Matthew joins me, and places his hand on my shoulder.
“We don't believe she got him to the floor, Marcus. There was a fingernail in the spilt milk the table. Mariah broke it fighting him.”
I suddenly feel faint, and slide to the floor and draw my knees up. My elbows land on my knees and my head in my hands, and I sob like a two-year-old, as images of Mariah fighting off some strange man in her own home then of her lying lax on the grass, fly across my mind repeatedly.
A hand squeezes my shoulder, then a brother drops on either side of me. To my left, I hear Joshua.
“Rockford. Are the kids awake? … Good. Get the kids to my house, with the nannies. You, Dad and Mandy go to Rachel's and get her and Thomas and come to Marcus' … No, it’s Marcus. Something's happened and everyone needs to get here in double time.” His voice cracks a little. “Mother, I'm sorry but we are all scared at this point … Marcus, Matthew and I … Please, Mother, no more questions, right now. Just do what I ask and come to Marcus', as fast as you can and bring Rachel. Bye, Mother.”
There’s silence for a moment then Joshua speaks again.
“Rockford. My parents are dropping the kids and nannies off, Mandy ... Yes, there is and I need you to get dressed and get in the car with them when they get there ... Wake the nanny, sweetie; she can take care of Tyler. I'll see you in a while.”
“What’s wrong with Tyler, Joshua,” I whisper.
“He caught the cold the others had. He was a little congested overnight and is finally sleeping.”
“Any fever? He’s been able to eat?”
“Low-grade and yeah, but his little nose is clogged, so it’s not as easy. He’s doing it, though. He is a Cannon, after all.”
I smiled, grateful at his attempt at humor. Hunt walks over to clean and bandage Matthew's scratch. She pats his shoulder, presses tissue in my hands then runs out.
“This is Matthew Cannon. I want ten armed guards placed around the perimeter of the residence of Joshua and Mandra Cannon, address is listed in my black file. No one in and no one out without my express permission… Thirteen children, six and under, and six nannies. None of the children are to see any weapons. I want them protected as they live normally. I'm sending a man called Brown to take charge… Send them now, the children should be arriving any minute. Listen. These are all my nieces and nephews. If one hair is harmed on anyone's head, I'll not only ruin all of your careers, but I’ll make the rest of your lives a living hell no matter where you land in the world … Do you understand? Good.” Matthew takes a deep breath. “Brown!”
“He's already gone, Matthew,” Parker says. “I gave him the address.”
“Get my brother another scotch,” Matthew orders.
“Double,” I moan.
“All around,” Joshua states.
I grab my phone from my pocket. “This is Dr. Alexander. I'm taking an emergency leave effective immediately. Please alert the hospital. Tell them to take me off the roster until further notice. Thank you.”
“Nathan,” Joshua whispers. “Rockford. Call off and take your kids to my house then you and Lisa come to Mariah's, right away. Call Tom and tell him the same thing and Ethan, too. Move like the wind, brother.”
“You guys kick ass. Thank you.”
“Shut up,” Matthew says. “Don't ever thank us again.”
“Black out the windows, spray the table, floor and the windows,” Richards orders.
“Gimme that luminol,” Parker yells.
“Marcus, let's go in the other room.”
“No, Joshua.”
Quickly, the room is darkened then a black light comes on. There is a stain pattern coming from the calendar to the right of the table. The lights come on and I glance at the table where Hunt was sitting while imitating Mariah.
“Is that dried blood?” I point. “On the bottom of the table's edge.”
Richards raises the table upright. “Damn right it is, and an intact print. Stupid fucker! Let's get this processed!”
June 23, 2011- 10:13 a.m.
I walked through my parents' home and was momentarily startled to see Mandy and Joshua sitting on the couch across from Mother, in her study. Damn. I really needed a drink.
“Mariah... her name is Mariah,” I mumbled at them. I walked over to the bar, opened the scotch and drank straight from the bottle.
“Marcus,” Mother scolded. “Were you raised by wolves?”
“Mariah.”
“What?”
“What is his problem,” Mandy asked.
“No idea,” Joshua replied.
“Marcus, do you realize it's only ten in the morning,” Mother shrieked, her hands clapping with every syllable at the end of that sentence.
When were little, we knew she was at the end of her patience when clapped like that and would straighten up because the next step was taking something away. That didn’t work, spankings.
Clapping didn’t work that well on a man of thirty-five.
“Mariah. Her name, Mother. It's Mariah.”
Bottle in hand, I plopped on the couch next to Mandy.
“I saw this beautiful, sexy woman, Mandy, and I didn't introduce myself to her. I just let her walk away. I saw her again today. Collided right into my chest. Her name is Mariah and get this: she's Harvey's stepdaughter... Damn it all!” I took another swig out of the bottle.
“Umm... so? What's the problem,” Mandy asked.
“I can't go out with Harvey's daughter and be her damn boss!”
“So she does work there,” Joshua asked.
“Yeah. She starts Monday as a nurse and was there today for orientation. Fuck, how did this happen to me?”
“Marcus, you're turning this situation into something extremely dire and it doesn't have to be.”
“Look, Twerp, she's his stepdaughter... He calls her Cookie, for Christ's sake. She's my business partner's daughter! Don't you see how unprofessional that is? Not to mention me being her boss... ever heard of sexual harassment?”
“Gross Moral Turpitude,” Mandy giggled.
I narrowed my eyes at her.
“I read it in a book. Sorry,” she murmured half smiling.
I rolled my eyes at her.
“Gross Moral Turpitude? Geez, you are fucked up,” Joshua murmured.
“Ya think?” I took a long gulp. Mother walked over and snatched the bottle from me. I was so close to asking her if she lost her mind.
“You’re not fucked up, darling. Did you introduce yourself as Marcus Cannon?”
I shook my head at Mother’s question. “No, Alexander.”
“And Thomas has agreed to address you as that?”
“He's the one that introduced us.”
“She doesn't know who you are, just a doctor in her father's practice.” Joshua shrugs. “Kill it with Adina, now. Then get to know Mariah and tell her the truth about who you are, if you find you really want to pursue something with her.”
I snatched the vodka decanter and was about to drink from it when I saw my mother's stern expression. I grabbed a high ball and filled it to the rim, drinking it down fast.
“Are you trying to destroy your liver, Marcus,” Mother snapped.
“No, just erase this feeling and never have it again. Love is fucking overrated,” I replied while pouring more vodka, trying to ignore the heat radiating through me.
“Says the frightened thirty-five-year-old man-child who's only just now experiencing it and is too scared to do anything about it.”
I stopped mid-gulp and choked. As soon as I recovered, I glared at my brother's fiancée.
“What the hell does that mean, Mandy?”
“She has no idea how you feel, right?”
“Of course not,” I snapped at her.
“Of course not, because God forbid, she might give an inkling that she's attracted, as well. Then you'd really be in the shitter because you'd be 'forced' into a meaningful relationship with someone you love and actually loves you back.” She wrapped her
arms around Joshua's neck and trembled. “Oh, my God! Hold me, Joshua! Someone may actually fall in love with him! What a fucking nightmare!”
My mother and Joshua snickered.
“I love her,” my amused mother declared.
“I'm so glad my plight amuses you people.”
Joshua leaned forward and glared at me. “It's amusing because you're thirty-five and a half years old and still fighting a losing battle, Cramp. Geez, you even do shit to ruin your own fun and happiness. How can you be so intelligent on everything except this one area? Think about it this way: can you see Mariah settled with someone else, without you having said one word about how she affects you,” Joshua asked, snatching my glass from me.
“What do I have to do to keep a drink around here,” I loudly demanded, pissed at my little brother’s words. Mariah with another man. My stomach roiled at the thought.
“Marcus, go take out your frustrations on my lunch. Mandy and Joshua, go to Cavatappi and host the charity lunch without me. Just sit, eat and smile at the guests and get them to give up thousands for the burn unit at the hospital.”
“Burn unit? Shit... that's what was on her neck.”
“Whose neck, darling? Mariah's,” Mother asked.
“Yeah. She rubs it when she's nervous and her big, brown eyes glaze over and she gets this little pout going that just makes you want to kiss it away.”
The room was silent. I looked around. Everyone was staring at me with a goofy look on their faces.
“What?”
“You are so far gone!” Joshua laughed. “Wow, I'm with Matthew; I want to shake her hand!”
“I'll be in the gym,” I muttered.
I walked out, not wanting to hear any more of the ribbing.
June 23, 2011 – 1:19 p.m.
I chopped a bell pepper. Women and their demands. Mother with her lunch, Mariah with my heart. I never should’ve followed her to that lab.
My fucking phone started buzzing. I'm never going to relax, I thought, pulling it from my pocket. I should’ve left the damn thing in my car. I looked at the ID. Joshua. Shit. Probably wanted to rub salt in the wound. I reluctantly answered and prop the phone on my shoulder.
“What, Twerp?”
“You are so screwed,” he chuckled.
I frowned, continuing to chop. “Why?”
“I've just met Mariah.”
I froze; the phone slid down and I struggled to catch it before it landed in the marinade on the counter in front of me. I caught it in time, and held it to my ear.
“Where?”
“Cavatappi.”
My heart skipped. “She's on a date?”
“No. She's with some of her family. Mandy went to high school with Lisa, Mariah’s sister, and she introduced us.”
I released a breath that I didn't know I was holding. “Why am I screwed then?”
“She's beautiful, Marcus. She looks like her mother. And she’s very sweet; the both of them. I think if you succeed in resisting Mariah, you'll regret it forever.”
I held the phone, not able to speak after his words.
“Shit,” I muttered. “Please tell me you comped the meal.”
“Of course I did.”
“Where's Mandy? Find out what she said to Lisa,” I hurriedly said, feeling like I'm ten and my sister has gone to tell her friend I like her. I was too old for this shit.
“Sweetie, it’s Marcus,” Joshua said. “What did you say to Lisa?”
“I told her about Marcus but don't worry, I swore her to secrecy. The good news is Mariah's not seeing anyone at the moment and she definitely felt something, too. The bad news is your engagement, Marcus. She's stubborn and won't consider anything with you until you do something about it, regardless if it's fake or not.”
“Go see to our guests, sweetie. I'll be over in a minute. What are you going to do, Marcus?”
“Is she still in that tight black skirt and those sexy as fuck high heels?”
“She is,” Joshua murmured. “And now, she's walking this way. I think she's getting a drink.”
“Where are you?”
“At the bar. Yeah, she's coming this way. Shit, she's giving me the prettiest smile. And that walk... no that's a stride. Yep. Fucking screwed, Cramp.”
“Hi. Two Martinis and two white wines, please,” Mariah says.
My heart skipped again. Even over the fucking phone!
Thank God the bedroom furniture arrived and the kitchen was finally finished. Everything else will have to wait. Mariah will not. I needed her now.
“This thing with Adina is done. I'm moving out this weekend.”
“Good. About the parties next week,” Joshua said, in a normal tone. “There will be several more guests. Mariah, have a seat; I'll send the drinks to your table.”
“Thank you, Joshua,” Mariah cooed. I could hear the smile in her voice.
“I gotta go; I need to find Adina. See if Mandy can get her number.”
Yep, I was definitely ten again.
“She has Lisa's card.”
“Good. Thanks, Little Twerp.”
“No problem, Big-ass Cramp.”
Chapter FIVE
Telling the Family Mariah’s gone… Again
July 8, 2018
“Dr. Cannon? I believe everyone is here. Do you want to tell them or should I?”
“No Parker, I think Richards should do it,” Matthew interjects. “They may be still familiar with him, even though it's been six years. Marcus needs a few minutes more.”
“Are you sure? You could do it, Matthew.”
“No, Josh and I are staying with him here, until he absolutely has to move. Do it, Richards.”
“Sir, there's a Rosa Colon at the door,” a man says.
“Housekeeper. Is there anyone here that speaks Spanish,” Parker asks.
“Alissa's here,” Joshua says. “She's pregnant. Ask her to translate.”
Richards clears his throat. “All right, I'll do it now.”
I watch Richards go the TV room then stare at the floor. I can hear everything.
“Hello, everyone. I don't know if you remember me. I'm Chris Richards.”
Mother speaks. “I remember. You found my daughter-in-law, when she was expecting the twins.”
“My colleague did, Mrs. Cannon. I was the middleman.”
“But why are you here now? Where is my son and why was he weeping?”
“Mrs. Harvey? Would you mind translating to Ms. Colon?”
“No, I don't mind.”
“Good. Family, when Marcus arrived home in the early morning hours, he discovered his wife missing. As of now, she has not been located.”
Rachel gasps. “Mariah… my baby’s missing?”
Thomas next. “Are you saying my daughter left? She ran again? That is not possible, Richards!”
“Sir, we’ve reason to believe, not suspect …believe Mrs. Cannon was kidnapped.”
Cries and screams flood the room; my heart races. Matthew and Joshua's hands tighten on my arms. I look up at Richards.
“I don't believe you! I just saw my daughter yesterday! She was here, tired, but fine! When could this have happened,” Rachel screams.
Richards looks to us.
“Everything. No secrets,” Matthew insists.
“Ma'am, Marcus was called in on an emergency around one a.m., he informed his wife he was leaving, and he left her sleeping, in their bedroom. Upon returning, approximately 4:40 a.m., there was evidence of a struggle, and Mariah was gone. Her purse and cell phone are still here, in their usual spots, Marcus affirms. We believe she was targeted.”
Everyone starts talking at once.
“Wait! Wait! Richards, are you saying someone came after her? It’s not some random thing,” Nathan asks.
“That's exactly what I'm saying.”
“Who the hell would want to harm Cookie? No one! She's sweet to everybody,” Evelyn angrily shouts.
“That's what we're attempting to find out.”
/> “So now what,” Tom roars. “We sit on our asses while my sister is God knows where?”
“Right now, we're running analysis on everything we've found this morning; i.e., blood, prints. We have a crew canvassing the streets, and we have video captured with this house's cameras.”
“Blood? Whose blood,” Lil demands.
“We don't know yet, Ma'am, we're still waiting on the reports.”
“So you don't know if she's all right,” Ethan asks. “No ransom demands or anything?”
“As of now, no. There has been no calls or letters.”
“Where is my son? He has to be going out of his mind!”
“Mrs. Cannon, he's... coping. His brothers are by his side. Just give him a few minutes, please.”
“What was on the video,” Lil quietly asks.
“We got a plate and a description of the vehicle Mariah was put in.”
“And? I want to see what happened to Mariah,” Nathan demands.
Richards looks at us. I nod.
“Parker? This my business partner, Ryan Parker. He's the colleague that found Mariah when she disappeared. He's going to play the video. I won't lie; it's disturbing. So, please brace yourselves. Ma'am, are you all right?”
“Just nauseous, thank you. I'm going to the bathroom,” Alissa answers, choking back tears.
“I'll come with you, honey,” Ethan says.
“No, stay. I'll be all right. See what happened to your sister. I'll take Rosa with me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, Papi. I don't want to see...” she sobs then says something to Rosa in Spanish.
Rosa answers and I see her scurry across the room. Tom appears and pulls down the projection screen. He turns our way and I see pain in his face, and I know he sees it in mine. I nod at him and put my head down. I don’t need to see this shit again; it's burned in my head.
“Here we go,” Parker murmurs.
Silence fills the room then cries and gasps. Rachel screams and I jerk my head up, hoping she’ll be… okay.
“Oh, Cookie,” Lisa weeps. “She's not... she isn't...”
“No, Mrs. James, she's been chloroformed. The kidnapper left the rag behind and we're testing that, too.”
“Please tell me Marcus did not see this,” Dad shouts.
Marcus: The M Series, Book Three Page 4