Fic: Old Friends, Chapter 3 (Numb3rs, Charlie Eppes / Colby Granger, Don Eppes)
Title: Old Friends, Chapter 3
Fandom: Numb3rs
Pair: Charlie Eppes / Colby Granger
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, etc.
Feedback: Always Welcome
NUMB3RS Main List
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
“Liza, I’m back!” Charlie hollered from the door.
“We’re in the kitchen.” Babysitter’s voice announced. Charlie followed the
voice to the kitchen where Liza was feeding Helen with a bottle.
“How long has she been awake?”
“About half an hour. We had a new diaper and then we decided to have
a high power luncheon.”
“I see.” Charlie grinned. “Where’s Don?”
“He left maybe an hour ago.”
“Where did he go?”
“He didn’t tell me.”
Charlie took his cell phone and dialled Don’s number. “He’s got his phone off.”
He cut the call and dialled another number.
“Granger.”
“It’s me. Is Don there?”
“No, I thought he was at the house.”
“He took off while I was gone.”
“Maybe he went to see Martin.” Colby suggested.
“Yeah…. You think I should go to his place, see if he’s there?”
“Babe, if he went there, let them solve this by themselves. They probably want
some privacy to work this out.”
Charlie thought about it. “You’re right. I just hate to feel like I can’t do
anything about this.”
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Charlie spend the next four hours pacing back and forth in the living room.
Finally there was a knock on the door and Don walked in. He dumped his coat
on the hand rest of the couch.
“Where the hell did you go?”
“I wanted to see Martin. I had to tell him.”
“What did he say?”
Don rubbed his eyes with his palms. His eyes were bloodshot like he had had
a good cry. “He didn’t leave me.” He sounded completely surprised. “I have
no idea why, but he didn’t leave me.”
Charlie didn’t say anything. He just waited till Don got over his tremors.
“I’m on my way to my place. I’m getting some clothes and then I’ll go back
to his place.”
“Good.”
“I just came to let you know what happened. You were worried, weren’t you?”
“Yeah. But I don’t wanna talk about that. Go get your stuff and tell Martin
I said Hi.”
“I’ll tell him.”
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Charlie didn’t even realise Don` coat was still on the couch until it started
ringing. He moved Helen to her bassinet and pulled Don’s phone from the
pocket.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Eppes?” It was a woman’s voice.
“Yes. Well, one of them. Your trying to contact Don Eppes, right?”
“Is this a wrong number?”
“No, you got the right number, I’m his brother. I can take a message
if you want.”
“If you don’t mind. I’m Betty, from the same floor in his apartment building.”
“Okay, and what do I tell him?”
“There was a man here looking for him.”
“Did he tell you his name?”
“No. I was coming back from the store and he was banging on the door.
When nobody answered he asked me if I had seen him.”
“What did he look like?”
“Thirties, well built, red-ish hair.”
“I think I know who you mean. Thank you for calling.”
“You`ll tell him about it?”
“Of course. Thanks for calling.”
“Goodbye.”
The woman hang up. Charlie pondered about it, then took his own phone and
dialled a number.
“Granger.”
“It`s me. Again.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, and Don`s good too. He had a talk with Martin.”
“How did it go?”
“They`re…. well, stil together. I didn’t wanna ask too many details. They’re
spending the evening together. Anyway, is David there?”
“Yeah, you want to talk to him?”
“Can you ask him if he and Ian wanna come here for dinner?”
“In the middle of the week? Is something going on?”
“No, but…. I’ve just had one of those days when…. I would just like to have
people around me. You know what I mean?”
“I think I do. Wait a sec. Charlie want s to know if you and Ian want to come
for dinner. Okay, he nods… I don’t know how long we’re gonna stay here, but
I’ll call you when we’re leaving.”
“Okay. Bye.”
“Bye.”
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When Colby’s and David parked in front of the house, the driveway was blocked
by a beat-up truck. Ian got out of the car to look at it.
“I’ve seen that. It’s Cooper’s.”
“Oh crap….” Colby crumbled.
David’s eyes went from one man to the other and back again. “What are you two
not telling me?”
Colby and Ian didn’t have time to answer. A noise coming from the house cut
the conversation.
It was a gunshot.
TBC