After lunch, Lassiter and Juliet left the office for a stakeout, as requested by the Chief. Gus and Rachael continued their date, while Shawn went off on his own to continue investigating the Pinkerton case.
Throughout the stakeout, Juliet noticed Lassiter acting strange. He was quiet and distant, even more than usual if that was possible. "Carlton…," she asked. "Is everything ok?"
"Yeah, yeah, fine," he mumbled.
Juliet wasn't convinced. "Are you sure? You have been acting…weird all afternoon."
"O'Hara, in case you haven't noticed this is a stake-out, not an interrogation. I told you, I'm fine!"
"Um…ok," she responded feebly. After a few moments, she added, "I think you could use a coffee. Do you want me to run down the street and get you a coffee?"
"Yeah, whatever," he said, and Juliet got out of the car and walked towards the Starbucks on the corner. She returned five minutes later with a large coffee for Lassiter and an herbal tea for herself. As she reached for the door handle, she noticed Lassiter looking at something. When she saw what it was, her eyes became huge and her mouth dropped open. She got into the car.
"Carlton, where did you get that?!"
"Oh! Uh…!" said Lassiter frantically, trying to hide the sonogram. He knew it was too late though. Juliet had already seen it. "Um…I found it on my desk," he answered, "Marlowe must have left it."
Juliet was speechless. Did he really think it was Marlowe's?!
Lassiter began to spill his guts. "We've been trying…ever since the wedding. She really wanted a baby. I did too…at least I thought I did…but now, seeing this tiny person on here…I'm…I'm not ready for this!" Lassiter was in a panic.
"Um…Carlton…," began Juliet, "Are you sure that Marlowe is pregnant?"
"What are you talking about, O'Hara? Why would she fake this?," he said, shaking the picture.
"Did she tell you she was pregnant?"
"Well, no…," he admitted, "I thought this was her way of telling me, leaving the sonogram on my desk."
"Uuuhh…Carlton." This was it. She was going to have to tell him the truth. "I don't know how that got on your desk, but it's not Marlowe's"
"How would you know?!," argued Lassiter
"Because…it's mine," she said.
Lassiter looked back and forth between Juliet and the sonogram. "It's yours?," he asked for confirmation. He had a look of both relief and disappointment.
"Yes."
"You're pregnant?"
"Yes."
"I thought you said that was a false alarm?," he questioned, referring to the time she had feigned pregnancy symptoms to stall his progress on a case.
"Well…I was wrong," she said.
Lassiter turned forward, anger starting to boil up inside of him. Juliet noticed his face turning red. "Spencer!" he yelled. Lassiter's relationship with Juliet was like that of a father or protective older brother, and the thought of his least favorite person getting her pregnant was infuriating. "Damnit, Spencer! I am going to kill that son of a bitch!"
"Carlton!," Juliet retorted. "I know you hate him, but I love Shawn! He may be a little juvenile at times, but he is a compassionate human being and a good man! He loves me and I love him! I want to spend my whole life with him, and I am thrilled to be having his baby! So, I would appreciate it if you could keep your issues with him to yourself and just be happy for me!"
Lassiter was taken aback by her rant. He regained his composure and said slowly, "I'm sorry, O'Hara. I am…happy for you. Congratulations." He put the sonogram into her hand and she tucked it into her purse.
"Thanks," she said, and they continued their stakeout in silence.
(=PINEAPPLE=)
Shawn got out from the driver's seat of Juliet's Beetle and circled around to open the passenger door for her. He took her by the hand and led her towards the entrance of the restaurant. Shawn was dressed in the black suit he had worn to Lassiter and Marlowe's wedding. It was the only one he owned. And Juliet was dressed in a stunning silver gown. The Allegro was an upscale establishment that Juliet had wanted Shawn to take her to for a long time, but Shawn insisted that it was stuffy and for A-holes, and had refused. Tonight was a special night though. He wanted to make sure everything was done right. He had to sweep Juliet off her feet.
"Shawn, I'm so excited that you finally agreed to take me here!," exclaimed Juliet.
"Of course! Your deserve it!," he said. "Did I mention that you look absolutely gorgeous tonight?"
"You don't look too bad, yourself," Juliet responded.
"I agree. My hair is even more fabulous than usual." He looked at Juliet longingly. "If I had my way, I'd be all over you right here in this parking lot." Juliet looked like she was thinking the same thing. "But…there will be time for that later," he said. "First we need to enjoy a very delicious and romantic dinner."
Shawn announced his reservation to the host. "Look over there!" He motioned for Juliet to look at something on the far wall and then leaned into the host, slipping the black velvet box into his hand, and whispering, "According to my instructions?" The host nodded and winked with a smile. He was aware of Shawn's request. Shawn winked back.
"I don't see anything," said Juliet puzzled.
"Oh. My bad," said Shawn. "I could have sworn I saw Val Kilmer over there."
"Your waiter will take you to your seat now," said the host, and they followed the waiter to a private table in a low-lit room, candles on the table and walls to set the mood, a roaring fireplace nearby.
"Shawn, I am impressed! You really went all out!,"
"Anything for my baby mama," winked Shawn.
"Please don't ever call me that again," she said.
"You got it."
They settled into their seats and the waiter took their drink order.
"So…uh, Shawn, I think you should know that Vick and Lassiter know."
"You mean they know about…" Shawn made a motion to indicate a pregnant belly. "You told them?" he asked.
"Not exactly. More like, they figured it out," she said.
"How did they take it?" asked Shawn
"Well, the Chief said congratulations, but Lassiter wanted to kill you." Shawn swallowed. Seeing his fear, she added, "Don't worry though, I set him straight."
Shawn looked relieved. "That's my girl!" he said proudly.
"So, did you find anything out about Pinkerton today?" Juliet asked.
"I'm still stumped," said Shawn. "…but let's not talk about work tonight. Tonight is all about you and me."
"Good idea," she said. Their dinner continued pleasantly. Juliet swooned over the filet mignon with crab macaroni and cheese, and Shawn couldn't disagree. Along with dessert, the waiter brought two flutes of a bubbly golden liquid."
"Shawn? You know I can't drink that…" whispered Juliet.
"Relax Jules, its grape juice." She relaxed. "See, I thought of everything," he said.
"So you did." Juliet leaned in and kissed him on the lips.
Out of the corner of his eye, Shawn saw the ring resting gently in the bottom of Juliet's glass, just as he had requested. Then his eyebrows scrunched with curiosity as he noticed something. The glass and the grape juice magnified the ring, so he could see it in closer detail than ever. On either side of the diamond were tiny squiggle patterns in the silver. He had seen those squiggle patterns before. He was sure of it. He flashed back to Pinkerton's cuff-link. It was the same pattern. Then wait! Ed! His dad's fishing buddy Ed! Ed had been wearing a ring on his pinky with the same squiggly pattern on a red background, identical to Pinkerton's.
As they finished their kiss, he saw Juliet's gaze turning towards the glass. He had to distract her, quickly! "Look! It's Billy Zane!," he proclaimed, pointing across the restaurant. It worked. While Juliet was looking about the room for signs of Billy Zane, Shawn quickly grabbed her flute, fished out the ring with a butter knife, shoved the ring into his pocket, and placed the glass exactly where it had been. He did all of this just in time before Juliet turned around, saying disappointedly, "I don't see him."
"Oh. I'm sorry," said Shawn. "It must have been someone else with exquisite hair."
Juliet noticed the stunned look on his face. "What is it?," she asked.
"Nothing. Let's get on with our date, shall we?," he said.
"Shawn, I know it's not nothing. That's your 'I've-just-had-a-revelation-face'. You remembered something."
"You know me too well, Jules," he sighed. "I just figured out that "Pinkerton" wasn't working alone. He had a partner, and I know who it is." He didn't dare tell Juliet about the ring. His big question would have to wait.
