Deadly In Stilettos (41 page)

             
Arriving at the Plaza, Makei saw Sidney get into a cab and immediately knew Demi was in trouble. He hoped he was not too late. Thanks to Brian, he knew that she and Greg were playing sick games with Demi’s life. When he got inside the hotel, the lobby was in an uproar. Guests were huddled together talking, and he overheard one woman mention a suite number, saying she’d heard loud noises coming from it. Makei dashed into a stairwell, taking three steps at a time. When he finally made it to the floor of Demi’s suite, what he saw shocked him.

             
Police, paramedics, and several hotel guests and staff roamed the hall or clustered around an open door. How had they all gotten there so fast, unless they occupied that floor? He had only been ten minutes behind Demi. Makei pushed his way inside the suite. Years of playing football worked to his advantage. No one was able to keep him from getting to the woman he loved. He stopped when he saw Demi’s bloody body lying on the floor, three paramedics kneeling beside her, working frantically on her. A police officer grabbed him when he tried to go to her.

             
“Sir, you cannot be here. You are damaging the crime scene. Please stand back. Let the paramedics work on her.”

             
Makei was relieved to know Demi was still alive, but by the looks of things, that could change immediately. He held his breath. From the sight before him, he’d thought she was dead. The officer asked him again to leave the room, but Makei could not move his feet. He was staying until he knew Demi was okay. The officer let him stay, and Makei listened as a paramedic gave the officer his report.

             
“She is lucky to be alive. It looks like she was holding her shoes over her heart, and the knife her attacker used, sliced the shoes instead of piercing her heart. She’s still got some pretty bad wounds and we need to get her to the hospital. She has lost a lot of blood, but she will survive.”

             
“Can I go with her?” Makei said. “She’s my wife.”

             
The officer nodded, but told Makei he would need to make a statement. Makei ran to Demi’s side grabbing her hand. Her eyes opened and she smiled at him. Tears overflowed his eyes as he looked down at the woman he loved. He could have lost her. She tried speaking, but he pressed his fingers to her lips. “Save your strength, Sweetheart. I will be right here when you wake up. Now rest!” Demi closed her eyes and rested.

             
While the paramedics wheeled the gurney through the crowded lobby, Makei called Brian. The other man answered the phone quickly.

             
“I need you, man,” Makei said. “Meet me at the hospital. Demi has been attacked.” He could hear Tabitha’s voice in the background asking questions, but hung up before she grabbed the phone from Brian. He didn’t have time, nor did he want to explain things over the phone. He and Brian had been friends since middle school. They went to the same college, and played football together, until Brian got injured and had to quit. Although they had gone different ways, they kept in touch and remained good friends. With Tabitha back in Brian’s life, the two men were talking nearly every day, both concerned about Demi. Makei was the one who suggested Brian go to Dallas after Anya’s death. They were also working on a plan to get more information about Greg Stanley. That was turning out to be a waste since he was such a good boy. Now that he had ties to Sidney Kickass, though, Greg was in for a big surprise. Demi had been hurt, was fighting for her life once again, and Greg was partly to blame. Makei hated Greg and Sidney. He would make sure they never left New York.

             
When they arrived at the hospital, Demi was taken straight into surgery. Makei paced the waiting room until Brian and Tabitha arrived. Tabitha was shocked to see Makei there, but they all prayed for Demi’s full recovery. Tabitha cried in Brian’s arms. Her friend was in trouble again, and she was not there to protect her. Why had she let Demi leave? If she had stayed with them, this would have never happened. As if he sensed what she was thinking, Brian assured her it was not her fault.

             
“The person or persons responsible for this will pay,” he said. “I promise you!”

             
Tabitha rested her head on Brian’s shoulder. She knew who was behind this, and she most certainly would pay. Demi was in surgery for the next three hours. The doctor came out to the waiting room immediately to speak with them. “She’s in recovery. She is a very lucky young lady. Whoever did this to her was definitely trying to kill her. Like the paramedics said, if she had not been holding her shoes, she would be dead.”

             
Tabitha smiled for the first time. She knew that Demi always took her shoes off at the door. No matter where she was or who she was with, she never entered anywhere she rested her head with her shoes on. Her Aunt Charlotte taught her that. Tabitha didn’t know why, but in that moment she didn’t care. She was just glad that was a rule Demi never broke. Makei must have known the same thing about her, because she heard him sa
y
, ‘thank you, Aunt Charlotte
.
’

             
The police officer Makei talked to at the hotel joined them. He said he was glad that Demi was okay, but needed to talk to Makei now. Brian and Tabitha went to the cafeteria, leaving him to speak with the officer alone.

             
“Sir, do you know of anyone who might want to hurt your wife? Does she have any enemies? Do you recall hearing her say anything about someone threatening or following her? Would anyone want to hurt because of you, Sir?”

             
All the answers to the officer’s questions were yes, but Makei just shook his head no. The person responsible for this would have to deal with him. He did not need the police to interfere. The officer made notes on a pad, removed a card form his jacket pocket, and thanked Makei for his corporation wishing them well. “If you think of anything that may have slipped your mind, call me.” Makei nodded, placing the card in his back pocket with no intentions of ever looking at it again. He wanted to see Demi. He asked a nurse if it would be all right if he saw her for just a minute. She said she would come get him as soon as Demi had been moved from recovery to her room. A long hour passed, and then the nurse told him what room Demi was in.

             
As Makei walked down the long white hallway, he felt a pain in his chest. His heart was beating fast, trying to prepare him for what lay ahead. He asked for a private room for Demi, and had already called a security firm that one of his friends owned, to provide 24-hr protection. He arranged for the two rooms on either side of hers to remain empty. He did not want to take the chance that someone would give any information to the media including the fact that Demi was alive. As he pushed open the door, Makei froze. There lay Demi hooked up to all kinds of machines. The nurse told him she’d probably be asleep because of the pain medication they’d given her. She looked so fragile and pale. Make fought back his tears. He wanted to be strong just in case she woke up. As if she knew he was there, she opened her eyes. She was groggy, though, and it took her a minute to recognize him.

             
“I…I thought you were in San… San Francisco?” Demi coughed. Her throat was on fire and her mouth was dryer than the Sahara desert. “Shh. I told you if you needed me I would be here. Rest. We’ll talk later when you can. I will be right here when you wake up.”

             
Demi wanted to argue, but thought better of it. Her body was in bad shape. Her strength was important if she was to make a full recovery. Besides, she had two people to see when she got out of there. Sidney and Greg would never get away with hurting her. She did not know which one of then attacked her, but that did not matter. She would make sure both of them suffered the ultimate consequence. She felt Makei’s soft lips kiss her forehead before she drifted back to sleep.

             
Makei sat by the bed watching Demi sleep peacefully. All he could think of was how he had almost lost her forever. That thought charged his rage even more. Sidney was a dead woman. She would suffer slowly when he got his hands of her. A knock on the door alarmed him, and he jumped up reaching behind his back to get his concealed weapon if needed. It was Tabitha and Brian. Tabitha could not bear seeing Demi so helpless. She ran from the room with her hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs. This was the second time in months that she had seen her friend so frail. She did not like it one bit. Brian followed her, holding her until she pulled away.

            
 
‘Why
?
’ she wondered. Why were bad thing still happening to someone as kind- hearted, beautiful, successful, and as loyal as Demi? She knew Demi was special and had a special purpose in life, but she was beginning to question it. Was God turning his back on her? Tabitha knew Demi did not go to church as she should or read the Bible, but why was she the one enduring so much pain when other people in the world continued doing horrible things, living any kind of way, and yet experienced happiness? With all the things Demi had confessed to her, Tabitha still did not think she deserved such harsh punishment. After all, those people had hurt Demi beyond repair. Tabitha excused herself from Brian. She found an empty room down the hall, locked the door, and prayed for her dear friend.

             
Tabitha prayed that happiness find Demi again. She prayed that God restore her faith in him and in people. She prayed that Demi start over, dedicating her life to him. She prayed many things, and when she left that room, she felt a new life was about to bloom. Demi would never be the same again. She would receive all the rewards God promised and more. Tabitha prayed that God would let her be around to witness it. It was way past due for her to leave, but moreover for Demi’s complete happiness to transpire.

             
Brian was waiting outside the door. He hugged Tabitha, letting her know that all would be well. Demi was a true fighter, and she would be back like never before. She would receive all the desires of her heart, the ones she had told him about, one day. Brian had great respect for Deminis Bradshaw. She was a woman of true virtue. Tabitha was lucky to have her, as she was lucky to have Tabitha. They all were blessed to have each other, he acknowledged. Luck had nothing to do with it. He held Tabitha’s hand as they walked back down to Demi’s room. Makei was walking out the door as they approached.

             
“I need some fresh air,” he said. “Tabitha, would you mind staying here until I get back? I don’t want her to wake up alone.”

             
“Sure, take all the time you need,” she said. She saw the love Makei had for Demi in his eyes, and smiled. His intentions towards her friend were good, and Tabitha knew that they would work out their problems and be happy together.

             
Brian joined Makei while Tabitha sat in the chair by Demi’s bed, staring at all the tubes and machines she was hooked up to. Someone was definitely out to kill her. As the thought crossed her mind, Tabitha suddenly knew who was behind Demi’s violent attack. Sidney Kickass. Tabitha was outraged. She hoped she got to her before anyone else. She would make sure Sidney never hurt anyone else. Then she quickly dismissed that thought, knowing that vengeance was not hers, but God’s. 

Chapter 31

THANKSGIVING CAME and went while
Demi stayed in the hospital recovering. She had to undergo two more surgeries before she was able to use her arms again. Physical therapy was hard and painful, but she fought through it. She wanted all of her strength and a fully functioning body for the task she had to fulfill. The nursing staff and doctors were great, as were the constant visits from Makei, Tabitha, and Brian. The only thing about being in the hospital was that Greg never came or called to check on her. Was he really that heartless? Had she ever meant anything to him? Soon she would be able to ask him those questions face to face. Demi was leaving the hospital that day. Christmas was in a week, and she was ready to go home. In times like these, Demi missed her Aunt Charlotte the most. She would not be in this silly hospital feeling sorry for her, if she were still alive. Aunt Charlotte would be baking one of her sweet potato pies, and Demi would forget everything else in the world with her first bite.