Parker's long stride carried her through the hotel lobby quickly. Nathaniel lumbered along beside her, looking as tired as she felt. A very surly Jackson hobbled behind them on crutches, his leg in a cast from his ankle to mid-thigh. Once in the elevator, Parker leaned heavily against the wall and rubbed a hand through her hair.
"What time is it?," she asked Nathaniel quietly, realizing that in her rush to leave the hotel early, she'd forgotten her watch.
"Almost four."
Parker frowned, any chance of getting any sleep had just flown right out the window. The entire entourage was set to roll out at six, everyone would be awake within the next hour. The chime signaling their arrival on their floor brought Parker out of her thoughts. Together, the three stepped from the elevator. Jack and Michael greeted them as they walked down the hall, their faces anxious for news. Jackson, fuzzy from pain killers, trudged to his own room and shut the door behind him, offering no answers. Parker shook her head, indicating that the news wasn't good.
"Jackson broke his damn leg," she said. "He's fine, but he's out for at least a month."
"He was grumbled about the cast the entire way back," Nathaniel said with a smile.
"So what now?," Michael asked.
"I don't know," Parker replied honestly. "Somebody has to cover Kevin."
"Who though?," Michael persisted. "There's four of us now and five of them. We can't double up."
"I know that," Parker snapped. Exhaustion was catching up with her, she was irritated with the entire situation.
"I can take Kevin," Jack offered...thinking he'd finally be able to rid himself of Brian's tireless energy.
Parker glared at him. "Sure Einstein," she snapped, "but who would guard Brian?"
"I can," Nathaniel said, shrugging.
Parker gritted her teeth. "Oh sure...that would work," she replied sarcastically. "Then what would we do with Howie? Look guys...we can stand here and talk in circles until we're blue in the face. Fact of the matter is...there's still only four of us and five of them."
"I could take Howie."
Four heads turned towards the soft voice the admission had come from. Claudia had crept up so quietly that none of them had been aware of her presence. She stood there in the center of the hallway, her bare feet peeking out beneath the cuffs of her jeans, wild red curls framing her face. Claudia looked as though a strong breeze would knock her over.
"Sure you could Claud," Michael teased, an amused grin on his face.
Nathaniel couldn't resist. "Gee...wonder why she's offering her services now? Could it be because Howie is left without protection all of a sudden?" He grinned at Claudia, watching as her face flamed a brilliant shade of red.
Parker's mind kicked into over drive. Howie had an obvious attraction to Claudia... something that the entire group was painfully aware of. If Claudia was assigned to guard him, Parker figured the last thing he'd want to do was cause any kind of trouble for her. She glanced at Claudia...Parker knew the smaller woman's capabilities. If it came right down to it...she'd fight with all she had to protect Howie.
"Wait a minute guys," she said, interrupting their continued teasing of Claudia. "She's got a point." The three men gave her disbelieving looks. Parker sighed heavily. "Howie is the least likely to cause trouble. He's laid back...he wouldn't give Claud any hassle what so ever. And if I were the three of you...I wouldn't underestimate Claudia's abilities. She wouldn't be here if didn't know what she was doing." She dismissed the three of them with a curt nod, saying, "Now, if you'll excuse us gentlemen...I'd like to take a shower before we roll out. I expect the two of you to inform Kevin and Brian of their new situations," she finished, addressing Jack and Nathaniel.
With the men gone, Parker looked at Claudia, taking note of the grateful look on the smaller woman's face. "Are you sure about this?"
Claudia nodded. "Somebody has to do it. We can't leave one of them unprotected."
Parker just nodded and headed back towards their room. Claudia followed, mentally digesting this new development. Good Lord...had she really offered to do this? She'd wandered up on their conversation, and it had been completely on impulse that she'd spoken up. Now she wasn't so sure...but there was no going back.
Parker took a quick shower, leaving enough time for Claudia to take one also. With Claudia in the shower, Parker left the room, intending to head down to the dining room to grab a quick bite to eat before Nick woke up. AJ was leaving his room when he saw Parker.
"Good morning Detective," he muttered groggily.
"Good morning Mr. McLean. Why are you leaving your room without Michael?."
"Because I'm starving and he's taking too damn long."
"We've been through this before. You are to wait for Michael to come get you before you ever step foot out of your room. What part of that don't you understand?," Parker snapped, annoyed. It was too early in the morning and she was too tired to be dealing with minor infractions like this.
AJ's temper flared, he glared at her. Beautiful or not...he was tired of her speaking to him as though he were a child. Before he could give her the scathing confrontation she deserved, Michael came bolting out of his hotel room.
"Michael get over here and take this boy to the dining room before I get pissed off," Parker nearly yelled, placing emphasis on the word "boy". She was fed up and cranky...and a fight first thing in the morning was definitely not what she needed.
"Yes Ma'am," Michael said. Sensing the tension between the two, he grabbed AJ's arm and tugged him towards the elevator. If looks could kill, Michael was positive that both of them would be dead on the floor. Michael's only concern was getting AJ out of there before blood was shed. To his relief, AJ didn't offer any resistance. With one last glare at Parker, he yanked his arm from Michael's grip and walked ahead of him to the elevator. Once they were out of sight, Parker frowned in frustration. Well...the dining room was out of the question now.
"Detective?"
Parker looked to her side, to see Nick's blonde head poking out of the room next to her, his big blue eyes aiming questions in her direction. She hadn't even been aware that she'd stopped outside of his room.
"What is it Carter?," she asked, praying to God that it wasn't something uncooperative. She didn't know if she could handle anymore argumentative conversations.
"Well...I'm kinda hungry. Can I come out now?"
Parker saw the apprehensive look on his face, and had to stifle a laugh. At that moment, he reminded her of a small child asking his mother for permission to go outside to play.
"Come on Carter," she stated briskly, trying to hide her amusement. She accompanied Nick to the dining room, but opted to take a seat at he table next to his, as he had chosen to sit with AJ and Michael. Moments later, the rest of their group arrived, and after a quick breakfast, Parker found herself on the bus with Claudia again.
They sat in the makeshift office, discussing the terrifying events of the previous day, when Claudia noticed Parker nodding off in the middle of her sentence. She smiled softly, then placed a hand on Parker's shoulder and shook gently.
"Parker...go get some sleep," she said softly.
Parker opened her tired eyes. "I can't."
"Yes you can...we won't be in the next city for at least another six hours. I'll wake you up if I need to."
Reluctantly, Parker nodded, surprised at the concern in Claudia's voice. It had been a very long time since anyone had been concerned for Parker's welfare, and she was touched that Claudia even cared. She stood up and began making her way to her bunk, when she was struck with the sudden need to say something. She turned and looked at Claudia again.
"You know...I wasn't too sure about this partnership when we started this case," she said. "You've far surpassed any expectations and impressions that I had of you Claudia. Thank you."
She disappeared before Claudia could say anything, leaving the smaller woman with her mouth open and surprise in her green eyes.
Parker slept for the duration of the trip. She came awake as the bus jerked to a stop. She instantly felt better, though still a little groggy. Claudia's face suddenly appeared as the curtains opened.
"We're here Parker," she said softly.
"On my way," she replied. The curtain closed with a flutter.
Parker swung her legs over and yanked her boots back on. Once dressed with her hair midnight brushed and hanging down her back, she and Claudia went off to meet up the Boys.
"The tracking devices arrived," Claudia told her as they walked towards the Boys' bus. "I have to pick them up."
"Hmmm...we'll have to figure out what to do with Howie while you're gone," Parker replied thoughtfully.
"Well, if all else fails...I guess I can just take him with me."
Parker actually smiled as the blush crept its way over Claudia's face as she spoke. The hope that Howie would accompany her to get the tracking devices was evident in her voice. Parker didn't comment, they had reached the bus. One by one, they filed off of the best and headed into the hotel with their respective guards. All except Nick. Parker waited impatiently, and was about to go drag him off the bus when she heard the distinct sound of a throat clearing behind her. She spun around and came face to face with AJ. Michael stood a few feet away, pretending to look uninterested.
"Can I talk to you for a minute Detective?," AJ asked her. Parker lifted her eyes to meet his, trying to decide to if she wanted to launch into this discussion now.
*****
Claudia waited nervously for Howie to disembark from the bus. The urge to turn and run tempted her greatly, she literally had to restrain herself to keep from following her gut instinct. Second thoughts rampaged through her head, undermining what little confidence she had mustered that morning. Volunteering had been an act of impulse, but beneath it lay a strong desire to succeed. She had to something to prove....to her coworkers, and more importantly - to herself. Claudia wanted more than anything to keep Howie safe and out of harm’s way....she had never been responsible for another human being before...not even her father. Like a coward, she had shoved that burden off on the kind personnel of Rose Hill Retirement Center.
Howie’s appearance at the top of the stairs jarred Claudia from her thoughts, igniting the apprehension and fear once again.
As Howie gazed down at the woman awaiting him at the base of the steps, something tightened in his chest, something he couldn’t define. Claudia’s expression was priceless, a blend of determination and anxiety. She was trying her best to be brave, a fact which didn’t escape his notice. He found her endearing, with fiery ringlets framing her features, her large green eyes watery and wide with fright. Affectionately, Howie thought she reminded him of a deer caught in headlights, at that particular moment. It was similar to the look she had worn outside his hotel room earlier that morning. Howie had been surprised -but pleased- to learn that the petite redhead had been commissioned to be his new bodyguard. Though she didn’t seem like much, his instinct told him not to underestimate her. Besides, her new assignment would give him the perfect excuse to be near her.
Claudia’s eyes met Howie’s and as he gave her a charming smile, she felt herself relax a bit. He came down the stairs, duffel bag in hand, to stand before her. Clearing her throat which had constricted as soon as she spotted him, she croaked,
“Ready?”
“Yes. I’ve got everything I need for now,” he assured her as they began to head toward the back entrance of the hotel. Claudia cast one last glance back at Parker, then hoisted her mesh bag higher on her shoulder, noticing that, for once she wasn’t struggling to keep pace with another’s longer stride. She understood suddenly, that Howie was curbing his step so she could walk comfortably. That realization brought a tiny smile to her lips...she couldn’t remember someone having expressed that kind of consideration towards her before. And she was about to be surprised again.
“So, what’s on our schedule for today?”
“Well, you guys have a radio interview before the show and-”
“No, I meant as far as you and I are concerned.” Howie interrupted kindly. Claudia snuck a peek at the Latin man out of the corner of her eye.
“Oh. I wanted to talk to you about that,” she admitted uncomfortably.
“Okay,” he prompted patiently.
“I, um....have things I need to do and you have your own agenda-which I don’t want to cut into, but-”
“You’ve still got responsibilities to your team,” he shrugged. “I understand that.”
Claudia was at a loss for words....it was hard to believe this man was so courteous...so mindful of her obligations. Finally, she found her tongue.
“Thank you. Yes, as you have obviously guessed, I’m still committed to technical support, which I’m sorry to say, may put a crimp in your style,” she told him apologetically. “Maybe we could work out some sort of schedule?”
Howie stopped in his tracks, turning to face the woman beside him. “Claudia, I’m more than willing to work with you on this. A schedule, though it sounds fine, isn’t really necessary. We’re supposed to be joined at the hip, right?,” at her hesitant nod, he continued, “then why don’t we just play it by ear. You have a list of our appointments - we can work around them.”
“Howie....though I appreciate the offer, those ‘appointments’ weren’t exactly what I was referring to,” Claudia confessed. “I was....uh....talking more along the lines of your..... personal....activities,” she mumbled, studiously avoiding Howie’s gaze. He was thankful she didn’t notice the rise to his brow and the quirk to his mouth he was desperately trying to repress. His eyes were drawn to the familiar blush which slowly crept up her neck.
“Come again?,” Howie questioned, curious as to where she was going with this.
“You know...any,” she cleared her throat, “company....you might have.”
“You mean a girlfriend?” he supplied, not bothering to hide his amusement any longer. A heated flush covered her cheeks, turning her smooth complexion rosy. She didn’t reply, opting instead to pivot her face away from his line of site as she prayed for relief from her ever present embarrassment where Howie was concerned. The man beside her bit back a chuckle, pressing the button for the elevator. “You needn’t worry, Claudia. There’ll be no one making a clandestine visit to my hotel room.” The elevator door chimed then slid open. Thankfully, the unit was empty, the other guards and their charges having preceded them. “What about you?” he continued, unwilling to let the subject drop just yet, intending only to shift it’s focus. “Someone back in Seattle?”
“NO!” Claudia exclaimed, then developed an interest in the floor as she commenced fiddling with the cuffs of her sleeves, knotting the fabric nervously, all the while berating herself for her fevered reaction. “I mean....um....no. There isn’t anyone.” Dredging courage from her recesses, Claudia chanced a glance at Howie.
“Good,” he smiled warmly, “So I guess the real question is, do you want a partner in crime?” Howie folded his arms across his chest, leaning against the wall. Claudia’s mind raced with the possibilities.
“I’m not sure-”
“I mean, you have to get these things done. There’s no one to cover me while you’re busy....we might as well just do them together.” he shrugged as if it all made sense -which it did. Apparently, Howie had figured out the motives behind her appointment to him, and the restrictions and limitations Jackson’s injury brought.
“I have to set up surveillance today...” she began.
“No problem.”
“And I’ve got a package to pick up...more equipment.”
“I’m game.”
“And then you’ve got the interview and a concert.”
“In which case it will be your turn to back me up,” Howie smiled affectionately. Tenderly, he extended his hand, laying it alongside Claudia’s cheek; her nervous movements stilled immediately. He traced her lower lip gently with his index finger. “I know you’re worried about how this is going to work out, but you needn’t chew on your lip like that....you’re ruining a perfectly beautiful mouth,” he admonished her kindly. An unconscious gesture, Claudia hadn’t even realized she had caught her sensitive flesh between her teeth in anxiety. Howie let his hand drop from her features as the elevator signaled their arrival on the thirteenth floor. Slowly, Claudia raised her hand to her mouth, the spot he had touched so delicately.
*****
“When you said you had to pick up some equipment, I assumed you meant in a radio shack or something....if you don’t mind me asking, what the heck are we doing here?” Howie questioned, appraising the shop front dubiously. Kids darted in and out of displays, squealing with delight at all of the merchandise. Parents followed in the wake of their children, more often than not, wearing an extremely harried expression and looking as though they couldn’t wait to be out of the store and home again.
“Doing what we came here to do,” Claudia shrugged. Howie sighed following her into the toy store, shaking his head.
“A little explanation would be nice.”
“I don’t have one. This is were I was told to come,”
“Okay, now you’re not making any sense....someone told you to come here? Who?” Howie pressed. Claudia groaned, briefly covering her face with her hands before raising her focus to his.
“Look.....I probably shouldn’t have brought you along....not just because of who you are but for other reasons as well. There’s too much to explain. Please....suffice it to say that this equipment is rather unconventional and isn’t easily bought in an electronics store. It’s.... special ordered. And this is where I’m supposed to pick it up.”
Howie nodded reluctantly accepting Claudia’s explanation, though he was dying to find out more on the subject. He wasn’t given much time to ponder the situation further because Claudia was heading toward the back of the store, her stride tinged with determination. Howie had no choice but to follow in her footsteps.
The small woman halted in the back corner of the toy store, in an aisle lined with dolls of every kind imaginable. Howie appraised the shelves as Claudia began to paw through the nearest ledge stocked with Cabbage Patch kids. She rifled through the boxes, growing more frantic by the second.
“It’s not here,” she told him softly. Slowly, her gaze traveled up the rack, landing on the uppermost shelf near the ceiling. “Up there. That’s where it’s got to be.”
“Let me try....what exactly am I looking for?” Howie asked, standing on the tips of his toes in an attempt to reach their desired location.
“You’ll know it when you see it. There should be some sort of mark on the package....do you see anything?”
“I hate to tell you this,” Howie grunted as he strained to reach the heights of the shelving system, “But even my added inches aren’t enough,” Howie sighed in disappointment, then turned contemplating eyes on the woman at his side. “Come here.” he ordered softly. Claudia gazed at him questioningly. “Come here,” he repeated.
Hesitantly, she came forward, though stopping an arm’s width away. Howie closed the remaining distance between them, startling her as he bent a little, wrapping his arms about her hips. Claudia gasped as his hands held her firmly, lifting her off the floor. At first, she was unnerved by the mere feel of him, but Howie’s prompting helped her regain a semblance of her senses. “Go ahead...start looking.”
Claudia tried her best to ignore the man supporting her as she shuffled through the boxes on the top shelf. “I don’t see anything, Howie.” she admitted regretfully. “Wait! I think I found it....” Stretching her arms to their limit, her fingertips grazed the cardboard. Inching the package forward little by little, it was soon near enough in Claudia’s reach that she grasped it, clutching the box to her chest protectively.
“I got it!” she cried triumphantly. Howie grinned as he heard her shout, releasing his hold on her a bit. To keep her balanced, Howie held Claudia close to his body as he gently returned her to the ground. Claudia’s eyes drifted shut as she felt her body slide down the length of his, every contour and muscle evident. His arms remained wrapped tightly about her waist until she felt her feet hit the floor. Opening her eyes, she found herself face to face with a very tempting pair of chocolate brown spheres.
Howie held his breath as she looked at him. The feel of her body conjured indecent thoughts which ran through his head at a wild pace. Though she dressed in baggy jeans and voluminous sweaters, there was definitely a woman’s shape beneath all of the material.... knowing that made the room seem overheated and his throat turn dry.
All too soon, she stepped from his half embrace, averting her eyes and tucking her hair behind her ears. Gone was the heady sense of victory, timid nature overtaking her behavior. Howie took a deep steadying breath as he ran a hand through his hair.
“We should get back. Parker’s probably getting worried by now....”
“Yes, of course.” Howie attempted a casual smile, but it was shaken by the fact that he could still smell the sweet scent of her hair.
*****
Parker glanced at AJ and sighed. After the little episode that morning, she really didn't trust herself to speak to him just yet. His deep brow eyes held an almost hopeful look...she just couldn't ignore him forever.
"What do you want McLean?"
AJ was somewhat taken aback by her harsh tone of voice, but he had come this far...he couldn't turn back now. "Listen...about this morning...um...I'm not really a morning person, so if I uh...pissed you off or anything...well..." He let his voice trail off, he wasn't used to apologizing for incidents that he believed he had no fault in. Still, he realized that he'd have to if he wanted to get back on Parker's good side. If he had ever been there in the first place.
Parker, sensing his discomfort, merely shrugged and said, "Forget about it."
AJ stared at her. Obviously the tension between them didn't affect her at all. AJ's mind had been on little else since their encounter on her bus. He wanted to get inside her mind, to know her. His only problem was that he wasn't quite sure how to go about doing that. Normally, he'd smile and flirt a little, make some kind of small talk. But Parker wasn't a typical woman. She was extremely private and difficult to talk to. Who was he kidding? She intimated the hell out of him. Yet, at the same time, she intrigued him beyond belief. This woman was an enigma.
Feeling encouraged by the way she had brushed away that morning's confrontation, he continued, deciding to just get everything out in the open. "Okay, so I was wondering if maybe you...um...okay...uh...well...there's this club opening here tonight. And I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go with me."
Parker pinned him beneath the dark scrutiny of her cold gaze, and AJ had never felt so self conscious in all his life. To his disgust, he could feel heat creeping up his cheeks. He was known for his finesse with the ladies, and he had never been so damned tongue tied when speaking to a woman before. Why was he so inarticulate around this one? He felt like a complete idiot for asking...but he knew he had to try. He could sense that beneath her hard exterior, lay the wild beating of a woman's heart. There was just something about her...
Parker glared at him. What the hell was this? Where the hell was Nick? Good Lord what was taking that damn kid so long? She glanced at the open doors of the bus, praying for some sign of Nick's departure. Seeing only the vacant steps leading onto the bus, she nearly groaned out loud. She really didn't want to deal with AJ's invitation. What on earth was he thinking? Despite herself, she laughed...a quick, icy sound that carried on the wind. It was just the thought of the situation that she found amusing. Her? Go out to a club? Yeah right...she couldn't even remember the last time she'd been out in a place that public. Let alone with a man. Do she even remember how to dance? She tried to imagine herself on a dance floor and laughed harder. Socializing was definitely not her level of expertise.
AJ heard her laughter and wanted to sink into the ground. Was the idea of going out with him that repulsing to her? His pride was hurt. She actually had the nerve to laugh at him. AJ's eyes narrowed as he glared at her. A sardonic smirk still lingered on her lips. God what a bitch. She could've at least been nice about turning him down. Parker glanced at him and immediately realized that he had mistaken the meaning for her laughter. She sobered instantly.
"Look...it's not you," she said quickly.
"No of course not," he replied sarcastically.
"I don't socialize with the people I protect." she explained, trying to reason with him. "Besides...you know clubs are off limits.'
"That's okay," he said, appearing to shrug the whole thing off. "I was only gonna try and get you in bed anyway," he lied, feeling the urge to hurt her feelings as she had inadvertently hurt his.
"Oh really?," Parker asked, uninterested in his little mind games.
"Yeah...but then I realized that you probably wouldn't know what to do with a-"
"I don't have time for this."
"...if it was right in front of you."
Parker yawned and leaned against the side of the bus, propping one foot up on its silver side. She was growing quite tired of his attempts to insult her. She certainly hadn't meant to hurt his feelings, and she despised people who acted like spoiled children. "Are you finished? Because, as I was saying, I don't have time to play games with little boys."
AJ's temper burned inside of him. What had he been thinking? Parker just didn't give a damn about anything. He had never been so angry at one person in his entire life. This woman was and uncaring, unfeeling bitch. That's all there was to it. She was the least responsive person he'd ever met. He couldn't piss her off, he couldn't flirt with her, hell...he couldn't even talk to her. He shoved the image of her serene face as he had caressed her hands away from his mind. That didn't matter anymore. He had thought that there was something beneath the facade... but the truth was that she really was desensitized to feeling any kind of human emotion at all.
Parker knew what he was thinking...it was all over his face. Good...it was probably better that he hated her anyway. It would make her job a little easier if she didn't have to worry about any kind of attachments to these people. Still, she was a little curious about AJ. God he was sexy with anger heating his eyes. Why had he asked her to go with him? It had been years since any man had shown even a remote interest in her. Most were too afraid of her. She admired AJ for asking...she knew she wasn't the most approachable person alive. Oh well...what was done was done. Without another word, AJ turned and stormed towards the entrance of the hotel, leaving a flabbergasted Michael to follow behind. Despite her mellow exterior, Parker was seething inside. She had her principles and was determined to stick to them. So what AJ had the most incredible pair of eyes she had ever seen? So what if he sang like an angel and danced like a devil? So what if his voice sent shivers down her spine? So what if his lean little body made her mouth run dry? Parker found the perfect scapegoat for the turmoil of heated emotion exploding inside of her when Nick finally rushed from the bus.
"You ever take this long again Carter and I'll skin you alive," she yelled. "Now get your ass moving!"
Nick nearly jumped out of his skin at the harsh sound of her voice, and he was all too happy to oblige her demand. He hung his head and started walking towards the hotel. Dealing with Parker on a daily basis was becoming more than just a pain in the ass. But he had quickly learned that the best way to handle her was to simply shut up and do as she asked. Avoiding confrontation with her had become second nature to him. Parker felt instant remorse for her treatment of Nick. After all, what had this poor kid done to deserve her animosity? Despite his initial complaints...he'd been good as gold, not at all the trouble maker she'd first pegged him to be.
Day after day he suffered under her strict, watchful eyes...and he never uttered a word of complaint. It was far too easy to take her frustrations out on him, and she made a mental note to stop doing that. Her job was to protect his life...not make it a living hell. She waited until they were in the elevator before her conscious finally got the better of her.
"Listen Carter...um...Nick...thank you for being so cooperative," she mumbled, keeping her eyes averted. It was never easy to admit being wrong, and normally she wouldn't care either way. But she was actually starting to like Nick. He was amusing, charming in his youth. To her surprise, Nick didn't give her the smug reply she expected. He merely stared at her with wide blue eyes.
"Okay...I guess," he finally said, not knowing what else to say...not wanting to say the wrong thing, for fear that Parker would snap his head off again. Parker sighed...damn. From now on she'd have to be a little more tolerable.
With Claudia and Howie gone to retrieve the tracking devices, Parker spent most of the day downstairs with Nathaniel while Brian and Nick played basketball. The four of them headed to the private dining room for lunch, where AJ sat with Kevin, Michael and Jack. Parker straightened her spine and met his glare evenly. They ignored each other for the duration of lunch, and Parker was more than a little relived when Claudia and Howie showed up midway through the meal.
"Did you get them?," Parker asked as Claudia sat down next to her.
Claudia's green eyes were bright with excitement as she said, "Yes. As soon as the concert is over tonight I'm coming back here to work on everything."
Parker chuckled at the other woman's obvious enthusiasm. Parker didn't think she'd ever understand Claudia's fascination with electronic equipment. After lunch, the group traveled to a local radio station, where the Boys' were scheduled to do an interview. As the Boys were on the air, all five guards waited outside the tiny room. Parker absentmindedly toyed with one of her blades, bored out of her mind. Claudia sat on the floor, her laptop open in front of her, her brow furrowed in concentration. The three men were quietly discussing football, leaving Parker to her own devices. This was the mundane, tedious side of her job that irritated her.
Parker usually possessed more patience than most people had. This case was suddenly different than anything she'd ever done before it. She lived and breathed it...and not having a clue about how to solve it was driving her insane. Waiting around for their assailant to make his move was annoying her immensely.
AJ emerged from the room and quietly shut the door behind him. Parker's eyes narrowed as he began walking down the hall.
"Where do you think you're going?," she asked, keeping her voice lowered.
"I have to pee...is that okay with you?," he snapped. Parker gave him a withering glance, then simply nodded to Michael.
As the two headed towards the bathroom, AJ silently fumed. So now the bitch was dictating whether or not he could go to the bathroom. His pride was still stinging from his earlier encounter with his beautiful bitch...his mind turned as he plotted ways to get even. He wanted to see her show some kind of emotion. He wasn't exactly angry with her anymore...now he just wanted to find a way to prove to himself that his earlier instincts about her hadn't been wrong. There had to be some way to get to her...some way to provoke emotion.
He contemplated through the rest of the interview...answering questions when they came to him, though his mind was a million miles away. By the time their entourage headed back to the hotel, AJ was smiling...with a plan firm in his mind. As the group made their way across the hotel lobby, Howie noticed the look on his best friend's face. Curious, he fell in step beside AJ.
"What's up?," he whispered, knowing that look...AJ was up to something.
"I'm a fucking genius D," AJ replied. With a wide grin plastered to his face, AJ leaned over and whispered his plan into Howie's ear.
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