Chapter 6
John got into his car fuming over the things Anne had said. It wasn’t because they were lies. It was because he knew that it was true. He knew he had pulled back, but it certainly wasn’t because of lack of interest! John slammed his hand down on the steering wheel and cursed his job.
“That does it. No matter what, I’ve got to get out of this assignment. I can’t afford to lose Anne. I love her too much,” he swore.
Anne sobbed until no more tears would come. She got up, washed her face, and drank a glass of cold water. She walked over, picked up the phone and dialed Marco’s private number. Anne felt better when she heard his voice.
“Hello, Angel. Has John gone home?” he asked.
Anne sniffed and said, “Yes, he’s gone. We just had a terrible argument, and he stormed out. I’m so confused and hurt. I don’t know if he’ll ever call or come back. I don’t know what to do, Marco. I love him,” Anne confessed.
“If he loves you, he won’t let a silly argument keep him away. If he doesn’t love you, it’s better to find out now before you get hurt worse later,” Marco advised.
“But I love him so much. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. I don’t really know anything about him. That’s part of the reason we argued tonight. I can see how kind and loving he is with the kids and with me, but he’s a mystery that I can’t solve. All these months that I’ve known him, and I don’t even know where he works or lives. I don’t know if he might even have a wife and family already. I’ve tried to get him to talk about himself, but he always changes the subject,” she said.
“There may be other things he’s hiding. Did you know he wants to work for me? Men in my line of work don’t talk about what they do,” Marco said. “”What make you wonder if he is married or involved with another woman?” he asked.
“When we first met, I remember hearing him talking to Joe about wanting to work for you. That’s all I ever heard about it. He doesn’t talk about you. I’ve never told him we talk on the telephone now. It’s hard to answer the other question. It’s hard to admit this, even to you. When he kisses me, I feel totally loved and wanted, but he always pulls back. There have been times when I wanted him to make love to me, but he’s always stopped. Even the night at your place when I was so drunk, he could have done anything and I couldn’t or wouldn’t have stopped him. There have been other times like that, even earlier tonight. Why does he always pull away and stop? Is there someone else he’s involved with? I am so confused and hurt; I don’t know what to think or what to do,” Anne said and began crying again.
Marco said, “Anne, listen to me. Please calm down. Crying won’t solve your problem. Give me a day or two, and I’ll find out information about John. Once we know the truth about him, we can figure out what to do. Please, Anne, come up to see me. You need to get away from there for a while. Come up here and let me pamper you, my sweet Angel. You need some of the TLC you are so good at giving. Please come and let me take care of you,” Marco coaxed.
“Marco, I can’t just drop everything. I have my job and responsibilities. I don’t know what to do. I need to be here to see whether he calls or comes back. I need to work, too,” she said.
“That’s why you need to get away. How much help can you give others when you are so upset?” he asked.
“Give me a day or two. If I’m not better by then, I’ll come and see you. Thanks, Papa, for caring. I’m so glad I have you in my life now,” Anne said.
The next day at work, Anne tried to put her argument with John out of her mind, but she was pre-occupied. The two sisters asked her if she was feeling sick, because she was so quiet and serious. She kept looking and hoping that John would show up and everything would go back to normal. He didn’t call or show up on Sunday or Monday. By Monday night when Marco called, she was frantic and very upset.
When Marco repeated his invitation for her to come back to his place, Anne said, ”You were right. I am not able to do my job very well feeling so unhappy and confused. I‘d like to come and see you. I am going crazy here looking for him and waiting for him to call. For all I know, he may never come back.”
Marco said, “It would do him good to call and discover you are not waiting by the phone for his call. He needs to realize he could lose your love. Either way, come up and let me see what I can do to help.”
Anne dialed her supervisor’s message number. She had Tuesday and Wednesday off already so she left this message, “ This is Anne Lanford. I am off Tuesday and Wednesday, but I will need to take a few extra days off. I know this makes things hard for you, but a personal emergency has come up, and I need to leave town immediately. I’m not sure when I’ll be back, but I will call you as soon as I know more. I’m sorry for the short notice.”
Before leaving the apartment, Anne reached for her cell phone. She started to call John and tell him she was leaving, but all she had was his pager number. She thought back to what Marco had told her, “It will do him good if he tried to call and you aren’t sitting there waiting for his call. If he doesn’t call, he’s a fool and he doesn’t deserve you.” Anne put the cell phone back in her purse.
She packed her suitcase, grabbed her purse and a sweater, locked her apartment, and walked down the stairs to her car. She loaded everything in the trunk and drove off in her new car. It was almost midnight when she left town. The ride up to Marco’s place was long, but uneventful. In the new car, the ride was smoother and more comfortable. She sank down into the plush leather seats and headed out of town. Once out of the metropolitan area, she set the cruise control, adjusted the temperature control, and turned on the stereo radio. The roads at that time of night were nearly deserted. As she drove along, she began to feel a sense of peace and freedom. This was the first time she had driven her car out of the city, and she was pleased at how easily it climbed the hills.
The miles sped by, but she stopped every hour or two to stretch and have a cup of coffee or a soda. The sunrise began with bright yellow streaks across the sky. Then the sun peaked over the foothills and the valley lit up. The flat lands along the road were filled with crops of alfalfa, fruit trees, grape vines, and small towns. From the top of the hill, she dropped down into the lush green farmland. About the halfway point, in her journey, she stopped and got a full tank of gas. She giggled when she thought how important her gas stop had been when she was driving Clunker down from San Jose.
She thought to herself, “If I hadn’t stopped at that crooked gas station by Marco’s place, I would never have met John again, Marco would be dead and buried, and I would still be nursing Clunker from one garage to another. It’s amazing how one little decision has already changed my life.”
On Sunday night, after Marco had talked to Anne, he dialed the phone number John had left with him. It turned out to be a message phone. Marco left a short message for John, but it certainly got his attention. “If you still want to work for me, I have a business deal for you. Be at my office this Thursday at noon. If you aren’t here, I’ll know you aren’t interested, and the deal is off. This time, come alone,” the message ended.
When John got to work, he checked the message machine. He listened to Marco’s message two times, before calling Bob Watson, his boss, to report the new development. This was the break they had been waiting for. The part about going alone created a problem. It was standard policy for undercover agents to work with a partner for their own protection and safety. In John’s present mood, he argued that he would go alone. He reminded them how long they had been trying to get into his operation. Reluctantly, Bob agreed to his going alone.
Anne was tired from the long ride, but she was also excited to see Marco again. In just a few weeks, she felt a close connection with him. His phone calls had been a lifeline to her sanity. He had become, in her mind, like her father. He was someone she could talk to about anything. His concern and frequent phone calls ha
d helped her feel not alone anymore.
When she pulled up to the entrance at the resort, Luigi walked over to her car. He greeted her warmly. He had the valet park her car in Marco’s private underground parking garage. He picked up her suitcase and escorted her to the front desk. The clerk recognized Anne from her first visit. After registering, Luigi led Anne up to her suite on the top floor near Marco’s office and living quarters. He opened the door, showed Anne the suite, and put her suitcase on the luggage stand. Then he led her to Marco’s office. He knocked on the door and opened it for her to enter.
Anne walked through the door and rushed over to Marco. He stood up and she threw her arms around him and hugged him close. Luigi closed the door behind him and walked away whistling. For a long time, Anne and Marco stayed in a silent embrace.
Marco held her and kissed her cheek. When they stepped apart, Marco gallantly kissed her hand. He looked at Anne and said, “You look very beautiful this morning. How was your trip?”
“Thanks, I needed that compliment. The drive was long, but it was so beautiful driving by the ocean. My new car is so much easier to drive than Clunker. It is wonderful. It is the nicest thing I have ever owned. Thanks again, Marco. When I sell my dad’s house, I’d like to pay you back,” Anne said.
“No, Anne. I will not accept money from you. It was a gift, and gifts cannot be paid for. Knowing that you like it so much is more than enough payment for me. How are you feeling now?” he asked.
“I am still confused and hurting, but seeing you has already helped me. John hasn’t call me or come to see me or the kids at work. I hoped he would call, but he hasn’t. Have you learned anything about him yet?” Anne asked anxiously.
“I’ve made inquiries, but I haven’t received the answers yet. By Thursday, I should have more accurate information. Have you eaten anything today? I can have food brought up here—unless you’d rather go out,” Marco offered.
“I’d rather stay here and talk to you. Have you eaten?” Anne asked.
“Not yet. Would you prefer breakfast or lunch?” he asked.
“Whatever you want is fine with me. It’s so good to see you again,” Anne said .
Marco called room service and ordered two breakfasts. In about 20 minutes, a waiter delivered the rolling cart. He rolled it inside and transferred the dishes and beverages onto the table. Mr. M nodded and he quickly turned and left. When Anne walked over to join him at the table, she smiled when she saw the French toast breakfast on the table. Marco held out her chair and seated her. He sat down across from her.
Ann smiled, “You have a good memory, Papa. You remembered what I ordered when we first met. Thank you again,” she said.
“I learn and remember the things that are important to me. I want to learn all about you, Angel. You have drastically changed me, and how I feel and think,” Marco declared.
“My dear friend, your kindness to me and your phone calls have deeply affected me, too. Thank you for inviting me to come and see you again. I felt like I was going crazy sitting in my apartment waiting for a phone call or visit that never came. My heart aches because I still love him and want him. I don’t know many facts about John. All I know is what I’ve seen and heard when he’s around. He is so kind and gentle and caring with the kids at the hospital and with me, too. I’m hoping you can help me learn the truth about him so I will know what to do,” Anne said.
“By Thursday afternoon, at the latest, I should know all about him. Are you sure you want to learn the truth?” he asked.
“”Yes, Marco, please always tell me the truth about everything. I don’t want to live based on lies. Truth sometimes does hurt at the moment, but lies can destroy the present and the future. Even if it is bad news, I prefer the truth. Marco, I need to confess something. After I was here the first time, I went on the computer and looked up information about you. I hope you’ll forgive me for snooping, but I was curious about this interesting man I had met,” Anne apologized.
“I forgive you. In fact, I admire you for doing that. I also respect you for telling me. That took courage and integrity. Just don’t believe everything you read or hear is absolute truth. What did you learn?” he asked hesitantly.
“I found things that you have been rumored or accused of doing, but that you’ve never been convicted. You told me yourself that you had done bad things in your life. The Marco I met and am talking to now is not the same man who did those things. There were several articles about drug deals, prostitution, and illegal gambling. From my experience and observation during my first stay here, I can easily believe the gambling and prostitution, too. I believe there have also been drugs. No matter what I read or heard there, it did not make me think any less of you. I am still here, and I still care about you. Thanks for being honest with me and for being my friend,” Anne explained.
Marco squeezed her hand, “Thank you, Anne, but I will admit most of those charges and many others are true. I’ve just been lucky and careful and haven’t been convicted. I have tried to keep innocent people from being hurt, but I know I haven’t always succeeded in that. After meeting and getting to know you, I realized how dirty and evil my life has been. I know I’m not worthy of your friendship, but I feel blessed to have met you. I will try from now on to live a better life style for you, my Sweet Angel, so you won’t be ashamed of knowing me.”
“There’s something I’ve wondered and worried about. What happened to those three men you caught that night in the lounge, the three men I told you about?” Anne asked timidly.
“In the past, they would have just disappeared permanently, but I talked to the ones who had sent them. I straightened things out with them. Then I sent the men back to Chicago unharmed,” Marco explained.
“Thank you. I was afraid what I told you might have ended up with them being hurt or, as you put it, disappearing. You’ve given me peace now,” Anne said
After breakfast, Marco said, “I have some special fun things planned for you. This afternoon would you like to go swimming, play tennis or golf; work with a personal trainer in our gym; have a facial, manicure and pedicure; or take a tour of some of the surrounding tourist attractions. I think you’d probably enjoy any of them,” he added.
“I’ve never done any of them. What would you suggest?” Anne asked.
“The weather is so beautiful today. I would do something outside, go for a ride or play one of the sports,” he answered.
“I’ll follow your advice. I’d like to see more of this area where you live. The tour sounds like fun,” she decided. “Would you be going with me?”
“I would be very happy to accompany you,” he agreed happily.
Marco called the desk and asked Luigi to come to his suite. When Luigi arrived, Macro told him to bring his convertible to the front so they could take a trip around the area. “You know this place well, Luigi. I’d like you to drive Anne and me around to a few places so she can see what it is like up here in our beautiful valley.”
In a few minutes, Luigi arrived at the front desk and picked them up. Marco and Anne climbed into the back seat. The top was down so Anne tied a scarf around her head. The sun shone down on them as Luigi headed out to the first place, a town called Solvang. It was a quaint little town built to look like an old Danish village. Anne and Marco walked together through the streets looking in all the little shops filled with beautifully carved and decorated cuckoo clocks, colorful clothing, statues and wood carvings, and delicately scented candles of all shapes and colors. Other shops were filled with amazing assortments of candies, cookies, and flavored coffees.
Although it wasn’t Christmas time, some of the shops had elaborate Christmas trees fully trimmed with beautiful handmade decorations and ornaments. There were candles, sweaters, and toys for children. Anne noticed that Luigi usually walked a few feet behind them. She watched him and realized he was still working, discretely watching for signs of pot
ential trouble. He was always far enough away to give them privacy, but close enough to head off any problems. Knowing he was there gave her a sense of protection and security.
Whenever Anne stopped to look at something, Marco offered to buy it for her. “No, Papa, I don’t need that. Put your money away,” she said.
“I know you don’t need it, but I’d like to get it for you,” Marco said. When she wasn’t looking, Marco handed Luigi some money, and he purchased a delicate necklace with sapphires and white diamonds in the shape of a heart that she had admired. He slipped it to Marco after they got back to the car.
Before leaving town, they stopped at a Danish bakery. They all went inside and ordered an assortment of delicious Danish pastries and hot cups of flavored coffee. Luigi and Marco chatted about the old days in the Chicago neighborhood where they had grown up. Anne laughed at the stories of some of the scrapes they got into.
After leaving Solvang, they headed toward the coast. Before reaching it, they stopped at a beautiful old Spanish mission that had been started by Father Serra in the early days of Spanish exploration of California. They looked at the buildings and toured the gardens. It was quiet, peaceful, and cool inside the thick walled mission building. The Sanctuary was dark, although there were stained glass windows along the side walls. Rows of candles burned on the edge of the altar area. Marco and Luigi walked forward, lit candles, and added them to the others already on the altar. They knelt down and said a quick prayer. Anne waited reverently while they prayed.
There was a large circular fountain in the garden. Marco sat down beside it and took Anne’s hand in his. “I had forgotten how lovely this place is. I guess I am seeing it through your eyes today. When you are around me, things look different. The sunshine is brighter; the flowers are more beautiful; and my mind is more peaceful. Thanks for allowing me to see these things with you. We have one more place that is just a few miles from here. Do you feel like seeing one more place today?”
“Oh, yes, Marco. I am enjoying this so much. Normally I always do things alone. That’s not much fun. Being here with you and Luigi, I have someone to share what I see and feel. Just lead the way. I feel peaceful and happy here, but I know I will like the next place, too. The truth is: that it isn’t the place that is so special. It’s sharing the time with someone who is special. Thanks for taking time out of your busy day to come with me,” Anne said gratefully.
When they arrived at the next place, Anne laughed happily. “I love the ocean. It is deep and mysterious and always moving. With the beautiful sunshine today, look at how blue and lovely it looks!”
Anne took off her shoes and walked along the shore for a while. Anne and Marco sat down on a large rock near the water and watched the waves coming in, hitting against the rocks, and then rushing up the beach. Finally the waves slowed and began tumbling and rolling back to the waiting ocean. Anne leaned against Marco and he put his arms around her shoulder. They sat there watching the sea gulls soaring effortlessly in the sky and then land just beyond the wave line. The sun began to move toward the western horizon, while they walked slowly back to the car.
Being outside in the sun made Anne feel very relaxed and drowsy. As they rode home, Marco noticed her yawning. She laughed and said, “It’s not the company, I just feel so relaxed and content.”
“No need to apologize. I feel the same way. Come, lean your head on my shoulder, if you want, and take a quick nap. We should be home in a short time.” Marco put his arm around her and Anne relaxed and lay her head on his shoulder.
Later that night, after dinner at the café, they went to the Lounge and watched the stage show. Besides a trio of musicians, there was a standup comic. He talked about crazy things people do when they are trying to make an impression on someone of the opposite sex. What made it even funnier was that Anne could visualize what he was saying.
As they watched the show, cocktails were served. Anne looked at them suspiciously. Marco laughed and said, “I learned my lesson the last time you were here. Only very weak drinks or non-alcoholic drinks for you. I want you to be relaxed and happy, not comatose and hung-over. Tell me when you are tired and want to leave. I am ready whenever you are,” Marco added.
A few minutes later, Anne and Marco left the lounge. Luigi and one other man walked behind them down the hall. When they got to Anne’s room, Luigi opened the door and then handed Anne the keycard. When Marco and Anne walked into the room, she noticed there were fresh flowers on the table. Marco looked into Anne’s eyes. He could tell she was sleepy. He gave her a hug and kissed her on the forehead.
“Sleep well, my Angel. Tomorrow you will be pampered at the spa. Call me when you wake up. I want you to get plenty of rest so you can think clearly and enjoy things more. If you need anything at any time, call me. I am just down the hall. I’ll see you in the morning. Thanks for letting me share today with you. I love you, Anne,” he saidbefore walking down to his room.
Anne took a long, leisurely bubble bath. She lay back soaking in the warm sudsy water. She stretched and relaxed. She hadn’t had a bubble bath like this, that she could remember, since she was a young girl. After the bath, she toweled off and slipped into her nightgown. With a sigh, she climbed into her bed and quickly drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Anne and Marco went to The Café for breakfast. Marco explained, “I have some business meetings today. I have arranged a day of pampering set up for you at the spa and the boutique. At about 9 am, you will go the spa to begin the ‘full treatment’. Lorie, the manager, will take care of your day. You will get the full treatment - a facial, manicure, pedicure, a massage, a special hair treatment and makeup treatment. You are already very beautiful, but I’m curious to see how much more glamorous you will be after all that. I will call you when my meetings are over, and we will decide what to do for dinner and afterwards.”
After eating, Marco personally escorted Anne to the Spa. Lorie, the manager, greeted them warmly.
Marco said, “I am leaving her in your capable hands. Give her the best glamour treatment for my dear friend. I know you will enjoy a day of pampering.”
Lorie grinned and said, “I hope we can live up to his expectations. I don’t think you need a make-over, That would like trying to paint a rose to make it beautiful. We will work with your natural beauty. Have you ever had a spa treatment before?”
“No, I’ve never been to a spa. I don’t know what to expect, but I’m eager to begin, I never had enough money or time to have a facial or a massage or any of these fancy treatments,” Anne admitted with a shy smile.
For the first part of the treatment, Lorie turned her over to the first attendant for a cleansing facial. When she was finished with the facial, she was given a hand massage and a manicure. Then she had a foot and lower leg massage and pedicure. Anne watched everything and felt like royalty with everyone waiting on her. About lunch time, Lori brought in a tray with a salad and sandwich for each of them. They sat down and chatted during the meal. Lori was about 15 years older than Anne. While talking, she learned that Lori was a divorced woman with a 12 year old daughter. She had worked for Marco about 10 years. Anne explained her work as a nurse with children with serious health problems. Lori asked many questions and Anne told her about some of her new charges.
“It must be wonderful knowing you are helping those kids. I wish I could do something that helped people like that, but I like what I do here,” Lori said.
“What you do is important, too. When a woman feels good about how she looks, it makes facing her daily life much easier and happier. That’s something special, too,” Anne said.
Lorie asked Anne, “How are you enjoying your day at the Spa?”
Anne answered, “I don’t really know exactly what’s going on, but it is fun to see how the rich and famous people live.”
Lori laughed and said, “Well, the best is still to come!”
&n
bsp; After lunch, Anne was turned over to Christopher, a tall muscular man, for a Swedish massage. Anne felt shy and self-conscious about getting a massage, especially from a handsome man, but after a few moments, Christopher’s skillful hands began working magic on her muscles. She gradually relaxed and thoroughly enjoyed the massage. Anne felt all the tension draining out of her body. “If I were a cat, I’d be purring,” she sighed.
“I’m glad you are enjoying it. Too bad, but I am all out of catnip,” he said with a chuckle.
The last stop was at the Hair Salon to have her hair styled, a facial and makeup treatment. Lorie took over and washed Anne’s hair. “This is what I enjoy doing. I love styling hair and putting the finishing touches on my clients. She looked closely at Anne’s face shape and coloring. First, she trimmed it and then styled it. When she began selecting the makeup colors, Anne said, “Don’t put on a lot of makeup. Make it very subtle. I don’t like a face that looks and feels like it is painted on.”
Lori said, “You’re right. I agree with that. Too much heavy make up makes a woman look old and cheap. Luckily, you already have beautiful skin color and smooth complexion. Let’s just put on a light foundation and eye makeup. You have the most beautiful eyes and full eyelashes. We want them to stand out. A little eye shadow in the right shade will set them off and make them sparkle . If you don’t like it, I’ll remove it and do it again.”
Afterwards, Anne looked carefully at her face. Finally she said, “Lori, I didn’t realize how much a good makeup job could help my appearance. Sometime may I come back so you could teach me how to do that myself? It didn’t take much time, and it did make an amazing difference. Let’s leave it just like it is.”