CHAPTER 4
Jake and Maria arrive at her house; Jake got out of the car and opened her car door for her. "Thanks for driving me home, Jake."
"You're welcome. Come on I'll walk you to the door." Jake helps her from the car and they walked to the house.
"Jake, will you go in with me?" Maria asks.
"I don't think that's a good idea. I can see that you're tired." Jake replies.
"Jake, I need you to stay here. You can stay in the guest room. I just need someone tonight to watch over me." Maria says. "I'm feeling the need for a drink and if you leave I might go back out."
"In that case, I will stay and keep you sober." Jake took the key from her shaking hand and unlocked the door.
"Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me." She kisses him. Feelings inside her started to stir. She needed to be held. "Jake would you hold me tonight until I fall asleep?"
"I can as long as you behave yourself." He smiles at her to show that he was teasing.
"If you're going to put conditions to it, maybe I'll rethink this." She kisses him again.
"And no more kissing, that comes under behaving."
"Okay, but I'm not promising I'll behave all night." She winks at him. "I'll go change and you can come in about ten minutes, okay?"
"Okay, I'll time you." Jake watches her walk down the hall to the bedroom. He checked the door and made sure it was secure. He went over and sat on the couch. He wondered if she was changing her mind about being ready to handle a new relationship, wanting him to hold her. He had started liking her when they met last month, but he never asked her out. Now those feelings were building to something more.
He went in after the 10 minutes and Maria was lying in bed waiting. "Come on in, I'm under the sheet you and get on it and then pull the blanket up. I figured you would be more comfortable this way."
"I'll adapt to what ever is comfortable for you." Jake replies.
Jake took his gun and shirt off and laid next to her. She turned over on her side and Jake put his arm around her after pulling the blanket up. "You're shaking all over, are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah, it's just the alcohol I had yesterday. My body is wanting more. I'm just glad you stayed, I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't." She took hold of his hand.
"Try to sleep and maybe you'll feel better in the morning." Jake says closing his eyes.
Maria lay there for a couple of hours but she couldn't sleep. "This isn't working, I can't sleep."
"I noticed." Jake moved his arm as she turned over to face him. "Want to talk some more?"
She didn't answer him; instead she kissed him hard on the lips. "Let's try a distraction."
"I don't think so." Jake says pushing her away a bit.
"Why not? You wanted to earlier, why not now?" Maria asks,
"Because I don't want you to regret it later." Jake replies.
"Jake, it has been months since what happened to Aaron. I think its time I moved on with my life."
"That isn't how you felt before, why the change?" Jake asks looking at her.
"I've done a lot of thinking, most of it in the time I've been trying to sleep. I don't know if you want a relationship that is long term, I'm not sure that is what I want either. So why can't we just be together and let fate and time take us where they want?" Maria asks.
"Are you sure that is what you truly want?" Jake asks.
"Yes." Her eyes were saying more to Jake than she ever could. "Get under the sheets with me and I'll prove to you that I am very sure." Jake did as he was asked.
"Why do I get the feeling we aren't going to sleep much tonight?"
"Because if I have my way, we won't." Her smile was more of a smirk and he knew she meant it.
******
Frank went home after getting the club wired. He noticed how late it was, but knew it wasn't that late in Montana. He went up to the bedroom and called Elaina. "Agent Donovan reporting in ma'am."
"Damn you did work late. Bet your butt is dragging." Elaina jokes.
"Actually it isn't, I took a nap with Sarah after we talked earlier."
"I bet she loved that. How often did she kick you?" Elaina asks.
"She didn't kick me. Why does she kick you?"
"Like a mule. I try to keep my distance when I lay with her." Elaina replies.
"She likes me better."
"Only because she has you wrapped around her figure. How's Maria doing?" Elaina asks.
"She's doing better." Frank replies. "She's pulling pranks on Cody and Sab."
"What kind of pranks?"
"She had them thinking she and Jake were having a roll in the hay as she put it."
"Sure it was just a prank?" Elaina asks a bit suspicious of her cousin.
"Yes. She told me what she was going to do before it happened. I even helped a little."
"And just how did you do that?" Elaina knew how he would pull pranks on her.
"When they told me what they heard, I acted like I didn't care." Frank replies.
"That probably gave it away."
"Yeah, but I loved the look on their faces for that split second." Frank laughs.
"You're a devious man, taking pleasure in tormenting those two."
"I torment all of them when I can."
"How would you feel if they were actually having a relationship?" Elaina asks.
"Jake and Maria can do as they please on their own time." Frank replies. "I'm just concerned of how it would affect the assignment."
"They are adults, so I guess they know what they are getting their selves into."
"Enough about them, what about us and the ranch?" Frank asked.
"What about us and the ranch?" Elaina repeats.
"Is there someone there that Hank trusts to take over the ranch until he's healed?"
"Yeah there is and Reese is checking him out for me." Elaina replies. "I'm sure he will be okay, Hank most likely had him checked out by the sheriff or he wouldn't have hired him."
"Yeah, he does that if he hasn't heard of them before. I'm not worried about him, Hank trusts him so should we. I wish I could join you." Frank missed her.
"No need, I'm coming home tomorrow." Elaina says. "There's a storm heading this way and I don't want to be here when it hits."
"Is that because of your dream you had or the fact you don't want to be stranded there?" Frank asks.
"Both actually. Reese is wanting to come for a visit so we decided to get out before it hits." Elaina replies.
"So you'll call me before you leave tomorrow?" Frank asks.
"Yes and when I get home I expect a back massage from you, I really need one."
"I can handle a massage, anything else you desire?"
"Yeah but this will turn into an obscene phone call if I tell you." Elaina laughs.
"I don't mind if you don't."
"I think Derek would mind, he's been listening for the past few minutes."
"How did you know? I was very quite lifting the receiver?" Derek asks in amazement.
"Yeah, but when you did, it caused your Dad's voice to sound farther away." Elaina explains.
"I just wanted to hear your voice that's all." Derek replies. "I didn't get to talk to you earlier."
"We can talk now, I'm wide awake."
"I was wondering if you were okay, you were worried this morning?"
"I'm fine honey; honest I was just worried about Hank, the ranch and a half dozen other things." Elaina replies.
"I heard you say you were coming home tomorrow, can I pick you up?"
"That's my job." Frank says.
"But your working and I don't have school tomorrow."
"Why don't you have school?" Frank asks.
"Teacher's conference." Derek replies.
"You can pick me up, I'll call your Dad and he can tell you when, okay?" Elaina says to him.
"Okay, I'll get off here so you and Dad can be obscene."
"Thanks Derek." Frank says as Derek hung up making sure they could hear it.
"Smart ass kid of ours." Elaina says once he was off.
"You raised him more than me. I stepped in mid way." Frank reminds her.
"If I remember right, he was a sweet kid until then." Elaina jokes.
"Yeah right, I bet he was just a little angel."
"He was." Elaina laughs.
"All mothers' think their children are angels." Frank replies.
"Especially your mother. Mrs. Donovan's boy does no wrong."
"I don't do anything wrong, I'm perfect."
"Please, you are so full of something." They both laughed.
"Okay, I think we better change the subject or hang up." Frank tells her.
"As late as it is we better hang up. I'll call you tomorrow, I promise. I love you."
"I love you too Lady. Good night."
"Good night my love." Elaina says as she hung up.
*****
Frank tried to call Maria to check up on her; he had completely forgotten to take her for the blood test. When he couldn't reach her, he decided to drive over to her house. He saw Jake's car sitting out front. He walked up to the door and leaned on the doorbell.
"Must be someone that really wants to see you." Jake says seeing that Maria was putting on her robe. "I'm going to shower if you don't mind."
"Go ahead; I think I know who it might be." She went to the door and looked out. "I knew it." She opened the door to let him in. "Before you say anything, I shut the phones off yesterday and forgot to turn them back on."
"I was worried until I saw Jake's car here." Frank replies.
"Then why did you stop?" Maria asks.
"We are both going to be in trouble, I let you go without your blood test."
"Jake knows I didn't drink anything but water yesterday." Maria explains. "Actually that's why he is still here. I was a bit shaky and needed to be watched."
Frank looked at her. "Just watched?" He smiles at her. "I need to see you and Jake in my office. Monica called with some information on Montgomery."
"We can be there in an hour." She saw that he was still staring at her. "Okay if you want to know yes we slept together, no it will not affect me on the case. Yes I will have the blood test tonight and if you have all the answers you need you can leave." She opens the door.
"What makes you think I wanted to know about your personal life?" Frank walks away from it.
"Why are you walking away from the door, I asked you to leave?"
"Determined to throw me out aren't you?" Frank sat down just to irritate her.
"Listen you, get out of that chair and get out." She walks over to the chair.
"I'm here as family, not your boss." Frank replies. You should be more hospitable to your family. Family is very important."
"Frank, I'm going to hurt you if you don't leave." She tried to pull him from the chair. "I give up stay there, see if I care. I'm going to go change."
"Tell Jake I'm here." Frank says. "I want to talk to him."
"You say one word to him about what happened last night and I will deck you." Maria made a fist to show she was serious.
"Take it easy. I just want to talk to him; the two of you are adults you know what you're doing."
"That's right we do and I must say we did it rather well." She flashes a wicked smile at him and went to the bedroom.
Jake was just coming out of the shower as she walked in. "Who was at the door?" She wrapped a towel around him. "Thanks." He kisses her on the cheek.
"The same person that wants to talk to you, Frank, he's in the living room waiting for you." She drops her robe and got in the shower.
"How mad is he." He raised his voice over the shower.
She opened the shower door to answer him. "He isn't and has no reason to be."
"Then why is he waiting for me?" Jake asks puzzled.
"Just get dressed and go talk to him; if he says anything about last night, tell him to go to hell and to get out."
"I can do that." Jake left her to her shower. Jake got dressed and went downstairs to find Frank who was looking at the pictures Maria had hanging. "Recognize anyone?"
"Good morning. Yeah I recognize everyone. I suppose she's told you who everyone is?" Frank asks turning to face him.
"Yeah, I didn't recognize one person and she told me." Jake replies.
"Early Elaina?" Frank points to the picture Jake had asked about the day before.
"Yeah, she's change a lot." Jake acknowledged.
"She was in an accident that caused her to have some plastic surgery, which was before we got together." Frank replies.
"I didn't know that." Jake says. "Maria said that she never talks about what happened."
"She does, Maria doesn't." Frank replies. "Maria blames herself for the accident."
"Why?" Jake asks.
"She was driving when it happened. It wasn't her fault, they were in California when an earthquake hit and Maria panicked. The car went off the side of the road." Frank explains looking back to the photo. "They were both hurt pretty bad, Maria had her legs pinned for an hour before they got her out. Elaina's face was cut deep from the glass and her right cheekbone was broken, they had to replace it."
"Is that why Maria started drinking? She wouldn't answer me, but I got the impression it was connected some how." Jake asks.
"You're asking the wrong person Jake, he doesn't know." Maria came in the room. "If I had wanted him to know, I would have told him. Well you all know my deep dark secrets, I almost disfigured my cousin and I'm a drunk." Maria was angry.
"I'm sorry; I just thought you didn't want to talk about it. I didn't know everyone wasn't to talk." Frank apologizes. "If you would stop blaming yourself you'd be better off. Elaina doesn't blame you, no one does."
"Just shut up, I was driving." Maria explains sadly. "If Lainie had been we wouldn't have been hurt."
"You don't know that, Elaina could have panicked too. You know how she is when she drives; Lead Foot Lainie." Frank tried humor to get her to calm down.
Maria smiled slightly. "You may be right, but I still have nightmares. I just can't keep them away. When Cody found me drunk, I had flashbacks that day." Maria explains. "We had been learning evasive driving techniques. I couldn't stand the flashes I was having, so I went back to my apartment and drank them away."
"You were lucky Cody found you when he did. I just wish he had called your family then. We all could have helped you through your recovery." Frank says with sympathy.
"I will never fully recover; I will always have times when I need a drink. I just have to fight it or call someone that knows about it." Maria replies. "That list has just gone from three people to seven, so I guess I have plenty of people to call now."
"We should get to work, we need to have a briefing this morning and I have a few ideas to speed this case up." Frank says changing the subject.
"I'll go finish getting dressed; I'll be out in a few minutes." Maria walked out of the room.
"I'll see you back at the nest." Frank left and Jake went to check on Maria.
He walked in the bedroom. "I hope you don't feel uncomfortable with me knowing what happened to you and Elaina."
"No, it's out in the open. I should have told you yesterday when you asked, I just didn't want the memory screwing me up on this case." Maria replies.
"Sorry, I guess now you are going to dwell on it and have trouble concentrating." Jake says as he sits down beside her.
"Actually, I'm hoping the memory of last night will stay with me and push all the bad stuff out of my brain." Maria says as she put her arms around him. "I'm very happy that you stayed with me last night. I'm going to keep my promise, no strings attached to last night. We can go our separate ways at any time and never look back."
"If I want to look back I can though, right?" Jake asks pulling her close to him.
"Anytime you want to look back, you know where to find me." They then kiss each other.
*****
Back at the nest, Cody and Sab were working at the computers. Frank was coming from his office as Jake and Maria arrived.
"I thought you said you'd be a few minutes?" Frank looks at his watch.
"I couldn't decide what to wear." Maria answers with a sly smile.
"Concentrate on your job, not Jake." Frank whispers to her.
"Yes Sir." Maria blushes.
"Monica and Alex sent us these pictures, Cody and Sabrina have been tracking down information on them." He handed them copies.
"Here you go, but I don't think you're going to like what you see." Cody hands him the file.
Jake noticed a strange look come over Frank as he read it. "What's wrong? You don't look too good."
"Seems that Montgomery's friends aren't into drug smuggling." Frank pauses before continuing. "They are in the buying and selling business."
"Just what do they buy and sell?" Maria asks in confusion.
"Women. They are into white slavery or at least they have been in the past. No need to suspect them to have changed." Frank answers her and stared at her for her reaction.
"I guess that's why he wanted me to go with him. And why he's so thrilled to have me. I should get top dollar, I've very talented." Maria jokes.
"Don't joke about this, we had no idea that this was the type of smuggling that he was doing. All of the reports we got were about his drug shipments." Frank says seriously. "I doubt that Andy or Elaina knew about it either. They wouldn't have kept this from us."
"Mind telling me how that piece of information could have slipped by everyone?" Jake asks clearly angry that Maria has been put in an even more dangerous situation.
"It's okay; we know now what might happen. It's up to me to find out more about it. All I have to do is ask him out right." Maria suggests.
"Are you crazy? You can't ask him if he plans to kidnap you." Jake blurts out.
"Why not? I think he genuinely cares about me and if I act like I can get him more women then he won't take me." Maria replies.
"That's just dumb enough to work; it would catch him off guard." Cody offered.
"You think it's a good idea? You're as crazy as she is." Jake says turning to him then back to Maria.
"I'm not about to let her do it Jake." Frank glared at Maria for even suggesting it.
"Then what? I drop out of sight and he finds another girl to take my place, one that doesn't know what she is getting into? Frank, my eyes are wide- open." Maria explains. "I can deal with what happens far better than some girl off the street. Let me try it my way if you see it isn't working, you can drag me out and have the pleasure of saying I told you so."
"I'll consider it, but you do nothing until I tell you to." Frank replies.
"I promise." Maria says as Frank started pacing.
Maria watched him pace for a few minutes and then grabbed his arm to stop him. "Stop pacing you're making me nervous. What else are you worried about?"
"Elaina is supposed to call and say when she'll be home." Frank replies.
"Why is that worrying you? You should be jumping for joy." Sab asks walking over to join them.
"Her worrying has me doing the same thing." Frank answers
"Why is she worried? I thought you said she wasn't anymore." Maria wonders if she had heard wrong earlier
"Not as worried were her words. I just want her back here safe and sound."
"Hey I miss her too. She'll call in about one minute. I promise." Maria says.
"How can you be so sure?" Cody asks.
"Wait and see, time me." They all looked at their watches.
They all waited and Frank's cell phone rang. "Minute ten seconds you're off." Frank answers it. "Hello."
"Hey there hubby. Want your wife to come home today?" Elaina asks on the other end.
"No, why don't you just stay and wait for the storm to blow over." Frank was being sarcastic.
"No way. Reese and I are going to be leaving in a half hour. We should be there in a few hours." Elaina replies.
"Want a night on the town? We can go past the club and listen to Maria." Frank asks.
"You want to go to the club we're watching?"
"It's the safest place in town don't you think?"
"I don't mind if you don't." Elaina replies.
"Then I will tell Derek to expect you in a few hours."
"Yeah, I call him and he better be there when I get there. I'm not waiting any longer than I have too." Elaina says.
"Eager to see me?" Frank teases.
"No, eager to see all of you."
"You are still worried, aren't you?" Frank could hear it in her voice.
"Guilty as charged. I can't help it." Elaina replies.
"I just want to know how you knew she would call." Jake forgot to keep his voice down.
"I've been able to do that since I was a kid." Maria answers.
"Do I hear Maria and Jake talking?" Elaina asks.
"Yeah, but you can't talk to her." Frank replies.
"Why not?"
"I'm not giving up the phone." Frank sees Maria sign something to him. "Try it cousin."
"What did she say?" Elaina asks.
"She said she'd kick my ass if I didn't let her talk to you." Frank replies.
"That makes two of us that will, give her the phone."
Frank handed Maria the phone. "Hello cousin." Maria greets.
"How are you doing? Behaving I hope."
"I am having a really good day, I haven't yelled at Frank but once so far." Maria replies proudly.
"Did he deserve it?" Elaina knew he probably did.
"A little. But I apologized to him."
"I bet that hurt." Elaina laughs.
"Not really. I seem to be apologizing a lot lately, so I'm getting use to it."
"Quit screwing up and you won't have to." Elaina tells her.
"Yes ma'am, I know and I have been doing my best not too." Maria saw Frank signing to her. "Frank, I'll get you for that."
"What now?"
"He said something obscene to me." Maria replies.
"Let me guess, something to do with you and Jake last night?"
"Wait a minute he didn't tell you, how did you know we spent the night together?" Maria asks.
"I didn't, you just told me." Elaina laughs at tricking her cousin.
"I hate it how you get me to confess before I realize what's happening."
"I do it to everyone not just you. Let me talk to the boss, I need to leave."
"Here you go." Maria handed him the phone and sticking her tongue out at him.
"Yes my Lady, what more do you have to say?" Frank asks.
"Don't torment my cousin too much and I'll see you later." Elaina replies.
"I'll be looking forward to tonight. Bye."
"Bye." Elaina hung up as Reese came up behind her.
"Ready to go?" Reese asks. "I guess Dave is already on the plane, I haven't seen him since we made the flight plan out."
"What about the storm coming in? Are we going to miss it?" Elaina asks.
"Afraid not, we are planning to go around it, it's moving in fast." Reese explains.
"Then we better get going then." Elaina says as she heads for the door. "You going to be up front or sit with me?"
"If you want me to hold your hand on take off I will, but I told Dave I would be with him as co-pilot." Reese jokes.
"I don't need you to hold my hand, just keep the turbulence down to the bare minimum and I'll be happy."
"I'll do my best."
******
Jake and Maria went to the club to snoop around in Montgomery's office. Maria knew that Martin would be at the bank and they would have time to look around. She looked through his desk and found a small safe built into it. "Jake, how are you at safe cracking?"
"I've never tried it without any of Cody's gadgets." Jake replies walking over to her,
"Then I guess I'll have to do it."
"Yeah right, you can crack a safe the old fashion way by touch?"
"Watch out for Martin and we'll find out." Maria had a smirk on her face as she went to work.
Jake went to the door and watched as Maria worked with the combination. "I'm glad this is old fashion and not digital or we would be up a creek. Okay want to be first to look inside?" Maria stood up from the safe.
"You did it?" Jake was amazed.
"I'm good at everything I do, haven't you figured that out yet?" Maria replies grinning at him.
"I'm beginning too."
"Just don't ask me to program a VCR or work too much with computers." Maria jokes as she looks over Jake's shoulder.
Jake pulled out what seemed to be a journal and flipped through it. "This is interesting; he actually keeps his shipments written in here."
"How do you know what kind of shipments?" Maria asks. "Remember, with his associates they may be anything."
"Did I say what type they were? Actually this would be drug shipments by the entries in here." Jake replies looking up to her.
"Should we make copies?" Maria asks walking to the copier.
"We can't use them as evidence, but we can use them in other ways."
"I like the way you think. Give me that and you watch the door." She took the journal from Jake and started to make copies.
Jake and Maria arrive at her house; Jake got out of the car and opened her car door for her. "Thanks for driving me home, Jake."
"You're welcome. Come on I'll walk you to the door." Jake helps her from the car and they walked to the house.
"Jake, will you go in with me?" Maria asks.
"I don't think that's a good idea. I can see that you're tired." Jake replies.
"Jake, I need you to stay here. You can stay in the guest room. I just need someone tonight to watch over me." Maria says. "I'm feeling the need for a drink and if you leave I might go back out."
"In that case, I will stay and keep you sober." Jake took the key from her shaking hand and unlocked the door.
"Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me." She kisses him. Feelings inside her started to stir. She needed to be held. "Jake would you hold me tonight until I fall asleep?"
"I can as long as you behave yourself." He smiles at her to show that he was teasing.
"If you're going to put conditions to it, maybe I'll rethink this." She kisses him again.
"And no more kissing, that comes under behaving."
"Okay, but I'm not promising I'll behave all night." She winks at him. "I'll go change and you can come in about ten minutes, okay?"
"Okay, I'll time you." Jake watches her walk down the hall to the bedroom. He checked the door and made sure it was secure. He went over and sat on the couch. He wondered if she was changing her mind about being ready to handle a new relationship, wanting him to hold her. He had started liking her when they met last month, but he never asked her out. Now those feelings were building to something more.
He went in after the 10 minutes and Maria was lying in bed waiting. "Come on in, I'm under the sheet you and get on it and then pull the blanket up. I figured you would be more comfortable this way."
"I'll adapt to what ever is comfortable for you." Jake replies.
Jake took his gun and shirt off and laid next to her. She turned over on her side and Jake put his arm around her after pulling the blanket up. "You're shaking all over, are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah, it's just the alcohol I had yesterday. My body is wanting more. I'm just glad you stayed, I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't." She took hold of his hand.
"Try to sleep and maybe you'll feel better in the morning." Jake says closing his eyes.
Maria lay there for a couple of hours but she couldn't sleep. "This isn't working, I can't sleep."
"I noticed." Jake moved his arm as she turned over to face him. "Want to talk some more?"
She didn't answer him; instead she kissed him hard on the lips. "Let's try a distraction."
"I don't think so." Jake says pushing her away a bit.
"Why not? You wanted to earlier, why not now?" Maria asks,
"Because I don't want you to regret it later." Jake replies.
"Jake, it has been months since what happened to Aaron. I think its time I moved on with my life."
"That isn't how you felt before, why the change?" Jake asks looking at her.
"I've done a lot of thinking, most of it in the time I've been trying to sleep. I don't know if you want a relationship that is long term, I'm not sure that is what I want either. So why can't we just be together and let fate and time take us where they want?" Maria asks.
"Are you sure that is what you truly want?" Jake asks.
"Yes." Her eyes were saying more to Jake than she ever could. "Get under the sheets with me and I'll prove to you that I am very sure." Jake did as he was asked.
"Why do I get the feeling we aren't going to sleep much tonight?"
"Because if I have my way, we won't." Her smile was more of a smirk and he knew she meant it.
******
Frank went home after getting the club wired. He noticed how late it was, but knew it wasn't that late in Montana. He went up to the bedroom and called Elaina. "Agent Donovan reporting in ma'am."
"Damn you did work late. Bet your butt is dragging." Elaina jokes.
"Actually it isn't, I took a nap with Sarah after we talked earlier."
"I bet she loved that. How often did she kick you?" Elaina asks.
"She didn't kick me. Why does she kick you?"
"Like a mule. I try to keep my distance when I lay with her." Elaina replies.
"She likes me better."
"Only because she has you wrapped around her figure. How's Maria doing?" Elaina asks.
"She's doing better." Frank replies. "She's pulling pranks on Cody and Sab."
"What kind of pranks?"
"She had them thinking she and Jake were having a roll in the hay as she put it."
"Sure it was just a prank?" Elaina asks a bit suspicious of her cousin.
"Yes. She told me what she was going to do before it happened. I even helped a little."
"And just how did you do that?" Elaina knew how he would pull pranks on her.
"When they told me what they heard, I acted like I didn't care." Frank replies.
"That probably gave it away."
"Yeah, but I loved the look on their faces for that split second." Frank laughs.
"You're a devious man, taking pleasure in tormenting those two."
"I torment all of them when I can."
"How would you feel if they were actually having a relationship?" Elaina asks.
"Jake and Maria can do as they please on their own time." Frank replies. "I'm just concerned of how it would affect the assignment."
"They are adults, so I guess they know what they are getting their selves into."
"Enough about them, what about us and the ranch?" Frank asked.
"What about us and the ranch?" Elaina repeats.
"Is there someone there that Hank trusts to take over the ranch until he's healed?"
"Yeah there is and Reese is checking him out for me." Elaina replies. "I'm sure he will be okay, Hank most likely had him checked out by the sheriff or he wouldn't have hired him."
"Yeah, he does that if he hasn't heard of them before. I'm not worried about him, Hank trusts him so should we. I wish I could join you." Frank missed her.
"No need, I'm coming home tomorrow." Elaina says. "There's a storm heading this way and I don't want to be here when it hits."
"Is that because of your dream you had or the fact you don't want to be stranded there?" Frank asks.
"Both actually. Reese is wanting to come for a visit so we decided to get out before it hits." Elaina replies.
"So you'll call me before you leave tomorrow?" Frank asks.
"Yes and when I get home I expect a back massage from you, I really need one."
"I can handle a massage, anything else you desire?"
"Yeah but this will turn into an obscene phone call if I tell you." Elaina laughs.
"I don't mind if you don't."
"I think Derek would mind, he's been listening for the past few minutes."
"How did you know? I was very quite lifting the receiver?" Derek asks in amazement.
"Yeah, but when you did, it caused your Dad's voice to sound farther away." Elaina explains.
"I just wanted to hear your voice that's all." Derek replies. "I didn't get to talk to you earlier."
"We can talk now, I'm wide awake."
"I was wondering if you were okay, you were worried this morning?"
"I'm fine honey; honest I was just worried about Hank, the ranch and a half dozen other things." Elaina replies.
"I heard you say you were coming home tomorrow, can I pick you up?"
"That's my job." Frank says.
"But your working and I don't have school tomorrow."
"Why don't you have school?" Frank asks.
"Teacher's conference." Derek replies.
"You can pick me up, I'll call your Dad and he can tell you when, okay?" Elaina says to him.
"Okay, I'll get off here so you and Dad can be obscene."
"Thanks Derek." Frank says as Derek hung up making sure they could hear it.
"Smart ass kid of ours." Elaina says once he was off.
"You raised him more than me. I stepped in mid way." Frank reminds her.
"If I remember right, he was a sweet kid until then." Elaina jokes.
"Yeah right, I bet he was just a little angel."
"He was." Elaina laughs.
"All mothers' think their children are angels." Frank replies.
"Especially your mother. Mrs. Donovan's boy does no wrong."
"I don't do anything wrong, I'm perfect."
"Please, you are so full of something." They both laughed.
"Okay, I think we better change the subject or hang up." Frank tells her.
"As late as it is we better hang up. I'll call you tomorrow, I promise. I love you."
"I love you too Lady. Good night."
"Good night my love." Elaina says as she hung up.
*****
Frank tried to call Maria to check up on her; he had completely forgotten to take her for the blood test. When he couldn't reach her, he decided to drive over to her house. He saw Jake's car sitting out front. He walked up to the door and leaned on the doorbell.
"Must be someone that really wants to see you." Jake says seeing that Maria was putting on her robe. "I'm going to shower if you don't mind."
"Go ahead; I think I know who it might be." She went to the door and looked out. "I knew it." She opened the door to let him in. "Before you say anything, I shut the phones off yesterday and forgot to turn them back on."
"I was worried until I saw Jake's car here." Frank replies.
"Then why did you stop?" Maria asks.
"We are both going to be in trouble, I let you go without your blood test."
"Jake knows I didn't drink anything but water yesterday." Maria explains. "Actually that's why he is still here. I was a bit shaky and needed to be watched."
Frank looked at her. "Just watched?" He smiles at her. "I need to see you and Jake in my office. Monica called with some information on Montgomery."
"We can be there in an hour." She saw that he was still staring at her. "Okay if you want to know yes we slept together, no it will not affect me on the case. Yes I will have the blood test tonight and if you have all the answers you need you can leave." She opens the door.
"What makes you think I wanted to know about your personal life?" Frank walks away from it.
"Why are you walking away from the door, I asked you to leave?"
"Determined to throw me out aren't you?" Frank sat down just to irritate her.
"Listen you, get out of that chair and get out." She walks over to the chair.
"I'm here as family, not your boss." Frank replies. You should be more hospitable to your family. Family is very important."
"Frank, I'm going to hurt you if you don't leave." She tried to pull him from the chair. "I give up stay there, see if I care. I'm going to go change."
"Tell Jake I'm here." Frank says. "I want to talk to him."
"You say one word to him about what happened last night and I will deck you." Maria made a fist to show she was serious.
"Take it easy. I just want to talk to him; the two of you are adults you know what you're doing."
"That's right we do and I must say we did it rather well." She flashes a wicked smile at him and went to the bedroom.
Jake was just coming out of the shower as she walked in. "Who was at the door?" She wrapped a towel around him. "Thanks." He kisses her on the cheek.
"The same person that wants to talk to you, Frank, he's in the living room waiting for you." She drops her robe and got in the shower.
"How mad is he." He raised his voice over the shower.
She opened the shower door to answer him. "He isn't and has no reason to be."
"Then why is he waiting for me?" Jake asks puzzled.
"Just get dressed and go talk to him; if he says anything about last night, tell him to go to hell and to get out."
"I can do that." Jake left her to her shower. Jake got dressed and went downstairs to find Frank who was looking at the pictures Maria had hanging. "Recognize anyone?"
"Good morning. Yeah I recognize everyone. I suppose she's told you who everyone is?" Frank asks turning to face him.
"Yeah, I didn't recognize one person and she told me." Jake replies.
"Early Elaina?" Frank points to the picture Jake had asked about the day before.
"Yeah, she's change a lot." Jake acknowledged.
"She was in an accident that caused her to have some plastic surgery, which was before we got together." Frank replies.
"I didn't know that." Jake says. "Maria said that she never talks about what happened."
"She does, Maria doesn't." Frank replies. "Maria blames herself for the accident."
"Why?" Jake asks.
"She was driving when it happened. It wasn't her fault, they were in California when an earthquake hit and Maria panicked. The car went off the side of the road." Frank explains looking back to the photo. "They were both hurt pretty bad, Maria had her legs pinned for an hour before they got her out. Elaina's face was cut deep from the glass and her right cheekbone was broken, they had to replace it."
"Is that why Maria started drinking? She wouldn't answer me, but I got the impression it was connected some how." Jake asks.
"You're asking the wrong person Jake, he doesn't know." Maria came in the room. "If I had wanted him to know, I would have told him. Well you all know my deep dark secrets, I almost disfigured my cousin and I'm a drunk." Maria was angry.
"I'm sorry; I just thought you didn't want to talk about it. I didn't know everyone wasn't to talk." Frank apologizes. "If you would stop blaming yourself you'd be better off. Elaina doesn't blame you, no one does."
"Just shut up, I was driving." Maria explains sadly. "If Lainie had been we wouldn't have been hurt."
"You don't know that, Elaina could have panicked too. You know how she is when she drives; Lead Foot Lainie." Frank tried humor to get her to calm down.
Maria smiled slightly. "You may be right, but I still have nightmares. I just can't keep them away. When Cody found me drunk, I had flashbacks that day." Maria explains. "We had been learning evasive driving techniques. I couldn't stand the flashes I was having, so I went back to my apartment and drank them away."
"You were lucky Cody found you when he did. I just wish he had called your family then. We all could have helped you through your recovery." Frank says with sympathy.
"I will never fully recover; I will always have times when I need a drink. I just have to fight it or call someone that knows about it." Maria replies. "That list has just gone from three people to seven, so I guess I have plenty of people to call now."
"We should get to work, we need to have a briefing this morning and I have a few ideas to speed this case up." Frank says changing the subject.
"I'll go finish getting dressed; I'll be out in a few minutes." Maria walked out of the room.
"I'll see you back at the nest." Frank left and Jake went to check on Maria.
He walked in the bedroom. "I hope you don't feel uncomfortable with me knowing what happened to you and Elaina."
"No, it's out in the open. I should have told you yesterday when you asked, I just didn't want the memory screwing me up on this case." Maria replies.
"Sorry, I guess now you are going to dwell on it and have trouble concentrating." Jake says as he sits down beside her.
"Actually, I'm hoping the memory of last night will stay with me and push all the bad stuff out of my brain." Maria says as she put her arms around him. "I'm very happy that you stayed with me last night. I'm going to keep my promise, no strings attached to last night. We can go our separate ways at any time and never look back."
"If I want to look back I can though, right?" Jake asks pulling her close to him.
"Anytime you want to look back, you know where to find me." They then kiss each other.
*****
Back at the nest, Cody and Sab were working at the computers. Frank was coming from his office as Jake and Maria arrived.
"I thought you said you'd be a few minutes?" Frank looks at his watch.
"I couldn't decide what to wear." Maria answers with a sly smile.
"Concentrate on your job, not Jake." Frank whispers to her.
"Yes Sir." Maria blushes.
"Monica and Alex sent us these pictures, Cody and Sabrina have been tracking down information on them." He handed them copies.
"Here you go, but I don't think you're going to like what you see." Cody hands him the file.
Jake noticed a strange look come over Frank as he read it. "What's wrong? You don't look too good."
"Seems that Montgomery's friends aren't into drug smuggling." Frank pauses before continuing. "They are in the buying and selling business."
"Just what do they buy and sell?" Maria asks in confusion.
"Women. They are into white slavery or at least they have been in the past. No need to suspect them to have changed." Frank answers her and stared at her for her reaction.
"I guess that's why he wanted me to go with him. And why he's so thrilled to have me. I should get top dollar, I've very talented." Maria jokes.
"Don't joke about this, we had no idea that this was the type of smuggling that he was doing. All of the reports we got were about his drug shipments." Frank says seriously. "I doubt that Andy or Elaina knew about it either. They wouldn't have kept this from us."
"Mind telling me how that piece of information could have slipped by everyone?" Jake asks clearly angry that Maria has been put in an even more dangerous situation.
"It's okay; we know now what might happen. It's up to me to find out more about it. All I have to do is ask him out right." Maria suggests.
"Are you crazy? You can't ask him if he plans to kidnap you." Jake blurts out.
"Why not? I think he genuinely cares about me and if I act like I can get him more women then he won't take me." Maria replies.
"That's just dumb enough to work; it would catch him off guard." Cody offered.
"You think it's a good idea? You're as crazy as she is." Jake says turning to him then back to Maria.
"I'm not about to let her do it Jake." Frank glared at Maria for even suggesting it.
"Then what? I drop out of sight and he finds another girl to take my place, one that doesn't know what she is getting into? Frank, my eyes are wide- open." Maria explains. "I can deal with what happens far better than some girl off the street. Let me try it my way if you see it isn't working, you can drag me out and have the pleasure of saying I told you so."
"I'll consider it, but you do nothing until I tell you to." Frank replies.
"I promise." Maria says as Frank started pacing.
Maria watched him pace for a few minutes and then grabbed his arm to stop him. "Stop pacing you're making me nervous. What else are you worried about?"
"Elaina is supposed to call and say when she'll be home." Frank replies.
"Why is that worrying you? You should be jumping for joy." Sab asks walking over to join them.
"Her worrying has me doing the same thing." Frank answers
"Why is she worried? I thought you said she wasn't anymore." Maria wonders if she had heard wrong earlier
"Not as worried were her words. I just want her back here safe and sound."
"Hey I miss her too. She'll call in about one minute. I promise." Maria says.
"How can you be so sure?" Cody asks.
"Wait and see, time me." They all looked at their watches.
They all waited and Frank's cell phone rang. "Minute ten seconds you're off." Frank answers it. "Hello."
"Hey there hubby. Want your wife to come home today?" Elaina asks on the other end.
"No, why don't you just stay and wait for the storm to blow over." Frank was being sarcastic.
"No way. Reese and I are going to be leaving in a half hour. We should be there in a few hours." Elaina replies.
"Want a night on the town? We can go past the club and listen to Maria." Frank asks.
"You want to go to the club we're watching?"
"It's the safest place in town don't you think?"
"I don't mind if you don't." Elaina replies.
"Then I will tell Derek to expect you in a few hours."
"Yeah, I call him and he better be there when I get there. I'm not waiting any longer than I have too." Elaina says.
"Eager to see me?" Frank teases.
"No, eager to see all of you."
"You are still worried, aren't you?" Frank could hear it in her voice.
"Guilty as charged. I can't help it." Elaina replies.
"I just want to know how you knew she would call." Jake forgot to keep his voice down.
"I've been able to do that since I was a kid." Maria answers.
"Do I hear Maria and Jake talking?" Elaina asks.
"Yeah, but you can't talk to her." Frank replies.
"Why not?"
"I'm not giving up the phone." Frank sees Maria sign something to him. "Try it cousin."
"What did she say?" Elaina asks.
"She said she'd kick my ass if I didn't let her talk to you." Frank replies.
"That makes two of us that will, give her the phone."
Frank handed Maria the phone. "Hello cousin." Maria greets.
"How are you doing? Behaving I hope."
"I am having a really good day, I haven't yelled at Frank but once so far." Maria replies proudly.
"Did he deserve it?" Elaina knew he probably did.
"A little. But I apologized to him."
"I bet that hurt." Elaina laughs.
"Not really. I seem to be apologizing a lot lately, so I'm getting use to it."
"Quit screwing up and you won't have to." Elaina tells her.
"Yes ma'am, I know and I have been doing my best not too." Maria saw Frank signing to her. "Frank, I'll get you for that."
"What now?"
"He said something obscene to me." Maria replies.
"Let me guess, something to do with you and Jake last night?"
"Wait a minute he didn't tell you, how did you know we spent the night together?" Maria asks.
"I didn't, you just told me." Elaina laughs at tricking her cousin.
"I hate it how you get me to confess before I realize what's happening."
"I do it to everyone not just you. Let me talk to the boss, I need to leave."
"Here you go." Maria handed him the phone and sticking her tongue out at him.
"Yes my Lady, what more do you have to say?" Frank asks.
"Don't torment my cousin too much and I'll see you later." Elaina replies.
"I'll be looking forward to tonight. Bye."
"Bye." Elaina hung up as Reese came up behind her.
"Ready to go?" Reese asks. "I guess Dave is already on the plane, I haven't seen him since we made the flight plan out."
"What about the storm coming in? Are we going to miss it?" Elaina asks.
"Afraid not, we are planning to go around it, it's moving in fast." Reese explains.
"Then we better get going then." Elaina says as she heads for the door. "You going to be up front or sit with me?"
"If you want me to hold your hand on take off I will, but I told Dave I would be with him as co-pilot." Reese jokes.
"I don't need you to hold my hand, just keep the turbulence down to the bare minimum and I'll be happy."
"I'll do my best."
******
Jake and Maria went to the club to snoop around in Montgomery's office. Maria knew that Martin would be at the bank and they would have time to look around. She looked through his desk and found a small safe built into it. "Jake, how are you at safe cracking?"
"I've never tried it without any of Cody's gadgets." Jake replies walking over to her,
"Then I guess I'll have to do it."
"Yeah right, you can crack a safe the old fashion way by touch?"
"Watch out for Martin and we'll find out." Maria had a smirk on her face as she went to work.
Jake went to the door and watched as Maria worked with the combination. "I'm glad this is old fashion and not digital or we would be up a creek. Okay want to be first to look inside?" Maria stood up from the safe.
"You did it?" Jake was amazed.
"I'm good at everything I do, haven't you figured that out yet?" Maria replies grinning at him.
"I'm beginning too."
"Just don't ask me to program a VCR or work too much with computers." Maria jokes as she looks over Jake's shoulder.
Jake pulled out what seemed to be a journal and flipped through it. "This is interesting; he actually keeps his shipments written in here."
"How do you know what kind of shipments?" Maria asks. "Remember, with his associates they may be anything."
"Did I say what type they were? Actually this would be drug shipments by the entries in here." Jake replies looking up to her.
"Should we make copies?" Maria asks walking to the copier.
"We can't use them as evidence, but we can use them in other ways."
"I like the way you think. Give me that and you watch the door." She took the journal from Jake and started to make copies.