Chapter 11

Simmons waited at the door as Don visited his brother again.

"Charlie?" Don stared across the cell at his brother. For once Charlie was lying completely still. That was really saying something since Don usually considered Charlie a live wire. If he wasn't writing he was talking or pacing or something. The only time Charlie was really still was when he was asleep. The two brothers actually shared that trait.

"Donny?" Charlie asked bolting upright.

Don glanced across at Simmons and she nodded to the man in the booth and he opened Charlie's cell long enough for Don to step inside.

"I'm here, how are you doing?"

Charlie looked down at the floor. Don rolled his eyes, how do you think he is doing? He needed to come up with something else to say. His thoughts ran though all the things he knew he couldn't talk about. They had very few things in common and suddenly none of them seemed right to talk about.

Charlie had finally calmed down enough that his mind was working clearly. He took in Don's ragged look. It was obvious Don had not taken the time to shave that morning and his suit looked a little worse for wear. "How are YOU doing?" he asked quietly.

"Fine, I uh… just came from the office."

"That's great…"

Don felt like exploding, this was the kind of conversation they should be having in the kitchen over coffee not in a jail cell. The fact that Charlie seemed so calm really bothered him. "Charlie, you have to give me something to work with. I know you didn't intentionally do anything wrong…"

"You don't know anything about it Don, that's the whole point. I don't want you involved in this."

"You don't want me INVOLVED! How much more involved can I get? You are my brother for god's sake, even if you were involved with the FBI who I just happen to work for I would still be involved. I was shot at this morning because of this case!" Don wanted to crawl inside a hole. He didn't intend to tell his brother about that. Agent Simmons had suggested that it might make Charlie talk but the last thing Don wanted was Charlie worrying about him and now seeing the look on Charlie's face he felt ashamed for having yelled.

Charlie quickly scanned his brother for any sign of injury. He didn't see anything wrong except in Don's eyes when Charlie met his eyes he was forced to turn away. "I am sorry about that Don, but don't you see? That is exactly why you have to stay out of this."

"No, YOU don't see. I was barely involved, I haven't even really begun to investigate this and I have already been shot at. Someone else has decided that I am already in this, don't you think I at least deserve to know who?"

"Of course you do…. But I have calculated this over and over. You are 75 percent more likely to get hurt if I give you even one clue."

"Alright Charlie, but where does this morning fit into your calculations. I was nearly killed. Doesn't that variable change anything?"

Charlie just looked down at the floor. That's just it, Charlie thought, it changes everything.

Don threw his hands up into the air and approached the cell door. He had never been one for enclosed spaces and this space was getting small fast. Charlie could be so frustrating at times. As soon as the cell door was opened and he stepped out he realized what he was thinking. If he was disturbed by two minutes in that cell what must it be doing to Charlie?

"I will come by to see you soon Charlie."

Charlie nodded stepping up to the bars, "Tell Dad… tell him I'm fine…"

Don smiled, "So we are both lying to him then?"

Charlie nodded and Don turned toward the door and the outside world.