A/N: Wow, thank you all so much for your reviews. I love reading them and appreciate the time you take to leave your comments. Keep them coming :) I'm so pleased you all found the last chapter funny. That was my aim :). We are heading into the drama now so I wanted to give you something light and humorous first - mission accomplished, I think ;)
To the guest who asked who the fuck this Jessica chick was - Jessica Chalmers is Ana's new PA. Ana fired Hannah before leaving for Vegas. She left the names of three candidates with Clare to choose from while she was away. Clare hired Jessica. If you remember - Jessica was the girl who tripped into Ana's office for her interview. She has a son named Caleb who is the same age as Teddy.
As always, welcome to all the new followers. Xxx
Here it is...
Chapter 29- She wouldn't, would she?
CPOV
"You just had to open the email didn't you. You just couldn't wait until we got home. I can't believe you did that. And Sawyer, how will I ever be able to look him in the eye again, let alone Jessica. This situation is out of control Christian..."
Ana is still rambling on and on. I'm practicing the art of switching off yet picking up the key points incase she grills my ass about listening. We are in my R8 on my way to pick up the children. Sawyer is following in the SUV. I sent Taylor home early.
"Are you even listening to me? Imagine how your mother is going to feel when she finds out you weren't yelling at me about porn, she sent me a porn membership for goodness sake. Why didn't you correct her on the phone yesterday when you had the chance? Huh? Unbelievable!" She grunts then folds her arms over her chest. Oh - the switch. I am familiar with the switch now. Yelling lecture one minute, silent treatment the next. I'll bet my fortune I won't hear another peep from her until we get to Bellevue.
The rest of the drive is as I expected. - Silent, with the exception of a female voice singing about Skinny love through the car speakers.
Pulling up in front of my parents house I turn to Ana.
"Look, i'm sorry. I shouldn't have looked at the email in your office. I'll talk to Mom and sort this out." I murmur apologetically.
"I'll wait here." She mutters.
"You're not going to come in?"
"I can't. How can I look your mother in the eye after that?"
"Ana." I sigh, while running a hand through my hair. "It'll be fine."
"How can you say that? It'll be 50 shades of awkward."
"You can't avoid her forever." I grunt. Frustrated that its all come to this.
Her eyes widen and she sinks down in her seat curling up. I look over to where she was looking and see my mother walking to the car.
"Go Christian, get out. Quickly before she sees me."
"Stop being ridiculous baby, she's probably already seen you."
I lift my hand and wave at my Mom through the window as she approaches the car. She taps on my window.
I lower the glass. "What on earth are you two doing sitting out here? Come inside, Greta has just boiled the kettle."
Ana slowly sits upright. "Hi Grace." She says without looking at her.
"Is everything alright honey? you're looking a bit pale."
"Just feeling a bit under the weather." She mutters.
"Cone inside darling, I have something I'd like to show you."
APOV
Oh lord, please don't be porn.
Christian exits the car and walks around to my door and opens it for me. I slide out hesitantly.
"I'll talk to her." He whispers then moves in for a soft tender kiss.
We stroll up to the house, Grace in front of us.
"The children are napping so why don't we have a cup of coffee and catch up while they finish their naps." Grace says as she closes the front door behind me.
"Is Mia here?"
"Not today, she's at her friend Lily's."
"Oh." I mutter disappointed. I was counting on her distracting, colourful personality to hide behind.
We sit in the living room while we wait on Greta to bring us our drinks. Christian is relaxed beside me, an arm stretched out behind my back.
"So how has your day been." Grace smiles - sitting opposite us.
"Interesting." I reply at the same time as Christian says "entertaining."
I slap his knee.
"Oh, how so?"
"If you'll excuse me, I need to use the restroom." I stand quickly and walk out of the room trying to look as casual as possible.
CPOV
"Is she okay son?" Mom looks to me for an answer, her face full of concern.
Here goes nothing.
"Well actually, there's something I need to tell you."
"Ohhhh, your expecting! That's wonderful news darling. I couldn't be happier for...,"
"GOD NO." I say a little to loudly startling her. "I mean... No mother we are not expecting. But we need to talk about you jumping to conclusions like that."
"Oh, I just thought..."
"No. Look I don't know quite how to say this so i'm just going to come out with it." I take a few shallow breaths. "Yesterday when you called my office... Um ... When I yelled no porn. Well I thought it was Elliot phoning back to annoy me for our pay-per-view pin again."
"Why on earth would Elliot be watching adult movies at your house?" She asks puzzled.
"That's another story altogether. The thing is you assumed..." I am cut off by a loud gasp from my mother. Her hands fly up to her mouth, her eyes are as wide as saucers.
"Oh good lord Christian I sent... But I thought...oh dear." She gulps. She breathes deeply to regain her composure. "Christian I sent a membership..."
I clear my throat. "Ah hem, yes we received the email. Thank you." I choke. "Mom, why did you send ...um" God this is uncomfortable.
"Christian, when you get to be my age, well lets just say that with age comes experience and in my experience." She coughs uncomfortably. "A happy marriage is full of very personal intimate moments...I just want the best for my boys, and sometimes, you know when things become a bit stale it's a good idea to inject some...'spice'."
"Well um... Thank you for your concern and advice, but Ana and I are ...we are good in that department." I mutter. Can this get any more awkward. Why the fuck is Ana taking so long.
"At least twice a week darling. If you treat Ana like a queen she will treat you like a king." Mom says with finality.
Twice a week? Fuck that for a joke, my baby gets it at least twice a day, and that's on an off day.
APOV
I muster up the courage to walk back into the living room. Christian and Grace are laughing about the children's antics last night. Did he not take the opportunity to talk to Grace? Surely it would be more uncomfortable in here if he had. I squint my eyes questioningly at Christian when he turns to see me.
"Feeling better baby." He smiles.
"Umm, yes." I murmur.
"Ana, please accept my humble apology for the offending email. It's really quite embarrassing... You see I misunderstood..."
"It's fine Grace, please. Don't apologise." My face begins to warm with that too familiar flush.
"No, no... I should never have jumped to conclusions. Please forget about it. I will see if I can cancel the membership, if not I'm sure we can put it to use here."
"FUCK! MOM." Christian whines and cringes like he's just swallowed lemon juice.
"I have warned you once today about your language Christian, don't make me say it again. But as I was saying - Spice Christian. Everyone needs it and your father and I are no exception."
"Gah..." He hums with his hands over his ears. He stands - still covering his ears. "I'm going to go up and check on the kids."
Grace and I giggle as Christian leaves the room.
"That boy can be such a prude." She shakes her head. "Oh I wanted to show you something." Grace stands and walks over to the mantel and grabs a white embossed photo frame.
She strolls back over with it clutched to her chest.
"While I was on the computer this morning I was having a look through all of our photos. I didn't know that we had all these old snaps. Would you look at what I found." She hands me the frame with a full beaming smile. I take the frame from her delicate slightly aged hands.
"Is that?..." I giggle
"Yes, Mia had those two wrapped around her little finger. Isn't it adorable."
"Wow, I ... ". Laughter takes over.
"Fashionista since the day she could talk. I'm not at all surprised her first word was shoe."
"Can I get a copy of this?" I'm still laughing. This is awesome. I think I have myself a new screensaver.
"Of course darling. I will email you the digital shot. I thought you might like it." She grins.
"Elliot, honey I wasn't..." Grace begins to greet a fuming Elliot who has just barged into room.
"Where's Ava? Is she here?" He sobs - panicked, his eyes scanning the room furiously.
"She fine honey, she's napping upstairs. " Graces concern for Elliot's abrupt entrance evident in her voice.
"Is Christian here?" He pants. Relief and confusion washing over his face.
"Yes... He's upstairs." I answer him. "Are you okay?"
He doesn't answer. Turning around he runs from the room and storms up the stairs.
"Whatt..ts going on. Grace stutters.
"I'm not sure Grace, but I think it may have something to do with Kate. She didn't come pick Ava up earlier?" I ask.
"No, no. I thought she must have been caught up at work."
"Let me go see what's going on." I squeeze Graces hand comfortingly before heading upstairs.
CPOV
"What the fuck Elliot." I hiss as he barrels into the nursery Mom had decorated especially for her granddaughters.
I look down at the girls to make sure the noise didn't wake them before shoving Elliot out of the door and into the hallway.
Elliot's chest is heaving and his fists are clenched. "What the fuck bro. You need to settle down."
"I...I...FUCK!" He groans. His hands are rubbing his face and he begins sobbing.
I place a hand on his shoulder and steer him into my childhood bedroom shutting the door behind us.
"She...She..." He chokes.
"Slow down Bro. Breathe."
He starts to pace back and forth then looks up at me. Tears are streaming down his cheeks. I continue to watch him cautiously. His breathing fastens.
"You okay El?" I murmur.
"I've never asked you for much Christian but I need to ask you to help me out here. I need you to pull off some shit that I can't. Will you help me bro?" He pants. His fists still clenching.
"You can always count on me Elliot. What do you need me to do?" Not quite understanding exactly what he's wanting me to help with.
"She doesn't FUCKING Get to do this." He roars. What?
"Do what Bro? tell me what's going on, I promise I will help you. But I need you to calm down and fill me in. Are you talking about Kate?" I talk to him as if I'm talking to a child, trying to placate him. He looks about ready to keel over from rage, sorrow, confusion and a thousand other emotions.
He pulls out his IPhone and calls his voicemail. He puts it on speaker.
"Message received at two forty six PM." The automated voice plays. "El...lll..iot." Kate's voice stutters through the speaker. " I can't do this anymore." Her sobs echo through my ears. "Thh..this isn't the life I wan...wanted. I'm Ssss..sorry. I dddon't want to be tied dddown anymore. Please movvve on..Gg..ggo..goodbye. Click. Beep..beep..beep..beep." The sound of the phone tones are deafening against the silence of the room.
I hear a small gasp behind me. I turn and see tears streaming down my wife's face, her hands are clasped over her mouth.
"She doesn't get to just up and leave our daughter like this without answering to us. I don't give a FUUUUCKKK..."Elliot roars, unable to complete his sentence. He throws his phone full force against the wall. He drops to his knees and with his face in his hands sobs like a man who's heart has just been ripped to shreds.
I turn to Ana, I need to get her out of here. "She wouldn't, she wouldn't." Ana's head is shaking back and forth unbelieving. "She wouldn't do this Christian, she just wouldn't." Her devastated voice trembles.
I wrap my arms around Ana's tensed shoulders. "Ssshhh. I'll handle this baby, but right now I need you to go downstairs please. I need to help Elliot right now. Can you do that baby?" She nods slowly and walks shakily out of the room stopping once to look back at smashed phone her expression changing to realisation?.
I drop to my knees in front of Elliot and wrap my arms around his sobbing shoulders.
APOV
"Grace, can you watch the children please." I choke. Rushing into the living room and grabbing my handbag that is resting by the sofa I was sitting in.
"What's going on Ana?" Grace looks panicked.
"I...I... She wouldn't." Is all I can manage.
"Ana, please tell me what's happening. I heard yelling and a loud bang."
"Kate's gone." I cry. "She would leave them Grace, she wouldn't. I need to find her. Please tell Christian I'm taking Sawyer and I'll be back soon." I run from the room before Grace has a chance to stop me. I grab the R8 keys from the key hooks on my way out the door.
Sawyer is leaning against the SUV reading a magazine.
"Mrs Grey." He straightens up.
"Get in the car." I throw the R8 keys at him. He looks at me hesitantly. "NOW!" I screech.
He opens the drivers door and slides in while I stumble into the front next to him.
"Does Mr Grey know..." He begins.
"Just fucking drive Luke." I growl. I pull my phone from my handbag as he pulls out of the driveway.
"Where to Ma'am?"
"Kate and Elliot's." I snap while dialling their number.
'You've reached Kate and El, leave a message."
I slump back into my seat and palm my forehead. Kate wouldn't do this I know she wouldn't. I know she's feeling down right now but she wouldn't just leave her family, especially Ava.
Would she?
CPOV
Elliot has calmed slightly. I pull back from him. My shirt is wet from his tears.
"She left me." He whispers. "She left her daughter." His eyes staring at the wall. His face expressionless.
"El, what can I do. You asked for help. What do you need me to do bro."
"I want her found." He seethes. "You don't just up and leave your daughter...our baby. She owes me some answers. I don't give a fuck how she feels about me, she has a fucking daughter... Now being tied down is too inconvenient for her? I don't fucking think so."
"You gonna be alright for a minute bro." I pull my phone from my pocket and hold it up so he knows I want to make some calls. He nods without looking at me. I stand and leave the room, closing the door to give him some privacy.
I slip into Elliot's old room for some privacy and speed dial Welch."
He answers after one ring.
"Welch. Did Simons get the tail sorted like I requested last night?"
"Sorry Sir. By the time he got someone assigned to him we had lost him. He must have turned his phone off. We did get a signal at around 10am and have been on him since."
"Useless fucker. Simons is fired. I need you to pull my brothers phone records. He received a phone call at approximately 2.46pm from his wife. i want to know where she was when she made the call and i want the phones current location tracked and her found. Pull her phone records while your at it, I want a full breakdown of everything. Who she's called, for long and how often. I also want you to put a trace on all their bank accounts including credit cards. I want the tracker on their vehicles monitored 24/7. I want 2 CP's hired and ready to go within the hour. Send them to my parents - Taylor will be called in to brief them on arrival. You are to have a team ready to tail Katherine Grey once she has been tracked. She's done a runner. "I sigh. Fuck! "Welch."
"Sir."
"not even I can quite believe she'd do this to my brother. For that reason I want you to up the investigation on the letters I gave you. I want 30 minute updates on everyone who currently has a tail on them. I want extra security bought in to cover my personal team. If something else is going down here I want my men on it so I'll need replacements for my wife and children.
"Got it. Anything else Sir?"
I run my hand through my hair trying to think if I've missed anything.
"Alarm records." I mutter. "Download the alarm records for my brothers home security system. I want to know her coming and goings. I think that is all Welch. I'll be in touch.
I immediately call Taylor.
"Sir." He answers.
"Taylor, I want all security personnel at Bellevue immediately. Bring Gail, I'm going to need her to help with the children. Sawyer is here already."
"Sawyer is on the move according to the phone trackers Sir."
"HE'S FUCKING WHAT?"
I hear Taylor tapping the keys of the keyboard. "Travelling south on interstate 5 sir. Ah Sir...Ana's cellphone signal is travelling with his."
"Get Sawyer on conference call NOW!" I yell. God dammit.
I hang up and pace the room waiting for Taylor to call back on the conference line. It takes less than a minute for him to call.
"What the FUCK do you two think you're doing?" I explode.
"Christian." Ana huffs. "Babe, do you remember when I was at the bank and I told you I was leaving you?"
"Ana, that is a day that will forever be etched in my mind. But regardless..."
"I was in trouble Christian. What if Kate is lying on the concrete somewhere, only there's no security or husband screeching to a halt to help? All because no one questioned her motives."
"Ana..." I try to keep calm. "I am on it, you have to trust me. I don't need to be worrying about you at the same time. Sawyer return to Bellevue immediately."
"Yes Sir."
"NO!" Ana shouts. "Just let me go check the house okay, she might have left a note or something. We are nearly there anyway. Sawyer is with me - I will be fine."
"For fucks sake Ana. Sawyer are you armed?"
"Yes Sir."
"Okay, Sawyer I want the house checked. If she's gone she would have taken clothing etc...if anything, and i mean ANYTHING looks out of sort you are to leave immediately. Do you understand? Ana's safety is priority. Keep an open line with Taylor. And Ana... Straight fucking back to Moms or I will spank your ass so fucking hard." I growl.
"Ummm..okay." She mutters embarrassed.
"I mean it Ana, I am sick and tired of you pulling this shit. Grab some things for Ava while you are there. I am not sending Elliot back to that house. He and Ava can stay with us - there he can be kept informed of the situation and Ava can be around her cousins. Taylor, I will brief you on the situation when your here. Ana..." I sigh. "I love you."
After ending the phone call I walk back down to my bedroom to check on El.
He is still kneeling. Mom has her arms wrapped lovingly around him, rocking him back and forth like a child.
"We'll find her bro." I whisper. "We'll find her."
"And if she doesn't want to be found?" He sobs.
? POV
"This is such a fuck up, how could someone be so fucking stupid." I mumble rushing to the door.
I have to see for myself, how could someone make such a monumental mistake. I burst through the door letting a stream of light enter the dark room. 2 murderous eyes glare back at me. I recognise them instantly.
OH SHIT! This just got complicated.
A/N:
The drama has begun...I realise I can not please everyone, but I hope that you all trust me to drive this story to a HEA. I do plan to add funny/happy times scattered throughout the drama. Don't want it to be too depressing. We want some sunshine during the storm :
I know I'm going to get questions asking why no one checked on Kate earlier so I will answer that now.
Yes Kate was receiving letters and emails - they were not threatening at all. They were sent trying to convince her she wasn't good enough for Elliot and lower her self-esteem. They didn't threaten her with 'harm'.
Kate had been seeing Flynn and making progress. They had no obvious reason to believe she was in a state of mind to 'run'.
Kate asked Elliot to leave the house, she needed time to think and clear her head. They weren't too concerned on Thursday night because Kate may have not been answering for that very reason.
You will find out in a later chapter exactly why she needed some time alone.
Hope I've managed to answer any questions you may have regarding this chapter. :)
