Dangerous Conceit by Ali Lee
Chapter 39
On the ride to the hotel, Lexi anxiously stared at the cars and buildings that whipped by. It was really happening. She was marrying the man she loved, the man she thought about during every spare moment of every day, the man who made her feel what no other could. Lexi was also scared out of her mind. The fear caused her to tremble. Her fingers stuck to her palms; the dampness on her forehead betrayed her nerves.
They arrived at the Royal Flush, pulling in to the u-shaped entrance. The glamour of the building was still as beautiful as the first time she visited. She took a deep breath when the vehicle came to a stop. Ray stepped out to hand valet the keys and Abby leaned closer to her as she unbuckled Maura from the third row.
“This is it, future Mrs. Paolini.”
Lexi froze; the mere mention of the name sent horrific chills throughout her body, almost making her limbs go numb. Maura crawled to the middle row as Lexi smiled at Abby. “It does kind of have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?”
Abby grinned back and reached her arms around her, embracing her in a hug. “You deserve that last name. You deserve all the happiness it will bring.”
“It doesn't seem real.”
Lexi looked off to the distance, out to the street beyond the hotel. Abby squeezed her hand as Ray moved away from valet, walking down the steps back to the Escalade.
Before he made it within ten feet, screaming sirens sounded down the main street, pulling behind and in front of the Escalade in unison. The rubber from their screeching tires overlapped the pavement of the hotel's drive.
A confused look passed through Lexi's eyes as she shot Abby a glance and then watched the police cruisers. A sinking feeling filled her chest as she yanked the purse from her shoulder, throwing it on the floor at Abby's feet.
“What the hell is going on?” she said aloud when one of the officers jerked the door open with such force that he might pull it off its hinges.
“Emmalyn Alexis Taylor,” his haughty voice announced; the dark, scowling glint in his eyes told her that this would not be a friendly encounter. “You are under arrest for the disappearance of Kenneth Taylor. You have the right—”
Lexi heard no more of the routine police pitch as he jerked her partway out of the car by her arm. Maura screamed at the scene the officers caused.
“Mommy,” she cried. “Mommy, don't leave.” Her daughter's words were all too familiar. She often heard them back at Moretti's when he dragged her away from her daughter and forced her to do a job.
“You don’t need to scare my daughter. I will go with you. Wait until she gets inside,” Lexi warned but the officer took no heed of the matter.
“Mommy will be back soon, sugar bear, okay? I love you.” Then Lexi whispered in a harsh voice to Abby. “Bring Maura to Rafa. Go…before they get her too.”
“Mommy,” Maura cried as Abby hugged her. The tears in Abby’s own eyes started to fall as the officer forced Lexi's stomach against the car. He jerked her wrists behind her back and let the metal cuffs hook them together.
Abby grabbed Lexi's purse and flung open the door at the same time; she fled with Maura tightly gripping her neck and raced up the stairs as Ray jumped down.
“Hey! What are you doing?” Ray yelled at the officers. Lexi watched the same confused expression as she had. He did not recognize these officers. They must not have been from this county.
“It’s not your concern.” The officer who held Lexi answered; his smug voice echoed in the air.
As Abby raced up the stairs, she almost crashed into Rafa who was racing down. He looked on with disbelief as the scene unfolded before him. Abby was crying. Maura was screaming. He felt disoriented with the half dozen cop cars making a scene.
“Take Maura to the banquet hall,” he ordered. “Lock both of you in the office.” Abby listened, never stopping, and immediately carried Maura through the hotel entrance. Lexi would not have wanted her to wait.
In a daze, Rafa darted down to the cruisers beside Ray, having his own questions. They could not take her. “What the hell are her charges? She hasn't done anything wrong!” He neared closer when four officers pulled their guns.
“Take another step and we’ll shoot you,” said the man in charge, making every vein in Rafa's body pulse with fury as another officer slowly felt her thighs, inching to her breasts in mock search of Lexi to further provoke him.
Lexi tightly shut her eyes. She could not bear to see the look on Rafa's face for the spectacle that started attracting the hotel's guests. This would not improve his chances for governor.
“We’re taking her where she belongs—to jail.”
Rafa seethed and his legs jerked forward when he heard the hammers click on all four guns. “For what?”
The officer looked at Rafa; his eyes showed pleasure at making him feel helpless. “Put her in the car.” He pointed to the other. Lexi looked down as he pushed her inside the cruiser at the end.
“Alexis,” Rafa stated in the calmest voice he could manage as he crossed his arms. “I will fix this.”
The cop glanced back over his shoulder and huffed with a smirk. “You can't fix this.” Then he hopped in the same car that held Lexi and shut the door. Rafa fumed. He watched the red and blue lights fade in the distance.
His breaths were shaky and ragged. Rafa stepped toward the hotel's entrance with record speed and jerked open the door, making it nearly hit the other side. He saw nobody; a distorted blur led his way as he descended to the banquet floor.
He paid no attention to the wedding décor or the few early guests as he thrust in the code to the conference room; then he stormed his way to the office, yanking open the door. He did not remember that Maura also waited in the room. He closed his eyes to get a grip on his anger and opened them back to see the distraught child.
“Come here, baby.” He ignored the lap where she sat and wrapped her outstretched hands around his neck. “Are you okay?” His hand brushed against her hair as she whined in his shoulder.
“I want my mommy.”
He nodded. “I know, baby. Mommy will be back soon.” He glanced at Abby as he held the fragile girl against his chest, caring nothing for his healing wounds. “Did they tell Lexi what the charges were for?”
Abby pulled away from typing to answer him. Her eyes were red from crying; her voice shook as she spoke. “They said it was for Kenneth.”
Rafa’s eyes lingered on her, angry at Abby that this happened. “I thought you took care of the footage. That's what we pay you for.”
She shook her head, denying it had anything to do with her. “I did. I erased that entire day. I don't know what they have on Lexi. I'm searching for it now.”
Rafa rubbed the growth against his chin, gazing at the wall in deep concentration over the matter. He heard the door to the conference room open and several people step inside as the door shut again. The shuffling caused him to look back to Abby.
“Can you take care of her for a while?” he asked but still held Maura tight against his chest.”
“Of course,” she answered as he set the child back on her lap. His focused expression showed he would not rest until he handled the situation.
“I’ll be right out there if you find something. Let us know as soon as you do.” He gently shut the door and walked into the main room where Angelo and several other men sat.
“Ray told me what happened. What are they charging her with?”
“They’re holding her for Kenneth.”
Angelo gripped his fingers through his hair in rough frustration, “With what surveillance? Abby got rid of all that. I stood behind her and watched her do it.”
“She's checking now. I want to put a couple of men to guard her tonight…her and Maura. They can stay here at the hotel until this clears, but we're going to need Brett, Jim and Ray with us.”
“Thomas and Ian just got back from the capital. They can stay.”
“Thomas is fine. I don't want Ian around my daughter.”
“Would you rather have Vin then?”
“No, I wouldn't. I don't like him either. Give me Sammy.”
“That means Ian and Vin will have to come with us.”
“Fine, then I can shoot them if they fuck up,” Rafa said despite both men standing against the wall behind him. If they wanted to speak against the insult, they held their tongues. In this situation, either one of their superiors might be looking for a reason to blow off steam.
The discussion between the men halted. Abby flew out of the room with her laptop in hand; her movements slowed as she saw the Tomassi gathering on the sofas and chairs. She did not know what to say, having become the lone spectacle for attention.
“What do you have?” Angelo spoke, giving her the right to talk.”
“They have their own evidence. They have a witness.”