“Daddy! Pease, you tum home. Pease.” The child’s sobs ate away at his resolve but he held himself still. No way he’d put the people he loved in any more danger. He was enough of a man to do that.
Scott finally got the last strap fastened and Jack called out, “I love you, Jonathan.”
“Luh you, daddy. Tum home, pease!”
The door closed and Scott backed away as Callie slid into the passenger seat. Jonathan’s hand pressed to the window and his voice reached above the sound of the motor.
“Pease, daddy!”
Heather put the car in gear and backed out of the driveway. Callie’s tears tore though him and he stumbled into the side of the chalet. The sound of Jonathan’s cries echoed in his mind then slowly subsided as they drove away.
He clutched his chest, the pain excruciating. Looking down, he expected to see a hole where his heart had been ripped out. There wasn’t even any blood. How could something this agonizing not have any visual symptoms?
Scott clamped his hand on Jack’s shoulder not saying a word. The support was nice but it wouldn’t help ease the pain he was in at the moment.
He straightened and walked into the house. There was a six-pack in the refrigerator and he didn’t plan to share it.
* * * *
“Callina, you look lovely this evening,” Victor greeted her as she entered the massive drawing room of his New Jersey mansion. “I’m so happy you decided to come tonight. Who’s watching my grandson while you’re here?”
“Thank you, Victor,” Callie responded, kissing the air near his cheek. “Heather has him. She’s staying overnight in case I get back too late.”
“I do hope you’ll stay until the stroke of midnight to usher in the New Year. My chauffeur can bring you home anytime. Even tomorrow. You know I have plenty of room here for you. Please don’t feel you need to rush.”
Victor took two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and handed one to her. Sipping a tiny amount, she smiled. She had no plans to drink at all tonight but Victor would expect her to. “I appreciate that, but Jonathan will be upset if I’m not there when he wakes up. I’ll stay as late as I can.”
He swung his arm out to indicate the throngs of people already imbibing and socializing in the large house. “Please enjoy yourself, my dear. As host, I need to make sure everyone is taken care of.”
“Of course, Victor, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”
Smiling, he walked away so she pretended to take another sip then scanned the room. A few faces looked familiar though she didn’t actually know any of the guests present. People Victor did business with? How many of them were in his pocket, doing favors for him for a price? Or maybe they owed him because he’d done something for them. Something illegal.
Moving through the room, her midnight blue gown swirled around her legs. The top had thin straps and a moderate neckline but the back plunged dangerously low. It hadn’t been her first choice but she’d gone shopping with Heather and her sister, Charlotte, and they’d both insisted once they saw her in it. She tugged on the straps, not wanting to show too much. Not for this crowd anyway. If Jack had been here, she wouldn’t have minded.
Jack. It had been a week since they’d left him, forlorn and miserable. She’d texted as soon as she got back to Connecticut to let him know Jonathan was all right and they’d made it back safely. Their son had fallen asleep shortly after they’d gotten on the road. He’d been subdued once they’d gotten home but she’d been able to keep him busy putting all his Christmas presents away and playing with a few. Several times a day he still asked for his daddy but it wasn’t anywhere near the breakdown he’d had when they left.
She’d tried to ascertain how Jack was feeling. His typical response of, “I’m fine,” was hollow and his texts were short and to the point, like old times. The thought of going back to the way it had been before this vacation made her crazy. It was one of the reasons she was here tonight. Cutting Jack out of their lives wasn’t an option anymore. They both needed him far too much.
Strolling through the room, she rubbed elbows with the rich and wealthy who consorted with Victor. How many of them were crooks and murderers? She shivered thinking some of these people walked far on the wrong side of the law.
“Lovely, as usual, Ms. Lansing,” a voice came from behind her. She knew who it was before she turned.
Pasting on a fake smile, the one she’d be using for most of the night, she returned the greeting. “Mr. Pascucci. You’re looking dapper yourself.”
The man smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Where’s the young heir tonight? Grandpa didn’t want to show him off in front of the guests?”
Why this man had such a dislike of Jonathan, she didn’t know. Oh, he hid it well but a mother could always tell. As far as she knew, her son had never done anything to him. “This isn’t the place for a two-year-old. He’s home with a friend.”
“Excellent. Well, I hope you enjoy yourself. Let me know if you need anything. I’d be more than happy to get it for you.”
“Thank you.” She watched him leave and mingle with other guests. Shivering again, she wished he didn’t always leave her with a feeling of revulsion. He was Victor’s right-hand man and maybe the fact he probably did most of Victor’s dirty work simply creeped her out.
Making the rounds throughout the night, she listened in on people’s conversations when she could get away with it, joining in when she couldn’t. Nothing blatant had come up but some of the overheard conversations were more than a little interesting.
Many of the people were big businessmen and their wives but she met a fair number of lawyers and bankers. She tried to remember everyone’s names but at one point knew she wouldn’t be able to. Heading to the ladies’ room, she pulled out her phone and entered the names into her memo folder.
Checking her hair, she fixed some of the ringlets that had escaped from the updo Heather had done for her, then left. As she walked past Victor’s office, she paused, an idea in her head. Could she sneak in and look around? No one was in the hall right now and it was still an hour until midnight. The champagne continued to flow freely and most people were happy to imbibe. Who would be looking for her? Victor was busy with his associates and everyone else had more important people to talk to. She was merely the mother of Victor’s heir. If only they knew.
One last look around and she twisted the handle. Unlocked. There was a small lamp on by the desk so she moved closer. Victor’s computer sat right there taunting her. Could she risk turning it on and digging into his files? Maybe not tonight or maybe she could. Everyone else was busy.
She made sure the door was closed tightly behind her then slipped quietly across the room. Three steps in, she sensed a presence behind her. Before she could turn, someone grabbed her from behind and slapped a hand across her mouth.
