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Three days later
MacLeod couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was not right. Having centuries of experience helped him to trust his intuitions. There was something odd about the encounter with the mystery man and there was something even odder about Reina's reaction to him. The fact that her mood abruptly changed and she left town the next day did not help things either. The mood change in and of itself wasn't necessarily a sign of trouble. Reina's moods were best described as mercurial but this shift was odd, even for Reina and her declarations that her road trip had nothing to do with the incident simply did not ring true. Reina hadn't realized it but he saw the look on her face when she was looking at the paper the man had handed her. The look of murderous determination was unmistakable. He'd seen that look before more times than he cared to remember on more people than he'd care to count. Nothing good could come from it. He'd been debating whether or not to go after her for the past three days. But if she were going after Mark Tuttle he couldn't interfere. She had as much right as the next immortal to go after his head. That was as much a part of the game as the fact that he could not interfere. And Reina was not a child. She didn't need nor want him chasing after her. But he couldn't undo centuries of conditioning. He had been playing protector to his friends and loved ones for longer than she'd been alive. He wanted to ensure that Reina continued to live. But there was nothing he can do. He couldn't interfere. Every immortal knew that. His reverie was interrupted by the ringing telephone.
"Dojo."
"Mr. MacLeod?"
"Speaking."
"You don't know me. My name is Laura Moore. I…," the woman paused. "My son was a friend of Reina Molestador's."
"How can I help you?"
"I…Reina's godfather…," Laura Moore sighed. "This is more than a little awkward. Especially given that I don't know you. But I called Reina's godfather and was told that he had passed away. The lawyer referred me to you. He said that you were looking after her."
"Reina is a grown woman."
Laura Moore laughed bitterly. "I know. But I made a promise to her godfather a year and a half ago. I'm just keeping up my end of the bargain. He did mention that if I couldn't get in touch with him that I was to call you."
"Is there a problem?"
"Yes there is. I think Reina is about to do something very self-destructive not to mention stupid. And I can't stop her."
"What's going on?"
"Reina has found out that my son's wife is in town and I think that she plans to kill her."
MacLeod's jaw dropped at the woman's accusation. He had assumed that the look meant that Reina had planned to go after Mark Tuttle. It never occurred to him that she might have another person toward whom her intentions could be equally deadly.
"That's quite an accusation."
"It is. I don't make accusations like this lightly Mr. MacLeod. When Reina came down to visit I thought everything was okay. It's been a year and a half. She's had some time to grieve and heal."
"But you don't think she has."
"No she hasn't. And when she started hanging around the diner where Carrie works I knew something was up. Then I stopped by her hotel room. I didn't see a gun but I smelled gun oil."
"Reina doesn't own a gun."
"Reina has her brother's gun. And believe me she knows how to use it. If she's carrying it she has only one use for it."
MacLeod shook his head in exasperation. He could see Reina smiling grimly at the irony of killing the woman she believed killed her brother with his gun. "I'll be down as soon as I can," he told Mrs. Moore.
MacLeod's brow furrowed as he thought back to the past couple of weeks. He had noticed that Reina had been practically obsessed with something on her computer. He hadn't thought anything about it. Reina often got interested in something and would obsess over it for awhile before moving her attention to something else. He had assumed that her obsession was in finding the man who killed Reynaldo. Apparently he was wrong.
MacLeod made a few phone calls and booked himself on the first available flight to Los Angeles. Before leaving he left the dojo in Richie's hands.
"What's going on Mac?" He asked.
"I'm going to be out of town for a day or so..."
"And you want me to watch the dojo," Richie said completing MacLeod's sentence.
"I would appreciate it."
"No problem Mac," Richie said shrugging. "It's not like it's been that busy around here."
"Very funny."
"Are you sure this isn't some trick to get me to keep the books?"
"It's no trick," MacLeod told his protégé. "I'm just going to LA for a day or so."
"LA." Richie sighed wistfully. "Popular place these days."
"Popular?"
"Yeah. Reina mentioned going to LA the other day."
"She did?"
"Yeah. I remember teasing her about it because she always referred to LA as 'La la land.' I didn't think she'd be caught dead there. But she said a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do."
"That sounds like Reina." Duncan said.
"What did you say Mac?"
"Nothing. I'll see you in a day or so. And Richie?"
Richie looked up at his friend expectantly.
"Thanks."
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