The Florencia Lozano Homepage - Fan Fiction
AFFLICTION
BY TROG |
CHAPTER
22 |
CHAPTER 22
Tea entered her hotel room feeling fatigued. She had not slept much last night with Todd, having made love for most of the night and morning, but it was an exhaustion she welcomed after being deprived of him for so long. Carlotta was improving and had taken a short walk with Tea’s help today. All in all it had been a good day for her but her mind was haunted by Ben Davidson’s death and her inadvertent part in it. The idea that Aaron, her husband, had murdered him still seemed completely unimaginable to her and yet Ben’s suspicions seemed well supported. How could she have misjudged this man so?
As she went for the lightswitch she noticed that Todd was sound asleep on her bed. A small nightlight by the bed provided a soft, dim light as Tea put her purse down and tip-toed quietly in his direction for fear of waking him. He was curled up in a fetal position near the edge of the bed and breathing deeply and evenly in the midst of a deep sleep. In his hand she noticed that Todd clutched her red sweater and held it close to his face like a child holding a security blanket as he slept. Tea smiled down at him and this benign and gentle image of such a violent, angry and complicated man.
This pale and beautiful angel had gang raped a young woman and stalked others, he had unintentionally killed a man when he had blown up a yacht, he had struck her and knocked her out in a fit of rage and more recently he had given away Blair’s child and told her it was dead. All this and she still forgave him...all this and she still loved him madly. How was it possible she wondered? Was it perhaps a failing in her, a flaw in her character that she could accept these things from him? Was it the danger? Was she addicted to this part of him, this element of risk that excited her so much? Or did she need to save him, need to prove to herself that he was a worthy human being in order to justify her inexplicable attraction to a man who others saw as a loser and a psychopath.
And what about her marriage to Aaron? In her effort to be with someone completely different from Todd, she wound up with a man that may very well be a murderer. A man even more dangerous than Todd Manning. Was it perhaps the subliminal danger in Aaron Blackmoor that attracted her to him?
Aaron was a kind, polite and respectable man and yet, she realized early on that he was rather mysterious. He had no friends, no family...no history...and yet, she had moved in with him and married him rather hastily, ignoring her suspicions and her better judgment, denying every instinct that told her he was too good to be true. Perhaps ignoring her instincts for the prospect of love had become a very perilous habit...perhaps, it had gotten Ben Davidson killed.
Todd began to stir and she walked over and stood above him as he opened his hazel eyes and stretched like a big, drowsy lion.
Todd looked up at his beautiful woman. Her dark, fathomless eyes, her perfect skin, her overly ripe, red lips...her titillating femininity. His body awakening immediately to her alluring sensuality and reaching up, he made room on the bed and pulled her down beside him and they laid quietly, face to face.
“How was you’re day, querido? How’s Vicki holding up?” she asked gently.
“Not great...okay, I guess. Ben’s memorial is all set...and Kevin and Joey showed up a few hours ago...so I let them alone with Vicki...Kevin likes playing the man of the house so...I left.”
“She must be desolate...losing her husband like that,” she said, her eyes filling with tears.
Todd reached out and caressed her face.
“Yeah...she keeps saying that she feels all alone now...even though she’s surrounded by all those Buchanans. But I know what she means, you know? When you were gone...I felt alone...even when other people were around me. It’s weird, ha?” he said.
“No. It was the same for me, Todd. You’re such an integral part of me...I don’t even know how to explain it...but when you’re not with me...I feel lonely,” she said as he took her in his arms and she snuggled into them.
“How’s Carlotta?”
“Okay...better. I helped her walk around a little today. I think their going to release her in a few days.”
“Does she...know about us?”
“No...not yet. She wants me to be happy in my marriage...but I think she knows I’m not.”
“She hates me,” said Todd. “Everybody who loves you hates me.”
“Yes...but I adore you,” she said as she began kissing him softly.
As Todd held her tightly there was a knock at the door.
“Let’s ignore them and let them go away,” said Todd as he began kissing her neck.
Tea laughed but hopped off the bed and rushed to the door.
“Who is it?” she asked before opening it.
“It’s me, mija...Antonio.”
Tea opened the door and let Antonio in as Todd leapt off the bed quickly. Antonio noticed Todd and looked back at Tea.
“Am I interrupting something?”
“No,” said Tea.
“Yes,” said Todd. “My life.”
“Well I’ve been trying to reach you everywhere...I finally figured I’d try here,” said Antonio.
“What did you find out?” asked Todd, approaching him.
Antonio stared at him, than looked over at Tea.
“Not too much. I searched all the national police databanks along with the CIA and FBI. I even tried Interpol. They all have a little about a legendary hitman known as Goldenboy, but I couldn’t find any connection between him and Aaron Blackmoor, or Klaus Herzog.”
“See...perhaps, Ben was wrong,” said Tea hopefully.
“Ben was certain...and so am I, Tea! Come on, Antonio, you gotta have more than that,” said Todd.
“Well, there are a few...coincidences...but nothing that could remotely lead to an arrest. There was a Klaus Herzog who lived in Canada about ten years ago, the grandson of a Nazi general...but he disappeared and hasn’t been heard from since. There are no photos of him...not a driver’s license...not a school ID...nothing,” said Antonio, turning to Tea. “And...Aaron Blackmoor turned up in New York City about...nine years ago...seemingly out of nowhere.”
Tea looked away from him.
“That doesn’t prove anything.”
Antonio walked over to Tea and took her hand.
“Mija...I can’t find any records of an Aaron Blackmoor being born in Canada...or Argentina. He was issued a NYC driver’s license about eight years ago...along with a passport which lists his place of birth as...Canada.”
“He’s a fraud,” said Todd. “He doesn’t exist...Ben was right.”
“I also checked airline records...Aaron Blackmoor left New York City five days ago and arrived in Tokyo about twenty hours later...he hasn’t reentered the country since.”
“See...than it couldn’t be Aaron that killed Ben,” said Tea excitedly.
“Oh come on, Tea! Ben said he has a bunch of aliases. What would stop him from leaving the country as one person then entering as another?” asked Todd impatiently.
“Well...this is where it gets kind of interesting,” said Antonio. “I also checked airline records for Klaus Herzog on a lark...and he entered the US the night before Ben was murdered. And he left again a few hours after Ben was killed.”
“Where did he come from...and where did he fly to?” asked Todd.
Antonio looked at Tea.
“Tokyo.”
Tea covered her mouth with her hand as her eyes filled with tears.
“Look at this,” said Antonio, handing Tea a piece of paper.
It was a fax of a passport photo. Tea stared at the photo for a long time. The man in the picture had dark hair and wore thick glasses...but she recognized Aaron behind the disguise.
“Is it him, Tea?” asked Antonio.
Tea nodded.
“I’m not sure...it could be...I think it is,” she said quietly.
Todd walked up to Antonio.
“So we got him, right?”
Antonio shook his head.
“Not really. There’s is nothing linking the two together. We could never hold him on a bunch of coincidences...he’d walk in an hour.”
“So...now what?” asked Todd.
“Now...I’m going to Bo to tell him what I know,” said Antonio heading for the door.
“LIKE HELL YOU ARE!”
Todd rushed the door and blocked Antonio from leaving.
“He’ll kill her if he suspects she knows anything. And if you tell Bo he’ll be following his high and mighty police procedures and questioning him the moment he shows up! No fucking way are you telling Bo-Bo anything...not until we can get this guy!” yelled Todd.
“Are you out of your mind, Manning? If this man is Goldenboy...I don’t think you, Tea and I can out-smart him...not when the entire international law enforcement community can’t.”
Silence filled the room as they all looked at one another when the phone began to ring.
“Yes...hello,” said Tea. Her face went pale as her eyes closed and she sat limply on the bed. “Aaron...”
A paralyzing fear went through her body as she heard the gentle voice of her husband, a voice she no longer recognized. Todd walked over and sat beside her.
“Yes...I know...I’ve been at the hospital night and day...I’m sorry I missed your calls,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady and normal. “Carlotta’s fine....uh...better.
Tea’s eyes looked deeply into Todd’s as she listened to Aaron Blackmoor. He sensed her terror and reached out his hand, gripping hers tightly.
“Well...a lot’s been going on,” said Tea giving Todd and Antonio a strange look as she listened intently to Aaron. “Do you remember that couple I introduced you to, Ben and Vicki Davidson...well, he was killed yesterday...shot to death in his home. Yes...they were a lovely couple.”
An anxious Antonio walked up to her and shook his head, unsure of what she was doing.
“Yes...the whole town is shocked. No...the police have no idea who did it...it’s such a tragedy.”
Tea looked at Todd again who watched her curiously.
“Yes...I...miss you too. When are you coming back? The day after tomorrow...I can’t wait to see you.”
Todd shot up and walked away from her. She sensed his jealousy as he shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the wall.
“Yes...I know you do...I...uh...,” she said cautiously. “I’ll see you in a few days then...bye.”
When she hung up she looked over at Todd who’s back was still turned to her.
“Why did you tell him about Ben?” asked Antonio.
“Tonio...he kept asking me what was going on in Llanview...like he was fishing. I couldn’t not tell him about Ben! Maybe that’s why he called,” she said.
Todd turned around and walked back over.
“So...now what?” said Todd.
“Hey man, I don’t know? I guess we’ll just have to get some concrete evidence...and I’m not sure how?”
“I bet...I could get it,” said Tea.
Todd turned to her angrily.
“And how do you expect to do that, Tea...screw it out of him!”
Tea shot him an angry look.
“Is that what you think of me?” asked Tea.
Antonio threw his head back.
“Hey, hey you two...if we’re going to pull this jealous bullshit isn’t going to cut it.”
“Fine...we’ll come up with a plan...but no way are you going near him, Tea.”
Tea walked up to Todd and placed her hand on his chest, speaking softly.
“But querido, I can get close to him. How else will we get something incriminating on him?”
“NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!” yelled Todd.
“Look...why don’t we all sleep on it. Obviously you two need to talk. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” said Antonio, kissing Tea on the cheek and walking out quickly.
“Qurerido...”
“Don’t QUERIDO me, okay?” he said walking up to her and grabbing her roughly, pulling her tightly against him. “You’re mine. Nobody touches you but me, do you understand?”
He held her head steadily and kissed her deeply, almost brutally accept it felt so damn good that Tea’s legs felt weak with the intensity of it. Tea’s arms snaked around his neck and she pressed her body into his as her legs rose off the floor and he lifted her up to him.
“Tea...please,” he said breathlessly, “don’t let him touch you. Baby, I can‘t handle it.”
“Never, amor. Never again,” she whispered to him as he finally put her down.
Todd leaned against her, his eyes closed.
“We’ll come up with something, Delgado...but...I don’t want to talk about him anymore...not tonight. I’m sick of talking about death...and illness. Tonight...I want to live...I want to feel alive inside you,” he said as he lead her toward the bed and they laid down together.
to be continued...
2002 Copyright by Trog
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