A/N: Once again, sincerest apologies to have kept you waiting. This is about the fifth attempt of this chapter and if it weren't for a little bit of 3am assistance then I'd still hate it and I'd be no where near finished. So a huge thank you to Werekitten cause I couldn't have done it without her.
MayadaBee: as always, glad you liked and I'm sorry I make you wait so long.
Redaura: Thanks oh faithful reviewer mine (^_^) You put a little bit of spark in my day. Course it's a spark I use to torment other people with but feel proud anyway, and yes she is clairvoyant (sorta) to Nick related stuff.
K. Telfer: Thank you. I'm all flattered (^_^) Course if I didn't care so damn much you nice people would get updated sooner but its quality over quantity right *looks hopeful* I hope you continue to enjoy.
This chapter is dedicated to Werekitten ///_^
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Her booted feet hit St Phillip a moment after she stated her request. Well given her order if she was going to be honest, but either way the man from the bar had followed her and had fallen into step beside her. She risked a glance at him only to see that he was hunched into his coat despite the heat, his hair flopping down into his face and partly obscuring his features. So far he seemed determined to study the sidewalk and maintain a sullen silence.
"What's your name?" She asked softly.
"Logan. Mark Logan," he bit out.
"Detective?"
He glanced up at her, looking at her face with so much intensity it made her feel uncomfortable. Like he was looking right into her head and through her and was already going to decide whether she was guilty or innocent.
"Wanna tell me how you knew that?" he asked.
She shrugged. "I guess you just seem like the type."
He made a sound somewhere between a snort and a laugh.
"Does the name Nick Bryman mean anything to you?" she asked casually though she already new that it would. She twisted her head to look at him as they walked and gauge his reaction. He stiffened and she watched his face go hard and shut off, but he didn't stop walking.
"Might. What's it mean to you?"
"I'm his very ex-girlfriend."
~*~
"Let me get this straight," Nick folded his hands behind his back. "You go to give Logan the message and some chick interferes and you let it go?"
Shaun Barton stood in front of him hopped nervously from one foot to the other. Nick was calm and he had been in his service long enough to know that wasn't a good sign. When Nick was this calm people bled, or worse.
"You just…let it go?" Nick repeated.
"Yes," the man answered simply, eyes downcast. This was not going to end well.
"I see."
Shaun's hands trembled and he clasped them together to hide it. Nick did see and that was the problem. Nick had already turned his back and was pacing to the other side of the room. When he stopped suddenly and spun on his heels, Shaun visibly flinched.
"So Logan is still out there behind a thorn in my side? Because you let some woman spook you?"
"She was strong, boss, stronger than she –"
"Shut up," Nick cut him off and Shaun lapsed immediately into a fearful silence. The door opened and Nick turned away for a second time. "Ah, Marco. Just the man I wanted to see."
~*~
Rebecca leaned on the wall in the narrow hallway outside Logan's apartment watching him struggle with the lock while he muttered something about it being stiff and temperamental.
"So what is it you want Miss…"
"Rebecca. Just call me Rebecca, Detective."
"Right. So what's this all about Rebecca?"
"I think you might be able to help me Detective," she answered honestly. The lock gave with a click that sounded too loud and she flinched. Unfortunately Logan caught it.
"Is there something your afraid of? Has he threatened you?"
Rebecca laughed but it was a hollow sound that made even her shudder. "No. Can we just go inside please?"
Logan looked at the door, aware the he was holding it half open and blocking the entire entrance. He looked back at her, took a step back and gestured for her to walk in first. With a slight shrug she did.
Heading straight for a beat up looking blue sofa she sank down on it, stretching her legs out in front of her and looking around. The apartment was in a state of chaos. Not mess exactly because as far as she could tell everything had a purpose or was in use in some way. There were a lot of books and folders and maps and notebooks scattered all over the place but there was a distinct lack of discarded clothing or numerous used cups and plates that her initial impression had told her to expect. There was one used cup though so she had to assume either he was good with washing up or he just used the same cup all the time.
"Alright," Logan said, sitting down on an armchair that stood on the other side of a coffee table. Rebecca assumed it was a coffee table but it was so hidden by what looked like case notes that she couldn't be sure. "I'm just gonna jump the gun here and assume you came to find me because you wanted to talk to me about Nick."
"Something like that," she answered him.
"You want a coffee?"
"Is that the cop or hospitality talking?"
He grinned at her, shoving some of his hair away from his face. "These days I'm not so sure. Do you?"
"No. Thanks."
"Fair enough." He leaned forward, grabbing the corner of a notebook and tugging it towards him. "What was it you wanted to talk about?"
"How long have you been investigating Nick?"
"A while. Why?"
Rebecca shifted on the sofa. "I bet in all that time you've never found anything concrete have you? Anything you could actually take him to court with?"
"That would be the understatement of the century. I've witnessed some stuff myself, but even that's not enough."
"Right, but you would know where he's operated from recently? Things like that?"
"Y-es," Logan drew the word out, his eyes narrowing at her again.
"Good, Detective. I'm going to need to know everything you know."
~*~
"Boss," Marco nodded his head. On the other side of the room, Shaun flinched.
Nick grinned. "I have a job for you, and I know how much you enjoy your work." He didn't turn, didn't acknowledge Shaun in anyway but it would have been difficult for anyone to mistake his meaning. Marco smiled faintly and nodded.
"Happy to do it, boss, but we have a…situation."
Nick raised his eyebrows. "What now?" He sighed.
"You know that chick we wasted a few months back?"
"Which one?"
"The one that…that you were…"
Nick waved a hand, cutting Marco off but he could feel the humour draining away from his face and his mouth tightening in to a line. "Rebecca," he said quietly. "Here name was Rebecca."
"Yeah," Marco swallowed. "She's not…well this is gonna sound nuts."
"Just spit it out Marco."
"She…her grave is empty."