Chapters 4 & 5
<![CDATA[
Jax took the bag Jerry handed to him and headed into the bedroom.
"Jax, did you really think this through?"
"Of course. This has been in the back of my mind..." Jax came out of
the bedroom, pushing up the sleeves to his blue sweater. "Since..." he
stopped speaking when he heard the water from Keesha's shower go off.
"Later."
A few moments later Keesha came out, dressed and ready to eat. "So,
how'd you come across this idea."
"I've been playing with it for a year or so...since Justus died.
Keesha?"
"Yes." she sat down at the table and took the top off her food.
"Do you know why it took more than a year since Justus passed to get a
will reading?"
She shrugged. "I guess there was a problem."
"Didn't you check?"
"No. I wasn't interested in checking. I mean, we didn't always agree,
Justus and I. I kind of figured that maybe I wasn't in the will,
truthfully. I was surprised to get the call from Alexis at all. I
also just thought anything of value, he wouldn't want me to have,
because of what it was tied to."
"ELQ isn't tied to anything." Jerry interjected.
"I figured AJ or Sonny would get that."
"Perhaps it was AJ." Jax said before taking another drink of milk.
"Don't think so." Keesha mumbled and Jax could tell he wasn't getting
another word about AJ out of her.
Yet.
Jax and Jerry walked to the elevator. "First order of business is to
find out who stalled the reading of the will."
"What about why?"
"I have a feeling I know why. Justus had one will where he didn't
leave Keesha anything, not even money. Then there's this one, where he
left her his ELQ proxy, plus some money he had in a separate Swiss
account. My guess is that it's money he made legitimately in the last
few years of his life-doing work of the DA's office. That account
neither Sonny nor Moreno knew of."
"So obviously the one where she received things is the latter one."
"Ture-but it wasn't so obviously. It was not obvious enough that it
took over a year to straighten everything out. So whoever found out
about the new will went through a great deal of trouble to make sure
that the courts knew of it. So whoever that was wanted..."
"Keesha to get her share. So who would care what Keesha got."
"AJ."
"She said forget AJ."
"I know what she said. Trust me on this though. AJ...who else...."
Jax continued to think as he walked to his car. "Sonny."
"SONNY?!"
"Keesha and Sonny and AJ always vote the same. Sonny has his reasons,
AJ has his, and Keesha's hers. The reasons aren't the same, but Keesha
likes to do what is best for the community-screw everyone else. And
since Sonny often works with unions and what nots, they are on the same
side on certain business dealings-though they have far different
reasons. If Justus originally left his share to Moreno, then Sonny
would have to deal with having his arch enemy-in business-on the same
board. If Justus left it to Sonny himself, then the first thing the
rest of us would do is move to have it investigated for possible mob
dealings-it would take years to straighten that out. If Keesha has it,
Sonny gets the vote he wants, without the headache."
"Got to hand it to you."
"Jason of course."
"Of course. They're virtually one in the same."
"I can't think of anyone else. But have whoever check me out too. So
that gives Sonny something to find when he goes trying to figure out
why I've taken an interest in Keesha."
"So Junior. Have you heard the news?"
"News Ned." AJ said flatly.
"Guess what Australian playboy has taken an interest in an ex of one of
our family members?"
"English."
"Okay. It seems that Jax spent the night in Keesha's room. Didn't
leave until almost noon."
"Give me a break. If that's true there has to be a logical reason for
it."
"Okay, what about the dinner they're having tonight."
"What dinner?"
"Jax called the PC Grill, made reservations, for 2. Told the maitre'd
that if *Ms. Ward* got there early, to have her wait at the bar for
him."
"What do I care?" AJ stated and walked out of the living room. Ned
smiled, extremely proud of himself. AJ was so easily distracted. And
their grandfather would definitely be taking notice of that.
Jax pulled up to his house and got out of the car. He looked at his
watch-Keesha should be done with her meeting with Alexis by now. He
shook his head. Her father had a heart attack, her mother a month
later, committs suicide, and then , within a year Justus is murdered.
He sighed deeply and opened his door.
"Do I get to ask where you've been, or is that against the rules?"
Jax closed the door and looked at Deidre, one of the 4 women he had
been seeing lately. "Against the rules." he said softly. "How did you
get in here, I didn't give you a key."
"I have my ways. I was worried about you."
"I'm sorry. I should have called." he backed away as Deidre came
closer. "I don't have time right now. I have a lot of things to do."
Deidre watched as Jax walked past her and headed over to his sofa.
"So when?...or is the famous Jax blow off I've been warned of."
"I am not blowing you off. You knew what was happening when we became
involved."
"Perhaps I was looking for more."
"I told you there would be no more. Business comes first. And right
now I have a project that is going to take up all of my time. I'm..."
Jax watched as Deidre slammed the door. "Sorry." he sighed and picked
up his mail from the desk. The first thing he saw was an invitation.
He opened it and smiled. Alexis and Ned, getting married, finally.
He was surprised he was invited. Must be Alexis' doing. If it was up
to Ned...
Jax put the rest of the mail on the table and went to his window. She
had almost died. And Ned made it perfectly clear that he held Jax
responsible for that.
Maybe he was right. And maybe, in the light of a new day, Jax had to
admit that this plan with Keesha was just as dangerous.
Shani-5 continued right below.
Keesha walked in slowly and closed her door. That was it. Her
relationship with Justus reduced to some stock and $300,000.
She'd give all of it back if she could have just spent five more
minutes with him...but he died before she got back to Port Charles to
say goodbye.
She took a deep breath and looked at the phone, the message light
beeping.
"Jax you have to know that going up against Sonny is dangerous. You
have to know that. So yes, Keesha will be in danger. You can't get
around that." Jerry sat down on the floor, leaning up against the sofa,
watching through the window as Bobbie finished their dinner.
Jax nodded. "Alexis almost died..."
"Helena tried to kill Alexis. That had nothing to do with you."
"It had plenty to do with me. We were partners."
"She came to you, not the other way around."
"I led V right into certain death when I took her with me to Florida."
"She's alive isn't she. Besides, V chose to go. She followed you
around. There was no way you were going without her, she said so to
you time and time again. What brought this on."
Then there was Brenda. If only.
Jerry read his brother's mind. "There was absolutely nothing you could
have done."
"I could have asked her not to go."
"And she might not have. Or she would have anyway. Either way on some
level you would have taken that absolute freedom she felt with you.
The freedom to make her own choices, without guilt. That was obviously
very important to Brenda...to both of you."
That's my other line. I'll call you tomorrow. Tell Bobbie I said
hello." Jax clicked over, "Hello?"
"You called?" Keesha waited.
"I just wanted to see how you were doing."
"You know. Thanks for calling. Or is this the beginning?"
"Of what-the plan? If that was true then I would have left a message
for you at the front desk. I was just calling. I wanted you to know
that I was sorry, and that you were in my thoughts."
"Sorry...I'm. Thank you."
"You're what? Wary of people being nice to you? AJ really hurt you,
didn't he?"
"New topic."
"Okay." Jax shrugged. "Actually that's all for now. Or do you want
anything?"
"I just want to make sure we're still in this. Or are you having
second thoughts?"
"Me? What about you."
"Nope. None."
"That worries me."
"Why?"
"Because perhaps you don't realize the danger that could be involved-if
Sonny figures it out."
"I know."
"But you don't care."
"Of course I care." she supposed. "But something needs to be done."
"Why do you feel the need to do it."
"Because I want to." she sat down on the couch. "I know that I should
probably stay out of it, and let the police handle it, but I really
*want* to get him. He took away the last person that meant anything to
me. I mean, I know that Justus made his own choices, but Sonny has a
way of...he has a way to just hone into someone's greatest desire and
make it seem like he's the only one who can give what they want."
"Brenda's need for love." Jax went to the window and listened to the
silence on the other end. Finally Keesha said,
"Yes. And Lily's desire for a home of her own. And Jason's need for
freedom, and Justus' desire for power. I know that everyone made their
own choices really. But Sonny he's...I can't explain it, and
everything I learned in psychology is telling me that revenge isn't a
good motive for anything, but...I really want to. And I think we can."
"It's not going to be easy, you know...AJ left three messages for me
today, wanting to know why I was at your place last night..."
"AJ broke up with me by sending me a letter with the flowers the
Quartermaines sent for my father's funeral which stated and I quote *I
am sorry for your loss, I am sorry I can't be there, but I didn't think
it would be fair to continue to use you to fill the void in my life.*
Jax blinked in shock. "He did what..."
"And when I called him all he had to say was that he was really sorry,
but he was trying to do the right thing. Any interest AJ has in me is
fleeting, he will be on to something new soon. Trust me. He won't be
a problem. He has too many of his own. And before you say anything,
I'm not discussing him ever again. So are we going to do this?"
"I need for you to be sure on this Keesha."
"I am sure." she stood and walked over to the window, looking outside.
"And I can take care of myself, I've been doing it for a long time now."
"I'll do my best to protect you."
"Jax, did you just hear what I said?"
"Did you just hear what *I* said?" Jax repeated Keesha's question.
Keesha shook her head. "Well, then we will just protect each other.
That's what married people do anyway. So are we in."
She found herself smile as she heard him chuckle. He answered, "No
turning back. Do you want to know how things are going?"
"Sure."
"Jerry's trying to find out who wanted to make sure Justus' real will
was offered to the court."
"Why?"
"Because if we know who than we know why."
"And? What good does that do us."
"I don't know." Jax said honestly. He never really had anyone
question him before. "I just want to know..."
"Everything? Sometimes you don't need to know everything...but I guess
it gives you something *constructive* to do."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning I bet you haven't taken a non business vacation in over two
years."
Jax was quiet. Then he joked uncomfortably, "You sound like Jerry."
"Sorry. Just making an observation. You should do whatever works for
you. And right now, I feel the need to actually have something to
drink. Jax?"
"Yes?"
"I'm really sorry if I was being rude, I'm not trying to be. I'm
just...tired."
"You're not being rude...you're being honest. There's nothing wrong
with that. Will you be up much longer?"
"Probably."
"I'll drop by if I find anything?"
"Sure thing...and really, thanks for calling. It was really nice of
you."
And before Jax could answer, Keesha hung up.
"Alexis?"
"It seems she found the will in Justus file."
"She just found it Jerry? That makes no sense. She's metitculous.
Someone put it there."
"Maybe she lied to the court. She is a lawyer." Jerry smirked and sat
down on the bench looking up at Jax.
"Maybe. But I think there has to be more."
"Should I keep looking?"
"Maybe. Let me think on it. Perhaps it's not important...right now."
Jerry stared at Jax in shock. "Leaving a stone unturned? You?"
"Do you think it's important?"
"Not really." Jerry admitted. "But it's so unlike you, espeically
these..." he stopped speaking.
"Past couple of years. I know." Jax looked at his watch. "I'm going
to go, I'll see you later."
Jax knocked again, and waited. Perhaps she was in bed. He went to the
elevator and headed downstairs.
"Yes, Mrs. Corinthos, Mr. Corinthos asked to have you wait."
Jax turned and glanced. Hannah looked like a cross between Brenda
*and*Lily. It was kind of eerie really. Not wanting to deal with
Sonny, Jax decided to go out the back way.
He went outside and walked slowly around the building, passing the
glassed area which housed the indoor pool and sauna. Something urged
him to look, and he noticed the water ripple as if someone had been in
there recently. He thought the place closed at 10:00...it was almost
11:00...
Jax's curiosity got the better of him and he stepped over the small
gate that led inside. Using his hotel access pass begrudgingly given
to him by Ned, he opened the door. "Hello?" he called and knelt to
look into the pool.
"I know, it's closed. I'm on my way out...."
Jax stood and turned.
"Oh...hi." Keesha smiled. "What brings you here?"
"Um...your suit..." Jax found his tongue tied as he stared at Keesha,
her black dress soaking wet, and hugging every curve. He managed to
reach her eyes before she noticed, luckily. Before their eyes locked,
he quickly looked past her.
"Don't have one. It's the middle of winter you know. Would have been
kind of stupid for me to have a suit." she looked down and pulled on
her dress. "I'm never wearing this again anyway." she finished and
jumped back in the pool. Jax stepped back before he was splashed. She
came up and pushed her hair back. "Looking for me?"
"Actually yes...but this must not be a good time."
"Well, I wanted to be alone...but since you're here, you can join me."
"That's okay."
"Please...if you don't mind." she whispered. She thought she wanted to
be alone, but now that Jax was here, something in her told her she
really didn't want to be. "I'll come out..."
"That's okay." Jax took off his coat and sat down on it. He took off
his shoes and socks, rolling up his pants.
"What are you doing?"
"Says the woman swimming in her dress." Jax grinned and let his legs
dangle in the water. "Do you mind if we skip the business for a little
while. I'm on vacation."
She returned his smile with a shrug. "Sure. I can bore you with my
swimming." Keesha dove back under and Jax watched as she started
swimming to the other side.
Bore? Already, this was more interesting thant any evening than he had
had with Deidre or anyone else for that matter. Of course, what did
that say about the women he dated?
Then again, what did that say about Keesha?
Keesha got to the other side and came back up. What was she doing?
And why didn't she care? Anyone else seeing her like that, she would
be moritified.
But not in front of Jax. She felt comfortable in front of Jax.
Someone she barely knew.
Sort of comfortable, she corrected. She leaned against the other side
of the pool and watched him looking into the water.
Something about him made her extremely uncomfortable-but again, she
didn't care. It wasn't really uncomfortable, it was...intriguing. Jax
intrigued her. When nothing and no one else had sparked any interest
in her since AJ dumped her.
Just Jax.
And what did that say about him?
Shani
]]>
