Alex was tall and lean, so was likely a former dancer. That would fit with his role. He had a narrow face and close-set eyes. He didn’t have a friendly look, but Caleb shook his hand anyway, taking note of the tight, slightly aggressive grip.
“Good of you to get around to introducing me,” Alex said sharply.
Caleb didn’t miss the hostility and wondered what that was about.
“Alex runs the dance troupe,” Livi said. “I only instruct. I believe that he is your client, so I’ll let you get acquainted.” Then she turned and left, with Elena beside her.
The tension between Livi and her boss had Caleb’s attention. He intended to ask about that, even though it was none of his business. Yet looking out for a friend was always his business.
Alex wasn’t inclined to chat. He shifted from one foot to the other, then glanced around the stage. “Your company has a good reputation. I trust you will tend to your duties this evening.” Then he strode away, as if an urgent task awaited.
Caleb’s take on Alex was that he was an anxiety-ridden ass. Livi worked for him and had to deal with his passive-aggressive behavior. Although Caleb was on site to deal with outside threats, he’d keep his eye on that dude. He didn’t trust him, and his instincts about people had proven to be correct on many occasions.
The stage was getting busy and the performance was going to begin, so Caleb left to take his position. He spoke into his earpiece to be sure his teammates were in place, then he went to take a seat in the audience.
The theater buzzed with excitement as the seats gradually filled up. After a short delay, the ballet was announced, then the curtain went up. Caleb could tell that the audience was enthralled.
Caleb hadn’t seen many ballet performances, but he admired the athletic ability. The leaps and bends the ballerinas executed flawlessly seemed impossible. Yet the grace and fluidity were a beauty to behold. The costumes were colorful, and the show was a series of stories told through the dance medium.
The set was elaborate, and Caleb was impressed with what could be constructed on a stage to enhance the performance, making it seem like a play as much as a dance. A colorful boat suspended from the ceiling carried dancers across the back of the stage, as though they traversed the sea. Later, a different backdrop lowered, making it look like nighttime with a full moon.
All the while, Caleb kept his eye on the audience. He sat in the balcony, looking like any other attendee. Yet the delicate, frilly outfits the dancers wore and the spellbinding performance didn’t distract him from his duties. The first act was over, and intermission followed.
Caleb mingled and watched the crowd, while drinking a soda before the curtain came up again. He spoke to each team member, and all seemed well. That was to be expected. Crisis incidents weren’t commonplace, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t vital to stay alert.
The ballet seemed like an unlikely event for trouble. The attendees smiled and chatted, focused on the art they came to see. Yet a ballerina could be stalked by a fan or harassed by a competitor. Then there were the crazies who were a danger without having any logical motive.
At any event with a large crowd, it was best to err on the side of caution and to have plenty of security. Alex was wise to ensure protection for his dance troupe and the performance. As artistic director, he was responsible for their welfare.
The second act went smoothly. The high spirits of the dancers infected the audience, and those in attendance were inspired. At the conclusion, the performers received a standing ovation. Caleb thought that was well deserved, even with as little as he knew about ballet.
The lights went up and the audience began to filter out. His team would stay close until the public had vacated the theater. Yet it had been a calm evening from a security viewpoint. The ushers had more activity to handle than any of the security or protection crews.
That suited Caleb just fine. A successful assignment was one where no harm came to anyone. He much preferred an uneventful evening than having to deal with threats or attacks. He could handle those, but the chances of a civilian getting injured went up in those circumstances.
Caleb gave instructions to his team then went toward the stage. He should leave with his team, but he wanted to congratulate Livi—and see her once more. The noise backstage was mainly the crew taking down sets and retrieving props.
The dancers were probably in their dressing rooms. Caleb heard clanging and banging as the crew cleared the area, along with the stage manager directing the process. Then he heard Livi’s voice and looked up to see her on the catwalk at the very back of the stage area. The walkway was about twenty feet high with no railings—not a great setup, yet it was a common structure backstage.
“This is not the place to talk about this,” Livi said. Her voice was shrill and loud enough for Caleb to hear the conversation.
Alex faced Livi. “You forget…you work for me!”
Caleb headed for the catwalk, intent on breaking up the argument. It might not be his place to interfere with business, but he was dammed if he was going to let Alex intimidate a woman.
Livi waved her hand, but Caleb missed what she said.
Alex shouted, “Bitch!” Then he shoved Livi.
In that instant, Caleb couldn’t tell how hard Alex pushed her, or whether he’d meant for her to lose her balance. But Livi stumbled then fell off the catwalk. She launched into the air, and Caleb sprinted for her—but he was too far away.
Like a graceful ballerina, Livi arched her back then reached for a heavy curtain. She managed to grab it with both hands. A split second longer and she would have hit the stage with full impact. The curtain slowed her fall, although she still thumped to the floor.
Caleb was on his knees beside her, but Livi’s eyes were closed. Alex stood twenty feet above, and Caleb shot him a murderous look. He wanted to race up to the catwalk and pound the guy into the ground. But that would have to wait. Livi was his top priority.
Caleb shouted into his earpiece, “Ambulance, stat! Injury backstage.”
Livi had hit her head, but there was no blood. Caleb didn’t know how severe the injury was. Within seconds, theater security was on the scene, followed by the police officer who had been posted at the event entrance.
“What happened?” the officer said.
“Goddam idiot pushed her off.” Caleb pointed to the catwalk, but Alex was nowhere in sight. “I saw him do it.”
Livi’s eyelids fluttered.
“Speak to me, honey,” Caleb said. “Can you open your eyes?”
Livi groaned but didn’t open her eyes. She was alive, and that was the most important thing. “Hang in there…the ambulance is on the way. I’m here with you.” Caleb hoped she heard him. He didn’t dare lift her or move her neck—not with a head injury—so he held her hand until the medics arrived.
*****
Caleb sat in the ambulance next to Livi. The drivers had asked if he was family, but he’d flashed them his gold-embossed business card and ID. “I’m security.” They let him ride along.
Elena had been distraught when she realized what had happened. Caleb had told her to go home and keep her phone handy. Elena was reluctant and wanted to go with him. But when Caleb told her that with a head injury, Livi would need some recovery time before having visitors, she acquiesced.
Much to Caleb’s relief, Livi’s eyes had fluttered open before the ambulance arrived. He’d made sure that she didn’t try to move until she could be properly transported. She’d cooperated, although she didn’t speak. Caleb encouraged her not to try talking, just stay calm until help arrived.
Sirens blared as the ambulance sped toward the emergency room. Caleb held Livi’s hand, while one of the paramedics monitored her. She was wrapped in blankets with her head immobilized. “I’m scared.”
“I’m right beside you,” Caleb said. “You took a nasty fall.” It wasn’t uncommon for a head injury to cause temporary loss of memory.
“I don’t…remember what happened.” Li
vi and licked her dry lips.
“It will come back to you,” Caleb said. “Don’t worry about that now. Take slow, easy breaths. I’ll be right here beside you.”
At the hospital, Caleb did what he could to make the process smooth for Livi. She didn’t wait long before she was swept down the corridor. Once Caleb described how the head injury had occurred, the doctor ordered a CT scan.
The nurses rolled Livi’s bed down the hallway, leaving Caleb to wait. That was the hard part, waiting without knowing how bad it was. It was good that there had been no visible bleeding, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t internal bleeding.
After pacing the carpet, worrying, Caleb called Hawke to let him know the status. The team would have reported the incident, so he wanted to update his boss. His primary focus was Livi and doing all he could for her. But Alex was in his sights now, and he didn’t plan to look the other way.
Caleb described how the fall had happened, and Hawke was pissed. “That asshole—our client, no less—shoved a woman off a platform?”
“I was a witness to it,” Caleb said, “and he’s not going to get away with it. He’s not our client any longer.”
Hawke ended the call to get started on a background workup. Whatever Alexei Baranov’s deal was, the team would find out. Usually, the violent type had a history. The guy had probably harmed women before.
For another hour, Caleb waited for Livi. He wondered what they were doing back there, and was about to barge through the door to find out when a nurse came out. “Are you Caleb?”
“How is she?”
“Livi would like to see you,” the nurse said. “The doctor is with her now.”
Caleb followed her to a treatment room, where Livi reclined on the examination table. She looked pale, but a heck of a lot better than she had in the ambulance. He stood by her side and took her hand.
“You have a concussion,” the doctor said. “There is no fracture or internal bleeding, so you are very fortunate.”
Fortunate my ass. If Livi hadn’t been strong and flexible enough to grab the curtain and break her fall, she’d be dead.
“I could keep you overnight, but that isn’t necessary…if you follow my medical advice.”
“I’ll stay with her and give her anything she needs,” Caleb said.
Livi squeezed his hand, then said to the doctor, “Of course I’ll follow your instructions. How soon will I recover?”
“A traumatic brain injury changes how the brain works, so various symptoms may show up,” the doctor said. “You may notice mood changes, have blurry vision, or experience balance issues. It’s all listed on your instruction sheet. If any symptom becomes severe, contact your doctor immediately. It usually takes a couple of weeks for symptoms to abate, but that can vary.”
A nurse stepped inside and said to the doctor, “There is a police officer in the lobby. He wants to speak to your patient.”
“It’s your choice whether you wish to talk with the police,” the doctor said to Livi. “Do you feel up to it?”
“I’m pretty weak, and what happened is a bit hazy,” Livi said. “It’s probably better if I make a report tomorrow.”
The nurse nodded. “I’ll tell the officer that the doctor hasn’t released you yet, so he should call to make an appointment with you.”
When the doctor left, an orderly came to take Livi out of the hospital in a wheelchair. When she balked, he said, “Standard procedure.”
Caleb had called for a ride, so a taxi waited at the curb. He helped Livi into the back seat and went around to get in beside her. She reached for his hand, then the driver pulled out to take her home. Caleb sent a text to Elena about Livi’s condition and suggested she call in the morning.
“I’m staying with you,” Caleb said.
“You don’t have to.” Livi squeezed his hand. “I appreciate all you’ve done tonight, but you don’t need to babysit me.”
“I beg to differ,” Caleb said. “For the brain to heal, you need rest. You need to take it easy.”
“I didn’t know you had medical training,” Livi said with a smile.
“I don’t, but I saw plenty of action during my military career. It’s not my first encounter with a concussion.”
“I’ll just sleep.”
“Let me be perfectly clear,” Caleb said. “I’m not leaving you alone. If you don’t develop other symptoms, I’ll tuck you into bed myself. But I’m keeping an eye on you, and that’s final.”
“Bossy.”
It was good to see Livi feeling better. Her smiles melted his heart, and Caleb vowed to keep danger away from her—if it was the last thing he did.
At Livi’s condo, Caleb paid the cab driver then helped her out. He supported her weight and guided her to the door. Another fall wouldn’t do. He wanted to get her inside and safe. But dammed if it didn’t feel good to have his arm around her.
Once inside, Caleb took her to the sofa and made her comfortable. “What can I get you?”
“I’m thirsty. Would you bring me a glass of tea?” Livi said. “There is a pitcher in the refrigerator. And I think I have a beer in there, if you want it.”
“Tea will be fine.” Caleb got the drinks and returned.
Livi’s condo was nice, very feminine. No guy would choose the pale gray with white trim, but it suited her. “Nice place you have here,” Caleb said.
“I like it.” Livi took a sip of tea. “Now that Julie is off to college, I don’t need a big house.”
Caleb’s phone vibrated. “I have to take this. It’s my boss.” He stepped into the hall to answer. “Hawke, what’s up?”
“I found out something you should know,” Hawke said. “I spoke to Lonnie.”
Lonnie was Ryker’s cousin, and a cop. He had assisted the team over the years. Plus, he’d lived in Philly all his life, and he had connections.
“What did he say?”
“It seems that Alex Baranov spoke to the police,” Hawke said.
Caleb could hear this one coming. “Let me guess…he denies the whole thing.” Abusers usually did. It was always an accident, or the other person’s fault.
“Yep, claims it didn’t happen the way you thought,” Hawke said. “Livi tripped, so he tried to grab her…but couldn’t reach her in time.”
“That’s a lie,” Caleb said. “I don’t have any problem with my eyesight, and I saw the dude shove her.”
“What does Livi say?”
“I’m about to find out,” Caleb said. “I just got her home, and her memory of the incident was a bit hazy earlier. I’m hoping she’ll remember once she recovers a bit.”
Caleb returned to the living room and sat across from Livi.
“That was about tonight, wasn’t it?”
“Yep, it was,” Caleb said. “What do you remember about the fall?”
“It’s coming back to me,” Livi said. “I was stunned when I regained consciousness. But at the hospital, my memory of those few minutes began to return.”
Caleb let her talk.
“After the performance, Alex motioned for me to come up on the catwalk,” Livi said. “He’d been up there, giving directions to the lighting crew during the final dance number.”
“Dangerous place to stand.”
“Yes, the lighting crew wear fall-arrest gear, since there are minimal railings,” Livi said. “I assumed that Alex didn’t plan to be up there long. But he was still there when the curtain went down.”
“So you went to get him?”
“No, I wouldn’t have,” Livi said. “Alex called me up. I thought it was important if he needed me up there, maybe an issue we needed to address.”
Caleb was beginning to get the picture.
“Alex wanted to speak privately,” Livi said. “I suppose twenty feet up is as private as you get. But when I got there we argued. He got aggressive, and before I could react, he pushed me.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that, because Alex denies it.”
Livi shook her head. “
I’m not surprised.” She sighed and leaned her head against the sofa. “Alex has behaved in ways I disagree with. But I never dreamed that he would be violent.”
“And now?”
Livi hesitated then said, “He’s a threat to my safety.”
“You need to press charges.”
“I don’t know,” Livi said, shaking her head.
“He could have killed you tonight.”
“But you don’t understand,” Livi said. “You don’t know anything about the conflict between us.”
“Tell me, then.”
Livi relayed the highlights of the brutal methods Alex used with the ballerinas. She shared her goal of intending to take control of the academy. “I fear that pressing charges will inflame the situation. It will antagonize him and incite more violence.”
“If you had died from that fall, Alex would be charged with manslaughter.”
“Pressing charges isn’t necessarily the right thing to do,” Livi said. “And no one will believe me. Or if they do, no action will be taken against Alex.”
“What makes you believe that?”
“There have been reports that Alex beats his wife…and other allegations of his behavior as artistic director,” Livi said. “But the board of directors doesn’t do anything. He goes about his business without having to answer for his behavior.”
Caleb understood how it worked in some civilian sectors. The positions of control were held by men, and they had each other’s back. That was reprehensible. He’d spent his career protecting the innocent from bullies.
“Don’t let Alex off the hook,” Caleb said. “Tomorrow, I’ll go with you to the police station to press charges. Close protection is my specialty. I’ll keep you safe.”
Caleb had dealt with the type before. Alex was explosive and prone to violence, but only in the heat of the moment. Premediated murder wasn’t his style. That meant that all Caleb had to do was stay close to Livi and ensure Alex kept his distance—until he was removed from his position as artistic director.
Caleb Page 4