Secrets (Lords of the City)

by Alice Ward

  “You’re not afraid of being spotted?” I asked, hesitant to take the risk.

  “I’m more concerned about a taxi driver dropping us off near the building and then leaking our location to the press.”

  “I didn’t think of that,” I replied, looping my arm through his. We walked silently through the streets, completely unnoticed by the people around us. It was the first time we’d moved through the city together without drawing attention and I relished the peaceful feeling of normalcy. We finally reached Madeline’s office building and took cover in a small garden park across the street.

  “I don’t think anyone will notice us here,” Drake said as we settled down on a bench. “We’re lucky the building doesn’t have private parking. I just hope if Madeline leaves, she stays on foot.”

  I hadn’t even thought of that. We didn’t think this through very well at all, actually. What if we’re stuck here all day?

  I scanned the block and spotted a small coffee shop down the street.

  If nothing else, we can take turns running to the bathroom and grabbing coffee.

  “Is your heart pounding as fast as mine?” Drake asked. “Think about it, Chels. If this goes our way, I could have an annulment in no time. You and I can get married. I know the investigations are stressful and things could still take a turn for the worse for us there. But if I could have chosen which problem to solve, this would be it.”

  I took Drake’s hand in mine and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I feel the exact same way. I can’t explain it. I just sense that as long as we’re together, everything else will eventually fall into place.”

  “Looks like that intuition of yours is still sharp,” he said, nodding toward the office building. I looked up and saw Madeline step out onto the sidewalk. My heart began to race as Drake pulled me to my feet.

  “Could we really be this lucky?” I whispered as we followed her at a safe distance. “It’s not even lunch time yet.”

  “She may just be going on a coffee run,” Drake whispered back. “But there’s only one way to find out.”

  Madeline passed the coffee shop and crossed to the other side of the street. We followed her three blocks and watched as she took a seat at an outdoor café table. A waitress approached her with a menu, but Madeline said a few inaudible words and waved her away.

  “Come on,” Drake said, his eyes fixed on our target. Madeline pulled a tablet from her purse and glared down at the screen. Drake and I stepped into the outdoor seating area and walked right past her without being noticed.

  This is almost too easy. If she’s about to break the law, she’s not at all nervous about it. She’s not paying any attention to her surroundings.

  The waitress stepped back outside and delivered a cup of coffee to Madeline before greeting Drake and me.

  “Good morning, my name is Glory and I’ll be taking care of you today. Can I start you off with one of our fresh pressed juices or a cup of artisanal coffee?”

  “We’ll each have a coffee and a slice of quiche Lorraine,” Drake replied, his gaze still fixed on Madeline’s back.

  “Wonderful,” Glory replied, gathering our menus. “I’ll have it right out.”

  I scooted my chair beside Drake and took him by the arm. “Stop staring,” I whispered under my breath. “If you keep it up, she’s going to realize we’re watching her.”

  Drake turned his head and kissed me softly on the lips. “She’s not going to notice us,” he assured me. “In fact, it looks like we’re about to hit the jackpot.”

  I followed his gaze and saw Javier Black step in to the dining area. Madeline straightened her shoulders and greeted him while Drake pointed the camera in her direction.

  Please God, make her turn around at least once. We need her face on the video.

  Drake propped his elbow on the table. The tiny camera was barely visible in his hand, but a woman at the next table spotted it anyway. My heart beat wildly as she met my gaze with narrowed eyes. I gave her a desperate, pleading look and slowly rocked my head from side to side. She frowned but turned away without drawing any more attention to us.

  I couldn’t hear the conversation going on at Madeline’s table, but the actions were unmistakable. Javier’s lips moved slowly, while Madeline’s pen flew across her prescription pad. She tore sheet after sheet from the stack, until finally Black’s lips went still. He shoved the slips of paper into his jacket pocket and quickly retreated from the table.

  “Did you get it? Did the camera pick up their voices?” I asked frantically. I held my breath as Drake rewound the footage and connected a pair of ear buds to the camera. We each took a bud and he pushed play. Javier’s rough, raspy voice filled my ear.

  “One hundred and sixty twenty milligram oxies… three hundred hydros…”

  “We have sound,” Drake whispered. We pulled the bud from our ears just as Glory returned with our order.

  “Here you go,” she said, depositing our plates and mugs on the table.

  “Thank you, Glory,” Drake said, giving her his most charming smile. He pulled out his wallet and passed her a fifty-dollar bill.

  “Would you mind taking care of our check? You can keep the change for yourself,” he purred to her.

  “Are you sure?” she asked, staring down at the money in her hand.

  “Absolutely,” he assured her. “I just have one favor to ask. My fiancé and I need to speak with the woman sitting at the far table. Our conversation may get a little… heated. Would it be possible for you to make sure we have some privacy?”

  “Of course,” she quickly agreed. She narrowed her eyes and glared in Madeline’s direction. “I don’t mind telling you I don’t care for that woman. She comes here every other Thursday and never orders anything more than coffee. She’s a cranky old battle ax.”

  “I know,” Drake agreed, his voice full of sympathy. “But if this conversation goes our way, I doubt she’ll ever bother you again.”

  “Between that and your generous tip, this is turning out to be the best day I’ve had in a long time.” Glory beamed and stepped back in to the café.

  “We’re really going to do this now?” I asked Drake as he pushed his chair away from the table.

  “There’s no time like the present,” he replied. “And I’ve been waiting for this for years. Come on.”

  I followed Drake across the brick floor and smiled with pride as he sat down next to Madeline. I took a seat across from them as she stared up at him in panic.

  “Drake and Chelsea, was it? It’s so nice to see you both,” she said, her voice a blend of terror and false sincerity.

  “It’s nice to see you too, Madeline. It was especially nice to see you with Mr. Black,” Drake replied.

  Madeline pushed her shoulders back and folded her arms over her chest.

  “Mr. Black? I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about, Drake,” she insisted.

  “Now, now, Madeline, lying doesn’t become you. You know exactly what I’m talking about. And more importantly, we know exactly what you and Javier were talking about. It’s amazing what technology can help you accomplish these days.”

  Drake pulled the camera from his pocket and pointed the screen at Madeline. The color drained from her face as she realized she’d been caught red handed.

  “There’s audio, if you’d like to hear it,” I added with a smug, satisfied grin.

  Madeline narrowed her eyes and glared at me for a moment before turning to Drake.

  “You really are your mother’s son,” she growled at him. “I assume you want something from me in exchange for keeping this quiet. Get on with it, Drake. Name your price.”

  “I want a signed deposition admitting that you falsified Alex’s medical records,” he said firmly.

  Madeline let out a snort. “You’re still hung up on that? Hypothetically speaking, if I had falsified any records, I’d never admit to it. I’d lose my license.”

  “Oh, you can consider your license lost,” he replied, waving
the camera at her. “You have two paths in front of you, Madeline. You can walk away right now, without giving me what I want. But copies of this video will be anonymously submitted to the NYPD vice squad along with all of the major news outlets. You’ll lose your license, you’ll be crucified in the press, and you’ll likely end up facing criminal charges.”

  Madeline tightened her jaw and stared him down. “And the second path?”

  “If you take the second path and do what I’m asking, I’ll personally guarantee that you won’t be prosecuted for fraud. I’ll also ensure that the press never finds out that you’re a conniving, self-serving liar. You’ll still lose your license, but your reputation and your freedom will be intact.”

  Madeline sat quiet for several minutes, considering her options. It didn’t take her long to resign herself to defeat.

  “It’s nearly time for me to retire anyway,” she said with a sigh. “To be honest, what I did to you has always weighed on my conscious. I’ll give the deposition, but only in exchange for that footage. No offense, but I wouldn’t blame you if you double-crossed me. Just tell me when and where you want me to meet with your lawyer.”

  Drake rose to his feet and pulled out Madeline’s chair. “If you’ll come with us, we can get it over with now.”

  Madeline rolled her eyes, but didn’t protest. She held her head high, slung her purse over her shoulder, and followed us into a taxi.

  CHAPTER 5

  e

  “I can’t believe my plan worked so well.” Stacey beamed at me as I lifted Emma from her bassinet.

  “I can’t believe we’re finally in a regular hospital room,” I replied with a broad grin.

  After reviewing Emma’s latest scans, Dr. Lekberg announced that Emma no longer needed to be in the NICU. She’d have to stay at the hospital until she gained a few more pounds, but she was no longer in critical condition. Her small private room held a portable bassinet, a standard hospital bed, and a small recliner. It was far from the suite Stacey had stayed in, but it was much more relaxing than the NICU.

  “Yeah, it seems a little surreal to me too,” Stacey confessed. “I can’t wait to get her home where she belongs. Do you think there’s a chance that Drake could be Uncle Drake by then?” she pressed with a smile.

  “I hope so,” I confessed with a grin. “Dad said with Madeline’s affidavit, Drake has more than enough grounds to file for an annulment. Since we have proof that the marriage was based on a fraud, it won’t matter if Alex contests it or not. As soon as the judge signs the order, Drake will be free of her.”

  “Have you talked about a wedding?” she asked as I settled into the recliner with Emma. My niece slept peacefully in my arms, her contented snores filling the room.

  “Neither of us wants to make a big deal about it,” I explained. “As soon as the investigations are closed, we’re going to have a small ceremony. Don’t get me wrong. I want the dress and the bouquet and pictures to show our children. But we don’t really want a crowd or a reception after. We’re thinking a quick ceremony with Father Peter with you guys, Mom and Dad, and Piper and Seth. We’ll just go out to dinner or something after.”

  “That sounds perfect,” Stacey agreed. She pulled out her phone and checked the time.

  “If you two are good here, I’m going to run home for a minute. Now that we’re in a regular room again, I’m going to go gather my shower stuff and pack a few changes of clothes. Do you realize that this will be the first time Oliver, Emma, and I get to spend a full night together like a real family?”

  “I’m so happy for you, Stacey.”

  “I’m happy for all of us,” she gushed. She threw her phone into her purse and lifted Emma from my arms.

  “Mommy’s running home for a minute, sweet girl,” she cooed to the baby. “Auntie Chelsea is going to stay with you. Be a good girl and don’t set off any of your monitors while I’m gone.”

  Stacey moved to hand Emma back to me and my stomach grumbled.

  “Did you skip lunch?” she asked with a laugh.

  I gave her a guilty smile. “Yes. I missed breakfast this morning, too… and dinner last night. After we took Madeline back to her office yesterday afternoon, Drake and I went to my place and celebrated. We celebrated quite a bit.”

  “Come on,” she said, laying Emma down in the bassinet. “You can walk me downstairs and grab something from the cafeteria. The food isn’t five star, but the salad bar’s decent. And it’ll keep you from wasting away before I get back.”

  “Are you sure it’s okay to leave Emma alone?” I asked as Stacey moved for the door.

  She nodded. “She’s asleep and there are plenty of nurses outside to keep an eye on her.”

  “Okay,” I agreed, a hint of hesitation in my voice.

  “Dr. Lekberg said we need to stop hovering,” Stacey explained as we stepped into the hallway. “Emma’s out of the woods. He says that it’s important she learn to feel secure on her own. He gave us a book that explains the psychology, but I haven’t had a chance to read it.”

  “It makes sense,” I assured her as we made our way to the elevator.

  “It goes against every instinct in my body,” she confessed as the car carried us to the lobby. “I want her to grow up to be strong and independent, so I’ll follow the expert’s advice. But by all means, pick her back up when you get back to the room.”

  “I will,” I promised with a hug. “Take your time at the penthouse. We’ll be just fine here and I’ll call if anything happens.”

  “Thanks, Chels. I’ll see you soon.”

  Stacey stepped out onto the sidewalk and I turned for the cafeteria. The lunch rush was over and the dinner rush was hours away, so only a handful of hospital staff and visitors cluttered the dining area. I filled a clamshell box with fresh spinach, bacon bits, and hardboiled eggs, topped it with ranch dressing, and carried the box to the register. The cashier weighed it and I ran my debit card with a slightly shaky hand. A horrible, instinctive panic had been rising in my chest since the moment we’d left Emma’s room.

  I’m just being a paranoid, overprotective aunt. Emma’s fine. Stacey was right; there are plenty of nurses outside her room. And if she has an apnea episode or one of her other monitors go off, they’re much better qualified to handle it than I am.

  I tried to shake the feeling of dread building in my gut, but my attempts were useless. I had no idea what was wrong, or where my instincts were coming from. All I knew was that Emma was in danger and I had to get back to her room. I pulled my receipt from the register before the cashier could reach for it and bolted out of the cafeteria.

  I rushed to the elevator bank just as a set of doors opened into the lobby. I pushed into the car before the other passengers exited and impatiently hit the button for Emma’s floor. I took deep breaths and gripped my salad container, my heartbeat quickening with each floor I passed. Finally, the doors opened again and I stepped out into Emma’s hallway. Kenzie, the afternoon nurse, must have spotted the fear on my face.

  “I know its nerve wracking, leaving them alone. But Emma’s fine, Ms. Tyler. Your mother arrived a few moments ago. She’s in with Emma now,” she explained with a warm, understanding smile.

  Mom’s here? But I talked to her this morning. She said she was flying back to Florida today. That teacher’s workshop she’s leading starts tomorrow.

  “Thanks, Kenzie,” I said, trying to mask the fear in my voice as I moved for Emma’s door. “You’re right. After the scares this little one has given us, it’s difficult to leave her alone.”

  “She’s fine, Ms. Tyler. If you need anything, I’ll be down at the nurses’ station.”

  I nodded at her and then pushed into the room. My heart skipped a beat and my salad spilled to the floor as I took in the scene before me.

  “Welcome back, Auntie Chelsea,” Rebecca purred as she bounced Emma in her arms. The baby was awake, but didn’t seem to be in any distress. I took a deep breath and stepped deeper into the room.

 
“Give her to me,” I growled, moving for Emma.

  Rebecca smiled and turned her back to me. “Now why would I do that? Once you have the baby back, you’ll have no incentive to listen to what I have to say. And it’s really in your best interest to hear me out.”

  “I have no intention of listening to you,” I snapped, moving for the hospital bed. I pushed the nurse call button on the bed railing, but the light behind it remained dark.

  “I disabled that,” Rebecca explained with a casual wave. “We don’t need any pushy nurses coming in and interrupting us. Why don’t you take a seat?”

  “Give me the baby, Rebecca,” I insisted again. “I’ll listen to whatever you have to say. I won’t call the nurse or make a scene. Just give me Emma.”

  Rebecca stared at me for a minute and then took a step toward me. I lifted my arms to her and she backed away again.

  “No, I don’t think I will. You don’t like it, that I have my hands on the person most precious to you,” she observed with an evil grin. “Think of how I must feel. You’ve taken my son and turned him into someone I don’t even recognize. My Drake was powerful and confident. He took what he wanted from life because he knew he was entitled to it. And then you came along and ruined him.”

  I was torn between the need to keep Emma safe and the desire to rip Rebecca’s head off. I decided to tread lightly but stand my ground.

  “I take it you’ve spoken with Madeline?” I asked, my eyes fixed on my niece.

  “No, I haven’t,” she corrected me. “But I will. Madeline will pay for what she’s done, the same way you will. I know your father has filed for an annulment on behalf of Drake. And I know that he’s doing everything in his power to save my son from the lesson I’m trying to teach him.”

  “You’re trying to send him to prison, Rebecca. I’d hardly call that a lesson,” I argued.

  “I’m teaching him that the world only works in your favor when you play by the rules,” she countered. “Drake’s brought all of this on himself. If he’d played his part the way he was supposed to, he’d be living it up in his penthouse right now with a current flavor of the week.”