One Lucky Lady (3 page)

“You mean this was a hit?” Pedro looked shocked. Alex continued, “It’s not like I haven’t seen this kind of stuff in the ER. Except, then, it’s usually one gang-banger shooting another gang-banger.” Alex paused and looked through the window into the dark night. “Where are we going?”

“Atlanta.”

She turned her face back to Pedro. “Georgia?”

Pedro shrugged. “My mother died a few years ago. I just haven’t been able to sell the house. I have a housekeeper come in once a week to keep the place up and a lawn service keeps up the yard. It’s not big, but it is comfortable. It’s still in her name, so no one should be able to find you.”

“Don’t you have the same last name?”

“No. She never married my father. She gave me his last name, but she never really told me who he was. Turns out he was already married with two kids when she gave birth to me. Nobody knows who my mother is. Nobody knows who my father is except for me. The only person who could tell anybody is my mom’s sister, and she’s a tough nut to crack. You’ll be safe there.”

They drove in silence for several more hours.

Pedro parked the car in the driveway of a very neat little house in an older, but clean looking neighborhood. All of the houses were neatly landscaped and nicely painted. They all had large front porches surrounded by flowers. The yards were all freshly mown. This house looked no different than any of the others on the street. They entered the house through the side door. It was neat and clean inside as well, but didn’t appear to have any personal effects except for several books on the book shelf in the living room. Pedro looked more relaxed than he had all night.

Alex felt drained. She felt like the whole night had been a bad dream. She should wake up anytime now and go down to wake up her husband. Logically, she knew her whole life had just changed. Her parents died a long time ago. She didn’t have any friends that she kept in regular touch with. She would go out from time to time with her co-workers, but Pedro was really the only person she had left.

Pedro showed her through the house. He went through everything with her. She would have regular grocery delivery, to the side door only. She was never to answer the front door and she needed to keep the curtains closed. He was going to get her some clothes. She was going to have to change the way she looked.

Alex listened to everything and nodded her head. Pedro showed her the back bedroom. It was the only one that was fully furnished. The other two bedrooms had beds, but nothing else. Pedro explained the security system and gave her the code. There was a key pad by the back, the front and the side door. With the push of a button, the police would be there and he would be notified of a problem by the security monitoring company.

Pedro put his arm around her shoulders and said “Get some rest, Alex. I’m gonna run to the store. I’ll be back in one hour. You a size four?”

Alex just nodded. Pedro kissed her temple, released her, set the alarm and left her to rest. Alex knew there was no way she would ever sleep the same again. She crawled into the queen sized bed in the back bedroom, and the tears came again.

She was awakened by Pedro about an hour later. He said he left groceries in the kitchen, and some clothes on the counter. He sat down on the bed by her and turned to face her. “Alex, you need to become invisible. There is some hair color and scissors in the kitchen. I think it would be best with your size and figure that you become a young male. “

Alex just looked at him with her mouth open. Pedro raised a fist and bumped her chin to close her mouth. “Let’s face it, Honey, you and those green eyes, blonde hair and your figure. You stand out. You’re a beautiful woman. People notice you when you walk into a room. A young man in a hooded sweat shirt,” Pedro shrugged, “nobody around here is gonna look twice. I don’t think you’re in any danger at this point. If they wanted you dead, they would have killed you along with Tom.”

Alex was nodding. She looked way too close to tears.

“Alex, I’m so sorry. He was a good man and I know he loved you very much. I think the Senator is up to his eyeballs in shit, and Tom was too close. He never told you anything about his cases, did he?”

Alex said, “No.”

Pedro was thoughtful for a few seconds before he nodded and said, “I have to go back. I have to find out what’s going on. I need to know if you’re in danger.”

“I’m gonna find out all I can about the Senator’s case and anything else Tom was working on. You’ll be safe here. I’ll send someone to check on you. He’s a good guy. I used to work with his father a long time ago. He is a PI also. He works in this area. His name is Mac Rogers. He’ll ask for me, not you and he has the alarm code. That’s how you’ll know he’s okay.”

Alex nodded. “What if someone else shows up?”

Pedro handed her the gun he had taken from her before the police showed up. “Shoot first. Then call me. And, Alex,” she looked up from the gun in her hand, “Don’t try to save ‘em, okay?” He ran a bent finger down her cheek swiping away a lingering tear.

Alex looked down and nodded. She had never been placed in a situation where she might have to kill someone. She didn’t like it.

Pedro stayed while she cut and colored her hair. He worked with her on her walk. She walked like a woman. He walked like the young thugs around the police station. Alex laughed, but tried her best. It took a while but she finally got the hang of it.
If only we could change those eyes
.

“I’ll pick up some contacts when I come back. I will talk to your supervisor at the hospital. I know you have never taken any time off, so it shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll come down at least once a week. Don’t leave the house. The grocery store on the corner has a standing order. The delivery boy will put the groceries on the side porch, knock and leave. You shouldn’t have to come into contact with anyone. Here is a cell phone. I’ll bring you a new one from time to time, and we’ll trash the old ones. I programmed my number in. Just hit two and the green button. There is also an envelope with some cash in it, just in case.”

“Be careful, Alex. I don’t know how long this will take, but it’s safe to say that the threat will probably diminish after the trial. I just don’t know
which
trial at this point. As far as anyone is concerned, I dropped you off at a friends’ house last night. I’m gonna check on you tonight and report you ‘missing’ to a friend of mine at the police station. The police won’t look for you. Hopefully, nobody else will either. They’ll talk to a lady friend of mine, she’ll tell them you decided to leave town for a while. Didn’t tell her where you were going, but she thinks you have family in California. At least that way, if there is a leak, they will be looking west, not east.”

Pedro looked very thoughtful, now. “Alex, Honey, there’s one more thing. “

“What?”

“We have to continue with Tom’s funeral. You can’t be there. If someone’s after you, that’s where they will try to get you. I’ll take care of the arrangements and be there to make sure there is no one who looks out of place.”

Pedro could tell she was mulling this over, and he knew it didn’t set right with her. He also knew she had her fair share of common sense.

Alex finally nodded and said “okay.”

Chapter Three

Pedro told her a few more things, kissed her forehead and left. Alex headed for the shower, turned the water on to let it heat up, and went back to look at the items on the counter. Pedro had gotten her everything, even underwear and shoes. Alex thought she should be embarrassed, but it really didn’t bother her. She checked the sizes, yep, Tom was right, Pedro was psychic.

Another bag caught her eye. It was not from the same store. Her curiosity was piqued. She walked over and opened the bag. In it, there was more ammo for her revolver. There was also pepper spray and a large knife inside a sheath.

Alex picked a pair of underwear and pajamas and headed for the bathroom. She stood in the shower for a long time, crying. She prayed everything would clear up quickly. She thought back to last night. It still didn’t seem real. She wondered if it ever would.

For the next few days, Alex roamed around the house. She checked out the backyard. There were large bushes lining both fence lines. She couldn’t see into her neighbor’s yards, and they couldn’t see into hers. She was sure that was no coincidence. The back fence was about eight feet high, and was locked from the inside. There was also a small bistro type set on the patio.

Alex went back into the house and opened several drawers and doors looking for the key to the lock on the back gate. Then something by the back door caught her eye. On a small hook was a single key. She slipped it off the hook and headed for the back fence. It worked. The lock popped open. She opened the gate and looked down the alley. There was a dumpster every few houses, but nothing else.

Alex locked the gate and returned to the house. She walked through and checked everything she had already arranged. Her gun and knife were in the night stand. The pepper spray was in the pocket of her new jacket. She would have normally put it in her purse, but Pedro told her she couldn’t be carrying a purse. He had taken hers from the house last night. He didn’t let her go back for anything. She missed his company already.

Alex looked out the window a few times. This was a really quiet neighborhood, mostly elderly couples. It was mid-September so the trees were still covered in leaves, and the flowers were still in bloom. The woman across the street was bent over her flowerbed, a pile of weeds by her side. An older man in a bright yellow, Hawaiian looking shirt was mowing the front lawn a few houses farther down.

The windows must be old. They seemed very thick and solid. They were covered with thick, heavy curtains. The curtains looked hand-made and old. They were a deep crimson that matched the pillows on the cream colored couch. There was an old over-stuffed chair near the fire place that was white with crimson stripes. It looked like a very comfortable place to read. Across the room, near the front door, there were built-in book shelves, fully stocked with books. She was surprised she didn’t notice it earlier.

Alex started scanning titles. Most of the books were old novels, War and Peace, Moby Dick, Ann of Green Gables, but one shelf was devoted entirely to romance.
Okay, may be this won’t be so bad.

She began looking through the books, none of them were familiar. Alex read mostly the newer ones. These must be older, like everything in this house.
Probably belonged to Pedro’s mother.
What was her name?
She began opening to the front pages
. Well, I write my name in the front of my books, so maybe…

Sure enough, in the front of the fourth book she looked in, was the name Lucille. Alex’s mind wandered back to the night she met Lucy Portman. And Tom. He had been so kind. Lucy called him as soon as she got to the ER. Tom had her sign a form allowing him access to her charts, and allowing the ER staff to talk to him. Tom handled the police that had been called to report spousal abuse. This was not the first time her husband beat her up, not her first time in the ER, but Tom assured her it would be her last. Alex gave him her number when he asked for it. She still remembered the smile he gave her. He seemed almost shy.

Thomas Monroe was a handsome man and extremely well groomed. He was over six foot tall, just barely. He had dark blonde hair, a beautiful smile that went all the way to his dark brown eyes, and a sweet disposition.

Alex finished her shift and went to her locker to gather her things and head for home. She checked her cell phone like she always did. She was surprised to see a message there. She never had messages. The only people she talked to were on her shift at work. The message on her voice mail was from Tom.

She expected him to call with questions about Lucy. Instead, he was asking her to dinner. Tonight. She checked her watch. He must have called from the parking lot. The message was timed just a few minutes after he left Lucy in the ER.

Lucy told her, after Tom left, that he was a very nice guy, not your typical lawyer type. Lucy told Alex he was doing her divorce for free. Lucy’s sister recommended him after the last time her husband put her in the ER. Lucy said that she had gone to see him, but her husband called to apologize and said it would never happen again.

Tom didn’t leave until he was sure she would be staying in the hospital. He told Lucy to call him if she was to be discharged before he returned tomorrow morning. Lucy nodded. Tom told her she would not be going home, and he would send an associate to her house for some of her things. Alex knew now, he had sent Pedro.