Secret Indiscretions (Sue Thomas FBEye)

Chapter Nine

"SOG has our three ladies going to see a movie," Jack told Bobby after he received an update. "And we need someone inside that know all the potential players."

"Are you sending me?" Bobby asked, not quite believing Jack was getting him off the Xavier's report. "We've barely skimmed it." With his hand, he encompassed the paperwork lining on the conference room table.

"I expect you to comeback here afterward, Crash," he warned, despite the fact he would be stuck here by himself with the report.

"Nice way to ruin it for me, mate. Which theatre?" He wrote down the address. "Did SOG mention which movie?" He rolled his eyes in disbelief when Jack grinned. "Not a soppy movie?"

"Don't forget the Kleenex, Crash," he suggested, getting up too.

"And where are you going?"

"To grab a pizza. I'm hungry." And he knew just where to find the best pizza in town. It was a total coincidence it was located only a few blocks from Sue's.

Lucy opened the door.

"If you're already done with that report, Jack, I'm a Russian spy," she told him when she let him inside the apartment she shared with Sue.

"You need to work on your greeting, Lucy. Is Sue here?"

"In her bedroom... packing. I'll go get her."

"I know the way, thank you," he said, stepping past Lucy.

"Hold on, loverboy. You—"

"Luce, aren't you seeing an aerobic instructor?" he cut her off.

"So?" She missed the entire point.

"The guy needs to take your breath away more often," he observed impishly. "Now, please, remember to knock." Then he left her gaping as he headed towards his destination.

Levi came to see him as soon as he appeared in the doorway, only to immediately return under the bed with his treat. Sue was staring into an open drawer, oblivious to the exchange. Quietly he closed the door, not wanting to attract Lucy armed with a dough roller.

She must have sensed his presence because she turned as he approached her.

"Jack? What are you doing here?" she asked, meeting him near the foot of the bed.

Encircling her waist, he pulled her close to him. "I came to pick up my grubby tie."

"Too late," she reported giddily. "I took it to the drycleaner this morning, and will pick it up after work tomorrow." Her hands slowly migrated up his chest. "I'm afraid you came for nothing."

"I wouldn't say for nothing, sweetheart. Now I need to thank you properly. How do you suggest I do it?" he murmured huskily, before his lips descended on hers.

The kiss was incredibly gentle, yet extremely possessive at the same time. And when he eased it, she unconsciously groaned her displeasure.

"I have to go," he murmured after she reopened her eyes, wishing instead he could stay all night. "You have sweet dreams."

"I will, Jack."

In the blink of an eye he was gone.

***

"Children Services located the two missing tenants," she recounted. "The first one is a mother of three who took refuge a few weeks ago in a shelter for battered women with all her children. The other is a divorced dad who took off to Atlantic City with his new girlfriend, leaving his two boys, Jason, 6, and Arthur, 4, with Manuela."