IMPOSTER - PART THIRTY ONE

PREVIOUSLY

A knoll of trees to his left made him look again, and the moon shone right into the branches - lighting up a slice of silver peaking through the greenery. There was no mistaking the source of the gleam of metal illuminated with fiery brightness by the moon's glow. Todd rolled his eyes heavenward and quickly moved forward to reclaim one of his most prized possessions - the Lamborghini!

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The sight of his extremely expensive toy was almost too much for him as he hurriedly inserted the key in the lock. On the front seat was his remote locking device, which he had left inside. With a short groan he carefully positioned his body down against the leather seat and slammed the car door shut. Now that he was inside, he felt almost safe within the silent confines of the luxury automobile, but a background rumbling convinced him otherwise. I've got to get this thing moving and fast!
For a second he was suddenly perplexed by a new dilemma. I can't shift this damn thing! His right arm, carefully wrapped up in a sling, afforded him no way to use the stick shift. Why didn't I let that sales guy talk me into an automatic? Okay, so I look like an utter fool doing this. Wouldn't be the first time! Eyeing the stick and shifting his left side, he started up the car and listened with pleasure to the powerful engine coming to life. Now all I have to do is get the hang of this new driving technique, and I'll be home free.

Delgado leaned forward in the seat next to the pilot of the hovering helicopter and pointed his finger decisively. "Over by the lower edge of the mountain. I want a complete circling of this area."
"Sure thing," the pilot answered and maneuvered the whirling machine lower in the sky.
Delgado grabbed the radio control and spoke in a loud, forceful tone. "Get the men ready to enter the cave on my signal."

Many disappointments had been the mark of Viki Carpenter's life, and she had endured them all - accepting stoically what she had been dealt. As she clicked off one of the downstairs lights, she tried once more to put into perspective why she had been so shattered when she saw another woman at Sam's house. It all seemed to be pointing to the loneliness submerged within her soul, but she also knew that she had felt this same loneliness even when she was married. Marriage had not always brought her the peace and sense of belonging that she had desired. What's the use of obsessing over any man? The highs you feel don't always make up for the lows.
A beam of light passing over one of the front windows made her pause as she began to ascend the stairs. She checked her watch as she heard the slam of a door from the outside. Jessie was upstairs asleep. It's really getting late. Who in the world…"
Viki gasped as she peaked through a curtain and saw a familiar figure striding up to the front door. Sam! Oh Lord, what does he want? I won't answer the door…that's it…no, this is childish! We're adults…I'm above such nonsense. He has every right to live his life the way he wants to.
Stepping back and checking herself in the hall mirror, Viki stared back at her reflection with something of shock that again she was feeling waves of nervousness pore through her. Chill, Viki. Play it cool. Play it safe like he does.
The front door to Llanfair opened before Sam even got a chance to knock. The face that had been haunting him for the last couple of hours appeared and a tightness settled in his throat - causing him to have to clear it before he spoke.
"Viki! Hello."
"Hello, Sam." Viki said with a even-toned politeness in her voice. "What brings you here?"
Sam shifted and sensed how uncomfortable he was beginning to feel. Yes, go on, Rappaport. Tell her. His eyes looked past her into the house and he said, "Mind if I come in for a minute?"
Finding that she was anything but ready to once more be in a giddy frame of mind, Viki paused - still remembering the sting of seeing him kissing Susie Carothers. "It's getting rather late, Sam…Jessie's asleep and I was just about to turn in."
He knew he heard something - something in her voice which was not welcoming. Did I ever understand any woman?
Studying her face rather intently, he made a decision. No, something has to be wrong. I'm not leaving yet.
"It won't take long, Viki…don't worry."
"You have no willpower!"
Viki told herself as she opened the door wider to let her visitor in. Sam walked into the striking, grand foyer of Llanfair and nodded approvingly as he took in the quiet elegance of the room with its tasteful paintings and floral decorations. "As always…Llanfair is beautiful," he said. Moving past her he walked through to the family sitting room - turning toward her as she stared speechless at his audacity in making himself so at home.
"Well, Sam, what is it?" Viki said with disbelief that he was even there
Reaching into the pocket of the brushed suede jacket he was wearing, Sam pulled out something and extending his hand said, "You left this at my house."
Viki edged toward him - knowing exactly what it was that he was holding. "Well…my earring…fancy that! It must have fallen off while we were talking." As he held it out to her, her fingers touched the warmth of his skin and she retrieved it quickly. "So nice of you to take the time to drop this by, Sam," she said without looking at him. Steady…get this over with. Get him out of here.
Watching her, Sam was once more struck by how perfectly controlled she was behaving. The Viki he had shared some special moments with all in one evening had disappeared, and he was vaguely aware that she was now acting almost too formal.

As the lights to the Lamborghini flashed on, Todd switched them to dim. No sense in calling attention to the car with that whirlybird around. Throwing all of what was left of his energy into the task, he moved the car out of its parked position and slowly rolled the car out into the road. Okay, I'll run it out to 3000 rpm and the shift should pop in with not much effort. The deserted countryside seemed to beckon him and he wanted like anything to cut loose and take to the road at breakneck speed. Still he had to be careful. They could be watching.

"You want another sweep of the mountain?" the pilot called out to Delgado inside the buzzing cockpit.
"No!!" Delgado yelled back and listened intently to what the operative was saying over the radio. "Nothing yet? Well, keep at it. We're going to take another look around the area."
The helicopter swung around in a wide 180-degree arc and zoomed down toward the valley beneath the mountain.

This isn't so bad. I'm getting the hang of this. His right-hand fingers touched the bottom of the steering wheel to steady the wheel as he used his left arm to shift into second. The distant rumbling seemed to be getting louder - even closer. It's coming over here! Todd seized the wheel with his left hand and lowered his foot on the gas pedal.

"Well, I'm getting rather tired, Sam." Viki said heavily. "Thank you again for bringing this by."
"Yeah…sure…whatever you say," Sam said with a touch of agitation that something was wrong between them and he didn't know what it was.
Is he just going to stand there? Viki's pulse raced as she saw him studying her. She began to walk toward the door of the family room toward the foyer, but the voice behind her interrupted her with its challenging quality. Her entire body seemed to freeze up as she listened to the words.
"What the hell is wrong, Viki?"

Only seconds had passed and the Lamborghini was flying down the road - its driver alternately shifting his body to compensate for the awkwardness of his driving. Third, fourth….past 3000…push it! Get out now! They're here!! "Do you see what I see?" the pilot pointed to a moving object cutting through the covering trees like a small black speck.
"That car! That's him! It's gotta be!" Del practically stood up in the cockpit with the excitement of his discovery. "Alert to all units! We have Manning on the run in a direct path toward the main highway. Call Commissioner Sykes…we're picking him up!"
With a blast of power, the Lamborghini performed to its famed potential as it sped over the isolated road on its way to the highway. Todd successfully shifted to the highest gear and directed the car expertly up to the highway and shot out like a black blur. They're on me! He looked out the window and saw the helicopter aim its blaring light on the speeding car - its thunderous sound ricocheting in the air around him.
"What's Manning driving?" the pilot asked in an incredulous voice as the car increased to a speed well over any that an ordinary car could do.

Suddenly Viki wanted to run…to escape to a place where she could be the same person she had been before this night. Nothing was complicated then. Everything fit nicely into place. Her eyes focused blankly on him with effort and she threw the challenge back at him. "I don't know what you mean, Sam…I'm just tired, that's all. You should be able to understand that."
Sam's eyebrows raised slightly and his entire expression changed. "I value our friendship, Viki…and I thought we were pretty good at the honesty bit, too - especially after tonight."
Honesty? How honest were you? "I think the less said, the better, Sam. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like you to leave."
Her words had the effect of penetrating to the core of his soul. I hurt you somehow. You were fine when you left…but now…hold it! The earring! You came back…you saw her!
A feeling came over Sam in that minute which stunned him. This was not a case of simple jealousy - it was more…much more. Looking at her as she stood with her eyes glaring at him and her figure rigid with determination, he knew she was putting on a front just for him and that the moment he left she would lapse into a sense of shame at what she had done. I think I know you…I think I've always known you.

Everything outside the car seemed like a bright smear on his window as the car escalated its speed well beyond 100 miles an hour. I won't let them lock me up again!. Tea…Tea, I want to come back to you as a free man - not a criminal or some sort of psychopath with warring personalities. They've screwed with me for the last time!

Viki tried valiantly to stand her ground as she simultaneously endured the tempest of emotions swirling up within her. Here was a man she had seen many times but never really seen until now. The long bridge between something casual and something intimate began to close up as she teetered on the brink of an amazing discovery. The hush of unspoken words made the silence unbearable to the point that she wanted to scream.
"Then..I'll go," he said soberly and acted as if he would brush past her immovable form. She stood there - waiting for him to stalk out as others had done in the past - her eyes lowering slowly with sadness. A light touch on her faintly flushed cheek startled her and she quivered as she felt his fingers softly moving against her skin. As she looked toward him, she saw his eyes pulling hers into his with a piercing strength which left her defenseless and unable to stop what she knew to be inevitable. Trembling from somewhere deep inside, she felt the insistence in his eyes as his face moved towards hers - his hand cradling her face with a gentleness that further reduced her resolve. I can't stop this…I can't…

As Todd raced down the highway, he became aware that he was on a road that was winding around in hairpin curves. Easing his foot off the pedal some, he noticed his car getting closer and closer to the edge of the highway, which overlooked a large bluff. The helicopter bobbing back and forth behind him was gaining on him, and his left arm ached with the tightness of his grip on the wheel. What are my chances? I've got just one...
Delgado sat on the edge of his seat as his eyes followed the moving vehicle below. He's going too fast for this bend of road! What's he doing? Del watched in unexpected horror as the car seemed to skid momentarily and cut sideways across the road in a broad swipe - the front end of the car bumping up into the air and nose-diving into a plummet down the bluff embankment. The automobile rolled over and over in a seeming state of slow-motion as if thrown by a catapult and eventually landing with a final earth-shaking crash at the bottom.
For a minute the lifeless, unrecognizable Lamborghini remained at rest with no movement at all. A flicker of flames ignited and an inferno of fire burst through the car erasing its existence forever.

~ To Be Continued ~