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Danny jumped at the knock of the door. It had taken them twenty minutes to get here. They should have been here in ten.
"What the hell took you so long" Danny demanded.
The other party was not intimidated by Danny's hostile attitude. "You know I cant just jump when you call without attracting suspicion. What the hell has gotten into you?? You are taking a risk just calling me out there don't you know that." the party reminded Danny.
"Of course I know that but we've got a problem. One that was supposed to be taken care of" he said to the party in the room with him. "Carmen forged my name on those damn annullment papers. The ones that YOU told me were in someplace safe" he barked.
Danny remembered how he had freaked out when he had discovered his briefcase empty. He knew Carmen was up to no good so he enlisted a little help in making sure the papers wouldnt fall into her hands. He had gotten the call later that evening that the papers were in a safe place where she couldn't get her slimy paws on them.
Danny cursed himself for being so stupid. He had trusted that they would be safe. He had made a serious error in underestimating Carmen Santos and it wouldn't happen again. He had put those cursed papers out of his mind and had concentrated on his plan and now his momentary lapse of judgment had cost him Michelle.
"How did she get them?" Danny demanded again. "I need you to find out if they have been filed at the courthouse and if they are legal. MIchelle got the damn papers and thinks we're annulled" he said and ran his hand through his hair.
The other party was clearly as agitated as Danny about the whole situation and said. "I'll do some checking around as soon as I get back, but I think you should know that we may have another problem on our hands" he said cryptically.
Danny let out an exasperated sigh. "great, what is it?" Danny said. He didnt want to think about anything besides Michelle right now and this was truly getting on his nerves.
"Warren has been snooping around. I dont know why. He may be trying to get something on Carmen and is going to try to blackmail her or something since she cut him out of the real estate deal but I think its something else" he said.
"What do you think it is?" Danny asked feigning interest in this subject.
"I think he may be about to stumble onto our plan. " That brought Danny out of his daydreaming and back into the conversation. "He was coming out of your mother's office the other day when she wasnt there. He had been on the computer. I noticed this because Carmen always shuts the computer off when she is not there and when I went in after he had left her office, the computer was still on. He had been using her personal computer and I had to ask myself, why would he use her computer and not the one in the study that he always uses?????" the party said. "I tell you, he is up to something and I think we best find out what it is. "
Danny let this information sink in. He would deal with this later. He had Michelle to think of now. She had gone the last few weeks believing that they were annulled. He had to find some way to erase that pain for her. He looked at his ring finger on his left hand. He had put his wedding band back on this morning when he had arrived back at the hotel. He had every right to wear it since he was not truly annulled. He never signed any damn papers.
Danny brought his attention back to the matter at hand. "Okay, we will deal with that later" RIght now finding out about the annullment papers was his first priority.
"FInd out and check with me later" Danny instructed.
The party merely smiled and assured Danny he was on it right away.
"Let me know today" Danny said struggling to remember what day this was. The sun was just beginning to rise to a new day. Michell should be waking up soon. His beautiful angel. What would her memories be of last night? Would she wake up and smile at the recollection of their making love or would she recall it as a bad dream??? He would go crazy being separated from her and wondering what she felt about last night.
"SUre thing, Consider it done, but I have one more question" the party asked.
"What is it?" Danny said getting aggrivated. They should have already left and began working on their assignment instead of staying here and asking stupid questions.
"What are you going to do to Carmen for forging your name on those papers" Dietz asked with an amused look on his face.
Danny's mouth turned into a thin line and his eyes turned cold and Dietz had to look away from their icy stare. "YOu leave her to me" he said. "She will be sorry she ever crossed me" he said.
Dietz opened the door, put two fingers together and saluted Danny as he was leaving. He had an interesting day ahead of him.
********************************************
Setting: Bauer house, Michelle's room
MIchelle woke up feeling better than she had in weeks. She was hungry. Her stomach growled reminding her of it's recent neglect. She stretched and sat up. She was still careful not to get up too fast remembering her nose dive onto the carpet the other day.
What a sight that must have been for Abby to find a naked Michelle sprawled on the floor like that. She had to smile despite herself.
She poured some water from the pitcher and drank thirstily. She had had the most amazing dream. Danny had come to her as he did each night, but this time he had stayed with her. He usually vaporized and left her feeling alone, but this time....oh this time...... he had stayed.
He had stayed and they had made love. It had been so realistic and she blushed when she realized what had happened to her body during this torrid dream. She ached to feel that again. She hoped her days of nightmares were over. That single dream may have just been what she needed to jump start her back among the living.
She went to the bathroom to take a shower. She washed her hair and shaved her legs. So far she hadn't felt light headed and that was a good start. She made a resolution to never neglect her health like that again. She poured the jasmine scented body wash onto her bath sponge. She took her time and leisurely washed her body. She hadn't been able to shower since she had gotten home from the hospital. Most of her time spent in the hospital was a blur since she has slept through most of it.
Last night though, had seemed so real. She felt exactly how real it was to her when she washed her most secret of places. It that's what the dream did to her, she couldn't imagine the real thing. It would be so wonderf.........
She frowned realizing that last night had been exactly that, a dream and Danny was still gone and they would never make love for real. She would never see him again. She didn't even know where in California he was. She didn't know his uncle's name, didn't know his telephone number, didn't know his addres......Address......Wait a minute. That was it!! Address!! E-mail address. She knew Danny's email address and unless he had changed it, she now had a way of contacting him.
Could she really contact him and what would she say if she did?? She now had something to think about other than her misery. Her mind began swimming with new possibilities.
She dried herself off, put on the minimal of make up, and got dressed. She pulled her hair into a french braid. She slipped on her sandals and went towards the kitchen.
She could smell wonderful aromas coming out of the kitchen.She thought she detected the smell of blueberry muffins and fresh coffee. Her stomach rumbled in appreciation at the possibility of actually getting some of those wonderful treats.
She stepped into the kitchen, issued a cheery good morning and sat at the table. "I am famished " she said and laughed aloud at the comical expressions on Rick and Abby's faces.
Rick dropped his fork and Abby's mouth was agape and they were both staring at her as if they had never seen her before in their life.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Dietz put on his sunglasses, checked to make sure he was not being followed and stepped into the car. He would drive to the parking garage and swap this car with the one he usually drove. He was not going to take any chances on being seen and exposing Danny.
He made the switch and began his drive back to the Santos mansion. He was figuring out what to do first. He knew Ben was up to no good, could feel it in his bones. He had a gut feeling that Warren was also somehow involved with the missing annullment papers.
Dietz had been a little surprised the night Danny had approached him and asked him to help him find out what had happened to the papers. He hadn't had to think more than a minute to decide to help Danny out. He had always thought that Danny was the decent one, not like Mick. Mick had too much of Carmen and his father in him, but Danny was different.
Danny was decent and loyal to the family. Danny had gotten into many a fight when he was growing up defending the Santos name. He had love his papa so much and Dietz knew that Manuel favored Danny to his eldest son Mick for more than the obvious reasons. Danny had the makings of a great leader and would run the Santos family with the integrity and honor that his father had always hoped it would be run.
Danny could turn it all around the cut the underworld ties for good. Danny could have a real shot at a real life with his Michelle.
Danny had been smitten with this girl from the beginning and Dietz knew it was not a passing fancy. He had to have strong feelings for this girl to go up against Carmen the way that he had.
He didn't feel disloyal to Carmen at all. She has pushed her family away all by herself and she had raised Mick to be the kind of man he had ended up to be. The kind of man that would die a violent death before his 30th birthday. It was all her fault she didn't have her family anymore.
If Carmen Santos had her way, she would try to lead Danny down the same destructive path that she had led Mick. All for the family she would say. What did Carmen Santos know about family???
Dietz began to ponder on the problem with the missing annullment papers. He had kept the key to the safety deposit box that the papers were in in his wall safe. Carmen knew he had a safe in his room but she never would suspect that he would do anything to hurt the family or have anything to hide, so she would never attempt to get in the safe. No, as far as Carmen Santos was concerned, Dieta was a loyal employee with whom she entrusted her life. She would have absolutely no reason to suspect him of anything.
Ben Warren however was another issue altogether. He was the kind of man who would slit his own mother's throat if he could make a buck off of it. He had slept with his own sister in law and broken up a nice family leaving two little boys without their mother and father together. Last he heard, he wasnt even seeing her anymore.He had just caused the damage and simply walked away. He could have had access to Dietz safe and he felt sure that Mr. Warren wouldnt balk at such a minor detail as the safe being locked.
The question of whether Ben Warren could crack his safe or would crack his safe wasn't as much of a concern to him as why would Ben Warren want to get into Dietz safe??? Why would he suspect Dietz?? Did her report to Carmen what he had found???? How did he explain to Carmen how he had gotten his hands on the annullment papers??
He felt certain that Ben hadn't sold him out. Not yet anyway. Warren was the sort that would try to make him squirm before he played his trump card. Did he suspect Danny was still in town?? How much did he know??
Oh man, Dietz thought, it looked like Mr. Warren was going to have to become the victim of an unfortunate accident. A fatal accident. Dietz couldn't let Danny be exposed. Manuel Santos' dream lived on in Danny and Manuel had been a good friend to Dietz. He had been kind, warm and forgiving. Dietz knew all too well how forgiving Manuel Santos was.
He still wasn't sure what to do about Carmen. He knew what awaited her when Danny got hold of her. He wouldn't want anything to do with her again and that would destroy her. She loved Danny despite everything. Well as much as Carmen Santos could love anything that was.
He pulled into the driveway and got out of his car. He pocketed his keys and sunglasses and put on his game face. He was greeted at the door by Carmen and standing behind her with an oh so smug expression on his face was none other than Ben Warren.
*************************************************
Setting: Santos mansion
"But don't you see Dietz, this is why I need you to take care of this personally" Carmen said as she paced across the hardwood floors, her heels clicking like a metronome.
Deitz studied her expression and then his gaze went over to Warren. There was nothing to indicate the sleazeball had squealed on him.
He listened intensely as Carmen explained all she needed him to do. A rival family had infiltrated their territory and one of their shipments had been hijacked. Word on the street was, they were going to make a move on the shipment coming in tonight. She needed Dietz to be waiting for them. He and Jimmy were to report their findings and then the intruders would be dealt with accordingly.
He watched as Jimmy stood in the corner listening to all that was being said. He was a hired thug but he was loyal to Carmen. He was young and had alot to learn, but he could be counted on to be there when the family needed him. He had gone on a few jobs with Jimmy before and there had never been any problems.
"Sure boss" Dietz heard himself saying "When do we go?"
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Deitz waited until Carmen and Ben were behind closed doors before he dared to make the call. He picked up his cell phone and dialed Danny's number at the hotel. There was no answer. "Damn it Danny, where are you??" he muttered. He needed to tell him about the change of plans. He would have to report to him later, after the job was done at the docks.
He looked around to make sure that Carmen and the weasel were still in "conference" and went to the computer. He penned a quick email explaining the circumstances and told him he would check in with him afterwards.
He went to his room and checked his weapon. It was set and ready. He placed it in the back of his pants and covered it with his jacket. Carmen had never mentioned that any firearms woud be necessary but you couldn't be too sure in events like these. These kind of things could go wrong at any time and the only reason Dietz had gotten to live all of his 47 years was that he was no fool.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Later that night
It's too quiet. Dietz thought. He and Jimmy had been sitting for over an hour and had been watching the docks. There was no activity at all and there hadnt been since they had arrived.
Dietz looked at Jimmy who seemed to be a little antsy. "You don't suppose they got some bad information do you?" Dietz asked Jimmy who merely shrugged his answer.
Dietz tried to shake the feeling that something was amiss. He could feel it in his bones.
"Dietz" Jimmy said, "Look, over there". Dietz looked over at the warehouse that was encased in the shadows of the night.
"What is it?" Dietz answered. He didnt see anything.
"Over there, someone is moving around, come on" Jimmy said as he quietly opened the door and stepped outside. Dietz did the same.
The sound of their footsteps in the gravel was deafening and Dietz couldn't shake the feeling in his gut that something was wrong. He walked around the warehouse and checked in the windows. No one was there.He doubled back to report to Jimmy.
"Theres no one here Jimmy" he said. "Let's get out of here" he said and then he saw the gun. Christ, he had been set up. He was reaching for his gun at his back when the bullet hit him. Down he went. Jimmy took off into the night.
Dietz knew the hit was mortal. Funny how you knew when you were going to die. He looked straight up at the stars. He had never noticed how beautiful they were before. He managed to reach into his pocket and get his phone. He felt around for the numbers and dialed Danny's number.
Danny picked up the phone. Dietz, struggling to breathe, spoke weakly into the phone, ..."Danny.......set up.......shot......docks......he managed to say before his grasp loosened and the cell phone fell from his hand.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Danny pushed his foot down flat against the floorboard. He willed the piece of crap to go faster. He had paid the manager $200 cash to use this pile of junk. The manager had greedily accepted the money and asked no questions. At this rate, the mamager would soon get to retire just on the extra money he was receiving from Danny to keep his mouth shut.
He finally reached his destination. Thankfully, Danny had remembered which dock Dietz had told him they were going to investigate in his email. Hadn't he mentioned something about Jimmy going too??
Danny jumped out of the car without turning it off. He spotted Dietz laying in the gravel by the warehouse door. He sprinted over to him and knelt down. He was still alive but the crimson stain spreading over Dietz's abdomen told Danny that he wouldnt be for much longer.
"Deitz, what happened. Who did this?""" Danny asked frantically. He reached for his cell phone to dial 911.
Summoning all the stregnth he had, Dietz knocked the phone out of Danny's hand. "No", he gasped, "No"
Danny lifted Dietz's shirt to examine the wound. Right through the gut. Whoever did this knew it was fatal and knew it was painful. Someone had put a hit on Dietz and he knew who that someone was. Carmen had ordered the execution of her once loyal servant.
This had Santos written all over it. There was a message involved. Dietz would die, but while he was dying, he would have time to comtemplate what he had done.
Dietz struggeled to sit up and Danny tried to restrain him. He opened his mouth to speak. Danny didn't try to stop him knowing it would be Dietz's final words.
"Set up... Carmen.." he struggled between breaths. "You need...to know.....truth"
"What??"" Danny cried "What truth? Dammit Dietz what are you talking about ?" Danny said feeling very sorry for his cursing a dying man.
"Truth....Carmen...Mick.....forgive........" and then he slipped out of this world. He died with his secret on his lips.
There was nothing Danny could do for Dietz now except to pray for his immortal soul, which he paused and took a moment to do. Begging his forgiveness, he took off into the night. He stopped at a pay phone and placing a handkerchief over the mouthpiece, called the police to report hearing gunshots in the warehouse district.
He drove back to his hotel and showered and changed. He paid his bill for the next week and told the clerk to hold his room and flipped him an extra $50. He told the clerk that he could find his car at the airport in the morning. Danny began to drive to the airport.
Dietz had said that he needed to know the truth and the only person Danny could think of to ask was his uncle in California.
He walked into the airport, bought a ticket for Chicago, which the desk clerk had assured him had a transfer to California, and was on his way. He had a lot of thinking to do on the way.
He boarded the plane, laid his head back and began to recall all of the events of the evening. His final thought before sleep claimed him was how ironic it was that he really was leaving for California barely 24 hours after making love with Michelle.
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