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Saturday, September 10, 2011

The Debt by RLEE

THE DEBT

Things tended to get lost in Angel Square.  The heart of Llanview, Pennsylvania was not all that spacious, but it was still the most spacious public area in town.  Nothing much was distinguishable about it apart from the post in the center and the park nearby.  Some days were busier than others; the size of the everyday crowd really just depended on how cold it was.  This year, the temperature was threatening to drop to below freezing by the end of the first week of December.  Because of this, people were taking any opportunity they had to pass through Angel Square and do their holiday shopping before Llanview became a giant popsicle.
Starr had a natural talent for Christmas shopping.  However, the past six months of her life had been dedicated to preventing her family from tearing itself apart.  The return of her father, the death of the uncle she’d come to love as a father, the struggle to help her siblings cope with the confusion, grief, and anger…needless to say, the season had kind of snuck up on her and caught her unprepared.  Which was why Starr thought it was the perfect time to bundle up her daughter Hope in snug layers of fleece clothing and take her to Angel Square. 
“Can you believe it’s above fifty degrees out here?  It’s supposed to go down by, like, thirty,” Starr remarked to Danielle, whom she’d had to coerce to come along with several guilt trips and promises of “having a fun time.”      
“Yeah,” her sister said, using a dull tone that was drowned out by the song started by a caroling group.  Out of everyone in the family, Danielle was the Manning child who’d had perhaps the roughest time adjusting to the changes the family went through.  Because in addition to losing one father and gaining another one, her mother’s grief had turned into a mental illness, culminating into her admission at St. Ann’s Hospital.
            Hope, taken in by the singers’ rendition of “The Carol Of The Bells,” waddled up to the group.  Standing close enough to keep an eye on her, Starr spoke quietly to Dani.
            “How’s Tea? Has there been any change?”
            Dani’s eyes welled, and she sniffled, “Um, yeah.  I talked to Dad last night.  St. Ann’s told him–they told him…” Her voice trailed off, meaning that her mother had taken a turn for the worse.  Starr nodded, and pulled Dani into a hug.  Dani’s voice cracked as she continued, “Uncle Tomas said he’d stop by here after he visited my mom today.” 
            “It’s going to be all right,” Starr whispered, letting go of Dani.  Sighing, she turned to check on Hope.  “Oh no…” she muttered.  The girl had wandered off.  Her heart skipping beats, Starr approached the carolers.  “Hi!” she said, forcing down the panic that wanted to fly out of her voice, “That little girl, the one who was watching you sing–which way did she go?”
            “Oh,” one of the carolers frowned.  “Someone picked her up.  Wasn’t that man her father?”
“What?” Starr turned around wildly.  “What man?  Where did they go?”
The carolers couldn’t remember any details.  Ordering Dani to call the police, Starr took off.  “Hope!” she cried. She searched every corner of Angel Square, looked around the benches and the park and the playground.  She must have gone around the post fifteen times calling her daughter’s name.  Meanwhile, the number of witnesses dwindled until they had all gone home.  By the time the police showed up, they had grave news: Whoever had taken Hope was long gone.  The afternoon was darkening into an icy evening when Dani’s uncle, Tomas Delgado, arrived.  Starr’s tears were frozen on her face, turning her skin raw.  Inconsolably numb, she had to let Dani explain the situation.
Soon Dani and her uncle were the only ones left with Starr in Angel Square.  Tomas said in a low voice, “I’m sorry, Starr, but the police are saying I should take you home now.”
“I’m not leaving,” she said softly, hoarse from yelling for Hope.
“Starr, the police are going to do their job.  You won’t find your daughter by staying here.”
Starr fixed her gaze upon the post as though she was afraid it would disappear too.  Dani asked, “Do you want me to stay out here with you?”
“Danielle,” Tomas said in warning.  “I called Todd.  He and Blair are expecting both of you to come home within the hour.”  He put a hand on Starr’s shoulder, and said with a bit more gentleness, “You need to be with your family right now.”
Starr trembled.  “I only looked away for a second.”  Her eyes stung, but she had no tears left.  What kind of mother was she?  One who lost her child in the blink of an eye.  One who had no tears left to shed for the daughter she might never see again.
A single snowflake–the first one of the month–swirled its way to the pavement.  Starr watched as it landed.  Before she could blink, it had dissolved and was gone.

*~*~*

Two weeks later
December had never been so cold in Llanview.  Christmas was coming, the storm alongside it.  Blair Manning watched from a window as snowflakes floated to a coating of white at the bottom of the penthouse.  From the living room’s television, Llanview’s local news channel’s meteorologist pointed to a giant map behind him.  
“It’s going to get as low as ten degrees within the next couple of days, so expect to have the blizzard that we predicted last weekend hit Llanview hard and fast,” he announced in his usual cheerful voice.  “We’ll have more to report as the day continues.  Watch out and have a safe holiday, everyone!  We’re going to go back to Monique Clasterling to hear her update on the Marty Saybrook investigation…”
She heard someone coming down the spiral staircase and sighed.  “How is she?” Blair murmured without turning around.
“I managed to get her to eat something,” Todd said, joining her.
She wasn’t sure whether she wanted to attempt a smile or simply cry again, so Blair settled for small talk.  “She had dinner?”
“Some raisins.  Ocean Spray brand.”
She closed her eyes.  “My poor baby girl…”
Todd put his arm around her, and she leaned into him, taking in the comfort of breathing in his warm musky scent.  At the same time, he checked the watch on his other hand and announced, “Viki’s going to be here soon with the gifts.”
Blair nodded, already resigned to sharing the evening with Todd’s sister.  She loved Viki, but she couldn’t see how putting more gifts under the tree for Hope was going to cheer up Starr.  Viki was getting remarried to Clint Buchanan close to Christmas though, and wouldn’t have much time to celebrate the holiday with the Mannings. 
“Where’s Jack?” asked Todd suddenly.
“Oh...he was helping Sam build a snowman, I think.”  Or maybe that had been Dani–Blair honestly couldn’t remember who was doing what these days.  Except for Starr, who seldom left her room and was apparently only eating raisins now.
Todd said he would go round up the kids for visiting with their aunt, but she barely heard him.  After he left the room, Blair continued staring out the window, wondering where her pain ended and where Starr’s began.

*~*~*

Dinner with Viki was a morose affair.  She’d brought her own cooking, for which Blair had to practically drag Starr out of the room to eat.  Dani had helped, since she was the only one that Starr seemed able to talk to lately.  Jack and Sam, in comparison, had been excited enough about the presents, only to find out that they wouldn’t be opening any tonight.
Blair refused to let any of the kids to go upstairs while Viki was visiting, so they just hung around the staircase, pretending to watch the Christmas programming on television while waiting to bolt.  This rule of courtesy that Blair was enforcing kind of hindered Todd, who was hoping to discuss something with Viki in private.
As soon as his wife was busy cleaning up the table, Todd went for it.  “So…Well, tonight sucked.”
Never short on patience or sympathy, Viki asked kindly, “How are you holding up?”
Todd blew some air out the side of his mouth.  “Do you have to ask?”
“No, I suppose not.”
What else can I say? he thought.  If I could, I’d hunt down the bastard who stole Peanut and debone him from head to toe?  Finally, he said in a low voice, “Can you believe the priority of the news reports these days?  Hope’s picture hasn’t been shown for days, but we still get by-the-minute updates on the weather and Marty Saybrook’s escape from St. Ann’s–.”
Viki gave him a peculiar glance.  “How do you feel about what happened to Marty?”
How do I feel about the woman I raped being criminally insane, or how do I feel about her being on America’s Most Wanted?  he thought about asking.  He shrugged instead, thoroughly uncomfortable.  “Viki…if I was in that situation, you’d want me to find a way out of it, wouldn’t you?”
Surprised, she knit her eyebrows together.  “Whatever does that mean, Todd?”  It took her about a second later to ask, “Have you done something?”
Todd didn’t have a chance to respond.  Loud repetitious knocking at the door startled everyone, and the kids stood on guard.  Todd was closest to the door, so he opened it with some trepidation to greet Lieutenant John McBain.
“Who is it?” Little Sam asked, craning his neck to get a look at whoever was at the door.
Todd said loudly, “It’s Scrooge, here to say bah humbug.”
McBain didn’t crack a smile, as usual.  “More like the Ghost of Christmas Past, Manning.  I need to ask you a few questions.”
“Here and now?”
“At the station,” McBain replied.
Todd turned around to see the inquiring faces of his family.  Blair stepped forward, clearing her throat.  “John?  Is there a problem?”
            “There might be.  I’m going to have to take your husband in for questioning.”
            The multitude of reactions was astounding.  An alarmed Viki looked back and forth between Todd and John.  “Questioning? Why?”   Then Dani cried, “What for?” at the same time Jack asked, “What’d he do this time?”
            Starr came to his side, looking very small and frightened.  “Dad?”
            Todd locked into a staring contest with McBain, who came out the winner.  “We need to get to the bottom of this, Manning.  There’s an eyewitness who saw you at St. Ann’s a week ago.”
            An uncertain Dani asked Todd, “You…you just went and saw Mom?  Right?”
            Todd was tempted to say yes, especially when Blair demanded, “Is that it?”
  However, McBain beat him to an answer.  “No, there isn’t any report of him visiting Tea Delgado.  He was seen talking to another patient.”
            While they waited for the good lieutenant to answer, Todd found his attention preoccupied by a broken Christmas bulb planted in the garland that was hanging from the doorway.
            “He was seen with Marty Saybrook.  On the same day that she broke out of St. Ann’s.”

*~*~*

Todd and McBain weren’t exactly friendly, what with one of them being an ex-convict and the other being a cop.  The two men were wary, but respected each other enough to keep themselves at a distance.  Although, Todd did have to admit that he liked the lieutenant a hell of a lot more than any other officer he’d ever met.  Which was why he went to Llanview’s police station with him in a semi-cooperative manner.
They went into the empty interrogation room.  Todd was long familiar with the drill, so he sat down and suggested, “Why don’t you have a seat, Lieutenant?”
“You sit, I’ll stand,” John said in a tired voice. 
“Okay.” Todd leaned back in his chair and stretched his fingers.  “You stand, and you tell me why you hauled me down here.”
John crossed his arms, much like a father getting ready to scold his son.  “While we were looking into Marty Saybrook’s disappearance from St. Ann’s, someone who works there came forward.  He said you were the last visitor Marty had before she vanished.”
Todd shrugged, coming off as indifferent.  “I wasn’t there to visit Marty Saybrook.”
McBain was unfazed.  “That’s right, when you checked in with the front desk and showed them your ID, you claimed you were writing an exposition piece for your newspaper.”
A prickle of impatience started festering inside Todd.  Just what was McBain’s point?  “I was writing an exposition piece.  In case you haven’t noticed, the patients at St. Ann’s are an endless topic for a human interest angle.”
            John eyed him with a flash of doubt before continuing, “Okay, if you say so.  Being there at that time makes you a possible witness, though.  Are you going to deny that you saw Marty?”
            Todd tilted his head to the side, contemplating.  He wasn’t sure whether McBain was fishing for information in order to get a lead on Marty, or just because he was bored and needed to arrest someone tonight.  “I saw a lot of people.”
            “But not Tea Delgado,” John said evenly.
            A bit of sadness tugged at Todd.  In truth, he had asked a doctor about Tea while he was there.  But all he felt like saying to McBain was, “It’s kind of hard to interview someone who’s catatonic.”
            The cop nodded.  “Fair enough.  Look, Manning, if you saw anything that can help us find a lead on what happened with Marty, now is the time to tell me.”
            Todd remembered seeing Marty that day.  She had been lucid enough to answer his questions and tell him that St. Ann’s was treating her nicely.  However, she missed her freedom.  She missed her son, Cole.  And thinking of Marty and her son made Todd think of his own family.  Of Starr, and of her daughter with Cole.  The child who seemed to have disappeared.  The child that no one was doing a damn thing to find. 
            “No,” he told McBain.  “I don’t know anything that can help you.”

*~*~*

            After Todd had gone home, John McBain went to deliver his statement to the commissioner.  “Did Manning give you anything?” Bo Buchanan asked at once.
            John shook his head.  “He says he doesn’t have any information.”
            Bo scratched his forehead in thought.  “And that usually means he’s up to his neck in this.”  He took the report and filed it.  “John, I want you to check the tapes from St. Ann’s security cameras.  Find out exactly what Manning did while he was there.”
            John frowned.  “You don’t think he helped Marty Saybrook escape from the hospital, do you?”
            Signing off on a document, the commissioner remarked, “You said it, not me.”

*~*~*

            Blair had fallen asleep waiting for Todd to come home, and when she woke up early the next morning in an empty bed, she immediately assumed the worst.  Then, on her way downstairs, she heard his voice. 
            “Now you listen to me carefully, you dirty son of a bitch,” she heard him say into a phone.  “You’re going to get your ass back to town now, or I’ll tell everyone– .”  He broke off at the response from the other end, and snapped, “Fine.  You go to hell.”  He hung up and muttered another string of curses before turning to see Blair behind him.  “Hey.”
            She folded her arms.  “That was some conversation.”  Please don’t make me ask, she prayed in silence.  Because she really didn’t want to know what he’d done this time.  This was the man she loved, the one who stomped all over someone’s feelings on one day, then acted to the contrary and treated those same feelings with tender sensitivity the next .  The man who could give away her newborn child to a stranger or trick her into thinking that a group of hitmen were targeting her on one hand, then bring the child back to her or save her life on the other hand.  All in the name of love.
            To her surprise, he didn’t blow her off.  “I did someone a favor and he skipped town without so much as a thank you.  Pretty rude, huh?”
            Great, now she had to ask.  “Was this favor a legal one?”
            He raised an eyebrow.  “Of course.”
            “Todd, what did John McBain want with you last night?”
            “Oh you know, the usual.  He felt like bringing out a bowl of pretzels and watching ESPN.  The poor guy works too much, has no social life whatsoever.”
            Blair was about to interrupt when she heard Starr’s voice exclaim, “Dad!”
            Todd smiled.  “Hey Shorty.  You’re out of your room?”
            “Yeah, I was going to ask Mom if she’d heard from you.  What happened last night?”
            Relenting, Todd told them about his trip to St. Ann’s, how he’d gone to write a news article on the care of mental patients and how John had thought that he might have information on Marty Saybrook’s disappearance.  When he finished explaining, Starr said to him in relief, “I’m so glad that you were just the witness for once and not a suspect.”
            Todd wrapped his arms around her and said as Blair looked on, “Yeah, me too.”
            Then their daughter’s expression turned sad again.  “I can’t lose you too, Dad.”
            “You won’t,” he promised.
            Starr sighed and retreated to her room.  Now that she was gone, Blair decided it was time to play hardball.  “You know, The Sun never printed out a feature on St. Ann’s.”  His face turned into a blank mask.  She added, “And it’s not like you to personally go out and do research on your own.  You have plenty of qualified journalists who could have done that job.”
            “Yeah, well, maybe it’s just a subject that’s near and dear to me,” he said offhandedly. 
            “Because of Tea?” Blair tried.
            He stared at her.  That’s not it at all, she realized, thinking of the phone call she’d walked in on.  What was Todd hiding?
            At last he said, “You know what?  I think I’m going to shovel some snow.”  He headed for the front door.
            Unable to help herself, Blair threw her hands up in the air.  “That’s it!” Her voice stopped him for a moment.  “I want the whole story, whatever it is you’re not telling me!”
            He hesitated.  Then his face broke into a sly smile.  “Put it on your Christmas list.”  He opened the door and left Blair still calling his name.

*~*~*

            Angel Square must have been where hell froze over.  It was cold enough to kill, the weather having reached its predicted extremity.  The beginnings of a snowstorm had driven all the other people away, so it was empty.  Todd walked past the post and into the shopping district.  Everywhere he went, the front doors for all of the shops bore “Sorry, We’re Closed” signs.  Outside the Old Gold and Silver Antiques store, he withdrew his cell phone from his pocket.  The air instantly bit his hand even though he was wearing gloves, and he cursed out of habit.  Fortunately, the phone turned warm while he waited for someone to pick up.
            No one answered.
            Overwhelmed with intense frustration, Todd stomped through the snow all the way back to the post.  Where is he?  he wanted to know.  Hasn’t that bastard gotten what he wants yet? 
            When the job is done, meet me at the post in Angel Square and I’ll pay my debt. That was what the man had said, and Todd was just now beginning to think that he had made a grave error in trusting him to keep his word.
            His phone suddenly buzzed.  Startled, Todd pulled it out to see that he’d gotten a text message.  He wiped the falling snow off of the screen to see only two words: Not yet.
            A small pile of snow dumped from the top of the post onto his shoulder.  Todd grabbed the crumbling lump of white powder, and threw it as hard as he could at the ground with a sputtered yell.

*~*~*

            When Todd got back to the penthouse, Viki was waiting for him.  “Didn’t I just see you last night?” he wondered while she got up from the sofa. 
            “I wanted to talk to you about our conversation last night,” said Viki quietly.
            Todd turned around to take off his coat.  “You should get back to Llanfair before you’re snowed in here for the night.”
On that cue, Blair walked in and told him, “Todd, Viki came by to see if you were all right or if you needed to be bailed out of jail again.”
“I can see that,” he replied.  Viki gave him a pointed look, and Todd said quickly, “Blair, do you think you could give us a few minutes?”
Her mouth twitched at irritation for their secrecy.  “I guess I’ll go check on Starr for the hundredth time today.”
As soon as she was out of the room, Viki began.  “Last night, you asked me if I would want for you to get out of a situation that was similar to Marty’s.  And as soon as I asked you whether you’ve done anything that could get you into trouble, John McBain came and took you in for questioning.”
“Viki, you have to trust me–,” Todd began.
She held up a hand.  “I’m not here to ask questions, Todd.  I’m here to give you an answer.”
Todd shifted his weight guiltily.  “Oh.”
“If you were in trouble with the law, I would want you get out of it.  And I would want you to be very sure of what you were doing.  Are you sure, Todd?”
He thought about telling her.  He could trust her.  Not to mention, lying to Viki made him feel terrible, as though he was knifing her in the back.  But he couldn’t tell her.  Not her or anyone else in the entire world.  So he mumbled, “I thought you weren’t going to ask questions.”
Viki sighed.  “Be careful, then.”  She looked as though she would say something more, but thought better of it and chose instead to pat his arm lightly on her way out. 

*~*~*

For John, it was yet another night of examining evidence.  He was planning on spending all night re-watching the security footage from St. Ann’s, or at least until he caught a glimpse of Todd Manning with Marty Saybrook. 
A woman cleared her throat and said, “Hey.”  He looked up to find Natalie standing in front of his desk.  She leaned in to see a shot of Todd exiting the hospital, donning a heavy winter jacket and a ski cap.  John fast forwarded through the timeframe in which Marty was reported missing, then rubbed his eyes.  “Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize you were here.”
            Natalie tossed her brassy red hair over her shoulder and replied, “I didn’t want to interrupt in case you found anything important.  I was just going to let you know I’m headed home.  What about you?”
            “I need to finish going through the tapes,” he told her.  Then a thought occurred to him.  “Hey, do you want someone from here to drive you?” He didn’t need to elaborate on his question; Natalie knew he was concerned for her safety with Marty on the lam.  Marty had thrown her off a rooftop less than a year ago, and as far as he could tell there was still a chance Natalie was in danger.
            But as Natalie started to decline, her eyes widened.  “Oh my God.”
            John stood up.  He’d seen the same thing she had on the screen playing the hospital tape: Todd Manning leaving the hospital for a second time.  He rewound the tape to the first time Todd walked out.  He did not come back inside. Fast forward to an hour later, and Todd–or someone else dressed in the exact same winter coat and a ski cap–left through the other exit. 
            “Do you want me to get my uncle Bo in here?” Natalie asked.
            John looked to her in hesitation.  “I’ll handle it.  Don’t bother him yet,” he said at last.  Manning, you’d better have a damn good alibi ready.
*~*~*
            Three nights later, Blair received a call from John.  “Is your husband around?” he asked her.  Her glance darted to the foot of the sofa, where Todd was resting.  Starr was above on the couch, engaging in a quiet conversation with him.  Blair said to John, “He’s not available right now.  What’s going on?”
            “I might as well give you a heads up.  The LPD has reason to suspect Todd of helping Marty Saybrook out of St. Ann’s.”
            Blair bit her lip to keep herself from blurting out something stupid.  John kept saying, “When you have a chance, tell Todd we’d like to speak with him again about this.”
            Blair sighed.  “Thank you, I will do that.” She hung up in time to hear Starr whisper to Todd, “What if we never find her?  What if she’s already…already gone?”
            Todd murmured back to her, “I know you’ve already heard things like ‘don’t give up’ and ‘everything will be fine.’  But I’m just going to throw out there that I grew up without believing in miracles.  And then you came along and everything changed.  Shorty, you’re going to get her back.  Trust me.”  He looked up to see Blair standing over by the Christmas tree.  With her eyes, she told him that they needed to talk.  He excused himself, kissed Starr goodnight, and followed Blair up to their room. 
            Blair wasted no time.  “That was John McBain on the phone just now.  Are you going to finally tell me what you’ve been keeping from everyone?  Why is he under the impression that you helped free Marty Saybrook?  I mean, that’s just absurd!”  But even as she ranted to him, she could tell that it was true.  “Oh my God!”
            Todd grabbed her hands.  “Blair.  Blair!”
            “How could you–why? Just tell me why?  Were you helping her to get over your own guilt?” She sat on the bed, unsure of whether she was in shock or just plain angry. Perhaps a bit of both, but that wasn’t all it was.  This came completely out of left field.  “That was it, wasn’t it?  You felt guilty!”
            “Of course I did!” he shot back.  “I still do, and that’s never going to change.  You need to calm down!”
            “Oh yeah?” she cried.  “You make me calm down.  You go to prison for this, and see if I’ll calm down then!”
            “I’m not going to prison,” he said, his tone soft but firm.  He took her into his arms, and just held her for awhile.  He ran his fingers through her hair, shushing her gently the whole time.  She lifted her face to his, and he kissed her, tentatively at first, then a little bit more passionately.  She moaned, calm now but also longing for more of his touch.  They eventually found their way to the bed, after her sweater had somehow come off and she’d unbuttoned his shirt.  In a way, she knew that making love would not fix anything.  And she knew he was probably more aware of that than she cared to admit.  It wasn’t what they needed to stay with the rest of the world; it was what they needed to make the rest of the world go away.

*~*~*

            The next day was the morning of Christmas Eve.  Todd barely had time to dress before Bo Buchanan came to the door, with John McBain at his side. 
            “We found Marty Saybrook last night, and took her into custody,” Bo announced.  “She admitted that you assisted her escape from St. Ann’s by suggesting that she disguise herself as you.  John, read him his rights.”
            As McBain recited the Miranda to him and set him in cuffs, Todd had a chance to see the reactions of his wife and kids.  He saw their devastation, especially Blair’s and Starr’s, and a voice inside his head chastised, Nice going, Manning. Was it worth it?
            It was, he thought, mentally commanding the other voice to shut up. 
            To the cops, all Todd said was, “You’re making a huge mistake.” They didn’t listen to him.  Then again, they never did.

*~*~*
            “I want my phone call,” Todd insisted as John escorted him to his cell.  Unlocking it, John realized that in between stonewalling questions and making cryptic comments, Todd had not once denied or confirmed his guilt.
He said, “You’ll have plenty of time to call your lawyer before your arraignment.” As   Todd sat down on the bed in the corner of the cell, John could no longer keep his cool.  After all, he’d given the guy plenty of chances, hadn’t he?  He’d even put off showing Bo those tapes.  And for what?  Since when did John owe Todd any leniency?  “Dammit, Manning.  Did you do this for Marty because you owed her after raping her? Is that why?”
“No,” said Todd.  He took a deep breath and announced, “I did not help Marty Saybrook escape.”
“Oh really? Marty seems to think differently.”
“John, she is psychotic! Questioning her about it must’ve confused her or something. Trust me, I did not do what you’re accusing me of doing. Now give me my damn phone call.”
“You’ve just been processed,” said John, turning to go back upstairs. “It’ll take about an hour.”
Todd said loudly, “I have an alibi!”
            John kept on walking.  Why do I even bother? he asked himself on his way to his office.  Manning was a criminal, after all.  Yet despite that knowledge, John felt a conflict surge within him.  Was it really worth taking him away from his entire family?  From his wife, and kids, and sisters, nieces…
            When he went into his office, someone was already inside.  “What are you doing here?” he asked.
            Tomas Delgado turned to him and said, “I heard you have arrested Todd Manning for getting Marty Saybrook out of St.Ann’s.”
            “We have,” John replied curtly.  “What’s it to you?”
            Delgado smiled.  “Well, I just came in to tell you that your accusation isn’t possible.  Because I was there with Todd at St. Ann’s, visiting my sister.  He played no part in Marty’s escape.”

*~*~*

It must have been the crack of dawn when John McBain opened Todd’s jail cell.  “Merry Christmas, Manning,” he said gruffly.  “Your alibi buddy came through.”
“And Marty’s confession?” Todd said, knowing there had to be a catch.  He was always suspicious whenever things worked out a little too perfectly. 
“She recanted.  Apparently she was…confused.”
“But you don’t believe her.”
“No.  But we found Marty, and that’s what our primary concern was.  Seeing how the remaining evidence against you is circumstantial, we’re not going to pursue it any further.” 
Todd smirked.  “‘We’re’ not?” 
John corrected himself.  “I’m not. But off the record, I did finally figure this whole thing out.”  Todd fixed a wary look on him, but did not reply.  McBain continued, “I couldn’t figure out your motive for setting Marty free.  I thought at first it was because you felt you owed her a debt of some kind after the rape.”
“Maybe it was–.”
            McBain talked over him.  “Then I realized that this wasn’t about Marty at all.  As soon as Tomas Delgado declared himself as your alibi, I saw the connection.”
            “Which was?” Todd challenged, unsure of whether he should be nervous or relieved that someone else knew what he had been carrying around with him.
“When we found Marty, she had a syringe in her purse.  She wouldn’t say what it was, but I recognized it.  She got it from the CIA compound she’d been hiding in for months before she came back to Llanview.  It was a serum, Manning.  I think she was going to bring it to Delgado, but we intercepted it.”
At that revelation, Todd thought he might be sick.  It was all for nothing, what he’d done, what he’d been through.  “You have to give Delgado the syringe.”
McBain raised his eyebrows, and Todd expected him to ask why.  To press him for more information.  But the cop simply stated, “I already gave it to him.”
Todd stared at him, bewildered.  John explained, “When I discovered that the serum was used for bringing someone out of a catatonic state, it all came together.  Tomas wanted the injection for Tea Delgado.  So…I let him have it.”
“You did?”
“You went through all that trouble for it, so why not?”  For once a bit of amusement crept into John’s voice.
“Bo should give you a raise,” Todd remarked, completely amazed.  You’ve gotta give credit where it’s due.
McBain stepped aside to allow Todd out of the cell.  Hardly able to believe his luck, Todd was strolling past John when the lieutenant said, “There’s one thing I’m still not sure about.”
Todd paused and looked back. 
“How was Delgado able to get both you and Marty to cooperate with him?” But Todd didn’t have to answer, because as soon as John studied his expression, he knew.  “Of course,” John said.  Todd nodded, and continued on his way.

*~*~*

People were finally starting to return to Angel Square.  Standing by the post, Todd just wished things would hurry up, so that there would be no one who noticed the transaction.  It took half an hour for him to spot a figure in a dark wool trenchcoat coming in. 
“You’re late!” Todd called.
“I didn’t have to come at all,” Tomas Delgado pointed out.  “I could have just left you holding the bag.  But I didn’t.  A deal’s a deal.  Besides, I like this place.  It’s full of second chances.”
“Yeah well, don’t think you can get away with a stunt like this again,” Todd warned.
“Of course not.  I’m a man of my word, Todd.  Now, it’s time for me to fulfill my end of the agreement.”
“About damn time,” Todd snapped.  He didn’t mention how he was already planning to retaliate against Tomas for putting him and his family through hell.  After all, revenge was a dish best served cold.

*~*~*

The first words Starr heard on Christmas morning were Jack’s.  “Wow, I got a brand new X-Box!” he shouted from downstairs.  She groaned and threw the covers over her head as her door creaked opened.  “Starr? Sweetie, you’ve got a phone call,” said her mom.
Starr groaned.  She’d given up hoping to hear good news, and she wasn’t about to get hurt like that again.  “Tell whoever it is to call back tomorrow.  Or never.”  A beep one second later indicated that she was on speakerphone.  “Mom, seriously, I don’t want–.”
            “Merry Christmas, Shorty!” her dad’s voice interrupted.  Her eyes widened, and with a gasp she instantly sat up in bed. 
            “Dad?  Are you okay?” she blurted.  The thought of him in prison put a fresh edge on her pain.  But he sounded a bit too upbeat for someone behind bars.
            “I’m great.  Hey, can you do something for me?”
            “What?”
            “Can you meet me in Angel Square in an hour?”
            It took thirty seconds for the words to fully register.  “You–you’ve been released?” Her heart rate must have elevated to the sky just then.
            “Yeah, and I’ve got a present for you,” answered Todd.  “So, can you come?”
            Starr looked at her mother, a daringly broad smile on her face.  “Make it twenty minutes!” she said.
 Against Blair’s wishes, Starr stayed in her pajamas and simply threw on a heavy coat, hat, and boots.  She drove over three roadside snowmen on her way to Angel Square, and when she got out of her car, she nearly forgot to take the keys out of the ignition.  Her excitement, though, was nothing compared to when she saw her dad standing by the tall post.  She froze only for a moment, and then tripped into the snow as she ran.  Eventually he began making his way towards her, and when they finally met, she looked at the child in his arms.
“Momma,” beamed Hope.  Todd passed her over to Starr, who was shaking so bad she was afraid she’d drop her daughter into the snow.  Yet she didn’t.  And as she sobbed and laughed, she realized that she should have known all along this would happen.  Because while things tended to be lost in Angel Square, that was also where they tended to be found.

THE END


This selection was posted for author, RLEE.  Her work can also be read at Cataz's Site

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