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A MURDER IN SUNNYDALE


Chapter 6: ‘In The Line of Duty’


Buffy knocked, almost timidly, on Rupert Giles’ office door. She always reacted this way, to Giles that is, her Father’s good friend, and hers. Not only was Giles a Summers’ family friend, he was Buffy’s mentor, so to speak. Even though the man had been at a desk job for years now. Ever since Buffy had been shot in the line of duty, that is, back when Tom Ford had been her partner and she had been Mrs. Riley Finn.

“Hello, Buffy dear,” Giles greeted her warmly. “It’s been a while since you have graced this office with your presence.” Buffy sat down in the chair across from Rupert’s desk and began to look about his office, nervously. “How have you been, Buffy,” Giles asked in his quiet, serene like voice. “Okay,” she shrugged as she picked up a paper-weight that sat near her side of his desk. She perused the item, carefully, interested in the fact that it seemed to be a replica of London’s Big Ben.

Actually, if Buffy didn’t know better, she could swear that Rupert Giles had a speed dial connection to her Father, Hank Summers’, own cell phone. One that only Rupert had, that he merely needed to hit the # key and a special number code that expressed his memo to Hank; #1 key: Buffy is fine and healthy. #2 key: Danger, danger! Buffy is in major meltdown!

“Giles,” Buffy murmered softly, “they brought Amy St. Claire in the other day, I spoke to her. She’s innocent, I know it.” The older man removed his glasses and began to wipe them on a kleenex, “well, Buffy,” he sighed, “I know you think that Amy St. Claire is innocent. I know that she was brought in Saturday, but I am afraid that most of your comrades disagree, with your innocence theory that is. Especially your superiors.” Buffy frowned, then scrunched up her face into a stubborn, determined scowl, “well ‘I’ think she is innocent. Especially now that I’ve spoken to her. She told me herself, Amy that is, that she could not have killed Holden Webster. She loved him, Giles.”

Rupert frowned himself and shook his head, “I see,” he mumbled in response. “So,” he continued, eyeing Buffy carefully, “so you think because Amy says she is innocent, that it makes it so? And, let’s be frank, Buffy,” he continued warily, when you caught Riley, in that compromising position, with that woman? At that moment, weren’t you capable of doing them both harm?” Buffy shook her head, “no, Giles,” she sighed, “I was never tempted to shoot, maim, or otherwise harm Riley or his little girlfriend, Samantha. I guess I should say, his present wife, Samantha. But then again,” she muttered sadly, “I’m not so sure I ever really loved Riley the way I should have.”

Buffy shook her blonde head, defiantly, “as for Amy killing Holden and Katerina McClay? I say a big no,” she stated firmly, “but then, I ‘know’ Amy. Murder just is not her style. I don’t give a rat’s ass who else agrees with me. By-the-way, Giles,” she added, focusing her stare on Rupert’s window, “what do you know about Webster’s extended family? I mean the American and British family?” Giles looked at Buffy as if she had grown two heads, but then just continued to wipe his glasses. “Any family member in particular, Buffy, dear?” he asked quietly, placing his glasses back on his face.

“Okay, Giles,” Buffy chuckled, somewhat amused by the fact that this brilliant man already knew just what Webster family member she was interested in, she was sure of that. “I get it, you know about Spike Williamson. So, let’s cut to the chase, shall we? What’s his story and how deep in the ‘family’ muck is he?” Giles smiled at his best friend’s oldest daughter, affectionately, “well, as you know, Buffy, I was instrumental in the pursuit of Holden Webster, to bring him to justice. I studied him, his family here in the States, back home in England. Actually, Buffy, if anyone knows about the Webster ‘family’ interests here or abroad? It is definitely myself. As far as shady dealings or business, William Williamson, aka Spike is probably the cleanest member of the Webster/Williamson family there is. Except for some offenses, on record, as a minor, Williamson, aka Spike, seems to have no real crimes on his sheets. Oh, perhaps some numbers running in that pub of his, but not much more. We think anyway.”

Buffy nodded, “I see,” is all she responded with. “Tell me, Buffy,” Giles stammered, “why? Why the interest in Williamson, or his family back in England.” She thought for a moment, measured the way she should answere this question, “because for some bizarre reason, Giles,” she said evenly, “Spike Williamson seems to believe me. He actually is open to the fact that Amy is not guilty, like I believe and that gives me some hope. Hope to help that poor girl.”

Giles drummed his long fingers on his desk, then stood up and paced a bit about his office. “It’s not anything else then? This interest in Williamson?” Buffy shook her head, her eyes lowered and focused on her lap, “I’ll keep Spike at arm’s length, I have to. I know that, Giles,” she mumbled.” The man nodded his dark head in approval, “good then. For the best. No matter what we know about Williamson, his family, their past, no good can come from getting ‘too’ close to him. Or his Webster family connections.”

Xander was waiting for Buffy when she got back to her own office, he wore the look of a man who had ‘gone; seen and conquered’ or at the very least, seized the day. “I guess the Saturday date thing went okay with Anya?” Buffy grinned at her partner warmly. He nodded his dark head and and munched on a glazed doughnut, with great contentment. “Anya and me,” Xander sang happily, “we are definitely back on!” She patted Xander’s big shoulder affectionately, “see that you keep it that way, Xand,” Buffy advised, “I mean, back on, you and Anya that is. Geez, bud, you owe her that.”

“Buffy,” Xander sat his unfinished chocolate sprinkle doughnut on her desk, “about Amy and the bail bond you called Levy about?” Buffy rolled her eyes, “God, is anything confidential in this town?” Xander chuckled, “actually, it was Cordelia that called Anya and spilled the beans. Old Cordy, she’s not too thrilled with you or Johnny boy right now. Wonders exactly ‘who’ is going to set up the collateral on the bond, for little Amy that is.”

“Well, if you must know,” Buffy sighed, “I am. My savings account is enough to assure Miss Queen Cordelia, Her Royal Bail Bond’s Woman, that I’m sincere.” Xander’s brown eyes flew wide open in surprise, “Buff,” he stammered, “are you sure about this? I mean, Amy did run before, what makes you think she won’t jump bail?” Buffy shook her blonde head with a show of more determination then she might have really felt inside, “she won’t,” is all she said, simply.

“Oh,” Xander responded quietly, then looked away from his partner. “Hey,” he got an exicited look on his handsome face, “what say we all go out to the Bronze. You, me and Anya, Wills and Tara, Scott Hope and some of the other guys? We can boogie down, like the old days? Tonight?” Buffy grinned at Xander, “you know, Xand,” she chuckled, “back in High School, even College and yes, even in our early 20’s? The Bronze was fine, but now? Hon,” she scowled at Xander with mock sterness, “we ‘are’ almost all in our 30’s. I do believe the Bronze has passed us by.” Xander gave Buffy a pout and dropped the subject, reluctantly it seemed.

Buffy’s phone rang and she grabbed it quickly, “Summers,” she answered abruptly and businesslike. “Hello, luv,” came Spike’s deep timbre from the other line, “how are you?” She blushed hot and red, she felt it, but gathered her wits about her and motioned for Xander to please leave her office. Which he did, a little too slowly, she felt. “I’m fine,” Buffy responded cordially enough, trying not to give off too many warm vibes to Spike. “You alone,” he asked evenly. For some reason, Buffy just nodded, as if Spike could ‘see’ her response through the phone. “Luv?” he asked again, “you alone?” She pulled herself together and told him she was indeed alone. “Good,” Spike chuckled, “I was wondering, could we meet? You and me? For lunch somewhere, your choice of course. Since I wouldn’t know a good place to eat in this podunk town if my life depended on it.”

Now, Buffy was quite sincere with everyone and herself when she insisted that her ‘relationship’ with Spike Williamson was to remain purely police like business. For one iota of a second, she considered turning the man down, again, on his request to meet for ‘food’ and discussion of the case. ‘Why not?’ she finally asked herself, rather bravely she thought. ‘It’s business, it will be public? Why shouldn’t I meet this guy for lunch, a really big, great lunch that he has to pay for?’ Buffy giggled silently then finally told Spike that ‘yes’ she would meet him for lunch, at 1:00 PM, her usual lunch break.

“There’s a little eatery, by the beach,” she explained to Spike, who seemed almost overcome with shocked joy that Buffy had agreed to lunch with him, anywhere. “It’s called Willie’s Whaler. I know, Spike,” she giggled out loud this time, “too corny for words, but delicious, I promise. Ask your door man, at the Sunnydale Arms, he’ll direct you. I’ll see you, about 1:00 PM, your treat, of course.” Buffy was feeling quite empowered for some reason, where William was concerned. Spike quickly responded with a low, deep tone, “of course, Lt., absolutely my treat.”

Spike sat at the bar of Willie’s Whaler of all places and waited for his ‘date’ to show up. ‘Christ,’ he thought with some disdain, ‘this is a ridiculous name for a place to have a meal.’ The minute Buffy arrived at Willie’s, Spike knew it, time seemed to stop, that and all discussion, noise and such. She, Buffy walked through the door of Willies, in a pair of blue jeans and a silk blouse, a black leather jacket on, and that alone caused everyone in the place to sit up and take notice. Especially Spike.

‘Girl should wear her hair down all the time,’ Spike mused as he stood to meet Buffy. ‘If she did that, every punk, thug, criminal and hoodlum would just fall to their knees and confess their crimes. Just brings a man to his knees, in general.’ “Hello, Lt.” Spike smiled as he held out his hand to Buffy, to lead her to a table he had cleverly reserved earlier. “You look amazing, Miss Summers,” he added as he held her chair for her. “Hmmm,” is all Buffy could respond with.

The waiter came to the table and Buffy wasted no time in ordering. She had been here before, numerous times and knew exactly what she wanted for lunch. “Clam Chowder, to start,” she began knowingly, “a Shrimp Louie Salad, with lots of Ranch dressing and fries on the side. Oh, yeah, a chocolate shake, too. I love chocolate,” Buffy grinned at Spike as she sat down her menu. “I’ll have the same,” Spike tossed his menu at the waiter with a smirk. “Oh, but give me a beer on tap to go with.” Buffy, who was a little surprised that Spike took her ordering in stride sat back in her chair. “Beer?” she questioned with a raised brow, “with a chocolate shake?”

Spike chuckled, “Oh,” he gave a pretty good imitation of Buffy’s excited tone, “I just love beer!” Buffy broke out into laughter, delighting him. “Tell me, Lt.,” he leaned forward in his chair, “how do you stay so slim? I mean, an order like that? What’s your secret?” Buffy gave Spike a little pout, “are you saying I’m skinny?” she asked softly. “No,” he chuckled good-naturedly, “you, my Miss Summers, are just right, but how is that?” She finally lost the pout and grinned at Spike, “well,” she began smugly, “I ‘do’ jog, three times a week, an hour each time. That and I swim, at my apartment complex, every chance I get (anvil alert!).

“Oh,” Spike nodded as he eyed Buffy like a yummy feast. “I understand,” he changed the subject quickly, “that you’ve offerred to put up your own collateral, for Amy St. Claire’s bail?” Buffy sat up, a little disturbed, he could tell, but collected herself quickly and nodded, “well, if it’s enough,” she explained. “I mean, no telling what the District Attorney’s office will ask for, bail wise. I’m hoping to pull some strings, with the DA’s office and keep the bail for Amy pretty reasonable. However, it doesn’t look good. In the long run, it’s up to the Judge, presiding over the arraignment.”

Spike felt a little nagging voice begin to taunt him, in the back of his mind. ‘She’s going to ‘talk’ to Angel O’Connor, the fucking idiot Assistant DA. Talk him into keeping the bail bond low. Now, Spikey,’ annoying voice continued, ‘just how is Buffy going to accomplish this?’ Before Spike could respond to Buffy’s revelation, their drinks came, her shake, his beer and shake. He, Spike, tried to push the wave jealousy he felt back down within him, but failed miserably. ‘You fucking, bloody fool,’ Spike growled silently, to himself, ‘you’ve gone and done it. You’re really falling, totally, for Buffy Summers.’


A/N: Next chapter, Spike will reveal some things that Buffy and he have in common. Will Buffy ‘talk’ to Angel and try to persuade him to help Amy with a ‘get out of jail almost free’ card? How will Spike react to meeting Angel? Probably not well, huh? Thanks for reading, please review. Reviews are so very important to us! Luv, Spuf





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