Miriam was at the apartment when I returned, and she didn’t look happy. “Where have you been? Your note said you were leaving today.”
“I am.” I waved toward my suitcase, packed and ready to go. “And I was helping Paul.”
“Why?”
“Because he’d asked.”
“Really? He’d asked? Or you decided he needed your help?”
Her attitude and snarky tone raised my hackles.
“What is your problem?”
“What is my problem? Uh, you decided to leave a day earlier without even talking to me about it, then spent the whole day with someone else.”
I shrugged. “I didn’t think you’d mind.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
We hadn’t spent much time together. I was an early bird; she was a night owl. During those hours where we were both awake and functional, she tended to do her thing and left me to occupy myself. To be clear, I was quite happy with how I’d spent my last few days in Cecilton—or more specifically, with whom I’d spent them. Which was another reason why I’d decided to leave sooner rather than later. I was falling for Paul Cerasino.
“It means, I didn’t think you’d mind,” I repeated. “You spend most of your time at the bookstore anyway.”
“I write better there.”
“I know.” I did. I didn’t understand it. I thought writing was something you could do anywhere. But, as she was the aspiring author, I pressed my lips together and said nothing more.
Her eyes narrowed. “I know that look.”
“What look?”
“The one that says you’re biting your tongue. Gah! I should have known you wouldn’t take my writing career seriously.”
“Stop being overly dramatic. I do take your writing career seriously. I’m just saying, you could be a little flexible, you know? I took the whole week off to come down here and spend time with you.”
“No one asked you to!” she yelled.
I reeled back, her words like a slap to the face. I knew she was just lashing out. That I was the only person on this earth she felt safe enough with which to do so. But it still hurt.
The ensuing silence was deafening. We stared at each other for several long moments.
“Ally, I didn’t mean that.”
“Yes, you did.”
There had been times when I couldn’t walk away. When we lived with our parents and I tried to shield her from all the bad stuff. When I officially became her legal guardian. Most recently, when her asshole ex-husband traumatized her so badly that she could barely think for herself.
Now, however, I totally could. There was nothing keeping me here.
“And you’re right,” I said quietly. “No one asked me to.” I slung my carry-on bag over my shoulder and grabbed the handle of my rolling suitcase. “Take care of yourself, Miriam.”
Chapter Fourteen: Paulie
I left the restaurant in a lousy mood.
I’d known the woman for less than a week, and yet here I was, feeling like I’d lost a good friend and a potential something much more.
To make matters worse, Irene had called earlier that morning and informed me she was probably going to be out another week. One grandson was on the mend, but now, two others had picked up the bug as well as her son and daughter-in-law.
On the positive side, I was in a very good place in terms of prep for the week. I might even get out of the office before dark once or twice.
Working with Allison had been an absolute joy. So much so in fact that I’d taken a few pages out of my brother Nick’s book and created some mental fantasies, fantasies where Allison decided she liked Cecilton over Boston and chose to work in my tiny office instead of the DA’s.
Okay, I know what you’re thinking. I didn’t have quite the romantic slant that Nick did. That was one hundred percent true. I was more of a practical, methodical kind of guy.
That didn’t mean I didn’t have romantic notions about Allison. It just meant that her being around all the time had been the groundwork from which I built the rest of my fantasies because the really good ones involved a lot more than the kind of passionate, torrid affair that could be had in a day or two.
Yeah, I’d considered it. That was one of those fantasies. We’d engage in a night of passion that would convince both of us there was something incredible there, and she’d decide to stay.
With Allison in town permanently, I could satisfy every caveman instinct I’d been burying this week and pursue that something much more. We’d get to know each other on a more personal basis. I found myself wanting to know everything about her—what kind of books she read and the movies she liked. What she liked to do when she wasn’t working. Where she liked to go.
I’d discover other things too. Like where she liked to be touched and how. What parts of her body I could kiss to drive her crazy. The kinds of sounds she made when she came.
The truth was, I’d been attracted to her since the first time I saw her, and that attraction had only grown. However, I’d been very good about keeping things on a professional level, knowing that nothing could come of it.
Had I done the right thing, keeping it strictly business between us?
According to my grandfather, the answer was an unequivocal no.
That was the hot topic at the family dinner as a matter of fact. My grandfather and my mother grilled me mercilessly about Allison, and Nonno kept repeating how he was certain that she was the woman for me.
Nick and Vinnie didn’t have my back either. Teste di cazzo, both of them. They sat back, smirking and enjoying watching me squirm under our mother’s narrow-eyed glare. I supposed it was payback for remaining quiet while they had been the ones in the hot seat.
Tomayto, tomahto.
My other siblings—Dom, Gina, and Sofia—wisely kept their heads down and their mouths full, unwilling to turn the Cupido spotlight on their own lacking love lives.
“She’s already gone,” I told them irritably when my mother insisted I bring Allison to the restaurant so she could judge for herself, to which my grandfather clicked his tongue and shook his finger at me.
“’Cause you no give her a reason to stay. One kiss—that’s-a all it take,” he said confidently, “and she-a be yours forever.”
His words stuck with me.
Needless to say, I wasn’t in the best of moods by the time I left. I didn’t want to go back to my apartment and spend what was left of the day second-guessing myself, so I did what I always did. I went into the office and planned to bury myself in work.
You can imagine how surprised I was when I found the doors unlocked and Stella waiting for me. She looked like she had just come from my cousin Valentina’s salon and was dressed provocatively in skintight pants and a low-cut top that left little to the imagination.
I couldn’t help comparing Stella’s style to Allison’s jeans, modest sweaters, and Chucks. I certainly knew which I preferred.
I didn’t even bother with a greeting. I’d mentioned I was in a bad mood, right?
“How did you get in?”
Her smile faded somewhat. “I had some extra keys made, just in case I lost the one you gave me.”
“I’ll be needing those back.” I made a mental note to call my cousin and have all the locks changed ASAP. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“Aw, don’t be like that, Paulie. Give me another chance. I know I let you down, but it won’t happen again, I promise.”
She was right. It wouldn’t happen again because I wouldn’t allow it. I liked giving people the benefit of the doubt, but I was no sucker, and Stella’s free pass had come to an end as far as I was concerned.
“How are the paralegal classes coming?” I asked, knowing full well she hadn’t been taking any. I had friends at the local university who had confirmed that.
She waved her hand. “Oh, well, you know how it is.”
Unfortunately, I did. I was just sorry it had taken me so long to do something about it. I’d mis
takenly thought that keeping her around was helping both of us, but after spending the last couple of days trying to untangle the mess she’d made, I realized I was better off without her help.
“How did you know I’d be here anyway?”
She laughed and put her hand on my arm. “Because you’re always here. You’re so dedicated. But you work way too hard. That’s why you need me.”
I pulled my arm away. “Sorry, Stella. I meant what I said the other day. Your time here is done.”
Her smile faltered momentarily, and then she rallied and came even closer, reaching for my chest. “Maybe we just need to change the terms of our agreement.”
I caught her wrist before she made contact. “I don’t think so. You need to leave.”
I dropped her hand, ignoring her scowl, as my phone began to ring. “You can see yourself out.”
I picked up the phone, clearly signaling the end of the conversation. I felt nothing but relief when Stella turned around and stomped out of my office.
“Paul Cerasino.”
“Mr. Cerasino, thank God! It’s Miriam Kearney. I need your help.”
My irritation changed to concern when I heard Miriam’s panicked voice on the other end of the line.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s Caleb. I think he found me. And Ally’s not answering her phone.”
“Where are you? Are you safe?”
“For the moment, yes. I’m in the park across the street from your building, in the trees behind the swings.”
“Stay put. I’ll be right there.”
I rushed out of my office, taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I jogged across the street and toward the swings, finding Miriam on a bench.
She jumped up when she saw me. “Thanks for coming. I didn’t know who else to call.”
“Take a deep breath and tell me what happened.”
She nodded. “After Ally left last night, I went to the bookstore to get some writing done, but I couldn’t focus, so I drove around until I found one of those all-night cafés. When I got back to my place early this morning, my lights were off. I always leave a light on in my apartment.”
“You went inside?”
“No. I check from across the street before I go inside.”
“Is it possible you forgot to turn it on this time? Or that a bulb burned out? Maybe a power outage?”
She vigorously shook her head. “No. Ally set them on a timer, so I wouldn’t forget. And the bulbs are practically brand-new. Plus, the security lights were on outside, so I know there was power to the building.”
I nodded. “Go on.”
“So, I went around the back of the building. There’s a common area back there with a gazebo. I can see my kitchen and bathroom windows from there.”
“And?”
“My kitchen blinds were closed.”
“I take it, you don’t usually close them.”
“No. At least, not all the way. I have plants on the windowsill, and they need the sunlight.”
“Did you contact the police?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
She looked miserable. “Because it won’t do any good. They take care of their own.”
It took me a few seconds to put the pieces together. “Your ex-husband is a cop?”
“He was. He got kicked off the force. That was part of the plea bargain. He agreed to leave the force and adhere to the restraining order in exchange for probation and no formal charges. Allison was livid. She ended up losing her job too. That’s why she moved to Boston.”
That, like the fact that Miriam’s ex was a cop, hadn’t come up in our previous conversations.
“You failed to mention that.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” She looked contrite and, worse, defeated. “Does that change things for you?”
“Not in the least,” I assured her.
Caleb’s connections might make things more difficult, but I had no tolerance for bullies or systemic corruption. One of the most important aspects of what I did day in and day out was ensuring everyone got a fair shake.
Maybe I had a little bit of protector in me after all.
“Ally was right about you,” Miriam said. “Hey, you should call her. I bet she’d answer her phone then.”
“What else aren’t you telling me?”
“Ally and I had some words before she left,” Miriam admitted. “Things escalated, and ... I said some awful things.”
Based on the little I knew about Allison, I didn’t think she’d ignore a frantic call from her sister even if they were on the outs, which immediately made me think that something bad had happened. Then, I thought about Allison’s chivers, and the sense of foreboding grew stronger.
Out of everything Miriam told me, there was one thing that made my blood go cold. Allison had left Saturday evening, and it was now Sunday afternoon.
“You haven’t talked to Allison since yesterday?”
She shook her head. “I’ve been calling her since around three a.m., but she’s not answering.”
“What have you been doing all this time?”
“I went to a hotel, then came here. I’m sorry, I didn’t know what else to do.”
The woman before me wasn’t the same one who’d sat in my office days earlier and chided her sister for being overly cautious. This was the real Miriam, the domestic abuse survivor who scars hadn’t yet fully healed. I suddenly had a much better understanding of Allison’s need to take charge.
“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. First, I’m going to call my brother. He’s a cop, and I can guarantee you, he’s a good one. We’re going to have him head over to your place and check it out, okay?”
She nodded reluctantly.
“Then, we’re going to call your sister and find out what’s going on.”
I took Miriam back to my office and pointed her to Irene’s tea and biscotti stash while I made some calls.
Vinnie was enjoying his day off with Haven and wasn’t too happy about me cutting into their private time, but he changed his attitude when he heard why I was calling. I gave him a brief rundown, and he agreed to stop by the office, pick up Miriam’s key, and check it out.
My attempts to contact Allison weren’t as successful. My calls went to voice mail.
“Do you know any of her friends or neighbors we can reach out to?” I asked Miriam.
She shook her head, and that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach intensified.
Chapter Fifteen: Allison
“Where the hell is she?” Caleb growled. He stood to the side of the window, able to see out but not be seen.
“I told you, I don’t know.”
I was glad I’d been able to slip my phone into the crack between the couch cushions without Caleb noticing. Sure, my lack of cell had made him very, very mad, but it also made it impossible for him to use it to reach out to Miriam, using my number. Unfortunately, it also meant that I couldn’t use it to call for help. I’d stashed a prepaid burner phone in the closet of Miriam’s bedroom, but I had no chance of getting to that.
I hoped the fact that Miriam hadn’t returned meant she’d noticed the lights were out and known something was amiss. I also hoped that she’d gone to the police, but I doubted she would. Being married to Caleb had destroyed her faith in the system.
He walked over to the couch and kicked my shin again. “This is all your fault. If you had just kept your big, fat nose out of our business, none of this would have happened.”
His steel-toed boot hurt, just like it had the last three times he’d done it. I didn’t give him the satisfaction of a grunt. It was just another pain. My head was pounding, my bottom lip was split, and one of my eyes was nearly swollen shut. On top of that, a few of my fingers had gone numb from the zip ties he’d put around my wrists.
“I need to use the bathroom.”
He snarled at me. “Hold it.”
“I have been holding it. I can’t hold it any longer. Pretty so
on, this couch is going to be saturated with DNA evidence, if you know what I mean.”
He snarled again but relented. He snagged the zip ties in his large fingers and yanked me to my feet. I stumbled but managed to keep my balance.
I held my hands out in a silent request, surprised when he pulled out a jackknife from his pocket and cut the ties.
Then, he waved the blade in my face. “No funny business.”
I said nothing. He followed me to the bathroom and took a stance in the doorway.
“Do you mind?”
“The door stays open.”
“At least have the decency to turn around.”
“You don’t have anything I haven’t seen before.”
I gave him the answer I’d given every nurse, physician, and X-ray tech who’d said that to me since I started getting exams. “Maybe, but you haven’t seen mine.”
He snorted derisively. “You’re not special.”
But again, he surprised me. Caleb was smart enough not to give me his back but did step to the side, so he wasn’t looking right at me.
It was all I needed.
I lowered my pants and took a seat, letting nature take its course. Normally, I had a hard time going if I knew someone could hear me, but I really did have to pee something fierce. I hoped the sound would cover what I was about to do next, but I let out a big sigh of relief, too, for extra measure.
I slowly reached one hand back and slid it down the side of the tank to get to the pepper spray I’d taped there. I had cans strategically hidden throughout the apartment.
When I was finished doing my thing, I pulled up my pants and flushed. Just that quickly, he was back in the doorway, waving a new set of zip ties.
I turned away before he saw what I had. “Jeez, let me wash my hands before you bind them again, will you?”
“Hurry up.”
In the mirror, I could see him put his arms down, and that was when I made my move. I let him have it, a full concentrated blast in the face. He shouted several profanities and stumbled back, bringing both hands to his face. I rushed past him and went for the door.
I managed to get the two dead bolts undone and had my hand on the knob before he body-slammed me from behind. My face took the brunt of it, hitting the reinforced steel door head-on. I felt my nose give way a second before the gush of blood, and the lights went out.
Just For Her: A Cerasino Family Novella (Cerasino Family Novellas Book 3) Page 7
