~ Chapter 55 ~

Marlena glanced at her watch for what seemed like the tenth time in the last minute. Ever since John's departure, she'd been hoping to see Alex walk through the door, but his meeting with the APA had clearly been a lengthy one. Her mind whirled, trying to determine if that was a good sign, or a portent of something more ominous. Even though Alex was no longer treating her, she was well aware that they'd crossed the line between doctor and patient on more than one occasion.

And I should feel guilty about that, but all I can feel is gratitude that Alex is back in my life.

Restless, and needing a distraction, she refreshed the flight status page on her laptop. Noting that the information hadn't changed, she debated heading for the airport to surprise Alex, but quickly decided against it. Without knowing the outcome of his hearing, she wasn't sure if discretion was still required, but she was convinced she'd be incapable of it the instant she saw his handsome face.

Rising from her desk, she headed for the stereo, hoping that some music would prove relaxing. After making her choice and adjusting the volume, she curled up in the large easy chair that Alex often favoured. Her thoughts drifted immediately to the man she loved, and the possible results of his disciplinary hearing. What was the worst thing they could do to him? Well, that was easy – the most devastating outcome would be anything that caused them to be separated again. But, surely, that wouldn't happen. It would be too extreme a reaction on the part of the APA. They'd be far more likely to strip him of his licence or, at the very least, suspend him for a time.

She heaved a sigh. If only they'd stayed home, instead of going to the fair. Then, they wouldn't have been spied in a compromising position, and Alex wouldn't be subjected to this totally unnecessary inquisition. Ah, but she'd wanted so badly to do something fun, to start to make up for all the years they'd lost. To be a normal couple, for a change.

Who was she kidding? They weren't normal – not by a long shot. Their love was real and powerful and destined, but they'd been forced apart, and they were still unable to reveal their feelings to the world – a world that was quick to pass judgment on them, without knowing all the facts.

She suppressed a chuckle at that last thought. The irony was, even she didn't know all the facts, and it frustrated her to no end. She'd recalled so much of her past earlier in the day – everything but her missing years with Alex, which were the parts she most yearned to remember. She wracked her brain, trying to determine if there was something that might trigger those memories, just as the divorce papers had unleashed all the others. A sly smile tugged at her lips, and a blush rose to her cheeks. Well, there was something, but Alex seemed determined to avoid becoming intimate with her, in the belief that she'd be overcome with too many memories at once – memories he knew held a great deal of pain. Still, maybe she could attempt to persuade him…

A loud buzzing broke into her thoughts. Its unexpectedness startled her, and her heart leapt to her throat. Urging herself to calm down, she identified the sound as the apartment's intercom, and she rejoiced inwardly. Alex was finally home! Her growing anticipation was promptly replaced by confusion. He had his keys. She distinctly remembered handing them to him before he'd left to catch his flight. Why would he need to buzz to be let in? Her brow furrowed, as she pressed the button that would connect her to whoever was waiting.

"Hello?"

"Dr. Evans, it's Brian."

She exhaled slightly at the sound of the security guard's familiar voice.

"Yes, Brian? What is it?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, Dr. Evans, but something seems to have set off your car alarm. I've checked the area, and there's no one around, so I was wondering if you could come down and turn it off. It's making quite a racket."

His tone was apologetic – his distress at having disturbed her evident – and she couldn't help but smile. He was a true gentleman, always going above and beyond the call of duty for the building's residents. She'd felt comfortable with him from the moment they'd met and, in spite of her desire to wait by the phone in case Alex were to call, she couldn't in all good conscience leave poor Brian down in the parking garage with her alarm blaring.

"I'll be right there."

"Great. Thanks, Dr. Evans."

Grabbing her keys, she exited the penthouse. Maybe, if she was lucky, there'd be a message from Alex when she got back. Better yet, he'd be waiting for her in person. Her lips curved upwards, and she practically skipped to the elevator.

Brian glanced at the individual standing before him. He wasn't entirely comfortable with what he'd just been asked to do, and his hesitation was evident on his open, honest face. He concluded that it wouldn't hurt to voice his objections one last time.

"Are you sure about this? It doesn't seem right to me."

"You're questioning my intentions?"

"Well… no… it's just… I don't like lying to Dr. Evans. She's a nice lady, and she's always treated me with kindness."

"But you haven't lied to the nice lady, Brian. At this very moment, her car alarm could wake the dead."

"Only because you set it off somehow."

"Are you absolutely certain of that?"

Although the question was innocent enough, the tone in which it was delivered was anything but. Brian attempted to swallow the apprehension that was rising within him. Something was clearly off, but he had no way of warning Dr. Evans – not without alerting this man, who obviously had a scheme up his sleeve.

"Set your mind at ease, Brian. I mean her no harm."

"Then why are you tricking her?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I have a surprise planned for her."

"A surprise?"

"Yes, and it's one I'm sure she'll like."

"Um… okay… if you say so."

"I do. Now, make yourself scarce. Hide out in your office, and count that wad of cash I gave you."

A guilty flush crept up Brian's cheeks. He'd never accepted a bribe in his life before this, but he and his wife had just been told that their daughter needed an expensive operation, and health care wasn't one of the perks of his current job. He fingered the roll of bills that he'd stuffed in his pocket earlier. Once more, in spite of the burden it would ease, he regretted having accepted the money. As he wrestled with the urge to return it to its rightful owner, the man made a silencing motion with his hand. The elevator doors had opened, as quietly as usual. Brian swiftly retreated to his office, observing from a safe distance as the man put his plan in motion.

In another part of town, Alex ran an impatient hand through his hair as he waited for the passengers in front of him to deplane. Normally, he was perfectly content to sit back and be among the last to disembark, but tonight was different. The day had been a long one, and he was eager to get back to the woman he loved, so that he could wrap her in his arms, and confide all the details of what had happened in the past few hours. Pulling out his phone, he dialled her familiar number, groaning in disappointment at finding himself greeted by voice mail.

"Hey, beautiful. Not sure where you are, but I hope you're preparing to welcome me in a manner to which I could definitely become accustomed." He chuckled softly before continuing. "My flight has landed, so I'll be there soon. Love you."

Returning the device to his pocket, he reached into the overhead bin to retrieve his briefcase and, taking advantage of a small break in the line, he joined the exiting passengers. Once he'd made his way into the terminal, he dashed to the nearest cab stand, jumped into the first available vehicle, and provided his address to the cabbie. Settling back, he silently urged the driver to go faster. Marlena was waiting, and they had hours of separation to make up for.

In mere minutes – although it had seemed much longer – the cab turned on to Riverview Drive. With the building in sight, Alex had to remind himself to wait until the car came to a full stop before opening the door. Tossing a couple of bills the driver's way, he sprinted into the lobby and jabbed at the elevator button. Seconds later, he heaved a sigh of relief as he inserted his key into the lock of the penthouse door, and turned the knob.

"Marlena? I'm home!"

His words were met with silence, and his gut tightened as he noted the complete absence of sound. Quickly, and with a mounting sense of dread, he made his way through the apartment, calling out for his love as he went. Finding no sign of her, he searched again, this time hoping for a note to explain her absence. After coming up empty-handed, he reached blindly for his phone, attempting to stifle the terror that was welling within him. His call was answered on the first ring.

"Alex? What's wrong? You haven't used this number in ages."

The sound of Frank's lilting brogue calmed him slightly, although he was still finding it difficult to breathe.

"She's not here, Frank."

"Marlena?"

"Yes. I just got back from the airport, and the place is empty."

"Are you sure you're not over-reacting? She might simply be running an errand."

"Unlikely at this time of night. Besides, she would've left me a message, or texted me. There's no note. Nothing. It's as if she's vanished."

"Is her car in the garage?"

"I don't know. I took a cab home. I haven't checked."

"Do that now. If she went out, she may have figured she'd be back before you, which would explain the lack of a note."

"I don't think so, Frank. Something about this feels wrong."

"I trust your instincts, Alex, but I also suspect that you're letting your fear overwhelm your training. Gather all the information you can. Be thorough. Try to treat this like any other case."

"But… it's not. I can't…" Alex had to work at keeping the panic from his voice.

"Son, check things out in the parking garage. I'm on my way."

"Frank… what if…" He let his words trail off, unwilling to utter his deepest fears aloud.

"Slow down, and take a breath. I expect it's just a miscommunication, rather than the dire circumstance you're envisioning, but if not, we'll handle this together."

"Thanks, Frank. I appreciate it."

"Have faith, Alex. I'll be there shortly."

As increasingly sinister images infiltrated his mind, Alex ended the call, and raced to the building's bottommost floor.

The garage appeared deserted, and Marlena approached her car with caution. Despite Brian's having found no visible cause for the alarm's activation, she saw no reason to abandon common sense. The clamour was deafening, and she fought the impulse to cover her ears.

He was certainly right about the noise. All this concrete really amplifies it.

As she closed the distance between herself and her vehicle, the sound of an object hitting the ground nearby made her pause, and she glanced down to see if she'd dropped something. Momentarily distracted, she failed to notice the man sneaking up behind her. In an instant, a cloth covered her nose and mouth, and a powerful chemical caused her world to go black.