Chapter 16- Family Tree

When Adam arrived, Skye asked for her Uncle Stuart, so Rae and Alan stepped out so Adam and Stuart could visit with her.

"How are you, sweetheart?" Adam asked her, but Skye started to cry in response.

"Skye, we miss you so much," Stuart said. "I miss our talks and your visits. Pine Valley isn't the same without you." He reached for her hand and squeezed it.

"D-Daddy… Uncle St-Stuart… you're r-really here…"

"We love you, Skye," Stuart continued. "Your dad does too. He's just a big nincompoop—"

"Stuart!" Adam crossed his arms.

"And he does the best he can. But our family isn't complete without you, Skye. Our-our table is so empty at Christmas and Thanksgiving since you haven't returned home. I—I really want to uh, show you my new artwork. I'm taking a new class." Stuart smiled and shifted his feet. "I've been going through old photo albums and there's not many of you when you were a little girl, but I started making a family tree. That's the assignment." His face lit up even more. "All of the-the Chandlers, down through the years right down to you, Skye, and Hayley, and Scott, JR, and Colby, and Ross. And pretty soon I can include Hayley's new baby. With the faces…" He waved his hand in front of him and stared off in the distance. "Painted in the tree. Like angels looking down and watching over the baby. And those photos will help me get it just right."

Skye's lip quivered a little.

"That is a down-right awful idea, Stuart!" Adam snapped. "You know very well that Skye nor Scott are true Chandlers. You're just going to stir the pot and push Skye to another breakdown."'

Stuart looked like he was going to cry. "Well, I think you're wrong, Adam. I—I raised Scott and you raised Skye. And he is my son!" Stuart looked into Adam's eyes. "You know, Lottie would be so disappointed in you. And Skye needs us right now. She's hurting… And you—you're making it worse for her."

Adam cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean any of that. Skye, you are a true Chandler, of course. I just meant the new baby might get confused and confusion only leads to bad things. And you're very fragile right now… so much talk about family trees is only going to make you more emotional."

"Go…" Skye started to cry again. "I—I w-want you to g-go…"

"You're my daughter and I'm not going anywhere," Adam said. "Once you're healthy again, I will take you home so these people can't hurt you anymore."

"G—go…" Skye repeated. "Go…"

"I'll be just outside," Adam said. "I'm going to talk to your doctor and find out how these people let this happen to you."

"Un—Uncle Stu—Stuart don't leave me…"

Stuart stayed while Adam headed out to the waiting room. He walked right over to Alan and Rae. "How did you let this happen to my daughter?"

Rae gawked at him. "Excuse me?"

"How the hell did you let her get hypothermic while she was in your care? Did you do this to her?"

Hayley walked over and squeezed Adam's arm. "Dad, calm down."

"I certainly did not!" Rae said.

"We still don't know exactly what happened," Alan said. "But it most certainly wasn't Rae's fault. All we know is that Jax found her dragging herself out of the water."

Adam looked around the room. "And which of you buffoons is named Jack?"

Jax raised his hand. "It's Jax."

"Why was my daughter in the water?" Adam asked.

"I don't know," Jax said. "We were all expecting her to be at the benefit."

"Hello, Alan, everyone," Mac said when he walked over to them. "I would like to question Skye."

"She is in no shape to be interrogated by the police," Alan said. "She is very disoriented, scared, and emotional right now."

"I understand that, but we found some evidence and I really need to speak with her," Mac said.

"What kind of evidence?" Rae asked.

"When Bobbie changed her out of her clothes, she found her cellphone in her pocket. The phone was completely damaged from the water, but we were able to recover the SIM card. The last text she received was from Lorenzo Alcazar, asking her to meet him at the boathouse while her family is at the benefit."

"I knew it!" Edward clenched his hands into fists. "When I get my hands on that Alcazar, he's going to regret the day he was born."

"Who is this Lorenzo Alcazar?" Adam asked. "And what was he doing meeting my daughter?"

"He a mobster," Jax said.

"He was probably meeting her because he wanted to hurt her," AJ added.

"Well, I've had enough of this nonsense," Adam said. "As soon as she's released, I'm bringing her home with me where she belongs and she's not seeing any of you people again. Not if you're going to bring mobsters into her life!"

"Skye will choose where she wants to live when she's released," Rae said.

"Lorenzo is at the PCPD right now being questioned," Mac said. "But I really need to talk to Skye."

"I'll go in with you," Rae said.

Adam nodded. "Me too. I need to hear this."

"Oh, Skye," Stuart sat at her bedside as she was crying. "Don't take what your dad said to heart. He loves you."

"Hello, Skye," Mac said as he walked in with Rae and Adam. "I need to ask you a few questions about what happened."

Skye started breathing fast. "I—I won't do it… I—I don't do it again… D—Don't take me b—back to jail… M—Mom and D—Dad forgave me…"

Mac squinted his eyes.

Rae walked over to her side. "Skye, are you talking about the article you wrote?"

"I—I won't… I won't… Don't t—take me b—back… I—I—I want to g—go home…"

"It's okay, honey," Rae said. "You're not going back to jail."

Mac cleared his throat. "I meant at the boathouse today. Why were you at the boathouse?"

"I—I couldn't get out… I couldn't… I couldn't…"

"Of the boathouse?" Mac asked. "Were you in the boathouse or do you mean you couldn't get out of the lake?"

"Skye, I know it's hard, but try to focus really hard," Rae said. "What couldn't you get out of?"

"The—the—the—the boathouse… I just couldn't… I couldn't…"

"So, you were stuck in the boathouse?" Mac asked. "You were locked inside?"

"Who locked you in there?" Adam asked.

"I—I… Cold… It—it was so cold… then the water… I—don't swim… I just… I couldn't get out…"

"So, did you go out the trap door and into the water?" Mac asked.

"It-It was cold… so—so cold…"

"Did someone put you in the boathouse?" Mac asked.

"It—It happened so… so fast…"

"Did you see who put you in there?"

"Hi-his hand… Covered my m—mouth…"

"So, it was a he? Did you see his face?"

"No… No… His glove…"

"You only saw a glove? What kind of glove?"

"He threw me in… And—And I couldn't get out…"

"And did you see who threw you in?"

Skye covered her face and rocked back and forth. "I want to go h—home… t—take me home…"

"All right, that's enough." Rae rubbed her back. "You can question her again when she's feeling better."