Deceiving Bella: Book Eleven In The Bodyguards Of L.A. County Series

by Beauman, Cate

  Reed stood now, restless. “It’s not adding up for me.”

  “Women and the mafia?”

  “Any of it. Bella being a part of the life. She’s so damn sweet—down-in-the-bones kind.”

  “Sounds like you’re losing your ability to see things clearly.”

  “Bullshit.” He punctuated the word with a point of his finger to the air. “If anything, I’m seeing things more clearly.”

  “I told you that kind of beauty was dangerous.”

  He flared his nostrils as he paced back and forth. “Is that what you think this is about? I live in Los Angeles, for Christ’s sake. You think I’m not surrounded by beautiful women everywhere I go? You should see my coworkers’ wives. Every damn one of them is worth another look. Bella’s more than a fucking pretty face.”

  Joey laughed humorlessly. “I wish you could hear yourself, boss, ‘cause you’re toast—objectivity gone.”

  Why wouldn’t Joey listen to him? “Did she tell me about her trip to Brooklyn?”

  “She would have to tell you something. She’s leaving for four days and you’re neighbors.”

  “Bella could have told me anything she wanted. As far as she knows, there would be no way for me to check her story. We’re getting what we need. You just focus on things on your end and I’ll take care of Bella out here.”

  “Whatever you say, boss. I’ll have Leo look into the school in Arizona and Bella and Luisa’s attendance dates.”

  “Fine.”

  “I’ll let you go.”

  “Good night.” He hung up and shook his head, clenching his jaw. Why the hell was Joey being such a tool about all of this? He was getting the job done. Not as fast as either of them wanted, but they were moving in the right direction. His partner was forgetting that he too wanted Alfeo Caparelli served up on a platter. It was damn insulting that his abilities were being questioned.

  He looked toward his desk, glancing at the notes on his computer screen, and walked over, slamming the lid closed. He’d had enough of all of this for tonight.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Bella walked inside with Lucy at her side after another long day. She closed the door and huffed out an amused laugh when Lucy made a beeline for the dog bed and lay down with a long sigh. “Busy day, huh?” She slipped her feet out of her pumps and wiggled her toes. “This, sweet girl, is why I don’t go out of town very often. It’s not worth trying to cram everyone in before I leave.” She walked over to her puppy, crouching down and petting her as she looked at the clock, noting that it was well after seven. “And I have a feeling it’s going to be the same way when I get back. Good thing I have such a great assistant.” She kissed Lucy’s nose. “Let me change and we’ll think about dinner. What do you say?”

  Lucy gave her a kiss.

  “You’re the best.” Standing again, she glanced out the window when she heard a vehicle slow as it drove by, but it was her other neighbor Mr. Clausen—not Reed. She ignored the flicker of disappointment and turned away. They didn’t have to see each other every day, but she wanted to hear about his first day on his new assignment. She’d picked up extra lamb chops at the market just in case he wanted to join her, but it looked like she would be preparing herself dinner and tomorrow’s lunch instead.

  “I’ll be right back,” she said and headed upstairs, stopping halfway up the staircase when her cell phone started ringing. “I almost made it.” Hurrying back down, she grabbed her phone off the entryway table and glanced at the readout. North Medical Center. Frowning, she pressed talk. “Hello?”

  “Yes, good evening. Is this Isabella Colby?”

  “Yes, this is Isabella.”

  “Ms. Colby, my name is Regina. I’m with Patient Services at North Medical Center. I’m calling because we need someone to come pick up your father.”

  Her frown deepened. “My father? I don’t understand.”

  “Mr. Pescoe was brought in by ambulance this evening—”

  “Ambulance?” Confusion quickly turned into fear. “Is he all right?”

  “He needs someone to bring him home and stay with him. He gave us your number.”

  “What happened?”

  “I’m afraid our privacy laws prohibit me from disclosing that without Mr. Pescoe’s consent.”

  “Okay. All right,” she said, nodding to no one as she jammed her feet back into her powder-blue pumps. “I, um, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  “If you’ll come to Patient Services on the first floor, right next to the emergency department, and ask for Regina, we’ll get everything figured out.”

  She grabbed her purse and keys with a trembling hand. “It’s going to take me about an hour—probably longer with the traffic. I’m down in the Palisades.”

  “That’s fine. I’ll see you when you get here.”

  “Thank you.” She hung up and opened the front door. “Lucy, I have to go.” She locked up and hurried to the car, searching for her friend and occasional dog sitter’s number in her contact list as she sat in the driver’s seat. She paused on Reed’s information and kept scrolling. It would be easier all the way around if he could help her out with Lucy, but then she would have to explain her current situation, and that wasn’t something she had any intention of doing. She selected Jenny’s number and listened to it ring as she turned over the ignition.

  “Hello?” Jenny answered in her Kentucky drawl.

  “Jenny, it’s Bella Colby.” She backed up, holding the phone with her shoulder.

  “Hi, Bella.”

  “Hi. I’m having a little bit of an emergency.” She gunned it down the road and pulled out into the small break in traffic. “I know this is short notice, but is there any way you and Faith could come stay with Lucy?”

  “Sure, we can do that.”

  “You still have the key I gave you?”

  “It’s on my keychain.”

  She exhaled a deep breath of relief. “Good. Okay, that’s great. Um, Lucy will need two-and-a-half cups of kibble tonight, and you’ll just have to take her out by the house to go potty. Unfortunately, she’ll have to wait until tomorrow to walk on the beach.”

  “I’m sure she’ll understand.”

  “I might have to stay overnight.” It was best to put that out there now, since she had no idea what was going on. “Can you stay at my house tonight?”

  “Yeah. Faithy has her playgroup tomorrow afternoon, but I have the day off, so we can be flexible.”

  “You’re a lifesaver. There’s food in the fridge. Help yourself to anything you’d like. And don’t forget Lucy will get another two-and-a-half cups in the morning.”

  “I remember.”

  That’s why she loved having Jenny look after Lucy. She never worried about Lucy’s care. “I really appreciate this.”

  “I hope everything works out for you.”

  “Thank you. Just give me a call if you need anything. And Reed McKinley lives right next door now. He works with Shane.”

  “I know who Reed is. He’s been over to Reagan and Shane’s a few times.”

  “Okay. I’ve gotta go. Thanks again, Jenny.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Oh, there’s a fifty on my dresser. Go ahead and grab it.”

  “I don’t need money.”

  “Please take it.”

  The line stayed silent.

  “Buy something for Faith from me and Lucy. Please.”

  “All right.”

  “Bye, Jenny.”

  “Bye.”

  She ended the call and tossed her phone on the passenger seat, focusing on the stream of cars as she merged onto the 405. Glancing at the dashboard clock, she punched the gas, hoping to eat up some of the miles. The typical hour-long drive was taking forever and she still had a good forty minutes to go. She gripped the wheel and nibbled her bottom lip, worrying about Dad. Had he fallen and broken something or maybe hit his head? Had he forgotten about a cigarette and burnt himself? Whatever was going on, it was serious enough for
him to give the hospital staff her name and number. For years, she’d imagined him to be invincible, but she couldn’t ignore the fact that he was getting older. Dad hadn’t always been there for her, but she had every intention of being there for him. That was the only way they were going to be able to move on with this new chapter they were writing. Now if she could just get to him…

  Minutes passed like hours as the traffic slowed the closer she came to her exit. “Come on. Come on,” she muttered as she inched her way to the off-ramp. Finally she made it and sped through downtown Reseda, growing more impatient by the moment. She sat through one stoplight then another two before taking the right into the medical complex that was less than a block from Dad’s house.

  Pulling into a spot in Emergency Parking, she hurried toward the entrance, almost forgetting to arm her car. She hit the button on her key fob and ran more than walked into the building, searching for the Patient Services sign. “There.” Yanking open the door, she moved quickly to the front desk.

  “Good evening.” The pretty woman with beautiful ebony skin smiled at her.

  “Good evening. I’m Isabella Colby. I’m supposed to meet Regina here. She called me about my father, Vincent Pescoe.”

  “Yes. Hold on just a moment.” The woman picked up a phone. “Regina, Isabella Colby’s here. Okay.” She set the phone in the cradle. “Regina will be right with you.”

  “Thank you.” She crossed her arms, rubbing them warm, wishing she’d thought to grab a cardigan or light jacket to cover her bare shoulders. Her breezy blue sundress was no match for the air conditioning pumping through the vents.

  Moments later, a woman with long red hair opened the door and smiled. “Isabella?”

  She tried to smile. “Yes.”

  “I’m Regina. Come on back and we’ll go see your father.”

  “He’s going to be okay?”

  “I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you.”

  Her stomach lurched when Regina didn’t answer her question with any sort of reassuring confirmation.

  They walked into a curtained-off space in the ER where Dad lay on a bed, pale and thinner than he’d been the last time they saw each other. But where were the casts or bandages? “Dad?” she said quietly.

  He opened his eyes. “Bella.”

  She hurried over to him and took his hand. “What happened? Are you okay?”

  “I’m sorry they called you all the way up here.”

  “I’m glad they did.” She squeezed his fingers. “What’s going on?”

  “I’m a little run-down.”

  She studied his pallid complexion, sending him a sympathetic smile. “You must have picked up a flu bug—”

  “No.”

  “No?” She shook her head, still trying to piece together the vague details of his hospital visit.

  “I have cancer, Bella.”

  “Oh.” She sat in the chair next to the bed, afraid she would fall if she didn’t. “Oh,” she said again, pressing his knuckles to her cheek, fighting to keep her composure as her world began to crumble. “What—what kind of cancer?”

  “Colon.”

  She nodded, barely hearing him over the thundering of her heart. “You found out today?”

  “No. I’ve known for a while.”

  She looked at Regina, hoping for a better explanation, but she already knew Regina wasn’t able to tell her anything that Dad didn’t want her to know. “Daddy—”

  “I’m ready to go home.”

  “Okay.” Her gaze wandered to Regina again. “We’re good to leave?”

  “Yes, your father will need to take it easy for the rest of the evening and the next several days. He has a mild concussion and was prescribed a dose of pain medicine to ease any discomfort.”

  She looked at Dad. “What happened?”

  “I got a little dizzy and fell. Smacked my head on the floor. Cracked it open a little.”

  She swallowed a new wave of fear. “You passed out?”

  “Just a dizzy spell.”

  She sighed quietly as her shoulders grew heavy with the burden of worry. “Okay. Let’s go home.” She helped him up and grabbed his paperwork, then walked with him to the car as her mind raced with a million questions she wanted to ask right now, but he needed to get into bed and rest. “We could go to the Palisades,” she said as she settled behind the wheel. “You could come home with me and stay. I can give you a hand for as long as you need.”

  He shook his head. “I like my own bed. I’m ready to get in it.”

  She nodded. “Okay.” She drove the half block to his house and pulled into the driveway, watching his gaze track around their surroundings despite the nasty bump and small row of stitches on the back of his scalp. “Ready?”

  “Yeah.” He got out, struggling a bit.

  She walked around to his side and wrapped her arm around his waist as they took the three stairs to the door.

  “I’m all right, Bella.” He gave her hand a reassuring pat, then twisted the key in the lock, welcoming her inside.

  She stepped into the overpowering scent of cigarette smoke and stopped, staring at the overflowing ashtrays on the kitchen table, coffee table, and counter. That certainly wasn’t helping his situation. Instead of scolding, she followed him back to his bedroom. “Can I get you anything?”

  “No.”

  “I’ll bring you some water just in case.”

  “I guess I wouldn’t mind a Coke.”

  “I’ll get you some water.” She walked down the hall to the living room, opening windows to let in some fresh air before she went to the kitchen, peeking in cupboards, noting the packaged junk food. Finally she found a cup and filled it with tap water when she realized Dad didn’t own a filtering pitcher. She opened the refrigerator again, scoffing at the contents on his shelves—soda and condiments. “No wonder you’re sick.” Shaking her head, she hurried back down the hallway and knocked on the doorframe. “Are you settled in?”

  Dad pulled up his covers. “Yes. You can go home.”

  “No, I can’t.”

  “I’m fine.”

  His coloring told her different. “I’ll camp out on your couch tonight.”

  “It’s better if you go.”

  She shook her head.

  “You need to close the windows and lock them,” he said. “Shut the curtains too.”

  “I will after we get a little fresh air.”

  “You need to go home tomorrow.”

  “We’ll figure out tomorrow when it gets here. We can talk everything through.” The urge to ask him for all of the information came rushing back. Not knowing was torture, but he was tired. “Good night, Daddy.” She kissed his forehead. “If you need anything, just call.”

  “Okay.” He closed his eyes.

  She studied him for another moment before she shut off the light and walked out, closing his door most of the way. Leaving him to sleep, she went down to the living room, locking her arms across her chest and leaning against the window frame as she stared out into the dark.

  “I have to go on a trip.”

  “Will you come back soon?”

  “Not for a long time. Not till you’re an even bigger young lady.”

  “But I’ll miss you so much.”

  “I’ll miss you too. I’ll think of you every day.”

  “Daddy, I want you to stay.”

  She closed her eyes, wishing there was some way to forget the memories that kept coming back to haunt her. Why did he have to go? Why did he leave her? Did he have any idea that nothing had been warm or safe or right after that night? Right now, she felt exactly the same as she had when she woke up that next morning: small, scared, confused, empty.

  She turned away from the window, looking for something to do, needing to distance herself from the fear and pain. She glanced around at Dad’s messy house, eager to make things right. Hurrying to the closet, she searched for cleaning supplies, finding very few. Using what she had available to her, she dumped ashtrays, chas
ed the dust away, and deep-cleaned the kitchen and bathroom, pausing in the hallway when she spotted the blood and chunk of Dad’s hair where he must have collapsed.

  Swallowing, she wiped up the mess and put things back, organizing the cramped closet space. “Better,” she whispered, glancing at the clock, realizing she’d killed a couple of hours, but there were many more before the sun rose again. She walked to the windows and shut them before she secured the locks and pulled the curtains over the glass the way Dad seemed to prefer.

  It was late. Time to try to get a little rest whether she was tired or not. She grabbed a blanket from a second closet and settled on the couch, making do with the corner pillow to cushion her head, wishing she’d thought to grab her laptop before she left the Palisades. She needed to research, to find out exactly what they could do for Dad. She would contact one of the oncologists she was friendly with at the children’s hospital… Her phone rang and she glanced at the readout. Reed. Her thumb hovered over talk. She wanted so badly to hear his voice, but she silenced the ringtone and set the cell phone down on the coffee table instead. She couldn’t talk to him right now, not when she craved his hugs and strong arms wrapped around her. If they spoke she would start crying and tell him everything. He would offer to come be with her. It frightened her to know she would accept.

  She didn’t want to cry, and she didn’t want to tell him what she wouldn’t mention if her world wasn’t turning upside down. They were friends, growing closer every day, but that didn’t mean she wanted to let him into this part of her life. Her relationship with Dad was so complicated. She had no plans to explain it to anyone anytime soon.

  She would call him back tomorrow, when she was more composed. She would also go to the store and buy Dad some food, and they would talk about the plan of action for his diagnosis. If it was best, she would insist he come stay with her. But for now, she would curl up under her blanket and worry.

  She settled more comfortably under the thin cotton and stared at the ceiling as the small fan turned in a slow circle. Eventually, her eyes drooped closed and she slept.

  ~~~~

  Reed took a right into the neighborhood with two cups of soup and sandwiches from the gourmet grocer Bella seemed to like so much. It was getting late and she’d probably already eaten, but it didn’t hurt to stop by and make sure. Maybe they could catch another episode of The Office and she could nibble on one of the brownies he’d grabbed to go with their meal. It was starting to become a habit—needing to see Bella at the end of a long day, wanting to have dinner with her and listen to her laugh or watch her smile. Whatever it took to move the investigation along…