Hidden Gem

"I don't think this is going to be all that useful but… it's worth a try I guess." Punk said, slamming the car door shut and walking on into the factory which Jensen used to work at. It was his last noted job they had found out and were taking a chance that someone might have worked with him at some point.

"Hey you never know." Dean said, "How are things living at the safe house? Isn't it weird that… last time you and April hated each other… well, pretended to hate each other, and now this time you're back married with two kids." He said.

"I would have really preferred to not go back." Punk admitted, "But yeah, it is weird." He said, "But they're safe there. I wouldn't feel good if they were at the house and I was out at the station. This guy obviously knows where we live. He's been watching us for… god knows how long." He sighed to himself.

"Yeah, they need to be there. Especially after the letters." Dean said as Punk nodded, walking on into the factory.

They found a manager as they felt it would be easier to locate anyone who possibly knew Jensen.

"How can I help you both?" An older man asked as Punk and Dean showed him their badges.

"We're uh… we're just looking to find out if anyone here worked with a guy called Jensen Banks." Punk nodded, "He worked here between 1990 and 1997." Punk said, "You got any workers here who was still working then?" He asked.

"Yeah, we've got quite a lot." The man nodded, "Your best bet is to talk to Bill. He's a janitor now for the factory. He's… eighty three I think." He said, "He was working down on the ground level during that time I'm sure."

"Is Bill here right now?" Dean asked.

"Normally takes his coffee break around now. He'll be in the staff room just down the hall there." He pointed, "Anything else I can do, let me know."

"Thank you." Punk nodded gratefully, walking down the hall with Dean.

"Nice guy. Always appreciate that." Dean nodded to himself, walking down the hall and into the staff room where they saw an older man sitting at the table, watching the TV whilst having his coffee.

"Uh sir…" Punk said quietly, so not to startle him.

Bill turned around and looked at them both, "I ain't done shit." Bill defended immediately as Dean smiled to himself, "If it's about my neighbour… those flowers were dead and it was dark-"

"No no…" Punk shook his head, "No, we're just… we're wondering if you could maybe help us." He said as Bill looked at them.

"With what?" Bill asked as Punk and Dean walked further into the room, taking a seat at the table.

"Did you happen to work with a guy called Jensen Banks between 1990 and 1997?" Punk asked him as Bill looked across at him.

"I did." Bill said, "Why?"

"We're following up a case where we believe he is our… suspect." Punk nodded, "We're trying to locate him but we've not got much information on him. We were hoping maybe there was something you could tell us, even just the smallest of details can help." He said as Bill sat back.

"He never spoke to anyone." Bill shrugged, "And if… if anyone did speak to him he would just look at them. I mean, that man worked here for seven years and I… I never heard him speak a word." He shook his head as Dean turned to Punk.

"What about his family? Did you know about them?" Dean asked.

"Knew about his daughter being murdered when she was younger. So we all just thought he was kinda scarred from that." Bill nodded, "He was always late on Sunday's. Always." He remembered.

"Do you know why?" Punk asked.

"No." Bill shook his head, "But it was always a Sunday." He said, "Bit of a strange man." He nodded.

"Mhm." Punk nodded with agreement, "Do you know if he took part in any activities out with work? Hobbies or anything?"

"No, well he always looked sort of beaten up and bruised… I figured he maybe boxed on the side. It was quite common at that time." He told them.

"He was always beaten up?" Punk asked.

"Well not always but… there was a couple of occasions I took notice." Bill said, "Say what's this crime you think he's involved in?"

"We can't really say." Dean nodded.

"Oh, go on. Tell me." Bill smiled.

"We really can't." Punk said, "Is there anything else you remember about him that could help us find him?"

"No, I'm sorry." Bill shook his head, "That's all I got. He didn't really associate with anyone." He said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah we sort of figured that." Punk said.

"He always wore a cross around his neck." Bill nodded, "I think he was very religious."

"Of course he was." Dean mumbled, "Well thank you, if there's anything else you remember, call into the station, yeah?"

"I sure will." Bill nodded, watching as they got up and left the room.

"Knew that would be useless." Punk shook his head, walking out of the room with Dean.

"I miss Nini, why can't we see her?" Marty asked, sitting on the grass with AJ and Kaia. The sun was out and it was a gorgeous day, so AJ encouraged the girls to go out and play, but they got super fed up really quickly.

AJ was lying back on the grass reading her book whilst Kaia was playing on her switch and Marty was… bored.

"We'll see her soon, baby. I promise." AJ nodded

"Not soon, mommy. Now." Marty sighed, "And Uncle Seth too." She frowned, "I miss doing his hair."

"I know you do, angel. We're not gonna be here for long, I promise. But look how beautiful this garden is." AJ said, sitting up and closing her book over, "You guys should be playing."

"Playing what?" Marty asked sassily, "What are you reading?" She asked, walking over and sitting down on AJ's lap as AJ laughed a little.

"It's an adult book." AJ told her.

"I love the tiger who came to tea. That's my favourite book." Marty told her mother.

"I know it is. It's upstairs, isn't it?" AJ asked her as Marty nodded, leaning against her mother.

"Can we read it later?" Marty asked.

"Of course we can." AJ smiled, kissing her cheek as Marty giggled, "How about some lunch for you both?" She asked, tapping Kaia on her shoulder who removed her headphones and looked over, "Lunch?"

"Yeah." Kaia nodded.

"What do you guys fancy?" She asked, standing up and shifting Marty to the side.

"A sandwich." Kaia nodded.

"Ok, I can do that." AJ nodded, "Don't go beyond that tree over there." She warned as they nodded.

She walked off back into the house and took things out to make the girls some lunch. They had a cop car outside the house at all times with different officers coming and going, as well as security connections to the station. She did feel safe, regardless of what happened to her the last time.

She began making up the sandwiches, heading to the fridge to get some juice boxes for the girls. It was then she looked out the window, to get a quick glance at the girls to see what they were up to, when she couldn't see them.

She dropped the juice boxes onto the counter and walked over to the door quickly, looking out where she couldn't see them at all.

"Girls!" AJ called, stepping back out into the garden. It was a huge space with so much grass going on for miles and miles, "Girls!" AJ exclaimed, beginning to run further down the grass as she couldn't see them.

Her heart was beating so fast, like it was going to explode out of her chest as she began running down the grass. She automatically thought of the worst as she continued to sprint, calling out their names in almost a scream of desperation.

"Mommy, we're here." Marty exclaimed, waving her hands over by a tree where her and Kaia were standing.

"Oh my God." AJ gulped, almost feeling like she was going to throw up, looking over at them and placing her hand on her chest. She'd never felt so relieved in all her life.

"We're here." Kaia waved at her, both of them wondering why she looked so scared.

"I told you not to go past that tree up there." AJ pointed, rushing over to them and pulling them in for a hug tightly, squeezing their little bodies and kissing their cheeks.

"Too tight." Marty complained.

"You don't wander off like that. Ever." AJ told them, "Not even here, ok?" She looked at them both, "You really scared, mommy." AJ said as Kaia frowned.

"Sorry, mommy." Kaia shook her head.

"We didn't mean to." Marty said, placing her little hands on AJ's cheeks as AJ took her hands in hers.

"I know, but… you can't wander off, ok? Promise me." She said.

"Promise." Marty said immediately.

"Yeah, promise." Kaia added.

"Ok." AJ sighed, wrapping her arms around them both tightly and closing her eyes.

"Phil, I swear I was having a heart attack." AJ shook her head, walking around the bed where Punk was already lying in, "Actually I think I definitely had a heart attack." AJ nodded, getting into bed beside him.

"It's really not like them to wander off." Punk said.

"I know, that's why I got so scared." AJ said, "I… I didn't even know what to do. I just started running." She shook her head, "I think they could tell how scared I was. They didn't leave my side for the rest of the day." AJ said.

"What were they even doing?" Punk asked.

"They were carving stuff onto the tree." AJ nodded, "It's just because I told them not to go beyond the tree, you know the first one closest to the house?" She said as he nodded, "And then I went in to the house to make lunch and I looked out the window… they were just gone." AJ said, "My heart literally dropped."

"Well they're ok." He turned to her, "Ok? They're safe."

"I know but I was literally terrified." AJ shook her head, "I… I don't know what I would do if anything happened to them."

"Nothing is gonna happen to them." Punk said, "They're safe and they're tucked into bed, they've got their little stuffed toys and no one is gonna hurt them." He said, turning onto his side and looking at her as she nodded.

"How was your day? How'd it go at the factory?" AJ asked him.

"Useless as I thought. We did speak to a guy who was there when Jensen worked there but he said that he didn't speak to anyone, he was quiet and avoided everyone." Punk said, "Which I totally expected."

"Something will show up. You just gotta keep looking." AJ nodded, taking his hand in hers softly.

"Yeah, I know. I just… I want it over so we can go home." He said, "So the girls can go home and you can feel safe again." He shook his head.

"We will be safe again." AJ nodded. She knew there was no point in being pessimistic. It wasn't going to get them anywhere, "Your mom sent me and the girls some things. Mark outside gave me it this morning. A package. She must have got Seth to send it into the station. She could have just gave it to you." She shrugged.

"What was in it?" Punk asked.

"Just some things for the girls." AJ nodded, "Oh and this really comfortable bath robe she got me." She said, getting out of bed and going to collect it as Punk smiled.

"Looks good." He nodded, looking at her putting the bath robe on.

"Yeah, she sent it with a little card. I mean… I'm the one supposed to be getting her things after her surgery." AJ shook her head.

"Seth said she's doing really good." Punk nodded, "Taking it slow but it's going well." He said as AJ nodded, "That looks good on you."

"It's so comfortable." AJ smiled, "I wanna wear this and nothing else to church on Sunday." She smirked, twirling the strings around as Punk laughed and nodded with a smile, watching her climb onto the bed, stripping off the bath robe and climbing over him as Punk paused for a second.

"Wait… what?" Punk shook his head.

"What?" AJ looked at him.

"Church." He looked at her as AJ looked back with confusion, "Sundays he… he was always late… and he wore a cross… he must go to church." He sat up immediately as AJ climbed off of him, "I gotta call Dean."