The events of the previous night continued to haunt her while she was both awake and asleep. She dragged herself out of bed, every movement causing her to relive Mick’s attack. She made her way to stand in front of her full-length mirror.
Her face was clear, but that didn’t surprise her. Mick had smirked as he’d said he would make sure her face didn’t get a mark on it. Said he didn’t like fucking an ugly hole. He had laughed and said he would leave his mark on her in other ways. She shivered remembering the look she’d seen in his eyes.
Danny Santos had those eyes. Was that why he was haunting her dreams?
She let her nightgown fall to the floor. She watched as it pooled at her feet, afraid to look at what she’d see. She raised her head. She gasped in surprise. The only outward evidence of her attack were a few bruises around her neck and on her arms.
Michelle turned the shower on as hot as she could stand it. She’d taken a shower the night before, and even though he hadn’t really touched her skin, she still felt dirty.
After she was dressed, Michelle took stock of her appearance in the mirror once again. She wore a long-sleeved turtleneck sweater. “Good enough,” she thought to herself. None of her bruises were exposed. There shouldn’t be any questions from concerned friends or suspecting enemies.
As she walked the halls of Cedars, her step seemed to lighten. She encountered many of her father’s and brother’s colleagues. Their greetings bolstered her confidence that everything was going to be O.K. “I guess a little sleep was all I needed,” she thought to herself. Her life almost seemed normal.
She had been helping in the emergency room. She hadn’t yet had a chance to check on Mick, but was looking for an opportunity to visit ICU.
Towards the end of her shift, a call came in from ICU. There had been a car accident victim who’d been taken to OR and then on to ICU. Radiology had been backed up and some of the patient’s x-rays were late getting back. Michelle was given the job of delivering them to ICU.
As she rounded the corner, heading for the nurses’ station, she ran into someone coming the other way. She tried her best to move out of the way without either losing her balance or her parcel; and consequently, she lost both. She landed in the middle of the hallway with the x-rays spread around her.
“Are you hurt?” She recognized the voice.
She looked up into the face of Danny Santos. She smiled and gave the standard reply, “Only my pride.” He extended his hand toward her and she took it. She felt herself almost float as he brought her to a standing position. All at once, her dream from the previous night floated into her conscious memory. As in the dream, she felt him look at her with an intensity that frightened her. It wasn’t a physical fear, it was fear of feeling something she couldn’t control. His touch brought an electricity, an excitement to her skin she had never felt before.
She realized that the outward appearance of Danny’s eyes were like his brother’s, but there was something very different about them. Danny’s eyes were passionate, but thoughtful. Mick’s eyes were dull and lifeless, devoid of a soul.
She was suddenly aware that he was still holding her hand. She pulled her hand back slightly, enough to break the spell.
“Let me help you,” Danny offered as he bent to retrieve the spilt x-rays.
“Thank you, Danny. I’m sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” She said apologetically.
“I guess we should both learn to use those corner mirrors, huh?” Danny joked.
“How is Mick today?” Michelle queried. She’d planned on talking to the nurses in ICU, but decided this was even better.
Danny’s voice cracked as he said, “He had a rough night. His heart stopped once.”
Michelle saw a momentary look of pain flash across Danny’s face and then it was gone. She knew she was the cause of this man’s pain.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“I can tell you are going to be a wonderful doctor,” Danny stated.
Michelle stammered, “H....How did you know about my plans to be a doctor?” She was worried about Danny’s motives.
Danny joked, “Chalk it up to gossipy nurses, I guess. I mentioned what you had done for Mick and they kind of volunteered a lot of information about you. I also saw the garden you helped create here at the hospital. I’ve learned a lot about you in the past few hours. I didn’t mean to invade your privacy.”
“Oh...........um....well, I really should get going. I’ve got a biology lab at one and I’ve still got to grab some lunch along the way.” Michelle’s fears of being found out made her want to run away.
“Do you have Professor Carr?”
“Yes. Did the nurses tell you that, too?” Michelle was still a little suspicious.
Danny grinned and said, “No. Actually, I took that same class when I went to SU.”
“You went to SU?”, Michelle questioned. She hadn’t meant to sound so surprised.
Danny chuckled, “Don’t sound so shocked. I graduated a couple years ago. Enough about me. Could I buy you some lunch in the cafeteria? I feel like I should do something for you in return for what you’ve done for Mick.”
“I told you before.....No thanks are necessary....Really,” she felt guilt and fear all wrapped up together, but decided it would be in her own best interest to accept his invitation. “OK, that would be fine. Let me get these x-rays to the nurses’ station.”
“And I’ve got to check in with my security personnel,” Danny responded. He had a genuine smile on his face and seemed pleased that she had accepted.
Within minutes they were heading to the cafeteria. Michelle grabbed a sandwich and a drink and sat down across from Danny.
“Was that a bodyguard upstairs?” Michelle asked.
Danny answered, “Yeah, well, he’s here to make sure whoever did this to Mick, doesn’t come back to finish the job.”
“So you think they’re going to try again?” Michelle queried. She realized she was in no danger at the moment. They thought it was a mob hit.
Danny said defensively, “We just wanna cover all the bases Michelle. Look I know your brother told you about my family and what he thinks we do. I’m afraid our reputation precedes us wherever we go.”
“I told you last night, I try not to make assumptions about people.”
Danny smiled at Michelle and as he shook his head in disbelief and then said, “I’m just not used to that Michelle. I can see now why Mick thought you were special.”
Michelle felt her stomach turn over. She grimaced but quickly took a drink to try and cover up her reaction to what Danny had said.
Michelle almost whispered, “What exactly did Mick say about me? I hardly knew him.”
“Actually, He thought you were interested in him,” Danny added
. Michelle’s jaw all but dropped to the floor.
Danny looked at her, she could tell he had noticed her reaction to what he had said. He spoke again, “Look, I know you probably never encouraged him. Speaking from experience, girls like you usually never give Mick the time of day.”
Michelle wondered aloud, “Is it the same for you?” She was becoming curious about the man sitting across from her.
“Well, it usually takes a little longer for me, but yeah, once a girl like you hears the name Santos, she’s history. I can tell you, it wouldn’t take much encouragement for Mick to get the wrong idea. I think he misinterpreted the reason for your friendliness.”
Michelle was speechless. She wasn’t sure why Danny was telling her all this. If he’d known the truth about Mick’s attack, she would have thought he was blaming her for it happening.
Danny must have realized she was confused because his next statement made it clear to her what he intended. “Look, Michelle, I think it’s great that you want to be nonjudgemental about people, but I think you do need to be a little more guarded next time. Remember, your motivations can be misinterpreted.”
Michelle said out loud, “Does that include you, Danny? Will you mistake my friendliness for something else?”
A crooked smile appeared on his face and he answered, “I have a younger sister who’s very naive about the realities of this world, I would want someone to warn her, too.”
Michelle realized Danny was trying to give her advice. She also knew he hadn’t told the whole truth about how he felt about her. She studied the man sitting across from her. She knew he was much more of a threat than Mick could ever be. Danny was just the right combination. I little bit dangerous, but sweet and vulnerable at the same time.
To herself she thought, “In another place and time, who knows, Mr. Santos.”
“I’ve got to go, Danny. Thanks for lunch.”
Michelle walked away with a smile on her face.
Danny sat in his car outside Millennium.
He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and murmured to himself, "Where is he?.......OK, Dietz, I hope this guy is better at detective work than he is at keeping appointments."
It had been a week since Mick's attack and his mother was losing patience. As he waited, he thought about the progress of his investigation or lack thereof.
Progress had been slow. A special finesse was required when asking questions within his world. Stepping on the wrong toes, asking the wrong question or asking the wrong person could get you in deep shit faster than you could say, "cement overshoes."
The smartest way to get answers was to have a trusted friend from another family make discrete inquiries of all their associates. For Danny, that was Bernard. He had been his father's best friend and even though he headed another mob family, Danny would often go to him for advice and help in times of need. Bernard's efforts had turned up nothing about Mick's attack.
Dietz was now focusing on Mick's drug customers. There was a possibility one of them had had a disagreement with him or that possibly someone else had stolen Mick’s latest shipment. Danny was still waiting for information in that part of the investigation. He wasn’t expecting a resolution quickly because Mick had never made a list of his customers.
Danny decided to focus on Mick's activities just prior to his attack and anyone who might have had a run in with him. He knew Mick had been arrested for dealing drugs. Danny had been out of town when all of this transpired, but their lawyer had given him all the details. His number one suspect for the attack was now Drew Jacobs, owner of Millennium. Danny knew that if he showed up to investigate and someone identified him as a Santos, no one would talk.
Danny had decided to hire a private investigator to handle the grunt work. It would be easy enough to verify alibis, identify the major players without getting involved. When the facts were in, he would apply the kind of pressure only his name could provide.
The p.i., Jack Kelly, was a former cop, who had been dismissed for what was termed excessive force. He was anxious to do a good job for the Santos family. He'd been given instructions to find out about Mick's employment at Millennium, his subsequent troubles and anyone who might have had a grudge against him. Danny had indicated that Drew Jacob's was of primary interest, of course, as well as Jesse Blue, Michelle's boyfriend.
Michelle. Her name always made him think of the Beatles song. It had been his father's favorite song. The lyrics echoed in his head:
"Michelle, ma belle. Sont les mots qui vont très bien ensemble, très bien ensemble" *
Danny hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. He remembered their conversation in the cafeteria at Cedars. He told himself that he hadn't really lied to her. He told himself that he hadn't wanted to deceive her.
He murmured to himself, "Come on Santos, you can lie to her, but be honest with yourself."
He knew the real reason why he'd glossed over Mick and the family business. He wanted her to like him; he wanted her to think well of him. She was the primary reason he had hired the p.i. He didn't want to be the one putting pressure on her boyfriend, unless of course the boyfriend was somehow involved.
He had seen her at the hospital a couple of times since their lunch. She was always doing volunteer work, but she still managed to stop by and talk to him about Mick. He looked forward to the possibility of seeing her every time he visited his brother.
Mick's condition had remained constant which the doctors took as a positive sign. At least that is what they were telling the family. The doctors had even said they would try removing Mick from his respirator next week.
Members of the family were taking shifts staying with him. Danny knew if Mick had been conscious for some of these visitors, his comments would have been less than kind. Danny would often joke with a comatose Mick about a particularly peculiar visitor who had come to call.
The passenger door opened and Jack Kelly plopped down next to Danny.
"How's the investigation going, Jack?" Danny queried.
"Well, I've got some interesting things to tell you, Danny,” he answered.
Jack pulled out a notebook and some pictures and started going over point by point what he'd learned. He handed Danny a picture of Drew Jacobs and explained her basic history. Where she had come from. How she had started the club.
Danny's ears perked up when he heard the detective say, "She has the hots for this Jesse Blue. She hangs all over him."
Danny interrupted, "Wait a minute. I thought this Blue character had a girlfriend named Michelle Bauer?"
The detective answered, "Oh, yeah, well he does. Actually there's quite an interesting history between those two."
He handed Danny another picture and said, "Here's a picture of Jesse Blue."
Danny perused the picture and thought to himself, "I would have never pegged you to be Michelle's boyfriend."
The p.i. gave Danny the history of Jesse Blue and his trouble with the law. Once again Danny became focused when Michelle's name came up in the detective's conversation.
"The judge was about to throw the book at him when Michelle Bauer proposed a deal with the judge. It was agreed that if she taught Blue to read, the judge would drop the charges."
Once again, Danny interrupted, "Why was Michelle so interested in this guy?"
Jack Kelly chuckled and said, "This'll kill ya......He has her mother's heart."
"What?" Danny questioned.
The detective continued, "Yeah......Her mom died in a car accident and her organ's were donated. Blue got her heart."
Danny was speechless. He realized why Michelle would go to such great lengths to save this guy. It was her way of saving her mom.
Jack Kelly continued, "Anyway, back to this Jacob's dame. Supposedly, she's in love with Blue. She isn't shy about telling anyone who'll listen how she feels about him and how she's better for him than this Bauer broad."
Danny interrupted, "Call her Michelle or Ms. Bauer, not a broad." He knew the detective hadn't meant anything derogatory by the term, but he didn't like it.
With that, the p.i. exited the car. Danny sat a few more minutes and then walked into Millennium. He perused the place, then ordered a drink at the bar and positioned himself at one of the back tables. His only intention today was to get a feel for the players.
The first person he recognized was Jesse Blue. For some reason, Danny sensed the man felt uncomfortable wearing a suit, trying too hard to play the part he was given. He was having a conversation with the bartender. Danny watched as a customer yelled, "Hey, Jesse. How's it going?" Jesse smiled and flashed a thumbs-up before turning to walk into the back room of the club.
Danny could hear the beat of the dance music eminating from the other room. He left his drink on the table and walked over to the doorway and looked in at the dance floor. He watched as Jesse worked the crowd, checking out the customers in the room, making conversation.
Then he saw her. Drew Jacobs. She was on a balcony, overlooking the dance floor. Danny noticed she was smiling and watching Jesse as he made his way around the room. She was wearing an outfit which didn't leave much to the imagination. Danny had seen more discreet outfits worn by the hookers down on 5th street. She descended the stairs to join Jesse. She snaked her arm around him and whispered in his ear. Jesse laughed at whatever she had said and they moved over to the dance floor.
As they started to dance, Danny noticed how comfortable they were with each other. The detective had been right, anyone looking at them would think they were a couple, not Jesse and Michelle. Danny turned away from the doorway and was about to return to his drink when he saw a familiar face.
It was Michelle.
* Lyrics from "Michelle" by Lennon and McCartney
Michelle Bauer walked into Millennium. Danny thought about the scene going on in the other room. His first instinct was to protect her. He walked toward her. He could tell she was surprised to see him. It suddenly dawned on him, the only place they'd seen each other was at the hospital .
She stammered, "D.....Danny, what are you doing here?" She couldn't believe he was here. She'd come to relax, to have a night out with Jesse. Now that was never going to happen.
He didn't want her to know the real reason he'd come to the club. He did wonder if she might be half glad to know her competition might be disappearing.
Disappearing. He hadn't even thought that far ahead. Hadn't really wanted to dwell on what he was going to do to the person responsible for hurting Mick. Could he really do this?
Michelle's voice brought him back to the present. "Danny?"
"Hey, Michelle. Well, this was the last place Mick was seen prior to his attack. I was just coming to check it out. See the kind of people who hang here. Would you like to sit with me awhile?" Danny wondered if he could delay her long enough for the song to end in the other room.
"Actually, Jesse is expecting me." Michelle hoped her voice didn't sound too curt .
Danny watched as Michelle slipped out of her coat. At the hospital, she had only worn jeans and t-shirts. She stood before him wearing a tight fitting sweater set along with a very short black skirt. The clothes accentuated her every curve. Danny forgot to breathe. He had never felt so envious of another person in his entire life. His eyes roamed every inch of her body and she blushed under his scrutiny.
Michelle had to look away from his gaze. As she looked around the club, she thought to herself, "Jesse where are you?"
Danny wondered what Michelle's reaction would be if she saw Drew hanging all over her boyfriend. He didn't have to wait long as Michelle glanced over and caught a glimpse of what was happening on the dance floor. She grimaced.
"Damn her," he heard her say under her breath.
Danny’s memory flashed back to the scene he had witnessed in the chapel. He had wondered what problems this girl had and now he knew what or rather who would cause Michelle to be so unhappy.
"Is that your boyfriend?" He asked.
"Yeah, and his boss." As she spoke, she pursed her lips wondering what to do.
Danny commented, "She's putting on quite a show."
"Drew always does," Michelle said sarcastically. She looked at Danny, a sardonic grin etched across her face.
Danny got an idea in his head. He wasn't sure whether his motivation was for her benefit or his. He proposed, "Wouldn't you like to put on a show of your own?"
Somehow, Michelle's anger was being directed at Danny as she said defensively, "If you think I'm worried about Jesse, I'm not. I know exactly how he feels about me. Drew just needs an occasional reminder."
"Sometimes bringing out someone's jealous streak illustrates that quite nicely," he added.
"I don't like to play games, that's Drew's department." Michelle knew what Danny was proposing. If it had been anybody but Danny Santos, she probably would have jumped at the chance to put Drew in her place. Déjà vu. She remembered how she'd used Mick to make Jesse jealous. Isn't this precisely what got her into her current predicament?
A mischievious look appeared in Danny's eyes as he said, "Come on, wouldn't you like to turn the tables on her? It might even be fun."
Michelle thought to herself, "You're nuts Michelle. Drew and Jesse are never going to forgive you for doing this." But, to Danny she said, "Sure. Why not?"
They moved together toward the dance floor. Jesse and Drew were still too busy with each other to notice their arrival. Michelle turned toward Danny. Her muscles were so tense she felt like an automoton. How was she going to relax enough to dance with this man? Michelle put her hand on Danny's shoulder. Her whole body seemed to be on fire and the cool leather of Danny's jacket felt good on the palm of her hand.
Danny put his right hand at the side of her waist. He felt her tense up just a little at his initial touch and then she seemed to relax. His other hand took her free hand and they began moving to the music. Danny felt like he was in junior high, his initial nervousness at having her so close to him, made his movements seem overly stiff.
He longed to envelop her whole body, to have her arms reach up and pull him to her. Instead Danny bent his head and nuzzled the side of her face with his own. He could smell the fresh scent of her shampoo. She turned her face toward his and looked into his eyes. He smiled at her; she smiled back. It gave him the courage to pull her closer to him. He moved his right arm to encircle her waist. He bent and brought their joined hands to his chest.
Danny felt Michelle's body soften against his own, as she rested her head on his shoulder.
Michelle thought to herself, "What is happening here, Michelle? You should be scared to death." Somehow, she felt safe in his arms.
To Danny she whispered, "Do you think this will do the trick?"
"Uh huh," he said lazzily, not wanting the dance to end.
They continued moving across the dance floor toward their target. As Danny positioned them in front of Jesse and Drew, the other couple became aware of their presence. Jesse stiffened and said, "Michelle, honey, I didn't know you were here. Why didn't you let me know?"
Michelle had an edge to her voice as she said, "Well, you did seem a little busy."
Drew chimed in, "Hey, Michelle.......I was just keeping Jesse occupied until you arrived."
Michelle rolled her eyes towards the ceiling as she threw her head back, moving it from side to side, demonstrating her disbelief. She realized Drew had once again tried to turn everything back on her. Michelle reminded her, "Drew, I think you and I have had this conversation before."
Drew shrugged her shoulders and then retorted, "I'm really impressed. You've never taken this tack before, Michelle."
"Well, maybe I decided to fight fire with fire, Drew." Michelle hated having to justify her actions.
Drew smirked and added, "You know what they say about playing with fire, Michelle."
Michelle turned to Danny and said, "Thank you for the dance, it was fun."
"Anytime," he said to her. And then silently he said, "I really mean it, Michelle..... Anytime......Anywhere."
He sat down to watch what would happen next. Jesse left Drew's side and pulled Michelle to the opposite side of the dance floor. Jesse's face scowled as he continued to talk to Michelle. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but Jesse was glaring at him and seemed to be asking her about him. Michelle's response seemed to upset Jesse even more. And even though they were across the room from him, Danny was still able to read Jesse’s lips as he mouthed the name....... 'Santos'. Michelle frowned as Jesse continued his tirade.
At that moment, Drew sidled up to him and said, "Hi, I'm Drew."
"Danny," was all he said. He wanted to keep her in the dark as long as he could.
"Well, Danny, you seem to have made an impression with Jesse." Drew added.
Danny questioned her, "Oh, really? Why do you say that?" He didn’t trust her, but knew it was always better to get to know your enemies.
Drew answered, "I've never seem him react this way to any of Michelle's friends."
Danny smiled innocently and added, "Honestly, we barely know each other."
Drew continued fishing, "How did you meet Michelle?"
"At the hospital." He knew his short answers were irritating her.
"Really? Are you a medical student?"
"No, let's just say I've done business with her brother." He fudged the truth just a little.
She nodded her head as she spoke, "Oh, Rick....Right."
Jesse and Michelle joined them. Danny knew the element of surprise was over.
Jesse was the first to speak. He was addressing Danny, but looking intently at Drew. As if to say, pay attention to what I am saying.
"Danny, I'm sorry about your brother, Mick. I hope he is doing better."
Danny wanted to put the fear of God in the woman standing in front of him, he responded, "Thank you. Well, we hope he recovers soon. We're all really hoping he'll be able to communicate soon.”
Jesse was still looking at Drew. Danny was watching her too as the knowledge of who he was dawned on her. A look of terror flashed across Drew's face, but she recovered quickly enough to address Michelle in an accusatory tone, "Michelle, you told us about Mick, but I guess you neglected to mention how close you and Danny have become."
Michelle glared at Drew. Danny could see real contempt in her eyes. He would have liked to confront the woman he believed to be responsible for hurting Mick.
Drew seemed to read his mind because the next thing out of her mouth addressed his suspicions. "I realize you know about Mick getting arrested for selling drugs at the club. I had to protect the future of the club, but we didn't have anything to do with Mick getting hurt. We were both at the club that evening."
Michelle felt guilty for putting Jesse and Drew in this position. They all knew this was coming, but she knew that she had hastened the confrontation. She realized that she needed to help give them an alibi. She knew Danny trusted her, she felt some guilt at using his feelings for her. She silently chastized herself, "Come on, it's your survival at stake here, Michelle. He's still looking for who's responsible. Don't forget that."
Michelle addressed Danny, "Actually, I talked to both of them at the club that evening. Jesse was supposed to join me at the lighthouse the night Mick got hurt. He was late, so I called the club to find out what happened to him. Drew answered and told me that she had decided to work on the books that evening and she wanted him to be here to work in the club. As usual, she was playing games and had told him that she'd be able to finish up quickly, and he'd be able to join me later. Jesse called me a little later to say that he wouldn't be able to make it. That's why I left the lighthouse and that's when I found Mick."
Michelle was surprised at how much easier it was getting to lie.
Danny realized that the scenario he'd played out in his head was wrong.
He suddenly felt relief. He didn't like Drew, but he knew now that his vendetta was not going to touch Michelle's world.
"I'm glad we've had this conversation. I hope that if you hear anything about Mick's attack you'll let me know."
“Of course,” said Drew.
“That goes without saying,” Jesse added.
Danny nodded to them and then addressed Michelle, "Goodnight Michelle, I'll probably be seeing you at the hospital in the next few days."
“Goodnight, Danny” Michelle said.
They all watched as Danny exited the club. Jesse looked at Drew. He seemed to sense she was about to loose it. He said, "Just wait, we need to make sure he's really gone before we talk about this." Jesse moved toward the front window and watched until he saw Danny drive away in his car. He came back over and said to them, “Let’s take this upstairs.”
They climbed the stairs and walked the hallway toward Jesse’s room. Michelle could feel the daggers that Drew was shooting at her back. She knew what was coming.
Drew shrieked, “Michelle, are you crazy? Why did you bring Danny Santos here?”
Michelle defended herself. “I didn’t. He was already here when I walked in. I was trying to act normal. I am supposed to be innocent. Remember?”
Now it was Jesse’s turn. “Did you have to dance with him?”
“I think he thought he’d be doing me a favor. He saw you dancing with Drew.” Michelle answered and then under her breath she added almost to herself, “If you want to call it that.”
Jesse was looking uncomfortable as he said, “You know that Drew and I are just friends.”
She really hated this. Jesse couldn’t seem to see what a threat Drew was to their relationship. “It was obvious to me and to Danny what kind of friend Drew is.”
Jesse’s jealousy reared its head, “What kind of friend is Danny to you? I am sorry, but I think he has something else in mind. Have you seen the way he looks at you?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. He’s just grateful for my saving Mick’s life. And how big of a joke is that?” Michelle still hated that she had to deceive Danny. She had come to like the man. He was nothing like his brother. In spite of his background, if they had met under other circumstances, they could have been friends.
Michelle noticed that Drew was standing in the corner smirking at the exchange between she and Jesse. She looked at Drew as she said, “Jesse, you either trust me with Danny or you don’t. I trust you with Drew, but you need to make sure she understands where you stand.” Michelle wanted to wipe the smug look off her face once and for all. “I think you and Drew need to talk. I am going home, why don’t you call me later.”
And with that Michelle left the room.
