Open Case File [COMPLETED]

Returning To Work (Part 10)

Donovan shook his head, following Carter's path through the rooms. Though he would never admit it, he worried for her. Worried that what she'd faced damaged her deeply enough that she might never find reasons to smile again.

In the Degas wing, Carter settled on a bench and stared at the art before her. She donned a contemplative expression as if the painting did absorb all of her attention.

"You know," Mason said in to the mic. "That painting was originally called Fat Lady Dancer."

Carter rolled her eyes. "Of course you have no taste in art."

"Correction, I have no taste in anything that requires endless hours of staring at something."

"Mason, you sit at a computer screen all day long," Carter said.

"Only cause I get paid for it."

Before Carter could respond, someone said her name.

"Carter?"

When Carter swiveled her head towards the voice, a man the same age as Carter with unruly dark hair, warm chocolate eyes and a lean face stepped forward.

"Carter Owens?" the man asked again.

Slowly, Carter rose as if seeing a ghost. "Tyler Hayes?"

"It's been a long time." Tyler grinned as he drew closer.  "Funny, bumping into you here."

After a pause, Carter not only smiled, but laughed.

The sound cut through Donovan and he felt a flare of confusion and anger.

"I can't believe you remember that," Carter said, still beaming.

Donovan curled his fingers. He knew Carter when she faked a smile, it never reached her eyes. But even from the angle of the museum camera he saw how real her smile was.

"Who is that?" Donovan asked.

"Give me a minute," Mason said.

Donovan didn't want to give him a minute, he wanted the information now. Someone he'd never heard about was making his wife not only smile, but laugh. Something he'd been wanting to happen for a while. Something that he should have been able to make happen. Not some random man.

"How could I forget about it," Tyler said. "There I am reading my book and this girl crashes into me."

"I did not crash into you," Carter said.

"You nearly knocked me off my feet." Tyler ran his hand through his hair. "In more ways then one."

"That is a terrible line," Carter said.

"Yeah, but you do remember that I was the self-created recluse who walked about reading a book, not much has changed."

Carter laughed. It was friendly and unburdened. Donovan stood up abruptly and begun to pace the short confines of the van.

"Mason, where is that information?"

Mason eyed Donovan, barely hiding his amusement. "Almost got it."

Donovan watched the pair on screen, reading the ease in Carter's body and the eagerness in Tyler's. He knew it would ruin everything, but right then he wanted to race into the museum and demand answers. How could this man do what Donovan hadn't? Why could he so easily make Carter return to the girl she was before?

"I have a confession," Carter said.

Tyler leaned in conspiratorially. "Oh and what is that?"

"I completely orchestrated the collision," she said.