Déjà Vu (19 page)

C
urtains closed, Angelica sat on the edge of the chaise lounge in the room Santiago had designated as hers. It was strange that he did not insist that she stay in the room with him when she had made such a big protest about not doing it. For the first time in a long time, she held onto her soul—the memory of her morning with Ari not far behind.

Two hours had passed since Santiago and his goons left the house. She had to get out now or she never would. Deep in thought, she jumped at the sound of her cell phone. She grabbed her phone and answered it, pleased it was the call she was waiting on.

Grabbing her Hobo bag, Angelica tiptoed from the room as if someone could hear her on the thick carpet. She stuck her head out into the hallway, cautiously, looking first to the left and then the right. Anyone who might have seen her would have thought it was a scene from a movie,
The Great Heist
, except Angelica sought to steal nothing but her way out of the house. Seeing no one, she tiptoed through the lifeless house and out onto the grounds.

Getting past the guard would be the hard part, but she had a plan. Her nerves were in a shambles, but nothing was going to keep her from going through with it.

“Damn,” Angelica said as the phone began to ring. That was her first signal. Ten minutes had passed and she had only twenty minutes left to get past the guard. It was now or never.

She walked halfway down the circular drive and pulled out the book of matches she had thrown in her purse while at El Conuco. With amazing swiftness, Angelica tore two matches from the book, lit them and threw them into a nearby bush. A flame erupted and climbed the bush, catching a whole row in one gulp. Angelica ran to the guard and pointed to the fire.

“Fire, fire,” Angelica screamed, coughing as she continued to run toward the gate. “Look over there,” she pointed.

“Yes, ma’am, I see it,” the guard said. “Move to the sidewalk while I call the fire department.”

“Maybe turning on the sprinklers will do it,” Angelica suggested, looking at her watch.

“Go to the sidewalk, ma’am. I’m calling the fire department and I’ll see what I can do.”

“All right,” Angelica said, walking through the open gate.

She watched the guard run in one direction while she ran in the other, locating Ari’s friend in a car sitting off on a side street halfway down the hill. Her lungs were full of air, and she coughed uncontrollably but found enough strength to knock on the window.

The gentleman looked over at the passenger window and unlocked the door. Within seconds, Angelica jumped in the car and put her head down for fear of being seen. This was déjà vu. There was a time five years ago when she was bent down in Jefferson’s car and bullets were raining all around them, yet she survived.

“Hello,” the gentleman said, trying to keep from laughing at the sight of her.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m Angelica. A little paranoid at the moment, but once we’re out of here, I’ll be all right.”

“I’m Nicholas, or Nick, as my close friends call me. Ari and I
go way back. Our families were close, and there isn’t anything we wouldn’t do for each other. But I knew you were Angelica the moment I saw you running down the hill. You
are
exciting, like Ari said.”

“Ari said that?” Angelica was surprised.

“He did.”

“Well, I don’t know whether to be flattered or take that as an insult, but seeing as how I’m all scrunched down in this car, it really doesn’t matter. Please tell Ari thank you for me.”

“You’ll be able to do it yourself. We are going to meet him in Queens, and then we’ll take you to Jersey and the freeway to help you start your journey. My car is parked at a hotel in Jersey, and Ari and I will pick it up and ride back to Manhattan. He must really like you.”

Angelica was silent. It was hard to believe that he would do all of this for her after the way she had hurt him. If she could ever turn her life around, Ari would probably be the one person she’d like to be with.

There was very little chatter until they reached the outskirts of the city. Planes were flying low overhead, and Angelica knew they were in the vicinity of an airport. Before Angelica could react, Nick followed the signs to LaGuardia; however, instead of going to the passenger/ticketing terminal, they followed the signs to baggage claim. Standing on the median outside of the American Airlines terminal was Ari, dressed in his work uniform.

Angelica smiled, and Ari hopped in the back, beckoning for Angelica to do so as well.

“Ari, thank you,” Angelica said softly.

Ari held Angelica’s face and kissed her passionately. There was no fighting the urge as Angelica kissed him back. To the casual
observer it appeared that CPR was being administered, although there was no clue as to who was resuscitating whom.

“You could have waited until I pulled off,” Nick teased.

“No time to waste,” Ari said in between kisses. He looked into Angelica’s eyes.

“Did you mean what you said when you told me you didn’t want to leave and that you were feeling something for me?”

“Yes, I meant every word of it,” Angelica said, tears welling up in her eyes. “I thought to myself that, if my life wasn’t in such a shambles, Ari would be the man I’d like to be with.”

“I’ve thought about nothing else but you. I don’t know what kind of hold you have on me, but I like the way it feels. It has nothing to do with the wonderful sex…”

“Not for my ears,” Nick shot back.

“You’re not supposed to be listening,” Ari said. “Drive the car.” They laughed.

“Ari, we didn’t have sex,” Angelica began. “We made love to each other. I’ve not felt that way with someone in a long time. You were warm and tender. I felt safe in your arms.”

Ari looked at her and kissed her again. They held each other and kissed until they reached their destination.

“I hate to leave you, baby,” Ari said with a smile on his face. “I’m sorry I acted the way I did.”

“You don’t owe me an apology, Ari. I probably don’t deserve all that you’ve done for me, but I’m so thankful that you didn’t close the door completely. I hope this isn’t the last time I see you. I’m having mixed emotions, but I know I must get to North Carolina.”

“This won’t be the last time, I promise. Angelica, I feel something for you. It may be love. For sure, whatever it is, it has kept
me from eating and sleeping—it’s kind of what people say when something gets in your system.”

“I’m falling for you, too, Ari. Ever since leaving your house, you have consumed my thoughts. It’s not infatuation because I already know what that’s like. I do…love you.” Angelica put her arms around Ari’s neck and cried.

“I wish you would have flown, but you know best. It’s time. The days are longer, but I still worry about you on the road. Call me if you need me, but for sure let me know when you’ve reached your destination.”

“I will,” Angelica said.

She and Ari got out of the car first. They leaned on the car like love-struck teenagers. They embraced and found each other’s lips and kissed like there was no tomorrow. Ari let his arms roll down her shoulders, her back, and her backside, holding her nicely shaped behind until he had to make himself release her.

Nick stepped from the car.

“You need to let her go, Ari,” Nick said. “She needs to get as far from New York as soon as possible because, when the boyfriend discovers she’s gone, it’s going to be hell to pay.”

“You’re right.” Ari turned to Angelica and kissed her lips softly. “This won’t be the last time.”

Ari reached in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. “Here’s a couple hundred dollars to help you on your way. I see you don’t have the pretty luggage you brought to New York.”

“I can’t take this, Ari. I’ve got money left from the time I worked. You’ve done so much for me already,” Angelica said as she tried to hand the money back to him.

“When was the last time you worked, Angelica? You may need it for an emergency. You can repay me later.” Ari smiled.

“Thank you,” Angelica said and kissed Ari again.

“Okay, here are the papers for the car and an atlas should you need help navigating,” Nick said. “It was a pleasure meeting you, but we really must go.”

“Thank you,” Angelica said and got in the car. Nick and Ari got into the other car and Angelica followed them to the New Jersey Turnpike. Angelica waved when they turned off, crying softly as she headed away from the bright lights of New York.

S
everal fire trucks had trampled the grounds. The firefighters were able to contain the fire to a relatively small area, considering the size of the grounds and the amount of foliage surrounding the house.

“What happened?” Santiago screamed as he jumped from the car and pounced at the guard.

“The lady came out screaming that there was a fire, and when I went to investigate, the shrubbery was burning pretty good.”

“Where is Angelica? Did she go back into the house?”

“I told her to stand on the sidewalk while I contacted the fire department. I tried to see if I could put the fire out myself, but the blaze was going pretty good. In less than five minutes, the fire trucks were here, though. The lady may have gone back into the house.”

“Freakin’ fire trucks! Those firemen are going to pay to have this place landscaped. Look at that, Sammy. Look at the freakin’ mess they made! I don’t care if they were coming to put out a fire, they should have used the damn driveway instead of crushing my blooms and leaving tire tracks all over the place.”

“I’ll take care of it, boss,” Dom said. “I’ve got a friend that works with the union. We’ll get it straightened out.”

“Do that. Now I want to be alone for the rest of the day.” Santiago went into the house, leaving Sammy and Dominic to
their own devices. Dominic and Sammy walked to Dom’s car that sat in one of the four garages that was attached to the house and then drove off.

Santiago went to Angelica’s room. Not finding her there, he went to the rec room, the scene of their last sexual encounter. Skipping down the stairs two at a time left him out of breath, but not seeing Angelica in the room caused his adrenaline to flow at a rapid rate. He peeked into the indoor basketball court, but no luck. The house was big; she must have wandered to a corner where he had not yet looked.

Anger rose in Santiago’s bowels as he rushed from one room to another. He thought maybe Angelica had walked to one of the other houses in the neighborhood. It was at that moment Santiago began to see the light. How did the fire begin? No one said how the fire started. He knew; Angelica staged the fire in order to get away. But she couldn’t have done it all by herself.

Santiago hit the wall with his fists. “No one screws me over and gets away with it,” he hissed out loud. “She wouldn’t go back to Queens, but the doorman has to know where she went.”

Anger turned to rage. Santiago picked up his cell phone and immediately dialed Sammy.

“Sammy, you and Dom come pick me up. We have a job to do. Now!”

Santiago slammed the phone shut and knocked over a lamp and the contents that sat on a nearby end table to the floor. “Somebody’s gonna pay!”

More than a month had passed since Angelica sat behind the wheel of a car. After fifteen minutes and a steady dose of jazz
flowing through the radio, she felt reacquainted with driving and sailed down the road.

Angelica shook her head as she thought about the last image she had of Ari. What a handsome guy. She regretted that their time together was so short because she was having more than “feelings” for him. Ari showed her how much a man could care for a woman—something she didn’t know much about. What made her shiver was the thought that he had been there for her, even when she didn’t deserve it. She owed him so much.

She moved effortlessly down the turnpike, her mind somewhat at ease. The taste of freedom did wonders for her psyche, and she whispered a short prayer, thanking God for her release. What she didn’t have was a plan once she returned to Fayetteville, and the thought of calling Margo was out of the question for now.

Although it was spring and it would be light outside longer, there was no way she was going to drive straight to Fayetteville. Angelica picked up her cell and dialed.

“Thompson, Smart and Fisher,” the voice at the end of the line said.

“May I speak with Edward Thompson, please?”

“One moment, please,” the voice replied.

“Edward Thompson.”

“Hey, big brother.”

“Hey, Sis, I’m sorry I haven’t called you with more information.”

“That’s okay. Guess where I am?”

“New York?”

“No, Edward. I’m heading your way. I may need somewhere to sleep tonight, and then I’m going to Fayetteville.”

“Sure, Sis, but how are you getting here?”

“I rented a car, for goodness sake. You’re a brilliant attorney. That should have been an easy one for you.”

“You know what I mean, Angelica. You didn’t have a car, you were upset about Hamilton, and sometimes I don’t know what’s up with you.”

“Edward, I’m going to tell you something that I’ve kept hidden from you. You’re not going to like it, but I had no other choice at the time.”

“Well, spit it out. Nothing surprises me when it comes to you.”

“Edward, I was staying with Santiago.”

“Say what? Santiago? How in the hell did that happen?”

Angelica sighed. “I ran into him at a nightclub. He all but threatened me to come stay with him.”

“I knew you sounded strange when I spoke to you a couple of days ago.”

“Edward, I was afraid of him. He wasn’t physically abusive in any way, but mentally, yes. I even had the nerve to think that he may have had something to do with Hamilton’s murder, but I know that’s far-fetched.”

“It really isn’t far-fetched, Angelica. Another inmate did the killing, but my sources believe it was a hit with orders that came from outside of Central Prison. Do you know what that means, Angelica?”

“I’m in danger?”

“Hell yes, little sister. Santiago isn’t going to let you get away this time.”

“But we don’t know that he did it or that he even knows Hamilton is dead.”

“I’m betting Santiago knew long before you knew. How much longer until you get to D.C.?”

“I’ve only been driving about two hours—another two hours, I think.”

“You’re going to stay with me tonight. We’ll turn the car in tomorrow, and I’ll drive you down to Fayetteville. That way, I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe. We’ll have to get a hotel since your condo is rented. I’ll see if I can find out the date and time of Hamilton’s funeral.”

“You know they say, death comes in threes—first Donna, then Hamilton—who’s next?”

“Look, I’ve gotta go. Drive safe and give me a call when you get to D.C. We’ll hook up then.”

“Thanks, Edward. I feel much better since I’ve talked with you.”

“Okay, Sis. Talk with you later.”

Angelica flipped the lid on her phone. Just when she felt safe, Edward gave her reason to feel insecure. She looked into every car that passed by, hoping that the evil she left behind hadn’t caught up with her. Nerves shook her self-confidence, but she gasped as the steering wheel began to shake and the car felt strange as it rolled over the asphalt.

She took her foot off the accelerator and moved over in the right lane and then onto the shoulder. When she was able, she got out of the car, walked around it, and discovered the culprit—a flat tire.

Angelica grabbed her head. “Why me, Lord?” She was out on Interstate-95 without a credit card or AAA. She had enough money to fix it plus the two hundred dollars Ari gave her. She lowered her head.

She went back to the car and got her cell phone. She hated to call Edward again, but she had no choice. As she was about to dial his number, a red pick-up truck pulled off the highway. Angelica froze still with thoughts of Santiago in the back of her mind.

A middle-aged white man with two front teeth missing jumped from the truck. Angelica stood there, not sure if this man was going to rob her and take her car. Before she had a chance to assess him further, he stood in her space wearing a crooked smile.

“Ma’am, you need some help? Saw you off to the side of the road.”

“Well, yes,” Angelica said, sizing the man up. He seemed harmless. “I’ve got a flat tire, and I don’t have Triple-A.”

“Shoot, it may take Triple-A three or four hours, before they get here. If you have a jack and a spare, I’ll change your tire for you. Won’t take long at all.”

“Listen, I don’t know what I have because this is a rental vehicle. I’m trying to get to….” Angelica hesitated. She didn’t know this man from Adam. He could be working for Santiago—well, even though she doubted it, she wasn’t going to give him any more information than was necessary.

“Look, I’ll get my jack out of my truck. Check the trunk to see if there’s a spare, and if there is, I’ll have you back on the road in no time.”

Lucky for Angelica, there was a spare in the trunk of the car. She was racing against time, and if the man with no teeth was willing to help her get to where she was going, so be it.

“What’s your name?” Angelica asked.

“Larry, Ma’am. I promise I’ll have you up and running in no time. You’re mighty lucky it isn’t a donut.”

“Huh?” the one-syllable word rolled from Angelica’s tongue.

“A donut is a temporary tire. If you were planning on going anywhere far, I wouldn’t recommend it. But since you got a spare that matches the other tires, you’re good to go.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know what you’re talking about. Can you hurry?”

“Look, Ma’am, this service is free. And it’s not like you’re at the Daytona 500 where they can put on a tire before you can spit. Relax, I’ll have you on the road in no time.”

Like a pro, Larry dismounted the old tire and replaced it with the spare. He unhooked the jack from the car, knocked the dirt from his hands, and gave Angelica a toothless grin. “You’re all ready to go.”

She grinned. “Thanks, Larry. How much do I owe you?”

“Nothing, Ma’am. I was glad to help a pretty lady. Now take care of yourself.”

“I will.” Angelica jumped in the car and was on the road again. She wasn’t sure why she deserved it, but God was surely looking out for her.