Shayne sat on the edge of his bed, his head in his hands. How had his life gone so terribly wrong? As he looked down at the thin, gold band, he slowly turned it around on his finger. Something about feeling it there, made him feel closer to her. There were times he wanted to rip it off and throw it as fast and as far as he could, but something in him couldn't do it.
Looking around the hotel room, Shayne saw the stack of gifts. A messenger had delivered them earlier that afternoon. He couldn't bring himself to even go near them. Their brightly colored ribbons seemed to mock him, reminding him of the life he almost had. Now everything was gone…she was gone.
He stood up from the bed—pacing around the room. He was angry at her for keeping this from him. Didn't she trust him enough? Didn't she trust their love enough? Why not? What had he done? What hadn't he done? It was that..the questions, that haunted him.
He was angry at himself for just sitting there. He had sat on the bed like a mute, letting her walk out the door..letting the most important thing in his life just walk out the door, he thought. Shayne sat down on the edge of the bed again and buried his face in his hands.
"How could I have been so stupid?," he muttered.
Dinah chewed the food slowly, willing it to go down. She wasn't hungry, but she ate anyway. She had to keep her strength up she reasoned, though she hadn't come up with any good reason to keep on living yet. A few days ago, she was happy. She was getting married to a man that she loved with her whole heart. She was making plans for the future, but underneath it all, she was a woman with a secret.
She was exhausted. She couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes all she saw was the look on Shayne's face when she told him. The way his eyes spoke of hurt and betrayal. How could she have done this to him? How could she have hurt him this way?
When she walked out the door, she had hoped more than anything in the world that he would stop her, but he hadn't. She knew this was what she had to do. It was the only thing she could do. She left him so that he could move on with his life. He could find a woman that would love him and be honest with him and be worthy of him. She could have given him all she had, but clearly that hadn't been enough.
He deserved more than that. He deserves more than the mess I made of his life, she thought, as she walked over to the edge of her bed. Sitting down, she put her hands over her face. She wondered why she had even allowed herself to dream of having this life with Shayne. She should have known it was too good to be true. I turn everything good bad, she thought.
"How could I have been so stupid?," she sighed.
A light turned on in the dark room. Spreading the envelopes onto the table, the man sat down in an exhausted heap. He had been gathering this information for days, but he had finally found something useful. Perusing the photos and records, he started to make notations on the small map on the corner of the table. The most recent transaction had been a few hours ago, he realized. A deli. Checking the address, he quickly located it on the map.
"Not too far from here," he muttered. Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulled out his phone, saying, "Time to check in back home."
Shayne arrived at his mother's house a little before noon. Lunch had been picked up from Company and he was really trying to make this a decent visit. He knew his mom was still going through a lot without Jeffrey. They had that in common. They had both lost the people they loved most in the world. Shayne made quick work of the walk up to the doorway and rapped on the door.
"Coming," Reva called from inside, "Hi, sweetie," she told him giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
Reva noticed the ring on his finger. He still hasn't taken it off, she thought. As she and Shayne began to eat their lunch, the conversation was stilted at best. Small talk about everything from the weather to baseball soon became stale.
Finally Reva said, "So, honey, how are you doing really?".
Shayne looked up at her, "Oh, Mom, other than the fact that the woman I love more than anything in the world is gone and I feel like she took my heart and soul with her, I'm great," Shayne said sarcastically dropping his fork with a clink on the table.
Reva looked sympathetic. "I'm so so sorry Shayne. I wish there was something I could do. I really wish things could have been different," she lamented.
"I know Mom, me too. I just," Shayne's voice broke as he simply couldn't hold back his emotions any longer, "I just miss her so much. Without her, my life…it's just so empty."
Josh walked around the room gathering his plans before heading out to the construction site. Matt would be expecting him any time now.
As he saw his cell phone light up, he sighed with annoyance. "Josh Lewis," he answered. "Well…Well…Well," the voice on the other end taunted, "I was hoping I'd catch up with you Josh. This isn't exactly the sort of thing you want to leave on the voicemail," he said.
Josh recognized the voice immediately. "Edmund. What do you want?," he demanded.
"Now, Josh, no happy to hear from you, Edmund, nothing….I mean, you all thought I was dead. Surely there's a little relief there," Edmund said with a sinister laugh.
"Don't count on it," Josh growled at him.
"Well, no matter," Edmund continued, "Anyway, I simply need you to pass along a message to your son."
"I'm not your messenger, Edmund," Josh spat angrily.
"Oh, but believe me Josh, you'll want to hear this. Tell Shayne that I have finally figured out how I'm going to exact my revenge against him. You see when he killed my daughter and my grandchild, he took the thing that mattered most in my life. Without Lara, my life is meaningless. Let your son know that he's about to experience that for himself," Edmund stated with a cold, callous laugh.
"Edmund, what are you talking about? What are you doing?," Josh yelled, his voice strained.
"Oh..no time, for chit chat, Josh. I'm off to visit an old friend of mine, but never fear, let your son know that I'll tell his wife hello for him." With that, Josh heard the phone disconnect. He threw his phone into his pocket and headed out the door. He had to find Shayne. He just hoped he had some idea where Dinah was.
Reva watched her son from the kitchen. She was supposed to be cleaning up after lunch, but she couldn't help looking at her son. He looked so lost. She knew that feeling well. She looked up at the framed picture of Jeffrey that sat on top of the microwave.
"If he misses Dinah half as much as I miss you, he's pretty miserable," Reva said to the photo.
Just then, there was a frantic knock at the door. Josh barreled in before Shayne or Reva could even stand. "Shayne, son, I'm glad you here," he said breathlessly.
Shayne just stared at him.
Reva spoke first. "What's going on, Joshua, what's wrong?".
"It's Edmund," Josh said flatly. "He called me this afternoon. He has something he wants me to tell Shayne," Josh said as he and Reva both looked at their son.
"I don't want to hear anything that man has to say," Shayne said with disgust, turning away from Josh.
Josh put his hand on his son's back. "You may want to rethink that son. I really think you'll want to hear this," he told him.
"What could he possibly have to say that I'd want to hear?," Shayne asked him, the disdain in voice very apparent.
Josh knew this could be a very difficult thing for Shayne to hear, but if there was any chance that Shayne had any idea where Dinah was, he had to ask him. Shayne would never forgive himself if Edmund got to her first.
"Shayne," Josh asked gently, "Do you know where Dinah is?"
Shayne jerked away from his father. "Why the hell would you ask me that!? Of course I don't know. Don't you think I would have gone after her if I'd known where she was? Do you honestly think I'd be sulking around here without her if I had a way to go get her?," Shayne ranted.
Josh frowned. He was afraid of this. This would make the news even more difficult for Shayne to hear. "Ok, son, ok…I hate to say this, and I hope to God I'm wrong. I hope he's just bluffing…just trying to make us squirm," Josh began.
"Who? Edmund," Reva asked, "What did he say?"
"He said he's going to show Shayne what it means to lose the person in your life that matters most," Josh said flatly. He looked up at Shayne and saw the fear in his eyes. "He said he'd tell her you said hello, Son," Josh place his hand on his son's shoulder, "I think Edmund may be going after Dinah."
"No..No..No..No..No…," Shayne yelled, not knowing what to do.
"Shayne, Shayne, sweetheart, try to calm down," Reva said as she tried desperately to soothe him, "here sit down."
Shayne sat down in the chair, his head in his hands. He rubbed his face roughly as he rocked back and forth. "What do I do now? What the hell am I supposed to do now?," he screamed.
Josh looked at his son, "I don't know son. Are you sure she didn't give you any idea where she might be…any kind of hint. Anything at all."
Shayne thought for a moment. "No..nothing. She left so quickly..she didn't even tell me goodbye. I have no idea where she is and now he's found her. He could do anything to her. God, if something happens to her…I…I don't know…."
Reva stroked her son's back. "Shhh…it's ok baby. It's going to be ok. We'll figure this out. If you don't know where she is, we just have to figure out someone that does."
Shayne looked up quickly. "That's it. Vanessa"
"Vanessa!," Shayne yelled as he pounded on the door.
"I'm coming," she called from inside. "My goodness," she said as she opened the door, "It takes me a moment. I'm not as young as I used to be."
Shayne and Josh pushed past her.
Shayne turned to her "Vanessa, I need to know where Dinah is," he said strongly.
Vanessa looked at him with sympathy. The truth was she knew very well where her daughter was, but she also knew that it was in her best interest to keep that information private.
"Shayne, I can't tell you that," Vanessa said gently.
"Yes, you can…and you will. You have to. Edmund…He's after. If he finds her before we do….God only knows what he'll do to her. You have to help me, Vanessa. You have to help me help her"
Vanessa looked at Shayne who was clearly distraught. "Edmund," Vanessa said softly, her voice full of emotion, "He's after my girl, my Dinah."
"Yes," Shayne told her, "That's why it's so important that you tell us where she is."
"Forget it," Vanessa said, walking towards the door, "Come on, I'll take to you to her."