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Post by Jordanna on Jul 21, 2007 23:10:09 GMT -5
"With Nate?" Vance sighed and shrugged. "I guess the only thing to do is for me to meet with him, and tell him the straight facts about all this. Then we can see about shipping him off to his mother."
He frowned crookedly. "But once he knows the score, I'm willing to bet convincing him to leave'll be the hardest part of the job."
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Post by skybright on Jul 21, 2007 23:16:13 GMT -5
"No doubt." Daws replied. Her mouth quirked in a crooked, somewhat wicked smirk. "Maybe I should ask Caddy to tag along, after all -- scare him off a little."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 21, 2007 23:40:38 GMT -5
"I just don't want to risk exposing anybody that Tiernan doesn't know is on our side," Vance replied. "But if you think he'd potentially be up for one of our softball games with heavy-caliber ammunition, feel free. Same with Sid and Foxy--if nothing else, they're pretty decent actors, and maybe Sid with his connections could come up with an excuse to be seeing somebody coming off the ship."
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Post by skybright on Jul 21, 2007 23:48:51 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "I'll ask Caddy if he's free. Come down to it, having him on hand might not be bad if things go too far south. Alex and Sid, though . . ." Her brow furrowed. "I guess it'd be okay if they could work up a really solid excuse. But the last thing I want is for Tiernan to have any more reason to focus on Sid."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 22, 2007 0:02:31 GMT -5
Vance nodded. "Whatever you think is best. I'm gonna have my hands full enough with my own people, so I'll leave our friends from the parish and elsewhere to you."
He grinned. "Don't suppose you could get Cole to drop in for an impromptu welcome to 'soldiers from the war returning'. He could make a fuss over Nate and then quietly pass him off to us before anybody else could get near him." The idea was spoken entirely in jest.
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Post by skybright on Jul 22, 2007 0:08:08 GMT -5
Daws made a displeased noise in her throat. "Not likely. Cole's on my list at present -- and I think he knows it. He's been dodging my calls for three days now."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 22, 2007 0:16:37 GMT -5
Vance raised the eyebrow over his good eye.
Why? What'd he do?"
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Post by skybright on Jul 22, 2007 0:21:54 GMT -5
Daws flexed her claws unconsciously. "Tiernan called me in for his first meeting with his new pet politician. Started off about how I expected -- Tiernan making it clear that he knows about Cole's sister and that Cole better play ball the way Tiernan wants him to, or else. Cole seemed to be taking it pretty well, giving the standard politician answers. Then . . ."
She gave a frustrated growl. "Then the dumb cluck all but outed himself to Tiernan, without batting an eye. He played it like he didn't know what he was saying . . . but I don't think Cole's that stupid." Her scowl deepened. "I think he wanted Tiernan to get suspicious -- and it worked."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 22, 2007 0:31:01 GMT -5
Vance gaped, utterly astounded--not so much by the idea that Cole would have fumbled accidentally (for Vance had never believed in the intelligence of politicians), but the suggestion that he would have done it deliberately.
"Why in blazes do you think he would have done that?" he asked incredulously.
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Post by skybright on Jul 22, 2007 0:38:53 GMT -5
Daws threw out her hands in a frustrate motion, shrugging violently. "Your guess is better than mine, Jerod, because I haven't got one. Maybe I've finally dropped off the edge into paranoia, after all -- maybe it really was just a slipup. But the way he was acting . . ." She shrugged again. "That, plus the fact that I know he's deliberately avoiding me -- that makes me wonder."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 22, 2007 21:36:28 GMT -5
Vance scowled. "Remind me to arrange a little talk with Cole when more urgent problems are outta the way. He knows too much to start playing games--and if he tries, he's gonna find out I can play on terms as tough as the bat."
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Post by skybright on Jul 22, 2007 22:05:50 GMT -5
"No kidding." Daws matched Vance's scowl. "Not only could he blow the lid off our whole little operation, but if Tiernan finds out what Cole can really do, there's no way he'll let him live. And Cole dying could stir up even more trouble than this city's already got brewing."
She shrugged off that unpleasant train of thought with some effort and slid off the arm of the couch. "Anyway, like you said -- it can wait, for now. One crisis at a time, right?"
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 22, 2007 22:20:20 GMT -5
"If we can help it, at least." Vance stood up. "Okay, call up the posse and let me know what you can work out. Handy's got my phone, so call my number if you or anybody else needs a ride."
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Post by skybright on Jul 22, 2007 22:24:35 GMT -5
"Will-do." Daws smiled crookedly at him. "You boys be careful out there, okay?"
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 22, 2007 22:35:25 GMT -5
"Always." Vance gave Daws' arm a gentle squeeze. "And the same goes for you, kid."
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Post by skybright on Jul 22, 2007 22:43:35 GMT -5
"You know it." Daws replied. "I'll be in touch."
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