A/N: here's a little more for you. I hope this was quick enough, Bekky1997 :-D
o-xxx-o
The entire team looked up as Lucy's shrill voice reached their ears. "That's it! I'm never going into that man's office again!"
"I'm sorry Luce, I didn't know something so simple would cause so much trouble, but you did offer to come with me."
"My Grams always warned me my kind-hearted nature would get me into trouble one day." She grinned. "Look at it this way, the day can only get better from here. He's never really forgiven you for that dating thing, has he?"
"I guess not."
Hearing his favourite subject being discussed, Myles couldn't help but comment. "We wouldn't be talking about a certain Office Services Manager we all know and despise, by any chance?"
Lucy turned to him. "Well actually, Sue and I were, you just barged in."
Jack put down the receiver after finishing his call and joined the conversation. "What's up?" he spoke and signed simultaneously.
"Sue went to see Randy to pick up a spare set of keys for her car and I made the mistake of going along for moral support."
"Sorry," Sue apologised.
"That's okay. We've just spent forty minutes filling out forms in triplicate and trying to justify her getting them."
"You'd think being kidnapped and having your purse stolen would be reason enough." Tara observed.
"Not for Randy."
"Did you get them?" Jack asked as he stood and put on his jacket.
"Yes. I'm going to pick it up later."
"I have a meeting with Diana at Metro. Wait until I get back and I'll take you."
Jack, there's no need for..." She fell silent when she saw him scowl in Bobby and Myles' direction, and assumed she'd probably missed some kind of sarcastic comment. When she saw Tara trying to hide behind a file and Lucy giggling uncontrollably, she knew she was right.
"Wait for me." He reiterated and punctuated it with a pointing finger as he passed her to get to the exit.
"But Jack..."
"You heard the man," Bobby grinned when his friend had left and he found himself on the end of an incredulous frown. "You know what I mean."
"Now, sit down and do as you're told and maybe, if you're very good, he'll give you a treat when he comes back." Myles smirked sarcastically.
Sue dropped into her chair and bent down to stroke Levi so that they wouldn't see she was close to tears. Normally she could handle their teasing but, for some reason, today she was struggling. Straightening up, she paged through the files on her computer with unseeing eyes, her misery slowly turning to annoyance.
o-xxx-o
Three-quarters-of-an-hour later, Lucy got off the phone and stood up. "I have to go across town to pick up some files. Does anyone want anything while I'm out?" Getting no takers, she put on her coat, picked up her purse and walked to the door. "See you all later."
"Luce, wait..."
"You need something?"
"Yes, a lift. I have to pick up my car, remember?"
"But I thought Jack..." She stopped when she saw the expression on her friend's face. "Okay, no problem."
Sue grabbed her own coat from the hook. "Levi, stay here Buddy, I won't be long."
Myles and Bobby exchanged knowing glance and then looked over to D, who just shrugged as if to say 'don't involve me in this', before returning to his work.
o-xxx-o
Jack sauntered back into the bullpen, an inane smile plastered on his face.
"Good meeting, mate?" Bobby grinned.
"Yeah" He looked up, noticed the look on his friend's face and knew instantly what he was implying. "No... I mean..."
"Make up your mind, Sparky. She's a good looking woman, for a cop."
Jack's cheeks coloured and he looked around the room to hide his embarrassment. "Where's Sue?"
"She's gone to pick up her car." Tara volunteered.
"I asked her to wait for me."
"No... as I remember it, you told her." Myles corrected, emphasising the word 'told' and earning himself a scathing look.
"Lucy had to go out anyway so Sue cadged a ride." The petite female Agent explained trying to diffuse what was building into a potentially volatile situation.
"Damn, why can't she just do as she's told for once?"
"Lighten up, mate, she doesn't need a nanny anymore, remember. They have the two guys in custody at Metro."
"I'd have to agree." Myles concurred.
"Don't you think I know that?" Jack's voice had risen slightly. "But, the third one is still out there somewhere and he's far more dangerous."
"Also, a good point..." Myles agreed once more.
Bobby turned to him angrily. "You know something, Harvard? The trouble with spending so much time sitting on the fence is that you get splinters in tender places. Perhaps you should visit Arlene and have them surgically removed, that way you wouldn't be such a pain in the ar... er, butt."
The Bostonian wisely chose to ignore him. "All I'm trying to say is, while Thomas may not have seen his face, he did see hers. It's possible that he might want to tie up loose ends, so to speak."
"But how would he know where her car was parked?" The Aussie asked sarcastically. "He didn't come on the scene until much later."
"The Brothers Grim could have told him."
The colour drained from Jack's face and he spun round and ran back the way he'd come. All thoughts of a very pleasant lunch with Diana Grove had disappeared from his mind.
"Jack, wait up mate! I'll go with you!" Bobby called after him but he was long gone. "Tara, do you have a location?"
"Here," she handed him a piece of paper and he set off after his friend but when he reached the elevator, it was already on its downward journey.
Jack paced impatiently in the narrow confines, frustrated that it was taking so long to travel the four floors to the underground parking garage, while Bobby cursed as he took the stairs two at a time only to find the elevator doors open and his quarry nowhere in sight. He crossed the car park just in time to see him pulling out into the traffic and quickly jumped into his own vehicle to follow.
His frustration mounted with every red traffic light and he swore loudly when he lost sight of the car as it turned the corner. The thought that both Sue and Jack could be in danger played on his mind and that was enough for him to turn on the lights and cut a swathe through the traffic although he stopped short of using the siren.
The tension he was feeling eased only momentarily when he reached his destination. Getting out he looked around and soon spotted Jack's car parked next to Sue's, but neither of them were in view. He pulled out his cell and called Lucy.
"Luce, its Bobby... Where are you?"
"On my way out of the door to go back to the Mansion... So, if you want something, you're too late."
"Did you drop Sue off at the car park?"
"Of course, when I left about..." She looked at her watch. "Ten minutes ago, she was checking the trunk. It was lucky the bureau had that spare set of keys because hers were gone."
"And that's the last you saw of her?"
"Yes. Why the third degree? Is something wrong?"
"I'm there now, Sue's car is still here and Jack's is next to it but I can't see either of them." The sound of a woman's scream startled him. "I have to go..."
"Bobby, wait..." She stared at her own cell in disgust when she heard the call disconnect tone. "And I thought today could only get better," she sighed.
o-xxx-o
