Neighbors and More (High Rise Series)

by Mona Risk

  “Kidnap me?” She swallowed, understanding he didn’t want to frighten her with horrible possibilities.

  Dante grabbed her hands. “This bastard hasn’t hesitated to steal your key and enter your apartment several times. He’d drugged you and had you sign a two-million dollar check addressed to him. He lied to you saying he was leaving for Atlanta to prevent your suspicions. He was capable of anything.”

  “Assume I drank the laced Amaretto and fell asleep. Then what? He was in the Jacuzzi at the time.”

  “I think he was giving himself an alibi. He wanted to be seen. He would have come back to take you.”

  “Just like that? Carry me out? It doesn’t make sense.”

  “What if he had help? What if his partner was in it, too, and ready to lend a hand when needed?”

  “Oh God.”

  “Remember, a man tried to drown you, and then ransacked your apartment after Steve’s death. I have to go to Carter’s apartment now, while he’s at his office. It’s only 3:15. He never comes back before six or seven.”

  “How would you enter?”

  “Same way Steve did. I’ll tell the office secretary that I lost my key, and charm her into letting me borrow the spare one from the security board.”

  Alexa arched her eyebrow. She didn’t doubt Dante’s smile could melt the plain Barbara into giving the key and more if he wanted. “I’m sure she will,” she retorted, her tone more pinched than she intended to.

  He chuckled. “Thanks for your confidence. While she’s getting me my key, I’ll follow her to the locked room and I’ll manage to snatch Carter’s spare key. They are all hanging on the same board.”

  Alexa’s pulse raced. “What if Barbara notices something?”

  “If Barbara says something, I’ll knock the board to drop a few keys and help her pick them up from the floor while apologizing for my clumsiness.”

  “I can just picture the scene.” They both laughed, but she immediately sobered. “What if Carter comes back early?”

  Dante’s grin faded. “We need to plan carefully. I’ll have my iPhone. Your number is programmed. If I find something, I’ll call or text you to send the detective. If Carter comes back, I’ll just punch your number. If you hear a ring with no answer, call the police immediately.”

  “I want to come with you, stay in front of the elevator to warn you if he returns.”

  “If he sees you, he may get suspicious and hurt you, or hold you. Please, Alexa, stay here and keep your phone handy. If I’m worrying about you, it’ll distract me.”

  “But—”

  “I’m a black belt in karate. And I grew up in a family where it was important to learn to defend myself. Let’s not waste time.” He pulled her from her chair and ushered her inside.

  “What if he has a gun, Dante? I wish you’d take a weapon.”

  “I don’t own one. Considering my family history, I’ve never asked for a permit to carry firearm. They would have refused it and asked too many questions. But don’t worry, I have good fists, and know a few moves.”

  She bit her lips and nodded. He’d never mentioned anything about that part of his family background. Now was not the moment to bring up the subject. “So you’re just going downstairs with... without anything to protect yourself?”

  He caressed her cheek and smiled. “I need one thing from you. For good luck.” He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her so tenderly. “If everything works well, we’ll have a lot to talk about later.”

  He kissed her again as if he wanted to show her his deepest feelings.

  “And if—”

  “Just remember that you own my heart.”

  “Oh Dante.” Tears filled her eyes.

  He pulled back and frowned. “Would you have a pair of latex gloves?”

  Unable to talk, she opened a kitchen drawer and gave him a pair.

  “Dante, stop. Please, reconsider. Carter may sue you for breaking into his apartment. The scandal may destroy your career, hurt your family.”

  “Darling, right now all I can think of is the danger threatening you. This man tried to kill you and may try again.” He blew her a kiss and left. She stared at the door for a long moment and held her cell phone between her hands.

  He was going to risk a lot for her. Maybe his life.

  Dante, I love you.

  ****

  Snatching Carter’s key from the board had been a piece of cake, but guilt needled Dante at distracting Barbara with compliments about her skirt and her new coiffure. He’d promised to take the sweet middle-aged woman for dinner to thank her for her kindness. He didn’t add with Alexa, but swiftly left the office.

  A moment later, he rode the elevator to the fifth floor. The hallway was blissfully deserted. The tarnished brass number 502 gleamed dully in the dim light. After donning the surgical gloves, Dante eased the key into the lock and admitted himself into Carter Morton’s place. A pungent smell of stale cigarettes smoke made him wrinkle his nose.

  Silently closing the door behind him, he stood still listening for a moment as he scanned the surroundings. The layout of the apartment looked familiar, a reproduction of his 2102 perched many floors above this one.

  He padded to the narrow kitchen, surprisingly clean for a bachelor’s pad, without any apparatus on the neat granite counter top—as if it had never been used. Not even a coffee maker. A cabinet revealed four coffee mugs and four glasses. Dante didn’t bother searching the others. He retreated to the living room, passed the dining room table, and headed to the hallway leading to the bedrooms. Stopping in his tracks, he stared at a closed door, barred by a yellow tape.

  Since the police had been through Steve’s room, Dante ignored it and ventured into the other room, Carter’s bedroom as spotless as the rest of the apartment. A laptop sat on a desk. It was on, and the emails page open.

  “Dio mio.” His pulse raced at the unique opportunity to browse through Carter’s laptop, but his spine stiffened. Carter wouldn’t have left his laptop on while at the office for a whole day, which meant he’d just stepped out for a short errand. “My good luck.” But time was of the essence now.

  Dante sat at the desk, slid the drawers out, one after the other, and flipped through the various papers. Utility bills, bank statements, nothing really interesting.

  Inside the lower drawer, his hand hit something hard. He lowered his head and peered at a smaller drawer hidden inside. He jerked it to get it out and gasped at the sight of three airfare tickets to Las Vegas with the names of Steve Bairey, Carter Morton, and Dio mio...Alexa Partson.

  A horrible thought slunk through his brain as he scrutinized the tickets. They were planning to abduct Alexa. Date of departure: April 12, 7 pm. The day Steve died. Dante took a deep breath and gulped his anger. After shoving the tickets into his pocket, he replaced the small drawer inside the other, and closed it.

  Determined to learn more about Carter, Dante concentrated on the opened page of emails and scrolled down to the date Steve died. An email addressed to Robert Mason, esq. attracted his attention. He clicked on it. “The three of us will fly to Las Vegas. Steve will marry the woman on April 12. Be ready at the Golden Palace Chapel with all necessary papers. We want a quick ceremony as soon as we arrive around 11 pm.”

  A chill ran through Dante’s spine. Here was the proof of their planned crime. He didn’t have the time to open all the emails. He riffled through the more recent and opened the latest one dated last night, addressed to... “Dio mio, Dianna Oliveira.”

  His temper flared as he read, “She’ll be arrested soon and out of the way. Change of plans. I’m clearing the account. See you in London on Saturday.” The day after tomorrow?

  Not wasting another second, Dante texted Alexa: Call Ladd & cops. Now. Here for Proof.

  He tried a few other emails. They all confirmed that Carter and Dianna had concocted their plans together. An email sent by Dianna vented her anger: “That idiot deserved it. He can’t do a thing right. Now he’s gone instead of her.” />
  And Carter’s response. “I messed up in the water. I’ll get her soon.” Dante’s fingers clutched on the mouse, as he remembered Alexa’s limp form the day she’d almost drowned.

  But Dianna had more brains than both men. “No time to waste. Get her gems. Cash the big check and let’s get out of here. The old man is being a nuisance.”

  No wonder Dianna had tried to incriminate Greg. She wanted to divert their suspicions to him while she ordered Carter to steal Alexa’s jewelry. Good thing Alexa had enough foresight to lock up her valuables every night.

  Shaking his head in disgust, Dante glanced at his watch. He’d lingered too long. “Time to get out,” he mumbled as he pushed the chair to stand up.

  “Too late.” Carter’s frigid tone froze Dante in place. “Stay where you are. I have a handgun.” The sound of a gun being cocked alerted Dante to remain still.

  “Shit.” His back straightened, and his fingers surreptitiously covered the cell phone hooked to his waist. His head still, he punched the number two, Alexa’s programmed number, counted to three, and stopped the call.

  Behind him, Carter came closer. “Put your hands on your head. Stand up, and slowly turn. One suspicious move and I shoot.”

  Keeping his mind alert, Dante turned around. His gaze met Carter’s icy blue eyes. He understood what Alexa meant when she’d told him she didn’t like Carter’s eyes. They narrowed and glinted like steel, and then flickered right and left as if he couldn’t look his opponent in the eyes. Contrary to his usual neat appearance, a wisp of his hair fell low over his forehead.

  Carter came closer, his weapon aimed directly at Dante’s chest. “Now, keep your hands on your head and back up. Move.” With his gun Carter directed him out of the room.

  Dante took little steps, his gaze never wavering from his enemy’s face and hands. Would Carter dare to shoot him? Here in his own apartment?

  A heavy silence enveloped them as Carter had him back up to the living room and all the way to the kitchen, until Dante’s back hit the glass door of the side balcony—a balcony that had no view of the ocean or the Intracoastal, but only of the narrow driveway leading to the sub-basement garage.

  Dante understood the SOB’s purpose and groaned inwardly. He had no intention of being pushed over the rail. His biceps flexed, but he controlled his expression and kept his eyes fixed on Carter’s.

  A smirk flashed across his enemy’s face, and his eyes crinkled at the corners. “You’ve been a pain in the ass. But now you’ve helped me by coming here.” Carter pressed the tip of the barrel into Dante’s chest and reached behind him with his other hand to open the glass door.

  Bunching his muscles, Dante focused on his opponent’s face and mentally prepared himself. One, two, three. He raised his knee and connected with Carter’s groin, at the same time, he smacked the hand holding the weapon, and followed with a punch into the man’s left eye and another at his right one. Perfect coordination.

  With a growl, Carter doubled over. The Colt flew up into the kitchen aisle and dropped onto the marble tiles, releasing a gunshot that made a black hole in the beige cabinet.

  Dante lunged down to grab the gun. Before he could reach it, a shot hit him in the shoulder and a stiletto heel ground into his hand, pinning him to the floor. An agonizing pain seared his whole body. He ventured a glance at his attacker.

  “Stay put.” Dianna’s voice had lost its soft lilt. She threw him a venomous look and aimed a silver pistol at his head. “You’re not getting out of here alive. Carter, are you okay?” His groan answered her. “Good thing I heard the gunshot from my condo.” Her heel left Dante’s bleeding hand, and pushed Carter’s weapon under the oven.

  Acutely aware of the gun pointed at him, Dante grunted, breathing hard to control the ache in his shoulder. He heard her open a cabinet. What was she looking for? Favoring his arm against his chest, he lifted a painful eyebrow to follow her moves.

  “Carter, you idiot, stop cuddling your crotch and help me open this bottle.” She was trying to twist the cap of a vinegar bottle with one hand and her teeth.

  What the hell was she up to?

  “We’ll make sure he can’t see a thing after this.”

  “No,” Alexa screamed from the door. At her shriek, Dianna turned her head.

  Madre de Dio, why did Alexa come? “Alexa, no.” His shout jammed in his throat. “Run. Go away.” He scrambled to his knees and cursed Dianna and his own weakness.

  “Bitch,” Greg bellowed from the hallway.

  Reassured that Alexa had reinforcements, Dante lurched forward, clutched Dianna’s legs, and yanked them out from underneath her. She fell on her back with a loud thump while another shot hit the ceiling before her pistol slipped from her hand. The bottle of vinegar she was holding smashed into a hundred pieces on the marble tiles, and the acrid liquid sloshed everywhere, on their clothes and the tiles, but thankfully not into his eyes.

  A copper pan in her hand, Alexa ran into the kitchen, and hammered the cooking utensil against Dianna’s head.

  “Carter,” Dante grumbled. The bastard had kicked Dante’s bleeding arm, and grabbed his Colt from under the oven. “Alexa, duck,” Dante screamed, his head exploding from the ache in his shoulder, but his eyes focused on the gun his enemy aimed at Alexa.

  “No.” Greg’s terse voice was followed by a gunshot. Carter collapsed.

  “Stop. Police.” Detective Ladd’s thunderous order filled the rooms. Pandemonium broke out as a dozen policemen stormed the apartment. “Handcuff them all. We’ll talk later,” Ladd ordered. In a split-second, Dianna, Greg, and Alexa were restrained, pulled out of the kitchen, and lined up in the living room.

  No one had touched Dante. They must have noticed the blood oozing from his right shoulder and hand. From the corner of his eye, Dante saw Carter sprawled on his stomach, a cop holding a gun to his still form. Dante wondered if his enemy was dead or alive after Greg had fired at him.

  A buzz of protests reached him.

  “Hey, we’re the victims,” Greg bellowed before anyone could recover enough to talk. “Stop that nonsense. I’ll report the abuse.”

  “Greg, my love. Look at what this bitch did to me,” Dianna wailed. “Help me.”

  “Go to hell. I don’t know why you’re here, but I’ll deal with you when I hear the details,” Greg snapped back.

  “You shot Carter, you, whoreson,” she snarled, giving up the pretense.

  “Sure, I did. That SOB was about to kill Alexa.”

  “Oh Greg, thank you for saving my life,” Alexa said.

  Dante moved his head with effort, searching. Through the daze numbing his mind, he spotted her staring at him, a deep frown between her eyebrows.

  Thank God, Alexa was safe. “That shrew shot Dante and wanted to throw vinegar in his eyes,” Alexa accused as she glared at Dianna. “Look at the shape he’s in now because of you and that monster.”

  Dante blinked and forced himself to smile. “I’m fine,” he mouthed to reassure Alexa.

  “Your Dante was pummeling Carter with punches,” Dianna spat.

  “He wanted to push me from the balcony.” Dante’s weak voice hardly reached his own ears. His head reeled from the agony of his wounds, but the sight of Dianna spitting curses at Greg, Carter, even Steve, cheered him up.

  “Enough,” Ladd hollered. “I’ve heard enough for now. You’ve already tried to kill each other.”

  A policeman approached the detective. “We found three guns.”

  “One is mine,” Greg said.

  “Carter’s and Dianna’s,” Dante muttered. “I had no weapon.”

  “I used the frying pan,” Alexa declared proudly. A cop burst out laughing, the others cleared their throats and turned to hide their grins.

  Gathering a last shred of energy, Dante called, “Detective Ladd.” He wondered if Ladd heard him.

  The detective squatted beside him. “Yes?”

  “Carter’s laptop. Bedroom,” he mumbled between ragged breaths, hoping he
’d have the energy to finish his sentence. Dio, it hurts so much. He gritted his teeth to control the blistering pain and inhaled. “Dianna and Carter... abduct... Alexa. Steve marry her...money...kill.”

  “Got it.” The detective motioned to one of the cops to pick up the laptop without closing it. “Take it to the lab and ask for a full report on it.”

  “In my pocket, tickets.” Understanding his message, the detective shoved his hand into Dante’s pocket and extracted the airline tickets. “Hmm, you had no right to enter this apartment, but...” He granted Dante a half-smile. “Good job.”

  Dante’s strength betrayed him. He squirmed and contorted, trying to press his good hand on his damaged shoulder. Blood squirted from his wound.

  “Now, Cantari, you’d better not move. Or you’ll hurt yourself more.”

  “Call 911,” Alexa screamed. “Dante is bleeding to death.”

  Uncontrollable sobs shook her, but through her tears, she saw the nice officer walk into the condo. “Please, Officer Raines, please, undo these.” She squirmed and rattled the handcuffs. “Give me a towel. I have to stop his bleeding.”

  “The ambulance will be here in a minute. They are on their way up. I called them as soon as I saw the mayhem in this place. I was waiting for them outside.” Officer Raines knelt beside her. A curse escaped him as he muttered, “What idiot has put these on your hands?” He unclasped the manacles, and helped her up, but restrained her arm. “Don’t touch your friend. You may hurt him.”

  “But he’s bleeding.”

  “Here are the paramedics. They’ll take care of him.”

  In fact, four men and a woman entered the apartment, rolling and opening two stretchers. They surrounded Dante, transferred him to a stretcher, and raised it.

  “You idiots,” Dianna snarled. “Someone help Carter.”

  “We are, Ma’am.” A moment later, Carter, still unconscious was moved on to a stretcher.

  Her hands pressed over her stomach, Alexa watched them hold towels to the bleeding areas, wrap blood pressure cuffs, and insert IVs in the wounded men’s arms. They measured blood pressure and pulse, and declared both men still alive. After they strapped them to the stretchers, they wheeled them out of the apartment. Officer Raines and two policemen accompanied them.