Whisper My Name

Chapter 28

February 16, 1992

Abe Carver's Office, Salem Police Department

You made my mind

Now I'm stronger, I'm comin' through

Straight on, straight on for you

~ Straight On ~ Heart ~

Shane walked into Abe's office briskly, closing the door behind him, "We've got a serious problem."

Anytime Shane Donovan looked frazzled or said there was a problem, Abe got nervous. Putting the file he was reading to the side, he asked, "What kind of problem are we talking about."

"Roman is gone. Taken from the ISA safe house. We don't know exactly when. The agents assigned there hadn't checked in for a day or so, and we sent another couple agents to recon. We've got five ISA agents dead, and Roman is nowhere to be found," Shane told him. "Tarrington is bloody furious, and he's not talking. He's playing this one close to the vest."

Abe leaned back in his chair with a frown, "So, that's all we know then?"

"That's all. How do I tell Caroline and Shawn that not only is Bo missing, but now the ISA has lost Roman as well?" Shane paced Abe's office in frustration. "This is going to destroy them, Abe."

"Can we trust Tarrington?" Abe asked. "I mean, after what Vaughn did... can we trust the ISA at all?"

"I wish I knew," Shane said slowly. "I turn off all of my ISA equipment everytime I expect communication from John, because I simply do not know."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Saloon at The Western, Ouray, Colorado

Isabella sat across from Daniel Pierce with a smile pasted onto her face. Daniel worked at City Hall in Telluride. He was a small man, with sparse hair that he attempted to comb over to give the illusion of having more hair than he actually did. His eyes were kind, a soft brown that made you think of a sad puppy. She felt only slightly guilty for playing with his heart to get what she was after, but she ultimately had no choice. She'd been playing at this seduction for days, and felt she was finally getting somewhere.

Caressing the top of his hand with the tips of her fingers, Isabella whispered, "I'm so glad I could see you again. I was–I was missing you last night."

Daniel's eyes lit up, "You–you did?" Betsy Barron was beautiful. He'd never seen a woman so beautiful in his life, and the fact that he turned her head was a miracle. No one ever paid him any mind. He was easily overlooked. His mother always said that one day the right woman would come along. A woman who would recognize his worth and love him for who he truly was. As he stared into Betsy's dark brown eyes, he felt himself falling hard.

"I did," Isabella purred. "I think... I can't think of anything more exhilarating than a game of Dungeons and Dragons... and you, Daniel, are the sexiest dragon master I've ever met."

Daniel felt the heat rise in his pale skin as he looked around the restaurant in embarrassment, "Betsy..."

"Watching you cast that spell last night in your mothers garage had me so hot," Isabella whispered with a giggle. "I was up half the night thinking about it."

"I–I brought you something," Daniel whispered. He wanted her to know how much he cared about her... what he would do for her. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a folded piece of paper. If anyone at his job knew what he'd done, he'd be fired immediately, but for Betsy he would walk through the flames of hell. Sliding the paper across the table, he smiled as Betsy's eyes lit up.