Dangerous Liasons: FIRST DAY OF WORK

by tarskeewee08

Walking into the Buchanan Towers was an experience.

Evangeline marveled at the hustle of many corporate drones running in and out the revolving doors carrying briefcases and talking on blackberry's going about their day.

She missed New York but arriving here gave her the feeling of home. The Towers had 35 floors and were a magnificent monument to the Buchanan wealth. She'd already secured an office on the penthouse level and for a downtown urban black girl from the wrong side of the tracks that was no small feat.

Today she took extra care with her appearance to make sure she looked the part. She had a meeting with Kevin Buchanan and she wanted to make a good impression. Rolling her long tresses into a tasteful bun she chose a bone colored pant suit with a mahogany satin blouse underneath. She even wore the two carat diamond studs Chaz had given her on their second anniversary together, before things between them got out of hand. Carrying her Hermes briefcase she walked to the guard's station and introduced herself to obtain the key to the penthouse elevator.

The guard was a short fat black man with cheeks so round he looked like a squirrel with a mouth full of nuts.

He looked her up and down surprised. Evangeline figured not many black executives have had the privilege of accessing the penthouse. She smiled graciously and waited on the key. Taking it she went down the wing for the executive elevator and stood confidently waiting for the elevator to arrive.

A fairly attractive redhead walked up wearing some old washed out black pants and a green too short shirt. Evangeline caught the look she flashed her as they entered the elevator together.

Smiling she noticed from the corner of her eye the redhead looking her up and down suspiciously. When Evangeline stuck her key in to get the elevator to go to the penthouse level the redhead didn't hide her suspicions any longer.

"You're going to the penthouse level?"

Evangeline turned and smiled again "Yes, I have an office there"

"Really?"

"Yes, I'm attorney Evangeline Williamson and you are?" she said extending her hand.

"Natalie McBain" she said taking her hand.

Evangeline frowned "Lt. John McBain, is that your husband?"

Natalie smiled broadly "Why yes he is, have you met him?"

She nodded "Briefly"

"Well, my family owns the towers and I'm here for our regular board meeting. I didn't know we were leasing offices at the penthouse level, usually that's reserved for the Buchanan's"

Evangeline looked Natalie up and down. She'd done her research on the Buchanan Empire. She didn't come across a Natalie anywhere in her docket. Besides she looked a little trailer park to be a board member. Suspecting she was lying she smirked "Well, I'm not your average attorney, plus I may be joining your legal team."

"Hmph…" Natalie said looking the attractive woman up and down. She noted the $1,200.00 Yves St. Laurent suit she was wearing and the $8,000.00 Hermes's briefcase she carried. This woman sparkled with wealth and class. Didn't fit with the small town lawyers they had on staff.

Evangeline noticed her absorbing her attire and was amused. She may have use for Ms. Natalie McBain. Coming to Llanview was a perfect idea. Once she took care of Chaz she would set her plan into motion for the Buchanan clan and secure her position in this town. She just had to be careful to keep her past at bay.

The elevator doors dinged and she stepped off the elevator. Looking back at Natalie standing in the corridor watching her walk away she flashed her pearly white smile at her "Have a good day"

Natalie said nothing. She took an immediate dislike to the haughty confidence that the woman on her family's floor exuded. She would speak to Kevin about having her here. She didn't trust her.

The Station

John walked in the station with a hangover from his friendly game of pool last night. Going straight into his office he grimaced to find both Bo and Antonio waiting for him.
Looking up he frowned "It's too early, can we do this after I get some coffee?"

"John, we got break in the John Doe/Chaz case" Bo said excitedly
"What? How?"
"Security camera in the parking garage of the Hilton" Antonio said walking over to the TV they'd rolled into his office and popping in the tape.

John was dumbfounded. He went and stood between the both of them and watched the screen roll and fuzz then focus on Drake beating his brother to death with a gun and tossing his lifeless body into the trunk of car. John leaned in closer when he saw him retrieve a wallet and stare at a picture. Then stick it in his pocket.

"Is there anyway we can get a close up on that picture?"

Bo looked at him shocked "Are you kidding, we don't have the technology."

John nodded "This isn't a federal crime but I'll call my contacts and see if I can get the tape analyzed. We have to find out what was so important about that picture."

Antonio looked at John "Why would they be here John? Llanview seems off the path for these two gangsters?"

"I've no idea, my guess is that Drake followed Chaz here. My contact said Chaz had been off radar for sometime so maybe he had a new identity in Llanview. Either way, I'm sure Drake is gone now."

"What's the point of analyzing the picture then?" Bo asked confused

"Instinct I guess. The killing was too swift. If Chaz had his money he would have kept him alive and killed him elsewhere after retrieving it. My gut says we got a third player."

Antonio grabbed John's arm before he could escape for coffee "Wait. What money?"

John looked over his shoulder and kept going "Meet you guys in Bo's office in ten minutes and I'll tell you the history of the Cecoli boys"

The Buchanan Towers

Evangeline stood in her office and smiled. The corner office had large bay windows that covered both walls. Her cherry wood desk was u-shaped with large plush dark brown leather chair in the middle. Walking over to the desk she lowered her briefcase. There weren't any pictures on the wall but she preferred that. Simple was always her staple of sophistication.

Moving over to the window she peered down at Llanview's downtown business district and watched the cars and tiny people rush by. She'd found her home and couldn't wait to morph into her new life.

Staring out of the window she wasn't aware that someone was standing behind her taking her in.

"Beautiful"

Turning around she looked at Kevin Buchanan surprised "Excuse me?"

"The view, it's beautiful isn't it?"

Evangeline smiled and walked toward him "Yes, I suspect that you're Kevin Buchanan?" she said extending her hand.

"Yes and you must be Evangeline Williamson" he said accepting her hand and shaking it.
"I'm so pleased to finally meet you"
"Same here, are you finding everything okay? We can have building services bring in additional furniture and paintings if you need them."
"A conference table for small meetings would be nice in that corner" she said turning and pointing across the room.

Kevin soaked her in. She was more than he expected. But her deposit on the space was impressive and he was intrigued why a big time Manhattan defense attorney would want to come to Llanview and get into corporate law. He put his best men on researching her and her client list included "The Gambino Crime Family" and "The notorious serial killer Steve Haver". It just made him more intrigued.

Seeing her now, soft and feminine he was dumbfounded, she was nothing like he expected.

"Well my assistant will take care of that for you. Our board meeting is about to start why don't you join us so I can properly introduce you to my family"

Evangeline smiled her eyes cold with delight. "Let the games begin" she thought.

The Station

John walked into Bo's office seeing the expectant faces of both men. "Okay" he said closing the door. "Here's what I know"

"13 years ago a rash of bank robberies plagued the upper eastern states. At the time me and my partner Caitlyn were assigned to investigate a Italian mafia family the Bureau thought was responsible. The family had a hit man named Drake Cecoli whom we suspected murdered at least 50 people, but that number is probably greater. He was one of the most vicious thugs I've ever seen. He even planted a car bomb that killed a family of four because the person he had a hit on could never be caught without his wife and kids in tow. The governor flipped at the killing of small children in his state and wanted the crime ring brought to its knees. The entire sting became mine and Caitlyn's. We had a serious problem getting next to Drake, whom we suspected of the bombing. The only tie we could use was his younger brother Chaz who followed him around like a trained monkey. We arrested Chaz several times on petty crimes trying to get him to flip on his brother to no avail. The kid was scared shitless of the man. So our best bet was to infiltrate the family. Me being Irish it wasn't happening. But Caitlyn, she was prime being a woman and all."

Antonio listened and watched as his friends face darkened. He didn't understand why he'd never heard John mention a partner by the name of Caitlyn before. The look on his face indicated that whatever happened to that partnership was tragic.

"Well, Caitlyn went undercover as a bartender for one of the family's bars. It wasn't long before Drake took a special interest in her."

"So let me get it, you guys bust him and use his brother to do it right" Bo said leaning in his chair getting the gist of the story.

"Not quite." John said rubbing his jaw. "Things happened that I rather not speak on but the end result is that Caitlyn got in too deep and developed feelings for Drake."

Antonio frowned he watched his friend pace as his voice got hoarser. Something was wrong with the way he was editing this story.

"Needless to say she was killed and the only way I could make Drake pay was to use his brother against him" John said avoiding both men's eyes. He didn't want to get into Caitlyn and how he failed her. It was irrelevant to what they needed to know.

"So Drake is hunting for Chaz for some sick revenge?" Antonio asked

"More than that. When Drake was collared he had accumulated over 10 million from his share of from the bank robberies. Apparently being a hit man wasn't his only talents. His brother was his shadow. His go-to boy. All the way. I was so desperate to get Drake I took extreme tactics to convince Chaz to turn into a federal witness. Pushed in a corner the little weasel caved and gave us the evidence we needed in the car bombing. He wouldn't speak of the robberies from fear of the crime family and I was so desperate to get Drake I took whatever he gave. We were never able to locate the money. Chaz refused the witness protection program and dropped off radar. I could give a shit about him since he was scum like his brother to me. The mafia didn't really care about him because toward the end they wanted Drake dead for their own reasons."

"Why is all of this taking place in Llanview?" Antonio asked frustrated

John looked at Antonio "Let's just say that Drake and I have some unfinished business. I don't know why Chaz led him here to me but I'll find that out soon enough. I do know that if Drake knows I'm here we got a problem a big one"

Across town in Carlo Hessers hide away

Drake opened his eyes and couldn't focus. His entire head felt as if it would explode. It was bandaged completely up besides his eyes and the small openings for his mouth and nose.

Strapped down to the bed he struggled and lifted both arm forcefully. The restraints made him feel claustrophobic. He desperately wanted to snatch loose from his confinement. Grunting he kicked his legs and squeezed his eyes shut tight as he strained against the thick straps that kept him chained to the bed on either side. Hearing a voice he stopped fighting and turned his head.

He saw Carlo Hesser and Dr. Frankenstein standing in the room watching amused. His vision still blurry he grunted at them and tried to focus more clearly on their faces.

Spencer approached first and patted his arm reassuringly. "The anesthia is wearing off. You came through fine, just relax."

Carlo walked over "Drake, my man how you feeling?"

Drake glared up at Carlo. He wasn't used to being helpless. He knew the asshole had strapped him down for his own amusement and it pissed him off. Pulling with both arms he tried to fight against the straps again.

Carlo laughed "I only strapped you down because of the shock you'd experienced when the drugs wore off. Didn't want you to hurt yourself."

Drake stopped resisting and watched Carlo intently

Carlo leaned his face into his "This little favor I did for you is very costly. I suggest when you heal, you find your money and pay the tab. I'm a man of little patience when it comes to my money and time." he hissed

Drake glared through his mummified face saying nothing.

"Good, we understand each other" Carlo said rising and grinning.

Spencer went to his IV and pulled out a syringe inserting liquid into the tube. Drake felt it like a ton of bricks crashing down on him he was out within minutes.

The Buchanan Towers

Evangeline sat at her desk going over the contract Kevin had submitted to her. Everything was in order and he'd even given her unrestricted access to his financial department. That would prove very useful to her plans. Hearing her phone ring she jumped in surprised. Not even her own mother knew where she was or how to reach her. Watching the phone ring suspiciously she finally answered it. "Hello"

"Hey you, any plans for lunch?"
"Who's this?" Evangeline asked cautiously
"Nora, silly"
Evangeline smiled "Nora how'd you know where to find me?"
"Not much happens in this town that I don't know about. Told you I used to be a Buchanan. The entire family is a buzz with you coming on board."

"Really?"
"Yep, let's have lunch and catch up"
"Okay…"
"How about you come to the station and I'll take you to Capricorn. You'd love that place"
"Sure give me an hour"
"Fine see you then"