[MD2, Sunny Side Marina, 3:20PM]

>Docker started up the speedboat and slowly backed it out
>of its slip. Kate and September turned to see Newt watching
>them. Soon after, Sharlyn and Flynn pulled into the Marina
>parking lot next to where Kate had parked. As they walked
>up the pier, she noticed the suspicion written on Newt's
>expression. If the situation were reversed, she would
>probably be suspicious also.

Kate sighed. "Do you hear that flushing sound," she asked absently while she and September were still just out of earshot of Newt. "That’s my life going down the toilet."

September smiled sympathetically. "Come on, it’s not as bad as all that."

"Yeah, maybe not." Kate clutched the files in one hand and rubbed her temples with the other. "I just wish I knew why Docker is helping us."

"If he is," Newt said. He was staring at the retreating speedboat.

Kate bristled at the accusatory note in his voice. It was subtle, but it was there. "Do you have a problem, Agent Prescott," she asked flatly. When a moment passed and Newt hadn’t responded, she continued. "If you do, I want to know about it now."

"Docker tried to kill us more than once. But you’re ready to trust him, and ready to make accusations against Agent Moran, who has done nothing but try to help us," Newt said nervously. "I just .."

"What? If you have something to say to me, Agent, then say it," Kate said. Peripherally, she saw the warning look September gave her and that Flynn and Sharlyn had joined them, but at that moment, she didn’t really care if she was making a scene. In fact, she thought she was doing a rather good job of keeping her temper in check.

"I just wonder if it isn’t partly a personal vendetta," Newt blurted out.

Kate took a deep breath and nodded. "Thank you for your opinion. Does anyone else have anything to add?" She scanned the faces of the rest of her team and saw that they didn’t. "All right, then. Let me just tell you this, Agent Prescott. If I have personal scores to settle, they will be settled, but not during business hours. And quite frankly, I don’t think I’m the one with the problem of allowing past experience to cloud objectivity. Now, shall we get on with the purpose of this get-together?"

*****

[Miami PD, office of Lt. Sam Aznar, 3:22PM]

"It would be best if we could get a couple of sketches," Paul told the lieutenant. "Eye-witness testimony, you know."

Aznar nodded. "Of course. We have a few people on call. I’m sure I can get one of them in here for you. When do you want to set this up?"

"As soon as possible. This afternoon, if it can be arranged."

"Shouldn’t be a problem. If you can get your witnesses here, I’ll have your sketch artists." Aznar reached out and pressed the button on his intercom, then smiled sheepishly. "Damn. I keep forgetting my secretary is on vacation." He got up and stepped out of the office.

Paul wasted no time. He went around the desk and typed a name into the lieutenant’s computer. He had been trying since the morning to locate a home address for Jack Sparks, but he had had no luck. The reporter kept himself well hidden. Then Paul had the idea that a tabloid reporter would probably run awry of the law from time to time. Sparks might just have a record. But he couldn’t exactly ask about it, so he had been waiting for the opportunity.

The file popped up almost instantly. Sparks did have a police record. Minor stuff, mostly. Trespassing, one arrest for breaking and entering - charges dropped, probably thanks to a big payoff, Paul thought - and assorted misdemeanors. The file also contained his last known address, which Paul quickly memorized before closing the file.

When Lt. Aznar returned, Paul was back in his previous seat, jotting something down in his notebook.

"Can you get your witnesses here by four-thirty," Aznar asked.

Paul grinned. "I don’t think that will be a problem."

*****

[Tommi’s Salon and Spa, 3:24PM]

Tommi Casale was having a difficult time keeping her mind on her work. It had been a long day already, and it wouldn’t be over for another three hours. There was some big society shindig going on in Miami that night. Not that Tommi ever got to go to such things. She just got to hear all about it while she fixed the hair of the ladies who did get to go. Maybe someday, she thought.

She put the finishing touches on Mrs. Shapiro’s freshly coifed hair, silently congratulating herself on a job well done - Mrs. Shapiro didn’t have much left up top to work with, but what was there looked terrific, and sent her client on her way, grinning to herself. The old woman might be fussy and difficult to work with, but she was a hell of a tipper if she was happy with the work, and that extra forty bucks would come in mighty handy this month.

Tommi’s assistant, Julienne, came in from her late lunch just as Mrs. Shapiro was leaving.

"Manage to hold down the fort while I was gone," she asked.

Tommi rolled her eyes. "You talk like your indispensable," she teased.

"I am, and you know it. Now who’s next on my agenda?"

"The Damiani woman, but don’t worry. She’s not here yet. Hey, is that old gray Thunderbird still parked out front?"

Julienne glanced back at the door. "I didn’t see one. Why?"

Tommi shook her head. "It seems like I’ve been seeing it everywhere lately. Then this morning it was parked right in front of the shop. Still there when I went to lunch." She shrugged. "I’m probably just being paranoid."

"Probably," Julienne grinned. "But seriously, don’t take any chances. If you see it again.."

The front door opened. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Damiani," Tommi greeted. "Right on time!" And the subject of the gray Thunderbird was forgotten.

*****

[Sunny Side Marina, 3:26PM]

In the minute or so that passed as the team moved from the pier to a couple of benches overlooking the beach, Kate’s mood soften a little. The whispered conversation she heard behind her helped to put things into some perspective.

"How’s she holding up," Flynn asked.

"Under the circumstances, pretty well," September said.

No, Kate thought, no, I’m not. But she resolved to do better. They had an added incentive to get this case solved quickly. Docker had said that there would be another rape. Tonight. He could be wrong, of course, but like everything else he had told her since this mission started, she had to assume that he knew what he was talking about.

And then there was Josh. The sooner they could wrap things up here, the sooner she could get home and find out just what had happened. For now, she could only hope that Suzanne had exaggerated the seriousness of his condition. Damn it, she should have just taken the time before leaving for Miami to talk to him.

"We’ve got a problem. I assume you saw who we were talking to on the pier," she said addressing Flynn and Sharlyn. They nodded. There was a faint sound of disgust from Newt, but she ignored that. "Well, according to him, there is apparently a pattern to the timing of these rapes. He says there’s going to be another one. Tonight. So I hope you found something that could be of use to us."


Back to logs