The Shadows Fall: Chapter 41

"Oh, thank you!"  Blair said, opening the baby gift that Natalie brought over.  Natalie sipped her tea and had a bite of muffin.   Blair had just had some breakfast pastries delivered after getting the call from Nat about a pending visit that morning.

"You're welcome.  After all you two have been through, I certainly hope that this baby is a sign of positive things to come."

"I know it is."  Blair choked up a bit, "I feel....so lucky, you know?  It's like all the dark shadows have fallen away.  Something like that."

Natalie took her hand.  "Don't cry, you'll make me."

"I can't help it.  Natalie, if you only knew how close to Hell your uncle has been.  It's...I can't believe sometimes he is here, with us, and not dead somewhere or put away."

Natalie grimaced, and then squeezed Blair's hand.  "He had you.  That's what kept him going.  At least, that's what John told me.  I haven't gotten many details, but, it was bad, wasn't it?"

"Yes.  Very bad."  She tried to pull herself together and used a napkin to dab at her eyes.  "I can't believe he made it without snapping.  I was in their clutches for less than two days, and I couldn't have done what he did.  Ever.  I never would have survived it."

"Does he talk about it often?"

"It's fading, or at least it seems to be.  He's mentioned it a few times.  He still had nightmares sometimes.  He's doing well with it, now."

"That's all that counts.  He's trying to recover, and he's making it.  That's more than a lot of people can say."

"How's Jessica doing?" Blair asked, pushing her teacup onto the saucer and placing it down on the table.

"Better.  They say she'll be coming home soon.  Excuse me."  Natalie had to address a phone call coming in on her police-issue phone.  "What?  Oh my God, John, all right.  I'll be right there," she ended the call.  "Blair, I'm sorry for the short visit, but you heard, I'm sure.  I have to go."

"Is John in danger?  Is everything all right?"  Immediately, her thoughts went to Todd.  She was still in fear of losing him again.

"There is a riot at Statesville, it's going on right now.  Really bad.  So bad they need to call in support from the LPD to help contain it," she called to Blair as she went to the door.  Pulling on her jacket, she said, "I'll let you know more later.  I have to go!"

Blair went to the sofa, and before fighting herself to sit down, she went to the desk instead.  Dialing, she put the phone to her ear.  "Todd?"

"Hey, wife, how are you doing?"

"Todd, where are you?"  She was panicked.

"You just called me at my office, and I answered, Blair.  What's the matter?"  After her meltdowns all week, he was cautious.

"Nothing, I was...there's been a prison riot at Statesville."

"Yeah, I know.  I just was covering that.  I sent a few reporters out to sniff around about it."  Then, realizing what she was going through, he said, "It's all right, babe.  I'm okay.  I have an idea!"

"What?"

"I'll send the car back to get you.  Come to work with me today."

She brightened, "I'd love it!  Let me go get presentable."

Blair ascended the stairs, and went to her closet, searching deep enough in the walk-in, she found her old red maternity suit.  It was in pretty decent shape, considering it was over 15 years old.  She put it on, and to her happiness, it actually fit.  "I guess I'm not that fat..."

The car rolled around in front of the penthouse building and Blair made her way out to it.  She looked and felt better than she had in weeks.  Confident in herself and her abilities to help her husband with any story, she eased into the limousine without too much difficulty.  On the ride, she texted her man, "I love you.  On my way," to which he replied, "Love you more, hurry the hell up."

***

At the LPD, things were chaotic.  The noise, bustle and confusion let Natalie know, the moment she got inside, that things were in a bad place.  She went to John's office and saw him just getting up and putting his coat on.  "John, no, you're not going there?"

"Yeah, I am.  You are not going with me, don't ask.  We have a son, he needs you."

"John, please?  Don't do this."

"I don't have a choice.  You know that.  They need help, Natalie.  Considering a SWAT team if they cannot get it under control."

"There are a lot of dangerous men and women there."

"I know.  I'll be all right, I'll keep in touch.  Stay here and man the phones and help out, can you?"

"I will.  I'm just not happy that you're doing this."

He put his arms around her waist and pulled her into a kiss.  "Love you.  It will be all right."

He left, and she sat at his desk, with her head in her hands for a moment.  Then, thinking better of it, she went to her phone to check the internet for news, and he came back through the door.  "Sorry, you are going to end up going with me after all.  There's been a death.  They need a forensics kit."

She threw her jacket on, got her materials and met him at the car.  Inside it, she said, "John, aren't the men who..."

"I know.  I know what you're thinking.  We're not going to let this turn into a break, if that's what you're figuring.  Yeah, the men are in there.  The tormentors that brutalized your uncle for the last eight years are there.  They have the women's area under control for the moment.  It's the men's half we're dealing with."

"I was just with Blair.  She was crying, John.  They must have done terrible things to him.  You've never talked about it much."

"Not something I want to rehash or rethink, if you know what I mean."

Natalie swallowed.  "Oh my God, look out!"

A child on a bike scooted in front of the car, causing John to swerve from the path.  "That's it," he said, "time to pull all the stops out."  Grabbing the siren light from under the seat, he put it on the roof and started it blaring as he raced to Statesville.

***

Todd was waiting for her in his office.  She was just as he imagined her to look, standing there.  Her hair had grown again, past her shoulders as it was all those years back.  So had his, and his goatee was trimmed and neat, just as she liked it.  He waited, at his desk, for her entrance.  When she came through the doors in her red suit, his heart jumped in his chest.  Over the past few months, he had worked diligently with handymen, carpenters, and designers to get his office at The Sun back the way it was in the days when they had worked together.  And seeing her that way, he was ushered back, at high speed, to seeing her before.  He held back emotion as he stood up to greet her.  "You look beautiful."

She said, "You look beautiful too, and this place," she looked around her, "it looks like it used to, Todd.  I mean," she turned all around in a slow circle, "it looked exactly like it used to."

"You know a thing or two about this, having recreated that penthouse."

"Well, yeah, but this, I mean, actual reconstruction had to take place."

"I know.  I just have to have things my way.  You know the deal."

She hugged him around the neck, and kissed him.  Things were intact, down to the easel in the corner with the mock ups.  Even though the advances in technology were moving at a rapid rate, and he, with his sharp mind, had embraced them, the paper version was standing behind his desk, blaring.  "Statesville, What a Riot,"  she read aloud.  "Todd," she admonished.

"Hey, what can I say?  Those inept government people want to understaff these places, they deserve it."

"You always had a fondness for Statesville, Todd."

He smirked, "Well, not as much as for you, Mrs. Manning."  He kissed her again, putting his hand behind her ear, under her hair, and pulling her closer.  His intercom buzzed.  He ended the kiss and went to the desk.  "Yes?  Huh.  Send him in."

"Who is it?"  Blair asked, looking through the photo selections for the cover that were on his desktop.

"Some guy says he knows something about Mayor Finn."

In through the door walked a young, handsome African-American, who seemed anxious.  Todd extended a hand, "I'm Todd Manning, this is my wife, Blair."

He took the hand, and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Manning, I'm going to get right to the point.  Your niece Jessica is in trouble, maybe fatal trouble, and I need your help."

Todd and Blair looked at each other.  "Sure, sit down, Mr. uh..."  Blair said.

"Devon's fine.  Before you start interrogating me, please let me talk.  Once I've said it all...let's just say I am taking a chance coming here, but she talked so highly of you, and I didn't know where else to go.  I want a chance to say everything."

Todd said, "Go ahead, we're not stopping you."

Devon began to explain to them how he came to meet Jessica at St. Anne's.  Blair could see Todd's ire getting into his eyes, and shot him a look, and said, "Go on, Devon, tell us the rest."

He further explained the threats against Jessica and himself, and his need to get out of there and get help before it was too late.  "I just felt, they might try and hurt her, and I knew you two could be trusted, by what she told me."

Todd said, standing, "So suddenly, you've grown a conscience.  Isn't it a bit late for that."

Devon said, "I deserve that.  It was an acting gig at first, nothing major, then it just became so much more than I thought.  Mayor Finn started getting more and more demanding, out of control.  She gave me 48 hours longer, and they're almost up."

"Why come here,"  Todd said, "if you could have run off and saved yourself?"

"I...I'm in love with your niece."  Devon said, "I wasn't counting on that happening.  I fell in love with her."

Blair looked at Todd, and back to the young man.  "Well, what is it that Mayor Finn was so hell-bent on?"  Blair said.

"She was trying to get me to get information.  She wanted to know what Jessica knew.  Of course, Tess was the one who knew, and then Tess, well, she went away.  Someone's on the Mayor to have the info by then."

Todd said, "Jessica's integrated?  That's good."  He sat back down, "What else did Mayor Finn say?  Do you know who she's working for?"

"She said if I didn't find out information, they would have to make Jessica disappear, or 'take care of it.'  I was scared, I didn't know what else to do.  She talked about you two so much, about how strong your love is, and about how badass, you are, sir, if you don't mind me saying.  As for who Finn works for, no idea, but I can tell you, she's scared."

Todd crossed his arms, "Yeah, well this badass is not too happy with you trying to get at my niece."

"Todd, come on, Devon's fallen for her.  Whatever it was, it was.  The important thing is, it's not anymore."  Blair said.

"I really love her.  Please, you have to help me.  It's getting later, please.  I have a feeling that at today's mass, with all the visitors, someone might try and get in there and get her.  They're expecting guests from all over.  Anyone can get in there and disguise himself as a relative or a clergyman.  I had to say something, I couldn't let her...I had to save her."  He looked down at his hands, "I know, it's probably all over for us now, but it didn't matter anymore, as long as she is safe."

Todd, still angry-faced, with his arms crossed, looked to Blair, and she caught the look.  She crossed her arms as well, and he said, "We can't ask John for help, the police are in a total uproar. Looks like there's only one way to solve this!"

Blair said, "Yes, there's only one way I can think of."

Devon looked from one to the other in confusion.  "There is?"

Todd said, "It's a Manning thing, you wouldn't understand.  Blair, it's back to our old habits."

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