Sarah followed the young woman into the house with her daughter still sound asleep in her arms. The mansion looked even more deserted and mysterious to her at this late hour than it had earlier in the evening.
"I think it will be best if you stay here for tonight," Lexy decided, opening a heavy door on the first floor and ushering them in. She flicked on the light and Sarah's breath caught in her throat.
The room was spacious and generously furnished, a soft shade of dark green dominating the decoration with heavy curtains and soft plush carpets draped over the dark hardwood floor. In the center of the room, a tall four poster bed stood proudly, ruling the space from its pedestal, an elegant bed cover in a matching shade of green and a few inviting throw pillows completing its majestic looks. Sarah suspected that the sheets of that bed alone cost more than all the furniture in their shabby little apartment together.
"Oh, we can't ... really," she started to back out of the room in protest.
Lexy grabbed her hand and simply tugged her back inside.
"Yeah, I know, all this dark furniture and the those terrible colors! Might look more of a crypt than an actual bedroom at first sight. I've been offering Dominic to redecorate it for ages but he is such a man of habit. I'll see to have a brighter and more suitable one readied for you tomorrow and have the rest of the house informed about your visit once everyone gets home but in the meantime, just for tonight, I think it would be best for the two of you to stay here. Dominic is such a brooding and reserved person, I can hardly find you a more private spot in the whole house than his room, really. I mean, I would offer you mine, but people come bouncing in and out of it by the minute and you my little beauty," she cooed at Annie, " you certainly need your beauty sleep, don't you pretty one?"
Sarah just stood there, trying to take it all in. Was the girl really expecting them to stay in Dominic's bedroom? So much for no one will expect anything from you!
Sensing her unease, Lexy stopped arranging the bed for them.
"I know it is not an ideal solution but you'll be safe here. The property is guarded 24/7, no one can get on or even slip off it without the security system noticing. Besides, Dominic has much influence here and practically no visitors, except for Amelia maybe once in a blue moon. She is out for the night though and not expected to return before the morning. I wish I could offer to stay here with you but ... being the baby of the family ... everyone seems to feel so very responsible, I am probably monitored more closely than the president's daughter!"
Her lively gesticulation along with the dizzy, bubbly lightheartedness that radiated from her vibrant personality earned Lexy finally a small smile from their late night guest.
"Alright. We are staying. I mean ... I am sorry for bothering you so much, we really shouldn't. It is very kind of you to help us in the first place. We really appreciate it."
"Hey, there is nothing I wouldn't do for my niece." She declared, planting a small kiss on Annie's forehead while peeling her carefully from her mother's arms.
"Why don't you go and take a shower? There is an adjacent bathroom behind that door there. I can watch her for you if you like and find you something to wear for the night."
Looking at her sleeping daughter Sarah hesitated. She had grown to trust Lexy quite a bit in such a short time but leaving her baby alone made her heart pound with worry, calling back images of Laura's apartment and the greasy Frank, the results of the last misfortunate attempts at trusting a babysitter.
"I ... I suppose I should do that," she said finally, thanking the girl. Caressing her daughter for a long moment she let go reluctantly, disappearing into the bathroom for the quickest shower of her life.
"Mommy's had quite a tough day, huh? Don't you worry a bit though, cutie. Dominic will take good care of her and aunt Lex will make sure to take the very best care of you. Come on, sweet one, lets get you settled for the night."
***
The moon stood high above the park by the time he arrived, forcing Dominic to keep a tight check on his temper. He drove up to the iron box at the side of the road, rolling down the window and fiddling with the lock for a moment before the slightly rusty metal gave way.
"The security alarm will get off as soon as I snap the cable. It is a switch connection, they should be able to reset the cameras within 10 minutes or less, so be quick about it."
"Ready," the multiple replies echoed in his ear piece.
"Set in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... go!"
While the hunters swarmed out to scan the park for traces, he turned to the on board laptop.
"Ulysses? Cagliostro here. Forgive me for bothering you at such a late hour but we are in need of an urgent favor. Yes, one of our men .... the name is Quentin ... a complete data sweep ... Fed's have a tape that might cause trouble and have him recognized. Just the usual electronic clean up and a new identity ... yes, it is quite urgent. Thank you, Ulysses. You will be compensated accordingly of course."
"Seven minutes," he breathed after disconnecting.
"Sector one clean."
"Sector four to six clean."
"Sector three, positive, " came Amelia's triumphant declaration. "Get his sorry ass over here, there is work to do."
Dominic leaned back in his seat, watching the automatic count down display run over the red numbers and monitoring the operation on autopilot. His thoughts were drifting though, back to Sarah and Annie, the enchanting picture of the young mother nursing her child all too vivid in his imagination.
His fingers itched to reach for the cellphone and call Lexy, to make sure everything was alright. It had been almost an hour. They have probably all gone to bed and are fast asleep by now. Calling would be foolish, he reasoned, his eyes fixed on the display. 4:57. He could swear that those annoying numbers were turning much slower than usually!
***
The door of the van roared shut and Amelia slid gracefully into the passenger seat, her face a stoic mask despite the fact that they were alone.
He sensed the turmoil of thoughts behind the tightly locked walls of her mind, her unease, but couldn't find a way to penetrate the reserve she had so carefully erected. With an exasperated sigh, Dominic finally relented and kicked the car in gear.
"Should you feel like sharing, I'm here," he added simply, leaving her to the privacy of her worries.
Dominic. Sweet Dominic, if you only knew! Not yet though, it was too soon to tell, she couldn't take a chance, not with this one. She would have to make sure before telling him. Or anyone else for that matter.
