Shadows of Doubt

by Corcoran, Mell

  Lou felt her position in the stall was akin to being a fly on the wall and she was actually enjoying herself. She heard the door to the rest-room swing open and a woman announced dinner was being served, then the mutters and grumbles of several women as they meandered out. When the last woman exited, the silence reminded Lou why she had come in there in the first place and she remained seated, thinking long and hard about it. Max had found out about Robert Sawyer and had gone to talk to him directly about what he had done to her. Over the years Lou had thought about coming face to face with the man again herself and knew, unequivocally, that she would kill him without batting an eyelash. The only thing that bothered her was that she hadn’t the first time he attacked her. So, knowing that and now knowing that Max had actually afforded the man the chance to tell his side which she sure as hell wouldn’t have done, how could she be angry? Add to that Sawyer sending two goons after her, then actually telling Max he had intended to find Lou again once he got out? Wouldn’t she have wanted Max to prevent this if he could? Wouldn’t Lou herself have done the same thing if someone were threatening her own family? Caroline or Abby even? No, Lou wasn’t upset with Max over killing Robert Sawyer in the least when she considered all of it. She was more shocked and embarrassed that he knew about what had happened to her if truth be told. When it came right down to it, she was moved by his actions. That he cared about her at all was a feat in itself but enough to eliminate the man that had caused her so much pain? That was something else entirely. Right then all Lou wanted to do was run to him and wrap her arms around him and tell him how grateful she was. She knew she had to tone it down a lot for the gossips but she had to get out of there and let him know at least that she wasn’t upset or angry. Thankfully, when she walked out of the stall she was alone in the restroom, as she had thought. Lou took a hard look at herself in the mirror and was grateful that her makeup was still in place and her black eye hadn’t started peeking through. With a quick wash of the hands and a quicker swipe of lip gloss, she headed for the door quietly so as not to raise eyebrows when she snuck back to the ballroom. The hallway was clear when she looked out so she proceeded with caution down the tented corridor. She paused a moment to spritz herself lightly with some perfume so she didn’t smell like toilet bowl cleaner, when she suddenly felt a sharp sting in her neck. She tried to reach to feel what had bitten her but her body instantly felt heavy and she couldn’t find her voice to even say ‘owe’ as the tiny bottle of perfume slipped out of her hand. She thought she felt someone grabbing her but the world swirled out from under her and everything went black.

  By the time the second course was served, Max couldn’t stand it any longer. Lou was not the type of woman to brood, let alone for this long. He looked over to Abby and when she caught his glance, he jerked his head for her to go. Abby got up immediately and headed for the ladies room to check on Lou. It only took about three minutes before Niko started whispering into his wrist and Max noticed security moving from one side of the room to the other at a fast clip. Yuri, Finn and Connor got up from their seats and nearly ran in Abby’s direction while they touched their ears, clearly channeling in their micro receivers. When Niko pushed his finger to his ear also, then whipped out of his seat, Max knew something bad was happening.

  “Christ, no.” He pleaded as he followed behind Niko and fished his own receiver out of his pocket, twisted to turn it on then stuffed it in his ear.

  What he heard was each security sector chief sounding off, acknowledging whatever order Niko had just given. Max tried to grab Niko’s jacket as they ran but Niko brushed his hand away and ordered him to move it. They raced down the tented corridor that Max had seen Lou disappear down less then half an hour ago and found Abby ordering the dozen security agents that were half-circled around her to start a perimeter search. When she turned and looked at Max, there was utter panic in her eyes and he noted she was holding Lou’s purse in one hand and a tiny bottle in the other.

  “I found these on the floor right here.” Abby held them up slightly. “We checked the ladies room and there is no sign of her.”

  “Who the hell had eyes on her?!” Max bellowed.

  “My Dominor...” One of the security team stepped forward. “She went into the restroom twenty-eight minutes ago. I stood right there until eight minutes ago when one of the waitstaff suggested I grab a plate before they were gone.” The man shrank to the reaction on Max’s face but he continued to relay his movements. “I walked through those double doors down there and waited in line to grab food with some other staffers and when I came back, Ms. LaRue was here and well, I became a dead man walking, sir.”

  “Well at least you got one thing right!” Max charged towards him but Niko stepped in the way.

  “This is wasting time, we deal with him later.” Max stopped, realizing Niko was right. “You...” He pointed at the moron. “... go assist the surveillance team review the footage for the last ten minutes and stay out of the way if you feel the urge to be incompetent again.”

  Niko looked at Max hard now. “We are locking everything down. I have security doing a table by table head count to see who, if anyone is missing. Yuri and Finn are putting eyes on every staff member and security personnel to make sure no one has gone unaccounted for. If she is on the premises we will find her my Dom, I swear to you.”

  “And if she’s not?!” Max knew it was the rogue, without question. He had taken Lou. “If that bastard has already gotten her off site?! What the hell then?!”

  “Then it will take a little more time, but we will find her and get her back.” Niko put a hand on Max’s shoulder and squeezed. “Settle my Dom. I need you here with us. Focused.”

  Max looked at Niko then at the others who were staring at him as if his head were about to pop off. Abby had tears streaming down her cheeks and Frank was squeezing her hand. Niko was right, he needed to get it together and deal with what needed dealing.

  “Abby, once the table check is done, calmly and quietly get the McAllisters and the Devereuxs back to the hotel and lock them down tight. Shevaun is going to freak out so only tell her once you are out of earshot from the gathering.” He fished a handkerchief from his inside pocket and handed it to her. “I need you to handle them so put on your game face.” She nodded as she took the cloth and blotted her eyes. “Finn, get Richelieu. I don’t care if he’s insulted, I want you to read him and make sure he’s not involved. Once you know for certain, have him set up a war room in his bungalow and I want communications to all operatives synched within twenty minutes.” Frank headed to fetch Richelieu immediately just as Connor came up the hall.

  “You are not going to believe this.” Connor started.

  “Just tell me!” Max barked at him.

  “The only people missing are von Massenbach and Lou.” There was a collective gasp after Connor said it.

  “Albert?!” Max could hardly believe it. He hadn’t understood the dig that Albert had made toward him earlier and this had made even less sense. It was incomprehensible that Albert harbored ill feelings over Max being chosen as Dominor after all this time, and to be committing these murders as a result of it. “That makes no sense. Why the hell would he act out like this because of our past? To kill innocents? It goes against everything an Aegis stands for, retired or not. It simply doesn’t make sense.” Max scrubbed his hands over his face while he tried to grasp the situation.

  “Ah shit, why didn’t I see it before?!” Niko yanked his hair in frustration and Max turned to look at him. “Its about Nila!”

  Max stalked toward Niko. “What the hell does Nila have to do with any of this?”

  “Christ, I thought you were being paranoid!” Connor said as he squatted in the hall then blew out a breath.

  “What the hell are you both talking about? I don’t have time for this! Lou doesn’t have time for this!” Max was starting to lose his grip again.

  “Max, I don’t believe it was a coincidence that
just you and I were sent to Constantinople.” Niko began to put the pieces together and talked it out to Max. “I had seen the way Albert looked at Nila but thought little of it because he and I knew you would crush him like a bug if he ever acted on it.”

  Conner stood up and interjected. “It was right after you two were betrothed. I heard him talking, not very flatteringly, about Nila and had words with him over it. I hadn’t realized it was out of jealousy until just now.”

  “The weeks leading up to the final assault...” Niko continued. “... when word was getting back to Constantine, before Mehmed made him the final offer. I had seen Albert holding private counsel with our Dom. It seemed odd then but so much was going on that I let it pass for the time being. Then when we got home and learned of Nila, everything else seemed petty so I pushed it out of my mind.”

  “You’re saying Albert convinced Zarath to send us to Constantinople? Because of some sort of jealousy?” Max couldn’t believe it even as he said it.

  “There is one way to find out.” Connor said as he pulled out his cell phone.

  “What are you doing?” Max asked him.

  “Calling Zarath.” Connor shrugged. “What could it hurt?”

  “This is preposterous! He probably doesn’t even have a phone!” Max began pacing the hall.

  “Actually, he even has a Facebook page.” Niko informed him just as Frank returned with Richelieu.

  “What the hell is going on?” Richelieu demanded as Finn stepped up and took his hand. “What do you think you are doing?” He started to struggle as Max stepped in front of him.

  “It’s necessary. I apologize but this is necessary and I am asking for you to submit, as your Dominor.”

  Richelieu saw the fear and sadness in Max’s eyes and submitted to Finn immediately. It took only a few moments before Finn let his hand go and Niko proceeded to inform him of what was going on and what was needed of him. Richelieu paused for only a moment to grab Max’s arm.

  “We will find her.” Was all he said before he bolted down the hall.

  “Well...” Connor said as he stuffed his cell phone into his pocket. “...that confirms that. Zarath confirmed Niko’s suspicions after all this time. He even went so far as to say that it has been one of his greatest regrets and one of the reasons he retired and fought for your ascension. He feels that if he never had sent you, never had let Albert convince him that you and Niko should be sent, Nila and you would be living a quiet happy life this very moment on some island somewhere.”

  Max would have roared with rage if he could have. If Albert had manipulated Zarath into sending him and Niko away, then he surely was the ax that had severed Nila’s head. It made sense now that he knew. The way Nila’s body had been found in the alley where known whores peddled their wares. Albert had even tried to console him over it. All this time the bastard had been responsible for all of it.

  “He must have been in love with her. Spurned by her before the two of you came together.” Frank placed a hand on Max’s shoulder. “I didn’t know your history really, but I know that the few times I have seen him and you together, his jealousy leaks out a little. It must have secretly driven him mad once you were elevated to Dom. The fact that you hadn’t been destroyed by losing Nila, and were even stronger for it. Somehow killing women that in his warped mind reminded him of her. A perversion. An exact opposite of what she really was.”

  Max shook his head in disbelief. “But now he has Lou. She is so different from Nila. Of course I loved Nila but Lou is so different, so much more than I could have ever hoped for.” Max could feel his chest caving in with panic.

  “And we will get her back!” Niko reminded him. “Frank, call Abby and get her on a list of every piece of toilet paper that Albert has bought or rented within a thousand miles of here.” Frank simply nodded and pulled out his phone. “Connor, pin down the vehicle Albert came in, then check where it is now and if it’s not here, where it went, where it’s been and for how long.”

  Max looked at Niko. “This whole damn exhibit was him giving me the finger and when he got wind of Lou meaning something to me, that was the double finger.”

  Niko nodded. “Maybe so, but now we are going to shove those fingers right up his own ass.”

  On a normal day Max would have chuckled at that. He turned to Finn instead. “I want everyone in this building to know that Albert von Massenbach is wanted for capital crimes against the Sanguinostri. I’ll call the Senatus myself. I want the people that dealt with Albert setting up this event and the person in charge of this damn museum in front of me ten minutes ago. Someone find me a room I can work in.”

  While everyone scrambled to comply with Max’s orders, he called the Senatus and informed them of what was happening and that they could verify with Zarath the information from the past. Max was not one to be frivolous with his judgments so they found no reason to doubt him now. He was given full rights to pursue the matter as he saw fit by unanimous vote right there on the conference call. Each of the other Doms also offered their own personal assistance and stated they would inform all of their people that Albert was a criminal and was to be apprehended on site, dead if needs be. While Max appreciated the sentiments and compliance without hesitation, it was of little consolation when he thought about Lou. He paced up and down the hall that had guards on either side, preventing anyone from coming or going without Max’s permission. All Max could think of was Lou and the dead women by Albert’s hands. The brutality of the murders made sense now that he knew of Albert’s rage and hate. He looked at his watch and based upon the time frame given by the moron who was supposed to keep eyes on Lou, she had been gone for almost an hour now. He prayed to every god he could think of that she was still unconscious and that Albert hadn’t begun his sick and twisted acts on her. The only thing certain that Max had to hold on to was that he would feel Albert’s blood flow through his fingers for this.

  Fifteen minutes later, and after a five minute argument with Abby about how his coming back to the hotel which was full of their equipment and only three miles away was the most prudent course of action, Max was in the Devereux bungalow with Abby, Caroline, Joe and Lou’s mother. Shevaun was a wreck and had obviously been sobbing just prior to Max coming in. Now, however, she was trying to calm down and focus.

  “What do you have, Abby?” He asked as he hovered over her to look at the three computer monitors she had running at once.

  “He has nothing in his name personally so it’s been a matter of hunting down his various companies and fronts. Frank is next door with Rich coordinating searches with the guys, as we get addresses.” Before he could ask, she swung around in her chair and scooted to the other table that had four additional monitors hooked up and running scans. “The limousine was a little tricky but we are on that now. Seems Albert was a busy little bee while we were all sipping champagne. Five different drivers were found sound asleep at the wheel in the back lot and the license plates had magically vanished off their rides. Clearly he’s using one of those plates for cover. I got those plate numbers by cross referencing the Vehicle Identification Numbers so now I am scanning all the Caltrans traffic cams within a ten mile radius of the museum for any hit on any of them. It’s just taking forever because their system is bogged down with Friday night traffic.”

  “He had to get her out of there somehow without being noticed. Someone had to have helped him.” Max said as he dragged his fingers through his hair then ripped off his tie and jacket in frustration.

  “Wait...” Shevaun got up from her seat. “Lou said that one of the victims had been doing cataloging of items as they came in for the exhibit, correct?”

  Max walked over and took Shevaun’s hands. “Yes, what strikes you about that?”

  “Lou felt that victim was always different from the others...” Caroline turned in her seat and looked up at them as she chimed in. “She and I went around about that since she didn’t feel being a pole danc
er was enough of a lowlife for our guy as the other women were.”

  “Well that woman would have been in the back of things. The guts, unpacking crates as they came in.” Shevaun picked up again. “What if she had stumbled upon his plot for the gala and that’s why Albert killed her?”

  “It wouldn’t jibe.” Caroline shook her head. “Winslow was killed on Tuesday. You and Lou didn’t get found out until after Sunday. No way Winslow stumbled upon some plan to smuggle Lou out of the event then. Max didn’t even know who Lou was until after Winslow was dead.”

  “She’s right.” Max sighed.

  Suddenly Abby spun around again in her chair to face them. “But he would have known about Corinne!”

  Max looked at her as if she were insane. “What about Corinne? I can barely tolerate the woman.”

  “Yes but only we know that or have known that! You have always been far too polite to put that wench in her place. So she always goes on and on about this secret thing you two have! Oh! Oh!” Abby spun around in the chair again. “And I know for a fact that she knew the day you got into town because she called me personally to set up a lunch date with you! But I blew her off as usual!”

  Caroline’s mother spoke as she entered the room. “So if she was spreading some bullshit story about you fawning over her to all the Nostri-lites...”

  “Nostri-lites?” Max asked her.

  “It’s a name we have for all upper-crust socialites and divas of the Sanguinostri.” She smiled sheepishly.

  “Then Albert may have been planning her demise all this time and when he found out about you and Lou, he changed targets.” Caroline finished her mother and Abby’s line of thinking.

  “Alright so assuming this is all fact...” Max began his ritual pacing. “...we know the why, who and when of the plot but that still doesn’t give us the where, as in where he has Lou now! That is all that matters right now to me! Caroline, based upon what you know about the previous victims, I know you and Lou went over it pretty hard...”