Chapter Three

At J. Watsons, Inez Recillos watched with concern as Chris sat in the Seven's usual corner, drinking heavily. She called Buck and Buck told her they would be there in a few minutes. Buck had warned the others not to say anything to Chris about what he had told them about Ella trying to kill Sarah.

Vin was the first one to slid in the booth, saying as usual, "Hey, Cowboy."

"Are you all right, Chris?" Nathan asked with concern, looking at Chris' bloodshot eyes.

A growl was the only answer Chris gave.

Josiah and Ezra sat down quietly. Inez came over and gave them their usual drinks. "Where is the chiquito?" she asked.

"He'll stayed at the office; he'll be here in a few minutes," Buck reassured her.

Inez took their orders, the usual, and when the food came, all tried to get Chris to eat. After Nathan, Buck and Vin ganged up on him, he agreed, eating without noticing what he was eating.

"You know we'll all help you, Chris," Buck said. "Everyone will work until we get Ella and expose her lies.

"What if it is true, Buck?" Chris said morosely. "What if Ella was pregnant with my child? What if she has corrupted the child, made him just like her? Damn!" And Chris threw his glass down with such force it broke. He pushed his hair back from his head. "If Ella had been Adam's mother . . ."

"She wasn't," Buck said quickly. "And Ella has been in a mental institution for years . . . she couldn't have raised the child."

"And speaking of children, where is JD?" Chris grumbled as he noticed for the first time his youngest agent was not around.

Buck had to bite down a retort that JD was not a child, reminding himself that this was the liquor talking and not Chris. "He is back in the office, searching on the computer . . ."

"He'll be over later," Josiah said. "He feels – like we all do, that we will use every resource to solve this for you and get Ella out of your life once and for all."

For a moment Chris met the eyes of every concerned man at the booth. He saw simply compassion and determination. He acknowledged this with a slight nod as he met the gaze of each one.

Chris' phone rang and rang and he picked it up and barked, "Larabee!"

No answer, and he snapped, "Talk or I'll hang up."

A breathy voice he had not heard in years came through on the phone.

"Chris?"

Chris stood up so suddenly the other men were startled. "Ella!" He yelled.

"Stop calling me and sending me anything and leave me alone!"

"Chris, we have to talk, we need to talk about our child . . ." Ella got out before Chris slammed the phone down.

"Chris, let me see the phone number," Nathan said sharply and he simply pushed the number. The phone rang and rang, but no answer.

"Chris, maybe you should talk if she calls again so we can put a trace on the call," Ezra suggested tentatively.

Chris' anger was raging. "I am never talking to her. I don't want to see her!"

JD showed up just then and felt the anxiety in the men. He slid in the booth beside Buck.

"JD, what did you find?" Vin asked.

JD bit his lip, looking at the fuming Chris. "I . . . I am sorry, Chris. Some of her medical records were lost in a fire, but it seems . . . it seems Ella was pregnant at least twice. And . . . the time frame is from 18 – 20 years ago."

From a phone booth nearby, Ella Gaines smiled. "I know it will take you time, darling. But nothing and no one will stop us from being a family, you, me and our child."

TBC