The Brothers Stone 2

"I haven't...yet." Perry said as he looked at his brother. "But maybe I should."

"Why!" Sampson snapped as he walked over to his brothers desk. He resisted the urge to slam his hands down on the smooth wooden top, but only barely. He quietly seethed.

Perry looked at him a serious expression on his face. " I don't think I can trust you not to do something stupid the moment you see Miss Cross. Despite everything that has happened your still the face of our company and I can't have you loose it in front of all our business partners and clients." He calmly started up his computer before giving Sampson a hard stare. "So can I count on you to not act like a brainless idiot?"

Sampson wanted to snap at his brother but he knew that it was a bad idea. It would just prove that he really was a brainless idiot controlled by his emotions. He took a breath and stood straight letting the tension in his body melt away, but he could still feel the churning anger like a lump in his gut. "So if I behave the seats mine?" he asked his voice back to its normal calm tone. He would pretend to be his normal collective self if it meant that he got to go and see the woman he hated for so long in person.

His brother gave him the evil eye but nodded his head. "Yes, if you promise to behave and not destroy the reputation of out company then you can go." Sampson nodded his agreement and turned to start leaving the office so he could retreat a few doors down to his own office and start to truly push the anger aside and begin to plan. As he was about to open the door he heard his brothers own voice thick with anger. "Don't worry. I didn't forget, but we have to be careful when it comes to someone like Miss Cross. We don't want another accident."

Sampson looked over his shoulder and saw the serious look an his brothers face. He nodded once before turning and heading to his office. He should have known that his brother wasn't going to forget. he just happened to be more cautious then Sampson himself. He walked down the hall his usual confidence back. Becky his private secretary greeted him and stood to fetch his usual cup of coffee from the pot near her desk. As she brought it in he thanked her and sat down ready to get started.

He picked up his phone and dialed a number he had memorized over the years. He waited a moment before a mans sleepy voice answered with a curse. "This better be important I just spent the last 12 hours staking out a man who turned out to not be having an affair despite his wives suspicions. I'm tired and hungry and haven't had any coffee all morning. If this is a telemarketer I will find you and piss in your oatmeal when you least suspect it."

"Well hello to you too Monty, I have a job for you if you are up to it. I'll even give you a coffee stipend if you can start today." He heard the man cursing and the rustling of blankets before the surly voice returned.

"Dammit Stone! Couldn't you have called me in a few hours? What the hell could be so important you had to get me up this early. You know I don't do mornings." Sampson grinned because he did know it. Private detective that he was unless he was getting paid for it he didn't roll out of bed until about noon.

"Its a special case my friend," he assured the Detective. "Its about Kinley Cross. Rumors have her speaking at the Bell's Construction party. I need to know anything and everything about her. She should be arriving to the Capitol in advance."

"Cross huh?" Monty seemed to have realized exactly what he was asking. "Haven't heard you ask about her for years. I'll see what I can find for you. But Stone everything back then was locked down tighter then even I could manage. If Cross doesn't want to be found she has the means to stay hidden."