Chapter 10

Andrew watched as his captive groaned quietly but didn't wake up. He was told by the guy who had sold him the roofies that his target would be looped for a few hours and may or may not remember what had happened.

So far things were working out the way he'd planned. Flash some cash here and there, sweet-talk a few people, some research on the Net, it was amazing what one could do when one had the means and the motivation to do what needed to be done. Mind you, there was one or two things he'd had to do that had been a bit distasteful, but it had to be done.

The red-haired man groaned softly again, straining against the ties that held him to the chair, then mumbled something that sounded like "Mary". Huh. Whatever. Andrew turned his back to him and began to work on the second phase of his plan.

Horatio couldn't move. He couldn't think clearly and he seemed unable to be able to talk coherently. He was still drugged; he had to be.

"Don't fight it, sweetheart; it'll wear off in its own time," a soft, husky voice advised him.

He looked up, or rather, tried to. He seemed to be in a room of some kind, one he didn't recognize. "Who are you?" he asked the woman sitting on the bed beside him.

The dark blonde woman smiled softly and said, "I'm Mary Abbot, Savannah's mother."

"Mary..."

She nodded and continued smiling. She wasn't supposed to be here; she was supposed to be in Phoenix City, in Alabama, not here, in Las Vegas. Still...

Horatio studied her. Shoulder-length wavy dark blonde hair, dark blue eyes, facial shape similar to Savannah's, she was an attractive woman and Horatio could clearly see his daughter in her. She wore a sleeveless white summer dress whose hem brushed her pretty bare feet. It seemed impossible, but Horatio thought she had a glow about her.

As if hearing his thoughts, she smiled wider and said, "Savannah carried the best of me; I'm so proud of her."

"Tried to protect her," he mumbled apologetically.

"I know, sweetheart, I know," Mary soothed, "but you can't protect our daughter all the time. Besides, as reluctant as I am to admit this, this may be one situation where she is going to have to face the past."

"Help her..."

Mary smiled. "She has plenty of help, but she will need you to remind her about the secret of strength, and that you love her, no matter what happens."

"I do."

"I know you do, sweetheart, and that's what makes this so much easier for me; I know our daughter is loved and that she's happy and safe."

"I don't understand..."

"You will, I promise, and when Savannah finds out, she's going to need you more than ever."

"Promise."

Mary nodded. "I believe you. Promise me one thing, though."

"'kay."

"Promise me you'll let Savannah know how proud I was of her and how much I loved her. She did the right thing by leaving and I am so very, very proud of her."

"Promise," he mumbled.

"Thank you. Now, you rest, and like I said, the drug will wear off faster. Gather what strength you can because when the time comes, you're going to need all the strength you can get."

"Mary..."

"Rest," Mary coaxed, reaching out and gently touching his face. "Rest..."

And he rested.

Andrew glared at Horatio's limp form. Finally... the dumb prick shut up. He'd been mumbling nonsense for the last few minutes to the point it was starting to irritate him and he had seriously started considering the merits of gagging the stupid cop.

He hated noise like that. Whiners, whimperers, they all equalled the same thing; losers. And if it was one thing about Andrew Jackson that was tried, tested, and true, was that he had zero tolerance for losers.