Tangled Web
By Sarah & Lanie
Chapter 16
Tess stared at Cameron, not knowing how to answer him. She wanted to blurt the whole thing out, but she wasn't sure that she was ready to deal with his reaction to what she said. She was having a hard enough time handling her own feelings. Tess forced a bland smile to her lips. "I don't know what you mean," she said as she backed away and turned to the side.
Cameron studied her profile carefully. He knew there was something that she wasn't saying, and he wasn't about to let her keep him in the dark. "What happened last night, Tess?" Cameron softly prompted. "You can tell me. We've never kept secrets from each other, so don't start now."
"I don't suppose it would do any good to ask you to drop it," Tess replied fatalistically.
"No, it wouldn't. I know you too well to let you give me the brush off, so you may as well 'fess up. I'm not leaving until you tell me what happened to you."
Tess pulled the towel off her hair and began using it to blot the water from her long red tresses. She still faced away from Cameron, knowing that if she met his eyes, her cool façade would dissolve completely. "Ok, since you're insisting, I'll tell you. I got tired of sitting around waiting for divine intervention, so I did something to advance the case."
Cameron got a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach. Knowing that an outburst would only make things worse, Cameron took a deep breath and kept a tight rein on his temper. "Tell me that I'm jumping to the wrong conclusion. Tell me that the 'date' you mentioned when I walked in here was not with Emmanuel Logan."
Tess nonchalantly tossed the wet towel across the back of a chair. "You were the one who wanted the truth, big guy. I went to Logan's last night for dinner and-"
Tess cut off as Cameron grabbed her wrist and whirled her around to face him. All attempts to control his temper had clearly gone by the wayside. "How could you be so damned stupid? Logan is a cold-blooded killer. If he'd caught on to you, he would have snapped your neck like a twig without a second thought!"
"But he didn't catch on and I'm fine!"
"That's not the point and you know it!" Cameron ground out furiously. "How many times did we tell you to stay away from Logan? How many times did you look us in the eyes and swear that you wouldn't go out on your own? You know as well as the rest of us how many agents have been lost trying to infiltrate Logan's inner circle. We agreed to stick to the plan-"
"Right!" Tess interrupted angrily. "The wonderful plan that was working so well." Tess's eyes widened in a sarcastic image of innocence. "Why, if I had stuck to the plan, we'd probably have gotten enough information to take Logan down by, oh, the next ice age! We were getting nowhere fast with the almighty plan, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. I did what had to be done!"
Tess tried to yank her arm away, but Cameron held tight to her wrist. The jerking motion caused the sleeve of her robe to fall back to the crook of her elbow. Cameron's eyes caught on her arm. He continued to hold her wrist and used his other hand to turn her arm palm-side down. The flesh was reddened, almost to the point of being raw. A few light scratches were visible as well. The roughly scrubbed skin… the haunted look in Tess's eyes when he'd walked in…
Cameron swallowed hard. The conclusion he'd reached made his stomach turn. His anger was obliterated by the thought of what Tess's desperation had led her to do. He gently stroked the abraded skin on her arm and looked up into her eyes. Cameron's voice shook with emotion as he softly said, "Please… tell me you didn't let that slime touch you. I swear Tess, I'll kill him with my bare hands if he…" Cameron couldn't finish the thought.
Now that his grip had loosened, Tess was able to pull out of Cameron's grasp. "Is that what you think of me?" Tess asked with soft-spoken anguish. "That I would… prostitute myself for a case? I thought you knew me better than that, Mav."
"That's not what I meant, Tess," Cameron gently replied. "I know you'd never intentionally… but we both know Logan's reputation with young, beautiful women. You had to know what he expected when he asked you for a date."
"Yes, I did know," Tess replied as she grabbed her purse from the side table. "So I went prepared with something to dissuade him." Tess pulled a small vial out of her purse and held it up.
"Knock-out drugs," Cameron commented knowingly. Then he shook his head. "Even so, Tess, you took a huge risk. What if it hadn't worked fast enough? What if Logan had realized that you drugged him?"
It almost didn't work fast enough, Tess thought, a chill of revulsion ripping through her at the memory. "The 'what ifs' don't matter. Logan believes that we spent the night together and that he's forgotten it because he drank too much champagne. I made sure he believes it. And it was all worth it for the chance it gave me."
"What chance?"
Tess smiled with satisfaction. "The chance to take photos of some documents he had locked in his desk. If I'm right, I may have gotten enough information to blow this case right out of the water."
Cameron blew out a resigned breath. Tess was going to look at her solo mission as a success no matter what he said. "Where's the film now?"
"I gave it to a tech from the Bureau. He should have them developed in a few hours. That reminds me, I need to call a meeting tonight to go over the evidence in the photos. Will you have a problem getting away?"
Cameron shook his head. "I don't think so. I'll come up with something. Have you talked to Scout or Hawk yet?"
"No. I'll tell them to meet us at the warehouse tonight around eight."
Cameron glanced down at his watch and realized how late in the morning it was getting. "Shouldn't you be at Cory by now?"
Tess sat down on the couch. "No. I called off. I'm not ready to face… the office this morning. I thought I'd stay here and work on the case. When the photos are done, we'll have a lot to go over."
Cameron sat down next to Tess and took one of her hands in his. "Are you sure you're alright? If you need me to stay, I can."
Tess gave him a small, brave smile. "I'll be fine. I just needed to scrub the feel of that man off me. Having him anywhere near me makes my skin crawl."
"Ok, but call me if you change your mind. And Tess, I know why you did it, but don't ever go out on your own again."
Sensing a lecture coming on, Tess's tone took on equal parts complaint and warning. "Cameron…"
"I mean it, Tess," Cameron said sternly. "If you decide to take on Logan again, you better tell me first. I'd rather back you up than have you risk your life by going in alone."
"So you're offering me backup? Why do I suspect that you'd try tying me to a chair and talking me out of it first?"
Cameron chuckled. "Because you know me, that's why. But seriously, don't ever pull another stunt like last night again or I'll take you out myself, understood?"
Tess rolled her eyes. "I got it, I got it. Go to work already, will you? I'll see you tonight at the warehouse."
Cameron leaned in and kissed her softly on the cheek before walking to the door. "Lock up behind me," he ordered as he walked out.
Tess strode to the closed door and turned the deadbolt. She didn't need warnings about being careful. The night at Logan's was enough to press home the fact that a little caution wasn't such a bad thing.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cory Enterprises
10:15 AM
Matt walked toward his office with several folders in his hands. He stopped at his secretary's desk and said cheerfully, "How are you today, Yolanda?"
"I'm doing well, Mr. Cory. You had some messages while you were in the meeting." The secretary handed over several yellow slips of paper.
Matt leafed through them quickly until one caught his eye. "Tess Richardson called in sick today?"
"Yes. She asked me to let you know that she wouldn't be in the office today. Poor lamb, she didn't sound too chipper on the phone."
Matt's brow furrowed with concern. "I hope it's nothing serious. There's been a nasty cold going around." Matt thoughtfully tapped the edge of the message against the stack of folders. "Do I have a lunch appointment scheduled today?"
"No. You did have the Carrington Foundation luncheon, but it's been postponed until next week."
"Good. Block the lunch hour for me. I have a few errands to run."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bay City Police Department
23rd Precinct
10:30 AM
Carl strode into the station and walked over to the reception desk. "I need to see Captain Carlino on a matter of utmost urgency," he said without preamble.
The officer at the desk immediately recognized Carl. Where he would have questioned anyone else, he knew that Carl was related to Joe through marriage. "Let me see if he's available."
A few minutes later, Carl was walking into Joe's office. Joe offered him a seat but Carl paced restlessly in slow strides across the small room. He turned to look at Joe and said, "While I realize that there is a certain need for secrecy in your investigative duties, I would hope for the sake of family that you will answer a few questions for me."
Joe leaned forward and propped his elbows on the desk. "That depends on the questions."
"Fair enough. Have you had any reports of grave robberies at the cemetery recently?"
Joe's brow furrowed at the odd question. "No."
"I didn't think so," Carl replied. "When young Tito was charged with Grant's murder, did your department have reason to exhume the body?"
Joe didn't like the turn the conversation was taking. "No. Tito confessed and pled guilty. There wasn't even a trial, just a sentencing hearing. Where are these questions coming from, Carl?"
"I was at the cemetery this morning and I happened past Grant's grave. There was loose earth on top of it. Upon closer examination, I found a seam where the sod had been cut and lifted. The ground underneath was freshly turned if I'm not mistaken."
Joe stood and leaned with his palms flat on the desk. His mind raced through the implications of what Carl was telling him. "Someone has been messing with Grant's grave," he said in a tone echoing with foreboding.
Carl nodded slowly. "And since it wasn't your department, who was it? And what were they looking for?"
Joe's eyes locked with Carl's. Neither said a word, but both were thinking that where Grant was concerned, none of the possible answers to those questions were positive. Joe stood up straight and said, "Thanks for coming to me with this, Carl. I'll look into it."
"If you need any assistance, don't hesitate-"
"I won't," Joe interrupted before Carl could finish. "This is a police matter, Carl. I want you to stay out of it. I'll take it from here."
Carl smiled thinly. "Of course. I'm sure you'll find the answers to those questions with all due speed. All I ask is that you keep me apprised with any information that isn't confidential."
"I can't make any promises, but I'll do what I can," Joe replied.
Carl held out his hand to shake Joe's. "I can ask no more than that." Carl excused himself and walked out of the station. At the bottom of the steps, he paused. "I know you mean well, Joe, but Grant Harrison is more than just a police case. If he has managed to rise like a phoenix from the ashes, he shall have me to deal with."
Ryan stood in the shadows of the alley and watched Carl walk toward the parking lot. He'd heard his father's vow. Ryan knew his hope that Carl would not look into the fresh dirt on Grant's grave had been futile. He swore silently and pulled out his cell phone. "Hawk, it's Scout. We've got trouble. I need to call a team meeting tonight… Devlin? What's she got?… I guess we'll find out tonight then… The problem?" Ryan paused and glanced back at the end of the alley where Carl had been standing moments ago. "Someone is on to the fact that Grant's grave was exhumed. We may have the BCPD to deal with too… Exactly. Let's just hope that Devlin's good news will outweigh this bad news."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tess's Apartment
12:20 PM
Tess looked through the photographs she'd taken at Logan's house. She occasionally made notes on a pad of paper when she found something that seemed relevant. She wanted to be fully armed with evidence at the meeting, knowing that she'd need something to take the heat off when she revealed how she'd obtained the information.
Tess was intently studying a particularly strange entry from Logan's appointment book when the doorbell rang. She put the stack of evidence into a drawer and headed for the door. Tess looked through the peephole, then stepped back. She quickly straightened the collar on her jade blouse and smoothed her hands down the legs of her black slacks. Tess ran her fingers through her hair a few times, then unlocked and opened the door. "What are you doing here?" she asked in a surprised tone.
Matt walked past her into the apartment carrying a plastic bag, which he set on the coffee table. "I heard you were sick. I wanted to see how you were doing."
Tess smiled indulgently as she closed the door. She admired the way Matt's dark blue suit brought out the color of his eyes. "Do you check on all your sick employees? I didn't realize that was part of the company health plan."
Matt glanced over as Tess took a seat on the couch next to him. "You seem very energetic for someone who called in sick. Are you playing hooky?"
Tess laughed, then made a face of genuine remorse. "You caught me. This is more of a mental health day than anything else." She looked away, remembering what had led her to want to stay home in the first place. "I needed some time away. I'm sorry about misleading you."
"Don't sweat it," Matt said with a smile. "I won't report you to personnel."
"I hope this visit didn't inconvenience you." Tess glanced over at the plastic bag Matt had brought and winced. "Tell me you didn't go out and buy me cold medicine, or I'll be mortified."
Matt grinned. "No mortification necessary. It isn't medicine exactly." Matt pulled out a quart-size cardboard takeout container, crackers, plastic spoons, and some napkins.
Tess chuckled. "You brought me chicken soup?"
"Nope, even better. Paulina's minestrone. Good for whatever ails you, or in this case, just a delicious lunch. Where do you keep your soup bowls?"
"In the cupboard on the right side of the sink." As Matt headed for the kitchen, Tess continued talking. "You don't have to wait on me. I'm not actually sick, remember?"
Matt walked back into the living room with bowls in hand. "I like doing things for you so don't argue with me." As Matt placed the bowls on the table, the doorbell rang. "I'll get that."
"Matt…" Tess said in a chiding voice.
Matt ignored her and answered the door. A deliveryman with a clipboard stood in the hallway. "Delivery for Ms. Richardson?"
"She's here but she's a bit under the weather. I'll sign for her." Matt signed the form and the deliveryman put the clipboard down on the floor. Matt dug into his wallet for a tip while the man bent down to retrieve the delivery from where he'd placed it next to the door. Matt handed the bills over as the deliveryman passed him a huge flower arrangement.
Matt elbowed the door shut and put the large cut-crystal vase on the table next to the door. The bouquet consisted of blood-red roses, stems of miniature orchids in deep purple and white gardenias with blossoms as large as a fist. Matt assumed that a friend or family member of Tess's had sent the flowers, perhaps for her birthday. He gave a low whistle and said, "Whoever sent these certainly has expensive taste. Let's see what the special occasion is," he remarked teasingly as he reached for the card.
Tess had known immediately who had sent the ostentatious gift. She shot up from the couch and said, "Matt, don't…," but she was too late. Matt had already started reading the card. The smile on his face rapidly dissolved.
Matt read the card twice, unable to believe what he was seeing with his own eyes:
Tess,
The roses remind me of your full lips. The softness of the orchid blossoms recalls the satin touch of your skin. The scent of the gardenias echoes the perfume of your neck. Accept them as a small tribute to an incredible night I look forward to repeating very soon.
Emmanuel
Matt walked over to Tess and handed her the card. "Care to explain this?" he asked stiffly.
Tess read the card and felt her heart drop into her stomach. The damning words Logan had written left little to interpretation. Tess's first impulse was to tell Matt everything. She was tired of the lies and she might be able to make him understand… No. She knew better than to think that she could tell Matt the truth. It would endanger the case, but more importantly, it would put Matt in harm's way as well. The trained agent in her pointed out that this was the perfect opportunity to get Matt to back off for good. If she let him believe the worst, he'd let her go. Tess's heart clenched at the thought. The idea of losing Matt permanently hurt more than she could have ever imagined it would. But trying to keep him would be extremely selfish and ultimately dangerous.
Ignoring the voice in her head that pleaded with her to stop, Tess forced a cold, emotionless expression and replied, "I don't owe you any explanation," as she dropped the card on the coffee table.
Matt planted his hands on his hips. "Really? You get a message like that from a major crime boss and I don't get to ask why?"
"That's right. Look around you, Matt," Tess said with her arms splayed for emphasis. "This isn't my office at Cory and that isn't a marketing report. This is my apartment and that card is private. It's none of your business what I do on my own time."
"It is my business when you're putting your life in danger! I notice you didn't bother denying that the 'Emmanuel' on that card is Emmanuel Logan. I warned you about him, Tess! What are you thinking, getting involved with a man like that?"
Tess folded her arms across her chest and laughed cruelly. "I wasn't exactly thinking. It was more of a chemical reaction. It's not possible to control these things sometimes, I'm sure you understand."
Matt advanced on Tess slowly until he stood right in front of her. Tess refused to give an inch, but having Matt so close made keeping up her charade infinitely harder. She swallowed hard and tried to slow the rapid beating of her heart. Matt reached up and smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear, causing Tess's breath to catch slightly. "I understand it completely. Because no matter what you say, I know that the reaction you're talking about is between you and me. There's no chance that another man can do to you what I do."
Tess struggled for control. Her body ached for Matt's touch. She instinctively licked her lips. "Your arrogance and jealousy won't change the truth," Tess replied, hearing the husky tone that had seeped into her voice.
Matt raised a brow and slowly ran two fingers down the column of her throat. He rested them at the base a moment to feel the rapid pulse beating under Tess's skin. "And what is your 'truth', Tess?" Matt queried in a low voice. He suddenly reached out to pull Tess tightly against him. A gasp of pleasure escaped Tess before she could stop it.
Matt noted her reaction, then continued, "How did you feel when Logan touched you, Tess? When he held you in his arms, did it feel like this?"
Tess was unable to speak. All thoughts of misdirection had vanished the minute Matt's body touched hers. She looked up at him with silent passion burning in her eyes.
Matt raised his hands to her face. His voice dropped to a low whisper as he spoke against her lips. "When he kissed you, did it feel like this?"
Matt's lips pressed hungrily to hers and Tess immediately welcomed his invasion. Her breath shuddered as she desperately clutched him to her. Matt's arms moved to encircle her back and pull her even tighter against him. Tess writhed with uncontrollable desire as electricity rocked through her system.
You look so fine
I want to break your heart
And give you mine
You're taking me over…
Matt broke the embrace and pulled back slightly. He waited until Tess opened her eyes. When her lids drifted up, Matt saw the unabashed hunger shining in the intense blue-green irises. Tess took Matt's hand and began backing toward the hall. He followed her into the bedroom, neither of them saying a word. Tess lay down on the bed and pulled Matt towards her. He followed her lead and joined her on the bed, bracing himself above her on his forearms.
It's so insane
You've got me tethered and chained
I hear your name
And I'm falling over…
Matt slowly lowered his body to press firmly against Tess's and her eyes flared. He brushed a few soft kisses against her mouth before moving his lips to her neck. Tess sighed passionately as Matt seductively tormented her senses. "Tell me something," he whispered next to her ear.
"Can't it wait?" Tess asked in a petulant, husky tone.
"No," Matt replied as he placed a wreath of kisses along her collarbone. He leaned up to meet her eyes. "What happened between you and Logan?"
Tess raised up and began kissing Matt's neck beguilingly. "That can definitely wait," she said against his skin.
Matt was sorely tempted to let it go, but he didn't. He gently took Tess's shoulders in his hands and pressed her back down onto the mattress. "It can't wait, Tess. I need the truth, now."
Tess licked her lips and considered her answer. Case or no case, she couldn't bring herself to tell Matt she'd slept with Logan. "We had dinner, that's all. He kissed me but I wasn't interested in anything else. End of story."
"Are you sure that's everything?" Matt asked with deathly seriousness. "Nothing more happened between you two?"
"That's the truth, Matt," Tess replied sincerely. "Logan may have wanted more, but he didn't get it because…" Tess reached up and tangled a hand in Matt's hair. She pulled his lips to hers and kept her eyes locked with his. "He could never be you."
I'm open wide
I want to take you home
We'll waste some time
You're the only one for me…
Matt groaned and pressed his lips hard against Tess's. She met the ferocity of his embrace with intensity of her own. Matt shrugged out of his suit jacket and tossed it to the floor. Tess's hand's quickly worked at his belt as Matt's fingers hastily undid the buttons of her blouse. Tess pulled Matt's shirttail out of his slacks as he pulled his tie loose and tossed it away. He undid the first few buttons of his shirt and helped Tess pull it over his head. He spread the sides of her unfastened shirt to the side and pressed his lips against her firm abdomen. He gradually worked his way up her torso to spread open-mouthed kisses along the lace edging of her bra.
Tess leaned up and pressed her lips to Matt's collarbone. Her hands traveled down his hard muscled back, then came around to explore his chest. She felt like she'd waited forever to feel this way.
I'm not like all of the
other girls
I won't take it like the other girls
I won't fake it like the other girls
That you used to know…
A muffled ringing sound made it's way to Tess's ears. Matt heard it too and leaned back away from her. Tess sighed with frustration. "I suppose you have to get that," she said in a disgruntled tone.
Matt moved to sit on the edge of the bed and grabbed his jacket off the floor. As he reached into the pocket for his cell phone, he replied, "Whoever it is, I'll get rid of them."
Matt pressed the receive button on the phone. "Hello," he said with slight impatience. Tess rose to her knees behind him and began placing teasing kisses on his bare back and neck, making it difficult for him to concentrate. "Yeah, Amanda, I'm fine, just a little… distracted. What's up? … Right now? … Ok, I'll be back in ten minutes… See you soon, bye."
Matt turned off the phone and retrieved his discarded clothing from the floor. He turned to face Tess as he began putting his appearance back in order. "I have to go."
"So I heard," Tess replied. She sat back on her haunches and asked, "What's the big emergency?"
Matt buttoned the collar of his shirt and slung his tie around his neck. As he went to tie the knot, Tess rose up on her knees and brushed his hands away. Matt watched her knotting his tie for him with a smile playing about his lips. "My mother arranged a meeting with some of the stock holders that have been approached by Polaris. She wants Amanda and I there presenting a united family front. If it wasn't so important…"
Tess nodded as she straightened the knot one last time and allowed her hands to trail down Matt's chest. "I understand. I'm sure that we'll pick this up some other time."
Matt ran a hand along Tess's silky hair and replied, "I'm going to hold you to that."
Tess grinned and placed her hands on Matt's shoulders. "Not only am I certain of that…" Tess leaned forward and brushed her lips to Matt's. "I'm counting on it."
Matt took Tess's lips in a fiery kiss before reluctantly pulling away. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and left the apartment before desire overcame his resolve.
Tess sighed and stood up from the bed. As she walked back into the living room, she buttoned up her blouse. She walked over to the drawer where she'd stashed the evidence photos and took them back to the couch. "There has to be something in here that will bust you, Logan," she muttered aloud. "This case has to end… soon."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
David's Townhouse
3:00 PM
David sat at his desk in the study looking over the offer from Polaris. He knew that he should take the offer and run with it. The profit he'd make would be astronomical, and he'd be saved any more dealings with Amanda Sinclair and her bothersome husband. But the means by which the offer had come irritated David. He didn't like the feeling of being bought off and he hated the idea of letting Amanda get away with it.
David flipped the cover of the report closed and walked over to the window. He was lost in thought when a knock sounded on the closed door. David turned and said, "Yes?"
The door opened and Winston said, "Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Halliday, but-"
Cindy abruptly brushed past the butler and sauntered into the room. "There's no need for a formal announcement, Winnie. The boss man was expecting me."
David raised a brow at her announcement. He didn't recall expecting Cindy to drop by, but the intrusion wasn't an unwelcome one. He certainly wasn't making any progress on deciding what to do about the Polaris offer. Winston appeared to be in a quandary over what he deemed to be a failure in performing his duties. David said, "It's alright, Winston. When I told you that I didn't want to be disturbed, I should have mentioned allowing Cindy to come in."
The butler gave a quick nod and appeared to be appeased when he closed the door. Cindy smirked, "He's a better guard dog than a Rottweiler. You could rent him out for training."
David leaned against the edge of his desk and folded his arms across his chest. "I didn't realize I was expecting you, Cindy. Did we have a meeting scheduled that I forgot about?"
Cindy strolled over, shaking her head. "Nope, no meeting. But you should have expected me anyway."
David looked down at her with a lopsided grin. "Oh, really? And why is that?"
Cindy reached down and slowly unbuttoned David's suit jacket. Once it was undone, she ran her hands up his chest to his shoulders and slipped off the jacket. She tossed it onto the desk chair and linked her hands behind his neck. "Because I haven't seen you since Tuesday and I got tired of waiting for you to call me. If Mohammed won't come to the mountain…"
David found himself wrapping his arms around her waist. He leaned down and kissed her lips, softly at first, then with increasing intensity. David's lips traveled down the column of Cindy's throat to the throbbing pulse point at its base. With the heat between them spiraling out of control, David pulled back and spoke with labored breath. "I thought we agreed… to wait."
Cindy's breath shuddered out of her on a sigh filled with hunger. "Uh-uh, that was your idea." David's eyes shot to her mouth briefly, then met hers again. Cindy removed one hand from his neck and used it to grab hold of his tie. "I'm done being patient," she said as she tugged on David's tie and brought her lips back to his. "I don't want to wait anymore."
David groaned in surrender and fiercely took Cindy's lips. She released her grip on his tie and slipped both arms around his shoulders. Desire tore through her system like a storm. She arched her back as David's lips pressed feverish kisses against her neck. She remembered the couch in the far corner of the room and began slowly backing towards it. David followed her lead and crossed the floor with his arms wrapped tightly around her. They exchanged hot, nipping kisses as they approached the couch.
As she passed the coffee table, Cindy's leg brushed against something and knocked it to the floor with a loud thud. She and David both looked down to see what had made the noise. Cindy saw that she had overturned a medium sized box and spilled its contents on the floor. She looked back up and said, "Oops, hope there wasn't anything breakable in there."
David's arms dropped from Cindy and he knelt down to clean up the mess. In a distracted voice, he said, "It's nothing important."
Cindy crouched down next to him and replied, "If it's nothing important, we can pick it up later." She placed a hand on David's thigh to emphasize her point, but he didn't react. He just kept grabbing things from the floor and tossing them back into the box. Cindy hooked a finger under his chin and forced him to look at her. "What is this stuff?"
"Some things from the hotel suite, from… before."
"I thought you got rid of these things ages ago."
David wasn't ready to explain why he still had this box and why it was sitting in his study. After the vision he'd had in his sleep a few days back, he'd pulled out this box and looked through it, hoping to trigger a memory. David shrugged as if it didn't matter one way or the other to him. "Morbid curiosity I guess. It's a strange feeling to have people tell you that you've done things you have no memory of doing. One thing's for sure. This Stark fell'a and I have very different taste in just about everything."
Cindy reached down next to her foot and picked up a small bottle. She made a face as she looked at the label. "I certainly hope so. What would a guy be doing with fancy French bubble bath?"
David's brow wrinkled in confusion as he parroted, "Bubble bath?" Cindy opened the top and sniffed, then jerked the bottle away in revulsion. "Whew! This stuff is strong!"
David's curiosity got the better of him and he took the bottle from her to smell the contents himself. The scent knocked him back, and in his mind's eye, a fuzzy picture started to form…
His hand reaching for a sponge… submerging it into soapy bath water… rubbing the sponge across the bare shoulders of a woman… her blonde hair caught up in a clip… she turns to face him… he leans down to kiss her… he knows that face… Amanda…Amalie…
Cindy looked at David's face with concern. He was staring off into space and not saying a word. "David? David, what's wrong?"
Cindy's voice snapped David out of the foggy memory. Cindy took the bottle from him, put the top back on, and threw it into the box. He suddenly realized that he hadn't answered her question. "It's nothing. I just got a pounding headache all of the sudden."
"I can understand that. After sniffing that stuff, I feel a bit nauseous myself. Do you want me to get you some aspirin?"
David rose to his feet and said, "No, thank you, I'll get it myself." Without another word, he left the study and made a beeline for the bathroom. He opened the medicine cabinet and shook two aspirin into the palm of his hand. Thinking better of it, he dispensed two more tablets and tossed them back with a glass of water. He leaned heavily against the sink and studied his reflection in the mirror. His face was pale and he could almost see his temples throbbing with the pain inside his head. David turned on the water and let it run. He leaned down and splashed his face several times. He stood with his head bowed over the sink, allowing the cold water to drip off as he tried to contain the pressure inside his skull. Finally feeling the pain begin to subside, David grabbed a hand towel and dried his face with it. When he met his own eyes in the mirror again, he dazedly murmured, "What is happening to me?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Logan's Office
3:30 PM
The intercom on Logan's desk buzzed and he answered, "Yes, Tiana?"
"Mr. Kirkland on the phone for you, sir. Should I take a message or patch him through?"
Logan rolled his eyes. He was in no mood to deal with Harrison, but there was no point avoiding it. The man was as tenacious as he was irritating. "You can patch him through. By the way, did you arrange the flower delivery I requested?"
"Yes, sir. Ms. Richardson should have received the arrangement by now. I'll connect you with Mr. Kirkland now."
Logan saw the light for line two come on. He pressed the button and picked up the receiver. "I don't have a lot of time 'Mr. Kirkland', so make it brief."
Grant's knowing chuckle grated Logan's nerves. "Come now, Manny. That's no way to greet an old friend. I just wanted to check in and see what progress you've made on obtaining that valuable item we discussed at our last meeting. I'm getting impatient to see… the package."
Logan rubbed his temples. "I'm well aware of your impatience; there was no need to call and remind me of it. But you must also realize what a delicate matter this is. Getting my hands on what you're asking for takes careful planning. The timing of the exchange is critical."
"So long as you're working on it, I'm pleased. Just remember, Manny, I can be very unpleasant when I don’t get what I want. I tend to act impulsively. I'm certain that's the last thing either of us want, right?"
Logan recognized the subtle threat and it made his blood boil. He held on to his temper and gave a silent prayer that once he delivered Harrison's "property" that he would be done with the parasite. "I agree. When I have more news on the package, I'll let you know."
"Just make it quick, Manny. I don't like to be kept waiting."
When the line went dead, Logan slammed the receiver down with a growled oath. He picked the phone back up and quickly dialed. "Speed up the Harrison operation… I know that, but he's losing patience and I'm tired of listening to him complain… Whatever you need to get this done will be at your disposal… Let me know when you have something."
Logan hung up the phone and walked over to the window to stare out at the bay. He briefly considered having Harrison eliminated. After all, killing a "dead" man certainly made it easier to cover his tracks. But as soon as the notion occurred to Logan, he dismissed it. The Feds had been nosing around Grant's grave. If they hadn't realized that Grant was alive yet, they soon would. Another thing to consider was Harrison himself. Despite the fact that he was vastly irritating and knew more than he should, Grant had made himself quite useful to Logan in the past.
All things said and done, Logan was a businessman who knew how to measure risk versus reward. Whatever satisfaction he would gain by being rid of Harrison permanently wasn't worth what he would lose in the process. I'll get your kid for you, Harrison. After that, you'll be the one owing me… and I always collect.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
McKinnon Cottage
5:30 PM
Jake walked into the house and cheerily called out, "Hail the conquering newsman, home from another day of making the world safe for democracy."
Vicky strolled out of the kitchen with a grin on her face. "We need to work on that ego of yours, McKinnon. It's sad to see a man with no confidence in himself."
Jake held out his arms and cocked his head to the side. "What can I say? It's like that old song goes, 'Oh Lord, it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way'."
Vicky teasingly put her fingers in her ears at Jake's off-key warbling. "Please! The twins will never come out if they hear you singing like that."
Jake knelt down and scooted over to Vicky on his knees. He held her belly and said, "You guys like my singing, don't you?" Vicky giggled and put her hand on Jake's head as he pressed his ear to her rounded stomach. "Uh-huh, ok, thanks," Jake said before standing up and enclosing Vicky in his arms. "I'm afraid you're outvoted. Sigfried and Roy in there say they love my singing."
"Sigfried and Roy are very bad names for girls, Jake. Besides that, I have it directly from little Thelma and Louise that they don't think you should quit your day job."
"Some chicks have no taste," Jake replied with an impish grin. He leaned in and began kissing Vicky's neck. "And how was your day, dear?"
Vicky's eyes drifted shut and she sighed contentedly. "It's getting a lot better right now."
Jake leaned back and looked at Vicky with concern. "I don't like the sound of that. Do you need a foot massage or a back rub? I'm at your service."
Vicky didn't want to tell him what was bothering her. Vicky knew that Jake would get upset if she told him that she had briefly thought she'd seen Ryan the other day. She'd found herself preoccupied by it all week. Vicky had looked through several books on pregnancy, but none of them had mentioned hallucinations as a side effect of increased hormones. She decided to talk to Donna and see if she'd had anything like that happen when she was pregnant. Vicky turned her mind back to the present and said, "A back rub sounds divine."
Jake bowed slightly and said, "Your wish is my command." He seated her on the sofa before sitting behind her and massaging her shoulders. Vicky closed her eyes and leaned back into Jake's hands. She told herself to forget the past and focus on the present. She had everything she needed right here and now. Wanting what was long gone wouldn't bring it back.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cory Mansion
7:30 PM
Amanda walked into the house and put her briefcase on the hall table. The meeting with the stockholders had gone longer than expected. That had necessitated a long night at the office to complete the other work she'd had to neglect during the day. Amanda was tired and wanted nothing more than to relax with her husband.
When she walked into the living room, she saw Alli and Carl with their heads together over a book. Amanda pushed down the instinct to get Alli away from Carl. She'd promised him a clean slate for her mother's sake. Until he proved to her that he was untrustworthy, Amanda had to believe that Carl was a changed man. Amanda smiled and said cheerily, "What's going on in here? You two look like you're preparing for battle."
Alli looked over with a smile. "Hi, Mom. Carl is helping me study for drama class."
"I see. How's it going?"
"I'm really starting to get the hang of it," Alli replied excitedly. "Carl is explaining all the 'Shakespeare-ese' to me. This actually is funny when you know what they're saying."
"That's great, sweetie." Amanda glanced over to Carl and said, "Thank you for helping Alli. I know she couldn't ask for a better theater tutor."
"The pleasure has been all mine. This young lady is a quick study." Carl turned to Alli and said, "You want to demonstrate?"
Alli wrinkled her nose. "I don't know. It's still kind of rough."
"Don't be silly, dear girl," Carl replied. "You're doing very well. Besides, it will be good practice. You do have tryouts next week to prepare for."
Amanda smiled encouragingly. "I'd love to see it, Alli."
Alli stood up and nervously rubbed her palms on the legs of her jeans. "Ok, let's give it a shot." She took one last glance at the lines before Carl put the book down. Amanda took a seat in the pink chair as the pair took positions behind the couch and began the scene.
Alli folded her arms across her chest and shot a defiant look at Carl. "I wonder that you will still be talking, Signor Benedick: nobody marks you."
"What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?"
"Is it possible that disdain should die while she hath such meat food to feed it as Signor Benedick? Courtesy herself must convert to disdain, if you come in her presence."
"Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I would I could find it in my heart that I had not a hard heart; for, truly, I love none."
Alli made a humorless smile. "A dear happiness to women: they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God and my cold blood, I am of your humor for that: I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me."
Carl took a few steps with his hands on his hips. Alli's eyes followed him disdainfully. "God keep your ladyship still in that mind so some gentleman or other shall escape a predestinate scratched face."
"Scratching could not make it worse, 'twere it such a face as yours." Alli smiled with satisfaction.
Carl huffed indignantly. "Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher."
"A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours."
"I would my horse had the speed of your tongue, and so good a continuer. But keep your way, in God's name; I have done."
Carl turned and strode away. Alli stared at his back, her expression showing some pain now that he wasn't looking. "You always end with a jade's trick: I know you of old."
Alli turned to Amanda's seat and said, "Well, what did you think?"
Amanda clapped her hands and stood up. Carl jogged over to Alli and they both bowed; though Alli giggled during it. Amanda walked over and said, "I know I'm your mother, which makes me slightly biased, but I thought you were wonderful!" Alli grinned and Amanda looked over at Carl with sincere gratitude. Then, she glanced around and said, "Where is that husband of mine? He just missed a great performance."
"Cameron said he had to go out. He left you a note on the desk."
"Thanks, Alli," Amanda replied distractedly. She went to the desk and picked up a folded piece of paper with her name written on it.
Amanda,
I have some business to take care of tonight. I may be home late so don't wait up.
I Love You,
Cameron
Amanda felt a knot of tension form in her stomach. She knew that she was probably overreacting, but that didn't change the way she felt. Where do you keep disappearing to, Cameron? And why?
Amanda turned back to face Alli and Carl. She plastered a wooden smile on her face and said, "You know what? I have an errand I was supposed to run on the way home and I totally forgot about it. I'll be back soon."
Alli watched her mother walk into the foyer. When she heard the door shut, Alli turned to Carl with a concerned look on her face. "Mom seemed upset. Do you think she's ok?"
Carl's eyes landed on the note that still lay on the desk. "I'm sure she's fine, Alli. She just has a lot on her mind." Like where her husband keeps disappearing to without explanation.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Gary and Josie's Apartment
7:50 PM
Gary was watching a baseball game when a knock sounded on the apartment door. He clicked the power button on the remote and jogged over to open the door.
Amanda was on the doorstep, looking more than a little distressed. "Hi Gary. I'm sorry for stopping by without calling first."
"Nonsense, the door's always open for my favorite sister-in-law. Come on in."
Amanda walked into the apartment and Gary closed the door. "Is Josie home?" Amanda asked as she glanced around.
"Nope. She had the late shift tonight. She won't be home for a few hours yet." Gary waited for Amanda to tell him why she'd dropped by, though he was fairly certain that he already knew.
"Do you know where Cameron is tonight? He left me a note saying that he had some business to take care of but he didn't know when he'd be home. Is he on a stakeout or something?"
Gary had the intense desire to wring his little brother's neck. Cameron's lies and secrecy were starting to hurt Amanda now, too. Gary wasn't about to compound the problem by lying for him. "If he is, it's not a case that I know about."
Something occurred to Amanda and she gave him a relieved smile. "It must be that insurance fraud case. The one that's causing so much tension between you two."
Gary's brows flew up with surprise. "Is that what he told you?" Gary bit the inside of his lip and gestured toward the couch. "Amanda, let's sit down for a minute." When they were both seated, Gary said, "Has Cameron been acting… strange with you recently?"
"What do you mean by 'acting strange'?"
"I mean… does he get mysterious phone calls and disappear with no explanation as to where he's going or when he'll be back? Does he tell you something that sounds logical but that you later realize isn't entirely true?"
Amanda thought back over the past couple of months. Cameron had been unusually tense and preoccupied. She's excused most of the strange behavior when it happened, but thinking back, there had been far too many occurrences. "Yes, I've noticed that too," Amanda replied sadly. "What is going on with him, Gary? There are times when I wonder if I know him at all."
Gary gathered Amanda to him and hugged her. As he rubbed her back comfortingly, he said, "Don't worry, Amanda. I'll find out what he's up to. You can count on it."
Author's Note: The song quoted in this chapter is "You Look So Fine" by Garbage. It can be found on their CD, "Version 2.0". Click on the hyperlinked title to listen to a Real media clip from the song. The lines that Carl and Alli recited come from Act I - Scene I of William Shakespeare's play "Much Ado About Nothing".