As luck would have it, the Denny's wasn't crowded and the three of them were able to get a table right away. Even though Roman and Dean teased her about only allowing her to order soup, crackers and ginger-ale, she could tell they were pleased that her appetite was a little stronger. She ended up ordering a ham and egg sandwich with fruit and coffee to drink.
As they finished eating, Dean asked Machelle how she had met Jamie. Machelle told him she had known Jamie for about eight years. They had met at her sisters 21st birthday, at a bar in Haney, B.C. and had hit it off right away. He was in and out of her life after that but, they always talked or texted with each other. She was a ballroom/Latin dancer and was always on tour.
She knew the sports business as Jamie over the years had always showed and taught her what to look for in a good sports player. "Jamie always said I had the arm of a football player and can throw a ball farther than any guy."
Roman and Dean looked at each other, grinned, then said in unison, "You're Legs!"
She laughed. "I always hated that nickname, I don't know why he insisted on calling me that."
"He always talked about you," Roman remarked.
"But we didn't believe half the things he said," Dean finished for him. "We thought those stories were just too far fetched. I guess we were wrong."
"Shh, don't say that to loud, please, I do have a reputation to hold up to. I'm sure some of the stories he told you were true" she told them, still smiling.
Dean smiled and said "like the one were you had punched some guy and Jamie had to come to your rescue?"
Machelle smiled. "He didn't come to my rescue, Jamie started it and the guy was being an idiot. I had to defend my friend. Isn't that what any person would do?" she asked.
Both Dean and Roman nodded in agreement.
Jamie had called her a month before to come and join him in his other company, McKeana Inc. She was to be his apprentice of sorts, to learn the business. Before he had died, she was helping him with his youth center. She didn't know what the contracts he had left her were for or for what sport. Dean said that they could go and have a chat in the morning with Vince and Triple H.
Roman looked at them both of them. "I know what some of the contracts are for."
"What?" Dean asked, looking slightly confused.
"When I first got to NXT, Jamie was the person who had me sign with them," Roman explained. "I know a few of the others that signed with me too, the rest we'll have to ask Hunter about."
It was a long night for Machelle she was having trouble sleeping. She slid out of bed and grabbed her laptop from her bag and put the memory stick in. She started to watch the video again. Even though she had watched it many times, she thought she was missing something. She had questions. She thought to herself, "Why would someone want these contracts they belonged to WWE?" The lawyer had three large boxes of papers and files that had belonged to Jamie, but he still had not come across the contracts.
Then, like a flash she remembered something Jamie had said to her a long time ago. "If anything happens to me, don't forget the can."
As she was trying to remember what he had meant by that peculiar statement, she was pulled out of her thoughts by a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and was about to scream when she realized it was Roman. "You scared the living shit out of me," Machelle cried, as she clutched her chest.
"I'm sorry" he said. "I was just wondering if you were alright. I was talking to you and you were spaced out there for a sec."
"I'm sorry, I was. I just remembered something Jamie told me a long time ago," she said.
"What" Roman asked, curious to what she would say.
"I remembered Jamie saying something about a can. He always kept it in his cupboard. I think we should go to his house again. Find the can and bring it with us when we go to meet hunter and Vince."
Roman looks at her. Do you know what it looks like?"
Machelle was about to answer when Dean came into the room and sat beside her. Machelle looke at him and asked "I'm sorry guys, did I wake you? I didn't mean to."
Dean smirked and said, "Nope. I don't usually sleep all night anyway. So whats this about a can?"
Machelle smiled" I was just telling Roman I remember that Jamie had told me if anything happened to him. He always kept a can in his cupboard. Just in case. He never said what it had inside just that if anything happened to him make sure I got it. He also said that I couldn't miss it "
The two guys look at each other then at Machelle, and said in unison, "Let's go to Jamie's place."
"But after breakfast," Dean then added, "I'm starving and we need our strength anyway. Breakfast is the most important meal after all. "
Machelle got off the couch, then turned around and said, "Your wrong. Coffee is the most important." They all laugh, Roman and Dean glad that at least Machelle was feeling more comfortable around them.
Twenty minutes later, they all met in the living room. Roman and dean expressed surprise and delight that Machelle didn't take an hour to get ready like most girls. "Yeah," Dean remarked as they were heading out of the hotel room. "She's a keeper, all right."
"She sure is," Roman agreed.
After a quick breakfast, including grabbing some coffee to go, they were on there way to Jamie's house. When they got there it looked quiet and undisturbed just like they left it the night before. After Dean unlocked the door Machelle walked straight into the kitchen to begin looking.
"So," Roman asked, "What would this can look like?"
Machelle answered him, "well he always had tons of coffee cans, so I'm guessing big, and tall. He said that it was unmistakeable to miss and to look at the labels."
Dean and Roman both nodded and started looking in the cabinets that lined the kitchen walls, while Machelle went into the pantry.
A few minutes later, Machelle came out of the pantry, holding a very large can, the type that would be used in a hospital or other large, institutional place, not a can you would expect of someone who lived with one roommate. "I think I found it," she said. "In fact, I am definitely sure this is it."
Dean and Roman laughed, seeing the huge can in the woman's arms and walked over. "Yeah, that looks like the type of thing Jamie would use," Roman remarked.
"It gets better," Machelle said, turning it so the huge letters on the front were easily read by all three of them.
"The Biggest Can Of Whoop Ass You Can Find," Dean read out loud and laughed again, Machelle and Roman joining in with him.
"Jamie did have a weird sense of humor, don't you think?" Machelle asked and both guys nod their heads.
"Yeah," Dean said, "He was also the biggest Stone Cold Fan I have ever known."
Machelle nodded in agreement. "You bet he was. Stone Cold and The Rock. I think it was 'cause of me. I always said, 'Do You Smell What Jamie is cooking?'"
As they stood there laughing Dean's cell went off. He pulled it out and looked at the screen. " Its Hunter," he said, "I'll be right back." He left the room to talk in private.
Dean left the room, seeming to take the laughter the three of them had just shared with him and the truth came crashing down on Machelle again. Jamie was gone. Jamie wasn't at the store picking up milk, or at the pizza place getting dinner for the two of them. He wasn't even out of town taking care of business. Jamie was gone. She was standing in Jamie's house, surrounded by Jamie's things, and yet he would never walk in the door to claim them. Unable to stop them, Machelle felt the tears welling in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away, knowing Jamie would want her to be strong.
"So, you watch wrestling?" Roman asked, his voice a little too casual. "Who's your favorite?"
Machelle looked at him "I know what your doing." She smiled.
"I'm not doing anything." He protested, smiling back at her.
"Yes you are! I am a Shield fan and I was so pissed that they split you guys up. I'm sure Jamie told you," she said, "He probably told you that I scream at the TV like any other wrestling fan, too."
"Okay, okay, he did." He remarked, "We did say, he talked about you a lot. We all thought there was something going on with you two."
Machelle smiled and shook her head. "No, no, we were just friends. He was like the brother I never had."
Roman nodded. "So, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure," Machelle said, "Shoot."
"I'm just curious," he said with a smile, as Dean walked back into the kitchen. "Why did he call you, 'Legs?'"
Machelle's face flushed. "Well, he said I had great legs.. It's from dancing. Kinda like Tina Turner with out the fame." she smiled at the memory. "It also always made me blush when he talked about my legs, so of course, he kept doing it."
Roman nodded. "Well, he was right, you do have great legs." Before she could make a comeback, he turned his attention to Dean, "So what did Hunter want?" he asked.
Dean looked at Machelle " Well there is a problem," he began, then paused as if collecting his thoughts.
Machelle looked at him. "What else could go wrong?" She asked
"Well," Dean explained, "It seams this Jeremy guy has sent a lawyer to give Vince a letter saying that the contracts are his. Vince is going nuts."
Machelle looked up, a determined glint in her eyes. "Well, we'd better get to it, then." Striding across the kitchen, she opened a drawer, removed something and shoved it into the pocket of her jacket, then turned to the two men. "Well, let's get this show on the road, shall we? We have some ass to kick, now don't we?"
Dean laughed. "It seems someone is ready to Rumble now, isn't she?"
Machelle laughed as well. "I can't let you guys down, and Vince can't lose his company and contracts 'cause I'm scared. Besides I love a good fight."
With that Dean hugged her. "Well, I can see why Jamie gave you this job. I know your scared but, you're not showing it. "
Machelle smiled. " I have to be honest, I am scared shitless. Like I said when I first came to headquarters, I'm not in this for money. I want that asshole found and brought to justice for killing my friend and yours. Jamie deserves that." And with that she walked towards the door. "Okay, that's enough mushy shit, lets go."
Roman and Dean followed her to the car. As she got in Dean asked her, "So what is the second thing you want from Vince? I mean you said you just want two things from him?"
Machelle smiled. " I don't know yet, it sounded good at the time. Guess I'll think of something. I'm usually a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants, kinda girl."
Roman and Dean just smiled and nodded as Dean pulled out of the driveway.
It only took 20 minutes to get to WWE Headquarters. Dean pulled into a parking space, turned off the engine, and turned to look at Machelle.
"What? " She asked.
"I'm just checking on you to see if your ready." He smirked "But I see it in your eyes, you are ready for a fight."
Machelle looked from Dean to Roman. " I told you, I want to right this wrong. I will not let this asshole get the better of me or what is not his. Even if it kills me."
Roman interrupted her "That will not happen, Vince will not let that happen. Hell I'm sure Dean feels the same way as I do." Dean nodded and Roman continued, "Believe that to be true."
Machelle laughed. " Okay, Okay, enough with the cliches. I believe you!" she said as she opened the car door.
When they walk into the building Hunter was waiting and hurried over. "Are you alright?" he asked the three of them, "we heard about Jamie's house being broken into."
"I'm fine. I was a little scared." Machelle admitted.
"A little?" Dean piped in, "That's an understatement."
"Shut up Dean." Machelle said with a smile. "Okay, I was going nuts but, I'm good now and ready to take this ass down." With that she walked towards the same conference room they had used the day before.
As she was sitting in her chair, Vince came in holding a letter. "Is that it?" she asked. When Vince's nod confirmed that it was she continued, "Can I see it?"
Vince handed it to her.
As she was reading it, she smiled and started to laugh.
"Why are you laughing?" Vince asked in an angry voice, "this is not a laughing matter."
"I'm sorry Vince it isn't," she agreed, "but what is funny is this is a fake letter."
Roman heard Machelle's laughter and came into the room. "What do you mean its fake?" he asked.
She was about to answer, why when the man of the hour walks into the room, Jeremy Mains.