Elias laughed. “Okay. Madison, I’m putting you on speaker since I’m now acting as your attorney of record. Is that alright?” He questioned and Madison imagined him with his glasses on and a large notepad in front of him.
“Yes, of course,” she said smiling.
“First things first. I will have my para file the necessary paperwork tomorrow so that I can represent you in New York. Please do not talk to anyone without consulting with me beforehand.”
“Okay, but what if Nolan or Kurtis contact me, you know, like they did before?” Madison inquired.
She wouldn’t put it past either of them to try something. They both were very stubborn and didn’t seem to have any scruples. She watched as Andrew walked to the table and brought the box of leftover pastries to the bed. He set the box between them and opened it before taking a seat next to her.
“If they call you, let it go to voicemail and then you call me and let me know. Let me deal with them. I’ll be in court for most of the day tomorrow but I will check my messages on break and call you back. What are the names of the attorneys the agency hired?”
“Carl Snelling and Daniel Marx.”
“I’ll run a check on them to see what kind of record they have.”
Andrew reached inside the box and broke off a piece of muffin, feeding it to Madison. He smiled at her dazed expression and then picked up one of the other pastries in the box while Mr. Bennett continued talking.
“Madison, I need you to tell me everything you can remember about the meeting you had. I want to know the questions that were asked and which attorney asked them as well as what the other people in the room were doing while this was going on. Tell me every detail. Don’t leave anything out.”
“Okay.”
Madison spent the next hour going into excruciating detail about everything that transpired earlier that day. She would answer one question and Elias would have two more to follow it. She supposed he was being so thorough because he wasn’t there, but when she looked at Andrew, he just nodded, encouraging her to continue. Madison imagined this must have been how Elias was when he worked with Andrew a few years ago. It was no wonder he was so good. He left no stone unturned.
“Is there anything else I should know?” Elias asked when she had answered his final question.
“I think that’s everything,” Madison replied.
“No, there is something else,” Andrew piped in.
“What is it, Andrew?”
“Senator Bowers is in New York,” he said firmly.
“What!” Elias stuttered. He wasn’t aware he had left the state.
“Oh shoot, I’m sorry. I forgot about that,” Madison added.
“Madison’s mom sold a property to him today,” Andrew continued. “That’s bad, isn’t it?”
“I... I don’t know yet. Don’t seek him out.”
“Oh, trust me, I won’t,” Andrew concurred.
“If you do come in contact with him, do not talk to him. Just walk away. I don’t care what he says, just walk away. He’ll try to twist whatever you say in court and I can’t have that,” Elias stated quickly. Both Madison and Andrew could hear his concern about this news.
“We won’t be doing much in the city so I don’t think we will actually see him and I can’t imagine he would try to contact us at the hotel,” Andrew added.
“Good. Trust me, I know how to deal with people like Bowers. He’s smart, but I’m smarter.”
Madison and Andrew both smiled. They had no doubt about that. They had seen firsthand what an amazing attorney he was. They felt confident in him and the fact that he was perfectly capable of taking on anyone without fear.
“Now let’s set up a nightly schedule so we can go over what’s happening. Is this time good to reach the two of you?” Elias asked, completely in a lawyer’s frame of mind.
Madison looked at Andrew and he nodded. “Yes, this is a good time.”
“Do you have any questions for me?”
“No,” Andrew and Madison said in unison.
“If something comes up, jot it down immediately. Otherwise you might forget by the time we talk again. If it’s an emergency, get in touch with Liam. He can get me a message right away.”
“Okay,” Madison said, already feeling more at ease.
“I better go. I have some research to do. We’ll talk again tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Elias,” Andrew said happily.
“You’re welcome, Andrew,” he answered before hanging up.
As Madison disconnected the phone, she looked at Andrew. He seemed as pleased as she was. It was as if the weight of the day had finally lifted. She crawled into his arms where he held her tightly and entwined his hand in her hair. Neither said a word for a few minutes, both lost in their own thoughts.
“Can you believe this is happening?” she asked against his chest.
“Just knowing he’s helping us makes it seem more manageable, doesn’t it?” he asked softly.
“Yes!” Madison looked up and smiled brightly. “Now what was it you promised me at dinner?”
Andrew gave her a sexy smirk as he laid her down on the bed. “I believe I promised to make love to you all evening.”
“Ah, yes, that’s what it was,” Madison said, running her hands into his hair.
He pecked her lips gently. “Well, I am a man of my word.”
“That you are.” She reached up to kiss him.
They kissed tenderly while their hands moved along each other’s bodies. Their gentle caresses leading to soft moans of acceptance and love. Both felt lighter, freer. Not only had things gone well at Madison’s mother’s house, but they now had Mr. Bennett in their corner. A friend and confidant, someone who would stand up for them and fight the foes that threatened to tear them away from one another in a way that Andrew could not. Perhaps they were no longer in the flames after all. Only time would tell.
15 Old Ghosts
Madison stared out the little window in their hotel room. The flowers she had bought for Grayson were lying on the table. Mr. Bennett had told them to be careful and to avoid talking to anyone associated with Turner and Crawford, which is what they planned on doing. They had been in the hotel all morning and were planning on going to Grayson’s gravesite today and that was it.
“You ready?”
She shrugged.
“We don’t have to do this. We can just stay here,” he said, wrapping his arms around her waist.
“No, I need to do this.”
“Okay, well, we should go then before it gets too late.”
She sighed and nodded. Andrew led her out of the room, down the elevators, and outside where they hailed a cab. Madison leaned against him the whole way, her fingers playing with the ribbon on the flowers she was holding. When they arrived, Andrew paid as Madison pulled out a little hand drawn map that would direct her to where Grayson was buried.
“Do you want me to come with you?”
She shook her head. “I’ll be fine, Helios.”
“I’ll just wait over there.”
She nodded again but didn’t really see where he went. Andrew watched her from a few gravesites away as she kneeled and placed a bouquet of red and pink roses on the grave of Grayson Turner. She rested on her knees and looked pensively at the headstone. Andrew wasn’t sure if she was crying or not, but it appeared that she was. He waited a few moments, watching her back move. It wasn’t until she brought her hand to her face that he walked over and kneeled down next to her. He gently ran his hand across her back.
“I’m okay, baby,” she cried.
He waited a few more minutes until her crying was under control. He then kissed her temple softly and rose again, stepping back to give her some privacy. He was only a few steps away but he could hear her clear her throat and then begin speaking with determination.
“Grayson, I’m sorry I couldn’t be here for you. And I’m really sorry for how things worked out.” She wiped her eyes and took a few deep breaths. “I don�
��t know what happened, but I’m sure that you were killed and I’ll do whatever I can to make it right because you didn’t deserve this at all.”
She breathed in deeply and said a silent prayer before standing. She turned and saw Andrew standing nearby. His head was dropped, watching the toe of his boot move a pebble to and fro. He looked up when he heard her approaching. He smiled and reached his hand to her. As she took it, he pulled her close to his chest and kissed her lightly atop her head.
“What were you thinking about?” Madison asked as they started walking towards the sidewalk.
“Going to my mother’s grave,” he said nonchalantly, his brow furrowed.
She squeezed his hand. “You okay?”
He nodded as they walked towards the sidewalk. Seeing Madison talking to Grayson made him remember doing the same thing at his mother’s grave. He had only been once, on the way to New York a few years ago, and once was enough. Cemeteries were depressing. Death was everywhere, but one didn’t need to be reminded of it. He sighed as they reached the sidewalk. He looked up and down the street, wanting to get something to eat before they went back to the hotel. He hated being cooped up. The hotel was starting to remind him of prison. A feeling he didn’t like.
“Where do you want to eat?” he asked, glancing at her.
“How about we just grab a dog,” she said, looking at one of the street vendors.
He laughed. “Don’t complain if you get sick.”
She slapped his arm. “I’m from New York. I’m not gonna get sick.”
He chuckled to himself as they walked to one of the vendors. He ordered two foot longs, hers with everything on it and his plain. She always teased him about things like that, but it had always been rare to have condiments so he got used to eating things without anything added to it. Of course, being in the system as long as he had been also encouraged this behavior. He looked at the selection of chips and drinks and grabbed a couple bags and two bottles of tea. Andrew motioned his head towards a bench against the wrought iron fence that surrounded the cemetery. Madison nodded and soon they were sitting. She moaned as she took a bite of her hot dog and Andrew shook his head, thinking it must be a New York thing.
“Tomorrow I have us down for the ferry to Hart Island,” Madison said between mouthfuls.
That name sounded familiar to Andrew but he couldn’t place it. “What’s on Hart Island?” he asked, taking a bite of his hot dog.
“Potter’s Field.”
Andrew stopped chewing, his eyes wide. “Madison, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”
“Hear me out, Helios,” she said, setting her food on her lap. “After that first night, when we saw that guy that reminded you of your friend, well, I thought why not. On a fluke, I called the Department of Corrections and asked when their next visit was. When they said this week, I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t think we could get in but someone cancelled and they had a couple of slots still open. I had to put us down. It was fate that we were able to get in. Please don’t be mad about it,” Madison said quickly.
“I’m not mad. I just … I don’t know if it’s such a good idea,” he answered with a sigh.
“I know it might be hard to do, but remember how much better you felt after visiting your mom’s grave, and me, even, just now. I’m sad, but I’m glad I did this. I’m glad I could say goodbye to Grayson.”
Andrew nodded. He still wasn’t sure about what she had done, but Madison was right. He had felt better after saying goodbye to his mom. Maybe it would be the same for Randall. He hoped so. It would be nice not to feel bad about how everything played out.
The Next Morning
Andrew and Madison were reflective as they sat in Corso eating their pastries and sipping their coffee. Yesterday, they had visited Grayson's gravesite, and today they were taking the ferry to Hart Island. She knew that Andrew didn’t want to do it, but she continued to encourage him, until he finally relented. The way she saw it, it was divine providence that they couldn’t ignore. She just hoped that she was right on this.
“We should head out, Helios,” Madison said, turning away from the window. “We don’t want to miss the ferry.”
“You’re right,” he replied, rising and grabbing his leather jacket from the back of his chair.
He immediately helped her into her coat so they could trek out in the twenty degree weather. They both turned to the barista, who they came to know as Lydia, and waved. She smiled and waved back as they exited the coffee shop. They walked hand in hand as they approached the line of cabs. Joe, the doorman, immediately called the cab for them.
“Thanks, Joe,” Madison said with a smile.
“Where to?” the cabbie asked somewhat disinterested.
“City Island,” Andrew replied, watching the man’s brow go up.
Madison squeezed Andrew’s hand as the cabbie swerved into traffic and made his way onto the FDR. City Island was about 16 miles from Times Square. Located in the Bronx, it was the only place they could take a ferry to Hart Island, which housed Potter’s Field. Madison had done some research on the burial place of the homeless, mentally ill, and others who were unidentifiable in the vast New York City area. She was ashamed that she was a native New Yorker and yet knew very little about the infamous place.
“You okay, Helios?” Madison asked while leaning into him.
“Yeah,” he answered absently as he looked out the window of the taxi.
Andrew watched the traffic move along the crowded lane, wondering what was happening in the cars, wondering if others suspected where they were going. He wasn’t sure how to feel about what they were doing, possibly because Madison had only told him the day before so he had such little time to wrap his head around it. He focused his eyes on the dancing Hawaiian girl on the dashboard, trying to take his mind off of things. A siren sounded in the distance, causing Andrew to blink. He had tried to tell Madison it wasn’t necessary to visit the place that Randall was buried, but she had a tendency to be very persuasive. He looked around and realized they were already merging to get on the Kennedy Bridge. Madison hugged him a bit tighter and he looked down at her, curious.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, worrying that maybe he missed something.
“I hate bridges.”
A moment later, they were on the other side. He smiled. “How could you live in New York and hate bridges?”
“Shush, don’t make fun of me,” she said, trying to stifle a giggle.
Interstate 278 merged onto Interstate 95 until they crossed over the Pelham Bridge and on to City Island Drive. Andrew checked his phone. They still had nearly twenty minutes before the ferry left. The cab stopped in an area not far from where the ferry would depart. Andrew rolled his eyes when the driver told him the exorbitant amount. He would need to withdraw more money out of his account pretty soon. He forgot how expensive being in New York could be. They had considered taking public transportation this morning but it would have taken twice as long to get to the island. Three transfers at the crack of dawn was not something either of them wanted to do.
“We’re taking the MTA back because that was ridiculous,” Madison stated as she led him to one of the floral shops.
“I’m alright with that.” He looked around the floral shop. “What are we doing in here?”
“I want to get some flowers.”
“Madison... baby.” He sighed when she glanced over her shoulder and gave him her infamous bitch brow. “I don’t think we can go to the actual grave.”
“I know, but, you know,” she turned and placed her hands on her hips. “We could leave them there. Can’t we?”
Andrew shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Well, I want to get flowers for Randall. He was your friend, which makes him important.” Madison turned and looked at a couple of bundles before grabbing a beautiful arrangement of red roses. She turned to Andrew, who was watching her curiously. “I want to pay my respects. It’s the least I can do.”
He stared at h
er for a long moment. He knew he couldn’t argue with her and it was thoughtful what she wanted to do. He finally settled on the fact that she was completely sincere in wanting to do this for Randall. And he loved her even more for it. He smiled and kissed her softly.
“We better hurry or we’ll miss the ferry and I have no intention of being in New York for another month.”
“Oh, hell to the no, Helios. Don’t even think it,” Madison said, shaking her head.
He smiled as she turned sharply and walked to the old woman behind the counter. She paid and wasted no time getting back to him. They took each other’s hands as they walked outside and toward the dock where they would catch the ferry. There were about a dozen people lingering about. Some were looking out at the water known as City Island Harbor, while others fiddled with cell phones or other electronic devices.
“Come on,” Andrew said, tugging Madison’s hand toward where everyone was waiting.
It didn’t take long for the ferry to arrive. It was a no nonsense boat that had absolutely no luxury attached to it at all. It didn’t even look like it was supposed to have passengers. It was certainly not the type of boat one would take for a leisurely trip on the water. A uniformed guard with a clipboard approached the waiting group of people and asked for everyone’s names, checking them off one by one.
“Andrew Harrison.”
He scrolled through the names and checked him off, motioning his head in the direction of the plank people were using to board the vessel. The guard then raised his eyes to Madison.
“Madison Ellis.”
He nodded and motioned his head again. He then looked at the person behind Madison. Madison took Andrew’s outstretched hand. He led her to the plank and helped her across before following her. Andrew glanced around and wondered if this was the actual ferry that delivered the bodies to the island. It was a thought that made him shudder. Madison wrapped her arm around his waist as they walked to the hull of the ship.
“Man, this ferry is creepy.”
“I think they might transport dead bodies on it.”
Madison’s whole body shook. “Don’t say stuff like that.”
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