Jebidiah's Women

Although there may be a very small minority of those that wish to disagree, even Jebidiah himself is fairly certain of one thing: he is not an attractive man.

Sure, there are muscles on his arms and a lean physique on his torso, but his heritage is simply too prominant in his face to ignore. Though in youth he had the golden blonde hair and piercing blue eyes of Kanes long since forgotten, it is not this that people see... They see the thin lips, awkward nose, and crooked brows of his Egyptian grandfather, and the thick glasses he requires to see. He is certainly unique, but no, not attractive.

And yet, women are drawn to him. It'd be a severe over-statement to call him charming, and even moreso debonair... But, there certainly is something about him that women cannot deny, something that at least catches their interest.

Perhaps it's his determination, his smarts, his ability to control... or, possibly just his impeccability at amassing great amounts of wealth. However, underneath it all, there may be something more, a draw that no money can buy: it is that, deep down, he's a mystery... And oh, what any woman would give to try to solve it.

---

"So... you just wanna waltz over there in broad daylight, huh?"

"Don't get cheeky with me now, Marta. You know just as well as I do that that place is barren while the sun's up." Jebidiah was on the edge of becoming grouchy, especially when he'd had to explain this on the phone to her once already today. "

The air was dank and grummy, making Jeb's mood even more sour -- if it was possible. The junkyard beside them made even his skin crawl, and the smell was more than enough to make him want to get moving. That, coupled with the beautiful scenery of swamp, was cramping his nerves: he felt he fit in with these dingy surroundings, and he didn't like it.

Marta, however, seemed unperturbed; she laughed, smiling coyly at his response to her rather sarcastic question. "I know, Jeb... I just think it's funny when you get all worked up over nothing."

Jeb scowled, but rolled his eyes. "You broads are gonna be the death of me."

"Perhaps, perhaps," she said with a wide smile. "But for now... let's go do some recon."

Sneaky, sneaky...

Sneaky, sneaky...

Sneaky, sneak-- crunch.

"What was that?" Marta hissed, coming up from the bushes behind Jeb.

"Pop can," he groaned. "Wasn't watching my step."

She chuckled. "So much for silent and deadly."

"See, it's just like I said," Jeb said a bit louder now, feeling a bit more at ease. "The place is deserted. The loads only come a few times a month, and all the satellite photos I accessed confirmed that no one even comes to change a lightbulb here unless it's shipping day. We're home free, 'honey."

"I suppose I'll just have to trust you," she sassed, before falling silent, still scanning the area for noise, movement, or life. "Who knew I'd ever stoop that low."

After several moments, Jeb chuckled softly and looped his arm through hers.

"Well, no time better than the present. Let's go."

---

Although Jeb had become accustomed to the dawning wrinkles on his skin and the graying roots of his hair, the vigor he'd mastered previously in his life was slowly fading away... He was sure, these days, that a younger man could easily best him if he wasn't on his guard; a younger man like Thomas Leman.

It amazed him, then, how much diligence his sister-in-law took to keeping herself in top performance. Age had hit Tana's youthful looks like a flaming bag of bricks -- Jebidiah honestly couldn't blame her husband Howard for traipsing around with younger women -- but even if she'd lost her beauty, she hadn't lost her touch.

Nor, after all this time, had she lost her loyalty to Jeb.

"You don't give up easily, do you, Tana?" Jeb asked as he approached her during a brief pause. "You spend any more time here, and you may as well build yourself a room to stay in."

Tana smiled and shrugged, clearly unremorseful. "If you want to stay ahead in the police force, you can't let yourself go. You're a fool for getting so out of practice, yourself. Haven't seen you here in weeks."

When Jeb simply smirked in response, Tana unabashedly continued. "I take it that means you've been busy with other things, then. I got your message... I'm interested. But, we shouldn't talk here."

Jeb nodded, but didn't move, so she asked, "Shall we take your car, then?"

Jebidiah chuckled, before raising his fists. "Not before you take back what you said, missy."

Tana rolled her eyes, but laughed, saying, "Fine then... Bring it, old man."

Well... Let's just say that Tana ate her words.

"That's why I need you, Tana," Jeb said huskily several minutes after they pulled out of the academy's parking lot. "I know I'm asking a lot, but we're talking a huge payoff, here... more than enough to make up for the risk."

"I know, Jeb. I get that. I just don't think you've put everything else into the right hands."

"But that's the point though, Tana. It's entirely possible I haven't... But with you, I'm practically guaranteed success, regardless of how crummy these two-bit criminals turn out to be."

"And you think that Simolie's are enough to make up for how much this could jeopardize my career? Have you forgotten how much I've already sacrificed for you? When am I going to get the payback for that, Jebidiah?"

"Tana... I'm not going to argue with you. You either take it or leave it. I didn't ask for you to play rescue hero, or to pull a sloppy clean-up for my wife... And I certainly didn't ask you to come here with me. But you did, for whatever reason, and that's the same reason you're going to do this for me. Do I have to make myself any more clearer?"

Tana scowled as she briefly took a glance at Jeb, but quickly turned away. "No," she hissed.

"Besides, you know this isn't about the money. The Strummer job wasn't, either. Not for us, anyways. You and I... we're different, from the rest," Jebidiah said as he pulled the car to a stop. "Look inside yourself, and listen to how you feel. For once, you're excited, again... You should feel lucky I'm giving you this opportunity."

Jeb smiled when Tana couldn't piece together a response, still gently thumbing her lower lip in deep thought. "C'mon," he said, shutting off the engine of the car. "There's someone I want you to meet."

---

"I just... I just can't believe it, Jeb! I knew they'd have to find out eventually, but... Not like this!"

The afternoon was warm and sunny, but Jebidiah was guilted into laying next to his paranoid wife until she had enough sense to finally go to work. He hadn't seen her this worked up in ages, and the last thing he wanted was for her to have a break down while he wasn't home...

... especially after what happened last time, with a certain Shamus Drudge.

"And I mean... What if they tell Amelia! She's too young! Or let it slip to a friend at school? Or what if during a game of Truth or Dare, they get asked an awkward question, and... Or what if Travis turns us in because he's mad I didn't tell him to begin with? Or what if they actually decide to dig up Chandra's spirit, and she finds a way to contact someone and tell them and have us tracked down and arrested and -- Jeb, are you listening?!"

"What? Oh... Yes, honey," Jeb stammered.

"Look. Let's face it," Jeb began slowly, trying to stem off her irritation. "Our kids can tell whoever the heck they want about Chandra. Maybe we'll get arrested, or worse... But both our sons love you dearly, Meredith. The last thing they want is to see in you jail. They're upset now, but not nearly as upset as they'll be if they lose you because of their own stupidity. None of our kids were brought up to be like that. And if they were... Then maybe it's our own damn fault and we deserve to be in prison, anyways."

Jeb gave a grumpy shrug, before turning his eyes slightly away.

"I.. I know," Meredith stuttered. "I know it's stupid for me to feel this way. I just thought I'd buried this all forever, you know?" She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "And I wish I could've spared our kids ever having to deal with it. It's just not fair to them."

"No, it's not. But when people make mistakes, they have to face the consequences. If that's losing our children's respect... So be it."

Meredith opened her eyes slowly, and surprisingly, smiled. "You know, I never get that, about you. You're so intent on being in control, but you're so at peace about everything you can't. Why can't you rub off some of that on me, huh?"

Jebidiah laughed, before reaching his arm over and tugging her close. "Because then you wouldn't be nearly as interesting to be around."

"You're such a liar," Meredith muttered as they both closed their eyes, and threaded their fingers together.

"And a jerk, I know," Jebidiah said with a smirk. "But for some reason, you still love me."

"Yeah," Meredith said, pulling away just enough to be able to look into his eyes. "I still do."

---

The wind rattled the windows of the house eerily, but it didn't bother Jeb in the slightest. In fact, he found it rather reassuring. Dead silence, he thought, was far more to be worried about.

"They're all asleep, I trust?"

The sultry voice had come from behind him, breaking Jeb's line of thought. With a stiff nod, he replied, "They are. Meredith ... conveniently ... managed to take two sleeping pills tonight, so we shouldn't be bothered. Still, we should make this quick."

"Naturally."

"So? What do you think?"

The female gave a slight 'guffah' as Jeb turned around towards her. "I'm amused, really. It's cheap, at best. Amateur. In fact, it's so much so, that I'm suprised this is coming from you..."

Jeb scowled, but he remained quiet, assuming she'd continue.

"... However, that may play to your strengths. An element of surprise. You'll need many, dealing with Thomas... He tends to be one to prepare himself in as many ways as possible. And, you'd be a fool to think that he doesn't know you're planning something."

"Naturally," Jeb responded mockingly. "So, then? What else?"

"My, my, aren't we impatient," the woman sassily replied. "Well, I will tell you this. Thomas won't be expected anything this brutish or unelegant. He expects a master plan from a master of the thieving arts, not a blunt show of force... but I believe that will work, with good timing. That only leaves one little snag, but... You'll figure out how to deal with it, when the time is right."

"Yes, yes, I've got some ideas." With a small cackle, Jeb tapped his fingertips together. "Ways to make this foolproof... Ways to make this cunning enough, even for you."

"I'd gathered. I've learned to read the signs, Jebidiah, and I know this for certain... I either side with you, or get out of here while I still can."

"So... I can count you in? You'll give me what I want?"

"Yes," she responded, the red curl of her lips smoothing upwards as she turned her gaze sidelong to look up at Jebidiah.

"You should know by now, Jeb... With the right price, anyone can be bought."