Part 2 (2/2)

Mom said she'd talk to her first. This is really stupid.” Jamie never took his eyes off the woman nearly to the door below them.

”It has to work. Mom needs her, the evidence is here. If it's not her, then we made a mistake, but you know as well as I do that Mom believes it's her. She's the specialist from out west and she needs her.”

Cait and their mom walked in a few seconds later. His mom was still angry with him for what he'd done and said to Dane, but she loved him and would eventually forgive him-he hoped. Cait was pacing the room and he wondered what Dane would say to her too. This whole thing was a really stupid idea and he suddenly knew it was going to go badly for them all.

”I think we should call this off. This is really-” Dane walked in, cutting him off. He could tell immediately that she was not happy to see them. When she stopped in the doorway, Captain Tucker, Donny to his friends, gave her a little nudge to get her moving again.

”If this is some sort of joke, then I'm not laughing. You said this was about the case with Mr. Grant. You never said neither his family nor him was going to be here. I'd like to go, please.

I have things I want to do; a root ca.n.a.l or a pap smear would be better than this.”

”Please sit down, Dr. Wallace. Or is it Dr. Messenger? Either way, we need your help. I realize that some of my family has been...let's say, less than civil to you, but there is a problem and I know you can help me.” Jamie blushed at his mom's pointed look.

”What on earth do you think I can...ah, I see.” She stared at him and Jamie began to squirm in his seat. ”You don't believe me, so why are you even here? Never mind. It doesn't matter.

What do you have, Mrs. Parker.”

”You know me? Well, I mean, I...okay. I have a missing child, well, three as a matter of fact. Their father says the mother took them, the mother says he did. Regardless of who did what, they're still missing and have been for several weeks.”

”You know that the longer they're gone, the more likely they are dead, don't you? I can't help you without something that belongs to each child.” She looked at Devin, anger evident in her voice. ”What are you doing here, Mr. Grant? Do you believe I'd do something to your family that you'd need to sue me for?”

”I'm here to negotiate your fee, doctor. And to give you this. It's an agreement that states whatever you say in here, whatever information you give us, is confidential and will not go beyond these doors. Everyone in here has signed it.”

”Even you, detective? That must have hurt. Knowing that you have to keep quiet this time.

I'll talk to you, Mrs. Parker, and to you, Mr. Grant, but the other two leave or I do. Mr. Grant”- she pointed at Jamie-”here has made his position on what I do very clear to me and I don't need the negative energy when I help-if I help.”

”Dane, I'm sorry. I had no right to-” Jamie started only to be cut off.

”You're absolutely right, Mr. Grant. You had no right to judge me or what I can or can't do.

If you want me to help, then I'd like you to leave. Now, please.” Jamie looked at her and saw the tears in her eyes. He'd hurt her. Hurt her badly, and he couldn't even begin to tell her how sorry he was. He stood and walked to the door with Cait.

Cait turned back to Dane. ”I'm sorry too. You have no idea just how much I've regretted the way things ended between us. How I felt when I found you there. Hunter is dead, I know you remember him. I killed him several months ago when he killed my Uncle Paddy and Aunt Dee. I know it's no excuse, but I was so young and so were you. Hunter seemed to know just...I'm so sorry.”

Jamie followed her out and held her while she cried. When she went to the bathroom, he called Spencer and asked him to come and get her, that she was upset.

”It's that d.a.m.ned woman again, isn't it? I told O'Malley to stay here that there was no reason to be near her. She thinks to talk her into forgiving her. As far as I'm concerned, the b.i.t.c.h can just bite me. It's been ten years, give it up already.” Jamie let go on his brother what he wanted to say to himself. ”You think this has been easy for her, for Dane? You think it's been easy knowing that the one group of people you were taught to trust betrayed you, let another child die because they were too pigheaded to listen to you? How do you think she's lived with herself knowing that she held that little girl's life in her hands and couldn't make anyone believe her, help her? Yeah, it's been ten years, but do you think you'd forget if Cait hadn't been able to save Meggie? That you knew that someone out there had the ability to save her and they didn't because others were too stupid to listen to her?” Jamie closed his phone and bounced it in his hand several times before he did what he'd wanted to for several days. He threw it across the room with enough force to shatter it and dent the wallboard beneath it. Pieces of it sprayed around the room a good ten feet from impact.

Someone clapping their hands brought him around quickly.

”Do you feel better? I know I would if I could do that. But I have enough trouble with keeping phones around without destroying them myself. Spencer already complains about my inability to have one for more than two weeks.” Cait moved in the room and sat on the chair closest to her. ”I take it you were speaking to my husband. I hope you gave him an earful. He's been telling me for days that I need to move on from this girl. I can't, Jamie. I let her down, or that little girl. I'll never forgive myself for that until Dane does.”

”I know, sweetie. Me too. I didn't believe you at first. Now...now I'm not sure. I called her the other day. She was in California with another case. I was...I wasn't very nice. I don't know what it is about her that made me want to lash out, but I did. I wish I knew what to do too.” Spencer came and got Cait, but neither man spoke. Jamie was sorry for that, but then he knew that once they got home, Cait would tell him. Or she'd hurt him. Either way, Jamie would get a call. He sat in one of the chairs and waited until they were done in the office. He was going to have a few words with Dr. Wallace before she left if he had to throw her to the floor and hold her there.

His mother had called her family by the Messenger name. He remembered her name had been that as a kid and wondered at the change. He knew from Devin that Dane had been in China since a week after she'd been found in the garage. She had come back to the States a few times over the years, once when her mother died then again when her grandmother had pa.s.sed away.

Jamie also knew that she had inherited from her grandmother and not her mother. The Messenger estate had been worth millions and the older lady, Mrs. Sharp, had inherited from her daughter.

Jamie figured that the grandmother had left her monies to Dane. He was not sure what the going rate for finding people was, but he was sure it paid quite well.

When the door opened an hour later, Jamie stood up. He'd been about to go to the bathroom and was now glad that he had not. If he hadn't been there, he was sure Dane would have left. He wasn't even sure she was going to stay long enough to talk to him now.

”Thank you, my dear. You don't...I thank you so much for what you've done for me. If you ever need anything, just let me know. You'll have it,” his mom was saying when Jamie walked up behind Dane.

”Just remember our promise, Mrs. Parker. I'm sorry about everything. I wish I could have had better news.” Suddenly, Dane swayed and Jamie scooped her up before she hit the floor.

”I'm fine, please put me down. Of all the nerve, do you usually pick women up like a sack of potatoes?”

”Yes, especially when they practically fall into my arms. Now hush and let me hold you until you get some color back in your face. You look like death warmed over.”

”Such a charmer. I bet women just fall over themselves to get a piece of you, don't they?

You baboon, put me down before you break your back.”

”I said hush. Christ, woman, what the h.e.l.l is wrong with you? Mom, can you please go and get her something to drink? Devin, don't just stand there, open the door. I'll take her in here until she looks better.”

He rushed her back into the room they'd been in and sat in one of the chairs with Dane now sitting on his lap. When she started to struggle to get down, he pressed her against his erection and whispered in her ear so that only she could hear him.

”You're making me as hard as rock moving your a.s.s all over me. If you don't sit still, I'm going to throw you over my lap and spank you. Not that I think that'll make me any less hard, but it will be a sight more enjoyable than you just wiggling on me.” She stilled instantly. ”Good girl.”

When she looked at him, her eyes were wide and dark. He was not sure if it was from desire of anger, but he was willing to bet it was the latter of the two. It didn't really matter, she was lovely anyway. Before his mother came back, Jamie quickly brushed his mouth over hers and took advantage of her stunned silence. When his mother returned with a cola, Dane's cheeks were redder, but Jamie knew it was probably due more to the kiss and comment than anything else.

”I'll take you home. You shouldn't drive like this. I have my car right here. Maybe we can get some dinner too.” Manipulative? Yes, but he wanted to talk to her.

”Oh Jamie, what a nice thought. Of course you'll take her home. And dinner, we could all use some, I'm sure. My treat. I think Chinese is what we need. I love it.”

”No. Thanks, but no. I can get myself home. I'll be fine now as soon as this idiot lets go of me. Do you mind?” She started to wiggle again and stopped when he pressed her bottom hard over his c.o.c.k. He might have laughed if it did not hurt so badly.

”Nope. And I'm taking you home. We'll get something to eat, then I'll take you home and you can feed me some dessert there. It's the least you can do for making things so...hard for me.” Devin burst out laughing when Dane turned bright red. Margaret looked at both of them, confused, but let it go.

”Come along then. Devin, I'll ride with you. Jamie, you and Dane ride in your car and follow us, all right?”

”Mom, give us a minute, will you? I have to tell Dane a couple of things. We won't be long.” When the door shut behind his mother and brother, she became a wild cat and threw them both to the floor in her effort to get off his lap.

It took everything he had not to hurt her and more not to let her hurt him. Finally, he had to lie over her, his body firmly between her legs so she could not kick him again, to make her stop.

Pulling her hands up over her head, he waited until she wore herself out.

”Are you finished yet? You are a h.e.l.l cat, aren't you? Why don't you want me to take you home?”

”Get off me, you lug! I don't want anyone to know where I live. Is that plain...you're touching me.” It took his mind a few seconds to catch up with her words.

”So I am. I'd like to touch you more, Dane. I'd very much like to taste your mouth.” He eased his head toward hers and gently brushed his mouth over hers. He didn't pull all the way back, but he did enough to look at her. ”Was that all right, Dane? Did it hurt?”

”No. Please don't do it again. You can't want to kiss me. I'm not...I'm a freak and people don't kiss freaks, James.”

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