Writers Note: I just want to thank two special people (you know who you are) for helping me look smart. So thank you to them! This chapter wouldn't be here without them! Ok enjoy guys!
Chapter 2 - Journey to The Past
Mood: "Home, love, family. There was a time I must have had one too, I will never be complete until I find you"
Washington DC
2007
John Douglas Lane was murdered, along with his wife Elizabeth and son Daniel on July 6, 2006. Murderer is unknown to the public.
Renee stared at the computer screen, completely heart broken by the words she had just finished reading. All these years of using her FBI access to find any information on her birth family had been a waste of time. They were gone.
First she found out she's adopted, then thirteen years later she finds out her birth parents, brother and nephew are dead.
Renee couldn't handle this kind of pain anymore. Her grandmother died two years ago and this new information had now left her with absolutely nothing.
Tears began to form behind her eyes. She threw her work papers, making them scatter all over the floor, and put her head down on her desk, letting the tears escape from her eyes, completely soaking her face.
Renee must have been crying for a good ten minutes before looking back at the computer screen to finish reading the news paper article.
She suddenly spotted a line that gave her hope.
John and Elizabeth's daughter, Lucy Addison Lane, is known to be living with her Aunt, Sarah Weaver, somewhere in Los Angeles.
Renee tried searching for information on Lucy, but found nothing. That was probably for the best. She felt Lucy would be safe if there was no trace of her on the internet.
Renee opened the photo linked to the paragraph about Lucy. A small photo of a 4-year-old girl appeared on the screen.
Renee instantly fell in love with the little strawberry blond and brown eyed child staring back at her.
She wanted to be a part of this child's life. Love her and protect her. Explain to her what had happened and if it wasn't for the adoption, she would have taken her under her wing and made sure she was safe.
A knock on the door startled her.
"Renee, we need you at station five," Larry said through the door. " Janis has the undercover file ready. We need you to verify it."
"I'll be right there," Renee replied as she wrote down the only address on the page that could lead her to Lucy.
Our Lady of Sorrows Graveyard Toronto,Ontario M8K 3A4
She folded the address and stuck it in her purse. She went back to the photo of the sweet little girl, silently promising she would find her.
She took her eyes off the photo and clicked the option bar above.
Print.
Toronto, Ontario 2009
"Lou-Lou?" The sweet, familiar voice startled me out of my daydream. I was extremely happy about it too. I wanted to push the horrifying memory as far back in my mind as humanly possible.
"Hey, sweetie," I said as I picked up the little blond-haired girl and gave her a squeeze.
"Honey, we have to leave now if we want to catch our flight home!'' I heard my aunt Sarah call out from behind.
Mackenzie wiggled out of my arms and ran to her mother, nestling her head into the crease of her neck.
I turned back to the gravestone and slid my fingers over the marble again. "I love you," I said, and leaned over to kiss the top of the tomb.
I walked over to the gravestone next to theirs and stared at the writing.
David Douglas Lane 1987 - 2006
"I miss you like crazy. I'm so sorry we didn't get to finish that song," I confessed to the tomb. A tear escaped the corner of my eye and ran down my cheek. I bent down and kissed the top of the marble stone as well and added, "You're the world's best brother."
Mackenzie fell asleep the moment I finished strapping her into her car seat.
I turned to my aunt, who looked fascinated at how quickly Mackenzie drifted off, and jumped on her, clinging to her as if my life depended on it.
"Thank you for calling my name, Sarah." I whispered in her ear. I felt her grip tighten around my back, assuring that she wouldn't have had it any other way.
Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone staring at me. I couldn't see the person clearly, but it was definitely a woman with dark red hair wearing sunglasses.
"Do you see that?" I asked, but by the time Sarah looked over, the woman was gone.
"I swear she's right there, looking right at me. She had red hair and was wearing big, bug-like sunglasses."
"It's probably your imagination, sweetheart. Now come on slow poke, get in the car. We are going to miss our flight."
I was too tired to argue with her so I dropped the subject and got into the car.
Soon after I buckled myself in and laid back, the image of the red-headed woman resurfaced in my mind.
Who was she? What did she want? And had she really been watching me the whole time?
I watched the horizon inched closer, realizing none of that mattered. I was going home, with both my aunt and little cousin, knowing my past was behind me. I suddenly felt safe.
I leaned my head back against the headrest and closed my eyes.
"Home," I thought to myself and drifted off to sleep.
"Flight to LA at 11:30 pm is boarding now."
"That's us, Lucy," Sarah called, nudging me to wake up. She had a fast asleep Mackenzie in her arms, so I insisted on carrying the bags.
We showed our tickets to the flight attendants and took our seat in Row 5, just as it was marked on the tickets.
"Do you need anything? Maybe a pillow for the little one?" The flight attendant offered cheerfully. I always wondered how they could be so happy, even at midnight. Was it even possible for them to lose their cool?
"A pillow would be lovely." Sarah looked at me and added, "Make that two pillows."
"Coming right up!" she said happier than ever. "What was this, a Disney movie?" I thought as the lady skipped cheerfully to the service areas.
I leaned my head against the side of the plane, watching as the people walked in to take their seats.
"Sarah, that's her!" I whispered frantically as I motioned toward the mysterious woman. "The woman from the cemetery." I tried to speak quietly but realized I must have been louder than I thought when the women gave me a quick look, then continued to her seat in the back row.
"Shhh! Lucy, not so loud," Sarah warned. "Are you sure that's her?"
"Yes, Sarah, that's her," I answered, irritated. "I'm sure of it."
"Sweetie, she could have just been there to visit a loved one she lost. You're not the only one in this world, you know."
I stared at her, shocked at how harsh her comment had come off.
I was about to say something back but instead, I looked over my shoulder. The woman still had her sunglasses on.
I sat back in my chair, figuring my aunt was probably right. I was just being paranoid, something I got from my mother. I laid back and closed my eyes, waiting for sleep to take over.
Renee peered ahead through the cracks between passenger seats, and then back at the photo she had printed that now lay in her hands.
She suddenly began to feel out of place.
"Renee what were you thinking? What are you going to do? 'Oh, Hi Lucy, I'm your long lost aunt. I was adopted after your grandparents thought I died and later found out about you. I came to take you with me.' Oh yeah, Renee, that ought to win her over," she thought, kicking herself for intruding in the poor child's life.
Besides, she now knew Lucy was safe and happy where she was. She would hate to take her out of that, put her through a horrible custody batter, which she knew she would lose, and then have her job put Lucy in danger.
She looked at the photo again before placing it back in her pocket.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered and then looked at the starry sky through the window. She felt the plane move and braced herself for takeoff.
