Cascade (45 page)

She gave the phone to her brother and
pressed herself into Sandy. Sandy held onto the heartbroken little
girl. They listened to Nash’s excited and proud talk about
working.

“
We met this guy named
Jorge,” Nash said. “He showed us how to use a shovel and how to
write our names in our gloves so no one steals them. He helped us
get lunch from the roach coach. Did you know they call them that?
So funny. But there aren’t real roaches there. And you know what,
Dad?”

They could almost hear Aden say ‘what?’

“
It’s not horrible. Work,
you know,” Nash said. “But I’m going to college. No way I’m
spending my life with a shovel in my hand. Sam says we’re working
for him until he and Sandy figure out what to do about school. And
that’s all right. After I get back in school, I think I’d like to
work a little bit.”

Sandy watched Nash listen to his father. For
a moment, the image of the man he would become appeared like a
shadow in the boy’s face.

“
Ok, bye Dad. Love you
too.” Nash gave the phone to Sandy.

“
I only have thirty
seconds.” Aden spoke in a rush. “There’s nothing I can say that
would express how much I love you, how sorry I am, how grateful I
am and how much I miss you. I can’t believe you already transferred
money and the kids seem so happy. And…”

The phone went dead. Sandy looked at the
phone then set it down. Using her hands, she herded the children to
her. They held onto each other for comfort against the awful hole
Aden’s voice had left in the now silent apartment. After a moment,
Noelle stepped back.

“
Let’s put some music on,”
Noelle said. “Miley?”

“
Slayer,” Nash said.
“Let’s make cookies.”

Sandy smiled at the kids.

“
Cookies and
Miley.”

“
Ah, man…” Nash
said.

“
She called it first,”
Sandy said. “We’ll listen to Slayer next. Then Bare Naked Ladies to
dance too.”

“
Let’s dance!” Noelle
said.

For a moment, they stood together as each
person was lost in their own sad thoughts. Sandy touched Noelle and
she ran to put the music on. Nash followed Sandy into the kitchen
to make cookies.

At first, they moved like ice skaters, in
practiced ways that created predictable responses. No one wanted to
scratch the surface of their sorrow. Within minutes, they were
dancing their way through the cookie recipe. Sandy and Nash cheered
to Noelle’s impressive solo on a wooden spoon microphone. Nash
tried to teach “the girls” some of his break dance moves.

By the time the first batch of cookies was
out of the oven, they were in the rhythm of life without Aden
again. Noelle settled down to her project and Nash napped on the
couch. Sandy sat down at her computer to work on the business plan
for her new salon.

The three survivors were becoming a
family.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR
Together

Friday morning — 8:24 A.M.

Sandy stood
inside the doorway admiring
her
salon. One wall
was painted a burnt orange color similar to Colorado sunrises.
There were four stations set up along the exposed brick side of the
studio. A changing room and a bathroom created the barrier between
the open space and three sinks in the back. Under the counter in
the back, Jacob had set up a front loading washer and dryer. There
were even two small offices upstairs and a basement room that ran
the length of the small storefront. The space was well laid out,
clean and beautiful.

Of course.

Jill had used money from a foundation Celia
set up. The foundation’s mission is to help women get started in
business. Jill took the reins around the first of the year and
Sandy was their first recipient. The foundation also loaned her
money at a low interest rate. With the loan, she received a bevy of
financial advisors, mostly Lipson Construction employees. Tres
Sierra was going to help her set up her finances on QuickBooks. Sam
gave her a template for her business plan and would review it when
she was ready.

Jacob offered to sell her the storefront
but, in her first decision as a business owner, she said she’d
rather rent. For now. When the business was successful, she would
look at buying the space. Plus it looked like the Feds were going
to hang onto the money from her father’s house. She didn’t want
more debt than required. Jacob set up a reasonable rent which she
could easily afford.

Because her life was in danger, Jacob had
called the business ‘By appointment only.’ He tinted the front
window to prevent anyone looking in during the day. There was a
combination lock on the door. Only legitimate clients could get in.
Last night, Jill had painted ‘By appointment only’ in script
letters on the window. Sandy now owned the most exclusive salon in
Denver. No walk-ins. No online appointments. Her clients were
either regulars or came by named referral.

Luckily, her expenses were low enough that
she could afford to be the only hairdresser at the salon. Someday,
she’d invite some of her hairdresser friends to join her. But for
now, while there was a threat to her life, she could afford to work
by herself.

And work she did. She had as many clients as
she did during the busy holiday season. Everyone who’d heard about
Aden or read the story on the front page of the Denver Post figured
out what happened to her. The phone rang off the hook. Of course,
she had to stop at five now. No late nights when you have kids.

Luckily, Nash and Noelle were used to a
working parent. They didn’t expect her total attention. Of course,
they were up all night finishing Noelle’s semester project. This
morning, the little girl had beamed over her project. Sandy got the
kids fed and ready then sent Noelle off to school with Jill. Sore,
but willing, Nash went with Sam to work.

Sandy was dropped off by MJ and Honey on
their way to the trial. She would spend the day styling MJ’s team
finishing with Alex, Raz and maybe Max, if he could make it. For
the first time, most of the team members were bringing heir wives
and children today. She was excited about meeting the families.

Humming, Sandy flicked on the music and
waited for her first client, Troy. Today was going to be a good
day.

~~~~~~~~

Friday afternoon — 4:35 P.M.
Prague, Czech Republic

Valerie’s eyes scanned Mike’s face. She was
off early from the set with orders not to return until tomorrow
afternoon. She thought he’d be delighted. Bud he’d barely looked at
her since she got home. His entire attention was focused on the
angry painting in front of him.

“
I thought you’d be happy
that I didn’t have to work tonight or tomorrow morning,” Valerie
said.

Mike’s head jerked up to look at her.
Transitioning from painting to Valerie, he sighed out his
anger.

“
I’ve had a rough day,” he
managed.

Valerie slipped her hands around his face.
She kissed him and moved to hold him. He caught her hands. Stepping
back from her, he kissed her hands and turned away from her.

“
Wow, you’re really
angry.”

“
I’m sorry,” he said. “It
doesn’t have anything to do with you.”

“
If it has something to do
with you, then it has something to do with me,” Valerie said. “Talk
to me, Mike. Tell me what’s going on. Maybe I can help.”

Mike set his brush down. He wiped his hands
on a nearby towel. Stretching his neck, he took a drink of water
and nodded to her.

“
I do love the way you
smell after work,” he said. “Sweaty and sexy. How are you
feeling?”

“
Great,” she said. “Did
you notice that I’m getting a pooch?”

Mike put his hands on what Valerie called
her ‘pooch’ – a tiny bulge in her flat stomach between her
protruding hips.

“
You look radiant,” he
said.

While her eyes scanned his face, his paint
stained fingers touched her hair, forehead and chin before pulling
her to him.

“
What happened
Mike?”

“
Yesterday, Mom told me
that Otis is actually her father, my grandfather.”

“
Why didn’t you tell me?”
Valerie asked.

“
I’d rather be preoccupied
with you than deal with more family crap.”

“
Ok.” Valerie stepped back
from him. “Why are you angry today?”

“
I asked him about it this
morning and we got into an argument,” Mike said. “His ‘friends’ are
actually his bodyguards. He’s lied to me about everything and
I…”

“
Can’t trust him,” she
said.

“
Don’t want to have
anything to do with him,” Mike said. “Guess who the new producer on
your film is? The one who stepped in at the last minute when they
got rid of the other guy?”

“
Your
grandfather.”

“
Good guess,” Mike said.
“He said he did it to bring us to Prague. He said he wanted to meet
me, get to know me again, he even said he taught me to play chess
when I was a toddler. He and I played together everyday when we
lived in Russia.”

“
It sounds very sweet. Why
are you angry?”

“
I don’t like being lied
to. I don’t like that you got this job because of some mobster. I
don’t like…”

Valerie smiled at him. She took his hand and
led him to the couch.

“
I feel trapped,” Mike
said.

“
By what?”

“
Family history I can’t
understand, don’t understand. I’d never ever be friends with a
mobster,” Mike said. “But I love the man. Have from the moment I
met him. I don’t know if I remember him or what. He’s funny, smart…
We have the most interesting conversations about people,
philosophy, life... I enjoy talking to him. And he kills
people.”

“
So does your
father.”

“
That’s a whole other
story,” Mike said. “He told me I was behaving like a child, a
spoiled American child. I grew up with food, shelter and safety.
Maybe it wasn’t perfect, but I never wanted for basic necessities.
I had no idea what I would do if I had to make the choice for
myself and my family. If my family was starving, no heat in the
bitter winter, no education, no opportunity, would I join the
bratva? Or would I sit in judgment like I am now? It’s easy to
judge when your belly is full. That’s what he said. Easy to judge
when your belly is full.”

“
My belly’s fully of
babies.” Valerie’s attempt to defuse Mike’s self loathing fell
flat.

“
I feel dirty and stupid,”
Mike said. “You’re a talented actress. And you’re doing a great
job. The director says you’re fabulous in this role. He’s thinks
you might become the next action babe. And you should be the next
action babe. I just hate the idea that you got this job because of
him.”

“
I don’t care how I got
this job,” Valerie laughed.

“
You don’t?”

“
No. It’s one of life’s
opportunities. I’m going to do my very best and hope that it builds
my career. I’m grateful to take the opportunity. Plus, what’s the
difference? Hollywood is like it’s own bratva. Russian mob,
Hollywood mob. They aren’t that different.”

“
Oh,” Mike
said.

“
What’s this really about?
It’s not about me or the film or even…”

“
I don’t want to love a
monster,” Mike said. “When I got home, I looked him up on the
Internet. There are a bunch of websites about the things he’s done
– arms sales, drugs, money laundering. I guess he’s not into
prostitution or people trafficking… slavery, that’s one of the
Russian mob specialties. But if that was true how did he know about
Jill and Katy?”

“
You’re not him, Mike,”
Valerie said. “By luck or good fortune, you don’t have to make the
choices he’s made. You can love him and not be him.”

Mike dropped his head against her shoulder.
She could barely understand his words.

“
I want to be a good
person.”

She tilted his head up so he was looking
into her eyes.

“
You are a good person,”
she said.

“
How can I be when I come
from such… filth?”

“
Maybe it’s not filth.
Maybe it’s just different,” she said. “And I understand what you’re
saying. I felt like that for a long time. How can I love when my
father betrayed my mother? How could I be an actress when my family
digs holes for a living?”

He shook his head.

“
Let’s invite him over for
dinner,” Valerie said. “Whatever he is or isn’t in life, he is your
grandfather. You’re an amazing human being. Your grandfather must
be as well.”

“
He told me that he helped
Alex find me in Afghanistan. Turns out the Afghani’s get their
weapons from the Russian mob. He found out I was missing from one
of those people you hired. He worked his contacts until he found
Alex looking for me. Together, that’s what he said, together they
convinced the Afghani’s to give us up,” Mike said. “I owe him my
life.”

“
Then we do need to have
him over,” Valerie said.

“
He owns this place,” Mike
said.

“
Ok.” Valerie shook her
head. “I really hate him more now because he saved your life and
let us stay in this beautiful apartment while I work. And that
chess thing, boy that really pisses me off.”