“And my schedule is clear for me to return with you to the States on Sunday.”
“Okay, but did you find out anything?”
“Si, as a matter of fact, I have, and you are never going to believe it.”
Marcello and I went over the papers he found and he was partially right, I was shocked, but the information Marcello retrieved for me confirmed everything I had thought from the beginning and then some.
Now, it was time to take this information back to New York and free Dominick from his arrest and his past.
Chapter Thirty-Three
I Object!!!
Rain
I said goodbye to my family in Capri. This time leaving the island was the hardest thing I ever had to do, because I had to leave my babies behind to go and save their father. I knew they were safe with everyone at the house, but it still crushed me to do it.
Tommy asked if I wanted him to come back with me, but I felt it would be better if he stayed behind to take care of everyone at the house until Dominick and I could return together. I wasn’t sure how long this hearing take. Raven felt the questioning would take about a day or two, but then deliberation and the board’s decision was anyone’s guess. Dominick had to give up his passport, so he wouldn’t be able to leave until it was returned to him. If at any time I felt it was going to be longer than I was comfortable with, I would come back alone to get the twins.
Marcello and I left from Rome Sunday morning, Italy time. We arrived in Manhattan just in time for dinner.
Once I was able to turn my phone on, I contacted Mike and Detective Stack. They both agreed to meet Marcelo and me for dinner, so we could go over what I was about to do.
Both Mike and Detective Stack were able to get in touch with a mutual friend, Judge Reynolds. They explained the case and the situation that Dominick was facing; and Detective Stack cleared everything with his superiors, so that they and Judge Reynolds could be at the ready during the meeting with the Bar Association on Tuesday.
Dinner ended and I took a cab back to the brownstone. It was strange to be here after everything that had happened. The rooms seemed hollow; haunted by the ghosts of the past. Perhaps they weren’t ghosts, but memories that bombarded me as I walked through the door.
I turned on the light and settled onto the sofa. I felt a chill go through me, so I started a fire. A pang of melancholy bubbled to the surface. I watched the flames flicker across the wood, as their shadows danced across the wall.
I draped myself with the throw that Tommy and I kept on the back of the sofa when we lived together. Some things never changed…I thought to myself, as a tear escaped and trickled down my cheek.
I missed Tommy. He always knew how to make things better when I felt alone. I regretted it a little that I didn't take him up on his offer to return with me to the city, but I felt if he and Mike saw each other and got into it, then Mike might have changed his mind to represent me.
As it was, no one, other than Marcello and Detective Stack, knew that Mike had agreed to be the attorney that would represent my interests on Tuesday during the preliminary hearing.
I prayed that my plan worked out and Dominick would be back to work fairly quickly. I also hoped that the charges against him for my kidnapping would be dropped sooner rather than later.
Everything, including the traveling to and from Capri in the last couple of days finally hit me and I fell fast asleep on my old couch in my former home with the comfort of the crackling fire in the background to warm me through the night.
My phone startled me out of dreamland, not that I was having much of a dream, at least I didn’t think I was.
I looked at the time before I answered it…7AM. Who in God’s name was calling me this early?
Dominick… but to him it was 4pm in Capri, which was where he assumed I was.
“Hi Dominick.”
“Hi, Baby, how’s my girl today?” He sounded better than he had in a long time. I had to assume it was because he thought we were all safe in Capri and away from his hearing.
I’m sure once he sees me tomorrow at the firm, his attitude will be slightly different. That wasn’t about to change my mind. I needed to be there for Dominick and for various other reasons that would be revealed once the hearing had gotten underway.
“I’m fine, just a bit tired. I did a great deal of running around over the weekend.”
“Yes, the foreman told me that you inspected the house and the pool. How does it look?” He was excited to know what I thought.
“I love everything they’ve done to it this far. The colored shutters were a nice added touch. Thank you.”
“You’re most welcome, Angel. I thought you’d like them. Listen, can you do me a favor and hand Conte the phone. I need to ask him something.”
Shit! I can’t hand Tommy the phone. Tommy is back in Capri.
Think, Rain, think.
“Sorry Dominick, he’s not here. Did you try to call him on his phone?”
“Yes, Baby, I did, but he didn’t answer, so I thought I could go through you when I called you this evening.”
“I’ll let him know that you're looking for him when he gets back from wherever he is.”
“Great, now tell me how Mema is doing? And my babies, how are my babies?”
“Your children are just fine. The Capri air has really agreed with them. As for Mema, her doctor said she is stable now, so hopefully what she’s been going through is over and she’ll be good as new in no time.”
“That’s wonderful news, because the sooner she gets well, the sooner I get my family back home here with me where you belong.”
Whose fault is that? You were the one that made this whole thing up. Serves you right to feel lonely.
We talked a while longer and then Dominick stated that he had to head into the office to meet with my dad. He told me he would call me again tomorrow. I almost mentioned that he didn’t need to waste the call and that I would see him sooner than he thought, but I stopped myself. I couldn’t blow it now.
Once our call ended, I called Tommy to let him know Dominick asked to speak with him. Tommy asked why and I said probably to check up on me. Little did Dominick know that I was right here under his nose.
After I got up and I ran upstairs to shower. I had a great deal of people to meet with before my big entrance tomorrow, so I needed to tie up any loose ends before the hearing began.
I met with Mike, then Detective Stack, who introduced me to Judge Reynolds, and finally with Marcelo. After that, I had originally planned to have dinner out with Raven, but we both decided it wouldn't be a good idea. Especially since we were identical twins and Dominick’s case was all over the newspapers. It was too much of a risk because we were easily recognized and I didn’t want to draw any more attention to myself than necessary.
Tuesday arrived quickly, which I was grateful for. The sooner we got this started, the sooner it would be done. Boy, I couldn’t wait to see the look on Dominick’s face when he realized that I was the star witness, so to speak.
I chose a more conservative look than I would normally wear. I wore a black pencil skirt with black silk stockings. For my top, I chose a black short sleeve turtle neck sweater with a matching cardigan. I left my hair down. Let’s face it, I needed a little of the real me under all those grown-up clothes.
I looked at the clock. It was 10am. Showtime was in one hour. The doorbell rang; I peered out the window to find Mike standing on the stoop, soI ran to open the door and left him in.
“Hey, I thought I’d take you over to the firm, so you wouldn’t be alone.”
“Thanks, Mike. Let me just get my shoes and purse. Then we can head out.”
“Hey, Rain, you clean up nice, by the way. Perfect for the hearing.” He smiled.
He knew I hated this type of attire, so it made me feel good that he approved and that I looked the part.
The traffic was fairly heavy, but not out of the ordinary for Manhattan on a Tuesday morning. We made it to the fir
m with fifteen minutes to spare. We took the elevator up to the floor where Kane and Medici had their boardrooms.
Once we stepped off the elevator, all eyes were on Mike and myself. I smirked because I knew this scene was nothing compared to the scene I was about to make behind those closed doors.
As Mike and I walked towards the meeting area, we were greeted by Detective Stack, Marcello and Judge Reynolds, who were seated, as they awaited for our arrival. I placed my hands on the double doors and then I looked back at them and smiled.
“Ready, Gentlemen?”
In unison they all stated, “Ready, Rain.”
“Okay, let’s do this.”
With my purse tucked under my arm, I turned both knobs slowly and pushed opened the doors to make my grand entrance.
As the doors flung open, everyone turned to see what the commotion was.
Dominick, Raven, and my dad were seated on the left side of the table with various employees from the firm, including my dad’s assistant Maggie. On the right side of the table was Madison and her father and what I could only assume were the board members from the Bar Association of New York. Then at the head of the table, the place where only my dad and Dominick would normally sit was him… Judge O’Neill.
He stood there with his hands planted firmly on the dark wooded surface. He leaned slightly forward, as if my little intrusion had disturbed him in some way.
I haven’t begun to disturb him, yet.
“Good morning. Sorry I’m late, but traffic was hell today.” I said as I threw my purse on the table like I owned the place. Wait… I did own the place.
“Miss…?” The judge spoke, but waited for an answer from me.
“Oh, where are my manners?” I approached him with my hand extended out. “I’m Rain, Dominick Kane’s wife. Good to meet you. And you are?”
“I’m Judge Robert O’Neill and do you understand that you are interrupting a very important hearing that involves your husband, Mrs. Kane?”
“Anything that involves my husband, involves me, your Honor.” I smiled and turned my attention in the direction of Dominick and my family. Dominick appeared angry, but I could tell he hadn’t reached his boiling point, so I continued.
“You see, sir, I have it on good authority that this hearing is about my husband’s right to practice law here in the city. Based on what I’ve been told, someone has accused my husband of kidnapping. One that involved me as the victim, so I believe it to be only fair that I’m here, as the victim in question, so I can clear a few things up and not waste the court’s time or money on such silly nonsense.”
“And who are these men that have accompanied you here, Mrs. Kane?”
“Now, Judge, you know who they are? Well, except maybe for Marcelo. He doesn’t practice law in New York. His home base is Italy.” I explained, as I pointed backwards to Marcelo, who stepped forward to shake the judge’s hand. Then I continued. “But you do know Michael Conte, one of the lawyers here at Kane and Medici. He will be representing me today. And I’m sure you know Detective Stack, one of New York’s finest and of course, Judge Reynold’s who also sits on the bench here in the city.” I looked at Raven to make sure she was okay by my surprise announcement that Mike was my attorney today.
She was not only okay; she nodded with clear approval for my choice of council.
“Wonderful! Now that you’ve gotten your introductions out of the way, can we please get on with this already?” The judge asked.
“Not just yet, your Honor,” I stated explicitly, so he knew I wasn’t finished with him.
Dominick stood to stop me, but my dad settled him back into his seat.
Good.
“Mrs. Kane, do you understand that you are at a hearing that affects your husband’s career and, as such, your behavior thus far is not making things favorable towards him.”
I found my purse on the table and pulled out some papers, which I handed to the judge.
“That’s exactly what I thought you would say, so before you get started and waste any more of my family’s time here, I’d like to present you with this court order.”
Everyone in the room including Dominick sat up and looked to me, then to the judge, and then back to me again. They were all quite curious, especially the Van Buren group. Everyone wanted to know what the order read.
The judge breezed over it briefly and then threw the packet on the table, as if to disregard it.
“You have no right to come into this hearing and dismiss me like this.” He spoke with an air of arrogance.
I smiled widely, because I knew full well that his reaction to those papers was fear. Fear of embarrassment, perhaps? No, it was the fear of when someone has been caught, caught in a wrong doing, in a criminal act against society. Yes, Judge O’Neill was caught, and now, I intended to make him pay for the terrible things he had done. Things that maybe he wouldn't have done, if money and I mean a great deal of money, hadn’t been given to him by Mr. Van Buren.
I came to stand over him.
“I have every right. Now, get up! You're in my seat!” My tone cut deep enough to jar him out of the seat and into my face.
That didn’t last long. My dad and Dominick were up quickly and by my side in an instant. Yet, they were not the ones to take hold of the judge. Detective Stack had that pleasure.
I took my rightful place at the head of the table; yet I didn’t sit down. Instead, I motioned to Marcello to hand me the briefcase he had been carrying. He placed it in front of me, spun it around, took a key from his pocket, and proceeded artfully to work each lock with it.
When he was finished, I opened the case to retrieve my evidence, which I handed to the judge.
“You see Judge O’Neill, when my husband was accused of taking me against my will, I made it my business to investigate the evidence personally. Anyone who knows me, knows I take threats against my family very seriously, so I wasn’t about to leave my husband’s career and my family’s future in the hands of the so-called professionals.” I looked to Dominick.
His expression was aloof, but not completely detached. There was a hint of pride emanating from him. He knew exactly what family meant to me. It was what I had stated to him from the beginning when he took me. That same passion for my family then was what drove me now.
“So what is it you think you found, Mrs. Kane?”
Smug Bastard.
Let me take him down a notch…or three.
“Ah…it’s not what I think, it’s what I know. And what I know won’t fare well for you, your Honor or the Van Buren’s, as I see it.”
“This is a complete circus. Kane, your wife is making a mockery of this hearing and the Judge!” Mr. Van Buren stepped in to voice his opinion, which meant something to people in the New York City law circles, but to me, his opinion meant nothing. He was no more than a common criminal.
“I knew you would say that, Mr. Van Buren. And because I knew you would say that, I’ve come prepared.” I handed out copies of the list of clients that were on Vincent Kane’s private server. Attached to that list was a new list that connected the Judge and the Van Buren’s firm with cases that involved those same clients and adoptions in Europe, mainly in Italy.
The room grew fittingly quiet. If silence made a sound, it would have been a sonic boom. Everyone, including the members of the Bar Associations, studied my findings and the additional evidence carefully.
“This information has nothing to do with the charges against your husband, Mrs. Kane.” One of the Van Buren team members spoke up.
“No, you're right. But it does directly relate to the character of the judge appointed to my husband’s case and the character of the your boss, Mr.Van Buren’s. You know, your employer, who, I might add was the one that started this entire fiasco in the first place.”
“This hearing is about Dominick and him kidnapping you.” Madison finally spoke.
“No, it’s about you and your struggle to win your daddy’s attention. Actually, it’s about you try
ing to win the attention of any man that came into your life and sadly never stayed.”
“How dare you!” She stood up, prepared to take me on.
“You can’t have this hearing if there isn't a judge to preside over it.” Judge O’Neill was quick to mention.
“This entire hearing is a joke. The judge is right, no judge or hearing.” Mr. Van Buren reiterated, as he reached for his brief case.
“My father is right. You can’t stand there and bark orders at anyone. You’re a nobody. You have no authority here. Let’s go, daddy.” She stated, as she tried to get her father out of the room before he learned what she had done.
“Not so fast.” I replied, as I left my place at the head of the table to stop them from walking out. I fiendishly smirked at the father/daughter team.
The Ties That Bind (Miss Taken Identity #3) Page 31
