Skeletons in the Closet (Sue Thomas FBEye)

Chapter Eight

"Happy Thanksgiving, Myles," Donna wished the tall agent before hugging him. "D is in the den and waiting for you."

"Same to you, Donna," he replied wondering why D called a few hours earlier to summon him at the house before the rest of the crew arrived.

It didn't overly surprise Myles that Tara and Bobby were already here.

"Have a seat, Myles." D handed him a beer at the same time. "You know how they say ignorance is a bliss," he began, gauging the three agents who remained silent. "Well, it didn't apply this morning when I went to pick up football tickets I left at the office. Osborne was furious."

"The bloke learned about the car, didn't he?" Bobby said, wondering what got Lex to spill the beans.

He stared at Bobby in confusion. "Do you have something to do with Jack's car?"

"Not at all, D," Myles said, jumping right in. "Matter of fact, blissful ignorance totally applies in this case."

"I see," he mumbled, frowning at them. "Make sure I remain ignorant."

"So, what was Osborne furious about?" asked Tara, not that she had been able to identify the prints on the rim of the tire yet. And the ones inside the car matched people who regularly rode with Jack.

"Sue called her parents this morning," announced D who smiled when he saw the looks of stupefaction on their faces. "Using a disposable phone and keeping the call under one minute."

"Osborne wasn't able to trace it, was he?" Her smile matched D's, as she already suspected the answer.

"No Tara, he wasn't, but he gambled Jack would call his folks as well, and was ready to monitor the signal should that phone become active again."

"Sparky isn't careless, he wouldn't risk being caught." Bobby was certain of it.

"He did call his parents a few minutes later," D contradicted him. "Using a different phone."

"No wonder the bloke is furious. Sparky slipped through his fingers," Bobby stated, the three of them sharing a laugh at Osborne's expense. "Was it another short call?"

"Yes. Jack just said not to worry, that they were fine. I just thought you might want to know. Now I believe our other guests are about to arrive. Shall we?" D indicated the door.

Lucy showed up with Ron, their oldest recruit. Ron was an Air Force pilot before he changed career. Not much fazed the guy, a quality Lucy found endearing. And his dry sense of humour matched her witty comeback. D suspected they were quickly becoming a couple, not that the rule applied in their case since Lucy was a rotor and not an agent.

The other two very young rookies were minutes behind. Freckle Boy, Dany, and Curly Brown, Sean, like Myles secretly nicknamed them, were fresh from Quantico. They all smiled knowingly when Tanya, D's teenage daughter, openly stared at Freckle Boy.

"I think Jack is out," whispered Tara to Bobby's ear.

"Yah. So, what's the attraction? The freckles, the red hair or the boyish look?"

"All of the above," said Myles coming to stand beside them. "Plus younger. She actually stands a chance with him."

"Not unless it's over D's dead body, mate."

"Are you sure?" Myles replied staring in their direction. Tanya was now sitting beside Dany, and they were discussing football strategy.

When Lucy noticed Tara's ring, the attention turned towards Tara's and Bobby's engagement. Then on Levi, when Donna inquired about him. Lucy told her the hospital was sheltering him for the time being, since bringing in to the bullpen without Sue was frowned upon, and leaving him alone all day was too cruel.