"Backing Off" Part 6
Returning from Washington, John McBain is heading home. He wished the last 48 hours were a bad dream that he could wake up from. When he got the call from Washington, he had a feeling in his gut that it would be bad, he just didn’t know how bad it would get. Evangeline had been still sleeping when Agent Scott called and told him to report to Washington, D.C. He asked why? He was told he would find out in person. He thought about D.C. and how beautiful a city it was, even if the tourists were in the city all year ‘round. The place would make a lovely retreat for him and Van. Since he had to meet with the FBI, why not take Van away and give her a nice time, he had more than enough money, since he didn’t ever spend much on himself. When he asked her to go, she simply glowed, and jumped in his arms saying yes. They went on separate flights and met up at the Marriott in Bethesda; he liked it—had worked a stakeout there once. After they christened the bed, he took her to Pentagon City to shop and have lunch, he loved this seafood place there, that served the best cheese biscuits in the city, and he wanted her to try it out. They shopped and she was very hesitant at first to get what she wanted until they were in Nordstrom and she went absolutely wild! The pleasure it gave him buying her things, was so great, she was like a kid at Christmas, enjoying just being with him. He finally had to pull her out of the shoe department, because he could no longer bear not being really close with her and finally they went back to the hotel to relax and ordered dinner in. The following day, he left and she went to visit some colleagues at the Supreme Court, so they agreed to meet up at the hotel later. The meeting did not go as well as he hoped; Agent Scott and Border laid out their plan.
"We want Evangeline Williamson to get closer to Randall J. Gannon, in order to find out how much of a player he really is?" Agent Scott said.
"I don’t think, I heard you", said John trying very hard not to let what he was feeling show to these two men.
"I think you did", said Agent Scott, "we want her to get close to this man Gannon."
"By close you mean, date him again," said John.
"Whatever it takes to put her in the position to get us what we need. The Santi Organization is huge; they even had links to our friends in Puerto Rico. We have been asked to help them by getting as much information on the Santi’s in the States as we could."
"I don’t think, Ms. Williamson will agree to this." John said matter of fact.
"I don’t think it is your call, she is on her way so we can ask her for ourselves", agent Scott said.
"Oh, and just when is she going to get here?
"She should be here just about now." Said agent Border. (Knock on door).
"Come in, Ms. Williamson, you know McBain, I am agent Scott and this is Agent Border, thank you for coming to meet with us.
"You are welcome, John" looking directly at him, "what is this about?"
"Van, I’m going to let them tell you," he said quietly, and slowly got up to walk over to the window, while the two agents discussed what they wanted Evangeline to do.
"John, did you know about this before we came?" She asked, speaking directly to him and ignoring the agents.
"No, I just knew that I was going to be here and I learned the facts today just like you."
"Excuse me agents, I know this is your office but could John and I have a moment please?" she asked the men.
"Sure, Border lets go get some coffee," said Scott and the men left.
Evangeline walked over to John and placed her hand on his arm, so that they were facing each other, and asked him what did he want her to do?
"You do what you think is best, this is your decision and as you often tell me, you don’t ask permission." All the while he is praying she would say no, no way he wanted her any where near Gannon, not even for the sake of this Santi mess.
"John if I do this, what about us?"
"The decision is yours, we don’t factor into it," he said looking at her as if to memorize this particular moment and her.
Evangeline slowly turned away, thinking if I do this I will be helping a lot of innocent people and if I don’t people could get hurt that I know including John, he is not going to help me make this decision, so I just have to go with my gut. Slowly she breathed then turned to him and said, "John, I’ll do it."
"You mean you will get close to Gannon, and try to find out where he fits into this Santi mess, do you realize how dangerous this is going to be and I won’t be able to keep a close eye on you simply because he will be suspicious.
"I know but if he is involved with the Santi Organization, I have to know for my sake, and I will do whatever it takes to get the information for the Bureau and for us."
"Don’t you dare say you are making this decision for us, he said, with eyes seeming to pierce into her soul, this decision better not be based on us, no way you should be near Gannon I told you he was dangerous."
"John, RJ would never hurt me I know this, and I think I can do what the Bureau wants without getting hurt."
"I said I would let you make the decision, but how far are you willing to go, to get close to RJ?"
Looking him in the eyes, she said," As far as I need too, and not make him suspicious."
Thinking back he should have told the agents to shove it and taken Van out of there before they had a chance to even speak with her, but he hadn’t now they were separately on their way back to Llanview, and he was dreading the events about to unfold, because something told him that he was going to regret that call from Washington, for a very long time.
