Chapter Twenty
Nancy whirled around on Dr. Morris, her eyes red with fury and intensity. "Why didn't you stop him?" she screamed, pushing him back. Her anger soon turned to anguish as tears fell down her cheeks. "You could have stopped him from locking us in here! Why?"
"Because this was the only way to ensure you were safe," the man answered calmly. "David is one of my closest friends and I have been loyal to him since the moment he made that bogus deal with the Vittorio crime family. That's who's behind all of this. Years ago, the Vittorios were being investigated by the FBI as a crime family. They saw the potential of becoming global through different means when David's company was going under. As they say in the movies: 'They made him a deal he couldn't refuse.' They changed their names and disappeared from the world by becoming the Board of Directors for DW Technologies while still remaining in organized crime. It was a perfect setup for them and David has been regretting it ever since.
"I am David's personal doctor," Morris continued. "I delivered his daughter, Julia, and cared for his family. Right around the time of the merger, I met a lawyer by the name of Andrew Carter. He was a good man and a damn good lawyer. He was also extremely close to David almost as if the two grew up together. It didn't take me long to figure out who he really was. When I told David I knew about his friend, Andrew revealed himself as Carson Drew. He was a man I could trust and did so wholeheartedly.
"When David told me about the Board's plan for you, I volunteered to come to River Heights, Nancy. It was the least I could do to help a friend. David is only doing this to ensure your safety. The Board members are ruthless with a pit bull they put in charge to find you. Trust me when I say that Frank is off in here with you than out there with David."
"But why are they after me?" Nancy asked, her heart pounding. She glanced over at Frank and frowned. "I didn't do anything to them and neither did Frank. And now these people are going to kill David. What's to stop them from coming in here and killing us as well?"
"That door, Nancy," Dr. Morris answered, pointing to the wall. "Hell, this whole room is exactly like the one your father had built. It's made of titanium and has an electromagnetic lock. Nothing can get in here without using the right key or in this case, the remote. This room may be small but it has everything we need to survive for as long as we need to."
"But what if this baby comes early before the door opens?" she said softly, holding her hands in front of her. "Are you going to be able to keep a premie alive until we get out of here?"
The doctor's mouth moved but nothing came out. Nancy fought back more tears as she turned away from him when he said nothing. She looked over at Frank and Fenton again, both of whom oblivious to what was going on around them. Nancy never felt more alone in that moment. She walked over to Frank and knelt next to him, putting her head on his lap. Closing her eyes, Nancy listened to the steady rhythm of his breathing. She sobbed loudly, not knowing what else she could do to pass the time.
Dr. Morris watched his patient break down in tears, wondering to himself if he made the right decision. There was no way to contact the outside world so the only thing he could do was watch over the three who were now in his sole care.
"It's done, David," Bethany announced. He nodded in acknowledgment but continued to stare out the window. The rain had stopped though night had already settled upon them. "The Board is giving you twelve hours until they come to River Heights looking for you. I told them you would personally call before the time was up. They agreed to listen to your terms though they didn't agree to them just yet. What are you going to do?"
"I'll take care of this myself, Bethany," he mumbled.
"I understand that, but what can I do to help?"
"You?" David turned toward her. He tenderly touched her face and smiled shyly. "I want you to go to a hotel as planned and wait for the phone call. I want you to concentrate on that and not what's going on here."
"But, David…"
"It's not up for negotiation, Bethany!" he bellowed startling her. Seeing her reaction, David wrapped his arms around her and brought her close to him. "I'm sorry. The only reason why you're not in that room with the others is because you are needed elsewhere at the moment. But I want you as far away from here as possible. This is no longer your fight."
"Just like it's no longer Nancy's or Frank's?" Bethany stated matter-of-factly. She pushed away from him and folded her arms in front of her defiantly. "You brought them here to protect them then take away their right to help you by locking them in that prison. What if something happens to you and no one finds them? You're condemning four people because you think it's what's best! What you did to Frank was unforgivable and I would hate to be in your shoes when he has the opportunity to get a hold of you. You didn't even listen to your own goddaughter so why should I even try to talk to you? You're still going to do your own thing and kill yourself doing it. Do you think either one of them will forgive you? What about the rest of their family? Are they going to let it slide?"
"Bethany, stop," David softly ordered. "I know what needs to be done. I had Frank sedated because I wanted him to help but I know I wouldn't be able to live with myself if he died for me before that child was born. I…I just couldn't let it happen. You know the Board would have killed him without flinching. And I know he would have been an asset but he was angry and people who are angry get sloppy and careless. Adam would have eaten him alive if given the chance. I have made my decision. We're going to give them a sting they won't forget and they'll never find them as long as I'm alive. This is my doing and I'm going to end it before the Board can. Now please, go to a hotel with Marcus. I want you to be ready when the call comes in. And don't worry about me."
"I already do, David," she said softly, her eyes welling with tears. He was pushing her away and it broke her heart in the process. David leaned in and kissed her.
"I'll be fine," he reiterated. "We'll all be and when this is over, we'll have a serious talk about everything."
Bethany nodded reluctantly then left the room. One of David's bodyguards turned to leave but was stopped by his boss.
"Marcus," David mumbled to ensure Bethany could not hear him. "Make sure she's safe. If anything happens to her…" He looked dead at the man. "I'll hold you responsible."
Marcus nodded grimly then took his leave. David turned back toward the window and waited. Minutes later, he watched the taillights of their rental car fade into the distance. Sighing, he plopped into a chair and leaned back thinking. It was going to be a long night.
Joe was in the living room that night, munching on peanuts as he blankly stared at the TV. The eleven o'clock news was on though it was muted as the weatherman tried to predict the weather for the next day. The rain wasn't going to let up the next day after a full day of bitterly cold rain. There was a break at the moment, the rain holding off until early the next morning. The weatherman was done and sports was next. Usually Joe was up for finding out the scores and sporting news of the day but his heart wasn't in it.
He thought about his family back home in Bayport. Vanessa called earlier in the evening wondering how everything was going and when he would return. The boys were doing fine and her mother was a huge help to her. Although Joe could tell that she was upset about him not coming home right away, he knew that his wife understood the situation. With everything that kept happening to his family, Joe wondered if it was worth staying in the profession he was in. Then he thought about it and realized that he wouldn't be Joe Hardy without a mystery to solve or a person to help. Only this time, it was his family that was at stake.
Sighing, Joe rose from the couch, turning off the TV, and headed for the kitchen. The house was quiet with Hannah at her home and his mother in bed the hour before. Even with all the files still yet to be gone through, the FBI took a much needed break as well leaving a handful of agents scattered around the house and outside. He was about to go upstairs to bed when the house phone rang loudly. He quickly answered it.
"Is…is this Joe Hardy?" a woman asked nervously. Her voice was low and sounded oddly familiar to him but he couldn't place it at that moment.
"Yes," he said cautiously. He could hear her breathe a sigh of relief. He looked over at the clock and sighed softly. "It's…um, almost 11:30 at night. I'm not sure I can help you at the moment considering."
"I'm…I'm sorry," she stammered. "I didn't mean to call so late but it was the first chance I got. I called because of your family."
Joe's eyes went wide, his heart racing as the words permeated the air. "You…what? Who…who is this?"
"A concerned friend," she stated vaguely. "I…I called to warn you, Mr. Hardy. You can't trust anyone."
"Please…" he pleaded, "tell me where they are."
The woman got quiet and Joe thought she might have hung up but she sighed loudly a moment later. What she said next made his blood turn cold. "The only way to get to them is through David," the woman whispered. "If anything happens to him, you'll never be able to find them."
The cryptic words haunted Joe. He knew the woman's tone wasn't threatening but knowing that his family's fate rested in the hands of David Wainwright worried him. "Then tell me where he is and I can help him."
"It's too late," she said. "He's already gone. They're safe for now though. David made sure of it. I…I have to go."
"No, wait! Don't go!" he cried but it was too late. She hung up, the dial tone returning to the line. Joe's shoulders slumped. He was so close to finding out where his father, brother, and sister-in-law were but at least the woman confirmed that he was right. They were still in town.
Early the next morning, Laura came down the stairs to find Joe curled on a chair, fast asleep. She shook her head wondering how her son could to sleep in the oddest positions and still wake up feeling refreshed. Noticing that the TV was on with the volume low, Laura was picked up the remote and was about to turn it off when a breaking news story came on that stopped her. Her eyes went wide when she recognized several FBI agents who had been in and out of the house for the past day and a half.
"Joe!" she cried, nudging him. "Wake up!"
"Five more minutes, Mom," he mumbled shifting slightly. Laura kicked him in the leg resounding in a loud "Ow!" from him. "What?"
"Look!" She pointed to the TV and turned up the volume.
"…Investigators are keeping a tight lip on the events that occurred in the wee hours of the morning," the reporter stated. "Several bodies were found in the Peninsula's most expensive suite though Chicago PD and the FBI, who have taken over the investigation, are not revealing the names of the victims until they can be identified. According to a source, the gunfight that erupted is related to an ongoing investigation being conducted by the FBI into a large crime syndicate stretching across the country. They believe that this may have been a hit to wipe out several key members of the group.
"Witnesses have said that at approximately 12:30 this morning, several men entered the hotel moments before they heard an argument and gunfire. However, by the time authorities arrived, these men somehow were able to leave without anyone knowing. CPD officers and FBI agents have been diligently searching the hotel floor by floor to find any other victims or perpetrators. Chicagoans are urged to stay home this morning as the commute begins. These men are considered armed and dangerous. The FBI did release photos of the men and are asking viewers that if you see any of them that you contact your local police or the FBI hotline"
A moment later a grainy photo with a group of men walking down a hall appeared on screen. Laura made a noise as she instantly recognized one of the men.
"Oh, my God," she muttered, her hand covering her mouth. She looked at Joe who finally realized what she was reacting to. A moment later, the phone rang and she answered it.
"Good morning, Mrs. Hardy," Agent Dearing replied grimly. "Have you seen the morning news?"
"We're watching it now," she stated. "What's going on? Is there anything we can do?"
"As of right now, I want you and your son to stay in River Heights," he ordered. "I left several agents there to protect you along with a few who are going through the files. I left Agent Walker in charge so run it by him if you have any plans for the day, which I'm sure you do. I can't have you or your other son disappearing as well. What happened early this morning was a shock to everyone. I didn't expect it to happen but apparently the people who we've been looking for all converged on Chicago in the past day or so. There are several who are missing but the ones we found in the suite are only the tip of the iceberg. You saw the picture we released?"
"Yes, is it really David?"
"Unfortunately, Mrs. Hardy, I do believe it is. The surveillance video is not good quality considering it's the Peninsula Hotel but I have it on good authority that it's real. David Wainwright walked in with several armed bodyguards and within minutes a gunfight started. We're not sure how it started but what we do know is that he barely walked away with only two of his guards. The other two were found dead with several other bodies." The agent paused briefly as if trying to find the right words. "We…we haven't found your family yet. They were not in the video and as far as we could tell, they were nowhere near the hotel when the incident occurred."
Laura breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the news, thankful that none of her loved ones were involved. "Do you have any idea where David went from there?"
"No," Dearing replied grimly. "We're checking all avenues as to how he got out so quickly though we do have reason to believe that he left by helicopter. We're checking local airports and heliports for any unauthorized landings that occurred since. If he contacts you or your son, please call me immediately."
"We will."
"We are doing everything we can to find your family, Mrs. Hardy," he assured her. "Just because they weren't seen at the hotel doesn't mean they aren't nearby. Tell Joe that I owe him an apology though. I didn't believe him when he said they were still in town. Looks like I was wrong."
"It's okay, Agent Dearing," she smirked, looking over at her son. "I don't think I need to tell him that. His ego is already too big."
"Hey!" Joe cried glaring at his mother. "I'm right here, you know!"
"I know, dear," Laura smiled sweetly, rubbing his arm. "Agent Dearing, we will make sure we follow orders."
"Okay, I'll let you know if we find anything else or if something happens on our end. I'm not sure when I'll be back in River Heights but at least I know that you're taken care of."
"Thank you, Agent Dearing," she stated just before hanging up. The newscast was still reporting on the gunfight at the Peninsula and Joe turned the volume back up to listen.
"The FBI has issued a statement saying that the incident is indeed mob related and a press conference will be held at nine am to go over the details and any new evidence. This is Chelsea Stone from downtown Chicago. Back to you in the studio."
Author's Note:
We are getting there. Things keep changing, don't they? Haha! I love it when it keeps evolving into something I don't expect. Anyway, thanks for reading everyone! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter and if you'd like, please leave your mark so that I know you were here! Until next time, have a great weekend and God bless!