CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
Stormclouds
It had been a stormy night and the last remnants of the windstorm tossed the
waters into grey and white tossed waves. Funny, returning to Port Charles
after a few days away, it almost felt like coming home. Why was that, Eliana
mused to herself as she gazed out over the waters. Was it the fact, that for
the first time in a very long time, she had a sense of family, of belonging
now? Those thoughts drifted away, replaced by less pleasant ones. Try as she
might, the bad thoughts were back in force. She stood at the edge of the dock
alone, staring out over the water. The brisk and cold air did very little to
help her, although she had been hoping it could. The nightmares had come back
again. And last night, Jason hadn't been there when she'd woken up, heart
pounding and trembling.
In the morning, she was able to shake loose from the dreams that still came,
but thankfully with less and less frequency as the time had passed. The first
half of the day had gone pleasantly enough at Deception. But after a working
lunch, she'd decided that she'd better take a break. The doctors had told her
to take it easy and not to push herself too far or too fast. Eliana had sense
enough to heed their warnings. Some fresh air and a brisk walk along the
docks might be just what she needed before she had to deal with the afternoon
round of meetings and conferences. She'd asked Sonny's guard to wait for her
at the car. With Sorel made an example of, both Sonny and Jason had agreed
with her that she really didn't have anything more to worry about. But having
learned how protective Sonny was about his family, Eliana had compromised and
agreed to keep one of his men as a driver, at least for a little while longer.
Her thoughts went back to Jason. Of course, she knew what he did for
Sonny was dangerous and she didn't want to worry him, so when he'd finally
come home a few hours later, in the last hours of the night, she hadn't told
him what had really awakened her, but instead told him that missing him next
to her was what had her up.
Why had she lied? She asked herself for the umpteenth time. She still had
no answer. Either Carly or Alexis, as little as they might agree on anything
else, might have been able to tell her that she was more like her brother
than she knew. Her pride and determination to stand on her own and deal with
her own weakness on her own terms was almost a match for Sonny's. Her fire
had been banked for a little while, but not totally quenched. And it was
beginning to burn a little bit brighter again, a little more every day. Lost
in her own thoughts, she hadn't noticed the man watching her from the
staircase.
AJ had gone on a walk to clear his head too. He hadn't planned on seeing
anyone down here on this chilly, blustery day. In fact, he hadn't even
recognized the figure staring out over the water for a minute. But when he
did, briefly, he wondered if talking to her would get him anywhere with his
plans to get back at Carly, Sonny, and Jason. He remembered seeing her at
the mansion with Jason. Damn, he couldn't remember what his grandmother had
been saying to her before he'd come in. If only he hadn't had those last few
gin and tonics before lunch that day… But maybe he could remedy that. He
probably hadn't made a great impression on her that day. But maybe with a
heartfelt apology and a little conversation, he could make something out of
this.
Before he could make a move towards her, he saw someone else coming from
the opposite direction, heading straight for her. AJ swore softly to himself.
Taggert. As usual, the long arm of the law always showed up when you least
wanted them, and never when you did. His first instinct was to disappear,
but then something told him to stay. This could get…interesting….
***
"Ms. Salazar…"
Eliana's head snapped around, her thoughts abruptly torn from her reverie.
Her dark gaze met the deep brown ones of Detective Taggert. "Detective.." she
said, more than a hint of exasperation in her voice. She was so not in the
mood for him.
"Down here all alone, Ms. Salazar? Or were you perhaps waiting to meet
someone?" Taggert said, very conversationally.
"I came down here to be alone." Eliana replied very pointedly. "I'm not in
the habit of meeting my clients down by the docks."
"I was referring to Mr. Corinthos." He nodded his head towards the warehouse
where Sonny conducted most of his business. "It would be nothing more easier
for him to take a short stroll down to the docks to meet with you, away from
all the prying eyes, you know what I mean?" his tone left no doubt to exactly
what he meant. "I know that the word, what little word there is, says that it
was Sorel that was the one that got to you, but I still don't know if that's
the truth." Taggert continued. "Sonny is a very powerful man. Plenty of
people before you have said how high when he says jump." He leaned forward
and lowered his voice suggestively. "How high have you jumped, Ms. Salazar?"
Eliana didn't move, although the proximity of his body had produced a very
real physical reaction. She was glad her hands were in her pockets; she
clenched them to still their trembling. "I don't jump for anybody,
Detective. Not for Sonny, and not for you."
"What 