“Alex,” she murmured.
“Shh, angel. Go back to sleep,” I told her. I ran my hand soothingly over her head and watched her eyes close once again.
I moved in closer and draped my arm over her waist. I shuttered when I thought of how afraid I was to ask Hale to take her home. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust him – I trusted him with my life. I just couldn’t bare the thought of Krystina being away from me while her abuser was so near.
As I settled into her warmth, I thought about the answers that I didn’t have, and about the whys of what went down tonight. But, if there were one thing that was for certain, Krystina would not leave my sight until I figured out what was going on.
CHAPTER 25
I awoke early the next morning. Alexander was still sleeping when I slipped quietly out of the penthouse. I left him a note, stating that I had some errands to run and that I’d come back to his place later. Now, here I was back in my own apartment, feeling a twinge of guilt for sneaking out while he slept.
I had a ton of questions to ask him in regards to what happened last night, and I was sure that he had things of his own to say. However, I knew that if I started a conversation with him about it first thing in the morning, my plans to research the murder of Alexander’s father at the library would most likely be delayed for another day.
If Mr. Roberts hadn’t kept me so long yesterday, I may have gotten something accomplished.
Between the long workday and the party last night, I was exhausted. My body screamed for caffeine. I slipped on a pair of sneakers and grabbed my laptop bag. It was just past nine. The library opened at ten o’clock and I wanted to be among the first to walk through the doors. If I hurried, I would have just enough time to stop by La Biga for a quick cappuccino before hand.
Allyson came stumbling out of her bedroom just as I was getting ready to leave. She looked like a wreck.
“Hey, sleepy head,” I joked.
“Morning,” she mumbled.
“Late night?”
“You can say that again,” she whined and made her way into the kitchen. “I was out with some people from work. One drink led to another…you know how it goes. You should have come. It was a fun time.”
“I had the gala last night,” I reminded her.
“That’s right. I forgot,” she said as she reached up into the cupboard for a mug. “Coffee?”
“No thanks. I was actually just leaving. I’m going to stop at La Biga while I’m out.”
“Don’t leave yet. I want to hear about last night.”
“As much as I’d love to fill you in, I don’t have time right now. How does later sound?” I suggested. “I don’t have plans for this evening, so we can have our girls night if you’re free. Murphy’s maybe? We haven’t been there in a while.”
“Not Murphy’s. I’ll do whatever else you want as long as there’s no alcohol involved.”
“Okay. I’ll think of something else,” I laughed. “I’ll text you later and let you know what time I’ll be home.”
I left Allyson to nurse her hangover and headed out the door. Once outside, I braced against the cold wind that bit at my cheeks, I crossed Bleecker Street and made my way towards the Redline that would take me to La Biga on West 57th. It was a short ride, but anticipation over enjoying one of my favorite indulgences had my mouth watering. I hadn’t been to my favorite coffee shop since I stopped working at Wally’s and I was long overdue for one of Angelo’s famous cappuccinos.
As usual, I smelled the coffee shop before I stepped through the doors, a delicious aroma of fresh ground coffee beans and pastries. The familiar chime of bells that rang overhead as I entered made me smile.
I need to make sure to come here more often.
I looked around and saw that they were just as busy as I expected them to be. However, I was surprised to see Maria working behind the espresso bar and not Angelo.
“Morning, Maria.”
“Ah, buongiorno! There’s my favorite girl! Cappuccino?” she assumed.
“You got it. Did Angelo take the day off?” I inquired.
“No, no. He isn’t feeling well. Stomach upsets,” she told me. She frowned and shook her head.
“Oh, I hope he feels better!”
She leaned over the counter and lowered her voice.
“He’s nothing but a big faker I think!” she said, her Italian accent becoming more prevalent as she whispered. “Our daughter and her husband are working here today. He just didn’t want to hear anymore of their ideas about modernizing the café. Che palle! Left me alone to deal with it instead!”
I laughed at her accusation of conspiracy while she began to prepare my drink.
“I’m not touching that one!” I joked.
“Just like I said to you before. Men. Can’t live without them, but we still need them. How is your handsome gentleman caller by the way?”
I grinned at her old fashioned term.
“He’s good,” I admitted, knowing that this would spark an entirely new line of conversation about the day when Alexander stalked me to La Biga.
“Aha! I knew it!”
“Yeah, you might have called that one right,” I agreed with a smile.
Topping off the cappuccino with a good solid dollop of foam, she handed it to me and shook her head. She looked thoughtful for a minute before motioning to one of her employees. A cute girl of about sixteen made her way over.
“Giovanna, take over. I’ll be right back,” she told the girl. Maria stepped out from behind the counter and turned to me. “Come this way, honey. We’ll talk.”
Here we go.
I was in a hurry, but inwardly I was smiling. I couldn’t wait to hear Maria’s new words of wisdom. We went over to a vacant table and sat down. She watched me strangely for a moment, but didn’t speak.
“What is it Maria?” I finally asked. I took the first sip of my favorite drink, licked the foam from the top of my lip, and waited patiently for her to answer.
“Krystina, you have been coming here for quite a few years now. Yes?”
“It’s been at least four,” I told her, not sure where she was headed with this.
“I’ve seen you happy, I’ve seen you sad. Sometimes you look lost. When your gentleman came to see you here a few weeks ago, I saw a fire in you that I have never seen before.”
I recalled how angry I had been that day. It was no wonder why she thought that.
“Alexander can bring out the worst in me sometimes. Sorry about that,” I said sheepishly.
“No, no! You misunderstand me, honey. When I say fire, I don’t mean anger. Your fire was passion. A good thing. But your generation, women, they tend to practice…” she trailed off. “What’s the word I’m looking for? For a proud woman? Thinks she is equal a man?”
“A feminist?” I suggested.
“Yes, yes. Your generation of women takes pride in being a feminist. That’s okay in the working world, but privately it’s another matter. Men need certain things, Krystina. Don’t be so busy perfecting your feminist side that you don’t pay attention to the heart.”
I wasn’t sure what she was trying to say exactly. If I wasn’t mistaken, it seemed like Maria was telling me to roll over for Alexander. Considering the exchanges that I witnessed between her and Angelo in the past, I found it hard to believe. Maria was nothing short of a spitfire.
“Maria, you are as independent as they come. And me, I am who I am. I’m not going to change that for Alexander or any man.”
“You misunderstand again, honey. What you see is not always as it seems. Yes, I am bossy. But I give in when Angelo needs it. That’s why I’ve never had to count husbands,” she joked before turning serious again. “Angelo has always been the one for me, but we have had our challenges. Love is about give and take. There’s only so much room for stubbornness. Our fate was always to be together, but it did not come without compromise.”
“I don’t believe in fate,” I told her truthfully. “I’m the only one who can control my d
estiny.”
She looked at me sadly.
“Bella ragazza. Your destiny, your fate. You do not decide it. It has already been written in the stars.”
****
I rolled onto my side, the light from the bedroom windows disturbing my slumber. It took me a minute to register how bright it was. I sat up and looked at the clock on the dresser. It read nine-thirty in the morning.
I never sleep that late.
I glanced over to Krystina’s side of the bed. She wasn’t there, but there was a note propped up on her pillow.
Went out to run a few errands. Be back this afternoon.
Krystina
Dammit! Figures. The one time that I sleep in past six…
I reached over to the nightstand for my phone, but my grasp came up empty. The phone wasn’t there.
That’s when I remembered that I misplaced it the night before. In all the chaos, neither Justine nor I remembered to see if a member of the wait staff had accidentally grabbed it.
I jumped out of bed, irritated over my predicament, and went straight to my office to power on the computer. While I waited for the desktop to load, I dialed Krystina’s cell from the landline phone in my office.
She needs to get her ass back here where it belongs.
It went straight to voicemail.
I slammed down the receiver and a feeling of unease began to set in. I didn’t want her out on her own and unprotected until I found out what Hamilton was up to.
Once the computer was up and running, I opened my inbox clicked on the button to compose a new message to my lead computer technician.
TO: Gavin Alden
CC: Hale Fulton
FROM: Alexander Stone
SUBJECT: Immediate Response Needed!
Gavin,
My phone went missing last night. I need you to put a trace on its location. I also need you to trace the location of Krystina Cole’s phone. I’ll be on standby waiting for your response.
Alexander Stone
CEO, Stone Enterprise
I flagged the email as urgent and hit send, praying that he would see it on a Saturday morning. Gavin was a Monday through Friday, hourly employee. However, he worked from home and usually came through in a pinch. I hoped that today was one of those days.
Thankfully, it was. My email pinged back with a response no less than three minutes later.
TO: Alexander Stone
CC: Hale Fulton
FROM: Gavin Alden
SUBJECT: Re: Immediate Response Needed!
Mr. Stone,
I was able to locate both phones on E 42nd Street near Madison. The exact location is odd. The phones appear to be between two buildings. Please advise on how you would like me to proceed.
Gavin
Both phones? Why would both phones be in the same location?
At first I thought that perhaps Krystina found it before she left the charity gala and just forgot to tell me. But then another possibility came to mind, one that I didn’t want to consider because it made me doubt her trustworthiness.
No. She would not have taken it deliberately. Or would she have?
TO: Gavin Alden
CC: Hale Fulton
FROM: Alexander Stone
SUBJECT: Re: Immediate Response Needed!
Are you sure that both phones are in the same location?
Alexander Stone
CEO, Stone Enterprise
I thought about everything that happened last night, and then about her absence this morning.
What errands did she have to run?
She never once mentioned that she had anything to do today.
TO: Alexander Stone
CC: Hale Fulton
FROM: Gavin Alden
SUBJECT: Re: Immediate Response Needed!
Mr. Stone,
I’m positive. They are about five feet apart to be exact, in between a bank and a deli, but not inside either establishment. If you suspect that they may be stolen, I suggest that you have me deactivate them.
Gavin
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do that just yet, as I may need to track the location again if I couldn’t find Krystina.
TO: Gavin Alden
CC: Hale Fulton
FROM: Alexander Stone
SUBJECT: Re: Immediate Response Needed!
Not yet. I’ll be in touch.
Alexander Stone
CEO, Stone Enterprise
I hit send and immediately dialed Hale. The uneasy feeling that I was experiencing began to intensify. Call it gut instinct, but I knew that something wasn’t right.
“Hale, did you see the email thread?” I asked after he picked up.
“I did, sir.”
“Are you in the area?”
“Yes, Mr. Stone. I’m about a block away from the penthouse.”
“Good. Bring the car around. We need to take a ride over to E 42nd and Madison.”
“I understand, sir.”
I was sure that he did too. Something was up, and I was about to find out.
CHAPTER 26
Cappuccino in hand, I exited Grand Central Terminal and made my way up East 42nd. Much to my dismay, I ran into a large tourist group that was taking a walking tour of New York City. They were moving at a snails pace as their guide pointed out landmarks just up ahead.
“Our next stop is The Stephen A. Schwartzman Building, part of the New York City Library system, which is the second largest in the country,” the guide told them.
Yeah, yeah. That’s where I’m trying to go. Of all the dumb luck.
Rather than fight the crowd, I cut through an alleyway that would take me over to 41st. That quickly proved to be a bad idea, as I had to pinch my nose to block out the smell of urine that was permeating the air.
I should have just hailed a cab in Greenwich instead of detouring to La Biga.
As I neared the end of the smelly passageway, a man stepped in front of me and blocked my path. His clothes were filthy and he had stringy blond hair that looked like it hadn’t been washed in weeks.
Ugh. This is what I get for trying to take a short cut.
I tried to side step him, assuming that he was a homeless person looking for a handout. Normally, I would have sympathized with his situation, but this man made me uneasy for some reason.
“Hello, Krystina,” he said, catching me by surprise. I looked at him again. He looked oddly familiar, but I couldn’t quite place him.
“I’m sorry, but do I know you?”
“No, I don’t believe that you do. But I know very much about you,” he leered.
Okay, now I’m getting creeped out.
I nervously looked around.
“I think you’re mistaking me for someone else. If you’ll excuse me, I have someplace that I need to be,” I told him. I tried to sound polite so as not to upset this could be lunatic.
“Oh, no sweet thing. Not yet. Not until you see what I need to show you.”
Casually, I reached down into my purse and felt around for the can of pepper spray that I always had on me. My hand closed around the metal can.
“I’m sorry, but –.” I stopped short when he grabbed hold of my arm and squeezed tight. “Let go of me!”
As I tried to shrug out of his grasp, the can of pepper spray went clinging to the ground.
“Pepper spray? I was warned that you might try something stupid,” he sneered. He squeezed my arm tighter and thrust a cell phone in my face. “Look at this.”
I focused my vision on the cell phone screen that he held in front of me. It was a black and white video of some sort.
“Please, mister. I don’t know what that is. You –.”
“Yes you do! Don’t play stupid! Look again!”
His eyes were wild, manic almost. I looked around in search of other people that may have entered the alleyway short cut.
This is New York! Why isn’t anyone around?
There wasn’t another soul in sight. And now, having lost the protection of
the pepper spray, I thought it best to just do as he asked. I could only hope that he would go away after I complied. Moving as slowly as possible, I took the phone from his hands and began to watch.
The video was of a crowd of people. Some appeared to be dancing while others mingled and sipped on drinks.
“It looks like a nightclub,” I said.
“Is that what you freaks call it?” he said and laughed loudly.
“What do you mean? I think…” I trailed off as I caught a glimpse of something quite out of the ordinary for a nightclub. There was a woman bent over on a stage. And a man.
This is footage from the night I was at Club O.
I looked more closely at the cell phone in my hand. I instantly recognized it as Alexander’s phone, the one that had gone missing the night before.
“Now do you see, sweetheart?”
I snapped my head up to look at him.
“Who are you? Where did you get his?”
He ripped the cell phone from my hands and shoved it into his pocket. Before I could react, he grabbed hold of me and pushed me against the brick surface of the building. He pressed his face to my ear. His breath was hot and stale on my neck. I had to fight the urge to gag.
“Does that sick bastard make you call him your Master?” he whispered as he squeezed one of my breasts. I wanted to throw up.
“Get off me!” I struggled, but felt the walls closing in. My pulse began to thud in my ears. This situation was all too familiar. I had to get away. “Someone help me!”
Stepping Stone Page 21