The Florencia Lozano Homepage - Fan Fiction
LIES FEARS & LOVE
BY TROG |
CHAPTER
52 |
chapter 52
THE PENTHOUSE
RJ opened his eyes slowly and immediately felt the pain in his jaw as he reached up and touched the place on his chin where Todd Manning had decked him. He blinked and raised his stiff body off the sofa, squinting at the bright sunshine that was streaming through the penthouse windows. Todd was sitting on the sofa opposite him. From the dark circles beneath his red-rimmed eyes it was obvious that he hadn’t slept all night and RJ noticed that he held a little stuffed frog in his hand, probably one of his kids toy.
RJ hadn’t slept much either. Every time he started drifting off he’d hear Todd going up the stairs and wandering from room to room...his footsteps walking around, then stopping for a while, only to here them again a few moments later...like a haunting. Eventually he’d return downstairs and RJ could make out his dark shadow against the moonlight that filtered through the penthouse window, moving slowly down the stairs, like a lonely ghost. This had gone on most of the night.
“Please tell me you have some coffee in this place,” said RJ getting up and stretching. Todd just continued to stare at the frog as RJ went into the kitchen.
A few moments later, RJ came out of the kitchen.
“I’m making some coffee. Do you...want some breakfast?”
“Fuck you, RJ!” said Todd without looking at him.
RJ started pacing around in anger.
“Hey, Manning, I didn’t want this! It was a stupid scam...and from the beginning I had reservations...and the thought of getting even with you sure sounded sweet to me...but I sure as hell didn’t want this to happen! You think I want your kids hurt? You think I want Tea hurt?”
Todd stood up and pointed at him.
“You shut the hell up about, Tea! You don’t get to say her name, do you understand me!”
RJ threw his head back.
“What the hell am I doing here, Manning?”
Todd stared at him. He wasn’t even sure why he wanted RJ around. Maybe he wanted him there to punish him, or maybe because he was involved up to his eyeballs, or maybe because a part of him knew what it was like to love and lose Tea and on some weird level he understood RJ’s anger and jealousy. Or, perhaps, he just didn’t want to be alone in this place that felt like a mausoleum without her in it.
“Because you owe me,” said Todd, looking into his dark, almond eyes.
RJ stared at him but said nothing and finally he just walked back into the kitchen.
Todd walked over to the phone and dialed up.
“Yeah, this is Todd Manning...I’m calling about Lourdes Santiago...she was brought in last night with a head wound.” .
Todd waited and looked down at the dull spot on the floor where her blood had been. He had done his best to clean it up last night, but the residue was still obvious amidst the shiny floor.
“Ms. Santiago is stable, Mr. Manning. She lost a lot of blood, and has a concussion, but they stitched her up and she’ll be fine in a few days,” said a nurse on the other end.
“Can I talk to her?”
“Well, she’s asleep, Mr. Manning. She really needs to lay still for a while.”
“Okay...just tell her that I called...and tell her everything’s going to be fine....okay?”
“I’ll give her the message when she wakes up.”
Todd hung up and dialed the police station.
“This is Todd Manning. I want to speak to Commissioner Buchanan,” he barked. “Yes, I know what time it is....what...he’s not in yet?”
Todd looked at his watch. It was 6:15 AM.
“Well, when he finally hauls his lazy ass out of bed, you tell him to call me! And that better be soon!” he shouted hanging up loudly.
RJ walked out of the kitchen carrying two cups of coffee and held one out to Todd.
“Here, Manning. Maybe it will improve your morning mood.”
Todd stared at it for a moment, then took it reluctantly. He tasted it and found it creamy and sweet, just the way he liked it. It didn’t surprise him that RJ knew how he took his coffee. They sat down opposite each other and drank it in silence.
“I’ll never understand what the hell she sees in you, Manning,” said RJ, sitting forward and shaking his head.
Todd looked at him--at his wild, braided hair and handsome dark face. He always knew part of Tea’s attraction to RJ was how much he reminded her of him.
“And you never will, RJ. Only Delgado understands...that’s all that matters.”
Only Todd got to call her “Delgado.” RJ remembered how angry Tea would get if anyone else used that title on her. It was like Todd and she had their own secret language...their own secret world.
RJ laughed.
“Oh, I see, Manning. It’s a....BIGGER THAN BOTH OF YOU, right!’ he said sarcastically, with just a hint of bitterness.
“Yeah, RJ! It’s bigger than anything you could ever imagine,” said Todd getting up and walking over toward the stairs to look out the window.
RJ stared at him, this strange and mysterious man who was both feared and despised in this town, much like himself. And he knew there was something powerful between him and Tea, he’d always known it. It was in her eyes when Todd’s name was mentioned in her presence, or when she called out Todd’s name when they made love once. Deep down he’d always known that she loved Todd Manning and that she would never love another man like that--so passionately, so completely.
“That’s what I wanted, you know....what you have with her...that’s all I wanted,” said RJ, quietly.
Todd turned and for a moment their eyes locked and they understood each other perfectly...and they nodded quietly with silent acknowledgment.
While the two men stared at each other, a low ringing sound started coming out of Todd’s pocket. Todd dropped his cup of coffee, startled by the sound, and quickly fished in his pocket for it.
“Hello...Starr?”
RJ walked over and listened.
“Daddy,” she whispered, almost inaudibly.
“Starr, honey where are you? Where’s Tea and Leo...are you all okay?’
“Yes, daddy...we’re okay...but mommy’s not,” she whispered. She sounded frightened.
“Starr listen...where are you?”
“I don’t know, daddy...a gas station...mommy took Tee and Leo to the bathroom,” she said, her little voice shaking.
“Look around you and tell me what you see.”
“There’s lots of trees outside. And...it’s cold here. It says “Blackstone Bluffs,” on everything...and I see a red painted horse with wings, daddy. Daddy, I gotta go...mommy’s looking for me...”
“Starr...wait...Starr...” he said, but the phone went dead.
“That was Starr?”
Todd looked up at RJ.
“Yeah, she left me Blair’s phone in her room, along with Freddy...that‘s her magic frog. Blair had made her memorize the number in case there was ever an emergency. The only worthwhile thing she ever taught her.”
“Did you tell Bo?”
“No! I don’t trust Bo and his motley crew...they never catch anyone! Listen to me...Starr said that everything around her says “Blackstone Bluffs”. Does that mean anything to you?”
“Yeah. That’s on the far side of Llantano Mountain. Man, they must have driven all night. It use to be a ski resort, but it’s pretty deserted now.”
“Let’s go,” said Todd, grabbing his jacket from the sofa and rushing toward the door as RJ followed him.
A CABIN--LLANTANO MOUNTAIN
Tea moved very quietly, afraid to awaken Blair. Blair had forced her to drive most of the night, miles and miles up the narrow, winding road that lead to the top of Llantano Mountain. They wound up here, in what looked like a hunting cabin which they rented at a motel down below, as Blair’s gun dug into Tea’s side while holding Leo in her arms. They had wound up in a desolate mountain cabin.
Leo was squirming and making some distressing, muffled sounds and Tea had awakened instinctively as she moved toward the cot where Blair slept with Leo in her arms and a gun between them.
“Stop...don’t you come any closer,” said Blair, her eyes snapping open like hooded headlights.
“Blair, I need to change, Leo....please...please, let me change my baby.”
“This is MY baby,” said Blair, looking wild-eyed and confused.
“Yes...I’m sorry...this is your baby...but he needs changing and feeding.”
Blair looked down at Leo who was starting to cry now and reluctantly handed him to Tea. Taking him quickly she held him tightly and spoke to him comfortingly in Spanish until he was quiet, then laid him on her cot to change him. Luckily Blair had allowed her to grab his diaper bag with some clothes and food before leaving the penthouse.
Tea looked over at Starr who was sleeping soundly on another cot, by the wall. Starr had looked so tired and scared this morning when they arrived and Tea felt like she was trying to tell her something, but Blair wouldn’t leave them alone for an instant.
When she finished changing Leo, she removed a jar of food and some juice from the bag on the floor and proceeded to feed him as Blair sat up on her cot and watched them covetously, all the while fingering the gun in her pocket. Pure hatred escaped from her cold, green eyes as Leo smiled and laughed with Tea.
“You’re good at that aren’t you...I’ve always heard your people make good domestics,” said Blair contemptuously as she circled around her and Leo with her hand in her pocket. Tea let the insult stand, not wanting to set her off in any way.
Starr was beginning to stir as Blair moved around nervously and stared out the window and into the misty forest surrounding them. Tea looked around at the barren cabin, empty accept for 4 cots lined up against the walls with blankets and pillows and a wood-burning stove in the center. There was a table and chairs in the corner, but she noticed no electricity or running water and wondered what they would do when night fell. Blair had the car keys. Blair had the gun.
She shivered in her tank top and pajama bottoms and looked down at her dirty, bare feet. Blair had not allowed her to dress when she put the gun to her head back at the penthouse, catching her by surprise in Leo’s room.
Starr sat up and looked around quietly, rubbing her eyes. Noticing Tea with Leo she walked over quietly and sat beside them as Blair continued to stare out the window. She kissed Leo sweetly and looked up at Tea with tears in her pretty eyes as Tea slipped her arm around her and Starr cried softly into her chest. Suddenly Blair turned from the window and rushed over to them frantically.
“Starr...you get away from that woman...right now!” she screamed. Starr pulled away from Tea and ran quickly back to her cot in tears.
“But, mommy, I was just saying good morning to Leo!” she whimpered. Blair walked over to her and embraced her.
“I’m sorry for yelling, Starr. Mommy’s just upset with Tea...not with you.”
“Can I play with Leo, mommy? I promise we’ll be quiet.”
“Sure you can, honey.”
Blair spread some blankets on the floor then walked over to Tea and ripping Leo from her arms, placed him down beside Starr. Leo crawled around and Starr crawled around with him.
Tea shivered and got up, heading for the door.
“Where do you think you’re going, chica?” asked Blair.
“Blair I’m going to get more wood for the stove from the woodpile outside...or do you want these children to freeze to death.?”
Blair motioned for her to go but followed her out. As soon as they were out the door, Blair removed the gun from her pocket and aimed it in her direction and as Tea turned from the woodpile with a stack of logs in her arms, she felt the cold metal of the barrel on her forehead and froze. Blair just stood there motionless, staring into Tea’s dark eyes with a little smile on her lips.
“You’re scared...aren’t you, Tea. Scared that in one second you could lose everything. I know how that feels...that’s how I’ve been feeling...but not anymore. Things will be different now.”
The panic spread through Tea’s cold limbs and her bare toes dug into the hard soil beneath her feet as she sucked in her breath and felt the sound of her heart pounding in her ears. She could make a play for the gun, she thought, but by the time she dropped the logs it would be too late. All she could do was try to stay cool and not provoke her.
“Why, Blair. Why will things be different now?” she asked very calmly.
Blair took a few steps back, cocked the gun and put it back into the pocket of her blue jacket as Tea breathed a sigh of relief.
“Because you’re going to die. And when you’re dead...Todd and me and Starr...and our new beautiful baby boy will be together,” she said. “We’ll finally have everything we want. We’ll be so happy. Todd will love me again when you‘re gone.”
Blair smiled and looked up into the air, momentarily lost in her own fantasy as Tea started walking toward the house, terrified that Blair might just shoot her in the back...but she didn’t. When Tea reached the porch she looked back at Blair still standing there with a smile on her face, seemingly in trance as the wind whipped her choppy hair all around her face.
As Tea entered and placed the logs by the stove, Starr ran to the window and noticed her mother was still outside. She rushed over to Tea who was putting more logs into the mouth of the large black stove.
“Tee, I called daddy,” she whispered.
Tea stopped and stared at her, her eyes wide with shock.
“What?”
“I called daddy from that place we stopped at...when I went inside to buy candy and you all went to the bathroom. The man who worked there helped me with the numbers.”
Tea hugged her and looked fearfully toward the door.
“What did you tell him, sweetie?”
“I told him we were okay...then he asked where we were...but I didn’t know...I just told him....Blackstone Bluffs cause that’s what it said on everything.”
“Oh, Starr...you did great,” said Tea, hugging her again,
“Tee. What’s wrong with mommy?” she asked in a sad, little voice.
“GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DAUGHTER!” yelled Blair from the doorway.
Leo started screaming, startled by Blair’s shrieking, and Starr ran over to comfort him.
“Stay away from my children...do you hear me,” she asked as she walked closer to Tea and pointed the gun in her pocket at her. “You just put more wood in that stove and shut up.”
Blair walked over to Starr and Leo and sat with them on the blankets, by the wall. Tea put more logs into the stove and watched the flames curling around them as the heat blasted her face. Sitting there, trying to warm her frozen, bare feet, she wondered if Todd would find them and wondered when Blair planned on killing her.
2002 Copyright by Trog
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