David carefully pulled the curtain to block the view of the patient from the doorway. He noticed that had the effect he wanted. The patient was speechless and wide-eyed. He was scared, and that was good.
“Why did you and your friend shoot those two kids today?”
“Money.”
“Who paid you?”
“They’ll kill me,” the patient said.
“You mustn’t worry about that. I’ll kill you if I don’t get the answers I want.” David lowered his voice. “And I know how to do it so that you’ll suffer. Needlessly.”
“They call him Price, that’s all I know,” the patient said.
“He works for Santoro.”
“Yeah.”
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know. I met him at JJ’s bar. Said he wanted some killing done, and he’d keep us informed of who and when and where. It was good money. This was the first job. That’s all I know.”
“How did you know where the kids were?”
“He called my partner. Said they were at this place in Carmel. Get there in a hurry. Pick up any teen magazine, and you’ll have their pictures.”
***
David entered the waiting room, and Debbie threw herself into his arms. “I was so worried about you, David.” Her pretty blue eyes watered, and he kissed the tears away.
He planted her in a chair and took the seat beside her. “I need to get going, Sweetheart. You’ll be safe with everyone here. I’ll see you later on—back at the base.”
Those pesky tears returned. “David—”
“You mustn’t worry. I’ve got to go now.” He kissed her again. “I love you.”
“I love you, David.”
“Cookie. Let’s go.” David rose from the seat.
“More bad guys, Agent Cupid?” Cooke managed to make everything a taunt.
He scowled. “Always,” he said under his breath.
***
David knew Price from his time working undercover in Los Angeles, and he was well-known to police. By the time Cookie got him back to the base, Price was in custody. David sat across the table from him.
He placed a photo of Paulo and Ellen in front of him. “You paid two men to kill these kids today. Who put you up to that?”
Price was silent.
“You’ve pissed off the wrong people, Mr. Price. I suggest you cooperate, and it will go much better for you.”
“I got nothing to say,” Price said.
“That’s unfortunate. You may want to rethink that. You won’t want to go where I’ll be taking you.”
“I want my lawyer.” Price slammed the table.
“You see, Mr. Price, the world you’ve stumbled into—lawyers don’t help. You may think they will. But I can assure you. They won’t. So you can answer a simple question—and live. Or—not.”
Price glared at him.
David rose from his seat. “Very well. I’ll be taking you to a more comfortable location for—questioning.” He headed to the door.
“Wait,” Price said.
David turned, his hand still on the door handle.
“You got no surveillance in here. What gives?”
“I told you. You’ve stepped in some deep shit. And one way or the other, you’re going to tell me what I want to know.” David opened the door.
“Wait. Wait!”
David closed the door. “Well?”
“Some guy with a pock-marked face. Called himself Lee. He paid me. Said he’d need some people killed, and I was supposed to set everything up. He was just gonna let me know the details as they came up. This was the first job I did for him. I knew he used some other shooter before to take out some guy from New York, and a rich girl from Beverly Hills. That’s the only other time I ever saw him.”
“And who was the shooter he used for them?”
“One of Santoro’s guys—Bill something. I heard he got murdered in prison.”
“Such a surprise.” David smirked. He took out a selection of photos. “Do you see your friend Lee here?”
Price pointed to Colonel Jerry Lee Johnson. “Don’t ask me where he is. He called me. I got no idea how to get hold of him.”
“Thank you, Mr. Price. Looks like you’ll need that lawyer after all.”
Chapter Thirteen
David
It was 7:00 AM and David, Alain, and Jimmy sat at their desks, engrossed in their own thoughts. Eduardo stumbled out of the bathroom, blotting his face with a wet towel. He collapsed into his seat.
“Doesn’t look like you got a bit of sleep last night, Clemente,” Alain said.
“Nah.” He looked at the towel, as though surprised it did not revive him.
“What’s the matter? They said last night they think Ellen’s going to pull through. Paulo will be fine. So?” Alain waited patiently for a reply.
Eduardo looked at David. “You got the answers, Dr. Freud. You can tell him.” He resumed scrubbing his face with the towel.
“You don’t have to feel guilty, Eduardo,” David said.
Jimmy looked up from his computer. “Guilty? Guilty about what?”
Eduardo threw the towel on his desk. “Guilty about not being there. Letting my baby brother get shot. Causin’ his stomach to bleed in the first place by stressin’ him out. Guilty about giving Ellen such a hard time—bad mouthing her to anyone who’d listen. I called her a gold-digger—and worse.” He wiped his eyes. “And the little gold-digger takes a bullet for my baby brother. They said that bullet missed her heart by millimeters.” He disappeared back into the bathroom.
There was a single knock at the door before the General entered the office. He looked almost as haggard as Eduardo. “Where’s Clemente?”
Eduardo appeared, and Pearson distributed more files to his men. He sunk into an old chair and moaned. “Remind me—if we ever get to Salzburg—to put some comfortable chairs in the offices.” He squirmed in the seat until he found a satisfactory spot.
“Well men, with David’s quick work we’re certain of the connection—Colonel Johnson is behind the shooting yesterday morning—as well as the shooting the night Eduardo and Nita were in L.A. And the murder of Kendra Cole. Why he’d want to kill Kendra Cole—I suppose we’ll find that out at some point.” Pearson fell into silence.
“Anyway,” Pearson resumed, “Great work, Lambrecht. How’d you know there was a second shooter?”
“A lucky hunch, Sir,” David said. He watched his colleagues grin. They were well aware of Cat and Debbie’s abilities at this point.
Pearson leaned back in his seat. “Your family and friends are all safe. We’ve got Paulo and Ellen in the ICU. The rest of them are moved into rooms on the hospital’s third floor. Just like before—only more company. We’ve got the entire Bainbridge clan, Joe Harris, Paulo’s band people, your relatives—and the ever-pleasant George and Marion Aldridge.”
Even Eduardo joined in the laughter at that. David couldn’t imagine much worse than having to live with his father-in-law, George Aldridge. He still couldn’t fathom how any of George’s genes could have contributed to his beautiful, sweet wife Debbie. He meant to ask Cat if there was any heavenly explanation, but it would likely remain a mystery.
Pearson stood up. “As you know I requested more security for Aubrey Rose, and that’s all set. I personally called your families in Spain and Austria, just to confirm what’s going on and the need for more security. That’s also in place. We even have more security at Cisco’s London office and his residence there. Not that I expect any trouble there—for heaven’s sakes there are enough targets for him right here. But—Jerry Lee Johnson—well, we all know he has a global reach.” Pearson was hoarse by this point. “I need some coffee.” He headed out the door.
David remembered Debbie’s painting of the strange sedan parked outside Sir Edward Wickersham’s residence in Madrid. What next?
***
David and Eduardo arrived on the hospital’s third floor, pleased to see that it was well-guarded.
They found Eduardo’s parents and his grandfather trying to console Paulo. Joe Harris stood by watching with concern. They moved aside to let Eduardo and David stand at the bedside.
Eduardo softly brushed thick black hair from Paulo’s forehead. Paulo looked up at him—his face tear-stained, his eyes red and distant, his body agitated.
Eduardo spoke in a tender voice. “Hey pal. What’s the matter?”
Paulo sounded desperate. “Eduardo, you’ve got to help me.”
“What’s the matter?” he repeated, trying to steady him.
“They won’t let me be with her. They won’t even let me be with her.”
“Paulo, she’s right here. See?” He pulled at the heavy curtain separating the two beds. “Right here beside you.”
“They won’t take this thing out.” Paulo grabbed at the IV tube, and his brother seized his hand. Paulo raved on. “I took this thing out—they just put it right back in. They’re giving me so many drugs—I can’t even think.”
Eduardo rolled his eyes. “Paulo, you don’t need to think now. You need to rest so you can get well. Then you’ll be able to help Ellen. Okay?”
“I can’t even help her. I can’t even touch her. I can’t even hold her.”
Eduardo took his brother by the shoulders and spoke firmly. “Paulo, listen to me. If you can hold Ellen’s hand will you quiet down and get some rest now?”
Paulo looked at his big brother with incredulity. “I can hold her? Yes?”
David pushed aside tubes, equipment and drapes. The two men pushed the hospital beds close together. Paulo was immediately calm.
He rolled on his side and reached for her hand. “She’s so beautiful. I love her freckly little nose.”
His drugged voice elicited laughter from most. His mother Camellia was indignant. “Francisco, this is not proper.”
Her husband embraced her and escorted her from the room.
Joe Harris snickered. “Heaven knows we have to be proper when Camellia’s around.” He took out a cigar and headed outdoors.
***
After gazing upon the face of his beloved for a while, Paulo fell fast asleep. Ellen remained motionless, and Eduardo stood at the foot of her bed. “Nita told me about Cat—and how she says Paulo and Ellen belong together.”
“Cat hasn’t been wrong yet,” David said.
“Yeah. That night I found them together—Cat told Nita, ‘There’s no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a friend.’ And so a few months later—Ellen takes a bullet for her friend Paulo.” Eduardo turned to David. “Shit. Am I that bad a judge of people?”
David smirked. “You’ve got a lot going on—a lot on your shoulders. And you’re just trying to protect your little brother. It would be logical for Ellen—or any girl in her position—to go after Paulo. And we both know he’s immature. We both know he needs guidance—especially with all the craziness of becoming a rock star in a matter of months. So you made a reasonable call.”
Eduardo turned back to Ellen. “I guess she does have a cute little freckly nose.”
Eduardo
The next day Eduardo joined his colleagues in Pearson’s office, and listened to more of the General’s angst over his treacherous friend, Colonel Jerry Lee Johnson. No one had a clue where he could be—the most remote outpost of civilization would be as good a possibility as right under their noses.
Pearson stood at his window. “I’ve decided we’ll leave for Salzburg a week from today. Clemente? What about the wedding? Is it still on?”
“We haven’t made a final decision, Sir, but it’s possible we’ll have a simple ceremony and then have the big reception another time. My family is afraid it’s too risky, having all those people come to Salzburg when there could be trouble. But there could be trouble any time—security is gonna be a nightmare no matter when we do it. The other consideration is Ellen. She probably wouldn’t be well enough to attend—and after her saving Paulo’s life—it wouldn’t be right to leave her home when she was supposed to be part of it. I don’t know.” He hated this state of confusion. Hopefully Johnson would be in custody soon.
***
Eduardo stopped in to the ICU and found Paulo asleep. Ellen had finally opened her eyes and lay peacefully watching him.
He went to her bedside and took her hand. “Hi, Ellen. How are you feeling? Can I get you anything?”
She managed a soft voice. “Thanks, Eduardo. I’m fine. They gave me painkillers. They told me Paulo is gonna be okay. Is that true?”
He nodded. “It’s true. You’re both gonna be fine. You just need rest.”
A tear trickled onto her cheek. “Did you get the guy that tried to kill him?”
He squeezed her hand. “Yes. We got two men. The one that shot you and his accomplice. We’re still looking for someone else. In the meanwhile, we’re all staying here. So if you need anything, we’ll be right here for you, okay?”
“Thanks.”
Her eyes began to close. Reflexively, he tightened his grip on her hand, and it startled her. He took advantage of her momentary attentiveness. “Ellen—I—I’ve been—I owe you a big apology, honey.”
Shock appeared in her blue eyes. “Apology?”
She was well aware he’d disapproved of her relationship with Paulo—and that he’d said some nasty things about her. And now he struggled for words. “Yeah. I’ve been pretty hard on you. I guess I didn’t realize how—how much you care about Paulo. After all—he’s my baby brother and—well—I get overprotective, I guess. Anyway, I know now, you really do love him. Not just because he’s a rock star.”
Ellen strained to speak. “I do love Paulo. And I understand I’m not the one you want him to marry. I know he needs someone way better than me. That’s okay.”
“There is no one better than you, Ellen.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
***
The next morning Eduardo, Cat, and Cisco entered the ICU to find Paulo dressed and standing by Ellen’s bed. His hand clenching hers, he spoke to her in a subdued voice.
“It looks like both of you are feeling better.” Cisco put his arm around Paulo’s shoulder. “We have some news for you. We finally decided to have the wedding at home—same day and time. Cat checked with Father Donahue, and even though they usually don’t do weddings outside the church, he agreed to it because of the special circumstances. That way we can keep a better watch—keep everything secure. Ellen, if you feel tired, you’ll be able to go back to bed and rest when you need to. What do you say?”
Paulo looked at Ellen’s glowing face and turned to his brothers. “It sounds good.”
Ellen spoke softly. “That’s really sweet of you to think of me. I—I’m so excited about going to your wedding.”
Cat put her hand on her arm. “Ellen, we’re looking forward to having you as our bridesmaid and sharing our day. I know right now all you should be thinking about is getting well. But I want to ask you if you would stay with us. I haven’t seen our new home yet. Cisco told me about it only recently as we were deciding on arrangements. It was supposed to be a surprise. Apparently, Raphael built us a very large home, just down the road from our families. I’m sure you’d find it comfortable, and of course we can furnish a suite to your liking.
“We’ll need a good deal of help with the new foundation. I’m sure there’ll be a tremendous amount of paperwork to keep up with. I wondered if perhaps you’d agree to help us with it—after your studies, of course. And since we’re just down the road from Paulo, you’ll be able to see each other all the time.”
Ellen was stunned. “Thank you, Cat. Thank you so much.”
***
Joe was concerned about getting together a press release, now that Paulo was in reasonable condition, and Ellen was on the mend. He looked surprised when Paulo told him, “Cat and I have written a song. That will be my statement to the press and whoever else is interested. You can put it online. It’s called Ellen’s Song, and it’s about standing strong for what you b
elieve in.”
The video of Paulo defiantly belting out his anthem instantly went viral. He stood alone against a black background with his guitar, a totally different look and feel than his other music videos. It appeared on conservative news programs and entertainment magazine shows, and almost every place else. He knew Jerry Lee Johnson and the bullies of the world would take note.
Joe did a follow-up interview with Amanda James. He succinctly summarized the events, and told Amanda that Paulo needed a break after the stress of the concert. As a sixteen-year-old kid and almost overnight sensation, he apparently misunderstood the need for constant security. That wouldn’t happen again.
And album sales went through the roof.
Debbie
It was a beautiful Sunday morning, and the entire family gathered on the hospital deck for brunch. I took a seat beside Cat while David and his colleagues discussed a security issue concerning Aubrey Rose.
Cat absent-mindedly squeezed my hand, but I noticed there was a storm brewing in those incredible eyes of hers. She reached for Cisco’s phone sitting nearby. “Cisco, I’ve got to call Sir Edward. Is his number here? Cisco?”
The tone of her voice not only spurred Cisco to dash over, it silenced everyone on the deck. Sitting across from us, Raphael and Cindy leaned forward. There was alarm all over Raphael’s face. David and his colleagues approached the table as Cisco connected to Sir Edward Wickersham and handed the phone to Cat.
“Sir Edward, it’s Catherine Connors. I must speak to Uncle Roberto. It’s an emergency.”
As Sir Edward responded, Cat’s eyes rolled heavenward. I said a silent prayer. Whatever was going on, it wasn’t good.
“Please, call him back inside.” She paused then said, “I know his phone number, Sir Edward, and I’m sorry I’m making him come all the way back up the stairs. He should bring his bodyguards with him.”
Fame, Fortune & Secrets (The Redemption Series: Book 2) Page 13
