***
Donovan sat alone in his office, past thoughts and deeds haunting him. After he made a call and left a message for Deirdre that he wanted to see Miss Charles in his office ASAP, he took time to go over all the documents that were left regarding his "marriage".
He stood and moved to the window overlooking his team's work area. Jake, Alex and Frankie sat together at the briefing table going over reports and files that Cody printed out. Cody and Shay sat at their workstation, both punching ferociously at their keyboard. They were looking to disprove the marriage ever existed. "Too bad it had," he whispered while keeping his eye on Shay.
He noticed as everyone's attention turned toward the door and then saw Deirdre enter the room below along with Daphne Charles. How long had it been since he'd last seen her? Ten or eleven years at least, if memory served. He had only been in the CIA eleven months and it had been his first "big" assignment. Still, it had only been an assignment, an assignment that was now back to bite him in the ass.
He sighed heavily before opening his office door. Squaring his shoulders, he made his way down the stairs and met his visitors in the briefing room. He met Daphne's arrogant stare with his own icy one, only once looking away to glance in Shay's direction. Although she hid it well, she looked apprehensive watching Daphne slink across the room toward him and he hated himself for putting her through this torment. If only he had been more thorough with his personal affairs when he was younger.
"Hello, Frank," Daphne purred, moving in to hug him. "It's been much too long."
Frankie lifted one eyebrow at Daphne Charles' intimate attempt. Unconsciously as she sat in the chair Jake usually occupied during briefings, her left hand clenched deathly tight onto the arm in an effort to rein in her overwhelming urge to slap the bitch.
"Daphne," he replied stiffly, side-stepping her as she reached for him. "Hello Deirdre. After this meeting with Miss Charles, you and I have a few things to discuss," he ground out.
With one icily spat word he let her know that whatever her charade, he was not interested. No matter, whether he warmed up to the idea of being married to her or not, she would make his life hell. The same unrequited hell she lived in all those years ago. Somehow, she would destroy what he had and leave him with nothing.
Behind them and unseen by Daphne, Frankie's eyes were narrowed and her knuckles were a blood strained white from her grip. Jake had moved over to where his wife was sitting in his effort to keep her calm and not upset Shay any more than she already was. If Frankie were to make a lunge or dive for Daphne, then Shay's blood pressure might go through the roof.
"That's," Daphne interjected coldly, turning a freezing glare toward Shay, "Mrs. Donovan, if you don't mind."
When she spat out her venom, it took both Alex and Jake literally sitting on Frankie to keep her in her chair. Alex immediately jumped up when she saw Frankie's lip curl and plopped herself down in the woman's lap while Jake kept an iron press on his wife's shoulders.
"Now isn't the time," he whispered. "Keep your cool Firecracker, let Frank deal with this for the time being."
Donovan's eyes narrowed to thin slits as he looked angrily at the intruding woman. She was deliberating looking to hurt Shay and he would not have any of that. "Actually, Miss Charles, I do mind. It leaves a rather bad taste in my mouth." When Daphne's gaze did not move from Shay's direction, he added, "You are looking at the only woman I would ever call Mrs. Donovan."
Shay arched an appreciative eyebrow at her husband and smiled viciously at the Porcelain Queen. She might think she had the upper hand at the moment, but she was matching wits with one mean hombre in her husband.
Deirdre watched the tension filled scene unfold before her. Having brought Daphne Charles amongst the team, she felt responsible for the situation; however, she was doing the only thing she could under the circumstances. Donovan had been charged with a serious crime and as soon as this meeting was over, she would have to relieve him of his duties.
"Agent Donovan, perhaps this would be better done in your office?" Deirdre suggested.
Frank nodded ungraciously. "Jake, I'd like you to be present."
Jake nodded, gave Frankie's shoulder a squeeze, and without word followed Deirdre and Daphne up to Frank's office. Frank lagged behind to check on Shay, who was looking a bit on the pale side. Meanwhile, Cody and Alex dragged Frankie off to give Frank and Shay some privacy.
"Ash, will you be okay, baby? You're not looking well," he whispered as he gathered her into a snug embrace. If only his embrace could keep all this from entering her world. Unfortunately, it was too late for that. Now he had to keep her stress to a minimum. She was doing well with this pregnancy, but the doctor had warned him that too much stress could put her in the same situation she had with Ariel.
"You don't look so good yourself, Tiger," she answered, smoothing the deep furrow in his brow with her fingers. "And I know you're keeping something from me; you've got that same look about you as when you tried to keep those murders your cousin committed from me."
Frank released a long breath; she was on to him already. "After the meeting..." he trailed and kissed her forehead.
"You'll tell me everything?"
He nodded hesitantly and kissed her lips softly before releasing his hold on her and making his way up to his office. Upon entering, he found Deirdre and Daphne seated in front of his desk and Jake leaning against the windowsill behind it.
"Frank, I don't know what light you can shed on this, but we have not unearthed a single piece of evidence to dispute Miss Charles claim that she is legally your wife." Deirdre watched as his eyes darkened to the color of coal. The man was beyond furious and she hated to be on the receiving end of that look.
Frank leaned back in his chair and gazed intently at Daphne. "I know, without a doubt, that I signed Annulment papers. I also know your signature was on those papers. How did you do it, Daphne? What happened to those papers?"
Frank watched the smile appear on her face. The woman was a gorgeous creature, but she was a fake down to her soul. There wasn't a genuine feeling or emotion inside her; that was something he had discovered back in his CIA days. Oh, she had let him know how much she wanted him, but there was something about her that left him cold. He knew that feeling again. That smile; it was almost evil...obscene. It made her ugly.
"I signed no such paper, Frank. Why are you doing this? That you left me without a word was difficult enough to deal with, but that you deny our relationship ever existed? You're a cruel, cruel man!" Oh, this is just too much fun. He looked as if he was about ready to come over the desk at her.
"Just what is your game, Daphne?" Frank growled. "You know damn well that marriage was only for an assignment. It was in name only and was planned to be annulled from the get-go."
Daphne feigned hurt. "Darling, how could you say such a thing? Yes, we worked together, but the marriage was quite real. Down to each and every time you had this body."
"That's a lie...or you're deluded." He had heard all that he cared to hear. The woman was clearly going to be of no help resolving this issue. "Enough of this," Frank spat, "I'll find out what you did with those papers, Daphne, and be rid of you once and for all."
"In the meantime, Agent Donovan," Deirdre began reluctantly, "as much as I dislike this situation and my duty in this mess, I must ask you to vacate your office immediately. Agent Shaw will be asked to assume your duties in your absence." She was aware of all three sets of eyes boring holes into her and she felt like the biggest hypocrite in the world. Unfortunately, she was doing her expected duty.
"Very well, Director Burkholtz," Donovan answered crisply. He just wanted this moment to be over. He wanted this whole problem over.
With a slight nod in Frank's direction, Jake ushered the two women toward the door.
"A minute, please, Deirdre," Frank announced before she reached the door.
Deirdre sucked in a breath and turned to face Frank Donovan. Not the Special Agent, but Frank Donovan the husband.
Jake continued on with Daphne and when they reached the briefing room, he answered Frankie's questioning gaze with a slight shake of the head. Things were not going well.
---
"Deirdre...we've been friends, as well as co-workers for many years," Frank began in a steady, low voice. Well past his anger toward her actions, he merely wanted to make his feelings known. "If you ever, ever pull a stunt like this again...Frankie's mother or not...my superior or not...I will make your life a living hell."
"Frank...I.."
"No, I'm not finished. If Shay suffers any repercussions because of you dropping this shit in her lap while I was out of town...no job, no title will save you. Not a threat, not insubordination...just a man who cannot understand why you would let this go down knowing I was out of town."
Deirdre squared her shoulders and took his quiet wrath with dignity. He had every right to lash out at her; she would not argue that point. "Believe me when I say I haven't enjoyed this duty and that I did try to postpone the meeting between Daphne Charles and your wife. Unfortunately, she has some heavy hitters behind her. Who they are, I haven't been able to find out. Whoever they are...they had the higher ups jumping."
Frank nodded. "I'll find out who's behind this. I realize I'm out on my ass here, for the time being, but I will assume that my team will still be working on this case?"
"Of course."
"And Shay?"
Deirdre frowned at the unexpected question. "She's a part of this team, Agent Donovan. However, under the circumstances, any personal time she needs is completely understandable."
"I thank you for that."
---
to be continued...