Slowing to a stop in her old solid black Crown Victoria, Ellie put the car into park and double-checked the address she had been seeking.  Reaching over to the passenger seat, Ellie read the address once more.

-1777 Palm Way.-

Nervous to the point where her stomach tightened, Ellie hesitated before she turned the key to shut off the engine.  

-You just got your ass handed to you yesterday, now here you are in probably the one place you shouldn’t be.-

While not directly ordered to stay away from this place, Ellie couldn’t shake the feeling that she was somehow breaking the ‘spirit’ of her orders.  She could almost hear Deputy Director Powell with her firm voice, “You went over to Tatum Blackwell’s house?!”

-Fuck it, no risk no reward.-

Taking a few deep breaths, Agent Miller regained her composure and pulled the key free from the ignition.  Gathering up a few items so she could conduct a proper interview, Ellie took a moment to study the home she’d stopped in front of.

Easy to see that the home was a standard ranch with a wrap-around porch, Ellie raised her eyebrow at the odd white and green siding that alternated the colors.  Figuring that most people do strange things, she looked beyond and took in the ivory columns with the matching railing that added a comfy feel to the large wooden porch.  Opening her door, Agent Miller started up the pearl white paving stones and just nodded to herself when she noticed that the lawn had just been newly sod.

-In the fall? It can’t take root.-

Wanting to be certain, Ellie reached down and felt the ground and then the seam where the grass square had been pushed onto the other earth. Smacking her hands clear of the dirt, she stood up and walked casually up the stairs to the porch and glanced around.  Rocking chairs and tables made up most of the furniture, and upon a glance looked completely normal.  Trained to look beyond the normal, Ellie noted that the various items were in pristine condition as though they’d been purchased that day from a showroom floor.  Walking over to one of the tables, Ellie brushed her hand over the smooth glass surface and left the only smudge visible behind.

-Either this woman has the best maid in the world, or no one has used this.-

Pushing the odd feeling to the back of her mind, Ellie stepped in front of the door and saw a little plaque on the door that seemed to have a proverb carved into the wood. ‘Dreams lift the mind's veil.’  Pondering the little saying for a couple seconds, Ellie jumped and then screamed when the front door opened.

“Agent Miller.”  A soothing and warm southern accent came from the older woman with light brown hair. “Please, come inside.  I have been expecting you.”

Bending over and holding her knees until she caught her breath, Ellie shook her head. “Miss Blackwell?”  She looked up from her bent position for a second and saw that the women had nodded. “You startled me.”  Letting out a sharp sigh, Ellie righted herself and extended her hand. “Agent Ellie Miller.  I wasn’t aware that you knew I was coming?”  She raised her eyebrow.

Clad in an ivory dress with little teal plumeria imprinted, Tatum took and shook Ellie’s hand. “Some things are easy to figure out, Agent.”  She winked and stepped to the side, “Would you care to come inside?”  Tatum pointed to the rockers, “Or..we can use these if you’d like.”

Pausing to weigh the options, Ellie finished their handshake and smiled. “It is a touch chilly.  Perhaps it is better that we discuss things inside.” Slipping past the older woman, Ellie made her way into the foyer. “Lovely home.  I would have expected a fancy attorney like yourself to be in a huge mansion or something.”  She pointed behind her. “I didn’t expect you to live in an older suburb.”

Slowly closing the door behind the athletically built agent, Tatum twisted the lock and put up the small chain. “I think these older places have a bit of charm, while not firmly planted in the 1800’s.”  Tatum turned with a flair, and her dress caught a small wind to expose her shapely legs. “I’m also getting a touch older, so I thought it would be wise to be closer to town in case I needed medical attention.”  She walked to the edge of the foyer where it met a fair-sized dining room. “Wait, before we go any further.”  Tatum held up her right hand. “I would prefer if we talked as..friends.”  She winked.

Swearing that she saw a brief white light emanate from the hand in her face, Ellie took a small step back and raised one eyebrow. “What do you mean, Miss Blackwell?”

“Humm, a little more resistant than most of your companions.” Tatum nodded in approval, “Oh, what I mean Agent Miller, is that I prefer that this meeting be left off the record.”  She waved her hand, “Less formality that way and we can speak freely.”  Pausing to point at the bag Ellie held, Tatum wiggled her finger lightly. “Recording devices aren’t necessary.”

Following the finger, Ellie looked over her shoulder and saw a small hook on the wall. “I have notes that I wanted to go over with you, Miss Blackwell.”  Ellie patted her bag, “Hanging it up means I might not recall what I wanted to say.”

“Your gun too.”  Tatum added. “I’ve seen the lengths to which you will go to pursue a case, Agent.  I would prefer not getting shot or having a gun in my face.”  She curled her finger and poked toward the hooks again, “It’s the two of us here, your things will be perfectly safe, I assure you.”

Sensing a familiar warmth within Tatum’s words, Ellie went and placed her bag and shoulder holster on the pair of hooks. “I can’t place it, Miss Blackwell..but I feel like I’m at my grandmother's house.”  Looking back at Tatum, Ellie quickly shook her head to clear the idea that she’d just seen the older woman outlined in a soft white light. “Has to be Sunlight.”  Ellie muttered and walked to stand with Tatum. “Where to now?”

“Oh, I think you will like this.”  Tatum winked and curled her arm into Ellie’s. “We are going to my sunroom and having Earl Grey.”  She paused, “Scones too.  I am nothing, if not a good hostess.”

Letting herself get led into the windowed room in the back of the house, Ellie felt the heat of the day and took the seat she was offered. “I could use something to eat, I was in a hurry when I left the apartment.”  Ellie paused, “Thank you for seeing me.”

“Anything to assist my federal friends.”  Tatum waited for Ellie to scoot closer to the table before pouring the hot water into a pair of cups.  Lifting a small lid from a metal container, she handed Ellie a prepackaged teabag. “We have a few minutes before the scones are ready, you arrived earlier than I expected.”

Dipping her tea bag into the steaming water, Ellie stirred the contents with the small spoon provided. “This will be rather difficult without my notes.”  She looked down at the brown water, “You gave me a rather cryptic answer when I came in.”  Pointing with her thumb behind her, Ellie added, “How did you know I was coming?  I didn’t even tell my boss.”

Spooning a small amount of sugar from a bowl between them, Tatum stirred the sweet crystals until they disappeared then sipped her tea. “It wasn’t hard to figure out, Agent.”  She blew lightly across the water, “I guessed that your boss wouldn’t let you anywhere near Miss Rivers, so the next logical step is to talk to me.”  She paused, “I am very good at reading people, Agent.”  She took another sip of her tea, “It was a matter of determining when you would arrive, not that you would.”  Holding up her hand politely, Tatum passed the conversation to Ellie, “So, what can I help you with?”