Disclaimer…I do not own GH or the characters….No copy write infringement intended…..For entertainment purposes only….
Chapter Thirty
Nauseated at the prospect of listening to Coop's warped views, Georgie didn't protest when Johnny suggested talking to Spinelli first. The respect she'd once had for the geek and her ability to look passed his odd behaviors no longer existed. Learning what he had done, allowing her to believe Diego had been a killer, had been the reason she had left the safety and security of the Alcazar compound. Looking at the situation with what she knew now she agreed with Johnny. Spinelli may not have been the source of the danger, but he ultimately set her on the path that caused her life to be forever changed. Georgie probably could have overlooked every horrible and vile incident that she's endured, all except for her son dying. Nothing Spinelli said could erase his death or make it better.
"Doll, it's not too late if you can't do this," Logan told her after she paused outside the door. "No one's gonna think less of you."
Johnny remained silent while knowing that there was nothing the other man could say to keep her from facing the two men. Georgie's determination and stubbornness rivaled his own, making him painfully aware that trying to talk her out this would be futile.
"I need answers, Logan, for more than just me," she murmured, her posture stiffening.
Her pain was palpable. Intertwining his fingers with hers, Johnny moved so that he stood directly at her side. "Just let me know when you've heard enough, Georgie. You don't owe Spinelli anything. So once you are done, we're out of there. Don't let him play on your compassion." She tightened her grip on his hand, needing him close.
Logan grimaced but had expected her response. Meeting Johnny's eyes over her head, he was very glad to not be in either Spinelli or Coop's position. Receiving the sharp nod, Logan opened the door and followed them into the room before stopping to stand in front of the exit but close enough to grab Georgie and remove her if need be.
"Fair Georgie!" Spinelli sat up quickly, shocked at her presence. When he started to stand he caught the darkening expression on Johnny's face and instantly dropped back onto the small cot. He was smart enough to know his only chance of survival rest with his friend. Everything he'd done had been to protect his Faithful Friend. She'd understand when he explained.
Refusing to take more than three steps into the room, Georgie kept as much distance between her and him as possible. "Why? You owe me that much, Spinelli. Tell me why you did it."
A childish pout formed on his face. "The Jackal only protected you from a man that had repeatedly harmed you, Fair One. With enough time he would have done so again." His arms waved about nervously. "Because you are so sweet and forgiving, your judgment became skewered, just like presently."
"I'm only going to say this one more time, so listen carefully. Diego never hurt me, Spinelli. You didn't even know him. But I'm not arguing with you about that. How could you let me believe he murdered Leticia and Emily? That he had died after being named the TMK?"
"The bond had to be broken beyond repair," he answered beseechingly. "I was unaware that the Former Law Abiding One committed the actual slayings, I assure you. But the heiress's father went missing. By allowing you to believe what others did, it severed the dependency you had for him and his connections that were attempting to keep you hostage."
"I was six months into a high risk pregnancy, carrying twins, Spinelli! Diego's men kept me safe and made sure I had everything I needed! You knew he was alive, didn't you? You knew when you convinced me that I wasn't safe there and that coming home would only be walking into a trap."
He lowered his head in shame. "Yes. I watched from the window of the building where Fair Sam and I had our agency when the Dastardly Criminal known as Jerry accepted his unconscious form from the Former Cadet." Hesitant, Spinelli swallowed thickly while lifting his head and spotting the tears on her face and the unreadable blankness on Zacchara's. "You had to be kept far away from where he could find you if he escaped Jerry's sadistic clutches. I used our friendship to get you away from his compound and out of Port Charles because I feared you two would somehow find one another. I thought I could keep tabs on those after you, therefor warning you of the imminent danger when it closed in."
"And instead it cost me my son, my baby, Spinelli," she stated flatly while clinging to Johnny, who wrapped a supportive arm around her trembling frame. "Even after that you never told me the truth!"
"I regret that, I really do, Fair Georgie. Especially after I read the hospital…"
"You what?" she demanded, her voice cold and dripping with scorn. "Jesus! Do you not comprehend boundaries, Spinelli? Your delusional thought process and allowing yourself to be led around by the balls by vindictive slutty blonds made you play God with my life. Now you are telling me that you invaded my privacy by hacking into my hospital records!" Trying to calm the pounding of her heart, she inhaled sharply before choking back a sob.
Spinelli jumped to his feet awkwardly but remained across the room when Logan reached for his gun at the movement. "I had no clue that by gaining access to those files that a worm the WSB planted would alert them to any searches or e-mails I sent you. I was unprepared for Dr. Robin to warn her parental figures of my cyber prowess." As he defended his responsibility for the WSB being able to effectively locate her with ease after Lorenzo's death, he winced when her face paled, realizing that she had not known of his part in that debacle. "Please, I never meant for you or the heiress to be in such peril. Everything I did was to try and save you from Diego's clutches and then to keep you unharmed!"
"Your well-meaning intentions only exposed me to more dangers, Spinelli! How could I possibly overlook that, forgive that? Both my babies and I would have died if not for Alex searching for me! A man that I didn't trust because of your lies!" she hissed between clenched teeth, trying desperately not to break down in front of him. "Why didn't you just take out an ad in the paper and broadcast where I was so everyone could find me easily?" she sarcastically tossed out when he miserably shook his head.
Misinterpreting her, Spinelli raised moist eyes to hers. "The Blond One only told her royal brother about you and the heiress. She promised to me that Jerry Jacks and the Evil Granny were not present and accounted for when she accidently spilled that you were alive and whose daughter you had given birth to."
Georgie went completely still, rage making talking difficult. "What else did you tell Lulu?" Disgust at his lack of regard for her and her daughter made her lightheaded. She'd trusted him, believed he only at her best at heart. Learning the truth proved that she truly had been naïve and blind.
"Just that you and Lucas shared a father," he finally answered reluctantly after Johnny lifted an eyebrow when he paused.
"I never dreamed that I would be in the position to ask for someone to die, but thanks to you, I've been there twice now. And just like before, I hope you suffer before you finally take that last breath, Spinelli. Go to hell!" Breaking direct eye contact with a person she had stupidly thought of as a friend, Georgie walked from the room before leaning against the wall out of his sight and sliding to the floor.
He opened his mouth to call out to her, but snapped it shut when Johnny approached him. Stumbling back and hitting the back of his legs on the metal frame of the cot, Spinelli shook in fear. He didn't want to die. He'd been so sure that Wise Georgie would understand his reasoning and eventually forgive him. Instead she'd basically asked Johnny to murder him, a request that Spinelli doubted she had even needed to make.
"I never understood you, but I used to believe you truly cared for that young woman that you helped to destroyed, Spinelli." His lips thinned grimly. "The part that pisses me off the most is that you honestly believe you did nothing wrong and defend your actions even after knowing what you cost her." Johnny let a wickedly sly grin curve his lips. "But I plan on eliminating every threat to Georgie. And you, Spinelli, you are considered one. Even if she'd begged me to spare your life, it wouldn't have saved you." Moving toward the door without a backward glance at the man who collapsed on the bed, Johnny gave Logan the signal he'd been waiting for before closing the door after O'Brien joined Logan without speaking, his sure stride carrying him across the room and to the cowering excuse of a man.
Crouching in front of Georgie, Johnny tucked the hair curtaining her face behind her ear, surprised to find her dry eyed. His voice was smooth and low, almost like a caress when he spoke. "I'm sorry."
Georgie sadly shook her head. "It's not your fault, Johnny."
He glanced at the other closed door before cupping her chin and touching his lips with hers briefly. "Please listen to me, Georgie. Barrett is not the man that you think you know. Hell, I don't think that person ever existed. Let me have Logan take you home." When she sat up straighter he knew it was a losing battle to even attempt to talk her out of it.
"He tried to kill Maxie. Then he stayed with her and now she's going to be devastated. I need to understand why."
"Baby, nothing's going to make you understand. You aren't crazy. He is."
Please, Johnny, just support me or be quiet. I don't think I can deal with another fight with you right now."
His eyes softened. "We aren't going to fight. I don't like it, but I respect your need to do this."
Leaning closer to him, Georgie rested her hands on his chest before kissing him. Feeling the desire coiling in her belly, she pulled back before they forgot where they were. "Meeting you again and Baylor are the only good things to come out of my messed up life these past years. I know I'm a mess most of the time, Johnny, but I don't want you to doubt that I fell in love with you."
His fingers skimmed over her smooth cheek. "I can be patient when something's worth it. And you, Georgie, are definitely worth that and more. I love you and nothing is going to change that. You need to believe that because I'm not about to let you go now that I've got you." Standing, he easily pulled her up with him before just holding her close for his own peace of mind.
"I should get this over with so I can get back to Bay," she murmured a few minutes later.
"Remember your promise to leave if I think it reaches that point."
"I'll be fine. I'm stronger than you think, but I promise to go if you say so."
Johnny didn't doubt she was strong, but she just didn't understand Barrett's frame of mind or have any clue of how badly the man had snowed them all. Once the man had started talking, he'd shown an enthusiasm for all that he'd admitted it that left Johnny astounded. Keeping with his plan almost sailed out the window after certain aspects of his past came to light.
Shocked at the sight of him when they entered the room, Georgie blinked. Coop sat handcuffed to an unmovable chair in the center of the otherwise empty room. While she could not detect any physical damage to him, the bloody rags tossed in the corner told another story. But it was the intensity of his eyes when they focused on her that had Georgie unconsciously stepping back and closer to Johnny. The hair on the back of her neck rose and she shuddered when his lips curved upwards and he trailed his eyes slowly over her.
"Finally. I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away."
Bile churned in her stomach but she forced herself to stay in the room. For years she'd felt nothing but at ease with the man who now made her skin crawl by the way he looked at her. Angering him or contradicting him would get her nowhere. But she couldn't force herself to feed his fantasy either.
Mistaking her hesitation for fear, Coop winked. "I already told Johnny that you'll always belong to me, Georgie. He refused to accept it, but I knew the minute I researched you after Maxie introduced us and you went out of your way to get to know me. With the way she treated you like a second rate citizen, I knew it wasn't just for Maxie's sake that you befriended me."
Hesitant to respond in a manner that would cause him to stop talking, Georgie settled on the truth. "Coop, that's just a part my personality, being polite."
A goofy smile spread across his face and his eyes took on a vacant sheen. "I know. You're sweet, considerate, and love with every single fiber of your being." Not seeing her flinch, he rattled the cuff around his wrist. "All those conversations we'd have late at night while you'd close Kelly's and I'd keep you company, they only reinforced what I suspected from the moment I laid eyes on you. But Maxie would never accept us, so I had to find a way to get her out of the picture." His glassy eyes pinned her in place. "After she slept with Logan, my best friend mind you, I no longer cared if she got hurt. All I cared about was you."
Unable to stay quiet, Georgie shifted restlessly. "Why hurt Leticia and Emily? Neither ever did anything to you, Coop."
"Leticia was practice," he admitted without a trace of shame. "Emily was a necessity. She had to be taken care of."
"What? I don't understand," she protested. "What on earth could Emily had done for you to say that, Coop?"
Johnny placed a warm hand on her shoulder and leaned close while keeping his eyes on the man whose face took on a predatory expression. The more he listened to Barrett talk, the more he began to believe the man was perfectly sane. Plenty of people developed obsessions that turned dark and deadly but where in complete control of their actions. Needing to get Georgie focused on something else, he squeezed her shoulder gently in a comforting gesture. "Georgie, this is pointless. He's just trying to drag this out."
"Ever think back and remember going to the Black and White Ball with me, Georgie? Before everything went to hell because of Zacchara's father we had a good time." Coop chuckled at the thunderous expression Johnny shot him. "But you left the main room and got lost looking for flashlights. Isn't that what you remember?"
That night had always been a hazy mess in her mind. Her statement after the event had left much to be desired and proved no help to the police because she couldn't recall anything after leaving to get flashlights and even before that point the memories were fuzzy. Mac had reassured her that it was a normal reaction to the stressful events. Not understanding the silent communication going on between the two men after Coop's question, she sighed in exasperation. "We went as friends. You were still arguing with Maxie because of that stupid sex bet. She spent most of the night trying to get your attention."
"True, but I didn't want her, Georgie. I wanted you and I thought maybe that night would be a turning point for us. My plans were for so much more than just a few dances," he responded with a smirk at Johnny. "But Emily was at the wrong place and the wrong time. I had to get rid of her. Doing so created the terror of the Text message Killer, covering my tracks without having to try. It also gave me the idea that Maxie could easily be targeted by this unknown killer."
"Would you stop speaking in riddles?" she snapped, tired of keeping up the charade of niceness. "Dancing around the questions and trying to create a relationship that never existed isn't answering what I asked. It's called evading reality!"
Eyes narrowing to slits, Coop frowned at her before he laughed. He'd never been able to stay upset with her. "Such an intriguing contradiction. Fire and sweetness mixed together in a very attractive package. Too bad Emily stuck her nose where it didn't belong that night. None of the rest would have occurred."
"Barrett!" Johnny growled with enough force to cause Georgie to jump. Wrapping an arm around her to steady her, Johnny caught the anger flaring in the other man's eyes.
"You won't hang on to her for long, Zacchara. When you murder me and Maxie blames you, Georgie will choose her sister even if the whore doesn't deserve her loyalty. Even if she would be able to look past that, Diego will eventually escape from Jerry Jacks. Are you going to kill Baylor's father too? Because we both know she always forgives him whether it's for drugging and stalking her and her friends, pulling a gun and placing it to her head, or helping Lulu create a plan to get Dillon naked."
"Stop!" Georgie yelled loud enough to have both staring at her in surprise. "You two can fight later. Right now I want some answers!"
The sound of a gun being fired with a suppressor attached floated through the walls in the silence following her outburst. Having heard the exact same sound repeatedly over the last couple years, Georgie paled and her breathing turned shallow. When strong arms locked around her waist as she closed her eyes in relief and guilt, she forgot about their audience and leaned back into Johnny's chest, accepting the comfort he offered. She didn't regret Spinelli's fate, in fact she believed he had gotten exactly what he deserved, but she hadn't been prepared to hear it happening. The sound of the familiar Irish accent mingled with Logan's lazy drawl snapped her out of her inner turmoil and Georgie mentally shook herself.
"So Spinelli paid for his sins, huh. Are you ready for dealing with the guilt of Maxie miscarrying when you tell her that your husband shot me, Georgie? Will her heart hold up under the pressure? She hasn't got the determination to stand on her own two feet. She's weak and going to blame you." Coop smirked at the panic that flew into her eyes that she tried to quickly suppress.
"Don't start," Johnny warned. "You won't be walking out here no matter what, Barrett. Maxie will have help. And I'm gonna expose all your little secrets. Georgie won't be blamed for your fucked up plan and the consequences."
"So protective of her," he taunted slyly. "You're willing to let her live with my death and the fallout of Maxie's reaction on her conscious though. So why not let her know the extent…."
"You might as well give it up," Johnny cut in gruffly. "Nothing is going to change your fate, Barrett. The things you've done in the past aren't forgivable, especially working with my father to pass Baylor off to him."
"Believe it or not, I couldn't do it. Anthony wasn't going to get Baylor with my help. She's a part of Georgie. I'd never harm Georgie by endangering her daughter," he sneered in return. "Stop interrupting Georgie. Let her ask what she needs to know. I won't lie to her anymore," he added ominously before his eyes strayed between the confused and upset woman to the man simmering with barely contained violence. "Unlike you are trying to do."
Tired of the innuendos and back and forth comments that made no sense to her, Georgie pulled away from Johnny and threw her arms up in the air. Her features displayed her confusion and tears glistened on her eyelashes as she fought to maintain her composure. "You're talking in circles, both of you! I'm so fed up with this bullshit! Nothing you've said remotely explains what you did, Cooper! You strangled Leticia, who was an innocent that had absolutely no ties to me! You still haven't tried to answer how killing Emily relates to the cryptic remark of her being in the wrong spot at the wrong time. It doesn't make a bit of sense! Then you purposely set Diego up for crimes YOU committed. And the worst has to be planning on helping Anthony with his plans to get Baylor! Trying to kill Maxie, my sister, Coop! You're beyond sick!"
"Your sister doesn't give a damn about you besides what you can do for her, Georgie!" He fired back, his muscles straining as he jerked on the metal bracelets keeping him in place in irritation. "She isn't some sweet and innocent bystander that everyone takes advantage of like you wanted to think! Her best friend ended up being Lulu after Diego faked your death for God's sake! The one woman that purposely hurt you over and over again!"
"Who cares? I don't! Maxie can be friends with whoever she wants! Hell, I tried to befriend Lulu after everything happened that summer! But that friendship that you want me to be so angry over started after you attempted to kill her! If I hadn't walked in you would have!"
"Yes, I would have!" he screamed back, his face revealing the deep level of hatred for the blond he had lived with for years.
"How could you even think about hurting her if you cared about me like you say? Even if Maxie was gone, I never would have gone there with you, Coop!"
"Because you loved Diego!" he accused, breathing heavy as he uselessly struggled to get free. "Don't bother denying it! You told me so yourself! You loved that bastard even after all the hell he put you through! I wish I'd killed the SOB instead of giving him to Jerry!"
Georgie snorted, shaking her head at the irate man who she scarcely recognized anymore. "Do you hear voices now or what? I never told you I loved Diego! I didn't even know he was alive until the night he rescued me in that damn park."
He went eerily still and desperately wanted to hold her again instead of being forced to watch Zacchara comfort her. "You may not remember that conversation, Georgie, but I do rather vividly. You specifically told me that you weren't over losing Diego. You admitted to shoving all men away because you still loved him and suspected you'd never stop."
"You're insane! I never talked about him with you, Coop! I never discussed him with anyone! It hurt too much to know he'd died." She stilled at the sound of Cooper mockingly laughing while indicating that she was wrong. "Fine! Enlighten me then! Just when in the hell did we discuss that topic of conversation?" she demanded.
Johnny braced himself for what he knew was about to come. Cooper was unraveling before their eyes and he knew it was too late to stop the direction of the conversation. Her dismissal of him flipped a switch inside his twisted head, one that would have him inflicting as much pain as possible before he died. Johnny grasped her forearm and tried on last time to save her from learning how truly sick the man was. "Georgie, please leave. You don't want to hear this."
Biting her lip, Georgie studied him. Something deep within her recognized he was correct. Nothing Cooper said would give her the closure or excuse she desperate wanted to hear.
Unwilling to let her go quite yet, Cooper chuckled. "Afraid to let Georgie learn everything, Zacchara? Haven't you heard that secrets are the downfall to all relationships?"
Stepping in front of Johnny when he started toward Cooper, Georgie held up a hand in his direction while chills ran down her spine. Meeting the cold and calculating stare, she feared what Cooper might say for the first time since entering the safe house. "What else could you possibly have done that Johnny wants kept covered up?"
OoOoOoOoOoOo
The windows exploded and glass flew in every which direction as flames shot higher once the humid night air fed the burning inferno. Screams of the workers that had been trapped in the building pierced the darkness, bringing an unexpected smile to the normally solemn face. From his hidden alcove, he observed the chaos surrounding one of the most used warehouses owned by Morgan and Zacchara turn to smoldering rubble and ashes.
Catching sight of Jason Morgan and Francis Corelli striding through the crowd gathered he shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants. He hadn't expected Corelli to be back in good standing with the former enforcer turned mob boss. His informant slacking on that tidbit of information bothered him but in the end it wouldn't have altered his plan of action.
As red and blue lights illuminated the docks, he observed Morgan snapping at the police commissioner before barking orders into his phone. No doubt one call went to his partner and another to restrict access to his very lovely fiancée and family.
Never spying the Irish man or the Zacchara heir, he decided to call it a night. Plenty of damage had been accomplished with just his first strike. Hopefully the next would send one of the four he sought to the bowels of hell. Joining the milling crowd, the man kept an ear open as he leisurely made his way back the place he currently was staying.
A/N: The next chapter will wrap up the Coop/Georgie conversation. Once I finally found my rhythm, it ended up being longer than I first assumed. Sorry for the delay in getting this update posted. Real life demanded that I focus on it over the weekend.
Thank you for all the wonderful comments. They are greatly appreciated and I hope you take the time to continue them. Hope you had a great Monday!