Indigo Ch. 3

Sam was on the run for eighteen months. With nowhere left to turn, she is convinced to live in an isolated community with others that have been shunned from society. Healed by an organization called I

James woke up with a splitting headache and a burning sensation down his left side. It must have been a good night last night, he sarcastically thought to himself as he assessed his surroundings. Cheap motel room, apparent hangover, random girl beside him in bed; this was obviously Edward's work. He had got better at controlling him recently, especially on business trips. It seems this time James had caved and opted for some fun while he was away from home. Hopefully his bosses were still unaware of this detour and he could keep it secret.

He hopped out of bed and pulled on his boxers and jeans. Bottles were strewn about the room and the bedside table beside him was covered in a white substance he wished he hadn't seen. He really needed to have a conversation with Edward the next time they were together. Having a good time is one thing, but getting in the way of his work was something completely different. They were supposed to be a team, but this kind of behavior was going to get them into some serious trouble and get them pulled out of the field.

The redhead rustled slightly under the sheets, but kept her eyes closed. She seemed to still be asleep. James had a hard time deciding whether to wake her and let her know what happened or leave her there still blissfully unaware. He hated the awkwardness that followed such encounters. It would be worse this time, if for no other reason than he really didn't remember what had happened between them the night before.

He sat back down on the bed and bent over to look for his shirt in the clothing dropped on the floor. He felt the dull, burning pain on his side again. A gauze bandage was taped down to his side. He grumbled slightly as he came to the realization of what was underneath. Pulling the tape off, he saw a simple tattoo of a purple, three-dimensional crystal in the shape of a diamond. This would be one of Edward's sick jokes. He was starting to get more and more annoyed by how long he must have been out and by any other stupid things that may have happened. He didn't have time to play games on this trip. He was on a mission and he intended to carry it out.

James found his shirt, slipped in his arms, and buttoned it up. He checked himself in the mirror above a tiny dresser. His short, black hair was greasy and he looked as if he hadn't slept in a while. He found his wallet and leather jacket on the floor too. His identification, credit card, and some cash were still there. Unfortunately it was a lot less cash than he had started yesterday evening with. His phone was laying across the room on the dresser. He turned on the screen only to find several missed calls and an almost dead battery. It seems like his boss was already looking for him and that his hiatus was certainly noticed. When he had finally collected all of his belongings, he stared at the girl and was struck with indecision. A note seemed too formal, but he couldn't leave her there to wake up alone.

Ultimately the gentleman side of him won out. James walked over to her side of the bed, and put a hand on the small of her back. The girl rolled over and opened her eyes.

She slowly reached up to rub her eyes. "Hey there." She said in a vaguely coherent mumble. "I am shocked you are still around."

"Oh really, is that the kind of guy you think I am?" James said with a smirk. Internally he was thinking that this was obviously the type of guy she thought he was. What other kind of guy stays in a place like this and sleeps with someone he barely knows?

"Oh no, you told me last night you had business to get to this morning."

"Well, that is definitely true." James had looked down to check his watch. It was still early in the day and he had plenty of time to get back on track.

"So, do we still have plans for later today then?"

"Oh well, I am really sorry, but…"

She cut him off short. "What is wrong with you? You seem so off" She didn't sound angry but concerned.

James shrugged his shoulders and looked across the room. "I am not sure what you mean." In truth, he was completely aware of what she meant. He just did not have time for that conversation.

The girl sat up in bed, clinging the sheets to her body. She turned her head to the side as if trying to get a better look at him. "You just look so different. I mean, you look the same, but just different."

"Well, it must have been very dark last night," James said sarcastically. "But look, I am going to have to cancel our plans."

"What the hell is wrong with you? We've had these plans for days." Her voice now seemed tinged with confusion and irritation.

"Days?"

"Three days ago, you promised that we would…"

"Oh s**t, are you kidding me?"

"Seriously what is your deal?" She was now intensely annoyed that he had forgotten their plans. They had agreed to visit Graceland when he finished with his work in the city. Even though she knew it was lame, her parents took her once when she was a kid and it brought up memories of being happy and innocent. Something that was far from how she had felt in a very long time. He had been the one to talk her into going again. He thought it would be good for her to remember a time when her parents were still around and she was happy.

Without leaving time for more conversation, James gripped his jacket and ran out the door and toward the parking lot. How had he lost days on this trip? He had worked this case for several weeks now. All that planning and travel would be meaningless if he didn't finish this now. He was used to having so much more control than this. James decided that it must be the exhaustion of working so many hours and being away from home so long that lead to this lapse in judgment.

In his car, James was assessing his options. He checked the date, and the redhead was correct. The last thing he remembered was taking some medicine for a headache. There was no telling what Edward had slipped into that pill bottle. This four-day bender was definitely going to come at a cost though. Not only would his boss be upset, but there is a chance he would have to start the project over. He was having a hard time coming to terms with how long he had been out. He needed to clear his head and sort out his current dilemma. His first organized thought was to get some water and breakfast.

James pulled into a local diner and parked his car close to the door. The restaurant was not dead, but he had definitely missed the morning rush. As he sat down at an empty table, he took an inventory of most of the faces and began to wonder if he had met any of them over the past few days. No one felt familiar and most gave his face no more than a passing glance. It was reassuring to have some anonymity left. Especially since he was not sure of his own whereabouts as of late.

A waitress came over to take his order. A nice strong cup of coffee and some water would get him started at least. He opened up a folder that he had taken out of his car and began to analyze the pages. As he flipped through each page, a sense of worry crept over him. Was he too late? Had all the planning and tracking been for nothing? He tried to reassure himself that they had things well under control and that all the pieces were exactly where they should be.

While deep in his own thoughts, James missed the platinum blonde in a black pants suit that walked in. She passed by him and glanced at the folder in his hand on her way to the diner bar. Something caught her eye. She stared just a little too long before taking a seat at the bar across the aisle. Subconsciously James realized that he shouldn't have opened the folder in such a public location. The blonde had recognized her face. Playing through all the possible scenarios, James knew that this may be his only chance at salvaging the mission. Unfortunately his partner was a superior manipulator, and currently incommunicado.

James took a deep breath to steel himself, then packed the folder into his bag. He got up and moved his mug over to the bar leaving a stool between himself and the blonde. She had raised her sunglasses and tucked them into her hair. Her eyes looked puffy, either due to a lack of sleep or tears, maybe both. The blonde took notice of James' change of seat. James watched as she straightened her posture, stiffened her face, and turned directly to look at him.

"Can I help you?" she said with a practiced and cold voice that did not match the southern warmth he had encountered recently on his trip.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could buy you a cup of coffee."

"Don't bother." James was caught off guard by her candor. He was a good-looking guy. Women did not often blow him off, much less so early in their conversation.

"I don't understand what you mean."

"I can usually tell when people have ulterior motives. Also, I am almost certain I am not your type. What do you really want?"

James couldn't help but be impressed with how forward this woman was. She also had an uncanny ability to decipher James' lies. Undoubtedly, she had just read the situation correctly. But, if she was going to call him on his line, it was better to be direct than beat around the bush.

"I watched you walk in. You were just a little too interested in my folder. I am trying to decide whether you recognized her or were just being nosey."

It was now time for the blonde to be caught off guard. Apparently her icy personality had not had the desired effect and this man was planning to continue to talk to her. However, this was not the conversation she had envisioned. She had been careless, but she couldn't help but stare. It was just an incredible coincidence that she had the funeral today, with all of it's emotional toil. Then she saw the girls' face right on his table. The blonde knew it was all highly unlikely. It was suspicious that they would run into each other in this town twice in one week. Even more suspicious was that the face of her mark was in his hands. She had the upper hand though as he didn't even seem to recognize her.

"I shouldn't be talking to you." She continued, against her better judgment. But desperation often leads to a change in plans. "But being that we seem to be looking for the same person, it is probably time that we talk."

James' mouth gaped as the blonde started to openly discuss the situation at hand. She had been interested in the girl in his file, because she was hunting her as well. It was common for many of his targets to be wanted by others. Usually though, they did not run into each other. His organization was typically more discreet and careful than that. Though, this case had been extremely challenging. Maybe he could convince the blonde to help and then take the girl with him in the end.

"Can you explain to me what you are doing looking for the girl in my file?" James said.

"She escaped from a hospital in Virginia eighteen months ago. Her parents hired me to help find her and bring her back. She is very sick, and needs help." She said. This story also sounded very reasonable. Many of his targets had tarnished backgrounds, which typically helped his organization find them in the first place.

"Well, I agree with you on one point. She definitely does need to find help. I am just not certain that you will be providing that for her." The blonde was obviously not amused by his assertion.

"Her family cares very much for her and just wants her safe. They have paid a lot of money to have me search the country for her. Due to the fact that we both wound up in the same town, I imagine that I am very close to making that happen for them. I will find this girl, and likely well before you figure out where she is."

"I certainly hope not." A secret part of James knew that he would be the one to find her. He would bring her home. He would make sure she was safe. Not this woman sent by a family who was really not hers. James was surprised though that this family was putting so much money into her retrieval. She was placed in foster care when her parents disappeared at age five. This family had adopted her, but had never been completely warm. At age sixteen they had placed her in a treatment facility for what seemed to be a severe anxiety disorder. She had escaped eighteen months ago and was now on the run. This is at least what her file had said. Meeting this woman proved that there was more to this story.

After twenty minutes of finishing their breakfasts in silence, the blonde spoke. "I will let you in on something that may be of interest to a young man such as yourself. Her family is offering a reward for her return as well. It is a decent sum. It could even be worth a career switch."

A sudden squeal of tires outside the diner caused both of their heads to turn. The blonde continued, "Call me if you would like to consider it."

The blonde placed her card on the table and left her pin number written on the bill.

Caroline Jordan

Private Investigator

She has no clue what she is up against James thought to himself. Deep down he knew that Edward would not have let him down. He always has something planned. James was certain that this time was no different. He just didn't like being left in the dark.