Without a price
Chapter 19
As Lucky and Emily left the house, a couple of other officers arrived to cover Lucky's absence. The trap was officially set, the rumors sent out and dispersed along the police department and legal offices. There was to be a set number of people watching the property at all times until Baldwin was caught.
But as Lucky parked his car in his apartment parking lot, Emily's cell phone rang. Emily answered it, quite shocked at who was on the other line. "Oh, Mrs. Massey. Hello".
Lucky tried to hear what the Governor's wife was saying but she must have been too soft spoken. He couldn't hear anything except Emily's responses. "Yeah, I could but why?" Emily said. "What didn't you tell us?" A few seconds passed before Emily responded again, glancing over at Lucky. "Yeah, he's with me."
Lucky truly had no idea what they were talking about but he was led to believe he was involved and that it had to do with Murphy's murder. Suddenly, Maria's voice became more of a screech and Emily had to pull the phone away from the ear. "Okay, okay, we'll come. Where do you want to meet us?" With an "okay", the conversation ended quickly after.
Emily was having difficulty understanding Maria's behavior so it took a minute or two to sort it out in her mind and tell Lucky the line of conversation. "That was Maria Massey. She wants to meet us at the park in between Port Charles and New York City."
"Why Frankfort park?" Lucky asked. "She has to know that it isn't the safest place to go." The park was rarely went to because the many gang groups tended to go there to "solve their differences".
"I'm not entirely sure she remembered that. Her behavior, it was…erratic. She was so determined to meet us, she must have just picked the best place in between our two towns to decrease waiting time." Emily theorized.
Lucky restarted his car. "I guess so." Lucky agreed, "but something doesn't seem right."
"Maria isn't right in the head period, not that the Governor wants to admit this. He's an optimistic person and always wants to believe the best in people, naïve though it is." Emily murmured.
Lucky looked to her quickly before pulling out his car of the parking spot. "Explain."
"Maria was very sheltered as a child. Her father was a politician so she knew the arena well. It was how she met Michael actually. Michael was rallying against her father so they got into this huge argument. It ended in a stalemate because both had good points neither had considered. So, they went and had coffee and started dating, marrying later." Lucky knew that this all wasn't the point, just an introduction Emily thought was necessary. He feigned patience and stayed quiet so Emily could get to the point.
"Their first year of marriage was rough, with him fighting for a political position and she realizing how sheltered she was. There was so many things she didn't know. She was remarkably naïve, like a three year old. The only reason the marriage survived was Brian. It was a complete surprise to find out they were expecting a child and allowed them to see that they couldn't go on being selfish and only thinking about themselves. They had to connect for themselves, for their son."
"Their marriage was strong until Brian was 16, when Maria got pregnant once again. This time, however, she miscarried. It tore her apart, from what I hear. When she was younger, she never even considered that could happen, her father didn't allow her to. She was his little princess." Lucky nodded, seeing where she was going now and that the introduction was necessary after all.
"Her father died soon after her miscarriage and she moved on yes, but the scars never healed and she never did really get over the losses. She's been fighting off depression for years, not that she allowed anyone to see that."
"So what made her mindset finally crumble?" Lucky asked, his eyes on the road in front of him.
"Brian's death. The factor that really held the marriage fell through at that point. Maria started having affairs and Michael, for some reason, just closed himself off and left Maria to deal with it on her own while he pushed himself in his work. Neither wanted to accept his death, the pain it held. Their marriage is on a precarious balance act because of it." Emily finished.
"I guess so." Lucky shook his head. The more he learned, the more he disliked how Americans thought politicians were perfect. "So what did she forget to mention?"
"She wouldn't say, just said 'that's why we have to meet.'" Emily replied.
"Vague to say the least," Lucky complained and he was sure Emily agreed.
As they arrived at the park, Lucky said a quick prayer and checked that he had his gun and that it was loaded. He didn't know what to expect. He glanced over at Emily as she got out of the car. He only hoped he didn't have to use it. It would not help Emily's current state of mind if he did.
Forcing some reassurance into his voice and gathering courage, Lucky pressed them on along. They were to meet at the gazebo in the middle of the park. As they neared, the more nervous he got. This was a bad idea and both him and Emily knew it but neither could see themselves turning back at this point. He was going to curse himself later for this though, that was for sure.
Maria was sitting in the gazebo when they arrived. She stepped down from it to meet them. "Thanks for coming. I know you probably had better things to do on a beautiful Saturday like this." Her hands were folded.
"It's still early in the day," Lucky said, looking at his watch. "So what did you need to tell us?"
Maria looked increasingly unsure of herself. "This actually," Maria replied as she held up her hands which when pulled apart held a gun. Lucky instinctively pushed Emily behind him and cursed. This was not good.
Lucky studied Maria. Her hands shook and her eye movement was erratic, never staying on one thing. "Mrs. Massey, you don't need that gun. I'm sure everything can be worked out just by talking."
Maria shook her head roughly, her breath becoming shallow. "No, no it can't." She disagreed.
"Can you tell me why talking won't solve this at least?" Lucky asked. Maria didn't want to hurt anyone, not intentionally anyway. Baldwin must have played with her mind.
"I don't know, Scott just said…" She paused then continued, raising her voice. "He said that the police wouldn't believe that I didn't kill David." She started sobbing uncontrollably. "I didn't want him telling Michael of my affair anymore than Scott did but to murder him? He had a family, two kids to help raise. He didn't deserve that."
Lucky didn't even take that into consideration but found some place to start. "We all know that Baldwin killed Officer Murphy. You were never a suspect."
"He planted evidence that could say I did!" Maria exclaimed.
"He destroyed every piece of evidence Maria. That is why this whole murder investigation was difficult." Lucky replied. "He made sure that the whole police department didn't know that Officer Murphy and your husband was close friends."
Emily pulled away from Lucky, to try and help now that they had something to work with. "He's right. I had to tell him of the relationship. Baldwin is just playing with your mind."
For the first time, Maria saw Emily clearly. Emily wouldn't lie about something like that. She was blunt to a fault, the one quality her son hadn't appreciated. Still, she was skeptical and Emily and Lucky saw this.
"We can help you, really. I know Baldwin can seem intimidating and frightening but everyone in Port Charles knows he has an evil side. He's always had one but no has ever been able to pin any offenses on him." Emily explained.
"Though people have tried. I'm sure when you were having your affair, he showed a caring, loving side you couldn't see but the only person he cares about is himself and he's trying to put this blame on you so he can escape any punishment for his actions." Lucky assisted Emily, helping Maria see the dark side of Scott Baldwin.
"By killing you two, he said that I could finally be free, won't have to be scared of getting arrested for something I didn't do!"
"By killing Lucky and I, you'll only be doing his dirty work." Emily argued, but Maria seemed to have been tuned them out.
"Scott was going to take care of the other problem…." Maria murmured quietly. Lucky and Emily glanced at each other, catching the meaning. Baldwin had fallen for Lucky's trap. Neither could believe it either but that was one killer down, now to deal with Maria who just might become one herself.
Both Lucky and Emily took one step closer to Maria, who was now on her knees, trying to make sense of everything. If they were to touch her, for sure she would fire on instinct, but if kept a good distance away but close enough to get through to her, no one would get shot today either.
Lucky and Emily were both struggling to figure out what to say. Lucky's cell phone rang during this silent standoff. The sound made Maria's breathing harder, her grip on the gun tighter. "What's that?"
"My cell phone. It's probably one of my coworkers telling me that they have arrested Baldwin." Lucky explained.
"Scott's been arrested?" Maria asked, not truly believing that Baldwin got caught.
"Yes, it is well known that he is the murderer. The lack of evidence says so and maybe Baldwin will try and blame you but we know better." Lucky told her and saw Maria getting some control back. They were finally getting through to her.
"And we will say so. With us backing you up, you will not be held responsible for anything. But if you do use that gun, you lose any help you will get and Baldwin will win." Emily continued, seeing that her words hit as the gun fell out of her hands and onto the ground.
Maria, sobbing and shaking heavily, kneeled down. Emily walked to her and comforted her while Lucky took the gun from the ground and finally allowed himself to breathe easily. For a while there, he was scared that either he or Emily would truly get shot, given Maria was less than rational.
He looked down at the gun. It would probably be better to say this scene never happened in his report. Maria would still need help of course, but it would be better for her politically and sanely if they just said this meeting never occurred. Unless the gun he is holding is Baldwin's.
"Maria, where did you get this gun?" Lucky asked, hoping to hear that it was her husband's.
Maria looked up at him, not quite making eye contact. "Michael. His father had a couple he inherited. They're locked up in the basement of our house."
Lucky breathed easily again. That was good to hear given the day he was having.
Looking around, the park was empty as far as he could see. It would be best to leave now while it was. "Em, we should probably leave."
Emily looked up at him and nodded. "Maria's car is probably around here somewhere. I'll drive it and her back home and then I'll call her husband. We probably need to talk." Emily replied.
"Good idea." Lucky agreed, "I'll follow you. I should be in the discussion too."
Emily nodded again and helped Maria up. Lucky helped and hoped that everything could be sorted out. He didn't want anymore surprises today.