Jackson was right in being careful - things had changed, since the incident. Lisa had changed. The purse she was carrying was larger to disguise the shape of a small 22-caliber handgun. Just carrying it made her feel safer, even if she knew it didn't have the same power that the 45 she'd used on Jackson did. She'd also taken the most panoramic seat at the bar - she could see all of the exits, and most of the tables clearly - a tip she'd picked up from a friendly police officer who had taken her statement on the happenings of her red eye flight from Dallas
( ... )
A ring from his cellphone made Jackson avert his attention a couple bickering at the far end of the bar. He flipped it open, smiling as he read the message - 'She's here, third table down.' He didn't turn right away, instead tapped out a number on his phone and waited for the quick answer.
"It's clear?" He asked, nodding to the affirmative before continuing. "And the girl?" Another answer that made him tap his finger against the bar. "Remember what I said." These men were newer, not quite as time honored as others he had worked with but they did their job. He snapped the phone shut, looking at the bartender with a smile.
"Could you deliver a sea breeze to the lovely woman over there?" He asked, moving his eyes in Lisa's direction discretely, getting a strange look from the man but a prompt delivery of the drink. He turned when the bartender had done his part, walking over with the same small smile.
"You look nervous Lis'." He commented as he slid into his seat.
She forced herself to smile at the bartender when he offered her the drink and an indication of who it was from - it was nearly impossible to differentiate this one from those she gave out of genuine warmth. She took the glass, and a small, polite drink. The smile turned grim as soon as Jackson took the seat beside her.
"I wonder why that is, Jack?" Lisa returned tersely, setting the sea breeze on a napkin so that it wouldn't warp the wood of the bar (she was more than likely the only patron who gave such courtesy, though, judging on aesthetics alone) and turning in her stool to face him. "I shook Officer Kingsley, now what do you want?"
"You always seemed paranoid." Jackson commented, smile thinning at the nickname. "Jackson. Or will you start making quips about the nickname? That's very juvenile." He commented as though they were old friends, friendly bickering. It was hard to tell if it was an act or natural.
"I wanted to spend some time with the woman who threw my entire life off track in a matter of hours." Jackson leaned back, watching her intently. "How are things? Work, family - is your mother dealing well with the loss?" He asked, for all the world actually concerned as he spoke.
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"It's clear?" He asked, nodding to the affirmative before continuing. "And the girl?" Another answer that made him tap his finger against the bar. "Remember what I said." These men were newer, not quite as time honored as others he had worked with but they did their job. He snapped the phone shut, looking at the bartender with a smile.
"Could you deliver a sea breeze to the lovely woman over there?" He asked, moving his eyes in Lisa's direction discretely, getting a strange look from the man but a prompt delivery of the drink. He turned when the bartender had done his part, walking over with the same small smile.
"You look nervous Lis'." He commented as he slid into his seat.
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"I wonder why that is, Jack?" Lisa returned tersely, setting the sea breeze on a napkin so that it wouldn't warp the wood of the bar (she was more than likely the only patron who gave such courtesy, though, judging on aesthetics alone) and turning in her stool to face him. "I shook Officer Kingsley, now what do you want?"
Reply
"I wanted to spend some time with the woman who threw my entire life off track in a matter of hours." Jackson leaned back, watching her intently. "How are things? Work, family - is your mother dealing well with the loss?" He asked, for all the world actually concerned as he spoke.
Reply
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