Alveus (ABC's Inc. Romance #1) (6 page)

Dane
was glad that he’d been able to spring Oma from the hospital and see that she
was comfortably ensconced in her bedroom, before he had to leave. She
understood how important it was for him to rush off. The flight to Hong Kong is
twelve hours and the meeting was set for the following day. With the time
difference, he would barely get a few hours sleep before tackling the
executives. God knows how little sleep he’d gotten last night. He kept
replaying his time with Aly and, truth be told, it took everything he had not
to climb back into bed with her.

Of
course, then there was his guilty conscience. He isn’t a bad guy; there’s
really not a mean bone in his body. Everyone who works for him likes and
respects him. All of the women he’d escorted before knew from the beginning
that there would be no relationship involved. Sure a few tried to insinuate
themselves deeper into his life, but he had kindly declined. It was a habit of
his to send flowers after an evening’s engagement, with a generic thank you for
a memorable time together. Sometimes he included jewelry, but never had he felt
guilt. So, why now? Because, Aly was an innocent. And because he’d heard the
soft, sleep ridden whisper she’d spoken before she succumbed to sleep –
I
love you Daney
. It bore deep into his soul. An unfamiliar part of him felt a
thrill, but the real truth is, Dane Wellesley doesn’t know how to love.

»ɞ»ɞ«ɞ«

Lexi
consented to Bruna’s offer to throw out the last dying orchid. It had been
almost two weeks without a word from Dane. Oh, he’d spoken to Oma a couple of
times, but as far as she knew he’d never mentioned her. She thought they had
shared a connection – she and Dane, but what did she know? Apparently she had earned
the same place in Dane’s life as the rest of his female companions. The life
and hope that had reignited in her during intimacy now bore resemblance to the
slowly wilting flowers. She threw the card he’d sent into the bin with the
pitiful bloom.

Not
for the first time, Lexi wished that she was an automaton – a machine incapable
of feeling. Her emotions had almost become eradicated, but she marveled over the
undefeatable hope that continued to linger. Yes, even hollow, emotionless and
empty – that small battered sliver of hope endured it seemed, just to stoke her
pain. There were only three options she could think of for dealing with the
condition. She could ignore it to the detriment of her physical health, or
vacate her mind entirely, which would probably lead to the third option –
suicide. Lexi wasn’t willing to consider the last two alternatives. She’d
always been charged with possessing a stubborn tenacity, perhaps also due to
that same shard of hope. But then another thought occurred to her – she could
just leave.

Germany
was a large enough country to get lost in; there would be no problem with the
language. Still, she would have to disguise herself, and with no money or
identification… Lexi pondered the thought. Yes, even so, starting over seemed
to be the right way to go. It would just take some planning. Perhaps if she
could get to the American consulate… but Lexi couldn’t leave Oma; not right
now.

When
Dane brought his grandmother home from the hospital, she’d swiftly recovered
from her injuries. With her pretend illness no longer necessary, the wheelchair
disappeared and Oma spent more time downstairs. She and Lexi shared their meals
in the dining room and she returned to her former activities with charitable
organizations, introducing her
granddaughter
to her all of her
associates. She was strong, happy, and content. As far as she was concerned her
grandson’s love life was taken care of, and her work in that area was done. Naively,
Lexi had felt the same way. With stars in her eyes, she’d eagerly soaked up
Oma’s stories of Dane’s childhood antics.

Twelve-year-old
Lexi had won the battle over her adult heart. While Oma regaled her with the
stories, Lexi could picture the boy she remembered – protective, courageous, dependable
and witty. He could always bring her out of a funk by turning her mind toward
the humorous side of a situation. Young Lexi had lived for his visits and it
had devastated her when he’d gone off to college without giving her a second
thought. It seemed history was repeating itself.

 The
first time she learned Dane had called his grandmother, Lexi didn’t allow
herself to feel hurt that he hadn’t asked to speak with her. She understood that
his business was consuming and that he was only taking time away from it to
dutifully check on Oma’s welfare. His actions toward Oma reflected the way he
had been with young Lexi, reinforcing her love for him. Although, as subsequent
calls came from him, without even leaving a message to pass on to her… Lexi’s
emotions took another all too familiar beating. Oma seemed unaware of the
slight. Perhaps she thought that Lexi had a cell phone in which she received
his calls. Whatever, Lexi kept her disappointment to herself.

She’d
learned to conceal pain while still a teen, when her loving family cocoon had
taken its first beating with Alicia Alberton’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s
disease. Her family sanctity had split apart completely, as each member dealt
separately with the life changes the discovery had thrust upon them. Her
formerly doting parents were oblivious to the sacrifices Lexi made in order to
appease their wish to conceal her mother’s debilitation. She never resented
setting aside her dreams for the parents who had given her everything, and
considered it selfish to whine about it. Although it was easier to simply avoid
the outside world, Lexi became proficient at portraying the confident daughter
of Alberton Technology’s founders. She took over the role of parent, or more
aptly caregiver to her parents, dividing her time between them. Even after her
mother had succumbed to the symptoms of the disease, her father never turned
his love back in her direction. Instead, he dwelled on the loss of his beloved
until he joined her. Lexi put her devotion into the business her parents had
nurtured, their legacy, and her last remaining tie to them. When Uncle Richard
severed that tie, she fell into the bottomless pit of apathy. Until, Oma’s love
attached itself to her. Now, repeating the cycle, Lexi kept Oma from sensing
her pain over Dane, as she also began to be concerned over the elderly woman’s
well-being.

After
performing a full battery of tests on her, the hospital had released Dane’s
grandmother with a clean bill of health. Admittedly, the first several days,
Lexi had been impressed by the woman’s vigor, but then Oma began having dizzy
spells. A call to the doctor assured them that it could be a reaction from the
pain medication she’d been given. He couldn’t see any reason to be concerned
unless they persisted. Well, not only did they persist, but she started having
headaches and confusion as well. The stubborn woman could not be convinced to
see the doctor!

Frieda
came running into the room. “Frau Brighton is throwing up,” she announced
fretfully. “I need help getting her to the bed.”

The
dead flowers forgotten, Bruna and Lexi ran out of the room heading toward Oma’s
suite. Frieda followed. “She is refusing my assistance, saying that she’s
fine,” the young woman explained.

“We’ll
see about that!” Bruna determined. Even though Bruna worked for Marta Brighton,
neither woman took any guff from the other. They had become fast friends and
confidants, decades ago.

Lexi
found Oma collapsed on the floor. “Call an ambulance!” she shouted to Bruna.
“Frieda, help me get her onto the bed.” An image of finding her father passed
out on the floor of his office replayed in her head. It was shortly before he
had died in his sleep. The doctors had accounted it to his heart. Panic seized
her.
Don’t die on me, Oma!

By
the time the ambulance arrived, Lexi had her cleaned up and Oma was fighting
consciousness. As she followed the gurney out of the bedroom, Lexi noticed an
open box of chocolates on the side table. Frieda, after anxiously straightening
the bed rushed over to close the lid on the box. Lexi saw the
Abare
Chocolates
name on the package.

“Where
did that come from?” she pondered aloud. Bruna, having come back to grab a
small satchel she’d packed, gave her a curious look.

“Didn’t
you send them to her?” she asked. Lexi shook her head.

“No,”
she answered. Grabbing the small case from Bruna, she hurried to the door. “I
want to ride in the ambulance with Oma,” she said, rushing to catch up with the
attendants.

“
Cyanide
poisoning?”

Lexi
had been pacing up and down the same corridor of the hospital emergency area,
waiting for someone to come out with information on Oma. The longer the wait,
the more frantic she became. Finally, as she was close to succumbing to tears,
the doctor approached her.

“She
was having trouble breathing and we’ve put her on oxygen,” the doctor shared.
“We will be moving her to a room shortly. She’ll have to stay on oxygen for a
while, but she can have visitors. It was a lucky coincidence that we just had some
teenagers brought in about a week ago who’d been hiking in the mountains and
ate raw elderberries. Frau Brighton’s symptoms were the same, so we tested her
for the toxins.”

“But
Oma hasn’t been hiking, how could she have gotten the poison?”

“Perhaps
in a fruit salad?” he suggested. “I’ll have to wait for more test results to
come in, but it looks as though you’ve caught it before it had time to cause any
damage to her heart. We’ve given her an
antidote
which will bind with the cyanide allowing her body to remove it through urination.
Barring any unforeseen complications, she should be free to go home in a couple
of days.”

Oma
was asleep when they brought her into the private room. Bruna came by for an
update, so the two women left the room to have a quiet conversation.

“You
must put the home number into your phone,” the housekeeper fretted. “I’ve been
so worried and couldn’t get away until now. I hate leaving Frieda alone at the
house, and Georg was away on an errand.”

“I
don’t have a cell phone.”

“In
this day and age, how can that be?”

“I…I
lost it at the airport,” Lexi lied.

Bruna
tsked and then dropped the subject. It was more important to hear about Oma’s
welfare. Lexi filled her in on the doctor’s diagnoses, starting with the news
that she would recover and be home in a couple of days.

“Do
you have any idea how Oma could have ingested cyanide?” Lexi asked. “The doctor
suggested elderberries.”

“Marta
isn’t very fond of most berries,” she answered, shaking her head. “She doesn’t
like the seeds getting caught in her teeth, so I don’t buy berries for her.
“She hasn’t had much fruit in the last couple of weeks, except maybe some
canned peaches.”

“Can
you think of anything that she has eaten, that none of the rest of us has?”

Bruna
thoughtfully shook her head, “Now that she dines downstairs, we all eat the
same dishes. You know that, as you take your meals with her.”

“Right,
well I want to get back to her room in case she wakes up,” Lexi said. “I don’t
want her to feel she’s been deserted.”

The
room was quiet except for the low hissing of the oxygen feeding from the wall.
Lexi tried to occupy herself with an old magazine she’d picked up from the
waiting lounge. She was better with speaking languages rather than reading them
and soon dozed off from the effort. A stirring from the bed awakened her.

“Oma,”
she cried, rushing to the bedside. “You had us so worried. The doctor says
you’ll be fine and back home in a few days.” Lexi explained what had happened.

“Come
here ein
bisschen,” Oma opened her arms to Lexi. “Lie
beside me.”

Lexi climbed in next to the elderly woman and put
her head on her shoulder. Oma stroked her fingers through Lexi’s hair, combing
it out of her face.

“I’m fine, now tell me what has you so upset,” she
coaxed.

“I just don’t like the thought of losing you, Oma.”

“You have no family,
ein
bisschen?”

Lexi shook her head. Oma tightened her embrace and
gave her arm comforting strokes. Lexi wanted to pull away and reinforce her
iron shield; certain that if she became dependent on Oma’s love it would prove
to be an illusion. Still, the soothing gesture worked to put her fears aside,
and she fell into
a peaceful sleep.

A
hushed conversation brought Lexi from her slumber.

“Come
to think of it, I don’t recall ever seeing her with a purse.” Oma’s voice
reverberated through her chest. “I automatically assumed that she and Dane were
keeping in touch.”

“There’s
just something strange about that relationship,” Bruna responded.

“I
agree,” Oma answered thoughtfully. “So then, you did get in touch with my
grandson to keep him abreast of my situation?”

“Yes,
although concerned, he was relieved that you will recover. He said he would
return to Germany as soon as he traced down a manufacturer – whatever that
means.”

Lexi
sat up, apologetic for dozing off.

“No
worries, ein
bisschen,” Oma said, “You are a comfort
to me.
Georg is waiting to drive you back home to freshen up. Bruna will
sit with me awhile. Now, go.”

After
a soothing bath, Lexi went down to the kitchen to find a bite to eat. The mystery
of Oma’s poisoning occupied her mind. No one seemed to suspect foul play, what
would anyone accomplish by killing off such a kind, generous lady? But Lexi
didn’t like unsolved puzzles and searched her mind for clues. After all, she’d
spent the last couple of weeks by Oma’s side for almost every waking hour.

After
a light salad, Lexi went to the downstairs parlor where Oma had set up their
voluntary charity work. They were in the process of sending out bulletins to
the members of the garden club, setting up a tour of the older local estates in
full bloom. Oma had been impressed with Lexi’s computer skills as they worked
on them together in Opa’s office. Satisfied with the end product, they printed
them off and were about to stuff envelopes with the bulletin and a handful of
tickets for each member to sell. Lexi sat in thought, as she mechanically
folded and stuffed each packet. She deliberated over every luncheon they’d
attended, but if the fruit salads had been poisoned the hospital would be full
of socialites.

Her
brain finally tired from dissecting every memory, so she packed things up and
went upstairs to her rooms. As she passed Oma’s suite she glanced into the
sitting room and remembered the box of chocolates.
Abare’s Chocolates
, which
everyone thought Lexi had ordered for her. But Lexi hadn’t, so who sent them?
She grabbed the box of candy and went in search of Bruna.

“Bruna,
I need to get back to the hospital,” Lexi announced to the housekeeper. “I want
to have these chocolates tested for cyanide.”

“Oh
my God, of course,” Bruna said. “The chocolate dipped fudge, no one else has
eaten them. Georg is busy in the garden. I can take you when I finish the
strudel.”

“I
can take her if you like,” Frieda called from the hall where she was dusting
the hanging portraits.

Lexi
sat watching Oma sleep, a German tabloid lying unattended on her lap. Frieda
had driven her to the hospital, but chose to wait in the lounge playing on her
phone. While the chocolates were taken to the lab, Lexi waited with Oma to hear
the results. The two women debated about who would have sent tainted candies to
the elderly lady. Not many knew they were her favorites. Exhausted, Oma had
finally surrendered to sleep. Lexi left the room to find Frieda, and was in the
waiting lounge when the doctor delivered the news. The chocolates had indeed
been laced with cyanide. He already reported their findings to the authorities.

“I’m
sure the
police will be getting in touch with you at Frau
Brighton’s residence. The nurse will be getting her ready for the night, if
you’d like to say your goodbyes.”

“Thank
you doctor,” Lexi said. She turned to Frieda. “I won’t be long.”

“Okay,
I’ll go on out and bring the car to the front for you. Take your time.”

Lexi
went back to the room to share the news with Oma. Kissing her goodbye, she made
her way to the exit. It was evening, but the front of the building was lit up.
There were several vehicles lined up at the curb, although she didn’t see
Frieda’s car among them. As she searched the parking lot, Lexi was approached
from behind. Swiftly, she was strong-armed into the back of a waiting sedan!

“Well,
princess, it seems you’ve been a naughty girl.”

»ɞ»ɞ«ɞ«

“What
would I ever do without you?” Dane gushed, giving his London office director a
kiss on the cheek. “Someday I’m going to whisk you off to our own private
island.”

“Right,”
she answered dryly, “like I’m gonna put up with your shenanigans twenty-four
seven. You’d better get out of here if you’re going to catch that plane. Give Oma
my love; I’ll find out what’s going on at Alberton Technologies.” Dane started
out the door. “Oh, and boss,” she called out after him. “Thanks.”

During
the short plane ride, Dane thought of what awaited him at his grandmother’s
home. Oma will have been released from the hospital and happily back at the
estate by the time he’d arrive. She’d been secretive, unforthcoming with
information about her illness the last time he had spoken with her.

“It
will be easier to explain in person,” was all she would say.

Dane
knew that he’d spent more time away than he had to. It wasn’t necessary to detour
to the London office, but he’d wanted to allow Brenda the time off she’d need
to help rid her two children of the flu. Admittedly, he was avoiding a reunion
with Aly.

He’d
been kept busy enough in Hong Kong to keep memories of his last night with her,
at bay. It was always challenging working with the Chinese; there was so much
etiquette to be followed. With the amount of businesses involved, it was
practical to have an office in Hong Kong, but Dane was happy to entrust his
office director, Jun Cheng to manage things. As the CEO of Brighton Industries,
it was sometimes vital for him to deal personally with the businessmen –
Chinese
value rank and status, but Dane depended on Cheng’s knowledge of Chinese
culture.

The
entire blame for the delay couldn’t be put on him, Dane reasoned. After rushing
to get to the Hong Kong meeting, the L&W business executives delayed
further conference to consult with the stars. He’d wanted to visit the
automobile manufacturer’s assembly room to inspect the faulty engines himself,
but of course he couldn’t without an executive escort. Jun Cheng used the time
to formally introduce Dane to some of the other manufacturers they had dealings
with. Of course there were plenty of beautiful Asian women willing to spend the
evenings with him, but uncharacteristically he had no inclinations to take them
to his bed. Aly was like a fine Bordeaux, once tasted, all appetite for other
wines is ruined.

“What
do you mean, she’s gone!?”

Dane
didn’t realize he’d shouted the statement until he saw Bruna cringe. His
grandmother, however, was not affected by the outburst. She remained
irritatingly calm, with that all-knowing look that always grated on his nerves.
If he wasn’t so relieved to see her looking so fit, he would… Well, he wouldn’t
do anything more than look at her incredulously, as he was doing right now.

“Sitz,
jungen,” Oma said. “We are all
concerned about her disappearance, but you must hear the facts before running
off half-cocked.”

Dane sat as she
requested, wondering disrespectfully if the old woman had any idea what her
last statement sounded like in today’s society – the visualization itself,
half-cocked
.
The right side of his mouth turned up in a taunting grin. Actually, that might
be accurate. Oma centered her laser,
behave-yourself
, gaze on him before
beginning.

“The
last I saw Aly was at the hospital. She brought a box of chocolate in to be
tested for cyanide, and she was right to suspect it.”

“Chocolates,
where did they come from – why did she think you were purposely poisoned? Wait
a minute, you were poisoned
intentionally!
? Are you sure? Why would
anyone want you dead?” Dane was back on his feet, pacing the room. Oma remained
silent until he turned his focus back to her.

“May
I finish?” she asked, firmly. Dane plopped back on the chair, remaining seated
at the edge, his agitation noticeable.

“Danke,
as I was saying, Aly was very upset. I suspect she’s one that cannot let a
mystery go unsolved. She spotted a box of
Abare Chocolates
and asked
where it had come from. Of course we thought she’d arranged to have them sent
to me during my earlier hospital stay.”

“Are
you sure she didn’t? That could explain her disappearance.” Dane butted in. He
was trying desperately to erase the feeling of panic assailing him at the
thought of losing Aly.

“Nein,
Daney,” Oma glared at him, “and I will not be convinced that she would wish me
harm! I am worried for her,
jungen. E
in bisschen
is in trouble – has been for a while, I suspect. Now would be the time to tell
me the truth about your relationship with her, Daney. I know who she is.”