Part 7 in the 'A Beautiful Lie' Series
Title: A Covered Lie
By Billy
Summary: Part 7 in the 'A Beautiful Lie Series' with Face and Amy. Face struggles with his thoughts about Amy. Set just after 'There's Always A Catch.' Sequel to "Lies For Thought."
Ratings: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own the A Team and I've not made a penny from this; I just do it for the jazz!
Copyright: December 2008
Chapter 1
The unexpected knock at the door made Face put down his coffee cup and glance at his watch. Anna-Marie wasn't due for another hour, when her shift finished at that chic little restaurant. He'd met her there on his return from Lobster Bay a couple of days ago.
Needing some place inconspicuous and quiet, he'd found the cosy restaurant tucked off the main drag, close to his newly scammed apartment. He'd asked for a table, and Anna-Marie had been his waitress. One thing had led to another, from the flirtatious glances and light conversation, and then next thing he knew he was taking her home after her shift. That night she'd been the perfect distraction. Still was. He liked to think she was helping with his relaxation after a stressful six weeks where the team had been constantly chased by Decker right across to Lobster Bay. Didn't matter how hard the team tried, they'd failed to lose him. Until now. They were all lying low, hopefully shaking off Decker's heat.
There was another knock, louder and faster. Couldn't be Decker. No Way. Face had been careful. Anyway, if it was Decker, he wouldn't be knocking. Face rolled his eyes. Always best to err on the side of caution, though.
Face sighed as he walked towards the door, grabbing his gun. He held it behind his back as he looked through the peephole, instantly relaxing when he saw Amy standing in the hall. She looked as if she was just about to walk away, but stopped as soon as the door opened.
"I'm sorry," Amy said. Face could barely make out the whisper. His anxiety rose as he studied her. Her eyes were puffy where she'd obviously been crying. Her face still glowed red. "I just needed to see someone about this," she said more clearly, wiping her eyes, standing straighter, as if trying to pull herself together.
"Come in, come in." Face quickly shot a glance along the corridor as he ushered her into the apartment. Had someone hurt her?
"I'm sorry… I knew out of all of the team, I could talk to Murdock or you…" her voice trembled as she spoke, "Hannibal wouldn't…. and BA seems unapproachable at times…" she started to stutter her words. "But I just couldn't turn up at the VA in this state…" She looked up at him; he could see the tears welling. As she blinked, the first tear trickled down her cheek. "So I came to you. No one I know would understand this. No one…"
"What's wrong, kid?" He rested his hands on her shoulders. Anxiety waved over him.
"Oh, Face," Amy sobbed, bursting into tears. Face was unprepared as she threw herself into his arms. Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around her. "It's Al Massey," she cried.
Feeling her tremble, he gently rubbed her back. He knew who Al Massey was, of course, a senior reporter at the paper and a good friend and mentor to Amy. Good enough friend that she'd been prepared to finance his rescue from Mexico by selling her home. But what had happened to cause her to be in this state?
"He's dead."
He held her tightly, allowing her to cry before easing out of the embrace to look her in the eye.
"Amy, what happened?"
"We got a call at the paper that he'd been in a fatal car crash early this morning," Amy slowly responded. "The police couldn't get hold of any family. His wife had died just before I met you guys. As far as I'm aware, he doesn't have any family in LA." She wiped her face as her tears welled. "So I told Grant I'd go and identify his body."
"And you went on your own?" Face realised he'd sounded stern, so he softened his tone. "Amy, why didn't you -?"
"I thought I could handle it," Amy cried. "Oh, Face, it was just awful. Seeing him there. Cold and grey. So lifeless." She flung herself back into his arms, and he held her, trying to comfort her. Finally, he prised her out of his arms and led her to the couch in the living room, where she sat down. As she fumbled in her purse for some tissues, he went to the bar, poured a large glass of brandy and handed it to her.
"Here, this might help a little."
She sipped the brandy and nodded.
Face watched her, waiting patiently for Amy to speak. He didn't want to press matters that might upset her further. He hated seeing her this way. In fact he'd never seen her in this state. Scared, frightened occasionally, a bit shaken up with Deke Watkins, and that time with her creep of an ex-boyfriend, Jeremy, but nothing like this.
He hadn't dealt with a woman in this state for a while…. Probably not since Nam. Murdock thought Face was the expert on women, but far from it. He'd dealt with the tearful actress that hadn't gotten the part, or the crocodile tears anyone could see through, but this – no, he hadn't dealt with anything like this. Not for a long time, anyway.
Another thought swept through his mind - had she really thought of turning to Murdock before him? He realized he wanted her to consider him first, always. Why hadn't she?
"I'm sorry," he said, placing a hand on her knee, watching her. It was all he could think of and he knew it was inadequate, but what could he say? Another woman and the words would be flowing from his mouth. But with Amy, he was at a loss.
She took a deep breath and then spoke, but she wouldn't look him in the eye.
"I've taken responsibility for the body. I couldn't just leave it to the county. So I'll have to make the funeral arrangements for when they release his body. But I'm not sure when that will be."
"How come?"
"The cops are treating the car wreck as suspicious."
"Suspicious? In what way?"
"I don't know." She shook her head and started to cry again. Great, another stupid question, Face thought. He edged closer towards her on the couch, and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. He wanted to hold her, comfort her, anything to take away her pain. But he knew he needed to be careful how close he got. "They said something about no other vehicles being involved, so they're going to investigate it. But I can't remember now everything they said. It all seems such a blur."
"Had he been drinking?"
"Al didn't drink and drive!" she snapped, pulling her hand out of his.
"Sorry." Face shook his head. "I was just trying to look for some reason." Face tried to think more constructively, but he was finding it hard seeing how distressed she was.
Face waited, taking her hand again and rubbing the back of it with his thumb, as she sipped at her brandy. To his surprise, Amy leaned towards him, resting her head on his shoulder. Automatically Face wrapped an arm around her and held her. He'd hold her for as long as she needed, if he had to.
"Do you think it has anything to do with a story?" Face asked.
Amy shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. It's something the cops are going to investigate. They want access to his records at the office. All I know is, he'd been working on a story in some town on the outskirts of LA, I think. Ages ago he'd mentioned that he might have to go undercover, but never said any more about it." Amy sniffed, gaining some composure in her words. She lifted her head off of Face's shoulder and Face released his hold. "I don't know, maybe I'm not thinking straight, but it just seems odd."
"How do you mean?"
"Well, with what the cops said, and his disappearance."
Face frowned curiously.
"Apparently he'd been calling into the office occasionally and then it just stopped."
"Did you tell the cops that?"
Amy nodded.
"Do you know the details of what he was working on?"
Amy shook her head before gulping the last of the brandy from the glass. "No, not really, and to be honest I'd been so busy with the team and our last couple of jobs, I didn't really ask. By the time I'd gotten back from Lobster Bay, his communication had stopped." She sighed. "I feel like I've failed him this time."
"Hey, you can't blame yourself for this." Face took the glass, and poured some more brandy into it, but a smaller measure. Getting Amy drunk wouldn't help matters. He only wanted to keep her calm, help her in any way he could.
"Thanks," Amy said, taking the glass from Face. He sat down beside her as she kicked off her shoes, groaning as she did so. "I hope you don't mind, but I've been in these heels all day long."
"Not at all. Make yourself comfortable. You've had a rough day." He smiled at her, but she only frowned.
"Face, I'm so sorry. I didn't know who else to turn to - who'd understand." She dropped her gaze, staring into the glass she held. "I just know we've helped each other before… But I wasn't sure if you'd be busy, or something…"
A woman. She thought he'd be busy with a woman.
"Hey, even if I was, you could come to me with this."
Amy nodded, glancing up at him then back into her glass. "When I saw Al's body… I just wanted to get the hell out of there. I couldn't face going home. All I could think about was finding you…."
Face pushed the hair off of her face, making her look at him. He wanted to leave his hand against the warmth of her cheek; instead he gave her a reassuring smile. So she had thought of him first. For a moment he watched as she stared into her glass, swirling around the liquor and occasionally sipping the drink, admiring her features as he did so.
Finally she sighed. "I suppose first thing tomorrow I'll have to tear his desk apart to find out what he was working on." Face frowned and she obviously caught his concern in his expression. She snapped back, sounding more like the determined Amy he knew. "I have to, Face. Especially before the cops take anything away. I need to get to the bottom of this. Find out what he was working on. I need to know if his death was an accident…"
Face could see the tears welling again. "Hey, hey…" He gently wiped away a tear from her cheek.
"I'm sorry. Al was such a good friend; I can't believe he's gone."
"You don't have to apologise to me."
"But I do. I shouldn't be falling apart like this," she said, smiling weakly. "Not after running with you guys. I shouldn't have come here and burdened you with this."
"You're not a burden."
"Even so…" Amy drank the last of her brandy. "It was a mistake. I think I'd better go," she said, placing the glass on the coffee table.
"Mistake? Amy, it would be a mistake if you leave!" Face stood up with her, watching as she slipped her shoes back on, wobbling in the process. He held his hand out to catch her. "Uh… I'd feel better if you stayed here. Besides, you've had a lot of brandy."
Did she really want to go back to her empty apartment and dwell on this further? He didn't like the idea of her being alone tonight.
"Uh… I don't know, Face." She picked her purse off the couch and put it over her shoulder. She seemed hurried now she had the thought in her mind to leave. He had to stop her.
"You can take a bath, relax, anything." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'd just feel happier if you stayed here tonight. There's a spare room," he quickly added.
"Um…" She looked him in the eye, but he could see her hesitancy. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. Please, stay." Face hoped he didn't sound like he was begging. But he didn't like the thought of her walking out of this apartment, the state she was in. He wanted her where he could keep an eye on her. Damn it, she'd had one hell of a shock and she seemed so… fragile. He'd never seen her this way. He wanted to help her with her grief. Maybe with their heads straight tomorrow morning, they'll be able to see how to attack this better together. They could both look into what Massey had been into. Because he wanted to help her, he was certain of that.
"I, uh, suppose a bath would be good." She gave him a weak smile, slipping off her shoes, dropping her purse beside them.
"Good, good." He nodded, and to his surprise Amy was back in his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. He rubbed her back.
"Thank you," she whispered. "I'm so glad you were here."
