7
It Had to be You
A/N: Many thanks to trecebo and pryrmtns fore reviewing the chapters. Your comments are much appreciated.
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Chapter 14
"Here you are," said Mark as the two FBI agents entered his office. He handed Jack a sheaf of papers. "You understand, most of our volunteers are members of different organizations. Not everyone is listed and then only the ones that come on a regular basis. We have people that come once or twice and don't come back again."
"Too depressing?" Jack queried.
Mark shrugged. "Let's say it's not for everyone. Is there anything else I can do for the FBI? If not, I'd like to go help in the kitchen. It's chow time."
"If we have any more questions, we'll be back," responded Jack. He glanced at Bobby. "You coming?"
"I'd like to speak to Father Dancy for a bit," Bobby answered.
Mark waited. He didn't have to be psychic to know what the agent wanted to discuss.
Jack nodded in understanding. "Meet you in the car," he threw over his shoulder as he left to give them some privacy.
Before Bobby could even begin, Mark spoke, "Don't you think you're talking to the wrong person? Shouldn't you be speaking to Sue?"
"I would love to but until today I had no idea she was even in DC," Bobby answered sardonically. "And after today, it appears she's still not ready to talk to me."
"So what's your question?"
Bobby thought for a moment before responding. "Has she ever mentioned why she moved from Chicago to DC?"
"Not in so many words but I could guess."
"What did she say?"
"I treat friends' confidences the same way I treat confessions," Mark stated. "I don't share."
With his declaration, his sharp eyes noted the barely perceptible sag in the FBI agent's shoulders.
"Do you care for her?"
"A great deal," Bobby answered honestly.
"Then you need to have this conversation with her," Mark repeated.
"I don't know where she lives!"
"You're with the FBI," Mark commented. "Couldn't you find out?"
"I could but I won't. I don't think she'd like that."
Mark stared at the tall man as he analyzed the information he did have. Sue had mentioned she'd moved to protect someone she cared for. The depth of her feeling for the person was evident in the tone of her voice…the look in her eyes when she spoke about him. When he'd questioned her wisdom in moving, she'd been adamant she had done the right thing.
And now, by a strange coincidence, Mark was convinced the very man Sue had been talking about was standing before him. It was apparent the FBI agent reciprocated Sue's feelings and respected her wishes. Otherwise why would he refuse to use the vast resources at his fingertips to locate her?
Two people with deep feelings for each other…two people apart because of honorable but possibly misguided reasons. Maybe they needed a little divine intervention.
"She's scheduled to help serve dinner on Thursday," Mark mentioned nonchalantly. "We could always use an extra pair of hands to serve or clean."
"Tomorrow?" Hope flared in Bobby. The priest was trying to help.
"That's right," Mark nodded glad the man was quick to take a hint.
"What time?"
"We begin serving at five thirty."
"I'll try to be there." Bobby held out his hand. "Thank you, Father Dancy."
"Make it Mark," smiled the priest as he shook hands. "If you're as good a friend of Sue's as I think you are, we may be seeing a lot of each other."
"Thanks…Mark."
With a bounce in his step that had been missing for months, Bobby quickly headed back to the car.
"Got the information you wanted?" Jack asked nonchalantly when his partner slid into the passenger seat.
"Not exactly but close enough."
"What does that mean?"
"That means, my friend, if fate…or someone on a higher plane looks favorably upon me and everything goes according to plan, I may get to see my cookie baker in person."
"Anything I can do to help?"
"Pray nothing affecting national security happens tomorrow."
"I pray for that every day."
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It had been a busy night of listening for Mark Dancy. Sue had come soon after the dinner rush was over to confide in him.
"What you need is time to think, Sue," Mark suggested after Sue had shared her dilemma with him. "Don't make any hasty decisions while you're in this state of mind. Otherwise, the decision you make may not be the best one for you." Especially if you care about this man as much as you seem to, he thought.
"What if he comes back to the shop?" she asked worriedly.
"You let Janice in the loop and enlist her help," Mark stated. "If she's on your side even the President of the United States would have a tough time getting pass her."
A quick smile lit her anxious face.
"Thanks for listening, Mark."
"That's what I do, Sue. If you need to talk some more, give me a call or drop by. You know I'm willing to listen twenty-four/seven."
"Your work never ends, does it?"
"I knew the hours when I signed up for this job," he smiled.
She kissed him briefly on the cheek.
"Come on," he said as he stood up. "I'll walk you to your car. Gives me a chance to get some fresh air."
During the drive home, Sue planned what she would say to Janice. She hoped she had returned from her night out.
Janice was in the kitchen preparing her nightly cup of chamomile tea.
"How was the movie and dinner?" Sue asked.
"Dinner was good. The movie was interesting. I like Tom Hanks in just about anything. He's such a talent," Janice declared. "I'm making some chamomile tea. You want some?" She held up the kettle.
"No, thanks. I'm good."
"I notice you were baking," Janice commented as she gestured towards to the filled cookie jar.
"I needed to."
Janice glanced at her quickly. "Needed to?"
"Baking usually helps me to think."
"Did it?"
Sue shook her head. "Not this time so I went to see Mark."
"And?"
"I talked…he listened."
"Did that help?"
"Some."
"Anything I can do to help?"
Sue bit her lip as she remembered Mark's words. She really didn't want to involve Janice with her problem but there didn't seem to be any other way.
"There is."
Janice waited.
"If a man comes to the shop asking to see me, could you tell him I don't work for you any more?"
"Any man or a particular one?"
"A particular one."
"Is he stalking you?"
"No."
"You owe him money?"
"No."
"You just don't want to see him."
"Yeah."
"Okay," said Janice as she considered Sue's request. "You want to tell me his name? I like to know who I'm lying to."
"It wouldn't…really…be…lying," she said doubtfully. "You'd be helping me out of a difficult situation."
"Always glad to help a friend out in a difficult situation. So what's his name?"
"Bobby Manning."
"Do I get a description with that name? I can't be asking every guy if he's Bobby Manning."
"Tall, good-looking, blue-grey eyes and a very nice smile."
"If you're not interested in a guy with that description maybe I might be. I wouldn't mind meeting a man like that," Janice declared with a smirk. At Sue's stunned look, she hastily amended her statement. "All right…forget what I said. I say no Sue to all tall, good-looking guys named Bobby Manning."
"Right. Thanks, Janice," said a flustered Sue, "Uh…I think I'll go to bed. I probably won't be home until late tomorrow. I'm helping at the shelter."
"Say hi to Mark and Sean for me. Good night."
Janice's eyes followed her young houseguest as she headed to her room. Terry had filled her in on the bare bones of Sue's reason for moving and had sworn her to secrecy.
This must be the guy Terry had been talking about, Janice thought. Well, step two of Terry's plan was working—they finally met. Now, would step three of his plan be just as successful?
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