Todd Manning: Enigma, Ch. 15

Chapter 15

He relaxed back into his chair and reached for his aged cognac. He couldn’t stop the twinge of pain coming from his left shoulder, having underestimated Todd Manning again. His thoughts went back to that last moment on the ship.

The blow had come out of nowhere and had caught him completely by surprise. He looked down in shock as the realization hit home that Manning’s cane was buried deep in his shoulder. Stunned he watched as Manning left the room. As the pain began to register, he heard the gunshots and reached for the hidden panel. He made it into the passageway letting the panel shut behind him, then he took stock of the injury. How on earth had Manning found enough force to push a cane into him? Gregor pulled the cane free and stared in amazement at the blade protruding from the end. “Clever Manning. I never suspected this.” He dropped the cane and grabbed his handkerchief stuffing it into the wound to stop the bleeding.

Gregor put pressure on his wound and made his way down the stairs to the waiting launch. The gunfire had ceased, but it was obvious Manning had brought some help. Sid should have been on the lookout for strangers on the dock. That obsession to get “Tom” had clouded his mind and given Sid tunnel vision, and now Gregor found himself on the run and wounded because of it. He would get Sid if the cops didn’t.

His shoulder was still bleeding profusely. He spoke to the captain. “Get me over to the Chinatown dock.” It took about fifteen minutes to make the trip, but the captain insisted on his payment before docking. Gregor cursed as he fumbled to get his wallet. If he hadn’t been in such pain, he would have wiped the smug look off the captain’s face. He paid the man and left the boat. It was a short walk to Uchin’s establishment. He pushed open the door and entered, heading straight to Uchin’s office. His partner’s bodyguards were standing outside the door, but gave way and opened the door when they spotted him.

“Uchin, get me a doctor!”

Uchin had spun around from his computer as soon as he heard the door, but he hadn’t been prepared for the sight in front of him. “What the hell, Gregor,” he nodded to one of his guards and offered Gregor a seat. The guard had standing orders and a doctor would be there quickly. “Who?” he looked at Gregor.

“My damn son-in-law. He took me by surprise.”

Uchin leaned against his desk and pulled a silk handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Gregor. “I thought he had disappeared. What’s he doing here?”

Gregor took the cloth and stuffed it against the now soaked one at his shoulder. “Hell, he’s the guy who caused the raid. I just found out. To top everything else the man is blind. I thought I had him dead to rights. But he proved to be more resourceful than anticipated.” Gregor indicated his shoulder.

“Where is he now?”

“Dead, I hope. Gunfire broke out as he left my office. I’m guessing Sid and his pals might have gotten him. I chose to get out of there. By the way, your launch captain needs a lesson, take care of it.”

Uchin was used to Gregor giving orders and knew it was easier to give in to his demands then bother asking why. He walked around to his desk and pushed a button. The second guard entered. “The launch captain forgot the rules, teach him,” he watched his guard leave. “Do I need to worry about the police showing up here soon.”

“I left in the middle of the firefight. I don’t think the police are aware a launch left the ship.”

The first guard returned with an older Asian gentleman who took one look at Gregor and went to work.

“Anything else I can do for you, Gregor?”

“I need a place to lie low till this heals.”

“Consider this humble establishment your temporary home, although I’m afraid it won’t be up to your usual standards.”

Gregor nodded, silently he agreed with Uchin’s assessment of his restaurant. Uchin was a minimalist and Gregor was fond of opulence. He would suffer the indignity having to remain here, until sufficiently able to remove himself to one of his more accommodating homes.

He had hated Uchin’s establishment. Smells of stale smoke and cheap perfume battled with grease and sweat from the restaurant below and permeated Uchin’s apartment. The noise level from the gambling room had been non-stop. After a week there, he had reeked. He had spent that week carefully moving his money around, staying one step ahead of his corporation investors. By week's end, every bit of his money had been secreted away and the Corporation wouldn’t discover the loss until he was damn ready. The president of the company had initiated the investigation and had no idea everything was going to lead right back to him. “Poor slob, he’ll never know what hits him.” Gregor’s scapegoat would take the fall at the corporation while his hands remained squeaky clean. With his money secure, the only thing remaining was getting well enough to leave. Uchin’s doctor finally gave the okay and Gregor had headed to his home in Philadelphia.

Gregor’s thoughts returned to the present, he had experienced some setbacks because of his adversary, but he knew Manning now, and wouldn’t underestimate him again. He took a sip of his sienna-colored cognac and raised his glass. “Round one to you, Manning.”

***


Todd was taking steps rather gingerly trying to avoid his giggling granddaughter and Sam. They were trying to help but were laughing so hard at his awkward steps. Their laughter was infectious and he couldn’t help making his steps even sillier just so he could listen to them. He had spent the better part of the last two days getting his legs to cooperate and hold him up. The doctor had agreed to let him go home but only if he could walk the whole hallway. He had just finished that in front of the doctor when Starr had shown up with Hope and Sam. When they had insisted on helping, it had turned into a circus act. Hope had grabbed one hand and Sam the other but since he was still a little unsteady, the balance was all wrong and his steps had wandered all over the hallway. Hope wanted to go one way and Sam the other until suddenly, they crossed in front of him. That was when Todd had had to do some real fancy footwork to keep from falling over. It was those steps that had set the kids to laughing. The actions of the three of them and the laughter had drawn the attention of the nurses and soon even they were laughing. Somehow they made it back to his room without any spills and Todd collapsed into his chair pulling Hope up onto his lap. Sam sat down on the chair arm and reached over and gave Todd a quick hug. Todd looked at Sam. “Thanks, Sam, what was that for?”

Sam shrugged. “I miss my dad. You’re going to stay now, right?”

Todd recalled his own mother’s death and hugged Sam to reassure him. “You bet.”

“Yes!” Sam gave Todd another squeeze.

Todd looked up as Starr entered with his discharge papers.

“You’re all set Dad, let’s get you home. The nurse will be in to bring you down to the car. Come on kids.”

Todd watched them leave and got up to gather his belongings, as much as he hated the idea he knew he’d have to wait for the nurse. He was close to the bed when the phone rang. “Hello?” A pause at the end of the other line brought his attention closer to the anticipation of the sound he awaited.

“I hear you’re going home today. Congratulations.”

Gregor.

Todd”s hand tightened around the phone. “Thanks, you really need to upgrade your help, Daimler. They’re sloppy.”

“You know, you’re right. Money doesn’t buy what it used to. We didn’t get a chance to finish our talk, you left so abruptly.”

“I figured I said all I needed to.  Seems I didn’t get my point across quite the way I had intended.” There was no quick retort. Todd smiled.

“Enough with the niceties. The game’s on.”

“You should leave well enough alone, Gregor. I hate to lose.” Todd hung up abruptly on Gregor. He squared his shoulders. Here we go again, guys.

…..

Gregor slammed the phone down. He reached for his shoulder, the wound refused to heal properly. His doctors told him it was fine, but Gregor was sure something was still wrong with it. At that moment, he would have liked to have had Manning’s neck between his hands.

…..

When Todd heard Daimler’s voice, something in him shifted. He grabbed a pillow and sent it flying across the room. Adrenaline began pumping through his body as the anticipation of a fight with Gregor resurfaced. Todd had to move and began pacing, his fingers moving rapidly by his side and he mentally counted down what he would like to do to Gregor. Ripping him from limb to limb would be a good start. Maybe just cutting off his pecker would work. He certainly wouldn’t be able to harm any more young girls. “Easy Todd, let’s not go overboard. He’s a scumbag, but you don’t want to go to jail, think creative.” Todd felt alive again in every sense of the word. He loved scheming and had missed the action of getting under someone’s skin. He chuckled knowing he had done just that for a brief moment on the phone. Daimler had called hoping to get a rise out of him and he had managed to turn the tables. Daimler made the first move, now it was his turn. It was a dog eat dog world and to remain a top dog sometimes you had to do ugly things. A cold laughter burst from Todd’s lips and he caught himself. “Quit fighting me, you need me for this fight.” “No, you’re nothing but trouble..” “Oh please, give it up. I am you. You can feel it. You said it yourself, you’d like to take the man apart piece by piece. Let’s do it, it’ll be fun.” Todd stared hard at his reflection. “Forget it, I’m doing this my way.” He looked away from the mirror and ran a hand shakily through his hair. He took a deep breath grateful for the silence. Daimler was a hound that needed to be put down and Todd was going to make it happen. “I’m coming to get you, Old Man.”

The nurse arrived with his wheelchair and Todd took his seat, looking forward to getting home. He had plans to make. He wasn’t sure why but he felt Daimler was still in the States. “First order of business, find out where you called from, Gregor.”

“What was that Mr. Lord?”

Todd looked up at the nurse. “Sorry just thinking out loud.”

She stopped the wheelchair and they waited as Starr pulled up. Within minutes, Todd was headed back to his family, “Okay Gregor, now the game begins.”