"Oh my god! You're them! I'm calling the police, you sick and twisted bastards!" Anna Robinson screamed, as her husband lunged for the phone. "I can't believe this!"

"What? I thought that you wanted a child?" Jen cried. "We worked so hard for this!"

"You stole that child! We saw you on the news," Jeff Robinson countered.

"Put the phone down Mr. Robinson," Danny said calmly, as he pulled the gun out from behind his back. "And we'll discuss this."

"There is nothing to discuss! You are both are criminals! Murderers!"

"We had a deal," Jen replied, regaining her composure.

"A deal? Not for a kidnapped child," Anna whispered. "Oh god."

"You're saying that you don't want him," Danny snapped, jabbing Josh in the chest with the gun.

"Don't hurt him," Anna cried. "Please!"

"Oh? Whom should I hurt then? I'm just trying to give this child a good home," Danny drawled, pointing the pistol at them. "To show her how much I love her."

"Please," Jeff begged. "Don't do this."

"You should have just taken him, now you'll never be parents," Jen interjected, as Danny put more pressure on the trigger.

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"Staring at it isn't going to make it ring any faster," Kenny commented, as Max's gaze slid to the phone for the tenth time in as many minutes. "It took him weeks in between calls last time."

Max shot him a dark look, as she purposefully turned away from the phone without saying anything. She turned to look at the gray sky outside, as she wrapped her hooded sweatshirt more tightly around her body. It's been almost a month, Max thought to herself, a month. I can't keep sitting around here. Jimmy's words echoed in her mind, and despite Kenny's objections she knew that she would do anything to get her son back.

"Hey," he said softly in her silence, as he sensed her melancholy mood. "Max, Honey? What's going on?"

"It's nothing," she replied, still watching the clouds pass by.

Kenny watched her carefully for a minute and didn't believe a word that she was saying. Ever since our fight, he thought, and Jimmy's visit the other day, shit, I don't like the look in her eyes. He reached out to touch her cheek, and recoiled when she nearly jumped off of the couch.

"Oh, uh, sorry," she stuttered, trying to catch her breath.

"Talk to me," he said gently, cautiously taking her hand in his. "Honey . . . Whatever it is, don't shut me out. I need you too much."

Max gulped back a sob, and vowed to keep her emotions on an even keel. "I keep thinking about what Jimmy said, about Danny wanting me to come to him."

Kenny cut her off sharply. "There is no way in hell that I'm letting you anywhere near that sadistic bastard. We'll find another way."

"Like what? God Kenny, it's been over a month! And we don't know anything! It's like the three of them just fell off of the planet."

"Jimmy and everyone else is working has hard as they can," Kenny replied, trying to keep his voice even, as he saw the hurt and emotional mess she still was. "They're not going to stop."

"Don't patronize me, I know how this works," Max shot back.

"Yeah? How many people have you questioned that wanted vigilantes' justice? And I bet that you talked them all out of it."

"I can't keep sitting here and doing nothing," she practically whispered. "It just . . . I'm trying to stay positive Kenny, I really am."

"But?"

"No buts," she sighed, trying to ignore the gnawing in her stomach.

Kenny watched her pensive face before replying, "What are you planning on doing, Honey?"

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"They ditched the car outside of Michigan," Skeeter confirmed to Jimmy the next morning. "The report is being faxed over."

"But there was a report of a car jacking about five miles down the road from Jimmy looked up from the newspaper he had been studying, and nodded. "Let me see it when it gets in."

"Okay," Skeeter agreed, pausing before continuing. "Sir? Everyone knows that you're doing everything that you can."

Jimmy could still see the torment on both of his deputies faces, and it was eating him up inside to know that they had been so close to bringing Josh home. Fake explosives, he thought trying not to grimace, if we had only looked at them more carefully. They're both not going to sit around doing nothing for much longer he realized. Max was ready to go after Danny herself.

Knowing that Skeeter was waiting for some sort of response he put his paper aside and replied, "It hasn't been enough."

"We'll get them," Skeeter confirmed, "They won't get away again."

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"I don't know," Max replied to her husband's question. "But if he wants me . . ."

"They'll kill you," Kenny said bluntly, as she from him back

"We don't know that," she argued. "Hasn't Danny's problem been his obsession with me all along? He thinks he loves me, and wants me to be his."

Kenny tried to swallow his frustration at her stubbornness. "You honestly think that he is going to tell you where to find them? Max, don't do anything stupid."

She gave him a dark look, and pulled herself the rest of the way out of arms. "Like what? Trying to get our son back?"

"That isn't what I mean, and you know it."

"Then what?"

"You know what," he countered. "I hate doing nothing as much as you do, Honey, but . . . there is no way that I'll allow you to go sacrifice yourself like that."

"You won't allow me?" she scoffed. "Since when do I need your permission?"

Kenny shook his head, as he looked at her. "I can't talk to you when you're like this."

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"A red ford pinto," Pete confirmed, dropping the folder on Jimmy's desk. "Michigan plates, 203-JAB."

"Good," Jimmy replied absently. "We'll put out an APB on it."

"Did you read this?" Carter yelped, storming into Jimmy's office. "I should be deputized on this case! I know where they are!"

Pete did his best not to roll his eyes, as Carter waved the newspaper around and bounced from foot to foot, "Did you find semen somewhere?"

"No! Better," Carter verified, ignoring the sarcasm. "The murder in Michigan! That couple, the Robinsons! They were supposed to be adopting a baby, but there were complications with the people! It was a private adoption."

"So?" Jimmy asked, as Carter paused to catch his breath.

"So! A neighbor said that they, the Robinsons, got a call from the people they were getting the child from yesterday. Then they turned up dead, and their car was missing! Why is that?"

Jimmy processed what Carter was saying and tried to stay objective. "What town in Michigan?"

"Ludington, why?"

"That's a long way from where their car was found," Pete interjected.

"Was a car found at the scene?" Jimmy asked. "If the Robinsons was missing?"

"It doesn't say," Carter replied. "But what if Danny and Jen decided to sell Josh, and somehow the deal fell apart? And this couple ended up dead?"

So what's going to happen to Josh, Jimmy thought, as he reached for the phone. "Pete, run a check on this Robinson couple. I'm going to give Ludington a call, and see if they have any idea about this couple supplying the child for adoption."

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"Oh? What am I being like?" Max asked.

Kenny rose off of the couch slowly, not liking the look in her eyes. "One, you're a mess. Emotionally that is. Two, you're not thinking clearly or rationally about anything right now. Think about it."

"I have."

Kenny groaned internally, knowing that she was picking a fight but he couldn't stop himself. "Max, I want him back as much as you do, but I'm not gonna sacrifice you. I need you, hell I love you, even when you're driving me nuts."

Max bit back her retort, as he moved a few cautious steps closer to her. "What should I do then?"

Kenny took her in his arms, and gazed down into her tortured eyes. "What you have been doing. Taking care of Em, being there for me . . . it's something."

Max shook her head. "I know it's something."

"But?"

"I don't know."

He tightened his hold around her, and ran his fingers through her hair. "They'll call, Max, it isn't over yet."

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Shit, Jimmy thought as the fax came through, shit. Ripping the sheets from the machine, he skimmed them quickly in the privacy of the copy room, and wanted to digest the information before sharing it with the rest of the department. Shit.

"Skeeter, Pete," he barked, pointing toward his office. "Now."

Jimmy watched the two men file in, and shut the door behind them. Walking around to the other side of his desk he sat, as he continued. "Ludington faxed the information I asked for over, and they're trying to keep what they found quiet because of the implications with Josh's kidnapping. Anna Robinsons sister was questioned about the adoption, and said it was private, like we already knew, through a couple named Vera Densh and Jay Venndis, who have since disappeared. Phone disconnected."

"Where were they located?" Pete asked hesitantly, not liking the look in his eyes.

"Here, Greenbay," Jimmy verified. "And a red ford pinto, licence 203-JAB was found parked on their street."

"Shit," Skeeter blurted out. "Sorry, but . . . what about Josh? If this couple was found dead, and it seems likely that it was Shreve and Davis, where is he? If the Robinsons figured out who they were, and got killed over it . . . well, where is he?"

"They can't keep running," Pete interjected. "Someone will recognize them, and they'll get caught."

"The Robinsons most likely recognized them," Skeeter countered, not liking the hopeless feeling of this case, especially since it was his friends. "And look what happened to them."

"Stop it," Jimmy demanded. "Both of you. First, I don't want Kenny or Max to know about this yet. They're both under enough stress as it is. The connection between the Robinson murder and Josh's kidnapping isn't being released to the public yet, so it isn't to leave this building until I say so. Secondly, I want the women that helped Danny and Jen break out of Cornerstones questioned again, and see if they provide any possible leads for who helped set up this adoption. A lawyer, or someone had to be involved to create the paperwork. A past patient maybe? We're going to assume that Josh is still alive out there, and that they're going to pass him off to some unsuspecting couple."

"Okay," Skeeter agreed, wanting to believe that Josh was still okay. "We'll get on it."

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"Hey," Kenny said, tilting her face up to his. "Let's get out of here for awhile. We've been sitting around here for a month."

"Where?" Max asked a bit hesitantly, although the idea of just getting away for a few hours was highly appealing. Just pretend to be normal for a few hours, she mused. "Some fresh air would be great."

"You want to walk down to the lake? The weather kind of sucks, but it's warm at least."

Max nodded. "Yeah, these walls feel like they're closing in."

Kenny brushed her cheek with his palm, and was glad to see her relax some. "Yeah. Tell you what, I'll go grab us something to eat, if you want to go get Emily."

"Okay," she agreed, hoping that it might end some of the tension between them. "Lets go."

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"It's done," Danny sighed, sliding back into the car. "I can't believe that I'll never see her again."

"You'll be fine," Jen replied sharply, as they merged into traffic. "Besides, do you really think that she wants to see you?"

"She does, she doesn't know it yet. We belong together," Danny argued. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder after all."

Jen bit back a nasty retort. "Fine then. Until then, we're out of here. No one will ever think to look for us there. We got the Robinsons money and we're free. Enjoy it, Danny."

Danny looked at the passing countryside and sighed. "I'm trying, Jen. Maybe once we get there I'll finally be able to let go."

She shot a look at her partner and shook her head. I doubt it, she thought, you psychopath. Smiling to herself, they cruised into the O'Hare airport parking lot.

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"Hmm, this is nice," Max practically purred, as Kenny kneaded her shoulders. Watching Emily play in the sand made her heart weep for her missing brother, as she thought that they should be getting sand all over themselves together.

Kenny followed her gave toward their daughter, and wrapped his arms tightly around her too thin frame. "I've missed doing this with you."

"Hmm," Max sighed, as Em toddled over to them, bucket in hand. "Hi, Sweetie."

"Swim," she asked, plopping down on the blanket. "Mama?"

"Too cold," Kenny answered, smiling indulgently at her. "Brr."

"Pwease?"

"How about a castle?" Kenny countered, grabbing an extra bucket from the bag. "A big one?"

Em's head bobbed up and down, as she grabbed his hand. "Mama too."

"What do you say Mom?" he asked, as he swept Emily up into his arms. "You up to it?"

Max couldn't help but grin back at him, as he pulled her to her feet. "Definitely."

Kenny kissed her, and let his hands slide down her body as she shivered beneath his touch. "Someone is waiting for us."

Max nodded, as she snatched a shovel from the bag and he kissed her again. "Well, it's not going to get built if you keep doing that."

Happy to see her smile again, even if it was just fleeting, he scooped Emily back up as they made their way closer to the water.

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"Someone spotted two people matching their description 100 miles outside Chicago three hours ago," Skeeter confirmed. "They were stopped at a rest area, but there was no sign of a baby."

"How sure were they? Chicago? That's about five hours from Ludington," Jimmy thought aloud.

"Positive, even with hats and glasses on, the woman was sure," Skeeter verified. "She saw them at a vending machine, and was standing right next to them. Took down the plate too, 405-CAC, which coincidentally matches the Robinsons plate."

"Three hours ago? And we're just finding out now?" Jimmy replied evenly. "What direction were they heading?"

"South, into the city," Skeeter replied. "After this sighting I put in for a check at O'Hare, but we haven't had any information come in yet. Their pictures are everywhere Jimmy, and if they're trying to go anywhere, someone will recognize them."

Jimmy nodded. "I want to know the minute anything new comes in."

Skeeter nodded, hoping for good news soon. "Will do."

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"I think that we wore her out," Kenny observed, as they watched their sleeping daughter a few hours later. "But that was the biggest castle that I've seen in awhile."

Max let herself relax as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "I didn't think we would ever get all of the sand off of her. For someone so tiny I think that she took half the beach home with her."

"You still have some here," Kenny replied, shaking her ponytail and sending a shower of it onto the floor.

"Really?" she observed dryly, reaching to muss his hair as well. "I remember someone thinking that it was hilarious to dump a shovel full of it on my head."

"It was worth it," he replied, remembering how she giggled afterward, as Emily laughed and laughed as he brushed it out. "You looked cute."

Max smiled shyly up at him, as some of the recent tension melted away, and kissed him softly. "You want to help me get the rest of it out?"

Slowly he combed his fingers through her hair, and pulled the elastic out, letting the silky strands fall through his fingers. Like fire he thought, liquid fire. Like her. "You're beautiful, sometimes I forget, and it takes me by surprise when I look at you. Even covered in sand." She nodded slowly, as he kissed her, and continued. "Max, I want you. I need to be with you tonight."

"Okay," she practically whispered, wanting nothing more then to be consumed by something other then the pain of their missing child. "Make love to me, Kenny."

Pulling her tightly against him, they stumbled back toward their bedroom.

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"Reservations were made for Vera Densh and Jay Venndis on a flight to, ironically enough, Rome last night. Italy that is," Pete said with a yawn. "Sorry. They went through customs, and these photos were just faxed over."

Jimmy inhaled sharply, not liking what he was seeing for an instance. "Damn it! It's them."

"But there are only two of them," Skeeter interjected, pointing to Danny and Jen. "Not to sound pessimistic, but where is Josh? He's not with the Robinsons, or with them . . . what the hell did they do with him?"

"Check with her former patients," Jimmy barked. "Doctors at Cornerstones. Friends and relatives of the Robinsons. Nothing on the possible lawyer yet?"

"They won't talk," Pete replied, referring to the two women in lock up. "They say they don't know anything."

"I'll work on them," Jimmy replied, rising. "I refuse to believe that Josh Lacos is dead."

Skeeter and Pete exchanged a look, neither one knowing what to say, as Skeeter ventured with. "Excuse me, Sir? We'll look into all of that, but . . . uh, I think we better prepare ourselves."

Jimmy cut him off. "For what, Deputy?"

"It's been over a month, going on two," Pete interjected. "And we're still not any closer."

Jimmy inhaled sharply. "Would you like to go and tell Kenny and Max that we're giving up? Have you seen how devastated they are? I am not, and I repeat, am not giving up until Danny Shreve and Jen Davis are brought in. They're part of this family, and we're not giving up. Understand that.

"Yes sir," the men both repeated.

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"Good morning," Kenny said softly, as Max stirred into consciousness.

She smiled, as she pushed her tangled hair off of her face. It's gotten so long, she thought, actually I don't mind. She flicked a strand off of her chest, as Kenny pulled her close to him again. "Good morning to you. Hmm, this feels good."

Kenny smoothed her hair back, and kissed her thinking how good it was to have her back by his side again. "Sun is out today? What do you say we head back down to the beach? Maybe let Em take that swim?"

Max nodded, just wanting some time with her family. "That'll be good."

"Right on cue," he groaned, as Emily's cries pierced the air. "She must have known we were talking about her."

"Or she's wet," Max countered, trailing her fingers along his chest.

"C'mon," he said, tossing the covers back. "Ooh, you're naked."

"Nothing you haven't seen before," she replied dryly, liking the feeling of him watching her. "Nice boxers."

She reached for a tank and pajama pants, and he threw on a t-shirt. "If you go make some coffee, I'll go change her."

"Deal," Max replied, as she twisted her hair back off of her face. "We have to change these sheets, they're covered in sand."

"Love you," he called, going off to change a diaper.

Max wandered downstairs to start the coffee, and yanked open the front door to grab yesterday's mail. Did Kenny order meat, she thought, dragging the package inside. Flipping through the assorted bills, magazines, cards, she hefted the box onto the kitchen table. Glancing for a return address, she couldn't read the blurred one and snatched a knife to cut the tape back.

"What's that?" he asked joining her in the kitchen.

She shrugged. "Don't know. I thought you might have ordered some meat or something, it's one of those refrigerator boxes."

"I might have," he trailed off. "Things have been a little confusing lately."

"To say the least," Max said softly, as she pried the last of the tape off, and Kenny lifted the plastic wrapped box out. "I think it's gone bad."

Kenny paused before continuing, and tried to shake of the foreboding as he opened the box.

"So what is it?" she called, pouring him a cup of coffee, as the smell hit her. "Oh god, Kenny, what is that?"

Max watched her husband as he stood as if paralyzed, and she could see that he had gone totally white. Slowly, she made her way toward him, and lay her hand on his arm, "Kenny?"

"Don't look," he gasped, clutching her to him. "Don't look."

"What?" she asked, turning her head toward the box, and recoiling back into his arms as her heart was ripped out. "Oh god, oh god!"

She buried her head in his chest, and tried to block out the sight of Josh sprawled out in the ice cooler.