part 45:
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"Why did we come here?" E asked Nick as he pulled out the cooler they'd
packed.

"Why not?"

"Nick, we aren't gonna play twenty questions are we?"

He didn't look at her as he pulled out a drink and a sandwich, "No." he
said finally, leaning back in his seat. "I had this dream the other night
E, damn it was so real I was scared it happened."

"What was it?"

"I lost Lis. Permanently..." Nick looked at E, "She walked out and said it
was over...what if that happens?"

"How is that going to happen?" she moved beside him. "We've got everything
figured out on your case. The photographer, the woman in the pictures,
we've even got Bubba willing to talk if need be."

"We haven't talked to the woman yet though."

"Then if you want we can talk to her."


Shan stormed upstairs, slamming the door behind her. The last thing she
wanted was to talk to Brian. What was it about him that was so infuriating
lately she wondered. She'd just sat down in the armchair when someone
knocked on the door. "Go away. I don't want to hear it." Shan called and
Lis opened the door.

"Its me not Rok.."

"Oh come in." Shan said waving her friend inside.

"What happened? I thought you and B were okay."

"I'm just not sure I can deal with her..."

"Cassie?"

"Yeah Cassie being here. What if that picture of them hugging wasn't a
fake that's all I can think of. Nick's was but maybe Bri's wasn't."

"Shan they only hugged in the picture." Lis reasoned.

"So hugging could of led to something else." She commented stubbornly.
"Lis he lied about the whole trip, he never told me about Cassie, if he
can do that so easily it just scares me there might be other things he's
hiding that I have no idea about."


"I'm just gonna swing by the house and get some clothes." Jenn said to AJ
as they walked inside.

"Want me to come with?" 

"No its okay. You'd probably want to stop a hundred places on the way
back." 

"Not a hundred, maybe one or two..." AJ grinned and followed her out to the
garage. 

"Uh huh. And one of these places would happen to be McDonald's right?"

He laughed, "Well it has been a few days since I've had my usual."

"Your crazy. Maybe I'll be nice and bring you something back" she said
sliding into the drivers seat.

AJ leaned on the door. "That would be nice of ya." he smiled at her, "If
there's still reporters there just forget about it."

"Yeah yeah."


Kevin waved AJ inside the living room as he saw him walk back inside.
"What's up Kev?" J asked, seeing Alec and Brian all ready sitting on the
couch.

"We all need to talk and since I guess everyone else is all ready
occupied...guess its up to us."

"What is?" AJ asked, taking a seat on the other couch.

"Who to talk to next. Justin was pretty much a dead end."

Brian shrugged, "Well who out of all of them would have a lot to lose?
Maybe he'd break first."

"Maybe Lance or even JC?" Alec suggested. 

Kevin nodded, "JC could be a good place to start, I'll call David and get
him to try and get an appointment with them."


Howie walked anxiously into the restaurant, glancing around for his
business partner. "Howie relax." Ty said from behind him.

He turned around, "That's like saying don't breathe. Its impossible." he
held her hand and headed over to the maitre d. "Has Paul Hardy arrived
yet?"

"No sir not yet."

"He's probably just running late." she said trying to reassure him. If he
was going to be like this the whole night Paul would immediately pick up
on something being wrong. And besides, Howie wasn't that great of a liar.

Howie nodded and they headed over to the table. "Just gotta get through this
night." he mumbled picking up the menu.