Chapter 11
Ivy felt the warmth of the sun on her face. She slowly opened the eyes, just enough to notice disappointed that Don's side of the bed was empty. Instead, the smell of fresh brewed coffee hit her nostrils. She rolled on the back and lolled pleasurably. When she discovered Don, she stopped. He looked fantastic as he stood there, leaning against the doorframe. He'd crossed his arms in front of his chest and watched her. The only problem: He already wore a blackbutton down shirt and grey trousers.
"How long have you been watching me?" she asked, yawning.
"I've no idea," he replied dreamily, "absolutely no idea. I think I could look at you for hours."
"Only look?" she teased him, "you'd be satisfied just by looking at me? And why are you already dressed?"
He patted his pager, "duty calls. I have to be at the office in twenty minutes. However, you can stay here. I put the keys on the drawer in the living room. You can drop them at my office, later."
She grimaced, "it doesn't feel right lying here without you."
Ivy sat up and ran her fingers through her hair, then she extended longingly both hands toward Don. Obviously, it didn't matter that the sheet slipped and he had a clear view on "Fred and Ginger," as Ivy called her breasts.
"Let me give you a hug before you leave," she begged with a look on her face Don simply could not resist.
Sighing, he went over to her and before he knew what happened he came lying on her.They kissed each other as they had not met for months.
"You know, I really must go now", he said in a husky voice.
"Some parts of your body don't agree," she put her hand between his legs.
"This part doesn't have to talk to the AD and to the major part of the department in about fifteen minutes."
"Call in sick,"she suggested, pulled him down once again and wrapped her legs around his waist.
"I have to go," he muttered, "I'm really sorry."
He reluctantly escaped her embrace.
"I think you should hold your jacket in front of you,"she smirked.
Don looked down on him, "now you see what you do to me. I'm your will-less sex slave." He winked at her.
She fell back into the pillow, blew him a kissand pulled the blanket over her head.
Don entered the FBI Building with the same dreamy expression he had left his apartment with.
"Wow, Don," Megan welcomed him, "I thought only women have this certain expression on their faces."
"Which expression?"
"I've just been laid ... But woman still can learn something from you. May I guess? Ivy?"
Don cleared his throat and tried to put on his I'm-on-duty-face, "Why are you obviously so interested in my love life lately?"
"Because it's nice that you have one after all," she smirked, "after the thing with Liz, we already thought you would becomean asexual, grumpy celibate. Ivy finally brought back ole Don, hail Ivy. Whaddayathink guys?"
Colby and David nodded, agreeing, "Pass our greetings and most devoted gratitude on to her," Colby grinned.
"I guess now you've lost all your marbles," Don said biting back a grin.
Then he went over to the kitchen to pour himselfone more coffee and returned minutes later.
"Any idea what the AD is going to tell us?" Don thoughtfully stirred in his coffee.
"As far as I know is all about Craven," Theodor reported, who came strolled along the aisle.
Colby grunted, "Our secret weapon the man with the supersensory abilities."
"If this is an allusion to my discovery concerning Craven's medical history, let it be," he snarled, "my uncle gave me a talking-to. Don't think because I'mt he nephew of AD Vasquez I could rest on my laurels. On the contrary, I have to work my ass off twice as hard because he permanently is looking over my shoulder."
"Just take it easy junior," Don said and nodded at Colby, "we're all in the same boat."
"You think Mr. Testosterone already got it?" Theodor hissed.
Colby wanted tosay something, but Don lifted his hand because he was curious, on the information the newbie had for them, "Do you know anything else about the meeting?"
Theodor shook the head, "No, I'm sorry.I've picked up only some fraction when I have passed by the conference room."
Don would've been prepared for anything in Craven's case but not for this.
"Good morning ladies and gentlemen," Vasquez opened the meeting, "due to the last day's events and the surprising development in the "aura-killer-case" I would like to inform you that Mr. Craven is going to be transferred from San Quentin to a special facility for dangerously disturbed prisoners."
Jeers and calls of protest filled the air.
The AD lifted both arms and made appeasing gestures, "Quiet, please, ladies and gentlemen! I know that this procedure differs from the norm but, Craven has tried to kill himself again. This time with an electric cable he'd put around the neck. God only knows where it came from."
Don felt as if somebody had given him a blow into the gut.
"The guy's just cheating," Colby hollered out to drown the outraged crowd.
"He is a manipulative dirty scumbag and uses everyone," said Theodor.
"And who the hell declared him nuts?" Megan wanted to know but got no answer.
The riot was understandable. A long, hard investigation was destroyed by this action practically.
If Craven succeeded, it was doubtful there would ever be a trial. The AD felt to be in the middle of a hostile minefield, because there was hardly an employee who did not casta devastating look at him.
"Jesus, I don't believe it,"Don's voice almost somersaulted when he and the team went backto their office, "one could think this guys does have demonic support."
Theodor nodded knowingly,"Oh yes, he has, in the form of damned good advocates. The best of the town: Ryker, Morse and Bernstein. Ring a bell?"
"Doris Grapevine," Megan said in a low voice, "the woman who butchered her eight years elder brother brutally and justified this deed by telling the jury he's abused her for years. She was acquitted. Later she killed her hubby and called it self defense. He should've tried to rape her. Again she was acquitted. The woman with her angelic face and her bloody expensive lawyers pulled a great stunt in front of the jury."
"Sounds like you admire her", David said frowning, "do you know what happened to her?"
"She got numerous offers from Hollywood. Everyone wanted to make a movie about her life."
"But?"
"Maybe she was cursed by one of her victims. One day she was found with her face down in her swimming pool in Malibu. A film script laid on one of the deck chairs. She'd made some scribbling into it and truth was disclosed: Contrary to her statements in front of the court she'd committed the deeds with full intention."
Theodor swallowed hard, "That sounds like a splatter movie. I knew the case but not in detail." He blew out a breath, "Perhaps the spirits ..."
"Theo, this is not "Supernatural," Colby cut him short.
"If these fellows represent Craven, the prospects look bleak," Don muttered in consternation.
His - up till now airtight - case was falling apart.
"But they can't obtain an acquittal, can they? I mean like in the case of this Grape snake,"Theodor got into it.
Megan shook her head, "The preventive detention in a special facility for dangerously disturbed prisoners if also for life, is not the punishment which the surviving relatives of Craven's victims have on their minds."
Don's cell rang, "Eppes," he snapped.
"Sorry for disturbing you, it's Detective Walker from LAPD. We have found something in a piece of woodland near Encino. You should come and take a look at it."
"OK, we're on our way. But it'll take some time, we've rush hour."
"Excellent, in the meantime I keep an eye on the scene," Walker said, and cut the line.
"Hurry up guys", Don said grumpily, "this was our friend Detective Walker from LAPD. He needs our help."
"And where?" Colby rummaged about in his desk.
"In a piece of woodlandnear Encino. And I have the bad feeling that what's waiting there for us won't be a surprise party."
They took two cars in case they had to separate. Their hands were tied for the moment, anyway. The investigations in Craven's case were put on hold definitely.
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"Good morning, Professor Eppes," Millie's voice came from behind.
Charlie spun around.
"Shouldn't you have a little something for me?" She wiggled with herbrows.
"I'm still working on it," he snarled and got back towork.
His speedy fingers, armed with a piece of chalk, literally flew across the board in front of him and changed his thoughts into numbers.
"I would have wished that you immortalize your effusions on paper. Don't youthink these wood things are quite bulky?"
He drew a breath before he turned once more, "at the moment Shakespeare let me down. So I thought I'm trying to concentrate on something conventional before my next lesson."
"Something for your brother?"
"How did you know?"
She put on her glasses and looked at Charlie's writing.
"Brute-force, I love this method. But what is this?" She got closer and pointed at the beginning of the fourthrow from the left, "that's new to me."
"The case is already completed and there are a couple of new facts. I have therefore installed an algorithm which allows a reverse," he explained, full of pride.
"I see it, but this sequence ..." she frowned, "this is like nailing Jello tothe wall."
She held outher hand so he could giveher the chalk. Then she took the sponge and deleted parts of the formula to write it anew.
After she was done she stepped back and nodded satisfied, "Now that looks good, what do you think professor?"
His strained facial expression brightening up as he discovered how she had approached the solution of the problem. Now he knew why his algorithm hadn't been working.
"Thanks Millie", he said meekly, "you've saved me a lot of time."
"No doubt about that," she smirked,"and now you can completely dedicate theseprecious hoursto the treatise."
She was about to leave but turned on her heel, "Before I forget ... You are going to Bakersfield for a discourse about data mining in connection with OLAP. Some folks from the field of finances, marketing and biotechnology are waiting there for you desperately."
Charlie's jaw dropped, "You ... you can't do that, Millie. My schedule is full."
"I know but it's time that you proof how multi-talented you are. In addition some of these people are more than willing to give us financial support for future projects."
She patted his shoulder, "You are an Eppes, you can handle it. Meet me later in my office for all the necessary details."
The door slammed shut.
"Millie has left the building," he hissed and tossed the piece of chalk across the room.
What the hell had his father done to this woman that she was so ... YUCK, only thinking about it gave him the creeps. tbc
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