“Are you sure because if you want I ca—”
“Bethany, I said I was fine, and that is all. You can shut my door.” I dismiss her without a thought. If she isn’t satisfied with her employment, then she can just quit. Hell, I will fucking fire her. I get up to do just that, when my receiver dings.
“WHAT!” I roar.
“Sorry, Mr. Dresden, there’s a Patti Jacobs on the phone. She says it’s urgent.”
It takes me a minute to register the name. Penny’s best friend. I am not in the mood to be lectured by a girlfriend looking to avenge her friend.
“Take a message,” I bark.
“I have. This is the third time she’s called. She said if I don’t put her through she’s going to—”
“Oh Christ, just put her through.” I grab at the phone handle and aggressively bring it to my ear.
“What can I do for you Ms.—”
“Is Penny with you?” She cuts me off.
“And why would she be with me, Ms. Jacobs? Penelope made it very clear she was through with me.”
“Who the fuck knows you lying bastard, but that’s not what I asked you.”
“Now you listen here—”
“IS SHE WITH YOU!?”
“NO!” I roar losing my patience.
“Then I think something’s wrong.” Her voice gets softer, more urgent. It takes a moment, but I register her last comment and its stops my anger in its place.
“What do you mean something is wrong? Why? What’s happened?” I sit up straight in my chair, waiting for her to respond, which she does not do fast enough. “I said what’s—”
“She’s gone total MIA. We were supposed to go to this show last night. And Penny never misses a show. Jamie told me she was a mess when he talked to her, but even so, she wouldn’t have not shown up or called.”
The mention of Penny being upset guts me. I’m so angry with her for her false accusations and tainting the words I have only spoken once to a person, that being her.
“Well why don’t you just call her?” I ask the obvious. She doesn’t need me to help. Clearly Penny wants nothing to do with me since she hasn’t made any attempt to contact me.
“I did, you asshat, and nothing.” Her foul name calling is stirring up my anger.
“I’m sure she’s fine. Why don’t you check her place? I’m sure she is sleeping off a hangover.” That was uncalled for and shameful for me to say. I love her for her insane addictions.
“You know what, you’re an asshole. And when the time comes, I hope you choke on your own balls. But right now I don’t know what else to do. Trust me you ARE my last phone call.”
“What do you want then? I am very busy, Ms. Jacobs.”
I hear the girl sigh. “I had called Jamie last night because Penny wasn’t answering her phone. He told me how the last time he spoke to her was when she’d called him on her way home, said she was hysterical. He told me she quickly shut down and hung up on him and that was it. After explaining all that to me, I sent him to bang on her door hoping to get her out of her land of self-destruction and come meet me. That was around ten at night.
Well, finally, after about ten minutes of banging, their landlord came out telling Jamie she had let her in hours ago. Told him she had claimed to have been robbed on the subway and she didn’t have her purse or keys.”
“Robbed? What do you mean robbed?” I am back to being alert and angry.
“I’m not even sure. That’s just what she said. Told Jamie she was in a mood. And that is never a good sign.”
My shoulders tense as I raise my free hand and grab for the bridge of my nose. “Well did she open the door? She was probably sleeping it off.”
“Mr. Dresden. For someone who averages over blah blah billions in yearly revenue, you sure are a slow man. As I said before, we had covered all of our bases. You are our last call.”
“So she was not in her apartment?”
Another sigh. “That’s the thing. Jamie tried to wait up for her but ended up passing out on his couch. I called her work this morning to see if she just went straight there only to find out that she had been fired yesterday.”
“What? Why in heavens would she be fired? She is the best asset to West and Mills.”
“Marianne, the gossip secretary, told me she was fired for harassment from her contracting job with Dresden Architects. Said that apparently YOU filed a complaint against her for harassment and fired her.”
“What!? That is insane. Why would I do such a thing?” This call is getting ridiculous.
“Because you didn’t like how Penny ended it? Because you have power and didn’t like how Penny caught you being a cheating asshole? I don’t know, why would you?”
I slam my fist onto my desk. “This is insane, I would never do that to her, I love her!” the words pour out of my mouth. Just hearing them calms me so I continue, “I would never do a damn thing to hurt her. Even if she won’t listen to reason.”
“And that reason being those photographs were lies?”
“Meaning that I was obviously set up. Those photos were fake. I have not touched a single other woman since she walked into my life.” I close my eyes swiping my hand down my face. “And Christ I never want to.” If it’s possible, her rabid friend is silent, giving me the opportunity to actually take in all this crazy information.
“She hasn’t come to me. Why do you think she is in trouble?”
“Well in the morning, when we finally convinced the landlord to open her door for us, they found a bag with lighter fluid and marshmallows.”
“That seems strange.”
“Well, not for Penny, I’m pretty sure she had a great idea in her head. But that’s not what has us worried. We found a needle casing. Like one that people use to inject shit. Penny might be crazy, but she doesn’t use drugs. I think someone’s taken her.”
My entire body tenses, the words taken her causes my blood to run cold.
“And there’s something I think I need to tell you. It’s about Cassandra…”
MY HEADS FEELS LIKE that one time Patti pulled an April Fool’s day prank on me and switched out my expensive tequila for some dirt cheap brand and allowed me to pound it all night long, ending with my whole head in the toilet. When I wasn’t barfing, I could have drank the toilet water to keep hydrated, I was that far in.
I try lifting my hands to rub at my temples but find, much to my disappointment, they are tied behind my back. As I make another effort to tug at my captured hands, I roll and drop two feet, hitting a cement surface.
“Christ, this is the third time ye have done that. Don’t ye know how to stay put?” An unfamiliar voice grumbles to the right of me. I try and peel my eyes open, but the world on the other side of my eyelids causes a wave of nausea to sweep through me.
“Ugh, where am I?” I don’t remember getting drunk last night. And who is this guy? I open my eyes fully this time and… Oh shit. Who is this guy? He doesn’t look familiar. Definitely not my type. As in, if my hands were free I would smack myself to determine if this was real or not. A bit of shame washes over me, because, for the second time in my life I have to ask, “Shoot, did um…did we… ahh…you know…”
“What?” he begins to laugh. “Oh deary no, we did not, ye know.” He finishes on a chuckle.
Oh phew. Now that that’s out of the way. “Then is there any reason I’m handcuffed?” Typical everyday question when you wake up in an unfamiliar place with no recollection of how you got there.
“So ye don’t run.”
“Okay. But why would I run?” I’m not stupid. Obviously I am not in a good situation right now. It’s not my norm to black out when I drink, but I can’t pull together any reason why I would be here. I remember stopping at the gas station. The lighter fluid. Fire. Oh my god. I set the building on fire. I’m in jail. That’s it! Who would have thought my final demise would be arson?
“Sir, did I get my one phone call?” I ask, because I should probably call and make sur
e I didn’t kill anyone, and that my poor cat is okay.
“Sweet cheeks, ye don’t get a call here.” He laughs again and I hear him walking closer to me. With his form blocking the blinding light, my eyes fully adjust.
“Oh sweet Jesus.” The sight. And smell.
More laughing. “Not yer type? That’s okay. No hard feelings, doll.”
The man before me, he’s smelly for one and looks to be about the same height as me, with a bigger belly and red hair.
“Why…why am I here?” I ask, starting to not feel so good about this. Clearly this is not the jail.
“Because, Dearie, I’m getting paid a lot of money to get rid of ye.”
What? “What do you mean get rid of me? And where am I?” Think, Penny. Think. Think. I went home. I didn’t have my keys so I asked Bimbo Brandi to let me in. I got the door open ready to light some serious shit on fire, and then… The needle. Someone was in my place! “Oh my god. Who are you? Who wants me dead?” Seriously if Sam is this mad over me breaking up with him… “Please. Please don’t hurt me. Tell him I’m sorry. I didn’t mean the things I said. I was just very upset.” I’m trying to tug out of the handcuffs, but they’re super tight and scraping my skin.
“Child, who are ye talking about?”
“Sam… Sam put you up to this didn’t he?” I look at him confused, whatever they gave me is still in my bloodstream. My mind is foggy and I think it’s the drugs talking.
“Honey I have no idea who Sam is, but it ain’t him.” He bends forward. “Don’t fight me.” He picks me up and drops me back onto the bed. “Now sit tight.”
“Wait! What do you mean sit tight! What am I sitting tight for?” I’m panicking now. Tough girl act gone. “Please!” I scream. “Don’t leave me here. Help! Help!”
He stops and turns, shaking his head. “I should have known ye would be a screamer.” He walks toward a makeshift table and I watch him shuffle through a bag. To my despair, I watch him pull out a needle. “No, no, no. Okay I get it, I’ll be quiet,” I beg as he tests out the needle and begins walking my way. “Seriously, mums the word.” He still comes at me. “Please, please don’t give that to me. Please, I swear—”
I get half my sentence out as the needle sinks into my neck and nighty night I go.
“ARE THEY HERE YET?” I yell from my office, where I’ve been pacing like a mad man. When they get here, I’m going to strangle them. I’m going to yell until I’m blue in the face, then I’m going to strangle them. First up, Patti.
What the hell was Penny thinking sneaking into Henry’s place? I could just spank her silly. God I wish she was here so I could smack her ass until my anger subsided, and then wrap my arms around her knowing she was safe.
“Mr. Dresd—”
“What?” I turn around as Bethany holds the door open for Jamie, and I assume, not my biggest fan, Patti. I head toward them, “Bethany, I want NO interruptions unless it is Ben Claremont. And I want to know the second you get him on the phone.”
“Yes, sir,” she responds nervously and shuts the door behind her.
“Wow, this office is amazin—”
“Sit down, Patti.” I bark, cutting off Jamie. I go to my desk and slam my body into my seat. Thankfully I don’t hear any rebuttal from my opponent and she silently and quickly takes a seat. “I want to know everything about that night. Did anyone see you? How did you get in? What did you find?”
“Sam, I already told you all of this.”
“Then tell me again!” I snap back. Penny has not been accounted for since yesterday, just after ten o’clock in the morning. Every second that ticks by rips at my patience for finding her.
After hearing the initial story, I was furious to hear how irresponsible she could be. But to know that she could be in trouble maddens me. If anyone hurts her—
“Like I said, we were in and out. No one saw us that I know of. We went through the private entrance in the back. Penny seemed to know how to avoid the cameras and we were in, no problem.” She pauses to glance over at Jamie who seems just as nervous as she is.
“And?” I prompt, needing them to continue.
“Well I was the one who found the lock box, but it wasn’t locked.”
Again, she turns to Jamie, looking unsure. “Show him, Sugar.”
“Show me what?” Hesitantly, Patti reaches into her purse and pulls out her phone. She begins scrolling until she finds what she is looking for and reaches out, handing me her phone. I look at the photo trying to decipher what I am looking at.
Then it registers.
“Fuck…”
“Yeah, that’s what we said.”
I look up. “It’s been Cassandra all along, not Henry.”
“Well yeah, that’s what we got. If you scroll through all the pics, it pretty much nails Cassandra as the culprit for all the money fraud. Every single receipt had been signed by her. ”
I swipe photo after photo. The names that I recognize from the daily news are high profiled criminals wanted for robbery, unsolved murders and drugs. “Jesus Christ,” I mutter while I swipe and look at another incriminating receipt.
“And that’s not all of it. Penny ran into Cassandra at your place last week. Said that they went at it. She told Cassandra she knew what she was up to.”
I pause. “What? When was this?”
“The Friday you both played hookie. Cassandra showed up at your place. Was making some pretty heavy accusations that you were somewhat of a manwhore and that Penny was only just a toy to you.” She stops talking. The anger spreading across my face has to be scary. That explains why she was acting so off all weekend. All the strange questions. She doubted me.
“Well anyway, she struck a nerve with Penny, so to fight back she told her she knew she was stealing money from Henry’s campaign.”
Oh Penny. What were you thinking? “And what happened?”
“Nothing. They continued to throw jabs at one another and then she left.”
None of this is sitting well with me. And it all leads to the scary conclusion that Penny going missing is not by accident. I slam my finger on the receiver. “Bethany! Where are you with getting Mr. Claremont?”
“I just tried once more but it went to voicemail. I’m sorry, Mr. Dresden.”
I slam my fists on the desk. “God dammit! Why would she do this?” I’m breathing heavily. “Why would she put herself in such danger?” I’m now talking to myself, trying to remember the last time I saw her. Her face wounded from the lies she was fed. The pictures that told a story of lies.
I take my hands and swipe them down my face in a futile effort to calm myself.
“I’m sorry, Sam, but she was so upset. No one thought twice about it being anything but true. But from what we put together we think it was Cassandra setting you up.”
“Fuck this, I’m calling the police.” I grab for my phone at the same time Ben walks into my office.
“It’s about god damn time. I’ve been calling you all day!” I bark out.
“First I heard of it,” Ben says checking his phone. Bethany stumbles in at the same time, looking shocked to see Mr. Claremont.
“Oh god! It’s you…” She looks from Mr. Claremont to myself. “Um… Um… Mr. Dresden. I need to leave. I have a sick…mother…grandmother, I’m not feeling well.” I stare at her, the unease seeping off her. I shake it off, I don’t have time for her antics. “Fine, take the rest of the day off,” I dismiss her and turn to Ben.
“Penelope Summers has gone missing. I believe she has been kidnapped.” Those words feel like acid on my tongue.
“Well then it seems that Penelope Summers isn’t the only one who has been reported missing today.”
I’M TRYING TO SLEEP, but Chelsea keeps hitting me in the face with her paw. She does this when she’s hungry and decides she is done waiting for me to wake up. I try and shoo her off, but the smacking gets harder and by the time the third smack hits my face, I’m concerned at how strong my cat has become.
�
�Chelsea, stop hitting me,” I groan as I open my eyes. The scenery around me not my bedroom and my cat not my cat, I squint to focus on Cassandra standing above me.
“Oh look, the little princess is finally awake. Thought I was going to have to use a closed fist next to wake you up.”
Why am I not all of a sudden shocked here? “Man you might have to because slapping like a toddler won’t wake anyone up.” That gets me a sweet slap to the face, splitting open my lip. Shit! That kinda hurt. “Man you’re gonna have to do better than that, my cat hits harder.”
In return I get another, this one sadly gets a good shot at my nose. Blood starts to burst from my nostrils as I turn my head sideways so I don’t choke on my own blood.
“Have I made my point?” She asks while massaging her hand. Knowing she most likely sprained her precious wrist with that swing, I decide to go the mile.
“What? That you’re a used up trash whore who’s about to spend the remainder of her pathetic life behind bars? You sure have.” I spit out blood. “I’ll make sure to send postcards from the outside. Let you know what you’re missin—”
Seems that you get little ole Cassandra worked up enough and she actually has a pretty good left hook. She lays a nice punch to my eye, and I feel my brow split.
“Fuck,” I groan, wishing I could free my hands and console my poor face.
“You sure do have a lot to say, considering you’re bound and your existence is temporary.” She wipes her bloodied knuckles on a handkerchief. “Enjoy what’s left of your life, Penelope. It will be a shame to stand next to your two lovers while consoling them through their loss.” She takes the cloth and puts it back into her purse. “Maybe I will offer Sam myself as a way to get over you. Help him move on.”
“Fuck you.” I squirm on the bed, trying to free my hands, which I know is impossible.
“So unladylike with that language,” she tsks at me. “No worries.” She walks over to the desk. Shit. If she sticks me with another needle… I see her lift something up. I recognize my purse as she pulls out my phone. That bitch!
Life as We Know It (Love Not Included) (Volume 4) Page 21