The Fourth Life: Chapter 24

Todd walked in to Ray's office, and sat down.  "Hey, Ray."


Ray said, "Hey, Todd, how are you doing?"


"Not too bad.  Not too good. You know.  The same stuff, only less.  I dream a lot.  And I imagine things."


"I know, we've talked about that.  Are the fantasies any less violent, or often?"


"No.  More.  It's starting to bother me.  I feel....I feel exhilarated when I think of it and see him die.  I think I'm obsessed."


"And if you are?"


"I'm not sure it's good for me.  I mean, it feels good, but it doesn't mean it is good, like stepping in dog shit."


"I'm not even going to try and interpret that one."


"Just sayin.'"


"So what do you want to do about it?"


"I dunno."


"I have an idea.  I asked someone to come here today.  Maybe he can help."


The door pushed open, slowly, and in walked John McBain, customarily in black, with his hands in his pockets.  "Manning."'


"McBain,"  he said, "what are you doing here?"


"I came to help out."


He looked at Ray, who said, "Glad you could come.  Have a seat.  Todd, I invited him here to help us move forward.  If you don't want him here, he will leave."


"Hey, no problem.  I'm in therapy with John McBain.  I think we should really work on our sharing of the household responsibilities.  That's causing us couple trouble."


"You're funny. Always were.  I'm taken, though."


Ray said, "Can I interrupt?  We have a purpose, here, at least I thought."


John said, "I'm here to let you know, that I'm going to get Hesser.  I know it doesn't seem like it's going to work out, but I promise you I will get him, one way or the other."


"Is he going to get the charges dropped?"  Todd asked.


"No.  He tried, but the judge was not having that.  We're going to need your testimony.  You, Blair, and the others."


"I'm game.  If I can help bring him down....I will."


"Looks like you'll have to spend more time on planning how to testify against him, and less time on planning his demise."


He looked at McBain, "What makes you think I'm planning his demise?"


"Because I am.  I figure you are.  He put you through a lot of Hell.  I don't know all of it, but I know enough."


"You don't know the half of it.  But, that doesn't matter."


"You do realize that if you kill the bastard, you lose Blair.  You lose everything.  You're back in a cell.  It may not be made of rock, and Leona may not be your roommate, but it'll suck."


"First, you'd have to prove that I killed him."


McBain studied Todd's face a moment.  "Right.  But, if you let the courts do their thing, it will work out.  We're going to get him."


Todd paused, thinking about McBain's words.  "Death penalty?"


"That's our aim."


Ray watched the two of them interact, and jotted notes on his pad.  


Todd said, "All right.  I believe you mean it."


"I do.  I think he's the worst piece of crap on this earth.  I'd want him eradicated."


"Same here."


"I just know that beautiful wife of yours, who is expecting a baby in June won't be too happy if you're in the pen.  The trial is going to happen.  In about a month, he will be on trial.  You'll be able to tell the world what he's done to you, and help slam the door in his face."


Todd liked the sound of it.  Though he was not one to depend on the courts, he didn't want to let his family down.  He didn't want to be apart from them.  He started to consider the option of preparing his testimony to insure that Carlo was not going free for what he did.  "Thanks, John, I appreciate it."


"You're welcome.  Do you want to ask me anything about it?"


"No, but I know where you live."


John stood up.  "I'd like to have a word with one of your inmates, Ray.  Is that allowed?"


"It's actually not.  It requires a series of paperwork.  Another day."


"All right.  Hello to Blair," and he was gone.


Todd looked at Ray.  "I want Hesser dead.  I want him to bleed, suffer, scream."


"I know.  We've talked a lot about that."


"Sometimes I feel...I feel good when I think of it, and imagine him dying in some really sick way."


"We can work on that, if you feel it's a detriment to you."


"Who said that?  It's one of the things that keeps me going."


Ray thought a moment.  "What if things don't go your way?  What if the courts fail you and he doesn't pay?  Then what?"


Todd smiled.  "I'll kill the fucker."


"Then we have a problem."


***


Kathleen walked through the narrow, dark passageway, lead by the guard, into a small alcove with a single lighbulb overhead for light.  She stood, apprehensive.  What did he want with her?


After a few moments of anxiety passed, she became frantic to think her way out of it.  Whatever it was, she had to be at the top of her game.  It was only weeks until her parole hearing, and she was terrified of jeopardizing her release.  Then, she saw him.


He walked toward her, with his eyes fixed on hers.  It had been over a year since she made the fateful decision to visit him in Statesville.  Still exciting in the way she always thought, she feared him, as well as felt herself drawn.  "Carlo."


"Kathleen.  How good of you to come."


"I didn't have a choice."


"And what would you have done if you were given one?"  He reached out and touched her cheek.


She didn't answer.  "What do you want?  I'm up for parole in a couple of weeks.  I don't want to do anything that will jeopardize it."


"Neither do I," he said.  "Very beautiful, still."


"Don't," she said.


"I will take care of you."


"I don't need taking care of."


"Millions await you.  I own my own island,  mansions, servants.  Whatever you wish for I have."  He stepped closer, "Including those things you remember about me."


The guard, sensing the awkwardness of his presence, walked to the other end of the corridor, waiting for his signal.


"I don't remember anything about you," she said, "except that you ruined me."


He stepped closer, and she retreated.  He said, "That's not what I had in mind.  We will be together.  And you will help me."


"What did you want, Carlo?"  She attempted to stay strong, but she was weakening in her knees.  Her heart was beating faster than a mouse.


"Simple, my dear.  You,"  And he reached out abruptly and grabbed her by the back of her neck, moving her in to his face.  Pressing his mouth against hers, he felt the powerful surge of resistance from her, and then, finally, her body relaxed.  Within minutes, he felt the hands that tried to push his chest away, slide across his back, and pull him to her.


***


At Unforgettable, Blair was sitting, in a lounge chair, on the balcony, waiting anxiously for Todd to return.  She hoped her risk of telling Ray everything was not a mistake.  She closed her eyes to soak in the sun, her hand resting over Sunburst protectively.  She began to drift off into sleep, when she felt a brush of hair across her face, and opening her eyes, met his hazel gaze, and he leaned in, kissing her collarbone.  "You're beautiful," he said.


She smiled.  "Are you all right?  How was your session?"


"Interesting. I'm not worried anymore.  Seems John McBain has this all in hand," and he pulled up a chair next to hers.


"Which means?"


"Which means, I don't need to kill anyone.  And I'm a bit relieved.  You know how hard it is to get blood out of an Armani suit."


She didn't smile, instead she swallowed, feeling nauseous again.  "What did John say?"


"He's going to get him, no matter what.  The death penalty.  That's John's goal.  And we're going to help.  Our testimony.  All of us.  We'll put him away."


Blair didn't ask the next and obvious question, and he was relieved.  He stood up, putting his hand out to her, "I need you."


"I'm here," she said standing.


He kissed the side of her neck.  "I want you, Blair.  I want to feel you, and feel alive."


"You are alive, Todd."  One thing positive about his absence was that he came back more demonstrative than ever, and she loved it, deeply in her soul, to hear both his words to her and the sounds of his lovemaking to her.  "And I'm here for you, always."


He lead her inside by her hand, and shut the glass pane door, lowering the curtains.


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