After Dark: The Complete Series

by Kahlen Aymes

  * * *

  Angel left the door to Alex’s room open as she quickly wrapped Jillian’s gifts. If they were going to skip the party, then the least she could do was have some pretty presents for the little girl to open. She heard Becca and Jillian arrive when the front doorbell rang and then some talking filtered through the house. She couldn’t hear exactly what was said, just muted voices from the floor below as she opened one of Alex’s drawers. She didn’t have many clothes with her that weren’t suits and dresses, and she was sure he wouldn’t mind if she borrowed a couple pair of sweat pants and T-shirts.

  Really, she was packing them for him. She had little doubt he’d be so focused he’d have forgotten to stop home for appropriate clothing for wherever they were going, and he’d have nothing with him but suits and ties. She found a big duffel bag in his closet and wondered if she should take that or leave it for him, just in case. She discovered a pair of Alex’s Adidas on the closet floor and picked them up to shove them, unceremoniously, in the bottom of her own gym bag. The other things followed, as well as the two pair of yoga pants, her workout jacket, a T-shirt from the fitness center, and her cross trainers.

  “Anga! Anga!” Jillian called happily before bursting into the room in front of Becca and tumbling into Angel’s arms when she stooped down to scoop her up.

  “Bean! I’m so happy to see you!” Jillian’s chubby arms encircled Angel’s neck tightly, and Angel hugged her as hard as she could without hurting her. “Mmmm! I missed you so much!”

  Jillian sat back in Angel’s arms. “Me, too. Mama said wez gonna have a sweepover!”

  Angel kissed the rosy cheek closest to her, reluctant to put the little girl down. She smelled of soap and baby shampoo, the ends of her curly hair still damp from her bath. She was dressed in fluffy pink-footed pajamas. “Yes, and what pretty pjs! I love pink!”

  Jillian’s eyes got big as she spied the two boxes with the beautiful organza bows. “Are those for my birfday?”

  “They are! How’d you get so smart?” Angel tickled Jillian’s ribs, and she let out a squeal.

  “I don’t know.” She shrugged her little shoulders. “Is this Zander’s room? It smells nice yike him.”

  Becca rolled her eyes and plopped down on the bed. “His whole house reeks of sexy mancave. I bet he didn’t have to beat you over your head to get you here, did he?” she asked sardonically, eyeing the open duffel bag that was now right next to her. “Looks like Angel is busy, sweets. Come sit by Mommy on this gigantic bed.” She held up her arms, and Jillian went easily from one woman to the other. “What’s going on? You didn’t invite us over here just to leave, did you? I mean, if you’re trying to set me up with Cole, that’s a bit extreme.”

  “Yes, I’m trying to set you up with Cole.” Becca’s head snapped up at her friend’s words.

  “Really?” Becca cocked her head to one side and smiled, lowering her voice. “Because he is completely doable.”

  “Yes, I will, but not tonight. I didn’t want to tell you on the phone, but something’s come up.”

  Jillian was lying next to Becca, and Angel cast a glance her way wondering if she’d be able to convey the seriousness of the situation in a way that wasn’t scary.

  “What is it?” Becca asked seriously, concern washing over her features. “Has something happened?”

  “Uh huh. I’m really sorry about this. You don’t know how sorry, but Mark Swanson made bail and has become a problem.” That was the understatement of the century, but Angel could not explain fully as long as Jillian was within earshot.

  “That guy is a major creeper. Why the hell did they let him out, anyway?”

  “Good question. But, we, um, need to go on a little adventure. All of us.” Angel nodded at Jillian. “All of us. Now. Tonight.”

  “But—” Becca began.

  Angel sat next to her and started to rub Jillian’s back. It was late and she should be exhausted. “The adventure is more important that the other… thing.” Becca started to protest but Angel shook her head. “Um… I’ll explain, but it’s late. Bean, are you tired?” Angel directed her attention to the toddler. “Birthdays don’t come if you’re tired. Did you know that?”

  “Okay, but can I sleep here?” She opened her mouth in a big yawn.

  “Sure, baby.” Angel pulled back the covers and helped her climb beneath, then reached over and turned on the bedside lamp. “Bec, would you mind switching off the overhead light?” She smoothed the silky curls on Jillian’s head over and over.

  “Do you want to watch one of your princess videos? I bet Mommy brought one?”

  “No.” She shook her little head and snuggled down into Alex’s oversized bed. Angel pulled the dark wine and black comforter up and pushed it around her little body. But can you sing to me, Anga?”

  “What would you like to hear, sweet pea?”

  “Yittle Mermaid.” She yawned again, this time even bigger. Lowering the lights had the desired effect, and her eyes seemed to droop. Angel marveled at the long, long lashes that framed Jillian’s bright blue eyes and how dark they were considering her blonde hair. She was a beautiful child.

  Angel smiled. “Okay.” They’d watched Little Mermaid hundreds of times, and Angel particularly liked it; one, because it was her all-time favorite Disney movie, and two, because it was about a young girl standing up for what she wanted. She knew Jillian was asking for “Part of Your World”.

  Becca stood and moved to the leather chair in one corner. It was plush and luxurious, and she sank down in it as Angel began to sing to her little girl.

  Before Angel was half way through the song, Jillian was fast asleep, and Angel was able to stop and move to the end of the bed across from where Becca waited.

  “What’s the deal? You want me to cancel the party?”

  “No. At least, I don’t think so, but we can’t be at it.” Angel’s expression was apologetic, and she kept her voice just barely above a whisper. “I’m sorry, but that fucker kidnapped, and most likely murdered, one of the bodyguards. It’s too dangerous.”

  “Maybe for you, but I can’t cancel my kid’s party, Angel. My parents have gone to so much trouble.”

  “I understand.” Angel had as well, but it was of little consequence. “But, Swanson called me tonight and demanded an unthinkable amount of money. He thinks I can get Alex to do it, and he said he knew about Jill’s party. We can always re-do the party, but it’s too dangerous to be there when Swanson or his goon troop might show up. We can’t risk it.”

  “Oh, my God! Should I have my parents leave, too?”

  “Maybe. Cole and Alex are making the plan. Only Cole and two others will be privy to the details, and all I know at this point is Cole is taking you, me, and Jillian away from Chicago.”

  “This is really scary, Angel. Maybe you should have just let it go. Before, I mean.”

  Angel’s mouth tightened. Yes, she should have. She’d already gone over it in her head twenty times, and she felt terrible that her friends were in danger because of her.

  “Yes, I realize that, but what’s done is done. All we can do is deal with this shit now. I’m sorry! If there were another way, I promise, I wouldn’t ask this, Becca. I wish it didn’t involve you or Bean, but Alex isn’t taking any chances. I know him, and he’ll protect everyone involved, but that means following his plan, whatever it is.” She sucked in her breath and stood up, rushing back to her task of gathering a few toiletries and shoving them in her bag. “I trust him.”

  “I can see that or you’d be kicking him in the balls for ordering you around.” Seeing Angel’s distress, Becca tried to lighten the mood; though she also felt anxious and frightened.

  “He’s involved because of me. Everyone is involved because of me.” Angel picked up the last couple of things from the bathroom counter and walked briskly back, shoving them with more force than was needed into her bag. Her heart was racing, and she felt sick to her stomach; the back of her eyes began to burn with unshed tears. �
�Do you know how hard it was for me to sing to Jillian when I blame myself for everything? I feel like I’m going to throw up.”

  Becca watched Angel zip up the bag and dump it on the floor next to the bedroom door. From what Angel had said, Mark Swanson was a weasel-y little man, so she wondered how serious a threat he could really be in the face of Cole and the other bodyguards. “You said he probably murdered someone?”

  “Yes. Last Friday night at the radio station, the man who was assigned to tail Swanson was abducted and his car burned… after Swanson called Alex and tried to extort money.”

  “I take it your boy told him what he could do with his threats.”

  Angel ran an agitated hand through her hair and sat back down on the bed to finish the conversation. She nodded. “Yes. But, when Swanson called me, I could hear the evil in his voice, Becca. He won’t stop even if he gets the money. That’s what scares me.”

  “How much money?”

  “Ten million.”

  Becca’s eyes widened, and she swallowed.

  “My nature wants to tell him to go fuck himself, but he’s crazed. He’s capable of anything, and to goad him would be sheer stupidity.”

  “Will Alex give him the money?”

  Angel’s dark eyes met hers. “Not likely. We think it would only make him more relentless, but he may have changed his mind. Cole will know.”

  “Should we go downstairs and try to find out?”

  “Yes.” Both women stood and walked across the large room toward the door. Jillian was still fast asleep on the bed. “But, I’m fairly sure we’ll be leaving tonight.”

  Becca sucked in her breath and followed Angel silently down the stairs and into the great room. Cole was talking to Wayne and Sid, all of them concentrating on what the others had to say and didn’t hear them come in.

  “So, what about the party?” Sid asked.

  “It goes on as planned. I’ve called the detectives on the case, and they’ve agreed to assign more operatives. You’re to go downtown and pick up two detectives they are assigning to the case. One is a woman. Bring them back here and give them access to the house.”

  Angel and Becca walked in, and Angel cleared her throat. “Alex is letting someone else in here?”

  Cole’s head turned at the sound of Angel’s voice, and he nodded before he even registered he was doing so. “Yeah. Go,” he said to Wayne and Sid. “I’ll be in close touch with you and the police. Alex demands we keep to the plan one-hundred-percent unless something unforeseen happens.”

  Wayne put a hand on Cole’s shoulder. “Good luck, young man.” In his words, Angel was reminded how much of a rookie Cole was. Cole nodded and shook Sid’s hand.

  “It’s been great working with you guys. Hope you find Bancroft.”

  Wayne nodded grimly, and both men turned and walked out.

  After they left, Cole faced the girls, directing them toward the couch with his hand. “Have a seat.”

  Becca sat down but Angel hesitated. Cole’s stoic demeanor was to be expected, but she wanted to know the plan and what was happening with Alex.

  “What’s happening?” she asked, finally sinking slowly to sit next to Becca.

  Cole tented the fingers of both hands but didn’t take a seat.

  “We’re leaving. The local police will protect your parents, Becca, and the party will take place as planned. It will appear that way from the outside.”

  “But, the guests?” Becca asked, her face twisting in disbelief.

  “Will be decoys and all cops. Hopefully, none of the real guests are in Swanson’s pocket, but it’s a risk we have to take. Sid and Wayne will each have a team on stakeout outside, and a policewoman and her partner, disguised as you and I, Angel, will attend in our stead. She’ll use your car, etcetera.”

  Angel nodded. “Okay.”

  “What about the rest of us?”

  “We’re leaving in the SUV that’s parked outside.”

  “I have to get more clothes. I didn’t have much here.”

  Cole sighed. He didn’t want to waste time, and Alex wouldn’t be pleased at the delay, but they’d need all the cash he and Angel could get out of a twenty-four hour ATM before they left the city. After that, there was to be no use of cards.

  “Shit. I don’t really want the vehicle seen at your condo, Angel. The whole point is to slip away without anyone knowing. We don’t know who knows what or who may be watching. Alex doesn’t want us to take any chances.”

  “I get it, but, I don’t have anything, and we can’t buy anything, right?” She looked at him without flinching, her mind already working through each scenario.

  “Right.”

  She stopped as she had a thought. “Kenneth might have a key. Maybe he can go get a bag for me. Or send someone.”

  “Sending someone is preferable. Swanson’s crew knows Ken.”

  “Yeah.” Angel nodded and got up to get her phone.

  “I won’t tell my little brother that Ken still has a key.”

  Angel was rummaging through her purse from the entryway and answered Cole from there. “I’m sure he’d rather that than us going, given the situation.”

  Cole shook his head, skeptically. “I think we both know, he’d prefer neither one.”

  * * *

  Becca was upstairs sleeping with Jillian, and Angel was lying down on the sofa, wrapped up in a blanket Cole had found in an upstairs closet, with her laptop open in front of her on the coffee table. Time slogged by while they waited for Carrie, Ken’s assistant, to arrive.

  Angel kept her computer on, hoping Alex would buzz her on Skype, but her eyes were getting heavy. It was close to 1 AM, which would make it late afternoon in Sydney. Was he still there? Even if he was on his way back, the chances of him being over the US were slim. He’d have to land on the West Coast for fuel.

  Cole was stretched out on the second sofa, an exact mirror of the one Angel was curled up on and across the coffee table on the other side. His arm was flung over his eyes, even though the only light was coming from the property lights outside the house and filtering in through the window blinds. Cole insisted they be kept closed so it was only what could leak in around the edges.

  “Where do you think Alex is?” she asked softly. She wasn’t sure if Cole was awake, but if not, he wouldn’t answer. She was surprised when he did.

  “Not sure. I’m unclear on the rest time required for the pilots. I think it’s been enough time between flights, and if so, he will be on his way. He said there is some FAA regulation that requires pilots a certain amount of downtime for their hours in the air. He was pissed when he realized it could cause a delay. Alex is like a caged animal when he can’t do what he wants, when he wants to.”

  “I’m sure he’s more anxious than usual, but I assume he’d be in touch” She sighed softly, and turned onto her side. Her eyes closed. He’d been in Sydney less than 24 hours. But shouldn’t 24 hours be enough rest for the pilots?

  “He is always engaged, Angel. Believe me; something is happening on his end.”

  Yes, she knew if there were anything Alex could do from where he was, he’d do it. ”I know.”

  “He’ll call when he gets to LA. My guess is will be early morning when they land at LAX. Try to get a few hours of sleep, Angel. As soon as Carrie gets here, we’re out of here.”

  “Where?”

  “South.”

  “Just South?”

  “Yep.”

  “I’d suggest my dad’s, but that’s probably the first place Swanson would look.”

  “If he chooses to tail us. Alex hopes he’ll find that bastard before he knows we’re gone.”

  “That’s why he’s coming to Chicago first?” Angel sat up and put her feet on the floor to face him. “Did the cops find something?”

  “Not that I’m aware of.” Cole got up off the sofa and walked into the kitchen. Angel listened to him clanging around and sat, stoic in the silence. She wanted to scream, her chest felt compressed, her frustration
bottled up without an outlet.

  “This sucks, Cole,” she said when he came back with a plate of sandwiches and two bottles of water. He handed her one of the waters and set the plate down, only to grab one of the sandwiches, taking a big bite. “I wish I could do something.”

  “Yeah,” he said with his mouth full. “The waiting is the worst. I just want to get the hell out of here.” He took another bite and devoured it, glancing at his watch at the same time. Angel picked up one of the sandwiches and sniffed it. Peanut butter. “You should eat.”

  Angel ate the sandwich then decided to go pack some food for them to take on the road trip, making a mental note to call Liz after 8 AM and tell her to cancel all of her appointments indefinitely.

  Indefinitely… Fuck! she thought. That bastard has made chaos of so many lives. Jason Bancroft and his family had paid so dearly. Her heart pounded and skipped a beat. She felt sick and helpless. Guilt, anger, and frustration permeated every cell in her body. That bastard had to pay. No matter what, he had to pay.

  Cole’s walkie-talkie beeped and static loudly filled the silent house. “The young lady has arrived with Dr. Hemming’s things.”

  He picked it up and responded shortly. Angel was putting some fruit, crackers, chips, and some turkey and cheese sandwiches in a small cooler she’d found under the sink. As she listened to Cole crisply bark out orders, it was clear this job suited him, and he was assuming control in Bancroft’s absence. Cole was professional and in control; his demeanor all business.

  “Have Sid follow her home, and you meet me in the garage with the stuff.” He came into the kitchen still speaking into the walkie-talkie and when he was done, he nodded toward the stairs. “Get Becca and the kid. We’re out of here.”

  11

  Deadly Resolve

  Alex was on his way to the airport. He’d called the current owner of the Australian hotel chain they were acquiring and explained he had a family emergency in the States and was unable to sign the contract at the same time. Fortunately, they’d discussed the terms of sale over dinner the prior evening and the details had been typed up by a secretary at the office earlier that morning while Alex was speaking to Angel. What started as a nice morning call turned into a fucking nightmare with that bastard, Swanson, tormenting Angel, while he strained to hear what was being said from her other phone. It had spurred him into instant action.