Sarah stepped forward into the room, turning slightly to push the door shut behind her. She moved quickly and efficiently, her hands reaching to lead the distraught man towards the couch behind him. She pushed him gently until his knees buckled and he landed heavily against the soft leather, his shoulders shaking and tears still coursing down his cheeks in silent tribute to his grief.
She sat next to him, her small hand sweeping softly against his muscular frame in a desperate attempt to bring calm. She let him cry it out, knowing that no words would bring comfort at that moment. She closed her eyes and willed her strength to hold steady for him. It was hard to explain why she was here, she didn't really understand it herself. All she knew was that she had to try something, had to try and help them in some small way, had to do what no-one had been able to do for her.
Danny swiped the back of his hand across his eyes and stared at the ring still clutched in his hand. He had so many questions, most of which he was scared to voice, terrified that the answer would take her further from him. He blinked before staring into the kindly expression of the woman next to him.
"What . . .? How . . . .?"
Sarah smiled softly at him before nodding in understanding.
"It was brought into my store a couple of weeks ago. Straight away I saw that it was a one off piece, invaluable to whoever commissioned it, to the person it was meant for. I couldn't bring myself to sell it. I wanted to know more so I went looking for who it belonged to. That's how I found you detective."
Danny attempted to shake off the fear that engulfed him.
"I don't understand how someone got it from her," he frowned, "She always wore it, if not on her finger then on a chain around her neck. She loved this ring."
"Of course she did," Sarah said softly.
Before she could say anymore Danny buried his head in his hands.
"Oh god, someone hurt her didn't they?" he groaned, unable to keep the despair from his tone.
"Shh," Sarah soothed, her eyes scanning the room before landing on the photo on the wall.
She stared intently for a few moments before a small smile of relief lifted her lips briefly. The renewed shuddering from the man next to her drew her attention back to the purpose of her visit. She knew she had to end his torment.
"Nobody hurt her," she assured, "At least . . . not like that, no-one took the ring from her."
Danny's head snapped up sharply and a dark frown lay heavy on his features.
"How do you know? How the hell do you know? She would never willingly take this off, someone had to have taken it from her."
Sarah sighed heavily.
"She did take it off detective, although I don't think it was willingly, I think it was the hardest thing she did."
Danny stared at her, desperately willing his mind to catch on quicker than it was at that moment.
"The reason I know," Sarah said, glancing at the picture on the wall, compelling Danny's gaze to follow the direction of her look, "Is because the young woman that brought it into my store is the same woman in that picture on your wall."
Danny blinked at her in surprise, a thousand thoughts running through his mind all at once.
"She . . . .? You've seen her?" he asked, his mouth agape.
A short nod was the only response.
"Nah," he said, shaking his head, "she wouldn't have done that," he frowned, "Lindsay wouldn't have sold the ring, she wouldn't . . . . ."
"She didn't sell it," Sarah butted in insistently, "It was collateral against a loan, is all."
"Oh god, she's alive?" Danny asked, his eyes searching.
Another nod.
"She is," Sarah sighed heavily, "But she seems . . . . she's lost, I guess that's why I wanted to help her."
"Where is she?" Danny asked frantically, jumping to his feet, ready to charge out of his apartment.
"She's safe," Sarah said, moving towards him calmly, "And I will take you to her . . . . . eventually."
"What the hell do ya mean eventually?" Danny shouted, his accent thickened by his anger and frustration, "She needs me . . . . I . . . I . . ."
His shoulders slumped dejectedly, as though the thought that she'd survived that past few months without him had just entered his mind. After all, if she hadn't been taken from him against her will then it must have been her choice.
"You're right," Sarah said soothingly, "I think she does need you, I'm just not sure she's ready to admit it and you storming in there is not going to help. She needs you to be calm."
Danny hesitated, then sighed heavily before raking his fingers through his hair.
"I just . . . ."
"It's okay," Sarah said softly, before glancing at the clock on the wall, "We have a couple of hours yet."
"A coupla hours?"
"Until the train leaves, it'll only take a few hours so we should be there before dark."
"You're takin me to her?" Danny asked, surprise etched across his features.
"I'm taking you to her," Sarah replied.
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Danny ignored his phone for the third time in the past hour. Flack really was a persistent fucker. He couldn't face his friend right now, couldn't face telling him what he was doing. The last time he'd been in a position to help her, their friends had seen fit to make it impossible for him to do so. He was doing this alone.
"Soooo," he said slowly, "Tell me why yer doin this."
The woman sitting opposite him in the train carriage shrugged lightly.
"She needed help."
"You expect me to believe you just took pity on her? A stranger?" he asked, his lack of belief evident in his tone.
She shrugged again. "Reminded me of someone."
"Yeah?"
A nod.
"That's it? That's all ya givin me?"
"For the moment," she replied simply.
Danny let his head rest back against the seat, closing his eyes as his fingers brushed lightly against the box in his pocket.
"Danny what are you doing?" she squealed as he moved in behind her covering her eyes.
"I told ya Montana, no peeking."
Lindsay leaned back into him, enjoying the feel of his body pressed into her soft curves. They'd only been together a few months but already she knew he was hers for keeps.
She relaxed as she felt the cool breeze drift across her body, an involuntary shiver running through her.
"Let me warm ya up," Danny whispered, she could hear the smirk in his voice.
"Always," she replied.
"Keep your eyes closed Montana," he ordered as he let his hand slip from over her eyes.
"'kay," she sighed, enjoying the feel of his hands running over her body before his arms wrapped around her.
His lips trailed soft kisses against her neck, causing her breath to hitch in her throat.
"Okay," he whispered, "You can open them now."
She did as she was told, blinking as a slow smile crossed her features. The rooftop they were standing on gave them a perfect view of the city, the twinkling lights around them adding to the magical quality that had engulfed her since the day began.
"Happy anniversary," he whispered softly.
"Anniversary?" she asked, turning in his arms with a frown of confusion.
"Two years, three months," he glanced at his watch, "eleven hours and thirty seven minutes," he said with a smirk, "Since the day you walked into my life.
"Oh wow, that's an anniversary?" she asked, laughing lightly.
He shrugged. "Not yet," he said with a smile, "But next year it will be."
"Next year?" she asked, still confused, "An anniversary of what?"
He dropped a brief kiss to her open mouth before reaching into his pocket and lifting out a small, square box.
"Since this," he said simply, flipping the lid and revealing the simple cut diamond and silver ring.
She was speechless, her mouth opening and closing but no sound coming out.
"Now don't get all excited," he said with a nervous cough, "I'm not asking you to marry me."
"You're not?" she asked, frowning.
She had to admit she'd been shocked, she knew Danny's view on weddings; pointless, unnecessary and ultimately an event that was designed to cause stress, fights and an unhealthy bank balance.
"Nope," he said, "I'm not. I'm asking you for more than that."
"More?" she asked, her brow arching questioningly.
"I'm asking for forever," he said simply.
"Oh!" she gasped, her eyes locking with his as her breath hitched in her throat.
"I love you Montana," he said softly, "Will you be mine?"
"Forever?" she asked, blinking.
"Forever," he replied, nodding.
She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly to her, tears now streaming down her face.
The ring had only stayed on her finger for one night before being hung on the chain around her neck, neither one ready to share with the rest of the world. A little over twelve hours later a child was dead and the ring was not spoken of again.
Every now and then he would catch a glimpse of it nestled close to her heart, hooked onto the sliver chain around her neck. Every now and then he would be reminded of the promise he'd made to her that night, a promise he now vowed to make good.
At the time he'd thought she understood. In fact he was certain she realised his need for space was not about her, that what he needed was to know she was there, to know that when he was ready she'd be there with him.
But now he was full of doubt. Maybe he hadn't been clear, maybe she'd left because she'd felt shut out, maybe she'd thought he didn't love her enough. He shuddered at the thought; nothing could be farther from the truth.
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"Where the fuck is he?" Flack growled in frustration.
Stella placed a calming hand on his forearm, fingers drifting to draw against the inside of his wrist.
"We don't know this is anything to worry about," she said, not sure whether to believe her own words.
"Dammit Stell, he's gone AWOL yet again and we know someone has been doing background checks on him and Lindsay. How weird is that?"
"I know," she sighed, "Look, let's just trace his phone, find out where he is."
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Sarah's home town was nothing like he'd seen before, the sleepy community in upstate New York was surrounded by a combination of gingerbread cottages, brick town houses, and an old court house with the police department on one level inside.
To Danny Messer it was like going back in time, although not within his own reality. He suppressed a shudder as he was reminded of an old 1970's horror movie. In all honesty the town was probably very pretty but with daylight drawing to a close and his sombre mood, all Danny wanted was to find Lindsay and get the hell out of there before Michael Myers jumped out from behind the trees that seemed to line the whole town.
Shaking himself out of his thoughts he walked to the check in desk of the only hotel in town. Sarah had called ahead and booked him a room, dropping him off before heading home. As much as Danny wanted to find Lindsay right away, he was grateful for the hours he had to think about what he would say to her.
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"What the hell is he doing here?" Don growled in frustration as he followed Stella down the embankment and along the path that led to a row of exclusive boutique shops.
"That's what we're about to find out Don," Stella replied in a cool tone.
They'd driven half the night to track down their wayward friend, eventually stopping in the remote town of Kendell, population 1,050. Flack had never been anywhere so small, he was sure Danny hadn't either.
They'd both breathed a small sigh of relief when they'd seen Danny crossing the street towards the local coffee shop, as far as they could tell he was there of his own free will, as puzzling as it may be.
"Why's he going into a jewellery store?" Stella muttered almost to herself.
"How's about we go and find out?" Don said cracking a smile.
"Sounds like a plan."
888888
"You need to try and calm down," Sarah said soothingly, "You don't want to frighten her."
Danny took a deep breath, knowing that any minute Lindsay Monroe was due to walk through the door. At first he'd been pissed at Sarah for refusing to tell him where Lindsay was staying, but after he'd thought about it she realised the older woman was just looking out for her. For all she knew Danny was the reason Lindsay had left.
"Sorry," he sighed, "I just wanna know she's okay ya know?"
"I do, but she'll be here, her first payment is due today and she starts work in an hour. I don't know her that well but I trust that she'll be here," Sarah said softly, "Now drink your tea."
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"Oh my god," Stella whispered, grabbing Flack by the wrist and pulling him back against the wall of the building they had been about to enter, "Is that . . . . .?"
Don's head snapped up in the direction Stella was pointing to and his mouth dropped open in surprise.
"Oh my god it is," Stella whispered, "It's Lindsay."
She was about to step out into the younger woman's line of vision when she was pulled back.
"Let Danny handle this," Don said softly, "You know what happened last time . . . ."
Stella closed her eyes briefly, remembering the consequences of them shutting Danny out before. She nodded briefly, her gaze never wavering from the woman who was heading towards the jewellery shop.
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Lindsay Monroe walked briskly towards the row of shops, head bend and her hands jammed into the deep pockets of her jacket. Her gaze was fixed firmly in front of her, mostly on the ground, trusting that anyone in her way would move before she ploughed into them.
Her clothes hung loosely on her body, all too big for her slight frame. If she had looked up at anyone approaching they would have been startled to see such a young woman looking so hollow. Anyone who knew her would have been struck speechless by the air of defeat that hung over her.
Before she reached the door she stopped suddenly and for the first time she looked up, her gaze scanning her surroundings, her expression betraying the sudden fear that engulfed her.
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The two detectives watched as she hesitated. The breath that held in Stella's throat was let out on a whoosh as Lindsay turned suddenly on her heel and made her way back from where she'd come only moments before.
"No, no, no," Stella whispered, taking a step forward.
This time Don Flack didn't try and stop her, instead falling in step beside her. They both spotted the signs of someone about to run, had both seen it a hundred times before. Don picked up his pace.
"Lindsay," he called, trying to keep his voice steady, trying not to frighten her.
Her step didn't even falter. If anything she seemed to speed up. Don quickened his pace until he caught up with her, Stella still a few paces behind.
"Lindsay."
He didn't see the fist flying at him until it was too late. Despite her outward frailty she still managed to cast a glancing blow to the side of his jaw that left his head spinning.
Stella was stunned as she watched Lindsay blindly lash out, her eyes almost unseeing in what Stella could only assume to be a grip of panic that she was caught in.
Lindsay didn't recognise the voice that should have been all too familiar to her. All she knew was that she had to get away, some unknown force telling her to flee, that whatever she was going to find here, it wouldn't be good. She broke into a run, her heart pounding in her chest, the call of the woman behind her unheard.
"MONTANA!"
Her step faltered at the sound of the broad New York accent. She stumbled as her feet continued in their forward motion at the same time as her mind screamed at her to stop. A wrenching sob was ripped from her throat as strong arms wrapped around her.
"It's okay, I've got you, I've got you," the voice whispered hoarsely.
She felt herself being pulled against a hard chest, warm hands clutching her face in a tight grip, forcing her to look into the stormy ocean blue gaze that held strong. She closed her eyes tightly as tears began to course down her face.
"It's okay," he whispered, pulling her head against his shoulder, his fingers lacing through her hair as he felt the dampness of her tears against his skin.
Arms that had hung limply by her sides reached to clasp strong shoulders, pushing back and holding on at the same time, conflicting her natural fight or flight reflexes.
"No, no, no," she whispered over and over, her mind eventually settling on the need to get away. "I can't . . . . . I can't . . ."
Danny leaned back to once again look into her eyes. "You have to," he said, his tone almost pleading.
"No," she said again, shaking her head almost violently, "You have to let me go."
"I can't do that Linds," Danny said softly, his hands moving to her upper arms and giving her a gentle shake, "I won't do that," he added more firmly.
Her eyes locked with his and for a moment it was as though everything around them had stopped.
"I don't want to . . . .," she whispered, her voice small and unable to find the words to explain what she was scared of.
"Don't leave me again," he whispered brokenly, "Please . . . don't leave," he added with more force, arching his brow in direct challenge, his expression softened by the tell tale shine of moisture in his eyes.
As suddenly as it had come, the fight left her body, her frame sagging into him so he had no choice but to gather her up against him.
As he turned to take her inside their friends caught the determined set of his jaw. They stood back and let him pass, neither one understanding what had just happened but both knowing that Lindsay's only chance was the man who held her firmly in his arms.