Luca's Dilemma (21 page)

“What the heck has gotten into you?” Damon asked, holding his position.

“Look! Someone put a headless mannequin in the hall. I don’t know about you, but I take that as some kind of warning before the stuff hits the fan. You can stay out here if you want, but I have no desire to become a statistic.”

Damon just stared at her, amusement growing in those large gray eyes of his.

“Fine! Stay out here and take on a serial killer if you want. I’m running for cover.” She turned to walk away, only to be stopped by Damon’s loud, boisterous laughter. Sheila turned to glare at him.

“Oh, you should have seen your face,” Damon managed to get out while pointing a finger at her and doubled over in hilarity. “That was priceless.”

Pissed beyond belief, Sheila found herself slapping his arm.

“Ouch! No need to get violent.”

“You’re lucky that little tap is all you got. What the hell, man? You scared the daylights out of me.” Her body started to tremble from aftershock.

“I’m sorry. You’ve been a little jumpy lately, and I wanted to cheer you up. I was just getting stuff together to take over to the community center. We’re donating these mannequins to the sewing club since the hospital no longer promotes scrub sales.”

“The community center? Shouldn’t we be getting ready for patients?”

“Boy, Sheila. I know you’ve been fighting the onset of the flu, but get with the program.”

“They’re allergies,” she protested, recognizing the whiny nasal character of her own voice.

Damon looked heavenward before speaking. “The lab’s closed.”

“What do you mean the lab’s closed?”

“Well, if someone would answer their phone, she’d know that last night’s major snow storm killed the power grid in this area. CMP’s been working on it all day but hasn’t been able to fix the problem yet. I volunteered to come by and wait for you since Sharon couldn’t get a hold of you this afternoon. Of course we didn’t know April was stuck here at the time.”

As if on cue, the lab door opened, admitting April into the hallway. “What’s all this noise out here?” she asked. She padded over to them wearing rainbow–colored toe socks on her tiny feet.

“Damon’s obviously into scaring people,” Sheila answered caustically.

“And you sound horri…” Her voice trailed off as her huge hazel eyes fell to Sheila’s left hand. “Oh, my goodness! When did you get engaged? The ring’s beautiful… and humungous!”

Before Sheila could answer, the man of the hour rounded the corner. “Hey. What’s with the headless mannequin?” Luca asked, gesturing his thumb in the direction he’d just come from.

As always, Sheila’s heart skipped a beat, happy to see him. She sashayed over to the one man who brought out the vixen in her, hugged him, and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. She pressed her palms to his chest when, in Luca fashion, he tried to turn it into something one should consider inappropriate with an audience standing by.

“Wait. What are you doing here? How did you get in?” she asked, stepping away from him, suddenly confused. As the words left her mouth, she realized the scream had taken a toll on her voice.

Luca’s eyes bugged. His voice was suddenly full of concern. “You sound terrible. How long have you been feeling like this?” He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead.

Was it her imagination, or had she just seen a touch of panic flash across his normally cool features? “For goodness sake, everybody, they’re allergies. I get them every year.”

“You didn’t have them last year,” April admonished with her hands on her slight hips.

Great!
Just what she needed her overprotective man to hear. “I worked with the twins during that terrible stretch last year. Thanks for conjuring up the bad memories there, April.”

“Sorry,” April offered. A red hue tinged her cheeks as her petite body began to literally close in on itself.

Casting Sheila a brief, but definite we’ll–talk–about–this–later look, Luca continued. “The front door was open. Apparently, the snow stopped it from closing all the way. You need to be more careful about things like that. What if someone else had followed you in? You already know how I feel about you working here. Finding the door unsecured like that only reinforces my displeasure for this entire situation.”

Before she could stop the impulse, Sheila rolled her eyes.

“Hey, hey, hey, none of that,” he chastised, sharply pointing his index finger at her. “Just because we came to an agreement doesn’t mean I’ve changed the way I feel. And, damn, this place is weirder than I remember,” he stated, giving the large corridor a once–over while digging in his pocket for something. “I got turned around trying to find you. Here, you forgot this at the house.” He held her cell phone out to her.

The compulsion to be mad at him for chastising her in front of her friends quickly dissipated. “Thank you.” That was her Luca, always looking out for her. She smiled and then stepped into his arms to gently press another chaste kiss to his full, eager lips. The thought of his words and actions sank in, reinforcing how much he really cared for her.

“Why are you standing out here?” he asked, gazing at her lovingly.

“You don’t want to know,” Sheila answered. Grabbing his hand, she led him over to her co–workers. Something told her it wouldn’t be a good idea to enlighten him on Damon’s warped sense of humor. “This is my fiancé, Luca Moriatti.”

“Fiancé?” April exclaimed.

With a coy smile, Luca stepped forward and shook hands with Damon and April. Both of her co–workers congratulated them. Sheila almost laughed at the look on April’s face when her eyes traveled up Luca’s tall body and met his face.

“Hey, I know you. Weren’t you in for a study a while back?” April asked with astonishment in her soft voice.

“Yeah, that was me. I heard there was this sexy lady working here and had to come check her out for myself.” Luca waggled his eyebrows.

April continued to stare up at him with wide eyes.

“He’s kidding, April,” Damon interjected, bumping his shoulder against hers. “Now, as for you, are you gonna stay here another night, or do you want a ride home? Remember there’s a chance the generator might cut out. If it does, it’s going to get very cold in here. And, as Sheila has shown us, it can be quite creepy when the lights go out.”

Sheila tensed a bit when Luca gave Damon a quizzical look. She relaxed when he withheld comment.

“I know. But if I go all the way home, I’ll have no way of getting back, and I have an appointment in town tomorrow. I’ll just stay here till my car is fixed, no biggie.”

“I don’t think so,” Sheila butted in. “You’re coming home with me.”

“Oh, Sheila, no. I can’t do that. I’m sure you need your privacy, having just gotten engaged and all.” Those simple, innocent words caused the straightforward, yet ever bashful, April to blush again.

“How comfortable are you driving in the snow?” Luca asked. Sheila could tell he was up to something.

“I’m a true Mainer. I’m fine driving in the snow,” April stated, straightening to her full five–foot–two height with pride.

“Good.” Before Sheila could protest, Luca snatched her keys from her hand and tossed them to April. “Gas tank should be almost full. I filled it yesterday in anticipation of the storm. Keep it as long as you need to.”

Sheila bit her tongue. She wasn’t too keen on anyone else handling her ride. True, Luca had overstepped his bounds again, but at least it was for a good reason.

April stared at her, looking every bit the innocent caught in the crossfire.

“And you want to make sure you turn the defrost on high if it starts snowing again. It works wonders to keep the windshield clear,” Sheila settled on saying, ultimately deciding to keep the peace.

April gave her a “duh” look before replacing it with a broad smile. “Thanks, Sheila. I’ve been looking forward to seeing my husband again. I promise to take good care of your car, and I’ll be sure to fill it up before I give it back.”

***

Five Days Later…

Aiko sat patiently in the office chair of the economy rental unit, watching the roving dot on her computer screen. A low beeping sound emitted from its speakers, alerting her of the vehicle’s location. The sudden click of the supposedly locked door behind her didn’t surprise her or deter her from her task. Something had told her he would show up sooner or later. He’d always been good at picking locks, especially when they stood between the two of them.

“Took you long enough,” she stated without turning to face the intruder.

“I beg to differ. I would’ve been here sooner if some amateur hadn’t gotten the clever idea to drop a body in the Pacific Ocean,” Steven said from behind her. The intensity of his gaze and awful choice of bow tie reflected off the mirror hanging above the desk she occupied.

“Perhaps your so–called amateur was simply trying to send a message.”

“And that would be?”

“Stay the fuck out of the way.”

Steven’s eyes narrowed and his jaw visibly tightened. “Watch it. I don’t care how old or tough you think you are, you will address me in the manner in which you were raised.”

It never ceased to amaze her how the man who’d purposely set out to make her the most dangerous woman in the world always had the tendency to balk at her colorful choice of words. At times like this, Aiko pined for the long ago days she’d spent hidden with her very British Aunt Sarah. She was more than sure that’s whom she’d inherited the occasional sass she exhibited from. Although both her British and Japanese cultures demanded she love and respect the man currently standing behind her, having been enlightened concerning his past deeds made it difficult to do at times.

“Yes, Father.”

“Much better.” Stepping away from her, he walked over to the bed, lifting his pants at the knees before sitting down. “So it’s true. You’ve taken on that rich girl assignment.”

“And apparently it’s true you’re still the great detective everyone claims you to be.” Try as she might, she couldn’t withhold the disdain from her voice.

Steven sighed. “Aiko, look at me.”

Grudgingly, she spun around to face him, drawing her knees up to her chest. She took in the tired eyes of the man she’d once adored. Upon discovering her sweet mother wasn’t enough for him, that admiration had swiftly spiraled into the pit of animosity. The man was a whore, a pillager of lives, taking and doing what he wanted with little or no regard for how his actions impacted the lives of others. In that instant, she saw the deeds of his past may have finally caught up with him, stealing precious grains from the sandglass of his life. His normally robust face was now gaunt with a yellowish undertone. Had it really been that long since she’d sat with her father face to face?

“I know I haven’t always set the best example for you. But, the way I see it, it’s never too late to start. Yes, I groomed you to help me destroy the Moriatti family. Things are different now.”

Aiko stared at him, purposely keeping her face devoid of any emotion. “So, one meeting with my dear long–lost brother and we’re supposed to start acting like one big happy family?”

“Not me. You. He’s your only other living blood relative besides me—”

“And, according to you, that family is the reason why you are the only living blood relative I have left. Am I to simply forget about that, or could it be all you’ve told me is a lie?” she challenged, hoping to finally get the truth out of the man who would probably be dead before the green grass blessed this frigid state again.

“—and you need to start bearing that in mind when considering some of your choices. Primarily some you’ve made lately,” Steven continued as though Aiko had said nothing. “Besides my son, I honestly give less than a damn about that family. However, when my time comes, I don’t want you to be left all alone in this world. And that woman is practically a Moriatti now. Perhaps you’ve forgotten the consequences that would undoubtedly ensue if something were to happen to her and they were to trace it back to you.”

Aiko said nothing.

“Fine. Wallow in your stubbornness. I hope to dickens you know what you’re doing because your little signal just stopped flashing.”

Chapter 17

“Of, Fwina. Ee’s or–ri–ble.”

“Would you please stop trying to talk around that thermometer? I’m trying to get an accurate reading. And no. Luca isn’t horrible. I’m with him on this one, lady. You don’t need to be going out when you have the flu,” Tina sternly lectured as she poured more water from the cool carafe into the glass beside Sheila’s bed. At the sound of the beep, she removed the thermometer from under Sheila’s tongue and nodded approvingly as she studied the digital display. “Much better. But you’re still hitting ninety–nine.”

She traded the thermometer in her hand for the glass of water she had just poured and handed it to Sheila. “Drink up. I, for one, am glad he called me in to talk some sense into you. You know the twins filed a complaint against you for threatening them.” She reclaimed the small bistro chair she’d dragged from the kitchen, wrapping the thick comforter draped over it around her tall frame.

Sheila propped her back up against the headboard to drink, thankful that the room no longer twirled when she moved. “I’m not too worried about that. It’s not like I showed up sick on purpose,” she started in between gulps of the cool water. “Yeah, the congestion and sore throat had been bothering me for a couple of days, but the fever, dizziness, and achiness bum rushed me mid shift. Now I know what it feels like to be a member of the WTF.”

Tina laughed hysterically. “I think you mean the WWE, as in the wrestlers. You make it sound like you were dying or something.”

“No, I meant the what–the–fuck–just–hit–me club. I ain’t even lying, girl.”

Tina almost fell off her chair.

“And, hell, for a while there I felt like I was dying. I’ve never thrown up that much in my life. And then to have one of those asinine heifers try to get me to check on her patient, knowing I was running a fever and about to go home sick…” Sheila’s words trailed off as she shook her head at the self–centeredness of her co–workers.