Shorter than the first three, but I managed to get it up before falling asleep. :)

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Jill and Claire were waiting in the diner. Neither of them were able to make eye contact with each other, so they silently sipped their drinks and stared around the diner. They didn't even notice Cindy enter until she sat down grumpily and dropped her bag on the floor.

No one said anything for a few minutes except to order food and exchange pleasantries with the waitress. Finally, Claire broke, "Okay, we have to do something. This really can't go on much longer before she ends up hurt."

Jill nodded, "I managed to get this case away from Denise, so I should be able to help with any court orders or warrants. That won't help solve anything, but it might make the process go faster once we do find something."

Claire smiled, "Thanks to Lois Lane here we have a solid lead for her to focus on, but I still think we need to hold an intervention." A wicked glint came to her eye. "Maybe we can get Pete to show up and help us. You know, for support."

Jill and Cindy smiled, though it was a very valid idea. Lindsey wandered in, smiled at the group, and sat down in her usual chair, stealing a fry from Jill as she did.

"Ladies," she drawled, smiling at them.

"You look like a cat with a canary," Jill quipped.

Lindsey nodded, "We have a suspect thanks to Cindy's lead. This guy was heard threatening the teachers who opposed the union. Loudly."

"Is there anything fit for print yet?" Cindy asked.

Lindsey shook her head, "Sorry, honey. Until we have something more solid, I'd rather keep it all under my hat. Or rather, our hat. I'll let you know this afternoon."

Cindy smiled, at least the aggravation of the day before had payed off in the case, at least somewhat. It was the first solid lead in the case since it had all began. Jill offered to help with arrest warrants as soon as they had something tangible.

Claire was just happy to have her friend back, even temporarily. "So, how is Pete? You haven't mentioned him in a while." She managed to ask it without revealing the grin that tugged at her lips.

Lindsey smiled and leaned back to let the waitress set her food down. "He's good. The hotel is going up faster than expected. We're talking of a visit in the new few weeks. He has to come back to San Fransisco to tie up a few business matters."

Jill laughed, "Business matters such as a wedding ring?"

Lindsey rolled her eyes. "Please, I am eating. We've only been together for three months, two of which he has been overseas." She put a fry in her mouth. "We're not even thinking about marriage."

Cindy polished off her coffee and stood. "While I hate to eat and run, my boss is chomping at the bit for a story, and I need to tell him there's nothing yet. I'll stall as long as I can, and if I have to, I'll do a feature piece on your awesome detective work." She nudged Lindsey's shoulder with her hip.

Lindsey laughed, "Spare me the humiliation." She patted the young reporter's arm, "I will call you as soon as I have anything. I'm sorry about yesterday. I went a little mental for a few days."

Cindy left, and the three ladies finished their meal in comfortable silence.

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The climb up to the attic was getting far too familiar. The photos covered almost every inch of the walls and a stack of papers on the desk, waiting to be sorted.

Sitting in the well-worn chair, Lindsey just stared at the faces, scenery and lab reports surrounding her. "Stare at that wall long enough and you'll see a sailboat," Jacobi had quipped. She smiled at the memory.

"I caught that one, and this one will be no different." She flipped open the first folder, and just started reading.

It was well past three in the morning when her cell phone snapped her out of her trance-ike state. She flipped it open without checking the caller id.

"Boxer." There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed rapidly by a sob. Lindsey pulled the phone away and saw who was calling.

"Tom?"

The words that came across the phone line were only slightly shocking since they'd made the connection to the victims, but the none the less sent a chill down Lindsey's spine.

"Heather's missing."