Closing In
The '68 Mustang pulled into a parking spot outside the Coffee Shop. They went straight to Judy's booth, Doug slid in beside her while Tom and Ninja sat on the other side of the table. "What's so important that we had to meet before school Jude?" Tom asked, not wanting to waste any time in case someone was watching.
Judy warped her hands around her mug, "Your handler came through, Ninja. Smith was a Marine but was dishonorably discharged for a whole list of things. All of which he did when he was stationed in the Middle East and that got Richter all riled up. We haven't found anything on Webb yet but Ioki's looking." "So we'll be careful around them both today. Why don't you talk to the friends of the missing kids and see if they had anything to do with Webb or Smith." Ninja suggested, wondering, "Did Richter say anything about me?" "Just for you to be careful and for us to watch our backs."
"Understood. Can you make sure Smith's file is still at the Chapel tomorrow? I want to read it for myself." Ninja said before she started on the crypto quote while the others chatted about their classes and teachers. Judy left at 7 and the McQuaid brothers and Ninja followed five minutes later.
Walking into the school, Ninja realized, "We forgot our backpacks." "We don't need backpacks because we're … THE MCQUAID BROTHERS!" Tom and Doug yelled, causing an echo in the near-empty halls as the bell rang. "I have had it up to here with your antics this morning. Please, just sit and don't annoy me for the next few hours and you two might just make it to lunch." Ninja said, getting into character as they walked into Webb's classroom. Webb crossed his arms and glared at the three undercovers, "McQuaids, Turner. You're late. If you're late two more times I'll have no choice but to give you detention. Now take your seats." They walked quietly to their desks and promptly fell asleep.
Seeing all three of his new students asleep, Webb strolled toward them. "Miss Turner." Ninja sighed in response. "Miss Turner!" a bit more forceful. "What?" She snapped as she looked up at Webb. Irritated, Webb quickly thought of a question, "I said, George Washington crossed what on Christmas day, 1776?" "Any third-grader knows that Washington crossed the Delaware River on the evening of December 25, 1776. Any other questions?" Ninja smirked, expecting him to be angry. But to her visible surprise, Webb coolly replied, "No, Miss Turner, but lose the attitude or wind up with detention." Ninja silently berated herself for showing her surprise as she declared, "If you don't want attitude then don't wake me up for stupid questions."
Webb eyed her with hidden caution, nodding while the bell rang. Hurriedly shouting that they didn't have homework, Webb watched Tommy McQuaid take Kathleen Turner's hand and pulled the reluctant girl into the crowded hallway. Then he remembered, Derek wants just Turner and Tommy McQuaid. I need to figure out how to separate the McQuaid's. And soon.
The rest of the day went fairly well. The McQuaid brothers carefully pushed their teachers to their limits, Doug more so than Tommy, while Ninja continued to have a bad day. As Tommy and Ninja walked to the gym, he wondered if it would like yesterday. Moving his arm around her shoulder, Ninja whispered, "Thanks for being there for me this morning, Tommy." "Not a problem, Kat. If you want to talk about anything, I'm here." Tommy whispered back, gently kissing her cheek trying to convey that he's not going anywhere.
"I know, Tommy. I'm the one not ready to relive it just yet." Ninja sighed, cutting off any commit or protest with a kiss. And Tom deepened the kiss, holding her face in his hands while fighting not to go any farther. Once again, they completely ignore the figure hiding in the shadows, She won't fight and I'll have to give her detention. Now all John has to do is get the younger McQuaid in detention.
Pulling away, Ninja smiled at Tom before saying, "We better stop before your brother finds us kissing again." Tommy's faint smile quickly faded when he saw an irritated Doug walking toward them, "Too late." Ninja spun around, almost hitting the larger man square in the chest. "Oh. Sorry, I didn't think you were so close." Ninja apologized, noticing his frustrated look, she added, "What's wrong, Dougie?"
Doug ran a hand down his face and gave an exasperated sigh, "Mr. Ramsey gave me detention for practically no reason. I didn't even make the joke, I can't help it if I have a loud laugh. And don't call me Dougie, Kathleen." "I won't call you Dougie if you quit calling me Kathleen. But if I hear you say it, I'll call you Dougie for the rest of your life." Ninja proposed, holding out her hand. "Deal." He agreed, shaking her hand before they walked through the double doors.
Smith had slipped away when the older McQuaid showed up, pondering as he walked into his office. Doug McQuaid would make a marvelous slave if he'd follow orders. Which I highly doubt unless he's given the proper incentive. A wicked grin appeared on his handsome features that grew wider as he watched his quarry enter the gym before he adopted the typical coach's look and left his office.
All the students stopped talking and watched as the former Marine crossed the wood floor, bellowing, "We're going outside today." The two officers and the young agent stayed in the back of the crowd of students as everybody filed outside to the sunshine soaked baseball field. Doug wondered, "What game do you think we're playing?" "Well, it's either going to be baseball or kickball." Ninja surmised. Smith got the group's attention by blowing his whistle before speaking, "We're playing kickball and I'll be picking teams."
Both teams were even but Ninja wasn't on one yet. "Turner, want to be the all-time pitcher?" Smith asked, raising an eyebrow over a pair of cobalt eyes that looked eerily familiar to Ninja, but she couldn't quite place them. "Sure. Can't promise I'll pitch straight, but it'll be fun."
The game was half over when Smith told them, "Go get some water and hurry back!" When Tommy noticed that Ninja wasn't following, he tried to turn and look for her but Doug shoved him toward the door. Not realizing they had left Ninja alone with a very dangerous man. Seeing Ninja still on the field, Smith decided to start earning her trust, "Why are you not getting a drink?" "Not thirsty." She shrugged. "I've been wondering where you're from?" Smith asked, pushing for some more conversion before everybody came back.
Ninja knew what he was doing so she played along, "Tennessee. Doug and Tommy were visiting their grandparents this summer and Dad hired them as farmhands to give 'em a job. Like with all summer hands, I showed them what to do around the farm and ended up spending more time with them than Dad liked." "Ahh, your dad doesn't want to lose his little princess. Does he know where you are?" Smith questioned, he knew their time was quickly drawing to a close. Ninja's head bobbed as she scuffed her shoe in the dirt, "Yeah and he's not happy that Mom's letting me live with my Uncle Reggie. But there's not much he can do since he's stationed in Cape Town till next March."
That piqued his interest, just like she thought it would, "Your dad in the military?" "First Sergeant in the Marine Corps." She answered as the class came back outside, abruptly ending their conversion. However, both walked away believing that the other trusted them.
Tommy's team won the game which infuriated Doug, "No fair. Their captain's dating the pitcher, Coach." "Face it, Doug, I'm better than you at some things." Tommy smirked, ready to fight his 'brother' over their words. Smith got between the two friends to keep them from fighting, "No fistfights on my watch, McQuaid's. Now hit the showers and report to the buses or detention!" The students thundered off the field and inside the supposedly safe school.
"I got detention with Mr. Ramsey today." Doug reminded his partners as they emerged from the gym. "We'll wait for you in the car," Tommy said absentmindedly, wondering, What will Ninja want to talk about or do while we wait for Doug. "We'll work on figuring out supper. See you later, Doug." Ninja called after him as they split up. One to a classroom and two to the parking lot where a powder blue Mustang was waiting.
"What do you want for dinner, Tommy?" Ninja inquired as they crossed the almost empty parking lot. Tom thought while he unlocked the passenger side door, answering, "Tacos sound good. Can you make tacos or are we eating out tonight?" "I've made tacos before, Tommy. But we need to stop and pick up a few things. Tortillas, salsa, and whatever else you and Doug want." Ninja chuckled as Tom slid into the driver's seat. He was about to say something when a knock on the window made them both jump.
Rolling down his window, Tommy asked, snapping his gum. "What's up, Coach?" "I was about to ask you the same thing, McQuaid," Smith said as he raised his eyebrows, waiting for an answer. "Just making dinner plans while waiting for my brother to get out of detention. Need something?" Tommy stated, quietly hoping, for the first time since he started this job, that the suspect would go away. Smith eyed them suspiciously but seemed to believe it; saying, "Just don't get in any trouble while you two wait. See you kids tomorrow." before walking toward his maroon Pontiac Bonneville.
"Finally, we're alone," Tommy huffed, rolling up his window before turning her chin and gently placed a light kiss on her soft, rosy lips. Ninja intertwined her fingers in his luscious brown hair as she deepened the kiss, surprising Tom with her sudden change. Periodically opening her eyes, Ninja kept kissing Tom until the maroon car Smith had gotten into had pulled out of the parking lot and was out of sight. A slight groan escaped her lips as they parted for a breath, not wanting to separate. "Glad you enjoyed it," Tom said, flashing a playful grin while his gorgeous chocolate eyes betrayed his heart.
Feeling like a young schoolgirl, Ninja tentatively smiled back, nodding before asking, "Did you?" Tom leaned over and pressed his dark cherry lips to her forehead, "Mm hum. You watched Smith leave, didn't ya?" "Yeah." Ninja answered, looking at her hands in her lap; not knowing why she was embarrassed. Tom laughed before catching himself, "You don't have to be embarrassed for doing your job, Ninja. To be honest, if his car was to where I could see it, I doubt I could've watched it like you did. I've never seen anybody with as much self-control as you." Ninja's rich, vivid laugh sent shivers down Tom's spine and a smile to his face. "What? What'd I say that's so funny?"
"Your 'self-control' compliment. You've never seen me lose control, Tom. And I hope you never do." Ninja said, a dark tone creeping into the last sentence. Tom wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, whispering more to himself than to Ninja, "I'm not afraid of you, Ninja. And I'll be by your side as long as you want me to be." Ninja smiled to herself as she shifted to get more comfortable while they waited for Doug in silence.