Tangled Web
By Sarah & Lanie
Chapter 21
September 3, 1999
Maison de L'Abattement
Derbyshire, England
David examined the room the housekeeper had directed him to with vague interest. The "parlor", as she'd referred to it, was an elongated rectangular room. David's footsteps echoed as he crossed the stone floor to examine a bookcase that encompassed the entire short wall to his right. He glanced over at a stepladder, which was attached to the bookcase by wheels in a rolling track. The ladder provided access to the books in the upper levels of the case, a necessity since the bookcase stopped just short of the vaulted ceiling twenty feet above his head.
Near the bookcase, there was a small grouping of ornamental chairs surrounding a tea table. The setting seemed to be more decorative than practical, as the spindly legged furniture did not appear to be comfortable to sit on. David turned away from the grouping and walked further down the long wall of the room. A large medieval tapestry hung next to a set tall, thin windows comprised of square panes of glass. Past the first set of windows, an immense fireplace dominated the center of the long wall. David walked over and examined the hand-carved mahogany mantle. The workmanship was exquisite, particularly considering the age of the fireplace.
David turned around and glanced at the grouping of furniture near the fireplace. The pair of large leather wingback chairs and the matching chaise lounge looked more comfortable than the tea grouping. This was where people would sit after dinner to relax and discuss their day. Shaking his head at the seemingly random thought, David continued crossing the long length of the room. He passed another bank of windows before coming to a framed painting on the wall. It pictured an old carpenter working by candlelight. As he came to the far corner of the room, David walked over to look at the musical instrument that stood in a pool of sunlight that streamed in through the windows. It looked similar to a piano but it was smaller, boxier. It's a harpsichord, David thought, then wondered how on earth he'd known that.
David turned away from the harpsichord and stared out the corner windows. The heavy brocade drapes were drawn back with tasseled golden tieback ropes. A beautifully tended lawn stretched out as far as he could see. The air in the house suddenly seemed stultifying, as if the majority of the oxygen had been sucked out of it. David removed his dark blue suit jacket and slung it over his arm. He loosened the knot in his silver and blue striped tie and unbuttoned the top button of his blue shirt. Feeling like he could breathe again, David stared out at the lush, green landscape and waited.
He'd only been standing at the window for a few minutes when he heard the sound of high-heeled shoes clicking against the marble entryway. As the footsteps drew closer, David kept his back to the door of the room. He heard the sound of the footsteps change as the woman entered the room and began speaking. "Mrs. Dinsfield informed me that there was someone waiting who wanted to speak to me. I'm not sure why you're here, but…" The footsteps stopped abruptly and the woman said in a shaking tone, "Oh my God… Jordan? Is that you?"
David inhaled sharply. He delayed turning around by pulling on his suit jacket. He had to remain in control of this situation. David turned with an amiable expression on his face and walked over to where the woman stood frozen, eyes wide with shock. David mentally noted her appearance, from the upswept blonde hair to the obviously expensive beige silk pants suit she wore. He held out his hand to her. "I see that we're in need of a formal introduction. I'm David Halliday, and you must be Margaret Allen. I'm pleased to finally meet you."
Margaret stared at David's face, unable to believe what she was seeing. She numbly shook David's hand and said, "Hello… Mr. Halliday. What… what can I… do for you?"
David glanced around as if he didn't have a care in the world. "This is a charming little place. Do you ever get lost in here?"
Margaret finally pulled herself together. There was only one explanation as to how and, more importantly why, David Halliday had survived and was standing in front of her. "There's no need for polite chit-chat. Why don't you tell me why you're here?"
David raised a brow at her. "Well, you don't beat around the bush, do you, Ms. Allen? I admire your directness. I hope you will continue to be straightforward with me."
Margaret gave David a quick smile and walked over to sit in one of the wingback chairs near the fireplace. "That depends. Please, have a seat."
David walked over and stood close to where Margaret sat. He leaned an arm against the mantle and looked down at her. "Thanks, but I'd prefer to stand, if it's all the same to you."
Margaret shrugged. "Suit yourself. What can I do for you David? May I call you David?"
"I don't see why not, Margaret," David said with an engaging grin. "As for what you can do for me, you can tell me all the details about what Stark did to me."
Margaret stared at David's suddenly intense, non-smiling expression. "I'm sorry, but I don't have any idea what you're talking about," she replied casually.
"Let's not play games, Margaret. You know exactly what I'm talking about. I came here for answers, and I'm not leaving until I get them."
"What makes you think I have the answers that you're looking for?" Margaret replied evasively.
"So much for not beating around the bush," David said coldly. "Very well, I'll tell you what I know. I know that you were Stark's assistant. By all accounts, you knew every detail of his work and helped him with his plans. No one alive knows Jordan Stark the way you did. Now, are you going to tell me the truth, or are we going to keep playing cat and mouse?"
Margaret uncrossed her legs and stood up with a slight smile on her lips. "All right, David. I'll tell you what you want to know… on one condition."
"What's that?"
"You're going to tell me everything that you remember."
"What makes you think that I remember anything?" David replied.
Margaret gave a short laugh. "Now who's being less than direct? Don't get all disingenuous with me, David. You didn't fly across the ocean out of mild curiosity."
"Ok," David capitulated. "I have had a few memory flashes. My question is, why would you care about them?"
"I'd like to hear what Jordan did from your perspective. The man is a genius, and I want to know the details of how things occurred. You're the only person alive who can tell me that."
"Considering that he's long gone now, shouldn't you be saying Jordan was a genius? Not that I'm agreeing with you-"
"Do you honestly want to argue semantics with me right now?" Margaret interrupted in an amused, reproachful tone.
David smiled slightly. "No, I suppose I don't."
"So, do we have a deal? You tell me your story, and I'll answer your questions. Quid pro quo."
"You're not leaving me much of a choice, are you? So, tell me how-"
Margaret shook her head. "No. You start. I insist. Tell me what you remember."
David considered arguing, but he could see by the expression on Margaret's face that it would be a losing battle. He started slowly, keeping strictly to the factual pieces of his story. But as he spoke of the night at the railroad tracks, David gradually got lost in the memory. He dropped his guard and relayed in vivid detail the things he'd seen and felt that night. "And then… it was like I was locked into a room inside my head. I couldn't sense anything. It was a total void. There were a few times when I would see a brief flash of an image, hear a voice, but otherwise…It was like I didn't exist…"
Margaret studied David's face silently. He was still caught up in the memory of being trapped within his own mind. Eventually, Margaret said, "That is remarkable. I didn't expect you to be so candid with me, but I'm certainly glad that you were."
David's eyes snapped back to hers. Instead of admitting that he hadn't intended to say as much as he had, he replied, "Well, I've lived up to my end of the bargain. Now it's your turn."
Margaret gave him a satisfied smile and said. "Of course, but first, let me fix you a drink. You look like you need one." Margaret crossed to the bar and without asking, poured him a scotch on the rocks. She came back and handed it to him and headed back to pour something for herself.
As David watched her pour brandy into a snifter, he asked, "How did you know I drink scotch?"
Margaret returned with her drink and sat down in one of the chairs. A small, mysterious smile played about her lips. "I could be coy and say it was a lucky guess, but I won't. I know a lot about you, David. In fact, I know some things about you that you probably don't even know yourself."
David frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"We'll get to that later," Margaret replied as she gestured to the other chair. "Why don't you sit down? You're looking a bit pale."
This time, David decided to accept her invitation to sit down. He knew that he might need to be seated when she answered the questions he had. David took a sip of the scotch and said, "Explain what Stark did to me. How did he… take me over?"
"Based on the fact that you're still alive, Jordan used a different technique than he usually did."
"What do you mean… he's done this before?"
Margaret laughed indulgently. "Of course! Hadn’t you figured that out already? Who did you think that man was who dropped to the ground in front of you?"
"So… what, Stark would just hop from body to body as it suited him? Why would he do that?"
"It's not as haphazard as you make it sound, David. You see, although the soul is ageless, the body isn't. In order for Jordan to remain alive for over two hundred years, he needed to move to a different host when the previous one was no longer viable."
"Host? These are people you're talking about, not petrie dishes! Although I must agree that the parasite imagery isn't far off the mark."
"Don't be so indignant, David. Jordan wasn't a heartless man. He went out of his way to choose a host that was in a hopeless situation. Generally speaking, most of them found it a relief when Jordan would expel them."
"Expel them?"
"Yes. Until you, the method Jordan implemented was a soul expulsion. He would free the previous soul from the body it inhabited. Then he would take possession of the body and make it his own. It is a rather painless process."
David shot out of the chair in a fury. "Painless! How can you be so blasé about cold-blooded murder? From what you're telling me, Stark killed those people as surely as if he'd put a gun to their heads and shot them!" Something that she'd said suddenly struck David. "But it was different with me. I wasn't 'expelled' anywhere, I was trapped. What did he do to me?"
"Jordan used a suppression technique on you."
"Suppression? How is that different?"
"Well first of all, it's much more difficult. For two souls to inhabit the same body, one must overpower the other and contain it using focused mental energy. Jordan never attempted it before. He wasn't even certain that he could do it until he succeeded with you."
"Lucky me," David replied with snide sarcasm.
Margaret set her glass down and stood up to face David. "Yes, you were lucky. You're still alive, aren't you?"
David refused to express any gratitude, considering he'd had five months of his life stolen from him. "If it was such a burden, why did he do it? Why not just blow me away like the rest of them?"
Margaret paused a moment, considering her answer carefully. "Well, for one thing, he needed to use you."
"Use me? Use me for what?"
"Your face. Jordan needed to keep your soul alive so that he could utilize your face to get close to Amanda Cory."
"What does my soul have to do with using my face? He had my body, what else did he need?"
"When Jordan would expel a soul, its body would take on Jordan's physical characteristics. That old expression about the eyes being the window to the soul isn’t exactly accurate. The soul is encompassed by the entire physical being. That's why Jordan appeared the same, no matter what body he was inhabiting."
"I see," David replied as if he understood. In truth, he was more confused now than he had been when they had begun the discussion. The things Margaret was telling him seemed too fantastical to be real. "So if the soul encompasses a person's physical characteristics the way you said, how did Jordan use my face when he was in control?"
Margaret smiled. "Excellent question. I'm glad you're catching on. Jordan explained to me that through intense mental focus, he could allow your soul to be partially freed while maintaining control of your thoughts and actions. Think of it the same way as you would a person under hypnosis. The hypnotized person can be guided through physical actions with no conscious thought on their part. It's the same type of principle taken to a different level. Instead of guiding you from the outside, Jordan controlled you from within."
"You describe it like some sort of parlor trick."
"Far from it," Margaret replied, her voice reflecting her admiration for what Jordan had done. "This isn't the same as getting someone to quack like a duck. Jordan couldn't just bring your face forth at will. It was mentally draining for him. If he lost concentration for the briefest moment, the illusion disappeared."
David nodded absently. He was lost in his own thoughts. Something about this still didn’t make sense. When David finally grabbed hold of the thought, he said, "Wait a minute. You said that Jordan's physical appearance was the same no matter what body he inhabited, right?" At Margaret's nod, David continued, "That’s not possible."
"Why not?"
"When I saw Jordan's image inside my head, his face looked exactly like mine, only… it was my face disfigured and scarred. I assumed that his appearance was just a deformed version of mine. Isn't that what happened?"
Margaret looked at David's confused expression and said, "Follow me."
David put his glass down and asked, "Where are we going? I'm not finished asking you questions yet."
Margaret turned at the doorway and replied, "There's something you need to see. I'll answer your questions once you've seen it."
Margaret walked into the hallway, leaving David no choice but to follow her. Several yards down the corridor, Margaret stopped at a door and removed a key from her pocket. She unlocked the door and walked into the room. David followed her into what appeared to be a man's study. The room was dominated by a large desk made of dark cherry wood. Margaret walked to a side wall and switched on a bank of lights that illuminated a large painting. David walked over to stand next to her. He looked up at the painting and froze with shock.
"This is a portrait Jordan had commissioned shortly before he married Amalie. It was going to be her wedding gift. He never got the chance to show it to her," Margaret said sadly.
David couldn't believe his own eyes. He'd seen that face inside his head, but to have it in front of his eyes… Suddenly, the whole thing became incredibly real. David hadn't had a nervous breakdown or a five-month long nightmare. Jordan Stark was real. "How is this possible? He looks like me…"
Margaret studied David as he gazed awestruck at the portrait of Jordan. She knew it was time to explain the rest of the story. "Jordan had his eye on you for quite a long time, David. He kept tabs on you your entire adult life. He was certain there would come a time when he'd need you. Although he didn't know when or how, Jordan was certain that he'd come for you."
David didn't look away from the portrait when he spoke. "How did he know about me at all? Did he find out that we looked alike accidentally?"
Margaret walked over to the desk and removed a framed picture from one of the drawers. She carried it over to David and held it out. "This is a portrait of Jordan's family that was painted when he was seventeen. The man standing next to Jordan was his father. His mother sits in the chair in front of them. The boy standing next to the chair was Jordan's younger brother, Nathaniel."
David stared at the face of the boy in the portrait. Unlike his older brother, the youngest Stark child had no physical deformities. "Nathaniel Stark…"
"When Jordan was accused of Amalie's murder, his parents wanted to protect their youngest son from the scandal. They bought passage on a ship and never returned to England. The Starks assumed a new identities in America and never spoke to Jordan again."
David's eyes shot up from the portrait to lock on Margaret's. "America… Are you trying to say that I'm somehow related to this boy?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying, David. You are a direct descendant of Nathaniel Stark. Jordan is your uncle, seven generations removed."
David stared at her, his expression filled with anger and confusion. "Jordan knew this? And he still decided to use me as a lab rat in his mental experiments? Why would he do that?"
"Several reasons, the physical resemblance for one. And he knew that the blood connection between the two of you, no matter how distant, would make it possible for him to contain you."
"Well, he sure can pick his moments, can’t he? He needed me just when my life had gone into a tailspin and I'd be vulnerable."
Margaret took the family portrait and set it down on the desk. "Jordan never left anything to fate. Every move he made was carefully planned."
David's brow furrowed. "What are you saying? Nobody can plan someone else's life without them knowing it."
Margaret leaned against the edge of the desk and folded her arms. "Jordan had a way of making things happen the way he needed them to. When he realized that Amalie was somewhere in Bay City, he knew that the time had come when he needed you. Jordan set about the chain of events that would make you susceptible to being controlled. With the recent death of your friend, Jordan knew that the business was the only solid thing in your life. He made sure that the investments you made would fail. He leaked the information to your clients, knowing that you wouldn't be able to cover the losses."
"You're telling me that 'Uncle Jordy' destroyed my life so he could take it from me? Remind me to leave him off my Christmas card list."
Margaret ignored David's sarcastic remark. "Once Jordan had you under control, he made reparations to your clients and the charges against you were dropped. Jordan rebuilt your investments and made even better ones than you did. If I'm not mistaken, you have more money now than you did before."
"Please, don’t expect me to be grateful," David replied harshly. "He only did that so that the Feds wouldn't come looking for me. Don't make it sound like he was being noble. The thought turns my stomach."
Margaret shrugged off David's hostility. "You asked for the unvarnished truth, David. I'm just giving you what you asked for."
David was careful to conceal his disgust at that statement. "Was this the Stark family home?" he asked, not caring about the answer but needing time to decide what to ask next.
"No. The Starks lived in Kent, closer to London. Jordan had to lay low for a long time after Amalie disappeared. When enough time passed, he bought this house under a false name. Jordan named the house Maison de L'Abattement as a tribute to Amalie."
"The house of sorrow…" David muttered under his breath.
"Exactly. You speak French, Mr. Halliday?"
David shook his head dazedly. He didn't have the first clue how he'd known what the words meant. Margaret looked at his bewildered expression and bit back a knowing smile of satisfaction. "Did you have any other questions for me, David?"
David gave his head a quick shake to clear it, then looked over at her. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. Over the past several weeks, I've had some strange… episodes. They aren’t really memories, because these are things I know I've never said or done. Do you know what might cause that?"
Margaret stared at David for a moment before replying. "I have a few ideas why that might happen."
When she didn’t continue, David impatiently prompted, "Such as?"
"Like I told you earlier, Jordan had to partially free your spirit so that he could use your face. The flashes you're having might be the result of times that Jordan's control slipped slightly and you became semiconscious of the things happening around you."
David nodded. "That makes sense… What the hell am I saying? None of this makes any logical sense whatsoever! I feel like I'm the main character in an episode of 'The Twilight Zone'."
Margaret studied David intently before speaking again. It was time to strike. "I don't think that's the actual reason anyway. In my opinion, something else entirely is going on with you."
"What are you talking about now?"
"I believe that Jordan is still inside your head. The flashes you're having are his memories, not yours."
David felt all the blood drain from his face. "No. That's impossible."
Margaret laughed harshly. "Come on, David. Don't turn naive on me now. You were doing so well up until this point. How can you say that anything is impossible after the things you've experienced? Before today, you would have said that any of the things I told you were science fiction or tabloid fodder. Yet, you've accepted them because deep down you realize that everything I've told you is true. So how can you then stand there and say it's impossible that Jordan is still alive somewhere inside your mind?"
"Because I would know if there was someone else living inside my head," David replied. But a part of him was starting to doubt his conviction.
"Really? Amanda Cory had no idea that Amalie's spirit lived inside hers until Jordan forced her to see that it was true. Jordan has a mental strength that is impossible for you to grasp, David. Who's to say that he didn't realize what was happening in time? Can you say with complete certainty that Jordan didn't release you while he stayed within your mind? At this very moment, he could be building his strength so that he can take over again."
David's eyes blazed with anger and determination. "Even if you're right, he won't win this time. I'll never let Jordan Stark steal my life again. Never!"
Margaret smiled, confidently gloating. "Who says you'll even know there's a fight? Amanda certainly didn't. One day, you might just wake up and find yourself back in that dark little room inside your head."
David refused to let her see that she'd rattled him. "I think we're done here. I appreciate your honesty, but I could have done without the guided tour through your deluded fantasy world. Goodbye, Ms. Allen."
As David stalked quickly out of the room, Margaret Allen walked over and poured herself a drink. She raised the glass into the air and said, "Here's to you, Jordan, and to making the impossible happen." Margaret swallowed the drink and smiled as she stared up at the portrait of Jordan Stark.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
McKinnon Cottage
10:00 AM
Vicky hustled around the living room straightening and dusting. Today was cleaning day and she had dressed for the occasion in a pair of denim Capri pants, and an oversized denim shirt. She had a red bandana tied around her hair.
Vicky pulled the cushions on the couch aside in preparation to run the vacuum on them. She leaned down slowly to examine an object stuck between two of them, then shook her head as she picked up the cookie.
"Kirkland or Jake?" she wondered out loud in irritation.
Vicky jumped slightly when someone began banging loudly on the front door. She placed her hand on her back and walked toward the door. The person knocked more loudly.
"Hold your horses!" Vicky yelled as she walked up the stairs. She pulled the door open, then stepped aside as Donna pushed past her into the house.
Donna walked out to the kitchen looking around for something. Vicky followed slowly looking on with avid curiosity.
"What exactly are you looking for?" Vicky asked.
Donna spun around. "Where are the boys? Jake?"
Vicky narrowed her eyes as she folded her arms. "The boys are in school today and Jake is at The Herald. What's going on, Mother?"
Donna pulled at Vicky's arm and they both sat on the couch. Vicky looked at her expectantly as Donna nervously smoothed a mysterious crease in the skirt of her teal silk suit.
"Do you remember when you told me about having those hallucinations?"
Vicky nodded. "Yes, what about them?"
"I don't know what's going on, Victoria," Donna told her as she shook her head. "I was looking out the window and there he was. I know it wasn't a dream. It couldn't have been."
"What are you talking about. Who did you see?"
Donna pushed forward as if Vicky had not said a word. "How do you explain something like that? I'm not pregnant. There's not a full moon. Maybe there is something in the water. Then after I saw him outside, he was in my bedroom."
Vicky grabbed Donna's hands and squeezed them tightly. "Who are you talking about?"
Donna shook her head. "It's so unbelievable. I saw him. I saw Michael."
"Mom…."
"No, Victoria, he was there. As God is my witness, he was there."
"Tell me what you saw."
Donna took a deep breath. "After you left that night, I was looking out the window before I went to bed. When I looked down at the streetlight, there was someone standing there. It was a man who looked exactly like Michael. It was the way he was standing. The clothes he was wearing."
"But you said he was in your bedroom."
Donna nodded. "I was sleeping. As I started to wake up, I had this overwhelming feeling that someone was watching me, then I heard him whisper my name. When I opened my eyes, there was no one there, but I could still feel his presence."
"Mom, maybe it was just a dream. I know you still miss Dad terribly."
"Victoria, don't you dare dismiss what I've seen and felt as some silly little dream. Don't make light of this."
Vicky searched Donna's eyes looking for something that would give her a clue as to what was going on with her.
"I'm not making light of it. We've got to find out what's going on with us. First Ryan now Dad….what does it all mean?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Foster Park
Tess strolled along the stone sidewalk as if she did not have a care in the world. Telling Matt about her true reason for being in Bay City had been a cleansing experience. Though her job was far from completed, she felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
Tess absently threw her apple from hand to hand as she walked along. It was a bit cooler today, but not enough to count as a relief. She had left her jacket in the office hoping to catch a cool breeze on her lunch break. She wore a sea blue shirt with three-quarter length sleeves and a short black skirt. Tess had pulled her hair away from her face and into a silver clip.
Matt and Amanda had been in meetings all morning. She had not seen him today. Tess did not hide her disappointment as she sighed deeply. She walked slowly down the stairs and toward the fountain where she intended to read the afternoon paper and enjoy her apple. Tess gingerly sat on the side of the fountain and unfolded her paper. As she started to read the lead article, she saw something move fast out the corner of her eye.
Tess's eyes darted quickly toward the movement. Her eyes widened slightly as she automatically stiffened.
Emmanuel Logan waved at her. The gleam in his eye was unmistakable as he gave her a taunting leer. He walked toward her then stopped. Cupping his hand to the side of his mouth, he yelled, "Was it fifty yards or a hundred, Tess? I can't remember."
Tess glared at him in response refusing to allow his baiting to get under her skin. When she did not answer him, he walked toward the stairs. As he stepped on the first step, he turned toward her he lifted his hand to toward his face, then fashioned his thumb and forefinger into a gun. He slowly pulled the "trigger", then deliberately ran his forefinger in a slicing motion across his throat. He smiled again, then pointed at her.
Instead of glaring, Tess smiled in response. She got great satisfaction when she saw a brief glimpse of shock on Logan's face. When he saw that his vague threats had not produced the desired effect, he turned and continued on his way.
Under her breath Tess said, "Got ya."
She pulled her phone from her purse and hit the speed dial. "So did you get it?" She asked the other party as she looked over her shoulder. "Good," she replied and punched off the phone.
Tess got up and turned around. She could see the surveillance van in the parking lot nearby. She could not wait to see Logan's performance on tape. She gathered up her things in preparation to go to the van. As she walked away, someone grabbed her from behind.
Tess spun around quickly, ready to do battle.
"Whoa! Where's the fire?" Matt asked.
Tess just shook her head in response and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him to her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
September 5, 1999
Tess's Apartment
Tess sat cross-legged on the couch transcribing some case notes. Her hair was pulled back into a barrette at the base of her neck. She paused and thoughtfully tapped the tip of her pen against her leg. After a few moments, she jotted another thought down. Just as she finished the notation, a knock sounded at the door. Tess took the notepad and quickly put it into a drawer. She padded over to the door and looked out the peephole. Her face immediately broke into a wide smile as she opened the door. "Matt! What are you doing here?"
Matt laughed. "The smile says you're happy to see me, but the greeting could use some work."
Tess laughed along with him. "Sorry, I just wasn't expecting you. Come on in."
Tess closed the door and turned around. She suddenly noticed that Matt was carrying a large, flat, brightly wrapped package. "Is it someone's birthday?"
Matt held out the box to Tess. "Actually, the present is for you."
Tess took the box and set it on the coffee table. She sat down on the couch and looked from the box over to Matt. "What's the occasion?"
Matt sat on the arm of the couch and replied, "I'll tell you once you open it."
"Ok," Tess replied hesitantly. She lifted the lid off the box and folded back several sheets of white tissue paper. Her breath caught slightly as she reached in and pulled out a dress. The snow-white fabric of the gown was satiny to the touch. Silver beading, obviously hand sown, created a starburst pattern centered on the left side of the waist. The floor-length straight skirt had a diagonal slit that started near the right seam and ended at mid thigh in the center. The straps were made of thin strips of fabric covered in rhinestones. The back of the dress was completely open with only the studded straps crossing over to attach at the back of the skirt. A sheer white wrap rested in the bottom of the box.
Tess looked over at Matt with wide eyes. "Matt, this dress is exquisite…"
"Well, that's a relief. I thought you might be disappointed that it wasn't black," Matt replied with a crooked smile.
Tess shook her head. "No. I love it… but why did you give it to me? When would I have a chance to wear a dress like this?"
Matt grinned. "I was hoping you'd wear it tomorrow night."
"What's going on tomorrow night? Is there some charity function I forgot about?"
"My mother is throwing a formal dinner party at the house. I was hoping you'd come with me."
Tess carefully returned the dress to its box. "I don't know about this Matt…"
"It's nothing big, just the family. Mom wanted to get everyone together in one place since we haven't had a family gathering since the Fourth of July picnic."
Tess raised a brow. "Yes, I remember that quite vividly. I don't have the best track record at your family gatherings. Maybe it's better that we don’t tempt fate."
"If I promise that we won't go anywhere near the swimming pool, will you reconsider?"
Tess laughed slightly, then thoughtfully bit the inside of her lip. "I should talk to Cameron first. He may not want me around."
"Why wouldn't he? I haven't told him that I know what's going on, have you?"
"No, but-"
"If Cameron doesn’t know that I know, what other reason would he have to not want you there?"
Tess tried to get the tangle of information straight in her head. She needed a scorecard to keep track of who knew what. She hadn't spoken to Cameron since he'd left her apartment the other night. The plan had been that he'd tell Josie and Amanda about his involvement with the FBI, but not about Tess, Hawk, or Scout. The only people who knew the truth about her were Matt and Gary. Matt wouldn't say anything, and Tess assumed that Gary wouldn't be at the dinner because of the tension between him and Cameron. Tess decided there was really no reason for her to stay away… other than the nagging feeling that she was asking for trouble if she went. "Still, it might be better all around if I don’t go. I don’t want to cause any trouble at your mother's party."
Matt took Tess's hands in his and looked deeply into her eyes. "You won't cause any trouble, trust me. I really want you to come with me, Tess. I want to show my family how important you are to me and what a terrific person you are. I want them to have a chance to get to know you. I want them to see how happy you make me."
Tess swallowed the lump in her throat. "I make you happy?"
Matt fervently grasped he face in his hands. "Yes! I don't think I've ever been this happy before. I don't care about your past, your job or anything else except being with you." Matt studied Tess's expression carefully. "That doesn’t frighten you, does it?"
"Honestly? Yes, it does… a little. But I feel exactly the same way." Tess suddenly gave out a laugh. "Are we both crazy?"
"I don’t know. All I know is that I'm crazy about you." Matt leaned forward and kissed Tess passionately. She threw her arms around Matt and kissed him back with all the emotion she felt inside but couldn't express in words. Matt pulled away and breathlessly asked, "Can I take that as a 'yes' to dinner tomorrow night?"
"Why not?" Tess impulsively replied. "I have to put that gorgeous dress to good use, don't I?"
"You won't regret this, I promise," Matt said enthusiastically. He kissed her quickly and said, "I have to go. Mom had some errands she asked me to run for her. I'll pick you up tomorrow night at five thirty."
"I'll be ready."
Matt kissed her once more, then left the apartment. Tess locked the door and walked over to the dress box. She carried it with her into the bedroom and set it on her dresser. She removed the dress from the box and held it up against her body in front of the full-length mirror. Tess felt like Cinderella preparing for the ball. Let's just hope I don't turn into a pumpkin at the stroke of midnight.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
September 6, 1999
David Halliday's Townhouse
Cindy pulled more papers about the Tanquir project off the fax machine. She studied the details of the project with great interest. She desperately wanted to prove her worth to David as a business associate. She smiled slightly. And whatever happened beyond that…..
Cindy stole a glance at the door again. David had been gone for days. She was worried and she did nothing to hide that fact. Calls to his cell phone went unanswered. It was as if he did not want to be found.
Cindy jumped slightly as the door creaked open behind her. She swung around with a huge smile on her face. The smile slowly faded when she saw that it was Winston and not David who stood in the open doorway.
"Hello, Winnie, what can I do for you?"
Winston gave her a sympathetic look before answering. "I'm leaving for the day and wanted to know if you needed anything."
Yeah, I need a big man with dancing blue eyes and a great sense of humor! She thought to herself, but answered, "Thanks, Winnie, but I don't need anything. I’m just finishing up, then I'll be on my way, too. See ya tomorrow."
Winston nodded, then left. Cindy turned back to the papers on the desk and straightened them, stacking everything in neat piles. She slowly walked toward the foyer, picking up her purse as she passed the table in the living room. The thought of returning to her dreary little apartment depressed her, but it was even more depressing staying here not knowing when or if David was ever coming back.
Cindy placed her hand on the knob of the front door and looked back at the living room. As she turned around to open the door, it swung open almost hitting her in the process. She staggered back a few steps as David barreled in the door almost knocking her over.
"Whoa!" she yelled as David stood a few inches from her, steadying her.
"Cindy, I didn't expect you to be here. Just leaving for the evening?" he asked.
Cindy narrowed her eyes. "Hi, how ya doin', Cindy? Pleasure to see you. How have things been since I've been gone? Kiss my….."
"Ah…ah…ah, this is the new, improved Cindy, remember?"
Cindy glared at him thinking of more than a few unladylike things that she would like to call him. "Where the hell have you been?"
David raised his eyebrows then dropped his bags on the floor. "I had business to take care of."
"So you didn't think that you should check in every once in a while? Maybe let people know that……oh I don't know…..you weren't dead?!"
David smirked in amusement as he walked to her and lifted her chin. Her eyes were blazing with anger. "Were you worried about me, Cindy?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cory Mansion
Amanda pushed another bobby pin into her upswept hair and examined her appearance in the mirror. She turned in front of her full-length mirror, studying the line of her ice blue evening gown. She was determined to keep her emotional turmoil hidden during the family dinner party. Her mother was so excited about having everyone together that Amanda didn't want to do anything to spoil the evening.
Amanda heard a knock on the bedroom door and turned. Cameron walked into the room and said, "I'm sorry to interrupt. I forgot…"
Amanda swallowed hard to dislodge the lump in her throat. The sight of Cameron in his tuxedo left her breathless. For a moment, she forgot all about her anger. This incredible man was her husband. He was hers… No. He wasn't hers entirely. A part of him belonged to a life that had nothing to do with her. "You forgot what?" she stiffly asked.
"I started to say that I forgot my tie. But seeing you looking so beautiful… it makes me forget to breathe." Cameron looked directly at Amanda with his heart in his eyes.
Amanda longed to throw herself into his arms, to forget all the lies and just be with the man she loved. But her pride wouldn't allow her to let it go. "Thanks," she replied tonelessly. "Your tie is on top of the dresser."
Amanda turned back to the mirror and unnecessarily applied another coat of lipstick. Cameron realized she was purposely ignoring him. He sighed quietly and retrieved the tie. He knotted it around his neck, his eyes never leaving Amanda's reflection in the mirror. Cameron knew that she was only attending this party on his arm for appearance's sake, but he still swelled with pride knowing that his wife would be the most beautiful woman at the gathering.
When he'd finished with the tie, Cameron walked over to stand behind Amanda. Her eyes met his in the mirror's reflection. Mixed emotions flashed in her eyes. One moment, she longed for him to touch her. The next, her gaze warned him to back off. Cameron read her expression and gently placed his hands on her bare shoulders. Amanda quivered under his touch, but didn't pull away. Encouraged, Cameron moved closer and said, "I love you, Amanda."
He said nothing else, did nothing else, and Amanda met his gaze in the mirror for a long, electrified moment. Then she blinked several times and pulled away to turn and face him. "I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about tonight," she said in a voice that she'd wished would have sounded more resolute. "I'm going to this party with you for my mother's sake. This means a lot to her and I'm not going to let our problems spoil the evening for her. But that doesn’t mean that the problems don’t exist anymore or that I've forgiven you for lying to me. I haven't… and I don't know when I will."
Cameron nodded somberly, then smiled slightly. "I know that, but I am glad to hear you say 'when' rather than 'if'."
Amanda hadn't realized the significance of her word choice until he pointed it out. She started to correct herself, but decided it was beside the point. They both knew that they had gotten past worse things than this. Amanda admitted to herself that a part of her was already coming to terms with Cameron's past and why he'd lied to her about it. Intellectually, she understood what he'd done. Emotionally, she wasn't yet ready to let it go. "This isn't the right time for us to be talking about this. Everyone will be arriving soon. We should be downstairs when they do."
Cameron sensed Amanda's softening, but decided that pushing her wasn't the right thing to do. Having her at his side for the night was the most important thing. "Ok. Let's go." Cameron held out his arm to Amanda. After a moment's hesitation, she curled her hand around it and allowed her husband to escort her downstairs.
When they entered the living room, they saw Paulina and Joe had already arrived. The two of them were sharing a laughing conversation with Nick, Remy, and Alli. Amanda beamed with pride at the sight of her daughter looking like a young lady in a bright green floral print dress. Carl and Rachel were standing at the doorway awaiting the arrival of the rest of the family. Amanda glanced around the room before greeting her mother. "You look fantastic, Mom," Amanda said as she took in her mother's tailored jacket and skirt. The dark ruby fabric shimmered and brought out a glow in Rachel's eyes. "Hello, Carl."
As Carl greeted Amanda, Cameron kissed Rachel's cheek and said, "She's right. You look like a million bucks, Ma."
Rachel laughed indulgently and replied, "Thank you. I could say the same to both of you. But what matters is having the entire family under one roof for the evening. I wish we could do this more often."
"If that's what counts then can I go upstairs and change into some jeans and a tee shirt?" Cameron joked.
"Oh no, you don't," Amanda said laughingly, caught up in the moment. "Mom, I think you're the only person that could get him to agree to wear a tux to dinner. Don't let him squirm out of it."
Cameron looked at Amanda adoringly and Rachel smiled at the two of them. "Oh, I think you could get your husband to do just about anything without any help from me, darling."
Amanda's smile faded slightly before she painted the bright expression back on her face to cover. Carl looked on with blatant curiosity, seeing the odd dynamic between Amanda and Cameron. Cameron noticed the look and gave Carl a quick warning glare. Carl smirked in acknowledgment.
"Where is Matt?" Amanda asked. "I expected to see him here with you."
"I'm not exactly sure where Matthew went. He was dressed and ready a while ago but said that he needed to run out for a few minutes. I'm sure he'll be back soon."
The doorbell rang, interrupting their conversation. Seeing that Claudia had left to take care of something else, Cameron said, "I'll get it," and went to answer the door.
Cameron opened the door. He couldn't contain his surprise when he saw Gary and Josie standing on the doorstep. "Gary… Josie… What are you guys doing here?"
Gary raised a brow. "I would think that was obvious. We're here for dinner."
"I'm sorry. I just didn't think you'd come after… Come in, please." Cameron stepped back and watched Gary and Josie enter the house. Claudia returned from her errand and offered to take Josie's wrap for her. While his sister-in-law was occupied, Cameron turned to his brother. "I knew that Rachel had asked you to come, but I figured…"
"I know what you thought, " Gary replied stonily. "Believe me, it took some convincing for me to get Josie to come here tonight. She's still not thrilled about it, but she agreed to make this evening as normal as possible."
"I can tell you aren't any happier about being here than she is, so why did you do it?" Cameron asked softly.
"Because, unlike anyone else here, I know exactly what is at stake. I know why it is so important for you to make everything appear to be normal. I'm not about to do anything to endanger the people you're working to protect, so I'm here to do my part. But trust me, little brother, we still have a lot of things to sort out between us. And when everyone else finds out the truth, and I mean the whole truth, you're going to have more trouble than you can possibly imagine."
"Thanks for reminding me," Cameron replied with slight sarcasm. "I can't tell you how much it means to me to have my big brother here to support me."
"I am here to support you, " Gary replied sincerely. "But that doesn't mean I've forgotten about the mess you've gotten yourself into. You'd be smart not to forget about it either, no matter how much you might want to. I just want you to be prepared, Cameron. The way I see it, things are going to get a lot worse for you before they get any better." Gary squeezed Cameron's shoulder in a gesture of brotherly support. A part of him was still angry about all the secrets and lies, but Gary knew that when this all came out, Cameron was going to need all the support he could get.
"Thanks, Gar," Cameron said. "Let's go join the others."
Gary joined Josie in a conversation with Rachel and Carl while Cameron made his way over to where Amanda stood talking with Joe and Paulina. As he walked up, Amanda was saying, "It looks like they've really hit it off."
Paulina glanced over to see Alli and Remy laughing together over a comment Nick made. Paulina smiled blissfully. "I'm so happy they're getting along. I so much want Remy to feel like she's truly a part of this family."
"Looks like you're getting your wish," Cameron supplied.
Amanda glanced at Cameron before looking back at her daughter. "It's good for Alli, too. I'm glad there's someone closer to her age in the family now. By the way, where's Dante?"
"He's upstairs taking a nap," Joe replied. "We're hoping he wakes up on his own before dinner time. He's a bear when he doesn't have enough sleep."
"Just like someone else I know," Paulina teased. "Except I can't ply Dante with caffeine like I do his Daddy."
When new voices joined those near the door, Cameron glanced over and said, "Speaking of the little Corys, here comes another one."
Cass and Lila had arrived with Jasmine. Carl was holding the little girl and speaking to her in a silly voice as Rachel smilingly looked on. After the greetings were exchanged, Cass walked over to talk with Gary and Josie. Lila took Jasmine back from Carl and asked, "Where's Matt? I thought he'd be here waiting to see Jasmine. He's always so anxious to have time with her."
Rachel shook her head with puzzlement. "Matthew left a while ago to run an errand. I have no idea what's taking him so long to get back."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tess's Apartment
Tess ran a brush through her hair one last time and then placed it on the vanity. She'd painstakingly blown her hair dry so that it hung in a shining, straight curtain that flowed past her shoulders. She pulled back each side and inserted glittering combs, leaving wispy strands loose to frame her face. Tess stepped into a pair of silver pumps and gave her appearance one final inspection in the mirror. The dress fit perfectly, clinging to her figure in all the right places. Tess had taken a careful hand with her makeup, using subdued tones of pink and brown. She was anxious to make a good impression for Matt's sake.
Tess picked up her silver handbag and retrieved the gauzy white wrap from the bed. Right on schedule, the doorbell sounded. Tess took a deep breath and walked into the living room. When she opened the door, Matt was waiting with a smile. His expression registered a slight amount of awe when he saw Tess. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," he said.
Tess felt the blood rush to her cheeks with pleasure at his emphatic, soft-spoken compliment. "It's the dress," she replied self-consciously.
Matt shook his head. "It's got nothing to do with the dress. You could be wearing sweat pants and a tee shirt, and you'd still take my breath away."
"Thank you. You look pretty good yourself, " Tess said in a voice that proclaimed she was purposely understating her opinion. Seeing Matt in his tuxedo did things to Tess's pulse that defied explanation.
Matt smiled. "So, are you ready to go?"
Tess's smile wavered as her doubts about accepting Matt's dinner invitation returned. "Can we just stay here and order a pizza? I have coupons."
Matt saw Tess's tension and did his best to diffuse it. "I told you everything would be fine, didn't I?"
"Yes, but-"
"And you trust me to take care of you, don't you?"
"Of course I trust you, Matt-"
"Then let's not waste any more time arguing about it. My family is going to love you."
Tess took Matt's hands in hers and looked at him intently. "Are you sure about this? I mean really sure?"
Matt kissed each of Tess's hands in turn before replying, "I've never been more certain of anything. This is the perfect time to show my family how important you are to me. Once they get to know you, they won't care about how or why you came to town."
Tess shot Matt a disbelieving look. "I don't know about that, Matt. When they find out the truth, things could get very… uncomfortable." Matt didn't know yet just how uncomfortable things would be. She doubted that everyone would be as accepting as he was once the whole story was out in the open.
"We'll deal with that when the time comes. They may have mixed emotions at first, but when they see how much you mean to me, they'll get over it. So…are you ready to go now?"
Tess pushed aside her reservations and took Matt's arm. She sent up a silent prayer that Matt was right and that everything would work out smoothly in the end. "If you're sure about this, then so am I."
Matt grinned and covered her hand with his. "I'm sure. This will be perfect. Trust me."