Chapter 2
XXXXX
"We've been trying to reach Rose and Will since early this morning," Jake Freeman said as he moved to sit behind his desk. He was the CEO of Juno Pharmaceuticals and his office featured large floor to ceiling windows. His furniture was sleek and expensive. "I wanted to know how their presentation went but neither one has returned my calls."
"Yes, I know, we've been trying to reach them as well," Danny replied. He distrusted men like Jake. In their custom-made Armani suits, Rolex watches, and polished smiles.
"What sort of presentation were they giving?" Sam asked in full agent mode. That's what special agents do. When the person being interviewed would say something, they would ask a follow up question. She knew her role well and that's what her life felt like; playing a role. She was just going through the motions of her life for the last few months. She was like an actress playing the role of Samantha Spade only there was no one nearby who could give her a copy of the script. She lacked the luxury of shouting out, "Line!" where someone could tell her what she had to say next. She once thought she knew how her story was going to play out: Jack admitted to her that it was a mistake to let her go so she took him back and they were supposed to live happily ever after. She finally got what she wanted after all. But it seems that the age old adage was true: Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.
"Yeah, we're developing some synthetic chemicals that can be used by the Department of Defense to counteract the effects of anthrax. It's pretty cutting edge." Jack smiled and Sam could practically see the dollar signs flashing in his eyes.
"A defense contract is a lot of money," Danny said as he crossed his legs, eyeing the slick exec. "Any chance the Grimaldi's would get a piece of that?"
Jake's lips twitched into a grin as he shook his head. "Nah, they're strictly research."
"Any chance another company would want do anything to get a copy of this research, maybe enough to kidnap their son so they would give up whatever information they have?" Sam asked, glancing around Jake's extravagantly decorated office.
"Are you implying that Richie was taken as part of some kind of espionage?" Jake asked, his eyes darting back and forth between Danny and Sam.
"So you think it is possible?" Danny asked; his eyes boring into Jake.
"I honestly don't see how," Jake replied. "They were just one component of the research. We had an entire team working on it."
"But they were an integral part right?" Sam said as she shifted in her seat and sat straight up. "I mean, they were the ones you sent to this conference to give the presentation in L.A. so they must be highly knowledgeable right?"
"Yeah, they were," Jake replied, his smug expression falling. He frowned and said, "Oh my God, I can't believe this…"
Sam and Danny shared a look, each knowing that they just may have uncovered the motive. Danny stood up and thanked Jake for talking to them and to be sure to contact them if he hears from them and they would be in touch. She followed him out of the office and he pulled out his cell phone to call Jack with the update.
She stood next to Danny jotting down her notes from the interview in her notepad, casually listening as he told Jack what Jake had told them.
She couldn't believe how much her life had changed in the last year and a half. She still didn't know how it was possible to go from finally getting the man she thought she would always love to kicking him out of her apartment and her life.
Her married friend, Jane, always told her that it's funny how the one thing you loved about a man at the beginning of the relationship is the one thing you will end up hating later on. For example, if you love that he is concerned about his mother eventually you will think he is a little mommy's boy. If you like that he is really religious someday you will think of him as a rigid fanatical fundamentalist. And what drew Sam to Jack was his dark side; the part that she thought was soulful and lost. She thought she could be the one to reach through those murky feelings and help him come out into the light. And for a little while she was. But somewhere down the line she could feel him pull further and further into himself to a place she couldn't go. He wouldn't confide in her, insisting on carrying whatever burdens he was feeling inside. Whenever she would try and get him to open up he would insist he was fine and then drop the subject. And then one day she just stopped asking.
Then there was the working relationship problem. She used to find it so endearing how committed he was to his work but he never seemed to be able to leave the job at home. At first she thought that since they worked together it wouldn't make a difference, in fact it might help strengthen their bond. She would understand the demands of the job much better than Maria or even, Anne, since she was just an FBI attorney, not an actual field agent. But as time wore on, she found it was harder to keep their personal and professional life separate; particularly since he was still her superior. Any criticism he gave her as an agent she found hard to shake off when they went home – which was another sore spot.
XXX
She was surprised that even though they were both single again and it was supposed to be easier, she actually found it harder because she wasn't the same woman she was when they had the affair and neither was he. Expectations had changed.
She moved around her apartment straightening up. She had discovered that Jack was a bit of a slob at home, leaving coffee cups on tables, magazines on the sofa, and shoes on the floor. The door opened and he walked in, tossing his car keys on the table by the door.
"Hey," he greeted her. He loosened his tie and walked over to where she stood, giving her a quick kiss before sitting down on the sofa.
Still holding the items she had been picking up she sat down next to him and said, "How did the interviews go?"
Two months ago Martin had transferred to Washington and due to budget cuts Human Resources decided to not fill his position. When he first left they thought they would fine going back to five agents. That's how it was before and it worked fine. But as time passed they came to realize just how valuable Martin had become to the team. He had so many contacts and friends in various offices that he could accomplish more with one well placed phone call than two of them could doing interviews and background checks. Not to mention his seemingly boundless energy to be out in the field doing whatever it took to get the job done.
She also came to realize just how much she actually missed having him around. He was great for bouncing off ideas, being a sympathetic ear when she was troubled, or even just an encouraging smile when she needed a quick pick-me-up. She still found it disconcerting that through his absence she finally realized how much she took it for granted that he would always be near.
"I have it narrowed down to two but they are both still pretty green," he replied scratching his chin. He sighed and looked around saying, "So what are we thinking for dinner?"
"I thought we could go to Mykono's," she offered up. "I'm craving some dolmas and it's near your apartment. We can stop and pick up some clean clothes for you or maybe even stay there tonight."
"I already stopped and picked some up," he replied. "They are in the car. And if it's all the same, we can order some Greek from Olympia and have it delivered."
She sighed and looked down at the bundle she held in her hands. "I'd like to go out. I doubt we'll see anyone we know there."
"I'm tired, Sam," he reached over and tugged on her shirt collar. There was a time any touch he gave her would send a thrill through her body but lately, she felt like he had come to count on that tactic to get his way. "Let's just order in. Besides, you'd have to pack a bag and it seems silly since my stuff is already here."
She stood up and moved across the room, tossing the items she was holding on the sofa. She looked over at him, slumped on the chair looking at her as if she was being unreasonable. She steeled her nerves and asked, "Why don't we ever stay at your place?"
He shrugged. "I always thought you preferred staying here. I mean, you need more stuff to get ready than I do."
"I just think it would be nice to stay over there once in awhile," she replied wondering if he would recognize her real motive. She was starting to feel like they were having an affair again; like she had to be kept separate from his 'real life.' At first she thought they stayed at her place just because it was more comfortable since he didn't have much after the divorce and even less after Anne moved out. But lately, it was starting to feel like he was purposely keeping her away from his place.
"Why does it matter as long as we're together?" he replied, sounding like he was bored from having this fight once again. "It's just a place with my stuff. That's it."
Suddenly Sam had an eerie sense of déjà vu. She had had this argument before but it was on the other side. Martin wanted her to come over to his place more but she kept insisting that they stay at her apartment. He told her that she could keep some stuff in his bathroom and he'd even give her some closet space to keep extra outfits. She asked him why it mattered so much and he replied that it was where he lived and he wanted her to be of part of that world too. But she refused, arguing with him about it until he finally gave in and never brought it up again.
She knew why she didn't want to do it. It would be admitting that what they had was real and then it hit her: Jack was doing the same thing to her. "You don't want me there do you?" she asked, needing to know but still afraid of his reply.
He didn't answer right away and her stomach twisted into knots. "I just can't have you there right now," he said at last.
"Why not?" she asked feeling dizzy; like all of the air was being depleted from the room.
He sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. "I can't have anyone know that we're seeing each other again."
She folded her arms defensively and said, "The whole team knows, Jack. And I doubt that Olczyk…"
"I meant I can't have Maria find out," he interrupted. He looked at her wide soft but guilty eyes. "She can't know we're seeing each other again. At least not now."
She felt the air leave her lungs in one big whoosh. "Why does she care? You're divorced now."
"Because I am trying to renegotiate custody of the girls. I wanted them around more so they could know the baby… but now I just want to be able to see them more. And if Maria finds out that we are seeing each so soon after Anne left she will use that against me." He clenched his fists tight before releasing them again. "She will argue that I have an unstable home life. And considering our past it won't help my case."
"This doesn't make any sense," she argued. "I may not be there but don't you think that if she really wanted to find out what you are up to she would eventually notice that you are here all the time?"
"Look, I don't expect you to understand," he began, his tone short and gruff. "But I can't have any evidence of you anywhere in my apartment. Besides it isn't just Maria, Anne is in a fragile state still and I don't want her to think that we had didn't matter…"
"What about what I want?! What about me?" she blurted, her face feeling hot as tears began to well in her eyes. "You are so damned concerned about your ex-wife, your kids, your ex-girlfriend but what about me? Where do I rank in all of this?"
"You are extremely important but I just need you to be a little more patient," he said, frustration evident in his voice.
"Patient? Patient? I've waited years for you, Jack. Years!" she grabbed one of his discarded shoes and threw it across the room. It hit the wall and made a low thud. "I put my life on hold for you! And now you want me to wait, to be patient."
"You're overreacting," he growled, standing up to meet her face to face. "Besides, you weren't exactly all alone all those years. Or didn't you think I would mind you screwing Martin?"
She shook her head and said, "Don't bring Martin into this. Don't you dare, you were the one who was moving to Chicago to be with Maria." Her entire body was quaking, so many emotions bubbling over. She could see the vein in his temple throbbing and it gave her some satisfaction to know that she was the cause.
They both remained quiet, the air thick with silence. They were at a standoff or maybe just a crossroads and now it was time to decide if they should continue in the same direction or take different paths. It surprised her that for the first time since she fell in love with Jack that she wasn't sure she wanted him around anymore.
He looked at her and just lowered his head, whispering, "I'm tired of fighting." He looked up and said, "I don't want to fight anymore."
Sam's breath caught as Martin's voice echoed in her ear, 'It shouldn't have to be a fight.' She could feel the tears slip down her cheeks as she looked at Jack knowing that it really was over.