Chapter 7 Chuck vs The Wildcat
Authors Notes:
I didn't title this chapter. John Casey did. If you don't like it, blame him. It has multiple meanings, as you will see. I tried to get him to change Wildcat to Mule, but he wouldn't budge. He wanted me to change the title to Chuck vs the Conjugal Visit, but I wouldn't let him. So we compromised with The Wildcat. There is some touching of 'naughty parts' going on, between Chuck and Sarah. Honestly. OK, I think that's enough 'teasing'.
I have a few notes at the end of the chapter, which make sense after you read the chapter. Actually, let me change that comment, I encourage you to read the author notes at the end.
Emmett Milbarge, I had to google that to spell it, I hope his use in this chapter does justice to fans of the TV character.
Enjoy Chuck vs The Wildcat
XXXXXXXXXX Midnight Magic, where we left off
"YOU!" Sarah screamed out as her heart was racing with adrenalin. Sarah's hand was raised in the air, with one of the hairpins held like a knife. "What are you doing here? I could have killed you." Sarah was all kinds of fired up.
"Yep. It's me. Ouch. Where did you learn to kick so hard?" Chuck painfully asked, somewhat ignoring the question.
"I thought you were the killer, here to finish me off." Sarah settled down a bit, but still showed no sympathy for Chuck, who was on his knees coming to his senses as Sarah made her way to the locked cell door.
"I thought I'd come to check on you. To make sure you were OK. I found Jeff sleeping out front, he still is come to think of it. You aren't exactly safe here, are you?" Chuck gave little laugh at his own insistence that Sarah was safe in jail, as he started to get to his feet.
Sarah smugly replied, much like she had at the party earlier in the night when she commented to Chuck about Lord Barker, "I don't know, it looks like I'm doing OK? I'm the one outside the cell, and I'm the one standing firmly on two feet." Sarah confidently smiled as she replied.
"Good Point." Chuck replied.
"Are you OK?" Sarah asked.
Chuck looked confused, as he answered, "I'll be fine. Someday. By the way, how did you get out of your cell?"
Sarah proudly shifted her eyes to her left hand, which still held her long, sharp hair pin like a knife, "Hair pin. Great for picking locks. I was going to stab you with it too, if the chair didn't work out."
"Ah, another Sarah Walker magic trick. I think the chair worked out fine. And your foot? I see what you meant earlier about your daddy wanted boys!" Chuck grimaced as he rubbed his backside.
"Why did you creep in so softly?" Sarah asked
"I thought you were sleeping, I didn't want to wake you. You haven't slept at all since your dad died." Chuck said most softly and compassionately.
"You're the only one who seems to care about that. I can't sleep Chuck. I can't stop thinking about all of this. Tell me you have some good news." Sarah looked hopeful as she asked.
Chuck began to babble, "No, I can't say as I do. I suppose, if you would however, I have this reputation and all, if someone would walk in, my being in jail, and you, the murder suspect on the outside, it might look bad for future business, could you please ..."
Sarah gently laughed, as she cut Chuck off, "Of course, what am I thinking? Here, let me show you my work." In a matter of seconds, Sarah and her hair pin worked their magic on the simple jail door lock.
As Chuck and Sarah switched places, they brushed into each other, causing them to make deep eye contact with each other's faces only couple of inches apart. "Excuse me, I must have lost my balance." Sarah could hardly get the words out, as she felt passion for the tall thin man and wanted to kiss him in the worst way.
"Oh no no, that's my fault. I'm sorry for bumping into you." Chuck said as he continued to stare into Sarah's eyes, as if he were hypnotized.
"Don't be. I liked it." Sarah warmly smiled, no teasing was involved in her words.
Chuck broke the stare and awkwardly said as he walked out of the cell and closed the door, "I suppose I should go."
Sarah tried in vain to hide her disappointment, as she hoped Chuck might stay around a while.
Chuck sensed Sarah's unspoken reaction, then blurted out, "Then again, maybe I'll hang around a while. You can protect me, in case the killer comes after me."
Sarah laughed, as her mood brightened.
Chuck continued, "I saw a chair in the hall, I'll go get it. That is if you don't mind?"
"I'd like that Chuck." Sarah answered while she unfolded her wooden chair and set it next to her bed, where it was prior to its use as a weapon. Sarah laid down on the cot to try to sleep. "This is the first time I tried out this cot." Sarah replied as she twisted herself into a fetal position on her side, so she could look at Chuck.
"Comfortable?" Chuck questioned.
Sarah hit the pillow a few times with her hand, nodded to herself, and said, "Not bad. But, not a habit I'd like to make either. Good night Chuck."
"Good night Sarah."
About fifteen minutes passed, Sarah was still wide awake, as was Chuck. Neither had spoken.
Finally, Sarah asked softly, since she did not know if he was awake or not, "Chuck?"
"Yes."
"Oh good. You're awake. Would you do me a favor?" Sarah softly whispered.
"Anything I can Sarah."
"Would you come in here and hold my hand until I fall asleep?" Sarah was embarrassed for being so needy, as she normally was not.
Chuck flashed a big grin, "I don't have a key. How would I get in?"
Sarah made a face at Chuck, "Very funny Chuck," Sarah jumped off the cot and was standing by the bars in an instant.
Chuck stood up and grabbed the bars on the door with both hands, as he watched Sarah pick the lock for the third time in the past hour, "So you could've walked out of here anytime you wanted?"
Sarah gave Chuck an odd look, "That wouldn't have solved anything, now would it? Plus, if I really wanted to get out, all I'd have to do is ask Lester."
"I see." Chuck said as he swung the door open and used the chair he was sitting onto make sure the door didn't close. Chuck than gave Sarah his dancing eyebrow look, "So now that I'm in here, what are you going to do with me?" as he sat on 'Sarah's' wooden chair.
Sarah looked a bit upset, for real, not teasing, as she answered, "I hope you don't think I invited you in here for those kind of reasons Chuck?"
"Of course not. Don't be silly. Try to get some sleep Sarah. I'll be right here." Chuck said as he sat next to Sarah in as gentlemanly way as he could, given the circumstances, as he was a red blooded man after all.
Sarah adjusted her thin pillow and her covers, and finally reached her right arm out, and accidentally placed her hand on the middle of Chuck's lap. "Oops." Sarah was genuinely embarrassed.
Chuck gently grasped Sarah's hand and rearranged its position slightly, then held her hand softly, yet in a firm, permanent sort of way, "OK. Is that better? Now get some sleep Sarah."
A small smile formed on Sarah's lips as she closed her eyes, "I feel safe now." Within seconds, Sarah Walker fell asleep. A little while later, Chuck did too.
XXXXXXXXXX Wake Up Call, 8/12/1903, Southampton Jail
The morning sunlight slowly made its way into Sarah Walker's jail cell, finally the light touched her face causing her to wake up.
Sarah woke up to find she was still holding Chuck by the hand, but during the course of the night she managed to pull his hand in near to her and was hugging his arm, like a small child might clutch a teddy bear. This action caused Chuck to be sleeping at a near forty five degree angle on his chair. Yet, Chuck somehow avoiding being pulled onto the cot with Sarah.
"How could he sleep that way?" Sarah thought. "He's such a gentleman." Sarah didn't want to move, as she was afraid she would wake Chuck and have to face the new day. Sarah was content to lie quietly and study the kind face of the man she'd fallen for, head over heels.
Ten minutes later, the sun in the cell woke Chuck.
Sarah sat on the edge of her cot, facing Chuck on the chair. "Good morning sleepyhead! Sleep well?" Sarah flashed the sweetest smile she could muster.
Chuck's half opened eyes immediately grew wide, as the warm smile Sarah greeted him with made him feel like he died and went to heaven, "You're beautiful!"
"Right. My hairs a mess, and my makeup must be a disaster." Sarah gave her best self deprecating look as she tried to brush her hair with her hand.
Chuck was surprisingly serious, no quipping or flirting, "Your smile. Your voice. The way you said good morning. Sarah, some lucky man will get to wake up to that every morning. You make sure you find a man who deserves it. Who loves you. You hear me?"
Sarah nodded, also in a serious manner, "I understand Chuck. I will."
Sarah found herself drawn toward Chuck to kiss him, only to be interrupted by a voice from the hall, "Ahem. Ahem." Casey said in a most grunt like manner possible.
Chuck and Sarah looked up to see Casey standing by the bars with a huge scowl on his face, "I hate to break this love fest up. But your lady friend is a suspect in a murder case and you're supposed to be the lead detective. And to top it all off, she has two 'boyfriends' outside in the waiting area waiting to see her."
Both Chuck and Sarah stuttered to answer.
"But, I see those two knuckleheads aren't the only two you have under her spell Miss Walker. Sleep well Detective Charles? Casey burst out laughing.
Chuck regained his composure, "Funny you should ask. I did. I decided to stay after I walked in undetected by your deputy who was sleeping like a baby. I didn't feel the young lady was very safe here, especially with a murderer on the loose to catch, so I stayed with her."
Sarah asked in a confused manner, "Casey, two boyfriends? Who is that?"
Casey was having so much fun, he didn't know what to do with himself, as he answered, "Bryce and Cole of course, each wants to speak to you as soon as possible."
Sarah was still confused as she said, "Bryce I understand, he is my lawyer after all, But Cole, what could he want? I sent him packing, I thought for good last night."
Chuck was worried about the pair showing up for reasons other than the boyfriend or competition aspect, "Evidently not."
Casey wouldn't let go of what he just witnessed in the cell, "The bigger question is 'do I need to chaperon the two of you when Chuck Charles visits you', Miss Walker?"
Sarah, continued her streak as the only person in town who stood up to the Sheriff, "Sheriff Casey. Mr Charles was simply being a gentleman. I had trouble sleeping. He graciously agreed to stay with me in the cell. Whatever you are implying is going on between Mr Charles and myself is wrong. I wish I was the woman that would be lucky enough to be with Mr Charles, but I'm not. So put that thought out of your mind and find my father's killer. Now, what are the two of you going to do to make that happen?"
Chuck replied, "Sarah. We will have this case solved before your father's funeral tomorrow afternoon. As for your guilt in the Shaw murder, with all those people walking about, the killer was able to blend in. But, not you Miss Walker, I'll bet near every maid, servant, bartender, gardener, butler, chauffeur in the places noticed your every move. I think we should be able to put your time line together, especially in regards to that lovely dress you wore vs the monogrammed sweater and pants the killer had on. So while Miss Walker entertains her two boyfriends, the three of us will get started on the case. I still haven't quite figured the scarf and the blown fuse out in your father's murder. But I will."
"They're not my boyfriends Mr Charles." Sarah tersely corrected Chuck.
Casey had a big scowl on his face, as he grunted, "You two lovebirds knock it off. I'm fed up with this will they, won't they love crap.
"I know Sheriff Sir. I noticed it the moment they met." Morgan walked in a few minutes earlier, unseen by Casey to join the team. Morgan nodded his head looking for Casey's approval.
Casey turned toward Morgan, "You best be quiet about love Grrrrrrimes."
"I understand Sir." Morgan averted his eyes, 'in a why could I be so stupid' sort of manner.
Casey turned to Chuck, "Charles, I'm way ahead of you, the butler and Miss Amy are waiting outside along with the boyfriends. I started the investigation without you while you were sleeping. I think those two have what you are looking for. Let's go find out."
Sarah was riled up, especially at Chuck, as she blurted out in frustration, "I swear, the next one of you two who calls those two my boyfriends, is going to get kicked right in the place where it hurts men the most. Do you understand me?"
Casey looked at Chuck. Chuck had a sly grin on his face as he said to Casey, "Sheriff, she does kick hard. I know first hand. I suggest we listen to her. I don't think she's kidding." Chuck blurted out, barely being able to contain his laughter.
"I hear you Charles. I'm going to be disappointed when the case is over. Having this wildcat in custody has livened up the place."
"Sheriff Casey, I'm not a wildcat. I simply stand my ground, like any normal girl would." Sarah didn't understand what the sheriff and Chuck were talking about, she considered herself normal, not by any means a wildcat.
Casey ignored Sarah's last comment, except for a slight grunt, as he and Chuck walked toward the main office and the waiting room.
XXXXXXXXXX Conjugal Visit
As Chuck and Casey opened the door into the main office from the cell area, Chuck saw Winterbottom, Amy, Bryce and Cole waiting in the lounge area.
"What was he doing in there with Sarah?" Bryce asked.
Casey, not able to resist teasing others, especially the love sick, answered in a most joyful tone, "Miss Walker requested a conjugal visit from Mr Charles last night. I thought it only fair to grant her request, given her status in the community, she deserves special privileges. He spent the night with her." Casey then addressed Chuck, "Chuck, you must be exhausted after spending the night with that wildcat?" Casey was having so much fun, he realized how much he enjoyed having Sarah Walker around, as she created great fodder for his sarcastic sense of humor.
"Exhausted. That would be one word to describe it. Wildcat. That's another good one. Sheriff, you seem to be hitting on all cylinders this morning." Chuck quietly laughed with Casey, and shrugged his shoulders, using his expressive face to deliver the unspoken message, "What can I say?"
"Now, which one of you two boyfriends wants to see Miss Charles first?" Casey requested.
"I guess I'll go first." His Lordship spoke up somewhat unenthusiastically. With Casey's last taunt, Cole was starting to realize that he was not winning the battle for Sarah Walker's heart.
"Go ahead. I'm going to sit here and figure out what in the world that Sheriff was talking about."Bryce's head was spinning from Casey's teasing.
"Conjugal visit?" Amy whispered. "Good for you girl." Amy giggled to herself as Cole walked by her into the interrogation room, where Lester already had escorted Sarah to.
XXXXXXXXXX The Great Escape
Cole sat down in the seat Bryce just vacated, "Sarah, I'm so pleased you're OK. Listen. We don't have much time. I have a plan."
"I'll bet you do. I thought I made my feelings clear last night?"
"As I said, our kind doesn't marry for love. I don't care that you don't love me. You can have many lovers as my wife, as I will. You fit the wife I want, I need. I don't care that you killed Shaw or your father. Our kind doesn't live by the same rules as everyone else. I called the Queen herself, and she agreed to give you asylum in our country. I'll pay off a few officials in the US Attorney General's office eventually, and you'll be free and clear in a few years. I booked two spots on a ship, sailing for jolly old London this evening. Once there, we'll marry, and you'll live the life of a British royalty, far away from these American barbarians."
"You have it all figured out, don't you?" Sarah replied, trying to find the right mood to express exactly how she felt.
"I do. You can count on me." Cole replied, as he mistook Sarah's shock at the words he spoke for acceptance. He soon would figure out how Sarah really felt about his plan for her future.
Sarah raised her jaw defiantly, "I'd sooner slash my wrists, than marry you. Chuck Charles is going to clear my good name, and bring whoever killed my father and Daniel Shaw to justice. That I can count on. As far as you, I can count on you to act like an arrogant snob who thinks his money can buy his way out of any problem, rather than using his heart, his soul and his intellect to tackle life's challenges."
Sarah's rejections were finally starting to take a toll on Cole, who simply was shocked that any woman would say no to him, "You mean like your Mr Charles."
"Exactly." Sarah replied in a sure manner.
"Sarah, I don't know what to say." Cole was still shaking his head in disbelief.
"Don't say anything. You've said quite enough. Lester?" Sarah turned toward the door, as she could hear Lester listening in.
Sarah opened the door and Lester fell through into the room, "Yes Miss Sarah."
"His Lordship was leaving. Would you kindly escort him out?" Sarah said in a mockingly formal tone
"Yes Miss Sarah." Lester then turned to Cole, who stormed away.
Lester walked out of the room Sarah was in and into the waiting room. Lester called out, "Next."
Bryce turned to Amy and Winterbottom, "That's me. Wish me luck with my plan to save Sarah."
As Bryce walked away, "I wish you luck alright, while you rot in Hell." Winterbottom mumbled.
Amy looked at Winterbottom and said in a scolding voice, "Winterbottom."
"Sorry Miss Amy." Winterbottom lowered his head.
"That's quite alright Winterbottom. My feelings exactly." Amy giggled at Sarah's loyal butler.
XXXXXXXXXX What Just Happened Here?
Bryce walked in and sat behind the table in the interrogation room, taking Cole Barker's seat at the table.
Bryce made no attempt to comfort or console or embrace Sarah, rather he simply began to speak, "Sarah. All the evidence is stacked against you. This time I did call Judge Greasepalm. He agreed with my plan. You plead guilty to both murders. He'll assign you to the East Hampton Insane Asylum. Then, he'll quietly release you to my custody after a few months, once we marry. I'll take care of you Sarah. We can shoot skeet, play golf, go to dinner, have parties at the house, go sailing in the bay, just like when we were kids. It'll be perfect. I have all the paperwork. Dr Milbarge has already certified you insane. All you have to do is sign here, and here, and here." Bryce spoke while he arranged the papers he brought along in order.
Sarah was abhorred by what she just heard, "Bryce, Milbarge hasn't even examined me. Are you crazy? I'm sorry. I really am. But that life, the life you want, won't happen for you, for you and me. Ever. You and I won't happen. Please Bryce, get yourself together. You're worrying me. And I did NOT kill anyone. And I don't plan on being in jail for very long. Chuck will figure this out. Chuck will save me."
Bryce had enough, he stood up in a menacing manner, or as menacing as the slightly built young man could be as he screamed, "You and your Mr Charles. This is going to happen whether you cooperate or not. Dr Milbarge is going to commit you to East Hampton Insane Asylum. And in a few months, or years, you will be begging me to get you out."
Deputy Lester walked into the office. "Miss Sarah. Is everything OK?"
Bryce stood up, and was ready to storm away, but not before he left, he turned and screamed at Sarah, "This isn't over Sarah, I'll be back. I have the legal means to commit you to East Hampton. And you'll do anything I tell you to after a few months there. And there's nothing anyone can do to save you."
XXXXXXXXXX
Bryce seems to have a plan. How is that going to work out?
Will Chuck keep his promise to solve the case by Jack's funeral. That gives him about twenty four hours. Speaking of twenty four hours, the other long stories I wrote took place over several months. This story takes place over the course of three days. As the author, this way seems better, I wonder how it feels for the reader?
As a reminder from an earlier author comment, the spy life in Chuck the TV show is replaced by money, power and prestige in my story. Notice how Bryce and Cole are using those devices to woo and influence Sarah compared to Chuck, who uses wit, charm and character. How can he lose? The answer in the TV show season 3 makes sense when viewed in that light, he can lose if become just like Cole and Bryce. Not the story I wanted to see in season 3, but in my more comic, more exaggerated story, the general idea maybe can be understood a bit more?
Just trying to help – LOL!
