by Jill Sanders
Chapter Fifteen
Trent woke up to something heavy falling on his chest. When he opened his eyes, he saw Tommy’s little face looking back down at him, a large smile on the kid’s face.
“Did you really mean what you said?”
“What?” he asked, rubbing his hands over his face and wishing for another hour of sleep.
“That you won’t let her take me away.”
He looked at the kid again. His bright red hair was spiked up like he’d slept on his left side all night. His eyes were no longer red and puffy from crying. “Of course I did, buddy.”
“And you’re going to be my new daddy?”
Trent smiled and nodded his head. “I’d like that.”
“Me too,” he said, placing his little hands on Trent’s face, melting his heart a little more.
“Mari’s making me a special breakfast. I bet she’s making you some too,” he said, leaning closer. “If you want, you can carry me downstairs.”
Trent laughed and hoisted the kid upside down and walked down the stairs to see Marina standing in his kitchen, his “Kiss the cook” grilling apron wrapped around her shirt and jeans.
“There she is, Miss America,” he sang as he walked over to her and placed a kiss on her lips while still dangling the giggling kid from his arms.
Less than four hours later, Marina and Trent sat in his lawyer’s office filling out the official paperwork that would give her full custody of Tommy until a hearing could be held. Marina had Trina’s original note proving that her sister had abandoned Tommy into her care over a year ago.
That, along with the criminal record the lawyer had pulled up on her sister, was enough evidence to ensure their success, at least in his lawyer’s eyes. Besides, Trina still had two warrants for her arrest and the lawyer advised them to call the police next time she caused them any problems.
Tommy sat quietly in the corner, playing with his trucks while they had talked. Trent knew the kid was listening in most of the time, since he never once looked like he was bored of playing with the same truck for the entire meeting.
As they all walked away from the building holding hands, Tommy in the middle, Trent felt like everything was finally coming together. He loved the kid and would do anything he could to make sure he stayed with Marina and him.
Hell, he could even imagine adding a kid of their own to the mix, maybe even two.
“How about stopping off and picking up a few more items from our place. The movers won’t be there until tomorrow and I could use a few more things.”
“Sure, why not?” He smiled down at the boy, who looked a little unsure.
When they arrived there, the door to Marina’s place was cracked open. Trent pushed Tommy into Marina’s hands and told her to go next door to call the police. Instead of waiting there for them this time, he crept inside and listened. He could hear someone moving around in the back and picked up a bat that was leaning against the wall in the entryway. He was glad he had left it for her at her old place and that she had brought it along to the new place. When he rushed into Tommy’s room, he found Trina tossing the boy’s things around the room.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded loudly, scaring her so that she dropped his school backpack.
“Oh, it’s you.” She turned and picked up the backpack like it was no big deal to be breaking in to her sister’s place. “I left something with Tommy and I need it back.” She glanced up at him and gave him a look like he was bothering her.
“You have no right to go through Tommy’s things,” he said.
“What’s going on?” Marina said from the doorway. “Trina, what on earth?” She rushed into the room and snatched Tommy’s bag from her sister.
“It’s no big deal. I gave something to Tommy to watch for me, now I need it back.” She shrugged her shoulders and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Is that why you came back?” Marina asked. She bit her bottom lip then said, “Brandon said you had something of his. Did you leave it with Tommy?”
“It’s none of your business. Now, if you’ll just let me look for it…” She got down on her hands and knees and started going through the contents of Tommy’s bag, which she’d poured out.
“Here,” Tommy said from the doorway. “You can have it.” He held out the red truck towards her. “If you’ll leave me alone and never come back.” He tossed the red truck towards Trina. “Go away!” he shouted when she jumped towards the truck.
Just then, two officers with their guns drawn came rushing into Tommy’s room, causing the little boy to rush towards Trent in fear.
“Woah!” Trent said, raising his hands. “It’s all right.”
Marina stepped closer and started to explain while Trina pulled out a small USB drive from the cab of the truck and tucked it into her jeans. Then she tossed the truck on the ground and looked for a way to escape.
“Did you authorize your sister to come into your apartment?” one of the officers asked.
“Yes,” Trina piped in. “Mari said I could come back and get a few things. Didn’t you, sister?” Trina walked over and took her sister’s arm playfully.
Marina wasn’t going along with it. “No.” She shook her head. “She broke in and started going through Tommy’s things.”
“Tommy’s my son!” Trina shouted. “I have the right—”
“No, you don’t.” Marina turned on her sister.
“Officers, if I may?” Trent set Tommy back down on the floor and walked over to Trina. “I believe this”—he reached in and took out the drive—“might be of importance.” Trina tried to grab the drive from his hand, but he yanked it away and handed it to the officer.
“Give me that. It’s mine,” Trina yelled, now trying to grab the drive from the officer. His partner quickly rolled her around and held her at bay.
“Calm down, miss.” He tried to hold her steady, but now Trina was kicking at the other officer and clawing the one holding her back while screaming that it was hers.
Marina rushed over and shielded Tommy from witnessing the scene. Trent stood back and thought about helping, but the two officers quickly had her cuffed and subdued.
Finally, they sat her down on Tommy’s bed and started asking her questions.
“What’s on the drive?” the younger officer asked.
“It’s mine.” Trina said, big tears coming into her eyes.
“Ma’am, we can easily find out what’s on this.” He held it up.
Trina’s tears had started to turn worse. “He promised me money. Enough money that I wouldn’t have to worry anymore,” she cried.
“Who?”
“Brandon?” Marina asked, stepping forward.
Trina nodded her head. “He wants the drive back. At first I held onto it to make sure he didn’t take Tommy, but then…” She looked at the little boy in Trent’s arms. “I guess I just got used to not having him around.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Life was easier without him always asking questions.” She looked away from the kid and Trent walked out of the room with Tommy in his arms.
He took him down the stairs and sat down on the steps outside the building.
“I’m sorry about what your mom said.” Trent rested his elbows on his knees and watched the traffic go by.
“I don’t care,” Tommy said, tears sliding down his chubby cheeks. “She wasn’t a good mom, anyway.” He wiped a tear with the back of his hand and looked down at his shoes.
“Still, she’s your mom.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “You’re better at being a parent.” He looked up at him. “You still want me, right?”
Trent smiled as he felt his heart skip. “Yeah, Marina and I would give up everything for you.”
“Cool. I guess that’s all that matters.” Tommy looked back down at his hands. “Would it be okay if I called you dad? I’ve never had one before. Not one that I’ve known.”
“I’d like that.” Trent picked the kid up and hugged him just as Marina came
out and sat next to them.
“You okay?” she asked Tommy, running her fingers over his face.
“Yeah. Trent said I can call him dad now.” He smiled and she smiled back.
They stood back and watched her sister being taken away in a police car. When they went back inside, Tommy went to go pack up a few toys and clothes to take to their new place.
“How’s it going?” Trent nodded towards the door.
“They took her in for the outstanding warrants.”
“I figured as much.”
“But Trent, she has proof that the senator drugged and raped her. I guess it was on the USB drive.”
“I thought they had an affair.”
“So did everyone else. But if what she told us is true, that USB drive has the evidence to not only ruin Brandon Hughes, but to lock him away for years.”
Trent shook his head and whistled. “Crazy.”
“I know. She hid it in Tommy’s truck and just gave it to a seven-year-old to hold. Why didn’t she give it to me when the senator was threatening to take Tommy away a year ago?”
He shook his head. “Maybe she thought she could sell it?”
“I guess. I don't know if I can trust anything she says anymore.” Marina frowned and shook her head. “I had hoped that she was getting clean all this time.” She took a step towards him and wrapped her arms around him. “I feel so bad that I didn’t do more for her.”
He shook his head and put his finger under her chin until she looked at him. “You did what you had to do to keep that little boy safe. You’re a wonderful aunt and are going to be the best mother ever.”
She smiled and kissed him.
The next day was a busy one. They had less than three days before Marina’s officially opened. His new staff was running around making sure everything was in order. There were trial runs during lunch and dinner with the staffs’ families and friends filling the dining rooms, trying every dish on the menu.
Nothing left the kitchen that he or one of his trusted staff didn’t inspect. Everything was running smoothly. By the day before the grand opening, he was sure that it would be a huge success.
Several of his friends from college had made reservations for opening night, and he was excited to see them. Mitch and Carter had been there for him all throughout school and had helped him open Manhattan Nights. Now both of them were happily married. They had both chosen to move out of New York and start families up on the coast of Maine.
Even his mother was making an appearance. She usually tried avoiding the big city in the fall, but she was flying in early tomorrow morning and staying at her usual suite at the Ritz. He was excited and nervous to have his mother meet the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He knew that they would get along wonderfully, but that didn’t stop him from worrying.
Marina and he had been trying to avoid watching television the last few days, since her sister was all over the news. Apparently, the USB drive held a little more than she’d led them to believe. There was no proof of rape, but plenty of drugs and dirty sex involved.
Trina was still locked away for the warrants, but Marina had hired a lawyer to help make sure that she wouldn’t spend the rest of her life behind bars. He understood why she needed to help her sister out. After all, she’d signed the legal paperwork giving up her rights to Tommy the day after they had arrested her.
Now all he had to do was get through tomorrow evening and then everything would fall into place. He stopped outside his new office door and looked down at the small box that had just been delivered and smiled. Walking in, he opened his desk safe and placed the engagement ring in it and leaned back to dream about his future life with Marina and Tommy.
When his phone rang, he smiled and answered, “I was just thinking about you.”
“Trent?” Marina’s voice was low and muffled. “Someone’s following me.”
“Where are you?” He stood up ready to sprint into action.
“I’m about two blocks from the house. It's too dark to see...” she said, and he could hear that she was getting breathless.
“Can you get inside a public place?” he asked, sprinting towards the door.
“No.” He heard some rustling, and then her line went dead.
As he ran to grab a cab, he dialed her phone again. When she didn’t answer on the third ring, he dialed 911.
He arrived at his place just as the first police car drove up. His eyes had been scanning the dark sidewalk for Marina the entire ride over. Using his key, he rushed inside, knowing already that she wasn’t there.
He’d tried calling her cell a dozen times on the short ride over; still there was no answer.
He filled the officers in on what had happened and they decided to drive the streets to see if they could find her. Trent called Julie to see if maybe Marina had shown up there.
Julie wanted to rush over and help look, but he asked her to stay with Tommy instead since he was spending the night with her.
“Julie, don’t tell him anything is wrong.”
“I won’t. I just put on a movie. Keep me posted.”
“Thanks, I will.” Trent said, a little breathless from rushing down the street, searching.
If only she’d given him cross streets, he thought as he jogged down the streets looking for her. He was circling his block when something caught his eye. Rushing over, he bent down and picked up Marina’s new cell phone. The screen was cracked and there was a spot of blood on the corner.
Chapter Sixteen
Marina woke with something sticky running down her eyes. There was a cloth that smelled of burnt toast shoved in her mouth, gagging her. She had a hard time adjusting her eyes and when she moved her head, everything felt like it was spinning.
It was too dark to see where she was, but judging by the cool, moist atmosphere, she was betting she was underground somewhere.
She tried to move her hands and feet, but they were tied too tightly. Just then, there was a noise and her head snapped up, searching for what had made the sound.
“You just wouldn’t stay away from him,” a deep voice said from the dark corner.
She moaned and blinked a few times, trying to get her eyes to adjust.
“He has to learn. I told him to stay away from you.” The voice was growing louder and getting closer to her.
Marina tried to ball herself up and get farther away. She couldn’t tell if it was a male or female voice, but she had started to see an outline in the darkness.
“You’ll just sit right here, nice and quiet, and burn!” When the woman screamed, the voice triggered something and Marina had a flashback. The memory came to her quickly.
It was her first visit to Manhattan Nights. She’d been seated and a male waiter had taken her order, but when her food arrived, it was delivered by a tall, chubby, blonde woman. She’d smiled down at Marina like she’d had a secret. It had kind of creeped her out, but she’d turned her focus on the food instead.
Then she remembered that the same lady had delivered her meal on her second pass at Manhattan Nights. She didn’t know who the woman was or why she was trying to destroy Trent, but she desperately knew she needed to get out of there.
She started moaning and trying to talk, hoping the woman would remove her gag.
“Shut up! You don’t get to talk,” the woman said, taking a step closer so that Marina’s eyes finally focused on the woman’s face. It was the same woman, but this time, instead of a white uniform, she was wearing all black. Her arms and face was covered in soot and dirt.
Looking down, she realized her dress slacks and coat were covered in the same grime.
“I’m tired of always being second.” The woman started walking around the small room. “Second in command in the kitchen, second choice in his bed.” She turned and glared down at her and then pointed a finger right at her face. “He wouldn’t have known you existed if I hadn’t tried to punish him for passing me up for head chef. I deserved that position! Of course I
knew who the great M. Jenkins was.” She giggled. “New York's biggest secret, but I'm not stupid. I saw the pictures of you online, read all about who you were. It was easy for me to watch out for you when you came in to the restaurant.” She stepped back and took a deep breath and shook her head. “When I tried to get closer to Trent, all of a sudden he didn’t have time for me. Because of you!” She screamed and shook her head again, then used her hands to smooth down her shirt, smearing more grime on them unknowingly.
“Well, he won’t ignore me now.” She turned and picked up a can of gasoline and proceeded to dump the fuel all around the chair Marina was tied to as Marina renewed her attempt to wiggle free and scream.
Trent was standing in Manhattan Nights ten minutes later, talking to the police and most of his staff about conducting a door-to-door search in the neighborhood.
They had roped off the alleyway where they had found Marina’s cell phone and searched everywhere for more clues as to what had happened. So far, they hadn’t found anything else.
Now as he looked around at his staff, he took stock of the faces and frowned. “Where’s Angie? I left her in charge tonight so I could take Trey to the new place and have him help me out there.”
“She took a break a while ago and never returned,” someone piped in.
Trent’s mind sharpened and he tried to remember a few details. When everyone left to start their search for Marina, he turned and rushed into the small office off the kitchen instead. He sat at the desk and pulled up the schedule for a few months ago on the computer.
Every day that Marina had visited, Angie had been on the schedule. Then he looked at the evening his place had been broken into and saw that she’d clocked out two hours before he’d arrived home. She would have had plenty of time to trash his place. He pulled open the top drawer and realized that the extra set of keys to his place, which he normally kept in the back of the drawer, were gone.
He had a sinking feeling he’d just discovered who had Marina, and he felt sick knowing that it was his fault.