Chapter Three

Steve had given Ted instructions to hold off touching the car anymore until he and Mike could get a lab team there to go over it. Mike had heard the urgency in Steve's voice and came out hurriedly. He waited while Steve called the lab and requested Charlie have a couple of his people get over to Palmer's Auto World to go over his driver's seat and see what they could pick up.

Mike got his hat and coat on and as soon as Steve finished his call to the lab they headed out with Steve explaining on the way what Ted Palmer had told him. By the time they arrived at Palmer's Auto World they found Charlie and one of his lab people with Steve's driver's seat out of the car giving it a thorough going over. They stood out of the way but where they could read the message themselves.

"It looks like Meg's shade of lipstick."

"Now how would you...never mind forget I was even going to ask that, of course you would know her lipstick."

When Charlie and his helper were finished going over not only the driver's seat but the rest of Steve's car they promised to have results as soon as possible. Steve and Mike took a look through the rest of Steve's car to try to see if there was any indication of who might be the perpetrator. Finally Steve told Ted Palmer that he could go ahead and have his workers clean up the car and assured they would fix the seat back in along with the other work they had to do on his car, he and Mike departed.

Steve's mind was whirling with thoughts as they drove, Mike could feel the surge of emotions coming from his partner and urged him to talk rather than bottling up everything as was his normal habit.

"I guess I just wonder how she could hate that strongly. I mean, Mike I break one date with her and if this was her doing she went overboard with it."

"You did say though she had broken a couple of dates with you before, right?"

"More than a couple; try at least five or six that I can count. That is why when she blew up about me taking a raincheck on one date I got angry, because I thought she had some nerve. Her tirade the other day did not help matters any, especially her going off on Jeannie. I mean it was bad enough her trying to keep me on that rollercoaster with her but when she tried to drag Jeannie on it, I seriously could have kicked her rear end."

"Don't let that bother you, buddy boy, it didn't bother Jeannie really. She was more concerned about you having to deal with what you dealt with. Both of us are just happy you are free of that female. She did seem more than a bit of a powder keg. Now we just have to find out if she is the powder keg that waged this vendetta on your car."

"You don't honestly think anyone is going to care that war was waged on a car do you, Mike? I mean it is glass and metal and can be replaced pretty easily to most people."

"What have I told you all these years you have been with me, Steve?"

"You have told me a lot of different things, Mike give me a clue which what you are talking about this time."

"Your car is just a piece of the bigger picture. Whoever did that to your car could very well be planning a bigger vendetta so we need to find out who it is and put a stop to it if at all possible."

Mike was not sure whether to have Steve sitting in on a talk with Meg Sawyer or not. He debated the matter with his conscience; he also debated whether it would be plausible to question her. He knew they had no proof of her being connected but she could be considered a person of interest. He went with his gut feeling and decided to at least have her questioned informally.

He took Bill Tanner with him finding Steve some tasks he claimed needed done immediately to keep him occupied. The talk that Mike planned with Steve's former friend did not go exactly as Mike had thought. While he and Bill Tanner had found her a bit nervous about the questions they had, neither truly got the sense she was the perpetrator. When they left though talking in the car they both agreed she had seemed angry regarding Steve. They thought it might be possible she might have paid someone to wage a vendetta against Steve but not take direct action herself.

"Do you feel she might bear some watching, Mike? I mean I know she did not seem like the one that did it to me, but still there was something nagging at me about her."

"We'll put a team on her just in case. I know even if she is not the perpetrator she could know who we are looking for. Let's get on back, Bill, before Steve figured out I gave him busy work."

When they returned to homicide Mike was met by his partner who had gotten a call from a very angry young woman. Mike could tell from Steve's eyes that he knew exactly where Mike had been. Steve had the sense to wait until Mike got to put his hat and coat on his rack before he spoke his mind.

"You had me doing busy work while you went to question Meg. Did you think I could not control my temper?"

"Now, Steve, you know that although you are a detective you also are the victim; besides that it would have been a conflict of interest. And what I was more concerned with than your temper was the way she would possibly react with you there. I guess she called and informed you we had paid her a visit; that is the only way you could have known because Bill and I were the only two that knew otherwise."

"You better believe she called me. I had no clue what she was yelling about, but I doubt she believed me. Mike, next time couldn't you at least tell me what is going on instead of just giving me busy work? I mean I will understand if you say it is best I stay here while you go with Bill to do the questioning. At least it is better than doing things that honestly were not that urgent just to give you the chance to sneak out of here. We are supposed to be partners and I thought part of that was keeping each other informed."

Mike stared at Steve for a minute knowing the boy was absolutely right. He had been so concerned with how best to keep Steve occupied and his reaction about Meg being questioned he did not think.

"You are right, Steve. Yes, part of it is keeping each other informed as good as we can. I did feel it was best this time that you were not with me and I should have told you."

"It's okay, Mike I just would rather hear things from you than be hit out of left field."

Mike made the big gesture and got both a cup of coffee and with Bill Tanner both brought Steve up to speed on their talk with Meg Sawyer. Steve accepted their observations of Meg Sawyer quietly not sure what to think any longer. He knew anything was possible with any person you might know so understood them not ruling her out totally. Mike saw the time and recalled a date Steve and Jeannie had for that evening.

"Buddy boy, you better not be late picking up my daughter, not since you kids have tickets for that concert."

"I thought maybe I should call her and..." Steve started but saw both Mike and Bill as they shook their heads very seriously.

"You aren't married yet, Steve but let me give you a little lesson on how to make your life easier when you are. If you have plans for a once in a lifetime thing such as a concert do NOT change those plans especially on the day the concert is to be. Oh sure Jeannie might say she understands and it can't be helped but believe me you will be paying for that call you are thinking of making. I would wager you will be paying for it until you are grey haired if it is like the concert I had to back out of taking Maxine to. Trust me on this and go out with Jeannie and have a good time. Forget about this situation for a little while at least."