Author's Note: Thanks for being so patient with me. I know I've been spotty on the internet lately, but some things have been keeping me from getting here. I do have this one finished now, it's just the posting of the chapters that's being slow. I hope you enjoy it and it was worth the wait! Soon will own season 2 on DVD, but nothing else, unfortunately.
Chapter 7- 15.5 Hours Missing
Everyone was seated at the round table. Except Ben. He was standing in front of the timeline, staring at it, lost in thought.
Samantha couldn't help but wonder what Ben could be thinking. Is this how he works all the time? Or is he just being weird about the fact that we know each other's secrets? This is an odd way of doing things. He's so quiet. What is he doing?
Jack's voice cut into her thoughts on Ben's way of doing things. "What did you get, Elena?"
She sighed. "A whole lot of nothing. Her cell phone is a pre-paid and she didn't use it that much. Calls to home, that's all."
Jack was clearly becoming frustrated and looked over at Ben, who was still studying the board silently.
Jack refocused on his own team's effort's. "How about you guys? What'd you get at the lawyer's office?"
Martin sighed. "More of the same. She was in there this morning for her interview. She arrived early but still didn't get the job because she has no experience. Other than that she did well at the interview. She was disappointed when he told her that she didn't get the job, but he said she took it well."
"Now, wait a minute." Vivian remembered something Mrs. Winslow had mentioned and Samantha asked about. "Mrs. Winslow said that Paige had issues with not feeling like she could get a job. Like no one wanted her. That would not have made her feel better, that would have disappointed her further."
Samantha was still stuck on the internet friends. Even if Ben didn't think it was relevant. "I don't know. I think she confided in her internet friends and in her lowest moment just needed someone to lean on and went to meet with one. Those are the people she talks to the most. The ones she's 'closest' too."
Jack seemed to take it all into consideration and looked over at Ben. "So, anything from our resident genius? I was told you were good, so what have you got? Anything?"
He didn't even turn around. "No way she went to meet a friend from the internet. I told you before, the girl is too paranoid, too careful, and she thinks too much about logic and consequences. I do however think that the interview and it's conclusion are extremely relevant to what happened to her. She's an introspective person and likes her time to herself. She writes poetry and listens to New Age music and owns various candles, incense, and aromatherapy. This girl likes nature. And she's responsible. She cares about what happens to other people and how they feel. This girl went off to be on her own and think about things."
Jack was not impressed with Ben's thoughts on the case. "So, what you're saying is that we don't need to look for her? She'll just come back on her own when she feels like it? Her mother is worried and you don't think she has a reason to be?"
"No, that is not what I said. I think she is in very real danger. Not from someone else- from herself. Her journal is full of depressive thoughts."
"Her mother said she never attempted suicide."
"Uh, there has to be a first time at some point. It doesn't always happen when you're young, your life gets more stressful as you grow up."
"Be that as it may, Agent Thomas, we need to focus on what we have evidence of." Jack turned to Samantha. "Check on her laptop and see what you can find out about her internet friends." He looked directly at Ben. "Because that's our best lead right now."
Samantha glanced at Ben and then looked back at Jack. "On it."
"Elena, check her home phone for any numbers that look promising. Vivian, get back to the family, see what else you can get about her friends and her life. Danny, Martin, go back through her tracks over the past couple of days. Check her credit cards, bank account, friends, anything you can get your hands on."
Jack purposely looked at Ben and didn't say a word to him. "Let's get going people, the clock is ticking." He was still staring at Ben for a moment and then he turned around and walked away from the table.
Everyone else at the table remained quiet for a moment and then they shuffled around as they got up. Samantha was left alone at the table with Ben standing next to her.
She heard him breathe in deeply through his nose and then breathe back out through his mouth very quietly.
"Ben…"
"Told you he didn't want me here. He doesn't have to listen to my suggestions, I know I'm just an advisor. But he could at least take them into consideration. What is the sense in having someone here to offer advice, when you refuse to take it? And worse still, he thinks of it as an assertion of power. I don't want his job. I just want to help the girl. And if I didn't want to or feel I could help her, I would NOT still be here."
Samantha tried to smooth things over. "Ben, Jack is a little territorial about his team. He doesn't really like people coming in and messing up the flow. That's all. Did you find anything new while staring at the board?"
"While listening to Jack debunk my thoughts? Only a new level of frustration."
"I just ask because you were there a while."
"Samantha, I don't do the whole, 'share and care' for a whole group very well. That's why I have a partner, he does the show and tell. That's why I like not having a whole team- less people to argue with."
"I think of it as less creativity and less theories. That's why I like a big team."
"Yes, well, it's quality, not quantity that counts, my dear."
"Are you telling me that you are so good that you don't need other people's ideas? That sounds a little ego-driven to me."
"Yes, but Sam, if your boss wants to make this a little war, so be it. I will do my thing, he can do his. And then we'll see whether it really is quality or quantity."
Author's Note: Please leave me notes of encouragement and/or suggestions. As always, love to my ladies on the WaT forum who tell me how they feel about my chapters.
