Chapter 13

Stephanie's POV

I spent the morning going through the last of the information I'd gotten from the police database, makingnotes of what would affect Alexander. They were nowhere close to finding out about any of his operations. Unless, of course, they were planting bogus information everywhere, we were in the clear. I shut down the computer I was working on since I wouldn't be coming back today. I was meeting Luci at the doctor's office, and then we were going to do some serious shopping. With everything that had been going on, we'd had very little time to set up a nursery, and with Luci's due date fast approaching, there was no time like the present.

I gathered the pages I'd printed out and made my way to the library, where Alexander would be waiting. The sound of two male voices in conversation had me pausing as I drew close to my destination. I frowned, wondering who Alexander might be talking to. I'd had a hinky feeling ever since I'd hacked into the Pentagon, and for some reason that flashed through my mind when I heard the conversation.

I was just about to knock when the door was yanked open, and I looked up to see a very pissed-off Alessandro Beretti standing in front of me.

He made a supreme effort to smile at me as he said, "Hello, Stephanie. It's nice to see you again."

I nodded. "Alessandro. Nice to see you a well. What's wrong?"

An eyebrow lifted as he looked at me for several seconds. Finally, he shrugged and a real smile crossed his face. "You're just like Luci. Nothing gets past the two of you."

I returned his smile. "And still you try to distract me so I won't question you further."

Alessandro threw back his head and laughed.

I knew better than to expect an answer. One thing you learned early on was that in dealing with the two men in front of me, they would only answer if it was something they wanted to do or something they thought I needed to know. I moved into the room and handed my report to Alexander. "As far as I can tell, you have nothing to worry about. I made note of a couple of things that seemed off-kilter. Not because the police are closing in but rather something on this end of things."

Alexander nodded. "All right. Are you off, then?"

I nodded. "Yes. I'm meeting Luci at the doctor's, and then we're going to do some shopping."

Alexander waved his hand, dismissing me. As I headed toward the door, Alessandro took out a credit card and said, "Tell Luci the sky's the limit."

I took the card and tapped his chest with it as I said, "We'll hold you to that. We haven't had a chance to do any baby shopping, and there is a ton of stuff we need."

Alessandro grinned. "Just think how much easier the shopping would be if you knew whether I was having a grandson or granddaughter."

I shook my head. "Luci wants to be surprised. Besides, the things that the baby will need for the first few weeks can be bought in neutral colors. This way, you will get to buy the baby its first real outfit after he or she is born."

Alessandro let out a low growl, but from the look on his face I knew that he was only teasing.

Gavino walked into the entryway off the library, and Alessandro's whole demeanor changed.

A cold chill raced down my spine, and I felt the hair standing up on my arms. That's one pair of shoes I wouldn't want to be wearing. Something told me Gavino's days were numbered. I headed out. Unfortunately I had to pass Gavino on my way. Even before the incident last week when he'd let Lester get to Luci, I'd always felt uncomfortable in the man's presence.

It took three tries before I finally got the engine to turn over, and then I was on my way to the doctor's office. I'd only been driving for about five minutes when I picked up a tail. This wasn't my first rodeo, so I wasn't worried. I had two choices… Well, there were actually a dozen choices, but two stood out from the pack. The first was I could try to lose the tail, which would tell them I was on to them, or I could let them follow me to the clinic and let Vinny handle it.

I was never one for letting someone else handle my problems. The light at the intersection ahead of me had just turned yellow, soI gunned the engine and shot forward through the intersection just before the light turned red. The sound of screeching tires followed by a crash had me looking in the review mirror to see the black SUV that had been following me had been T-boned by another vehicle. It didn't look like anyone was hurt, but a set of flashing lights told me that whoever my tail was, they were going to be delayed for some time.

I was feeling quite pleased with myself until nearly three miles later, another blackSUV pulled into traffic behind me. Normally I wouldn't have thought anything of it, but since a vehicle almost exactly like it had been following me just a few minutes earlier, I was a bit more cautious. It only took me a few minutes to determine I'd indeed picked up a second tail.

I picked up speed, and they stayed with me. When I slowed down, they did as well.I scanned the traffic ahead of me, looking for a way to lose them, but the best I had was the turn that would take me to the clinic. If I timed it right, I could get them turning off onto the freeway, and then they'd be stuck going to the next exit while I could make a U-turn and get back on the road I was on and take it to the next exit for the roundabout way. It would take me an additional fifteen minutes, but if I could shake the tail it would be worth it. I didn't know who was following me just yet, and if it was some crazies, I didn't want to lead them to Luci,

I turned on my turn signal and slowed down, and the vehicle behind me followed suit. I divided my attention between the traffic in front of me and the vehicle behind me. At just the last second, I did a one-eighty and floored the gas pedal. At first, I didn't think I was going to make it because the car started making strange noises, but then I shot back onto the road I'd been on and the SUV was trapped going onto the freeway with no way off for at least ten miles.

I'd been driving for about five minutes when I picked up a third tail. Something was seriously off about this. Keeping my focus on the traffic in front of me, I fished my phone out of my bag and hit speed dial for Alexander. I might not like letting other people handle my problems, but when something was beyond my abilities, I wasn't above calling in reinforcements.

I pressed the button for speaker phone as soon as the phone started ringing, and with my right hand I set the phone in the holder on the dash while I continued driving with my left.

Alexander's gravelly voice came over the phone as he said, "What's up, girlie?"

"I have a tail. This is the third one since I left your house. First one was in an accident at Fourth and Alexinton, second one took the Newbarren exit, and the third one is still on my tail. All black SUVs, two men in each."

"Where are you now?"

"I'm heading to the Chambers exit. Problem is, if they're unfriendly, I don't want to lead them to Luci."

There was a pause, and then Alexander said, "Take the exit, girlie. Let us know as soon as you're with Luci."

I disconnected the call and once more stepped on the gas. The whine from the engine didn't sound good, but I had a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach and I had the urge to get to the clinic ASAP. By the time I turned into the clinic parking lot, smoke was billowing from underneath the hood of my car. I didn't bother finding a parking place, I just parked as close as I could. Right beside three black SUVs. The feeling in the pit of my stomach got worse, and I grabbed my phone from the cradle and tossed it into my purse as I was climbing from the car. After slamming the door, I hurried toward the clinic. I'd just reached the door when there was an explosion from behind me. I turned to see my car was engulfed in flames. There was another explosion, and then all three of the black SUVs next to my car were also on fire.

I stood there stunned for a second. A hand coming to rest on my shoulder brought me out of it, and I turned to see a worried Vinny standing beside me. "Luci's not here, Steph. She's gone. I searched the whole building and nothing."

"Have you called for reinforcements?"

"As soon as Giorgio told me she never came back out front after her appointment."

I made my way to the receptionist's desk and said, "Sarah, Luci seems to be missing. Did you see her come back out front after her appointment?"

Sarah flicked her gaze to the side for a moment before looking back at me. It wasn't much, but it made me suspicious of anything she would tell me. She smiled—the kind of smile when you're trying to be brave but inside you are scared shitless—and said, "Well, yeah, she left about twenty minutes ago."

My eyes narrowed. I knew she was lying. Leaning forward, I lowered my voice so that only she would be able to hear me as I said, "Do you see that rather large man over by the door?"

Sarah swallowed hard and then nodded.

"That's Luci's driver. He'll be held responsible for anything that happens to her. He's not very happy about her disappearing. As a matter of fact, in situations like this, he has the authority to use any means necessary to get the answers he wants. Now, you wouldn't want me to tell him you know what happened to Luci…would you?"

Sarah started shaking as tears pooled in her eyes. "I swear, they said she wouldn't be hurt. The baby's father just wanted a chance to talk to her. There was a misunderstanding, and no one would let him talk to her. They promised she wouldn't be hurt."

I glared at her as I said, "Find a new job. If you're still working here the next time Luci comes in, Dr. Thomas will find out all about your part in all of this."

Sarah's mouth opened in stunned disbelief. "But you can't do that! I love this job."

"You should have thought about that before you agreed to help someone kidnap Luci. As it is, you're lucky we aren't calling the police." I looked toward where Vinny was standing to see that Giorgio had joined him and added, "Or worse."

I strode over to where the guys were and said, "I know who has her. I just need a ride there. We can call Alexander on the way."

Vinny nodded. "I'll drive. Where are we going?"

Giorgio opened the front door and held it for us.

As soon as we stepped out, the smell of burning rubber was rancid in the air. Several firetrucks as well as police cars were in the parking lot. I caught a glimpse of Joe and groaned. If he saw me, I'd be stuck answering a bunch of questions I didn't have time for right now.

Vinny laid a hand on my arm, and when I looked his way, he motioned with his head for me to go back inside.

I lost no time in following his direction.

He followed me back in and said, "Meet me in back."

I nodded, and while he went back out front, I went back into Dr. Thomas's waiting room and through to the back of the clinic. As soon as I emerged, the limo was sitting there idling, waiting for me with the back door opened.

Vinny waited only until I had the door shut before he took off. "Where to?"

I knew exactly who I needed to ask and where I needed to go. When I was investigating Lester, his information had come up as well. Looking into the rearview mirror, I caught Vinny's gaze and said, "RangeMan."

He whistled. "This could get bad in a hurry. I can't go in with you… Are you sure you want to do this?"

I nodded.

As Vinny drove, I took out my phone and called Alexander. By the time I'd apprised him of the situation, Vinny was parking in front of the RangeMan building. He got out and rounded the front of the car and then opened my door. I took the hand he offered, and once I was standing curbside, he said, "I can't stay parked here. I'll park across the street and wait for you."

I nodded. "Alessandro is on his way with more soldiers. I just hope I can get the answers I need before they get here."

Vinny grinned. "My money's on you."

I turned and made my way into the building.

There was a large male with a flaming skull tattooed on his forehead seated at the reception desk. He nodded as way of a greeting and asked, "May I help you?"

I smiled, even though I wasn't feeling like smiling at the moment, and said, "Yes. I'd like to see Ranger."

His gaze narrowed as if he sensed something was off. Still, he reached for the phone on the desk and pressed the number three. When he spoke into the phone, his Spanish was flawless as he said, "Tell the boss he has a visitor down in reception, and I don't think it's a friendly visit. Might have something to do with what Santos was planning." There was a pause, and then he replied, "I know he doesn't know about that. I have a feeling he's going to learn about it very soon, though." Once again, he paused, listening to the person on the other end, and then he said, "All right, I'm sending her up." He replaced the receiver in its cradle and said, "Take the elevator to the fifth floor. Someone will meet you there and show you the way."

I met his gaze and gave him a more genuine smile. Then I sent him a finger wave as I said, "Gracias."

The look on his face would have had me laughing if the situation wasn't as dangerous as it was. I had a feeling he was making another phone call as the last I'd seen of him as the elevator doors closed was his hurried grab for the phone.