Ari reached in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. “Here’s a couple hundred dollars to help you on your way. I see you don’t have the pretty luggage you brought to New York.”
“I can’t take this, Ari. I’ve got money left from the time I worked. You’ve done so much for me already,” Angelica said as she tried to hand the money back to him.
“When was the last time you worked, Angelica? You may need it for an emergency. You can repay me later.” Ari smiled.
“Thank you,” Angelica said and kissed Ari again.
“Okay, here are the papers for the car and an atlas should you need help navigating,” Nick said. “It was a pleasure meeting you, but we really must go.”
“Thank you,” Angelica said and got in the car. Nick and Ari got into the other car and Angelica followed them to the New Jersey Turnpike. Angelica waved when they turned off, crying softly as she headed away from the bright lights of New York.
37
Several fire trucks had trampled the grounds. The firefighters were able to contain the fire to a relatively small area, considering the size of the grounds and the amount of foliage surrounding the house.
“What happened?” Santiago screamed as he jumped from the car and pounced at the guard.
“The lady came out screaming that there was a fire, and when I went to investigate, the shrubbery was burning pretty good.”
“Where is Angelica? Did she go back into the house?”
“I told her to stand on the sidewalk while I contacted the fire department. I tried to see if I could put the fire out myself, but the blaze was going pretty good. In less than five minutes, the fire trucks were here, though. The lady may have gone back into the house.”
“Freakin’ fire trucks! Those firemen are going to pay to have this place landscaped. Look at that, Sammy. Look at the freakin’ mess they made! I don’t care if they were coming to put out a fire, they should have used the damn driveway instead of crushing my blooms and leaving tire tracks all over the place.”
“I’ll take care of it, boss,” Dom said. “I’ve got a friend that works with the union. We’ll get it straightened out.”
“Do that. Now I want to be alone for the rest of the day.” Santiago went into the house, leaving Sammy and Dominic to their own devices. Dominic and Sammy walked to Dom’s car that sat in one of the four garages that was attached to the house and then drove off.
Santiago went to Angelica’s room. Not finding her there, he went to the rec room, the scene of their last sexual encounter. Skipping down the stairs two at a time left him out of breath, but not seeing Angelica in the room caused his adrenaline to flow at a rapid rate. He peeked into the indoor basketball court, but no luck. The house was big; she must have wandered to a corner where he had not yet looked.
Anger rose in Santiago’s bowels as he rushed from one room to another. He thought maybe Angelica had walked to one of the other houses in the neighborhood. It was at that moment Santiago began to see the light. How did the fire begin? No one said how the fire started. He knew; Angelica staged the fire in order to get away. But she couldn’t have done it all by herself.
Santiago hit the wall with his fists. “No one screws me over and gets away with it,” he hissed out loud. “She wouldn’t go back to Queens, but the doorman has to know where she went.”
Anger turned to rage. Santiago picked up his cell phone and immediately dialed Sammy.
“Sammy, you and Dom come pick me up. We have a job to do. Now!”
Santiago slammed the phone shut and knocked over a lamp and the contents that sat on a nearby end table to the floor. “Somebody’s gonna pay!”
More than a month had passed since Angelica sat behind the wheel of a car. After fifteen minutes and a steady dose of jazz flowing through the radio, she felt reacquainted with driving and sailed down the road.
Angelica shook her head as she thought about the last image she had of Ari. What a handsome guy. She regretted that their time together was so short because she was having more than “feelings” for him. Ari showed her how much a man could care for a woman—something she didn’t know much about. What made her shiver was the thought that he had been there for her, even when she didn’t deserve it. She owed him so much.
She moved effortlessly down the turnpike, her mind somewhat at ease. The taste of freedom did wonders for her psyche, and she whispered a short prayer, thanking God for her release. What she didn’t have was a plan once she returned to Fayetteville, and the thought of calling Margo was out of the question for now.
Although it was spring and it would be light outside longer, there was no way she was going to drive straight to Fayetteville. Angelica picked up her cell and dialed.
“Thompson, Smart and Fisher,” the voice at the end of the line said.
“May I speak with Edward Thompson, please?”
“One moment, please,” the voice replied.
“Edward Thompson.”
“Hey, big brother.”
“Hey, Sis, I’m sorry I haven’t called you with more information.”
“That’s okay. Guess where I am?”
“New York?”
“No, Edward. I’m heading your way. I may need somewhere to sleep tonight, and then I’m going to Fayetteville.”
“Sure, Sis, but how are you getting here?”
“I rented a car, for goodness sake. You’re a brilliant attorney. That should have been an easy one for you.”
“You know what I mean, Angelica. You didn’t have a car, you were upset about Hamilton, and sometimes I don’t know what’s up with you.”
“Edward, I’m going to tell you something that I’ve kept hidden from you. You’re not going to like it, but I had no other choice at the time.”
“Well, spit it out. Nothing surprises me when it comes to you.”
“Edward, I was staying with Santiago.”
“Say what? Santiago? How in the hell did that happen?”
Angelica sighed. “I ran into him at a nightclub. He all but threatened me to come stay with him.”
“I knew you sounded strange when I spoke to you a couple of days ago.”
“Edward, I was afraid of him. He wasn’t physically abusive in any way, but mentally, yes. I even had the nerve to think that he may have had something to do with Hamilton’s murder, but I know that’s far-fetched.”
“It really isn’t far-fetched, Angelica. Another inmate did the killing, but my sources believe it was a hit with orders that came from outside of Central Prison. Do you know what that means, Angelica?”
“I’m in danger?”
“Hell yes, little sister. Santiago isn’t going to let you get away this time.”
“But we don’t know that he did it or that he even knows Hamilton is dead.”
“I’m betting Santiago knew long before you knew. How much longer until you get to D.C.?”
“I’ve only been driving about two hours—another two hours, I think.”
“You’re going to stay with me tonight. We’ll turn the car in tomorrow, and I’ll drive you down to Fayetteville. That way, I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe. We’ll have to get a hotel since your condo is rented. I’ll see if I can find out the date and time of Hamilton’s funeral.”
“You know they say, death comes in threes—first Donna, then Hamilton—who’s next?”
“Look, I’ve gotta go. Drive safe and give me a call when you get to D.C. We’ll hook up then.”
“Thanks, Edward. I feel much better since I’ve talked with you.”
“Okay, Sis. Talk with you later.”
Angelica flipped the lid on her phone. Just when she felt safe, Edward gave her reason to feel insecure. She looked into every car that passed by, hoping that the evil she left behind hadn’t caught up with her. Nerves shook her self-confidence, but she gasped as the steering wheel began to shake and the car felt strange as it rolled over the asphalt.
She took her foot off the accelerator and moved over in the right lane
and then onto the shoulder. When she was able, she got out of the car, walked around it, and discovered the culprit—a flat tire.
Angelica grabbed her head. “Why me, Lord?” She was out on Interstate-95 without a credit card or AAA. She had enough money to fix it plus the two hundred dollars Ari gave her. She lowered her head.
She went back to the car and got her cell phone. She hated to call Edward again, but she had no choice. As she was about to dial his number, a red pick-up truck pulled off the highway. Angelica froze still with thoughts of Santiago in the back of her mind.
A middle-aged white man with two front teeth missing jumped from the truck. Angelica stood there, not sure if this man was going to rob her and take her car. Before she had a chance to assess him further, he stood in her space wearing a crooked smile.
“Ma’am, you need some help? Saw you off to the side of the road.”
“Well, yes,” Angelica said, sizing the man up. He seemed harmless. “I’ve got a flat tire, and I don’t have Triple-A.”
“Shoot, it may take Triple-A three or four hours, before they get here. If you have a jack and a spare, I’ll change your tire for you. Won’t take long at all.”
“Listen, I don’t know what I have because this is a rental vehicle. I’m trying to get to….” Angelica hesitated. She didn’t know this man from Adam. He could be working for Santiago—well, even though she doubted it, she wasn’t going to give him any more information than was necessary.
“Look, I’ll get my jack out of my truck. Check the trunk to see if there’s a spare, and if there is, I’ll have you back on the road in no time.”
Lucky for Angelica, there was a spare in the trunk of the car. She was racing against time, and if the man with no teeth was willing to help her get to where she was going, so be it.
“What’s your name?” Angelica asked.
“Larry, Ma’am. I promise I’ll have you up and running in no time. You’re mighty lucky it isn’t a donut.”
“Huh?” the one-syllable word rolled from Angelica’s tongue.
“A donut is a temporary tire. If you were planning on going anywhere far, I wouldn’t recommend it. But since you got a spare that matches the other tires, you’re good to go.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know what you’re talking about. Can you hurry?”
“Look, Ma’am, this service is free. And it’s not like you’re at the Daytona 500 where they can put on a tire before you can spit. Relax, I’ll have you on the road in no time.”
Like a pro, Larry dismounted the old tire and replaced it with the spare. He unhooked the jack from the car, knocked the dirt from his hands, and gave Angelica a toothless grin. “You’re all ready to go.”
She grinned. “Thanks, Larry. How much do I owe you?”
“Nothing, Ma’am. I was glad to help a pretty lady. Now take care of yourself.”
“I will.” Angelica jumped in the car and was on the road again. She wasn’t sure why she deserved it, but God was surely looking out for her.
38
Long, well-manicured fingers examined the gun, extracting the clip and shoving it back in its chamber. Satisfied with the inspection, Santiago placed the gun inside of his slacks, pulling his tan cashmere sweater over it. He glanced at his likeness in a hall mirror, making faces as he did so. He patted his hair and ran his hand down the length of his sweater, feeling for the gun for added assurance.
“No one plays me for a fool,” Santiago said to the reflection in the mirror that pointed back when he did. “No one.”
Santiago reached for his leather coat when the phone began to ring. He uttered a few choice words and told the caller he’d meet him outside in a minute.
Snapping the phone shut, Santiago went to Angelica’s room once more. He surveyed it and shook his head. While it appeared that her belongings were still there, she was not and apparently hadn’t thought it necessary to share her whereabouts with anyone else. Where was she?
Santiago stepped out of the house as Dominic pulled up. Sammy jumped out and opened the back passenger door for Santiago. Santiago slammed the door, and the trio was off.
“Where to, boss?” Dominic asked.
“I want you to drive to Queens. I would have had Niko take me there, but I didn’t want my car to be recognized. Once we get into Queens, I’ll direct you to where I want you to go.” Santiago lifted his right hand and felt the gun. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have to use it.
The trio drove in silence—Sammy and Dominic sensing Santiago’s mood. It seemed that there was some urgency to the task they were about to undertake, although they didn’t know what it was yet. Santiago barked orders—a left turn here, two right turns there—and then he told Dom to pull over to the curb. Dom and Sammy looked at each other in the rearview mirror and waited for the word.
Upon Santiago’s orders, all three scrambled from the car. Dom and Sammy hung back at the bottom of the steps, while Santiago climbed them to the porch and rang the doorbell. After one minute of knocking and no answer, Santiago became enraged and beat on the door—still no answer.
He motioned to Sammy and Dominic, and they jumped into the car.
“Dom, take me to Manhattan. I’ll let you know where to go once we get there.” And they were off again.
Thirty minutes later, Santiago motioned for Dominic to pull over to the curb beyond the next traffic light and in front of a twenty-five-story apartment building on Manhattan’s east side. A tall, olive-complexioned man dressed in a traditional doorman’s uniform stood in front of the building.
Ari stood tall, almost like the building where the residents he doted on lived. He never saw or had time to react to the two gentlemen that jumped from the car that sat idling in front of the building. He had barely turned around from bidding Ms. Faraday a good day when he was hijacked from his post.
“Put me down,” Ari shouted at the men.
Sammy and Dominic said nothing but pushed Ari through the car door that stood open. Sammy and Dominic jumped into the car and took off.
Ari stared at the man that sat next to him. His eyes scanned Santiago’s face with interest. A slight grimace passed over Ari’s face as if there was some recognition upon examination. But he sat quietly, waiting to find out what was so important that he was plucked from a busy New York street for it.
“This will be painless and you can return to your little perch outside the building in a few minutes if you cooperate,” Santiago said with a stoic face. “Where is she?”
“Where is who?” Ari asked with a puzzled look.
“You know who I’m talking about. I know it was you who helped Angelica to leave my home…her home.”
Ari looked at Santiago as if he were mad. “What in the hell are you talking about? I haven’t seen Angelica in weeks.”
“You’re lying!” Santiago screamed. “You know and you’re going to tell me now.” He pulled Ari by the collar until Ari’s face was inches from his.
There was no smile on Ari’s face. In fact, it was hard as stone—like clay that had been fired in a kiln under 400-degree heat. The fine line that formed his lips was etched on the lower part of his face, and his eyes were blank like they were drawn on his face by the hand of a five-year-old child.
In slow motion, Ari took the palm of his hand and placed it over the one that had his collar in a chokehold.
“Don’t you ever put your hands on me again,” Ari said with authority.
Santiago let go, but placed his face less than an inch from Ari’s. He reached down and lifted his sweater to reveal the gun that was concealed under it. He brandished it in Ari’s face and then stared menacingly at him. “Tell me what I want to know.”
“I can’t tell you what I don’t know,” Ari replied.
Whoop. Santiago slammed the butt of the gun into the side of Ari’s face. Ari clutched his face—a small trickle of blood leaked between his fingers.
“You going to tell me now, old man?”
“Angelica is getting as far away from you a
s she can…you evil manipulator,” Ari said. “And I remember you. Oh yes, I remember you, now. Came to see Donna the day she died. I would bet my last dime that you killed her.”
“You talk too much,” Santiago said in a gruff voice. “I don’t like people who run off at the mouth.”
Before Ari knew what happened, Santiago hit him in the face again and then punched him in the stomach. Ari began to wretch. Dom looked at Santiago in his rearview mirror.
“Drive to the spot,” Santiago barked. He looked at Ari, holding himself and punched him again.
Somewhere outside of the city, Dominic drove. Dusk turned to dark. At some remote area amid a forest of trees, Dom pulled over. There was no reason for dialogue—it was apparent that Dom and Sammy already knew the drill.
They got out of the car and pulled a doubled-over Ari out. Though he was already unconscious, they beat him unceremoniously until Ari seemed to have given up the ghost. Satisfied that the lesson had been taught, the duo jumped in the car while Santiago looked out of the window, keeping Ari’s body in view until they drove out of sight.
“Don’t mess with me,” Santiago said to himself aloud and put the gun back in its hiding place.
39
Angelica felt more at ease as she pulled into D.C. Even though she and her brothers didn’t always see eye to eye, they were there when it mattered. She was closer to Edward, the attorney, than her brother Michael, the doctor. It might have been because she needed Edward more than she should have, and while he could not keep her out of jail, it felt good to have someone you knew and trusted on your side.
Washington, D.C.—with its many one-way streets and those that could tangle you up for hours if you weren’t sure if you were supposed to be going N.W. as opposed to N.E. or S.W. as opposed to S.E.—was enough to make you pull out your hair. Angelica hadn’t driven in D.C. in years, and now the confidence with which she rode into D.C. was beginning to fade. Luckily for her, the phone rang and it was Edward, instructing her where to get off I-95/I-495 so he could meet her.
Déjà Vu Page 19