Until The Trial

Chapter 4

***Chapter 4***

Lucas

"I've looked over everything, there is nothing that points towards Myers being involved with the corruption and murders. The attack on her was simply to take out more evidence." Lucas squeezes his stress ball, leaning back in his chair.

"I thought we already knew she wasn't involved," Vaughn frowns.

"We did, but I revised everything again with my own eyes. I need to make sure she is completely innocent before continuing to move forward with her as a key witness."

"Are you sure that's still a good idea? Do we really want to put pregnant women in a risk?" Vaughn asks.

Lucas scratches his head. No, he doesn't think so. For some reason in the mere hours he has known her she has gotten under his skin, but he cannot risk losing any remaining evidence. He already had to hide the recording from his other FBI colleagues for fear that one of them has switched sides.

"She is already at risk no matter what we do. The best choice for her is to be in protection while she is at that risk."

"I see," Vaughn wrinkles his nose, "you should change your shirt." Lucas looks at his bloody sleeve. When he brought Samantha down, her head hit the corner of a table pretty hard. Making her pass out and bleed excessively. Looking at the blood makes Lucas feel guilty, but he'd rather her have a head injury over death. When she passed out, he was sure he had pushed her down too late. The fact of a pregnant girl dying when he could have prevented it scares him.

"Lucas," Vaughn says.

"Hm?"

"I said, how is the girl?"

Lucas wonders how Samantha would react to being called a girl. "Turns out she was in pretty bad shape, to begin with. Highly dehydrated, loss of weight, and just generally weak. The doctor said she must have been overworking herself way too much and with the addition of her loss of blood and stress today it's only made it worse."

"Dear God, are we sure she'll stay alive long enough to even be a witness?" Vaughn says.

Lucas scowls, "Why would you even say that?"

"Sorry, wasn't appropriate," Vaughn winces.

"Don't underestimate her. She is strong. The only reason she is overworked is that she is determined to make it."

"Make what?"

"Just life in general, to keep going," Lucas stands up and grabs his gun holster and jacket, "I am headed to the hospital now. Make sure to personally offer our condolences to the patrol cops' families for their loss. They didn't deserve the death they got."

"Wasn't your fault, you didn't know there was a shooter at Samantha's place."

"Doesn't matter. I am in charge, the fault lies with me. Call all the local police again and see if they have any updates, and get your trainee to investigate any recent large sums of money being transferred from the governor's offshore accounts."

"I'm way ahead of you, pal.  I already contacted the families, and the governor is way too smart to use those accounts anymore. So there is no rush in checking them," Vaughn gets his jacket, "I'll go with you."

"Of course, you will," Lucas grumbles.

*****

"I just don't get how, if the ref saw that play, he didn't even call it. Everyone knows it was bullshit," Vaughn expresses his hatred for the latest Cowboys football game.

Lucas holds up a hand shutting him up, "Behind that door is a sick pregnant woman who just had the little she has destroyed, show some respect man."

"Sorry," he mumbles.