I grabbed the house phone in my room, letting my fingers dial the first number I could think of.
“Hello?” Carmen answered sounding confused.
I smiled and took a long breath. “Hello? Carmen, it’s me.”
“Elle?” There was a short pause. “Is that really you?”
“Yeah,” I replied. Carmen was speechless. “Can you come over?”
“I’ll leave right now.” She hung up. I returned to my bathroom, locking the door before jumping into the shower. It felt good to rinse the dirt and sweat out of my hair.
I squirted mounds of shampoo into my hand and scrubbed my scalp the best I could. How was I going to get those files from William? They were at his office in the city and I’d never been there or even shown any interest in visiting.
I rinsed my hair and almost lost my footing as a fist banged on the door. My heart started racing. I had to calm myself down in order to speak.
“Open up!” a loud voice yelled from behind the door.
15
Excuses
I turned off the shower and covered myself with a towel. Part of me was scared out of my mind, and the other part was annoyed. I’d seen enough violence these past couple days and I didn’t care to see anymore.
“Who is it?” I yelled. The pounding got louder. I backed away from the door.
“Mariella?” I recognized the voice instantly and unlocked the door. William grabbed my shoulders and gave me a huge smile. I looked down at the floor as William sighed, studying my face.
“You’re home,” I replied. “I didn’t think you’d be around until late.”
“Well, Cynthia . . .”
“Yeah,” I interrupted. “Of course. Mind if I finish my shower?” William nodded, pulling out his cell phone. He held up a finger and turned away from me. For a second, I felt a little guilty about stealing from him. Then I remembered the way things worked between us. I pretended to care and William gave me what I wanted. A seriously messed up relationship.
“We can talk later,” William said. “Your stepmother needs me downstairs. You’re welcome to join us?” William continued to study my face and look me up and down.
“I really am okay,” I replied. “See, no cuts or bruises. And I think I’ll pass.” William nodded.
“The police are going to want a statement from you.” He paused. “When you’re ready of course.”
“What for?” I’d almost forgotten about the security guys that stormed into my room the night I fell. I needed to have a solid story by then. We all saw Eric fall and jump up immediately with no broken bones. I’m sure the police and the press were dying to talk to me. I’m surprised they weren’t the ones banging at my bathroom door.
“Well, they’ll want to know more about the boy. You do know him, right? Is he badly injured?” William looked concerned.
“And if I don’t remember much?” I lied.
“Try to.” William walked towards my bedroom door. Poseidon’s picture flooded my memory. Did I really have another dad out there?
“William,” I blurted out. William turned around, covering his cell phone with his hand.
“Yes darling?”
“I was wondering if maybe we could do something later?”
“I have to go to the office tonight. I’ll be in the city for at least a couple of days.”
Typical.
“Okay,” I said as I walked back in my bathroom and shut the door. I guess tonight is the night.
Before I got back into the shower, I dug through my jeans pocket and pulled out Poseidon’s card and the memory stick Commander Z had given me. I didn’t want to waste time. I knew the chance of Eric going free wasn’t likely, but I wasn’t planning on handing over William’s files unless I saw him. If Eric and I were in the same room, I knew he would think of something. He always had a plan.
I ran through possible scenarios in my head as I showered. When I finally came up with a good explanation, I realized that I’d been in the shower for almost an hour. I turned off the water and dried my hair. Things just didn’t feel the same anymore.
“Elle! Are you in there?” a voice yelled from behind the door. I was relieved to hear Carmen. Maybe she could make this weird feeling go away. I wrapped my hair in my towel and grabbed a robe from the linen closet before I opened the door.
“Yeah, it’s . . .” As soon as I opened the door, Carmen gave me a huge hug.
“I’m so glad you’re back, Elle! I mean, I was seriously considering giving away your concert ticket for next weekend!”
“Well we wouldn’t want that,” I replied. Carmen’s short black hair smelled like perfume and cigarettes. “Geez. Give me some room to breathe.”
“You gotta tell me what happened! Every detail!” She took off her flip flops and plopped down on my bed.
“What exactly have you heard?” I asked.
“When the newspapers said that you’d run away, I couldn’t believe it! I thought it was some kind of lame tabloid story. But then reporters showed up at my house and started asking all kinds of questions and . . .” Carmen was speaking so fast she almost sounded like she was speaking a different language.
“Wait a minute,” I interrupted. “Why did the press come to your house?”
“I was one of the last people to talk to you I guess. Elle, what the hell happened to you?”
“I can’t remember.” I sat at my vanity and studied my bare face. The last time I’d looked through the mirror, Eric was standing in the corner.
“That’s it?” Carmen sounded disappointed but I didn’t have much to tell her. I didn’t know how she would respond to the actual truth. I decided not to risk it. “Come on! I wanna hear everything!”
“Okay,” I replied. “A guy was in my room that night.”
“Tell me everything!” Carmen moved to the foot of the bed so she could hear me better.
“Well,” I said, trying to sound casual. I ran a brush through my wet hair. “I came upstairs after that lame dinner thing and he was here just hanging out – a waiter trying to ditch his shift. . . Cynthia is knocked up by the way.”
“Yeah, I heard about the whole baby thing. So what was he like?” Carmen asked.
“He was pretty shy.”
“What happened then? Why did you run off with him?” I went through a fake explanation in my head before saying anything.
“Leaving was my choice,” I answered. “Cynthia was being an idiot and I couldn’t stand being here any longer. So we decided to ditch the party. The only reason we fell was because of Cynthia’s big mouth. She made such a huge deal about me having a boy in my bedroom that William went crazy and called his security.”
“Your window is pretty high,” Carmen commented. “Remember that one time in seventh grade when you tried to sneak out for Nico’s party? You almost broke your neck trying to climb out the window!”
“Yeah, I wasn’t very smart back then.”
“Back then?” Carmen laughed.
“Anyway, we fell and I was lucky. But I don’t remember anything after that.”
“How did you get home?”
“He must have brought me back. Whatever, I mean I consider myself lucky and I don’t want to think about it anymore.” Carmen was quiet. She tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear.
“So did you see the fancy setup downstairs?” Carmen asked. “She’s not wasting any time huh?” I rolled my eyes.
“Not at all surprising,” I replied. “I’m sure my little incident was inconvenient for her. And I have to tell you, she invited that weirdo Ethan to the dinner.”
“Cynthia just wants a young hottie around the house. Hussy. We should have some fun with her little luncheon.”
“It’s too late for a prank,” I replied. “Her party starts in less than an hour.”
“Are you sure? My little brother has a fart machine. We can totally hide it under Cynthia’s chair.”
“If your brother did it, it might be funny.”
“True
,” Carmen sighed. “Well, you wanna catch a party or something?”
“Actually, I was thinking of going into the city tonight.”
“What for?” I paused for a minute, trying to come up with a quick excuse.
“I just feel the need to go clubbing or something.”
“Hell yeah!” Carmen yelled. She stood up and started dancing on my bed. “You still got that fake ID that Matt hooked us up with?”
“Always,” I said in a quiet voice. I used to look forward to sneaking into clubs downtown. Now, it didn’t really matter. I just wanted this night to be over with.
* * *
During the long car ride to New York City, I had a lot of time to think while Carmen rambled on about random stuff. Carmen insisted that I wear heels – I guess they made me look older. But I had a pair of sneakers stuffed in my purse.
Carmen laughed and swerved down the highway in her new Mercedes. Her friend Janet spread out in the back seat and rolled down the window. She took out a pack of cigarettes as she yelled at Carmen to turn up the radio. Janet was older and a compulsive partier. Carmen loved bringing her along but Janet was way too wild for me.
William would definitely be in his office. My plan was to ditch Carmen and Janet once we got close enough to Wall Street. He had a suite attached to his workspace. I would find an excuse to use William’s computer and then all I had to do was attach Poseidon’s memory stick. According to him, the stick would do all the work.
“Pull over here! I need a Red Bull!” Janet shouted from the backseat. We’d been driving for two hours and Carmen agreed. She took the upcoming exit and turned into a run-down gas station.
“I gotta pee, “ Carmen said as she hopped out of the car. The sun was going down and the lights from the store gleamed onto the pavement. I sighed and followed Carmen. The gas station was semi-crowded. Only half of the spaces in the parking lot where filled but when I opened the door to the women’s restroom, I joined Carmen at the back of the line.
“I’m so psyched about tonight,” Carmen whispered. “Janet says she’s got a few friends who can get us into a new club opening.”
“Great,” I muttered. I looked down at the floor and couldn’t stop thinking about getting to William’s office. “Did you book a hotel for tonight?” It was too far to drive back to the Hamptons after a night of drunken partying. I didn’t want to be in a car with Carmen and Janet after a night like that anyway.
“Hell yeah!” Carmen and I took a step closer to the bathroom stalls. “You think I’m driving home tonight? No way! It’ll probably just be the two of us cuz you know what Janet’s like.” Yeah I know. Slut.
Carmen was next in the line. A stall opened up and I waited next to the sinks. The mirror had specks of dirt on it. I stared at my reflection. The look in my eyes had changed. I wasn’t ramped up for a night of clubbing. The world was filled with way more important things than partying until you passed out. I had a job to do tonight, and I didn’t care about anything else. By tomorrow Eric would have his freedom, and he would thank me.
“Let’s go,” Carmen said after parading out of her stall and wiping her hands. “The dance floor awaits!” She re-adjusted her dress straps and barged through the door. Janet was waiting at the cash register. She’d bought a few Red Bulls and already had one open.
“About time!” Janet exclaimed. She stumbled towards the door. I watched the two of them jump back in the car. I didn’t feel like I belonged anymore. Carmen started her engine and blasted the radio.
“Let’s go Elle!” Carmen yelled. I opened the passenger door and slid into the front seat. Carmen swerved back onto the freeway. I held my purse in my lap, staring down at my hidden sneakers. The city was in sight and the lights were almost blinding. Janet started yelling in the back seat and chugging her Red Bull.
Carmen’s Mercedes got caught up in traffic as soon as we hit downtown. The closer we got to William’s office, the more anxious I got. I cracked my knuckles over and over again and clicked my heel against the floor.
“Where is this place, Janet?” Carmen asked.
“It’s coming up soon on your right.” We were blocks away from William’s office and I couldn’t stop envisioning myself sitting at his desk.
“Hey!” I blurted out. “I just forgot about something!” Carmen raised her eyebrows and gave me a funny look.
“What?” Carmen slowed down looking worried.
“I have to visit William’s office. Let me out here?”
“What about the club?” Carmen asked, disappointed.
“You two go without me and I’ll meet up with you later,” I replied. Carmen still looked confused and she hesitated to let me leave.
“Oh, just let her!” Janet yelled. “She’s a buzz kill anyway!” I looked back and gave her a stern look. “What? You are!”
“Fine,” Carmen agreed. We stopped at a red light and I jumped out of the car, staggering onto the busy city sidewalk. I walked only few seconds before opening up my purse and switching to comfortable sneakers.
Adrenaline rushed through my body and I found myself jogging to William’s high rise. I could feel beads of sweat start to form from underneath my leather jacket but I hardly noticed. I dodged crowds of people, taking deep breaths of the city air.
When I finally made it to Abott Industries, I stopped and caught my breath. William would not be expecting my visit at all, but he definitely wouldn’t turn me away. I pushed open the glass doors and studied the lobby for an elevator. I’d never been to William’s New York office before. He spent the majority of his time here.
“Can I help you?” a voice said from behind the reception desk. I Looked around and saw a petite, wrinkled woman sitting a few steps from me.
“Just looking for something,” I commented. “Do you happen to know what floor William Abott’s office is on?” The petite woman wrinkled her nose, looking me up and down.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but he’ll want to see me.”
“Oh really?” The woman gave me a disapproving look. She sat still at her desk and made no effort to look up William’s floor or even call his office.
“Yes really,” I replied. “Is there some sort of problem?” The woman wasn’t expecting me to bite back. “It’s okay. I’ll find his office myself.” The wrinkled woman picked up her phone and waited.
“Yes there is a young lady down here demanding to see Mr. Abott,” the woman said. “What’s your name?”
“Mariella,” I answered. The woman repeated my name into the receiver.
“Oh.” The woman put down the phone and handed me a plastic security card. “Swipe that in the elevator and enter this code.” She handed me a piece of paper and pointed to the nearest elevator. I nodded and followed her instructions.
Standing alone in the elevator, my thoughts were all over the place. I was nervous but then again, William sort of deserved it. He’d been absent most of my life and didn’t even bother telling me that he wasn’t my father. Poseidon’s claim was starting to sink in. William couldn’t be my dad. For one, we looked nothing alike and I had no intention of going to business school like he had.
The elevator chimed and the doors opened to reveal another fancy looking lobby. There were sleek black couches in the corner and a granite counter full of food. Another lady in a suit coat sat a desk in front of a set of double doors.
“Can I help you?” the woman behind the desk asked. She wasn’t as wrinkled as the petite woman downstairs, but she was just as snotty.
“Yeah, I’m Mariella. Is my dad here?” The woman sat up.
“Mr. Abott will be in shortly. Go ahead and have a seat.” She pointed the couches in the lobby.
“So he’s not in his office?” I asked. This could be the perfect opportunity. “Thanks.” I strolled right up to the double doors and pushed my way into William’s office. The woman watched me looking shocked. She started to yell but I’d already shut the doors behind me.
William’s off
ice was enormous or at least a lot bigger than I’d pictured it. It had a huge window that overlooked the city. In the center of the room was a gigantic wooden desk made of a dark colored wood. And in the center was William’s computer. My chest fluttered as I walked closer.
“Sorry William,” I muttered. “But I don’t have much of a choice here.” I sat in William’s tall leather chair and flipped on his computer. There was no telling how much time I had. William might barge in any second.
ERIC
16
Drowning, Part II
Thanks to Frankie’s severed hand, Clark’s team had seen the Triton map. My forehead dripped with sweat as I sprinted to catch up with Frankie and the guys. We’d stopped at a corner café blocks away. Davis studied the busy street while Lou found a table out of earshot. The café had lop-sided tables and peeling walls but it was out of the way. There were more than enough exit points if Clark followed us.
“We have another problem,” I said. A young girl with tanned skin looked at us from the back room. Frankie’s Portuguese was the best out of all of us. He ordered a few coffees and a basket of bread.
“What? We’re all fine,” Frankie replied, rubbing his torso. Our bullet wounds had already healed. I was so shocked at seeing Frankie’s severed hand I had hardly noticed the shattering pain in my chest. It lingered for a few minutes, and then slowly went away. I wiped my brow again. I was so sweaty, I sat down and took off my soaking shirt.
“Clark saw the symbols. They’re looking for Atlantis like we are.” Lou was baffled. He took out his sketch book and stared at the symbols again. Davis leaned over his shoulder squinting.
“How?” Frankie asked. “They faded away before they could get close enough.” I gulped and looked at the four of them sitting around the table.
Mutiny (M.E.R. Series) Page 13
