For Better or Worse-- Chapter 3....
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"Jedi Kenobi, it's an honor to finally meet you in person!" Adara Lon rose from her chair and moved toward Obi-Wan Kenobi thrusting her hand into his. Just as he was beginning to shake it, she raised it up to him as if expecting him to kiss it.... but he didn't. He offered a kind smile, shook it firmly once and then gently let it drop. The blonde woman in front of him seemed a bit taken aback at his apparent unaffectedness, but quickly smiled a large, toothy smile to cover up her shock.
To him she was blindingly transparent.... so self-absorbed in her own beauty that she could scarce contain herself. True, outwardly she was dazzling and most men would gladly kiss a bantha just to have a minute of her attention. However, she didn't compare to the beauty, inside and out, of a short little brunette that he couldn't get out of his mind.
"Won't you sit down?" she offered motioning to a chair next to hers. He nodded his head in thanks and took a seat.
Adara began to speak, stating what she knew of the Perrin case up to this point. Every so often she would stop to ask for affirmation from the Jedi, and he would nod or offer a short answer. His head just wasn't into this endeavor. For the past couple of days, he had continued to have a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that something life-changing was going to happen to him soon. He had learned early on in his use of the Force, not to waste time guessing at all the possibilities such a premonition conjured up, but he couldn't help but hope that maybe it had something to do with Sari.
Even after two months, he hadn't been able to forget about her...... and truth be told, he didn't really want to forget her. Leaving her on Teemar had been for her own good so that she would not have to choose between him and everything else in her life. Still, they remained legally bonded even though he had told no one, not even Anakin. If she ever wanted to get on with that part of her life, she would have to contact him again.
//Only she probably hates me by now,// he admitted. After he had left, he realized what a coward he was when it came to matters of the heart. He had taken the easy way out, and if he ever did see her again, he wouldn't know what to say or how to act. She'd probably give him a smack, and rightly so.
He tried refocusing on the pretty young lawyer and what she was saying instead.
"So then, this....um.... S--Sa--,"
"Sari," he corrected.
"Yes, thank you, Jedi Kenobi. This Sari actually saw and spoke to Gustaf Perrin?"
"That's right."
"Hmmm... well, then this would appear to be an open and shut case. That is if we can locate this Sari in time to testify."
"Locate? What do you mean?" Now she had his full attention. "She lives on Teemar. Her address is listed in the case file, I'm sure."
Adara noticed the urgency in the Jedi's demeanor. He had not been very attentive to her during this meeting, and she did not like it when she was not the center of attention. She would enjoy 'sharing' this next bit of information with him.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I assumed you would know. It seems that Miss Zendar is........ missing. Our office sent word to her. We even sent an agent to Teemar to talk to her and inform her of the necessity for her presence here on Coruscant."
Obi-Wan could feel a sense of dread gripping his heart.
"However, she was no where to be found. She hadn't reported to work. Her apartment was empty. Even her parents were contacted and they had no idea where she was either." Adara could sense the desperation in Kenobi. She could tell that he and this teacher must have gotten 'close' during their escapade. She rose from her seat and moved behind him to lean down to his ear.
"Without her, I'm not sure we'll be able to get a conviction, and that would be a crime. Do you know where she is, Jedi Kenobi?" she asked with a breathy whisper.
He turned back to look at her. Something didn't seem right. Was she telling the truth? Was Sari really missing? Adara Lon was supposed to be on his side, but for some reason he didn't trust her. Like Qui-Gon had said many times, beauty could be very deceptive.
"No.... no I don't."
Adara rose back up to her full height. "That's too bad," she muttered. A buzzer sounded at Adara's desk.
"Miss Lon?" came a mechanical voice.
"Yes, what is it?" she snapped.
"Jedi Kenobi has been requested back at the temple by the Jedi council, m'am. He's to leave immediately."
"All right then. Thank you." Adara glanced at Obi-Wan. "Well, I suppose that's all for now. I'll do what I can in the mean time. If you hear anything about Miss Zendar, please let me know as soon as possible, will you?"
"Of course," Obi-Wan replied. Then he stood, bowed, and left the office, glad to be out of what felt like a spider's web. He had no desire to be a poor soul stuck in her clutches. Right now he just wanted to find Sari and learn what was so important at the temple. With a quickened pace, he hurried ever faster back to the temple.
*More to come!....
