Chapter Fifty-Three

What I need is a good defense. Cause I'm feeling like a criminal. And I need to be redeemed to the one I've sinned against. Because he's all I ever knew of love. Let me know the way. Before there's hell to pay. Give him room to lay the law and let me go. I gotta make a play to make my lover stay. What would an angel say? The Devil wants to know. Criminal ~ Fiona Apple

Rossabi gathered everyone. Charlie watched her husband. She had heard enough on the phone to know this was about Sid. His sober expression wasn't revealing too much.

"Sid Markham escaped," Vincent announced.

Mike dropped his pizza back onto the plate. There went his appetite. He cursed under his breath. Only his Goddaughter against his chest and the two other children kept him, and most of the adults in the room, from saying the words out loud.

"You're kidding me," Johnny groaned.

"Who is Sid?" Elena inquired.

"Let's just break it down to he's a guy who wants to kill Mike and me," Johnny answered.

"On a scale of one to ten how bad is this?" Elena questioned.

"He attacked Abby and put her in a coma," Mike replied.

Elena hissed.

"How did this happen?" Abby questioned.

"He was supposed to be in maximum security," Brennan frowned. Where his friends could keep an eye on him.

"He was being mistakenly transferred- got the better of his guards, killed them both," Rossabi answered, "He stole one of their uniforms passed security using a badge."

"Did they try to trace him with the badge's RDF chip?" Tom asked.

"Tossed it," Vincent shook his head, "They tried tracking him through security and traffic footage, but he disappeared into a dark spot."

"What does this mean for the wedding?" Chloe asked.

"Abby and I need to talk about it," Mike answered.

"No, we aren't going to postpone," Abby asserted.

"Sid is in the wind," Mike countered.

"He doesn't even know we're in California," Abby protested.

"Once he finds we're not in DC he could decide to come back here to go after Johnny," Mike frowned, "And he'll find us too."

"Does he even have the resources to travel?" Abby questioned.

"We don't know. Nothing was in his name," Rossabi shook his head.

"Sid is in the wind," Mike asserted, "And he has motive to go after everyone in this house."

Wes brought out a tablet and pulled up Sid's arrest photo. He began to pass the tablet around. "Everyone needs to know this face," Wes urged.

Chloe took the tablet in her hands. She drummed the sides with her fingers as she gave the man in the picture a critical look over. If he were smart he'd run. Chloe passed the tablet over to Rachel.

Rachel gave it to Jack. He tilted his head and squinted. "He looks kind of familiar," Jack noted.

"Sid bragged about almost getting you in his car the night we had the blow out," Mike revealed.

Jack frowned, "I remember Wes taking me out of the bar, but not him."

"We all have to be on alert," Rossabi insisted.

"No one goes anywhere alone," Mike asserted, "And someone in the group is armed at all times."

Vincent nodded.

Mike turned to Johnny, "Briggs needs to clear Graceland."

"I'm on it," Johnny got out his cellphone.

"I'll arrange surveillance," Tom added.


"Enough with the perimeter sweeps," Johnny chided.

"What? It's an open space," Mike frowned.

"This is supposed to be a party and you're trudging around like you're at a funeral," Johnny took a swig of his beer.

Mike set his shoulders, "We're way too exposed." He glanced over to the table where his fiancée was sitting with her sister and Charlie. His face softened.

Taking that as a cue, Abby got up and went to over to Mike. She wrapped her arm around his waist. Abby pulled as close to him as she could until she was molded into him.

Mike draped his arm over her. If she wanted to press up on him Mike had no objections.

A street musician took up his guitar and began to play.

Mike recognized the cords almost immediately. Maroon 5 if he wasn't mistaken.

"Dance with me," Abby purred.

Mike didn't even feign resistance.

She wrapped her arms around his neck.

He joined his hands at the small of her back.

Cheek to cheek, they swayed together. When it came to the chorus Mike began to whisper the words to her, "Cause girls like you run 'round with guys like me 'til sundown. When I come through I need a girl like you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Girls like you love fun, and yeah, me too. What I want when I come through I need a girl like you, yeah, yeah."

The song ended.

Mike and Abby's eyes locked as they pulled themselves back from each other.

They put a tip in the guitar players case. He tipped his head.

Mike took Abby back to the table and pulled out her chair for her.

"Come on, Mike!" Wes tugged at him.

"Where are we going?" Mike inquired.

"We're going to go yell at the Dodgers," Nathan wriggled his eyebrows.

"Behave!" Abby ordered, "I didn't account for bail money in the wedding budget!"

Nathan waved her off and guided Mike to a waiting Wes.

"I expect my groom to be at the wedding!" Abby called after them.

"No worries, I got this," Johnny followed the guys.

Charlie scoffed, "Now there will definitely be trouble."

"How long until we're going to have to intervene?" Abby snickered.

"Give it twenty minutes, tops," Bethany quipped.

The women at the table roared with laughter. Abby stole a glance at the bar the guys had disappeared into. Abby's eyes froze on the entrance to the square. Her laughter stopped.

Charlie angled to see the cause: Paige had just entered the square.

"I'll take care of her," Charlie began to push herself up.

Abby placed her hand on Charlie's arm, "No. She has every right to be here. I don't own California."

Charlie settled back into the table, "Fine, but if she starts shit I am shutting her down."

"Don't. You two are friends and I don't want to cause any trouble between you two. I know you were trying to get her to babysit for you," Abby replied.

"As long as Sid is on the lam Vinny is never going to agree to let a babysitter watch the twins," Charlie frowned.

"You know the twins are welcome at the wedding," Abby offered.

"Thanks," Charlie nodded.

"I'm going to go get a refill," Abby pushed up from the table.

"Let me get it," Charlie offered.

"I'm a big girl," Abby replied. It's not like the open air bar was out of eye shot.

She went up to the bar and ordered the drink over the noise of the other patrons of the square.

ROOF!

"Summer, Shush," Abby commanded. When she lifted her eyes from her dog, the reason for Summer's outburst came into view.

Paige froze as Abby's gaze landed on her. Little Miss Perfect was not the half of the happy couple she had hoped to run into.

Abby tried to read her, but she couldn't tell if this surprised look was an act or not.

Paige cleared her throat, "Your dog?"

"Summer is my seizure detection dog," Abby clarified.

"How… How are you doing?" Paige stumbled over her words.

"Aside from seizures and tremors I'm all healed," Abby replied.

"Tremors?" Paige frowned.

"Yeah, from the brain injury," Abby explained, "My hands shake at random times."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Paige replied.

"On the plus side Mike has become quite the makeup artist," Abby angled her face to show off his work, "I can barely brush my own hair."

Paige looked back toward the table she had noticed Abby sitting at. The other occupants were looking in their direction. "This your bachelorette party?" she inquired.

"We're not having bachelor or bachelorette parties," Abby informed her. Don't cause a scene, stay polite. She blew out a breath. One, Two…

Charlie got up. Abby raised a hand to stop her.

Paige stepped up to the bar, "Mai Tai, please."

"Why have the wedding here?" Paige inquired.

Just keep walking, Abby ordered her feet. They stopped anyway. She pivoted. "Why not?" Abby challenged.

"There are beautiful beaches on the east coast," Paige rejoined.

"It's where we started," Abby said.

"There is a lot of history here," Paige needled.

Abby read between the lines almost instantly. "You being with him isn't an issue," she clarified, "What pisses me off is what you and Sid did to Mike." She bit her tongue. It took all Abby had to restrain herself. She couldn't read the other woman for filth in public, no matter how bad she wanted to.

Paige held her breath.

"The rest is none of my business," Abby licked her lips.

"Look, I'm sorry you had a run in with Sid," Paige began.

"At least I could defend myself," Abby found her straw and took a sip of her drink.

Summer pawed Abby and whined.

Abby looked down at her dog, "In a minute, Summer."

Summer huffed at the rebuff. She sprinted off.

Summer went up to Mike and took his hand in her mouth.

He looked down at her, "What's wrong, Girl? Where's your mom?"

Summer tugged on him. He followed her.

"You know Sid broke out?" Abby said.

Paige nodded, "Johnny called me."

"Good," Abby cleared her throat.

"Sid attacked me too," Paige pointed out.

"Mike told me," Abby nodded.

"Johnny got the son of a bitch off of me," Paige acknowledged.

"Lucky you," Abby bit out.

"I've already apologized to Mike…" Paige began.

"Mike had panic attacks in his sleep. In his sleep," Abby argued.

"He wasn't that bad here," Paige needled.

"My guess is he self-medicated," Abby sniffed.

Paige pursed her lips, "You have no idea."

"I know who I am marrying," Abby returned.

"Is this where you tell me to stay away from him?" Paige crossed her arms over her chest.

"If I had to tell either of you to stay away from each other then Mike wouldn't be mine," Abby countered. She spun around, walking away signaling an end to that conversation.

She had gotten a little distance, but not far enough to hide who Abby was walking away from.

Mike directed a scowl at Paige over Abby's shoulder.

"I thought you were watching the game," Abby cleared her throat.

"You can't ignore Summer when she alerts," Mike chastised.

Abby's legs gave out from under her.

Mike scooped Abby up. He tucked her head under his chin.

Paige stared wide eyed as Abby convulsed in Mike's arms.

"Derek!" Mike called out.

Bethany, Rachel, and Derek rushed over.

"Let's get her out of here," Derek urged.

Rachel looked to Bethany, "We got her."

They rushed her out to Mike's rented car.

Rachel got Summer into the back seat.

Abby began to stir as he buckled her in.

"Where is the closest hospital?" Mike inquired.

"No hospital," Abby mumbled. She frowned placing her hand on her forehead.

Mike looked over at Derek.

"She's lucid," Derek assessed, "Probably passed the worst of it."

"Just take me somewhere quiet. And dark," Abby covered her eyes.

Mike closed the car door.

"Take care of my future daughter," Rachel admonished.

"I will, Mom," he leaned toward her and kissed her cheek.

"See you two at the house," Derek excused himself and Rachel. He put his hand on her shoulder and guided her back into the square.

"You weren't going to introduce me?" Paige needled.

"No," Mike scoffed with a half-strangled chuckle.

"Is she ok?" Paige asked.

"Stay away from Abby," Mike ordered.

"You think I caused this?" Paige challenged.

He raked his hand over his face then looked over to check on his fiancée in the passenger seat.

Abby's face was turned away.

"We'll be out of here in four days," Mike sighed, "Can you just give me that?" He stepped past her and rounded the hood. Mike got in and started the engine.

Paige watched him back out and drive off.


Abby laid with her head on Mike's lap, her eyes squeezed shut. Summer laid at her feet. She could hear Titus curling up in the open dog kennel.

Mike stroked her hair.

Abby frowned as memory flashes bombarded her.

Sid waved a cell phone around. "Mike Richards."

The car stopped.

She shot upright and out of the memory before Sid could grab her.

Mike placed his hand on her bicep, "Hey."

Abby gulped for air.

"You OK?" he questioned.

"I just," Abby raised her hand gently to touch his face.

"I need to talk to Vincent," Abby stood, holding her head.

"Take it easy," Mike urged.

"I remembered," Abby said.

"Remembered what?" her fiancé frowned. Mike pushed himself up off the chair and followed her to the door.

"Take it easy," he urged.

Abby grabbed the door knob.

Mike placed his hand over hers and held the door closed.

"Why don't you sit back down and I'll go get him?" he offered.

"I am fine," Abby insisted.

She continued out of the room and down the stairs. Mike and the dogs followed after her.

"How are you feeling?" Chloe asked as she saw her daughter descending the stairs.

"I'm good," Abby looked around, "Did Charlie and Vincent come back or go back to the second house?"

"Nathan and Bethany did too," Chloe nodded.

"They had to put the kids to bed," Brennan explained.

"We're going over to talk to them," Abby replied.

"Ok, text me and let us know you got there," Chloe requested.

Abby nodded. She and Mike headed for the back door.

He slid the door closed behind them as he reached for her hand.

Abby entwined their fingers. This was one subject they agreed to disagree on. Would her digging up the memories change that? She tried to focus on the sand beneath her feet.

Mike had a million questions, but allowed her the silence to process her thoughts.

The came to the house. Light shown through the back door.

Abby knocked even though the couple inside saw them.

Rossabi opened it.

"Are you busy?" Abby asked.

"Sure. What's going on?" Vincent stepped aside for them.

"I remembered the rest," Abby announced as they came inside.

"Of what?" Rossabi questioned, "What happened with Sid?"

"The car Sid forced me to switch to," she nodded, "It's a gray Honda." Abby rattled off the sequence of numbers and letters for the license plate.

"Whoa slow down…" Vincent requested, "Anybody got a piece of paper?"

Charlie handed him a notepad.

"All right," he clicked the pen open.

She reiterated the license plate number.

"I'll call it in," Vincent assured her.

Abby looked over to Mike, her eyes almost apologetic. "There is a phone in the middle console. Please, make sure they look for that. There's a recording on it. It's important," Abby pled.

Mike frowned. What recording?

Rossabi nodded, "I'll alert them."

"Do you think they'll find it?" she asked.

Vincent pressed his lips together, "It's been a year- hard to say for sure, but we'll try."