"He's going to have to think you're interested in him," Jack reminds me.
"I've done undercover work before---no sweat."
"Sam," his eyes meet mine and, without words, I know what he's thinking and feeling. I nod swiftly and glance back towards the road as we approach the Bureau.
*******
We make our way inside, and I see Van Doren waving us into her office.
"Jack, Samantha," she eyes us both. "I'm assuming he's caught you up to speed on the latest findings."
"Yes," I nod with eager eyes.
Van Doren hands me a file. "I want you to look this over. If you have any questions, let me know. We've got two agents and one officer at the bar waiting for our suspect to show up. When he does, it's time to make a move."
I nod my head, accepting the file. "Jack, I'd like a word with you," she tells him as I leave her office and glance through the file while I head back to my cubicle.
I take a seat, read through the report, and memorize his face. Sanford Madison reportedly killed his wife and the other women by strangulation.
The blondes he picked up in bars were flirty and accepted his advances. They'd go home with him willingly and that's when the cases started to change.
It appears that the first two victims were murdered after sexual intercourse.
The third victim was murdered during sex. After that, it appears sexual assault was prevalent after the murder was committed.
I read the two most recent reports on Carrie Forsythia and Melissa Bialy; both had sexual intercourse with Madison before they were murdered.
"Samantha," I hear Vivian's voice and glance up to see her coming over. "I heard about the investigation. You up for the challenge?"
"I will be," I answer soundly. "Just reading over the reports."
"I heard Danny's on the scene already. He'll call you as soon as they see our suspect."
I glance down at my wrinkled clothes. "If I'm supposed to convince this guy I'm attractive and interested--" I eye Vivian, "I should probably get a fresh change of clothes and a shower."
"Make sure Jack knows you're leaving, in case they call in."
"Will do," I nod, standing up and heading towards Jack's office to see him sitting inside and talking on the phone. He waves for me to come in, hangs up the phone, and eyes me.
"Van Doren wanted to make sure you'd be up for the task, especially after the Radowski case."
"Ahhh," I nod my head, "you told her?"
"No, I get the impression someone around here did. Or else she's incredibly intuitive."
"It takes more than intuition to know he was a Spade," I point out. "Anyways, I thought it might be wise if I headed to my place for a quick shower and change of clothes. I don't think I can bait someone looking like this." I run my hand through my hair.
"I don't know." He smiles towards me and pulls out his keys. "Keep your cell phone on. We'll call as soon as we spot our suspect and then you'll head for the bar."
"Are you going to be around?"
"Danny will meet you outside the bar in a FedEx van. I'll be tailing your car on the way to Madison's place along with Vivian. We'll be outside if you need anything."
"Okay," I nod briefly. "Anything else I should know?" I eye him intently.
"Be careful," he answers. "We need you to get in his house and that can only happen if you lead him on. I'm just worried about what might transpire."
"Don't be," I reassure him. "I can handle it."
"I hope so," he whispers. "Danny will help you with the wire when you arrive. Go home, shower, and get changed."
"I'll see you later. You sure I shouldn't just take a cab?"
"Positive," he answers before I slip out of his office, taking his car with me back to the house.
When I arrive home, I leave my cell phone on the bathroom counter while I shower. Once I'm finished, I wrap a large towel around my form and head into the closet to pull out a pair of black slacks and a white tank top along with a blue blouse.
I blow-dry my hair and head towards my jewelry box, retrieving the double hearts Jack gave me a while ago. I finger the tiny charm before unhooking my necklace and sliding it on. I clasp it to my neck and slip it under my shirt, for only me to see.
I hear my cell phone and quickly answer it: "Spade."
"Sam, Danny called; they're ready whenever you are," Jack tells me.
"I'm getting my shoes on and then I'll be over. What bar is it again?"
"The Starlight Lounge. It's--" he reminds me.
I interrupt him. "Yeah, I know where it is. I'll see you later."
"Be careful, Sam." As I hang up the phone, I can imagine the line of worry etched onto his face. I grab Jack's keys and take his car, since Eva borrowed mine.
I head to the car and make my way to the Starlight Lounge. Danny is outside and he ushers me into a van, helping me put a wire beneath my tank top. "If you need anything," Danny eyes me, "or are in any real danger, I'll need some sort of a sign."
"You'll know," I tell him. "Keep an eye on Jack for me." I bite down on my lower lip. "I'm not sure how this case will affect him."
"Will do," he nods. "Kellar's inside and so is Sanford Madison."
"Just great," I laugh.
"He's there to watch your back."
"I'll be fine."
"Do you have your gun?"
"I have one secured to my ankle. Anything else might bring about suspicion," I point out.
"And your badge?" I pull it from my pocket.
"You should hold on to this until I'm done. If he sees it--"
"You're right." He takes my badge and pockets it. "I'm going to stay out here. As soon as you leave with him, I'll be following you."
"All right," I nod, giving him a brief smile as a soft breath escapes my lips.
I head inside the bar, catching Kellar's gaze and then Madison's. I let out a nervous breath, trying to calm myself down as I glance back towards Sanford. I give him a smile before ordering a club soda from the bartender.
"I've done undercover work before---no sweat."
"Sam," his eyes meet mine and, without words, I know what he's thinking and feeling. I nod swiftly and glance back towards the road as we approach the Bureau.
*******
We make our way inside, and I see Van Doren waving us into her office.
"Jack, Samantha," she eyes us both. "I'm assuming he's caught you up to speed on the latest findings."
"Yes," I nod with eager eyes.
Van Doren hands me a file. "I want you to look this over. If you have any questions, let me know. We've got two agents and one officer at the bar waiting for our suspect to show up. When he does, it's time to make a move."
I nod my head, accepting the file. "Jack, I'd like a word with you," she tells him as I leave her office and glance through the file while I head back to my cubicle.
I take a seat, read through the report, and memorize his face. Sanford Madison reportedly killed his wife and the other women by strangulation.
The blondes he picked up in bars were flirty and accepted his advances. They'd go home with him willingly and that's when the cases started to change.
It appears that the first two victims were murdered after sexual intercourse.
The third victim was murdered during sex. After that, it appears sexual assault was prevalent after the murder was committed.
I read the two most recent reports on Carrie Forsythia and Melissa Bialy; both had sexual intercourse with Madison before they were murdered.
"Samantha," I hear Vivian's voice and glance up to see her coming over. "I heard about the investigation. You up for the challenge?"
"I will be," I answer soundly. "Just reading over the reports."
"I heard Danny's on the scene already. He'll call you as soon as they see our suspect."
I glance down at my wrinkled clothes. "If I'm supposed to convince this guy I'm attractive and interested--" I eye Vivian, "I should probably get a fresh change of clothes and a shower."
"Make sure Jack knows you're leaving, in case they call in."
"Will do," I nod, standing up and heading towards Jack's office to see him sitting inside and talking on the phone. He waves for me to come in, hangs up the phone, and eyes me.
"Van Doren wanted to make sure you'd be up for the task, especially after the Radowski case."
"Ahhh," I nod my head, "you told her?"
"No, I get the impression someone around here did. Or else she's incredibly intuitive."
"It takes more than intuition to know he was a Spade," I point out. "Anyways, I thought it might be wise if I headed to my place for a quick shower and change of clothes. I don't think I can bait someone looking like this." I run my hand through my hair.
"I don't know." He smiles towards me and pulls out his keys. "Keep your cell phone on. We'll call as soon as we spot our suspect and then you'll head for the bar."
"Are you going to be around?"
"Danny will meet you outside the bar in a FedEx van. I'll be tailing your car on the way to Madison's place along with Vivian. We'll be outside if you need anything."
"Okay," I nod briefly. "Anything else I should know?" I eye him intently.
"Be careful," he answers. "We need you to get in his house and that can only happen if you lead him on. I'm just worried about what might transpire."
"Don't be," I reassure him. "I can handle it."
"I hope so," he whispers. "Danny will help you with the wire when you arrive. Go home, shower, and get changed."
"I'll see you later. You sure I shouldn't just take a cab?"
"Positive," he answers before I slip out of his office, taking his car with me back to the house.
When I arrive home, I leave my cell phone on the bathroom counter while I shower. Once I'm finished, I wrap a large towel around my form and head into the closet to pull out a pair of black slacks and a white tank top along with a blue blouse.
I blow-dry my hair and head towards my jewelry box, retrieving the double hearts Jack gave me a while ago. I finger the tiny charm before unhooking my necklace and sliding it on. I clasp it to my neck and slip it under my shirt, for only me to see.
I hear my cell phone and quickly answer it: "Spade."
"Sam, Danny called; they're ready whenever you are," Jack tells me.
"I'm getting my shoes on and then I'll be over. What bar is it again?"
"The Starlight Lounge. It's--" he reminds me.
I interrupt him. "Yeah, I know where it is. I'll see you later."
"Be careful, Sam." As I hang up the phone, I can imagine the line of worry etched onto his face. I grab Jack's keys and take his car, since Eva borrowed mine.
I head to the car and make my way to the Starlight Lounge. Danny is outside and he ushers me into a van, helping me put a wire beneath my tank top. "If you need anything," Danny eyes me, "or are in any real danger, I'll need some sort of a sign."
"You'll know," I tell him. "Keep an eye on Jack for me." I bite down on my lower lip. "I'm not sure how this case will affect him."
"Will do," he nods. "Kellar's inside and so is Sanford Madison."
"Just great," I laugh.
"He's there to watch your back."
"I'll be fine."
"Do you have your gun?"
"I have one secured to my ankle. Anything else might bring about suspicion," I point out.
"And your badge?" I pull it from my pocket.
"You should hold on to this until I'm done. If he sees it--"
"You're right." He takes my badge and pockets it. "I'm going to stay out here. As soon as you leave with him, I'll be following you."
"All right," I nod, giving him a brief smile as a soft breath escapes my lips.
I head inside the bar, catching Kellar's gaze and then Madison's. I let out a nervous breath, trying to calm myself down as I glance back towards Sanford. I give him a smile before ordering a club soda from the bartender.
