****
Original Sin
- Part Twenty Five
Disclaimer: See Part 1
Rating: PG
--
The snow on the ground gave the predawn darkness a deceptive light. It was just after 4 am and Frank, Alex, and Jake were on their way towards the manor that sat on the hill amid a skeletal forest.
"Damn. Think she's got some money?" Alex murmured.
Frank half-smiled. From what Cody had dug up on Kennedi while they were in flight, she had more money than God. It was amazing that there were still things about his estranged wife that he did not know. Her parents lived in London, that he knew. But he never had an idea that she was that wealthy in her own right. Thinking back, he should have seen it the day he came to visit her here.
"I want that house." was all Jake said before he leaned up from the back seat and stuck his head between Alex and Frank. "Hey, you drive like you've been here before."
Frank never took his eyes off the plowed road ahead of them as he reached over, put his hand on Jake's forehead and pushed him into the back seat like one does to a puppy that's hampering their driving. Jake and Alex exchanged looks again. Sooner or later they'd get the entire story out of Donovan about his relationship with Kennedi "Keni" Johnson. "I have Jake. Remember that I came to ask her for her help on this case?"
"Oh. Yeah.. forgot about that."
The manor house loomed up on the hill. After what seemed an endless flight and over an hour of driving, they finally pulled to a stop. Donovan knocked on the door and looked around. The entire home seemed dead inside, like something was missing. In his mind the stillness wasn't because it was predawn... it was that Kennedi wasn't here. Where was she? Did she survive the dive into the water? Was she safe in Ontario Canada by now?
The door opened, a sleepy partially bald man peering out. "Hullo?"
Donovan blinked. "Aaron... Good God man, it's Frank, let me in!"
The door opened fully after a few seconds. The man, even though it was still early, was dressed nicely. He smiled brightly and motioned for them all to come in.
"Mr. Donovan! Come in, come in and get out of that cold before you and your friends freeze to death!" He had a crisp British accent that seemed to be lighter now that someone he knew was here.
And he obviously knew Donovan enough to not bat an eyelash at letting him in. Jake and Alex looked at each other again behind Frank's back. They all stepped into the warm entry of the manor directly opposite a grand staircase. Both Alex and Jake felt like ants in this room. Aaron asked them to follow him, leading them into the kitchen and breakfast room, which was bigger than either of their apartments.
"Wonder if she's got a mausoleum under here." Jake whispered to Alex. Donovan heard, but only chuckled slightly. The first time he saw this place, he was overwhelmed too. He looked back at them and gave them a nod. At that, the two of them spread out through out the manor.
"I thank God that you're here Mr. Donovan. It's been so hard knowing that Miss Johnson's been pinched into a tight spot. Are you going to help her out?"
"I would like to, but I have to catch her first. She managed to elude us in Detroit."
Aaron's forehead wrinkled in confusion. He hated lying to this man when he knew that Frank could help Kennedi. "She didn't come to seek your help?"
"No. In fact, she played me and my team for fools. What is it that I should know Aaron?" His dark eyes peered intently at the elder man.
Aaron swallowed. "Kennedi's being blackmailed into doing this. She received a letter some weeks ago that asked for her assistance in exchange for... for the safety of her son. You and I both know Kennedi would rather die herself than let a child of hers come to harm. What choice did she have?"
Frank was in shock. She had a child, a son? Inside, deep down, he felt a pang of jealousy against the man who she chose to be the father. There was a time when he would have given anything to be that man... he might still once all this mess was sorted out.
Outside of the kitchen, Alex had wandered upstairs and into what looked like Kennedi's room. It was spacious, the king-sized bed taking center stage. "Must be nice," she said to herself, "to have so much money. This woman's bedroom is bigger than my apartment." Her eyes were drawn to the one wall where it looked like she had a photo collection. Every one of them was someone different and in different locations. "Wow, she knows a lot of people... holy shit." She'd found a photograph of Frank and Kennedi in what looked like a park. Next to it was another photograph, taken at dusk where the two of them were kissing. She in a gown of white and Frank in a black tuxedo. Alex reached up and removed the first framed photo from the park off of the wall. She studied it. It looked to be at least 7 years ago possibly... and both looked to be tremendously happy. Sure, she'd seen Frank smile, but not this way, not that special smile. "OK Boss. You got some explaining to do." And she headed back downstairs to the kitchen. As she turned, she saw on the night table a picture of Kennedi cuddling a little boy on her lap who looked to be about 3 or 4 years old. Crossing over, she picked it up. This could be useful...
Jake, however, had found the boy's room. Things were reasonably clean, but he could see that the room belonged to a young boy. What puzzled him was that the room was cold - as if no one lived here in some time. "Hey Alex!! Come look at this!" He shouted. As he looked around, Alex came wandering in. She held out the photo of Kennedi and Frank in the costume of Bride and Groom for Jake to see.
"Take a look at this."
Jake blinked. "Damn, man's got more secrets than anyone else I know of. But this room.. Doesn't it look like a kid's room? This is a neat room... I wanted a room like this when I was growing up. Question is, where is the kid?"
"Well, you didn't have Mommy Warbucks growing up. I think we need to go tell Frank about this and get him to 'fess up to this photo."
Jake nodded and followed her. When they hit the first landing, they both heard footsteps coming out of the kitchen. They turned to see Donovan and the butler standing at the foot of the stairs. Jake stood back as Alex slowly walked down the stairs, both pictures in her hand. The look on her face made the butler look away and step back a bit, but Frank just gave her the same look back.
"We need to talk." She said quietly as she pushed the photo of him and Kennedi into his hands.
"You can use Kennedi's private office. I'll show you." With that, Aaron headed up the stairs and led them to the office.
"Can you bring us some coffee, please Aaron?" Donovan said.
The butler nodded with a weary smile and closed the door.
****
Original Sin
- Part Twenty Five
Disclaimer: See Part 1
Rating: PG
--
The snow on the ground gave the predawn darkness a deceptive light. It was just after 4 am and Frank, Alex, and Jake were on their way towards the manor that sat on the hill amid a skeletal forest.
"Damn. Think she's got some money?" Alex murmured.
Frank half-smiled. From what Cody had dug up on Kennedi while they were in flight, she had more money than God. It was amazing that there were still things about his estranged wife that he did not know. Her parents lived in London, that he knew. But he never had an idea that she was that wealthy in her own right. Thinking back, he should have seen it the day he came to visit her here.
"I want that house." was all Jake said before he leaned up from the back seat and stuck his head between Alex and Frank. "Hey, you drive like you've been here before."
Frank never took his eyes off the plowed road ahead of them as he reached over, put his hand on Jake's forehead and pushed him into the back seat like one does to a puppy that's hampering their driving. Jake and Alex exchanged looks again. Sooner or later they'd get the entire story out of Donovan about his relationship with Kennedi "Keni" Johnson. "I have Jake. Remember that I came to ask her for her help on this case?"
"Oh. Yeah.. forgot about that."
The manor house loomed up on the hill. After what seemed an endless flight and over an hour of driving, they finally pulled to a stop. Donovan knocked on the door and looked around. The entire home seemed dead inside, like something was missing. In his mind the stillness wasn't because it was predawn... it was that Kennedi wasn't here. Where was she? Did she survive the dive into the water? Was she safe in Ontario Canada by now?
The door opened, a sleepy partially bald man peering out. "Hullo?"
Donovan blinked. "Aaron... Good God man, it's Frank, let me in!"
The door opened fully after a few seconds. The man, even though it was still early, was dressed nicely. He smiled brightly and motioned for them all to come in.
"Mr. Donovan! Come in, come in and get out of that cold before you and your friends freeze to death!" He had a crisp British accent that seemed to be lighter now that someone he knew was here.
And he obviously knew Donovan enough to not bat an eyelash at letting him in. Jake and Alex looked at each other again behind Frank's back. They all stepped into the warm entry of the manor directly opposite a grand staircase. Both Alex and Jake felt like ants in this room. Aaron asked them to follow him, leading them into the kitchen and breakfast room, which was bigger than either of their apartments.
"Wonder if she's got a mausoleum under here." Jake whispered to Alex. Donovan heard, but only chuckled slightly. The first time he saw this place, he was overwhelmed too. He looked back at them and gave them a nod. At that, the two of them spread out through out the manor.
"I thank God that you're here Mr. Donovan. It's been so hard knowing that Miss Johnson's been pinched into a tight spot. Are you going to help her out?"
"I would like to, but I have to catch her first. She managed to elude us in Detroit."
Aaron's forehead wrinkled in confusion. He hated lying to this man when he knew that Frank could help Kennedi. "She didn't come to seek your help?"
"No. In fact, she played me and my team for fools. What is it that I should know Aaron?" His dark eyes peered intently at the elder man.
Aaron swallowed. "Kennedi's being blackmailed into doing this. She received a letter some weeks ago that asked for her assistance in exchange for... for the safety of her son. You and I both know Kennedi would rather die herself than let a child of hers come to harm. What choice did she have?"
Frank was in shock. She had a child, a son? Inside, deep down, he felt a pang of jealousy against the man who she chose to be the father. There was a time when he would have given anything to be that man... he might still once all this mess was sorted out.
Outside of the kitchen, Alex had wandered upstairs and into what looked like Kennedi's room. It was spacious, the king-sized bed taking center stage. "Must be nice," she said to herself, "to have so much money. This woman's bedroom is bigger than my apartment." Her eyes were drawn to the one wall where it looked like she had a photo collection. Every one of them was someone different and in different locations. "Wow, she knows a lot of people... holy shit." She'd found a photograph of Frank and Kennedi in what looked like a park. Next to it was another photograph, taken at dusk where the two of them were kissing. She in a gown of white and Frank in a black tuxedo. Alex reached up and removed the first framed photo from the park off of the wall. She studied it. It looked to be at least 7 years ago possibly... and both looked to be tremendously happy. Sure, she'd seen Frank smile, but not this way, not that special smile. "OK Boss. You got some explaining to do." And she headed back downstairs to the kitchen. As she turned, she saw on the night table a picture of Kennedi cuddling a little boy on her lap who looked to be about 3 or 4 years old. Crossing over, she picked it up. This could be useful...
Jake, however, had found the boy's room. Things were reasonably clean, but he could see that the room belonged to a young boy. What puzzled him was that the room was cold - as if no one lived here in some time. "Hey Alex!! Come look at this!" He shouted. As he looked around, Alex came wandering in. She held out the photo of Kennedi and Frank in the costume of Bride and Groom for Jake to see.
"Take a look at this."
Jake blinked. "Damn, man's got more secrets than anyone else I know of. But this room.. Doesn't it look like a kid's room? This is a neat room... I wanted a room like this when I was growing up. Question is, where is the kid?"
"Well, you didn't have Mommy Warbucks growing up. I think we need to go tell Frank about this and get him to 'fess up to this photo."
Jake nodded and followed her. When they hit the first landing, they both heard footsteps coming out of the kitchen. They turned to see Donovan and the butler standing at the foot of the stairs. Jake stood back as Alex slowly walked down the stairs, both pictures in her hand. The look on her face made the butler look away and step back a bit, but Frank just gave her the same look back.
"We need to talk." She said quietly as she pushed the photo of him and Kennedi into his hands.
"You can use Kennedi's private office. I'll show you." With that, Aaron headed up the stairs and led them to the office.
"Can you bring us some coffee, please Aaron?" Donovan said.
The butler nodded with a weary smile and closed the door.
****