10
It Had to be You
A/N: Thanks for the reviews! They are very much appreciated.
----------
Chapter 12
"Bobby?"
Sue stood motionless while the eyes of the onlookers flicked back and forth between the stunned faces of the blonde woman and the dark-haired man. What was happening?
Happiness had brightened Sue's face for the briefest of moments before dismay replaced it. Wrenching her eyes away from his, she thrust the plates into Howie's hands and spun around. Bobby darted out of his seat and blocked her way before she could retreat to the kitchen.
"Sue…" he said in incredulity. "You…you're here!"
Her greatest hope and her greatest fear were happening, she thought wildly. Bobby was here…right in front of her! What if Jeff had found out where she was? she thought. What if pictures were being taken right now? She had to get away.
"I have to go, Bobby," she said as calmly as she could while her heart beat frantically.
"We need to talk!"
"There's nothing to say." She tried to shake off his hold on her.
"Hey!" protested Howie. "Let her go!"
Jack stood up to run interference.
"It's not what you think," he said attempting to calm down the shop assistant.
"I don't care if your friend's Donald Trump! The woman wants to leave!"
"Would it help if I told you we're with the FBI? He's a friend of hers."
Howie looked suspiciously at Bobby, then Jack. "FBI you said? You got some kind of ID? Not that you don't look trustworthy but it always pays to check."
"A very wise precaution," agreed Jack as he reached inside his coat pocket for his badge. He flipped it open. "Satisfied?"
Howie scrutinized the identification carefully until he was convinced it was legitimate.
"Looks real enough. Okay, I guess you are with the FBI. A person can't be too careful nowadays."
"I need to talk to you," Bobby pleaded to Sue. "Could we go somewhere for a few minutes? A few minutes…that's all I ask."
"I…I…I said everything in my note," she said helplessly. She didn't trust herself to be alone with him.
"You asked for time," he said hoping to persuade her to relent. "I've given it to you. Now it's my turn to ask. Can't we discuss why you changed your mind about us?"
Before Sue could reply, a sharp voice interrupted.
"What's happening here?"
"Nothing to get worked up about. It's personal," Jack stated blocking the way of the newcomer.
"Either you tell your friend to let go of my friend or I'll call the police," the man ordered emphatically. He could see the panic on Sue's face.
"They're with the FBI," Howie informed him.
"I don't care," Mark said flatly as he strode purposefully towards the pair.
Bobby looked up when he noticed the interloper. Sue's eyes followed.
"Mark!" she said in relief.
"Are you all right?" he checked. "Is this guy bothering you?"
Bobby dropped his grip on Sue, his eyes flicking from her to Mark.
"Now I understand why you haven't called," he said in a tense quiet voice. "Sorry. It won't happen again."
With those words, Bobby whirled on his heels and headed out the door. Jack followed.
"Hey!" Howie called out after them. "What about your sandwiches?"
Mark gently took hold of Sue's arm and led her to a seat. "You okay?" he asked the pale woman.
"Uh…yeah."
"Who was that?"
"A friend."
More than a friend, thought Mark his sharp eyes noting the unhappiness on her face.
"Want to talk about it?"
"There's nothing to talk about." She took a deep breath attempting to shake off the effects her encounter with Bobby. "I'm okay now." She looked at him "What are you doing here?" she asked deliberately changing the subject.
"Heading back to the shelter, I thought I'd come to collect on your promise of fresh pastries and save you a trip," he explained with a small smile. "And to thank Janice yet again for her generosity."
"She had an errand to run." She stood up. "I have the box in the back. I'll get it for you."
Mark's eyes followed her as she left.
"Ever see that man before, Howie?"
"Nope. I don't know if I'm off-base on this, but I think those two have history," he remarked.
"I think so, too," agreed Mark.
"You think he'll come back again to see her?"
"I don't know. If he does, let me know."
Sue returned holding a small pastry box in her hands. "I packed enough for the staff," she explained as she thrust it into Mark's hands.
"God bless you, Sue." He leaned over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "See you tomorrow?"
She nodded.
"Good. And please thank Janice for me. Tell her I'm sorry I couldn't tell her in person."
"I will. See you tomorrow."
"Bye," he smiled. He waved to Howie and disappeared out the door.
"You know, I like him," stated Howie.
"I do, too."
----------
An uncomfortable silence filled the car on the short drive back to the office. Jack could see the hurt clearly etched on Bobby's face. How to help his friend?
She's been in DC all this time and never called! thought Bobby angrily. Only three blocks away! And now I know why. She could've told me! I would've understood. I wouldn't have liked it but I would've understood, he ranted silently.
"Well, that was a delicious lunch we never ate," commented Jack as they got out of the car.
"Sorry about that," Bobby apologized curtly. "I'll buy you lunch tomorrow."
"No, you're gonna buy me lunch today…now." Whether he agreed to the idea or not, Jack had decided Bobby needed some time to cool down. Going back to the office in his current state would not be the best idea.
"Not hungry."
"But I am," declared Jack. "And I'm not paying for lunch a second time in the same day."
"I'll give you the money."
"No, you're coming with me," instructed Jack.
"I told you I'm not hungry!"
"You may not be hungry but you do need to talk. You talk while I eat. We'll kill two birds with one stone."
"Look, I know what you're trying to do and I appreciate it. But there's nothing to talk about," said Bobby trying to be polite. He did appreciate Jack's efforts—he just didn't want to discuss his problem…with anyone.
"I take it that was the cookie baker back there."
"Yes."
"Then you have a lot to talk about."
----------
"Something doesn't add up here," Jack remarked after hearing Bobby's story.
"She found someone else…end of story."
"No," said Jack shaking his head, "that's not it. Something about the whole set-up doesn't seem right."
"Like what?"
"If she decided she didn't want to pursue the relationship, why quit her job in Chicago? All she had to do was tell you she wasn't interested, right?"
Bobby just shrugged.
"Another thing….why move to DC where you are?" pointed out Jack. "If she's as good as you say she is, she could've gotten a position anywhere. Why take a job that must pay a heck of a lot less than what she was getting at that hotel? It just doesn't add up."
"Maybe she followed this bloke to DC."
"No ring—at least I didn't notice one. Maybe she doesn't wear one when she works?"
She'd worn her ring to work when she was engaged. A thoughtful expression appeared on Bobby's face as Jack's logic penetrated his unhappiness.
"Is there someone you can talk to to find out why she left Chicago? I mean the real reason."
Terry, thought Bobby. He'd know. "There is."
"Well, I suggest you make that phone call and find out what's what," said Jack as he stood up. "I'll see you back in the bullpen."
Pulling his cell out of his pocket, Bobby called up the number of the hotel and stared at it. Would Terry tell him what he needed to know? Only one way to find out. Bobby punched in send.
"Four Seasons catering," answered a female voice.
"I'd like to speak to Terry Hughes."
"May I ask who's calling?"
"Bobby Manning."
Bobby nervously drummed his fingers as he waited. Seconds ticked by. Would he remember him?
"Yeah?" answered the gruff chef.
"Terry, this is Bobby Manning," he began. "I don't know if you remember me…."
"Yeah, I do," Terry cut him off. "Why'd you call?"
"I need you to tell me why Sue quit her job with the hotel."
There was silence at the other end.
"Hello? Hello?" asked Bobby checking if the line went dead.
"You saw her?"
"I did."
"She see you?"
"She did."
"What she'd say?"
"Told me to go away."
"Sounds about right."
"So are you going to tell me?"
"You realize you're asking me to betray her confidence."
"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."
"To who?"
"To me…maybe even to her."
"Why?"
"Because I care about her."
"Even after all this time?"
"I cant' forget her."
"What if I tell you she said she made a mistake when she became involved with you?"
It was Bobby's turn to be silent as he considered Terry's question.
"Well?"
"Then I'll remember the time we spent together as a lovely memory and move on," he said honestly.
"And forget her?"
"I could never forget Sue."
Terry had heard enough.
"I know it sounds crazy but she moved to protect you."
"What!" Bobby almost shouted into the phone.
"That s.o.b. Jeff sent her pictures of the two of you together with your face blacked out. She was afraid he might try to hurt you in some way so she decided the best thing to do would be to quit her job and move. She hoped if she moved, he'd forget her. She might've had a point. I heard he's been dating again."
"Didn't she think I could take care of myself?"
"I told her that but she didn't want to take a chance." There was a pause. "Now that you know, what are you going to do?"
"I don't know if there's anything to do," Bobby confessed. "Jeff's not the only one who seems to have started dating again."
This was news to Terry. "She has?"
"There was a bloke named Mark at the shop who seemed rather protective of her."
Hmm, a little misplaced hostility here, Terry. "You positive she's seeing the guy?"
"It appears so."
"Appearances can be deceiving."
"What are you trying to say?"
"Nothing. I don't give advice. Look, I gotta go. If she ever asks, I'll deny this conversation ever took place."
"Understood. And Terry?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
Slowly, Bobby closed his cell thinking over his conversation with Sue's friend. She moved to protect him? he thought disbelievingly. That was incredibly noble but at the same time terribly foolish. He was a trained agent who could take care of himself. He appreciated her sacrifice but lamented the time wasted.
At least now he knew where to find her. But what should he do?
----------