Chapter 29
As they ate, Mac told Steve about the information Bud had uncovered on the Davis' and the Nymph sightings. She told him that she had printed out the map Bud had sent and when they finished eating they went into the living room where she laid it out for him to see. She just let him study it for a time and waited for him to react. All the sightings were near the waterfall.
"I know what you're thinking, Sarah, but that area has been searched repeatedly and there is nothing there."
"You're sure there wasn't a cave or something?" she asked.
"Positive," he assured her.
"Well then, maybe that's just the area she hunts for food in. I don't suppose you have a few people you could spare to stake out that area?"
"Not really. I want every person on the search for AJ."
"But if she's somehow involved…."
"We don't know that Sarah!"
"I know we don't, but what other leads do we have right now?"
Reluctantly he admitted, "None."
"Then?"
"I guess I could assign a couple of people to keep an eye on that area, but I don't hold out much hope of that panning out."
"I think you might be surprised," she told him with a smile.
"I hope you're right."
"Has there been any word from your forensics people?"
"Not yet, I'm hoping that they'll have something for me tomorrow."
"I spoke with the Admiral's daughter again today. She's so frustrated. Not only is she worried, but she's so far away that she doesn't feel a part of what's being done to find him. She kept asking me if she should come, and all I could tell her was that everything was already being done. At least, there she has her work to keep her busy, here all she would have to do is worry."
"AJ's talked a lot about her since I moved here to McLean, I know how much it means to him that the two of them had re-established a relationship. Have you ever met her?"
"Yes, he gave a party at his house several years ago to introduce her to all of us. You could see how much they love each other, but I didn't really see much of the Admiral in her. She must take after her mother."
"That's not really surprising considering his ex took their daughter away when she was only a toddler and she was raised all those years in Italy."
"I guess so," Mac said and then trying to get her mind off the Admiral and his daughter, she asked Steve, "So, is your grandmother always like she was tonight?"
"Oh no….there are times when she REALLY makes a nuisance of herself!" he laughed, then added, "But I love her dearly and she knows it, so she tries to get away with everything she can."
"And that kiss you gave me…was it just for her benefit?" Mac asked trying to ferret out his feelings for her.
"Yes it was," Steve admitted and then seeing the disappointed look that she wasn't quick enough to hide, he added, "That kiss was just to get her all riled up. If I had been kissing you the way I really wanted to, she would be sitting over there now making wedding plans and figuring up how many great grandchildren we would give her."
"That would have to be some kiss to cause all that!" Mac was only half teasing as she tried to imagine that kiss.
"Would you like me to demonstrate Ma'am?" Steve asked her with a self-confident grin knowing what her answer would be.
"Oh yes, I most certainly would!" she told him.
Opening his arms to her, he said, "Then come here woman! I've been dying to kiss you all night!"
"Why didn't you then?" she asked as she moved into his arms.
"Because I was afraid that if I started kissing you before dinner you wouldn't get to eat and I know how Marines are about their chow," he teased.
"Mmmmm for your kisses I might be tempted to forgo a meal or two," Mac told him as she put her arms around his neck and offered her mouth up to him.
To be continued...
