It got to the point that there was hardly any family left. In the end, they’d only kept their turf because Uncle Joey’s father had already left the city, and the rest of the Manettos were dead, leaving only Frank to pick up the pieces.
Now that Uncle Joey was back, Milo’s main reason for the meeting wasn’t just to work out a deal. It was to find out if Uncle Joey was out for revenge. Before we left, I picked up that Milo had backed off that idea.
He’d figured that Uncle Joey was telling the truth about being out of the business, and it corroborated everything his investigators had uncovered. So, if Uncle Joey knew anything about Milo’s murderous ways, he was a better actor than Milo thought. Still, he wasn’t going to deny the possibility, but he also wasn’t going to act on it. He wanted to hear Uncle Joey’s offer first, then he’d decide.
So where did that leave me? I knew Uncle Joey was itching to shoot Milo between the eyes, but he needed to protect Miguel and the New York Manettos. But if he knew Milo’s secret, I wasn’t sure he’d care. He’d probably feel obligated to end Milo’s sorry life and take up the business again.
Since I didn’t want him to do that, I wasn’t sure I should tell him. But if Uncle Joey ever found out the truth, and that I’d known what Milo had done and hadn’t told him, where did that leave me?
We arrived at the hotel before I had a chance to decide. Even this late, there were several people in the lobby, but none of them were part of the family. Uncle Joey led us to Frank’s office where we could speak in private. He sat behind Frank’s desk, and Ramos and I took the seats in front, reminding me of the office in Thrasher Development and home.
“All right, Shelby. What did you get?” Uncle Joey rubbed his hands together in anticipation. I was his secret weapon, and he relished this moment of revelation.
“Okay, let’s see. Where do I start? Uh… first of all, he’s intimidated by you. Yeah… you’re taller, in good shape, and a lot younger than he thought.”
“That’s nice,” Uncle Joey said, pleased that I’d tell him that, even though it didn’t matter. “Go on.”
“He’s sincere about making a deal, but he knows he has the upper hand. I think he’ll put out a hit on Miguel if you don’t reach an agreement. At least, that’s what he was thinking.”
“And does he have any secrets or vulnerabilities?”
I listened real hard to Uncle Joey’s thoughts, hoping to pick up if he knew Milo had killed his grandparents and was asking because of that. It wasn’t there, and I sighed.
“Uh… yes. He was thinking that he wasn’t as strong as he used to be, and his organization has grown soft. He’s worried that he can’t stand up to you in power or strength. So if things get dicey, he’ll strike first and fast.”
“That’s good to know. What else?”
Now came the moment of truth. Did I tell him or just hint about it? I didn’t know. It would do a lot more harm than good, right? “He has a secret, but I’m not sure what it is. I might be able to pick it up at your meeting tomorrow night, if you want me to come.”
He nodded his head, trusting me completely. “Yes. I definitely want you there. Is there anything I could ask him that would help you figure it out?”
“Yes,” I said, making it up as I went. “Why don’t you ask him about his family? It might be something he’s hiding about them.”
Since that made a lot of sense to Uncle Joey, he nodded. “I can do that.” He thought about the P.I. he’d hired, and hoped he was ready to present all the information he’d gathered on the Bilottis. He’d need it before tomorrow night. Then there was the deal—
“Whatever deal you offer him, you need to make sure it’s lucrative. He’s all about the money.”
“Don’t worry, Shelby. I know how to make him an offer he can’t refuse.” That brought a smile to my lips, which turned into a yawn. “Why don’t you go to bed? I have some things I need to discuss with Ramos.”
“Oh sure.” I glanced Ramos’s way. “Are you staying here?”
“No. I’m staying at Miguel’s apartment.” He needed to keep an eye on the place and make sure it was secure. If one of the Bilottis showed up, he’d enjoy taking care of the guy. He also didn’t want to make it awkward for me and my family by staying at the hotel.
“That makes sense,” I said. “All right. I’ll see you guys later. Goodnight.” I quickly left, knowing I didn’t want to hear anything about Uncle Joey’s plans.
Back in my room, I found Josh asleep on the pull-out bed. I tiptoed to Savannah’s room, and relief swept over me to find her asleep as well. I entered the master bedroom, expecting to find Chris wide awake and waiting to hear all about my visit.
Instead, he was sound asleep with the bedside lamp on. Disappointed, I got ready for bed and changed into my nightshirt. I climbed into bed beside him and flipped off the light. He stirred just enough to pull my back against his chest before he fell asleep.
I closed my eyes, but sleep eluded me. My heart told me to keep Milo’s murderous ways a secret, but my head told me he should pay for what he’d done. As I drifted off to sleep, I heard a song in my mind. It was so quiet at first that I hardly noticed. But as the tune built, my mind took note, and I opened my eyes.
I’d heard that voice before. The last time I’d been there with Miguel, I’d heard that beautiful baritone voice in this very room. I knew it was Uncle Joey’s grandfather. A chill ran down my spine, and I nestled closer to Chris. The song continued, and I knew he sang it just for me. I listened closely, hoping to understand the message.
The beautiful tune held such feeling that it was easy to pick up the emotions of regret and remorse, even though the words were in a different language, probably Italian. I couldn’t place the tune, but I thought I’d heard it somewhere before.
The song culminated in an emotional arc, ending on a note that brought tears to my eyes. The sorrow it inspired was so intense that my breath caught. In the silence that followed, I tried to understand what it meant, but I had no idea.
Blown away by the intense emotion, I closed my eyes and took a couple of deep, calming breaths. What did it mean? Why did he choose that song? Did the message have something to do with Uncle Joey and the Bilottis? Whatever it was, I’d have to figure it out. Then, I’d have to decide what to do about it.
I woke the next morning to the sound of the shower. I patted the bed beside me to find it warm, but empty. Cracking my eyes open, I checked my watch for the time, finding it a few minutes after eight. I struggled to remember what was on the schedule for today.
We were meeting at nine for breakfast, and then heading to the Museum of Natural History. After that, the boys were headed to Yankee stadium for the game, while I got to spend some time shopping with Savannah, Jackie and Maggie.
I also had the big meeting with Uncle Joey and Milo Bilotti to look forward to tonight. I sighed. Hopefully by then I’d know what to tell Uncle Joey. Maybe I’d get a chance to talk it over with Maggie first. She’d help me figure it out, right?
The morning went as planned, with Miguel joining us for breakfast. It surprised me to know that he’d never been to the museum and he was looking forward to it. Good thing he was coming, because Josh didn’t care to go, but he didn’t mind if Miguel was there. Savannah was happy doing anything that involved Miguel, so she didn’t care where we went or what we did.
It turned out that the museum was amazing, from the fiber glass model of the blue whale to the dinosaur exhibits. My favorite was The Rose Center for Earth and Space. I loved the Hayden Sphere and all of the exhibits about space and the cosmos.
As we headed to the next exhibit, my phone vibrated. A familiar panic caught in my stomach before I realized that it wasn’t my stalker—since I’d killed him. Letting out my breath, I checked the caller ID. The number wasn’t familiar, but it had a New York area code, so I answered. “Hello?”
“Shelby? This is Hawk. The hospital just called me. Taylor’s awake. Can you come?”
“Uh… well
, I’m at the Museum of Natural History with my family right now—
“Great. I’m not far. Why don’t I pick you up? I can be there in fifteen minutes. Our hospital visit shouldn’t take too long, and I’ll have you back before you know it.”
I hesitated, hating to leave my family again, but found I couldn’t disappoint him. “Okay. I’ll meet you outside on the steps.”
As we disconnected, Chris noticed me speaking on the phone and came to my side. “What’s going on?”
“That was Hawk. The girl in the coma is awake, and Hawk wants me to go to the hospital with him to talk to her.”
“What did you tell him?” He hoped that I’d refused but, from my remorseful expression, he wasn’t counting on it.
“He’s picking me up outside.” I held up my hand. “But I’ve got my wrist band on, so they’ll let me back in, and it shouldn’t take too long. I’ll be back before you know it.”
He sighed, resigned that I was leaving. “Okay. Text me when you’re done, and I’ll tell you where to meet up with us.”
“Okay.” I glanced toward our little group, but they’d continued down the hall, and I couldn’t see them. “Will you let them know where I am?” His lips twisted and he nodded. I gave him a quick kiss. “Thanks honey. I’ll be back.”
I turned toward the exit signs and followed them through the museum; grateful I had enough time, before Hawk showed up, to get out of the building. His car waited in front. As he caught sight of me, he waved me over.
“Thanks Shelby,” he said. “I appreciate it.”
“Sure.” I slipped on my seatbelt, and Hawk pulled into traffic. “Have you made any progress on the case?”
“Some,” he answered. “There was a photo of Merilee on her cell phone from that night. It looked like she was at the docks. From the GPS coordinates on her phone, we know she was at Chelsea Piers, so that’s a great start. Now it’s a matter of finding which boat she boarded. That’s going to take some time, since there are about nine or ten companies that run boats from there.”
“Wow. That’s a lot.”
“Exactly. That’s why I’m hoping that talking to Taylor will give us more information. I just hope that she knows what’s going on.”
“Yeah. For sure.”
We pulled into the hospital parking lot and hurried inside. Coming out of the elevator on Taylor’s floor, we passed several people on our way to her room. I caught a thought from one of them that sent a chill down my spine. She should be dead soon. Too bad I couldn’t stay and make sure, but there were just too many people.
I glanced back at the group and spotted a man looking over his shoulder. He wore green scrubs, a cap over his hair, and a hospital face mask, so I didn’t know what he looked like, but it was him.
“Stop,” I shouted, catching his gaze. He took off running, and I grabbed Hawk’s arm and pointed. “That man, the one running. You need to catch him.”
Hawk only hesitated a moment before taking off down the hall.
I ran in the opposite direction to Taylor’s room. A different police officer stood outside the door. At the nurse’s station, I spotted Ella and called to her. “Quick. Someone’s trying to kill Taylor.” As I shoved the door open, Ella rushed in behind me. “I think they put something in her IV.”
Not doubting me for a second, Ella pulled the tubing from Taylor’s arm. “Do you know what it was?”
“No. Just something that would work quickly.”
The beeping heart monitor began to slow, and Taylor’s oxygen levels dropped fast. Ella pushed a code button above the bed. The door slammed open, and a slew of nurses and doctors rushed toward Taylor.
I slipped to the back corner of the room, praying they could save her life. They worked frantically, doing several things at once. One of them inserted a new bag of saline into her IV to dilute whatever she’d been given.
They also gave Taylor some medicine, while Ella secured an oxygen mask over her mouth. The beeping of the heart monitor slowed even further, then flat lined with a high-pitched tone. Ella held the mask over Taylor’s mouth and squeezed the red ball rhythmically to pump air into her lungs.
The defibrillator paddles came out, and they shocked her heart. Nothing happened, and they tried it a second time. Still nothing. The doctors hesitated, and I caught one of them thinking they were too late, and whatever drug she’d been given had killed her.
“One more time,” Ella said. “It’s got to work. Come on Taylor.”
The doctor nodded and charged them up again. He yelled, “Clear,” and shocked her heart a third time. Silence. Then a ping sounded from the heart monitor, followed by another. Soon, the heartbeats came steady and strong, and sighs of relief came from everyone.
As the doctor gave orders, Ella caught my gaze. I listened real close, but still couldn’t read her mind. She sent me a nod of thanks, and I nodded back. The door opened and Hawk stuck his head in. He motioned to me, so I hurried into the hall.
“Did you catch him?” I asked.
“No. He got away. Is Taylor okay?”
“She is now. It was close. She flat lined, but they brought her back.” If I were honest, I would have said it was Ella who brought her back, and that she’d used sheer force of will to do it.
“Damn.” Hawk ran his fingers through his hair. “How did this happen?” He turned to the police officer. “I thought you were watching her. Did you leave her unsupervised?”
“No.” The officer swore in his mind. He felt bad enough that this had happened on his watch. “I was here the whole time. The only people in and out of her room were nurses or doctors. That’s it.”
“It’s okay.” I said. “Someone dressed as a nurse did this. You couldn’t have known.”
“From now on, if anyone goes in there, they have to be on a list,” Hawk said. “Get the list of attending doctors and nurses, and don’t let anyone who’s not on the list in that door.”
“Yes sir,” the officer said.
The doctor came out of Taylor’s room. “How’s she doing?” Hawk asked.
“She’s stabilized.”
“Good.” Hawk told the doctor his plans for the list, and the doctor agreed, asking the head nurse to take care of it.
“Will this set her recovery back?” I asked, picking up his worry.
“It might. I’ve ordered lab work to see if we can pinpoint the drug she was given. I’ll know more after that.”
“Will she wake up soon?” Hawk asked.
The doctor shook his head. “Probably not for a while. Excuse me.” I picked up that he needed to document everything that had happened. That had been close, and he wanted to make sure no one on his staff got the blame.
Hawk glanced my way, thinking that Taylor was alive because of me. If I hadn’t alerted them to the danger, she’d be dead. My premonitions were real. Too bad the killer had slipped through his fingers. But at least now he knew that someone powerful enough to hire a hit was involved. What had Merilee stumbled into? Something big, that was for sure.
“Do you want to go back in?” he asked me. “In case you pick up anything else?”
“I guess I could try.”
He held the door open, and we both stepped inside. Ella was still there, and her brows rose with surprise. “She’s in no shape to talk to you.”
“That’s okay,” I responded. “We just want to make sure she’s all right.”
Ella nodded, but her brow furrowed. I tried to pick up anything from her, but she was just as blank today as she was yesterday. Letting out a sigh, I switched my focus to Taylor, but she was just as blank as Ella.
“Are you getting anything?” Hawk asked.
I glanced at Ella, knowing she’d heard that. Hawk didn’t seem to care if she was in on our conversation or not, thinking that she’d been there yesterday as well, and it had worked out great because she’s the one who’d called to tell him Taylor was awake.
Ella folded her arms and stepped closer to me. “So that was your psychic abil
ity at work? Is that how you knew she was in trouble?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
She studied me like I was an alien or something. Not with distaste, but something like it. Or maybe she was trying to figure me out. Since I couldn’t read her mind, it was hard to tell. It shocked me to realize how much I depended on my mind reading skills. If I ever lost them, I’d probably go crazy.
“It was a good thing we were here,” Hawk said, wanting to make a point. “Will you be sure to let me know the next time she’s awake?”
Ella turned her gaze on him. “Are you going to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again?”
“It’s already taken care of.” He smiled, hoping to charm her with his good looks, while he explained the list to her. “It won’t happen again.”
She smirked. “Fine. Then I guess I’ll let you know the next time she wakes up.”
“Thank you.” He glanced my way and motioned to the door. “Shall we?”
Leaving the room, we followed the hall back to the elevator and stepped inside. “I don’t think your charm worked on her.”
“You noticed that?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Hey, does she seem… uh… different to you?”
“Different? Different how?” He thought that was an odd question.
I shrugged. “Oh I don’t know. Just different from most people.”
“You mean, like how you’re different?”
“You think I’m different?”
He smiled. “Yeah.”
“How?”
“I don’t know. You just seem more aware.” He was thinking that I had this intensity about me, like I was hyper-aware of everything going on around me. He’d never encountered that in anyone before. It was like I had eyes in the back of my head.
He cleared his throat, chiding himself for getting carried away, and blamed his science-fiction reading habits. Then he thought this could make a good story for a book. Only, instead of being a psychic, I’d be a sentient artificial intelligence… or maybe an alien. Either one would work.
Ghostly Serenade Page 8
