dlg13

~~~13~~~

Willow watched Sophie from the park bench as the tiny girl ran around the playground. There were a few other kids running about, occasionally one would venture over to where Sophie was playing, trying to make friends with the girl. But Sophie would shy away. Making Willow wonder if Lindsey�s daughter ever had any friends her age.

The ringing of her phone broke her out of her thoughts, keeping an eye on Sophie as she swung alone on a swing Willow answered her phone by the third ring. �Willow?�

�Hello Lindsey.� Willow smiled. It was the third time he had called that day. Making sure that everything was running smoothly and that Sophie hadn�t set the Penthouse on fire.

�How is everything-.�

�Lindsey if you don�t stop calling every couple of hours I�m going to get insulted.� Sophie had hopped off the swing and was heading toward the jungle gym. Willow�s eye�s trained on her every move.

�I�m still new to this.� Lindsey softly defended himself. �I have no clue what I�m doing.�

�If it makes you feel any better I really don�t think that any parent really knows what they�re doing.� Sophie disappeared for a moment, but came back in view. Willow half listened as Lindsey told her for the fourth time that day he�d be getting back late. Willow listened with half an ear, keeping her eyes glued on Sophie.

~~~*~~~

There were too many witnesses to do anything but watch and observe. So far what he had seen hadn�t made him all that happy. Thomas watched from a distance as Lindsey McDonald�s nanny kept an eagle like eye on the little girl that was his next mark. Shaking his head slightly, Thomas frowned. He was barely thirty feet from the redhead and he could feel power just radiating from her. It was a good thing that Holland was paying him three times what he usually got, because something told him that this wasn�t going to be as easy as that old fart thought it would be.

His first thought was that he�d just grab Sophie when the nanny got distracted. But now he�d need to reassess his plans. He was going to have to take them both out. Not that killing the nanny bothered him all that much, but at the same time he didn�t relish killing innocents. Unlike several of his colleagues his job was just that, a job. Some played with their kills, torturing their marks unmercifully. The problem with that was there was a chance of escape or rescue. No a quick bullet to the head was more his style. A neat kill, that left no room for failure.

Perhaps he should tell Mr. Manners about the witch, it might change everything. Thomas watched a few minutes more pondering on his predicament. It may mean that both lives would be spared and though that meant he�d be out of a job, there would be others. Having a connection with a firm like Wolfram and Hart meant job security. There was always another meal ticket around the corner.

Turning around, Thomas pulled his cell phone from his jacket pocket. After a few minutes of haggling with Holland Manners personal secretary he relayed the new information to a very intrigued Mr. Manners.

~~~*~~~

�So Lindsey has a witch working for him. That�s very interesting. Did you get a name on her yet?� Holland sat back listening intently. �No don�t bother with that, I think I can mange to get the girl�s name from Lindsey myself.�

�Do you want me to continue as planned?� Thomas asked.

�No. Hold off on that, I want more information. I�ll be in contact.� Holland hung up the phone, and sat back in his leather chair, contemplating how he should handle the situation. Had Lindsey been any other employee he would just leave well enough alone. But the firm�s Golden Boy wasn�t another lawyer working for the firm.

Lindsey had such raw potential, plus his need to please had not only benefited the firm, but Holland as well. But Lindsey had a flaw; one that had to be observed at all times. His prot�g� had a conscience, limits that go to get a job done. The most hindering blemish was his concern for the welfare of small children. Hadn�t he proven that when he risked his life running to Angel when innocent lives were at stake? What Lindsey didn�t know was that he was being tested, felt out in a way. To see where his boundaries were, and unfortunately they found them. It wasn�t as if the firm was afraid they�d lose Lindsey to Angel and his crusade to help the helpless. All one had to do was offer more money, a bigger office, and praise to get Lindsey to stay by their side. Good thing the firm had all of that.

Pushing the button on his intercom, Holland buzzed Lindsey. �Lindsey.�

�Yes sir.� Lindsey voice answered back instantly.

�There�s a new case I want you to take a look at. There�s an important client whose daughter has gotten herself into a bit of trouble. You may want to call you Nanny Miss. ...Drat I know you told me this morning.�

�Miss. Rosenberg sir. Willow Rosenberg.� Lindsey had hesitated for a brief second before answering.

�Yes that�s it.� Holland smiled as he wrote the name down. �See you in about twenty minutes?�

�Yes sir.�

~~~*~~~

Cordelia was eternally thankful that Angel hadn�t come down from his little hibernation yet. She had sat thinking how she was going to get the bastard back for letting her go on like some idiot when he had known the truth the entire time. It couldn�t be anything too drastic, but it had to be something good.

�I found something.� Wesley called out. �I was going through some old newspaper clippings on our illustrious lawyer when he made mention of some small town in Oklahoma. So then I-.�

�I think we get it Wesley.� Cordelia interrupted, knowing that Wesley could go on forever about his wonderful researching skills. �What did you find?�

�Well a lot actually. Though it seems that there are quiet a few articles missing, it doesn�t seem all stories relating to Lindsey have been erased.�

�Wes man sometime today, we aint getting any younger here.� Gunn shared a knowing look with Cordelia.

Wesley muttered something about getting no appreciation and continued on. �Fine. He was second in his class in High School; his childhood sweetheart was first... a Molly Logan. Miss. Logan went to the University of Oklahoma and became a teacher.�

�What else does it say about this girl?� Gunn leaned across the counter.

�Umm, yes well hold on a second.� Wesley shifted through papers. �Ah here it is. Molly Logan came from a middle class family. Her father was a local law enforcement officer that was shot in the line of duty during Molly�s senior year in college. Her Mother had died of cancer when Molly was just a baby.�

�Okay so far this girl just sound like someone that would get messed up with McDonald.� Gunn looked thoughtful for a moment. �A cop for a father, became a teacher. Everything our evil handed freak would oppose.�

�Well Molly was a cheerleader in High School. Elected class president freshman through senior year. Volunteered at a local hospital after school.�

�The girl was a saint. What the heck was she doing with Lindsey?� Cordelia grabbed the papers from Wesley�s hands and started to read. There was nothing indicating why someone so...not evil would be with Lindsey McDonald.

�Maybe lawyer-boy hasn�t always been evil.� Gunn suggested, earning him an icy glare from Cordelia.

�Of course he has. There�s no way someone halfway decent can turn out like that.� Cordelia tuned Gunn. She didn�t want to think of Lindsey of having been good once. That would mean that he could be changed, reformed. And the last time they took a chance on Lindsey McDonald he had burned them bad.

�So her parents are dead. Hey what about his parents.� Cordelia�s eyes brightened.

�Already did. Henry and Judith McDonald. I tried calling this morning but there was no answer.� Wesley answered proudly.

�Okay then. At least we know that he existed before working for Wolfram and Hart. For awhile there I was going to bet he was some evil test tube baby experiment. But hey, evil dude has parents. They must be so damn proud.� Gunn stood, checking his watch. �I gotta go. The boys wanted help with some training tonight.�

�Bye.� Wesley waved. Cordelia sat at her desk reflecting on everything she had heard.

�Wes?�

�Hmm?�

�I don�t get how she had Lindsey�s daughter. They both went to separate colleges, in separate states.� Chewing on the end of her pencil Cordelia tired to find holes in the information.

�Vacations I guess. Many long-distance relationships have been known to survive.� Wesley answered.

�Yeah but...�

Wesley sighed. �Cordelia as much as you want to think that Lindsey is purely evil you and I both know have seen proof that he isn�t.� Wesley paused for a moment studying Cordelia�s annoyed expression. �So have you told Angel yet that you know about his knowing that Willow never left town?�

�Not yet. I haven�t really thought of a great way to get back at him yet.�

�Perhaps because you know you were in the wrong as well.� Wesley suggested softly. �What you and Willow did put her in a lot of danger. Even though it�s never been put into words we know that Angel has a special...interest in her.�

�Yeah I know.� She really didn�t feel like hearing that she could be wrong. �She�s Buffy�s best friend, of course he wants to protect her.�

�I think you�ll find his interest runs a little deeper than that.�

�What do you mean deeper?� Cordelia looked over at Wesley waiting impatiently for him to answer.

�Don�t tell me you haven�t seen the way his attention gets snagged anytime her name is mentioned. Or when she calls or emails he walks around the hotel for days just whistling.�

�I really hadn�t noticed. But thanks you gave me a thought on how to get back at Mr. Broods-a-lot.� Wesley watched with foreboding as Cordelia got a wicked gleam in her eye, knowing that he should�ve stayed out of it.