Note: I hope you are enjoying this phase of the story. Thanks to those who have reviewed. It helps to know if I am on the right track.
Vivian and Maggie arrived back at Danny's apartment. When Maggie walked in she gently handed a sleeping Michael over to Danny. Michael momentarily opened his eyes and smiled up at Danny as he layed him down in his bed. Danny just watched him for a few minutes as tears welled up in his eyes. He finally let the emotion of the day catch up to him. While looking at Michael in that moment, he knew that something horrible happened to Kathryn because she would never walk away from them voluntarily.
Danny pulled himself together before he joined Vivian and Maggie in the living room. "Thanks for bringing him home. I think I needed to see him," he said to a weary Maggie.
"He should be here. Kathryn will definitely want to see him as soon as she returns," Maggie replied.
Vivian watched the two panic-strickened people as they struggled to find more to say to each other. Vivian knew she had more work to do, so she addressed Danny. "Have you talked to any of your neighbors?"
"Um...I talked to the super. He monitors the front entrance security camera. We looked at the footage of Kathryn leaving at 10:30. We didn't see anything else."
"OK...well...I'm going to talk to a few people and see if anyone saw anything. I'll be back in a few minutes. Have you eaten anything, Danny?"
"No, but I'm fine."
Maggie then said, "Why don't I make some coffee, and see if I can heat something up."
Danny just nodded as Maggie headed to the kitchen and Vivian left the apartment.
After Viv left, Danny walked into the kitchen. "I'm sorry, Maggie. I don't know what's happened to her, but I'll do whatever I can to find her.
Maggie didn't reply. She just continued to prepare the coffee.
Danny continued. "I don't know what she said to you about us, but we were working it out. She didn't leave."
"I know she'd never leave without her son," Maggie whispered. "But, god help me...I wish she had left you."
Danny smirked. "Me, too. I just want her to be safe and unharmed."
"No...I mean I think she should have never have married you. I wish she would have had the strength to move on from you for good. Because I think whatever has happened to her is because she is with you," Maggie said as her emotions started to take over.
Danny started to feel anger rushing through his body. "You don't know what you are talking about. Kathryn is happy. She is happy with me and Michael."
"She's happy one minute and miserable the next. And the moment she can't give you what you want, you find it somewhere else. Kathryn has a fragile heart. She's never loved anyone like she loves you...and you take advantage of that," Maggied spatted.
"My relationship with Kathryn is none of your business. And that drives you crazy...the fact that she wanted to keep something just for herself. The fact that she wanted to chart her own course and not marry the first guy that would offer her a safe, boring existence. The fact that she wouldn't settle for some hen-pecked weasal like Evan Wyatt. And just because she did that...just because she chose me...you look at every negative thing like it is the end of the world. Have Kathryn and I had problems? Yes. Are we any different than any other couple? No. And we were working through them. We were trying fix what was broken," Danny said in exasperation.
"Can't you understand why I'm suspicious? She used to tell me everything...everything. And then she met you. And she stopped talking to me. She gets pregnant but you don't marry her. She barely tells me anything about you, and then all of the sudden you are back in her life and you're raising Michael together. Then out of the blue you get married, and I don't find out until weeks later. The daughter I used to know wouldn't be able to keep that from me. You changed her. Then I find out that you have a nephew...when you told me yourself that you didn't have any family. So how do you have a nephew? And who is his mother? Why was my daughter so threathened by her? I wouldn't ask you any of this...but I want to know what happened to my little girl...so I think I have the right to know," Maggie responded as she started to break down.
While Danny was still angry at all the questions, he started to soften when Maggie started to cry. "I had a brother...a very mess-up brother. He died shortly after I met Kathryn. I've continued to stay in touch with his son. Sylvia, his mother, was here that day...when Kathryn and I fought. But I swear I wasn't cheating on her. Kathryn knew that."
"She didn't seem to know it last Sunday."
As Danny and Maggie argued in the apartment, Vivian was talking to Mrs. Kopeckie, their next door neighbor. As she let Vivian into her apartment, she asked, "So something's happened to Kathryn?"
Vivian looked at her suspiciously. "I didn't say that. I just said I was investigating something in the building. How did you know that?"
"I've heard Danny on the phone all day. Oh...it's horrible. They are such a beautiful couple with that gorgeous little boy. I was so happy when they finally married. You hate to see a two people like that live in sin. And Danny...he's such a good man. He always helps me with my groceries. And he's never too busy to stop for a kind word. Kathryn...she's a sweety, too. Those two...they had a good thing."
Vivian smiled slightly as she realized she clearly found the busybody of the building. Mrs. Kopeckie's last statement intrigued her. "They had a good thing. What do you mean by that...and how did you know that Danny was on the phone all day?"
Mrs. Kopeckie gave Viv an embarrassed smile. "Well, I shouldn't say this...and I swear I've been meaning to tell the super about it," she said as she lead Viv back to her bedroom and opened the closet door. "You see that vent down there? Well, I think the drywall has rotted away. I can hear just about everything that goes on over there in their bedroom."
Viv gave her a slightly disgusted look. "How long have you lived next door to them?"
"Well Kathryn's lived there for five years, but I didn't really start to hear a whole lot until after she met Danny. She didn't really bring guys into her bedroom until him. She's a good girl like that."
"You've been meaning to tell the super for five years?"
"Hey...I'm just a lonely 72 year old woman. Their life is much more entertaining than mine."
Vivian just shook her head. "What did you mean that they had a good thing?"
"Well even before they were married, they were a sweet couple. Even when she tried dating what's his name, I knew she would end up with Danny. You just can't let someone like him get away. He's easy on the eyes...and on the heart if you know what I mean. Anyway...they were happy as clams, and then a couple of months ago...the fighting started. I couldn't really hear exactly what they were saying...although I'm pretty sure she thought he was stepping out on her. I don't think Danny would do such a thing, but what do I know. All I know is that all I used to hear out of the vent was the sound of...well...let's just say they had a very healthy relationship...and then all of a sudden...I stop hearing that, and instead there is silence and then fighting, silence and then fighting. So sad, really," Mrs. Kopeckie said as she folded her arms.
"Did you see or hear Kathryn today?"
"I heard her on the phone this morning around 9:30...I know because I was halfway through Regis and Kelly. Anyway, she said something about finding a job...or seeing about a job. That she had to reengage in life, and stop feeling so sorry for herself. That's about it...and I just remembered...last night...I finally heard them laugh again. It was late, and I was surprised to hear it. But I heard the distinct sound of Kathryn's giggle. It was cute. I thought maybe they finally patched things up...but I didn't hear anything else...you know like..."
Vivian interrupted. "I got it. Thanks for your time, Mrs. Kopeckie."
Vivian checked a few more apartments and then headed back in to Danny's apartment. When she entered, she noticed Maggie crying, and Danny pacing around angrily. "What's going on? Did you hear something?" she asked.
Danny replied, "No...nothing. Maggie just thinks that I must be responsible for this in some way."
"Nothing bad ever happened to her until she met you, Danny."
"I wasn't responsible for the Hanes thing, Maggie. That wasn't my fault. I didn't cause the miscarriage...and neither did she. Maybe if you didn't raise her in such a sheltered existence she would have been more prepared to handle things. Instead, she fell a part."
"So now, it's my fault," Maggie responded.
Vivian quickly intervened. "It's no one's fault. Look...we have to work together if we are going to find her. Maggie...Danny and I have to go over a few things. Why don't you go lie down for a few minutes. It's late and you must be exhausted."
Maggie just nodded and walked back to the bedroom.
"She is unbelievable. I think in the back of her mind, she actually thinks I could have done something to Kathryn. She's never understood our relationship."
"Well you didn't exactly take a traditional route to marriage. You know what it's like to have a child now. You would do anything to keep him safe. You worry about him all the time. Those feelings don't go away as they get older...you just have to learn to control them. Some parents are better at it than others."
Danny just nodded. He appreciated Viv's calming influence on him. Before she returned, he was about to storm out of the apartment, and that wouldn't have helped anyone. As he continued to calm down, he asked, "Anything from the neighbors?"
"No one saw her this morning. But, you need to call your super about Mrs. Kopeckie. There's a gaping hole in the vent in her bedroom closet. Let's just say she hears things that are none of her business," Viv replied with a knowing glance. "She heard Kathryn on the phone this morning. She was talking to someone about seeing about a job...maybe the job at her father's company? She mentioned wanting to reengage in life, and stop feeling sorry for herself."
"Well that would make sense since she ended up at her dad's office. But I don't know who she was talking to...I called her friends earlier...no one heard from her."
"I'll call Martin. He was running your phone records. We'll find that out easy enough. There's one more thing I need to asked you about."
"Let me guess...you want to know if I had an affair as well?" he asked in an annoyed tone.
"No...I know you are not cheating on your wife. I may not know that much about your personal life, but I know that you wouldn't do that -- especially when your wife was going through one of the most difficult things a woman can experience...losing a child. Your heart wouldn't let you hurt her like that. I know that like I know the back of my hand," Vivian said sincerely.
Danny was taken aback by Vivian's belief in him. "Thank you. You're the first person who hasn't questioned my faithfulness."
Vivian just smiled and said, "But I do need to know who the woman is, and why Kathryn would think that."
"Sylvia Marquez. Her son is Nicky Alvarez...my brother's son. Jack can fill you in on him...if you need to know. He and I weren't very close. After he died, I help them when I could. Kathryn saw us together one day back when we were still dating. I hadn't told her anything about my past...so she felt betrayed. I finally came clean with her...and I kept in touch with them, mostly for Nicky's sake. But, Sylvia...she always wanted more from me, and I think Kathryn sensed that."
"We are going to have to question Sylvia Marquez," Viv said solemnly.
"I know."
"OK...why don't you get some coffee...since I know you won't sleep. I'm going to call all this in to Jack, and I'll see what progress they've made," she said as she smiled reassuringly.
Vivian and Maggie arrived back at Danny's apartment. When Maggie walked in she gently handed a sleeping Michael over to Danny. Michael momentarily opened his eyes and smiled up at Danny as he layed him down in his bed. Danny just watched him for a few minutes as tears welled up in his eyes. He finally let the emotion of the day catch up to him. While looking at Michael in that moment, he knew that something horrible happened to Kathryn because she would never walk away from them voluntarily.
Danny pulled himself together before he joined Vivian and Maggie in the living room. "Thanks for bringing him home. I think I needed to see him," he said to a weary Maggie.
"He should be here. Kathryn will definitely want to see him as soon as she returns," Maggie replied.
Vivian watched the two panic-strickened people as they struggled to find more to say to each other. Vivian knew she had more work to do, so she addressed Danny. "Have you talked to any of your neighbors?"
"Um...I talked to the super. He monitors the front entrance security camera. We looked at the footage of Kathryn leaving at 10:30. We didn't see anything else."
"OK...well...I'm going to talk to a few people and see if anyone saw anything. I'll be back in a few minutes. Have you eaten anything, Danny?"
"No, but I'm fine."
Maggie then said, "Why don't I make some coffee, and see if I can heat something up."
Danny just nodded as Maggie headed to the kitchen and Vivian left the apartment.
After Viv left, Danny walked into the kitchen. "I'm sorry, Maggie. I don't know what's happened to her, but I'll do whatever I can to find her.
Maggie didn't reply. She just continued to prepare the coffee.
Danny continued. "I don't know what she said to you about us, but we were working it out. She didn't leave."
"I know she'd never leave without her son," Maggie whispered. "But, god help me...I wish she had left you."
Danny smirked. "Me, too. I just want her to be safe and unharmed."
"No...I mean I think she should have never have married you. I wish she would have had the strength to move on from you for good. Because I think whatever has happened to her is because she is with you," Maggie said as her emotions started to take over.
Danny started to feel anger rushing through his body. "You don't know what you are talking about. Kathryn is happy. She is happy with me and Michael."
"She's happy one minute and miserable the next. And the moment she can't give you what you want, you find it somewhere else. Kathryn has a fragile heart. She's never loved anyone like she loves you...and you take advantage of that," Maggied spatted.
"My relationship with Kathryn is none of your business. And that drives you crazy...the fact that she wanted to keep something just for herself. The fact that she wanted to chart her own course and not marry the first guy that would offer her a safe, boring existence. The fact that she wouldn't settle for some hen-pecked weasal like Evan Wyatt. And just because she did that...just because she chose me...you look at every negative thing like it is the end of the world. Have Kathryn and I had problems? Yes. Are we any different than any other couple? No. And we were working through them. We were trying fix what was broken," Danny said in exasperation.
"Can't you understand why I'm suspicious? She used to tell me everything...everything. And then she met you. And she stopped talking to me. She gets pregnant but you don't marry her. She barely tells me anything about you, and then all of the sudden you are back in her life and you're raising Michael together. Then out of the blue you get married, and I don't find out until weeks later. The daughter I used to know wouldn't be able to keep that from me. You changed her. Then I find out that you have a nephew...when you told me yourself that you didn't have any family. So how do you have a nephew? And who is his mother? Why was my daughter so threathened by her? I wouldn't ask you any of this...but I want to know what happened to my little girl...so I think I have the right to know," Maggie responded as she started to break down.
While Danny was still angry at all the questions, he started to soften when Maggie started to cry. "I had a brother...a very mess-up brother. He died shortly after I met Kathryn. I've continued to stay in touch with his son. Sylvia, his mother, was here that day...when Kathryn and I fought. But I swear I wasn't cheating on her. Kathryn knew that."
"She didn't seem to know it last Sunday."
As Danny and Maggie argued in the apartment, Vivian was talking to Mrs. Kopeckie, their next door neighbor. As she let Vivian into her apartment, she asked, "So something's happened to Kathryn?"
Vivian looked at her suspiciously. "I didn't say that. I just said I was investigating something in the building. How did you know that?"
"I've heard Danny on the phone all day. Oh...it's horrible. They are such a beautiful couple with that gorgeous little boy. I was so happy when they finally married. You hate to see a two people like that live in sin. And Danny...he's such a good man. He always helps me with my groceries. And he's never too busy to stop for a kind word. Kathryn...she's a sweety, too. Those two...they had a good thing."
Vivian smiled slightly as she realized she clearly found the busybody of the building. Mrs. Kopeckie's last statement intrigued her. "They had a good thing. What do you mean by that...and how did you know that Danny was on the phone all day?"
Mrs. Kopeckie gave Viv an embarrassed smile. "Well, I shouldn't say this...and I swear I've been meaning to tell the super about it," she said as she lead Viv back to her bedroom and opened the closet door. "You see that vent down there? Well, I think the drywall has rotted away. I can hear just about everything that goes on over there in their bedroom."
Viv gave her a slightly disgusted look. "How long have you lived next door to them?"
"Well Kathryn's lived there for five years, but I didn't really start to hear a whole lot until after she met Danny. She didn't really bring guys into her bedroom until him. She's a good girl like that."
"You've been meaning to tell the super for five years?"
"Hey...I'm just a lonely 72 year old woman. Their life is much more entertaining than mine."
Vivian just shook her head. "What did you mean that they had a good thing?"
"Well even before they were married, they were a sweet couple. Even when she tried dating what's his name, I knew she would end up with Danny. You just can't let someone like him get away. He's easy on the eyes...and on the heart if you know what I mean. Anyway...they were happy as clams, and then a couple of months ago...the fighting started. I couldn't really hear exactly what they were saying...although I'm pretty sure she thought he was stepping out on her. I don't think Danny would do such a thing, but what do I know. All I know is that all I used to hear out of the vent was the sound of...well...let's just say they had a very healthy relationship...and then all of a sudden...I stop hearing that, and instead there is silence and then fighting, silence and then fighting. So sad, really," Mrs. Kopeckie said as she folded her arms.
"Did you see or hear Kathryn today?"
"I heard her on the phone this morning around 9:30...I know because I was halfway through Regis and Kelly. Anyway, she said something about finding a job...or seeing about a job. That she had to reengage in life, and stop feeling so sorry for herself. That's about it...and I just remembered...last night...I finally heard them laugh again. It was late, and I was surprised to hear it. But I heard the distinct sound of Kathryn's giggle. It was cute. I thought maybe they finally patched things up...but I didn't hear anything else...you know like..."
Vivian interrupted. "I got it. Thanks for your time, Mrs. Kopeckie."
Vivian checked a few more apartments and then headed back in to Danny's apartment. When she entered, she noticed Maggie crying, and Danny pacing around angrily. "What's going on? Did you hear something?" she asked.
Danny replied, "No...nothing. Maggie just thinks that I must be responsible for this in some way."
"Nothing bad ever happened to her until she met you, Danny."
"I wasn't responsible for the Hanes thing, Maggie. That wasn't my fault. I didn't cause the miscarriage...and neither did she. Maybe if you didn't raise her in such a sheltered existence she would have been more prepared to handle things. Instead, she fell a part."
"So now, it's my fault," Maggie responded.
Vivian quickly intervened. "It's no one's fault. Look...we have to work together if we are going to find her. Maggie...Danny and I have to go over a few things. Why don't you go lie down for a few minutes. It's late and you must be exhausted."
Maggie just nodded and walked back to the bedroom.
"She is unbelievable. I think in the back of her mind, she actually thinks I could have done something to Kathryn. She's never understood our relationship."
"Well you didn't exactly take a traditional route to marriage. You know what it's like to have a child now. You would do anything to keep him safe. You worry about him all the time. Those feelings don't go away as they get older...you just have to learn to control them. Some parents are better at it than others."
Danny just nodded. He appreciated Viv's calming influence on him. Before she returned, he was about to storm out of the apartment, and that wouldn't have helped anyone. As he continued to calm down, he asked, "Anything from the neighbors?"
"No one saw her this morning. But, you need to call your super about Mrs. Kopeckie. There's a gaping hole in the vent in her bedroom closet. Let's just say she hears things that are none of her business," Viv replied with a knowing glance. "She heard Kathryn on the phone this morning. She was talking to someone about seeing about a job...maybe the job at her father's company? She mentioned wanting to reengage in life, and stop feeling sorry for herself."
"Well that would make sense since she ended up at her dad's office. But I don't know who she was talking to...I called her friends earlier...no one heard from her."
"I'll call Martin. He was running your phone records. We'll find that out easy enough. There's one more thing I need to asked you about."
"Let me guess...you want to know if I had an affair as well?" he asked in an annoyed tone.
"No...I know you are not cheating on your wife. I may not know that much about your personal life, but I know that you wouldn't do that -- especially when your wife was going through one of the most difficult things a woman can experience...losing a child. Your heart wouldn't let you hurt her like that. I know that like I know the back of my hand," Vivian said sincerely.
Danny was taken aback by Vivian's belief in him. "Thank you. You're the first person who hasn't questioned my faithfulness."
Vivian just smiled and said, "But I do need to know who the woman is, and why Kathryn would think that."
"Sylvia Marquez. Her son is Nicky Alvarez...my brother's son. Jack can fill you in on him...if you need to know. He and I weren't very close. After he died, I help them when I could. Kathryn saw us together one day back when we were still dating. I hadn't told her anything about my past...so she felt betrayed. I finally came clean with her...and I kept in touch with them, mostly for Nicky's sake. But, Sylvia...she always wanted more from me, and I think Kathryn sensed that."
"We are going to have to question Sylvia Marquez," Viv said solemnly.
"I know."
"OK...why don't you get some coffee...since I know you won't sleep. I'm going to call all this in to Jack, and I'll see what progress they've made," she said as she smiled reassuringly.