“Sorry?” Rivgali voiced the disingenuous apology like it was a question.
Deciding that the safest thing to do was to pretend I didn’t know who he was, I forced my lips into a semblance of a smile. “No problem.”
He glanced at the collection of items in my cart. “Art teacher?”
“Doting aunt.” There was no point lying, he no doubt knew all about my family. The most prudent thing to do was to tell the truth so as not to arouse suspicion. Since we were in a busy store, I didn’t think I was in any real danger.
Making sure to keep my shopping cart between us, I reached for the biggest scissors I saw, silently cursing the store for practicing safety and selling them in protective packaging.
“How old is your niece?”
Grabbing the shears, I pulled them off the hook they hung on. I tried to keep my voice steady and light as I said, “I didn’t say I have a niece. You don’t think boys paint?”
“My mistake.” Rivgali’s voice dripped with menace, sending a shiver down my spine. “How old is Katie?”
Tightening my grip on the scissors, I forced myself to face him. Dropping all pretense that we were two strangers who’d just happened to bump into each other, I hardened my voice and glared at him. “What do you want?”
He tilted his head to the side, danger glittering in his cruel gaze. “I want you to give Templeton a message for me.”
I shook my head.
“Excuse me?” his voice vibrated with anger.
I lifted my chin. “I’m not his message service.”
He shoved the cart into me, the handle catching me in the belly, pinning me to the display shelf behind me. “Would you prefer that I give the message to one of your aunts?”
Wincing at the pain caused by the cart, I glared at him. “What’s the message?”
A self-satisfied smile played at the evil man’s lips. “Tell him I’m looking forward to catching up.”
I eyed the towering display of beads behind him, hoping that someone would round the corner and interrupt us, but no one came.
“Why don’t you tell him yourself and leave my family out of it?”
“What would be the fun in that? I enjoy watching people squirm.”
That’s when I shoved.
I pushed the cart back at him as hard as I could. Caught off balance, he stumbled backward.
I kept on pushing, causing him to crash into the display of beads. It swayed and tipped off with a resounding crash, sending beads everywhere and causing him to lose his footing and fall on his butt.
“I’ll give Templeton your message,” I told him, while he tried in vain to get to his feet, slipping and sliding on beads. “But don’t think for even a second that I’ll let you pull my family into this stupid, little game of yours.”
Despite the fact my legs were weak from fear, I held my head high and stalked away, leaving the criminal to disentangle himself from the bevy of associates who’d descended from every corner of the store to help him.
I drove straight to the hospital so that I could keep an eye on Katie. On my way there, I called Marshal Griswald and filled him in on what had happened. He sounded worried, but promised to put a protective detail on my aunts.
Remembering my promise to Jack to give him any Rivgali scoop I encountered, I called the reporter as I got out of my car.
“Maggie!” a gravelly voice called as Jack’s voicemail picked up.
Turning, I saw the man himself hurrying toward me.
“Are you following me?” I asked accusingly. “First, you’re at the pet store. Now you’re here.”
“I’m here to visit someone,” he countered.
I wasn’t sure I quite believed him. After all, the man had once tailed me all the way to the Poconos.
He waved his phone at me. “You were just calling me, weren’t you?”
I nodded.
“What’s up?”
“I just talked to Rivgali.”
Stern is usually a pretty stoic guy, but I thought I saw him pale.
“What happened?” he asked worriedly.
“He wanted me to give Templeton a message.”
“That’s not good. Not good at all.” Jack grabbed my elbow and propelled me toward the hospital’s entrance as though he didn’t like the idea of having our conversation out in the open. “You need to be careful.”
Shaking free of his grip, I looked up into his face and saw nothing but grim concern.
“It’ll be fine,” I assured him. “I’ve got U.S. Marshals protecting my aunts.”
“That’s awesome,” he drawled sarcastically. “But who’s watching out for you?”
“I’m a big girl.”
“Who’s a magnet for trouble.” He considered me for a long moment. “Did you say the Marshal service?”
I nodded. “How’s that for a scoop?”
He grinned. “I knew there was a reason I like you.” His smile faded, “But still…”
I patted his arm. “I’ll be fine as long as the paperwork I need to do to get my niece out of here doesn’t kill me.”
“You’re taking her home today?”
I nodded.
“Good luck.” Impulsively he bent and pressed a quick kiss to my cheek. “If you end up in a jam, call me.”
“Thanks.”
We went our separate ways. Him to, no doubt, explore the Marshals’ connection to Rivgali, and me to start a new chapter of my life.
Chapter Fourteen
Having completed the last of the discharge paperwork and loaded Katie into a wheelchair, Angel was proven right about the crying.
Delveccio was crying. He didn’t get misty-eyed. He had tears streaming down his face as he bent to give Katie one last hug good-bye. “I’ll miss you.”
I watched little Dominic’s face as he witnessed his grandfather’s emotions. The boy didn’t seem upset.
“But I’ll see you soon,” Katie replied cheerfully, patting the mobster’s hand. “Don’t be sad.”
As Susan, who’d shown up “just in case you have trouble getting Katie in the car”, wheeled my niece out of the room, Delveccio pulled me into a tight hug. His overpowering cologne made it difficult to breathe. “Don’t worry,” he whispered in my ear. “I have my people keeping an eye on your place.”
“The cops are watching it,” I whispered back.
“What makes you think they’re not my people?” Giving me one last squeeze, the mob boss released me and took a step back.
I frowned. Was Kevin Belgard one of his “people”? If he was on Delveccio’s payroll, had he been working for him when Darlene was abducted? The thought disturbed me on multiple levels.
“If my nephew doesn’t treat you or Katie well, you let me know,” Delveccio ordered, oblivious to the maelstrom of doubts swirling in my head.
I nodded weakly.
“You’d better go,” he pushed me gently toward the door. “I’ve heard that someone’s been promised jewel-covered cupcakes.”
I stumbled toward the door, but then, remembering Dominic, I changed course so that I could kiss the boy’s forehead and squeeze his hand. His grip on my fingers was stronger than ever and I smiled encouragingly at him and he responded with a shy grin.
Hurrying out of the room, I chased after Susan and Katie, who were slowly making their way down the hall, stopped every few feet by a staff member who wanted to get the chance to say good-bye. While Susan continued to push Katie on her victory lap, I hustled ahead so that I could pull the car up to the hospital’s entrance.
Getting Katie home went smoothly, as did the party celebrating her return. Loretta had gone all out, filling the dining room with balloons and getting her delicious mini-cupcakes that appeared to have been rolled in edible “sparkling jewels”, which delighted the little girl to no end, but reminded me of something I had hidden in the basement.
I wanted to tell Templeton about my run-in with Rivgali, but he was busy making Katie laugh with silly magic tricks.
Marlene and Doc kept her chattering and giggling.
Susan kept compulsively straightening everything.
Armani gave her a wrapped present, which ended up being a girl’s make-up case. “It’s age appropriate,” Armani quickly said when she saw my face. Then she promptly taught Katie how to use everything to “glow”.
Even Brian Griswald entertained her by performing some impressive juggling.
I sat off to the side with Leslie, Angel, and Marshal Griswald, watching the antics of everyone and marveling how we’d arrived at this place.
Tears filled my eyes as I thought about how happy Theresa, Katie’s mom, would have been to see how everything had worked out.
Eventually all the excitement wore her out and she needed to take a nap.
Picking her up, I carried her into her room and kicked the door shut behind us.
“Can I sleep in my beautiful dress?” the little girl asked sleepily.
Even though I knew Aunt Susan wouldn’t approve, I replied, “Just this once.”
I tucked her in and then sat on the side of her bed, brushing her hair off her face as she yawned. “Anything you need, baby girl?”
“How long do we have to stay here?”
My breath caught in my throat. “What do you mean?”
“When can we go home?” She turned on her side and tucked her hands under her cheek.
Looking down at her cherubic face, my heart ached. I could barely get any words out around the painful lump in my throat. “We are home.”
“But what about my room?”
“This is your new room,” I explained weakly, knowing that what she really wanted was to return to the house she’d shared with her parents. “It’s pretty enough for a princess.”
Burying her face in her pillow, she said something I couldn’t make out, but I knew from the way her shoulders were shaking that she was crying.
Heart breaking, I blinked away my own tears.
“I can’t understand you with your mouth covered.” I gently pushed her shoulder so that I could see her damp cheeks. “Say it again.”
“I want to go home,” she sobbed. “I want my room. And my mommy.”
Gathering her up, I pulled her into my lap and gently rocked back-and-forth. “I know you do, Katie. If there was anything, anything in the world I could do to make that happen for you, I would. But there isn’t.”
“But it’s not fair!” she wailed.
“You’re right,” I murmured. “It’s not fair. It’s not.”
She cried harder, her sobs wracking her little body and I held her tighter, afraid she’d hurt herself with the violent shaking.
The therapist had warned that this could happen. That being removed from the familiar routine of her life in the hospital would upset her and that she could start the mourning process all over again.
What no one had cautioned me about was how much her pain would trigger my own. Like her, I felt just like I had when I’d found out that Theresa had died, like I was one gaping wound that would never close.
But I couldn’t let Katie know that. She was depending on me. So I just held her until she was cried out and then gently placed her back in bed as she fell asleep.