Don't Shoot the "Messenger", Ch. 11

           Todd left the police station wound tighter than a clock. That damn nightmare loomed in the back of his mind.  He needed something to take his mind off it.  Blair and Kym along with Shaun had picked up Kelly and Joey earlier.  He hoped Kelly and Kym hit it off.  They were supposed to all be by the office shortly so he could talk to Kelly. Entering The Sun lobby, Todd found everything dark and realized he still had his sunglasses on.  Not watching where he was going as his eyes adjusted, he plowed into someone.  He was about to apologize when he heard a voice he thought was across the ocean.

           “Hey you moron, look where you’re going.”

             He’d wanted a distraction, but bumping into his nephew was an unpleasant one.  Could this day get any worse? “I think your mother taught you better manners than that Kev.  I would apologize, but you don’t deserve it.” Todd stood his ground, still standing right in Kevin’s space.

Kevin took a step back.  He was in shock.  It was one thing to be told Todd was alive, but another to find himself face to face with his worse nightmare. That face stirred up memories of a showdown in the woods.  Todd had taunted him, urged him to pull the trigger.  He had come so close that night to taking Todd’s life, to this day he still wasn’t sure why he hesitated.  The man was vile and it galled him that they were related.  He remembered telling his mom that Walker was Todd.  That he was up to no good.  He had gotten used to the other face and the man behind it.  But to see the original standing in front of him was something he had never imagined.  How could he have been so wrong all those years ago? “Who let you out of Hell?” he sniped.

“Someone down there just likes me.  You don’t like it, go back where you came from.  What are you doing here anyway Kevin? You’ve already gone through all the available women in this town. I know you didn’t come to see little ole me.” Todd sneered at Kevin, his nephew was one of the worst hypocrites around.  For his sister’s sake, he’d tried hard to steer clear of Kevin, but Kevin never wanted to stay out of his business.  And, he had to admit to himself that Kevin opened himself up to some juicy scandals. The guy just couldn’t keep his zipper shut.

“I came to protect my mother from you.  You should have stayed gone.  You’re nothing but trouble. What kind of scheme are you working on now?  I know you’ll find yourself in hot water again and expect Mom to get you clear.  I’m not going to let it happen .”

“Is that so.  Where were you when Alison shot her? Oh yeah, that’s right, dallying around London.  You haven’t talked to Vicki in months or you would have known about me sooner. Don’t give me this ‘I’m here to protect my mother’ speech.  You’re here to see if you can break up Kelly and Joey again.  Why else would you be hanging around The Sun? You’re hoping she’s going to be coming here sometime today.  I’ll bet they have no idea you’ve flown home.”

Kevin’s eyes dropped and Todd knew he had guessed right. “Get out of here Kevin, before I have you thrown out.  Go, be a good little son and see Vicki and Clint.   Tell her your lies, see how far they get you; but leave now or I might just take it upon myself to make you.” Todd wanted nothing more than for Kevin to give him an excuse to hit him. The anger he had been reining in all morning needed to be released and Kevin was an excellent target.

Kevin swallowed hard; there was something new in Todd’s whole demeanor something similar to his anger of old but more deadly.  This Todd had changed, the bravado was gone and in its place was a new take-no-prisoner attitude.  Todd was actually wishing he would give him a reason to act. He realized that crowded lobby or not, Todd would throw him out and relish doing it. “I’m going Todd, someone needs to talk some sense into my mother, get out of my way.” Kevin tried to sound confident and sure of himself.  He went to move Todd out of the way but the man sidestepped suddenly and Kevin found himself off balance pushing against the air.  He stumbled and righted himself, glaring at Todd.  Who simply smiled and pointed to the exit.

“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” Todd turned and started laughing, moving away towards the elevator.

Kevin wanted to plow him down on the spot, but he realized Todd’s laughter had drawn stares and anything he attempted would be viewed as an attack on an unsuspecting man.  He had thought himself finally immune to Todd, but everything came rushing back in that instant and all he wanted to do was hurt the guy.  Todd knew how to push his buttons.   Kevin shoved his hands into his pockets and exited The Sun, if he couldn’t waylay Kelly, he might as well go and try to talk some sense into his mother.

Todd let his laughter die as he waited for the elevator.  Kevin’s reasons for being in town were a minor inconvenience. Todd had worked hard all year to get things on an even keel with Llanview. Most of Llanview was now willing to give him a chance, but Kevin could ruin it all.  He prayed Vicki would set him straight, but he had a feeling where Kevin was concerned, no one would manage that. The door to the executive elevator opened and Todd hesitated.  It just appeared too small all of a sudden.  It looked like he was going to get a cardio workout. After last night, there was no way he could ride the damn thing.  By the time he got to the floor that housed the executive offices, his heart felt like it had done a marathon, not to mention the rest of him.  That settles it, it’s time to get back into shape, you’ve been taking it easy long enough Manning.  Todd walked into his office breathing hard and headed straight to the bar, pulling out a bottle of water.  He wanted to keep a clear head.

 Noticing the clock, he started to worry.  Grabbing his phone, he rang Shaun. “Where the hell are you guys? I expected all of you here by now?”

“Sorry, we had to drop Joey off at Llanfair and Vicki insisted on serving tea.  We just now got away from there.  We’ll be at The Sun in about fifteen.”

“Shaun, don’t let them talk you into any more detours. I need to see you. I got some more information on Kipling.”

“Right, like I said, we’ll be there soon.”

Todd put his phone down and walked to the windows overlooking the city. Why when everything had started to finally settle down, did these things seem to happen?

She seemed pretty certain we drew the man she saw. It makes my skin crawl knowing he’s out there.

He’s one man Todd. Carlo’s organization is in disarray. It’s going to take time to pull things together.

Yes, but he knows where Daimler’s money is. If he gets it, who knows what he’ll be able to do. I know he’s got, Mitch. My idea’s not so far-fetched anymore, is it, Samuel? The man is more than capable of bringing Mitch back
.

It’s not going to do either of us any good to dwell on it. Last night is proof of that. Blair knows something is off.  Sooner or later you’re going to have to talk about it.

I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. He was still wrapped up in his thoughts when Blair breezed into the office.

“Get your mind off work and give me some attention. The Cramer women have arrived.” He swung around and had to admit his wife and her family were definitely bewitching, each in their own way. Blair rushed to him and planted a long and satisfying kiss on him.

 He clung to her as she began to back away. “Hold it. You can’t come in here and tease like that. that’s just cruel.”

She laughed and gave him another hug. “You poor baby, Shaun said you were anxious and we needed to get here. He wouldn’t even let us pick up C.J. So tell-all, why were you worried?”

Todd looked at them, three beautiful pairs of eyes waiting for an explanation. Damn, I can’t do it, Samuel. They’re all too happy at the moment.

Make something up, Todd. Use Kevin, at least, you won’t be lying, just stalling.

“You know me, Blair, there are still criminals on the loose from Statesville. If any of those guys saw you three, they would probably think they hit the motherlode.” All three girls laughed at that remark. It was interesting how similar their laughter was. “By the way Kelly, you should know Kevin’s in town.”

“What the hell is he doing here? Zane was going to be home this week and Kevin was supposed to spend time with him.”

Todd shrugged. “Couldn’t say but he was here scoping the place. I figured he must have been looking for you. He certainly wasn’t looking for me. Do me a favor Kelly, when you do see him, tell him to go home. I’m really not in the mood for his dramatics. I’ve got more important things on my mind than trying to make Kevin see reason for the umpteenth time.”

Todd let go of Blair and walked back over to his desk. He hadn’t meant to snap out that last line and now all three women were looking at him, curiously. He looked over at Kelly and decided to go on the attack before one of them asked a question. “So, Kelly, when do you want to start? I need you like yesterday.”

“Todd, I never said I was coming back to work for you. Joey and I are still getting settled.”

“Come off it Kelly, I know you miss the action. Besides, I’m sure Kevin’s breathing down your neck to get you back since you chose Joey. Bring Zane over here. Let him see what Llanview is like for a while, and tell Kevin to go jump in a lake.”

“Todd!” Kelly responded, covering her mouth quickly to smother her giggle.

Blair and Kym, on the other hand, laughed outright. Blair looked at her husband and although he wasn’t looking at Kelly, she saw the smile play across his lips. He still loved to shock people when he had a chance.

“Look, all I’m saying is Zane and Sam are close to the same age and they hardly know each other. I know Sam would love to meet another cousin. I really need you, Kelly.”

“Todd, we talked on the phone, I still think you should let Blair come back to work here. After all, she kept this place running when you, I, and Jake were all laid up.” Kelly and Blair had had a couple of long talks on the phone since Todd’s initial call. She knew Blair wanted to come back to The Sun. She just couldn’t figure out why Todd was so stubbornly and suddenly against it.

Kym had been watching and listening to the general conversation. She saw Blair looking anxiously at Todd silently pleading with him to let her join him. She watched as their eyes met and saw Todd’s drop first. He was afraid to let Blair come to work with him and Kym wondered why. Obviously, from the way Kelly talked, he and Blair had worked together before. What was keeping him from doing it again? Kym knew from experience with Todd that he was trying to protect Blair. She made a decision to get some time alone with him and see if he would open up to her.

Shaun made a discreet noise and Todd looked over at him. “Mr. Manning, do you want me to go pick up Mr. Roberts now that the women are safely here?”

“Sure, you might want to swing back and pick up Joey, too.” Todd pretended to look at something official on his desk and then stopped Shaun right before he got out the door. “Hold on Shaun, I need you to do one more thing. Blair, ladies, I’ll be right back,” and he followed Shaun out the door.

Once out of his office, he and Shaun headed for the elevator. “Listen, John and I discovered that Kipling is the guy who received Mitch’s body the night of the blackout. Now we’re not so sure Mitch is truly dead. I’m not ready to let Blair and Kelly know about Mitch, it will only upset them. Have your sources found out anything about what Carlo might be up to in prison?”

“You were right. The man wants to hurt Cole. Talk is a contract might be going out any day now on the kid. My inside source says there are rumblings among the prisoners that something else is also in the works. It’s being bandied about that Carlo is fixing to get out. You were pretty smart to move Cole into that fortress you call home. That’s probably the safest place for him right now.”

“Yeah, not many people know just how secure it is, as long as you’re inside. But sooner or later Cole’s going to get cabin fever. Then your job gets harder, Shaun.”

“Hey you hired me to protect, and Cole is one of my charges. Don’t worry, I’ve got several men watching the house while I’m with Blair, her sister, and cousin. If I have to I’ll get a few more boys in. Your family is going to be safe, Todd, I promise.”

Todd nodded, “Thanks, Shaun, go on now, go get C.J. and Joey and come back for the girls. I know Blair has some big plans for tonight. I don’t want anything to spoil this evening.”

Todd walked back into his office to see Blair and Kelly engrossed around his computer. Kym was quietly reading a magazine on his sofa. She didn’t seem too upset that they were ignoring her. He was curious what they were up to but this also gave him a chance to speak to Kym alone.

“Hey, what has them all aflutter?”

Kym smiled at his terminology. “Aflutter Todd, really? Birds? Is that how you see us?”

“Sure that’s what you are, chicks, and besides, what is so wrong with birds? I had a great bird once. His name was Moose. He was a beautiful bird.” Todd felt self-conscious and ran his hand through his hair. “So sue me. I didn’t mean anything bad by it.”

Kym laughed at his discomfort, usually, Todd was so controlled and assured of himself it was refreshing to see him embarrassed. She patted the seat next to her on the couch. “You don’t owe me an explanation. I think it’s nice, you see us that way. Answer me something will you?”

Todd sat down and looked at her. He grinned sheepishly and relaxed. He had been afraid he had insulted her somehow and he didn’t want to hurt any of these women. “Sure Kym, what do you want to know?”

“Why don’t you want to work with Blair?”

“I never said I didn’t want to work with Blair.”

“Then why haven’t you let her back on staff here. From what I gather just from listening to Kelly, you and Blair made quite a team at one time.”

“Yeah, we were pretty good back in the day.” His thoughts wandered back to the day he and Blair shared Chinese takeout in the penthouse and wrote the pieces on his sister. Then, he remembered how she had kept his dream alive by taking over The Sun when he was believed dead. He looked over at Blair. Was he wrong? He thought she loved Capricorn and her career. He had figured she had just stepped in to help because all of them had been laid up. He wanted to work with her so bad it hurt, but he didn’t want to take her away from something she loved. Melador died while she had been working at The Sun. He wasn’t going to let that happen again. “She doesn’t want to really work here, she’s got a nightclub and a career that makes her happy. She already lost one business because of me. I can’t let her lose another.” She was a natural on stage. He remembered how surprised and pleased she had been when the manager at Rodi’s had asked her to come and sing on a regular basis. Her face had lit up and he hadn’t stood in her way. That had been over nine years ago. Since then she had purchased Capricorn and was doing well.

“How do you know she wouldn’t want to work with you more, have you asked her?” Kym could see the look on Todd’s face, she knew he was wondering if there was a chance.

“Well no, but I’ve seen her at Capricorn, she loves it. Kym, she’s happy. Why would she want to work with me?”

“Oh I don’t know, maybe for the same reason you want her to work here. She loves you more, and it makes her feel alive when she can help you. I saw it down in Savannah. She was there for you no matter what.”

Todd looked at Kym his heart going a mile a minute. “You really think?"

“I really think?” said Kim said with a smile.

Todd got up, suddenly very curious to see what Kelly and Blair were doing on the computer. As he walked around behind the desk he heard their conversation.

“No Kelly, that’s all wrong. The headline should read like this.” and Blair’s hands flew across the keyboard.

Todd watched as the next day's headline took on a whole new meaning. Damn, she was good, but what could he do now. He had just been offering a job to Kelly. Obviously, Kelly hadn’t gotten the bug out of her system yet either, she had pushed Blair aside and also written a good headline. Todd cleared his throat and both women turned to face him guiltily trying to hide their handiwork. ”Care to explain what you’re doing to my headline?”

Blair spoke up first. “You were still talking to Shaun and an urgent message came in from typesetting claiming there was a problem and the headline needed to be changed if the paper was going to go out on time. We were just trying to help.”

“I see. So Kelly decided to write a new headline. How come I see two?”

It was Kelly’s turn to speak up. “Blair told me mine lacked punch, and I was trying to make her understand that it was the subtlety that made it work for the story. It would make our readers think.”

“Our readers?” Todd’s eyebrow went up and Kelly turned a pretty shade of pink.

“Oh, don’t go putting me into a little corner and think you’ve got me all figured out Todd Manning,” Kelly replied flustered.

“Who’s messing with who’s headline here?” He smiled at her like the big bad wolf who had caught the hen out of the coop.

Kelly huffed and went to sit next to Kym, deciding she wasn’t going to do any more explaining.

Todd’s smile got bigger and he turned his gaze toward his wife. “So you thought the opposite, huh Blair. You wanted to punch it up and make the readers take notice. You don’t agree with Kelly that we should make the readers think.”

“Sure we should make them think, but they have to want to read it first. It’s the headlines that grab your eye and make you do the double-take that sells newspapers.” Blair stood her ground staring directly into Todd’s eyes, her green eyes flashing, daring him to put her down the way he had Kelly. “That’s what we’re in the business for, to sell newspapers.”

“We are huh?”

“Yes Mr. Manning, we, as in you and me. I have a stake in this place as your wife.”

“Is that all it is Blair, your interested simply because you’re my wife, or is there more going on here?”

“Damn it, Todd, I miss this place. I miss working with you, side by side. I was hoping you missed me just as much. Tell me I’m not wrong?”

Todd hadn’t expected her to be so blunt. He was stunned. He looked over at Kym and saw her big smile and Kelly’s too. He met Blair’s gorgeous green eyes. “I’m an idiot. You have no idea just how much I’ve missed you. I thought since you had Capricorn, you wouldn’t want to come work with me. I mean you love that club, you shine there. I didn’t think this place could compete.”

Blair stood there for a moment and then moved to wrap her arms around his neck. “Todd, you can be such a dolt sometimes. I love Capricorn but it’s just a business. I’m in love with you. You live and breathe this business. It’s in your soul and when I’m here, I feel immersed in you. It makes me feel alive more than Capricorn ever could."

Todd’s arms moved around to hold her close. “Kelly, I take back the offer of Managing Editor, that role has just been filled.” Todd looked at Blair who nodded happily and leaned in to take her lips. After coming up for air, he looked over and caught Kelly’s eye. “I’d still wish you would consider working for me. I’m thinking of expanding.  It’s time the Sun had a base of operations in Europe. My international subsidiary needs an Executive Editor. Would you be interested?”

The look of astonishment on Kelly’s face was priceless, but Todd would have to wait until later to get his answer, as Shaun arrived with C.J. and Joey. Todd reached over and sent Blair’s headline to typesetting. She beamed at him as he sent the other two couples ahead with Shaun and turned to properly welcome his new Managing Editor.