Tea looks down at the file Jesse had put together for her with the help of some of his FBI contacts and it was a some of the scariest stuff she had read in a very long time. This Calisco Group were into everything legal and suspected of quite a bit of illegal as well. Unfortunately for the legal community there wasn't much they could do to really build a case with speculation here rumor there. Questionable associations with accompanying photos but nothing solid like the ones the Fed's had of Barbara.
So far the only thing they had was she had been hired to do legal work for them what they didn't know was what kind of work. What they did know was she had a scheduled meeting with them. She'd received some kind of delivery from them last night but they didn't know what. The only good news they had was her meeting and the person they had on the inside. The only thing she had on her side both good and bad was the person Jesse had on theirs. She just hoped when it all came to a head Molly wasn't the one who was hurt. Maybe after Barbara's meeting they'd know more and maybe they could avoid Molly getting hurt anymore than she already was. Or Jack a small voice whispered.
Tea stands then walks toward the window and looks out. Dani should be home shortly she thought. She wanted to hear everything about her first day at "Tempo". She'd been so excited when she'd left this morning. All she'd talked about at breakfast was Brooke English, Tempo and Molly and how happy they both were being at their dream internships and she was determined to keep it that way. She just needed more.
"Dam it!" She mutters to herself then heads back to the sofa and her computer pushing the pile of papers off to the side as her mind ignites on an idea.
"If I can't figure out the what maybe I can figure out the why." She mutters to herself as she types. Her eyes lighting up as she found what she wanted.
"Good to be assistant DA" she smirks as she continues to type saving her search then typing again.
"And viola......" She says smiling broadly. "This looks interesting." She mutters typing again. Then stops and begins to read clicking through each document slowly.
'Bingo!" She smiles copying the information she wanted into a file then reaches for her phone.
"Hey, it's me. I need you to pull all of Barbara Montgomery's bank statements for the last four years and make sure you get me everything on this account" she says tapping on her phone then putting in back to her ear.
"Did you get it?........Good! Send me everything you find as soon as you find it okay?......Thanks...... I'll be in touch." She places the phone down on the table and goes back to her computer and reads through the document more slowly then reaches for her legal pad and begins to jot down notes. Now this was starting to make sense. She thought a lot more! Now that she understood the whys and hows all she needed now was the what? What exactly was her role in all of it? More to the point what could her involvement eventually do to Molly and Jack. She looks down at her ringing phone and smiles.
"Speak of the devil." she says to an amused Jack.
"So you were talking about me?" He says with a laugh.
"No, I was actually thinking about you." she laughs nervously wondering why she was suddenly nervous.
"Oh, what were you thinking?" He asks suddenly feeling shy and awkward something he hadn't felt since adolescence.
"I was thinking maybe you and I should get together I think we should talk." She says turning towards the door as Dani comes in and waves. Tea waves back then holds up one finger as she walks toward the kitchen still talking to Jack.
"If you don't mind maybe we could meet...." Is the last Dani hears as Tea walks to the kitchen. She shrugs out of her jacket and hangs it on the hook by the door. She walks to the coffee table and looks down at the papers her mother had strewn across it. She smiles wondering what case she'd read about in the paper that her mother was working on now. She looks toward the kitchen and back to the table her mother was still talking she noted before looking down at the folders and picking it up. She grins to herself her own devilment thrilling her as she read through them quickly her heart giving a sudden lurch as she sees the information her mother had she quickly puts it down as her mothers voice grows closer.
"Okay I'll meet you in about an hour?" She asks looking down at her watch. "Okay I'll see you there." Tea finishes clicking her phone off and smiling back at her daughter.
"Hola mija how was your first day?" She asks reaching down and shuffling the papers back into there folders as she talks. Molly watches her hoping she wouldn't put them in her case and begins to speak quickly as she reaches for her hand and pulls her down on the sofa beside her.
"Mom, it was great! Brooke is awesome! I'm going to be working as her assistant. In my wildest dreams I never thought I'd be working side by side with Brooke English!" she practically swoons with excitement making her mother chuckle laying the file back down on the table.
Oh!" Dani shouts excitedly trying to keep her distracted enough to forget what she was doing so she'd could get another quick look at that file she had.
"I also met Brooke's daughter in-law Francessca! She's the one that did the photo essay on that little town in "Tempo" last month." Tea looks at her a moment then before the the light of recognition lit her face.
"Oh yeah about the revitalization of the town with the new company that's building there! Yes! I remember. They were beautiful." She says nodding in approval.
"Wow! You've had quiet the day there kid!" Tea says with a nudge and a laugh. Dani nods in agreement practically jumping up and down with excitement.
"It was great Mom! I think I'm going to really like it!" Tea reaches over and hugs her tight.
"Have I told you how proud of you I am mija?" Dani giggles pulling away gently.
"Only like a thousand times!" making them both laugh as Tea looks at her watch.
"Listen honey I had dinner all ready for us. Thought we could sit and talk but, something really important came up about work and I need to meet with Jack." Tea says sounding both disappointed and excited. If was any other time she'd call her Mom on the excited part but she was hoping to get another look at that file.
"No problem Mom I completely understand go ahead and don't worry about it. I still have some homework to do and Phillip said he'd stop by later so I can keep an eye on Victor." Tea smiles giving her daughter a quick hug and kiss.
"You are the best!" Tea looks down at her watch then quickly checks her appearance in the mirror over the mantel.
"I'm a mess" she says checking her watch again. "I have just enough time to take a quick shower and change." She calls back as she rushes quickly up the steps. Dani smiles watching her till she disappears then listens for her retreating footsteps then the door to close before picking up the folder with the "Calisco" information inside. She opens it on the table quickly taking pictures with her phone not daring to take the time to read them. She could do that later. Right now she needed to get as much of it as she could before her mother came flying back down the steps. She listens for the shower a moment then quickly flips through the pages clicking as she goes. She closes the folder and sighs in relief as the water shuts off at the same moment.
"Thank God!" She sighs in relief grinning to herself. She couldn't wait to show them to Brooke! With what she'd read earlier she'd definitely want this information! Holly! Crap! She'd searched and searched the Net all day had even made some calls but hadn't come up with anything more than Brooke had. If she was right she'd just gotten everything she needed! She'd Love to look at it but she didn't dare not until her mother had gone. She couldn't risk getting caught or the guilty look she knew would be on her face. It was going to be hard enough to keep it from betraying her for going through her file. She'd love to show them to Brooke now see what she thought but she wanted to read them through first before she gave to Brooke just to make sure she had what she thought she did. She looks down at her phone tempted to check it just as the doorbell rings.
"I got it!" Dani yells up the steps as she walks to the door and opens it.
"Hey Beautiful" Phillip smiles pulling her towards him and kissing her. He'd been anticipating the moment all day and now that it arrived he didn't want it to end. He never did. Nothing was better than holding her in his arms like this and kissing her. No matter how crappy his day had gone these moments made up for all of them.
"Hi," She says feeling that dreamy haze she always felt whenever they were together. She'd missed him. They'd both been so busy she with classes and her internship and he with his residency. When he wasn't on duty he was studying this had been the first free night they'd had in days.
"What was that for?" She teases knowing perfectly well what that kiss was about without asking the question she'd just wanted to hear him say it.
"You know perfectly well lass I missed you and from the way you just kissed me you missed me too." He laughs kissing her again. Tea smiles to herself spotting Dani and Phillip kissing in the doorway as she runs down the steps shoving an earring into her lobe as she does. The two of them were so cute and in love. She just hoped she hadn't put too much of a damper on their evening.
"Hi! Nice to see you Phillip I hope you don't mind spending your evening off watching my son. I swear I wouldn't do this to you guys if it wasn't important." Tea says from the landing as she pulls her heels from under her arm and hops into them one at a time as she skitters toward the hall closet and pulls out her shawl. Philip looks at Dani's pleading eyes and shrugs.
"Sorry I know it's not exactly what we planned." Dani apologizes. Philip shrugs again then smiles.
"I don't mind as long as Dani doesn't. I have a wee bit of reading to do anyway at least this way we won't have to cut our evening early. I'm just going to get my book from the car and I'll be right back." He says walking toward the door then turns back. "Oh and Ms. DelGado I don't know who the bloke is your meeting but he's a very lucky guy!" He says with a wink. Tea smiles bushing slightly.
"Thank you very much." She says trying to ignore his remark as she rifles through her purse making sure she had what she needed then smiling at Dani as as she throws on her shawl.
"Thanks again for doing this. You don't think he minds do you? Dani laughs and shakes her head watching her mother gather up her files and stick then into her briefcase.
"No, you heard him he needs to study and so do I. I think he was just squeezing dinner in just to be nice anyway." She shrugs. " You go ahead do what you have to do and we'll be right here." Tea gives her daughter a quick hug then opens the door as Philip comes back in books in hand.
"Have a good night." He says holding the door for her as she walks out.
"Thanks again honey and you too Phlip. I promise not to be too late." She calls over her shoulder as she trots down the walkway to her car.
"Bye Mom!" Dani waves before Philip close the door then comes towards her. Dani sighs loudly throwing herself down on the sofa Philip following behind her.
"Thank God! I thought she would never leave!" She says sitting up and looking down at her phone. Philip picks up his textbook and thumbs to the page he'd marked off as he talks.
"What's up" He says looking up at her briefly before looking back at his book.
"Nothing her mad dash was driving me crazy and I wanted to read this." She says concentrating on images on her phone.
"What have you got there?" He asks distractedly pulling his notebook from his backpack. Dani chews on her inner lip not sure if she should share what she done with him then thought better of it. She needed to see what she had before she involved anyone else besides good reporters kept their mouths shut and did their homework first.
"Just some research I'm doing for Brooke." She says leafing through another page. Philip places his books on the table then gently takes the phone from her hand and places it on top of them.
"You know what, I have a way better idea." He says pulling her towards him and kissing her. Dani pulls away gently caught between wanting to finish reading what she'd found and her desire. Philip feels her hesitation and whispers between kisses.
"We were going to grab something to eat so we have at least an hour before he have to actually study." He says before deepening his kiss and silencing any more argument she may have had.
*Copyright Takeitish Pine Valley Chronicles 2017
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