Isabella picked up her office phone.  If he was where he was supposed to be, when he was supposed to be, William had been waiting for her for nearly twenty minutes at the restaurant.  She had been dying to get off the plane and come to a phone, but she couldn't have gotten home a second faster.  

Dialing she waited for the manager of the establishment to answer.  "Hello, my name is Isabella Luciano.  I... I have a guest waiting for me at a table out on the veranda.  A man by the name of William Bowden.  Would it be possible for him to speak with me for a moment, please?"

The manager told her to wait just a moment and he'd fetch Will.  Isabella stood looking out her window at the sun just over the treetops now and shining down on the river.  She wanted to cry.  She wanted to scream.  Sometimes it felt like she couldn't catch a damn break.

Twenty minutes wasn't that long to wait. If William kept telling himself that he might even believe it. After all, she was a Don and a thousand different things may have come up with her family to keep her occupied. Salvatore could have called on her to act on behalf of Detroit. A bullet might have...no. No, he wouldn't let himself think that way. Most likely it was a flight delay or particularly bad traffic. It was only twenty minutes.

He'd been eagerly anticipating this breakfast all week and now that it had come he found himself waiting at one of the best restaurants in Philadelphia, dressed to impress, and alone. It was almost maddening, and when the manager came to tell him he had a phone call from Isabella, he nearly ran past the man to hear her voice. He took up the receiver and stammered in concern.

"Isabella? Is everything alright?"

"Will - I'm so VERY sorry that I'm not there.  I'm alright, but I can't really get into all of the details over the phone."  A part of her worried if the Federal agents could listen to her calls.  She'd heard rumors of them listening to things said and maybe even recording them.  "Something has happened..."

William's heart dropped. The words 'something has happened' never led to anything good in his experience. It sounded like someone was either with her or listening that shouldn't hear the details. She might be alright for now, but if that was the case she wasn't in a safe position.

"Who is it, Angel? Did something happen with your family? A friend of the family? If there's anything I can do..."

Whatever it was, it had kept her from him and that alone meant he had a grudge.

"In New York," She said softly, "When we talked about that business of mine that had me so vexed... well, I was wrong about how it all played out.  Seems the business I cared so much about is still up and running - it never closed down, I've been tricked.  Which, as you might guess is something of a shock to me."

She paused.  "So I and a few friends are going to look into the whole thing.  We gotta get to the root of the problem and deal with it so it's not an issue going forward.  Does... does what I'm saying make some sense?  I hate to tell you this way... I wanted to tell you in person and if it's too much... maybe we can meet when I'm done settling my books, but I have a lot of work to do here in Detroit and few people I can trust to help me get it done so I'm a bit ... overwhelmed right now."

Business in New York? The only thing in New York had been the fight club after her fiancee...

He nearly dropped the receiver. Still up and running meant...it meant he wasn't gone? How could that possibly make sense? How does a dead man come back from the grave? Especially one that would crush so many things by the act. How could he just come back after he'd nearly cost her life? How could he take so much away.

For several moments William couldn't bring himself to speak. When he did it was just a strained whisper. He didn't know what to do, but he did know one thing. He didn't want to let Isabella come to harm.

She and friends were going to deal with the root of the problem. If he was right, she was probably just as distraught as she'd been the night they met and she was hunting someone down. Nothing good comes from attacking when you aren't in possession of a level head. He ought to know with all the times he'd made that mistake.

"I don't know what to say. A business doesn't just come back out of being condemned. I think I need to talk about this face to face and if...if it's true then," He paused and took a deep breath to steady himself, "then you're going to have a lot of red tape to cut through. I don't know if I can even believe this without seeing it, but I know you can trust me. I don't know a damn thing about the business, but I know you. How much help do you have with the books?"

"Gavin Byrne is here.  I can't ask for internal help.  The deception seems to be coming from within the company. I can't take chances.  Too much is at risk."  She paused. 

"If you want to come to me, I'll wait at the Tower until you arrive.  We'll talk and make plans from there.  If you can't come, I understand.  I know this situation is far from usual and I can't tell you the amount of distress it has caused me.  Nor the amount of sadness I have at your distress.  I suspect, on some level, you may feel your own interests affected by this deception as well.  I can understand that, and so I will not reject your presence and aid should you wish to offer it."

After all that she softened her voice to keep it from cracking with pain, "I never wanted you to get hurt.  Will, just let me know if you're coming.  If not... I'll come to you as soon as matters are dealt with here.  I promise."

Gavin? God damn it all, of course he would be there. And no internal help? If she didn't trust Detroit then she needed all the help she could get. To Hell with all of them and what it would cost him. He wasn't letting her suffer any more than he could help. If he stayed away now he'd never forgive himself.

His voice trembled, half with anger and half with sadness at the thought that he might lose her today. If that was the case though he was going to go out swinging.

"I'll be there. If there aren't any planes flying I'll make one take off. Today was about you and what you need and right now this sounds like it. Besides, I have a few words for whoever the fuck is responsible for this...whatever this is. We take care of you first, then I'll worry about me. I'll see you soon Angel." 

Will waited to hear if she said anything more and hung up the phone, already making for the door. He'd apologize to management if he made it back to Philadelphia in one piece.