Misconceptions Read online

  With no time to think, Dominique ducked inside the first room that didn’t have a patient’s name posted next to it, entered the patient’s bathroom, and closed the door. Her eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness. Lord, please keep me hidden and help me to get out of here safely. She leaned back against the wall and worked to slow her pounding heart.

  A whoosh of cold air hit her face as the door opened, and she stood face-to-face with Joe Armstrong.

  “What are you doing in here?” he asked. “I was waiting for you by the elevators, but it took so long, I thought maybe you’d come up the stairs to get some exercise—”

  “Quick, close the door. I don’t want her to find me.”

  He pulled the door shut. “You don’t want who to find you?”

  The tight space in the bathroom shrank after Joe entered.

  Dominique stumbled forward in the darkness, but Joe caught her by the arms and steadied her. “Dominique … ”

  The fresh scent of his cologne and close proximity proved to be too much for her to resist. She wrapped her arms around his neck, drew him closer, and brushed her lips over his.

  Joe pulled her tightly to his chest as he deepened the kiss.

  She’d waited a long time for their first kiss. His gentle, passionate response was better than anything she had imagined in her wayward thoughts and dreams. It took everything in her to pull away. “Joe, we have to talk.”

  “Am I moving too fast? I’ve wanted to kiss you for such a long time, but I’ve had to hold back … ”

  “Because of my faith … or lack thereof?”

  He kissed the nape of her neck. “Yes.” He ran his hands along the length of her arms. “Samuel told me your news.” He lulled her with another kiss.

  Suddenly it hit her—he hadn’t say anything about her being a reporter, or the investigation. She pulled away. “I have to ask you a question.”

  The bright light flooded the bathroom and blinded Dominique for a moment.

  “There you are,” Penelope said. “You two are creating quite a stir at the nurse’s station. Lucky for me, one of the nurses saw you both sneak into this room. I should have known I would find you in some sort of compromising position.”

  Dominique scooted past Penelope and the guards. Joe followed right behind her. “Let’s talk in your office, Penelope. This is private.”

  Penelope shook her head. “There’s nothing to talk about. You’re fired!” She turned to the guards. “Escort her off the property.”

  Joe held up a hand. “Hold on. That’s a bit extreme, Penelope.” He placed his arm around Dominique’s shoulder. “Surely we can’t be the first employees to sneak a kiss during working hours. You’re blowing things way out of proportion.”

  He doesn’t know. The thought made Dominique nauseous.

  Penelope’s lips turned up in a smirk. She would make a terrible poker-player. Her expression gave away the fact that she held a straight flush. She stepped toward Joe. “I’m sorry you’ve been deceived just like the rest of us, Dr. Armstrong. Dominique doesn’t really work here; she’s been lying to us all. She’s a reporter, working on some tabloid story.” She dangled the flash drive from a lanyard like a pendulum. “I found this in her computer. My guess is that she got word that she’d been discovered and she was copying confidential hospital records before being booted out.”

  Swiping her hand like a bear after a salmon, Dominique grabbed the flash drive, darted out of the room, and took off down the hall.

  She opened the stairwell door and ran for all she was worth. Judging from the shape the security guards were in, she could outrun them with no problem.

  Footsteps echoed behind her, but she didn’t look back.

  She darted out of the stairwell on the ground level and raced for the front door. A couple walking out of the gift shop shot her odd looks.

  Dominique reached the front doors and stepped around a man pushing a boy in a wheelchair. A small measure of relief washed over her as she ran out from under the drive-through entrance. She’d made it. As she neared the employee parking lot, she slowed her pace.

  “Dominique, wait!” Joe called after her. He must have taken the elevator. How else could he have caught up with her?

  She turned to face him but wished she hadn’t.

  The eyes that had just held such love and desire were now filled with trepidation. No doubt Penelope had ruthlessly poured out all the sordid details. His expression propelled her forward again. She’d seen that look all throughout her childhood … disappointment.

  She swallowed the lump in her throat. She couldn’t deal with him. Not yet. With tears burning her cheeks, she yanked her car’s door open, started the engine, and pulled away. The tires squealed as she tore out of the parking lot.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The hospital loudspeaker paged several doctors and issued a few medical alerts. Travis ignored the announcement and pulled the heavy oak chair closer to the round table. Three days since the accident and nothing but bad news about Audrey. Please let this meeting have good news. Please don’t let my child die.

  He grabbed a few tissues from the Kleenex box on the middle of the table and handed them to Cindy.

  She accepted them and offered him a sad smile. He took it as a positive sign, so he took her cold hand and gave it a squeeze, but she didn’t respond. Her eyes looked lifeless and glassy. He’d known her since college and had never seen her so beaten down.

  You’re responsible for most of it. The condemning truth haunted him.

  Finally, he couldn’t stand the silence between them. “Do you want some coffee or something?”

  “Not right now. Thanks for asking.”

  Another conversation that resembled those of polite strangers more than between man and wife. That had to change. But how? He needed to confess to her and beg for her forgiveness. She deserved to know the truth about their finances, his business, and his entanglement with Vinnie. But if she knew everything, she would surely distance herself from him even more. He would tell her all in good time. He’d clear things up, then fix his marriage. Travis had told himself this so many times he was almost starting to believe it.

  Audrey’s pediatric neurologist entered the room. His white hair was combed over in an attempt to hide his balding head, and the long white coat concealed his over-sized belly.

  The doctor placed a file folder on the table and sat. “I’ll get right to the point. After reviewing all of the test results from yesterday, I see no reason why Audrey shouldn’t make a full recovery.”

  Travis let out a huge sigh.

  Tears streamed down Cindy’s face.

  A small but reassuring smile broke on the doctor’s face. “The edema has subsided significantly. I’m expecting her to regain consciousness any time now.”

  “Thank you, Doctor.” Cindy choked out between sobs.

  Travis squeezed his wife’s hand. “Do you think she’s completely out of the woods?”

  “I would say so. We’ll know more once she wakes up.” The doctor tapped the file twice with an index finger. “These past few days have been very difficult, but I’m extremely optimistic about the outcome. I’ll check in on Audrey later this afternoon. If you have any questions, have one of the nurses page me.” He stood, grabbed the file folder, and left the room.

  Words refused to come to Travis. He couldn’t even imagine where to begin.

  His cell phone broke the silence. The caller ID said it was Angelica. With the way their last meeting ended, he couldn’t risk avoiding her phone call—she could make him look bad in front of Vinnie. “I have to take this, Cindy.”

  Her silence, dull eyes, and slumped shoulders expressed exactly what she was thinking even without words.

  He walked out into the hallway to answer. “What can I help you with?” His tone held an edginess he’d never used with her before.

  “Well hello to you, too, Travis. It’s not me who needs help, it’s you. Vinnie wants to meet. Today.”

  “I
can’t. Not today. You know why.”

  “You don’t have a choice. He wants to see you at one o’clock. If I were you, I wouldn’t miss it.”

  He swore underneath his breath. His chest felt like it was pressed in a vice grip. The tension rippled across his shoulders and spiked down his back. “Do you know what it’s about?”

  “I have no idea. I’m just the messenger.”

  A muscle in his cheek twitched. “All right, I’ll be there.”

  “Good decision.” The line went dead.

  Back in the consultation room, Cindy sat on the end of the sofa, head cradled in her hands. “You have to go, don’t you?” Her words were so quiet he almost missed them.

  “There’s something I have to take care of. I can’t handle it over the phone. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “Okay.” Her tone sounded so dejected and downcast, he wished more than anything he could stay. “Want me to stop at home and bring you a fresh change of clothes?”

  “That sounds heavenly.” Cindy stood and embraced him. Her arms tightly bound around his neck as if she were hanging onto a life preserver.

  Warmth spread through his body as they stood wrapped in a hug—the firm roundness of her protruding belly against him. This was what forgiveness would feel like. He wanted to hold onto her and never let go. Instead, he planted a quick kiss on her cheek and began to step away.

  A slight nudge poked his abdomen. “Did you feel that?” he asked Cindy. “The baby just kicked!”

  The wonder of life overwhelmed him, and he placed his hands on her stomach. When the baby kicked again, Travis laughed and bent over. “Hey little one, it’s your daddy.” Cindy placed her hand on top of his. Not only was it the first time he’d felt the baby kick, it was the first time he’d experienced any paternal feelings toward this new growing life.

  He straightened. “I’m so sorry, but I have to go. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He brushed another quick kiss across her cheek and marched out the door. Whatever it took, he had to begin the long process of getting his life back. And when he was firmly on that road, he would come clean with Cindy and tell her the truth.

  The drive to Vinnie’s restaurant took less than twenty minutes. Despite it being the lunch hour, only a few cars dotted the parking lot.

  A quick look in the rearview mirror depleted Travis’s new self-confidence. His face desperately needed a shave, and both hair and clothing were rumpled. The dark circles under his eyes told the tale of two nights with little sleep.

  As he entered the restaurant, the same elderly hostess who had met him the second time he’d visited Vinnie greeted him. “Good afternoon, Mr. Montgomery, I’ll let Mr. Fernandez know you’re here.”

  Travis searched in his pocket for the roll of antacids he always carried with him. His stomach churned in protest to his uneasy nerves.

  Several minutes later, the hostess returned. “Mr. Fernandez will see you now.”

  He lumbered down the long hallway. At Vinnie’s office, he knocked twice.

  “Come in.” Vinnie’s commanding voice called from the other side.

  Travis opened the door and stepped into the room. Before he could say a word, a fist slammed into his jaw and set him staggering into a leather chair. The chair slid away under his weight, and he collapsed onto the hardwood floor. Pain radiated from his cheek and shock dulled his brain. The room reeled.

  "Get up," a rough voice growled.

  Travis placed his hands on the ground in front of him and struggled to sit up. He took another blow to the ribs. He doubled over and tried to suck back the air that had been knocked out of him.

  Another blow, and another—and when he curled into himself to protect his stomach, a boot hammered into a kidney. He wailed in agony. "Stop!"

  A popping sound came from somewhere beyond the thug. “Enough, Derek!” Vinnie sounded off. “Make sure he’s not armed or wired.”

  Derek threw Travis against the door and ran his hands along Travis’s side. He took no steps to avoid his sore ribs. Travis grunted through the pain. Derek spun him back around, and Travis averted his eyes. Was this how it was going to end? Would Vinnie’s next order be to kill him?

  “He’s clean.”

  Vinnie pointed at the door. “You can leave us alone now. Don’t go too far.”

  Travis waited in silence until Derek left the room. He held his side and stumbled into the chair. “What exactly did I do to deserve that?”

  Vinnie placed both his hands on the desk and leaned forward. “Didn’t I tell you there are consequences for betraying me, Travis?”

  “I haven’t done anything to betray you.” He wiped the blood away from his mouth. “You owe me an apology.”

  “Let’s just get one thing straight. I don’t apologize to anybody. Do the names David Klems or Brian Warner mean anything to you?”

  There go my two deals. Could they be under Vinnie’s control too? Was that how he found out? “Yeah, I know them. What does that have to do with betraying you?”

  “Your business is my business. You’re trying to make deals on the side and cut me out. All of your business goes through Angelica. Are we clear?”

  Sirens blared outside. Footsteps pounded in the hallway, and Derek burst through the door. “It’s a raid. We’ve gotta go!”

  “Get him out of here,” Vinnie ordered.

  Derek grabbed Travis by an arm and pulled him up out of his seat. He pushed him toward the door, then gave him a shove into the hallway. When they reached the back door, he scanned the alley looking for a way to escape.

  Vinnie squeezed his way around Travis and Derek, then turned back suddenly and poked a thick finger in Travis’s chest several times. “We’re not through with our meeting. I’ll be in touch.”

  Derek opened the passenger door of the black Mercedes Benz that pulled up next to them. Vinnie stepped into its dark insides, and it whisked him down the alley and onto the street, the cops none the wiser.

  Travis stumbled up the alley to the front of the restaurant, relieved to find that police cars didn’t block his escape. The cars’ lights flashed, and a few nosy spectators had gathered across the street. He wiped his mouth and glanced down. Blood smeared the back of his hand.

  There had to be a way to get to his truck on the far side of the lot without drawing too much attention to himself. Hopefully, the cops would be occupied with trying to locate Vinnie.

  Two police officers conferred at the entrance. Their radios sounded off and informed them that the restaurant was clear. Two more officers exited, followed by the elderly hostess.

  “I told you he wasn’t here," the hostess said. "Make an appointment, and Mr. Fernandez will be happy to meet with you.”

  “Sure will,” an officer replied sarcastically.

  Nearby, Travis remained hidden in the alley.

  After talking for a few more minutes, the officers got in their vehicles and left.

  Travis took advantage of their absence and jogged to his truck. He breathed a sigh of relief as he turned the key in the ignition. That was too close. What would have happened if they’d found him there? He pushed the unwelcomed thought away as he drove home. Instead, he tried to focus on what he needed to do to get out of this mess.

  A rectangle of bright orange decorated the middle of his front door when he pulled into his driveway, but he couldn’t read the word at the top of the note until halfway to the porch.

  Foreclosure.

  The sign advised him they had thirty days to vacate the premises.

  Clenching his fists, he resisted the urge to shout out several profanities. Instead, he tore the notice off the door and stuffed it in his pocket. Vinnie’s tentacles had no limits. No area of Travis’s life was free from his clutches.

  Enough.

  If I’m going down, I’m taking Vinnie with me.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  The country scenery Houston drove past on his way home offered him no peace today. Not with the knowledge that he would have to
present Joe with evidence that could hurt him. The business card with Dominique’s name on it sent his imagination swirling in a million different directions. How had he misjudged her so much? But if she was lying to them all, it was better that Joe know now, before he got too involved with her.

  As he turned on the road leading to his house, his thoughts shifted to Becky, and the images from the early morning crime scene returned to haunt him. More than once as they processed the scene, his mind played tricks on him, replacing Sharon’s face with Becky’s. He pulled into the driveway of his home in the country and was relieved to see Becky sitting on the porch. He approached the porch and took the steps two at a time.

  Becky looked up from the Bible in her lap, and waved. “Hey there, handsome. I was just thinking about you.”

  Houston didn’t bother to answer. He scooped her up in his arms and took in the fresh scent of her hair. I must be the luckiest man alive. He kissed her softly, then deepened the kiss. He put her down but kept his arms wrapped around her waist. So often they could communicate as much with their actions as with words.

  Becky ran a hand along the side of his face. “Rough morning?”

  “You could say that.” He grabbed her hand and kissed it.

  “You want to talk about it?”

  He drew her closer. At that moment his boss was probably notifying Sharon’s husband of her death. What if it were Becky and my child? He shook the horrible thought from his head, yet it was someone’s reality.

  He had to find out who was committing these heartless crimes. The only lead he had pointed him in a direction he didn’t want to go. “Where’s Dad?” he asked Becky.

  She tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “Everyone’s still sleeping. I think having the kids here has made him more tired than usual.”