Chapter 21

Julia walked in saying, "Don't be mad Horatio, we are going away to New York for ten days, and I just wanted to see that Kyle is alright for my own eyes before we leave."

"I'm fine MOM...honestly I am," Kyle said limping into the lounge now and going across to his mother to give her a peck on the cheek and a hug.

Julia stood back from him, and recognising that her son was not badly hurt, relaxed and smiled at him, just as Aileen wandered in with Hannah in her arms.

Julia went across to her. "You must be Aileen?"

Horatio frowned for a minute, but he relaxed when he heard they were having a nice little conversation with each other, and he noticed she was affable to Tommy when he joined his mother.

A few minutes later while Aileen and Julia were still talking, and Kyle and Tommy were talking as they sat on the sofa together, Horatio invited Craig Roberts to step out on to the patio for a minute, and then asked, "How is Julia these days? Kyle tells me she is good, but is she really as good as he seems to think?"

"She's good most of the time Horatio. She is on medication now that is not as aggressive as she was on in the bad days that you experienced with her, and it is suiting her so much better. She manages to stay calmer on the new medication. I cannot say she is perfect, she has the odd moment still, and you know what that means, but being her partner as well as her doctor, I can handle her better than perhaps you were able to, no offence meant."

"None taken, I'm really pleased that she found someone who really cares about her welfare."

"Our history was not good, but I do care about her well being nevertheless."

"Horatio, I want you to know that I do love her you know, I don't just care about her as her doctor."

"I know. Kyle has kept me in the picture."

"Horatio, I am glad we are getting a chance to speak, Julie wanted me to raise something with you if I got the chance."

"Okay..."

"As you know we are living together permanently, and we wish to get married, but she is still officially married to Ron Saris, and I know he is one nasty character. We are in the process of trying to make contact with him as Julia has filed against him for divorce, but we cannot trace him. Julia thought he must be in prison because the last she remembers before she went into the psychiatric facility for treatment, was that he was under investigation for the murder of his plastic surgeon. However - there is apparently no trace of him being in prison, or anywhere else as far as we know. We have had a private detective hunting for him as well, but Saris seems to have vanished off the face of the earth. He is no longer at the house he was living in when Julia went away, no telephone number or new address can be found for him and he hasn't shown up in any obituary column."

"I do know, that here in Florida, providing one of the parties has been a resident for six months or more, which Julia has been, and if a minor is not involved she can apply for a Dissolution of Marriage without a court trial. However, both parties have to submit a written consent form to the divorce and division of assets and give a reason as to why they want a divorce...such as irreconcilable differences and the Divorce Court can dissolve the marriage on that basis. This is the way Julia wants to proceed, but we need Ron Saris to comply with the procedures."

"While we are in New York, our lawyer, and private detective will both continue to try to trace him. If they fail to find him, our lawyer tells us that on our return, and providing there is no order prohibiting Julia from making contact with him she should consider making a motion in court, seeking permission to give notice to Ron Saris by publishing an advertisement, in the local newspaper, stating that the case has started."

"Do you happen to know where he might be Horatio? Julia wants this over and done with as soon as possible."

In that moment, Horatio made a snap decision. "Craig, this is between me and you, and it must never filter out. If it does, I will know whom to point the finger at - you understand? You can't tell Julia or anyone else come to that."

Frowning Craig replied, "Yes, I understand."

"I personally do not know where Ron Saris is right now, but I can confirm he is not in prison, and Julia will never be allowed access to him. That is all I can say, and I only tell you this so that you do not keep wasting your time or money trying to make contact. It will not happen."

"I have to warn you Craig, that Saris is an extremely dangerous man and he has hurt Julia before, so my personal advice would be to just let things stay as they are, and never ever publish in the paper you are looking for him. All I can tell you, and you have to trust me on this, is that no one must know where Saris is. I have no clue where he is, and that is how it has to stay."

"Okay Horatio. Thank you for putting me in the picture and for your trust. I promise my lips are sealed."

"Look Craig, I have just had a thought - if the lawyer representing Julia cares to contact the lawyers at the MDPD they may have a way of knowing if it is possible to contact Saris in some way to get his agreement."

"Okay, thank you Horatio. I will speak to him before we leave."

"What's his name Craig?"

"Matthew Curtis. His office is in Bricknell Avenue."

Horatio stored this in his memory; he would let James Burton know on Monday, just in case Curtis made contact with the legal team.

Then they returned to the lounge and Julia and Craig left a few minutes later.

After they left, Aileen commented that she had found Julia to be very amiable. She did know about her of course, but credit where credit was due.

Horatio just smiled, he didn't say a word. He hoped Julia was not fooling Aileen, although she had been pleasant during the visit. He decided that he did like Craig Roberts though on first meeting. He obviously cared deeply for Julia, and he was happy about that.

Then as he didn't have to take Tommy for his usual basketball session this Saturday, because Walter had called a break for the summer; he went to the kitchen, helped himself to another coffee, and went outside on his own for a few minutes. He sat down on one the chairs by the patio garden table and reflected on his conversation with Craig Roberts.

He was concerned that Julia and Craig were digging around looking for Saris, and he hoped he had managed to persuade Craig to let things be. Then he let his mind drift back to a meeting he had with James Burton back in August 2010 remembering every word that passed between them.

During the last week of August, he had gone to James Burton's office, and had asked, "James, I was wondering what Ron Saris is up to these days, I haven't heard that he has done anything for us for some considerable time now. In fact, nothing since Stetler's arrest - he was in the main the one responsible for Saris. Nothing has come my way to work on since the day I was told he was working for us."

"Did anyone in IAB take over Stetler's role of using Saris as an informer?"

"Is he even working for us now, and does he still have immunity?"

"Wait a minute Horatio - give me a chance to answer you."

"Sorry."

"Horatio, he was apparently failing miserably in providing any concrete information leading us to bust a single drugs ring after the initial help he gave Rick Stetler that caused us to cut a deal with him. He did help IAB with a little information on one more case, and then nothing. As I understand it he was taken out of the programme as being useless and too much of a risk. However, as IAB cut that deal with him, they could not renege on the deal entirely as he had helped to some degree and could not therefore bring him in for his plastic surgeons murder. So the answer is no - he no longer has immunity and could be anywhere at the moment."

"What do you mean, he could be anywhere?"

"I heard he protested about being taken out of the programme as he was running scared after that attempt on his own life at his own house, and some later threats, and he asked for police protection and a safe house."

"Like fools, seems we agreed to this."

"Why wasn't I told James?"

"I surely had a right to know?"

"Horatio you know full well that when someone goes into police protection only those who absolutely need to know are told. All I can tell you is he is no longer in Miami. Well, as far as I know that is."

"Anyway, why do you want to know?"

"Because I just learned that Julia Saris, has recovered well enough for her to leave the psychiatric facility, and is now back home, and as Kyle's mother, I worry about her safety. Saris, was angry with her prior to her going away for treatment."

"Well, she should be safe enough Horatio. If he should attempt to break away from the safe house and protection for any reason, we will be the first to know. I doubt he would be daft enough to do that and return to Miami...the drug lords have long memories."

"Guess you are right James."

He came back to the present day when Aileen popped out with a another coffee for him.

Then the family spent the next few hours being lazy. Kyle stayed on with them for most of the day, resting his ankle, but late afternoon decided he should be getting back to his own place so Horatio drove him to the Police Academy to pick his car up, and followed him home, just making sure his son was safe driving with the dodgy ankle.

When he returned home, he fed his daughter with the bottle for the first time, and enjoyed every minute of it. Aileen had been increasing her bottle feeds day by day over the past two weeks. He loved her little staring blue eyes looking up at him as her tiny hands clasped the bottle, and was amazed at how quickly babies learned to do things. She was their little miracle of life.

Later that evening, after Tommy had gone to bed and Hannah was asleep, Horatio and Aileen relaxed on the sofa, with the patio doors wide open. It was a beautiful evening and a nice cool breeze floated into the lounge now and again. It was very peaceful. Horatio had his left arm around her shoulders, and Aileen with head nestled against his chest, had been thinking about Julia's visit and broke the silence.

TBC