Fenton left Ezra's side, and returned to his wife, as the officers began securing the crime scene. After a few minutes, he managed to bring Laura around, urging her to lie still until the dizziness and nausea dissipated, but she was too distraught to remain quiet for long.

"Frank? And Joe?" she demanded, struggling to sit up. Her eyes were wide with terror; they pleaded silently with Fenton to tell her that the boys were safe, and in the next room.

"They - they aren't here." Fenton responded, his voice hoarse with emotion. "Honey, can you tell me what happened?"

"I thought Ginger had come back." Laura began, tears making a path down her cheeks and falling onto the clasped hands in her lap. "I - I went to meet her, but when I got to the kitchen, somebody - a big guy - grabbed me, and put something over my mouth and nose. I remember smelling this sickeningly-sweet odor, and - and...I don't remember anything more!" she ended, dropping her head into her hands and sobbing wildly.

Fenton took her into his arms and held her close, kissing the top of her head, and thanking God that she was unharmed.

"Sir..." Officer Thompson reluctantly interrupted the scene between the husband and wife. Fenton gave him a questioning look. "Chief Collig is in no condition to tell us what's going on here." the man began. "And with two homicides in one night, I'm hoping you can help enlighten us."

"Two?" Fenton inquired sharply.

"Sergeant Sal Morrow was murdered in the park a short time ago." Thompson explained.

Fenton was about to respond to the officer's request, when reinforcements arrived. The paramedics and forensics team went straight through to the bedroom. Officer O'Malley came into the living room shortly after.

"Excuse me, sir," O'Malley said to Fenton. "But could you please help with Chief Collig?"

Fenton sighed and started to rise, but Laura grabbed his arms and held him fast, looking up into his eyes. "What's wrong with Ezra?" she demanded.

"He's...upset." Fenton voiced the understatement of the year. "Stay here, honey." he ordered, as she relinquished her hold.

Fenton and O'Malley left the room. Laura determinedly got to her feet, and tried to follow them, but Thompson moved to intercept her, stepping into her pathway and shaking his head.

When Fenton entered the bedroom, he found Ezra in the same position he had left him, clutching Ginger's lifeless body tightly to him. "Ezra..." Fenton said softly, kneeling beside him.

Ezra didn't hear his name uttered. He wasn't aware the room was full of people. The only thing he knew was that if he let Ginger go, if he released his grip on her, he would never hold her again. More tears flowed as he broke again into soul-shattering sobs.

"Ezra," Fenton repeated, a bit louder. "Ezra, she's gone. There's nothing you can do for her." he added gently.

Ezra froze as Fenton's words sank in, realizing how wrong they were. "No." he declared, his voice deceptively strong despite being choked with tears. "Ginger died protecting your boys." he said, looking into Fenton's eyes. "I won't let her death be in vain."

Fenton, shaken by Ezra's accusing words, released his friend's arm, and stood up. Gently, oh so gently, Ezra laid Ginger down on the floor, and got to his feet, trembling. Heart aching, Fenton guided him from the room.

Laura had demanded the truth from Officer Thompson. When Ezra and Fenton entered the living room, she ran to them and threw her arms about Ezra, her tears flowing as freely as his had. He held her, soaking up the warmth and compassion he so desperately needed.

Fenton left them to grieve together, and returned to the bedroom, where the forensics team was busy dusting for prints and measuring distances relative to Ginger's body.

Lieutenant Andrews stepped up to Fenton, his face grim. "I want to know what's going on." he demanded.

"You're in charge of this case?" Fenton asked, his face still pale. The lieutenant nodded curtly. Fenton jerked his head towards the door, and the two men exited the room, going down the hallway to talk in private. Fenton outlined the case, and made sure Andrews knew exactly how much danger the boys were in, if, that is, they were still alive. "Now, tell me what's been going on in Bayport!" Fenton demanded.

The lieutenant told him of the earlier attempt on Chief Collig's life, and of Sgt. Morrow's body being found in the park. Andrews hesitated a moment, then burst out: "I suspect Morrow was feeding someone information."

"Who, and why?" Fenton asked, furrowing his brow.

"He wasn't working on anything in particular, except this specific assignment for the chief." Andrews stated. "After his body was found, I did some checking. He set up a phone tap at the Bayview Inn - I believe Chief Collig asked him to do that - but the connecting room there was also charged to Jim Wood, and no tap was put on that one."

"Sir," Officer O'Malley interrupted them now. "We found a pair of child's crutches lying near the kitchen table."

"Joe's," Fenton deduced. "I wonder why they weren't in the bedroom?"

"Because I had forgotten them!" Laura appeared in the doorway, and moved to stand beside her husband. Her tears had dried for the moment, but her eyes were red and swollen as she looked up at Fenton. "Ezra was going to bring them over, but his car was blown up before he could."

"So, Ginger must have gotten them at the hospital, when she went there to see Ezra." Fenton concluded. "And if Ginger was seen with them, then your suspect might only have committed an oversight." he added to the lieutenant, not wishing to believe Ezra's trusted friend could be guilty of betraying him.

"For the chief's sake," Andrews said. "I sincerely hope you're right."

"Me too," Fenton murmured softly, as the officer walked away. "Me too."

"Shall we return home, sir?" Billy asked his employer.

"No, I think not." Wood replied coolly. "The boys will be fine where they are until morning." he went on, thinking of them lying bound and gagged in the trunk of his car. Billy pulled to a stop behind the hotel, and the two men got out of the car and went into the building.

Inside the trunk, Frank felt the car come to a halt, and struggled harder with the ropes binding his wrists. In his wriggling, he bumped into something, which he decided must be Joe, for the something emitted a low moan.

Frank had known Joe's father was bad, but he had never realized just how bad - how mean - he was, until tonight. After he shot Ginger, he had picked Joe up from the floor again, and carried him from the room, with Billy carrying Frank - shocked into silence - and following close behind.

Wood knew Joe would be too petrified to cry out, but Billy had clamped a hand over Frank's mouth, warning him that if he made a sound, his mother would die too. When they reached the car, Frank had been bound and gagged and tossed roughly into the trunk. At this point, Joe seemed to have lost some of his fear, for he began struggling with his father.

Wood backhanded his son, causing Joe to bite his lip as his head shot backwards. As blood seeped from his mouth, a gag had been inserted, and Joe's wrists bound behind his back. Another rope secured his good leg to his cast, and then he was dumped into the trunk beside Frank.

Wood and Billy ripped off the masks they wore, and their dark shirts, and tossed them in with the boys. Next, Wood handed Billy his gun. Billy took it, wrapped it and his own weapon in the shirts, and replaced them in the trunk. The compartment was closed and locked, and seconds later, they were underway.

As Frank thought about it, a wave of anger infused him, followed by an intense feeling of gratitude that his own parents were nothing like Joe's father. Frank kept struggling with his ropes, careful not to hit Joe, until he felt the car start up again. Once more, they were on the move.

It wasn't much later when Collig, Andrews, Thompson, and O'Malley arrived at the Bayview Inn bearing a warrant allowing them to search not only the hotel rooms, but Wood's vehicle.

"What's the meaning of this?" Wood demanded, his blue eyes spitting fire at the officers' intrusion. Ezra ignored the man, knowing how easily he could lose control and attack him. Instead, he ordered Thompson and O'Malley to arrest Wood and Billy, and read them their rights.

"On what charge?" Wood snapped, his voice icy.

"Suspicion of kidnapping and - murder." Ezra replied, his voice cracking a bit on the last word.

A search of the two rooms revealed nothing incriminating, so the chief ordered the car searched. Wood and Billy were escorted to one of the police cruisers waiting outside, and put in back, with Wood furiously threatening to call his lawyer, and to sue the Bayport Police Department.

"According to the receptionist, they registered a blue Lincoln Continental." Lieutenant Andrews informed Collig. Nodding, he, Andrews, and O'Malley searched for the car as Thompson kept watch over the prisoners. Ten minutes later, Ezra jerked open the rear door of the cruiser and hauled Wood out, pulling him upright until their noses almost touched. Glaring into Wood's smiling face, he snarled: "Where is your car?"

"It was parked behind the hotel." Wood replied, not trying to conceal the amusement in his tone. "If it's not there, then I would like to file a report. My car has been stolen."