Final Act

Apologies for taking so long to get this whole series up. Life, as they say, sometimes happens. But things are finally settling down to a steady roar. Many thanks to those who have expressed their concerns over the last few weeks. It is very much appreciated! I would also like to thank all those who have read and offered comments and constructive criticism on my previous stories.

And now, the disclaimers:

For those who want to say this or that would never happen, remember this is my universe, a place where nearly anything can, and often does, happen. At least on paper... In addition:

Characters in this story may participate in one or more of the following: Smoking, consumption of adult (meaning, alcoholic) beverages, utterance of profanities.

All sexual activity is between consenting adults 18 years of age or older.

Statements or views uttered by the fictional characters in this story do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the author.

Please refer to my profile for more on my personal policy regarding comments, feedback, follows, etc. (Yes, I DO moderate comments) And please remember, this is a work of fiction, not a docu-drama...

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For K...

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End of "Table for Two, Ch. 03: Opening Salvo"

I remember telling Allison they had declared war. The first part of my counteroffensive was complete. The restraining order has been lifted, the freeze on my accounts have been released, and I'm back where I belong, in my own home. Samantha has been exorcised from my personal "kingdom," and now sits in jail. I intended to do whatever I could to keep her there as long as humanly possible. Along with her two co-conspirators.

Tomorrow morning, I thought, was phase two of the counteroffensive. I would be at her arraignment. And if the District Attorney calls on me to answer questions, I'll be more than happy to tell the court what I knew.

Having finished my cigar, I headed upstairs, undressed and crawled under the covers of the bed in my guest room. It felt good to be home again, and in my own bed, even if it is in the guest bedroom. But the place sure seemed empty without Samantha. I put that thought aside and decided to approach this like I would an intervention, which meant setting aside my emotions.

Tomorrow is another day, but from this point on, I would be in control. And I don't like to lose an argument.

...

And now, "Table for Two, Ch. 04: Final Act"

The following morning, I got up, did my business, dressed, and grabbed a cup of coffee before heading to the courthouse. I wanted to see the three conspirators as they were brought into the courtroom. I was surprised to see Alice, my lawyer, show up in the courtroom.

"How are you holding up, Mike?" she asked.

"Better, now that I'm back in my own house."

"That's good to hear. I wanted to be here to support you, just in case," Alice told me.

"I appreciate that," I responded with a smile. The double doors opened, and a line of orange-clad detainees was marched into the room. Allison, Samantha, and Alan were among them, and they didn't look too happy. Tough shit, I thought. Samantha's hair was a wreck, and she had bags under her eyes. Allison didn't look much better.

"All rise," the large uniformed bailiff commanded. We stood up as the Honorable Wilfred T. Stone entered the courtroom in his long black robe, files under his arms. The judge nodded as he sat down, giving the bailiff his cue. "Be seated," he ordered.

Judge Stone began at one end of the line, and I couldn't help but notice that he was pretty harsh with the orange-clad people in front of him. It seems the word "bail" was foreign to him. Before he got to Samantha and her three cronies, however, a sharply-dressed man and a woman I hadn't seen in 10 years entered the courtroom and approached the District Attorney.

I recognized the man - U.S. Attorney Ronald Sharpe. I had dealt with him before when I was in the service. The woman was Julie Bascomb, who was stationed at the Task Force's Denver office when I was on active duty. I had worked with her a few times and was quite impressed.

On top of that, she was a lovely brunette, and I was impressed with how she maintained herself over the years. While Ronald spoke with the District Attorney, Julie made her way to me, and I couldn't help but smile when she got to us and extended her hand.

"Mike, it's good to see you again," Julie said with a smile. "I'm sorry, Special Agent Julie Bascomb, HFSTF," Julie told Alice while holding her credentials. "I'm with the DIU, the Divorce Investigation Unit. Can we step out for a second?"

"Uh, sure," Alice said. We stood and left the courtroom before Judge Stone could order us out. Ron was still talking with the DA, and I could tell the DA wasn't happy.

"What's going on?" I asked Julie.

"There's been some developments," Julie said. "As of now, the feds are taking over the case against Allison Cartwright, Alan Williams and your wife."

"So this IS a Task Force issue, then?" I asked.

"Not entirely," Julie said. "The FBI and a few other agencies are working this case. But we do have a dog in this hunt."

"I spoke to Ron Wiseman earlier, and he indicated there wasn't anything for the Task Force. What happened?" I asked, confused.

"He found some disturbing things after the two of you spoke. Handed them off to us, and we took it from there. You can probably figure out what happened after that. Anyway, it turns out that Allison was running her own little version of the old MMAS. And Samantha was helping her."

"Damn. What's Williams' role in all this?" I asked.

"He was along for the ride, mostly. Arranged for the 'muscle' to do the dirty work, if you will," Julie said.

"So what happens now?" Alice asked.

"Federal Marshals are prepared to take all three of them into custody. They'll be transported to DC while the federal grand jury examines the cases against them," Julie said.

"What are they being charged with?" I asked.

"A whole slew of charges. Racketeering, extortion, money laundering, several conspiracy charges, including conspiracy to murder you, for starters. But the biggest charge is murder. It seems Allison had some of her uncooperative marks taken out. And from what we can tell, Samantha knew all about it. All in all, it's a pretty convoluted case."

"What about Williams?" I asked.

"Evidence we gathered indicates he arranged for the 'accidents' that left two men dead," Julie stated. "And it appears there may be a third man dead, thanks to Williams. The U.S. Attorney wants the death penalty for all three of them."

"Do you think it might be possible to see Mrs. Jacobs before they're taken away?" Alice asked. "I have a set of divorce papers to give her."

"I'll see what I can do," Julie told her before looking at me. "I, uh, don't have to report back to Fort Apache for a couple of days, Mike. Do you think we could maybe get together sometime?" I got her hint. We had connected the few times we had been together before and shared a mutual attraction. Still, the Task Force had strict rules against field agents dating.

"As a matter of fact, I believe I owe you a dinner," I said.

"That's right, you do," Julie said with a slight smile.

"How about tonight then? Luigi's? They make a killer lasagna," I hinted.

"And after all these years, you still remember how much I love lasagna?" she asked.

"Of course," I told her. Julie smiled as she wrote something on the back of a business card she handed me.

"Here's my personal cell, and my current location. How does 6:30 pm sound?"

"I'll be there," I told her, pocketing the card.

"Well, I guess we'd better get back inside," Alice said. We went back into the courtroom and saw Ron, the District Attorney, and the lawyer for the three conspirators in discussion with the judge. We took our old seats, and Julie walked to the two large federal marshals and engaged them in quiet conversation. I saw them look at each other, shrug their shoulders and nod their heads.

"I just spoke to the marshals. They said you can meet with Julie for a few minutes before they take them away," Julie whispered when she returned to us. I thanked her just as the confab at the judge's bench broke up, and Judge Stone pounded his gavel before speaking.

"Detainees Jacobs, Cartwright, and Williams. You are hereby ordered to surrender to federal marshals, who will transport you to Washington, DC, where you will be detained until a federal grand jury completes its investigation," he said. He nodded at the bailiff, who unshackled the three conspirators from the rest. The two marshals immediately cuffed them and led them away, nodding at Julie.

"C'mon," Julie said, standing up. Alice and I followed and met the marshals outside a small room behind the courtroom.

"Five minutes," one of the marshals said. Allison and Alan looked down at the floor, cuffed hands behind their backs.

"That's all we need," Alice said. "Thank you." We went inside the room and found Samantha sitting at a table, her hands cuffed to a metal bar on the table. One of her colleagues from Hempstead sat next to her. Samantha looked up as we walked inside.

"Hello, Samantha," I said. "I hope you're enjoying your little adventure."

"Fuck you," Samantha said quietly. I chuckled in response.

"Not today, Samantha. Never again, in fact," I said.

"What do you want?" the man next to her asked.

"You must be her attorney," Alice said.

"Yes. John Ashcroft, Hempstead Law Group."

"Well, Mr. Ashcroft. I'm Alice Hawkins, Mr. Jacob's attorney, and I'm here to serve divorce papers on your client."

"Do what you came to do," John said. Alice turned to Samantha and dropped the papers on the table.

"Samantha Jacobs, you have been served," Alice said.

"Yeah, whatever," Samantha said. John picked up the papers and looked through them.

"This is my client's response to the outrageous and illegal petition your client had served on him, based on totally fabricated evidence put forward by an unethical attorney who is now facing multiple felony charges, including extortion and conspiracy to commit murder. I have requested the court reject her petition.

"You should advise your client to sign the papers now. Everything is in accordance with the pre-nuptial agreement your client signed before her marriage. There is also the matter of funds your client stole from the joint account.

"Those funds need to be returned immediately, otherwise I'll be forced to charge your client with theft. Here is a copy of the order demanding the return of those funds, if you haven't seen it already." With that, she dropped another paper on the table, which John picked up and read.

"Mrs. Jacobs has given me power of attorney over her affairs, so I will take care of this as soon as possible, Ms. Hawkins. Is there anything else?"

"Yes," I interjected, looking at Samantha. "Why, Sam? What the hell happened?" Samantha looked up at me, and I swear she looked like a totally different person from the woman I married. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Because... I could," she said. "So what?"

"So what? Is that all you have to say after all the years we had together?"

"Yeah," Samantha dead-panned. "I guess so." I nodded my head as her words sunk in. Then I realized that whatever love I may have had for her at one time was now completely gone. Her lawyer spoke up.

"I think our business here is concluded, Mr. Jacobs. My client has no desire to say any more," he said.

"You realize she's facing a potential death penalty?" I asked him.

"Yes, I'm aware of that fact, Mr. Jacobs," John said. I looked at Samantha and saw a smirk as if she didn't care. Fine, I thought. Neither do I.

"Good luck," I said, motioning for Alice to leave. We went back into the hallway, and I came face-to-face with Allison, who also had a smirk. "What's so fucking funny?" I asked her. She snorted before speaking.

"You just wait, Mike Jacobs. There's a whole new way coming. And when the sisterhood takes power, there'll be no room for dinosaurs like you," she sneered. I looked at Julie, who also picked up on Allison's statement.

"Well, from where I stand, it looks like there'll be no room for you, either. Like I told you before, I don't like to lose an argument," I shot back. The door to the room opened, and Samantha returned with her attorney and the other marshal. John handed the divorce papers to Alice.

"They're signed," he said quietly. "The marshal witnessed her signature and I've notarized the papers. File them and get me a copy, if you would please."

"Consider it done," Alice said as she looked the paperwork over. "Thank you." She put the package in her case, and we went our separate ways. Alice filed the paperwork, and Julie returned to the courtroom to meet with Ron, but not before reminding me of our dinner date.

I left the courthouse and headed out, stopping to grab a burger. After my meal, I stopped at a mattress store and ordered a new mattress, one that could be adjusted. After I got home, I called Pop to let him know what had happened.

"What's going to happen to her?" my father-in-law asked. I could hear the sadness and disappointment in his voice. No matter what Samantha had done, I liked and respected the old guy. He deserved to know the whole truth, but I was concerned it might be too much for him to take. "It's alright. I can handle it, whatever it is."

"The U.S. Attorney wants the death penalty," I said. I heard Pop sniffle as he fought to gain control of his emotions.

"Do you... think they'll get it?" Pop asked, his voice shaking.

"I don't know. I haven't seen the evidence, but from what I've been told, it doesn't look good for any of them."

"She's my only child, you know," Pop said quietly.

"I know."

"Does she have a good attorney? Those feds can really tear someone apart."

"I think her firm has that covered," I told him.

"Tell me something, honestly. Is this what you want for her?" Pop asked.

"Honestly, no. I want her out of my life, and I want her to pay for whatever crimes she committed. But I don't want her dead."

"Thank you for that, son," Pop said. "What are you going to do?"

"I plan to move on, Pop. I'll probably get called to testify. Of course, I'll tell the truth, let the chips fall where they may. From what I've seen, Samantha has a lot to answer for. That will be up to the jury."

"I understand," Pop said. We talked for a while, ending the call somewhat happier note. After that, I called Luigi's and reserved a table for two for that night.

I wasn't sure what to expect from my date with Julie. We had connected years ago when I was a federal agent. Still, nothing physical came from it as we were bound by Task Force regulations. I had wondered what she would be like in bed more than once.

I got to Julie's hotel and called to let her know I had arrived and was on my way to her room. I was flabbergasted when she opened the door. Julie's long wavy hair cascaded over her bare shoulders. She wore a short black dress that accentuated her curves quite nicely. This was the first time I had seen her in something besides a dark pantsuit, and I was stunned at her beauty.

"Cat got your tongue, Mike?" Julie asked with a mischievous smile.

"You're absolutely gorgeous," I stammered, feeling like a giddy teenage boy on a first date.

"Thank you," Julie replied. "And I must say that you clean up rather nicely yourself." I offered her my right arm as I needed the left for my cane. She accepted, and we walked to my car. Being the gentleman I am, I even held the car door open for her.

"This is a very nice car, Mike," Julie said when I got in.

"Thank you. The benefits of being an executive. Wait until you hear the sound system."

"You still like Jethro Tull?" Julie asked.

"You even have to ask such a silly question?" I responded. "Listen to this..." I fired up the system and heard the sounds of "Thick as a Brick." Yeah, it's one of my all-time favorites. The thing is, I knew Julie also liked Tull. Or at least she did the last time I saw her.

"So where the hell was Biggles

When you needed him last Saturday?

And where were all the sportsmen

Who always pulled you through?

They're all resting down in Cornwall

Wrrrriting up their memoirs

For a paper-back edition

Of the Boy Scout Manual..."

"Oh, you certainly know the way to my heart, Mike," Julie exclaimed. "That's one of my favorites!"

"There's much more where that comes from," I told her as I drove out of the parking lot. We got to Luigi's, and I happily escorted Julie through the door. "Table for two, Jacobs," I told the girl at the front desk.

"Right this way, please," she said with a smile after confirming my reservation. We followed the girl to our table, and I was pleased to observe that it wasn't the same table where I had been recently ambushed by Samantha's lawyer.

I could also see the jealous stares of the men in the restaurant as Julie accompanied me, our arms locked together. I thought Julie was the prettiest girl in the place; tonight, she's with me. I held the chair for Julie, then took my seat, leaning my cane against the wall directly beside me. A waitress came by with two glasses of water and took our orders.

"You seem to get around pretty good, even with that cane," Julie said after the waitress left.

"Thank you. I've had lots of practice over the years," I told her.

"Does it still bother you? I know they did a lot of work on that leg."

"Sometimes, if it gets really cold outside, or if it starts raining. I still can't put all my weight on that knee." I appreciated Julie's concern, but I wanted to change the subject. "How have you been? You were in Denver the last time I saw you."

"Yes, I was. I got transferred to the Seattle office. Stayed there about three years, then got moved to Miami. That was a wild assignment. Then I got picked for the DIU, and that's where I've been ever since," Julie said.

"How do you like working for Ray?" I had known Ray Ochoa for a long time and always thought well of the man.

"I love working with Ray," Julie exclaimed. "I especially like that he's not a micromanager. I worked with someone like that once, and it really pissed me off." I chuckled at that.

"I know what you mean. So, what's the deal with this DIU? I don't recall anything like that when I was in the service."

"Divorce Investigation Unit," Julie explained. "It's fairly new, set up after the incident with President Pierce. Basically, we investigate the more extreme claims of spousal abuse and infidelity to see if there's any evidence to indicate involvement of MMAS holdovers or copycats."

"Must keep you pretty busy," I observed.

"Unfortunately it does. A lot busier than I would like," Julie said sadly.

"Just curious, how many of your cases..."

"Return positive results?" Julie asked, finishing my thought. "Not many. On average, about two percent. That's still a lot more than we'd like to see. I must say your case was quite interesting."

"Oh? How?"

"None of the usual markers were there. But the fact that your soon-to-be ex-wife is the offspring of perhaps the most notorious field operative who ever worked for MMAS and that your wife's attorney was a former member of the group caught our attention quickly.

"Of course, I can't tell you much more than that because it's been turned over to the federal grand jury, but I can tell you that Wiseman and his research team uncovered quite a bit. And it looks pretty bad for all three of them. Your man, Torres, also uncovered a few things that really helped out as well."

"I'm glad he could help. I take it his findings have already been handed over to the appropriate authorities."