Part 22 (1/2)

Paula's voice joined the fray. ”He's on the move, Rainey. He's coming to you. Come out and let him deal with this and then you can go back in.”

”I don't understand,” Rainey said, frustrated.

Phyllis Rowan came through the large doors from the other room. The sound amplified and then m.u.f.fled again, as the doors closed behind her. She spotted Rainey and made her way over to her. She slapped Rainey on the shoulder and laughed loudly. Phyllis leaned in close, but still had to shout.

”d.a.m.n girl, that's a handful you got there. I didn't know you were bringing her with you tonight.”

It suddenly dawned on Rainey who was in the other room. She shot around Phyllis, yanked open one of the wooden doors, and stormed into the dance hall.

She heard Sheila say in her ear, ”Okay guys, I have eyes on Agent Bell. She's moving across the room toward the northwest corner. I think she sees the problem.”

Rainey neared Dara Thomas' private table. A blonde, with her back turned to Rainey looked extremely familiar. She was going to read Katie the riot act for this stunt. Rainey reached out and grabbed the blonde's shoulder, whirling her around. She was shocked when the recognition hit her. Gillian Knox wore a surprised look, immediately replaced by consternation.

”Agent Bell, I wish someone had warned me that alcohol and these two don't mix.”

Rainey looked at the table in front of Knox. Katie and her equally beautiful sister, Helena, were holding court, with all eyes on them.

Knox continued to defend her actions. ”I tried to keep them at the hotel. They just walked out. Short of handcuffing them, I wasn't sure what to do, so we just followed them here.” She pointed at the female cop in plain clothes and the two uniformed officers behind the table.

Danny was in Rainey's ear again, ”Let me handle this Rainey. Remember he's watching you.”

”I am well aware of that,” Rainey said.

Knox looked puzzled. ”You knew she was here? I just now called it in.”

Rainey pointed at her ear. Knox got it and quit talking, just about the time Rainey quit listening and stepped up to the table. Katie was drunk and loud.

She was saying, ”Rainey said this would be the safest place in Durham tonight, so here we are.”

”Yes, here you are,” Rainey shouted over the music.

Helena saw Rainey first. She sprang from her chair and hurried around the table. She hugged Rainey, while saying, ”Our hero has arrived. Rainey, we were looking for you and Katie said you would be here.”

Rainey made no move to hug Helena back. She stared at Katie, who was trying to stand up, unsuccessfully, until the female deputy steadied her. Katie slurred when she said, loudly, ”Well, h.e.l.lo. Don't I know you?”

”Maybe not well enough,” Rainey shouted back.

Katie waved her arm to get people's attention, calling out, ”Look, everybody, Agent Bell is here, never fear.”

Rainey undraped Helena from her neck and started around the table. Katie took a few steps backward, falling up against the deputy. She smiled up at the officer, saying, ”Ooo, Agent Bell looks mad.”

”Agent Bell is mad,” Rainey said, grabbing Katie by the elbow. ”Come on, you're going with me.”

Katie s.n.a.t.c.hed her arm back. ”I don't have to go anywhere with you.”

By this time, everyone else at the table was on their feet. Other people were watching. Rainey tried a different tack. ”Katie, I would very much like to talk to you in private.”

Helena was suddenly at Rainey's side. ”From what Katie's been telling me, she'd very much like to get you in private, too.”

Katie slurred, ”Not when she's like this, all mad and bossy.”

Chelsea Thomas spoke next. Rainey recognized her from seeing her at Katie's school. ”Rainey, I'm sorry. Katie invited us to her father's party and when she found out we were coming here, she insisted on accompanying us.”

Rainey responded, ”It's not your fault, I understand how unreasonable she can be.” She aimed that last part at Katie, who now was leaning on the female cop.

The look on the cop's face was priceless. If Rainey hadn't been so mad, she would have laughed. Gillian wore the same expression. They had both been Katietized, unable to redirect the little blonde from her desires. Rainey knew the feeling well.

”I came here to have a drink and dance. That's what I intend to do. You go off and hunt your man, Rainey Bell. I'm going to have a good time.”

”Why don't we all just sit back down? We're drawing a crowd,” a dark haired woman said. She extended her hand to Rainey. ”Agent Bell, it's an honor to meet you. I'm Dara Thomas, Chelsea's sister.”

Rainey shook Dara's hand, while the deputy helped Katie back into her chair. ”It's nice to meet you,” Rainey managed to say, still watching Katie out of the corner of her eye. ”Please, call me Rainey.”

”All right, Rainey,” Dara turned to the others retaking the seats at the table, ”this is Rhonda and Barb, friends of mine, and this is Chelsea's boyfriend, Jared.”

It was the first time Rainey noticed the man beside Chelsea. Rhonda and Barb shook Rainey's hand and then Jared stood up, extending his hand for her to shake. He was tall and had a military bearing, but seemed shy just the same.

He smiled and said, ”Nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you this evening.”

Rainey looked at Katie and said, ”I'll bet you have.”

Jared laughed. ”Look, I'm just the designated driver. I had nothing to do with how we got here.”

”I'm more interested in getting you out of here at the moment.”

Jared sat back down, saying, ”I understand. If you can pry them out of here, I will make sure they get home. We're surrounded by cops. Nothing's going to happen to them.”

Rainey squatted down by Katie's chair, so they were eye to eye. She put her hand on Katie's knee and with all the sweetness she could muster at the moment, she said, ”Katie, honey, it's not safe for you to be here. Please, let Agent Knox take you and Helena back to the hotel.”

Katie went from obstinate to mushy in seconds. She put her arms around Rainey's neck and said, ”I missed you.”

Katie then proceeded to kiss Rainey in front of the gathered crowd. Rainey saw flashes going off and knew they were going to be on Facebook pages around the triangle in moments. She wrapped Katie in her arms and stood up, pulling Katie with her.

”Katie, come with me, please.”

Rainey got no resistance this time. She tucked Katie under her arm and made her way toward the back door. She saw that Danny was now present and paralleling her movement out of the bar. Rainey looked back over her shoulder at Knox.

”You get the other one,” Rainey said, indicating Helena, who was now draped on the befuddled female deputy.

Katie leaned into Rainey heavily, her arms tightly gripping Rainey's waist. When they reached the back door, Danny was waiting. He opened the door for them and they stepped onto the deck. Curtis was there leaning on the railing. He smiled at Rainey.

”Got yourself a spitfire, did you?”

Rainey couldn't help but laugh, looking down at the almost pa.s.sed out Katie. ”Yes, I did,” she said, leading Katie off the deck and into the parking lot.

Danny followed with the rest of Katie's entourage. Rainey looked at him and said, ”Give me a minute with her, okay?”

”Take your time, I think this mission is blown anyway.”