A/N – A little something special for Valentines Day. Hope you like it.
The Saint Valentine's Day Massacre
"You doing anything for Valentine's Day, Stu?"
"Of course, Jefferson. I'm taking Meredith to dinner and dancing. Then we're going back to my place for a nightcap," his partner answered.
Jeff Spencer and Stu Bailey were partners in Bailey and Spencer Private Investigators, located at 77 Sunset Strip, Hollywood, California. They'd been together for seven or eight years and were among the elite in the business. Both bachelors and both exceedingly handsome in different ways, they were more than just partners. Friends, certainly, but when push came to shove, they were more like brothers.
Stuart was older than Jeff by a few years, but it made no difference in their relationship. Stu was darkly handsome, with deep brown eyes and an air of elegance about him. Jeff was the all-American boy, with a ready grin and personality to match. Both dated some of the most beautiful women in Hollywood.
The third member of the business was their receptionist, Suzanne Fabry. Suzanne was tall and statuesque, bright and witty, and beautiful to boot. She was also French and spoke English with the classiest French accent. Jeff was in love with her, and she with him. There was only one problem. Neither one knew about the other ones feelings.
It didn't take long for anyone that saw them together to figure it out. Why the two of them hadn't was one of the great mysteries of life. Or perhaps they knew and, for the business' sake, refused to acknowledge it. Consequently they were limited to playful flirting and harmless teasing at work.
"Anything else?" Jeff asked.
"Anything else? You mean besides champagne, roses and her favorite candy? Those come with the nightcap. What are you doing?" Stu asked innocently.
"Uh, nothing. Going home and watching television." Jeff sounded sad, but that was the truth. Valentine's Day was for lovers, and at the moment Jeff didn't qualify on that front.
"Nobody special?"
"Nope, not a soul," was Spencer's reply.
"What about you, Suzanne?" Stuart persisted. They were standing next to Suzanne's desk.
"About the same as Jeff. Nothing planned," Suzanne replied. She looked like Jeff sounded, sad.
"Well, got to get some work done," Stuart explained as he turned towards his office. He had an idea, but he needed the privacy his closed door afforded him to execute it. As soon as he was seated behind his desk he picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number. "Mrs. Howard? This is Stu Bailey. Yes, ma'am, I know I have an order for two dozen roses. I'll pick them up on the way home this evening. I wonder if you could do me a big favor? It doesn't matter what it cost . . . "
Stuart spent the next thirty minutes on the phone, making arrangements to have a special Valentine's bouquet delivered to a very deserving young woman. When he was finished he called Leo's Messenger Service. "Leo, this is Stu Bailey. I've got a last minute delivery for you. I know last minute will cost extra. I'll have it to your office within the next hour."
Stu got up and left the office. "Suzanne, I have to go out for a while. I'll be back soon." And out the door he went on his secret mission.
Stuart was gone for nearly an hour, and when he returned he was humming. He brought with him a small Valentine's bouquet which he gave to Suzanne. "Happy Valentine's Day, Mademoiselle Fabry," he told her.
"Je vous remercie, Monsieur. They're lovely, Stuart, " Suzanne replied.
The rest of the day proceeded as if it were any other business day. It was a few minutes after four when Stu came breezing out of his office. "Have a wonderful evening, Suzanne," he told the girl. "Goodnight, Jeff," he yelled, and he was out the door and gone.
Almost twenty minutes later a delivery van pulled up outside. When the driver finally made it into the offices he carried with him the most beautiful bouquet of red, white and pink roses that Suzanne had ever seen. It had a big red ribbon around it and a card attached. "Delivery for Miss Suzanne Fabry," the driver told her, and she sat stunned for a moment.
"I'm Miss Fabry," she finally responded, and he left the bouquet on her desk. She kept looking at the flowers. There were at least three dozen in the vase, and she couldn't imagine who would have sent them. Only one way to find out. She opened the card. It was sweet and sentimental, and it was signed 'With All My Love, Jeff'.
Some ten minutes later Leo's Delivery Service pulled up in front of the building and a delivery man hopped out and came running in the front door. "Special Delivery for Mr. Spencer," he announced, and Suzanne, still under some kind of spell from the roses, pointed at Jeff's closed door. The delivery man knocked and went in, and in a minute was back out and headed for his truck.
Meanwhile, Jeff sat in his office and opened the Special Delivery envelope. It was a beautiful Valentine's card that talked all about love, and it was signed simply, ' Je t'aime, Suzanne'.
Jeff held the card in his hands for long minutes, staring at the simple sentiment, 'I Love You.' She loved him! He finally knew how she felt. He'd waited so long to tell her how he felt about her, and now she'd opened the door for him. He got up from his desk and opened his office door to see Suzanne standing in the hall, heading for him. In a mad rush they met somewhere in the middle of the reception area and threw their arms around each other, Jeff babbling, "I love you, Suzanne," while they kissed frantically.
Outside the front door a very sneaky partner watched the scene inside from around the corner and smiled. Then he turned around before he could be seen and went back to his car. He had his own Valentine's Day planned, and he knew it would be a wonderful evening. Still, he couldn't help smiling all the way home. Cupid, in the guise of Stuart Bailey, had successfully performed another Saint Valentine's Day Massacre.
The End