The lobby door to the Angel Square Hotel opens and John McBain walks in purposefully. He’s way behind schedule because of this stop and he’s eager to find out what’s up and be on his way.

He sees Natalie behind the front desk with Roxy.

‘Now what?’ he thinks to himself.

“Hi, John!” Natalie greets.

“Hey,” he answers as he approaches them. “I got your call. What’s up?”

“Oh,” she begins, “well…there’s this Criminology class being given at the university and I was wondering – since I’m working at the LPD now and everything – I was wondering if you think it’s worth it for me to take it.”

John is baffled.

“Sure,” he shrugs. “You’re working in law enforcement now. Wouldn’t hurt you to know a little about it.” He stares at her for a moment. “That’s it? This is what was so important that I had to rush right over here tonight? This couldn’t have waited until tomorrow?”

“Well,” Natalie begina, “it’s been bugging me and I wanted to get your opinion. You’re always saying that you’ll be there for me whenever I need you…”

“Yeah,” Roxy chimes in. “Besides, I’m the one who told Natty to give you a call. She was really wondering about this and I figured you wouldn’t mind. You’re always doin’ stuff for Natty…”

He looks at his watch. It’s about 7:40 – a full forty minutes or so after he was supposed to meet Evangeline at the Palace.

“Actually I am late meeting Evangeline…”

“Uh oh,” Roxy begins. “Guess that means there’s another fight comin’ up. I swear, Johnny. You and that Evangeline are always arguing about something…”

“Guess what, Roxy? What goes on between me and Evangeline is nobody else’s business.”

“Don’t get so touchy. It’s a small hotel. Everybody knows everybody else’s business around here. Like that fight you and Ewangela had about Natty the other day…”

“Her name’s Evangeline.”

“Whatever,” Roxy dismisses with a wave of her hand. “Anyway everybody heard it…”

John glares at Roxy but manages not to say anything. Then he glances over at Natalie, the look on her face revealing more than she realizes.

“So that’s what this is all about? The two of you in on this together?” He shakes his head in disbelief. Evangeline had insisted to him that Natalie was still after him but he figured that she was just being jealous and maybe a little paranoid. He’d even told her as much. “I better remember to apologize…”

“What?”

“Forget it.”

“Look,” Natalie begins, “you’re the one who said you were my friend but if you don’t want me to call you, I won’t call you anymore. If you can’t see what’s right in front of you then…”

“Meaning what?”

“Meaning that Evangeline hates me. She has always hated me,” Natalie insists.

“Hey, Evangeline has bent over backward to try and help you.”

“But she can’t stand it when you help me. She can’t stand it that you care about me, that we used to be close, that we still are – that sometimes you choose me over some stupid dinner at the Palace…”

“Wait a minute,” John interrupts. “How did you know I was meeting Evangeline at the Palace? I never told you that.”

Natalie becomes nervous, realizing she’s said more than she should have.

“You must have mentioned it or something,” she answers, knowing full well that he never did any such thing.

“I didn’t.”

“Look,” she lies, “it was just a guess then, okay? I’ve seen you guys at the Palace before and…it just sounds like her, okay?”

“Have you been listening in on my private conversations at the station?” he accuses.

“No!” she insists. “Of course not! I would never do something like that. How could you even accuse me of doing something like that?”

“Only because lately it’s starting to seem like you know more about where Evangeline and I go than we do. This isn’t the first time.”

“Hey John,” Roxy interrupts, “don’t be such a hard ass about it, you know? I’m the one who told Natty about the Palace. I just, you know…happened to be standing outside your office earlier when I came to take Natty to lunch. You and what’s-her-name were in your office and I must have…overheard you saying something about meeting at the Palace tonight, that’s all – no big deal.”

“No big deal?” he repeats. “Know what, Roxy? I haven’t said anything up til now but don’t make the mistake of thinking I forgot how you locked the two of us in the evidence room that night. I still owe you one for that. I missed meeting someone who was important to Evangeline because of that little prank of yours.”

“So you missed meeting somebody. If she’s so important to you, you can meet whoever it is some other time…”

“Roxy didn’t mean any harm, John,” Natalie defends. “Really.”

“Then what the hell is she doing always hanging around the station anyway?” he angrily demands. “For the record, civilians and non police personnel are not supposed to be wandering through the halls at the station, listening in on conversations that are none of their business. The station is a place where police business is done, Natalie – not a high school where the two of you can play your childish games. Consider that your first lesson in Criminology. And as for you,” he continues to Roxy, “if I see you down at the LPD again and you haven’t been arrested and you’re not swearing out a complaint against somebody, I’m gonna throw you out myself.”

“Oh yeah?” Roxy responds. “Well, in that case, you can pack your crap and get out!”

“I’m paid up through the end of the month, Roxy. I’m not going anywhere before that. Until then,” he continues, “keep your nose the hell out of my personal life. You got that?”

At that moment, John’s cell phone rings. He takes it out of his pocket, presses the button, and puts it to his ear.

“McBain.”

“Lieutenant,” the voice says, “it’s me - Garza. Got a report of shots fired downtown. You wanna take it or should I try to find Ericson?”

He looks at his watch again – nearly 8 o’clock, a full hour late – and resigns himself to the inevitable argument with Evangeline.

“Try to get hold of Ericson but…” he answers with a deep sigh, “I’m on my way downtown to the Palace anyway so - ”

“That’s where the call came from, Lieutenant,” Garza interrupts.

“What are you talking about?” John asks, alarmed.

“I think the manager called it in – ‘shots fired at the Palace restaurant’”

“Anybody hurt?”

“No information yet. The call just came in. But Rainey’s on the scene. I’ll page the Sarge. Already got a call in to the Commissioner.”

“I’m on my way!” John tells him. He quickly disconnects that call and then immediately speed dials the number that’s been programmed into his cell phone for nearly a year now. He stands still for a moment, hoping to hear an answer – hoping to hear that particular voice.

But it just rings and rings.

“Damn it…” he mutters as he starts for the door, shoving the phone back into his jacket pocket.

“What is it, John?” Natalie asks, concerned. “What happened?”

“I gotta go,” he absently answers on his way out the door.

His mind is full as he hurries the half block to where his car is parked – car keys in hand. He unlocks the door, slides in behind the wheel and turns the key in the ignition, the car screeching as it tears away from the curb.

He can feel his heart pounding.

“Where the hell are you?” his mind wonders out loud.

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