Chapters 10 & 11
Chapter 10: It's A Doll's House At the firehouse, Dominique brushes aside a stack of papers and looks for the phone. "God Ian. You're more of a slob than I am." She sighs. She hits the speed dial and waits for it to pick up. "Chester? It's me Dominique."
"Dominique? It's good to hear from you." Chester Willis' quiet voice is pleasantly surprised.
Dominique leans back in her chair and pictures the man on the other end of the line. Short, stocky with an open face and sweaty palms, Chester was a member of one of the "Think-Tanks" Dom had become a member of. "I need a favor, Chester."
"Sure thing Dominique."
"Can you get me the notes from Dr. Broward's lecture this afternoon? I won't be able to attend."
"Sure. Are you ill?" Chester asks, his concern for the young woman carrying through the phone lines.
"No. Just extremely busy today." Dom sighs thinking of the ton of work that needs to be done.
"I can drop them by later this afternoon, right after the lecture if you like," Chester offers good-naturedly. "I know how it is when you wish there were 25 hours in a day."
"You mean there aren't?" Dom laughs. "I appreciate you going out of your way Chester, you're the best! See ya' later." Upon hanging the phone up, Dom decides to put her nose to the grindstone. And begins to sort through yesterday's mail separating it into pile for personal mail and a pile for Rubber Ducky. That done she decides to get the morning's mail.
"How goes it in the tower, fair maiden?" Ian barely looks up from the table where parts of her old security system are scattered.
"Better to avoid the surly dragons." Dominique shoots back tartly. "Make sure to clean up after yourself. Uncle Mac assured me you were housebroken." She opens the front door and reaches into the mail slot and pulls out several envelopes. Then, noticing a package wrapped in brown wrapping, Dom takes a huge step back. "Uh, Ian." She hisses.
"What?" Hearing the note of fear in her voice Ian is at the door in a matter of seconds. He follows her eyes to the package. "Okay. So I take it you weren't expecting anything?"
"No, and the U.P.S driver would have rung the doorbell so I could sign for it." Dom takes another step back. "What now?"
"Good question." Ian slowly picks up the package and holds it to his ear. "It's not ticking."
"Very good, Sherlock." Dom snaps nervously.
"Look, go into the other room and if it goes "KA-BOOM" then it was a bomb. If not, you can come back in." Ian sets it slowly down on the table and after looking at it carefully, slits open the sides of the wrapping. He lifts the lid from the cardboard box and gasps. "Holy Mother of. . . "
"What?! What is it?" Dom peers over his shoulder and feels sick to her stomach.
Later that day at Lucky's. "Think you've got the hang of it now?" Lucky asks Rick, after they'd spent a few hours going over the bar and how to tend it. "Most people come in here and want a beer, or a few of the simple basics that I just taught ya'. Nothing you can't figure out. And if it's just too complicated, just make it up, and put an umbrella in it."
"Very funny." Rick mutters. "How did I let you talk me into this?"
"My devastating wit and charm?" Lucky grins. "Hey, don't sweat it. You're a natural. Besides." Lucky lights his cigar. "You'll make the rest of my staff look good." Looking up he sees Stefan and Laura enter and take their usual corner table. Feeling Rick freeze, Lucky nudges him with his elbow. "Don't lose your cool. They don't know you yet. I promised a week, you've got a week."
"I haven't lost anything yet." Rick replies reaching for a rag to wipe the bar down.
"Is that a new bartender Lucky's talking to?" Laura asks as Stefan and she take their seats.
"Now that you mention it, I think so." Stefan answers after glancing briefly in Rick's direction.
"Look, Lu's here too!" Laura exclaims happily.
"Hey big brother." Lu calls slinging her purse over a bar stool.
"What's up Lu?" Lucky smiles.
"Nothing much." Noticing the stranger behind the bar in a Lucky's T-shirt, Lu turns one of her devastating smiles in his direction. "Hi. I'm Lu Spencer. Sister to your evil ogre employer."
"Hi. I'm Rick." Richard extends his hand. "A pleasure to meet you."
"Rick is new in town and planning to stay for awhile." Lucky tells Lu. "Can you help him find a place to live?"
"Oh sure. I know about a hundred great listings in the area." Lu slips a business card out of her purse. "I'm busy today, but if you give me a call tomorrow, I'm sure we can find something to your liking."
Lucky squeezes her hand. "That's my sister the real estate goddess. So what ya' got cookin' today?"
"Dylan and I are spending the whole day together." Explaining to Rick she adds. "Dylan is my husband."
"I see." Rick nods.
"Sounds like fun. So how is what's- his- name?" Lucky asks.
"Lucky. . . " Lu warns.
"Just teasing you sis. You know I can't get enough of Dale." Lucky teases her.
Conspiratorially Lu leans over the bar and whispers to Rick. "I would trade him in for a newer model, but the Big Brother factory won't take him back. Too many screws loose." She turns and walks over to Stefan's and Laura's table leaving Lucky and Rick both laughing.
"Hello Angel." Stefan stands and gives her a tight hug.
"Hi Daddy. Mom."
"Care to join us for lunch?" Stefan offers.
"Sorry Stefan, but we have other plans." Dylan Hornsby says quietly from behind them.
"Dylan!" Lu jumps. "I didn't hear you come in." She gives him a quick kiss and turns back to Stefan and Laura. "He's right. Dylan and I have plans for the whole day. We're both playing hooky."
"Sounds lovely." Laura enthuses. "Have a great time!"
"We will!" Lu smiles kissing her mother on the cheek, and turning back to her husband. "Ready?"
"Always, Princess." Dylan takes her hand and they walk out of the club together.
"Oh God!" Dom exclaims in horror. Inside of the cardboard box is one of Dom's own cloth dolls. Harmless enough except for three things. One, it's got Dominique's face. And two, it's covered in blood, with a knife sticking out of where it's heart would be. And thirdly, the doll had been in her room the previous day. "Get it out of here!"
Ian sets it on the table and pulls Dom away from the package. "I want Grandpa to look at it. We'll see if we can't lift some fingerprints."
"Damn! I didn't even know it was missing!" Dom curses softly.
"The doll is yours?" Ian asks.
"Yes. It's an old one. I have a small collection of dolls. Mom had this doll made for me when I was little. Destiny has one like it."
"Then how do you know this is YOUR doll?" Ian presses.
"The Medic Alert bracelet on her right arm." Dom points out shakily.
"Look. Let's get out of here, I'll call Grandpa on my cell phone. He can come over and get this."
"Where are we going?" Dom asks.
"To make sure the next time this guy tries to get into your room, you're ready for him." Ian takes her hand and pulls her out the door, setting the alarm after him.
Chapter 11: "A Shot in the Dark" Ian pulls Dominique through the loud indoor shooting range. "Right here." He says, pulling her to a stop in a booth at the very end. "Okay. I'm going to teach you how to shoot a gun." He reaches for goggles and headphones. "Put these on. We're going to try a bunch of different guns so you can get the feel of each one. When you find one you like, that's what we'll get." Ian punches a button on the side of the booth that lowers a target into place. He assumes the correct position and fires off several rounds. "Don't worry so much about hitting the target as getting a feel for the guns, don't expect to hit anything
Dominique tentatively hefts the first fire arm in the palm of her hand. "Too heavy."
"Not too heavy." Ian snaps. "You're just not used to it. Now this is a Magnum .45." He says using his hands to lift her arms into proper position.
"And I'm telling you the damn gun's to heavy for me to use!" Dominique snaps.
"And what does our Princess know about guns?" Ian sneers. "If you want to protect yourself, pick up that damn gun and do what I tell you!"
Dominique glares at him and lifts the gun into perfect position. She fires off several rounds cutting the paper target off at the head. Then, while Ian is still reeling, picks up the next gun, drops another target into place and does the same.
Ian is dumbfounded as he watches Dominique go through the motions with each gun, dropping target after target after target. "ENOUGH!"
Dominique sets the last gun down and removes the protective goggles. "So Ian? Care to give me any more lessons?" She sneers.
"Where did you learn how to shoot like that?" Ian asks.
"From me." A familiar voice says from the next booth. "And judging by her scores Scorpio, she's the one that gave YOU an education." Simon steps into the stall and smiles at his sister. "So Dominique, what's up?"
"Nothing Simon. Just a little friendly wager." Dominique lies. "If you'll excuse us." She says sidestepping his perceptive eyes.
"Friendly my ass." Simon mutters, then a wicked grin spreads across his face. He pulls the targets in one by one and lays them carefully on the table. Finally he reels in Ian's target and laughs softly.
At the Firehouse Mac and Felicia sit at the dining room table examining the doll, the box and the wrapping paper.
"He's too smart Mac." Felicia says in frustration. "We can't get any prints off of anything. Not the wrap, the tape, the box. . . "
"And you can't lift prints off of a cloth doll." Mac sighs.
"Right. So this doll wasn't just a random selection." Felicia begins to pace the room.
"No. And I still can't figure out how this person keeps getting in." With a gloved hand Mac slowly pulls the dagger out of the doll to get a better look at it. "Hmm. Interesting." He muses aloud.
"What?" Felicia leans over his shoulder.
"This dagger is an antique." Mac says holding it to the light. "Look at that craftsmanship, this isn't the kind of thing you buy at K-Mart."
"You're right." Felicia agrees. "It would be beautiful, if it weren't part of such a sick message."
"I don't like this Felicia. I don't like someone messing with Dominique. And I certainly don't like keeping Kevin and Lucy in the dark about it." Mac places the knife in a storage bag.
"Neither do I Mac. But as much as we HATE to admit it, Dominique is an adult. We can't make her go to Kevin and Lucy." Felicia sighs. "All we can do is help her. Make sure Ian keeps her safe and hope we find this sick bastard before anyone gets hurt.
Downtown Port Charles. Simon comes out of the art shop with two large frames under his arm. He fumbles for the keys to his silver Mercedes convertible and opens the trunk, slipping in his new purchases. Checking his watch, he decides to run into the bookstore across the street. Once inside the large, warm bookstore Simon begins to look for the newest spy novel.
In the back of the store Lu and Dylan try and keep their voices hushed.
"But Dylan, we were going to spend the day together." Lu whispers.
"I know that Lu. But I need to go into the office and take care of this situation." Dylan explains patiently. "Besides you've already planned to see Laura and Stefan tonight anyway."
Lu bites her lip guiltily. "I need to see how the family is doing and there might be word about Richard."
"Fine. Then it wouldn't be a day alone would it?" Dylan snaps. "I have to go in, and I have to go now." Dylan looks at his watch. "Do you want a ride home or not?"
"I can walk." Lu sighs in exasperation. "Go ahead."
"You're being unreasonable Lu." Dylan hisses.
"Dylan you promised me we'd have the day together and now you're backing out. What am I supposed to say?" Lu asks angrily.
"How about "I understand you don't want to go but you have responsibilities and I respect that you take care of them." Dylan picks up his jacket. "I know you'll never say that, but just once it would be damned nice to hear." He storms out of the bookstore, causing the bells over the door to rattle.
The bookstore is quiet again after Dylan's loud exit. Unable to fight her tears, Lu drops her head in her hands as tears slip out. When had it gone to hell? She could pick out moments, instances. The miscarriage, the infidelity, the lying. But surely a stronger marriage could have survived those things? Those marriages endured every day, why not hers? Was Dylan right? Didn't she try and give him the support he needed? Was the distance between them all her fault?
"Excuse me miss." Comes a deep voice from behind her. "I think I have the books you're looking for. "I'm okay, my husband's a jerk." or perhaps I can interest you in "Smart Women, Selfish Bastards"?"
Lu lifts her head and looks at the tall man standing next to her. She hurriedly wipes her eyes.
Simon kneels next to the small table. And places a warm hand on her bare arm. "It's all right you know."
"Don't I know you?" Lu asks trying to place his handsome gray eyes and jet black hair.
"Simon Collins." Simon replies kissing her hand. "At your service. And you're Lu Spencer."
"I'm sorry, I should remember." Lu apologizes. "Lu Spencer Hornsby actually."
"Not at all. It's been ages since we met last." Simon rises to his feet. "Would you like a ride home?"
Sighing in gratitude, Lu accepts. "Yes, I'd really appreciate that."
The two walk out onto the street where a sleek silver convertible is parked. Simon opens the door for her and closes it gently. Then spying something out of the corner of his eye, he dashes across the street to a vendor selling something. The vendor is paid and Simon rushes back to the car. "Sorry about that, but I saw this poor orphan in desperate need of attention." From under his jacket he produces a large stuffed kitten and hands it to Lu. "For the lady."
Surprised and touched, Lu demures. "I couldn't. . ."
"Please. I would take it home with me, but I don't think a cat would like living on a houseboat."
Lu can't help but smile at his antics. "Well, I see your point. Perhaps he is better off with me."
"Truer words were never spoken." Simon replies gallantly as he puts the car in gear and it leaps into the street effortlessly.
Outside of the Firehouse. Ian and Dominique get out of her car. Dominique places her hand on his arm. "Just a second, Ian."
"Yeah?"
"I just want to call a truce." Dominique says.
"Why?"
"Because I can't live like this." Dominique says unhappily. "Look, we don't have to be friends. But we're here in the same house and someone is after me. I'm on edge already and the last thing I need is to have you take potshots at me and visa versa." She takes a deep breath. "So, what I propose is a truce. We can go back to cheap shots and snide comments as soon as my little stalker friend gets either arrested, a life, or someone more intriguing than me to torture."
Ian's lips quirk up into a smile. "More intriguing than taking pictures of you in bed, Your Highness?" He teases. "Never."
Dominique laughs. "See? There. We just had a conversation that didn't result in attempted homicide." She nudges him. "Besides, it'll keep Uncle Mac and everyone else guessing."
"There is that." Ian replies. After a moment he offers her his arm. "Shall we?"
"Why thank you, sir." Dominique says in a false southern accent. "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers."
The two walk up the path to the house, unaware that their antics are being watched.
