Chapter Twenty-One

Norma was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. She’d never been in one. Though she could walk out of the storage shed without a problem, she let the medics place her on a stretcher and slip her into the back of the dark olive automobile with a white circle and red cross painted on the side. Inside the cabin was dark and colder than outside. All she had to do was think about Henry to stay warm.

Upon arrival at the hospital, a nurse took her to an examining room immediately upon Chief Aliess’ orders.

Norma was treated for the small cut on her throat, which felt more like a gash, and the rope burns at her wrists.

After all was done, the doctor entered the room, clutching a brown board. He scanned the paperwork and indicated she would be fine. The injuries were minor and wouldn’t scar. Though, he didn’t mention the mental injuries from which she would be scarred for life.

In the silence of the sterile hospital room, she stared out the small square window. The snow had stopped with only the shimmer of the dark sky left behind. Her stomach clenched as she pondered the night’s events.

How could a man disappear into thin air? Why would Anton take the fall for everything? All was unsettling. Anton would be put away for a very long time, but would Al recruit a new set of goons to finish the job? Would they even bother to kidnap her or would they just shoot her on the spot? She gulped down a lump forming in her throat. She didn’t want to die, not when her future was so promising.

Moments later, Chief Aleiss poked his head in the room.

“How are you feeling, Miss Hill?” His raspy voice echoed in the sparse room.

“I’ve been better, Chief.” She sighed.

“I bet. Are you okay to give a statement?”

She looked down at her knotted hands, sighed again. “Yes.”

Taking the small wooden chair pushed up against the wall near the window, he dragged it over to her bedside. “Can you tell me what happened?”

At first, she couldn’t organize the events; they clobbered her brain all at once. The walk home, the speeding cars, the sting of ice pellets on her face, the sack over her head, and the knife at her throat. Too much.

“Take your time, Miss Hill. I know this was traumatic for you.”

She sucked in a fortifying breath, and from some unknown source of power came her words. “I was walking home, and before I knew it three cars pulled up, almost ran me over.” She gulped and continued. “Then two men jumped out and grabbed me. They tossed me in the back seat.” Her voice trailed off, getting through the next part would be hard.

“You’re doing good,” the chief encouraged her.

Her eyes watered. “Then they…put a sack over my head and tied my wrists together. I thought I was dead for sure.”

She licked her dry lips with an even drier tongue. Recounting the incident called for her to relive the torture. Looking away from the chief, she counted to ten and searched for the words to go on.

“The men took me to a place, which we know was the storage shed, and a fight ensued. Then, I heard a gunshot. A man named Charlie was shot because he didn’t want to go along. Then I realized Anton was one of the assailants, but I don’t know what happened to the other men who kidnapped me, and I never got their names.”

“Was Anton Perugi one of the men who kidnapped you?”

“Yes. Anton and a man named Al, who may or may not be Al Capone,” she said definitively.

Chief Aleiss sighed as he scrubbed his ruddy face. “Al has been a suspect for a while now. He’s aiming to take control of the illegal alcohol distribution from other mob bosses. He’s a greedy bastard.” His voice was far off, may as well have been talking to himself. “We haven’t been able to catch him.”

Norma’s stomach fell for miles. “Do you think he’ll come back for me?”

“I wouldn’t worry, Miss Hill. Anton has taken the fall for all the crimes, but some men will patrol around your residence during the night for a while if it makes you feel safer.”

“Yes, please.”

The chief nodded and stood, returning the chair back near the window. “If you remember anything else, please come and see us. We’ll keep in touch anyhow.” A faint smile crossed his face before he turned on his heels.

She was deep in thought when Henry poked his head in the room not long after Chief Aleiss left. With glimmering, beautiful green eyes and full lips in a loose smile, he looked more like himself. He had changed his shirt and donned his black wool coat, and donned his more formal hat. Somehow, his face looked completely healed.

“Hello, doll face.” His smile opened to the corners of each ear. Lord he was a looker. From behind his back, he presented her with a box of chocolates.

She smiled at his large fingers handling the delicate gold foil box. “Are those for me?” She reached out.

“Who else?” His voice smooth like an angel calling from heaven. “Sweets for my sweet.”

Her gaze lifted to his. “Where did you get those this time of night?”

“I have my ways.” He winked. Her heart fluttered at the sentiment. He sure had ways about him.

“Great news,” Henry said after a beat of silence. “There was an eyewitness to Al leaving the Jazzy Cat where we found you in the storage shed. He was spotted getting into a car headed west with John John, the bastard. Police are on the case. You’ve opened up a whole can of worms, doll face.”

“That’s wonderful. I hope they get them.” Norma tried not to relive the night’s events, becoming solemn in the process. “Poor Elsie. I can’t imagine what she must have gone through.”

He set the chocolates on the metal side table and sat at the edge of the stiff hospital bed. He reached for her knotting fingers, warming them as he drew them to his mouth and kissed the tip of each digit. He didn’t say anything, only caressed her hands and kissed her raw wrists until he cleared his throat.

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, Norma.” He held her hands. His eyes caught the light from overhead. “I should’ve believed the woman I…love.”

Her heart skipped. “You love me?”

“I do and I don’t care who knows.” His voice trembled. It would appear Mr. Chapel was capable of emotion after all.

“Oh, Henry.” Tears formed again in the corners of her eyes and when they bubbled over, they spilled down her cheeks. “I love you, too, Henry. And I forgive you.” Her voice cracked. Sitting up, she bumped into his chest and held onto him as if her very existence depended on it.

“What about Annabelle? What about New York?” Though she intuitively knew Annabelle wasn’t in the picture, she wanted to hear him say it to her.

“She’s nothing to me. I told her I have a woman in my life.”

“You told her that?”

“I did.”

“Did you see her after we…” Made love. The words wouldn’t come out.

“No!” His eyes widened along with his heightened tone. Then his voice turned soft and intimate. “It was always you, Norma. Since I met you…it was always you.” He chuckled, his head shaking. “I knew you’d be the end of me.”

“So what about New York?”

“There will be no New York. I really can’t believe my mother went behind my back and told her about that.” He dragged a hand through his neat hair, inadvertently messing it up. He was sexier with disheveled hair—if that was possible.

She raised her eyebrow.

“The New York Post wanted me. It was going under, and the consortium heard about my overnight success at the Daily.”

“Yes, you did resuscitate the Daily quite fast.”

No one could argue he didn’t breathe life back into the Chicago Daily.

“I turned down the offer because I couldn’t leave you.” His eyes glistened, not looking away, not even for a moment.

“You did?” Her heart jumped in her throat, tears resurfacing.

“Yes, Norma. I don’t think I can be without you.” He took her hands again. “You’ve changed me. I told you that.”

If happiness felt like that moment, Norma never wanted it to end. She loved Henry, and she would never deny it again and would never let anything get between them. “I’m just all balled up about not believing you. I should have. You had a hunch, and I should have trusted you. I wish I could go back in time and give you the chance you deserve.” Henry looked away, though held on to her fingers.

“Promise me something?” She forced him to look in her eyes.

“Anything…”

“Promise me that you’ll always believe me, no matter how peculiar I may sound.” Her heart beat faster than it ever had.

“I will always believe you,” Henry said with certainty. “I love you, Norma.”

“I love you, too, Henry. And I will always trust you, too. I’m not good with love, but it’s getting easier. Can you be patient with me?”

“I can be anything you want, baby doll.” His voice was husky.

She brought her face to his, and he met her for a soft, sensual kiss. Then he backed away.

“I also want to give you some other good news.” His smile shone brighter than the headlights of a motorcar.

Norma squealed, “Tell me!”

“You’ve proved yourself to be intuitive and bold. I thought about this long and hard, and I think the Daily needs a strong female to report the crime beat. So, I want you to be our new crime reporter. What do you say?”

“What do I say? I say yes!” She threw her arms around his neck and sprayed relentless kisses over his face. She didn’t mind that the raw skin on her cheeks stung with every kiss. He was worth the pain. Anything was worth Henry’s kiss. Her mouth found his lips again, and she kissed him fully.

His mouth moved with his unyielding expertise, and she melted in his arms. He had an amazing ability to give her what she needed.

“Did I ever tell you that I love you?” She pulled away.

“You might have.” His mouth found the tender skin at her throat.

“Well, I’m telling you again.”

He chuckled as he continued to kiss her neck. His mouth teased her.

She loved the feel of his lips on her skin. Every nerve ending stood in unison and she’d forgotten about the bandage on her throat.

His hands carefully ran the length of her back, her bottom. He wanted to have her; she wanted it, too. She wrapped her arms around him and welcomed the lovemaking he was sure to unleash on her, even in the hospital room bed. In his arms she felt safe and wanted, but more than any else, she felt happy.