I'm back and writing my next chapter as I post this, so it should be up within the week. In the meantime, post your theories and your own stories, so readers have something to read in the meantime. Peace x

Nancy, Frank, and Joe stayed with Bess until the dawn the next day.

As they watched light fill the small room, Frank reminded them that he had to go to work. It seemed like such a mundane thing to do: sit in an office and nurse lukewarm coffee, listen to his coworkers droning through the walls. But, after all, he still had his job with the prosecution's office. And he desperately needed to shave, to change his clothes. While he didn't say it, it was obvious that he also longed for a coffee that didn't taste like instant, burnt beans as all hospital coffee seemed to.

Nancy had been worried about what Bess had said about killing someone. It was so abrupt, so out of character. And Bess never joked. Not about things like that. But Bess had let it go so quickly that Nancy had to do so as well. She told herself her friend had just had a nightmare. After all, she'd had a stressful time. No matter what Nancy told herself she couldn't let go that easily. Even after Frank left, she sat with her phone face up beside her, glancing over at every news notification, half expecting a body to turn up somewhere. When no such news story eventuated, she felt herself relax.

By noon Bess was released. She had a sprained wrist and bruised ribs, nothing that couldn't be solved with a couple of warm baths and a handful of aspirin, and as Joe put it as he rubbed Bess's arm soothingly "some gentle TLC and Hannah's famous chicken soup recipe, huh Nan?"

The logical thought would be that Joe would stay with Nancy and Frank at their brownstone. But the thought of that dark, shady sidewalk behind her home, made Nancy wince. There was no way she was letting her friend fall into danger again.

"I think I've got a better idea," she said, scooping up her phone and looking through her contacts. "I'll ask my aunt if you can stay with her. You'll be safer there."

"Eloise?" Bess asked, perking up. "The one who bakes?"

"The one and only. She's retired now, all she does is tend her garden and bake pies."

"Did I die and get sent straight to heaven?"

Nancy rolled her eyes. "Save that until she drags you along to Pilates. She may be in her sixties, but it doesn't show. I struggle to keep up with her and I trained at Quantico!"

Eloise Drew was always glad to do her only niece a favor. She turned up at the hospital an hour later with flowers and candy. And within no time she was fussing over Bess. "You poor child," she said, oblivious to the fact that the woman before her was fully grown. "Getting dragged into Nancy's work when you're in this state? You're lucky you weren't killed. Come, come, my apartment has plenty of room. And I've just made a berry pie. It'll set you right with some thick cream and a hot cup of cocoa. Well, Joe, are you going to carry this?"

Nancy couldn't help but smile as she trailed her aunt out onto the pavement.

Joe touched her arm. "Thanks for this," he said. She could see the dark hollows under his eyes, that had come from sleeping sitting up, back against the cold hospital wall. But his eyes were bright. "We're going to eat and get some sleep. I'll call you later, okay?"

Nancy squeezed his hand. "Leave it to me. Look after her."

"I will. I… had doubts about this thing. I thought it was soon, that I'd suck at the parent thing… maybe I will. But I just realized the alternative. I'm already crazy about this little family… and there's nothing I wouldn't do to protect it. I think I'm in Nan. I think I can do this."

"I know you can do this. And Bess is going to do everything she can to support you. She's tough, okay? She knows what she's doing."

"I know. And that makes me nervous, Nan. She doesn't always know when to quit."

"She didn't choose to get kidnapped-"

"I know. But she said she killed someone. She should be focusing on our little… one. She shouldn't be fighting for her life. I've got to look after her better. I've got to man up."

Nancy knew that if Frank tried to adopt so much machismo, she'd balk but Bess was different. She'd always wanted to have a guy look after her. And what did Nancy know? There was a baby in this equation. Maybe Joe did need to cherish Bess.

"I said I'd look into it. I'll call you."

They exchanged a quick, fierce hug, then Joe and Bess were gone.

Nancy knew she'd made the best decision. They'd be safe with Eloise, who wasn't born yesterday. Better yet, her aunt had a state-of-the-art security system. But Nancy still would have liked to have her friends in her sight.

Shaking herself, Nancy flagged down a cab and headed into her office. Once she'd arrived, she grabbed the duffle from underneath her desk and took a shower in the basement gym, before donning her wrap dress and touching up her makeup. Feeling a bit more human, she chased down Finn who was just setting his weights aside.

"Okay, so you blustered in here before I could say anything, looking like you'd slept in your suit. But can I just say you're looking more human now." He raised a hand before she could protest. "Now, now, I'm a feminist, so I'm not saying you have to look runway polished all the time but it's not super normal for you to slouch in like that."

In response, Nancy raised her phone.

"Whoa? Is that Bess?" Finn squinted at the screen.

"Yup," Nancy said and explained what had happened to her friend. "But she's okay now."

"What happened last night? Did NYC go wild? I got a call from Jordan's sister. Apparently, he got mugged or something, so he's not coming in."

"Is he okay?"

"Yeah. He's fine." Finn shrugged and grabbed a towel, wiped his ruddy, freckled face. "Hey, what's up? You look like you're in deep thought."

"I am. How did Bess get away scot-free when all the others…" she swallowed. "And how is Jordan tied up in all this? We couldn't find anything. But… as soon as we get on his tail, he gets mugged? That just seems… like a lot of stuff happening to such an innocuous guy…"

"Tell me about it. I went to his house after you guys left my place. He wasn't there long. He took off. I lost his tail. To be honest, I didn't try too hard. I didn't want to get caught following my boss. It doesn't look good, especially if he's clean."

"It's fine Finn. I don't want you to get in trouble for my sake."

"You know it's too late for that. You saved my life. I'll do the same for you without a second thought. We're partners, pals. It's just who we are."

He was right. He was always right. But Nancy had never been good at the sentimental stuff. Her dad had always had a "get on with it" attitude. Even Hannah Gruen, who'd wiped her toddler tears and patched up the scrapes and bruises over the years, had been firm in her affection. So, when people like Finn looked her in the eye and opened themselves up, she felt strangely helpless.

Suddenly, the events of the last few days caught up to her. She felt her knees grow weak.

"Whoa," Finn said again, catching her arm with his strong hand. "Do you-"

He broke off as a young agent hurried into the room. "I need to talk to you both," she said, seemingly oblivious to Nancy's wan face. "There's another body," she said.

Nancy straightened on her own, eyes suddenly bright and alert. "Summer Skeigh?"

The agent shook her head. "This one isn't one that's been on our radar."

Nancy nodded and started to follow the agent, then she stopped and searched Finn's face with her gleaming azure eyes.

"Wait… if it isn't Summer, who is it? This doesn't make sense."