Randle's Princess (25 page)

“That would be great,” Randle then replied.

“No you’re not!” she still protested angrily.

The doctor seemed to ignore her pleas and she watched as he inserted the needle into the vial and drew the liquid into the syringe.

“He’s not giving me that stuff Randle,” she pleaded to him getting even more terrified of it now.

But as the doctor turned her direction Randle held her firmly on the bed so she couldn’t fight them any further and the doctor injected her with it regardless.

“Trust me child, you will be glad once this takes affect,” he then went on as he rubbed the cold alcohol swab on her arm then covered it with a bandage.

“I hate you,” she then slammed at Randle.

“I know better,” he smugly replied.  “You’ll be thanking me later.”

The doctor closed his bag.  “Call me later if you need anything else,” he then offered and left them alone again.

By the time he was out of her sight Lia could feel the injection already beginning to take affect on her.  She flung her head back against the pillow and closed her eyes.

“Are you okay?” she heard Randle’s voice asking again.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she stuttered. 

Then Betsy re-entered with a tray and placed it on the night stand next to her.  “Miss Lia please at least try to eat something.  It will make you stronger,” she begged.

Lia looked up at her now with a much calmer demeanor.  She brought herself to a sitting position and Betsy placed the tray over her.  She lifted the glass of water first and took a drink and it actually felt so good to feel the cold liquid running down her throat.

“Thank you Betsy,” she replied at last with a much calmer voice.

Randle smiled knowing she was going to be okay now.  Knowing she was much calmer and would be able to gather her thoughts and cope with the situation much more rationally.

Finally she picked up the fork and took a bite of the lasagna.  She knew Betsy had fixed it for her on purpose knowing it was her favorite food.  After a few more bites she finally pushed the tray away and Betsy took it from her and carried it from the room.  Again she reclined back on her pillow and turned to look at Randle who was still lying beside her quietly.

“Happy?” she asked actually producing a grin.

“Yes, and I know you feel better too.  You’re just bullheaded just like me and refuse to admit it,” he replied smiling back at her.

“Okay, I do feel better.  Actually I think a hot shower would make me feel even better,” she then announced as she pulled back the blanket realizing now she was still wearing the same clothes she had on since the day before.

“I think that’s an excellent idea,” Randle agreed.  “I’ll wait here for you.  And don’t lock the door,” he then ordered as she neared it.

“Okay…okay,” she humored as she disappeared from the room.

It took a couple of months for Lia to finally face the reality that Thomas was never coming back to her and she was never going back to New York.  She was still hurting inside but was finally coming around and talking with Randle more and more as if things had never changed.  It was February now as she strolled her way into Randle’s office.

“Oh good there you are.  I was just fixing to come up and get you,” he stated upon her entering the room.

“What’s up?” she asked curiously.

“I need you to come down to the office with me today.  I have some paperwork you need to sign,” he then informed her.

“Has the apartment sold that quickly?” she asked knowing Randle had her and Thomas’s apartment put up for sale shortly after his death.

“Yes. That and a couple of other things,” he mumbled as he took her hand and headed for the car out front.

Now she was bewildered again.  What other things?  But then she knew with Randle to always expect anything.  She followed him out without argument.

Finally sitting on his desk looking down at Randle again as he sat and fumbled through paperwork on his desk at his downtown office Lia was growing bored.  Finally he slid some documents next to her.

“I need you to sign this one here…and this one here,” he then instructed.

Lia looked down and saw they were real estate papers listing the Fifth Avenue apartment.  She stood so she could sign them then dropped the pen back down on the desk.  Randle scooped them up and placed them inside a manila folder then went on to explain to her that all the proceeds from the sale were deposited into her trust fund that she would be receiving when she turned twenty-five.  Then he reached for a long white document with blue binding on the back. 

“And I need you to sign this one right here,” he instructed again as he flipped to last page of the document and pointed.

Lia grew uncomfortable thinking he too was acting nervously about this particular paperwork.  She scanned it quickly.

“Annulment papers?” she asked nearly appalled.

“Yes,” he quickly stated.

“I’m not signing that!” she again protested angrily.  “And for what?  The man died Randle.”

“I know that Princess, but I want your maiden name restored and this is the quickest and easiest way to get that done.”

Lia sighed and rolled her head.  “Okay,” she finally whispered out.  It just didn’t feel right to her but she picked up the pen and signed them anyway.  Arguing with Randle would be to no avail she knew.

Randle quickly pushed a button on his desk phone and she heard Misty’s voice.  “Yes sir?”

“Can you come in here please?” Randle then asked.

Lia began to remember again how she couldn’t stand this woman thinking her to be much the slut that would actually sleep with her own boss just to secure her job.

“Hello Lia,” she greeted cheerfully as she stood in front of Randle’s desk now.

Lia produced only half a smile but dropped it just as quickly.

Randle handed her the annulment papers.  “I need these papers entered into the court ASAP,” he then ordered her.

She took them.  “Yes sir,” is all she said and quickly turned and walked out the door. 

Lia watched her grab her purse from behind the receptionist desk and make her way onto the elevator.

“Quite the obedient little bitch isn’t she?” she then stated.

“Princess!” he scolded in return.

Finally she smiled.  Randle stood and took her arm knowing it was only jealousy eating away at her. 

“C’mon,” he started with a laugh.  “Let’s grab some lunch.  And seeing how it’s still five months before you become one of the wealthiest women in the world I guess I’ll pick up the tab,” he then teased.

“Just exactly how rich am I gonna be?” she asked realizing now she had never bothered to question how much her trust fund was.

Randle drew in a breath.  “Ohhh…lets just say I have done very well with it all these years.”

Lia’s eyes widened a bit but decided not to pursue the subject.  She knew as far her money went that was one thing she could trust Randle with.

They finally made their way to the elevator and the doors closed.  Lia turned to face Randle then reached up and snatched off his sunglasses.

“Why did you do that?” he asked grinning.

“Because I hate it when you wear them indoors, and besides, I love those blue eyes of yours,” she found herself nearly flirting with him now.

The elevator doors opened and Randle turned to look out and Lia saw him quickly slap his left hand to hold the door open at the same time a horrified look took over his face.  Finally she turned to look out.  Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped as she took off running.

“Princess wait!” Randle yelled from behind as he stepped off the elevator into the parking garage but he was too late.

She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and yelled out, “Thomas!”

Thomas tightened his arms around her back, lifted her in the air and swirled her in a circle before putting her down again.  Randle stood in silence with a look on his face that could kill.

“But how is this possible?” she began asking as she touched his face and patted his chest making sure he was real.

“I’m alive Lia.  It’s really me,” Thomas finally spoke.

“Princess,” Randle began sternly.  “Get away from him,” he then demanded roughly.

Thomas and Lia both turned to face him.  She was confused beyond belief. 

“Why?” she asked now looking angry herself.  “Randle you promised me you had nothing to do with his death.”

“I didn’t,” he insisted again but she wasn’t sure now who or what to believe.

“Thomas what happened?” she then asked facing him again.

“Randle put a hit out on me,” he stated as his eyes glared to Randle’s.

Lia spun around again.  “Randle is this true?”

“Princess, get away from him now!  It’s not that simple,” he then stated.

She shook her head in total confusion but only wanted so much to believe Thomas still loved her as he always had.

“Thomas?” she asked hopefully.

“Princess, he was blackmailing me the entire time you were married to him,” Randle then declared.

Her eyes widened at the mere accusation.  Thomas loved her.  She knew he did.  She looked lovingly into his eyes.

“Thomas, is this true?” she asked.

“No, he’s lying to cover his own ass,” he then stated but somehow Lia wasn’t sure.

“Princess, it all started when your car exploded.  It was Thomas that set off that bomb,” Randle then claimed.

“What?  That’s impossible!” she insisted but just as suddenly she felt Thomas’s arm wrap around her throat and pull her against him tightly and he and Randle both drew their weapons at the same time.

Oh God she thought.  Randle’s gun was aimed straight at Thomas’s head and Thomas’s was aimed at her right temple.  Her beloved Thomas was now threatening to kill her.

“You can never prove that,” Thomas then stated surely.

“I have it on video from the surveillance cameras in the garage,” Randle then stated confidently.

Thomas grew more nervous.  Lia listened trying now to decide what was going on here.  Who was telling the truth she was trying to figure out.

“You just couldn’t give her up could you Randle?” Thomas then asked as his body began to shake.

“Princess, that day in the park, when your bag was stolen, it was James that got it back for you.  I had you followed almost the entire time you were there.  James saw Thomas hiding behind his own car two hours before that explosion happened but he had no idea why.”

Lia listened earnestly.  She knew now Randle had to be telling the truth and Thomas was the liar.  He had no way of knowing her bag was stolen that day otherwise.

“James took the surveillance video before the cops could get to it.  You can see him watching you approach your car through the windows of his own car.  Then he pushed the button on the remote and set it off.”