Notes: Thanks again for the reviews. They mean the world to me. We are nearing a close to this series. I will probably have it wrapped up in 9 chapters.

With just a few quick strides, Danny had his hands on Eric shoulders as he pulled him away from Katie. "Get the hell away from her…" Danny yelled.

Eric tried to struggle out of his grasp, but Danny spun him around and slammed him into the wall with his forearm. He kept him pinned there as Katie backed away from them in tears. "You'll pay for this, Taylor. I'll have you brought up on brutality charges before you can blink. Now let me go so I can take my wife home."

Danny gave him a sinister grin. "You'll bring me up on charges? How about violating a restraining order? I'll arrest you right now, you arrogant prick."

As the two men were staring each other down, Martin noticed the altercation from the hallway and entered the room quickly. He grabbed Danny's shoulder. "Danny…let him go."

But Danny just shrugged Martin off and pushed Eric into the wall again. "I got it, Martin. Mrs. Mathews has a restraining order against her bastard of a husband. I'mjust enforcing it."

Martin backed off uneasily.

Eric laughed. "Go ahead. I'll be out in less than an hour. But I'm betting I can make your career suffer for longer than that."

"You think…" Danny replied with a strained smile.

"Try me. I'll ruin your life and your career with what I have on you. I have nothing to lose anymore," Eric said as he glanced at Katie.

"Danny…Danny…let him go. He's not worth it," Katie cried.

"She's right. Let him go. We have to interview him again."

Danny finally let him go with a violent shrug and then backed away. "I wouldn't go too far if were you. You're the best suspect in this investigation."

"I have nothing to hide, Taylor. I told your boss that. I admit to sleeping with Tracey. When my wife suddenly became a frigid bitch, there was only so much I could do," he said as he looked at Katie with disgust. "Especially when she used to be so willing…you remember what she was like…don't you Danny? You screwed her a couple of times when she wanted to see what it was like on the other side of the tracks. She used todo just about anything to get off…"

Katie looked down in embarrassment as Danny lunged at Eric again, but Martin intervened in time and pulled him away. "He's not worth it, Danny. Come on. Why don't you take Mrs. Mathews down to the interrogation room. Viv said that her mother is pretty shaken up. I'll escort Mr. Mathews to Jack's office."

"What the…" Eric started.

Martin interrupted as he let go of Danny. "Apparently, we've discovered your penchant for making home movies, so we have a few more questions for you, but don't worry…your lawyer is welcome to be there."

Eric looked down and shook his head.

"Stay away from her, Mathews. I don't care what you have on me. You're not going near her again," Danny stated as guided Katie out of the waiting room.

When they entered the stairwell to go down to the interrogation room, Danny stopped and turned Katie to face him. "Are you okay?"

She nodded but still slightly shook with emotion. "I just…I just want this to be over. I want him out of my life. I want to get away from my family…and I just have to get out of here."

Danny nodded with concern as he stroked her arms reassuringly. "It's almost over. And I promise…he won't come near you again. I won't let that happen."

Katie looked up into his dark eyes and felt a sense of calm wash over her. She took a step forward and put her hands against his chest to feel his warmth. Danny's hands slid to the small of her back to pull her closer.With their eyes locked on each other and their hearts racing, they stood in silence. And then Danny bent down slightly…their lips almost touching. He felt her breathing intensify, but before anything happened he heard a door slam and someone coming down the stairs, so he quickly pulled away.

He nodded to the agent passing them in the stairwell, as Katie took a moment to catch her breath. In that moment, all Katie could think about were the nights they spent together in her bedroom and at his apartment. Their stolen moment in the stairwell was closest thing she'd felt to the excitement and passion of their encounters back then.

"We should find you mother," Danny finally said breaking the silence.

"Yeah…" was all Katie could say in response as he guided her down the stairs.

As they walked toward the interrogation room, Katie asked, "What did that man mean when he referred to Eric's 'home movies'?

Danny stopped walking and sighed heavily. "It's a part of the investigation. I probably shouldn't tell you…"

"Tell me what? What home movies? What does it have to do with finding Tracey?"

Danny figured that Vivian already confronted Mrs. Mason with the video and that's why she was so upset, so he didn't see the harm in telling Katie. "Eric and Tracey…they set your father up. There's a video of Tracey and your father…"

"I don't believe it. I can't imagine…"

"Look I don't know much more about it. I haven't seen it. But I know it exists and I'm pretty sure Eric was blackmailing your father."

"That's why Eric still has a job…"

"Exactly. I knew that didn't seem right. You're father doesn't always go about it in the right way, but he always seems to want to protect you."

She looked up at Danny quickly. "Does my mother know?"

"Probably."

Katie sighed. "Where is she?"

Danny showed her to the interrogation room window. Katie's mother and her attorney were sitting in the room. Her mother sobbed uncontrollably. Vivian walked out of the room just as Danny and Katie were watching from the window.

"Mrs. Mathews…your mother…I think she needs you," Vivian said quietly. And then Katie gave Danny one last look before she turned the corner and entered the room.

Vivian and Danny watched as Mrs. Mason collapsed in Katie's arms. "I guess Mrs. Mason didn't take the news too well," Danny said as he glanced in Vivian's direction.

"It was strange, though. She didn't seem as surprised as I though she would. She seemed more embarrassed and bothered that we found it…and that it would become public knowledge."

"Hmm…" Danny smirked. "Maybe she knew…"

"Maybe…but she stopped talking once her lawyer showed, and she didn't say much before he got here. Apparently, Mr. Mason called the lawyer when he found out she was here."

"Makes sense. I guess," Danny replied and then he turned to Vivian. "I'm sorry about earlier. You were right. And I talked to Jack. I told him…pretty much everything, and I think he understands."

Vivian nodded as she turned to meet Danny's gaze with a small smile. "That's good to hear. It's not nearly as fun when you aren't here to work a case."

Danny smiled. "Oh…believe me, I know you miss me. But, I 'm still not working on this case. Jack gave me permission to stay here and help Katie through this."

"She means a lot to you, doesn't she?"

"Yeah…more than I even knew," he replied quietly as he turned back to look at Katie through the window.

Danny and Vivian continued to watch as Katie consoled her mother and spoke to her quietly. Their attorney stepped out to make a phone call. After a few moments, Katie also left the room and met Danny and Vivian in the hallway. "Can I take her home soon?"

"We'll have to wait until Agent Malone finishes his interview with your husband and father. There is a major web of secrets going on here."

"Yeah…um…would you mind if I brought her some tea?" Katie asked hesitantly.

"Sure. I'll show you where it is," Danny said and then turned back to Vivian. "We'll be right back."

Danny took Katie into a small break room and put a dollar into a hot drink machine. As he waited for the tea, Katie sat down at a table and crossed her arms insecurely around her body. "Can I tell you something…can I tell you something as a friend and not as an FBI agent?"

He turned to her after he took the tea out of the machine. "Sure…"

"I think my mother knows…"

Danny hesitated for a moment to process her statement. "What? Your mother knows about Tracey and your father? I thought we knew that."

"No…I think she knows what happened to Tracey."

Danny sat down next her and pulled his chair close to hers. "What? Why would you say that?"

"She wasn't surprised about the video. She knew about it. If she had just found out about it today, she would have beenirate…angry…but she wasn't."

"Viv said the same thing."

"My father has or he had a genuine concern or stake in protecting me. It's why he didn't want us together and why he didn't want me to marry Eric. He wanted this idealized version of life for me…or what he thought was best for me. He wanted me to seize every opportunity, and he didn't think I could do that if was with you."

Danny nodded. "How does your mother relate to this?"

"With my mother…it was always about appearances. She didn't want me to be with you because she didn't think it would look right. When I got involved with Eric, she was thrilled, even though my father was angry, because he was our kind of people. With my mother…it's all about appearances. And if anyone does anything to threaten our image…"

"You think she did something to Tracey to protect your family's image?"

"What if Tracey is pregnant? If my mother found that out…I don't know what she would do."

Danny stood up.

"Where are you going?" Katie asked.

"I have to tell the team. We have to interview your mother again and focus the investigation on her."

"You said you would listen as a friend…" she said in a hurt tone as she stood up.

"Time is of the essence here and we can't waste it."

"But if she did do something, then she'll…"

Danny interrupted. "She'll have to pay. And I don't understand why you are protecting her."

"She's my mother…"

"She and your father have done nothing but meddle…and…and…screw up your life. You say you want to get away from them, but now you want to protect them. I don't understand that. Just like I don't understand why you stayed with Eric for so long. Is there some part of you thatgets off onbeing controlled?" he asked in an angry and confused tone.

She slapped him as she started to cry. It was quick and not terribly hard, but she just wanted him stop. She wanted him to stop putting a mirror up to her life. As soon as she did it, she stepped back as if she was scared…scared he would hit her back. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry. I didn't mean…."

Danny saw the fear in her eyes and immediately softened and his hand massaged his jaw. "It's okay. This clearly isn't the time to force you to confront your issues. Look…I have to tell my boss about your mother. I don't have a choice. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you have to go through this, but this isn't about you. It's about Tracey Simon. Think about her for a minute. She got caught up in Eric's web…just like you did. I seriously doubt she wanted to seduce your father. You know what Eric is capable of. You know how cold and hard your father can be. Imagine how scared and confused Tracey is…"

Katie looked down as she wiped away a few tears. "You do whatever you have to do," she said as she picked up the tea.

And then Danny lead her back to the interrogation room. He left an agent with Katie and her mother while he went to inform the team. He found them assembled around the conference table discussing the strategy of getting the Masons and Mathews to talk. As Danny approached them, he said, "I think Viv is on to something. Mrs. Mason wasn't surprised to find out about the video. Katie confirmed that. Eric and Mr. Mason…what do they have to gain by making Tracey disappear? I think the only way Mason would do something to harm Tracey is if she somehow threatened Katie. And if that was the case, why wouldn't he do something to Eric, too? I mean…Eric is really the bad guy here. He's the one who hurt Katie and blackmailed Mason. Mr. Mason gains nothing from making Tracey disappear."

"What about Mathews?" Samantha asked. "He gains something…"

"What?" Danny asked as he took a seat. "What does he really gain? So what if Tracey says that she doesn't want to play his game anymore? He's got the video. He's got Mason right where he wants him. He doesn't need Tracey Simon anymore."

"So you think Mrs. Mason has the most to lose?" Martin asked.

"Yes. Mrs. Mason would do anything to keep her status up. She probably doesn't even care that her husband had an affair. All she cares about is ifpeople find out. And what if Tracey is pregnant? That would be Mrs. Mason's worst nightmare. I can see the headlines now. That would devastate her."

"That's a good theory, but how will we get her to talk? I just spend an hour with her, and all I could get was how unfair we were being," Vivian said in a frustrated tone.

"I'll get my mother to tell me," a voice said from behind them.

They all looked back at Katie who was escorted there by an agent. Danny nodded to the agent that is was okay, and then stood up. "You don't have to…"

"She'll tell me. If she did something to Tracey, she'll tell me," Katie said stoically.