| The charcters of "Nash Bridges" are the property of CBS and Parmount. Copyright 2002 by Mel |
| How to Out-scheme a Schemer |
A pile of folders landed unceremoniously on his desk, dropped by an irritated
uniformed officer. Wincing as papers scattered all over the place, Evan tried a
half-hearted smile of encouragement. It only earned him a darkened scowl. Sighing,
he thumbed through the files. He wasn't sure how much longer tempers would hold.
Looking up when his partner returned to his desk and settled into his chair with an
audible sigh of relief, Evan couldn't help but laugh. "That bad?"
Glancing around to make sure they weren't overheard by the wrong ears, Harvey
grimaced. "Yeah. I think everyone here has been given the third degree at least twice,
and people are starting to get a little ticked. I think it's more because they don't know,
so they can't just tell him and get rid of him."
Evan laughed quietly, all too aware of the interrogations. "I think the only person he
hasn't cornered is Ronnie, and that's probably because he's afraid to."
"Yeah, well, I gave him enough false information that he's stopped asking me."
"Oh, yeah?" Evan mulled that one over. Anything to get the man off his back. "That
just might work. I'll have to try it."
"It works like a charm, brother. Trust me."
"Never trust a guy that says 'trust me'."
Looking up to see their boss standing there with an indulgent smile, Harvey and Evan
exchanged guilty looks. Nash hadn't been immune to the third degree, and even his
patience was wearing thin. "You two have created a monster, you know. He's driving
the whole barge nuts."
Rubbing a hand over his face, Harvey dropped his chin in his hand. "Sorry, boss. It'll
all be over tonight, though."
"I can't believe how sneaky you boys have been through all this. Even Joe couldn't
have thought up something this complicated."
Clapping his hands together, Evan couldn't resist an evil little smile. "Well, Nash, we've
learned from the best."
Shaking his head, Nash went back to his own desk. He hoped he wouldn't regret
letting the two of them plan this thing.
Once Nash had left, Evan jumped up and went to sit on the corner of Harvey's desk.
"So, is everything set?"
Glancing around once more, Harvey leaned a little closer. "Yeah, everything's ready. I
just have to make a couple of phone calls to set the ball rolling. I think this we're
actually going to get away with this one."
"You do know he's going to get us back."
"Oh, yeah." Sharing Evan's evil grin, Harvey leaned back in his chair and laced his
hands behind his head. "But, it'll be worth it."
uniformed officer. Wincing as papers scattered all over the place, Evan tried a
half-hearted smile of encouragement. It only earned him a darkened scowl. Sighing,
he thumbed through the files. He wasn't sure how much longer tempers would hold.
Looking up when his partner returned to his desk and settled into his chair with an
audible sigh of relief, Evan couldn't help but laugh. "That bad?"
Glancing around to make sure they weren't overheard by the wrong ears, Harvey
grimaced. "Yeah. I think everyone here has been given the third degree at least twice,
and people are starting to get a little ticked. I think it's more because they don't know,
so they can't just tell him and get rid of him."
Evan laughed quietly, all too aware of the interrogations. "I think the only person he
hasn't cornered is Ronnie, and that's probably because he's afraid to."
"Yeah, well, I gave him enough false information that he's stopped asking me."
"Oh, yeah?" Evan mulled that one over. Anything to get the man off his back. "That
just might work. I'll have to try it."
"It works like a charm, brother. Trust me."
"Never trust a guy that says 'trust me'."
Looking up to see their boss standing there with an indulgent smile, Harvey and Evan
exchanged guilty looks. Nash hadn't been immune to the third degree, and even his
patience was wearing thin. "You two have created a monster, you know. He's driving
the whole barge nuts."
Rubbing a hand over his face, Harvey dropped his chin in his hand. "Sorry, boss. It'll
all be over tonight, though."
"I can't believe how sneaky you boys have been through all this. Even Joe couldn't
have thought up something this complicated."
Clapping his hands together, Evan couldn't resist an evil little smile. "Well, Nash, we've
learned from the best."
Shaking his head, Nash went back to his own desk. He hoped he wouldn't regret
letting the two of them plan this thing.
Once Nash had left, Evan jumped up and went to sit on the corner of Harvey's desk.
"So, is everything set?"
Glancing around once more, Harvey leaned a little closer. "Yeah, everything's ready. I
just have to make a couple of phone calls to set the ball rolling. I think this we're
actually going to get away with this one."
"You do know he's going to get us back."
"Oh, yeah." Sharing Evan's evil grin, Harvey leaned back in his chair and laced his
hands behind his head. "But, it'll be worth it."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scribbling an address down on a scrap of paper, Joe hung up the phone. Hurrying over
to Nash, he showed him the note. "Got a call from one of my CIs. He's meeting the
person responsible for the daylight jewelry heighsts. Says they're meeting at Correlli's
tonight at 8pm. Want me to set up surveillance?"
Nash rubbed his finger over his lip, thinking it over. "Go ahead. Set it up with Harvey
and Evan. Two of you in the van, one covering the back door. Watch your backs."
"You got it, bubba." Without another word, Joe headed over to Evan's desk to get
things started. He missed the smirk on Nash's face.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scribbling an address down on a scrap of paper, Joe hung up the phone. Hurrying over
to Nash, he showed him the note. "Got a call from one of my CIs. He's meeting the
person responsible for the daylight jewelry heighsts. Says they're meeting at Correlli's
tonight at 8pm. Want me to set up surveillance?"
Nash rubbed his finger over his lip, thinking it over. "Go ahead. Set it up with Harvey
and Evan. Two of you in the van, one covering the back door. Watch your backs."
"You got it, bubba." Without another word, Joe headed over to Evan's desk to get
things started. He missed the smirk on Nash's face.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"What do these guys look like, Joe?" Leaning toward the monitor in front of him,
Evan adjusted the sound.
"My CI is about 6'2", dark hair, pale, skinny and nervous. I don't know what his
contact looks like, but I've got our guy wired."
"Cool. Just checking." It was hard to keep a straight face, and Evan's stomach was
starting to hurt from holding in his laughter.
On the other side of the restaurant, listening to every word, Harvey was doubled over
in the Ranchero, laughing. This was going to be great.
Back in the surveillance van, Joe sat up straighter as his contact approached the front
door. After looking around, the snitch stepped inside. Both men in the van could hear
his voice as he talked to the waitress.
"Oh, there he is, thanks. Hey, man, you're early."
I always come early to a meet, so I can make sure I'm not being set up.
"Nothing to worry about with me, man. So, whatchya got?"
I've got about 100 grand worth of jewelry I need moved, and moved fast. There's
more, but I wanna see what you can do, first.
"Hey, I'm the best. I can move whatever you got. Where'd you get it, anyway?"
What I'm about to give you came from Penderman's Jewelry. Top quality, all the
way.
Smiling in satisfaction, Joe nodded and removed his earphones. "That's all we need,
Evan. Let's go."
Standing to let Joe past him to the door, Evan picked up his radio. "It's a go, Harv."
Jogging across the street, the two entered the restaurant quietly. Slipping past a
startled waitress, Joe burst into the main dining room and came to an abrupt stop.
He'd been had.
"Surprise!"
Leaning against a table, holding his chest, Harvey tried to stop laughing. The look on
Joe's face was priceless. "Happy birthday, Joseph."
Laughter behind him caused Joe to turn around and narrow his eyes into a deadly
glare at Evan, who had the gall to look innocent. "You two are dead meat."
"Ah, come on, Joe. Have some cake." Nash held out a glass of champagne in a
peace offering.
"Et tu, Nash?"
"Yep, and Inger's right over there."
"You even turned my family against me?" Shaking his head, trying to keep the scowl
on his face, Joe accepted the glass and held it up for a toast. "The wonderful thing
about getting older, is that I have more years to spend with friends and family.
Thanks."
"Happy Birthday!"
Sidling over to his partner, watching as everyone crowded around Joe to offer their
salutations, Evan clinked glasses with Harvey. "To a successful surprise party. May
we never do it again."
"Amen, brother." Sipping his drink, Harvey caught the sly look Joe tossed to them
and winced. "You feel a tingling sensation between your shoulderblades, yet?"
"Now that you mention it, yeah."
"I wonder what my chances are of getting Nash to let me take vacation on my
birthday?"
END
Happy Birthday to the Story Nook!
Evan adjusted the sound.
"My CI is about 6'2", dark hair, pale, skinny and nervous. I don't know what his
contact looks like, but I've got our guy wired."
"Cool. Just checking." It was hard to keep a straight face, and Evan's stomach was
starting to hurt from holding in his laughter.
On the other side of the restaurant, listening to every word, Harvey was doubled over
in the Ranchero, laughing. This was going to be great.
Back in the surveillance van, Joe sat up straighter as his contact approached the front
door. After looking around, the snitch stepped inside. Both men in the van could hear
his voice as he talked to the waitress.
"Oh, there he is, thanks. Hey, man, you're early."
I always come early to a meet, so I can make sure I'm not being set up.
"Nothing to worry about with me, man. So, whatchya got?"
I've got about 100 grand worth of jewelry I need moved, and moved fast. There's
more, but I wanna see what you can do, first.
"Hey, I'm the best. I can move whatever you got. Where'd you get it, anyway?"
What I'm about to give you came from Penderman's Jewelry. Top quality, all the
way.
Smiling in satisfaction, Joe nodded and removed his earphones. "That's all we need,
Evan. Let's go."
Standing to let Joe past him to the door, Evan picked up his radio. "It's a go, Harv."
Jogging across the street, the two entered the restaurant quietly. Slipping past a
startled waitress, Joe burst into the main dining room and came to an abrupt stop.
He'd been had.
"Surprise!"
Leaning against a table, holding his chest, Harvey tried to stop laughing. The look on
Joe's face was priceless. "Happy birthday, Joseph."
Laughter behind him caused Joe to turn around and narrow his eyes into a deadly
glare at Evan, who had the gall to look innocent. "You two are dead meat."
"Ah, come on, Joe. Have some cake." Nash held out a glass of champagne in a
peace offering.
"Et tu, Nash?"
"Yep, and Inger's right over there."
"You even turned my family against me?" Shaking his head, trying to keep the scowl
on his face, Joe accepted the glass and held it up for a toast. "The wonderful thing
about getting older, is that I have more years to spend with friends and family.
Thanks."
"Happy Birthday!"
Sidling over to his partner, watching as everyone crowded around Joe to offer their
salutations, Evan clinked glasses with Harvey. "To a successful surprise party. May
we never do it again."
"Amen, brother." Sipping his drink, Harvey caught the sly look Joe tossed to them
and winced. "You feel a tingling sensation between your shoulderblades, yet?"
"Now that you mention it, yeah."
"I wonder what my chances are of getting Nash to let me take vacation on my
birthday?"
END
Happy Birthday to the Story Nook!
