Misconceptions Page 3

  The maternity records room. The one place she hadn’t visited. The hospital computers contained some information on the pregnant moms, but in their last staff meeting, Penelope mentioned restricted files that were stored on the maternity ward. No chance for a computer expert to hack into the system, under lock and key twenty-four hours a day.

  Trying to see if she could pass the security measures in place hadn’t been worth the risk. Until now. She flashed her identification at the guard stationed to the right of the elevator. Her heartbeat thumped in her ears. Would he question her? She offered a small smile. The guard glanced over her badge and buzzed her in. Kind of scary that a mere badge allowed her access to vulnerable newborn babies, who were at the highest risk for being kidnapped. Because they had no traceable fingerprints, once kidnapped they became impossible to find. Dominique shivered at the thought.

  She strolled down the hall and stopped outside the nursery window. Only two bassinets were occupied. Twenty empty ones lined the back of the nursery wall, a physical reminder of the birthrate problem. She inhaled deeply and let out a long, slow breath. She would piece this puzzle together. It was her job.

  One of the nurses looked up and rushed toward the door. “Can we help you?” she asked through the window.

  Yes … can tell me your theory on the empty nursery? She controlled the reporter side of herself. “I’m looking for the records room.” She held up her hospital badge, which identified her as a social worker. Would it allow her access to the high security area? Moms, babies, and records were supposed to be guarded twenty-four hours a day.

  The woman eyed Dominique’s hospital badge and offered a slight smile. “Down the hall. Last door on the left.”

  Dominique thanked her and progressed down the hall. No guard was posted outside. She switched on the light and fought back a wave of discouragement. Filing cabinets lined the walls. Where should she begin?

  One of the cabinets was labeled Live Births. That would be the best place to start. She opened the large drawer. She pulled out a large stack and sat at the table in the center of the room.

  After reading one file, she lined up the rest and closely examined each one. What did they have in common? Nothing jumped out at her, and she didn’t have time to thoroughly review the findings. She took out her camera and snapped shots of each of the records.

  A draft of cold air hit her legs, and a chill of panic seized her. She slipped her camera into a front pocket and forced a smile before turning around.

  Penelope Nordstrom stood in the doorway, arms crossed, scowl on her face. “The security guard notified me you were here. This room is off limits to unauthorized personnel.”

  “I’m a licensed social worker, Ms. Nordstrom. My job requires me to have access to this information. If I’m not authorized, why was I permitted access?”

  “I’ve been looking for you for over an hour, and you haven’t returned any of my messages. I trust you have an excuse for missing the mandatory employee meeting?”

  Dominique took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. It completely slipped my mind.”

  “In the future, Ms. Sherwood, if you intend to remain employed at the hospital, you’ll pay more attention to your calendar. And furthermore, in matters concerning hospital finances and policies, you are to side with your immediate supervisor’s position; even if it means losing a date with the hospital’s most eligible bachelor.”

  Dominique took two steps toward Penelope. “I think we’ll get along much better if we get one thing straight.

  Penelope’s eyes narrowed. “And what would that be?”

  “I was hired to serve as a social worker at the hospital. I’m going to fulfill my duties to the best of my ability. If I permit you to make decisions for me, you’ll have the determining influence in all of the cases we work on together. Which, I might point out, is a huge conflict of interest. I’m sure you wouldn’t want me to report this to the ethics board.”

  Penelope let out a snort that made Dominique think of a fire-breathing dragon. Clearly her comment had gotten under Penelope’s skin.

  “Okay. You’ve had your say. Now I’m going to have mine.” Penelope emphasized each word with her chubby finger pointed towards Dominique. “I don’t like you, and I think you’re hiding something. If it’s not some romantic involvement with Dr. Armstrong, then it’s something else. I won’t be treated in this manner by some neophyte, barely-out-of-college girl. I will find out what you’re up to, and when I do, you can be sure you won’t have a job here for long.”

  Just as she was formulating her next response, Joe appeared in the doorway.

  “Hi, ladies. Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

  Talk about a knight in shining armor. “Not at all, Joe. I mean … Dr. Armstrong. Is there something I can help you with?”

  Penelope’s eyebrows shot up. “I see we’re on a first name basis. How intimate.”

  Dominique chose to ignore the cutting remark. So did Joe.

  He took several steps into the room. “Your secretary told me I could reach you here, Penelope, but I’m glad I caught both of you at the same time. I just wanted to let you know that I took Emily off life support.”

  Penelope smiled. “Well, it was the only sensible thing to do. After all, what quality of life could she possibly have … and at such a huge expense?”

  “You’ve misunderstood me. I’ve taken her off the ventilator because she no longer needed it. She’s breathing on her own. It’s only a matter of time before she regains consciousness.”

  Penelope's cheeks flushed crimson. For once, she had nothing to say. She stomped out of the room like a pouting toddler who hadn’t gotten her way.

  “That’s wonderful news about Emily. Her family must be so relieved.”

  A smile created dimples on both of Joe’s cheeks. “Have you had dinner yet? I happen to be starving.”

  Mercy, this man was handsome. As if on cue her stomach growled. Understandable, since she hadn’t eaten a bite since breakfast. The sensible side of her told her to say no. Mixing business and pleasure would only going to lead to disaster. Somehow her heart didn’t agree with her head. “Actually, I’m quite hungry. What’s good around here?”

  “There’s a little restaurant across the street from the hospital. Do you like Chinese food?”

  Dominique smiled. “It’s my favorite.”

  “Let’s go.”

  Joe held the door open for her. As she breezed past him, she couldn’t help but notice the clean, masculine smell. He had such a gentle way about him, but he was definitely all man. Undercover stories, insane birthrates, nasty supervisors, and attractive doctors … the next few months would definitely be interesting. If she survived.

  ***

  Travis counted four television news vans parked outside the gate that blocked the entrance to his subdivision. One advantage of living in a gated community was that it kept the nosy reporters and news trucks out. It had been weeks since Max’s abduction and still they hounded him.

  “Mr. Montgomery.” They rushed at his vehicle and tapped on the windows as he slowed to maneuver around several vans.

  Travis pulled up to the keypad that controlled the gate and lowered his window.

  Someone shoved a microphone into his face. “How is Max doing?”

  Travis pushed the microphone away, punched in the security code, waited for the black iron gates to part, and drove into his neighborhood. He let out a long sigh when the gates shut behind him. Thankfully, the boys were so occupied with the new trucks Grandpa had given them a few days ago that they didn’t notice anything.

  Usually, a sense of pride filled him when his six-thousand-square-foot house came into view. Today, as he topped the hill, the sight of the massive house seemed tiny compared to his debt. Several payments behind on the mortgage, he was about sixty days away from receiving a foreclosure notice. Something had to give. Certainly one of the building proposals he had up in the air would come through, and he could dig himself out of thi
s pit.

  Travis pulled in.

  Cindy paced the length of the driveway, cell phone in hand. Something must be wrong. Her blonde hair looked like she’d spent the morning running her fingers through it. Before the truck came to a complete stop, she ran to the passenger side door.

  She unhooked Max from the car seat. Hugging him tight to her chest, Cindy kissed his head. She made no attempt to brush away the tears flowing from her eyes. “Where were you, Travis? I called you three times.”

  “Everything was okay, Cindy. I didn’t take my eyes off the boys.”

  “Why didn’t you pick up?”

  He leaned into the back seat and took Justin out. Placing him on the ground, Travis fumbled for some type of explanation. “I didn’t hear my phone. Sooner or later you’re going to have to trust me with the kids.”

  “You could check your messages.”

  Travis met her eyes. Every response running through his mind sounded lame. So he chose to remain silent.

  Cindy put Max down, grabbed both boys’ hands and walked toward the house.

  He understood why she was still upset, but at some point she’d have to forgive him. He followed her through the garage and into the kitchen. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  “I’ll tell you what you were thinking, you were thinking about yourself. I swear I don’t know what’s wrong with you lately. It’s like you’re a completely different person.” Cindy placed each of the boys in their highchairs and served them their afternoon snack.

  “I said I was sorry.” Travis set the twins’ backpack on the table. “I have work to do. I’ll be in my office.”

  Cindy blew the bangs out of her eyes. “You don’t remember, do you?”

  Travis stopped in his tracks. He didn’t have the nerve ask her what he’d forgotten this time.

  “The meeting with my family … my father … is any of this ringing a bell?” She plucked a dishrag from the sink and ran it under a stream of water. “You promised me you would go. If I wasn’t running this low-grade fever I’d go. I don’t want to risk exposing my dad.”

  Travis swore under his breath. Why had he promised to attend for her? He had a business meeting at five o’clock. Considering the subject matter, this family meeting could take a long time. He turned and met Cindy’s angry glare. “What time do I have to be there?”

  Cindy wiped down the already spotless counters. “Four-thirty. You could show a little more concern. We’re trying to decide what to do with my dad. Houston wants each family’s input.”

  Her eyes avoided his, and Travis’s temper flared. “I have a business dinner meeting.” He took a quick look at his watch. “I’ll make an appearance, but I’ll have to cut out early.”

  “I would like to have some say as to where my dad ends up.” Cindy grabbed a fresh cloth and washed the boys’ faces. “I’m going to lay down with the twins. Can you pick up the girls from school?”

  “I can’t. I need to prepare for my meeting.” He hated the guilt that poured over him and stabbed at trying to salvage the conversation. “Maybe we can all do something this weekend.”

  Cindy walked out of the room.

  Travis flinched. She didn’t understand the pressure he was under, or how much he was trying to protect her. Two sets of twins under the age of six. He had been busting his back for months trying to keep them financially afloat. He was doing everything he possibly could to hold the family together. He took a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders. How much longer could he hide the truth from her?

  He stalked into his office, shut the door, and sat down on the black leather chair. Once settled, he closed his eyes and focused his thoughts. How had things gotten so out of control?

  One bad decision at a time.

  The truth stung. He tapped his accountant’s number on his cell phone. “Scott, it’s me. Any news?”

  The silence on the other end made his heart rate take a dive.

  “I was just getting ready to call you.”

  Travis kept his tone light. “Don’t keep me in suspense. Did Gladstone sign the contract?”

  “He went with a different contractor, Travis.”

  He slammed his hand down on the desk. “What? We had a verbal agreement.”

  “He ran a credit check on the company. We haven’t been in the black for a long time. It’s time we start exploring other options.”

  “I’m not filing for bankruptcy. I’ve worked too hard to just give up.”

  Scott cleared his throat. “You may not have much choice. Payroll is scheduled to process next week. Right now we don’t have money to cover it.”

  Travis rubbed the back of his neck. “You’ll have it. One way or another, we’ll make payroll.”

  He hit the off button and tossed his cell phone across the desk. A quick look at the clock on the wall told him he had two hours until he had to be at the hospital. But it wasn’t that meeting causing his heart to race, it was the second meeting that he couldn’t miss. Every instinct inside Travis screamed at him to cancel. He reached for the glass of water on the edge of his desk and swallowed its contents in one gulp. Vinnie had a reputation, but he was quickly becoming Travis’s only hope.

  He submerged himself in his work. When he finished the proposal, he arranged the stack of papers in a neat pile and placed a paperclip on the top left corner. The loan he sought might be short-term and at a rate significantly higher than a traditional loan, but in exchange, Travis would pay off the entire loan in twelve months. A year would give him enough time to acquire some new business and turn things around. It had to.

  One look at his watch, and he shot out of the chair. Four-fifteen! Where had the time gone? Why hadn’t Cindy poked her head in when she came home with the girls? He grabbed his briefcase and sprinted out the door. In the garage, Travis had his answer … Cindy wasn’t home yet. He pulled out his cell phone and called his brother-in-law. “Houston, it’s Travis. I got caught up taking care of some urgent business.” He bit the inside of his cheek. “I’m still at the house.”

  “That’s okay. We haven’t started yet. We can wait for you.”

  “No. Just go ahead.” Travis flung his briefcase in the truck. “I have another meeting scheduled for five. Cindy and I are fine with whatever the family decides.”

  Houston sighed. “I wish we could reschedule, but they want to discharge Dad from the hospital in a few days. We need to make some decisions today.”

  Travis pulled out of the neighborhood, thankful that the media had given up for the day. “Like I said, we’re both comfortable with whatever the family decides.” Not quite the truth, but he didn’t have time to explain himself.

  ***

  As he drove to the south side of town, Travis grabbed the bottle of Tums out of the center console. The antacid might help with the burning in his stomach, but he had nothing to calm his racing heart.

  He was worth more dead than alive. If he died, his wife and kids would be provided for. They would have the life insurance money.

  The truth struck a painful chord.

  He vowed years ago that if he ever had a family, he would never do to them what his father had done to him … take his own life. His present situation opened his eyes into what his own father might have been feeling prior to his death.

  He pulled his truck into the parking lot and looked up at the sign displaying Castalgia’s Fine Italian Restaurant. Although it had a reputation for good food, that of its owner was questionable at best. Tasteful landscaping surrounded a stone sidewalk, and an oak door fitted with beveled glass welcomed patrons into the restaurant. The extra touches spoke of undeniable wealth.

  He took a deep breath. It’s just a business meeting. You’ve negotiated hundreds of deals. He opened the door, and the aroma of fresh baked bread intermixed with garlic greeted him.

  An attractive brunette in a low-cut black dress stood at the hostess stand. His eyes met hers, and he smiled. “Perhaps you can help me. I have an appo
intment with Mr. Fernandez.”

  “Welcome, Mr. Montgomery. We’ve been expecting you. Please follow me.”

  Travis fought to control his expression. She knew his name? Impressive. He followed her and took in the elegant ambiance of the restaurant. The tables and booths were spaced in a manner that provided a measure of privacy. The candles flickering on each of them added to the warm atmosphere.

  His eyes then focused on the hostess leading him toward the back of the restaurant. Travis had seen his share of beautiful women, but this woman was exquisite. As she walked, her perfume left an enticing trail. He admired her silhouette from behind. When was the last time Cindy wore a dress like that?

  “Here you are, Mr. Montgomery.”

  The hostess’s voice jarred him from his thoughts.

  She placed a menu on the table. “My name is Angelica. Please let me know if you need anything. Mr. Fernandez will join you shortly.”

  As Angelica sauntered away, Travis couldn’t keep his gaze from following her swaying hips. A few minutes passed before he was greeted by a waiter, who set a basket of bread and a carafe of Burgundy wine on the table.

  The waiter left, and a distinguished-looking man approached. Images of The Godfather came to mind. A touch of silver brushed the man’s full head of dark hair at the temples. His tanned complexion made him look like he spent all day lounging in the sun, and a large, hooked nose overpowered his masculine face.

  Travis extended his right hand. “Good evening, Mr. Fernandez. I’m Travis Montgomery.”

  Vinnie ignored Travis’s hand. “No need for formalities, son. You can call me Vinnie.”

  “Thank you.” Travis relaxed his shoulders and wiped his sweaty palms on his khaki pants.

  “Let me pour you a glass of our house wine. My cousin runs a winery in Sandusky. I think you’ll find it to your liking.”

  Travis rarely drank, but to refuse would be seen as an insult. “I would love a glass.”