The Mistaken

by Nancy S Thompson

  I smiled down at her, hoping my precautions made her feel safer. I reached for Hannah’s hand and led her into the lounge, back to a table in a dark corner. Perhaps she saw the perspiration along my forehead or felt the way my hand trembled and put two and two together, because she resisted and pulled against me.

  “Ty, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  “Oh, come on, one drink won’t hurt. Besides, I need to observe the lobby.”

  She wasn’t too excited by the idea, but she sat down with me anyway. “Okay, but only one drink, something light, then we go check in.”

  A cocktail waitress approached our table, smiled a polite greeting, and placed napkins on the table in front of us. “Good evening, folks. What can I get you tonight?” she asked, looking briefly at Hannah before her eyes settled on me. Her smile broadened and she winked.

  I glanced back over at Hannah. Her eyes were shooting daggers into the woman’s back.

  “Coffee, black,” I ordered without even looking up at the waitress. “And you, Hannah?”

  Her irritation turned to surprise. “Um…yeah, same for me, thanks.”

  The waitress scribbled on her notepad with a muffled humph. As soon as she left, Hannah smacked me on the arm.

  “Ouch! Watch the shoulder.” I wagged my finger at her. “Remember, I took a bullet for you.”

  “You’re a jerk!”

  “What? Would you rather I order something stronger?”

  “No! And that’s not what I’m referring to and you know it.” She looked away for a moment then turned back with a soft shake of her head. “I bet that happens all the time, huh?”

  “What’s that?”

  “That waitress,” she replied, tipping her chin toward our fleeing server.

  I shrugged. “What about her?”

  “Oh, come on, Ty, don’t be coy. She was flirting with you. That is so rude. For all she knows, I could be your wife.”

  I chuckled again, a memory of Jill having a similar reaction rushing through me. “Yeah, my wife used to get pretty upset when that would happen.”

  Hannah sat back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest. “I bet.” A crooked smile pulled up on one side of her mouth. “I hate to think about what your poor wife must have put up with having you around.”

  I leaned my elbows on the table and steepled my fingers under my chin. “You might not believe this but, I wasn’t such a bad chap. She didn’t seem to mind so much.”

  Hannah stared at me with only a tiny smile remaining. “No, I don’t imagine she did.” Then she sniffed and looked away.

  I studied her as she scanned the people milling around us. I thought back to when I was younger, when I enjoyed the attention I received from women like the waitress. But then Jillian came along and the flattery turned to subtle embarrassment. It was damn awkward to sit next to the woman you loved and be flirted with by strangers.

  We lingered in the bar for about an hour, watching people come and go. We made a game out of choosing guests and, by their appearance, guessing where we thought they came from or what they did for a living. We mimicked their posture and spouted made-up lines of dialogue as entertainment. It was a childish game, good for a few laughs, and it gave me the opportunity to look out for any of Alexi’s men. Hannah seemed relaxed and comfortable, given our circumstances. It was nice to see her smile and hear her laugh.

  I patted her arm. “Stay put while I get us a room,” I said as I rose from the table. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  I used my own credit card to secure the room. Now that we were in San Francisco, I didn’t want there to be any connection to Hannah. It was bad enough that her car was in the garage and that anyone might see it. With two card keys in hand, I returned to the bar and picked up Hannah’s bag.

  “Ready?” I asked, offering her my arm.

  She looped hers through mine and accompanied me through the lobby to the main elevators which whisked us up to our suite on the seventeenth floor. I handed her one of the card keys and she opened the door. Hannah looked pleased as we entered the suite. It was large and elegant with contemporary furnishings done in shades of silver, pewter, gold and greyish-blue. The view out the expansive windows was magnificent and looked out onto Yerba Buena Gardens. I escorted her to a separate room and deposited her bag on the luxurious king-sized bed.

  “You have your own bedroom. No monsters allowed,” I joked in bad taste. She swatted at me again, but I maneuvered out of the way. “A little more like what you’re used to, I hope,” I said as she walked around the suite examining everything.

  She didn’t look up, just ran her hand over the furnishings and replied, “More so than the last one.”

  Given her tone, I thought I might have insulted her with that last remark, but she continued her tour and didn’t act offended. I walked over to the small dining area, well-appointed with a chic table for four.

  “We can order in tonight,” I suggested. “Something good to make up for all the bad food we’ve endured.”

  She caught my eye. “Breakfast wasn’t so bad.”

  “The company was good, at least,” I added, hoping to make her smile again.

  It worked. Hannah flashed me a charming grin.

  “Ty? Since we’re settled in, would you mind if I went for a short walk? When we drove in, I saw a little shop a few doors down that I’d really like to visit. It’s been so long since I’ve been in The City.”

  I shook my head hesitantly. “I don’t know, Hannah...”

  “Oh, come on. It’s busy out on the street, and it’s only three doors down, at most. I need to get some fresh air and stretch my legs, have some girl time…you know, alone.”

  I wasn’t very comfortable with the idea, but she was persistent.

  “I’ll wear a hat and dark glasses,” she added, trying her best to twist my arm.

  I still didn’t like it, but she’d been a pretty good sport, all things considered. And I didn’t think even Alexi would snatch her off the street in this neighborhood. Still, I wasn’t willing to take that risk.

  “Well, perhaps just down to one of the shops in the lobby, as long as you stay where there are plenty of people. And here, bring your phone, just in case.” I held out her cell. “Keep it off unless you absolutely need it.”

  She was disappointed at being restricted, but didn’t argue.

  “One hour,” I reminded her as she headed for the door a few minutes later, her hair pulled up and her cap and glasses in place. I was relieved to see that she appeared unrecognizable. “Hannah, would you mind if I ordered dinner for you?”

  “No, that sounds good. And since Beck’s paying, go ahead and make it something decadent,” she suggested. “But Ty? Please...be good. Okay?”

  “Right-o, Mum,” I said with a salute.

  Hannah shot me a look of warning with her head tilted to the side and her hand on her hip. She posed just like my mum when she reprimanded me as a young boy. Both the image and the memory made me chuckle.

  When Hannah left the room, she took all her energy with her. It was remarkable how much calmer I was when she was near. I walked to the window towering above the city streets and scanned for Alexi or his car, but I was too far away to discern anyone on the busy roads.

  I turned on the wide-screen TV and scanned the cable news to see if anyone from the Seattle area had been reported missing. When the news proved clear, I surfed through the other channels, trying to find something to divert my attention, but I was too restless with Hannah gone and couldn’t sit still. I searched the satellite radio stations until I found one that played alternative music, Hannah’s favorite. I listened to it for a while and found the tunes to be rather angst-ridden and melancholy, too much for my present mood.

  I gave it great effort, but I couldn’t keep my attention from the mini bar. I looked at my watch and noted it had been nearly eighteen hours since my last drink. Every last minute of those hours twisted through me like a knife. My hands were trembling worse
than ever, and I swallowed hard, breaking out into a cold sweat at the sight of all that alcohol. It was no use trying to deny myself when it was all I could think about. I grabbed two tiny bottles of Jack Daniel’s and a cold can of Coke and mixed them in a tall glass with some ice. I consumed the contents quickly, relief filling me and quieting the building tension.

  After wrapping the empty bottles in paper, I stuffed them into the waste basket then rearranged the remaining liquor so it didn’t look like any were missing. I even brushed my teeth. I’d rather not have to deal with Hannah’s accusations, should she take notice. The guilt I felt at resorting to such measures was tempered by the easing of my stress. I needed to be calm. It would be impossible for me to sort out all the issues with Nick and Alexi, not to mention Hannah, without some kind of external reinforcement, and I accepted that for what it was: pure weakness.

  After washing out the glass, I refilled it with another soda and drank it down just as fast. The caffeine hummed through my veins and picked up my spirit. I looked over the menu from the hotel restaurant and selected dishes for each of us, as well as an indulgent dessert to share.

  I felt much better when Hannah returned fifteen minutes later with a tall bag in her hand and a welcoming smile on her lovely face.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Hannah

  After being confined to a car for so long, it felt good to be out and walking around. Though I was restricted to the hotel, I welcomed the small taste of freedom. I strolled through the few shops off the lobby, but felt too distracted to really focus on shopping. My thoughts were consumed by Tyler alone in the room with a fully stocked bar so close at hand. We couldn’t afford another night of his heavy drinking.

  An idea had been brewing for a few minutes before I finally decided to act on it. I knew it would be difficult, if not impossible, for Ty to go too long without something to drink, but I hoped that weaning him off the hard stuff would be an acceptable option. Wine was much weaker, yet very relaxing, so I picked out a bottle of fine Merlot to share over dinner and returned to the room.

  As soon as I walked through the door, I noticed a difference in Ty’s demeanor. Suspicious, I scanned the room, but all I saw were a couple of soda cans left on the coffee table. There was no evidence that Tyler had had a hard drink, so I took his good mood at face value and enjoyed it for what is was.

  “Wow, you seem in good spirits,” I commented.

  “Caffeine on an empty stomach,” he replied with a wide grin. He glanced at his watch and tapped the crystal. “Speaking of an empty stomach, I ordered dinner a while ago. It should be here momentarily.”

  “Good, I’m starving.”

  As if on cue, there was a knock on the door, and a voice called out “room service.” We both laughed over the timing. I crossed the room to answer the door, but Tyler stopped me and pushed me behind his body. He peeked through the peep hole then cracked open the door and peered through. He sighed slightly in relief and pulled the door wide, allowing the waiter to roll his cart inside.

  “Good evening,” he said cheerfully. “May I set your meal up for you in the dining room?”

  Ty nodded his approval. “Please,” he said and gestured toward the table.

  The waiter quickly set the table for two, settling the artfully arranged dishes between the silverware then lighting two tall candles in the center. “There you go, folks. Enjoy your meal.”

  Ty thanked the waiter, signed the tab, and slipped him a few bills before he showed him out. He turned to me and rubbed his hands together. “Let’s eat, shall we?”

  I held up one finger. “Wait, I have something else for us.” I retrieved the bag I had left on the entry table and pulled out the bottle of wine. “I thought this would be nice to have with our meal. I thought it might...help, you know, with your cravings…at least I hope so…while not being too strong, of course.” I shrugged at Ty’s shocked expression, reasoning with him as he had with me the night before. “It’s just one bottle between the two of us.”

  He stuffed his hands in his pockets and peered down at the floor. “Thanks, Hannah.”

  He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Inwardly, I wondered why, but let it go.

  I walked over to the low buffet in the dining room and pulled out two glasses and a cork screw, and handed them all to Ty then opened the draperies so we could enjoy the twinkling evening cityscape.

  When the bottle was opened and the glasses half-filled, we sat down to enjoy our meal. We kept the conversation on lighter topics while we ate, sharing our entrees with each other. The food was tasty, and we finished nearly everything, the wine included, before we dove into the tempting dessert. When I thought he was relaxed and comfortable, I changed the subject of our discussion.

  “Okay Tyler, you promised to tell me everything once we were settled in. So now it’s time. Spill.”

  He choked on his food and wiped a linen napkin over his mouth. “Can’t I have a few more minutes to finish my meal?”

  “I think you’ve had long enough.”

  “Hannah, why do you want to ruin our nice dinner?”

  I knew he was just stalling for time and gave him a sharp look. I sat back in my chair and folded my arms. “Ty, it doesn’t matter if it’s now or an hour from now. You are going to tell me everything, even if I have to get you drunk to do so.”

  He coughed again, threw his napkin down onto the table, and pushed his chair back. “Why are you so determined to run headlong into danger?”

  I lowered my eyes to the table, my anger simmering just beneath the surface. “I’m not running headlong, Tyler. I was unceremoniously pulled in, without my consent. And while I understand the circumstances and have, more or less, forgiven you for your…mistake, I might remind you that I haven’t forgotten it.

  “I’m not exactly here of my own free will. And I resent your patronizing tone, especially since I’m willing to help you clear up your mess without involving the authorities. I could have called the police, you know, back at the café or even downstairs in the lobby while you were checking in, but I didn’t because I’m trying hard to trust in your word. Even after everything you’ve done. So, once again, I think you owe me.”

  The grin was wiped from Tyler’s face while he pondered my words. He looked me square in the eye and held it there for a moment before dropping his gaze uncomfortably. Pushing his chair clear of the table, he stood up and gently took my hand.

  “Come join me on the sofa,” he requested.

  He escorted me over and motioned for me to take a seat. We both sat sideways, facing each other squarely. He reclaimed my hand in his own and began.

  “First, I want to reiterate how sorry I am for all that I’ve put you through. For the pain and fear I’ve caused. That is not who I am, and I have no excuse to offer that would be reason enough to have attempted such an unspeakable thing. No matter the situation, what I did was wrong, and I know that. I am deeply ashamed.”

  Ty grew agitated as the regret washed over him again. He could no longer look me in the eye, and he was losing control over his emotions, his face twitching in self-disgust.

  “Ty, I told you I understood. You don’t have to rehash all—”

  He shook his head and raised his eyes back up to mine. “Please, Hannah, let me finish before you offer me absolution.”

  He dropped my hand and turned away from me, sitting straight along the edge of the sofa. With his elbows resting on his knees and his fingers steepled between his nose and upper lip, he struggled to find the right words. Unable to sit still, he stood and paced the floor.

  “Hannah, I’ve explained that you—by proxy, of course—have a price on your head, that you’d been sold already. I’ve been trying to get you out of this deal, but these people Nick and I are mixed up with are reluctant to renegotiate. They’ve already received payment from their client and are just waiting for me to deliver you to them. I’ve explained to Nick’s boss, Alexi, that I’d made a mistake, that I had misidentified you, that
I had the wrong girl.”

  Ty shook his head and kept his eyes pinned to the floor.

  “From the beginning, Alexi knew I was intending retribution against Erin, and since he would directly benefit from it, he was only too willing to accommodate me, but essentially, he doesn’t care about the reasoning behind the plan. All he cares about is that I owe him his, uh…merchandise. Merchandise he’s already sold and been paid for. He only cares about closing the deal. I told him I would repay the price his boss, Dmitri, had accepted, with interest, and he could refund the money to his client. But he’s not willing to do that. Nick said it’s not about the money for Dmitri, it’s about power. They can’t allow themselves to be screwed with, to look weak.”

  He stopped pacing, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and stared out the window.

  “I told Alexi I would never turn you over—an innocent girl—to be used that way. At this point, I couldn’t even do that to Erin.”

  Tyler’s focus wavered and he choked up. He looked down at his feet and continued, his brow knitted tightly together.

  “We argued over this point for some time without coming to an agreement, so Alexi felt… He felt it…necessary to secure some kind of...insurance policy—leverage, you might say—to compel me to complete the deal by our prearranged deadline.”

  Tyler dropped his hands to his sides and tightened them into fists. He glanced over his shoulder and looked me in the eye.

  “Hannah, Alexi has my brother, and he will kill him if I don’t comply.”

  I sucked in a large breath and my mouth fell open. “Oh God, Tyler, I’m so sorry.” I stood and took a step toward him.

  He raised his hand to stop me. “I was allowed to speak with Nick this morning before we left the café. He told me not to go through with it, not to bring you in or to even attempt to help him. He said that…that he was…willing...” Ty paused, pressed his lips together, and swallowed hard. “He said that he was willing to pay with his life.”

  A single tear spilled from the corner of his eye. The anguish there was unbearable to see. I was dumbfounded. Just the day before, Nick had been all too eager to turn me over. I wondered what had changed so drastically that he would offer himself up in my place. I walked over and faced Ty.