"Lincoln, it's me, Steve. Did Catherine tell you anything about not coming to work today? I've been waiting for her for over an hour. I'm worried because she's never late."

"No, Steve, she didn't tell me anything. I'll try call her and get back to you," Lincoln answered Steve.

Lincoln tried calling Catherine, but her phone was off. He called Steve and told him he was going over to her house.

"Catherine?" Lincoln called her and knocked on the door, but there was no answer. Lincoln imagined that she was at the nursing home with her aunt and went there, but he found out that she had taken her aunt out of the clinic the night before.

"We thought it was strange because she came in late and took her aunt away with her," said the clinic director.

"But why would Catherine do something like that? It doesn't make sense," Lincoln thought.

Steve had several meetings throughout the day. He tried hard to pay attention to the issues discussed while also thinking about Catherine. At the end of the day he went home and Lincoln was waiting for him on the balcony.

"Lincoln, did you find her?" Steve asked anxiously.

"No. She left the island with her aunt," Lincoln replied, and Steve's world collapsed. "What?" But why, Lincoln? Why did she leave? We were fine..." Steve couldn't understand.

"Steve, I don't have that answer, but Catherine's not like that, she wouldn't quit the job without at least giving an explanation, and if you two were okay in a relationship like you said, then I understand even less. She had some reason to do this".

"We had dinner together last night and she seemed happy. She invited me in when I took her to her house, but I had promised to help Danny analyze a case from the task force. Maybe she was upset with me".

"I don't think that's it, Steve," Lincoln replied.

Steve stood there on the porch, with no reaction. "I don't know what to say, Lincoln. I'm so disappointed..."

Lincoln noticed Steve's wet eyes and just nodded.

"Do you want in, Lincoln?" Steve asked.

"No. See you tomorrow, Steve."

"Thank you, Lincoln. You used your day off to look for her."

"And I'll keep looking for her, Steve. I want to know what happened to her. She's my friend, and I'm sure I know her well enough to know that something is wrong.

"Okay. See you tomorrow, Lincoln."

Steve went in the house and went straight to his room. He sat on the bed and stood there thinking. When he thought he'd found the woman in his life, everything went wrong. "Why, Catherine? Why?"

The next day he told Danny what had happened.

"I'm sorry, Steve. I know you were in love with her, but the truth is you didn't know her well".

"We spent two wonderful days on the continent, Danny. No one can pretend so well. It's not possible she didn't like me at least a little bit."

Danny sighed. "I don't know what to say, Steve. Maybe she'll still call and tell you what happened."

A few days passed and Steve was depressed. He was devoting himself to his work and the vice governor was not supporting him in his projects. She assigned a new bodyguard to Steve, and this bodyguard had the mission to conquer him so that the vice governor could control him. And it was Lincoln's job to open his eyes.

"Isn't it strange that the Vice Governor didn't like Catherine, and as soon as Catherine disappeared, she assigned a new bodyguard willing to flirt with you from day one? They're complicit, Steve."

Steve was thoughtful with Lincoln's words. "Do you think she had anything to do with Catherine's disappearance?"

"It's a possibility," Lincoln replied.

The next day, Steve ordered the replacement of the new bodyguard and chose a friend of Lincoln's to work in Catherine's place, thus frustrating the Vice Governor's plans.

Six months later...

Lincoln arrived at Steve's house in the morning as usual and then they went to work. Steve was able to put his projects into practice even without the help of the Vice Governor and was very dear to the people of the islands.

In those six months, Danny had encouraged Steve to date other women. He tried, but it didn't work. Catherine still lived in his heart and thoughts.

"Steve, I wonder if you could give me three days off. I need to go to the mainland to visit a dear friend at the hospital," Lincoln said to Steve as they were in the car on their way to the Government Palace.

"Of course, Lincoln. Just get a reliable person to replace you," Steve replied.

"Thanks, boss."

Lincoln traveled two days later. He landed on the mainland and went straight to the hospital. He identified himself at the reception and went to the floor where his friend was staying. He stopped at the bedroom door before entering and looked at his friend who was looking at the window with a distant look. He approached and called her by name.

"Lincoln? How did you find me here?"

"Hi, Catherine."