Boystown Season Three

by Jake Biondi

  “I’d never judge you, Jacqueline. Only you know how you feel. But this story has me scared for you. God knows what he is capable of. And Jesse? How could he do that to you?”

  “Cole had breakfast with me this morning. He says Jesse did it out of love. It was the only way he could think of to show me what kind of person Ben is.”

  “Why didn’t he just tell you?”

  “He didn’t think I’d believe him. And honestly...I probably wouldn’t have. He’s right about that.”

  “Wait a minute. You said Logan was with you?”

  “At the hotel. Yes. In fact, he’s the one who got me out of there and back to my hotel.”

  “And he saw everything? Jesse and Ben going at it?”

  “Yes,” Jacqueline replied.

  “Then that explains it. His break-up with Jesse. His drinking and depression. Damn that bastard.”

  “That ‘bastard’ is my son.”

  “Who you’re not even speaking to,” Max added.

  “I told you -- that’s between us.”

  “I warned him not to hurt Logan,” Max explained. “Or he’d answer to me.”

  “This isn’t about them; it’s about you. I just want you to protect yourself. Ben is volatile and can turn on you in an instant. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you. Or Emmett.”

  “What would Ben have against Emmett?”

  “You are both Ben’s employers. Just be careful.”

  “Jesse brought this man into all of our lives. If it weren’t for him, none of us would even know Shawn...Ben.”

  “I’m having his child. And that’s a gift that he can’t take away. Once he’s a father, he’ll focus on that. You don’t know how being a parent can change a person.”

  “Maybe not,” Max replied. “But I know what it means to protect people I love. And I intend to do that.”

  “Good,” Jacqueline said. “You’ll do what you need to do regarding Ben. I just wanted to make sure you keep your eyes open with him.”

  “Thank you. For everything you have shared with me.”

  As Jacqueline and Max finished their lunch together, Marco was alone on the balcony off his bedroom at the Ciancio estate. With the pool and hillside in the distance, Marco had his focus not on the beautiful scenery, but on the diary in his hands. Having broken the lock on his mother’s diary despite his Aunt Connie’s warning, Marco was carefully reading page after page of his mother’s distinct handwriting.

  Occasionally taking a drink from the wine glass on the table next to him, Marco carefully made his way through his mother’s past as revealed by the pages of her diary. When he reached one point in the book, the warning words of his aunt became a painful reality. He looked up from the book and looked out over the vineyards.

  “My God, Mother. What have you done?”

  Meanwhile, in Chicago, Emmett made his way down the stairs from his condo to the restaurant below. Because workers had not yet arrived, the space was quiet. Emmett walked through the area, checking out certain design elements as he headed toward the kitchen.

  Upon arriving at the kitchen area, the door from the basement storage area opened and Jensen emerged. Coming face to face with Emmett, Jensen bolted toward the front door.

  “Wait!” Emmett yelled, running after Jensen. “Stop!”

  Jensen raced through the space as Emmett followed. Then Emmett leapt toward Jensen who tripped over a wooden saw horse. Emmett pounced on him, pinning him to the ground. Jensen struggled to get free from Emmett, who asked, “Who the hell are you?”

  At the same time, Keith was pacing back and forth at the front gate of Chicago’s Graceland Cemetery. His hands shoved into his pockets in an effort to keep warm, Keith was looking in every direction as he waited for the person who demanded to meet there.

  After a moment, a taxi pulled up to the front of the cemetery and Rachel got out of the car. It quickly pulled away and Rachel walked over to Keith.

  “Why did we have to meet here? It’s freezing outside today.”

  “There’s a very specific reason,” Rachel said.

  “A cemetery is melodramatic, even for you. What do you want?”

  “The last time we spoke, I thought I knew everything about your terrible past. But as luck would have it, fate revealed a piece of information that surprised even me.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “We both know what I’m talking about,” Rachel said with a smile. “The man you killed so many years ago in that accident is buried right here in this cemetery.”

  “So what?” Keith asked.

  “You’re right. The location of his burial doesn’t matter. However, his identity does. Even I could never have imagined that the man you killed was none other than your boyfriend’s father.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “I watched you both the other day -- right here. When he brought you to ‘meet’ his father on his birthday. Such a touching moment. I was just as surprised as you were that the man you killed in that accident was your boyfriend’s father. And I saw the pain in your face as you stood at the grave.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Oh, you do. But don’t worry; your secret is safe with me. Like I told you last time we met, there are only two people who know what you did back then -- you and me. And your police officer boyfriend will never need to know the truth...as long as you follow instructions.”

  “What do you want?”

  “Just a small task, really.” Rachel reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, brown glass bottle with a black cap on it. She handed it to Keith.

  “What is that?”

  “What it is doesn’t matter. What you’re doing to do with it does.” Rachel paused a moment. “It’s simple. You’re going to poison your ex-boyfriend Emmett for me.”

  As Keith stood in the cold wind staring at the bottle in his hand, Jesse was in his apartment watching television. Wearing only a pair of sweat pants, Jesse had his feet up on the coffee table and was on the phone with Cole.

  “No problem, bro. Take your time; I’ll see you when you get home.” Jesse ended the call and put his phone back into his sweatpants pocket as a loud knock came to the door. The pounding on the door didn’t stop. “One sec, I’m coming.”

  Jesse got up from the sofa and opened the door to his apartment. Instantly, Max lunged through the door and punched Jesse hard across the face. Jesse fell backwards and blood from his mouth splattered across the wall and floor.

  “You son of a bitch!” Max yelled, pouncing on Jesse and continuing to punch his face. Jesse struggled futilely as Max’s punches sent blood in several directions. “I told you not to hurt him. I told you to leave him alone!”

  Max continued to pound Jesse whose body went limp and showed no signs of defending itself. Jacqueline rushed into the open door of the apartment and saw Max beating Jesse.

  “Max, stop!”

  “I’m going to kill the bastard!”

  “Max, stop! He’s your son!” Jacqueline yelled as she struggled to push Max off of Jesse’s motionless body. One’s identity may change in a moment.

  Episode #27

  One’s memories define her character and purpose. As Jacqueline Morgan Donovan hovered over the bloody body of her son Jesse, memories of him as child flooded her mind. She recalled giving birth to him, witnessing his first steps, hearing his first words, taking him to his first day of school, celebrating his birthdays, attending his graduations, enjoying Christmases and other holidays, and even seeing him in the hotel room with her husband Ben Donovan.

  “You’re going to be okay,” Jacqueline whispered while she held a towel to his face to stop the bleeding. His eyes were already swollen and bruised. She looked over at Max Taylor who was rinsing a towel in the kitchen sink. “Why isn’t the ambulance here yet?”

  “It will be. It’s only been a few minutes.” Max returned to Jacqueline and swapped towels with her. Max mumbled to himself. “My son. My
God.”

  “I can’t believe you did this to him.”

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me? How could you keep that from me?”

  “Not now, Max,” Jacqueline said. “Not now.”

  Suddenly, Cole O’Brien rushed into the apartment. “What the hell is going on? There’s an ambulance pulling up outside and--” Cole stopped upon seeing Jesse on the floor and the blood all over the room. “What the hell happened?”

  Before anyone could answer Cole’s question, two paramedics entered the apartment. Without wasting any time, they knelt next to Jesse and checked his vitals.

  “He’s my son,” Jacqueline said as Cole helped her up from the floor.

  “Please step back, Ma’am,” said one of the paramedics. “We’ll do all we can to help.”

  With his arms around Jesse’s mother, Cole looked over at Max. “Did you do this to him? Did you?” Max didn’t reply. “I asked you a question.”

  “Sir,” a paramedic said to Cole, “we could actually use your help getting him on the stretcher and into the ambulance.’

  “Sure,” Cole said, focusing his attention on the paramedics. He stood up and assisted the paramedics as they instructed.

  While the emergency team got Jesse into the ambulance, Emmett Mancini was standing in front of Jensen Stone, who was seated in the corner of the restaurant.

  “You got nothing on me,” Jensen said to Emmett. “You can’t keep me here.”

  “We’ll see about that when Officer Martinez arrives,” Emmett replied.

  Just as Emmett checked his watch, Michael Martinez entered the front door of the restaurant.

  “Hi, Michael,” Emmett said. “He’s right here.”

  “Well, well,” Michael said with a smile, immediately recognizing Jensen. “We meet again.” Jensen didn’t say a word. “What’s your name?”

  “Jensen Stone.”

  “Good to see you again, Jensen Stone. So who were you soliciting this time, my friend Emmett here?”

  “I didn’t do anything,” Jensen said.

  “I found him here in the restaurant this morning.”

  “Trespassing, eh?” Michael said. “What were you doing in here this morning?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Why do I find that hard to believe?”

  “Believe what you want,” Jensen said, “but it’s the truth.”

  Michael turned to Emmett. “Did he steal anything? Notice anything missing?”

  “I haven’t had a chance to really look. I’ve been standing right here with him until you arrived,” Emmett explained.

  “Why don’t you take a look around and see?”

  “I promise you – nothing is missing,” Jensen said.

  “You know, one of our workers said someone stole money from his wallet recently.”

  Michael looked at Jensen. “Do you know anything about that?” Jensen shrugged his shoulders. “You’re not quite as talkative today as you were that day on the sidewalk when you were grabbing your crotch.”

  “If you want to get out of here and have a good time together, I’m game,” Jensen said.

  “I’ll pass,” Michael replied. “So where do you live?”

  “Here and there,” Jensen said. “With friends mostly.”

  Michael turned to Emmett. “Do you want to press charges?”

  “I don’t know. What do you think I should do?”

  “Check the basement and see if anything is missing; we’ll go from there.”

  “Okay,” Emmett said, heading down in to the basement storage area.

  Michael’s cell phone rang and he pulled it from his belt. “And you stay right where you are,” Michael said to Jensen. “I have to take this.”

  Jensen watched Michael walk a few steps away and answer his cell phone. Sitting quietly, Jensen refocused his attention on the basement door. A few moments passed and then Emmett came through the basement door.

  “Find anything missing?” Jensen asked.

  “Nope,” Emmett said.

  Jensen smiled. “I told you.”

  Michael walked back over to Jensen and Emmett. “What did you find down there?”

  “Everything is there, just like I said.”

  “Lucky for you,” Michael said, smiling at Jensen. “So I’m assuming no charges are being pressed.”

  Emmett shook his head. “No, Michael. But I would like to speak with Jensen privately if that’s okay.”

  “Of course,” Michael said. “I need to get going anyway. Just got a call about an attack close by.”

  “Thank you for coming over, Michael,” Emmett said.

  “No problem,” Michael said. “And, Jensen? I hope we don’t cross paths again anytime soon.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  Michael gave Jensen a wide grin and grand eye roll before leaving the restaurant. Then Emmett sat down on the floor next to Jensen.

  “What do you want to talk to me about? Or do you just want a piece of me?” Jensen asked, running his hand between his legs.

  “You were right about there not being anything missing downstairs. But you also know what I found down there, don’t you?” Jensen’s face grew stern as he clearly tried to force back tears. “How long have you been living down there?”

  Jensen forced a laugh. “Living? What are you talking about?”

  “I saw the blankets and the clothes in the corner. What’s going on?”

  “Look, I’m not some homeless person, okay? I got locked out of my apartment last night and needed a place to stay. The back door was open.”

  “It’s okay, Jensen. I understand what’s going on.”

  “I told you--”

  “I know what you told me -- that you locked yourself out of your apartment. But there isn’t any apartment, is there?”

  “No... I....” Tears began to stream down Jensen’s face and his whole body started to shake as he completely broke down.

  Emmett moved closer to Jensen and put his arms around him. As Jensen continued to sob, his head fell onto Emmett’s shoulder. Emmett quietly held and rocked Jensen, whose tears rolled down his upset face.

  While Emmett consoled Jensen, Michael made his way to St. Joseph Hospital. Once he arrived at the medical center, he entered the emergency room area where he found Jacqueline and Cole seated next to one another and Max standing alone in the corner looking down at the floor. Upon seeing Michael, Cole stood up from his seat.

  “How’s Jesse?” Michael asked Cole.

  “I was just going to ask you if you knew. We haven’t heard anything,” Cole replied.

  “I’m just arriving.” Michael looked toward Max. “Sounds like we need to have a chat.”

  “I’m sure,” Max said, walking closer to Michael.

  Michael approached Jacqueline. “I’m sorry about all this. I hope your son is okay.”

  “Thank you,” Jacqueline replied softly.

  Michael looked at Max. “Follow me. There’s a private office around the corner where we can talk.”

  “Sure,” Max replied. Then he turned to Cole and Jacqueline, asking, “You’ll come and get me if there’s any news?”

  Jacqueline nodded as Cole put his arm around her. They watched Michael and Max leave the room together.

  “Do you want me to call your husband?” Cole asked.

  “He’s on his way,” Jacqueline replied.

  “I should probably let Emmett know so he can be here for Max.”

  “Good idea,” she said. “And please call Logan, too. Go on. I’m okay.”

  Cole got up and walked out of the room. Sitting alone, Jacqueline started to cry when her attention was diverted by Joyelle Mancini entering the room. Jacqueline stood up to greet her.

  “Mrs. Morgan, I’m Joyelle Mancini, a friend of your son and a nurse on staff here at the hospital.”

  “Good to meet you. How is Jesse?”

  Joyelle smiled. “He’s going to be fine.”

  “Oh, thank God.”

  “His face has some sw
elling and bruising and he has slight concussion, but he’s going to be fine. No damage to his teeth or jaw. They are taking him to a room because we want to keep him here over night, just to be safe. I can walk you up there and Dr. MacMahon will be in to speak with you as well.”

  “Thank you so much,” Jacqueline said, following Joyelle out of the waiting area.

  Joyelle walked Jacqueline to Jesse’s room while Rachel Carson and Keith Colgan continued their conversation near the entrance to Chicago’s Graceland Cemetery. Keith held the bottle that Rachel had given him.

  “Poison Emmett? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  “Do I look like I’m joking?”

  “Why would you want to do that to him?”

  “My reasons aren’t your business. All you need to worry about is slipping some of that into his drinks occasionally over the next few weeks.”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “I’d re-think that decision quickly, unless you want me to tell Michael your little secret. Your relationship will be over, he will never speak to you again, and you may go to jail. Would you prefer that scenario?” Keith didn’t reply. “Didn’t think so.” Rachel paused. “Oh, and one other thing. I have a written statement about your accident and your secret attached to my will now. So if anything should randomly happen to me, your story will become public immediately. Just so you understand that.”

  “You bitch,” Keith said.

  “I’m just protecting myself. And you, of course, too.”

  “You’re just like your brother. You don’t give a damn about anyone other than yourself.”

  “And don’t you forget it.” Rachel rubbed her gloved hands together. “It’s cold out here and I have to go now. I’ll be in touch in a few days to see how things are going. Oh, and please give Michael my best. He’s a keeper.” Rachel smiled and headed toward Clark Street to catch a cab as Keith stared down at the bottle in his hand.

  At the hospital, Derek Mancini made his way down the hallway toward the nurse’s station. He looked into several rooms as he passed them and finally reached the station where he found Tyler Bennett.