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Chapter 7

May 2003.

“I like that one. It’s got an edge to it.” Nick said to one of the producers after the song was finished. He was in London, working on his upcoming solo album, trying to find songs that he could use.

Just then, his phone rang. He dug it out from his pocket and smiled when he saw Ali’s number on the display.
“Hey you.” He said into the phone.

No answer

“Ali? You there?”
“Nick….” Her voice was faint.
“Are you ok?”
“Umm… I just.” There was silence for a few seconds, and Nick felt his heart started racing a little faster. “They’re gone, Nick.” She whispered.
Nick frowned, not knowing what she was talking about. “What do you mean?” He could hear Ali struggling to find the right words and keeping her voice steady.
“Mom and dad… they’re gone.”
“What?”
“There was a car accident and they…” Her voice trailed off.
“Oh my god…”
“Nick, do you think that maybe ---“
“I’m on my way.”

Nick walked up the stairs to the house where he had been so many times. The atmosphere was different, and he dreaded to knock on the front door and face Ali. He wouldn’t know what to say, or what to do. He had hopped on the first plane from London to Orlando, but it had still taken him nearly 24 hours to get there.

Slowly, he lifted his right hand and placed two solid knocks on the wooden surface. A few seconds later, he heard footsteps from inside, and he took a deep breath as the door was opened and he came face to face with Ali. He instantly pulled her into a hug and held on to her as he felt her whole body tremble.

“Hi…” He said, without letting go of her.
“Hi…”
“How’re you holding up?”
“Ok I guess.” Her voice was, to Nick’s surprise, strong and clear. He had expected her to break down in his arms, but she didn’t show any signs of doing so.
“You’re trembling.”
“I’m a bit cold.” She spoke like she was reading a script.

Nick finally let her go. He placed his hands on her shoulders and took a step back to look at her. She looked awfully tired. Her eyes were bloodshot, she wore no make up and her face was pale. Her hair was pulled up in a pony tale, with locks of it, falling down in her face. She was wearing grey sweat pants and a black Metallica t-shirt that Nick had once owned.
Ali looked down and took a step aside, so that Nick could enter the apartment. He walked inside, closing the door behind him and followed Ali into the living area.

“I need to make a few phone calls. Just sit down and I’ll be right back.” She said and disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Nick alone before he got the chance to reply.

Nick sighed as he sat down on the couch. He knew she was trying to be strong and shut her feelings inside. She hated to cry in front of him, and she rarely did. She could talk about her feelings, but she never cried. He could hear her voice coming from the kitchen. She sounded tired as she spoke. He could hear her finish the conversation, and then different noises coming from the kitchen.

A few minutes later, Ali returned, carrying a tray of drinks that she placed on the coffee table in front of Nick. There was a glass of water, a bottle of beer, a box of ice tea and a glass of coke.
“I didn’t know what you wanted to drink, or if you wanted anything to drink at all, so I just took what I had… I have coffee too. Do you want coffee? I’ll just---“
“Ali…” Nick interrupted. “Come here. Sit down.” He patted on the spot next him. “You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to be strong right now. Just sit down and rest for a little while. You haven’t slept in almost two days.”
“I don’t need to sleep Nick. There’s so much to do. I’m meeting with the funeral agency in three hours, and I have to decide what kinda flower arrangements I want, what hymns I want to use, the colour of the coffins and the shape of the gravestone. I have to set a date for the funeral and I have a hundred calls to make.”

Nick sighed, stood up from the couch and walked over to Ali who was standing in the doorway to the kitchen. She looked down and pushed away a lock of her hair.

“Ali, sweetie…. Don’t do this to yourself.” He said, almost in a whisper.
“Do what?” She pretended not to understand what he was talking about. “Nick, I have so many things to do right now.” She looked up and turned her head to look out the kitchen window, avoiding his eyes. “I have to call grandma and let her know what happened. She doesn’t even know yet. And I have to call their jobs to inform them that they’re…” Her voice trailed off and she closed her eyes and looked down again.
Nick placed his hands on her shoulders. “Ali, look at me.” His voice was soft, and he was whispering now.
Ali shook her head without looking up.
“It’s ok to cry Ali. You don’t have to be strong for me. Come on, look at me.”
She slowly raised her head and opened her eyes to look at him. The look she gave him tore up his heart and he felt his own eyes swell up with tears as she let out a sob and let tears roll down her cheek.
“Why did they have to leave me…?” She whispered helplessly.
“Oh, Ali…” Nick instantly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. The strength she had shown earlier was suddenly gone, and Nick felt like he was consoling a child.
“Shhhhh, It’s ok, just let it out. I’m here now.” He gently stroke her hair and started rocking her back and forth as she cried in his arms.

~*~

Hours later, Nick was lying in his own bed, looking up at the ceiling and thinking about everything that had happened that night. He and AJ had spent several more hours talking to Officer Granger and after filling out several forms, they were finally able to go home. It was almost noon now, and Nick hadn’t slept since he had gotten home around four in the morning. Granger had told him that he would call as soon as he knew anything about the process. According to Granger, that could take a few hours, or it could be days.

Nick sighed as he closed his eyes. Seconds later his phone started ringing and he quickly sat up feeling his heart skip a beat.

“Hello?” He said, trying not to sound too excited.
“Nick? This is Officer Granger.”
“Officer, hi!”
“I have news regarding Alicia’s case.”
“And…?”
“We’ve spoken to Todd, and I think we can exclude him. He seems sincere, although I do understand your concern. He’s a bit aggressive, I guess you can say. But we are keeping him under our surveillance.”
“Ok…” Nick said, sounding a bit disappointing.
I should’ve known… it was too easy.

“I did get the result back from the lab regarding the envelope and the bracelet. The bracelet has both your and Alicia’s DNA on it, so I guess that confirms what we already knew. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to collect any fingerprints from the envelope.”
Nick felt his heart sink, but Granger continued to speak.
“However, we did find traces of salvia on the back of the stamp. The DNA belongs to a Diametric Karkaroff. He’s been convicted for robbery and his current address is in a small town called Nefedowa in Siberia in Russia.”
Nick choked. “Siberia?”

You’ve got to be kidding me…

“Do you know anyone there?” Granger asked, sensing Nick’s reaction.
“It’s the name of one of our songs….”
Granger paused for a few seconds.“It doesn’t have to mean anything, you know.”
Nick nodded to himself. “I know… it’s just… weird.”
“We’re sending a team of our investigators to Nefedowa tomorrow. I’m going too. You can come with us if you want, at your own expense and risk, of course.”
“I’ll come.” Nick said quickly without hesitation.
Granger chucked a little.“I figured you would. I’ll call you later tonight to give you the details.”
“Ok.”
“Bye.”
“Bye Officer.”

Nick hung up, and looked down at his cell phone. He quickly dialled a familiar number and waited for an answer.

“Hello?”
“Hey, it’s me. Pack your bags. We’re going to Russia.”