Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream can't she?

Rating: We'll start out with PG-13 for now.

Pairings: Speed/OC (Jennifer), Horatio/Calleigh, and maybe we'll give Eric a little love this time!

Summary: Speed's wife is kidnapped and all the clues lead to a case Speed and John Hagen worked on early in their careers.

Author's Note - I almost feel like I'm making Speed cheat between two women right now! However, my brain hurts and I desperately need a break from the serial killer in Love Lost Returned. This story has been in my head for a few days now, and if I don't get fingers to keyboard - I'll forget it all!

Chapter 7

Jennifer sat stiffly in the passenger seat next to Travis. "Where are we going?" she demanded, watching interstate signs pass quickly.

Travis hummed along to the radio, tapping his finger on the steering wheel in time to the music. "Mobile," he answered.

"Alabama?"

He grinned. "Yep."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because that's where my boat is."

Jennifer's brain churned, desperate for a way out of this situation. Travis didn't have a gun that she could see. She thought back to her police training, wondering if she might be able to overpower him somehow. She also didn't want him to anything desperate - and fighting might make him re-think his plan to marry her instead of kill her.

"Travis?"

"Yeah?"

"I have to use the bathroom."

Travis nodded. "Yeah, okay, I could use a break. There's a rest area a few miles up the road."

Jennifer sat back in her seat, contemplating her next move. She stared out the window, unconsciously biting her lower lip.

"Jennifer?"

His voice brought her back to reality. "Yeah?" she asked.

"I can trust you, right? When we stop - I don't want you talking to anyone, got it? I'll be standing right outside, and I'll be able to hear anything you say."

She nodded. "Got it."

Travis exited the freeway, pulling the car into a parking space near the rest stop. Jennifer stepped out, stretching her legs before Travis followed her to the bathroom. Glancing behind her, she disappeared behind the bathroom door. She rested her head on the cold metal for a moment, pondering her next move. She looked around the bathroom - the windows were high and away from the stalls, no way to crawl out. There was only one door - the one that led right back to Travis.

She heard a flush and watched as an elderly woman exited the stall. Jennifer took a deep breath and crossed over to the woman. She whispered, "Ma'am, do you have a pen I could borrow? And please don't answer, just take it out."

The woman looked at Jennifer suspiciously, but took a pen out of her purse. Tearing off several paper towels, Jennifer began to write:

***Please don't say anything or react in any way. My name is Jennifer Speedle. I am a detective with the Miami Dade Police department. I was kidnapped on Friday a block from my son Ben's school. Please call my husband, Detective Tim Speedle and let him know that Travis is taking me to Mobile, Alabama to get on a boat - taking me God only knows where. Please help. I don't have much time.***

Tears welled up in the woman's eyes as she read Jennifer's plea. Travis knocked on the door. "Jen, you about done?"

"Yeah," she answered and continued writing, providing the woman with Tim's cell phone number.

The woman touched Jennifer's arm and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. "I promise, dear," she whispered.

Jennifer mouthed a "Thank You" and headed to the toilets. The woman was still waiting there when Jennifer finished, her cell phone already in her hand. She blew Jennifer a kiss. She offered the woman a smile and then went out the door.

"Took you long enough," he complained.

"Sorry, I really had to go," she explained.

"Anybody in there with you?"

She shook her head. "Nobody at all."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*

Tim's cell phone rang at his hip. "Yeah, it's Speed," he answered.

"Detective Speedle? My name is Julia Cornish. You don't know me, but I just met your darling wife at a rest stop just outside Destin."

Speed's heart began to race. "Just a minute," he told her, reaching down to lift Ben's sleeping head from his lap. Settling his son back onto the couch, he went down the hall into their bedroom. "You saw Jennifer?"

"Yes, and I have a message for you, Detective. She says to tell you that Travis is taking her to Mobile, Alabama. Apparently he has a boat there. She has no idea where he's taking her."

"Mrs. Cornish, I don't know how to thank you for this." Tears streamed down his cheeks and he wiped them with the back of his hand.

"Oh don't thank me yet, Detective." He could almost hear the woman grinning on the other end of the phone. "I know a thing or two about law enforcement. When I knew your wife and this Travis fellow were out of earshot, I called my husband and had him write down the license plate number. We knew that would help."

Tim almost laughed. "You have no idea, Mrs. Cornish. How can I possibly repay you and your husband for this?"

She paused. "Call me and let me know that she's home safely. I know I won't sleep a wink until I hear from you."

Tim was elated by the information. "You'll be my first call, Mrs. Cornish."

"Good luck, dear. I pray that your family is re-united safely." She disconnected the line.

Tim held the phone near his heart for a minute. He quickly dialed Horatio's cell phone number, detailing the conversation to his boss. His next call was to Julie, telling her to come right over. He threw some of his and Jennifer's clothes into a bag, and headed back into the living room to wait for Julie.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*

Their flight to Mobile landed approximately an hour and a half before Travis and Jennifer would arrive in town. Troopers been set up on all interstates and major roads leading into the city. The plan was to let Travis drive to where the boat was and let Jennifer get out of the car. All Tim and Horatio were waiting on was a phone call.

"Lieutenant." The head of the Alabama State Police in Mobile, Capitan Franks, was standing in the doorway. "Patrol spotted the car coming into the city, heading to the marina. The bird's waiting, gentleman, let's roll."

Horatio gave Tim an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "We're almost there, Speed."

Tim nodded furiously, anxious to get into the helicopter. Minutes later they were flying over the city. SWAT teams were getting into place around the marina. An unmarked cruiser was following Travis' car. The chopper hovered several blocks away from the marina, staying as inconspicuous as possible.

Tim and Horatio listened apprehensively to the police radio on their headsets. "Be advised, we are approaching the marina on Canal Street."

"Copy."

"All units in position."

"Copy."

"Suspect's car is pulling up to a warehouse."

"Copy that, I see him."

"Suspect is exiting the car. Go, Go, Go."