Author's Note: Hopefully this chapter is a little easier to follow…enjoy! A/T at the bottom

"That was strange," Mort muttered to himself. He was in his little garden, picking some corn. His little pup was wondering around, still without a name, seemingly interested with the maze of corn around him.

That shouldn't happen again.

"It won't. When will I see her? Never. I don't even know why she came up here."

You told her to call you 'Mort'.

"She was attractive."

The puppy at his feet yipped and then growled. Mort looked down to see him digging in the ground. "Hey! No! Bad idea!" Mort said, picking him up. "No digging in my garden."

You call this a garden?

"You like Corn?" Mort asked the little puppy, bringing him inside through the backdoor. He let him down and the puppy ran into the kitchen and hopped onto a chair; he seemed to know what Mort was going to do. But as he dug out a large pot for him to boil the corn in, Mort remembered the sink. He cursed and stomped his foot.

Looking at his puppy, he said as he sighed, "I'll be right back, Jack. I promise."

Getting home in time for lunch, Katie sat quietly after coming home from the Rainey's. Not knowing really what to say or do, Katie went over mental information the town had given her as her mom rattled on to her dad.

"Things have definitely changed in the Rainey's lives."

"…it's in your best interest if you didn't go up there."

"The Sheriff doesn't like us to be at the lake alone…us as in women…"

"…in the past year we have had a lot of reporters…big time, big shot reporters lookin' for a story to write."

Katie paused. Dave Newsome had implied that there was something to write about up here, and that it had something to do with Mort and Amy. Katie quickly finished her lunch and went to her room. Her friend up in New York would have some kind of access to this, wouldn't she?

"New York Times, this is Melanie."

"Mel!"

"Kate?"

"Yup!"

"What are you doing?! How's the vacation?"

Katie smiled, "it's great, but I was wondering if you could look something up for me in our database."

"Uhm, sure. What for?"

"My own interest…but can you look for anything involving Tashmore Lake that's happened in the past year?"

Melanie said something incomprehensible that Katie could only guess was a yes, and then there was a pause as Melanie went to work. Katie heard the clackity-clack of the keys and like clicking of the mouse and patiently waited and hoped.

"Yeah! Here it is, something in Opinion…late last November. Do you want me to fax it to you?"

Katie paused, my parents have a fax machine… "Yea…" she said slowly, "Do that…It's my parents, so let me give you the number," Katie rattled off the number and Melanie answered, "Okay. Is that it?"

"Yep. I guess then I'll see you later."

"Take care."

"Bye." Katie hung up and quickly went into her parents office and awaited the information coming to her.

She was a storm to be reckoned with and it was written all over her face. As she busted into the building, people darted out of her way as she made a beeline for the counter. Angry and red in the face, Katie slammed her hand down on the mail room counter, with a neatly printed article underneath it.

Juliet looked up from her book at her, "Something amiss?"

Not even bothering to acknowledge the question, Katie went on with her own, "Why didn't you just tell me the truth?! Instead, I have to read it in the paper, granting that what I read was even the truth!"

Juliet paused and put her book down, "You found that article, didn't you?"

"You bet I did!" Sliding the paper towards her friend.

Juliet glanced down at the black and white picture of the town of Tashmore Lake and then looked back up at Katie, "I've seen this article more than once, Kate. What do you want me to say?"

Katie lowered her voice, "Please tell me that quote from my parents, your parents, you, the Sheriff and the New York Police is…wrong. That they misprinted Morton and Amy's name…that they got the wrong picture…the wrong town…"

Juliet sighed, "You work at the New York Times, Kate. You really think they would lie about something like this? That they would make this big of a mistake? I'm surprised you hadn't heard about it earlier."

Stepping back slightly, she shook her head, "I can't believe that story."

"Katie, you've read his stories!" Juliet said desperately, "You've read, Secret Window!"

"Sane people don't do things like that!"

"Who said he was sane? You haven't seen him in years, Katie. He's not the same person!"

Katie shook her head, "It's not true. I can't be." And taking the story, she quickly left the post office.

"How can you allow them to print something like this?!"

Dave Newsome sighed, the next person to receive Katie's wrath on the article about Mort Rainey. "Katie, isn't this supposed to be a vacation for you? Relax, and let me handle this."

Katie picked up the article and started to read from it, " 'Clearly the split from his wife has caused Rainey to do these heinous crimes. There's no other excuse for it.'" Katie paused and put down the paper, "You brought up a psychiatrist to analyze his actions, which you don't even know that for sure happened!"

"Did you read that article, Katie?" he asked, standing up, "He is the only link to those four murders! What else are we supposed to think?"

"It's a whim! Has there even been an investigation?

"Of course there has! And we're still looking! Now, I'd advice you to keep your-"

Dave was quickly cut off when someone entered the room. Katie quickly turned around and moved the papers behind her back, a bit surprised to see the person.

"Mort!" Dave said, surprised himself.

Mort paused, looking at the two and figuring his keys, "I, uh, was wondering if it was okay to come into town. I need my sink fixed."

"I can fix it," Katie said abruptly.

Mort glanced at her. She's here. She can't come fix your sink. "I wouldn't want to impose…"

"No really, I can…no problem. I used to be a plumber...kinda"

Dave stalled, "Katie, you can't…we have to finish our conversation."

Do NOT let her come up there with you. "I was thinking more along the lines of a professional…I mean, I have a well…and…it's hard to explain."

Dave smiled, "You don't have any experience of wells, do you? Down in New York City."

Katie paused, getting the feeling she wasn't wanted or wanted supposed to go up to that cabin. "Not a whole lot…no…"

Mort paused, it would be nice to have her do it…

No. She cannot do it. Just leave her alone.

"Right. So…New London doesn't really have any plumbers…"

Dave smiled, "Of course Mort, do you mind if I go with you?"

Repressing a sneer, Mort nodded, "Sure."

Dave turned, "We'll have to finish our conversation later, Katie."

"I'll make sure we do, Sheriff."

"You're home!"

Katie grunted, entering her parent's house. They were sitting in the living room, watching t.v., "Don't talk to me."

She heard her father clearing her throat and she thought it best to clarify. Throwing down the article on the coffee table she said, pointing to it, "Why can you tell reporters everything you think about this, but you can't tell your own daughter?! I gave you plenty of opportunities when I'm sure you went out and found those snakes."

Her mother paused, "Where did you find that?"

"How long did you think I would go on with everyone in this town?! They will talk about anything and everything, but ask about one of it's inhabitants, and they go dead silent. And most the stuff in this article is stupid opinions of scared townsfolk!"

"Why have you found the need to make him our life mission all of the sudden?" her father asked.

"Because he's a human being! Not a piece of meat to feed to New York Dobermans or a piece of trash that's thrown around. This town does not have ONE solid fact about Mort."

"How would you know that? Have you talked to the people in this town? Have you talked to Dave Newsome?" Her mother asked.

"Have you talked to Mort Rainey?" The two parents went quite and Katie nodded, "How could you turn your back so quickly? You were friends with him…"

"He murdered his wife, Katie. We're no friends to murders."

Katie shook her head, leaving the room. She had another phone call to make.

"I want you to stay away from her Mort, and that goes for every other woman in this town. Understand?"

Mort took in a deep breath and looked over the railing again. The Sheriff was still down there, with the door wide open and the plumber was still working on his sink. Doesn't he know it's the middle of fall? It's cold outside, he thought to himself as he sat back down. Dave's words from leaving the Sheriff's office still echoed in his mind as he sat in front of his computer.

The phone rang suddenly and Mort jumped a little, along with Jack who was across the room in his new favorite chair. "You want me to get that Mort?" Dave called from down stairs.

Now he suddenly wished he had a phone up here. But knowing he had gotten an answering machine, he said, "No, no that's quite alright," He heard Dave sigh. Flippantly, Mort flipped him off and then sighed himself.

Rotating his neck around, he tried to think of something to write. Currently working on his book that should be ready for publishing in a couple months. If he could only get the juices flowing.

He scrolled down and reread his ending again. Smiling, he knew that was the perfect element of the story. Unfortunately the middle hadn't come that easy. He needed problems and dilemmas for the his main character. Scrolling back up, Mort read about a paragraph to where he had been stuck. Muttering so the Sheriff couldn't hear he went on, "Greg couldn't understand why she hadn't responded to the constant hints and tips he had been giving her for the past two days. But as she rattled on and on about what she need for her new wardrobe, she didn't seem the least bit scared or frightened, and she seemed unaware and unfazed by how little attention her lover was giving her now. But soon, his attention would be all of hers."

Mort sighed, "That last sentence is no good…" he paused. Erase the whole thing. The whole story. Narrowing his eyes, he carefully highlighted the last sentence and erased it. Maybe I should rename my female character.

Don't Mort.

Katie is a nice name.

Mort Don't. The name you have now is fine. It fits her.

Mort rubbed his hands together, focusing on the screen. Jennifer…to Katie…

Stay with Jennifer. It's the best plan.

Jolting him out of his thoughts came the sheriff's voice coming up the stairs. "He's done. We're gonna go."

"It doesn't leak? Mort said, getting up. He was hungry for corn.

"Nope," came from the handyman from down stairs.

Mort smiled, "Thanks." He nodded and then left with the sheriff. Glad to have them out of his house, he shut the door and locked it. Then going into the kitchen, picking up the pan he had originally picked out, filled it and started to boil some water.

Author Thanks:

Punkdpirate

A Depp Girl

Lordoftheringsfanficreader: Yea…the dog thing…I was mixed on what the dog should be, and first it was a male, and then a female and then back to a male. So I had to go back and change a lot of things…obviously I didn't catch that one. Oh well.

Dawnie-7

Erm, I can't remember if I did an AT last time…if I didn't, thanks for those of you who reviewed and sorry!