Chapter Twenty-Three
“This is a gun in your back, Miss Myers,” the gravelly voice said. “Don’t speak and don’t turn around. You will do something. You will get the necklace off the senator’s wife and give it to me.”
“How do you propose I do that, whoever you are?” Jenna asked, certain Sal Amato’s voice was who she heard over her pounding heartbeat.
“You will figure it out because right now as we stand here, my associate has a gun on your friend, Dan Kelly. My associate will take great pleasure in pulling the trigger if you don’t do as I say. You can save lives tonight, Miss Myers, by using your special skills.”
“What skills are you talking about?” Jenna turned her head a little, feeling the sweat running down her back, but the gun was pushed harder into her back.
“Don’t turn around. Last warning. I know who you are, Miss Myers, and I know what you have done and what you can do. Let’s not waste time in a battle of words. You will get me the necklace or Dan Kelly will die tonight, and we’ll take the necklace anyway. Others might die, too. It’s up to you.”
Jenna felt her anger conquer her fear. “If you have all this worked out, what do I do?”
“You go back upstairs; we will cut the lights. It will give you the chance to get the necklace. Once you have it, make your way back here to this same spot. I’ll be here, waiting. Once I have the necklace, my partner will join me, and Dan will be safe, as well as the others. It’s all up to you. People can live, or they can die. You must remember that.”
“How much time do I have?”
“You have seven minutes from the time you leave here until the lights go out. And let me warn you, if you alert Dan or anyone else, he, or they, will be as good as dead, as will you. Once the lights go out, you will have only three minutes to get the necklace from Mrs. Roseland. I don’t care how you do it, but if what I’ve heard about you is true, it shouldn’t be too difficult. The auto generator will kick on in three minutes, leaving partial lights in the hallways. Enough for you to find your way back out. Do you understand?”
“Yes, and I’ll do my best.”
“Please, Miss Myers, I know you can get the necklace off her and disappear in seconds, so don’t trick me. I know how long it will take you to get to back down the stairs too. The clock will be ticking. No foolish games, please.”
The gun stayed wedged in her back all the way back down the path and to the back door of the house.
Sal Amato shoved the gun hard against her back. “Don’t turn around. Go inside, and go back the way you came. The clock will be ticking.”
Jenna made her way back up the stairs, through the kitchen, and out to the main room, frantically looking for Marta Roseland. She saw no sign of Dan or Harper. She thought she saw Gail go out onto the patio, but the lights were dim, and she couldn’t be sure. She was terrified Dan was somewhere with a gun to his head, and Amato was telling the truth. Five minutes left. She kept scanning the room, feeling a little faint. Where was Marta? At least the necklace was the fake, and it was fortunate they didn’t know it. She saw Harper edging her way toward the door leading to the kitchen, but no Dan and no Gail.
Ah, Marta . “Marta, over here.” Jenna called out, louder than she meant to. She was waving like a mad woman, but it couldn’t be helped.
“Jenna, what’s wrong?” Mara rushed over.
Jenna could feel her heart beating in her chest. “Oh nothing, I wanted to chat for a second, woman to woman. Do you have a minute to spare?”
“Well, of course. Let’s step out to the patio so we can talk and out of this cigar-smelling room.”
Jenna followed her out to the patio, now feeling sick because of what she would do.
Three minutes, twenty seconds .
Marta stopped at the doorway leading out to the patio as she opened the door, fanning at her face. She adjusted the necklace and pushed at her hair. “It’s warmer in here than before, like the A/C is slowing down, don’t you think?”
Two minutes, thirty seconds . “Hmm, yeah, so…” Jenna reached for Marta’s hand.
“So, what did you want to talk about, Jenna?” Marta stepped onto the balcony.
Jenna took a deep breath. “I wanted to thank you for being such a good sport about the necklace and backing me up, and Dan, too, of course, when the insurance inspector lady made those claims.”
“Oh, think nothing of it, Jenna. I am so glad it all worked out,” Marta said.
Then time ran out.
All the lights went out, and chaos soon followed. A few shrieks of surprise sounded, some laughter, and a lot of stumbling around as everyone moved to find some light.
Time was up, and Jenna had the necklace off Marta’s neck and in her hands within seconds. She made her way across the room and toward the kitchen as the lights flickered back on and then off again. She knew the generator was gearing up, and she kicked off her shoes and ran like her life depended on it, knocking against anything in her way as she eyed the backdoor. Just as she exited the kitchen onto the back stairs, the lights flickered again, and she heard a scream from above, but she kept going. She ran out into the night not knowing what awaited her there. As she stepped from the last step onto the yard, she stumbled, but recovered, clutching the necklace in her hand.
Sweat streamed down her back as she looked around. Where was he? Then her world went dark as someone grabbed her around the waist. A needle jabbed into her right arm, and she went down, still holding the necklace. Her last thought was to wonder if Dan was still alive.
When Jenna opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the stars…the real ones in the sky. She was lying on the grass beside the gazebo. She struggled to put her thoughts together, and she lay there until her mind cleared. She sat up, but her head was spinning, making it impossible to stand. She looked at her watch. But the hazy numbers meant nothing. She had flashes of memory, the gazebo, damp grass, and a gravelly voice in her ear. Her head throbbed.
Feeling disoriented and unsteady, she half crawled, half stumbled to the back door of the house and pulled herself up using the stair railing. She stood on shaky legs until her vision cleared and she thought she could walk. She still couldn’t focus on her small watch, and had no idea how long she was out of it. She staggered up the back porch stairs and into the kitchen. No one was in sight. Then she heard voices coming from the living room, and she made her way there. She pushed at the door and slid through, trying not to draw any attention to herself.
The police chief was with the Roselands in one corner, and several other people stood with two more officers in another corner.
Jenna started into the room.
Marta spotted her, raised her hand, and pointed in her direction. “You, there she is.”
One officer broke from the group and came toward her. “You’re Jenna Myers?”
The room was spinning, but she managed to respond. “Yes.”
“Are you all right, ma’am?”
“I was attacked. Someone drugged me and gave me a shot in my arm.” Then Jenna went down again, falling into nothingness. The next time Jenna woke, she was in the hospital emergency room. The harsh lights assaulted her when she tried to open her eyes, and her head pounded. She couldn’t focus her eyes. She looked down at the hospital gown she was now wearing and wondered what happened to her dress. Then she began to remember.
Where was Dan ? She blinked, trying desperately to clear her vision. She pushed herself up on the pillow and blinked several more times as she looked across the room.
A police officer was staring back.
She motioned for him to come over. “Can you tell me what’s happened?” Her voice sounded strange to her own ears.
“A robbery occurred at the senator’s party. You were found injured there, and we are waiting to question you. Can you talk to us now?” the officer asked.
“Yes, yes, I can. But first, can you tell me if anyone is here, for me I mean?”
“Do you mean is someone waiting to see you?”
“I was at the party with friends. Could you tell me if Dan Kelly is here somewhere?”
“No, no one is out there waiting. I don’t know about Mr. Kelly. I was just sent to be with you until you could be questioned.”
Jenna tried to sit up. “All right, what do you want to know? I need to get out of here and check on my friend.”
“I’ll have to get the detective, miss. I’ll just be a minute.”
A half-hour later, a tall, skinny man in his late fifties came in. The first thing Jenna noticed was his bushy gray hair in need of a haircut. As she looked him over, she decided he had kind eyes, and that made her feel better for some reason.
“I’m Detective Jenson, and I understand you feel well enough to talk, Miss Myers. Is that right?”
“Yes, whatever you need. But I don’t know much. Someone grabbed me, stuck a needle in my arm, and I woke up outside. I think they mistook me for someone else when the lights went out.”
Detective Jenson sat on the only chair in the room, and his nicotine fingers pulled a small black notebook from his jacket pocket. “Who do you think they mistook you for?”
“Well, I was standing with the senator’s wife at the time. So, maybe her.”
“Why would anyone want to take her?”
Jenna didn’t know what had happened to Dan or how much Marta had told them, so she hedged. “I don’t know…ransom, her jewelry, any number of reasons.”
“Tell me what you remember, the best that you can.”
“I don’t remember everything. I do remember getting the shot of something in my arm, but that’s about all.” Jenna reached for a glass of water by her bedside.
The detective crossed his legs and leaned back in the chair. “So, you didn’t take the necklace off the senator’s wife, hand it off to a partner, and then maybe you got double crossed?”
Jenna tried to sit up as she had a picture of herself being taken away in handcuffs. “What? Of course not! That’s insane.”
“The senator tells us you and your friend, Dan Kelly, convinced him someone was after the necklace, but was that some kind of a ruse, and could the someone be you or Mr. Kelly?”
“Again, of course not. Why would we advise them not to wear the real thing if we wanted to steal it?”
“A good question, and one I’m having trouble with, I don’t mind telling you.”
“Where is Dan Kelly?”
“Well, that’s the thing, miss. He seems to have disappeared along with his girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend? She is not his girlfriend. Just find him. He’s in danger. That woman has ties to organized crime in Europe. Dan and I helped put her stepfather in prison. She’s out for revenge. She’s who we’re trying to keep the necklace from , don’t you see?” Jenna lay back on the pillow, exhausted from the effort of explaining.
The detective took out his notepad again. “I’m afraid I don’t see, miss. You’ll have to slow down a little and start from the beginning. This time, tell me the truth, or I can’t help you.”
An hour later, Jenna had told Detective Jensen almost everything, leaving out the part about her past and Dan’s.
Jensen left her to check out her story and to see what he could find out about Dan.
Where could he be? What has Harper done with him?
While waiting to be discharged, Jenna drifted in and out of sleep. The drug in her system hung on, and they wouldn’t let her go until enough time passed. She looked at the clock on the wall. The time was nearly six in the morning, and she could hear the unique sounds of the hospital more clearly. Her vision finally cleared, and her body didn’t feel like she floated underwater anymore. Where were her clothes ? She raised the head of her bed and pushed the call button for the nurse.
The door swung open and who seemed to be a nurse’s aide came inside. “Yes, can I get you something?”
“Where are my clothes?”
“What you came in with are here in a bag.” The aide pointed to a small closet door. “But your dress was pretty wrecked. Hope you can have it fixed. Is there someone you can call to bring you some clothes and shoes?”
Jenna opened her mouth to speak but realized how alone she really was. “You would think so, but there doesn’t seem to be. I’m visiting here.”
“I’ll tell you what, honey. I’ll get you some scrubs if you’ll bring them back to us. I know I can find some to fit you.”
“Thank you very much. Can I trouble you to help me find a way to clean up a bit? I need to wash my face and go to the bathroom.” Jenna tried to get out of the bed.
“Whoa there, just a minute. I’ll need to assist you.” The aide helped Jenna swing her legs around and stand. “My name is Anna.”
Anna, who looked to be in her mid-fifties, and who clearly spent time at the gym, helped her down the hall to a large shower room and brought her towels and a pair of green scrubs. “This is our employee shower, but you go ahead and clean up. You are still in the E.R. so this is the best place you have available to do this right now.”
“I’ll take it, and thanks again. You won’t get in trouble will you, Anna?”
“No, honey, they can’t get along without me.” Anna grinned.
When Jenna got back to her bed, with Anna by her side, she found the detective sitting in a chair by the door.
“Oh, you are back. And if you will give us some time alone, miss, I’d be grateful,” he said to Anna.
“If you need me, just hit the call button, hon.” Anna looked at Jenna, ignoring the detective.
Detective Jensen, who looked the part this morning with his rumpled suit and unruly hair and who looked as if he too suffered a bad night, brought his chair to her bedside. “Sorry I took so long, but there seems to be lots of players and a lot of ground to cover. I wish I had more to tell you, but the fact is, we aren’t any closer to figuring this thing out than before. We did run down on this Harper woman, and what you say is true, she is the stepdaughter of Boris Roget. But we have no idea where she is now. We’ve checked airlines, trains, buses, and nothing so far. But if she is still in this country, we will find her.”
“What about Dan Kelly?” Jenna feared the answer.
“No, nothing on Dan Kelly, or at least, not yet. Nor have we located the insurance investigator you mentioned, Gail Wells. Her company has not heard from her in a few days. All of this interstate stuff takes time. It’s early in the morning still, and we are waiting on returned calls.”
Jenna lay back with a loud sigh. “The real thieves must know by now they have stolen a fake necklace. Though costly to produce, not much of a market exists for it. They will be furious.”
Detective Jensen made a note in his little black notebook. “Our thinking is they might come back and make a try for the real thing. Though in a safe, this particular safe being better than most, these people seem up to the challenge. The necklace needs to be in a bank vault, but so far, we haven’t convinced the senator’s wife to let it out of her sight again.”
Jenna brushed her hair out of her eyes. “I understand. You might be on to something, though. If Harper is responsible for the heists in Europe, a safe will not stop her. She has skills, and she has invested a lot in this venture already. And now she has help.”
“If what you think is true, they might be back for you too, miss. We don’t plan to hold you since the senator was not convinced you played any real part in the robbery. When are you getting out of here?”
“I’m about to ask that question now.” Jenna pushed the call button again.
A frazzled-looking nurse in green scrubs came in, holding up both hands. “Hey, I know, I’m working on getting you out of here. The doctor will be in shortly to sign off, and you can go in less than an hour, if all goes well. I want you to eat some breakfast first, and that’s coming now. And you need a bit more hydration. If you cooperate, we can get you going. Besides, we need this room. The ER is not made for long stays.”
“I’ll do anything you say to get out of here.” Jenna wondered just what her next move would be.