The next day, Shawn and Gus arrived at the office at the crack of the morning, which was ten a.m. for Shawn. They found Susie sitting on the couch, somewhat bleary-eyed, a mug of something in one hand. She glanced up when they came in.
"Morning, Suze!" Shawn said, hiding the bundle of things in his hands behind his back. "Get dressed. We're going out."
"Out where?" asked Susie.
But Shawn wasn't paying attention. He had made his way to the storage room where Susie was keeping most of her things. He came back out with some clothes and shoes in his hands. "Here," he said, handing them to Susie. "These looked cute. Put them on."
"But these don't--"
"Come on, Suze! We're going to be late!"
Somewhat confused about what was going on, Susie took the clothes and walked to the bathroom to change. While she was gone, Shawn picked up her camera from the table, turned it on, and handed it to Gus. "You know what to do, right buddy?" Shawn asked. Gus nodded. "Oh, wait." Shawn said, taking the camera back. He held the camera up to his face and snapped a quick picture. He handed the camera back to Gus. "There you go."
At that moment, Susie came back into the front room of the office. "Shawn, what the hell is this?"
Shawn and Gus turned around to find Susie standing in the doorway, an unhappy look on her face. She was dressed in jeans, navy blue high top converse, and a striped button-up shirt. A man's shirt. "Why did you bring me these?"
"What makes you think I brought them?" asked Shawn.
"Shawn, I would never wear a man's shirt. Because I'm a girl. Remember?" she asked, picking up the pink teddy from the window ledge.
"Okay, so maybe I brought the shirt and shoes," Shawn said. "But the pants were always yours."
"So, why'd you bring me a shirt and shoes?"
"So we could take our family picture!" Shawn said, as he ran over to Susie.
"Family picture?" asked Susie, as Gus snapped the picture. "Is that my camera?" asked Susie, as she broke away from Shawn.
Gus handed her the camera. "It was all his idea," he said.
"But you went along with it. Guilty by association."
"Have you ever thought of being a lawyer?" asked Gus.
"Lawyers lie more than dogs," said Susie, as she went to the review of her camera. "Oh my God."
"What?" asked Shawn. "Were my eyes closed?"
Susie looked up at Shawn, then down at his feet, then back up at his face. "What?" asked Shawn.
"What's the deal?" asked Susie. For Shawn was also dressed in a striped button-up shirt, jeans, and navy blue high top converse. "Why are we wearing the same clothes?"
"So we can look like twins!" said Shawn. "Now let me see the picture." He took the camera from Susie. "Aw, how cute. Look, Gus," Shawn said, as he turned the camera so Gus could see the screen.
"I'm going to change." said Susie, walking towards the storage room to get some other clothes.
"No you aren't," said Shawn, stepping after her and throwing an arm around her shoulders, turning her around.
"What makes you so certain?" asked Susie. "Because you're 'psychic' or because you're a dumb-ass?"
"Watch the language."
"Oh, pardon ma francaise."
"Huh?"
"I'm going to change."
"No, you're coming with me and Gus."
"Where?"
"Police station."
"Why?"
"So we can have a family outing!" said Shawn, steering Susie past Gus and out the door.
The car ride to SBPD headquarters was not a quiet one this time. It seemed that Shawn and Susie could find any and everything to bicker about. It was a friendly bicker, but a noisy one. And the fact that Shawn kept changing the subject didn't throw Susie off for a minute.
Once at the station, Shawn and Susie quieted down some. As the three walked up the step, they ran into Shawn's dad, Henry Spencer.
"Dad," said Shawn. "What are you doing here?"
"I was just discussing some things with some members of the force."
"Would those members of the force be storm troopers, or the good guys."
"Shawn, what are you talking about?"
"Henry, I am your son," Shawn said in a very bad Darth Vader voice-over.
"Please tell me you'll calm down by the time you come by for dinner."
"What are you talking about?" asked Shawn.
"Shawn, we arranged dinner for tonight a week ago."
"Right, dinner. Um…"
"Be there at six-thirty."
"Okay. Six-thirty. Got it."
Henry nodded, as in a passing gesture. He was about to walk away when he saw her. "Susie?" he asked.
Susie raised her hand in greeting. "Hi, Mr. Spencer."
"What the hell are you wearing?"
"Ask your son."
"Shawn, why do you
have Susie looking like your twin?"
"Does it show?" asked
Shawn. "Can you really tell we're not related at all, but
we're trying?"
Henry grabbed Shawn's arm and pulled him aside in one smooth motion. "Shawn, what are you doing to her?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to have a family picture. Is that a crime? Because that would explain why we never did that."
"Shawn, I never took a family picture like that because your mother didn't want one."
Shawn looked at his father. "Well…. I guess I'll see you around six-thirty." he said, walking back towards Susie and Gus. When he turned back, Henry was walking towards his truck.
"What was that about?" asked Gus.
"Nothing. My dad is just paranoid or something." said Shawn. "Come on. We'd better get the information that we have to Lassie and the others."
The group walked in the police station. Inside was the usual bustle. They made their way towards Carlton Lassiter's desk.
"Shawn!" called Juliet, as she ran up towards them. "What's up?"
"Jules! I've had a psychic break-through on the case. I've come to share it with you, Lassie, and the Chief."
Just then, Juliet gasped. "Susie, you look adorable! You look like you could be Shawn's little sister."
"Wonderful," said Susie, a strained smile on her face.
"Why, yes, it is wonderful," Shawn said, throwing his arm around Susie's shoulder again.
"What the hell is going on here?" asked Detective Lassiter as he walked up towards the group. He looked at Shawn and Susie. "Is it twin day, Spencer?"
"Don't they look adorable?" asked Juliet.
"Actually, it's kinda creepy." said the head detective. "What are you doing here anyway, Spencer?"
"Well, me and Gus have some information for the Chief. She in?"
"Yes," said Juliet. "Come on."
"Susie, stay here with Lassie." Shawn said as he and Gus followed Juliet to the Chief's office. Both Susie and Lassiter had a look of confusion and dislike on their faces as they watched them walk away.
"First, Lassiter's going to kick your ass. Then Susie's going to kick your ass," said Gus.
"Hush," said Shawn.
A few minutes later, Shawn and Gus left the Chief's office. She'd been glad to get the information from Cassie through psychic powers, thanks to Shawn. The two men walked towards Lassiter's desk, when Shawn stopped short.
"What?" asked Gus.
"Dude, I think it's Lassie."
"What are you talking about?"
"The guy Susie likes. I think it's Lassie." The pair of friends looked over to where Lassiter's desk was. Susie was sitting in a chair across form the desk, a look of boredom on her face. Lassiter was seated at the desk, glancing every now and then from his computer to the girl across form him.
"You mean to say that you think the man over there, Carlton Lassiter, is the guy that Susie's head-over-heels about?" asked Gus.
"No, I mean the Carlton who spells him name with two 'K's."
"I don't think so," said Gus.
"Can't you see how hard Susie is working on restraining her self from leaping across the desk and planting a juicy one on Lassie?"
Gus looked at Susie, who's attention had turned to the outside world, watching a squirrel dart about in the grass.
"Shawn, you're losing it."
"I lost it long ago, Gus. Before you."
"Shawn, that's not what I'm talking--"
"I know. But still. I speak the truth."
With that, Shawn made his way towards Susie and Lassiter. "I know you two are involved in a deep conversation," he said. "But we really must be going."
"What, so soon?" asked Lassiter, detest for the psychic dripping from his voice.
"Yes, well, you can come over any time to finish your conversation. You know where the office is."
Susie, Shawn, and Gus began the walk towards the entrance of the building. "Spencer!" called Lassiter. Shawn turned around. The head detective beckoned him over.
"You guys go ahead," Shawn said. "I'll meet you at the car."
Shawn walked over to Lassiter's desk as Gus and Susie went in the opposite direction. "What's up, Lassie-face?"
Before Shawn knew what was going on, Lassiter was on the other side of the desk, a handful of Shawn's shirt in his fist. "Don't ever make me be that brat's babysitter again." he growled.
"Whoa, calm down. I take offence to that." Shawn said. "She's my kid."
"No, she is not your kid, Spencer. You are merely her guardian by some weird chance of fate since her parents are in jail."
"You think I don't know that?"
Lassiter let go of Shawn's shirt and shoved him slightly. "Don't go forcing yourself or your life on her," he said, sitting back down at the computer.
"Learn that from the separation?" asked Shawn. Lassiter's face was turning a lovely shade of red. "So, is that a 'no' on getting Susie to change her last name to Spencer?"
"Spencer, be aware that my gun does have bullets in it right now."
"What, these bullets?" asked Shawn, holding up three bullets.
"Spencer, what the--"
"I had Susie get them out of your gun," Shawn placed the bullets on the head detective's desk and walked away. Susie and Gus would probably begin to wonder if he stayed here any longer.
Behind him, a bewildered Lassiter was checking his empty gun.
