by Nina Loard
“It’s extraordinary, isn’t it?” I said to him as I beamed at the crown.
He turned to regard me. “Yes, incredibly detailed. Are you enjoying yourself this evening?” He smiled at me, trying to place me if he could.
“Yes, looking forward to the fireworks as well. Do you know what time it is?” I looked up at him expectantly. He opened his jacket and took his pocket watch from his vest. Just barely above the lining of the vest pocket I could see the white plastic of a key. I swallowed several times, trying to moisten my throat that had become dry as the desert.
“Yes, it is just past 11:30 PM, we best start making our way out to the courtyard,” he said jovially, reaching to put his watch back. I stepped in closer, knocking into him.
“I’m so sorry. All the standing and champagne has caused me to feel quite ill all of a sudden. I hate to trouble you, but do you know where the closest bathroom is?” I looked up at him with as sad and ill of an expression as I could fake. Raven could use sex appeal, but I thought being pitiable would be much more convincing.
He frowned with a look of sincere concern. “Of course, lean on me, I’ll escort you back.” He placed his hand under my arm and ushered me past a speechless Ari, who had just returned. Once we were out in the rotunda, he guided me all the way to the ladies’ room door. When we came to a stop, I turned to him with great care.
“Thank you, I was so afraid I was going to pass out in there. It would have been so embarrassing.” I leaned into him and gave him a brief hug in appreciation. He bent to me and returned it. As he straightened and buttoned his jacket, he told me the pleasure was his and made his way back to the gallery. Once he was out of sight, I crossed to the men’s room and went in, preparing to claim disorientation if anyone else was in there. Finn stepped toward me quickly, a look of shocked concern on his face.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded, placing a hand on my shoulder.
“It’s nice to see you, too. I thought you might need this.” I held up the key for him to see. He looked at it, unable to understand for a second.
“Raven got recognized. I had to improvise.” I smiled, unable to suppress how proud I was of myself.
He did the same and whispered close, “You are exceptional.” He took the key and kissed me quickly on the cheek. “Now, get out of here and go watch the show. I have work to do.” He slapped my rear as I exited the bathroom. I pretended to be confused by the door that was clearly marked “MEN” and went over to the women’s room for a minute, just in case. After washing my hands, I came back out of the bathroom, looking for Ari.
“Madame, please follow me, the fireworks are about to begin and we’ve asked our guests to join us outside.” A security guard greeted me and encouraged me to follow him. His body language told me I didn’t have a choice. As I walked past the gallery, only a few people remained, none of whom were Ari. The guard led me to the lobby below, pointing out the direction for me to follow. I assumed Ari would be just outside the door, waiting on me. I wondered what it was that Alex had needed to speak with him about. As the cold air assaulted me, I wished I had brought a coat. I stepped farther outside and looked for Ari’s dark hair above the crowd. As the first of the colorful explosions illuminated the night, a hand closed over my bare arm. I turned happily, anxious to tell Ari what I had done.
“Good evening. Would you please come with me?” I turned up to find a different, but not completely unfamiliar face regarding me. His grip tightened and I automatically pulled against him, not sure of who he was or his purpose.
“Who are you?” I asked, trying to free my arm from his grasp. He didn’t answer me. As fireworks burst above, the man pulled me around the corner of the building. I was afraid that somehow he had seen me take the key from the curator. Perhaps he was some type of undercover security guard. I stopped resisting so intensely, trying to get my story straight if there was to be questioning. As we moved farther away from the others, I saw a van come into view. My heart jumped as I realized it must be Bounce, though nobody was at the wheel. He pushed me toward the back of the van. It seemed my worst fear had come to fruition. We were caught. To my surprise, he pulled a gun on me.
“Get in,” he commanded and opened the back of the van wide. I didn’t budge, but kept my eyes on him, trying to understand. “Get in, or I will kill you where you stand. You’ve caused me more than enough difficulty for one lifetime.” He moved closer to me and looked down into my face with raw hatred. The light from the van shone in his severe green eyes and I gasped loudly as I realized I’d seen him before. He had been at Buckingham Palace when Ari was knighted. He had walked Bounce across the bridge in Paris. He had beaten me before I’d returned to Boston three years ago. It was Marko.
As he pointed the gun at me, I recalled in detail his threat in Ari’s house the night before I was to leave London. The pain I’d felt when he’d punched me in the ribs and face. Marko had stolen my money and threatened to kill my friends if it was ever revealed. Those green eyes that had frightened me so when I met Ari were not his at all; they had belonged to his cousin.
I doubled over as if he hit me again, nauseated from the memory. I tried to steady myself on the bumper of the van. As I did so, I saw Bounce lying behind the driver’s seat, bound and unconscious.
“What did you do to her?” I shouted, anger welling up inside me. With one blow to my stomach, he knocked me onto the ground, causing me to hit my head painfully against the open van door. Without speaking, he picked me up and threw me into the back. I crawled out of his reach and over to Bounce, shaking her to see if she was alive. There was no response, but she was breathing through her nose, her mouth had been taped over. It was obvious she’d been crying before she passed out and there was some swelling on one side of her jaw. He followed me into the back of the van and grabbed my ankles, taping them together. He pulled me up closer to him and did the same with my hands behind my back. Once he was done, he threw me down, forcing me to hit my head against the back of the passenger seat.
My thinking was fuzzy, but I needed to understand what was happening. “Why are you doing this?” I trembled as I asked the question, feeling as if I was going to fall apart any second.
Marko glared at me from the van doors, the cold night blowing in past him. “Money, is there any other reason?” He laughed at himself and then got deathly serious. “Perhaps you don’t remember the money I relieved you of in London, but I’m told Ari shared with you the recovery of the Royal Rose Collection. It might interest you to know that I was the third party the Frenchmen were waiting for in that lounge. You all cost me my fortune. Your take in London was the down payment. Tonight, you’re paying the debt back in full.”
Over the fireworks, I heard the sound of breaking glass from above and my heart slammed against my chest. It had to be Finn. I saw Marko glance upward and then he pulled me down to him, placing tape over my mouth. He closed the van doors and disappeared. I searched for anything sharp to cut the tape, but the van had been stripped.
I strained to hear anything, desperate and terrified. As I tried to shift myself so that I could pound against the side of the van, I heard Finn’s voice and then a muffled gunshot. I stopped abruptly, remembering Finn didn’t have a gun with bullets. I slumped back down on the van floor, choking back sobs that I couldn’t breathe out. Marko got in the driver’s seat and I stretched to see past him out the windshield. A dark figure was lying motionless beside the wall, red just beginning to stain the white of his shirt. I screamed everything I could think to say, though none of it was clear. Grief overtook me as we drove away.
Chapter 24. Adrift
Aware of only the ripping pain in my chest, I forced myself to focus on my memories of Marko. I couldn’t think of Finn or Bounce or the others, I knew if I did I’d curl up and die myself. Marko had taken my money in London as retribution for the fortune we must have cost him in Bruges. He had warned me if I spoke a word to anyone, he would have my friends pay for it. He knew I was leaving for Boston the
next day, and he’d threatened to kill me if I ever returned. I had believed he was deadly serious. He’d beaten me to make his point. He was waiting for me at Ari’s, or I had surprised him there. Either way, he took advantage of me being alone to exact his revenge. I didn’t remember anything else.
Fear and crushing sadness were keeping me from being able to concentrate as I felt the van merge with city traffic. I tried hard to push myself up higher against the back of the seat and stared at Marko’s profile as he drove. Though my vision was blurred with tears, I committed his face to memory, swearing to myself that I would kill him for what he’d done to Finn… for touching Bounce. In my mind, he was already dead. If I didn’t get the chance, I knew that Ari would find a way. Sadly, I realized he may not be able to find us or ever know the truth. Finn had a locating device on him because he was responsible for the crown, but he wasn’t with us. I glanced down and saw a black bag with a large item in it by Marko’s side. He noticed me sitting upright and saw where my attention was focused.
“It was awfully kind of Finn to do all the work for me. Sad that the New Year began so poorly for him.” He turned to watch the effect his words had on me. “We should have taken care of you before too, but it doesn’t matter much now.”
He meant to kill us. I couldn’t stop my body from shaking as much as I didn’t want to give him the pleasure of seeing my fear.
He drove just a couple more blocks and turned into a darkened parking lot. I tried again to wake Bounce, hopeful she would know what to do, but she was still out cold. I didn’t know how to face what was happening, feeling as if saving us both were up to me. He came around to the back and opened one of the cargo doors, on my side of the van. He placed the gun on the bumper and produced a large, jagged knife. He pulled me toward him, pushing my dress up past my knees and cut the tape that bound my ankles. I kicked at him, but he placed the knife on the van floor, taking both of my ankles in his large hand. With his other, he unzipped his pants. With both hands, he slid me painfully down the cold surface, pressing against me while fighting my squirming body.
He placed the knife at my throat to stop me from struggling. “Evelyn, this is going to be painful either way, but if you make me enjoy it, I promise to kill you faster. You did everyone else, you might as well fuck me too before you die.” He took the knife from my throat briefly and placed it between my legs, pulling my underwear partially down with one hand and slicing through them. I felt the sharp tip of the knife cut my inner thigh. He placed it back at the base of my throat while his cold hands violated me, probing forcibly. The smell of sweat and the tangy, metallic scent of my blood filled the van. He lurched over me. I was moving so much that the knife had already caused my neck to bleed, but I couldn’t feel the pain. He grinned down at me with pure malice on his face as he forced my legs farther apart.
Suddenly, a force beside me connected with his shoulder and hurled him past the door.
Bounce had come swiftly back to life and kicked him with all her might. He was knocked to his right, out of my sight. He’d kept hold of the knife, but left the gun. I bent my knees to my chest and successfully got my bound hands in front of me. I ripped the tape off my mouth and Bounce’s. With no time left, I awkwardly grabbed the gun and bolted from the van. Marko stood, fixing his pants while still brandishing the knife. Not far off, I heard the rumble of a motorcycle and then feet running across gravel.
Seeing me point the gun at him, he laughed mockingly, “Put the gun down.” He bent over, recovering. “You can have Bounce and I’ll take the crown. I’ll be gone on the next train.” I noticed our surroundings for the first time and realized we were in a parking lot of a closed restaurant adjacent to a train station. He came in closer, holding the knife straight out from his body, trying to negotiate his escape. I saw Ari coming up behind him. He had no weapon.
“Marko, put down the knife,” Ari roared, descending on us quickly, somehow finding us despite our remote location. Marko turned as his cousin approached. I relaxed a fraction, grateful that Ari had found us. He approached Marko cautiously, a hand outstretched as he asked for the knife. Marko looked at his hands and then over at me with a look of resolve. Before I could yell to warn him, Marko lunged at Ari and they each fell to the ground, struggling for control of the other. Wondering if I was even capable of shooting a gun, I pointed it shakily at the two entwined bodies.
I heard Bounce off to my left. “Evelyn, give me the gun, I’ll kill him myself.”
I stepped quickly towards her, anxious to take her up on the offer since she had to be a better shot. As I did so, I saw Ari hit Marko solidly in the face, knocking him back on his knees. After he shook off the impact, Marko raised the knife, preparing to plunge it into Ari’s chest, keeping him pinned below him. With no time left, I aimed and fired, never hesitating, putting Marko down with one shot to the head. His body fell lifelessly to the side. Stunned, Ari and Bounce watched me as I dropped the gun and collapsed.
***
I panicked after opening my eyes. I was in a bedroom I didn’t recognize. My dress and necklace were thrown over a chair in the corner. It was still dark outside the window. I heard mumbled voices in the next room. I tried to get up, but felt dizzy and weak from the effort. I lay back against the pillows, wearing only a man’s T-shirt. My hair was wet. The evening came back to me and hopeless tears spilled from my eyes again. Ari had found us, but Finn was gone. I suspected that I had killed a man. I sunk lower under the covers, feeling as if nothing within me would ever work the same again. Despair took over, causing me to bury my head and wish I were dead as well.
Before too long, I felt the bed dip at my side. A hand passed over my back tenderly. “Evelyn, love, it’s all over.” The lyrical, Irish voice tried to soothe me and I floated back to the surface of reality as if pulled from a tumultuous sea. I opened my stinging eyes and stared at Finn, disbelieving. He smiled at me and bent to kiss my lips. I threw my arms around him with all the energy I could gather. I felt him flinch and I noticed he was taped at the shoulder. I pulled back to look at him more closely, trying to understand how it was we were together.
“I saw you, shot in the chest, bleeding. You weren’t moving. I thought you were dead.” I was still crying, but tried hard to make my words understandable.
“He got me in the shoulder. The bullet went clear through. One inch lower and I would be hovering over you now, not holding you.”
“You’re going to be alright?” I heard what he was saying, but I just couldn’t believe it.
“Absolutely good as new. Brinks told Ari where to find me. Alex picked us up.”
“Ari and Bounce, are they okay?”
“Yes, they brought you back here and Ari returned the crown to Alex.”
“Is Marko dead?” I thought I knew the answer, but I had passed out after the shot, so it was all still fuzzy.
After a moment, Finn took a deep breath and answered. “Yes, he’s gone.” He held me closer against his good side and stroked my back.
“He took the money and threatened to kill you before I left for Boston.” I struggled to explain, feeling the guilt of taking a life press down upon me. I hadn’t had a choice, but I still felt it, fresh and painful like an open wound.
“Shh, Bounce overheard everything. She was waiting for a chance to take out Marko for most of the ride. She told us what he did and what he wanted to do.”
“I didn’t know she was awake.” I struggled to sit up more, wanting to ask questions and understand.
“Easy, Evelyn, you have a mild concussion and were freezing. Raven got you into a hot shower, but you need to rest. We can tell you everything in the morning.” Finn kissed me again and moved to place me back down onto the bed. I let him, feeling like my body had turned to stone.
“Where am I?” I whispered.
“Ari’s suite. Brinks sewed me up here while Raven tended to you. It’s good we know a medical student. They’re just outside in the living room.”
There were more things
I wanted to ask, but I was physically and emotionally exhausted. I closed my eyes and heard Finn leave the room and not much else after that. The next time I woke, the sky was turning pink outside my window. Despite a lingering headache and overall stiffness, I felt more like myself, less groggy. I took a deep breath and sat up from the bed. Finn was in the chair by the window, fast asleep. He was shirtless, and I saw where a small circle of blood stained the otherwise clean bandage over his chest. I moved quietly to not disturb him.
After washing my face with cold water in the bathroom, I slipped on the hotel robe that hung from the door and tiptoed into the living room. Ari lay on the couch, his arms folded, sleeping deeply. Even with his eyes closed, I could tell he was drained. His skin looked even paler under his dark lashes. As I looked down at him, they fluttered open. Almost imperceptibly, he smiled up at me while his eyes focused.
“Hi,” I whispered down at him and smiled.
“Hi,” he responded, weakly smiling back at me. “Happy New Year. I didn’t get a chance to tell you earlier.” We both smiled at the absurdity of the statement. After a moment he continued, raising up on the couch, “You’re okay. Not in any pain?” He looked at me more seriously, waiting for my answer.
“No, a headache, but otherwise I’m fine. I’m sorry, Ari. I know you know what happened, but he was your cousin. I killed him. I don’t know what that means.” I tried to keep myself from crying as I said it. I remembered Ari’s threat if anyone was to hurt his family. I never thought I could have ended up doing just that.