Author Anon

“Ashley, I have a proposition for you,” says Mark.

Ashley raises her eyebrows. “Really? I’m not ready to accept any proposals at this time.”

“Not that kind,” says Mark. “I know you want to sing. How would you like to sing in a little nightclub?”

“A nightclub singer?” asks Ashley. “That wasn’t the kind I wanted to be.”

“No, but you need to start somewhere,” says Mark. “It’s not going to be a sleazy one. I’d like to open a cafe/nightclub and I’d like to provide some entertainment to attract people. Obviously, I need to start small.”

“Uh-huh? And where are you going to get financing?”

“I thought if you’d go into it with me, I could approach your father.”

“With all his recent expansion, he’s not going to be able to help you much.”

“But he has connections. At least, he’d be able to help in that way.”

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“Hello, David,” says Amanda. “I’m surprised to see you out and about already.”

“I had to see you,” says David.

“If it was urgent, I could have come to you.”

David chuckles. “It’s urgent to me, but I don’t think you’d consider it urgent. Besides, I wasn’t about to have you come visit and see me as an invalid.”

“So, what’s so urgent?”

“It’s about Lucas. I know everybody’s wondering what’s going to happen to him.”

“Are you thinking of taking him and raising him, then?”

“Only with your help.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, if you marry me, we could raise him together. I’m his father and he needs to know that. He’s very attached to you, so I’ve heard. It would be very difficult to find another mother for him.”

“David, I am not going to marry you just for Lucas’s sake.”

“It’s not just for Lucas, it’s for me as well. I told you I love you. You can share a life with two men who love you.”

“You’re asking her to give herself up for you?” asks Michael, from the doorway.

Amanda and David turn to him. “I can offer her more incentive than you can,” says David.

“That’s for her to decide,” says Michael. “I’m not going to blackmail or bribe her. When she’s ready, I’d only offer myself.”

“It’s unfortunate that you lack the experience to please a woman,” says David.

Michael shrugs his shoulders. Amanda goes over to him and gives him a kiss. “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes,” she says. “Goodbye, David.”

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“He is holed-up with some friends in a nasty neighborhood,” says Gavin. “We’ll need to be careful.”

Nicholas feels a tingle travel up his spine. “Maybe I should have informed someone where I was going.”

“Why?” asks Gavin. “I’m with you.”

Nicholas looks at him suspiciously. “Yes. But I hardly know you.”

“I understand you’re a good judge of character.”

“Usually, but that’s not saying I can’t be fooled by a very good actor. And I have a feeling you are putting up an act.”

“Then why did you go along with my plan?”

“Because I was curious and it sounded like a good plan at the time.”

Gavin smiles wickedly at him. “Are you saying you’re having second thoughts?”

“I’m saying I’m suddenly suspicious as to the reliability of your information. How do I know you’re not leading me into a trap?”

“I guess you don’t. I guess you have to blindly trust sometimes.”

“I can’t afford to trust anyone blindly right now,” says Nicholas, gulping hard.

Gavin laughs. “You’re getting wiser.”

Nervously, Nicholas grips the steering wheel tighter. Out of the corner of his eye, he watches as Gavin reaches inside his coat. Abruptly, he turns to Gavin, “Hey-”

Gavin looks at him. “Don’t worry.” He pulls out a wallet and shows it to Nicholas.

“FBI?” cries Nicholas. “What’s the meaning of all this?”

“You are not to breathe a word of this. I brought you along so you can take the credit. I need to remain undercover.”

“Is this for real?”

“Of course, it is.”

“What could the FBI want from Carl Black?”

“Oh, he’s involved in a string of jewelry thefts, which we believe are related to arms exchange as well as drugs. That’s why we’ve got to find him.”

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Filed under: All That Glitters