Chapter 7

Jake's

"Spinelli, will you relax?" Maxie hissed, sliding onto a barstool beside him. "If you're all tense, you'll get all confused and mess things up."

"The Jackal has difficulties being in normal social circumstances, let alone ones that are heightened with alcohol, cigarette smoke, and women in revealing clothing," he replied, swallowing hard as he looked over at his friend who was in fact one of those women.

When she decided they would be going to the bar to spy on Elizabeth, Sam, and quite possibly Jason, she said they had to dress the part. She went home only to show up an hour later in a sleeveless, scoop-necked red dress that cut off mid-thigh and a pair of black stilettos. He'd offered her his jacket the second they walked into the bar, but of course she declined.

He wasn't exactly sure what kind of role they would be playing at the bar, seeing as very few of the women at the bar were held in the same regard as Maxie.

"Maximista?" he asked, watching the bartender slowly make his way towards them. "I would assume that as the Jackal PI and the stealthy Maximista, we are supposed to blend into our surroundings."

"We are, silly," she agreed, tapping her fingers on the bar. "You are my date, of course."

"If the Jackal was fortunate enough to take Maximista on a date, a smoke-filled bar would be the last-"

"Oh, good point. We really didn't think this through," she interrupted, furrowing her brow as Coleman stopped in front of them.

"What can I get you for you and your lady friend, Jackal?" he asked, eyeing Maxie curiously.

"I'll have something girly," she replied, looking over at Spinelli. "And get him something manly, but not overly strong."

"Sure thing, sweetie," he winked, busying himself as he made their drinks.

"Erm, Maximista?" he asked, frowning at her. "Drinking is most definitely-"

"For show," she cut in, flashing him a grin. "We're at a bar. It will look weird if we don't drink. As for our cover up…" She rocked back and forth on the stool, her eyes lighting up as she looked around the bar. "I've got it. I'll sit here at the bar, and you go hide in a corner or something."

"A corner?" he asked, slumping his shoulders.

"Yes, I'll be your eyes and ears," she replied simply, grinning as Coleman slid a sparkling pink drink in a martini glass over to her.

"That's a secret drink that I only give to special patrons," he murmured, winking again as he handed Spinelli a beer. "I don't think this will hurt the Jackal too much."

"Forget about the beer," she said, handing it back to Coleman. "And forget that you saw Spinelli because he's leaving." He gasped, preparing to argue, but she continued on. "You see I have this date tonight with some guy that I met on my online profile, and Spinelli was just trying to talk me out of it because he thinks it's dangerous. But the guy is really rich and handsome and I think he might be the one, so I am going to send my very best friend here on his way and have my date in peace."

"I can watch your girly friend, Jackal," he muttered, his attention shifting down the bar when one of the two other customers in the bar called for him.

Spinelli waited until Coleman was away before he started to rattle off all the reasons this could not happen. "Maximista, you cannot-"

"I can," she huffed, grabbing his laptop bag and pulling it up onto the bar, paying no attention to the fact that it was still hanging over his shoulder. "You brought some of those fancy gadgets of yours right?"

"Just as you requested," he choked, hurrying to pull his head through the strap.

She looked around again as if they were going to be caught and hurried to dig through the bag. "What is all this?"

Sighing heavily, he ran through the items, all of which he had informed her about on their ride over. He held up two tiny earpieces. "Two-way listening devices so that I can always hear you and you can always hear me…" He tossed down a plastic baggie of what looked like black pieces of foam. "Bugs, which act as both tracking and listening devices." And then he tossed down a pen, a stapler, and various other office supplies. "These are all cameras and listening devices as well."

"Well, I can't use any office supplies. We seriously need to get some PI stuff that is sparkling and shiny and matches my wardrobe," she huffed, grabbing the bugs and earpieces. "Take an ear piece, go hide in a corner, or crawl behind the bar when Coleman's not looking. Just hide. It makes more sense for me to be here than you."

"The Jackal has partaken in an alcoholic beverage in this very establishment," he reminded her.

"I know, but I can't crawl behind the bar in an expensive dress," she cried, getting up from the stool and handing him his bag. "And if Elizabeth and Sam see us together they may think things. I don't know what kinds of things but I know it won't be good."

"And the bugs?" he asked, frowning when she continued to clutch them in her hand.

"I – oh – I said you need to leave!" she yelled, throwing her hands up as she grabbed her drink and shiny clutch purse from the bar. "I swear Spinelli. You have to go to stop this. You are my best friend, but I can damn well date whoever I want to date."

His face fell instantly, and he started to apologize. "The Jackal was merely looking out for his-"

"I said go!" she hissed, tucking her purse under her arm to free a hand so she could grab and spin him towards the door.

"Oh, the Jackal sees," he murmured, his heart lifting in his chest when he realized Sam had suddenly appeared behind him.

"Bye. I'll call you later," she muttered, shoving him towards the door as she took a sip of her drink.

Once Spinelli was gone, she sat her drink on the bar and looked at Sam. "Seriously, I don't know what to do with him. He's so over protective," she clucked, looking around.

"He just cares about you," she replied, eyeing her suspiciously. "Especially when it comes to being in a place like this."

"Yeah, whatever. I can take care of myself," she said, stalking away from the bar. She paused long enough to turn around. "Could you watch my drink? I need to go to the ladies room and freshen up."

"No problem," Sam laughed, sitting down at the bar and shaking her head.

Ladies Room, Jake's

"Ewww," Maxie whined, shivering as she looked around the dirty bathroom, wondering when the last time was thathow long it had been since Coleman had bothered to run a mop across the floor.

She couldn't imagine what kind of person actually turned on the sink and put their hands under the water, let alone used the toilets.

She needed a shower. Now.

"Thank Ggod," she murmured, her cell finally ringing. She had called Spinelli five minutes ago and he hadn't answered. "What took you so long? I want to make sure that we set up this device correctly!"

"The Jackal was busy finding a place where he could be eyes and ears as well."

"Oh, fair enough," she said, pacing back and forth, trying not to tear up as her Jimmy Choos stuck to the floor. "Where are you?"

"Took your suggestion and am now curled behind the bar."

"Spinelli! What if Sam would have seen you?"

"No worries about the Once Fair Samantha. She is engaging in a conversation with a man in a suit who is not the Inept Detective, leading the Jackal to wonder if-"

"They aren't important – right now at least. I have to get this in my ear and-"

"The Fair Maximista is clearly eager to solve the mystery," he muttered, the distinct sound of clicking coming through the phone.

"You are under the bar onunder your laptop?" she asked, a hand on her hip. "What if you get caught?"

"I want to record what we hear in our devices and this is the most probable way of documenting – and now, yes, put the device in your ear and hang up the phone."

"What if it doesn't work? Then I'll have to hang up and call you-" She scowled when she realized he'd hung up on her. "Well if you can hear me, you never hang up on me again, Spinelli. It's rude and tasteless and terrible phone contact."

"Duly noted," came his voice inside her ear, causing her to shiver as the device vibrated.

"Oh, this is too weird," she said, checking her ear in the mirror to make sure it was hidden. "Too freaking weird."

"Maximista!" Spinelli cried, forcing her to flinch at his voice.

"Can you adjust the volume on this thing?"

"How's that?"

"Better."

"Good, now hurry back out into the bar because the Jackal believes there is a ruckus."

Behind the bar, Jake's

Spinelli shifted uncomfortably, not sure how he'd managed to pin one leg next to his head and the other beneath him, but knew if Coleman caught him, he would be in lots of trouble.

"Maximista?" he asked, when she was silent for nearly a minute.

"I have to be careful," she hissed, "or else I'll look like some loon who is talking to herself. Granted, I'll be a very well-dressed and attractive loon, but a loon nonethe – Jason! What are you doing here?"

"Stone Cold is here? I thought you said the Fair Samantha-"

"Shut up," she murmured, clearing her throat and then coughing. "I have a tick. Sorry about that. What are you doing here, Jason? I'd figure you and Spinelli would be off doing boy things."

"We've never done boy things."

"Fair enough, but don't play that answer avoidance thing with me. I asked why you were here."

"I could ask you the same thing."

"You don't own me."

Jason grunted.

"Fine, I see your point, Jason, but Spinelli is already worried about you enough. The last thing you need to do is start drowning your sorrows and banging bar whores to get over whatever ache you seem to have. That leads me to my next question – this ache of yours – female or mob related?"

"I have to go."

He heard the sound Maxie's heels against the floors and assumed she was trotting after him. "Jason, don't you dare walk away from…" She groaned loudly. "He just ran away. Like literally ran. I have never seen Jason move so fast in myhis life."

"Where did he go?"

"Oh, he just disappeared through the doorway, so I guess he left."

"Did you check?"

She groaned again, and he heard her heels move against the floor.

"Oh my Ggod. I am so terrible at this PI stuff and so thankful I have you."

"What?"

"Because if I didn't have you in my ear and being all why aren't you following him you twit-"

"The Jackal did not call you a twit."

"Well, I called myself one because I am."

"Are not."

"Oh my Ggod, can I just get to my point, Spinelli?"

"Please do, Maximista."

"If you weren't so awesome and intelligent and all why aren't you following Jason, I would have missed him disappearing into a room above the bar."

Hallway, Jake's

Maxie tapped her foot loudly against the floor, contemplating what could possibly be going on upstairs.

Unless Elizabeth had managed to slip inside while she was in the bathroom, but she figured Sam would have at least distracted her for a few minutes.

Crap.

Was that stupid woman upstairs about to bang Jason Morgan?

Groaning, she moved to the doorway that led into the bar and frowned when she saw that Sam was gone, and her very sparkly pink drink was now unattended. So much for the Coleman Special.

"Maximista?"

She jumped, having forgotten about the voice in her earthe bar. "Sam and Elizabeth are nowhere to be seen, so I'm going to sit at the bar for a bit," she muttered, walking towards her neglected drink.over to the bar.

"Did the Once Fair Samantha slip upstairs with Stone Cold?"

"I have no idea. Elizabeth is – just now walking in alone," she squealed, flashing a grin at the brunette who looked at her awkwardly. Maxie shrugged and hurried over to her drink, downing it in one sip, desperate to make herself look busy. Elizabeth passed her by and sat on the faurthest end of the bar, looking at Coleman, who then looked at Maxie and back at Elizabeth.

Something was definitely going on.

"Maximista?"

"Jesus, Spinelli. Give a girl a second," she muttered, hanging her head to hide her face as she talked. "You sit behind this bar and be quiet or – or I'll rat you out to Coleman!" She waited for him to reply, but he didn't. "Did you hear me?"

"I'm being quiet."

"Oh," she said, tapping her empty glass against the bar. "Good." She debated on whether or not she wanted another, but figured why the hell not.

Behind the bar, Jake's

Spinelli took a deep breath and clenched his eyes closed as he listened to Maxie talk to yet another guy at the bar. He'd been contemplating on pulling the earpiece out all together, but refused to let jealousy get the best of him.

Besides, what if Maxie actually ended up needing him?

Judging from the slur of her words and the clang of glasses on the bar, she probably would when the bar closed in a couple of hours.

This had been a terrible idea.

Okay, so most of this entire investigation was a terrible idea.

Jason would surely kill them both and who know what he would-

"I've got a room upstairs," he heard through Maxie's earpiece.

"Really?" she squealed. "I'd love to see it."

This was officially the worst idea in the history of all ideas.