You Can Always Go Home

by Rogers, Desiree

  “Look-“

  Jake shot out of his chair, “No, you look. Your job was simple. Figure out where he kept that stuff and get it. How hard was that?” he mocked, jeering at the stupid look on Morgan’s face.

  “How was I supposed to know that he had a box?” he crossed his arms, shrinking back into the chair.

  “If you had just waited, he would have told me.”

  Morgan shot out of his chair, shaking his fist, face twisted with anger. “Hey, that car was your idea!”

  Jake stood, his hand held up in a placating manner. “Let’s calm down. Let me get you a drink.” He walked over to the mahogany bar in the corner of his office, pouring a hefty splash of bourbon. He brought it back, a placating smile in place. Handing it off, he opened a heavy wooden chest on his desk, a row of expensive cigars lined up, the rich scent of tobacco and spices wafting up.

  “Here, have one.” He ushered for Morgan to step forward, an amiable smile in place.

  Morgan reached in, arrogant and sure of his prowess. Jake scowled, slamming the lid down on Morgan’s fingers. The sickening sound of wood crushing flesh sounded throughout the room.

  “What the fuck!” Morgan yelped, trying to pull his fingers from the box.

  “Don’t you ever, think you’re someone! I’m the only reason you’re here you fuckin’ hood rat!” Jake moved fast, reaching across his desk to snatch him up, face red, “You’re an idiot. You were supposed to wait for the signal!” he wanted to throttle this little boy, daring to intimidate him. He threw him back into the chair.

  Morgan threw his hands up, body shaking as he straightened his suit. “Look calm down.”

  “You calm down. The FBI is still interested and until I know where the documents are, no one is safe.” Jake ran a hand through his hair, the trapped feeling an unpleasant sensation. He should have had better people working with him. Leaving things to this moron had proven to be the worst decision he’d ever made.

  “Why don’t you try Alexina? She might be more helpful to you. She do trust you, you being a friend of Donald and all.” Morgan shrugged, his mouth twisted in a defiant, angry sneer.

  Jake scoffed at his illiterate speech, stomping back to his chair. Slamming himself into his chair, he took a moment to think about it. “You might be right.”

  ~***~

  God it was hot! She peeled the shirt off her back, trying to cool herself. One of the many things she did not miss about Virginia; the hot, sticky weather that always left her feeling as if she were suffocating in scalding, clammy wool. Traffic was another thing, grumbling under her breath as the cab they were in moved another inch on the backed up Interstate 95 North. She would be the only one to pick a cab with a driver that did not believe in air conditioning or bathing. She tried to hold her breath as a stale humid breeze drifted through the open windows, the sticky smell of sweaty armpits circling around her.

  The seat squeaked beside her and Alexina looked over, disgruntled to see Luciano’s eyes closed, seemingly content with the weather. A snort of disgust and she glanced away, repulsed at his ability to adapt to anything. She never should have let him talk her into this. This was the worst thing she had ever done and as soon as they got to the bank, she was heading back to the hotel.

  Her hand clenched on the seat convulsively, agitated by the prospect of opening the damn box. What the hell was in it and why did everyone, including Luc, think it was so important? She was more than willing to just let the damn box sit there; collecting dust and the monthly rent she paid to keep it up.

  “You know, it’s going to be okay.” His hand slid over and covered hers; somehow cool despite all the heat.

  Alexina snatched it way, refusing to let his touch bring her the comfort she sensed in the soft stroking and gentle touch. “How would you know?”

  He gave a sigh, as if he were drawing on a deep well of patience. “Lexi, how can you be so ornery with the weather like this?” He peered over at her, one eye cracked, the other firmly shut.

  “How can you be so laid back when it feels like we’re being steamed alive?” Alexina snapped.

  He chuckled, his one eye closing, “The angrier you are, the hotter you are going to get.”

  She wanted to stick her tongue out at him, but since her tongue was sticking to the roof of her mouth, she decided it was more prudent to ignore him; she glared out of the window, a feeling of dread tightening her skin. What was she doing back here? The day she had left, she promised to leave it all behind and never look back.

  Luciano’s hand caressed her face, the touch gentle and sympathetic, blanking her mind save for the exquisite sensation of his touch on her skin. She leaned into it, letting him sooth her a little.

  “Lexi, I’m right here if you need me. Everything’s going to be okay.”

  She nodded, pulling away from his hand, her attention back on the road “I just...I’m worried.” More than that, she was petrified.

  “I know you’re going to be okay.”

  They pulled into the parking lot of the Union Trust and Credit Bank and stepped out. Despite the heat, a chill spread through Alexina’s body. She moved, about to turn around and run, but Luciano caught her, both hands on her shoulders.

  “Come on. Let’s go.” He put her hand in the crook of his arm and tugged her inside. The cool air of the bank felt good on her skin, wicking the sweat away. The manager led them into a windowless room. At one of the tables, the box was waiting for her. Sitting down, Alexina stared at the box, her breathing cycling between short choppy breaths and long labored huffs. She was not ready for this. What if there was something in there that she did not want to see? The lines of the box started to blur and she had to blink to clear her vision. Her hand reached out and it shocked her to see that it was shaking. She pulled back, her bottom lip drawn between her teeth.

  Luc’s hand touched her back and against her will, her body instantly relaxed. She took a deep breath, steadying herself before reaching out and flipping the latch on the box. The hinges creaked as she lifted the lid slowly. Peering inside, what she saw left her confused and frightened. There was a small black flash drive and an ominous red journal, pristine in its appearance. She cast a quick glance at Luciano, before staring back at the box.

  “I...I don’t understand.”

  “I think...we may need to take this back to the hotel.” Tight lines on his face had Alexina’s pulse racing.

  “Oh...uh okay.” Right now, she didn’t know what to think and any suggestion was a good one.

  They gathered everything and left. The ride back was silent, Luciano giving her the space that she desperately needed. She bounced her knees, tension making her skin clammy, nerves all over the place. The book was like a heavy boulder in her lap, the flash drive burning her leg through the linen pants. What was this all about? A sense of dread zipped up her spine.

  “How do you plan on viewing what’s on the flash drive?” They walked up the steps of their luxuriant hotel, the doorman nodding in acknowledgement as they walked in.

  That stopped her dead in her tracks. She’d completely forgotten that she didn’t have a computer. “I don’t know. I hadn’t exactly planned for this.” A wry grin spread across her face. She really didn’t want to wait until they got back to Texas to see what was on it, but what other options did she have?

  “What about your father? I’m sure he has a computer at home.” Luciano pressed the button for the elevator, avoiding her gaze.

  “No!” her voice louder than she’d intended, Alexina looked around; making sure no one was looking their way.

  Luciano rounded on her, a grim look to his face, aging it before her eyes. “Lexi-”

  She backed away, her hands in front of her. “No, I’m not asking him for anything.” She was not going to put herself out there, just so her father could let her down again. He still hadn’t called her and it had been a week and half. That was proof enough for her.

  He tugged her into the elevator, waiting for the doors to close before
he started, “Lexi, you have to fix this. He is you father and no matter what, he loves you. Besides, you really want to wait until we get back to Texas to see what’s on there?”

  It grated on her nerves, but he was right. She hated that. Dread for what would happen when she did see her father again had her stepping back from the idea of going to him. Just the thought of having to deal with issue between them had her sparse lunch threatening to come back up.

  “I’ll think about it.” She stepped off, turning to her right and heading down the long corridor to her room.

  “Lexi-”

  “Luc, just...don’t, okay? I don’t need you pushing me. I said I would think about it.” Key in hand, she opened the door to her room and stepped in. Gaze averted, she kept her hand on the door, “I need to be alone.” She closed the door firmly.

  Walking past the plush queen size bed, she moved to a large comfy armchair by the window and sat down. The unmistakable scrawl of Donald’s handwriting jumped out at her as she opened the large red journal and her eyes closed on their own volition to the pain that flashed in her heart. A brief moment and she opened them back up, focusing on the first line:

  I think that Mr. C is laundering money for the Mathusa family. They are a local crime family with their fingers in everything. I saw the son, Kevin, in Mr. C’s office and they looked close. I can’t prove anything yet, but I’m going to keep track of things just in case. I hope I am wrong, because if I’m not, this is going to get bad, very fast.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Luciano was staring out the window when he heard the knock at his door. He’d been thinking about Alexina and where things were going between them. The need for her was so bad, like an itch he couldn’t reach. He didn’t know when the right time would be to tell her how he felt, but it had to be soon. The need was bubbling up, threatening to choke him at times.

  He swung the door open, surprised to see Alexina there, her eyes troubled, fingers twisting in front of her.

  “What’s wrong?” He held out a hand, ushering her into his room. He tried to remember if he’d picked up his dirty clothes from the floor.

  She stepped in, whirling to face him, her eyes huge and anxious. “Luc...I think...I think this may be bigger than I thought.”

  “Okay...what do you mean?” From the way she turned and started pacing, he had an inkling that it was not going to be good.

  “The book Donald left; it’s a journal of things that happened at work. He found out that Mr. C was laundering money for a local crime family.”

  “What? Wait...I don’t understand. What exactly do you mean laundering?”

  “I don’t know. In the journal, Donald talked about how Mr. C is taking the money from the families through the different corporations and then when the bank takes it, he withdraws different money and then gives it back to them. Donald said that it happened on a regular basis and that he found it by reviewing some cash transactions that were weird. He wrote in the journal that he had records and books to prove it.”

  The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and his pulse started to race. What had her husband gotten her into?

  “He wrote down dates, account numbers and names. Oh god!” She pressed her palm to her forehead, her eyes closed “Luc, what is going on?” she paced, biting at a nail, drawing blood from chewing too far. She stopped to face him, her eyes huge, fear beginning to form. “What am I supposed to do with this?” there were tears glistening in her eyes and her voice was louder now, the pitch verging on hysterical. She started pacing again. “I mean, Donald thought that someone was trying to kill him Luc!”

  “Lexi, stop.” He grabbed her forearms, stopping her in her tracks. Luc tipped her chin up, forcing her to look into his eyes. “Just take a deep breath and let’s think about this.”

  She took a shuttering breath, but he could see that it hadn’t done anything for her; she was still on the verge of going postal. He led to the couch and pushed her down onto it, sinking into it beside her. He wrapped an arm around her, holding her close to his body.

  “Look, is there anything in the book that might be helpful? I mean, did he mention a name of someone he trusted?”

  Her brow creased in thought, “He did mention Jake. They were supposed to be working on this thing together.”

  “Well, then we’ll call him and see what he thinks.”

  She wrinkled her nose at the idea, “I don’t know. I don’t really feel comfortable around Jake. He’s always looking at me...weird.”

  Luc felt his body tense at her words and it took some effort to push it back. “But Donald thought he could be trusted, so it’s a place to start. Now, was there anything weird about the way Donald died?” he’d never heard the whole story, just something about an accident.

  Alexina took a deep breath, “It’s all kinda sketchy. All that I really know is from the police report and Jake. He...he was going to meet up with Jake... for some work thing, when he got side swiped by a speeding car as he was stepping out of his car. He died before the paramedics arrived.”

  “Jake was there?” That did not sit well with him. Something about the scenario was making him nervous.

  “Yeah, he and several witnesses that were there gave a description of the car and everything. They’re still looking for it.” She sniffled, burrowing her head into his chest. “I’m scared.” There was a tremor in her voice and her body shook with it.

  Damn, that had him. He’d never known her to be scared of anything, running through life as if nothing was going to happen to her. Now, in the span of a few hours, all that had changed. He held her close, hoping that his touch conveyed that he was there for her. “Well, I think you are going to have to go to your father and see what he thinks.”

  He gripped her tighter when she started to pull away, her body stiff with protest, “You at least need to use his computer to check the flash drive, see if there is anything else you need to know. I’ll be right there.”

  She seemed to sag into him at that, her body less stiff. “Thank you.” She whispered, her hand splayed across his chest, resting over his heart.

  ~***~

  They arrived at her father’s house at nine that evening, Alexina’s heart thudding in her chest. She’d tried to call her father earlier to let him know that she was coming, but no one had answered. She pushed the doorbell, the sound echoing through the house.

  “I can’t believe you talked me into this.” She groused, mouth twisted in annoyance

  “You know I’m right.” She sensed that he was about to touch her and she whirled to face him, angry that he thought that was all it was going to take.

  “You know, you pushing me all the time is going to backfire on you.” She pointed her finger at him, something bubbling up in her throat.

  They both turned as the door opened, Sharise standing there, surprise written across her face. “Hi Alexina. I didn’t know you were in town.”

  “I tried to call, but...” it hurt to look at her, none of the anger showing she’d thought would still be there and she had to glance away, eyes trained on a juniper bush by the door.

  “Well, come on in.” Sharise ushered them inside, smile never faltering, coming to stand in front of them.

  She led them through the foyer to the great room at the back of the house. They’d redecorated, Alexina noted, taking in the plush cream-colored chenille couches and heavy antique wood furniture. Her father was sitting in a wingback chair; French doors framed with blue silk behind him, a snifter of brandy in his hands. At the sound of people, he turned to look, standing when he saw her.

  “Lexi, what are you doing here?”

  Alexina steeled herself against the flare of hope in his eyes, “I need to use your computer.” She turned and headed back to office. Steps heavy, echoing through the house, her father followed behind her.

  “Wait a minute. I think we need to talk.”

  She was already in the office, sitting at his desk. “You want to talk now? You haven’t called me in t
wo weeks and now you want to talk?” the urge to weep at the wounded look in her father’s eyes nearly drove her from the leather office chair she’d just sat in. She yanked her eyes away from her father’s crestfallen face, eager to do what she’d come to do and leave.

  “That’s not fair.” He spoke quietly, breaking the silence that had fallen.

  She plugged in the flash drive, waiting for it to pop up on the screen. “I’m not in the mood.” She clicked on the icon for the drive, but nothing popped up except for a blank screen and a password box.

  “Damn!” what the hell was she supposed to do now? Luc came in to stare over her shoulder.

  “Looks like its encrypted.” He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and put in his mouth, letting it dangle like a toothpick. “Did he mention anything about it?”

  “I don’t know...I haven’t read the whole thing.” God, what a mess this was turning in to. She ran a hand through her hair, mussing the curls.

  “Someone needs to tell me what’s going on right now!” her father bellowed, eyes blazing with tension.

  Alexina stood, her fingers tingling. “That box Donald left me, it had some information about his company embezzling and laundering money for the mob.” Walking towards the door, she moved to brush past him, intent on leaving. She would just have to wait till she got back to Texas to see what was going on because she was done here.

  Before she could make it out the study door, her father grabbed her, face fierce as he stared at her. “What?”

  “He thought someone was trying to kill him so he hid all the information in that box.”

  His face blanched and it took him several attempts to say anything. “My god! Have you told the authorities?”

  She yanked her arm from her father’s grip. “No. I’m heading back to Texas and I’ll figure it out from there.” As she tried to move past him again, he stepped in front of her, hands up in surrender.

  “Don’t go yet.”

  “Why not? So I can stay here and let you ignore me again?” if she didn’t get away now, she was going to burst into tears. Everything was still raw and she hadn’t had a chance to deal with it yet. Just a minute or two to get things under control was all she needed.