Max smiled nervously at her in-laws, as she sat in their estate as the FBI explained what was going on. It's safe, she thought, they have more security here than I have ever seen. I wish Kenny was here with us. Resting her hand on her flat and three month pregnant stomach, she hugged Ella a bit tighter. We're okay. I need to keep my kids safe.

"Max and Ella are welcome as long as they want," Sarah said. "How far along are you?"

"Three months," Max said. "It's starting to feel real."

"Kenny should be with you."

He should, she thought, but this is what we need to do. Make it seem real. Make them slip up. We have the rest of our lives to be together. "It's part of the plan. He wants me safe, for the baby, and Ella. It won't be forever."


Jimmy nodded toward the bug. "She'll come around."

"Not this time," Kenny lied. "She accused me of having an affair, called our marriage a sham, and walked out. The only reason I didn't fight her, is that I didn't want to scare Ella. It's over."

Max crying and trying not to show it, Jimmy thought, telling each other that they loved each other and being way more affectionate than I have ever seen. "You should call her."

"It's done. She'll get settled with her friend and we'll set something up for Ella. It's better for all of us."

"Were you having an affair?"

"No. But I will now."


He smiled as he listened to Kenny give up on his Maxine. He won't look for her now. He won't care that I'm going to take her now. I'll even take Ella and the baby. We'll be a new a family.


"Now, where would you go?"

For Max. For those women, Kenny thought, she's supposed to have broken my heart right now. That shouldn't be hard to fake.

"I'm glad you agreed to come," Karen smiled. "I'm so sorry about Max."

"It was a mistake in the first place. We slept together, she got pregnant, we got married in that sting and didn't know," Kenny lied. "We tried to make it work for Ella, but it never will."

"She took Ella?"

"I can't look after her with this investigation. We'll work whatever is best for our daughter."

"What about what is best for you?" she smiled, laying her hand on his. "I can make you forget about all of this."

"I bet you can."


He smiled as he looked at his latest work and message carved into the torso. They will return Maxine to me, he thought, once they see this one. Kenny is not going to protect her, Karen will see to that.


"She's crying for her father," Sarah said, as Max rejoined them in the parlor. "This isn't fair to any of you."

Max wrapped her cardigan around herself and sunk down into the chair. "We don't have another way. This woman, she knows things only this maniac knows. She has to think I bailed on my marriage for it to work."

"And your baby?"

She nodded, stroking her stomach. "Protecting Ella and this baby has to be my number one priority. I can't let them be hurt."

"Kenny should be with you."

We haven't spent a night apart in three years, Max thought, not since Ella was born. I don't know not to be with him. "We'll be together soon."


"Come home with me," Karen said, stroking his cheek. "Forget all about Max. How do you even know Ella and the baby are even yours?"

The baby no one knows about, Kenny thought, yet you do. Of course they're both mine. "I suppose I don't."

"I'll never hurt you like she did. Come to bed with me, Kenny."

"That's where I went wrong before," he lied, his first night with his wife flashing through his mind. "If we want this to work, we can't go too fast. I'll see you at work tomorrow."