The Silver Cord: The Lily Lockwood Series: Book Two

by Alison Caiola

  “You mean al- Qaeda?” Jamie asked

  “Correct, it’s a Somalia-based cell of the militant Islamic group. It’s an offshoot of ICU—Islamic Courts Union—which splintered into several small factions after its defeat against Tradition Federal Government.” Maniadakis looked down and shuffled several papers on the desk in front of him. “In 2006, they described themselves as waging jihad—war— against enemies of Islam. These included TFG and the African Union Mission to Somalia—and, by extension, it goes without saying, Americans and their allies. They’ve been killing, kidnapping, and intimidating members of any organization that seems even remotely connected to a humanitarian effort. So there you have it—the world’s worst shit stew.”

  “Anything you can do to help?” Ken asked.

  “Well, I have feelers out, as we speak. Since we don’t know who’s behind this, it’s gonna take some digging. And bucks. Who’s got the money?”

  “We can mortgage our home.” Hannah said. My husband died three months ago, so we’re still going through probate—he shared his medical practice with his partner; I can talk to him about a loan until it’s resolved.”

  “How much money are we talking about?” David asked.

  Maniadakis looked back down at his papers. “A boatload. You got security—big time— that’s something we need to talk more about. If we have to go in and get him, I have to put together a rock-solid group of military contractors—most of them ex-Navy SEALs. The best get big bucks and I would only get the best for you. Plus you gotta fly them in and put them up. Then you got guns, ammunition, and bribes. I’d say upward of $300,000, maybe more. If we find out there’s a ransom—I fly in a special negotiator I know from Colombia— you’re talking millions.

  Hannah gasped. “I… I don’t know if I can get that kind of money.”

  “I don’t want to sound heartless, Ma’am, but the clock is ticking on your boy, and if you want to make a move, it’s got to be now.”

  “I’ll give you the money.” Lily said. It’ll take me a few days to get it together, but whatever you need…”

  Hannah hugged Lily and started crying. “Whatever we have to do, darlin’, we will get that money back to you. I promise.”

  “Whoever‘s got the bucks needs to be there. We’re gonna need cash, can’t tell how much ‘til we get down there. Things change on a whim in a situation like this. I can’t be on the phone every time looking for more money. It won’t work unless you’re there.”

  Lily swallowed hard. “I’ll go.”

  Jamie jumped to his feet. “What are you talking about? You can’t go there, Babe, it’s worse than a war zone. You’re gonna get killed.”

  Maniadakis shook his head. “Better decide fast and let me know.”

  Lily looked at Jamie “I said I will go. No need to decide.”

  “I’ll go too.” David took his sister’s hand.

  “That’s good enough for me. I’ll start putting this together. Get your shots, it’s a hotbed down there.” Jamie got up and stormed out of the room.

  “Make sure to bring some head scarves, since you’re going to be the only white woman there. The more covered you are, the better. And whatever you do, don’t speak with the press. If they get hold of this venture, especially if they know that Lily Lockwood is involved, it’ll become a three-ring circus. Let’s talk tomorrow morning, your time 9:00 a.m. By then I should have more info.”

  “Thanks, pal, I appreciate it,” Ken said.

  “Don’t thank me until your boy’s back home safe.” With that, the screen went dead.

  After everyone else had left Lily’s apartment, Donna sat at the kitchen table feeding Daisy Rose strained peas. The toddler thought it was the funniest thing ever to spit out the baby food all over herself, onto the floor, and also onto her great aunt. She squealed with delight and went into fits of giggles when Donna reacted to being sprayed with the half-eaten peas.

  Donna struggled to look as stern as she could, while trying not to burst into laughter over the toddler’s antics.

  “Daisy Rose, now you stop that. You have to eat your food so you can grow big and strong.” Lily walked into the kitchen just in time to see Donna cover her face against the newest incoming green attack.

  “The next time I feed your daughter, I’ll make sure to wear a raincoat.”

  Lily grabbed a napkin, and wiped the vegetable out of Donna’s hair. “Make sure it’s got a hood.”

  “ Pali, can you sit with me a second? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

  Donna took her hand and said, “Listen, I don’t want to tell you what to do, but I am really concerned about this whole thing. I’m worried about you going to Somalia. It’s a grand gesture, I understand that. But it scares the hell out of me.

  “I have no choice, Auntie D. Trust me, I’m scared too. But I’m already committed. And if I don’t do this, how could I live with myself if he—you know—if something happens to Robbie.” Tears welled up in Lily’s eyes. “I’ve lost my Mom. I can’t lose him, too.”

  “Oh honey,” Donna hugged her, “you can’t put this whole thing on yourself.” She looked at the beautiful young woman in front of her—the closest to a child she would ever have—and wished that Daisy were there with them. Daisy always knew, without hesitation, the right thing to do or say when advising her daughter. Donna took a deep breath and tried to channel her oldest and dearest friend. “I cannot tell you what to do, sweetheart, but all I want to say is that I would like you to take however much time you need to think long and hard about the implications. Whatever you decide, I’ll be there for you—100%.”

  Before Lily could reply Jamie burst into the room. “Are you insane? What do you think you’re doing?”

  Lily did not look up at him but slowly and deliberately put the miniature spoon into an open jar of banana-apple mixture and fed it to Daisy Rose. “Feeding the baby.”

  “Lily this is no joke, you could be killed. Why would you do this?”

  “First of all, don’t raise your voice in front of Daisy Rose. Second, I am helping my brother and his family out. Oh, and saving a life.”

  Jamie looked at Donna. “Can’t you talk some sense into her?”

  Donna stood, shook her head, and kissed her goddaughter on the cheek. “I have to run, honey. I told my agent I would meet him downtown. Think about what we talked about and call me later.” She nodded to Jamie and left the room.

  Jamie walked to the intercom that was on the wall next to the breakfast area and pressed the button that had NURSERY written beside it. The intercom beeped twice and Margaret answered.

  “Margaret, can you come into the kitchen and finish feeding Daisy Rose?”

  Lily looked at Jamie and shook her head. “Since when did you take over my household? I am feeding my child in my kitchen, in my house!”

  Jamie crossed his arms, “Now who’s raising their voice?”

  Margaret walked into the kitchen and without saying a word, reached for her apron in the pantry closet and took the spoon out of Lily’s hand.

  A few minutes later, Jamie and Lily were in her bedroom on the opposite wing of the apartment and out of earshot.

  “You can’t go, babe. I’m worried for you.”

  Lily sighed. “Listen, I know and I understand, I really do. It’s scary, but I have no choice.”

  “Of course you have a choice. Tell them no. You want to shell out all your money, that’s your deal. Give them the money and stay home. Trust me: Maniadakis will take it in a heartbeat. Also, how do you even know the guy is for real? This whole thing may be a scam.”

  “He is for real, he’s Ken’s friend.”

  Jamie laughed. “You’re so naïve, you have no idea who he is. Let’s say he’s for real, of which I have my doubts. You’re gonna follow him into the shit-hole capital of the world? For what?”

  Lily averted his eyes. “I told you: to help my brother and his family.”

  Jamie paused and thought of something that had bee
n bothering him since Hannah had said it. “Wait a second. What did Hannah mean that you had a special relationship with her son?”

  Before Lily could speak, Jamie threw his hands in the air. “Holy crap, now I get it. He’s the guy you were dancing with at your mother’s memorial, right?”

  Lily nodded. Jamie laughed. “This is precious. You’re gonna risk your life and throw away all your money for a guy you only saw a few times? You’ve gotta be kidding!”

  Lily looked blankly at him. “It was more than that.”

  “More than that? Tell me what you mean,” Jamie challenged her.

  “Trust me, you won’t want to hear it.”

  “Tell me,” Jamie demanded.

  She and Jamie had gone through too many things in the last few years and they were long past pretending or sugar-coating reality. Lily took a deep breath to steady her nerves, then said with courage, “I love him. I’m in love with Robbie.”

  Jamie took a step back as if he’d been punched. “In love with him? When were you going tell me?”

  Lily took a step toward him and Jamie put his hands up to prevent her from coming any closer.

  He shook his head, “Now I get it, it makes perfect sense. I knew there was a change in you. I thought that with everything we’d gone through, it would take you time. Time to get back to where we used to be.”

  “Listen Jamie—”

  “Let me finish. So here I was thinking if I did the best I could, be the best boyfriend I could, the best father, then it would all be good. It would all work out.” He sat on the bed and shook his head.

  “You have to believe me; I was trying to figure it out.” Lily sat next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. Jamie shrugged it off.

  “I got down on my knee, in front of everyone,” he said softly. He looked into her eyes. “I gave you a ring and all you did was run away crying in front of your friends, in front of the whole fucking restaurant. Everyone saw it—it was even trending on Facebook and Twitter. Do you know how that makes me look? God I feel like an ass.”

  Lily was close to tears. “You have to believe me. I am trying hard to make it work between us.”

  He looked up and glared at her, “Do you think I need anyone to try to make it work? I’m not a fucking charity case, Lily. I can have anyone I want, whenever I want.”

  “You have to hear me. I have not seen Robbie or spoken to him in two years. It’s over.”

  “I’ll tell you what’s over.” Jamie shouted. “If you go there and risk your life, then it’s over between us!”

  “Don’t give me an ultimatum, Jamie. You’ll lose, trust me,” Lily warned.

  “You know what? You go, Lily. Go get killed. Who’s gonna lose then? You willing to leave your child without a mother?” Jamie shook his head as he walked toward the bedroom door and opened it. “After this stunt, you don’t have to worry about winning Mother of the Year award, that’s for damn sure. At least Daisy Rose has a father who’ll take care of her.” He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

  Shaken by their conversation, Lily took a good fifteen minutes to compose herself before emerging from the bedroom. She walked down the hallway and saw Gladys perched atop a ladder in the circular foyer, cleaning the crystal chandelier that gracefully hung from the sculptured dome in the middle of the 12 foot-high ceiling. One by one, she meticulously removed each oblong droplet and carefully released them into a small bucket situated on the ladder’s platform.

  Lily did not have to look into the pail to know that it contained equal parts white vinegar and warm water. And when the crystals hit the mixture, they would make a soft plop before quickly sinking to the bottom. When Lily was young, she adored assisting Gladys with this monthly task that took an entire afternoon to complete. She would proudly stand next to the ladder, red bucket in hand, waiting for the housekeeper to hand her each precious piece. After all the crystal pieces were taken off the heavy arms of the chandelier and immersed into the vinegar-water, she and Gladys would carry the heavy pail and its precious contents into the butler’s pantry, which was a small room off the kitchen. They would remove the crystal pendants from the bucket, carefully rinse each one under cold running water and place them neatly, side by side in rows of six across, on an over-sized towel to dry.

  The sun would shine down on the crystals from the skylight in the vaulted ceiling. Lily would watch for hours, marveling at the multitude of rainbows the tiny prisms sprayed across the opposite wall, when the sun hit them at the perfect angle.

  For a moment, Lily stopped and watched Gladys perform the familiar task, it made Lily yearn for a simpler time when decisions were left for others to make—a time when her choices would never result in life or death consequences.

  “He’s way gone. The actor flew the coop. Couldn’t get outta here fast enough.” Gladys slowly descended the rungs, until she again had both feet firmly on the ground. “Not too pleased with your going across the world to help that doctor, right?”

  Lily shook her head, stepped up on the ladder and lifted the bucket from the platform and handed it to Gladys.

  “It’s the right thing to do,” Lily said, offering the same answer she had given Jamie earlier.

  Gladys put down the heavy bucket and looked into the large hazel eyes of the young woman she had practically helped to raise, “Is it, Miss Lily?”

  “You think I’m making the wrong decision?” Lily asked defensively

  “Sometimes when we do what we think is the right thing, it may not end up being the right thing at all.” Gladys shrugged, “But what do I know? I’m only the housekeeper. She lifted the bucket and deliberately walked toward the kitchen.

  “Oh for heaven’s sake,” Lily replied. “I told you I was sorry I said that, but sometimes, Gladys, you do act like you’re my mother.”

  Gladys continued walking and said, as if to herself, “Well maybe you need one right now.

  Those words hung in the air and Lily was caught by surprise by the wave of emotion that flooded her. Unbeknown to anyone, Lily incessantly deliberated over and questioned every single choice she made. Throughout Lily’s entire life Daisy had made all the major decisions for her and Lily would simply go along with most of them. Since Daisy’s death, more nights than she would ever admit, Lily awoke in a sweat, her heart pounding, gasping for air, worrying about the choices she had made and what the future might hold.

  Now for the past 24 hours Lily found herself swirling inside an emotional tornado. She didn’t feel as if she had the luxury to stop and question her decision to go to Somalia because she felt pressured; time was running out and Robbie’s life was at stake. If she loved him, she knew it was expected that she would do anything within her power to save him. When Jamie questioned her, she defended her decision with a bold confidence that she did not at all possess. She truly felt conflicted. If she stayed home, she would avoid being in harm’s way, and perhaps as a parent this was the responsible thing to do. But if she didn’t go to Somalia, Maniadakis made it clear that he would not proceed with the mission, which could prove fatal for Robbie.

  Hours later, after Margaret and Gladys had left for the evening and the baby was fast asleep in her crib, Lily lay sobbing in her king-size bed. For all intents and purposes she appeared to have it all. She had a large group of wonderful, loving friends who would do anything for her. She was so thankful for her perfect, beautiful, healthy miracle of a baby. She had a man so in love with her that he went on bended knee in front of an entire restaurant filled with customers, to ask her to spend the rest of her life with him.

  But what the world did not know was that Lily felt empty inside at all times. Besides Daisy Rose, the two people she loved most in the world were forever lost to her. Some days the grief over her mother’s death was so heavy that she felt she would collapse under the very weight of it.

  On other occasions, when she felt strong, the malaise lay in wait, living barely under the surface, ready to materialize whenever there was a crack
in her emotional armor. Would it surprise everyone to know that she cried over the loss of her mother each and every day? Time was not healing her wounds like those who desperately wanted to comfort Lily told her it would. People, even those closest to her, assumed she was well on the road to recovery because she had ceased speaking about her loss. It’s just that she couldn’t bear the impatience she felt from others when, after two years, she spoke of her mother and how much she missed Daisy.

  Lily knew her closest friends would adamantly deny feeling that way. But it evolved to a point where Lily sensed the underlying exasperation of those who desperately wanted her to move on with her life. To get better. To heal. It was time. As if heartache had a gestational period and if you went over the time allotted, it became a burden to those around you.

  If not for Daisy Rose, Lily would almost certainly have plunged into a downward spiral of despair over the loss of her mother and by the uncertainty of Robbie’s fate. Even now, there were days where she found it most difficult to get out of bed in the morning. But then she would hear her daughter’s cry and shift into Mommy mode and Lily would start her day. Sadly, she understood that no matter what she said or did, Lily could never bring her mother back to life. Above all else, Lily often questioned if Daisy would be proud of her and of the decisions she made.

  Lily got out of bed and walked down the hallway into the nursery. She had recently strung little white twinkling lights on the ceiling, above the crib. Daisy Rose loved to watch the tiny “stars” sparkle before falling asleep. Lily gently lifted her out of the crib and sat down on the large rocking chair. She held her precious daughter and rocked back and forth until sunrise.

  It was there— in the middle of the night, in the stillness of her favorite childhood home—with tears streaming down her cheeks that Lily knew what had to be done.

  In the early hours of the morning, she carefully put Daisy Rose back into her crib without waking the toddler. Lily quietly closed the nursery door and walked down the hallway into her office. She sat behind the desk that had once belonged to her mother and wrote a letter that she prayed would never be read: