"Ray, you said that you would explain everything to me when you picked me up at the airport. Will you please tell me what's going on?" Michelle's body was racked with sobs as she rested her head on Ray's shoulder. "Why do I have to do this? Why do I have to push him away? Please tell me everything Ray."

Michelle's mind flashed back to that horrible night in LA. After she stormed out of Danny's suite, she had hidden in the stairwell until he had gotten on the elevator to chase after her. As she emerged, Theresa was standing in the hallway waiting. "What kind of slut are you?" Michelle shouted before slapping Theresa squarely across the jaw.

Theresa rubbed the stinging red mark across her face. "Wait, Michelle. This is not what you think. I can explain everything. Danny was probably more shocked than you to see me in his bed." Theresa grabbed Michelle's arm and pulled her into the suite across the hall from Danny's. "When the bellman tells Danny that he didn't see you in the lobby, he'll come back to look for you. Wait here. I'll be back to explain in a few minutes."

Before Michelle could come to her senses enough to reply, Theresa walked out the door. Michelle followed and looked out to see Theresa enter the suite adjoining Danny's. Then she heard the elevator bell, and Michelle knew it was Danny. She quickly shut the door and pressed her ear against it. She heard Danny open his door and call out her name. She looked out the peephole of the door and watched as Danny walked over to Theresa's door and began pounding on it. Theresa opened it and Danny coldly said, "Answer my question. What the hell were you doing in my bed and how did you get there?"

Michelle's heart pounded as she realized that Danny hadn't betrayed her. She was about to swing the door open and join him in listening to Theresa explain this mess when his cell phone rang. He flipped it open and said, "Michelle, please let me explain. Oh! I'm sorry, I was expecting this call to be my wife. What? Please try and keep her there for a few minutes. I'll be right down."

Danny quickly looked up at Theresa. "The bellman I tipped in the lobby just saw Michelle in the hotel bar. I've got to go after her. We're not done with this conversation. I will be back and you better have one damn good explanation!"

"Ray, all Theresa told me was that Danny's life was being threatened. She took me to the airport, put me on a plane home and said that you were the one who came up with this crazy plan. Please explain all of this to me."

"Michelle, I don't have much time. Danny's at the rectory waiting to talk to me. You did a pretty convincing job. He looked devastated."

"Ray, please tell my why I've got to push him away like this. I can't stand hurting him this way. It's tearing me apart. If you don't tell me what's going on right now, I'm going over there and telling Danny what little bit I do know. I don't think you'll be able to evade his questions as well as you have mine over the past several days."

***

"Daniel, you're right. None of this makes any sense. Let me call Theresa's mother and see if I can find a way to get in touch with her. You deserve an explanation from her. Perhaps then everything will make sense."

Father Thomas reached for the phone and began dialing. "Good evening, this is Father Thomas. How are you this evening?" The priest paused while he listened to the reply at the other end. "I hope I haven't called too late, but it's very important that I speak with Theresa. One of her old friends from school is in my office and has a problem. I think Theresa's just the person to help. Do you have a number for her? " He quickly wrote down a number. "Thank you. I'll see you at mass on Sunday. God bless."

"Daniel, you need to go home and get some rest. Theresa is here in town. I'm going to call her to come over here to see me tomorrow. Maybe I can get her to agree to see you and explain this entire mess to both you and Michelle."

"I am tired. I haven't slept for days. Please call me and let me know if Theresa will see me. Tell Ray I'll call him tomorrow. Talking with you helped, thank you Father."

"Good night and God bless," Father Thomas said as he walked Danny to the door.

As soon as the door closed, Danny whipped out his cell phone and dialed. "Get me the address that goes with this phone number. 555-3526. I need it immediately." As he put the phone in his pocket, Danny muttered, "I'll get my explanation tonight."

***

"The other families are on the war path. Word is that Carmen is offering to become an informant to the FBI in return for immunity for her part in Ben's shooting. The families are threatening to kill Danny to get to her. If Carmen helps the FBI to save herself and Pilar from prison, Danny's as good as dead. Theresa overheard her father discussing this with someone in another family." Ray continued, "She couldn't tell me who it was. When she confronted her father, he told her that the only way to avoid the hit was if Danny stepped up and took over the Santos operations. Carmen wouldn't be able to become an informant because she wouldn't be willing to send her own son to prison."

"Ray, Danny could have done that without sacrificing our marriage."

"Michelle, it's no secret that since Danny married you he has wanted to legitimize the business. Carmen won't let Danny take over unless she believes he's going to run the business her way. There is no way that Danny could convince her that he's not going to take the business legit as long as you're his wife. Carmen has to believe that Danny wants to return to the fold to get past the pain of losing you. I know Danny. There's no way he could fake that kind of hurt and pain. He wouldn't be able to stay away from you. Dietz would catch on the first time Danny tried to sneak off to see you. You know Carmen won't trust him at first, so she'll have Dietz following him around constantly. Danny wouldn't be able to stay away from you for a day."

"You're right, but I just can't believe there's not another way," Michelle whispered as the tears began yet again.

Parts 7-10

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