Chapter 10

As time passed Tom continued to hold his partner in his arms until her crying subsided and she became silent. When he determined that she was asleep he leaned her back against the pillows. Her eyes were red from crying and he gently wiped the tear stains away from her cheeks before his hands fell away.

"I love you," Tom said as he leaned down to kiss her cheek. "I love you Diana." He then moved up to plant a kiss on her forehead before she got up and left.

While exiting the hospital room he ran into Dana who was carrying a duffle bag.

"Tom!" Dana exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"The hospital called and said that Diana was awake," Tom said. "I came by to see her." Tom sighed. "Dana, we know who shot her, for sure, but it looks like he's skipped town, with Maia. We went into his house and um…it looks like he was obsessed with Diana."

"Obsessed?" Dana asked. "How do you mean."

"A shrine…with photos, videos, articles…things to that nature. We're sending by a uniform to make sure that she's safe."

"Thank you," Dana said weakly.

"What's in the bag?" Tom asked.

"I just bought some of Diana's cloths by," Dana said. "But I found a photo on her nightstand that I thought she would want to have with her." Dana rummaged in the bag and pulled out a frame. "Is this Maia?"

Tom took the frame and looked at the image inside it. The two women were both dressed in bright colors with their hair down. Their mouths were open as if they had each released a deep belly laugh. Diana had her head on Maia's shoulder making it so that their faces were at the same level. "Yeah, that's Maia."

"They look so happy," Dana said. "I hope you find her."

"Me too," Tom said.

Tom pulled up to Lindell's house later that day. He got out his car and walked towards the house hoping that he would find something that would allow them to find Maia's location. Ryland met him on the front lawn.

"What did you find?" Tom asked.

"Many Stouffer's dinners," Ryland said. "Lindell obviously didn't get out much."

"Really?" Tom said. "Did he have a computer?"

"Yeah, I laptop," Ryland said. "I've taken it for evidence purposes. Maybe he had an accomplice that he corresponded with regularly."

"Good theory," Tom said.

"How's Diana doing?"

"She's doing okay. I told her about Lindell and his shrine."

"How did she take it?"

"She cried," Tom said. "She's really upset."

Ryland sighed. "Well let's find this guy so she doesn't have to sulk anymore." They turned towards the house and began to rummage through Lindell's personal affects.

"This looks promising," Tom said as he unearthed a collection of letters. Ryland walked over to Tom as he removed the rubber band and removed the rubber band. He unfolded the letters and looked at the signature. "Yates, Yates, Yates, Collier, Yates, Collier, Yates, Yates, Yates, Yates…"

"That bitch," Dennis cursed. "She's been working with him to plot this all along."

"I thought she was in jail or at least being put on trial."

FLASHBACK

Miss Yates leaves the TV building and is speaking on her mobile phone. "It's been a crazy day. No, my assistant is out, my phone sheet is a mile long, I never got to the end of it. Anyway…"

A man in black grabs Barbara by the shoulder. "Miss Yates, Mr. Ryland would like a word with you."

Barbara climbed in the car that Dennis was sitting in.

"Dennis, what a pleasant surprise. This is a bit theatrical don't you think?"

"Read this," Ryland said handing her an envelope.

"What is it?"

"It's a story, a good one."

"About the 4400?" Barbara asked as she accepted the envelope and removed the papers inside.

"No, its about a TV talking head that was involved in an automobile accident last year. A hit and run actually. The pedestrian she hit died instantly. It was a shame. He was forty years old, the father of three, no wonder she spent so much money covering it up."

"So, are you blackmailing me Dennis, I shut up and this envelope goes away in a volt somewhere?" Barbara asked as she handed the envelope back to Ryland who put it in inside his suit pocket.

"Not good enough Barbara," he began.

"What do you want me to do?"

"It's too late for you to do anything, I gave you the chance and you refused," he lowered the window so that Barbara could see two people conversing outside the limo. "Steve Smzich from the D.A.'s office wants to talk to you. He's going to charge you with vehicular manslaughter, among other things."

"Look, face it," Barbara began. "Shutting me up is not going to make the 4400 disappear from the headlines. And eventually they will cost you your job."

"We'll see. Goodbye Barbara."

END FLASHBACK

"She is," Ryland said. "I can understand how she may have a motive but what about Collier, he's one of the 4400."

"You really think he put that complex up as a community service."

"Get him on the phone," Ryland said. "I want to talk to him. And Yates."

"I want to know why you are sending letters to Walter Lindell?" Ryland questioned Yates as she sat in the interrogation room at the Woman's Correctional Facility.

"The last time I complied with your orders I ended up here," Yates said. "What makes you think that I'd be stupid enough to do it again?"

Ryland slammed the letters down on the table. "These letters Barbara," Ryland said ignoring her statement as he picked up one and read a quotation. "'Don't worry about her caregiver that will take care of itself, just make sure that your armed incase she tries to fight you,'" He placed the letter down and picked up another one. "'She was insubordinate to your authority. You must make her pay.'" And then yet another one, "'The little girl must be removed from Diana's cares since Diana is unfit to raise a child alone in her profession.'" Tom placed the letter down on the table. "Cite your source Barbara?"

"Lindell began writing to me," Yates said. "All he could talk about was 'Agent Skouris this' and 'Agent Skouris that.' He was fanaticizing. Nothing wrong with feeding a fantasy."

"Really, because now Lindell has Maia and he shot Diana."

"I didn't know it would come to that," Barbara said innocently.

"BULL-SHIT Barbara," Dennis screamed. "You covered up the hit and run, had we not found these letters you would have gotten away with conspiracy to commit kidnapping. You're a con-artist Barbara."

"I didn't know anything about his plans," Barbara said moving her hand to her chin.

"You're lying Barbara," Dennis said. "Any idiot could tell that you're lying. Now, I just want an honest answer. How much did you know about Lindell's plan?"

"I only knew about his shrine and how he was angry that Diana wouldn't give him the time of day."

"Barbara, if I find out that you are lying, then you will be in jail for the rest of your life," Ryland said as he walked out of the interrogation room where Tom was standing behind the one way mirror.

"That went well," Tom declared.

"That woman has been a thorn in my spine for as long as I can remember," Ryland said he watched the guard take Yates out of the interrogation room and back to her cell. "She's not going to blindside me for the third time."

"You think that this was all a personal vendetta?"

"You bet," Ryland said.

TBC

Author's Note: I am working on the next chapter. Please review and I will try to get it up as fast as I can.