Undercover
"Hey, look at you." Cassie smiled, walking into the hospital at the front desk where she saw her sister who was on her break and collecting some files from reception.
"I had a feeling you'd come check on me on my first day back." Thea nodded.
"Not checking. Just… here to see you." Cassie assured her as Thea nodded, "How's it going?"
"Well I threw up this morning because I was so nervous and now that I'm here it doesn't feel like such a big deal." Thea shrugged, "I have actually missed working." She admitted as Cassie nodded.
"You been busy?" Cassie asked her.
"Of course." Thea said, "You won't find anyone in a hospital who isn't busy." She reminded her sister as Cassie nodded, "You on your lunch break?"
"Yeah. I got an hour." Cassie said, "You?"
"Half hour." Thea said, "We can go to the café for a coffee. I've not had my one cup of caffeine today. I was too nervous for breakfast." She said as Cassie smiled, following her down the corridor to go to the café in the hospital.
"You feel less nervous now you're here?" Cassie asked her as Thea nodded.
"Yeah, I feel much better. I guess it wasn't the job that was bothering me, it was coming back to everyone who works here. I know they're not assholes but I thought maybe some people would treat me different, look at me different-"
"And have they?" Cassie asked.
"No, everyone has been great." Thea nodded, "It's also just good to work again. I'm actually enjoying it. Doing nothing for a few months has been difficult."
"Yeah well your brain starts to get tired." Cassie said, "That's why I hated being off on maternity leave."
"Yeah but you're a very hyperactive person. You don't sit still." Thea shook her head, getting them some coffee's from the machine.
"I just like to stay busy." Cassie said.
"I know you do." Thea smiled, passing her the coffee as they took a seat at a table, "How's work been?"
"It's been ok." Cassie nodded to her, "I actually came to see you about something specific, on top of seeing how you're doing of course." She added as Thea smiled.
"What's up?" Thea asked.
"Dan came to the house the other night. He stops by from time to time so it's not rare but he told me he saw Joey going into a Gentleman's club downtown one night. He was curious so he followed him in and he said a lot of people were meeting with him in the place. That it looked kinda seedy." Cassie said.
"Well it's a Gentleman's club. Of course it's seedy. It's where loser guys go when their wife is at home with the kids." Thea shook her head as Cassie nodded.
"I just… I know mom said she was a little uncomfortable with him around her again, I figured it might just be cause… no one wants to work with someone they've slept with, right?"
"I'd rather quit." Thea mumbled.
"But if he's making her that uncomfortable and… that's how he spends his free time… I don't know, I'm worried about her." Cassie sighed.
"I think mom can handle herself, plus she's probably told dad about it so he'll be on it like a hawk if the guy steps out of line." Thea said, "Maybe he's just being a friend."
"Do you really think that?" Cassie asked her, "What were they like when they were together? I just can't imagine it really."
"I mean they weren't head over heels in love… and I think mom was just trying to get distracted." Thea said, "But it wasn't hostile or bitter. He got a little mean towards the end but that's only because she ended it with him."
"She ended it with him?" Cassie asked.
"Yeah… Yeah, she just basically admitted that her head wasn't really in the right place. I think he wanted kids and marriage and she wasn't interested in any of it." Thea said, "So she broke it off with him and I think he eventually moved from the company and… that was it." Thea shrugged, "He doesn't really seem like the ex from hell."
"Yeah from the outside maybe." Cassie said as Thea looked across at her.
"Mom is a big girl. She'll be ok." Thea assured her, "Why the hell is Dan so concerned anyway?"
"Cause he cares, obviously." Cassie said fiercely, "You know it wouldn't kill you to reach out to him-"
"I've been a little busy." Thea said bluntly, taking a sip of her coffee.
"I know that but… he's nice. He's really sweet actually." Cassie said, "And he said he promised Sam he'd look out for dad and Dean, even if it was through me." Cassie said.
"He's just kinda awkward." Thea said.
"I know but once you get to know him he gets warmer to you. He's been alone his entire life, in prison for majority of it. He's probably got like… social anxiety or something." Cassie said.
"You gonna tell mom and dad about him seeing Joey?" Thea asked.
"Should I?" Cassie asked, "I mean I know it doesn't mean much but… I feel like it's good enough to judge someone if they spend their free time in strip clubs."
"I do too." Thea agreed, "I have an idea… why don't you and Theo have a date night in the club and try and figure out what he's up to." Thea nodded as Cassie looked at her with a blank expression.
"Date night?" Cassie questioned, "In a strip club?"
"It could be fine." Thea shrugged.
"Would you take Dominic to a strip club?" She asked.
"No, but this isn't about me." Thea waved her hand as Cassie rolled her eyes.
"I was thinking more along the lines of us just doing a little research into him as a person. Maybe check out where he lives. Who he… associates with. Staying away from the strip club would be great." Cassie shook her head.
"Or you could call New York and get her to go with you." Thea said, "Jude enjoys putting herself in uncomfortable positions."
"I'm not gonna have her fly all the way out here to come to a strip club with me." Cassie shook her head.
"How do I look?" Jude asked, standing in Cassie's living room where Cassie was getting her coat on.
"You look fine. This isn't a night out in the town, you know." Cassie reminded her, "This is work."
"No, it's not work for me." Jude laughed a little.
"What did you tell Sean you were doing here?" Cassie asked curiously.
"I told him everything. He wasn't surprised which was the sad part." Jude nodded, "If we're gonna go there, we gotta act like we wanna be there, right?" Jude said, "We can't just sit in the corner and look around. People will think we're weird."
"We are weird. We shouldn't be there." Cassie snapped as Theo walked into the room.
"You two look nice." Theo smiled, "Is she being cranky?" He asked Jude whilst pointing to Cassie who tutted.
"She is." Jude nodded.
"She is your only way of getting more children." Cassie hummed as Theo nodded.
"And she is looking beautiful." Theo kissed her cheek.
"Mhm." Cassie nodded as Jude smiled, "Ok, we won't be late. Hopefully." Cassie said.
"You know you can have fun with this. I won't be jealous." Theo said sarcastically.
"No, this is strictly business." Cassie made clear as Jude rolled her eyes.
"Well… good luck." Theo nodded, watching as they left the house, chuckling to himself.
"Wait… what if he sees us?" Jude asked, approaching the club with Cassie, "He'll probably recognise us, right?"
"I wouldn't think so." Cassie said, "He won't recognise me." She said, "We can sit at a sneaky table." She assured her.
"And what if he doesn't show up? Maybe he doesn't come here every single night." Jude shrugged. Her sister had filled her in on everything that was going on. She was always down to help, even if it was a strange situation.
"Then we'll leave." Cassie said, "Just be prepared for ugly men staring at you. I've been called out to these places a ton. It's not enjoyable." She said, walking downstairs to the club as Jude followed.
"Well you can't go to the bathroom without me." Jude told her as Cassie nodded, opening up the door to the club and walking in. The music was loud and it was extremely busy. They got a large amount of odd looks from the surrounding customers, mostly who were men.
"So they're staring." Cassie noticed, walking further into the club, listening as she heard someone whistle.
"I hate men." Jude shook her head as Cassie nodded, "I'd feel safer with Thea here." She admitted. It was a pretty hostile place to be as a woman. They were trying not to look around the best they could.
"Excuse me, I'm literally a police officer." Cassie turned to Jude as they approached the bar.
"Yeah but Thea would still snap an arm in half if she had to." Jude said.
"What do you want to drink?" Cassie sighed.
"Vodka and cranberry." Jude said as Cassie nodded, watching as the bar attender walked over to them, smiling a little.
"You guys know that this is a-"
"Yes, we know." Cassie snapped, "Two beers, a jack and coke and a vodka and cranberry." She told him as Jude turned to her.
"Did you invite Uncle Dean?" Jude shook her head as the bar attender got their drinks.
"Ok, there's a booth over there." Cassie noticed, walking over and taking a seat in the dim lit booth, "Ok, this is a good view of the place." She said happily. Her cop hat was on. She was on the lookout.
"He's probably not even gonna show up." Jude shook her head, taking a sip of her drink, squinting her eyes at how strong it was, "No wonder they're all drunk in here." She groaned.
"Hey, what's two beauties like you doing in here?" A man leaned his hands on their table, looking at them both as Cassie rolled her eyes.
"Just keep walking." Cassie waved her hand.
"Come on, what's your deal? Lesbians?" He nodded with a smile as Jude looked at him. It didn't make her so much uncomfortable anymore as it made her angry.
"And what about it?" Cassie asked, "We're here to support the girls, actually." She nodded.
"Oh, you looking for a job here?" He chuckled as Jude rolled her eyes, "You're quiet." He turned to Jude, "You fine." He looked at her as Cassie watched.
"Kiss my ass." Jude shook her head.
"I would." He smiled as Cassie stood up.
"Get away from this table." Cassie warned as he looked across at her, laughing a little, "Seriously… walk away." She warned as he looked at her, his expression changing as he realised she wasn't impressed by his harassing.
"Calm down, bitch." He laughed, backing away and heading to the bar as Cassie sat back down, shaking her head.
"He was nice." Jude nodded sarcastically.
"Asshole." Cassie shook her head, keeping her eyes on the door, eventually noticing Joey walking in, "Is that him?" She tapped Jude who turned around.
"Yeah." Jude nodded, "Yeah, that's him." She said, remembering his face now that she'd saw him.
"Seems like he knows everyone in here." Cassie watched as Joey shook hands with some people and headed to the bar.
"Maybe this is just how he spends his free time? Yeah, it's kinda creepy and sleazy but… it's not a crime. Unfortunately." Jude shook her head.
"Dan said people kept coming in and talking to him and then leaving." Cassie said, keeping a close eye on him.
The night progressed and they watched as Joey got several lap dances and threw back many drinks. They also noticed a few people come into the club to speak with him and then leave straight away.
"He's leaving. Get your coat on." Cassie noticed, standing up and putting her coat on.
"Are you kidding? We're not following him." Jude scoffed.
"We are. Come on." Cassie nodded as Jude rolled her eyes, standing up and putting her coat on, flicking her hair out of it and leaving the club after Joey did.
"I don't want him to see us." Jude said quietly, walking up the stairs and out of the club as Cassie looked around.
"He's over there." Cassie whispered, "We can just… keep a distance." She nodded, walking down the side walk with Jude, "Come on, hurry up." She turned back to her sister.
"Ok ok, I'm coming." Jude quickened the pace as Cassie turned back around.
"Where'd he go?" Cassie shook her head, walking down the side walk cautiously with Jude.
"Can we just go home? What's the point of this anymore?" Jude shook her head, "He sat in the club, he met with some people and then he left. I don't think he's out to kill mom." She said as Cassie sighed, folding her arms.
"Yeah, let's just go." She shook her head.
"Are you girls following me?"
Cassie jumped as Joey walked out from behind a side alley. She grabbed Jude's arm a little from the fright whilst Jude looked on at Joey, gulping nervously.