Chapter Fourteen

Delinda walked back inside her father's house and stopped when she saw him looking out the window, his eyes distant. "Daddy?" She said softly as she walked up behind him.

"I was just thinking," he said softly, "about your mother."

The woman nodded quietly, "I know," she said, "I was outside thinking about her too." Sighing deeply, Delinda walked over and hugged her father, "We are going to find her, Daddy. Luis has all of his top men on it."

Ed hugged his daughter back as he swallowed the lump in his throat. Fearing his emotions would betray him, he gently pushed her away from him as he walked into his den and closed the door behind him.

Watching her father wordlessly, the woman sighed as she felt tears fall down her face. Sighing, she ran a shaky hand through her hair and turned to walk into the living room, stopping when she saw Sam standing in the doorway.

"I can't reach him," she said quietly.

Delinda regarded the woman quietly, "Nobody can," she told her friend, "There was only one person who could reach him when he got like this."

"Delinda," Sam said as she crossed the room and looked at her, "I need to know what your mom did. I need to know her secrets."

The other woman simply looked at her, her voice was flat, "You want me to tell you what my mother did in order to get through to my father," she said. Shaking her head, she said, "Why?"

"I need to know," Marquez stated simply.

Shaking her head, Delinda said, "No, Sam. If my father has closed the door to his heart, you have to find a way to get the keys yourself. What my parents shared can't be duplicated. Just because my mother is dead doesn't mean that you can automatically assume the place in his heart."

Sam watched as she headed out of the room, "Delinda, please, I'm asking for your help."

Clenching her hands into fists at her side, Delinda turned around and looked at her, "You have the keys to his house, Sam, it's up to you to get the keys to his heart. I'm not going to help you, I'm sorry."

"Don't you want him to be happy?"

"With you?" She shook her head, "No." Upon the look on Sam's face, the woman continued, "My father doesn't need the added stress in his life, Sam, I'm sorry. I want him to be happy, of course I do. I love him, he's my father. He's the last link that I have in this world, but, he doesn't need this. He doesn't need to worry about a child, and he doesn't need you." Casting a look at her, the woman walked out of the room, leaving Sam alone with her thoughts.

Jack turned the key in the ignition and pulled back out on the road, feeling a sense of renewal. Amplified by his vivid memories of days gone by, Keller drove, his foot pressing the gas pedal to the hilt, to the nearest fast food place he came to and then he drove home.

Parking his car by the curb, Jack took the keys out and dropped them in his pocket and grabbed the bags of food and got out. Once he got inside, he was jolted at the stillness which met him. Seeing Luis Perez walk into the foyer, Jack looked at him, "Where is everybody?"

Detective Perez ran a hand through his thick hair, "Ed's holed up in his office, Delinda is in the kitchen having some tea and Sam is floating around here somewhere."

Blinking in surprise, Jack glanced over Luis' shoulder and looked into the dining room where Perez's team was sprawled out on the dining room table, "Anything?"

Shaking his head sadly, Luis sighed, "No."

Jack nodded as he gripped the man's shoulder and headed towards Ed's home office. Knocking on the door, Keller gripped the doorknob and turned it and walked inside and looked at his friend, "I got some burgers and fries out there, Eddie, if you want something."

Ed shook his head mutely as he gently swirled the glass of scotch he had in his hand. Watching the movements of his friend, Keller tried to lighten things up a bit, "You swirl wine, Ed, not scotch."

Turning to glare at his former partner, Ed asked, "What do you want?"

"To help," Jack said, as he walked further into the room. "I want to make sure that you guys get what you deserve."

"Which is?" Deline questioned.

Shrugging a shoulder, Keller answered, "Peace of mind."

Ed sighed as he turned his back and looked back out the window. "Just when I think I get my life back on track," he started, "some asshole sticks his foot out and trips me."

"Ed," Jack said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, "When was the last time you ate something? Come on, man, have a burger, I even got some onion rings. You and Sam, you guys need to eat. There's plenty of food for Luis' guys too."

"I wonder what they are doing to her," Ed said blankly. "I wonder if they've smacked her around yet... they've probably screamed at her by now... I wonder if they've..." he stopped abruptly.

"Don't say it," his friend warned.

"Why not?" Ed snapped as he began to pace the room like a caged animal, "I'm sure as hell thinking it."

"Well don't," Keller said, watching him. "Ed, you gotta think positive."

"Positive?" Deline stopped walking and looked at him, "What the hell is positive about this?"

"She isn't dead." Jack said.

Enraged at the possibility, Ed threw the glass against the wall, "Fuck you!" he screamed at Keller and began to pace some more. "You have no damn idea what I'm going through, Jack, not one clue."

"I never said that I did, Ed." The other man said.

Sighing deeply, Deline leaned against the wall, his back turned to his friend. As he was about to speak, the phone rang. Seconds after the first ring, Luis Perez busted into Ed's office. "Ed," he said, "come on. It could be them."

Sprinting out of the office behind the detective, Ed raced into the dining room, half surprised to find Sam and Delinda already there. Luis stood next to Ed, "Listen for anything and everything, cars... trains... airplanes... see if you can find out if they are in a neighborhood," he quickly looked at one of the officers, "Do you have the tap set up yet?"

"Almost," the young officer said as he quickly finished up.

"Get her back, Ed," Luis said, "get her back, that's all that matters."

"We're ready!"

"Get her back," Luis whispered as he handed the phone to Ed.

Taking a deep breath, Ed pushed the button to turn the phone on, "Yeah?"

"Mr. Deline."

Sam flinched at the gravelly voice, which was obviously being disguised, that filtered through the room.

"What is it?"

"Are you ready to meet our demands?" The voice asked.

As Ed spoke on the phone, Jack Keller slowly made his way in and watched, immediately knowing who was on the phone.

"What do you want?" Ed demanded.

"How is the linguist doing with my accent?" The voice asked, "Luis Perez standing right there?"

"Hey, what do you think I am?" Deline asked, "An idiot? There's nobody here."

"Alright," the voice said, "Here's what we want. We want three million dollars in small, unmarked bills. You are to take the money to the Pharaoh's Feast at the Luxor. Once you get inside, there is a gold trash receptacle which will have a duffel bag stuffed in it. Take the bag and leave. Leave the hotel through the service exit and then you'll spot a 1972 midnight blue Impala with a broken headlight. Keys will be inside the bag. Use the car and drive to the Durango Hills Community Center. Go inside the community center and go to the mens' showers and you'll hear a cell phone ringing in one of the lockers. You have sixty minutes."

"Okay," Ed said, "I just need you to repeat everything so I can be sure."

"Sixty minutes." The voice said.

"To do what?" Deline asked, panicked, "To get to the bank and get the money, to get to the community center?"

Deline's questions were unheard and he was met with the sound of a dial tone. Slamming his hand down in frustration, he said, "Shit!" Standing up, he quickly ran a hand through his hair.

"Be quick," Luis instructed.

"I know," Ed said. Looking around, he didn't spot Sam, "Tell her I've gone to do this and I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Don't worry," Perez assured him, "I'll make sure she finds out, just go."

Grabbing his car keys, Deline dashed out of the house.

Ritchie Phillips dropped the phone on the table. "It's done," he said to Karla who nodded.

"Good," she said. "I would love to see the look on Ed's face right now."

Laughing, Phillips nodded his head in agreement as the two headed out to the car, leaving Jasmine by herself.