by Kahlen Aymes
Alex was duly chastised and cleared his throat. “Only two million?”
“I didn’t ask.”
“Well done, as usual, Mrs. Dane. Thank you.”
“Good luck, sir.” Her rosy cheeks plumped when she smiled wryly. She knew her young boss well and usually enjoyed the rare occasion she could get the better of him, though today, she sensed his unease.
“Hold my calls,” Alex paused, making a half turn back to her. “Unless it’s Cole, Ken Gant, or the police.”
The older woman’s eyebrows lifted in surprise, though she knew better than to verbalize her questions, so all she said was, “The police?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
After Alex walked through the door, the man seated at the conference table on the far end of the room stood and smoothed down the front of his jacket. The younger man had a commanding presence that demanded respect. “Good morning, Mr. Avery. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
This wasn’t the first time Alex had purchased from the man’s store, but it was the first time he’d done so himself. Alex proffered his hand to shake the other man’s firmly. The elder gentleman’s advanced age and professionalism suggested he was indeed the shop owner here to work with him directly.
“Good to meet you. And, please, call me Alex.” Alex removed his jacket and walked to hang it up in the closet near the full bathroom that was connected to the main part of the office to the hidden bedroom on the other side. “I see you’re set up already. Thank you.”
There were two black leather briefcases, one deeper than the other, and six fine, wooden trays fully lined in suede that were already laid out on the surface of the table. The morning sun shone in from all directions, and the rings radiated gloriously, spraying spectrums of color in all directions. Next to them was a black box full of what looked like clear plastic envelopes the size of a recipe card.
“Oh, my pleasure, Alex. I have a beautiful selection of flawless stones, and beautiful settings for you to choose from. Your secretary explained your requirements for size and quality for the gems over the phone, but was vaguer on setting style, so I brought many different types.”
“Something simple and stunning. Angel wouldn’t want anything ostentatious. She wouldn’t want anything gaudy or screaming money.”
Alex indicated that Sam should take his seat and Alex took his at the head of the long table. It was a long rectangle with curved sides and had two-dozen burgundy, plush leather armchairs around it.
“But… your assistant said you wanted something very expensive. She said, ‘even for you.’” Mr. Fackler stopped what he was doing, looking for acceptance of what he was laying out before continuing.
Alex smiled wryly, releasing the button on his suit jacket as he sat down. “What I want and what I get may be two different things in this case.”
The older man frowned. “I don’t understand. Most young ladies would adore a large diamond.”
“Angel isn’t like other women.” He grinned again. “That said, I want the ring to be beautiful and unique, like the woman receiving it. But, I want anyone in contact with her left in no doubt that she is off the market.”
The old man smiled at the younger one’s conviction. It was obvious he was in love and not just going through the motions because he’d been given an ultimatum. “I see. Shall we start with the diamond then move on to the setting? Depending on the gem you chose, it may narrow the setting choices.”
An hour and a half later, Alex had settled on a 2.2 carat round diamond and a simple setting that would not detract from the stunning gem. He was pleasantly surprised by the price tag of only $140,000.
“Is that all? I was prepared to spend ten times that.”
The older man smiled. “We can do that, Alex, but the young lady will need to accept a much larger diamond. The quality is already top of the line, so size is the only way to increase value.”
Alex grinned. “I’ll be lucky if she accepts this one. She’s up to her armpits in philanthropy, like my sister, and will already see this as excessive.”
“Well, in any case, it’s going to be magnificent. I’d be shocked if any woman would refuse a ring like this.”
“When will it be ready? I’m leaving town, but I’d like to have it right away when I return.”
“I could have it done this afternoon, if needed.”
“Not necessary. A week should be fine. I’ll have my best friend, Darian Keith, pick it up if I’m not in town.” Alex was pleased with his choice; confident that though it was probably larger than Angel would want, he trusted the simple setting would suit her elegant style. “I really appreciate that you came by.”
After the jeweler left, Alex tied up some loose ends with Mrs. Dane, signed some contracts, checks, and purchase orders that would be due the coming week, leaving a detailed schedule with her, and made a brief call to his father, telling him he was on his way out.
Sitting in the back of the company limousine on the way to the airport, he dialed Darian.
“Hi, man. I thought you fell off the face of the earth!” Darian’s pleasant voice came over his phone.
“Yeah, sorry. I’ve been busy. I’m on the way out of town. Cole will be with Angel at the station and everywhere else. I’d really rather she cancel this Friday’s show.”
“What’s going on?”
“That fucker who attacked her is out on bail, and one of my security guys disappeared. His car was found incinerated.”
“Holy shit. Really? Was he killed?”
“We don’t know yet. HeHe was abducted, but there hasn’t been a ransom demand.”
“I see why you’d be concerned.”
“She won’t want to take the week off, and as much as I’d like to ask you to make some excuse to change the programing, I promised to be upfront with her about everything.”
Darian paused. “She’d see right through anything I’d come up with anyway. But reporting in must be cramping your style.” Darian was more than aware of his best friend’s need for control.
Alex’s elbow rested on the window, his thumb and forefinger slowly tugging at his lip as he looked out the window. “Yes and no. This whole situation really has Angel rattled. She’s scared, even though she tries to hide it from me.”
“Yes, I saw part of that when the two of you were on the outs.”
“There was more to it, but that was different. I love her strength, and the way we tease each other is sexier than hell, but I have to admit, that little part of her that needs me, sort of rocks my world.”
“Jesus. You’ve turned into a sap!” his best friend teased.
Alex’s expression was sober despite the humor in Darian’s voice. Another call came in, forcing him to pause with Darian. “Could be.” He pulled the phone away and looked to see who it was. “Hey, Darian, I have to go. Can you pick something up for me on Friday?”
“Sure. Where?”
“Exquisite Jewelers.”
“Wouldn’t be a ring, would it?”
“Yes.”
“Holy fuck,” Darian’s voice was incredulous. “I mean, I’m surprised and I’m not surprised. When?”
“After 6 PM next Monday. Keep it in your safe, and keep your mouth shut with Angel, please.”
“Dude, you wound me,” Darian said in mock consternation.
“Gotta run.” He pushed the button to take him to the new call from Cole. “Hello?”
The limousine pulled up to the gated yard for the Field Base Operation on the west side of O’Hare. The plane would be waiting for Alex’s arrival; the pilots would have retrieved the plane from its domicile at Chicago’s other airport, Midway, earlier that morning. Midway was a good distance from any of the Avery residences, and it was standard for the plane to be brought to O’Hare for passenger pick-up.
“Angel is at her office, in a session with her first client. It’s quiet. I just wanted to give you a call before you left.”
“Any word on Bancroft?”
“No
. I really thought Swanson would have made another move by now.”
“I did, too.”
“I feel responsible. I shouldn’t have taken the night off on Friday.”
“They would have just taken you instead, Cole. I feel pretty shitty myself, but I’m glad it wasn’t you. Every time my phone rings, I expect bad news. Makes me sick.”
The car parked directly next to the sleek, white Gulfstream jet waiting on the tarmac. The driver unloaded Alex’s suitcase and garment bag from the trunk before opening his door and waiting as he got out. Alex shoved his Tom Ford sunglasses on as he moved from the car and into the plane, still talking to his brother.
Cole sighed heavily. “Yeah, it’s coming, I guess.”
Alex nodded, taking his seat in the fine, ivory leather seats. The twelve-passenger plane was luxurious and laid out for working and sleeping when needed.
Alex set his briefcase on the seat opposite his. “Yes. On the off chance Angel has a lag in her client load, I don’t want her taking on any new clients without a thorough background check.” He stopped, rethinking. “Scratch that. No new ones. None.”
“I’ll mention it to her. If she cuts me off at the balls, I’m blaming you.”
“Yes, mine are safer. She needs them.” Alex smiled when Cole chuckled at his brother’s joke. “Sorry, I should have told her, but I’ve had a lot going on. Tell her I’ll call her. If anything happens, no matter how slight, let me know.” Alex removed his laptop from his briefcase and fired it up. He had one more call to make before his plane took off.
“Will do. See ya.”
“Bye.”
Alex typed out a name into Google, not really expecting to find a direct contact. The main business number showed up on Wikipedia. He shrugged out of his suit jacket and laid it, neatly folded, next to his briefcase, and picked up his phone again.
“Mr. Avery, the flight plans are filed, and we will be taking off as soon as we get clearance,” the co-pilot leaned into the passenger compartment after the outer door was closed and secured.
Alex looked up from his phone just long enough to nod as he dialed. “Good. The sooner, the better,” he said just as the ringing on the line was answered.
“Standish Capital Ventures,” a professional female voice said upon answering.
“Good morning. Marvin Standish, please.”
“May I tell Mr. Standish who is calling, sir?”
“Alexander Avery, CFO of Avery Enterprises.”
“One moment, please. I’ll see if he’s free.”
Some generic music filtered through the phone as the plane began to make its way onto the taxiway. Alex pulled the window shade down so he could remove his sunglasses. Taking off in planes was becoming so tedious he tuned it out completely. His hand raked down his face and over his jaw before yanking on his tie to loosen it. He was tired and feeling drained, if he was honest. It would be nice to sleep on the plane, but it was unlikely.
The call went to voicemail, another female voice delivering the message.
You’ve reached the office of Marvin Standish. Mr. Standish is unavailable at the moment. Please leave your name and a detailed message, and he will return your call. Thank you, and have a nice day.
“Mr. Standish, my name is Alexander Avery. I’m not sure if you are familiar with me, but my family operates Avery Enterprises, which is headquartered in Chicago. I have a matter of utmost importance to discuss with you and would like to set up a meeting. I’m traveling now but should be back by the 17th. Please call my assistant, Martha Dane, to let her know when you are available. She has instructions to clear my schedule for your convenience. I look forward to meeting you.” He left his office number then hung up.
He hoped he didn’t need the meeting—that Bancroft would be found by then, and he hoped, above all, what Cole and Bancroft had said about the Standish family kissing off Mark Swanson was true. Standish’s sister was divorcing Swanson, and it was his niece who had been raped, so hopefully, there would be no love lost between them, and he wouldn’t be squeamish about helping Alex locate Swanson. The Standish family wasn’t known for being squeamish, and it was testament to how desperate Alex was feeling that he would engage them in any way.
Alex sighed deeply, stress weighing on him heavily. He couldn’t believe he was trying to set up a meeting with one of the biggest mafia bosses in Chicago, but taking it up the ass never was his forte, and the helplessness he felt at waiting didn’t sit well. He’d be damned if he’d let Swanson keep control. He’d rather take the offensive and handle the situation as quickly as possible. If he had to work with less than honest people and bend the law himself, so be it.
He shut his phone down when the pilot’s voice came over the speaker telling him they were cleared for takeoff. His eyes closed as the plane lifted from the ground, praying his exhaustion would allow a few hours sleep. The small jet was fairly sound proof and was stocked with cold bottled water, sodas and an assortment of small liquor bottles and snacks, and the seats were luxuriously comfortable. The only thing missing was Angel. Fear gripped his chest.
Maybe if she were with me, I could fucking breathe.
9
Cat and Mouse
Alex was in Sydney. He’d called Angel four times a day, like clockwork, on the two days since he left. He was hoping to wrap it up and be on his way home by Saturday morning, though that was almost Friday in Chicago.
The big house was lonely without Max, even though Cole, Sid, and Wayne were there most of the time.
It must cost Alex a fortune, Angel thought.
Waiting for Swanson to make his move and to hear news of Jason Bancroft felt like a ticking bomb attached to her chest. The first night Alex was gone, Angel made them all Hot Naked pasta, and they’d played board games for hours as a distraction. It helped to get her mind off her anxiety, but the shit hit the fan when Alex called and found out the men weren’t on strict guard duty. He’d read all three of them the riot act, especially Cole, which effectively put an end to the pleasant evening. Angel had retreated to Alex’s room with her caseload and laptop, pissed off just enough not to speak to him. Everyone’s nerves had been raw.
The time was dragging. Every time she went anywhere, she was under escort, and when she had court on Tuesday, Sid and Cole went with her, never letting her leave their sight. She felt the security at the courthouse should have been enough, given everyone was subjected to search and X-ray, but Alex left no doubt there would be hell to pay if they didn’t stay in close proximity.
Later the same day, Cole was driving her to Toys “R” Us to pick out some gifts for Jillian’s party, though she wished she could go by herself. She wanted to get a few things at different stores and felt guilty making Cole follow her around all day. Angel glanced at her watch. It was almost 10 AM, which would make it one in the morning in Sydney.
Cole noticed. “When’s the last time you’ve heard from my brother?”
“Last night. He called earlier, but I was in session, then I got voice mail when I tried to call him back. He’s probably sleeping. I hope, anyway.”
Angel was pensive, and it showed in her tone. She felt uneasy, constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, when Swanson would make his move. Since the call to Alex at the station last Friday, they hadn’t heard a peep from him; unless, you counted the disappearance of Jason Bancroft. Chills ran through her, causing goosebumps to race up her arms, over her back, and down her legs, and she shuddered.
“Are you cold?” Cole leaned forward and flipped on the heat. It was late September, and though the temperature was still fairly moderate, it was getting colder at night, so the mornings were brisk, but Cole had a feeling that wasn’t the reason Angel was shivering.
She nodded and rubbed her hands over her arms, under her blazer. Her hair was pulled back into a chignon, and she was wearing her glasses; still perfect in appearance, but more somber than Cole had become accustomed. “Just a little.” Her face turned away as she looked out the window. She was
preoccupied. “Will this fucker ever leave us alone?”
Cole turned a brief glance in her direction, his eyebrow rose at the abruptness of her question. When his eyes were firmly back on the road, he answered, his hand tightening on the wheel until his knuckles were white. “Honestly? I doubt it, Angel. Even if Alex were to acquiesce and hand over the cash, it would just give him bravado to extort from Alex for the rest of his life.”
“Yes,” Angel said softly as Cole said her thoughts out loud. “I’ve thought of that.”
“I’m sure Alex has, too. Swanson has proven he’ll stop at nothing. We don’t expect to find Bancroft alive.”
She nodded sadly, still looking out the window, the street and buildings blurring, because both the car was moving and her eyes weren’t focused. Bancroft’s face flashed in her mind, and her heart sank. “What is he going to do?”
Cole shot her another quick glance. She was looking out the window as if mesmerized, her words coming as if she were in a trance. He knew Angel was asking what Alex’s plans were, not what they expected out of Swanson.
Cole ran a hand down his face to the clean-shaven skin of his jaw. “Um, we’re still figuring it out, Angel. He hasn’t told me exactly what he wants to do, but knowing Alex, it’s not like him to wait around like a sitting duck. My guess would be that we’d try to find Swanson, using every resource at our disposal. Not sure what happens after that.”
“Kenneth will prosecute if we make it to court. He has a strong case with my testimony and the forensics. He’ll win. We finally have enough evidence… if it makes it to court.”
“Big if. The cops haven’t found a goddamned thing.”
More chills ran down her arms, and her eyes filled with frustrated tears. “After everything we did to get that bastard, he is still as slippery as a snake. Alex said he should have killed him when he had the chance.”
“Yes.” Cole’s voice was stoic. “He’s mentioned it to me, too. More than once.”