The Florencia Lozano Homepage - Fan Fiction
AFFLICTION
BY TROG |
CHAPTER
40 |
CHAPTER 40
He recalled the tiny, dark closet his father use to lock him in for days. The smell of his own urine coming from his saturated clothing, the hunger and thirst, and the painful cramps in his limbs from being twisted and immobile in that small, confined space for days. To this day he could barely enter an elevator or a closet without the memories of that time, but it was his time in Statesville Prison that frightened him most of all. Being stuck in a cramped cell, locked in, barred in...caged...trapped...as he had been in his father’s closet...in his father‘s house.
He grasped the bars with his fists and shook them but the heavy steel was sound and strong and unyielding. Pacing around the cell in Llanview city jail those memories came flooding back and he began to breath erratically as a cold, clammy sweat covered his body. It was always the isolation and loneliness that he recalled the most vividly....waiting to be rescued by someone...anyone...only to have his father open the door and beat him anew. His tormenter and his savior.
“I can’t stay here...” he said, leaning his head against the bars.
The sound of a sliding metal door opening roused him from his dark memories. He heard footsteps tapping and echoing down the hallway that lead to his cell and saw Officer Humphrey opening the door that lead to the cell block.
“You can’t go into his cell...and you only have 15 minutes,” she said.
Tea came through the doorway as Officer Humphrey closed the door behind her and stood in the hallway right outside watching them through its glass panel.
Tea looked at him solemnly but managed a smile.
“Well...this all seems rather familiar. You behind bars...me coming to your rescue.”
Todd managed a smile and came closer to her, reaching a hand through the bars and stroking her hair.
“You know me, Delgado, I can’t seem to stay out of jail. Todd Manning, bad-boy, at your service. Only this time....I think you’re going to have a hard time rescuing me.”
Tea leaned against the bars, placing her face in between them, close to Todd’s. He leaned his forehead against hers, rubbing it lightly, feeling the smooth warmth of her skin against his, his lips brushing her face softly.
“You know, Delgado...I think yesterday was one of the best days of my life...me and you at that Lake...coming home together. It was all so good it almost felt like a part of this set-up by Aaron Blackmoor....liked he planned to give me this perfect moment and than...snatch it away from me...going from perfect happiness to complete and utter misery in one day...from total freedom to imprisonment.
“Querido, I’ll do whatever I have to to get you out of here....and I will get you out of here.”
“Hey...you let Sam take care of that. I just want you safe. I want to know that you’ll be waiting for me when I get out.”
Tea closed her eyes and brushed her cheek against the rough stubble along his chin, loving his roughness, feeling his warm breath on her face.
“I love you, amor...and I’ll wait for you forever,” she whispered, looking into his mystical eyes.
They stared at one another...their eyes searching....like they were trying to memorize every aspect of each other‘s features. Todd pulled her closer but all he could feel were the cold metal bars pressed against his body keeping them apart. Sam Rappaport watched them silently through the glass door as they tried to get closer and comfort each other, sensing the raw intimacy between them.
Officer Humpheys opened the door and let Sam in, then closed it again stationing herself outside. Todd and Tea watched Sam walk slowly over toward Todd, looking confused and grim.
“Did you kill my brother?”
“Well...I guess if you have to ask, Sam...I might as well get a new lawyer,” said Todd flippantly.
“THIS ISN’T FUNNY...ANSWER MY QUESTION, TODD!” shouted Sam.
“NO! NO!...I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH BEN’S DEATH!” yelled Todd angrily.
Sam stared at him, assessing Todd’s angry words, unsure whether to trust him again after being so betrayed by him in the past. He could never completely trust Todd again....but...a part of him just couldn’t turn away from him. A part of him still wanted to try and save Todd from his own worst instincts.
“Okay...I just wanted to hear you say it...I don‘t believe you‘re capable of such a thing, not for a minute.”
“Sam, Todd and I were together the night before the shooting and the following morning. We took off to Vicki’s cabin to be together...I told Bo...but he thinks I’m covering for Todd. He doesn’t believe me.”
“Yeah...I talked to Bo upstairs...he told me all that,” said Sam as he turned back to Todd. “Can you please explain to me how your fingerprints got on that bullet?”
Todd ran his fingers through his hair and started pacing around manically.
“Aaron Blackmoor...that’s Tea’s hitman husband...came to my office to tell me to stay away from her, right...well...while he was there a gold bullet fell out of his pocket and I picked it up with my fingers. I gave it back to him...and I remember putting it in the palm of his hand and watching him slip it back into his pocket. Looking back I thought it was kind of odd...the way he handled it so delicately....but now it all makes sense. That whole visit was just to get my prints and set me up!”
Sam nodded his head.
“Bo said you told him that Ben came to your office before he was killed?”
“Yeah...he ran into Aaron Blackmoor at The Palace. When Ben recognized Blackmoor as some paid assassin he’d met in Vegas...well...Blackmoor killed him....probably to keep Tea from finding out about his past. But...Ben came to me and told me before Blackmoor killed him.”
Sam looked away and shook his had.
“I always knew our father’s business would come back to haunt us. It got Ben killed.”
“Look, Sam...I’m sorry, man...I’m sorry I didn’t say anything sooner...but...I thought he’d come after Tea...”
“This is all my fault, Sam...I caused all this by marrying that man...but...I didn‘t know what he was,” said Tea with misty eyes.
Sam took her hand.
“No, Tea...it’s not your fault. Now...I have to tell you, Todd...this doesn’t look too good. The evidence is pretty strong against you....and...unless we can prove that Aaron Blackmoor is a hired killer who set you up...well...we’re in trouble.”
“Sam...just get me out of here and I‘ll get proof. I can make bail, right?”
“You’ll be arraigned later this afternoon...but I wouldn’t count on making bail. Hank is asking that bail be denied...in light of your past...you’re considered a flight risk.”
“NO! I CAN’T STAY IN HERE, SAM!”
Officer Humphrey stuck her head in the door.
“Ms. Delgado...you’ll have to go now.”
Todd looked over at her desperately, Tea reached in and took his hand.
“Tea...I don’t want you alone....where’s Antonio...he’s suppose to stay with you.”
“He’s waiting for me upstairs....”
“Okay...listen...they let me call Blair...I had to let her know to keep Starr away from the TV...I‘m hoping her maternal instincts kick in and she won‘t tell her I‘m in jail...but...I need for you to go and see Vicki before she reads it in The Banner...okay?”
“I’ll go right now...I’ll see you later on, okay?”
Todd pulled her closer and Sam moved away to give them some privacy. Their faces were close and they
whispered intimately.
“Promise me you won’t go near him, Tea...that’s what he wants. He wants you alone and vulnerable...he wants you to beg him for my freedom. Promise me...”
“Todd...I...”
“Ms. Delgado...your time is up,” insisted Officer Humphrey holding the door open for Tea.
Tea started to walk away, but Todd grabbed her hand and pulled her back, his face just touching hers.
“Promise me, Tea...”
Tea reached up and tucked his unruly hair behind his ear and kissed him softly through the bars.
“I promise, querido...I won’t see him.”
Finally they separated reluctantly and Tea walked out as Todd’s eyes stayed on her until she disappeared through the door. Sam watched him quietly and shook his head slowly.
“Well...I guess your marriage to Blair is over?”
“Our marriage was over before it began...it was a huge mistake...and quite frankly, Sam, it’s none of your goddamned business. I want to be with Tea. And if you can’t handle that...well...then you’re just my lawyer...not my friend...not anymore. Now...how are you going to get me out of here?”
to be continued...
2002 Copyright by Trog
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