Champagne Showers (27 page)

“Jeff, aren’t we going to the Vintage International Hotel?

“No ma’am, I was instructed by Mr. Towers to take you to the Columbia Tower Penthouse.”

“But, why?’

“I don’t know, I’m just following orders.”

I take out my phone to text Harrison to get to the bottom of this.

11:38 AM

Me

Why am I going to Columbia towers?

11:38 AM

Harrison Towers

Because I decided it was best

Ohhh, now I’m mad!

11:39 AM

Me

Oh, you decided. Well what about what I want?

11:41 AM

Harrison Towers

What do you want Danielle?

Huh? What do I want? I sit and think for a minute. I want Harrison. I look at my phone but I can’t bring myself to answer.  I’m not sure why I’m mad at him either.

11:45 AM

Harrison Towers

Hello?

Oh geeze, I don’t actually want to do this right now. I shouldn’t have started this.

11:45 AM

Me

Fine.  I give up. Are you still calling me at noon?

11:45 AM

Harrison Towers

Oh, you want a nooner.

Um yes please!

11:46 AM

Me

Ok smarty. Are you calling or what?

11:46 AM

Harrison Towers

Lol. Yes, talk to you in a little bit.

I stow my phone back in my bag as we pull up to the Columbia Tower, Harrison’s Tower.

Jeff, the driver, gets out of the car, comes around, and opens my door. I think I could get used to this. He retrieves my overnighter out of the trunk and follows me to the building. Once inside, the receptionist greets me and then hands me an envelope.  How odd that she knew who I was. Then it dons on me that she could see that it says ‘Towers Holdings’ on the side of the car. I thank her and turn to the driver who is waiting patiently a few feet away. I open the envelope and pull out a new pass card for the penthouse.

Wow, he sure works quickly. It didn’t even occur to me that the locks would need to be changed and re-issued here too. This is sure a mess, and my biggest worry is what comes next. I can’t believe that whomever is behind this is going to stop at the pictures in my condo. My biggest fear is that the pictures will get leaked to the unscrupulous media. I can just see my climatic face from the hot tub night plastered all over the National Exposer. So much for my little design business. Not to mention how it would impact Mr. International Mogul. Heck, it might actually boost
his
ratings.

The driver follows me to the private elevator and I tell him that I can handle it from here. He shakes his to refuse and says he has been given strict orders to personally escort me to the safety of the penthouse. I scoff, the safety of the penthouse? If memory serves me, a good portion of the scandalous pictures were taken at the building. I wonder how they got such a good shot of us on the veranda that night. The way his balcony is situated, no other buildings nearby would have a good view. No, it had to be a vantage point further away. That would have to be some high-powered zoom lens. I really know nothing about photography, but I do know that much. Although, even worse would be close range. That would imply someone was there with us. Now that I think about it, the veranda shots aren’t even the worst part. I’m still completely hung on the fact that someone stood over us while we were sleeping. That’s the part that has the hair on my arms standing at attention. I feel stone cold chills circulating through my body as we ascend to the top floor.

The elevator opens and we step into the foyer and are welcomed by the gentle shushing of the water wall. It calms me almost immediately. I feel a little smug as I think about what a great decision it was to install the water feature right when at the entrance of the space. It diffuses whatever irritations or anxiety might have ridden up in the elevator. It’s made me feel a little more at ease, at least for the moment.

Jeff deposits my overnight bag in the hallway. He then heads off to do a quick sweep of the penthouse to ensure the place is secured. He returns to where I’m standing in the foyer. “It appears to be secure. Would you like me to take your bag to your room?”

“No Jeff, I can handle that. I’m sure you have important executives to shuttle around.”

He smiles.

“Well, the head executive gave me instructions to make sure you are settled before I depart. Is there anything you require?”

“I’m good, Jeff. Thank you so much.”

“So you can have my number handy, here is my card. Please let me know when you need to go somewhere and I’ll come get you.” I accept his card and say thank you and then he disappears into the elevator.

All of the sudden, I realize it must be close to noon or even after by now. I quickly reach into my bag and pull out my phone. Shit! I’ve missed three calls. I slide to unlock. I see that two were from Harrison and one was from a local number that I don’t recognize.

I hit the voicemail button.

First voicemail is from Detective Burke, he needs me to call, he has some questions regarding the people who have been in my condo lately. Hmm.

The second and third voicemails are from Harrison. Oh how I love the sound of his voice. Problem is, every time I hear his voice I get butterflies in my stomach and my loins get moist. I must figure out a way to control that. It’s really an annoying response and is so inappropriate.

Just as I’m about to hit send to call Harrison back, he beats me to the punch and my phone is vibrating in my hand. I answer.

“Hi.”

“Where were you, I was getting worried that you had absconded or something.”

“Not to worry, Jeff just left after he did a thorough check of all the rooms.”

“Good. Jeff is a solid man, make sure you call him if you need anything, especially while I’m gone. How are you holding up?”

“I’m okay. I just have a lot of questions. I’m not sure who or what to trust and it actually creeps me out to be here.”

“It creeps you out? Why?”

“Harrison, a few of the pictures were taken here. It freaks me out that someone was standing over us taking pictures of us while we were sleeping. What kind of sicko does this sort of thing? I’m also worried because I don’t want the pictures made public. We were doing some extremely intimate things in a good portion of those pictures and the press would have a field day.”

He sighs.

“I understand what you are feeling. I am not sure who has done this, but we will get to the bottom of it. If it is paparazzi, we will skin them alive with law suits.”

I’m silent.

“Danielle?”

I suck in my breath, I love the way he says my name, as if it is a melody.

“Sorry, I’m just exhausted and worried. The detective called and wants me to call him back regarding some questions he had about people who have had access to my condo. I told him last night already so this is puzzling.”

“Well, have you called him back? What did he say?”

“No, I’m going to call him after I’m done talking to you.”

I really wish he were here in the flesh talking to me instead of almost three thousand miles away. I need his arms around me and those lips on mine. I need his closeness to reassure me that everything is going to be fine.

“After you talk to him I want you to give me an update. I have to go into another meeting in a few minutes, so I will call you around 4:00 your time to check in.”

“Okay. Wait, Harrison. The night before the grand opening of the towers, did you send red roses to my condo and then have one of them left here in your penthouse by the elevator for me to find the morning of the opening?”

“No! I did not! Why are you are just now bringing this up? Did you say anything to the detective yet?”

I feel even more alarmed, “Nothing to the detective yet. It honestly slipped my mind and I could have sworn that I did ask you about it the day of the opening. But honestly, it doesn’t matter, I am telling you now.”

“Danielle, after we get through today, I want you to just forget about this as much as you can. I have my team on this and we will get to the bottom of it. I will tell the detective about the flowers. You don’t need to worry yourself any further.”

“How can I not worry when my home has been invaded and I feel so violated and now add the mystery of the flowers?”

“Could Bradley have been behind the flowers?”

“No, remember he brought me a bouquet directly to the event. Plus, that’s just not his style to have them sent. He always wanted to see my reaction when he gave me flowers. Not that it would happen all that often, but when it did, he wanted the reaction, not some delivery guy. No, this was too sophisticated for him and how would he have been in your penthouse anyway? 

“Hmmm. The roses are certainly a puzzle.” He pauses. “I’ll have my best man on this. He will be returning with me tomorrow. Time is of the essence, so he has already launched his own investigation from here. He has already changed the locks at your condo and at the penthouse. When he is back tomorrow he is going to do a sweep of the penthouse and your condo to see what he can dig up.”

“Wow Harrison, I wish I could borrow some of your confidence. I lead a pretty simple life and these past six weeks have really taken me by storm. I feel like I’ve been holding my breath all this time.”

“Breathe, Danielle.”  When he uses that tone of voice, I can’t do anything but hold my breath. My loins betray me again and I feel moistness down there. He’s too sexy even over the phone all those thousands of miles away.

“Now go help yourself to something in the refrigerator and maybe treat yourself to a nap.”

“Well, after I call the Detective back.”

He sounds a little on edge all of the sudden. Odd.

“Right, okay, after you call him back, promise me you will take a break and disconnect for a little bit.”

I hear a beep though on my phone.

“Harrison, I think the detective is trying to call me back. I’ll take this and we’ll talk at 4:00.”

“Ciao, Danielle”

“Ciao.”

I hit the accept button.

“Miss Austen?”

“Yes.”

“Detective Burke here. Did you get my message? I have some more questions for you and some interesting results of the fingerprinting.”

“Yes, I got your message, but I was detained.” He interrupts me and I can tell he’s impatient.

“No matter, listen, I still need those additional people for the list of those that had been in your condo. We got the fingerprints back and we found some that belong to a local petty thief. He’s been rather harmless in the past, but as with most crooks, their crimes escalate. I suspect that whomever is behind this, hired him to do their dirty work.”

My blood turns cold.

“What’s this guy’s name?”

“His name is Tony Kramer. He runs with a rough crowd, but he’s small time. We have a warrant for him and will most likely have him in custody by the end of today. So that’s the good news.”

“Is there bad news?” I ask apprehensively.

“Well, it’s relating to the rest of the fingerprints. There were prints we couldn’t identify and then there were a lot that match up to your ex. Now it’s none of my business, but I got the impression you were not working on reconciling with him.”

I scoff “No, there’s definitely not a reconciliation happening with Bradley. Last night was the first time he’d ever been to my condo.”

“Hmm.  Well then, he really got around last night. His prints were on your cupboards, the balcony door, your dresser drawers and a few door handles.”

I think for a second. When I fainted, he got me a cold cloth. That would explain the kitchen. I was so disoriented and in shock, I don’t really remember parts of the evening, but he probably was looking at things without thinking about the fingerprint issue.

“Oh detective, he was just being helpful. Before you arrived last night, I passed out momentarily and then he went to find some Advil and a cold cloth for me.”

“Ok. That’s probably it then. Now if you have a minute, maybe you could just run down your past week timeline again and give me the info on those other people who have been in your condo.”

I proceed to rehash my comings and goings over the last week and then give him the info for my housekeeper, Simone, and Philippe.

Speaking of Simone, I find it strange that I haven’t heard from her today. She must not be back yet. I really need my girlie right now.

“Thank you for your help, Miss Austen. I have a call to make to Mr. Towers. I will be in touch with you soon.  Say, are you going back to your condo or are you staying somewhere?”