Jack was very tempted to go to the local electronic store, but he knew it would arise suspicion, so he forced himself to drive 70 miles to a town they had never been before.
He didn't waste any time. He paid for his purchases, and drove right back. He felt silly worrying, but he couldn't help himself. He would need to get a grip. Once they were back, he wouldn't be spending every minute of every day with her.
On the other hand, the thought of going home to his wife and child every night would carry him through his day. It amazed him how much his life changed in less than seven months. How on earth did he ever live without her?
His grin got wider as he made the turn on the familiar road. Soon he would be home, and he would cuddle to his wife. Or as much as he could with the little basketball between them. He chuckled. The ultrasound had showed them a perfect little baby. He/she was sucking his/her thumb when they took a peek. Baby already had his head down, but the doctor wasn't putting too much faith in it just yet. Baby could still summersault many times before adopting a final position, he'd warned Sue.
Still, the image of his baby had stayed in Jack's mind ever since. And he was just as anxious as Sue to hold their first born. Ten weeks, he mused.
He parked alongside the shed, noting the open doors. According to the radio, rain was in the forecast for tonight. He would need to remember to put the quad away.
He walked to the house, half expecting Levi to run towards him. As he approached he noticed the addition on the porch, and the forms lying on it.
"Where does that come from?" Jack asked, staring at them.
He wished he had a camera and could freeze the moment in time. Where the swing came from, he had no clue. At one point, Jack figured, Sue and Levi were probably rocking side by side. But slowly Sue must have drifted to sleep. She was lying down, her head resting over Levi, her breathing slow and regular. Her hands were wrapped around her belly, holding a book. The poor dog was curled up, not daring to move in order not to disturb her mistress. But his big brown eyes, turned toward Jack, were seeking assistance.
Jack picked up the book first. 10 000 baby names, reading the title. If they didn't find one they liked, they were in big trouble, smiling at the thought, as he set it aside.
"What has she done to you, boy?" he asked, patting Levi's head with empathy. "I leave you two alone for a few hours, and Sue turns you into a pillow? You should know that's my job." He gently wrapped his wife in his arms, trying not to wake her up. "Here you go, Levi."
As soon as he was free, Levi jumped down the swing and ran to the closest tree.
"What am I going to do with you?" He cradled her into his arms where she moaned softly. "Does that mean you missed me?" He placed a tender kiss on her forehead, and was delighted when she murmured his name. "I love you, sweetheart," he murmured, his chin brushing her hair.
Gently he rocked her, wondering where that swing came from, when he suddenly remembered seeing those cushions hanging in the shed. He never associated them with a swing until now. She couldn't have built it by herself... could she? It scared him to think that in fact she could have.
Levi came jumping back up, and curled into a ball.
"Good boy," Jack praised, freeing one hand to pat him.
He must have dozed off too, because when he opened his eyes Sue was smiling at him.
"I missed you, Jack."
Her hand moved inside his shirt, before her lips teased his. He deepened the kiss, basking in the warm sensations she awoke every time she touched him. He knew outside wasn't the appropriate place for intimacy but he couldn't resist sliding his hand under her top caressing the beautiful curves baby created.
His mouth travelled down to her throat, then up again along her hairline. When her hands became too adventurous for outside he trapped them into his, and placed her head over his heart. She laughed when he signed 'behave'. He had a feeling if their little one was anything like his mom, he would be a handful... and he found himself praying for baby to be just as spirited as Sue.
"Nice construction project," he murmured admiringly when she tilted her head to gaze at him. "You were busy. What happened to no strenuous activity?" he teased.
"I had help," she replied, a devious little smile appearing on her face.
"You had help?" He arched his brow. "Baby and Levi don't count," he quipped.
"But Levi is the one who found it," she replied with laughter in her voice.
"Why do I sense a long story here?" he pondered amused. "I'm listening, sweetheart."
"It all started with Levi chasing a R-A-B-B-I-T," she signed the last word. "The shed was open so he went in. I tried to get him out but he pulled on a rope. Next thing I knew, the shed looked like a battlefield, and I was standing in the middle of it." She felt his chest tremble despite his attempt to keep a straight face. "It wasn't funny at the time," she chided him with a smile.
"I'm sure it wasn't," he said, grinning, the mental picture just too funny. "Obviously, you and baby didn't get hurt, did you?" he asked, suddenly concerned.
"No, nothing fell on me, but it scared Levi out. I don't think he will set foot... paw... inside that shed in a long time," she laughed. "But it was his fault," she reminded Jack before he found another excuse to spoil Levi.
"I'm sure he meant well, right boy?"
Levi barked in agreement. She rolled her eyes at them.
"So you carried all that here?"
"No, I really got help," she said, only to see Jack frowning. "When I exited the shed, I came face to face with Chuck. He heard the noise and came to help."
"He heard the noise all the way from town?" he asked, unable to resist teasing her. "It must have been quite a battle."
"No, he... JACK!!!"
This time he laughed out loud. She was just too adorable when she was all flustered.
"You're impossible, Jack. What am I going to do with you?"
"I have a few ideas, and I can share them if you want," he said, wiggling his brows.
"Jack! You're... you're..."
"The man you love?" he offered.
"Yes, the man I love."
"Just wanted to make sure. You can continue. I will be quietly listening to everything you say." Except, the twinkling in his eyes told her otherwise.
"Chuck was riding his quad with his little grandson, Ian. He asked if I was planning on setting up the swing by myself. Next thing I know, Chuck carries everything on the porch, with Ian's help. He's about four-year-old, Jack. He's so cute..."
"And I'm sure he was helping just as much as Levi was," he pointed out, imagining the little lad.
"Just about." She laughed. "I gave him cookies for his big help and he shared half of them with Levi."
"That was very nice of Chuck." Jack nodded in appreciation. "Did he stay to chat a little?"
"Yes, he asked if we came up with anything in the last few weeks to help Patrick."
"He would have made a good investigator," said Jack. "What did you tell him?"
"That we were working on it. And hopefully get back to him soon."
"Fair answer," he said approvingly.
"Jack, I know it's only a matter of time before I see it. Maybe the clue will be there." She felt him tightening his grip around her, giving her strength. "Their baby boy was in my dreams again last night. Actually, they were all there," she continued.
"Even Patrick?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"Isn't it the first time you see him?"
"Yes. The baby was cradled in my... her arms," she amended, seeing the newborn nursing to her breast. "We were in the bedroom. There was a rocking chair where the dresser is, near the closet."
Jack nodded as he could place it.
"Patrick had Krissa sitting on his lap and he was reading her a story, but I think she fell asleep," she recounted, her voice unconsciously dropping. "Her head was at a weird angle and she didn't stir while he slowly rocked her. They seemed so happy," she concluded.
"I need to get you one," he said, his mind wandering.
"Get me what, Jack?" she asked, slightly confused. "We are already expecting one."
"A rocking chair, sweetheart," he said laughing, his hand caressing her belly. "Unless you're hiding one."
She rolled her eyes. "Very funny, daddy."
"Hey, we cannot have a baby without a rocking chair, and the one we're sitting on doesn't count. I don't think you want to give baby his two o'clock feeding outside, do you?" he asked, waiting for her reaction.
"What makes you think I," she emphasized the pronoun, "will be the one getting up for the two o'clock feeding?"
"Because I will be lacking the necessary... equipment," he whispered, his hand skimming over her swollen breasts.
"Did I read you right? Did you just say... equipment?" she repeated, shivering under his gentle touch.
"Poor choice of words," he admitted, blushing a little. "I mean if I was baby I would rather feel the texture of your skin than some cold rubbery--"
"Really?" She placed a finger on his lips while a grin formed slowly on her lips. "See, I was thinking I would stay in bed while you get our hungry little guy and bring him to me, and I would be using you as a pillow while I feed him."
"Much better idea," he easily conceded, the image it evoked making him smile dreamily.
"Then you would change his diaper and put him back to sleep," she added mischievously.
"Diaper?" The word scared him more than a terrorist cell, only to hear her laugh as she buried her head against his shoulder. The worse part was he knew she was serious and he would be the one getting up in the middle of the night... and he couldn't wait.
No wonder she fell asleep under the sun, he mused, as he rocked the swing at the same rhythm than the waves crashing down the cliff. The breeze was gentle, caressing them like a feather, and it was so peaceful. He was glad he gave her the morning to herself and went to town alone, or he wouldn't be enjoying this perfect moment with her.
"I could stay here all day with you," he voiced quietly, unaware she was gazing at him through half closed eyes.
"We can," she replied softly. "We don't have to go anywhere, do we?"
"I was thinking lunch." He fingered a stain on her top that wasn't there when he left. "If I sent it to the lab, would the guy identify it as chocolate?" he teased.
"Only if he makes a mistake," she said innocently.
"Sure, sweetheart. And have you had lunch yet with that dessert?" The blush on her face giving him the answer he needed. "Come on, time to feed you and baby properly."
He scooped her in his arms and she held on to his neck.
"Could we eat outside?"
"Excellent idea, and you can tell me about the new names you found before your nap."
Jack was glad she didn't bounce name on him while he was eating, or he might have choked on a few.
"How about Aira?" she cuddled against him, the open book resting over her belly.
"Of the wind," he read. "Aira Hudson? I don't know" he said, looking at the sky. Clouds were moving in from the ocean. "What do you think of Oceana?" He spelled it for her. "One day we could bring her back here."
"Oceana Hudson," she voiced, liking how it rolled on her tongue. "Does it sound pretty when I say it, Jack?"
"You have a beautiful voice, sweetheart. And when you say her name, it sounds heavenly." Running his hand alongside her cheek, he wiped tears of joy. "I love you, Sue, and I intend to tell your parents tonight."
They waited until very late at night to make sure someone would be home. The blackberry was hooked. They shared the receiver to speak, following the conversation at the same time on the screen.
"Stephen, speaking."
"Dad, did we wake you up?"
"Suzie! Carla!" He shook his wife. "It's Suzie." Sue read the words addressed to her and her mother on the screen. "It's been so long. How are you? Is Jack with you?"
"Jack is here. We just wanted to let you know we're fine and very happy."
"Sue, it's mom. I can give lots of meaning to very happy, you know."
"I guess you could let your imagination roam, mom," Sue said, blushing.
"Suzie, your mom is hyperventilating right now, and I can have a pretty vivid imagination too. How much taking care of my daughter have you been doing, Jack?"
"I'm taking very precious care of her, sir."
"See, Jack, that is exactly what is worrying me," he dad said, not quite able to hide the laughter from his voice, knowing Jack would pick up on it.
"Dad!"
"I love your amazing daughter," Jack said, setting the record straight while meeting his wife's gaze. "And I'm forever blessed she agreed to become my wife."
"Wife? Oh my goodness gracious!" The blackberry was not quite able to translate every exclamation her mother was making.
"I think they are happy, Sue," Jack said, smiling at her.
"Of course we're happy," they read on the screen. "Now your mother is crying. Listen, agents come regularly to ask about you. Who can we trust?"
"Only the members of my team, sir. We have to go," Jack said, watching the time.
They heard their daughter wishing them goodnight before Jack cut the communication off.
Next, they dialled Jack's parents from a different phone.
"Hudson residence," answered an exasperated voice.
"Hi, dad. Is everything all right?"
Sue stared at him in confusion, not having picked the intonation.
"It's the third time this week you phone," Jack's dad retorted over the phone. "I'm not changing my long-distance provider."
"Don't trust anyone outside my team," Jack warned him, hanging up immediately after.
"Don't you call--"
The rest was lost in fibre optic space.
Jack disconnected the blackberry, leaving it in her hands. She was looking at him with uncertainty.
"You get ready for bed, sweetheart, while I dispose of the cells. We'll talk on the pillow," he said, giving her a reassuring smile.
When he returned in the room she had lit a fire and was waiting for him.
"You're getting good at this, sweetheart," he praised, admiring her masterpiece. "And no smoke."
"I would love to have a fireplace in our house, Jack."
She was lying on her back, watching him undressed. The flames were intimately dancing over his very nicely developed muscles, and she yearned for her fingers to trace the same path.
He crawled in bed next to her, aware of the desire burning in her eyes.
"You're not worry, are you?" he asked, his hand roaming her body, fuelled by her touch.
She sobered up, and he cursed himself for ruining the mood. Propped on his elbow, he gently massaged baby, soothing her in the process.
"We're safe, Sue. If we had been in danger, my dad would have hung up as soon as he heard my voice. There was obviously someone in the house he didn't trust, but it could easily have been Mr. Gwynneiger."
"Mr. WHO?" she asked, her eyes widening.
"Mr. G-W-Y," he began to fingerspell it only to stop and return his attention on her belly. "Not sure how to spell it. He's our neighbour on the left, very annoying neighbour on the left."
"After midnight?"
"Dad and him are arguing all the time," said Jack. "More often than none about the huge tree near the backward fence. In the spring, it's about the branches that hang over the fence, in the summer it's about the shadow the tree makes, and the fall it's about the leafs that fall in his backward."
"What about winter?" she quipped.
"Gwynneiger spends January and February down south, though he always manages to call my dad a couple time about something."
"Is that one of those love-hate relationships?" she asked, smiling at her husband.
"I would go more with a hate-hate relationship. Last time I went to visit I parked in front of his house because someone was parked in front of my parents' house."
She nodded since it made sense. "And?"
"At two in the morning, he came knocking at our door asking me to move my car."
She arched her brow. "Doesn't the street belong to everyone?"
"Except the portion in front his house."
"Did you move your car?" she asked, thinking she wouldn't have.
"Yes, that was the only way we could get some sleep, aside from calling the police, which I was very tempted to do," he admitted. "So, could it be him annoying my father at that time of night? YES," he answered, nodding emphatically.
She laughed quietly. "Does Mr. Gwyn... does he really exist?"
"Honest, sweetheart, this is NOT a joke, though I think my dad likes to provoke him," he said, laughing with her. "I'm looking forward to take you to my parents, and to tell them about baby."
"You know, Jack, I don't think you'll need to tell them anything," she quipped, rubbing her hands over her belly. "One look at me, and they'll catch on. How much bigger am I going to get?"
"Depends how much ice cream you keep eating," he blurted out, catching her hands into his before she smacked him. "What I mean to say is--"
"Yes, honey?" she challenged him.
"You're just the perfect size for baby," he whispered, tenderly kissing his way out of trouble, and into his wife's warm embrace.
***
She was on the porch, watching the car leave. But as she closed the door she saw him, near the wood. And she could feel his cold gaze on her though the black visor. She quickly locked the door, any sense of security vanishing as her weak body prepared for the fight.
"He's coming," Sue shouted, bolting into a sitting position, scaring Levi who jumped off the bed.
Jack woke up instantly, and cradled her in his arms. It had only been an hour since they fell asleep, and the fire was still burning strong. Her eyes were wide open, staring right through him.
"It's all right, sweetheart. I'm here," he said, brushing her burning cheeks.
"He's there, Jack."
Startled by her eerily panicky response, he cupped her head in his hand. "Sue, you're dreaming."
"Please, make it stop, Jack. I'm awake, but I can see everything just there." She waved her hand in front of her through thin air. "Patrick just left. He is outside on his bike, stalking me. I'm locking all the doors and windows." She could see herself running from one room to the next. "Krissa is in the kitchen. I'm going upstairs to get the baby. He is sleeping. I just fed him."
Her features reflected all the emotions that were going through her mind... Amelia's mind, Jack corrected.
"He will come in, Jack. I don't want to see it, please."
Tears filled her eyes.
"Sweetheart, you hold on to me," he said, powerless to prevent the images from appearing, not understanding how dream and reality could coexist at the same time. "I'm with you. Tell me what you see," he asked, hoping it was the right approach, as he held her.
"I'm trapped in the house with the children. He peeks through the window. Krissa screams when she sees him."
"Is it Vixen, Sue?" he asked, totally amazed she could concentrate enough to read him as well.
"He's scaring Krissa, Jack. His face is against the glass. His helmet is gone. It's him," she exclaimed, seeing him for the first time. "It's Vixen, except younger. I'm... I'm dragging Krissa to the closet. She keeps looking in his direction. I hear... How can I hear?"
"Amelia is hearing, Sue, not you. You're watching a movie. We're watching a movie together," he uttered, grounding her to him with his touch. "What does Amelia hear?"
"A broken window. The baby is in my arms wrapped into a blanket." Tears fell down her cheeks. "I take the children down to the cellar. I want to escape. He's ravaging the upstairs. He will find us any moment. I take Krissa's rag doll from her hands and gave her the baby instead, tying the blanket around her chest. I... That is weird," she said, momentarily distancing herself from Amelia. "I take my necklace off, and my ring. My wedding ring. I slid the necklace though the ring and place it around Krissa's neck. She is crying, Jack, looking at me with big scary eyes. I open the trap, pushing her to go down. She doesn't want to. I closed the trap over her head," she whispered, crying in Jack's arms, the images finally fading away.
"You're safe in my arms, sweetheart," he whispered to her ear, hoping for her heart to understand.
He gently lay down with her, keeping her head against his chest. Slowly her sobbing subsided, and her laboured breathing evened out. When her body relaxed under his tender care, he knew exhaustion claimed her and she had falling asleep.
"Only you and me," he whispered to his little one as he felt the tiny kicks against his stomach. "How your mommy can sleep with you wrestling inside her belly is beyond my comprehension." He stroked her taut skin. "You go to sleep, mommy is done dreaming for a while." When baby kicked him hard, Jack smiled. "You're getting bigger and stronger. Must be all that ice cream mommy is feeding you." He chuckled as baby stirred again. "Mommy did good, you know," he praised, the pieces of the puzzle all finally fitting together. Tomorrow, he would reread the crime scene report to verify the details. "No waking up early," he warned his little one. "Mommy and daddy are sleeping in tomorrow."
Jack drifted to sleep at the sound of her slow and regular breathing and the feel of sporadic little kicks.
***
D entered the bullpen to find his entire new team busy and accounted for, which was an anomaly in itself, and it worried him.
Ever since Myles took a few personal days last week, he had been extremely quiet, concentrating on official paperwork. Coincidentally, D hadn't seen or heard from Tara or Bobby ever since either.
D wondered if that was the calm before the storm, and if the complaint that just made its way on his desk was part of it.
"What brings you here, D?" asked Myles, lifting his head from his report.
"Are you annoying Osborne on purpose?" He dropped a file on his desk.
Myles gave it a quick glance, a smile curling up his lips. "Am I?"
"That's not funny, Myles."
"Jack's dad called me this morning. He wanted to know how to file an harassment charge against Osborne." Myles shrugged his shoulders, ignoring Lucy's muffled snicker. "What can I say, I'm a helpful guy."
"Conference room, Agent Leland," D ordered.
Myles left the bullpen under the curious gaze of his colleagues, and closed the door of the conference room behind him.
"Make sure it's locked, Myles," D ordered the tall agent who was more than happy to obey. "Have a seat."
"If you don't mind, I will stand," he countered, facing his supervisor.
"In response to the harassment charges against him, Osborne just filed obstruction charges against you, Myles," informed D.
"Against me? Is he out of his mind? Forget I asked. I know the answer to that." He paced the room. "Is someone taking him seriously?"
"Yes, Assistant Director Connors is about to suspend you."
"He wants me as a retirement trophy?" joked Myles. "I should feel honoured."
"Myles, you are making powerful enemies right now."
"Well, it comes with the territory," he ventured, brushing it off.
"Osborne is convinced you know where Jack and Sue are hiding, and you are colluding with the Hudson parents to keep them financially afloat."
"I'm what?" He stared in disbelief at D, unsure if he should be laughing or shouting, the former winning over, as a huge grin appeared.
"I fail to see the humour in it."
"Inside joke," quipped Myles.
"What happened at the Hudson parents last night to warrant the charges?" he sighed deeply.
"Jack's dad wanted to surprise his wife with a Mediterranean cruise for their anniversary," explained Myles. "But since she is the one taking care of the finances at home, he borrowed $5000 from his retirement fund to pay for the trip so she wouldn't find out. He was going to put the money back in after he told her."
"But Osborne found the financial records and assumed he was taking money out for Jack," D concluded, connecting the dots. "Tell me Osborne didn't go confront the Hudsons," he asked, knowing that must have been exactly what happened.
"Yes, last night, in the presence of Jack's mom. His dad had to show all the bookings."
"So much for a surprise."
"Jack's dad was furious when he phoned Bobby," said Myles.
"And Bobby phoned you because?"
"My prose is better," Myles replied.
"You wrote the letter for Jack's dad?"
"Not entirely. I simply made some suggestions, and told him exactly where to fax it," he admitted, pride evident in his voice. "Why does Osborne think I'm-- Has he gone through my financial records?" The thought horrified him to no ends.
"It seems you've made lots of cash withdrawals ever since Jack and Sue disappeared, Myles."
"Yes, well... that's my personal business." He provided the cash to pay for all the expenses they incurred while investigating Jack's and Sue's case, so no one could identify the leads they're following. He never thought it would turn against him.
"Myles, in two hours, you will be summoned for a hearing to account for your spending habits," He said, pulling a computer listing from his pocket and giving it to Myles.
"Horse races listings?" Failing to see any correlation, he frowned at D.
"Learn the names of the horses, pick the losers, and make sure you know where the racing track is located, Myles."
Understanding dawned on Myles. "You mean?"
"And please, act surprised at the hearing when they exposed your financial statement," he advised before leaving the agent alone in the conference room.
***
Levi's barking woke Jack up.
"I guess I did forget to mention to you we were sleeping in." Carefully disentangling himself from Sue so he didn't wake her up, Jack slipped out of bed. "I'm coming, boy."
Like the weatherman predicted, it was foggy and rainy. They were not going anywhere today, unless Sue wanted to venture in town, which he knew would be a possibility after he shared his theory with her.
He stopped by the living room to pick up the Carson's file and brought it upstairs, Levi following him. After he lit the fire, Levi lay down in front of the fireplace instead of the foot of the bed.
Sue was stirring when he joined her. As soon as she sensed his presence, she cuddled to him, not willing to leave slumberland just yet. He caressed her hair, while reading the crime scene report. When he was certain he didn't miss anything, he went back to Patrick's testimony. In a very strange way, everything made sense.
"What is making sense, Jack?"
He gasped, not having realised she was awake or that he was mouthing his thoughts.
"You were not talking, were you?"
"No, I wasn't," he admitted before leaning for a lingering morning kiss. "Good morning, sweetheart.
"Morning, Jack. How long have you been reading?" she asked, peeking at the papers.
"Since I took Levi out," he said, unsure when that was.
"Anything interesting?"
"Depends." He traced her lips with his fingers, only to have her trap it in her mouth, her tongue sensually licking it. "Does that mean you're hungry?"
She wiggled her brows in response.
"Breakfast in bed?" he suggested.
"Breakfast at the table," she said, letting his finger go, her eyes twinkling merrily.
"How about on the table, sweetheart?"
She blushed profusely. "Jack!"
"Oh!" he innocently said, feigning surprise. "I didn't think of that, but since you're mentioning--"
"Jack Hudson! You and I need to have a serious talk before this baby is born," she warned him.
"Whatever you say, sweetheart."
"And if you behave on the... at the table," she corrected herself too late, ignoring his widening grin at her slip of the tongue. "I may just let you join me in the shower."
"And will I need to behave in the shower?" he asked, gazing at her.
"We'll see," she whispered, mischievously. "Jack? Did I say something last night that made sense?"
He pushed the papers aside, giving Sue his full attention.
"I believe you did, sweetheart. I believe you solved the puzzle."
She frowned. "Really?"
"How much do you remember?"
"Everything. I was awake, Jack. I could see you, read your lips, feel your touch, and at the same time there was that scene playing in my mind, except..." she sighed. How could she describe something so strange? "Except I was there too. I could feel all her emotions, Jack. She tried to hide the children in the caves so he wouldn't hurt them. I just don't understand why she didn't go with them?" The same sadness washed over her, like it did last night. "Why did she go back to face Vixen?"
"Sue, I think we've been looking at your dreams... visions from the wrong angle. We need to take the rational approach," he said, not expecting her to laugh.
"There isn't anything rational about it, Jack," she argued, finding humour to be an excellent medicine.
"On the contrary, sweetheart," he said, having devised that scenario in his head. "We agree you share some type of psychic connection with Amelia's spirit, right?"
She shivered. "You're making it sound even weirder, Jack, almost spooky."
"Last night was spooky, sweetheart, but you handled it perfectly. I'm very proud of you," he said, taking their intertwined hands, and bringing her knuckles to his lips.
"Jack, last night didn't help me to solve her murder," she argued.
"Exactly." He smiled at her very confused expression. "Sue, does Amelia know who murdered her?"
She stared incredulously at him. "If Amelia knows? Is that a rhetorical question, Jack? Of course she knows, she was there when she got murdered." Her voice carried a hint of frustration.
"Then tell me one thing, sweetheart." He looked intently into her eyes. "Why would her spirit waste her time showing you what she already knows?"
"Because her spirit is confused." Searching his expression for what she was obviously missing, she silently pleaded for an explanation. "Just as confused as I am at the moment."
"Amelia is dead, but we believe her spirit is still seeking peace, right?"
"And it won't rest until her killer is arrested, which he is, but so is her husband, which he shouldn't..."
Jack's grin grew wider.
"Do I sound like Tara?" When he nodded, she chuckled. "Okay, Jack, out with it or I'm locking the bathroom door," she threatened.
"That is so not fair," he complained highly amused, only to have her glare at him. "Here is what I think happened. You can correct me anytime you want if you..."
"JACK! At this rate, baby will get here first." She swatted him across the chest. "And it's not funny."
"I love you, sweetheart." He pulled her to him, delighted when she didn't resist his effort.
"Now, Jack, you either use your hands to sign, or you make them behave," she warned.
"You're driving a hard bargain this morning," he teased her. "How about I leave them here until I'm done?"
His hands rested over the small of her back, his fingers gently caressing her skin.
"If they start wandering before you're done narrating, you're in big trouble, mister. I'm listening, start talking," she advised, resisting the temptation to surrender to the tiny electric shocks her nerve endings were sending through her body.
"You said Amelia gave Krissa her ring. I think she was bidding farewell to her children, Sue."
Sue's eyes widened in consternation. "But--"
He placed a finger on her lips to prevent her from objecting.
"Hear me out first, would you?"
When she nodded, he continued.
"You told me over and over again that she loved her children. To keep them from harm, she sent them in the caves. Then she went back to face Vixen to give her family the only thing she could. TIME. Time for the children to hide, time for her husband to come back."
"You think she knew he would kill her?" she asked, the thought horrifying her. "That she might never see her children again?"
"I think it crossed her mind that she might not survive the encounter. She probably expected him to beat her, or--" He stopped, not dwelling on the assault she more than likely suffered before he killed her. "She may also have taken the initiative and attacked him, trying to incapacitate him, or she offered to follow him if he left her family alone."
"She would have done anything to save her family, Jack," Sue told him quietly, realising she would have reacted the same way. "But at the end it didn't matter because he killed her anyway."
"And what would have been the last thing on her mind before she died?" he asked, his eyes softly lingering over her features.
"Her children," she answered without a hesitation.
He nodded with empathy.
"She wanted to save them, Jack. She died to protect them. She died in vain."
"Did she?"
"You don't think she died protecting them?" Sue asked, her maternal instinct in high gear, anxious to hear his version.
"No... yes... Sue, I agree with your interpretation, but what if Amelia's spirit wonders if she succeeded?"
"But they didn't, Vixen..." Her eyes widened in consternation as she stared at him. "Jack? You're not thinking..."
He nodded, waiting for her to object further. She remained silent, her mind processing all the information under a new light.
"It still doesn't make any sense, Jack," she finally replied.
"You don't think it's possible the children survived?" he asked, observing her closely. "I reviewed the reports, Sue. As skilled as he was, Vixen had barely enough time to dismember Amelia's body before Patrick's return, less alone time to chase the children. There was no trace of blood in the closet or the cellar. And Patrick saw no one lurking around. Vixen and his bike were gone, or Patrick would have noticed."
"But Patrick said he searched the house. Wouldn't he have found the children?"
"Maybe he didn't search the cave thinking they couldn't be there, or maybe he did, but Krissa was too far into the tunnels. Maybe she could hear her mother scream and just ran away, or maybe Amelia told her to run as far as she could."
"Jack, she was only a little girl. How far could she have gone with a newborn strapped to her? Did... did she die alone with the baby?" she voiced, the thought bringing an unexpected wave of sadness.
"Sue, we explored every inch of those tunnels, and we didn't come across any human remains. Those children didn't die in the caves," Jack affirmed categorically.
"Krissa could have fallen through the mouth of the cave opening on the ocean, or drowned in the pool."
"Their bodies never washed ashore, and I think she was smarter than to go swimming in the pool," observed Jack. "She was running for her life, and we have to remember she knew the caves quite well. It was her playground, and she spent lots of time drawing in there."
"There are only two exits, Jack," she pointed out. "The house or the other side of the inlet. You don't think she could have walked for hours and hours with a wailing baby, do you? What if she returned to the house while Vixen was still inside?"
"Then I believe he would have killed them," replied Jack honestly. "Except there was no evidence the children were murdered in the house."
"What if he took them with him?"
"On his bike? At the risk of being seen with the children of the woman he just murdered in rage?"
"He could also have killed them outside or just thrown them over the cliff," she felt compelled to argue.
"Sue, they searched the woods surrounding the house, and the beach for weeks after the murder, absolutely no traces of the children were ever found. And honestly, I don't think Krissa would have been able to push the trap up to re-enter the cellar. As impossible as it sounds, the only place Krissa could have ventured is across the inlet through the tunnels."
"Let's say you're right and by some miracle she managed to make it across, what happened to her? Did she get lost in the woods? Did they ever search those woods?"
"No, they didn't."
"Jack, it still doesn't bode well," she said sadly. "What are the chances someone found them alive and didn't notify the authorities?"
He caressed her hair, his thumb brushing along her cheek. "Slim to none," he admitted.
"Still, I would like to know where they could have gone, Jack, and so would Amelia," she said, her reaction not a surprise to Jack.
"You know, even after twenty years, some evidence of the children's passing may still linger in the woods," he observed.
Her expression lit up, a mixture of excitement and determination. "Could we go on a ride with the quad?"
"No quad today," he apologized. "It's pouring outside, and there's so much fog I couldn't see the tip of my nose."
"A trip in town?" she asked instead, her mind working around this new mystery. "Maybe Chuck can share a few stories about those parts of the woods before we venture into them. Please?" she pleaded, her hands sensually roaming over his chest. "We could go after breakfast?"
"What happened to the shower you promised me?" he teased, his hands coming to life. "Or are we having breakfast on the table?"
"I would settle for breakfast in bed, with dessert in the shower," she whispered saucily.
"You are hungry this morning, sweetheart," he noted with a huge grin. "Anything in the kitchen?"
He liked the nice shade of red spreading to her face
"Kitchen? Kitchen?" A mischievous glint crossed her eyes. "How about ice cream?" she asked, making him wonder if they had been talking about the same menu all along.