Part 2 of 4

The men cover their mouths to stifle their gasps; Fidel in stunned glee, Richard's in shocked awe. They stare at one another in amazement then strain once more to listen.

They hear Megan blurt, "Of course not! The very idea!"

They hear Camille's curt, "Well, if you aren't here to report a crime, why ARE you here?"

There is a delicate sniff, "That's my business and none of yours! I came to see Richard," then a louder call, "Richard? I know you can hear me. What's happening? Why won't you see me?"

Around the corner, a complicated flurry of masculine hands and mime takes place…

What should I do?

Don't answer!

What? She knows I'm right here!

So? Keep quiet! Let Camille handle it!

… and Richard nods at this as they still to listen once more.

Camille is brusque, "He's a very busy man, personal visits aren't allowed during working hours, and we're in the middle of a potential triple homicide. We have killers to catch, I'm sure you remember how it is, there's always so much sleazy low-life we have to deal with."

Richard and Fidel grasp one another as they madly try to stifle their laughter. Richard shakes his head, Oh! Oh! I'm going to fly apart! Fidel tries to shush him while wiping away tears of his own mirth.

Megan's voice now rises sharply, "Well, I never! You can't keep me from seeing him if I want to! I've given this a lot of thought, I've come all this way, and I'm GOING to see him! Richard? Richard? Come out!" There is the sound of the counter flip-up banging open.

Both men stiffen and hastily step to put Richard's desk between them and the expected appearance of Megan... but she doesn't appear. Instead they hear a sudden commotion as Megan begins swearing a decidedly undemure blue streak, her voice strangled and somehow lower down. Then it fades away.

The men pause, Richard mimes the patented 'Bordey arm lock', and Fidel makes a face and nods. Yep, they agree silently, Camille got the upper hand, as usual. They cautiously sidle back to the corner and chance a swift peek to the counter.

There is a distinct dearth of female persons.

Richard makes a dramatic wipe of his brow and mouths, "Whew." He and Fidel grin at each other and are just starting to relax when a Camille-shaped thundercloud appears in the public doorway, throwing lightning bolts in every direction but mostly towards the suit.

Richard freezes and reaches for Fidel but Fidel is already backing away, pulling out from beneath his boss' beseeching hands. "Oh no sir, sorry sir," he whispers, "you're on your own now. She'll shoot me for a dog if I get between you two." Richard nods unhappily. She would too. Just like a poor doomed well-meaning dog.

The thundercloud rumbles at Fidel, "Smart man. Why don't you check on Dwayne? Tell him he has my permission to shoot any English Roses on sight!"

Fidel takes one last look at those flashing midnight eyes, apologizes to his Chief with an unhappy husbandly look of his own, and scarpers.

The two people remaining spend several moments studying one another.

He thinks, she's magnificent!

She thinks, he's a dead man!

Since he seems loathe to start the conversation, she crosses her arms and begins, "So. Megan Talbot."

He looks askance, flaps his arms, "Yep."

She comes around the counter and lowers the flip-up like a guillotine, "Yep. Good ol' Megan Talbot."

He clasps his hands behind his back, looks up to the ceiling, and rocks on his heels, "Yes, fancy that, all this way just to say 'Hi'." Now Camille rushes him. He drops his gaze to look right at her and it stops her in her tracks to square off with him at close range. He stands his ground. This tiger is one he knows, not tamed exactly but one he knows.

The tiger roars, "She came here for a lot more than to say 'Hi' and you know it!"

He studies his shoes and answers nonchalantly, "I do?"

"Oh, I know you do! Now, I have to ask myself, what would make ME fly for a whole day and show up on a man's doorstep unannounced?" She leans in menacingly.

He leans back carefully, "And what do you answer yourself?"

Her fist is right at his chin, "Lust! Pure lust! It's what drove me and what burns in me still!"

He chuffs a modest laugh and looks away, "Now really, I hardly think so!"

She cocks both hands onto her hips and tosses her chin, making her hair catch the light, "Yes, really! You don't have a clue, do you?" She quiets, gives him a dangerous look, "Did you know she was coming?"

He gives her a shocked look in return, "What? No, of course not! If I had I would have told her not to bother, that my affections are completely taken up by another."

She takes a half step towards him, "You'd better mean that, mister!"

He takes a half step towards her, "Oh, I do, you know I do. You're all I think about. You grace my days and fill my nights. Megan Talbot matters not a whit to me. I was only concerned for how you would react to her unexpected presence, that's all. You scared the liver out of poor Fidel, he may never come back!"

She smiles wolfishly and takes his hands, "Fidel will be fine. What about you? Did I scare you?"

He smiles and squeezes, "My love, you scare me all the time. You really must get over this unreasonable jealousy of other women. I have eyes only for you."

She blinks slow, "Mmmm, yes, those eyes…"

"And I certainly don't have the time or energy to satisfy two women."

She drifts up to him, "Oh, I don't know about that."

He murmurs down into her dreamy upturned face, "Besides, you'd know, wouldn't you?"

Her hand slips down between them and a small grunt is forced out of him. "Yes," she whispers, "I think I would know very well."

END – part 2