Chapter 4 – Dylan gets even

Dylan's House

Dylan arrives home after his conversation with Jim. He goes into the kitchen and pours himself a glass of water. He walks back over to the dining room table where he left the box of letters. He sifts through them looking for the one he wrote right after he found out that Suzanne's background check came up clean.

I'm not sure how I feel about her. A major part of me wants to embrace her and start being a family as quickly as possible. I want to do all of the things with Erica that I never got to do as a kid. I want to show her that she's loved and accepted just the way she is. I want to share my excitement with everyone I meet. I want to let go and lose myself in this warm feeling of security. There's a little part of me that is screaming inside. Don't trust anyone! Haven't you learned your lesson yet? Everyone you let in seems to find the most excruciating way to break your heart and leave you to your own devices after they have taken what they need. Well, maybe not everyone.

Dylan smiles a little, which turns into a bit of a frown. 'No, not everyone. I was the one who left Brenda broken hearted in the end.'

Casa Walsh

Brandon and Kelly walk through the front door hand in hand. 'Mom? Dad? Brenda?' Brandon calls from the foyer. He lets go of Kelly's hand and makes his way to the kitchen. He doesn't see anyone then hears some footsteps coming down the stairs.

'Brandon?' Brenda calls. She stops at the bottom of the stairs and sees Kelly standing there. 'Hi Kel,' she says and gives her friend a hug.

Brandon comes in from the kitchen and embraces his sister.

'How was your flight?' Brenda asks.

'Great, not bad at all. Where's Mom and Dad? They knew I was coming right?' Brandon says.

'They are in the backyard. They are trying to decide what to do with the garden,' Brenda says, and then laughs a little.

Brandon looks at Kelly and they both start laughing.

'Well, I better go. My mom is probably wondering where I am right now. I'll see you guys later,' Kelly says, as she turns to walk out of the house. Brandon grabs her arm, looks at her and then kisses her gently. 'Bye,' he whispers.

She smiles at him and almost skips out to her car.

'Nice going, Brandon,' Brenda says as she claps her brother on the back.

'Thanks, now go away,' he laughs.

Brenda makes her way back up to her room. She had completed going through her desk and she had moved on to the closet. She had left the core amount of clothes out so that she would have things to wear for the rest of the week, but had begun to pack everything else. Standing at her bedside folding clothes to put in the suitcase, she could feel the box behind her. 'Come on, you are stronger than this. Resist the temptation. Come on, Brenda.' She spends the rest of the night packing her clothes and trying not to look at the box on the floor.

Dylan's House

'Right, so I need that to be delivered at 4pm on Friday, okay? No, it's not okay. The delivery cannot be late,' Dylan says into the phone. Everything has to go perfectly for Friday. 'Great, thank you.' Dylan hangs up the phone and smiles. This is one of the more perfect plans he has ever come up with. He knows that Brenda cares about him and will always love him, but there are a lot of things that he never had the nerve or the courage to tell her.

Dylan is sitting at the kitchen table with the letters strewn about its surface. He is handpicking certain letters and placing them in a large envelope. The telephone begins to ring and he walks over to pick it up.

'Dylan, its Jim, it's time to call Kevin and set up the transfer at the bank.'

'Right, okay then, I'll call him right now with the news. Do I need to do anything?' Dylan asked.

'Not a thing, just agree to whatever he wants and we'll do the rest,' Jim says.

'Okay, I'll do that. Thanks, Jim.'

'I'm proud of you Dylan. I'll see you after it's all over tomorrow, okay?' Jim asks.

'Okay, see you tomorrow.'

Dylan hangs up the phone and immediately dials Kevin's number. He tells Kevin when he picks up the phone that the bank called and left a message saying that the money will be ready for withdrawal tomorrow and to meet him at the bank. Kevin agrees and hangs up the phone.

'Suzanne, Dylan's ready. He just called and said the bank authorized the withdrawal,' Kevin says to her.

'Oh, really, that soon?' Suzanne asks with a lump in her throat. She had not yet figured out how she was going to turn on Kevin. She feared that she may have to play along until he tries to use his fake identification wherever they ended up after they got the money from Dylan. Just thinking about what she had to do made her a little sick to her stomach.

Dylan gets ready to meet Kevin at the bank the next morning when he hears a knock on the door. He opens the door and sees Brandon standing there.

'Brandon, what a surprise. I didn't expect to see you here,' Dylan says.

'Hey D, I just wanted to tell you myself what's going on. Kelly came to visit me while I was in D.C.,' Brandon admits.

'Yeah, we saw her on TV as well as you when the camera panned the audience. Look, man, whatever you guys want to do with each other is fine with me. There was no way a successful relationship was ever going to come out of me and Kelly. She and I don't actually have that much in common.

'I'm sorry to hear that man,' Brandon says, 'I mean, it's good for me, but you know I never meant to hone in on your territory, right? It just happened.'

'Yeah, I know, man. Look, it's cool, okay? Now, I have an appointment, so I gotta get going.' He gives Brandon a quick embrace and shuts the door behind him.

He leaves Brandon on the steps of his house and drives over to the bank where he is supposed to meet Kevin. He sees Kevin standing in front of the bank waiting for him and walks up.

'Kevin, how are you doing this fine morning?' Dylan says.

"Well, Dylan, I feel really good about this. I think we are going to make a great team in getting those waters cleaned up. Well, shall we?' Kevin asks pointing to the door of the bank.

'Absolutely,' Dylan says, trying to hide a smile.

Dylan and Kevin sit in the manager's office while he gathers the appropriate paperwork for the transaction. Dylan is a little uneasy and is fidgeting a little, but notices that Kevin is cool as a cucumber. 'Just wait you freaking crook, just wait.'

The bank manager hands Dylan the withdrawal paperwork and he looks at Kevin and signs his name. He hands the paperwork over to Kevin to sign, which he does very quickly. The bank manager hands Dylan the suitcase full of money and shakes his hand.

'Thank you, sir,' Dylan says as he and Kevin walk out of the office. 'Well, here you go. Let me know if you find a place to begin working and I'll come out and see it right away.'

'Will do, Dylan. You are a good man, you know that?' Kevin asks.

Dylan smiles. 'Yes, yes I do.' Dylan watches as Kevin walks out of the bank and to his car. He stands outside of the bank door. As Kevin goes to get in with the suitcase, Dylan hears the sound of several people running from the sides of the building. 'Freeze!'

As Kevin is being placed in handcuffs and put in the back of a Police car, Jim Walsh walks up to where Dylan is standing with the suitcase.

'Good job, son. You did everything right,' Jim beams at him.

'Thanks Jim. I couldn't have done it without you.'

'Well, guess who came to see me this morning to tell me about the entire scam and wanted to know how it could be stopped?' Jim asked.

Dylan looks at him and tries not to smile. 'Who?'

Suzanne and Erica walk up from where they had parked across the street.

'Dylan,' Suzanne starts, 'I am so sorry.' She has tears in her eyes. 'I never meant for this to happen. He was so convincing that what he was doing was right that I didn't see past it. I feel so ashamed.'

'Suzanne, I never thought that once I got a family that I would have to hold them at arm's length. I know you probably meant well, but you are going to have to work really hard if you want me to ever trust you again.' With that, Dylan turns, shakes Jim's hand, and walks to his car. 'I need to get ready for tomorrow with Brenda. There are still some things I have to set up for her.' Dylan drives away from the bank with a smile on his face.