Just In Case File: 001 - Fangs For the Memories
Summary: Justin Russo; brother, private eye, and family wizard. Welcome to his hell.
Rating: T for language and adult situation.
Disclaimer: I own nothing… except for maybe Lucinda and Chase… boy did I get the raw end of the deal.
A/N: Two for the price of one! Two chapter updates within the same day! As a thank you for all the lovely reviews and to all the readers taking a chance on my little story. Again, I know the build-up is slow, but trust me it'll be worth it. Even my fiance (who's not a big WOWP geek like I am) loves what I had written (draft-wise) so far…
~~*~~
The next morning…
"Chase Worth's office, how may I help you?"
"Lucinda? This is Alex Russo--"
"The criminal."
"No… Mr. Russo's partner and--"
"Secretary."
Alex sighed heavily at the speaker for the white phone (we have a black office phone for "normal" business, and a white one for… well, I think you get the point) on her desk. "Lucinda, you know, we can continue to play this little game that sadly will get old, or…"
"I'm sorry, who am I speaking to again?" Faint sound of chewing gum snapping played in the background.
I crossed my arms and bit back a laugh at Alex's reddening face. "Alex! You know who I--"
"I'm sorry, my name is not Alex. To my knowledge, we have no one by that name working within these offices. If you have reached this number in error, I can gladly direct you to the proper channels."
"Lucinda Grosse! You borrowed money from me freshman year of college--"
"Before you dropped out." A gum snapped.
"-- because you needed a deposit for that under-the-table tail removal job." Alex tossed a haughty grin my way.
Silence with gum snapping in between intervals. Finally, "… What do you want, Russo?"
Alex sighed contently, dropping herself into her chair and kicking her feet up. "Why Lucinda, your people skills have improved I see."
You know… as fun as it is to see Alex go up against a force as annoying as she, even I have my breaking point. I leaned over the speakerphone, "Hey Lucinda, it's me, Justin. Can you arrange another meet-up with Chase? Same place, same time."
"Justin! Oh hey! It's so nice to hear your voice! So kind and respectful…" Lucinda chirped.
Alex mocked Lucinda's "kind and respectful" line, which caused me to roll my eyes.
We heard typing on her end of the line, followed by a "Okay, so what day would you like to meet with him?"
"Uh… how about yesterday?"
We heard a gum snap. "Oh… well, as feasible as that would be, we'd need an extra day to consult the Time Mechanics Department and--"
"Lucinda," Alex gritted her teeth, "What Justin said was A.S.A.P. translated via sarcasm."
Another gum snap. "Oh… Well, here I thought that Justin was the nice Russo."
"I am, Luce." I groaned, "Time is just so urgent right now. Especially with this case the Counsel's got me working on…"
Now here was the time for me to work whatever charm I like to pretend I had with the ladies.
Which, of course, Alex had to sit through with a disgusted look on her face.
"So I would really appreciate it if you could do me this one. Little. Favor? Please? Come on, Luce. I promise that from now on, I'll make sure Alex plays nice and cordial…"
"Wha--?!" Alex almost shrieked if I hadn't swiped my hand in a zipper movement, causing my sister to be silent. It was a nice little forbidden "Against One's Will" trick I learned a few days after Alex turned eleven and learned what sarcasm was used for. I would have used it more often growing up, but dad was there so…
"Well…"
"Luce?"
More typing of the keyboards, until finally, "Okay, Justin… Let me just free up his schedule and I'll have Chase meet with you later on today. Same time, same place."
"You are the best secretary ever, Luce. Thank you!" I pressed the Call End button and looked at my sister smugly. "And that, Alex, is how you handle a bitch like Lucinda."
I started walking back towards my office when I felt a stapler graze my shoulder and land two feet in front of me.
Oh. Right. Damn. Knew silence couldn't stay golden.
I snapped my fingers.
"Justin, you jerk!"
But duct tape… duct tape is silver, and I like silver.
~~*~~
This time around we were early.
Mainly so that Alex had enough time to give Barry a heads-up (because right now, we can't afford Barry going ape-shit on Chase… again).
And so that I had enough drinks in me for what I had to do to get a pass into the holding cell of Juliet Van Heusen.
"You have some big balls, Russo." Chase growled at me.
"Yeah, well," I grinned, "When dealing with a sister like Alex, you kind of have to grow a pair just to go up against her evil schemes." And because I couldn't help my dislike, I casually leaned back and eyed under the table, "But I guess not all of us are able to grow 'em back after Alex's been through them, huh, Chase?"
He gripped the table, "You know I don't have to take this crap, right? Not to mention coming here again after that… man. Woman. Thing tried to kill me. You should be lucky that I made room in my busy schedule to see your sorry ass."
I bit my tongue. Be good Justin. Do what you have to do, and then we'll see whose ass is sorrier.
"So," Chase eyed me wearily. "What did you want?"
"It's about this case," I started.
"Did you get the evidence that we needed?" His eyes sparkled like a snake about to have his mice buffet.
"No… but--"
Chase gave an exasperated sigh, "Then what the hell am I doing here? Lucinda insisted it was urgent. So spill, Russo."
"Well I'm trying to, but you've got diarrhea of the mouth!"
Oops. So much for alcohol stunting my urge to snap at the bastard.
He stood up and huffed, puffing his chest out as if he was something special… Specially educated, maybe…
"I'm out. Call us when you have something or whenever your sister screws you over, whichever comes first. Preferably when Alex fucks up."
He was halfway across the room when I closed my eyes, sighed, and took a swig of my drink, "I need to see her."
"What?"
"Juliet. I need to see Juliet."
I heard his footsteps approaching my table. His chair scraping on the floor as he sat back down. There seemed to be amusement in his voice as he asked, "Repeat that?"
My eyes opened and I stared him dead on. This was now or never, Justin. Time for you to sound like a corny protagonist in some suspense thriller. That moment when the villain is practically taunting you to admit defeat…and you do. For now.
Before you kick their ass two scenes later.
"I want to see her for myself. Ask her why she did it. I need closure, Chase." He started to feign confusion, but I played my part and scoffed, "And don't pretend that you never knew Juliet and I had history. Why else would you be hesitant to pass this case onto me?" I threw in a woeful, "I just… just need to know, man. And when I hear her reason, then I'll give you and the Counsel whatever you want."
Here's the thing about guys like Chase Worth; they're bottom feeders on a chain of power hungry bastards. They're spineless to act, but show them a weak spot and they'll not only attack, but they'll revel in your helplessness. Those that are constantly stepped on by the big boys often find smaller targets to step on themselves.
I knew the risk to allowing this bottom feeder to attack me.
But I also knew the reward I was going to get when I attack him.
He pondered on my words. At least I hope he was pondering on them and not just constipated.
Finally a Chesire grin spread on his face, "You know, Russo, since you asked so nicely…" He glanced over my shoulder at Alex, who was patiently filing her nails, "And since you seemed to take my advice about the leash laws…"
I had to drop my hand under the table to keep Chase from seeing the flickers of a fireball forming. Be good, Justin. He's just testing you…
"I'll see what I can do." He held his hands up, "I can't promise anything right now. Nor can I promise a visit within the next twenty-four hours…"
I couldn't help a groan from escaping my lips. "Chase. Don't you think the longer you keep me from doing my job, the longer Alex and I will be in your life?"
"Even in between cases, I can't get rid of you damn Russos."
I really want to play the "You don't have enough pull with the Counsel" card. But I'm afraid that just might piss him off. Last time I did that, Chase ordered Lucinda to screen our calls and making it near impossible to contact them short of visiting their offices. And that was never an option.
"So what do I do until you get back to us? Take up knitting?"
"No." He snapped. "You do your job. I'll hold up my end of this bargain, you just do what we paid you to do."
I gave him a half-hearted salute. "Yes, sir."
Chase gave a tense nod, "You'll be hearing from us." And this time he left the bar in one piece.
I took one last drink from the bottle before I heard a rough "Oomph."
"Oh! Sorry, sir."
"Watch where you're going."
The sound of the door swinging shut.
Footsteps approached from behind, a gangly teenage boy sat himself across from me and tossed a wallet onto the table.
With a quick glance around the café, noting no one paying attention (including Barry, who was too busy tending a phone call), I snapped my fingers and in an instant the boy turned into Alex, and the "Alex" sitting quietly at the bar fizzled into thin air.
"Told you he was too stupid to notice that I didn't say a word when he insulted me." Alex grinned.
I slightly bowed at her evil genius logic.
"So," Alex reached over and thumbed through the cash in Chase's wallet, "dinner on me tonight?"
