Twists of Fate Chapter 18 (PG-13)

[francis]

Betaed by redwinter101, thank you!
Usual disclaimers still apply.

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link from chapter 17:
viewtopic.php?f=75&t=3185&p=60581#p60581

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The next few days I felt quite depressed. When I left work I drove home and spent my time sitting on the couch and thinking. I didn’t have the heart to look at any pictures of Beth or her Buzzwire reports. I missed talking to her, holding her at night. I wondered if she had any more nightmares and who would comfort her now.

I didn’t want to talk to Morgan either. She was the catalyst of my break-up and I didn’t feel like seeing her. As helpful as she had been in sorting out my hurt feelings, it didn’t help that I fell for her charms and slept with her. That had been the final straw.

After a few days pain turned to anger, imagining Mick being with Beth. I knew it was just a matter of time now that I was out of the picture.

Wondering about Mick was another pastime. I still had no idea what to make of him. He seemed to be a genuinely nice guy and a brilliant investigator. He had that instinct that made him look in the right places. He was inherently trustworthy. Yet, he was also kind of odd. Secretive about his private life, never disclosing his methods. I still had no idea what to make of the inconsistencies that I had found about him, the fact that he was way too young to have inherited his father’s business in 1991, the fact that he seemed to be rich enough to pay for his high rise loft. Then he had taken that jump down the fire ladder, and had fallen ill in the desert while otherwise seeming totally healthy and fit.

And then there was Beth. She kept everything she knew about Mick close. Of course, she wouldn’t really want to talk about Mick with me when she knew I was jealous and when she was falling for him. But what was it about the cases they did together? Why did Mick leave her alone in the warehouse after she shot Spaulding? Why was she so shocked afterwards? The doctor who killed his wife vanished, and she didn’t mention the case ever again. She never talked about what happened in the desert and why she had that weird cut on her wrist. Now they saved an escort from some juvenile killer and again, he escaped, and she just closed the file. No follow-ups, no investigating. It was so out of character for her to just leave it at that. I suspected that Mick made her keep quiet because there was something else to the cases he was involved in.

I was curious about what she would do next. Would she make a move on Mick now that she was free, or would she mourn our relationship for a while? As I still had some of her things in my apartment I planned on meeting her at Buzzwire to fish for some information. I wanted to ask her how she was doing.

When I went upstairs to get to her desk no-one looked at me twice. They obviously didn’t know or didn’t care that we broke up. As I approached her I saw Morgan walking up from the other side. I kept myself hidden behind a column and waited.

Morgan sauntered over and Beth looked up. I couldn’t see her face, but her whole demeanor seemed surprised and apprehensive.

„Hi, Beth.“ Morgan crooned. She seemed to be enjoying herself.

„What do you want?“ Beth spat.

Morgan’s smile didn’t fool Beth and wasn’t meant to. „Why, do I always have to want something when I meet you? We’ve worked together before, remember?“

„So, you thought we were good friends and could share things? Like – boyfriends?“

„I didn’t take your boyfriend. He came to me. You two were over before this.“ Morgan sat down on the edge of the desk. "Listen. I don’t mean to rub salt into your wounds, but if your Josh hopped in with me so easily he might not have been worth it anyway.“

Josh was shocked. Did she think so little of him, or did she just say that to comfort Beth?

Beth shook her head. „Do you love him?“ she asked.

Morgan laughed out. „Love? No. I like him. He’s good looking, a great guy to be with, entertaining. He’s fun and I enjoy being around him. It’s not as if we share a lot. Yet.“

„So you came to me just to tell me that, or is there something else?“

Morgan smiled, the nice smile she gave me when I told her about my problems with Beth. „You know, I’ve heard from Josh that there is this other guy, Mick. And because I’m a curious person I tried to find out more about him, what kind of guy he is. What I found had me concerned and I just want to tell you that.“

Beth stiffened. „Mick’s none of your business.“

Morgan’s voice dropped. I craned to make out her words without giving myself away. „Listen, this Mick doesn’t have a record anywhere, but the police have a lot of files where he was involved in the investigation.“

„That’s only natural, he’s a P.I.“

„I know. But the cases he had are very unusual. Often the suspect never was found, but the victim was unharmed. A little too often for my taste. There’s something weird going on. And Mick is too young to be in business so long.“

Beth looked around quickly, and I tried to melt into the shadows. „What are you trying to say, Morgan?“

„Just that I think Mick is odd. And Josh picked up on that too.“

„Did he tell you that?“

I wondered about that myself. Had I talked about my suspicions with Morgan? I couldn’t remember.

Morgan continued. „Josh wondered about that weird bite you had. I mean, the cut. He thought it was more like a bite. And I have to agree. I saw it.“

Beth started to panic, standing and grabbing her purse. „Listen to me, Morgan. There’s nothing odd about Mick. There’s nothing wrong with the cut on my wrist either, it was a fence I hurt myself on.“

Morgan shrugged. „Believe whatever you want. I bet Josh already has a file on your precious Mick. Whatever he’s hiding won’t be a secret much longer.“

She spun and stalked off. Beth and I were equally stunned. I kept to my hiding place as she rushed past me and stormed out of the door.

I waited for a minute. There was so much going on in the big news room that no-one had picked up on the conversation or on me standing around. So I took the box with Beth’s things, dumped it on her desk and wrote a note telling her I wanted to meet her but obviously just missed her.

Not wanting to bump into Morgan or Beth I sneaked out. I was so confused I had to think before talking to Beth again. I was at a loss. What was Morgan up to and why was Beth so upset about what she had told her? Beth was usually much more collected than that and gave as good as she got. She seemed increasingly uneasy, fearful almost. I couldn’t make head nor tails of it.

Back at work I sat down at my desk and spent an hour just thinking. Maybe a file on Mick wouldn’t be a bad idea. There was something odd about him, but I hadn’t discussed that with Morgan, I was sure. It was almost as if she read my mind, or she had her own investigation going about Mick.
But why would she be interested in him at all? As far as I knew she didn’t even know him. And why would she tell Beth about it? My only guess was that she wanted Beth to become suspicious and uneasy about Mick, to keep them from getting together. But why?

When the thoughts started to give me a headache I tried to focus on work. There was no way to work this out without talking to Beth again.

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link to chapter 19:
viewtopic.php?f=75&t=3952&p=85742#p85742

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[NocturneInCMoll]

You know, when I saw you had just posted somewhere, I couldn't help checking your office just to see if it was what I'd hoped...I crossed my fingers, and...yes!!!! an update!!! I just realized I normally comment on this story on VLF, but...oh well!

Wow, Francis! I wasn't expecting this twist! Josh overhearing Morgan being catty...and her airing suspicions about Mick they never actually discussed. He already figures she's up to something. And then him seeing Beth starting to panic over it... No wonder he's intrigued. I really cannot wait to see where you take this. I suppose it's too soon to hope for another update...?


Edit: Forgot to mention I loved Beth's sarcastic response to Morgan, „So, you thought we were good friends and could share things? Like – boyfriends?“
Maybe that's Morgan's game--I'll share Josh if you share Mick.

[wollstonecraft61]

Great job, francis. I think Morgan knew Josh was standing in the shadows when she suggested Josh may already have a file on Mick, knowing he was listening. She is crafty. Don't underestimate her.

[coco]

Why do I have a feeling that Morgan knew Josh was listening. It all seemed a little too perfect that conversation AND she now has Beth running scared that they know about Mick.

Great stuff francis, as always.

[mitzie]

I have to agree that the conversation with Beth and Josh listening in was a set-up by Morgan!!!! She is so creative with her schemes!!!! I do, however, have to blame you for the evil cliffie Francis!!!! I love this story and I'm hanging on by my toenails for the next chapter...

mitzie

[Catmoon]

Coraline's plan (whatever it is, I admit I'm still not sure what she's up to) is complex, devious, and skillfully carried out. Very much like we saw on the show. She's an expert at playing people, that's for sure! I have to say I'm in awe of her talent.

[wpgrace]

Love it! WHy Morgan most certainly DOES have a motive for worrying BEth... she is serving notice!

Nice catty chick scene, francis... and poor poor Josh... still without a clue. He must've felt much like this in the show. MIck IS a genuinely nice guy but he's hiding something for true and he and Beth were so secretive with and about one another, and yet so involved, from the get-go, with each other... that had to have every one of Josh's instincts on alert. That had to drive him crazy.

[jen]

Now this is a game changer!

Don't think there is much chance of a close Morgan/Beth friendship developing any time soon. For all of Beth's attraction to the mysterious, captivating Mick, Josh has always been there for her and she will blame Morgan for the breakup. I can't see a casual friendly meeting at the hotel fire in MicMorgan's future.

Very interesting stuff here!!!

[jen]

Yow!!! This is great

This puts and entirely different spin on events we saw on screen. I don't think we could have seen some of the things we saw on screen with these events.

Fabulous