9
It Had to be You
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Chapter 10
"Another box for Bobby from Chicago!" proclaimed Myles gleefully as he placed the package on his teammate's desk. "Looks like it's from the same person who's been sending you the other ones."
"Are you sure?" asked Tara. "This box looks larger."
"You think there's more cookies?" asked Lucy.
"A chocolate chip cookie would be the perfect complement to this coffee," Jack concurred. He observed his friend staring at the package with restrained delight.
"Anything would make this coffee taste better," D stated.
Aside from a voice message on his cell, Bobby hadn't heard from Sue since his return. She had apologized and explained she was extremely busy and working long hours because of the convention so not to worry if she didn't call. She hoped to have a nice long person-to-person conversation soon.
Eagerly, he ripped off the tape and opened the flaps. There, on the top was an envelope addressed to him.
"Well?" demanded Myles. "Did your friend send more of her fabulous baked goodies?"
Holding the envelope in one hand, Bobby removed the bubble wrap. There was a double batch of cookies.
"The cookies are here!" announced Myles triumphantly as he walked over to grab one.
Lucy stepped in front of him. "Don't you think you should wait until Bobby invites us to have one?"
Myles nodded in the direction of his fellow agent. "I don't think he's interested in the edibles," he observed. Bobby had drifted by Jack's desk to get out of the way and read the card.
"Just as good as I remember," sighed Tara ecstasy as she chewed.
Jack waggled his eyebrows in agreement as he munched on one. "You have got to tell your friend…Bobby?"
Bobby walked out of the bullpen. He looked as though he'd been punched in the stomach.
Concerned, Jack followed his friend out. "What's wrong?" he asked quietly.
Bobby looked at Jack with a hurt and bewildered expression. Silently, he handed him the card.
"You want me to read it?"
"Yea."
"Bobby,
It was wonderful being with you but
now that we're apart, I realize things
moved too quickly. I need time to think.
Please give it to me.
Sue"
"Sounds like she had second thoughts," observed Jack as he held up the card.
"I don't understand," Bobby replied in confusion. "I thought…she made me believe it was right between us. I don't understand."
"She says right here she thinks everything happened too fast," pointed out Jack. "Maybe you overwhelmed her with your charm and now that you're here and she's there, she realizes you're not quite the Prince Charming you cracked up to be," he said lightly.
"I'm asking D for a couple of days off," Bobby decided straightening up.
"You can't," Jack said flatly.
"This is important, Jack."
"You're due in court for the rest of this week. You leave and you jeopardize the prosecution's case!"
Bobby mulled over his words—Jack was right. They had worked too hard and too long to bring this narcotics case to trial.
"Then I'll call," he declared reaching for his cell.
Before he could locate the number of the hotel, Jack's hand stopped him.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he advised.
"I've got to talk to her and find out what happened to change her mind!"
"She asked for time, Bobby, time to think. Give it to her."
"I don't know if I can."
"Do you care for her?"
"A great deal."
"Then give her the time she's asked for," Jack said seriously. "If her feelings for you are real, she'll realize it and contact you."
"What if she doesn't?"
"Then you got your answer."
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Time passed slowly for Bobby as he waited for Sue to call. Days turned into weeks and the weeks into months. Even Myles stopped asking about the cookie baker. Bobby's normally ebullient personality dimmed.
"What do you think happened?" Lucy asked Jack one day.
Jack shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe she decided it was a rebound relationship and wanted out. From what little Bobby said, it was pretty intense the time they were together."
"But why ask for time to think rather than just break it off?" questioned Lucy. "It's just plain cruel to let Bobby think she's gonna call him one day."
"I agree but what can we do? It's not our business."
"It is our business when it affects a friend," she said urgently. "We could find her. After all, we're the FBI."
"Lucy," warned Jack, "we're not sticking our noses into this."
"How can you say that?" demanded Lucy. "He's your best friend. He's hurting, Jack!"
"I know but I'm…no, we're gonna keep out of this. This is between Bobby and Sue. If she doesn't want him, all the meddling in the world is not going to help him," Jack pointed out logically.
Lucy stared at him. "You know, I hate it when you make sense," she grimaced.
"Then you must hate me a lot," Jack laughed as he grabbed her elbow. "C'mon, let's go to lunch. I'm buying."
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He could be stubborn…very stubborn but the fact was glaringly clear—there had been no phone calls, no notes, no email during the three months since her last note. Hard as it was for him to believe, the feelings he'd experienced during his time with her had been one-sided. It was time for him to move on, he concluded.
"Hey, Bobby," began D approaching his team mate's desk, "you have the Constantine file? I thought I saw it in your tray the other day."
"That I do, D," Bobby responded cordially. "It's right here. Here you go, mate."
D looked at the Aussie agent in stunned surprise. For the first time since the last batch of cookies, Bobby sounded like his usual self.
"Uh…thanks."
"Any time, Dimitrius."
Tara overhead the conversation and exchanged puzzled glances with D. Was Bobby finally back to normal?
Myles came striding in holding a small box.
"What's in there?" asked D with a smile.
"I have in here a most delectable taste treat," rhapsodized Myles.
"What is it?" demanded Tara.
"A tart but not just any tart," Myles declared. "To be more accurate it is ambrosia fit for the gods."
"You brought one tart for all of us to taste?" queried D. "How can we give you an informed opinion with only one measly bite?"
"In this case even a bite would suffice," corrected Myles. "However, I have in here enough tarts for the whole team."
"What's happening?" asked a curious Jack seeing everyone gathered around Myles.
"Myles bought tarts for everyone," shared Tara.
"He did?" asked Lucy incredulously. "Since when did he become so generous?"
"I have always been a generous soul," said Myles overhearing the comment. "But, I feared spoiling all of you with frequent treats so I made the conscious decision to spread my favors to now and again."
"Now why do I feel like a dog being trained?" remarked Lucy sardonically.
Myles held the box as he passed around the pastry. "Have one," he invited Bobby.
"No, thanks, Myles," declined Bobby. "Not hungry."
"You sure now? These are truly sublime."
"I appreciate the gesture, Myles," Bobby said definitely, "but no thanks." Tarts reminded him of Sue.
"This is good," said D taking a bite.
"Scrumptious!" agreed Tara.
"Where'd you get these?" asked Lucy as she munched. It was good.
"You know that pastry and sandwich shop two blocks down?"
"Sweet Treats?" supplied D. He passed that way every morning.
Myles nodded. "That's right. There's a new baker. I mean, the previous baker was good but this one is even better."
"Right," agreed Lucy. "We've stopped there for lunch every so often. Their pastries are good."
"Well, maybe we should go there for lunch today," suggested D as he munched on his way to his desk. "I wouldn't mind eating another one of these babies."
"You have cash in your wallet?" Myles checked.
D looked at Myles in exasperation. "As a matter of fact I do, Myles."
"This just goes to show that miracles do happen," declared the sarcastic agent.
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"Where's Bobby?" asked Lucy as she walked into the bullpen.
"He stopped to talk to Paul Kozinski," Jack answered as he hung up his jacket. They'd gone on an interview across town. "Why? "
"Even though you guys couldn't go, I went to that place, Sweet Treats, with Shannon from Personnel," she informed him.
"Okay." He wondered why she was telling him this.
"I started talking to the owner…this woman named Janice and told her how much we liked her tarts."
"Okay," said Jack patiently. "Is there a point to this story?"
"There is," she nodded. "So Janice was sharing how fortunate she was to have this baker work for her. She used to work for a hotel in Chicago but wanted a change of scenery."
Jack eyed Lucy as the glimmering of an idea began to form. Lucy grabbed his arm.
"When I asked her the baker's name she said it was Sue!" said Lucy excitedly.
"Sue?"
"What's are the odds of a female baker from Chicago…"
"…who worked in a hotel," continued Jack
"…with the name of Sue?" finished Lucy.
They stared at each other at the enormity of Lucy's discovery.
"Pretty big odds," agreed Jack. "Like a million to one."
"At least," confirmed Lucy. "So, what are we going to do about it?" she asked eagerly. She really wanted to help Bobby.
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" she squeaked.
"Nothing," repeated Jack. "If the baker is the same Sue as Bobby's Sue, she's been in the same city as Bobby but she's made no attempt to reach him. That tells me only one thing." He looked expectantly at Lucy.
"She's not interested in him?" Lucy replied regretfully.
"You got it."
"Drat that woman!" declared Lucy vehemently. "I could just…"
"You could just what, Luce?" asked Bobby as he strolled into the bullpen catching the tail end of her conversation with Jack.
"I could just…die for one of those brownies at that place Sweet Treats," Lucy hurriedly improvised. "I went to there for lunch with Shannon."
"Shannon from Personnel or RICO?"
"Personnel. Anyway, I had a sandwich and tried a brownie. It was excellent."
"I have to try that place some time," he said.
"They had chocolate chip cookies, too," Lucy mentioned casting a sideways glance at Jack. He frowned.
"I've sworn off chocolate chip cookies," Bobby announced as he hung up his jacket. "And tarts."
"I'll keep that in mind when I decide to bring something back for the gang," Lucy replied. The phone started ringing. "Excuse me."
"Chocolate chip used to be your all time favorite," Jack commented.
"Not any more," said Bobby tersely.
"So you're gonna swear off every food that reminds you of her?"
"Not at all," Bobby fibbed. "I'm trying to lower my cholesterol."
"Jack! Bobby!" called Lucy getting their attention. "Someone from Metro PD is coming up to talk to you guys."
"Why?" questioned Jack.
"They want to discuss a possible case with the FBI."
Jack and Bobby exchanged thoughtful glances.
"We working on anything with Metro?" queried Jack.
"Not that I know of," Bobby answered. "Did they give any more details, Luce?"
"Security didn't say."
"Anything in the news lately?"
"Nothing for the FBI," Jack shrugged. "Another possible terrorist plot? Arms dealing? Hi-jacking?"
Before either Bobby or Lucy could guess, a gruff voice responded. "How 'bout a serial killer? That interesting enough for the FBI?"
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