Disclaimer: Of course I don't own these characters!
Back in her bedroom, Michelle made two copies of the tape. The original she put in a large envelope, along with a letter detailing the contents of the tape. She would give it to Aunt Meta for safe keeping. She would keep one copy for herself, and make one for Danny.
�Danny,� she thought. �I�ve got to find you.�
Just then, the phone rang. Somewhere downstairs, Meta answered the phone. Michelle could hear her calling, �Michelle, it�s for you. It�s Drew.��
She quickly picked up her phone.
Drew detailed her latest conversation with Ben Warren. Apparently, neither of the two men listed in Selena�s book had compatible blood types. She was gravely disappointed.
�So, it must be that �Sweet College Boy�. Looks like if I want to find him, I�m gonna have to track down Selena and ask her about him.�
�Are you going to?� Michelle asked.
�I haven�t decided. I need to think about it for a while.�
After she hung up with Drew, she reached in the drawer of her nightstand. There were the clippings. She would return one to Selena�s book, and return the others to Ben�s file. But not before she made copies.
Twenty minutes later she was standing in Ben�s office, playing the tape for him. To say that he was amused would be an understatement. Ben was delirious. He relished the thought of Carmen being beaten at her own game. He congratulated her on her work. Michelle didn�t tell him about the copies she�d made, or who she�d given them to. Even though he had been helpful, she still didn�t trust him.
Once, while his back was turned, Michelle slipped the newspaper clippings back into the file where she�d found them. It looked unmoved since the night before, so she was fairly sure that Ben had not noticed that they were missing. When he turned around, she dug in her purse and found one of the copies she�d made of the article from Selena�s book.
�Ben, I thought you should see this,� she said as she handed it to him. She was unable to read his expression when he saw the headline. �I found this in Selena�s book the other day. I took it out of the book before Drew saw it. I was afraid it would upset her more. I was hoping that maybe she�d never have to see it, but I understand neither of the two men you located were possible fathers. I knew you�d need to see this, if you�re going to uncover the truth.�
�Yes, Michelle,� Ben said. �This may prove to be very helpful.�
Michelle could not believe how well he was able to hide his surprise.
�I suppose our business is finished, Mr. Warren,� Michelle said. �Thank you for your help.�
�Of course, Michelle. You�re very welcome.�
She found Buzz at his house, playing with Coop and Rocky. He answered the door, and invited her in.
�Thanks Buzz,� Michelle began, �but I really can�t stay. I just wanted to drop this package off for Selena.� She handed him the manilla envelope.
�What is this?� Buzz questioned.
�It�s something I know she�ll be interested in. Could you please see that she gets it, whenever she gets back to town?�
She didn�t want to tell him that inside it were copies of the articles she�d found in Ben�s office, as well as a copy of the one from Selena�s book. Michelle had also written a letter, explaining how she�d come across each article, and how she�d made the connections. It was something that Selena herself should look at, and then decide how she wanted to proceed.
Danny had returned from Chicago and was in his room taking a shower by the time Dietz walked into Carmen�s study.
�Boss, I think you better listen to this,� Dietz said.
�What is it?� Carmen asked.
�It�s from Ben Warren�s office.�
The two of them sat quietly and listened to what the bugging device had just recorded from Ben�s office. The blood drained out of Carmen�s face, and she felt the bile rising from her stomach into her mouth. An anger like she�d never felt overcame her. Dietz could see it in her eyes. Carmen composed herself enough to speak.
�Dietz, go upstairs and tell Daniel to come down here. While he�s out of his room, find his cell phone and take the batteries out. That way Michelle won�t be able to contact him.�
�What are you going to do?�
�I�ll send him to the airport. I�ll tell him some of Pilar�s things from Spain are being shipped there, and he needs to pick them up.�
�Is that true, boss?�
�Of course not, but when he returns, I�ll tell him that there was some confusion about the delivery date. He�ll never know the truth. By the time he comes home, it will be over.�
�What about the girl?�
�After Danny has left, find her. Find her and bring her to me.�
Michelle walked into Millenium and found Drew standing behind the bar. So far, she had been unable to reach Danny. He wasn�t answering his cell phone.
Michelle sat down at the bar and made some small talk with Drew. After a few moments, she handed Drew two envelopes.
�What are these, Michelle?�
�The one in the smaller envelope is something I found in Selena�s book. I took it out, because I was afraid it might upset you, but now I realize that it may have some important information. In the larger envelope are copies of two articles I found in Ben�s office. He didn�t know that I took them and copied them, but you needed to see them.�
Drew was obviously confused. �I don�t understand this, Michelle.�
�I know you don�t, but you will. But please promise me that you won�t open these until Jesse comes back and the two of you can look through them together.� Michelle hated the thought of Drew seeing this by herself. She�d been so unstable the past few weeks, she was afraid of what Drew might do.
�Whatever, Michelle, but I still don�t understand.�
�You will. I promise.�
Michelle tried Danny�s cell phone again and once more he didn�t answer. As she hung up the phone, it immediately rang and Drew answered.
�Millenium,� Drew said. Michelle could only hear Drew�s end of the conversation.
�Yes she�s here,� Drew continued. �O.K., I�ll tell her.� And then she hung up.
�Michelle,� Drew began. �That was Dietz. He said you need to come to the Santos house right away. Something important he said.�
Michelle was perplexed. She couldn�t imagine what Carmen would want to say to her, considering their conversation earlier that morning. She thought about not going over there, but she couldn�t afford for Carmen to grow suspicious of her. Maybe Danny would be there and she would be able to deliver the tape to him. No, she couldn�t give it to him there, and besides, Carmen would never let her in the house if Danny was there. She decided to leave Danny�s copy of the tape with Drew. She scribbled a note on a scrap of paper, and quickly stuffed it in an envelope. Drew promised to give him the note and the tape if he came in.
He had to hear that tape, as soon as possible.
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