Chapter 9
Jeremy, Phoenix, and I got in the elevator. Familiar pine scent assaulted me, somehow more comforting near Dina’s apartment and the ground floors, like the woman herself, and less as we rose up the building. I practically gagged before we reached the proper floor, like Pavlov’s Dog. Woof Woof.
“Remember, we’re on camera. They can’t hear us, but they can see us. Make sure you look bored.” Jeremy stared at his phone, and likely to outsiders appeared to be doom scrolling.
I pulled out my own device, copying him and leaning against the wall. “I hate that we’re doing this without telling Barrett.”
“Well.” Phoenix stared at the floor. “If he knew we were here, he would panic. If something goes wrong, he won’t get in trouble and can say he didn’t even know what we were doing.”
I sighed. “You two won’t get in trouble, either. Just me. You know your family will get you out of any trouble, and besides, you’re not getting in shit because of me.”
Kit already threatened to send Phoenix away if he got in trouble again. I blinked, anxiety heightening even further at the thought. “You shouldn’t come with us, Phoenix.”
“I’m the only one who can get this done. Don’t obsess, Red. It’s no biggie. Your wallet was more challenging, and we’re not even breaking into the apartment. You have a key and are here to regain your own documents.”
I hoped he was right, but when nothing went right, I started to assume it would go wrong. “She might have it in a safe, in which case this is a waste of our time.”
The elevator doors dinged open, and Jeremy nodded. “Yep, in that case, we leave. No harm. No foul.”
I added, “There are also cameras in the apartment. I didn’t get the impression she particularly monitors them, but she could.”
I turned the key in the door, using every ounce of bravery I could muster.
“Even if she checks the cameras, we came to get your birth certificate because you need it. It is your property. We aren’t talking about stealing her fucking diamonds. If we’re on camera, they’ll just see what you didn’t take.” Jeremy looked around then pointed left. “This way, right?”
He was correct so I followed him. I pointed out, “She could alter the videos to make it look like we stole something.”
“Okay, now we’re getting into some super-duper spy shit,” Phoenix said with a laugh.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a big deal.
How often does she look at your birth certificate?
She probably won’t even notice it is gone, so let’s just get this done.
I doubt it’s going to be in your uncle’s home office.
My mom doesn’t keep anything in the dads’ offices, instead storing her documents in her bedroom. ”
He was remarkably well versed in stealing things, so I considered him suspiciously. “Have you done this before?”
“Specifically? No. But I took things from my parents.” Phoenix led us into my aunt’s bedroom. It helped that all the apartments were designed with the same floorplans, identical to his grandmother’s place.
Jeremy whirled around. “Really? What did you take?”
“The police reports about my kidnapping years ago. Back when I was twelve. It’s not important right now.”
I had never actually entered my aunt’s bedroom, not in all the time I lived with her, so I glanced around in curiosity.
Tan walls, very boring compared to Dina’s preference for bright red.
Perfume bottles sparkled from the armoire next to a photo of my aunt and uncle dressed up together.
I didn’t have time to study any of it right then, but I memorized as much as possible.
I’d seen this from the doorway before but never like this.
Phoenix opened up her closet without ceremony, revealing more clothes than I could have imagined. Despite the smallness of New York City apartments, her closet was huge.
“Is your granny’s this big?” I stared at it open mouthed.
Phoenix didn’t answer, but Jeremy got on his hands and knees to look under the bed. “I can’t say that I’ve ever been in my granny’s closet. Have you, Phoenix?”
“Found the filing cabinet I was looking for,” he replied, ignoring the question.
“Red, come over here. There are two. You grab one, and I’ll grab the other.
If you find your birth certificate, see if they have anything else about you, okay?
Anything they already have is something we don’t have to order. ”
My knees hit the plush carpet, and at first I mostly found a lot of folders pertaining to my cousin. Papers for her husband…then finally, I stumbled on one that said Alatheia.
I caught my breath, excitement making my hand shake slightly. “Found something.”
“What?” Jeremy came up behind me, his head leaning on my shoulder.
The front door opened and closed, the noise as loud as gunfire in the otherwise silent apartment. I caught my breath, somehow managing not to scream.
The guys heard it, too, both going still. “Move.” Phoenix whispered, pushing us all into the closet and closing us inside. Jeremy pushed me back against the wall of the closet, so that we were somewhat hidden against the plastic covering dry cleaned dresses and gowns.
He tucked me behind him, while Phoenix remained somewhere on the other side of the closet.
My aunt came into her bedroom, her voice resounding as she chatted on the phone.
“I have to change shoes, Amelia. I won’t make it all night in these.
I don’t even know why I bought them. I should just wear Rossis all the time.
I am getting too old to put up with the other brands cutting my feet.
” She paused. “What? Are you serious? If I’m having surgery, it’s to fix my nose finally, not bothering with my feet. ”
I realized she likely talked to my other aunt in Chicago—the one who didn’t believe her boyfriend, Ted, tried to rape me. He currently faced charges from other people, but she was still a bitch. Just months ago, she tried to ruin my life in the Hamptons.
Jeremy squeezed my leg, obviously feeling me going stiff. His meaning was clear. He didn’t want me to make a noise, but I didn’t want to get my aunt’s attention. Truthfully, I didn’t even want to breathe. I closed my eyes, imagining her finding us.
She won’t get to beat me. Jeremy and Phoenix won’t allow it. I breathed just a little bit easier knowing they offered me a modicum of safety.
Please don’t let this be the biggest mistake I’ve ever made.
I put my head on his back and tried to hold on.
“Once I change shoes, I’m going. It’s going to be boring.
It’s always boring. Oh, did I tell you I saw one of those Lent brats in the lobby when I came in?
” She paused again. “No, I don’t know which one, but how can anyone tell them apart?
I don’t know if she’s sleeping with him, either, before you ask.
I don’t know which one the little bitch is fucking. ”
Julian. She must have seen him talking with the doorman. I winced at her word choice, since I hated her speculating anything about us. I also hated that she used that word in a way that made anything about our relationships sound so awful.
She opened the closet and walked over to her shoes, grabbing a black pair of Rossi’s without otherwise looking up.
“No, I don’t know anything about what she is doing, but I can say we need to hire a better PI. Surely, we can afford better than this.” There was silence. “She’s a teenager. I hate that it’s come to this, since it should’ve gone away all those years ago. It was supposed to go away.”
What is she talking about? I couldn’t ask her for answers and the closet door closed, making her voice fade into the distance as she exited the room.
Jeremy held his hand up, gesturing for us to stay still.
I didn’t have any intention of moving, struggling to even think past the thousands of questions flooding my mind.
Somewhere in the distance, I heard a ding.
The elevator. Okay. All right. She’s gone.
Phoenix jumped up at the noise. “Dude, what were the chances?” He burst into laughter.
With me? Unfortunately very high. My luck wasn’t nearly as good as that of the Lent brothers. I moved from behind Jeremy, wanting to get out of there before she decided to swap purses. I grabbed the folder with my name on it and rushed toward the door.
Jeremy was right on my heels. Quietly, I closed everything up so that she wouldn’t know we were ever there. It was only luck that she hadn’t gotten naked. That would have been awful, and even though I hated her, a violation of her privacy. Changing her shoes is one thing, her clothes another.
I wanted out of the apartment, and I hoped I would never have to see it again. If life was kind, maybe I wouldn’t have to.
In silence, we boarded the elevator and Phoenix met my gaze. “You okay?”
“No.” I gripped the folder against my chest with no idea what was inside it. I wasn’t going to look until we got to their granny’s.
Jeremy squeezed my shoulder. He grinned, as if the adrenaline was still rushing through his system from almost getting caught. “Can you believe it? I mean, shit. What were the chances?”
Darkly, I said, “High.”
Julian’s face was pale when the elevator doors opened and we joined him in the lobby.
“I just don’t think they have a pitcher this year,” the doorman said, clearly continuing an ongoing conversation with Julian.
Are they still talking baseball? Jeremy whipped out his key and the two of us followed him quickly into Dina’s apartment. A second later, Julian followed.
My heart was in my throat. I could hear it in my ears. Is this a panic attack? A heart attack?
I put my hands on my knees, breathing fast and hard, almost dropping the precious folder. That was when I noticed Daniel stood there in the living room.
“Did you get it?”
Daniel held out his hand expectantly when I looked up, so without thought, I handed it to him.
I forced myself to breathe, admitting, “I have no idea what’s in there.”