by Judith Lucci
“Ah ha, now I understand all of this better. Do you think my father is still in danger,” she asked, hoping he would say no.
He shook his head and said, “I don’t know, Alex. Maybe. Someone certainly wanted him dead earlier this year. Besides, a man with his immense wealth has to have enemies somewhere, most likely enemies that he doesn’t even know about.”
Alex was silent for a moment, pensive. She was aware of the deep thudding of her heart. Finally, she commented, “That really frightens me. I just met him a few months ago. I don’t want anything to happen to him. I went for years wondering if he even cared about me.”
Jacob stroked her face and looked into her eyes. “He loves you and you have made him very happy. You make me very happy, too.”
Alex was stunned and didn’t reply. She smiled up at Jacob. He bent down and kissed her -- a long, lingering kiss that made her feel breathless and weak. It was a promise of things to come. Her legs were jelly. She kissed him back and molded her body into his. It felt perfect and natural, like it was meant to be. She felt as though she were dreaming. She hadn’t felt like this for a very long time, if ever. This is amazing, he is amazing.
The two of them moved over to the bench again and looked up at the house. Things looked perfectly normal. Jacob put his arm around Alex and pulled her close, as a meaningful silence fell between the two of them. Finally, Jacob broke the stillness.
“Alex, I hope I haven’t been too forward. I have feelings for you ... and have had ever since the first day I met you, several months ago in New Orleans.” He looked down at the wooden planks in the pier and continued, “I’ve felt guilty about them because Helen has only been gone for a few months. Today, Shooter reminded me that Helen would be happy for me to find someone else, someone to make me happy.”
Alex patted his knee and moved even closer to him, their bodies as close to each other as they could possibly be. She murmured, “Helen sounds like a wonderful lady, kind and unselfish. She wanted the best for you in life and death, and that’s a gift.”
Jacob kissed her again, long and hard, and then said, “She would approve of you, I am sure of that.”
Alex nodded. “That is good to know and well, thank goodness for Shooter because I have been hoping you would notice me for weeks, but you didn’t seem to care,” she added shyly.
“Not true. I could hardly stay away from you, Alex. My feelings were so conflicted,” Jacob tried to explain, but Alex put her fingers on his lips to shush him as she moved closer for another kiss.
“Hush now, let’s enjoy this beautiful evening,” she suggested.
Jacob hugged her closer. “We’ve got to get back up there shortly. After all, you are the boss’s daughter,” he exclaimed with a broad smile.
Alex grinned and said, “Well, that’s true, but I think the boss is kind of in love with your mother-in-law. Have you noticed?’ She waited expectantly for his reply.
He nodded and smiled. “Yeah, I do think he’s pretty sweet on her. That would be a great match. Haley loves him like a grandpa and Sarah would be good for Louis. She’s gentle and kind. She’s an older version of Helen.”
Alex thought for a moment and said, “That would be wonderful if it worked out. Louis hasn’t been the luckiest in the world of love.”
Jacob nodded, “Sarah has been a widow for over ten years. Her husband was a retired Admiral. She’s well educated and well-traveled. They would be compatible.”
Alex laughed again, “Listen to us, Jacob, playing matchmaker. We’re trying to fix up our family members when indeed we need to be fixed up ourselves.”
Stark gave Alex a searching look and admitted, “I feel fixed up, Alex. Would you come to my room tonight? I know it’s sudden but … if you’ll have me that is.” Jake stammered.
She winked at him and replied, “Well, umm … let me think about it. We’d better get back before they send someone down here to get us.”
Jacob nodded, examined the house from the pier, and saw a headlight approaching the Chateau. “Yeah, let’s go. I’d hate to have to fight off Louis’s security tonight.
They walked arm and arm back up the path to the Chateau, each filled with happy thoughts as they anticipated their new relationship. Her heart was happy, and she was definitely going to his room.
Chapter 68
Louis and Sarah were in the drawing room, standing by the fireplace talking. Louis raised his glass in a toast as Alex and Stark entered the room.
Louis looked up and smiled at the couple. “We were about ready to send the gendarmes down there to check on the two of you,” Louis said with a flourish as he examined Alex closely.
Alex’s face burned as she felt the telltale flush creeping up her neck. Stark engaged Louis in conversation. “Things are quiet out there, or so it seems,” Jacob began. He looked around, “Where’s Shooter?”
“He’s either in the office with Haley or talking with the protection detail. Haley’s asleep on the couch,” Louis offered.
“I’m going to go check with him. I’ll be back shortly,” Jacob said as he left the room.
Alex watched him leave, admiring his walk and the way he held his shoulders. Yes, I think I could love that man.
Sarah touched Alex’s shoulder and asked, “Is it as beautiful out there as it feels? The moon is beautiful from the terrace, even though it’s a new moon.”
Alex studied Sarah Harding carefully and smiled, “Yes, it is a wonderful night. The moon on the water is beautiful. We walked down to the pier and sat in the gazebo. I wonder what she is really asking. Is she upset about Jacob and me? Does it show?
“That’s lovely. I needed a walk after dinner because I ate so much,” Sarah added, “but it was so good. I’ve sat down there during the day, but haven’t ventured down there after dark. It is a beautiful spot and the view is out of this world. I feel like I am in a dream every time I remember I am in France.”
Alex liked her humility. She nodded and said, “Me too, Sarah. Being here is a wonderful treat for me too, and having you and Haley makes it even more special.”
Sarah was a lovely, charming woman with a delightful personality. Alex hoped she and Louis had in fact hit it off. I’ve got to get back to NOLA soon and I don’t want him to be lonely … or do I have to return to New Orleans? As the thought of staying in France exploded in Alex’s head, she decided it was best to file that possibility away until she really had time to consider it.
Louis handed Alex a cordial glass filled with Chambord Liqueur Royale and kissed her on the cheek. “I know you will love this, it tastes like.…”
Alex and Sarah screamed as Louis fell to the floor, a flash of red blood pouring out of his chest. Out of the corner of her eye, Alex saw a figure dressed in black drop a gun, sprint out of the French door to the veranda, jump over the wall to the terrace, and disappear.
“Call the Urgent Medical Aid Service, the Service d’Aide Medicale Urgente. They will get an ambulance here,” Shooter hollered from the door. He ran through the door to Louis’s side, examined him carefully and said, “He’s got a sucking chest wound. Alex, tear off part of your dress and put it in the wound to stop the bleeding, so his lung won’t collapse. Sarah, hand me a pillow to splint the pain.”
Mrs. A. appeared, ashen in color. “The ambulance will be here in several minutes. The hospital will expect him and be ready.”
Shooter nodded, “Good, Mrs. A. get me something clean and plastic, and some tape. I want to try and seal this gunshot wound.”
Mrs. A. returned with a flexible plastic cup lid. Shooter taped three of the ends of the lid to Louis’s skin, over the bullet wound. He turned to Alex and said, “Watch him for a tension pneumothorax. Be sure the side of his chest doesn’t look unequal. If it does, let the blood out or it will compress his lungs.”
Alex nodded, “I know. I used to work in ICU. He’s pale. Can we get his blood pressure? He looks shocky to me.” It was uncanny how Alex’s nursing knowledge returned to her. Once a nurse, always a n
urse they say.
Shooter nodded and pumped up the blood pressure cuff that Mrs. A. handed him. “100/60. Not too bad, but we don’t want it to fall much more.”
Alex looked up as the paramedics entered the drawing room. She moved aside so they could take over, and watched as they inserted a large bore needle and started an IV in Louis’s antecubital space, which they set to run wide open. Then they stabilized Louis’s spine. They were very capable.
Shooter gave the senior paramedic a history in broken French. “Have Jacob bring you and Sarah to the hospital. Mrs. A. can watch Haley until morning,” he directed as he departed with the ambulance.
Alex nodded and turned to Sarah, who was crying softly in a chair by the fireplace.
Alex moved over to comfort her and the two women retired into Louis’s study, away from the blood and gore. Alex and Sarah talked quietly while the staff cleaned up the drawing room. Alex watched as the beautiful Oriental carpet was carried outside to be destroyed. Her brain was numb as she assured Sarah over and over again that it would be all right and rocking the sobbing older woman in her arms. She felt a presence loom over her.
Jacob touched her shoulder and said, “Are you OK, Alex?”
Alex looked up with a tear-streaked face, “Did you get him, the bastard that shot my father?”
Stark shook his head. “No, whoever it is could run like the wind. Shooter wants us to come to the hospital. Are you ready?”
Alex had blood all over her. “Let me change my clothes.” She hugged Sarah in an attempt to comfort her. “Do you want to come with us?”
Sarah shook her head and in a quavering voice said, “No, I will stay with Haley. I’ve had all the hospitals I can handle the last few years. Will you call me?”
Alex nodded as she hugged the older woman. “Yes, I promise. We will make sure he gets the best of everything. Try to get some rest and we’ll be back as soon as we can.”
Sarah nodded and sobbed quietly into Jacob’s handkerchief.
Chapter 69
The Casualty Department at the local hospital was busy and the pace was frenetic. Alex’s French wasn’t too good but from what she could tell, it looked like a busy ED anywhere in the U.S.
Shooter met them in the waiting room. His face was grim but he smiled and said, “We have pretty good news. The doctor thinks he’ll be OK. The bullet grazed his chest wall and missed his heart by a millimeter. It was very close.”
Alex’s heart surged with relief and her eyes flooded with tears. “Oh, Shooter. I am so happy to hear that. There was so much blood that I thought .…” Her voice trailed off.
“He’s not out of the woods yet. He’s had a couple of units of blood and there is always a possibility of complications,” Shooter cautioned.
“Do you think I could see him,” Alex asked anxiously.
Shooter hesitated for a moment and replied, “I’m not sure. Let me go back there and check with the ED staff. They’ll probably let you if they’re not working on him.”
Jacob put his arm around Alex and said, “That sounds like good news to me. Why don’t we have a seat until Shooter checks things out? But, let’s get a coffee first.”
Alex nodded and waited by the vending machine as Jacob bought them two cups of Espresso. Alex accepted the coffee gratefully as they moved into the family waiting area.
“I feel responsible for this, Jacob. I seem to bring bad luck everywhere I go,” she said sadly.
Jacob was aghast. “Whatever to you mean, Alex? There is no way this could be your fault. Your father is well known and as we said earlier, he probably has many enemies.”
Alex didn’t reply and stared into her cup. She didn’t see Shooter beckoning Jacob.
“I’ll be right back, Alex. Let me see what Shooter wants,” Stark said.
He joined up with Shooter and they moved down the hall to a private area. “Jake, what did you find at the house? Were you able to get a fix on the assassin,” Shooter asked.
Stark shook his head. “No, he ran like the wind, but he did drop his gun.”
“And?” Shooter waited for him to continue.
Stark shrugged his shoulders. “It’s a Makarov, a 9 mm.”
“What, a Russian pistol? Those things are old. I didn’t think they used them much anymore.”
“Yeah, they use them, and I think they’re the official pistol the Russian mob uses for assassinations at close range. Probably because the mob stole them from the police,” Stark surmised.
Shooter’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding. What the hell?”
Stark nodded again. “Yeah, I checked it out and the gendarmes validated it for me. The Makarov PM was formally replaced by the Yarygin PY several years ago. That being said, there are lots of Makarov PMs still in Russian military and police service.”
Shooter said nothing and ran his fingers through his hair. Jacob watched as the possibility of a Russian mob hit registered across his face. “Do you think …?”
Stark gave him a sharp look. “The more important question is do you think the arm of the New Orleans mob extends to Russia?”
Shooter’s face was as pale as the stark white walls of the Casualty Department, and his mouth was stretched across his face in a hard line. He was as angry as Jacob had ever seen him.
“I don’t know, but I will find out,” he assured Jake as he slammed his hand into the wall, and then left the hospital.
Chapter 70
Fredrico Petrelli was in high spirits. He was celebrating in his favorite Big Easy bar. He slammed his glass against the bar and hollered for another, which the bartender promptly supplied. Things were going great for Fredrico. He hadn’t felt this good in years. Screw Luigi Destephano. Who does he think he is that he could get away from the New Orleans mob? No one gets away from us.
Fredrico continued to drink and fantasize, and missed the constant ring of his cell phone. He threw a hundred dollar bill at the barkeeper and headed out the door toward Harrah’s for a little gambling. He was untouchable and lucky. Then, he finally heard the sound of his phone. He checked the display. It was Shooter. He rubbed his fingers together in anticipation. Finally, his son would recognize him for the man he really was, now that Louis was dead.
“Yeah, where are you,” Petrelli barked into the phone, his bald head sweaty and shiny in the sun.
Shooter’s voice was quiet. “I’m in France. And you missed, Louis is fine,” he added as he clicked off.
Fredrico was furious. He dialed his son, his fat fingers moving slowly across the small keyboard, his tiny pig eyes furrowed into his brow. “What the hell do you mean he’s fine? I heard he was dead before he hit the floor. The Russian’s don’t miss,” he spat viciously into the phone.
“This time they did,” Shooter retorted. “They barely grazed him. Get your fat ass on the plane and come to France to see for yourself, scumbag,” he added before he hung up.
France, hell, I’m going to Russia to kill the SOB who missed Louis. Fredrico felt like killing someone. Maybe just a quick kill this time. He didn’t feel like torturing anybody. What he wanted was revenge.
Chapter 71
Jack Francoise and Ted Stevens stared glumly at each other. Finally Ted spoke, “What are we missing, Jack? There has to be something.”
Jack shook his head. “Beats me, Ted. I’d give most anything to catch this guy. He’s been killing for years, and we’re no closer now to getting him than we were when my father was part of the NOPD twenty-five years ago and I was a rookie.”
Ted nodded. “Yeah. I know. Let’s go over the latest killing step by step. Are Vern and Jason available? The mayor jumped me this morning. Two in one week is too much.”
Jack rolled his eyes and sighed, “Yeah, I’m sure the Mayor is having a fit. Devries is out for blood. Our blood.”
Ted studied the crime report as Jack hollered for Jason and added, “Vern should be available and so is Dr. Jeanfreau. We can check the medical evidence as well. Let me get ‘em in here.”
; Ted continued to pore over the crime scene report and said, “At least he’s moved back over to the French Quarter and out of the cemetery. Not sure what that means?”
“Me neither,” Jack said. “That business in St. Louis was bizarre. Any news from the mob? Anything on the street?”
Stevens shook his head, “Nah. All we have is a rumor that there’s some fighting in the ranks and among the Capos. That’s pretty characteristic with a change in leadership. I suspect Andretti will weed all of that out in no time,” he predicted. “I just don’t get the murders of the street bosses, unless they are tightening their own ranks and taking out each other.”
“I doubt that,” Jack said. “If they were gonna kill each other, they wouldn’t go to the trouble of stringing each other up and bleeding each other out in graveyards. They’d just shoot each other, like they always have ... a regular Mafia hit.”
Ted nodded. “You’re probably right. So, I wonder what beef St. Germaine has with the mob boys.”
Jack shook his head. “There’s a ton of ways to look at this,” he said, and then called Jason and asked him to gather Maddy Jeanfreau and Vern.
“Yeah,” Ted added. “There has to be some sort of mob connection though. No way there’s not.”
Jack nodded and a short time later, there was a soft knock on his door and Maddy entered Jack’s office, along with Jason. Vern was signed out at the dentist.
Maddy nodded to Ted, hugged Jack and said, “We’ve got to stop meeting this way, Commander. How’s the hip?”
Jack hugged the petite, dark haired physician and said, “Hip’s fine, leg’s fine, just like it never happened. I’m great.” He changed the subject. “What do we have medically with this new kill?”