Part 10 – Three months later…

(October 9, 2007)

Liz shook her head at her companions. Max, Isabel and Sam were having a heated argument about some obscure points of law. Law backgrounds made for elongated discussions.

"Wow. Could there be anything more boring?" Dean groaned.

"They're competitive. I never play monopoly with them anymore." Liz leaned back so he could hear her over the music and arguing. "My husband swears he's a passive player but they're both cutthroat."

"If you're gonna play. Play to win." He pulled a deck of cards out. "You play?"

"I'm warning you. I learned from the best."

"I'll heed your warning this time. Gary, Stan, Mary." Dean called over. "Want to make it interesting?"

"Texas Hold 'Em." Kyle plopped himself down at the table. "It's the surest way to ensure fair dealing."

"I agree." Michael sat down.

"What's Texas Hold 'Em?" Maria sat next to Liz.

"You get two cards. Then the table shares the Flop, the River and the Turn. That's seven cards but you can only play five." Liz explained while Dean shuffled. "It's poker, so all the winning hands are the same. You have to ante before you can look at your cards. Then you bluff your way through. Bid before the Flop. Keep your poker face through the River and the Turn, bids in between. Best hand wins. You can fold, you can call and you can raise. You can check if you want but I don't recommend it."

"If you hadn't warned me beforehand, that little instructional speech would have tipped me off." Dean commented as he dealt them each a hand.

"I used to sit in on my dad's poker night sometimes."

"Sometimes?" Kyle snorted. "Right."

"I'm demanding rotating dealers." Liz narrowed her eyes at Dean. "It's not that I don't trust you but you are a pool shark. I don't know you aren't a card sharp, too."

Dean shrugged and grinned. "Can't say I blame you for being cautious. I do have a reputation that I work hard at maintaining."

Sam ignored the game going on behind him. 'Nathan' and 'Amanda' were arguing over how their father had won a particular case. "Can I ask what the hell you all are doing out here, in the middle of nowhere, if you came from a family of lawyers?"

"Your father was a Marine and a mechanic if I have my facts straight. What are you doing out here? Driving from town to town, supposedly working as bible salesmen? A person might think you're on the run." Isabel countered quickly. The questions hung in the air for a few long moments.

"Alright then. Truce." Sam held his hand out. Hesitantly, Max took it.

"Truce." Max nodded. "So. What's that they have going over there?"

"Table's full!" Michael called over. "No cutting in, now."

"Come on. I'll take his money, too." Dean smiled broadly at the ladies. "Why not?"

"Lil is good but Nat is better. You don't want him in on this game." Kyle explained.

"Come on." Max scooted his chair in behind Liz.

"Not tonight, Nathan." Liz pecked his lips as she folded her cards down so he couldn't see them.

"Am I playing this right?" Maria complained as she anted for the cards.

"We're not playing yet, Marie. We ante. We check out our cards, then we bet." Dean explained calmly. "Keep up or I'll let Nathan have your cards."

"What am I doing playing cards when I could be getting laid?" Kyle griped as he followed the ante and then the call.

"At least you're playing cards and have gotten some recently. I think my virginity grew back." Isabel commented as she studied the cards she could see.

Liz nudged her husband, who had pretended not to hear a thing. She nudged him again. They shared a look. Max sighed. "I'm gonna regret this but… Amanda."

"What's up? Your wife have a killer hand?" Isabel called over as she examined Michael and Kyle's hands up close.

"Gary and I were going to swing that way in the not so distant future. You want to come?" His eyes flicked to hers but only for a second.

"What way?" She sat up. "Massachusetts? From here? Why?"

"We're going. Do you want to come and pay him a visit?" Max groaned when Michael started glaring daggers at him.

"Why? Why now?" She straightened, a towering force over the poker table.

"Fine. No shore leave for you, soldier." Max got up and took Liz's drink to refill.

"Wait. I didn't say I didn't want to go." Isabel stood startled but followed him into the kitchen. "Do you mean it?"

"For a visit. I'm not entirely sure it's safe enough for you to stay there but we'll be around to make sure no one makes any calls to anyone if you want to see him."

"Is she twisting your arm?"

"No, but she would have if I didn't offer. It's been a while. Maybe it's been long enough."

--

"I totally kicked her ass." Dean boasted as he tucked away his winnings.

"Good. She embarrassed you at pool." Sam nodded as he ran his blurry eyes over a bunch of flagged articles. He wasn't planning on finding a hunt this late in the night but it might keep his brother from boasting too loudly until he passed out. His phone rang and he picked up after a bit of fumbling. "Hello?" He sat up and glanced at the time. "How long?" He put off Dean's interested look. "We'll be there."

"Sam?"

"You drive. We have to get to New England by week's end."

"Who was that?"

"A friend of a friend. Interesting serial murder that somehow is not making the papers." Sam picked up the laptop and turned it on even as he was gathering his things.

"What kind of case?""She didn't have a clear picture but she knows something bad is going on and the cops can't handle it."

"She?" Dean made a face at his brother. "She? Just some she. I don't get a last name."

"Just get in the car." Sam made a face at his brother. "We don't have time to gossip."

--

Max slid into bed next to his wife. She just smiled at him and made herself comfortable. "Who'd you call?"

"No one. Just Sam. Forgot to give him a message." She shook her head. "They're leaving soon. Glad I caught him to pass it along."

"Oh, okay." Max accepted her answer but still, he felt she was holding back.

TBC