The Lawyer and the Killer Ch. 09

The dress had a tight waist, but not so tight as to be considered wanton or sexy, maybe just a little suggestive. She carried a small black clutch purse. Draped over each forearm and wrapped loosely around her back was a black velvet shawl. Everything matched perfectly! She was stunning. Absolutely stunning!

She had added some jewelry to her attire at the last moment. She had two small bangle bracelets, and tiny hooped earrings. Around her neck she was still wore her little pendant.

Todd saw the jewelry. He liked the earrings and bracelets. He wondered where she got the stupid necklace; why she persisted in wearing it. It was so out of place on anyone so elegant.

Todd couldn't help but ogle her legs. They were shaped so perfectly. Her black closed toe high heeled shoes accentuated her muscular calves and upper thighs. He guessed maybe two inched spiked heels.

She was everything a man might want. He had to have her. He stood up, waved, and cheerfully called out, "Susan, over here."

Shawn heard someone call out a familiar name. He was tempted to turn around and look up but knew that would have been incredibly gauche. He stared back in his menu, quietly considering what he'd like to eat. He usually selected seafood, and this close to Maryland that meant only one thing, crab meat.

The Warrant Officer saw Susan come in. He'd never gotten a good look at her before. Beautiful was the only word he could use to describe her. It was no wonder Shawn was so smitten. If she was the reason for all the trouble, and he presumed she was, then they'd have to do something. Shawn had been a good trooper, a good agent. He wasn't going to let him down on this. The warrant officer wondered if the girl understood the kind of trouble she was in.

Susan and Todd sat across from one another and engaged in small talk. He complimented her stylish appearance. She praised his suave attire. They then reconciled themselves to an examination of the menu.

Todd ordered a bottle of wine, what he thought was a tasty Riesling. Susan agreed to go with the wine, but she preferred hard liquor. The wine came, and after a tasting, they sipped a little.

Todd proposed a toast to their future. Susan drank and proposed a counter toast to her daughter's future.

Sitting together the warrant officer ordered a beer, while Shawn ordered a Jim Beam and coke. He laughed to himself; reflecting on his love of bourbon, but his soft nature always compelled him to wrap it in something sugary.

Shawn noticed his partner was wearing an ear plug, "That's not a hearing aid. Mind telling me what you're up to?"

The warrant officer replied, "I'm spying on some people sitting at a table behind you."

"Should I turn around?" Shawn asked.

The warrant officer frowned, "Don't you dare. You'll ruin all my fun."

This was a little much for Shawn, "I thought we were here to talk about my future, not listen in on other people's private conversations."

The warrant officer decided to lay it on the line, "We are here to talk about your future. The people I'm listening to are a part of it." He smiled and gave Shawn a fatherly nod, "By the way, after tonight, you're no longer with the CID."

Shawn looked up in surprise, "Not with CID?"

"That's correct sergeant. Starting tomorrow you're out. I've got some civilian opportunities for you, but your military career is over."

Shawn blinked back the disbelief, "Look I know I've been a little off the wall lately, but I'm still a good soldier. I don't want to leave."

The warrant officer gave Shawn a stern manly look, "You've been everything anybody's wanted. We're pleased with you. I'm pleased with you." He hesitated, "I'm proud of you Shawn. You're a damn good man, but its time for you to move on."

"What if I don't want to move on?"

"That's not your call." He held his hand up slightly, "Be quiet." He was listening to another conversation. He made a decision. He got out another ear phone, "You want to listen in?"

Shawn looked at him, "Why? He blinked back a tear, "Will it change anything?"

The warrant officer handed him the tiny phone piece, "No it won't change anything. Then again, it might change everything. I don't know. Just listen, but whatever you hear, whoever you hear. Don't move."

Shawn took the ear piece and put it to his ear, "This had better be good."

Just three tables away Todd Bitterman was beginning his spiel, "Susan you know how I feel about you."

"I know Todd, and I have strong feelings about you too."

Three tables back Shawn jerkily sat up in his chair. Putting the ear piece down he spoke to the warrant officer, "What's this about?"

"Shut up and listen, but don't make a move or a sound." He wondered if giving Shawn an ear piece had been such a smart decision.

Shawn held the ear piece in his hand, "Do you know who this is?"

"I know everything. You can listen in or not, just don't move." The warrant officer gave Shawn another stern fatherly glare.

Shawn put the ear piece back in, "I don't know if I can handle this."

"Shut up stupid. You've handled tougher stuff than this. You can certainly handle listening in on the woman who loves you." The warrant officer was trying to give Shawn the determination he was certain he would need.

Together Shawn and the warrant officer listened to Bitterman's and Susan's conversation.

"You sort of ran me out the other night." Started Todd

"Todd there's this other man. He's not like you. He's unreliable, dangerous, and he scares me. I don't even know for sure if he's alive." Susan was trying to be gentle.

Three tables down Shawn thought. 'She's here! She's right here! Right now! She's talking about me to another man'. He felt miserable, tense, his heart screamed out, 'I can't do this'.

The warrant officer saw the emotional war being waged across the table, "Hold it together son."

Shawn cringed. He bit his lower lip. He tried to squint the tears from his eyes, "I got it."

Three tables up the other conversation continued. Todd had never listened to Susan when she'd talked about Shawn. He still didn't know who his competition was, even now. He knew he thought Susan was hot, and he wanted to get into her pants, "I understand this. You have a child, a beautiful child. She needs a father. Let me be Shawna's father?"

Three tables away all Shawn heard was the name, Shawna! He had a little girl! He looked at the warrant officer, and made to get up.

Whispered the warrant officer, "No, sit still."

Shawn's eyes were welling up with tears, but he sat still.

Up three tables he heard Todd, "Susan I love you. I want to take care of you. What do you care about some man who ran off?"

"It's not that simple Todd."

Todd replied, "It is that simple. No man, no real man would ever leave the woman he loved. I mean leave her pregnant and run off like he did."

Susan's eyes were tearing up, "You don't understand. It wasn't like that."

Todd was growing impatient, "I can't fight a ghost. I only know I love you. I don't know what he has. I only know what I have. I'm rich. I'm well known. I can restore your law practice. I'd be a good father to Shawna. We'd have more children. Susan I can make you happy."

Susan listened to everything Todd was saying. She wanted to be happy. She wanted happiness and security for her daughter. She had no inkling of the insidious side of the man across from her, "Todd I do love you. Please don't try to talk me out of this. I know the man who made my baby is a monster. He can't be trusted. He's a killer. He's no good."

Shawn, three tables away, listened as the woman who was the great love of his life condemned him to another man. He started crying. God he wished he could do something, anything. He had to pee. He was going to have an accident right here at the table. He felt like he was going to throw up. Suddenly he realized everything he ever wanted, ever dreamed of, was being washed away over a set of earphones. He had to do something!

The warrant officer reached across the table, and put his hand on Shawn's arm, "It's only talk. Just listen. We're here for more than just this. Control yourself. Think of the suffering you've seen. You can handle this"

Shawn reached over and gripped the warrant officer's arm, "Help me Sam."

The warrant officer had read Shawn's full report. He'd even read the portions about some little African girl rescued from a bunch of buzzards, "Be a man Shawn. Think of a little girl named Lauren buried in a road in the Sudan." That was all the warrant officer needed to say.

Shawn's resolve stiffened. They continued listening to Susan and Todd.

Todd kept pressing, "I hate having to fight someone I can't see. Susan I'm here to offer you security, safety, love."

"Todd listen, I need time. I need to think things through."

Susan was almost ready to give in. Todd sensed it. He wasn't going to let up, "Susan it's not just about you and Shawna per say. I'm afraid you might have gotten yourself into a little trouble."

Susan blinked, "How could I be in trouble?"

"Well we, you, signed some documents. Some of things we, you, signed weren't entirely legal. You could go to jail." Todd was about to put the shaft to Susan.

Susan looked at Todd suspiciously, "You let me sign off on things you knew were illegal."

Todd backtracked, "I didn't think they were exactly illegal when you signed them. I thought we could get away with it. Well, as it turns out we, I mean you, might not be able to pull it off."

Susan was angry, and so was Shawn as he listened in. Susan replied, "You set me up?"

"Susan listen to me." Todd was talking faster. He knew he had to convince Susan she was in trouble, but could get out of it easily, "I work for a very influential man, a man who's helped you before."

"Who?" was Susan's reply.

"You remember Oscar Camulos?"

Shawn, listening in on the ear piece gasped.

Susan heard Todd in disbelief, her eyes wide. Certainly she remembered him. He was terrifying. "Yes."

"You recall someone had to put up $400,000.00 for your life not long ago." Todd gave her his most reassuring smile.

Susan remembered the figure, and she remembered never getting a precise answer as to where the money had come from. She'd assumed Shawn had dug it up, "I remember."

"It was Mr. Camulos." Todd lied.

Three tables away if Shawn had been just a little stronger his grip would have broken the older man's forearm. He whispered harshly, "That's a lie."

"I know." Was the warrant officer's response, "You just hang in there."

Back at Susan's table Todd continued with the charade, "Mr. Camulos has taken a personal interest in you. He's studied your career. He's impressed. He wants to bring you into his business. He thinks he can find a way to clear up your, our, legal problems."

Susan wasn't at all pleased with the current turn of events, "I'd like to see what it is I've done that's so illegal first."

"There isn't time Susan." Todd had to keep up the pressure, "I think the FBI is on to us. For all I know they might be watching us right now." He had no idea who Mark Miller was, or that he was investigating some of the very things he was threatening Susan with.

Susan glanced around the restaurant. She saw mostly families, a few singles, a couple soldiers. She glanced around the room again. Nothing else unusual, families, couples, some singles, two soldiers.

The soldiers were in their best uniforms; nothing unusual about that. This was Washington D.C. One was looking at her. Actually he was pretending not to be looking at her, but she'd felt his presence all night. She looked away briefly. She looked back. Yes! He'd been staring at her. The ladies room was at the other end of the restaurant. She could get up and walk by their table, maybe see a little more, no one would be the wiser, "Todd I have to excuse myself."

Three tables away Shawn and the warrant heard her comment. It was a starting turn of events.

The warrant officer spoke quickly, "Go to the bathroom. It's right behind me. Go straight to the latrine, as you walk look neither to the right nor the left. Don't look back. Don't come back out until I get you. She mustn't see you."

Shawn instantly replied, "Yes sir." He dropped his napkin on the table and made straight for the restaurant latrine.

Susan got up to go to the ladies room. She was careful to pick up her clutch purse. She had a kerchief and her make up inside. She'd put a little cool water to her face, reapply some make up, and consider what she should do. As she walked toward the ladies room she noticed the soldier who'd had his back to her was ahead of her. No matter. She needed some time. It was odd; she thought the soldier in front of her had a familiar gait.

Susan stepped through the portal that led to the privacy rooms. From out of the shadows a silhouette emerged, a hand wrapped itself around her mouth, "Say nothing."

She nearly panicked but kept her cool, "What do you want?"

The man pulled her back into the shadows; still keeping his hand over her mouth, "Susan. Do you recognize my voice?"

She recognized the Old Spice before she recognized his voice. It was Shawn! She nodded her head.

He let go of her mouth and turned her around. Their faces were inches apart. He whispered, "Susan I'm back."

Susan couldn't believe she was looking at the man she loved, the father of her child, the man she'd been holding out for. She couldn't think of anything to say, "Shawn."

He spoke quickly, "There's not much time. You're in trouble, but don't worry."

She nodded her head.

He whispered quickly and urgently, "Don't be afraid. I'm back. Back to stay. I promise. Tonight get on the Internet. Go on e-mail and type your middle name and add the number 353. Got it?"

Susan responded, "Lauren 353."

Shawn leaned down. She leaned up. Their lips touched; her warm wet rose petals, his firm malleable not hard or demanding man chops. They kissed.

Shawn's right hand caressed her neck lightly. Her hair still had that fresh smell of honeysuckle. It felt soft as it brushed against his face. What was that perfume she wore? He'd never smelt it on any other woman. Was it perfume or just her naturally beautiful fragrance? He knew he had stop or they'd never leave the shadowed hall. He gave her a reassuring smile, "Everything's going to be all right." He disappeared back into the restaurant.

Susan went ahead into the ladies area. Now she really had a reason to freshen her make up. While she refreshed her face, she touched her lips with her fingers. She smiled into her reflection. He still used Old Spice. She liked it before, and she still liked it.

She reflected on his breath. He didn't smoke, and she'd never seen him chewing gum or anything like that, but he had some kind of breath smell, like maybe cloves, or something sort of, but not especially spicy. It had sort of an odd, but distinctly masculine taste. She'd forgotten it, but remembered it now. She liked that too.

She watched the light reflect off the little pendant dangling from her neck. It felt good to be alive. She looked in the mirror and whispered, "Susan, Shawna, Shawn." It all sounded so good, so real, so beautiful, complete, and so perfect.

Back at the table Shawn and the warrant officer went ahead and ordered dinner. Shawn took the ear piece and handed it back over, "I'm all right now. I won't be in need of this now."

The warrant officer had it right. He never had to go get Shawn. The younger man had done just what he expected him to do, "Good! Let' eat."

A few seconds later the young woman returned from the bathroom. She walked past the table with the two soldiers; at first giving no indication she'd ever seen either of them before. For his part Shawn pretended not to notice her. At the last moment as she walked by she smiled at the older man. She wondered who he was. He must be somebody special.

From the corner of his eye the warrant officer caught her pensive half smile, 'Yeah', he thought, 'she's worth it'.

At Susan's table Todd continued to prod and press Susan for some kind of answer. But from somewhere, and he couldn't figure out where, she'd discovered a new source of strength. Their dinner was a stiff stilted affair from then on. He paid the check, and she left. Both agreed to meet again for lunch in two days. By then she assured him she'd have something to say.

Susan went home, paid off the babysitter, and got out a nice thick blanket and a big pillow. She folded the blanket over a few times and put it on the bed. The baby had awakened when she got home so she knew there would be some crying, at least at first. They lay down together on the blanket.

Susan opened the front of her expensive black dress, unclasped the bra, and pressed her breast to Shawna's waiting mouth. They lay down together; Shawna sucking, while Susan quietly sang to her, 'Play mate, Come out and play with me...' Susan lay there, cherishing her baby, feeling warm, comfortable and almost complete. Side by side they lay there; one eating, the other singing until the little one had gotten her fill of milk and drifted off to sleep.

While she watched little Shawna, she opened her laptop and logged on. She hit her e-mail and typed in Lauren353.net. It took a few seconds but there it was! Shawn had a web page. She typed in a quick message about how happy she was to see him tonight. She left him her on line e-mail address. She knew it was unnecessary, but she wanted to do it anyway. She closed up the laptop. And lay back down beside her little girl. She softly whispered, "Daddy's home."