Maid To The Three Mafia Kings

Chapter 34: Crossing the Gate

After speaking with Sandra and learning about Alfie's troubling situation, Millie's concern and worry for him banished any thoughts of sleep. With the cup of coffee in her hand, she headed back to the room to share the distressing news with Clara.

"What?!" Clara immediately looked stricken with guilt. "If something's happened to Alfie, it's all my fault, Mills. Me and my big mouth." She sucked in a deep breath. "Oh my god, I feel like I'm worse than Andrea."

"You're not anything like Andrea. You didn't know it was such a sensitive issue," Millie assured her. "And unlike Andrea, you don't go around gossiping about people."

"What are we going to do?" Clara began to walk around the room in circles. "Did you ask Sandra what she really meant about Alfie being in bad shape?"

"Well, there's only one way to find out. We have to go and check on Alfie ourselves."

"Yeah, we have to see him and make sure he's okay. Poor Alfie." She stopped right in front of Millie and, without thinking, took the cup of coffee from Millie's hand and drank large gulps, not even flinching at the heat. Then she looked back at Millie, realizing her impulsive action. "Oh, sorry, Mills. You know me when I'm feeling all anxious."

Millie smiled softly at her. "You're okay, Clara," she said, taking back the cup and sipping her coffee.

Rubbing her palms together nervously, Clara asked, "So how are we actually going to get to Alfie? Do you know where he lives? Wait...can we even go see him? Will they allow us?"

"I don't think they'll allow us," Millie replied. "Sandra said we can't leave and she doesn't even want to risk it, so she won't be going with us."

"Then how are we supposed to leave?"

"Evan can help us," Millie said matter-of-factly.

"Are you sure he will help us?" Clara looked skeptical but hopeful.

"Well, there's only one way to find out." Millie took three more fortifying sips of her coffee before handing the cup over to Clara. "Finish this. I'll go find Evan."

Hurriedly, she made her way to Evan's room, footsteps echoing in the hallway. But the room was empty, his bed neatly made and undisturbed. She searched everywhere, asking some of the guards, but no one had seen him.

Where could he be? She quickened her pace down the corridor, where she nearly bumped into Sheila, who looked at her with a confused expression.

"Are you okay, Amelia?" Sheila asked, taking in her flushed state. "Why are you sweating and out of breath?"

"I'm looking for Evan," she said between pants.

"Why are you looking for him?" Sheila asked with maternal curiosity.

She opened her mouth but quickly stopped herself knowing she couldn't reveal the real reason to Sheila. "Um, Clara told me Evan was looking for me. When I went to his room, he wasn't there."

Sheila studied her for a moment as if deciding whether to believe her. "Hmm... have you tried the room in the basement?"

"The basement?"

"There's a room down there that was converted into an office. Evan does some of his work there," Sheila explained. "It's the door next to the library."

"Okay, thank you, Sheila." With a grateful nod, Millie swiftly headed towards the library wing.

Sure enough, tucked beside the heavy library doors was a smaller entrance, the knob nearly camouflaged against the wood-paneled walls. No wonder she had missed it before when cleaning the library with Clara.