Chapter Thirteen

"You fools!" Helena exclaimed angrily. In front of her sat the three men she had entrusted to taking care of Nikolas. "What is she suspects something? How could you let him get on the phone? You're supposed to be keeping him drugged!"

"It was a mistake," one defended himself. "We let the interval between doses grow a little too much. It won't happen again."

"You're certainly right about that," Helena barked. She towered over the three. "I do not let imbeciles who mess up my plans stay on my staff. Nor do I let them leave my staff to tell the world my plans, are we clear?" Helena could see by the terrified looks of the three standing in front of her that they could read between the lines. She smiled coldly. "Fortunately for you I am a forgiving person. I believe in second chances, but not third! I don't want Nikolas conscious for ONE second until I say it is time."

****

"You don't have to go, Gia," Emily insisted as the two of them stood in the living room of Wyndemere with Lucky and Elizabeth. Gia's luggage sat by the front door, where Florence was patiently waiting for Gia.

"No, believe me, I do." Gia paused and looked at Emily. "You can have my room, it's the biggest in the place. Up the stairs and the fifth door on the left."

"Why do you feel that you have to leave?" Lucky asked. "Things haven't been that bad here."

Gia stepped closer to Emily, Lucky, and Elizabeth and lowered her voice. "I didn't tell my mom this, and please keep this to yourselves. The phone rang earlier this afternoon and when I answered I thought I heard Nikolas calling out for my help." Gia's voice cracked. "I hear it every night when I sleep. I just can't do it anymore, okay? I have to get away from here."

"We understand," Elizabeth said sympathetically. "You have to go. Do what's right for you." Elizabeth looked at Gia, unsure of what she was about to say. "Is it okay to give you a hug?"

Gia nodded and they hugged. "Lulu can still have riding lessons. In fact, she can have Sheba. Nikolas would love for his sister to have his horse. And Sheba would love it too."

"Keep in touch, okay?" Lucky requested. Gia nodded. She gave a little wave before heading out the door with her mom. The other three watched her go, feeling like they had lost another connection to Nikolas.

***

Lucky walked into Gia's former room and sighed heavily. His brother used to sleep here. He couldn't believe those days were past. Sheets were still on the bed but besides that and the furniture the room was empty. Lucky noticed a picture frame sitting on the dresser. A picture of Gia and Nikolas. One that Lucky had taken. Had Gia forgotten it or left it on purpose?

Lucky left the picture frame in its place and sat on the bed. All he had left now of his brother were pictures and memories. How unfair. Both would fade with time. Would his love for his brother fade, too?

At that moment, Lucky would have given anything to have Nikolas there beside him. Nikolas' laugh could brighten up the entire place, and Wyndemere definitely needed some brightening.

***

Ned walked into Kelly's and saw Alexis sitting at a table. "Mind if I sit down?" he asked her. She smiled and said no so he took the seat across from her. In front of her sat hundreds of papers: legal documents and bank statements. "Are you working?"

Alexis shook her head, looking troubled. "I'm trying to account for some money of Stefan's that has disappeared. I can't find it here and I fear I know where it went."

"Where do you think it went?"

Alexis looked at Ned through her glasses. Her head was still pointed down and she gave him that look she always did when looking at him that way. "Helena."

"I shouldn't have asked." Ned leaned in closer. "Why do you think Stefan gave Helena money?"

Again Alexis shook her head. "I don't think that. I think she took it. I don't think he was even aware of it before he died." Alexis took a deep breath and went back to the paperwork. Ned took her hand.

"Hey, you don't have to do this. You're burying yourself so you don't have to deal with the pain, but the pain never goes away."

"Ned, don't you see? I HAVE to do this, I have no choice. If Helena stole money from Stefan before he died then she is planning something. Maybe she was behind the accident in the first place."

"Come on, Alexis, how could she have been? There's no way even she could have planned two cars to be there at the moment when Stefan's car was coming down that road."

Alexis shrugged. "Okay, even if she didn't set up the accident, it is still working to her benefit. No one noticed the money was missing until long after Stefan would have caught it. If I don't figure out what she wants, what she's going to do with the money, then we could all regret it. I may have lost my brother and my nephew, but I still have my sister and my friends to protect. I want to get onto her plans as early as possible."

TBC