by Nyssa Renay
“Okay, hon. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Love you.”
“I love you, too,” Allie replied, tossing the phone onto the nightstand.
As she settled herself under the blankets, trying to relax and fall asleep, she couldn’t stop the pros and cons of helping Joseph from swirling around in her mind. Although she wouldn’t be alive right now if it wasn’t for him, the danger of being killed and Patience never knowing the truth about what happened to her were starting to outweigh her loyalty to Joseph—there was just no easy decision to be made. Eventually, the day’s events caught up with her, forcing her into a restless sleep.
-12-
Allie woke the next morning, still undecided as to whether she truly wanted to go with Joseph to the black market auction. When she glanced at the clock on her nightstand, she realized that she had just over an hour left to make up her mind.
Her thoughts were racing as she worried about all the possible repercussions of helping Joseph. What concerned her the most was that if she decided to go, it would be the second time within only a few days that she’d willingly helped him. She didn’t want to set the precedent that she would always be available to him at the drop of a hat. She wasn’t sure she could live up to that level of expectation, or if she wanted to. But if she didn’t go, she’d have to return to the mundane day-to-day life she’d always found so frustrating, not to mention missing out on the opportunity to experience something special. After another few minutes of arguing with herself, she decided to go for a walk to clear her head.
Allie walked out of the apartment building with a different perspective of the world. She had ten million dollars. She could take her sister and move out of the city, open a new store somewhere else far away from Bloodburg, and begin a new and very comfortable life. On the other hand, she thought doing something like that would make her a hypocrite for not trying to help make the world a better place, just like she had chided Joseph about.
The excuses for not helping him were slowly whittling away. She looked up to see an elderly homeless man sitting on the busy street corner. He was dressed in extremely tattered clothing and had a dirty patch over his eye. A few donations had been tossed inside the open guitar case at his feet.
Allie smiled, listening as he expertly strummed his guitar. A young police officer stomped over to him and ripped the guitar out of his hands, throwing it roughly into the open case.
“I’ve told you for the last time!” the officer snapped. “You can’t perform for money on the streets without obtaining a permit from city hall.”
“You know that’s bullshit, right?” the musician grumbled as he struggled to close his guitar case and stand up.
“It may be bullshit, but it is the law,” the officer gloated. “And I’m the one telling you to pack it up until you have a permit to perform. Got it?”
“Those permits are thirty dollars a day. I can’t afford it. It’s just not fair.”
“Look, pal, I don’t make the rules…just pick up your shit and go find somewhere else to be.”
The man reluctantly picked up the guitar case and slowly started down the street as the officer shook his head in frustration.
Allie hurried across the street to catch up to him. “You okay?”
“Of course, my dear,” he sighed, sizing her up and down. “That’s not the first time I’ve been kicked off a street corner, and it won’t be the last. They won’t arrest me.” He laughed before breaking into a small coughing fit. “The tax payers of this city would have to pay for me to eat and sleep in a jail cell.”
“At least you’d be warm and fed, right?” Allie asked, shrugging her shoulders.
“Yes, I would. But it would also come with a price I’m not willing to pay…my freedom.”
“I understand.” Allie smiled.
“Thank you. If you really want to help me out,” he opened his palm. “You could always pay for the music I saw you enjoying from across the street.” His long, wispy beard curved into a smile.
“Oh, of course!” Allie reached into her pocket to grab a fifty from the small wad of cash she’d been carrying around with her for the past few days, and remembered she’d handed it over at the bank. “I’m so sorry, but I don’t have any money on me right now. I was a hostage during that bank robbery the other day. I had to give one of the robbers my money, and I gave my last twenty to a cab driver yesterday,” Allie rambled, embarrassed.
“That’s okay, I understand.” He patted her on the shoulder. “Your heart was in the right place today, and that’s all that matters. Have a good day,” he replied, turning to make his way down the street.
Allie suddenly remembered she had the plastic card from Joseph in her pocket. She knew there was an ATM down the block. “Hey, wait!” she shouted as the man ambled away from her. “Just wait right here. I’m going to the machine down the street, okay? I’ll be right back.”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to do that. I’ll be all right.”
“I know you will, but I want to help…I really do. Can you please wait here for me?”
“Sure.” He nodded. “But only if that asshole cop doesn’t come back and harass me while you’re gone. Just make it quick.”
Allie smiled and darted off down the street, weaving in and out of people on their way to work. When she reached the ATM, Allie pulled out the debit card and withdrew one hundred and fifty dollars, cementing her decision to go with Joseph.
She took the money and hurried back toward the old musician, feeling like she was making a difference, albeit a small one. Allie decided it was time to stop pondering over everything wrong with the world and start doing something positive.
She grabbed the man’s wrist and gave him all the money. “Thank you for the music. It was wonderful.” She smiled and squeezed his hand, feeling secure in the choice she had made.
***
Joseph’s car was already waiting in front of Allie’s building when she came back.
“Hello again, Ms. McCleary,” Marcus said, getting out of the driver’s side.
She smiled. “Please, Marcus. Just call me Allie.”
Marcus opened the back door of the car for her. “Of course, Allie. I’m glad you decided to come along.”
“Me, too.”
He closed the door when she was settled in and then quickly returned behind the wheel.
“Where’s Joseph?” Allie asked, noticing that the car was empty.
“Getting ready back at the shop, which is where we’re headed before the airport.” Marcus put the car in gear and merged into traffic.
“Shop? What shop?”
“Joseph owns an antiquities place on Tortuga Avenue,” he replied proudly. “It’s where I do most of my work. I help him run it.”
“Seems like we have a lot in common, Marcus,” Allie laughed. “I help my sister with her business.”
“Yes, I know.” His eyes met hers in the rearview mirror. “The Park Crystal…I’m sorry it’s going through some hard times right now.”
“Wait…” Nervous tension stabbed Allie in the chest. “How do you know about that?”
“Joseph asks me to do a thorough vetting of anyone he associates with. It’s just a standard precaution. Nothing to worry about.”
“I’m not worried. I get the whole background check thing, but don’t you think that’s a little extreme? I mean, knowing about the finances of the place where I work…who does that?”
“Joseph insists on knowing every detail about a person of interest,” he explained. “He checks their background, friends, family, finances, cell phone records…even who and what they text.”
“Are you serious?” she snapped. “He’s been reading all of my texts, too?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Technology is a wonderful thing, but it has also left mankind very susceptible to being monitored quite easily. Joseph’s top priority is our protection, and those measures now are extended
to you and your family.”
“That’s not the point,” Allie argued. “People don’t like to have their privacy invaded. It’s wrong.”
“Even if it keeps you from being killed…at, say…a bank?” Marcus hinted.
“So, Joseph followed me to the bank the other day? Is that why he was there?” she asked.
“He wasn’t following you. He was following Kevin.”
“Kevin?” Allie felt a slight twinge of anxiety. “Do you know if he’s still in the city?”
“You’ll have to ask Joseph about that,” Marcus said apologetically. “I’m only allowed to talk to you about what pertains to you. But don’t worry, Joseph destroys all the information once you’re no longer a person of interest to him.”
Allie fell silent. She was slightly annoyed that Joseph seemed to know everything about her life, yet she was only given information when it served his purposes.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, the car slowed, giving Allie a quick look at the front of Joseph’s shop, then turned down a tight alley on the side of the building and stopped at a steel door.
“We’re here,” Marcus announced as he leapt from the vehicle and opened her door.
“Marcus?” Allie asked as she stepped out of the car. “Do you ever feel like your relationship with Joseph is completely one-sided? Like he only lets you know what’s going on after it’s too late?”
Marcus laughed. “Every day.”
“And it doesn’t bother you?”
“Not at all.” He smiled. “The less I know, the better. I’d rather not become anxious over the ‘what ifs’ and just deal with whatever comes. That kind of worry can make you second-guess yourself…it gets in the way of what you need to do.” Marcus sighed heavily. “Look, I know this is all new for you. But trust me. I’ve known Joseph long enough to know he’ll always have your best interest at heart. Just give him time and earn his trust, and he’ll open up to you. Just don’t tell him I said that, okay?”
Allie smiled. “Okay.” It was nice to be able to talk about Joseph with someone, since she couldn’t tell anyone about him, not even Patience.
When they went inside, Allie’s jaw dropped. There were shelves upon shelves filled with pristine statues and knickknacks that were both beautiful and strange in the dim light. She marveled at each piece, amazed that while some items looked like they belonged in a dump, others were immaculate and appeared to be museum-quality.
As they meandered into the shop’s main room, Allie stopped when a delicate music box caught her eye. It was shiny sterling silver with a lid that had a lovely image of a ballerina on a stage in front of hundreds of spectators. The dancer’s iridescent dress was inlaid mother of pearl, and beautiful white and blue gemstones sparkled around her, reminding Allie of the stars in the night sky. She opened the lid, caressing the soft red velvet lining, which was still remarkably clean and bright, despite being slightly torn and tattered with age. As she stared into the tiny box, Allie’s imagination drifted away with the thought of who had once owned this treasure.
“It’s from the early 1900s, as far as I can tell. I acquired it at an auction in 1986. It was found in the charred remains after a fire at an opera house in Prague.” Allie turned around to see Joseph approaching. In his fine black tuxedo with an overcoat and scarf, he was almost dashing in contrast to his usual self. He smiled at her surprised expression. “How are you, Allison?”
“I’m good.” She smiled, looking him up and down. “Don’t you clean up nicely?”
“Thank you,” he chuckled, adjusting his glasses. “It’s my lucky tuxedo. Hopefully it’ll bring us some good fortune today. I have chosen something for you as well. We can head to the airport as soon as you’re ready. Marcus will show you to the dressing room.”
“Aren’t we going to look a little strange, going through airport security all dressed up?” Allie asked. “We’ll attract a lot of attention.”
Joseph laughed. “It’s a private airport.”
“He means it’s his,” Marcus explained. “Follow me, Allie.”
She followed Marcus to a small changing room tucked away in the back of the store. When she stepped inside the dressing room, Allie instantly felt out of her element. A navy blue velvet gown detailed with sequins hung on the mirror in front of her.
Allie gasped at the dress. This is better suited for a princess than me, she thought.
She was surprised at the array of luxury before her. A stand on the small dressing table held a sleek black bob wig with a diamond barrette. A pair of white opera gloves and elegant navy blue shoes completed the ensemble. She gently touched the gloves, still feeling unworthy of the elegance. She noticed a small vanity with an ornately-carved wooden box resting quietly on top in the opposite corner of the room.
When she opened the box, Allie was speechless. A strand of pearls and diamonds with a large sapphire pendant lay in the satin interior with the matching earrings nestled on either side of it. Allie let out a heavy sigh and sat down at the tiny vanity and looked at the array of makeup placed there for her use.
Twenty minutes later, Allie emerged from the dressing room. She felt as if she’d been forced to go on a reality television makeover show, and this was the so-called big reveal. The glamorous clothes and jewelry made her feel self-conscious.
“You look wonderful,” Joseph said, smiling as he walked over to her.
“I feel ridiculous.”
“Good. It means I got it right.” Joseph grinned. “You have to remember that most of the women at these private gatherings are nothing more than trophy wives,” he said, handing Allie a passport with what looked like a modified picture of her matching her current appearance.
“Allison Pritzker?” Allie read out loud. “What kind of last name is that?”
“It’s a common name of one of the wealthiest families in the country. If anyone asks, you’re a distant cousin.”
“Great.” She let out a long nervous breath. “No pressure there.”
“Don’t worry. It’s a very misogynistic social circle. I’ll be doing most, if not all of the talking,” he teased.
“Car’s ready!” Marcus called from the side door of the building.
“Ready?” Joseph asked holding out his arm.
Allie laughed. “As ready as I’ll ever be in these heels.”
“You’ll be fine,” Joseph said as they walked toward the side door. “Just relax…and breathe.”
***
When the car reached Joseph’s private airport, Allie was surprised by how deserted the place was. The few buildings that were there seemed to have been untouched for years. Long weeds sprouted up through cracks in the pavement.
Marcus drove the car toward a small hangar near the back corner of the property, which was surrounded by trees and overgrown bushes. As the car approached, the hangar doors automatically slid open to reveal a very expensive-looking private jet.
Once inside, Marcus parked the car in the back corner of the hangar.
“Thank you,” she said taking his hand as he helped her from the car. “Where’s the flight crew?”
“There isn’t one,” Joseph explained, adjusting his purple-tinted glasses as he made his way toward the plane. “Marcus is an excellent pilot. Self-taught, in fact. He’s only crash-landed twice so far,” he chuckled as he boarded the plane.
“He’s not serious, is he?” Allie asked apprehensively. No matter how many times she’d flown, it always made her extremely nervous.
Marcus nodded. “Well, the second time was his fault, but don’t worry. You’ll be fine,” he smiled as he helped her up the steps and into the passenger cabin.
The interior was completely different from any commuter airplane Allie had ever been in. It was as if someone had built a plane around a fancy living room.
“Would you like a drink?” Joseph offered.
“Yes, please!” Allie blurted as she buckled herself in, hoping the alcohol would ca
lm her nerves. As the plane slowly taxied to the runway, Joseph handed her a full glass of expensive whiskey. “We’ll be there in about four hours.”
“Four?” she gaped. “Where are we going?”
“To a small island off the coast of South America,” he replied, sitting down. “The extended flight will give us time to get our game plan together.” Joseph took a deep swig from his glass and let out a heavy sigh, grimacing slightly. “To be perfectly honest…I hate flying, too.”
-13-
Despite the luxury of the private plane, Allie thought the flight to South America was long and dull because Joseph had spent almost the entire flight in the cockpit with Marcus. As the second hour of solitude drifted into the third, she reclined her seat and closed her eyes. She had been dozing comfortably when the plane suddenly dipped.
“What going on?” she asked, panicked, as the jet hit a pocket of turbulence, jostling the plane and startling Allie awake.
“There’s a rather powerful storm passing over the island where we’re trying to land,” Joseph said as he buckled himself into the seat across from her. “It might be a bit of a rough landing. The good news is that there will most likely be a smaller crowd. Only the most serious of attendees will attempt a difficult landing like th—”
“Yeah, I get it!” she snapped, abruptly cutting him off. “There will be less people for you to sort through.” Allie wasn’t in the mood for one of Joseph’s long-winded stories.
“Good.” Joseph smiled. “I’m glad we’re on the same page.”
Allie closed her eyes, trying to focus on keeping her breathing steady, gripping the arms of her seat with white knuckles.
“Joseph,” Marcus’s voice crackled through a speaker on the wall. “I’ve got a slight problem.”
“What is it, Marcus?”
“We’re about fifty miles from the runway, but the wind at this altitude is making it nearly impossible for a safe landing. Can you give me a hand, please?”
