Sam glanced out the small window of the plane, taking some comfort as he saw Chicago becoming a smaller and smaller speck as he waited for an answer on his cell phone.
'Catherine, where are you?' he thought, slamming the connection closed when he got Catherine's voice mail for the twentieth time since he had reached the plane. He didn't know what Cosmo had told them to get them hold the flight for him but it had still been waiting at the airport when he had arrived after a mad dash that he normally would have arrested himself for.
He keyed in another number, thinking about the possible storm damage that they might be dealing with as he waited for an answer. Cell towers were likely down in at least parts of the town. Made sense for him not to reach Catherine that way but still....
"Sam?" Cosmo said as he snatched his phone up.
"Has Catherine called in yet?" Sam demanded. If she couldn't reach his cell then she would have definately tried to get through to the office to let them know what was happening.
"No word yet," Cosmo said with a shake of his head. "I've got Frank trying to get hold of the local police, see if they might know something but with the way the weather's looking out there.... They've had at least four more tornadoes on the ground besides the one that hit the courthouse. Any phonelines they've got still standing are probably tied up with emergency calls. He's going to keep at it until he gets someone, though. Sam, Cath's going to be fine."
Sam was silent for a moment, his mind unconsciously going back to the last time he had been on a plane to New York and what had happened on that trip, what they had lost. Not again, not again.
"Sam, you still there?" Cosmo said in a worried tone when the other marshal had been silent for much too long. "We're trying to get space on the next flight out but it looks like that's going to take awhile. Anything you want us to do while we're waiting?"
"Clothes, go by Cath's place and pick up some clothes for her," Sam said after a moment. "Keys ought to be in her top desk drawer." Despite the worry of the situation, Sam grinned a bit at the thought of his team going to Catherine's to select something for her to wear. Who knows what they would end up finding appropriate.
"Will do. Sam, try not to worry about her, okay? Cath's probably somewhere right now trying to get hold of us and let us know she's going to be even later than planned. Lady can take care of herself."
Sam stared out the window again as the called ended, knowing that what Cosmo said was right, that Catherine could take care of herself perfectly well but at the same time he couldn't escape his concern.
'Noah, if you're up there, take care of her for me, son. Take care of her.' he thought as he closed his eyes for a moment. It was looking to be a very long trip.
*******
June 2nd 3:15 pm
"Looks like being the boss pays well," Bobby Biggs commented as Cosmo unlocked the door of Catherine's apartment and the trio stepped inside. The decor was understated but obviously elegant. The three marshals moved down in what they hoped was the direction of the bedroom a bit hesitently, a bit uncomfortable able being there. Place seemed so empty for some reason, almost like Noah's apartment after.....
"Bobby, see if you can find a bag or something," 'Vannah said as they entered the bedroom and she went over to the closet, pulling it open and flipping rapidly through the neat row of garments.
"How about this?" Cosmo said as he reached around 'Vannah and pulled out what was obviously a very expensive business suit.
"Cos, the woman was just in a building hit by a tornado. I don't think she's going to be wanting to get all dressed up. Probably has bruises everywhere," 'Vannah muttered. "Surely she has some casual...." Finally her fingers touched something that she thought might be suitable and pulled out a large shirt. She frowned a bit in puzzlement. The thing looked too big for Catherine.
"That's Sam's," Cosmo said with a grin, spotting some casual slacks and handing them to 'Vannah as he spoke.
"I don't even want to know," she muttered with a shake of her head a she turned to find that Bobby had found a carryon bag and was now digging through the dresser drawers.
"Let me do that," 'Vannah muttered as she hurried over, making a mental note that someone was going to have to come and straighten up Catherine's unmentionables' drawer before she could see it. She rapidly searched through the drawer, selecting what seemed to be the simplest things she could find, plain cotton underthings and a couple of large sleep shirts. As she was putting them in the bag, Cosmo's cell phone rang.
"Frank, you got hold of...." he said as he quickly answered it. "Oh, okay. Yeah, just keep trying. Surely they'll get an open line going soon."
"No news?" Bobby asked as Cosmo cut off the call and 'Vannah headed for the bathroom to grab a few more things.
"Lines are still either down or overloaded. He did manage to get us seats on the next flight out though. You about ready, 'Vannah?"
"Yeah," she said as she came in with several bottles and plastic containers that she shoved into the bag before zipping it closed.
"Thought we might as well head over to Sam's and snag some stuff for him too. We've got a couple of hours before the plane leaves," Cosmo said as they headed for the door.