“A distraction, damn it Vladek that’s my dad! Don’t you know how close we are and everything we’ve been through?”
She was furious and the last thing she wanted right then was to be anywhere near him. But they were already out of the city and on the highway heading North West. The quickest way to her dad was to stay in the car so she was stuck with him.
“Chloe, if I’d known how bad it was, that your dad was in hospital and everything I would’ve told you straight away.”
“I don’t even want to talk about it, just please stop talking and just take me to my father. That’s the only thing I want from you right now.”
“Sure, ok.” He’d slowed down as they’d been talking and he accelerated again, the big V8 rumbling loudly in response.
She didn’t even want to look at him anymore and pulled as far away as she could and stared out the window. What was the matter with her, she wondered. It had all been like some silly game and now she was facing the consequences. She thought back to the robbery and of getting thrown in the car, the gunshots and the shouting, all that blood. People had died back there and all for just a stupid pile of shiny stones.
How could she have ever trusted him and not expect there to be any consequences. He’d been reckless and stupid enough to get caught up in the heist, to actually think it was a good idea to be the getaway driver. That’s who he was, and he’d been in prison. How could she have got so swept along just because of his easy smile and those warm eyes?
It was so unlike her, she didn’t get caught up in things like that. She was careful and responsible, that’s what everybody said and it was true. So what if it had been exciting and had forced her to break out of her shell, it had been damn dangerous as well. She could have been hurt, or killed and now her father was paying the price for her involvement.
She could tell good from bad and right from wrong, so why had her good sense deserted her this one time? She was too upset to really think about it properly and her mind skipped from one thing to another.
She didn’t want to be near him then but she had to endure his presence at least until they got to Ithaca. She could barely look at him and just didn’t want him to say anything. She wanted to be angry and stay angry and just get home and be with her dad.
- 27 -
Vladek
It was the worst journey of Vladek’s life. It was even worse than the drive through Ithaca with the bag of jewels or maybe even the time he’d been picked up with a truckload of counterfeit goods. It was four hours of cold, tortured silence and bad feeling.
He tried a few times to get her talking but it became clear he stood no chance. She was too worried about her dad and too angry with him. He just needed to bring her to the hospital and her dad. Maybe after that he could try again.
He hated to see her like that and feel her so distant and cold. If he hadn’t been driving her exactly where she needed to go there was no way she’d still be in his car. The only thing he could do was drive as fast as he could get away with and bring her there.
She spent most of her time looking out the window or with her head buried in her phone, texting her friend Abbie. She was picking hard at her fingers as well and he could see the trace of blood but he didn’t dare mention it.
His mind raced as he tried to think of the right thing to say. He knew there was a right thing to say, that perfect collection of words that would make her like him again. All he had to do was find the perfect sentence and say it at just the right time.
But he was too stupid for something like that and he’d been foolish to think they had any kind of future. They’d been thrown together by events, that was all. She never would’ve had anything to do with him under normal circumstances. Not when she found out about his criminal past. She knew enough about him now, all his secrets and his past. Now the Bratva had their diamonds she had no reason to stay with him anymore.
She’d realize how crazy it was to even consider getting involved with an ex-con. An ex-con stupid enough to think being a getaway driver was a good idea. He was finished.
He drove on, feeling more and more numb and distant from Chloe with every mile. The tense and angry atmosphere was gone and all that was left was a deafening silence. They might as well have been in separate cars. They’d been so close and connected in the days before but a chasm of resentment yawned now between them.
They reached Ithaca in the early evening and Vladek drove straight to the hospital on the west side of the lake. He brought Chloe right up to the door, knowing she’d want to race in to see her dad as quickly as possible.
“Chloe, look, I’m sorry,” he said as she clambered out of the car. He couldn’t let her just go without saying something. “I hope your dad is ok, and, maybe you don’t ever want to see me again, but after what we’ve done, what’s happened in New York, we should stay in touch at least.”
She spun to look at him, her eyes red-rimmed and sore looking, her face tired and drawn. “I just need to go and be with my dad right now. Us, or whatever we did, that’s not important to me. I can’t deal with that or think about it. Just leave it. Maybe we can talk about it later, but not now. Bye Vladek.”
He watched as she walked quickly towards the hospital door, her head bowed and her shoulders tense. And then she went inside and he was left there with only regret for company. He half thought of following her inside but quickly dismissed the idea. He wanted to know she had seen her dad and everything was alright but it wasn’t the right time.
He eased the car back into gear and pulled away, suddenly feeling lost and not knowing what to do or where to go. Without having any better ideas he headed for home. He needed a drink and should probably check in with Mirko.
Once he got to his apartment building he just stayed in the car. He didn’t know how cautious he needed to be or if he should expect the worse and assume there was a Russian hitman waiting for him. He felt drained as well and not ready for another encounter.
A part of him would have liked to start up the car again and just keep driving until he couldn’t anymore through sheer exhaustion. But that wouldn’t have helped much either and he’d already done enough running away in his life.
“It’s time to stick Vlad,” he said out loud to himself. “No more running. You’ve built something here so don’t let them chase you away.” He hauled himself out of the car and went towards his place, apprehensive about what he might find.
The apartment door wasn’t damaged but once he got inside he could see the place had been tossed. It had probably been Boris, double checking to see if he had anything stashed after they’d ID’d him through the Mustang. He must have picked the lock and closed it again afterwards so as not to draw suspicion.
He didn’t have many possessions but Boris had gone through everything systematically. There wasn’t a gratuitous mess but everything was clearly disturbed. He went straight to the fridge and his bottle of vodka then flopped down on the sofa in front of the TV. He tidied up some of the scattered papers on the coffee table, then poured himself two fingers and put his feet up.
He should have felt good, the jewels were finally out of his hands and his life could get back to normal. There was a tiny chance they might come for him but it seemed unlikely. He should be celebrating but he didn’t have that feeling at all. A part of him was actually amazed that he’d managed to navigate his way through the last week since the botched raid without ending up dead or in a cell.
He should’ve been proud of himself but instead he just felt empty. He’d stumbled across Chloe and been totally shocked and surprised at the effect she had on him. They’d been together, connected and then he’d lost it again. He took a large swallow and welcomed the burning distraction in his throat. Whatever else happened in life, some things were dependable.
All the stress of the whole shitty business and he still didn’t even have the cut he’d agreed with Dimitri. He knocked back another shot and then pulled out his phone. It was time to call Mirko.
; “Vlad”
“Hey Mirko, were you there this morning?”
“Yeah, I was watching. You had me worried Vlad, I thought you were about to throw a punch at one point.”
“I was tempted to if I’m honest. I mean those guys got killed, Dimi and Nick and I was left with the stones and had to escape and hide them. They didn’t have any risk and yet the attitude was just like, yeah it’s our property, doesn’t matter what part you played, we want it back or we’re coming after you. I forgot what it was like dealing with people like that.”
“That’s the kind of world it is, it’s a show of strength the whole time. You got back to Ithaca anyway, no problems?”
“Yeah we got back fine, everything went pretty much as well as it could have. The only thing is with the girl, Chloe. That fucker Boris, the guy I did the handover to, he was the one sent here to Ithaca as well and he paid Chloe’s father a visit. The old man’s not well and looks like he had a heart attack after his chat with Boris. Chloe found out about it on the way back, and that I knew about the visit and didn’t tell her. She fucking hates me now, the journey back was a disaster. She wouldn’t even talk to me the whole way.”
“Sorry to hear that Vlad, sounds like you two were getting on pretty good despite everything.”
“We were and I don’t know what to do now. I mean, I don’t blame her, why would she want anything to do with me now she knows the kind of people I mix with, no offense.”
“None taken, but listen it’s like I said before. If you like her and you want her to like you then you’re gonna have to do something about it. You gotta show her you’re serious. That’s the only advice I can give you.”
“Jesus, yeah, if only it was so easy.”
“You’re bright enough, you’ll think of something, if you want to.”
“Thanks, and what about you? What did you do after I left this morning?”
“I followed your friend Boris and the bag. He was good, careful and it wasn’t so easy but I tracked him the whole way. Now I know where they’re set up. Alexei must be in the same building, Boris would have brought the bag straight to him.”
“Ok, so now you know where he is, what are you gonna do about it? I don’t know your whole history with these guys Mirko, and it’s probably best if I never know but I hope nothing you’re planning on doing will come back to Ithaca?”
“That’s right, you don’t need to know but let’s just say me and Alexei go back a long way. He did something to me once, to someone I care about but I wasn’t able to make him pay for it fully at the time. It’s different now and I’ve waited too long. I’m not interested in the diamonds and whatever I do won’t come back on you or Chloe. This is my business to take care of but it’s a good thing for you as well. You’ll never have to worry about Alexei again after I’m finished with him.”
“Ok Mirko, I think I know what you’re getting at and I don’t need to know any more details. If whatever you’re planning solves a problem for both of us then I’m all for it. Nobody’s gonna miss Alexei.”
“I’ll be here for a few days at least before I’m done. I let you know how it goes, but don’t worry, you’ll soon be sleeping easier.”
“Ok, well I’ll be looking forward to that call. Do we need to talk about business, I mean the property business? I need to spend another day in the apartment in Willow Avenue finishing off the fittings but then it’s ready to flip.”
“Good, the agent is due to drop by in a few days. You’ll have to meet with him on your own but you know what to do.”
“Sure, I can handle it. What about that commercial property on West Clinton, do I need to get started on it?”
“I haven’t decided on that one yet, I probably shouldn’t have bought it in the first place.”
“I’ll have another look at it tomorrow, I may have an idea for it but I’m not sure if it’s suitable.”
“Do that then, any ideas are welcome. I thought it might make a coffee shop but there are already three within spitting distance as it is. If you can take it off my hands you’d be doing me a favor.”
“I’ll have a look and let you know.”
“Ok Vlad, I’ll be in touch about our friend in New York.”
“Thanks Mirko.”
After the call Vladek reached for the vodka bottle again and was just on the verge of pouring himself another two fingers but then stopped and looked around his chaotic apartment. Even before Boris’ visit the place hadn’t exactly been obsessive’s dream of tidiness but now it looked like a crack house. If he had another drink he’d never tackle it so he put the lid back on and put the bottle down.
He might be in the clear with the Bratva but he needed to get his own house in order. Maybe if he managed to patch things up with Chloe she might even visit him sometime and he couldn’t let her see his place in such a mess. The thought of one day seeing Chloe there, standing in one of his old shirts and cooking a perfect breakfast just like she’d made at the cottage was enough to bring him to his feet.
He tidied all the loose paper in neat piles and then slowly put everything back where it belonged, putting anything to one side that could go in the trash. It was good to be occupied and he was soon absorbed in the work.
He hoped Chloe would see things differently once she’d seen her dad and knew he was doing alright. He hadn’t put her dad in hospital. Sure, he was associated with the whole thing but it could just as easily have been another getaway driver on the day of the raid, someone who wouldn’t have let her walk away.
She’d trusted him for a while, relied upon him and it had felt so good. It had been great to deal with it all and have her by his side. Maybe he didn’t deserve her, maybe he just wasn’t good enough but he wasn’t going to let her slip through his fingers without a fight.
- 27 -
Chloe
She’d been so scared when she first got to the hospital and was expecting the worst. She had visions of seeing him lying flat out, covered in tubes and surrounded by machines. Even though Abbie had said he was doing fine she needed to see with her own eyes.
She found him in a sunny four bed room. He was sitting up and reading a book, his glasses slipping down as usual off his nose. She was so happy and relieved that she could barely speak when rushing over.
“Chloe, there you are. Is everything ok? I had a visit from a strange man and then I couldn’t contact you.”
“I’m fine, don’t worry about me,” she said, giving him a tight hug and taking his hand. “What about you? When Abbie told me you were in the hospital I was going out of my mind. What happened, are you ok?”
“Ah, it was nothing, just a little reminder that I’m not as young as I used to be. The doctors make such a fuss.”
“Really, dad? It was serious enough that they wanted you to stay in a few days, what happened?”
“I was having palpitations and felt a little tightness in my chest, but you know I’ve had them before with the medication and because of my anxiety. It just seemed a little bit more than usual and I panicked a little and called Dr. Adams. He told me I should come in for tests so here I am, under observation.”
He said it all lightly but she knew he just didn’t want her to worry and it was more serious than he was letting on. She sat down on the chair beside the bed still holding his hand.
“I’m really sorry dad, I should have let you know what was going on and that I had to leave town for a couple of days. Somebody was worried about me, a friend, you don’t know him. He, well, he has some connection to the guys who raided Appleby’s and he heard the criminals behind it were looking for me and wanted to know what I’d seen.”
“This guy a cop or something?”
“No, not a cop, let’s just say he has a colorful past. But I trusted him when he said he wanted to make sure I was safe. It’s kinda complicated but that’s why I left and didn’t tell anyone, it seemed simpler that way. But it’s over now, it should be anyway. I’m so sorry I didn’t let you know what was going on, you mu
st have been out of your mind.”
“And this guy who came to the house asking after you, he was one of these criminals behind the raid?”
“He must have been, yeah. Did he threaten you or anything?”
“Well then it’s good that you weren’t around Chloe and whoever this friend is did the right thing by taking you out of town. The guy was just weird, talking out both sides of his mouth. He made me uncomfortable more than anything but there were no threats.”
“I feel terrible about it, and all because I got mixed up in that damn robbery. Why the hell did I just stand still that day? I just stood there, practically begging them to take me hostage, so stupid.”
“Stop it Chloe, it wasn’t your fault. You take too much responsibility for things sometimes, your mother was that way as well. It’s one of the reasons I loved her so much but sometimes I had to give her a shake. You’ve been so good to me the last years, I don’t know if I would have made it through without you but you need to make your own life. You need to go out there and take what you want and you shouldn’t worry about hanging around Ithaca anymore just for my sake. That’s what I want for you Chloe, I don’t want to be the one holding you back. You asked me if I was worried and I was a little but at the same time I’m so proud of you and know you can look after yourself. Whatever was happening I knew you were doing fine and wouldn’t be gone for long.”
“I’m sorry dad, you say you weren’t too worried but I know you must have been. I shouldn’t have put you through that. What about the doctors, what have they been saying?”
“I’m fine really, I think Dr. Adams just wants to tinker with my medication again, maybe reduce it or change to something with fewer side effects. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Chloe breathed deep and felt how tight her own chest had been. Her dad really didn’t look bad at all but she still wanted to talk to the doctors to make sure. But the terrible feeling of worry she’d had the whole way was mostly gone now that she was there beside him and could hold his hand and hear his voice.
Rough Diamond (A Mafia Romance) Page 14