“I’m happy you’re out of there too.” He didn’t want to tell Alexandra about the whole hospital incident. There was no need to scare her. He would get her settled in before going down to the precinct.
Alexandra tapped her hand on the couch. “Come sit with me. I want to taste your lips without the nurse staring from her desk.”
As much as Billy wanted to make love to her, his mind continued to wander to Doctor Adams at the hospital. Had he put Alexandra’s life in jeopardy because of his past?
He put his current thoughts on hold, concentrating totally on Alexandra, whose lips were sprinkling kisses along his neck and ears.
“Are you sure you’re up to making love? You just got out of the hospital and your arm is in a sling.” Billy asked, excitement radiating through his body.
Alexandra licked her lips. “Yes.”
Billy scooped her in his arms. “Let’s take this upstairs.”
When Alexandra fell asleep, Billy walked back downstairs into the kitchen. He had to come clean. It was time to pay Lieutenant Gallo a visit.
The precinct was five minutes away. It was important to file a police report, keeping them abreast of what had happened. After arriving a the police station, Billy waited over a half hour before Lieutenant Gallo came out to get him, leading him into his tiny office.
Gallo leaned back in his chair, folded his arms resting them on top of his beer belly. “What can I do for you today, Mr. Davidson?”
“I wanted to tell you about what happened at the hospital the other night. I’m getting an eerie feeling something isn’t right,” he explained, sitting in the metal chair next to his desk.
“In what way?”
“There’s a doctor that can’t be accounted for and an elderly volunteer who got switched from one floor to the other.”
“I don’t see any problem.”
“I think all of this has to do with the problem I have with Ralphie. I just want it on file.”
“Mr. Davison, there’s nothing I can do. I don’t see any law being broken. I can’t go on hearsay.” Gallo leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his desk.
“I understand, but who was this Dr. Adams that examined Alexandra? No one seems to know who he is?”
“I don’t know Mr. Davidson. I’ll make a few phone calls, but otherwise, my hands are tied.”
“Great,” he shook his head in disgust. “I feel Alexandra is in danger. What am I going to do to keep her safe? And what if this Doctor Adams is a hit man?”
“Mr. Davidson, I think you’re watching too much television. Now go home and take care of Alexandra.” Gallo stood up. “By the way, how is she doing?”
“Better, thank you.”
“I’ll get back to you in a couple of days.”
Billy walked out of the office with no peace of mind. Gallo wasn’t taking this seriously. Maybe he thought it to be a joke, but in his heart, Billy knew they were in trouble. He would do his best to protect Alexandra, but he couldn’t be with her around the clock. He had to make a decision by the time he got home.
Billy unlocked the door. As he went to walk in, something caught his eye. He turned around, saw a silhouette of a person running through the weeds. Placing the box of pastries down, he ran after the person. But it was too late. He heard a car start and screech down the street.
He couldn’t keep this from Alexandra anymore. She had to know what was going on so she could be alert. If he called Gallo to tell him the latest development, he would have brushed him off again. Sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands.
Chapter Sixteen
Alexandra waited patiently for Billy to return. Where the hell did he go? As soon as he thought she fell asleep, he snuck out. That was an hour ago. Something was going on that Billy was keeping from her. The minute he closed the front door, she was down the stairs looking for clues. Billy thought he was slick, but she read right through him.
Off in the corner he had placed his overnight bag. Quickly, she riffled through it looking for a clue. And then she came across the card. She pulled it out of the envelope, and written in red ink read: SOMEONE IS WATCHING YOU.
“What’s this?” She held the card in her hand, turning it back and forth looking for something, a clue to where it came from.
Now this is great. How can I approach Billy and ask him what this is. I should have never been going through his things.
Alexandra put it back where she found it. Well, she hoped she did. She wondered where Billy disappeared. While she waited for Billy, she would think of how to question him without letting on that she was snooping. Thinking back to the hospital, it all seemed to make sense now on why he began acting weird, refusing to leave the hospital.
The past few days she spent enough of time lying around in bed. Tomorrow morning she wanted to go back to the café. They spent enough time away from it.
If he told her it was still a part of the crime scene, she didn’t care. She would cross the yellow tape. This café was their dream projects. The grand opening had to be soon. They’ve wasted too much time already, and she wasn’t taking no for an answer.
She had just poured her coffee when she heard Billy’s car pull up. As she opened the glass and wooden front door, she watched a car slowly drive through the tree lined circular driveway.
“What the hell?” Alexandra screamed at the navy blue BMW.
Quickly she returned into the house and scribbled the last four numbers of the license plate 3642. Damn, she just couldn’t read the letters. What was going on? This was getting all too weird. Her driveway was private. No one other then the mailman, FedEx or UPS drove up.
Glancing at her watch, it had been close to an hour and a half since Billy left. “Billy, where the hell are you?”
The traffic was horrendous going down two lane Richmond Hill Road, otherwise known as Snake Hill to native Staten Islanders. Billy drove along the curves a little faster than he should have, causing his car to sway from side to side. There was no time to waste. He had to get back home before Alexandra woke up. Along the way, he could have sworn that someone was following him. His paranoia was getting the better if him.
He had called Ralphie earlier, asking him if he was putting the squeeze on him. All Ralphie did was laugh on the other end of the phone before hanging up. This had gotten totally out of control.
How much more did he have to pay for mistakes he made a long time ago? And what should he do? He kept his eye on the sedan. When the light turned red, he slowed down and went through it. He watched the sedan hesitate for a few seconds before going through the light too. Now he knew what needed to be done. He had to drop the trail and get home to Alexandra. They’d talk this over, then go back down to the police precinct.
For the next ten minutes the same sedan followed him. Billy had to get this car off his tail. He drove through Todt Hill Road, in and out of the side streets. He knew these streets from the days when he’d delivered pizza to make extra money. He would lose the sedan.
Billy stepped on the gas and raced through the narrow streets. When he came out onto Richmond Road, the sedan wasn’t behind him. By the next light, he glanced into his rearview mirror and sure enough, there was the sedan.
This had to stop. Billy took his cell phone off the passenger seat and dialed the number to the police precinct. “Is Detective Gallo in?’ he asked, turning down another street.
“Hold on, I’ll transfer you.”
Before he could answer he was put on hold. “Damn it.” He slammed his hand on the steering wheel, keeping his eyes on the car following him.
“Gallo.”
“Detective Gallo, this is Billy Davidson. I need your help,” he mumbled into the phone as if the person in the sedan behind him could hear his words.
“What can I do for you?”
“A car has been following me for the past twenty minutes.”
“Are you being paranoid?”
“No,” Billy lashed out. “I went through all the
side streets. He is still here. I can see the license plate. CAK 2012A.”
“Can you see who’s driving?”
“No. The windows are tinted. I’m worried about Alexandra. Can you meet me at her house?”
“Why?” Gallo asked.
“I fear for her safety.”
“Give me five minutes.”
Bang. “Holy shit Gallo! The sedan just banged into the back of my car. Please get to Alexandra as soon as possible.” Bang!
Alexandra opened the front door, thinking it was Billy. “Hello,” Alexandra said, looking around. “Is anyone there?”
Dropping her eyes, she spotted a bouquet of red roses sitting on the white Adirondack chair on the porch. Alexandra picked them up, smiling. Billy was always full of surprises. Lifting them off the chair she smelled them before removing the card.
It read: Meet me at the café. I have a huge surprise for you.
Without thinking Alexandra walked into the kitchen and grabbed her handbag off the counter. While walking to the car, the card from the flowers fell from her hands. She was so excited to see what Billy had waiting for her. She’d bet he went ahead and put the finishing touches on the cafe wall.
Billy drove down Richmond Road at fifty miles an hour. At the red lights, he would slow down and continue right through with no time to waste. He had to get home to Alexandra. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to her. This was his mess.
Billy hit the speed bump and his car bottomed out. “Damn it,” he yelled, still not slowing down. His car screeched going around the next corner. A black car passed him up, almost hitting him, as he drove down Fingerboard Road. Billy stepped on the gas.
Reaching for his cell phone he dialed Alexandra’s number. It rang twice and went right to voice message. He decided not to leave a message and called the landline. The phone rang five times before going into the answering machine. “Impossible,” Billy said, redialing the number again. When he got the answering machine again, he tossed his phone on the dashboard, and sped the rest of the way home.
As he reached the house, an unmarked car had just pulled up. Billy threw the car in park, got out, and walked over to Lieutenant Gallo who stood with his partner with his hand resting on his gun.
“Where’s Alexandra?” He scanned the area. “Her car is missing.” Shaking his head back and forth, he mumbled, “It can’t be. She isn’t supposed to be driving. For her to go out something is wrong.” Billy sighed.
“What makes you think something’s wrong?” Gallo asked.
“I just have a feeling.”
“Let’s go take a look around the house.”
Billy started walking behind Gallo, when out of the corner of his eye he saw a card on the ground. He picked it up, read it, and looked toward Gallo who stood on the porch.
“She’s at the cafe.” He waved the card. “She’s in trouble.”
Alexandra fumbled with her key. The streetlight in front of the café was out and the bulb in the old-fashioned pole in front of the café wasn’t on. She had expected Billy to be there already. But that was Billy, always full of surprises.
Reaching for the light switch, she flicked the switch on, except the lights didn’t go on. Strange. Right before she got shot, they sat down going through their finances. When they were done they walked to the door and she shut off the lights. This felt very eerie.
“Billy,” she called out, her voice raising an octave. “Come on. Turn on the lights. Stop keeping me in suspense.”
Alexandra heard the sound of sneakers walking across the room. She’d bet when Billy turned the lights on the whole café would be set up. But wait. She walked around, reaching her hands out not to trip over a chair. Smash! It sounded like a glass fell and shattered.
“Billy are you there? Stop playing around.”
Alexandra waited a few minutes to complete silence. This wasn’t good. If Billy wanted to surprise her with something, he wouldn’t have kept her standing in the dark this long. I’ve got to get out of here. Slowly Alexandra pivoted, not wanting whoever was in the room to hear her moving.
She made her way back to the door, but as she opened it, an arm extended over her shoulder, keeping it closed. Alexandra started to scream, but as soon as she did, a hand covered her mouth. Dear God. Now what.
“Keep your mouth shut and you won’t get hurt.”
His voice was raspy and deep. One that Alexandra had never heard before. She tried her best to take a deep breath and count backwards from fifty, hoping she would calm down and the stranger would remove his hand from her mouth.
50..49…48…47. Before she got to twenty-eight, he dropped his hand from her mouth.
“The minute you yell, I will stuff a napkin into your mouth. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Alexandra mumbled, afraid to talk too loud.
“Good. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“What do you want from me?” Alexandra asked, wishing he would let go of her arm.
“I want to know where Billy has hidden the diamonds.”
“Diamonds?” Alexandra’s mouth dropped.
“Yes. The diamonds your boyfriend took from me.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. He never said anything about diamonds.”
The stranger tightened his grip on her shoulder. The scent of his cologne was familiar. But where?
“There’s no doubt he is going to return my diamonds,” he snickered. “And why do I know that? Because I have you.”
Chapter Seventeen
Billy and Gallo pulled up in front of the café. Alexandra’s car sat directly in front. The café was dark except for a tiny light in the back, close to where the food pantry would be. Something was terribly wrong. Before Billy could open the car door, Gallo blocked it.
“I want you to stay here,” Gallo ordered. “Backup is on its way.”
“No way. Alexandra is in there and I’m going to get her.” Billy flicked the lock and got out of the car. “Once I know she is out of harms way, I will step back and let you go in.”
“Really? You’re telling me how to do my job?” Gallo snapped.
“Yes, I am.” Billy fumbled with his keys for nothing. The door was left slightly ajar. He looked over his shoulder at Gallo and stepped out of his way. “I guess you’re going in first.”
“Scared?”
“No. You’re the one who has the gun.”
Gallo looked at Billy strangely. At that moment Billy could care less about himself. He had to get Alexandra out of there.
Billy pushed the door open determined to put the lights on. Nothing. Alexandra was in trouble. He knew it. Instead of waiting for Gallo, he walked in, feeling his way around.
“Alexandra, where are you? I know you’re in here.”
“I’m here Billy. He has a gun.”
“Are you….”
“Lieutenant Gallo from the New York City Police Department. Let Alexandra go. Drop your weapon and kick it over to me.”
“Yeah right.” The stranger’s voice was deep with a hint of sarcasm.
“Tell me what you want,” Billy said.
“As soon as you return the diamonds, I will let her go.”
“Diamonds? What diamonds?” The voice. It sounded so familiar. But from where? He couldn’t place it.
“I want to see Alexandra,” Gallo ordered.
“And I want my diamonds.”
While Gallo took over, Billy ran around the room, toward the kitchen following Alexandra’s voice. He needed to put the lights on so he could get to Alexandra.
“This is not about what you want. Right now you are holding an innocent woman hostage,” Gallo said.
“What don’t you understand? I want my diamonds back. I’m not asking for much. I will not harm Alexandra. I will disappear into the wind once the diamonds are in my hand.”
Billy made his way to the back of the café where the fuse box was. Quietly, he ran his fingers along the box until he found the one switch that was in
the off position. He pushed the switch and the restaurant lit up.
Alexandra sat on a chair in the corner with her hands tied to the chair. A tall slim man stood besides her, holding a gun in his hand. He looked familiar. Where did he know him from?
“Are you all right Alexandra?” Billy asked, approaching her.
“Back off pal.”
Billy turned around to face Gallo. “That’s Doctor Adams. Or should I say the fake Doctor Adams. He’s Ralphie’s clean up man.”
“Very good,” Adams nodded. “Now where are the diamonds?”
“I swear I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I suggest you start figuring it out.”
“Are you kidding me?” Gallo asked, pointing his gun at the doctor. “Drop your weapon now.”
Everyone stood at a stalemate. But before anyone spoke, two uniformed officers barged in from the back door and grabbed Adams from behind.
Billy ran over to Alexandra, untied her and took her in his arms. Thank God, she didn’t get hurt. Looking down at her hand, the two and a half karat diamond engagement ring he had given her still remained on her finger. And that was a gift given to Billy’s grandfather a long time ago when he smuggled illegal drugs into the country as a favor to his godfather, who had died shortly after.
After giving their statement at the precinct, they walked outside the station house to a beautiful morning. “This had been a long night. I can’t wait to get home,” Billy said, holding her hand leading her to the car.
“Neither can I.”
Alexandra waited until after they had their coffee and dessert before she asked Billy the question, which kept going through her mind while she sat tied to the wooden chair in the café. What she couldn’t understand was why the doctor kept asking her where Billy hid the diamonds? He insisted that there had to be at least a dozen diamonds missing.
“Why don’t we kick off our shoes and sit in the living room?” Alexandra grabbed her coffee mug off the table and sat down cross-legged on the couch. “I’d like to talk to you about what happened at the café.”
Whispers of Winter: A Limited Edition Collection of Winter Romances Page 140
