Chapter 15
She planned it carefully and with great consideration.
She would have dismissed the idea of hurting the bitch, if it had not been for the slight at the Alzheimer's benefit at the end of June.
There she was, as big as a fricking house wearing a hammered gold dress that swirled around her from bosom to knees, with that asshole who had dumped her, fawning over her.
And the press lapped up every word that came out of her fricking mouth.
She had been forced to smile and bear the humiliation and pretended to the bitch and her ex that she had moved on and was doing just A-okay.
The press had been particularly cruel, snapping pics of her as she gazed over at the couple and snidely hinting that "a certain actress had a longing look on her face. "
She had shredded several expensive gowns and smashed a priceless sculpture given to her by the same asshole and ended up going to bed with a massive migraine. One that had lasted two whole days. It was then she resolved to get her revenge. And the means had fallen like a ripe plum in her lap.
A blast from her past had come begging for handout. Billy Gayle had been a neighborhood good for nothing and hadn't changed a bit even though he was a lot older. He was even worse now. Zoned out on hard drugs and barely recognizable.
She had been visiting the old neighborhood. Her annoying agent had suggested that it would help to boost her image if she was seen walking the dumpy place where she had grown up and smiling for the camera while handing out gifts and treats to old people and children.
"Your image has been shot to hell since that delicious man dumped you honey.
" Ruth had told her the relentless and painful truth.
"And that fundraiser in June clinched it.
It's clear the guy is crazy about his wife, so your story about the marriage being an arrangement is shot to hell.
You looked like a jilted lover. Time to get some good press. "
So, she had reluctantly agreed and smiled until she felt as if her lips were frozen. She was about to knock off the good cheer, when Billy came sauntering up asking for money. She had barely recognized him until he said his name. And was about to dismiss him, when the idea suddenly came to her.
She paused, considering the opportunity with a calculating glint in her eyes.
The pieces were falling into place, too perfectly.
Billy's sudden reappearance seemed more like fate than coincidence, and she knew she could use his desperation to her advantage.
The plan was beginning to take shape in her mind, fueled by the sting of public embarrassment and the hunger for vindication.
She would give him cash of course. Who cares if he was just going to snort it up his nose.
Certainly not her. So, she arranged for a discreet meeting and impressed on him that they could not be seen with each other.
He was desperate enough to agree to anything.
It helped that he was also smitten. Good, that combination was what she needed.
Feeling much brighter and silently saluting Ruth for the idea, she cheerfully spent the rest of the time beaming and handing out gifts.
*****
"Teal or aqua?"
She leaned back against him as he rubbed his hands intimately over her considerable bulge. They were having a son, and the pregnancy was breezing right along.
"Does it matter what I think?"
Her husband asked mildly as he contemplated the different swatches of wallpapers that had been sent over by the designer for their approval.
"Of course it does." She chided.
"You rejected all of my ideas so far, so I'm not falling for that again."
He kissed the top of her head and felt the familiar flood of emotions storming through him. She laughed, swatting at his arm playfully, but her eyes sparkled with affection.
"All right, maybe I have veto power, but I still want to hear what you think."
For a moment, the tension of recent weeks melted away, replaced by the quiet intimacy of shared anticipation and the soft flutter of excitement that colored their preparations for the new arrival.
"Teal."
His eyes narrowed as she moved out of his arms to slide her hands through the different shades.
"Oh, darling, look at this! It's not quite green, but a cross between blue and--"
She looked up and caught his stoic expression.
"Okay, fine. It's our son's room and he's going to be living in it for a long time. It has to be special."
"You do your thing. I'm going to take a swim."
"Without me?"
"Yep. You've been driving the designers crazy for close to a month, I'm not going to fall into the same trap."
"You're supposed to be my supportive husband." She pouted.
"This supportive husband is close to wringing your pretty neck."
Crossing to her, he kissed her hard on the lips.
"Make up your mind darling, or I make it up for you."
Tapping a finger on her nose, he walked out of the room. Patting her belly, she smiled when her son stirred.
"Daddy is being mean, but we forgive him. He has no idea the work it takes to get things right."
She sighed as she stared at the samples again.
"But he has a point. I really need to choose. And soon. You have a month, give or take two weeks to get your fine self out of that cocoon and make your way into the world. We're dying to see you."
Taking a deep breath and feeling the pressure in the small of her back, she picked up the samples again.
*****
She had sneaked out without even telling her assistant that she was coming to do a once over of the property. God, the man was frustrating. This was supposed to be her last day at the office, and she had had to beg and threaten and cajole for him to agree to her staying the entire day.
If it had been left up to him, she would have been on maternity leave when she hit her second trimester. She had to put her foot down. The others were no better. Her grandfather, his, his dad and even hers were ganging up on her.
"You need to rest. Put your feet up. Take a break. You're pregnant."
Nag, nag, nag. As if she was the only pregnant woman in the world. So, they were the ones forcing her to use subterfuge. At least, she had asked Matthew to drop by and take a look at the warehouse with her.
It was not the building that interested her. But the plot of land it sat on. The building would be razed of course, to make room for a playground. The area badly needed one. Stepping out of the vehicle, she wasn't even allowed to drive herself, she thought resentfully.
She had had to filch a key and take one of the cars in the parking garage. Shaking her head, she looked around the area. It was a dump, but not for long. In the near future it was going to be an area where kids would play and hang out.
There was going to be a community center with professionals teaching arts and crafts.
Jackson and Jason Colby had agreed to be sponsors.
Excitement glimmered in her eyes as she wandered around.
Hesitating briefly, she pushed the door of the warehouse open and stepped into the dank and dark interior.
There might be some potential here, she thought as she looked around. The air was foul and fetid, she decided and not good for the baby. Stepping back, she turned around and headed for the door, just as it was pushed open.
"Matthew--"
Her voice stuttered to a stop as the unkempt looking man with the straggly hair stepped inside, his hand raised as he pointed a gun at her. Fear, white hot and crippling had her going still.
"What do you want?"
He smiled, stained teeth flashing.
"She did not tell me you were breeding. I wanted to show you a good time."
Ingrid felt the fear settling like a stone inside her belly. If it was her life alone, she would damn well fight, but she had her unborn son to think about.
"I have money." She told him hoarsely. "My purse is in the car--"
"I don't need your money."
He was advancing, his hand waving.
"I was given a job to do and I'm gonna do it. She wants you dead. You took her man from her, and she wants you dead."
He shrugged thin shoulders.
"Personally, I don't see what the fuss is all about, but to each his own. Get on your knees."
"No."
His eyes narrowed.
"Get on your knees lady."
"So you can shoot me in the head? Who sent you to kill me?"
He grinned.
"I think you're a smart woman and should already figure that out. She hates your guts."
The sound of a vehicle approaching had her knees weakening and him distracted. It gave her the perfect opportunity to scream, and she did so with a vengeance and started running. The bullet caught her in the left shoulder and had her falling onto her side.
He raced over and would have finished the job if he hadn't heard someone shouting. The pain was excruciating, tearing through her body like thousands of spikes. As she drifted into unconsciousness, she heard her brother's shout as he charged into the building.
"Ingrid-- Oh Jesus Christ! Cal, my sister. It's my sister. Go after the bastard. Hold on baby."
Dragging off his jacket, he padded the shoulder and used his phone to call it in.
"Hurry, she's bleeding out. Hang in there baby. I got you."
His heart was pounding so hard, he could barely hear anything else. Not even when his partner came running in.
"Ambo's on the way. Patrol caught the bastard on Third Street. Still had the smoking gun."
"Where the hell is that ambulance? Jesus, I have to call her husband."
*****
He was sure it was a nightmare and any minute now, he would wake up and find her lying next to him. Or he was in an alternate universe, where nothing made sense. The waiting room was crowded. They had been given a private one, large and equipped with refreshments.