Blood in the Marsh (32 page)

Nick stopped and gave the man a surprised look. “This it?” The man pointed to the box on the coffee table.

“Yeah,” Nick answered. “You want to elaborate on that last comment.”

The man put the box containing the flask into his briefcase and sat down. “South America, remember? Seems like he was there about the same time as you. Some bit player. We did a background check and turned up some strange things. The County was virtually broke when he went to Columbia. He made his living off rich women who liked having a man with a title as—an escort. But about three months after the Columbia incident he suddenly became a very rich man.”

“You’ve got my attention,” Nick said as he sat down.

“Seems like a lot of property and assets suddenly changed hands during those three months. We don’t have all of it, but it looks like the bulk of it came from a mother company called ASM Odeus.”

Nick’s eyes narrowed. “Is that so?”

The man nodded. “Apparently he managed to somehow inherit a substantial sum of money from a guy by the name of Juan Ramirez.”

“Nick looked up sharply. “But that’s the guy…”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” The man nodded. “That’s the dude we found dead—the guy who was supposed to be the ring leader of the group in Columbia.”

Nick looked at the man. “Listen, I want you to check and see if you can find out what happened to the rest of Kostanza’s estate.”

“We’ve already tried that,” the man replied. “And you wouldn’t believe the paper trail. It’ll take us months to figure it all out—if we do figure it out, that is. Whoever set things up was a master.”

Nick stood up. “Well, find out everything you can about the Count and when he got here. I want to know the exact date.”

“This connected?” the man asked.

Nick nodded. “If it weren’t, I wouldn’t ask.”

The man nodded as he stood up. “Okay, I’ll get on it. I’ll call as soon as we know. Lab should have this analyzed by the morning. I’ll tell them to call and let you know what they find.”

Nick let the man out and returned to the den. “You can come out now,” he said as he sat down on the couch.

Lyra looked in the doorway from the front hall and Nick looked over at her. “Hear anything interesting?”

She walked into the. “You want to tell me what that stuff about Columbia was about?”

“Not really.”

“Well, don’t you think I have a right to know?”

“No.”

“Fine.” She turned to leave but Nick jumped up and bounded across the room, grabbed her,

and jerked her around. “I’d suggest that you stop eavesdropping on private conversations. There are some things I can’t discuss with you and this childish habit you have of—“

Lyra jerk free and slapped him. “Take your hand off me this instant!”

Nick’s face stung from the slap and his temper threatened to erupt. His grip tightened on her arm and he jerked her up close to him. “Don’t ever do that again.”

“Or what?” she taunted him.

Nick took a deep breath to calm himself, but the way she challenged him with her eyes made it hard. “I’m not going to get into a fight with you.”

“Well, why not?” She tried to pull free. “You fight everyone else! That’s all you know how to do, anyway! If it weren’t for fighting and killing, your life would be just an empty shell. It’s all you have so why not just be true to your nature. And let go of me!”

She tried to slap him again but he knocked her hand aside and grabbed her long hair, pulling her head back so that he stared down into her eyes. “Don’t push me, Lyra.”

Lyra pushed at him, her eyes flashing in anger.

“Let go of me now!” she hissed

Lyra’s eyes widened as his lips crushed hers in a brutal kiss. She struggled against him, working her hands between them to push at his chest.

His breath was harsh as she shoved him away and his eyes blazed. He started to reach for her again and she jumped back, raising her hands in front of her. “Stay away from me.”

“Lyra, I—”

“No. Shut up. And get out. Now.”

“Lyra—”

“Get out!” The strength of her scream surprised even her.

Nick looked at her for a long moment, then turned on his heel and left the room. Lyra ran to the door, checked to make sure he wasn’t waiting for her then raced to her room, locking the door behind her.

She thought about going to Michael. Feeling his arms around her had a strong appeal. When she was with him, she felt safe and strong. But she couldn’t spend her life depending on someone else for strength. Besides, if she called him then there was a chance Nick would realize something was going on and she wasn’t ready to get into that. As cowardly as it was, she didn’t think she could face a fight between him and Michael. Particularly not one she was the cause of.

She thought and fretted for hours, finally curling up on the bed. The next thing she knew she was waking up. She pushed herself up to a sitting position and looked across the room.

A shadowy figure was sitting on the sofa.

“Lucius?” she whispered, pulling the sheet tighter around her. “Is that you? Am I dreaming or is this real?”

“Follow your instincts, Lyra.” His voice was soft. “You have all the pieces of the puzzle. Now you just have to assemble them. Don’t let anyone confuse you.”

“But I don’t have all the pieces! Lucius, nothing really makes sense. These people that Adoul gathers around him; they don’t really follow any particular doctrine or set of beliefs as far as I can tell. It’s like they don’t know what they’re doing when they inscribe those circles and…”

“It is irrelevant as to whether the symbology makes sense. You see, in essence, all his followers really believe in is him and he does not dictate any ideology other than their submission and obedience. You are letting yourself get caught up in the imagery and not the substance.”

She thought about what he said for a moment. “I think maybe it’s time I got a closer look around. I still want to get a good look at that amulet, and I want to check and see if I can find anything at Lexi’s that will tie Leo into all this, and I want to see if I can discover who the people are that…”

“Lyra, listen to me,” Lucius said as he stood. “Time grows short.”

She nodded and didn’t speak as he talked. “First of all,” he said as he pulled a sheaf of folder papers from his coat. “This is the remainder of the journal.”

“You’re the one who took it?” Lyra was surprised. “Why?”

“To protect you,” he said simply.

“From what?”

“Lyra please,” he implored as he returned the papers to his coat. “You must listen to me.”

“Okay.” She fell silent.

When he finished she stared at him incredulously. “Are you telling me the truth?”

“You must decide that for yourself. Have I ever lied to you before?”

She shook her head. “No, never. But I don’t know if I can do this. I mean, what if I mess up or someone finds out?”

Lucius smiled at her. “No one will—at least not until it is too late for them to change things. You are the only one who can do this, Lyra. It is up to you. Now, the only question that remains is will you?”

She thought about it for a few moments then nodded her head. “Yes. I will.”

“Good. I am very proud of you, Lyra. You’re grown into a very remarkable woman.”

“Thank you,” she said with a smile and climbed off the bed. “I guess I better get moving so I can get over there before anyone finds out I’m gone. Nick and Michael will have a fit if they find out… Lucius?”

She looked around, but he was no longer there. Falling back on the bed, she sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, willing herself to be calm. When she opened her eyes, she was in the bed with the covers pulled up to her chin.

Jumping up, she looked at the time. It was a little past two in the morning. Quickly she crept down the hall, pausing at each bedroom door to listen for movement. Letting herself out of the house, she ran down the driveway and looked down the street. There were no cars parked on the road and she didn’t see anyone about. Sprinting briskly, she started down the street toward Lexi’s house.

When she reached the house she could see lights on downstairs, but the upstairs was dark. She went around to the back of the house and slowly opened the gate to look in at the terrace. It was empty. She made her way to the large picture windows in the back and peeked in. She jumped as she saw who was inside. Nick sat in the den as Leopold poured them drinks.

Running to the opposite end of the house, she let herself in the servant’s entrance. Making it to the kitchen without being seen, she eased into the hall and made her way toward the den. Hearing footsteps, she rushed into the study that was adjacent to the den and dove behind the sofa.

“Will there be anything else, sir?” she heard the housekeeperr, Greta, ask from the other room.

“No, that will be all,” Leopold replied.

Footsteps sounded again in the hallway and Lyra got up and went to the door that opened into the den. Cracking it open a tiny bit, she could see Leopold taking a seat across from Nick.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Zampella?” Leopold asked with a chuckle.

“The price for the girl is twenty million,” Nick said sharply.

“Twenty million?” Leopold raised his eyebrows. “Well, that is a very tidy sum. “

Nick smiled coldly. “A pittance in comparison to the rewards joining with her will bring, wouldn’t you say?”

Leopold nodded. “Yes, that is so. But then, what assurance is there that she will give herself willingly?”

Nick took a sip of his drink and laughed. “That is not a problem.”

“And the transference?” Leopold asked. “Is there a host, should the need arise to take a new identity?”

“That’s been taken care of as well,” Nick said. “I’ve located the perfect candidate—handsome, charming and a true pillar of the community. One of the police department’s finest.”

Leopold laughed and raised his glass in a toast. “I must salute you, Mr. Zampella. It seems you have thought of everything. Let us seal our bargain with this toast. Success!”

Nick nodded and raised his glass. “Yes, success.”

Lyra had heard enough. She felt as if she were in the middle of a nightmare. He said he loved me! But all along, he was just playing me for a fool. He was looking for Adoul so he could make a deal and I led him right to Leo. God, he plans to sell me!

She crept out of the hall door of the study and made her way back through the servant’s quarters. She felt as if she was going to be sick, and her was heart was pounding so hard in her chest she felt as if it would explode.

Running back to Lucius’, she let herself in and went upstairs to her room. She paced back and forth with Nick and Leo’s conversation running through her mind. She wanted to cry or shout or something. Anything to get rid of the horrible feelings running through her. She had been such a fool to trust Nick. But now she knew the truth and somehow she had to prevent him and Leo from completing their plans.

She rushed out of the room and ran headlong into Michael as he was coming out of his room.

“Hey! Where’s the fire?” he asked as they collided.

Lyra didn’t look up at him. “Sorry. Couldn’t sleep.”

“Neither can I,” he said. “Why don’t we go downstairs and watch a movie or something?”

She nodded and followed him downstairs. He put a disc into the DVD player and walked over to the bar. “Want something to drink?”

Lyra sat down on the couch and looked at him. “What’re you having?”

“Bourbon.”

“That’s fine. Straight up and bring the bottle.”

Michael gave her a strange look but said nothing. Getting two glasses and a bottle from behind the bar, he walked over to the couch and sat down beside her.

“Something you want to talk about?” he asked as he poured two tumblers a third full of the amber liquid.

She shook her head. She wanted to tell him but she wasn’t ready. It was too unbelievable. He’d think she was insane. And right now, she did not want to believe it herself. She wanted to pretend it hadn’t happened, that it was all a bad dream. .

She took the glass Michael handed her and drank it down in two swallows. The liquor burned her throat and made her eyes water. She choked slightly and held out the glass. “More, please.”

Michael shook his head. “Lyra, whatever’s bothering you, this isn’t going to change it. You’re not going to find any solutions in this bottle.”

She snatched up the bottle and filled her glass to the rim. “I don’t need a sermon, Michael, so drop it, okay?”

“All right,” he agreed. “You wanna get plastered, then let’s do it.”

He tossed back his drink and filled his glass again then touched the rim of it to hers. “Here’s to getting knee-walking, toilet-hugging, falling-down drunk.”

Lyra scowled and took a deep breath then drained her glass. After a moment, Michael followed her lead. She flopped back against the couch and stared blankly at the television. It took only a few minutes for the alcohol to take effect and soon she felt curiously warm and unfocused.