Diamond in the Rough: Chapter 76

As Timothy pulled away from the curb, Mitch was just pulling up, still behind the hedges, as not to be seen.  "Hmf, the 'grandfather' The Mannings never had."  He took in the surroundings, making certain there were no vehicles parked anywhere around La Boulaie.  No cars.  No limousine for the spoiled rich rapist and his family.  Nothing in sight.  Fortunately, he was back far enough by the hedges that he could spy a red SUV coming down the block, and he casually pretended to be taking a nap as it pulled closer.  "You deserved Peter Manning," he said aloud.

The family-style vehicle turned into the drive, and the back door opened.  Out jumped a tall, handsome young man who bore the spitting image of Blair Cramer.  If he looked close enough, Mitch admitted, there was a bit of Todd Manning there as well.  He watched as the boy, pretty much a young man, walked to the side window to say goodbye to the girl in the passenger seat.  "A ladies' man," he said aloud.  "About five ten or eleven, maybe one hundred and sixty-five pounds, if that.  Nothing too terrible to handle."  He watched cautiously, still pretending to have his head back as if napping, but fortunate for him, no one even took note of his car.  It was parked close enough to the other house that it went unnoticed.  As the boy went into the house, he calculated the rivals within the mansion:  Starr, five feet and one hundred pounds if that, who would be scrambling to protect her daughter; Sam, who he could snap in half without hesitation; Jack, the most formidable of the bunch, but still a kid, which put him at a disadvantage; and the babies, Hope and Ray.  This would be cake.

His original goal was to kidnap Todd's son, Jack, and hold him hostage until Todd turned over the entire Lord fortune to him.  It was rightfully his, since Victor had signed it over to him years back.  But Todd somehow managed to retain it, and now, he was going to get it back into his own, deserving hands.  He thought of Jack, scrapping, full of teen energy and angst.  In the same moment he knew, compared to Todd at that age, (and he was certain he was right, having known full well what Todd was capable of from fourteen on,) Jack was likely a privileged, spoiled brat who had never had his hands dirty with anything but finger paints in his silver-spooned life.  "He'll break in my hands."

Mitch thought back on the details of fourteen year-old Todd's attack on Peter that resulted in him being initially jailed.  It took two men to pull the boy off Peter.  Mitch surmised himself that all the pain of what Todd had witnessed his whole life was there in that animal strength.  Having seen first hand what Peter was capable of, and never alerting anyone, for it was to his benefit to remain quiet, Mitch understood Todd Manning more than his adversary would ever know.

Jack was nothing of the kind.  He could likely take Jack down with a stare and some menacing threats.  But, that plan would not be effective with all of the Manning offspring together, because Starr was her father's daughter and the two of them might overtake him, even if someone ended up shot.  No, he would go with Plan B, and Plan B was to hold them all hostage until he could get the goods from Todd.  He would kill them off, one by one, if police were notified, or Manning resisted his demands.  He would start with the new baby and work his way up to Starr, the eldest.  Yes, that was the more effective and dastardly plan and a clearer route to his ultimate goal.  He wanted Victor's fortune, an escape route and a new life, somewhere no one else could find him.  And that he had taken careful pains, along with the assistance of several followers, to attain.

The area cleared and the red SUV leaving, Mitch got out of the car and went to the trunk, extracting a gun holster with an automatic rifle, a hand pistol, and a knife that he put into an ankle strap.  Everything was loaded except the pistol, which he reloaded, since he'd emptied it into Tera Winfield.  For a brief moment, he thought of her, lithe and attractive, but preferred her dead and silent.  He said, "Tera, you just knew too much.  I had to take these measures.  There's no turning back.  The Messenger will reign in a new world with a new life."

***

Todd and Blair were in the living room at La Boulaie, setting up a tent for Sam and Hope to play and sleep in for the big slumber party.  Todd said, "This reminds me of something I don't really like."

"Oh?  What's that?"

He wasn't sure she even knew.  "Once, a while back, your daughter set up a tent like this, in this very room."

"She did?"

"She did."

Just then, Starr came down the stairs and into the living room, to get something for Hope and saw it herself.  "Wow, dejavu."

"I was just saying that."

"When you were kidnapped, Mom, I made the tent here in the living room for Dad and I to camp out.  He wasn't very much into that, though.  He couldn't ever make it when you weren't around."  She grabbed a stuffed toy, and said, "Hope won't get into her pajamas without this honey bunny that she got.  I'll be back in a while."

Blair looked at Todd.  "So, she set up camp, eh?"

"We were a mess without you.  Camping is supposed to be fun, so we did.  It really didn't work, though."

"This was right before . . ."

"I disappeared, yeah.  Victor's tomb, the whole deal."

"So long ago, but it must seem so close to you."

He didn't answer.  He finished the tent set up, and then lay inside it a minute.  "I can see why kids like being in one of these.  Safe."

She said, "Who's getting the snacks together?"

He sat up, "I'd better.  God knows you and kitchens . . ."

"Stop!  That's not true.  I learned quite a few things about cooking over the years."

"Well, I'd rather not find out.  I'll go, you stay here and get the kids ready.  Then we'll start the movies when I bring out the food.  Deal?"

"Sure."

He went to the kitchen, which he had not been to in years.  In fact, he had only been back at La Boulaie a few times since returning from his captors.  It seemed the same, smelled the same, with a few changes here and there.  It reminded him of being with Blair, Starr and Jack when Starr was just a little girl, and Jack was a smiling cherub-faced baby, and he felt a lump in his throat.  Swallowing it down, he went about his business, getting trays out from the lower cabinets and ducking down, almost inside the cupboards, to reach some of the items.

***

Mitch rounded the house, stealthily coming toward the back door.  He figured the back way must lead to the kitchen, similar to Llanfair, and crept along the building silently.  For one moment, he lost his footing and knocked a rake from a standing position against a tree to the cabana wall with a thud.  The noise was not shattering, but he was angry with himself for making any sound at all.  He looked in the kitchen window, and saw no one.

***

Tina, who had been alerted from her sleep by a thud on the wall, quietly sat up.  "What was that?"  she whispered aloud.  She gingerly got up off the wicker daybed and went to the window.  It was nearing dark, so nothing was as clear as she expected.  She thought she saw movement against the house, but told herself she was seeing things.  "Too creeped out, being out here all alone."  Then, "Oh, come on, Tina, it's just a mansion, not the deep forest."  When she next thought she heard the crunch of leaves, she went back to the window, and saw a man, shrouded in shadows, pushing himself flat against the house.

***

"Damn, it's all the way in the back."  Todd said aloud, putting his whole torso into the cabinet, on his hands and knees to try and reach the cookie tray he wanted to use for the snacks.  "Geesh, Dorian, you keep this place impossible, just like everything else."  His cell phone rang, and he came out of the cabinet to sit against the cupboard doors and answer it.  "Hello?  Timothy?  What's up?"
"I just wanted to tell ya Sam forgot his little soccer cleats in the car."

"He's always forgetting something," he said, leaning back against the cabinetry.  "I can come and get them."

"Or I can bring them out, whichever is easier, Lad."

"I don't know, does he need them tomorrow?"

"No.  He needs them the day after tomorrow, I believe."

"Well, you can come over for movie night, and bring them, or we can wait until tomorrow and get them."

"I'm a bit tired today, Lad, I think I'll pass on the movie night."

"All right, one of us will come by and get them then.  Talk to you later."

He turned to finish his search for the trays in Dorian's challenging kitchen.

***

Mitch had made his way to the back door, and looking into the kitchen, saw that it was empty and well lit.  "Well," he said aloud, "Time to make an entrance.  Barring any kids running in for a glass of milk, I should be able to position myself right where I need to be."

Tina, meanwhile, was up on her toes spying the man, and seeing him approaching the house, said to herself, "Now what?  What if he is a burglar?  I mean, I am too, but I wouldn't hurt a hair on those kids' heads.  Oh brother," she continued to watch, as the man neared the back door.  The light pouring out from the kitchen was enough to reveal two things:  the guns, strapped to his back, and his face.  "Oh no!" she cried, "Oh my God."

Todd, just making his way to his feet, heard the back door open as he stood up, holding the cookie tray in his hands, then dropping it with a metallic clang that echoed throughout the kitchen.  In front of him, with a high powered automatic weapon, and the smirk of the devil himself, all over Mitch Laurence's face.  Holding the gun outstretched toward Todd, he said, "Well, Manning, didn't think you'd be here for the festivities."

Todd, sizing up the situation immediately counted two guns that he could see, and nothing he could use as a weapon within reach.  "Laurence.  I'll bet you're glad you found me.  I'll go with you, where ever you want.  Let's go," he said, moving toward the door.  

Mitch hiked the gun up higher.  "I have a clear shot through your head.  And that might be a welcome relief for someone like you, but it also leaves me here alone with those kids."

Todd raised his hands on either side of his head.  "Easy.  I said I'll go with you.  Wherever.  Just lead the way."

"Why do you think I want you to go anywhere with me?"  Mitch said, and as cool as he attempted to remain, he was frantically reorganizing his plan.  With Manning there, it changed everything, because the fool would rather be shot dead than let anyone hurt his children.  That he was sure of.  He began attempting to formulate a plan in his head, as Todd attempted to talk him into circles.  Mitch finally said, "Shut the hell up!  And I mean now."

Todd fell silent.  

Mitch said, "Is Blair here?"

"Who?"

"Manning, my patience, or lack thereof, makes me trigger happy.  Is Blair here?"

"Why do you want to know that?"

"Answer me."

"No.  She's not here."

"Just you and the kids?"

"Yep.  But really, tell me what you want, and we can work this out without involving the kids at all.  Got a car?  I'll go with you somewhere and we can hash it all out together.  Like, maybe, the cemetary?  I know you have a thing for tombs."

Mitch knew in that moment that if nothing else, he had to bury Todd in a crypt again, this time insuring his death.  He pushed that thought aside, and said, "We're not going anywhere.  The kids, I really came to meet them.  They're all so wonderful.  Of course, Starr, I am most familiar with.  Never met Jack, or Hope, or Ray, or that bastard Sam."

Todd felt bile creeping into his throat.  "So?  What do you want?  I can make it easy for you, I'll just give you whatever it is, and they don't have to be involved at all."

Mitch thought about Todd's words for a moment, and realized he was sweating and losing some control.  Forcing himself to gather his senses, he realized two things:  he could not let his gun off Todd Manning and that stood firm unless he could get it onto someone else.  

From the other room, they heard a voice, "Todd?  What's taking so long in there?"

Mitch sneered.  "She's not here, eh?"

"She must have just got here, you know women, always butting in where they aren't expected."

"Shut up."

"Todd?" Blair called again, "Need help?"  The kitchen door swung open, and he would never forget the expression on her face.  "Oh my God . . ."

"Quiet." Mitch said, "or I'll blow his brains all over you."

She stood perfectly still, and obeying him, she didn't utter a word, though she could feel her knees knocking together in terror.  Her hands shook uncontrollably, and she said, "All right," in a small whisper.  

Todd said, "What do you want, Laurence?"

"You'll find out soon enough.  Now, we're going to open that closet door right there, and put Blair into it. Do it, now."

Todd opened the closet door, and when Blair had to pass him to get into the closet, their eyes caught.  Hers were brighter green than usual; his were steel.  He stared directly into her, and for some reason, she suddenly became calmer.  "Put her in there."

Todd obeyed.

"Lock it.  Then, put that chair up under the handle, to close her in."  

He did what he was told.

"Now, let's go and find the children.  When we get to where they are, I want all of them tied up, by you, one at a time.  The baby goes to me."

Todd's eyes were slits.  "No."

"No?  You think you're telling me no?  Would you rather your children see you shot dead in front of them, or worse, that little baby boy of yours?"

Todd didn't answer, he began sizing everything up and frantically searching for an answer to the dilemma.  He tried again.  "You want all my money, don't you?  It's yours, in your sick mind.  You want the fortune."  He could hear Blair crying and kicking inside the closet.  She reacted in panic from inside, until Mitch silenced here with a shout.

Mitch barely responded.  "Maybe."

"I'm telling you now, I'll never give it to you if you even let my kids know you're here.  If we leave now, you and I, then you can have it all and do whatever you want to with me."

Blair began banging on the door of the closet, and yelling, "Todd, no!  Don't do that, Todd, don't go with him!"

Mitch yelled, "Shut up!"

She pounded on the door a few last times, then fell into tears.  Inside the darkened enclave, she slid to the ground.  Todd could hear her sobbing, as he continued, "Let's both cut our losses.  I mean, why not just have me as your hostage, and I'll bring you to the bank, get you what you want, and so on?"

"Because the moment we leave, Blair will kick that door in, and call the police and my plan will be foiled. If we do things my way, it's foolproof."

Blair, inside the closet, fumbled in her pocket for her cell phone.  Quickly, she began to text Starr on the second level, when Mitch boomed, "Slide your cell phone under the door.  Now."

When she did not comply right away, Mitch turned his attention to the closet and shot several rounds into the door at face level.  Todd ran to the closet, but Mitch turned the gun on him.  Todd said, "Blair!  Blair?"

She said, "I'm all right."  She slid the phone under the door.

"Let's go Manning, into the living room.  Step on the cell phone first.  Now."

Todd did as he was asked.

"Now move, I'm sure we're about to run into your children after they heard the shots.  Let's not keep them waiting."

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