First Impressions
Parts 31-32
By Kellie
Michelle was led through the Santos mansion to a set of French doors. Jimmy opened the door for her as he said, "Mrs. Santos is waiting for you in the garden."
Michelle stepped through the door into a walled garden. Over in one corner she saw an elderly woman in a wheel chair watching as a dark haired woman worked on creating an a floral arrangement using an assortment of cut flowers from the garden. Jimmy walked over and briefly spoke in Spanish with the dark haired woman. Waving Michelle over, he said, "Mrs. Santos, this is Michelle Bauer."
Walking forward, Michelle was overcome with a wave of nausea. "Ms. Bauer, I'm Carmen Santos. I think we have a great deal to talk about. Please take a seat," she firmly said. Carmen paused as she heard the phone ring. "Jimmy, please answer that." Carmen waited as she watched Jimmy take the call.
After hanging up, he turned and looked at her, "That was the hospital. Danny and Mick are in the Emergency Room. They had a wreck. The nurse said Mick's in critical condition and they want the family there as soon as possible."
Carmen dropped the flowers in her hand and began speaking in Spanish to the older woman. Carmen started walking determinedly towards the door, "Jimmy, take care of Abuela. I'll have Dietz handle Miss Bauer until my return." As she opened the door, Carmen called out loudly, "Dietz, I have a job for you!"
As the door closed, Michelle looked at Jimmy, who had taken a seat next to the older woman. Swallowing hard, Michelle asked, "Jimmy, is Danny alright."
"I'd like an answer to that myself, Jimmy. How is my grandson, Daniel?" the woman asked.
"The nurse said his injuries were minor. She mentioned something about cuts, bruises, maybe a concussion," Jimmy answered as Dietz came into the garden.
"Let's go, missy," Dietz said as he roughly grabbed Michelle by the arm.
"Dietz, stop!" the woman exclaimed. "Miss Bauer is a guest in this house until I find out what is going on. I will not allow you to handle my guests so roughly, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Mrs. Santos."
"Dietz, go wait in the study. If I need you, I will send for you," she said forcefully.
"Carmen gave me orders to..." Dietz began.
"Carmen may think she runs the show, but I can still overrule her. Go wait in the study. I'll deal with my daughter-in-law later." Dietz nodded as he headed back into the house.
"Jimmy, please make sure Dietz stays put," she added.
As soon as Jimmy was inside the door, the woman introduced herself, "Miss Bauer, I'm Maria Santos. Please do not be afraid. I know a little about what has been going on, but I want the whole story. I believe you're just the person to give it to me."
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Lillian led Frank into the treatment cubicle where Danny sat on an exam table. "Frank, see if you can talk some sense into this young man. He's refusing to let us keep him for a few hours of observation. The chief resident checked him over, but he wanted Rick to review the chart and check him out again before discharge."
"Any sign?" Danny asked as soon as he saw Frank come through the door. Following Frank's negative nod, Danny added, "Frank, you know why I need to get out of here. See if you can get her to find a doctor to sign the damn discharge papers,"
"Lillian, how long will it be before Rick can check him over?" Frank asked.
"It's going to be a while. Rick's assisting with the surgery on..."
"My brother," Danny said before Lillian could finish.
Lillian spoke, "Yes. Danny, the best thing you could do is to rest until Rick gets out of surgery." Carmen Santos rampage from the waiting room drew Lillian out of the room. "I'd better see what the problem is," Lillian said as she exited the room.
"That sounds like my mother," Danny said as he carefully stood and walked over to the door. "Just as I thought, she's out there barking orders and making demands." Danny watched as Carmen reduced a young nurse at the counter to tears with her shouts and threats. "Frank, is there another way out of here?"
"Danny, look around this room, do you see another door?" Frank said with a smirk.
Danny looked around, "Okay, I guess I need a minute come up with a plan. What do you know about the place Michelle called from and the people who were supposed to bring her here?"
Frank pulled out his notebook; "I have directions to the house. Michelle called him Jimmy when she handed him the phone to give me directions."
As he read the directions, recognition went across Danny's face. "Damn it, my mother has Michelle."
"How do you know?" Frank asked.
"These directions and the name Jimmy. He works for my mother. I've been to Jimmy's house once since I got back to town."
"What are you going to do now?" Frank asked.
"I'm going to find Michelle," Danny said as he returned to his seat on the exam table. "Frank, act like your taking an accident report. My mother will be pushing her way in here in a moment."
By the time Frank had his notepad out, Carmen Santos was outside the door. "Is my son in here?" she loudly asked Lillian.
"Yes, follow me."
The door burst open and Carmen rushed over to the table and began making a fuss, "Danny, are you alright? Nurse, what are his injuries?"
"Mama, don't keep the nurse away from patients who need her. Other than a few bumps and bruises, I'm fine."
"Are you certain?" Carmen asked as Danny nodded and waived Lillian out of the room.
"Mama, I need to finish answering Detective Cooper's questions for the accident report. Why don't you go get some coffee?"
"Actually, I have everything I need. If I have further questions, I'll be in touch," Frank commented as he exited the room.
"Daniel, what happened?" Carmen firmly asked.
"I was driving. I guess I was going too fast and I lost control on a curve. The car went down an embankment. I had my seatbelt on and Mick didn't. I guess that's why I wasn't hurt as badly. Has there been any word from surgery yet?"
"No, the nurse didn't know a thing," Carmen said indignantly. "If they had called sooner, I could have gotten specialist here who would keep me informed."
"Mama, I'm sure they're doing their best. I think you should call Abuela and let her know what's going on."
"Yes, you're probably right. I'll go find a phone," Carmen replied.
As soon as she was out the door, Danny slipped over and watched out the window. He knew his mother wouldn't want to take a chance on being overheard in the hallway. He saw her head for the outside doors. Carefully, Danny followed. He managed to slip out the ER doors. A large, decorative potted tree stood outside the door. Carmen was standing with her back to the plant, a few feet in front of it. Danny slipped silently behind it and listened to her phone call.
"Dietz, what's going on with the Bauer girl?" Carmen paused as she listened to his response. "Maria did what? Damn it. I can't leave. Mick's in emergency surgery. Don't let that Bauer girl out of the house. I'll be there as soon as I speak with Mick's doctors."
Danny slipped back into the ER before Carmen hung up. He spotted Frank in the hallway. Signaling Frank to follow him, Danny slipped down the hospital hall towards a lounge. Frank followed him inside. "Frank, Michelle is at my mother's house. I'm going to get her out of there. I need you to distract my mother long enough for me to get out of here."
"How should I do that?" Frank asked.
Danny thought for a moment, "Go give her the polite is there anything I can do for you while you wait routine - coffee, etc. - while I slip out. I'm going to have to take your car."
Frank handed Danny the keys, "Be careful."
Danny watched as Frank headed down the hall and started speaking to Carmen. Frank managed to position himself so that he was facing the exit and Carmen's back was to the door. Danny quickly slipped out and climbed into Frank's squad car.
A short time later, Frank walked down the hall with a cup of coffee for Carmen. He could hear her chewing out Lillian over Danny's disappearing act.
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Michelle shifted uneasily in her seat as she listened to Danny's grandmother speak. "May I call you Michelle?"
Michelle nervously answered, "Yes ma'am."
"Relax, I'm not going to do anything to hurt you; that's my daughter-in-law's style, not mine. Now, I guess I should tell you what this supposedly hard of hearing old woman has learned so far and then you can fill in the blanks with your side of the story."
Michelle nodded as she listened, "Between the conversations I've overheard between Mick and Carmen, I know that you were on the beach with Daniel the night that the police officer, Grant was his name I think, was killed. I know that Mick has branched out family's operations into drug trafficking, something I'm sure has his father turning over in his grave. It is my understanding that you are a witness to whatever went on between Mick and the dead officer. I also know that Mick used Daniel's gun and tried to set his own brother up to take the fall for his crime. Daniel has been hiding you from Mick and his mother. Does that sum things up fairly accurately."
Michelle's eyes had grown quite wide as she listened. "Yes, Mrs. Santos. You definitely have a clear picture of what's going on. If you don't mind my asking, why are you telling me what you know?"
"I guess this is quite confusing to you, isn't it dear. Basically, I cannot stand by any longer and watch Carmen and Mick destroy the business my husband and son worked so hard to build. There has always been one area of operations this family has avoided, until Mick used greed to convince Carmen to enter the drug trade. I've watched my grandson, Mick, turn from a thoughtful young man who always had time for his Abuela into a hate filled monster. His drug use has done this. I can't sit back and do nothing. I want to put an end to this branch of the business and you are going to help me."
"How exactly am I supposed to do that?" Michelle asked.
"You'll see, dear."
Dietz's knocking on the door interrupted the conversation. Whispering under her breathe, "Don't let Dietz know that I have any clue about what's going on. Act like you're making small talk to please me."
Dietz knocked louder and opened the door, he heard Michelle speaking, "Mrs. Santos, this garden is lovely. Do you spend much time here?"
Dietz cleared his throat as he stepped in front of the old woman's chair, "Mrs. Santos, Carmen just called from the hospital. She wanted me to tell you that Daniel is fine."
"What about Mick?" she asked.
"He's in surgery. It seems that he was badly hurt."
Making the sign of the cross, Abuela whispered a short prayer. "Dietz, thank you. You're dismissed. Please let me know if you hear from Carmen again."
Dietz nodded and walked towards the door. He gave Michelle a sideways glance that sent a chill up her spine.
As the door closed, Michelle asked, "Why do you want my help? I really don't know what I can do?"
"Dear, my Daniel has been trying to protect you from Mick. He has always been a good judge of people. If he thinks you're worth protecting, than you must be someone he can trust."
"Which means you trust me also," Michelle finished as the woman nodded.
A noise on the gravel path outside the garden gate startled the pair as they sat. "Michelle, please go inside and get Jimmy. I want him to check the path out. Don't let Dietz hear you."
"Abuela, that won't be necessary," Danny whispered loudly as he came through the gate. Danny walked over and knelt before his grandmother. Nodding his head towards Michelle, he asked, "What do you think?"
"She's as lovely as you described the other day. You were definitely right about the fact that she doesn't let on if she's intimidated." Abuela and Danny began speaking in Spanish with one another. A smile spread across her face as they spoke.
Watching the two talk, Michelle began to tap her foot and give Danny a sideways glance. Catching her eye, Danny stood and took the empty chair beside Michelle. "I guess I need to explain a few things to you."
"That's an understatement," Michelle muttered.
"Well, I guess I should tell you that my grandmother knows everything about my career choices. She's the only person who has known from the beginning. When I told you that my mother was the one who called me all those months ago about Mick's drug problems, I lied. It was my grandmother who asked me to come home and help her straighten out this mess."
"Okay, I'm not going to ask why you lied about that - for now," Michelle firmly replied. "When your grandmother started talking to me earlier, I got the impression that things aren't exactly as they seem."
"Michelle, I'll fill you in on everything later. Right now I need you to get Dietz and Jimmy out here so I can get into my mother's office. If I can find my mother's books, I'll have all the ammunition I need."
"Daniel, they should be in her safe. I watched her open it the other day. She thought I was napping in the study. I put a piece of paper with the combination inside the back of the frame holding your graduation picture, " Abuela said.
"Danny, how exactly am I supposed to keep Jimmy and Dietz busy out here?" Michelle asked.
"I can handle that," Abuela said. "Go inside and tell them something seems to be wrong with me. We'll keep them busy fussing over me while Daniel slips into the house."