Chapter 25

Ricky's arrival for the funeral

Lauren knew her brother would find a way to back out of things and when he announced he'd leave directly after the funeral she could barely hold herself back. He had also brought his girlfriend Amanda. She was a sweet elegant blonde with green-brown eyes and a smooth voice. Her father owned several newspapers and had recently hired Ricky to help creating an online issue. Ricky would start with one of the smaller newspapers and see how things would go from there. Emily and Michael were really delighted because a newspaper editor was a job the understood.

Amanda would join the business once she graduated Yale Business School. She also called Ricky Richard and Lauren felt challenged to mock him, but bit her tongue for Amanda's sake, who was really nervous. To avoid getting to agitated she moved herself to the side and Sharon noticed, when they had a get together in parlor, Rusty kept his distance towards Lauren albeit the fact that they had become rather close recently. Sharon wondered if Jack's death was affecting Lauren on a subconscious level she was not aware of.

When Lauren's cell rang she got up to leave the room.

"Lauren really, is this necessary?" Emily asked.

"Yes", she just snapped at her and walked out. It was Flynn.

"Yes?" she barked again on picking up.

"Hey don't shoot the messenger!"

"Sorry Lieutenant", she sighed, realizing she had just snapped at her grandmother "What can I do for you Lieutenant?"

"Just wanted to fill you in on the plan."

"Ok."

"Taylor agreed on the extra people", he started and Lauren felt a wave of relief.

"Good."

"Listen, there's something else. We're going to tell Sharon."

"What, no!" she exclaimed "She'd feel so betrayed that Rusty didn't tell her!"

"Wait… wait a second and let me finish. We'll tell her about the plan to catch the killer by trying to find him at the funeral. She's a cop Lauren, she'd notice surveillance, ok?"

"If you think so, just don't mention the Letters", she finally conceded.

"We never intended to do so and telling her is better than her finding SIS on Jack's funeral."

Lauren sighed "Ok, I know you are right. I'm sorry but I'm worn out."

"I know it's complicated the murder and all."

Lauren barked a laugh. Once the sarcasm subsided she said "Right now that's the least complicated thing here and if I wasn't sure my mom need's to hear from Rusty about these letters things would be a lot less complicated."

"Listen Lauren you might even believe your father's death doesn't mean anything to you but that's not true. After all he was your father."

"And here are you wrong Lieutenant. Ask your daughter what would've happened if you hadn't come around."

There was a moment of silence before Flynn spoke again "Well, … " he started hesitantly "uhm just let you mother know Provenza and me will stop by within the hour."

"Will do and uhm just so you know. I have great respect for your accomplishment, because I've got first hand experience what happens if one doesn't."

She could hear him smile when he thanked her and said his goodbye. On returning to the living room she felt the mood had lightened up. She went to her grandmother to give her peck on her cheek whispering a silent "sorry" before sitting on the ground next to her grandma's wing chair. Emily knew something was up when Lauren lost it like this and unlike Sharon she knew it wasn't about Jack. Emily made a mental note to ask her granddaughter later. For now she just let her hand gently over the young woman's head to let her know she wasn't mad. Of all her grandchildren Lauren was the one who had crossed her most. She had aquired the ability to step out of her place within the family system and demanded being seen as grown up and not the child one held in memory. Yet she needed to be a grandchild too and it was not always easy to provide both levels of relationship. Today Emily knew she had to be the grandmother.

"Who called?" Sharon eventually asked.

"Lt. Flynn, he said he and Provenza would stop by later."

"Did they find anything?" Sharon then asked, sitting up straighter.

Lauren shook her head "No, but they think the killer might fulfill his voyeuristic needs coming to the funeral."

Lauren caught Rusty's eyes widen in panic and let him know with an almost nonexistent headshake to let him know his secret was save.

"They think that?" Sharon asked raising her brows.

Ricky jumped into the conversation "The better question would be if we're in danger tomorrow."

"No we are not", Lauren shot back feeling anger at her brother resurfacing, because she halfway expected him to dodge out of the funeral.

"And how would you know?" he snapped.

Lauren took a deep breath to calm down before she answered, not really succeeding, "Because there's a profile on the murderer and this kind of attention, a killing spree at a funeral, isn't the kind of attention he wants."

"And you know that because you did said profile?" Ricky barked and added "Sorry Lauren, but you're not a reliable source here."

Lauren got up the hurt she momentarily felt, she had told him in confidence about her questioning herself, was replaced by the anger she held for him for not being here. She shot him a Darth Raydor glare and spat "No smart ass, the LAPD's behavioral guys did that."

"Good to know you are informed!"

Ricky got up too but Amanda laid a hand on her brother's arm and whispered "Richard". Yet it was no use, Lauren wasn't silenced "At least I was here!" she said with a shaking to loud voice. She swallowed and tuned it down before she continued pointing at him with emphasis "And don't you dare to tell me you hand so much work to do, because we both know better", with that she turned on her heel and stormed out.

"Ricky you go and apologize to your sister", Sharon said in her silken-steel-voice. He fell back on the couch and started to protest only to be cut off by his mother's deadly "Right now!"

She crossed his arms over his chest and defensively grumbled "Why is she allowed to go all crazy?!"

"Because she is here Ricky, 24/7" Althea said silently and got up "Excuse me I need some fresh air", she felt dizzy, probably from her meds and adrenaline the tension brought on. "Mind if Hudson and I joined you?" Bill, still processing all layers of what had just happened in his living room, who hadn't seen so many a lively discussion within the last ten years. Ali gave him a small smile, "No I don't mind, not at all." They left with the dog at their wake. Hudson was very excited, he loved all the people around and the long walks the brought, but he could do without the yelling, that was really confusing.

Rusty didn't dare to move, he so didn't want to get any attention right now. Sharon on the other hand glared at her son "You'll fix this Ricky" she demaned.

"I can't fix Lauren if she's decided to be selfconscious because I question her it's all her own fault."

Rusty suddenly realized Ricky knew about Lauren's problems since the Hollywood ripper case and had used that knowledge. He swallowed his own uncertainty about joining the family fight and asked "Why would you question her?"

He felt responsible for this. If Lauren hadn't covered for him she wouldn't have snapped, although Ricky was purely an ass right now.

"Because, even Miss Perfect gets it wrong every once in a while."

Rusty shook his head being fed up with Ricky "You know what's really unfair? She trusted you with her fears and you used that against her!" he got up and mumbled an "excuse me" shuffling away to his room with his head cast downward.

Michael nodded to himself before his blue eyes turned to his grandson waiting till the boy fidgeted nervously. Glaring never worked with Lauren, but with her brother it was just fine to get him humble enough to actually listen. "The boy has a point here Richard", he said silently and managed not to sound reproachful "it's fine to use your knowledge to your advantage in business but never, however unconsciously it's done, when it comes to family. You aimed to win this discussion and you managed to hurt her."

Ricky sighed "Fine, fine" he started calmer now "I'll talk to her. I just need to cool down first."

Emily nodded "as long as it's before this day ends Ricky", she shifted her gaze to his girlfriend "Amanda would you like to join me for a walk before dinner?"

The young woman nodded relieved "Sure"

Getting up Emily said "Great let's meet outside in 10 minutes. Michael I assume you want to wait with Sharon for her colleagues?"

"Exactly darling."

Soon he and Sharon were the only ones remaining in the parlor, since Ricky decided to cool down in his room.

He looked at his daughter waiting for her to pick up the conversation. He got disappointed that might have worked with Althea who couldn't stand silence or even his youngest Mary but not Sharon. She could spend hours in silence with him comfortable in staring into the fire blazing in the fireplace. "Do you think we are in danger?" he finally asked.

Sharon looked at him and shook her head "I don't think so but I don't really know. What I know is that I trust my team to keep us alive. The idea to look for someone not belonging at the funeral isn't so bad.

Half an hour later Emily, Lauren and Amanda were preparing dinner in the kitchen, since Helga had a taken off early, forced to do so by Bill. He said she would have more than enough to do tomorrow.

Amanda had apologized for her pig-head-boyfriend and Lauren smiled "You know it's not your fault, besides if I held a grudge against him longer than an hour we would never talk", she shrugged and gave the newest addition to the family a genuine smile. "Now you've got a good impression how Christmas gatherings with the family are. And we hold ourselves back after all it's a funeral", she added. When they saw car lights outside they went to the window. Lauren saw Flynn and Provenza exit the car and explained to the other "The tall one is Lt. Flynn and the small one is Lt. Provenza."

Althea appeared next to them "Do we like Lt. Flynn?" she asked vaguely remembering Lauren had said something about her sister and one of her Lieutenants having potential for more before Douglas. Lauren smiled and answered the question for her grandmother, who'd never ask and her aunt "Yes, yes we do."