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Building a Mystery 16



"Not guilty, your Honor."
A collective gasp fills the courtroom. Todd glances at Tea. She is looking at Jose, her eyes shiny with tears, her chin out with that Delgado determination he loves. He impulsively reaches over and takes her hand. Tea doesn't look at him, but squeezes his hand, grateful he is there with her.
The judge flips through his papers. "Fine, the trial will begin three weeks from today at 9:00 AM sharp. Court is adjourned." With a rap of his gavel, the courtroom rises as the judge heads to his chambers.
Tea and Todd walk up to Sam and Jose.
"Three weeks, is that enough time?" Tea asks nervously.
"Should be plenty, Tea, don't worry," Sam smiles.
Tea looks at both Todd and Jose. "I guess you two have never met. Jose Delgado....Todd Manning."
They shake hands, "Not the way I expected to meet my brother-in-law."
Todd smiles slightly, "Me either."
Two officers come over to escort Jose back to jail. Tea reaches up and kisses her brother's cheek.
"I'll be by first thing tomorrow, okay? Te quiero."
"Te quiero, mija," Jose says, and allows the officers to lead him away, with Sam in tow.
Tea watches them go, and takes a deep breath. She smiles at Todd. "Guess it's time to face the press."
"Sure you're ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be."
They walk through the courtroom doors and are immediately surrounded by a throng of reporters.
"Ms. Delgado, how do you feel about the D.A. prosecuting your brother?"
"Any reaction to the not guilty plea?"
Todd put his arm around Tea's protectively, trying to guide her through the mass of reporters. Tea continues to mutter "no comment" as Todd leads her safely to her car.
He grins, "See, that wasn't so bad."
She smiles back, "Yeah, right."
Todd glances at his watch. "Listen, Delgado, I hate to leave you like this but I've got therapy."
"That's okay. I promise I'll come with you soon, it's just that I have to call Abuelita, she's a nervous wreck." "I know. It's probably better that I go alone for the first time anyway...get to know the doc a little. Don't forget about tonight...I'll pick you up at 7:00, okay?"
"Okay," she replies, smiling.

Todd slowly walks into his new therapist's office. Dr. Jacobs had arranged for an old friend and colleague to take over Todd's therapy in Llanview. Dr. Rosen, a middle aged, kind looking man stood up.
"Todd, I'm Dr. Rosen. Nice to meet you."
"Hey doc," Todd flops himself down in a chair across from Dr. Rosen's desk. "So I guess Dr. Jacobs filled you in on me."
Dr. Rosen smiles. "He gave me some background, but I'm hoping to hear most of it from you."
"What's to know? I hear voices...I got mulitple personalities...I'm screwy," Todd says with slight grin, masking the inner pain he felt at admitting his problem.
"Dr. Jacobs says you have made progress."
"I guess," Todd replies, his eyes wandering around the room.
Dr. Rosen lets the silence linger, wondering if Todd will offer something else. After a few minutes, Dr. Rosen breaks the silence.
"I see you're married," he says, glancing in the direction of the wedding ring on Todd's left hand.
"Yeah...we're not living together right now though...I don't want to put her in any danger."
"Danger?"
"Yeah, my alters seem to like her the best...and I won't let anything happen to her...so I'm staying with my sister, at least until I have them under control."
"Can you tell me a little about them...your alters?"
"What do you want to know?"
"What do you want to tell me?"
Todd grins, "Typical, answer a question with another question," he pauses. "Well... the two I hear the most are Pete and Rodd. Pete's a jerk...he likes to hurt people. Rodd is romantic, I guess...at least that is what Delgado says."
"Delgado?"
"Yeah, my wife."
"You said they like her the best. What did you mean by that?"
"It just seems they seem to come out the most around her. Rodd wants her...big time. And Pete..." Todd's voice trails off.
"Yes?"
"Pete wants to hurt her...he wants her to go away. He says she'll just end up hurting us...just like all the others. He says she doesn't really love me."
"Do you believe him?"
"No...but he can be convincing. The first time I saw her..when I was still in Providence...Pete came out. Rodd, too..but just for a minute. But Pete...he tried to get to her..to hurt her."
"And did he?"
"No...I stopped him...and Delgado..she's tough...she hung in there like she always has."
"You were able to stop him..that's good."
"Yeah..but what if I didn't?" Todd asks...the scene in his room in Providence still playing in his mind.
"But you did...concentrate on that."
"I really want to get better, Doc...I got a wife, a kid, a house...I never expected that stuff and now I have it...but I can't have it if I don't get better, because I will never put my family in danger...I will die before I hurt them."

Tea sits in her suite at the Palace. It's been a long day. Abuelita was a wreck...but Tea managed to calm her down somewhat. She is waiting for Todd..who is running a little late.
"Or maybe I'm just overanxious," she says out loud. It's strange...they never really dated...so in a way this is their first date. She giggles at the irony...she is going on her first date with her husband! She is wearing a stunning form fitting burgundy sleeveless dress...and her hair is swept up...just the way Todd likes it. She looks at her watch. 7:30. She tries to ignore the growing anxiety that is filling her.
"Come on Tea..he's only a half hour late."
She walks over to the phone...contemplating calling Llanfair. She decides against it...after all it could just be traffic.
What seems like an eternity passes, and Tea looks at her watch. 7:50. Still no word from Todd. He had seemed pretty excited about their date this afternoon...he wouldn't blow her off. She begins to nervously twist her wedding band...worrying...praying that she is overreacting...hoping with all her heart that nothing is wrong....


To be continued....


Stories by Dim and Kelly