Chapter Fourteen: Shades of Samantha

Leblon, Brazil

EJ shook his head, watching the video of Samantha ripping through his bedroom. Installing those security cameras had indeed been a wonderful investment. Samantha looked determined, and he couldn't help but smile watching her. Even the tiniest spark of recognition, of the old Samantha returning, warmed the icicles on his blackened heart. She'd been to the mansion twice in as many days. While he guessed she'd come to look for clues, he couldn't help wondering if there were another reason?

Marco learned of Samantha's visit to the hospital, and EJ asked him to gather whatever details he could. His sister's records and email had been surprisingly easy to get into; he didn't even need to call the computer hacker.

He read through Lexie's notes, and through the results of the blood tests performed. Lexie's personal notes about the findings disturbed him, that pig had been drugging her? The notes about Samantha's aggressive reaction didn't surprise him in the least. At least there was now some kind of explanation for Samantha's behavior, but it seemed it still hadn't sunk thru the rebar yet.

"Blighter." EJ breathed, another swell of anger overtook him, and his entire body shook with Rage – how long had that bloody, buggary, horses arse been poisoning her? "The whole time – obviously!" He groaned at the laptop, "The entire fucking time!"

He stood up, and paced, trying to work some of the renewed anger out of his system, before he blew his stack. EJ wondered if any of the drugs were suggestive? All that Arse would have had to do was tell her something over and over to reinforce the belief, and she would've carried it out under the influence of his drug cocktail.

"Great." He growled, "Wonderful…" That explained how Samantha wouldn't have known about anything happening with their daughter. He would bet every cent he had, that Rafe kept her drugged and sedated as a way to control her, and it had worked! It would allow him to go on his disgusting way, keep her away from him, and contain her magnificence in to a neat little package – except things with Samantha were never neat. Even drugged the woman had to be wrangled, which, unfortunately, was one of the things he adored.

EJ laughed, he would have had to drug her – Rafe wouldn't have been able to manage her otherwise! Samantha was far too headstrong, and opinionated for Rafael. Far too independent, and intelligent… this explained so much! Of course, that didn't let her off the hook in any way, she'd still committed a heinous crime against his person – but at least there was actually some kind of reason. It wasn't out of pure hatred for him, at least…

He wondered if Rafe knew she'd broken into the DiMera Mansion twice now? Shades of his Samantha appeared before his eyes, but she still had a long way to go! And, from the sound of Lexie's notes, it would be a long, hard route. Part of him wished he could be there for her, the sentimental part of him, and the other part of him was glad she suffered, he never wanted the woman to know a moments peace without him in her life. Selfish? Perhaps… but damn it, the bloody woman shot him in the head – and he'd handled it rather well.

So, that was a bold-faced lie, but there wasn't anyone there to call him out on it, why should he care if he handled it well or not? He wouldn't see the aggravating woman again, why did he even bother checking up on her? Even if he were there to help, or offered to help, she'd only be cruel and spiteful toward him.

EJ cursed the part of him that still loved this woman, they'd hurt each other so much… they hurt each other – this was not one sided as saint Samantha liked to pretend, she had been as guilty as he! Of course, he wore the DiMera name, so naturally everything defaulted to him.

The feelings he'd tried so hard to bury kept pricking their way to the surface, and it had all become a volley of loving her and hating her and they weren't even on the same fucking continent!

He'd never be free of her, and he knew that. If he had truly wanted freedom he would have to deal with these feelings, and he just couldn't, staying angry with her had been so much easier.

EJ pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, this would make him crazy, and it was time to stop. Samantha would just have to deal with this one on her own; he had much bigger, hairier fish to fry.

He turned back to the laptop, and closed the incriminating video of Samantha's breaking and entering. She'd gotten so good at breaking and entering; in another life he might have been proud. He shook her out of his thoughts again, and focused on his email. There were two messages from Apollo Inc. that drew his interest.

Scanning through the first one, he read nothing more than a proposal letter from a well-trained secretary. Basically, detailing their interest in him and what they wanted, but careful not to tip their hand too much. And, the second email had been sent directly from the CEO, who had carefully avoided introducing himself? Never in his entire business career had he seen such a thing – most CEO repeatedly told you their name, ensuring you wouldn't forget it, but this? The letter was all business, and signed with a simple, "looking forward to doing business with you, K".

He couldn't help it, there was something so familiar about the wording of the letter, and EJ was compelled to respond.

And, indeed, found himself agreeing to set up a meeting, and even agreeing to meet the CEO half way. He'd been in the middle of composing his reply when Sydney's soft whimpering echoed down the hallway. EJ stopped typing and turned his head toward her soft noises.

"Daddee…"

This started to worry him, EJ rose from the chair. A child having nightmares could be a completely normal thing every now and then, but this had become a nightly ritual. He hoped it hadn't been his doing… who was he kidding, of course it was! He ripped the child from her mother – twice now.

"Daddee."

He made his way down the hall to his youngest daughter's room. Of course, her mother had also ripped her from her father – who she'd been with since she was born. She hardly knew Samantha, but as he knew all to well, it was easy to develop a quick attachment to the woman. They were both to blame… the poor dear probably lived in a state of constant, utter confusion. That would stop, he'd make sure of it.

EJ opened her door, and looked at her sitting up in the middle of her bed, wiping the tears from her little cheeks.

"Hey sweetheart," He cooed softly, "Come here… daddy's here."

He crouched next to the bed, and she scooted quickly into his arms. Sydney pressed her head into the scoop of his neck, gripped his tie with one hand, and stuck the other in her mouth.

"It's alright, my darling." He rubbed her back.

"Bad man."

"Who's bad?"

"He's bad, bad man." Sydney sucked her thumb harder, "bad man get me."

"No my love," EJ cooed, "Daddy will protect you, always."

He didn't want to think it… but the thought wriggled into his brain anyway. If that bloody muppet harmed his two year old also, he would slit his fucking throat and leave him to bleed out on the dingy prison floor. He stood, and focused on his breathing to calm himself down, at the moment, Sydney was more important than planning the brutal evisceration and murder of Rafael Hernandez.

Sydney was so young, he'd probably never know. Neither the Salem Police nor the FBI found anything regarding her in the evidence catalogue, so the thought hadn't even crossed his mind.

He carried Sydney back to his office with him; she squirmed against him, and promptly fell asleep again, in less than 5 minutes.

EJ shifted her to one side, so he could continue his email. He changed the dates on the email he'd just composed. He explained he had some very important business, a very important business trip, but after that he would be happy to meet with the mysterious "K" person, even going as far as suggesting they meet in the islands. Aruba was wonderful this time of year. He wouldn't have them come here; no one would ever know where he was, if he could help it.

After sending the email, he went about researching the ins and outs of Statesville Penitentiary. He knew there were several inmates willing to help him, if he threw his DiMera around a bit, and there were more than a few guards.

He looked up, as a light knock clashed against his office door, he whispered, "Yes?"

"Hey Boss," Marco popped his head into the room.

"Marco," He said, motioning to his sleeping child, "Come in…"

He stepped into the room, "Well, she refused Dr. Carver's help."

"Of course she did," EJ scoffed, "She and Alexandra aren't friends, why would she listen? Samantha is the Queen of Denial… she'll have to come to the realization all on her own, and as usual she's chosen the more difficult path."

"She'll be wanting more than that methadone, that's for sure."

"What was he giving her?"

"A bunch of upper and downers," Marco pulled a folded piece of paper from his shirt pocket, "And, I'll tell ya it wasn't just the pills she was worried about."

"No?" EJ rolled his eyes, "Of course, there's more…"

"GHB, and traces of Ketamine."

"Lovely." He had an instant headache, but then thinking of Samantha always induced that reaction. Why had he given her so many different things? "I suppose it would be more difficult to pinpoint symptoms if she had caught on? She probably doesn't even know."

"Doubtful." Marco agreed.

"I need you to do something for me." EJ said, "Something else, you and Mary are the only people I trust."

"I know." He said, completely seriously. "Anything you need."

"I need you to stay with the children, and Mary." He said, "I know you'll guard them with your life, and I need to know they're safe."

"You sound like you're leaving or something?"

"Yes." EJ looked at him, "First… I'm going to pay a little visit to Statesville, I'm in the middle of arranging things now, and then I've got a business meeting in the islands."

"You're going… to Statesville?" Marco blinked, "Yourself?"

EJ looked down at Sydney nestled in his arms, and nodded, "I have to know… and one way or another I will get the truth out of him." He looked up at Marco, "You know, when we set this up, I never imagined we'd come to this point… that anything he'd been accused of would actually be truthful." EJ smiled grimly, "Except for Victor, I knew that for certain."

"And Mr. K ain't liftin' a finger to help him out."

"Good." EJ scoffed, "Why should he? His name, his precious reputation, is now connected with the likes of a pedophile. Victor is an astute businessman, he'd distance himself and Titan immediately, just to save face with Titan's stock holders."

"You mean your father?"

EJ chuckled, "Ah, yes… he does hold 49%, doesn't he?"

Honestly he hadn't even thought about father, these were his grandchildren… he wasn't likely to sit back and let the law handle this one any more than he would.

He gave Marco a list of 'to do's' before EJ left, he would go the day after tomorrow, because he couldn't leave without explaining his disappearance to the children. He'd tell them daddy had a very important business trip, which was mostly true.

It would be too risky to contact Carmine, or one of the prison guards himself… so he'd probably end up surprising them. He'd have to get his hands on a uniform and borrow someone's credentials. He'd have to arrange the travel of Edward Medici; he could afford the risk of using the jet. He'd also have to arrange the procurement of some prison style weapons; anything he did had to look like it came from inside those prison walls. Hell, Dahmer and DeSalvo were both beaten and stabbed to death by inmates who were never apprehended, no reason Rafael couldn't join that list. In his eyes pedophilia was almost worse than serial murder and eating people, so this should be fairly simple!

In the morning he'd have breakfast with the children, and then spend the whole day with them. He'd explain his business trip, and promise surprises upon his return to keep them from asking too many questions. He'd visit Statesville, hop over to Aruba for the business meeting, and be back before they even missed him.