Mike and Connie's first "sleepover"
Chapter 10
The Manhattan Bridge Hotel was located on Chrystie Street, within walking distance of One Hogan Place. It stood out from the many hotel structures due to its light gray color. The building itself was very simple, showing a series of rectangular windows all the way up to its 20th floor. A rusty fire escape could be seen bolted against one outside wall of the building. The hotel must have been built decades ago.
The accommodations were very simplistic in décor and style. . There was a painted picture of a bowl of fruit, hanging on the wall. The headboard of the bed, armoire, and round table were all stained in the same very dark brown, giving it a very dated look. A flat-screened TV was positioned on one shelf of the armoire. Two table lamps with trapezoid shades stood at each side of the bed.
The three entered and looked around their austere living quarters.
"Not the fanciest, but it will do," Kim Brody said, "They're having a cot brought in, and you," she pointed at Mike, "will be sleeping on that."
"I'll look forward to it," he said wryly.
Once they settled in, Kim Brody tried to ascertain additional information from Mike and Connie.
"I've noticed you were made unwelcomed guests of a Lincoln Town Car today," Kim Brody stated.
"Nothing escapes the FBI, does it?" he asked.
Mike filled her in on what took place while Connie kept quiet.
"Any way to identify those thugs?" Kim Brody asked.
Mike mentioned how Number two man called Ponytail man 'Bulldog.'
And that Bulldog seemed to be calling the shots.
Kim's eyes immediately lit up when she heard the name "Bulldog". She had dealt with him many times.
Bulldog aka Adrian Brown, was a bounty hunter, she explained to them. His job was to find people and bring them to his current client. With this new information, Kim Brody figured out who the client was, and therefore, Bulldog's connection to the case.
Most likely, Bulldog had been hired by Don Lang to try and find McCoy and make sure the District Attorney is safe. That was probably the reason why Bulldog was merely trying to scare Mike and Connie with no actual physical harm involved. The bounty hunter just wanted them away from the case so he could collect the reward.
"How do you know he wasn't hired by the Fatones? It makes a difference if he was hired by the good guy, meaning Don Lang, or the bad guys meaning the Fatones," asked Mike.
"Couldn't be the Fatones... Number one, you'd be dead, and number two, you'd be dead." Kim Brody stated, making a point.
"So, where do we go from here?" asked Mike.
"Bulldog's hangout. I know it. We'll visit him tomorrow." Said Kim Brody, "he'll lead us to Don Lang."
"Why not go now?" Connie asked.
"Look," said Kim Brody sounded impatient again, "Let me call the shots. Don't question what I do. I tell you when and where. There is a reason for everything that I do. We have time."
"So what do we do in the meantime?" Mike asked.
"We need to get some rest," said Kim Brody, "It will be a long day tomorrow."
Mike turned to look at Connie. She hadn't said much since this afternoon.
"You okay? You seemed quiet," he looked slightly worried.
"Fine and dandy," Connie faked.
But in reality, Connie was feeling uncomfortable with Kim Brody's private admission regarding her attraction to Mike.
Kim Brody looked unconcerned with Connie's quiet behavior.
But she was satisfied that thanks to the lawyers, they now had a lead to follow.
Bulldog could eventually help them locate Jack McCoy.
Kim Brody was observing the two lawyers.
Those two were so determined, Kim Brody thought. She knew they would not give up looking for Jack McCoy. She hated the kind of loyalty these two were displaying towards their boss.
To her, it was just a job. A job she was very good at.
Mike and Connie knew they also needed Kim Brody's help. She was the only one who knew the location of Bulldog.
They realized it would be futile to go to the police now to report a missing person.
The FBI would have precedence over a case like this and Kim Brody would take over the case anyway.
Kim Brody reached into her jacket and removed her Glock 23 from its holster.
Mike gestured at the gun.
"That FBI standard issue?" he asked.
She made sure the magazine was out and also the bullet chamber was emptied.
She liked that Mike was showing some interest, and smiled for only the second time that day.
"That and a 12 gauge shot gun," she explained, "…I also keep a small Glock 27 as a backup weapon. And you?"
Mike displayed his Beretta M9. He also dropped the magazine and then he pulled the slide back to make sure his gun was emptied, too.
Kim Brody indicated with her head to Mike.
"Let me see your stuff." She said to him.
"Uh…I beg your pardon?" Mike asked.
"Let me see how fast you can draw."
"You want me to draw my gun from the holster? I feel silly drawing on nothing," said Mike, "besides, I have no desire to show off."
Kim groaned to herself. Showing off to another agent was par for the course when working for the FBI. But then, he was merely a civilian. He didn't understand how agents operate. She would not show frustration. After all, it was him.
"I've already explained I do everything for a reason," she said trying to sound patient, "A partner wants to know whether or not she can count on a person to guard her back. So show me."
Connie noticed Kim Brody already considered Mike a "partner."
Kim Brody's reasoning for a quick draw made sense. Mike nodded and put his emptied gun back into his holster. A pause.
He then snapped the Beretta from its holster.
Lightening quick.
For the first time Kim Brody's eyes sparkled in admiration.
"Impressive."
Connie felt like a third wheel.
"Anyone can be fast," reminded Mike, "But speed isn't as important as accuracy."
"You're right," Kim Brody said, "So I'll tell you what. Early tomorrow morning I'll take you to the FBI driving range. We'll hone our skills there. We may need it later."
"What about Connie?" asked Mike as he glanced her way. Obviously he didn't want her left out.
"Uh…don't worry about me," Connie tried to think of something, "The Doorman/hired gun case. I can walk over to the office and work on that. I heard you handed the case to Tom Bailey."
Mike nodded, "Actually that might be a good idea. It may look too suspicious in the office with the three of us gone."
So it was decided.
Connie to do paperwork.
Mike and Kim Brody together.
How convenient, thought Connie sardonically.
"Good. It is decided. Tomorrow, the shooting range," said Kim Brody as she watched Connie's reaction, "…it's a date."
.
Later they had finished dinner and arrived back to the hotel. It was an uncomfortable dinner, to say the least.
Although the meal itself was good, Mike and Connie ate very little, their minds focused on finding Jack.
Kim Brody also ate very little, saying she rarely eats when she is in the middle of a case because the case is all she can focus on.
The cot had already been wheeled in. It was determined that Kim Brody and Connie would share the Queen sized bed. Connie noticed that Kim Brody had Mike's cot wheeled to her side of the bed.
Mike later wheeled the cot to the other side (Connie's side), insisting that he liked to sleep next to a window.
Kim didn't look too happy with that decision.
The three settled down for the night.
Kim Brody was the first one to sleep, as Connie could hear her slowed breathing.
Some time had passed. It was hard for Connie to sleep.
Connie could make out Mike's silhouette in the dark.
"… Connie, are you awake?" Mike whispered.
"Yes."
"This feels like sleep- away camp in the summertime, doesn't it?" Mike whispered to her.
Connie smiled to herself.
She liked the idea of being with Mike day and night.
"It does! So then… tell me a scary story, just like at camp." Connie whispered happily.
"Okay…wait…let me think…I've got it…"His voice had a smile to it, " the scariest story I can think of is about the FBI…The story is about an FBI agent. A very ill-tempered FBI agent."
"Really?" Connie asked sarcastically, "Are there ill-tempered FBI agents?"
"Yes, and she was... I mean, yes, he was, for we are talking about a random agent, right? So the story is about a male FBI agent. He was known as someone who ate very little because the case is all he can focus on."
Connie smiled, recalling how Kim Brody made that exact statement earlier in the night.
"He had disappeared for a week," continued Mike in a hushed tone, "It was as if he disappeared into thin air. So an FBI search party was formed, but to no avail. Finally the search party made a discovery in a lone cabin up in the hills. The search party was shocked at what they found up there."
"What? What?" Connie insisted softly, actually caught up in the made-up story.
"They found the missing FBI agent," Mike continued in the same quiet voice, "But this lone FBI agent had been found unconscious due to starvation. Luckily, he survived. But barely. It was so strange. Especially since there was actually food in the cupboard. Also his vehicle was working and there was a country store just two miles down the hill. But rather than get some food, he starved."
"That is strange. So what did the search party conclude?" she quietly asked.
"That's the kicker," he whispered back, "you see—"
"Shut up you two and get some sleep!" yelled a very cross Kim Brody from across the bed.
Connie smiled again. She liked that he had made up a scary story about a senseless FBI agent to entertain her.
She liked keeping company with Mike.
"Good night, Mike," she said as she pleasantly snuggled in the covers.
"Night to you, too, Connie," he whispered back.
.
.
Whew. Hope I explained the plot well enough!
With the exposition out of the way, let's move the story forward…
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