"Yeah. She was driving me crazy, and there's really nothing she can do here for me. I'm not in any danger when I'm in this building, right?"
"Right. You're pretty safe here."
Kelly nodded and returned Samantha's smile. "I...um...I finished reviewing these lists. I can't find anything else that looks familiar. But it all seems like a lifetime ago and I was a different person back then, so I'm afraid I don't remember much."
"Agent Fitzgerald and Danny are checking out the computer guy. It's the best lead we've had in three years. It's probably going to take them a while. If you want to, you could go home. We could assign you police protection until we get this sorted out."
"Already done. My father has a armed bodyguard waiting downstairs to escort me back to my apartment. Right after I got back three years ago, I felt positively smothered by all the protection. But now knowing that he's taken someone else, I feel so scared...you know?"
"I can't imagine. You've been through so much. You're very strong, Kelly. I...um...," Samantha started, but hesitated.
"What?" Kelly asked.
"Nothing. It's none of my business. I just hope that being around Danny isn't making all of this even harder for you," Samantha replied regretting it as soon as the words left her mouth.
"Harder for me? I think it is actually the other way around. I think I'm making this harder for him. Has he told you..."
"No. He hasn't told me anything. I just noticed that you could barely look at him this morning. And then I spoke to your mother..."
"My mother doesn't know anything about the nature of my relationship with Danny. The truth is, she just couldn't face that her perfect little girl had a very big problem. It was much easier for her to blame Danny. As for this morning, I was just surprised to see him after all this time. I thought that I was over him, but seeing him again...it was just harder than I thought it would be."
"I'm concerned that he may have taken advantage of you during a really vulnerable time. That's something that we should never do as agents who swear to protect people."
"Take advantage? Danny could never take advantage of me, Samantha. He just tried to help me."
"You two seemed close when he was interviewing you earlier. I thought I saw something there, and you admit to having feelings for him. I could see where it would be easy to fall for someone that saved you...that was there for you...especially a man like Danny. And if he acted on the feelings that you have for him..."
Kelly interrupted Samantha sharply wanting to set the record straight. "Samantha...yes...I fell in love him. And...yes...I wanted to be with him. But he never lead me on. He never took advantage of me. He didn't seduce me. Danny wouldn't do that...believe me. I was the one who wanted to live happily ever after with him, but he told me that it could never happen. That's what hurt me."
Samantha sat back and rubbed her eyes. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She assumed the worst in Danny, and it would probably cost her his trust and friendship. "I'm sorry. I...um...I guess I just assumed.... I'm sorry. This is really none of my business. When I saw the way Danny was acting earlier...I thought he felt guilty about something. And then I asked him about you and he wouldn't give me a straight answer."
Kelly nodded. "That's because of my problem. After he found me, he came to see me in the hospital. He told me to call him if I ever felt like drowning my sorrows and fear in alcohol or drugs. He encouraged me to get help for my problem. See at the time, I didn't really think I was an addict. I just thought I was someone who liked to have a good time. Cut to six months after I was taken, and I was back to my wild ways. I ended up at this party and I was drunk. I think I became little paranoid because I got really scared. So I found his card and called him from the party at one in the morning. He was there within a half hour. He took me to an AA meeting the very next day. He didn't want to tell you because it would have broken that code of anonymity in AA. Come to think of it...I probably shouldn't be telling you about him either..."
"It's OK. I know Danny goes to AA," Samantha responded as she felt worse and worse about her fight with Danny as Kelly explained the nature of their relationship. "Listen...thank you for telling me this. I'm glad that he was there for you."
"So am I," Kelly said quietly as she stood up. "I think I will head home. I'm really tired. But you'll call me as soon as you hear anything?"
"Yes. Of course," Samantha replied. "Let me walk you downstairs."
Samantha escorted Kelly to her car, and then returned to the office to await news from Martin and Danny.
In the meantime, Martin and Danny waited outside the small office of Raynor Computer Services in Brooklyn. They were waiting for a call from Jack before they went in to question anyone.
"Jack better hurry. This place closes at 8 p.m., and it's ten til now," Danny said impatiently. It had already been a long day, and it would a long night for all of them if this lead didn't pan out.
Just as Danny checked his watch again, Martin's cell phone rang. "Fitgerald," he answered quickly.
"Travis Raynor is looking more and more like our guy. Samantha is sending a picture of him to Danny's phone right now. He left the country three years ago. Two days after we found Kelly Carmichael. His brother ran the company while he was gone. He spent two and a half years in Canada doing consulting work for different companies. We didn't find any missing persons cases with his MO in Canada, so it looks like he just took a break. Then three months ago, he came back to town."
"Does he have a record?" Martin asked as Danny looked at the picture of Travis Raynor that just appeared on his phone.
"As a matter of fact, he served six months for assaulting his girlfriend seven years ago. And an ex-wife has a restraining order against him. Sam's tracking both of them down now. But other than that, he's clean. He's even a youth minister at the church he attends," Jack answered.
"Sounds like a swell guy," Martin replied. "How do you want us to play this?"
"Follow him. According to our records, he's living with his brother right there in Brooklyn. If he goes straight there from work, then we'll question him there."
"Got it," Martin replied. "We'll keep you posted." Martin closed his phone and turned to Danny. "Jack wants us to follow him."
"That's good...because here he comes. He's headed toward the subway. I'll follow him on foot, and call you to let you know where we are headed," Danny said as he watched Travis Raynor walk out of the office. Danny jumped out of the car and jogged across the street to catch up with Raynor. Martin didn't have time to respond to Danny. He just slid over to the driver's seat and waited for Danny's call.
Danny followed Raynor down to the subway platform. He called Martin while standing more than 10 feet behind Raynor waiting for the train. "We're heading towards Queens, I think," Danny said as soon as Martin answered.
"Well then he's definitely not going home. Jack said that he lives with his brother in Brooklyn. And thanks for the notice. I'm glad we discussed what our plan would be before you just hopped out of the car."
Danny laughed as he saw the train approach. "Sorry, man...there was no time. Look...just head toward Queens and I'll call you as soon as we stop. I'm getting on the train now."
Danny stepped on the train just as the doors closed and observed Travis Raynor. He was sitting across the aisle from Danny reading a newspaper. Raynor was younger than Danny thought he would be. There was something non-threatening about him. Danny noticed that he wore a wooden cross around his neck and a "Jesus Saves" patch on the shoulder of his jacket.
After a few stops, Raynor stepped off the train and Danny followed. As Danny walked up the stairs, he dialed Martin. "OK...we are at 118th and Grand. Are you close?"
"Uh...about 15 minutes away. Just stay on him, and don't do anything. I just talked to Jack, and he wasn't crazy about the idea of you following him alone."
"What were we supposed to do? Both follow him? That would have worked," Danny answered sarcastically. "I at least blend a little...you have FBI written all over you."
"Thanks. I didn't ask your opinion. Just keep your distance. I am on my way," Martin replied in an annoyed tone and hung up the phone.
Raynor lead Danny down a fairly busy sidewalk which made it easier for him get lost in the crowd. But then Raynor turned down a sidestreet, so Danny had to keep a further distance. Then Danny watched as Raynor entered a small one-story house. Danny quickly dialed Martin. "Where are you, man? He entered a house on 122nd."
"Stuck in traffic. I'll be there in ten minutes."
"What if she's in there, Martin? I need to go in there now."
"Danny...just wait. If she's not there, and we spook him...we may never find her."
"Just hurry," Danny said before he closed his phone and walked up to the door of the small house. He noticed that the lights weren't on even though Raynor just entered the house. Danny's patience was growing very thin. He silently weighed the value of waiting for backup, and then finally decided that he couldn't wait any longer so he knocked on the door. After knocking three times, the door started to open slightly because it was ajar. He pushed on the door lightly, and it opened easily. He knocked again as he walked in the doorway, and called out, "Mr. Raynor? Mr. Raynor?"
Danny didn't hear anything so he started to walk through the house. There was no furniture in it, and no lights were on. Danny took out a mini-flashlight from his coat pocket and walked from room to room. Then he heard a creaking noise coming from the front of the house so he started to walk back toward the front door. He drew his gun before he rounded the corner. He raised his gun when he heard footsteps coming toward him. He raised his flashlight to light the room and was about to identify himself when he realized it was Martin. They made eye contact as they saw their guns aimed at each other. Martin shot Danny a look that said, "What the hell are you thinking?" But they didn't say anything. They just continued to search the house in silence.
Danny walked to the back of the house to the kitchen. He noticed the back door was also slightly ajar. Before he went outside, he found Martin and motioned for him to follow. They both walked into the backyard and continued searching. Martin found a door to what can only be described as an outdoor cellar. He flashed his light toward Danny to get his attention. When Danny came over, Martin opened the cellar door as Danny raised his gun for cover. Danny started down the stairs of the pitch-black cellar and Martin followed. Just as they got to the bottom of the stairs, they heard a door open inside the cellar. Danny raised his gun and light toward the sound and shouted, "Freeze! FBI!"