Authors Note ;Please see chapter one for disclaimer and the legal stuff

Thank you for the reviews and encouragement.

TWELVE

Sara Sidle chewed the end of her pen. She absent mindly did this when deep in thought. Right now she poured over the map sent to Brass by his mysterious tormentor. By her side sat Nick Stokes. With pen in hand he was busy re-arranging the words and letters on the most recent clue. The one which hailed the start of the search for their friend. Finally in his own frustration, Nick screwed up the paper he was writing on and tossed it behind his shoulder. Throwing the pen onto the break room table, he sat back in his chair and thrust his hands deep into his trouser pockets.

'I can't make head nor tale of this Sara,' he said dejectedly. 'It's just becoming a jumble of words the more I look at it.'

'We'll get there,' Sara reassured. 'Patience. Take a break and then reassess it.'

'House of the law. Gotta be the PD.'

'Not always.' She went back to the map. 'Although, I can't see what else right now.'

'Well Caherine isn't on the building that's for sure. Brass had SWAT all over the place like a rash.' They went silent for a moment. 'Hey, you think Brass has the hots for Catherine?' Sara looked up at him and shrugged.

'Why you ask?'

'That poem. Something Brass coverts but can't have. Then Cath goes AWOL. Warrick saw hm earlier. Said he was going out of his mind. I also heard from Greggo, that he overheard Brass tell Gris that if this guy hurt Cath, he was gonna kill him and probably not think twice about doing so. That spells out H.O.T.S in my book.'

'You can't put too much on what Greg overhears by the coffee pot.'

'He wasn't by the pot, he was listening in at the door this time.'

Sara shook her head and smiled. The smile suddenly faded and she reached for the magnifying glass. Nick sat up and brought his chair in closer to her until she could feel his warm breath on her cheek. He was invading her personal space but she decided she could live with that.

'What is it?' asked Nick unaware of what effect his closeness was having on his colleague.

'This.' She took a red pen and with magnifyer in one hand she directed the nib of the pen to a spot with the other.

'Looks like a church sign to me.'

'Where's one place you'd go to find peace?'

'A church.'

'Who's the patron saint of policemen?' Nick looked blank and then more closely at the spot highlighted.

'Looking at where you're pointing, I'd hazard a guess at ST Jude?'

'That place has been derelict for years. It's falling down.'

'Yeah.....Good place to hide out.'

'Or hide someone you'd kidnapped.'

'I'll call Brass.'

tbc