Don't Save It All For Christmas Day
Carrying a bag of bagels and a large styrofoam cup of coffee in his hands, Lionel trudged up the snow covered walkway, up the stairs and to the front door. He pounded on the door frame. He waited, then repeated twice more.
From inside the house, he could hear the shuffle of feet across the wood floor. The sound of locks being thrown was followed by the door swinging open to reveal a disheveled John.
"Bout time you answered," Lionel chastised as he took in his best friend's blood-shot eyes and two day beard.
"Nobody is alive at this time of the morning, Lionel," John rebuked in a gravelly voice thick from sleep and a killer hang-over.
"Not nobody."
"What do you want, Lionel?" John asked impatiently, holding on to the door to help steady the vertigo trying to overwhelm him.
"I'm going out of town for a couple of days, so I thought I'd drop in on you and see how you're doing."
"Explains the coffee," John grumbled, but he winced as a sharp throb began in his brain.
"You're a jerk when you're drunk, but I couldn't leave you high and dry." Lionel handed the cup over. "Oh," he said as an afterthought, "I picked you up some breakfast."
With some reluctance, John took the bag. "Thanks."
"It should tide you over until I get back."
"Where are you going?" John asked. He opened the bag and gave it a sniff. His still weak stomach gave a cautious rumble.
"Can't tell."
"Does Sam know?"
Lionel shrugged. "Heh."
"She's going to put that on your tombstone."
"Maybe. Look, I just have to go out of town for a couple of days to follow up on a lead. I wish I could tell you what it is, but it's a 'need to know' basis," Lionel explained.
"Sure, it is."
Lionel looked around the room. He spied Bear lying on the pillow beside the fireplace.
"Joss come home yet?" A heavy silence filled the area. "Don't worry, pal," Lionel encouraged with a pat on the shoulder, "she'll be back."
"I don't believe in miracles, Lionel." Not anymore, he didn't. He didn't believe in much of anything—except the sun coming up in the morning—but even that was pretty much a gimme, so it didn't count.
Lionel's eyes twinkled. "Maybe you should." He looked at his watch. "I gotta get going." He turned to leave. "Oh, I forgot." He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. "Zoe wanted me to give you this for gas—just in case you get to feeling better and decide to go back into town and finish up her nativity scene."
John took the money. "Thanks."
"You take care and have some faith. You take care of him, Bear; you hear?" he called out. The canine responded with a loud bark. "Be good John."
"Stay safe, Lionel." John watched as his friend walked to the truck and hauled himself inside. A minute later the vehicle was speeding down the road, disappearing into the early morning fog. Turning on his heel, he walked back inside the house and closed the door.
*********************
It was the sweetest dream. She was lying in the sun, her skin kissed golden. She laughed at something funny the gorgeous hunk of a man said as he handed her a frosty drink. Just as she brought the straw to her lips, a weird twittering sound cut into the moment. An instant later the man and drink were gone, and Sameen was struggling to pull herself out from under the layers of sheets and a quilted down comforter.
Reaching blindly for her phone, she muttered a curse under her breath before hitting 'talk'. "This better be good," she growled into the receiver.
"Aren't you just a ray of sunshine?"
Sameen lowered the phone to glance at the clock. "It's three a.m., Michael. There is no sunshine," she responded crankily.
"Aw well."
"Did you find anything on Kara Stanton?"
"Yes and no."
Sameen pushed the weight of her hair out of her face. "Give me the 'no' first."
"She's a ghost."
"Huh?"
"Okay. Okay. She didn't exist on any radar until a year ago—actually, seven months to be exact."
Sameen quickly became alert. "Seven months? That was when Joss' grandmother petitioned to seek custody of Taylor."
"Coincidence?" Michael asked sarcastically.
"I don't believe in coincidences."
"Exactly. Does the name Mark Snow mean anything to you?"
Sameen shook her head. "No. How is he connected to Joss?"
"I'm not sure. His name popped up while I was digging into everyone's past. It's like a puzzle whose pieces refuse to fit," Michael grumbled.
"Well, make them fit. You need to find out how Kara Stanton and Mark Snow fit into Joss' life and their vendetta against her grandmother's caretaker," she directed briskly. "And I need to find out what Alonzo Quinn has up his sleeve."
"Probably no good."
"Tell me something I don't know."
"I did find out that he made a three million dollar transfer to a holding account."
"Did it have a name?"
"Nope. Just an account in Switzerland that is on hold and pending."
"Strange," Sameen murmured. "Well, keep digging."
"You're going to owe me big time."
"Heh."
"Dinner and a movie."
"Burger King and a DVD," Sameen corrected, but she was smiling.
"I'll bring the candles. Let me get back to the internet sluething and I'll call you back when I find something else."
"Thanks Michael," Sameen yawned, snuggling back under the covers. A couple of more hours of sleep and then she could start persuing the leads Michael had given her.
"No problem."
Sameen was out before the call was disconnected.
****************************
Sitting at the corner table on the far side of the bar, Cal stirred his drink with the thin, long straw. But he didn't drink. No, there was too much on his mind. It should have been so simple: Swoop in, secure the land, pass the cash, and then swoop out with the girl.
Don't let me down, Calhoun. Cal shook his head and ordered another drink.
Not even a brush with death was enough to make Joss leave. If only he could think of something to make her part with that godforsaken house... What would it take to make that caretaker go away?
"John Reese has that effect on people," a smooth voice drawled from behind Cal. He twisted around to look at the brunette stranger. "Mind if I have a seat?"
"Sure."
"What are you drinking?"
"Bourbon."
"Two bourbons!"
"I never caught your name."
"Kara Stanton...and you're Cal Beecher from Los Angeles." Cal raised his eyebrow. "I know more about you than even you know."
"Oh?" The drinks were delivered.
"You want Joss Carter. Your uncle is currently securing deals in Asia. You desperately want that house and land more than Joss, and if the three million in a bank account has any sway, you'll get it. However, you still have to get through John Reese," Kara stated.
"What do you know about my uncle's dealings?" Cal shot back, unnerved by the information held by a complete stranger.
"I know everything. I want to bring down John Reese. Are you with me?"
Despite the feeling in his gut telling him to stay away from the stranger, the thought of failing his uncle weighed greater on his conscience.
"Tell me what I can do to help."
Kara smiled and extended her hand. Cal shook it to seal the deal.
****************************
John stepped from the shower and reached for a towel. The quick little breakfast Lionel had brought, sort of helped propel him in the right direction. But feeling the spray of the warm jets of water on his skin, really rejuevenated him. Still there was no denying the dark circles under his eyes and the paleness of his features, as he peered into the mirror. He sighed.
"Come on, John. You have to get it together," he encouraged himself. But his heart still felt sad. There was no way to fake any happiness with Taylor and Joss gone from his life. Why hadn't he tried harder?
The sound of his phone ringing interrupted his self-dispargement. Sprinting to the bedroom, he grabbed the phone. "John Reese."
"Mr. Reese, my name is Andrea Gutierrez; I work as a child advocate.," greeted the unfamiliar voice on the other end. "I was just emailed a request on your behalf requesting a visit with your foster son Taylor."
John felt his heart skip a beat. "Yes." Request for a visit? When? By whom?
"It's been approved. Can you be here within the hour for a visit?" Andrea asked.
"Yes." John's heart was beating faster than he thought possible.
"Okay. I will see you then."
John dropped the phone and hurried to get dressed.
******************************
"I'm back," Joss announced, walking into the office with the large bag.
"I'm so glad you're back." Samantha hurried over to take the bag. "You have to go."
Joss blinked in surprise. "Wait! What?!"
"You have a visit with Taylor."
"Visit? When did this happen?" What had changed while she was gone?
Samantha cocked her head to the side, pausing as she placed the lunch items on the desk. "You didn't get my text?"
"I—no." Suddenly her phone beeped to alert her to the missed message. She swiped the screen and quickly read the words. "There it is."
"You have twenty minutes to get there," Samantha informed. "It's the building on the corner of Franklin and Alcott?"
"Brick and brand new?"
"That's the one. Now go!" Samantha ordered, pointing toward the door. Knowing that there was no use in arguing, Joss pulled her hat back on and tightened the scarf around her neck. Throwing her friend a confused look, Joss hurried out of the office.
It was only after the door was closed that Samantha realized John and Joss were going to be in the same room together.
"Sara, watch over them, please."