Chapter Twelve

FRIDAY 6 AM. Washington DC.

Josh had finally been persuaded to take a walk. His two friends were in danger and like usual Josh took the blame. He took in the cool morning air holding a cup of coffee, which –having gotten only three hours of sleep -- he needed. He told himself he wouldn't walk past CJ's apartment, but something compelled him. Why did CJ have to live so close to work? Josh walked up her street, at first not realizing what he was doing until he saw the small sign of yellow police tape. Josh stopped across the street, seeing a figure. He crossed the pretty much abandoned street, being 6am, sure he knew who the figure was.

"Sam?" Josh said approaching his friend.

"Yeah?" Sam turned his head, dazed and confused. "Hey Josh." He said with no feeling. He was numb.

"What are you doing here?"

"To tell you the truth I have no earthly idea."

"You all right?"

"No." It was an easy answer for Sam. Very clear, very not Josh.

"Come back to my office." Josh motioned with his head in concern.

"I don't know why I'm here 'cause I thought you could tell me why I'm here?"

"Come on—take a walk back with me."

"Ok."

FRIDAY, TENNESSEE, 6:09 AM

It was very early and Danny and CJ began the day again. Danny stepped on a twig and almost jumped six feet. CJ laughed.

"This is why I'm not a war correspondent. I'm not good at being shot at. Politicians don't shoot at you."

"Depends on which ones." She paused. "Now, those in the gun lobby—pretty sure they'd shoot at you."

"I meant during an interview."

"So do I."

"I'm so against guns—"

"Me too."

"But right now if someone gave me a gun I'd be happy—"

"If someone gave me a gun I'd throw it in a lake."

"I don't even think I'd know how to use it."

"I would."

'You've shot a gun?"

"Yeah."

"Really?"

"Danny, you grew up in Michigan and you never fired a gun?"

"No. You did in Ohio."

"No. It was at a shooting gallery."

"A shooting gallery, like at a fair."

"No in FBI headquarters?"

"A shooting Gallery." He laughed. "You mean a shooting range."

"Oh, yeah. What did I say---yeah--I knew that."

"There you go again."

"Sorry." She paused. "But I really did know that."

"Ok." He laughed.

"Well, I did." She paused. "Yeah. Yeah. I'm stopping."

"So, who took you shooting, your Agent?" Danny wasn't sure if he should have said that.

"Yeah? How did you—"

"Just a guess."

"Oh." CJ got quiet.

"I'm sorry about that."

"Sorry?" She looked at him for a moment. "Oh, yeah. Well I hardly knew him."

"He was protecting your life---."

"Yeah." She looked down. "It was sad."

"CJ." Danny stopped her. "It's ok. I know."

"Know what?"

"I know about the two of you?"

"There wasn't anything between the two of us like there was with---"She pointed to herself and Danny. "The two of us."

"But, there was something."

"How...?" She paused. "Yeah." She confessed. "Yeah. But only one kiss."

"Like us."

"Somewhat."

"You cared for him."

"Yes." Her eyes began to tear. "How did you?" She paused. "I didn't tell anyone—"

"I knew."

"How?"

"I saw you two in pictures. I saw the way you looked at him."

"Oh." CJ gave him a smile and looked down before looking back up at Danny. She knew that he knew the look. Danny put his hands in his pockets and they continued walking.

"Thanks, Donna." Sam said sweetly as he took a cup of coffee from her. Donna smiled. "It's good to see you, Donna."

"You too, Sam." Donna walked toward the door, but Sam took her hand.

"Don't leave."

"I'll be right back. Don't worry." Sam watched her leave. Josh smiled.

"You got the vote today?" Josh asked.

"Yeah. I should be leaving soon." He paused. "It's good to be back." He stopped himself and looked down. Josh leaned on the edge of his desk. "Do you know anything new?"

"No." Josh said with a large breath. He didn't know if or how he could tell Sam about the cabin.

"You don't look like you're sleeping?"

"I'm not."

"Yeah, me too." Sam paused and looked down before looking up again. "Have you talked to Danny recently?"

"How do you know about Danny?"

"It's in the paper?"

"What?"

"You didn't hear?"

"What? Didn't hear what?"

"It's in the paper—"

"It can't be---Donna!"

"His editor reported him missing." Sam tossed him the Post.

Josh looked at the cover story, "Missing reporter and Press Secretary—are they linked?"

"The one time I don't read the paper." He mused softly, having passed up reading the paper in trying to avoid CJ's face on all the covers.

"Yeah, well it hasn't been its usual cheery self lately." Sam tried to muster up enthusiasm for his one liner but he failed.

"Yeah." Josh knew it was true.

"So what about this guy you said you had?"

"Huh?"

"A guy. You said you had a guy on it."

"A guy?"

"Yeah a guy?

"Yeah—listen I told you I can't tell you--."

"Josh—"Josh took a breath and felt he had to tell Sam something.

"Sam, the guy was Danny!" Josh threw down the paper on his desk in anger. He got up and circled behind the desk, pacing.

"Danny Concannon?"

"Yeah. AHH!" Josh needed to let something out along with its appropriate hand gestures. He continued pacing.

"--Was looking for CJ?"

"Yes."

"What like a story?"

"No, he's looking for CJ—well, last I heard?

"And now he's missing?"

"Yeah." Josh felt guilty and wouldn't look at Sam. He still paced.

"Why and how did he agree to that?"

"'Are you kidding?!" Josh finally looked at Sam.

"No, why would I be kidding."

"Cause he's in love with her?!"

"Danny's in love with CJ?"

"Yeah? Where have you been?"

"Well, obviously not in the same room as Danny and CJ." Sam paused, "Ok." He paused again. "So Danny's in love with CJ—?"

"Yeah—" Josh felt like he had answered this enough.

"And now he's out looking for her and they can't find him?"

"Yeah." Josh circled the desk back to where he started and sat on the edge of it across from Sam.

"Sounds like something out of Hemmingway---- or maybe just Danielle Steele?" Sam took a sip of his coffee.

"Sam, there's more." Josh looked at his friend as if Sam was a puppy. Josh knew he had to tell him; he was just stalling, trying to find a way to tell him.

Donna came in the room, having heard what Josh had said. She looked at Josh and Donna shut the door behind her.

"What?" Sam said looking behind him at Donna as she shut the door. Sam looked terrified for he knew the look on his friend's face. Donna walked up to Sam and he took her hand on his shoulder in his. Donna laid her chin on Sam's head and Sam lowered his eyes.

"I'm assuming this isn't good?" Sam said to his friend, trying to fake a smile. Josh gave him a "No" with his eyes. And they told Sam what they knew so far.