“What?” Alex snapped back.
“The congressman’s wife….I mean is she the backbreaker they say.”
“Ex-wife,” Alex said dryly, “and I don’t know who ‘they’ are… but no.”
Fallon looked at his partner quizzically. “Easy there… killer….you’re not…..no way…”
Alex shot her partner a look of stern warning. “I’m just concerned, Fallon. ….They’re a nice family.”
“OOOkayy… Well, that’s good because Brackett would be heartbroken.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Alex was clearly annoyed by the entire exchange. As she turned to face her partner, Cassidy looked over and saw the agent’s obvious irritation. She gently pried a truck from Dylan’s hand wondering what the pair was discussing. “Fallon… I am not interested in anything with Brackett….let’s just stick to the case, okay?”
“What’s with you, Toles? You’re taking all this kind of personal.”
“I’m not… I just have a bad feeling, Brian,” she looked back at Cassidy.
“You’re sure that’s all?”
“Of course,” she turned back to him. “Can you run some background on the reporters that have filed stories and the photographer’s with photo credits of the family?”
“Sure,” he said. “Why?”
“Just a feeling.” Fallon swallowed hard. There was one thing the senior agent had learned in his three years with his partner; her ‘feelings’ usually were right and that usually meant trouble.
The congressman was headed toward them now as Cassidy scooted Dylan along in front of her. “You apparently have another fan,” the congressman said to Alex. “My son is determined to become a hurdler,” he smiled. Fallon felt his own eyes widen. Alex somehow had managed to be personable with this family in less than three days. He had been with the agent nearly every day for three years and they seemed to know as much about her personally as he did. “Thank you,” the congressman said earnestly to Alex.
Alex nodded as Cassidy came even with her stance. “Not at all, Sir.”
“Call me, Chris,” he said warmly. “Come on, bud,” he said to Dylan who stopped and looked up at the two women before him.
“Have fun with daddy,” Cassidy bent over and kissed her son.
“I will,” he hugged her tightly, not letting go for several seconds. Cassidy kissed his head and whispered something in his ear prompting him to slowly release his grip on her and look up at Alex. Before she could speak he had grabbed her waist. “I’ll bring home my big truck to show you,” he said.
Alex smiled. “I will look forward to that, Speed Racer,” she whispered to him.
“Keep her safe,” the congressman instructed looking at Cassidy. Cassidy inhaled a sad breath, feeling his concern was genuine.
Alex nodded her understanding as he passed through the door with Dylan nearly tripping him. She walked side by side with Fallon. “Send me everything you can get on those press folks,” Alex said.
“Toles?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re really worried,” Fallon said.
The agent sighed watching the congressman climb into the waiting car with his son. “I am.”
Cassidy had poured herself another cup of coffee and was headed to the kitchen table where Alex was scanning through some files. “What you got there? … Or is it top secret… Alias stuff?”
Alex laughed and looked at Cassidy teasingly, “Alias is CIA… this is more you know…Gillian Anderson than Jennifer Garner.”
“Ohh….I see,” Cassidy quipped back. “Not into that whole disguise thing? Prefer the little green men?”
“Not so much for the little green men either,” Alex joked and then felt her cheeks flush, realizing what she had just unwittingly revealed.
Cassidy felt a slight lump in her throat and was amazed by her own response. “So… Gillian or Jen?”
Alex looked at the woman with surprise and gave a slight nervous chuckle. “MMM… tough call…. Gotta’ go with Gillian.”
“Interesting,” the small blonde woman mused with a smile.
Alex changed the subject. “So…what’s on your agenda today?”
Cassidy saw the name on the top of the file and sighed. Alex winced a bit. “I’m sorry Cassidy… it’s…”
“You don’t have to explain Alex….I get it... I just hate it.”
Alex’s lips wrinkled. “So…really, what are your plans?”
Cassidy took a sip of her coffee, “I was thinking of taking a drive, actually.”
“Really?” Alex’s phone rang, “sorry,” she said as Cassidy shook her head indicating it was fine. “Hello? Hey…What? When?...Yeah…. can you scan it…..send it…yeah, now,” she looked at Cassidy and then continued with the conversation. “No, I’m here… send it to my email…Does Tate know? …. Okay….Fallon? Get on those backgrounds.” Alex hung up the phone and saw Cassidy looking at her with great apprehension over her coffee mug. “Another letter,” she said softly. “Look, Cassidy….”
“What did it say?”
“I haven’t seen it yet… Fallon is sending it now.” Cassidy set down her mug and let out a nervous sigh. Alex opened her laptop on the table and logged on. She could see Cassidy’s anxiety as she opened the attachment. She tried to remain stoic as she read it to herself.
I see her
Every night
You left her
Out of sight
I’ll take mine
She’ll have me
Before you know
What you can’t see
Alex felt a chill rush through her body. She looked over at the woman across from her. This was no simple game and Alex knew it. It wasn’t a prank and it wasn’t about the congressman. Someone was obsessed with Cassidy and his rhetoric was increasing.
“Well?” Cassidy urged.
Alex took a deep breath. There was no point in lying or hiding anything from Cassidy. “It’s about you.”
“Me?” Cassidy thought she might throw up.
“Listen, Cassidy…”
“What the hell? Why would anyone want to hurt me? To get at Chris?”
“I’m not sure…and I don’t think this is about the congressman really, other than resentment toward him….I think…. well, I think you have a stalker.”
“That’s insane.”
Alex filled her cheeks with air and released it. “Look, I need call Fallon back. Just give me a minute, okay?” Alex picked up her laptop and carried it into the other room. She studied the document again and picked up her cell phone. “Hey…. yeah I’m looking at it now…..I don’t know….I think she needs some protection…..what? Yeah, well…..I know…..is Tate on the line? …Yes, Sir… I know…I realize that, but…you and I both know this will likely escalate, no…that’s not…yep….yes, Sir…I understand…Fallon?...yeah… just get those damn work ups done.” Alex hung up the phone and rubbed her temples. She looked at the words on the screen one more time and then logged off, closing the laptop slowly. “Oh shit, Toles,” she said quietly to herself. Her stomach was in knots. Fallon was right, she was taking this personally. The thought of anyone harming Cassidy terrified her. “What the hell is wrong with me?” She said aloud softly again “Not even three days, Toles…get a grip.”
Alex took a few deep breaths to calm herself and then walked back into the kitchen. Cassidy had her face in her hands; her long blonde hair falling over them and resting on the table. Alex fought to breathe. She pinched the bridge of her nose hard. The agent’s emotions felt foreign to her. She didn’t understand how this woman could be affecting her so deeply and in such a short time. It wasn’t just an attraction, although as Alex approached the kitchen she could not deny that she found Cassidy alluring. It was more than that, not just the job; she felt an overwhelming need to protect the woman. “Hey,” Alex said very softly, setting down the laptop and putting her hand on Cassidy’s shoulder. Cassidy lifted her gaze and Alex immediately saw that she had been crying. Her hea
rt sank. She gave the woman a gentle smile. “Listen, let’s take that drive…okay? Get away from here for a while, what do you say?’
“Alex, you don’t have to babysit me…I…”
“Actually, I do,” the agent said and saw Cassidy look down. “But I really wouldn’t mind a drive….or the company.”
Cassidy looked back at her. “That’s nice of you to say.”
Alex looked into Cassidy’s green eyes, eyes that had turned slightly red from tears. “No…it’s not,” she was overcome by the need to comfort the woman before her and touched her cheek. “It’s just true.”
Cassidy looked at her. ‘Oh my God,’ she thought to herself as she found herself wishing Alex would kiss her and somehow make all the fear disappear. She caught her breath, “I’d like that.”
Alex pulled back trying to regain control of her own emotions. “It’s settled…you pick the place and I’ll drive.”
Cassidy shook her head. “Actually…I can’t even think right now, Alex.”
“Well, then…I’ll pick the place and I’ll drive.” She laughed. “Why don’t you go ahead and get yourself…”
“Together?” Cassidy chuckled.
“Your words, not mine,” Alex winked. “I’m going to put this all away…and I’ll figure something out…okay?”
Cassidy pondered the agent’s offer silently for a moment watching her put her files neatly in her briefcase. “Alex?” The agent looked up. “I’m glad you are here.”
Alex smiled as Cassidy left the room. “I hope you remember you said that,” Alex said quietly to herself.
“I will,” Cassidy called back.
Alex looked up in shock. “She really does have ears like a bat.”
“Yes, I do.” Alex snickered. She was going to find something to take Cassidy’s mind off things, something.
“Okay… thanks…. Perfect… no…I will… about four o’clock or so.” Alex hung up her phone and grabbed her wallet, her badge and her side arm. She knew Cassidy would hate that, but she couldn’t take any chances. She would put it in the glove box for the drive and then she would gauge whether or not she needed it. The truth was that she was beginning to think the undercover scenario was foolish, but that was not her decision to make. Cassidy walked back into the kitchen after deciding to take a quick shower. The teacher thought it might help settle her nerves about everything. Alex looked up and saw Cassidy and thought she might have stopped breathing. Cassidy was wearing jeans and a black sweater that seemed to cling to her perfectly. The teacher smiled noticing that Alex was staring at her.
“So…find something?” Cassidy asked.
“I did…listen before we go…”
Cassidy suddenly felt sick. She wondered if Alex was a having second thoughts about leavingorworse that she had noticed Cassidy was looking at her. And why, Cassidy wondered, was she looking at her? Her head was spinning. “Alex, we don’t have to go…”
Alex shook her head. “No…no… I just… I’d feel better if I brought some protection,” she pointed to the pistol.
Cassidy sighed partially from relief and partially from the gravity of her new reality. “I understand.”
“I promise...I won’t wear it unless I think…”
“Alex, it’s okay….really.”
Alex was the one to breathe a sigh of relief now. “Good… enough of that…you ready? ... First question; are we on a timetable?”
Now Cassidy was curious. “I haven’t had a curfew in at least six months,” she joked.
“Good.” Alex was surprised by the butterflies she felt in her stomach. She felt a bit like a teenager on her first date, but she had a good plan mapped out to take Cassidy’s mind off things, at least she hoped she did. “Well…let’s go.”
Alex put on her long black leather jacket and watched as Cassidy slipped on her short denim jacket. They walked out the door and Cassidy turned to lock it. When she turned back Alex was holding the car door open. Cassidy walked to the car with a flirtatious grin. She stopped at the door right in front of Alex. Inches away from each other, Cassidy looked directly into the agent’s eyes. “Are you going to tell me where we are going?”
Alex raised an eyebrow. “Nope.”
Cassidy held her stare for a moment not wanting to look away. There was a feeling running through her body that she could not explain. What she did know was that Alex made her feel safer and more appreciated than she could remember. “Hummm,” she groaned her curiosity as she got into the car.
They had been driving for a while, talking about everything and nothing and laughing at nearly all of it. Alex had started singing a song to the radio and Cassidy was struck by her voice. “You should have been a singer,” she remarked.
“Ah… maybe if hip hop had been popular in the eighties and nineties,” Alex joked. “What about you?” The question prompted Cassidy to tell Alex about her one attempt at playing a musical instrument and how she “fell flat.” They just kept talking, Alex breaking into a harmony to some song on the radio every now and again. The agent had shared a bit about her first days at West Point and how she almost got kicked out for punching an obnoxious cadet. The conversation was easy and natural and both women quickly forgot what had led them to be together in the first place. “Hey….here we are.”
Cassidy had not been paying any attention to where they were going, consumed in the conversation and in listening to Alex sing. “Where are we?” She asked. She wasn’t even certain how long they had been driving.
Alex just smiled and got out of the car. Cassidy stepped out and looked behind the car to see the ocean as a backdrop. To the left was a large white building adorned with white lights. A covered deck with a large fireplace at its center sat overlooking the water. “You like seafood?” Alex asked hopefully.
“I do, actually.”
“Well, good…not that they don’t have other things,” Alex began to lead Cassidy toward the building. “But they have the best seafood around…but I’m not exactly an objective party.”
Cassidy wondered who the ‘they’ was until she reached the door and saw the name Toles. Alex opened the door and stepped through. “Ummm, Alex?”
“Alexis!” A handsome man walked up to the agent and gave her a hug. Cassidy was completely perplexed.
“I’m sorry… Cassidy O’Brien…meet my brother, Nick.”
Cassidy was sure her eyes were as big as saucers. The resemblance was undeniable. “Nice to meet you,” she said. He took her hand and squeezed it.
“I don’t know what a beautiful woman like you is doing having dinner with this fool,” he pointed to his sister. Cassidy laughed watching Alex roll her eyes. “Oh well, follow me ladies.” Nick led them out to the patio to a table beside the fireplace. It was warm for March, but still cold enough that sitting outside was not normally an option. Nick handed them each a menu and whispered to Cassidy. “Make sure she leaves a big tip.” Cassidy giggled and nodded.
“Alex…”
“Oh…well… you said you couldn’t think…”
“Where are we?” The teacher asked curiously.
“You really weren’t paying attention, were you?” Cassidy gave the agent a look of mock annoyance.
“Okay…okay… we are in Connecticut…Stonington to be exact,” Alex answered.
“Are you from here?”
“No….Massachusetts actually, but my brother, he moved here right after college and opened this place. I haven’t been here in a couple of years, it’s great though…only place you can sit outside almost year round…and I promise the food is excellent…the service…eh.”
Cassidy laughed. The view was beautiful, almost as beautiful as the agent with the fire light reflecting in her eyes. “It’s beautiful,” Cassidy remarked unable to look away from the agent.
“Yes…It is,” Alex responded looking into the green eyes that seemed to captivate her.
A young waiter interrupted their moment. “Mr. Toles asked red or white?”
Alex looked at
Cassidy; silently directing the question to her. “White?” Cassidy answered a bit unsure.
“White it is,” Alex directed the young man who smiled and headed off.
Cassidy was looking out at the water. The sun was still up but it had begun its slow progression downward. She took a deep, cleansing breath, filling her lungs with the ocean air and closed her eyes drinking it all in. Alex just watched, mesmerized. The waiter returned and Alex silently directed him to leave the wine and the plate of shrimp on the small table that was next to her. Cassidy opened her eyes to see Alex pouring her a glass of wine and moving the plate of shrimp cocktail to the table. “Alex…this is…”
Alex gave Cassidy an impish grin. “How are you feeling?”
Cassidy had to laugh, “relaxed…but you don’t…”
The agent poured her own glass of wine and then looked across the table. There was an ease and gentleness about this woman that she had never experienced. She felt as if they had known each other forever. Alex wore no masks, and even when she tried Cassidy seemed to strip them away with a glance. “There isn’t any place I would rather be or anyone I’d rather be with,” Alex said plainly. Cassidy felt her entire body go weak wondering who this woman across from her was.
Dinner progressed just as the car ride had. The sun set as they ate and they talked and laughed, the waves lapping the shore behind them. It was getting late and Cassidy had consumed her fair share of wine. She looked around the patio. “Alex, no one else has been out here all night.”
“I know,” Alex smiled. “I asked Nick to keep it closed…no side arms…no people… no press.”
“You did that for me?” Alex managed a slightly embarrassed shrug, rendering Cassidy speechless.
As they were leaving Nick said his goodbye to Cassidy who walked ahead looking at a large saltwater fish tank in order to give Alex a moment with her brother. Nick saw the twinkle in his sister’s eye. “She’s a keeper, Alex.”
Intersection Page 5