The Road to Justice/Sins of the Son combo pack - A John Fowler Novel (John Fowler (Books 1 & 2)) (5 page)

Jessica was still mad.  She was pointing at him and muttering under her breath,
“
don
’
t you dare.
”
 
John put his hands up to try and calm her.  She sighed and began. 
“
During those 14 months, no one was put with us.  The three of us were a team, and no one dared try to replace you.  After you left, well, the politics started.
”

John looked at the floor.  So this was his fault as well.  Ten years ago the three of them started working together on a case and closed what was not only thought to be a cold case, but impossi
ble under most circumstances, i
n other words; a career maker.  The three had been made a permanent team.  They became the go to team on all big cases.  Chet could handle any computer problems, John could sniff out any lead, and Jessica could get the location
of Hoffa
’
s body out of the person who buried him if she had him in the box . . . or out of the box.  But that was a different story for a different day.  John always worried what would happen to them if they were separated.  Each of them was a perfectly good agent, but they each had a label.  Like actors in Hollywood feared being typed cast, John had feared that each member would only be seen as their strengths, not as a total agent.  Now John
’
s fears for the team had come true.

John looked at Jessica,
“
Trip?
”

Jessica nodded.  Lionel Pennyworth Smothers III, or known as Trip,
at
his
insistence
not the agents
’
choice, was the Director of the New York office.  John sat down in the chair.  He looked up at Jessica waiting for the next shoe to fall.  Jessica sat on the couch across from him.

“
Bruce?
”
 
John asked.  Jessica nodded slowly.  John slumped in the chair.  Bruce had been the go to guy in the office before John arrived in the New York Office.  Bruce had told John many times he was going to enjoy watching him go all the way back down the ladder.  According to Bruce, John had stepped on everyone
’
s head on the way up the ladder.  John hadn
’
t, he had just taken Bruce
’
s spot
;
a spot that was thought to have been arranged by Bruce
’
s father, a
US
senator
.  John knew differently, but that was a story for a different day.

“
So if you don
’
t solve this one . . .
”
John began.  Jessica was nodding as he began speaking.  John just left it hanging. 

“
Bruce has convinced the brass in Washington that we aren
’
t complete agents.  He
’
s convinced them we are only good as the team, and now
,
without you, we can
’
t be complete.  He has completely convinced Washington that being on the team has hurt us.  And Trip . . . well Trip can
’
t fight Washington and Bruce knows it.
”
Jessica said.

John leaned forward and put his head in his hands.  Trip was a good guy; he just wasn
’
t one to stick his neck on the line.  He wanted a safe, comfortable job.  John was willing to take chances.   Many had worked over the years, but some had backfired . . . very, very badly.  If the higher-up
s
at Washington were leaning on him . . . well, why would Trip save them?  For that matter, how could Trip save them?  Actually there was no them right now, was there . . .

John raised his head up,
“
So you believe if I come back and help you, then you
will ha
ve kept
yoursel
ves
safe for now
?
  Let
’
s say I do this,
we figure it out and solve this case.  What happens next time
?  This is a one
-
time reunion.  We
’
re
not
putting the band back together
.
”

Jessica smiled. 
“
John, help us and buy us a few months.  After this case is over and you don
’
t want back in, I
’
ll drop it.
”
 
Chet shot Jessica a look and started to speak.  She put her hand over his mouth and shushed him.  Jessica continued to talk with her finger over Chet
’
s mouth which caused John to raise his eyebrows. 
“
If you help us, win or lose, Trip has agreed to let you see the file.
”

Jo
hn was
about to ask if her and Chet had become an item, but with this revelation John jumped to his feet. 

“
Jessica, Chet . . . do not play with me!!
”
 
John was trying hard to keep his composure.  This was what he wanted
,
and more importantly, needed. 

Jessica walked up to him and took both of his hands in hers.  She looked straight into his eyes.  He had seen that look once
before
.  It was during the interrogation. 
“
John
,
I need you to b
e you.  You need to live again.  Y
ou need to be that . . .
“
 
She
looked up at the ceiling, blew out a breath and continued,
“
you need to be that arrogant, cocky,
”
 
John
’
s grin
was growing by the second and irritation was slowly spreading its way across Jessica
’
s face.
“
s
mug
,
narcissistic, jerk that can follow a 10 year old scent across three continents.
”
 
Jessica was staring hard into John
’
s eyes.

John broke the silence. 
“
I know exactly what you are thinking.
”
 
Jessica raised an eyebrow.  John continued. 
“
You
’
re thinking, he
’
s a widower now, and he has been for three years, would it be inappropriate if I kiss him?
”

Jessica threw down John
’
s hands, and stood up as straight as she could to look him in the eye.  She spoke softly but very crisply. 
“
You know I asked Sam once about your obsession with me.
”
 
John was taken aback. 
“
She said I was the only woman she ever worried about.  I told her then she had absolutely nothing to worry about.  Nice to see you
’
re back . . . JERK!!
”

Jessica turned to walk away, but John grabbed her arm.  She slowly turned looking at the hand on her arm and then at John. 

“
Jessica . . . I
’
m sorry.
”
 
Irritation left Jessica
’
s face. 
“
Jess . .
. I  . . . was so mad at you . . . you just did your job.  I was so wrapped up . . .
“

Jessica stopped him. 
“
John, it
’
s okay.  It wasn
’
t your fault.  I was too proud to call you and see how you were.  Look we
’
ve all made mistakes.  Let
’
s just do what the three of us do best and crack this case.  OK?
”
 

John nodded.  Jessica paused and then spoke,
“
There is one thing.
”
 
John looked at her. 
“
You will be a consulting agent.
”
 
John nodded. 
“
And if I hear you once refer to yourself as a murder
er
or having killed Sam during this case, I won
’
t miss the punch on purpose.  Understand?
”

John smiled and turned to head out the door. 
“
Let
’
s head over to my office, and Jess, the answer is yes. . . .
”
 
Jessica looked confused. 
“
It would be inappropriate
for you
to kiss me.
”
 
John turned and walked out.  Chet hurried after him.  Jessica smiled.  Yeah, enough of him was back, for now.  As much as she hated to admit it, she needed all of him back.  She needed John back in the FBI or she and
Chet were goners, but first things first.  They had to solve this murder or there would be no second chance for any of them. 

             
The three of them entered John
’
s PI office. 
John sat down at his desk and Chet placed each picture of the victims on the
evidence
board
John kept in the room
.  After all four pictures were up, he looked at John.  John smiled and nodded.  Chet placed the 5
th
picture on the board . . . Captain Jason Sparks
,
United States Army.  Jessica stood back and smiled.  John noticed.

“
What?
”
John asked.

“
It
’
s like you never left,
”
said Jessica. 
“
You
’
re supposed to be a consultant and yet here you are running the show again.
”
 
John started to get up, and Jessica held up her hand. 
“
No, don
’
t.  I
’
m not mad.  Chet and I had a week on this our way, you run it.  Just remember when we get in the field you have little to no authority.  In fact let
’
s go with no authority so there aren
’
t any questions down the road.
”

John nodded. 
“
Jessica, if I overstep my bounds, I have no worry that you will gladly put me in my place.
”
 
Jessica smiled and looked down.  Chet looked away, uncomfortable. 
“
Ok, time for me to ask a question to make everyone uncomfortable.
”
 
Chet looked quite confused. 
“
Chet, Jessica, are you two
currently
a thing?  B
efore you get all defensive, remember who I am and what I can do.  I
’
m not that addled.
”

Chet had turned 14 shades of red, and Jessica looked away. 
That
’
s when
it clicked
in John
’
s head
; the conversation in his living room earlier with Chet.  John looked out the window.  He then stood up and walked over to it.  He stared out the window and spoke quietly.

“
I
’
m batting 1.000 right now aren
’
t I?  I cause
d
my wife
’
s
death,
almost cost you two your careers, and now you two can
’
t even have a relationship because of me.  Dear God, what kind of broken
am
I?
”
 

Jessica walked up behind him.  She wanted to comfort him, but that was impossible.  John only let one
person in his entire life comfort him, and she was gone.  Chet had tried to be his friend, and he was . . . as much as John would let him.  Jessica straightened and started to speak but John looked at her.  His eyes were dancing with mischief through the tears. 

         
“
So which is the lie
?  T
he one you told me today, or the one you told Chet when he left you?"

             
Admittedly John
’
s detective skills were a little rusty, but he flat missed the cut sign that Chet was flashing over and over. 

             
“
Excuse me!?!
”
 
Jessica exclaimed. 
“
He left me!?!? 
Wait??  When I walked in earlier . . .
He said I thought you were suicidal!?!?  He was the one . . .
“
 
Jessica
realized what John had just done. 
“
Y
ou JERK!!!
”
 
John was grinning like a Cheshire cat.  He now had his answer.  Chet thought John was suicidal.  He also knew that Jessica had left Chet, and she left him because of Chet
’
s worry over him.  John walked over to the board and faced both his partners.