Chasing the Monsters: 6

"Oh no, no way,"  Blair said, decidedly, folding her arms over her chest.

"Chicago?  What for?"  Todd asked, seemingly interested.

"Tawd!" she raised her voice.

"Wait, Blair, let me find out what it's about first?  Peter's dead, there's nothing that can be that bad, right Dad?"

Blair was amazed at his composure and nonchalance.  She watched him, his shirt slightly tight fitting across the shoulders, and his jacket, still swung over his arm.

"It's about Peter, in an indirect way.  Something that might be important to ya,"  Timothy said.

"Okay, shoot,"  Todd said, sitting on the edge of his desk.  His hair was still wet from showering in the nursery bath.

"It has to do with money.  Ya know Connie was the beneficiary of everything Peter had."

He picked up his jacket and swung it around to get into it.  "Then we can stop there.  Money is of no interest to me, especially his."

"I know, Son, but to the family . . ."

"Ribsky, and his wife," Todd said, looking off.  "He killed her sister,"  He wasn't there a moment; Blair knew he was somewhere else.  She said, "Todd," softly.

"I know.  I'm here.  Okay, so what's the deal?"  Todd said.

"Will ya go with me to deal with it?  I am y'ar lawyer, and I suppose I could, but I think it's best y'ar there, too."

"It is?"  Todd was moving into his joking mood, and Blair knew he was hurting inside.  "Me?  Son of Petekinstien?"

"They're requesting that ya go."

Todd spoke half to himself, "I know how it is to want to get back at someone who hurts you."

"No, Son.  Ya didn't hurt them.  They don't have any malice toward ya.  I promised to do anything I could, to keep to Connie's wishes and Pamela's.  That is where I believe I need to ask ya for assistance.  I wanted ya to come with me, to do this in person if ya will.  There's a bit more."

"I guess so.  Why not?"  He answered, hesitating at first and then shrugging.

"Todd," Blair started.

He went to her, "I know Babe, it's not going to be long, I promise.  Nothing dangerous, nothing scary.  No Peter, no chamber.  It's just business, helping out these people."  He kissed her nose.

She smiled, shyly.  He could see she was giving in.  She said, "I know.  I just don't want to be away from you."

"It won't be long, we might not even need to stay over," Timothy said.  "It can probably be done in a day's time.  A matter of hours."

"The most an overnight," Todd said, and he put his hand on the back of her head, fondling her hair with his fingers.  "I'll be all right.  Dad will be there with me."

"Oh, Todd, I just . . ."

He cut off her fears with a tender kiss.

Timothy cleared his throat.  "Ahem."

"Yeah, Dad?"  Todd said, his eyes never leaving her for a moment.

"Bridgette, I won't let anything happen to y'ar man.  I know what ya've been through, both of ya."

Blair said, "Things are just about settling down.  We're . . . finally together, and things are . . . good."

Todd touched her face, lightly.  "Which is why we can be apart and why everything's going to be all right.  It will be okay, Blair.  It will."

She nodded, but he saw the tears in her eyes.

He said, "Dad, you want to go today, right?"

"Well, most of the day is lost, if we go now, we will be spending the night, I'd say."

"Blair?" he looked to her.

She nodded, "Go ahead, Todd, it's fine.  Jack will learn the ropes another day."

"You sure?"  Todd said.

"Yes, you left me with, well, quite something to remember," she looked at him with a different expression this time, and he smiled.

Timothy said, "All right, I'll be at the penthouse.  Will ya come and get me?"

"Yeah, I will.  I'll go home first, grab a bag, see the kids, and then copter to ya.  We'll take the jet over.  Unless you just want to copter there, it's about a two-hour flight."

"I'll prefer the jet, thank ya."

"Okay.  See you in a while,"  Todd said as Timothy exited.  "It's good for him to have a purpose outside of work.  Things have been tough."

"I know.  That's very true."  She thought of Timothy, her new father-in-law, losing Aiden, coming to the states again, almost losing Todd, and being alone, the rift between he and Dorian growing and festering.  "He's lost a lot."

"Yeah.  Well," he said, weaving his fingers in hers, and bringing her to the door, "let's go get Jack and we'll go home for a while, see the kids, explain stuff to them, and I'll head off.  I'll be back before you know it."

She nodded, letting him lead her by the hand.

***

John sat at his desk, and a very young officer with a clean shaven face came in, putting a stack of paper on his desk.  The young man said, "Here's your mail, Lieutenant."

"Yeah, thanks kid."  He thumbed through a few of the items and came across a letter on prison stationery.  "Hmf.  Statesville."  He turned it over and opened it, noticing there was no return address.  "What the . . . Laurence?"

He read:

McBain,

I trust this finds you well.  I want that promise you made me.  My info was good, and you promised that I would see Bitsy if I told you what I knew, and I did.  Now, bring her to me.  Please.  I want to see her.  What's right is right.  Don't tell me your good-guy heart isn't saying to keep your end of the bargain.  No threats, no what ifs.  Just bring her.  I gave you information, it's a fair exchange.

The Messenger 

His skin crawled at the signature. "The day I do what you ask me to do is the day I quit this job, and I'm not ready for retirement."

The door opened.  "What's up?" Natalie said, moving toward him.  She ran her hand over his hair, and he took it and kissed it before holding it to his collarbone.  

"You're here."

"I work here, Lieutenant."

"Lucky me."  He kissed her lips.  "How's my boy?"

"He forgot what you look like again.  I held up the photo, and he went, 'who's that?'"

He smiled.  "Okay, I hear you.  Tonight, I'm home early, no matter what."

"Okay, deal.  Now, what's wrong?"

"Laurence."

"Is that bag of bones still living?"

"Yep.  He . . . wants me to make good on a promise."

"What promise?"

"I promised if he gave me information, I'd bring him something."

"Have it delivered."

"It is your Uncle Todd's mother."

"Shit."

"Yep."

"Was the info good?"

"Yeah.  He actually gave me info I didn't even ask for.  He sent me right to Peter.  He knew.  He knew they'd be at that hell hole of a house Todd grew up in."

"John?  What do you mean, 'hell hole?'"

"You don't want this information, Natalie."

She swallowed, staring into his cornflower blue eyes.  "Try me."

"They were tortured."

"What?"

"It was a torture chamber, of sorts.  That's where he grew up."

He watched as her lip trembled slightly.  "Is that why . . . she couldn't talk?  Is that why he . . . was who he was?"

John sighed, "Yeah, at least that's what I believe.  I saw it, first hand.  I never would have made it."

She gulped, and looked down.  "It explains a few things."

"Either way, it's behind them now.  And, I have this promise to Mitch."

"Why does he want Bitsy there?"

"He's in love with her.  Or at least he was.  He wants to see her.  Think he's hung up on proving to her he didn't cause her trauma."

"Are you asking my opinion?"

"I always do."

"Ask her what she wants to do.  Then decide."

He hadn't thought of that.  He would consider it.

Someday.

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