Have a Little Faith, Chapter 22

They impounded his car and tested him for alcohol and drugs negative.  When they both came back negative, he was arrested for reckless driving and brought in cuffs to the metro division.

The cop sat him down at a detective's desk and removed his cuffs.  "You want some coffee, Mr.
McDonald?" the officer asked.  He realized that although Lindsey was speeding, he was obviously not in
a rush to get anywhere.  Whatever was troubling him was something to do with the bruises on his face.  The cop half wondered if he should have just given him a speeding ticket. After all, it was Christmas Eve.

Lindsey just shook his head. He looked down and studied the dirty floor.  He was a monster.  He had
done nothing to help Faith.  All his gypsy leads had turned up empty.  He was completely useless to Faith and as a human being.

"The detective will be with you shortly."

Lindsey nodded.  He heard the officer walk away, but did not look up from the dirty floor.  A
moment later he heard soft footsteps approach him.  He could see the shoes of the detective.  They were black sneaker shoes.  They looked nice, but had rubber soles.   They would be completely unacceptable to wear at Wolfram and Hart.

"Well, well, well," said a condescending voice.  "Can it be Lindsey McDonald, esquire?"

Lindsey looked up and was startled to see Kate Lockely.

She smiled and looked at the report.  "Doing 105 on the freeway?  That is very unsafe."  She smiled again. "I'm afraid I'll have to charge you."

He did not say anything, he just nodded.  His luck was not getting any better.  He had to get stuck with the detective he ruined in court.  Kate was obviously enjoying having power over him.

"Someone been dancing on your face?" she asked.  "A demon perhaps or one of your other more interesting clients?"

He did not respond again.  Even though he was a little surprised that Kate knew what he worked with.  Right now he did not really care.

"I'm going to fill out this report, but I wonder if I'm going to have to throw it away once your Wolfram and Hart attorney friends find out about it."

"Just do what you have to do," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Kate was surprised.  "Alright, I'll fill out the report, then you make your phone call and I'll take
you down to holding."

Lindsey nodded.

"Who did that to you?" she asked again.

Lindsey did not respond.

"I know what your firm is involved with and you despise me as much as I hate you, but you can tell me who did this.  I'll have them arrested."

Lindsey did not reply again.  He rested his face in his hands, because he did not want Kate to see the
tears in his eyes.

Kate could see exactly what was happening.  The asshole lawyer who had destroyed her on the witness stand a few months ago was having some kind of breakdown in front of her.

"Let's meet alone," she suggested, her tone a little softer, but still filled with contempt.  "Come
on.  I know about your law firm.  I can arrange protection.  Next time it won't be just bruises, it
will be the morgue."

"You can't help me," he said, looking up and revealing his tear stained face.  "Please, just book
me."
 

Wesley, Faith and Doyle sat around and looked at the bowl of eggnog Doyle had just whipped up.

"I'm scared," Faith said, looking at it, especially after the experience with the fruitcake.  Also the
eggnog had a weird orange color to it. Doyle tried to explain that it was the rum, but no one was buying it.

"Nothing to be scared off, darling," Doyle said, trying to sound upbeat, but all he could think about
was the vision of Angelus murdering the Oracles. "This is an old Doyle recipe."

"I can drink, right, Wes," she said to him and winked.

Wesley smiled in response.  Despite his objections, he decided to go easy on both Faith and Doyle tonight. Even he felt like a small drink.  He had brought some wine for the occasion.

"Wish Shortcake was here.  I hope I didn't hurt him  too much.  Maybe I should call him?"

"It's all right love," Doyle said.  "He knows you didn't mean it."

"He'll want you to have a happy Christmas," Wesley said.

Faith looked down.

Doyle touched her hand.  "Doll, he would not want us to be miserable."

"I  wish he was here with us," she replied.
 

Lindsey could not call Holland because he was home for the holidays.  That and he did not want a barrage  of questions right now.  He could easily slip what he had been doing since June.  He couldn't call Faith, Doyle or Wesley for obvious reasons.  He called Lilah's cell phone, but she didn't answer.  He left a message, but knew that she would not get back to him.  He decided instead to spend the few hours in jail until they called his case.  It was slow since it was Christmas Eve.  He had nothing to pass the time except to reflect on how much he had not done.

Lindsey sat alone in the corner and studied the floor.  It was the perfect end to a perfect evening.
He heard movement behind him from the adjacent cell.

"You look distressed my dear," Lindsey turned around to see a dark haired girl around 16 wearing in a black motorcycle jacket in the cell where they kept the female prisoners.  She reminded him a little of Faith, but she looked less mature.

"I'm in jail," Lindsey said, sarcastically, hoping it would drive her away.

The girl smiled, but did not move.

"I'm trying to be alone in my misery here," Lindsey said who did not want to deal with anyone right now.

"They tell me I'm psychic," the girl said.  "I could sense something from you from way across the cell."

"It's never good to be psychic," he responded, wondering if he should move away.  However he noticed that the girl was the only one in the women's cell.  He figured she might be lonely and it was better that she talked to him than with someone unsavory. Not that he felt very savory now.

"Why are you so fearful?"

Lindsey laughed.  The girl had picked up the vibes from the spell.

"What is so funny?" she asked.

He shook his head.  He was grateful for the laughs.

"So what are you in for?"

"I was doing 105 on the freeway," he admitted.  "You?"

She chuckled.  "Stealing a car, but probably not fast enough to steal yours."

Lindsey smiled again.  He was starting to feel a little better.  It was a superficial one, but this
girl would at least be able to keep his mind off of things for a little while.

"I'm Lina Kadash," she said, putting out her hand through the bars.  Lindsey shook it.

"Lina, that's an interesting name."

"It's Romanian."

Lindsey suddenly perked up.

"Now that's it odd," Lina said and smiled. "You suddenly look happy, but that fear has not changed."

"You're a gypsy?"

Lina smiled.  "Half, if you must know and that half has nothing to do with me stealing cars.  It's a stereotype."

"Lina, what made you come over here?"

Lina made an odd face.  "I don't know.  I saw you looking sad and something made me come over here.  Something like this guy needs to be cheered up or he's going to do something stupid.  I usually don't pick up guys in jail."

"Do you believe in coincidence?"

"Like love at first sight?"

Lindsey smiled at the girl's obvious crush.  For the first time there was a ray of hope.

"I have a girlfriend," he said.  She did not seem disappointed.  "Do you mind if I ask you an odd
question?"

"Shoot," she said.

"Do you know anyone who would know about ancient gypsy curses?"

Lina did not reply.  She looked shocked.

"Umm-" she seemed a little frightened.  "I don't know anything about curses.  That's another gypsy
stereotype."

Lindsey could tell otherwise.  "Not even a curse to restore the soul?"

Lina got up and walked away without saying another word.  She walked to the front of her cell. Lindsey got up and walked towards the front of his.

She was looking at the bars.

"What do you know?" he asked, as loud as he could.  He did not want the other people in his cell hearing their conversation, but the bars kept him from getting close to her.  "Please it's very important.  You said so yourself you wanted to cheer me up."

Lina sighed, then walked back over to him.  She stopped a few feet from the bars.  "There's a story my uncle used to tell me.  100 years ago they gave a vampire a soul because he murdered a lot of gypsies.  They wanted him to suffer.  I used to think it was a tall tale, but two years ago-he and my cousin died mysteriously.  I think the curse was broken and the vampire sought revenge on them."

"Lina," Lindsey said, very excited.  "I will do anything I can if you help me find that curse."

"You want to restore a vampire's soul? Why do you want to do that?"

Lindsey wondered again if should tell her the truth.  "So he can suffer for the harm he's done-" he felt bad about lying to her. So he quickly added.  "And be on the side of good.  Do you know anyone who can find out about the curse?"

Lina shook her head.  "I can't help you."

Lindsey was disappointed.  This was destiny.  This was fate.  It was not coincidence that they would both be in the small jail cell at the same time.

"Listen, I can give you almost anything.  I'm a lawyer and I can get you out of this mess or I can
give you money or one night of happiness.  I don't care, whatever it takes.  I'll do it."

He got Lina to laugh. He was annoyed though, but not at Lina.  They had taken away all his things including his pen. He wanted her to leave with a number in her hand. "Look, in the phone book you can find the name of a private investigator named Alexandria Taylor.  It will be under Taylor Investigations.  Go there and ask for a woman named Faith.  Tell her Shortcake sent you.
She'll understand what that means.  Tell her what you know.  She'll help you in any way."

Lina did not respond to his nickname.  "Taylor Investigations?"

"Yes, whatever you want, I'll get, Lina, but please the very fate of the world hangs on what might know."

She nodded, then turned back to the bars.  She seemed unfazed by the fate of the world.

"Lina?"

"Please," she said.  "Leave me alone."
 

Lilah finally came to bail him out at 5am.  She looked annoyed because she had to leave her party
early. Although it was not that good and she was glad for the excuse to leave. Lina had left about 20 minutes after their conversation.  Lindsey had been hoping it would be afterwards, so he could pay her bail.

"How come you couldn't get yourself out?" she asked, as Lindsey signed the paper for his things.

"The arresting detective was someone I ruined in court.  She was getting back at me."

"I'll drive you back to the office.  You can probably get a limousine from there," she said and Lindsey was glad she did not sound suspicious.

Lindsey nodded, but did not say anything more.
 

Lindsey returned back to the office just before dawn. He was hoping to find Angelus, but the vampire was no where to be found. Probably because it was nearly dawn and he to go to his coffin or something like that.   He did find Lee in his office.  For some reason all the lights were out and Lee refused to have Lindsey turn them on.

"Where's Angelus?" he asked him.

"He's around," Lee said and smiled.  There was something about the smile that Lindsey did not like.
Lee looked more deranged than usual.

"Lee?"

"What?"

"What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing," Lee said and smiled.  "I'm just seeing things with a whole lot more clarity."

Then Lee showed his vampire face.  Lindsey took a step back.

Lee returned back to his normal face.  "Just so you know Lindsey, you step on me, I'm gonna kill you."

"Hello Lindsey," said a voice from behind them.   Lindsey turned around. Behind him were Penn and
Angelus.  Just seeing all these vampires in the dark, sent shivers up his spine.

"You cock sucking bastard," he told Angelus.

"Moi," Angelus said, touching his chest.  Penn and Angelus moved towards Lee.  "Lee it's nearly dawn, time to go.  The first few days are difficult."

"Not for me," Lee said.  "I'm just like I always was, only now, I'm stronger and have no fear."

"Angelus," Lindsey said, trying to ignore Lee.  "You fucking left me so the Slayer could find me."

Angelus laughed.  "And boy did she find you or should I say her left hook found you."

Continue to Chapter 23

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