Next to Me

by AnnaLisa Grant

  “She knew he was lying to her? Even when she was really sick from chemo?” There’s a pain in my chest and I’m convinced it’s because my heart is breaking again for what my father did to her.

  “What your mom knew and when she knew it isn’t important. What’s important is that she loved him and, right or wrong, she overlooked a lot of his indiscretions. He was always faithful to her and provided for the three of you. Those were the things that mattered most to your mom.

  “The point I’m trying to make, Angel, is that if your mom was willing to overlook the things your dad did because she loved him, how much more do you think Landon is going to forgive you for what you said? He’s not dumb. He knows why you did what you did.”

  Oz has a way of convincing a person to do anything he wants. He could use his powers for evil, but he doesn’t. He only uses them for good, like the night he got me out of DC. Oz said I had five minutes so I made sure I was done in four.

  I want to call Landon. I want to tell him what a terrible mistake I made, and how I jumped the gun in pushing him away. I had no idea when Dellinger was going to rear his ugly head and I should have enjoyed as much time with Landon as I could until then. If I had waited, Oz would be here now with the insurance information, I would be preparing to expose Dellinger, and Landon would still be mine.

  I let Dellinger get under my skin and scare me into letting go of the only perfect thing that I’ve ever had. For that, I’m filled with even more rage. Dellinger is going to pay for he did to my family, and to me.

  “I guess. But…I can’t even think about trying to mend things with Landon until everything with Dellinger is really fixed. I’m meeting him on Thursday night at Fronterra. He thinks he’s going to give me my next assignment. I think I’ll just nail his ass to the wall.”

  Chapter 19

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to come, too?” Spring says nervously as I’m getting ready for my meeting with Dellinger.

  “Yes, I’m sure. I’m feeling confident that it’s going to go well, but if it doesn’t, you have the copies and you know what to do, right?” I tell her.

  “Yes, I know what to do. You and Uncle Oz went over it with me about a hundred times,” she says, rolling her eyes at me.

  We did go over it with her about a hundred times. It’s really important that she delivers it to the right person in Washington and that she gets the other copy to the big national news affiliate here in Chicago, too. They’d chomp at the bit to be the first to release a story about a dirty Senator.

  “Where’s Uncle Oz?” Spring stand and pulls my long hair out from the top I just put on.

  “He’s meeting me at the restaurant, but staying hidden. Dellinger will have at least one of his lackies with him. Last time he brought muscle and brains. He’ll most likely have them both with him this time, too. One to intimidate me and another to disseminate information to me.

  Spring looks worried. I can see the lines of stress on her forehead, and she’s wringing her hands, something she only does when she’s nervous.

  “Hey…” I say, taking her by the shoulder. “It’s going to be ok. Oz is going to be there, and Dellinger’s not going to do anything to me in a public place like that. I made a reservation under his name, so even if he used a fake one when he had the reservation made, his name would be on the books. But none of that matters because he’s going to see what I’ve got on him and he’s going to walk away and find someone else, someone in no way connected me, to do his dirty work for him. Ok?”

  “I’m just…I just want you to be ok…ok?” she says quietly, trying to keep from crying. Spring likes to cry even less than I do. We’re strong woman and if we’re even on the verge of tears, you know it’s bad. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. And I really don’t know if I’d be able to keep all this locked up inside me forever.”

  “You’re not going to have to keep anything locked inside forever. Once this is all over, and I mean all over, I’ll be able to share more of my life with you guys. I won’t have so much to hide anymore. Then everyone will understand why I’ve been so not me lately.”

  I take a deep breath and check myself in the mirror. I don’t tell Spring this, but my outfit was completely chosen on how well I’d be able to move and run in it. I’ve got on black leggings and a green and white tunic top with a pair of black ballet flats with rubber soles. I’m hoping not to have to employ some of the krav maga or other defense techniques I used on the crack head from the hospital, but I should be prepared for anything. Being optimistic doesn’t mean you stop being realistic.

  “How do I look?” I ask Spring with a smile?

  “You look beautiful…and like you could kick ass,” she laughs.

  “That’s the best compliment you’ve ever given me.” I give Spring a long hug and reassure her that it’s all going to work out just fine. I also remind her that Oz will be nearby and he won’t let anything happen to me, which is to make us both feel better.

  My cab pulls up to the restaurant and I take just a moment before I step out onto the sidewalk. With my bag slung across my body, and my copy of the smoking gun in the case against Dellinger safely tucked away, I enter the restaurant and leave every ounce of fear in the Chicago air.

  I tell the girl at the podium that I’m there for Senator Dellinger’s reservation at 7:00 pm. She tells me he’s not yet arrived and asks me if I’d like to wait for him or be seated. I tell her I’d like to be seated so I follow her to a table conveniently located in the middle of the room.

  Our server introduces himself as Trey and I immediately give him my order for a glass of Merlot. I’m halfway through my glass when Dellinger arrives and begins following the same girl into the dining room.

  “Oh, good, you found him,” I say to her with a cheery smile.

  “You’re Senator Dellinger? Well then, this is your table,” she says with a sweet smile.

  “Yes…thank you,” he says reluctantly.

  I catch Trey’s eye and motion for him to come to us. “Trey, the Senator here would like a drink. Wouldn’t you, Senator?” I say. I can’t hide my smile and wish I had a better poker face. Although, I have to say I’m thoroughly enjoying throwing Dellinger off with my devil-may-care attitude.

  “I’ll have a gin, straight up, and only the best,” he says. He doesn’t even look at Trey, but stares me down…trying to figure out what the hell is going on.

  “Thank you for the flowers. They were lovely,” I tell him.

  “I have to say, this isn’t the response I expected from you…not at first, at least. It took your father about a year before he was really on board with the fact that I was offering him more money than he’d ever make with his little locksmith company. I saw the fire in his eyes, and I can see it in yours now, too.” Dellinger’s drink comes and I have to decide if I’m keeping myself from laughing or stabbing him with my butter knife.

  “Would you like to order, or do you need a few minutes,” Trey asks.

  “We’re going to need a minute, Trey. Thanks,” I say. “There’s definitely a fire in my eyes, but it’s not what you think. You see, I’m going to make sure you never threaten me or anyone I love ever again.” A huge grin spreads across my face. “Take a sip of your drink…Senator.”

  “Oh, I see. You think you’re going to do something like report me to the authorities, or have a reporter poke his nose in my business. You’re brave, I’ll give you that. But, seriously, who is going to believe you? Your father was a known criminal and after I counter any report with what happened with Ambassador McKay, it’ll look like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” he says.

  “What do you think happened in France?” I ask. I’m genuinely interested

  in what McKay told him. I can only imagine that it’s the partial truth. McKay wants to hold onto his I have the one thing you’ve been looking for card.

  “Poor Ambassador McKay’s security detail discovered you and your father red handed with some of his most prized poss
essions. He called me when it happened and I persuaded him to let you and your father go,” he explains. His arrogance would light a fire of rage inside me if I didn’t know I was about to take his ass down.

  He didn’t mention Landon at all. The Ambassador said Dellinger had contacted him to add Landon to the guest list, but it must have been my father.

  “Had I known your father was going to disappear with the coin I would have just made acquiring the coin part of Mr. Scott’s assignment,” Dellinger continues.

  “How did you find the Nickel? You’ve been searching for so long,” I ask.

  “I have my usual ways, but sometimes your father provided some very credible leads. It was his lead that took us to McKay,” Dellinger tells me. I’m beginning to understand the quiet bragging Dellinger enjoys by having something other people could never have. I’m sitting here listening to how McKay and my father totally scammed Dellinger and, I have to say, it feels pretty good.

  You know he’s going to sell it, don’t you? How long do you think it’s going to take to track it down this time?” I say.

  “All you’ll need to worry about is retrieving the things I send you after. Make no mistake, I’ll find that coin again.” He talks to me like I’m a little girl and I don’t need to concern myself with grown up things. He has no idea the arsenal in my possession right now, but I’m about to attack.

  “Ways like, say, when someone files to have their newly acquired 1913 V Nickel insured?”

  Dellinger’s face goes white from the initial shock of my informed statement.

  “So you’ve done some digging have you? Impressive. You might be more useful to me than I had originally thought,” he says, regaining his composure.

  “Thank you for the compliment, but I didn’t do any digging. It seems my father did one thing right before he turned into your soulless minion.” I pull the envelope from my bag and place it in front of him. He eyes it and then me, not seeming to be sure if he wants to know what’s inside. “If you don’t want to open it, I can do it for you.” I begin to take the envelope back, but he slams his hand down on it so hard that he breaks the side plate it was resting on.

  I shake my head ever so slightly, letting Oz know that I’m fine. He’s only there in case things get so crazy that I can’t handle it. Right now, I’ve got this level of crazy under control.

  Trey comes rushing to us, asking the Senator if he’s ok. “I was trying to swat a fly,” Dellinger says flatly. “Everything is fine.” Trey removes the broken plate and returns in a flash with a new one.

  Henry Dellinger’s eyes are cold and hard as his anger rises. He hasn’t even seen what’s in the envelope, yet he’s enraged. It’s not that the envelope may or may not contain damaging information. It’s that I dared to challenge him. He’s the Senator Henry Dellinger, the distinguished representative from Connecticut, and nobody challenges him.

  Dellinger opens the large envelop and pulls out the photocopied documents. He quickly thumbs through them once and then reviews each page carefully. It takes him a full four minutes to review each page. I start to get a little nervous, thinking that maybe Dad wasn’t as detailed as he should have been to make this a slam dunk. But when the three minute mark hits, and a bead of sweat rolls down the side of Dellinger’s face, I know that I’ve got everything I need.

  “You think this proves anything?” he has the audacity to say.

  “I don’t think the names, dates, and numbers prove anything on their

  own. But if it took me all of 30 minutes to do a simple online search for where most of these items were last sold, for how much, and by whom, how much deeper do you think the police are going to take it? They’ll press hard in to Ken Cooper and he’ll cry like a baby when they tell him how long he’ll spend in prison for insurance fraud,” I say. I let the words roll off my tongue like honey.

  “Whatever fraudulent activity Mr. Cooper has committed at his job has nothing to do with me.” Dellinger downs the rest of his gin and motions to Trey for another.

  “Really? You’re serious,” I begin. “You don’t think they’re going to track the original insurance number to original owner and then track the new insurance number to you…and see that you have no proof of purchasing the item? Please tell me you’re not that stupid. You’re a Senator. You represent a state of people who are counting on you.”

  The rage that filled Dellinger’s eyes only a moment ago has turned to fear and that one bead of sweat has turned into a tie-loosening heat that is making Dellinger shift uncomfortably in his chair. He’s losing it.

  “Ok, Miss Rockwell…you’ve made your case. How much to keep you quiet?” His voice shakes a little as he speaks, throwing me completely off.

  “Oh, my God. I thought it was just a caricature, but you’re one of those people who really thinks money is the answer to everything. That was your whole point in the lavishness of sending me to Paris. First class, most prestigious hotel in the city, thousands of dollars to buy a dress. Money is a toy to you. You pay off, buy off, and threaten whoever you can so that you can keep all your dirty little secrets.” I take a sip of my wine, satisfied that the night has been a success.

  “You’re sad. You’re a sad man who’s done nothing but live off his family’s wealth and privilege. I feel sorry for you. You haven’t even built any great power with the opportunities you’ve been given. You won your first election by mud-slinging someone who was supposed to be a good friend. After that I imagine not too many people were willing to go up against you and your smoke and mirrors, diversion campaign tactics, which is how you’ve kept your seat in the Senate.

  “You talk a big game with your muscly thug by your side and your hidden cameras, but you’re not going to do anything. I’m sitting here with evidence that is going to crucify you in Washington and your first instinct is to throw money at me.”

  “Would you rather I threaten your life and the life of your friends again?” he asks, annoyed that I haven’t gotten to the nitty gritty of my demands.

  “Well that’s just a silly question,” I reply sardonically.

  “What do you want?” Dellinger raises his voice and draws the attention of several guests seated around the dining room. “You’ve made your point, Miss Rockwell. Just tell me what you want and you can have it.”

  I see the fear in his eyes again and it dawns on me that I am the only person in his life who has ever called out his shit. We spent all this time being afraid of him like some mysterious Boogie Man when all we had to do was stand up and tell him to go away. I don’t think it would have mattered if I had these papers or not. If I had walked in here and laid out a clear plan to smear his name through the media, I think he would have sweated just as much.

  “It’s simple. Leave me, my friends, Landon Scott, and my father alone…forever.”

  “After how your father betrayed you, you care whether he continues working for me or not?” Dellinger’s arrogance is creeping back and all I want is for this to be over.

  “How my father and I work through our personal family issues is none of your business,” I tell him. “Do you understand?” He nods. “Good. Because if I find out that anything has happened to my father, I’m going to blame you. I don’t care where he is in the world, I will blame you. He wouldn’t have picked up this life again had you not invited him into it and, therefore, he wouldn’t be on the run from you.”

  “Are we done here?” Dellinger asks with defeated annoyance.

  “Yes.” I stand and put my bag across my body, leaving Dellinger with a copy of the evidence of insurance fraud. Taking a step forward, I lean into his ear I say, “You might want to reevaluate your relationship with Ambassador McKay. I forged a copy of the V Nickel and gave it to him. Not knowing he had a copy, he was giddy at the thought of having something you wanted so desperately.”

  “Miss Rockwell!” The Senator stands and calls after me. I stop and turn back, tilting my head as I look at him. “Who has the real coin?” he asks hopefully. It occurs
to me that this might be the one thing that he actually cares about, but I’ll never know for sure.

  “As far as I know, my father has it, and I trust you’re going to keep your word.”

  I leave the Senator standing in the middle of the restaurant dining room and walk swiftly out onto the sidewalk. I hail a cab and am met by Oz as soon as I slide into the back seat. I let out the breath it feels like I’ve been holding since Dellinger walked into the restaurant, and let tears of relief fill my eyes to overflowing.

  I lean into Oz and let him hold me like he used to when I was a little girl…back in the days when I would refer to him as my other dad. He was always there for me, and now that my dad never will be again, I’m really glad to have him.

  “You did good, Angel. You did good.”

  Chapter 20

  There’s a knock at the hotel room door and Mercy scurries to get it. We put our card out last night for room service breakfast this morning and we’re all just giddy about it. Mercy, Demi and I are staying at a nice hotel just a couple of blocks from Duke’s. Jerry sprung for the hotel saying that it was every girl’s right to stay in a fancy hotel the night before her wedding. He continued by saying that he didn’t know what Jack had planned for their honeymoon and wanted to make sure she had at least one pleasant memory from the day.

  He was kidding, of course, but it was still a lovely gesture on his part to do something so sweet for us even beyond what he’s already doing by closing the bar and covering all the food and non-alcoholic drinks. He said he had to draw the line somewhere.

  Demi thanked him profusely and said her only stipulation on any part of the wedding was that Jack was not to show up to their 3:00 pm wedding still hung over from the night before. Jerry held Jack’s bachelor party at the bar last night and I’m sure he didn’t let Jack get too crazy. He’d have the pregnant bride and his own girlfriend to deal with if he did.