TRIALS OF THE HEART - PART EIGHTEEN
PREVIOUSLY
"I'm taking you home. A little time with your own people will help you forget that creep once and for all."
Tea leaned heavily on her brother's shoulder as they walked from streetlight to streetlight, trying to wipe the memory of the bar fight from her mind. But she knew that no amount of wishing would ever drive out the thoughts of Todd Manning.
***************************************************************************************************
Tea tossed from side to side as she fought her way to consciousness, trying to ignore the stabbing pain in her head. She had a moment of panic, not knowing where she was, and she sat up abruptly, clutching her temples as she fought off a wave of dizziness. A barrage of familiar smells and sounds assaulted her senses, and she tentatively opened one eye. Old-fashioned lace curtains fluttered in the breeze, framing a tall dresser topped by an immaculate crocheted dresser scarf. A statue of the Virgin stood prominently on top, flanked by any number of lesser saints. An aromatic candle flickered in a little bowl in front of the statue. Tea snuggled back into the crisp sheets on the old iron bed. She had slept here many times in the past, although not recently, and she took comfort in the fact that everything was exactly the same as she remembered it.
She wore an old, faded flannel nightgown that she knew must belong to her grandmother. Her own clothes were neatly folded on a ladder-back chair, and Tea could tell that her blouse and underwear had been freshly laundered, and her medium blue suit was neatly pressed. Outside she could hear the mixture of traffic, muted Latin music and shouted Spanish dialog that was the constant background noise in this neighborhood. The door squeaked open and Tea's little grandmother entered, carrying a tray which she set on the bed next to her granddaughter. Tea drank in the smell.
"Manzanilla tea," she said, sighing.
"Si, Mija, it will help your stomach," said Abuelita.
Tea took a sip then looked at her grandmother, feeling ashamed. "Did Del tell you what happened?" she asked.
"Yes, you have left your husband." The old woman raised a gnarled hand and smoothed Tea's hair away from her face as she observed her eyes begin to fill with tears. "You are still in love with this man, no?"
"No!" said Tea forcefully. "Not anymore! He killed the last bit of love left in me." A tear slipped down her cheek.
Abuelita looked deeply into her granddaughter's eyes. "That is what you say, but your face tells a different story, little one." They were interrupted by a soft knock on the door, and Del entered the room.
"You decent?" he asked teasingly. "How are you feeling this morning?"
Tea leaned back into the pillows. "Like someone hit me in the head with a two by four," she grimaced. "Thanks for bailing me out," she said, looking her brother in the eye.
Abuelita smoothed Tea's starched white blouse that lay on the old chair. "I fixed your clothes, Child, but your stockings were ruined. Delmonico can get you some new ones at Sr. Ramos' store on the corner."
"Abuela!" said Del in frustration. "I'm not buying lady's undergarments at the neighborhood store!"
"You will do as you're told," said the old lady in a voice that brooked no argument. Tea grinned and stuck her tongue out at her brother when their grandmother wasn't looking. He glared at her with his arms crossed over his chest. Tea looked at the old wind-up alarm clock on the nightstand and started.
"Look at the time!" she said anxiously. "I've got to go! Todd is out of jail now, and this is the first place he'll look for me!" She fumbled with the covers.
"Chill, little sister," said Del. "I just called the Llanview DA's office and Manning is still in jail. He'll be there a while, too, because they're filing other charges against him in that lodge kidnapping case."
"What?" said Tea in disbelief. "They can't do that to him!" She shot out of the bed. "Those charges won't hold up! They're just trying to stick it to Todd anyway they can!"
"I thought you didn't care what happened to him, Tea. You said he was on his own now, and that you were washing your hands of him."
"He's still my client, Del, and I have a duty to make sure those jerks don't railroad him again."
"Oh yeah," said the FBI agent contemptuously. "He's just your client. Give me a break!" His sister glared at him as she went through the door in search of a phone.
Abuelita joined her grandson and they both stared after Tea as she left the room. "Destiny is a powerful force, Delmonico, and it is not our place to question the plans God has for us. Tea is in love with this man, and she must make her own decisions in the matter, without any interference from us."
Del sighed. "She'll have nothing but pain, sticking with that guy."
"Who is to say? Love can tame even the wildest beast." Snorting in disgust, Del followed his sister into the kitchen.
……………………………………………………………………………………………….......................................................................................................................................
For the first time during the trial, Todd entered the courtroom unencumbered by any restraints. Officer Rodriguez, who had showed up unexpectedly that morning on guard duty, felt it unnecessary to cuff a man with no reason to run. Todd was secretly pleased to have the congenial policeman at his side as he approached his vindication, but was too proud to even hint that he found a cop halfway tolerable. The usual cast of characters had assembled for court that morning, but the mood was definitely the opposite of what it had been for most of the trial. This time Viki, Blair, and Jessica were in a celebratory mood, while glum faces were the norm on the prosecution's side of the courtroom. Sam Rappaport hurried in looking a little flustered and stared intently at DA Hank Gannon, who was slumped in his chair, with Bo Buchanan looking equally grim behind him. Noticing his attorney's agitation, Todd asked, "Is something wrong, Coach?"
Sam turned his head toward him and Todd could see the determination and anger in his eyes. "Don't worry about it, Pal. In a few minutes you're out of here. I swear it." He turned again toward the DA. The bailiff called for everyone to rise and Judge Fitzwater took her customary seat on the bench. Todd tried to swallow the lump in his throat as she referred to some papers.
"I've reviewed the motion submitted by the defense, and since there is no opposition from the prosecution, I'm going to grant the motion." The judge looked directly at Todd as she announced, "All charges against Todd Manning in connection with the death of one Georgiana Phillips are hereby withdrawn." Viki and Blair both exclaimed in pleasure, and Todd permitted himself a small smile. The judge pulled some other papers in front of her. "I understand that the prosecution intends to file other unrelated criminal charges against Mr. Manning. The defendant is hereby remanded to custody until such time as a preliminary hearing can be scheduled to hear the evidence in this new case and bail can be considered in the matter." An audible gasp could be heard from the audience as the judge made her way from the courtroom.
Todd stood rooted to his spot. "Sam?" he inquired with barely maintained control.
"Don't worry, Pal. I'm on to their little game." Sam marched over to where the District Attorney sat with his legs stretched out listlessly in front of him and a blank stare on his face. "What's this about, Hank?"
"This is about the fourteen counts of kidnapping against your client stemming from the hostage situation at the lodge the night of his arrest."
"I see," said Sam with open contempt. "You call it a kidnapping even though everyone arrived voluntarily."
"But they were held against their will with the threat of death."
"From painted toilet paper rolls?" Sam threw up his hands. "C'mon, Hank! This is so transparent! You just lost a major case and you're looking for any way to salvage something. You can't make these charges stick! The one who was hurt the most by events that night was my client. He made himself look guilty and ended up on trial for murder."
"Asa almost died," said Hank in a tired voice.
"And I can put plenty of medical experts on the stand who will testify that with his eating, drinking and smoking habits, he could have had a heart attack at a tea party." Sam looked at the police commissioner through narrowed eyes. "Perhaps you'd like to talk about your chief weapons expert, the ex-munitions operative who couldn't even tell dynamite from toilet paper!"
Hank shrugged. "I think I've got a case and the judge agrees, so he goes back to jail." Officer Rodriguez made no move to carry out his duty in that regard. Sam folded his arms across his chest and his blue eyes suddenly became very hard. He had a reputation for being a nice guy, but he was more than willing to take the gloves off when it came to defending the people he loved.
"OK, I had hoped to avoid this, but here's the bottom line. My client just spent months in jail for a crime committed by your daughter, Mr. DA, who also happens to be your stepdaughter, Mr. Commissioner. He's been beaten, tortured mentally and physically, and separated unjustly from his family. Did either of you knowingly try to protect Rachel by pinning the crime on Todd? Well, that remains to be seen. But both of you are employees of the City of Llanview, and if that isn't grounds for a major lawsuit against the city, I don't know what is. What do you think the mayor would say to having to pay a multi-million dollar settlement out of next year's budget?" When Hank didn't react, Sam went on. "You're up for re-election in two months. You've already got a less than stellar conviction record, Hank. Do you want to risk everything on a case with such shaky potential? And what about Rachel's case? It certainly won't help her any to have a civil suit in progress showcasing the fact that she let an innocent man stand trial for her crimes!"
Hank finally looked interested. "Even if I drop the charges, you'll still file those lawsuits. I have nothing to gain by letting him walk."
Sam took a deep breath. "You have my word that if all criminal charges against my client are dropped, no wrongful arrest suits will be filed against the city, you or your daughter."
"Hey!" shouted Todd angrily. "I didn't agree to any of that! I want them to pay for what they did to me!" Sam grabbed his client by the sleeve and pulled him to the side.
"Do you want to spend three more months in jail while we get this mess sorted out, or do you want to walk out of here today?" he asked. Todd glared angrily at the DA, but said nothing. "OK, then," said Sam. "What's it gonna be, Hank?" The DA got slowly to his feet.
"All right, I'll take the deal, and the criminal charges against your client will be dropped." He looked at Todd with contempt. "It makes no difference anyway. It's only a matter of time before he screws up for real and we can nail him. And next time, the charges will stick." Hank walked slowly out of the courtroom.
"Well, Manning, it looks like you're free to go," said Bo wearily. "It will take a few minutes to process you out. I'll head back to the station to get the ball rolling on the paper work. Rodriguez will bring you over when you're ready."
Sam stared coldly after both men as they exited, then turned to his client, who still had a scowl on his face. "You heard the man, Boomer. You're free to go."
After hesitating a moment, Todd suddenly threw his head back and began howling with laughter. His supporters were shocked, because laughter from Todd was a very uncommon event. But there was no denying that seeing Todd Manning in a rare joyful moment was an experience to be savored, and soon Viki, Blair, Jessica, Sam and Rodriguez were all laughing too.
Sam suddenly had the air squeezed out of his lungs as Todd hugged him. "Thanks, Coach," he said shyly. "I just couldn't go back to jail. Not now."
"Well, Pal," said Sam, wildly pleased at the show of affection, "you can thank your guardian angel once again. I got a call from Tea just before court and she warned me about Hank's little surprise. Seems her brother called in for an update and found out his plan."
Todd's eyes lit up. "Delgado called you? Where is she?"
Sam winked. "You know, she swore me to secrecy, but I guess I owe you one after that Niagara Falls blow-out. She's at her grandmother's in New York." He reached in his pocket, took out a small scrap of paper and tucked it into Todd's breast pocket. "Here's the address. Good luck."
"Hey, you two," said Viki from just beyond the barrier. "Can a couple of lowly females get in on this touching male bonding scene?" With a couple of long strides, her brother was through the gate and holding her in a heart-felt hug. Just like Sam, Viki was gratified to finally feel some genuine affection from Todd. They pulled away from each other slightly, and brother and sister shared a smile, which left no doubt of the love each felt for the other. Across the aisle, Kevin Buchanan watched the scene, trying unsuccessfully to swallow the bile he felt in his throat. It galled him to see his hated uncle basking in Viki's warmth, and he set his jaw and started to leave the courtroom along with most of the other spectators.
"Gee, Kev, aren't you going to congratulate me?" asked Todd with the customary edge to his voice. Kevin stopped and turned around.
"Please, you two!" begged Viki. "Not today, I implore you."
"I'm not going to apologize for wrongly accusing you, Todd," said Kevin with open hostility. "You brought it on yourself by constantly blaming someone else whenever you screw up. So, you didn't do it this time. We both know there are plenty of crimes you haven't paid for---yet." He turned and continued up the aisle.
"Watch your back, Kev," threatened Todd. "Because I'm coming after you with the Sun. When I'm finished with you the whole world will know what a hypocritical, self-righteous little weasel you are." As Kevin left the room without acknowledging him, Todd yelled, "And I'm going to wipe the floor with that washed up old rag, the Banner!" He looked quizzically at his sister, who was still smiling in spite of the insult. "Nothing personal, Viki," he said sheepishly. Getting serious, he said, "I want to thank you for standing by me through all of this." She reached up and caressed his chin.
"I never doubted you, Todd," she said softly, "and of course I'd stand by you. That's what families are for." They embraced again.
"Hey, Uncle Todd, can I get one of those hugs?" asked Jessica playfully. Todd obliged with a little laugh. "Moose will be so happy to see you," she said. "He's been moping around so much, you would think he was the one in jail!"
"Thanks for keeping him, Jess," he said. "I did kind of miss old Birdbreath," he said affectionately. Blair cleared her throat.
"Well, Todd, the agreement you signed giving me control of the Sun is now void since you've been cleared, so I guess you'll be wanting your paper back," she said, a little bitter.
"You've done a good job running it," said Todd and Blair was surprised and pleased at the compliment. "Could you do me a favor and stay on the job a few more weeks? I need a little time to get my life back on track."
"Sure, Todd, I guess I could do that," she said, uncertain.
"And after I'm back, I'd like for you to stay on and keep working at the Sun as a senior editor." He gave a teasing glance at Viki. "Together we can put the Banner out of business." Viki gave a look of mock horror and everyone laughed. Todd became suddenly serious.
"Look, Blair, we haven't liked each other much the last couple years, and sometimes it seems like all we do is hurt each other. When I went to jail and you got Starr and the Sun away from me, I figured you'd spend all your time gloating. But it turns out you've been a pretty good friend to me through all of this, and I won't forget it." Blair looked surprised and touched. "But get this straight: now that I'm out of jail, I want my daughter back, and I will do anything it takes to get her away from you."
"Boomer," began Sam, but Blair stamped her foot and glared angrily at her ex.
"You're not out of jail ten minutes and you're back to your old tricks! Do you ever think of anyone but yourself? All I ever wanted was to get Starr away from you and have her all to myself, and I finally got my wish when you were arrested. Guess what, Todd? She was happy enough, but no matter what I did she still missed you. She still wanted her Daddy." Todd's face softened a bit, but he stared warily at Blair. "And if you take her away from me, it will be the same thing, Todd. She'll still need me. Starr will still love me."
"I'm not giving up my daughter! I need her!" said Todd desperately.
Blair spoke in a soft voice. "Maybe it's time we stopped making this about ourselves, Todd, and thought about what's best for Starr. It's time to talk about a joint custody agreement."
"Joint custody? You mean I'd have to share her with you?"
"Yes, Starr would live with me part of the week, and you the other half. And we'd make decisions that affect her together." When Todd still hesitated, Blair said, "C'mon. You know it's what's best for her. She wants both of us in her life."
Todd sighed deeply. "I guess we can talk about it. But I don't want her under the same roof with your witchy aunt. If I agree to this, you've got to find another place to live." Sam put his arm around Blair's shoulder and leaned over to kiss her.
"I think that could be arranged," he said, looking into her eyes. Everyone's attention was suddenly drawn to the back of the courtroom as the door flew open, revealing a mob of reporters in the foyer armed with bright television lights, whirring cameras and microphones. A barrage of shouted questions followed a hunched figure who slipped in, carrying a bundle wrapped in a raincoat. The policeman manning the door helped out by holding back the mob, then pulling the door closed when she was safely inside.
"Whoa! Wasn't that a fun game?" said Kelly brightly as she set Starr on her feet and removed the raincoat from over her face. The little girl nodded uncertainly, looking frightened.
"Shorty, is that you?" asked Todd in disbelief. Starr whipped around.
"Daddy!" she screamed in delight and took off running down the aisle toward him. Todd took a couple of long steps and caught up to her in the middle of the courtroom. He swung her high over his head and spun around and around, both of them laughing hysterically. When they stopped, Todd clutched her tightly to his chest. Officer Rodriguez had a huge grin on his face, while Viki rummaged in her purse for a handkerchief. Sam hugged Blair tightly to him, neither one of them trusting themselves to speak. Starr patted Todd's face. "Daddy, are you coming home now?" she asked hopefully.
"You betcha, Kiddo," he said with a wide smile and shining eyes. Starr looked at Rodriguez skeptically.
"Do you still have to work for the police?" she asked. Todd chuckled.
"No, I'm all done with that," he said, getting serious. "For good." He carried his little girl back to the group at the front of the courtroom, followed by Kelly.
"Mommy! Aunt Viki! Daddy's back!" said Starr excitedly. "Am I going to your house now Daddy?" she asked.
Todd squeezed her tightly. "You know what, Shorty? Today, I have to go find Tea. But tomorrow is Saturday and you don't have school. How about I come get you then and we'll spend the whole day together!" He looked at Blair for confirmation.
"I guess that would be all right," said Blair warily.
"Goody! Let's go to the zoo, Daddy! I love the zoo!" shouted Starr.
Todd grimaced. "How about the park instead, OK, Shorty? Daddy's just not up to seeing a bunch of animals in cages. Not yet."
"Whatever," said Starr, sounding so much like her father that everyone laughed.
"I think a celebration is in order," said Viki brightly. "Why don't you bring Starr to Llanfair tomorrow after your playdate, and I'll cook dinner. Sam and Blair, of course we'd want you to join us." Viki surveyed her brother's lean frame. "You need to get some meat back on those bones." She turned to Starr. "And I'll make some animal-shaped cookies that you can decorate any way you want, Sweetheart."
"I don't know, Viki," said Todd indecisively. "I don't do family stuff very well. You know that."
"That's nonsense. And something tells me you'll be able to bring Tea along. I have infinite faith in you, Todd." Viki smiled.
"Well, I think it's time we let this man get out of here," said Sam jovially. "I'll go check on that paperwork." He left quickly by the front entrance to the courtroom.
"I could take you all out that way," said Rodriguez. "You can avoid the reporters." Everyone followed him into the corridor. At the elevator, Todd said goodbye to Starr, Jessica, Viki and Blair, and thanked Kelly for fighting the crush of reporters so that he could see his little girl.
Starr clung on to him. "You're really coming tomorrow, Daddy?" she asked, her eyes wide. "You promise?"
Todd kissed her on the cheek. "Promise. And this is one promise I won't break, you can count on it." He set her down and Blair took her hand. "Make sure to wear some old clothes, Shorty, because we're gonna get dirty!" he said mischievously. The women got on the elevator and Todd looked at Viki just before the doors closed.
"Good luck, Todd," she said. "Give Tea my love, and remember what we talked about yesterday. You need to put the past behind you." Todd looked thoughtful as he and Rodriguez waited for the elevator to the underground passage that connected to the police station.
"So, what about you, Rodriguez?" he asked as they stepped in. "Are you going to stay on the police force?" The cop shrugged.
"It's what I do," he said, looking unenthusiastic. They rode the elevator down in silence.
"You're not like the other cops," said Todd as they left the elevator. "You don't get your kicks grinding other people under your heel."
"What else can I do? I still need to support my family."
Todd gave a sidelong glance at the policeman. "You could come work for me at the Sun," he said nonchalantly.
Rodriguez snapped his head toward Todd. "That's a newspaper! I don't know anything about writing!"
Todd snorted. "Writers? They're a dime a dozen. I want you for security. The pay is double what you're making now, plus benefits. Oh, and we have an on site daycare, so you can be with your kids whenever you want." Rodriguez stared at him open-mouthed, speechless. Todd sighed. "You know, you may not have noticed this, but I have a tendency to get myself into a lot of trouble. And there are plenty of people who would love to stick it to me any way they can." When the cop still didn't respond, Todd continued, "Look, I'm not an easy guy to work for, so don't worry--you'll be earning the money, believe me."
"I don't know," said Rodriguez, "but thank you for the offer, Mr. Manning. I'll think about it."
They had reached the squad room. "Come and see me in a few weeks when I'm back on the job," said Todd quietly.
Sam was checking the release documents, watched over by Bo. One by one, he handed them to Todd, who signed them with a borrowed pen. When his personal belongings were returned, Todd quickly found his wedding ring and slipped it on the proper finger. He placed his wallet in his suit jacket and a roll of cash in his pants pocket. "So why isn't your sweet little stepdaughter here, Bo?" asked Todd rudely. "Why isn't she being dragged down to your cozy little torture chambers?"
Bo's eyes filled with fury. "She's under a 30-day court-ordered observation, Manning, so she'll be staying at St. Anne's."
"Sure. So she gets to make rag dolls with the nuns. I forgot it's only me that does hard time for her crimes!" He glared at the commissioner.
"Look, the evidence in the case implicated you, Manning. You're walking away from this, but Rachel may never be right again. So back off."
Todd took a step toward the commissioner and looked down at him menacingly. "You know, I don't really blame Rachel. She messed up and didn't want to pay for it, so she tried to pin it on me. I can understand that. And I know you're surprised, but I don't blame Nora, either, because she was protecting her kid, and I can understand that, too. But you, Commissioner, now that's a different story." His lip curled up in a sneer. "You cloak yourself in self-righteousness as the source of all justice in this city, but we both know there is no justice for anyone who isn't connected to the high and mighty Buchanans. You know what you tried to do to me when you had me in your power, and you are going to pay for every stinking minute I spent in that hellhole. So get the wagons in a circle, Bo, because I'm coming after you and the rest of the Buchanans with everything I've got."
"Is that a threat, Manning?" asked Bo with hostility.
Click here... to read last few paragraphs of this installment. (Mary pointed out to me that the last part was cut off...sorry about that everyone...especially sorry to Mary...*S*)
