Just Turn Left
Chapter 3
Family
As he pulled up to his father's house, he ran through the last few weeks. He had barely seen RJ as she became busier with the holidays. Her restaurants were booming and she spent any free time she had with her godson. Teddy was a happy little boy. It amazed Joe that Teddy managed to bounce back from the loss of his parents and grandparents at such a young age. He was still struggling with the loss of his mother.
"Oi, Joe!" Jamie called out. Joe spun around and smiled when he spotted his brother walking up the stairs.
"Hey Jamie, how's that girl of yours?" Joe asked as they climbed the last of the steps to the house. Jamie grinned as he updated Joe. Joe half listened as his mind wandered once again towards RJ once again.
"Joe you still listening?" Jamie asked as they walked into the kitchen. Joe shook his head as he redirected his attention.
"Sorry I am just worried about someone," Joe said as they pulled food from various places in the kitchen.
"Why are you worried?" Jamie asked.
"I haven't been able to see her lately and I think she's pushing herself to hard," Joe said.
"Do you want me or Syd to pop in and check on her?" Jamie asked. "I hear she's got a couple of great restaurants so it wouldn't be remiss if we happened to have a date in one."
"I don't know," Joe hesitated. His phone chimed with a text message. Joe sighed. "She just cancelled again." He quietly pulled plates down from a cupboard. "She'll be at Nox this week and Protego the next week." Jamie nodded as they began to pull dinner into the dining room.
"Are you sure Joe wants us to check in on her?" Sydney asked as she got ready for dinner.
"Yes I'm sure," Jamie called out from the bathroom. "He's worried about her and she keeps ducking him. He thinks that she'll be more likely to talk to you or me."
"Why is that?" Sydney called back.
"Because we're lawyers not cops," Jamie said as he straightened out his shirt. Sydney gave him a concerned look.
"Is she a criminal?" Sydney wondered. Jamie chuckled.
"No her parents were both MI-6 and she was too for several years," Jamie told her as he picked up his wallet. "She's just worried about getting close to him. She's lost several people over the years including her parents when she was a baby."
"She's an orphan?" Sydney asked in surprise. "Who raised her after her parents died?"
"Her dad's old partner and her godfather," said Jamie. "He died when she was 18. Blood clot in the brain."
"Did she ever marry?" Sydney wondered.
"Not that I know of," Jamie said as Sydney locked up.
"Then is Teddy adopted?" Sydney wondered.
"Teddy is her godson," Jamie said. "He's an orphan too. He lost his parents to the job within a month of each other. Teddy lost his grandmother two months later and she came to the states 6 months later."
As they ate their food Jamie scanned the restaurant to see if he could spot RJ. However he was distracted by the amazing food. Soon conversation picked up about random things going on in their lives. A waiter came out to ask if they wanted dessert and Jamie was surprised to see it wasn't an ordinary waiter but the restaurant owner herself.
"RJ?" Jamie asked surprised. She reared back in surprise.
"Do I know you?" she wondered.
"You know his brother, Joe," Sydney told her as she pursued the dessert menu. "We were bugging him about his knack for having access to good food lately. He finally told us about you and your restaurants. The food is amazing."
"He has you two checking up on me, doesn't he?" RJ asked amused. "I should have figured. Could I talk to you in private Jamie?" Jamie glanced at Sydney who nodded her consent.
"Sure," Jamie said as he followed her into her office. "What's going on?"
"I need to make a will," she told him bluntly. Jamie starred at her in surprise.
"Is there any particular reason why?" Jamie asked. RJ sighed.
"There has been a string of robberies in this neighborhood other restaurants and I'm all Teddy has," RJ said as she paced the length of the room.
"So you've been avoiding Joe because of this?" Jamie wondered. She starred at him in surprise.
"No, no," she denied.
"You can drop by my office and I can go over everything with you so I can get your will written," Jamie said as he handed her his card. "If you hear anything about those robberies, I put my sister's number on the back as well as my dad's. Either one can help there."
"Thanks," she said quietly as she fingered the card he handed her. "I overheard him talking to someone, that's why I have been avoiding him."
"What did you overhear that had you avoiding him?" Jamie wondered.
"He-I'm not sure if I should say anything," she said as she chewed on her lips. Jamie raised an eyebrow.
"We have attorney client privilege right now, you can tell me anything," Jamie reminded her. RJ sighed.
"I um-I think he's undercover for something big," she admitted. "But I can tell it's dangerous and I'm worried about him. I've lost enough people Jamie, I can't bare to lose him too."
"I had no idea," Jamie said dumbfounded. "Are you sure? What did you hear exactly?"
"I'm not sure if I should tell you," she hesitated.
"Who would you be willing to tell?" Jamie asked.
"Your father."
"Baker please come in here," Frank said as he looked at his schedule for the day.
"Yes sir," she said as she took a seat in front of him.
"Why do I have an appointment with Lady Potter-Black and why did I not already know about this?"
"Your son Jamie made the appointment for her as her attorney," Detective Baker informed him.
"What is the stated purpose of this meeting?" He asked as he began to reach for his phone.
"Confidential, she wouldn't even tell him under attorney-client privilege," she admitted. "However he did say that it had to do with Joe being undercover and working with the F.B.I."
"I haven't sanctioned any undercover operations for him," Frank said surprised. "How did I not know about this?"
"I believe that is part of what she would like to talk with you about," Detective Baker informed him. Frank sighed.
"You are dismissed," he said as he dialed the number for his son Jamie.
"Hello?"
"Jamie could you please tell me what is going on?"