The Body Hunters (39 page)

"How did you know?" Stephania looked surprised. "I tell no one, not even Danielle! And you don't tell her either! She has enough to worry over.
"

"Don't worry your secret is safe with me.
  If you can convince them then I can help all three of you. Maybe these guys would like to change careers and work for me! I'm sure I can get the both of  them lots of work." Lucius let out what sufficed as a small chuckle.

Stephania walked over to Luigi and Alphonso and huddled with them.
  Rapid Italian and several hand gestures later she returned to Lucius.

"They will be very happy to help keep Cassie safe and will take you up on the visa issue. I tell them time to go legal we are in America now!”
  She whispered in Lucius’ ear.  "They are not such bad guys, you know. We thank you so much for your help!"

Lucius knew what she meant. A smile crept over his face, and he addressed both gentlemen in Italian thanking them for agreeing with his proposition.
 Alphonso left Danny's doorway and took up his new position a few feet away outside of Cassie's door leaving Luigi at Danny's door. Stephania said she would check in on the girl and explain everything. Pleased with the arrangements for both women Lucius left the hospital. He had a long night ahead of him and was very anxious to do some of his own brand of interrogation of several of the suspects himself.

Aiden who was
 sitting on Danny’s bed was oblivious to Agent Johnson's leaving.  All that mattered was being by Danny's side.  She was distant to him. She kept staring out the hospital window watching the minimal night time traffic as he was talking to her. "I'm so happy you are safe. I should have never let you leave Dallas alone. I knew something was wrong.
"

Danny turned and looked deep into his blue eyes.
"How?Tell me how did you know? Did you know he was dangerous? Did you know he killed those girls? That he killed Sherry?" Danny asked letting go of Aiden's hand
.

Guilt tormented him all over again. If he could go back and do things differently, he would have shown her the video of Wolfe assaulting Sherry, consequences
be damned. Because of his stupid ego, he had put Danny's life at risk and had been only a few seconds away from losing her forever.

"I--, No Nani, no!
It was just a feeling, intuition maybe." He lied, trying to spare her additional heartache
.

"But you had Alejandro send me back to Dallas under some flimsy excuse! You knew didn't you? You at least suspected it! You said you loved me just to keep me there!"
 She was riding the highs and lows of an emotional rollercoaster. A few tears sprang to her eyes again.

Aiden's heart started breaking at the idea that he was causing even more pain for her. He felt he had no choice but to spare her.

"Nani, no, I didn't know. I wanted you with me. I meant it when I said I loved you. I still do! I was worried he was going to hurt you when you moved your stuff out. Please don't cry. I love you!" He took her hand again but Danny pulled it away
.

“I’m very tired now, please go. I'm sure you have a ton of paperwork, and Lucius could use your help.
"

"To hell with Lucius!
I'm not leaving your side!"  He moved to his chair and sat in it like he was glued to it.

Even though it hurt, Danny sighed. "Look Stephania is here. The hospital is going to let her sleep in the next bed. Lucius arranged it. Plus her cousins, whom I assume you've met, are here. No one's getting past either of them. Boy, you need to let me be tonight, OK? No offense, but I really don't want any men around. Please just go!"

He felt as if he had been punched in the gut, which he knew he deserved.  "Nani, please?
"

"Aiden it's not you. Don't take it personal. I'm confused and I have issues with men right now. I just need time to get my head together.
 Please.
"

"Can I at least come back in the morning?

"Yes fine. Just don't smother me, OK? Promise?"Danny pleaded with him
.

"Nani, I promise. I'll go. I'll see you in the morning.
 If anything happens--
"

"Yes Stephania will call immediately don't worry. I'll be fine.
"

"Can I at least give you a little kiss goodbye? I'll be gentle on your lips. I'll even let you bite mine!" He
 winked at her
.

"Boy, I don't know what I'm going to do with you!
A little one, OK?   They're pretty sore." He gently brought his lips to hers barley touching her swollen lips. He got up, kissed her forehead and left the room. He gave Stephania strict instructions to call him if anything changed in her condition. Stephania reminded him she was in control now and not to worry. Standing alone in the elevator his heart was very heavy at leaving her and also knowing he had just lied through his teeth to the woman he loved hoping to spare her any more pain.

A few minutes after
 Aiden left, Cassie slipped quietly into Danny's room escorted to the door by one of her newfound bodyguards. With the drab hospital gown and robe draping her body, her small feet moved soundlessly in her hospital issue slipper socks
.

"How are you feeling?" She asked Danny, careful not to wake the slumbering Stephania in the next bed
.

Danny, who had been wide awake staring off into space, patted her bed for Cassie to sit
.

"I'm okay I guess. I know my body is healing, but it's my mind that needs the most work. I keep expecting him to jump out and attack me." She still refused to say Gerard's name
.

"Have you been checked out?" Cassie whispered, concern written all over her face
.

Danny knew she was referring to the rape, and she shook her head. "I'm fine.
"

"Danny!" Cassie rasped. "You've got to tell them.
"

Danny raised a hand to cut her off. "He's dead. He can't hurt me ever again. There's no reason for me to ever mention what happened in that basement.
"

Cassie knew Danny had been through hell, and she didn't want to compound her anguish. She didn't press the issue any further, though she did know that if you held on to some things long enough they tended to putrefy
.

Cassie held Danny's hand. "If you don't want to tell anyone what happened, at least do one thing for me.
"

"What's that?
"

"Get some therapy Danny. After what you've been through, you really need to talk to somebody.
"

Danny nodded her agreement. With the dark place she was in right now, she could definitely use an unbiased opinion
.

"Promise me, Danny." Cassie urged. "I mean it.
"

"I promise I'll get some therapy.
"

After a brief but comforting hug, Cassie left Stephania and Danny alone in the room. For a few more minutes Danny was awake in the dark trying to figure out the mess that remained of her life
.
 
 

Chapter 2
3

Greeting Danny at St. Blazes Catholic Church in Los Angeles, Agent Stone offered her his arm and escorted her to the third from front row pew. It had been a couple days since he had last set eyes on her since she told him she needed some space. Obeying her wishes and staying away from her had been the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. Selfishly,
 he wanted to be the only one to console her over the last week.

Danny seemed to be suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He knew the symptoms well since some of his veteran friends had the condition. Her eyes seemed to dart back and forth, reaching into dark corners as if awaiting Wolfe's return. He could see that since her ordeal and hospital stay she had also lost a few pounds and moved stiffly, still sore from her injuries. Nonetheless, he thought she was gorgeous in her little black dress, and he wished they could be reuniting under better circumstances.

Cassandra had been adamant about coming with Danny to Agent Ramirez's Memorial, more for her own guilt than concern for her friend whom she knew would be in good hands. Their flight arrived at LAX just a half hour before the service. Lucius had arranged for them to be picked up and brought directly to the church. Stephania's cousins, the Amanato brothers, were following very close behind and stood just outside the main entrance door now dressed in regular nondescript black suits that Lucius had bought them sans the fedoras. He wanted them to look as bland as possible to blend in. He had hired them and was paying for their services out of his own pocket.

Lucius seeing Cassie, who had appeared in the aisle alone, had taken it upon himself to escort her to her seat. Walking on the outer side of the pews he entered in the same row as
 Aiden and Danny. Sliding all the way over to meet the two, he sat next to Danielle on the opposite side from Aiden. Cassie sat on the other side of Lucius.

Aiden, seeing that Danny was sandwiched between him and Lucius, felt twinges of jealousy rise in him once again. He wanted to be her sole protector, but he remembered his promise not to smother her. Both men had, over the last several days of her hospital stay, argued privately over who was to blame for the nightmare she had endured. The arguments ended in a stalemate, each refusing to budge on their judgment. Realizing they still had a working relationship to contend with, they agreed to disagree. They realized their assigning blame was not going to do Danny any favors in moving her life forward
.

Danny could have been sitting next to the queen of England for all she knew. Being lost in her own world of pain, her mind was not on either man at that point. She left the hospital just two days before Alejandro's memorial, bruises fading but the memory of the monster and the rape still fresh in her mind. She was unwilling to return to the mini-mansion or to her apartment where Alejandro had been murdered.

Aiden had extended the invitation for her to go to Washington D.C with him to his small apartment, but she refused, opting instead to take Cassie up on her generous offer to stay with her. It was mutually beneficial. Per Lucius, orders, Dominick was still in custody and had been transported to a prison hospital for detox and rehab, mainly to keep him safe. The feds had intercepted several messages threatening his life. Cassie didn't want to be alone and was grateful for the company.

Stephania had flown back to New York for a short while but promised to be back as soon as she could. She wanted Danny to come with her back to New York, but Lucius said she was needed for further interviews once she was up to it.

All conversations abruptly ceased when Mr. and Mrs. Ramirez entered the church. Juanita Ramirez was a diminutive figure in her black dress and veil. Hunched over, her body looked rapidly aged by twenty years in the past week. Held up by her husband's arm she let out a crying gasp at seeing the enlarged picture of her only son in his full dress army uniform next to the altar
.

Family members surrounded her as they took their place in the first two pews in front of Danny and Aiden. The church filled up with FBI agents and veterans groups as well as friends and family of Alejandro. The service was a touching one with several family members reading bible passages and telling funny anecdotes of Alejandro's life. His army buddies also gave their share of memories. Lucius spoke of his bravery and courage.
  Aiden managed a few words about how he hadn't been his partner long but was going to miss his company and couldn't have asked for a better partner. Near the end of the service he and Lucius headed toward the altar once more. After their brief ceremony, the honor guard had taken down the standing flag next to Alejandro's picture and folded it into the traditional three-corner fold. Lucius stood at the altar with a small box of his own. The flag was handed over to , and he and Lucius walked over to Mr. and Mrs. Ramirez where  handed Juanita Ramirez the flag with his own whispered words of condolence while Lucius presented Alex Ramirez the FBI's Memorial Medal of Honor.

The crowd was hushed except for the low sobs of women, Cassie and Danny among them. The raw emotion in the church was too much for Danny to bear. She quietly exited the church before she lost control.
  Aiden was ready to bolt after her but was stopped by Cassie who was already half way out the door, motioning for him to stay with the family. The priest said the final blessings and prayer and soon people were passing by the bereaved parents shaking hands, hugging and giving words of encouragement.

Formalities over,
 Aiden rushed outside to see Cassie and Danny clinging tightly to each other.

"Danny, Cassie, the repast is about to start. Do you want to come inside?"
 He asked.

"Where is the reception?" Cassie asked
.

"Down in the church basement."

Cassie and Danny both looked at each other. Danny couldn't even bear to look at Aiden's face. Cassie squeezed Danny's hand and spoke up
.

"I-I think both of us have had enough of basements for a while. So I think we will go give our condolences to the Ramirez family. We have a flight back to Phoenix in an hour anyway.
"