There was no point in wasting any time at Kelly's; Evan knew she wouldn't be there. She would avoid any establishment that could be traced back to her family. Best to steer clear of anything that fell under that category. He wasn't sure how it had happened, but she had evaded him. And from what he could tell, without much effort. He slammed his fists against the wheel as he turned his car into the opposite direction without giving a single driver a second of warning. He was met with horns and screeching tires, but he flashed his badge and everyone went silent. The day was still again.

What was her damn problem? It was the question he had been asking himself since the moment he had tracked her down after their night together. He could understand her being wary of him. That night hadn't gone the way he planned either and he wasn't proud of himself. Her being wary would make total sense. Her avoiding him had passed cute days ago. Right now he just wanted to find her and handcuff her to something.

He had always been slightly curious about their use, handcuffs that is. When they ran out of bad guys, exactly what purpose did they serve then? Get your mind out of your pants, a strict voice ordered. He shook his head to clear the dangerous thoughts, barely able to halt his car before he drove headfirst into a row of cars that littered every lane. A traffic jam. Just what he didn't need. He gave a courteous wave and swerved his car out of the mess, taking a back road.

Forget handcuffs. He was taking a bat to her pretty blonde head. She was driving him crazy! Just when he thought they were getting along, just when they could tolerate being in the same room together, that was when she ran off like a bat out of hell. It was the middle of the day. He didn't see her trying to score in broad daylight. Still, she didn't strike him as the sharpest crayon in the box. She was unpredictable and spontaneous. If she took half a second longer to think anything through, he bet she wouldn't be in as much trouble as she was already in. For the hundredth time, he wondered what the commissioner had been thinking. This assignment made no sense. He had crossed a line and he had paid for it. Damn it, he didn't even feel like a real cop anymore.

He had to stop feeling sorry for himself and find her as soon as possible. This was the only and last time he was paging Harper for anything. The man was little more than useless. He would have put 9-1-1 in the message, but he figured he could handle this if he had to. It just would have been nice to at least get a call back. Stopping the car suddenly, he barely escaped whiplash. "I sound like a woman." He muttered, taken completely aback. To make himself feel better, he let off a string of curses and then continued down the road. He would find her and when he did he didn't know what he'd do, but this was the last time she went off alone. If she had thought he was unbearable before, watch out.

His attention splintered when he noticed a white-haired man to the right of him standing on the edge of the sidewalk. Even though the man was a ways off, Evan could tell the man was unhappy. Maybe it was the red face or the fact that when he thought no one was looking he kicked the front tire of his motorcycle with his boot. Even though he knew he shouldn't stop, Evan was dying for a distraction. It wasn't like the commissioner was here to catch him. Taking a few minutes to help if he could would not be the end of the world. He parked his car a half a block down and returned to where he had seen the man. "Having trouble?"

"No. I'm just enjoying the view." Luke grumbled back.

"What seems to be wrong with it?" Evan ventured cautiously forward. Despite the white hair, he had a feeling the man was quick.

"Hell if I know. She just died on me. If I didn't know better I'd suspect my wife was behind it." The only link that kept him feeling the death of his motorcycle was directly tied to his beloved Laura was the simple reality that his wife didn't know the difference between a lug nut and a bolt.

"Mind if I take a look?" Evan offered.

"Go ahead."

Evan leaned over the bike and held in the clutch with one hand while he used the other to turn the key. Nothing happened. He wasn't an expert at motorcycles, but he had spent quite a few summers at his uncle Andy's who worked on them for a small profit from the local townspeople. Uncle Andy had died a year ago and his "workshop" had defaulted to his daughter, Ellie, who had spent only five minutes with him once and had no use for the space. "Maybe the battery?"

Luke shrugged his shoulders. The battery probably sounded better than his theory of Helena Cassadine plotting to destroy him on the road. "Could be. At least I'm sure it has gas. So we can rule that possibility out."

"There's a shop just down the street. I'm sure they would take a look at it for you." Evan told him.

"Are you offering me a ride there Dudley?"

"I was going to help you push it." Evan said quietly. "But if you don't want my help, I'm sure you're strong enough to do it by yourself."

"Of course I'm strong enough boy. But if you want to help I'm not going to stop you."

"When you put it that way..." Evan shook his head good-naturedly and helped the man shove the bike down the street. They passed two older women coming out of the salon winning some strange glances and a few blushes and more often than not the old man would run himself over with the front wheel and let out a curse so dark Evan was almost certain he had made it up.

"So what's your name Dudley? When I change details I'll need to know how disguise your identity properly."

"Evan Cassidy. And you?"

"Luke Spencer."

Evan didn't hesitate. "You're Luke Spencer? Well of course you are. Mr. Spencer, your reputation precedes you."

"As it should. As it should." Luke nodded, not the least bit surprised by the young man's recognition of his name. "And should I recognize you for any reason?"

"I don't see how." Evan countered. "I know your daughter."

"You know my Sweet Pea?" Luke's eyebrow shot up. "Do I need to reconsider running you over with this bike?"

"If you think you can get it started." Evan joked. "It's not like that."

"Why don't you tell me what it's like and I'll be the judge of that." Luke stopped in his tracks, much to the annoyance of the family that was following behind them.

"Fair enough. We're friends. We met at the community center. I volunteer twice a week in the Big Brother program."

Luke regarded him skeptically. "Community center? I don't remember Lulu mentioning any community center."

"The college gives extra credit for a certain number of volunteer hours."

"I'm sure they do. I just wasn't aware they gave credits to non-students."

Evan nodded and pointed to himself. "You mean me? I never said I was a college student. I said I volunteer at the community center."

"Very good. Trying to start confusion about the small details. A classic move if not predictable." Luke nodded and took two steps with his bike. "Mac's training you well over there at the Academy."

"I come from a long line of police officers. My father, my grandfather, and so on." Evan explained proudly.

"Well every family has their dirty habits." Luke shrugged.

"I've had to break up quite a few fights at your club."

"Now that's just good clean fun and not a way to impress me Dudley." Luke shook his head. "Now about you and my little girl..."

Evan had all too often been on this side of the conversation. If the situation was any different—but it wasn't. Almost every word out of his mouth had been a bold-faced lie. "What about Leslie?" He wasn't entirely sure why he insisted on calling her by her first name instead of the nickname her family had probably stuck her with at a very young age. Maybe because he knew it bugged her.

"Leslie? Oh I bet she loves that." Luke chuckled. Already he knew probably more than he cared to know about whatever was going on between this cop and his daughter.

"She hates it." Evan admitted. "But I'm sure she has a few names for me I don't know about." Like asshole. Or stalker. Or any number of things.

"I'm sure you'll be hearing those soon. For example the next time you call her Leslie."

"Something to look forward to. Listen, I should get going."

"Sure you should." Luke nodded. "Thanks for your help Dudley. I'm sure I'll see you around."

*****

Cruz had never had the pleasure of meeting Jasper Jacks personally, but he recognized the businessman's face from the paper. He hadn't been expecting the man to show up at his front door. "I assume you're here to see my wife." He began once he had opened the door.

"No. No." Jax shook his head. "While I enjoyed Bobbie's company immensely I'm actually here to see you."

"Me? What for?"

"May I come in?" Jax took a step forward before Cruz could protest. "I'd rather discuss business inside."

"And I'd rather have an answer to my question, but we don't always get what we want, Mr. Jacks."

"I always get what I want Mr. Rodriguez. Don't you read the papers?"

"I try to stay away from publicity stunts."

"Your friendship with Mr. Spencer says otherwise."

"What do you know about Lucky? Is that why you're here?"

"No. I have no interest in the business dealings of L&B records. Only the insane go into the music business. My reasons for being here run to a more local interest."

"Is that right? Well by all means, come in." Cruz barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This guy had a lot of nerve showing up unannounced.

"Thank you. Now Mr. Rodriguez, I'd like to talk to you about your magazine."

Cruz felt the little hairs on the back of his neck stand to attention. "What about it?"

"I'd like to make you an offer."

"An offer to what?"

"An offer to help you financially. I understand you and several other publications have hit some hard times lately."

"I'm sorry, but your sources are wrong."

"Really? Then your biggest rival publication didn't just close its doors? You haven't been turned down by banks all over town?"

"What right do you have to poke your nose into my business?"

"It's my job. I look out for investment opportunities. And right now I see an opportunity." Jax responded calmly.

"This is going to be one of those times you don't get what you want." Cruz told him, ignoring the screaming voice inside his head that said he was in way over his head. He needed the money or he was going to have to start letting his staff go.

"Mr. Rodriguez, be reasonable. You've done great things with The Insider, but you've taken it as far as it as you can. You need money. Money you don't have. Money you can't seem to get. I can offer you money. My company will help you fix that staff issue you seem to keep having over and over again. I can help you achieve the goals you are setting."

"I don't need or want your help, Mr. Jacks. As you said, The Insider is mine, and I don't want some stranger coming in and pushing me away from something that I built from the ground up. So you can take your checkbook and shove it up your ass. I'm not interested."

"I don't think you understand Mr. Rodriguez. I don't really care if you're interested or not. Your investors will be. I'm giving you the chance to come out the hero and with your dignity intact." Jax stood up and approached Cruz slowly. "I'm offering you the opportunity to look like the better man."

"I already am. And if my investors believe you're the better choice, then so be it. But understand this: I'm not going out quietly. I may not have senators in my pocket and the local banks by the balls, but if you try to take my magazine from me, you're going to have a real fight on your hands. I believe you've said what you came here to say. Goodbye."

"Just one more thing. How well do you think you can provide for your daughter on pride? After all, it would be horrible if both her parents took the more difficult road here."

Jax smiled as his remark settled over Cruz in the exact manner he had intended. It was always amusing to see the idealistic ones start to question their own ideas and will to stay in this fight. Making his way to the door, he turned around and bowed slightly. "We'll meet again Mr. Rodriguez."

"I look forward to it." Cruz sneered, slamming the door shut and throwing his back against it.

Bobbie silently pulled herself back into the shadows once again. She was on her way down the stairs when she heard Jax's voice and stayed where she was once she realized exactly what they were discussing. Was this what her husband had been hiding from her? Was the magazine really in that much trouble? God why hadn't he told her any of this?

She wanted to go down there and offer him comfort, encouragement, anything. But she stayed where she was. The last thing he would want was for her to see him like this. She would give him some time to collect himself, and then they were going to sit down and talk about this. Make plans. Jax had clearly threatened her business as well. This wasn't just about him anymore. They were a family and it was time they started acting like one.