Previously, on Tomorrow Waits For No One: Cole and Ginny wondered whether Frank may be involved in the Twin Creeks underworld. Secretly, Cole worried that "Gian" (Marcus) may also be involved.
Ann was thoroughly surprised by the bridal shower Gail threw her. Rhonda was unimpressed by the spectacle.
As Marcus prepared to leave the hospital, Cole called to announce that he'd been reinstated, cleared of any wrongdoing in the shooting of Leo Corelli. "Gian" (Marcus) told Cole that he'd chosen the name Giovanni Capriola, loosely translated in Italian as "John Doe," as his official name. Marcus avoided telling Cole that his new housemate was Frank.
Frank picked "Gian" (Marcus) up and drove him to his apartment in the sketchy Riverview neighborhood. Frank implied that he'd soon be coming into money and would be able to move to a better area. Frank and Marcus were both watched by a man across the street.
"Gian" (Marcus) performed exceedingly well at his job interview in the Human Resources Dept. of SMPD. Jenny was thrilled with his skills and Rhonda hired him.
Rhonda and Gail clashed once again after Gail explained that Rhonda would have to wait as Dr. Riley was running behind schedule..
.
Installment 11
Sept. 16
Benedetto's"What's your housemate like?" asks Cole
Marcus downs a glass of wine and pours another. "Well, the apartment isn't bad. It's in the Riverview neighborhood."
"Be careful there Marcus," Cole interjects. "That's not the best part of town."
"Yeah, I know. But it's fine for now. It's a two-bedroom, so I have my own space. Besides, I don't have anything but the clothes social services gave me so I don't need much room."
"You know, we should go shopping for some new threads for you," suggests Cole. "There's a great second-hand store downtown that has a lot of really funky stuff."
"That would be great," Marcus exclaims.
"How do you like your housemate? What's his name?" Cole presses as he shovels a bite of calamari marinara into his mouth.
Marcus gulps and takes another gulp of wine. "Uh...his name? Um...his name is...Sam. Yes. Sam."
"How'd you meet him?"
"I, uh, I met him at the hospital. He...well, he overheard me talking with social services about finding a place to stay and, uh, he needed someone to move in because his landlord just raised his rent and, you know, one thing led to another and he made me an offer."
"Well, what do you know about this guy? There are a lot of unsavory characters in Riverview," Cole frets. Just then, the waiter stops by to find out if they'd like anything more.
"Wine!" Marcus demands. "Uh, I'd like some more wine. Cole, should we get another carafe?"
"Well, I am on duty tomorrow," Cole hesitates. "But I'll just be at my desk all day, getting caught up with all of the paperwork piling up all over the place. Sure."
Marcus successfully changes the subject after the waiter leaves to bring them more Beaujolais. During the rest of the meal, both men drink a bit too much wine.
Cole pays the waiter and they exit the restaurant.
"I think I definitely overdid it with the wine, Gian," Cole states tipsily. "It's probably not a good idea to drive you home right now."
"Yeah," chuckles Marcus. "It wouldn't be a good idea for one of SMPD's finest to get arrested for drunk driving."
"Well...you, uh, you could stay at my place tonight," Cole stammers, looking at his feet. "I just live a few blocks from here."
Marcus hesitates only for a moment before agreeing. "Yeah. I think that would be the...the responsible thing to do."
They smile at one another. Cole leads the way.
Across the parking lot, the man who's been tailing Marcus observes them from a parked car.
Cole's Apartment
"I should warn you, my dog Winchester is a bit...disorderly," cautions Cole as they walk from the carport toward the front door.
The strange man parks his car across the street and peers at them from afar.
"Your dog's name is Winchester?"
"Yeah, I found him several years ago in San Jose on the grounds of the Winchester Mystery House," explains Cole. "It's a local tourist attraction. The widow of the guy who invented the Winchester Repeating Rifle believed that the spirits of all the souls killed by her husband's invention would take revenge on her.
"But a psychic told her that she could confuse the spirits if she kept construction going on her Victorian mansion 24/7. Personally, I believe the psychic had stock in a local contracting firm. Anyway, the result was a sprawling mansion with wacky features like doors and stairways that lead to nowhere.
"It's also alleged to be haunted. I should take you there some day," Cole suggests.
"Sounds like fun," laughs Marcus.
“Of course,” Cole continues, “there’s a mansion up on Jensen Hill that’s also haunted, so they say.” He looks at Marcus and shivers.
Marcus chuckles. “Ooh, I’m scared,” he remarks mockingly.
At the front door, Cole inserts the key into the lock. "Brace yourself. Okay now Winchester, I want you to be a good boy."
He swings open the door and Winchester comes running to greet him and the stranger. But instead of jumping up on Marcus, he simply sniffs him all over, periodically looking deep into his eyes and quietly growling.
"Winchester!" Cole says, taken aback. "What's gotten into you?!? Honestly Gian, he's not like this with anybody."
"It's okay. I don't mind," Marcus replies as he kneels down and extends his hand for the dog to smell. "Hi boy."
After giving him the once-over, Winchester jumps up and kisses Marcus right on the lips.
"Now that's more like it," a relieved Cole declares. "I guess you passed the test."
Once the commotion dies down, Marcus asks to use the phone. "I want to call, um, Sam to let him know I won't make it home tonight."
"Sure thing. It's on the desk by the computer."
Marcus approaches the desk, picks up the phone, and dials. "Hey, uh, Sam?" he addresses Frank's answering machine covertly. "This is Gian. Um, I'm going to spend the night at a friend's place tonight so don't wait up for me. I'll talk to you soon."
"Make yourself at home," Cole offers after Marcus hangs up. "Uh, would you like a drink?"
"No," Marcus declines. "I think I've had enough for one night."
They both sit next to each other on the sofa and chat idly, laughing nervously, all the while subtly moving closer to one another.
Cole reaches out and strokes Marcus's hair. "You're such a mystery to me, Gian Capriola. I normally like to know what I'm getting myself into..." He stops, gazing into Marcus's eyes. "But I'm drawn to you in a way that...I just can't explain."
"I feel it too," says Marcus softly. "I felt it the first time you walked into my hospital room. I felt as if...I don't know. I've just always felt safe when you're around."
Cole and Marcus continue to stare deeply into each other's eyes as they draw closer to one another. Cole places his hand on Marcus's cheek and slowly moves it back to cup the back of his neck, gently pulling him towards himself.
Their lips meet and both feel as if a fire has been lit beneath them. Marcus reaches around to Cole's back as they reposition themselves to be more comfortable while continuing passionately to kiss. After several minutes of increasing passion, the two men finally give in to their temptation, and move into Cole's bedroom where they make love.
Sept. 17
SMPD Headquarters
Marcus and Cole arrive together for Marcus's first day of work.
"Congratulations again on the new job, Gian."
"Thanks. I'm just a bit nervous," Marcus worries.
"You're gonna knock 'em dead," Cole assures him as they part. "Go get 'em."
SMPD: H.R.
Marcus meets with Jenny. She trains him in the use of the police department's database and email systems. All of the computer work comes easily to him, prompting him to wonder if he had done such work when he lived at Twin Creeks.
Once Jenny is satisfied that Marcus is sufficiently competent in their systems, she sets him loose. He digs right in and begins to slog through a backlog of paperwork. Throughout the morning, Marcus reorganizes filing systems and streamlines processes in the office.
"Here's an updated printout of files," Marcus announces as he approaches Jenny. "I created these sub-directories here and cross-referenced them with this list."
"Wow," remarks Jenny. "I'm impressed. I didn't think we'd ever get through that mess, and you did it in one morning. Better pace yourself. Rhonda will have no further use for you," she jokes.
Marcus smiles and asks for more work. "Is there another project that I can tackle?"
"You bet," Jenny responds as she prepares to unload another long-ignored project.
SMPD: Detectives Squad Room
Cole sits at his desk when the long-awaited DNA report on samples collected at Frank Cain's apartment after the break-in is delivered to him. He reads the report, observing that genetic testing on hair samples found at the scene of the crime matches that of Leo Corelli, the mobster who attacked ‘Gian'.
"I'll be damned," exclaims Cole.
"What's up," begs Ginny. "That DNA report on the Cain break-in? Finally."
"Frank wasn't full of it when he asked for police protection," Cole asserts. "It was Leo Corelli who attacked him."
"Corelli? The guy who stabbed you?
"That's him. Man, I wish he was still alive," laments Cole."
"You had no choice, Cole," Ginny argues. "If you hadn't shot him, he'd have killed Gian."
"That's not what I meant. I'd give almost anything to question him now," concedes Cole. "And, you know, Cain was on to something when he told me it was a big coincidence that he was attacked right after Gian was. I wonder if he's just an innocent bystander in all of this or if Cain knows something."
"You think Cain could have known Corelli?"
"That's a possibility," Cole acknowledges. "If there is a link between the two men, I want to keep an eye on Cain. I want to know that Gian's safe."
SMPD: H.R.
Jenny pulls her purse out of the filing drawer of her desk. "Time for lunch," she prompts. "If you didn't bring anything to eat, the Civic Center Grill is just across the street. See you back here in an hour."
"Thanks," Marcus replies as she leaves the office.
SMPD: Detectives Squad Room
Marcus approaches Cole's cubicle to ask him out for lunch, but stops short as he overhears Det. Riley and Cole discussing his case.
"Given Corelli's ties to mob activity in Twin Creeks and Frank Cain's recent trip there, you're likely to find answers to Gian's identity if you fly out there again," Ginny deduces.
"Not to mention the fact the Corelli attacked both Gian and Cain," Cole adds.
"There definitely seems to be a connection to Gian's past in Twin Creeks," Ginny tells Cole. "You have to go back."
"You're right. Let's grab a bite and figure out how we can get Chief Evans to approve a flight to Twin Creeks."
Marcus retreats without being seen, and desperately ponders what to do next. The detectives leave for lunch.
To find out more about what Cole knows, Marcus slips into his cubicle and sits at his desk. Accessing Cole's email account, he rummages through recent messages.
Marcus discovers that what has been decoded from the journal found after the break-in at Frank's apartment leads the detectives to believe that Twin Creeks may be the hub of Mafia activity in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Marcus is shocked to also learn that Cole visited Twin Creeks just ten days before—pursuing Frank.
Fearful that Cole will discover his awful past, Marcus begins to craft a plan to keep him from going to Twin Creeks.
SMPD: H.R.
"Getting hungry?" Philip asks as he pokes his head into Rhonda's office. "I'd like to have lunch with you to discuss our dinner plans for tonight."
"Don't tell me you're canceling again!" she protests. Philip shrugs fretfully, closing the door behind him. "Oh, not again. Philip, this is the living end!"
Outside Rhonda's office, Marcus arrives, planning to ask Rhonda if he could leave work early. Hearing the argument inside her offices, he and Jenny exchange raised-eyebrow glances.
Rhonda jumps up from her desk and glares at Philip. "What is it this time?" she demands.
"Now Rhonda, you know that I have a very tight schedule these days," contends Philip. "The crime rate is rising in this town and the council continues to slash the budget for law enforcement. Not to mention that there is an election year looming."
"I fail to understand how that can possibly explain your continued cancellations," she coldly replies. "If you'd actually keep to a schedule, you wouldn't constantly be assailed by last-minute events that are obviously more important to you than I am."
"Look, Rhonda, of course I want to spend time with you," he beseeches. "That's why I'm here now." But, as if the timing could not be worse, Philip's cell phone rings. "Excuse me for a moment, darling."
Rhonda sneers as Philip answers the call.
"Philip Benton. Uh, yes...but can't this wait, sir?" Philip sheepishly implores. "Yes, Mayor, of course I understand the urgency of the latest numbers."
Rhonda fumes as she begins to grasp that Phillip will soon beg out of his most recent invitation.
"Yes, sir. I'll be there in a moment," he says, concluding his call. "Rhonda——"
"I don't wish to hear it," she flatly states.
"Rhonda, be reasonable," he implores. "The town council and county commission are holding a joint meeting to discuss ways to tackle the rising crime rate——"
"I said, I don't wish to hear it! Just go."
"Rhonda..."
"I said go!" she bellows.
Without another word, Philip storms out of her office.
"I don't suppose now would be a good time to ask Ms. Lynn a favor, would it?" Marcus suggests to Jenny.
"Not if you want to still work here tomorrow," she solemnly replies.
Frank's Apartment
Having left the police department at 5 p.m. on the dot, Marcus prepares to confront Frank with questions about his trip to Twin Creeks. As he the building, the man tailing him pulls up across the street.
Marcus storms in to find Frank in his bedroom, taking off his shirt to relax after a long day at the bank.
"What the hell's gotten into you, Gian?!?" demands Frank.
"You don't want Cole over here because you and he had an argument over the break-in, huh?" he says accusingly. "Are you sure this wouldn't have something to do with your recent trip to Twin Creeks?"
SMPD: Detectives Squad Room
"I did it," announces Cole to his partner. "I got approved to fly to Twin Creeks to dig further into Gian's identity and look into mob activity there."
"How'd you swing that?" Ginny wonders.
"Chief Evans agreed that this is an appropriate use of the travel budget."
"Great," she applauds. "When are you leaving?"
"I'm going to book a flight for some time tomorrow. Maybe now we'll start to get to the bottom of this mystery."
Frank's Apartment
"Twin Creeks?" Frank pauses. "Well, uh...yeah. I flew to Twin Creeks. I went there to visit my good friend—Marcus," he snidely replies. Marcus's jaw falls. "See, he recently lost a large sum of cash and some jewels. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you, Gian?" asks Frank pointedly.
Marcus gasps.
"Ah. Poor, Marcus. He's had a rough time. So much violence in his life, what with his mother being murdered and all..."
Suddenly, all of Marcus's memories return in an intense flash. He grasps his head as if in great pain and falls to the floor, catatonic!On the next installment of Tomorrow Waits For No One:
Cole to Ginny: "Look, I'm not going to be able to leave town now. Not while...not until I know Gian's okay."
Ginny to Cole: "Then leave everything to me. I'll fly to Twin Creeks and scout around, see what I can dig up."
Philip to Rhonda: "I guess I'm just a little frightened of our relationship."
Rhonda to Philip: "Don't you think you've sewn enough wild oats? You'll have to settle down some time."
.
.
.