Promises
         Chapter 32 
 

"Pilar," Michelle whispered. "You've been the one behind this all along?"
"Didn't think I had it in me, did you, Michelle?" she laughed, walking toward Miguel. "What can I say, I am my mother's daughter."
"No you're not," Michelle demanded. "You're different. Ever since I've known you, you've wanted to be different from her."
"My mother taught me when there was a problem in your way, you get rid of it," she smiled. "And that's exactly what I plan to do."
"Why?" Michelle glared. "Why do you hate me so much?"
"You have to ask," Pilar gasped. "Where do you want me to start Michelle?"
"I don't understand any of this," Michelle tried to stand, but her throbbing head wouldn't allow it.
"You just sit right there," Pilar demanded. "You want to know why I hate you. Okay, let's start first with my mother. She never would have gone to jail if it weren't for you."
"She tried to kill me!" Michelle screamed, her voice echoing in her head.
"And I wish she had!" Pilar screamed back. "Danny, at least the Danny I grew up with, would never have testified against his own mother. I knew you were the one who convinced him to do it. But you know as much as you did to our mother and as much as you took away from her, she forgave you. You took Mick and Danny away from both of us and every time I visited her in jail, all she could talk about was how she couldn't wait to get out and make amends with you. And then when I told her you were pregnant, she was practically floating. All she wanted to know about was you and Danny and this brat you are carrying. My own mother was slipping away from me. Just like Mick and just like Danny. And let's not forget your best friend Bill. He is supposed to be in love with me! But it's always been you…you are the one he would rather be with. I wasn't going to stand by and let you take anyone else away from me. I figured the only way was to get rid of the problem…to get rid of you."
"So you're going to kill me along with your only niece or nephew?" Michelle questioned. "If you really love Danny you wouldn't do that to him."
"Don't ever question my love for my brother," Pilar seethed. "You never deserved him. He will find someone else. You know how much Teresa loves him. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to comfort him in his time of grief."
"How dare you!" Michelle glared.
"I think it's time to finish what my mother started," Pilar smirked. "Miguel, go ahead as planned. Wish I could say it's been nice knowing you, Michelle, but it will be even nicer never seeing your face again."
"Pilar," Michelle screamed as Miguel grabbed her arm and drug her off the bed. "Please, you don't want to do this."
"Oh yes I do," she laughed. "My life will be so much better once you are out of the way."
Miguel wrapped his arm around a struggling Michelle and dug the gun deep against her head. He jumped back when suddenly the door burst open and Danny entered, gun drawn, followed by Bernard. "Put the gun down Miguel."
"Danny," Michelle cried, trying to loosen Miguel's arm lock around her throat, which was difficult with her hands still tied together.
"I said put it down," Danny demanded, aiming his gun right at him.
"Danny, I'm so glad you're here," Pilar faked sincerity. "I didn't know what to do. He pulled a gun on Michelle and he wouldn't let me…"
"Save it Pilar," Danny snapped. "I've known for months you were behind this."
"I…I can explain," she stuttered.
"I don't want to hear it," he yelled. "Just tell Miguel to let Michelle go."
"Miguel," Pilar began half-heartedly.
"No," Miguel shouted. "Because she's my ticket out of here. I am not going back to prison."
"There is no way out of here," Danny said.
"Oh yes there is," he smiled. "You and your comrade there better put your guns down or I will kill your precious little wife right here and now." Danny didn't budge, so Miguel tightened his arm around Michelle's throat causing her to start choking, gasping for air. He dug the gun deeper against her temple.
"Okay," Danny relented, laying his gun down. "Bernard, put your gun down. Just don't hurt her."
Bernard reluctantly followed suit and dropped his gun beside Danny's and Miguel loosened his grip on Michelle as she gasped for breath.
Danny held his hands up, "Okay, we're not armed. Now if you let her go, we won't try to stop you from leaving."
"Do you think I'm that stupid?" Miguel laughed. "Don't forget I've worked for your family for years Danny. I know you. And Bernard, don't get me started on him. He would shoot me and not think twice about it. No, I think I'll just take your pretty little wife with me. She might come in handy…in more ways than one, if you know what I mean."
Danny gritted his teeth and started to lunge for Miguel, when Bernard grabbed him and pulled him back. In response, Miguel starting choking Michelle once again. "I advise you to back off."
"Okay, you want to leave, go ahead, but Michelle is not going with you," Danny demanded.
"I think you forget Danny that I'm the one with the gun," he said. "I am in control of this situation."
Suddenly, Michelle looked up into the eyes of her savior and knew what she had to do. With all the strength she had, she turned her head away from her captor as far as his grip would allow as a gunshot rang in her ears.