The Second Chances Mission, now run and managed by Anthony, was perched on the corner. Passing it, he was filled with memories of first meeting Tina, and also, his and Jack's first meeting with Bea. He thought of his son's generosity, and smiled to himself. As the cab stopped at the traffic light to wait, he laughed a little at how Tina had stowed away in his car to get to La Boulaei. And by that chance, she had enabled the Mannings to get away safely from Mitch Laurence's plot.
There were so many things about Llanview that he loved. The center of Angel Square, Logan's Department Store, the Manning Building (for it belonged to his boy) were part of his life now. Many of the other spots, not as dear, such as the hospital, he also passed. Regardless, he still didn't call it "home." In fact, Ireland always called to his heart, no matter how many roots he was setting down. It was just a fact. He was an Irishman, born and bred, and always would be. Perhaps, if things went well between he and Dorian, he would take her there, on a trip of sorts, and show her its beauty. In the past few years, nothing but the dismal sadness associated with Todd's kidnapping was evident to all of them when overseas.
Timothy disembarked the cab, and went into the building, carrying his suitcase and a small garment bag. Hitting the elevator call button, he greeted the doorman, and whistled while waiting. Finally, the bell rang and the elevator opened, and he stepped in. As he turned to push the button, against the side wall was Dorian, in a very black fur coat, clearly with nothing else on under it.
Timothy gasped, "Dorie, what in the name of . . ."
"It's faux," she said, as the elevator door closed.
***
The next morning, Todd exhausted his resources to try and track Tina and everything came back without any result. "Where the Hell are you, Tina? No offense, but you're not the brightest bulb in the bunch," he muttered to himself. Thinking of her past, he realized anything at all could have happened to her, on a road trip from here to "Hickville." But, there was no trace of her, or her rental car, and hadn't been for a few days. "Come on, Sis. Where are you?" he said, putting a trace, with hacking stealth, on her credit cards. "She can't go a day without buying something," he said aloud. "I'll find her that way, at least, and probably sooner."
His eyes fell on the trashcan, where yesterday's mail scraps were, and he suddenly remembered the letter. Rushing to the bedroom, he stuck his hand under the covers and pillows and pulled out Mitch's correspondence. He reread it:
Manning,
John McBain should really be more careful about what he promises to those he needs to rely on in the future, whether it is to give information or hold back from doing the things they long to do to those that wronged them."Those that wronged them . . ." he thought aloud. "Tina foiled Mitch's plan. Duped him into thinking she was on his side, going to give him the Bhadrah diamond. I never responded to his letter. Shit. He's got her."
***
Timothy, one leg hanging off the penthouse sofa, had Dorian strewn over him like a blanket, her fur coat was on the floor beside them, coupled with his clothes. He noticed he was still wearing his button-down shirt, and it was open, all of the buttons undone, or popped. Both of them were breathing heavily, for the second time since he returned, and he said, "I suppose that was another welcome home."
"Yes, that was another welcome home," she said, breathless.
"For an old coot, I'm not half bad, eh?"
"Not at all. For a young coot, neither."
"Like y'ar ex?"
"David? I suppose that the one thing he's good at is sex. You've got maturity and romance on your side," she said, kissing his chest.
"To what did I owe this spectacular greeting?"
"I suppose it was your heroic work in Chicago, bringing down the perpetrators."
"It wasn't all that heroic, in essence. Ya see, he had taken his own life."
"The perpetrator?"
"Yes. I told ya I'd fill ya in later."
"I wasn't expecting that."
"Well, he's dead. He couldn't carry the guilt, and the fear of the scandal and spending his old age in jail. He shot himself."
"Does Todd know this?"
"No. Not yet. I felt, well, he had enough at the time. I'll tell him when the time is right."
"He said he's doing well," she added, playing with his chest hair.
"Oh?"
"Yes, when I went to see him yesterday."
"Ya went to see him?"
"I did."
"Well, what did he say?"
"He said he was fine. I told him . . . I told him . . well, how I feel," she said, resting her head back down on his chest. She could hear his heart.
"Dorie. Ya did?"
"I did. And, he said he loved me. I was quite shocked. That ought to last us, oh, three days or so."
"I'm proud of ya. He needs acceptance, from anyone who can give it."
"I know that," she said. "He got me right here, in this apartment. When he came here that day and I was here? I heard everything. He broke my heart. Peter Manning was an animal."
"Well, this is true. I am sure he received it well."
"He did. Blair was so emotional about it."
"She loves ya both. Y'ar like a mother to her."
"I suppose I am. She's had it rough, too, no one thinks of it much."
"Addie was mentally ill. Blair was in foster homes, is that it? She mentioned something, briefly, once."
"Yes, she was, until she was a bit older. I stepped in when she was older and I realized what was going on."
"Her father?"
"An orderly, at the mental hospital, supposedly. Raped Addie, and Blair was born."
"That's terrible."
"Addie could never talk about it much, and had little memory of the whole thing."
"Sickening, to take advantage of someone like that."
"Deplorable. He was never caught, no one could ever tell who he was, including Addie."
It was quiet for a while, and then Timothy said, "Ya did a nice thing, for Todd."
"I know. And for me. I think you made me see the light. He has grown on me quite a bit over the years."
***
"Blair! Blair!" he bellowed, and she came out of the bedroom with Jewel and into the office.
"What is it, Todd? Goodness, you'd think the world is ending!"
Jewel said, "Daddy!"
"Hi Baby," he said, and then looked at Blair, "I have to talk to you and Jewel can't hear."
"Okay, okay, I can go and put her down, or have your mother take her?"
Bitsy appeared at the doorway. "What's going on? I heard you, Todd, yelling from the other room."
"Well, this is important. Tina's missing, and I think that nutcase Laurence has something to do with it."
"No, Todd, come on. He's in jail, behind iron bars, you said so yourself, not a day or so ago." Blair said.
"It's him. He's pissed that I ignored his note."
"Note?" Bitsy asked.
"Momma," Todd said, "It's nothing, just forget it."
"No, Todd, what is it?" Bitsy pleaded.
"Tell her, Todd. She deserves to know what's going on," Blair said.
"He wrote me a letter. He wants me to . . . do something." Todd said.
"What? What does he want you to do?" Bitsy asked.
"He wants me to . . . let you go and see him. But we're not talking about it, Momma. You're not going anywhere near him."
"Todd, how did he take Tina? Are you certain he has her? Did he send someone to hurt her?" Bitsy was beside herself.
"Momma, we don't know. It would be pretty hard, from jail." Blair said.
"Remember Jenna's mother? She wasn't in jail," Todd said, pacing. "I'm going there and find out what he did with my sister."
"Todd, wait, now, stop. We have to think this out. How could he have anything to do with that from there? She was driving across the country." Blair said.
Todd was getting his jacket on, and determined. Bitsy said, "No, Todd, you can't go see him. He hates you, he did hate you, from the start, you know that. He hated Victor Lord, so he hated you."
Todd stopped. "I'm going to find out what he did with my sister."
"Todd, no. I don't want you to go there," Blair said. "I don't want you talking to him, just like you don't want your mother to go."
"Todd, listen to Blair. There's another way, we can call the police." Bitsy said.
"He wants to play this kind of game, then he doesn't know what he's getting into," Todd grabbed his wallet and keys and put them into his pocket.
"Todd, no," Blair said, taking his arm.
"Blair, let go."
"Todd, no, you promised not to leave me. You promised that the family came first."
He put his hands on her arms, and steadied her. "Listen, Babe. Nothing's going to happen to me at the jail. You know that. Guards, McBains, and Bo's, oh my."
"Todd, I'm serious. I don't want you to go. Please."
"I'm going to be okay. Just . . . it's all right. He can't hurt me in the prison," Todd said.
"If he can hurt Tina from the prison, then he can hurt you, Todd. Please," she whispered.
"He won't." Todd said.
Bitsy, who had fallen very quiet, suddenly said, "Because of me. He won't because he'll want to try and see me. Todd can use me for protection. Isn't that what you're thinking? He won't hurt you, as long as there's me to bargain with?"
Todd and Blair both turned in shock toward Bitsy. Todd said, "Yes, actually, you're right."
"No, I don't like this. Don't, please, Todd," Blair said.
"He won't hurt me, Blair. He wants to see Momma, and as long as he believes he has a chance of that . . . I mean, if he does something to me, he'll never see her, right?"
Blair had no answer. "I don't . . . Please. Not Mitch. Remember, what he did, Todd? Holding us at La Boulaei, threatening our children? He cut you, he almost shot us. He . . . buried you alive, Todd. Please, just let it go. We'll get John, he'll help find Tina."
He kissed her, pulling her to him, by her shoulders, and then said, "I have to do this, Blair. Once and for all, I have to do this." And before she could say more, he was gone.
Bitsy walked to Blair, and took her hand. "He will be back. He's going to be all right."
Blair sat down, still holding Bitsy's hand. "I can't lose him."
"You won't. I know Mitch. He wants what he wants. And it's clear, he wants to see me."
Blair looked at her mother-in-law, who now sat next to her. She said, "I've never heard you talk this way, Momma. It's . . . different. How would you know what he wants?"
Bitsy paused, and her cheeks flushed. "I can't be sure, not really. It's all true, though. Todd's been through enough, and you. It just makes sense. I'm your insurance."
Blair smiled. "I guess."
"He'll be all right, Blair. He will."
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
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