Chapter Twelve: Father, Husband, and Investigator

It seemed that there was no down time for Nate since he became a father. There was no down time to just breathe. When he wasn't being a father he was working. It made it hard to balance the life that he had planned since the moment Maggie found out she was pregnant.

Three months after Sam was brought home from the hospital it was nonstop. Nate was tired and it was showing. He tried to hide the fact that he was dragging, but he made sure to keep his home life at home and his work life at work.

Nate accepted some cases that did take him away from his responsibilities as both husband and father. Of course this put stress on his marriage and it seemed that no one was happy.

"Nate, I'm just asking you to take a few days off," Maggie said.

"I can't take off, Maggie, don't you see we have an extra mouth to feed. And we have a house note to pay." Nate poured drink.

He swirled it around and looked at Maggie. She shook her head and walked into the kitchen. He sighed and rushed his hands through his hair. He didn't mean to make it sound like that Sam was a burden.

"Maggie, I'm sorry," Nate said. "I just can't leave this client to anyone."

"Then give the case to Jim, he won't let your client sink." Maggie rinsed a plate.

"Yeah, about Jim, he's been in his 'all about me' world. Something's going on. Why should I give him a case when he's going to take a client from me?"

Maggie sighed and stared at the running water.

"Now, you're just paranoid," Maggie said. "You act like your best friend is trying to take your job as head investigator."

Nate shook his head and sipped the amber liquid. He leaned against the marble counter top and watched as Maggie scrubbed the dishes. It was the only thing that seemed to keep her from bringing up the fact that he's been working extra hard to get a promotion.

"I'll take a week off and we can go visit your parents. I know they want to see Sam again. I'll put in a request tomorrow." He sat the glass down and walked over to her.

He wrapped his arms around Maggie and pulled her tightly into his arms.

"I just don't want you to miss out on things." Maggie lightly stroked his cheek. "Nate, I know it isn't easy balancing this life. But I'm happy with what we have. We don't need a flashy car or a big house. Everything is right here, you have a job and I have one I can work from home. Sam is a healthy child, what more could we ask for?"

"You're right, we have it all." Nate kissed her. "So what if I don't get that promotion, there will be others."

"Plenty of others. I.Y.S. is lucky to have someone like you." Maggie smiled. "I'm lucky to have someone like you."

Nate was grateful for Maggie's insight. Sometimes he lost sight of the important things that he had in his life. He kissed her and reached for a dishtowel to dry.

"Nate, I wanted to see if next month would be good to have the christening?" Maggie looked at him.

"Just family," Nate said. "Keep it small."

"Alright," Maggie said.

Nate smiled seeing how important the christening was to Maggie. She wanted to make every moment count and every occasion special.

The next day Nate made his way to his office and saw Sterling talking to a woman. He was anxious about something seeing him tapping the pen on the desk. It was as if he were thinking about a game changing move on a chess board.

"Ford," someone called.

Nate turned and looked at the older investigator and gave a nod, "Howard."

"Did you hear that your pal is taking a transfer?" Howard said.

"Afraid he left that out," Nate said.

"Not as tight as you thought you were." The white haired man said. "Good riddance to bad rubbish."

Nate slightly raised a brow. The older investigator had never liked Sterling despite how many cases he had worked with him when he was a rookie at I.Y.S. Something about Sterling just gave those who worked with him a bad feeling. Nate chose to ignore that feeling and gave Sterling the benefit of the doubt. Most the time he was pretty convinced everyone was wrong about him. But lately it seemed that Nate's gut feeling was gnawing at him to rethink his friendship.

"He's a good guy, Howard, maybe you haven't gotten to know him like I do," Nate stood up to the older man.

"Yeah, but he's been hiding something and this transfer is going to dig up something." The older man looked at Nate. "Don't let him stab you in the back like he did with Nigel."

"Trust me, I can smell betrayal a mile away."

"Yes, I know. I taught you all that." Howard gave Nate's shoulder a pat. "Remember no one is really a friend unless they prove it."

The older man walked off and Nate looked at Sterling. There was truth about the older man's statement.

Nate headed to his office and turned on his computer. He sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"Mr. Ford," a young woman's voice came.

"Yeah?" Nate looked at the intern that Sterling had taken from Nigel months ago.

"I have a file, Mr. Sterling asked me to pass on to you." The delicate boned woman walked in with a manila folder.

Nate reached for it and looked at the scribbles of notes on the back of the folder. He glanced up at the young intern and gave a nod.

"Thank you," Nate said.

She walked out and Nate flipped the folder open to stare at a lead. Nate shook his head as flipped the folder shut.

He got up and headed to Sterling's office and saw the woman had gone. He knocked and Sterling gave him a nod.

"Why are you handing me this case?" Nate asked.

"I figured you needed an overzealous, former service man to add to your collection."

"Retrieval specialists aren't my field."

"Sure they are, Ford. In fact I'm asking you a favor right now." Sterling stood up and grabbed a box from under his desk.

Nate sat the folder down and took a seat at Sterling's desk.

"Why are you transferring?" Nate asked.

"Just for a few months, I need to get away from this city." Sterling pulled some books off a shelf. "I'm a bit homesick. I'll be in London for four months working point with their head investigator."

"What aren't you telling me, Jim? We are friends aren't we?" Nate folded his arms.

Sterling stopped. "I'm telling you that I'm working on a case that requires me to put in a transfer."

Nate nodded and slid the folder in Sterling's direction.

"He's your type of criminal." Nate stood up. "You always get your mark."

Nate started walking towards the door.

"I don't have any more information on Spencer, but you do."

Nate stopped and turned to Sterling. "And how would you know that?"

Sterling smirked and lifted the file up. "I do my homework, Ford. I have another case that will hand me a promotion once I catch the little thief and bring her to justice."

Nate looked at Sterling and walked towards him and took the file.

"I think you're scared of him, Jim."

"No one scares me, Ford. I'm not scared of being afraid." Sterling let go of the file. "If you don't mind I have cases that I need to mail to my new office so I can focus on them after I get my mark."

"Sometimes I worry about you, Jim."

"That's adorable, Ford, but I don't need you to worry about me, everything is working out just fine."

Nate shook his head and headed out of the office. He glanced over his shoulder and watched as Sterling cleaned out his office.

It didn't seem like it took long for Nate to get consumed on several cases that were left for him.

"Here's everything Mr. Sterling was working on the last three months," Emily said setting boxes on Nate's desk. "Is there anything else I can help you with, Mr. Ford?"

Nate stared at the boxes and shook his head. He glanced up at the intern that was fond of Sterling. She enjoyed the investigation process that Sterling was teaching her.

"Do you know the reason why he took a transfer, Ms. Daniels?" Nate asked Emily

"Can I speak freely?" Emily asked.

Nate gave a nod and she closed the office door. He wrinkled his brow as the young woman as she shut the door.

"He was investigating something that I don't think he had the authority to investigate. Mr. Ford, the woman that came into his office two weeks ago, she was someone he knew very well. She gave him a red file case." Emily took a seat.

"She's I.Y.S ?" Nate asked.

"Yes, I looked her up in the data base. She's the head investigator of the London office. Her name is Lauren O'Conner."

"I know the name," Nate said. "She came to office pitching to Blackpoole about expansion. She was recruiting investigators to help recruit for the new office. Jim and I were her top picks."

Emily nodded. "Mr. Ford, I get a bad feeling about her. And I think he's endanger, this investigation that he's on is a wild goose chase. He told me it was some painting one of his high end clients claimed was missing."

Nate looked at the cases and sighed. "Alright, this is what we're going to do. I'm going to head to London and get the truth out of him. I want you to do any research you can on this painting he was investigating on, I'm sure it was just a cover for his true purpose, Jim's good at covering his tracks."

"Mr. Ford, you don't think he's getting into something illegal?"

"If I know Jim the way I think I do, he's a stickler for being on the right side of the law." Nate smiled. "Don't worry; we'll get to the bottom of this."

As the evening closed in, Nate headed home carrying the boxes of files. He walked in the door to smell the Italian spices filling the house and the sweet melodies of Jazz playing in the background.

"Maggie, I'm home," Nate called.

He shuffled through the living room and sat the boxes down on the coffee table. He peered around the corner and into the kitchen to see Maggie feeding Sam.

"Feeding time," Nate said.

"Well, we couldn't wait for you," Maggie said as she threw the burping cloth over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry; I got caught up at the office. Jim's cases came to me while he's in London."

"So, I guess that plan to take off work for a week isn't going to be in the cards for us?" Maggie questioned.

"Maggie, I'm sorry, but I can't just hand cases over to other investigators." Nate rubbed his eyes.

"Nate, you have to take time for yourself and for your family. I.Y.S is consuming your life and taking away from us." Maggie looked at Sam as she patted his back. "All I'm asking is one week. Surely, Jim's cases can wait."

Nate hesitated to tell her that there was something deeper than just the cases he was given by Sterling. It wasn't the right time for it, but there that little voice that told him he needed to tell her.

"Look, I have a case that's going to require me to go to London for a week. After I get back we can have our week off. I promise." Nate walked to her and kissed her head.

She gave a nod and handed him the burping cloth and passed Sam to him. Nate looked at him and smiled.

"Dinner will be ready soon." She smiled.

"I'll be ready." Nate looked up at her as he held Sam. "We'll be ready."