The Florencia Lozano Homepage - Fan Fiction
AFFLICTION
BY TROG |
CHAPTER
39 |
CHAPTER 39
Tea opened her eyes and looked around the dingy squad room. She had fallen asleep sitting on a wooden bench at the Llanview police station while leaning against Todd’s shoulder.
“Todd? How long was I asleep?”
Todd stretched his arms and looked up at the clock. It was 7:00 AM and the morning crew was coming in...young cops that he didn’t recognize. They had been left sitting there most of the night, exhausted and frustrated, as Bo waited in his office for the ballistics report to come in.
“Just a couple of hours. Tea...can they keep me here? I mean some lunatic calls the cops and tells them they saw me at Llanfair the morning of Ben’s shooting....and they arrest me?”
“Well...technically, you’re not under arrest. But...they did find a gun in your home...a golden gun that matches the golden bullet found in Ben’s head...and at the park when that swan was shot. It’s enough to hold you for questioning...but certainly not enough to arrest you. At least not yet.”
Todd stood up and paced around as a few eyes from young, uniformed officers looked up and then away shyly...partly intrigued, partly in fear. Todd Manning was well known to all...and so was his scandalous paramour, Tea Delgado.
“What are you looking at, Officer Missy? Don‘t you have some crimes to solve?” yelled Todd at a young officer gawking at them from across the squad room. She lowered her eyes with embarrassment and retreated back to her filing.
“Querido....why don’t you just sit down...try to relax...,” said Tea, trying to calm him, but he just continued to pace. His body was tight and tense and she sensed he was ready to blow.
“Relax! Tea...we need to get the hell out of here. You and I both know that’s probably the gun that killed Ben Davidson and the ballistics report will probably show that. Aaron set us up, Tea...we’re sitting ducks in here.”
“If we run, Todd....we’ll just look guilty. Besides...you have an alibi for that night...ME! And even if it is the gun that killed Ben....it’s just circumstantial. It was obviously planted. Calm down...don’t worry.”
Todd finally sat down, taking her hand and resting his head against the wall.
“Well, well, well...look who’s back in police custody...my Uncle Todd!”
Todd and Tea looked up seeing Kevin Buchanan standing there looking smug and very pleased with himself.
“I mean when I got a call from my station reporter this morning...well I just had to stop in and see for myself...before I go in and write up my headline for the evening edition.”
Todd shot up, towering over him.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Kevvie...shouldn’t you hurry up and get to work before mommy finishes grieving and demands her job back?”
Kevin ignored Todd and looked at Tea.
“How are you, Tea? I can’t believe you’ve left your husband for this loser. When are you going to realize what he is? When are you going to listen to reason?”
Tea stood up.
“I know exactly what he is...the man you secretly want to be! When are you going to grow up, Kevin and stop competing with Todd for Vicki‘s attention, ha? And I was under the impression that a reputable journalist, such as you claim to be, waited for the facts before printing inflammatory insinuations and titillating scandal...isn’t that what you’re always accusing Todd of? Ha? Oh, yeah, I forgot...you secretly want to be Todd! And I believe the last time you accused Todd of murder in your paper it blew up in your face!”
“Hey...I haven’t printed anything...not yet!” said Kevin angrily, turning to Todd, “ And that’s mostly out of respect for my mother...but I’m not surprised you’re somehow involved with Ben’s death. All that phony compassion, playing my mother’s comforting brother at Ben’s funeral, it all seemed a little over the top to me. Maybe, you were just feeling a bit guilty for killing Ben...is that it Todd?”
Todd walked up to Kevin and shoved him up against the wall violently.
“TODD! Please, amor...don’t be baited by him. He’s not worth it,” she said, placing her hand on Todd’s arm, the arm that pinned Kevin to the wall easily...like an insignificant, wriggling, little bug. Todd looked over at her and released him as the young officers in the place came forward.
“Nothing’s changed,” said Kevin, straightening his clothes with obvious embarrassment, “you’re the same enraged psycho you’ve always been...unable to control your anger.”
“What’s going on here...is Manning assaulting you,” said Bo stepping out of his office.
“Oh, look....big, bad Uncle Bo to the rescue of little Kevvie Wevvie,” sneered Todd.
“I’m fine, Uncle Bo...nothing I can’t handle.”
“How long am I suppose to wait for this stupid report in this hell hole,” shouted Todd. “I’ve got a newspaper to run...I’ve got a story to print about innocent citizens being hauled off to the police station in the middle of the night because of some crank call!”
Bo was about to answer him when Antonio came into the room carrying the report in his hand. Tea knew from the expression in his eyes, the look he gave her, that it was not good news.
“Well...perfect timing, Antonio. Let me take a look at that.”
As Bo read through the report his face softened...he liked what he was reading. He looked up at Todd.
“You might want to get yourself a lawyer at this time.”
“He has a lawyer...me,” said Tea.
“You might want to rethink that, Tea. If you act as his attorney...you can’t act as his witness. And that would mean...Todd has no alibi.”
Tea pulled Todd aside.
“He’s right, Todd. I can’t act as your lawyer if I’m a potential witness.”
Todd turned around.
“I don’t need a lawyer...I didn’t do anything and nothing in that report can prove it!”
“Step into my office,” said Bo, as Todd and Tea and Antonio followed him in solemnly. Kevin waited outside, pacing back and forth like a slow, swimming shark who smelled blood. Waiting impatiently for the kill.
Bo sat behind his desk and began scanning the report.
“The gun found in your apartment...is the gun that shot Ben Davidson. It’s also the gun that killed that swan in the park...when you were there.”
“Oh...big surprise! So what! It’s a fucking set-up...even I can see that and I’m not a brilliant officer of the law such as yourself. Why didn’t this ‘anonymous caller’ call right after it happened, ha? Why did they wait 3 weeks after his death? What...they suddenly remembered they saw me? This is bullshit, Bo...and you know it,” said Todd, nervous and exasperated.
“There’s more, Todd. There was a bullet in the gun....a golden bullet.”
“Big deal! Golden gun...golden bullet...so what?”
Bo laid the report down and looked at Antonio who stood by the door as he was about to deliver his trump card, his piece de resistance...and he was glad he had an audience.
“The gun was clean...no prints...but...there were prints on the bullet. They were yours, Todd.”
******
“THAT’S FUCKING IMPOSSIBLE!” shouted Todd, jumping to his feet, knocking over the chair he was sitting in. Tea sat shocked and still, then...she got up as well.
“Bo...that’s impossible. Todd and I were together in Vicki’s cabin when Ben was killed. This makes no sense!” said Tea desperately.
“There’s more, Tea,” said Bo. “I talked to your secretary yesterday, Todd. She said Ben Davidson was in your office a few days before he was shot...and she heard shouting...and doors slamming. She said you two were arguing.”
“WHAT? Ben and I didn’t like each other. That’s no secret...but what possible motive would I have for killing him?”
“So...what were you arguing about?”
Todd and Tea and Antonio all looked at one another, but noone spoke. Bo observed the silent exchange between them. Suddenly Antonio stepped up to Tea and turned her toward Bo.
“Mija, tell him. Tell him what you know.”
Bo got up from his desk.
“Antonio...what the hell is going on? Are you involved in this?”
“Sir...Todd didn’t kill Ben Davidson. Aaron Blackmoor did.”
“Who?” asked Bo.
“Aaron Blackmoor...he’s staying at The Palace. He’s Tea’s husband.”
“Todd...tell Bo. Tell him what you know,” said Antonio.
Todd stared at Antonio, not certain whether to trust him or not, but when he looked at Tea she nodded to him silently. Todd turned to Bo who sat silently behind his chair with a confused and suspicious expression on his face.
“Bo came to see me about Tea. He’d met her and Aaron Blackmoor at The Palace one night and he’d recognized him from his mob days in Vegas. Apparently he’s some international paid assassin known as Goldenboy and Ben...well...he was worried about Tea. That’s why he was in my office. A few days later he was dead. And when Tea and I were in the park, that swan was shot while we were sitting on the park bench...I didn’t shoot it.”
Bo looked at Todd and smiled....shaking his head in amusement.
“And Antonio...you bought this story...this story that reads like something in Todd‘s rag of a newspaper?”
Antonio nodded slowly, realizing how ridiculous it all sounded at this moment. Bo got up slowly and opened the door. Kevin was still sniffing around talking to one of the officers.
“Officer Humphreys come in here.”
The timid young woman who had been filing and watching Todd and Tea came walking over and entered Bo’s office at his insistent.
“Read Mr. Manning his rights...he’s under arrest for the murder of Ben Davidson.”
As Officer Humphrey read Todd his rights, Tea stared at him in anguish and disbelief.
“Bo...you can’t arrest him! He was with me...I swear...I’ll swear it in court as well! He has an alibi...this is ridiculous!”
“Yeah...how convenient, Tea...an alibi that only you can verify. If you’re not careful, I’ll arrest you for conspiracy...is that what you want, Tea?”
“Tea...don’t! Don‘t say another word....don’t bother talking to this idiot. Call Sam, okay?” said Todd.
Tea looked at him and nodded.
“Get him booked and processed and take him to one of the cells downstairs,” said Bo.
As Officer Humphrey lead Todd away, Tea started to follow, but Bo grabbed her by the arm and stopped her.
“He’s got to be booked, Tea. You can see him later...in his cell.”
Tea yanked her arm away angrily.
“Fine...but your making a colossal mistake, Bo,” said Tea, as Todd was lead away. Todd stopped in front of Antonio.
“You look after her, man...I’m counting on you while I’m in here...do you hear me? You don‘t let that bastard near her!” he whispered.
Antonio looked him straight in the eye and nodded reassuringly.
As he passed Kevin he noticed him grinning and writing something down on a legal pad happily. Before he left the room he turned and took a last look at Tea who stood with Antonio, her dark eyes misty and frightened. He shrugged his shoulders and smiled at her before turning and walking out of the room.
“He’s a loser, Tea...and a murderer. When are you going to learn?” said Kevin smugly.
“Go to hell, Kevin,” snapped Tea, turning her back on him and letting Antonio embrace her shaking body.
“Antonio...I want to see you in my office,” said Bo walking past them.
“Tea...you wait for me okay? I don’t want you going anywhere alone...do you understand me?” said Antonio as she nodded.
She sat down as Antonio disappeared into Bo’s office. Kevin rushed out with his story in hand and she thought of Vicki and how devastated she’d be when she found out. Walking to the pay phone in the hallway she called Sam’s house. He sounded groggy and sleepy as he picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Sam...it’s Tea. Listen...I’m at the police station. Todd’s been arrested for Ben’s murder...but he didn’t do it. I was with him when it happened, but noone believes me. Everything is so crazy...it’s a set-up,“ she said speaking rapidly, her voice breaking as she started to cry. “Sam...oh, Sam...you’ve got to help him...please.”
“What? Todd’s been arrested for Ben’s murder? That’s ridiculous! Tea...wait for me right there...I’ll be right down,” he said quickly before the phone went dead.
Tea hung up and wiped her tears quickly and went back to sit by Bo’s office. When Antonio finally emerged he looked solemn and she noticed he wasn’t wearing his badge.
“Antonio...what happened?”
“I told Bo everything we know...but Tea...I don’t think he believes it. Anyway...he’s going to check it all out. And he’s having Aaron Blackmoor picked up for questioning. And...uh...he took my badge and my gun. I’m suspended pending a hearing.”
“Oh, no...I never wanted this for you. Antonio...I’m so sorry...everything is falling apart...right on schedule,” she said as he took her into his arms and tried to comfort her.
“Hey...it’s going to be okay. Think of it this way...now I’ll have more time to keep an eye on you while Todd’s in jail. Don’t worry...it will all work out.”
“I don’t know, Antonio. The evidence...it’s only circumstantial...but compelling. And with Todd’s past criminal record...and the way everyone feels about him in this town....he could get convicted on that evidence alone.”
“Hey, hey...calm down. Todd didn’t do it...he’s not going to get convicted.”
Tea pulled away and looked up at him with surprise.
“Why do you believe Todd so emphatically?”
“I don’t know...I just do. And besides...I believe you. I know you wouldn’t lie about being with Todd the morning of Ben’s murder.”
“Thanks, mi amigo...I’m so glad your here.”
“Okay...listen...I have to go and clean out my locker. You can probably go and see Todd now. I’ll wait for you, okay?”
Tea nodded as Antonio disappeared into the locker room and she headed downstairs.
to be continued...
2002 Copyright by Trog
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