Right between the eyes

[Tigerjaw]

(Closed for Impish Pixie.)

Mike Carter looked the older man in his eyes. Senator Joseph Summers stared back. He looked younger than the 51 years the file said he was. Mike looked down at the file of Angela Summers again. She was an attractive redhead at the age of 28. The yellow summer dress she wore showed that she had a slender body. Everything about her told of class. Why did her husband wan't her dead. That was the question in Mike's head. Of course the senator did not tell him why. That was to much information to give to a hitman.

Mike Carter was 31 years old and he had killed 8 peaple. All in the line of duty. 6 of those kills was from when he was in the marines. Serving in Iraq. 2 he had killed after he had been recruited to the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Joseph Summers thought he was talking to Jackson Hearst. A professional hitman.

The real hitman was taken out of circulation as long as this operation was on. FBI have had the eyes on Joseph Summers for a while now. He was involved in very dirty shit. Now that he was running for president it was very important that they got the evidence they needed to get him locked behind bars. FBI had information that some drug barons in Colombia was supporting Summers with funds.

Secret Service suspected Summers for the assassination of Senator William Caulder. A man from Texas that probably had been elected president. If he had lived. Secret Service shared their information reluctantly and Mike did not much care for the agent in charge. FBI and Secret Service was not always agreing of how to run things but this time Secret Service was desperate. Their was a new potentional target. The last remaining candidate for the presidency. Senator Thomas Greer.

Now Mike was here wondering how Angela Summers fitted in the mix. She was beautiful and had class and Mike was assigned to kill her.

 

[impish_pixie]

Angela Summers

Angela’s red hair fell in smooth red waves around her face and down her back. It bounced slightly with each stride of her long legs as she walked out of the restaurant. Her mood lightened with each step took down the street, by the time she walked two blocks her neutral social expression was replaced by her natural smile and her grey eyes twinkled under her dark designer sunglasses. It had been just another Washington ladies’ lunch, but this time, as the wife a seated senator and presidential hopeful, she was the event's main attraction. She thought that after 5 years, she would be used to them, the Washington Wives, but either they were getting worse or her patience ws getting shorter. Each week it was a varied collection of Senator and Congressman’s wives, hashing over the same dirty gossip while picking at a leafy lunch, and downing a series of double martinis. The whole thing was punctuated by social climbing, ass kissing, and complaints of boredom. It made Angela want to scream, she felt sorry for the climbers and was unimpressed by the kissers but if the others were so bored why didn’t they do something about it? She never did mention it, she knew they would simply look at her as if she was crazy then offer to share their meds or tell her to have another drink.

However, she was smiling now, it was over until next week, it was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and for the fourth week in a row she made it through lunch without a drink. She had an hour to spare until her meeting with United Charities International, a whole hour before her husband’s staff would know where to find her. An hour of freedom, perhaps one of the last she would get. If her husband got his way, and won his bid for the election… she could not bear to thing about it. She would not ruin her hour. Instead, she decided to reward herself with an ice cream and she knew just the place, a little café by the park was only two blocks away. Her pace quickened and the soft white skirt of her summer dress smoothed itself against her thighs as she walked, her lithe, graceful figure catching attention as entered the cafe. Occasionally, a stranger would take her picture but she never seemed to notice or care.

With her classic beauty and expensive clothing, she was not what you would expect to see walking through a Washington DC city park racing a melting ice cream cone but after five years, Angie had finally decided to stop trying to fit the mold. She was going to be herself, get what she wanted, take it if she had to and if the rest of the world did not like it, they could all go to hell.

 

[Tigerjaw]

Mike Carter

Mike sighed as he watched the redhaired woman from a distance. She was not doing anything strange. Nothing strange at all. He and his fellow agents had taken turns watching her every step. The most they could say about Angela was that she was the perfect wife to a politician like Joseph Summers. From her actions it looked like she was devoted to his career. They had kept close surveilance on her for over a week now.

Almost every day there was a fundraiser or a dinner she went to. Sometimes with her husband, sometimes without. FBI needed something to bite in to. Mike was supposed to kill her. If he did not do that, it would look suspect to her husband. Mike needed information she might have. "I'm going to make contact." He said into the cellphone in his hand.

"Just wait a moment Carter." Was the response from Agent Neal Miller on the other side the line. Mike terminated the conversation and started to walk towards Angela. From the file FBI suspected that she had a brief love affair with a lawyer from the US department of states. It was unknown if her husband knew of that.

Mike walked down the small park road towards Angela. She had her sun shades on and was eating a cream cone. With a determined smile took up his cell phone from his pocket and pretended to talk into the thing. He then walked and seemingly rushed into Angela by accident. He saw the icecream slip through her fingers as she dropped it on the ground.

"I am so terribly sorry." Mike said apologentily as he supported her. She turn her head and take a look at him. Suddenly Mike feels the urge to take of her shades to see her eyes. He shudders slightly and regains his control. He wonders what she sees when she look at him. Mike is at average height and his body is slender and in good shape. His black hair is short and looks a little unkept but clean. His blue eyes seems piercing but friendly. He is dressed in black jeans and a white t-shirt. He is not wearing his usual shoulder holster, only his ancle holster that keeps his 22' caliber backup gun.

Mike looks down at her destroyed ice cream cone before he takes another look at her. "Let me buy you another one of those, and maybe a coffee. I feel terrible." He smiles at her.

 

[impish_pixie]

Angela Summers

One minute she was enjoying her private hour with a walk through the park and an ice cream cone, the next minute her ice cream lay melting on the sidewalk, and a stranger is talking to her.

When she felt the stranger jostle against her she knew she was going to lose her ice cream it was just a matter of will it hit her expensive dress or will it land on the sidewalk. With a quick step, back she sacrificed the ice cream to the sidewalk and saved her dress but her clean white dress did not make her happy as she watched her treat melt on the hot pavement. She sighed, feeling that this minor event was somehow symbolic. She could have saved the ice cream, she could have caught in fingers, she could have laughed at the mess, and she could enjoy it. Now she could only wonder how many times over the past five year had she done the same thing. How often had she sacrificed the good things for the expensive things, how often had she thrown away a chance because she was afraid to take a risk?

"I am so terribly sorry." She feels a hand take her arm. "Let me buy you another one of those, and maybe a coffee. I feel terrible."

Angela looks up from her ice cream and realizes she must look rather silly standing on the sidewalk feeling sorry for herself and bemoaning the fate of a cheap ice cream cone. Angela looks up and sees a pair of warm blue eyes looking down at her and the friendly smile below them.

Angela does not want to share the remained of her hour, not with anyone. It wasn’t how she planned to spend her time, she was doing to spend it alone and with an ice cream. But the ice cream was gone and it seemed the stranger was taking its place.

She smiles up at him, raising her head a little to get a better look at his eyes, they are not shark’s eyes she notes, and he does not look like a reporter. She gives him a little smile and shakes her head, “No, thank you but I think that signals the end of ice cream time and far too hot for coffee… There is a juice vender on the other side of the courtyard; you could buy me one of those. If you’d like.”

She isn’t sure why she made the offer, it just seemed to her that since nothing was going as planned it was time for a new plan.

 

[Tigerjaw]

Mike Carter

Mike knew he was taking a huge risk approaching her like this. Disobeying the orders he had. He felt the pressure to find out as much as he could. The pressure that he had to finish this before Summers hired another hitman to do the job. They had allready spent over a week following Angela Summers around. Mike thought that was one week to long. Especially because they got no results from it. She seemed to be just what she looked like. An innocent wife to a corrupt senator.

After he bumped into her he had to conceal the laughter in his eyes when he saw her dissapointment of losing a ice cream. It seemed so out of place that a woman of her class was disturbed by losing an ice cream cone. She could buy a new without putting a big hole in her purse.

“No, thank you but I think that signals the end of ice cream time and far too hot for coffee… There is a juice vender on the other side of the courtyard; you could buy me one of those. If you’d like.”

Mike was surprised that she spoke with such soft voice. In their surveilance of her and her husband she sounded different. Cold and sometimes angry. That was how she sounded on the tapes he had heard.

"Whatever you like to have." He smiles warmly at the attractive woman. "It was my fault you lost the ice cream. Buying you a juice is the least i can do."

He offers her his hand. "My name is Mike." He decides that he need the office to make up a fake identity to him. If he by chance can stick around in her life hen need something that don't tell him of as FBI.

They start the walk towards the juice vendor.

 

[impish_pixie]

Angela Summers

“My name is Mike.”

She takes the offered hand and grasps it firmly in her long fingers before releasing it. “Nice to meet you Mike. I’m...Angie.” She doen't give him her real, full name. She doesn't want to be Angela Summers, right now she wants to be just Angie. She notices that his hand is strong and a little rough in hers and thinks, “Here’s a man who works for a living.” The thought allows her to relax a bit, all of the dangerous men in life only used their hands to make a point or slap a woman, none of them would sully their hands with honest labor.

She does not know what else to say to him, none of her usual conversational openers fit the situation and it occurs to her she may have spent so long among the wrong people that she no longer knows how to have a normal conversation.

She goes with the first thing to come into her head, “You must think I’m crazy, I know I over-reacted to the loss of my ice cream, it was silly of me. It wasn’t your fault.”

She looks up to take a better look at him and is immediately struck by the way his unkempt dark hair gives him an almost boyish appeal, she also sees a piercing quality in his eyes, he has the kind of eye that misses nothing. And that concerns her.

At the stand, she orders a strawberry juice concoction then takes a seat in shade while she watches him. She admits to herself that she finds him intriguing; there is something about him she just can’t place. She knows if she were smart, she would just say thank you and walk away. However, she does not, and that concerns her too.

 

[Tigerjaw]

Mike Carter

“You must think I’m crazy, I know I over-reacted to the loss of my ice cream, it was silly of me. It wasn’t your fault.”

Mike smiles at Angie. "It was my fault but no matter."

At the vendor Mike orders an orange juice to himself and joins her in the shade. Angela or Angie as she wanted to be called intrigued him. She seemed very friendly. He found that this mission could be nicer than he imagined. If he could get to know her better that was.

He winks at her. "Losing an ice cream can be very traumatic i have heard. Haven't seen it before today though." He sighs dramatically. "Hope you can live through the experience." He gives her a smile and sips on his juice.

Mike tries to be as charming as he can be. Without scaring her away. He feels that she is not the trusting type. He could understand that considering who her husband was. In fact she had him quite charmed himself and he saw the danger in that. If he got blindsided by this woman he could miss out on the information he was seeking.

 

[impish_pixie]

Angela Summers

He winks at her. "Losing an ice cream can be very traumatic i have heard. Haven't seen it before today though." He sighs dramatically. "Hope you can live through the experience." He gives her a smile and sips on his juice.

Angela smiles, “You are teasing, I can tell.” She raises an eyebrow over an eye that can barely be seen beneath her sunglasses, “Because if you are not teasing, then you must be as crazy as I am. And I would hate to think that there was someone else that nuts running free in the city.” She pokes her straw at the ice in her cup before she takes a sip.

He winked at me, she thinks to herself. Is he flirting or just being friendly? That is the last thing I need right now, another flirtatious relationship or worse, a flirtatious relationship that gets more serious, that could be dangerous, it could ruin everything. Still, it was just a wink and a cute one at that.

She smiles at him as she pokes her straw, and on her hand, the diamond engagement ring nestled next to her wedding flashes brightly in the sun.

“Do you come to this park often, Mike?” she asks, feeling a bit foolish. “I rarely do, today I was just here for the ice ream. I like McCalley’s Park, every morning at nine-thirty, that is where I walk my dog. If you’re ever there one morning, maybe we could have coffee.”

Now feeling beyond foolish, she rises to her feet. For the first time since she left the restaurant Angie slips back into her social persona and becomes the the wife of the senator and presidential hopeful, “It was nice meeting you, Mike, thank you for the juice." The smile she flashes is a far cry from the friendly ones she shared with him over juice, "I really have to go. I can’t miss my meeting, you know how it is.”

She quickly turns and steps away, trying to lose herself in the crowd of pedestrians, thinking she may have just done the second dumbest thing in her life.

 

[Tigerjaw]

Mike Carter

Mike watches Angela walk away. His smile fades as he see her getting mixed up with other pedestrians. He picks up his cell phone and pushes a number on speed dial.

"Contact established. She is all yours." He says to the agent in charge.

"That was a hell of a stunt you pulled, and risky." Neal Miller was furious that Mike disobeyed his order to stay put.

"Damn it Neal. We have seen what she have been up to. We will never get anything from her this way. This meeting went well and if nothing goes wrong i will meet her again." Only will power stopped Mike from shouting into the phone.

"Very well. What is done is done. We better roll with it now. I have put James and Sarah on her tail now. We better give you an identity. I will get the peaple in the office to fix that right away." Neal was resigned but determined to not let the operation get screwed up.

With a smile Mike ends the conversation. He stands up and exits the park. He felt that he had made some progress with Angela. She asked him out for coffee. He still felt that she felt unsure about him. She flashed her engagement and wedding rings at him. He smiles wider at the challenge ahead of him. She was a beautiful woman and the task of gaining her trust would not be boring. He enjoyed her company.

He whistles a merry tune as he reaches the main street. He are already looking forward to meeting her again the next day.

The rest of the day Mike is busy with creating his new identity together with two of the best computer experts in FBI.

 

[impish_pixie]

Angela Summers

“Good Lord, Angela. You are walking the dog,” she says to her mirror as she takes off one shirt and pulls on another, “Not dressing for dinner with the Queen.” She smiles in the mirror, and faint shadows visible under her clear grey eyes.

Despite having spent 15 minutes deciding on a shirt, Angie was not even sure was going to leave the house. “What if Mike is in the park?” she worried, “What if he isn’t?” She thought about letting someone else walk Walter for a few days; she would never know whether Mike made it to the park and after a while, she would stop thinking about him. She figured in a few days, it would all blow over and she would go back to acting like herself.

She needed to go back to acting like herself.

Joseph had watched her closely all through drinks and dinner at the Undersecretary’s home, and the coarse comments he whispered in her ear while smiling like a adoring husband, sickened her more than usual. As always, her social smile stayed in place and they maintained the perfect illusion of the loving couple until the car ride home. Alone in the car, his words were crude and vulgar. He spoke of his lovers, the thing things did with them. He told her of the night he and his friends spent raping a woman one of them picked up in a bar and Angela had a good idea who those friends were. He reminded her of the things she willingly did for him during the first year of their marriage, of the pain and humiliation she endured while trying to please him.

When they got back to the house she locked herself in her room with Walter.

He was a good dog, he deserved a walk and walks with her made him the happiest, that was the reason she going. It had nothing to do with Mike, nothing at all. However, she checked herself in the mirror one more time, just in case, as she hooked the leash to Walter’s collar. She slid she sunglasses on her nose and the two of them left the house and headed for the park.

Mike had seen pictures of Walter, there were plenty of photographs of Angela walking her dog but Walter had to be seen in person to been fully appreciated. The huge Mastiff, placidly walking at her side, easily outweighed her and possibly out weighed Mike. The dog’s eyes were alert, constantly scanning and searching for a threat but his tail thwapped against her hip as he occasionally gazed with adoration at his mistress. His muscles rolled under his skin as he walked. People shied away from the massive dog and Angela liked it that way. With sweet uncomplicated Walter at her side, Angela felt safe. Almost.

 

[impish_pixie]

Angela Summers

“Good Lord, Angela. You are walking the dog,” she says to her mirror as she takes off one shirt and pulls on another, “Not dressing for dinner with the Queen.” She smiles in the mirror, and faint shadows visible under her clear grey eyes.

Despite having spent 15 minutes deciding on a shirt, Angie was not even sure was going to leave the house. “What if Mike is in the park?” she worried, “What if he isn’t?” She thought about letting someone else walk Walter for a few days; she would never know whether Mike made it to the park and after a while, she would stop thinking about him. She figured in a few days, it would all blow over and she would go back to acting like herself.

She needed to go back to acting like herself.

She wondered if Joseoh had noticed a change in her. He had watched her closely all through drinks and dinner at the Undersecretary’s home, and the coarse comments he whispered in her ear while smiling like a adoring husband, sickened her more than usual. As always, her social smile stayed in place and they maintained the perfect illusion of the loving couple until the car ride home. Alone in the car, his words were crude and vulgar. He spoke of his lovers, the thing things did with them. He told her of the night he and his friends spent raping a woman one of them picked up in a bar and Angela had a good idea who those friends were. He reminded her of the things she willingly did for him during the first year of their marriage, of the pain and humiliation she endured while trying to please him.

When they got back to the house she locked herself in her room with Walter.

He was a good dog, he deserved a walk and walks with her made him the happiest, that was the reason she going. It had nothing to do with Mike, nothing at all. However, she checked herself in the mirror one more time, just in case, as she hooked the leash to Walter’s collar. She slid she sunglasses on her nose and the two of them left the house and headed for the park.

Mike had seen pictures of Walter, there were plenty of photographs of Angela walking her dog but Walter had to be seen in person to been fully appreciated. The huge Mastiff, placidly walking at her side, easily outweighed her and possibly out weighed Mike. The dog’s eyes were alert, constantly scanning and searching for a threat but his tail thwapped against her hip as he occasionally gazed with adoration at his mistress. His muscles rolled under his skin as he walked. People shied away from the massive dog and Angela liked it that way. With sweet uncomplicated Walter at her side, Angela felt safe. Almost.

 

[Tigerjaw]

Mike Carter

Mike woke up early. He looked at the clock radio on the table beside his bed. It showed on seven-fifty. He still had some time before he planned to be at McCalley's Park. With a yawn he sat up in his bed just to be greeted with a tongue lash all over his face. With a laugh he pushed down the golden retriever from his lap.

"Easy now Goldie. Let me wake up first." Mike yawned again. Then he stood up and went to the kitchen. Goldie walked in his foot steps, sometimes she was jumping in front of him in excitement. Mike took up her food bowl from the floor and then take the Pedigree dog food bag. He fills the bowl with a portion of the chicken tasting dog food. At least the sign on the bag says it tastes of chicken. Personally Mike thinks that Goldie don't care of what it tastes. He had never seen anyone with her appetite. He puts down the bowl on the floor and she is right on top of it, chewing and swallowing. He refills her water bowl with cool new water and leave her to herself while he take a shower.

He then eats a light breakfast before he decides to wear black jeans and a black short armed shirt. His sidearm he leave at home as well as his backup gun. He put the leash on Goldie and leave his apartment.

Goldie is a typical Golden Retriever. She is 3 years old. Playful, trusting and loyal. The best dog a single guy could have. With a Golden Retriever you never feel alone.

Mike looks at his watch as he enter McCalley's Park. He is a few minutes early. He pats Goldie's head as he walks into the park. It only takes about 10 minutes until he recognises Angela in the distance. He raises his eyebrows as he sees the monster she brought with her.

"Wow. Don't get to excited. That one seem to be able to eat an ox, if not a Golden Retriever." He says to Goldie. She only waves her tail in response to his voice and the sight of the other dog. Mike feels her excitement and how much she wishes to say hello to the other dog.

Mike and Goldie closes in to the strange looking couple. The slender woman with her big bodyguard. He hold the leash hard to let Goldie understand that she have to be calm.

"Hello Angie." He says with a soft voice as he approaches her with Goldie beside him in a short leash.

"That was a big thing you have there." His voice show admiration at the fine dog she have with her. Goldie can't hide her excitement and he pats her head. "This is Goldie." He says with a smile.

 

[impish_pixie]

Angela Summers

“Hi Mike.” She says with a smile and kneels while holding out her free hand out for Goldie to sniff. “Hello Goldie, aren’t you a pretty girl. Would you like to meet Walter?” When its clear Goldie does not mind the attention, Angie reaches back and scratches the dog behind her ears while Walter impassively looks on. “Don’t let his size fool you, he’s a sweetheart, and you’ll have him melted like butter in your paws in no time.”

She stands and looking up at Mike she says, “This is Walter. He really is a sweetie, despite his size.” She pushes her glasses up into her hair and looks down at her dog. “Walter.” She waits for big dog to look up at her, “Walter, say hello to Mike.” Then she reaches out and puts her hand on Mike’s shoulder, flashing him a quick smile before speaking to the dog again. “Mike is my friend.” Walter turns to look at Mike, as if assessing his threat potential, looking him in the eyes and sniffing at the air a few times before barking twice and wagging his tail.

She drops her hand from Mike’s shoulder smoothing his sleeve as she pulls away and then returns her sunglasses to her face. “I wanted him to know you are a friend. Sweet as he is, he can also be a little over-protective.”

Hidden behind her glasses again, she grins. "But I don't think there is a coffee house in the city that will let us in with these two."

 

[Tigerjaw]

Mike Carter

Mike returns her smile as he kneels before Walter and hold out his hand for the big Mastiff to sniff on. His smile grows wider as the dog first sniffs his palm hesitantly and then gives him a lick. He turns his eyes and smile up towards Angela.

The brief look he got of her eyes was like a blow to his stomach. They where beautiful grey and seemed to be able to look into his soul. He felt relief when she lowered her sun glasses again. Her eyes was an distraction he could do without.

"I don't think we need to worry. Goldie will be safe outside if she is guarded by Walter. He look terrifying." Walters enthusiastic licking of Mike's hand say differently.

Mike stands up and pats Walters neck and smiles at Angela. "He must be a good protection when you walk in the park. I understand how he can chase away any bad guy."

They start to walk side by side with their two dogs in a leash. "Thank you for inviting me. I don't know many peaple in Washington. I just moved here from New York." He told the lie smoothly. It would all be verified in his new identity.

"I am a carpenter. Between jobs that is." He smiles at her as they walk towards the coffee house. Mike had some skill in carpentry. It was somewhat of a hobby for him. That is why they choose that imaginary job for him.

 

[impish_pixie]

Angela Summers

She shakes her head, “You don’t understand. I cannot leave Walter outside while I go in. He will not stay, he thinks his job is to stay with me, and there aren’t many who could stop him from doing his job. However, don’t worry; I will get you the coffee as I promised. The little shop on the other side of the park knows Walter; they will bring coffee out for us. They don’t want him coming back inside, ever again.”

Her hand idly pets the big dog's head as they walk. She was not about to admit that Walter’s primary job was to protect her in her own home.

“He mostly just scares people away, he isn’t aggressive. He is breed isn’t aggressive. He’s only a danger if he thinks I am being hurt.” She grins up at him and jokes teasingly. “So, you better take care to keep me happy or you’ll have 200 pounds of wild Walter on your hands.”

Angie realizes she is starting to flirt with him and her cheeks turn a surprising pink. She admitted to the flirting but denied the blush. Married women, don’t blush.

“I know there must be plenty of work for a carpenter in Washington, old city buildings are always in need of quality restoration, but I can’t imagine leaving New York for DC. It is such a fascinating city. My work takes me there pretty frequently and I always look forward to spending a few days in the Big Apple.”

She stops outside a little coffee shop and Walter pressed his big nose to the window, while Angie holds up two fingers. In almost no time, a pretty girl comes carrying a paper bag and cardboard tray with two cups of coffee. Angie greets her and hands her some cash, while the girl slips Walter a glazed donut that he swallows without chewing.

As the girl heads back inside, Angie says, “See? Walter has a way of ensuring speedy service.” She looks over at the empty benches, “Let’s have a seat, and relax.”

Angie sits down and puts the try on the bench next her, she makes a gesture with her hand and Walter lies down at her feet.
“He makes a good foot warmer, too.”

 

[Tigerjaw]

Mike Carter

Mike just smiles when he realises that she is flirting with him and he is quite charmed when he sees the blush on her cheeks. He holds his tongue so he don't say anything stupid. He just follows her to the coffe house and waits as the girl bring her a paper bag and their coffee.

They sit down on a bench. He smiles at her. "New York was to hectic for me. Strange to move to Washington if i wan't quiet, i know." He grins slightly. "I have always wanted to visit the capital. My first time here and i like it."

He takes the coffee cup from the Cardboard holder and takes a sip of the hot, black coffee. "Goldie ain't as well tutored as Walter i think." He looks down at the Golden Retriever standing in front of him with her tongue outside of her snout. "She ain't a guard dog. If i had a burglar i think she would lick him to death." He said with a warm smile.

He scratches Goldie behind her ears. "But i love her to death." He takes another sip of the coffee. "I only think she would consider warming my feet if there was nothing interresting happening around her."

Mike smiles warmly at Angela. She is so damn beautiful and he had never actually had a thing for redheads. He didn't know what it was about her that was so tempting. Was it her class or something else. He was determined to find out what it was about her that drew him to her.

 

[impish_pixie]

Angela Summers

“She’s your pretty little girl, she loves you, and you love her. That is all that matters. Walter needed training because he is big enough to accidentally hurt people, I would not have bothered otherwise. Anyway, it would be a lucky burglar who was licked to death; he would be the envy of his peers.”

She takes a sip of her coffee and looks out over the crowd of people enjoying the lovely morning, for a moment she thought she saw…she shakes her head, no it couldn’t be him, not here.

“Mike?” She pauses, knowing what she wants to say but not sure how to say it. “Maybe I’m wrong, maybe there is no need for me to say this but I do not know what you are thinking or what you are looking for, so I should tell you. So that there can be no mistakes”. She takes off her sunglasses and looks over at him.

“I am married. My husband, Joseph Summers is… “

A what? A bastard? A cheat? A liar?

“..a senator with greater ambitions.”

 

[Tigerjaw]

Mike Carter

Mike smiles and nods at her words of how much Goldie meant to him. He also understood how a big dod like Walter could hurt peaple. He had read somewhere that Mastiff's was used as in dog fights and bear baiting in England a long time ago. They where used in blood sports.

Angela takes a sip of her coffee. Mike sees her shake her head and immediately he feels the athmosphere had changed. She looks a little worried.

“Mike?” She pauses for a moment. Mike sits and pats Goldies head as he wait for her to continue. “Maybe I’m wrong, maybe there is no need for me to say this but I do not know what you are thinking or what you are looking for, so I should tell you. So that there can be no mistakes”. Mike smiles calmy but says nothing.

“I am married. My husband, Joseph Summers is… a senator with greater ambitions.”

Mike looks surprised at the news. "I didn't see that coming." He says, surprise is evident in his voice. "Congratulations. I have heard of the man. We don't really share political ideas, but if he is married to you he have done one thing right at least." The smile return to his lips.

"Here i thought i could convince you to follow me home and get naked." He grins. "You broke my heart a bit there." He says jokingly.

 

[impish_pixie]

Angela Summers

"Here i thought i could convince you to follow me home and get naked." He grins. "You broke my heart a bit there." He says jokingly.

She shakes her head, “No, I don’t think that would be a good idea. It might make Walter jealous. But I do like you, Mike. Its just… I cannot be seen with you. I think someone from the press is following me, trying to catch me at something that would make good print and spell bad news for my husband’s aspirations.”

Angela is aware she said she couldn’t be seen with him, and she had not said she couldn’t see him.

“Maybe I should go now, before its too late. There is so much going on and so little time. I don’t expect you to understand, in fact, I know you can’t. Just trust me, you and Goldie will be better off with out us.”

 

[Tigerjaw]

Mike Carter

Mike just stared at her. His comment about her getting naked was just meant as a joke. He never thought she would take it seriously. He feels that there is something underneath all of this. From what he had read in the report of Joseph Summers he was very possessive of his wife.

What was this about really. Much going on and so little time. What was it that Angela knew? Information that could get her killed? The worry that his face showed wasn't faked. It was a real concern for her safety. She said she liked him but he had to ease her fear somehow. Mike knew he could take care of himself, but she had no idea of who he was.

"Take it easy Angie. Slow down and think about this. If the press saw us. What have they actually seen? We haven't kissed. Not even held hands. We have just been talking. Nothing suspicious in that." He smiles calmly at her.

He sips his coffee as his calm eyes keep looking at her. "I will do nothing to put you in any compromising position if i can help it." He pats Goldie's head again. "I do enjoy your company. I can't deny that." He says softly.

 

[impish_pixie]

Angela Summers

Aware of Angie’s growing agitation, Walter raises his head and looks around. He stops and stares at Mike for a few moments before continuing his watch.

She forces a smile, “I’m sorry, Mike. I’m just being silly, over-reacting, I guess.” Her laugh is cold and humorless as she says, “Maybe I’m just not cut out to be the wife of a politician but don’t worry I won’t dump any more of my personal baggage in your lap.”

She slips her sunglasses back over her eyes, “Why don’t you tell me what you and Goldie do for fun? Or what you do for fun while she is busy with other things?”

It wasn’t a smooth conversation transition, but she knew she couldn’t wait for smooth, she knew she had to change the subject before she really did start sharing her baggage.

 

[Tigerjaw]

Mike Carter

Mike know that he had lost the possibility to get some information from her. At this moment at least. She felt more guarded. More careful of what to say to him. He hides his frustration. He know that it is unrealistic that she reveals anything of importance this soon. He covers his frustration in a warm smile.

"You are free to dump anything in my lap Angie. I am a good listener and i think i am rather non judgemental." He felt a slight dissapointment that she covered her beautiful grey eyes with her sun glasses again.

"What i like doing?" Catching your husband before he kills you, he thought to himself.

"Let me see. I love carpentry and on quiet evenings i work on my little private collection of furniture." He smiles. "I also love dancing. That is my passion really. Nothing better than a slow dance to a romantic ballad." He sighs dramatically. "I haven't been out much since i moved here though. Don't know where the good places are."

"And you Angie. What do you like doing with your time?"

 

[impish_pixie]

Angela Summers

“Dancing, that sounds nice. It has been a long time since I went dancing for the fun of it. State dinners and political functions aside, I do not get to dance much and dancing at those events is a stiff and formal. Everyone worries about who is watching and how they look; no one just dances for the pleasure of it.”

“But that is pretty much all I do, most of my time is devoted to supporting my husband’s career. Any remaining time I have like to use raising money for causes that are important to me that is raising money to buy food and medicines for people whose government is too unstable to provide for their welfare. I talk to the people with the money and try to get them to fork it over. “She smiles, “I make sure to goes to where it is needed and sometimes I travel to make sure it is being spent properly. Next week, I’ll be going to South America and the following week Africa.”

“That’s about it. Well, that and walk Walter.”

 

[Tigerjaw]

Mike Carter

Mike nods when he hear her speak of Dancing. Then smiles when she tells him of her charity work. He even gives her an impressed look. He knew that side of her in advance of course. "If you ever lack a dance partner i am willing to step in." He says with a smile.

"I think it is admirable of you to think of the less fortunate in the world." He smiles again. "You are an impressive woman. Not that many in your position would think of others like you do." He takes a sip of his coffee and notices it is almost cold.

At that time his cellphone starts to ring. Mike answers it.

"We have a situation. Get back here at once." It was Neal Miller and he sounded a little agitated.

Mike just said ok and hung up. "I have to go." Mike smiled warmly at Angela. "Thanks for the coffee." He takes up his wallet and digs out a card. "If you need to talk or do something fun give me a call. Dancing for instance." He says with a friendly grin as he hands her the card. On it is the name of Mike Carpenter and both his home number and cellphone number.

"I know, strange coincidence my name is Carpenter." He smiles.

 

[impish_pixie]

Angela Summers

Angie took the card he offered her and gave it a quick glance.

"I know, strange coincidence my name is Carpenter." He smiles.

She smiles in return, and her empty had fluttered quickly on her lap before falling still. “It was nice to see you again, Mike…”

She watches Mike and Goldie walk away, his steps carrying him with military precision as the dog bounds happily at his side. She take no special notice of the fact he likely has a military past, it is common enough and possibly where he learned his carpentry skills. However, as she takes a final sip of her coffee, she does wonder what qualifies as a carpentering emergency for a man new to DC.

She looks at the card he handed her, just his name, occupation, and a cell number- exactly the kind of quick printed card you would expect from someone just starting out in the city, eager to get to work but not yet settled into his own business. She put the card safely away in her little bag.

“What do you think, Walter? Was he really in a hurry or just in a hurry to get away from us?” At the sound of his name, the huge dog sits at attention and Angie reaches out to scratch him behind the ears. Walter’s massive body tenses as an unfamiliar man takes Mike’s place on the bench next to Angie. She startles when the stranger speaks to her, “Lovely morning, isn’t it Mrs. Summers?” Gracefully, rising to her feet, she gives a subtle hand signal to her protector, “Yes, it is.” Her voice is polite and cool, with only the barest hint of her sudden anxiety. “A lovely day, do enjoy it.”

With Walter at she side she walks away, forcing herself to remain calm, and her step to remain unhurried.

“Oh god, Walter. What could possibly happen next?”