Bo finished looking at the paperwork that had been delivered by a special messenger that morning. He glanced across his desk at his niece Natalie. “What do you think? Is this a hoax? Is something like that even possible?”
Natalie continued to look at the paperwork in front of her. “These lab results aren’t faked, Uncle Bo. Besides, whoever sent this was thorough. Did you see these pictures? This source seems to have taken pictures showing lab technicians loading the bottles. Oh my God! Uncle Bo, look at this one.” She pulled a picture from the group and handed it back to her uncle.
One look at the picture and a chill went through Bo. It showed a man’s arm with a very familiar tattoo loading one of the baskets. “Damn, I missed that one. It all makes sense now. Someone wanted me to know that these people are the same ones that drugged Dani and had Victor.”
Natalie continued to study the lab results. “This drug is dangerous. Why would they be putting drugs in the gift baskets?” Even as she said that she spotted a photo showing a couple of completed baskets with gift cards attached. As she read the names on the cards it suddenly became clear what the organization was attempting. “They’re trying to drug the members of Congress,” She said softly to herself.
Bo caught her last words. “What?” He reached for the photos again and saw what Natalie had just seen. “I’m an idiot. Instead of wondering if this was a joke, I should have taken a better look at everything. I’m calling the FBI.” He stopped what he was doing as he spotted Nigel walking into his squad room carrying what appeared to be an identical basket to the ones in the picture. Viki was following. “Natalie, look!” He stood up and made his way around his desk as Natalie turned to see what her uncle was looking at.
Nigel and Viki moved towards Bo’s office and stopped just as Bo opened the door. Viki spoke before he could say anything. “Bo, I need a favor from you.”
Bo stood back and let them enter his office shutting the door behind him.
“Mom, what are you doing here, and where did that basket come from,” asked Natalie?
Viki was a little taken aback finding Natalie there, then she spotted the pictures lying on Bo’s desk. Sam Vance had done her job. She squared her shoulders. It was time to bring Bo and now Natalie up to speed. “I think you know where this basket came from,” she looked down at the photos. “But you might be wondering how I got it. It was delivered to my office yesterday, by messenger service. I need to have it checked for fingerprints. Nigel, you can set it down there and I think I’m going to be here for a little while. You can go. I’m sure Natalie or one of Bo’s officers can see me home.”
“Very good, Madam.” He set the basket down and departed.
Bo waited until Nigel left and then turned back to Viki. “Viki, why is it important to get fingerprints off that basket?”
“Because I need proof of something I only suspect right now. Bo, I think it’s time to tell you where I’ve been over the last couple of weeks. Natalie, this concerns you too. Maybe we should all have a seat.” Viki sat down and waited for Bo and Natalie to do the same.
Viki set her purse on her lap and started. “First off, the basket. Someone warned me I might be receiving it.”
“Mom, I don’t understand. You brought the basket here. What made you do that?”
“Because the same person who warned me I might be getting it, also told me what it contained. He warned me that a person I trusted might be the one who sent the basket and I wanted to see if he was right, which is why I want it fingerprinted.” She opened her purse and pulled out a newspaper article she had carefully put in a plastic bag. “I need to know if any of the fingerprints match the ones on this article.”
Bo’s eyes narrowed. “Whose fingerprints are on that article, Viki?”
“Jeffrey King’s.”
Natalie sputtered, “But he’s your new top reporter and Matthew’s roommate.” she stopped and looked at the pictures of the baskets that had been taken by the source. “Surely you don’t think he’s part of this?” She indicated the pictures.
Viki shifted in her chair. “I hope not. That’s why I need the basket checked. If his fingerprints are on that basket, then this next part I’m telling you will make more sense.” She looked at her daughter and Bo. “I found Clint.”
****
Todd hung up the phone and took a moment to look at work laid out on his desk at the OTB office. Phil had kept the office running efficiently while he had been away. He sat down and began to go through the important items she had laid out. There were details that the natural gas strike in South Dakota was already showing a profit. It had been a couple of weeks since he had sent Sid and his family out of harm's way. Todd frowned. After everything that had happened. Sid Reilly was another person who could link Alison Perkins and Carl Peterson. Todd hated what he was going to have to do, but they needed Sid, which meant for a short time he’d have to leave his brother and sister. Reaching for the phone again he made another call.
Sid gingerly took the phone from his boss. He had been called in out of the field suddenly and then had been told to report to the main office. The foreman informed him that the owner of the Company wanted to talk to him. He was worried. Why would the owner want to talk to him? “Yes sir, this is Sid Reilly. What can I do for you?” Sid watched his boss leave the office and then heard a familiar voice on the other end of the line.
“Sid, it’s me, Tony. Relax, you’re not in any trouble.”
“Tony? You’re shitting me. Do you own this company? I guess I should have realized something was up, the private jet and all. Man, I can’t thank you enough. This job has been a godsend.”
Todd shifted in his seat. He was always uncomfortable when people thanked him. “That’s good Sid, but I was wondering if you could help me out this time?”
“Sure man. Whatever you need.” Sid relaxed against the desk.
“This concerns the compound.” Todd let his words sink in. Sid needed to know just what he was agreeing to.
As soon as he heard the word compound, Sid felt a little sick. Even though he had needed the money, he wished he had never heard of or seen the place. If Tony hadn’t gotten him out that night, there was no telling what would have happened to him. He stood up straight. “I’m guessing you got what you went into that place for. What do you think I can help you with now?”
“You know what Alison Perkins and her goons are capable of. I have to ask. Did you ever see Alison Perkins with anyone who looked like he might have been a partner?”
“I don’t know, Tony. Baker kept us all pretty busy moving that drug. Wait a minute... there was one time. Baker sent me to the lab with a case of the drug and I did see Ms. Perkins walking around with some older guy.”
Todd got excited “Did you get a good look at his face? Do you think you might recognize the guy if you saw him again?”
“Yeah, I got a pretty good look. They were too busy talking to the doctors in the lab to pay attention to some grunt like me. I pretty sure I’d know him if I saw him again..”
“Sid, I want you to hold on. I’m going to fax a picture to the office there. When it comes through, let me know if that’s the guy you remember.”
“Sure Tony.” Sid leaned back and waited. He could hear Tony talking to someone else in the background and the next thing he knew a machine in the office was whirring. He watched as a picture of a distinguished man in a tux printed out. Taking the sheet Sid gave it a good look. It certainly looked like the man he had seen. He set the phone down and grabbed a piece of tape from the desk and put the picture on the door at eye level. Then he walked across the room trying to put the space between himself and the picture the way it had been in the lab. There was no mistake, that was the man he remembered. Suddenly he heard Tony’s voice call out from the phone.
“Did you get the fax? Is that the guy you saw, Sid?”
Sid picked up the phone. “Yeah. I got the fax and yep he’s the guy. Who is he? He looks kind of important in that picture.”
“His name is Carl Peterson and he’s a very influential man who just happens to be Alison Perkins’ brother.“
“Whoa. So they’re brother and sister. Well, they’re up to no good. That’s for sure. Does it help knowing he’s involved, Tony?”
“More than you know, Sid. Listen, if this plays out the way I think it will, would you be willing to testify you saw them together at the compound.”
“You bet. That place needs to be shut down and if I can do my part, I will.”
“That’s great. I’ll be in touch. By the way, I’ve heard nothing but praise from Rogers. I’m glad the job is working out for you.” Todd hung up before he got mushy and asked after Sid’s little sister. He could still picture her with her stuffed animal. Thinking of her, turned his thoughts towards Blair and the child she was carrying. He looked at the calendar. It wasn’t possible. Almost two months had passed since his Key West time with Blair. March was a week away and she was due close to Mother’s Day. “No matter what Blair, I promise this will all be resolved before our baby is born.”
****
Blair picked up the burner phone off her nightstand and sat on the edge of her bed. Her heart was racing. Knowing what she had found out recently, it had been exceedingly hard to remain cordial when Carl Peterson had suddenly shown up on her doorstep. After a few minutes of conversation, he had taken his leave and she had made a beeline for her bedroom. She sat there for a moment and took some deep breaths, then made the call to Todd.
“Blair, hi. Is everything alright?”
“Yes, I just wanted to hear your voice. I miss you. I…I” She paused, her voice had started to break and she didn’t want Todd to worry, but the moment she heard him she had just wanted him to hold her. She had been around Carl Peterson many times but today she had felt like she was in the presence of a snake. It had unnerved her.
Todd sat up straighter in his chair. It wasn’t like Blair to stutter. He could hear the quiver in her voice. “Babe what’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing. I just wish you were here to hold me. Look, I know I’m not making any sense.”
“Stop that. What happened? What brought all this on? Babe, you know I’ll be there in a heartbeat.” God, all she had to do was ask. “The organization be damned, I’m coming home!”
Blair was even more alarmed. “No! It’s not safe. You know Alison’s men could be watching. I won’t let her get her hands on you because I’m jittery. It’s been a weird day and my hormones are all over the place. David’s acting queerly. The baby’s been really active lately. When you come home I want it to be permanent. We have to stick to our plan. It’s just all this latest news you’ve found out. Here I thought Carl Peterson was just a heartbreaker, but now we know he’s been behind Clint’s abduction and Victor’s strange actions. I was just taken aback when he showed up here today looking for Dorian.”
Todd realized Peterson’s visit was responsible for Blair’s mood. “I’m sorry, I should have known telling you about him would put additional stress on you if he showed up. Damn it! Dorian should be there keeping him occupied. It’s not your job to keep him happy. Have you heard from her? Is there any word she’s headed home?”
Blair settled herself against her pillows. “No, but you know Dorian, she lives by her own rules. She’ll be home when she’s ready. I think she’s been trying to figure out how to break things off with David so she can help trap Carl. I feel sorry for David. I think he’s cracking a little bit, wondering where she’s at.”
Todd moved to sit behind his desk, he punched in some information on his computer and continued the conversation with Blair. He could tell by her tone, that she had calmed down but something she said suddenly had him curious. “That’s the second time you’ve mentioned David. What’s that idiot up to now?”
“He’s just been strange. Last night I came home from work and found him sitting in the living room drinking wine and admiring all his headshots. He was so absorbed he seemed to be in a trance when I tried to talk to him. Then he did something unbelievable for him. I told him he needed to get his act together and clean up his mess. I also happened to mention he might want to stop mooching off Dorian and show her he could change.”
“That guy has been needing to clean up his act for years. What’s strange about that?”
Blair moved to get more comfortable. “That’s just it. He got up immediately and cleaned up the room, then he said he was going to get dress and go look for a job. Todd, it was two in the morning. Naturally, I stopped him and pointed out the lateness of the hour. I figured he was just drunk and he would sleep off the weirdness. But this morning, he actually headed out to find a job. Even Jack thought he was acting unusual.”
Todd thought about everything Blair just told him. In his mind, he saw a guy protesting breaking some bottles of wine and then becoming docile as soon as a technician gave him a shot. It couldn’t be. Peterson wouldn’t have sent a basket to Dorian, would he?
“Todd, are you still there?”
“What, oh sorry Babe. I was thinking. You say David was drinking wine when you got home. Do you know what kind?”
“Not offhand, I only took a cursory look at the name when I put it away last night.”
“Blair, I need you to go search David’s room and tell me if he has a gift basket of goodies sitting in there.”
“Todd, I don’t understand. What makes you think there’s a basket in David’s room? Are you saying that’s where the wine came from?”
“If I’m correct in what I believe. Yes.”
Blair got off the bed. “Okay, I’m headed there now. Do you want to tell me what’s so special about this gift basket, if he has one?” She walked down the hallway to Dorian’s room and entered. Sure enough, a large gift basket was sitting on the day table by the window. A second bottle identical to the one from the previous night was still nestled in the basket.
“Blair? Did you find one?”
“Yes Todd, I’m staring right at it. Now tell me how you knew about it? Are you telling me you sent it and David took it instead of giving it to me?”
“I didn’t send it. I think Carl had it delivered. Is there a card?” Todd crossed his fingers. If David had left the card alone they might have one more nail to put in Peterson’s coffin.
“I don’t see one. So you think Carl sent this as a present for Dorian.” Now that she had a chance to look at the items and the bottle of wine she could see that it was a gourmet collection and a very fine gift. She laughed. “I’ll bet David got rid of the card and figured he’d let Dorian think it was from him. Obviously, he couldn’t resist trying one of the bottles of wine. Well if he had to get drunk at least it was with the good stuff.”
“Blair, whatever you do, don’t let Dorian have any of that wine. It’s been drugged.”
“What! My god, what about the candies and the caviar and cheeses. Oh my god, Sam could have come in here this morning and gotten some. I’ll get rid of it.” As she started to reach for it Todd stopped her.
“Blair, don't! David has already been drugged but even drugged he’s going to wonder what happened to the basket. The food items are safe, so if David offered some candy to Sam, he’d be okay. I need you to see if you can find a card. Maybe David just threw it away. Can you go check and see if it’s out front?”
Blair stomped her foot. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me why you expect me to just leave that basket setting where it is, instead of throwing it away. I can’t believe you want me to leave something dangerous in this house where Sam or Jack could be exposed to it. What about David? You said he was drugged. Is the drug going to hurt him.?”
“Blair, I assure you. the only thing dangerous is the wine but won’t hurt David. I should know, I packed a number of those baskets not that long ago. Look, Carl sent that basket because he’s going to try and control Dorian. He had no way of knowing David had gotten back with her nor that David would intercept it. That basket is further proof for Dorian that I‘ve been telling the truth. Look, tell David you don’t think he should keep the wine bottle lying around where the boys could get it. The drug in his system makes him compliant. If you ask, I’m sure he’ll willingly hand over the wine and you ‘can put it safely up until Dorian returns.”
Blair wasn’t happy with Todd’s explanation but at the same time the sooner they got proof against Carl and Alison, the sooner Todd could return home. “Fine, I’ll leave it for now, but the minute David returns home, he’s giving me that bottle.”
“Great. Don’t worry, David won’t be able to resist anything you tell him. I need to call Sam Vance. Blair, this could be the break we’ve been hoping for. Really, see if you can find a card.”
“Okay, I’ll go search the bushes out front, but you’re going to owe me big time when you get home.” she headed for the stairs. “Oh and by the way. Don’t you dare come home until this is settled. Do you hear me, Todd Manning?” She said softly into the phone.
Todd looked at the itinerary on his computer screen. Damn, she really knows you, Manning. “I love you, Blair.”
Blair’s heart beat a little faster. “I love you too,” she whispered, then hung up.
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
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