Angelica saw a big man walk out the restaurant looking pissed as hell and moments later, she saw Henry looking worse. She slid lower in her seat, hoping he would not notice her presence. His appointment was not that long. It did not even last ten minutes. What is he doing?

She saw him walk towards his car, entered, and then drove off. She did not bother going after him because his car was gone in a flash. Instead, she chose to head back to his apartment and await trial for her disobedience. She started her car and drove herself back to her guardian’s home.

 *****

“I told you not to go out,” was the first thing she heard from him as she entered the door.

“I know,” she shrugged, looked at his angry face, and walked to the kitchen. “What’s for dinner?”

“And why were you following me?”

That halted her steps and she whirled around in surprise. “You knew?”

Henry looked at her dryly.

“Can I know how?”

He raised his eyebrows. “Oh, you want to know how? Okay, let’s see. For one, you have this red sports car that really stands out from all the rest of the black and silver ones. Second,” he looked at her stonily, “I know your plate number. So next time you try to do some detective work, make sure you have a different car.”

She felt embarrassed not because he knew, but because she was caught. It meant she didn’t do a good job. She should have learned a lot of things from the criminal dramas she had been watching all these years.

“What were you doing in that restaurant?” she asked him.

“None of your business.”

“Lawyer stuff? Or the other stuff?”

He snapped his eyes at her. “None of your business.”

“Okay, I think I’ve had enough of this,” she threw her hands up. “I want my old life back. I want to go back to work. And as much as I want to stay here with you, my handsome guardian, I want to go back to my own home. So tell me what your plan is. I want to know what we’re going to do next, because as I see it, we can’t go anywhere because the flash drive is empty and I don’t really think I’m in danger anymore. I didn’t have followers today, and I came back alive.”

After she stopped to take a breath, he asked, “Are you done? Can I answer your questions now?”

“Yes, please,” she answered sarcastically.

“First, no, you can’t have your old life back—for now,” he looked at her sternly. “Second, yes, you can go back to work, only if you answer my calls every time I call and check on you. If you miss one, you’re back here inside. And this time, I won’t be as lax as before. Third, no, you can’t go back home yet. You stay here where it’s safe. Fourth, my plan is simple: to keep you alive and to make you behave and right now, I think I’m failing miserably because of your stupid behaviors. And lastly, no, you’re still completely in danger. You know why? Because we haven’t captured the one who wanted your father dead and who got you kidnapped.”

Angelica was speechless. Usually, when she talked, people found it hard to follow her words, and hearing him answering her inquiries was quite amazing. She shook that thought away for a moment to speak. “So, let me get this straight,” she walked towards him, counting with her fingers as she said, “I can go back to work and get out of this apartment as long as I can answer your check-up calls,” he nodded and she continued, “and you are going to handle everything about the bad guys while I live here with you and stay alive?”

“Exactly,” he nodded. “But you forgot the bit about your stupid behaviors.”

Angelica opened her mouth but he held up his hand to shut her up.

“No nonsense stuff. No chasing men as long as you are living with me. No crazy imagination that has me in it. No games. No sex.”

“Sex? Who said something about sex?” she asked incredulously.

“I just wanted to make things clear.”

“Oh my God,” she opened her mouth for emphasis.

“What now?”

“You were thinking of having sex with me and you are so projecting it! I can’t believe it.”

She heard him curse under his breath. “That’s what I was talking about. Dalton, I was serious when I said ‘no crazy imagination’.”

“Whatever,” she rolled her eyes and smiled. “I can keep it a secret.”

“What secret?”

“That you were thinking of having sex with me,” she said casually, turned around and walked to the kitchen. “I’m hungry so don’t bother with a sermon.”

 *****

Henry was getting frustrated as time passed by and he’d never been frustrated as he was now. It had been a week since his talk with Grissom and up until now, he was not able to make a plan about using Angelica. He couldn’t. He’d been keeping a lot from her and he couldn’t risk her life any longer. He had been trying to get in touch with the organization, but now that Patrick was gone, it was close to impossible. They were being cautious because of Patrick’s murder and they were not as friendly as they used to be.

It was harder than he thought and his ward was not making things any easier. He thought that if he let her go back to work she would be preoccupied, but the woman was just impossible. He couldn’t imagine how she could juggle working long hours in the hospital and following him around.

Once he told her to stop and go home but she was just as what she was: plain stubborn and aggressive. He didn’t know if she was following him because he was actually her new target or she was interested with what he was working on. And that was the other glitch because he couldn’t work in a normal pace with her tailing his movements.

But today was his lucky day because she was out to go to Cassandra’s exhibit and he was hoping she would stay there as long as she liked. He was not worried she would be in any danger at all because there would be a lot of people in the exhibit and he would pick her up later that night after he was done with his own activity for tonight.

He would be attending a special party where Patrick’s partners would all be present. If he couldn’t have their trust, he’d have no choice but to follow Grissom’s orders. If he couldn’t enter the organization on his own, he’d have to use Angelica.

 *****

Angelica fought the urge to yawn as the exhibit came to a close. Earlier, there was a bit of a clamor with Philip surprising his wife with a gift not like any other. It was an official letter from the International Astronomical Union stating that they named a star after Cassandra with the coordinates exactly the same as the letters of her name.

Yeah, fantastic. Great. Yahoo.

But it was just too much for Angelica though she was glad Cassandra was not too grumpy anymore now that she made up with her husband.

“I think I’m going home,” she approached the couple.

“It’s still early,” Cassandra answered, the smile on her face unwavering as she stood there beside her husband.

“I still have work,” she lied. Honestly, she was thinking of where Henry Bell might be that very moment.

“You’re too attached to your work,” Philip commented, and then he turned to his wife, saying, “I called Henry just a few moments ago and he made an excuse that he can’t come.”

“Why?” Angelica asked aloud before she could stop herself.

“Work,” Philip shrugged. “Said he had a party to attend to,” he added, “A firm’s party or something. That man’s too busy to even answer my calls and you are just like him.”

But Angelica didn’t hear him because she was already busy planning her next moves. “Well, some people love their work,” she said nonchalantly and excused herself. “I really need to go.”

“Okay, but we’ll see you tomorrow, right? We’re going to make some finishing touches on Willie’s party,” Cassandra uttered.

“Yes, yes, I won’t forget that for the world,” she answered sarcastically, looked at the two lovely couple in front of her and sighed. “I have to go. Tell Chanty I’ll call her tomorrow,” she added, knowing her friend was somewhere watching over her newly-bought painting.

She exited the building with one goal in mind: to crash a party.

 *****

Henry roamed around the big hall full of people pretty much the same as he—a lawyer. But he knew that some of them, like Patrick’s partners, were keeping secrets. And he was determined to find out who they were, and who they worked for.

Ever since that night he was supposed to end Patrick’s life years ago, he knew of the organization’s secrets. But that was all Patrick was willing to share with him. He knew the secrets, but he didn’t have the physical evidence to make a case or to crack the said organization. Years spent watching Patrick’s movements attached him to the old man. And only if the old man was still alive, this night would have been his night, a shot to be introduced to the organization. But it seemed that would not be the case tonight because he had let someone kill Patrick and ruined his chance to worm into and be part of the group he and his team had been trying to destroy for years.

As he stood there with his glass of champagne, he studied every face, storing them into memory. He knew this party was just a cover-up for some secret meeting with the organization and Patrick’s firm partners. And he knew that if he could only try to persuade one of the partners to let him in and introduce him as Patrick’s old friend and apprentice, he would have something to celebrate for.

He was already trying to entertain the idea of how easy it would be if Angelica Dalton was here. He could use her without her knowledge. He could give her some faux story and if it was good enough, she could believe him and not question him. Yes, if he would be careful enough, he could still get what he wanted and keep her safe at the same time.

He shook his head. That would be too risky. He knew, aside from the danger of what the organization brought with it, that there was a mole among the members of Patrick’s firm. He knew that one or two of them wanted Patrick dead for some purpose still uncertain even for Henry.

And he also knew that because of something Patrick did before he died, he would be up against two enemies: the organization and Patrick’s killer.

His wit would not be enough. He would have to be careful. And maybe, just maybe, the time would come that he would have to use his lovely ward for the better good.

But he still had something in his hand that he didn’t tell Grissom. He still had one person he could talk to who might be willing to help. Angelica would be the last resort.

 *****

Angelica smiled inwardly as she walked through security. It was very easy. She had been doing a lot of chasing of her own to not pass through a tight security anyway. Now, her only problem was how to locate her awesome, grumpy guardian.

She held the chuckle that wanted to escape from her throat. She had been following him around and just the picture of his irritated face once he found out she was here already amused her. Chasing Henry was different from Philip. Her guardian was really serious every time he waved her off, while Philip on the other hand was much of a gentleman.

Ignoring the curious glances from the crowd who obviously knew each other but her, she slithered her way near the arched doorway that led to some passageway that could have held some private rooms of some sort. She would have a better view of everyone there.

She almost jumped on her feet when she spotted the old familiar man walking towards her with a smile. She rummaged through her memory and when she found what she was looking for, she smiled and said, “Hello, Kevin.”

“Angelica, dear,” Kevin Barnes greeted her, his posture stooped towards his wooden cane. “What in the world are you doing here?” he asked, his green eyes curiously looking at her face. But she saw something else in them. She almost saw fear. But fear for what? And there was alarm as well.

“I went with Henry,” she lied. “Did you see him? We lost each other among the crowd,” she added.

Kevin shook his head. “No. In fact, I’m not even aware he’s here.”

“Well, he is.”

“Then, say hi to him for me, will you? I need to go for some fresh air,” his face changed as he crunched it up with feigned disgust. “I don’t really like these events. I’m too old for it.”

Angelica laughed and nodded, “I understand. Okay, I’ll let you escape for now.”

“Good night, child,” his voice had that strange sad tone in it. She saw him hesitate for a moment before he shook his head and went with a staggering gait through the arched doorway and into the hall to the left. He was probably planning on going to one of the rooms where there would be peace and quiet. With watchful eyes, she saw him enter the second door to the right and disappeared the moment it closed.

And just as she was about to turn her head around to start looking for any sign of Henry’s head among the crowd, she saw him and instinctively hid behind a large palm behind her. It was the thrilling feeling that she liked most, the reason why she never gave up following him. He always moved swiftly like the wind, disappearing one second and appearing the next. It was so much of a challenge to slither behind him without him noticing. Through the gap of leaves, she saw his purposeful look as he too retraced old Kevin’s steps and entered the arched doorway and towards the door the old man entered at.

Now, this is really curious, she thought as she stepped aside and walked to the doorway, trying to act natural. What is he up to now?

Taken over by a new wave of curiosity, she inched her way along the corridor and stopped before the door that held Kevin Barnes and Henry inside.

She could hear voices, little hushed tones in fact.

“It’s too dangerous, Henry,” she heard Kevin’s old voice say.

“But Patrick wanted it to happen,” Henry answered.

“And look what happened to him,” this time, Kevin sounded angry.

Angelica’s brows met halfway. What the hell are they talking about? What did her father want to happen?

“I’m not asking for too much. I just want you to back me up. I’ll do the rest. You don’t have to tell the others.”

Okay, this was starting to sound really out-of-the-world weird.

“You know someone is trying to take over the firm, Henry. And you know someone knew something’s going on.”

“You think I don’t know that? Patrick died because of it. Look, no one has to know that you want out, okay?”

“No,” Kevin’s voice grew louder.

“What do you mean?”

“No, I can’t get out, Henry, you know that. This thing is not some game you can just push the button at and just quit. I know I can’t get out without being killed.”

“But I need your help,” Henry insisted.

“Son, you have to get it from someone else,” came the short answer.

Angelica stood frozen, her mouth falling open. She didn’t know what they were talking about. And she honestly didn’t hear footsteps coming towards the door when it suddenly burst open and Henry’s angry face was just inches above hers. The shock she must have had on her eyes mirrored his.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he rasped out.

She inched her head to the right and peeked over his shoulder. Behind him was Kevin Barnes who looked pretty much startled as well.

“I’m…uh…” she cleared her throat. “I was looking for you!” she forced a fake smile on her face.

His eyes bore down on hers. “Liar. What did you hear?”

“Nothing,” she answered too fast and too unbelievable even for her own ears.

He grabbed her arm and dragged her further down the corridor, saying over his shoulder, “I’m sorry to have troubled you, Kevin. That won’t happen again.” And without another word or a glance at her, he took her to the farthest door at the end of the corridor, opened the door and literally threw her inside. He followed suit, not bothering to turn on the lights. The only thing that illuminated the room and made her see his angry face was the natural light of the night sky streaming through the half-draped window. “I really didn’t hear anything,” she tried lamely for the last time.

“Don’t you dare—” she could sense that he was trying his best not to shout or tear her into pieces with his bare hands. “I’m through with this game of yours and I’ve had enough. You’re lucky it was only Kevin I was talking to. What if it was one of the others?”

“What are you talking about? Look, as you are having enough of me, I feel the same way. I’m through playing this guessing game. I’m through being left in the dark. And I’m through trying to think of reasons why my father trusted you, or what his secrets were, or why you are trying to talk to his partners.”

Her words vibrated through the silent room and it continued to ring in her ears as he kept quiet, just looking down at her. His gaze was not really studying her but absent, lost in his mind as he tried to analyze the situation.

 *****

Henry wanted to shout and curse out loud. He wanted to scream and let out the raging anger inside him for once. But he knew that wouldn’t help at all. He wanted to hold Angelica’s head, look into her eyes and make her see the difference of playing games and real life danger. But it seemed that no matter how he would try to do that, she would only be as aggressive, doing the exact opposite of what he told her.

Maybe, despite what his gut instinct was telling him, he had to tell her something. Hell, he could tell her everything and just maybe, maybe, she would listen and not make a lot of mess. He knew she heard enough to make her even more curious. And luckily, it was only Kevin back there who knew of her presence. If it were someone, or worse, if it were the desperate guy who wanted her dead, they wouldn’t be alive.

“If I tell you the truth, you have to promise me that you won’t do something stupid again. I told you to stay in that exhibit and as usual, you ignored my warning. Do you have any idea what you got yourself into this time?”

“Honestly? No, I don’t. And that’s why you really have to tell me everything,” she insisted. “But of course, I can’t promise you that I’ll just be as cooperative as you want me to be. But at least I’ll understand. And maybe I can help you with whatever you’re trying to do.”

Henry groaned inwardly and shook his head. “You’re impossible.”

She didn’t answer. Instead, she gave him a leveled gaze with her arms crossed over her chest.

“Okay, let’s go,” he took her by the wrist and dragged her out of the room, through the length of the corridor, through the arched doorway, through the crowd of lawyers, and through the doors of the building, and finally, out in the streets. “Walk faster, Dalton,” he hissed over his shoulder, holding on her wrist tighter.

“I’m trying!” she hissed back, struggling with her heels. “My shoes are going to be ruined,” she muttered under her breath.

“Get in the car,” he finally stopped and she almost bumped against his back.

Angelica looked at his car and said, “I brought my own car.”

“Leave it here,” he said.

“Why?”

“I want the others to know that you’re here. If they see your car, they will think you’re in.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, feeling dumb.

“Just get in the car. I’ll explain later.” He looked at her doubtful eyes. “I promise.”

“That’s all it takes,” she shrugged, opened the car door and climbed in.

“Brat,” he muttered, walking to the other side.

 ******

“I don’t want you to leave a single detail out,” she announced as he closed his door beside him.

“Can’t we drive first?” he asked.

“Yes, you can drive while you talk.”

He looked at her and sighed. “I’ve been with your father since five years ago.”

“How?”

He threw her an irritated glance, but continued, “I…shit, Grissom’s going to kill me if he knows about this.”

“Who’s Grissom?”

“My superior.”

“And you work for him as?”

He did not answer for a few seconds. “I work for the NSA as a deep undercover agent.”

“And?” she asked casually like it was a thing she heard every day.

“You’re not surprised?”

“A little,” she admitted. “But I would have been shocked if you said something like an assassin. But being an agent crossed my mind, so not much of a surprise there. But wow, the NSA? Really? Like the National Security Agency?”

He nodded. “I will have to kill you if you speak of it to anyone else.”

“Whatever,” she shrugged. “Continue on.”

“As I was saying, I have been with your father for the past five years. He was my asset until the time he got killed days ago.”

“Asset to what?”

“To get into the organization his firm works for.”

“What organization is it exactly?” she asked. Her throat felt like it was drying up, and she was afraid to think of something more outrageous as the mafia.

“The mafia,” he answered like it was part of his everyday prayers.

She was blank. Really? It had to be the mafia? What the hell. “And my father’s firm works for the mafia?” she asked incredulously. “Surely my father won’t do such a thing, right?” she looked at him and what she saw in his face drained the blood from hers. “No, that’s impossible. My father—”

“Your father knew what he got himself into when he accepted a large group of mafia into his firm. Since you were a kid, they have been there. They have been shadowing your dad ever since. He became my asset after—”

“After what?” she urged when he stopped.

 *****

Henry almost bumped his head against the steering wheel. He almost slipped out details of the past that Patrick wanted buried. He would respect the man’s privacy and he knew that telling Angelica about her father’s involvement with the mafia was already having its effects and telling her what it cost her father was another thing entirely. He couldn’t tell her anything that might erase the little feeling she had left for the man.

“He became my asset after I approached him. He wanted out, and he knew he needed my help.”

“You’re going ahead too fast. I can’t follow. What exactly is my father’s firm involved at?”

“He and his partners are being paid to make the illegal parts legal. They are responsible for making the mafia contracts legal.”

“But I thought the firm was only handling criminal cases?”

He nodded his head. “That too. They handle the cases that go out of hand.”

“So, you’re telling me that my father earned his money from the mafia? That he wanted out but couldn’t?”

“Exactly. He’s been helping me get into the organization, to be one of the partners. But it was not easy and we needed time.”

“Why?”

“Because I still needed to gain the partners’ trust,” he answered.

“But something went wrong,” she said as a statement.

“Yes. Just as the partners were about to welcome me into their club, your father died. And I’m stuck. Someone must have known he was trying to get away.”

“Is that someone the one who wanted him dead and got me kidnapped?”

“Probably.”

“Do the rest of the partners know about this?” she asked.

“I don’t think so. My guess is that this person was only guessing.”

“And took a shot just to be safe? Got my father killed?”

“Yes. Or maybe this person wanted your father’s position. He, after all, has the largest share in the firm. And the organization trusts him. Killing him meant power and safety for this person.”

He saw from the corner of his eyes that she was shaking her head. “I can’t believe this. This is impossible.”

“And now, as I said, I’m stuck. And the person who might be able to help me is too scared to do that.”

“Kevin Barnes?”

“Yes.”

“He knows what you really are?”

“No, not exactly, but I think he has an inkling. And no, he’s not your father’s killer. He’s too old and too scared. He wants out, but thinks he can’t do that. He knew what happened to your father.”

“So that only leaves the other partners?”

“Yes.”

They were silent for a long time.

“This was not supposed to happen,” he broke the deafening silence after a moment. “Your father’s death, I mean. No one was supposed to suspect that he wanted out. And now, I have to first take care of this person before I can worm myself into the organization.”

 *****

Things were starting to get clearer now for Angelica. Though she was no agent, and though she didn’t have any idea about law stuff, she knew what Henry was talking about.

He wanted to catch the person who killed her father so he could get into the organization unnoticed. And she thought she could help.

“I can help,” she voiced out.

“No, that’s not going to happen. Grissom already told me that, but I can’t risk your safety. I’m going to find a way. Kevin might just change his mind.”

“But if I help you, it will be easier. I will surely get my father’s shares in the firm and I will surely have no idea what to do with the works going on there. You will act as my adviser. I won’t have to expose myself to them. You will do all the work for me.”

“But that’s not—”

“I want this person caught as much as you do,” she insisted. “This person killed my father.”

Henry looked at her for a short moment before turning his gaze back on the road. “Are you sure about this?” he asked.

“Yes, of course I am,” she answered. Honestly, deep inside, she was not entirely sure. But she had to take risks. She was deeply involved already as it was.

“Then I guess we need to prep you,” Henry said aloud.

“Prep?”

He nodded. “We have to turn you into a lady mafia.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” she murmured.

 *****

“You can’t let them see a weak side,” he narrated as they drove towards her father’s firm the next morning. “You can’t let them talk you into things without my agreement. You have to stay on the plan. No games, Dalton, that’s the number one rule. And please keep your mouth shut as long as you can.”

“What?” she asked incredulously.

“Just do as I tell you or we’re going home.”

“Okay, fine,” she nodded. “Just make the meeting quick. I still need to meet with Chanty and Cassandra.”

“Forget about that for a second, okay? And how can you think of parties when you’re about to meet the people who can kill you in an eyesight?”

“They can do that?”

He looked at her seriously, his dark eyes too mesmerizing for her. “Just do as what I told you and you won’t need to find out.”

She was dressed in a dull black skirt, a black coat with white ruffled shirt inside, and a pair of black stilettos. He told her she had to dress strong and look strong. He guided her through the glass doors of her father’s firm, and it was the first time she walked through it. Patrick Dalton never invited her to come visit him there and now she knew why. Because the place, as modern and beautiful as it looked with its marble floors and high ceiling, was shouting criminal.

Angelica threw the resentful feelings she had for her father for being so stupid to be involved to stuff like the mafia. The receptionist recognized her name when Henry introduced her and called for a guy dressed as formally as everyone inside the building to usher her and Henry to the top floors where the partners were already waiting.

They were already seated around the large, oval oak table. They all looked different from that time she met them during her father’s cremation. If there were people who showed any sign of gladness with her presence, they were John Stewart and Pamela Baldwin. Stewart was still as handsome as she last remembered him and he was smiling at her, his eyes roaming over her with so much appreciation and wonder. She almost felt her cheeks burn up, but she ignored it. For all she knew, he could be her father’s murderer. And then, there was Pamela Baldwin, a fragile-looking lady who looked out-of-place among the strong-looking men. She was sitting beside her husband, Garrett Baldwin, who was leaning away from her, his face still as blank as before. The couple wasn’t able to fool her trained eyes as a doctor though because she knew, from the way Garrett was sitting leaning away from his wife, that there was tension. She chose to ignore it, knowing it was their private problem.

Kevin Barnes looked at her with curious eyes and nodded slowly to acknowledge her presence. Stan Howe, though funny when she met him, was looking at the table blankly as he played with his fingers. What she did not expect though was the presence of Cole Hartman.

And her father’s old attorney stood up and said to the group, “Let’s get down to business, shall we?”

No one uttered a word because by the look of it, Hartman was in a hurry to leave. Henry held out a chair for her and settled himself to her right.

“As what I’ve said to everyone aside from Ms. Dalton, Patrick Dalton left a will leaving all his assets to his sole beneficiary, Ms. Angelica Dalton. Along with these assets is his fifty percent share in the firm. Ms. Dalton, however, can decide what she wants to do with it, whether she wants to sell it to whoever wants it.”

Everybody’s eyes shifted towards her and she reminded herself of Henry’s words earlier. Her eyes did not waver. “That will be out of the question, Mr. Hartman. I intend to handle my father’s assets personally with Mr. Bell’s help.”

It was time for Henry to speak, “If you don’t have anything else to discuss with the group, I think it’s time for you to leave now, Cole.”

Hartman nodded, looked at the group around him and stood up. “I’ll be in my office,” he announced and left the room.

Now, there was only Angelica, Henry, and the partners present. Angelica noticed John Stewart’s smile disappear; Pamela’s smile growing nervous by the second, and her husband’s angry look directed towards her. Stan Howe and Kevin Barnes remained blank.

“I know everything about the firm,” she stated without a twitch in her voice and everybody’s head snapped towards her once again. She feigned shock, and painted a small wicked smile on her lips. She was good at it and it was not that difficult. “What? Don’t think my father never told me anything, gentlemen,” she looked at Pamela’s scared face and added, “and lady.” She sighed when no one spoke a word. “And that’s why things are going to get a little different from now on.”

“What do you mean?” Pamela asked, her voice quivering.

“Oh, for God’s sakes, Pam, what the hell’s wrong with you?” Stan asked her.

Her husband looked at her but did not say a word. “I just thought that she would be innocent and leave the shares with us. It hurts to know that she’s already corrupted.”

“That’s something I chose for myself, Pamela,” Angelica said, her voice authoritative. “Now, as I’ve said, things are going to change around here. I,” she looked at Henry and he nodded, “don’t know anything about what the firm is all about, but I’m willing to get help from Henry Bell here, who is as well my husband-to-be, and who would soon be sitting on the chair my father had been sitting on. Now, as the biggest shareholder, I don’t expect anyone to disagree, right?” She looked everyone in the eye, except Henry’s, who must be in shock with her announcement about their relationship. “Okay,” she almost slammed her palms on the table as she stood up, eager to leave. “I’ll meet you all tomorrow then?”

“What for, my dear?” Kevin asked.

“Well, to meet with our clients of course. I want to know them personally.”

“That will be their decision, Angelica,” Stan said gently.

“Well, tell them I want to see them,” she said it like it was the simplest thing to do. “Goodbye, people.” And then she was out, not even caring if Henry was following her.

“We didn’t talk about being married soon,” he hissed beside her after a few seconds.

“We’ll talk about that later, but for now, I want to get the hell out of this place.”

 *****

“Look, I don’t even want to fight with you about why you keep on trying to make people believe that we’re together. Actually, I want to congratulate you for how well you handled it back there.”

“It was easy, but I am not really comfortable with the thought that I might have been in the same room as my father’s killer and my kidnapper.”

“That’s why you got into this, remember? You want to catch whoever killed him.”

“Yes,” she answered, looking out the window. “I need to go to Chanty’s house.”

“I’ll drive you there,” he nodded. Right now, he was quite busy formulating how he should make his report to Grissom without indicating he had gone astray from the orders given him. But then he might be happy to know that he was finally using Angelica Dalton to get his job done.

“No, I need to get my car and drive there myself. She will suspect something if I come without it.”

“Okay,” he answered, wheeling his car to the direction of last night’s party. Her car was still there and when she was about to climb out, he said, “Be careful.”

“Yes, yes,” she said as she shut the car and walked towards her red Porsche still parked at the parking lot outside the building. He was absently looking at her when her glinting red car suddenly burst up in the air. It happened very fast and all Henry felt was the invisible force that followed the eruption.

“Dalton!” he shouted as his eyes tried to look for any sign of her, the sound of the explosion ringing in his ears. He got out of his car as fast as lightning and ran to find his ward among the black smoke and her shattered car.