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Welcome to Crime of Passion Part 4: Widow's Weeds
When we last left our story, Jonah Greybar's limosine had exploded in a fiery ball leaving nothing but melted asphalt and metal. A memorial service was held at the church where Jonah and Tori had originally planned to marry. All of the town's most prominent people were there to pay their respects. The police had no leads on the anonymous call that warned of a threat on Jonah's life.
When we last left our story, Jonah Greybar's limosine had exploded in a fiery ball leaving nothing but melted asphalt and metal. A memorial service was held at the church where Jonah and Tori had originally planned to marry. All of the town's most prominent people were there to pay their respects. The police had no leads on the anonymous call that warned of a threat on Jonah's life. Afterward, food and drink flowed freely at the house. Once everyone had left, Tori walked down the stone path to the garden where she had spent many private hours with Jonah. Dominic Ferretti found her there and offered his condolences and any assistance he could provide her. Her request was that he get rid of the blue shirt he always wore that, for some reason, tended to irritate her. As she made her way up the steps, he stared at a spider that was slowly weaving its web on the corner of the hot tub. He began to unbutton his shirt and followed her to the house. Tori watched Dominic as he entered the house. He removed his blue shirt and draped it on the stair rail, curious as to why she found it so offensive. Tori quietly examined his face, wondering what went on inside his mind. He was a smart man, she knew that. He played the thug very well but she knew he had a deeper, more intellectual side that he rarely showed. He had chiseled good looks with intense blue eyes that always held a certain amount of danger in them. Her face flushed as she remembered the way he always looked at her. He was roughly Tori?s age, a little older, yet worldlier. There was much she could learn from him?starting with who she needed to talk to about Jonah?s estate and business. She walked toward him and studied his eyes carefully looking for some sign as to where his loyalties would lie. She smiled at him for the first time. If he hadn?t known better, he could have fallen for that smile and become entwined in her web. "I?m afraid we always start off on the wrong foot, Dominic. Let?s try to start over shall we?" Tori made a cappuccino and offered him a cup. She sat in a chair by the window and continued, "I don?t want to stay in this house. It holds too many memories and I don?t want Annabeth to be constantly reminded of the horror that happened here. Jonah had a house in the city didn?t he? Near the gallery?" "I?m probably not the one you want to talk to about Mr. Greybar?s holdings. His attorneys will fill you in on all that." Tori stood and approached him again. "You are the one he trusted the most, the one who knew all his dirty little secrets aren?t you? You protected him all the time and moved him from place to place. There isn?t anything he didn?t share with you. Why shouldn?t you know about his property? And where were you the day he was poisoned or the day he blew up in a car?" Dominic?s temper flared at her tone. "As if you care what happened to him? You didn?t even cry at his memorial service!" he shot back at her. Tori could no longer contain her anger or grief and began to sob uncontrollably. "You think I wanted him to die? I don?t know the first thing about what to do from here on!" Dominic held her carefully, wanting to console her yet not wanting to succumb to her obvious charms. Her hair felt like soft velvet against his face and her body was warm and trembling. He was reminded of the waif of a girl she was when she first came to live in the Greybar estate and he softened and held her close. "Dominic, I am so alone," she whispered in his ear. "Stay with me, watch over us." Her lips brushed against his neck and his thoughts returned to the spider and her prey. He gently released her. "You want me to stay with you." Tori gathered herself and answered him in a composed voice, "Yes, watch over me the way you watched over Jonah." Dominic found the scales tipping in his direction. "I am very talented Mrs. Greybar. My services don?t come cheap and you will need to learn to trust me and do what I say. Jonah was my boss, but he gave me free reign to carry out his orders as I saw fit. He trusted my instincts and my abilities completely. He told me everything, did everything I told him to?can you do that?" He turned and looked at Tori with that familiar leer that always made her skin tingle. "I won?t sleep with you Dominic." He laughed for the first time in weeks. She really was an enigma, cold and demanding one minute, soft and vulnerable the next. "Sure you will Tori," he thought to himself, "you won?t be able to help it." A few weeks later Tori and Annabeth were standing in the yard of their new home. It was a sprawling brick house with a pond in front and, as far as she could tell, it was situated in a quiet suburban neighborhood. Dominic was barking orders at the movers and didn?t hear her approaching. When the scent of her perfume reached him he smiled slightly and turned to greet her. He let his eyes wander up and down appreciatively. Feeling confident in his new position he spoke. "Still wearing the widow?s weeds Sugar Lips?" She looked at him with disgust and answered. "Did you know that women used to wear black for two and a half years after their husbands died? Some wore black until they died themselves. Men wore black for six months, at the most." She turned to survey the new house. "I wanted a place in the city, Dominic. This is hardly the city don?t you think?" Dominic rolled his eyes. "This house works best for several reasons. It?s easy to secure, away from the bustle of the city, and it is kid friendly." She walked toward the front door and wondered, "How many bedrooms does it have? It seems small." "There are three bedrooms; one for Annabeth, one for the baby when he gets older, and the master suite." She surveyed the rest of the neighborhood until her eyes came upon a modern looking house just up the street. Her eyes narrowed as she studied it and then she asked, "What do you know about the neighbors? Do you know who lives in that house over there?" "I know everything there is to know about the neighbors and that house over there? It?s mine. Come on, let me show you around." This house was completely different from the other estates that Jonah had. It was newer, fresher somehow. Their other houses had been dark with a feel of old money. This one was bright, open, and modern. Dominic studied her expression waiting for a sign that she approved. She walked over to the dining room window and discovered that Annabeth had coerced one of the staff into playing tea party in the yard. She turned to him with a pleased look on her face and murmured, "It?s perfect." Once they were settled in, Tori had Dominic take her into Jonah?s offices in the city. Jonah had left very explicit instructions in his will regarding his estate and had made changes shortly after he and Tori were married. She sat quietly as the lawyer went on about the various conditions of the will. Jonah left provision for Annabeth?s schooling as well as a sizable trust for her to receive when she turned 25. His son would receive controlling interest in his businesses as well as the Tsvirkunov fortune, which was separate from Jonah?s considerable personal estate, since he would be the first male heir of Tori?s father, Anton. He would also have money for schooling and a separate trust. In the meantime, the businesses would be run by his board of directors until he was of age. Tori waited patiently as the lawyer went on until he came to the end. "Is there no mention of me in Jonah?s will?" she inquired. "I am his wife after all, there should be something." The lawyer, Mr. Bingham, looked at her for a moment and then continued. "Mr. Greybar has provided you with a monthly allowance," he said simply. "What about the estate and the collection? My children are young. Someone must be named to look out for their interests until then?" Mr. Bingham studied Tori and smiled slightly before he answered. "Well of course that would be you Mrs. Greybar with the caveat that you may do nothing to jeopardize the heirs? claims or the estate. You will have one of Mr. Greybar?s associates approving all decisions." "That?s preposterous! I am his wife! Who is this associate?" Tori was livid. Mr. Bingham answered, "That would be Mr. Ferretti." Both Tori and Dominic sat stunned. "Surely this must be some mistake. Jonah knew I was the heir to the Tsvirkunov collection. It should go to me. Viktor Tsvirkunov was my great-great-great-grandfather. I was named after him." Tears fell slowly down Tori?s cheeks. All her life she knew she was destined for something. Her father had hinted to it when she was very young during his madness before he finally disappeared forever. Why had he made that ridiculous stipulation about the first male heir? Her birthright was so close to her grasp but she could not reach out to touch it. She left the office with Dominic stunned and dejected. Dominic began to drive back to the house but instead of taking Tori home, he took her to his house instead. They sat silently in the car as Tori struggled not to fall apart and Dominic tried to think of a way to console her that would not offend her. He finally invited her in for something to eat. "I am actually a pretty good chef," he cajoled. She exited the car as if on auto-pilot and went into the house. Tori sat in front of the fireplace and stared into it as if she was watching imaginary flames dancing within it. She tried to find a reasonable explanation for the way things turned out but could not help thinking that Jonah had just used her to get to the fortune. She did not know how long she sat there before she heard Dominic call her in to eat something. They sat at his dining table and ate quietly until Tori finally broke the silence. "This is actually pretty good," she remarked. "I am good at a lot of things," he said simply waiting for her to take the bait. He secretly enjoyed the little chess game he played with her, waiting for her to finally give in to checkmate. "If you think that a nice dinner and some champagne are going to get me into bed with you, you should think again, Dominic." His eyes twinkled in response, "Ever notice how it is always you to keep bringing that up? I wonder if maybe it isn?t you who really wants to sleep with me Sugar Lips." Tori rose and went back to the fireplace where Dominic had already lit a fire. He was insufferable. She noticed a bouquet of roses on the mantle. "Who are these roses from?" she questioned. "They are from a woman I date," he said simply. Tori felt pangs of envy that she did not understand. "Who is she?" Tori insisted. "Do I detect a hint of jealousy sweetness?" he teased. He stood close behind her and admired the way the fire danced in her hair. He was vile, she thought, and a thug. How could he make her feel so vulnerable and needy for him? She had to get out of there. "Please take me home Dominic," she demanded. "You do still work for me don?t you?" He was pleased with himself for getting under her skin. "Why don?t you just call me Nic? That?s what most people who know me call me." Then he walked her home. Tori spent the next several months settling in and raising Annabeth. She continued to paint but instead of the beautiful moonscapes she admired so much and tried to emulate, her paintings became more dark and sinister. The baby inside her had grown and she was nearing the day her son would be born. She wondered what was in store for him given the life his father led. She worried for his future in the world of high crime and innuendo that surrounded his father for years. Maybe it would be his fate to turn the tide within that organization. She sighed and began to make preparations for Annabeth?s birthday which was fast approaching. Jeffrey would call on her every so often. He was desperately in love with her and she tried her best to coerce him into adding his Tsvirkunov collection to hers. Jeff would do anything for her except that?unless she married him. Tori had come to discover that her feelings for Jeffrey had changed since the days after Jonah had died. While they shared so many common interests and he was so sweet and doting, she did not feel the passion that she had come to know in the arms of Jonah or the feel desire that she saw in Nic?s eyes when he looked at her. But she needed his collection of art so she kept him tangled in her silky web and left him hoping that she would say yes to his proposal. One afternoon Jeffrey had come to visit after Tori beckoned him to the house. She looked radiant and of course Jeffrey could not keep his hands off her. She massaged his shoulders as she whispered in his ear that she had wonderful news for him. Jeffrey was certain that Tori would accept his proposal of marriage. Tori however had other plans. "Jeffrey I don?t know how to say this?please don?t be upset with me?I didn?t know what to do!" she began. He comforted her and urged her to continue. "I love you Tori. Nothing you could do would anger me." "Oh Jeff," she sobbed, "Do you remember the night I came to you and shared your bed?" Jeffrey chuckled and murmured in her ear, "How could I ever forget the night my dreams came true." She turned to him and gave him a most sincere look as she announced, "Jeffrey this baby I am carrying?it?s yours!" Jeffrey stepped back and for a moment Tori was not sure if he was in shock or not. He did not speak for awhile and when he did, his voice was controlled and somehow different. "Tori, I know how important my art is to you and I have offered to make you my wife in order to share it and my life with you. Not once did you mention this child was mine. Why is that?" She stared at him wide-eyed and innocent and explained that she had to keep it a secret or she would lose the bulk of the estate. "Jonah had everything under his control. He manipulated my father into the stipulations about a male heir. There weren't many loopholes; Jonah was very shrewd. He would never allow my father?s estate to slip away through a technicality. But if I remain Jonah?s widow, pregnant with his child, I keep it all and I have you and our baby! Just promise me that our son will inherit your art. We can continue our relationship just the way it is. You do want me don?t you Jeff?" she purred. Jeffrey turned to her and his eyes were cold and filled with loathing. "When did you become so deceitful Tori? I loved you, risked my life to protect you from the likes of Jonah Greybar. I was threatened and I continued to watch out for you, digging up all the information I could give you about your father and Jonah." Tori begged him to listen to reason. "No Tori, it?s over. I will never see my art in the hands of a black widow such as you." He started to walk away but she ran in front of him and pleaded, "Why Jeffrey? We can have it all, you, me?and our child!" He pulled away from her and said flatly, "I know that baby isn?t mine Tori because I am unable have children." Tori was speechless as she watched Jeffrey White walk out of her life forever. She later stood in the garden and wondered how things had gotten so distorted. Her mind wandered to the day they first met and how she had truly loved him back then in an innocent and childlike way. Had the life she married into jaded her to the point of stooping to any methods to get what she craved? He had called her a black widow. Was she truly the predator he claimed? Soon after her last encounter with Jeff, Tori began to receive unusual emails from someone whose identity was The Spider Wasp. The first email was brief, almost encyclopedic. It read:
'When a black widow spider?s prey is entangled in her web, she quickly comes out of her retreat, wraps the prey securely in her strong web, then punctures and poisons her prey. The venom takes about ten minutes to take effect; in the mean time, the prey is held tightly by the spider. When movements of the prey cease, the black widow then carries her prey back to her retreat before feeding.'
Another email was briefer but still disturbing.
'The black widow spider is notorious for its neurotoxic venom. Very rarely after mating does the female black widow eat the male. Usually if that happens it's because she mistakes him for the prey.'
But when Tori received the latest email, she could no longer hide her fear from Nic. "What?s going on with you? You are as jumpy as snitch in a dark alley." Tori quietly told Nic about the emails. "Let me see them," he grimly demanded. She led him to the desk and had him login to her email.
"Why didn?t you tell me about these sooner?" he scolded, "You have been at risk all this time and I could have done something." She turned away, tears forming pools in her grey eyes. "I don?t know, I thought they were a silly prank." "But now you aren?t so sure," he mused. "Read them and you tell me," she said. Dominic studied them silently until he came to the last page, which he read out loud.
'There are various parasites and predators of widow spiders. Predators of the adult spiders include a few wasps, most notably the spider wasp. Other species will occasionally and opportunistically take widows as prey, but the spider wasp exhibits a significant and specific preference for the black widow.'
"You should have told me about this right away," he chastised her. "I need to get working on tracking this guy down. If you receive any more of these emails, or anything else for that matter?" he paused and looked at Tori intently. "I will tell you right away Nic." The tears that had welled up began to spill over her lashes and down her cheeks. She wanted him to comfort her, hold her, and tell her he would protect her. She wanted him to kiss her desperately. "Do you think your boyfriend Jeffrey could be behind this?" he posed. She turned away and dully responded, "Jeffrey and I are through." "I know," he continued, "but he was pretty steamed over what you did." "How do you even know what I did?" she fumed. "I told you before Sugar Lips, I know everything you do; it's my job to know it." Dominic quietly investigated the cryptic emails that Tori had received. He sifted through all the bogus network information he uncovered until he started hitting pay dirt. He followed IP address after IP address until it ended at a familiar spot. His eyes narrowed as he read and re-read what the information revealed. He shook his head as a sinister grin barely formed on his lips. "Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive," he recited. "But you can't hide from me, my friend. Now how do I use this information to deal with you?" he mused.
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8 Comment(s) posted so far
On Apr 25, 2007 GFitz wrote:
I really wanted this to be the conclusion but it ended up being just too long so I thought this was a good stopping point. The conclusion should be up soon (I hope) I am also sorry for the goofy question marks again. I managed to get rid of the smart quotes but forgot about the apostrophes!
I discovered some cool techniques (cheats/hacks/mods) for picture taking and in an effort to utilize them, I totally messed up my house (again)
On Apr 30, 2007 eshuff wrote:
I love this! Laughed myself silly about the comment about getting rid of the blue shirt -- my bad, but couldn't help it! Your screenshots are beautifully set up; the sims do NOT look like cartoons; and the plot is fascinating! top marks from me!
On May 6, 2007 AnniKayna wrote:
On May 11, 2007 biatch1965 wrote:
On May 11, 2007 drewsoltesz wrote:
Your writing style is very good,had a real crime/noir feel to it, love the 'sugar lips' comment, LOL! Your screenshots keep getting better, a very good chapter!
The last shot was funny!
On May 21, 2007 wrote:
Oh, really nice. Made me want to SCREAM at the last picture. Gosh, you are so mean, LOL!
On May 23, 2007 cariadbach wrote:
On May 24, 2007 jaundyce61 wrote:
A very good chapter! Like a good crime novel, well done!