Disclaimer: Don't… do I really have to say this again. Yes! For the sake of the lawyers, I do! Don't own any part of Numb3rs or the characters. Wish I did, but I don't, darn it.
Granger wished guiltily for a gang of bank robbers. Or drug dealing bikers. Or a militant
ring of meth smoking Uzi packing grandmas. Anything but what he had now, which was a quiet, calm first week back at work. After being out five weeks recovering initially from
surgery to remove a rambunctious appendix, and then from the pounding received
aboard the Mariana Star, he was, at last, cleared for duty. He went from being very glad
about that to climbing the walls of his glass enclosed cubicle lickety split. He
couldn't decide which was worse; the backlog of forms foisted on him by the human
resources gnomes, or the pile of reports that stubbornly refused to go away. L.A.
seemed to be going thru a freak period of tranquility. Plenty of murders and robberies,
but LAPD caught those. Lucky jerks. No federally jurisdictional mayhem happened along to rescue
him from paperwork hell.
Realizing he was on the brink of a full blown pout, Colby decided another cup of
coffee was in order. By way of consolation, at least this pot he could make himself, and
therefore, properly. A small concession, but sometimes a man had to take what he could
get. He'd poured himself a cup and was manning up for another go at the smirking paper monster on his desk, when his phone buzzed.
"Granger"
"Walton" it was Kerri. Colby could hear the smile in her voice. Whatever demon that had descended on her a few days ago seemed to have gone on its way. 'Hi baby. Am I pulling you away from browbeating the truth out of some law breaking low-life?"
"I wish. The most excitement I've had all morning was my computer freezing solid in the middle of a download. Everybody's out on the street except me. Or in court.
You have no idea how glad I am to hear your voice. What's up?"
"What would you say to a weekend at Rincon Point, surfer dude? My boss, or rather his wife's family, has this pretty nice little private beach house very near there and he's offered to let me use it for a couple of days. I think he's feeling guilty about sucking up a bit too publicly to certain people and he's trying to make up for it. Whatever, I don't really care. I intend to take advantage of it before he comes to his senses. I'm allowed to invite a guest if I want and you're the first person I thought of. How 'bout it? Think you'll be able to get away?"
"Oh, baby, that sounds fantastic. Being alone with you all weekend sounds even better. I'm pretty sure getting away won't be a problem. I'm still renting while my lawyer fights with the insurance company over who gets to buy me a new truck, but what time should I pick you up?"
"Let's get an early start. Pick me up at eight. This is gonna be great! See you tonight." She was gone. All of a sudden, the mountain of files on his desk didn't seem to bother him so much anymore.
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With a burst of focused energy that his boss and teammates were probably still trying to figure out back in L.A., Granger had doggedly steamrolled the stack of bureaucratic dross until the last of it finally lay in a vanquished heap in his out tray. Then, before any of the others could proffer any different plans for his Saturday and Sunday, grabbed his jacket and virtually sprinted for the elevator. Throwing a hasty "going to Rincon Point for the weekend with Kerri, gotta pack!" back towards their general vicinity, he was out of there. Stopping by his apartment he grabbed his wetsuit (couldn't help remembering the last time he'd worn it), and enough clothes and personal items to tide him over till Monday. Dialing Kerri's number, the barely half a ring had him smiling.
"Hello! Colby?"
"You sound as if you could practically run all the way to Rincon Point without touching the ground! I take it you're all ready to go?"
"Are you kidding? You might not even have to stop! Just slow down, I'll dive in thru the window! See you soon!"
"You bet! Roger Kendall's wife's beach house, here we come!" Colby hung up, set his alarm, snagged his duffle and board and left.
Grinning like a pair of randy, hooky playing teenagers the entire trip, Granger and Kerri Walton made the miles to Santa Barbara's Rincon Point in nothing flat. A brief stop at a fresh food market for groceries barely postponed the start of their weekend. Waiting until he pulled to a stop at the front of their deserted, but nicely appointed temporary digs, Kerri
jumped out excitedly. Running up the short flight of wooden steps, she used the borrowed keys and threw open the door.
Perfect, she thought. The place had that delicately balanced mix of comfortable pampering and homey down to earth that only money could pull off without making it look too obvious. Deactivating the security system with the code she'd gotten from Kendall, she turned around, hearing Colby bringing up the rear. He had both bags, his and hers, in addition their foodstuffs. He deposited the food in the refrigerator and bags on the floor, puffing slightly from the exertion.
Dredging up a completely feigned look of shame, she said "I could've brought some of that in myself, honey, but thanks." She smiled winsomely.
"Um hum" Colby answered back, not fooled for a second. "You owe me a really good tip, lady."
"Sorry it's so late. Probably won't get your board in the water until morning."
"Not a problem" he said, eyeing her hungrily. "I see something else I'm pretty sure I'm gonna enjoy getting into."
"Catch me first!" Kerri dared him, turning to dash for the bedroom. It wasn't even close.
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Mind swimming in the intoxicating scent of the woman he held in his arms, Colby gently caressed the silken smoothness of Kerri's breasts from behind. Her soft, whimpering moans grew more insistent as his hand traveled the length of her body to end at her sensual center. She thrust herself forward, meeting his questing fingers with urgency. His own inarticulate vocals were swallowed up in the intensely pleasurable moment as Kerri managed, with the last of her ability to mumble out in a hoarse whisper, "Now, baby! Oh, now! Please now!"
Colby chuckled wickedly as he readily complied. Rincon Point held much more than one teeth rattling rush.
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Saturday dawned a beautiful, sunny day, puffy white cumulonimbus clouds dotting the pastel blue sky. A brisk breeze promised some fairly decent wave action, Colby hoped, donning his wetsuit with anticipation. Kerri, after whipping up the kind of breakfast for him that he normally only dreamed of, was back in the kitchen. He refused to let her handle the clean up all alone, but then she'd promptly shooed him out after the last dish was dried and put away. With the door closed on his rampaging curiosity, he could hear her humming softly. He knew what that meant. Lunch could very well make breakfast pale in comparison. The aromas were driving him crazy. Dating a woman who loved to cook was almost better than putting a flying tackle on a fleeing suspect, almost. His workouts might be more strenuous, but his mouth and stomach were very happy campers. So much so, that should he and Kerri ever call it quits, he was fairly certain that both his mouth and his stomach, if they could, would sue him in court to remain with her. Good thing leaving her wasn't anywhere near his mind. This was the ideal time to tell her how he felt. That he was in love with her. He'd made up his mind to do it before they left L.A. He was still thinking about it when the kitchen door opened, and Kerri appeared, a large wicker basket hooked over one arm. She hand him the basket, weightier than he expected. A checkered blanket and snorkeling gear were draped over her other arm. She was wearing her own wetsuit, her bikini showing underneath.
"Thought maybe we could both get in a good day in the water and then have a picnic."
"Sounds like a plan. After you" he told her with a twinkle in his green eyes.
"Oh no" she waggled a finger at him. "After you! You tend to get ideas when you walk behind me!"
"You're complaining? "Now, baby! Oh, now!" His teasing was rewarded with a becoming crimson blush.
"Colby! We can't spend the entire weekend in bed!"
"Why not?"
She laughed and pointed out towards the beach. "Go!"
He did, pausing to lightly tap her shapely rear with a wolfish howl. She pushed him outside, giggling.
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He studied them, laughing and holding one another, happily oblivious to the rest of the world. Her midnight hair, the focal point of many dreams, was bound into a long braid trailing down her back. Seeing the woman respond to her lover's touch so eagerly, the man's hands roaming her body at will, threw the watcher into a paroxysm of fury. He nearly gunned the car's engine. It would have been so easy as they crossed in front of him, so intent on each other. They were completely unaware of his presence. His hand caressed the key resting in the ignition, allowing his fantasy to progress. Vehicle screaming across the asphalt lot, plowing down the grassy slope and thru the golden sands of the beach until both objects of his mania lay beneath the grinding wheels of the motorized monster. It was that image, that of her crushed, bleeding, dying form relaxing as the light faded from her dead eyes that enabled him to regain control. She deserved, they both did, deserved to pay for his pain, which they were at least partially the source of, but they should have to suffer first. He needed that, they owed it to him. He kept track until the two disappeared from sight, rounding the outcrop of small trees and driftwood, holding hands. Then, with plans of his own, oh such plans, to fulfill, he drove away. There was much to accomplish. The to do list was lengthy. Best to begin.
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SEVEN DAYS AGO…
The bottle of vodka shattered as Jack Lucern hurled it violently against the wall of his three story townhouse. He'd already killed most of it. The sight of liquor and glass staining the art decorated walls of his bedroom barely made a dent in his anger and resentment.
"That self-serving spineless prick fires me?! Me?! If it wasn't for me he'd still have his nose up half the anal canals in California, sniffing and licking around for campaign contributions, and he fires me?!" Jack punched another wall savagely, then seizing a lamp from a nearby table, flung it thru the room's open French doors, watching sourly as it sailed downward to end in pieces on the polished sandstone patio. Stoked with wrath, he walked over to the night table next to his bed, opening its single drawer. He kept it there, dull matte finish gleaming ominously. In his drunken, angry state, he stumbled downstairs, finally winding up in his living room, filled with reminders of his past successes. He took distempered aim at one of them, a picture of him shaking hands with Roger Kendall on Jack's first day as a federal prosecutor. The shot made a huge sound in the emptiness of the large room. It was satisfying, seeing Kendall's duplicitous face demolished by the impact of the nine-millimeter shell. It made him feel so much better that he continued, firing round after round into the collection of photographs around him. He stopped upon reaching one of he and his sister, Alison.
She had much to do with his current disgrace. His dear sister deserved special treatment. Her hysterical blathering to the federal authorities had implicated him in her dealings with Amir Sahar. Not that it was untrue, Jackson was involved. Until his sister's pathetic attempts to save herself, he'd been able to conceal that fact. No more. Jack walked over to the picture, placing the barrel of the gun flush to the glass protecting the picture. "This one's for you, Ali" he slurred, and fired. Or at least he tried to. A dry click signified the weapon was empty. In disgust he threw it away from him. He swayed unsteadily in the center of the floor, trying to make up his mind what to do next. A hammering knock at his front door took the decision out of his hands.
"Jackson Lucern! This is the FBI! We have a search warrant! Open the door! Now!" Jack recognized the voice. Agent Don Eppes. After days of contentious battles between his family's battalion of attorneys and the government's own, they were finally here. Soon they would be inside his home, pawing thru his belongings like starving dogs tearing into a juicy bone. Leaving their grubby marks on his finely crafted furnishings in a search for evidence to back up Alison's allegations. Angered at his refusal to help her, she was determined to drag him down with her. Too bad she was beyond his reach. Right now, strangling the life out of her seemed the perfect panacea for his troubles. While he was busy contemplating the pleasantness of that thought, the front door crashed inward, locks and wood splintered by the cylindrical steel FBI battering ram. The sudden, forceful entry rocked the drink sodden man back on his heels. Off balance, Jack fell to the oriental rug covered floor. The next thing he knew, Eppes and another agent Lucern heard referred to as David were standing over him, gloating. More personnel poured in behind them.
David Sinclair yanked the former A. D.A. off the floor, handcuffing him as Don formally served the warrant, rather warrants. The team had more than one reason for their presence in Lucern's pricey surroundings.
"Jackson Lucern" Don was all business. "This is a warrant for a full search of your property, including any automobiles, and authorizing us to confiscate any computers and files in your possession. We also have a warrant for your arrest." Eppes tucked the arrest warrant into the pocket of Jack's shirt. "Get him out of here."
As he was led out, Jack saw, compounding his humiliation, the two female agents he'd so enjoyably fenced with weeks before. Both were expressionless, but Jack could tell how pleased they were. His rage smoldered.
Twenty four hours later, after bailing out, Jackson checked out the three stories of wreckage left in the wake of the FBI search. The townhouse was a complete mess, cabinets and closets denuded, drawers pulled out, papers littering the floors and desks. Jack noted the absence of his trio of computers, two laptops and a desktop model, all high functioning machines. They were still in the hands of the Bureau's computer forensics experts, who were scouring them for evidence. Good luck, Jack snorted bitterly. He'd used the time his lawyers were occupied with fighting the government's request for the warrants to have the computers scrubbed. The FBI techs were sure they could reconstruct the data. He would have to hope the government geeks were wrong about that. There was no time to worry about it. He had more important scores to settle.
During his time in custody, Jackson had overheard and learned enough from being interrogated to know that his present difficulty was largely due to the efforts of an agent by the name of Colby Granger. It was Granger's persistence in finding Christopher Gerrard and his father that resulted in the FBI raid on the Mariana Star. Colby Granger was also Kerri Walton's lover. The man she had rejected him in favor of. That set Jack to thinking of Kerri. She probably supposed that he, Jack, was no longer a threat to her. That with his own troubles, Jack's determination to force her to give herself to him no longer existed. She was wrong. He still very much intended to have her. She would not escape him. Fending off the FBI and his former colleagues consumed both time and energy, so his lustful pursuit of her submission had to be put on hold. He had time for her again now, and her G-Man boyfriend. He had something else too. An edge that none of the enemies confronting him suspected. Digging the phone out from under a pile of papers, he dialed a number from memory.
"Hello?" a gruff voice answered.
"This is Jackson Lucern. Do you have the latest disc?"
"Of course sir, but I think…"
"Bring it to me" Jack ordered.
"Yes sir, but Mr. Lucern, I think…"
"I said bring it, NOW!!!" Jack roared into the phone, slamming the receiver down.
Reaching out to start the car, Clarence sighed and shook his head. He liked taking orders from pretty boy even less than taking them from the ice queen. Problem was with Global about to get a procto exam by the Justice Department, his options were severely limited right at the moment. He tucked the surveillance disc produced by the unseen electronic visitors attached to Colby Granger's windows into an inner jacket pocket and drove to meet his employer.
Five days passed. During that time, Jackson Lucern's golden existence crumbled. His political aspirations suffocated together with his career as his connection to Sahar came to light, courtesy of his sister and the press. Jack as well as Alison were excoriated by the remainder of their family, cut off from the vast majority of the Lucern financial assets and legal expertise. Worst of all, the rabid L. A. tabloid media pounced on the story, plastering his image and his life, including the most sordid parts of it on the front pages of their publications. Receiving the most recent surveillance from the hands of Clarence, Jack listened as the whore and loverboy discussed their trip. Not a bad idea, Lucern concluded. A romantic getaway was just what he needed. Rincon Point it would be. Regretfully, a good time would not be had by all.
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Colby dropped the wicker basket, former receptacle of their delicious lunch onto the deck. Running in place, he thrust both arms into the air, pumping his fists like a victorious boxer.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the winner and still champion, Coooolllbyyy Graaaaaangerrr!!!!" he boomed out for a non-existent audience.
Kerri came running up the steps ten seconds later, having some difficulty, trying to run, laugh and breathe all at once. "No fair! Your legs are a lot longer than mine! Besides, you cheated!"
"Did not!"
"Oh, you so cheated! What would you call it? You waited until we were halfway back, took off running and yelled "dibs on the shower!"
"Strategy! Ha ha!" Colby, who had the key, slipped inside and sprinted for the bathroom, locking the door once he was there. Kerri banged on it in mock anger.
"Colby Granger, open this door, you cur. I have sand in places sand was never meant to be!"
A hairline crack appeared. "If I let you in what's in it for me?" Colby taunted.
Kerri took a step back, lazily unzipping her wetsuit and slipping off her bikini top. No doubt about it, Granger reflected, taking it in, Rincon Point had some amazing views.
"You win" He moved aside, allowing her in the bathroom. She sashayed past him, delicately manicured fingernail tracing his bottom lip. "Thank you, honey."
He was still standing in the doorway. With a triumphant yell, she pushed him into the bedroom and locked him out, peels of laughter sounding thru the barrier.
"Hey! Come on, no fair! Now who's cheating?!"
"Not cheating! Strategy!" The shower gushed to life.
Outflanked by a girl! The shame of it! Grinning, Colby flopped down on the bed to wait.
Twenty minutes later, Kerri materialized, one fluffy peach colored towel covering her body, another wrapped around her mane of inky locks.
"Well, finally! I thought I was gonna have to take the door off!"
"Not necessary, baby." She beamed toothsomely. "All yours!" She took his place on the bed, intending to enjoy the spectacle as he disrobed. He smirked knowingly. She wanted to tease? He could play.
Copying her earlier movements, Colby unzipped his wetsuit in a leisurely manner, exposing his tanned, athletic body inch by inch. He kept his emerald eyes on her, gauging her reaction as he got naked in front of her with excruciating slowness. Suppressing a smile at her palpable eagerness to see more, he worked the zipper down completely, then shrugged out of the neoprene, kicking it aside. Devilish impulse taking control, he did an about-face, and with his back to her, removed the swim trunks he'd wore underneath. He looked back at her and almost laughed aloud. Kerri was sitting on the side of the bed, jade stare working up and down his body, biting her lower lip. He did another one eighty, took the half dozen steps over to the bed and helped her stand. Her eyes were bright with desire.
Her mouth tasted of the sun-ripened strawberries they'd enjoyed for lunch. Kerri clung to him, feeling his hands and mouth stroke her body, playing her like a finely tuned instrument.
Every part of him she touched felt molten, liquid beneath her fingertips. He melded her to him. She could feel how much he wanted her. She wanted him so much she trembled with it.
"Kerri? Baby?" He murmured.
"Y…Ye…Yes?"
He jumped back playfully. "I really hope you left me some hot water, 'cause I'm covered in sand from head to toe!" He zoomed into the bathroom, slamming the door shut, before she could react, leaving her, mouth open, in the act of removing the plush towel covering her body. She heard the shower begin to run again. Her passion confused brain was in the act of trying to sort out the situation when the door swung open again. Colby stood there, snickering lecherously.
"Heh, heh, heh. Gotcha, didn't I! Get in here woman!" He pulled her in, sans towels, fusing their bodies together. Backing her into the shower, he left a downward path of kisses as he settled on to the slatted shower seat. Kerri joined him, lowering herself until she straddled him and scissoring her legs behind his back. He leaned back, lifted his hips and…
"Oh, Colby! Baby! Uh, uh…ummm..…that, that, that's… Ohhhhhh!…Aaaaaahhhhhhh!"
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Upon emerging from the lusciously erotic shower, Colby had a surprise for his beautiful companion.
Both dressed in jeans, t-shirts and flip-flops, he directed her to a stool next to the kitchen's oversized island.
"You have been creating these magnificent meals for me since we met. My turn. I have a surprise for you, Chef Walton. I am going to make for you tonight my dad's prize winning chili recipe, complete with secret combination of spices. You need to do nothing except sit back and enjoy."
For the next forty-five minutes Kerri looked on as he chopped, mixed, stirred and seasoned, allowing her to get no closer than her island perch. He could sense that she itched to contribute her culinary two cents. Her every suggestion or offer to help, however, was either ignored or lovingly rebuffed by Colby with a "thanks honey, but I got this" and a kiss.
He ultimately solved the problem by giving her a job to do.
"Please, baby, set the table for me, huh? It's just about ready. Thanks." He scooted her out, dishes, linen napkins and silverware in hand. Five minutes later he joined her, steaming crock of chili making its way to the table. Granger dished up a bowlful, presenting it to Kerri with a flourish. He waited expectantly as she took the first spoonful and watched as her face melted into an expression of ecstasy.
'Um, aw Colby, this is great! I think this is some of the best chili I've ever had, and I mean it! I not just saying it, this stuff is really good! Um, um. This is your dad's recipe?"
"Yep. Prize winning, literally. That chili took first place at many a chili cook-off. Dad used to knock people's socks off with it. You really like it?"
"Um hum. This is sooo good" Kerri mumbled around a mouthful. "I'm not going to talk anymore for a while honey. I really want to concentrate on this, ok?" she tucked into the bowl with pleasure, savoring every bite. She truly did think it was delicious. Pleased at having done so well, Colby dished up his own bowlful and started to eat. To compliment the meal, there was beer for him and a glass of red wine for her. Following several minutes of satisfied silence, scraping the bottom of her bowl, she held it out to him.
"Please, sir, can I have some more?" Kerri hammed it up with her best Oliver Twist imitation.
Colby stood and started for the kitchen. "Sure, honey." As he put a hand on the swinging door, a wave of dizziness nearly knocked him off his feet. He staggered, gripping the wall for support. His knees buckled as the dizziness grew worse. He tried to tell Kerri but nothing came out. Trying as hard as he could, he was able to make it almost back to the table. Thru his distorted vision and fading hearing, he loosely comprehended the alarming fact that Kerri appeared to be no better off than he was.
"C…Col…Colby, I don't feel so good. Wh…what…what's wrong? I..I... Please, I need so…sssome help"
Colby, struggling to stay upright, couldn't help her. He took a final step and dropped like an abandoned marionette. The last thing he heard was an unfamiliar male voice derisively address Kerri.
"Hello, princess." Jack Lucern loomed above the vulnerable woman, waiting patiently as she fought and lost against the powerful drug invading her system.
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