Intersection Page 30

  A few more hours was all he needed. He pulled a silver flask from the glove box and lifted it to his lips with satisfaction. She was turning down the street now. The clock had begun to tick. No more clicking cameras. No more annoying distractions. Another large swig of the powerful liquid and his hand reached for the cigarettes. Now he would move where he longed to be. His patience would be rewarded. The small black box suddenly interrupted his thought. He looked at it with disdain. The strength in his hands growing as his anticipation swelled. He threw it with force against the dashboard and its deafening cries waned to a squeaky whisper. No more conversation. “My turn,” he whispered.

  “Did you find him?”

  “He’s not answering,” Claire Brackett replied. “I’ve tried.”

  “Idiot,” John Merrow mumbled. He picked up the cell phone on his desk and lifted it to his ear. “We have a problem,” he said.

  The voice on the other end seemed to be expecting the call. “Fisher,” it replied.

  “Yes….Do you know where he is?”

  “Yes,” the man answered. “He’s in New York.”

  The president glared at the redheaded woman across from him. “Unacceptable.”

  “Understood,” the man answered. “However, it could be advantageous…with the agent gone.”

  The president shook his head and attempted to quell his anger. “If you want to create a crisis...Toles will not rest….not ever.”

  Brackett shifted in her seat unsure what this conversation was regarding. The president continued. “O’Brien called me yesterday.”

  “Yes…..did you convince him?” The other man asked.

  “I believe so.”

  “Good,” the man responded. The president kept an unflinching glare on Brackett as the voice continued. “I will take care of the situation,” the voice concluded.

  “I’ll expect your call,” John Merrow hung up the phone. “You realize what you have created?” The president said as he moved toward the woman.

  “I did as you instructed,” Brackett said.

  “No. You did as you pleased,” he placed his forehead against hers menacingly. “Get to the field office and play nice. Let me know when Toles leaves.”

  “Why? She’ll be on suspension,” Brackett answered.

  “Mmm…just do it, Claire. Toles is a lot smarter than you are.”

  “You want me to follow her?”

  “No,” he pulled back. “I want you at the office. I don’t want her having any trail to me…or to anyone else you’ve met with… understood? Don’t increase her suspicions. We have enough problems already thanks to your carelessness. You’d better hope that phone call I made works out.” Brackett was not easily intimidated but the tone in John Merrow’s voice told her if ever there was a time to comply, it was now. “I can’t protect you, Claire. This is not my game…I am only a player….just like you. If he fails…well….”

  “You’re the president,” she said definitively.

  “How do you think one achieves that, Claire? Through campaigns?” He laughed. “You have no idea. You are just a girl….a baby in this world. The way to the White House is paved with a lot of things, money, promises, betrayals, blood. And those who will shed the blood of their friends…they are the most dangerous beasts in the world. Watch yourself, Claire. No one is indispensable. Not even me.”

  Alex walked to her desk and sat in the large chair. She rolled it back and forth and traced the top of it with her fingertips. She closed her eyes for a moment as her hand instinctively dropped to the I.D. badge on her hip. She pictured Cassidy in her mind. Cassidy was standing at the counter making breakfast. There was a small dusting of flour on her face, and just a hint had lifted through the air and rested in her hair. Alex sighed. “I miss you, Cass,” she whispered and then chuckled at the thought that if she were home, Cassidy would have heard her faint whisper nearly a full room away.

  “You okay?” Brian Fallon asked as he placed a hand on his partner’s shoulder.

  Alex swiveled her chair and smiled. “Must be that time, huh?” He nodded with sadness evident in his eyes. “Hey,” Alex smiled. “It’s all right Fallon. Some things are worth it.” She patted his shoulder as she stood and began the short trek down the hallway to a small conference room.

  “At least Fisher is out of the way,” her partner offered.

  “Yeah,” Alex nodded, “give me some time to pack.” He looked at Alex inquisitively. “Like I said, Fallon….some things are worth it,” with that she was gone.

  “Agent,” Assistant Director Tate greeted Alex as she entered the room.

  “Assistant Director,” she returned the greeting.

  “Please…sit,” he said as she complied. “Let’s just get this over with,” he said plainly.

  laire Brackett felt the heat of his stare and looked up from her desk. “Can I help you with something?” She asked smugly.

  Brian Fallon was considered one the most even tempered agents in the bureau. Often people mistook his good nature and his sense of humor as a sign that he was somehow less capable or less commanding. There was another side to the agent that few ever saw. He seldom felt the inclination to let out his anger. Experience taught him that anger and competitiveness were counterproductive to his work. Very few things brought out the harsher side of Brian Fallon. Right now one of them was sitting in front of him. Slowly he leaned his body over the desk and locked eyes with the young redhead. “I don’t know what your game is…Miss Brackett.”

  “That’s agent,” she began.

  “Oh….I think we both know better than that; don’t we?” He smirked but kept his voice steady. “Let me give you a little piece of advice. Tread lightly in your time here.”

  “Or what?” She smirked.

  Fallon moved even closer. The severity in his voice dripped with animosity. “Don’t test me, Brackett. Anything happens to Toles or Cassidy…I promise you; you will see a side to me you’ll wish you’d never witnessed.” Brackett swallowed hard. Alex was just making her way back down the hallway when she caught sight of Fallon in Brackett’s face. The agent covered her mouth to hide the smile that had instantly appeared. She had only seen Fallon get angry a couple of times. She sometimes forgot how intelligent and determined her partner was. One thing she always understood was the level of his loyalty to her and their partnership. She felt sorry for anyone who was foolish enough to disregard Brian Fallon as anything less than a stellar investigator. She trusted the man with her life and that was a rarity for Alex.

  “Hey now,” Alex called from slightly behind her partner whose nose was just about touching the younger agent’s. “You can get suspended for that, you know?” Alex said making a joke at her own expense.

  Fallon pulled back slowly but kept his eye on the agent at the desk. “We were just chatting,” he said as he moved his focus to his partner.

  “Ahh… I see,” Alex nodded. “Well, it appears I have some vacation time to take,” the dark haired agent smiled. Brackett looked at her former lover with contempt. “I guess you can report that to DCIS,” Alex gloated.

  “You’re awfully cheerful for someone losing their career,” Brackett responded, ignoring the agent’s assertions.

  “Hum? Don’t get too excited, Claire….You did want me to call you Claire, as I recall?” Alex shrugged and continued. “There’s always a chance I’ll go home.”

  “I thought you’d be going back to that cute congressman’s wife…”

  “Oh…yes, Cassidy…I wasn’t referring to my family. I meant my career, Claire. There’s always the Pentagon,” Alex winked and walked away with Fallon following behind.

  The agent retrieved a few items from her desk and Fallon studied her closely. “Well?” He asked.

  “What?” Alex asked.

  “How long?”

  “Indefinite,” Alex answered and saw her partner’s stress rise. “Fallon, listen…walk me out.” She handed him a small box and they continued out the door.

  “You’r
e not really thinking about the Pentagon…Are you?” He asked.

  Alex sighed as they reached the car. “Fallon, you know there isn’t anyone I’d rather work with…but things,” she opened the trunk and put a box in before closing it again. “I’m driving back to New York in the morning.”

  “Alex…do you think that’s wise? I mean…”

  Alex smiled. “They can fire me. I already told Tate if I am reinstated I have my own conditions.”

  “What?” Fallon asked.

  “Transfer,” Alex explained.

  Fallon felt as if the wind had been knocked from his chest momentarily. He looked at Alex in disbelief and then saw the gleam in her eyes. His partner had just been suspended and she looked happier than he had ever seen her. “New York, I assume.” She nodded. He shook his head. “Well, Toles…It won’t be the same here…What if they ….uh….”

  Alex shrugged. “I have other options.”

  “You really driving back tomorrow?”

  “Yeah…Cassidy doesn’t know,” Alex smiled.

  Fallon shook his head again. “Need anything?”

  Alex put her hand on his shoulder. “You’ll be the first to know. I’ll call you.”

  Brian Fallon watched as his partner pulled away. Two weeks had changed both their lives. He couldn’t imagine his life without Alex in it. She was part of his family. His wife and his children loved his partner. He shook his head wondering what would be next for him. “Good luck, Alex,” he whispered.

  Cassidy sat at her desk waiting for her next class. She pulled the phone from her drawer and saw the message on the screen, ‘Voicemail’. She pressed the button and waited.

  Well…I told you, you wouldn’t even know I was gone. The teacher smiled as she listened to the agent’s voice. So….it’s official…I’m taking some forced vacation time....I was thinking, you know; about that birthday cake? Cassidy snickered. Maybe you could make both chocolate and vanilla. I’ll bet Batman would like that kind. Cassidy shook her head and muttered, “Sure…it’s all about Batman.” The voice message continued. Call me when you get home….I gotta’ do some shopping…. I was thinking….Do you think we could invite Nick and Barb and have them bring Cat to Speed Racer’s party? I mean…you don’t have to but…. “You’re rambling again, Alex,” Cassidy mused to herself, “and that’s already done…talked to Barb this morning,” the teacher shook her head again as she listened to the agent’s long winded message. Cassidy thought it was funny how Alex was prattling on. It was obvious the agent missed Cassidy in her voice and it had only been hours since they parted. She loved hearing her lover’s voice as she went on and on about so many trivial things; things that now seemed to matter more than anything else to them both. With no one threatening Cassidy, Alex had shifted her priorities to other things like birthday cakes and presents. “God, I love you.” The teacher said aloud as the message finished. Anyway…Fallon got in Brackett’s face…I wish you could’ve seen it…it was priceless. I miss you, Cass. Crazy. Call me, okay? I love you. Cassidy put the phone back in the drawer as her next batch of students entered. Alex’s voice was still lingering in her head. She was anxious now to get home and call the agent. ‘Two more classes,’ she thought silently. ‘Just a few hours.’ The teacher was beginning to think of some unique ways to welcome the agent back. She shook off her train of thought when a young, tall student walked to the front of her desk.

  “Hey, Mrs. O…we missed you,” he said.

  “I missed you all too, James,” Cassidy smiled.

  “Did you read that story? The one I gave you?” He asked hopefully.

  Cassidy had read it just as she promised she would. It was a heartfelt essay about the boy’s two moms. The teacher had read it over a week ago before everything spun out of control. She thought back to some of the words he had written. Cassidy smiled at the new and unique understanding that she now had. She looked at the teenager before her and thought about Dylan. “Of course I read it, James. It was very beautiful.”

  He smiled broadly. “You didn’t think it was…you know… like…”

  “Weird?” Cassidy chuckled thinking back to a conversation she had with her mother about Alex. The boy nodded. “No, James. I think you’re lucky… and so are your moms.” The relief on his face told Cassidy everything she needed to know about his essay and his reason for writing it. “I’m proud of you,” she said. As he took his seat Cassidy smiled. She was ready to write her own new story with Alex at its center and for the first time since she was a child she felt like maybe, just maybe she was really going home.

  Alex walked into the small kitchen area of her apartment and started a pot of coffee. She looked at the clock on the stove that read 1:15 p.m. The agent looked out over the apartment and considered what she should take with her. The truth was that Alex spent very little time here. When she was at home she was either working or sleeping. She lifted her bag onto the couch and opened it. There was something wrapped on top of her clothes with an envelope attached. Her heart stopped for a moment as she recalled the recent envelopes she had opened. Closing her eyes she shook off those memories and looked at it again, pondering what might be inside. The agent lifted the envelope and read the name: Alfred. Alex laughed and shook her head. Cassidy was impossibly silly sometimes. She pulled out the small notecard which had a picture of the ocean cascading over some rocks on its front. Slowly she lifted the cover to reveal the message:

  Alex,

  I don’t know how it happened. It’s strange. One moment I could predict the end of every day and then you arrived at my door and life became this crazy adventure. Every moment that I am with you is an adventure. It’s like the ocean in so many ways; waves that are almost violent at moments and then in an instant turn to a peaceful and soothing caress, gently carrying me along. It’s fitting that you brought me there; to the ocean that day. I was thinking about that night and your eyes in the firelight. I realize now that I loved you from the first moment we met. I think I knew that when we were sitting on that patio with the waves behind us.

  As I am writing this you are upstairs with Dylan. I can hear him laughing. I can hear your voice playfully encouraging his stories. I love you more with every moment that passes. Sometimes I can’t seem to recall when you weren’t here with us. I am so angry with Chris for hurting you…but then I think to myself that without him I may never have found you. I may never have known what it feels like to fall in love. It’s ironic. His actions, all of them, and your reaction to him, only remind me even more why I am so in love with you.

  I can’t wait for you to come home. Come home to me and to Dylan. I know you won’t stay away long, but even just a day will find us both missing you. So, take this…I’ve seen you look at it many times in the last few days. This way we will be with you, or at least it can remind you that we are waiting for you. Sometimes it is hard for me to tell you what I feel. I am better on paper; perhaps that is the English teacher in me. All I know is that I want to spend my life with you, all of it.

  Je t’adore, my love.

  Cassidy

  Alex took a deep breath and wiped a tear from her eye. “Je t’aime, Cass,” she said as she put down the card and opened the small package that was wrapped in purple tissue paper. As she peeled away the purple layers two faces came into view, two magnificent smiles, the two people she loved now more than her own life. She inhaled deeply and savored the emotions coursing through her. Cassidy had Dylan on her lap in the picture that sat in a thin silver frame. They were both laughing. Cassidy was right. Alex looked at that picture every day. It was her favorite in the entire house. Mother and son almost seemed to glow with happiness in the photo. The love between them seemed to emanate from behind the glass. The agent ran her fingers over the faces and smiled. A knock at the door snapped the agent from her private thoughts. She set the photo down in the middle of the coffee table and looked at it again. Another knock sounded. “I’m coming,” she called with some exasperation. She looked down one last time and smi
led. “You’ll be surprised Cassidy, when I am home tomorrow,” the agent gleamed with anticipation. The knock repeated. “Christ, Fallon…give me a minute…I just left you for God’s….” she stopped mid thought as she opened the door.

  Cassidy nearly bounced her way off the train and to her car. She was anxious to get home and to wait for her mother and Dylan to arrive so that she could call Alex. The teacher was curious if her lover had opened her luggage yet and found the note and picture she had enclosed. Cassidy smiled as she turned on the car radio and a familiar tune began to play; one she had heard the agent singing to on their way home from Connecticut. She loved it when Alex would sing to the radio, but then she seemed to love almost everything about the agent. The teacher laughed at that thought. Even when Alex frustrated her there was no way for Cassidy to deny that she was head over heels in love with Alex Toles. This would be the first night since Cassidy said ‘I love you’ to the agent that she would sleep alone. Funny, she thought to herself now. For nearly the entire last year of her marriage she slept alone every night. She’d grown used to that and even comfortable with it. Now, the thought of not feeling Alex beside her was almost unimaginable. Turning onto Cherry Circle the teacher sighed. She thought perhaps she would ask her mother to spend the night. They hadn’t talked much in days and Cassidy was ready for some time with Rose. There was so much she wanted to share and so much she just wanted to say out loud. Alex had actually alluded to them getting married some day and the teacher was almost embarrassed to admit she found herself thinking about cakes and dresses a couple of times during the day. It was insane if she stopped to think about it. Cassidy had decided days ago that thinking was pointless when it came to her feelings for Alex. She could daydream and she did, often. There were two things that the teacher was certain of as she pulled into her driveway; she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Alexis Toles and she was going to.