“So tell me.” The man said with his back turned to the other man in the room, as he stared out the window, upon the bustling city below.
“The red head is named Natalie Vega, she first encounter Detective McBain after the death of her husband, whose death seemed to be due to Detective McBain.” This news brought a smirk to the man stand at the window. “What started out as hatred for her has bloomed into obsessive love, she’s now crazy about the detective and has no shame in expressing it, even though he’s involved with another woman. Which brings us to the next lady. Evangeline Williamson attorney at law.” This caused the man at the window to turn and look at the man feeding him this information.
“She’s a lawyer?”
“Yeah and judging by her record a damn good one too. I have the addresses of both, did you want me to take care of them…”
“No! Don’t go anywhere near either of them, I need them alive. They are key players in my plan. Essential players. Thank you Tony, I’ll take it from here, I think I’m gonna go talk to a lawyer.” He said with a broad smile as he turned back to the view of the city.
Michael McBain burst into the office of his older brother to find a scene he had not expected. He moved in and slammed the door behind him. The man who had been sound asleep with his head resting atop his desk, suddenly bolted up, his wild eyes scanning the room and his hands on his gun.
“Whoa, it's just me.” Michael said with a smile as he lifted his hands in the air.
“Not a good idea to be sneaking up on a sleeping man like that Mikey, especially when he has a gun.” John said as he relaxed a bit, throwing his head back against his chair and then lifting his hand to rub his face.
“Well most people sleep at home in their beds, not in the work place.” Michael said as he took the seat in front of John’s desk. “What, did Evangeline keep you up last night?” Michael asked grinning and wiggling his brow at his brother, which earned him and smirk and glare.
“Ok first off, never ever ask me anything like that again, and no, it’s nothing like that. Just had a couple of nightmares.” At this Michael’s face took on a serious look and he went into doctor mode.
“So you wanna talk about it, what were the nightmares about?
“Jana O'Keeffe.” John said and Michael’s face paled a bit.
“Whoa, you haven’t had nightmares about her since…”
“Yeah I know.” John spoke out cutting Michael off.
“So why now? What do you think it means?”
“I don’t know what it means, if it means anything. It’s not her birthday or the anniversary of her death, I don’t know.” John said naming off the things he had already thought of earlier.
“I think I may know.” Michael said and John looked at him intrigued to hear Michael’s thought. “It’s Natalie and her almost getting herself killed again.” At this John rolled his eyes a bit and threw out a sarcastic chuckle.
“It’s funny you’re always accusing me of bringing Natalie into my personal life but you bring her up more than I do. Why is that about?”
“Oh come on John don’t tell me the thought hasn’t occurred to you that this thing you have for Natalie. This need to protect her, that it has something to do with Jana, the red headed girl you couldn’t save years ago.” John could only stare at his brother, speechless, for the thought had never occurred to him, and Michael could read that in his expression. “Man, you are thick sometimes.” Michael said shaking his head a bit. “That’s where it all started, that big hero complex of yours, it started with Jana, and now its carried over to Natalie, only problem with it is our girl Natalie sees it as something more romantic, even though I've tried to tell her it's not in so many words, but she’s even more thick then you are.”
“Did you want something other than coming here to insult me and Natalie?” John said trying to end the current topic of conversation.
“Fine, John, if you don’t want to face it with me you need to face it within yourself and make some peace with what happened with Jana. Because those around you who don’t know any better, sees your behavior as something other than what you not mean it to be, and I’m talking about both Natalie and Evangeline. It’s not fair to either of them really, but especially Evangeline, because she’s the one you’re with. You should at least tell her about what happened.”
“No, Mikey, and don’t you dare say a word to her about it.” John said as he now stood from his chair.
“All I’m saying is…”
“Let it go Mikey,” John snapped loudly. “It happened a long time ago, nothing can change it. I’ve been dealing with it just fine for a long time now.”
“If you say so,” Michael said as he stood from his seat. “I came by to see if you wanted to go grab a bite to eat,” He said as he made his way to the door. “But I’ve suddenly lost my appetite.” With that he turned to leave.
“Mikey…”
“No I get it, you don’t need me in your business, you don’t seem to need anybody. You want to be left alone John, you keep this up and that’s exactly how you’ll be…all alone.” Michael then left the room, and John placed his hands on his hips as he threw his head back in frustration, letting out a slight growl.
She had been so engulfed in the deposition she was working on that she hadn’t notice the man standing in her doorway, leaning against the doorframe, who was watching her with a warm smile. As if he were silently willing her to, she looked up into his face.
“Hey you.” She said with a board, loving smile. “What are you doing here?”
“I just needed to see you.” He said as he moved into the office closing the door behind him.
“Oh yeah,” She said as she pushed herself back from her desk a bit.. “And what exactly do you need to see me about Detective McBain?” His smile widen at her words.