Chapter 14

Amelia walked back into the conference room and all eyes were now on her. "Check his bank statements. See if he has a lockbox, a storage unit, anything he could keep something of value in. Fitzgerald said Thorburn was going to put them with all the things he has of value. So, he has to have something that he's renting where he puts it all. Fitzgerald said he doesn't keep them in his house, so it has to be elsewhere," she explained as she looked at Jack.

Jack sat down at his desk and began typing at lightning speed. After a few minutes, he looked up, then at the phone and dialed a number quickly. "Go down to Knight's Storage. He has a storage locker there and I would be money that they're there," he ordered into the phone. He paused for a minute then responded again. "Let me know when you find them," he replied and then hung up.

Emily looked at him with a puzzled look on her face. "The bastard's been renting a storage locker there since '02. Even when he went to prison it was being paid for by his sister. I would bet all my money that he's got the artwork in there," he told her.

The team waited around for about an hour before they heard the phone ring. "Hello? What'd you find?" Jack eagerly asked. "Brilliant. I knew they'd be there. I'm glad he isn't getting away with this one," he responded. He and the officer on the other line had a short exchange after and then he hung up the phone. "They got 'em. They found the pieces all there in perfect condition," he announced.

"Good work. Let's go tell Chief Clark so he can get these four processed and we can start heading home," Emily ordered. She and Jack walked out into the lobby to go find the chief while the others packed up the conference room. "Archie, brother we got 'em. We got the bastard. He stupidly kept all the pieces in the storage locker with his other junk," he announced. "Brilliant! Jackie, I knew you and the team would figure this one out. Thanks a bunch, Jackie," Archie replied as he placed his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"And you, my dear, thank you for all you've done. You and your team are simply lovely," he said as he walked over to Emily and put his hands on her cheeks. "It's my pleasure, really. We just did our job," she smiled at him.

"I've got to make sure they get these clowns processed and then I'll be sure I see you before you go," Archie told them as he headed down the hall. Jack and Emily went back into the conference room to help clean up what was left and pack up their things. "So, it's up to you guys. We can either drive back tonight and get back late, or we can stay at the hotel and leave first thing in the morning," Emily announced.

Everyone looked at each other and decided that they'd rather sleep tonight and get going first thing in the morning. They felt that it was safer so that no one was too tired to drive. Once they had gathered their things, they headed for the cars and then for the hotel.

Everyone was exhausted from the long day they'd had and been looking forward to getting some sleep and soon being at home in their own beds. "Gee, I can't wait to take a hot shower," Amelia declared as she thought about how nice it would feel.

"Me too. I love me a hot shower," Charlie agreed. "I just can't wait to get some sleep in my own bed tomorrow," Sophie added and they all agreed. They all headed for their rooms and got ready for bed. George was already sound asleep by the time Charlie emerged from the shower.

Sophie was snuggled up in her bed and waited for Amelia to finish her shower. After Amelia was in her pajamas, she, too, snuggled under the blankets in her bed and reached for the snacks on the end table she and Sophie had gotten from the vending machine. The two watched a movie and wound up falling asleep halfway through it.

Jack found himself sitting in the chair by the window with a cup of decaf coffee and a book. He sat there, content until he finished his cup of coffee and decided it was time for bed. He climbed into bed, put the television onto one of those nonstop documentary channels, and drifted off to sleep.

Emily practically threw herself onto the bed as soon as she entered her room. She didn't even bother changing her clothes because she was exhausted. She lay there for a good fifteen minutes before she decided it was time to change and then go to sleep. She found a comfortable pair of pajama pants and a top to change into. She fell asleep almost immediately after lying down.

The next morning, Jack was the first one up, as usual. He followed his usual routine, getting the newspaper, getting a cup of coffee, and sitting by the window to read the paper in the light from the sun rising.

George was the next one up, who then woke Charlie up. Charlie moaned and groaned like a child being woken up for school. "Just five more minutes, okay?" he whined. "We have to leave here in a half hour, Charlie. If you don't get up now, we're going to be late because you don't like to wake up in the morning and take forever to get ready. Hell, sometimes you're worse than a woman," he lectured him.

Charlie let out an annoyed sigh and sat up. He waited a minute before he got up and made his way for the bathroom.

Sophie and Amelia were both awaken by the alarm they'd mutually agreed on setting the night before. They both hopped out of bed and Sophie headed for the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair while Amelia got dressed so that they could swap places once they were finished.

Emily found herself wide awake long before she'd wanted to be. She checked her phone what seemed like a long time ago, but in reality was only a half hour later. Reluctantly, she rolled out of bed and headed for the shower. She'd hoped a hot shower was what she needed to make her feel better about being up so early.

At approximately eight o'clock, everyone met in the lobby, bags in hand. Amelia and Jack went to pull the cars around, while Emily and George checked everyone out and the others waited by the door. They all climbed into the cars and began their long drive home. The ride home was nearly silent in Emily, George, and Jack's car, while Amelia and Sophie were putting on a concert in the front seat and Charlie was trying so hard to ignore them while he played on his phone.

"Hopefully junior won't have to pee this car ride," Jack joked as he looked over at Emily. She smiled and replied, "Yeah, I hope so. It's much quieter this time around, don't you think?"

"Aye. It is. George, here, knows how to keep quiet and not complain every five seconds," he added. "I hope he's enjoying the concert he's probably getting right about now," George scoffed.

In the other car, Charlie found himself becoming quickly annoyed with the girls in the front seat. He reached into the trunk to see if he could reach his bag and grab the pair of headphones he always took with him. He turned the volume up as loud as he could, but he still couldn't seem to drown out the horrific singing coming from the front seat.

They arrived back at the office at about ten-thirty. Charlie practically jumped out of the car, finally escaping the two women in the front seat. Sophie and Amelia made their way over to Emily so that they could discuss their plans for later on that week.

"So Thursday, we'll come over, go out for the day and then, later on, we can unpack, your things, make some dinner, or order in, whatever you'd like, and then we can finish up and hang out. Then, on Friday we can do some shopping, maybe go to a museum," Sophie had planned out the whole thing already and they hadn't even decided where they were going yet.

"Yes, that sounds great. Thank you, again, you guys don't have to do all this," Emily thanked them. "We don't have to, but we want to," Amelia insisted.

Emily smiled. She was glad that they were helping her out. After all, it had been a while since she was last in London, and other than Clyde, she really didn't have any other friends here. Although she missed the friends that she called family back home, she was glad she was making new ones here.

The End