Dictator s Daughter

by Angell, Lorena

  “Rawlings is staying in the Presidential Suite. Riley is here also.” Sean directed the last to Eliwese.

  “How do you know this?” Dr. Randall asked.

  “After your second phone call, I went to the lounge and saw him seated at a table. A young lady approached me and began to talk. Her father runs this hotel and she says Rawlings comes here often for leisure. However, this time is strictly for business. I believe Mom and Lyndee are up in the suite with him because orders were given for no maid or room service during his stay.”

  “They’re here?” Ryan asked incredulously. “Who was this girl you talked to?”

  Sean pulled out her card and showed it to them. They inspected it as if they’d be able to learn more about her when in fact the card only revealed her name and cell phone number.

  “Where are you two staying?” Sean asked Dr. Randall.

  “Here, actually.”

  “How did you know where to find us?”

  Eliwese said, “It’s the hotel I would have chosen as well.”

  “How did you find our room?”

  “We called Ryan’s cell.” Eliwese stated.

  “Well, Riley got a good look at me in the lounge. I think we’re all in danger if we stay here.”

  “You really think Mom and Lyndee are here?” Ryan asked excitedly.

  “Yes, but I don’t think it’s a good thing. If he didn’t want anyone to see them, they must be in bad condition.”

  Eliwese nodded her head in agreement.

  Sean noticed a wheelchair in the corner and then remembered seeing a lady pushing the wheelchair with an old man in the seat as he waited at the front door.

  “I saw you enter the hotel. Only, I didn’t know it was you. That was a good disguise.” Sean grinned with admiration.

  “Disguises are my specialty.” Eliwese smiled in return and Sean noted her color was good and her eyes had sparkle to them. “We couldn’t come over to you in the lobby because of all the guards. I hope you understand.”

  “I do, but I think we should leave.”

  “No,” Eliwese said quietly. “Those guards are at every entrance, in the parking garage, in the stairwells and in the lobby. We’re best off right here in these adjoining rooms. If they knew we were here, we’d have already been seized.”

  “What about this Jacquline person?” Ryan waved the card. “Could she help us?”

  “Help us what?” Sean asked.

  “Maybe she could keep an eye open for us.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Sean said. “She only had praise and admiration for Rawlings. She wasn’t crazy about Riley, though. She told me every time he’s in town he asks her out, but she always turns him down.”

  “That’s why Riley looked at you,” Eliwese said. “You were talking to his girl; you were the competition in his eyes. Obviously, Jacquline has some wit and brains to turn him down. She has no idea how smart she is.” Eliwese had such a tone of disgust and hatred in her voice as she said, “In another time and place, I would tell her things about Riley that would make her skin crawl.”

  Sean stared at the floor and thought about the horrible things Eliwese had told him about her past. It invigorated him to focus on the task at hand. Tomorrow would be tough and stressful. He needed to be fully rested and alert to be able to think straight.

  “So how does tomorrow play out from here?” Dr. Randall joined in the conversation.

  Eliwese said, “Well, first things first, Sean and I need to go to the bank after it opens. The meeting is at noon so there should be plenty of time to do that. We should wear our disguises all of the time. It would only be wise.” She directed her comment to Sean and his head drooped in acknowledgment of his error.

  “What are the sleeping arrangements?” Dr. Randall asked no one in particular.

  Eliwese spoke. “I would like Sean in here with me, if that’s alright.”

  Dr. Randall came over to the side of her bed and examined her bandages. Sean stood up and walked over to the other side of the room by Ryan.

  “So, what do you think?” Ryan asked Sean.

  “About what?”

  “Tomorrow. Is it going to work?”

  “Hard to tell right now. As long as we are flexible enough, I think we have a shot.” Sean hoped flexibility had enough pull to ensure a success.

  After Dr. Randall finished with Eliwese, he approached Sean and Ryan. “She’s doing incredibly well considering the circumstances. She’s one tough cookie.”

  “That she is.” Sean agreed.

  Sean sat on his bed facing Eliwese as she lay serenely with her eyes closed. He remembered what she’d revealed that morning concerning the upcoming meeting and how to ensure success. The horrible thought of losing her burned a hole in his gut. Sean laid his tired body back on his own bed and stared up at the ceiling. He wouldn’t let it happen, that’s all there was to it; he simply wouldn’t allow Rawlings to take Eliwese.

  He thought about the few short weeks he had known Eliwese. He had always known Victor Rawlings was a despicable man because he’d grown up hearing about the atrocities across the border. His parents’ strength became his, their defiant disposition was adopted and incorporated, and their passion for freedom—for each other, admired. Since recently learning the deeper secrets of his parents, he had an even larger amount of respect for their defiance.

  Sean’s father suspected Eliwese of being a spy to locate Sara. Sean still firmly believed she was not a spy, but did she know about the engagement from all those years ago of her father and his mother? He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer.

  “Eliwese, are you awake? I need to ask you a question.”

  “Yes, go ahead.”

  “Did you know about my mother before you crossed the border?”

  “I don’t understand the question, Sean.” She turned her head and looked at him.

  “Had you heard anything about her before meeting her?”

  “No, why?” Her curiosity increased a notch.

  “You didn’t already know she had been a crosser in her youth before I told you?”

  “No, I was quite surprised to find out. What’s this all about, Sean?”

  “When I went to town to get Dr. Randall’s SUV, I was let in on some information that has been kept from me my whole life and which doesn’t reflect well on you. My mother, at age eighteen, was the intended bride of your father.”

  “She was?”

  “Is it possible you were used by Riley?”

  “How?”

  “What if your father located my mother and ordered Riley to place you in my home? It would be completely justifiable to swoop in and burn our house to the ground, kill my father and take my mother and sister hostage.”

  “Sean, when I spoke with Riley in the hideout, he indicated my father didn’t know about his underhandedness. Riley is working the underground completely separate of my father. He is a true double-crosser in every sense of the word. Plus, consider the fact that Beth, Riley’s own mother, was killed in the raid. Riley had given her the false sense of security by saying she was safe in your home because of my presence; I think he used her. I think he was looking for an excuse to get rid of her and extract me at the same time. He must have told whoever handled the raid to kill his mother.”

  “Riley executed the raid; he shot his own mother and then my father.”

  “He is a monster, Sean. Nothing and no one has power over him; in his own mind that is. He threatened me with the deaths of my mother and sister if I tried to flee your home. I’m not sure why, but my deductive reasoning tells me Riley is the one after your mother.”

  “Is it possible your father isn’t aware of my mother’s identity?”

  “It’s a possibility, yes, but he’s not totally stupid either. Let’s get some sleep, Sean.”

  “Good night, Eliwese.”

  Sean lay in bed thinking everything over. Riley Stone had emerged from the shadows and had gone from mindless brute to mastermind c
onspirator. Sean had feelings of pure revulsion running through his veins for this man, even though Victor Rawlings had caused more pain to the masses. The vicious, brutal, sadistic actions of Riley had Sean worked up to a lather. Sean would love to expose Riley and open Rawlings’ eyes to his own inner circle traitor.

  Eliwese also lay awake in bed, mulling over the monumental revelation Sean had innocently offered up; his mother was her father’s intended bride. If what he’d said was true, it elevated the situation much further than she could have imagined. Clearly, Sean didn’t know his mother had actually been married to her father for a short while. Did it also mean he was unaware of her royal blood? Of his royal blood? He’d said the information had been kept from him his whole life. Her mind switched to her father. Would he be willing to actually trade Princess Sierra Montgomery for her? What was more important in his mind, keeping his invasion under wraps or gaining more followers by resurrecting his lost princess?

  “Get up, Sean. You and Eliwese need to leave soon.” Ryan’s face was only inches from Sean’s face.

  Sean jumped out of bed quickly and looked over at Eliwese’s empty bed. She was apparently in the other room with Dr. Randall.

  “I listened to what she said to you last night.” Ryan admitted. “I have to say,” he leaned closer and whispered, “it is her fault Dad’s dead.”

  “What?”

  “If she hadn’t crossed, she wouldn’t have rooted out Riley in the underground and he wouldn’t have placed her in our home; so, it’s her fault. It didn’t even matter that Chandra turned her in.”

  “Didn’t you hear everything she said? It’s not her fault, or yours, or Chandra’s; it’s Riley’s. He has his own business going. Eliwese didn’t know he operated the underground until it was too late. It was safer for our family that she remained right where Riley placed her. Riley was pissed when he came to pick her up and she was gone, and that’s why Dad was shot; Riley’s inability to control his anger once he had lost control of the situation.”

  “Ah ha, it’s your fault he’s dead because you took her and ran. If she’d been there when Riley showed up, Dad would still be alive.”

  “Or, we’d all be dead, did you think of that? Why does it have to be anyone’s fault? Anyway, it doesn’t matter now because Dad isn’t dead.” Sean placed his hand on Ryan’s shoulder and walked past him toward the bathroom.

  “What are you talking about? I saw him get shot!” Ryan’s voice raised in anger.

  Sean was about to enter the bathroom when he stopped and looked across the room to Ryan. “Doc saved him. He’s alive because of a metal plate he had in his head. Before you get all mad at me for not telling you, just know it was Dad’s wish that you not know until later. He wanted you to stay angry with Rawlings. I’m not so sure that was a good idea; clearly your anger lies in the wrong place.” Sean entered the bathroom and closed the door.

  “Open up!” Ryan shouted.

  Sean opened the door and Ryan pushed his way inside and punched him square in the jaw. Sean saw tiny lights popping before his eyes. He cleared his vision just enough to see another fist flying his way to which he ducked and Ryan’s fist hit the wall behind. Ryan let out a loud howl and Sean took the opportunity to bolt from the bathroom.

  Dr. Randall rushed in the bathroom to help subdue Ryan. Dizzy from being punched, Sean sat down on the bed. Eliwese retrieved a tissue and dabbed at his bloody face. She carefully sat down beside him and they listened as Dr. Randall spoke with Ryan in the bathroom. His punch to the wall had broken his hand, according to Dr. Randall’s inspection, but Ryan didn’t sound like he cared. He busily interrogated Dr. Randall about his father’s condition and whereabouts.

  Sean reached with his hand and took hold of hers. “My father survived the bullet to the head.”

  “Dr. Randall told me on the way here yesterday.”

  “Well, don’t tell Ryan you knew before he did, he’ll go ballistic on you, too.” Sean rubbed his jaw.

  “I’m so happy he survived. Now we just need to get your mother and sister back. You’re going to have your complete family again, Sean.” She smiled brightly.

  Sean stood up before the dread set in. “We best get going then.” He wanted his family together, sure, but he also wanted Eliwese as part of the package.

  A short while later Eliwese had become an old man in a wheel chair and Sean had transformed to a girl. “We’ll be back in a little while,” Sean said to Ryan and Dr. Randall.

  They exited the room and made their way to the busy lobby. Guards in black suits were positioned around the perimeter of the room and by the front doors. Sean and Eliwese spotted Jacquline in the lounge talking to Riley.

  “That’s the girl I told you about.” He whispered to Eliwese. They exited the hotel and proceeded down the block to the conveniently located bank.

  Upon entering, they asked for the branch manager and were led to his office.

  “How can I help you sir?” The manager, Mr. Weston, was clearly fooled by Eliwese’s ‘old man’ disguise.

  Eliwese said with her best old man impression, “We need privacy first. Would you please close your door and blinds?”

  Mr. Weston looked from one to the other and narrowed his eyes in disproval.

  She dropped the façade and continued, “Sir, I am Eliwese Rawlings, Victor Rawlings’ daughter and I don’t want your employees to see me. If you’ll please oblige to my privacy request, I’ll take off my disguise for you.”

  Sean mused at the expression on Mr. Weston’s face as he heard the delicate female voice coming from what appeared to be an elderly man. After a moment of contemplation, he stood and did as Eliwese asked.

  “I don’t understand. The news said you were found and taken back to Rendier,” he said over his shoulder as he pulled the cords of the blinds.

  “Sir, I would love to give you all the many reasons why my father tells lies, but we are short on time. We need to open a new account for Sean Cutler and to add his signature to my existing account.” She motioned up to the lovely young woman behind her. He smiled nicely.

  “You’re a man?” Mr. Weston’s head tilted sideways with his eyes squinting again making Sean wonder if Mr. Weston needed corrective eye-ware.

  “Yes, sir.” Sean used his most masculine male voice. “It’s a good disguise, right?”

  “Indeed. Well, I’ll need identification from you, um, Mr. Cutler, and I will need to make a positive face ID on you. Would you remove,” Mr. Weston motioned big circles with his hands, “all that?”

  After thirty minutes, they left the bank. Her account balance of forty-thousand dollars had been cashed out and deposited in Sean’s new account and his name was added to her existing account.

  They were on their way back to the hotel when Sean’s cell rang.

  “Yes?”

  “Don’t come back, just go to the mall,” Ryan said in a strained voice and hung up.

  “What is it, Sean?” Eliwese asked.

  “Let’s hail a cab. We’re not to go back; something must be wrong.”

  Sean waved down a taxi, and they climbed in, placing the wheelchair in the trunk.

  “The mall, center court entrance, please.”

  It was only ten-thirty am when they arrived at the mall. The meeting wasn’t until noon.

  “Let’s go check out the courtyard, Sean.”

  He pushed her forward through the near barren corridor. Most of the shops had only just opened and shoppers were sparse. The courtyard was located in the center of the two story mall with balconies, escalators and a full ceiling of glass to allow in natural light. A set of elevators climbed between the escalators creating a wall where a semi-private area was located.

  “That’s where he’ll position himself, I’d bet money on it.” Eliwese spoke under her breath.

  “Eliwese, what will happen if Ryan doesn’t show with the laptop? What will we do?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve spotted a guard.”

  “Where?” Sean turne
d his head feverishly.

  “Sean, look into my eyes. Now, without moving your head much, locate the vacant store with darkened windows to your right, up a level, with a man in a black suit standing in front. Do you see him?”

  “Yes, and another directly below him, and another suit behind you, across the courtyard.”

  “This is a good sign that the meeting will happen. They are preparing for it.”

  “Did you worry it wouldn’t go down?”

  “Yes. My father is a complicated creature, and often unpredictable.”

  “I don’t know if I like the sound of that. Do you think anyone can recognize us in our disguises?”

  “If so, we would have already been seized at the hotel exit.”

  “We need to behave like shoppers or we’ll begin to draw unwanted attention. We have time to kill, let’s go purchase clothing for the meeting.”

  Sean spent the next hour with Eliwese roaming from store to store, killing time. He pondered on the phrase and hoped there wouldn’t be any killing anytime soon either. The anticipation in his gut was enough to make him sick, but there wasn’t time for that now. The lack of communication from Ryan or Dr. Randall didn’t help matters either.

  Once they had purchased clothing, they headed for the public restrooms. The halls had filled significantly during the past hour and maneuvering her wheelchair was slow going.

  “Sean, I think we should remove our ‘gender specific’ disguises before we go in the restrooms to change.”

  “Yeah, I agree. I really don’t want to enter the men’s room dressed like a drag queen.” Plus his feet were ready to fall off after walking in two inch pumps for what seemed like hours.

  Sean finished changing first and exited out of the restroom to wait for Eliwese. He took the opportunity to move the abandoned wheelchair out of the main pathway and to scan his surroundings. He didn’t observe anything out of the ordinary; just shoppers and families, no suits.

  Sean hoped this meeting didn’t turn sour with machine guns blasting through the crowds of innocent people. He peered down the large hall toward the center court, imagining what it would be like to meet the notorious Victor Rawlings.