My Brother's Keeper #14

“She did it, Blair.  She programmed me to believe I killed Victor.  None of it was real.” Todd’s voice caught.  He swallowed hard and looked away from Blair so she wouldn’t see the tears building in his eyes, and quickly tried to blink them away.

 

 Blair had listened quietly as Todd told her about his dream.  She sensed his anger, but she also heard the underlying pain in his voice.  She reached and took his hand in hers.  “Todd, I’m sorry.”

“For what?” He looked at her hand and marveled at how good it felt when she took his.  Then he met her eyes and saw them glistening with unshed tears, too.

“All that’s happened to you recently.  You forget I was there when you read your mother’s diary for the first time.  I know how much it meant to you.”

His eyes dropped from hers, and he pulled his hand free. He got up and walked over to the window.  He rolled his head to unkink his neck.  “That was a long time ago, Blair.”  He stared out at the view.

She got up and joined him.  Wrapping her arms around him, she molded herself to him from behind. “I know, but I also know it hurts.  It hurts just like it did when you found out the horrible truth about your father, Victor.”

He covered her arms with his. “Why?  Why did she hate me so much?” his voice broke. “I was a baby when she gave me away.  What did I do?”

“You didn’t do anything.  Your mother was just as sick as your father.  She was the one that was broken, and she took advantage of your brother.  She molded him until he was nothing more than her lap dog who would do and say anything for her.  She couldn’t manipulate your father and something in you, even as a baby, told her she would never be able to manipulate you.”

“But she did, she made me believe I killed my own brother.” He turned in her arms and met her eyes again.  His hands went around her waist.  “She tried to kill me and almost killed all of you.  I put you all in danger because I wouldn’t play her damn game.”

“Stop it!  I won’t hear you blame yourself.”  She put both of her hands on his face.  “You’re stronger than both of them put together. You fought her and escaped, then beat her at her own game, and she hated you for it. She was vile and cruel and she deserves to be dead.  As for making you believe you killed your brother, it didn’t last.  You figured it out.  Now we know you had nothing to do with Victor’s death and disappearance.” Blair rubbed her finger against his scar. “You are, without a doubt, the strongest man I know.  Any other man would have been a basket case after what you’ve been through.”

“I don’t think I'm all that strong, but when I’m with you, I feel I can be.  You do that for me.” His hand moved from her waist, and he stroked her hair. “Every time they would torture me, I just kept remembering you and the kids and it gave me strength.”  He leaned and kissed her softly. “Thanks” he whispered.

“You’re welcome,” She said, with that breathy voice she sometimes used.

He gathered her into his arms and looked at the sunrise.  “It’s a new day.  I need to stop thinking about her right now.  We have to find Victor.  The ones who have him know we’re on to them.  If we can’t figure out how to locate him, they might kill him after all.”

The sunrise was beautiful, but as Blair looked out over the city, she couldn’t enjoy it.  Tomas, Calmar, and whoever they worked for had tried to frame Todd. She hugged Todd. “Do you have any sort of plan?”

“Yes.  Last night you told me about Calmar.  You said he was Tomas’ superior.   I looked at that chip.  It contains the plans for making more of those replicas, for lack of a better word, as well as a list of potential targets to be replaced.”

“My God, you mean there’s some organization out there planning on making more of those things?” Blair felt goosebumps run up her arms.  She remembered her horror when she saw what was left in Victor’s casket.

“Yes.  It’s my guess that my mother stole the plans and was blackmailing the organization with the information. They’ve been taking orders from her ever since.   I put a serious crimp in her plans when I found the chip and took it.  When she ordered me killed, they sent Tomas after me.  He had no idea why, and when I almost died. my mother decided to try and recover the chip and ordered him to bring me to her instead.  Eight years later I escaped and it became a whole new ballgame.”

“What do you mean?”

“Tomas and his pals found out why Irene had been holding me and realized she had lost the chip.  Her power over them was over, but the chip was still out there and they needed to find it.  Tomas told them I knew nothing about it.  So they took Victor.  They set me up thinking all they had to do was make it look like I killed Victor and it would take me off the playing field.  I killed Irene and that helped them even more, but they didn’t know I had found the chip.  Now I’ve got the power.”

“Todd, what are you going to do?  You can’t give them that chip.  You just told me they intend to make more of those things and take over other people’s lives.  You can’t let them do that.”

“I’m going to bargain with them for Victor’s life.  They return him and I’ll keep my mouth shut about what I know.  If they kill him or attempt to harm anyone else, the chip will be turned over to the proper authorities.”

“Why don’t you just turn it over to Bo, now.  We can’t take the chance they won’t go after the children to force you to return it.”

“If I turn over the chip, we have nothing left to bargain with.  I have to do it my way.  Are you with me or not?” Todd waited, everything in him hoped she would go along with him, but he knew a lot had changed for her while he had been gone.  He was uncertain just how much of a risk-taker Blair was anymore. The silence lengthened. “I guess I have my answer.”  Todd released her.  “I’ll take you home.”  He was disappointed, but he wasn’t going to let her know how much it hurt.

Blair had been caught off guard by all the revelations and a small part of her remembered all of Todd’s schemes that had backfired.  Then she recalled the exhilaration she had felt helping him the night before.  It had been like old times. Them against the world. When Todd asked her if she was with him or not, she had paused.  If she went along with Todd she was trusting him to protect her and their children.  Can you do that Blair?  You know you love him, but do you trust him?  He’s not pushing you, he’s giving you a chance to walk away.  Is that what you want? She was startled when she heard his words and he pulled away from her. What? No, wait? You idiot!  Stop him!

She turned and grabbed him as he started to walk away.“Todd, stop.  It’s not what you think. I’m with you.  Whatever you decide to do,  I trust you.  I know you won’t let anything happen to me or the children.”

Todd stared at her in wonder. “Do you mean it?”

“You big goof, of course, I mean it.” She flung herself back into his arms.  She wasted no further time talking, instead, she searched out his lips with her own, letting her tongue slip out slightly and brush the edges of his mouth. Her lips molded to his as the kiss deepened.  

Todd wasted no time returning the kiss. When he lifted his head, both of them were breathless. “I … I thought you were just going to send me away like the last time. Because it was too dangerous.  I wouldn’t have blamed you, you know.  This isn’t going to be a piece of cake.  These guys are ruthless.”

“I know.  But you said you were going to make sure the family wouldn’t be harmed and I believe you.   Now how are you going to contact these guys?  You don’t know where they are.”

“I’m going to go find Louie.  Irene said he was dead, but Victor heard him.  That means he’s out there.  I’ll start at the docks.  If that doesn’t work, I’ll go to have a long talk with Tomas Delgado.  Either way, I will make contact.  This has to end.”

****

Tomas sat opposite John.  He was confident that John was just on a fishing expedition.  They couldn’t possibly have anything to really connect him to Victor’s death  The gun, that Louie had so obligingly given them from Todd, wasn’t the one John had just confiscated.  That, at least, worked in Tomas’ favor.  

 

“Look, John, I don’t know why I’m here.  You came to Tea’s house, said you wanted to talk, and the next thing I know you’re arresting me. “

John looked across at Tomas. “Really?  You were all set to shoot me in the back.  Care to explain that?”

“Your Officer Fish just got overzealous.  I wasn’t going to shoot you.  I  just realized I had the gun on me and was taking it out to put it back in the house before following you to the station.”  It was a flimsy excuse, but he knew Fish had stopped him before he had pointed it at John.  The only thing the officer could testify to was that he took the gun out of his pocket.

John shrugged. “That remains a matter of opinion, but let’s talk about the night Victor died.  According to you, you had a late-night meeting with your friend Calmar and didn’t get home until well after Victor died, correct?”

“Yes, I told you.  I was on my way home when I had a flat tire and arrived home too late to help Tea.”

“So it’s safe to assume you never saw Victor that night at all.”  There was a knock on the door. “Excuse me, hold your thought.”  He got up and opened it to find Natalie holding a file.

“This just arrived from Cherryvale, John.  The prints are a definite match.  We still haven’t been able to identify the material.  Something new or experimental, its resemblance to the real thing is uncanny.” She handed it to him, stared a moment at Tomas, and walked away.

John walked back to the table.  “Sorry about that, now where were we?  Oh yes, from your statement, I guess you never saw Victor the night he died, right?”

“That’s right, by the time I got home it was all over.  You know all this, John.  Why are you dredging it all back up?”

“There’s been a new wrinkle in the case.  Someone disturbed Victor Lord’s grave last night.”

“My God, did you tell Tea?”

“Yes, I just left her.  Let me ask you one more time.  Are you sure you never saw Victor that night?”

Tomas felt a chill go down his spine he looked at the file in John’s hand. “What’s really going on, John?  I’ve already answered that.”

“There’s a strange thing about the graveside disturbance.  You see, the casket was opened, and you can imagine Bo’s and my surprise when we found out what was in it.  Victor wasn’t there.”

Tomas started to breathe a little easier.  “You mean it was empty?  Did the grave robbers take the body?”

John had been watching Tomas and had seen him tense up.  He also noted Tomas’ eyes on the file and then saw him relax when he heard Victor wasn’t in the grave. ”I’m sorry, did I give the impression that the casket was empty?”  Once again, he watched Tomas shift in his chair and start drumming his fingers on the table nervously.

After tapping the table a few more times. Tomas got up and started to walk around the room.  “Look, you seem to be playing some sort of game here.  Spit it out, John, was Victor in the casket or not?”

John didn’t say anything right away, he pretended to write a note on the folder and observed Tomas a moment longer. Judging by his reaction, it looked like Bo and the Cherryvale Coroner had been right. The coroner said the body was supposed to have been consumed by the fire, it just hadn’t been. Tomas had expected the casket to be empty.   “No, Victor wasn’t in the casket.  But you already know that.  Oddly enough, what was there, resembled Victor and told us quite a bit.  Like you lied when you said you didn’t see Victor that night.”

Tomas froze in place when he heard John’s words.  It couldn’t be. They assured me the damn thing would be ashes.   He tried to gather himself and sat back down. “I don’t have the foggiest idea what you talking about now.  Something in the casket resembled Victor but wasn’t Victor.  I don’t understand.”

“Well let me see if I can help your confusion.  This is just conjecture at this time, but I’m guessing you went home that rainy night   You walked in on Victor making a call to Shaun, and you shot him, but you didn’t kill him, you just knocked him out.  Then you removed his body and replaced it with the thing we found in his casket.  A replica so life-like and engineered that even Tea thought she was holding onto her husband.”

Tomas smiled grimly. “You’ve been reading too many science fiction books, Detective.  I told you, I was with my friend Calmar.  I never saw Victor.  I have no idea where this replica you’re talking about came from, but I know nothing about it.”

John opened the folder that Natalie had just handed him, took out a sheet of paper, and tossed it onto the table in front of Tomas. “Well, you see, I have a problem with that.  You made a mistake, Tomas.  You left your fingerprint on its neck.  That artificial skin although very real, holds prints and yours are a match for those and several others found on what was left of the body.  Perhaps you’d like to explain how they got there?”

Tomas stared down at the paper in front of him, then back at John. “I’ve said all I’m going to.  I want my lawyer.”

John nodded. “I’ll have Fish bring you a phone.  I hope your lawyer’s good.  The way I see it. You’re going to be the one who takes the fall for this.” He started to walk to the door and then stopped and turned back. “I forgot to tell you something.  It seems the coroner who pronounced Victor dead was suddenly killed last night by a hit and run.  It made me think someone might be trying to tie up loose ends. Hmm, I wonder if you fall in that category.”  

Tomas watched John leave.  His hand slowly covered the sheet of paper in front of him.  He crumpled it into a ball and threw it across the room.

****

Todd walked back into his office.  Blair had protested, but he had insisted on taking her home.  He walked over to the window and stared off towards the docks.  Okay, Todd, just how are you going to find Louie? You told Blair you were going to the docks, but you know that‘s pointless.  The police have been looking for him ever since you told them about the gun.

"Knock, knock,  what are you going on about now?  God, I swear you have the most muddled mind."

“Shut up Victor!   That muddled mind you’re talking about wasn’t so muddled when it figured out a way to prove you were still alive.  What happened to you yesterday?”

I don’t know. I think they drugged me.  I was talking about the Frenchman and then he came in.  The next thing I know they put a needle in my arm.  That’s all I remember until I woke up a few minutes ago.  They’ve still got me blindfolded and I hear a lot of activity outside this so-called room they have me in.  Tell me, what did you do to prove I wasn’t dead?

“I opened your grave.”

What the hell, that’s cold.  I shouldn’t be surprised given what I know about you and graveyards.  So I was right. There wasn’t anything in it, was there?

“Oh, there was something there. Blair fainted right into my arms. The rain brought her around quick enough, but we both were shocked by what we found.”

Well, don’t leave me in suspense.  What was in my grave?

“Some kind of strange replica of you.  I’ve got to say if there hadn’t been a gaping hole burned into the thing’s chest showing us the insides. I would have thought it was you.  The parts that weren’t burnt looked like you and it’s no wonder Tea thought she was holding you.”

What did you do next?  Take it?

“Didn’t get a chance. Someone called the cops.  Bo and John showed up.  Things started happening.  It was taken to Cherryvale.  I’m guessing by now, Tea’s been informed.  It’s out of my hands now, but we learned something.  Tomas is involved in this and so is his pal Calmar.  Blair says Calmar is French.  We think he’s the one holding you.”

Well, what are you waiting for?  Find Calmar and find me.  Got to tell you, I’ve got to get out of here.  These guys don’t play nice.  I don’t know what they’ll do next.

Victor’s words brought back images Todd wanted to bury.  The room felt cold suddenly, and he hugged himself. Day in and day out Baker had tortured him seeking the damn chip. If they weren’t shooting him up with electricity which in itself knocked him out, they would attempt drugs.  Sometimes he hadn’t known which side was up because of the drugs they put in him. It had been endless, and he had finally withdrawn, unable to stand it anymore.  His hands dropped to his side and clenched.  He had been torn from his safe place by yet another drug, and he had found out how many years he had been held. 

 “Look, you don’t have to tell me what‘s going on.  I’ve already lived it.  These guys are every bit as ruthless as our mother.  I’m not going to let them get away with this.  I think I know of a way to get them to release you.  You’ll have to trust me.  Victor, you said Louie sounded like he was reluctant to continue working with those guys.  If you get a chance to make contact with him, try and work on that insecurity.  The guy saved my life.  I don’t think he meant to hurt you or me.  If I can find him, I think he’ll help.”

Victor didn’t respond back immediately.  Todd waited, wondering if his brother had just nodded off because of the drugs.  He wouldn’t have blamed him.  The memory of lying in a stupor on a bed was still fresh.  “Are you still there, Victor?”

Umm.  I...What the hell, I’ll try if I get a chance.  No one around here just talks to me, though, you know what I mean.  I’m not in the best position to help you.

Todd nodded, he knew exactly what Victor was living. “Hang in there, I’m not giving up.  We’re going to get you home.”

Got to go.  The door just opened.  Todd, I... Shit!

Todd buckled over, his side felt like it had been kicked in.  He clutched his side and braced himself against the window. “Victor!”

 

My Brother's Keeper #13

Bo walked up the stairs to his apartment.  He was bone tired. You can’t pull these all-nighters anymore.  Nora’s going to read you the riot act.  He gingerly put his key in the door and prayed she was still asleep.  When he had gone out the previous night he had expected to be home within a couple of hours.   As always, when Manning was involved, that proved to be an impossible task.  Upon entering his apartment, he found himself checking out the time when he heard a noise behind him.

“Bo Buchanan, how dare you sneak into this house at 5:00 in the morning!  Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?  You leave and say you’re only going to be gone a short while, then nothing!”

“Now, Red, I have a good explanation,” Bo said as he turned to face his irate wife.  She stood angrily looking at him in her short light green silk robe, with her reading glasses perched in her auburn hair.  He figured she had kept herself awake by doing some work.  He knew from experience, she had thought the worst when he hadn’t come home.  He walked to her and drew her into his arms.  “I’m sorry.  Look I’m fine.  Let me explain.  Once you hear what I have to say you’ll understand.”

 Nora let him hold her for a minute and hugged him.  He was alive and she was grateful, but he had done this far too many times to just let him wiggle out with an ”I’m sorry”.  She pushed away and stared at him hard.  “Start explaining.  Where have you been and why are you all damp and dirty?”

“I got caught in that downpour we had last night.  That call I got last night, that took me out of here, was an anonymous tip that someone was digging up a body at the cemetery.  The caller indicated I would find the perpetrator interesting and then hung up.  After what happened with Gigi’s grave, I figured I’d better look into it.  I’ll give you one guess who we found.”

 

Nora remembered how upset Bo had been when Rex had been beside himself with grief after Gigi died.  She understood now why Bo went out, but his voice had gotten serious, and only one man generated that tone from him.  “You’re kidding.  Are you saying Todd Manning was digging up a grave?”

Bo nodded, “By the time we got there he had the coffin opened.”

 

“You had him dead to rights. I hope you didn’t waste any time arresting him,” she saw Bo frown.  “You did arrest him, didn’t you?”

“No.  You see, that’s when everything got weird.  He wasn’t alone.  Blair was with him.”

“Oh, now wait a minute, I thought Blair had more sense by now.  Was she helping him?  Who were they digging up?”

 

“Victor.  He didn’t try to deny anything.  I mean, how could he?  We caught him standing on top of the coffin.  Funny thing was, he claimed he wasn’t guilty of anything more than digging a hole in the ground.  I told him he was desecrating a grave and he said Victor wasn’t in the grave, so how could he have desecrated it.”

“Why that sociopath, I can’t wait to get him in the courtroom.  He was obviously trying to get rid of some evidence we missed when Victor was killed.  But I still don’t understand, you said he was standing on Victor’s coffin.  You had all the proof you needed.  Why didn’t you arrest him?”

Bo sighed and pulled Nora to the couch.  “What I have to tell you right now stays in this room.  Manning was right.  Victor wasn’t in the grave.”

Nora sat down abruptly, “Do you mean the coffin was empty?  Did Victor trick us all?”

Bo ran a hand through his hair and leaned back wearily against the back of the sofa.  “That would have been something normal, but that’s not what we found.  From the moment I walked into that cemetery, this night has turned into some kind of science fiction horror movie all rolled into one.  The coffin wasn’t empty.  What we found in there only raised more questions.  On top of everything else, Manning declared that his brother is still alive, but that he’s being held hostage somewhere.”

“Bo, this is Todd Manning you’re talking about.  Surely you don’t believe him.” Nora was stunned when Bo met her gaze and she realized he believed exactly that.  She shook her head. “No, I must be dreaming.  There’s no way you would believe him.”

Bo reached over and took her hand.  “You’re not dreaming and neither am I.  Tonight someone killed the coroner who declared Victor dead.  We’re also trying to locate Tomas Delgado.  He’s in this up to his ears.”

“But what about Todd and Blair?  If you didn’t arrest them, where are they?”

“According to my men, they’re both at the Manning building.  We’re keeping an eye on them, don’t worry. There’s a lot more to tell you, but frankly, I’m too tired right now.  Come on, honey, there are still a few hours of dark left, take pity on me and I promise I’ll fill you in on the rest of the story in the cold light of morning.”  He pushed himself slowly up and off the couch, every one of his muscles protesting.  Man, I’m getting old.  He extended a hand to his wife, helping her up and together they made their way to bed.

****

Tomas rolled over in his bed as his cell phone woke him.  Recognizing the number he answered.  “You better have a good reason for calling me at this ungodly hour.”

“We encountered a problem.  You need to get here, immediately!  There’s a new task for you.”

“What do you mean?  What happened, Claude?”

“Victor’s grave was dug up last night.  Our man, at the cemetery, got there too late to stop the perpetrators from opening the casket.  They found the duplicate.”

”What did he see?”

“Nothing much.  He said there were two of them, but he couldn’t see the man’s face who did the digging because he was covered in mud.  The second person could have been a woman but with the rain coming down so hard, he couldn’t tell for sure.  He didn’t get a chance to find out anymore because the police showed up and he took the opportunity to disappear in the downpour.  He didn’t want to get waylaid by them and figured he better report in.  As he was slipping away, he heard the Commissioner say something but he couldn’t make it out.

“So you want me to come in.  What about the people here who covered Victor’s death?”

“They‘ve already been taken care of.  We have to assume the Commissioner will have checked out the remains by now.  I want you here, we need to discuss our next options.”

Tomas was already out of bed and throwing things into his backpack.  If the police had the replica, it wouldn’t be long before they tied it to him.  “I’m out of here.  I’ll be at the compound by noon.”  He quickly closed the bag and grabbed his papers and money.  Dani and Tea were still asleep, and he stopped long enough to write a quick note to Tea.

Sorry Pajarito, but I have to make a trip to Paris concerning my son Baz.  I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.  I promise, when I return, to up my investigation into Victor’s murder.

Love

Tomas

He signed Tea’s name on the outside of the note and left it on the entryway table for her to find.  With one last look around, he opened the door and found himself face to face with John McBain.  Stunned he said nothing.

“Good Morning.  Going out of town?” asked John nonchalantly.

“Yes, I just got an urgent call from my son.  I need to fly to Paris.  Now if you’re here to see Tea, might I suggest you make it a little later in the day,   She’s not sleeping too well.”

“Actually, I’m here to see you, and I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to postpone your trip.  I need to ask you some questions about the night Victor died.  Something new has come to light, and I think you’re just the man who can straighten things out.  I need you to come down to the station.  It shouldn’t take too long.”

Tomas took a long look at John.  It’s early in the morning, if I kill him now, no one would even know he was here.  “Of course John, after you.”  John turned and started to walk away.  Tomas had his weapon halfway out of his pocket when he felt a gun in his back.

“Take it out slowly, any attempt to fire, and you‘ll be dead before you pull the trigger.” Officer Fish nudged his gun against Tomas’ back to prove he meant business.

John turned back around, “Tsk, Tsk, that wasn’t very bright.  I thought all CIA assassins were trained to know their surroundings. Something must have really rattled you, for you to get so careless.”  He reached and relieved Tomas of his gun making sure not to touch the grip.  “Interesting, a nine millimeter.  I’m wondering if this is the weapon we’ve been looking for all along,”  he looked at Fish as he proceeded to place the gun in an evidence bag. “Cuff him and let’s get him and this down to the station.” 

  Tomas hadn't said a word the whole time John had talked. Now he just glared as Fish pulled his arms behind his back and bound him. "You won't be able to hold me. My superiors will have me out before lunchtime."  

John turned back and stood directly in front of Tomas. “I knew there was something about you that bothered me from the beginning, but I let everything slide when you turned on Victor at the Premier.  Tea believes you’ve changed, but you’re still the same cold-blooded assassin who turned over an innocent man to his deranged mother and just walked away. Get him out of here.  I’ll be down to the station shortly."  

 He watched as Fish took Tomas to the car. "Hey.  Find out who his last call came from.  I'm betting it wasn’t his son." John went back to the front door.   He wasn’t looking forward to his next task.

My Brother's Keeper #12

Todd and Blair arrived back at The Sun and went straight to Todd’s office.

“What are you going to do now?” Blair asked as she took a seat on his couch.  She curled up comfortably, tucking her feet under her, then she watched as Todd proceeded to the wall behind his desk and prepared to open the safe. “You’re not getting a gun out are you?”

Todd paused, puzzled by the question and looked at Blair. “Why would I be getting a gun?”

“I thought you might try and go after Tomas even though Bo asked you not to.”

She looked so adorable curled up on his couch and he remembered all the times she used to do it when The Sun was just getting started.   He smiled across the room at her and responded. “Well, when we left Bo and John, I did entertain thoughts of getting to Tomas and wringing the truth out of him.   Then you told me about Calmar.  I decided it was time to find out just what is so special about that damn microchip.”

“How can you do that?  You threw it away into the Lantano River right before your mother shot you.”

Todd turned back to his safe and reached inside then closed it back up. He walked over to Blair. “That’s what I told you and the police, but the truth is the ring is the only thing that went into the water.  I kept the chip.  I’ve had it all along, now I need to find out why everyone wants it so bad.”  He opened his palm and showed Blair the small delicate chip lying in his hand.”Not much to look at, is it?  I held onto it because I figured it could prove useful.  I had no idea Victor was being held for “it” until he was tortured the same way I was.  Since I had no way of giving it to whoever held him, I’ve kept it locked up.”

“Why didn’t the group that took Victor just take you instead?”

“Tomas, I guess.  It’s clear he’s mixed up in this somehow.  He must have told his superiors that I didn’t remember “it” and that Irene had had no luck getting it out of me.  He probably suggested Victor to them, thinking that Victor lied to Irene all these years and was keeping it for reasons of his own.  No one but Irene knew I finally remembered where it was, and that was the day she shot me and I killed her.  Remember, Tomas wasn’t at Victor’s when I took the ring from Tina.”

Blair looked at the tiny chip in Todd’s hand.  It was amazing to think that something so little had taken Todd from her for eight years.  “How are you going to find out what’s on it?”

“I have my means, but you don’t need to stay here.   This could take me the rest of the night.”  He stood up and held out his hand. “Come on, I’ll take you home.  You should get some sleep, and you’re way too distracting to keep around right now.”

Blair grinned mischievously, then she stretched slowly, displaying her body and letting Todd get a good look at what he was about to send home. “Um, you know I could just sleep here and you wouldn’t have to lose time taking me home.” She watched as his jawline twitched and his stare got intense.  His nostrils flared and she knew she had him hooked.  She licked her lips and saw his eyes follow the movement.  Uncurling her legs, she took his hand and stood up, then moved in close and rubbed against him suggestively. Whispering in his ear she said. ”Or we could finish what we started this afternoon before we were interrupted.”  She nibbled his earlobe and heard his intake of breath.

Todd had been trying to resist her but knew it was a lost cause when she caressed his ear.   Dropping her hand, he pulled her into his embrace and nuzzled her neck.  “God, Woman, you’re driving me crazy,” he paused long enough to get her attention.

Blair was frustrated, why was he stopping. “What are you waiting for?  I’m here for the taking. Stop wasting time.” She couldn’t help herself, his kisses were already stirring her and she wanted to continue.

Todd heard the huskiness in her voice signaling she was already turned on.  He smiled and slipped the chip into his slacks' pocket.  The chip would just have to wait.  His woman was in need. “Who could resist an invitation like that.” In seconds, he had nimbly removed her blouse and was working on releasing her luscious breasts. Blair, too, was working on getting him out of his clothes. Soon there was nothing between them.   He ran his hands lightly over her body and then lowered her to the couch. She was everything he remembered and more. He joined her on the couch and began to explore every part of her.  It had been so long, but he had never forgotten how much he loved to touch her.  

Blair loved the feel of his hands as they began their exploration.  God, how could I forget his touch? Todd had always been an excellent lover.  He had always taken care to make her feel cherished and now was no different.  

Todd’s hand kneaded her breasts gently and then he covered her nipple with his full lips sucking at it while his tongue flicked the tip.   She quivered at the exquisite sensation and arch her back in desire, wanting more.  Todd slowly savored her.  Blair tasted like strawberries, and he fought the urge to take a bite.  Instead, he ran his tongue down her midriff and heard her soft moan as she shivered with delight.  His hand traced her taut body, loving the feel of her silky skin through his fingertips.  With each stroke, her body responded with a slight ripple.  Soon she began to elicit sounds of pleasure and was urging Todd to continue what he was doing. The sounds of her moans were all he needed, as his body responded in kind.

Blair gasped as Todd entered her, her fingers digging into his shoulders as they moved in sync.  Lost in the moment, they eagerly sought to make up for lost time. Todd clung to her as the years apart heightened all his senses. Her inner core molded around him as he delved deeper into her center.  The room was silent but for the cries of pleasure as they peaked together.  He collapsed into her arms spent but satisfied. He eased out of her and gathered her close beside him, listening to her contented sighs. She snuggled closer and her hand lightly touch his chest in slow circles.

Blair felt loved and fulfilled at that moment but also knew she was losing the battle to stay awake.  Tell him. Tell him now, he deserves to hear you say it.  So much had happened since he had declared his love the previous afternoon.  It was time.  She gently kissed his chest. “I love you, Todd.  I wanted to tell you yesterday, but everything got compli...” her voice slurred, “..got...compli.. ca..ted… “ It trailed off.  Her eyes fluttered shut and sleep took her.

Todd held her and listened to her soft breathing.  She had said the words he had thought he would never hear again.  He was finally home. Really home.  But he couldn’t be truly happy with her until he proved to everyone else in the town that he hadn’t killed his brother.  Bo, John, and Natalie knew the truth, but they wouldn’t fully believe it until they saw Victor alive and well. Todd slipped out from under Blair and made her comfortable on the couch.  He covered her sleeping form with a soft throw and watched amused as she wrapped it around herself without waking up. She had no idea just how dear she was to him, but she would soon.

He reached and moved a strand of hair off her face and thought back to all the times he had denied himself those kinds of touches after he had gotten back from Ireland. No more, Blair. No more anger, no more self-loathing.  Too much time has already been lost, we deserve to be happy too.  He gathered his clothes and got dressed, then walked to his desk and removed the chip from his pocket.  Pulling open his desk drawer, he took out a small toolbox and went to work opening the back of his computer.

A short time later he started up his computer, watching for the data that would tell him the chip was functioning.  There it was.  With a double-click of his mouse, the file opened.  As he read, it became blatantly clear why the chip had been so valuable to his mother and why the organization that had Victor wanted it.  Todd hooked up an external drive and quickly copied everything on the chip to it.  Then he wiped out the memory of it from his hard drive and removed the chip.  He opened a jewel case and carefully stowed the chip.  That finished, he unhooked the external drive and headed down to the morgue, and entered the safe that held all The Sun’s data files.  Stashing the drive, he exited and locked the safe.

Todd had ordered all new locks and security measures in place after gaining back control of The Sun.  Only a select few had access to the morgue, and he was the only one who could get into the safe.  Even his office safe had been engineered with several measures to ensure no one could access the contents.  He had even borrowed from his mother’s organization and installed a print recognition device. It would only accept his thumbprint.  He knew he had gone overboard on the security but after years under his mother’s thumb, he had found himself a little paranoid.  Not trusting his memory, he had decided technology would protect his secret and now he knew it had been a wise choice.

He made his way back to his office and sat down to think about everything he had just read.  The chip was a powder keg.  His mother had used it to her advantage and the loss of it had been tremendous.  Victor was in a very precarious position.  Tonight the people, who were holding him, probably knew their deception had been found out.  The coroner, who had declared Victor dead, had been killed.  There was only one way to save Victor’s life now.  He had to find a way to make contact with the captors.  Tomas was the key, but even now John and Bo were tracking him down.  If they found him, he would deny everything.  After all, Tomas had gone out of his way to appear innocent of any wrongdoing, he would simply explain away his fingerprints on Victor’s body, by saying he had gotten into an argument with him earlier that day or something.

Todd rubbed his eyes and the back of his neck as his head started pounding again.  The headache was back.  He looked around half expecting to see Irene standing behind him but there was nothing.  He hadn’t killed Victor, but Irene had somehow convinced him he had.  He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair trying to remember his last conversation with his mother.

Irene’s last words to him had been that she would always be with him in his mind and in his soul.  Had there been more to that statement?  When she had shown up in the cabin and tormented him before Blair showed up, he had been convinced he was just in shock from the bullet.   Her words, what if they were said deliberately?  Could everything he had experienced after that moment, have been an implanted suggestion?  Todd drifted off to sleep while still questioning the actions of his mother.

Todd found himself walking down the hallway that led to the cells of the LPD.  He paused and watched the scene taking place in front of him.  He saw himself sitting in the cell with his back to his mother.  She was in the opposite cell and talking nonstop about “it” again and that all he had to do was tell her where it was.  She began praising him for completing his mission.

“What do you mean?  What mission?”  his other self, responded.

“Why killing your brother of course?”

“You’re wrong, I didn’t kill Victor?  I have proof, all they have to do is find my friend.  He’ll give them the gun and it’ll all be cleared up.”

Todd watched as his other self, became agitated and upset.  He wanted to tell himself that Irene was lying, but all he could do was watch.  Irene came back from her visit with Bo and started in again.  Todd was helpless as he listened to her droning on and on about what a disaster he was as a son and how he had proven it by killing his brother.   The Todd in the cell seemed to be ignoring her and trying to block out her voice like a child might by covering his ears.  Then Todd noticed something strange.  Irene began repeating the same phrase over and over again.   “Todd, I want you to listen to me. “  

He watched as his other self, stopped trying to cover his ears and slowly lowered his hands, and just sat there.  The next words out of his other self’s mouth shocked him to his core.

“I’m listening, Mother.”

“That’s my good boy.  Mother has something to tell you.  I want you to listen carefully.  Do you understand?”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Good.  You will continue to believe you didn’t kill your brother, but deep down you’ll know you did.  You killed your brother, Todd.  Do you understand?”

“Yes, I killed my brother.”

“Excellent! It was raining and you went to confront your brother.  Are you listening?”

“Yes, Mother.”

Todd watched in horror as his mother planted the suggestion into his hypnotized other-self.  He tried to call out to wake the other Todd up but found he had no voice. Not just no voice, but no mouth either.  He started to scream, but there was only silence.

Blair woke up to a crash and saw Todd thrashing about on the floor, his eyes wide open filled with horror, and struggling to scream, but all that could be heard was a muffled moan.  She raced to his side.  “Todd, what is it?”  She was terrified, something was incredibly wrong, and he didn’t seem to see her.  Suddenly the thrashing stopped and he became deathly still. Todd’s eyes closed and then he began to cry softly.  Blair pulled him into her arms and just held him. “Todd, it’s alright, you’re safe.  I’m here.  Shh, it’s okay.”  

Todd became aware that Blair was holding him and wrapped his arms about her tightly. To be so helpless and unable to speak had terrified him.  Was it true?  Had he dreamed what had really transpired in that cell?  God, had she hated him so much she made him believe he killed his brother?   He had to know if he still had a voice.  “Blair.”  It wasn’t much more than a whisper but he heard it.  The relief he felt was enormous. Feeling stronger, he loosened his stranglehold on her.  He always hated it, when he let someone see his weaknesses, but strangely for the first time, it didn’t bother him that Blair had seen it.  Years of torture had finally made him aware he wasn’t Superman and he had realized that Blair of all the people in his life wouldn’t judge him for his weakness. “Blair, I’m okay now.”  Even as he said it, he became aware that Blair had come to his aid straight from the couch and was holding him without any clothes on.  He also noted they were both on the floor.  

Blair felt his arms release and heard his words.  She let go and sat back from him.   “Todd, are you sure?  I was so worried.  Do you want to talk about it?”

Todd smiled ruefully and stood up, offering his hand to her as he spoke.   “I’ll tell you everything, but first I need you to get dressed.  My mind is muddled enough as it is.”

Blair blushed at his words, flattered but she knew it wasn’t the time for a sexual escapade.  Something had happened and Todd needed to talk about it.  She walked back to her clothes and carried them into the bathroom as Todd proceeded to lift his chair back up off the floor.  Coming back out dressed, she noted his hands trembling a little bit as they folded the throw that had covered her.  She watched as he gently sniffed the covering, and hugged it close for a moment.  Walking to him, she wrapped her arms around him from the back.  “I feel the same way about you.  Talk to me, do you remember the nightmare?”

Todd turned in her arms and gently kissed her forehead.  “Unfortunately, I remember every bit of it.  I dreamed of my mother.  Blair, I know what happened, and if I could, I’d kill her all over again.”

My Brother's Keeper #11

Bo was standing looking down at the remains.  Manning was right.  Someone with deep pockets and connections had engineered the thing.  He kicked himself because he had had blinders on when Manning had reappeared in their lives.  When John brought in Manning the night of the premiere, all the memories of his actions against Nora resurfaced.  Everything, that had gone on with the other Todd, paled when confronted with the real devil from the past.  He had let his bias toward the man color his actions from that moment on.  He should have insisted on following up on Manning’s imprisonment.  Instead, he had taken a back seat, and when John brought in Irene Manning and the whole sordid story came out, he was still unable to find sympathy for Nora’s old nemesis.  You owe the guy an apology.   If not for him, you would still have him as your top suspect in a murder that obviously never happened.  “Manning, I just wanted to tell you....” He stopped and looked around.  Todd and Blair had disappeared. “Damn it, Manning, can’t you ever do what you’re told?  John, did you see them leave?”

John had been talking to the coroner and turned around suddenly,  “Who?  Shit, I’m sorry Bo, I thought they were right here.  They can’t really go anywhere, I’ve got his keys.”

“Go find them.  If I know Manning, he’ll be looking for some way to get back to Llanview and start looking for Tomas.  We have to stop him before he tries to kill the guy.  This case has gotten complicated enough with all the recent revelations and Llanview’s own Coroner just killed.  The last thing we need is for Manning to go on a rampage.”

John nodded and headed to search the building.  He reached into his pocket and was relieved that the keys to Todd’s car were still there.  The search soon revealed they were nowhere in the building.  Could they have found an alternate ride?  I know you, Manning, there’s no way you would hotwire your own car.  You have to be around here somewhere but just to be on the safe side.  John walked out of the building.  Damn it!

Bo looked around when he heard the footsteps.  Only one set.  His suspicions were confirmed when John walked back in alone.  “They’re gone, aren’t they?”

“Manning’s car is missing.”

“It’s water under the bridge now.  We’re out of here, anyway.  They’ll keep the remains and casket here until we need them in Llanview. Let’s go. Call Fish and tell him to put an APB out on Manning’s vehicle.  I want to know where it ends up.”

****

They were about twenty minutes into the hour drive back to Llanview when Todd broke the silence in the car.   “Tell me how you met Calmar?”

Blair swallowed, this was the first time Todd had asked anything about the time he had been gone.  “Okay, first you need to know about my last husband.  Eli Clark was Ross Rayburn’s brother and a psychotic killer.  Of course, I didn’t know about the second part until my honeymoon night in Tahiti.  Kelly got a call through to me and I ended up fighting Eli for my life.  I thought I killed him.  After Tea’s death, Ross showed up and we realized Eli had changed Tea’s will.  She had inadvertently given custody to Ross. Dani was supposed to leave with Ross but ran away and a lot happened.  Eli killed Ross and then kidnapped Starr, Hope and Dani, that was how we found out he hadn’t died in Tahiti.

Todd looked over at Blair in alarm.  “He kidnapped the girls.”

“He wanted your money and was going to bargain Dani for it.  He also wanted me.  He ended up in a warehouse with Dani and in a standoff with Bo and the Police.  That was when we found out that Tea wasn’t dead but also being held in the warehouse.”

“Wait a minute, go back.  Tea died?”

“Not really, Eli was poisoning her and she thought she had terminal cancer.  She didn’t want Victor and Dani to watch her die so she went to an island that her doctor found.  He was in the whole thing with Eli and told us she died.  He couldn’t go through with killing her and brought her back to the Cherryvale Clinic.  That was where Eli found her.”

Todd’s thoughts were all over the place.  He had thought he had heard everything when he found out about Victor and Marty, but it was obvious he had missed so much more.  “My God, you’re telling me Tea almost died at the hands of that maniac and you married him.  Were you crazy?” Todd's hands clenched around the wheel.  His mind was so lost in images of Tea dying and Blair fighting for her life that he didn’t even notice where his car was headed.  

Blair looked at Todd is exasperation. “No, I wasn’t crazy.” He didn’t seem to hear her and then the car began moving into the other lane. “Todd, look out!”

Todd came out of his reverie and jerked the car back into the proper lane as an oncoming car barely missed them.  He slowed the car and pulled to the side of the road and stopped.  He closed his eyes and took some deep breaths. Get your act together, you just about killed yourself and Blair.

Blair laid a hand on Todd’s arm. “Todd, are you alright?” Damn it Blair. He wasn’t ready to hear all that.  You talk too much.   “I’m sorry.  I should have had you stop.  It’s a lot to take in.  Listen, I’m okay and so are Tea and the girls. Eli’s dead and can’t hurt any of us anymore.”

He took another big breath and let it out slowly.   “You’re right.  He’s dead and I hope, rotting in hell.” He turned in his seat to face her better.  He took her hand into his and just rubbed it.  It soothed him to be able to touch her.  He looked into her eyes,  gulped and ran his tongue on the inside of his mouth. Spit it out Todd, you owe her.  “ I’m sorry, too.  I’ve been so wrapped up in my issues, I didn’t consider what all of you have been through these past eight years.  It’s becoming painfully clear, I’m not the only one who suffered.”

Blair was shocked.  Todd was just one surprise after the other these days.  It was just another sign of the changes in him.  “I...You didn’t know.  How could you?  It’s in the past.”  She covered his hand with her free one.  “I for one don’t want to dwell on what’s past.  You asked how I met Calmar.  Eli left me this lockbox and I opened it right after Christmas.  Inside the box was a portrait of me.  The problem I had was there was no signature.  There was a date on it and it had been painted the year you disappeared.  I took it to Victor and he said he knew nothing about it but Christian Vega found a watermark on it and it gave us someplace to look.  Paris.”

“That’s where you met Calmar?”

“Yes, Christian had been given his name by a colleague and we went there to find out if he knew who might be the artist.  When we arrived he recognized my portrait.  It was he who sent me to Tomas.”

“So who is this Calmar?”

           “Well at first I just thought he was an art dealer but it turns out he’s Tomas’ CIA contact.  You have to understand.   Tomas said he was out of the game.  He seemed so sincere.  I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to admit I was wrong.”

Todd smiled slightly and let go of her hand and started driving again. “It’s not like I was very forthcoming about everything.  I don’t blame you for your reluctance where I’m concerned.  Let’s get back to Calmar.  He’s French and he’s involved with the CIA.  Blair, what if his group is as rogue as Irene’s?  Maybe it’s a rival agency looking for Irene’s information to use the same way Irene used it?”

“So you think they figured since you didn’t have the information, they would grab Victor.  But why did they set it up to look like he was dead?”

“They’ve been hiding under the guise of being a legitimate CIA branch.  They wanted what was on the chip but they didn’t want to have to turn it over to the government.  They must have decided taking Victor and making it appear he was dead would keep the government from looking any further for the chip.  I’m being framed to draw all eyes away from what’s really going on.”

“Todd, that explains Victor, but how do you explain the visions you've had of your mother.”

“I don’t know, nor do I know why I keep seeing myself shooting him.  He said that never happened.  What’s important right now is finding Victor.  Irene will wait.”