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TRAPPED

Chapter Three


Hours seem to march on, the entire Malloy family gathered in a nearby hospital waiting room with Carlos while they waited on any word from the doctor concerning Tommy's condition. The last Trent was able to pull from a nurse was that he was stable and that the doctor would speak to them soon. But Trent could see behind the professional front that she was putting on for the family's sake. He knew everything was not as good as she had made it sound but chose not to argue or make a scene. Instead he muttered a prayer under his breath, feeling the prayer almost instantly being answered as Walker and Katheryn strode out of the opening elevator doors down the hall.

"Walker," Trent greeted, alerting the others who were trying hard to stay awake.

Katheryn immediately gave Mrs. Malloy a comforting embrace while Tandy latched on to her side and Ty tried best to stay strong from where he sat in the far corner. She immediately met with Carlos gaze as he stood from his seat and met Katheryn as she temporarily parted from Katie and Tandy. "How is he?" she asked.

Carlos shook his head. "We don't yet."

Katheryn didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around Carlos, feeling his strong arms around her in return. She sighed sharply and shut her eyes to the pain around her. "What's going on here, Carlos?" She eased away to look him in the eyes. "First me, then Molly, and now Tommy."

The look in Carlos' eyes told her everything she needed to hear. The comfort in that knowing look of his seemed to make everything right again for at least a few seconds until the doctor began his walk down the hall.

Mrs. Malloy noticed him coming first and gently pushed past the others to meet the doctor. "How is my son? Is he okay?"

"He's resting now," the doctor assured her, waiting until the other family members were present to hear the news. "He suffered several first degree burns throughout his body. He will need a very lengthy time to heal. But that is all that I can see that is wrong with him. He's young and healthy. I believe he will be fine."

"Oh, thank God," Katie breathed through a mixture of laughter and tears as she turned and threw her arms around Trent. "Oh, thank God," she echoed, crying tears of thankfulness onto her eldest son's shoulders, his strong arms wrapped around her as he also uttered a brief prayer of thanks.

Kath stepped forward, smiling. "Can we see him?"

"Just for a moment," the doctor insisted. "He needs his rest."


The next morning, Trent, Carlos, and Katheryn were huddled around Trent's desk up in Thunder Investigations, trying every which way to figure this thing out. So far, they had been back to each location and search the premises for any sign, any hint, and indication that could lead to some clue or lead for them to go on. Nothing. It was as if nothing had happened.

Katheryn was moving to pour another round of coffee for the threesome when a gentle trio of knocks stirred the PIs from their stupor. Kath stopped halfway between the office and the door as a small sliver of sunlight trickled inside, the door easing open about a hand's width as a pair of eyes peeked inside about four feet from the floor.

"Hello?" Katheryn inquired, reverting to a nearby chair to set her coffee cup down before she took a step or two closer. A young girl of about eight years of age slowly peeked inside, her shy, downward frown looking up towards Katheryn's gentle smile. "Hi," Kath extended her hand. "My name's Katheryn Beaumont. And you are?"

The girl warily shook Kath's hand and whispered, "Mary."

Kath gave the girl an even bigger smile. "Hello there, Mary." She perked up. "Hey, how would you like to meet my comrades in arms?"

Mary shrugged, clearly unsure what Katheryn meant but concluding it was safe. Katheryn took Mary over to Trent's office, the guys quickly putting on broad smiles and extending their hands to greet the little girl.

"This here is Mary," Kath introduced her as Trent and Carlos took turns making the girl feel welcome the best they knew how.

"Hey, there," Trent shook the girls hand and squatted down to her level. "So, what can we do for you?"

It took the girl a good part of half a minute to take a good, long look into each pair of eyes present around her before she finally managed to speak. "I—I saw what happened."

"What do you mean, sweetheart?" Carlos joined Trent at the girl's level while Katheryn stood behind her and listened.

Tears surfaced in the little girl's eyes as she tried to gather her words. Sobs began to flow as she opened her mouth, barely squeaking out a syllable or two. She turned around and flung her arms around Kath's side. Katheryn quickly crouched down low, taking the girl in her arms and comforting her.

When the tears finally subsided, Mary looked into Katheryn's eyes and said, "My older brother says PIs aren't real. I wanted to prove him wrong. So I was coming to see if you are for real. I saw an ad in the paper. Anyway, I was coming down the street last night when I saw that car explode. And that young man was hurt. I didn't know what to do, so I ran home. My parents think I'm making this up. I tell stories all the time. But I'm not lying!"

"We believe you," Kath insisted, smoothing the child's hair behind her ear. "Do you remember anything else?"

Mary thought for a second. "A man. He was standing across the street from the car. I didn't think anything about it. But he seemed to be watching the car and his watching. And he kept reaching for something in his pocket. As soon as that young man came out of your office, the other man left."

"Do you remember what the man looked like, Mary?" Trent asked eagerly.

"I—I think so."

"If you're up to it, there's some folks we'd like you to talk to," Trent explained.

After thinking about the prospect for a second, Mary looked up at Katheryn. "I'll only go if she goes."

"It's a deal," Trent smiled and shook hands with the young girl sealing the deal.

As Trent walked with Mary out of the building and down the steps, Carlos walked out with Kath, leaning in to her at a whisper. "See, told you you wouldn't be able to stay away for long."


"No. His eyes were a little wider than that. Yeah. Something like that. But—but his lips," Mary cocked her head slightly. "His lips were thinner. That's it!" She suddenly perked up, sitting up straight with her bony finger extended towards the computer screen and a small tear at bay on her eyelashes. "That's the man!"

Trent laid his hand gently on Mary's shoulder, drawing her eyes to him. "You did a great job, Mary." He smiled to reassure then raised back up to his full height, leaving Mary with Ranger Trivette and the sketch artist while he joined Katheryn and Ranger Walker at the senior ranger's desk. "What now?"

"Trivette will run the sketch through the database to see if we can find a match. How's Tommy doing?"

Trent sighed, rubbing his neck. "He's okay. Restless some. But okay. Doc says he'll be able to go home in a few days.

Carlos entered suddenly, joining the trio with a file in hand to give to Ranger Walker. "I passed Alex in the hall. She asked me to give this to you. Said she was late for court."

"Thanks, Carlos," Ranger Walker said, accepting the file and opening it to peruse it. He seemed captivated by a particular portion, immediately catching the young trio's attention.

"What is it?" Katheryn was the first to ask, reading Trent and Carlos' minds.

"It's the ballistic report from the H.O.P.E. center shooting with you and Molly."

"And?" Trent asked somewhat eagerly.

Walker set the file down on his desk. "The type of weapon used is military issue."

"Military issue?!" Carlos repeated, almost surprised. "I'm going to just assume the weapons are stolen. Unless you've angered the military any." He gave Katheryn the eye but didn't get more than a sarcastic glare in return to put him in his place.

"Hey, guys!" Trivette announced from his desk. The foursome gathered around his desk to see a picture of an actual face to match the computer drawing Mary had helped them generate. "We have a match. Myles Emerson. Lives just outside of Dallas. Been indicted twice on multiple counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Received dishonorable discharge from the Marines in '91. That's when his file gets colorful."

Carlos narrowed in on the computer in thought. "So we have a stolen military weapon, a guy with a sketchy military past…seems this might be a guy with a grudge."

Katheryn exhaled. "One question here. Why would he be after me, Molly, and Tommy?! He isn't an old enemy or anything is he?" Both Trent, Carlos, and even the Rangers shook their heads, drawing a complete blank and not recognizing the man whatsoever. Kath turned away with a scoff on her lips, aggravated at what seemed to be like another dead end preventing them from making sense of this whole thing. She could hear footsteps following her as she slipped out into the hall and the busy flurry of human activity around her. She stopped suddenly, blocking anyone from seeing the tears surface in her eyes as she covered her face in her hands. It was silly really, no one would be fooled. But she had to cry it out…at least a little bit. Then she felt two strong arms wrapping around her, causing her to turn around and drop her hands down by her sides. Kath swallowed hard as she looked up into Carlos' eyes and then laid her head on his shoulder, letting the tears flow as she held him close. They managed to find themselves sitting together on the hall bench moments later, Carlos handing Katheryn a tissue as she gathered herself together.

"How much longer, Carlos? I'm usually the strong one here." Kath sniffed hard and wiped away the last remaining remnants of tears from her eyes.

"I don't know," Carlos admitted somewhat lamely but found strength as she turned, letting him look into her pretty eyes. "But I do know whoever is doing this wants you to feel defeated."

"I know." Kath let her hand cover Carlos' as he set his gently on her leg. "I just can't help but think that any one of us could be next. And we aren't any closer to catching this guy than when we first started."

"That's where you're wrong."

Katheryn looked up and past Carlos to see Trivette smiling over them. He slipped Carlos a piece of paper, making Kath anxious as he saw him smile from ear to ear.

"I'll continue digging for more. Trent said he'll follow you both."

Without saying a word upon nodding to acknowledge Trivette's comment, Carlos stood and motioned for Katheryn to follow.

Katheryn followed Carlos eagerly, pausing next to him while they waited for the golden elevator doors to open. "What?! What is it?"

Carlos flashed the piece of paper in front of her. "Got an address."

Katheryn snatched the piece of paper, not quite confident if she was happier about seeing that smile she had fallen in love with ages ago or the address she held in hand. It was probably both, she concluded, stepping over the threshold of the opening elevator with Carlos by her side.