CHAPTER FOUR - DO YOU SUBMIT YET?

I appear to be on a roll here, hopefully you're all still along for the ride.  Although, overall, I know where I'm going plot-wise, I'm sort of making up each chapter as I go along - I'm even surprising myself with the results.  However, don't let me hold you back from the developments that follow...


Chapter Four:


When Ted first met Mary, he thought she was out of his league, but he was smitten from the start.  She'd just become the new assistant producer on his show and was confident, assured, ambitious.  Ted made the mistake of introducing her to Ben when he dropped into the studio one day to 'do lunch', and for a brief while Ben and Mary had dated - much to Ted's annoyance.  He was relieved when they broke up shortly after, and Ben later assured him that the relationship was never consummated.  Ted believed it because he wanted to, and because he'd already asked Mary out as soon as she and Ben split.  He was surprised when she said yes - after all, why swap one twin for another? - but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.  Not that Mary was a horse by any means.  She was beautiful and she knew it, although she could be distant at times.  They dated for two years before, inevitably, Ted proposed, and again, he was surprised (though ecstatic) when she said yes.  They'd had their ups and downs in their nine years of marriage, the major upset being the discovery that Mary was infertile and couldn't have children.  They'd considered adoption for a while, but never pursued it beyond a few initial enquiries, and both soon seemed to come to terms with their childless fate.

Now he looked at his wife and beat down the rage and grief he felt at the core of his being.  "Now's not a good time to be doing that," he said - and was surprised to hear himself follow up with a logical reason for his statement.  "After all, you wouldn't want the police to think we'd killed your husband to get him out of the way, would you?  If they got that idea, I'm sure they could mould any evidence to fit the picture they want."  She frowned but said nothing, and in the silence an uncomfortable idea suddenly occurred to him.  "You... you didn't have anything to do with this, did you?" he asked.  She snorted.  "Are you crazy?" she sneered, "do you really think I'd risk the needle just for you?  You're better in bed than he was, but you're no sex god.  I just think it's a good idea to grab this chance we've been given, and you've been talking about leaving your frigid wife for years.  Now quit the crazy talk and pour me another drink."

Ted meekly did as he was told, then made a mental note not to be so obedient from now on;  after all, that was his style, not Ben's.  He needed to maintain Ben's more ebullient and assertive personality to have any hope of carrying his impersonation through to the end without discovery.  But what end, what was his plan?  First of all, to survive and bring his brother's murderers to justice.  It would soon be all over the news that Ted Stevens was dead, so he should be safe for now  He'd worry about the repercussions of deceiving the police and everyone around him once he'd got that sorted, but where did he start?  Who were the most likely suspects out of all the individuals and criminal organisations he'd exposed over the years who'd probably be glad to see him dead?  The Mob?  A strong possibility.  He was currently investigating a group who called themselves F.I.R.E. - which stood for Fundamentalist Islamic Revenge Executive - it sounded like something right out of a James Bond movie, but they existed.  There was speculation that it was merely a front for a racist criminal band who were trying to discredit Muslims and thereby throw the police off their own trail, but he was close to exposing them and they were probably feeling the heat.  Now would be a good time to get him out of their hair.

Ted's reverie was interrupted by the 'phone ringing, and he wondered why it suddenly sounded louder than it ever had before.  Must be because he was on edge and his senses were operating at an enhanced level, he decided.  Mary, who was closer, picked up the receiver and said "Hello," listened for a few seconds, said "Hang on," then held it up for Ted to take.  "It's your wife," she said, icily and shot him a withering look.  He took the receiver from her outstretched hand and steeled himself inwardly.  He'd managed to fool Mary, but could he repeat his deception with Ben's wife?  Only one way to find out.

"Hi sweetheart," he said.  The voice of Ben's wife, Karen, answered.  "Hello... who's that?  Could I speak to Ben please?"

"Shit!" he thought.

******

So how am I doing?  Still maintaining your interest, or have you gone off to read 'Steve Does Comics'?  Let me know, effendis.                

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