An Anniversary to Remember
by matahari2
Summary: Just in time for the Stetsons' 15th wedding anniversary, a family member is in danger.
Timeframe: February, 2002
Disclaimer/ Notes: See Chapter 1
Chapter Four – So Near and Yet So Far
Evening, February 12, 2002
Amanda could see the flashing beacon atop the 630-foot high stainless steel Gateway Arch, as well as a few authentic sternwheelers and a large, gaudy gaming boat on the river. Taking hold of her husband's hand, Amanda said, "Lee! We're almost there. I can see the Arch, and the boats along the riverfront." Shifting in her seat to face him, she continued, "Jenny's got to be right here. We've got to find her, Lee!"
"I know, and we will, Amanda," Lee stated, as though he was sure of it. As he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, he looked into her eyes, saying, "Hey, you know something? We have an ace in the hole...we have one very smart, sensible daughter. She's a lot like her mother."
With a trace of a smile, Amanda replied, "You're right about Jenny. I know she's a smart girl...she did think to call my pager number, after all. I wonder how she managed it," Amanda thought aloud, her gaze drifting down to their joined hands.
"I don't know," Lee said, gripping her hand tightly, "but I'm sure glad she did."
Minutes later, Lee and Amanda were driving east on Interstate 70, toward the city. Within half an hour, they had arrived at the Harrington Suites.
Julie Jenkins was still on duty at the registration desk. Lee flashed his badge and introduced himself as a federal agent, and asked the young woman, "Did you have any guests that registered today under the name 'Holden'?"
Julie looked through the day's registration slips and checked the computer log as well. "I'm sorry, sir, but no one registered under that name."
"Do you recall a middle-aged woman with a 12 year old girl registering sometime between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m.?" Lee asked.
"No sir, I don't remember anyone like that, but then I wasn't here for that full hour. You see, sir, my shift starts at 3:00, but I didn't come in until 3:30 today. I had a dentist's appointment. One of the other desk clerks, Jane Watkins, stayed over to cover for me. She might have seen them, but she won't be here again until tomorrow morning. I'm sorry, sir."
"No, no. There's no need to apologize," Lee said. "I suppose we might as well go ahead and register."
"Please sign right here, Mr. Stetson," Julie said, indicating the signature line on the registration card. "Here's your room key. Your suite is on the 7th floor, and the elevators are just across the lobby, on the left. We hope you enjoy your stay."
'If she only knew', Lee thought, as they crossed the lobby and pushed the button for the elevator.
********
Rita Holden had been busy since leaving Jenny in the hotel suite. She'd taken a cab to a large, enclosed shopping mall just a few blocks south and west of the hotel. She'd bought a few changes of clothes for herself and Jenny, along with toothbrushes and other personal necessities. She'd stopped at a luggage shop and purchased two medium-sized wheeled suitcases, then transferred the rest of her purchases into them for the trip back to the hotel.
When she saw that the hotel desk clerk was observing her bringing in the luggage, Rita shrugged her shoulders, and called out, "Airlines! Oh well, they finally found these!"
As Rita rolled her suitcases through the hotel lobby, she noticed the handsome, middle-aged couple entering one of the elevators. 'Damn!' she thought. 'How'd they find us?'
Five minutes later, back in suite # 805, she knew the answer to that question. She moved the love seat back to its original position, opened the bedroom door, and turned left, into the bathroom. Then she saw it...a telephone.
"Jen-ni-fer!" Rita yelled. "We're getting out of here, first thing in the morning, and no more phone calls for you!" She'd made sure of that, having disconnected the bathroom phone.
Jenny was quiet. What was there to say? She would just have to wait for the right moment to try and contact her parents again, to get them a message somehow.
Rita set the bedside radio-alarm clock for 6:00 a.m., and turned out the lights in the bedroom. She went out to the small living room to place a phone call of her own.
********
Downstairs in suite # 705, Lee and Amanda were deciding to call it a night, having had no word from the DC metro police or the FBI on the progress of the investigation.
"Lee, I feel terrible, knowing we're this close to Jenny, but we don't know how to find her," Amanda said, her fear and frustration evident as she paced the length of the bedroom.
"I do too, Amanda. I just don't know what else we can do right now," Lee said sympathetically, stopping her mid-stride and taking both of her hands in his. "I know we're close to where Jenny is, but until we know more...we'd just be spinning our wheels, right?"
"Yeah...I know...you're right. Now I know the meaning of that expression, 'so near and yet so far'," Amanda said, downcast.
Lee wrapped his strong arms around her, rested his cheek against hers and whispered, "I know exactly what you mean, Sweetheart." He pulled back a little, looking into her glistening eyes. He did his best to offer her a little hope, saying, "Tell you what. First thing in the morning, we'll see what we can find out from the day-shift desk clerk. Maybe she saw or heard something that'll help us."
"Okay, yeah, let's do that," Amanda replied, her eyes brightening a little. "You still know how to find the silver lining...that's one of the many things I love about you, Mr. Stetson," she said, giving him a soft kiss on the lips. "Well, I guess we'd better try and get a little rest. I'll go ahead and take my shower tonight, and you can have all the hot water in the morning, all right?"
"All right," Lee answered, stroking her back as she turned away. He turned down the bedspread on their king-size bed, while Amanda went into the bathroom. She removed her pager from the waistband of her slacks, and undressed to take her shower. Within twenty minutes, Amanda lay nestled into Lee's embrace, their hands clasped tightly across his chest. Now and again through the night, Lee could hear her quiet sniffling, and could feel her warm tears as they dampened his skin. One time when he felt her shaking, he held her even closer to his side, trying to comfort her, even as his eyes filled with tears of their own.
********
Jenny sat up in bed and strained to hear the one-sided phone conversation from the suite's living room.
"Charlie Logan?" Jenny heard the woman ask. There was a slight pause before the woman's voice started again, "Well, Mr. Logan...Charlie, this is Rita Holden. I'm a friend of Melanie's. She told me if I was ever in St. Louis, that I should be sure and look you up. She mentioned that you might be able to help me locate any supplies I might need, the kind of supplies I couldn't exactly take aboard an airplane, if you know what I mean."
'What's she talking about? Something you can't take on an airplane...like a gun or something?' Jenny wondered as she heard the woman speak again.
"All right, 10:00 it is, lower entrance to the Muny. I'll be coming from Laclede's Landing. What's the best way to go?"
Then there was another short pause, and Jenny heard the woman repeating the directions. "So, I take highway 40 west to Hampton Avenue, and follow the signs in Forest Park. Right. See you then."
As she heard the phone's receiver click back into its cradle, Jenny hurriedly slid back under the covers and closed her eyes before the woman came back into the bedroom.
'Ten o'clock...Muny...Forest Park...highway 40 west to Hampton Avenue...' Jenny kept repeating to herself silently. She had no idea what the Muny was, and she didn't know where else this Ms. Holden might take her, but she had to find a way to tell someone what she'd heard.
TO BE CONTINUED
by matahari2
Summary: Just in time for the Stetsons' 15th wedding anniversary, a family member is in danger.
Timeframe: February, 2002
Disclaimer/ Notes: See Chapter 1
Chapter Four – So Near and Yet So Far
Evening, February 12, 2002
Amanda could see the flashing beacon atop the 630-foot high stainless steel Gateway Arch, as well as a few authentic sternwheelers and a large, gaudy gaming boat on the river. Taking hold of her husband's hand, Amanda said, "Lee! We're almost there. I can see the Arch, and the boats along the riverfront." Shifting in her seat to face him, she continued, "Jenny's got to be right here. We've got to find her, Lee!"
"I know, and we will, Amanda," Lee stated, as though he was sure of it. As he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, he looked into her eyes, saying, "Hey, you know something? We have an ace in the hole...we have one very smart, sensible daughter. She's a lot like her mother."
With a trace of a smile, Amanda replied, "You're right about Jenny. I know she's a smart girl...she did think to call my pager number, after all. I wonder how she managed it," Amanda thought aloud, her gaze drifting down to their joined hands.
"I don't know," Lee said, gripping her hand tightly, "but I'm sure glad she did."
Minutes later, Lee and Amanda were driving east on Interstate 70, toward the city. Within half an hour, they had arrived at the Harrington Suites.
Julie Jenkins was still on duty at the registration desk. Lee flashed his badge and introduced himself as a federal agent, and asked the young woman, "Did you have any guests that registered today under the name 'Holden'?"
Julie looked through the day's registration slips and checked the computer log as well. "I'm sorry, sir, but no one registered under that name."
"Do you recall a middle-aged woman with a 12 year old girl registering sometime between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m.?" Lee asked.
"No sir, I don't remember anyone like that, but then I wasn't here for that full hour. You see, sir, my shift starts at 3:00, but I didn't come in until 3:30 today. I had a dentist's appointment. One of the other desk clerks, Jane Watkins, stayed over to cover for me. She might have seen them, but she won't be here again until tomorrow morning. I'm sorry, sir."
"No, no. There's no need to apologize," Lee said. "I suppose we might as well go ahead and register."
"Please sign right here, Mr. Stetson," Julie said, indicating the signature line on the registration card. "Here's your room key. Your suite is on the 7th floor, and the elevators are just across the lobby, on the left. We hope you enjoy your stay."
'If she only knew', Lee thought, as they crossed the lobby and pushed the button for the elevator.
********
Rita Holden had been busy since leaving Jenny in the hotel suite. She'd taken a cab to a large, enclosed shopping mall just a few blocks south and west of the hotel. She'd bought a few changes of clothes for herself and Jenny, along with toothbrushes and other personal necessities. She'd stopped at a luggage shop and purchased two medium-sized wheeled suitcases, then transferred the rest of her purchases into them for the trip back to the hotel.
When she saw that the hotel desk clerk was observing her bringing in the luggage, Rita shrugged her shoulders, and called out, "Airlines! Oh well, they finally found these!"
As Rita rolled her suitcases through the hotel lobby, she noticed the handsome, middle-aged couple entering one of the elevators. 'Damn!' she thought. 'How'd they find us?'
Five minutes later, back in suite # 805, she knew the answer to that question. She moved the love seat back to its original position, opened the bedroom door, and turned left, into the bathroom. Then she saw it...a telephone.
"Jen-ni-fer!" Rita yelled. "We're getting out of here, first thing in the morning, and no more phone calls for you!" She'd made sure of that, having disconnected the bathroom phone.
Jenny was quiet. What was there to say? She would just have to wait for the right moment to try and contact her parents again, to get them a message somehow.
Rita set the bedside radio-alarm clock for 6:00 a.m., and turned out the lights in the bedroom. She went out to the small living room to place a phone call of her own.
********
Downstairs in suite # 705, Lee and Amanda were deciding to call it a night, having had no word from the DC metro police or the FBI on the progress of the investigation.
"Lee, I feel terrible, knowing we're this close to Jenny, but we don't know how to find her," Amanda said, her fear and frustration evident as she paced the length of the bedroom.
"I do too, Amanda. I just don't know what else we can do right now," Lee said sympathetically, stopping her mid-stride and taking both of her hands in his. "I know we're close to where Jenny is, but until we know more...we'd just be spinning our wheels, right?"
"Yeah...I know...you're right. Now I know the meaning of that expression, 'so near and yet so far'," Amanda said, downcast.
Lee wrapped his strong arms around her, rested his cheek against hers and whispered, "I know exactly what you mean, Sweetheart." He pulled back a little, looking into her glistening eyes. He did his best to offer her a little hope, saying, "Tell you what. First thing in the morning, we'll see what we can find out from the day-shift desk clerk. Maybe she saw or heard something that'll help us."
"Okay, yeah, let's do that," Amanda replied, her eyes brightening a little. "You still know how to find the silver lining...that's one of the many things I love about you, Mr. Stetson," she said, giving him a soft kiss on the lips. "Well, I guess we'd better try and get a little rest. I'll go ahead and take my shower tonight, and you can have all the hot water in the morning, all right?"
"All right," Lee answered, stroking her back as she turned away. He turned down the bedspread on their king-size bed, while Amanda went into the bathroom. She removed her pager from the waistband of her slacks, and undressed to take her shower. Within twenty minutes, Amanda lay nestled into Lee's embrace, their hands clasped tightly across his chest. Now and again through the night, Lee could hear her quiet sniffling, and could feel her warm tears as they dampened his skin. One time when he felt her shaking, he held her even closer to his side, trying to comfort her, even as his eyes filled with tears of their own.
********
Jenny sat up in bed and strained to hear the one-sided phone conversation from the suite's living room.
"Charlie Logan?" Jenny heard the woman ask. There was a slight pause before the woman's voice started again, "Well, Mr. Logan...Charlie, this is Rita Holden. I'm a friend of Melanie's. She told me if I was ever in St. Louis, that I should be sure and look you up. She mentioned that you might be able to help me locate any supplies I might need, the kind of supplies I couldn't exactly take aboard an airplane, if you know what I mean."
'What's she talking about? Something you can't take on an airplane...like a gun or something?' Jenny wondered as she heard the woman speak again.
"All right, 10:00 it is, lower entrance to the Muny. I'll be coming from Laclede's Landing. What's the best way to go?"
Then there was another short pause, and Jenny heard the woman repeating the directions. "So, I take highway 40 west to Hampton Avenue, and follow the signs in Forest Park. Right. See you then."
As she heard the phone's receiver click back into its cradle, Jenny hurriedly slid back under the covers and closed her eyes before the woman came back into the bedroom.
'Ten o'clock...Muny...Forest Park...highway 40 west to Hampton Avenue...' Jenny kept repeating to herself silently. She had no idea what the Muny was, and she didn't know where else this Ms. Holden might take her, but she had to find a way to tell someone what she'd heard.
TO BE CONTINUED