Ali was still smiling as she unlocked the door and stepped into the room. She and Mark were going to be okay. They should never have let the stress of life interfere with their marriage. This whole experience with Anonymous had proven the connection between them was still there, still strong. They were still the same two people who had fallen in love all those years ago. It also showed her a little excitement didn’t hurt, maybe even spiced things up a bit. Her grin widened. They could make this work.
For the first time, she realized they’d both been wrong. Mark for seeking fun elsewhere and her for giving up on them. Of course, Mark had been more wrong, but it was time to forgive.
She flipped on the light, tossed her bag on the chair and dismissed thoughts of the past. It didn’t matter anymore. What did matter was their willingness to get to know each other again. She found the thought exciting and thrilling, and anticipation flowed through her.
“Hello, Ali.”
The blood that had just heated up turned to ice. She spun around. The intruder leaned back in a chair, his feet propped on the table, hands behind his head. The pose was deceptively casual until she looked into his eyes. Cold, nearly black eyes that bored straight through her.
“Paulie, wh…what are you doing here?” Her mind raced frantically for a way out of the room.
“We have some unfinished business. You and your buddy, Calvin, owe me.”
“What are you talking about?” There was no way out. She was trapped. Mark would be headed toward her room any minute. She had to do something. Could she reason with this lunatic?
“I spent ten years sitting in jail because of you two. I lost my business, my family, everything.” He dropped the front chair legs onto the floor and stood.
“I’m sorry.” She had to buy some time, had to warn Mark, somehow.
“Sorry? Sorry? What good does that do me?” His face was beet red, spit flying from his mouth.
She wasn’t going to be able to reason with him. He moved toward her.
“What do you want from me?” She backed away from him, her teeth chattering. The balcony door she’d left open to the afternoon sun, was now allowing the evening chill into the room. The line of sweat running down her back told her the chill had little to do with the temperature, and everything to do with fear.
“Didn’t you get my notes?” He grinned and her heart stuttered.
“What good is killing me going to do?” She cursed the tremor in her voice, the vulnerability that threatened to suffocate her. Think, think, think. There had to be something she could do.
“None.” He shrugged. “But it’s going to make me feel better.” He pulled a small, black handgun from his belt.
* * *
Mark lifted his hand to knock but was stopped by a man’s voice. He stilled, pressing an ear to the door in an effort to determine if it was coming from inside.
“Paulie, stop. Please. Put the gun away.”
Paulie? Gun? The words cut through him.
He turned to the door next to hers and knocked softly. It was opened almost immediately, and he pushed his way in, relieved to find Brad and Jimmy, two cops he knew fairly well.
“What’s wrong?”
“Paul Cardone’s in my wife’s room.” He strode through the room toward the balcony door.
“What? He can’t be! We’ve been keeping an eye on her door all night.” One of the men reached down to an ankle holster and tossed him a weapon.
“You two take the door, I’ll try the balcony.” The two men left as he slid the balcony door open. The wind whipped at him. He took his jacket off, threw it back into the room and shoved the gun into his waistband. Leaning around the privacy wall as far as he could, he tried to see into her room. There was no use. He couldn’t see anything. The roar of the wind drowned out any sound.
Climbing onto the railing, he worked his way around the privacy wall and dropped as quietly as he could onto her adjoining balcony. He crouched beside the open door Cardone had probably used. The man stood face to face with Ali, gesturing wildly with the weapon.
The other men would be waiting on either side of the door for his signal. He took a deep breath and launched himself through the door. “Freeze.”
He held the gun steady and aimed directly at the suspect’s head. “Don’t move.”
There was a flicker of indecision in the other man’s eyes.
Mark prayed he wouldn’t act on it.
There was a crash as the two cops kicked the door in. “Freeze. Drop your weapon.”
Paulie’s gaze darted quickly between the three cops.
Mark held his breath.
Knowing there was no way out of the cabin, Paulie seemed to realize he couldn’t win this fight and slowly lowered the gun to the floor. Brad approached him, kicked his gun away, yanked his arms behind his back and cuffed him. Cardone glared at Ali but remained silent as the two officers led him from the room.
“Are you all right?” Mark went to her and pulled her into his arms, needing to feel her close to him. She was shaking as she sobbed.