He wondered if D’Angelo had done something to him when they had lunch because he hadn’t felt right since. His heart had begun to beat faster and a light coat of sweat seemed to perpetually wash over him. D’Angelo tracked him down the day before and was furious about the entire affair. In particular, he wanted to know how long Leese had been aware that Micah owned the show. Why he needed to know that Micah couldn’t understand, but D’Angelo never asked anything without reason.
“She doesn’t know anything,” Micah stated as they had a private late lunch meeting. “I haven’t shown myself, but I will during the party in a few hours.
“You’re a fool if you think she’s going to come back and live the life of a mob wife.”
“I’m not staying in the mob. I’ve gotten out once and I can do it again.”
“You aren’t going anywhere-we have unfinished business and I am not releasing you from your obligations to me. You agreed to do what I needed in exchange for David.”
“South America was for David.”
“No,” D’Angelo growled, “I said he would help you with that job to reestablish his trustworthiness, but I told you that you would belong to me again. I have been looking for you for weeks and I don’t like being ignored.”
“Then I’ll do what you need done, but I’ve got to finish
“Are you going to kill her boyfriends-all of them?” he sneered.
Evidently D’Angelo had been following the tabloids and was referring to Ryan and Sadarius. Micah knew that the stories weren’t true. Not that Sadarius wouldn’t like to be with her, that was obvious, but Micah had kept a careful eye on the two of them. He could tell Leese wasn’t looking for a boyfriend. “I don’t think she could forgive me for that, but all I want is to confront her about why she left me and beg her to come back.”
D’Angelo had an expression that was difficult to read, it seemed to be a cross between fear and disgust, “Begging hardly seems your caliber, Micah.”
“It depends on what’s at stake-she is worth begging for.”
“So you’re telling me after you confront her, no matter how this turns out, you will come see me and finish what I need done?”
“I’m finishing this season’s shows. Just what do you need?” Micah said with his suspicions exposed about what D’Angelo was really after this time.
“You’re taking out a boss.”
“No,” came immediately out of his mouth. The boss was the very head of the family; a man to be respected at all times and to be obeyed at all costs. D’Angelo wasn’t second in line so what could he possibly benefit by taking out the head of the family?
“Not the head of our family,” he clarified. “There is another family that is receptive to uniting with us, but their Boss is against it. It won’t be easy, but you’ve handled things more complicated.”
“Which family?” There was something very wrong in all of this and Micah wanted to know who was behind it.
“No need to give out too many details right now. No one else could be trusted to do this for me and I won’t give up if the family has to convene
“They’re your secrets, too.”
“Don’t threaten me, Micah. You aren’t
“Evidently I am,” Micah stated finishing his meal. He stood from the table and downed the last of his glass of wine, “I will finish what I’m doing with this show which, by the way, has proven to pay out more than anything I’ve ever made with the mob.”
“Sit down, Micah.”
Micah seemed to be locked at the knees.
“Sit,” D’Angelo reiterated.
Micah slowly lowered himself back in the chair as D’Angelo poured him another glass of wine, “So, you’ve aroused my interest. You’ve done well with the show. How good has the investment been?”
“I’ve tripled my money-so far.”
D’Angelo finally smiled, “I will admit your little whor-girlfriend,” he corrected, “is an excellent singer. She may have a future doing this. Did you know all along she could sing?”
“I heard her sing just days after I got the job to kill her. She thrives on music and I even used an iPod when I proposed to her.”
D’Angelo’s eyebrows went up, “Really? You recorded your proposal?”
“No,” Micah said shaking his head, “I downloaded one song that told her how I felt about her and then had it delivered. I waited to see what her reaction would be before I approached her and proposed.”
D’Angelo was giving his evil half smile, “I never knew you had a romantic side.”
Micah’s pulse was picking up and he could feel the cool sweat coming over him, “Murder doesn’t lend to that emotion.”
“On the contrary, Micah. You should remember that murder is the highest crime of passion.
He didn’t like the remark, nor the insinuation, “There is no passion in making a mark, not anymore anyway.”
Their meeting ended abruptly as Micah’s pulse continued to rise.
When she ran out of the party, Micah called for his private plane to be fueled and ready. He was possessed with the need to get to her and find out why she was willing and then suddenly chose Ryan. It was late, but he would make sure a car would be waiting for him at the Colorado Springs airport in the morning. But before leaving, he needed to rest. He was still feeling the ill effects from lunch. It was worth investigating, and he wouldn’t put it past D’Angelo to poison him. He was valuable alive, but there were reasons for D’Angelo to eliminate him as well.
Micah pulled out a familiar black case and opened the bag pulling out a hypodermic and a rubber strap. He tied off the band, using his teeth to pull it tight and then plunged the needle into his vein, filling the syringe quickly. He wouldn’t waste time getting it to a lab now, but he knew the blood would say usable for at least five days. He wrote a short note and wrapped it around the syringe, then opened his office refrigerator and carefully placed it out of view. If anything should happen to him, David would find the note and the vial; D’Angelo would pay.
By 7 a.m., Micah was ready to leave. He had all the information he needed. She had one home in Colorado Springs in Ryan’s name and one in her own. He would try her address first. He wasn’t sure if he should trust himself to bring his guns, especially not with the odd effects he was still feeling, but he didn’t debate it long as he strapped on the harness.
He developed a new symptom as he sat in the quiet cabin area of the jet. He looked down and noticed his hands were shaking. He was starting to wonder if what he was feeling was actually a case of nerves. He’d been rock-steady his whole life and now, when he needed composure, he had the shakes. He opened the bar and stared at the bottles of alcohol. Surely she would smell it on his breath, but he needed something to stop the tremors as he poured himself a Jack and Coke that was mostly Jack. The cold sweats had returned as his trembling hand lifted the glass to his lips and he chugged down what he really didn’t want to drink. His emotions were slipping beyond his control as he fought the urge to grab the bottle and lose every ounce of reason he possessed.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Sunrise on Sunday morning found me on the pool deck watching the sky change colors over the white landscape. I had determined that I wasn’t going to back out of Remake. There were only three days until the final show, and I would finish what I’d started. But I would question Don first and make sure all the voting results hadn’t been tainted by the ‘owner’ trying to keep me on the show.
I hadn’t slept at all last night, but I needed some rest before Ryan showed after church. I knew it would be just the two of us; he wouldn’t bring Candace. I grabbed the most recent tee-shirt that he’d given me and crawled into the bed, willing my aching heart to sleep.
I woke to a strange noise just before twelve. It sounded as if someone was in the house, but it was too early
