Mr. Lasalle

Chapter 1 - The Phone Call

It was another busy day for Christopher LaSalle and his team. The Fleet was in and the sailors had kept them plenty busy. Just one more week he thought. He had missed 'New York' more than he would ever admit to her.

She would finally be back from her maternity leave. The new guy was finally settling in. LaSalle thought he had challenges with Gregorio but the latest addition, Quentin Carter who was forced upon them, took conflict to a new level. His presence gave him another reason to miss Sonja Percy.

Chris never liked the 'pretty boys'. That issues went back all the way to high school when his secret love, a cheerleader named Savannah, ended up dating the captain of the football team their senior year in high school. Carter was a flashy dresser and seemed to catch the ladies' eyes.

Time marched on for all of them. It was about time for Tammy's daughter to enter middle school. It served as a reminder as Chloe grew older that Christopher was still single and still childless. Between his mother, sister and Tammy, he thought his head would explode from the comments that he was still unmarried at 42.

Chris looked across the room to see Quentin pretending to be busy so he wouldn't have to get the phone.

"Agent LaSalle" he barked.

"Are you Mr. LaSalle" the small voice asked?

"Yes" he responded in a quieter voice, "this is he".

"My name is Jayden Collins. I found a picture of you and my mommy in her desk drawer".

"So who is your mother young man?"

"Well her pretend name is Sonja Percy but her real name is Sonja Collins."

That information immediately got LaSalle's attention. "I know your mother Jayden. We were really good friends at one time" he responds. "Why are you calling me" he inquired?

"Well my mommy was crying the other day but she didn't know I saw her. Then I watched her open her desk drawer and put an envelope in it. I got the envelope out today and I saw a lot of pictures. On the back of some of them she wrote your name and a lady name Tammy Gro, grow, oh I can't say it."

"It's Tammy Gregorio, son".

"Oh, okay. Well I thought you could help my mommy stop crying."

"Well I don't know Jayden. I could find our friend Tammy and one of us could call her. Where is your mother now?"

"I don't know. She's on a trip again."

"Jayden do you happen to know your telephone number? It is not showing up on my phone."

"Yes Mr. LaSalle its 000-437-9251. My daddy taught me it."

"Okay, Jayden, I promise you that Miss Tammy or I will call your mother back."

Chris saw Tammy enter the front door an hour later and waved her over to his desk.

"Tammy, you will not believe who was just on the phone."

"Who Chris?"

"A little boy name Jayden Collins. He said that his mother's pretend name is Sonja Percy."

Tammy was more than a little surprised. No one from the office had heard from Sonja Percy since she left New Orleans.

"Well, that's a strange story Chris." 

"I told him one of us would call her back."

"I will call her if you want me to."

"Might be better if you are the one who reaches out 'New York' Thanks. So let me fill you on my conversation with the boy."