Chasing the Monsters: 70

"Bridgette, I hoped I hadn't caught ya at an inopportune time."

Blair began to cry.  "Oh, Dad . . ."

"Goodness, are ya sad I interrupted or is something going on I should know about?"  he looked to Dorian, who was dressing in a pair of Timothy's sweatpants and a t-shirt.  She knotted the shirt at the waist.

"Dad, Todd ran off to the jail.  To see Mitch.  Tina's come up missing, and he thinks he has something to do with it."

"Dear.  I can see why y'ar upset."

"I'm at a loss.  Can you come over?"

"Of course.  I'll be there in a bit, then."

"I'll send Williams," she said, hanging up.

"Is he coming?"  Bitsy said.

"Yes, he's on his way.  I don't know what good it will do now."

"He can think of something, maybe something legal we can do for Tina and about Mitch."

"Maybe.  We can't even call Todd and get him back.  He's flying that damn copter."

"He loves to fly.  He . . . was always interested in that.  He loved birds."

"I know," Blair said, sitting down.  It would be at least an hour before Timothy got there.

Over at the penthouse, Timothy said, "Blair needs us."

"Wait a minute, I just went and basically told that man I love him.  Are you saying he's at it again?"  Dorian said.

"We're going to support Blair, and we'll talk about this on the way.  Call her back and let her know that I'll be in a cab.  It's faster than waiting for Williams, it is."

Dorian did as he asked.  After hanging up, she said, "I'm going with you," and grabbed her fur.

"Fine.  But no comments about Todd, eh?"

"I won't," she paused.  "Unless it's absolutely necessary."

Timothy rolled his eyes.  "No comments about Todd, Dorie."

"What happened?"  she asked, loading into the elevator beside him.

"Something with Tina, she's missing.  Viki is upset, no doubt.  Todd goes to solve things."

"Where would he go?"

"To see Mitch Laurence."

"Oh, for God's sake, why?  This is the kind of thing . . ."

He put his finger gently to her lips.  "I'm not exactly sure.  Bridgette said she would tell us more when we get there.  I do have an idea, though, of a good investigator for the job."

"Who?"

"Jack Ribsky."

"The guy from Chicago?"

"Yes.  Now that he's a widow, unexpectedly, this might be a good way for him to involve himself in something distracting."

"It sounds right.  He might also relish the opportunity to help Todd's family in some way."

"Exactly."  He had already hailed a cab.  They were moving quickly and on a mission as they piled into the taxi and continued their talk.  He said, "This may help Blair feel better about things as well."

"Todd went to the jail?"

"It seems so . . . ah!"  Timothy said, looking up out the window, "There's the copter.  He's about to land it on the Manning Building."

"Never a dull moment."

"No.  But he's already here, headed for whatever's next to get him to Statesville. . . uh, wait, I was wrong, he's not landing, not at all."

"Don't tell me he's driving the thing straight there?"

"That sounds like Todd, yes."

"Where will he land?"

"I dare say he knows the place.  And I dare say, anywhere he wants," he said.

***

Todd set the copter down on the lawn at Statesville and was immediately surrounded with armed guards as he lowered the window and sat, waiting.  One administrator came to the door. and said, "Excuse me, Sir?  What are you doing?  Are you aware you are landing on government property at a corrections facility?"

"Yes, I'm aware.  Are you the warden?"

"Yes."

"Warden, visiting hours are almost up.  I couldn't get out here faster by any other means.  This is my private helicopter, and I have a check," he handed him the paper, "for $5000, which would be double the ticket fee for parking an aerial vehicle in the wrong area."

The warden looked at the check, and said, "I see.  Well, your paperwork seems to be in order, Mr.?"

"Manning.  Todd Manning."  What if this guy was here when I was?  Could he have been?

"Mr. Manning, I've heard your name.  You're the guy who rescued Patrick Thornhart, from the terrorists abroad, right?"

"Yeah, now that you mention it."

"Well, I'm honored."  At this, Todd's eyebrow went up.  The man continued, "What's your business here?"

"I need to visit an inmate.  Pretty urgent."  He went out on a limb:  "You can check it with John McBain."

The warden went back, clearing the area, and returned, giving Todd the final go ahead.  "No need.  Your credentials in those dealings with the Men of 21 is enough.  I'm sure McBain would vouch for you."  

Todd felt a sense of victory that the warden had accepted everything at face value, and for once, for the first time in his sorry life, his reputation proceeded him in a positive way.  Having never experienced that before, he walked gingerly into the building, cautious and out of sorts.  Upon entering Statesville, he couldn't help but have a pang of nausea, as he recollected his time there.   He shook it off as he rounded the corner to the visitor's waiting area, and sat.  Finally, he heard the name "Laurence," which signaled his turn at the visitor's table.  He tucked his cell phone inside his pocket as he entered the room, following the institutional buzzing to release the lock.

He walked through a long hallway, and to a set of doors.  He immediately recognized it as the visitor area, from when he was on the other side.  He waited, and the second buzz signaled his entrance.  Instead of entering the side where the doors all opened to the inmates, he was let into the larger area, where visitors took a seat at a designated place across from a glass wall and a telephone handset.  He waited in his chair, looking around him occasionally, until finally, a buzzing in front of him opened a security door, and Mitch Laurence appeared coming through it.  The prisoner sat across from him, and made no effort to pick up the receiver.

Todd did, and waited.

Mitch, whose arms were folded over his chest, slowly, undid them and reached for the phone.  He said, "Manning."

"Laurence."

"I said to bring your mother.  Not interested in talking with you."

"I'm all you get for now.  If you hope to ever see my mother again, you'll talk to me today."

***

"Dad, Dorian, come in," Blair said, and she appeared flustered.

"Bridgette, it's going to be fine, it is," Timothy said.

At that point, Blair took her hand off her forehead and looked at Dorian, who was still in her fur coat and Timothy's sweats and t-shirt.  She said, "Dorian, what are you doing?" pointing to her clothes.

"It's faux!" she said, incredulous.

Blair rolled her eyes, and Bitsy said, "Todd's gone off to see Mitch, of course, needless to say, Blair and I are not too happy about this."

"He'll be fine.  He's a smart man," Dorian said.  Everyone looked at her.  "Well, he is!"

"Dad, what are we going to do?  Tina's missing, Todd's trying to play hero, and Mitch is nuts."  Blair said, and her cheeks were flushed with concern.

"Well, I can't do much about the third one, but I can tell ya an idea I have."

"I'll take anything at this point," she said, texting her husband again.

"Jack Ribsky.  He's an excellent investigator, should be able to help with Tina.  As for stopping Todd, well, that has to play itself out."

"I never thought of that.  Ribsky can be trusted, and he's an ex-cop,"  Blair said.

"I'll ask him.  I'm sure he could use the distraction, at this point."

"Todd's not answering, dammit!"  Blair said, plopping onto the last stair.

"He will," Bitsy said, sitting next to her.

"Let's not mope around here," Dorian said, "If there is one thing I've learned about that man, Todd Manning, it's that he can take care of himself.  Now let's go into the family room and discuss this in an adult manner.  He'll be back in a matter of hours."

Everyone followed the woman in the sweats and faux fur.

***

"All I want is to see her," Mitch said.  "What you have to say means nothing to me.  She heeds, you loathe and I loathe in return.  If it weren't for her, you'd be dead right now."

"And if it weren't for Blair and my kids, you'd be dead, too."

"Hah," he half-laughed, and then said, "What do you want, Manning?"

"My sister."

"Viki?  What about her?  That's old news.  I've already had my way with her."

Todd seethed.  Keeping his composure was extremely difficult, but then he felt his cell phone buzz in his pocket and knew.  Blair.  She's worried.  Don't let her down.

"Whatever.  That's not what I meant."

"Tina?  What would I want with that misfit?  God knows what she's up to.  Traitor.   Insolent."

Todd realized he may have made a grave mistake just by seeing Mitch's reaction regarding Tina.  "What, you don't know where she is?"

"No, and why would I care?  She's flotsam.  Wait. . ."  he grinned.  "You came here because she's missing, didn't you?"

Todd didn't answer.  His cell phone buzzed again, as if Blair was with him.

"Hah!" he said, and then, "Now, let's get to business.  I'd love to take claim for that red-headed, numbskull being gone, but I simply can't.  The matter at hand, your beautiful mother.  When will she be here?"

Todd swallowed, and ignored the small beads of sweat on his brow.  "Who said she was coming?"

Mitch's eye twitched.  "I did."

"Well, she's not.  I've got no reason for her to come and see you.  You're a sick man."

"Sick?  I wouldn't be using the word that way if I came from the house of Peter Manning."

"I'm going now."

"You don't want to do that," he said, leaning back.

"Oh yes, I do."

"You don't.  Because if you hang up that phone, you will reap the regrets of a thousand sorrows," he said.

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