Jack slowly placed the phone back on the receiver, unusually pale. He shot Danny a look and cleared his throat. Thing weren't good; Danny could tell.
"What was it?" he asked, his voice strained.
"They, um they-," he cleared his throat again, "They may have found her," he said faintly. The team looked at him expectantly, holding on to a shred of hope. "There was no I.D. The coroner is waiting for us to get there."
Danny immediately stood up. "I'm coming," he stated firmly.
Jack glanced at him uneasily and rubbed his bottom lip. "I don't think that's a good idea," he said cautiously. Danny glared at him.
"I'm going, Jack and that's finally." He picked up his jacket and pushed his chair back under his desk. "I'll meet you by the car." As he strolled away, Jack watched him with a troubled expression.
"Do you think it's smart?" Viv asked, articulating the question on everyone's mind. Jack was silent for a moment as he gathered up his files.
"I don't actually think I can stop him, even if he shouldn't go," he finally said. Knowing this was true, Viv remained quiet. "Besides," Jack added, "we're not sure if the body's Chrys or not."
Martin looked up from the table. "And if it is?" he asked quietly. Jack drummed his finger against the files. Even he couldn't think of a way to answer the question.
Finally, after a few more moment of silence, Jack got up and grabbed his jacket. "It is Chrys, then there's nothing we can do about it." Though the words were cold, he said it in a way that they knew wasn't. "Call me if anything new comes up." With those words, he parted.
When he was finally out of sight, Sam spoke up. "How do you think Danny would handle Chrys's death?" In the line of job they had, it was hard to be optimistic. Every time there was even a bit of hope, it was shot down faster than a snap of the finger, usually leaving a strong aftertaste of disappointment. Martin rubbed his forehead and sighed.
"The best he can, I suppose," answered Martin. Danny had always been one to suffer in silence. When it came down to it, none of them actually knew how Danny dealt with grief. True, he use to drown it with alcohol, and now he talked to his sponsor whenever he felt like drinking again, but that wasn't actually dealing with grief.
"You're thinking too much into it," Viv said, starting on her paperwork. "It might not even be Chrys. Besides, there's nothing we can do right now. If it is indeed Chrys, then the most we can do is stand by Danny." Nothing left to say, Martin backed up to his desk and Sam stared out the window. Sometimes, it's just hard being optimistic.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Took you long enough," said Danny as Jack opened the driver side door and slid in. Jack started the car with out a word and shut the door. "You guys were asking whether it was smart for me to go or not weren't you?" Jack sighed and looked at Danny. That was all the answer he need. "I'll be fine, Jack. I promise."
Jack tapped the steering wheel and sighed again. "You can't guarantee that, Danny," he said.
Danny gave a huff of annoyance before glaring at Jack. "You worry too much."
"That's my job," he replied before turning up the radio and pulling out of the parking spot. The drive to the crime scene was relatively silent. The atmosphere in the car was tense as they arrived at the outskirts of city. The scene of yellow tape and flashing lights greeted them as they got out of the car. Danny jogged over and ducked underneath the crime scene tape. Pulling out a pair of latex gloves out of his pocket, he snapped it on and started questioning the commanding officer.
"A couple was running their morning jog when they found the Jane Doe," he said pointing into the bushes with a pen. Danny nodded and walked over. Jack was already there, in a crouch, examining the dead body. Danny rounded fought through the thickets to where the body was hidden, a growing feeling of dread in his stomach. He stepped on a twig and caused Jack to jump up.
"Ah, Danny…" Danny looked at the body and blinked. Jack put a hand on is shoulder. "Maybe you should wait in the car," he said remorsefully. Danny ignored him and moved closer. Hidden beneath a bush laid a body. By the looks of it, it hadn't been there long since it hadn't even gone through rigor. Danny carefully stepped over the corpse's leg. She was garbed in a green tank top and orange pajama pants, dressed as if she was about to go to sleep. He moved to the left and over to the coroner who was taking her liver temperature. Once Danny saw her face, he took a step back.
Looking like she would wake up any moment was Chrys. Her lively green eyes were closed and her mouth was set in a peaceful smile like she happily slipped away in her sleep instead of killed during a kidnapping. Any hope the Danny had harbored now came crashing down. Behind him, he heard Jack on the phone telling Sam what was going on. But that was all background noise. A loud roaring filled his ears as he continued to stare at Chrys's lifeless body in disbelief. With hint of dark humor, he realized he was going through the first stage off grieving: denial.
"Excuse me," the coroner interrupted politely. Danny closed his eyes, the image of the dead body etched beneath his eyelids.
"Yes?" he asked harshly, turning to the coroner.
The coroner seemed a bit offended as she asked," Could you move, sir? We have to bag the body now." Realizing the coroner was being snippy because of his previous tone, Danny took a few steps back awkwardly nodded. "Sorry," he said, trying not to offend her anymore.
The coroner just gave him a curt nod and spread the bag out next to Chrys. With the help of one of her assistants, they placed her in the bag and zipped hit up.
"Danny." He watched as they heaved her onto a gurney and wheeled her out of the forest thicket and into the examiner's van. "Danny!" Danny turned to an impatient Jack and realized he had been calling him for a while now.
"What?" he asked.
"We have to go now," Jack said, motioning for Danny to follow him to the car. "Case closed. It's PD's turn." Danny stood unmoving, still staring at the ground where Chrys had previously laid. They had found Chrys. His job was over. Now it was up to PD to find her killer. Now, there was not a chance of catching Jeremy, at least not for him. Not him. An idea sprung in his head and he turned to Jack.
"Do you mind if tell Henry," he asked.
"Uh, sure," Jack said hesitantly, trying to remember who he was.
"Chrys's brother." Danny said, reading his mind.
"Right," Jack nodded. "Well…go ahead then. Sam's coming anyway, so I'll just wait here for her." Danny forced a half smile as a thank you and went to the car. "Hey Danny," Jack called out. He turned around. "You forgot the keys." He tossed Danny the key and turned to talk to a CSU who was gathering evidence.
Danny slid into the driver's seat and shut the door. He slid the key into the keyhole, but didn't start the car. Drumming his fingers along the dashboard, he leaned back and started thinking. He knew what he was about to do, but was it smart. Jeremy killed Chrys, so in Danny's mind; Jeremy deserved to suffer horribly before dieing. But was he willing to break the law to see it happen? Of course, it isn't that big of an offense if he did do what he wanted, but he was an FBI agent now. It wasn't like when he was younger and the law didn't matter. Now, he had a responsibility to respect and follow the law. Who was he kidding? Right now the only thing he wanted to see was Jeremy's neck snapped in half and maybe Mimi's too.
Danny ran his hand over his face and sighed. What ever he was going to do, first he had to visit Henry. He started the car, pulled out of the spot and turned on the radio.
The drive to the Hampton took a bit of time, so when Danny finally pulled up to the gates that barred the manor, it was well into the afternoon. He stopped the car right in front of the iron wrought gated and rolled down his windows. Reaching out of the car, Danny pushed the black button on the intercom box that was place outside the gate. A crackle of static was emitted from the box before someone spoke.
"Mr. Smith is currently busy. Please try back later," a female voice said.
"Tell Mr. Smith it is Danny Taylor from the FBI," Danny replied, "I may have some information he's interested in." There was a pause before the gates were buzzed open with the sound of loud screeching.
"Please proceed." Danny rolled up his window without a word of thanks and drove through the gated onto the long driveway that led to the mansion. When he got out of the car, a maid was waiting for him, with the front door open.
"Master is waiting for you," she said as soon as Danny stepped out of the car. Danny nodded and followed her into the familiar halls. The maid's name was Antoinette, from France.
They walked through the hall, passing numerous of portraits as they neared their destination. They reached a mahogany door and stopped. Antoinette bowed and said, "Master is waiting for you." Danny nodded again. About to turn to leave, the maid stopped and looked at Danny with a fond yet sad look. "It's been a while hasn't it?" she asked with a slight french accent. Danny's mouth dried when she spoke. It had been a while since he last heard her accented voice scolding him, Chrys or both for almost breaking something, or calling them in for a snack.
"Yes it has," Danny answered in a whisper.
Antoinette regarded him warily. "She's gone isn't she?" Antoinette had always been fond of Chrys and then Danny as they had always been fond of her. Both with a mother, she provided a motherly figure for them.
Danny averted his eyes and nodded for the third time. "She was a good girl," Antoinette murmured, the sadness evident in her eyes and voice. "Do let him down easy." Danny sucked in a breath and looked at her. "I will," he said, his voice strengthening.
"You were always a good boy." Her distress was evident by the way she wrung the towel she was holding. Danny nearly laughed at that statement. Was he really. "I'll leave you then." Antoinette smiled mournfully and left him at the door. Danny turned his attention to the door. Nearly two decades ago, he stood at the very same spot with Chrys next to him, coaching him in what he was suppose to do. Now he stood alone, not sure of what to do next.
Gradually as the seconds ticked by, Danny mustered up the courage to knock on the door.
"Come in," a deep voice that belonged to Henry Smith called. Danny turned the golden door knob and pushed the door open. He was once again in the room where the two men had first met. "How may I help you?" Henry was reclining in his leather recliner with its back facing Danny as he surveyed the grounds through his large window.
"I have some news," Danny said hesitantly, "about Chrys." Still, Henry did not turn around.
"Sit," he gestured. "Have some tea." Danny lowered himself into one of the chairs in front of his desk.
"Sir I-" Henry swiveled around and looked at Danny, his cold blue eyes colder and sharper than ever.
"I have no time for pity and guilt Danny. Just spit it out." Danny opened his mouth then closed it.
"She's – she's gone, Henry, Chrys is gone." Henry placed his fingers together and peered at Danny with an expression of slight annoyance.
"You could afford to be a bit more specific when you're talking about my sister," he said harshly.
"She's DEAD, Henry, Chrys is DEAD," Danny nearly shouted. Why did he have to be so difficult?
"You could've told me this over the phone," Henry said coldly. His face was expressionless as he took in the news. "Why did you personally come?" Danny looked passed him through the widow at the fields where Chrys and him use to play.
"I can tell you who it is," he said softly.
"And what do you want me to do?" There was understanding in Henry's eyes, but he didn't like to be used.
Danny sighed and finally relaxed in his chair. "What kind of question is that?" Danny asked, a hint of black humor slipping in again. Henry just looked at him. Sighing again, Danny reached out to pour a cup of tea. "We both care about Chrys, but now, she's dead." The thought was still foreign in his mind, but being an FBI agent, he was expected to accept the fact and move on, which he was trying to do without much avail.
Henry nodded slowly, wary of where this was going. "And we all know who you really are, am I correct?" Henry nodded again. Danny took a sip of tea, but then put it down, finding he wasn't thirsty and really didn't want to play games. Abruptly, he stood up. "I'll make this very simple. Jeremy Spencer and Madeline Walter. Good day." Danny pulled open the door and walked out knowing full well this was probably the last he would ever see Henry or the mansion. Without Chrys, all ties were severed.
Danny leaned against the door. Henry wasn't going to come out anytime soon, he knew, so in the secluded hallway, he finally let the tears rolled.
Epilogue
Danny stood over a grave, holding a bouquet of white lilies. The sky was grey and hinting rain. He stood alone in the vast graveyard, not another soul in sight. Danny knelt down and placed the flowers in front of the grave.
"Hey Chrys," he murmured, tracing her name. The day after her funeral, Jeremy and Mimi had been found in an alley way, their bodies so messed up, the only way to identify them was by DNA. Henry had done what had been asked of him though he would have done it anyway. "I love you, you know that right?" Danny smiled. Though it was a bit late, it still felt good to finally say it out loud. A gentle breeze ruffled through his hair and Danny could swear she was saying it back. "Here. I have something for you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace, its chain entangled in his fingers. "Remember this?"
True, he was speaking to himself, but Danny didn't care. The weeks after Chrys's death had been almost unbearable. He almost took up drinking again. Martin helped him through it, as did Danny's sponsor, but the most surprising thing was Henry. Danny didn't expect anything from Henry. He only accepted him because he was Chrys's friend. True, he did have a soft spot for Danny, but he never though it would extend over Chrys, but now they were two men who had bonded over a woman.
Danny placed the necklace next to the flowers. "Friends forever, remember?" There was no answer as expected, but one wasn't needed. Danny got up and brushed of his trench coat. Just then, with a clap of thunder, it started raining. At first the raindrops fell lightly, caressing the gravestones, but soon if fell harder.
Danny didn't move as the rain fell. The droplets slowly rolled down his face as he tilted his head back to fell it. Without knowing it, tears mixed with the rain until his face was completely wet. Biting his bottom lip, he closed his eyes. In the rain, no one could tell. Finally, Danny looked back down. The rain wasn't going to stop anytime soon and he was already soaking wet. "I love you," he whispered one last time before, walking away. He was late for work.
FBI Office, Missing Persons Unit
Danny shrugged of his jacket and hung the wet piece of clothing over the back of his chair. He scurried to the men's room and grabbed some paper towel to dry his hair. When he came out, the team was already sitting at the center table, waiting for him. Danny took his seat and Jack cleared his throat.
"We have a new team member," Jack informed, watching Danny carefully. The team was all stricken by the loss of an agent, especially since they never truly got to meet her.
Jack gestured to the glass doors leading out of their unit and everyone turned to look at who he was welcoming. "Please welcome Agent Elena Delgado."