Port Charles Chronicles: Chapter 42

         Blair rolled over and realized Todd was no longer in the bed.  For a moment, her heart skipped a beat as she found herself remembering the previous morning: Todd lying so still on the MRI table. Where was he?  She heard his voice in the other room and began to breathe again.  You need to get a grip.  He’s alive and not going anywhere.  She sat up and grabbed her robe off the end of the bed and headed to find him.

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          Lucy arrived at Crimson, intent on starting her new job with zeal, only to find the place empty.   No wonder the magazine is in the dumps.  No one works around here.  She was just settling down at the desk when the phone rang.  She picked it up.

          “This is Todd Manning.  I want you to get me a copy of the contract for the Crimson lease in the Metro Court hotel.”

          “Excuse me, but why on earth would I do that?  I don’t believe just anybody can call and get that kind of information about Crimson."

          “I can.  I’m the new owner of it and several other properties.  Who the hell are you?”

          “My name is Lucy Coe and I’m in charge of Crimson until Kate Howard can return.”

           “You don’t say, well, until further notice all publications of Crimson will cease.  I don’t care what arrangement you made with Ms. Howard.  Crimson is to be shut down.”

           “But you can’t just shut it down.” Lucy’s heart sank, she had been looking forward to working with a fashion magazine.

            “Ms. Whatever your name is, I just did.  Look.  Do you want a job?  I need an executive assistant, you can work for me.  The first thing I need you to do is get in touch with the Managing Editor of the Port Charles Press, now The Sun, and tell him to get a reporter over to the Courthouse, pronto.   I want someone covering the Kate Howard trial.  You tell him if he wants to keep his job he’ll do it no questions asked.  Do you get my drift?”

            Lucy squared her shoulders. “You have a lot of nerve.  I was hired to manage this magazine not to be somebody’s assistant.”

           Todd realized he had figuratively just stepped on some toes.  Blair had been after him for a long time to change some of his business practices.  He had always run roughshod over his employees.  He had just been given a new lease on life.  Maybe it was time for some changes.  With the new properties he had just acquired, he really was in need of an assistant.  Lou was no longer around.

          For the first time in a long time, Todd backed off.  “My apologies, Ms. Coe.  I assure you the position of my executive assistant is not just an ordinary secretarial job.  I’ve recently expanded my holdings, and my personal assistant would be in charge of keeping the number of high-level officers in my various companies, in line.  It would be your job to troubleshoot the minor problems of these companies, leaving me free to handle the more pressing ones.  It would also mean taking the reins temporarily of a company, should I decide a new head officer is needed.  I’m really in need of someone I can trust.  Would you be interested in such a job?”  Todd felt two arms circle his waist and looked over his shoulder at Blair.  He laid an arm over hers and interlaced their hands.

           Blair laid her head on his shoulder.  She was amazed by what she was hearing.  Todd was actually being reasonable and generous.  The last person he had trusted that much had been Lou.  And even with her, he had still held fast to the reins.  He was offering a virtual stranger the opportunity of a lifetime.  Back when Melador was just getting a foothold, she had met Lucy Coe, but she knew Todd had no idea whom he was talking to.  From what she knew of the woman, Lucy was a bit of a handful, but actually very intelligent and very savvy in terms of business.  She would probably be an excellent addition to Todd’s staff.

          Todd waited patiently, for an answer.  Having Blair’s arms around him always helped calm him.  “Well, Ms. Coe?”

           Lucy had been taken aback by the sudden change in the personality of the caller.  It was like talking to two different people.  “Excuse me.  Am I still talking to Todd Manning?”

           Todd chuckled. “Yes, so how about it?  Do you want to come on board as my assistant?  I can’t guarantee you will see this side of me that often.  Most people who work for me consider me something of a monster.  But if you’re willing, I can promise you’ll be well compensated for putting up with me.”

            Lucy looked around at the empty office.  According to the man on the phone, Crimson was dead in the water for now.  She really hated being out of work and had looked forward to getting back into the grind, mixing it up with the business world.  Why not Lucy? It’s a job, and if you work it right, you still might get to manage Crimson.  “Very well Mr. Manning, you’ve got yourself an executive assistant, but I will see that a contract specifying everything you just offered me is typed up, all that will be required will be our signatures.  Is that acceptable?”

         Todd smiled, it appeared Lucy Coe might be just what he was looking for.  “That will be fine.  Since you’re already here in the Metro Court, perhaps you will meet me here at my suite in say an hour and we’ll finalize the arrangement.”

         “Thank you, it would probably be helpful to recognize each other if we’re going to work together.  In the meantime, to show I trust you, Mr. Manning,  I’ll find that lease contract and bring it with me, and my next call will be to your new Managing Editor.  I believe Kate’s trial starts shortly.”  Lucy hung up and looked around the office.  Okay, if I were Kate, where would I keep the important papers.

          Todd set the phone down on the table next to him and turned in Blair’s arms until they were facing each other.  “Hi.  Hope I didn’t wake you.”

         “You didn’t, but I was worried for a moment.  I didn’t expect you to be up working this early.” Blair stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him.

           Todd lingered in the kiss, savoring it, then he reluctantly slipped free of her embrace.  There was a lot to be done and if he stayed with her much longer they would have ended up back in bed. “It’s not early it’s almost ten o’clock.  Would you like some coffee?  I can order some chocolate chip pancakes if you want?”

           Blair was disappointed that Todd pulled free, but answered his question. “I’m not hungry right now, but I will take some coffee.  So it sounds like you have a new Lou.  I must say I’m surprised.  How on earth did you find out about Lucy Coe?”

           “I didn’t, she answered the phone at Crimson.   You sound like you know something about her.  Have I just made a mistake?”

           “Relax, she’s a little flamboyant but overall a pretty smart lady.  What was she doing at Crimson?”

           “According to her, she was hired by Kate Howard to run the magazine for a while. “

           “Well, there you go.  Kate Howard wouldn’t let just anyone take over.  But if she’s running Crimson, how can she help you?”

           “I guess you didn’t hear that part of the conversation.  I’m shutting Crimson down until I can restructure it.  Kate’s in no shape to run the magazine and it is bleeding funds.  You better get dressed, Ms. Coe will be here in less than an hour.  I’d like your assessment of her.  Then when I’m  finished with her, we can head for the realtors' office.”

          Blair threw him a mock salute. “Yes Sir, Mr. Manning.” She took the coffee he held out to her, smiled, and made her way back into the bedroom.

         He watched her go, sauntering away from him, swaying her cute behind suggestively. Damn, why did I tell that woman to come here? As much as he was tempted to follow, Todd strengthened his resolve and picked up the room phone.

         “Front Desk.  How may I help you, Mr. Manning?” Olivia Falconeri frowned, she knew from talking to her son recently, that someone had tried to kill Todd Manning.  She had been told it was pretty serious by both her son and Carly, yet here he was back at the hotel.  “Are you feeling alright?  Mrs. Jacks told me to get you anything you might need.”

         Todd looked at the phone for a minute. Just how many people knew what had happened to him.  “I’m fine.  Carly told you to get me whatever I want. Right?”

         “Yes, Sir.”

         “Good, I need a notary public up in my suite in about half an hour.  Does the Hotel have one on staff?”

         “ No, Sir, but I know of one and can have him here in that time.”

         “Great.  By the way, I know how Carly might have information about me, may I ask if she told you or if you found out some other way?  I would be very unhappy if it’s all over the hotel.”

         “Mr. Manning, I assure you, only Carly and myself are privy to what happened.  My son Dante is the detective working on your case.  He’s already made me promise to keep it to myself.  I wouldn’t do anything to make your life harder.  You’re a guest of this hotel.”

         “Right.  Okay, send the notary up here as soon as possible and I’m expecting a guest.  A Ms. Coe, send her up too.”   Todd hung up, The light mood he had woken up with had just turned a little gray.  He had tucked the fact that someone wanted him dead, away in a part of his mind where he put things he’d rather not think about.   Now Olivia Falconeri had brought it back out into the light.  He could hear the shower running.  If he made it quick, perhaps he could get an update from Detective Falconeri and find out if they had made any progress identifying his assailant.  Do it.  Blair doesn’t need more to worry about.  Someone’s trying to kill you.  You have a right to know.  As he started to reach for his phone, he felt the pain begin.  The thought of the killer brought on the headache.  He pulled the aspirins out of his pocket and poured three of them into his hand.  He popped them into his mouth and poured a glass of water.

         “You’re a fool."

          He almost dropped the glass.  He turned slowly and saw her sitting, curled up on the couch.   “Give it up, Irene.  You had your chance.  I’m still here.”

         “You can’t escape your fate.  I‘ve got all the time in the world and sooner or later you’re coming to me.  She’s just a stopgap.  You’ll be mine, either by your own hand or an assassin’s,  it’s all the same outcome.”

           Todd heard Blair singing in the bathroom and closed his eyes concentrating on her voice and only her voice.  After a few minutes, he opened his eyes.  Irene was gone.  He walked to the liquor tray and poured a shot, downing it with one gulp.  Were the headaches the result of Irene or was Irene the result of the headaches?  It didn’t really matter.  He had to find a way to rid himself of her once and for all.   He looked up Dr. Collin’s phone number but before he could call, there was a knock on the door.  Setting up a session would have to wait.  He walked to the door and opened it.  Blair was right.  Ms. Coe was definitely not what he used to in an assistant.  He had an idea that his corporate officers would be falling over themselves for this one.  “You would be Ms. Coe, I gather.”  He stood back and watched as she made her way into the suite. Dressed in vibrant blue, she commanded attention.  Oh yeah.  This one is going to be fun.

           Lucy swept into the room. “ You would be right. Mr. Manning.” While he had been sizing her up, she had been doing the same.  She had taken an extra few minutes to read up on her infamous and soon-to-be new boss.  She knew about his criminal record both past and current, and knew like others in his tax bracket, he was also a shrewd businessman.  Although she had seen a picture, it didn’t do the man justice.  There was something feral and magnetic about him.  She ventured to guess it would be a good thing to stay on his good side. Lucy turned around and faced him.  “As you requested, here is the lease contract for the Crimson offices.  If you don’t mind me asking, what did you want it for?” She pulled the contract out of her purse along with a second set of papers.

            Todd held out his hand and she gave him the contract.  “That set of offices is the best location in the city, and as of next week, it will be the new home of the corporate headquarters of Manning Enterprises.”


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