"I most definitely didn't sense training wheels holding you back." I laughed with an enlightened closeness with him.
"Tell me, Charlie, has that part of our sharing always been so great?"
"Jenny we've never been in a rut physically expressing ourselves." He took both of my hands as his grin became a full blown smile. "But you've made it new again for me also. Loving you has reached new heights and believe me, Jenny, never better."
I pulled away from that illuminating brush of our lips with determination to follow through on my unlocking the door to investigation. I'll admit my gaze at the couch was counterproductive to exploring the return to this different element of my past life. I sat down at my desk and turned the computer on. "Okay, Charlie where do we begin?"
"Let's give Walker a call, get an update." He hit speaker on the phone Officer Marks had given him and a speed dial button. I walked over and sat beside him.
"Walker. Hey, Charlie, Edwards had some really good news this morning about our girl."
"Hello, Chief Walker, is 'our girl' named Jenny?" The smile clear in my voice.
"Jenny, um … small town or I confess that Edwards wanted to know why Julia was glowing Sunday night when she got home."
"I'm still discovering our special friendship with all of you, Chief, but yes, Charlie and I are filling in some of the blanks."
"That's wonderful news, Jenny. Besides taking the fire department off of alert, how can I help you?"
I looked at Charlie and smiled. "Keep them on standby, but this morning, Charlie and I were looking for an update on Branson Systems."
"The big guns are on top of that. Until you two bridged a gap with Special Agent Baker, we never got any word back when the Feds took a case away from us."
"We haven’t needed to touch base with him for awhile," Charlie said. "But after the Crown case he always took my calls."
"They have an agent moving inside at Branson this morning and another staying at Walter Price's home. Apparently, Baker has a task force running down the list you gave us."
"The two guys watching Watson Manor, anything on them?" Charlie asked.
"Rental car, we haven't approached them to reinforce your dropping this case. Avis has them on a corporate credit card, Waverly Enterprises. Edwards can't find much and figures their bogus. Charlie did you get a good look at any of them?"
"The woman asking for gas money. Two big guys with her, but things moved quickly when I got out of my truck."
"I'd love for you to scan our mug shot data base, but we don't want your uninvited guests following you here. Don't have a sketch artist to send over."
"I remember thinking that she looked familiar, not someone I knew … more like a celebrity or public figure. Pretty, a face I trusted. Fonda, Brandy, no Bridget. That’s it Bridget Fonda. Maybe 5-5, petit, shoulder length blond and the same light, gray-blue eyes."
"Charlie, Edwards here. I'll see what shows up and send them to your email for review."
"That'll work. I'm guessing if she's in the data base, it'll be white collar crimes."
"I'm on it. Watch your email."
"Chief, you said the FBI is looking at the engineers?" I asked.
"Yes from your list, Jenny. I'd say with all that horsepower working on this, you two are safely out of the loop."
"Jenny was poised to make a 5k run this morning and we canceled the race on her," Charlie said.
"Canceled for good reason. Charlie, you know better that anyone, these people won't hesitate to eliminate obstacles. I have no intention of pulling Marks out until this is over."
"I, we appreciate that Chief," I told him. "I had an interesting dream last night, Chief. It was at night and you and I were standing on a cliff overlooking the ocean."
"It makes sense that the most powerful memories would break through first. That was last July, Jenny. You gave me an incredible lesson in faith that night. I was only a friend with coffee. I'll let, Aquaman finish that story."
"We'll wait for the mug shots," Charlie jumped in as the question of Aquaman ran through my mind. "Keep us posted, Chief."
"Will do. Stay close as a family, you two." Walker ended the call.
"Aquaman?"
"A late night swim, Jenny, and a story for another time. We need to see if there are any loose ends on Branson." I would press him later on that, but logged into my email account.
"I'll hold you to that. I've got twenty emails here to read." I started working my way through the list.
*****
"I'm in," Maria Sanchez reported. "Grace Allen, their HR manager, introduced me to the engineering and documentation staff this morning."
"Any preliminary indications?" Special Agent Baker asked.
"Beyond the initial reservations of a new face, not yet. Steve Chandler made it clear a welcome to Branson after hours drink was available."
"It was your psychology degree that made you my first choice. Doesn’t hurt in a male environment, you turn heads as well. What's the layout?"
"Large cubicles with four foot high walls in a massive open room. The main computer server is behind a key pad secured door. My job is to document the engineer's notes into a master record. I wish I'd had a minor in this foreign language, 'Engineer', but it'll give me an excuse to talk directly with the engineers for clarification and to move around the office."
"Perfect. We're standing by for even a hint of suspicion through observing their behavior."
"I'd better get back to my desk now, before this 'new gal' is missed. These glasses certainly didn't come from a fashion designer."
"Just don't forget and try taking them through security," Baker said and disconnected the call. Maria slipped the glasses back into a protective sleeve and left the privacy of the restroom. She picked up on the excitement in the room reaching the final chapter in a long R&D project. Maria's contribution to the documentation of this project they called "NestSeeker" was compiling the final testing reports from the lab downstairs.
The other two document technicians were night and day different. Sally, mid-fifties was all business and remained focused on the task of data entry. Karen, late-twenties, on the other hand was the information source that Maria needed to get some feel for the six engineers working in that area.
"Karen, can you show me where to grab lunch?"
"Most definitely. Bob's is closest, but I'll take you to my favorite place, The Beef Shack. You're not a vegi-only gal are you?"
"No, Karen.' Where's the beef ' is my motto as well." They passed through security at noon and Maria accepted Karen's offer to drive. When they were leaving the parking lot, Maria began. "Have you worked here long?"
"Almost six years, I love it. The people are great and I'm involved in new technology. I couldn't help notice Steve was all over you. I'd avoid that one. A player."
"Thanks, he certainly came on strong. Who works in the back room?"
"I've never been in there. The main server, Frank's our IT guy and Don is the chief engineer. Nobody else goes in there."
Maria sensed she had her focus pair in Frank and Don, but not wanting to send up any flags with Karen she shifted to others with the intent of coming back to them. "What's the deal with Bobby?"
Karen laughed and said, "You know what they say about the really fine ones being either married or gay? Bobby and Tom Delany in accounting share a house, and don't think they use all the bedrooms, if you catch my drift. Here we are, hope you like this place."
The Beef Shack looked like an old western saloon with a wooden plank exterior and ornate gas lamps. They found a table in the back as this was a popular place to eat. The interior didn't deviate from the old west theme in heavy wooden tables and chairs.
"Is there a special guy in your life, Karen?"
"Steve and I just moved in together after a year. He's in advertising, a copywriter."
"That's got to be very interesting."
"It has its draw backs. The rest of the world fast forwards through commercials, not my man
."
"See your point," Maria laughed, picked up the menu and flipped through the pages. "Any recommendations?"
"Besides avoiding a romance with an ad man. Yeah, the tri-tip is to die for." The waitress in an old fashioned bar-maid dress brought waters and took their lunch orders. "Ted might be an interesting candidate, Maria."
"Don and Frank are a minimum of twenty years too old."
"Frank is in the third go-a-round at marital bliss. Don's a real sweetheart, though. Married to the same gal … getting close to thirty years. A full grown daughter in college. He's been my go-to-dad, with work issues and matters of the heart."
"Don's the taller one, right? Didn't get that friendly vibe when I met him today."
"Now that you mention it, I didn't get my beaming 'good morning Karen' this morning, either."
"We all have an off day, I guess." Maria watched her closely.
"Maybe, but I feel badly, not picking it up. He's always been there for me."
"I should have gone before we left. The restrooms?"
"Behind the bar, Maria." Karen pointed the way. Maria took her purse and reclaimed cell phone from security and went to the restroom to call it in.
Chapter 15
Charlie and Jenny returned to the office after lunch. He checked his computer for an email from Detective Edwards showing some mug shots from the criminal data base to put a name to the woman he remembered from the abduction. Jenny entered fifteen minutes later and got busy reconstructing her notes on the Branson case prior to the accident that striped it all away.
Charlie's personal cell phone rang and he glanced at Jenny. "They could be listening," He hit speaker to answer it. "Hello?"
"Hello Charlie. How are things going there? How is Jenny doing?" Eden asked.
"Oh, hello Eden. Actually we are doing pretty well. Between cases at the moment, looking forward to the next one."
"Emily really wants to see you both before school starts again, is this a good time?" Charlie watched as Jenny walked over to his desk and gave him a quick smile.
"Hi Eden. I'm sorry things were awkward at Christmas. Yes, we'd both like to spend some time with Emily, and thank you both for the thoughtful Christmas gifts," Jenny said. Charlie met Jenny's eyes and offered a smile of thanks for her intervention.
"No apology needed, Jenny. I can't imagine what you're going through."
"I can come get her for the day or overnight if that works," Charlie said.
"You can both spend the night," Jenny jumped in. "It's not like we don't have room here."
"Are you sure, Jenny? We don't want to complicate things at this point. Emily just misses her dad."
"Absolutely, Eden. This separation has been tough on Charlie as well. Can we get a room ready for you?"
"Jenny, you are always so giving. Emily will be thrilled. See you both in a couple of hours then."
"Ok, dad's smiling also," Jenny said.
"Dad here, looking forward to your visit." He pressed the end call button.
"I'll be right back," Jenny said and picked up his coffee cup and grabbed hers then walked to the dining room to refill them. She set them both on his desk and sat down beside him. "I don't want to be side swiped again, Charlie. Tell me about Eden and Emily."
Charlie was pensive at Jenny's request and his smile faded with uncertainty where to begin. "I discovered Eden was the Editor of the Salinas' Tribune last spring, and later that Emily was my daughter that I never knew about."
"She's not been in your life, between conception and last spring?" Jenny crossed her arms in determination to eliminate another surprise like meeting Emily for the first time at Christmas.
"No. Except we'd written for almost a year after high school, but nothing was said about Emily."
"Why would she keep that from you? Was your relationship that superficial?"
Charlie shifted in his seat and took a sip of coffee. "Jenny, we're just getting back on track, I don't want anything to interfere with that."
"Then no secrets. I'm stronger than you think. Before they walk into our home again, I need to know, what was then and what is now." Jenny's face tightened and conveyed half-truths were not going to satisfy her need.
"Jenny, you know I love you completely, right?"
"Yes, I do Charlie. And my love for you is coming on strong, because there is trust between us." Her arms relaxed as her hands nested in her lap.
"I was not raised in the loving home you were. My focus in high school was football. Maybe that devotion was partly due to wanting to avoid the emptiness at home, so I worked longer on the field."
"You're right. I was blessed with my home, even losing my father at twelve."
"Eden was in a family like yours, Jenny. The whole love, support and togetherness that I'd missed with my parent's silent tolerating style. We were assigned a class project, adoption as a couple. I was introduced to her family and, yes found my first love, actually, for both family and Eden."
"Then you went off to college and she stayed behind?"
"No, her father was promoted and transferred at the end of high school. They moved away and actually several more times during that year I started college. We lost touch."
"Eden was a turning point in your life, even before having a child. Your football goals, to turn pro?"
"That was my goal after college football, but things changed."
"Apparently she wanted that for you as well, and kept your child out of the mix. What if you'd known, Charlie?" Her hands moved to grip the edge of his desk. Without a blink she watched his face as he answered.
"Jenny, I didn't know. Why are you doing this?" He reached for her hands.
"Charlie, I see how much she loved you ... loves you, I think. Moving twenty minutes away from you is hardly a coincidence. If you'd known there was also a child from the love you two shared, that would be your family." Jenny stood up and started pacing the office, deep in thought. She went back to the chair beside Charlie's desk and sat down. "Are you still in love with her?"
"Jenny, I've never loved anyone more than I love you and Madison!"
"That wasn't my question. And before you answer, I asked Julia about Aquaman, expecting a funny story, but thinking about what really happened answered my question."
"That's not fair. Yes, I was there on that cliff to save Eden's life, but would like to believe in the same situation, I'd do the same for a stranger." Charlie looked away in thought and continued in a defeated tone of protecting her. "If Eden had approached me before we'd met, I'd have married her. The question you need to ask, Jenny is if she and Emily had walked into my life the day before our wedding, I would still have married you. That hasn't changed, regardless of whatever still lingers for Eden and now grows for Emily." Charlie stood up, walked around his desk and reached out to Jenny. She stood facing him and he added, "I'd think you'd be more concerned with the kind of man I am, if I felt nothing for Eden."
"I get that. You must understand, with my memory loss, and she is so strikingly beautiful ..."
"She's not my wife or my choice, Jenny. That's the bottom line here. And what makes you think, in my eyes you are not way beyond her physical attraction?" Charlie pulled her into his arms.
"Well, that takes a load off my mind," she said softly into his ear.
"I'm also glad we talked it through."
"I was talking about not having to worry on my deathbed if you'd be ok." She laughed softly in his ear.
"And out of respect, we'd wait at least ... a week."
"Charlie!" She moved out of the embrace. "I can make the jokes, not you!"
"No joke, I respect you. Two weeks then."
"Stop! We do this, don't we? The kidding," She smiled and moved closer to look into his eyes.
"Only because trust lets us, Jenny. And keep breathing because you are all I want and need." Charlie reached out to bring her back to him.
She slipped her arms around him. "I hope you don't mind if I stay close to you while she's here. I don't make
a habit of throwing lit matches at open gas cans either."
"Works for me." Charlie kissed her.
Chapter 16
I had no doubts that Charlie meant his words about our marriage being his first choice. The reason it was easy to find love for him again, once I let my guard down, was the man he is. Unselfish to a fault and I know he feels things way below the surface. According to Julia, when I asked her about Aquaman, she indicated Eden was working in a newspaper office in Chicago, two years prior. When the national story broke that Charlie and I were involved in, that's when she found him again. I wanted to dislike her. Instead, stepping into her shoes, I felt a respect building. I wondered if I could be as selfless giving Charlie an unobstructed shot at his dream of Pro Football. I know, I'd bring his daughter cross country for a second chance as a family, or at least let our daughter get to know her father.
"Jenny, we found her!" Charlie called out from behind his computer screen. I went over for a look. There were three mug shots on his screen and he was pointing at the center one. "Brittney Scott."
I handed him the secure phone we were given by Officer Marks. "Call it in." I wanted to focus on something other than Eden. He pressed the speed dial button.
"Detective Edwards."
"You found her, Edwards. Brittney Scott is our gal."
"Great. Let me pull her sheet. She did eighteen months for identify fraud, four years ago. Three years' probation following, solid reporting, and then nothing."
"Last known address listed?" I asked him.
"During her probation, an apartment on Second Street in LA. Shows employment at Radio Shack, also in LA. I can check them both and also see if she's on LAPD's watch list. Might get something more current.
"How about state taxes or the IRS?" Charlie asked.
"A definite. Now that you've identified her, I can run a full background. Get a peek at any credit card usage as well."
"She's not leading this crusade, so I doubt we'll see her accounts footing the bills here. Jenny is already at her computer running her name." Charlie gave me an encouraging smile.
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