Drake sat outside of the Palace with binoculars. When she stepped up to the valet with her ticket he smiled. Wow, Chaz sure knew how to pick them. Watching her standing on the curb waiting for her car he took her in. She was HOT. Standing in a soft peach sundress with matching high heeled sandals he watched as the wind whipped at the hem of her dress causing it to blow around her legs. Her caramel colored skin glistening in the sun. She wore her hair long and flowing around her shoulders. When the valet arrived in her convertible E55 AMG Benz, Drake smirked.
“So she has money too hunh?” he said amused. “My damn money!”
The chocolate goddess slipped on her shades and then climbed into her convertible while the valet held the door appreciatively. Checking herself in the mirror Drake watched as she fixed her lipstick. Starting his truck he pulled from the curb. He had to make sure he didn’t loose her.
Driving behind her he watched her race up the expressway ducking and weaving between cars. “This broad lives dangerously” he laughed trying to keep up with her.
Now riding right behind her he saw her hair blowing in the wind and he wondered what it would feel like in his hands. Chaz must have had some fun when he had her under his control. It didn’t matter, Drake could careless about some sexy black broad. He wanted his damn money and her life depended on revealing where it was.
~
John sat in the office going over his files. Natalie walked in. “Hey you ready to go?”
John looked up aggravated. They’d been divorced for about 3 months now and she still acted like they were some kind of couple. “I have work to do”
Natalie frowned “Have you eaten? I was thinking about trying that new Italian restaurant on 5th and Brasher Street.”
John ignored her and kept reading his file.
Natalie looked at the man she loved for the past 5 years and sighed. Yes it was over but she fought a good fight to keep her husband and her love was as strong today as it was 5 years ago. Why was he so distant? “John”
Looking up from his paperwork he frowned “What?”
“Can you not do this? Shut me out like we’re strangers. Its just dinner.”
John sat back in his chair “We’re divorced. I don’t want to entertain you. I don’t even have too anymore. Can you please just back off!”
Natalie flinched at the harsh way he spoke to her. “Sorry, I just wanted to talk to you about the selling of our place. I think I have a buyer and….”
“I’m busy” he said returning to his paper work.
Natalie saw it was hopeless when he was in this type of mood. She sighed and walked out closing his door.
John looked up once the door closed. He hated being an ass but he was sick to death of her. Everything about her now got on his nerves. He left the FBI and joined the Llanview police department for obscurity. The last case he collared almost pushed him over the edge.
His relationship with her was shallow from the start, meeting her in a bar and having drunken sex the same night was there background story. He never really loved any woman but she was so complying and always there to wait on him hand and foot he married her out of boredom.
Well who knew marriage to her would be even more boring. He was sick to death of her. The Buchanan family and all their posturing were full of a bunch of loons. Being free of that clan was the best thing that came from the divorce.
Sighing he grabbed the toy football on his desk and tossed it in the air. Nothing interesting ever happened here. Maybe he should just pack it all up and head back to DC. Deep in thought he didn’t hear Antonio knock on the door.
Antonio walked into the office and saw John daydreaming “Hey bro”
John looked up and smiled “What’s up partner?”
“Jessica wanted me to invite you to dinner tonight”
John rolled his eyes “Let me guess Natalie will be there”
Antonio shrugged “Maybe”
“No thanks”
“You sure?”
“Positive!”
Antonio laughed and walked back out. “Suit yourself”
John turned on his computer to check his case load. Boredom caused him to surf over to the FBI hot sheet. Every now and then he missed the bureau and sometimes he checked to see if the scumbags he put away were on the loose again. That’s when he saw it.
Drake “Enforcer” Cecoli had been paroled.
John read the release date and saw it happened less than a month ago. “Oh shit!”
Turning in his chair he called his buddy Wess at the FBI.
“This is Wess”
“It’s McBain”
Wess smiled and leaned in his chair “Knew I would get this call soon”
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“You don’t work for the bureau remember…besides Drake paid his debt to society, he’s a free man”
“What’s the word on Chaz his brother?”
“Don’t know been off radar since the Drake got tagged. Not sure where he is.”
John blew out his breath. His gut told him Drake’s release was bad, really bad. “Where’s Drake headed? He has to be on parole so what state?”
Wess typed on his keyboard “He went back to New York.”
“What part?” John said sitting up.
“Brooklyn”
“What?”
“Says he moved to Brooklyn to be next to his mother”
“Mother? Thought he came from a test tube”
Wess laughed “Sorry buddy, can’t divulge any more information.”
“Cool, thanks for the info”
John hung up the phone. “Drake was out of jai. He would be looking for his money?” His brother Chaz refused the witness protection program. Drake being free spelled bad news.
Bo walked in John’s office unannounced “Got a situation”
“Okay” John said leaning back in his chair
“John Doe just came in.”
“So?”
“Fingerprints came back hot.”
“So who is he?”
Bo rubbed his jaw. “Does the name Chaz Cecoli mean anything to you?”
John’s adrenaline started pumping “What did you say…”
Bo threw the file on John’s desk. “You name is all over this file…like I said we got a situation.”
~
Evangeline walked into the station. She had to see her mentor and let her know that she was in town. Walking to Nora’s door she stopped and then knocked
“Come in..” Nora said while talking on the phone. Without looking up she threw up her hand to signal give her an additional moment with her chair turned away from the door. She was arguing with an attorney over a plea deal.
Evangeline came in and closed the door. She’d interned with Nora Gannon years ago in Llanview and was excited to see her. When choosing a place to start her practice she knew that this town would be a great start. Besides she needed to keep a low profile. Her relationship with Chaz had turned ugly. Now it was time for phaze one of her plan.
Nora turned around and saw her. “Oh…my….god!”
Evangeline smiled “Hey Nora”
“Look what the wind blew in!” she said standing and walking over to her “Give me a hug beautiful!”
Evangeline hugged her “I am so happy to see you.”
“I can’t believe you are standing in front of me!! It’s been what 13 years?”
Evangeline nodded “I was a snot nose 22 year old intern when you last saw me.”
“You have grown up into a beautiful woman!”
Evangeline blushed “If you say so.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I just moved here!!”
“What?”
“Yep, moved here a month ago to start my practice.”
“Wait you been here for a month and haven’t come to see me?”
Evangeline blushed “Had a lot going on” she said avoiding her eyes “But I’m good now.”
“Well come sit down tell me all about yourself! What type of law you chose. Are you married? Any kids?”
Evangeline laughed. She hadn’t had a friend in years. It was good to have someone to talk too again. The last years with Chaz had been rough.
“Well I’m a defense attorney who’s never been married and has no kids.” she looked at the picture of the boy on Nora’s desk “But looks like you had a recent one yourself”
Nora smiled and picked up the picture “Yes this is my baby, his name is Mathew” passing the picture to her
“He’s adorable Nora!”
“He’s my man alright”
“Are you married?”
“Divorced, the Commissioner down the hall is my ex.”
Evangeline smiled “That’s awkward” handing her back the picture.
Nora took the picture and placed it on her desk “To say the least.”
“Well looks like we may have a chance to face off in court one day.”
Nora walked around to her desk and sat back down “You think you can take me?”
Evangeline smiled “You trained me remember”
Nora laughed “I guess I am in trouble.”
Drake sat outside the police station. Why the hell was she here? Dammit he hated cops. Plus he needed to get out of town and quick. He’d followed Chaz here and before beating him to death with his own hands he told him that his girl had the key to his money. Now he was stuck here tailing this broad trying to find the right opportunity to snatch her. She was staying at the Palace and that place was always crowded. He needed to snatch her somewhere private.
Sitting back angrily he watched the cops go in and out of the station. Chaz was a wimp, crybaby mama’s boy. He’d begged and squealed for his life as he choked him to death. If he could pull him out of the river and kill him all over again he would. His bloodlust was just that strong. Spending 10 years in jail does that to you.
Looking up his heart stopped when the one man he hated the most in the universe walked out of the front of the police station. “It can’t be..” he mumbled sitting up in shock.
Drake focused his eyes. Standing not even a 100 yards away was John McBain. Drake gripped the steering wheel and fought the urge to grab is glouck and start unloading on the pig right then and there. He watched as his enemy talked to officers out front barking off orders.
“You son of a bitch! What are you doing in this town?” Drake tried to get his mind around it. Did they find Chaz already? Were the feds here looking for him?
“Shit!” he said loudly hitting his dash.
He need to lay low. He had to take cover now and think of what to do next. Starting his truck he peeled away from the curb seething with rage. Everything had changed now that McBain was here.
Officer Thomas stood their confused. He and his partner were about to leave to head on their rounds when the Lt. came racing out the station behind them shouting angrily. “Sir we found that body three days ago. We had no idea…”
“Did you secure the crime scene? Have you filed a report? Any witnesses?“
“No sir, some kids saw it in the Llantano river” the officer said trying to cover for his lack of attention to the John Doe.
“When you guys get back from your rounds I want you in my office!” John hissed.
“Yes sir”
John turned to walk back into the station, bumping into an attractive woman knocking her briefcase from her hands. Both of them bending to pick it up at the same time their hands touched.
Evangeline looked at him embarrassed and moved her hand. John looked into her face struck by the beauty of her almond colored eyes. He picked up the briefcase and rose with her. Passing it to Evangeline he smiled “Excuse me”
“No it’s my fault”
“What’s your hurry?” he asked looking her up and down.
Evangeline smiled and John saw she was even more alluring when she smiled.
“No hurry, just clumsy that’s all”
“My name’s John” he said stepping back from her and extending his hand
“Hi, I’m Evangeline” she said accepting his hand.
“Nice to meet you Evangeline” he said still holding her hand.
Evangeline shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. “Well it’s nice meeting you” she said walking down the steps onto the sidewalk. John watched the way her hips moved under her sundress and how her hair swung around her shoulders as she left him. She had him spellbound. Watching her walk up the sidewalk he hadn’t noticed Antonio standing next to him.
“Bro what are you staring at?” Antonio took a step further out of the station and saw a pretty young woman getting into a convertible “Who’s that?”
John shrugged “Said her name is Evangeline”
Antonio shook his head “Wow”
John nodded. “Exactly”