11
Every Dark Cloud
Author's Note: I would really appreciate it if anyone reading this would send some feedback so I can know if you like this or not.
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Chapter 6
"The weather forecast said there might be a break in the rain today," announced Jack as he entered the bullpen.
"I've already put in a request for a fly over," D shared.
"And I've been busy as well," stated Tara looking up from her computer screen. "Well… I'm always busy but this time I was busy with the idea I got when I was taking a shower instead of my usual busy when…."
"Tara?" interrupted Jack.
"Yeah?"
"What idea?"
"Oh, yeah! Anyway, it occurred to me that Milt Pearson couldn't possibly be the only person with a mountain retreat up there."
"True."
"So, I've been compiling a list of owners and locating their properties on a map of the mountain. If we can pinpoint where the mudslide is, we'll have a list of possible locations Sue and Bobby could've taken shelter between there and the Pearson place. With any luck, they'll be at one of those locations." Left unsaid were the more dire consequences.
"That's great thinking, Tara!" said Lucy appreciatively.
"I thought so, too. I get some of my best ideas in the shower. I wonder why that is?" she wondered with a puzzled frown.
"All well and good," began Myles, "but what if…"
D elbowed him in the stomach.
Myles glared at his teammate. "Good idea, Tara," he said instead. "In fact, it's brilliant."
"Why, thank you, Myles!"
"How far along is that map?" asked D.
"I'd say another half an hour to finish and double-check my work," she answered busily typing away. "Keep in mind, this list includes only registered property owners—the tax paying kind. For all we know, there may be some cabins up there built by unknown persons."
"At least we'll have a starting point. Good work," praised Jack.
D walked over to his desk. "I know finding Bobby and Sue is our number one priority but the Agency has a different one. Since we're two members short at the present, we've been assigned an agent to help us out until Bobby and Sue come back."
"Who?"
"Tracey Nakamura from White Collar. She'll be here this afternoon."
"Oooh!" Myles pursed his lips in appreciation. "She's hot!"
"I heard she's a good agent, too," Lucy remarked sarcastically.
"R-i-i-ight," agreed Myles. "That, too."
"Tracey will be assigned to work with you, Jack."
"Hey!" protested Myles. "Why does Jack get to work with Tracey? I'm the one that thinks she's…I mean she's a good agent."
"Because," D said dryly, "we need to get moving on the Miller case. Marty's office needs all the information we can get on Jay Miller and company if we want the preliminary charges to stick or have you forgotten that little fact?"
"Oh, right. It did slip my mind…for a moment."
"Don't worry," Jack consoled his friend. "If everything goes according to plan, we could be wrapping up the case within a couple…three days. If she's still assigned to us, Tracey can work with you."
"Thanks," said Myles sardonically. "By then, Bobby and Sue should be back at work and Tracey will return to White Collar."
"Don't worry, Myles," said Tara, "you'll always have one of us to work with."
"Pardon me for not being quite as excited at that possibility."
"Are you saying you're tired of us?"
"There are times when I've thought it would have been extremely invigorating to work with some fresh blood."
"Are you saying we're old blood?"
"No, that's me…the Lelands are considered an old blood family since we've lived here for several generations. The rest of you are considered…."
"I don't think I want to know."
"Well, Myles, I'll make you a deal," Lucy proposed.
"Yeah?"
"When we find Bobby and Sue safe and sound," she emphasized, "I'll personally arrange for Tracey to stay on for another few days."
"You can do that?"
"Never underestimate the influence of a Rotor."
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What if…what if no one came to look for them? wondered Sue worriedly as she gazed at the falling rain. What if someone spotted the car over the cliff, assumed they were in it and didn't bother to search? What should she do? Hike out? But that would leave Bobby alone with no one to look after him. But if she didn't, where would that leave Bobby? He needed medical help and he needed it soon. Her mind whirling with unresolved questions, she took a deep breath and turned to check on her sleeping patient.
"Hey! You're up," she said pasting a smile on her face.
"A bit."
"How are you feeling?"
"Never better."
"I'm sure."
"Why the big sigh?"
"You saw that?"
"Couldn't miss it."
"It's the rain," she circumvented neatly. "I think it's making me depressed. I don't know how people can live in Oregon."
"Sunlamps."
"Really?"
"Saw it on 60 Minutes."
"I couldn't live like that. I need the real thing."
"I think I do, too." In spite of the chill in the air, the look in his eyes warmed her heart. He reached for her hand. "How's the wrist?"
"Better."
"Good."
He wrapped his long fingers around hers.
"Sue?"
"Yes?"
"Forgive me?"
"For what?"'
"For not getting down the mountain in time…not getting around that mudslide…for being sick."
"It's not your fault we're here."
"I'm the senior agent. I made the calls."
"You may be the senior agent but you didn't make it rain and you didn't cause the mudslide…unless you're claiming you're omnipotent?"
A lopsided grin appeared. "Don't let Myles hear you even suggest that. He thinks he's the blessed one on the team."
The pair shared a quiet chuckle about their sometimes pompous teammate. Exasperating as he could be, Myles was appreciated as the friend he had become.
"How 'bout some soup?"
He shook his head. "Maybe later."
"Something to drink?"
Again, he shook his head.
"You need to keep hydrated," she remarked as she brushed that stubborn lock of hair off his forehead. She could feel the heat returning. She took a quick peek at her watch. It was time for another dose. "I'll be right back."
True to her word, she returned quickly holding a cup and something in her other hand. "Here," she said handing him two white pills.
Obediently, he swallowed the aspirin and lay back waiting for the medication to kick in. He was hot, his chest hurt and he was exhausted. He knew he was sick…really sick but the dark cloud of their circumstances was brightened by one fact…Sue. How could he have been so blind for so long?
He reached for her wrist as she began to wipe his forehead. "Sue?"
"Mmmm?"
"When we get out of here…"
She waited patiently.
"When we get out of here…"
Conversation stopped as another attack overwhelmed Bobby. Her worried frown returned with a vengeance. His whole body shook with cough after cough.
"You need to be in a hospital," she said worriedly as he lay back trying to regain his breath.
"No…no…hospital."
"You're sick, Bobby. You need medical attention."
"I'll be…fine. Just need….to rest."
"Stubborn you," she signed.
"What?"
"I said you're being stubborn."
"Focused. Sounds better."
"You've been hanging around Myles too long."
"You wound me."
"I will if that's what it takes to get you in the hospital."
"Feisty. Like that."
"If that's what it takes…."
"Make a promise."
"Anything."
"We talk when this is over?"
Her mood immediately softened. "Promise," she mouthed and signed.
"Good." His eyes began to droop despite his best efforts to keep them open.
"Go to sleep, Bobby," she said soothingly.
"Stay," he said drowsily.
"I promise."
She watched him fall back asleep her serene appearance masking her anxiety. She had to do something—but what?
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"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like you to meet Tracey Nakamura," introduced D. "I think you know everyone here--Tara Williams, Lucy Dotson, Jack Hudson and Myles Leland."
"Myles Leland the Third to refresh your memory," Myles suavely corrected. He lifted her hand and kissed it. "A pleasure to meet you, Tracey," he said in his most debonair voice.
Tara and Lucy exchanged exasperated glances.
"Don't forget about Levi," added Jack.
"Levi?"
Jack pointed to the canine by Lucy's desk. "One of the most important members of the team, " he said with a smile.
"Oh, he's gorgeous!" exclaimed Tracey walking over to him. "Who does he belong to?" she asked as she scratched under his neck.
"Sue…Sue Thomas," Lucy answered briefly. "He's her hearing dog."
"Hearing…oh! The surveillance specialist, right?"
"Right."
"I heard she's done some amazing work."
"Yeah, she has," Jack responded.
Tracey could hear the concern in his voice. "I'm sure they'll find your teammates as soon as this rain lets up."
"Yeah, that's what we're thinking, too," said Lucy unconvincingly.
"So, what can I do to help?" asked Tracey scanning the group ready to help out.
Jack raised his hand. "You'll be working with me on the Miller case."
"Interstate hijacking, right?"
"Right," answered Jack pleased she had read up on the case. "I'll bring you up to speed on what we've been planning."
"Fine."
Myles swooped next to Tracey. "And as soon as that's done, you'll be working with me."
"Something to look forward to," she said tactfully.
He preened in satisfaction.
"Okay, can we get down to business, people?" D requested. "As soon as I get any news about the fly over, I'll let you know."
"Here," offered Jack pulling out his chair, "why don't you sit here while I go over the Miller case with you."
"I'm all yours," she answered opening the file.
As he looked over her shoulder, Jack summarized the details of the case and the plan of action he wanted to take.
"That's it in a nutshell."
"What's the missing piece?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean…that one piece of evidence that we need to nail the guy."
"Jack…telephone," called out Lucy before he could respond. "Line two."
"Thanks, Luce. Hudson speaking."
Tracey watched in interest as Jack's face brightened. He began pointing to her in excitement.
"We'll be there in an hour."
"What's up?" demanded Tracey.
"That was Darlene Munez," he declared triumphantly.
"The girlfriend?"
"The ex-girlfriend!" he carefully emphasized.
"Oh! This could get interesting."
"Very interesting. She's willing to talk in exchange for a deal."
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?"
"Exactly and Darlene is hopping mad."
"Got the address?"
"In my hand," he replied holding up a sheet of paper.
"Then what are we waiting for?"
"I like your style, Special Agent Nakamura," he smiled as he reached for his jacket.
"Give me ten minutes to grab my stuff."
"I'll meet you at the parking structure…second floor. I'll get the car."
"Good! I hate driving."
"That went well," Tara remarked as the pair of agents left.
"It's Jack," Lucy shrugged. "Everyone gets along with Jack."
"Not everyone," Myles interjected. "What about Nordstrom in fraud?"
"Ben doesn't get along with his own team," Tara pointed out.
"D, line one," notified Lucy.
"Thanks."
"It's surveillance," Lucy said quietly.
The remaining team members dropped everything and unabashedly listened. For a few minutes, no one stirred.
"You sure?" D said bleakly. "Okay, thanks, Matt." He hung up and stared at the phone.
"D?" asked Tara. "D?"
"Uh…yeah?"
"Was that the fly by report?"
"Uh-huh."
"Well?" demanded Lucy.
"That mudslide."
"Yeah?"
"It's worse than first reported. You know…with all this rain."
"That must be why we haven't heard from Sue and Bobby," Lucy desperately clutched onto that bit of information. "They probably weren't able to go around it."
"There's something else."
Alarmed at his tone, Myles stepped closer and slipped an arm around Lucy's shoulders.
"What?" she said faintly.
"The pilot spotted something at the bottom of the canyon. He thinks it might be a car."
"Oh, no!" she gasped in horror.
"Hold on, Lucy," Myles told her squeezing her shoulders, "D said the pilot thinks it might be a car, right?"
D nodded in confirmation.
"See? That's nebulous at best."
"Visibility wasn't good enough," D added, "and the rain started coming down again. When the weather clears up, we can send out a second surveillance chopper."
"What are we going to tell their families?"
"There's nothing to tell at the moment," D said firmly. "It makes no sense to contact them until we get more facts. For all we know, they could be safe and sound in one of those cabins Tara's locating."
"Hey," Myles said gently knowing now was not the time for one of his sarcastic remarks, "you know Sue would be ashamed of you for thinking the worst."
"Yeah," agreed Tara even though the news had left her shaken. "I know this may sound really corny but Sue is our little Mary Sunshine around here. She wouldn't want us to be pessimistic."
"Tara's right," D joined in. "I know it's hard but we've just got to sit tight until we do have more information."
"And according to the weather prognosticators the break we need should be this weekend," Myles assured her. "Bobby will take care of Sue until then."
Lucy pondered her friends' words for a moment then took a deep breath before squeezing the hand on her shoulder. "Thanks, you guys. I guess I went off the deep end yet again," she admitted contritely.
"This is the last time you're forgiven," Myles kidded. "I hear any more gloom and doom from you and I'm taking back my parking space."
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Try me."
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