Todd walked into the bedroom. His brother glared at him. “I figured you’d be awake by now. Now if you’re a good boy, I’ll take the gag off and we can talk.” He set the tray of food down on the nightstand and stood over his brother, waiting for a sign from him.
Go ahead, let him talk. It’s not like you have much choice. You’re trussed up like a turkey. At least the damn gag will be off. Victor nodded and continued to watch his brother carefully as the gag was removed. He moved his jaw slowly and swallowed. “What makes you think I won’t yell and let the housekeeper know you’re keeping me here.”
“Go ahead. The only ones here, are you, Clint and me.”
Todd watched as Victor closed his eyes and took some deep breaths. “It wouldn’t matter even if she heard you.” Todd continued. “I told her I’m researching some Indi films to invest in and I’ll have videos running all day long in this room. Clint was introduced to her this morning and he’ll be working in here for me. Since the content isn’t mine, I asked her to respect the privacy of the budding producers and instructed her to stay out of the room.” He waited to see what Victor would do next. As expected. Victor began yelling his head off.
After a few minutes, it was obvious that Todd had spoken the truth and Victor ceased his calls for help. The last few cries had been pretty gravelly because he was so dry. He coughed trying to get some voice back. “Alright, I get it.. It won’t do me any good. Does that mean you won’t gag me anymore?”
“I’m feeling magnanimous. So it will stay off as long as you behave yourself. I wanted to talk to you about Tea.”
“Shut up! Don’t say her name, you bastard. Because of you I lost over a year with her and now I can’t get her, or it back. You did this to me.” At Todd’s mention of Tea, Victor felt all the hatred flow back into his heart. He struggled to free himself. All he wanted was to feel Todd’s neck beneath his hands again.
Todd looked at his brother. He understood better the Victor, what it felt like to lose years with someone he loved. He turned and pulled a chair closer to the bed. “You know what? I think it’s time we talked about that.”
Victor stopped struggling. “What’s there to talk about? She’s dead,” he said coldly.
“Humor me.” Todd reached over to the tray and picked up a croissant and began eating. He watched his brother squirm for a minute, then reached for another roll and held it for his brother to eat.
Victor took a bite, then spat it out at his brother. “Do you think I’m stupid? How do I know you didn’t poison it?”
Todd looked at the second croissant and took a bite from it. “Shame, oh well, more for me. My cook is excellent. Maybe you’d like some fruit or a drink. Look.” He picked up a bottle of water and held it so his brother could see the bottle was unopened. “I’m not the one who likes to poison people. Do you want it or not?”
Victor frowned then slowly nodded his head. “Why don’t you let one of my hands loose. I hate being fed like a baby. It reminds me too much of Margaret.”
Todd paused, “Marty?”
Victor swallowed some water as Todd held the bottle to his lips and shook his head. “No, the nutcase Margaret Cochrane, Sam’s mother. She held me for months, trussed up just like this.”
Todd looked at his brother. He remembered reading about Sam’s mother. “Okay, but just so you can eat.” He stood up and removed one of the handcuffs he had used to restrain Victor. Victor jerked his hand free and tried to make a play for his throat, but Todd was too quick for him and trapped the arm. “Uh uh, not this time. Sorry, for today you’ll just have to settle for being fed until I can figure out a different arrangement.” Todd stuffed the hand back into the cuff and sat back down on the chair. “So, do you want the roll or not?”
Victor knew he wouldn’t get another chance so he reluctantly shook his head yes and took a bite of the croissant. This time he chewed and swallowed it
Todd fed him in silence and then held the water so Victor could wash down his meal. Then he placed the bottle back on the tray. “Okay, now that we’ve got that out of the way let’s get back to Tea. I’ve been trying to find a way to prove to you that she’s alive but I figure no matter what I do, you’re going to think it’s all fake. ”
“Why are you doing this? She’s dead. I know it. I don’t understand what you think you’ll accomplish trying to make me believe she’s alive. If you hadn’t shot me none of this would have happened.”
“Well you see, there’s the rub. I’m not so sure I shot you. Come on Victor. Refresh my memory. I don’t trust it anymore since Irene messed with me so much. Believe me I know what I’m talking about when I say the organization has been messing with your mind. I think Irene did the same to me. Look I’ll tell you what I remember of that night. I went back to the office after Blair dropped me off at Llanfair. I wanted to talk to you some more but I ran into Tea instead. She told me you went to see Irene and I couldn’t figure out why you would give her the time of day. Tea and I talked a little more and then she took a call from you and said she would see you at home. After that things are a little confusing. You say I shot you. Are you so sure it was me, or did the organization make you think it was me? Tell me what you remember about that night.”
“I remember talking to Blair and she told me you were roaming around with Dorian’s gun and that I should be careful. I thought she was being overdramatic, but I figured I would humor her, so I called Sean. I heard someone come in my front door and turned around….” Victor paused as he tried to remember what happened next. In his mind, he remembered talking to Sean and turning around and seeing….For a minute everything about that night blurred in his mind. Victor shook his head trying to think, he began getting a headache.
Todd was listening intently but he looked sharply at his brother when Victor’s voice trailed off just as he got to the part where his assailant came into the room. Victor’s eyes lost focus, then he grimaced. “Hey, what’s the matter? Victor?”
Todd’s voice penetrated the fog Victor was in, and suddenly a picture of Todd standing opposite him with a gun came into Victor’s head. “Shut up.” he snapped, His head was still pounding. “It’s nothing, I’ve got a damn headache. You wanted to know about that night. Let me finish. I turned and you were standing there with a gun on me. I asked what you were doing there, and you just shot me and left, leaving me bleeding on the floor.”
“That’s it, I shot you and left. I didn’t say anything at all to you. Like why I shot you?” Todd was excited, there was a discrepancy in the memories. It was slight, but it was there.
“I already told you, you cold son of a bitch. You shot me, stared down at me only for a moment then turned your back on me and walked away. The organization is right. You’re a monster that needs to be put down before you can further pollute us.” Victor’s head rocked to the side as Todd backhanded him again.. Blood seeped onto his chin from his lip as he sneered at Todd.
Trying to contain his rage, Todd got up off his chair and moved away from his brother. “Be careful who you’re calling a monster. I wasn’t the one who raped Marty a second time or threw Starr down some stairs when she was pregnant.” He turned back around to face his brother. ”Do you even hear yourself? Talking about this Organization like it's your family. They have you by the balls and you believe everything they drilled into you. You’re the weak one, brother. That’s why our damn mother was able to manipulate you all those years. The Organization worked on your mind making you believe I shot you and they’ve been working on it again ever since they recaptured you. Only this time, they have you believing Tea and Dani are dead and I’m responsible. You’re a fool.” Todd turned as he heard a floorboard creak behind him.
Clint stood there taking in the scene in front of him. He had heard Todd’s final statement. “He’s telling you the truth, Victor. I just got off the phone with Viki. Tea and Dani are alive and well. Although, they’re not speaking to each other right now. According to Viki, Tea isn’t happy with Dani’s latest boyfriend.” He turned to Todd. “Thank you, Manning, for setting up that call. Viki sends her love and said thank you. She agrees with you that I need to stay hidden for the time being.”
“She understands that you won’t be able to call for a while, right? It’s imperative the organization doesn’t find out where we are. I also don’t want her put in harms way over this.”
“Neither do I, Manning. I love her. Alison already shot her once. There’s no way I’ll let her get to Viki nor me again.” He walked into the room and settled in the antique chair on the other side of Victor’s bed. “So Victor, it seems we’ll be keeping each other company for a while. It looks like we’re both under house arrest, but I’ve got to admit the accommodations are definitely better than where I was yesterday.”
Victor had gotten very still after hearing what Clint had told him about Tea and Dani. he looked from Clint to Todd. He knew Todd lied constantly, but Clint, although unscrupulous with Buchanan Enterprises, would never lie about Viki. He didn’t like Clint but he knew Viki loved him and the guy loved Viki. Victor zoned out hearing a voice talking to him. You can’t believe Viki, she’s been corrupted by Todd. She loves him more. Victor shook his head. No that isn’t true. She loves me too. I know it. She wouldn’t lie to me. He heard Clint thanking Todd for the phone call and found himself looking at his brother again. Why did he do that? Why did he take the chance to get caught by letting Clint talk to Viki? Todd’s words reverberated through his head.
“You’re the weak one, Brother. The Organization worked on your mind the same way our mother did.”
He turned back to Clint and met his eyes. “Tell me again. Are Tea and Dani really alive?”
Clint nodded and exchanged glances with Todd.
Victor saw the glance and suddenly growled. “You’re lying. You and he planned this. I don’t know why you tried to bring Viki into this but it won’t work. Forget it, Todd, you failed.”
At that moment all Todd wanted to do was wring some sense into his brother. He headed back to the bed to do just that, but Clint intercepted him, grabbing him by his shoulders and looking him in the eyes.
“Don’t Todd, he’s as pigheaded as you are. I’ll try and make him understand and I’ll keep him company. You need to get to work. Your secretary called after I got off the phone with Viki. She said someone named Sam Vance had something for you.”
Todd scowled and left the room.
Clint sat back down. “Well, do you want anything else to eat. I can’t let you loose today because I don’t have the key but maybe later when he returns he’ll let you have a hand free. I know it won’t do me any good to say it again. But he wasn’t lying and neither am I. Tea and Dani are alive.”
Victor didn’t say anything. He leaned back into the pillows and closed his eyes. He wanted to believe Clint so badly, but it was useless. They were dead and he had become resigned to the fact.
****
Todd walked into the OTB offices. “Phil get Sam Vance on the phone, pronto.” Before she could acknowledge him, he swept past her and entered his office. He was pouring a cup of coffee when he heard someone clear her voice. He spun around to find himself face to face with Sam Vance. The hot liquid spilled out onto his hand and he cursed and set the cup down on his desk, grabbing a napkin to wipe his hand off. “Damn it Sam. You know I don’t like surprises.” He walked to the door and looked out. “Phil, get me some ice.” then he gave his attention to his uninvited guest. As always Sam presented a stunning image. Her auburn hair moved softly around her face and she was dressed in an eye-catching outfit designed to accentuate all her best features.
Sam smiled. She stood up off the couch, smoothed down her dress and sauntered toward him. “I can kiss it and make it feel better.”
“Keep your lips to yourself, and tell me why you came all the way here. A phone call would have been sufficient.” He slipped past her and sat down behind his desk. Phil entered and handed him a cup of ice and Todd took some pieces and rubbed them across his burnt hand. As his assistant left, Todd looked up at Sam. "Well, don't just stand there. I’m guessing you got me the answer I’ve been waiting for.”
Sam pouted for just a minute then became all business. She returned to the couch and pulled an envelope from her purse. Then she walked to the desk and handed Todd the file. “I found out the name of Alison Perkins’ brother.”
Todd took the file and opened it. He stared down at a familiar name. Carl Peterson. he looked at Sam. “Is this the Carl Peterson I think it is?”
“Yes, Mr. Philanthropist himself.”
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Your comments are 'payment' for the work of the authors. Our writers like to hear your feedback. Please leave a comment when you read.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Provide us with feedback, but be courteous in your comments and criticism. Thanks!