Chapter 1: A Day Off
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West Potomac Park, Washington D. C.
Saturday, May 29, 1 p.m.
"Space your feet a bit wider. That's it." Myles' voice in her ear was a welcome distraction from contemplating the five miserable putts she'd made so far. "Tighten your grip a little." His arms were around her, his hands folded over hers on the club. Elizabeth Dillingham closed her eyes and allowed herself a moment of getting lost in his touch and the scent of his after-shave.
"I still say this is the blind leading the blind," Bobby drawled from a few feet away. He was sitting on the grass near the small putting green, his arm draped around Darcy D'Angelo. "One 'Hail Mary' putt against Jeff Vance does not qualify you to be an instructor."
Myles looked over at him. "Do you mind? You're messing up her concentration."
Elizabeth laughed and turned in his arms so she could look at him. "Actually, I'm starting to think Bobby's right. I think you're helping me miss on purpose."
"Now why would I do that?" His face was all innocence.
"Because," she replied with a smile, grabbing one edge of the collar on his golf shirt, "this gives you an excuse for a public display of affection in front of your co-workers." She turned to Bobby and Darcy. "'Scuse us for just a sec."
"Righto. I'm sure we can find something to do." They pointedly turned their backs, snuggling closer into an embrace at the same time.
Elizabeth turned back to Myles, pulled on the collar and drew him into a kiss. "There. Better?"
His arms tightened around her. "Mmmm….much."
"Good." She shrugged him off. "Now get out of my way." She heard laughs from the other couple as Myles stepped back, grinning.
Elizabeth lined up the shot, took a breath, and tapped the ball with the putter. The white sphere shot straight for the cup and dropped in cleanly. "There." She nodded once, then turned to the rest of them. "That's enough golf for today. Let's go see what the others are up to."
They walked across the grass toward the picnic table where the rest of the group was congregated. Jack, David Palmer, Dimitrius and D's son Davey were playing Frisbee. Tara, Sue, Lucy and Donna Gans were chatting at the table as they set out lunch. Tanya Gans was tossing a stick for Levi.
It was the first Saturday the team had had off in about two months, and it coincided with the first really warm spring day in D.C. Winter had lingered a bit this year, but now the cherry blossoms were out in abundance, the sun was warm in a cloudless sky, and nobody wanted to be indoors.
Elizabeth broke away from Myles for a minute to go give Tara a hug. "Hey, you made it. I was starting to wonder."
Tara laughed. "That's what I get for putting off doing my laundry. How was the golf lesson?"
"Well, I'm not sure how much of a lesson it actually was. I think someone had ulterior motives." She waved off his protest with a smile. "Give me a tennis racket over a golf club any day."
Darcy looked up. "You play tennis? I didn't know that."
"Me neither," Bobby added. "Why didn't you tell us, Myles? We could get a mixed-doubles match together."
Tara grinned. "I know why he's been so quiet about it in the eight months they've been dating. What's the score at now, Liz? Princeton-12, Harvard-3, isn't it?"
Myles held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, yes — as much as I hate to admit it, she's cleaning up the court with me." The look he gave her indicated he really didn't mind. "But, hey, maybe a mixed-doubles match is a good idea. What do you think, love? Shall we take on the Kangaroo Kid and his lovely sidekick?"
Elizabeth flashed a quick grin at Tara, then walked over to him and slipped her arm around his waist. "I think you'll have a much better chance of winning if we're on the same side of the net."
"Oh, thank you so much."
Sue saved him from any more abuse by calling over to the Frisbee foursome. "Guys! Lunch is ready!"
As David Palmer walked up and gave Sue a hug, Tara sighed. "I wish Sam was down here, instead of up on Cape Cod."
"What, you mean he hasn't bought a townhouse down here yet?" Lucy teased. "I'm surprised he's still letting you rent your apartment, after the car he bought you."
Tara blushed. "He offered to buy the whole building, but I told him I'd rather have a good reason to keep working with you all – I put up with a whole lot more if I have bills to pay." She grinned at Myles. "Your twin really surprised me – for someone whose whole life was video games, he's certainly picked up on the full-blown courting routine."
"Oh, his life wasn't all video games," Myles replied thoughtfully, and for a brief second the team had the vague feeling things were about to get serious. Then Myles let a grin slip past and he added, "About half of it consisted of his cat."
A laugh rolled around the table, and Bobby shook his head. "That brother of yours...hey, how's he doing, anyway? Liz?"
Elizabeth smiled, but shrugged her shoulders. "You mean, in regards to a couple months ago? I don't know, except what he tells me or Myles. You understand, I'm not his therapist. I don't have any more privileges over 'patient-doctor confidentiality' than you do."
"He's doing alright," Tara answered when it was clear that Myles was going to say nothing. "I was talking to him on the phone last night, and he's gotten a job at a local coffee shop. He doesn't need the money, but it's therapy, or something like that. I suspect it's partially because he can sneak espressos when Gregory's not around to watch him..."
Dimitrius chuckled at that. "Like he needs the caffeine."
Elizabeth laughed, then glanced at Myles for a moment. He nodded, and she turned back to the group. "Sam needs to get comfortable someplace besides inside his video games. A job where he has to be around real people should help him focus on something other than the past, and he won't be so quick to try to drown it out with whatever noise he can. I think he'll be just fine. And I know Tara's helping a whole lot." She grinned at her friend.
A bit more teasing went on as they ate; no one was exempt, and it made for a very relaxed atmosphere. When lunch was over, the adults lounged on the grass while Davey and Tanya took Levi for a run.
"Hey, Darcy," Lucy said, "what's your latest article going to be on? Or is it 'top secret'?"
The reporter laughed, a bit hesitantly. "Not top secret, but not exactly uplifting, either. I'm following the Black Rose Murders."
Tara shivered. "Man, I'm glad that one's not in our field area. Too spooky."
"Have they found anything linking the victims?" Sue asked.
Darcy shook her head. "I don't think so, although of course no one official is really saying one way or the other." She swatted Bobby playfully on the back. "And I actually put up with it now, thanks to a corrupting influence on my journalistic tenacity."
The Aussie, lying on his stomach with his arms folded in front of him, turned to grin up at her. "Corrupting, nothing. I saved you from a life of chronic cynicism. Bad enough that Myles is beyond hope; I couldn't let a spunk like you share that fate."
Before Myles could retort, Jack spoke up. "Oh, I've seen you on the edge of that fate a few times in your life, Crash. Just goes with the job sometimes." He sighed. "I do wish we got more days like this. It feels like we've been cooped up in that office forever."
"Well," Dimitrius said, pulling Donna a little closer to him, "here's hoping we can have a quiet week before we have to save the world again."
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Leland Home, Washington DC
Sunday, 30 May
4:45 am
Myles stirred, and opened his eyes to a blue television screen and Elizabeth curled up next to him on the sofa. The Grapes of Wrath had apparently ended several hours ago; they'd both fallen asleep during it.
He looked down at her, debating whether to try to move or just let her sleep. As he watched her, relaxed with her head on his chest and her hand still in his, a thought popped into his head: I could get used to waking up like this, with her… What was most surprising was that the thought was not immediately followed by what Bobby called the "single man's survival scream;" a momentary panic over the thought of settling down.
They'd been together since the end of last September – eight months now, and they'd been through a bit more in that time than most couples dealt with in a lifetime. He'd thought he'd lost her, awhile back, when he'd come very close to losing his life in doing his job. She had struggled with it, backed off for the two weeks he spent recovering from Ebola, then had walked back into his life with "let peace begin – with us" on her lips. Whatever path his career led him on, she would walk it with him voluntarily. That fact still left him a little awestruck even now, three months later. More recently she had been there as well, had helped to heal a rift between Sam and himself that he'd thought was irreparable; his twin was back, close, and he marveled at it each day.
Elizabeth was so much a part of his life now that he couldn't imagine life without her. Maybe it's time to do something about that. The voice in his head surprised him, but again, the only emotion it evoked was warmth, rather than fear. He smiled, watching her still, then leaned over and gently placed a kiss on her forehead.
She stirred, her green eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at him. "Oh, hi," she murmured sleepily. "What time is it?"
"About 5 am," he replied, pulling her close. "I'm sorry I woke you."
"It's ok." She snuggled against him. "I think I like waking up next to you." She paused; then, realizing what she'd said, she blushed slightly. "Oh…sorry. That just kind of slipped out."
He laughed softly. "Don't apologize. I was just thinking the same thing." His gaze softened. "You know, I—"
He was interrupted by the phone ringing. He sighed and picked it up, knowing full well there was only one thing that would constitute a call at five in the morning. Now I know how D must feel at times. "Leland."
"Myles?" Jack's voice was urgent. "Better get in here. Darcy's article just got localized."
Myles' eyes widened. "A Black Rose murder? Here in DC?" He was already on his feet. He looked at Elizabeth again; she was sitting up, wide awake now.
"Yes."
"I'll be there in fifteen minutes." Myles started to say something to Elizabeth, but she shook her head.
"Go," she said, standing up. "No apology needed, love. Go."
He took her face in his hands and gave her a lingering kiss. "You are amazing. I hope you're still this understanding after we've been married for twenty years." Her eyebrows went up, and he suddenly realized what he'd said. "I mean—"
She laughed. "I love you, too. Now go on; they're waiting for you."
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