and next chapter is here! More with the case. It's a filler chapter. I promise more is coming. Also a third chapter of misfits is in the works.
UPDATE: thanks to wjobessed, i caught a VERY important typo! so i've republished the chapter because it's so important to fix it. like it's make or break mistake! THanks so much for catching it!
The Yantos mansion loomed over Boston like a heavy dark castle in the sky. Actually, that would be more of a way to describe the estates magnitude. It was more of a castle than a mansion. Pulling up to the wrought iron gates with iron roses, Olivia flashed her badge out the window at the camera pointed on them. The gates opened nearly instantly. Olivia began the drive up the long narrow driveway, passing a gentle icy pond on her right and an arena on her left. The road forked toward a large medieval style barn. Taking the road on the right she headed toward the castle-like house.
"Talk about your medieveal manor," Peter mumbled as he gazed on the place. Tall, narrow stained glass window rose up from the third floor to tower up toward the sky. Dark, wide windows lined the second floor, the drapes pulled away to let sun in. The first floor windows were large and double pained, red velvet drapes draped back to reveal a narrow hall, lined with art and doors. Olivia pulled the car to a stop in the cobblestone circle of the drive. Switching off the engine and hopping out, the house seemed much larger now than it had as the approached. Peter came around the front of the SUv and stared at her.
"A single teenage girl owns all this?" he said, looking at the misplaced Boston mansion.
"Inherited," Olivia corrected, "And it probably wasn't by choice."
Olivia gave him one of those looks that, frankly, told him he should shut up. She probably felt for the girl and him digging into the fact she was a billionaire and owned this all wasn't going to help anyone, anyway. Climbing the big stone steps after Olivia, he came up behin her as a meek woman with large blue eyes and dark hair opened the door.
"Ma'am," Olivia said with a smile, "We're from the FBI, we're looking for Yelina Yantos?"
"Come in," the woman said, opening the door wider, "I will tell her you are here."
Barely able to understand her English from her accent, Olivia and Peter nodded and stepped in, the grand entrance overwhelming their senses. The woman scurried off down a hall to the right.
"I feel as if I've stepped into Pride and Prejudice," Peter murmured.
"Yeah," Olivia answered, "The second version of it, with Keira Knightly."
Peter was about to say something but the woman scurried back into the room and motioned for them.
"This way," she said, leading them down the hall she had just come from. Olivia followed her with ease, Peter trailing behind them both. The woman stopped at a dark wood door and turned the gold knob, pushing it open to reveal a lavish study. Near a window facing the back gardern there stood a tall dark haired woman dressed in a blue silk, arms crossed and back to them.
"Missus," the woman addressed, "These people are from the FBI."
The tall woman turned to face them. She had an elegant and exotic face, rounded out a bit with dark brown eyes. Her hair curled to fit the features of her face. Needless to say, she was beautiful and exotic and everything Peter would have looked for when he was in Iraq. Her pretty mouth was twisted into a frown and eyes sunken in as if she hadn't slept for a while.
"Mrs. Yantos?" Olivia asked with a sort of authority in her voice, "My name is Olivia Dunham and this is Peter Bishop. We're with the FBI. We have some questions for you and your husband, if that would be all right."
The woman unfolded one arm and ran it through her thick hair. Her eyes darted from the window back to them and she sighed.
"Yes, um, please," she motioned for them to sit. Olivia sat on the dark green couch and smiled as the woman sat across from her. Peter stood behind her.
"Mrs. Yantos," Olivia started, "I want to let you know we are doing everything we can to find Alyssa."
"It's awful what happened to her classmates, her friends," the woman said, "And all for what? What could they possibly want with her?"
"Does your husband have any enemies, Mrs. Yantos?"
"No, never," the woman answered, "He inherited the company from his father. He's been good to everyone."
"Surely someone is after you, or you would have never come to the United States," Peter urged, his voice uncharacteristically silky. Olivia gave him a look from the corner of her eye.
"My husband and I left for the safety of our daughter. Our country is on the verge of war," Mrs. Yantos spoke with ease, "Surely an expecting mother yourself could understand."
Peter had to do a double take. How had the woman known? Olivia was barely showing, and she had her baby bump hidden well underneath her shirt. Olivia too, looked as if she had lost her words. Mrs. Yantos smiled kindly.
"A woman can tell," she said easily, "Especially a mother."
Olivia ducked her head to hide her blush quickly and regained her composure.
"I understand," Olivia said, getting back on subject. "May we see your daughter's room? It could give us clues as to who might have wanted to harm her."
Mrs. Yantos stood up. "Yes, of course. Maria will be happy to take you to it."
The same meek woman who had let them in appeared at the door and smiled up at them.
"Thank you for your time," Peter said, his voice soothing. The woman smiled.
"Yes, uh, if you need to reach me," she said, slipping a card from her pocket and into Peter's hand. Peter flipped it and kissed her knuckles, a charming yet dangerous move to do in front of Olivia. He smiled at her and followed Olivia out and into the hallway. Her eyes dared him to ask what she was thinking.
Peter kept his mouth shut.
Maria led them to the second floor. Winding down a long hallway at the back of the home, Olivia could see the barn from the windows as they passed. Finally Maria stopped at a pair of large double doors, pushing off to the side.
"This is Alyssa's room," Maria said. Peter smiled at her. She smiled back and ducked down the hall.
"Well she sure is the chatter," Peter said lightly. The only sign he got from Olivia was a glare. Peter stepped back and held his hands up as she opened the door to the room.
It was a hexagon shaped room, with tall glass windows and red velvet curtains. A double-poster bed sat in the center of the room between two wide windows, white sheets tucked in neatly. Y her bed a book sat, along with a picture frame of her and a white horse. Olivia looked around the room. The room was neat, walls bare. Except for framed photos of Alyssa and her horse and a few magazine covers. Getting closer Olivia could see they were Barrel Horse News magazines, at it appeared that Alyssa was on the cover.
"World Champion," Peter murmured, looking at a belt buckle that rest on the dresser, "Youth 1D."
Olivia moved from the pictures to where Peter stood, picking up another velvet box and opening it.
"NBHA Open, 1D champion," Olivia read off the belt buckle. She flipped the heavy metal thing over in her hands and flipped it back.
"This is kind of big for everyday wear, don't you think?"
"They're trophies," came Peter's voice from behind her. His breath tickled her neck and she moved away, not completely content with him. Peter sighed and went back to examining the room. He mulled over the opposite desk. Pictures of the pretty olive skinned girl were everywhere, hanging with her friends or riding horses, she looked happy in each of them.
"I don't see what could have provoke whoever to take her, unless it was for ransom," Peter said finally, turning back to Olivia. Olivia was thumbing over a bookcase, over a section of what looked like notebooks.
"Peter come here," she said, pulling out a stack of them. She carried them over to the bed and spread them out.
"They look like diary's Liv," he started, but stopped as he opened a page. The journal's page was filled with chemical equations and mathematical ones as well. Occasionally there would be notes scribbled in the edges. Peter picked up another one and a photo fell out.
Olivia saw Alyssa in the picture, arms wrapped around a boy that was smiling down at her as she smiled to the photographer. Olivia flipped the picture over, looking for names or dates on it. Finally, she showed Peter.
"We should find this boy," Olivia said, "He might have some answers."
"Yeah," Peter said, "I'll get these to Walter too."
Olivia nodded in agreement. She picked up a stack of journals and started toward the door.
"Olivia, give those here," Peter said, taking them from her. She was about to protest, but he wouldn't have it and had already gone out the door. Looking at the picture in her hand, she sighed and followed him out of the room and out to the car. He had taken up camp in the driver's seat and she reluctantly gave him the keys and settled in next to him.
"Were you flirting with her?" Olivia asked as they headed toward the FBI office.
"Maybe," Peter answered, unsure what she wanted to hear.
"Why?" Olivia said, unable to hide the hurt in her voice. Peter quickly looked at her to see the sadness on her face. He couldn't stop the frown that formed on his.
"Liv," he started, "Liv I wasn't, I promise. It's just, she reminds me so much of before, of the life before you. The person you saw back there with her, that was me, years ago, back in Iraq."
"Do you miss it?" she asked quietly, "That life?"
"No," he answered easily. He knew it was true. He didn't have to think about his answer for one second. There was no doubt in his mind that he never would miss the person he was. He was a better man now, Olivia would always be proof of that.
"Oh," Olivia said, wondering what he could have meant.
"My life isn't worth much before you came into it," he said, "I mean that. I was a bad guy, Olivia, a user, abuser, and so many other things. But you gave me family and a reason to stay."
Peter drove on and Olivia remained silent. Carefully she leaned over and gave Peter a kiss on the cheek.
"I love you," she murmured.
And that was enough to almost send him off the road.