Chapter 16

Edward sat and stared at the rosebuds wondering why he was bothering. He was so tired of this game. However, he had to continue to play it. He had to protect his family's interests. But the cost. . . he shook his head, trying to rid the images that were playing in it. In truth he had never been able to rid his mind of the image of Carly lying at the bottom of the stairs, and now he had a new one to couple with it. This time was worse. He had seen that poor young woman falling. Had seen AJ. . .

He cursed as he stood and ran a hand over his face while moving closer to the bushes. In truth he wasn't sure how to handle things. He put up a good front for Justus, but had to agree with his grandson: having to take some responsibility for his actions just might be what AJ needed, but he also knew that the family would be destroyed if they went that route.

"Who are you kidding, Edward?" a voice asked causing him to turn.

A slight smile graced his face at who he saw. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked as he went to sit near the woman who was now at the small table he had vacated.

"It's not about the family," she said pointedly.

"Yes, it is," Edward replied quickly as he made his way over to the table.

She rolled her eyes at that, "Who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself?"

He shook his head while answering, "I don't need convincing."

"If you didn't I wouldn't be here."

"I'm protecting Lila," he sighed as he looked back at the bushes, wishing she could be out there with him. "She's so fragile now," he continued as he looked back at his companion. "I'm afraid of what this will do to her. All of this," he paused indicating the house and grounds around him, "doesn't mean anything without her."

"Then why are you so worried about losing it?"

"It's something we built together," Edward sighed. "Besides, it isn't just about keeping the things, or even the company, it's about the family."

"What about the family?"

"I need to keep what's left of it together. Safe. Out of jail."

"And what about the families of the people he hurts?"

"Lila wouldn't be able to take it if he went to jail."

"Lila or you?" she asked pointedly.

"It's my fault."

"How?"

"I saw it coming. . ." he sighed. "Maybe not this per say, but the start of something. I knew she tried to get a restraining order. . ."

"And you quelched it."

"It was all I could do. I need to protect the family name. . ."

"He isn't Lila. This wasn't some accident with a poker. This wasn't justifiable attemptive murder. He maliciously pushed her down the stairs."

"He was drunk."

"It's not the first time."

"Don't you think that I know that? Know what his actions have cost all of us?"

"What about what it cost them? And if you honestly don't care about them, which I seriously doubt, what about what it will continue to cost you?"

"Maybe I'll just worry about it then."

"And what about now?"

"I can't worry about it. Can't think about anything but keeping this from getting to Lila. What time she has left will not be marred by this."

His visitor just shook her head, "you can't control everything, Edward. Sooner or later it's gonna implode on you."

"I'll worry about it then. Who knows maybe, just maybe he'll finally get it together before anything else happens."

"For your sake, I hope he does, but I doubt it," she sighed as she stood and kissed his cheek. "Take care of yourself, Edward," she whispered as she stepped back.

"You too, Katherine," he sighed before she faded away and he was left alone again.

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Mac knocked on V's door, causing her to look up from the file she had been reading. "I hear you're looking over the Moss thing," he said as he stepped into her office, making sure to shut the door behind him.

"Thing? Funny, I'd call it attempted murder," she said angrily as she put the file she had been going over since completing the calls to CJ, Toby, Sam, and Josh.

Mac shuffled his feet a bit and sighed, "we're doing everything that we can."

"Really? Then where are the records on the breathalyzer? AJ's statement? Ned's? Did they get 'lost,' like the hospital paperwork, or did you guys just not get them?"

"You know what I mean," Mac sighed as he sank into the chair across from her. "Our hands are tied on this one. We're fighting the powers that be as hard as we can."

"But it's not enough," she sighed as she shifted the papers and asked the question that was weighing heaviest on her, "how tied are our hands?"

"DA won't do anything until he hears her 'story.'"

"How much credence do you think he'll put on it?"

"About as much as was given to her request for a restraining order," Mac put in, watching her blanch in surprise. "You didn't know about that?"

"How about you fill me in?"

"She applied for one against Quartermain some time in the last couple of weeks. Had a decent amount of evidence against him from what I heard. Even with it, she was told she didn't have enough."

"Why?"

"Rumor has it because she's friends with Carly and Ned she needed more evidence. Personally, I think it would've been sat on no matter how much she had until. . ."

"Till he did something like this, and yet, they're still tying our hands."

"Because she's perceived as a nobody," Mac stated and raised his hand when she went to protest. "You know what I mean. She's not a major player in this town's hierarchy even if she works for one. Hell, he's more of an interloper. No one's gonna take on the Quartermains for her."

"Really? And here I thought that was our job. That justice was for everyone, not just the 'somebodies' in this town."

"I said that wrong. You, me, Taggart, Dara, Garcia--- we want justice--- protection--- for everyone. A lot of others, they don't care."

"So why aren't we doing more? Why aren't you?"

"I'm doing what I have to," Mac sighed, hating the doubt he saw in her eyes. "Look, I don't like it, but I'm not throwing up my hands and running off someplace."

"Is that a dig?"

"No. Oh, I don't know. V., maybe you were stronger when you walked away from the job over the racketeering thing, maybe not. All I know is that none of us can change what's happened, but maybe we can change the outcome."

V. raised an eyebrow at his words, reading between the lines of his comments more than he had wanted to reveal. "I don't doubt that justice will be served, Mac. I just wish it wasn't going to make the Police Department and District Attorney's office look like fools in the process."

"We're used to it. It's not like we don't usually get creamed in the local media because we were hammered into bringing a case to trial too soon. It will fade with the rest, like always."

V. grimaced at his words, knowing full well that this story would garner more than local coverage. Note to self: get tips from CJ and/or Toby on how to handle the national press and not make us all look like idiots if at all possible. "Shame that we're used to it isn't it?" she asked.

"Yeah, well maybe one of these days there'll be a shift and the mayor and DA and whomever else Edward is paying off will finally let us do our jobs."

"And in the meantime?"

"We do the best we can, and hope it's good enough."

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Toby sat writing notes on the file in front of him as his door opened and his secretary walked in. "You have 30 minutes before you have to leave," she informed hiding her curiosity over what story he might be chasing.

"Fine. Send Karen in in five to be briefed before I leave," he said without looking up from the budget report he was reviewing.

"Oh, and I got through. She's on line 2."

Toby closed his eyes slightly at that as he reached for the phone. "Send Karen in in 10 then," he groused as he picked up his extension and turned his back to her. "Sorry to keep you waiting," he started stiffly.

"It's not a problem," the woman on the other end of the line laughed, her tone sarcastic." "I mean, anytime I can do something for one of the biggest news directors. . ."

"Cut the sarcasm."

"Don't get your boxers in a twist. If you think getting a favor from me is going to be so easy that you can keep me on hold for five minutes. . ."

"I said I was sorry."

"Like you meant it? Everyone knows that Toby Zielger doesn't apologize, and since I have better things to do. . ."

Toby rolled his eyes as he reached for one of his balls and started bouncing it. "I wanted to know if I could work out of your studios for a while."

"Excuse me?!?!?" the woman gulped, surprise evident in her voice. "Did you just ask . . ."

"Yeah. I did."

"What's the story?" she demanded her mind shifting gears.

"There's no story."

"Toby, I am not getting scooped in my own town and especially not in my own studio. What's the story?"

"There is none. I need your studios because I want to be able to keep up with mine while I'm in Port Charles."

"Name the story or there's no deal."

"Damnit, Tiffany! I told you there isn't a story," he shot back as he threw the ball at the wall in frustration.

"I'm hanging up now."

"I'm going up there to visit a friend who's in the hospital, all right?" he asked testily.

"Who?"

"There's no story."

"Me think he doth protest too much."

"We're keeping it quiet," Toby sighed, hoping she'd let it go.

"Who's in the hospital?"

Toby cursed under his breathe as he spun around and looked at the picture of them. "Off the record, a former aide. Please, don't ask me to say any more," he sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

"You could've just said that," Tiffany sighed. "Fine. Use my studio, but if it turns into something, you link and plug us. Don't go over us or I will get even."

"Whatever."

"Did you really just say whatever?"

"Don't start."

"Keep pushing me. . ."

"I'm not exactly in the best mood right now, so can you cut me some slack?"

"When aren't you in a bad mood?" Tiffany shot back on a laugh. "Now, is there anything else?"

"Not right now, but I might need to call in a marker later on."

"This doesn't count?"

"Tiffany. . ."

"Oh, come on. I kinda like the idea of you owing me for a change."

"Why aren't I surprised?" Toby asked on a slight laugh. "And we'll hash out the markers later."

"We'll do that," Tiffany replied, then added. "I hope your friend's OK."

"So do I, Tiffany. So do I."