Twists of Fate - Chapter 9 (PG-13)

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francis
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Twists of Fate - Chapter 9 (PG-13)

Post by francis »

Betaed by redwinter101
Disclaimer: I don't own Josh, or Beth, or Mick, or anything in this fic, but I like to play with them, so bear with me.

Beth and Josh talk about the Fayed case and the leak, and Josh has an idea.
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link from chapter 8: viewtopic.php?f=75&t=547&p=2714#p2714
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It was Saturday night and Beth was waiting for him at his apartment. They had dinner and watched a movie, but he was distracted, wondering if he should ask her about Morgan. They laid down on the bed, and he opened his laptop to check the latest news.

She put her own laptop down and turned to him. „I did a broadcast today about the Fayed case.“

„You did?“ He smiled at her enthusiasm to share her report with him and opened Buzzwire’s site to watch her broadcast.

„Your confidence in me is overwhelming,“ he commented.

She cuddled up to him. „I think I was overcompensating with the dry and factual. I was afraid I would start babbling about how hot you are.“

Oh, he thought. She tried to make light of it, but there was an uncomfortable truth behind her words. The fact that they both were involved in this case from different and sometimes clashing sides was taking a toll. She knew she had to keep their relationship hidden. And she wanted him to know that she was being discreet.

It was as good an opportunity as ever, so he asked, „Do you know a photographer named Morgan Vincent?“

„Well, yes. She’s a freelance, and Buzzwire sometimes buys her photos. She’s been around once in a while.“ Beth was totally open.

„How well do you know her?“

„What’s up, Josh? I haven’t talked to her more than maybe two or three times. And how do you know her?“

He stroked his palm across his chin. „She came to me with photos of Jack Toland, way before it was official that we were searching for him. She told me she talked to someone at Buzzwire.“

She sat up, her face red and her voice angry. „And you immediately jumped to the conclusion that I shared information with her?“

„No, Beth. No. I was just wondering, and not about you. I know I can trust you. And I know that I didn’t tell you about Toland.“

„Sorry.“ She lay back down, calmer.

„Don’t fret, Beth. I’m not accusing you, but it sounded like I was. I’m sorry.“

She paused, thinking.

„You know, maybe it was Maureen she talked to. Mo was the first one who knew that the Fayed trial would be something big. She assigned me specifically to this, knowing that you are my boyfriend. It struck me as dangerous, but then again, from her side it’s understandable. She hoped I’d get some inside info.“

He huffed. „Well, I’m glad you have such integrity. I’m worried there’s a leak. And Morgan still isn’t revealing her source.“

„Did you meet her more than once?“

„I had lunch with her yesterday, trying to get her to open up, but she didn’t.“

„She’s beautiful, isn’t she?“

He smiled, her sudden insecurity was as cute as her confidence had been earlier. „Who would cheat … on this?“ he quipped, gesturing at her. She laughed and snuggled up again.

„So, what do you have cooked up for Monday?“

He struggled to keep a straight face, but was proud of her for being so smart. „What are you talking about?“

„Please. All the late night calls, the cat that ate the canary smile?“

He was amused, but he couldn’t reveal anything, of course.

„Maybe I’m cheating on you,“ he said matter-of-factly.

She positioned herself on his bed and made a flourishing gesture across her body.

„Who would cheat … on this?“ He smiled. Her self confidence was sexy.

He gave her a quick kiss. „Good point.“

She chuckled, but didn’t relent, asking if he had a secret witness. He should have known that he couldn’t get away without giving her some answers.

He decided to give her just a hint with a remark that he could later pretend to have been sarcastic. „Yeah, right. Let’s tell the reporter all about the secret witness stashed away in a safe house.“

There was a secret witness stashed away, but he couldn’t tell her until after the trial started on Monday. He hated having secrets from her. But she had her secrets too, it was inevitable in her line of work.

Josh shook his head and grinned. He was in too much of a good mood to spoil it. He closed his computer, carefully placed it on the floor and took Beth in his arms. He kissed her, with tenderness and care.

The evening could have evolved into something even more pleasurable, but his phone interrupted. He looked at the display in trepidation.

„Sorry, Beth. It’s Kevin.“

She looked up in alarm. If he had a witness, a call from Kevin would not be good.

Listening to his colleague his face fell. The safe house had been raided, the two officers were dead, Leni was gone. „I’m with you in ten minutes.“

He jumped out of bed and searched for his clothes. „Beth, I have to go. My witness has just been raided, and you know what that means.“

She looked at him in shock. „Dead?“

„No, she ran, we have to find her. Police are on the way.“

„Can I go with you?“

„Not yet, Beth. We can’t have the media pick up on this.“

She hugged him, gave him his car keys that he was patting his pants for and shoved him towards the door. „I understand. Go.“ A brief peck on the cheek, and he was gone.

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The officer who came at the shift change had called Kevin as soon as he saw the door hanging off its hinges. Josh tried not to get in the way of the forensic unit who were busy gathering evidence. They had removed the bodies of the officers already and were busy numbering every blood splash and bullet hole.

Josh talked briefly with Carl Davis who was running this investigation. No sign of Leni Hayes. And they had no idea how she escaped and where to. Josh was so frustrated he could have banged a hole in the wall if there wasn’t enough mayhem already.

„We have to find her before Fayed does!“

„I know, Josh. But we have nothing. What do we do?“

„I need to think. I’m gonna go home and get a shower and a change of clothes, okay?“

Carl patted him on the back and let him go.

Josh drove home numb from exhaustion. It was almost dawn already. When he opened the door Beth was standing in the living room and immediately rushed over to give him a hug.
He told her what had happened.

„I’m so sorry, Josh. What will you do now?“

„I can’t trust my own people on this. I have a leak. Otherwise noone would have found Leni.“

Beth looked out of the window, thinking. „So you need an outsider to help. Maybe I could look into it, try to find out where she would go.“

„That’s too dangerous, Beth. And it would probably take too long. What about Mick? I heard he has a track record of finding people.“

„You would really hire Mick? I thought you didn’t like him.“

„I wasn’t really sure about him with the Spaulding case, but he proved that he was innocent. And if you two work together so well, why shouldn’t I use that? On the other hand, this is a really difficult case on a different scale than a runaway teenager or a cheating spouse, so I’m not sure if Mick is up to it.“

She looked as if she was offended. „What Mick does is much more than that. He has a track record of solving seemingly impossible cases.“

His head was spinning. If she trusted Mick, he probably should do the same. And he needed his help, desperately.

„It’s Sunday morning, 5 a.m. You sure you can call him?“

She smiled a secret smile and dialed. „Hey, it’s Beth. I know it’s a bad time, but it’s an emergency. Can Josh and I come over?“

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In the car she suddenly cleared her throat and said: „Josh, if I help you on this case, I want to get something out of it.“

„What?“

„Quid pro quo. I want the story about Leni’s recovery.“

He was too tense and exhausted to care. „Okay, but only after everything is resolved and the trial’s under way.“

„Of course. I would never compromise you.“

„Do you think that Morgan could be the leak?“

She thought about that for a while. „I don’t know. She’d need a contact in your department, wouldn’t she?“

„Yeah. Oh, I don’t know. I go through the faces of all the people in the office and try to imagine who could be the one. It’s devastating.“

„I know. Don’t trust anybody of them with information from now on. We will find Leni.“

„We?“

„If Mick agrees to help, I’m going with him, as far as he lets me.“

He was surprised about that and concerned for her safety. „Why?“

„With Mick it’s never boring. His way of working is fascinating. He has this unique way of finding clues. I can’t explain it. But I don’t wanna miss a thing.“

He was a bit irritated. Here they were, his career at stake, the life of his witness at stake, two officers dead and a dangerous leak in his office unresolved, and she was thinking about adventure and getting a thrill out of this. Maybe they really were at two very different stages professionally. At that moment, he didn’t understand her at all.

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link to chapter 10: viewtopic.php?f=75&t=549
Last edited by francis on Sat Mar 28, 2009 9:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Raven
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 9 (PG-13)

Post by Raven »

Love how you mess with my mind, francis. :lol:
This whole Morgan deal is re-writing Moonlight in my head. I always thought Coraline was masquarading as Morgan for the sole purpose of getting Mick back...but because she's insinuating herself into Beth's life through Josh, it's becoming more believable to me that she wants something from Beth. Maybe the fact that Beth now has a personal relationship with Mick is why she's beginning to "come out", that's the Mick factor...but she's been flitting around Buzzwire for a few years and now Josh. Her interest in Beth is more than Mick...must be her blood.
Oh, the possibilities.
What is your plan, francis? I'm excited to find out!
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 9 (PG-13)

Post by Catmoon »

Missed a few chapters, but I'm now picking up where I left off. I continue to be intrigued with your storyline, and am very interested to see where you take it. Too bad the show didn't do something like this. It would have been a more interesting storyline for Coraline -- I might even have been more interested in her!
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francis
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 9 (PG-13)

Post by francis »

Thank you, Raven and Catmoon. There wasn't enough Coraline in the show. And there definitely wasn't enough character motivation for Josh in the show. I hope to explore them a bit more.
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 9 (PG-13)

Post by jen »

This is getting better and better!!

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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 9 (PG-13)

Post by jen »

And it is great on the reread!

Wow. I feel like I have found a secret treasure here! This is so good! These little vignettes fit in seamlessly with what we saw on screen and it gets better!

Thanks

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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 9 (PG-13)

Post by francis »

Oh, jen, thank you so much! :flowers:
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