The Last 24 Hours Ch. 14

Taking my hands from her face I sat back and watched her for a moment. As her head fell to her chest with her sobs I asked, "Are you telling me that you don't love me?"

She shook her head and whispered, "No."

"Are you telling me that you no longer want to be with me and want me to go away forever and leave you alone?"

Her head snapped up at that and with a fierce determination she exclaimed, "Never!"

"Then come here and make me believe that." I took her into my outstretched arms as I stood; she stiffened and tried to pull away. I held her as tightly as I dared. I whispered to her "All I've heard today is thatnothing between Lisa and me wasever real. It was all scripted, an act put on by that son of a bitch, Dunne.You...and you alone were the wild card, the one thing that I wouldn't give up and he couldn't control and the only real thing in my life these last fifteen years. Now he is going to jail and we are free. I love you. Don't you know that yet?" I raised my head, looked at the ceiling and began to cry, "How do I make you believe me? Tell me what to say or do. I'll do it, I'll say it." I dropped my head to her shoulder and sobbed for my loss.

Slowly her arms came up and caressed my sides. She began to murmur to me trying to calm me. "You said you love me!" she whispered to me.

I choked out a sob and cleared my throat. Then I said, "I've told you that several times tonight, if you had been paying attention, you horny little minx you. And I'll have you know I've meant itevery time I've said it to you." I put every ounce of feeling I had for Beth into that one simple statement. I held her tightly as we cried on each other's shoulder. I turned us and sat us both on the edge of the bed.

"Listen to me: Listen towhat I'm saying notwhat you think I mean this time. This is very simple: no interpretations are necessary, okay?" At her nod I continued, "I haveno feelings for Lisa except pity and anger. Nothing more. Nada. Zilch. Zip. I haveonly love for you. The twins are a dead issue at the moment bytheir choice. If at some time they decide they want me to be their father again I will do my best to be there for them. That will only happen if they change their minds.They areNOT more important to me thanyou are! You andonly youare the most important person in my life. I plan to marry you just as soon as it is legal for me to do so. I want you to plan this wedding however you want it, big, small, church, courthouse, priest, pastor, or justice of the peace. I don't care as long as you and Iare married.

"In the last few days we have come so far. Please don't leave me. It would kill me for you to leave me." I looked into her eyes as I spoke hoping she would see the truth of my words. I was scared to death she would not believe me; that she would walk out of that small room and out of my life.

Instead she wound her arms around my neck and stopped time for me again. As we kissed I could feel her love for me flowing around us like a cocoon with us safe and warm inside. We were still locked in our embrace when there was a discreet tap on the door.

Asa's voice came through the door. "I apologize for disturbing you Sensei, but Melisande has received a phone call with some urgent news. She won't say what it is until you are present. Also Mr. Taylor has returned and is worried about his sister."

Beth answered, "We'll be out in a moment, Asa. Thank you."

Asa replied, "You are most welcome, Miss."

I looked into her eyes and whispered, "So, will you still marry me?"

Beth smiled at me and asked, "Do you still love this idiot?"

I swatted her on the right ass cheek and said, "I loveyou, and you are no idiot! I don't ever want to hear you demean yourself again. No one is allowed to do that including you! Got it?"

Her smile once more outshone the sun in its intensity. She nodded and said, "Let's go see what all the hubbub is about. Josh can get excitable where I'm concerned."

We made our way back into the room and Mel looked up at us over a plate laden with hash browns, eggs and fresh bacon and asked, "Everything okay with you two?" Beth's smiling nod was all the answer she needed. "Good. Now we've got some new news that is going to affect the two of you: First off, Dunne apparently committed suicide in his cell this morning after speaking to his attorney and learning that we were granting deals to Lisa and Heather and hearing the list of evidence we had compiled. Dunne, Johnson, and Jacquie are the big fish here. As a result of his death the case against the other two becomes both easier and harder. We've got Jacquie and Johnson cold. Their cases are nearly slam-dunk. However they are going to play the 'just following orders' routine to the hilt."

Josh piped up, "Why exactly isHeather getting a deal?" His anger and outrage was palpable.

Mel looked at him for a moment and said in a shuddering voice, "Because she not only gave up all marital assets to you except the wedding gifts from her grandma, she also provided video surveillance tapes and communications between Jacquie and her father that prove Lisa's abuse and her own, as well as a list of the other victims and a list of those who werenot participants." she laid a folded document on the table with the words 'Divorce Decree' visible. "Further, she has instructed her lawyer to plead guilty to whatever charges I level against her. Last night she walked the stuff into my office, laid it on my desk, told me what it was and walked out. She neverasked for a deal. I'mgiving her one because the assistant I have reviewing the tapes says that she was abused even more so than Lisa was. You may remember several long stays with her half-sister? Jacquie is a sexual sadist and spent hours at a time torturing her. My assistant lost his lunch twice and we aren't through half of the tapes yet. I have her in custody under suicide watch as we speak." The horror reflected in her eyes kept any of us from asking for more details. Josh picked up the document and began to read it. After finishing it he signed it and handed it back to Granger.

She turned back to Beth and me, "Now as for you two. The attempt on Lisa's life gets her into witness protection. Evidence says the hit onher is pre-paid. We want her well hidden until the trials start. That's a year, minimum. She will be taken by the marshals and relocated later today. The girls will go with her. There will be no contact with her or the girls for the next year. The terms of her deal also say they areall going to be getting therapy during that year; it's already arranged. The benefit to you is that the required waiting period for marriage that you mentioned is immediately waived due to her entrance into the program. You can get married later today if you want to."

Beth began to hug and bounce against me in her excitement. Mel continued, "We believe the threat to Ms. Taylor's life is over. The death of that scumbag will be on the noon news so anyone looking to get paid by him will know the well is dry. It's already on the radio." She sighed and sat back, closing her eyes for a moment.

I looked around the table and saw nothing but happy faces save one. I asked Mel, "Okay, that ought to about cover it but who is Mr. Suit there?"

The man glared at me and said in a nasally voice, "I am Richard Forsten with the U.S. Department of Justice."

His snippy attitude pushed all of my sarcasm buttons. Mel interrupted my witty attack by getting there first. "You'll have to forgive Mr.Dick. He just found out that the high-profile case he was planning tosteal from me gets to stay in my capable hands. As you might imagine he's being a little pissy about it."

Forsten jerked like he'd been slapped. "I don't have to take this shit!" He spun and we watched him go though the door into the summer heat. As the door closed behind him everyone broke into laughter.

After we had all had a good laugh I looked at Granger and asked, "Okay, now what exactly did he want and how did it fall apart on him?"

Granger wiped a tear from her eye and said, "Forsten was all set up to take these cases and consolidate them into a RICO case against Dunne, using his pet U.S. Attorney as prosecutor. On the way here he was busy telling me how he was planning to void any deals I had already made in order to make his headline case a winner regardless of the quote 'petty legalities involved' in doing so. He was also planning to put you and Ms. Taylor under protective custody -- read 'house arrest'-- and keep you separated for the duration so he could 'build his case'. Never mind the fact that the case was already airtight and bulletproof. However, to make the RICO stick he had to have Dunne alive and kicking. He can't charge the others and make it stick because they weren't giving the orders or doing the planning. Everything we have says that Dunne was the mastermind.

"As it is, Dunne's death doesn't affect my conspiracy, fraud, arson, or attempted murder charges against the others at all and I don't have to release any of the evidence to Forsten. Oh, by the way; I have one of my people on the way to view Dunne's body and to take prints and make sure it really is him." Granger looked inordinately pleased with herself. "We have also been able to tie the money paid to the captured arsonists back to an account administered by Jacquie. Her lawyer is screaming for a deal that's not going to come." She smiled at us and said, "I hope you two can get on with your lives and be happy soon."

She sighed and stood up, "With the money dried up and Dunne dead the threat to you should be over. As soon as you feel comfortable with it you can come back to town and your lives. I would still keep security tight for the next week or so till word got out to all and sundry that Dunne and his money train are gone. I need to be getting back to the office and then I'm going home and get some much needed sleep."

After saying our goodbyes Mel and the pilot left and we listened to the turbine on the helicopter wind up and move into the distance. Bill went and got his 'sniffer' and removed two bugs that he had seen the inept federal agent place before we sat down to discuss what was going to happen now.

Rudy started, "With Dunne dead -- we'll wait for Granger to confirm that by the way -- the threat to you two is gone. I would still advise taking a week or two and decompressing from this. You've both been under a lot of stress this last year and I think that a vacation would do you both some good. With Dunne dead I don't see any reason you and Beth shouldn't be able to go to the islands now if you wanted. I'll confirm that with Granger also." He looked especially pleased with himself.

Josh spoke up. "My deal with Fred Phillips is up in the air. They are going to be under a lot of scrutiny after having a partner involved in this mess." He held up a hand to silence me. "I'm still going to go to work for him but it may not be as immediate as we had hoped. There will be several investigations going on and taking me on right now will cause them even more problems. I'll talk to him and see what he thinks and we will go from there.

"Alex, if you want I can get the construction team started on Beth's new house while you are away. Your office should know who you were planning to use to do the construction right?"

At my nod he continued, "Oh and Beth: Maddi called me last night. She was worried sick when she couldn't get hold of you this past weekend. She heard about the fire at Alex's place and was in a panic. I told her you were fine and she was very happy when I told her you were off on a vacation with Alex. She said to tell you 'You go, girl!' She wants you to call her sometime soon and give her all the dirt. I thought you'd like to give her your good news yourself."

With that he stood and said, "I've got enough clothes for both of you in the back of the Jeep to hold you for the next week or so, but I figure you will want to do some of your own shopping. You, Alex, will have to replace everything. I am sorry about that."

I looked at him and said, "The only thing I can't replace is sitting in my lap. She's the only thing I care about. The gifts she gave me are still here with us and everything else she ever gave me except clothes is safe in a storage facility. I didn't lose anything of great importance." I hugged Beth tightly from behind, my hands resting on her firm tummy. She all but purred at my caress.

Turning to Asa, Josh asked, "Could one of you lovely ladies give me a ride back to Torrington? I need to get busy on this, and I think my sister wants to start her vacation." He smiled and waved as he and Yuki headed toward the Prius that had been added to the collection of vehicles in the parking area.

"Josh?" I called out to him. "What's the status with Body Dreams? When is the meeting?"

Josh turned and said, "I forgot to tell you: Barsdale put off their meeting until this afternoon. I got in touch with Joyce and she drew up the partnership agreement and the loan documents under my own letterhead, as a favor to me. She also told me that she is moving to Torrington this week and looking for work here. She also asked me to recommend a good lawyer to sue our old firm for sexual harassment. Friday she got the senior partner on tape telling her that she had missed three promotions and several merit raises because she refused to sleep with him." He smirked.

"I told her to call Fred and have his firm represent her. They are good people and I told Fred he should also offer her a job. I gave him the lowdown on what I knew. I've also agreed to testify for her at the trial. That smug prick, Winslow, has told me several times that he had blocked her promotion because she wouldn't spread her legs for him. I've tried to get her to file several times but she was afraid for some reason. She doesn't know it -- and I want it to stay that way Beth -- but her last pay raise came out ofmypocket. I had my last two bonuses set aside to pay her the salary increase she deserved."

Beth and I were both astonished. He continued, "Anyway, we have a meeting with Barsdale's boss and a man named Brent Davis at two and with Barsdale at three. You are welcome to come if you like; Joyce has already moved up here and agreed to drop off the documents at Body Dreams for Betty to look over. While she's there she is going to type up the statements of the witnesses in deposition form so we can hit his boss with them instead of having to wait and take a lot of extra time."

I looked at Rudy. "Do you think it will be safe to go?"

He thought for a moment. "The only people who know you intend to buy into this place are you, the owners, and this Joyce?" We nodded. "Then I don't see any reason you can't go. Asa and Bill will go with you to make sure you're safe but I really think the danger is past."

I looked at Josh. "Do we have time to get ready? Or do you need to leave now?"

Josh checked his watch and said, "If you're quick. I need to get changed and showered once we get back to town. I have some clothes at Beth's apartment I can change into instead of going back to Covington and then coming back up for the meeting. It's ten now. Figure an hour to get back, change, then have lunch and meet with Betty and George before the meeting with Mr. Davis at two. Well be pushing it but we have to go now."

Bill leaned into whisper in Beth's ear "He's never seen Yuki or Asa drive. We'll be back in Torrington in half an hour or less." Beth and I both looked a little frightened at that prospect. Bill just chuckled.

Beth and I quickly unloaded the new clothing from the Commander and changed into new outfits. She looked glorious in a powder-blue silk summer dress and sandals with a two-inch heel. I changed into a pair of khaki pants and a powder blue shirt that matched Beth's dress perfectly. Within fifteen minutes we were on our way back to town

~~~~~

The ride back to town was uneventful if you take into account that Asa thought that the seventy-mile-an-hour speed limit was obviously just a suggestion. We arrived at Beth's apartment twenty-three minutes after departure and it's the first time I've ever felt carsick in my life.

Yuki and Asa quickly confirmed that Beth's apartment was safe and free of traps --we were still being cautious after all-- and then began to check over her car. Josh went in and quickly showered and changed into a nice silk Armani suit. When he emerged I raised an eyebrow at him; he didn't usually go for the flashy expensive stuff. Stylish yes, but not flashy.

"It's all I had here. I left it here after the last fund-raiser we attended." He sighed, "Besides it won't hurt that I'm dressed very expensively when we meet with Mr. Davis at two. It will have him thinking that it will cost a lot more to fight us than to settle if he's a prick like Barsdale."

I could see the wisdom of this even if I didn't like to play that kind of game myself. I made a suggestion "Why don't we head over to Body Dreams? We can have our meeting with Betty and George and then eat at the Toulon before we have to meet Davis. The bank is right around the corner and we can walk it in no time."

With nods all around, we all laughed as Bill took the keys to the Lexus from Asa. Beth and I rode in the back seat of her Lexus with Josh riding shotgun as Bill drove. Paulee, Rudy, Yuki, and Asa followed closely in the Jeep. We pulled up and at a signal from the Jeep we stopped in front of the entrance to the mall. Bill stayed in the Lexus and Paulee came up and took Yuki's keys. "Bill and I will watch the cars. You guys go take care of your business and we will be waiting here to go to lunch when you're done." We turned and headed into the mall.

~~~~~

Bobby saw us approaching and waved us on into the office saying, "Betty, George, and a legal assistant are waiting for you. Good Luck!"

Asa held the door and let Yuki, Rudy, Josh, Beth, and me enter the office. Asa posted herself at the door and the rest of us moved to the conference table set near the windowed side of the office. Betty was sitting at one end of the table with George to her right. Joyce sat to their left. They all stood and faced us.

I said, "Betty and George Wilcox, I'd like you to meet Rudy Dantzinger, my head of security; Yuki and Asa Atsuhata, two of my guards, and Beth's brother, Josh. He will be representing us when we go after the bank if you become my partners."

Betty spoke up, "We've looked over the documents that your assistant dropped off, Mr. Taylor. I see no problem in signing them and making this a done deal." Having said that she and George took turns signing the documents and having Rudy and Yuki act as witnesses. Joyce notarized the documents and I wrote out a check for the total amount of the outstanding loans. The payee was left blank as I had no idea how Mr. Davis would want it filled out. I took a moment and filled out another check but held on to it.

I handed Joyce the blank check and she put it into the folder with the witness statements and partnership agreement paperwork. I then leaned over and hugged her. "It's good to see you again, Joyce. You're looking well. I hear you've moved to town?"

When I first brushed her cheek with mine she gave a small start and darted a worried look at Beth. Beth just smiled at her and Joyce relaxed taking it for no more than the greeting it had been intended to be.

She nodded and said, "Yes. I've rented a small place not far from Beth's complex, actually. I have some savings but I need to find a new position quickly." She handed Beth a slip of paper with her new address and phone numbers on it. "I was planning to start later today but this came up so I'll start looking tomorrow."