Love Never Goes Out of Style/CH 20

"Look, lady, you'd better start doin some serious talkin here or I'm gonna take that hairpiece out by the roots. And believe me, you don't wanna mess with me, because I am a professional!"

Victoria looked genuinely terrified now, "You're a professional killer?"

Hilda shrugged, "No, hairdresser. I got my own place back in New York, called Hilda's Beautilities…"

Bobby shook his head, "Not the time for one of your infomercials, babe. Look, Mrs. Hartley, this can go one of two ways here. You either talk and tell us what we wanna know or we teach you some things about how we operate in Queens.

And what my fiancé does to your fake hair, I'm gonna do double to all the other parts of you that are fake. Which for a rich old gal such as yourself, I'm guessin is the major part a you! You'd just better tell me where Betty is or...they're gonna find little pieces of you from here all the way back to New York. You got that?"

Victoria seemed a bit apprehensive, but still slightly unconvinced the pair meant business.

Hilda elbowed him, "Ow! Hilda! Whadjya do that for?"

"Go ahead, Bobby, tell her about yer family being...you know, connected!"

"Babe, why do you always gotta bring that up? I told you a million times, it aint true. You should know better than to listen to gossip...oh!" He saw Hilda rolling her eyes at him, and blustered to Victoria, trying to look as tough as he could, "Oh, yeah, that's right! I got lotsa connections in 'the family'! So, you either talk to us or you talk to my uncle Guido!"

"Guido? You couldn't pick a more believable name than Guido?" Hilda hit Bobby on the arm. "Just forgettabout Bobby's connections. You're in enough trouble just with me, cause if the next words out of your mouth ain't the address where Betty is, I'm gonna rip these nails off one by one. WITHOUT soaking them first to loosen em!"

Now Victoria seemed more annoyed than scared, and she started to speak, "Shut up, you two...idiots! I told you, I have no idea where your precious Betty is. That's the problem. I know Matt is here, trying to get back together with her. I simply want to prevent that."

"Well, so do we! Betty's with Daniel now. She got over Matt a long time ago. And Lord knows she sure don't want YOU as no mother-in-law!"

"The feeling is mutual, I assure you."

Bobby shook his head, "Well let me tell you something Miss fancy pants, Betty's way too good for your son, anyway."

"Fine. So, it seems we both agree that Matt and Betty shouldn't be together, correct?"

Bobby looked at Hilda, "Well, yeah!"

Hilda narrowed her eyes, "What are you sayin?"

"I'm simply stating the obvious fact that essentially we have no quarrel. We both agree Betty and my son are ill suited. So, perhaps there's no reason for this...misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding? You threatened my sister, lady! I'd call that a HUGE misunderstanding alright."

"But did I really threaten her? Or merely suggest to Daniel that he should take Betty out of Matt's way once and for all. Which, it seems is everyone else's goal as well. So, since we agree, everything should be just ducky. If you don't mind, now, I have meetings to attend."

Hilda put her arm up to block Victoria, "Hold on, just a minute...I think you're leaving out the best part. When you told Daniel that you'd do whatever it took to make sure his 'vile secretary' didn't ruin Matt's life? That's not very 'ducky' with me!"

"Oh, that."

"Yeah, that." Hilda's phone rang. She put up a finger, "Don't you go anywhere! Hello?"

"Hilda, we've got her! Betty's right here with me. Betty, tell Hilda you're okay."

Betty grabbed the phone from Daniel, glaring at him angrily, "Yeah, it's me."

Hilda looked utterly relieved, as she motioned Bobby over to the phone to hear Betty's voice. "Betty? Oh my God, honey. You're okay? Matt didn't hurt you? Or...any body guards or anything? Or henchmen?"

"Henchmen? No, what are you all talking about, anyway? I just bumped into Matt after I left the Tate to head back to Tower Bridge when I realized I dropped my scarf. He asked me to lunch and since I was...am still furious with Daniel right now, I figured it was as good a time as any to catch up, and here what he was up to. Matt's just a friend, now. But we were together. I think I'm entitled to talk to him to see how his trip went. I don't know why Daniel thinks he owns me..."

"Betty, will you PLEASE shut UP? For goodness sakes, listen to me. You have been in danger! Okay? Matt has been stalking you ever since you got here. Even before then. Talk to Amanda, and Christina. Daniel called us earlier and told us they found out Mr. Dunne got some email and phone message from Matt before he saw Christina. You getting that interview was no coincidence, mama. Matt wants you away from Mode, away from Daniel. And it's not only him that's crazy. Bobby and I got his wacko mother right here. She called Daniel and threatened that you'd better stay away from her son or else..."

"I really don't think I said, or else." Hilda held up her hand to Victoria.

"Shut up, you! Nobody told you to talk. Listen, Betty. You stay with Daniel and the rest of them until Bobby and I can get this bitch arrested or...hog tied maybe. Whatever you do, stay away from Matt, and make sure you're not alone, okay?"

"Hilda...you can't be serious! I really think you all misunderstood..."

Hilda raised her voice, "Oh no! Don't you give me that whole, 'misunderstood' business, too, Betty! You STAY with Daniel! You got that? You two are super-glued together until I see you in person and see that you're alright! You promise me?"

"Fine! I'll...stay with Daniel, Hilda. Don't do anything stupid to Victoria or she'll have you two arrested."

"Do not worry about us, honey. I love you, Betty! I'm so glad you're alive."

Betty rolled her eyes, "Of course I'm alive. Don't be so dramatic all the time, Hilda. You watch way too many of papi's telenovelas."

"Irregardless, Betty. I'll see you in a few hours. WITH Daniel glued to your side."

Betty shook her head, "Yes, Hilda. I'll see you soon. I love you, too."

As soon as Betty hung up and handed Daniel back his phone, he smirked, "So, what did she say? Do you believe us now?"

Betty sighed, plopping against the back of the seat, "Please, Daniel. Hilda was so loud I know you could hear exactly what she said. Heck, my papi could probably hear her back in Queens!"

"Well, luv, she's been worried sick about ya. We all have! I swear to you, it's all true, every word. Matt's a bloody stalker and his mum's...well, there's no good word fer what she is."

"A be-otch!" Amanda chimed in. Her phone rang, as if on cue. "Hello? Matt! What are you doing calling me?"

"Amanda...I thought I saw you in the car with Daniel and those other people. Is Betty okay? She dropped her phone. I've been worried sick about her. What's going on? Why did you and Daniel and all those people kidnap Betty?"

Amanda's eyes widened, "US Kidnap Betty? No, it's the other way around; we were rescuing her from you, Matt! You and your crazy mother. She called Daniel earlier and started threatening Betty and said she wasn't good enough for you, so..."

"Wait, what are you talking about? My mother called Daniel? I don't believe this shit! Look, Amanda, I swear to you, I didn't know anything about that! I don't know why she would...well, that's not true. She's got her heart set on me marrying some boring, vanilla banker's daughter who's the upper crust of society or something, Muffi or Candi, whatever. But I promise; I had absolutely nothing to do with whatever schemes my mom is hatching. I love Betty. I always have."

Tyler grabbed Amanda's phone. "Listen, you asshole, don't ever call Amanda again."

"She called me before! I was just worried...who is this, anyway?"

"This is your...half-brother, Tyler. I'm dating Amanda now. And she only pretended to call you earlier to try and flush you out so we could find where you had taken Betty. She's not really interested in you. So take a hike, before we have you and your crazy mom arrested!"

"Wait, Tyler? So you're...the one I heard about from South Dakota? The child Claire Meade had with my father?"

"Yes."

"Wow! Listen, I'm sorry about the confusion, but I still don't really understand where all this is coming from. I was just having an innocent lunch with Betty. She and I used to date and we were simply catching up on old times. Then, all of a sudden, Daniel comes out of nowhere and knocks me down and runs off with her! And you guys all go with them. Just let me talk to Betty, please. I want to make sure she's alright."

Tyler looked at Daniel, and said, softly, holding his hand over the phone so Matt wouldn't hear, "He says he wants to talk to Betty to make sure she's alright."

Daniel grabbed the phone, livid, "Give me that, yeah, Matt, this is Daniel. You bet your ass she's alright now. She's with me. And she's going to stay with me, you got that? Don't even think about pulling any more of your stalking crap again, either. I'm going to take her far away from you and your insane mother!

Somewhere that she'll be safe from you both. So, don't even try to sell me any of your bull shit. I know you're full of it. Christina talked to Lindsay Dunne. He told her you were the one trying to get him to hire Betty here in London. So you could 'get her away from me' wasn't it?

Well, you're never going to get her away from me again, because I'm in love with her. And she loves me, too. Most of the time, anyway. When I don't say idiotic things to piss her off, that is. But we're going to be happy together from now on.

So, why don't you just get over it and go find somebody else? You left her. You had your shot and you blew it, buddy. She's my girlfriend now. Goodbye!" He hung up, leaving Matt stuttering, trying to get in a word.

They all sat staring at Daniel for a moment. Finally, Christina broke the silence, hitting Stuart on the arm, "See, if you talked that way about me once in a while, maybe I wouldn't a been worried so much that you might be cheatin on me!"

Stuart shook his head, and gestured towards Daniel, "Well, excuse me for not bein Cary Grant, here. I'm sorry, luv. Just because I don't give fancy speeches about you like that doesn't mean I don't love ya, you know. If you recall, I did cross the pond for you to go after you when you ran off to New York, didn't I?"

"Yeah, well you took yer bloody time, though. I was beginnin to think you hadn't noticed I left."

"I noticed. But no old boyfriends are stalking you now that I'm aware of. If one does, I promise, I'll rescue you and fight off dragons for ya, fair enough?"

Christina smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder, "It'll do for now. By the way, I love you, too, you silly git!"

Stuart nodded, smiling and kissed the top of her head, "Well that's good to know. Considerin I just bought a house here in London for us. I'd hate to have to see if that Kate Middleton was interested in shackin up with me."

Christina's eyes popped, "Stuart! Wait…is that why you were really havin the house in Scotland fixed up? So we could sell it and move here?"

He shrugged, "Boy, can't put anythin past you, can I?"

As Christina and Stuart rattled on about house plans, Daniel squeezed Betty's hand, and looked at her. "A penny for your thoughts, sweetie. Are you still mad at me?"

She shook her head, sighing, "No, Daniel. I just really don't understand."

He laughed slightly, "Which part? There's a lot I don't understand."

"How you can be so sweet and…heroic and protective of me. And yet…sometimes."

He shrugged, "I can be a real pain in the ass?"

She smiled, "Well…sort of, I guess. Okay, yes!"

"Sorry about that, Betty. I'm working on it. I think…considering how bad I was when we first met, I've come pretty far I'd say. But I predict it's going to take a really long time being under your influence for me to continue to improve.

Which means…well, you heard your sister. Superglue, right? Let's see…what parts should we glue together first, do you think?" He smiled and brushed back her hair, kissing her cheek.