Page 40 of Angel's Whisper

“No,” she smirked. “That won’t be necessary. Mr. Ricardo Adele,” she repeated, scrolling the inpatient list. “He is in room 1231. If you take the elevator midway down the hall over there, it will take you to the twelfth floor.”

“Thanks, and make sure my car is there when I return.”

“Sure will.”

Massimo missed the smile she offered as he walked away. He also missed her eyeing him until he was out of view. She sized him up and determined he was handsome, dangerously handsome. He strolled, unaware to the elevator and pushed the button. As he waited for his assent, Massimo thought of all the ways he could kill Ricardo if it came to that. But first, he had to hear what the man had to say for himself. Then and only then would he determine if it was appropriate to snuff him out.

When the elevator door opened, there were several people who needed to get off. Massimo stepped aside and waited until everyone had departed. He then stepped on the elevator and pushed the button for the twelfth floor. Massimo watched as the doors closed and then kept his attention forward as the elevator car ascended.

He stepped off the elevator with only one thing on his mind. Massimo had no need to stop at the nurse’s station. He already knew what Ricardo’s room number was. He moved stealthily down the hallway, going relatively unnoticed, due in part to an emergency on the other end of the hall that drew all the staff’s attention as well as the query of those in the waiting room.

Massimo didn’t bother to knock on the door. He confirmed the number in the room and quietly pushed the door open. He allowed the door to close behind him before taking a step further in. Ricardo was vegging out, watching a rerun of the last show he had watched. The movie didn’t really hold his interest, but there wasn’t much to do because of his immobility. All he could do was wait until the next shot of pain meds so he could drift off into dreamland. At least it was a temporary reprieve from the weight and worry he consistently felt.

Then he felt eyes on him, unsettling eyes. Slowly, Ricardo turned to where he felt the eyes coming from and met them. His still puffy eyes grew large in their sockets, and he instantly tried to backpedal, to move away from the impending threat. But there was nowhere to go. Ricardo reinjured his leg, trying to get away, which inevitably stopped his desired back motion. He was a prisoner in bandages and casts. There was no place he could go. The machines that monitored his vitals started to beep and signal that he was in distress. But there was nothing he could do about that either. Maybe, just maybe, a nurse would come in in response to the machine’s call and save him, or at least delay the inevitable.

Ricardo watched alarmingly as Mr. Ricci slowly and calculatedly made his way over to where he lay. By the time Massimo landed at the side of the bed, a nurse had pushed through the door and sped toward Ricardo.

“Mr. Adele? Mr. Adele, are you okay?” She asked, immediately reaching for the stethoscope that hung around her neck and placing the pad on his wrist.

“He’s just excited,” Massimo smiled. His fake smile helped to cheer up his tone, even though that’s not at all what Massimo felt.

“Excited?” The nurse asked without looking up. Her concern was her patience.

“Yes,” Massimo replied charmingly. “My surprise visit must have set off all the bells and whistles.”

Ricardo’s eyes moved quickly between the nurse and Mr. Ricci. They were still wide and strained. Then, when he connected for the briefest second with Massimo, a message was sent that was undeniable. Immediately, Ricardo did everything he could to try and relax, but it was counterproductive as his vitals didn’t lie.

“Your pulse is elevated, and if we don’t lower it, you’re at risk of a heart attack,” the nurse reported. “I’ll be right back with some medication that will help to stabilize your pulse.”

“Is that really necessary?” Massimo asked. “Now that the surprise of his seeing his long-lost friend is over, I’m sure his pulse will settle down.”

“We can’t take that chance,” the nurse said, replacing the stethoscope around her neck. “Hospital policy doesn’t work that way.”

They both watched as the nurse scurried out of the room.

“When she returns, you better be on your best behavior,” Massimo threatened. “Understand?”

All Ricardo could manage was a slight nod of his head.

Just as quickly, the nurse returned. She determinedly walked over to the IV and injected the meds that were slated to correct Ricardo’s condition. Ricardo knew it would be useless. As long as his life was at imminent risk, his pressure would be raised.

“Try and relax, Mr. Adele,” the nurse advised after administering the medication. “Your life depends on it.” She stared at Ricardo’s visitor, trying to read him. When she couldn’t, she then walked away. Massimo waited until he heard the door close before he addressed Ricardo.

Massimo leaned in. “I am going to ask you a question. You’re going to answer it. I would suggest you answer it honestly or,” he paused and leaned in even more, “that pain medicine won’t help you.”

Massimo leaned back and brought Ricardo’s face into view. He wanted to ensure he received the message. When Ricardo inclined his eyes to barely meet, Massimo’s contrition was evident.

“Here’s the question,” Massimo began, his eyes intense, his voice even more intense. “Who put you up to sabotaging our system?”

“I already told the other Mr. Ricci,” Ricardo replied, feeling the medication trying to combat his still-escalated heartbeat.

“Tell me.”

“I already confessed. Didn’t you believe what your brother told you?” Ricardo asked, either feeling emboldened by the medication or daring.

He chuckled. “That’s kind of a badass response, isn’t it?” Massimo grabbed Ricardo up in his collarless hospital gown, but he didn’t lean in. He just wanted to remind Ricardo that in this situation, as with all others, he had the power.

“I want to hear it from you, myself. I want to look you in the eyes to gauge if you’re telling the truth or simply diverting attention,” Massimo iterated.

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