CHAPTER 2—GO BETWEEN
Donovan came awake slowly. His head thumped only a little bit from his slight overindulgence of alcohol. He picked up his wristwatch and glanced at it. Barely past four thirty in the morning, he still had a few moments more before he needed to rise. The tension from the night before had exhausted him, and he was tempted to stay home today. However, he couldn't do that. Some huge, complicated case was expected to filter to the team this morning, and he needed to be present. He glanced over at Loralei. Some time in the night, she had disconnected her body from his and now lay on her back with one hand resting protectively over her swollen abdomen. Gazing down at her, his mind went back to the horrible tension from the night before. No matter how hard he tried, the anger would not leave him. He hoped Farron had taken the hint and had caught the next plane back to Tampa where he belonged. He sighed and shook his head. Work would definitely drive thoughts of his brother out of his mind, and hopefully, his life. Donovan leaned over Loralei and lifted her hand. He pressed his lips briefly to her palm before lowering his head to place a gentle kiss on her stomach. After he laid her hand back over her middle, he drew away reluctantly. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. There was no use trying to go back to sleep; there was really not enough time for it anyway. He stood and walked toward the bathroom, carrying his discarded clothing from the night before. For five months, his life had settled down; he had felt grounded and painfully happy. But now, yet another ghost from his past threatened to destroy the stability in which he had grown accustomed. Would it ever end? At the bathroom door, he glanced over his shoulder at his sleeping wife. Then and there, he made a vow. Nothing, absolutely nothing would ever harm her again, even if it meant forever keeping his private life separate from his work, even if it meant never allowing Loralei to set foot inside the nest. He had worn two hats before, and it wouldn't be difficult to do again.
Loralei awoke just as Donovan was stepping into his shoes. For once, he had gotten himself together in almost total darkness. Usually, he didn't hesitate to pop on the bedroom or bathroom light. He thoroughly enjoyed the game that had become a frequent part of their morning routine. On more than one occasion, he would wake her up the first thing, and drag her off into the shower with him. In fact, she was pretty sure she had gotten pregnant during one of those morning shower sessions. His break from routine worried her. It meant that something was not right with him. His back was turned to her, and he didn't immediately notice her. She stared at him for a long time, willing him to look at her. She needed to see his face and eyes. She had to know if he was okay. She knew he hadn't been last night. She sat up fully and purposely cleared her throat to let him know [with little subtlety] that she was awake. He didn't immediately turn toward her. She watched as he shook his head a little, and she could almost see the smile that was touching his lips.
"You're not one for subtlety, are you," he asked as he turned toward her.
She sighed. "There you go, reading my mind again. You look tired, Frank," she said, and meant it. The dark circles under his eyes showed her more than he would ever say. He obviously had slept very little. "Maybe you should stay home."
He shook his head. "Can't do that. I have lots to do today. I'll be all right. Maybe today, I'll come in early."
She smiled ruefully. "Every time you say that, you always come in late."
He approached the bed and leaned over as far as he dared before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "You know me too well," he said as he drew back. "I want to tell you everything, Loralei, but I have to work it out in my head first. Do you understand?"
"I do," she said with a firm nod. "It's okay. Do what you must, I just hate seeing you like this."
"I know you do, but don't worry about me. I've carried some of this my entire life. I'm not accustomed to opening my past. I've not done it often, and have never done it with any woman in my life. You're different, Loralei. I've not had a relationship to ever reach the depth of ours. Never have I felt like this. Never have I had anything so beautiful."
Incredibly touched, she fought desperately against her impending tears. Hormones be damned, she thought. "I suggest you leave, Agent Donovan," she said softly. "If you don't, I'm going to fuck your brains right out of your head."
A ghost of a smile touched his lips and he kissed her forehead again. Without another word, he drew away and left her.
* * *
Loralei and Donovan weren't the only people up and at it early. Farron Donovan stood naked before a window in his high-rise hotel room. He didn't bother getting dressed. Not exactly modest, he knew that no one could see him at this height anyway. Like his twin, he was still disturbed and shaken from the night before. Everything Frank had said about him was true.
Farron was the older of the two twins, born three minutes before Frank. When they were young boys, his mother often told him that he was his brother's keeper. It was his responsibility, so to speak, to look out for Frank. Their parents hadn't necessarily favored one brother over the other, but the rest of the family did. At first, it was Farron who showed an aptitude toward greatness. Everything came very easily to him, and he never appreciated it. Frank, on the other hand, had to struggle. His brother had amazing strength and persistence, but sometimes, things just didn't quite work out like he wanted. However, when the brothers grew older, things began to turn around. Frank was the serious one, always brooding, never flexible. He knew what he wanted out of life, and he wasn't afraid to fight to get it. Farron was never interested in the same things as Frank, and that tended to get him into trouble. Farron's failures and Frank's successes began to wear on him, and he grew extremely jealous of his younger twin. He began to want everything Frank had, including girls. Farron couldn't count the number of times he had stepped in and stolen one of Frank's girlfriends just because he could. Of course, this behavior often hurt Frank, and ended up making Farron feel worse. He didn't enjoy hurting his brother, but he often did anyway, even if it wasn't his intention. Frank had, in effect, become Farron's keeper. It became a pattern that followed the brothers until each left home.
He found himself staring out onto the busy city street. His mind went back continuously to his heated reunion with Frank. It hadn't gone as he expected. Of course, he wasn't naïve enough to think that Frank would welcome him back with open arms, but he thought he would at least listen to what he had to say. He had been wrong, completely and totally wrong. Frank had changed since he last saw him. At that time, he hadn't married yet, and didn't seem to have a reason to react so over protectively. The visit had been strained, but nothing like the one last night. True, he had shared personal information he had no right disperse. Yet, he wondered if Frank would have reacted like he did if he had still been single. His brother was never less than protective with what he loved and/or held dear, but he also never turned his back on family, even when the situation was bad. The sad truth was that he needed his brother's help, needed to make amends. He had gotten himself into a deadly mess that he couldn't get out of without losing his life. He wanted help, and had come to Frank, to his family, but had been coldly denied.
Sighing deeply, Farron moved back from the window. He grabbed a robe and shrugged into it. He currently had few options remaining. If he couldn't convince Frank to help him, he wasn't sure what he could do or to whom he could turn. He thought again of Frank's wife. She had run interference between him and Frank before, and perhaps she could do it again. He would see her today, get acquainted with her, and ask for her help. If Frank would listen to anyone, it would be her. Farron knew this, had sensed it immediately when his brother spoke of her, and had seen it when she was in the room. If he couldn't get what he wanted directly, he wasn't above seeking an alternate source. It was true that he wanted to make amends. Since the entire ordeal with Kelly Bartlet had unfolded, he felt horrid. He hadn't heard directly what had happened to Frank and Loralei. He had gotten a phone call from his sister, and she gave him the sordid details. He hadn't known much about his relationship with Kelly. That was part of Frank's life after he left home for good. It came right after… Must not think about that right now, he thought. Although Farron would never recognize it, he was like his brother in another way. He often buried events in his mind and would not bring them to the surface unless forced.
* * *
Although stressed, Donovan strolled casually into the office and appeared as if he had not one care in the world. No one had made it in yet, and he wasn't surprised. He normally came to work early every day. He had to have downtime before the work piled in. Occasionally, he would go to his office and meditate for several minutes. It was usually the only time he was left alone. He thought of it as his 'sane' time, and every now and then, he desperately needed it, because his line of work never failed to be insane. He couldn't prevent thoughts of Farron from entering his mind. He didn't want to waste any more of his energy on his brother. Taking several deep breaths, he slowly calmed down. It was time to go downstairs and prepare for the briefing. The directives from the central office were to be delivered at any moment. He had to get his shit together before he tackled another difficult situation. He also hoped that whatever the assignment brought, it wouldn't include a trip out of town. He didn't trust Farron, especially not after the trick he pulled with regard to Kelly Bartlet. It wasn't that he thought his brother would ever dare touch his wife, but he was certain that Farron wouldn't hesitate to use her for some other deed, including a rapprochement. He didn't want her needlessly placed in the middle of their battle. She didn't need it, and he wouldn't do that to her.
He made his way downstairs and silently set about the task of making coffee. He was hell-bent not to allow Cody access to the machine. A computer genius he was, a coffee maker he definitely was not. He looked up as a computer in the corner of the room made several sharp beeps. It was busily downloading data from central. It was obviously the new case. He wasn't anxious to begin something new. They had enough pending cases to last them five lifetimes, but this one was deemed a priority. He hated those cases, absolutely loathed them. No priority case ever came from Chicago. He was in no hurry to pack and leave his wife behind. Thoughts of sending Loralei to her parents began to emerge, but she would fight it. He also remembered what happened the last time he had tried sending her away. He shook his head. Nope, that wouldn't work. Not only that, but it would also disrupt her classes, and he didn't want to interfere with that, either. He found himself torn two ways at once. Damn you, Farron, why must you insist on ruining my life.
Donovan approached the computer and hit a key to bring the screen to life. He normally didn't mess around with the machines; he left the techno wizard stuff to Cody. If he touched anything, Cody would fly into a panicked rage. He studied the screen curiously, reading over a few things that drew his interest. As soon as Monica arrived, he would request a profile of the prime suspect. He groaned when he realized that the case centered in Florida. Perhaps he would send only Jake and Alex, but he was afraid that wouldn't do. Donovan backed away from the computer before Cody caught him mucking around it. He wondered how Loralei would take the news that he had to leave. She'll take it like she always does. It's your job, it's what you do, and she understands. Yes, she understood, she always did. It was what he loved most about her. He shook thoughts of Loralei away for the time being. His mind needed to remain open and alert on the job at hand. He looked up as Monica entered the room. He was pleased that she had arrived as soon as she did. She jumped at the new case and immediately set about digging up the information he requested. He hoped that by the time Jake, Alex, and Cody arrived, she would have completed the task, and worked the magic only she could.
* * *
"This is mob stuff, Boss, why did it filter to us," Jake asked as he read over the information printed directly off the computer.
"Why is anything filtered to us," Alex asked. "Because we're special."
Jake rolled his eyes, and a hint of a smile touched Donovan's lips.
"The man we're looking for is Pablo Dominguez," Monica said. "He is a trained hit man of sorts, and he's suspected of taking out his own boss. He isn't afraid of much at this point, and he has nothing to lose. Several weeks ago, Dominguez became the top suspect in the shooting of Ramon Ramirez." The name meant nothing to the other members of the team, so Monica sighed impatiently and continued, "Come on, guys, Ramon Ramirez. He's a very powerful Florida politician. He also has ties to the Colombian drug trade."
The mention of Florida startled Donovan a little. It made him think of Farron. Farron? In the drug trade? Impossible, he thought. Farron had issues, but surely he wouldn't go that far, would he? Donovan then recalled Farron's past. Perhaps it wasn't so unfathomable after all. He shook his head absently, once again trying to drive the thoughts out of his mind.
Jake looked up, perplexed. "Colombian drug trade? You mean to tell me that Colombians still dabble in that shit? I thought that ended with Pablo Escobar."
"Very ill informed, aren't you Jake," Cody spat sarcastically. "They still rule some of the trade in those border states, and Florida is a border state. Guns for drugs, drugs for guns. Get it? It's the rule of the land in certain areas of Central and South America."
"Excuse me," Jake spat, not unkindly.
"Dominguez took out Ramirez, probably as payback for some type of misdeed or disloyalty," Monica said, continuing, "and he's on the run. There was mention of a witness, but we have no information on who that might be or where he or she may have gone."
"Cody," Donovan said suddenly, "I need everything you can find regarding this shooting. I want the name of every associate Ramirez had. If we find anything on the witness, I want to know immediately. I want a description, and an estimation of his or her age, and so on. Whoever it is, this person needs to be secured and protected."
"On it, Boss, two day ago," Cody replied smartly.
"So, are we Florida bound," Alex asked.
Donovan sighed. "More than likely."
* * *
Loralei threw her bag over her shoulder impatiently. It weighed a ton and had twice as many books in it. Her classes had seemed longer than usual. Normally, she enjoyed attending class, but not today. Her energy level was down to zero, which was another odd thing. Her pregnancy had started out with horrible yuckiness and exhaustion that had recently changed to sudden, incredible energy. Just not today, she thought. Sighing, she dug her keys out of her bag and dropped them before she could even begin unlocking the door. Ugh. She would have to put down the book bag only to lift it again after she picked up her damn keys.
"Let me help with that," Donovan's voice said from behind her.
She smiled at his sudden surprising appearance, and she turned around, ready to lay a big sloppy kiss on him. Her smile faltered a little when she realized that it was Farron, not her husband. He didn't wait for her to speak, he simply took hold of the heavy bag and retrieved her keys. He straightened his tall frame and held out her key ring without handing her the bag.
"Thank you," she said as she took the key ring. Farron Donovan unnerved her. How could another man be so much like her husband and not be he?
He nodded thoughtfully. "I know I shouldn't be here, but I'd like to talk to you. Is that okay?"
She wasn't sure what to do. She had no idea when Donovan would come home, but if he saw Farron in the apartment, he would literally blow up. "Of course it's okay," she said after hesitating for a few moments. She turned away for a moment and unlocked the door.
Farron entered the apartment behind her and set her bag near the couch. Loralei closed the door behind him, but stood near it. She wasn't sure why she didn't move away from the door, unless she wanted to barricade it in case Donovan saw what she had done. He would certainly flip. "Would you like to sit down," she asked.
"Yes, thank you," he said before sitting on the couch.
Loralei didn't want to stare at him, but she couldn't help it. She tore her eyes off him and moved over to the computer desk. She pulled out her executive chair and sat down. She would sit on the plushy couch and its matching chairs only in Donovan's presence. It was becoming quite interesting getting up once she sat down. She didn't want to embarrass herself in front of this stranger who was identical to the man she loved. "I'm not sure why you want to talk to me," she said suddenly.
He ran his hand thoughtfully over his beard for a moment [ACK, Frank again]. "I understand your confusion. Frank made it clear that it was you who prompted the wedding invitation."
"Well, I wouldn't say prompted. I simply made a suggestion, but he sent it of his own free will. I'm sure you know how stubborn he is, and it's difficult getting him to do anything unless he wants to do it," she began.
Farron nodded and smiled ruefully. "Yes, Frank is quite stubborn, very set in his ways for a man his age. I suppose that's why he refuses to speak to me. I came today to apologize for what happened. I tried to apologize to my brother last night, but he wouldn't have it."
"Yeah, that's Frank all right. It's not necessary to apologize to me. I realize that what you did wasn't a malicious act on your part. It wasn't a smart choice, but I also know that you had no idea that Kelly Bartlet was so imbalanced."
"You're a very reasonable woman," he said as he shifted his position to lean forward. "You're a good match for my brother."
She found herself lifting her eyebrow [Damn you, Frank, now I'm doing it] and peering at him curiously. He had a bottom line. She could see that easily. "What is it that you want from me, Farron?"
"I would like for you to help me. I know Frank loves you very much, and if anyone could convince him to speak to me, it would be you. I hate asking this of you, especially since we don't know each other, but would you consider speaking to Frank on my behalf?"
He was asking quite a lot of her, but his sincerity touched her. She was tempted to ask him what had caused their falling out, but she hesitated. He wouldn't tell her, but Donovan would. "I can't promise anything," she said, "but I'll try."
"Thank you," he said. "That's all I ask. I want to make this up to him, to you, any way I can," he said softly. He stood and approached her.
Loralei watched in stunned silence as he offered his hand to her. She wasn't sure what he intended to do, but she took it anyway. He held her hand briefly in his before releasing it. For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss it. Wouldn't Frank just love that, she thought wryly.
"I hope we can get past this bitterness and anger. I very much want to have my brother in my life again, and I appreciate your agreeing to help, even if he refuses." He stepped back to make his exit, and Loralei started to rise. "No, I can show myself out," he said.
Quietly, she watched as her haunted brother in-law made his exit. "Fine mess you've gotten yourself into this time, Loralei," she said.