A/N: This chapter is going back and forth between Beth, Josef, and Mick's POV.
Chapter Three:
Beth pulled into the BuzzWire office, her mind racing. She sighed again, she had been doing that a lot lately. She started to get out of the car when her phone rang. She answered without even looking at the Caller ID, now she wished she had. "Ah, there she is. The elusive reporter." The voice was laughing at her, but somehow remained serious. "Yes, here I am. What can I do for you?" The voice paused, it seemed to be collecting its thoughts. "Well… Over the phone?" She smiled briefly, the laughed. "Yes, over the phone, which is where we're having this conversation." She could hear him smile. "Call him, Beth. I know you want to, you know you want to, hell, he knows you want to. Just do it." She started to respond. "Don't argue with me, young lady. Just do what I say." The voice was still laughing at her, now it was mocking. "Yes sir." And with that, Josef hung up. Beth got out of the car, smiling to herself. He had a bad habit of being there for her in the oddest ways.
Mick picked up the phone again and dialed Beth. "I'm trying to do what you say, but you keep calling." He could tell she was smiling, that was a good thing he guessed. "Hey." He kept his voice soft, and he hoped she could hear the hope in it. "Oh… Mick…" She didn't want to speak to him. Damn you Josef. "I was just… I saw you… and I… this was probably a bad idea…" He heard Beth clear her throat. "No. How about you come to my place later. I'll call you when I get off?" But there was something in her voice that seemed… Almost apprehensive about seeing him. "Sure." She sighed, that couldn't be good. "See ya then." Her tone was clipped, and then she hung up.
She picked up her bag and started to drop her phone into it when it rang again. Only two people had that ring tone. "I'm trying to do what you say, but you keep calling!" She was trying to sound exasperated, but only sounded amused. "Hey." It was Mick! Oh my God! It's Mick! "Oh… Mick…" He paused and when he spoke again, he sounded uncertain. "I was just… I saw you… and I… this was probably a bad idea…" She cleared her throat, trying to gather her thoughts and shut him up at the same time. She smiled at his nervousness. As she stepped into the BuzzWire office, Mo was on her like a feral vamp for blood. Mo mouthed: "Piece done?" Beth then got apprehensive. How could she have forgotten her laptop? "No. How about you come to my place later. I'll call you when I get off?" She heard him pause, and for a moment, she was afraid he would say no. "Sure." She breathed a sigh of relief. Then Mo started making odd hand gestures and Beth knew she had to get rid of her. "See ya then." She smiled, waiting for his response when Mo grabbed the phone and hung up.
Mick called Josef as soon as he got the dial tone. "I called her." He could tell Josef was amused. "And when is she swinging by? I might come join the party." He was definitely amused. "She's not." He could practically hear Josef's face fall. "I'm going over there. It's just she seemed…." He heard Josef pop his neck. "Did it ever occur to you, Oh Almighty PI, that she could be at work? Doesn't her boss hover? Maybe she was uncomfortable on the attention she was getting from Mo." Mick knitted his eyebrows in confusion. "I never told you her boss' name." He heard Josef chuckle. "Don't lose her again this time, friend." And with that, he hung up, leaving Mick confused.
