Chapter 14

The sound of the phone ringing on the small table beside her bed woke Carly up. Blinking, she stretched out a hand to answer it. 'Hello?'

'Good morning Dr Manning.' came the voice of the receptionist. 'My apologies for the disturbance but you have a phone call from a Ms Adrienne Kiriakis, she says it's very urgent.' Carly sat up. 'Put her on.' Adrienne must have found out from Harrow she was in Chicago when she couldn't get hold of her at the house. But what was the urgency?

'Carly, thank God! I'm so sorry to tell you this, but something terrible has happened. It's Nicky... he was shot last night, just outside the Salem Inn.'

Carly couldn't believe what she was hearing. 'My God...' she whispered, gripping the receiver. 'Is he alright?'

'He got through surgery but he hasn't regained consciousness yet.' Adrienne paused then continued quietly, 'he was shot several times, once in the head.'

Carly felt like she was going to be sick.

'Carly? Carly... are you still there?'

'I'm... I'm here, Adrienne.' Carly gulped, forcing herself not to break down.

'I had no idea he was even in Salem until Melanie called me. So far, the police think... hold on, Rafe wants to talk to you.'

'Hi Carly.'

'Rafe, do you have any idea who did this?' Carly demanded.

'So far, no. We've got no witnesses and it looks like it may have been a robbery gone wrong. But it also looks like the shooter didn't have enough time to take much. Your son's wallet still got a lot of cash in it besides some credit cards, but his watch was missing from his wrist, Melanie swore he had on a gold Rolex.'

'Wait, how the hell would Melanie know that?'

'From what she told us, Nicholas arrived town a few days ago to look for you and found her instead. Will you be coming over?'

'Uh yes... I will, on the first available flight. But... please don't tell anyone I'm coming. Just... don't say anything about me, okay?'

'Whatever you want, Carly. See you soon. And I'm really sorry about all this.'

'Thank you, Rafe. See you soon.'

Rafe gave the phone back to Adrienne and they spoke briefly before saying goodbye. Carly's hand shook as she replaced the receiver, fear for her son gripping her, along with confusion. Nicky came looking for her in Salem...why? The last phone conversation between them ended with him disowning her for good. What did he want from her, a reconciliation or pass more recriminations over Lawrence's death? Either way, he was lying in the hospital seriously injured, she couldn't go back to Dededo without seeing him or find out who shot him. Somehow, she managed to get dressed and amble to Marcus' room across the hall.

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At Salem University hospital, Nicholas Alamain was hooked to monitors, breathing hollowly through a respirator. One bullet had nicked a kidney, another almost penetrated his skull while another had come dangerously close to his spine. Daniel and another surgeon had done all they could to save him, as he also lost a lot of blood. 'Your brother's a fighter,' He assured Melanie who had hardly left his side. 'You've got to stay positive, honey.'

Colin, Brady and Maggie did their best to console her but it was in Bo's arms Melanie broke down, still in shock over Nicky's shooting. She hadn't known her brother long but he was the only other blood relative she'd come in contact with since Carly's long absence.

'I still don't understand... why would a mugger just shoot him again and again like that?' she asked tearfully.

That's exactly what I want to know, Bo thought grimly. Pushing back his resentment towards Nicholas Alamain, he was reminded that this was Carly's son, the little boy Vivian kept from her out of sheer spite and hatred for years. The same little boy who reached out to him during the dark time they thought they lost the woman they both loved. The little boy, now a man, who came all the way to Salem to make peace with his mother.

His mother.

Celeste foretold Carly's return but never said one of her older children would be the reason for her return to Salem in the first place. Only Nicky's Rolex was taken, according to Melanie who went through his things while he was being operated on. The mugger apparently had no time to steal his other valuables, the thick wad of cash in his wallet, his Samsung cell or the silver signet ring he was still wearing on the finger of his right hand when he was found.

An evil person... who hurt her before. He's filled with hate for her. He wants to hurt her again.

Was Nicky's shooting really a mugging gone wrong?

At the mention of his name, he let go of Melanie and walked up to Caroline who clutched his arm.

'How's Nicky?' she asked in a hushed voice. 'I heard about it in the news.'

'He made it through surgery but Daniel said he's fallen into a coma. It would be a while before he wakes up.'

'Oh... poor boy. I had no idea he was in town. Did he come to find Carly?'

'Yeah, he did, he came over to the house with Melanie.' Bo replied quietly. 'Adrienne or Rafe's probably told her by now.'

Caroline's worried face lifted a little. 'Oh. Do you think... she'll come?'

'Nicky's got a lot to answer for where Carly's concerned, but she won't turn her back on him. He's her son for god sake.'

'Are things really that bad between them?'

Bo turned away, bitterly reminded just how his own mother and the majority of Salem didn't give a damn to find out about Carly's unhappy marriage, instead labelling her the troublemaking 'other woman' who murdered her husband after cheating on him. Lawrence's abuse and Nicky's abandonment was nonexistent to all of them. He knew... but ended up failing her.

'Bo...' Caroline prodded.

'I'd rather not talk about it with you right now, Mum.' He said, a tad harshly. 'Excuse me, I need to make a call.'

He badly needed to talk to Roman.

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Hope marched into Roman's office. 'Why didn't you let me work the Alamain case?' she demanded.

'Because I already assigned Rafe and Alejandra,' Roman replied calmly.

'Why them?'

'They are more than competent detectives.'

'We both know the real reason here. After all my years in the force, my objectivity is being questioned and I find that unfair. The fact the victim is her son doesn't mean I'm incapable of doing my job.'

'You couldn't mention Carly by name just now and you stand there accusing me of questioning your objectivity?'

Hope cursed silently, mortified by her blunder. 'Listen, It's not what you think...'

'No Hope, you listen. One, I'm the Commissioner, I'm not exactly ecstatic when my command decisions suddenly get questioned. Two, Carly's probably on her way down here as we speak, and the last thing we all want is having her deal with you investigating her son's shooting.'

'I'm not responsible for what happened to Carly.' Hope said hotly, defending herself for the umpteenth time. 'And I can't believe you're still siding with Frankie and Rafe on this; you of all people, Roman.'

'I 'm not siding with anyone. But Carly left Salem, mad at all of us and with good reason. Having you as the investigating officer in this case will just be a slap in the face to her. I'm standing by my decision and that's the end of it.'

'And Bo knows about this?'

'He knows and agrees with me.'

'Of course he does.' Hope said resentfully, 'of course he does. Put the wife in a corner over a groundless accusation. Thanks a lot, Roman. Maybe I should simply disappear altogether, until Lady Alamain decides to blame somebody else.' She left the office, slamming the door hard behind her.

Bo came in several minutes later. 'What's up?' Roman asked, thinking Hope had vented her fury on him as well, from the grim look on Bo's face.

'Something's really bothering me about Nicky's shooting. And there's something you've got to know.'

Roman listened as his brother told him about Celeste's prediction and the nagging feeling he felt.

' Something's really wrong here, Ro. Not just what Carly's walking into, but the reason she's coming back. It sort of seems staged, like somebody giving Carly a reason to come to Salem.'

'Carly couldn't stay mad at Melanie forever either, Bo. True the girl gave her a rough time but she was bound to come back to see her some time. Who would want to trick Carly into coming back here?'

'The same son of a bitch who almost beat her to death, that who.' Bo replied, his hands balled into fists, vividly remembering Carly's banged up swollen face and arm in a cast.

'That's pretty far-fetched, Bo. The same attacker? If it's true, why Nicky and not Melanie? He could've hurt her in some away to bring Carly back way before now.'

'I've been taking care of Mel since Carly left, remember? He probably knows that.'

'But what would be his motive to hurt Carly again?'

'He almost killed her five years ago, Roman. He obviously wants to finish what he started.' Bo paced the room, agitated. 'What the hell can I tell Mel, that her mother's walking into a trap, and maybe the same attacker was the one who shot her brother just to get Carly back here?'

' Little brother, I think you really need to calm down here.'

'I should've told Melanie the rest of Celeste's prediction. If anything happens to Carly again, I don't know what I'll do. And Nicky's lying in the hospital right now because I didn't say anything.'

'Stop it!' Roman said, sternly. 'I'm not about to listen to you pile more blame on yourself like this, enough already. And you're getting way ahead of yourself.'

'I just know the same bastard who beat her up shot Nicky, I just know it is.'

'It could still be a damned coincidence!' Roman insisted. 'Celeste told you she was coming back, but not why. Just Nicky's watch got swiped, so it's still possible we're dealing with a crazed mugger whose brain was so fried he was more focused on shooting his target than robbing him. That's what Rafe and Alejandra are going to find out. As for Carly, we can arrange for protection if you want.'

'I'll handle that myself, thanks.' Bo replied, not pleased his brother refused to believe him. He knew he was right, and whoever was behind all this will pay dearly. In the meantime, he needed to talk to Celeste again as soon as he's able to.

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A few hours later...

Adrienne held Carly in a tight hug. 'I didn't know you'll be coming too.' She said, hugging Marcus as well, receiving a kiss on the cheek from him.

'No way I was going to let Carly come alone,' Marcus said firmly. Once Carly gave him the bad news about Nicky, he'd insisted on flying to Salem with her. Carly had called Frankie before they set off for the airport. More than relieved she wasn't going back to 'that cursed town' solo, her brother told her to keep him posted on Nicky's condition.

Adrienne couldn't help but notice the way Marcus had his arm around Carly's shoulders and definitely not in a brotherly, platonic way. Interesting, she thought. Carly didn't seem to notice, her face looked strained from worry.

'I'm really sorry about Nicky, especially with the longtime situation between you two.'

'He belonged to Lawrence and Vivian more but he's still my son, regardless.' Carly replied quietly. 'Do you mind us going to the hospital right now?'

'Of course not, sure.'

Marcus took hold of their cases, while Adrienne took Carly's arm, leading them out of the terminal to her car outside. All through the drive, Carly said nothing, staring numbly at the town she once loved.

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Bo watched impatiently as Celeste went through her tarot cards, unable to read anything further from Carly's scarf other than what she told him. Nicky's signet ring told her nothing because she sensed the owner's disbelief in psychics.

'Well?'

Celeste shook her head regretfully. 'I can't tell just yet, honey. You're going to have to be patient.'

'I can't afford to wait, I need to know if I'm right about this. And I feel sure I am... I can't let this bastard come anywhere near Carly again.

'I'll do my best, I promise.' Celeste assured him. 'In the meantime, you keep an eye on her as best as you can.' She suddenly glanced at Carly's scarf and picked it up again, closing her eyes. 'And your work's already begun.' She opened them. 'She's here.'