Chapter 130

While everyone was reuniting in the hospital, Alex was at home with the babies. Captain Whitlock was there with him, debriefing him on what all was going on.
“That’s a lot,” Alex said, feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of him. “But they’re going to be all right? Emma and Jess?”
“Yes. They are expected to make full recoveries. My contacts at the hospital say they shouldn’t have to stay for more than a couple of days. Essentially as soon as Emma’s infection clears up, they’ll be sending her home. Jess was pretty banged up. But from what I can she’s a fighter.”
“Sabrina always said she was,” Alex smiled.
“About your lovely wife,” Captain Whitlock leaned forward. “How much does she actually know about your family?”
Alex sneered at the question. He’d done his best to keep Sabrina away from that part of his life.
“She knows my mother used to be a model,” he dodged.
“Nice try. You know what I mean.”
“Ugh,” he sighed. “She thinks my father is an art director. He’s never really around. I do run a few art galleries in the city, so it’s an easy cover.”
“She thinks she knows who you are. You’ve never told her anything?”
“I haven’t had to. She knows what’s important. That I love her and our son. She knows she’s protected. But I’m sure she’s suspected something for a long time now.”
“You realize she’d going to confront you about this,” Captain Whitlock said.
“No thanks to you!”
“Hey! I didn’t jump back into your life of my own volition. Will called me, remember? He knew the consequences. It’s not like I’m that innocent either.”
“You know I’m not that deep anymore.”
“Oh yeah. You’re only the damn Prince of Rossi Crime Family.”
“Hey! Watch it! We don’t do that anymore. We’re straight now.”
“Yeah. And that is thanks to me,” the captain smirked. “Load of good it did me though. I ended up neck deep in trouble with the force.”
“Will and I got you out of that trouble.”
“Which is why I even agreed to help. But I’ve spent way too much time with you both. Unfortunately, everyone knows I’m involved with this investigation. You know that isn’t good for either of us.”
Alex frowned. Part of their arrangement years ago was that they limited their contact. They had to do whatever they could to make sure no one ever found out that Alex used underground connections to have Captain Whitlock reinstated. The Rossi family was an old name in the city. Their whole dark history had been wiped clean, but there was always an alluring mystery about them. Alex made sure to keep it that way.
“I’ll take care of it,” Alex promised. “By the time everything is done, it’ll look like you were the official lead on it.”
“Still have hands in the force, I see.”
“It isn’t like that,” Alex huffed. “I promised I would take the family out of that.”
“You still run the city from the shadows.”
“It’s not my fault people are afraid of the dark.”
“You have to tell her.” Captain Whitlock pat Alex’s shoulder and leaned back in his seat. “She deserves the truth.”
“I will.”
“I’ve got to tell you,” he groaned with effort as he stood. “She’s being wasted here. I’m sure she’s a great mother. But she’s smart. She’s amazing with PR and media.”
Thanks to Sabrina’s efforts, Jess and Emma’s names were kept out of the media. She had also managed to get national attention to the situation without it spiraling out of control. Phone calls had poured in, and Sabrina had handled everything with ease, like an old pro.
“She just amazing in general.”
“You better hold on to her.”
Captain Whitlock left to rejoin the investigation after Alex used his magic to officially add him to the all the documentation. After the initial insanity, officers and the higher-ups had begun to question his presence. They made it appear that Will had called him in an official capacity, and that all the proper paperwork had been pushed through. Sure, some rules had to be bent. But no one would be harmed. And that’s what was important.
The police raided the main building of Stewart Industries and several satellite offices after not finding anything in the building Jess and Emma were being held in. Within a couple of hours after the rescue, several people were arrested with connection to the kidnappings.
True to his word, Will had offered complete cooperation. HR files for every questionable employee was handed over to police. The corruption within Stewart Industries had run rampant.
Back in the hospital, Will was receiving updates. The nurses insisted he let Emma get some rest, so he’d left the room. He requested to be called as soon as Emma woke up. Setting up in an empty conference room, he went through everything Alex and Captain Whitlock sent him. An astounding number of employees were involved in Robert’s illicit dealings. Many of them confessed and stated that they had been threatened or blackmailed in some way to cooperate with him.
“Holy fuck,” Will muttered. It deeper than he could have ever imagined. There was even a member of the board involved. Stewart Industries was in a massive upheaval. It was Italy all over again. This mess was going to take a long time to clean up. And more than that, when all of the craziness made it into the hands of the media, it would take damn near a miracle to elevate the image of Stewart Industries in the eyes of the people again. A storm was closing in, and he wasn’t sure he was ready.
But amidst of all this, there was no sign of Robert. And more suspicious still, not a single peep from his parents. With everything that had happened, the notion that his parents could somehow be involved left an aching hole in the pit of his stomach. Every one that was supposed to love him was either gone or had betrayed him.
The doubt would drive him mad. He had to know.
“Hey.” His voice sounded weary even to himself. It was as though he had aged twenty years in one day.
“You sound terrible,” Alex said by way of greeting. “How are you?”
“Emma and Jess are safe. That’s what matters.”
“Dude,” Alex insisted. “How are you?”
“Tired,” Will answered. “The worst of it is over, but there is a huge mess left behind. The media is going to destroy me.”
“I have an idea about that.”
“Yeah?”
“Hire Sabrina to do PR.”
“You said what?” That got Will’s attention.
“You should have seen her. It was amazing. She may be better than your current PR team and you know you can trust her. She can work from home so that way no would even know she’s working for you.”
“That way no one can get to her or even see her coming,” Will mused.
“Exactly.”
“I’ll think about it. Once we know where Robert is, I’ll feel more at ease making those kinds of decisions.”
“I guess, but you’ll want to get in front of this sooner rather than later. I can only do so much, you know?”
“Yeah. I’ll talk to her about it next time I see her. Listen, I have something I want you to look into….”
“Your parents,” Alex guessed. “I figured you’d ask.”
“You have anything?”
“Not a damn thing. It’s like they’ve disappeared off the face of the earth. No one has seen them, no one has heard from them. They’ve evaporated or something.”
“I don’t like it,” Will said. This is what he was afraid of. If anything, their radio silence almost confirmed his suspicions.
“I don’t either. Captain Whitlock is on the official investigation now. I suspect he’s on his way to Robert’s house. Hopefully at least this part of things is wrapped up soon.”
“Yeah,” Will sighed. “I’m going to have gray hair by the time this is done.”
“Grow a beard. Maybe Emma will like that sugar daddy look.” Alex laughed.
“No. That’s what you like.”
“You caught me. I’d have to steal you away,” Alex teased, trying to lighten his friend’s mood. “Listen. I heard about… what happened. I know you won’t talk about it now. But I’m here. Whenever you’re ready.”
“Thanks. I may take you up on that someday.”
Will hung up the phone and let out a long breath. All he wanted for this to be over. He was living in a long night. Every time he thought the sun was about to rise, someone turned the clocks back again. It felt that he would never wake from this nightmare.
“Mr. Stewart?” a nurse called from the doorway. “Miss Wells is awake.”
“Thank you. I’ll be over there in a few minutes.” Before going back, he had to make good on some promises he’d made.