Flame

by Romig, Aleatha

Would he take me with him or would I be returned back to the cell?

  How sick was it that I was hoping for the first?

  The car stopped. I tried to look out to see where we were, but all I saw was a tall wall with ivy and decorative lights.

  It was normal from the outside.

  The inside, invisible to the world.

  When the door opened, the driver held a satin blindfold. He didn’t tell me what he was going to do, but I knew. Without a word, he placed it over my eyes and tied the back behind my head.

  Voices came into range.

  A woman.

  “Thank you.” I heard her say. “Here’s a healthy tip from the senator. Have a nice evening, Jimmy.”

  “You too, ma’am. Glad to be of service.”

  “This way, girl,” she said as she helped me from the car and led me by my elbow.

  Girl.

  I was back to girl.

  “Steps.”

  I listened to her directions as if she were leading a blind person. Turn right. Take three steps. Through it all, I only stumbled a few times. When I did, I quickly regained my poise before actually falling.

  Such as a person without sight, I had to use my other senses.

  Based upon the change in sounds and lack of breeze, I surmised that we were now inside the house, behind the tall wall with ivy, into a world that many never saw. The surface beneath my bare feet changed as I was led by the elbow: cool tile, soft carpet, hardwood, and back to tile. The air was filled with the aromas of food, cooked and baked.

  My stomach grumbled, remembering what it was like to eat anything warm.

  “Do you need a drink of water?” she asked.

  Water wouldn’t quench my hunger, but it would help. “Yes, please.”

  “Polite. You’ve been well trained.” She reached for my hands and placed a glass in my grasp. I lifted it to my lips. It was water. It shouldn’t be spectacular, but it was. Each swallow was cool and clear, the freshest I’d ever had.

  I couldn’t stop drinking.

  When the glass was empty I extended it toward where I believed she was standing, hoping for more. I must have been right about the location because she took it away.

  “I’d offer you more, but it’s better if your bladder isn’t full.”

  The heaviness of the cape came off my shoulders as the chill of air conditioning permeated the sheer dress. The coolness caused my nipples to draw tight.

  “Oh, I think you will do well.” She again reached for my arm. “Come this way.”

  I heard the voices and smelled the aromas before we reached our destination. Unlike the stale cigarette scent often associated with many of the customers back at the cell, the fragrance permeating the air was rich. I recognized it as tobacco in different flavors, such as cherry and birch.

  My feet stilled. The last time I’d smelled those scents were from the men at Dr. Miller’s.

  “This way,” the woman said. Whispering close to my ear, she warned, “Keep your hands at your side and do as you’re told.”

  Could I run?

  Where was I?

  I heard the opening of a door. The murmur of voices stilled as the woman took me across another threshold. The floor beneath my feet was again hardwood and then a carpet.

  “Gentlemen,” a man announced, “our attraction has arrived.”

  Madeline

  Present day

  Throughout my shower, I heard noises, sounds I couldn’t identify. Were they real or was it my overactive imagination? I couldn’t be certain; then again, my imagination wasn’t simply make-believe. It had the benefit of real-life monsters to recall. They weren’t the things of movies, TV, or books, but of real life. They were monsters who wore suits and expensive, spicy cologne. They were shape-shifters who appeared innocent one minute and became predatory the next.

  I’d spent my life accepting whatever came my way.

  A man with no name whose presence would reward me a small amount of food.

  A transaction that reduced my worth to dollars and cents.

  Andros Ivanov, a man who took the pieces of a broken girl, ground them to dust, creating a pliable clay, and recreated a woman to his satisfaction.

  I was tired of being who others wanted me to be.

  In the short time I’d spent back with Patrick, I’d remembered what it was like to be loved for simply being me. He’d tended the spark that had nearly extinguished and brought to life a flame. I wouldn’t let Antonio Hillman or Andros Ivanov threaten my future. After all, Andros abandoned me.

  Looking in the mirror as water dripped from the length of my hair, I tried to recall seeing Antonio Hillman before the tournament. When I did, I’d had the feeling that he was familiar, but it was only a feeling.

  Why couldn’t I recall the time?

  With a deep breath, I wrapped a plush towel around my body and willed my feet forward. I wasn’t going to hide from these men. I’d spent too much time hiding and staying invisible. I reached up and touched the necklace. While in the shower, I’d done my best to not get it too wet. I didn’t want to take it off again and even hoped the warm water would help the transmitter charge.

  “I don’t know if you can hear me,” I said without too much volume, “but I’m safe.” I hesitated with my hand on the doorknob. “And I don’t care if your men hear. I love you, Patrick. Marion said Ruby will arrive here tonight. I can’t leave as long as that’s possible.”

  I turned the knob and pulled the door inward. Even though I knew I’d locked the door from the hallway, I looked in all directions. The bed where I’d slept caught my attention. It was made and neat with pillows upon the satin cover.

  Was it made when Eloise and I entered?

  I couldn’t recall.

  Step by step, I moved, my bare feet on the hardwood as I opened the closet. The racks were still filled and appeared untouched. The last place to look was beneath the bed. I was painfully aware of how silly I would look to someone else, yet I didn’t care.

  Holding my breath, I knelt down and lifted the bed skirt.

  Nothing.

  Standing, I rechecked the door. The lock was still in place.

  I shook my head and bending my knees, I collapsed on the end of the bed.

  I hoped the necklace was transmitting again.

  There were so many things I wanted to say to Patrick. I wanted to tell him about how odd it was that Marion had bought me clothes—lots of clothes. And tell him that it seemed as though Andros wasn’t here. I assumed he was on his way to get Ruby.

  Who else would get her and bring her here?

  I wanted to tell him that I wasn’t the one who removed the necklace. And I wanted to tell him over and over that I loved him, that Ruby would soon be here, and tomorrow he and his men could meet us off the ranch. After all, Marion had said there were no locks. I’d reunite with Ruby tonight and spend the proper amount of time with Marion to thank him for all he’d done.

  Standing, I reentered the bathroom.

  My feet stilled as I stared at my own reflection.

  It had been a long fucking road, but it was almost over.

  I couldn’t recall the last time I’d been so filled with optimism for the possibility of the future, for a family, a real family.

  Thirty minutes later I’d applied a minimal amount of makeup, dried my hair and pulled it back into a low ponytail, and dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a sweater from the closet. It was as I was putting on socks and ankle boots that a knock came on the bedroom door.

  In stocking feet, I walked toward the door.

  Why didn’t bedroom doors have peepholes?

  Because most people aren’t as paranoid as you are, I answered myself.

  “Who is it?”

  “Marion.”

  I hesitated.

  “Are you decent?” he asked.

  His drawl made me smile. Maybe he was the good man Eloise boasted. “I am.” I turned the knob and opened the door toward me. “About to put on boots.”
<
br />   With his hands in the front pockets of his jeans, Marion stepped inside the bedroom, leaned against the wall, and looked around. “Is everything to your liking?”

  I scanned the room. “It’s beautiful. Your whole house is lovely.”

  His blue eyes gazed at me, from my head to my toes. “And the clothes?”

  “It’s really all too much.”

  Leaving his perch near the door, Marion came closer and reached toward me. When he did, I backed away. It wasn’t conscious, more instinct.

  His chin rose. “You know I think you’re lovely.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m not a difficult man.”

  “I can’t thank you enough for helping me, for helping Ruby.”

  He walked toward the closet and opened the door. “For now, this is best.”

  “What is best?” I asked, more confident with his distance.

  “The two of you will have this wing to yourselves, for now.”

  “Marion, again, I’m not in a position to make long-term plans.”

  He took a deep breath. “Little lady, will you join me for a tour of the property. We won’t cover the entire grounds, but I’d like to show you the highlights.”

  I recalled him inviting me here during the tournament, and now I’m here. “That sounds nice.”

  “Would you do an old cowboy the honor of allowing me to escort you?” He asked as he lifted his elbow.

  A grin came to my lips. He wasn’t that old, not really. However, if his family were alive he could be a grandfather. My hand stopped mere milliseconds before it landed upon his offered arm.

  Memories stilled me, as they hadn’t in years.

  Fathers.

  Grandfathers.

  Older men.

  All at once, I recalled the stench of their bodies and breath, their hands and touch as they violated me.

  “Madeline, are you all right? You’re white as a sheet.”

  I inhaled, shaking my head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what just came over me.”

  “Little lady, you’re in good hands. I promise.”

  In hands.

  There were only one man’s hands I wanted to be in.

  I stepped back. “I really do need to put the boots on first, if we’re going outside.”

  Again, he leaned against the wall, this time with his arms crossed over his chest. “I’ll have Beatrice pack us a lunch. After all you’ve been through, I’m sure you deserve to not be hungry.”

  Deserve?

  A reward?

  I looked up. “What do you mean?”

  His forehead furrowed as his eyes opened wider. “I merely mean that we like to eat around here, and I like women with a bit more meat on their bones.”

  After the boots were on, I stood. “Excuse me?”

  “Take no offense, little lady. You’re perfect the way you are now. Lunch or no? It’s up to you.”

  I pushed away my memories. Scattering away my clouds, as Patrick called them. It was ridiculous that Marion Elliott would know anything about my past. He wasn’t one of those men. They were his age then.

  Or did they appear older due to my youth?

  I reached for his arm, forcing myself to comply. “While we see your property, please tell me a little about yourself. You said you knew Antonio’s father?”

  “That’s boring, water under the bridge.”

  “Where did he live?” I persisted. “Here in Texas?”

  “No. He lived in Chicago with his family.”

  “His son, Antonio?”

  “Yes, and his wife, Ruth. She was always lovely.”

  “So you would visit them?”

  Marion stopped walking as we neared the staircase. “Off and on. After I lost Trisha and McKenzie, he would invite me to Chicago. Our relationship was mutually beneficial.”

  “How was that?”

  “He worked with a politician who helped me with a few things. In turn, I helped them. All in all, he wanted to help me forget my loss.”

  “Help you forget? In what way?” I asked.

  “That’s enough of that. It’s time to move forward.” Marion gestured toward the stairs. “I didn’t ask you if you ride—horses, that is.”

  “I don’t, but I’d be willing to learn.” I smiled. “And I would imagine that Ruby would love to try.”

  “About that, there’s been a change in our plans.”

  I gripped the banister. “A change?”

  “Mr. Ivanov was called back to Detroit to handle some business issues. He’s no longer able to fulfill his part of the deal and retrieve your daughter tonight.”

  “What?”

  “Thankfully, Mr. Hillman has agreed to take his place.”

  Patrick

  “Oh fuck no,” I said, as the entire room listened to Madeline’s transmission. It had begun broadcasting around an hour earlier. “No, Hillman is not to be alone with my daughter.”

  “Did you hear before that?” Romero asked. “That shit about Hillman’s father?”

  “It confirms what we already knew,” I said, uncertain how well versed these men were on the details of our history. “Wendell Hillman was McFadden’s consigliere. That position has landed him his current accommodations in a federal penitentiary.”

  “But we now have more,” Garrett said, “a verbal confirmation that Elliott was involved with the McFaddens. They did favors for one another. We should go back in financials and determine when he was in Chicago. He could be more connected than we realized.”

  I shook my head. “Yes, we should and can. Tell me how that pertains to our number-one priority. Right now all that matters is Ruby. We need to watch for Hillman’s departure.”

  “Mr. Elliott hasn’t mentioned,” Garrett said, “anything about Ruby’s paternity, you, or the Sparrows. Does he know?”

  Fuck.

  I wasn’t certain of who knew what or even what I knew. “Elliott,” I began as I recalled, “was standing there in the poker hall when I learned the news. Ivanov had Madeline’s bracelet wired. She said Ivanov gave her the bracelet on her way to the tournament that morning. That means he had access to her throughout the day. He also could hear everything prior to her taking it off.

  “Elliott, Ivanov, and Hillman were together most of the day yesterday. I have no idea what they told one another.” I began to pace. “Shit, I just remembered that I’d met alone with Madeline before the final round of the tournament.”

  “Met?” Garrett asked.

  “Talked to.”

  “Was Ruby mentioned?”

  “No,” I replied. “I didn’t know anything about her before Madeline dropped the bomb after the tournament.”

  “Okay. What did you talk about?” Garrett asked.

  I tried to recall.

  It was less than a week ago, but it felt like a fucking lifetime. “I had a suite for her at the Hilton. I told her to cash out of the tournament and go to the hotel suite. I said the tournament wasn’t safe.”

  Garrett let out a whistle as he leaned back in his chair. “So Ivanov heard a Sparrow, a top Sparrow, offer his woman—” Garrett’s eyes widened as he hesitated. “...his player...” It was probably Garrett’s best choice of wording. “...assistance and advice to leave. That means that Ivanov knew Ms. Miller somehow had, maybe even recently, made a connection with you. It also means that he knew the Sparrows knew something big was brewing.”

  Christian was still wearing the earphones.

  I tapped his shoulder. “Anything new?”

  He eased one off his ear. “It sounds like they’re outside. Ms. Miller offered to go with Hillman, but Elliott insisted he had it worked out. Now, Elliott is rambling on about horses and when the new foals will arrive.” He shrugged. “Stimulating.”

  I patted his shoulder. “Keep us informed.”

  “A car is leaving the ranch,” Romero said. “Look here, it’s our friend Hillman.”

  “Doubt he’s visiting his pops in prison,” Garrett said.

  R
ubbing the back of my neck, I continued pacing. “He’s going to Padre Island. I can’t decide if we stop him before or after.”

  “After would have Ruby out of the resort.” Garrett volunteered.

  “And with him,” I added. The decision was made. “I’m calling Sparrow, and then we’re headed down to Corpus Christi. Our best chance to get Ruby is at the airport when they make the transfer from the car back to the plane. They don’t know we’re even in the state. With the chaos Sparrows are causing in Detroit, they probably think we’re there.”

  All three men looked my direction. I wasn’t certain if I saw agreement in their expressions or something less. Removing my phone from my pocket, I placed the call as I walked to the fourth bedroom.

  Instead of being answered, it went to voicemail.

  “Sparrow,” I said, “Hillman has left the ranch on his way to one of Elliott’s planes. We’re watching the flight plan. If it’s to Corpus Christi, we’re following.” I realized it didn’t sound like a request. It wasn’t. “Ivanov’s fortress is too well guarded for our manpower.” Even if we were successful there, it would result in the deaths of Ivanov’s men and I didn’t want Ruby to see that. “Our single best opportunity for obtaining Ruby is when they transfer from the cars to the plane at the airport in Corpus Christi. Right now Hillman’s alone. His two goons may meet him, but even so, he doesn’t have Ivanov’s manpower. We also have the element of surprise. Call me if you can.”

  I hit disconnect and looked out the big windows of the fourth bedroom, wondering what was happening in Chicago, wondering what Elliott’s plans were, why he was sticking his neck out for Ruby, and how his plans included Madeline.

  “Mr. Kelly,” Garrett called from the other room.

  When I entered the larger area, Garrett handed me his phone. “Mr. Pierce is on the line and said he didn’t want to leave this in a voicemail.”

  I took the phone. “Talk to me.”

  “I’ve been researching Ivanov’s offshore accounts. There’s no sign of the fifteen million. I’ve been thinking about that. Since that was cash, there’s no guarantee he won’t keep it in that form. Unfortunately, the bills weren’t marked.

  “Yeah, some serious changes are happening before Club Regal reopens.”