Chapter Twenty-Six
Margo sat in the passenger seat of the truck staring through the side window. She hadn’t said more than three words to Hawkeye since they left the ranch.
He didn’t bother trying either.
By the time they reached the address, she took in the small house that looked well-kept. She had no clue who resided there. “I’ve never been here before,” she said aloud.
“Davani’s assistant lives here,” Hawkeye said.
Margo jerked up her chin. “What? Catarina lives here?”
“I ran the address.”
“Of course you did,” she scoffed.
“I needed to know what we were getting ourselves into.”
She couldn’t be angry and yet she wanted to yell at him. She was drained. “This should be interesting. What the hell could she be giving me?”
“Let’s find out.” Hawkeye started to climb out but she laid a hand on his elbow, jerking back because touching him sent an electrical jolt through her.
“I’m doing this alone.”
“I’m not letting you walk in there by yourself,” he said firmly.
“You’re not letting me. I’m choosing to.”
He blew out a frustrated sigh. “I’ll stay outside, on the porch, and that ain’t up for discussion.”
She didn’t have the energy to argue. The lack of sleep made her physically sick. She just wanted this to be over, far away from all the betrayal and lies.
She took the lead up the sidewalk. Knocking on the door, she heard a woman call out from inside, “Just a moment.”
The door came open, and Margo faced the woman with the square glasses, glossy blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, wearing a baggy college sweatshirt. She looked barely old enough to have graduated from high school let alone college.
Margo hated Leo. She wished he were still alive so she could shoot him herself.
“I have been expecting you,” Catarina said, her green eyes moving between Margo and Hawkeye. “I believe I recognize you. I remember seeing you outside Leo's office building on a previous occasion.”
“I’ve been told I have that kind of face. I look like a lot of people,” Hawkeye said coolly.
Catarina let it drop. “Come on inside.”
Margo glanced at Hawkeye, silently reminding him that he should stay on the porch.
“I’ll be right here,” he told her.
She stepped inside and Catarina closed the door. “Can I get you anything? Water? Coffee?”
“No, thank you.” Margo just wanted to get this over with. It wasn’t a friendly visit.
The young woman nodded. There was sadness in her expression. “Have a seat.” She scooped up books and notebooks off the couch to give Margo space to sit.
She glimpsed the title of one book. Real Estate Principles.
“Are you taking classes?” Margo didn’t want to be intrusive, but she was curious.
Catarina smiled sheepishly. “Yes. I’m getting ready to take the license exam.
I’ve been up all-night studying.” She didn’t seem like a brazen whore who slept with taken men.
Not that Margo had thought Catarina was a whore, but the entire assistant-sleeping-with-boss situation did leave a bitter taste in a person’s mouth.
“Can I ask, how old are you?” Under the circumstances Margo felt she needed to ask.
“Twenty-five. Well, I’ll be twenty-six in a few days.”
Looking around the small living room, it was neat and tidy and had pretty paintings on the wall. Through the doorway into the kitchen Margo could see an easel set up with an unfinished painting. “Is that yours?”
Catarina dropped her books onto the floor. “I’m not any good but I like to dabble. It keeps my mind preoccupied.”
Margo wondered what the beautiful, twenty-five-almost-twenty-six-year-old had to worry about?
At that age, Margo had been living in a studio apartment that had roaches, a water leak and a pervert as a landlord.
The only food she had in the house most days were cans of baked beans. This house was pretty cushy for anyone.
Catarina dropped down onto the chair and tucked her bare feet up under her.
“Nice house,” Margo commented.
“Look, I didn’t ask Leo to buy it for me. I didn’t realize until…” Her cheeks turned crimson. “that he was still paying the mortgage. Now I’ve got a few weeks to move since it’s in his name.”
Margo swallowed hard. Again, Leo had swept in and left his acerbic mark. “This is a bit…odd.”
“I agree. When Leo told me that I needed to help I refused to be a part of this, but you know how he could be. He could be persuasive when it suited him.” She gave a small laugh that didn’t reach her eyes.
Margo knew exactly what Catarina meant. “I’m not sure why I’m here.”
Catarina lowered her feet to the floor, scooting to the edge of the cushion.
“You have every right to be upset with Leo, and with me.” She lowered her eyes demurely.
“I fell for him and although I knew it was wrong for us to be together, while he was still with you, but I wanted to make it clear that I did love him. At first, I saw an opportunity, but there was something stable about him, that men my age don’t have.
” She gulped loudly. “What did he say during his last moments? Did he mention us? Anything?”
Margo could see the hope in the woman’s expression. “No, he didn’t. He wasn’t himself though. He was preoccupied.”
Catarina clasped her hands tightly, her knuckles turning white. “I wanted to believe that he loved me too. That he loved the baby. I was crazy for thinking he’d change. I think he hoped I’d just disappear.”
“Baby?” Margo blurted the word as she looked for any sign there was a baby in the house.
Catarina’s head tilted. “You didn’t know?”
“No, I had no clue.”
Resting her hand on her stomach, the large sweatshirt hid any evidence that she was pregnant.
“At first, he seemed callous about the whole baby thing, but I saw changes within him. The positive changes only lasted a couple of weeks though. Then I noticed that he wasn’t acting like himself.
He wanted to…” her voice trailed off. “He was rough, you know what I mean? I accused him of doing drugs because I had an ex-boyfriend who used cocaine. He would get all strung out and angry, then he’d want to do crazy sex stuff.
Anyway, Leo started scaring me, talking about doing business with the wrong people and worried that he couldn’t get out. ”
“Did he mention any names?”
She shook her head. “No, he never mentioned any names. I might have been his assistant, but I didn’t know shit.”
“Why did Leo want me to come here? What package am I picking up?” Margo felt sorry for Catarina. In the end, Leo had put her in a tough situation.
“Well, the day he…” she paused, “died he’d called and asked me to go to his office right away and grab everything from the safe.
I did after my doctor’s appointment. I followed his directions.
I destroyed everything inside, but the envelope with your name on it and I kept it for you.
He also told me I should keep the envelope with the money.
Are you going to try and take it?” Concern made the girl look older, less innocent.
“It’s only ten grand. He told me it was for the baby. ”
“No, I don’ want the money.” Margo didn’t care if the girl was telling the truth, but under the circumstances she’d need it for the baby. “Can I get the envelope?”
“Yes, but you should know he told me there would be two envelopes with your name on them, but I only found one. It was tucked up under the shelf.” She stood, went to a white desk that held a laptop and a framed picture of Catarina and Leo. They were both smiling for the selfie. They looked happy.
“Here you go.” Catarina handed Margo the sealed envelope.
She stared at her name written in Leo’s handwriting. There was so much more to him than she could have ever known. Standing, she was ready to end the awkward meeting. “I wish you luck in your new career and with the baby.”
“Thank you. I’m moving back home. Back to my parents’ house.” Her shoulders slumped. “They said they’ll help me out. It’ll be good for the baby.”
“Take care of yourself and thank you for keeping the envelope for me.” It didn’t take a genius to realize the missing envelope was the one with the photos inside that she now had. Although she didn’t forgive Hawkeye, taking them had saved her a lot of embarrassment.
Leaving the house, she didn’t even look at him as she passed.
He caught up to her on the sidewalk. “That’s an awfully thin envelope.”
She started to reach for the handle of the passenger door, but he beat her to it. She climbed in and still didn’t acknowledge him.
“What did she say?” Hawkeye asked when he was in the driver’s seat.
“Oh, a little bit of this and a little bit of that. She’s carrying Leo’s baby. I don’t know how far along but I’d guess far enough that Leo knew for a while.”
Hawkeye whistled through his teeth “That’s a hard one.”
“She seems okay with it. I think she’s getting a big dose of reality, thanks to Leo.” Sliding her finger under the sealed flap, she took out the folded piece of paper, carefully smoothing out the folds.
She read…
“Margo,
If you’re reading this that means I’ve gambled and lost. You’ll also find out that I was going to be a father.
Me? A father. Imagine that. There’s something about this impending fatherhood that is about as scary as the people who no longer see me as useful.
I’ve done things I’m not proud of. The way I treated you is one of them.
And the photos. I didn’t know I could slink so low, but I couldn’t resist. You were so beautiful.
So lovely. Like a goddess. You were an angel that I could never be good enough for.
I do hope one day you can forgive me. By now you’re probably wondering what the shocking surprise is.
In your apartment there’s a loose board under the bed.
You’ll find a treasure. Only trust Hawkeye with the information.
If something should happen to Hawkeye, then take the information to Sharp Creed.
It’ll all make sense. Best of luck to you, Leo. ”
She folded the paper and returned it to the envelope, feeling nothing but an eerie numbness.
“You okay?” Hawkeye asked with patience.
“Peachy. We need to go to my apartment.”
“Margo—”
“He hid something there. I’m gathering you’ll want whatever it is.”