Chapter Twenty-Five - Emily
I’m a little over eight months pregnant, feeling like a ripe plum as I drive to my doctor’s appointment. On the way, I call Kiara to check in.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“I’m going to get my nails done. How’s the rich mommy life treating you,” she mocks, chuckling down the line.
“Ha. Ha. I’m headed to my doctor’s appointment now.”
“A checkup on the little bean! How exciting. Are you nervous at all?”
“A little, but I’m excited for my little girl to come out. I want to meet her and see what she’s going to turn out to be.”
“I would be too. How’s Ryurik?” I turn the air-conditioning up. Maybe it’s the change of seasons or the extra weight I’m carrying, but I’m feeling hotter and more flustered than ever.
Possibly the information I found out about Utkin could have helped the increase in heat as well. I slept with a pillow behind my back to keep my back from hurting, but subconsciously I wanted to put a wall up between me and the man I’m now 100 percent sure is a cop killer. “He’s okay. At work.”
“That doesn’t sound good. Are you okay over there with him?”
Sighing, I move my fingers on the wheel, the traffic particularly irritating. “Mostly. We have some hiccups to work out, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.” I stare over at my purse knowing what it contains. Inside it is the photographs on my USB with the gun I believe Ryurik used to kill Willy Dee, and the photographed mention of where he or his team dumped the body. Ryurik doesn’t go through my things, and probably this is the freest I’ve ever been. If I wanted to, I could have taken the gun down to forensics, called in a favor and have them check if the bullets in the gun were a match.
Letting my mind glaze over, I drive on autopilot, but Kiara’s voice swings me back to now.
“Oh okay. I don’t want you down in the dumps about anything. You’re almost ready to pump a baby out over there! I’m excited to be hosting the baby shower for you. Stacy and I can’t wait. It’s going to be our first one. Whoo-hoo.”
Kiara’s timely reminder brings a smile to my face. “I can’t wait either. It will be nice to get out of the house and be with my girls.” There’s a few other women invited, but each one of them I know intimately. I kind of wanted to invite Brady and Milton, but that’s not how baby showers work—women only. I miss them too, but we don’t speak.
I can’t talk to them, otherwise they’re going to pick up on the bullshit and start putting two and two together. I can’t let them do that. And there’s Jackson. I let him down, and wanted to be a part of the Bureau, and now I’m a part of nothing. I’m going to have to re-invent myself again.
“Yay! I’m going to call you back; I’ve got to get in for my appointment.”
“That’s cool. Don’t worry, I’m close to my appointment too. Talk tomorrow.”
“Bye, babe!”
“Bye.” I pull into the parking lot of my gynecologist, a melancholic feeling coming over me. I miss Stacy and Kiara coming over to my apartment and helping themselves to my food and us talking to all hours of the night. I let go of the rental in Lincoln Park I’d lived in for over four years, and it was a sad moment having to hand the keys back to the real estate agent.
That place had become part of me, and I thought in my old life I was going to stay there until I bought a place. Now, I live in a mansion with all the trimmings on the outskirts of Chicago.
Feeling a little sorry for myself, I step out of the car, heading inside for my appointment. All the girls are lovely there, and it’s a nice experience talking to my doctor. Once again, Ryurik organized for me to have one of the best obstetricians in the country to help me deliver the baby.
“Good morning, Emily. How are you feeling?” Dr. Inger places a supportive hand on my leg as I lay back on her table, ready for the ultrasound gel.
“Worn out. It’s hard to get upstairs and I’m eating everything I can get my hands on. To top it off, I’m not sleeping well, and a little girl is kicking up a storm, wanting to get out of this incubator oven. Other than that, I would say I’m doing well.”
Dr. Inger chuckles with affection, squirting the blue jelly onto my swollen belly. “That’s all pretty normal, but you’re doing a great job, Momma-to-be. Let’s take a look at our little girl, shall we?”
Excitement overrides my confusion about what to do about Ryurik as I watch the black, white, and gray image on the screen, the baby showing up clear as a bell. “Wow. This is unbelievable. She’s gotten so big since the last time I saw you!”
“Yep, she sure has. There are her little fingers right there, and her toes. She’s going to be a long baby. Can you see?” The doctor points to the screen as I marvel at what she’s showing me.
“I see it. I can’t wait for her to get out here to the world.”
“Realistically, you’re far enough along for that to be any day now. She’s sitting low in the belly. It won’t be too much longer. Your due date is in three weeks, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Excellent. I’ve got your blood test results in as you know, and there’s nothing to worry about. Your iron levels are right where they need to be. Your baby has all their fingers and toes, and the DNA testing came back clear of abnormalities.”
“Such a relief. Thank you, Doctor.” We chat some more about what I can expect, but it’s strange not having Ryurik in the room. Today he couldn’t come because he had to be at several important meetings.
When I kissed him goodbye this morning, I felt relief he couldn’t join me. I wanted to sort out my feelings and what to do with the evidence I have, but at this moment, not being here makes me feel as if part of me is missing.
I’m in deeper with him than I thought….
Wrapping up the appointment, I leave heading for the exit, uneasy with the information I’m holding, a voice tempting me in my head.
All you have to do is walk in there and hand the information over anonymously. Nobody has to know it was you.
Lost in my own world, I miss the man walking my way. We bump shoulders, my head jerking upwards, seeing a face that causes my stomach to burn.
“Jeff, what are you doing here?” I hiss under my breath. Unless he has a wife all of sudden or he’s knocked somebody up, it’s a spooky coincidence.
He rakes his hand through his hair, dressed in casual clothes. Seeing him brings heartache to me. I want to go back to work, but, of course, I can’t.
“Can I, ah… talk to you outside?”
A quick uptick of my pulse gives me all the reasons I need to say no, but even if he is in plainclothes, that doesn’t mean I can ignore an officer of the law. My mouth tightens into a grim line. “Sure. What do you want to talk to me about?” I ask preemptively as we make it to the outside, the overcast Chicago sun cutting through the clouds.
There’s plenty of people in the parking lot, so it makes me feel a little safer. “Sorry, I wanted to wait until we were outside. I’m wanting to talk to you about you leaving the police department.
Feeling squeamish, I exhale deeply. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Jeff. I’ve left and now it’s over. I’ve moved on with my life,” I reply offhandedly, feeling a sense of pressure from him.
“No, Emily,” he presses in an exasperated tone, jumping in my walking path, startling me as I instinctively tighten the grip on my purse handle.
“Jeff.” I glare at him, sidestepping him, but he cuts off my path again. “Get out of the way. I just said to let it go if this is what you want to talk about. Why are you in plainclothes? Day off?”
“Ever the detective.” He grins, the resemblance to Ryurik I noticed at first completely gone. They are not the same people. “No. You’re in plainclothes. I’m asking you a direct question.”
“Yes. My day off, and it’s not a coincidence I came to see you. I followed your routine to the hospital. I knew you were coming here today.”
Stopping. I stare hard at Jeff. “Who sent you?” I snap, my eyes darting around the parking lot.
“Whoa, don’t get the wrong idea. I’m on your side. Listen, I know you were forced into marriage with Ryurik and the officers in the department are talking some heavy shit about you. Ryurik’s a Mafia boss. I get it.”
Horrified by his admission, my mouth feels as if it’s dried up. “What are saying, Jeff? I don’t think you have a clue.” I don’t give all my cards away. I can’t. He had the chance to save me, but he chose not to. I study his shirt to see if I can spot the thread of a wire.
Jeff pats himself down, sensing that’s what I’m doing. “I’m not wearing a wire if that’s what you think.”
“Yes,” I reply tersely, Jeff holding his ground. “That’s exactly what I think you’re doing.”
“I can help you, Emily,” he says with urgency. “I swear I can get you out of that hole you’re in and make it so you’re safe again.”
Clenching on to my bag, I think about its contents. What I have on the inside is enough to send Ryurik inside for a long time. The USB is enough even if the trails of the evidence aren’t all there.
What do I have to lose? Ryurik and I aren’t in a real, loving marriage. This is forced like Jeff says.
If I really want to end organized crime in the city of Chicago, the Utkin’s would be a nice touch on my resume. All would be forgiven, and I could resume my position. It would only be seen as me going deep undercover for the role.
I could be a hero. Shutting down him, would be the catalyst to bring down the rest of the Russian mob dynasty.
Something to think about.