Jacob's Revenge

Chapter three

The following morning Deaq staked out Van's apartment. If Van or Wendy came out he was going to follow them and see what this was all about. He had the entire day since they wouldn't be working the case till later that evening. His wait was in vain. Neither Van nor Wendy came in or out of the building. At seven thirty Deaq pulled in front of the building and waited for Van. He came out and gingerly got into the car. Deaq could tell he was hurting.

"Any new bruises?" He asked, not knowing how Van might react to his asking.

"Deaq I'm fine, will you just drop it."

"I'll drop it when you tell me what's going on."

"Just let it alone." He said wearily.

"Just tell me what's going on Van. Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"Damn it Deaq!" Van was starting to get irritated.

"Where did you get those bruises?" Deaq wasn't about to let Van get away without telling him. "What happened?"

"I don't know!" Van shouted. "Are you happy?...I just don't know." Van shut his eyes for a few seconds then turned his head and looked out the window.

"You don't know? How the hell can't you know Van? Some of those bruises look really painful. How can you not know how you got them?"

"I don't know Deaq." Van looked over at him and he could see the fear in his eyes. "I just wake up and they're there."

"Van, we need to tell Billie. You need to go back to the hospital. Maybe your head injury didn't heal properly and you have some kind of clot or something that's making you forget what happened. We really…"

"No Deaq. I don't want Billie to know." Van interrupted him.

"Why not!" Deaq could think of no reason Billie shouldn't know.

"I'm fine as long as I'm on the job. I don't want Billie taking me off it. This is what I do…If she takes this away from me…I'll have nothing."

"But Van, you must be having some kind of black outs or something if you don't remember how you got hurt. You need to have a doctor take a look at you. Something's wrong, you could be bleeding inside your head."

Van sat silently looking out of the window.

"When this case is over…I'll check myself into the hospital. But don't tell Billie Deaq. Promise me. I'll tell her when the case is over…Please… let me just finish this case."

"Okay, but when this is over…" Deaq didn't like not telling Billie but he didn't want to further agitate Van. He felt a cold stab of pain in his heart as he looked over at his partner. "It'll be okay. They'll fix you up and you'll be fine." Deaq said more to comfort himself then Van. He prayed he was right. He remembered the head injuries Van had suffered before and prayed that he wasn't having complications from them.

"Thanks partner." Van gave him a small smile.

It was strange but Van was right. While they were working the case Van seemed fine. It was at the end of the day when Deaq would drop him off that he seemed overly tired. Why would that be he wondered? And where was he getting these bruises? Had he really stepped in front of a car like he said, or…had he been in a fight, and if he had, with whom? A million questions flashed through Deaq's mind.

The next morning at the Candy Store

Billie was sitting at her desk sipping on a cup of coffee while she read the morning paper. She glanced up when they came in.

"How's it going?" She asked putting the paper down.

"Everything's gong fine Billie." Van quickly said glancing at Deaq before he could say anything.

"Gains took the bait?"

"Hook, line and sinker Billie." Deaq said as he reached down and picked up the front page. "Anything new?" He asked as he read the headlines.

"Well maybe if you bought your own paper you could keep up with the news." She said giving him a small smile.

"Why waste a buck when I have you Billie." Deaq grinned back at her. An article about a string of liquor store robberies in the L.A. area caught his attention. " Damn , who ever is doing this must be good. Twelve robberies and they don't even have a suspect." He looked at Billie. "Hey Billie, maybe when Van and I wrap up this case we could earn a little extra money by tracking down the perp."

"I think the city has enough cops working on the case." She glanced over at Van and noticed he wasn't paying any attention to them but stood staring down at the paper. She looked over at Deaq who shrugged his shoulders. He knew if he said anything to Billie about Van's bruises and him not remembering how he got them she would order him to see a doctor. But as much as he hated it, he had promised Van he wouldn't tell Billie as long as he would tell her after the case was over. But Deaq also knew if Van didn't tell Billie then he was definitely going to. If something was wrong with his partner he wanted it fixed, and fixed before he did some serious harm to himself.

"Van." Billie said, but when he didn't answer her she spoke to him again, only a little louder. "Van."

He looked up.

"Huh."

"What's going on with you Van? You seem to be out of it lately."

"I'm fine Billie. Don't you start getting on me like him." He said angrily nodding his head toward Deaq.

Billie was slightly taken back. She didn't expect him to jump on her.

"Look, I don't know what your problem is lately but lose the attitude…Now!"

Van's facial expression slowly softened.

"Sorry Billie."

"What are you so edgy about? Is it the case?"

"No…No Billie the case is going fine, no problems."

"Well, you look…wiped out." She couldn't think of a word to describe Van's appearance. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"Billie I'm fine, just a little tired."

"You look more then just a little tired Van. If there's any thing wrong, maybe we can help."

Van gave her a small smile.

"I appreciate the offer but there's nothing wrong. Just a few personal problems I need to work out but nothing that will interfere with the case."

"Well, if you're sure." Billie wasn't convinced but didn't want to push Van further for information. If he was having personal problems, he was a big boy and could deal with them on his own.

Deaq had remained quiet throughout the conversation but one look at Van and he knew Van blamed him for Billie's questions. He knew once they were alone he'd hear about it, which he did.

Later on the way to meet Gains

They had talked over tonight's meeting with Gains with Billie and were on their way to the club where they were to cement the deal. They had driven a few minutes in complete silence when Van turned toward Deaq.

"Well, I see you couldn't keep your mouth shut." Van suddenly blurted out.

"Look Van, I told you I wouldn't say anything and I didn't."

"Then why all those questions?"

"You know Billie Van, she's worried about you, because to tell the truth you look like hell partner. Did you think she wouldn't notice?"

Van turned his head and looked out the window.

"Look Van, we're worried about you. We don't mean to stick our noses into your business but…"

Van looked back at Deaq.

"I know…I know…And I don't mean to jump on you. I'm having a little trouble sleeping and it's making me a little…"

"Edgy." Deaq finished the sentence.

"Yeah, edgy…Sorry." Van grinned at Deaq. "We still cool partner?" He held up his fist.

"Yeah we're still cool." Deaq tapped his fist with Van's.

As worried as Deaq was about Van, he knew they had to keep their minds on the case. Gains was a dangerous man and they couldn't afford to be arguing with each other till the case was over.

The Club

As soon as they walked into the club they could feel the tension in the air. Gains and three of his men sat at their customary table in the back of the club, hidden by a curtain. Van and Deaq walked over to them and stood in front of the table. As if on cue they could hear the club begin to empty out behind them. Deaq shifted nervously slowly moving his hand down toward his hidden gun.

"I heard some talk about you two." Gains said glaring up at them.

"What kind of talk?" Van asked.

"I heard you were cops."

"Now who would have told you that?" Van said giving him a small smile but his body tensed as he waited for what ever was to come.

"A mutual friend." He nodded to his three men who quickly drew their weapons.

TBC