Into the Specter

Chapter 11

(a/n) This chapter is a bit of a turning point.

Flip spots Ron waiting in a corner booth. The bar is almost empty on a Tuesday night. Stomping the snow off his boots, he shakes off his jacket as well. He walks over and sits down opposite his partner.

Ron looks at him. "Listen, man, thanks for meeting me here."

"No problem, what's up?" Flip has also been meaning to talk to him.

A few seconds go by and Ron takes a sip from his drink. "Flip, I'm gonna come right out and say it," he says, "I think she's working with the FBI." He takes a breath. "Or, at the very least, the feds are working against us." Flip stares at him, suddenly questioning the past week. "Didn't want to talk about this at the station," says Ron, leaning forward.

He continues, "At the bank, I let her think I was going to the bathroom to see where she would go. I saw her go into the safety deposit box room. I figured you got her when I saw you walk around the corner but then I come out and she's still cocky as ever. That's when I knew we had to talk."

Flip widens his eyes. Part of the reason he hasn't talked to Ron yet is that he's so embarrassed you've got the better of him so many times. It's like he can't help himself from butting heads with you.

"I've been kind and unassuming to her. Don't have anything against her. I was thinking she'd entrust something to me, but, clearly, both of our strategies aren't working. She only says things to get a reaction out of you, and she's taking advantage of my lenience."

Flip's breathing is picking up. Of course, Ron has a strategy. He always does. Flip realizes you've scrambled his head more than he thought. He's the one who hasn't had a plan. Just reacting to you. He tells himself that's where the lust he feels for you is coming from. Yes. Just reacting to you in anger. He was so focused on stopping you by himself he forgot he had people on his side.

"Shit, Ron, I'm s-"

"See, I was talking to Jimmy yesterday as well." Ron's on a roll now. No stopping him. His voice is getting quieter, trying to keep their conversation private.

"Turns out, security didn't detect any signs of a break-in because there's no data from that night. The entire thing is wiped. Jimmy is still trying to figure out how it happened, but obviously, I didn't want her knowing that we know anything. I mean, it's gotta be her, right? I feel bad telling Bridges different but-"

"Wait," says Flip. He knows once Ron is onto something he'll keep on talking. "I'm with you. It's gotta be her. Do you think as well that she planned to get arrested?"

"At first I didn't, no. As time goes on, though, I'm starting to think you're right. Which is part of the reason I'm questioning those agents."

Flip runs a hand down his goatee. "They haven't given us a lot of information, and they keep going straight to the Chief," he says.

"Exactly. Everything goes through the Chief and even then, I don't think they're telling him everything. She's given us nothing but empty leads. The cabin had no trace evidence. The feds had me ask her about the hack at the bank which led nowhere AND she's being allowed to accompany us to crime scenes under their orders."

"I went over the bank's history yesterday and there have been no incidents of this magnitude. Nothing until now. Bridges reported to me that the feds found nothing in that box, but..." says Flip.

"There's gotta be something in it. Especially since she went looking for it yesterday." Ron finishes his sentence.

Flip leans back in the booth and sighs. This past week he's been fumbling around. Too focused on trying to pin something on you without looking at the bigger picture. He wonders why the FBI has them so focused on you.