Glass Towers, Shattered (Glass Towers Trilogy) (33 page)

The departure date is for this Saturday.
What is he up to? I look in the envelope for another note, but find nothing. How can we go to the Caymans without being detected by Marion’s goons? Furthermore, why are we going now? The original ticket was for some time in December. I had actually forgotten about the trip, as there have been more pressing things happening lately.

Picking up my phone to call Harrison, I notice Albert sitting there.
I don’t want to have this conversation in front of him. I decide to wait until I am home, so I can do this in the privacy of my room. I finish packing up my case, adding the ‘Pandora’s envelope’ to my business papers and laptop. Aptly named, I smile to myself, that envelope has a whole lot going on in there.

We lock up and Albert drives me home in my Jeep.
I used to insist that I drive, but I have grown accustom to this set up. As with everything else, it seems that I have given in and handed over the keys.

While we are driving
, I get a text. It is from my agent friend, Candace.

5:12 PM

Candace Cell

Hey! Hoping you got my email. I sent over some properties to look at. Is next Monday good for you?

5:13 PM

Me

Hi! Yes, Monday is great and I will look over the options and let you know which ones I want to see.

5:15 PM

Candace Cell

Sounds great! Let me know by Friday so I can make sure we can have access. Some have current tenants so need 24 hours.

5:15 PM

Me

Oh of course. I will email you by Fri. then! Thanks C.

5:16PM

Candace Cell

Ok. Talk soon! Maybe coffee before we look? Miss you.

5:18 PM

Me

Sure, that sounds great! Talk soon!

It will sure be nice to have that taken care of, as I am anxious to get my new place. It has been so sweet of Clarke to be so gracious, but, I know that my being here cramps her style. It was very lucky that she had to be out of town for almost two weeks. It gave me run of the place while she was gone, aside from having Albert and Henry here. I guess we have been built-in dog sitters, now that I think about it. I glance over at my favorite Frankenstein and feel sentimental for an instant. Then, it passes. It will be a little strange to be completely alone again, once I move and Albert finally returns to Montreal. They will likely have to de-program him upon his arrival.  Or maybe that should be debug.  He has embraced our American culture well, but the trouble is which parts he has chosen to embrace.

We pull up to the house
, and I can see an excited Henry in the front window, jumping up and down. He needs a walk and to be fed. Once Albert opens the door he unarms the system. I tell him that I am going to take Henry for a walk. Albert doesn’t seem too thrilled with my going by myself, so he puts his coat on and heads off to the mudroom. I sit on the sofa to put my shoes on and then head out to the mudroom, where Albert and Henry await. I reach up to the peg and remove Henry’s leash, clipping it to his collar. Albert turns to open the door and then stops, with both Henry and I plowing right into his backside. He flips on the light switch and leans down, then stands back up. He turns to me, and I see a bouquet of red rose, or what used to be red roses, now rotted and black. I gasp. The creases on Albert’s forehead are like caverns. He takes a step backward, so as to shut the door. He locks the door again and pushes past me and a disappointed Henry. He disappears down the hall, speaking in French on his phone. I assume that he is talking to Harrison. Great. I was getting complacent, I think to myself. Marion isn’t going to let up, despite them having set a wedding date and shopped for rings. Whatever Harrison has uncovered and whatever he is planning to do to expose that bitch, it can’t come soon enough. I am at my wits end. I run into my room and shut the door, belly flopping onto my bed. I lay there, sobbing into the pillow. I must have cried for a good half hour. When I was finally done with my heaves, I heard a soft knock at my door. 

I cautiously open my door to a towering Albert with Henry standing behind him
, wagging his tail. “
Mademoiselle,
Mr. Towers wishes for you to call him. I took the dog for a walk and gave him dinner.” He gives me a quick smile and produces a white paper bag. “I got you some soup and sandwich.”

I step out of my room
, wiping my eyes with the cuff of my pink Juicy Couture sweatshirt. I had slipped into the sweatshirt sometime during my crying session; it seemed comforting. I wrap myself around Albert’s mid section and give him a quick squeeze. I look up into a bewildered face. “Thank you Albert!” I take the bag from his hand and head to the kitchen. 

After I sit down at the dining table
, I dig into my food. I glance around the room to catch a look at the decrepit flowers. Noticing that they are nowhere to be seen, “Hey Albert?”

From the sofa,
“
Oui mademoiselle
?”

“Where did you put the flowers?”

“Mr. Towers told me to dispose of them, so I put them in the sink aerator.” He says while pointing toward the kitchen.

I find myself grinning from ear to ear.
“Do you mean you put them in the garbage disposal?”

“
Oui
, I put them in the grinder.” I try very hard to stifle my laugh, but to no avail. I find myself laughing out loud. Poor Albert has no idea why this is funny to me.

“Sorry
, Albert. It just hit me funny that you put it down the sink disposal. Was there a note or anything else?”

“No, there was nothing.”
He turns back to the television, apparently just in time to catch an exciting play. He stands up and claps.

I pick up my purse and briefcase
, which I had left by the front door. “I’ll be in my room, if you need me.”

“Mmmmm.” I doubt
that he heard me. I could probably have told him that some Martians had just landed in the back yard and are here to take the flat screen. He would not have heard a single word. Ugh, men. Deep down, they are all the same.

Henry lifts his head to look at me and then closes his eyes.
I guess he is content, sitting at Albert’s feet. Now the dog is ignoring me too.

Once settled into my room
, I dig my phone out of my purse. I see that I have missed three calls from Harrison. I guess I should have called him right away; although, he knows that I am safe here with Albert and Henry.

I dial his phone.

“Danielle, finally! Why haven’t been answering your phone?” He sounds mad.

“Harrison
, we only just got home about an hour ago, and I needed to eat.” I know exactly why he is upset with me.

“Let me just point out that I know you had a little nasty surprise left for you tonight.
Are you okay? I told Albert to dispose of the flowers.   I figured you don’t need to deal with that.”

I giggle.

“Why are you laughing? Something I should know about?”  Now he sounds annoyed.

“Albe
rt took you literally and didn’t throw the flowers in the garbage. Instead, he put them in the garbage disposal and ran them down the drain.” I am now laughing out loud and so is Harrison.

At some point during the laughter
, all the rest of the pent up tension dissipated. It felt good to have a good cry earlier, but laughter
is
always the best medicine. For certain.

When I ca
tch my breath, I decide it’s probably time to address the delivery that I received from
him
today. 

“Harrison, I need to talk to you about the contents of the envelope I received from you today.”

“Uh huh. And?” There’s a lilt to his voice, and he sounds giddy.

“Under no circumstances can I accept such a large gift.
Not to mention, I will not accept the check either. It was a very generous offer, but in all good conscience I am unable to accept.”

“Who said I was simply giving it to you?
I expect you to work for every square foot and make certain that every penny is put to good use. I want to see what kind of magic you can perform on the place. The property deserves someone who will respect the integrity of the structure. I believe you are that person, and that thrills me.”

Why is he always so damned convincing.
  “Ok Harrison, we will need to set some ground rules. I will oversee the project and use the money you provided to ensure that the home and grounds are brought back to their original grandeur. However, I will not accept the deed. It is your property, and as such, I want you to own it and use it.”

“Hmmm.
You drive a hard bargain. I will think about the latter of the conditions. I’ll neither agree or disagree at this juncture. Let’s just get this project moving forward, and we’ll see where it takes us. Besides, I have other pressing issues in the immediate future to address.”

“Yes, wh
ich brings me to the other item in that treasure trove of an envelope. The ticket to the Caymans is for Saturday. That is two days from now.  What is this all about?”

“It’s like this Danielle, I need to go to the Grand Cayman islands to wrap up some details that will hopefully put an end to all of this nonsense.
I am already in Atlanta.”

I interrupt, “What?
When did you fly there? Why didn’t you tell me that you were leaving town, much less leaving the country to somewhere in the Caribbean?”

“I flew here to Atlanta this morning.
Tomorrow morning I fly out to the Grand Caymans, arriving late morning. Luckily, it’s a short flight. In the afternoon, I have a brief, but very important business transaction to oversee. Then no more work. I expect you to join me Saturday for a romantic escape for nine nights and ten days. No sneaking around, no looking over our shoulders. Just some much needed time to indulge in each other.”

Gasp.
My heart’s desire is coming true. I get to spend uninterrupted time with the man I love. How could I have been upset, or even confused by the ticket he sent me? It is such a romantic gesture.

“So
, Danielle, what do you say? Do you want to go away with me?

I’m holding my breath
, but I don’t hesitate, “Yes Harrison, I do!”

She holds the paper with trembling hands as she reads the National Tattler headline:

Harrison Towers Married
in the Caymans!

But
not to his betrothed, Marion Devereaux

Who is th
e Mystery Woman?

She tosses the paper on the ground and purposely walks across it, leaving a print on the face of her obsession.

His phone is vibrating on the table.
He looks at the screen and sees that it is ‘her’.

Shit!
Now what?

“Hello.”

“It’s me.” Curt as usual.

“What do you want Marion, I thought we were done
!”

“Not quite Bradley, it seems
that we need to implement plan ‘B’.”

“Are you sure there is no other way?”

“Just do it, Bradley, or you know what will happen.” She hisses.

“Done.”