BREAKDOWN
— Chapter I —
I opened the door and the sight in front of me was horrifying. There she was, the woman I loved, kneeling on the floor … those beautiful hands covered with blood.
As usual in me, my first reaction was to save her, to grab the weapon out of her hands and take the blame.
But she stopped me.
"No! I did it. Don't come any closer" she cried and I obeyed; her words stinging inside of me. Then, she whispered "I'm sorry."
The world crashed around me and whatever future I had dreamed with her crumbled into pieces before my very eyes. I cursed aloud blaming that fateful day I decided to set my feet back into MODE.
—0—
"Man!"
I said as I woke up and found out I've been sleeping in the backroom of my deli.
My head was killing me and my lips were dry. It had been happening a lot in the past weeks. I kept blaming the new bar that opened just around the corner. Yeah, most of the times I woke up with a heavy hangover, without the slightest idea of where I was or had been the night before. But I think I had other reasons that kept me under constant stress: at least three women have been found death in suspicious circumstances around the vicinities in the past few weeks and it got me worried. I had forbidden my little sister, Antonella, to come visit me in Manhattan until the whole deal was resolved. The worse part was that I knew at least two of the victims. The moment I saw their pictures in the newspaper, I recognized them. They were frequent clients of Gio's Deli.
I tumbled to the bathroom and worked my way to decency. I had a quick shower, enough to wash away the stupor and the fogginess from my head and my body. I dressed back the jeans I had worn and hunted down a clean shirt from the dresser but couldn't find any razor… damn it! My clients would have to bear me with the stubble.
"Clients!" I jumped as I realized the time it was and rushed to the Deli front.
Maurizio was already there taking care of the first customers. He gave me a look.
"Ciao, addormentato belezza" he placed a newspaper and a wrapped bagel at a table. "Sit here and have a coffee. I have everything under control."
I knew I did right asking my cousin to become my partner. Now that we have purchased the place next-door and we have expanded Gio's Deli into a little restaurant. This has kept me entertained for these two years since I returned from Rome with my new flavor and renewed dreams… and a broken heart.
There I was again thinking about Betty Suarez. As if two years weren't enough to heal my wound. I had tried to stay away from her as much as I could. I stopped going around Mode about a year ago. There was no reason anymore. I still got the occasional deliveries and I could hang around with Daniel Meade in social events. He was a good friend.
As if fate wasn't content enough with my torment, just besides me, at a nearby table, were two of workers from the Meade Building. I instinctively focused my attention on their conversation. They were excited about a recent event that had just happened: another murder, a top executive at Mode.
My heart stopped.
I wanted to believe the first thing that came to my mind was Daniel Meade. But that would be a lie. I only thought about one person and one person only.
I grabbed my jacket and ran my way across the two blocks that separated me from the Meade Building. I hurried like a madman to the lobby. I was friends with the porter and he let me in without question. Right on the entrance of the Mode floor I spotted Amanda, the receptionist, and her friend Marc. I walked slowly trying to overhear their conversation.
"I don't know why they keep us here, Marc. I want to go home" she cried in her friend's shoulders.
"There… there… Mandy. Everything is going to be alright"
"How can it be alright? Cal Hartley has been shot. Right here in the office!" she cried. "It could have been any of us!"
"Hey you" a man dressed in police uniform stopped me. "What business you have here".
I quickly explained that I was friends with Daniel Meade. He made me sign my name in a sheet of paper and stripped me from my cellphone a few minutes after my belt, bracelet and ring gave him a bit of struggle with the metal detector. Then, he let me free.
I knew my way. The offices were a bit empty because it was early morning. I could sense the look of distress in the faces of the shallow workers of Mode. I usually despised them but, that morning, I felt a bit of pity for them.
I finally spotted Daniel. He was Betty's boss. Two women were standing beside him. I recognized them. One was Wilhelmina Slater, famous executive of the famous magazine, and the other one must've been Victoria Hartley. I've seen her before, at least in pictures. Betty used to talk to me about her, a year ago when she frequented my Deli and talked about everything. Her "mother-in-law", she used to call her… I tightened my teeth suppressing the feeling I once had that Betty would one day call my mother so. But instead, she abandoned love for money. It was a shame to realize what my dear sweet Betty became after she met the Hartleys. I disliked most rich people but I hated the Hartleys the most.
I felt tempted to go to Daniel and ask him about his assistant, and about the whole situation in the office but he gave me a quick look and I knew I would have to talk to him later. Then, Mrs. Hartley turned to my direction and gave a good look at me. Not even a single tear in her eyes or the slightest hint of consternation in her face. In fact, she seemed bothered to be standing around there. She looked at me as you would look a tiny insect, someone who didn't even have the right to breathe the same air she was breathing.
I put on my most polite smile on my lips and gave her an acknowledging nod.
I walked pass them to the place where I knew I would find Betty's desk. I knew the way with my eyes closed. Last year I used to walk those alleys once or twice a day just to visit her, just to be around her. And now, once again, my feet carried me automatically to her; drawn to her like a magnet. I had to find out she was all right.
I could see in the back the room that lead to Daniel Meade's office across the transparent panel that welcomed to the place where Betty worked. I stopped. A few meters in front of me I noticed a long red haired woman standing still in the entrance, immobile; probably looking at some point in front of her. She wore a smart suit and high heels that added some inches to her tall figure. I could only see her back but something about her staying there made her look suspicious to me.
I heard some footsteps from behind and then I saw what I've been looking for: Betty Suarez. I tried to ignore the awful clownish dress she was wearing but I couldn't divert my eyes from her face. My arms opened mechanically as I turned to her encounter.
"Betty…" I said and thought of million words to comfort her.
She didn't even look at me. She walked by, almost pushing me away, as if I didn't exist, and ran to the encounter of Matt Hartley. He was the tall fellow that took her heart from me. I saw her hug him desperately and whisper soothing words. I stood there immobile just watching the scene.
Betty didn't need of me anymore. Now it was different. Everything was ruined. All hopes of loving went busted the minute the Hartleys entered Mode. I could compete fair and square with an accountant but, against a billionaire I was pretty much a zero.
I heard a grunt and I remembered the woman that was standing beside me. I finally gave a glance to her. She was beautiful and she definitely had class, I could notice that much. She had crystal clear transparent gray eyes surrounded by tears that ruined her make up. Her face was disfigured in a mixture of pain and anger. She was staring at Betty and Matt. It was then when she realized my presence and gasped, awakening from her trance.
She didn't say a word and ran away with quick steps. I followed her with my eyes until she disappeared from my sight.
To be continued...
Notes:
Ciao, addormentato belezza = (it.) Hello, sleeping beauty.
