Chapter Sixty Three

Chapter Sixty Three
Nicholas POV

I wake up and check the time. It's evening and my guess is that things have gone somewhat the way I wanted, or I'd have heard from Jimmy or Antonio by now. I shower and get dressed, then head downstairs to find myself some dinner. I suddenly remember that Millie is in the hospital and my stomach drops. I should have checked on her.

I go into my kitchen and find two of my guards standing, leaning against the counters. "Hey boss," one says. "We picked up some takeout for you, it's in the fridge. Graham called and said Millie was going to be in the hospital another couple of days and then released to rehab for a few days. I think he wants the two of us to be your drivers for now."

I open the refrigerator and pull out the takeout carton from Carmen's, the Italian place we sometimes get food from. I scoop the pasta out onto a plate and warm it in the microwave, not answering them for a beat. When my food is warm, I sit with my plate at the counter. "I don't need a driver," I tell them. "I need you guys to do security like you're supposed to do."

I see them exchange glances and then the other who has been silent offers his input. "We can do both sir, Graham made sure of that."

I lean back and look at them both. "How so?"

"He had us taking evasive driving courses and made us go to your upstate property and practice. We are both prepared to be here for you when needed."

"Interesting," I say as I turn back to my dinner. "How's Millie, did he say?"

"He only stated what I relayed sir," he pushes off the counter. "Should we prepare to leave?"

"Yes. I need to go to the hospital, and I may need to meet with Michael Patron. Any word from him?"

"Jimmy called and said Antonio dropped him off at Camilla Patron's apartment."

"He what?" I stand and push my plate away. "What the hell for?" I look between them and they both shrug. "Well for fuck's sake." I turn to walk out and then throw a look over my shoulder, "Let's go. Now."

I decide there is a change of plans and direct my men to swing over to Camilla's apartment. I wonder if Michael knows that her roommate has likely returned or did he just barge in there and make himself at home. And why hasn't Daniel called me? That gives me pause and I dial Daniel's number.

"Boss," Daniel answers.

"Where are you?" I ask.

"The club, doing the books."

"Right. When were you home last? Have you laid eyes on Natalia?" I ask.

"I left about six this morning, and no. Is she back?" he asks.

"Well, it's your job to know that, now isn't it. I asked you to keep an eye on her. You were aware she was returning, were you not?"

Daniel is silent on the other end of the phone for a brief pause. "I thought I saw her. Her apartment has been quiet. She hasn't been to work, I inquired, and they said she quit. I went to the door yesterday and knocked and no one answered. She also hasn't taken my phone calls since you shipped her out to California or wherever she went."

"Camilla's brother is at the apartment, did you know that?" I ask.

"No. Like I said, I haven't seen anyone. Do you want me to go home and check then? Or finish the books?"

My head begins to throb with the annoyance I feel at Daniel. I've been gone, and maybe it's my fault that he hasn't been doing what I pay him to do, which, besides the books, involves other tasks I assign him. "Clearly she doesn't want you to find her," I say. I guess this woman is more intelligent than I gave her credit for, if she has managed to return to New York and dodge my guys. "What about the lookouts," I ask.

"No one has seen anything, that's what they said," Daniel admits.

"Fine. Finish the books, be alert when you go home. Cain is here," I hang up before he can reply and we roll to a stop a block from Camilla's apartment. The light is on in the living room area, or what Daniel had told me prior was the living room. I've never been in the apartment myself to know.

"Take a walk," I tell my guard in the passenger seat. He nods and gets out of the car. I watch as he walks down the sidewalk toward the brownstone that Camilla lives in. He looks around, aware of his surroundings and doesn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary as he nods towards us and then takes the stairs two at a time. He rings the buzzer for the third-floor apartment. I watch as a shadow passes by the curtain and then it's pulled back slightly. I can't make out who is looking out the window, but it's not Natalia. It's a man.

A moment later, I watch as Gerard walks in through the door, and it closes behind him. "He better not fuck this up," I mutter.

"Sir, should we engage as well?" my now driver asks. I look over at the side of his face from my seat on the passenger rear and cock an eyebrow.

"Keelan isn't it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did I tell you to engage?" I ask, my voice edgy.

"No."

"Pay attention to our surroundings. I give the orders."

"Yes, sir," he replies, never taking his eyes off the stoop where Gerard disappeared to.

Moments pass as we wait. After about ten minutes, Gerard comes out with Michael Patron. They both look up and down the street, Gerard nods up the block and Michael pulls the hood off his black sweatshirt up over his head and walks our way.

Both men slide in, and Michael turns my way. "What the fuck are you doing at Camilla's apartment?" I ask before he can say anything.

"Waiting for that pansy ass at the end of the block to make a move," Michael replies. He pulls his cell phone from his jacket, flips through some photos and hands it to me. "This guy."

My eyes narrow. That's the guy who beat up Millie. "This guy is sitting down the block?" I ask.

"He has been since I got here earlier. Previously, it was two young punks who thought they were being inconspicuous. I walked right up to them and asked who they were and why they were staring at my apartment. They took off running. Half an hour later, this guy showed up with one of them. The kid pointed and left and that car has been parked there since."

"Where is Natalia?" I ask.

"Natalia," Michael smiles. "Camilla's roommate. Damn you didn't tell me she was fucking gorgeous."

"What?" I say, irritated that this is his response. "What the fuck does it matter? Where is she?"

Michael shrugs, "Don't know. She was here when I got here, she let me in when I told her who I was. She wanted to know where Camilla was, and I told her. I also told her it wasn't safe to go wandering around the city, and she flipped me off and went to her room. I went to check on her an hour later and she was gone. She has a fucking fire escape outside her bedroom window. I'm guessing she left."

Running my hand through my hair, I close my eyes. "You know Camilla is going to kill you if something happens to her best friend," I say.

"Pretty sure Natalia does what she wants. Now back to this guy," he points up the street. "Are we taking him or not?"

"Oh, we sure fucking are," I say. "Keelan?"

"Got it," Keelan throws the car in gear and pulls quickly out of our spot. It's thirty seconds and we are rolling up next to the sedan that contains the man who I know Graham very much wants to beat the shit out of. I would love to do it myself, but this is Graham's revenge to be taken.

We squeal to a halt next to the car, guns drawn. The man is clearly shocked, raising his hands up as Michael rips open the door and jerks the guy out. "Hey," he yells. "I didn't do anything, who are you?"

"You know exactly who we are," I tell him, right before the butt of my pistol comes down on his temple, knocking him unconscious. Keelan pops open the back of the Tahoe and Michael and Gerard toss our new captive in the back. With quick work, we zip tie his hands and feet and remove a pistol from his waist band, and his wallet from his pocket.

"Well look at that," Keelan says. "He has an Illinois driver's license. Name is Samuel Casen."

"Let's get him to the warehouse. I'm calling Graham, I think he'd like to meet the guy who put his wife in the intensive care unit."

An hour later, we roll into the back entrance of my warehouse. I mostly store my liquor for the club here, but we use it for other business as well. Keelan and Gerard drag the guy into the room we use for interrogations and strap him to the chair, his head bobbing forward. Then we close the soundproof room door with a click and wait for Graham to arrive.

"When we are done here, we are going to see Camilla," I tell Michael. "And you're going to tell me why I don't see Thomas Cain chained up in here."