Prologue

Ever wondered if the series of coincidences that passed through your everyday life were just merely as what they seemed or were they a way of fate to play games?

Henry Bell would wonder about the same things after he received a visit from an old friend’s attorney—the only friend who knew about his real identity.

No one knew except Patrick Dalton that behind his suit and tie was a man with bullet scars that could tell tales enough to fill a library. He had never spoken to Patrick for a long time, but he knew that as his attorney introduced himself, that there was something wrong—that something went wrong.

“Mr. Bell, I’m Cole Hartman, Mr. Dalton’s attorney,” the man shook his hand.

“I know, my secretary told me,” he motioned for the man to sit down. “What happened?”

Cole Hartman’s tired and wrinkled eyes looked at him. “Patrick died last night. I received orders from him a week ago that if something happened to him, I should give you this,” he explained and handed him a folder.

Henry frowned despite his shock, “What happened?” he asked as he absently reached for the folder.

“We don’t know yet. But the doctors said it’s a heart attack.”

“And what’s this?” he asked of the folder, opening it.

“That’s another thing I don’t know as well,” Cole Hartman stood up and added, “I need to go. Contact me if you have any more questions.”

Henry shook the man’s hand once again, his mind already drifting off to the content of the folder.

When he was finally alone, he sat down, looked at the folder, opened it, and started to read.

Henry,

By the time you read this, I might probably be dead.

I’m entrusting my daughter’s safety to you.

I’ve made enemies and I know they’d come after her.

Your friend,

Patrick.

Along with the paper was an official document that appointed him as his daughter’s legal guardian until she reached the age of twenty-five.

What the hell?

He never got the chance to meet Patrick’s family in a social kind of way. The only thing he was certain about was that the man was widowed years ago. Aside from that, he didn’t know anything personal about his family. He only knew Patrick Dalton.

And he was pretty sure he didn’t know his daughter Angelica Dalton.

---

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Hi!

If you are new to my works, you may want to know that I now focus mainly on historical romance stories for a couple of years now. If you enjoy works like Bridgerton, feel free to hop into the worlds of the Town and Sutherland!

All my stories (and the series they belong to) can be found on the Reading Lists on my profile. 

  ![](https://img.wattpad.com/aa39f699ec617ecb7846950b9160c4e2880d1558/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f31775361516c5071706f62556a773d3d2d313633343332332e313638333735323333646633353063623334383935393535333631332e706e67)

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Enjoy!

J.D. Ruiz

Chapter 1

Looking perfect was easy for Angelica Dalton. Living a perfect life was another matter though. And the way she led hers brought out different reactions from people—horror, amusement, bitterness, and envy.

She never cared how others saw her and she was honest to say what was on her mind. For her, she had nothing to hide. Not to anyone, not to herself.

But enough of that for now. At the moment, she was too busy thinking about the unfortunate circumstances that happened to her. You see, she had been having fun chasing after this guy named Philip Strindberg, her best friend’s brother; and now, she just got a call from him telling her to stop whatever she was doing.

It was a shame, really, to finally admit defeat. She was secretly fond of Philip’s wife, Cassandra, who has as much fighting spirit as she. She sighed and thought of what to do next.

Okay, I’ll leave Philip alone. After all, I don’t want his wife to skin me alive. That woman has guts.

She was getting ready to go out of her office to make her rounds when the call came through.

It was her father’s attorney.

“Angelica, your father’s gone.”

If you think she dropped the phone while tears pooled her eyes, you are wrong. Angelica didn’t feel anything. Or maybe she chose not to, but no one would know if that were so. She was numb, she was blank. The words were clear and her mind was able to comprehend them, but the tiny synapses that would have triggered some tears out of her eyes didn’t care.

“Angelica?” Cole Hartman’s voice spoke again.

“Which hospital?” she asked.

“He’s at the house.” That was all she needed to know and she hanged up before he could say anything further.

Not many people knew that her relationship with her father had long been stained. It rusted through time. It crumbled as years went by. Both of them never talked about it whenever they got together—and those times were even forced, more like going through the motion. They never discussed the growing silence, the wavering smiles, until they just stopped. Like a deleted chain of messages, their relationship stopped dead.

After that incident with her sister, nothing came back to what they used to be. All of them, including her mother when she was still alive, tried to appear normal and happy for the eyes of others. They would come out of their house with smiles on their faces, but deep inside was the pain—the loss. Angelica tried a long time ago to be the glue that would stick her family back together after being ripped apart. She failed.

Now, her father’s death brought out nothing. Maybe it was the doctor in her, having dealt with so much death, but she knew deep inside that it was something else.

No one knew about that side of her—just that one side. Not even Chanty, her best friend–no one. Maybe you could consider that the only thing she hid from everyone else.

Whatever she felt, she knew she had to come to where her father was—to be there when no one else would. For the last time, she would have to do something for him.

She didn’t want to tell Chanty. Not that her friend actually met the man. No, she was not going to tell anyone.

 *****

Angelica didn’t know how to spend the last remaining hours she had with her father’s body before the people Cole called would come to take him away. Talking to him would definitely not work. She was glad though when she felt like she needed to go to the bathroom. She walked to the door of her father’s bedroom bathroom and did her thing. Already wanting to get out of the massive house her father owned, she planned about how she could bury her father in silence without dealing with his business partners.

Cole can handle those things, part of her brain said.

She was washing her hands when she heard voices. She was about to open the door but stopped and frowned.

No one was home except the maids.

Someone was trying to search for something, she noticed as she heard drawers being pulled open and shut.

“I don’t think it’s here,” a muffled voice announced. Angelica pressed her ear closer to the bathroom door.

“Maybe he gave it to someone else,” another voice answered.

“Who?”

“His daughter?” the man guessed. “Who else?”

“We can search her house.” And that was that. The voices were gone as fast as they came, which made Angelica feel like she was in a movie as one of the characters.

What the hell was that?

When she was sure her dead father was finally alone in his room, she walked out the bathroom and saw for herself the big difference of the once-tidy room from the now-harassed one.

Who were those people?

What were they looking for?

And did they mention her house? Like they were going there?

Angelica forced herself not to panic. But how could she not? Her house would be bombarded by two unknown men looking for something of her father’s which she obviously didn’t have!

The knock on the door made her jump to her feet.

“What the hell, what is it?” she asked the startled maid standing by the doorway, her heart hammering.

“Someone’s looking for you, Ms. Dalton,” the lady said, scanning the messy room with curious eyes.

“Who?”

“A Mr. Henry Bell.”

“Tell him I’m busy.”

“I already told him you’re here and that you’re alone,” the young lady answered, cringing.

“What does he want?” If it was one of her father’s associates, she didn’t want to meet him.

“He just said he’s here because your father asked him to be.”

“I’ll be out in a minute,” Angelica yielded.

 *****

Henry sat in the living room restlessly, trying to think about Patrick’s cryptic letter. What enemies was he talking about? Had Patrick been careless? He only hoped it was not the same people he was thinking of.

Hell, he was even wondering why he was at the old man’s house in the first place. His quick mind had already thought about what he had to do with his friend’s daughter who was probably in her teens by now.  He could send her to a boarding school that has a high quality security system and she’d be safe from anyone her father’s enemies.

He had a job to do, a job to finish, a job that could affect a lot of people if he failed to do so. Taking care of a child would only slow him down. Patrick never bothered to introduce him to his daughter in the years that they had worked together. It was always business between them. And the old man was not fond of the press so clearly, no articles were written where his family was concerned. The only person Henry met was his wife before she died. He shook the thought out of his head.

The maid who had led him to the living room and called for Ms. Angelica Dalton returned with a smile on her face. “She’s going out in a moment. She said she is quite busy.”

Henry nodded, wondering how a young teen could be busy with her father dead. He stood up and paced around the large room, thinking of a speech he could tell the child.

I’m now officially your guardian. I’m Henry Bell, your father’s friend. How would you like to go to a boarding school?

Caps lock lame. Shit, he didn’t know how to deal with children or teenagers. How the hell could he be a guardian?

“You’re looking for me?” A voice said behind him. A woman’s voice—not a child’s. Henry stopped and slowly turned around.

“Oh shit,” he muttered when he confirmed that his eyes were not cheating him. “Shit!” he shouted.

“What the hell are you cursing about? And who the hell are you again?” the redhead beauty walked towards him, her knee-length black dress waving as she did so.

“Angelica Dalton?” he asked in disbelief. “Shit!” he muttered once again when he finally got a good look of her face. Why hadn’t he thought of it? He had heard her name countless times from his friend, Philip. And he had seen her in some occasions as well. Shit, why hadn’t he thought of it?! He should have wondered. He should have asked Patrick.

“Hey, I’m asking you who—” he noticed that she was finally able to identify him as well. “Henry Bell? I remember you! You’re Philip’s friend!”

Of course you know everyone of Philip’s friend, he answered silently.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, her head leaning on one side as she looked him over.

“I’m here to…” he couldn’t say it. What the hell, he shouldn’t be here in the first place. The lady was old enough to take care of herself. “I’m here as your guardian,” he said the words anyway.

A few seconds clicked by before he heard her laugh. “Guardian? You’re trying to be funny or something?”

“No, I’m not,” he snapped. “Look—”

“How do you know my father?” she cut him off.

“We’re…business associates,” he answered. “And he appointed me to be your guardian.”

 ****

She didn’t know, but she was sure he was serious. Slowly, she shook her head, looking at the handsome man before her in disbelief, “You know I’m twenty-four, right? Like I can take care of myself?”

“Of course!” he answered with irritation. “But your father gave me a letter indicating you might be in trouble.”

How in the world could he protect me? She silently asked. But then again, that incident in her father’s room earlier came back to her, those men who rumbled through her father’s drawers, and those men who would be coming to her house in search for something.

If her father knew she could be in danger, why the hell did he pick someone like Henry Bell to be her protector, slash, guardian—as crazy as it may sound? Why not the whole S.W.A.T? Why not his friends from the police?

“But I don’t think you’re in trouble, right?” he asked her hopefully.

Angelica didn’t know how to answer that. That very same question had been circling her head a few minutes ago. Now, the question was, should she tell him?

Chapter 2

“No, I don’t think I’m in trouble,” Angelica uttered, her blue eyes wavering.

He didn’t personally know her that well, but he was sure that she was hiding something. As an expert observant, he could very well tell for certain.

He could have just taken her words and walked out the door, free of responsibilities, but he knew Patrick and the old man wouldn’t have risked Henry’s identity being exposed by writing that letter if he was not certain about it. He could have just ignored the request as well if he did not have a debt to pay. What a blasted lucky day for me, he muttered sarcastically inside his mind.

“Where is he?” he asked, changing the topic. He could deal with his old friend’s daughter later.

She seemed quite taken aback by his question, but she stepped back and led the way without a word.

 *****

Angelica felt like she was walking through a dream. Everything happened so fast when you look at it at a non-sleeping time, but she felt she was moving through time in a very slow motion. She was not yet over the shock over her father’s sudden death and now she just found out that she had an instant guardian like she was some orphaned ten-year-old.

Yeah, sure, Henry Bell was one hell of a handsome, gorgeous man–one she could make as her next target now that Philip’s not available.

It’s not such a bad idea , the wicked side of her whispered mischievously.

It might scare him away and that’s what you want right now, the other anti-guardian part added.

But what if you’re in real trouble? That scared voice said almost in panic.

What are police people for? That smart part answered.

Yeah, that’s right. She didn’t have to tell Henry Bell anything. Those guys who entered her father’s room could just be burglars or something.

Ordinary burglars can’t just come and go inside your father’s house, you idiot, that annoying know-it-all part of her mentally slapped her.

“I have to talk to Cole about this outrageous situation,” she finally decided out loud, breaking the silence between them. “I’m sure he’ll have some kind of explanation.”

“You can do that,” Henry uttered, nodding his head. Angelica stopped when they reached her father’s bedroom door.

“Some guys are coming to get him. Take your time. I’ll be in his study,” she announced, already making her way further down the hall. She had to call Cole and demand for an explanation. It’s just freaking unbelievable and unimaginable to have someone like Henry Bell as her guardian. It was too ancient to have one for heaven’s sake!

And before she forgot what she had to do next after calling Cole, she reminded herself that she also had to call the police. She would handle this her way.

 *****

The first thing Henry noted the moment he stepped inside Patrick Dalton’s room was not his dead body lying on the bed, but the opened drawers and the gentle flap of the drapes of one window right across the door. His innate instinct both as a fighter and observer kicked in.

Someone got in.

It was possible that Angelica Dalton knew about it or the break in happened while they were talking outside. Anyways, this was not good. It meant Patrick was seriously in trouble before he died.

Reminded of his old friend, he turned his head to the right and found the man lying on his huge bed, eyes closed, lips pursed. His body was covered with a thick cloth from chest down.

Henry could still remember the last time he talked with the man…

“Son, you have to fix everything right before you lose more time. You will never know if you’ll wake up tomorrow,” the old man had said to him while they were in his office, talking about the past—his past.

Patrick had been like a father to him. Hell, the man was the only person he trusted to tell about his real identity. Not even Philip knew about it. And now it felt weird to see him lying lifeless on that bed, his chest not moving up and down in breathing, his face not flushed with rushing blood.

Given Patrick’s age which was sixty-nine, he was quite built and healthy. Henry knew he exercised daily. And it was such a big curiosity to know that he was dead.

He met Patrick while he was doing his job . It was night time, the wind was cold, and the streets were empty except them. Henry shook the memories of that night. He had been young and stupid and Patrick had been kind, too kind in fact if he thought about it.

Being in the same room as Patrick, he couldn’t help but think about foul play. For anyone, it was something far from reality, but in Henry’s world, anything was possible. He knew deep in his gut that something was off.

But what? As far as he knew, Patrick was an honest man and was not likely to make any enemies–well, as far as everyone thought, that is. But that was another matter. Patrick’s secrets must remain as they were until the right time came. As an owner of a law firm, his partners honored and respected him. Yes, there might have been people who went to jail because of Dalton and Foster Law, but Patrick had never handled a case for twenty years now. That much Henry knew.

If he made enemies, this might mean he lost, he thought to himself as he walked towards the bed.

It could have been his past cases, he thought and mentally noted that he had to check it out. For now, he had to take Patrick’s words that his lovely daughter might be in danger.

Wait…lovely? I must be kidding myself, he snapped at himself. There was nothing lovely about Angelica Dalton. Lovely was too sweet a word to describe the lady from the stories he heard circling around the male population and from his own point of view. She’s wild, aggressive, bold, proud, and…what? Hot? Beautiful? Smart? Right that moment, he didn’t appreciate his great assessment skills. He could very well mentally picture every part of her and he knew it was not good. He couldn’t show her what he thought of her. Not in this lifetime, no.

 *****

Her father’s office was like a library—literally. It was her most favorite part of the house when she was young. It was where she took comfort during those dark years. Angelica could still picture herself hiding in between the high bookcases, her face hidden behind large textbooks her little mind couldn’t really comprehend. But she tried to immerse herself in them anyway, forcing herself to enjoy every page just to be able to momentarily escape from reality—from the silence and cold atmosphere. In this library that her father only used during night time, she became strong. She was able to get through one day without her mother and the maids noticing.

Slowly, she inched towards the great oak table of her father’s and found the phone, her footsteps muffled by the dark thick carpet. At first, she was in doubt if she should call the police first, but thinking that it might raise a lot of questions, she decided to dial Cole Hartman instead.

“Cole Hartman,” her father’s attorney answered from the other end.

“Cole, it’s me, Angelica. I want to talk to you about Mr. Bell,” she uttered, sitting on the table, her left leg dangling. She had never sat on her father’s chair. Not once, not ever.

“What about him?” Cole asked curiously.

“What’s this thing about him being my guardian? I don’t think it’s necessary—”

“Ms. Dalton, as I’ve told Mr. Bell, I don’t really have any idea about the reason why your father had appointed him as your guardian. I asked him that myself, but he wouldn’t give me an answer. All he said is that it has to remain confidential. Actually, I will meet with you tomorrow right after the cremation to talk about the very same matter. I have papers signed by your father that he ordered me to give you.”

“What papers?”

“That would be discussed tomorrow. I can’t talk about it over the phone.”

“What if I don’t want Mr. Bell as my guardian? For heaven’s sake, Cole, I’m freaking twenty-four! I don’t need a thirty year-old guy tailing me wherever I go!”

“Ms. Dalton, as I’ve said, I can’t answer that right now. But I can assure you now that your father has been adamant about you being placed under Mr. Bell’s hands until you are twenty-five. I really need to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Cole, wait,” she hastily said before the man could hang up. “I don’t want anyone else during the cremation. Can you see to that?”

There was a long pause. “Yes, I’ll see to that if that’s what you want.”

“And keep it quiet. I don’t want the media to know.”

“Yes, Ms. Dalton,” Cole answered and hanged up.

Angelica stared in midair as Cole’s words ran around her mind. She was really struggling to keep her touch into reality right now. It was just freaking unbelievable.

If Henry Bell became her guardian, what would happen then? Would she be like on parole or something? Did she have to report to him everything she did? Did she have to make some sort of journal or diary of the stuff happening in her life so he wouldn’t miss a thing? What? Would he live with her?

That would not happen. You can’t let that happen, that scared voice said.

He could protect you, te smart voice added in contradiction. You could really be in serious danger. You need someone to watch over you.

The police can handle that, she countered. Thinking of the police, she picked up the phone once again and dialed 911. Well, she didn’t know any number except that, so…

As the phone rang, the double doors of her father’s study opened and Henry Bell’s big form appeared. Unlike Philip, he didn’t look so good wearing a suit. She could picture him wearing more casual clothing though.

“911, what’s your emergency?” a lady’s voice asked from the other end.

As if the phone was burning hot, she dropped it back down on the receiver and jumped off the table, straightening her dress. “What’s up?” she asked, inviting Henry to walk towards her.

“What happened to your father’s room?” he asked.

“I was trying to look for something,” she lied for the second time in her life.

And she was certain Henry Bell could see that but was glad he didn’t point it out.

“Are you leaving?” she asked, more like suggesting.

He seemed to think for a moment before nodding his head. “I’ll be at the cremation,” he said.

“No, I want no one else tomorrow.”

Henry turned his head to one side and raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching. “Did you forget I’m your guardian?”

“It’s not settled yet,” she snapped, placing one hand on her hip.

“We’ll see about that, Ms. Dalton.”

“Yeah, I think so too, Mr. Bell.”

He smiled at her, stepped back, and exaggeratedly swung his arms sideward with a bow. “See you whenever,” he uttered and walked out the doors.

Angelica was cringing at his back as he did so. What the hell…

She remembered she had to call the police so she turned towards the table once again, but as she picked up the phone, she saw something that was never there the last time she came inside her father’s study. It was a picture frame—her picture.

Angelica didn’t know what to feel. Her father had never showed her his sentimental side. Her reflexes were fast and she found herself holding the frame in one hand. And that was when she felt it. With the pads of her fingers at the back of the frame, she felt something. The surface should be flat. She turned it around and saw a black device pasted on the black surface. If you were not looking for it, you wouldn’t have seen it, but then, if you were looking for it, you would have had a hard time as well, because it camouflaged the black back portion of the frame. There must have been some kind of magnetic stuff happening because when she tried to pull the small device from the frame, it came off just as easily, and there was no sign that something was used to paste it there.

Angelica forgot about the frame and placed it back on the table along with the phone. She held the small device at eye level and examined it. It was about two inches long and half an inch thick. Well, she knew what it was the moment she pulled off the cover. It was a saving device.

Her mind started to race along one thought.

She had the biggest hunch that she found the very thing the intruders were looking for.

Chapter 3

Angelica didn’t know what to do. She felt like her surrounding was frozen, not her. She could feel her chest heaving and heart hammer, but everything else was silent. Even the tick of the clock right across her was slowly fading, leaving behind a short hum. Her eyes were restlessly trying to figure out the device she held in her hand while her brain was screaming, ‘There’s no use!’ and that she had to use a computer to know what was inside.

With that thought, everything went back in motion, but this time, it was in fast forward. She suddenly felt dizzy, every scene from the moment she received the news that her father had passed away came flashing back in front of her eyes.

What is this? She repeatedly asked herself, staring at the black USB device like it was a specimen from one of her patients.

She was about to open her father’s computer when the maid came knocking on the doors, snapping her out of the new strange world she found herself in.

Why does everyone have to have the most perfect timing today? She muttered then asked loudly, “What is it?”

“Ms. Dalton, some guys are here to take your father?”

Shit, she forgot about that. “Yes, yes, lead them to his room. I’ll be there shortly,” she straightened and clasped the black device in her hand. After the maid was gone, she tried to compose herself. Actually, she didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t call Chanty and tell her friend everything. Chanty would only scream and say stuff that would be completely irrelevant.

Okay, first things first… she cleared her throat and walked out her father’s study, her steps purposeful. She had to handle her father’s affairs first.

I can’t go home. Those guys might be there and I don’t want to meet my father yet, God bless his soul, she started planning as she made her way to her father’s bedroom. I’ll stay in the hospital. I will be safe there and I will look into this thing. Whatever I know, I can’t tell anyone. No, not until I’m sure I have things under control.

What about Henry Bell?

Yes, the big question was the guy. What to do with him?

He has to disappear, she finally decided as she entered the big room and found two men standing by her father’s bed.

“I want to make an autopsy,” she announced.

The men looked startled. “An autopsy?”

Angelica nodded. “Yes, an autopsy. I want to know the cause of his death.” Actually, that decision just came out of nowhere and she didn’t even know why. But now that she had said it, she couldn’t take it back, right?

The black guy shrugged and said, “Sure. But there would be a lot of papers to sign and follow up.”

“You can contact Mr. Cole Hartman about that,” she answered.

“Okay, ma’am,” the white guy answered.

Angelica travelled her gaze towards her father for the last time and absently nodded. “Okay, you can take him now.”

“We’ll call you.”

“No,” she hastily uttered. “I mean, call Mr. Hartman. You have his number, right?” When they nodded their heads, she added, “Call him and he’ll let me know.” Without another word, she walked out of the room and to the front doors.

She couldn’t watch those men place her father in a bag. Her emotion was a mixture of a lot of things right now and she didn’t think she could deal with that.

Angelica climbed in her red Porsche and drove to the hospital. There, she could wait while keeping herself busy–and safe.

 *****

Henry Bell replaced his phone with a sigh. He just got a call from his friend, Philip, asking him to ready some divorce papers. As his friend’s lawyer, he knew everything about the guy. He also knew that Cassandra, Philip’s wife, was not really happy to be forced into the marriage which Henry always found amusing.

He enjoyed taunting the lady. Well, yes, he actually liked her the first time he saw her, but that was before he found out his friend was starting to get a little bit attached to his transient wife. Philip never told him the reason why he made a ridiculous contract with Cassandra’s father, but somehow, he got an idea. He knew Philip’s family had been forcing him to get a girl and maybe this was the only way his friend chose for an answer. And for Henry, it was like watching a great play whenever he was around Philip and his wife.

He was beginning to wonder why Philip suddenly wanted a divorce, but that was a question he couldn’t ask his friend. Right now, he needed to do two jobs—his cover job and his real job. He could start with Philip’s divorce papers tomorrow, but right now, he had a puzzle to solve: Patrick.

Standing up, he walked over to his office window and his hands went into his pants pockets, his eyes focusing on the little branch of the tree right across the street. It was his thinking bulb.

He could still picture Angelica Dalton’s startled face when he entered the study earlier. She was on the phone but she immediately placed it down when she saw him. Who was she calling? Why did she seem alarmed?

And then, there was that little part of his manly mind, thinking of how her face flushed when he teased her with that bow. He couldn’t help himself earlier, and he knew he should be serious whenever he was around her. Next time, he’d try to act more like a real strict guardian.

What the hell am I thinking? She’s not some ten-year-old girl. She’s obviously fully grown up. Beautifully, in fact. Okay, that would have to be enough. He had to focus.

Where to start? He asked himself.

He only knew of one answer, so he turned around and grabbed his jacket. First, he had to go home and change. Second, he’d stake out and watch Angelica. Something told him she was in deep trouble despite what she told him. And he knew that women like Angelica Dalton shouldn’t be trusted in matters like security.

 *****

Angelica shouldn’t be on duty that night, but she didn’t know where else to go. She couldn’t go to Chanty. For now, the hospital was the safest place to be. She also changed her mind about calling the police. The thing she found out could be something bigger and she didn’t want to go to the authorities without any knowledge of what it contained.

She was inside the doctors’ lounge, alone of course, with her colleagues busily running around the floors of the building with their stethoscopes and everything. Opening her computer, she fumbled for the USB device inside her bag, opened it, and stuck it inside.

When the computer identified it, she clicked it open.

Password.

She frowned. This was actually the first time she encountered a USB device with a password. But anyway, it required a six-digit password of which she had no idea what. Afraid that the thing would disable itself in one try, she stared at the screen thoughtfully.

Her head started to ache. She really had no idea what the password was. It was like trying to find an answer to a question that was never there in the first place. Her father was never a man who would share his codes. Secrecy was a big part of his job and she knew he’d die with them—technically, he died with them—or some of them in this case because right in her hands might be his secrets.

She looked at her watch and gave up. It was getting really late.

I wanna go home. But she decided against it. She needed real coffee so she got up and walked out the door.

 *****

Henry sipped his cup of coffee, looking straight through the rim, his eyes focused. His instincts told him he couldn’t miss a thing.

He had been outside the hospital for hours now and it seemed that Angelica Dalton had no plans of going home or going out.

Maybe he was looking at everything in the wrong direction, but he couldn’t risk it. His senses told him he should be here and he was following that. They had saved him a couple of times in the past and he had never failed to trust them.

It was almost two in the morning and fewer people were outside, except some few emergency scenes happening and some doctors going out in their scrubs to smoke and buy coffee across the street where there was a 24/7 brewed coffee station.

Thinking Angelica Dalton was a bit busy inside the building, he started to relax. There would be enough security inside and too many people for anything to happen to her. As what she said, she was not in trouble, putting aside a few of his precautions.

Henry breathed out and leaned back against his car seat, his eyes starting to get a bit dry from lack of sleep.

But despite that, he saw her as she walked out the doors, her red hair flipping back from her face as the night wind blew, the dress she had been wearing that morning had long been gone and was changed into a long sleeves blouse and a white knee-length skirt. Her arms went around her to protect herself from the cold as she looked from one side to the other, preparing to cross the street.

Henry sensed it long before it happened, but he knew he was not close enough. He wanted to shout, but that would be a waste of time, so he jumped off his car and started to run.

But the van had four wheels. He only had his legs and everything happened in only a matter of seconds.

Just like that, just a few meters away, he saw one masked man grab Angelica Dalton off the street and into the van. Whoosh! Pop! Like a bubble, she was gone inside the zooming black van.

“Shit!” he skidded to a stop, whirled around, and ran back to his car in haste.

Shit! He better get her back alive and breathing or Patrick would haunt him down from heaven.

Chapter 4

Imagine yourself crossing the street and suddenly a car runs a red light, just missing you by an inch or two. Imagine the rush of wind, your breath being snatched out of your chest, and that gravitational force that pulls you towards the passing car. Imagine that and you’ll know how Angelica felt the moment it happened to her. But in her case, well, the van did not just pass by—it took her with it.

“Who are you? Let me go!” she screamed as she kicked and wailed her arms around. She felt her shoe hit someone’s leg and a cry of pain rang out.

“Shut up, bitch!” a hand slapped her across the face.

Angelica couldn’t see a thing. It was really dark inside the van. She could smell a strong scent of cigarette, sweat and heat. And she could also feel that she was surrounded by not just one, but three or four men.

“Who are you? What do you want?” she asked, her voice getting angry. She knew she should be scared, but she was angrier for being snatched off her feet and being slapped. And no one hurt Angelica Dalton intentionally.

“We want those documents. Where are they?” someone rasped in front of her, too close that she felt and smelled his cigarette breath, and it was just plain horrible.

“What documents? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she answered strongly, leaning her head away from whoever’s mouth she was facing. “Let me go or I’ll call the police.”

Everyone in the van laughed. “You can’t call the police when you’re dead.”

That was not acceptable for her. With so much fury, she kicked her leg once more and this time, it landed on something softer like a man’s crotch.

“Shit!” A big howl of pain erupted in front of her and she received another big stingy slap across her face, her head turning to once side. Then a hand grabbed her by the arm, pulling her towards whoever owned it. “Do that again and you’ll join your daddy,” another voice whispered harshly.

“Got to hell!” she spat and received another stingy smack on the face. She felt blood drip down her nose but she didn’t care.

Someone tied her hands behind her back and she fought real hard.

“Where’s the device?” a voice asked. This time, it came from someone from the back of the van. She knew the man must be the leader because everyone else became quiet.

“I said I don’t know what you’re talking about!” she screamed. “Let me go at once!”

Well, it might have worked if she gave that order to someone in the hospital or someone who worked for her, but to these people it was not really working. And that only severed her anger. She was used getting her way but right at the moment that seemed impossible.

“We’ll see what you’ll have to say later when we get to where we are going,” the boss said, his voice eerie and just a little scary.

She chose not to demand where they were taking her and focused to what her other senses could tell her. She closed her eyes despite the darkness to concentrate and listen to anything that might give her an idea where they might be. She estimated that they might have been traveling for about three minutes now, running about fifty miles per hour, and she remembered feeling they turned one left and two rights. From that moment on, she’d memorize every turn so that she would know where to go when she got the chance to escape, which she would.

She just needed the right timing.

 *****

Henry cursed himself over and over as he sped through the night traffic of New York, following the black van and trying not to be noticed. He was used to tailing, so that was no problem. At some point, he anticipated the van’s route and took some different turn so that Angelica’s abductors wouldn’t suspect. He would meet the van at one turn, and then lose himself at another.

When the vehicle made a turn that would lead them to the highway going out of the city, he had no choice but to follow behind. This time, there was nowhere else to go but right behind the vehicle that had his ward in it.

He saw that it started to slow down. He decided to overtake, slowing his own car while looking at the rearview mirror. The van turned right into a dirt road, and when he saw that it was out of sight, he stopped and turned back around.

Henry did not enter the road taken by the van but parked his car off the highway. The sky was still stark black as he jumped out, his boots splashing against mushy mud. He grabbed his flashlight in one hand and his .45 ACP caliber handgun in the other and ran along the side of the dirt road. He knew how to walk through anything without a sound like a slithering snake and he did just that as he followed the van’s tracks with his trained senses.

Henry’s built to run and jump and it was no sweat for him when he finally located a patched up shack where the black van was parked. The windows were covered by woods of different sizes, but light crept through the cracks. Crouching down at knee’s height, he waited behind a tree trunk for the man serving as a lookout to circle around to the back of the shack. He looked at his watch and waited until the man reappeared once again.

Three minutes, he noted. He only had three minutes to make his move towards the house. Patiently, Henry waited with the sound of crickets for the man to rove back to the back of the shack and when he finally did and not a shadow was left of the man, he made his way to the pipes that rose up to the roof. His head scanned the area. He checked his watch. He only had two and a half more minutes to climb up before the man reappeared again. He tucked his gun in his pants and dropped his flashlight inside his jacket pocket and started to climb up the pipe with ease. And as he did so, he could hear voices from the inside, but mostly it was Angelica’s voice.

At first he thought she was crying, but as he continued to listen, he was made certain that she was nowhere near a pleading voice. She was furiously shouting something at whoever she was talking to and he could hear a man’s voice as angry as hers.

She’s not making this easier, Henry thought as he pulled himself up and his feet finally planted themselves flat on the roof, which by the way could give out if he was not too careful.

“You’ll be in trouble,” he heard her say. “My guardian will be looking for me and he won’t stop. And when he finds you—all of you—he’s going to make you pay. So let me go!”

What the hell?! The woman was impossible! So now was bragging about having a guardian?

He heard laughter from below. “A guardian? What are you? Twelve?”

“I’m telling you, you won’t be laughing when I get my hands on you!”

Henry wanted to jump down through the roof and cover her mouth. She wouldn’t last the night if she talked like that.

He had to move fast or he would have a dead ward in an hour.

 *****

Angelica could perfectly run through her mind every turns the van took earlier back and forth. She also knew who had the keys to the van and it was the bald guy with a scar across his right cheek. Mr. Black guy was the one she kicked right on the crotch. She knew that because he was sort of limping as they dragged her into the shack earlier.

She had no idea where her kidnappers took her, but that was not a problem. She knew where she’d go the moment she escaped. And that was the problem right now: how to escape.

“You know, this has been dragging too long and I’m getting tired,” the boss said, walking back towards her. He had black hair, his face too oily, and like Mr. Scar guy, he had a white line that ran vertically across his left eye.

“And I’m getting tired telling you that I don’t know what you’re talking about! I don’t know any documents!” she answered for the nth time.

“Your father didn’t leave you anything? That’s something quite impossible,” Mr. Scarred Eye walked closer and leaned towards her and she could see her reflection across his brown eyes. It was then that she realized that they might not have been joking when they said they’d kill her. They all took off their masks earlier and it only meant two things: they either didn’t care if she saw their faces, or they were not planning to let her go alive.

Maybe it’s really time to panic, she told herself. But first, she had to calm down and think of a way to prolong her life. “My father and I are not close,” she uttered.

“But you’re his only daughter, right?”

Technically, that was wrong, but she nodded anyway.

“Then you must know where he placed his most precious things, right?”

“Uh, no, not really,” she answered truthfully. She was not a moron to not know that they were looking for the very thing she left at the hospital. And she didn’t know if she should be thankful or not that she forgot to bring it.

“You don’t seem afraid. Are you afraid?”

“Of course I am,” she answered because by way the man was looking at her right now, she started to feel afraid. “But not really afraid.”

“And why is that?” Mr. Scarred Eye ran a finger across her cheek and she fought all urge to flinch away.

“As I’ve told you, people will be looking for me. Someone must have seen you outside the hospital,” she couldn’t help but answer.

 *****

Stupid! Henry shouted in his mind. He was wrong when he thought that the roof was weak because he couldn’t find a single hole that would be big enough for him to break. The only way in was through the windows or the door. And he couldn’t enter without notice if the lookout person was around.

He made up his mind and went to the edge of the roof, making sure that there was no window down. The moment he was waiting for came as the lookout man appeared with his big gun in his hand, his head busily looking around for any sign of intrusion.

One…two…three…four steps…

Henry calculated in his mind and made the leap, directly landing down the man, and as he did so, he did not waste more time. There was not a sound but a grunt from the man as he knocked him unconscious with his elbow. After making sure the enemy was in deep sleep, he pressed his back closer to the wall and walked sideways. You could never be sure of how many enemies would come your way.

From listening earlier up on the roof, he estimated four men inside the shack. He had counted their footsteps which varied in every person’s weight. It was a skill he had mastered a long time ago and it was obviously useful, especially now that he didn’t have anyone to count on. His stupid beautiful ward was not helping with that big mouth and misplaced courage of hers.

Slowly and quietly, Henry made his way to the other side of the shack where there was less light. He guessed it was an empty room and it was obviously the only entry for him. But the window, just like the others, was barred by woods. It would be a freaking difficult task to open and he cursed some more.

I shouldn’t be here in the first place. I should be out lurking saving the world and not some red-haired girl who don’t know the meaning of safety, he thought as he worked on one wood, gently ripping it off the window frame.

He suddenly heard a big crash like that of a wooden chair or something and he froze. That can’t be good. What did she do this time? He did not bother making a lot of noise as he tore off the rest of the wood in one motion.

 *****

She called him a creep and he came smashing the chair he was sitting on right across her. Angelica felt sharp debris slash across her cheeks and now it was bleeding along with her nose. As a doctor, she knew she wouldn’t lose that much blood, but she was concerned about infection. Her hands were tied behind the chair and she had been trying to slip out of it. When Mr. Scar tied her earlier, she clenched her fists as hard as she could so that her muscles grew large, giving even just centimeters of difference if she was tied with relaxed hands. Though it was a cool trick, it wasn’t easy to unbind her hands. For now, she had to keep them talking and distracted. Her hands would definitely get scratches, but it would be her dermatologist’s problem later.

As the sound of the chair crashing against the floor died, they heard something else from outside. Angelica’s head perked up in hope.

“What’s that?” Mr. Scarred Eye asked harshly. “Check on Perkins. What’s that bastard doing outside?”

Mr. Scar and another bigger man wearing a bonnet walked towards the door, their footsteps heavy on the tattered wooden floor of the shack. Mr. Black guy had never made a move from where he was sitting, obviously still in pain. That she could see with the grimace he wore on his face. As the two men walked out the door, she was left with Mr. Scarred Eye and Mr. Black.

Hoping that someone—anyone—was outside, maybe some curious neighbor or if she was lucky, a rescuer, she planned what she had to do. She could shout and cry for help or she could continue working with her binds and run for it while everyone was distracted.

Seconds passed and no sound came from outside. No cries or sound of battle.

“Black, see what’s holding those idiots up,” Mr. Scarred Eye ordered.

Angelica almost snorted. Okay, she knew she was just making names, but it was one hell of a coincidence that she gave Black his real name. Black looked at Mr. Scarred Eye pleadingly. “Boss, my balls are in pain and—”

“Go or I’ll cut them myself!” his boss ordered, whirling around.

“Fine,” Black moaned as he stood up and limped to the door.

Now, she was alone with the boss. Great.

Mr. Scarred Eye smiled wickedly at her, his head tilted to one side. “Are you hoping someone came to rescue you?”

Every hair in her body stood up. His voice got to her if not his words. There was something in the way his lustful eyes roamed over her. “That’s a possibility, yes,” she answered and she could feel her voice was starting to shake.

Slowly, Mr. Scarred Eye closed the distance between them and bent his head towards her ear and she leaned away as far as she could. “I have men outside,” he breathed against her hair. “Now, you’re going to tell me where the device is, my sweet little—”

She kicked him with her knees and he was the second victim of her crotch attack that night. He stumbled backwards, his mouth opened in pain, his hands on his manhood. It was a sight, really, to witness a coldblooded boss who kidnapped people being in pain. But then, she knew he’d recover and forget about the pain as anger rose up his face.

“Don’t you dare lay another finger on me!” she warned. It was just an empty threat, but she hoped it worked.

“You, bitch!” His hand went over his head. Angelica stared at it. It was going to be freaking painful.

In slow motion, she saw his hand coming down towards her and she leaned her head away, her eyes closed for the attack.

But it never came.

Her eyes cautiously opened, her gaze directed towards the floor. And there he was, his body limp and unconscious, lying with the broken parts of the chair.

Angelica snapped her head up and saw her guardian.

Her ruggedly handsome, dirty, angry guardian was looking down at her with a gun in his hand.

“You have a lot of explaining to do, Ms. Dalton,” he whispered harshly, his black eyes glittering with anger.

Chapter 5

“What—” she started to ask but couldn’t finish her words. “What…” She sat there, her cheek stinging, her nose clogged with drying blood and he was there, standing there—really standing there—with dirty boots, a gun, and a freaking flashlight.

“What’s what?” he asked harshly.

“What…” she actually wanted to ask him how he came here and why he looked like that. But her attention was again taken by the sound of Mr. Scarred Eye’s groan. “What did you do? Did you shoot him?” she asked instead.

“Did you hear a shot ring out?” he asked sarcastically, kicking Mr. Scarred Eye in the gut which sent him to roll on his back. Henry Bell then circled towards her back and worked on her already loose binds.

“What are you doing here? How did you find me? Do you know these guys?”

“Shut up, Dalton. I’m really pissed right now.”

“What?” she asked incredulously. “Pissed? With who? Me? What did I do?” she demanded, standing up when her hands were free. She felt for her cheek and winced, then she wiped her nose, and stared at the back of her hands. “Oh my God, I’m bleeding. My skin’s ruined.”

“Hey!” Henry shouted, gaining her attention. “Are you for real? Don’t you realize that you’ve just been kidnapped and that those guys outside could rouse any minute now?”

She looked at him strangely, feeling lost. “Didn’t you take care of them?”

“I did, but I didn’t kill them,” he snatched her hand and pulled her towards the door. “We have to go now.”

“Ow!” she shouted, taking her hand back. “It hurts! Oh my God,” she winced, massaging her hand.

“Can’t you just shut up for once? You could have been killed with that mouth of yours!” he shouted at her and without warning, bent down to carry her across and over his shoulders.

“What the hell are you doing? Bell! Get me down, you bastard!”

“Now I’m the bastard,” he grunted as he straightened on his feet and started walking. “I just saved you and I’m the bastard?”

“Get me down!” she wailed her arms around.

“If you don’t shut up, I’ll leave you to these guys and I won’t look back, understand? Just shut up!”

“How—” she started, but closed her mouth. He was freaking serious with his threat, she knew that, so she tried real hard not to open her mouth.

Henry carried her all the way and he never stopped for a rest. The man had been running at some point even, imagine that! And she had been really quiet. It was probably the longest time she endured the urge to say something and it was a record for her.

“You can put me down now, Bell. The shack is out of sight,” she finally uttered.

He did just that. But not like some knight who gently placed down the damsel in distress. He literally let go of her legs and arm and it sent her slipping off his shoulders and on the ground. “Hey! Watch it!”

Her guardian just looked down at her and said, “Get up. We have to go.”

“You’re such a bastard!” she cried out, flipping her hands out to take off some mud, straightened her dress which was now good for nothing because it looked like clay. “Ugh! I hate you!”

“Oh, that’s how you talk to your guardian now? The one you’ve been bragging about earlier?”

Angelica froze. “You heard that?”

“Of course I did. You didn’t care how loud you get…” he started to walk away and she stumbled, jumping from one spot to another, evading as much muddy area as possible.

“It’s a good thing I didn’t wear my Prada,” she muttered.

“Faster, Dalton, we don’t have much time before those guys come after us,” Bell cried over his shoulder.

“Coming!” she hissed back with fury.

 *****

Henry was trying to control himself not to shout at Angelica. It would do no good, and it would not make anything less complicated. The woman, as he now knew, had lied to him.

“Get in the car,” he ordered.

“Don’t order me—”

He opened the passenger side and looked at her pointedly. “Get. In. The. Car.”

“Fine!” she gritted and climbed inside.

He slammed the door and ran to the driver’s side. When he got in, she looked away and positioned her body towards her side of window. He chose not to say a word and focused on getting as far away from the place as possible. He had never lost his temper to anyone before and he was finding it hard to cool his head.

“You told me you were not in danger,” he uttered when he finally calmed down.

“I thought I was not, okay?” she snapped, turning her head at his direction.

“Then why did those guys take you? What were they looking for?”

“I don’t know, okay? You tell me. You obviously know a lot about these things than I do. You were friends with my father and he appointed you to be my guardian. Why is that?”

So, she really didn’t have an idea why her father entrusted her to a guardian. That much he could tell, but he knew she was lying when she said she didn’t know what her kidnappers were looking for. “I’ve been trying to answer the very same question myself,” he answered.

“Who are you really? As far as I know you’re a lawyer and Philip’s friend—”

“Oh, so you know about me already?”

“Yeah, of course I do. Everything about Philip, I know,” she said shamelessly.

You don’t know he forced his wife to marry him, he wanted to say. “You’re too honest for your own good, Dalton.”

“I speak what I want to say.”

Henry nodded and shot his ward a glance, “I know. And that’s why I know you’re lying when you said you don’t know what those men are looking for.”

He saw her open her mouth then closed it again. “And if I do? What’s it to you?”

“I’m your guardian. I have the right to know.”

“Who said I’m accepting you to be my guardian? After tonight, I don’t think I know you at all. Lawyers don’t usually carry guns and follow kidnappers—” she stopped, her thoughts obviously changing their course because she was now leaning towards him, her eyes questioning, “Wait a minute. How did you know where they took me anyway? Were you following me? Oh my God, you’re stalking me now?”

“What?!” he cried in disbelief. Where did her thoughts come from? Is she really for real? “What the hell are you talking about? I was watching out for you outside the hospital. I was not stalking you,” he gave his last sentence a good punctuated sound just to be clear.

“Why were you watching out for me?” she asked.

“Because I knew you were in trouble. I can spot a lie as easily as you can spot men.” Okay, he did not really mean that. It just came out of his stupid mouth.

He sensed that she was offended by his statement, but she did not say anything about it. It was like she was used to hearing that sort of things. “Why?” she asked once again, “Why did my father ask you to be my guardian?”

Henry looked at her for a brief few seconds, breaking his sight out of the road. “Because he thought you’ll be in danger.”

“He did? Why?”

His eyes closed in frustration and he took a deep breath. The lady sure knew how to test his patience. “Why do you have to ask a lot of why’s ? Just accept the freaking answer that your father thinks you’re in trouble and he asked me to protect you. Period.”

“Why you?”

“God, really? Stop with the why already,” he complained.

“What the hell’s wrong with you?” she shouted. “I am lost here, okay? I need answers.”

“Asking why your father chose me to protect you won’t answer any questions. Now, let me ask the most crucial one here. Where are the documents those guys were looking for?”

Angelica pushed away and leaned back against her seat. “It’s in the hospital.”

“And what are they about?”

“I don’t know,” she sighed. When he just looked at her, she snapped her head at him, “What? I don’t really know, okay?”

That look in her eyes told him she was telling the truth. “You didn’t see them? How can you say you have them?”

“I have them, well, at least I think,” she held up her hand when he opened his mouth. “But it’s in a saving device. I can’t open it. But I really have a feeling it’s what they are looking for.”

“Did your father give it to you?”

“No, I found it in his study.”

“Today?”

“Yes, today. It was a good thing he kept it there and not in his room or those guys would have found it already when they sneaked in—”

“What? What did you say?” he asked when she did not finish her sentence.

“Nothing,” she shook her head.

“No, you were telling me someone sneaked into your father’s room.”

“I didn’t say it was my father’s room. Wait, you know?”

Henry rolled his eyes. “Who wouldn’t? The place was a mess.”

“Then why are you still asking me?”

“To be sure if you knew about it or not, and you obviously know about it, and you were obviously trying to keep it a secret.”

“Whatever…” she muttered, closing her eyes.

“We’re not done talking yet,” he pointed out.

“I’m tired. Just drive.”

 *****

“I can’t go in there looking like this,” she told him when they arrived at the hospital. “People will wonder.”

“You just got kidnapped, almost got killed because of your stupid mouth, and even now as we waste time talking about how you look people are coming to get something from you and you still have the time to drag this mess? Just get out of the car and we’ll get that device. What are you waiting for? Move,” ordered with his eyes.

“But—”

“I can carry you on my shoulders if you want.” That did it as he had thought. She growled at him before opening the door.

“I’ll tell everyone I saved you that’s why I look like this,” she stated as they briskly walked towards the emergency doors.

“You know what? You don’t have to do that. No one will care what you look inside a hospital.”

“In my case, people will care. My colleagues will wonder.”

“Whatever. But don’t say anything unless someone insists that you explain, okay?”

“Shut up,” she shot back at him, pushing the emergency doors open.

She led him towards a series of corridors and people both injured, sick, or working, thankful that no one stopped to look at her. Henry was probably right. No one will notice. But there were always some parts of the hospital that didn’t welcome dirty people and they would have to pass through it before they could reach the doctor’s lounge.

“We have to be fast and careful—what are you doing? No, you can’t have that in here. Are you stupid? How did you get through with it?” she asked, horrified, seeing him holding a gun.

“We went through the emergency doors. Police of all kinds enter the area. There was no detector. And don’t worry, this is just for precaution. Go do your thing and I’ll see to it that you’ll be safe,” he answered with enough sarcasm she wanted to kick him right on the groin. After all, she found out how effective it really was—just like in the movies. And she had a lot of practice earlier.

“Excuse me, what are you doing here?” a nurse suddenly popped out of nowhere.

“Hey, Rob, it’s me, Dr. Dalton. I’m sorry, just some trouble with my car earlier. I’m here to change,” she forced a smile, noticed Henry behind her and she prayed really hard that he hid his gun out of sight. “And this is my friend,” she pointed her thumb behind her.

“Ah, sure,” Rob was scratching his head as they walked away towards the door of the doctor’s lounge.

“Okay, we’re safe,” she whispered when they finally entered the room.

“Where’s the device?”

“It’s here,” she walked towards the small kitchen and at the table where she left her computer. Good thing about the room was that it was full of people who were too busy to clean up their mess, so you’d always find your things where you left them without a trace that someone had touched them. “Do you think it would disable or something if I try out some possible passwords?” she asked.

Henry’s gaze turned serious as he frowned down at the screen. “I don’t know. I’ll have to check it out.”

“Oh, so now you’re an expert with computers? We have to find someone who is more capable.”

“Who?”

“The police perhaps? Look, I know you’re trying to fulfill your part as my guardian and all but I don’t really know you enough to trust you with this.”

His frowned deepened as he turned his head to look at her. “What are you planning to do then?”

“Call the police. That’s what I should have done this morning in the first place,” she said simply, shrugging her shoulders. “They might give me protection or something then.”

“You don’t have to do that,” he stated, looking back at the screen, dismissing the topic.

“Of course I can and I’m doing it right now. I’ll call the police,” she made a move for the phone but his hand was too quick to grab hers. “What are you doing?”

“You don’t have to call the police, okay?”

“And why is that?” she tilted her chin in challenge.

She saw him struggle for a second before he closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he said, “Because I am the police.”

Chapter 6

“What do you mean you are the police?” she demanded. “You’re a freaking lawyer.”

“Yes, that too,” Henry winked at her appalled look and looked back on the monitor. “I sort of have two jobs.”

“What the hell do you mean? Hey, I’m talking to you,” he felt her nudge his arm by her finger.

“What?” he asked irritably. When he saw her face, he sighed. “I told you the truth. I am the police—well, sort of.”

“And I asked you, what the hell does that mean? Like the NYPD?”

Despite her messy hair, she looked so darn beautiful with her eyes on fire, her eyebrows arched in question, and Henry fought the urge to wipe her face clean.

“Just…clean up first,” he looked away and focused his attention back on the computer. “Then we’ll talk.”

She seemed to think about it for a few seconds before she walked away and disappeared into the shower room. He didn’t know how much had to tell her, but he had to tell her something. Telling her he was the police was half a lie. He was not a cop. He was a little bit more than that, but he couldn’t tell her that. That would jeopardize his other objectives.

 *****

Angelica took her time cleaning up. She stepped under the warm shower and cringed as her wounds and scratches stung. She had to cool her head and assess everything that happened to her. She had to make sure that everything was going to be alright and that she would be back to normal.

All in one day, she found out her father was dead, and probably murdered, she thought, and then she found out he asked his young friend to be her guardian at her age—God help her she was too old and smart to have one—and she got kidnapped by people she didn’t know, looking for a document she had but she couldn’t even open, and then got rescued by her so-called guardian who claimed he was one of the authorities. Only in the movies… she wondered whether the movies could think of making something similar. If I am to be the actress, I will turn it down, she thought bitterly.

This morning she woke up ready for battle. Battle against her colleagues who looked down on her because of her age, thinking she was too young to be where she was—that kind of battle she wa too prepared for. But the one she just had, being kidnapped and almost getting killed was never in her plan.

Oh my God…I almost got killed…

Yeah, it was probably too late to shake and cry in fear, but she did just that. The adrenaline that drove her angry and courageous earlier had worn off and now she was just tired and freaking scared. But she was too proud to admit that to anyone but herself. She was the most tactless person she had ever known, but telling everyone she was at her weakest point was probably the last thing she’d do.

Somehow she was hurt knowing outside the shower room was a man her father trusted. Patrick Dalton chose to tell someone about his troubles but never his own daughter. Did he think she was still too young to understand? Did he think she was still his genius daughter who was too naïve to think of anything else other than skipping high school and entering medical school at a young age? Did he think she never cared that he never talked to her about his firm?

I am not a child, Dad, she whispered in her mind and hoped he could hear her wherever he was right now. I am not that weak as you might think, she added. All her life, she tried and tried to show him that. She tried to show him she was strong and she could do almost everything. She was smart enough to skip three years of high school, she was perspicacious enough to take as much subjects in premed, and she was freaking too intelligent to graduate four years earlier than what was normal.

So why? Why couldn’t he just have trusted me with just a tinge of truth? Why couldn’t he tell me?

She wondered then what Jessica would say if she knew. Her sister was the stronger of them two, and she, Angelica—believe it or not—was the quiet, nerdy, loner one. But that was before Jessica was gone. Oh, Jess, I hope you’re here. I know you’ll fight for me on this one. You will have an answer to everything, she thought, leaning her forehead against the tiled wall of the shower room.

But Jessica was long gone and she was completely alone now. She had to face this one on her own. With renewed energy, she straightened and finished her shower and walked out and went to her locker, choosing a pair of dark pants, running shoes that she always kept ready for her morning runs, a clean fitting gray shirt with white letters print, ‘I’m a doctor and I save lives’ at the front, and finally, she found a rubber band to hold her hair up. However she loved her dresses and shoes, she couldn’t risk having them ruined if ever she got kidnapped once again.

Checking her face in the mirror, she looked at the small slash across her cheek. It had stopped bleeding, and now that she could see it clearly, it was not that deep to leave a mark. Her eyes though were a bit puffy, but not too noticeable. Angelica took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, ready for battle. You’re strong, Angelica, you can do it. Jessica’s face flashed across her mind. Be with me, Jess.

 *****

The first thing Henry saw as Angelica walked out of the shower room was her eyes. Had she been crying? He asked himself. He never took her for someone who would bother shedding a tear at moments like this. Hell, she had so much gut earlier but now she was crying? He wanted to believe he was mistaken, but something nudged inside him. Maybe there was something more to Angelica Dalton than what he thought after all. Maybe she was just as frail as any woman could be.

He shook his growing curiosity and tried to ignore the weakness she was trying to hide. He knew she’d only be offended if he as much as try to comfort her. Not that he would ever do that anyway. Women like Angelica Dalton would take his actions the wrong way and he didn’t want to be another Philip Strindberg who had always been secretly frustrated having someone like Angelica running after you wherever you went.

“What are you looking at?” she asked, her eyebrows forming a line. When he saw her lips twitch, he looked away and gazed back at the screen. That was what he was talking about. That naughty, wicked, and enchanted smile of hers he had noticed a long time ago when he met her at a party. It always meant that Philip had to make a quick exit to escape and he would be the one who’d make excuses for him and divert Angelica’s attention.

“Nothing,” he cleared his throat. “I don’t think I can open this one on my own.”

“Explain,” she stated, and he saw her walking closer from the corner of his eye. Did her hips have to sway like that? “What do you mean you’re with the authorities?”

“I did not exactly say that.” He tried to think of a way out of the conversation.

“Then tell me, who are you really, Bell? If you’re with the police, let me see your badge. Let me see an I.D.”

He had an I.D, all right but he never planned to show it to her. “I can’t tell you, okay?”

“No, it’s not okay.” Her blue eyes narrowed as she looked at him. “I don’t think I trust you.”

“Good. Don’t.” He was serious when he said that. All his life, he was living a lie, talking lies, doing lies. It was not shocking to learn she couldn’t trust him. “I’m here to protect you. That’s all you need to know about me.”

“I can’t let someone into my life when I know I can’t trust them.”

Henry chuckled. “You don’t have to have me into your life. I’ll be outside it observing and watching—just like today—until this is all over. You won’t even know I’m there.”

“Like a stalker? That will be creepy.”

“No, like a distant shadow.”

“I don’t think—”

“But sometimes, you’ll need to let me come close. Like tomorrow, I need to be there at your father’s cremation.”

“I don’t want—”

“And I want every one of your father’s associates and partners present.”

“That will be—”

“One of them might be his killer.”

“Don’t cut me off—” she stared to say angrily but stopped when his words sank in. Henry smiled inwardly at her startled, beautiful, fresh face. “You think someone killed him?”

Henry nodded, glad that he finally had her full attention. “Your kidnapping confirmed my suspicion.”

“But you can never be sure,” she stated.

Henry shrugged. “We can have an autopsy if you want.”

“I—” he looked at her hesitant face.

“You what?” he asked.

“I already did that,” she finished.

Henry looked at her with amusement. “You did?”

“Yes,” she snapped. “But that doesn’t mean I believe he was killed.”

“But you suspected it,” he stated without question.

“Maybe,” and she turned around so he couldn’t see her face.

Henry was more curious now about his ward than he was before. He was starting to see something about he never saw before. He always thought of her as the desperate woman who chased men for attention, but right now, he was seeing a serious, smart red-haired beauty that was scared but too proud to admit it.

“If I invite my father’s friends tomorrow, it will be according to my rules,” she said, almost in a whisper. “You can’t say a word about what happened to me to anyone, understood?”

“No problem,” he answered.

Henry thought he heard her sigh as she walked over to the couch across the room.

“You have to rest, Dalton,” he said, his voice gentler than he intended. “We have a big day tomorrow.”

“What about the device?” she asked.

He took the device from the computer and dropped it in his jacket pocket. “I’ll have a friend check it out.”

“I want to come along.”

“No, he doesn’t want other people—”

“It’s my device and if I say I want to come along when it gets opened,” she insisted, her blue eyes on fire.

Henry thought for a moment, and then sighed. “Fine. But it will be according to my rules,” he said, copying her words.

“Whatever,” she muttered and dropped on the couch.

“Who said we’re resting here?” he announced, walking towards her.

She looked lost for a moment there as he went to open the door. “What do you mean?”

“We’re going to my place,” he turned and gave her a wink, motioning his head. “Let’s go.”

“I don’t think—”

“Those guys probably know you’re here.” At his words, she jumped to her feet and followed after him.

 *****

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Angelica muttered, puffing her cheeks and blowing out a breath.

“Doing what?” Henry asked her, his eyes fixed on the road.

“Going to your place.”

“For someone who chases men around, I find that quite surprising.”

Angelica knew he was speaking from his own opinion, but what he said hurt. He might as well have said she was a slut.

Despite the little hurt though, she didn’t feel like fighting back. She was used knowing what others thought of her. The important thing was how she knew herself. Ever since Jessica’s death, she vowed to be like her—to be strong, and true, and real. In life, you have to be strong and that’s what she was. Or at least that’s what she was becoming.

“This is different,” she answered after a long time and she was not even sure if Henry knew it was supposed to be an answer to his remark.

“You have to be ready for tomorrow,” he said, changing the subject. “Call Hartman and tell him you changed your mind. I want to see every one of your father’s partners tomorrow.”

“Do I look like your secretary?” she turned on the car seat to face him. “What? You think I am?”

She saw his eyebrows snap together. “What the hell are you talking—” he stopped, realizing what she was talking about. “Oh, I get it, you hate orders. So, please,” he said in exaggeration, “please, please, call Hartman and order him to invite all your father’s partners.” When he looked at her, his eyes were the perfect example of the word irritation. “And please, ” he added, “stop being a brat and just do what I say.”

Angelica gaped, staring at her guardian in disbelief.

I have to get rid of him, she thought as she huffed and straightened against the chair.

Chapter 7

A maze would be the perfect thing to compare to the route they took to reach Henry’s place. Angelica was too tired to bother memorizing the streets and buildings. Okay, honestly, she dozed off.

The sun was coming up and to think about what would have to happen in the next few hours, she already felt stressed out.

“I don’t know this place actually exists within the city,” she commented as they climbed out of the car and walked towards the old building.

“It’s because people like you don’t bother to look,” Henry said dryly, playing with his keys.

He led her into the building. Like outside, the inside was old–antiquated. It was not dirty, thank God for that. But there was no elevator and she had to follow him up to the fifth floor where a long carpeted corridor greeted them. There were about five or more doors along the right side of the stairs, but Henry turned left and walked past three doors until he stopped at one and worked with the keys.

There were no more rooms across the hall, but windows lined the length, giving natural light from the disappearing moon and the appearing sun.

Angelica didn’t notice when the door opened, lost for a moment in the peaceful scene outside the window.

“Are you coming in or what?” Henry’s voice said behind her.

“Yeah,” she cleared her throat and walked into the dark room. “You live alone?”

“Yes, but not here,” he answered while locking the door. For a moment, they were both in total darkness until he flicked on the lights.

“What do you mean?” Angelica asked, looking around her.

“I don’t live here.”

“Then whose place is this?” she asked, looking for any clue of anyone who might own the apartment. There was none. Actually, there was nothing except a couch, a table, two or three chairs, a refrigerator, and a small television set.

“Mine,” he answered, walking across the room towards a small hallway. “I use this only for instances like this,” he added then stopped when he noticed that she was following him. He turned around and raised an eyebrow at her. “Do you want to see me naked?”

Angelica was dumbfounded. “What?”

“I’m going to change. You want to see me doing that?”

“Why didn’t you say so?” she snapped and whirled around to return to the living room. “And I would be glad to see you naked, but with the circumstances, I think I should pass,” she couldn’t help but add.

“Call Hartman. The phone’s by the fridge. The line is secure so don’t worry.”

She didn’t know what he meant by the line is secure, but she nodded and walked to the phone anyway. She dialed her father’s attorney’s number and waited as the line started ringing.

“Hartman speaking,” the man answered.

“It’s me, Angelica, can I talk to you?”

“Ms. Dalton, sure, what about? Is something wrong?” He probably thought so because of the time of the call. Well, there was actually something wrong, but she didn’t dare say that out loud.

“I changed my mind about the cremation thing for today. I want you to invite…” her voice trailed off as she saw Henry walk out from the hallway carrying a white shirt, his upper torso bared and oh so naked. He noticed her gaze and raised his brows in question, innocent of her womanly thoughts. She averted her eyes, shook her head fast and cleared her throat. “So I was saying that I want you to invite every partner and associates of my father’s. But I don’t want this one to appear in any papers, understand? Just his partners and some important associates. No others.”

“Yes, yes, I think that can be done,” Hartman’s curious voice answered. He was probably wondering why she suddenly changed her mind. “Just one question, did you order for an autopsy?”

“Yes. I just…well, I’m a doctor and I’m just curious how he really died physiologically.”

“Oh, okay. Well, I already took care of the papers and they’re going to start immediately before the cremation later this afternoon. But the official result will not be in until next week.”

“That’s okay, I’m not in a hurry,” she lied. “Thank you,” she said as goodbye and replaced the phone.

“So?” Henry asked, still unconsciously naked.

“It’s cool,” Angelica tried her best not to look at him and cleared her throat once again. “Do you have water? I need some water,” she turned to walk to the fridge. “And put that shirt on, what are you doing holding that in your hand?”

“What’s wrong?” he asked behind her.

“Nothing, I’m just tired,” she tried to answer nonchalantly, bending down to grab a bottle of water. “How old is this water?” she asked.

“It’s still good. I was here two days ago,” he answered.

“Good,” she straightened and gulped down a huge amount, cringing as the water hurt her throat.

“Where are you going?” he asked as she walked towards the sofa.

“Sleep,” she mumbled, seeing him wearing the white shirt from the corner of her eyes.

“You can sleep in my room,” he offered.

“No, I’m not sleeping there with you.”

Henry chuckled. “I’m not saying you’ll be sleeping with me, Dalton. That’s not ever going to happen.”

Something inside Angelica perked up. That part of her that fed on challenges—that part that wanted to prove to anyone that they were wrong—and at that moment, she so wanted to prove to Henry Bell that he was wrong, and that someday, he would eat his words. “Hmm, let’s see about that,” she whispered under her breath, standing up.

“What did you say?” he asked.

“Nothing. I said I’ll take that offer with or without you,” she winked at him and turned on her heels to go find the bedroom.

 *****

Henry thought he said something really bad as he watched Angelica’s retreating form. He knew he saw something in her eyes as she left, but he didn’t know what it was. He can almost feel for it, but he couldn’t.

What is that? What is she thinking now? He was almost afraid to answer that himself.

Shaking his head, he lay on the sofa, his arms behind his head, and all of a sudden, his thoughts were already wandering around the series of events and unexplained things that happened in one day. He could still picture the little device he had in his pocket, wondering what it contained.

And again, his thoughts drifted to his real mission. With everything going on with Angelica, he didn’t know how he could juggle her and his mission together without the two colliding against eachother. He knew he couldn’t let her find out anything.

Because if she did, he knew she’d curse him for the world…along with her father.

 *****

Angelica opened her eyes through the stream of light coming through the window of Henry’s bedroom. She wrinkled her nose, smelling bacon and bread, remembering the days she had to go on duty with the same food daily. Her brain was quicker than most and she instantly reminded herself that she was not in the hospital or her apartment. She was in a room of an apartment in an old building in the middle of the city that she had never been to with a handsome, strange guy who called himself her guardian.

Who implied he’ll never like you, added that bitter voice.

She ignored it and looked at her watch. It was ten in the morning and she had been asleep for four hours. Not bad. She was used sleeping in lesser time. Sitting on the single bed that creaked with her every movement, she looked around the room and sighed. Earlier, as she entered the room to sleep, she was hoping to see things that would tell her about Henry, but again, she was wrong. Like the whole apartment, his room was bare of any trace that he had a life other than what she thought he had, which made her even more curious to find out what the man was hiding.

She knew by now that he was not just a cop, but he was something else.

CIA… FBI… Russian spy… Assassin? She tried guessing, but no answer really came to her. Hell, he could be anyone.

How can Philip have a friend like him? She asked quietly. Does he know about Henry?

Shaking off the questions she knew were impossible to be answered, she put on her shoes and walked out the room, slowly making her way out to the living room and there she saw him in the kitchen, his back at her, his head bent down on the stove.

And he was only wearing a pair of black boxer shorts.

What’s with this guy and the word ‘naked’?

“Are you trying to seduce me with your almost-naked form and with breakfast?” she asked aloud, molding her face into a challenging look.

Startled, Henry whirled around and when her words sank in, he frowned. “What?”

“Ah, don’t bother,” she waived a hand and tried to focus on not looking at him from waist down. “It’s actually working and I might just think of going after you,” she winked and walked to the chair and sat down.

“What?” he asked again.

“I’m hungry, so I guess I’ll have to explain later if you still don’t get it,” she rolled her eyes.

“Get this,” he ordered, handing her a fork. “I’ll go get change and don’t burn them.”

“This I can do,” she smiled, batting her eyes at him. She wanted to laugh with mirth as he stepped back and glared at her.

“Just…eat. We’re going to have a long day.”

Angelica just shrugged and finished his cooking. After that, she picked up the phone once again and called Hartman. “Is it all done?” she asked, trying not to think of her dad.

“Yes, of course, Ms. Dalton. The autopsy people already wrapped him up and he’s on his way to the—”

“I did not ask you about every detail, Cole,” she cut him off, cringing at the thought of her father being wrapped up. “I was asking about his partners at the firm.”

“Ah, yes. All five of them agreed and were glad to be invited to say their goodbyes.”

“Good. Did you tell them this is not supposed to be out to the public?”

“Yes, of course. They were happy to oblige.”

“That’s good. See you later?”

“Yes, definitely, Ms. Dalton.”

“Bye,” she said and replaced the phone. “Hey!” she called out as she placed plates on the table. “I called Hartman and he said people are coming later. I hope you’re happy now!” she said the last sentence bitterly. This was never in her plan.

“That’s good,” he walked out fully clothed, much to her little disappointment, and sat across her. “Act casual later, talk with them like you usually would, and don’t tell them anything that happened. If they asked how Patrick died, give the usual heart attack speech.”

“Whatever,” she munched on her toasted bread. “Or you could do the talking.”

“That I can do as well,” he shrugged.

“You know them?”

“Your father’s partners? Yes, of course. You don’t?” he seemed startled.

“No,” she answered honestly. “Never met them, never seen them.”

“I’ll introduce you to them,” he stated.

“Yeah, I would be glad to at least know who my kidnapper is. And my father’s killer,” she added, finally letting him know she was accepting that fact.

“I said one of them might be your kidnapper or your father’s killer. I didn’t say I was sure. It could be anyone.”

“Whatever,” she rolled her eyes. “I’m pretty sure I’ll get some vibes later.”

Henry looked at her incredulously. “Vibes?”

“Yeah, vibes,” she winked at him and again, she saw him look away, averting his gaze.

 *****

Something had definitely changed and Henry knew that. He could see the way she talked and looked at him, and he was familiar with those moves. He’d seen her do that a million times in front of Philip and to know that she was doing it to him was something unacceptable. What’s wrong with the lady? Didn’t she realize she was almost at the edge of a deep trouble and she was still having time to flirt with him?

She’s planning something, he thought. Yes, she’s definitely planning something. He threw her a glance as they drove to the cremation home.

Unluckily, she was too tuned in on him that she noticed. “What are you looking at?” she purred.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Why? What’s wrong?” she asked, her hand planting on her chest for drama.

“Whatever you’re doing, stop that. I don’t like it one bit,” he said through clenched teeth.

“Why? What do you think I’m doing, Henry?”

Inside his head, Henry was screaming. She was really something and to dare to do something like what she was doing now was something not easy to pull off. If he didn’t know her, he would have grabbed her at the first chance she gave him, but he knew her. He knew her well enough to know that all this—everything she was doing—was just a game for her. In some ways—though he didn’t know where or how—he had said something that triggered this game. He must have made a mistake somewhere and now she was after him, which was obvious enough. It was different watching her going after men, but it was another thing to have her at his tail.

He chose to ignore her and concentrated on driving them to the cremation home alive.

 *****

Angelica did not bother changing her clothes, too tired and too eager to get this thing over with. Hartman was already at the door as they walked through the long hallway of the building, looking all formal and solemn.

“Ms. Dalton,” he greeted. “Mr. Bell,” he turned to Henry and shook his hands as well. He turned back to Angelica with a small smile and said, “I was glad you changed your mind. Those people inside,” he motioned with his thumb, “are dear friends of your father’s.”

“Yeah,” was all she could muster, “let’s go.”

“Yes, of course,” Hartman opened the doors for them and five heads immediately turned towards their direction.

“I don’t know these people,” she whispered to Henry beside her who, like everyone else in the room, was wearing a tie and tuxedo. Well, aside from the beautiful woman sitting at the front wearing a black straight cut dress.

“I’ll introduce you,” he took her elbow and led her down the aisle. “Smile and show a little gratification,” he whispered through his lips. “Go with me on this, okay?”

“Yeah,” she swallowed and smiled, looking at everyone in the eyes, memorizing their faces. To know that anyone of them could be her father’s killer was already something to alarm her senses, but as Henry said, she had to stay calm.

Henry led her to an old man with his back hunched towards his cane where his hands were resting. “Mr. Barnes,” Henry said his voice all formal. “We are glad you came,” he shook the old man’s shaking hands and motioned his head towards her. “This is Angelica Dalton, I’m sure you’ve heard of her?”

The old man’s green eyes looked up to her and he smiled faintly. “Yes, of course, Angelica. Your father spoke of no one else.”

He could be lying, she thought, but she smiled anyway. “Thank you for coming, Mr. Barnes.”

“Call me Kevin,” he corrected as he took her hand and kissed it.

Henry then led her to the person beside the man, the one who had been staring at her since the moment she stepped inside the room. He was probably the youngest among the group. He was lean, and tall, and handsome. Honestly, she could see Philip in him and it immediately made her feel good. He was smiling as he stood up and took her hand. “I’m John Stewart and you’re Patrick’s daughter. I know,” he smiled shyly for a moment before his beam came out, showing perfect teeth. “I heard Henry introduce you to Kevin. I’m glad to finally see you.”

“Yeah, me too,” she whispered hurriedly, lost for a second into his beautiful brown eyes. 

A loud clearing of throat brought her back to her real situation and she let go of John’s hand. She turned and saw Henry looking at her with a frown. What? She mouthed the word.

He did not answer but turned to John. “Nice to see you again, John,” he shook the man’s hand briefly and without another word, dragged her to the next pew where only one person was sitting all by himself.

“Stan,” Henry was beaming as he reached out a hand to the old, short man with graying hair. “I’d like you to meet Angelica Dalton. Angelica, meet Stan Howe.”

Angelica couldn’t help but smile as she took the man’s hand. There was just something in his chubby old smiling face that gave her a warm feeling. “Thank you for coming, Mr. Howe.”

“Oh, call me Stan. You’re first name basis with Kevin and not me?” he joked.

Angelica giggled. “Okay, Stan, Stan it is.”

“Good girl,” he looked at her with wonder. “You’ve grown a lot.”

She was frozen for a moment. “You’ve met me?”

“Yes, of course. But that was a long time ago,” he waved off with a hand. “Now, tell me,” he looked at Henry suspiciously, “why are you with Ms. Dalton, Bell?”

“I’m her—”

“We’re dating,” she intercepted much to her guardian’s surprise. She saw from the corner of her eye that John Stewart turned his head at her announcement.

“You’re what?” Obviously, it was quite a shock for Stan who laughed out loud, not caring that they were inside a small room where her father would be arriving any moment now. “I never thought of that!”

“Well, we’ve been dating for quite some time now, haven’t we, Henry?” she turned her head towards her guardian who was sweating and obviously at a loss.

“Yeah,” he answered quickly and added, “We’re sorry, Stan, but we need to go along,” he grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her out the pew and across the aisle. “I will need to talk to you after this,” his whispered words were already harsh enough to give Angelica the impression that she would have to have a good explanation later.

The black-haired woman she saw earlier stood up and smiled as they approached. The way she walked as she met them along the way was pure elegance. Her hair was tied in a bun and Angelica would love to tell her some few tips about hairstyles. The woman might be old enough to be her mother, but she was one hell of a beauty, Angelica thought. “Angelica,” she uttered with a sad smile and embraced her, much to her surprise. Awkwardly, she patted her hands on the woman’s back, her eyes searching for Henry. He just shrugged. “I’m so sad to meet you under this circumstance but its better late than never, right?” the woman’s beautiful gray eyes searched hers and when she finally realized that Angelica didn’t know her at all, she took a step back and smiled shyly. “I’m sorry, I’m Pamela Baldwin,” she turned her head to the right and motioned towards the haggard-looking man sitting on the pew. “And that is my husband Garrett,” she leaned closer and whispered at Angelica’s ear, “he’s tired, please forgive him. But you’ll like him once you get to talk.”

“Okay,” Angelica nodded slowly, forcing a genuine smile on her lips. There was just something about Pamela and her husband that just didn’t click. “Thank you for coming,” she said and turned to Henry.

It was his turn to speak and he said, “It’s nice to see you, Pam. Say hi to Garrett for me. He’s probably sleeping with eyes open.”

Pamela giggled and nodded. “Okay, I will.” She then turned around and walked back to her husband.

“What’s wrong with her husband?” she whispered beside Henry.

“He’s always like that, don’t mind him. Now, keep your eyes open.”

Henry led her to the front where two chairs stood separated from the pews. “And don’t forget,” he whispered, his breath brushing against her face, “we’ll have that talk later.”

Angelica just nodded and hooked her hand through his arm. “For now, let’s just play the part.” She leaned up and added in a whisper, “Stan is watching,” and she almost laughed as his jaw clenched.

Chapter 8

As her father’s casket floated down the aisle, carried by four men in tuxedo, Angelica was attacked by a sudden feeling of sadness she had never felt before. The feeling of loss came to her despite the emptiness she felt towards her father, but there were no tears—just sadness and loss.

She didn’t know what she was supposed to call the man who spoke in front. Maybe he was a pastor of some kind because he talked about heaven and life being temporary. And she didn’t know what to do when he looked at her with his spectacled gaze, his white hair blinding, and said that she would have to say the eulogy.

She felt Henry nudge her side when she sat still in her chair, the invite ringing in her ears. What could she say about her father? She barely had enough memory to last a minute in front. Though she had been sharing one sky in the same city as the man of her own flesh and blood, the years of emptiness tore them apart as any continent could ever do.

“Dalton, get up,” Henry hissed beside her.

“Don’t push me,” she hissed back but did what he said. Good thing applause was not needed in moments like this because if that would have been the case, that would be pretty awkward, she thought.

She made her way as quickly as she could to the center, beside her father’s casket, focusing her eyes on the pastor. She couldn’t bear to look at her father’s lifeless form in that black box. As much as she could, she wanted to preserve his living look in her mind. As she took the pastor’s spot, the old man moved aside and gave her the floor.

Angelica cleared her throat for a few times, her mind already worming around her brain for any topic to talk about her dad.

“Patrick Dalton,” she mouthed the words like they were foreign. “Patrick Dalton,” she looked up and saw the solemn faces of her father’s five partners. They looked so innocent and kind. And that was what angered her. How could she know who among them would have ordered her father killed and her kidnapped? “He’s my dad,” she started. “He’s been a part of each our lives. We’ve all been in his presence,” she continued, feeling the words starting to flow now. Memories of her childhood—back when everything was still great—came rushing in. “When I was a child, he used to tell me to be strong no matter what happens. And he was—strong, I mean. He was strong enough to take on the challenges of different kinds of trials. And he was strong when we lost my sister. He was strong when mom died,” she paused to catch her breath, her eyes never wavering, her anger towards what happened to her father surging up, and she continued, “And I know deep in my gut that he was strong enough to go against whoever hurt him.”

She knew Henry didn’t like what she said, and she could see that in his face. His eyes tried to tell her to stop whatever she was planning, but the angry warrior within her was more demanding. She looked away from him and looked at her father’s partners in the eyes.

“I’ll make it sure that justice will be served though because that’s what Patrick Dalton fought for all his life. He fought for the justice of others. It’s only fair to give him one.” Angelica said what she wanted to say, and as she looked at the curious expressions of her father’s partners, she finished by saying, “May God rest his soul.” And then she walked back to her chair.

“I definitely need to talk to you after this,” Henry hissed with so much force beside her.

She didn’t care. She was able to say what was on her mind and that was cool with her. If it was true that her enemy was present in the room, she was glad she delivered her message.

She was not backing off.

 *****

After Angelica’s unexpected eulogy, Henry found the rest of the ceremony fast. He had been clenching his teeth the whole time and he was thankful when John Stewart, the last man who lingered long enough to chat with his ward, walked out and left him with Angelica and Cole.

Cole cleared his throat just as he was about to grab his crazy ward by the elbow and drag her out to have that talk he was itching to have. “Yes?” he snapped at the man.

“We have to talk about your situation,” Cole Hartman looked at both of them awkwardly.

“Sure,” Angelica answered.

“No, I know everything’s in order and that there’s no backing off the arrangement about this weird situation between me and Ms. Dalton,” he said stonily, taking Angelica’s hand and started walking. “Call us if a problem arises,” he added, literally dragging her to the door.

“Wait, I want to talk to Cole about this—”

“No, you’re not. You’ve been doing a lot of talking and it didn’t lead to anything good,” he rasped, opening the doors. “Let’s go.”

“But—”

He stopped just outside the door and cut her off. “Shut up.”

“What—”

He held up a finger, his eyes narrowing, “Shut. Up.”

She closed her mouth, but her eyes went wider.

“Let’s go,” he pulled her towards the exit and to his car.

“Let me go!” she tried to pull away from his grasp but failed.

“You’ve done enough for today, you know that?” he let go of her hand, afraid that he could break it with anger. “What were you thinking back there? Do you think this is a game? Do you have any idea what they are capable of?”

Her eyes flared up the same color as her hair, and her voice was even more fiery as she said, “They don’t know either what I’m capable of.”

“What?” his frustration showing now. “What are you capable of, Dalton? Tell me because I don’t really have any idea. The only thing you’re good at as what I know is chasing men, manipulating people, and saying stupid things!”

He knew the moment he said those words that he hit a sensitive nerve, but he didn’t care. The woman needed to hear. She had to know that everything was not as easy as she wanted it to be. “You don’t know what you are saying, Bell,” she whispered harshly, her eyes almost moist with tears.

“Believe me, I do,” he gestured with his arms, “People know that as well. You’ve been showing that to us. But right now, I don’t need you to be yourself. I need you to listen and follow what I say.”

Her mouth fell open. “Not be myself? You don’t even know me so you don’t have the right to tell me who I am!” she turned on her heels and started to walk away.

“Where the hell are you going?”

“Hell! You want to come along?” she answered sarcastically.

This is not working, he groaned inwardly, retracing her steps and grabbing her arm.

“Let go of me, you jerk!” she pushed him by her free hand.

“Not until you listen to me. Look, you’re in danger. And because of your stupid mouth back there,” he gestured with his thumb, “you just let your father’s murderer know that you know things. It will not be for long before you’ll have a knife under your precious little throat. Now, you either walk away and be an open prey or you let me handle this my way. Because I don’t think your strategy worked, so let me just freaking do my job and keep you alive.”

“What job? Are you even being paid as my guardian?”

“No, but I owe your father big time. So stop being a bitch and get in the car, Dalton.”

“So now I’m a bitch.”

“Yes,” he looked at her seriously. “And being a bitch won’t keep you alive.”

“Bastard,” she glared at him equally at the same fashion.

“I know,” he said and pulled her towards the car. “And you have a lot of explaining to do about what you said to Stan earlier. I don’t think I liked that.”

“I don’t really care what you like as long as it’s me,” she smiled dangerously at him, her anger gone.

“Will you stop that?!” he shouted with frustration.

“Don’t tell me what to do, I hate that,” she arched an eyebrow.

Their gazes leveled, testing, challenging and calculating, he said, “Get. In. The. Car.”

“And where are we going now?” she asked, placing her hands on her hips.

“We’re going to try to open the USB,” he answered, opening the door.

“I thought you didn’t want me to come along?” she asked as he bent her head down like a cop does to someone they caught and about to take to jail.

“I realized you’re not going to let that happen,” he slammed the door and climbed in the other side. “And its better you’re in my sight after all. Who knows what you’re going to do next?”

“What the hell are you doing now?” she gasped as he started to take off his clothes.

“I’m changing, can’t you see that?”

“I’m seeing something else,” she shrugged, eyeing him boldly.

Henry suddenly felt something stir inside him as her eyes roamed over him. He shook it off and tried his might to make the work faster, grabbing his black shirt and jacket from the backseat and hastily put them on.

“Disappointing,” she sighed and looked away, crossing her leg over the other.

“Shut up,” he snapped, turning the engine on. He didn’t like how he had to say those two words every time she was around.

“So, where are we going now? Where’s this friend of yours?”

“He’s meeting us at the mall.”

“The mall? Why the mall?”

“Because there are people at the mall,” he answered, turning the car away from the parking lot.

“Ah, yes. It will be safer,” she concluded.

“And let me remind you that my friend doesn’t like talky women, so you better zip that mouth of yours.”

“I’ll die if I do that,” she said simply, shrugging her shoulders.

Henry chose it best to ignore her and treat her with silence.

 *****

“You go meet your friend and I’ll go buy something,” she told him as they closed their doors.

Henry shook his head at her and said, “No, you stay beside me.”

“What happened to that distant shadow thing you talked about?”

“That’s not going to happen for now. Where are you going anyway?”

She looked at him in disbelief. “Can’t you see that I look like a pauper? I need some clothes,” she rolled her eyes.

“You look just fine. You’re not in a freaking television show, so scratch that thought. Let’s go,” he ordered.

“You don’t understand. I want and need this. I’m not used to looking this way, okay?”

“You’re really impossible,” he shook his head, not hearing her.

“I’ll be quick,” she said almost pleadingly. “I’m itching all over,” she said with exaggeration.

“Hide,” he suddenly said, turning around, facing her. As a matter of fact, they were standing too close she was nearly stripping him of his scent.

“What now? Oh, come on, you can’t be thinking we’re being attacked, right? We’re at the mall—”

“It’s Chanty,” he murmured under his breath.

“What?” she was about to ask him how he knew Chanty and then she remembered he was Philip’s friend. “Where?” she tipped her toes to look over his shoulder, “What’s wrong with Chanty seeing us?” she asked innocently.

“You don’t want your friend being dragged into this, do you?”

Realization poured down and her eyes widened. “Yeah, definitely not. What do we do? Oh my God, I think she saw us,” she whispered, leaning closer against his chest.

“Turn around and walk out,” he whispered.

“But she’s coming right at us!” she didn’t know what to do. She knew Chanty knew she saw her and she couldn’t very well act like she didn’t, right? Her friend, dressed in a floral blue-green dress, was walking towards them with a curious look on her face, her brown hair flying behind her as she hastened her steps. She was probably wondering why she was with someone who was not too familiar. But then, Chanty knew Henry because he was her brother’s best friend–or so they all thought. The problem was that she didn’t know anything about him and it would be difficult to explain how she and Henry were tangled together by some weird events.

“Ange!” Chanty cried out, waving her hand.

Angelica forced a smile on her face. “Go,” she said through her teeth. “I’ll meet you at the car.” Thankfully, he was too eager to go and not let Chanty see him that he did not argue.

“Don’t be long, I don’t want to have to rescue you all over again,” he said before he left in a hurry.

“Chanty, I was just about to call you,” she said, trying hard to think of some reason for the call.

“Who was that with you?”

“Uh, my date. But that’s not important,” she waved her hand and rolled her eyes.

“You’re dating someone?”

“Yes, yes, but don’t tell anyone, okay? I hate to make Cassandra happy with that thought.”

“You’re dating him, or chasing him?” her friend asked frankly.

“Forget about it, okay? I’ll tell you all about it when we meet tomorrow. We’ll be planning Willie’s party, right?” If her memory served her right, she knew Chanty left her a message about a meeting over coffee.

“Yes, we are,” Chanty’s eyes glittered with delight, thinking about her son’s walking party. “But why did you want to call me again?”

“Uh, my dad died.” Okay, that kind of came out wrong. It sounded too casual and too unimportant.

“What? When?” Her friend’s face was that of genuine concern and horror.

“Yesterday.”

Chanty’s eyes suddenly welled up with tears and she was immediately smothered in her friend’s arms. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“I didn’t want anyone to know, actually. But I’m fine.”

“Where is he now?” her friend asked, not addressing her father’s name. Chanty was the only person who knew of her past.

“In a jar,” she cringed.

Her friend looked at her for about a minute and when she finally understood what she meant, she gasped. “You cremated him that fast?”

“I know, it’s kind of harsh, but I want it over with. I want to remember him living, not dead.”

Chanty looked at her solemnly.

“I’m fine.”

“You want to go somewhere?”

Even if she didn’t have anything urgent to do, or if she didn’t have her life at the edge of a pit, she wouldn’t go with Chanty anyway. She knew her friend would only want her to talk more about her dad. And talking about her dad would only mean digging up buried skeletons and hurt.

“Actually, I have to run,” she smiled weakly, trying to look tired. “I need some rest.”

Chanty looked at her and sighed. “Okay, but you’ll be there, tomorrow, right?”

She nodded. “Of course. But please, don’t talk about my dad when we meet, okay? I don’t want to talk about it just yet.”

Chanty looked at her with curiosity for a moment but she eventually nodded, “Okay,” her friend said and then looked at her with a wicked grin, “And you’ll introduce me to your date? ”

“Maybe,” she shrugged just to make her friend feel like it was definitely going to happen, which it wouldn’t. “I’m sorry, but I really need to go,” she kissed her friend and walked back to where Henry’s car was parked. She hoped Chanty wouldn’t follow her.

 *****

Henry was waiting patiently in the car. When he saw Angelica walking back, he straightened, deep in thought. His contact was coming to meet them in a coffee shop inside the mall. He knew his friend would be able to crack the device open and he was almost dreading the thought of what it contained. As he watched his ward walk, he couldn’t help but hope that she would not freak out.

“So?” he asked, getting out of the car.

“She’s gone. Now, where do we go?”

“Back inside.” He walked past her and she followed.

“What about my shopping?” she asked.

Henry thought about it and said, “Okay, you can go. I’ll meet you at the shop.” He told her the name of the coffee shop and then she gladly walked away, probably full of thoughts of dresses and shoes.

And probably, it would be a good thing that she wouldn’t be present when he met with Carl. It would give him time to think things through.

As expected, his messy-looking friend was already seated inside the shop with his cup of coffee, fidgeting as he usually is.

“Hey, thanks for coming,” he rushed as he quickly grabbed a seat and faced his friend.

“Forget it. Now we’re even. Let me see it,” Carl held out his hand while opening his computer with the other. “I have a lot of things to do for the agency and this is out of my pay.”

“You owe me, right?” Henry grinned at the mess before him.

“Now I don’t,” Carl narrowed his eyes through his thick glasses as he stuck the black device in his computer and started to attack his keyboard. “I thought you’re bringing along a friend?”

“She’s coming later,” he replied.

“She?” Carl stopped for a moment and looked at him curiously.

“Yes, she.”

Carl whistled and continued typing. “Talker?”

“Very much so,” he nodded.

Carl’s interested face turned sour. “Not my type.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“Got it,” his friend announced a few minutes later. Henry was already halfway through his cup of coffee and he leaned closer as his friend leaned away in success.

“What?” he asked eagerly.

Carl turned his computer around so that it faced him. “I said I cracked it. I can’t believe you didn’t. It was just a simple—”

“Don’t start with your computer jargons,” Henry muttered, already engrossed looking at the screen. At first, he found it hard to figure out what he was looking at, but when he did, his first instinct was to have a copy. He took out his own USB and made a duplicate.

Seeing his haste, Carl asked, “What is it?”

“None of your business,” he snapped.

Carl shrugged, used at being shoved aside after his job was done. “Who’s the redhead?” he asked after some time.

“Who?” The loading finished and he pulled out his device.

“The one coming over,” his friend motioned his head.

Henry looked up and saw Angelica, the clothes she was wearing earlier long gone. He turned the computer back towards Carl and whispered, “Erase it.”

Carl looked at him warily, “What?”

“Erase everything.”

“But—” his friend said, his eyes darting back and forth from Angelica and back to him.

“Just do it,” he gritted, looking at Angelica with all her shopping bags. Part of him wondered how she could shop so fast. “Don’t say anything.”

“Fine,” Carl shrugged and worked on his computer.

“Hey,” Angelica said, sitting beside him, looking at Carl with a curious look. “Is this your friend who hates women who talk too much?”

“Uh-huh,” Carl nodded his head, his fingers busy tapping on the keyboard.

“And he’s working on the device?” she asked once again.

“It’s empty,” Henry answered her.

He saw Carl from the corner of his eyes. Good thing his friend was with the agency and was very well trained for keeping his affect flat.

“What?” Angelica cried out. “What do you mean it’s empty?”

“It’s got nothing,” he shrugged, feigning frustration. “We’re empty-handed.”

“Then that’s not what they are looking for?” she asked him.

“It could be. But maybe they didn’t know it was empty.”

“Then what do we do? Are you sure it’s empty?”

“Yes, go ask him,” he motioned to his friend.

Carl looked up from his computer and nodded.

“Let me see it,” she demanded.

Carl looked at him and he nodded. His friend turned the computer around and slid it across Angelica.

“I told you it’s empty,” he said as he looked at her appalled face.

“I almost got killed for nothing,” she murmured, facing the computer screen.

“Probably not,” he said. “But at least we have something they think is important.”

“What do we do now?”

“Right now, we have to keep you alive until I figure out who is behind all this.”

She was silent, looking at the blank screen. Carl did a good job.

It’s better she doesn’t know, he whispered in his mind.

Chapter 9

“It’s odd,” Angelica uttered when Carl left with his computer and stiff gait.

“What’s odd?” Henry asked her, his brows knitted together.

“That it’s empty. Why did my dad hide it in the first place if it is? It’s just odd. Maybe your friend ruined it.” That was the only explanation she could think of.

“Carl will be the last person to make a mistake like that.”

“Then why do you think it’s empty?”

“Maybe your dad made a mistake,” Henry shrugged. “Maybe he thought of it as a diversion. He might have hidden the documents in a different place.”

Angelica leaned back against her chair and sighed. “Maybe you’re right.” She covered her face with her hands in frustration. “This is freaking unbelievable. Everything is freaking unbelievable.”

“Tell me about it,” he sipped his coffee, looked at her and stood up. “Let’s go.”

“Where? I have work.”

“Call in sick.”

“I’m not sick.”

“You’re sick. You’re obviously a shopaholic,” he looked at her shopping bags with disgust.

“Why do you always have something to say against me?” she groaned and picked up her bags.

He did not answer but said, “Hurry up.”

“Tell me where we’re going first,” she looked at him dryly, her eyes squinting against the sun.

“Somewhere safe.”

“Where?”

“My place.”

“The one from last night?”

“No.”

Angelica smiled at him naughtily. “You mean you’re taking me home?”

The sudden irritation that crossed his features contented her. “Stop that thought, Dalton. And stop whatever you’re planning. I’m not some guy you can chase around.”

“Don’t think I haven’t heard that before,” she rolled her eyes and stood up. “Let’s go, Bell. I’m tired and I want to sleep in your bed.”

 *****

If he took her back to that place they stayed at last night, it would still be the same because his real place—as cool as it may look—was as empty. Yes, it was fully furnished with all the modern furniture; but the drawers, the shelves, the tables were as empty as the other apartment. No pictures, no personal things that would indicate he had a life at all. Even his books couldn’t tell her anything about the man. It was like walking in a hotel room. Beautiful, freshly scented, clean and tidy, but impersonal.

“Take your bags in that room,” he pointed towards a door just across the living room. “You’ll be sleeping there.”

“With you?” she asked, looking so innocent.

He gazed at her, his face blank, his eyes dangerous.

“Knock if you change your mind,” she shrugged and walked towards the door. She needed a shower and a real nice nap.

“I’m going out. Food is in the fridge,” Henry announced before she closed her door.

“Where are you going?”

“Business,” he answered curtly, walking towards the door. “And don’t go anywhere. I’ll know when you open this door,” he pointed with his thumb.

“You’re joking, right?”

“No, I’m seriously serious. I’ll know.”

“Fine. I’m not going out until tomorrow anyway,” she sighed and closed her door. Darkness immediately loomed over her and she didn’t try looking for the switch. She was too tired and too exhausted to even move or think of anything. But she had to clean up first before she could feel her way to the bed and drop dead in sleep.

She took a quick shower in the darkness of the bathroom, so sure that she was completely alone now. Henry left without telling her where he was going and that was fine with her. He could do whatever he wanted, just so it didn’t concern her.

But what if it was something about her? Or her father?

It was just a passing thought, but it lodged in her brain anyway.

She wanted to go out there and see what he was up to, but exhaustion was stronger and she decided to sleep the rest of the day away. Tomorrow, she had to meet up with Chanty and she couldn’t show up to Chanty looking haggard and tired. That would definitely alarm her friend since she never neglected her looks—not once.

And so she slept dreamlessly. Thinking time would happen tomorrow.

 *****

Henry did not actually go anywhere far. He did not even leave the building.

What he did not tell Angelica was that he also owned the apartment unit right below the one she was sleeping at. It was where he did the works that he didn’t want anybody to know. And right now, he was working at one of them.

He was not bothered that his ward could be in danger or that she would sneak out because all his windows and doors had sensors, and he would know the moment they moved an inch.

What was bothering him right that moment were the documents–the ones he saved from earlier and the one he was checking out right now. When he saw it earlier at the café, he wanted to punch something—he wanted to punch himself for being a fool.

Everything he ever needed was in the file.

And Patrick Dalton had been keeping it all along.

Son of a bitch, he muttered.

As he looked at the documents, he thought of Angelica. How would she handle the truth if she found out?

She can’t find out.

 *****

Opening her eyes against the rays of sunlight that crept through the unveiled windows, Angelica rose and breathed a deep lungful of air. Her mind was not any less lost than it was last night.

She walked out of the bedroom and found Henry already up, dressed in his usual suit and tie, drinking his morning coffee.

“I take it that you’re leaving for work? Your lawyer work?” she asked, hopefully.

“Yes,” he answered curtly.

“So will I,” she announced, grabbing a cup from the cupboard. “I missed a lot of hours yesterday.”

“No, you can’t. You stay here.”

Angelica froze on the spot, her movements halted. “Why?”

“I don’t think you’ll be safe,” he uttered, his eyes not leaving the pages of his morning paper.

“I want to go back home.”

“You can go back home when my work is done.”

“What work exactly? You being my guardian? Or you being a special cop?”

“Don’t ask a lot of questions. Just be a good brat that you are and let me do all the work. I can’t have another kidnapping episode, all right? So you stay here and live like a princess.” He looked at her strongly, “And don’t take my orders lightly, Dalton. You. Stay. Here.”

Angelica’s mouth had already fallen open. She blinked. “Well, if you are really desperate to have me around, that’s fine.” She was enjoying his reactions too much to stop herself.

At first, he looked lost, but when her statement registered in his brain, his eyes snapped. “Okay, why don’t you just stop whatever you’re doing?” he asked, standing up. “I don’t have time for this,” he threw the paper on the table.

“You’re acting like you’re really pissed,” she whistled.

“The hell I’m pissed,” he rasped out, his eyes blaring. “Don’t see everything as a joke, Dalton. You’ll be in trouble if I catch you anywhere outside this apartment.”

With that, he stormed towards the door with his briefcase in hand, slammed it and left her in complete silence.

The challenge-induced part of her was already in rage. No one—not anyone—had ever dared order her to stay on her feet. She always did what she wanted and always uttered the words that came to her mind—and now, Henry Bell dared to do it?

It was fun playing him around, but it was not fun to be his prisoner either.

Maybe he’s hiding something from me, she thought.

“All the more reason for chasing him, right?” she asked aloud. With so much determination and spirit, she placed her empty cup of coffee on the table and walked towards her room. She would have that coffee with Chanty no matter what.

 *****

Henry was too busy working on his cover-up job as a lawyer to notice the beeping on his monitor. Philip had been calling him about the divorce papers and he was not yet able to start on it. He had a lot in his hands for something as useless as divorce papers when he knew that his friend and his transient wife were completely and utterly into each other. He could see that in the way they were together and he just couldn’t understand why his friend would bother divorcing his wife.

He knew it was too late when he finally glanced at his monitor and saw that the front door of his apartment had been opened.

“The brat!” he hissed under his breath. I’m going to kill her for good this time , he thought as he took his phone and dialed her number.

 *****

Her phone kept ringing.

She ignored it.

The man was not joking when he said he’d know if she left. Well then, catch me if you can…

She took a taxi to the hospital where her car was parked and drove herself to the café to meet Chanty. Smiling to herself, she hummed a tune. Catch me if you can…catch me if you can…

“What are you smiling about?” Chanty asked her when she appeared before her friend, dressed in a navy blue dress from her shopping yesterday.

“Nothing,” she answered with a shrug as she sat down beside her friend.

“So, who was your date yesterday? I want to know.”

She waved off with her hand. “You’ll meet him in time.”

“So you’re over my brother, right?” Chanty asked. “Because I don’t really like it whenever you and Cassandra meet, you know.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” she sighed.

“What do you mean?”

“He called me a few days ago,” she held up her hand to summon a waiter. “He told me to back off.”

“He said that?”

“No, not exactly, but it’s pretty much the same thing. I’d like a brewed coffee, please,” she said the last words to the waiter who came up.

Chanty laughed. “Cassandra must be wringing his neck because of you.”

“That woman has guts,” she shook her head. The waiter was fast and she had her coffee in a second.

“And speaking of which, here she comes!” Chanty said excitedly. “And please, behave this time, Ange,” Chanty added in a whisper.

Angelica rolled her eyes and looked up to see Philip’s blonde wife walking towards them in her usual outfit of shirt, jeans and boots. Despite what she showed everyone, she did not really despise Cassandra. She just liked pissing the woman off.

“Look who came? I can’t believe you invited her, Chanty,” she uttered in her usual tone for pissing Cassandra. And as usual, the woman didn’t back off with a scared face.

 “Hello, I wasn’t expecting you here, Angelica,” Cassandra greeted as she came near their table.

 “Hello, Cass,” Chanty smiled and stood up to give her sister-in-law a kiss. “Don’t mind Angelica. She’s just bitter.” Then Chanty looked at her and said, “Stop that. You’re giving her a really bad impression.”

Angelica rolled her eyes and leaned back against her chair, crossing her arms across her chest. “Whatever,” she mouthed at her friend.  Inside, she was really smiling. Having Cassandra around was always fun.

Cassandra smiled and sat down across them. “Where’s Willie?”

“He’s with his babysitter. I can’t take him with me if I want to have progress with the party,” Chanty answered.

“Where’s your husband?” she asked her old nemesis.

“Home working,” Cassandra sighed as she said that. “He was acting weird this morning that’s why I called.”

Angelica laughed like she was enjoying it. “It looks like you’re not making that much progress, Cassandra.”

Chanty nudged her. “Hey, what did I tell you?”

Angelica raised her hands, feigning innocence. “Fine! Fine! I was just saying…”

“You might be right though,” Cassandra uttered to her surprise.

Angelica raised her brows and said, “Yeah?”

Cassandra nodded. “Yes. I’m not a very good cook. But you can’t tell that to anyone.”

Chanty laughed. “You’re not alone in that. Ange and I are terrible cooks.”

Angelica sighed and reached for her coffee. “Couldn’t agree more,” she said and looked at Cassandra. “You should learn though.”

 “I’m trying.”

“You should give me a call if you’re tired of him though.”

“Ange!” Chanty gasped at her.

“What? That’s true. I would gladly take your brother if she won’t have him.” In the corner of her eyes, she was looking at Cassandra’s reaction.

She was quite disappointed when she saw that the lady chuckled. “You really say and do what you want, don’t you?”

“Of course,” Angelica looked at her straight in the eyes. “I would still be trying to take Philip away from you if I didn’t realize you’ll be such a difficult opponent. But don’t worry. As much as I hate your gut right now, I know I’ll be wasting time.”

Cassandra looked startled. “What exactly are you saying?”

She didn’t answer. All she did was shrug and drink her coffee.

“Philip gave her a call,” Chanty explained.

“Don’t tell her that,” she snapped at her friend.

“What did he say?” Cassandra asked curiously. “When did he call you?”

“Oh, shut up, Ange. It’s not like it was the first time he told you to leave him alone.”

Angelica made a horrified face, but she did not feel that angry. It was more a look of embarrassment for having Cassandra hear about her misfortunes. “It’s only the third time, okay?”

Cassandra’s laughter rang out, her shoulders shaking.

“Great, just freaking great, Chanty,” Angelica said irritably, inching away from her friend. “Now I look like a fool.”

“No,” Cassandra said laughingly. “It’s just that…” she tried to say in between her laughter, “I just realized you’re not at all that serious.”

Angelica frowned at her, “What do you mean?” she asked her.

“I mean, you’re not that serious about stalking Philip. You’re just in it for the chase, am I right?”

Chanty laughed, “You bet that’s right.”

“Whatever,” Angelica rolled her eyes. Well, that was true.

“I get it now,” Cassandra uttered, looking relieved. “You couldn’t stop going after Philip because you never caught him.”

“That’s what I told her, but she wouldn’t admit it,” Chanty told her with a laugh. “She is always saying she likes the thrill—especially when you came about—but she won’t ever admit that she is giving up because she never got her goal.”

“You know what? I think I’m leaving,” Angelica started to stand up. She didn’t like being talked about.

“No!” Chanty and Cassandra said in unison, their faces obviously amused.

“You’re making fun of me,” she accused.

“I was just relieved to know you are not actually serious about chasing my husband,” Cassandra told her.

“But I would still get him if he’ll give me the chance,” Angelica’s gaze was challenging.

 “Yeah, you could try that.”

“You’ll just get another call from him,” Chanty laughed once more.

“I hate you. The two of you!” Angelica fumed, glaring at them.

“Don’t worry, you might just get him,” Cassandra said all of a sudden. Chanty’s laugh stopped. She stared at Angelica in stunned silence. Then Angelica looked at Cassandra curiously. “I mean maybe he would want to get rid of me if I don’t get to learn how to cook a freaking fried chicken properly the next time I try.”

Chanty giggled. “You made me nervous back there, Cass.”

“I was beginning to hope,” Angelica sighed. “But don’t get me wrong, Cassandra.” She fixed her a serious look. “I’m not over yet. I’m just laying down low because I got my eye on someone else. You just as much as let Philip go, I’ll be back on track and you won’t be able to stop me.”

“Wow…” Cassandra smirked, “that was one hell of a scary speech.”

Angelica straightened on her seat and smiled proudly. “I’m scary, I know that.”

“That’s why guys don’t go after you, Ange,” Chanty pointed out.

“I’m too impulsive to care, you know that,” she flipped her red hair back.

“So, who’s this guy you’re after for the moment ?” Chanty asked her. Chanty wouldn’t really give her a break, would she?

Angelica forced a wicked smile. “You don’t have to know that. That would be between me and him and I’m not even trying to really chase this guy because I want to. It’s got something to do with work,” she explained. That was partly right anyway.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t really want to talk about it,” Angelica held her hand and added, “What I want to talk about right now is Willie’s party.”

“Oh, yes, right. My baby’s WALKING PARTY.”

“I don’t really get it why you want to have such a party, but okay, let’s plan…” Angelica said dryly.

She had put her phone in silent mode but she could feel that Henry was really in panic now because it hadn’t stopped vibrating. Catch me if you can…

 *****

They were inside a restaurant attending a Tea Party. Could you believe that?

A series of events happened just as they were wrapping up the plan for Willie’s party. Philip suddenly appeared with his ever handsome self and almost dragged his wife to some freaking tea party.

Angelica and Chanty, feeling they had to support Cassandra after learning that Bethany Wiles, the woman who had been one of their worst enemies, would be there, hitched along and now they were inside the restaurant full of people in suit and tie.

Cassandra had excused herself to go to the bathroom and she was left once again with Chanty.

“I can’t believe my brother. He’s just a jerk. How can he be with that woman when he knows his wife is around? What a jerk!” Chanty had been saying the same thing over and over since they entered the restaurant. They had tried as much as they could to show Bethany how lame her party was.

She shared her friend’s sentiments, feeling for Cassandra. But she knew her new friend could handle anything. She smiled inwardly. She knew Bethany entered the bathroom a few seconds before Cassandra and she was sure Philip’s wife was already frying the bitch’s ass right that moment.

“What’s wrong with your phone?” Chanty asked when it vibrated once again inside her bag.

“It’s nothing,” she answered.

“Can’t you answer that? It’s been vibrating for hours!” Chanty complained.

“Fine,” she snapped and stood up. Carrying her phone in her hand, she walked towards the doors and walked out into the sidewalk.

It was still vibrating and she punched the answer button. “What?” she talked to the phone, knowing exactly who was calling.

“Where are you?” Henry’s voice asked from the other end. “I swear I’m going to kill you, Dalton. I told you not to go out.”

“I’m with Chanty. Fine, you can kill me later. I’m looking forward to it. Bye.” She clicked off and went back inside.

“Who was that?” Chanty asked when she sat back down.

“No one,” she sighed. “Some people in the hospital. Where’s Cassandra?”

“Here she comes,” Chanty answered, looking ahead. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Chanty asked when she saw Cassandra’s face.

“I’m fine. I think I need to go home. I feel tired and I don’t like the food.”

“We’ll go with you.”

“No,” she said quickly. “I…I need to be alone.”

“You’re not getting soft, are you?” Angelica asked her. She didn’t like seeing women welling up with tears.

“No,” Cassandra answered. “Actually, I just gave Beth a picture of hell in the comfort room. That’s why I need to run. She will be furious as hell.”

Angelica laughed.

Chanty snorted and said, “Okay, go now. We’ll take care of things. She goes after you, we’ll be right behind to pull her pretty black hair back.”

“And drag her down the street,” Angelica added, tilting her chin up. “I’ll do the honor.”

“Thanks,” Cassandra muttered. “Uh, I left my bag in Philip’s car. I need money for a cab.”

Angelica rolled her eyes before she opened her purse. Again, she saw that her phone received another call. “I only have a hundred dollar bill. You better pay me back. Doctors aren’t rich, you know.”

“You’re a doctor?” Cassandra was obviously shocked.

“Yes, I am. And I need money too. And I still can’t believe you’re walking off.”

“Don’t mind her,” Chanty said dismissively. “She’s got money you couldn’t count. And go. You need a break.”

Cassandra smiled at them gratefully and walked off.

“Now what?” asked Chanty.

“I need to go,” she stood up as well, hastily organizing her purse.

“Where are you going?”

“I need to pick up my car and then I have to go home.”

“Why such in a hurry all of a sudden?”

“There’s an emergency with one of my patients,” she lied. Bending down low, she kissed her friend goodbye. “Take care of that bitch Bethany for me,” she whispered and left her friend.

She took her precious time to hail a cab to drive her back to the café where she left her car. And once again, she drove back towards Henry’s apartment. She knew full well that he would be furious as hell and that he might probably really kill her. But of course she knew he wouldn’t dare. She was not in any way in danger and she was able to go back with limbs still intact.

She was about to find a parking space for her car outside his apartment building when she saw him half-running out the doors and towards his car. Angelica frowned.

Where is he going now? He obviously didn’t see her as he climbed inside his car and zoomed away.

Instinct told her she should follow him and she did just that. She knew he could identify her car if ever he saw it so she had to be careful that he wouldn’t, driving two to three cars behind him as he drove along the busy streets. She didn’t know where he was going, but she was determined to find out.

If he was going somewhere related to his real job, that would be great. She was dying with curiosity as to what he really did for a living. But she was surprised when he parked his car outside a fine dining restaurant, got out with a briefcase, and entered the fancy doors. Angelica struggled for a moment if she should barge in and find out for sure what he was up to or if she should just wait. She decided on the last option and parked her car three vehicles away from his and waited.

 *****

“What’s this all about, Bell?” Grissom, his superior asked him. “You know I can’t meet with you in places like this. This better be good.”

“I know, sir, but this is urgent. I needed to see you in person.”

“Then spill it out,” Grissom looked around them, his professional eyes, trained over the years, keenly studying every person present.

Henry knew the place was safe, that was why he asked his superior to meet him there. He couldn’t risk using his phone knowing his stupid brat ward left his doors unlocked when she left. “I found out something that takes us one big leap from where we were with my investigation.”

Grissom’s white eyebrows froze in a frown. “What do you mean?”

“This,” he took out the printed documents out of his briefcase and handed them towards the man. “Patrick Dalton left it before he died.”

Grissom’s face deepened. “Patrick Dalton? The man you were supposed to kill years ago? The man whom you call your number one asset is dead?”

Henry almost cringed at the memory, but he kept his face straight. “Yes. He was found dead inside his home two days ago.”

Grissom’s eyes tore off from the papers he was studying upon hearing his statement. “Why didn’t I hear of this from the papers?”

“His remaining family member didn’t want to make it public,” he answered, trying his might not to place a tinge of irritation as he mentioned Angelica. He was still pissed that she disobeyed his orders.

 “Was he murdered?”

“I believe so, yes.” Grissom cursed and Henry wanted to close his eyes and get the hell out. He knew this was coming. He knew he would have his ass whipped because of this. “I know, it was my fault. I didn’t see that coming.”

“Are you telling me that the only man who could give you entry into the organization is dead?”

Henry looked around and whispered. “Yes.”

“And there’s something else you are not telling me?”

“He left me his daughter.”

Grissom frowned. “What daughter? I never received a report about a daughter.”

“Angelica Dalton. She’s a doctor. I didn’t know about her since Patrick appointed me to be her guardian. Sir, you know I was being careful not to ask him about his life. The man knew about me, trusted me despite everything. He kept it a secret from his organization, and I didn’t want to break that trust. He never talked about his family.”

“You were too lax on him,” Grissom shook his head.

“I was trying my best.”

“And now he’s dead. And the worse thing is that you can’t get that entry we are aiming for. Who would vouch for you now, huh?”

“His partners know me. I’m friends with some of them,” Henry tried to reason out. He didn’t want his whole assignment to go to waste. He had been working on it for years now.

“But Patrick Dalton was your best shot.”

“I know, but give me a chance here. I know I can get into this.”

“How? Unless you have someone who—” Grissom stopped, his thoughts apparently wandering off towards something that Henry was almost afraid to know. “Angelica Dalton.”

He frowned. “What about her?”

“She will be her father’s successor.”

That was answer enough for Henry and he didn’t like it. “No, that’s not possible.” It would be a conflict to what Patrick had asked him to do.

“Yes, it’s going to be perfect. You just have to be careful that she doesn’t find out too much. Use her to gain entry into the organization.”

“She will ask questions,” he said with certainty. And she will be in danger.

“Then tell her anything. Make up stories. Just don’t let her find out what you are up to.”

“Sir, I’m telling you, this is not a very good idea.”

“And I’m telling you, as your superior, that this is the best shot we have. It’s your fault Patrick Dalton is dead. You weren’t looking after him too well. And now, you have a second chance. Don’t blow it.”

“But sir—”

“We don’t have to discuss this any further,” Grissom stood up, indicating their meeting was over. “I’m serious, Bell. Don’t blow this one off.”

“But what should I tell her? She’s too smart,” he reasoned out almost desperately. He knew he could do this alone and dragging Angelica into this mess would surely mean trouble.

Grissom’s pale green eyes looked down on him. “As I told you, tell her anything but the truth. You of all people know that the truth means trouble. And if you’re feeling all too guilty about everything, get rid of it once and for all. Your job is to worm yourself into the organization. Right now, your best asset is Dalton’s daughter. Use her to your advantage. She doesn’t have to know her father worked for the bad guys.”

Chapter 10

Angelica saw a big man walk out the restaurant looking pissed as hell and moments later, she saw Henry looking worse. She slid lower in her seat, hoping he would not notice her presence. His appointment was not that long. It did not even last ten minutes. What is he doing?

She saw him walk towards his car, entered, and then drove off. She did not bother going after him because his car was gone in a flash. Instead, she chose to head back to his apartment and await trial for her disobedience. She started her car and drove herself back to her guardian’s home.

 *****

“I told you not to go out,” was the first thing she heard from him as she entered the door.

“I know,” she shrugged, looked at his angry face, and walked to the kitchen. “What’s for dinner?”

“And why were you following me?”

That halted her steps and she whirled around in surprise. “You knew?”

Henry looked at her dryly.

“Can I know how?”

He raised his eyebrows. “Oh, you want to know how? Okay, let’s see. For one, you have this red sports car that really stands out from all the rest of the black and silver ones. Second,” he looked at her stonily, “I know your plate number. So next time you try to do some detective work, make sure you have a different car.”

She felt embarrassed not because he knew, but because she was caught. It meant she didn’t do a good job. She should have learned a lot of things from the criminal dramas she had been watching all these years.

“What were you doing in that restaurant?” she asked him.

“None of your business.”

“Lawyer stuff? Or the other stuff?”

He snapped his eyes at her. “None of your business.”

“Okay, I think I’ve had enough of this,” she threw her hands up. “I want my old life back. I want to go back to work. And as much as I want to stay here with you, my handsome guardian, I want to go back to my own home. So tell me what your plan is. I want to know what we’re going to do next, because as I see it, we can’t go anywhere because the flash drive is empty and I don’t really think I’m in danger anymore. I didn’t have followers today, and I came back alive.”

After she stopped to take a breath, he asked, “Are you done? Can I answer your questions now?”

“Yes, please,” she answered sarcastically.

“First, no, you can’t have your old life back—for now,” he looked at her sternly. “Second, yes, you can go back to work, only if you answer my calls every time I call and check on you. If you miss one, you’re back here inside. And this time, I won’t be as lax as before. Third, no, you can’t go back home yet. You stay here where it’s safe. Fourth, my plan is simple: to keep you alive and to make you behave and right now, I think I’m failing miserably because of your stupid behaviors. And lastly, no, you’re still completely in danger. You know why? Because we haven’t captured the one who wanted your father dead and who got you kidnapped.”

Angelica was speechless. Usually, when she talked, people found it hard to follow her words, and hearing him answering her inquiries was quite amazing. She shook that thought away for a moment to speak. “So, let me get this straight,” she walked towards him, counting with her fingers as she said, “I can go back to work and get out of this apartment as long as I can answer your check-up calls,” he nodded and she continued, “and you are going to handle everything about the bad guys while I live here with you and stay alive?”

“Exactly,” he nodded. “But you forgot the bit about your stupid behaviors.”

Angelica opened her mouth but he held up his hand to shut her up.

“No nonsense stuff. No chasing men as long as you are living with me. No crazy imagination that has me in it. No games. No sex.”

“Sex? Who said something about sex?” she asked incredulously.

“I just wanted to make things clear.”

“Oh my God,” she opened her mouth for emphasis.

“What now?”

“You were thinking of having sex with me and you are so projecting it! I can’t believe it.”

She heard him curse under his breath. “That’s what I was talking about. Dalton, I was serious when I said ‘no crazy imagination’.”

“Whatever,” she rolled her eyes and smiled. “I can keep it a secret.”

“What secret?”

“That you were thinking of having sex with me,” she said casually, turned around and walked to the kitchen. “I’m hungry so don’t bother with a sermon.”

 *****

Henry was getting frustrated as time passed by and he’d never been frustrated as he was now. It had been a week since his talk with Grissom and up until now, he was not able to make a plan about using Angelica. He couldn’t. He’d been keeping a lot from her and he couldn’t risk her life any longer. He had been trying to get in touch with the organization, but now that Patrick was gone, it was close to impossible. They were being cautious because of Patrick’s murder and they were not as friendly as they used to be.

It was harder than he thought and his ward was not making things any easier. He thought that if he let her go back to work she would be preoccupied, but the woman was just impossible. He couldn’t imagine how she could juggle working long hours in the hospital and following him around.

Once he told her to stop and go home but she was just as what she was: plain stubborn and aggressive. He didn’t know if she was following him because he was actually her new target or she was interested with what he was working on. And that was the other glitch because he couldn’t work in a normal pace with her tailing his movements.

But today was his lucky day because she was out to go to Cassandra’s exhibit and he was hoping she would stay there as long as she liked. He was not worried she would be in any danger at all because there would be a lot of people in the exhibit and he would pick her up later that night after he was done with his own activity for tonight.

He would be attending a special party where Patrick’s partners would all be present. If he couldn’t have their trust, he’d have no choice but to follow Grissom’s orders. If he couldn’t enter the organization on his own, he’d have to use Angelica.

 *****

Angelica fought the urge to yawn as the exhibit came to a close. Earlier, there was a bit of a clamor with Philip surprising his wife with a gift not like any other. It was an official letter from the International Astronomical Union stating that they named a star after Cassandra with the coordinates exactly the same as the letters of her name.

Yeah, fantastic. Great. Yahoo.

But it was just too much for Angelica though she was glad Cassandra was not too grumpy anymore now that she made up with her husband.

“I think I’m going home,” she approached the couple.

“It’s still early,” Cassandra answered, the smile on her face unwavering as she stood there beside her husband.

“I still have work,” she lied. Honestly, she was thinking of where Henry Bell might be that very moment.

“You’re too attached to your work,” Philip commented, and then he turned to his wife, saying, “I called Henry just a few moments ago and he made an excuse that he can’t come.”

“Why?” Angelica asked aloud before she could stop herself.

“Work,” Philip shrugged. “Said he had a party to attend to,” he added, “A firm’s party or something. That man’s too busy to even answer my calls and you are just like him.”

But Angelica didn’t hear him because she was already busy planning her next moves. “Well, some people love their work,” she said nonchalantly and excused herself. “I really need to go.”

“Okay, but we’ll see you tomorrow, right? We’re going to make some finishing touches on Willie’s party,” Cassandra uttered.

“Yes, yes, I won’t forget that for the world,” she answered sarcastically, looked at the two lovely couple in front of her and sighed. “I have to go. Tell Chanty I’ll call her tomorrow,” she added, knowing her friend was somewhere watching over her newly-bought painting.

She exited the building with one goal in mind: to crash a party.

 *****

Henry roamed around the big hall full of people pretty much the same as he—a lawyer. But he knew that some of them, like Patrick’s partners, were keeping secrets. And he was determined to find out who they were, and who they worked for.

Ever since that night he was supposed to end Patrick’s life years ago, he knew of the organization’s secrets. But that was all Patrick was willing to share with him. He knew the secrets, but he didn’t have the physical evidence to make a case or to crack the said organization. Years spent watching Patrick’s movements attached him to the old man. And only if the old man was still alive, this night would have been his night, a shot to be introduced to the organization. But it seemed that would not be the case tonight because he had let someone kill Patrick and ruined his chance to worm into and be part of the group he and his team had been trying to destroy for years.

As he stood there with his glass of champagne, he studied every face, storing them into memory. He knew this party was just a cover-up for some secret meeting with the organization and Patrick’s firm partners. And he knew that if he could only try to persuade one of the partners to let him in and introduce him as Patrick’s old friend and apprentice, he would have something to celebrate for.

He was already trying to entertain the idea of how easy it would be if Angelica Dalton was here. He could use her without her knowledge. He could give her some faux story and if it was good enough, she could believe him and not question him. Yes, if he would be careful enough, he could still get what he wanted and keep her safe at the same time.

He shook his head. That would be too risky. He knew, aside from the danger of what the organization brought with it, that there was a mole among the members of Patrick’s firm. He knew that one or two of them wanted Patrick dead for some purpose still uncertain even for Henry.

And he also knew that because of something Patrick did before he died, he would be up against two enemies: the organization and Patrick’s killer.

His wit would not be enough. He would have to be careful. And maybe, just maybe, the time would come that he would have to use his lovely ward for the better good.

But he still had something in his hand that he didn’t tell Grissom. He still had one person he could talk to who might be willing to help. Angelica would be the last resort.

 *****

Angelica smiled inwardly as she walked through security. It was very easy. She had been doing a lot of chasing of her own to not pass through a tight security anyway. Now, her only problem was how to locate her awesome, grumpy guardian.

She held the chuckle that wanted to escape from her throat. She had been following him around and just the picture of his irritated face once he found out she was here already amused her. Chasing Henry was different from Philip. Her guardian was really serious every time he waved her off, while Philip on the other hand was much of a gentleman.

Ignoring the curious glances from the crowd who obviously knew each other but her, she slithered her way near the arched doorway that led to some passageway that could have held some private rooms of some sort. She would have a better view of everyone there.

She almost jumped on her feet when she spotted the old familiar man walking towards her with a smile. She rummaged through her memory and when she found what she was looking for, she smiled and said, “Hello, Kevin.”

“Angelica, dear,” Kevin Barnes greeted her, his posture stooped towards his wooden cane. “What in the world are you doing here?” he asked, his green eyes curiously looking at her face. But she saw something else in them. She almost saw fear. But fear for what? And there was alarm as well.

“I went with Henry,” she lied. “Did you see him? We lost each other among the crowd,” she added.

Kevin shook his head. “No. In fact, I’m not even aware he’s here.”

“Well, he is.”

“Then, say hi to him for me, will you? I need to go for some fresh air,” his face changed as he crunched it up with feigned disgust. “I don’t really like these events. I’m too old for it.”

Angelica laughed and nodded, “I understand. Okay, I’ll let you escape for now.”

“Good night, child,” his voice had that strange sad tone in it. She saw him hesitate for a moment before he shook his head and went with a staggering gait through the arched doorway and into the hall to the left. He was probably planning on going to one of the rooms where there would be peace and quiet. With watchful eyes, she saw him enter the second door to the right and disappeared the moment it closed.

And just as she was about to turn her head around to start looking for any sign of Henry’s head among the crowd, she saw him and instinctively hid behind a large palm behind her. It was the thrilling feeling that she liked most, the reason why she never gave up following him. He always moved swiftly like the wind, disappearing one second and appearing the next. It was so much of a challenge to slither behind him without him noticing. Through the gap of leaves, she saw his purposeful look as he too retraced old Kevin’s steps and entered the arched doorway and towards the door the old man entered at.

Now, this is really curious, she thought as she stepped aside and walked to the doorway, trying to act natural. What is he up to now?

Taken over by a new wave of curiosity, she inched her way along the corridor and stopped before the door that held Kevin Barnes and Henry inside.

She could hear voices, little hushed tones in fact.

“It’s too dangerous, Henry,” she heard Kevin’s old voice say.

“But Patrick wanted it to happen,” Henry answered.

“And look what happened to him,” this time, Kevin sounded angry.

Angelica’s brows met halfway. What the hell are they talking about? What did her father want to happen?

“I’m not asking for too much. I just want you to back me up. I’ll do the rest. You don’t have to tell the others.”

Okay, this was starting to sound really out-of-the-world weird.

“You know someone is trying to take over the firm, Henry. And you know someone knew something’s going on.”

“You think I don’t know that? Patrick died because of it. Look, no one has to know that you want out, okay?”

“No,” Kevin’s voice grew louder.

“What do you mean?”

“No, I can’t get out, Henry, you know that. This thing is not some game you can just push the button at and just quit. I know I can’t get out without being killed.”

“But I need your help,” Henry insisted.

“Son, you have to get it from someone else,” came the short answer.

Angelica stood frozen, her mouth falling open. She didn’t know what they were talking about. And she honestly didn’t hear footsteps coming towards the door when it suddenly burst open and Henry’s angry face was just inches above hers. The shock she must have had on her eyes mirrored his.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he rasped out.

She inched her head to the right and peeked over his shoulder. Behind him was Kevin Barnes who looked pretty much startled as well.

“I’m…uh…” she cleared her throat. “I was looking for you!” she forced a fake smile on her face.

His eyes bore down on hers. “Liar. What did you hear?”

“Nothing,” she answered too fast and too unbelievable even for her own ears.

He grabbed her arm and dragged her further down the corridor, saying over his shoulder, “I’m sorry to have troubled you, Kevin. That won’t happen again.” And without another word or a glance at her, he took her to the farthest door at the end of the corridor, opened the door and literally threw her inside. He followed suit, not bothering to turn on the lights. The only thing that illuminated the room and made her see his angry face was the natural light of the night sky streaming through the half-draped window. “I really didn’t hear anything,” she tried lamely for the last time.

“Don’t you dare—” she could sense that he was trying his best not to shout or tear her into pieces with his bare hands. “I’m through with this game of yours and I’ve had enough. You’re lucky it was only Kevin I was talking to. What if it was one of the others?”

“What are you talking about? Look, as you are having enough of me, I feel the same way. I’m through playing this guessing game. I’m through being left in the dark. And I’m through trying to think of reasons why my father trusted you, or what his secrets were, or why you are trying to talk to his partners.”

Her words vibrated through the silent room and it continued to ring in her ears as he kept quiet, just looking down at her. His gaze was not really studying her but absent, lost in his mind as he tried to analyze the situation.

 *****

Henry wanted to shout and curse out loud. He wanted to scream and let out the raging anger inside him for once. But he knew that wouldn’t help at all. He wanted to hold Angelica’s head, look into her eyes and make her see the difference of playing games and real life danger. But it seemed that no matter how he would try to do that, she would only be as aggressive, doing the exact opposite of what he told her.

Maybe, despite what his gut instinct was telling him, he had to tell her something. Hell, he could tell her everything and just maybe, maybe, she would listen and not make a lot of mess. He knew she heard enough to make her even more curious. And luckily, it was only Kevin back there who knew of her presence. If it were someone, or worse, if it were the desperate guy who wanted her dead, they wouldn’t be alive.

“If I tell you the truth, you have to promise me that you won’t do something stupid again. I told you to stay in that exhibit and as usual, you ignored my warning. Do you have any idea what you got yourself into this time?”

“Honestly? No, I don’t. And that’s why you really have to tell me everything,” she insisted. “But of course, I can’t promise you that I’ll just be as cooperative as you want me to be. But at least I’ll understand. And maybe I can help you with whatever you’re trying to do.”

Henry groaned inwardly and shook his head. “You’re impossible.”

She didn’t answer. Instead, she gave him a leveled gaze with her arms crossed over her chest.

“Okay, let’s go,” he took her by the wrist and dragged her out of the room, through the length of the corridor, through the arched doorway, through the crowd of lawyers, and through the doors of the building, and finally, out in the streets. “Walk faster, Dalton,” he hissed over his shoulder, holding on her wrist tighter.

“I’m trying!” she hissed back, struggling with her heels. “My shoes are going to be ruined,” she muttered under her breath.

“Get in the car,” he finally stopped and she almost bumped against his back.

Angelica looked at his car and said, “I brought my own car.”

“Leave it here,” he said.

“Why?”

“I want the others to know that you’re here. If they see your car, they will think you’re in.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, feeling dumb.

“Just get in the car. I’ll explain later.” He looked at her doubtful eyes. “I promise.”

“That’s all it takes,” she shrugged, opened the car door and climbed in.

“Brat,” he muttered, walking to the other side.

 ******

“I don’t want you to leave a single detail out,” she announced as he closed his door beside him.

“Can’t we drive first?” he asked.

“Yes, you can drive while you talk.”

He looked at her and sighed. “I’ve been with your father since five years ago.”

“How?”

He threw her an irritated glance, but continued, “I…shit, Grissom’s going to kill me if he knows about this.”

“Who’s Grissom?”

“My superior.”

“And you work for him as?”

He did not answer for a few seconds. “I work for the NSA as a deep undercover agent.”

“And?” she asked casually like it was a thing she heard every day.

“You’re not surprised?”

“A little,” she admitted. “But I would have been shocked if you said something like an assassin. But being an agent crossed my mind, so not much of a surprise there. But wow, the NSA? Really? Like the National Security Agency?”

He nodded. “I will have to kill you if you speak of it to anyone else.”

“Whatever,” she shrugged. “Continue on.”

“As I was saying, I have been with your father for the past five years. He was my asset until the time he got killed days ago.”

“Asset to what?”

“To get into the organization his firm works for.”

“What organization is it exactly?” she asked. Her throat felt like it was drying up, and she was afraid to think of something more outrageous as the mafia.

“The mafia,” he answered like it was part of his everyday prayers.

She was blank. Really? It had to be the mafia? What the hell. “And my father’s firm works for the mafia?” she asked incredulously. “Surely my father won’t do such a thing, right?” she looked at him and what she saw in his face drained the blood from hers. “No, that’s impossible. My father—”

“Your father knew what he got himself into when he accepted a large group of mafia into his firm. Since you were a kid, they have been there. They have been shadowing your dad ever since. He became my asset after—”

“After what?” she urged when he stopped.

 *****

Henry almost bumped his head against the steering wheel. He almost slipped out details of the past that Patrick wanted buried. He would respect the man’s privacy and he knew that telling Angelica about her father’s involvement with the mafia was already having its effects and telling her what it cost her father was another thing entirely. He couldn’t tell her anything that might erase the little feeling she had left for the man.

“He became my asset after I approached him. He wanted out, and he knew he needed my help.”

“You’re going ahead too fast. I can’t follow. What exactly is my father’s firm involved at?”

“He and his partners are being paid to make the illegal parts legal. They are responsible for making the mafia contracts legal.”

“But I thought the firm was only handling criminal cases?”

He nodded his head. “That too. They handle the cases that go out of hand. ”

“So, you’re telling me that my father earned his money from the mafia? That he wanted out but couldn’t?”

“Exactly. He’s been helping me get into the organization, to be one of the partners. But it was not easy and we needed time.”

“Why?”

“Because I still needed to gain the partners’ trust,” he answered.

“But something went wrong,” she said as a statement.

“Yes. Just as the partners were about to welcome me into their club, your father died. And I’m stuck. Someone must have known he was trying to get away.”

“Is that someone the one who wanted him dead and got me kidnapped?”

“Probably.”

“Do the rest of the partners know about this?” she asked.

“I don’t think so. My guess is that this person was only guessing.”

“And took a shot just to be safe? Got my father killed?”

“Yes. Or maybe this person wanted your father’s position. He, after all, has the largest share in the firm. And the organization trusts him. Killing him meant power and safety for this person.”

He saw from the corner of his eyes that she was shaking her head. “I can’t believe this. This is impossible.”

“And now, as I said, I’m stuck. And the person who might be able to help me is too scared to do that.”

“Kevin Barnes?”

“Yes.”

“He knows what you really are?”

“No, not exactly, but I think he has an inkling. And no, he’s not your father’s killer. He’s too old and too scared. He wants out, but thinks he can’t do that. He knew what happened to your father.”

“So that only leaves the other partners?”

“Yes.”

They were silent for a long time.

“This was not supposed to happen,” he broke the deafening silence after a moment. “Your father’s death, I mean. No one was supposed to suspect that he wanted out. And now, I have to first take care of this person before I can worm myself into the organization.”

 *****

Things were starting to get clearer now for Angelica. Though she was no agent, and though she didn’t have any idea about law stuff, she knew what Henry was talking about.

He wanted to catch the person who killed her father so he could get into the organization unnoticed. And she thought she could help.

“I can help,” she voiced out.

“No, that’s not going to happen. Grissom already told me that, but I can’t risk your safety. I’m going to find a way. Kevin might just change his mind.”

“But if I help you, it will be easier. I will surely get my father’s shares in the firm and I will surely have no idea what to do with the works going on there. You will act as my adviser. I won’t have to expose myself to them. You will do all the work for me.”

“But that’s not—”

“I want this person caught as much as you do,” she insisted. “This person killed my father.”

Henry looked at her for a short moment before turning his gaze back on the road. “Are you sure about this?” he asked.

“Yes, of course I am,” she answered. Honestly, deep inside, she was not entirely sure. But she had to take risks. She was deeply involved already as it was.

“Then I guess we need to prep you,” Henry said aloud.

“Prep?”

He nodded. “We have to turn you into a lady mafia.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” she murmured.

 *****

“You can’t let them see a weak side,” he narrated as they drove towards her father’s firm the next morning. “You can’t let them talk you into things without my agreement. You have to stay on the plan. No games, Dalton, that’s the number one rule. And please keep your mouth shut as long as you can.”

“What?” she asked incredulously.

“Just do as I tell you or we’re going home.”

“Okay, fine,” she nodded. “Just make the meeting quick. I still need to meet with Chanty and Cassandra.”

“Forget about that for a second, okay? And how can you think of parties when you’re about to meet the people who can kill you in an eyesight?”

“They can do that?”

He looked at her seriously, his dark eyes too mesmerizing for her. “Just do as what I told you and you won’t need to find out.”

She was dressed in a dull black skirt, a black coat with white ruffled shirt inside, and a pair of black stilettos. He told her she had to dress strong and look strong. He guided her through the glass doors of her father’s firm, and it was the first time she walked through it. Patrick Dalton never invited her to come visit him there and now she knew why. Because the place, as modern and beautiful as it looked with its marble floors and high ceiling, was shouting criminal.

Angelica threw the resentful feelings she had for her father for being so stupid to be involved to stuff like the mafia. The receptionist recognized her name when Henry introduced her and called for a guy dressed as formally as everyone inside the building to usher her and Henry to the top floors where the partners were already waiting.

They were already seated around the large, oval oak table. They all looked different from that time she met them during her father’s cremation. If there were people who showed any sign of gladness with her presence, they were John Stewart and Pamela Baldwin. Stewart was still as handsome as she last remembered him and he was smiling at her, his eyes roaming over her with so much appreciation and wonder. She almost felt her cheeks burn up, but she ignored it. For all she knew, he could be her father’s murderer. And then, there was Pamela Baldwin, a fragile-looking lady who looked out-of-place among the strong-looking men. She was sitting beside her husband, Garrett Baldwin, who was leaning away from her, his face still as blank as before. The couple wasn’t able to fool her trained eyes as a doctor though because she knew, from the way Garrett was sitting leaning away from his wife, that there was tension. She chose to ignore it, knowing it was their private problem.

Kevin Barnes looked at her with curious eyes and nodded slowly to acknowledge her presence. Stan Howe, though funny when she met him, was looking at the table blankly as he played with his fingers. What she did not expect though was the presence of Cole Hartman.

And her father’s old attorney stood up and said to the group, “Let’s get down to business, shall we?”

No one uttered a word because by the look of it, Hartman was in a hurry to leave. Henry held out a chair for her and settled himself to her right.

“As what I’ve said to everyone aside from Ms. Dalton, Patrick Dalton left a will leaving all his assets to his sole beneficiary, Ms. Angelica Dalton. Along with these assets is his fifty percent share in the firm. Ms. Dalton, however, can decide what she wants to do with it, whether she wants to sell it to whoever wants it.”

Everybody’s eyes shifted towards her and she reminded herself of Henry’s words earlier. Her eyes did not waver. “That will be out of the question, Mr. Hartman. I intend to handle my father’s assets personally with Mr. Bell’s help.”

It was time for Henry to speak, “If you don’t have anything else to discuss with the group, I think it’s time for you to leave now, Cole.”

Hartman nodded, looked at the group around him and stood up. “I’ll be in my office,” he announced and left the room.

Now, there was only Angelica, Henry, and the partners present. Angelica noticed John Stewart’s smile disappear; Pamela’s smile growing nervous by the second, and her husband’s angry look directed towards her. Stan Howe and Kevin Barnes remained blank.

“I know everything about the firm,” she stated without a twitch in her voice and everybody’s head snapped towards her once again. She feigned shock, and painted a small wicked smile on her lips. She was good at it and it was not that difficult. “What? Don’t think my father never told me anything, gentlemen,” she looked at Pamela’s scared face and added, “and lady.” She sighed when no one spoke a word. “And that’s why things are going to get a little different from now on.”

“What do you mean?” Pamela asked, her voice quivering.

“Oh, for God’s sakes, Pam, what the hell’s wrong with you?” Stan asked her.

Her husband looked at her but did not say a word. “I just thought that she would be innocent and leave the shares with us. It hurts to know that she’s already corrupted.”

“That’s something I chose for myself, Pamela,” Angelica said, her voice authoritative. “Now, as I’ve said, things are going to change around here. I,” she looked at Henry and he nodded, “don’t know anything about what the firm is all about, but I’m willing to get help from Henry Bell here, who is as well my husband-to-be, and who would soon be sitting on the chair my father had been sitting on. Now, as the biggest shareholder, I don’t expect anyone to disagree, right?” She looked everyone in the eye, except Henry’s, who must be in shock with her announcement about their relationship. “Okay,” she almost slammed her palms on the table as she stood up, eager to leave. “I’ll meet you all tomorrow then?”

“What for, my dear?” Kevin asked.

“Well, to meet with our clients of course. I want to know them personally.”

“That will be their decision, Angelica,” Stan said gently.

“Well, tell them I want to see them,” she said it like it was the simplest thing to do. “Goodbye, people.” And then she was out, not even caring if Henry was following her.

“We didn’t talk about being married soon,” he hissed beside her after a few seconds.

“We’ll talk about that later, but for now, I want to get the hell out of this place.”

 *****

“Look, I don’t even want to fight with you about why you keep on trying to make people believe that we’re together. Actually, I want to congratulate you for how well you handled it back there.”

“It was easy, but I am not really comfortable with the thought that I might have been in the same room as my father’s killer and my kidnapper.”

“That’s why you got into this, remember? You want to catch whoever killed him.”

“Yes,” she answered, looking out the window. “I need to go to Chanty’s house.”

“I’ll drive you there,” he nodded. Right now, he was quite busy formulating how he should make his report to Grissom without indicating he had gone astray from the orders given him. But then he might be happy to know that he was finally using Angelica Dalton to get his job done.

“No, I need to get my car and drive there myself. She will suspect something if I come without it.”

“Okay,” he answered, wheeling his car to the direction of last night’s party. Her car was still there and when she was about to climb out, he said, “Be careful.”

“Yes, yes,” she said as she shut the car and walked towards her red Porsche still parked at the parking lot outside the building. He was absently looking at her when her glinting red car suddenly burst up in the air. It happened very fast and all Henry felt was the invisible force that followed the eruption.

“Dalton!” he shouted as his eyes tried to look for any sign of her, the sound of the explosion ringing in his ears. He got out of his car as fast as lightning and ran to find his ward among the black smoke and her shattered car.

Chapter 11

Henry felt real fear for the first time in many years. Fear not for his life but for someone else’s. “Dalton!” he shouted once again, coughing with the smoke that followed the blast. People started running away, thinking it was a terrorist attack. Some of them lingered while incessantly talking on their phones. Others were busy taking pictures and making videos. Henry was sure alarms would come blaring in no time. But that was not his concern right now. “Dalton!” he shouted louder.

“Here!” he heard her cry out not far from the source of the explosion. Henry could have broken his spine with the turn he made to frantically search the premises and trace Angelica’s voice. “I’m here! I’m fine!”

He saw her arms first, flailing over her, her whole body buried under over a dozen black garbage bags. “Are you okay?” he asked, shouting over his lungs, as he approached.

“Help!” she cried out once again and he got hold of her hand and pulled with all his strength. He did not notice the strong smell of the garbage bags, too occupied to see if she was in any way injured. This was the second time that she almost got killed. But this time, it was not her fault. It was his.

“Are you okay? I’ll take you to the hospital.” But she was not hearing him as she looked at the spot where her once glimmering car once were. He on the other hand was busy looking over her messed-up look. Her red hair was everywhere and her black clothes were now tainted with an ashy color. And she was missing one of her high-heeled shoes. All in all, she was physically fine. He couldn’t see any blood and that was good enough for him.

“My car…” she stuttered, taking a step towards the rumble of what used to be her sports car.

“You’re in shock, let’s go,” he held her by the shoulders and started to guide her to his car. People were all over the place now, and he could already see a van of reporters coming their way. “I have to take you to the hospital. Are you sure you’re okay? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine. No hospital, please,” she said absently, her gaze still on her burning vehicle.

“You’re in shock,” he insisted.

She looked him in the eyes and said, “I’m a doctor. I know I’m okay, okay?” she shrugged off from his grip and climbed into his car.

Henry sighed and followed.

“Take me to Chanty’s,” she ordered.

“I don’t think you’ll be able to plan a freaking party with what happened to you,” he shook his head as he turned on the ignition.

“Take me to Chanty,” she insisted.

“Fine,” he didn’t want to argue any further, knowing she was too stubborn for her own good. “But I’ll be waiting not far from your friend’s house just in case.”

“Fine,” she snapped and turned away from him. “Gross, I stink!”

Henry just shook his head and drove off. He knew the police would look for her and they could answer their questions later. Right now, he had to take her away. Their enemy was getting desperate to eliminate her and he couldn’t risk it. He’d risked enough of her safety already.

 *****

Angelica sat frozen in the car, her heart still racing from the explosion, but that was way mellow than how she felt witnessing her car getting burned and shattered into pieces. Her car…her precious red, shining, car was gone.

“Are you sure you’re okay? You don’t look so well,” Henry spoke once again, disrupting her thoughts.

“I’m fine, okay? I’m just really pissed,” she snapped.

“I figured that out already,” he nodded, then turned to her. “You’re pissed because…?”

“Because I just purchased that car a month ago! Do you think these things are covered by insurance? I need to check on it,” she took her bag and rummaged inside. “I need to call and inquire about it—”

Her words were halted by the sudden screech of the car and she might have crashed her head on the dashboard if not for the seatbelt.

“What the hell! Drive carefully, will you?” she cried out. But when she looked at Henry, his face was reading surprise. “What?”

“You’re pissed because your car was blown up?” he asked incredulously.

“Yes, of course. Who wouldn’t be?”

“You’re not pissed you almost got killed? Are you insane?”

“Well, I already figured that one out,” she answered innocently. “But now that you think of it, I think I’m even more pissed.”

“Why?” he asked dryly.

“Because my kidnapper, slash, killer or bomber or whatever, already have two points before I even got the chance to get even. And now they got my car blown up. I really need to find out who this person is fast,” she huffed out.

“You’re something, you know that?” Henry was looking at her more incredulously. “You just realized that’s what we’re supposed to do other than mourning over your car? Unbelievable, just…freaking…don’t bother, I’m still processing how you think, so just…shut up.”

“What’s your problem? I was sitting here quietly just one minute ago and you asked me a question. I answered, and now you’re pissed. Sure, fine, I’ll shut up as long as you keep your opinions about me all to yourself!” she said the last few words with enough emotion that made him glare at her. He started to maneuver the car back on the road.

“Impossible,” she heard him mutter.

“Irresistible, you mean,” she shot back, held up one hand to silence his protest, and turned to her side to glare at the window.

 *****

“Make it quick,” Henry told her when they arrived near Chanty’s house and she opened her side of the car.

“I’ll take my own precious time, thank you,” she said gracefully before slamming the door.

Henry wanted to shout to his lung’s content and let out every infuriating feeling he’d been holding out since he met the lady. He decided against it, suspecting she’d only enjoy torturing him more often if she heard his outburst. He turned off the car’s ignition and watched her make her way across the street towards Chanty’s house.

He also noticed that Philip’s car was already parked outside and his friend was probably inside with his wife. For a moment, his thoughts wandered around Philip’s situation with his transient wife. As his friend’s lawyer, he was the only person who knew of the real reason why his friend went to all the trouble of buying a wife. Maybe Cassandra knew about it now, he was not sure.

Philip had always been controlled by his dad and his family had been bugging him about getting a wife and that was why he finally thought of an outrageous answer to his problem when Cassandra’s father approached him to loan some money. Henry was the one who checked out Cassandra’s background and he was the one who told Philip Cassandra might be the perfect wife. But now, every time he saw his friend, he was not sure which of the couple was suffering more. He never really thought his friend would go as far as what he did, but maybe—as Henry still suspected—his friend was getting attached to his wife. Maybe he should delay getting those divorce papers done just in case his friend changed his mind.

As his thought drifted back to matters at hand, Henry alerted his senses and looked around the premises for any suspicious activities. Nothing so far, but he with Angelica Dalton, things could always go wrong.

 *****

“What the hell happened to you?” Chanty demanded the moment she got inside the house. Angelica knew everybody’s eyes were on hers, including baby Willie’s who appeared to be playing with Philip in the living room.

“Don’t ask. It’s confidential,” she said, tying her red hair in a bun and wiping her face with a towel. She knew Cassandra and Chanty were looking at her like she was completely a different person and she knew why. They were so used seeing her in her usual glamour of dresses and make-up, but right now, she was far from that. She knew she smelled unpleasant and that she might as well throw her clothes in a garbage can.

“You’ve been saying that a lot,” Chanty told her, which was true, because her friend had been calling her, wanting to know what she was up to and all she could tell her was that everything she did was confidential.

“Go have a shower, will you?” Cassandra told her, covering her nose. “You really stink.”

“Ugh, don’t mention it, I know,” she went to the direction of Chanty’s room. “Oh, hi there, Philip,” she waved and disappeared behind the door.

“What happened to her?” she heard Philip ask.

“Don’t ask, we don’t know,” Chanty answered. “Hey, Ange! Don’t use my soap!”

Angelica just rolled her eyes, grabbed a clean towel and entered Chanty’s bathroom. She took her time, submerging her body under the tub full of water with rose-scented soap and closed her eyes. She felt tired all of a sudden. Hell, she felt exhausted. Who wouldn’t? She met a group of lawyers working for the freaking Mafia, made an act of being a bad guy, almost got killed in a blasted explosive car, and watched that precious Porsche shatter into tiny pieces and then was sent to be buried in a dozen black garbage bags.

She spent almost an hour in the bathroom before she urged herself to get out the tub and borrowed one of Chanty’s dresses. Later, she joined her friends to plan Willie’s party.

Since they were done with the most important details, they did not really do anything more except calling a lot of people about the food and the balloons and some bubble-maker machines.

But Angelica literally slept through half the time, just nodding at whatever suggestion she heard.

She forgot about Henry waiting for her outside until Cassandra and Philip got ready to leave. She envied them, really. They looked perfectly happy together and it seemed that it would be for the long haul. Some part of her wanted to be at Cassandra’s place. She wanted to be the one Philip was looking at lovingly and to feel his touches. But that would be impossible now. She knew that he would never be like that with her, and she knew that she could never make him smile like that. She was no Cassandra and she was perfectly fine with that. Philip was just a passing infatuation—a dream she knew she didn’t want to pursue.

What about Henry, then? That voice asked out of nowhere.

Ah, yes, Henry Bell. That man was difficult and difficult was her game. She smiled inwardly, thinking what life would be like with an NSA agent. Far from Cassandra, obviously, she thought. It will be full of excitement and fun, and I like excitement and fun. Her train of thought was getting bolder by each second and she found herself giddy to be with the man again. All thoughts of Philip and Cassandra went out the door with them as the couple took their leave.

“I have to go as well,” she announced to Chanty, taking baby Willie from her and kissing him on the cheek. “Bye, buddy. See you at your party.”

“You seem different today, you know that?” Chanty pointed out.

“Of course I’m not. I’m just tired, I guess,” she said, in a hurry to leave. “I’ll be here the day after tomorrow, okay?”

Chanty just gave a nod and kissed her friend on the cheek. “Be careful, okay?”

“Yeah,” she smiled. I should be more careful, really.

 *****

“What took you so long?” Henry complained when she appeared.

“I fell asleep,” she replied, climbing inside the car. “Let’s go before Chanty spots us,” she told him, strapping her seatbelt.

“I’ve been thinking…” he started, but she suddenly turned her head towards him with a crazy grin.

“You’ve been thinking about us?”

Once again, he was lost for a moment there, and when he realized what she meant, he closed his eyes and let out a breath—a new technique he developed to keep his cool around Angelica. “No, and stop right there. I was thinking that we should set up a party.”

“What for?”

“A welcoming part—an acquaintance party— as the biggest shareholder in the firm. It will give me time to talk to them freely now, get as much information as I can–the works. I decided that we should find out who the mole is first before I can do my work with the organization.”

“Okay,” she agreed.

“Okay?”

“Of course,” she grinned at him. “Parties are my specialty, don’t you know that?”

Henry groaned, “I should have figured that one out by now.”

“And you’ll be my date. How exciting, don’t you think?”

He just pursed his lips to close his mouth. If he would utter another word, it would surely not be nice.

 *****

If there was anyone who could put up a party in just a day, it was Angelica. Not that she had hosted a lot herself, but she had been to a lot of it—crashed or not—that she knew the works and knew the right people to call.

She spent the next day calling some friends who would be glad to offer their services and Henry watched her do the work, from invitations to the food, with ease and comfort that it amazed him. She had decided to hold the party the next day, same day as Willie’s party.

“We don’t have to waste time,” she had replied when he suggested they take time and do the party by next week. “I’ll probably be dead next week.”

With that statement, he decided to keep his mouth shut and let her do the works. And she really did it without any evidence of difficulty. All the partners confirmed their attendance by phone, and the other lawyers who worked at the firm were itching to meet her.

“I should have put on a theme or something,” she said, pouting her lips, the night before the party.

They were seated in his living room and Henry looked up from the book he was reading when he heard her. “I would have disagreed on that,” he said flatly.

“It would have been amazing. A Greek-themed party, or a Poker-themed party, or a Vegas-themed party—”

“Can you picture out Kevin dressed as Hermes? I think no,” he interrupted dryly.

Angelica laughed with mirth and he found himself liking the sound of it. It was like that of a child’s, innocent and fresh. “No, I don’t think it will work. Yeah, you’re right. A formal cocktail party is enough.” She gave out a long sigh and stretched out on the couch. Henry’s eyes looked over the edge of the book he was reading and studied her. She was wearing a white spaghetti-strapped shirt tight enough to show her curves and a pair of short brown shorts. She was lying on the couch with her eyes closed, her arms over her head, her breathing even. His eyes landed on her breasts, then down her flat stomach, her gorgeously curved hips, her slender legs, then back to her lovely peaceful face that was free of make-up and foundation. His eyes devoured her full, parted lips, her smoothly shaped nose and her long lashes shadowing her high cheekbones.

“A kiss will be payment enough for your little wanderings,” she uttered, breaking the spell he was in.

Henry blinked his eyes a few times and cleared his throat, “What?”

“You were looking me over, weren’t you?” she asked, eyes still closed.

He forced a dry chuckle. “Whatever gave you that idea?”

“I know you were looking at me.” He saw her lips twitch into a smile. Henry caught his breath, seeing that smile of hers. It was the first time he saw that smile. It was far from her usual flirty ones. It seemed natural and he found it to his liking that he would give anything to see it again.

“You have a very wild imagination, Dalton,” he said, closing his book, and stood up. “I’m going to sleep. You should too. You have two parties to attend tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I know,” she answered, not moving an inch.

“Go to your room and sleep,” he ordered.

No answer.

“Dalton,” he called out once again.

Just a sleepy silence followed. He heard her even breathing and he smiled. She was probably too exhausted with everything she did today preparing for the party. He walked towards her and tried for the last time, “Hey, Dalton…” but she was too asleep to even answer a moan.

Having made up his mind, he gently lifted her up in his arms and carried her to her bedroom. He tucked her in without waking her, turned off the lights and said, “Night, Dalton,” before closing the door to go to his room.

 *****

Angelica woke up the next day in a hurry for Willie’s party.

“You have to take me to Chanty’s place,” she told him as they were eating breakfast he prepared.

“Fine,” he replied.

“Like now,” she urged.

He looked at her, munching his eggs, swallowed, sipped his coffee and stood up. “Fine.”

Angelica frowned. “What’s wrong with you today?”

“Nothing,” he grabbed his keys and added, “let’s go.”

“Fine,” she said, mocking his word of the day.

  *****

“Call me if you need me to pick you up,” Henry told her as he dropped her off three houses away from Chanty’s.

“You bet I will,” she winked at him and took off.

Henry was shaking his head as he maneuvered his car back on the road. He was worried someone might be following her. Her killer probably knew already that she was staying with him considering her outrageous announcement about the two of them being together, so he chose to be in the area in case she got into trouble once again.

He even thought of crashing the party and Chanty wouldn’t even complain if ever he did that. He decided against it after some time though, mainly because he didn’t want to meet Philip since he wasn’t able to start on those divorce papers yet.

It was almost two hours later when he noticed some commotion going on at Chanty’s yard and people were huddled together, looking down on the ground. He was just about to run out and look for Angelica when he saw her running towards whatever it was that caused the commotion and parted the crowd, shouting whatever it was. Henry smirked, wondering what she said that made the guests of the party step aside to let her pass. He calmed his nerves, thinking she was not hurt or directly involved to the incident, and watched with caution. Not less than a minute later, he saw her carrying Philip along with some big guy towards his friend’s car.

He narrowed his eyes, knowing very well Philip was hurt, probably injured. Then he saw Cassandra running after the group and got into Philip’s car and the couple drove away. Picking up his phone, he dialed Angelica’s number.

“What happened?” he asked before she could say hello.

“You’re here?” she whispered.

“Yes, I’m near and I saw the commotion. What happened to Philip?”

“He broke his ankle, I guess,” she said dryly. “And I guess the party’s over.”

“Okay, go back here and let’s go,” he ordered. “We have another party to attend to.”

“Fine, but I have to attend to the other guy first,” and then she clicked off and he saw her go back to the spot in the yard where the incident happened. She started to give out orders, her head bent in concentration to whatever she was doing. For the first time, he saw Angelica work as a doctor, not as a rich, stalking bitch most people knew her of. Five minutes later, an ambulance rushed past Henry’s car and stopped outside Chanty’s house. When she was done talking to the EMS guys, she went back inside the house. When she reappeared, she was carrying her bag, ready to leave.

He drove back to their meeting place, somehow thankful it was not her who got into trouble.

  *****

“How long is five minutes, Dalton? You’ve been telling me that for nearly an hour now,” Henry said by her door, looking at his watch.

“I’m coming!”

“How long is ‘ I’m coming’ ?” he asked irritably.

“Now!” and she surprised him by opening her door with a smile.

Henry was lost for words. Like really, words escaped him as he looked at her. Yes, he had seen her during parties during those times when she was stalking Philip around like a dog, but he had never really looked at her. And now he did and he had to finally admit that lovely would not fit the description. She was wearing a silver cocktail dress, a Venus cut with a round golden ornament crusted with multi-colored gems on her left shoulder strap. The fabric flowed down her curves down to the floor. She wore her red hair up in a simple tidy bun, her lips the same color as her hair and he felt a sudden urge to kiss her right there and then.

Of course he didn’t.

It was the slit that ran about a foot from her hips that made him uncomfortable though. “Is the slit really necessary?” he asked as he frowned.

“Why? Want to stitch it yourself?” she asked, her smile completely disappearing. “You’re such a jerk, you know that?”

“What?”

“Forget about it,” she snapped and brushed him aside and made her way to the door. “I’ll go get that compliment from someone else later. For now, let’s go.”

Henry did not answer but followed her out the door. He had a strong feeling he just made a big mistake by not complimenting her.

  *****

Almost everyone made it to the party which made Henry even more at awe. It seemed that Angelica had that power to make everyone drop everything they’d been doing to go to her party. No, scratch that out. She probably said something like, “I’m going to chase you around if you don’t come,” or maybe worse, she scared them with her words which was probably the case. And he wouldn’t be at all surprised if that were true.

As they entered the room full of lawyers dressed for the party, Henry felt a burst of pride just standing beside her. He pushed that thought aside, reminding himself that Angelica Dalton was supposed to be out of reach.

“Lovely as ever, Angelica,” a man’s voice said beside them and when he turned his head, he saw John Stewart looking at his ward like he was about to devour her.

“Stewart,” he cut off Angelica’s reply by holding out his hand to shake the other man’s. “We are glad you came.” He deliberately stepped between the two and he could feel Angelica’s gaze behind him.

John Stewart just nodded, looked over his shoulder and was about to say something to his ward when he turned around and said, “Sweetheart, why don’t we go grab a drink?” he sent her a message with his eyes that she should follow his suggestion.

The curious look on her face was washed away by something very close to amusement. “Of course, sweetheart, ” she emphasized the last word. “I’ll see you around, John.”

“Yes, of course.” Henry saw Stewart throw a wink at her and he fought the urge to drag her all the way across the other side of the room.

“Hey, you’re hurting me,” Angelica hissed beside him. “What was that about?”

He stopped walking and looked at her stonily. “You can’t play with him, okay?”

“Why? Jealous?” she pushed him playfully.

“I’m serious, Dalton,” he hissed at her ear. “He could be your father’s killer, remember?”

“I don’t think so,” she threw back. “Now, please, let me do my job and be a good host. Stop pulling me around like a dog, okay?”

“What job? No, your job is to stay beside me and be safe. It’s my job to investigate.”

“I’m really hating you tonight,” she groaned, pulling away from him. “I need a drink.”

“No drinking for you,” he whispered and pulled her towards a group of just a few meters away. “We need to talk to the partners.”

“I was just talking to one of them when you shunned him off,” she pointed out.

He ignored her because she was partly right. Honestly, he couldn’t understand why he did that back there. The moment he saw John Stewart’s gaze on his ward, he knew he had to take her away. This is not good, a part of him warned him. Yes, he already knew that.

He really had to control his feelings tonight if he wanted to have progress.

  *****

“Oh, my dear, this party is amazing!” Pamela said to her hours later. Angelica had found a good company with the only woman among the partners and she was enjoying it. Pamela always had something interesting to say. But there was something about her that bothered her. She could see it in Pamela’s smiles every time her husband, Garrett, was near. She couldn’t figure it out yet, but there was just something wrong with the man. It seemed as if her wife was afraid of him.

Angelica was trying her best throughout the party to try to study everyone’s gestures so she could get a feel around each of them, as Henry suggested, but that lingering thought that one of them was the one who wanted her dead was ruining her focus.

“Thank you,” she answered Pamela’s statement.

“But I’m afraid we have to leave,” Garrett said, approaching them. Pamela suddenly looked ashen and Angelica was afraid she would faint on the spot.

“What? Now? But the party’s not yet over,” she tried to protest.

“No, dear,” Pamela shook her head, looking at her husband anxiously. “Garrett is tired and I myself need a rest. Tomorrow’s a big day with the clients,” she said.

“So, do I get to meet them?” she asked eagerly. She saw Henry from the corner of her eye getting still when he heard her question. He was standing just a meter away talking with Stan Howe.

“We still have to talk to them, I guess,” Garrett answered for his wife, his light blue eyes looking at her blankly.

“Okay, but I’m really hoping to meet them soon,” Angelica forced out a smile and turned to Pamela. “Be careful,” she said as the woman hugged her to say goodbye.

And there was something in that hug that shouted “ help!”.

As the couple walked out after saying goodbye to the rest, Angelica stared at them with concern. She knew, deep in her gut, that Pamela was somehow in trouble. And she had a very strong feeling Garrett Baldwin was one scary man.

“Hey,” a man’s voice said beside her.

She snapped her head up and saw John Stewart grinning down at her. “Hi, John.”

“I was hoping to get you alone tonight, but your fiancé is making sure that I don’t,” he uttered, looking her in the eyes.

Fiancé? Ah, yes, of course. She had forgotten about that little lie.

“Well,” she faked a sigh, “he’s just being protective.”

“Why? Does he think I would dream of harming you?” he feigned hurt.

Angelica chuckled, “Of course not. He’s just like that to almost everyone.”

“John,” Kevin’s voice interrupted them.

Angelica turned to see the old man with his cane and said, “Hello, Kevin,” she smiled.

“Hello, dear,” he greeted back, but his eyes couldn’t meet hers. He knew she knew his secret about wanting out of the group. “John, can you drive me home now? I feel exhausted.”

“I won’t hold you back, Kevin,” Angelica told him, “I know you hate parties.”

“Exactly,” he chuckled and looked at John expectantly.

John, in return, turned to her with a slight bow, saying, “See you next time, Angel.”

Angelica frowned. Angel ? She didn’t think she liked that name.

“They’re going home?”

She almost jumped on her feet as Henry’s voice spoke beside her. “Jesus, you startled me!”

But he was not hearing her. “I’ll go to Kevin after the party,” he said.

“I’ll go with you.”

“No—”

“You can’t leave me here, can you?” she challenged. He must have realized that would be a big mistake so he nodded.

“But you stay in the car. No more eavesdropping. I’ll just have a few words I need to say to him.”

“You could have said it earlier.”

“Not with so many ears around,” he shook his head.

“What are you two lovebirds whispering about?” Stan asked behind them.

They turned with smiles and said in chorus, “Nothing.”

“Angelica, why don’t you honor me with a dance?” the old man held out his hand and she took it willingly, leaving Henry behind to talk to some more lawyers.

  *****

“He might already be asleep, you know,” she told him hours later. They were outside Kevin’s home and the lights were out except the one at the porch.

“He’s a light sleeper so it’s not a problem waking him up,” Henry said, unbuckling his belt. Then he looked at her pointedly, “Don’t get out of this car, understood?”

Angelica shrugged.

He climbed out and jogged his way across the empty, dark street, up to Kevin’s porch and rang the bell. The wind was getting chilly and he rang the bell once more. He breathed a sigh of relief when lights went on from the front window.

“Who’s there?” a woman’s voice asked from behind.

“Hey, Nora, it’s me, Henry Bell,” she said, addressing Kevin’s maid.

“Oh, Henry!” the door suddenly burst open to reveal an elderly woman dressed in sweater. “And who’s this lovely lady with you?”

Henry frowned and snapped his head to where Nora’s gaze was directed and saw Angelica’s beaming face.

“I’m Angelica,” she held out her hand and shook Nora’s

“Oh, come in, come in. It’s chilly out here!” Nora ushered them inside. “Mr. Barnes is upstairs but he will come down once I tell him it’s you, Henry,” the lady chattered on, her back at them.

“That will be great,” Henry said, not really hearing the woman’s words because he was glaring at Angelica who was looking at him innocently.

“You two wait here while I go upstairs. Did I mention that John was here just moments ago? You must have passed him in the streets.”

“Yes, I know he took Kevin home. But no, we didn’t notice his car.”

“Okay, then, I’ll go get Mr. Barnes.”

The moment the lady was gone, leaving them inside Kevin’s lovely, cozy living room, Henry turned sharply towards Angelica, his eyes furious. “I told you to stay in the car,” he hissed.

“Did I say yes?” she hissed back.

“When are you going to follow anything I say?” he cried in frustration.

“Not ever going to happen—”

Her words were cut off by a sudden shriek from upstairs. Henry ran to the stairs immediately, shouting over his shoulder, “Stay there!” He reached the top of the stairs in a matter of seconds and bumped against Nora. “What happened?”

“He’s dead! Mr. Barnes! He’s dead!” Nora’s face was covered with tears.

Henry gently brushed her aside and ran towards Kevin’s study. There, lying on the floor, his cane beside him, was Kevin’s unmoving form.

“What happened?” Angelica’s voice asked beside him, her eyes wide.

“I told you—” he started but said, “Forget it. Call 911.”

She nodded and fumbled inside her purse for her phone while he ran towards Kevin’s body and felt for a pulse.

There was none. He looked up at Angelica’s expectant face, his mind racing. There was only one person aside from Nora who had last seen Kevin: John Stewart.

Chapter 12

Angelica ran towards Kevin’s body and unconsciously brushed Henry aside. She positioned the old man so that he was facing the ceiling, felt for a pulse and any sign of breathing. When no sign of life was seen or felt, Angelica positioned herself and started CPR.

“Dalton, I don’t think it’s necessary—”

“I’m a doctor,” she cut Henry’s statement, concentrating on counting. He fell quiet and chose the time to search the room for any clues while she went on with her work.

“I hear an ambulance, you can stop now,” he said moments later, his voice a whisper.

“I’m okay,” she said, stopping for a moment to feel for a pulse and continued once again.

“Angelica…” he said gently, looking at her determined face.

“I’m fine!” she shouted, her head bent. “I’m fine…” her shoulders started to shake. He caught her in his arms before she collapsed on Kevin’s lifeless body.

“It’s okay…” he murmured against hair.

“Why does he have to die? Why?”

He didn’t have a really good answer to that. He was still in shock himself.

“I attended two parties today and they did not end so well, do you know that?” she started to say. “What a freaking day!”

“We’ll get to the bottom of this,” he tried to say.

“I’m going to kill the bastard who did this,” she said with rage, looking at Kevin’s deathly pale face.

He cupped her face in his hands and looked at her straight in the eyes. For a moment, he was lost into their depths. “You are not going to kill anyone, understand? You’re in shock. I better take you home. I’ll come back here to give my statement to the police.”

She shook her head. “No, I’m staying.”

Their gazes battled for a minute. “Okay,” Henry finally yielded.

  *****

“We came by to talk to him after the party,” Henry was telling the police officer minutes later.

Angelica sat frozen in the couch in the living room beside him. Kevin’s body had already been taken, wrapped in a black body bag, for further investigation as to cause of death. People had secured his study up stairs, brushing every inch of the room for prints. She leaned her frail body against Henry for support. Though she said she wanted to stay, she was wishing she was somewhere far away.

“How did he look during the party? Was he anxious? Nervous?”

“He was himself,” Henry said calmly.

“He doesn’t like parties,” Angelica offered weakly. “He never liked parties.”

“What time did he go home? Was he alone?”

“He left about eleven o’clock. John Stewart took him home,” Henry answered.

“Who’s John Stewart?”

“Another partner of the firm. Kevin considered him as a son as I’ve heard.”

“Can you give us information how to contact Mr. Stewart?”

“Yes, of course,” Henry took out his phone and gave the number to the officer.

“So, Mr. Bell, what did you want to talk to Mr. Barnes about?”

“It’s about work.”

“You weren’t able to talk to him during the party?”

“We were both busy about something else.”

Angelica was not listening anymore. It seemed that whatever question directed towards Henry was also meant for her and her guardian was doing a good job answering those questions. At another corner of the room, Nora was seated with another officer for questioning, her tears flowing nonstop.

She stirred from her reverie when the officer questioning them stood up and shook Henry’s hand. “We’ll contact you anytime if we have further questions,” he said to both of them.

“Yes, thank you,” Henry replied. He looked at her when they were left alone. “Let’s go home.”

Angelica just nodded and found herself ushered out the door and into his car.

“He was a good man, wasn’t he?” she asked quietly after they took off into the night.

“He was a changed man, yes,” he nodded.

She turned her head towards him, saw his serious look. “You’re not at all moved by what happened. I thought you were close to him.”

“I’ve seen enough death,” he answered.

“But Kevin was close to you.”

“I’m not entitled to break down like normal people,” he replied once again.

“Yeah, you’re an NSA agent. Wonder what you’ll do when you find me dead,” she said without thinking.

He turned his head sharply at her direction. “That’s not going to happen, understand?”

“They eventually got to Kevin. They can very well get to me.”

“I won’t let that happen. Now, shut up.” He looked back at the road and zoomed the car, exceeding speed limit.

A tear escaped her eye. Fear had finally got to her.

But only for tonight.

Tomorrow—as they always said—was another day.

She’d recover fast as she usually did.

  *****

Her words lingered in her mind.

“Wonder what you’ll do when you find me dead…”

Yes, what would he exactly do if ever that happened?

That’s not going to happen. I won’t allow that to happen.

He failed with her father. He failed with her… He shook his head, erasing the picture of what happened years ago. He couldn’t fail with Angelica Dalton.

Henry was pacing around his room when his phone rang.

“What the hell happened this time?” Grissom’s voice boomed.

He looked at his watch. Does the man ever sleep?

“I don’t know. Maybe one of the members found out Kevin Barnes wanted out and took him out.”

“What about Dalton? Does she know?”

“Know what?”

“What did you tell her?”

“I told her I can help her find her father’s killer and she quickly agreed to take over the firm.”

“That’s all you told her?”

“Yes,” Henry lied.

“Good. Just make sure you keep your asset alive this time.”

He did not bother to say goodbye and clicked off.

Angelica Dalton was not going to die on his watch. He wouldn’t let that happen.

  *****

“Kevin was injected with a large amount of potassium chloride that caused a heart attack. A dose of sedative was traced from the brandy he was drinking. He was probably deeply sedated before the induced heart attack.”

“And where did you get that information?” Angelica asked him with awe.

“I can access police files,” he answered.

“That’s probably what happened to my dad as well,” she nodded. “Wonder when his autopsy result’s coming in.”

“Considering it was not with police permission, it’s going to take a while.”

“Oh well, I guess I’ll have to wait. Not that I’m not certain he wasn’t murdered,” she stood up and grabbed her bag.

Henry frowned up at her from the table. “Where are you going?”

“Work,” she answered nonchalantly. “I need work to take my mind off things,” she added.

“I’ll take you.”

“No, I can take a bus—”

“I’ll take you,” he cut her in.

“Okay, fine. You really don’t want to be away from me, do you?”

Henry shook his head and followed her out the door, grabbing his own briefcase with him. She was back to her normal self and he wondered if it was good or not. She sure recovered fast.

  *****

“I’ll be calling in any moment so carry your phone around,” he reminded her. “And remember, Dalton, one missed call means you’ll be applying for a vacation leave.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” she rolled her eyes and got out of the car.

“And be careful. I mean it,” he looked at her with a weird expression in his eyes.

“Okay…” she said with a frown. “I have to go. Bye,” she whirled around and walked towards the entrance of the hospital. What was that? For a moment there, he really looked concerned. A wicked smile crept up her face.

  *****

“What have you been up to these days?” a colleague asked her.

“Nothing much,” she murmured, eating her salad.

“You have not been putting a lot of hours lately,” another added.

“I have other important stuff to attend to,” she answered.

“Like what? Men?”

Usually, if people said something like that, she would brush it off. But she had been holding out a lot of negative feelings that it ticked her off. “No,” she looked them in the eye with her stingy look. “Like the death of my father.” She received a collective gasp from everyone. “So back off for a day or two, okay?” she almost shouted and got to her feet, leaving her food.

Maybe going to work was not a good idea after all so she took her bag and left the building.

  *****

“What are you doing here?” Henry asked, startled to see her sitting on the floor beside the door.

“I’m waiting for you. I don’t have a key,” she said, jumping to her feet with a smile. But he was not easily fooled, seeing that it did not reach her eyes.

“I thought you’ll be working,” he worked with the keys and opened the door.

“I got tired.”

He knew she was lying. He faced her, tipped his head to the right with a frown and said, “Something’s wrong with you. I know it.”

“Nothing’s wrong with me, okay?”

“It’s about last night. I know you’re still upset about it. Just talk it out, Angelica. It will make you feel better.”

“It won’t bring Kevin back. And it won’t bring my dad back,” she forced her way around him and walked towards her bedroom door. “And if you really want to keep me around, you better give me keys, sweetheart. ”

Henry stood rooted for a few seconds, wondering if it was her way of dealing with things. It seemed weird. And she was obviously trying to hide what she really felt. Her eyes told him what she was trying to hide.

Henry took a deep breath and let it out forcefully. He was not sure if he wanted to see this kind of Angelica at all. He was just getting used to her playful and flirty attitude.

  *****

Angelica was inside her room, lying on the bed, staring blindly up the white ceiling when Henry came knocking on her door.

“Kevin’s family has scheduled the funeral tomorrow afternoon.”

She sat up. “He has a family?”

“Yes, and if it will make you feel better, he had a happy family full of wonderful grandchildren who adored him.”

Yes, it comforted her to know that there were people that made Kevin happy while he was still alive. “What time tomorrow?”

“Five in the afternoon.”

“We’re coming, right?”

“Of course. The other partners will be there—especially John Stewart.”

“What—” she stopped and stared at him. “You don’t think he killed Kevin, do you?”

“He’s the number one on my list,” he answered. “That’s why I don’t want to see you getting close to him. We don’t know the man very well and he can very well kill you if he wants to.”

Angelica shook her head. “I don’t think he killed Kevin.”

“Okay, so you’re the agent now. Let’s see why you think your boyfriend did not kill Kevin.”

“Boyfriend? Oh, you’re not jealous are you? Because you sounded a bit bitter just then, Henry.”

He gave her a look. “I asked you a question.”

She sighed and leaned back against her hands. “If he killed Kevin, he wouldn’t let Nora see him, right? That will be too stupid even for me.”

“You got a point, but that’s the reason why I suspect him.”

She looked at him incredulously. “What? Why?”

“Because no one else believed him to be Kevin’s killer because of that very same reason you gave me. You under analyzed the situation. Maybe he intentionally let Nora know he was there before Kevin’s death so that all doubts will be erased.”

“We can know the time of death,” she reasoned.

“But Nora can’t quite point out what time he left,” he reasoned out.

Well, he had a point, but she just got the feeling John was not the killer. Her mind was already set up on someone else but she did not dare tell him that.

“Whatever you think of John Stewart, forget about it. He’s still one of the partners in a firm that worked for one of the largest criminal organization. He’s already got a number of years in prison as it is.”

“You’re just jealous,” she scoffed.

“Why do you always have to bring that up? That’s a ridiculous idea and it’s not going to get us anywhere.”

“What? I just thought—”

“Just—” he held up a hand, “forget it. I don’t want to hear another story about someone getting jealous. Just take your rest.”

He left the room in a flash, leaving Angelica grinning like crazy. Then her smile disappeared when she remembered what he said about John Stewart. Then she remembered Pamela’s husband, Garrett Baldwin. Why did she have to be surrounded by dangerous people?

I can talk to John tomorrow, she thought. I might just get something—if he’s innocent or not.

Yes, tomorrow would be the perfect time.

  *****

“You don’t really look like you’re going to a funeral,” he said to her, shaking his head.

She adjusted her black wide-brimmed hat with a big white ribbon on it and ignored him. Then she turned her attention back on her knee-length black sleeveless dress that she thought was decent enough for the funeral. “You know what? I’m actually done caring to impress you. I already know you will never ever going to compliment me,” she leaned closer to the mirror to see if her lipstick was in line with her lips.

“It would impress me if you’ll stop giving off flirty glances and start acting like a real lady,” he said dryly.

“Where’s the fun in that?” she asked him, intentionally purring.

“Let’s go, we’re wasting time already.”

“Wait for me, sweetheart,” she taunted, grabbing his arm.

“You’re killing me,” he grumbled.

“I know,” she smiled. “You’re dying with your love for me. That’s sweet, really.”

“Shut up, Dalton.”

  *****

Unlike her father’s cremation, Kevin’s funeral was attended by a lot of people. Henry was not joking when he said the old man had a big family. It soothed Angelica. At least, the man would somehow be happy wherever he was right now, knowing his family would miss him and would always keep him in memory.

They were all invited to come to this big restaurant in the city for dinner by the family right after the funeral.

“Don’t make any wrong announcements again,” Henry told her in the car.

“What announcement?”

“Like us getting married.”

“Well, I can always say we’re already married if you don’t like that one.” She knew it would frustrate him and it showed. She liked him looking infuriated.

“Just keep your mouth shut.”

  *****

She already had a plan in her mind and she instantly acted on it the moment they entered the restaurant. It was a good thing Stan took Henry aside for a little talk because right across the room was John Stewart. She walked towards him.

“Hey,” he nodded at her admiringly. “You look awesome as always, Angel.”

“I should have a hat on but Henry wanted me to leave it in the car,” she joked, trying to have a light conversation before she could ask him what she wanted to know.

“Pretty shocking what happened, isn’t it?” he said, his smile completely gone.

“Yes, it is,” she nodded, looking at the little boy, probably Kevin’s grandchild, running around the tables. “I heard you were with him before he died,” she said nonchalantly.

“Yes.” There was no denial, no suspicions, and definitely no pretense in his answer. He really looked sad about what happened. “Maybe, if I shouldn’t have left him too early, this wouldn’t happen,” he added with bitterness.

“It’s not your fault,” she said gently, holding him by the arm.

“Can’t help blaming myself…” he muttered, sipping his brandy.

“This stuff—”

“Sweetheart, I’ve been looking for you,” Henry’s voice said against her ear and she felt his arm around her waist. She turned her head, startled.

“What?” she gasped out. His face was so near she could almost tug a little and kiss him. “I was talking to John,” she smiled awkwardly and leaned away. Why the hell did she lean away anyway? That was a pretty good chance!

His grip tightened around her waist. “Can I steal my fiancée for a minute, John?” he asked the man she was talking to.

“Sure,” John smiled and nodded.

“My dear, I’ve missed you!” Pamela piped in and she was too happy to be released from Henry’s angry, possessive, strong—whatever it was—hold.

“Pamela!” she cried out, receiving the lady’s eager embrace.

“I wanted to talk to you earlier but…” she trailed off, looking over her shoulder. Angelica’s gaze looked on and she saw Garrett talking with Stan now, his gaze at the back of his wife.

“Oh, I see, but that’s okay.”

“Why don’t we go talk?” the lady asked her, turning to Henry. “Can I? I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

“No, of course not,” Angelica answered before Henry could open his mouth to protest. “Why don’t we go for a walk? I heard they have a garden outside?”

“Yes, that will be lovely,” Pamela nodded.

  *****

When they reached the garden, Pamela turned to her in a rush, looked at the premises and when she was certain no one was around, she looked at Angelica, tears brimming her eyes. “I think I’m in danger.”

“What? Why?”

“I think I know who killed Kevin,” the lady stammered. “And your dad,” she whispered.

“Pamela, you’re shaking. Are you okay? What do you mean you know who killed Kevin and my dad?”

“I’m really scared right now and I don’t know what to do—”

“There you are,” Garrett’s voice said behind them and his wife, upon hearing him, froze and hastily wiped away her tears.

Angelica stared at him with a forceful smile.

“Dinner will be served,” he walked towards them, his smile obviously forced and creepy.

“Yes, dear, we’re coming,” Pamela said, her voice growing stronger. “Let’s go?” she asked Angelica, holding her hand.

“But—” she stopped when she saw Pamela’s warning look. “Okay, why not?” she smiled and walked with the couple.

Inside, Henry met her across the room full of tables already occupied by other guests. “We’re dining together,” he said to Pamela with his handsome smile.

“That will be lovely,” Pamela said and walked on with her husband.

“Henry,” Angelica whispered at him as he turned to glare at her. “I think Pamela’s—”

“I told you not to get near John Stewart,” he hissed, taking hold of her elbow and walking all the way to the table where the partners are already seated.

“But I have to tell you—”

“Stay beside me and shut up,” he ordered. “Let me do the talking tonight.”

Angelica tried to calm herself. The thing about Pamela would be better discussed later when she was alone with Henry. She pasted a smile on her face and said, “Whatever you say, sweetheart.”

Chapter 13

“Don’t even bother,” Henry hissed at her ear, his body too close for her sanity.

She looked ahead and tried to make her smile remain on her face. John Stewart was walking at their direction. It was way past dinner and almost everyone was already leaving.

“We’re leaving now,” Henry said with warning in his voice. She couldn’t focus. She felt his warm breath against her ear and it was kind of intoxicating.

“Okay, okay,” she answered breathlessly. “Jealous…” she said with a tune under her breath that he could only hear.

“Not,” he snapped, and pulled at her waist. He motioned their bodies so that their back was at John Stewart. “Let’s go,” he ordered and she obliged.

“Jealous…” she sang once again.

“Stop that,” he muttered under his breath. He literally dragged her towards his car.

Whatever happened to John Stewart, she didn’t know. She soon found herself being pushed inside Henry’s car and then they drove off into the night.

“Jealous…” she sang louder this time.

“Ridiculous…” he answered differently.

“Definitely true…” she kept up with her tune.

“Impossible…” he retorted.

“So true…” she sang louder, giggling now.

“You’re crazy,” Henry was shaking his head.

“Crazy, crazy for being so lonely….” She sang out.

“Definitely crazy…” he uttered, nodding his head. A smile was already creeping up his face.

“Crazy little thing called love…” she continued on and she couldn’t hold out her laughter any longer. “God, I love that song,” she uttered.

“Pathetic,” he murmured.

The little joy she was feeling suddenly evaporated and she glared at him. “You’re such a spoiler, you know that?” she held up her palm when he opened his mouth. “Don’t bother,” she cut in and turned away.

  *****

Henry saw the hurt on her face and he immediately regretted his word.

They drove in silence and the only sound he could hear was the silent hum of the car.

And the moment he pulled into the parking area, she opened the door and jumped out, storming her way towards the building doors and then to the elevators.

“Don’t talk to me,” she said silently, her voice serious.

What the— she was actually seriously angry.

“Every freaking time…” he muttered bitterly as they entered the elevator.

“What did you say?” she snapped, her blue eyes burning fire.

“I say the wrong words and you get angry? I didn’t even mean it!” he almost shouted.

“Oh, you don’t mean it every time you throw snide comments my way? You don’t mean it every time you make me feel like I’m a stupid girl who knows nothing but to chase around men? You don’t mean it when you said I can’t go near John Stewart?”

As she stood there shouting those words at him, he was actually not hearing her. He was too busy getting lost in her eyes and her mouth and her beautiful face.

“Do you know he actually calls me Angel? Can you imagine that? I don’t really like hearing it but at least he shows me he likes me.”

He knew she was talking nonsense now because…well, she did that every time she started talking.

“So tell me, Henry, did you not mean it as well when you said you’re not jealous? Did you not mean it as well, when you said I can’t go near him? Did you not mean it as well when you said you’re not ever going to get to like me? Because what you said right there was really confusing so you better put coverage on those two words—”

He did not let her finish her stupid speech. Without thinking, he took one swift motion forward and captured her mouth in his, his hand at her nape, the other at her lower back. She was frozen for a moment and he was just about to back off when her hands slid up his chest and locked themselves around his neck. And she was answering his kiss.

The ‘no touching Angelica Dalton’ rule became a distant warning hum. He forgot about it. No, he chose to ignore it just for a few seconds. Nothing far from kissing could happen inside an elevator anyway.

He could feel their labored breathing, the heaving of her chest against his, her soft mouth that tasted wine as it danced with his own, and the smell of his shampoo in her hair. He wanted more and he knew that. Before he could stop himself, his hand pressed her head closer for one last shattering kiss.

And he stepped away with a groan.

He heard her gasp and then he saw her startled look. Hell she looked so damned beautiful with her smudged lipstick.

“I meant what I said when I said you can’t go near John Stewart,” were the only words that came to his mind.

The elevator doors opened and he got out.

“Jealous…” he heard her sing under her breath.

He turned his head towards her.

She raised her brows innocently and asked, “What?”

Henry shook his head. His lips twitched just a tiny inch as he worked with his keys.

  *****

She hummed a tune while Henry was working on the lock which was taking a bit longer than usual.

Angelica was, of course, quite taken aback by that unexpected kiss in the elevator. She must admit that she had never before experienced such intense response from any guy she had chased around. She had been after almost any kind of men. Some of them had given in to her charms willingly and the others, like Philip, had made it difficult for her. She had placed Henry in Philip’s category, thus the shock in his response. She had never really thought he would give in like that.

“Will you stop that?” he asked rather a little gently and he cursed down at his keys.

“What’s wrong with your key?” she asked playfully.

“Nothing,” he snapped and then the door flew open.

He stepped inside the dark apartment and waited until she entered.

She was kind of expecting what happened next because for one, she was hoping it would happen. He grabbed her by the arm in one swift motion that she landed against his oh-so-lean torso and her lips were once again captured by his hungry mouth.

“This is so wrong,” he rasped out between kisses, but his hand had already slammed the door close and she found herself trapped between its hard surface and him.

“No, no, this is not wrong,” she gasped, pulling at his tie.

“Yes it is,” he contradicted his statement by trailing his lips down her throat.

“No, it’s not,” she said stubbornly, letting go of his loosened tie. Her hands worked on his jacket next.

“Shut up, Dalton,” he said before claiming her mouth once again. “You’re not making this any easier,” he said breathlessly moments later as he leaned his forehead against hers.

“It doesn’t have to be difficult,” she pointed out, panting. Why the hell was he stopping now? The fire was already burning too high to be put out and he was wasting time.

Through the darkness, he looked at her straight in the eyes. The look she saw behind those eyelids was different, intense, and hungry.

“I can’t give you what you want,” he said with honesty.

“I’m not asking for anything else larger than this,” she answered half-truthfully.

“You can’t go chasing me around for more,” he said.

“Not going to happen,” she nodded, too eager to continue their previous activity. There would be more time for the ‘something more’ part.

“Good.” He then devoured her mouth once again and blindly led her to his room.

Their clothing traced their path as they tore them off each other. Mess as what he would call it hours later, but she just didn’t care.

That moment, neither of them did.

  *****

“No regrets,” she said aloud the following morning when they woke up.

“No chasing for more,” he retorted.

Her head was cradled at the crook of his arm, he staring straight up at the ceiling while she was absently looking out the window of his room. She was making tiny circles on his chest and his other hand was caressing her hips underneath the covers.

His hand froze when she did not answer. “Angelica, I’m serious. No chasing me around for more.”

“Yes, yes, I heard you. I won’t chase you around for something more than sex,” she said it with etch of bitterness.

“That’s not exactly what I’d call it…” he sighed.

“It’s exactly how it is,” she snapped. “But don’t worry. I’m perfectly fine with it. You’re an agent and you obviously have a lot going on and when all of this is over, you’ll probably be gone to another nerve-racking mission.”

He did not answer and she thought what she said was true. He’d be gone.

She’d be fine with it when the time came. She just had to get what she could for now.

The hand that had been roaming around her naked body came under her chin and tipped her head up. With a smile, she raked her fingers over his messed-up hair and leaned to meet his kiss.

And then she froze.

“What?” he asked, his face confused.

“Oh my God, I totally forgot to tell you something!” she shot upright on his bed.

“What? What is it?”

“Pamela!”

“Who?”

“Pamela! I think she’s in trouble!”

“What made you think that?”

“She told me last night. She said she knows who killed Kevin and my dad!”

“What?!” He sat up beside her. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“You…you picked a fight with me and I forgot, okay?” she answered, brushing her red hair away from her face.

“I picked a—” he stopped and took a breath. “Forget it. I don’t want another argument. What else did she tell you?”

“Nothing much. Garrett came in and—” she looked at him. “Henry, I think Garrett’s the one who killed Kevin. Believe me, Pamela sure is afraid of him and the man gives me the creeps.”

He fell silent, his brows meeting halfway. “Okay, get dressed.”

“Where are we going?”

“We’re going to give the Baldwins a visit,” he replied.

  *****

Angelica called Pamela’s number inside the car.

“Hello, Pamela Baldwin,” the lady answered from the other end.

“Hey, Pam, it’s me, Angelica.”

“Angelica! What’s the matter? Is there a problem?”

“Uh, no, not really,” Angelica answered. “Henry and I are driving around town and we thought of visiting you. Is that okay?”

“Oh, dear, I’m afraid I’m busy.”

“It’s Sunday,” Angelica said, shooting a glance at Henry.

“Oh, I’m at the firm doing some work.”

“But are you fine? I mean, you didn’t look so good last night.”

“Yes, I’m fine, dear. Forget what I said last night, okay? I was just having one of those moments. Probably the late stage of menopause,” Pamela answered cheerily.

“Where Garrett? Is he with you?”

“No, I’m afraid not. He’s going to be out of town for a few days.”

It gave Angelica a little relief to know that. “You sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, of course. I’m sorry it’s not such a good time for us to meet. Why don’t you let me make it up to you? I’ll call you days from now so we can have a nice time together. You can bring Henry, of course.”

“That will be lovely,” she answered.

“I really have to go now, dear. I’ll call you when I can, okay?”

“Yes, of course. Bye,” she said and clicked off her phone with a frown.

“She’s busy?” Henry asked.

“Yes,” she nodded with disappointment. “It’s weird though. She sounded really distressed last night and now, Garrett’s out of town and she sounded so cheerful.”

“I don’t know, but I don’t think its Garrett. I still have my bet on Stewart.”

“You just don’t like the guy, admit it,” she taunted.

“That too,” he nodded.

  *****

They ended up having coffee at Starbucks.

Yeah, the most amazing place for a date that she could get. Not that she was asking for it though.

“Did she tell you anything about what she said last night?”

“What about?”

“When she told you she knows who killed Kevin and Patrick.”

For the first time ever, she felt a tinge of hurt upon her father’s name mentioned being murdered. Huh, kind of too late for that.

“No, she didn’t.”

“We should ask her.”

“I think I should ask her. She might not talk to you,” she pointed out.

“And why is that?”

“Because you’re a man and a woman usually choose to find comfort from another one of her kind in matters like this,” she stated.

“She could be playing us for all we know,” he uttered, leaning against his chair.

“Probably, but I highly doubt that. I know one distressed woman when I see one.”

“You do?”

“Yes, I’ve seen my mother look that way before—” she stopped and said, “never mind. What I’m saying is that maybe, Pamela wants to talk to me alone. Remember, last night she dragged me far away from you guys to tell me she’s afraid.”

“You have a point, but you can’t go talk to her without me.”

“We can work something out,” she retorted with a sigh.

  *****

Henry was in a lighter mood and he was beginning to wonder why. But before he could go on any further as to thinking it was because of his newfound intimacy with his ward, his phone rang.

“Bell,” he answered.

“Smooth,” Angelica commented beside him. He threw her a look and she shut her mouth.

“I have work for you,” Grissom’s monotonic voice said against his ear.

“I thought I’m not supposed to get assignments while I’m still on this one,” he said with a frown.

He looked at Angelica and he knew she was listening despite her head turned to the other side of the car. He could see her ear burning red when he mentioned the word assignments .

“This one’s an exception,” Grissom uttered. “And it’s not that big. It’s about—is the line secure?”

“Yes,” Henry said impatiently. He didn’t like driving while using the phone.

“As I’ve said, this concerns about the CIA.”

“What about them?”

“Seems like they have a mouse among their little group of shit,” Grissom’s voice answered bitterly.

Ever since, NSA and CIA were not in such good terms. “And they want us to clean up their mess,” he concluded.

“They want to catch an agent red-handed giving some top secret information to some Russian operatives.”

“Sir, that thing will take a lot of time. I don’t think I can manage—”

“Let me finish, Bell,” Grissom cut it. “As I’ve said, the CIA wants this agent caught on the act. They don’t trust their own kind as of the moment. Now, this case had already been investigated but they want us to be the ones to catch—”

“The Russians,” Henry finished.

“Exactly. And I’m giving you this assignment because the exchange will happen next week on a Friday. You are closest to the location of the exchange that’s why we chose you. I’ll send you the rest of the details later. Survey the area, get cover—”

“I know the works, sir,” Henry interjected.

“Then make sure to do it clean,” Grissom uttered then clicked off.

“What’s that about?”

“New assignment,” he retorted with a frown.

“What assignment?”

“Nothing for you to bother about,”

“Can I go?” she batted her eyes at him.

“No, and don’t even think about it,” he said sternly.

“I want to see you in real action! Does it include guns and all?”

“Probably, but no, you are not coming.”

“Whatever you say,” she sighed.

“I’m serious, Angelica, you can’t.”

“Fine, fine,” she said under her breath.

But Henry highly doubted her word.

  *****

Angelica was getting bored. It had been a week and Pamela hadn’t called her yet. She was getting anxious and scared for the lady. She thought of going to the firm and do some work like what a big shareholder should, but Henry said it would be too soon.

“We don’t want the partners to think that we’re too giddy,” he had said. “We have to take it slow. We’ll wait until they invite us in their own accord.”

“But I’m like the boss now, right?”

“But they’re the pro. And the organization trusts them. We have to play their game.”

“It’s not like we’re going into the organization. We’re trying to catch a killer here, right?”

“I understand your need to attack directly, but we need to take it slow. We’ll wait for the killer to make the wrong move. Right now, he’s still calm. Eventually, he’ll get anxious and sloppy, and then–just then–we’ll make our move. Right now, we just have to keep you safe.”

“You can use me as bait,” she had suggested.

His head had snapped towards her direction then and his eyes fired up and he said, “That’s not going to happen. And erase that thought,” he added, lifting one finger when she opened her mouth.

Right now, she was waiting outside for him, looking down at the ground, the hospital guard just meters away. It was one of Henry’s strict orders that she had to stay within close distance to the guy whenever she was outside to avoid another kidnapping incident.

Her head snapped up when she heard a zooming sound coming near. She was just about to take a step back and run when she recognized Henry’s car. In a matter of seconds, the car screeched to a stop just in front of her and Henry’s head leaned down to peek through the window of the passenger side which was already down.

“Get in! Quick!” he barked.

Angelica stayed rooted to the spot, startled.

“Angelica! Get in!” he was obviously running with adrenaline.

“Okay! Okay! Don’t scream! What’s wrong with you?” she blabbered on as she strutted her way towards the car and climbed in. “If it’s because I got off your bed too early this morning, I’m sorry, okay? I was getting late for work—”

“Shut up,” he said, hurriedly swerving the car back on the road. “And what made you think it’s about this morning?”

She did not answer.

“Angelica, I asked you a question.”

Can I speak now? She mouthed with a perfect look of sarcasm in her voice.

“What? Yes, yes,”

“I just thought you’re getting all angry right now because I left too early and—”

“I’m not angry! What made you think I’m angry?”

“The freaking volume of your voice that’s breaking my eardrums?”

“What? I’m not angry, okay? I’m in a hurry,” he explained.

Angelica stopped for a second, opened her mouth, closed it again, and said, “I can see that now. And why are you in such a hurry?”

“It’s confidential,” he said, making a sharp right turn.

“You’re taking me with you?”

“No, of course not. I’m taking you home first.”

“But—”

“Shit,” he said, looking at his phone.

“What now?”

“He moved,” he said.

“Who moved?”

“My target.”

“Who’s the target? What’s happening here?” she said in panic.

“Just—be quiet for a second—shit!” he literally threw his phone at her direction and added, “tell me where the dot goes.”

“What?”

“The red dot! Tell me where it’s going!”

Angelica looked down and saw some kind of GPS but only it was kind of more specific. “Who’s the green dot?”

“It’s us, could you just tell me where the red dot is going?”

“It stopped.”

“It stopped? Where?”

“Uh,” she peered with her eyes to read the name of the street. “88 East Broadway.”

“Good. Tell me when it moves again.”

“Okay,” she answered. What the hell is going on?

Henry halted the car in front of East Broadway Mall a minute later and said, “Climb out. Stay inside the mall and I’ll pick you up. Angelica, don’t get out of the mall. Understand?”

“Can’t I come?” she asked. “You might need my help and—”

“No arguments please. I want you to safe and you’ll be safe in the mall.”

“Okay, okay,” she almost shouted. “You better pick me up alive!” she cried as she hurriedly climbed out the car. There was no answer because the moment the door was shut, he zoomed away.

She stormed her way inside the mall, muttering to herself. “I’m going to kill him. He better give me answers and he better—”

Her words were cut off by the sudden jerking of her arm. But before she could shout help, Henry’s voice said above her, “You brought my freaking phone with you.”

She looked down at her hand and gaped. “Oh my God, I totally forgot. Here!” she gave it to him.

He snatched it from her hand, looked at the screen, and cursed. “Forget it.”

“What? What happened?”

“I lost him. He already moved. The tracker only has a one-mile radius.”

“I thought you should have some kind of high-tech gadgets or something. One-mile radius coverage is no high-tech.”

“Look, I don’t want to explain anything. Let’s go home.”

  *****

Henry was lying when he said that. He exactly knew where his target was going. The problem was the place. It was in a private neighborhood and he was sure he’d be entering a death trap if he would go now. He was up against some Russian operatives and a stinking mole agent from the CIA. Best jobs were done during night time.

He was leading Angelica by the elbow through some mall-goers which mostly consisted of teens when they heard her name being called out.

“Ange! Hey! Oh my God, thank God I found you!” Chanty was literally standing in front of them. He didn’t think turning away and hiding his face would be great that moment, so he just froze. And he almost cursed when Chanty looked up from her friend and stared directly at him.

Her mouth fell open as she took in the sight before her, her eyes travelling swiftly between him and Angelica who, for some miraculous reasons, was speechless for the first time. When Chanty’s eyes went back to his face, she gasped, “Henry? Henry Bell?”

“Hi, Chanty,” he tried to smile. “Nice to see you. How’s Philip?”

“Are you two…?” she did not finish her question as she looked at Angelica.

“Yes, yes, we are,” Angelica recovered and answered with a tone like it was no big news. “So, uh, Henry, aren’t we in a hurry?”

“Yes, we are,” he answered.

“And we should go, right? Chanty, I’m sorry, now is not a really good time. I have to go back to the hospital and Henry’s going to be late for work,”

“But I just have one question,” Chanty said hurriedly.

“What?”

“Have you heard from Cass? I haven’t seen her since we visited Philip in the hospital and since I invited her over last week.”

“No, I didn’t. Oh, yes, I received a call from her but I was too busy assisting in an operation.”

“Really? I’m getting some vibes she might have a problem or something.”

“Well, try calling her. We really need to go.”

Henry looked on as Angelica gave her friend a chaste peck and dragged him towards the direction of the entrance.

“But, Ange! You better call me!” Chanty shouted behind them.

“Yes, yes, I will!”

  *****

Actually, Henry might have just a tiny bit of an idea why Cassandra was having a problem. Philip—his stupid friend—was finally able to demand from him that he serve him the divorce papers immediately which he did a week ago just a few days after his hospitalization.

But that was not something to think about right now. Because right now, he had to take his ward home where she’d be safe and be ready for tonight’s mission.

“So we’re going home?” Angelica asked, her eyes looking at him wickedly when they reached his car.

He groaned and opened his car. “I’ll be busy tonight.”

“Why?”

“I’ll be going out.”

“Where?”

“Classified information,” he retorted.

  *****

Angelica was getting pissed for getting answers like, “It’s confidential” or “It’s classified.” And she was getting pissed that he was leaving her alone tonight to go somewhere where he might get killed.

Ah, yes, the man was an agent and he was probably good at it, but she didn’t care. Her life was in danger as well and it would not be good if he got hurt or worse, killed. Henry shouldn’t be doing other missions while he was undercover.

She should have a talk with his superior. Or better yet, she should follow her guardian tonight and make sure he got back-up.

You think it was kind of stupid, right? Well, Angelica was different. She thought it was the perfect plan.

Chapter 14

She knew black was the perfect color during missions—especially during night time. And she just got the perfect gray turtleneck long sleeves, a pair of white tight pants, and a pair of amazing black boots—with heels of course. It was such a struggle to keep her hands away from the silver earrings and bracelets. She knew her outfit—especially her pants would give her away in one look.

Don’t, Angelica, they catch light. And light catches attention. No earrings for now.

She paced around her room, thinking of the speech she would do when Henry found her out. It would be an apocalyptic event, she was sure. But she was just so damned curious of what he was working on and what really went on during a mission that she desperately wanted to follow him. And yes, of course, she was concerned for his safety.

He might get shot and he will need a fantastic doctor like me.

Angelica had put out the light in her room a long time ago, pretending she was tired and needed to go to sleep. Henry was busy with something that he did not mind. And when she finally heard the door open and close, she crept towards her bedroom door and opened it a crack. He was gone. Carefully, she walked out, almost crouching to the ground to see if he was not in his room. She straightened when she was finally sure that he was gone and then got her phone and dialed his number.

  *****

Henry was in the car when his phone rang. “What?” he asked.

“I need to go out so you might get an alarm that your door opened,” Angelica’s voice said from the other line.

“It’s in the middle of the night, Angelica.”

“But my patient’s dying. Don’t worry, someone’s picking me up.”

He thought hard for a minute. “Who’s taking you to the hospital?”

“I called a colleague and she said she’ll drop me there. She’s on her way now. My patient had a sudden attack and I need to be there.”

“Okay, okay. But be sure to answer your phone when I call,” he warned.

“Yes, yes, thank you!”

It was not a few seconds later when he saw the alarm beep, indicating his apartment door was opened. He pushed a button and it turned off. He concentrated back on the task at hand. Angelica would be safe at the hospital.

  *****

Angelica hurried towards her rented car. The new one was still on the way so took the trouble of renting one and had it brought outside Henry’s apartment building that afternoon. She sped away, trying hard to keep in sight Henry’s car which was a long way ahead. She better step on it if she wanted to stay longer in this adventure she had put herself into.

Excitement and apprehension raged through her veins as she ran a red light. Third time for her. Okay, that was a lie. She ran red lights a lot of times doing the same thing: chasing men. But now she was chasing a man for a different reason: to be there when he needed her.

Luckily, the streets were almost empty and she was able to follow Henry about ten meters away. She smiled wickedly. He wouldn’t be able to recognize her this time. She got a plain silver Honda and it was too common to even get a second look from anybody.

She tried to keep her distance especially when he left Park Avenue and turned right, and then left again until they reached 6th Avenue. She knew his trick. He was trying to lose someone who was not even there—well, she was there but he didn’t know that. He was just plain paranoid. It was minutes later that she realized where he was going when she knew the road he was taking was going to lead them towards Canal Street.

They were headed towards Manhattan Cruise Terminal!

She knew the place was probably empty and secluded because of the time.

“How the hell is he going to get in?” she asked aloud. Then, she saw him circle around Dewitt Park and chose not to follow. She was sure he was finding somewhere to park. She chose the bolder course and went ahead to the parking space outside the terminal. There were at least one or two cars far from hers. She looked behind her to see if Henry was on his way. She looked ahead, bending her head to see through the windshield. There was literally no one beyond the chicken wire that served as wall between the actual terminal and the parking lot. She searched the area beyond to see if there were yachts or cruise ships. Yes, there was one cruise ship but there were no lights that indicated someone was there. And then she saw the yacht. Angelica frowned. Though the yacht was big, she didn’t know if it was normal for a yacht to be in the terminal. As far as she knew, only cruise ships were docking in here.

She waited anxiously for any sign of Henry. And while doing so, she made a plan on how to freaking cross over the chicken wires if ever she needed to. Security was tight in here and she knew that. But then, no one seemed to have noticed she parked her car in the area or that she entered the entrance at all. There was no guard in that guard post earlier. Okay, that was weird and she just noticed that one. She shrugged and looked up. Shit, there was a barb wire on top. It would surely ruin her pants.

Humming a tune, she tried to patiently wait for Henry.

But what if he is not coming here after all? She asked herself. She made an assumption and jumped at it. Maybe his mission was somewhere else and not here.

That yacht is strong evidence something’s not right here, another voice whispered in her ear.

And just as when she was about sure that she made a wrong decision coming there, she saw a shadow running across towards the yacht.

Henry! She was so sure it was him. She jumped up on her seat and panicked. What to do now? With so much determination, she climbed out of the car and looked around. When she was sure she was completely alone, she looked up at the chicken wire.

You can do it. It’s just like wall climbing. You know, when you climbed that wall during a party, she reminded herself.

Of course she could do it and do it she did. The hard part was the barb wire and she struggled to keep her balance to keep the sharp edges from tearing her pants. Shit, she should have worn flat boots. The heels were not helping to keep her from swaying. But finally, when sweat was running down her temple, she was able to get to the other side without causing alarm. Weird. Someone should have caught her by now.

Maybe this is really dangerous after all, she thought. But no worries, Henry was here to save her if ever something bad happened. Or, I’ll be there if ever he needs me, she said proudly. No one had ever escaped Angelica Dalton’s charms—well, except Philip, of course. And maybe two or three other guys.

There was nothing in sight that she could possibly use to keep herself hidden, but the large cemented area was poorly lighted, enough to keep her in the shadows. The cool breeze was blowing her hair and the muffled sound of cars audible enough to silence the noise her boots were making.

When she saw people in suits standing just outside the yacht about thirty meters away, she ran towards the tiny building—probably a shade house of some sort.

And then, she saw Henry crouching in the shadows about ten meters away from her. She almost gasped. What was he going to do? There were at least five or six men over there. She looked at the men once again and it seemed the only one of them was far from the group. He was holding a briefcase. Okay, she was not ignorant of spy movies and she was nearly sure what was going on. An exchange was about to happen.

  *****

Henry waited patiently until the exchange happened. Then, just as expected, the stupid CIA was down on the ground the moment he grabbed the briefcase offered to him in exchange of the one he gave them. Henry knew the man was dead. And stupid to think the Russians would let him leave alive.

Speaking of the Russians, there were five of them and they were his mission. He had to get that briefcase back and if possible, at least let one of them live for questioning. He already got a plan and he was just waiting for the perfect timing. He watched as the five men walked their way back to the yacht, leaving the dead body behind.

Henry crouched lower and the moment the men were safely inside the yacht, made a dash, holding on to his gun. Before anyone saw him, he jumped in the water and stayed there for a minute, concentrating on not thinking too much for that would only eat up much of the oxygen he got left in his lungs. Then he swam towards the yacht and climbed using the rope that held an orange rubber lifesaver.

Once on board, he crouched his way, circling the yacht. The engine was still out which meant that the men had no plans to leave just yet.

Good.

He was about to climb up the hatch when he heard a very familiar sound coming from inside and he froze. Then he heard the laugh that he was sure he had heard before and he froze once again.

Dalton! He wanted to shout in outrage.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” A deep voice with a rich Russian accent said behind him.

Shit.

And then he felt a strong force slamming him to the ground.

  *****

She didn’t know what made her do it. She just got out from her hiding place and started running after Henry dived into the water.

“Who sent you again?” a big Russian man asked, looking her over.

“Mr. Vocovich,” she said surely. Of course she made up the name. “He said I’ll enjoy your company,” she added, batting her eyes.

The four men around her chuckled and spoke in Russian. She had no idea what they were talking about. They could be discussing how to kill her and that thought alarmed her.

Her laughter died down with dread when she heard a loud grunt outside. The four Russians that were eyeing her with lust shot up to full height and looked at the door and Angelica’s heart started to hammer.

An angry voice was shouting outside and one of the men exited. More Russian mutterings and shouting. “Looks like we have company,” the leader looked at her with a wink.

Angelica forced a smile and looked at the entrance and surely, there he was, held by his hands behind him was Henry. Angelica tried not to meet his gaze. Somehow she felt this was all her fault. “Who are you? Who do you work for?” The Russian asked Henry.

Angelica flinched when he did not answer and received a heavy blow right on his gut.

“I am sorry for this, Angel,” the leader told her and stood up to join the group that circled around Henry. His head was bent and she was not sure if he was still conscious.

She stood there, not know what to do. She came here to be his back up and right now, it seemed to be the craziest idea she ever had. With her eyes, she searched frantically around the room for something to use. Any weapon of some sort. She found it lying beside an empty plate. She swallowed. She had never held one and was not intending to—until now. Trying to act as a curious spectator, she checked if anyone was watching her and when she was sure that everyone was focused on killing Henry, she quickly grabbed the grenade in one hand. Shoot, who would have thought it was heavy?

  *****

“Speak now before we kill you,” another man said above him.

Henry chose to keep his mouth shut, trying to memorize his surrounding before he made his move. Taking five men would be difficult. And his gut hurt like hell. Damn Dalton!

He did not look at her direction in fear that his eyes might give her away. If he couldn’t escape, she had to. She had a better chance.

Then he felt the pain before the sound. He received one bullet for being silent.

“Speak now or I make sure you have a bullet in your heart the second time I pull this trigger.” Henry shut his mouth, his breathing heavy. He had to make a move fast before the bastards kill him.

“Step away from him if you don’t want to be blown up!” Henry snapped his head up and was taken aback when he saw her holding up her hand. She was holding a goddamned grenade!

“Don’t you dare!” she cried out when one of the Russians sprang on his feet and made a move towards her. “I will not hesitate to blow everyone up!”

“You will not do that,” the leader of the group said with a chuckle.

“Oh, you want to test me?” she asked, lifting her eyebrows. “I’m an agent and I know my life will be much appreciated if I take it with yours.”

“Are you crazy woman?”

“Yes, I receive that a lot. Now, step away from my partner and stay there,” she pointed at the corner. “Now!”

“I will get you for this,” the Russian eyed her with menace.

“Yes, yes, catch me if you can. Now, move!”

Henry stared at her in awe. Was she not afraid? She was freaking holding a grenade that could blow them all up and she was in the same room with five Russian operatives who had killed more men than Henry had.

“Drop your weapons on the ground,” she ordered once they threw him and walked to the corner. “Now!”

Henry was slow to recover, the pain on his shoulder taking him over. But adrenaline was starting to rush once again and he straightened. The briefcase. He had to take the briefcase. He found it under the table and took it.

“Henry, let’s go!” Angelica cried behind him.

“Just one moment,” he uttered and found a rope. He tied the men securely and after making sure they were safe to go, he turned to Angelica and said, “Give me that thing before you blow us all up,” he held out his hand and she dropped the grenade in his palm with shaking hands.

“Let’s go,” he said in haste. He couldn’t arrest the Russians now. Angelica was not supposed to be here and he would have to answer a lot of questions to Grissom if he found out.

He led her towards his car without a word.

Once inside, Henry grabbed his phone and dialed Grissom. “The Russians are tied up in the yacht. The CIA guy is dead. I have to go on an emergency.” He clicked off before Grissom could say a word. Then he turned to Angelica. She looked ashen and he felt his anger towards her fly out the window. “Hey,” he grabbed her hand and pressed. “Don’t ever do such a stupid thing again, Angelica or I swear I’ll kill you myself.”

“Yes, yes,” she said with a smile. She looked down at his wound and said, “Get out. I’ll drive. You’re wounded.”

Henry did not complain and obliged. The pain would keep him from driving because the adrenaline rushing through his veins was wearing down.

“We can’t go back home yet,” she said.

He nodded, “Those men can still escape and I can’t jeopardize your safety.”

“I know where to go,” she said.

“Where?”

“Cassandra’s house is near here,” she offered. “She’s now with Philip so I guess it’s the only option.”

“How did you know where she lived?”

“Research,” she answered simply as she wheeled the car away from Dewitt Park.

Henry smiled inwardly. She really researched about Cassandra before? Then again, that weird feeling knowing she had been that desperate to know everything about Philip Strindberg ticked him off.

  *****

 “What the hell, we could shout all we want here. Why are we whispering anyway? Cassandra’s not home. She’s with Philip.”

 “Shut up and be quiet. We can’t be too careless. This was your fault,” Henry said with irritation, then he grunted. Angelica frowned at him. What was wrong with him? He was not that pissed in the car earlier—well, until he suddenly became quiet.

“What? It’s my fault? Who almost got killed if I didn’t save him? Was it me? No, mister, it was you,” She said pointedly.

They had managed to break into Cassandra’s home and were now in the living room with the lights out. Henry sat on the nearest chair and was applying pressure on his wound.

“What the hell are you two doing inside my house?”

Angelica gasped and Henry shot up from the chair still grasping his shoulder. Cassandra was either taken aback by their presence in the house or that they were there together.

“Cassandra!” Angelica exclaimed and Cassandra stepped back with shock when she saw her. Yes, she looked like a mess from all the running and that climb up the chicken wire.

“Angelica, what the hell happened to you?”

“Let me explain—” Henry started, but Angelica cut him off.

“We need your help now that you’re here,” she uttered, brushing her hair from her face.

Cassandra’s mouth had fallen open and now she was shaking her head as if she was trying to check if she was in a dream. “What the hell is going on? Henry, are you hurt?” She peered through the darkness to look at Henry. She gasped when she saw the blood on his hand.

 “No, I’m fine,” Henry lied.

“No, you’re not,” Angelica snapped at him. “Look,” she walked towards Cassandra and her friend’s eyes looked at her torn white pants and boots and her bloody gray shirt which she used to wipe her hands with when she checked Henry’s wound earlier. “Cass, we can’t explain everything. I don’t even know if I understand the whole thing myself, but I—we—really need you to keep this thing to yourself. Don’t tell anyone about what you saw, or what you were about to see. Please.”

Cassandra just stood there for a long time before she finally nodded. “If you don’t tell anyone you saw me here,” she negotiated.

Angelica’s curiosity took over her. “And why are you here again? I thought you are married and living with Philip?”

“It’s complicated,” her friend answered.

“Angelica,” Henry called out, obviously in pain. Angelica wanted to glare at him for trying to be all so gallant telling Cassandra that he was okay.

“Yes, yes, I’ll get to it!” Angelica snapped at him, and looked back at Cassandra. “I need hot water, clean towels, and a first aid kit.”

“Uh, sure,” her friend nodded and walked away, leaving her with her guardian once again, and when she found a scissor lying on the table with some cans of paint, she took it and started working.

She sat Henry back on the chair and looked at his wound through the light offered by the moon outside. “Hey, stop whining like a baby,” she snapped at him. He was groaning and trying to shake her hands away. She slapped that hand and worked with his shirt until it was torn in half. Just like what they did in the emergency room.

“Why do you have to cut it? Are you crazy? I don’t have a spare shirt!”

She just looked at him and said, “Are you the doctor here?”

 “Where have you two been and why are you—oh my God, you’re shot?” Cassandra asked when she came back, her face horrified when she saw Henry’s wound.

“Yes, he is. Now, stop asking questions,” Angelica told her, taking the towels from her hand.

“What the hell, this is really crazy!”

“Yeah, that’s the first thing that came to my mind when I found out,” Angelica said sarcastically, Henry being an agent in her mind.

“Found out what?”

“Cass, please, no questions.” She didn’t want to drag her friends into her mess.

“Okay, okay,” Cassandra placed the basin on the nearest table and went to where the switches for the lights were. “How can you work with that wound if the lights are out?” she asked, about to raise her hand to turn on the switch.

“No!” Angelica and Henry cried in unison

“No lights,” Henry ordered.

“Yes, no lights, Cass,” Angelica agreed.

“This is really getting creepy, you know that?”

“Tell me about it,” Angelica said, rolling her eyes, going back on working with Henry’s wound.

“Since you two are not so glad to talk about what’s been going on, I think I’d go back to my task. Just call me when you need something.”

“Thanks, Cass,” Angelica said gratefully.

“Thank you,” Henry was able to utter through clenched teeth. “Means a lot,” and Angelica saw him give Cassandra a wink.

“What was that about?”

“It’s nothing, I was trying to provoke her,” he said nonchalantly.

“Shut up now please. It’s already hard to work without the lights on.”

  *****

“Hey,” Angelica peeked through Cassandra’s bedroom doorway and saw that she was packing. “You’re leaving?”

Cassandra did not answer. “You need fresh clothes? I have some in my closet if you want. You look like hell, Ange.” She knew Cassandra was trying to change the subject.

“Did you and Philip fight? Why are you here?” Angelica entered the room.

“Something like that,” Cassandra answered. “So, fresh clothes?”

Angelica nodded, deep in thought. Actually, she was shocked. She never thought the couple would end up fighting that soon. They seemed happy the last time she saw them.

 “Hey, are you okay?” Angelica asked with concern as she looked at Cassandra picking out clothes inside her closet.

“No, no, I’m not,” her friend answered truthfully and sniffed, grabbing a white shirt and a pair of pants. “Do you need some socks or something?”

“Cass, what’s going on with Philip? I can’t believe you’re actually crying right now.” She had thought all along that Cassandra and she was too much alike when it came to being stalwarts with their emotions. And now, seeing her crying made her even more curious.

“I’m not crying.”

“Yes you are,” Angelica insisted, grabbing Cassandra by the shoulder and turned her around to face her. “Yes you definitely are.”

“He served me with divorce papers,” she finally blurted out, and the moment she did, the tears rolled down. Angelica couldn’t believe her ears. Did some freaking ultrasonic wave interrupted the real message that was supposed to be delivered into her brain that she heard wrong?

“He what?” she asked to make sure.

“He served me with divorce papers. You’re not deaf, are you?” Cassandra pushed the shirt towards her and walked out from the closet.

“Why the hell would he do that?” That stupid Philip would let his wife walk away?

“It’s a long story and I don’t want to talk about it,” Cassandra replied and sat on the bed.

Angelica walked towards her with a frown, “You weren’t stupid to sign them, were you?”

“Of course I didn’t sign them.” Good, because she would have slapped her if she did.

“Then what did you do?”

“I tore them up and made a collage out of them.”

 Angelica laughed. “You did what?”

“And now I think he’s angry and any time soon, I expect he’ll deliver me another set of papers, probably tear-free.”

“That’s why you’re running away,” Angelica pointed out, looking at her suitcase.

“Whatever the hell it means, I have to go. I just need to think and be away for now.”

“Where will you go?”

“Somewhere,” Cassandra shrugged. The two of them were silent for a while, and then Cassandra smiled. “I guess you will get your chance when I get to sign those papers.”

“Oh, don’t be stupid,” Angelica huffed. She pointed at the door with her thumb. “That guy out there whimpering in pain is my new target.” Well, it was kind of true. But then she remembered he specifically told her that there should be no chasing for more than sex.

“Uh, I hope he’s not a target for you to shoot. You didn’t shoot him, right?”

“Of course I didn’t! But I would not hesitate shooting him again if it means saving his life,” Angelica said seriously.

 “You’re not in grave danger, are you?”

“Huh, well, not when you think to the extreme,” Angelica said, taking a step towards the bathroom. “When it’s all over, I’m going to tell you all about it. But you better be around when I do that. You have to get back soon, Cass. You have to fight.” She said it strongly and seriously.

Cassandra sighed and nodded.

As Angelica took a warm shower inside Cassandra’s bathroom, she was deep in thought. She envied the lady for being truthful and honest enough to admit that she needed to get away. A big part of her wanted to do just that—to go away from all the danger and the mysteries that were surrounding her. She wanted to just grab Henry’s hand and make him go with her wherever fate would take them.

She desperately wanted that to happen that it made her smile.

When she got out of the shower, she told him to get some sleep but he said they shouldn’t and that they had to go back home in a few hours.

“My superior called while you were in the shower and said they got the five Russians in custody. So, I guess we’re safe to go home now,” he said. The thought of running away crossed her mind again, but she just nodded.

She borrowed one of Cassandra’s baggy shirts and put it on him before he walked out the door naked.

“What time are you flying away?” she asked her friend a while later outside the door.

“Eight,” Cassandra said with a sad smile.

Angelica just nodded and turned towards Henry who was already seated in the passenger seat. She gave Cassandra a hug—a thing she didn’t usually do—and left.

In the car, she grabbed her phone and dialed Philip’s number. She watched Cassandra get inside her house as she waited for the call to connect.

“Hello?” he asked, his voice sounding tired.

“You moron!” She saw Henry’s startled gaze beside her when she suddenly burst out the words in anger. “Your wife is going to fly out to nowhere and you’re still home? She’s leaving at eight for the airport so you better get your ass out of that house or I’ll come chasing you around again,” she said breathlessly and then clicked off, not giving Philip the time to answer.

Henry was looking at her with shock when she placed her phone back on the dashboard and started the car. “What was that about? Was that Philip?”

“Yes. Cass is going to go away and I thought he should know.”

Henry just nodded.

“And so are we,” she stated, a grin creeping up her face.

“What?” he asked.

“We’re going to go away.”

The seconds dragged long before he finally got what she meant. “Angelica Dalton, you are not…”

“Yes, I am, Henry Bell, ” she mocked him and added, “We’re gonna go away.” She stepped on the gas and started driving. Good thing she was behind the wheels.

Chapter 15

“Angelica, I’m serious! Turn the car around!” Henry was shouting now.

“Don’t shout at me! I’m driving!” she shouted back.

“Let’s go back home,” he said once again for the nth time. “I have work to do and a briefcase to return to my superior.”

“Come on, it’s not that important,” she said dismissively.

“It is important,” he insisted.

“It can wait,” she reasoned out with a wicked grin. “Right now, I need to get away from all this shit,” she added seriously.

  *****

Henry was quite taken aback by her last statement. It was the first time he actually heard Angelica say something like that. And as he looked at her with that determined face of hers, he was certain he couldn’t make her go back. He wanted to, but he couldn’t. She wanted this, and somehow, a part of him yearned for it as well.

Escape.

Such a tempting and exciting word and he would give anything to make it possible. And if there was anyone whom he would make that happen with, it would be Angelica. But that would not be possible and he knew that.

He had too many secrets that would be impossible to bury and forget. And there was one in particular that he would not dare tell her. It would either scare her away or hate him. Leaving her when the time came would be easier than telling her of what he had done in the past.

“Assuming I’m going along with your plan, where are you taking us?” he asked when he knew he had no choice.

“No assumptions, Henry. You are going with me and we’ll go wherever the road takes us.”

A distant part of his brain looked forward to what she had on mind.

  *****

Angelica was on the verge of throwing Henry’s phone out of the window. It kept on ringing every freaking minute. “If you don’t turn that off, I’ll throw it out,” she said seriously.

“It’s my superior. I should be meeting him hours ago with the briefcase which I have right here with me but I can’t very well hand it to him because I’m in a car driven by a crazy woman who thought it would be fun to kidnap me,” he said in one straight sentence that she could barely follow. And when she did, she threw a glance at him and saw that he was not looking at all serious about what he said. In fact, he looked relaxed.

He’s enjoying this, she thought with a smile.

Angelica knew they would eventually have to go back and face the crazy world full of suspense and murders and secrets, but right now, she wanted to have a rest. She wanted to be with him for once without thinking of anything other than their next destination.

“Then turn it off,” she ordered and she was greatly surprised when he actually did. “Good,” she beamed and stepped on the gas.

“Where are we going?”

“I don’t know, I want to drive for now. We’ll stop at some town when I feel hungry,” she shrugged.

“That’s not really a plan,” he stated.

“Who said I have a concrete plan? I planned for us to have a little getaway, that’s all.”

“And when did you come up with this plan of yours again?”

“When I was in the shower,” she uttered.

“No, I don’t believe so,” he shook his head.

“You don’t? Why?”

“Because I believe you came up with the decision the moment you heard Cassandra say she was going away.”

“Hmm…you’re probably right,” she smiled and he gave a lopsided grin before he stared out the window. The sun had already risen and the morning heat it gave off washed over them.

  *****

Three hours of driving from New York City finally had its toll on Angelica. She had had a road trip before with Chanty and every moment she was behind the wheel was not at all fun. But right now, knowing Henry would immediately try to talk her out of this trip if he as much as see any sign that she was tired, she pretended to feel like her back was not killing her.

“I’ve been here before,” she uttered as they entered the village of Andes. “There’s this chicken restaurant somewhere…”

“You went here with whom?” he asked.

“Chanty,” she answered. “Okay, there it is,” she pointed and relief washed over her. “Woody’s Country Chicken. Yes, that’s it.”

She parked the car outside and almost limped her way towards the door. She was not the driver type, especially when it took hours behind the wheel. “Are you okay?” Henry asked behind her.

“Yes, of course,” she lied. “How’s your shoulder?”

“It’s fine,” he said nonchalantly. They entered the restaurant and were immediately greeted by locals. The thing about small towns or villages was that they would either make you feel welcome or weird. But right now, they sure were lucky to receive great service and company. And they were left alone while they ate which was a good thing.

  *****

“Can I ask a question?” she asked, breaking the comfortable silence. They were back on the road.

“What?” he asked, shifting his body to face her, his face relaxed.

“Do you have a family? I mean, being an agent—especially an undercover one—requires a lot of sacrifices, right?”

At first, Angelica feared that he would throw her question off, but he didn’t. In fact, he answered her with a smile. “No, I don’t have any even before I entered NSA.”

“Really? Are you an orphan?”

“I won’t exactly say that,” he said, narrowing his eyes at her. “My mother died of cancer when I was twelve and my dad had a stroke when I was eighteen. And no distant relatives either,” he added when she opened her mouth to ask.

“Ex wives?” she asked uncomfortably.

“None, but I almost had one.”

“It didn’t work out?”

“No, I left her to join the NSA.”

Angelica was stunned. “You did?” He actually did that for NSA?

  *****

Henry almost punched himself when the words escaped his mouth. He didn’t want Angelica to think he could do such a thing for his work.

“No, it’s not like what you think. I just knew that we wouldn’t have worked anyway,” he said in a hurry, wanting to explain. Shit, why did he want to explain such things to her anyway? It’s not like he wanted to be with her.

Do you want to? A part of him asked. He ignored that question because he didn’t want to give an answer that he would surely not like. “Why weren’t you close to your father?” he asked to change the subject.

“I was once. I mean before my sister died.”

Henry saw the hurt in her features, her knuckles tightening on the steering wheel. “I’m sorry,” he said in a low tone. “I didn’t know you had a sister.” For all the years he had known Patrick, he never mentioned a dead daughter.

“It’s okay. It was a long time ago. She was my twin,” she said in a strong voice.

Henry was shocked to know that. Angelica Dalton had a twin? Wonder how it would be if there were two Angelica Daltons? One side of his brain thought. One was enough to make the world go crazy as it was.

“She died with Leukemia,” Angelica continued and he was proud by her will to share something that was obviously still painful for her. He saw a smile creep up her face as she began to reminisce. “We were inseparable, you know. She was the bubbly one and I was the quiet one.”

“You were quiet?” he asked incredulously. “I don’t think I want to believe that.”

She nodded her head, her smile growing. “Believe it or not, I was the nerdy sister. Jessica was the strong one even after she was diagnosed. She made it look like a flu—like it was nothing. But I knew she was suffering.”

“When did she die?”

“Before high school,” she answered. “Everything changed after that.”

“Including you,” he stated without a question.

Again, she slowly nodded. “Yes. I completely turned upside down. She made me promise to be strong, you know. And I did what I had to. Mom was completely heartbroken and Dad, well, he became obsessed with the firm.”

Henry nodded, not intending to ask about her mom. He knew about that part and he didn’t want to go there.

“Okay, enough with that,” she said in a lighter tone. “I don’t want you to see me crying.”

“I think we’re entering Barneveld in an hour or so,” he said, studying a map they bought at the gasoline station earlier.

“Good. I just realized we need fresh clothes,” she said, leaning forward to turn on the radio.

Music filled the air and they fell quiet for some time.

Henry just realized that what Angelica said was true. She was quiet and unlike what he thought, she was comfortable with it. She was hiding her real self behind a façade of a strong, aggressive woman and a part of him wanted to see the silent, nerdy, and serious Angelica Dalton. But he was not sure if he would like that. He was just starting to get used to her. On the other hand as well, he could see that there was no other Angelica Dalton hidden deep inside her. She was honest enough to say she changed. And he was wise enough to note that she did not change and that she merely mixed her frail personality with the one that of her sister. He was sure as well that her tendency to chase men was because of her lack of a father figure when she was young. He understood that part of her now.

They stayed on sitting and driving down the countryside without a word, just the sound of music from the radio, and he appreciated it. It was not everywhere that you could find a person whom you could spend countless hours of silence with without feeling uncomfortable. Maybe this short getaway—as what he preferred it to be—could be good in some point.

  *****

They found a store called Northam and Williams at Barneveld where they bought some fresh clothes.

“I don’t think you need that many,” he pointed out when he couldn’t see her face behind the pile of clothes she had in her arms.

“And you can’t possibly have just those,” she said, leaning her head to the side to look at him. They were already in the counter and the casher was looking at them with a patient smile. “I’m serious when I said we’ll go away for a few days, Henry. And if you’re thinking of spending them inside a bedroom naked, I’m fine with that. Otherwise, go get more clothes.”

Henry saw the teenager behind the counter colored. He gave Angelica a look and walked back to the row of racks.

“He’s so cute, isn’t he?” he heard Angelica ask the girl. He clenched his teeth and grabbed a handful of shirts without looking at any of them.

  *****

“You should bring your quiet side a lot,” he muttered a few minutes after. They walked out the store with fresh clothes. He was wearing a green one with Barneveld logo on it and a pair of dark pants, wearing the same pair of boots. She on the other hand, bought a whole new set of wardrobe. She said her boots got ruined and were getting uncomfortable so she bought a pair of walking shoes and a number of shirts and shorts. But at the moment, she was wearing a yellow-green shirt and black shorts. “And I can’t believe you wore the same color as my shirt.”

“Henry, yellow-green and green is not exactly the same, okay? And I think that girl approved of us wearing a couple t-shirt.”

“Couple t-shirt?”

“Well, they’re not really a couple,” she said, looking at her shirt and at his green one. “But they’re close to that,” she finished with a grin, putting on her sunglasses which of course, she bought from inside. “Let’s go! Someone told me Galway Lake is amazing.”

“We’re going to Galway? It’s like a two-hour drive away and I’m tired,” he chased after her, carrying their shopping bags.

“Are you driving?” she asked and when he didn’t answer, she smiled and said, “That’s what I thought. And you can sleep in the car.”

  *****

“There are camp grounds there,” she said, pointing with a finger.

“Please don’t tell me you’re planning on camping right now. I actually want a real bed for tonight,” he said dryly. They had been driving all day and it was getting dark now.

“I’m just saying, okay? And do you really expect me to love camping?” she asked with horror.

Henry couldn’t help by smile. “I know you’re going to say that.”

“I just want to see the lake,” she explained.

It was a really, really, really big lake. There were housings, hotels, restaurants, and cabins. There were families fishing and some teenagers hanging out. Henry had to admit it was a great place and the lake looked tempting for a dip. They sat on a log near it, just watching the waters and some men wrapping up their fishing gears for the day.

“Do you fish?” Angelica asked.

“No, but I swim like one,” he answered.

“I never liked swimming. It’s such a hassle,” she offered. “You always have to dry up and dress all over again.”

Henry gave off a soft chuckle and looked at her. “What do you like to do then?” She was about to answer when he added, “Aside from shopping and chasing guys.”

“Hmm…I like reading,” she admitted.

“You’re a doctor so that’s given.”

“No. I mean I read fiction.”

“You do?”

“Why? You think I only read those damn heavy textbooks?”

“Okay, what else?”

“I like to travel a lot,” she said with a nod, looking ahead. “It’s such a nice thing to do, right?”

Henry nodded. Yes, it was a nice thing. You never had to think about what to cook because there would always be a nice restaurant or diner along the road. You would not think about flipping your mattress every once in a while because there were hotels and inns to do that for you. And most of all, you wouldn’t have to think about what you had to do next or where you ought to go because there would be a map full of wonderful places to guide you.

  *****

They would have reached Altmar before the sun was gone but they kind of got lost along the way.

“This wouldn’t have happened if you did not maul that poor map,” she said grudgingly, turning off the engine. They had no choice but to rest and it seemed that Salmon Heaven Lodge was the only choice.

“I did not maul it, okay? I was trying to hold on to it before it flew out the window. And you were driving too fast. Tomorrow, I’ll drive.”

“Fine, fine,” she said, getting out of the car. “Let’s go. I’m tired.”

They entered the Lodge and Angelica walked straight to the reception area. “One room please. For my husband and I,” she said with a sweet smile.

“Of course, I should have known,” Henry murmured beside her with a sigh. She threw him a glance and he raised his eyebrows. “What?”

“You were saying?”

“Nothing,” he said. “I knew I’d still end up sharing the same bed with you, so I’m not complaining.”

“Good, sweetheart,” she said and reached up to plant a kiss on his lips.

They took their keys and went to their room. “It’s pretty good,” Angelica said when she turned on the lights.

“Yeah, I know,” Henry said dryly.

The lights suddenly went out and Angelica started to turn around. “What’s happened—”

“Nothing happened,” she heard Henry say above her, his arms snaking around her.

“Henry, I don’t think…your shoulders are—” he silenced her with his mouth.

Angelica gave in and wormed her arms around his neck. It wouldn’t be her problem if his wound would start aching again.

Chapter 16

Angelica woke up feeling something cold on her face. With heavy lids, she opened her eyes and frowned. With one hand, she touched her right cheek and gasped when she saw a red stain on her fingers. She didn’t have to smell it to confirm what it was.

Lifting her head, she looked down at Henry’s shoulder. “Henry!” She shook him.

“What?” he croaked, turning away from her.

“You’re bleeding!” she cried out and jumped out of bed. Then she remembered she was naked and grabbed a robe and put it on. “Henry, wake up!” she cried at him, grabbing the phone. “Hello, yes, this is Ms. Dalton. Can I have a first aid kit? No, I haven’t checked. In the bathroom? Okay, yes, yes, thanks.” Before running toward the bathroom door, she gave Henry one last shake. “Wake up! If you don’t rise this instant, I’m going out and catch myself a salmon and I won’t be back.”

“What?” he asked, his voice incredibly husky and definitely tempting. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“You’re bleeding!” she pointed at his shoulder, the gauze and bandage soaked with blood. “Oh, you’re impossible!” she said with frustration and whirled around to find the kit in the bathroom. When she found it and rushed out the door, she saw him still sprawled on the bed. “Henry, this is my last warning,” she nudged him. She turned him around and pressed on his wound.

“Aaw!” he cried out, his eyes now completely open.

“I told you it was my last warning.”

“What? Are you crazy?” he cried. “No, don’t answer that,” he added with a moan.

“Get up and let me dress it,” she ordered and pulled at his hand. “I told you this would happen,” she muttered.

“Like you won’t jump at me if I didn’t make the first move,” he murmured, yawning.

“Stay still,” her forehead creased with concentration.

He bent down and watched her work. “You’re really good at this,” he uttered.

“I know that,” she replied, her lips pursed.

“Poor me, I was planning on driving today,” he sighed with exaggeration.

“And poor me, I have to drive the whole day again.”

“I’m hungry,” he changed the subject.

“We’ll get breakfast and then we’ll leave.”

“Where are we going?”

“I don’t know… somewhere.”

  *****

Henry was starting to like that word. Somewhere.

He was enjoying the trip. He even did not bother turning on his phone, knowing the moment it would ring, he would have that same urge to go back home again.

But somewhere would be a nice place to call home for now and he would be glad to go there with Angelica.

Yesterday, he learned a lot about her he never imagined he would when he met her. And it was getting complicated. The deeper he kept up with this, the deeper his feelings would be involved.

After Angelica helped him dress and dressed herself as well, they went down to eat breakfast and of course, well, there were a lot of Salmon dishes.

“You have to eat a lot. Fish is protein, protein builds up your cells. Eat,” Angelica told him, placing a lot of food on his plate.

“You’re not eating,” he pointed out.

“I don’t really like fish. They stink. And I’m not wounded,” she said, sipping her coffee.

“Then what’s all the crap about protein?”

“It’s true,” she shrugged. “Now, eat.”

Henry sighed and ate.

“Newlyweds, eh?” the owner asked them as they checked out an hour after.

Henry started to shake his head when Angelica nodded and said, “Yes. Thanks for the great accommodation.”

“I don’t even want to talk about that,” Henry murmured as they turned away.

“Good,” she beamed at him and took off toward their car.

  *****

“How do you know this place?” Henry asked with disbelief, bending his head to look through the windshield.

“We’re at Blenheim,” Angelica replied. “I’ve been here before for some medical mission. There’s this amazing waterfall somewhere.”

“You’re not sure where it is,” he stated matter-of-factly.

“Of course, I’m not a map,” she then stopped the car and asked a guy walking down the street. “Excuse me, can you tell us where we can find the waterfall?”

“Mine Kill waterfall?”

“Yes, maybe that’s it.”

“It’s at Gilboa. Fifteen minutes or so away from here.”

“Thanks!” she waved and closed the window. “Find Gilboa,” she ordered Henry.

He was already on it and started to give her direction from the map.

  *****

It took them longer than fifteen minutes to find the waterfall because one of them always had to contradict what the other said. But by the time they reached the place, they were captivated by it.

“I wish I can do this all my life,” Angelica sighed, lying on the big boulder they were sitting on.

“Me too,” Henry said with a smile.

That surprised her. He didn’t usually say things like that out loud. Maybe the trip was doing him good, she thought.

For two hours, they watched the local children play in the water, diving fearlessly. She wished she could do that. She wished she could just dive into the dangers she was in right now and disappear into the abyss, going nowhere in particular. Their trip would eventually end and she knew that. The time would come that they would have to go back.

“Let’s go find somewhere to stay for days,” she suggested.

“What? No more road trips?” Henry grinned at her.

“Driving is a serious work, you know,” she said dryly. “Let’s go to Woodstock,” she piped in and straightened. Her skin was got a little color from lying down under the heat of the sun.

“Woodstock?”

“Yes, I’ve been there before when I was a kid and we had the most amazing summer ever,” she said dreamily.

“Okay,” he answered.

Angelica smiled. “You’re okay with us staying in there for days?”

She immediately wanted to slap herself for asking that because it took him awhile to think. “Yeah, I guess so,” he finally said and she beamed.

“Ah, thank you, sweetheart,” she chided, playfully pushing him.

“Angelica,” he warned and she straightened, backing off.

“I was just playing with you,” she explained. “Okay, let’s go to Woodstock!” she cried out, and jumped off the boulder.

  *****

Henry followed her, shaking his head. He’d try to buy time before they would have to go back home to reality. After all, this would be the only chance he would have with Angelica. Anything deeper than this would mean opening a closet full of skeletons.

They arrived in Woodstock without any problem. But if you’d consider Angelica’s outrageous response to the heat and the risky drivers along the street, you could say Henry had a few hours in hell. But then, he was used to her quick mouth and wit, so that was fine.

They took a room at Woodstock Inn. And just so you know, the place was amazing. It was like walking and living with nature. The inn was located along Millstream and guests can relax or have their breakfast or dinner right next to the stream, or the great sunny lawn, and even with the tall pines. You can stroll to the village and do some shopping and more dining. But Angelica wanted to take the bike so Henry obliged and rode his one-handed.

There were some guests like them, but they kept to themselves and so did Angelica and Henry. The serenity offered by the place was enough to entice them for a five-day stay which they spent mostly in their room doing you-know-what, but of course, this time, they made sure Henry was not prone to any more bleeding.

“Someday, I’m going to live in a place like this,” Angelica announced one day, her head rested in the nook of his good shoulder.

“It’s a good place,” Henry agreed.

“The village is quiet, the people are great, the food is just fantastic, and many more,” she continued on dreamily.

That surprised him. He never took her for anyone who would like to live a laidback lifestyle. He looked down at her with a grin, “I don’t think they’ll like your big mouth though,” and he chuckled when she punched his abdomen. “Hey, that hurts,” he said gently, catching her hand with his and linked their fingers.

It was a wonder their fingers fit perfectly. They were exactly the opposite of the other, but now he found himself lying on a hammock under a tree, the stream just a meter away, with Angelica like they were the most compatible couple out there.

Henry’s wonderings were distracted by the sudden ringing of a phone.

His head snapped down at Angelica and she threw him a guilty look.

“You told me to turn off my phone,” he pointed, shaking his head.

“I’m a doctor, lives are at stake,” she muttered.

“I’m an agent, I save lives,” he retorted but did not get an answer. They had been in the inn for four days now and he had been wondering why she had been taking her time in the bathroom. He had also been hearing murmurs every time but he chose to ignore them knowing Angelica was crazy enough to talk to herself, and vain enough to spend too much time in front of the mirror. But now he knew why he felt like she was hiding something from him when it was her who told him never to turn on his phone in the first place, thus, of course, her guilty look right now.

“Yes, Angelica Dalton,” she answered with a smile.

“You only have thirty seconds to put it down,” Henry whispered in her ear and she turned away from him.

“What? I don’t understand. Why?”

“Two…three…four…five…” he started counting and she rolled her eyes at him.

“No, I don’t have any idea. When is this? Next week?”

“…six…seven…ten…”

“You counted wrong!” she hissed at him, slapping him arm.

“What?” he mouthed with raised eyebrows.

“No, no, it’s not you. Go on,” she said to the phone.

“…fifteen…twenty…” he received another slap for that. “…twenty-one…twenty-two…twenty-five…warning time, Angelica,” he said.

“Hey, Chanty, why don’t we talk about this when I get back? No, I can’t tell you where I am. Okay, bye,” she said hurriedly and clicked off. “You’re such a child!” she cried out at Henry, the smile on her face apparent.

“Give it to me,” he said, opening his palm.

“What?”

“You’re phone, Angelica,” he said with warning in his voice.

With a huff, she slapped it on his palm and dropped her head back on his shoulder. The hammock swayed as they changed their position.

“Who was that?”

“Chanty. It’s about Philip and Cass. They’re having another wedding. Do you know about that?”

“How would I? I haven’t talked to Philip in a week,” he said. “Some crazy lady ordered me to turn off my phone and cheated me by hiding hers.”

She chuckled. “Henry, I’m serious. Why do you think they’re getting married once again? Cass told me she didn’t sign the divorce papers.”

“I don’t know,” he lied. Of course he knew. He knew about the contract that led to Philip and Cass’ marriage. But he was surprised nonetheless about another wedding. Their first one was genuine and perfectly legal. Well, with the way Philip’s mind worked, and the way his crazy wife’s mind worked, he wouldn’t know the answer to that. “When’s the wedding?”

“Next week. They’re all flying us to the Philippines. God, I’ve never been there.”

“Me too,” he nodded.

“You’re still the best man by the way,” she said. “Chanty told me to tell you since they can’t contact you. And I’ll be one of the bridesmaids. I haven’t attended their first wedding so I’m not missing this one. Those two have me to thank for this time.”

“You’re not going to shout something like, ‘stop the freaking wedding’, are you?”

“What? Of course not!”

Henry didn’t know, but he was pretty relieved to see that Angelica was not at all affected by Philip getting married once again.

Warning signs alighted inside his mind. This was definitely not a good sign.

Chapter 17

Unfortunately, because of the news about Philip and Cassandra’s wedding, they had to go back home. They could have stayed for a few more days, but both of them decided that it was time to actually face what they had to.

“Pam could be dead by now,” Angelica gasped beside Henry. His wound had not completely healed, but he was capable to drive now. She shifted on her seat and looked at him. “Do you think something happened to her?” she asked.

Henry shook his head. “She said Garrett’s going be away for a week or so, so I think he just got home—that is if what you suspect is true.”

“Of course I’m sure. The man is freaking creepy, if you must know.”

“He’s always been like that,” Henry told her. “He is always distant and weird.”

“Then how about John? You believe he’s the killer, right? I’m sure he’s always been friendly.”

“He’s too friendly to you,” he pointed out.

“I’m a very likable person,” she argued, lifting her chin up.

Henry snorted. “But you can’t argue that he was there before Kevin’s death.”

“Well, whatever, I don’t really care who the killer is as long as we catch him,” she humped back against her seat.

“ I will be doing the catching, Angelica,” he said, shooting her a glance. “I don’t want you tailing my back once again just like with those Russians.”

“I saved your life,” her eyes widened.

“You wouldn’t have to if I was not distracted by your presence,” he retorted.

“Yeah, go kill yourself next time. I’ll bury you myself,” she waved off her hand and turned to the window. “I just remembered I need to go shopping.”

  *****

Henry was always in shock by her sudden change of topics, just like now. “What for?”

“The wedding, of course. I have to call Cassandra about the theme. Give me back my phone.”

Henry shook his head. “Not until you give me back mine,” he said.

Angelica sighed and searched inside her bag. Not a minute longer, she handed him his phone and he felt a weird feeling as he took it in one hand. Having his phone back and giving Angelica hers was an actual sign that they would be back to real life. No more waterfalls to go to, no more Salmon for breakfast, no more streams and hammocks.

He mentally shook his head. He couldn’t stay stuck in something he knew he could only have in passing. He had a mission to finish, and he had to eventually go away when it was done.

“I think it is going be a beach wedding,” he heard Angelica say as she turned on her phone excitedly.

How could she be worried about someone else’s life one moment, and then be excited about a wedding the next? Maybe it was the doctor in her, he thought. She was used to losing people under her care. She was used to letting go.

Would it be as easy for her once he had to leave? Surely, that would be the case. She would find someone else to chase and have fun with as she usually did.

And what about him? Could he lock the memories he shared with her in that distant part of his mind like all the skeletons he had in his closet? Could he actually make it possible not to watch her from a distance to check if she were okay from time to time after they parted ways? Would he be able to stop himself from thinking about her?

Those were a lot of questions—with no answer. Well, maybe there were answers and he was just trying to ignore them.

  *****

Instead of reaching New York City in two hours or so, Henry dragged the time that it took them about four. And the moment the two of them stepped into the gloomy apartment, he suddenly missed the light of the room they had at Woodstock. He missed the smell of the pines. He missed the gentle sound of the stream. And he missed their hammock.

“It’s dark in here,” Angelica said, walking over to the window. She pushed the drapes aside, letting in natural light. She smiled and looked at him over her shoulder. “Let’s go shopping,” she said.

“I have to go meet my superior first,” he told her, holding up the briefcase.

Her face fell. “I’ll go to Cass and Philip’s then.”

He nodded, “I’ll drop you off—”

“Okay then, let’s go,” she said, walking toward her room. “But I got to change first.”

Henry shook his head and took out his phone.

He was nearing the end of his conversation with Grissom, who was obviously furious about his lack of communication, when Angelica emerged wearing a simple white shirt and tight black pants. He raised his eyebrows. “What? No dress today?”

She rolled her eyes, “I’m not out to impress anyone. I’m going to a couple’s house.”

“Good,” he nodded and opened the door for her.

  *****

“As expected,” Philip sighed when he opened the door and found her standing outside.

Angelica smiled at him. “Where’s Cass,” she asked, making her way around him.

“Inside,” he said curtly. “I don’t know if this new friendship you have with her is making her better or worse,” he heard him mutter behind her.

“Would you rather we’re enemies?” she asked, making her way toward the glass backdoor, already seeing Cass standing in front of a canvass.

Cassandra’s husband did not get a chance to answer because her friend already spotted her and waved her toward her.

“See yah, Philip,” she waved and walked out to Cassandra.

“Are you okay? How’s Henry?” her friend asked with concern.

“He’s up and running,” she answered nonchalantly. “As for you, I’m really wondering why you two want to get married once again.”

Cassandra rolled her eyes. “It’s a long story. He urged me to sign the damn divorce papers and then proposed all over again. And don’t make me recount everything that happened because as I think about it right now, it’s too cheesy for my own taste and I’m sure you’ll agree to that.”

Angelica held up her hands, “Okay, no questions. But why Philippines? Do you know the distance we all have to travel?”

“You don’t have to come if you don’t want to,” Cassandra shrugged.

“What? Of course I’ll come.”

Philip reappeared carrying a glass of orange juice. “Where’s Henry?” he asked, his eyes knowing.

Angelica threw Cassandra a look. “What? I didn’t tell him anything. Chanty did,” her friend explained.

Shoot, she forgot about Chanty.

“He’s at work,” she answered Philip’s question.

“Tell him to come by,” Philip said before going back inside. “And babe, the kitchen’s a mess.”

“Whatever,” she heard Cassandra mutter under her breath. “He always gives me chores and I’m starting to have second thoughts about this marriage.” She knew, of course, that her friend was not really serious.

“Okay, what are your plans for the wedding?” she asked excitedly.

Cassandra’s face lit up and she chatted on about her plans. Angelica helped at some parts and they ended up doing a lot of lists and a lot of changes.

  *****

“Tell Henry to come by. You two should have dinner with us,” Philip told her as he helped his wife clean up the kitchen.

“I’m sure he won’t go,” Angelica said, but tried Henry’s phone anyway. “Where are you?” she asked even before he could utter a hello.

From the corner of her eye, she could see that Philip and Cassandra shared a secret smile.

“Philip wants you to come here. No, of course I did not plan it,” she hissed and heard a small laugh from the couple behind her. “Yes, I swear I didn’t! Yes, of course he knows. Chanty told him. What? No, I don’t think so,” she answered the last part when he asked if Philip knew about their little adventure at Cassandra’s house. “So, are you coming or not?” she smiled when he said yes. “Of course you’re coming. You still have to pick me up anyway.” When the call ended, she dropped her phone back inside her bag and announced, “He’s coming.”

  *****

Since Philip and his wife were bantering inside the kitchen about the way Cassandra cooked the chicken, Angelica went to answer the door when it rang.

“Hi,” she said with a smile when she saw Henry standing outside, his face unreadable.

“This is not necessary,” he whispered.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she almost shouted, “this is really necessary,” she pulled him inside.

“Angelica, whatever this is, stop it,” he hissed.

“What? They all think we’re a couple so why not join the fun?” she answered innocently. “Henry’s here!” she shouted. “Come on, they’re in the kitchen.”

“No, because you overcooked it, babe,” Philip was saying with irritation in his voice.

“No, I did not,” Cassandra answered back. “Oh, good, you’re here,” she said the moment she spotted Henry. “Get him away from here, please.”

Philip sighed and walked to Henry and shook his hand. “Want a drink?”

Henry looked at the mess in the kitchen, then at Cassandra, then at Angelica and he nodded. “I definitely need one.”

And they were gone in an instant.

“Want help?” Angelica offered.

“Yes,” Cassandra said and they looked at the chicken.

“I think Philip’s right. You overcooked it,” Angelica said, peering closer.

“Yeah, I guess so too,” Cass said, pointing at the cookbook. “That stupid book is useless.”

“Let’s just make another one,” Angelica offered.

  *****

“I don’t think we’re going to have a proper meal,” Philip sighed beside him.

Henry nodded. He knew Angelica well enough to know the lady had no skills in the kitchen as well. “I suggest we order in.”

“I’m fine eating my wife’s cooking, but if you can’t stomach it, I think we should order in.”

“No, it’s fine. I can stomach Angelica’s cooking so I guess we’ll live.”

Of course they turned out to be right. The food the two ladies prepared was no near good, but they were edible enough if you knew how to add pepper and some salt. The salad was good though.

Henry found out hanging out with the couple was not as bad as he had feared. Philip and Cassandra didn’t ask a lot of questions. They just talked about other things, which was a good thing. Angelica and Cassandra talked a lot about the wedding plans and Philip joined in from time to time to remind them that they didn’t need that much flowers or candles or wines.

All in all, Henry found himself admitting that he enjoyed the dinner as he and Angelica drove back home.

“I only have two more days to shop,” she said. “We didn’t get to shop today. You didn’t pick me up on time.”

“You didn’t call,” he reminded her. “And I was caught up with my superior’s raging sermon about being out of reach for a week.”

“Whatever. You have to help me shop tomorrow,” she said, closing her eyes. “I’m so tired. Cooking’s not really for me.”

“I completely agree,” Henry nodded.

  *****

Henry and Angelica spent the next day shopping. Well, she did. All he did was shadow her wherever she went. He was grateful though that she forgot about Pamela. He was concerned for the lady as well, knowing what Angelica told him about the older lady’s fears, but he had to keep Angelica safe first. If anything happened to Pamela, he’d know then that he was wrong about John Stewart and that Angelica was right about Garrett.

The next day after that, he and Angelica started packing. They would have to leave that night so they could reach the Philippines a day before the wedding, giving them enough time to rest. And then, they were off.

“I should have called Pamela,” Angelica told him while they were on the plane.

“You can call her when we land,” he said, closing his eyes. “For now, rest and sleep. We have a long flight.”

  *****

They had the same flight as the Strindbergs and Cassandra’s family and honestly, Henry didn’t fully like it. Unlike the couple, Chanty and her mother threw the two of them a lot of questions as to how and when they started dating. He didn’t want to lie so he gave Angelica the entire honor to tell everyone her version of the story. She was so believable that everyone believed every word she uttered. Well, who wouldn’t believe her? Everyone thought she always said the truth.

They finally landed in the Philippines and immediately took a connecting flight to Boracay, where the couple was already waiting. The heat of the sun and the discomfort it brought them was soon diminished by the beauty of the island. The water was cool and the air was fabulous.

The wedding wouldn’t start until tomorrow, so they had to settle inside the hotel already reserved for them. The older ones chose to stay and sleep. Henry was forced to go out with Angelica, Chanty, Cassandra, and Philip.

“Good thing you’re here, man,” Philip told him. “I don’t want to babysit all of them alone. Do you know that the last time Cassandra went island hopping, she was actually left behind in a freaking island?”

“No, I didn’t know that,” he said with amusement. “How did you find her?”

“We searched every island they went to,” his friend said with a shake of his head. “That’s why we can’t let them out of our sight.”

Henry looked ahead at the three ladies. “Yeah, I guess so.”

  *****

Angelica and Henry didn’t mind sharing the same bedroom, of course. Actually, it was fun for both of them, if you get the picture. Once again, Henry was back to his old self like that when they were in Woodstock. And by the time the wedding was due, he was all smiles in his white bohemian shirt. Angelica and Chanty wore white light dresses and braided their hairs.

They were transported to a private island where a pastor was already waiting. It was near sun down and the wind was with them. The candles flickered almost everywhere.

Angelica had tears in her eyes. It was a wedding she had secretly dreamed of and she was happy and envious of Cassandra at the same time. Her friend finally got what she wanted. And twice!

As Cassandra walked down the little aisle, surrounded by family and a few friends, Angelica couldn’t help but look across where Henry was standing beside Philip. He looked so calm the whole time they were in the island. She would do anything to be able to build a big wall around them so they wouldn’t have to go back home.

But home they would have to be.

The magic of the wedding died inside her when Henry woke her up the next day and said, “We have to go now, Ange.”

“I want to stay here,” she murmured.

“You’ll ruin Cass and Philip’s honeymoon,” he pointed out with a laugh.

“They already had a honeymoon a long time ago,” she complained.

“Angelica,” he said, this time his tone was serious.

“Okay,” she yawned. “Pamela’s still not answering her phone,” she said after a while. Henry stopped his packing.

“We’ll see her when we get back,” he promised.

“We better. I can’t imagine what her husband’s doing to her right now,” she said.

“If it’s true that Garrett’s doing the killing, I don’t think he will try to kill any more of the members. It will draw not only the police’s attention, but also the organization’s. He won’t be that stupid.”

“But he would still want to kill me, right?”

He nodded. “After all, you are your father’s daughter.”

“Okay, I think I don’t want to stay here any longer after all. In here, it’s all about magic and fun,” she tried to make it sound casual, but deep inside, she was eager to get this over with. No more running or vacations for now.

  *****

If you’ve ever flown over the islands of the Philippines, you would be amazed how there were so many greener pastures. Having been used to seeing buildings on a plane, Angelica couldn’t help but stare out the window the whole time. She only looked away when they reached Central Luzon where buildings and cars roamed the area.

She and Chanty went shopping inside the NAIA as they waited for their flight, and Henry, not so sure if she was safe, followed them wherever they went.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” she announced, giving him her bags.

“Where’s Chanty?”

“She went to buy something for Willie.”

He looked around and saw a coffee shop across them. “I’ll be there.”

“Yes, yes,” she answered and turned around.

After she was done, she went to the mirror to freshen up among other Filipina ladies. As an American, she towered over them and just like almost everywhere, she made them feel uncomfortable that they immediately left.

Angelica shrugged and continued applying her lipstick.

“Say a word and you’re dead,” a very familiar voice, that one that still visited her dreams from time to time, said from the direction of the door.

She turned her head and surely, standing just a few meters away from her was Mr. Scarred Guy. His black hair was longer, but his oily face was still the same, and the scar running across his left eye was still there. And beside him was Mr. Black Guy whose balls obviously were now okay after she kicked them to the point of necrosis. Her eyes went to the door. It was already closed and bolted.

She closed her eyes and groaned, “Not again…”

Chapter 18

“This time, my guardian’s going to kill you,” Angelica spat as Mr. Scarred Face walked toward her, his face too oily you could fry your breakfast on it. “He won’t like it when he finds out,” she warned, taking a step back.

“Your guardian is not near,” Mr. Scarred Face said with the same menacing voice he had the last time.

“There are a lot of people here,” she told him, her eyes silently calculating the distance to the door. “If you as much as take me outside, you’ll be dead.”

“Who said we’re taking you outside?” he said, an evil look lighting up his eyes. “You should have killed us when you got the chance, sweetheart.”

“I’ll kill you now if you give me that,” she uttered the words with rage. “I swear I’m going to kill you!”

“Let me have her, boss,” Mr. Black Guy said, stepping forward.

“Oh, yeah, let him,” Angelica said with a chuckle. “How are your balls, big guy?”

Rage rose up Mr. Black Guy’s face, his nostrils flaring. “Let me have her!” he cried once again.

“Calm down,” Mr. Scarred Face said, his lips twitching. “You’re still as loud as the last time,” he told her, stepping forward.

“I can be louder if you touch me,” she warned, her hand going at the back pocket of her jeans. She punched the only button she could think of and she prayed Henry would get it. He was on her fast dial and time was all she had to have before he came to the rescue.

Mr. Scarred Face grabbed her hand too strongly that she cringed. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing, just about to text a friend that I met some kidnappers inside a freaking bathroom,” she snapped at him, leaning her head away from him. “God, you stink, you know that? You’re in a tropical country and you should have taken a bath.”

She received a really powerful slap for that. “Shut up!” he hissed down at her.

“One,” she said, spitting out blood. “You’ll receive a really good gut-wrenching punch from my guardian with every slap you give me,” she stated furiously. “And he’s not a very forgiving man, you know.”

Mr. Scarred Face pulled her roughly against him, his stinking smell running up her nostrils that Angelica cringed further away. Mr. Black guy moved from the door with purposeful strides and in his hand he held a gun with a silencer attached to it. Angelica felt the fear striking in now.

What’s keeping Henry?

  *****

The two other guys standing by the door outside the bathroom was what was keeping him from going in after Angelica. They were not able to spot him yet, thank the people around the area for that.

He couldn’t use force and that would be stupid. Calling security would take a lot of time, so there was only one option left. He didn’t have any idea what was happening inside, but he knew Angelica was in trouble. He placed his phone back inside his pocket and ran to the nearest solution he could think of.

The fire alarm.

People were busy with their own thing and no one saw him break the glass and pulled the lever. The sound echoed everywhere and there was a momentary pause as people tried to recognize the alarm, and when they did, panic rose up everywhere. Everyone ran toward the exit and he fought his way back to the bathroom. The two men standing by were at a loss, their faces obviously alarmed as well. He took his chance and grabbed the bald guy first by the hand. He used their surprise to his advantage by kicking the other man in the gut that sent him flying toward the mob. He sliced his hand against the nape of the bald guy and threw him to where the first guy was in the midst of the panicking crowd.

Rushing to the door, he kicked it open. The black guy turned around with his gun and for a few seconds, he was frozen. When he snapped out of it, he started to point the gun at Henry, but Henry was already running with a roundhouse kick on the way.

“Henry!” Angelica shouted from the corner.

“Hold on,” he grunted as he finished the black guy with another kick.

“Kill him! I promised them you’ll kill them!”

“What?!” he asked in disbelief as he placed his foot down the black guy’s face, kicking the gun away with the other.

“Shut up!” The man holding Angelica shouted, his hand now holding a dagger against her neck.

“You’re not pointing at the jugular, you moron!” Angelica snapped at him, struggling to get free.

When Henry was sure that the black guy was way under, he straightened. “Your mouth is not helping, Angelica,” he warned her.

“Stay where you are and don’t move! Or I’ll kill her,” the man said, pressing the dagger deeper against Angelica’s neck.

“You’ll solve my problem by doing that,” Henry told him, shrugging his shoulders.

“What? Bell, I’m going to haunt you if you let him!” Angelica scowled.

“Shut up, bitch!”

Henry’s nerves snapped after hearing the man call her that. His eyes travelled to Angelica. He knew she was scared and she was trying to hide it by her stupid mouth and that was not really helping at all.

“Why don’t you be a man and fight me instead?” he challenged. “Come on, you’ll get her if you kill me. Killing her before me will only get you in trouble,” he said.

And of course, the stupid man took his challenge. He threw Angelica against the counter, and she grunted in pain.

“Stay back!” he ordered her when she started for the man, anger in her eyes.

The man walked toward him with cautious steps, blade in hand. Henry took a step until they were making a circle, their bodies positioned for battle at hand. Henry knew he could take the moron down in one shot, but the blade was getting in the way.

“I told you he’s going to come after me, you moron!” he heard Angelica utter with a bragging voice.

“Angelica, shut up,” Henry said coldly, his eyes focused on the man that could get lucky and get them killed. “I’m concentrating here,” he told her.

“Okay, okay, but you better get him. I hate to really wind up dead, you know,” she said with a shaky voice.

“Then shut the hell up,” he roared.

  *****

Angelica wanted it to be over. She saw enough movies where the other guys would recover and then attack the protagonist together and she didn’t want that to happen.

Henry and Mr. Scarred Face were wasting a lot of time by circling around the bathroom like wolves and she was desperate to get out safely with Henry.

As Mr. Scarred face neared her, his back hunched, his head forward and his eyes focused on Henry, she saw her opening and waited. When Henry was now facing her from across the room and Mr. Scarred Face’s back was facing her, she ran…and jumped on his back, placing her hand on his face, and scratched all her might.

She was almost thrown off Mr. Scarred Face when he struggled and arched his back in pain.

“Dalton, get off!” Henry shouted, but she barely heard him because she was focused on digging her heels into Mr. Scarred Face’s right lateral thigh.

“Ahhhh! Bitch!” her enemy screamed out loud, and then, he lurched forward, bent on his knee when Henry finally recovered from his shock and jabbed his fist into the guy’s gut. “Ahhh!”

“Angelica, get off him!” Henry scowled at her as the man dropped face down on the floor. She was still riding his back, pulling at his ears this time.

When she did not make any move to get up, Henry took her by the shoulders and pulled her on her feet and dragged her away. She landed two more kicks against the man’s back before Henry finally succeeded. “Who sent you?!” she demanded at the man. “Henry, let me go!”

“I said, stop it! You’re not helping,” he held her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Stop,” he ordered.

Her breathing was still ragged and heavy, but she nodded. “Okay, okay, I’m calm…”

And as soon as Henry let go, she strode around him, dropped on the floor beside the still agonizing Mr. Scarred Face. “Angelica!” Henry hissed behind her, but he didn’t do anything else.

She grabbed the man’s left ear to turn his now flushed, grimacing face toward her. “Who sent you?”

“Bitch! You tore my eyes out!” His eyes were closed in pain, but there was no blood. Good, she thought with relief. She didn’t actually mean it when she said she’d kill him.

“Who sent you?” she repeated, growling.

  *****

Henry just stood there doing nothing, his hands on his hips. He chose to let Angelica do whatever the hell she wanted. For now, she was safe and that was all that mattered to him. What she was doing was actually a logical thing, but they were running out of time as well.

There were matters he had to do for now. He took his phone and dialed a number. Grissom could help deal with these guys. And as he talked with his superior, he watched his lovely ward torture the man on the floor by pulling at his ear and shouting, demanding the same question. He fought a smile. She was really something.

Grissom was not happy about the events, but he said he’d handle it from there. What he only needed to do was to make sure that the men wouldn’t escape before the Philippine authorities came. His superior hanged up to call and pull some strings, and he turned to face Angelica.

“Police will be coming any time. They will be transferred back to New York once everything is in order and proper interrogation can be done, so you better fix yourself,” he said above her.

Angelica just knelt there on the floor, not moving for a few seconds before dropping the man’s head and stood up. The man just groaned, obviously going down the road of unconsciousness. “I really hate these guys. They won’t even talk.”

“They will,” he promised her, looking her up and down with awe. “You better fix yourself.”

He saw her take a deep breath and nodded. She turned on her heels and her eyes rounded when she saw herself in the mirror. “I look like a mess!”

Actually, she looked like she was just out of bed. Her red hair was everywhere and her dress was askew everywhere. Henry reached down to straighten her skirt.

“Oh my God, my shoes!” she groaned when she flipped her legs behind her and saw that one heel was dangling off the sole. She turned to the guy on the floor and he stopped her as she said, “Now I’m going to kill him!”

“Hey,” he turned her around to face him again. Henry grinned, reached out to tuck some tresses behind her ear and said, “We’ll get you a new one. You can’t kill someone because he ruined the shoe you used to try to kill him.”

“You better get me a new one,” she looked at him stingily. “I saved your life.”

Henry gaped at her. “You what—no, you did not,” he exclaimed, “all you did was make more trouble by jumping on that guy,” he pointed with his finger. “I was just about to have him when you attacked.”

Angelica rolled her eyes, “Whatever,” she sighed and they both turned their heads toward the door when it suddenly burst open, revealing Chanty’s shocked form.

“What the hell happened here?” she cried out, and her eyes rounded when she saw the black guy near the door, and then the one Angelica trampled down the floor lying unconscious. Angelica’s friend’s eyes darted back at them and she repeated, “What the hell happened here?!”

Chapter 19

“Chanty…I…we…” Angelica stuttered, trying to think of some excuse. But how the hell could anyone make a light excuse when there were two guys lying unconscious on the floor?

“Ange, what the hell is this?” Chanty asked again, her eyes travelling from Mr. Black Guy to Mr. Scarred Face, to her, and then to Henry.

Angelica looked at Henry. He looked as stunned as she was and she desperately wanted to melt down the floor and disappear into thin air.

“Ange!” Chanty cried out, snapping her out of her panicky thoughts.

“I…we…” she stuttered once again. “These men tried to harass me,” she blurted out the best one she could think of.

“What? How? Do you know the fire alarm rang out? We have to get out!” Chanty looked at them suspiciously. “And why are you here? Oh my God, what the hell is happening here?!” she looked pointedly at Henry.

“I heard Angelica scream and luckily, I came just in time.”

“Oh my God, there’s a gun! Ange! There’s a gun!” Chanty shouted hysterically, jumping up and down when she spotted the gun at the corner. “There’s a gun!” her eyes had gone wide now.

“Chanty, calm down…” Angelica told her, and then she threw Henry a look and talked with her eyes. He got the message and he sighed.

“Chanty, calm down…police are coming. I called them,” he explained, walking closer to her friend.

Chanty still had her eyes closed, as she leaned her right shoulder against the wall, her hands fanning her face. Henry looked back at her with a pleading and frustrated look.

“What?” she mouthed at him.

“Handle this!” he mouthed back.

“You’re so useless…” she hissed under her breath only for him to hear as she rushed toward her friend. “Chanty!” she shouted to get her friend’s attention. “It’s over now. These guys came in, we handled it—lucky for us—and police are coming. We better go outside,” she took Chanty by the shoulders and turned her to the direction of the door.

“You better explain how this happened, Ange,” Chanty rasped out.

She nodded. “Yes, yes, once you calm down.” She looked back at Henry. “Handle this!” she mouthed, pointing at the two men on the floor with her finger.

  *****

For the first time since he met her, Henry was thankful for Angelica’s quick mouth. It was a nice good excuse she blurted out to Chanty.

He looked down at the two unconscious men and sighed. How the hell did they find them here? Of all places! And they bothered to go through a lot of trouble just to get to Angelica.

Who was desperate enough to want her dead?

The local police came in time, just after everyone in the airport had been relieved by the announcement that the alarm was just a false one. Henry talked with the authorities and settled the matter, making sure that the men be transferred to New York immediately.

Their flight was delayed but not cancelled, much to everyone’s relief. He was not able to talk to Angelica yet because she was busy calming down Chanty.

“Please, there’s no need to tell everyone,” he heard her tell her friend.

“But why? You almost got killed!”

“Chanty, please…”

He walked past them. He knew she could handle it alone.

He had himself to calm down as well. The realization that Angelica almost got killed was eating him up.

If something happened to her…

No, he was not willing to think along that line of thought. She was fine and she would be fine.

  *****

Angelica was finally able to convince Chanty about the story of her being harassed. She was also able to make her promise not to tell anyone about what happened.

And so, they flew back home with her nerves still jittery over what happened. The short vacation was finally over and now, real world was waiting.

Henry woke her up as the plane landed on American soil.

“We’re home,” he whispered. “Are you okay?”

Home. Yeah, right. The most dangerous place ever. And no, she didn’t think she was okay. “We should call Pamela. I’m really worried.” If the bad guys had reached her, then it would have been easier for them to get to Pamela. She was almost sure the woman’s husband was behind all these.

He nodded. “We’ll go home first and then we’ll call her.”

“Okay,” she agreed.

They said goodbye to the Strindbergs, who had no idea of what happened in the airport apart from Chanty, and went back home to his apartment.

“When are you going to talk to Mr. Scarred Face and his men?”

“Mr. what?”

“You know, the one I trampled on the ground,” she explained.

He bellowed a laugh, the first real one she heard since Woodstock. “You gave him a name?”

“Yes, why not? And Mr. Black Guy too,” she smiled at his amusement.

He laughed once again. “They will be immediately transported back to New York, but I don’t know when. My superior will inform me if that happens.”

“You’ll get them to talk, right?”

Henry’s face turned serious. “No, my superior will.”

“But—”

“Angelica, you don’t have to worry about those guys anymore. You just have to focus on staying alive.”

She knew saying anything against his words would only lead to another argument so she chose silence.

  *****

They didn’t have to call Pamela. She left them a number of messages on Henry’s phone, asking them to meet for dinner with the rest of the partners.

“I guess she’s still alive after all,” Henry uttered after listening to the last message.

“Don’t say that!” Angelica slapped his arm before slumping down the couch.

“The last message is from earlier so yes, she’s still alive,” he said, nodding.

“Shut up. I’ll call her,” Angelica said, grabbing the phone. Henry stared at her as she waited for the ring. “What?”

“You’re feeling okay?” he looked concerned.

She didn’t answer because Pamela picked up the line. “Hey, Pam, it’s me, Angelica. Yes, I’m sorry, we were out of the country. Yes, of course we got it. Yes, yes, we’ll be there. Are you okay? You’re feeling good? Okay,” she broke into a smile. “That’s good to know. Yes, of course, I’ll tell him. Bye.” And then she frowned.

“Now, what?” Henry looked at her dryly.

“She sounded…too happy.”

“She can’t be happy?”

“She’s not crazy, is she? She sounded very afraid the last time and now she’s kind of euphoric or something.”

“It’s the hormones,” he guessed. “Did she say anything about Garrett?”

Angelica nodded. “Yes, she said he’s home and that he was the one who wanted to have dinner. I’m not eating anything in that dinner.”

“When’s the dinner and why aren’t you eating anything?” He followed her with his gaze as she walked toward her bedroom.

“Tonight. And because the food might be poisoned!”

  *****

Angelica received a call from Hartman late that afternoon while she was getting ready for dinner. Henry was seated on her bed, waiting for her to finish.

“It’s Hartman,” she frowned. “What does he want now?”

“Ms. Dalton, Hartman here,” Cole said when she pushed the answer button. “I got the autopsy results.”

Color drained from her face. Once again, she was reminded by her father. “Okay, I’ll get them tomorrow.”

“I’ll be at my office.”

She looked at Henry as she placed her phone down. “The autopsy results came in.”

“And?”

“I don’t think I really want to know what happened to him.”

“We’ll talk about it after dinner,” he said gently and she nodded.

  *****

Of course, everyone was there except Kevin. of course. She remembered the last time she saw each partner and it was Kevin’s funeral dinner.

“Hey, angel, how are you doing? I see you got a bit of tan,” John said, taking her hand for a kiss. “How was Philippines?”

“How did you know I went there?”

“Everybody knows where you went,” he shrugged.

“It was great, thank you,” her smile wavered and then she saw Henry’s gaze from behind John’s shoulder. “I need to go,” she excused herself.

“I told you to stay away from him,” Henry whispered, pretending a smile when she reached him.

“He knew we went to the Philippines,” she hissed.

“Everybody knows we went there,” he stated dryly. She looked at him. Wasn’t this supposed to be the time when he would say he told her so? That he was right about John being the killer?

“Angelica, good evening, my child,” Stan said behind her. She turned and smiled at the old man.

“Stan, hi!” she gave him a hug. And then she remembered what the partners were capable of and she cut it short. She couldn’t be very comfortable with them. She had to stay alive after all.

They were at the bar freshening up as they waited for their table. Pamela called and said she and Garrett would be running late.

“So what did the two of you do during your little vacation?” Stan asked, eyeing them knowingly. John came up behind him with a glass of wine, joining in the conversation. She felt Henry’s hand on her waist and he pulled her close as he talked.

“We went to attend a wedding and enjoyed the stay. The place was amazing,” he said it like he actually really enjoyed their time there. “But there were also surprises,” he added, eyeing the gentlemen in the eyes. Angelica tensed. She didn’t want to see Henry doing his investigative work right now, really. It was just kind of weird.

“Oh, Pamela’s here!” she chimed when she saw the lady enter the restaurant. She started walking to meet her and then stop. “Pamela…” she trailed off. The lady turned and saw her.

“Angelica, dear! I missed you!” She uttered, walking to meet her halfway.

“What happened to your hand?” she looked down at the lady’s left wrist.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I slipped on the floor,” Pamela said, covering the cast with the other hand.

“Where’s Garrett?” Angelica looked over her shoulder, and surely, there he was, entering the door, his face still as blank as usual, his eyes still as dangerous as before. The hairs behind Angelica’s nape stood up in alarm. She didn’t really like Garrett’s presence. “Hello, Garrett,” she greeted anyway.

In response, he nodded at her, placed a hand over his wife’s shoulder and squeezed. Pamela cringed a little and Angelica saw it. Garrett then walked toward the other guys for further greetings.

They got their table in no time and they all sat down for dinner.

“So, what’s the occasion?” John asked.

“It’s out twentieth anniversary next week and we wanted to celebrate early,” Pamela said with a smile.

“Congratulations,” everyone greeted and Pamela’s eyes brimmed with tears. Angelica doubted if it was sorrow or real joy she felt. She looked sideways at Henry and he too was looking at the couple curiously. Pamela’s casted wrist finally got his attention after all.

“I thought you’re not eating,” Henry uttered beside her, his lips too near her ear.

“It was just a rhetorical statement,” she answered, too busy eyeing Pamela who didn’t look like she was the lady she spoke to earlier today on the phone. Fake happiness was painted all over her face. And domestic violence was written all over the cast she had on her wrist.

“This is not the salad I ordered,” John announced with a frown.

“I think that’s mine,” Angelica said with a chuckle. Mine got olives and I don’t like olives.

“And I guess that’s mine,” he smiled at her with a wink. “Want your salad?” he offered.

Angelica saw Henry’s look at the corner of her eye and she said, “No, I guess I can handle olives.”

“Okay, I guess I can handle more chicken,” John shrugged.

“So, when can I meet the clients?” she asked all of a sudden and everyone straightened in their chairs. Okay, she guessed she asked the wrong question.

“In time,” Stan chose to answer. “Not now.”

End of conversation.

One, because everyone was looking uncomfortable. Two, because Angelica was suddenly gasping and coughing up.

“Ange?” Henry asked beside her.

She opened her mouth but couldn’t. She tried to breath but couldn’t. She grabbed Henry’s shirt.

  *****

Henry knew something was definitely wrong.  He stood up and took her by the shoulders.

 “Ange?” his face was full of panic now. “Call an ambulance!” he roared. John and Stan both took their phones and dialed a number.

Angelica was gasping for breath and her face had turned red. Her eyes told him she was in panic. He had to stay calm.

“Where’s the fucking ambulance?!” he shouted. Everyone, including those at the nearby tables, was on their feet, taking to their phones or peering through the crowd. “Get me an ambulance now! Don’t touch her!” he cried when John stood up and reached out his hand for Angelica.

No one could touch her, no one except him.

How he wished someone was a doctor, but it seemed that the only doctor around was the one who needed help.

Chapter 20

Henry was in panic. “Don’t touch her,” he warned John Steward when the man tried to get hold of Angelica once again.

He lifted her in his arms and started for the door.

“Henry! We should wait for the ambulance!” Pamela shouted behind him.

He was not listening anymore. He couldn’t. All he wanted to hear that moment was Angelica’s voice telling him she would be okay. But she was unconscious now, lying limp in his arms. As he stepped out the doors, an ambulance siren was approaching and he ran to meet them.

“I think she’s poisoned,” he informed the paramedic.

They took her from his arms and strapped her to the stretcher.

“What did she eat?”

“A salad. I think it’s cyanide,” he informed them. He knew the effect of the chemical. “She was suddenly grasping for breath not a few minutes after taking her first bite.” He raked his fingers through his hair.

The men wheeled the stretcher inside the ambulance. He jumped after them and they were off. “Give her an antidote or something!” he shouted.

“We are,” the man said, searching inside the cabinet for some drugs.

“Will she be okay?” he asked anxiously.

The man looked at him with patience. “Her pulse is weak and she can still breathe on her own. But we still need to rush her to the hospital. We’re going to do some lavage and then we’ll have to monitor her status until tomorrow if…”

“If what?”

The paramedic looked at him straight in the eyes as he said, “If she survives this. If this is cyanide poisoning, it is serious.”

Henry nodded, took Angelica’s hand and squeezed it. “Just do everything that you can.”

  *****

They arrived in the emergency room not five minutes after the pick-up and the doctors and nurses immediately attended to her. Of course they would, they were her colleagues. Henry was not a prayerful man, but at that moment, as he waited anxiously outside, he made a silent one. He bargained what he could think of.

“Is Mr. Bell around?” A doctor came out and Henry jumped to his feet.

“Yes,” he uttered, his eyes full of questions.

The doctor smiled and said, “She’s asking…no, actually, she’s demanding to see you right now.”

Henry wasted no time and followed the doctor with swift strides. When the curtain was pushed aside, he saw Angelica’s pale face, a nasal cannula attached to her nostrils, and he sighed with relief after seeing her eyes flutter open. “Hey,” he croaked. “How are you feeling?”

“I shouldn’t have eaten after all,” she said, her voice dry.

He gave a weak laugh. “So you’re okay now? No complications?”

“She has to go back for a neurological check-up,” the doctor answered behind him.

He saw Angelica roll her eyes. “No, I don’t need to do that,” she said dryly.

“Yes, you do, Angelica. Cyanide poisoning can damage your brain.”

“I have a genius brain, Max, and if it is in anyway damaged, I would still be intelligent,” she bragged icily.

“But—”

“Yes, we will come back for the check-up,” Henry interrupted, squeezing her hand to shut her protest.

“Good,” the doctor nodded and left.

  *****

Angelica was wheeled up to her room after a few minutes. She was resting, deep in sleep, giving him time to finally calm down and think.

John Stewart, Stan, and Pamela had been calling him but he ignored their calls, only sending them the same message that Angelica was fine. He didn’t give them any information about the cause of the incident. He couldn’t trust any of them.

The salad Angelica ate was supposed to be John Stewart’s. That meant the target was John. And as much as he wanted to blame the murders on the man, he was certain now that he was not responsible. He was supposed to be dead, but somehow, things went wrong and Angelica was the one suffering.

That only left Stan, Pamela, and Garrett. One of them wanted John dead. Kevin was dead because he wanted out. But why John this time? He seemed to be enjoying the money he was getting from the organization. Why kill him?

It would have been reasonable if Angelica was the target. She was Patrick’s daughter and the killer was afraid she might know something about her father’s connection to the authorities. And she had been obviously targeted from the very beginning. But John Stewart was just out of the story. Henry could picture him to be the killer, but not the intended victim.

Who would want to kill him and why? Pamela was close to him like a mother to a son. He knew because Patrick told him a long time ago. Stan was not close to John, but the man was like a neutral party. That left Garrett. The man had been acting different lately and even Angelica noticed that. He was jumpy and he was the only one who did not jump on his feet when Angelica was gasping for breath earlier that evening. In fact, he was the only one who seemed to be calm.

Henry stirred from his deep thoughts when he noticed Angelica’s hand move. He looked up and met her eyes. Her lids were half-closed but she was smiling. “Did I sleep?”

“Yes,” he answered.

“I told you it’s not John,” she whispered hoarsely.

He nodded. “Once you’re alright, I’ll go check on Stan and Garrett.”

“I’ll come with you.”

He started to protest but she gave him a hard look.

“If you won’t let me, I’ll still come after you.”

With a frustrated sigh, he leaned over and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Okay, but no getting out of the car for you.”

“Deal,” she smiled and closed her eyes once more.

  *****

She was not sleeping. She was just tired.

Henry might have thought she was because he took her hand and she felt him plant his lips against it. Her heart swelled with tenderness. He kissed her on the forehead and she almost melted in the bed. It was a simple gesture yet it warmed her more than the kisses they had shared before.

It was different and she was sad about it. Soon, time would come that she would have nothing from him but these precious memories.

She took a deep breath to drown the pang in her chest. It was something she learned to do to shut the pain whenever it came. She was strong and she could get through anything if they came to an end. She had to because she would have no choice. Henry was clear on that. And for the first time, she would allow him to make that decision. She wouldn’t chase him around if the time would come that they would have to part. She would only hurt herself in the process because she knew he would and could never give her what she really wanted.

Sleep came to her while she was in that train of thought.

  *****

“What if he sees us? That’s possible, you know,” she pointed out, munching popcorn.

“No, he won’t…” Henry said patiently, holding his binoculars. “Why did you get popcorn? We’re not watching a movie,” he added, frowning.

Angelica rolled her eyes, “We’re close to that. We’re spying an old man,” she nodded her head toward Stan’s big house. “This is what you call real live streaming.”

“And you missed your appointment again,” he said, tackling another topic all of a sudden.

“I was busy at work and I forgot,” she lied. She didn’t want to see a neurologist because they were afraid she had some kind of neurological problem. Neurological? No. Psychological? Now, that could be something she would be willing to discuss.

“You’re thinking you’re a doctor and you think you know your body so well,” he scoffed.

Well, he was right about that, but she was not going to admit that so she chose to take the topic on another level. “You know my body well enough,” she chided.

“Do you really want to talk about this?” he asked, his face full of amusement.

“Why not?” she shrugged. “It’s getting really boring in here anyway,” she winked at him.

A fire flared in his eyes as he looked at her and she was starting to regret ever challenging him. It would not be good if they got killed having sex inside the car. If he as much as kiss her, she couldn’t promise she would be sane.

But he did it anyway and for a long moment, they were lost. She couldn’t remember how she crossed over and was now straddling his lap. She must be a psychic. She had guessed she was going to be poisoned three days ago and it happened. She guessed she and Henry would end up making out in the car and it was definitely happening.

His hands were everywhere after he tore her shirt open and Angelica was breathless, tugging his head back from her breast to have another taste of his mouth.

But they had to stop this if they wanted answers and she surprised them both when she got the courage to push away, her hands on his heaving chest. She gripped his shirt and took a deep breath. “We have time for this later,” she panted.

He nodded, his eyes still on fire and she scooted back on her seat. “Oh my God…” she groaned.

“What?” he snapped, obviously pissed because one, they had quite gone too far and two, well, maybe because they were not able to get further.

“You managed to unbutton my pants that fast?” she gaped as she righted her clothes.

A grin crept up his face. “You managed to jump on my lap that fast,” he countered. He took his binoculars back in his hands and sighed.

“I think someone’s coming,” Angelica uttered while tucking her shirt back in her pants. “Isn’t that John’s car?”

Henry snapped his head to the right and saw what she meant. “Yes, it is,” he validated.

“What is he doing here?”

“Probably to confront his killer?” he asked.

“You think he suspects Stan? He wouldn’t be that stupid to go here alone,” he shook her head. “My bet is still on Garrett.”

“Why do you think so highly of Stewart anyway?” he snapped.

She gaped. “Really? You want to talk about that right now?” she repeated his words earlier. “You’re just jealous.”

“I’m not,” he said stonily.

“Jealous…” she said in her sing-song voice again.

“Remember what happened when you did that?” he arched an eyebrow.

Angelica blushed and held up her hands. “Okay, fine, whatever.”

“I’m going in,” he stated. He looked at her pointedly.

“I’ll stay here, I promise.”

He continued to stare.

“I promise!” she cried out.

Convinced, Henry got out and started walking across the street. John’s car was welcomed inside the gates minutes ago.

She watched anxiously as Henry jogged to the wall and climbed up without any problem. She shouldn’t have promised to stay in the car, she thought.

  *****

Henry knew Stan’s house was secured and that he had no other choice but to get what he could from the window. He had been here only once but he could still remember where the study was. Stan always received his associates in his study.

He peeked through the window, thankful that one was left open, enabling him to hear audibly the conversation that was going on inside.

“What makes you sure it’s him?”

“Because he’s the only one who’s been acting different lately,” John’s voice answered. “Do you believe Pamela broke her wrist because of a fall?”

There was a long silence before Stan answered, “Does he know you’re having an affair with his wife?”

“What?!”

“You’re having an affair with Pamela, right?”

There was another long, deafening silence.

“Son, you don’t have to deny it. Everybody knows you’ve been sleeping with that woman,” Stan said with a chuckle.

“And you think he wanted to kill me because of that?”

“You’re having an affair with his wife, you son of a bitch. That’s reason enough.”

Henry was frowning. That was a shock even to him. Pamela? She was old enough to be Stewart’s mother. The information was enough to make him sick.

  *****

“What did you find out?”

“It’s Garrett,” he answered, starting the car.

“How did you know?”

“Your dear John Stewart is having an affair with his wife.”

Angelica’s eyes widened and then she crunched her face. “That’s gross.”

“Let’s go home,” Henry uttered and drove away.

“But it doesn’t mean Garrett’s my killer, right?” she asked after a while.

“I thought you suspect him?”

“Well, he was suspicious because he was treating his wife in a scary way. But now that we know she’s having an affair, that’s understandable.”

Henry nodded. She got a point there. They couldn’t just focus on Garrett. John and Stan were obviously closer than he thought and they might just be planning something else. “But we still have to check on Garrett,” he stated.

Angelica nodded. “I kept my promise,” she reminded him.

“Fine, you can go with me next time if you continue to be a good girl that you are.”

Chapter 21

They couldn’t attend to another stakeout night the next day because they had a sudden dinner invitation from the Strindbergs. And if Strindbergs invited you, you just had to come. Phillip and Cassandra had just returned from their second honeymoon. Of course, everyone didn’t know that Angelica nearly got killed from cyanide poisoning.

But Chanty and Cassandra seemed to have been talking a lot lately because they cornered her and bombarded her with questions.

“Chanty told me you were harassed in the Philippines inside the bathroom,” Cassandra uttered in a low voice. They were huddled away from the other groups. William, Henry, and Phillip were at one corner of the house talking business. Hope and Mary were busy taking care of baby Willie at the living room. Dinner had just finished and they were having some drinks.

“Yes, and she doesn’t want to talk about it,” Chanty nodded at her sister-in-law.

Angelica sighed patiently. “Ladies, look, I’m safe and I’m getting over it,” she looked them in the eyes as she said so. “Henry’s taking care of me and…really, I’m safe…”

“So, this thing between you and Henry, it’s really real?” Chanty asked her doubtfully.

“Well, you can say that. I’ve been staying in his place most of the time,” she answered, hoping with all her heart what she said was true. Well, the ‘staying in Henry’s place’ was so true, but the relationship wasn’t. It was just complicated. It was like a partnership with some benefits.

“Chanty, Willie pooped,” Hope called out from the living room.

“Oh, hold on. Get this for me,” Chanty sighed, giving her the glass she was holding and walked away to get Willie.

“Why does it sound like I don’t believe you at all, Ange?” Cassandra whispered. “I know you and Henry are in some deep trouble that includes bullet wounds and all, and I just got this feeling that what happened to you in the Philippines was not just some simple harassment.”

Bummer, she and Cassandra was alike at almost everything and the lady just knew how to read her. Of course, she was there when she was fixing Henry’s bullet wounds. “Cass, look, I don’t want to alert everyone including Chanty. I promise, I will explain everything once it’s over.”

“And Henry?”

“What about Henry?”

“Henry’s not really…you know, your boyfriend, right?”

“How do you know?”

“You’re just leading everybody to believe that you are, but actually, you’re just having sex,” Cassandra said with a smile.

“How can you say that?”

“Oh, nothing. Let’s just say I’ve been there…”

Angelica narrowed her eyes at her friend, “What do you mean you’ve been there?”

Cassandra shrugged her shoulders. “I won’t tell you if you won’t tell me your story.”

She chuckled and said, “I think we got a deal. When the time comes, I’ll tell you my story and you’ll tell me yours.”

Cassandra nodded and stated, “Fair enough.”

  *****

“Babe, drop that thing this instant,” Cassandra cried out as everyone started for the door. “What the hell’s wrong with you? Drop it,” she ordered.

Phillip looked up from what he was doing around the table and sighed. “Fine,” he said and walked toward them.

“He’s the worst neat freak alive,” Cassandra murmured under her breath. “What did your parents do to him when he was young?” she asked Chanty.

Chanty giggled and said, “I don’t know. He’s always like that.”

“He’s getting worse,” Cassandra rolled her eyes.

“Who’s getting worse?” Phillip asked innocently as he came up behind his wife, planting his hand on her waist.

“Willie,” Cassandra lied, giving Chanty and Angelica a wink. “His running and walking are getting worse.”

“Yeah,” Chanty added with a nod.

“Ange, let’s go?” Henry asked behind her.

Angelica took her eyes from the happy couple and nodded. “Yeah,” she answered and gave Cassandra a peck. “You’re lucky I got that guy or I’ll still be after your husband,” she joked.

“Yeah, lucky me,” Cassandra laughed.

“Bye, Phillip,” she gave him a peck as well and turned.

After saying goodbye to Chanty and the older Strindbergs, she walked with Henry to the car.

“So, are we going on a stakeout again?” she asked.

“No, we’re going on a date,” he grinned.

“What do you mean? It’s nearly twelve,” she looked at her watch.

“Let’s just take a little break for now,” he wheeled the car to the road and they drove on. “I need some bottles of beer,” he added.

  *****

Henry took her back to his apartment with six beer cans in hand.

“I thought we’re going on a date,” she said with disappointment on her face.

“We are,” he said gently. “Go grab a blanket and some pillows,” he ordered. Reluctantly, she did as she was told.

“What now?”

“We’ll go upstairs,” he said with a shrug. “And watch the stars. The view’s great up there by the way,” he took her hand and tugged. “Come on,” he motioned with his head, his grin growing wide.

What was wrong with him? He seemed different.

  *****

Nothing was really wrong with him. He just had a sudden attack of this feeling that the end was nearing. His innate instincts as an NSA agent were telling him they were on the right track and that they were near to catching who the killer was. And he wanted to spend some time with Angelica as much as he could without thinking of tasks or killers.

He led her to the roof deck without a problem, helped her spread the blanket on the ground, and lay there with her with a can of beer.

“Phillip said Cassandra likes stars,” he started with a frown. “I don’t see anything great about them.”

Angelica turned her head to look at him, amusement in her eyes. “You liked her before, right?”

“Who?”

“Cassandra. You liked her.”

“No,” he answered with a sigh. “I liked taunting her for some reasons I can’t share.”

“What reasons?”

“I just said I can’t share them.”

“What reasons?”

“It’s confidential. Forget about it.”

“Is it something about her and Phillip?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re not going to share that with me,” she said without question.

“Yes.”

“Just as I thought…” she uttered. “Yes, Cass likes the stars. Phillip even got the IAU to name her one.”

“You like them too?”

“What? The stars? No,” she shook her head. “But Jess did.”

“Your twin?”

“Yes, she said once that if she dies, she wants to be one of the stars. It’s creepy, I know, talking about her with the possibility that she is actually one,” she shivered. “I just can’t imagine her being up there watching me right now. That’s creepy. So, no, I don’t really like stars.”

Henry took a deep breath, held it for a long while and then let it out.

“What?” she asked with a huff.

“You’re trying to convince me you’re not Cassandra when in fact—aside from your bratty behavior— the two of you are so much alike.”

“Of course I’m not like her,” she lied.

“And why is that?”

“She is strong,”

“You’re strong. Too much for my opinion even,” he argued.

“She is strong in some ways,” she snapped.

“In what ways?”

“I don’t…I don’t want to talk about it, really.”

“In what ways?” he repeated.

Just to get it over with, she answered, “She’s strong because she got the courage to fight for Phillip and when she thought it didn’t work, she was even stronger by deciding to leave him.”

Henry regretted prodding her for an answer. He knew what she meant by that answer. And he had no consoling words to tell her at the moment. “And you’re not that strong? You have been after Phillip for years and you were strong enough to give up. That’s pretty much strong for me.”

Angelica scoffed. “Do you really think I was head over heels over Philip? He was someone I couldn’t get my hands on and I like challenges. He was a challenge and when the game was over when Cass came in the picture, I was happy enough to step back. I even considered you as my next motive, you know, before you even came to me and announced you’re my guardian.”

Henry chuckled, saying, “Like you would have succeeded.”

“Somehow, I did, didn’t I?” she asked with a glint in her eyes.

“Somehow, in some matters, yes,” he agreed.

Angelica laughed. “I still can’t believe I’m like doing this, you know. I never pictured my life to be in danger with kidnapping, guns and everything.”

“And poison,” he added.

“And poison,” she nodded with a smile. “You think this is going to be over soon?”

Henry wasn’t sure what she was asking about at all. Was she asking about the matter about catching the killer? Or was she asking about them? “Yes,” he answered anyway.

“If we find out who the killer is, what happens then for you? Aren’t you going to use me to get into the organization? After all, I own part of the firm.”

“No,” he answered quickly. He would never use her or put her in any danger if he could help it. “If we catch the killer, I think the firm has to close down—that is if the killer is one of the partners.”

“But what about the organization? You’ve been working with my father to get into the firm and then into the organization, right?”

“Yes, but consider the killings. Patrick and Kevin are dead. Stewart almost got poisoned.”

“And?”

“What I’m saying is that the organization is not that stupid. The moment they realize the partners are going to be sent to prison, they will step back, find another firm, and disappear once again.”

“So you’re saying that if we catch whoever is after me, you will have to start from scratch to get in the organization?”

“That’s not certain yet. Whatever we can get from the firm can be used as proof against the organization. There might be some names that we can dig up as well. That’s why my superior is still letting me handle this case. There might just be a chance that we can get something from the firm without making actual contact with the organization. I will just have to be careful that none of the partners suspect me as the one Patrick was working with.”

“You said the killer might know that my father was working with someone, right?”

“Yes,”

“And that’s the reason why they are after me.”

“Because you might just share your father’s sentiments about having a change of heart, yes, that’s the best guess we got so far,” he nodded once again.

“This thing, this stuff people do for money and power is just killing me,” she said with frustration. “And the secrets, I don’t like secrets.”

And I bet you won’t like mine, he thought silently. Once again, he was reminded of the reason why he couldn’t be with her. He shoved that thought for a while. He’d deal with it when the time came.

“I don’t really want to talk about this right now,” she sat up and looked up at the sky. “I just want to relax.”

“Sounds like a plan,” he agreed.

They spent the next few hours talking about everything else that had nothing to do with killing and tomorrow. They talked about what they liked best during each season and what they hated during airplane rides. They talked about how they would plan a perfect murder—just for fun, of course—and how they would cover their tracks. Henry of course, had the best plan, but Angelica had the safest one.

They also talked about how they would survive in the mountains for months and this time, Henry had the edge. She listened while he talked about his days in the mountains without food as training. And she shared about that one time she went to Africa for a medical mission and got lost in the dessert with some of her colleagues.

Then they talked more about their lives during their childhood, leaving the parts that were painful, and laughed a lot about their freaky accidents.

And when it was time to go back to the apartment, they fell into each other’s arms, lost in a dream they both wanted and longed for, but couldn’t and would never get together. A night of passion from time to time was what they were willing to accept for now and they were both glad to have it. Everything else would come later. Maybe it would be hurtful, yes, but at least they took what they could.

  *****

The next day, they did not waste time. They followed Garrett’s movements everywhere.

They had followed Garrett into the firm where he went with Pamela and they had been waiting outside ever since. Aside from Pamela’s obvious distraught look when they entered the firm earlier, nothing else was new. Garrett was still shadowing and hovering over his wife like a mad man.

It had been hours since the couple came in and it was getting boring. Angelica was about to say something about it when Henry straightened in his seat, his face alert.

“What is it?” she asked.

“He just left the building,” he answered, putting the car in gear.

Garrett was on the way to his car, his head looking from left to right and over his shoulder. When he was sure no one was around, he climbed inside and drove away. Henry trailed him without sweat.

“What is he doing here? A meeting?” Angelica asked aloud when Garrett parked his car outside a diner.

“He’s meeting someone, alright,” Henry nodded across the street.

Angelica frowned with confusion. And then she saw who Garrett planned to have a date with in a diner. “He’s meeting with Stan? What the hell is this about?”

“Well, I’m not so sure, but I think it’s not about business because a diner is no place for that,” Henry answered, taking out his binoculars.

Chapter 22

“Do they look like they’re fighting?”

“No, they’re just talking,” Henry answered.

“Give me that. You don’t know how to read faces,” she snapped and snatched the thing from his hand. “God, this is heavy,” she complained as she placed the binocular against her eyes.

Henry just rolled his eyes. She would not see anything suspicious because the two men were just like having a really nice afternoon snack.

“Hmm…that’s weird. If you we are right about Stan and John planning something together, does this mean Stan is double-crossing John? And if that’s correct, he could be my killer.”

“Or it could still be John or Garrett.”

“No, I don’t think it’s Garrett anymore,” she shook her head.

“Then who? Pamela?” he asked.

“No, of course not. The only thing the woman did wrong is having an affair with a young man. She’s being domestically abused because of it. She’s no killer,” Angelica reasoned. “But then, these men, Stan and John can have motives. I think its Stan.”

“Angelica, this is not a guessing game. Lives are at stake here and you can’t just guess who the killer is,” he said incredulously.

“I just shared my opinion,” she replied and leaned back against her seat. “This is really boring,” she huffed.

  *****

Half an hour later, Stan stepped out of the diner, looking distraught and fearful. Hell, the old man even looked like he was about to faint. Henry and Angelica watched him grab his phone and walk to his car. A moment later, he was driving away.

The moment Stan was out of sight, Garrett stepped out of the diner, his face unreadable, his expression blank. He too, climbed in his car and they followed him as he drove back to the firm.

“What do you think they talked about? Stan looked frightened,” Angelica uttered as they waited.

“I don’t know, maybe Garrett threatened him? Garrett must have known Stan knew about Pamela’s relationship with John and might have glued the pieces together.”

“That’s possible,” Angelica sighed, “but this does not give us anything about who wants me dead, right? We are completely going in the wrong direction here. Did your friends find out anything from Mr. Scarred Face already?” she asked.

Henry shook his head. “No, they won’t talk. It seems like they are more afraid of their employee than us, so I guess it will take more time to get them to talk.”

“That’s why we’re doing this boring thing,” she rolled her eyes. “I think we should give it a rest for today. Garrett talked with Stan in secret and I think it’s time we go after Stan and John. I really think those two are up to something from what you have told me.”

Henry was frowning, but he nodded anyway. “Okay, I think we should watch Stan.”

  *****

But nothing suspicious was happening with Stan. He went for a game of golf and they wasted hours waiting for him. John never appeared. He was probably in hiding from Garrett, Angelica thought, because the man was just spineless gross. She couldn’t still get over the fact that he had the stomach to sleep with the woman who, despite her younger looks, was good enough to be his mother. That was just sick.

On the other hand, he might want something else other than really gross sex from Pamela. Maybe he was the one behind every killing. Maybe Henry was right and he killed Kevin and her dad.

“What if you’re right all along? What if John is the killer?” she asked aloud.

“What do you mean?”

“What if he’s the one who killed my dad and Kevin?”

“And nearly poisoned himself?”

“Well, maybe the poisoning was just a coincidence.”

“Let’s just keep an open eye here,” he sighed.

“Yeah, right,” she said sarcastically. He always thought he was right. Well, she had been right two times already, right? She was a psychic or so she was starting to believe—or wanted to believe. “So,” she cleared her throat, trying to sound normal.

“What?” he asked when she did not continue.

“You said it will be useless to penetrate inside the firm once my dad’s killer is busted, right?”

He nodded, a frown forming on his face.

“So what’s your next plan? I mean, do you get to get another assignment?” She tried real hard to make it sound casual. She even pretended to be studying her nails.

“Yeah, I guess so,” he answered, his eyes avoiding hers. “But I’m not sure. We always get different assignments.”

“So you’ll be leaving the state?”

“That depends on my next mission,” he answered, his tone blank.

“I see…” she said, nodding her head. “So we will not see you again?”

Henry finally looked at her with a frown, “Why all this questions, Angelica?”

“Nothing…”

“We already spoke about what will happen once this is all over, right?”

She nodded her head slowly. “Yeah, but I was just thinking that…”

“You don’t really want to be with me,” he interjected.

“What makes you so sure?”

“Because I have a lot of skeletons in my closet,” he almost snapped. “Look, if you want, I’ll tell you all about it but not now, okay?”

“And if your skeletons don’t make me back down?”

He looked away and said, “They will, Angelica. They will…”

Okay, she was really dying to know what those skeletons were. “Is there any possibility that these skeletons have something to do with me?”

He did not answer and she thought that was answer enough.

“What did you do that can possibly hurt me?” she asked the obvious.

“The question is, what did I do that can make you hate me?” he looked at her straight in the eyes as he said so.

Angelica closed her mouth. What did Henry do?

“Let’s not talk about this right now,” his tone told her she better lock her mouth shut. She did with her mind racing to every freaking possibility of the things he was supposed to have done that could make her hate him.

She couldn’t think of one.

  *****

“Okay, we should go back and stake outside the Baldwins,” Henry announced an hour later just when Angelica started yawning. “I told you to stay home,” he shook his head.

“I say we should go to John’s,” she stated.

“No, I got the feeling Garrett’s our guy,” he contradicted, driving away.

“This killing suspense stuff is killing me,” she said a while later. “I never thought it would be this boring, you know. The movies always make it look like the most thrilling thing.”

“I should say get used to it, but that’s only for agents like me. So I’m going to say, hang in there,” he said quietly.

The Baldwins’ house seemed quiet. Like Stan’s house, it was surrounded by a high wall, intended to keep everyone out. A light was on in the living room and they could see Pamela sipping wine, looking out the window. It was already dark and nothing suspicious seemed to be going on.

That was only until Garrett appeared in the picture, behind Pamela, saying something. Their faces were not clear because of the window, but Henry was quite sure something was about to happen that was not good.

Pamela’s form was still facing the window and out of a sudden, Garrett held her shoulder and harshly turned her around.

Angelica sat bold upright. “I think he’s going to hurt her,” she rasped. “We should get in and help.”

“No, we have to wait. For all we know, they’re just having some marital issues,” he said calmly.

“Like another bone-breaking episode?”

“Yeah, like that.” Henry sighed when she gasped. He turned to her and said, “Angelica, we can’t just come and barge in there because they’re shouting and—” he stopped when a very familiar sound rang out.

“I bet my whole life that’s a gunshot,” Angelica said, her voice shaking.

“Stay here,” he ordered and jumped out of the car. Pamela and Garrett were nowhere in sight from the window. He ran all the way to the gate and climbed up. It was easier than the wall.

Taking hold of his gun, he strode to the door and kicked it with a force, no intention of knocking. The room was dimly lit. His trained eyes searched every corner as he went to a tall pillar that would hide him from view.

No sound could be heard. Henry swiftly moved with his gun pointed forward, pointing at every corner as he made his way to the kitchen.

“Garrett?” he called out. At times like this when you knew your possible attacker could be nowhere in sight, it would be wise to get him to talk. “Come on, Garrett, we know it’s you,” he said calmly, his eyes sweeping every shadow.

He heard a whimper, just behind the door to the left. Slowly, he leaned against the door frame and tried once again, “Garrett,” he called out and when no answer came, he busted the door with one kick. “Garrett, don’t move or I’ll shoot,” he cried out when he saw the man.

“My baby…my baby…” Garrett looked up, his eyes shadowed and full of tears. He was kneeling on the floor, his hands full of blood.

Henry looked down at the one who was shedding blood and his eyes widened.

  *****

Henry was taking so long and she was getting worried and of course she just couldn’t stay in the car. She had to know what was happening. She was thinking of an excuse she would give Henry later on like why she followed him inside and didn’t stay in the car as he ordered.

Tell him you were afraid Garrett might come out and see you in the car, her very intelligent reasoning suggested. She took note of that as she crouched on the floor just beside the main door.

“Garrett,” she heard Henry’s voice say somewhere from her right. Slowly, she followed his voice.

“Garrett, don’t move or I’ll shoot,” she heard and without thinking, she straightened on her feet and ran toward the direction of Henry’s voice.

A door was open and she was sure Henry was inside. Fear of Henry probably hurt and Pamela probably dead hit her as she slowly walked to the door.

“Garrett?” Henry was saying as Angelica came in the room.

Her eyes were round with fear and excitement when they finally adjusted to the dim light. Henry was just a meter away from her, his gun pointed at Garrett who was kneeling on the floor with his hands in front of him, covered with blood.

Her eyes darted downward and she saw the lifeless form. “My baby…my baby…” Garrett cried out, whimpering.

“Oh my God, what happened?” she rasped out, not so sure if she should believe what she was seeing.

Hearing her voice, Henry turned his head and glared at her. “I told you to stay in the car.”

She was just about to open her mouth to utter the speech she memorized earlier when a voice spoke behind her. “Yes, Angelica, you should have stayed in the car.”

Chapter 23

Angelica froze, her eyes widened in surprise. She knew that voice very well and she didn’t have to turn around to know.

“Move,” the voice ordered and she felt a gun prod her forward. “You’ve been naughty, Angelica, dear,” the voice rasped too near her ear. Angelica flinched and the hairs around her nape stood up. Her eyes searched Henry’s and he looked as shock as she was.

“Pamela,” she stuttered, “what are you doing?” Yes, that was a stupid question. The woman was freaking trying to kill them with a gun in her hand and she asked what she was doing? Call that a spur of mindless blabber.

“Move,” the woman pushed harder. Angelica flew to Henry who was standing near Garrett. She looked at the man, and God, he looked really crazy crying over a dog drenched in blood.

“You killed my baby…” he moaned, looking at Pamela’s shadowed face, his eyes full of tears. “You killed my baby…”

“Shut up, Garrett! How many times do I have to tell you not to be weak?” Pamela shot him a furious, crazy look. God, the two of them were crazy! And then Pamela smiled in a very wicked way that it made Angelica’s hairs stand up all over again, causing a shiver over her spine. “We have guests, Garrett, you better hold yourself together.”

Angelica stifled a whimper as she clutched Henry’s arm with dear life. His free hand went to cover hers, trying to soothe, to calm. But there was no freaking way she could calm down! She could handle Mr. Scarred Face and his stupid men, but she couldn’t handle a crazy lady with a gun!

“Now, why are you two here in my house?” she asked, bending her head to one side with a feigned curious look.

“You killed my father,” Angelica said matter-of-factly, her voice shaking. Henry’s hand squeezed hers, probably trying to tell her to shut up. But she couldn’t. She was so damned frightened to just zip it.

Pamela sighed with exaggeration, “I couldn’t help it, my dear. He was planning to sell us all out and I can’t have that.” Her eyes went to Henry and then she added, “Drop that gun, Mr. Bell, or I will kill this pretty lady here,” she pointed her gun at Angelica.

“Don’t,” Angelica whispered at Henry.

But he did. He slowly bent down to the floor and placed the gun without a sound.

“Garrett, stop whining, you fool!” Pamela shouted at her husband. “You’re always making things difficult, you moron. Stand up and tie them up!”

Garrett whimpered, stood up, his face full of tears, his hands full of blood. He looked at Angelica and Henry. His face was completely different from what she was used to. He looked frail and weak, not the brooding, mean bastard she thought he was.

“Garrett,” Pamela called out stonily. “Get a rope and tie them up!”

Her husband flinched at her voice and slowly turned toward the door.

“I’m sorry for that. He’s kind of slow,” Pamela rolled her eyes, the gun still pointed toward Angelica. “Now, why don’t you sit down?” she motioned to the bed.

Henry took Angelica’s hand and pulled her down the bed with him.

“I want to see your hands in front of you. No tricks, Bell, I know who you are now,” the woman said proudly. “What? You don’t think I’m that stupid, do you?” she chuckled and sighed. “Oh, well, you should have stayed in the shadows like you did when Patrick was still alive. I didn’t know you were the spy, really. Good thing I stopped Patrick before you got too deep.” She walked toward the dog and crunched her face. “Poor thing’s dead. Garrett shouldn’t have provoked me.”

“Why did you kill Kevin?” Angelica asked, demanding.

“Same thing why I killed your dad, of course,” Pamela answered nonchalantly. “He wanted out, that old coward…” she scoffed. “Now, before I kill you both,” she looked at Henry, pointing the gun at him, “I want to know where the device is.”

“What device?” Henry asked.

“You know what I’m talking about, Henry, dear,” she smiled at him menacingly. “The saving device Patrick left before he died.”

Angelica almost forgot about that thing. “It was empty,” she answered.

“You really believe that?” Pamela snorted.

Angelica looked at Henry inquiringly. He did not meet her eyes. “It’s gone, I already forwarded it to my superior,” he answered. Angelica pulled her hand away from his. He lied to her about the device?

Pamela’s eyes glinted with anger for a short while when she heard his answer, and then she frowned, shrugged, and said, “Well then, I can’t do anything about that right now, can I? I can always deny it was from the firm, whatever it contained.”

“They were enough solid evidence to close the firm down. Patrick’s signature, including yours, your husband, and every other partner, are all over those documents.”

“You can’t close us down,” Pamela cried out, her eyes growing wide. God, she really was crazy. “The organization will make sure of that. They trust us.”

“Not when they find out you willingly gave us all those documents,” Henry countered.

“No, they trust me,” she said proudly. “They know I will do anything for them.”

That moment, Garrett came in with duct tapes. “I can’t find a rope,” he murmured.

Angelica could see it clearly now. Pamela was obviously the ego and her husband was the superego, the weak one. She wouldn’t be surprised if Garrett would do anything she told him. Pamela controlled him like a puppet.

“Then bind them now,” Pamela ordered and her husband obliged, his head bent.

Henry did not put out a fight when Garrett started wrapping him with the tape.

“You made us believe Garrett was abusing you,” Angelica uttered and she saw Garrett flinch by the mention of his name.

Pamela chuckled. “Of course I did! How else can I gain your trust? And plus, he was willing to break my wrist for once.”

Angelica tried to find a way to stop Garrett from what he was doing. If he could bind both her and Henry, it would be near impossible to get out. “Then why did you try to poison John?”

Pamela smiled. “He was getting into my nerves, that’s all.”

“I really thought Garrett did it,” Angelica stated, her mind reeling with the words she knew would get Garrett’s attention. “Especially when we found out you are sleeping with him,” she released her words loud and clear enough for Garrett to hear. And surely, as expected, he froze.

He swiftly straightened and faced his wife. “What?” he asked.

“Ooops, I shouldn’t have said that, should I?” Angelica asked Henry. He just looked at her and then his eyes darted back toward the couple.

“You were sleeping with John?” Garrett asked with disbelief, his voice much stronger now. Angelica saw him clench his fist. Good, just the distraction she needed. She could feel Henry’s hands moving behind him and when she looked, he was holding a blade. She took it from him and started cutting through the thick tape bounding him.

“Of course not,” Pamela scoffed. “She’s lying,” she pointed her gun at Angelica.

“I really think she wanted to poison John because she’s jealous he’s giving me too much attention,” Angelica added, increasing the fire that was building in Garrett’s eyes. Finally, the last inch of the tape snapped, releasing Henry. He pretended to still be bounded.

“Ange, I think you did your part. So now, shut up,” he whispered through clenched teeth.

She nodded. “But Henry, if we can’t get through this, I want you to know I forgive you for keeping the content of that device from me,” she whispered back, her eyes fixed on Garrett and Pamela.

“Just keep quiet and let me handle this from here,” he murmured.

“You said you will only have me,” Garrett was angry now and for a second, Pamela looked frightened and she stepped back.

“Don’t get angry on me again, Garrett or I will kill you,” she threatened.

“You’re a slut!” Garrett screamed and jumped at her.

Henry grabbed that chance to jump for the gun. It was too late for Pamela. Garrett already landed both of them on the floor, his hands on her neck, and Henry had already snatched the gun from her hand.

Angelica’s scream even started after it happened, that was how fast it was. The moment she shot out of bed and on her feet, Henry was already pointing the gun at Pamela and Garrett, who was still clutching the woman’s neck.

“Let her go, Garrett,” Henry ordered.

But the man was as mad as the devil himself. “I did everything you told me to do,” he roared at Pamela. His wife was choking, her face flushing red, her hands clutching her husband’s.

“Let go of her, Garrett!” Henry repeated louder. The man was not hearing him, he was overcome with rage. Angelica watched in horror as the demon that must have been sleeping inside Garrett for a long time finally woke up.

“I’m warning you, Garrett, let her go…” Henry said slowly, pointing the gun at the man.

Angelica stared wide-eyed. What was he planning to do? “Henry…” she whispered.

A shot rang off as Henry pulled the trigger. Garrett flew off Pamela, shouting in pain. His right shoulder was suddenly covered with red stain.

“Don’t move,” Henry ordered. “Angelica, call 911,” he added.

“What?” she asked, still in a daze.

“911.”

“Yes, yes,” she said in alarm, jumping toward the phone. Her hands were shaking as she dialed the numbers.

  *****

Half an hour later, she finally got to meet Henry’s superior, Grissom. He looked like he was fresh from sleep.

“What is it?” she asked when Henry finally approached her, walking away from the man.

“It’s over, the two of them will be questioned immediately,” he answered.

“What about John and Stan? There are still unanswered questions, Henry. Why did Garrett meet Stan?”

“He was asking for help,” Henry sighed. “She had been controlling him for too long and he wanted Stan’s help.”

“What happens to Stan and John?”

“They will be arrested, of course. There was enough evidence gathered from the device to put the firm down, and that includes the partners. We will try to find something from those files to lead us to the organization.”

She was once again reminded about the device and his little trick. But that was over now. She had already told him she would forgive him even though it somehow hurt her that he lied. But then again, it was his job.

A long silence lingered between them before he said, “Come on, I’ll take you home. You’ll be safe to go back now.”

For some time now, whenever either of them mentioned the word home, it usually meant his place. But now, there was something in his tone that told her he was talking about her actual home, the one she left to stay with him. She wanted to tell him she couldn’t go back yet, that she still had to talk to him.

But what would they talk about? Pamela and Garrett? Sure, he would gladly cooperate. About them? She doubted that. He had been clear since the beginning that they would have to part once it was all over.

And it was over.

She was finally safe.

Was she ready? Oh God, she didn’t think so.

Chapter 24

Dire silence enveloped them as they drove down the dark street. Angelica couldn’t bring herself to speak. She couldn’t do so knowing the words that would come out of her mouth would not be to Henry’s liking. Her breathing was getting heavy as she saw the familiar street of her neighborhood—yes, her neighborhood, not Henry’s.

God, the guy was not willing to buy them more time. He was that eager to part ways? Shit, she was feeling crappy all of a sudden. She could feel a lump in her throat. Why did it have to happen so fast? Why did he have to take her home now? Why?

She wanted to tell him there could still be enemies lurking around, but she knew there wasn’t anyone else free to harm her.

“Wow, you’re really taking me home,” she uttered, clearing her throat, fighting the lump building up inside.

She couldn’t look at him, so she just stared ahead through the windshield.

“You’ll be safe now,” he said, almost in a whisper. “But I’ve assigned a few men to watch after you for a few weeks until everyone is behind bar.”

She just nodded. One stupid drop of tear dropped down from her eyes without rolling down her cheek. She couldn’t breathe so she sniffed and with haste, she dried her eyes.

  *****

Of course he saw it and he turned to throw her a glance. He looked away and focused his eyes on the road. He couldn’t stand seeing Angelica Dalton crying.

“You know this is eventually going to happen, Angelica,” his voice was gentle but hoarse.

“Yes, you were so clear on that, I know,” she nodded, sighing.

“You’re crying.” That was just plain stupid of him to point that out.

“I know how to cry,” she snapped. “But why?”

He couldn’t process her question right now, but he got a good feeling what she was talking about. “Why what?”

“Why do you have to send me back?”

“Because it is what’s right,” he answered.

“Because you have too many skeletons? And they concern me? I think I can handle that,” she insisted, sniffing.

He wanted to keep her away because he couldn’t live with her knowing he was responsible for one of her loss. She wouldn’t forgive him.

“Did you do something wrong?” she asked, this time her voice was desperate. “Henry, I can forgive you. It couldn’t be that bad.”

Henry stepped on the brake too harshly and both of them almost fell over against the dashboard.

He took a deep breath and held it in.

“What? Just tell me why,” she didn’t dare hide her tears anymore. She looked at him boldly, making him see how he was hurting her right now.

He felt a pang in his chest.

“You can never forgive me,” he said with a touch of sureness.

“I didn’t know you before everything happened. How can you do something that would hurt me?”

He looked at her sharply, “Because it happened before you knew me.”

She squared her shoulders, “Tell me. Tell me now.”

  *****

“Is it about my father?” Angelica asked.

“No, but it was because of him,” his face looked rigid now and she had the urge to touch them, to soften every corner.

“Then tell me!” she cried out with another drop of tear.

A car passed by them and honked, but Henry did not make a move to maneuver the car to the side. Instead, he took another deep breath and closed his eyes. She waited anxiously, her heart thumping against her chest.

“I was already working with your father back then when it happened,” he started, his voice blank. She wished he would look at her but he didn’t. “I knew he was too consumed with his work and the things he was doing for me. Your mother—” he stopped and shook his head and then he continued, “your mother, I only met her once when she came by his office. She looked distressed and she smelled of cigarette. That time, I didn’t even know she was your mother.”

She nodded, a strong feeling of loss and ache enveloping her at the memory of her mother’s last days. “She used to be strong,” she whispered.

He nodded and gulped, “I know, before your sister died.”

Her tears continued to fall. God, she got a feeling this was not leading to something shallow as she had hoped for. But she waited anyway. She waited for him to tell her everything.

“It happened so fast, you know,” he snorted dryly. “Your father called me that he left some papers about the firm in your house, saying it might help with my case. He told to get it and I did.”

Angelica’s heart was slowing down in heavy thuds. One part of her brain was calculating the number of years Henry had been present in her family’s life. He had always been in the background. God, he must have been very young by then, may just fresh out of law school.

She didn’t like where this story was going at all.

“So,” he huffed, blowing out air, opened his eyes and looked up blindly, “so, I went, eager to get the evidence to hand in to my superior. The maid ushered me inside and into your father’s office. I took the files and I was just about to go out the door when I heard the maid scream.”

A frown crossed Angelica’s face. She didn’t know of anything about a maid screaming in their house before. “Was it me?”

“What?” he scoffed and shook his head. “No, you were not home. You were at school that time.”

Her heart started to race once again.  “Then what happened?”

“I dropped the files and ran upstairs. The maid was crying, running almost everywhere in panic when I reached the top. She dragged me to your parents’ room and into the bathroom.”

She didn’t dare ask what he saw. She was afraid to.

“And there, lying in the bathtub was your mother, red liquid floating about her,” he rushed on. “Her wrist was cut.” He looked at her as he said it.

Angelica shook her head. “No, my mother did not kill herself,” she said desperately. “Henry, she didn’t kill herself!”

He nodded. “She was not dead. I felt for her pulse and then in panic, I tied her wrist with my tie to give pressure. She was still in her dress when I lifted her out of the tub and ran downstairs. I carried her to my car. I didn’t even think of calling 911,” he snorted bitterly. “I guess it was the fighter in me that was in control.”

Angelica’s heart stopped, completely frozen now as she looked in his eyes. She knew what happened next. “No, you’re lying. You’re just making it all up…” she shook her head vigorously.

“Angelica, I’m not lying,” he answered and when she did not say a word and just sat there, looking at him with tearful eyes, he sighed and closed his eyes. Without a word, he placed the car in gear and started driving.

She wanted to scream at him. She wanted to tell him to stop and let her calm down for a moment—let her process everything.

It can’t be true, her mind chanted. It can’t be true, she almost cursed.

  *****

Henry wouldn’t dare say a word while driving. And when they reached her place, reached the place she had neglected for a long time when she started to live with him, he heaved his chest.

He got out of the car, his feet heavy as he circled to her side and opened the door for her. “Angelica, you’re home.”

She didn’t move. With a heavy sigh, he reached inside for her and grabbed her hand, gently pulling her out. She let him guide her across the street and to her door.

Her face was dry with tears now, her eyes shocked.

He couldn’t help himself and crushed her to him.

“Say something,” he shook her. “Say something,” he repeated.

Another ball of tear rolled from her eye as she looked up to him, “Tell me…tell me she didn’t kill herself,” she choked.

“She didn’t. I did,” he said, his voice hard. “She was dead the moment I found her and carried her to my car. She was dead because of me. I could have saved her.”

“It was an accident…” she whispered.

“I didn’t see that truck running red light. It was my fault,” he insisted. “It struck her from her side of the car. I killed her.”

“It was an accident…” she repeated, shaking her head.

With so much emotion whirling inside him, he closed his eyes and planted his lips against her forehead. He felt her flinch and he moved away in an instant. His heart was sinking. This was what he feared. She hated him now.

“I know sorry is not enough,” he gulped and looked up, placing his hands in his pockets to refrain from reaching out at her frail state. “Now you know why you can never forgive me,” he said, taking his hand out from his pocket and reached for the top of the doorway. She had once told him where she hid her keys and he opened the door for her. “Goodbye, Angelica,” he murmured when he finally managed to open the door. He said as he stared down at his feet. He couldn’t bear look at her anymore. She hated him now.

With hunched shoulders, he walked to his car and left.

  *****

Angelica couldn’t remember how she managed to blindly walk inside her house and close the door behind her. She was still lost in shock and hurt.

Why did he leave her like that?

 Why did no one care to tell her how her mother really died?

 Why did her father lie to her?

And why did Henry think he was to blame?

Was she supposed to be angry and furious at him? Was that what he feared? Well, news, news, she was not. She was not stupid.

But she was hurting. How could everyone around her be so freaking stupid and shallow as to think she couldn’t handle the truth?

And he left.

Just like that.

He left without even looking at her.

One flinch and he stepped back?

What a moron, she thought bitterly.

Her shoulders started to shake as she finally let go. Too much hurt…too much…

Her mother chose to die because her sister did? Then what of her then? She chose death over her living daughter?

Her dad chose to lie to her. To what? Protect her? Or did he think she was still his weak daughter who couldn’t handle the truth as strongly as Jessica could have?

Henry chose to freaking go away because he was stupid enough to believe that he was the one responsible for her mother’s death? Did he think of her that little that she would blame him?

Angelica whimpered with too much ache. Nobody wanted her, nobody trusted her, and nobody would even fight to have her.

Why did she have to be the one to always have to prove everything? Why did she have to be the one to chase them around?

But she was only a woman and she needed somebody. She needed someone…anyone…

She walked to her phone with the huge weight in her chest and dialed the first number she could think of. Chanty would be impossible to reach because of Willie.

“Hello?” Cassandra’s groggy voice answered from the other line.

“Cass,” she said brokenly and then she was crying, crying like a child.

“Ange?” alarm was in her friend’s voice. “Ange? Where are you? Are you okay?”

“I just need someone right now, please,” her tone was like that of a child. “Please…”

“Are you home? Where’s Henry?”

“Don’t say that bastard’s name ever again!” she shouted and then she shook once again. “I’m at home. My home.”

“Okay, I’m coming right now,” her friend said and then the line was dead.

She wanted to call Cassandra back and tell her not to come. She wanted to show her friend she was as strong as her.

You need someone right now, the voice inside her said. And so she waited.

She waited, her tears falling like the freaking endless waterfall as the faces of the people she so desperately wanted flashed in her mind.

Her sister… her mom…her dad…and Henry, that freaking bastard! He was the only one left alive and he chose to leave with his useless, unreasonable guilt.

She heard a car’s engine from outside half an hour later and she almost jumped with joy when Henry’s name crossed her mind. But she slumped right back in her couch when she heard a pair of voices from outside.

“No, babe, just go home,” Cassandra was saying irritably. “What? No, I can’t tell you. Just go home. I’ll call you later.”

“You better, Cassandra,” Philip’s voice said with warning.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” her friend answered and then she heard a knock.

She heard Philip and his car drive away and she got up. She walked to the door and when she opened it, she saw Cassandra and her eyes watered once again. Her friend was wearing a bathroom robe, but she knew she looked worse.

“Oh my God, what happened to you?” Cassandra asked, taking her in her arms.

“I just need someone,” she cried harder. “That freaking bastard…” she couldn’t finish one statement before she added, “nobody wants me…nobody wants me…”

Chapter 25

Half a month was what Angelica needed to forget. Forget the hurt anyway.

She was back on track, back to work, back to her usual activities.

But she was not the same and she knew that.

She was softer—as what others pointed out.

And she seemed lonelier as what Chanty and Cassandra pointed out. That was true. She felt like she was better off dead, roaming around everywhere like a zombie.

She tried calling Henry’s number but it was not available anymore, so never think she didn’t try.

Believe it when she said she tried. She tried every damn thing she could. Hell, she was even there when they finally closed down the firm. But Henry wasn’t. Not a shadow, not a sign. Nothing.

It was like he was gone—completely erased from the face of the earth.

She also went to his apartment but only to find that it was empty and was open for lease.

Yeah, so you wouldn’t wonder why she stopped looking. She tried and even with her wide experience of stalking, she just finally gave up trying to find the only man she knew was right for her.

Because he was so good at covering his tracks.

Because he was a freaking NSA agent.

Hell, she tried and failed a lot of times. It was finally time to get over it and accept that she had to stand on what they had agreed: NO STRINGS ATTACHED.

Blast it, damn it, bull it, but it was true. No strings attached. She must have been so stupid to think he felt something for her.

All she knew for certain was that he felt guilty over what happened to her mother. He shouldn’t be. Angelica was not a fool to think he should be responsible for something her mother wanted all along.

So, yes, she was back to her normal routine, taking care of people she didn’t really personally care about. She was trying—real hard—to let go. In the past, it was an easy thing to do every time someone she stalked didn’t suit her at all. But with Henry, it was as difficult as finding a cure for cancer. It was a slow, agonizing process. It was like getting over Jessica’s death all over again.

But she had to, didn’t she? She just had to.

  *****

Physical pain was not new to him.

But the kind of pain he felt every freaking time Angelica’s tortured face crossed his mind was not what he was used to. No painkiller could numb the pang in his chest every time he thought of the things he shared with her.

Shit, even her unnecessary blabbers were something he yearned for. Her soft silk-like red hair was something he dreamed about. The sound of her, the feel of her, the sight of her, the memories of her, were plain mental torture. He would give anything to forget her. But he knew, deep inside, that there was nothing he could do or give to replace his lovely ward.

His once lovely ward, he corrected himself.

He stayed away as planned.

Far, far away. He knew she tried to find him, but he knew as well it was only to ask more questions. And he didn’t feel like he wanted to answer any more of them. He only wanted her. But that would be impossible.

She hated him now.

He knew that for certain. She flinched when he touched her that night he told her about her mother’s death.

That was answer enough. They couldn’t be together.

Henry drunk himself with new dangerous assignments, he exhausted himself with more physical activities, but at the end of the day, when he was completely alone in his bed, he would find himself thinking about her.

How her soft laughter would ring around the eerie silence, about her reaction if she saw his fresh wounds, how she would complain about his food, and how she would ease everything else like nothing happened. Like there was always answer for everything he encountered.

He missed how her loud, stupid mouth would get him in trouble, or how her compulsive and aggressive behavior would snap his nerves. Shit, he missed every freaking thing about her.

He couldn’t get over it—over the pain.

But it was pain nonetheless. It was just different and he had to get over it fast before he had the urge to appear in front of her and ruin both their lives.

He had to heal on his own—the old way.

  *****

Of course we all knew she couldn’t just forget and move on, right? Angelica Dalton would always be Angelica Dalton. Call her whatever, but she would always be that girl who would get back on her feet and start fighting.

The time for bleeding dry and crying and moping were over. The time for longing and heartaches were history. Now, she was out to change that.

Her mother, the one who chose to leave her was dead. She could pray for her, but she couldn’t make her come back and tell her the reason why she left, could she?

Her father, the man who decided for himself that she was too frail to handle a tinge of truth was murdered. She could—again—pray for him, but he couldn’t very well just swoosh his way back to tell her every little secret he kept, right?

But Henry, the man who left her thinking he didn’t deserve her, was still alive. She couldn’t just leave everything to prayer or wishes. He was still alive somewhere, kicking asses, and he better hide because she finally decided she couldn’t keep her promise to stay away.

She actually decided on it one fateful night while she was having her rounds in the hospital.

There was this little girl who just witnessed her mother’s death. The girl was told her mother would not be coming back and that God had taken her away to a more beautiful place. What that girl didn’t know was that her mother had suffered a great deal before she died.

Angelica didn’t have the heart to tell her that her mother had experienced the most excruciating pain before death claimed her. What she told the little girl was, “Your mother was thinking of you when she left…”

She did that because deep inside, that was what she had wanted to know when she found out her mother was gone. She wanted to tell the girl not to give up, to be strong, to live, and to be happy. Deep inside, she knew as well that she was saying those very same words to herself.

Never give up. Be strong. Live. Be happy.

Those were her jumpstart and once Angelica Dalton got her jumpstart, no one—not anyone—could stop her.

  *****

“So, how have you been?” Cassandra asked, sipping her cup of coffee.

Angelica stared at her dryly. She had told her friend everything—like every freaking little thing. And in return she learned about the forced marriage her friend had with her husband. That was quite a shocker but she eventually got over it.

“I’m like a comatose patient who is able to walk and have coffee,” she said sarcastically.

“No chance of finding him then?” Cassandra raised her brows.

“No, he’s completely out of reach,” she sighed.

“What do you plan to do? You want me to ask Philip? He might know where he is.”

Actually, she had thought of that at first. “I don’t think he would tell Philip.”

“My husband has this special ability to make someone say yes. Remember, he made the freaking IAU name a star after me,” Cassandra uttered with pride.

“You think he can do that?” Angelica asked doubtfully.

Cassandra straightened in her chair and heaved her chest out with pride. “Of course he can! We’ll just have to be careful though. Henry’s a bit smart. He might sense you’re behind it.”

It was Angelica’s turn to be prideful, “Of course Henry’s smart.”

Cassandra shrugged. “Let’s see then.”

  *****

It was a week after when she finally got the chance she had been waiting for.

Cassandra met her one day with a piece of paper.

“What’s this?” she asked with a frown.

“Henry’s address,” Cassandra answered. “Well, his office address anyway. Philip was finally able to contact him and you wouldn’t want to know what my husband cooked up just to get it.”

“Are you sure it’s the right address?” she asked with so much doubt. She knew the address very well.

“Yes, Henry told him himself. Said it’s confidential and stuff,” Cassandra shrugged, sipping her frap.

“It’s the same apartment building he had months ago,” Angelica retorted with confusion. “Just a different unit…”

“Means he never left the state as what you so feared,” Cassandra pointed out.

Angelica looked at her friend with a smile. “Or he finally came back.” she sighed.

“Whatever the reason, he’s in town.”

“Thanks for this,” she said gratefully.

“It’s nothing,” Cassandra waved off. “You just better get that guy or Philip will kill me. He’s been nagging me about being too involved in this.”

She just laughed. Typical of Philip, of course.

  *****

Henry was on the way to his target. Since the firm had closed down, the NSA was back to zero on closing in on the organization. After all, Pamela and the others were still undergoing trial and it would be a long time before they could question each and every one of them properly. The files they got from Patrick were still being studied piece by piece, word by word. A team was assigned to gather as much evidence against the organization from the files recovered in the firm the day of the raid after the incident with Pamela and Garrett as well, but the firm had been careful in many ways. They were still studying every documents and it would be a long time before they could start another plan to track down the organization.

Grissom thought he had to get a mission that did not involve the said organization so he could focus more. He had to rest, his superior said.

And by rest he meant getting assignments that were less important. Henry didn’t like that, but he had to accept it. It was the only way he could forget. He would have wanted it if he was flown away to another country, but being stuck at the same state—the same city, even—with Angelica Dalton was hard enough as it was. And work, like the one he was going to now was what he needed to keep his mind off his former ward.

The party was just starting when he arrived. He found his target within seconds of scanning the room full of people holding their own glasses of champagne.

Mr. Chong, a Chinese diplomat, was responsible for smuggling some Chinese into the country. Henry had enough evidence, but he needed to know who the man was working with.

He followed with his gaze as the Chinese man talked with Mr. Simon, an American ambassador. He walked near them, carrying a glass of wine, his face neutral.

  *****

“Who are you again?” the man asked her for the second time.

“Angelica Hilton,” she lied with perfect elegance, her chin high in the air. “You don’t know me? I want to talk to your boss right now.”

The big guy looked alarmed. “Your name’s not on the list, Miss Hilton.”

“My name is too precious to be on that list, you arrogant fool,” she retorted. “Now,” she looked at him straight in the eyes and continued, “won’t you let me in or do I have to call your boss? If I do that, you better think of finding another job.”

The man looked at the chart once again and finally, dropping his shoulder, he stepped aside and let her in.

“Thank you,” she said with a smile and walked inside the building.

Hilton always works, she said to herself, smiling inwardly at her own wittiness. She had followed Henry to this place. God, she was not even dressed for a party, but she was presentable enough. She had on a simple red dress and a pair of black flats. She was just intending to have a little talk with Henry when she saw him walking out of the apartment building and into his car—and led her here.

Thanks to her powerful ability of crashing parties, she was finally able to get the chance to have him for herself.

Yeah, crazy, right? Following the man who obviously wanted nothing to do with you? Whatever, giving up was not in Angelica Dalton’s vocabulary, so forgive her for being this way.

Spotting him through the crowd of people was easy enough, but approaching him was quite a challenge. She suddenly got cold feet. She was frozen to her spot. Seeing him for the first time in a month was like seeing Gandalf or Dumbledore or Saint Peter or Goliath. It just felt like she was in the middle of a freaking warzone and she was stunned, frozen like an ice cube.

She made it sure that she was out of his sight as she tried to calm her nerves, fighting the part of her that wanted to get the hell out of the place. She grabbed a glass of champagne from the passing waiter and another one from another. She gulped down the two glasses like a parched camel. One glass for good luck and the other…well, because it was so good and it was free.

  *****

Henry was not hiding at all, he was just merely eavesdropping. The two men were not trying to be discreet with what they were talking about and he used that to his advantage.

But the strangest thing happened when he had a sudden vision of someone walking toward him and it looked like he was seeing Angelica.

He mentally shook his head and focused his attention back at the conversation going on behind him.

But the vision was getting nearer and he couldn’t take his eyes off it.

I’m going crazy, he thought.

He found out he wasn’t because at that moment, Angelica’s beautiful, lovely face was staring up at him and from her mouth, the words, “Hi, Henry,” came out.

It took quite a long time before the little pieces of his brain finally agreed and voted that what he was seeing and heard were not mere hallucinations. “What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded with a hiss.

He didn’t actually plan to say it that way, but it just naturally came out like it usually did around her.

“I came for you,” she shrugged.

“What?”

“I finally decided we need to talk.”

“No, we don’t,” he looked around them. “Look, Angelica, I don’t have time right now. I’m on a freaking mission.”

She looked startled. “You’re in a mission?”

“Just get the hell out of here,” he hissed.

“No,” she surprised him by saying. “No, not until you hear me out.”

“What? Are you going to demand that I tell you everything all over again? I was responsible for your mother’s death. That should be enough to make you go away,” he said in a low voice, looking over her head.

“What are you talking about? I’m here to tell you about the baby.”

At first, he didn’t hear that last word, but when he did, his features froze and he looked down at her. “The what?”

“The baby,” she leaned up to whisper near his ear, “I’m pregnant, Henry.”

Chapter 26

“If this is one of your tricks, it’s not funny at all, Angelica,” Henry said, a dangerous warning in his voice.

Angelica lifted her chin higher and squared her shoulders. “It’s not a trick. I’m really pregnant. But…” she sighed, looking around, feigning nonchalance, “as expected, you don’t believe me. So I really need to use my old strategy to make you accept the fact that you’re going to be a daddy.”

He peered down at her. He could very well be skinning her alive. “And how is that?”

“I’ll chase you around, of course. But only this time. I’m not doing it for a long time.” she retorted dryly.

“You should be hating me right now,” he hissed.

“If you continue to act like a stupid bastard, I might actually think that,” she looked him in the eyes. “But if you expect me to hate you because you believe you were responsible for my mother’s death, I’m sorry but that’s not going to happen. She chose to kill herself and she would have succeeded anyway if you didn’t come in time.”

He scoffed and looked around in disbelief.

“But Henry,” she uttered, turning serious. “This is actually your last time. I’m giving you one last time to do the right thing. What you did when you left me that night was just a big failing mark on my slate. So,” she backed away one step, “if you choose to be like my mother who chose self-pity and death, or my father who didn’t have that much confidence in me, you can go to hell and expect not to hear from me ever again. But if you choose to be honest with yourself, you’re very welcome to come to me and our unborn child and say that you’re sorry for being such an ass.” With that, she turned around and walked away.

Right now, she so felt like Cassandra, walking away from her Philip. But this was the best thing she could do. And now that she thought of it, it was the best speech she had ever said. Henry could do whatever he wanted. She was not forcing him to do anything, but she gave him an option. He just better be wise enough to pick the right one because she wouldn’t be chasing him around like she normal would.

  *****

Henry forgot about his mission. He was too stunned to even think.

She can’t be serious, can she?

She’s pregnant?

He didn’t know what to think anymore. Hell, he even doubted himself right now. Was it wrong for him to blame himself? What did she mean by what she said earlier? That she was okay with what happened all those years ago?

He couldn’t even decide if she was serious about being pregnant. Henry knew her too well to know that she would do anything to have what she wanted.

And that stuck him the most. She wanted him.

She didn’t say that up front but she sure threw it in his face when she gave him that option.

He fought the urge to run after her.

It was the first instinct that came to his mind.

But he was on a mission and he couldn’t fail.

But she was going away.

She was going away, lost in the crowd, and he was left standing alone looking like a statue that was out of place.

  *****

Angelica went back to the apartment with a hopeful heart. Stepping in the dark, she felt for the switch and turned on the lights. An overwhelming sense of familiarity engulfed her.

It was not easy going back here and arrange her things inside. The place held too many memories of Henry and the times she spent here. But she had to do it. Philip was reluctant at first to give out Henry’s place, but his wife threatened to leave him if he wouldn’t.

So, here she was now, living in his old apartment, knowing he lived just a floor down. She wondered at first if he had always had the apartment downstairs when they were still in the place. But that was a minute detail. The important thing was she would be near if the big phenomenal thing happened.

And that would be when Henry realized that he was in love with her. She was already jumping with excitement to find out his reaction when he would go to her old place and find that it was empty. He sure would panic, she hoped.

It was only a matter of time that he would realize she was not staying around to wait for him.

And when he would find out she was gone, she hoped that he would go to her friends and ask around. Cassandra said she wouldn’t give it easy for Henry. Chanty, well, she said she’d try to keep it a secret. Philip was the only problem. He refused to join their little game.

She was hopeful nonetheless. But if she failed and if Henry didn’t want have anything to do with her, she didn’t know if she could live here that long. She lived just a floor above him, in the place she had spent months with him. That was not easy, especially when he would be stupid enough not to go after her.

  *****

But a day passed and he still hadn’t made contact with any of her friends. She could hear his movements from time to time downstairs and it was starting to get really annoying to know he was down there not doing anything.

She knew he hated so much noise and she was playing every possible loud music she could think of. She knew he would be pissed and somehow, she was hoping he would come banging on her door and demand that she turn down the music.

She was starting to lose hope, but it had only been a day so she’d give him more time.

  *****

Henry finished his mission in three days.

And now, once again, he went home feeling like a dead man. He used the stairs and was just about to open the door when he realized he was on the wrong floor. He scoffed and laughed at himself silently, shaking his head. He looked at the door in front of him, remembering that night he found it hard to work with the keys after the kiss he shared with Angelica in the elevator. Stepping back, he reminded himself that he had left the unit a long time ago. It was not his anymore.

And before anyone could see him and mistake him for a burglar, he walked to the stairs and climbed down to his apartment, the one he had used as an office before. When he left Angelica, he decided to leave the old place knowing it would only trigger memories that he couldn’t relive.

Memories.

He could make a lot more with her. But why was he hesitating?

She gave him an option.

He would just have to take it and live happily ever after.

Angelica’s words came rushing back in his mind.

She chose to kill herself and she would have succeeded anyway if you didn’t come in time.

Was he that shallow to think she would blame him? He had believed she would hate him when she found out about it. But it didn’t happen.

You’re the only one who hates yourself, a part of him said.

It was just an excuse for you because you’re afraid of committing yourself to someone you obviously love, another part of him added.

With a deep sigh, he went to the fridge and grabbed a can of beer. He stared at it for a long time and cursed. He remembered the rooftop and Angelica.

“Damn it,” he said bitterly, throwing the can in the bin without opening it. Why did he have to be reminded of her every freaking time?

Because you’re denying her…you’re denying yourself of the possibility that you can be happy.

He knew that answer was right.

Leaning against the counter, he bent his head and closed his eyes.

I don’t think I can be a father. I haven’t even held a baby in my life… he thought silently.

But it was Angelica’s baby and it was his. Anything of Angelica would be lovely and beautiful and fun.

A loud music from upstairs roared. The new tenant had been bugging him of these noises and it was becoming a nuisance. He decided he would have to talk to the owner about it.

But that was not important for now.

Right now, he had to go.

Angelica was waiting for him. He had been dragging his stupid ass for three days and he didn’t intend to waste any more time.

  *****

He got to her house in less than ten minutes. He couldn’t waste any more time to tell her everything he wanted.

He did not even bother to park his car properly before he jumped out and ran to the door. He knocked. There was no answer.

Frowning, his heart beating fast, he looked through the window.

No one’s home.

Fear struck him so strong he could feel it everywhere.

“Ange!” he knocked again. “If you’re in there, I want to talk,” he said, hoping she was just tricking him and laughing silently inside because he was acting like a lovesick schoolboy, desperate to have a glimpse of her.

Furious now, he stepped back and reached for the key on top of the doorway. It wasn’t there. He looked around to see if anybody was around and when he didn’t find a single moving object, he reached for his knife and worked the locks. This was not his first time to do that, but it sure was the first time he did it for something other than a mission.

Finally, when the lock clicked, he turned the knob and opened the door slowly, adjusting his eyes in the dark.

“Ange?” he called. No answer. The place was dead. He found the light switch and turned it on. His eyes widened in surprise and his heart started racing in alarm. The place was empty. No sign of anything or anyone living here.

Where the hell was she?

He walked to the bedroom and his heart raced a few more heartbeat. No bed. He walked to the closet. If there was anything that would tell him if Angelica was around, it would be the closet. He knew how she loved her shoes and her clothes.

His heart stopped, finally dead with horror and panic, when he saw that her walk-in closet was empty. No glittering clothes, no shoes of different heights and colors, nothing.

There was no sign that she had been here just a day ago. Her scent was even vanishing.

Did she finally come to her senses and decided to leave?

Fear and panic was what led him to run out the house and into his car. He didn’t know where to go. He just knew that he had to find her.

He was just about to call Chanty when he decided against it. If there was anyone who helped Angelica plan something bad as leaving, it would be Cassandra.

Without any hesitation, he drove all the way to the Strindbergs’ house.

Chapter 27

“Henry!” Cassandra’s face was not at all surprised as she had feigned it to be. He knew she was expecting him, the amusement on her face was apparent.

“Cassandra,” he said as a greeting, nodding his head. “Where is she?”

Cassandra frowned at him, a smile on her lips. “Who is where?”

He fought the irritation building up inside him. “You very well know who I’m talking about.”

“Are you talking about Angelica?” she raised her eyebrows.

He just looked at her, his eyes seriously deadly and seriously pissed.

But she didn’t budge. In fact, she stepped back and opened the door wider. “Would you like to come in?” God, the woman reminded him so much of Angelica.

“No, I would like to know where the hell she is,” his voice stony.

“Well, I don’t know,” she shrugged.

“You don’t know or you won’t tell me?”

She looked up, her face pretending to think, “Uh…both?”

“Where’s Philip?”

“What’s going on here?” Philip’s voice answered from somewhere inside the house. “Henry?” his friend asked when he came in view and stood beside his wife.

“He’s looking for Angelica,” Cassandra answered, looking at her husband.

Henry knew there was something going on here by the way the couple looked at each other.

“You two know where she is,” he said matter-of-factly. “Just tell me.”

“And why are you trying to find her?” Cassandra asked in challenge, ripping her eyes away from her husband to look at him.

“That’s none of your business,” he snapped.

“Don’t talk to my wife that way,” Philip said with warning.

“I’m sorry. I’m just really stressed right now,” he bent his head and looked at Cassandra once again, “I’m sorry. Now, please, would you be so kind to tell me where she is?” he asked rather sarcastically.

Cassandra snorted.

“Babe, I think Henry’s going to wring your neck if you don’t give him what he wants,” Philip said, amusement in his voice.

“I want to know why you want to find her,” Cassandra uttered.

“She’s pregnant with my baby and she decided to run away,” he said desperately.

Philip’s face registered shock. “She’s pregnant?”

“You didn’t know?” Cassandra gaped at him. “I’ll tell you about it later.”

“Where is she?” Henry tried once again, his jaw clenching with impatience.

“You didn’t really give me the real answer I was waiting for,” Cassandra frowned.

“What were you waiting for? I want to find her. I want to be with her and my child.”

“Okay, that’s answer enough,” Philip said to his wife.

Cassandra shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“Babe, you’re waiting for the exact words? Men don’t say those words in front of other people. He wants to be with her and their child. That says he loves her,” Philip said irritably.

“Does he?” Cassandra crossed her arms over her chest and looked, one eyebrow arched in question. “Do you?”

He hesitated. This was not his forte. “Yes,” he said finally.

“Okay, she’s above you,” Cassandra answered.

“What?” Philip and Henry chorused.

She looked at them dryly. “Men,” she murmured with a sigh. “She’s living right above you, you twit.”

Henry didn’t get that for a second and when he finally did, he whirled around and ran to his car.

“Hey! Thank you for the visit! Don’t come back without Ange!” Cassandra cried after him, but he wasn’t listening. His mind was already thinking about how he would strangle his former lovely ward for playing with him.

  *****

Angelica came out of work feeling exhausted. There had been a massive accident involving a truck and a bus and most doctors were asked to help in the emergency. She was one of the few who had a free day and she gladly helped.

She did not bother to change her bloody shirt when she got out of the hospital, just put on her dark red coat to cover the blood smears. The shower room was full of her fellow clean freak doctors and she wouldn’t get a chance.

Walking inside the apartment building, she was careful. She didn’t want Henry to spot her by accident. That would be less dramatic than what she hoped for. She didn’t take the elevator by fear that he would see her and she didn’t want to share a ride with him. That would be too short a time to actually talk.

So there she was, climbing up the stairs, her feet aching from lack of rest since she had her duty last night. But she was grateful of the long hours in the hospital. She barely thought of Henry and when she did, it was only for a glimpse because people would come call her for another emergency of some sort.

But now that she was alone, her mind was full of him. She had had enough time to mope over her mother and father. They were now gone and the hurt would always be there. But Henry wasn’t. He was very much alive and the thought of him taking his time was agony. She now knew how Cassandra must have felt when she was waiting for her husband to come to his senses.

She went to her door and got inside her apartment in haste.

“Who were you hiding from?” his voice asked from inside the room. Angelica froze, facing the door.

“No one,” she answered and it was such a great thing that her voice did not shake at all. She composed herself as she shut the door and locked it. She thought of barring it. That way, if their soon-to-be conversation wouldn’t end the way she had hoped, he would find it hard to get out. But then, he could very well get out because apparently, he got in without a problem. “You’re trespassing,” she uttered, finally turning around. “In case you forgot, this is not your place anymore.”

“The hell it is,” he snapped.

She didn’t like the tone in his voice and she finally lifted her eyes to look at him. “Why are you here?” she asked. Yeah, stupid, but hey, she didn’t know what to think anymore. He could be here to tell her to stop the stupid loud music she always played at night. Or he could be here to say she should go.

“Isn’t that obvious? You’re carrying my child,” he looked at her, his face a mixture of fury and annoyance.

“The child comes with me and if you’re only here just for one us, you better leave.” She walked around him and dropped her bag on the couch. She took off her coat.

“What happened to you?” he asked, concern in his voice.

“What?”

“You have blood on your shirt, what happened to you? Are you hurt?” he asked again, walking closer.

“Are you talking about the physical pain or the one you just inflicted?” she asked sarcastically. “I’m a doctor and I will always have blood on me,” she turned around to walk to her room.

“I thought you want me here,” he said in confusion. “And now you’re acting like you don’t want to.”

“Well, for one, I expected you to go down on your knees and tell me you freaking love me!” she exclaimed. “Instead,” she turned to face him, “you only wanted to be with me because of the baby. You and your stupid guilt are the last things I want for now.”

“I’m not guilty over the baby,” he said incredulously.

“You don’t sound happy about it either.”

“What do you expect me to feel? I don’t know anything about babies. Hell, I haven’t even held one! My being here should tell you I’m willing to give it a try and that I love you,” he cried out.

“You do?”

“Do what?” he asked with a frown.

“Love me?”

He looked at her incredulously. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“And you’re not planning to sweep me off my feet by confessing how much you do?” she asked with disappointment.

“Ange, you watch too much TV,” he said dryly. He might think it was safe to approach her now and he closed the distance between them. “I love you, that’s all there is to know. You don’t want to know how much because I don’t know any measuring device to measure how much.”

Angelica gazed at him and sighed with exaggeration, “Okay, I think I’ll settle for that. You’re a man of few words after all.” She then smiled at him and cupped his face with her hands. “But first, we need to talk about these skeletons of yours.”

“No,” he uttered as his head started to bend down toward her, but she covered his mouth with her hand.

“No, listen to me. These skeletons of yours, I don’t care about them. And those that concern my parents, I accept them and you did nothing wrong for you to think that you are responsible for any of them. They chose things to be that way. You didn’t kill my mom. She did. She chose it. I accept it now and you should as well. And now, I’m going to take my hand off your mouth and I don’t want to hear another word about someone being guilty.”

She waited until he slowly nodded his head before she took her hand away from his mouth.

Henry just stood there, looking at her with awe and relief and tenderness. “I love you,” were the words that came out of his mouth.

“I know. And I love you too,” she leaned on her toes and kissed him.

After a few moments, he leaned back and looked at her. “You’re not really pregnant, are you?”

A wicked smiled crept up her lips. “I might be,” she shrugged. When she saw the look on his face, she sighed and laughed. “Okay, yes, I’m not. But admit it, you actually fell for it.”

“No, of course not, I knew it all along,” he denied.

“No, you actually thought I am pregnant,” she jumped, her arms around his neck, and he caught her in his arms.

“You should pack your things and return with me downstairs,” he murmured against her lips.

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want to hear another of your blasted music.”

Her chuckle was muffled by his lips as he claimed her mouth with his.

Epilogue

Two years later…

He felt his phone vibrating inside his jacket pocket. He ignored it as he crouched down outside the window of the old shack. It persisted.

With frustration, he took it from his jacket and punched the button. “What? I’m on a damn mission!” he hissed.

“You’re late,” Angelica’s voice boomed from the other line. Did she miss the part where he said he was on a mission? “Everyone’s here except you, sweetie, and if you don’t get your ass down here I’ll drive my way right where you are and I’ll kick the asses of those damned Russians.”

“I’ll be there in thirty minutes. Just freaking stop calling me. You’ll give me away,” he said before punching the end button.

He made his way to the door, the crickets making their noise, covering his footsteps. His phone vibrated ones again. He turned it off.

Really, having a girlfriend who didn’t care about your safety was unimaginable. And just because of that, he peered through the window and positioned his gun. He better make it quick before Angelica stood on her words and come after him.

  *****

“What took you so long?” Angelica hissed, meeting him outside the door.

“I just arrived from a damn mission,” he retorted, straightening his tie.

She looked at him dryly and stepped forward. “You look like a mess.” Her hands worked on his tie. “You should really stop these stupid missions. You’re making me jumpy every time.”

That startled him. “It does?”

“Of course it does! You’re risking your freaking life.”

Why did he find it hard to believe? “I thought it doesn’t concern you.”

“What? Are you kidding me? Why do you think I call you all the time?”

“Because I’m always late?” he guessed.

“Pathetic, sweetie. I’m calling you to check if you’re still alive,” she tipped her head up and kissed his nose. “Now, come on, the party has already started.” She took his hand and dragged him inside.

“Wait,” he pulled to stop her.

“What?” she asked, turning around.

He caught her in his arms and kissed her deeply. “Nothing, I missed you.”

She chuckled. “I know you do,” she stated. “Can we go in now?”

He nodded, locking his fingers through hers. Maybe he should consider that job offered by Grissom where it didn’t concern holding guns. It would be less exciting, but life was already full of surprises and excitement with Angelica in it.

Just like three days ago, while he was packing for the mission, she suddenly barged in looking all panicky. He almost grabbed his gun to see if anyone was after her and after making sure that the scene was safe and she was okay, he asked her what happened. She just stared at him, her eyes wide. You couldn’t possibly imagine the fear he felt. And then, just out of nowhere, after he asked her for the tenth time what happened, she blurted out, “Cass is pregnant!”

Imagine what he felt like. Yes, that was how dramatic Angelica was. “That’s what made you looking harassed?” he had asked incredulously.

“Well, I’m sorry. I was just excited,” she had blurted out as an answer.

That was why they were going to this damn party. It was like an advanced baby shower for Philip and Cass’s baby and Angelica, his perfectly lovely girlfriend, planned it.

When they stepped inside the Strindberg residence, and when he saw Angelica walking toward Cass who was protectively hugging her bulging stomach, he suddenly felt it was the perfect moment for him to propose.

But he wouldn’t do that in front of their friends. That was not him.

Tonight, maybe, when they were finally alone. He felt inside his pocket and smiled. He had been carrying the ring he bought a month ago with him for a long time, just waiting for the moment.

And tonight was that moment.

She better say yes or he’d hunt her down until she did.

“Hey, man,” Philip said behind him.

He turned around and saw his friend. “Congratulations, man,” he shook his friend’s hand.

“This is Liam Heaton from Astor Industries,” his friend said, motioning his hand to the brown-haired man standing beside him. “Zachary Astor couldn’t make it so…”

Henry reached out his hand to shake Liam’s hand and the man said, “As always, Zach is not interested, so I’m here. He decided being a star of a reality TV show is much more exciting.”

Henry chuckled. He had only met Zachary Astor about three times, and he knew that the man was not cut for a work behind the table. “That’s fine with me. So you’ll be working close with Chanty, right?” Since he had decided to stay in the city for good, he had taken in more projects for Philip and one of them was handling the legal matters of the Strindberg and Astor Industries.

Liam nodded. “She will handle the next project because this man here,” he looked at Philip, “seems not to be in the mood to leave his home.”

“Have you met Chanty yet?”

“No,” Liam shook his head. “I don’t need to.”

“Sweetheart, you should grab something to eat,” Angelica called out from the other side of the room.

He winced. “Got to go, Hitler’s calling.”

Philip and Liam chuckled.

  *****

“Go find something to eat,” Angelica told Henry when he approached.

“I thought you’re going to serve me…” he looked confused.

She looked at him dryly, “Sweetie, I’m busy,” she kissed his mouth and added, “Go fill your stomach. I’ll join you in a moment.”

He sighed and walked away.

Then, when she was sure he was out of earshot, she beamed at Cassandra and Chanty, “I think he’s proposing tonight.”

“You do?” Cass asked doubtfully.

“What made you so sure?” Chanty asked.

“Because I saw the damn ring,” she said excitedly.

“You mean you went through his stuff.”

“I was doing the laundry and…” she tried to reason but she saw the look on her friends’ faces and she sighed, “Okay, fine, I went through his stuff. He had been acting weird lately so…”

“And you’re going to say yes, right?” Cass asked.          

“Hell yes, of course.”

Chanty was chuckling when her face turned sour. “What?” Angelica asked her, turning around to see what her friend was looking at—or who rather. “Ah…Liam Heaton…” she chided.

“I can’t believe I’ll be working with him,” Chanty sighed, sipping her wine.

“He’s good looking,” Cass retorted.

“And hot…” Angelica nodded, “hey, do you know that I once tried to—”

“Ange, don’t dare bring that up,” Chanty warned.

“What? You tried to what?” Cass asked.

“Nothing, forget about that,” Chanty snapped and added, “Henry’s watching and I think he needs you.”

Angelica looked over her shoulder and sighed. “He’s not a seafood person. I have to help him with his food,” and without another word, she left her friends.

“I have a problem,” Henry uttered when she came near.

“Seafood,” she answered for him. “There’s chicken here somewhere…” she searched the table and started picking food for him. “So, what are your plans for tonight?” she tried to ask casually.

  *****

Henry wanted to curse. He knew it! He knew she knew! “You know,” he stated matter-of-factly.

A giggle escaped her lips. “Know what? That you’re proposing? Yes, of course—”

“Then will you?” he interjected.

“Will I what?”

“Marry me?” he could feel his heart hammering against his chest as he waited for her answer.

“Why don’t you ask me later—”

“You brought this up. And I can’t wait for later,” he cut in impatiently.

He could see the smile on her face as she turned to him and said, “Of course I’ll marry you, you moron.”

He grabbed her in his arms and kissed her deeply. He was not really planning the proposal this way. Hell, he even felt she was the one who proposed!

“Now, why don’t you take that ring out of your pocket and give it to me so I can flaunt it around?”

If he was not feeling too happy, he would have told her to shut up, but he couldn’t very well do that now. So, without thinking twice, he took the ring out of his pocket and slipped it through her finger. “Perfect fit,” he whispered.

“Yeah, perfect,” she said, her eyes watering.

Henry cupped her face in his hands and, “Thank you,” was all he could come up with. She had brought much in his life, more than he could have imagined. He couldn’t put each of them in words, but he knew she knew how he felt. He could see it in her eyes as she tipped her head for a kiss.

---

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