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| IMPOSTER BY MARIQUA |
CHAPTER 85 |
****
Sam's question was thrown out to Slider with only one reason behind it. He wanted the truth. Here they were sitting outside the home where Todd Manning had grown up. Behind that front door a troubled kid had grown up in the worst of circumstances, but had somehow survived it all. Yet survival didn't mean that he had conquered his demons. It only meant that he had dealt with them. How far did you sink, Boomer? You came back from the dead, and now I find that you're still haunted and controlled by your past. This can't be a repeat of what happened at the fraternity party or... the penthouse...with Tea...it just can't!
"What's going on?" Slider repeated back to Sam thoughtfully. "Well, what was meant to happen sooner or later, Sam. There's a battle going on between two people...two people who inhabit the same body."
"But...I somehow always thought that Pete was the main alter who controlled him."
"Pete," Slider said the name with an inner shudder. " No, Pete was merely a creative device...he was never the real deal."
"Then, Nick was there...with him...even after high school?"
"Yes, I think so...shades of him...at different times. He directed Todd's life behind the scenes and kept him sane when he was at his lowest. Todd needed him as he needed the air to breathe because Nick was more than some trumped up alter acting out."
"Why did he appear now...to you?" Sam pressed for further information.
Slider looked over at the house again and responded with a touch of sadness. "I'm not sure exactly, but I think he must have been on the brink that day when he called me from some isolated service station. Todd was very weak, and couldn't continue on. Maybe it was seeing me...I don't know...but Nick saw his opportunity and took it."
"What's the worst that could happen, Slider?" Sam said with no attempt to hedge his question.
"The worst..." Slider's blue eyes became a steely gray as he looked into another pair of inquisitive blue eyes. "...would be that Nick takes over and overthrows the mind of Todd Manning as we knew it. What would remain would be all Nick."
****
Who am I getting into bed with? This man has never been dishonest with me, so why should I doubt him now? Slider was probably just jealous...
Slider jealous. Even the idea that the man who had been merely her friend for four years would now be capable of this emotion was difficult to swallow. Yes, he had kissed her like he meant it in her apartment, and yes, she had felt giddy with the knowledge that he actually wanted her. Yet, the whole issue of her relationship with Slider had been clouded by the very real fact that another man had wanted her almost immediately and had seen something in her that made him want to take a risk. She had reacted with anger that Slider had dragged his feet with her all those years, and that it had taken a stranger coming between them to get him to finally realize his feelings for her.
But...Slider was a psychologist...and a good one. That knowledge, in itself, had her questioning why Nick was staying with him. Already Nick had admitted to her that he had DID, and there was probably more to his revelation that he wasn't telling her. Also, she had just seen him in the middle of a violent episode that made her suspect him more than she did before. I've got to stall him...I have to know more...
****
"Tea," Viki spoke sharply, "I just saw something...someone moved...in that car behind us."
"Are you sure?" Tea said and tried to look in the side mirror.
"Positive."
Is someone watching us? Of course...Del! He already tracked me to the hotel...why should it surprise me that either he...or one of his men is here?
"Viki," Tea said carefully, "I think whoever that is may be FBI...I'm not sure...but we can't risk it now. I've got to do something."
Flipping open her cell phone, Tea dialed in a number -- the secret number that Del had given her. Okay...big brother...now it's my turn...
The smooth, rich voice on the other end unnerved her, but she bit her lip and spoke clearly into the phone.
"Del? Yes, it's me...Tea."
"Where the hell are you?" he blasted and she took the phone away from her ear as another tirade of words came through. Giving Viki a knowing look, she hesitated and then cut in -- her voice flavored with a strong, Spanish accent and sharp, staccato tone.
"Stop it! Just stop it! If all you can do is yell at me, I'll hang up!"
Waiting again as another barrage of strong language hit her ears, she glanced ruefully at Viki and spoke more calmly.
"Are you through now? You're not using your head, Del...do you want to see me or not? "...well, that's your opinion, isn't it! I had my reasons...okay fine...be right if you want to!"
A silence fell on the other end, and then his voice lowered menacingly. "What is your game, Tea? Do you realize what all this has cost me? I've got the Department breathing down my neck now...all because I was worried about you."
"Then I suggest that we talk about it, Del...privately. You'll have to meet me somewhere... and Del... call off your men...or else."
"You can forget the ultimatums, Tea."
"Suit yourself."
"All right...all right...the Department will be be only too happy, and maybe if I'm lucky, I'll get some answers, right, chiquita?"
"Yes, you'll get answers, Del...as long as you do what I ask you to do."
"Fine...then it's settled. I'll see you at the hotel in two hours. Don't cut out on me again, Tea!"
Flipping back the cell phone cover, Tea folded her hands in her lap. "That's that. We shouldn't have long to wait."
After a minute, the car at a distance behind them started its motor and pulled away from the curb -- making a U-turn in the road and driving off in the opposite direction.
"Mission accomplished?" Viki asked wryly.
"For now. I'm sure he's going to figure it all out later, but it will buy us some time."
The phone rang again unexpectedly, and Tea listened and nodded seriously. "Okay, Sam...we're ready."
****
"Nick...stop...please...stop!" Sherry begged him as his fingers found the zipper on the back of her skirt and began tugging impatiently.
Stop...she said stop...
For a moment his lustful, slitted eyes reverted back to their normal width. Was he dreaming? There was no mistaking that the overheated body of the woman beneath him was beckoning to him, so he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was she scared of him?
I know she shouldn't have seen that encounter with Toddy, but it couldn't be helped. That's all clear now...isn't it? She knows about the DID, and I can tell she's okay with that...or is she? What is she thinking?
"What is it?" he growled in a low whisper.
"I...my throat...it's so dry...could you get me something...some water?"
Leaning back on his legs, he studied her flushed face. Up to this point he had trusted her because he knew that she knew nothing. Now he wasn't so sure. This is all your fault, Toddy...your meddling set me back with her...she wants me...I know that...but she's having doubts. Think I can't win her back, Toddy? Watch a master at work...
"Sure," he assented pleasantly to her demand and jumped up quickly from the bed. "I'll get some."
Before leaving he turned and walked back over to the bed -- allowing his long fingers to trail slowly down her chest. "Be right back."
Sherry rigidly lay on the bed and waited until she heard the heavy thud of his footsteps on the stairs and then sat bolt upright in the bed. My bag...the phone...
****
Sykes punched the button on his phone. "Edwards! Come in!"
"Right here, Commissioner."
"You won't believe this!" Sykes's dark eyes flitted back and forth as he observed the street. "That FBI man just pulled away."
"He's gone?"
"Apparently. Looks like he got other orders. Wait...wait just a damn minute!"
Edwards heard a low whistle over the phone. "They're getting out of the cars...hang on!
Muttering out loud to himself as well as into the phone, his eyes flashed as he watched the spectacle unfolding down the street.
"...No...no...don't recognize him...but...it can't be...Rappaport! Two women...can't see...oh no...the Queen of Llanview herself...and Tea! Edwards...we have hit paydirt!"
****
Scrambling across the bed, Sherry scanned the room for her bag where she thought he had dropped it. Where is it? Did it get shoved under the bed?
Her head dropped down, and she frantically lifted up the folds of the bedspread to search underneath -- her heart racing with the passing seconds. Spotting it against one of the legs of the bed, she sighed with profound relief. Thank God!
The blood rushed quickly to her head as she groped with her hand to pull the bag out. For a second she felt dizzy, and she didn't hear the slight creak of the wooden floor. Another louder creak stopped time for her as she heard three words uttered with caustic scorn.
"Looking for something?"
