The di LiCossa estate was gorgeous. The quiet woodsy setting made for the perfect backdrop for the beautiful home tucked into it. It had been in the family for centuries, and from the looks of things, it would be in the family for a few more. Jon and Heather had met with Lina di LiCossa who had finally told her daughter what she had done. Luisa was a bit shocked her mother would go against Antonio's wishes like that, but she agreed with her. Heather said that she needed to see the scene of the crime, and both women agreed to escort her and Jon to Italy.

Heather knew she wasn't being that much of a guest. Small talk was not her strong point right then. She had called the café where her brother and sister were supposed to be working, and found out that they weren't there. They weren't going to be in that day, or that month for that matter. Heather had said that she was a customer who had them wait on her, and wanted to know if they were there again because they were so good at what they had done. The manager said that they were extra help that came in for special occasions such as holidays when staff was short. From what he said, they only worked there maybe a couple of weeks out of the year. That wasn't what Heather wanted to hear.

Luisa first gave them a tour of the house, telling some of the history and pointing out interesting facts about the architecture and some of the furnishings. She glided through the various rooms, her rich voice thick with accent, but her English very clear. She was a beautiful woman to say the least with perfect olive skin and heavy dark hair that fell in waves to her waist. Why she wasn't married already was anyone's guess.

It would have been rather pleasant had she not been glancing back where Heather and Jon were standing just a few times too often. It was a little annoying having her trying to flirt with Jon while they were supposed to be working. Rude as well. Luisa knew he had a girlfriend. And it was distracting from what they were supposed to be doing. Well, no wonder she was so supportive of him coming with Heather to the estate. She probably just wanted to get him away from Katie. Whatever the situation, Heather had a job to do, and Luisa was just going to have to put her hormones on hold until it was done.

They finally went up to the third floor, and Heather started mentally recording everything. She would have loved to follow the thieves' exact route, but that would have been just a bit too showy. Had it just been her and Jon there than it wouldn't have mattered. They could have had some fun with it. Showing off in front of Jon had never really been showing off. It had always been just fun.

They went into the chamber where the necklace had been housed. Heather went to the window first, looking over it and seeing in her mind what had happened. All she could picture was Cam coming through here while Liz was on the other side being a distraction. There had to be another explanation. Those two didn't need money. They were getting to live wild and free in Europe, what other adventure did they need? Heather closed her eyes, took a breath, and then went back to examining the evidence, clearing her mind of all suppositions and pre-conceived notions. Whatever was, was.

Jon had very rarely seen this side of Heather. She was so caught up in seeing what other people had missed that she wasn't guarding herself. Her movements before seemed stiff and formal compared to the way she was now prowling around, every muscle moving with liquidity. Katie was beautiful, but she couldn't move like Heather. In more ways than one if he remembered correctly. The only thing sharp on Heather right then was her eyes. They were bright and focused, and seeing far more than a normal person would be able to. Even Luisa noticed the change. She watched Heather intently, seemingly fascinated by how she had gone from a guest to an investigator in an instant.

Luisa paled a little when Heather crawled out the window and examined the ledge, and then how the bars went down from the outside and then the inside. Heather took several pictures and made some notes. She had already been given copies of police reports, but she was looking at it differently than they were. Then there was the computer information that was going to have to be examined. The system had tried to fight the hacker and had captured some information, but it wasn't complete.

"What kind of testing has your security been through?" Heather asked while examining the case that had once held the necklace.

"We had a trial situation," Luisa replied. "They could not crack the code to open the glass." She smiled fondly. "And the two times that I know of that a thief has tried to take the necklace for real, Isabella let us know. For some reason, she didn't let us know that her necklace was being removed this time."

Both Heather and Jon gave her an odd look. "Isabella?" Heather asked.

"The original owner of the necklace," Luisa replied. She smiled at their skeptical looks. "Do not disbelieve so easily. Almost everyone in this house has seen her wandering the halls. The only time she has made a disturbance was when a thief attempted to take her necklace. My mother told me about the first time, and I was a girl the second. Both times, before the thief could leave, Isabella appeared and screamed so loudly that it woke the house and the thief was caught."

"So, why all the security then if you had a screaming ghost?" Jon asked.

Luisa gave a small laugh. "Perhaps it was a mistake to have it. Isabella might have been offended and refused to help this time."

"Who refused to help?" Lina called out from across the room. She walked over to them, her forehead wrinkled with worry.

"I was telling them about Isabella, Mother," Luisa replied.

Lina smiled. "Ah, yes. Twice before that I remember she has saved her necklace, but this time she allowed the thief to escape. Perhaps Diego finally returned for her." She smiled benevolently at Heather and Jon.

"Isabella was the wife of the first Conte di LiCossa," she explained. "She was a Spanish princess, but had the misfortune to fall desperately in love with a poor minor nobleman. He possessed no fortune or great name, but that did not matter to her. She thought that since she had elder brothers with children, she was no longer important dynastically. She and her lover, Diego del Fuentes, begged her father to let them wed, but he would not bestow a princess on a poor line such as Diego's."

"Diego had a rare opportunity to go on a trading venture to the East. He had scraped together all of the family's money a year or so before that and sent someone out to trade for him, and had received a message that it had been a success, and that there was a fortune to be returned. However, if he wanted the true fortune, he must go out there himself. Something wonderful was there. He told Isabella that he would come back a rich man, and her father would consent then."

"A short time before, her father had started to bring in suitors to choose from for his daughter. She was terrified that she would be forced to wed before Diego could return, and before he left, she made sure that she was carrying his child. No man would want her now. Her father was furious and punished her severely, but he could not ask a man to marry a girl who was to bear another man's child."

"A year passed, and Diego did not return. Isabella gave birth to a son, but as many children did then, he caught a chill and died within a few weeks of his birth. She was distraught and to the point of suicide when a servant smuggled in something for her. It was a statue, but hidden inside of it was a letter from Diego with a drawing of a beautiful necklace. He said that he now had a fortune beyond compare almost in his grasp, and that necklace was his going to be his bridal gift to her. He swore he would come for her soon." Lina sighed dramatically.

"Never showed up?" Heather asked, bemused at the story. In a way she wished she could have ancestors to have such colorful stories about. Well, ancestors that she could admit to having.

"No," Lina replied. "Another year passed. Then came to court a young Conte from Italy. He had recently received his title for valor in battle, and more importantly had cared for Isabella since she was a child. Her pregnancy was a known scandal at court, yet he requested her hand anyways. Her father consented, and told her that she would either die or marry him. There was an executioner with an axe at her wedding ceremony. She was despondent over Diego not returning, and allowed it to go through. She wrote a letter to a friend later and said that in her heart, she spoke her vows to Diego, so when he returned, she would leave to be with her real husband."

"Her husband had great sensitivity for her pain. He began to win her trust by offering to spend time becoming friends before claming his marital rights. She became fond of him, and grew to love him, but she never forgot her lost love. When their first son was born, he gave her a gift. It was the necklace that had been sketched in the letter years before. He told her that if another man presented the original to her, that he would allow her to leave with him if she so chose. That was when his kindness and compassion won him her love. His offer was never put to the test though."

"I'm not sure if that's a sad story or rather sweet," Heather said. Probably rather exaggerated, but interesting to hear in any case.

"It is a little of both," Luisa said. "It is said that Isabella still walks these halls, waiting for Diego's return." She paused, thinking for a moment. "I wonder if the thieves knew her story. The statue they stole was the one that Isabella had received her letter in."

Now that interested Heather. She raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "I thought the statue was just a small one on a side table in the hall. You didn't have something that old and valuable to the family in a protected place?"

She was expecting some annoyance from Luisa at the insinuation that she wasn't taking care of her ancestress' statue, but Luisa's smile didn't waver. Her eyes met Heather's evenly. "Many of us have tried to move it, but that is where Isabella wants it. I myself have moved it many times, but it always mysteriously ends up right back in that same hall."

There was an odd pause for a moment, and then Lina spoke up. "Chef has a wonderful dinner prepared if you would like to come to the dining room. I know you have much to do, but you cannot do it on an empty stomach." Jon almost laughed. If there was one thing he knew Heather was going to like about Italy, it was that you did not leave a table hungry. The girl could pack away food, and she loved pasta.

"I just need another minute to check a couple of things," Heather replied. "You can go on, and I'll join you in just a minute."

Lina hooked her arm through Jon's. "If you wouldn't mind escorting me downstairs? Ever since we were violated, I have been afraid to be alone in my own house." Jon made a noise to protest, and Lina smiled. "Do not fear. Luisa will make sure Heather finds her way to the dining hall." She dragged him off.

Heather was a little annoyed, but she could deal with it. She wondered if Luisa wanted to ask her about Jon and if him and Katie were very serious. Why was that bugging her so much? It wasn't like she liked Katie. As a matter of fact, Luisa seemed much better than Katie for Jon. Then again, a blow up doll seemed like a better choice than Katie. Both were bubbles that didn't know to keep their mouths shut, but one didn't have that annoying giggle.

"I think my mother knew I wanted a moment alone with you," Luisa said with a small smile.

Heather sighed. "Listen," she said, not turning around. "I know what you want to ask, and the answer is that I don't know, and that's not why I am here at any rate." She glanced back at Luisa. That look of amusement really annoyed her. "And besides, this is something you should be asking Jon about anyways."

Luisa laughed. Not just a polite laugh trying to cover embarrassment, but a from-the-belly laugh of genuine amusement. Now Heather turned around, not hiding her annoyance. "You think…" Luisa gasped out. "Oh, my dear, you…."

She fought to get back her composure under Heather's glower. "I thought about asking Jonathan, but then I saw that you are not the type to be approached from the side. You are far too direct." She giggled again.

Heather blinked, not sure if she was hearing right. "You were flirting with him all afternoon," she said, a little confused.

Luisa gave her a seductive smile. "Are you really that innocent? Jonathan is a wonderful man, but he doesn't appeal to me in the slightest." She walked up to Heather, trailing a finger up her arm. "Were you upset at the thought that I was flirting with Jonathan because you wanted me or him for yourself?"

Heather backed away quickly. It took a lot for something to rattle her now, but this was doing it. In college she had received a few drunken offers from other women, but those were easy to say no to. "Umm, actually, neither," she managed to get out. "Jon and I are friends. And no offense, but I just don't go that way."

Luisa's smile went from seductive to friendly. "None taken at all. It never hurts to ask." She paused and then asked, "Do you know that you are the only one to shorten his name?"

Heather shrugged. "I've known him for a long time."

"So have others," Luisa commented. "But he does not like to be called anything but Jonathan. Yet, he does not mind with you. Interesting." And she didn't say anything else on the subject.

It only took Heather a few more minutes, and she was done there. They went to the dining room where the chef's prowess in the kitchen had not been exaggerated one bit. Lina took it as a compliment to see both Heather and Jon eating heartily. The food was great, and there was plenty of it. And Lina was apologizing for the simplicity of the meal. After six weeks of what was laughingly referring to as food while in training, Heather was in heaven.

"Signora, your chef is again to be commended," Jon said, leaning back in his chair. Lina beamed.

"I don't think I've eaten that well since…well, I don't remember," Heather added. She looked out of the long windows. It was full dark out finally. Dinner wasn't so much a meal as it was a presentation in Europe. "If you don't mind, I think I am going to take a walk around the grounds for a bit."

"Not at all," Lina replied. "Just please be careful."

"Want some company?" Jon asked. "I think I could use a walk myself." He wanted to talk to Heather. Something seemed to be bothering her that had started when she had come downstairs. Had Luisa said something to her? Lina seemed relieved at the very least that Jonathan would be there to protect Heather.

"Sure," Heather replied, and they both excused themselves and headed out of the great entry hall and into the night air. There was a definite bite to the air, but it wasn't terribly bad. Jon was a little cold, but Heather seemed comfortable enough. It took some extreme conditions to make her miserable.

"You okay?" Jon asked when they were a little distanced from the house.

Heather let out a little laugh. "Well, I'm about ninety percent convinced that my brother and sister had something to do with grand theft, my cousin is probably involved as well, and Luisa just made a pass at me before dinner."

Jon froze for a moment. Then he burst into laughter. Heather punched his shoulder and started walking again. He caught up to her, still laughing. "Hey, if you accept, then I claim rights as cameraman."

"Jon!" She was finally smiling, becoming the Heather he had known. She laughed. "I cannot believe that you said that!"

He shrugged. "It's a guy thing. I'm required to ask. If not, they would take away my membership or something."

She shook her head. "I'd think dating Katie Raye would get you a permanent lifetime membership."

He thought for a moment. "Would you hit me if I said she wasn't hard to get a date with?"

"Probably," Heather replied teasingly. Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, "Do you really like her?"

Jon stopped, and Heather did as well. He wasn't sure how to answer that. Hell, she looked surprised that she had asked that, and it wasn't something he was expecting to hear from her. He hadn't really thought about Katie in terms of did he like her or not. He was dating a supermodel, what else was there to ask. Had anyone else asked him that question, he would have just said of course and gone on. But Heather deserved an honest answer.

"She's a lot of fun when she's around," he said. "She's not around a lot, so I don't have to deal with her everyday. Maybe that's why I still like her. I know she's not the type I could marry and raise a family with."

"So why are you still with her then?" Heather asked. She didn't notice that she sounded a little out of breath. Their eyes met and she was suddenly aware of how close they were standing.

"Because the right one isn't with me," he replied quietly. Jon knew that he wanted to say something about not having met the right one yet, but maybe he had. Not Heather of course, they had tried that already. Sure they had. When they were kids. If they couldn't make it work as kids, they couldn't as adults, right? It was harder as an adult. God, she looked good standing there in the moonlight with her long hair drifting around her shoulders.

There was a long moment of absolute silence. Neither could move an inch, their eyes still locked onto one another's. All Heather could register was that for some reason they were close enough for her to feel the heat of Jon's body.

On the wind came Luisa's voice calling out to them. She sounded worried. "Heather! Jonathan!"

"We're over here," Heather yelled, stepping back from Jon. She took a deep breath, realizing then that she had been holding it the whole time.

Luisa ran up to them. "Remember how I told you that the plane had mechanical problems, and that was why we were delayed a day?" she gasped out. They nodded. "The mechanic called us. He looked at the part that was damaged more closely. That was not just a break. It was sabotage!"