So here is chapter 4, I hope you like it! Thanks for all the sweet and thoughtful comments! And before I forget... a HUGE shout out the different countries reading this story... HOLY CRAP! I never realized people in Hong Kong and Australia and Denmark (by the way I visited there once and I LOVED it!! You people rock!! I want to go back to stay!!) The Netherlands, Mylasia... WOW!! Thanks for all of you reading this story! I wish I had time to name all the Countries that I see on my Reader Traffic, but thanks to all of you! Please drop me a line sometime it would be so cool to read what you have to say!! I am so honored!! Love to you ALL!! --Firebunee

Enough of that... on to the story!

Chapter 4

Hanson lay on his side his arm folded and lay under his head like a pillow. His knees were curled and drawn up near his body in an attempt to keep warm. The fire that had been roaring in the fireplace had been extinguished by Darren. He had looked back at the officer and winked once before he proceeded into the bedroom closing the door behind him. Hanson was sure that he had heard a scream and a thump, but the door appeared to be fairly tight and he was really exhausted. He was sure he could have put any sound into his head that he wanted at this point. The wind had picked up out side and the cool air seemed to slip in through the cracks of the doors. The bite of the frigid breeze bit into Hanson's already aching joints. His eye lids were heavy as he tried to focus on the knot hole in the wall in front of him. The counted the grains in the wood hoping to fall asleep faster. The chinking in the walls appeared to be cracking and chipping falling out of the walls in places. Hanson's eyes grew heavy as the night wore on. He closed his eyes to the wind as he whipped around the door next to his head, he swore off the pain in his chest and stomach; he tried to forget the way Lexi had looked from him to Darren with skepticism in her eyes.

Hanson nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand settled on his shoulder. He had to sort out the person standing in front of him. He reached up, bother wrists still laced together, and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He had the feeling of pins and needles swimming around just under the skin in his arm. He blinked again as he looked up at the girl in front of him.

"Lex…" her fingers pinned his lips as he recognized her. She had a small dark patch on her right cheek and her bottom lip was cracked and bleeding. Tom's jaw dropped as he let his eyes survey the beauty in front of him. Her once youthful naive and trusting eyes were now tainted with pain and distrust. She had changed. She appeared fearful and tormented. What had that asshole done to her?

"This is for you." She handed him the most precious thing he had ever received from anyone. It was a small cup containing water. The precious clear liquid that would tempt him for another one, but she had risked herself, his wrath to give Hanson this small token. "I saw… I saw it all." She glanced down at the floor; she had lost her innocence to him… Tom knew what he had done to her.

"Lexi… you need to get away from here." Hanson choked out in a quiet whisper. Lexi looked up at the officer her blue eyes shedding a substantial single tear. The liquid leaked down her cheek and fell in a large droplet splashing on the floor, another threatened to follow. Hanson placed the mug on the floor and reaching up touched her cheek gently wiping the tear away. She pulled away grasping both of his hands and placing the tin cup back into them.

"Drink this… I-I don't know when I will be able to get you more." Her voice was devastating to Tom as it cracked as she tried to be strong. He could no longer hold the fact that she had waved a gun in his face against her… she had been manipulated again, only this time Darren had gotten what he had wanted out of her, and against her will. She had been raped.

"Lexi… you have to get out of here." Hanson pleaded with her again. He was in fear for her safety more so than his own. She was so young and so beautiful. She shook her head and pushed the tin cup to Hanson's lips forcing him to take a drink.

The liquid was cool, quenching the fire that had burned within his parched throat. He sucked the clear fluid across his lips relishing the simple pleasure contained within the valuable life giving solution. It was cool and clean and not enough. He finished the liquid and handed the cup back to the young woman. She took the cup and looked down at the metal cup. She started to stand up and then looked back down at the officer in front of her.

"Officer Hanson…" she stated.

"Yeah." Hanson responded.

"I'm sorry… I have to go back before he realizes I'm gone." She started to move away from Tom but he caught her small wrist with his hands before she could. He leveled his gaze directly into her eyes. "I gotta go… I'll try and get you a blanket, you're starting look a little cold. Please…let me go… please." Hanson looked down at her delicate fingers; they were laden with dirt at the cuticles. Her nails were chipped at the tips. There were three thin slices across her wrist, not deep but still there. They were bright red as if she had just cut them. He knew that the two of them were in for a rough ride. Hanson released the young girl and painstakingly watched her trudge back into the bedroom quietly closing the door behind her.

--

Dean sat down with the note holding it in his hand;

Dean,

I am so sorry, I let you down. I wish there was something I could have done to make this up to you and make it better for the boys. Tom, Dennis and Doug… they seem like such good boys. This is all my fault, but I just couldn't let Darren go through this trial. I helped him escape. I gave him a gun which he used to kill two men. It was my fault… I just wish you could have known him as a small child. He was so loving when he was young, I just don't know what happened. I loved him; I still love him, no matter what he has done. I just can't believe that he did what he did. I should have let him stand trial for what he had done… I just couldn't. Please understand the love of a father and forgive us both.

Jim

Dean sat back in his chair and examined the picture that had been wrapped in the message. The image was a sign of more joyous times as it depicted a young boy with a pointed and colorful birthday hat on and a father and mother on either side beaming with pride at the tenth birthday of their only son. Jim Thompson had been right… what had happened to that smiling little boy. His eyes dancing with youthful exhilaration and enthusiasm, Dean lay the yellow paper on his desk with the picture. Silently he glanced up as Doug and Dennis stood watch next to the older officer who appeared to be visibly shaken at the sight he had seen. He watched as the coroner aided by two others had cut the rope around Jim's neck and lowered him to the floor. The men then stepped away as group from the crime lab had swarmed to take pictures. The coroner lurked in the corner of the building clutching a large black bag made of thick plastic. Once an adequate number of pictures had been taken the men then returned to the body of the older man to place it in the bag and remove it to the county morgue.

Dean swallowed hard as he glanced around the large garage. There was a tool bench neatly organized with sockets, wrenches, drills and bits. Jim had always been the "go to" guy when it came to fixing something. He had repaired cars, trucks, little red wagons, bicycles; you name it Jim could fix it. Jim had gone out of his way when Dean had taken the job on the Police Department in Waylon County to fix the plumbing and the garbage disposal before he and Angie before had arrived. Dean could remember pulling up to the house seeing a strange vehicle parked outside. Jim had emerged with his wife; Jim was covered in dirt and grease while his wife had finished cleaning the floors of the home. She had left some cookies and a card for the couple who were grateful to meet someone in the new and strange town.

"This is a complete disaster." Dean stated rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Boy's, its dinner time and Angie has food on hold for us." Dean stated as he watched the men load the body of Jim Thompson in the back of the black van. The doors swung shut on the van and the coroner turned and nodded at Dean Miller who returned the nod and then let he gaze fall on the vehicle as it pulled out onto the street and sped off towards town.

"Dean… no offense… but Hanson…" Penhall stammered.

Dean turned and looked into Penhall's eyes and then into Dennis's with a look of irritation and frustration flickering within his own gaze. "There is a woman at my house who has worked all day long to try and get a dinner ready for us. She has been in tears probably ninety percent of this day. She wants to see you two and me. Now, I don't care if you touch any of the food she puts in front of you… but she deserves that much respect. She is just as upset about Tom Hanson as you and you and I." Dean began. "Now I also have to make a phone call to the Metro Juvenile Corrections Department and tell them that it was one of my officers who equipped his son with the gun that killed two of their men. I also have to call and update Adam Fuller on the status of his missing officer. I don't want to go home either, but that woman back at home deserves that much respect, so you will go and you will be courteous and sensitive to her feelings to, is that clear?"

Penhall and Booker stood dumfounded. Dean was so calm and collected; he had never once lost his composure in front of the two young officers, or anyone that they knew of.

"Yes sir." The two officers stated in unison. Both got the feeling that this case was starting to ware down the Captain and the officers of the Waylon County Police Department.

--

Angie had melted into tears of frustration and despair as she had been told of the death of James Thompson. She stood in the doorway enveloped in the arms of her husband who held her through the torrent of tears. Booker and Penhall had watched as the emotions of the day spilled from both of the visibly exhausted couple. Within a few minutes the couple had regained their composure. Angie wiping away tears, walked into the arms of Booker and then Penhall. Both men she held tightly as she fought back the tears that threatened to spill over again.

"Your gonna find him… I know you will." She stated her eyes rimmed in red. Booker and Penhall both took turns holding the woman who had stolen their hearts close as they struggled to keep their own emotions in check.

OK, so tell me what you think!! Thanks again for reading and I will start on the next chapter! Later:-)