Act Two
"Back in two thousand and seven, Brenda Ward lived in San Diego," Loker has a little slideshow presentation going on and he clicks his remote as he talks Gillian through his and Torres' twenty four hours of intensive research. Brenda looked slightly different back then. She was carrying more weight and her hair was a medium brown. She looked plain at a first glance, but the more her image stared out at Gillian, the more Gillian could see, there was something about her eyes that was alluring, pretty even. The clock ticked in the back of her mind.
Corridor. Earlier.
"What did you tell Agent Kevingston?" Gillian demands.
Cal looks over at her from his slouch against the wall with a lazy grin. "None of his business."
"It kind of is Cal," Gillian tries but he's not listening anymore. His gaze shifts to over her right shoulder and he straightens up and gives a more assured smile. Gillian turns. Ward has arrived for their 'date' or 'drinks' or 'whatever'. "Cal," she tries one more time, placing her hand on his arm as he starts to brush by her. He shrugs her off, doesn't look back and strides away as if she didn't exist.
Lightman Group Lab. Evening.
"I spoke with co-workers," Torres takes over the commentary. "Who said she was in a stable relationship until her boyfriend was deployed for six months to the Persian Gulf."
"Army," Gillian notes.
"No Navy," Torres clarifies and gives her boss a slightly worried expression.
"The Gulf..." Loker starts and trails off at Torres' sharp expression.
She continues, "The co-workers didn't know his name, but knew he was a doctor and was a Navy reservist. They said after he left something changed with her. She became distant, didn't go out much..."
"How long did she stay in San Diego?" Gillian queries softly, her mind already thinking through the possibilities.
"Another year," Loker answers. "Then she moved to Florida. She requested a transfer through the company."
"So she gets to Floridia."
"Wait," Gillian stops them. "She just left San Diego? Why Florida?"
Loker looks at Torres and Torres looks at Loker and they're both silent. Gillian tears her attention away from the over sized picture of Brenda Ward up on the big screen. She looks at Torres and then Loker. She gives them an expression that says 'well!'
Loker gives a little frown. "Her work colleagues didn't say."
"What about on the transfer request paperwork?"
"Uh we couldn't get a copy."
"So call Agent Kevingston and get a copy."
A Bar. Evening.
They're sitting at the bar, drinks in front of them, smiling, as if they're sharing an amusing anecdote. Cal takes off his sports coating, making a remark about it being warm.
"Oh I love your tattoo," Brenda gushes, leaning into him, placing her hand over his arm that is resting on the bar.
"I love yours," Cal tells her with a dead straight face. He watches her red lips form into a coy smile. "What is it?"
Brenda takes her hand back, her lips twitching. "Why don't you come closer and have a look?"
Lightman Group. Lab. Continued.
"Ok so I called Kevingston. He's going to send over a copy of their files," Loker announces as Gillian enters the room again.
"Good," she remarks, taking a seat this time.
"Florida," Loker reminds them.
"Right so she's in Florida for another year," Torres takes over relaying the information. "Relatively quiet. Keeps to herself. Within eighteen months she requests a transfer again."
"Which brings her here, to DC," Loker finishes.
"But why?" Gillian queries. "There has to be a reason why."
Torres and Loker exchange another surreptitious glance.
"People don't just up and leave their lives on a whim. There must be something that is triggering her to move on from these locations," Gillian gestures at the screen. "What about boyfriends?"
"Uh well," Loker hits a button on the remote and a new screen comes up. "There was Navy boy in San Diego. And Patrick here in DC."
"That's it?" Gillian is dubious. "She didn't at least date for four years?"
"I'll look into it," Loker responds dully.
A Bar. Evening. Continued.
Brenda opens her shirt a little more and then holds up the sides to create a little privacy. Cal leans in to stare at her chest. "Oh right it's a spider," he muses. He gives her eyes a grin. "I wondered."
"I noticed you looking," Brenda flirts.
Cal manages to look abashed. "Clever design, sneaking out the top of your shirt."
Brenda gives him a smirk. "Keeps things interesting."
Cal raises an eyebrow.
"Have you got any hidden tattoos I should know about?" Brenda asks him, leaving her shirt unbuttoned.
"Nah just these ones," Cal gestures towards his arm, letting his eyes rake over her body so very obviously. He finishes his drink in a mouthful. "Fancy another?"
Lightman Group. Lab. Continued.
"We're just scratching the surface," Gillian surmises. The screen is now a montage of photos, maps and scanned forms. She sits for a moment while Loker and Torres try not to look at each other and pretend to work. "Go home," Gillian suddenly announces and gets up from her chair. "We can pick it up tomorrow." She walks out.
"She's taking this way too personally," Torres notes.
"Anything to do with the fact that Lightman is on a date with the suspect?" Loker asks with a raised eyebrow.
"Absolutely," Torres responds firmly.
Street. Night.
A couple stand near a wall kissing. Her hands are around the back of his neck, the fingernails painted bright red. He breaks to kiss her neck. "Why don't you come back to my place?" She whispers. "I wouldn't normally suggest this on a first date, but I feel like we have something special."
"Mm," he agrees.
She pulls his head back and looks him in the eye by streetlight. "I like you Doctor Lightman."
He gives her a slight grin. The headlights of a car wash over them. "That's your taxi." He steps back, his hands trailing down her arms. She looks annoyed, hurt, disappointed. "Hey come on," he takes her hands and pulls her from the wall. "I'm an old fashioned kind of guy." He puts an arm around her waist as he guides her over to the waiting car. "I want to get to know you before we rush anything. Can you deal with that?"
"Sure," she says but it is unconvincing and she forces a smile.
Cal turns her and they stand next to the back door of the vehicle. "Dinner. Thursday? So we can get to know each other properly?"
She gives him that small alluring smile of hers; demure agreement.
"You've got my number. Call to confirm," Cal tells her gently. "Or come by the office and pick me up."
"I'll do that," she agrees seemingly over the hurt of the previous moment.
"Perfect darling."
