Chapter 27
Angie took a cab to Ralph’s, carrying her work clothes, her own lunch, and Ralph’s care package that she’d carefully prepared before helping Gina and Kim out earlier.
She walked into his apartment lobby and the doorman greeted her.
“Good to see you, Mrs. Sortino. Mr. Conti is expecting you.” He pushed the elevator button, held the door, and sent her straight up to the penthouse where Ralph was waiting.
As soon as the door opened, he was there to greet her.
“Hello. It’s so good to see you. I’d help you carry something but I’ve only got one good arm.” He sweetly kissed Angie on the cheek, which sent a tingle down her spine.
“It’s good to see you up and about. I was a bit scared I’d find you a horrible mess and here you are already walking around. Modern medicine is a miracle indeed.” She gave him a kiss on his cheek, and his aftershave smelled divine.
Angie walked past Ralph into his kitchen, unpacked the meal she had prepared for him, and put it in the microwave to warm it up.
“You sure know your way around my place. Seems like you’ve been here before,” Ralph said.
“Why, yes, I have. Eunice and I came here while we were waiting for you to be moved into your hospital room. You have a lovely home, not a lot of food in the fridge, but plenty of fine wine and spirits.” Angie took out two plates, silverware, and cloth napkins.
Setting two places at the dining room table, she glanced up at the portrait of Alice.
“Hello, Alice, seems your man has gotten himself into some trouble, but we’ll keep an eye on him and hope you can work your magic from heaven as well. ”
“So you’ve also met my beloved wife,” Ralph said with a smile. “Glad to know you are both acquainted. I must say you remind me of her in so many ways.” Angie felt Ralph’s eyes following her every move as she served her fresh pesto pasta, salad, and garlic bread that she had warmed in his broiler.
“Please sit down. I believe you can eat everything with one hand.”
Ralph followed her orders, took a taste of the pasta, and let out a groan. “Oh, my, this is so flavorful and fresh. This will heal me faster than any drugs they give me.”
Angie ate hers and had to admit it was delicious.
“How are you feeling? You have been through quite an ordeal. First your business problems, a broken nose, and then shot. Yet you’re able to sit up and take nourishment.
You’re like the Tom Cruise character who gets beat up, shot at, and can still jump off a moving motorcycle and save the day. ”
“I’m honored you’d compare me to him. I’m grateful I’ve been diligent with my fitness.”
Angie watched him navigate everything with his right hand, and she felt the urge to reach over and help him but decided he could handle it on his own. They ate in silence for a while with an occasional sound of delight coming from Ralph.
Angie put her fork down, reached down in her bag, and pulled out some paperwork.
“Ben took me to my safety deposit box at the bank, and I have all the evidence we’ll need to put Mario and several of the higher city officials away for good, if we need to.
This could go all the way up to the mayor’s office if we want to take it that far.
I really don’t want to destroy anyone’s reputation, except Mario’s.
I’m not afraid to take whatever action is needed to get what is rightfully mine. ”
She cleared Ralph’s place and put the papers in front of him, took the dishes to the kitchen and cleaned everything up, moving about the space as if she were in her own kitchen.
Though she’d never cooked in such a fancy kitchen, Angie found that everything was arranged in a way that made perfect sense to her.
She found every item in the first drawer or cupboard she opened.
It made her wonder if Alice had set it all in place.
Angie felt an unexplainable affection for Alice, this woman she’d never met.
Angie returned to the dining room and found Ralph studying all the papers she had brought. She was happy she could trust him with this information, knowing if it fell into the wrong hands it could cost her life.
Ralph finished reading and looked over at her. “I had no idea all this was happening behind the scenes. Vinnie sure was meticulous about dates and details. This will all hold up in a court of law if we go that far. Who else has seen these?”
“Just me and now you. Ben asked not to be part of this except to protect me, should I need him. He was inside City Hall long enough to know about all the shady dealings. He kept his nose clean and retired with a nice pension, made no enemies. He was smart enough to stay under the radar.”
“Would you have any objection to me showing these to Eunice? I trust her with my life, and if they do take another shot at me and hit the target, at least you two can finish this off.”
“We can’t let you get hurt again; that’s why we need to act fast.”
Angie thought about his request for a bit.
“I did speak with her about this and gave her my spare key to the safety deposit box when we were in the hospital. We just have to remember that whoever knows this information is in harm’s way and could end up dead if and when Mario and the City Hall thugs find out. ”
“I appreciate you being protective of her. I won’t say anything to her about the details until you let me know if it’s okay.”
“Thanks, Ralph. These are copies and I have the originals. Why don’t you give some thought on how and when we’ll execute our plan. It needs to happen sooner than later and I already mapped out my ideas.”
The house phone started ringing in the background. “Do you want me to get that?” Angie offered.
“No, it’s probably a messenger from the office dropping something off at the front desk. I’ll have them bring it up after you leave.” The phone stopped ringing for a few minutes and then started again. They both ignored it.
Angie made Ralph a cup of coffee and put a few of her homemade chocolate-dipped biscotti on a plate, which she placed on the dining room table.
“Here’s a little dessert for you. I need to get into work early.
I promised Lorna I’d make up the time I took off when I went to see you in the hospital.
Just so you know, I did tell the hospital staff I was your wife so I could get in to see you quickly.
A little white lie here and there never hurts.
” Angie gathered her belongings and headed to the elevator, the house phone again ringing in the background.
“You never know what the future will hold for us, Angie. I hope we can spend more time together. I really do enjoy your company.”
“I hope we can too, but I can’t have you bossing me around like you did at Gibsons. That was totally disrespectful the way you spoke to me. Not okay. While I care about you and all the troubles you’ve had recently, I need to trust you, and that will take time.”
“You’re right. I was just so angry at Rebecca for what she said to you that I lost my temper. I guess I was being protective of you. I’m so sorry about that. I won’t let that happen again.”
“I’m a grown woman and I can protect myself.
I want a relationship built on trust and mutual respect, just so we understand each other.
I’ve been through a lot this past month, to say the least, and I need things to calm down in my life.
I want to concentrate on getting my pension and getting our catering company off the ground. That’s plenty of excitement for me.”
“Fair enough, Angie. I don’t want to be the one causing you any more stress, believe me.”
“I appreciate that; now I need to get to work. Please take care of yourself. You’re not getting any younger.”
Ralph grinned. “No, I am not, and believe me, I am feeling that now more than ever. May I please give you a kiss on the cheek?”
Angie looked up at him. “Yes, you may.”
He leaned in, and as his soft, warm lips touched her face, she felt her cheeks flush and a tingling sensation travel all the way down to her toes.
They were both standing by the elevator doors when they opened. There was Rebecca, carrying a huge flower arrangement. “I’m here to take care of my man,” she said from behind the bouquet, unable to see Angie standing there.
Angie dropped her bag, looked at Ralph and then back at Rebecca, who had put the flowers down from in front of her face and was staring at her. “What the fuck are you doing here? I thought you got the message; you’re not in his league. Seriously, you don’t actually think he’s interested in you.”
Adrenaline rushed through Angie’s body, and she walked right up to Rebecca. “I think you should mind your own business and leave; you’re not wanted or needed here. I need to go to work. We’ll talk later, Ralph.”
As the elevator doors closed, she could hear Ralph yell, “Stop, Angie, I didn’t know she was coming. Please!”
She hurried out of the elevator downstairs, tears flowing, and hailed a cab. I hate that woman, barging in all the time. She hopped in the cab. “City Hall.” Her phone was ringing. She turned it off and let herself cry until she got to work.
“You all right, ma’am?” the cabbie asked as he dropped her off in front of City Hall.
She handed him a twenty. “I’m fine. Keep the change.”
Angie stood outside for a few minutes to collect herself, then went in, got dressed for work, and made sure Hazel had all the supplies needed for the evening’s work.
Just as she was about to go up to the elevator, Lorna came around the corner with her cart.
“Hey, Ang, how the hell are you? How’s Ralph? ”
Angie burst out crying and Lorna came to her side. “Oh, honey, come here, sit down.” She led Angie to a small row of old office chairs in the hall by the elevators.