Hey there! I ha ddecided to take a break from FF for a while, but it's too much fun to give up. Anyway, here's the next installment, short but sweet, dedicated to all those people out there who pestered me for it!

Read, smile, and review!

6. Dirty Little Secret

The law offices of Mr. James T. Helvoy were not a particularly impressive sight. Tucked away in a dark corner on the third floor, Danny's first impression of the place consisted of an old, battered door upon which was fastened a well-worn plaque stating the owner's name and credentials. This he approached with a neutral expression; Helvoy might not be rolling in it, but the state of the door suggested overuse rather than neglect.

Opening the door for Viv, he motioned her in and did a quick sweep of the room. A window let in slivers of light through closed shades on the far wall, illuminating stacks of books on ever surface. Several filing cabinets sat open, revealing their manila guts and paper tongues to passerby. Two bookshelves stacked with additional volumes served to frame the room's centerpiece, a large, unruly work desk of some design. Danny could barely discern its shape, with all the odd papers hanging off of it; as he shut the door behind him, a man's face popped up from behind the unruly stacks. With cropped dark hair framing a worry-creased face, he looked to be in his early thirties.

"Can I help you?" His voice was deeper than Danny had expected.

"Yes," replied Viv, flashing her badge. "I'm Agent Johnson of the FBI, this is Agent Taylor. We'd like to ask you some questions about a client of yours."

The knot of uncertainty that was the man's brow unraveled. "You guys are from the FBI."

It was Viv's turn to look confused. "Yes. Missing Persons division."

Helvoy put down his pen and leaned back in his chair. "Well, I know one missing person you guys should be looking for. Name's Martin Fitzgerald."

Danny instantly went on the offensive. "How would you know Martin's missing?"

Unfazed, Helvoy shrugged. "He missed an appointment with me today. If I know anything about Martin, he'd never blow off something like this."

"You sound like you know him," offered Viv.

"We were at Harvard around the same time. Met him a couple of years in. Nice guy. Dedicated, dependable, punctual…" He trailed off. "Something happen to him? On the job, maybe?"

"He was kidnapped last night," replied Viv, puzzled by his response. "Why would you think he'd run into trouble?"

"Oh, he's just been barking up the wrong tree lately," Helvoy remarked, then added softly to himself, "I warned him this wouldn't end well…"

"So he was one of your clients?" asked Viv.

He nodded slowly.

"What did Matin need with a lawyer?" she pushed.

Helvoy crossed his arms. "You know I can't tell you that. Attorney-client privilege." Catching sight of Danny flipping through a filing cabinet, he crossed the room quickly and slammed it shut, sitting on it to deter further probing.

"Mr. Helvoy, Agent Fitzgerald's life could be in danger. We need to know if he was in trouble."

Helvoy considered them for a moment. His tone was quiet and guarded when he spoke.

"I'm not telling you anything—" he began, and Danny started to interrupt, but Helvoy waved him off. "I'm not telling you anything as his lawyer. This si me speaking as his friend, all right?"

Vivian nodded and pulled out her notepad.

"He wasn't in trouble that I knew of, but at the rate he was going, I'm not s surprised he is now. Too many old faces turning up."

Danny gestured for him to continue. "'Old faces'? Did it have something to do with one of his old cases?"

"No. It was a bit closer to home than that."

Danny was tired of playing charades, and he was getting ready to berate Helvoy when something Martin had said hit him.

"One word, starts with F, rhymes with 'bother'," he said quietly to himself.

"What?" asked Helvoy.

"Nothing," Danny replied hastily. "Thank you for your time."

He ushered Viv out without another word until the door closed behind them.

"What was that about?" asked Viv, annoyed.

"It's about his father," Danny said simply.

"What?"

"It makes sense. Why would Martin be using some backwater lawyer when his dad could foot the bill for the best of the best? He even told me, int he car, before everything. He said he was trying to open a case on his father."

"You're serious?"

"Come on, Viv -- do you see how intense Victor's been about this case?"

"His son is missing and possibly dying, Danny," pointed out Viv. She regretted it instantly when she saw the guilt return to his eyes. "All right. Run it down. But let's get back to the office first."

Nodding eagerly, Danny started down the stairs with his brain singing; he was about to have a very interesting conversation with Victor Fitzgerald.

Straightening his suit jacket, he crossed his arms and crossed the street, wading through the growing cold of afternoon in New York City until he was safe in the warmth of the FBI sedan. Slipping into the driver's seat, he revved the engine, waited briefly for Viv, and then pulled out onto the dead back road.

A few seconds later, unbeknownst to him, a black SUV pulled out and cruised down the road after them…