Through the Darkness, Chapter Twenty-Seven

CHAPTER 27

August, 2013

The next morning, after Todd put in an appearance at the family breakfast table, he decided to head over to his office.  Jack wanted to come, which warmed Todd’s heart even more, but he said “I think you should go with your Mom and Sam and see Victor.  I know he’d want to see you.”  Todd gave him an encouraging smile.  “Come by later, though.  In fact, we’ll all do lunch at The Palace.  I’ll have Starr with me, so it’ll work out.”

Jack seemed to accept Todd’s reasoning.  Blair smiled over her son’s head, mouthing a thank you to Todd.  She understood that was a big step for him, understanding there was still a place in Jack’s life for Victor, despite how well things were going between the father and son.

Starr decided to stay with Todd while he worked.  Though he had never heard of her having any interest in the publishing business, he welcomed her presence there at least.  While she was in the office, there was a knock on the door. 

“I was told you’d be here by now, so I thought we’d get this over with,” Nick said as he came in.

“I’ll go get us some coffee,” Starr said, giving her father some privacy.

Nick strolled in and took a look around.  “Never thought this is where you’d end up,” he said.

“Well, you’re not alone.  Most people, even here, thought I’d be rotting in some jail cell for the rest of my life,” Todd told him.  “Have a seat.”

Nick sat down.  “Well, it all makes sense now.”

“What’s that?”

“Llanview University.  Never could understand what a small school in Pennsylvania had to offer you.”

“Besides the full ride I got?” Todd asked.  It was something Todd hadn’t thought of in a lot of years; why he had chosen LU.  “Peter pushed me here,” he admitted.  “Said it was just about as academically challenging as he expected I could handle.”

“He knew…about who your father was, that he was some bigwig here?” Nick asked.

“Victor Lord, Sr., was long dead before I ever showed up,” Todd began.  “But Peter was cashing his checks for a lot of years before I started college here.”  Then Todd waved that off.  “Look, the last thing I really want to talk about his my old man, either of them.  And the one thing that has annoyed me in my life is talking to cops…even ones who were old football buddies.  So, can we get this over with?”

Nick asked Todd a number of questions about his abduction and Todd, for once, answered them without getting lippy.  When they finished, Todd asked him, “So, you’re heading back to Chicago?”

“Actually, that’s something I wanted to tell you.  Chicago, well, it’s getting bad.  And I’ve been looking to transfer.  So I mentioned this to your police commissioner, when I met him for breakfast and he told me that he’s down a detective or two, asked me if I’d be interested,” Nick said.

Todd’s eyes narrowed and his face got sucked in as if he’d eaten something sour.  “Please tell me you’re joking?” he asked.  “Please tell me you’re not joining Bozo’s Keystone Kops.”

“What, this is a nice community, I’ve got an old friend here, there’s an interest redhead who works for the LPD…”  Nick stopped at when Todd’s expression grew more disgusted.

“That redhead isn’t that interesting…and even if she was, she’s my niece,” he told him.

“Really?  I guess I forgot that there’s an age gap between you and your sister,” Nick said.  He noticed Todd staring at him.  “What, you really have a big problem with that?”

Todd swallowed.  “I learned my mother was, like, barely legal when she had my sister Tina.  And, by the time I was born, my father was about to be a grandfather.   The idea that you and my niece…it makes me uncomfortable.”  Then Todd got an evil thought.  “Also, just want to warn you, her father’s a Texan and he likes his guns.”

Just as he said that, there was a knock on his office door and Cord Roberts stepped in.  “You said something about talking to me at breakfast this morning, Todd?”

Todd’s smile only grew.  “Cord, great to see you,” he said.  “I believe you may have met Nick Jobek?  He’s the cop that Bo brought back from Chicago.”

“Yeah, I’ve had a talk or two with him,” Cord said as he shook Nick’s hand. 

“Yeah, he’s an old high school buddy of mine.  We used to play football together,” Todd explained.  “He’s going to be coming here, put a transfer in and all.  He’s said he’s attracted to the nice small town feel and the feisty redhead who works with the cops.”

“Really?” Cord asked, eying the cop.

“Uh huh,” Todd said.  “Nick, have you met my brother-in-law, Cord Robert?  Natalie’s his little sister.  Also a Texan.”

Nick looked real carefully at Cord then turned to Todd.  “You bastard,” he said.  “Well, I have to go.  I’ll see you in a few days.  I start in two weeks, gotta get my stuff moved here.”  With that, he hotfooted it out of the office.

Todd couldn’t contain the smirk on his face.  “You told him that intentionally, figured on a laugh?” Cord asked.

“Just warning him what he’s getting himself into,” Todd answered.  “But I am glad you showed up.  Look, Viki told me she’s agreed to keep the money Clint gave her for the paper.  But have you looked over the books?  Did Clint before he gave it to her?”

“I haven’t even seen Pa since I got here and all I’ve gotten on the situation has been from Viki and Natalie a little bit.  But from what I understand, he snuck it into her accounts.  Told her they managed to get the money out of Pellegrino before the government stepped in,” Cord said.  “When she learned the truth about that, she was fuming.  I think Nigel had to talk her down.”

Todd took that information in.  “Okay, well, look, can you keep me advised about The Banner’s financial state.  I told her I’d help if she needed it, but I don’t think she’d actually tell me.”

Cord looked surprised.  “You?  I remember a time you were out to destroy The Banner.  Stole her staff, poached files, stuff like that.”

“I didn’t want to destroy it. Viki’s alters did.  They just used me and The Sun to do it,” Todd retorted.  “Besides, you hear the ‘It’s your legacy’ spiel enough and I guess it sinks in.”  He heaved a sigh.  “Look just keep me in the loop, okay?”

Cord nodded.  “I’ll let you know if there are any changes,” he said as he stood.  “Oh, and that buddy of yours…anything I need to know?”

Todd smiled.  “No, actually, he was always a pretty good guy.”  Cord left, seemingly satisfied.  Todd sat back in his chair and got to work.

**********

The knock at the door got Tea up off the couch.  She answered to door, finding Blair, Jack and Sam there.  “Hi, come in.  I guess you guys want to see your dad, huh?”

“Yeah,” Sam said, getting excited.  Then he calmed down as he asked, “Is he really alright?  He didn’t get hurt too, like Uncle Todd?”

Tea smiled as she looked up at Blair.  “No, he’s fine.  He’s just very tired.  I’m going to go get him,” she said as she went left the room.  She and Victor returned a few minutes later and Sam rushed into his father’s arms. 

“Dad, I missed you!” Sam said.

Victor held his son as he closed his eyes.  Blair looked at the two and thought something was different.  Victor had never been a particularly warm personality with any of the kids, but right now, he seemed to struggling with his emotions.  She looked over and saw Jack turn to her with the same confused expression on his face. 

Victor put Sam and held out his hand to Jack.  “Everything okay with you?”

Jack covered any uncertainty he may have been feeling.  “Yeah, everything’s fine.”

“Are you staying now?” Sam asked.

Victor nodded.  “Yeah, I am, but I don’t know how much I’ll be able to see you.  I have to see a doctor.  I’m alright, but I hurt your uncle and they want to make sure I’m not going to hurt him again,” he said.

Tea turned to Blair.  “Can you help me get something in the back?” 

Blair saw the desperation in her eyes.  “Sure.”

When they were out of earshot of Victor and the boys, Tea almost collapsed in Blair’s arms.  Blair gathered her up and tried to calm her.  “It’s going to be alright,” she said.

“Blair, he’s so…different.  Even different then he was when he came back in the spring.  He still won’t tell me anything, and now it’s even more important, because it’s for his defense,” Tea told her through her tears.  “I don’t know what to do.  I’m afraid to even tell him about the baby.”

“Has he given you reason to be afraid of him, anything like that?” Blair asked.

Tea shook her head as she stood up and went into the bathroom for a tissue.  “No, but with the psych evaluation he’s facing, I don’t know what to do.”

Blair stood up and took Tea’s face in her hands.  “I think you need to tell him about the baby.  Be honest with him.  It may give him something to fight for.”

The two women went back into the living room.  Jack looked up at them as they came in and noted that Tea had been crying.  Blair shook her head and Jack acknowledged that.  Victor looked up and saw them.  “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” Blair assured him.

“Mom,” Sam called out, “I have a question.”

Blair looked down at her son.  “What it is?”

“Well, now that Jack is calling Uncle Todd ‘Dad’, does that mean we’re still brothers?  Isn’t he my cousin?”

It was Victor who answered.  “You and Jack will always be brothers, Sam,” he explained.  “But because you’re my son and Jack is Todd’s son, it just another strong connection you two have.”

Sam smiled at that.  “I asked Uncle Todd this question so I’ll ask you…would you have wanted to grow up with your brother and sisters if you could have?”

Victor looked up at Blair and Jack before answering, “I think I would have.”

His son seemingly satisfied with that answer, Blair said, “We have to get going.  You said you wanted to meet Uncle Todd for lunch, right?”

“Yea!  We’re going to The Palace for lunch.  They make the best milk shakes!” Sam cried enthusiastically.

As they headed for the door, Victor called after Blair.  “Look, I think we four should all sit down to dinner one night.  I think we have a lot to talk about.”

Blair nodded.  “I also heard Viki mention something about a big family dinner she wants to have.  But I’ll talk to Todd about one for the four of us.”  With that, they left.

Through the Darkness, Chapter Twenty Six

CHAPTER 26

August, 2013

Blair could not believe what she was reading.  Could Dorian have known that Pellegrino was a fraud and set up Viki for a fall?  It seemed too over the top, even for Dorian.  She was ready to go to La Boualie and confront her aunt then and there.  But Todd’s words shocked her.  “We have more important things to deal with besides Dorian’s unending vendetta.”

Jack eyes widened at his father’s words.  “I thought you’d be the first in line to tear Dorian a new one.”

“And I would be,” Todd assured him, “if some mysterious organization wasn’t gunning for my family.”  He looked from Blair to Jack and back.  “But right now, all of our safety is my main concern.  The Banner is at least on some steady footing.  I think I will have a talk with Cord, though and see if I need to funnel money into if it gets destabilized again.”  He remembered very clearly how Viki had reminded him The Banner was also his legacy as well.  He had actually thought about giving her the monetary support at the time, but his unplanned stop at the hospital, courtesy of Victor, knocked it out of his mind.  “This stays between the three of us,” he added.

“I think we should at least tell Starr,” Blair responded.  She knew Starr was still the intuitive girl who wouldn’t let anything go until she figured it out.  Blair caught Todd’s look and he nodded in agreement.

A knock at the door sounded and in walked their daughter with Sam and a bed tray.  “Sam made a bowl of soup for you, Dad,” Starr called in.

Todd had been on the bed, his knee propped on a pillow and Starr gently put the tray on the bed.  Blair watched at Todd took a whiff of the food.  “Yum, smells great.  Thanks, Sam,” he said.

“It’s what Mom always gives me when I’m not feeling so good,” her son told his uncle.

Between mouthfuls of the soup, Todd caught up with his kids.  He inquired more about how they had been doing in his absence.  Then Todd turned to Jack.  “How in the world did Nick Jobek even get mixed up in all this?”

Jack smiled as he explained the trip to Chicago and meeting the cop.  He told him how the other man recognized Todd’s name immediately and confirmed it when he saw Todd’s picture.  “It was kind of weird.  Your past, before you came to Llanview, it’s never really talked about.”

“That’s because I don’t…I don’t like to remember it,” Todd said honestly.

“Why not?” Sam asked innocently.

Todd turned to the little boy.  “I didn’t have a very happy childhood.  I didn’t know I was adopted, that I had sisters or even a twin brother.  The man who raised me…he wasn’t very nice to me.”  Todd didn’t want to use Peter Manning as an excuse for his bad years, but at the same time, he also came to believe that Peter’s skewed views put Todd on the dark path he was on in his early twenties. 

“Do you think you’d have liked to have had a brother or sister to play with?” Sam asked him.  “I know I do, even if they older than me.”

Todd thought about that question.  He’d often wondered what his life would have been like had he (and Victor, to be honest) been raised in the house they were all now in.  Sure, Victor Lord at times made Peter Manning look like a saint, but he also felt that he may not have had many years with Victor anyway.  And Viki had kids his age, so he would have grown up with them, as well as with Viki’s love.  But he’d also have, in theory, grown up with Tina and Kevin and Joey.  Thinking it through, he came to see the tradeoff may have been worth it.  “Yeah, Sam, I think I would have liked to have had my brother and sisters around when I was your age.”

“Even Tina?” Blair asked, reading his mind.

Todd gave her a scowl, but chose not to answer her in any way verbal.  He then went back to Jack point.  “But I am glad to see Nick anyway.”

“And you have more time to catch up with him tomorrow,” Blair said, “when he comes to talk to you about the case.” 

Todd actually thought he might enjoy talking to a cop for once.

The family talked some more and then Sam ran off to find Bree.  Starr was about to leave when Blair stopped her.  “We need to talk about something and we can now that Sam’s not here.”

She could see Starr get nervous.  “What’s wrong?”

Todd pulled out the Pellegrino file and explained what it looked like to him.  Starr was just as shocked as the rest of them, but swore herself to silence about it.  She and Jack also left the bedroom, but passed Viki, who was look for Todd. 

Blair smiled as she saw Todd’s sister poke her head in.  “Is it okay to come and see you?”

“Your house, Viki.  I’m not stopping you,” Todd answered in his typical sardonic tone.

Viki, as usual, let it roll off her back.  “But your room and I do believe in the right of privacy,” she replied.  She looked at Blair and Blair detected the meaning of the look.  She excused herself and left the room.

Todd got the feeling he was in for a long talk.  “What’s up, sis?” he asked.

“I just wanted to come and check on you,” she answered.

“I’m fine, just happy to be home, in one piece, and see that everyone here still is, more or less,” Todd said.  “How’s everything going with The Banner?”

Viki’s eyebrows shot up.  “I’m surprised to hear your concern,” she said.

“Well, I know how worried you’ve been about it.  Has the situation changed since I’ve been gone?”

“No, but it’s not as dire as it was before.  Clint gave me the $5 million and I’ve decided to keep it.  But it’s merely a band-aid on a gunshot wound,” was her replied, patting his injured leg.  “I just wish I’d looked at Pellegrino more carefully.  It made a bad situation worse on all sides.”

Todd grimaced but she didn’t seem to notice.  “Well, look, if it gets any worse, let me know,” he told her.

“Oh, no, Todd.  I only took Clint’s money because it was already there.  I will not--” she began.

He pointed his finger at her.  “You’re the one who told me The Banner was my legacy as well.  If you need help, I want to know.”

She gave him a loving smile.  “Well, for now, the Buchanan money is helping.  And, the digital edition is alleviating some of the pressure on the print side.  Jeffrey King has been a wonder with the new technology.  I really feel so blessed to have his help.”  It was then that Viki noticed Todd’s look.  “You don’t like Jeffrey?”

“Well, the way you go on about how wonderful he is and how proud you are about him…I feel…feel like that was how you used to talk about me,” Todd said, playing up the puppy look that always seemed to turn her to mush.

Viki came over to the side of the bed and kiss the top of his head.  “Jeffrey is a wonderful addition to The Banner.  But he’s no replacement for my brothers, either of them.” 

“You ever wonder,” Todd began, “what life would have been like if you’d known about Irene’s kids?  If, in some way, we’d been raised here all along?”

A shadow fell across Viki’s face.  “What brought that up?” she asked.

“Something Sam asked me about, if I’d have wanted brothers and sisters when I was a kid,” Todd told her.  “It’s just something that’s always played in the back of my mind.”

“Well, if you had been raised here, you’d probably been better friends with Kevin,” Viki reminded him, then chuckled at his typical reaction to her son.  “But, at the same time, I don’t want to think of the damage Father would have done to you or Victor or Tina.”

Todd was still amazed at the strength Viki had always shown when confronted with their father’s crimes against her.  He knew how shattering it had been to her but, through it all, she still felt some obligation to rise above it and carry on those good aspects of the Lord legacy.

Without another word, she stood up again.  “Now, I have to get dinner on the table for everyone else.  I’ll check in on you later.”  She left the room and was a bit startled to see Jack in the hallway.  “Jack, I didn’t see you there.”

“Sorry to scare you, but I heard you mention Jeffrey King.  Where did you meet him?” her nephew asked.

“Well, he was the one who gave me the story on Dorian.  He also knew Dani and Matthew from when they were in school in London,” Viki answered.    

    

“So, that was the connection?  It just seems kind of weird that he just showed up with this story and handed it to you,” Jack said, his mind factoring in the new information.

Viki smiled at him the way she often smiled when Todd was getting worked up about something.  “My my, you are sounding more and more like your father.”

Jack smiled back.  “Thank you,” he said accepting the compliment as he went in to see his father.  He closed the door behind him.

“Hey, Jack, has anyone been checking in on The Sun?” Todd asked when he came in.

“We’ve all been a bit preoccupied,” Jack admitted, “but from what I saw before the last few days, Mom had everything under control over there.  I think Briggs was happy to have her back, even.”

Todd smiled at that.  “Briggs always did like your mother.  God knows she kept the paper going through a lot of my issues.”

“Dad,” Jack began as he saw the grin on his father’s face.  His train of thought forgotten momentarily, he asked, “Why are you looking at me that way?”

Todd shook his head.  “I just, I never thought I’d hear you call me that,” he answered. 

Jack didn’t know how to respond to that, but he continued with what he had been asking.  “You know anything about this Jeffrey King?”

Todd looked a Jack closely.  “Why do you ask that?”

He shrugged.  “I don’t know, it’s just sort of weird.  He hands her this big story and it’s saving the paper.  I mean, it’s not like The Banner is The Washington Post or anything.”

Todd smiled at Jack again, one bursting with pride.  “You know, if you were any other kid, I’d be worried about your paranoia,” Todd said to him.  “But, you’re a Manning.  We tend to err on the side of paranoia.  You want to look into this guy, be my guest.  I find something off about him myself.”

Jack returned the conspiratorial smile.

Through the Darkness, Chapter Twenty Five

CHAPTER 25

August, 2013

“You know, we don’t have to go in there and deal with any of them if we don’t want to,” Todd said, trying to be magnanimous.   But he knew it would work.  Blair turned to look at him and marched into the library.  All Todd could do was hold back the humungous smirk that was on his face as he followed her in.

Dorian turned at the sound of the opening doors.  When she saw Blair, she said, “Thank God your back.  Where have you been?  I’ve been worried sick!”

“Todd and Victor escaped their captors and in the process, Todd was shot at,” Blair explained, as calmly as possible.  “Victor got him to a hospital in Rochester and called us all.”

Dorian peeked around Blair and saw the man in question leaning on crutches.  “Lovely act you have going her, Todd, but the jig’s up.”

“Seriously, Dorian?  You think I’m faking all this?” Todd asked, not believe her himself.  He heard the echoes of his comments coming from around the room.  “You want to see the bullet hole in my leg?”  He was about ready to pull his pants down to show her.

“That won’t be necessary, Todd,” Blair replied for her aunt, “Because Dorian is leaving now.”  Then, as if remembering her manners, she turned to Viki.  “If that’s alright with you, of course.”

Viki walked up to Dorian.  “You have insulted my family, Dorian.  I think it’s best you leave.”

Dorian looked around the room, settling on Blair.  She gave her niece an appraising look then straightened her back and left, walking between Starr and Jack on her way out.

“After everything she’s pulled over all these years, I can’t believe she’s sunk that low,” Viki said in an astonished tone.

If she was going to say anything else, it was drown out by the children yelling from the kitchen.  Sam led the charge, followed by Bree, Ryder and Liam.  They must have heard the voices and came out to see what had happened.  But when Sam caught sight of Todd, he screamed the whole way into the library.  “Uncle Todd, you’re back!”  Todd turned to see Sam coming at him and all he wanted to do with pick his nephew up and hug him.  Sam saw the crutches and asked. “What happened?”

Todd maneuvered himself to a chair and when he was seated, Sam hopped on his lap.  “I hurt my leg while I was one my business trip.  That’s where Mom and Starr and Jack went, to come and bring me home.”  Then he smiled.  “Guess who else is home?”

“Who?” Sam asked.

“Your dad is home too,” Todd told him.  When Sam’s eyes brightened, Todd continued.  “Yep, he’s probably home with Tea now.  You want to go see him?” 

“Is he hurt too?”  Todd shook his head and Sam’s answered surprised him.  “Then I can see Dad tomorrow.  You need chicken soup.  It’s what Mom makes when I don’t feel good.”

That brought laughter from the family.  “Well, then, why don’t we go and make Uncle Todd some,” Starr said, leading her little brother into the kitchen.

Todd watched, contentedly, as they left.  Then, as he was about to stand up, he was attack from the back.  “You have no idea how worried I’ve been about you!” Tina cried as she wrapped her arms around his back.

Todd had a fairly good idea how worried she’d really been, but a look from Blair kept him from voicing his opinions.  “It’s good to see you too,” he responded diplomatically.  Then, he turned to her and said in a genuine tone, “And thanks for the defense with Dorian.”

“Oh, she was on the warpath.  She was banging on the door even before Viki came home, insisting I get Blair for her.  She didn’t believe that I didn’t actually know anything,” Tina told them.

He didn’t want to think too much about Dorian so he asked her, “Has Cord heard about how Clint is doing?”  Part of it was digging but he tried to sound like he was actually concerned.

He could tell Tina was surprised by the question, but she answered, “As it happens, Clint’s sort of…disappeared.”

“What?” Viki asked.  “What do you mean disappeared?”

Tina looked to Viki, saying, “Cord…Cord went to see if they’d allow him to see Clint this morning and when he got to St. Ann’s, they said he’d been moved.  I tell you, Cord was ready to tear the place apart to find him.  They didn’t even have copies of the paperwork saying here he went.  Natalie’s been at the station all day working with them to find him, but it’s a mystery.”

As if she heard her name being mentioned, Natalie walked into Llanfair with a guy just then.  “Mom, you got home…oh, hello Uncle Todd,” she said, her face going into a scowl.

Behind her, the other man raised his voice.  “Todd Manning, as I live and breathe.  Didn’t think I’d get the chance to see you before I had to head home.”

Todd narrowed his eyes, trying to place the face.  He knew he recognized the guy but it took him a minute to place it.  “Nicky Jobek?  What the hell are you doing here in Llanview?”

“I was investigating a call from a hotel and then I learned the victim was the bruiser who put fear into the offense of every Chicago area football team.  Who now, it seems, is a big time newspaper publisher?  What would that ass Peter Manning say now,” Jobek said, clasping Todd’s hand.

“I haven’t worried about him in a long time.  Too many other things to worry about,” Todd said suppressing the shutter that usually happened to him when he heard that name. 

“Well, now that your back, I can question you about your kidnapping for my report,” Jobek said to him.

Todd didn’t want to go into that right now, not with another piece of the puzzle that had become his life missing.  “Look, Nick, I’ve had a rough few days.  Can I talk to you about that tomorrow?  I just think I need to rest.”

He could tell that Blair knew he was stalling but she implored the cop, “Yes, look, we just came from his doctor here and he would like him to take it easy.”

Nick look from one to the other.  “Okay, tomorrow.  I think I can talk my supervisor into extending my stay another day or so,” Jobek answered.  He shook Todd’s hand again.  “But tomorrow, we’ll talk, catch up some.  Like old times.”  With that, he left.

When Todd turned around, he saw the looks he was getting from his family.  “What’s the problem?” he asked, at a loss of understanding.

It was Viki who spoke up.  “It’s been a very long time since I saw you with any male friends.”  Then she just smiled.

“I really am tired.  Look, I’m going to go up and rest.  Let me know when my chicken soup is ready,” he said.

“I’ll come up and help you get settled,” Blair said.

“Yeah, I’ll come up too,” Jack added.

When they all got upstairs, Todd and Blair headed to the room that Todd had when he was living in Llanfair, while Jack went to the room he was sharing with Sam.  He went to his bag and pulled out the files he had found in Dorian’s office.  Jack knew he shouldn’t have them and the damage they could do, if he was reading them correctly.  But he also saw how Dorian had set off his parents and aunts and he knew that they should know.  He looked through the pages again, making sure he was reading them right.  Then he went to his parent’s room.

They answered his knock much faster than he had expected, especially after how long it had taken his mother to help his father get dressed at the hospital.  “Come in,” Todd called.

Jack walked into the bedroom, the file behind his back.  “Can I talk to the two of you?”

He could see his parents’ expression morph to ones of concern, though Todd did a better job of covering it.  “Yeah, Jack.  What’s the matter?”

Jack took a deep breath and said, “When Mom told Starr and I to pack because we were leaving La Boulaie, I went to help Sam with his bag.  I also asked him if there were any toys he wanted to bring with him.  He told me one was in Dorian’s office so I went to get it.  I looking through the office and I found the toy, but I also found a file that, I don’t know…You know how Aunt Viki was worried about The Banner and then, she invested in that fund that was a Ponzi scheme?”

Blair looked to Todd and Todd’s eyes shifted from Blair back to Jack.  “Yes, the Pellegrino fund.  She was told it was a can’t miss deal.  Her investment banker even backed it.”

“Okay, well, I found something and it could get some people in a lot of trouble, even moreso than they already are, especially with this family,” Jack told him.  He handed the file to Todd.

Jack regretted his choice the minute Todd looked up from his reading.  He really didn’t want his father going on trial for murder again and that was the look Todd had on his face at that moment.  But what shocked Jack more was his mother’s look when he went through the file.  He couldn’t remember ever seeing that pissed off of a look on his mother’s face ever before.

Through the Darkness, Chapter Twenty Four

CHAPTER 24

August, 2013

Todd was so amped up to leave the hospital, he didn’t want to wait for a change of clothes Viki had promised to bring.  It took Blair a lot of sexy promises to finally calm him down and wait until he was properly clothed for him to stay put.  When Viki got there, Blair insisted on helping him get dressed alone, one of the promised Blair had used as a bargaining chip.  It had taken longer than normal for them to emerge from the room, to which they found looks ranging from amused (Starr) to appalled (Jack).

Once they were on the Buchanan jet, Viki said, “When we get back to Llanview, I think you ought to go straight to the hospital.  Larry will want to check you over and he may have the answers he was looking for in those labs Dani got.”

Unsurprising to Blair, Todd shook his head.  “Dani told me that Victor was being arraigned this afternoon.  I want to go to the courthouse and be there for it.”

“You want to make sure Nora does her job?” Jack asked, a little snider than he had intended.

Todd just smirked at his son.  “If you want to know, come along.”  Then he turned to Viki.  “Look, after that, I’ll check in with Larry, alright mother?”

Viki merely rolled her eyes.

The plane landed and a car waited to pick them up.  Viki agreed to come along to the courthouse, with Blair, Todd, Jack and Starr, but Dani backed out, saying she had to meet someone.  When Todd asked who it was, she gave a very vague answer and left.

“Okay, someone want to tell me who this person is?” Todd asked, having caught looks from both Blair and Jack.

“That can wait, Blair said as they made their way to the courthouse.  When they arrived they found the courtroom they were looking for and saw the proceeding had begun.

“Your Honor, the Commonwealth is charging Mr. Lord with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder,” Nora Buchanan began.

The judge looked to Victor.  “How do you plead, Mr. Lord?”

“Your Honor, may I speak?” Todd asked, hobbling on his crutches.  Nora and Tea both turned to see him, Tea with a surprised look, Nora with an annoyed one.

The judge looked at him.  “And who are you?”

“Todd Manning.  I’m the two attempted murders,” he answered.

“Well, this is an arraignment.  It’s highly unusual…”

“Trust me, you’ll want to hear what I have to say,” Todd said. 

Next to him, under her breath, Nora hissed “What the hell are you doing?”  Tea didn’t say anything, just stood there with her arms crossed.

The judged looked between the two lawyers.  “If there are no objections.”

“None from me,” Tea replied.  She sent a look to Nora, who just threw her hands up.

The judge nodded and Todd began to speak.  “Look, I think there’s been a big misunderstanding.  See, the attempted murder charges, they’re really nothing.”

“They aren’t?” The judge asked, as he narrowed his eyes.

“Yeah, see, my brother and I, well, we were horsing around and it got out of hand.  We tend to think we’re younger and sprier than we are.  All in good fun but he panicked and that was why he left without calling for help,” Todd explained in his most charming manner.

“Really?” came Nora sarcastic question.  When Todd nodded his head, Nora threw her head back and rolled her eyes before continuing, “What about all the information found on Tea’s computer about arsenic?  You were the one who accused him of poisoning you in the first place.”

“All a misunderstanding,” Todd said as he leveled a gaze at Victor.  His twin looked at him cautiously as Todd continued.  “He noticed a day or so before that I wasn’t looking so healthy and he knew I’d been fine before that.  He was concerned and he went looking up what could possibly make me so sick so quickly.  That was how those pages on arsenic poisoning came up on his web search.”  He moved over to the defense table.  “My brother and I were just kidnapped and while we were held together, we had a long talk.  It’s brought us closer together as brothers.  He explained it all to me then.”

Nora snorted loud enough to catch a reprimanding look from the judge.  He turned to Todd.  “While that is all well and good, there is still the murder charge.”

“He told me that was in self-defense,” Todd said to the judge.  “He’d escaped and was on the run and the guy was after him.”

The judge’s gaze fell to Victor.  Tea leaned over and whispered in his ear Victor nodded to whatever she had just said.  Then she stood up.  “You Honor, my client just informed me that he did indeed tell Mr. Manning that.”

“I take it then that will be your plea?  Not guilty by reason of self-defense?” 

Todd moved to the gallery and watched the rest of the hearing.  Blair leaned over towards him and asked him, “Did Victor really tell you that?”  Todd nodded.  “And the horsing around and concerned brother?”  With those questions came an arched eyebrow.

“You said I owed him, I just repaid the debt,” Todd said.

“So, the plea is entered.  Having reviewed some of Mr. Lord’s records, I am also going to order a psychiatric evaluation be done on him.  It is claimed that he has undergone a trauma this past year or so.  I would like the workup to be done before trial begins.  And I am putting bail at $1 million dollars. Court is adjourned.”

When the judge exited, Nora turned to Victor then to Todd.  “You’re playing a game.   I know it.  I’m just trying to figure out what it is and why.”

“No game, Madame Prosecutor.  He did confess it was self-defense,” Todd confirmed.

“Yeah, he’ll lie and you’ll swear to it.  Why, I don’t know,” Nora huffed.  Without another word to anyone, she walked out of the courtroom.

Tea turned to Todd as well.  “I’d like to know why myself,” she said.

Todd looked to Blair and then to Victor.  “He pulled me out of there, even after I told him to get himself out.  Consider this a partial repayment.  Because the other part is going to Viki.”

His sister’s eyes went wide.  “Why to me?”

“Have we heard anything about Clint?” Todd asked, seemingly going off on a tangent.

The family looked around than to Viki.  She shook her head.  “I haven’t spoken to Cord or Tina in the last few days and quite frankly, my main concern has been on my brothers, not my ex-husband.”

Victor looked to Todd and Todd saw realization dawning in his brother’s face.  “Well, it does help, I guess, that the judge ordered an evaluation, then.”

“Wait,” Jack asked trying to understand.  “You want Victor to see what’s up with Clint at St. Ann’s?”

“Tea told me what about the drug theory with you.  And if no one has gotten to see Clint…” Victor began.

“It’s a good idea if someone went in to find out,” Todd concluded.

Starr looked between her father and her uncle.  “They’re starting to sound like twins,” she observed.

Tea looked to Todd, then to Victor.  “Well, I have to go post bail for you.  Then, I want to get home.  It’s been a long couple of days.”

Blair turned to Tea.  “Yeah, you…we all need to get some rest.  And I know Larry Wolek wants to see you.”  And so the family split up.  Tea and Victor headed to their house, Viki called Jessica to come and pick her up and Todd, Blair and their kids drove to the hospital.  They walked in and found Larry.

“Todd, it’s good to see you,” he said.

“Yeah, uh, good to see you.  You have any information for me?” Todd asked.

Larry nodded to the family and they made their way into his office.  He sat behind his desk and looked to Starr.  “I remember years ago, Viki told me how good you were in the sciences.  I can see that is still true.”

“She was right?” Jack questioned, though his voice was not sounding too surprised.

Larry nodded.  “The traces weren’t in as high a concentration as I found in Clint, but they were there.  You were being drugged Todd, but by whom?”

“What was the name of the doctor who was your expert witness?” Blair asked.  She had rolled her eyes when Todd’s attorney had called the man to the stand during the trial and had written off most of the testimony at the time as bullshit.  As such, she struggled to remember even the little details.

“His name was Dr. Weatherly, Bernard Weatherly.  My lawyer recommended him, said he’d testified for him before,” Todd answered.

Larry took the name down.  “I’m going to look into him. See if there’s a connection between him and the drugs we found in Clint’s office.”

Todd stood up.  “Is there anything else you need to know?”

“Yes, do you have the records from this latest hospitalization?  I want to see if there’s any more of the drug present in your system.”

Blair pulled out the records but Todd scoffed at the idea.  “I can tell you, my head’s been on right for a while now.  I think even Blair will agree, I haven’t done anything crazy since I’ve been back in town.”

“Depends on how you define crazy,” she said.  “You did just absolve your brother of attempted murder in court.”

Todd chose not to respond.  “If there’s nothing else, I’d like to get home.”

Larry paged through the notes as he said, “If I find anything, I’ll let you know.  Also, I want to check that leg in a day or so.”  But he let the Mannings leave after that.

Todd got into the car.  “Well, at least that’s over,” he said.  “Now, we have to deal with the rest of my family.”

“Hey,” Jack said, “it could be worse.  You may have had to deal with Dorian.”

Todd thought about it and admitted his son was right.  But even so, as the car pulled up to Llanfair, he wasn’t ready to see his annoying sister.  As he walked into foyer, he heard Tina’s voice coming from the library.  He let out a sigh and braced himself when he heard her say, “Face it, Dorian, you’re never going to break them up.  I came to realize that, so suck it up and deal.”

“Your brother is a sociopathic…maniac and Blair needs to realize that.  And I am here to see she does.  Now, tell me when she will be back,” Dorian shouted back.

That was met with a typical “Oh, Dorian!” from Viki and Todd had to smile.  He knew he’d enjoy his sisters teaming up against the head harpy, especially when he saw Blair looking ready to blow her top.  

Through the Darkness, Chapter Twenty Three

CHAPTER 23

August, 2013

The doctors insisted on keeping Todd overnight for observation.  He wanted to just go home and be with the family he had missed.  But Blair overruled him and he reluctantly agreed.  When Todd had been moved to a regular room, Viki and the kids were able to see him.

He could tell his sister was relieved to see he was alright by her tone of voice.  “The next time you have to leave town, please, please give me a reason why.  You do know how many people were unaware they were even in danger?”

“That was why I had to leave town, Viki,” he said.  “To not put any of you up as targets…not even Natalie.

“But you could have warned us,” she replied.  She didn’t want to lecture him but that was what it was turning into and Todd seemed to be reveling in it.  “You’re enjoying this a bit, aren’t you?”

“Well, I know you’d only lecture me because you loved me, so, yeah, I guess.”

Viki bestowed a long-suffering, but genial, smile on him.  “What am I going to do with you?”  She kissed the top of his head.  “I love you and I am so happy you’re well and safe.”

“Well, yes.  Safe, I’m not so sure of that,” he said.  Then he turned to Blair.  “You haven’t told me why Dani had to get my medical records from Port Charles.”

Blair’s gaze drifted between Dani and Starr and she allowed her daughter to explain.  “I was told that when Clint was admitted to Llanview Hospital, after he had that breakdown at the dinner…” she began.

“Which I missed,” Todd grumbled.  “What was The Sun’s headline for it?  Probably not as good as something I’d have come up with.”  He shifted his eyes to Viki and was bestowed with an eye roll.

“After the breakdown,” Starr repeated, drawing the attention back to her, “they ran tests and found out he hadn’t had his heart medication for a while.  Dr. Wolek checked the pills and found that they weren’t his prescription for his heart, but some unknown substance that affected his mind.  When Larry listed the strange changes in personality, it reminded me of some of your strange behavior when we were in Port Charles.”

“Strange?  Like what?” Todd asked.

“You faked a heart attack and then wrapped yourself in duct tape,” she reminded him.  “Then there was the bizarre testimony you gave at your trial.  I’d have thought you were going for an insanity defense.”  She sat on the bed and took his hand.  “I know you’re a little off the wall, but you’re usually more cunning about it.  But you were ping ponging back and forth, optimistic about Mom coming back to you, proclaiming your love to someone who you barely knew, depressed about losing your family.  And that’s not you.  You keep everything in and by the end of our stay…you’d become a complete stranger to me.”  She laid her head against his chest and he wrapped his arm around her.  After a minute, she sat up again.

“I’m sorry…I’m sorry if I scared you, Shorty.  I just felt like I’d lost everything for a time there and I…I didn’t know how to cope,” he told her.

“But what made you think that?” Jack asked.  “Starr thinks that you may have been given the same drugs they used on Clint.  She thinks that may explain all your odd behavior.”

“Okay, Jack, why don’t we table this until tomorrow.  Your dad’s recovering from surgery and the doctors told him to rest,” Blair said.

“Yes, I think that’s a good idea,” Viki agreed.  “Why don’t we see about getting a hotel room for the night and we’ll come back tomorrow, see if they’re releasing you.”

“Oh, they’re releasing me, alright,” he muttered.  Jack and Starr each went up and said good night to him. 

Dani hung back and when she said her goodbyes, it was an awkward, “I’m glad you and Victor are both alright.”  Todd didn’t really respond to that.

Viki turned to Blair.  “Are you coming with us?” she asked.

“I spoke to the hospital and they’re letting me stay the night.  I don’t want to let him out of my sight,” she said and Viki accepted that, wishing them both a good night.

“You wanna jump my bones?” he asked, a goofy smile on his face.

Blair let out a deep sigh.  “More than you know,” she answered. “but it’ll have to wait.”  He face became concerned.  “Why did you say it may get worse?”

Todd inhaled and said, “It was too easy.”

“What was?”

“Our escape.  Too easy.  Two guards who didn’t seem good enough to be mall cops, by the jump we got on them, no one patrolling the outsides, hell even shooting me.  They had a clear shot to get me in the back, in the head…and I limped away with a bullet in the leg,” Todd listed.  “Allison was there, along with her partner.  I tried to at least catch a glimpse of him, but Victor pulled me into a closet.”

“Allison’s the one who got her hands on Clint at the hospital.  Natalie insisted on see him and when she did, Allison Perkins was there,” Blair told him.

“Is Natalie alright?”

Blair nodded.  “Yes, but she was injected with something that made her forget or gave her a false memory.  Jack had a talk with her and with Matthew and their stories were inconsistent from that night.”

“And our son put the pieces together?”  Todd asked, pride in his voice for his son’s sleuthing.  Blair smiled at him, showing the same pride Todd displayed.  “They think that they can find this drug in my labs from the hospital.”

“Yes, Larry asked to see them,” Blair said.

“It’s not an excuse for all that I did…” Todd told her.

“No, but it could be at least a partial explanation.  Were you taking any pills at the time?” she asked him.

“After I came back to Llanview, with Tea and the baby, I went to see the quack who testified at my trial.  I told him how I was when Tea was in labor.  He gave me a prescription for the PTSD.  I took the pills infrequently,” he admitted.

“But are you sure that was what they were there for?  Clint thought he was taking his anti-rejection meds,” Blair replied.

“I…I don’t want to think about that now,” he told her.  “I just want to brainstorm…where are we going to go to be together, with the kids, because I am not staying at La Boulaie with the head witch?”

“Oh, well, that, you do not have to worry about,” she said, supremely satisfied.  “The bad news is, the whole family pretty much knows that we’re married again.”

“I kind of figured that.  No secret it safe in Llanview.”

“The good news is, Dorian blew a gasket when I told her that and the fact that I was moving the kids into Llanfair, at least temporarily.”

Todd blinked.  “We’re staying in Llanfair?”  He threw his head back against the pillow, in reluctant acceptance.  “Well, at least I know Tina’s halfway around the world, so I won’t have to deal with her.”  He waited to hear Blair confirm that and as the silence grew longer he looked at her again.  “Tina is still in London, right?”

She let out a sigh.  “Todd, her father-in-law’s been hospitalized and her husband’s looking after the company while Clint’s…”

Todd grunted something unintelligible.  “Who else is camped out in the house?  Please tell me not Kevin.”

Blair shook her head.  “Brody’s been discharged from the Navy and he and Jessica are back together with the kids.  They came back with Cord and Tina.”

“Jack mentioned that she rechecked her son’s DNA.  I know how relieved she was about finding out Clint was her father.  I’m happy she found out the truth about her son,” Todd said.

“Brody’s been helping with the investigation.  He went to Chicago with Bo and Jack after they figured out where you had been taken from,” she explained to him.  “The whole family has been, really.  Well, all of your family.”  She took his hand, still shocked that they were back together.  “You’re still worried.”

“And I’m not going to stop until this is all over,” Todd said.  “Victor still must have the target on his head and they probably still want me to do it.”  He looked around.  “Where is my evil twin anyway?”

“Bo took him back to Llanview with Tea and Matthew.  He still has a murder charge and two attempted murder charges on him,” Blair answered.

“I’ll fix those, I think,” Todd said.  “I owe him that much, at least.”

Blair arched an eyebrow at that comment.  “Should I be worried?”         

“I think the thing we need to be worried about most is him.  I think he’s the one we should have had our eye on from the beginning,” Todd admitted.  She narrowed her eyes, a look that urged him to continue.  “Think about it.  I was in the clutches of some rogue organization for eight years.  I never had a moment that I gave in.  I was tortured all that time, but I had something that saved me.”  He took her hand and kissed her fingers.  “I had you and Starr and Jack.  Victor, he’s gone for a year.  He’s got a tattoo he doesn’t want to talk about.  He doesn’t want to open up to anyone, even Delgado.  He took an, okay, maybe not so innocent comment from me and nearly strangled me.  Then he remembers that I didn’t shoot him but can’t remember who pulled the trigger.  Go back even further.  He was shot even before I got back to town.  His death was faked.  He is still wanted dead.  Why?  What is so important about him that he’s been marked for elimination?”

Todd could tell Blair was processes what Todd was saying.  “When you say not so innocent, what do you mean?”  Todd got that typical squirrelly look about him.  “Todd!”

“I bitched him out for running out on the kids.  He said he had to, but he wouldn’t give any details.  I told him he was worthless and I should have killed him.  When I showed him the door, he turned around and, well, that was how Jack found me,” Todd answered.  “I thought we’d come to some understanding for the kids and he wasn’t going to hold up his end of the bargain.”

She gave him a disapproving look that would have done Viki proud.  “And now?”

“What do you mean by that?” Todd asked, even though he knew what the answer would be.

“He saved you.  He risked his life to bring you back to me,” Blair said. 

“Well, he knew what you’d do to him if he came back alone,” he pointed out.  “I guess I owe him my thanks.  Don’t worry.  I’ll repay it.”  Todd scooted over and patted the side of the bed.  “Think you can at least join me up here?” he asked her.

She smiled at him and climbed up next to him.  Wrapping her arms around his neck she smiled contentedly.  “I have to tell you, I’ve been dreaming of us, together.”

“And what is it like in those dreams?” he asked her slyly.

“I’d tell you, but I’d much rather show you,” she replied.  “When you’re all better…”

“And why can’t you now?”

“Well, you’re hooked up to all these monitors.  I wouldn’t want us to be disturbed.”

“Hence why I wanted to be released today.”

“You’ll just have to be patient.  But I promise you, it’ll be worth the wait.”  With that, she turned to him and kissed him, losing her in the moment.