”
“Wat
ch it, kid.”
When he let go, he took a step back and said, “Thanks, Dad. I promise to work hard. This isn’t some throw away thing. I really want to be a chef.”
I nodded. “I know. You’ll do great. You have my blessing, not that you need it. I’m sure you would have gone regardless of my opinion.”
“True, but it means a lot.”
“Do you still have those pamphlets? I’d love to take a look. Unless you’ve already got a school in mind?”
“I’ve still got them. My heart’s kind of set on this school in London.”
“England?”
“Ontario, Canada.”
“Ah. When do you think you’ll go?”
“Not until the next school year, I think. I’ve only got a few more months here. I might as well finish my undergrad.”
I nodded. “Very sensible. I approve.”
Wally rolled his eyes. “Listen, I haven’t eaten yet today. I know you don’t do junk food, but there’s this artisanal pizza place that I’ve been dying to try. Feel like grabbing a bite with me before I have to pack?”
I patted him on the shoulder. “You know what? Sure. Sounds good. Let me just grab my coat. Now, what exactly makes a pizza artisanal?”
“Oh, gosh. A number of things. How it’s made, the types of ingredients…”
“Sounds like a ploy to charge customers more.”
“Also that.”
We started toward the elevator when my phone started to ring. I was tempted to ignore it and spend some quality time with my son. Our relationship was far from fully repaired, but this was a step in the right direction. We could heal from this. Learn from it. Maybe start to see things eye to eye.
I answered anyways, only because I noticed Lance’s caller ID pop up on screen. He wasn’t due to make his check-in call for another hour, and he was never one to call just for the hell of making conversation. Something must have happened.
I answered quickly, concern rising into my throat. “Talk to me.”
“—slipped me somethin’,” Lance said, words slurred.
“What? Is everything alright?”
“Oh, fuck,” he blurted. “What the fuck did she give me?”
“Do you mean Vivian? What happened? Is she okay?”
“She’s… gone, Jesse. I, um, can’t find her anywhere.”
“What do mean she’s gone?”
“She, uh, made me some tea,” he mumbled. “Next thing I know I’m wakin’ up on the floor and—”
“I’ll be right there,” I said, hanging up. I looked at Wally and said, “I’m sorry, but I have to go. Can I get a rain check on that pizza?”
“Sure, I understand. Need me to come with?”
“No, I think it’s better if you stay here. I’ll take care of her, don’t worry.”
“Be careful, Dad.”
I nodded. He didn’t have to tell me twice.
Chapter 31
Vivian
All I had to do was wait for Lance to conk out before I swiped his car keys and made for the door, pulling out of the driveway with ease. Did I feel bad about slipping him enough sleep aids to tranquilize a horse? Of course. Was I worried that it would be enough to kill him? Not at all. I made sure to double check my math before slipping the medication into his tea, which I offered him politely as a kind gesture. I’d apologize once this whole ordeal was over and done with.
I followed the navigation app on my phone to the exact location Molly’s kidnapper requested. Much to my surprise, it led me straight to a busy restaurant, which was a relief. I thought for sure he’d want me to go to some abandoned warehouse or some other textbook villain hideout location.
There were tons of people inside, plus a handful of waitstaff. If anything went sideways, at least there’d be plenty of witnesses to call 9-1-1. A part of me did wonder why he’d choose somewhere so public. Maybe he didn’t want to make a scene. Maybe all he wanted was the USB in exchange for Molly, no funny business.
Either that, or he was trying to lull me into a false sense of security. I proceeded with caution.
I walked up to the hostess standing behind her podium. Before I could even open my mouth, she smiled and said, “Welcome, Miss Jones. We’ve been expecting you. Right this way, please.”
She led me to a table near the back of the restaurant where it was quieter. Not quite closed off but definitely designed for the fancier guests. We reached a booth in the far back corner where a man was already seated, his back to me.
I recognized the cane next to him, leaning against the table. I slid into the booth across from Alistair McCloud, staring him down.
“Where is she?” I demanded through my disbelief. I couldn’t believe the kindly old man was a criminal mastermind.
Alistair casually flipped through the pages of the menu, unperturbed. “She’s somewhere safe.”
“I’m not here to play games,” I snapped. “Release Molly. I’m the one you’re really after.”
“Oh, I know. We realized very early on that she didn’t know what she stumbled across. Not very bright, that friend of yours.” He held his palm open expectantly. “Hand it over.”
I remained perfectly still, poised and ready to react. On the surface, I was calm. I refused to show him just how rattled I was. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he’d gotten what he wanted.
“I don’t think so,” I said. “Not until you let Molly go.”
“I have the patience of a saint, dear. I’ll wait until you feel ready to give me the USB.”
“What’s stopping you from taking it and offing Molly and me right after?”
His nostrils flared. “It brings me no pleasure to do any of this. I’m trying to help you.”
“Help me?” I scoffed. “You’ve got a pretty fucked up definition of help.”
“You’re in over your head, Vivian. The Azure Cartel wanted to kill both of you on sight. If it weren’t for me and my intervention, Molly would be rotting at the bottom of the bay by now. I convinced them to keep her locked away, but their patience has worn thin. Give me the damn USB and I might be able to convince them to let the two of you go.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “I can’t believe I used to look up to you. Did you know you were my role model? How did you even get involved with all this mess?”
The old man stared past me, appearing lost in thought. “Back when I was still new to the world of investing and my firm was but a business venture, back when Blue Cloud Financial was a name no one had ever heard of, I was struggling to get clients. After all, who wanted to invest with an underdog with next to no track record?
“A member of the cartel approached me. He said he’d happily give me a large cut of every investment I purchased on their behalf. It was a win-win. They got to launder their money, and I got a healthy paycheck I could then use to build my empire.” He shifted in the booth as he continued.
“I refused at first. I wasn’t a criminal. I didn’t want to stoop to such horrid tactics. But I can’t stress this enough, Vivian. Being in business for yourself is hard. Very few of us actually make it. You don’t get to the top without a little help. I brushed the cartel off as long as I could, but by the end of my first year in business, I was this close to losing it all.”
“You were desperate,” I realized aloud.
McCloud nodded. “That’s putting it mildly. I gave everything I had to build the firm. Every penny I had, I stood to lose. So I took them up on the offer. As Blue Cloud Financial grew, so did the amount and number of their investments. Naturally, I had to do it under the name of a shell corporation. How you managed to stumble upon their account records is beyond me.”
I shook my head in dismay. “You’ve been working with them all this time?”
“I’m afraid so, dear.”
“Why not go to the police? Couldn’t they help you? Maybe they’d give you a lighter sentence if you turned the cartel in.”
“A lighter sentence is still a sentence. I’d rather no
t risk jail time at all.”
“Don’t you feel bad about what you’re doing? You’re helping a group of people who hurt others for a living. Don’t you feel guilty?”
“I’ve made my peace with it. Because of them, I’ve led a very successful life. I’ve never wanted for anything and neither has my family.”
“At the cost of your soul.”
McCloud rolled his eyes. “Spare me the speech. You’d think the same thing if you were in my shoes.”
“No, I wouldn’t. I’m a good person.”
“Everyone’s the hero of their own story. I bet if I offered you a sizable sum of money to stay quiet, you’d take it.” He reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a checkbook and pen. “Let’s see… How much do you want, Vivian? A million? Two million? You could start a whole new life somewhere in the tropics. New name, new possibilities.”
“Are you trying to buy my silence?”
“Like I said. I’m trying to help. I don’t agree with the cartel’s more violent antics. If you don’t stay quiet, they will kill you. I see this as the best option for you.”
“How on Earth is this the best option? You want me to give up everything I’ve ever known. You want me to move to God knows where and let you get away with this?”
His eyes were steely and cold. “I take it that’s a no.”
“I’m not taking your money. I won’t be complicit. What’s to stop the cartel from changing their mind and killing me at a later date?” I leaned forward, gripping the edge of the table. “I’m telling everyone. Media outlets. Your clients. The police. There’s no way I’m going to let this slide.”
He sighed, closing his menu with a hard snap, and the restaurant fell completely silent. There wasn’t a hint of conversation to be heard. No clinking of utensils on plates. No shuffling from inside the kitchen. Complete stillness.
I looked around, alarmed. What was going on?