Chapter 10

After sitting at the kitchen table for a few minutes, Tom stood up, picked up his keys, and walked to the back door. He opened the door, intent on going to find Margo when he realized she was standing right in front of him. "Hi," she said, at a loss for words. Without saying a word, Tom reached over and took her in his arms. As he took in the fresh scent of her hair, he said, "I can't believe I said those things to you earlier. I'm so sorry." Margo took his face in her hands and said, "No, you were right. Its too much of a risk. I'll turn the case over to someone else."

Tom took his wife's hand and led her over to the couch. He sat down and encouraged her to do the same, still holding onto her hand. Margo took a moment and studied Tom's face. Something was eating at him. Something he hadn't told her. With her free hand, she reached over and started rubbing his back. "Tom, are you ok? Is there something you aren't telling me. Some reason why you didn't want me to do this undercover sting?"

Tom didn't say anything, but instead went and retrieved his cell phone off the floor, dusted it off, and made sure it still worked after he threw it across the room earlier. Margo watched him, curious as to what he was doing. Before she could ask him, he handed her the cell phone and said, "Listen to the voice mail." Still curious, Margo complied. As soon as she started listening to the message, Tom could see the color drain from her face. When the message finished playing, Margo took the phone away from her ear and sat there in shock. All of the sudden, she felt like she were watching a bad TV movie, only this time, her and Tom were the stars. "Why didn't you tell me," she asked.

"You had enough to deal with. You just found out that someone was trying to come after you for putting away that bastard Elroy Nevins. You didn't need this." Tom said, only telling half the truth. Margo saw right through that and said, "Bull. That's not the whole story, Tom." Tom admired how much his wife knew him and certainly knew when there was something he wasn't telling her. Unfortunately, the part he left out was harder to admit. "I was afraid you would think I was a coward. I feel like a coward. All I could think about was you or one of our children getting hurt. I couldn't bear that."

Margo put her hand on Tom's face. As he turned to look at her, she said, "Honey, you are not a coward. I could never think that of you. Do you hear me? You are the most wonderful, brave man I have ever met. I love you for wanting to protect our family." Tom actually had tears running down his cheeks. Margo gently wiped them away and then urged his head to her shoulder. After a couple of minutes, she pulled away and looked into Tom's eyes. "If you don't want me to do this, I won't," she said with conviction and really meant it. She knew she tended to leap before she looked and Tom was the grounding force in her life. Even though she often accused him of thinking too much, in the end, she trusted him with her life.

Tom got up and started pacing the living room, not sure of how to put what he was thinking into words. "To be honest with you, that's what I wanted you to do. But my father got me thinking about it a different way," he finally spoke. Margo wasn't sure what he meant and it showed by the confused look on her face. Tom sat back down on the couch beside her and continued, "We're not just your run-of-the-mill couple. I'm the DA in this crazy town and you just happen to be my favorite detective. Who better to bring this guy down? And I know this isn't just any case and we are very emotionally involved, but if we play it right, that could be an asset to us in this case." Margo was shocked, "Ok, who are you and what have you done with my real husband?" she asked. "You really want me to go undercover to catch this guy?" "Yes!" Tom said. "But with me and Jack behind you. Come on, Margo, you are the same woman who located James Stenbeck when you were holed up here at home recovering from major surgery. You are still the same woman who followed me to Africa to catch Mr. Big. Can you think of anyone better qualified for this job?"

With that, Margo jumped up and went for the phone. With all the paperwork and meaningless cases she was currently buried under, she forgot how good that rush felt that she got from something like this. "What are you doing?" Tom asked. "I'm calling Jack. If we are going to do this, we have to get everything set up." Tom went over, took the phone out of her hand and said, "I wasn't finished. I'm ok with this under one condition." "What? Anything." Margo said. Tom put his hands on her arms and whispered in her ear. "That you make love to me." Even after all these years, Margo still felt weak in the knees when Tom tried to seduce her, but she decided to have a little fun with him. "Why, Mr. DA, are you saying you will only give me this case if I give you... sexual favors?" "Call it what you want, Detective Hughes. That's the deal." Margo nods and pretends to consider this for a moment. Then, she walked over to him and kissed him passionately on the lips. "Does that answer your question?" she asked, seductively.

This time, they didn't make up to the bedroom. While they were kissing, Tom busied himself trying to unbutton Margo's blouse while she quickly got his shirt off. Before they realized it, they were on the couch. His hands, which were roaming all over the smooth skin of her back, eventually found her bra and quickly unfastened it. After making love several times, Margo reached over and turned the lamp off as she and Tom lay there in the dark. Eventually, they fell asleep in each other's arms certain that somehow everything would turn out fine.