Tangled Web
By Sarah & Lanie
Chapter 17
August 27, 1999
8:00 PM
First Street
Cameron jogged down the hill toward the docks. He turned guardedly when he heard a car come to a stop a short distance behind him. The streetlights a few yards away dimly illuminated Tess's BMW slacks and a Spider. He waited as she exited the car. She was dressed in black silver-gray blouse. Tess walked briskly toward him. Without any acknowledgement of the other's presence, they walked toward the warehouse together.
"How are you?" Cameron asked keeping his eyes straight ahead.
Tess did not physically react to his question, but kept stride with him. "Fine," she told him flatly.
"I don’t believe you."
"'Lie convincingly without hesitation'," she quoted.
Cameron expelled air through his lips, then grabbed her arm. Tess looked at him defiantly. "You don't have to lie to me. I know you, Dev."
"If you know me, then you'll let it go. I'm sure that I'm in for a tongue lashing in there," she told him and pointed over her shoulder at the darkened warehouse.
"You know that you deserve it."
Tess sighed. "True, but that doesn't mean that I need to hear it."
Cameron nodded, leaned forward and kissed her forehead. He grabbed her hand and they quickly slipped inside the building undetected. They walked purposefully toward the meeting room at the corner of the building. Hawk was alone in the meeting room. Cameron reached out his hand to him in greeting. Hawk clasped it firmly and they smiled slightly at each other. Tess took her seat and deliberately avoided eye contact with Hawk. Cameron sat in the seat beside hers at the table.
"So where's Scout? I thought he would be here," Cameron stated.
"He'll be here in a minute. He's on the phone with Kane discussing a recent development."
"Anything important?" Cameron asked.
Hawk gazed at him steadily. "It could be. It could prove dangerous for all of us."
Cameron returned his gaze, then shrugged slightly knowing there was nothing he could do until he knew the full magnitude of the situation. He settled back in his chair and waited.
Ryan appeared a short time later. His face revealed nothing about the nature of his conversation with Kane. He nodded at the other occupants in the room and took his seat at the end of the table.
"Shall we get started?" He asked quickly getting down to business. "I'll begin. I just talked to Kane. Something unexpected has come up. Carl Hutchins has discovered the fresh dirt on Grant's grave."
Cameron rolled his eyes, clenched his jaw, and shook his head in disbelief. Ryan shot him a look while Hawk gave him a warning glance.
"Not only that. Scout followed him to the Bay City PD. Carl has got Joe Carlino poking around now," Hawk added.
Cameron closed his eyes tightly trying to gain control of his temper and stifle the scathing remarks that threatened to escape his lips. When he opened his eyes, he looked straight at Ryan. They shared a long intense stare, as the room remained silent.
"If you've got something to say…." Ryan challenged.
Cameron's eyes flashed with fire. "I have plenty to say, Scout, but nothing that you want to hear. Hutchins is nothing but trouble and the fact that he's sticking his nose into this investigation proves my point."
Tess looked back and forth between Ryan and Cameron warily, knowing Carl Hutchins was a touchy subject between the two. Trying to diffuse the situation before it escalated into a full-fledged fight, Tess quickly said, "So what has Carlino managed to uncover?"
Ryan's eyes turned to her. "That's what I was on the phone with Kane about. Fortunately, the file is completely in order. There is nothing in there that will reveal our operation. If Joe continues to pursue it, he will run up against brick wall after brick wall."
"Where's the "but" in that sentence?" Cameron asked.
Ryan's nostrils flared slightly revealing his annoyance at Cameron's question. "There is nothing else."
"Come on, Scout. We all know that Carlino is not the only factor in this situation. Hutchins is as obsessed with Grant now as he was after you "died". Just because Joe drops the case doesn't mean Hutchins will do the same."
"We'll cross that bridge if we come to it," Ryan spat.
Cameron and Ryan stared at each other for a moment silently letting the other one know that their discussion was making no difference in their personal feelings about Carl Hutchins.
"You mentioned on the phone that you had come across some information that might be of some importance to us, " Hawk reminded Tess, attempting to ease the tension in the room by changing the subject.
Tess swallowed hard and looked at Cameron, then reached for the files she had brought with her.
"I think you need to tell them the whole story first, Devlin," Cameron told her.
Tess cut her eyes at him, then took a deep breath. "I was able to infiltrate Emmanuel Logan's inner sanctum."
"You what!" Hawk demanded as he slammed his fist on the table and jumped to his feet.
"What did you do?" Ryan asked with anger seeping into his tone.
Cameron seized control of the situation. "Devlin and I had a long talk about what she did. She understands what will happen if she decides to go off on her own again and she agrees to the terms I gave her."
Hawk took his seat and nodded slightly.
"Go ahead, Devlin. We're listening," Ryan told her patiently.
"I agreed to go on a date with him. I made him believe, with the help of our friend, Rohypnol, that he and I were very intimate. While he slept it off, I helped myself to a few things in his house. Here are some photos that I took of his appointment book. I've made notes about patterns that are of interest," Tess told them as she handed the photographs to the three men then continued. "Logan takes copious notes about every meeting he has. That appointment book is kept under lock and key in his desk. There are several instances that are a little puzzling to me. You'll notice some notations throughout the book where he barely makes any entries about the meeting at all. Maybe they are brief encounters where nothing happened."
Ryan flipped through the pages, taking mental notes of things he saw. He leaned forward to get a better look at one of the pages which had a single sentence written on it. He blinked a couple of times then traced the words with his index finger. "Devlin, I think you've hit the jackpot!"
"What do you see?" Hawk asked.
Cameron moved around the table so that he was standing behind Ryan. Tess moved to his side as they all looked over Ryan's shoulder.
"It's right here. It's so obvious."
"Would you enlighten us, please?" Tess asked.
Ryan smiled. "Logan has written on August 16th 'met with Justin Kirkland'."
Hawk began to smile with him. "He's slipping."
"I'm missing something," Tess added with a confused look in her eyes.
Cameron shook his head. "Me, too. What does it mean?"
Ryan turned to both of them. "Our mother's name was Justine Kirkland. This is just Grant's way of being clever. Justin Kirkland."
"So you're saying that Grant Harrison was in Bay City on the 16th?" Cameron asked.
Ryan nodded. "He's made his move. Now it's our turn."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cameron and Hawk walked outside the meeting room as Ryan and Tess continued to look over things and make plans. Hawk put his hand on Cameron's shoulder and squeezed tightly.
"So you took care of Devlin and her need to put herself in danger?"
Cameron nodded. "Yeah. Thanks for not jumping down her throat. Logan really pulled a number on her, and she's very vulnerable right now. Not that she'd ever admit to that."
"You know her better than anyone. I knew that you had done what was necessary."
"From now on, I'm keeping a closer eye on her. I'm going to be a better partner."
Hawk smiled. "When it comes to having someone watch my back, I only want you."
Cameron nodded. "I was taught by the best."
"How are things with Amanda?"
"They're good other than the lying. I hate lying to her. I see the worry in her eyes."
"Just give it a little while longer and everything will be over."
Cameron turned to him. "But can I wait that long? Or will everything start falling apart……my marriage, my family, my life….."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
August 30, 1999
Harbor Club
Donna fussed with a table near the back of the restaurant. She directed the waiters as she took great pains with the flowers and the placement of the napkins.
"It looks beautiful," Marley whispered over Donna's shoulder.
Donna jumped slightly and turned around. She smiled with pleasure as she hugged Marley to her.
"Oh, darling, I'm so glad that you're here. You look wonderful," Donna beamed as she took in Marley's white and sage checked pantsuit and matching solid sage blouse.
"So are you going to tell me what the big news is all about?"
"Not until everyone gets here. Where is Tyrone? I thought he was coming."
"He'll be here soon, Donna. He has been in court all morning. Luckily, he's the judge, and he gets to say when they recess."
"I know how proud you are of him, darling. You simply glow when you talk about him.
Marley's smile widened as she blushed slightly. "He really makes me happy."
"Speaking of happiness, what have you been up to lately? I call and call and you're never at home."
Marley sat down and Donna took the seat beside her. "I'm getting a little more of myself back. I can't stay in that house all day long, you know. I've been volunteering at the hospital, and I think I've finally convinced the board to open a free clinic near the docks."
"If anyone could persuade them, it would be you. "
"Tyrone has been persuading me to take some classes at Bay City U. I don't know if I'm going to do that or not. He thinks concentrating on getting a degree in something that I'm interested in will give me a sense of purpose."
"I think Tyrone Montgomery is a very smart man and that he cares about you a great deal," Donna told her as she hugged Marley. "I'm so happy for you, my darling."
"Hey, how's my favorite sister?" Nick asked as he leaned over Marley's shoulder and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
Marley sparkled as Nick doted on her. Feeling like a true part of this family and having Tyrone at her side were the prescription for her full recovery.
"Hey! What's this 'favorite sister' thing?" Vicky asked teasingly as she walked up behind the three of them.
Nick swooped down on her, kissing the top of her head. "My other favorite sister," he greeted with a wide smile.
"And don't you forget it," Vicky told him with a laugh.
As Nick stepped away, both Marley and Donna stood and hugged Vicky.
"Where is Jake? He is coming, isn't he?" Donna asked.
"He'll be here, Mom. You know he wouldn't miss an invitation from you for a free meal."
"Did I hear someone say "free"?" Jake asked as he walked into the group. He kissed Vicky on the neck, then pounded Nick on the back. Marley looked on tentatively. Jake hugged Donna and then without hesitation enfolded Marley in a tight hug.
"So what's the occasion?" Jake asked as he stepped away from Marley and looked expectantly at Donna.
Vicky elbowed him and said, "In a minute. Nick, where's Remy?"
"She's helping Paulina with Dante today. She's really sorry that she couldn't come," Nick told them.
Tyrone quietly walked up to the crowd unnoticed. Marley seemed to sense that he was near and turned to him instinctively. Her face once again transformed into a blissful glow. Tyrone smiled widely in response holding out his hand to her. He pulled her against him and they kissed briefly.
"Hi, I was afraid I was going to be late," he admitted.
"You're just in time," she whispered.
Tyrone's eyes danced with happiness as he looked at her.
"Tyrone! So glad you're here," Donna told him. "Come on everyone let's get started."
They each took a seat at the round table. The waiters bustled around them making sure that they had everything they needed.
"So, Donna, why all the fuss?" Jake inquired as he fidgeted beside Vicky.
"In due time, Jake McKinnon. Be patient."
Vicky laughed. "That word isn't in his vocabulary."
"Hey!"
"You know it's true," Vicky told him.
Jake opened and closed his mouth several times before he just looked at Vicky with a frown.
"Oh, quit fussing, you two," Donna admonished. "I called you all here, because I wanted to share my good news. I'm so excited!"
"Well, don't keep us in suspense," Nick said.
"They are finished with the restoration of Cass's house. Lila and Cass are moving out of my apartment as we speak. I'm moving back in tonight," Donna told them with barely contained happiness.
"Donna, that's great," Marley said.
"I am so excited. I'll finally be out of everyone's hair and back in my own apartment."
"Oh, Mom, you know that you've always been welcome," Vicky told her.
"Yes, darling, I know, but it's time to get back to normal."
"Wait a minute," Jake interjected. "Hold on one minute here. Are you guys thinking what I'm thinking?" He asked looking back and forth between Nick and Tyrone.
"What?" Tyrone asked.
"I'm thinking that the only reason the three of us are here is that someone has our evening planned out for us. Am I right, Donna? You were counting on three strong, male backs to haul your stuff back into that apartment."
"Jake McKinnon!"
"I'm right," he said with a huff.
"Well, then don't….."
"He's just giving you a hard time, Mom. Of course, he'll be helping," Vicky reassured Donna as she elbowed Jake in the side again. Jake rubbed the injured spot on his side and gave Vicky a sullen look.
"You can count me in, too, Donna," Tyrone told her.
"Yeah, me too."
Donna beamed as she looked around at her family. "I don't know what I would do without any of you. You are each more precious to me than words can ever express."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cory Enterprises
11:30 AM
Tess looked through the reports one more time. She was having a difficult time concentrating on Cory business today. Though her job at Cory was just a cover, she had been given certain responsibilities and she would fulfill them. Today was just not a good day for keeping her mind on the business at hand. She kept thinking back to their meeting on Friday. Trying to anticipate Grant Harrison's next move was a lot like playing chess. It took time and a lot of thought. Maybe she would call Cameron, and they could hash out some ideas during lunch. As she reached for the phone, it buzzed.
"Yes?"
"Ms. Richardson, Mr. Logan is on line one."
"Would you….." Tess began as the phone began ringing in her office. She looked at it in annoyance as she brought the receiver to her ear. "Tess Richardson."
Emmanuel Logan sat behind the desk in his office. He looked at a silver bangle bracelet as he absently swirled it on his finger. "Hello, Tess," he said huskily. "I was hoping that I might entice you to eat lunch with me today."
Tess made a face. "I'm sorry, Emmanuel. I already have plans."
"That's really too bad. I have been…aching to see you, Tess."
When his statement was met with silence, Logan continued, "The reason for my call is twofold. My housekeeper was cleaning in my bedroom this morning and found a silver bracelet. I believe it belongs to you."
Tess cursed silently. She had left the bracelet on purpose in case she needed an excuse to see Logan again. Now her clever idea was coming back to haunt her. On any other occasion she would lie about the bracelet, but it held some sentimental value to her so she had no choice but to retrieve it. "I'll stop by on my way to lunch to pick it up."
"Perfect. I'll see you then."
Tess cringed as she placed the phone back on the cradle.
"Whew, if looks could kill?" Matt said as he casually leaned against the door in her office. "Is it directed at me?"
Tess jumped, startled by Matt's presence, but tried to cover by quipping, "I have some very different ideas for you."
Matt's eyebrows shot up. Tess's eyes widened in disbelief at what she had said and how it had sounded.
"I mean…." She stumbled over her words.
"I know exactly what you meant, Tess," Matt told her as he closed the door and walked over to stand beside her desk. "Are you blushing?"
Tess dipped her head as the redness crept from her cheeks all the way down her neck. "No…. I mean….."
"You know I like it when you're speechless."
Tess collected herself and shot a look at Matt. "Then you also know that it doesn't last long."
Matt smiled. "I bet I could do something about that," he said smoothly. "Do you have lunch plans? I have some definite ideas."
Tess shook her head. "As tempting as that sounds, not today. I've got several errands to run."
"Do them tomorrow."
"Uh-uh," she told him and began gathering her things. She picked up her purse and started to brush past him. She leaned her face toward his until it was just a breath away. Their eyes locked. "Miss me," she whispered then whisked out the door leaving Matt with a dazed look on his face.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bay City Police Department
11:45 AM
Josie walked into Joe's office. He was absorbed in a file. The papers from the file were spread out over his desk in a semi-circle. He's brow was furrowed in concentration.
"Hey, Josie, is there something you need?" He asked briefly looking up from the file.
"No, I was just coming to tell you that I'm going on my lunch break. But by the looks of it…..is there something that I can help you with?"
Joe shrugged. "No, I just can't make heads or tails out of these forms. They appear to be in order, but something isn't quite right."
"What case is it?"
"That's just it. It's not a case at all. Someone has been poking around Grant Harrison's grave."
"Why would anyone do that?"
"You tell me. These are the authorizations for the exhumation of Grant Harrison's body," Joe told her.
Josie walked around the desk and looked at the papers noting the vague details. "The FBI?"
"Yeah, you have any idea why the FBI would want to take a look at Harrison?"
Josie slowly shook her head. "No. I mean, Tito confessed. There was really nothing more to be said."
"All the paperwork was authorized by an Agent Kane."
"Kane? No, doesn’t ring a bell. I could talk to some of my contacts at the FBI and see what I come up with."
Joe nodded. "Normally, I would just let this go, but something about it makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. And where Harrison's involved….."
"I understand. I'll let you know what I find out."
"Good. Now get out of here."
Josie waved and left, shutting the door behind her. Joe frowned as he looked back down at the files. "We just can't get rid of you. Can we, Grant?" He muttered to himself.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chi Town
Noon
Tess strode through the nightclub as if she were on a mission. She wanted to get away from Logan as quickly as possible. Cameron would be furious with her for going without him, but she was only making a brief stop. If all went well, this would be the last time she would ever have to deal with Logan one on one. Tess looked around at the empty club. It was a very different place from the flashy, crowded scenes at night. To her left, she could see some men standing in the shadows but paid little attention to them because they appeared to be preoccupied with their conversation.
Tess knew that Logan undoubtedly had a camera recording her every move and he was watching her on a monitor in his office. She threw her shoulders back and held her head high as she navigated the narrow hall to his office. Just a few more steps and she could leave. She took a deep breath before twisting the knob of the door to Logan's outer office.
As she stepped inside, Tess barely noticed the office. She immediately zeroed in on the woman sitting behind the desk wondering how she had gotten the job or why she stayed. The woman was typical of Logan's taste, young and beautiful.
"May I help you?" the woman asked.
"Yes, I am Tess Richardson. Mr. Logan is expecting me."
"He has been waiting for you. Go on in."
Tess nodded and walked to the mahogany door that separated the two offices. She swallowed hard and pushed open the door. Logan looked up at her from behind his desk. He smiled and stood immediately.
"Tess, how nice to see you," he said as he walked around the desk and toward her.
As he approached, Logan put his hands on her shoulders and leaned toward her. Tess steeled herself for his kiss. She turned her head slightly so that it would land on her cheek instead of her lips. She tried to hide her revulsion by smiling when he leaned away with disappointment in his eyes.
"Hello. I'm glad that your housekeeper found my bracelet. I've been looking everywhere for it," Tess said quickly, hoping to retrieve the bracelet and be on her way.
Logan laughed lowly. "You just weren't looking in the right place," he said and walked back to his desk.
Tess followed and stood in front of the desk, waiting for him to give her the bracelet. Logan removed it from his desk drawer and held it out to her. When Tess reached for it, he grabbed it away, holding it just beyond her reach.
"Tsk…tsk…now you didn't think it was going to be that easy, did you?"
Tess's eyes widened in shock. Is he on to me? She smiled tentatively. "I don't know what you mean."
Logan came around the desk so that he could stand closer to her. He linked his hands behind her waist pulling Tess fully against him. He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "I think that I deserve a reward. Only this time, I plan on savoring every moment, if you know what I mean?"
Logan nibbled on her ear. Tess put her hands on his shoulders to push him away, but his grip was tight. He ran his hand down her arm and slipped the bracelet on her wrist. He brought her wrist to his lips and kissed the pulse point all the while gazing deeply into her eyes.
"Yes, I believe I do," she admitted.
"Good, then have dinner with me."
Tess slowly shook her head. "No, I can't."
"You have other plans."
"I'm afraid so."
"Why don't you look at your appointment book, then give me a call?"
"I certainly will. I hate to cut this visit short, but I have some other things to do. Thank you for returning my bracelet and thank you for the flowers you sent. They were beautiful."
"Just like you."
Tess smiled. "I really do have to be going. Thank you again, Emmanuel. Good-bye."
"I'll walk you out."
Tess started to protest then acquiesced. They walked through the club together in silence. Tess offered another farewell at the stairs then disappeared feeling relieved that she had again managed to escape his clutches, hopefully for the last time.
Logan watched her walk up the stairs, enjoying his view from the floor.
"Hey, boss."
Logan swung around and looked at the man standing beside him. He rose to his full height as he looked down his nose at him.
"Arty, what are you doing here?"
"Just came to get my paycheck, boss."
"Good, then be on your way."
"Uh, Mr. Logan…"
"What Arty?" He asked impatiently and started to walk back toward his office.
"You remember me telling you about that foxy babe that came into the morgue to look at Harrison's body?"
"Yeah, what about her?"
"That was her."
Logan swung around and looked at Arty. His eyes were narrowed then flew wide with understanding. "You are mistaken."
"No, Mr. Logan, I've seen that chick up close before. There's no mistakin' her. I mean, she could be a model or something. I'd like to see her in Playboy," Arty mused with a raspy laugh. "What's she doing here?"
Logan's mind was spinning with thoughts. He clenched his jaw as his eyes focused on the point where Tess had disappeared from his sight. A sinister look washed across his face. In a snarling voice he muttered, "That's what I would like to know."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cory Enterprises
Amanda ran her finger down the screen on the computer looking at the sales figures of Brava for last month. She smiled slightly, pleased with what she saw in front of her. Brava was doing well. A few well-placed advertisements had boosted sales. Sure the ads had cost them dearly, but they would soon pay for themselves with the profits incurred from the increases in circulation.
"Mrs. Sinclair?"
Amanda looked up from her computer at the woman in the doorway. "What is it, Debra?"
"You wanted me to remind you about your appointment with Doctor Shelton."
Amanda smiled. "Thanks, Debra. I guess I should be getting ready to go."
Amanda pulled her shirt down and smoothed her skit. She closed her eyes and smiled.
"Today's the day," she said out loud, then walked toward the door.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sinclair Investigations
Gary and Cameron both were poring over files, trying to get all the reports in order. Gary sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time.
"Man, we've got to get a clerk in here. I'm going nuts doing all this. Neither one of us can focus on a case when we're spending all our time doing paper work," Gary told Cameron.
Cameron looked up and nodded. "When you're right, you're right. But who are we gonna get? We can't let just anyone in here."
"Lila was good. I wish we could lure her back here, but that's not going to happen."
"We'll just put an ad in the paper and hope for the best," Cameron replied.
Gary nodded. He was pleased that they were having a normal conversation about the business. Cameron did not seem distracted today. He had been sifting through those files all morning.
"We're doing good, bro."
"Yeah, we are," Cameron said with a smile. "Who would have thought the two of us would actually be able to work together?"
Gary shrugged. "I guess I always knew it. I’m really glad that you agreed to be my partner."
"Like you gave me a choice," Cameron said with a laugh.
As the two of them laughed together, Cameron's cellular phone began ringing. Cameron quickly grabbed it as Gary looked on in suspicious annoyance.
"Sinclair….where are you?……No, I can be there. Don't worry……slow down….okay," he said and ended the call.
When Cameron looked up, he noticed Gary's distrustful look. He smiled at him.
"That was a snitch about the Rogers investigation. I’m going to go out for a minute. See you when I get back?"
"Sure," Gary told him as he watched Cameron quickly gather his things and walk out the door.
Gary waited a few seconds, then followed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Foster Park
12:30 PM
Tess flipped through a magazine as she nibbled on some carrot sticks. She looked around again in annoyance. She was reaching for her water when it was knocked out of her hand. She looked up with a tirade on the tip of her tongue for the person who had knocked it out of her hand. Tess barely had time to gather her thoughts before she was being pulled quickly along.
"Hey, let go of me," she spat at Cameron.
"In a minute," he told her over his shoulder as he pulled her behind the stone arches.
As he pushed her behind him, he peeked around the rounded doorway.
"What's going on?" She whispered.
"Gary. He's been following me. I've gone around in so many circles that I'm starting to get dizzy."
"Why is he following you?"
"He's suspicious. Why else?"
"Cameron, what are you going to do? You know he's going to keep after you until he finds out everything."
Cameron nodded. "I know. So tell me the big news before he finds us."
Tess nodded. "I don't have a lot of time. I've got to get back to Cory. I went to Logan's to retrieve my bracelet."
"Why didn't you call me?" He demanded.
"I didn't think that I needed you. I was just getting my bracelet."
"Tell me more."
"He's not going to let it go. He came on to me big time."
"What did you expect? He thinks the two of you are lovers."
Tess shook her head. "He's far more dangerous than I anticipated, Mav. He may be a bigger threat to this whole operation than we have ever imagined."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
1:15 PM
Doctor Shelton's Office
Amanda buttoned her shirt and waited. She paced for a moment, impatient for the doctor to return.
"Whatever the results are, everything will be fine," she said to herself. "A little part of me wants it to be good news, but if it's nothing…No, I’m not going to think about it."
Amanda stopped pacing and looked at Doctor Shelton expectantly as she walked in the door. The doctor's face was a mask. She gave no indication whether the news was good or bad. When the doctor did not immediately begin speaking, Amanda's face fell, wondering if the doctor had found something seriously wrong with her.
"Why don't you sit down, Amanda? I've got the results right here," Doctor Shelton told her and indicated the file folder with a tap of her finger.
Amanda's eyes widened at the doctor's tone, then climbed up onto the examining table.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
8 PM
Tess slowly walked toward the entrance to her apartment building. She had worked late trying to finish up a marketing report that Matt wanted on his desk in the morning. She placed her hand on the back of her neck trying to rub out the tension, but it did nothing to relieve it. As she stepped into the shadows, she was grabbed from behind.
Tess struggled, kicking furiously at her attackers. One put his hand over her mouth and she bit it. He yelped in pain and took his hand away. As she took a deep breath to scream, she felt a cold blade against her throat.
"Scream and die," the raspy male voice threatened near her ear.
Tess stopped struggling as the man put pressure on the knife against her skin. A car pulled up beside them and they pushed her inside. With a squeal of the tires, the car disappeared into the darkness.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Donna's Apartment
8:30 PM
Donna fell on the couch beside Vicky. She smiled broadly.
"I think that was the last box."
Vicky laughed. "It better be. I think the help is starting to get tired."
"I appreciate all of you coming over here and getting me back in my own home."
"Now, Mom, you know we wouldn't be anywhere else. I can see that you're happy to be here."
"Yes, I am. I loved staying with you, but it's time for me to be here."
Vicky looked toward the stairs, then looked quickly back at Donna.
"Is there something wrong, Victoria? You've been preoccupied all day long."
"It's….well it's something that's been bothering me for a while. Mom, when you were pregnant, did you have hallucinations?"
"Hallucinations? I had some really strange dreams and cravings, but I don't recall anything….."
"No, I'm not talking about dreams. What I saw was so real."
"What did you see?" Donna asked.
Vicky lowered her voice and looked over her shoulder again to make sure that they were still alone. "Not a 'what', but a who….Mom, I saw Ryan…"
"But that's impossible."
"You know how sometimes you have a dream that is so real that when you wake up you have to think for a moment before realizing that it was just a dream. He was right there with his arms around me. I could feel his skin…the warmth in his touch. I can't get it out of my head."
Donna looked at her with wide eyes. "Darling, it had to be a dream. There's no other explanation."
"I remember falling, then suddenly he was there. Logic tells me that it was a dream, but my heart just can't let it go. What am I going to do?" Vicky pleaded, hoping Donna had the answer to her question. She had to have an answer not only for her sake, but also for the sakes of everyone around her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Docks
8:45 PM
The two men roughly pulled Tess out of the car. They had placed a black hood over her head as soon as the car was set in motion, so she had to rely on her ears to give her a clue as to where she was. She could hear the sound of water nearby and the echo of the wood planks as their feet walked across them. They were near a dock of some sort. Tess stumbled, which caused her captors to yank her back into an upright position. They practically dragged her inside a building and the door slammed behind them. They pushed her forward and Tess fell to her knees.
"That will be all," a familiar voice said.
Tess started to stand as the hood was ripped from her head. She gasped as she stared into Logan's cold eyes. She cringed as he reached down and roughly pulled her to her feet. He did not release her, but grabbed her behind the neck, pulling her hair. He brought his face down to hers.
"Who are you and what do you want?" He demanded with undisguised rage.
Tess's eyes sparkled with anger though she managed to keep her tone even as she asked, "What have I done? I don't understand. I thought…."
"Don't play the innocent act with me. I know, Tess. I know about the morgue."
"The morgue…. I don't…."
"You're making me angrier by lying. I could kill you," he told her and placed both his hands around her neck. "With one little jerk…."
Tess brought her knee up quickly bringing forth a cry of pain. It was enough for her to get away. She ran a short distance before she was knocked to the ground. The distraction had been short as she and Logan struggled together.
"Tell me who you are!" He demanded as they continued to fight with one another
Tess shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm exactly who I told you I am. You can check it out."
"You must think I'm stupid," he gritted as he pulled her to her feet, then slammed her against the wall, effectively immobilizing her once again.
"No, I…I don't know what you think I've done."
"You're trying my patience. Tell me, Tess, if that's your real name, what did you give me to knock me out the other night, huh? Who are you working for…. CIA, FBI…who?"
Tess growled low and pushed against him.
"Oh, no, Tess. It's not that easy. I've got you here and I expect answers. You're not going anywhere."
Tess laughed. "You're crazy."
"Am I? If I'm crazy, then you are in far more danger than you ever anticipated and look at this, I have the upper hand," he said as he began unbuttoning her blouse. "How about you show me everything I missed? It would be a shame to have another chance to get a look at this gorgeous body of yours and miss the opportunity, don't you think? Come on, Tess, show me…"
Tess looked down as he worked at the buttons on her shirt. She struggled against him, then screamed as he slammed her against the wall again. He became frustrated with the buttons popping the rest off as he tore at her blouse. Logan swooped down kissing her neck with open mouth kisses. Tess tried to wiggle away, but he seemed to anticipate her every move. He stepped away from her slightly and reached for the hem of her skirt. Tess braced herself for what would certainly come next. She had to blink several times when nothing happened. Her eyes flew open wide as his body was propelled away from hers. Suddenly, he was lying a few feet away and someone was standing between them.
"Get your hands off her! Do you hear me? Don't come near her."
Logan stumbled to his feet staring at Matt Cory menacingly. "Step aside, little boy."
He charged at Matt, but Matt was ready as he hit Logan in the face with his fist. Logan stumbled backward. He wiped the blood from his lip.
"I don't think you understood me the first time," Matt warned. "The police are on their way!"
Logan laughed. "You don't know who you're dealing with."
"No, Logan, you don't know who you're dealing with. Come near her again and you'll wish you were never born."
Logan narrowed his eyes. "You would threaten me."
"I don't make threats. That is a promise."
Logan lunged at Matt again. He managed to land a blow to Matt's chin before Matt once again threw Logan to the floor. Logan attempted to get up, but could not.
When Matt was sure that Logan was not going to come after either of them again, he grabbed Tess and they both backed out of the building. When the door closed behind them, Logan said, "This is far from over."
Matt took Tess's hand.
"Come on, let's go before he calls in reinforcements," Matt told her.
Tess squeezed his hand tightly and they ran down the docks together.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Donna slowly walked downstairs. She looked around the apartment and wiped the tears that slipped from her eyes.
"I hate living here without you," she said out loud, silently hoping that a voice would speak back to her.
When her statement was met with silence, she sighed deeply and walked to the window overlooking the entrance of the building. She stared up at the moon and wiped her tears once more.
"This place is full of ghosts. I don't know what I was thinking by coming back here. No one understands…no one."
Donna shook her head trying to remove the feeling of emptiness. She stood to make her way back upstairs and glanced down at the sidewalk below, which was illuminated by a single streetlight. Donna grabbed the windowsill tightly when her knees threatened to buckle. Here eyes widened as she continued to focus on the shadows beside the streetlight.
"Oh my…Victoria...What is happening to us?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Matt's Studio
9:45 PM
Tess walked into the studio in front of Matt. She had his jacket pulled tightly around her shoulders to hide the damage Logan had done. He looked at her slumped shoulders with deep concern. As he placed his hands on her shoulders, Tess jumped away from him. She spun around and looked at Matt apologetically. Matt held his arms open and Tess ran into them. She wrapped her arms around his waist and held on tightly. Matt was stunned by everything he had seen, but he knew that he had to make her feel safe no matter what it took.
"Hold on. I'll only be a minute," he told her and disappeared.
Tess paced, shaken by what had happened. She had not expected that from Logan. So he had someone at the morgue on his payroll. He probably had someone in every government agency in Bay City to keep him apprised of everything.
Matt walked back into the studio with a pale blue shirt in his hands.
"I thought you might like to change," he told her.
Tess nodded. Matt removed his jacket from her shoulders. Tess tried to undo the few buttons remaining on her shirt, but her hands shook. Matt pushed her hands away and undid the buttons for her. Tess kept her eyes on his face as he gingerly removed the shirt. Matt rubbed his hand over the bruises forming on her upper arms. He did not hide his anger as his eyes met Tess's. He helped her get into the shirt, buttoning for her, then pulling the pin out of her hair, letting her auburn tresses fall onto her shoulders.
Without a word, he swept her up into his arms and walked toward the couch. She clung to him tightly. They sat on the couch silently for a long time.
"How…. how did you know where I was?" She asked, looking into his eyes.
Matt absently pushed a tendril of hair away from her face and said, "I was going to surprise you and take you out to dinner. And I wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer."
Tess smiled slightly. "Is that right?"
"Yeah. I was getting out of my car when I saw those two guys attack you. Before I could get to you, that car pulled up and you were gone. I followed them all the way to that warehouse."
"Thank you."
"Tess, please tell me what it is. I can protect you."
Tess shook her head, trying to control her emotions. "No, I can't. It will put you in danger. You've already put yourself in danger," she said with the emotion filling her voice.
Matt looked at her skeptically. "I'm not afraid of Emmanuel Logan. Please, Tess, it can't be that bad. We can work through it. I'll call Cass and get a restraining order against him tonight."
"Yes, it can," she said emphatically. "If you know, then I may not be able to protect you. Do you understand?"
"No, I don't. How can I be in danger? What are you involved in? You can tell me."
Tess took a deep breath. "I'm involved in something so deep and dark that you can't fathom what my adult life has been like. Few people can. Run, Matt. Run while you've got a chance. Before it's too late."
"What if I told you that it's already too late?"
Tess glared at Matt. "What do you mean?"
Matt cradled her head in his hands. "Don't you know? Can't you see how I feel about you? I'm in...."
Tess quickly put her fingers over his lips. "Shhh....don't say it. Please don't say it," she begged as her eyes sparkled with tears.
Matt pressed his lips to hers. Their kiss was slow and sweet, expressing emotions deeper than either of them could say out loud.
I don't need a lot of
things,
I can get by with nothing
Of all the blessings life can bring,
I've always needed something….
When they leaned away from each other, their eyes locked in mutual understanding. Matt gathered Tess to him holding her tightly, instinctively knowing what she needed. Tess mumbled something against his chest.
Matt leaned away and she lifted her eyes to his. The tears, which had threatened to spill over moments ago, ran freely down her cheeks.
"What did you say?" Matt asked.
"I need you," she told him in an emotion-filled whisper.
Matt tenderly wiped the tears from her face as he smiled and said, "I know."
But I've got all I want
When it comes to loving you
You're my only reason,
You're my only truth
"Promise me that you will stay away from me. It's only for a little while until I get things cleared up, and then I can tell you everything and pray that you understand. Then we can be together. No more secrets."
"I can't promise you that."
"Please, Matt, it has to be this way. It will only be for a little while, then I will come back to you," she vowed, then smiled. "And then you will never get rid of me."
"That's a powerful promise, Tess Richardson. Can I hold you to that?"
Tess's smile widened. "Just hold me and everything else will work itself out."
Matt wrapped his arms more tightly around her. Tess clung to him for a moment, then leaned away staring deeply into his eyes. As she leaned toward him, Matt met her half way. Their lips touched softly. Tess quivered at the sweet tenderness of his kiss yet she yearned for something more. She drew his face back to hers pressing her open lips to his. The pleasure was pure and explosive as their kisses turned hard and demanding.
I need you like water
Like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy
From heaven's gate
There's a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you
"We'll meet here. When it's all over, we'll come here and everything will be all right."
"You like this place?" he asked.
"When you brought me here the very first time, I knew what it meant. I fought it tooth and nail, but deep down inside I knew."
"There is so much I want to say to you.... to show you...."
"Not now...not yet. Kiss me goodbye."
Matt hesitated for a moment, then pressed a tender kiss on her cheek then her lips. Tess eventually pulled away. She stood and moved away a few steps, then stopped and stared at Matt. She smiled wistfully.
"Goodbye, Matthew Cory."
Matt grabbed her hand and pleaded, "Don't go. Not tonight, Tess. Please, stay with me. Just tonight. Please."
His pleas tugged at Tess's heart. She walked back to Matt and they lay down on the couch together. He enfolded her in his arms. As he looked down at her, their eyes met and held. Tess reached up and caressed his cheek gently.
"Just tonight," she whispered.
You're the hope that
moves me
To courage again
You're the love that rescues me
When the cold winds rage
And it's so amazing
'Cause that's just how you are
And I can't turn back now
'Cause you've brought me too far
"I'm not going anywhere, Tess. Ever…"
Tess smiled and pulled his mouth down to hers. Neither hid their feelings, but kissed with a soldering heat fusing their raging emotions. It was a divine ecstasy that grew in intensity barely suppressing the deeper meaning of everything between them.
"Tess, I…"
"Hold me, Matt. Never let me go."
"Never," he whispered as he lay beside her sheltering her in his arms.
I need you like water
Like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy
From heaven's gate
There's a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you
Oh, yes, I do…
Author's note: The lyrics quoted are from the song, "I Need You" recorded by LeAnn Rimes on the soundtrack of the Television mini-series "Jesus". Click on the hyperlinked title to listen to a Real media clip from the song. Rohypnol is a real drug, which is known by the slang name "roofies". It is also referred to as the "date rape" drug.