Hi everyone, sorry for such a long wait on this – other writing kind of took precedent. Hopefully you all enjoy it.

I kind of edited the first two chapters because I took a liking to Anne Crook having twin children a boy and a girl but more to that later.

The last person introduced I think is very much as this gentleman: wp-content/uploads/2018/06/rs-20574-00299698_ ?crop=900:600&width=440

Three

"You know I could get used to these offices."

Ezra smiled and stretched himself out on the couch that had been placed in his 'office' – a selected building which had been used on previous cases by the FBI but never by ATF. It stood overlooking the skyline of Denver and more appropriately within eye line of his normal offices.

"Get off your ass, Ezra!" snapped Chris, as him and JD carried in a chair. "Just because you're pretending to be a boss, doesn't mean you are one."

"Man never drowned in his own sweat, Ezra," Vin pointed out, entering the room from what was supposed to be his office.

"A gentleman does not debase himself by engaging in menial labour," said the Southerner with a smooth smile and closing his eyes. He was interrupted by somebody smacking his legs and he opened his eyes again to be faced with an unimpressed Anne Crook, arms folded. "Annie."

"Move your backside Ezra," she said, warningly. "Big stores take time and effort. And you're not putting in any effort."

He sighed and stood up. "What do you want moved?"

"Your ass. I have no doubt you read through your files?" she pointed at the stack of paperwork. "I'm not sorting it Ezra... you have to believe the bullshit yourself."

"Spoken like a true confidence artist," he said, smirking as he passed her by, picking up the paperwork. "I will read these in the privacy of my office. Sorted the car for yourself yet?"

She merely flashed him a grin at him as he passed her by. It had become a joke between the two agents of ATF and Interpol of the poor vehicles they'd had rented to them. Chris raised his eyebrows with amusement, but then turned to her.

"Is everything ready?" A curt nod in his direction, although she looked tired.

Chris knew she'd been working late from the times he himself had been working. He'd offered her a lift to the townhouse she was renting and had been able to get her into her trust so far as to allow this. He'd sat on the other side of the street, making sure she was indoors safely before he'd received a phone call from a beleaguered Anne, informing him she was not a child and that she could take care of herself. The next day he'd found a bottle of Shackletons whiskey. A blended malt that had tasted rich and smelt as good whiskey should. An undoubted apology which when he'd nodded at her, she'd given a small smile at before returning to work.

"-the most concerning thing for me is the factor that Holmes is that he knows cons. Reads them, admires them... is jealous of them." She shook her head and Chris realised that she'd been speaking to him. "Knows his life is a con, but nobody is falling for it, hook line and sinker."

"You think he's going to see through them?" he asked, the young woman giving a tight nod. "He's an expert at reading them?"

"A real legal bastard too. Believe me, I know of at least three stings tried on his secret brothels in Amsterdam... one got the one boy locked up in an institution for what he saw and yes I know it's not the proper word Ezra before you start up."

"You think so little of me?" mocked Ezra, walking by and grabbing papers. "If he comes earlier than planned, I think it best dear friend if you have the audacity of threatening me."

"I think that you're a pain in my arse, Ezra," Anne snorted. "And probably everyone else's as normal... but it sounds like a plan."

Ezra nodded and looked at the papers with false interest. "Perhaps I need a word with the organiser of this scheme, behind the scenes?"

"Oh please Ez, don't it's eleven o'clock in Lyon. Don't be disturbing the twins now." Anne pleaded.

"It's not disturbing them and if you think they're in the arms of Morpheus when their dear mother has flown the nest, you could rival Shakespeare for writing a comedy of errors," Ezra sniffed, straightening his tie before exiting.

"Bastard," muttered Anne, shaking her head behind the man and looking at Chris. "How the hell do you not shoot him? I mean it's perfectly legal here?!"

Chris sighed, and nodded. "I just do my best and tune him in and out."

"Must be handy. I'm going to check with Laura if she's got her part down." Chris smiled. Laura was a recently recruited team member of Team 9. She'd fitted the part of a secretary who Holmes could ignore down to a tee. Upon hearing of her youth, Anne had taken on a sisterly role. "If you don't mind?"

"I'll make sure everything's welded down on my side."

He strode off, looking in the offices. JD had holed himself with Etienne the floor below with Buck and Nathan should anything go awry. Vin was sitting in another part of the office, in case heavies should be called on. Josiah was more visible. After checking Josiah who was making coffee in the kitchen (thank God because Vin had mentioned he might make himself some) Chris walked out and offered a slight wave down the corridor at Laura who nodded and sat down, looking impatient. Anne, however, was leaning on the doorway of the conference room, wearing an almost loving and contended smile at whatever she was watching.

Chris joined looking from the doorway. Ezra was sitting back to the door on his laptop skyping a person. Chris could see the smile on Ezra's face from where he was sitting. Occasionally he'd caught Ezra sitting in the offices at strange hours, conversing on the telephone, but he'd never cast any questions in his general direction. He trusted Ezra and knew if the man needed anything then he'd be there for him. Chris surreptitiously walked around to the back of Ezra but the front of the camera to see a teenager standing in a kitchen which was darkened. At least he judged her to be a teenager from the height of her. The girl threw a curious gaze at the interloper. Ezra glanced behind him then grinned, turning back around.

"Oh, this is Chris Larabee-" Ezra said, signing as he spoke. "He's my boss." She waved at Chris, who tipped his head to acknowledge her, and she signed to Ezra. "Yes, he's the man I told you about."

"Didn't tell us, Anne, your daughter was deaf," Chris whispered as Anne rolled her eyes at more signing between the two although done in silence.

The woman regarded him with a frown that clearly read 'dumbass' but the words that came out instead sounded comforting and reassuring. "She isn't. No more than what Ezra is... they sign because not many understand ASL in the UK."

"And we don't want you understanding us, if you learned you'd be in the know Mum," teased the young voice on the other end, Ezra chuckling.

"Keep laughing, Missy. I'll see you Esther Ophelia. Make sure your brother doesn't eat all the biscuits that I left. Where is he?"

"Watching Aliens, then we're going to watch Licence to Kill, you know you can't have a good movie night without a Bond movie and an action movie." Esther said, cheerfully.

"You mean you're going to bed right after this conversation?" Ezra intoned, raising his eyebrows.

"Oh fine, Ez.. now..." The two returned to signing happily.

"Looks a good kid." Chris said, thinking on the one he'd lost and knowing damned well that Anne Crook had probably read his file before coming up with this scheme so would know.

"I like to think so, even if they have evil minds... you know in Lyon-"

The ding of the elevator brought him back to reality and she looked to the doorway, eyes widening as Chris shook his head. Ezra stood at that also. He glanced at Anne who mouthed 'early' to him. Chris chanced a glance at his own watch. An hour early... the man was scoping for a con. Ezra looked at Esther. "Darling girl..."

"Work," concluded the young girl. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr Larabee."

"Pleasure to meet you to Esther," Chris said, quickly. The girl turned her own conversation off and Chris glanced at Ezra. "What do you want me to do?"

Chris needed time to build up a reputation to get into the head space. He shouldn't have been here; it was supposed to be just Vin and Josiah. Any rapid exit would look suspicious to say the least.

"For Christ's stand there and glare," Chris shot a look at Anne for the rude interruption of his question, but she wore a shit-eating grin. "There that's it, Christ Ezra it's like looking at Maude that time we stole her poker winnings."

"Borrowed without the intention of returning," corrected Ezra, pulling his tie ready. "And you're on my side, Christopher."

Chris nodded, standing tall behind the shorter Ezra but when he glanced at his co-worker and friend he felt a shudder rise through him. No longer was a charming reprobate standing there but a cold-hearted murdering SOB that had only been a whisper in the wind. The internet history that Etienne and JD had invented was nothing short of a masterpiece. Anne was looking as coldly back at him.

"I'm not to taking threats from Interpol. Especially in my own building," stated Ezra, smoothly and nonetheless with all the Southern charm. "Not if you don't intend backing them up."

"Not threatening, Mr Stanhope, merely warning you, professional courtesy and all that," Anne corrected the man with a mere glance at Holmes that radiated derision. "Christ, didn't know you'd degraded yourself to working with minnows."

"Mr Holmes is a businessman."

"I can think of other choice words, but as I say choice. Not slanderous." She began her walk out, Laura rising to her feet at the end of the corridor. "And don't blame your secretary. Poor little bitch even lied to say you weren't in."

Ezra murmured a few choice words under his breath as did Holmes, although quickly Ezra turned to Holmes and outstretched a hand. "Ezra Stanhope, pleasure to meet a fellow connoisseur of the finer things... and the worse things."

Holmes shook the hand tensely. "I see you've met Anne Crook.?"

"Many times her and her boyfriend... oh what is his name Ezekiel? Esli? Oh the damn name will come to me later... ruined one of my better operations," he sniffed. "Luckily stumbled upon shall we say the olive oil business shall we say?" he chuckled then looked at Holmes. "Please tell me Sir, you've seen The GodFather Part Two?"

"Who told you I was a film buff, your friend?" Holmes said, suspiciously.

"Just thought if you liked the refined things in life, good films would be one. Personally I prefer the old Jimmy Cagney movies or James Bond, fighting the villains... oh the tragic irony as my dear departed mother would say." Holmes nodded and showed the briefcase. "Of course, follow me. We have business discuss."

Chris followed behind, watching Ezra spin the web and watched as Holmes became more interested in his yarn and as he sat down outside the closed door of Ezra's office, even he broke a grin. His father had had a saying growing up in Indiana. Even a spider grins before it eats its prey... and Ezra had his in his sights.

After the meeting, Holmes headed down to his car and pulled out of the parking lot. A small smile crossed his features. Nobody trailing him. Anne Crook may be in town but her methods were focused on other fish, namely this Stanhope character. Something was lying between them and if he was to believed then it was to do with the gun running. He'd taken a risk coming alone but his mentor had assured him that there was nothing to worry about.

He pulled the car up to the sidewalk, smiling as he saw said mentor sitting in a barbers chair obviously finishing having a fresh shave, save the perfectly white moustache on the upper lip. His ice blue eyes caught Holmes's in the reflection and after one final wave goodbye, he stood and tipped the barber before walking out and jumping into the car.

"How'd it go?" he asked, as Holmes pulled off.

"Better than okay. Stanhope is fascinating can tell a good yarn, spot a bull shitter and knows enough about me for me be to be satisfied it's business... don't trust him though."

"Safer that way. Southern Gentleman?"

"Yeah but noticed he has about nine belts on his wall. Very proud of them too he was."

""You can be a gentleman and still not forget all you know about self-defence," the man looked out the window at the traffic. "Anything else I should know."

"Anne Crook is in town." The man's eyes widened briefly before becoming glacial again. "I'm sure she'll be threatening Stanhope again. Mentioned her partner is in town too?"

"Ezra. Ezra Standish though his mother Maude goes by De Braun now... could've followed her in the name suit."

"Do you want me to let her know your in town?"

"Oh no, no. I have my own methods."