“I’m still not understanding. What did Alex and Justine’s grandfather do?”
“When I arrived at the hospital, Mr. Stonewall was already there. He told the hospital staff that his name was Ethan Stone, not Edward Stonewall. I was surprised by that at first, but then he registered Helena as Lena Silvestri. Lena was her nickname and Silvestri was Lucille’s maiden name,” Hale explained. “He also lied and said she was his wife’s niece. Back then, hospitals didn’t track patients by social security number and records were still all on paper. It was easy to give fake names. I knew what he was doing immediately. He was trying to protect her from a murder rap.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I scoffed. “You said it yourself – it would have been easy for her to claim self-defense.”
“I know that, but you didn’t see him that day. He was so distraught. Worried. Furious. I can’t explain it. He asked me a lot of questions about what I saw at the house. He wanted specific details. After I explained what I found there, he told me to go to the house and clean up any evidence of a struggle in the kitchen. He then instructed me to clean up Helena’s blood only and find the gun, but told me not to touch her husband’s body. I didn’t argue with him. That was my mistake. He was obviously grief stricken, not knowing whether or not his daughter would live or die. He wasn’t thinking clearly. I just…” He paused, his voice cracking with emotion. “He was like a father to me. I couldn’t say no to his requests.”
I thought back to what Alexander told me about the gun. I probably shouldn’t voice what I knew to Hale and Justine but, at this point, it didn’t really matter anymore.
“You didn’t find the gun, did you?” I asked.
“No, actually. I didn’t.”
“That’s because Alexander thought that Justine shot their father. She did, but he never knew that for sure. In order to protect her, he threw the gun in the East River.”
Hale shook his head again, but Justine remained silent after my revelation.
“The police came. They conducted their investigation, but with Helena missing and no murder weapon to be found, it went unsolved. If what you say is true, and Alexander threw the gun in the river, that’s the piece of the puzzle I could never find,” Hale said, seeming lost in thought. I shook my head, still trying to piece it all together myself.
“Alright, back to the story,” I said, hoping to get more clarity. “None of this explains why Helena’s whereabouts were kept from Alexander and Justine all these years.”
Justine answered this time.
“My mother pulled through, but the damage to her brain was severe. I read through her medical records. Blunt force trauma, which I assume was the result of one of my father’s drunken episodes. She wasn’t right when she woke up. It was like she was a toddler and had to learn basic things all over again. Even her motor skills were nearly non-existent. After the first year of re-learning basic functionality, she stopped progressing. Now, she has the mind of a four-year-old, trapped in an adult body. She has no memory of me or Alexander at all.”
A loose curl fell free of my ponytail and I hastily pushed it away. What Hale and Justine were saying was hard to process. However, I had a feeling we had just begun to scratch the surface.
“Justine, how do you tie into this?” I asked. “How long have you known it was actually you who killed your father?”
“I recalled what happened a couple of years ago. I was seeing my therapist, still trying to find ways to cope with issues I developed from childhood. However, I didn’t remember a lot of specifics, and it made it hard to find an area of focus. My therapist suggested hypnosis. I wish he hadn’t. There’s a reason I blocked out the memories…” she trailed off and her gaze took on a haunted look.
I recalled Charlie’s interview. In not so many words, he suggested that Justine had been molested. As I stared at her tormented expression, I wondered if it was true and if that’s what she was thinking about. I shuddered. Just the thought of a grown man touching a six-year-old girl was repulsive. Perhaps, in time, I would talk to Justine about it. The project that I wanted to take on at Stone’s Hope to help rape victims might help her cope with her past.
However, I was too angry in that moment to feel any sort of sympathy towards her. Needing to maintain focus, I stood and began to pace the room.
“You’re selfish, Justine. After everything he’s done to protect you. He’s been second guessing every decision he’s made over the years ever since he read Charlie’s interview. How could you keep this from him? You knew he was looking for answers to the murder. Why didn’t you tell Alex as soon as you remembered?”
“Why would I? You didn’t know Alex back then,” she said and began to sob. “He was obsessed with finding our mother for years. He had finally seemed to let it go around the time I realized I was the one who killed our father. Why would I dredge up a past that both Alex and I wanted to forget?”
I lifted my arms in exasperation.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe if you did, Alex wouldn’t be dealing with Mac Owens right now. Or Charlie. Or any of it!” I exclaimed. My voice was growing louder by the minute. “He would have had answers! Did you know he planned to go to the DA on Monday? Can you imagine what could have happened if he did?”
“Nothing would have happened,” Justine stated flatly. “Alex only had pieces of information. Most of his knowledge was circumstantial. The minute Hale told me about the article, I gave Hale the truth about what I did. I may have only been six years old, but I couldn’t hide from it anymore. Once Hale found out it was me that shot my father, there was no need to keep my mother hidden. That’s when he told me she was alive. Together, we decided to talk to the DA. We went last week Monday.”
I stopped pacing and looked at Hale in surprise.
“Monday?” I asked him.
“Yes,” Hale confirmed. “That’s why I was really there that day, Miss Cole. I was meeting Justine. Running into you at the DA’s office was a strange coincidence. I didn’t track your phone. Samuel did tell me that you went to a doctor appointment, but he had nothing to do with me finding you there. And, if you recall, I also told you that day to trust me. I said I was handling it.”
“Handling it? You should have told Alex about his mother years ago,” I said, my tone sounding more accusatory than I meant it to be.
“I know I should have,” Hale admitted sadly. “My only defense is that I made a promise to Mr. and Mrs. Stonewall. They wanted their grandchildren to move on from the horrors of their past. They wanted them to be happy, living full and successful lives, just as Helena always dreamed they would have. They were heartbroken, but since they couldn’t have their daughter, they were willing to sacrifice everything to make her wishes come true. I’ve never seen such devotion. Because of that, I vowed to watch over Helena and keep their secret safe, even if it meant never telling the truth to her children.”
I shook my head, feeling like I was living a soap opera. It was all so surreal.
“I don’t know what to think about any of this. I only know that I have to get to Alex to make sure he’s okay. He will be okay, right Hale? I mean, he’s not at fault for anything.”
“Alex will be fine,” Justine assured. “There are still some things to sort out. Thomas Green said that there isn’t a case against me or Alex. However, we know there will be a lot of follow up questions for Hale. We don’t know what will happen, but there will be an investigation. Hale understands his role in all of it and the possible consequences.”
I didn’t want to think about the amount of trouble Hale might be in. I didn’t like the fact that he kept Alexander’s mother hidden for all of these years, but I understood it. He was only trying to protect the ones he loved. I could only hope that the justice system would show some leniency.
“Hale, I’m assuming Alex left with the car. I need to get back to the penthouse. Can you drive me?”
“Of course, Miss Cole.”
“Justine, don’t disappear again. When I talk to Ale
x, I’ll try to explain everything the best that I can, but he’s bound to have questions that I didn’t think to ask. If he does, you better be around to answer them.”
“I will. I promise. And Krystina, please be careful,” she warned.
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know what frame of mind Alex is in right now. I don’t want him to push you away, or worse. Be careful with him. You might be the only one who has a shot at helping him through this.”
31
krystina
When I got back to the penthouse, I found it empty. Alexander was nowhere to be found. I tried calling his cell, but it went straight to voicemail. The same thing happened when I dialed the direct line to his office at Stone Enterprise. I sent several text messages to him as well. All went unanswered.
Time ticked by, the eerie silence in the penthouse almost scary. It gave me too much time to think. I tried turning on the stereo, but music only seems to make it worse. I shut it off after only having it on for ten minutes.
As the hours passed, I managed to completely psych myself out. I kept thinking of Justine’s warnings about Alexander’s temper. In my heart, I knew Alexander wouldn’t hurt me. I wasn’t afraid for myself, but afraid for him. Too much about his recent behavior was unsettling.
There were times when he acted like his typical controlling and assuming self. There were also moments when he showed me love and tenderness. All of those things I had come to know and understand. I could even empathize with the pain he felt from his past. My concern was about how tightly wound he had been recently. I knew the emotional strain from his nightmares had already taken their toll on him, but it was more than that. It was his constant mention of who he really was inside, like he truly believed there was a cynical monster just waiting to come out.
I didn’t like it when he said things like that. If he was in that frame of mind, I didn’t know what to expect when he returned. This latest development had to have made things worse. I was strong minded and determined, but seeing him broken shattered me. I was terrified that I wouldn’t be able to put the pieces of him back together on my own. I didn’t know if I was strong enough.
Until I could get a grasp on the situation and his mental state, I thought it best that someone be with me while I awaited his return.
I picked up my cell and called Allyson. It rang five times before going to voicemail.
“Hey, it’s me,” I said. “Just wondering if you wanted to pop by for a bit. I could use some company. Call me when you get this.”
I ended the call and silence fell around me once more. Never before had I felt so alone, even though I wasn’t. Samuel was standing guard in the penthouse foyer. I wasn’t sure why he was there, as he always left once I was safely inside. I suspected that Hale told him to keep an eye on me. Whatever the reason was, I didn’t want him there. He was a stranger to me and I wanted the company of someone familiar.
By six o’clock that evening, I still hadn’t heard a word from Alexander. Pure panic began to set in, so I called Hale. As it turned out, he was just down one floor in his apartment. I asked him to come up.
When he got there, he sent Samuel away and we sat down at the dining room table. He told me he had spent the afternoon trying to discover Alexander’s whereabouts.
“What did you find?” I asked.
“Nothing. The GPS for his phone is off, so I can’t track him,” Hale said in a somber and regretful voice.
It was almost like Alexander didn’t want to be found. I drummed my fingers on the tabletop and stared at my cell phone that was set on the table in front of me.
Ring. Please ring.
Feeling desperate, I decided to call Matteo. Perhaps he might have been in touch with Alexander. I snatched up the phone and pulled up his contact information. I waited impatiently for him to answer. After the fourth ring, he finally picked up.
“Hi, Matt. It’s Krystina.”
“Hello, my dear! I didn’t expect to hear from you again so soon. What can I do for you?”
“Actually, I’m trying to locate Alex. Have you heard from him at all today?”
“No, I haven’t heard from him since we left the club last night. Is everything alright?”
“Actually, it’s not. I’m worried, Matt,” I said, trying hard to control the anguish from showing in my voice.
“I’m assuming you tried his cell?”
“I did. It’s off. He’s not answering at the office either,” I told him.
“What about Hale? He’s almost always with Alex.”
“Hale is with me. He can’t track Alex either. He turned off the location services for his phone.”
“Oh, that’s really strange. It’s unlike him to go off the grid like that. The only other time he did that was when…” Matteo trailed off and hesitated before speaking again. “What happened, Krystina?”
I blew out a frustrated breath. I didn’t know how to explain it to Matteo without telling him everything. Alexander might not like it.
Oh, fuck it.
Finding him was more important, not to mention the fact that everything would be all public knowledge soon enough. I quickly gave Matteo a brief rundown of what was going on. It was hard to explain it all without skipping too many important details, but I managed to get the gist of it to him in under five minutes.
“Shit. This isn’t good,” Matteo said when I finished.
“Don’t you think I know that? That’s why I have to find him. Do you have any idea where he might have gone?”
Matteo blew out a breath and was quiet for a moment, like he was trying to think.
“Actually, I think I have a pretty good idea.”
I clutched the phone in my hand, desperate to hear his suggestion.
“Where?” I asked in a rush.
“Have you looked at Club O?”
My stomach dropped.
“No, I haven’t looked there. Alex isn’t a member there anymore,” I replied, trying to keep the shakiness out of my voice.
“Go there, Krystina. I think you’ll find what you’re looking for.”
Surely Alexander would not have gone there.
Or would he?
The panic I was feeling multiplied tenfold. It was suffocating and I almost couldn’t breathe. Tears threatened and I forced myself to blink them back.
“I’ll try, Matt. Thanks.”
I ended the call and looked to Hale.
“What did Matteo say?” he asked.
“He said we should look at Club O.”
Hale’s eyes widened, as if he were comprehending something I didn’t fully understand. He didn’t say a word, but simply took his keys from his pocket and motioned for me to follow him. I didn’t ask where we were going.
I already knew.
The drive to Club O, while it only took twenty-five minutes, seemed to be impossibly long. When we finally arrived and I stepped up to the large double wooden doors, I held my breath. I never thought I’d step foot in this place again.
“Is it safe to assume that you’re not a member?” Hale asked.
I blinked, momentarily confused.
“What?”
“If you’re not a member, you won’t be able to get in by yourself. I’m on the list here as being security for Mr. Stone. I can get you in if you need me to.”
“Oh, of course,” I said nervously and shook my head. “No, I’m not a member.”
He nodded and opened the door for me. Once inside, we entered the main vestibule and Hale showed the doorman his credentials. After we were cleared, we continued on through, passed by the rock garden, waterfall, and marble statue of Venus. Goosebumps prickled at my nape as a feeling of déjà vu settled over me.
I struggled to relax, my nervous jitters heightening when the vestibule opened up to the cocktail lounge. The setting was just as I remembered it. People were milling about and chatting quietly. Some congregated near the expansive polished mahogany bar. Others relaxed casually on plush chaise lounges. I d
idn’t see Alexander anywhere.
“He’s not here,” I said to Hale.
Hale’s eyes continued to scan the room before coming to rest on me. He pressed his lips into a tight line.
“You’re right. He’s not.”
“He might be downstairs in the club,” I suggested.
“Perhaps. I’ll take you down and we can check there.”
I followed Hale down the long corridor that led to The Dungeon. The hallway split, revealing a wide staircase to my left. A chill raced down my spine as I looked up the stairs. Alexander had told me that the common room and some of the private suites were up there. My heart began to pound wildly. The first time I came here, I was naïve and inexperienced. Now I knew enough about the lifestyle to know exactly what went on up there. I couldn’t even begin to imagine the possibility of him being in any of those rooms. Watching. Or worse.
Please don’t let him me find him there.
I began to feel physically ill as I repeated the silent prayer over and over again. To whom I was praying to, I didn’t know, as I was fairly certain that no god ever set foot into this place. My stomach pitched and I shook my head to clear it. Refusing to believe that Alexander would do anything that remotely stupid, I continued to follow Hale until we reached the massive stone gargoyle with the words “The Dungeon” written above it.
Hale pushed open the door and motioned for me to go on ahead of him. The loud drum of house music bombarded my ears from all directions. As I began to descend the stairs, I paused. I didn’t know what I would find in the club, I only knew that if Alexander was down there, I would need to talk to him alone.
I turned around to look at Hale and tried to drum up enough courage to display a confidence that I didn’t really feel.
“Actually, I’ve got this. You don’t have to come with me,” I told him.
Set In Stone (The Stone Series Book 3) Page 24