A/N: So this fic probably won't be as long as its predecessor, but I intend it to keep fast paced. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this chapter. So your input is appreciated, so hopefully the next chapter will be better. ….Allot better.

~Matilda

Blackmailing Fedoras

"I'm officially creeped out now." Shawn gawked a bit as Daphne made herself comfortable in his home.

"Let me explain." she said as she started opening up the large shoulder bag she had brought with her. "Since Steven died, I've been seeing a therapist – twice a week, just trying to get through the grieving process. It's half the reason I took up acting, my therapist said that doing something more emotionally expressive with myself would be healthy for me. Surprisingly – he was right, for the last few months I felt so damn good."

Shawn thought she sounded happy, and he was glad to hear it – however the way she said her last sentence had him a little on edge "there's a but" Shawn said then "what's the but?"

"But then" Daphne confirmed "Your butt came snooping around Don's set. The whole time we were talking I could totally feel all of my self control start to wither – if you had stayed a moment longer that day I was totally going to beat you."

Shawn made an 'o' face and then turned his head down a bit and scratched the back of his neck "Sorry to – uh- …be there?"

"Oh no!" Said Daphne quickly "It was great, Shawn look at me – I'm skinny as a twig, I'm not physically capable of violence, you would've been fine. I'm actually here to thank you."

"Thank me?" Shawn perked his head up a bit "For what? As I re-call, you blamed me for your husband's murder."

"I did and I'm sorry." Daphne admitted "I held the biggest grudge against you – which isn't fair to you at all. After you showed up on Don's set I got so antsy that I practically ran to my therapist, my therapist said that it was completely normal. He then rightfully convinced me that it wasn't your fault."

"I….I don't know what to say." Shawn said "Thank you – I really wasn't expecting this."

"It's out of no where." Daphne admitted "I should've called, but I wasn't sure if you'd answer." From her shoulder bag Daphne then produced two bottles of Vodka. "Drink?"

"You're getting me drunk?" Shawn blinked.

"Not totally, the alcohol is just to loosen out tongues." Daphne smiled.

"Loosen our tongues?"

"Yeah – more therapy, my therapist thinks that if I really get to know you. Form a bond of some sort; it'll be easier for me to finally let go. I am terrible at meeting new people unless I have something to curve the edge and since – the edge between us is a little more tense then other people's, the vodka would help."

"I don't know..." Shawn said "I'm actually really tired; I just kicked my boyfriend out so that I could sleep."

"One drink." Daphne pouted a bit and held up one of the bottles.

"…Alright, you got me." Shawn sat down next to her; she pulled two glasses from her bag and started to pour. "So…" Shawn asked "Therapy? Working wonders for you?"

"The best!" Daphne said "Whole new lust for life, like you wouldn't even believe."

Shawn thought of what Lassiter had said about maybe talking to someone himself, and seeing as how Daphne was proving to be a prime example "Could I maybe get your therapist's number?"

Daphne gave another smile and reaching into her bag once more produced a business card and handed it to Shawn to look over, Shawn for now just put it in his pocket.

"Thanks." Shawn said.

Daphne held up her glass then "Cheers Spencer." The two clinked glasses – and drank.

One drink turned into two empty bottles. Shawn couldn't remember the last time he was drunk, but he was having an alright time – Daphne was cool to talk to.

"You're not as good as me!" Daphne insisted, and Shawn nodded persistently.

"I swear to you – I am the BEST, Gus gets mad every time I beat him!"

"I'll believe it when I see it Spencer." Daphne challenged him, and in a drunken spur Shawn was soon showing Daphne just how good he was at Tetris.

The whole night became a blur after that, Shawn at one point lost track of what he and Daphne were talking about – until eventually Shawn was way too tired and really just wanted to sleep.

"I understand!" Daphne quipped – she was still pretty drunk "I'll just call myself a cab."

"Perfect." Shawn said, and not ten minutes later he was waving Daphne out his door. This time when he landed – he landed on his bed, eyes closing. Shawn was out. He woke up later the next morning tangled in his blankets, his leg and cast hanging off the side of the bed.

"Oh Christ my head…." Shawn couldn't believe he let that little red head talk him into drinking so much – why did he drink so much? Shawn mumbled incoherently to himself as he strode through his apartment, soon the whole mess was taken in. Two empty bottles of vodka, two empty glasses, his old Nintendo and his Tetris game were hooked up to his television, and at one point during the night before Shawn could see that he had made grilled cheese sandwiches. Why grilled cheese sandwiches? He honestly didn't know.

Something was off though – there was a picture folder on his counter, from the all night pharmacy only about three blocks away. Shawn blinked. "When was the last time I got pictures developed…" He picked up the folder and took out the pictures, the first picture just being a picture of a note.

'Shawn. I don't get along – I get even. If you don't want copies of these being emailed to your boyfriend then you'll meet me at Burta's Restaurant at 8. Daphne.'

Shawn's face paled – oh dear god, he started flipping through the picture and could've cursed. It seems Daphne had more in her bag then vodka; she had taken stills of herself in lingerie, on Shawn's couch, in Shawn's kitchen, and in Shawn's bed while Shawn was sleeping next to her. There were even pictures of their drinks. All of these pictures if put in the wrong context could look bad, very bad.

Lassiter's case had him working over time, he barely answered his phone and when he did he didn't have time to let Shawn even try to explain what Daphne was up to.

7:30 rolled around, and Shawn had no choice but to cancel pizza with Gus and go meet Daphne at Burta's.

"Give me the pictures." Were the first words out of his mouth when he sat down across from her.

"No." Daphne said simply "Even if I wanted to – I left them at home; I want something from you Spencer."

"You could've just asked." Shawn spat "You were being really friendly last night, why wouldn't I say yes?"

"Because it involves Don."

"Aw" Shawn said "I hate that guy."

"Yes you do" Daphne agreed "but you're getting back on the case."

"Why?" Shawn asked "Why are you doing this?"

"My husband is dead, and if Don's company goes south so is my career, my therapy – all of it. I couldn't control what happened to Steven, but I'll be damned if I can't control what happens to this job. I need this job, I love this job."

"You're black mailing me – for – a job?" Shawn gawked a bit.

"You hate Don, there's no way in hell you were coming back to the case on your own." Daphne protested "But its more then money, the money disappearing was only part of the case he gave you. There's a reason his shoot got moved to Coral Haven."

"There is?" Shawn asked, and Daphne nodded. "All of his actors in LA quit, it was bad. They all got death threats in the mail. If they didn't leave Don they'd be killed. So they quit."

"Why hasn't Don gone to the police?" Shawn said "Why of all the people – would he come to me, and then give me such a hard time?"

"I don't know." Daphne said "He's not very open, which I think is wrong – you have to crack this case."

"You do know that at any moment I can always just go to the police station and tell Lassiter what's going on. He'd believe me over you any day – pictures or no pictures."

"Maybe." Daphne said "I thought of that, hell I'm even willing to bet you tried calling him all day today – so I've got a back up plan."

"Back up?" Shawn didn't really like the sound of that.

"Yes." Daphne said "So you're helping me."

"Then what happens?" Asked Shawn then "I'm back on the job, I finish the job then what?"

"Then." Daphne said "I give you the pictures, you can burn them, delete them – your call, and we never talk again."

"Sounds great." Shawn said sarcastically "You really had to get me drunk to do all this?'

"Nope." Daphne said "The drunk thing was actually for real, I never lie about my therapy. So for what its worth, after last night I do like you Spencer. But if Don's involved I knew there was no way in hell you'd listen to me. So it came down to this."

"I'll do it." Shawn said then "But not because I think you can actually have anything on me, but because you're crazy and somehow I'm going to uncover that you're involved."

"I'm not involved."

"After everything you're putting me through you really expect me to believe that?" Shawn quipped, he stood then really unable to look her in the face at the moment – he just needed to high tail it the hell out of there.

"I'm sure once this whole thing passes we can work towards being friends." Daphne said, and Shawn just shaking his head left.

Without Gus to drive him (Gus was mad because Shawn cancelled on pizza) and unable to drive his motorcycle due to his arm, Shawn had no choice but to rely on public transportation to get to Lassiter's. It took nearly 45 minutes and two transfers to get there, so when Lassiter's house was completely dark when Shawn got there, Shawn was upset. The case Lassiter was working on really had been sucking up all his time, and with horrible timing to boot. Shawn gently touched the hicky still on the side of his neck and sighed – it was weird how much he missed Lassie. Especially since Shawn was standing right in front of his house. Another long winded sigh and Shawn started walking – maybe if Gus was up for it he could grab him for a late pizza, Shawn could really use that pick up right now.

So when his phone rang, he picked it up quickly hoping it was someone familiar.

"Hello?"

"I just got off the phone with Daphne." Don's voice was a little confused, and the inside of Shawn's stomach churned a bit. "She just called and told me you wanted back on my case."

"Yeah." Shawn swallowed a bit of bile "Yeah I do."

"Great!" Don completely missed the tone in Shawn's voice. "I'm still at the Barbara Hotel – meet me in the lobby?"

"It's kind of late.." Shawn said "And I'm nowhere near there right now."

"I won't keep you long." Don promised "I'll even come grab you in the limo – so give me a spot."

Shawn suppressed a sigh and looked around "There's a corner store, Brite's on Dixon Rd, you can grab me there."

"I'll use my ipone to get directions." Don said "See you soon – and Spencer?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for this and – I'm sorry."

Don hung up then, and Shawn made his way down the street to Brite's, within 10 minutes Don's limo was pulling up and Shawn was getting in.

The lobby of the Barbara was pretty lavish looking, big and bright the reception desk had at least 3 workers. The main floor filled with couches and chairs, adjoined to a small bar and restaurant. Don led Shawn straight to the bar and invited him to sit.

"Let me buy you a drink." Don said, and Shawn politely declined.

"How about you tell me when exactly money started disappearing." Shawn said "You're the only one I haven't interviewed yet."

"Alright." Don agreed "Small amounts, about 6 months ago. Then about a month before I came to Santa Barbara, larger amounts."

"Grand total?" Shawn dug.

"If I were to ball park it?" Don said "Four Million."

"Okay." Shawn repeated "4 Million, that's a lot for 6 months."

"It is." Don said.

"Now tell me where you were 6 months ago." Said Shawn "Where were you?"

"On my old set in LA." Said Don "I went at the bank and to check my balance - $5000 was missing that day."

"So enough you were worried?" Said Shawn.

"No, I won't lie – I party allot. If 5000 is missing I can very easily just blame it on being drunk."

"Okay" Shawn scratched his head about "Don, I have to say you don't strike me as the type to chop up missing money to being drunk – tell me the real story."

"Honest to god." Don said.

"I'm not buying it for a second." Shawn told him "Tell me about the death threats."

"Death threats?" Don asked.

"Daphne told me earlier your entire LA crew quit death threats were issued anonymously. Name me your enemies."

"I don't have any enemies Shawn."

"Really, missing money and death threats on your crew and you don't have any enemies?"

"None that come to mind." Don admitted "Half the reason I came to you to start with, you can see things that I might be missing."

"Okay." Shawn said "I'm going now; you remember where I live pick me up tomorrow morning and we'll get this underway."

The sooner I get this done the sooner I can take those photos back from Daphne…

"See you later Don." Shawn got up to leave, a little caught off guard when Don followed him and grabbed his good arm. "Don what are you…"

"Don't go that way." Don said immediately, he looked suddenly alarmed.

"That's the way we came in.." Said Shawn, he tried to turn his head then to try and pin point who exactly Don had seen. Don wasn't allowing it though, he pulled Shawn along the two soon disappearing towards the elevators.

"Don what the hell!" Shawn snapped "Who are we avoiding? What happened to not having any enemies?"

"Not an enemy." Don said "No personal enemies anyway…"

"Then how do you…" Shawn groaned a bit, he was so confused.

"No time." Don said "I'll get you out this way." He started leading Shawn towards a side entrance of the building, a side entrance which was blocked off by a black SUV.

"Aw shit." Don cursed "Alright Spencer – this way." Don quickened his pace pulling Shawn along, instead of going to the elevators Don pulled Shawn into the stair well.

"Don." Shawn finally got out "What is going on – who are we avoiding?"

"It's a long and complicated story…" Don admitted "Nothing to do with the case though."

"Bull." Shawn said "Enough lying, enough crap – tell me everything. Now."

"You're psychic." Don said "Figure it out."

Shawn clenched his jaw, he had to grind his teeth – alright, details. He recalled the SUV. Tinted windows, three figures in the back seat, two male, and one female. Then there was the lobby – before Don had turned around Shawn had a very brief glimpse of the other people in the area…. People were checking in, other people were eating and drinking around them…..Everyone had been sitting in groups of two, except for one who wasn't there when they had first walked in. Shawn vividly remembered a fedora and a trench coat. It was so cliché Shawn almost laughed.

"The fedora" Shawn said "Tell me about the fedora."

"You saw Ray?" Don sounded like he didn't quite believe it.

"I thought you said it wasn't personal." Shawn rose an eyebrow "How do you know the fedora's name is Ray?"

"Because" Don bit down on his lip "A few years ago – he gave me this." Don lifted his shirt right on his side was a tattoo, just the name RAY in big bold letters.

There was a sudden understanding, Shawn regarded his cast, and how just under that cast was his most prominent scar from Dr. McGill's attack – the jagged zig zag. Sure Don's tattoo and Shawn's scars weren't the same, but Shawn was willing to bet that the how was similar.

"Don." Shawn said "Can we get to your room from here?"

"Yeah – why?"

"Would we be safe there?"

"I don't see why not."

"Okay good, get us there."

"You trust me?" Don suddenly asked, and Shawn shook his head.

"Not exactly, but I don't feel like dying tonight so I'm going to pretend to."

"I'll take it." Don said with a half smile, and the two were soon heading up the stair well.