Meet At Joe's

14 Pixie returns Part 1 Pixie Explains

POV: Joe

Destiny told me that Agent Fink had dropped by and how he had come up with the idea to pretend to be John and to let the Russians abduct him. I had trouble believing her story because I doubted Fink had that kind of initiative or was that clever or that brave. Still, Agent Lee had called saying Fink was missing. We would need a story for Agent Lee when he showed up later to investigate; so, I guessed Destiny's story was as good as any.

I was dreading Agent Lee's arrival when who should walk through the door but Pixie.

Miri was scolding as she ran up and gave Pixie a hug. "Girl, where have you been? You weren't answering your phone. No one has heard from you in days. We thought you might have been abducted by those human traffickers. We were worried sick."

"I had to avoid the bar for a few days," she answered Miri and then asked me, "Joe, can we talk in the back in private?" I took her back to the office.

"What's going on Pixie?" I asked.

"Joe, I think you may have heard Agent Lee and I talking about the Alexandroffs," she began. "Well, I spotted them in here the day Lupin brought me back from talking with John. Joe, it is imperative that they not find either Julie or myself. So, I turned off my phone in case they had gotten my number and a way of tracking it and I stayed away from the bar until I was sure they were no longer coming around. I just hope Julie had enough sense to do the same thing."

"You mean Julie is not with you?" I interrupted.

"No," Pixie got a distressed look on her face. "When did you first notice she was gone?"

"About the same time the Alexandroffs showed up."

"So, you know them?" Pixie surmised. Then thinking out loud she went on, "Hopefully, she recognized them in time and has gone in to hiding. Or else they may have gotten her."

"I don't think so. They didn't get her on their first visit when she disappeared because they came back the next day still looking for her and Destiny convinced them that the undercover cop Hans was her boyfriend. They did kidnap him. I guess to try to get to her. As far as we know they still have him which would mean they don't have her. Of course, she could have been abducted by that human trafficking ring that Hans was pursuing."

Pixie and I continued to hypothesize various horrifying scenarios until Miri poked her head in and said, "Agent Lee is here."

Agent Lee is clearly exasperated as he approaches us asking, "Again, what the hell? I send Fink up here to get briefed on your plan and to check on the status and he disappears! What did you do to him this time?"

Pixie turns to me with a puzzled look and I give Lee Destiny's story of how Fink decided to pretend to be John to infiltrate a Russian Mob that might be behind things. I don't think Lee believed me.

"Fink can't do that without clearing it with me," Lee said somewhat uncertainly.

"Maybe he didn't have a chance. According to Destiny, the whole thing happened rather quickly," I suggested.

"I suppose." He did not sound convinced. "We will let it go for now. So, how is your plan going?" He directed this question to Pixie. Pixie looked at me helplessly.

I answered, "we have a way to contact John by way of Lupin. Lupin has told John our plan and he is going to write the different software versions for us. He has also contacted his team members and told them to let Pixie interview them. The interviews begin next Tuesday."

"I don't suppose I could talk to Lupin?" Lee asked.

"I doubt it and I wouldn't recommend it. Lupin is not really fond of federal agents. He is also the one responsible for Fink's ill-fated walk in our local woods."

Lee left in a huff walking out the door and yelling back to us, "keep me posted".

Shortly after Lee left Lupin comes in and while continuing to check the door to make sure Lee wasn't coming back, he tells me, "We have a problem."