Chapter 33
FRANKIE
The words on the screen are swimming in front of my eyes.
It’s been a long day, and I finally got a chance to study.
Despite my best efforts, it feels like I’m not gaining any ground when it comes to the exam.
Every problem I work seems to magically disappear from my brain the moment I close the laptop.
At this rate, I’m going to fail miserably, and there’s nothing I can do about it.
I rub my eyes, determined to continue until something sticks. If I can get just one concept under my belt, then I can call it quits for the day. But the thing I’m working on at the moment has so many moving parts, I feel like I’m going backward.
My phone beeps, and I pick it up. Part of being my father’s eventual replacement means I need to always be available. I don’t want to run the risk of anything going wrong if I’m supposed to be somewhere to talk to someone. I check it out of habit, but I’m not expecting what I see.
Sofia’s name shows up on the screen. My heart sings, but then I lance it with the memory of her betrayal. I’m not supposed to be excited to hear from her. In fact, I should be pissed. I wonder why she’s calling me. Surely, she realizes that we’re sworn enemies.
I don’t answer, and the phone continues to ring. After four vibrations, it shuts off, leaving me with a thousand questions. I don’t have to wait long before she texts me.
Sofia: We need to talk. My place in 10. Please.
That final please is what motivates me to go.
I don’t think I’m going to be able to come back to my studies if I leave, but what choice do I have?
She’s reaching out, and I still care about her enough to want to respond.
I know this is foolish, but it’s all I must go on now.
I’ve already decided my life isn’t worth much, and that I’m willing to sacrifice my entire future for my family.
What is one more disappointment in the grand scheme of things?
I don’t want to take my bodyguards with me, but that’s the protocol I’ve lived with for most of my life. I decide to try using my newfound responsibilities by ordering the bodyguards to stand down.
They look at me as if I’m crazy, but they don’t try to follow me. One of them goes directly toward my father’s office, but I let him go. I don’t care if Dad knows where I’m going. He’s made it clear that he trusts me, and I’m about to test that trust.
I get into my car and drive down to the gatehouse.
I wonder if they’re going to let me through or if they’re going to give me a hard time.
My prayers are answered when the guard simply waves at me.
I coast out onto the street with no questions asked, marveling at the autonomy my slowly growing power affords me.
It doesn’t take long to make the drive to Sofia’s place, although it’s not exactly ten minutes.
Checking my watch, it looks more like twenty by the time I arrive.
I knock on her door, my nerves a twisted bundle in my stomach.
I want to see her, but I’m scared of it at the same time.
Our last conversation wasn’t one I want to repeat.
Hopefully, she has something else in mind, otherwise this will be a short trip.
“Frankie,” she says as she opens the door.
She looks stressed, and I can’t help but feel some pride in that regard. I’m the one who told her she’s going to spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder. It seems like she’s taken that message to heart.
“Sofia,” I say, standing out in the hallway.
“Won’t you come in?” she asks, gesturing me inside.
I have an automatic reaction to her invitation that must be the product of my new lifestyle. I wonder if she’s got someone in there who’s going to jump me. This is her plan, to get me alone and have one of her work colleagues kick the crap out of me.
“I’ll stay out here,” I reply smugly.
“For goodness' sake,” she snaps. “I’m not a threat. Not to you.”
I sigh. There’s enough frustration in her voice to persuade me that she’s speaking the truth.
I step into her apartment and watch as she closes the door behind me.
A quick scan of the kitchen and living room lets me know that we are alone.
I wonder again why she summoned me here, but I’ll let her get to that in her own time.
“How have you been?” I ask.
“Awful,” she moans. “What about you?”
“Pretty bad,” I agree.
She looks at me with the kind of adoring patience that I used to see all the time. It makes me wish that we could turn the clock back and forget all about our differences.
“I want to show you something,” she explains, sitting on the couch and pointing to her laptop.
I join her, curious. This feels like some kind of big reveal. I wonder what she’s found that requires my attention, and why her demeanor has suddenly changed. She gazes deep into my eyes, and I feel a confession coming on. She doesn’t disappoint.
“Nobody believes that my brother didn’t take his own life,” she sobs.
I want to reach out and pat her shoulder, but I stay frozen in place.
I have to remind myself that this woman stole from my father.
She’s a journalist who is on the hunt for dirt about my family.
If she discovers anything that she can use against us, she’ll publish it and that could ruin my father. I must stay strong.
“So, I went to talk to Mr. Harlan. That’s my boss,” Sofia says. “But he was acting really strange, which got me thinking.”
“Okay,” I agree, not sure what her boss has to do with anything.
“He said that Danny was working on a story about geese,” Sofia exclaims.
“Geese?” I ask, confused.
“That’s right. But obviously that’s not right,” she contradicts herself. “He wouldn’t have been nearly so excited about geese as he was when he told me that he was going to tell me everything.”
“Wait,” I plead, putting my hands up to stop her. “I’m not following.”
“Here,” she says, opening the laptop. “Watch this.”
I shift my attention to the screen, abandoning all hope of unraveling her tale.
There is a video file in the center of the monitor, and footage begins rolling the moment Sofia presses play.
The camera remains steady, pointed up at an angle to capture the person sitting in front of it.
A man, about Sofia’s age, with the same color hair and eyes, stares out at us.
I’m startled by the resemblance at first, but then I realize that this must be her brother.
“That’s Danny,” Sofia says quietly.
“I can’t believe I’m leaving you this message,” Danny says. “It seems so overplayed. I hope that you never have to watch this, and I’ll just keep it at my desk until I get my next big story. But just in case…”
I glance over at Sofia and see that she’s crying.
She’s watched this a dozen times already, but it still affects her.
Without thinking, I reach over and take her hand.
She gives me a sad smile, but nods toward the computer, hoping I’ll pay attention.
I do as she asks, shifting my gaze back to her brother.
“You remember I told you I was working on a story,” Danny says.
“Well, I found something big. This paper is being run by a man named Carlo Andretti. He’s the biggest shareholder but it’s way more than that.
I think he’s using this paper to push for his own agenda.
I notice Mr. Harlan pushing down some stories and digging others up unexpectedly.
I’ve talked to a few of my colleagues who have similar reservations. ”
My radar goes up at the mention of Andretti.
He’s been a sworn enemy of my father for years.
If he is the owner of Danny’s paper, and Sofia’s by extension, that could be bad.
He’s in hiding, but I know he’s still around.
This is how he got information about Marlena’s pregnancy.
If he has a whole office full of reporters at his disposal, there’s no way we can hide from him.
“I didn’t realize that Harlan was in on it,” Danny says. “I told him everything before I realized it was too late. Now Andretti knows that I’m onto him. I hope I’m wrong, but in case I’m not, I’ve included all my research on this flash drive.”
The message ends with a story about Danny and Sofia as kids.
He promises her that she’ll always have the memories of that day, no matter what happens.
I sit back to digest the new information as Sofia closes the laptop.
She gives me a moment, which I’m grateful for.
I have so many questions, I just don’t know where to begin.
“I thought that your father killed my brother,” Sofia says finally, her voice breaking.
I hate that my father is the kind of man who can legitimately be considered a killer. I’ve never seen him kill anyone, but I’m sure he’s done it. In my own work for him, I’ve seen things I don’t ever want to speak of again. So, I can’t fault Sofia for her mistake. And I can’t apologize either.
“My father didn’t do this,” I say. At least I know that, if Andretti was the one under investigation by Sofia's brother, we had no stake in this.
“I know that now,” Sofia says. “He was very kind to me when I went to visit.”
“You mean when you stole his journal?” I snap, unable to keep the acid from my voice. I’m still hurt over what she did, even though I can understand it now.
She gives me a tight smile. “I’m sorry about that.”
I consider everything that’s going on in both of our lives. This is great news. It helps me understand her motivation and explains why she felt she had to use me to get close to my dad. I’m still a little hurt that she went as far as she did, but I can see things from her perspective.
“I did the same thing that my brother did,” Sofia continues. “I told Harlan everything I know.”
“So, you think he’ll send Andretti after you?” I surmise. “Just like he did to your brother.”
“He might if he figures out, I know the truth about my brother,” she concludes.