The Greener Field

The Trap

The next evening as planned, Sarah and Carrie arrived in la Jolla on Prospect Street to walk up to the Top of the Cove Bar and Restaurant. It was just before 9:00 PM and a place familiar to both of them. In their youth they had met there in carefree times and it was where she and Carrie had finally reconnected after their college years. Unfortunately, it was also where Sarah had entertained Jess during one of their more romantic interludes and she had begun to feel their whirlwind meetings were developing into a healthy relationship. How things had changed, she thought now, as she waited by the car. Carrie would soon go up the steep hill alone to plant herself for reconnaissance in the bar. For there she could secretly observe and listen to Sarah and whomever might show up to join her that evening.

Earlier, Carrie had helped Sarah on with the small wireless microphone she now had attached to the center connection of her bra. It was under the fabric of her dress and totally concealed. Testing the eavesdropping system earlier at Sarah's parents house, Carrie, anywhere within a range of fifty meters could hear clearly conversations her friend might have that evening with anyone nearby. Donning her portion of the equipment before entering the bar—courtesy of the FBI, Carrie wore a small, flesh-colored earpiece to receive the sounds of Sarah and her surroundings. It was Derek whom Sarah feared the most and knew frightfully little about. His message to her was one of a serious threat if she were to go to the authorities. And now if he repeated it, it would be recorded.

Though the stake-out wasn't yet sanctioned by the FBI officially, as a member of the Force, whatever Carrie did which put her life in danger, would be the responsibly of the agency to get involved to protect her. Invaluable also to Sarah relating to her dilemma was her friend Carrie's years of service with just such surveillance missions and apprehending suspects as persons of interest. In many cases, as Carrie explained, this involved the most hardened fugitives already with criminal records, and most considered dangerous.

"Don't be nervous, once inside," were Carrie's last directions to Sarah as she gave her a comforting hug and left to take her position in the posh Cove, with its stunning views. "And try to get him to do most the all talking. I'll be recording everything," she lastly said.

Sarah waited and watched as her friend passed through the entryway of the premises, coolly in her evening dress. Sarah, also dressed for a night out on the town, and according to the plan, waited a full five minutes before she herself looked down at the mesmerizing tide pools and foaming waves being illuminated by the coastal streetlights. She then held her breath and passed through the bar's large brass doors. 

Sarah took a small table against the wall, fairly close to the large open windows, careful to position whomever might show up with their back to the room. It was a warm summer night and the sea air wafted into the place in gentle gusts. As she sat down at the table for two, she furtively looked around for Carrie, quickly spotting her across the room at a point just barely visible to her own location. Noticing with some trepidation that the place was not totally teaming with business, as it would have been on any weekend, Sarah perused the customers one by one to see if either Jess or Derek was already there waiting. Convinced that neither of the men had yet arrived, as the clientele was mostly hot-date couples and noisy after work professionals, she began to relax a bit and try to look as if she were simply waiting for her own date that evening. 

She looked back over at Carrie who was now engrossed in reading a menu and looked up in time to give her a slow and barely perceptibly nod of her head, signally all was in place.

Going through Sarah's mind was how she would address either man if he indeed appeared that evening—the smooth Jess, or the quirky and bizarre Derek. The thought of them both appearing together was just too much for her to consider and she thought with a bit gallows humor that Carrie could probably hear her heart already beating strongly through her earpiece.