I Wanna Come Home

Chapter 13:

A/N: You guys are so wonderful! I love you and all of your reviews! This chapter clears a few things up and raises a few more questions. I hope you all like it and I can't wait to see more of your wonderful reviews. This chapter is for TV Angel 711 who said that she would put down the torches and pitchforks if I kept going. I appreciate the gesture looks around nervously to see if other readers are dropping their weapons also Enjoy!

Charles Bedford led Olivia down into the basement of the warehouse "I wasn't expecting you for a little while," he smiled at her as and she wanted to smack him but he had a firm grip on her good arm. "You'll have to forgive the arrangements," he led her into a room with a cot against one wall. The room also had a small refrigerator, a microwave and a television as well as other pieces of furniture.

There was a small bed against the other wall. A little girl with honey colored hair and sad blue eyes sat on the bed, biting down hard on her lower lip. Olivia sank onto the cot and looked up at Charles "Who is she?" she asked almost immediately after spotting the child.

"This," Charles said, picking up the little girl who neither backed away from him nor came to him willingly "Is my granddaughter Clara." He handed the little girl to Olivia without seeming to care that he was handing her over to a complete stranger.

Olivia looked at the little girl who couldn't have been more than two. As far as she knew Ryan Charles's only child so this girl had to be Ryan's daughter. She looked up at Charles with only questions swimming in her eyes.

Charles closed the door to the room and took a seat in a nearby chair "It's a long story Detective Benson. Lucky for you, I'm in a sharing mood right now." He looked at his watch, he had half an hour before he was supposed to be in front of the cameras again for his next press conference.

Olivia situated the child in her lap. Lucky for Charles Bedford she was in a listening mood right now. She had been trying to figure out how she could make her escape but the second she had seen Clara, all those thoughts had been pushed to the back of her mind. She now knew that any escape attempt she made would have to include this child.

"You see," Charles began "About two years ago a girl showed up at our house in the middle of the night. Her name was Hannah Davis."

Olivia remembered that name. Hannah Davis's body had been found two years ago. She was only fifteen but had a C-section scar that the ME had determined couldn't be more than a week old. The child had never been found. Olivia started to fit the pieces together in her mind "You killed her," she whispered, her good arm clutching Clara tighter. This man was ruthless and seemingly heartless.

"She and Ryan were going to get married," he said as if that reason alone was enough to justify murder "Our family couldn't take that kind of a scandal," Charles sighed heavily "Unfortunately Ryan turned to drugs soon afterwards."

"Why did you keep the baby?" Olivia asked. This man just seemed too heartless to have spared the life of an infant for any reason.

"My wife thought she was cute," Charles sighed again with the memories of Sarah.

"Jack knew," Olivia whispered "That's why you had him killed."

"Jack knew a lot of things," Charles told her "He promised he would never turn me in but I knew if the right opportunity came along, he would jump at the chance to sell me out."

"Not everyone is a cold bastard like you are," Olivia hissed.

"Detective," Charles nodded at Clara "Watch your language, there are young ears in the room," he was amused with himself as he watched the expression on Olivia's face, a mixture of hate towards him and acceptance that he was right to caution her in her use of words.

"Did your wife get tired of her?" Olivia asked bitterly after a few moments of thought. She didn't really feel comfortable talking about the child in her lap as if she wasn't there.

"Sarah loved her," Charles defended his wife "Sarah never stopped loving that child. But when Ryan died, she just couldn't handle it anymore. Clara just reminded her of how Ryan was never coming home again," Charles paused, the expression on his face turning dark "Because of your partner, my wife killed herself."

Olivia didn't believe him. If Sarah Bedford had killed herself it would have been a major story on the news. "You're lying," she said simply.

"No I'm not," Charles countered "I had to keep her death a secret. Sarah was as concerned with image as I am. She would have never wanted anyone to know that her life had ended that way. I hid her in a coffin in the basement," his voice faltered and Olivia could see that this cold man did indeed have a heart when his eyes misted over "I poured lime over her to suppress the smell," he explained.

"I'm sorry," Olivia whispered. She felt pity for this man. He had lost his wife and son all in such a short time period. Still, that did not excuse any of what he had done.

"You should be," Charles spat out as soon as he composed himself "Your partner is the reason that she's dead and because of you, the whole world knows was a disgrace Ryan really was."

Olivia felt her pity dissolve instantly back into hatred. Clara was running her small hand along Olivia's cast gingerly and Olivia looked down at the little girl. In the time since Olivia had arrived, Clara hadn't so much as made a noise or shown an interest in anything. Clara looked up into Olivia's eyes and Olivia could see a look she knew all too well. It was the look of a child who while her needs physically had been met, she had been all but neglected emotionally.

Charles looked at his watch again and stood up "I'll be seeing you," he said to Olivia.

Olivia could tell that he didn't see her as much of a threat and she would have said something if she weren't afraid for Clara. Perhaps Charles Bedford knew that while his granddaughter's life meant little to him, Olivia wouldn't let any innocent person get hurt if she could help it. Perhaps that was why Olivia wasn't a threat.

"There's a bathroom through that door," Charles pointed out "And there's food and water in the fridge. Clara's clothes are over there in that dresser," he pointed to a little two drawer dresser next to Clara's bed that Olivia hadn't really noticed before "I don't have any clothes for you yet," he said almost apologetically "But I'll get you some." He headed towards the door "I'll be back tonight."

He shut the door behind him and Olivia could hear the sound of a heavy deadbolt clicking into place. She looked down at Clara again "I guess it's just you and me little miss," she tried to sound cheerful but Clara didn't look like she bought the act. Olivia sighed and pulled Clara as close to her as she could "It's gonna be okay," she whispered "It's gonna be okay."

A/N: Little Clara came to me in a dream… sort of. Anyway I figured this was an interesting twist but I'm not sure. I can't wait to hear what you guys thought of it.