Chapter 40
As Howie pulled his Jaguar into the parking lot of the club, he noticed a dark SUV sitting in the far corner with what appeared to be a single silhouette inside. Guessing that it was a fan seeking an autograph, he took a pen out of his attaché case in preparation. He had encountered several hard core fans in just the same manner, hoping to catch a glimpse of him and get a picture taken. He wanted to make sure he was prepared so he got out of his sleek black jaguar, pen in hand and started walking towards the back entrance. Instead, what he found was a beautiful, petite brunette standing alone and obviously waiting just for him. As he approached, her eyes remained locked on him, watching him intently as if trying to memorize every detail.
"Hello. May I help you?" he asked uneasily.
Her eyes teared as she continued to stare at him, uttering not a word.
"I’m sorry. I’m very busy so if you have something you would like autographed...."
He didn’t have a chance to finish what he was saying as she began to speak, cutting him off in mid sentence.
"You are EXACTLY as she described. Only your eyes are softer than I expected" the woman said as she brushed a tear from her face.
Howie was utterly confused by the strange woman and the words she spoke. He couldn’t imagine whom she was referring to or why she was so emotional. Before he could ask, she continued on.
"I can see why she was so in love with you. She always fell for the gorgeous dark haired men. It was like she was drawn to them as a magnet is to metal."
"I’m sorry, do I know you?" he asked, his brain speeding through many faces from the past.
She laughed a little and held out her hand to him. As he looked down, he saw a bracelet that seemed oddly familiar.
"I’m Sarah. Kristina was my best friend," she said softly, her eyes flooding with tears once again.
Suddenly it clicked. The bracelet was the same as the one Kristina wore faithfully. It was a single silver chain and a single gold chain criss-crossing their way through several hearts. Kristina had once explained to him the heart-warming story of why she and Sarah never took the bracelets off.
One year while the two girls were in college, each of them missing their families, working long hours and taking classes that were extremely demanding, they found themselves unable to go home for Christmas. Instead of Christmas presents from their families, they both received a card with money inside. The money was greatly appreciated, however it lacked the ‘personal’ feel of a present that had been picked out just for them. So, the girls each made a silent vow to buy a special Christmas present for the other, not realizing the other one’s plan to do the same thing.
On Christmas morning, each of the girls awoke in a gleeful mood, ready to revel in the joy of doing something special for the other. They made breakfast together, giggling and talking about what good things they hoped the next year would bring. After breakfast both Sarah and Kristina ran to their rooms excitedly and met each other in the hallway of their apartment, both of them holding a brightly wrapped present. Laughing at the fact that they had both had the same idea, the two of them bounced into the living room and agreed to open their presents at the same time. Laughter soon turned to tears as the boxes were opened and they realized they had each purchased the exact same bracelet. Kristina said that it had been the best Christmas she could ever remember and neither girl had removed the bracelet since that time.
Howie racked his brain trying to remember if Kristina was still wearing the bracelet, in lieu of everything that had happened, but he couldn’t remember. His attention had been more focused on having her back in his life, so he made a mental note to ask her about it when they went out for lunch.
Sarah’s words brought him spiraling back to reality as she said, "I’m sorry Howie. I didn’t mean to upset you, but I have to talk to you about Stephen."
A sudden chill ran up his spine and he trembled. He had a horrible feeling that he wasn’t going to like what she had come to tell him.
Howie shook her hand gently, his finger caressing the bracelet. "I remember the story behind this bracelet. Kristina said it was the best Christmas she ever had."
Tears flowed freely down Sarah’s face as she nodded her head in agreement. "Me too."
Unlocking the door to the club, Howie put one hand on the small of her back and escorted her inside. "Let’s go upstairs to my office" he said as he turned and locked the door behind them. "We can talk there."
Sarah eyed her surroundings as they climbed the staircase towards Howie’s private office.
"Nice place you got here," she said in an attempt to make small talk. " I hear it’s THE hot spot!"
"Thanks" Howie said cautiously as he reached the door to his office. Upon entering, he immediately laid his attaché case on the large mahogany desk and turned to face Sarah. He watched as she carefully and purposely examined every picture and award lining the walls. Growing impatient, he sat on the edge of his desk, his feet planted firmly on the floor and his arms crossed defensively.
"So, how did you find me?" he asked.
Sarah walked closer to where he leaned upon the desk and pointed towards a large chair that sat off to the side.
"May I?" she asked.
"By all means" he responded. Something about her presence made him extremely uncomfortable and he couldn’t stand the feeling it gave him when he had no control over the situation.
"How much did Kris tell you about me?"
"Not a lot. She told me that the two of you were college roommates, best friends, and she trusted you completely. She truly loved you as if you were her flesh and blood sister."
"She didn’t tell you anything about my family?" she asked, her face losing some of its color.
Her actions and the words she chose when speaking to him were more and more alarming to Howie. Something wasn’t right.
"No, why?" he asked.
"Shit!" she exclaimed before continuing on. "Okay, first of all, I found you through a close friend of mine that works for the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office. I was able to pull a few strings and got the information that I needed in order to find you."
Looking more than a little agitated, Howie asked, "Why were you looking for me?"
Sarah sighed heavily before she spoke. She was beginning to regret her search for him, yet she felt as if she owed it to Kristina to protect him. "I have it on very good authority that Stephen is in the Orlando area to seek revenge upon you for taking Kris away from him."
"What? Revenge? You’ve got to be kidding me!" Howie said.
"Yes, Howie. Revenge! I’m afraid he’s going to try and kill you."
Panic began to spread throughout his body like a wildfire burning out of control. He wasn’t fearful for his own life, but he feared what could happen to Kristina if Stephen found out that she was still alive.
Trying to calm himself, he said, "I’m sorry, Sarah. I don’t mean to be rude, but I’ve had a private investigator on this case for several months and he hasn’t turned up anything. How is it that you know all of this?"
Sarah stood and found her way to the mini bar in the far corner of the room. "Do you mind if I have a drink?" she asked.
He gave her permission by nodding his head as he anxiously awaited her answer.
After pouring a glass of bourbon and swallowing it in one graceful drink, she turned to him with tears in her eyes. "It’s my fault that Kristina is dead. She would never have met Stephen if it hadn’t been for me."
"So, YOU are the one who introduced the two of them?" he asked.
"Yes" she whispered.
"Why?" he yelled, startling her. "How could you introduce your best friend to such a BASTARD?"
Defending herself to some degree, she said, "He wasn’t always so evil, Howie. And by the time we found out what he was involved with, well, it was too late!"
"That wasn’t the question that I asked you" he hissed in anger. "I asked you how you could justify introducing your best friend to such a BASTARD!"
Sarah paused as she poured yet another drink and gulped it down. "I told you – he wasn’t always like that. I didn’t know....I NEVER dreamed in a million years that he would do something so heinous!" she cried.
Howie stood, paced the floor, fists clenched as he tried to make sense of it all. He turned and faced her, the anger burning from his almost black with hatred eyes.
"How could you know so little then and so much now?"
Sarah couldn’t face him as she spoke. "Stephen called me. He said that he wanted to apologize to Kristina’s family and to you for taking her away. He said once he has done that then he will turn himself into the authorities, but I DON’T believe him."
Furious, Howie grabbed her by the shoulder, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"Why did he call you, Sarah? Why YOU?"
Tears streamed Sarah’s face freely as she spoke words that pierced Howie’s heart and sent his mind spiraling out of control.
"Because that ‘bastard’ as you call him, is my twin brother!"