Title: Revenge is best served Blue
Chapter 7 – Poison Us – Shall we not Die?

"Wilder!" Danny gasped as he sprang upright in bed later that same night which forced Linda to scramble for the light and then look at him in shock.

"Danny!"

"Yeh…wha…" he stammered as he took a few deep breaths and then looked at her with a flushed expression. "Sorry I was…"

"Nightmare," she interjected flatly. "Wilder?"

"Huh…no it was…"

"You said his name. Danny it's been weeks and nothing and now…these past few days…" Linda pressed as Danny's mind continued to race with horrible images of himself at Wilder's mercy in the cabin in the woods. "You said the case was over."

"It is!" Danny snapped and then quickly shook his head and offered a remorse-filled expression. "It is…it's just…Blueridge…past few days he's been saying stuff..."

"What kind of stuff?"

"He's taking the fall for some of the stuff Wilder did so of course he's pissed and he's just…saying stuff. Got into my head a bit is all…that's it."

She gave him a skeptical look and he knew she wasn't buying most of his story and he knew that also.

"It's nothing."

"You come home late. You're withdrawn. You stayed up late and broke a curfew with both agreed upon and if you thought I didn't see the fresh bruises on your chest when you changed in the bathroom, you're wrong. What are you hiring from me? I want the truth Danny…" she paused before she continued with a small frown. "What aren't you telling me?"

"These…were from a case today…a fight," he lied. He hated to lie but he didn't want to tell her the whole truth about how he got them and worry her needlessly. "And of course Blueridge's sayings are going to bring back…bad memories. It's just…once Blueridge is gone…out of sight out of mind right?"

"Danny…"

"Just a nightmare okay? Those memories…course they're going to resurface when Blueridge mentions that bastard's name. It's no big deal," he sighed as he swung his legs over the bed and then rested his elbows on his knees as Linda settled beside him. "Wilder…he…he was the worst…SOB…I've ever met and he…he got into my head. Dr. Day knows and he tries to help me work through it but…a few things as of late have just brought them back. I don't know when they'll go away. I hope soon but I don't know. Sorry."

She rested her head on his shoulder and both sat side by side in silence a bit longer before she climbed back into bed to get some sleep and Danny headed downstairs to get some cold water and then collapsed on the couch. The night would be restless until morning.

XXXXXXXX

He hated to leave in such a rush but his mood hadn't improved and he just wanted to get a few things off his chest.

"Danny?"

"Hey Doc…" Danny greeted Dr. Michael Day the next morning before his shift as he walked into his office and then slumped down into a forward facing chair. "I know you're always here at this time."

"Yes…doing bookkeeping. Not a session. But you look…flushed. What's going on?"

"I uh…I don't know but whatever I tell you you hafta promise that you won't tell Linda or or anyone."

"What's going on Danny?" Michael asked seriously.

"I would say he's back but uh…but I uh…killed him myself."

"Him…killed…wait Danny, are you saying…"

"Wilder's back."

"Thomas Wilder is dead Danny. I saw the body myself in the morgue. He was dead. Dead dead. He's not back. What did you see? Someone wearing one of those horrid masks?"

"No this is uh…no masks but they know things…things that Blueridge wouldn't have known."

"Who is he Danny?"

"I honestly don't know. I didn't see a face and…and it was weird…smelt like a woman but…wasn't…but they had things…things only Wilder knew about."

"What things Danny?"

"Just…it's nothing and the point is…"

"What things?" Michael pressed again as Danny's agitation gained momentum.

"Things that…"

"What things!"

"THE DAMN COLLAR!" Danny shouted before he slumped back in his chair and then shook his head. "This person had…it wasn't the same one because I actually went and checked the damn box, but it was the same type and…and they had a recording of Wilder's voice."

"They left a recording for you?"

"No they uh…I know he's dead but I think somehow Blueridge has someone on the outside that he's using to play these damn mind games. Do you remember anyone…anyone Doc that Wilder used that is still alive and not in jail or in the process of being indicted?"

"Used to…help him?" Michael countered as Danny nodded. "Not that I was privy to. He uh…well as you know he was smart and wily. He kept a lot on the chest and as you know…most of his treatments were for faked episodes that he orchestrated to get himself hospitalized so he could find staff to manipulate. You ran into a few of them but…well one was killed and the other charged as an accomplice. I'm sorry."

"Yeah…me too."

"How did you get a recording of Wilder's voice?" Michael Day dared to ask once more.

"I uh…I'm bringing it home again and of course Linda's pissed. She has every right to be. I had promised her after the Wilder trial that I wouldn't bring work like that home again or make up an excuse to dig up the case again but last night…she heard me say his name and…and it just started the angry feelings up again."

"Are you being totally honest with her?"

"No," Danny groaned as his lips pursed. "I can't tell her…she'd freak out again and probably move us all to some secret location or…something," Danny huffed. "I don't want to run. I want to face this bastard head on."

"And Blueridge is behind this?"

"I don't know for sure but who else? Wilder killed everyone else either related to him or that he was involved with. His main cronies are dead to. Just Blueridge was left to take the blame. When we went to arrest him, Jamie remembered that Blueridge had some girl with him. He thought maybe a street walker or escort as he never had anyone that he talked about at work…do you remember a woman tossed into the mix?"

"No but that doesn't mean there wasn't one. If she was just around for the occasional…lay for lack of a better term, then I doubt she's have been let into their inner circle of trust. Wilder was very wily about that and even those he extended a certain amount of trust to he killed."

"Yeah no honor among bastards."

"I know you'll find this person Danny…but don't let it be at the expense of someone you care about – even yourself. That's what he'd want. Wilder…even now in death…don't let him win."

"Hate the thought of that even coming true."

"Have you confronted Blueridge?"

"A few times…"

"In…anger?"

"A…few times," Danny confessed reluctantly. "Which…I'm sure just gave him something to gloat about," Danny huffed as he looked at Michael's less than amused expression. "I know…it was stupid. But I was angry and I had just got back from…from…ah damn I just want to go into that cell and beat the crap outta him."

"Which is of course what he wants and then he'll lawyer up and you'll never get what you need."

"I need this to be over!" Danny hissed in anger.

"You need a name so this can be over."

Danny knew he was right and settled back into his chair and took a few deep breaths. "I need to go see Blueridge again…"

"Okay…pretend I'm him. What are you going to say?"

XXXXXXXX

"You're here early," Baez commented to Danny as she neared his desk about an hour later.

"Had some things to take care of," he replied as he handed her a cup of hot coffee.

"Thanks dear," she remarked offhandedly as he gave her a small smirk. "What's going on?"

'I'm sorry Danny…there wasn't any traceable DNA on the collar. Who did you say the DNA should belong to?'

'Not sure…possibly a female but that's what I need to know for sure.'

'Sorry Danny.'

He couldn't blame Phil as he had told himself that his new opponent wasn't careless so far and had probably learned a trick or two from Thomas Wilder or had been told by Cedric Blueridge that the best way to beat Danny Reagan was to make sure everything was untraceable.

"Saw Dr. Day this morning," he told her with a small sigh. "Just had to talk over a few things. But it's all good. New case?" He rambled on before he looked up to see a look of skepticism on his partner's face. "What?"

"All good?"

"It will be," Danny stated flatly. "I tried to keep it away from Linda but had a nightmare last night and uh…yelled at Wilder and she heard."

"Oh," she simply stated as he nodded. He didn't tell Baez about the bruises, only his brother who had seen in the men's locker room and his wife knew about them; he told her it was from the earlier fight. "Was she mad?"

"A little. I told her it was just stuff from Blueridge. Didn't want to worry her for no reason. I know it's him."

"How can we get proof?"

"We?"

"We," she told him firmly. "Let me help," she implored.

"Not fair to you. This is my battle to fight."

"When it affects you on duty as my partner this is my fight," she reminded him. "Besides…do you really think you'll win this argument?"

"No," he resigned with a small smile and then leaned back in his chair. "Okay so…when Jamie and I went to arrest Blueridge there was a woman with him. I smelt a woman's perfume or that body mist or whatever…but I still think it's man pretending to be a woman. That would be something Wilder would get off on. The deception."

"Did you contact her to rule her out?"

"Don't have a name. Jamie thinks she was wearing a wig that day. One of those costume fake things. He's going to check with Maddie and see if maybe one of the girls at the club was more than "friends" with Blueridge. Otherwise…nothing. No hair…no prints…nothing on security cameras."

"What is your next move?"

"I'm going to talk to Blueridge…"

"Danny…" Baez groaned.

"No…not like yesterday. I went through a few scenario's with Dr. Day…I got this."

Her red lips pursed as she looked at him in disbelief and he could only offer her a small shrug. "Danny…"

"No I need to rattle his cage a little…I'll do it in a politically correct way but I gotta know I got under his skin. I gotta know he's not sitting in his cell with a smug smile on his damn face! I want him to know that there won't be any last minute deal to save his ass!"

"Okay…calm down a bit," Baez coaxed as Danny took a deep breath and then nodded. "I don't like his games either but just don't jeopardize anything that Erin might be working to get."

"I know…I know…I just wanna tell him I know about her."

"Her?" Baez arched her brows. "Who is…her?"

"I don't know either but I want him to think I do and then I want to see if he makes any calls or has any new visitors or…or something. I just need to rattle him a little."

"I don't think it's a good idea but since when do you listen to what I say?" She shrugged with a small huff as he looked up dejected. "That face won't work."

"Fine," he countered with a small grin as he pushed himself out of his chair and then turned to leave. "Just a small rattle."

She could only offer him a look of concern as he took his leave and hoped that this didn't come back to blow up in his face as she worried that he was already nearing the edge and didn't want to see him go over like he did last time – where his father was forced to intervene for his own mental sanity.

Danny wandered down to the holding area and up to Blueridge's cell.

"Again? What'd I do to deserve the special treatment?" Blueridge deadpanned as Danny stopped and looked at him with a calm but serious exterior.

"I know about her."

"Huh?"

"Yeah play me all you want but your sloppy sidekick left behind DNA and we're closing in. Using a woman to do your dirty work? Yeah…that's manly. At least Wilder only used men…or those that claim to be," Danny winked as Blueridge lunged at him and offered him a seething glance.

Officially rattled – plan worked. Or did it?

"Bastard!"

"I might be but at least I'm free!" Danny goaded as Blueridge seethed. "And when I go to the judge I'm going to make sure that before you end up in solitary you'll end up in general population."

"They don't put cops in general population!"

"Wanna bet? Trust me…without Wilder in your corner you have NOTHING! You're taking the fall for everything and I intend to see it's a fall all the way down!"

"You won't…get away with this."

"Have a nice life…in solitary!" Danny countered as he turned and left.

"YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS!"

'Remember…you are bluffing. Don't let him have the opportunity to call your bluff and don't linger long enough for him to see through your bluff. Tell him what you want him to hear. You know who he's using and you're closing in. Leave it there.'

'Oh come on Doc…can't I at least add one zinger?'

'One and then leave,' Dr. Day coached Danny earlier that same day.

'Wish I could just poison the jerk and be done with it.'

'Poison his mind instead, his trust. This way you'll leave him wondering and sweating and wanting to do anything to make a call to 'her' or whoever to see if what you say is true.'

Danny rounded the corner and then headed for his partner who looked at him in wonder.

"Did you enjoy that?"

"Like you don't know," replied broadly. "Come on…let's get to work," Danny stated. He had said his piece and now wanted to keep his mind occupied on something – a new case, an old case…anything but Thomas Wilder and Cedric Blueridge. And his plan would work – his mind would be occupied for a time…and then as fast as he had taunted Blueridge and turned his life upside down; Danny's current nemesis would do the same.

And his plan would unravel. All of them.

XXXXXXXX

She hated bad news…hated to be let down and hated to be disappointed but most of all she HATED to be upstaged. She said in her dark lair and slowly enjoyed the last few sips of the crimson contents of her wine glass and then looked outside into the inky night.

"Not long now Thomas…not long now. We are so connected and going to be so even more…I'll record everything for you. I'll make my final move and then…when Cedric is being transported to prison…the ambush will happen and he'll have served his purpose. Danny doesn't know it's me…he blames Blueridge and it'll end with him. And then I'll watch and relish in his misery from the shadows and when he least expects it…I'll mercifully end his life for him!"

An evil cackle escaped her ruby red lips as she down the last bit of liquid and then stood up and slowly wandered over to the small window and looked outside. "Soon my love….you'll be vindicated when I end Danny's life and we'll be together. You will have won…"

She closed her eyes and let her final plan start to take shape in her mind for a few seconds. But that peaceful moment was short lived as the phone rang and she could only curse her broken concentration.

"What!" She snapped as she answered her untraceable cell phone.

"We have a problem Sina."

"What is it!"

"Cedric Blueridge was just found dead in his cell – he hung himself."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Danny's poison worked – better than he would have thought but more than he would come to regret on himself.

A/N: uh oh….anyone see that one coming? Yikes! Don't think Danny did expected this but how will this affect his nemesis? Her plan depended on her patsy Blueridge…hmm how will Danny be affected now that he ruined her plan? Would love your thoughts so please do review before you go and thanks so much!