Title: Right Next Door
Chapter 9 - Jealousy is a Dangerous Entity to Tempt
"Right got it Mac, thanks," Flack smiles as he hangs up and looks over at Jessica who stares back in wonder.
"What's his plan?"
"To run with a phony arsonist in hopes of flushing out the real one."
"Who are you going to get to be the phony arsonist?"
"Someone who owes me a favor," Flack smiles as he call Sullivan. "Sully, we still have Brent DeForest in jail? Tell him I'll personally see to a reduced sentence if he helps us with something. Rightbye."
"How is Mac?" Jessica wonders.
"Just as angry as the rest of us to get this guy behind bars," Flack replies as he eases himself back down beside her. "Now where were we?"
"Right here," she smiles, bringing his lips to hers.
"Well?" Stella asks, as her and Mac finally finish their dinner.
"Well what?"
"How was dinner?"
"Beats a bottle of whisky," Mac frowns, not looking back up. "I know it's never the answer..."
"But it's all that was within reach, right?" Stella wonders, making Mac look up and slowly nod his head. "Mac, this hot and cold isn't you. Talk to me, you let me into your heart earlier; but what is going on inside your head?"
"You know after Claire died I used that as my excuse to try to sleep at night; hoping I could just drink myself into a stupor and forget what happened."
"Didn't work, did it?" Stella asks softly.
"Hasn't yet," Mac sighs heavily, finally looking back up at her kind smile. "Sorry for yelling."
"Mac, if anyone needed a yell it was you. You keep everything so locked and hidden away from the outside world that I can't fault you for yelling when you feel you can do so without having to justify yourself. You made a close friend in Ian and then nearly watched him burn to death and now he's in a coma. You were worried about Clyde, for no reason I might add and had that showdown with Gus Myer who is now probably seeking revenge on you. Monty seems to be able to play us all; laughing as he burns anything we can use to trap him. I would be just as mad."
"I wasn't mad at you."
"Heavens Mac if you were mad at me you would have known by my absence because I wouldn't stand for it."
"Thank you for not leaving," Mac smiles warmly.
"Well I haven't backed down from a fight yet and I'm not about to start, especially one as important as this."
"The fight to catch our arsonist?"
"The fight for our future happiness Mac. How about you?"
"Not about to give up on that fight," Mac replies with a gentle smirk as he takes her hand and offers it a firm squeeze. "No more hot and cold. I wish I could promise but..." he starts only to have her silence him with a warm kiss.
"I believe you."
They chat a bit longer about the case and then Mac helps Stella clean up before wandering into his bedroom to get changed for the night. He hears Stella humming to herself as she too gets changed and wonders when all this madness will be over how he'll just be able to leave her warm apartment behind and make a new start for himself in a lonely cold apartment. He slowly heads toward her bedroom to see her sitting in bed a magazine in hand. He leans in the doorway just watching with a warm smile on his face until she finally looks up and smiles back.
"Tired?" She asks warmly.
"Came to say goodnight."
His phone gently buzzes to life and Mac carefully reaches for it. He sees Don's name and is quick to open the update.
"Morning," Mac offers with a friendly smile. "Got a text from Don this morning."
"And?"
"He thought my plan was brilliant," Mac lightly boasts.
"Your plan?" Stella asks with arched brows as she pokes his side once more, making him laugh.
"I hope this plan works," he mentions looking back up at her. "I want this nightmare to be over."
"Well if Flack found the right braggart then it will. Come on let's get ready and put this plan in motion."
But he wasn't, this wasn't his home; this was his best friends apartment. But before he can allow melancholy to take over his thoughts, Mac quickly pushes them aside, telling him that once he has his own place once again, Stella will still be in his life and that they'll just carry on with business as usual.
Mac finally wanders back into the kitchen to see Stella filling their travel mugs with fresh coffee and then looks at him in concern.
"I'll take them," Mac states in haste as he shows her the bottle of antibiotics for his lungs. "My hands are okay, they didn't get wet last night."
They finally take their leave and heading into traffic. But instead of heading straight for the lab they head for the police precinct building attached to theirs to see what Flack has managed.
"How you feeling Mac?" Flack asks in concern.
"Tired of fires," Mac frowns. "What do we have?"
"Mac and Stella, meet Brent DeForest," Flack states patting Brent on the back.
"He know the routine?"
"Yeah I know it," Brent frowns. "I get a reduced sentence so I'll say whatever the hell you want."
"Perfect," Mac states looking at Stella. "Care to arrange a statement hearing?"
"Love to," she smiles, pulling out her phone.
"Sully stay with Brent," Flack directs as he takes Mac aside. "We need to go over a few things."
"Right, Stella meet you back in the lab," Mac informs her as turns and follows after Flack outside. However, just as Flack turns to Mac to tell him about the plan with Brent, Gus Myer steps out from around a pillar and lunges at Mac, slamming him into the stone building.
"What the hell is your problem Taylor?" Gus yells as Flack tries to pull him off Mac.
"Don't like your new friends?" Mac scoffs as he pulls himself free.
"You can't put a tail on me for no reason!"
"If I suspect you of a crime I can!"
"You just upped the stakes Detective!" Gus snides.
"Hey Gus, you threatening him?" Flack asks loudly and Gus finally pulls back.
"Fair warning."
"Maybe if you told the truth you wouldn't have to be worried about looking over your shoulder," Mac growls.
"You have nothing on me CSI. Some two bit science geek," Gus scoffs. "Yeah real scared of you geek."
"You better be!" Mac states firmly as Stella finally emerges and rounds the corner to see Mac and Gus squaring off.
"Yeah? Well while you're busy having my ass tailed, you better be watching yours!" Gus shouts, poking Mac hard in the chest before looking up at Stella. "Hey hot stuff, better put your boyfriend here on a tight leash! After that you can come and party with me."
"Mac!" Flack shouts as he tries to pull Mac off Gus; as Mac angrily shoves Gus up against the building, his hand once again around his neck. But before he can squeeze Flack's arm pulls him back.
"You are going down for this Myer!"
"Don't push me Taylor," Gus huffs as he pulls himself free of Mac and continues down the street, offering the middle finger as he finally takes his leave.
"What was that all about?" Stella wonders.
"He's pissed at the tail," Mac frowns. "As we all knew he would be."
"He's guilty of something," Flack retorts. "Think our arsonist will give Gus up also?"
"That's what I'm hoping for," Mac frowns. "So what is the plan?"
"The police briefing is arranged," Stella tells them, looking at Mac in concern.
"I have prepped Brent on what to say and for the deal he's getting out of it, trust me he'll sing like a bird if he has to. That and the fact that he sort of looks like this Monty Jamison guy might make even Gus think twice."
"Let's just pray this works," Stella notes as Flack takes his leave and it's just her and Mac on the sidewalk. "You okay?" She asks in concern as they slowly head for the front entrance to their side of the building.
"Gus Myer doesn't scare me, he's just an ass full of hot air," Mac frowns.
"Leash huh?"
"Stella, don't start."
"He scares me Mac, and you know I don't frighten easily," Stella tells him.
"Just stay away..."
"Not me Mac...I mean you."
"Stella, please don't worry, Gus Myer I can handle in a fist fight," Mac offers fatefully. "I want the man he's hooked up with. I want Monty Jamison."
Stella looks at him with a slight frown but knows inside they haven't seen the last of the vengeful cop and wonders what kind of showdown Mac will have to endure with him next. She tries to push that worrisome thought out of her head as she follows Mac inside, offering another prayer that the staged police briefing they were about to watch would help bring an end to all this madness.
Monty finishes his shower and heads back into the main part of the motel room and flips on the TV, lighting another cigarette and feeding his ever hungry addiction with further death dealing poisons.
'This is Cheryl Hill reporting from precinct 75 here in midtown Manhattan. I have been told by Detective Don Flack that the NYPD has finally brought to justice the man responsible for as of late suspicious fires that sent most recently Fire Inspector Ian Davidson to the hospital...'
"What!" Monty growls in anger. "What the hell?"
'For more on this we turn our attention to Detective Don Flack, the man responsible for bringing Mr. Jamison to justice.'
"Who the hell..." Monty snaps in a heated fit as he hovers over the TV, glaring at Flack and the man in cuffs behind him; a man that could be mistaken for him. "This is not possible."
'Not only do we have Monty Jamison booked on four counts of arson, but he also confessed to the murders of the people found in those disasters. Monty is cooperating with the authorities and apparently has a few other persons of interest that he is fingering that we will now be following up on.
We knew it would be just a matter of time before this coward was brought to justice and we want to thank the brave men of the NYPD, a few in particular who helped make this possible.'
"This is outrageous!" Monty yells at the TV. "Myer!" His angry voice booms as he reaches for the phone. When he gets no answer he slams the phone down and hurries to get himself dressed. "He did this to me! Bastard will PAY FOR THIS!"
'You can be sure our thoughts and prayers are with the Davidson family tonight...'
"How could he!" Monty snarls as he stuffs his few belongings in the shabby duffle bag and storms for the front door, the phony briefing still on the station but his vowing revenge against Gus Myer.
"I have to kill Gus...or he'll kill me first. I'll never be free. Never..."
"That son of a bitch!" Gus growls at the TV as his crooked partner comes into the small observation room.
"What's going on?"
"Taylor did this! That no good..." Gus huffs in anger.
"Who is Monty?"
"A dead man!" Gus vows as he stares at the nearly shielded image of a man that looks like the one that he now wants to kill. "He's a dead man."
Gus starts to angrily pace the small room. "That damn fool is going to sing and my ass is toast!"
Scott Thurber looks at his partner in concern; knowing that some of his misdeeds are also tied up in the death of Paul "Parrot" Chan and if Gus goes down there is a good chance he could also.
"So what the hell do we do now?"
Gus looks at the TV and watches with narrowed eyes as a man who looks like Monty Jamison is taken away in police custody and offers another angry curse.
"Where are you going?" Scott demands of Gus.
"To find our rat!"
"And what about Taylor?"
"I'll deal with Taylor soon enough! When I call you better be ready. If I go down then so do you!"
"I'll do what you need, just watch your back."
"Well the phones have been ringing off the hook," Flack frowns as he walks into Mac's office about an hour later, glancing at him and Stella almost buried under a mountain of paperwork.
"Did Ian's people call?"
"And Ryan Chavez," Flack huffs as he slumps down on the leather couch. "My mouth hurts from talking so much."
"Let's hope it scares Monty Jamison enough to do something stupid."
"Well if he thinks that Gus has done this to him then he'll be pissed alright."
"But enough to slip up?" Stella wonders.
"Maybe" Flack starts as his phone rings. "Sully, what's up? Oh really? He's here? No he can't see him. Yeah I'll be right there."
"Myer?" Mac questions.
"Up close and personal. I got this one Mac," Flack states in haste. "Save the fists for the ring."
"Right," Mac frowns they watch Flack take his leave. Mac leans back in his chair and looks at Stella in wonder.
"Once again we have to just wait," she offers with her own heavy sigh.
"Yeah but you can be sure Monty is wondering how Gus could pin all that stuff on him. Our tail might prove useful yet," Mac states not realizing that Gus has now found out who Flack arranged to follow him and had him taken care of.
"Would love to be the fly on Flack's wall," Stella offers lightly.
"What the hell do you mean I can't see him!" Myer growls at Flack. "Your Marine tell you not to?"
Flack just smirks and looks at Sullivan with a frown. "Why hasn't anyone taken out the garbage yet?" He asks looking back at Gus, standing eye to eye with the scowling plain clothes officer.
"What the matter Gus, afraid Monty will give you up?" Flack goads, making Gus charge at Flack.
Sullivan shoves his large frame between the wanna be wrestler and the lanky Detective and glares at Gus in anger. "Try picking on someone your own size."
"You don't scare my chubby."
Sullivan just offers a sideways smile and Flack shakes his head.
"Now you made him mad..."
"I don't give a da..."
"Bad move," Flack taunts. "And don't come back here again!" Flack shouts as Sullivan merely grabs him by the collar of his jacket with one large hand and fairly drags him toward the front door, kicking him in the ass for good measure before pulling the door shut.
Gus curses angrily as he picks himself up and heads for his police cruiser, vowing vengeful anger. Not able to actually talk to Monty to see what he has to say, he now worries about him being the next most wanted man in the city.
"Damn it, how the hell did this unravel like this! But with Monty behind bars, I might live to see tomorrow! But tonight..."
He pushes the gas pedal on the car and speeds away, once again vowing revenge on two people in particular.
"You've been awfully quiet for the past twenty minutes Stella, talk to me," Mac mentions, not looking up from his files.
"Just thinking about Janice Davidson. I mean here you go along, pledge your life to someone, probably worrying every day that they'll be caught in a fire and then one day it finally happens..." her voice dies out as she looks over at Mac and offers a firm smile. "It's nothing."
Mac just frowns, knowing inside it was never nothing when it came to his partner and anything she offered him in the way of feelings. He finishes his thought, puts down his pen and then pushes himself up out of his chair, heading for his suit jacket.
"Mac?" Stella lightly questions as she watches him in wonder.
"Let's go."
"What? Where to?" Her turn to wonder.
"Flack has this covered with Monty and I'm willing to bet he'll lay low during day light hours and come out tonight. Let's go and see Ian and then get some dinner and come back."
"You...are actually taking a break from work? To eat?" She asks with a wry smile.
"What can I say; you are rubbing off on me," he smirks as he holds the door open for her.
Not one to ever question when Mac needs a break, Stella is quick to push herself up to her feet and hurry to her office to her coat and purse and then meet him back in the hallway, heading for the elevator.
"Think Gus will do something stupid?" She can't help but ask as they drive to the hospital.
"Gus knows if he does do something stupid, he'll ruin his side business," Mac offers with some hesitation; not sure himself of Gus's true intentions.
"True. How is your um insurance coming?"
"Tired of me already?" Mac is quick to ask.
"Mac, I was just asking," Stella is quick to correct.
"Right. Okay I guess. I had to fill out some forms listing all the major items I lost...the personal stuff they don't care about of course," his voice dies out in a soft whisper, his eyes fixed firmly ahead.
Stella reaches over and gently pushes her hand under one of his, mindful of the bandages and gently intertwines her fingers, forcing him to look over with a slight frown. "You will get through this Mac, you're strong."
"I'm stronger now with you at my side."
Stella leans over and plants a warm kiss on Mac's cheek and then pulls back and is finally rewarded with a soft smile instead of a frown or scowl on his handsome face. Stella probes for a few more insurance details as they reach the hospital and slowly walk hand in hand up to Ian's room; Janice talking to one of the doctor's outside.
They wait until she's finished before watching her approach them with a pensive expression.
"Janice?" Mac wonders in concern.
"He's still out Mac," she whispers in sorrow, her eyes tired and her posture still wearing the cloak of defeat. Stella looks past her to see one of their daughters and grandson in with Ian and offers a warm smile.
"He'll pull through. He has a few good things to come back to," Stella offers and Janice tries to produce a small smile.
"Dr. Jenkins is on call tonight and he says that if Ian's heart can last through the night on it's own without any episodes that the might just come out of this alive; thankfully no oxygen was lost so there will be no brain damage or memory loss."
"He's a fighter Janice," Mac gently reminds her. "From all the stories we have heard through the years, he's one tough guy."
"I heard on the news they caught the monster who finally did this?" Janice wonders.
"Didn't Clyde Richardson talk to you?" Stella asks in haste.
"He was meaning to, said there were some new developments but then was called away. What is going on?"
"The man you saw on TV was an imposter designed to flush the real arsonist out," Mac starts in a low tone. "There is a bit more at stake then just the guy that did this to Ian and we are hoping to bait the real guy out in the open and then him turning on a few others."
"Hell of a gamble Detective Taylor," Janice lightly grimaces.
"It's all we have Janice, and I refuse to let Ian lie there while we sit around and wait for this guy to dictate our next move," Mac states in anger, Stella gently touching his arm, forcing his anger to quickly abate.
"Question is, where is the real guy right now?" Janice wonders.
"New York Crime Lab," the receptionist answers.
"This is Donald Moffat of the AIG Insurance Group. We have some important forms for Mac Taylor and need to know his current address."
"Not sure but hold on, I'll see if I can find someone who can help you."
"Lindsay Monroe," she answers the staff phone. "Hi Susan, for who? Mac? Put them through. Hello?"
"Hello, my name is Donald and I work for AIG Insurance and I have some important papers for Mac Taylor and I understand he has left for the day. As I will need these in the morning, is there a current address I can send the courier?"
"Sure, he's staying at." Lindsay rattles off Stella's address, not knowing that she's in fact telling the very man that tried to kill Mac where to find him.
"Thank you, you've been most helpful," Monty smiles as he hangs up. "Well Detective Taylor, it's about time you got to know me on a personal level."
"Mac this is our daughter Penelope and our grandson Luke."
"Did you want to go in?" Penelope asks Mac and Stella.
"We should..." Mac starts.
"For just a few minutes," Stella finishes as she gently nudges Mac toward the open door. He looks at her with a frown before walking up to Ian's bedside. "Mac you wanted to see him also."
"Well Ian, why argue with women right?" Mac asks lightly. "I brought Stella with me this time."
"HI Ian," Stella mentions warmly. "I hear Mac has been talking about me to you."
"Driving you crazy with my stupid ramblings is more like it," Mac huffs with a heavy sigh. "Ian we might have a line on our guy so you need to just open your eyes and tell me I'm doing the right thing."
Stella squeezes Mac's arm and looks at him warmly. Mac had told her at one time the hellish ordeal his father's death had on him and the toll it took on his mental state to basically watch him die; sit helplessly at his bedside while he fought for every labored breath he could manage. She knew Mac had known Ian for some time but it was just as of late that he started to look to the older man for some advice; this fire situation helping to further solidify that and now wondering if Mac has finally found the father figure he has been desperately trying to replace.
"Mac has told me some heroic stories Ian, so it would be nice to hear your side to make sure Mac didn't leave out any details," Stella offers in a low tone, looking at Mac and offering a wink, to which he just rolls his eyes.
"Stella, I never told you about the great advice that Ian offered," Mac tells her in a quiet tone, forcing her eyes to lock with his. "He told me to always put you and our life together ahead of work," he finishes in a whisper. "I know I'll probably fail a few times at least but..." he starts only to have Stella wrap her arms around his neck and plant a warm kiss on his lips.
"I love you Mac Taylor, never forget that."
"I won't," he whispers as they look up to see Janice and Clyde standing in the doorway. They quickly break apart and Mac offers a slight frown while Clyde just looks at them with a weak expression, not believing until just now that he didn't have a chance with the beautiful woman still latched onto her adoring partner.
"Mac, Stella."
"Evening Clyde," Mac offers a mild handshake; thankful that his interest this time in Stella appears plutonic and not romantic.
"Hope the rouse today works," Clyde mentions.
"It will if Monty is as jealous as we hope he is."
"Have you been here long?"
"We were just leaving," Mac mentions softly, wiping some lipstick from his face. "Call me if he wakes up."
"And call us when you get a lead on this guy," Clyde tells them with a sight frown.
"We will."
Mac and Stella say their goodbyes before slowly heading back outside.
"Does Ian remind you of your father a little?" Stella asks Mac as she takes the keys and offers to drive.
"Why do you ask?"
"Just the way you have warmed up to him; you haven't done with anyone else since your father died," she treads carefully.
"I guess in a way," Mac huffs as he looks out the window, an uneasy feeling starting to develop in his stomach. "When my father was dying and asking me to...yeah I guess in a way."
"Mac you don't have to be afraid of telling me anything, you know that right?"
"I guess I just always thought he'd be the one to be here right now; offering me advice on life and how to make a relationship work."
"He's still with you Mac, in your heart."
"I know. When I first talked to Ian a few years back I was bit shocked by his gruff demeanor. But as I got to know him I realized that his work ethic was just as stringent as mine and I had to admire him for that. But it wasnt until he told me about him and Janice and what they faced and it reminded me of us and I..."
"Finally found someone who could talk to you with real world advice and help you make the right decisions?"
"Something like that," Mac replies with a warm smile. "I don't doubt us Stella, I sometimes doubt me."
"Then trust in us more and let me trust in you, because you have never let me down yet," she praises and Mac's heart swells. He leans over and kisses her on the cheek.
"I love you Stella, I hope I can make you believe that every day."
"You're still here right? That's a good start."
Mac lightly laughs as Stella finally brings the truck to a stop just outside the office. Mac looks to the right and sees a sushi restaurant and then looks down at his hands.
"We're going for Greek," Stella informs him.
"Already had Greek," Mac smirks and Stella just rolls her eyes and shakes her head.
"Let's go before you get into trouble."
They head into the restaurant not realizing at this moment a madman was now lying in wait for them at a place the would consider safe.
"Was beginning to wonder if this would ever happen," Stella mentions after they are settled in a small booth. "You buying me dinner."
"Was worried for a second you'd take me for sushi and make me watch as punishment for the night before," he frowns and she laughs.
"No but I might punish you later for worrying me so much as of late."
"Might like that," Mac smirks as he looks at the menu.
"Can I order for us?" Stella wonders.
"Sure."
Mac leans back in the booth and watches as Stella's sparkly green eyes dart around the menu, occasionally looking up at him and offering small explanations into the origins of certain dishes and from which part of Greece or the Mediterranean in general they come from.
"What did you order me?" Mac wonders as the waitress hurries away with their order.
"Something to put you under my spell," she teases.
"Water?" Mac asks dryly and she chuckles once again.
"No."
"Well it wouldn't take much more than that," he offers in truth, playing with her fingers.
"How are your hands feeling today?"
"The throbbing is gone but I think I'll keep them wrapped until all the blisters have healed. Less to damage."
"Smart man," Stella replies.
"I won't win this will I?"
"Nope," she teases as their food finally arrives.
Mac offers a pout but Stella won't give and so he has no choice but to allow the fantasy to play out in his mind while they talk about anything other than sex during dinner. About an hour or so later, both are happy and finally full and head back outside toward the truck; Mac's arm wrapped around Stella's waist.
"You know they aren't damaged that bad," he whispers as he turns her to face him, both standing in the middle of the street; Mac looking slightly down at her with a loving gaze.
"In a few days you'll be as good as new."
"In a few days I could have my own place," he frowns.
"Then think of it as a happy housewarming," she winks and he just shakes his head as he lowers his lips to hers and tenderly kisses them. He hears his phone go off and offers a curse before pulling back and answering it.
"Taylor. Yes sir, I am just on my way back in. See you in five."
"Sinclair?"
"Wants an update on this police briefing."
"Want me to wait?"
"How about you go home and get that bath started," Mac playfully suggests. "Not sure how long I'll be and..."
"Worried about the Chief finding out?"
"No I'm...it's not his business and..."
"Mac?"
"He begrudgingly allowed Danny and Lindsay to..."
"He can't stop two people from..." Stella starts.
"Just a bit soon for him to see, sorry."
"Mac, don't be sorry. You are a private man, one of the things I love about you. I'll see you at home."
"Or you could just wai...home?" Mac questions.
"My apartment," Stella quickly corrects.
"Right. So...like the sound of home," he mumbles. "But you can just wait if you want."
"I'm safe at home Mac, but it's you I'm worried about. Both Gus and Monty are out there and you have had run in's with each."
"I'll call on my way home," Mac promises as he kisses her once more and then heads inside; walking into his superiors office with an anxious mind, never knowing that his feeling inside of paranoia was about to be well founded.
Stella heads for her apartment the term home still dancing around inside; coupled with Mac's smile at hearing her using it so openly. She knows it's far too soon to even be thinking of the two to them living together; although this situation has kind of forced them to test those waters. Stella finally makes it up to her apartment and notices the door is slightly ajar. She pushes it open her gun drawn. But just as she reaches for her phone a gun is pressed into her back and the trigger cocked.
"I just want to talk."
"Who are you?"
"Monty Jamison."
A/N: Okay so a few more chapters to go before this adventure wraps up and hope you all liked this chapter as well. Sorry for the cliffie...yeah not really as you all know how much the muse loves them! Please review and let me know. Thanks so much in advance!
