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Building a Mystery 9



Early February 1999
Carlotta’s Diner…

Téa had a working lunch with Hank at the diner. Hank had just left after giving Téa some casework. Téa scribbled on her notepad, put her cheek in her hand and began staring the window.
“O.k.,” thought Téa, “What do I do if I find Todd and he’s really suffering from DID? Should I just go away and let Todd and his therapist workout Todd’s issues? Does he want to see me at all? Nothing in his clues implies he want to see me - just that he wants me know he thinks of me, of us, the DID is real…I’m getting scared now…”

“Hey - how are you?” asked Carlotta slipping into the booth. Only a few customers remained from the lunch rush.
“Huh? Oh, Carlotta. I’m o.k.,” said Téa looking up and over at her friend.
“Téa, lately you’ve been a bit unfocused…have you been ‘moved’ by Todd’s gifts?” asked Carlotta softly.
“Yes, I have Carlotta. Do you know that on Llantano mountain Todd had a house commissioned to be built? For us? I’ve seen it, you know. It’s not finished, but it is gorgeous,” said Téa thinking about the house.
“Is that what the key is for?” asked Carlotta.
“I don’t know. I haven’t found the door the key goes to yet,” replied Téa.
“And the other gifts?” asked Carlotta.
“I think Todd wants me to find him,” said Téa softly.
Carlotta tried to hold back a frown, “And you want to find him?”
“I can’t get him out of my mind,” said Téa softly.
“Or heart,” finished Carlotta.
“Have any new gifts come from Todd?” asked Téa.
“No,” said Carlotta smiling, “And rest assured, I’ll do everything I can to stop Roseanne from ‘tampering’ with them. I don’t necessarily approve of this Téa, but I do want to see you happy…”
“Carlotta, I understand but I really don’t want to hear…” started Téa.
“Téa, I hated seeing how he hurt you on your wedding day…” whispered Carlotta.
Téa made a face. She hated thinking of the bad memories that day held.
“You want him - desperately, don’t you?” asked Carlotta.
Téa nodded her head.
Cris walked over to them, “Momma - we got that shipment you were expecting.”
“Thanks Cris,” said Carlotta getting up. She smiled at Téa and walked off.
Blair Cramer walked in the diner with Max Holden on her arm and sneered at Téa. Téa rolled her eyes at Blair. Blair and Max took a seat on the opposite side of the diner.
Téa picked up her purse and opened it up. She took the key into her hand and stared at it.
“Are you the key to where Todd is staying at now?” whispered Téa.
“Téa?” came a voice.
Téa put the key back in her purse and looked up, “Viki?”
“Can I join you?” asked Viki.
“Sure. What’s up?” asked Téa.
Viki handed Téa a list with five names on it, “This is a list of private therapists in the Providence area. I was thinking maybe we could check it out - together.”
“That’s great Viki,” said Téa, “I’d like that.”
“All right then. What do you say we go up on this upcoming weekend?” asked Viki.
“Great. I need to get some work done before I go anyway,” replied Téa having a sudden pang of guilt for ignoring her work.
Viki left the list with Téa. Téa’s pager went off. She shut it off and looked at the number.
“It’s Hank. I need to call him,” said Téa getting up. Viki got up too.
“Don’t you have a cell phone?” asked Viki.
“I accidentally dropped it this morning and the antenna broke so I turned it into the shop to get fixed,” explained Téa.
“I’ll talk to you later than,” said Viki.
Téa nodded her head, grabbed her pager, and went to use Carlotta’s phone.
Téa kept her back to her booth.
“Hank, it’s Téa, what’s up?”
Pause.
“What? You can’t make it?”
Pause.
“All right, I’ll head down to the station and I’ll brief you as soon as I’m up to speed,” said Téa.
Pause.
Téa hung up the phone, turned around, and saw Blair going through her purse. She immediately became incensed and ran over to her table, snatching her purse out of Blair’s hands.
“And just what do you think you’re doing Blair - going through my purse?” demanded Téa, her eyes blazing.
Blair held up Téa’s key. The key Todd gave her, “So, Téa, what’s the key for?”
“Give me the key now,” demanded Téa.
“Oh, no,” said Blair, “I’m not giving up this key - it means too much to you.”
Téa tried to swipe the key from Blair and missed, “Give me the key Blair.”
Blair grinned, “Struck a nerve, have I? Sorry, Téa - I’m not giving you the key back.”
Téa lunged at Blair.

Todd’s Room…

Todd stared out the window in his room, his cheek in his hand, and he was daydreaming.
“I want the whole package…”
He pictured the house on Llantano mountain. He was playing in the front lawn with Starr. He was setting up a tent so they could play ‘wild outdoors’. Téa was helping put up the tent…and he remembered what fun they had when they were in the tent at the Penthouse. And after they put Starr to bed.
“…I put aside all my doubts, my fears…”
Who kissed her then? Rodd? Rodd had it bad for Téa. Rodd wasn’t afraid to think of Téa as a woman - and he wasn’t either. He was just afraid to tell her he thought of her as a woman.
Dr. Jacobs said Todd was getting better. He hoped so, because one day he didn’t want to imagine putting up a tent with his family. He wanted to do it.


To be continued....



Stories by Dim and Kelly