With dinner ended, Cole had wheeled himself to look out the terrace. The house was truly amazing and he was still shocked that he was out of prison. Dinner had been wonderful, no guards walking around, no sullen looks from disgruntled inmates or bullies tripping him up as he walked to a table; instead, he had watched his daughter playing with her food while Starr urged her to eat. He shifted in his chair and felt his wounds twinge. He wasn’t tired. Shortly after settling into his room, Starr had brought Hope to see him and he had played with her like there was no tomorrow and worn himself out. He vaguely remembered Hope and Starr helping him to bed and he had fallen asleep. The next thing he knew it was dinner time. He was gazing out the window when he saw Todd come up behind him.
“Cole, we need to talk.” Todd stood still, his face serious.
Cole took a deep breath, he had been waiting for this conversation ever since Starr told him about what had gone down that morning. “Sure Mr. Manning, I’ve been expecting this."
Todd took the handles on Cole’s chair. “Let’s go talk in my office. It’s more private." He wheeled the chair away from the doors and nodded to Shaun who got up out of his seat and followed them. Once inside his office, Shaun closed the door.
Cole was confused. “I thought you said this was private? Aren’t we going to talk about Starr?”
Todd smiled grimly. “Only in a cursory way. This conversation is about you Cole. I’m afraid you’re in trouble.” Todd stopped Cole’s chair beside his desk and moved to sit facing him.
Cole looked back and forth between Todd and Shaun. “What … What’s the matter?”
“Cole, do you have any idea what you interrupted the night you got shot?” asked Todd
Cole looked back and forth between Todd and Shaun. “What … What’s the matter?”
“Cole, do you have any idea what you interrupted the night you got shot?” asked Todd
“Yeah, I stopped a guard from getting killed during the blackout and got shot for my trouble. What’s the big deal?”
“The guard you saved was the one guard that stood between Carlo Hesser and his freedom.” Todd watched as Cole came to the realization of his actions. For a moment, Cole looked like he was going to lose his dinner.
.
.
Shaun reached for a pitcher of water sitting on a tray in Todd’s office and poured some in a glass. “Here Cole, drink some of this.” He had wanted to wait until Cole had a chance to recover more, but Todd had pointed out that the sooner Cole was informed the sooner they could make proper plans to keep him and the rest of the family safe.
Cole took a sip. He wasn’t sure anything would really help. Cole looked into Todd’s eyes trying to let Todd know what went on in that prison. “I tried desperately to stay out of his sights in prison. He was ruthless, and his partner Kipling bordered on psychotic. You’re telling me, I stopped him from escaping?”
Todd looked at the young man sympathetically. He knew exactly what kind of men Hesser and Kipling were. His relief that Hesser hadn’t been able to escape had been tempered when John had informed him that Kipling was still on the loose and there had been no signs of him anywhere. “Listen, I understand more than you know. That’s one reason I offered my home for your recovery. You’re safe here. Hesser knows how I feel about Starr, he probably thinks I wouldn’t let you anywhere near her. That works in my favor. This is what we know. Ivan Kipling did manage to escape and the police have no leads on him. My guess is, he’s trying to find another way to get Carlo out. Any thoughts?”
It took a second for Cole to realize that Todd was asking his opinions. “About what exactly?”
“Do you think Kipling can get Hesser free? I mean, you were in there with them, you saw how they operated. I think you have a good idea what the two of them are capable of, so I thought we might be able to put our heads together and figure out Kipling’s next move.”
Cole took another sip. “I don’t know if I could be of much help. I tried hard to steer clear of them.”
“Sure kid, I know but are you telling me you had no information about the blackout and escape plan before it happened?” Todd watched and saw Cole avert his eyes. “That’s what I thought, you forget, I used to live there. I know how the prison grapevine works. I don’t really know you, Cole, but if you were smart enough to stay out of their circle, then I’m betting you were also smart enough to listen to the rumblings and kept up with what Kipling and Hesser were planning. Come on, think. You must have heard some of the plans being made concerning how they were going to succeed once they got out.”
Cole searched his memory, he recalled his cellmate talking about some benefactor of Hesser’s who had just died. “It’s not much, but I did hear that Hesser and Kipling had access to some money belonging to a partner who had recently died. I remember accidentally hearing Hesser complaining that his death had put a kink in their plans, but that the guy’s money would still work for them.”
Todd sat back in his chair. The dead partner had to be Gregor. Could Hesser or Kipling, either one, have a way to find Daimler’s hidden funds? The police and the corporation officials still hadn’t been able to locate the money Daimler had squirreled away. “Cole, that’s the kind of information I’m talking about. I have a pretty good idea who their partner was. If Kipling gets his hands on that money. There’s no telling what he’ll do.” Todd looked over at Shaun.
.
“Shaun, I know you have some connections after working with Trevillion. Can you get some feelers out and see if any rumors have started concerning our elusive Doctor. I can’t believe no one has seen him. He’s pretty hard to miss with that artificial hand of his.”
“Sure Todd, I’ll see what I can find out. Some of my sources also have connections inside Statesville. I’ll see about getting someone to keep an eye on Hesser for you.”
“Thanks, Shaun. I just got that guy behind bars. I’m not ready to have to deal with him out again. It’s bad enough Kipling’s running loose. On top of everything else, Mitch Laurence’s dead body still hasn’t shown up.” Todd felt a chill run through him. God, if Kipling somehow got Mitch’s body. Kipling was the modern-day equivalent to Dr. Frankenstein.
“Don’t even go there Todd.”
“I can’t help it Samuel. You know what Kipling is capable of. What if he brings Laurence back to life?”
“It’s not going to happen? It’s pure science fiction.”
“Really Samuel after what we experienced. I’m not so sure anymore.”
“Todd are you all right?” Shaun asked.
Todd blinked and realized he had zoned out on Shaun and Cole. He looked at Shaun. “Sorry I was having a conversation with Samuel.”
Shaun nodded. “Kinda figured. Blair said you do that sometimes. Care to share?”
Todd smiled “You don’t want to know what we were talking about. It’s a little out there. Believe me.” He glanced over at Cole. Something in his stare told Todd Cole was slightly freaked out. It was probably a good idea to get everything out in the open now, “You know about my Alters?”
Cole wasn’t sure how to respond. Obviously, Shaun knew about them. He hadn’t seemed too fazed when Todd had suddenly stopped talking and gotten a faraway look on his face. Sure Starr had told him about the Alters, but what did that have to do with what had just happened?
Todd figured Samuel could explain better than him. “Listen, Cole, since you’re living here, you're bound to meet him sooner or later. Shaun already knows Samuel so I guess it’s your turn.” Todd leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
Cole watched fascinated. He knew all about Jessica Brennan’s Alters since Bess had stolen Hope when she was just born. But Jessica had no control over her Alters. Basically, Todd had just informed him he would be meeting an Alter, and he acted like it was an everyday occurrence. Cole looked at Shaun. “He’s kidding, right? Like this Samuel is just going to come out?”
Shaun just smiled, “Hate to tell you kid, but yep.”
Samuel opened his eyes and looked at the two men. “Shaun, nice to see you again. It’s been a while. You’ve been doing a great job keeping an eye on the girls. Todd trusts you, that’s an accomplishment.”
“Thanks, Samuel, but I got to admit, you’re the reason, I’m here. It was meeting you for the first time in the hospital that helped me make up my mind to help. You were there for Tea and Dani as well as Blair and the kids when Jake was in a coma. You struck me as an all-right guy. It did take some getting used to, finding out you were also Todd Manning, but by then I realized he wasn’t such a bad guy either.”
Samuel closed his eyes for just a moment and then he looked back at Shaun. Chuckling, “Todd said, Gee thanks.”
Shaun laughed.
Looking over at Cole, who was sitting there watching everything, Samuel said. “I should probably introduce myself properly. I’m Samuel Toddman. I can see the skepticism in your eyes, Cole, but I assure you I’m the real deal. I’m the man who lived in Paris for eight years while another man took Starr’s father’s place. Todd thought you might better understand the situation if you actually met me.”
Cole sat there stunned. The man sitting looking at him looked like Todd but just didn’t seem like Todd. He had a quiet air about him. One thing Cole had noted about Todd was his nervous energy, and this guy was anything but. “You certainly don’t act like Mr. Manning but how do I know this isn’t all an act. I thought Alters only showed up when the host needed them. I mean, Bess just showed up and took Hope for Jessica because Tess had just lost her baby. That was traumatic. I’m just supposed to believe you guys come and go as you please.”
“Todd’s situation is a little different than Jessica’s. Todd’s Alters arrived and came into being because of severe trauma, myself included, but Todd has been aware of his Alters from a very young age and has a relationship with us that is more brotherly in nature. In essence, Todd learned how to use us when he needed us. Before you say your next statement listen. You want to know if he could come and go at will, why he stayed away for eight years?”
Cole shut his mouth. The guy was a mind reader. If Todd had such control, he should have been home sooner.
“Hesser and Kipling are the persons responsible for Todd not coming home sooner. They tampered with our mind and messed us up big time. We’re here now and last year was a year none of us want to live over.” Samuel had been drawing quietly on the paper sitting on the desk in front of him while he had been talking. “Here Cole, a souvenir of our first meeting.” He handed the paper to Cole.
As he took the paper, he looked again at the man calling himself Samuel. He had to admit, the guy seemed real as all get out. Cole looked down surprised to see a picture of himself holding Hope on his lap. She was beautifully drawn smiling up into his face. Samuel had captured every little detail of the outfit she had been wearing earlier including the silly string tangled in her hair. He was at a loss for words. This was more than a souvenir. It was a gift. “I... Why?”
“Because you’re my great-niece’s father.” Samuel smiled and once again leaned back in Todd’s chair. A moment later Todd opened his eyes. He knew what Samuel had given Cole, he turned his attention to his laptop for a moment to give Cole a chance to gather his thoughts. After making a few notes. He looked at Shaun.
“Shaun, I think we’ve got a starting place to work from, it’s not too late you probably want to go spend some time with Vivian. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”
“Damn Todd, Vivian’s going to have my head. I should have been there by now?”
“Just tell her it’s my fault.” He grinned at the big man and watched him leave the office.
Todd had given the young man the heads up so he would understand the ramifications of his actions in the prison.
Cole looked again at his picture. Todd had offered him shelter knowing full well Hesser could make trouble for him. If it had been Jake, he would have been left out in the cold to fight his own battles. Not only that, but a part of him, the part that was Samuel, actually cared what happened to Hope’s dad. His head was whirling. Every belief he had about Todd Manning was getting shredded as he got to know the man sitting across from him. It was obvious Todd didn’t really expect an answer to his question, but Cole felt he had to say something.
“When I first learned about you and what you did to my mother. I thought there was no one more evil or monstrous. Then my mom tried to tell me I was looking at you one-dimensionally. I wanted to see a villain, so I saw one. The thing was, nothing she said made any sense. Jake was a bastard. He fulfilled all my images of you, and nothing I said to Starr seemed to get through to her. Starr was always singing your praises. I was convinced both my mom and Starr were delusional when it came to you. But now... I don’t know what to think.”
Todd listened to Cole’s words. He had known he had a champion in Star all along but was surprised to hear Marty had actually spoken up for him. Shoot, for most of his adult life he had tried to tell himself it didn’t matter how the world saw him as long as Blair and Starr knew who he was; but this last year had changed that. It mattered that Cole was changing his opinion of him. The least he could do was give the kid the same chance. “Listen, kid, don’t think too hard. Tomorrow you might be back to hating me. Let’s get you to bed. Larry would have my head if you end up back in the hospital. By the way, the nurse coming out tomorrow has already been on your case at the hospital. She’s been cleared with John and the police. Rest easy about Hesser and his connections. I’ve got that covered.” Todd rolled Cole out of the office and almost ran into Starr.
She looked at her father suspiciously. “What were you two guys up to in there?”
“Tiddlywinks,” replied Todd with a grin. Blair was heading for them down the hall, and she had that come hither expression on her face. “Here Starr, I know you can see that Cole gets to his room okay. Get some sleep, Cole.” He watched as she wheeled Cole into the elevator and felt a hand touch his shoulder.
She wrapped herself around his back nuzzling his neck. “I sure hope you’re finished with your business. I got some business of my own I’d like to discuss with you.”
“Just what business, would that be.” She had started caressing his ears again.
“It concerns a pair of delicious ears I discovered earlier. I think further study is needed don’t you agree.”
Todd turned and grabbed her. “I definitely agree, further study is just what we need.” He captured her lips in a long satisfying kiss. Then with his arm around her, they closed down the house for the night and retired to their room. As he picked her up to carry her into the room, she giggled again. "See, there it is. What a lovely curly ear.”
“Blair shut up.” Silencing her giggles with another kiss, he shut the world out with a kick of his foot.
Oh that last line, so perfect. Thank you for this!
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