Lucie called at taxi cab service for Jake, and then helped him gather up his things and pack them back in his suitcase. Together they folded up the cot and carried it back to the hall closet. She gave him a quick overview of the situation as they hurriedly carried his suitcase into the living room.

"So you're really going to try to shut down the camp?"

Lucie nodded. "We're going for it. It's time this whole stupid thing was brought to an end."

A horn outside the door honked and they both looked out to see a yellow taxi sitting in front of the porch. A tall lanky man got out and opened the trunk.

"That's your ride."

Jake smiled warmly at Lucie. "You're a good person, Lucie. Helping out all these boys, not judging them for what they've done….forgiving me. You're going to make some guy very happy some day."

Lucie walked to him and put her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you so much for helping me." She pulled away and kissed him lightly on the lips. "I'll see you around, Jake."

He nodded and picked up his suitcase. "Good luck with everything. I'll call you as soon as I find something."

With Jake on his way home to search for Michael Brightmon, Lucie found herself without any plans for the day. They didn't want to start making calls to the lawyers and judges until the plans for Michael's return were nailed down. Lucie hoped it would be soon. She was beginning to get restless and anxious, not knowing where they would all be soon. She went back to her room, and spent the day watching television, but occasionally stopping to write something down in her journal, ideas for The Plan. She felt mildly guilty that she was inside and the guys were out in the sun, but she reminded herself she had gotten something accomplished. When she looked at the clock and figured out that the guys would be at supper, she changed out of her pajamas and went into the living room. The warden was rummaging through the desk in the corner, throwing random papers on the floor and cursing occasionally.

"Aunt Lou," Lucie started, making her arms go limp a little so she still looked drained of most of her energy.

"Lucie, what are you doing up?" The warden asked, spinning around in her chair to look at her niece.

"I took some Tylenol and I've pretty much been lying in bed all day, so I thought I'd go out for a short walk…just to get some air. I feel a little better."

"Fine," she answered, and Lucie was surprised she didn't protest further. She turned back around and kept digging in the desk drawers. Lucie wondered how much longer it would be until those bulldozers got there. If she married Mr. Sir before they could get Michael out there, the whole plan would be shot. Michael had been Lou's one love in her life, and Lucie knew that even though her aunt dismissed him as a life-long jail bird, she still wondered deep down where he was now, and what he was doing. Lucie hoped will all her heart he hadn't gotten married, or worse, actually had turned out how the warden suspected.

"Alan!" Lucie called, running toward him as he walked out of the mess hall.

He smiled, "Hey, baby. I take it your sick plan worked. Did you find out anything?" He greeted her with a kiss when she was close enough, and linked his fingers with hers as they turned toward the tent.

"You'll never believe what happened," Lucie grinned, remembering it. "Jake knew I was faking sick, but he went along with it. Now he's gone home and he's going to look for Michael. I think he can do it, too."

Squid stopped and looked searchingly into Lucie's eyes. "Oh, that's uh, that's great," he said unenthusiastically.

Lucie frowned. "Aren't you happy?"

"I am, really," he started walking again, allowing Lucie's hand to slip out of his.

Lucie caught up to him. "I can tell something's wrong. What is it?"

"You sure were quick to accept Jake's help. How do you know you can trust him?"

"I've known him for years, Alan. It's not like he's some stranger."

Squid shook his head. "I know, I know. I'm sorry. He took her hand again. "It's just…the look on your face…in your eyes just now when you were talking about him."

Lucie huffed. "You think I have feelings for him again."

"Lucie, you pretty much said you never stopped having feelings for him."

"That was before, though. I have feelings for you now."

Lucie thought about the kiss she gave Jake before he left. Maybe that was a mistake, she thought, but she shook her head. It was just a friendly kiss. Just something to show she had forgiven him and appreciated his help. After all, she had made it perfectly clear that she didn't want to be with him anymore.

Squid sighed. "God, I don't know why I get like that. I'm startin' to act like Zig, paranoid about everything."

Lucie laughed and Squid raised an eyebrow at her. "You think that's funny? Paranoia is a serious medical condition."

Lucie laughed louder but then stopped when she saw the look on Squid's face. "Oh, it's not that serious, Alan." She put her arms around his shoulders, smiling at him. "Every guy gets like that once in a while. I'm kind of glad you get jealous…it shows you really care about me."

They continued walking to the tent where the rest of the guys were waiting to have another meeting about The Plan. Lucie couldn't wait to update them on the progress.

Four days passed before Jake called. Lucie had just come in for her shower after a long day of digging when the phone rang. When the warden answered the phone, she called Lucie into the living room.

"It's Jake. Why is he calling already? You're not even supposed to take phone calls here, he knows that."

Lucie shrugged. "We kinda decided we might get back together. But since he had to go home, we were hoping you'd let us talk on the phone…not every day I promise, Aunt Lou. Please."

The warden smiled. "Okay. Who am I to get in the way of young love?"

Lucie fought to hold back her laughter. She thanked her aunt as she walked out the front door and Lucie took a seat on the couch.

"Hey! How was your trip back?"

"Very long," Jake replied. "How are things there?"

"Fine. It's hot as ever. Have you found anything?" She was too impatient to keep up with the small talk.

Jake chuckled. "I found him."

"Already? And?"

"I couldn't believe it. He was one of only three Michael Brighmons in Houston. I had to do a little digging to find which one was him, but it's still on his file that he was at Camp Greenlake in 1977."

Jake's father worked for the police department in a smaller town outside Houston, and they had files of everyone who had been charged with a crime in Houston and in any of the surrounding towns.

"They still have his file because he got charged with a DUI in 1994, but Lucie, that was his only other offense. He cleaned up his act after Greenlake, just like you hoped."

Lucie frowned. "A DUI is hardly cleaning up his act."

"He just got community service, and he enrolled himself in the AA program. It's usually a good sign when they volunteer to go to AA, rather than someone making them. It means they're serious about rehabilitating themselves."

Lucie smiled and continued with the questioning. "Okay, I'm almost afraid to ask, but did you find anything out about his marital status."

"There was nothing about that at the police department, or at least, not that I got to. My dad started getting suspicious cause when I went to work with him, which he was already suspicious about since I never do, I kept finding excuses to go into the file room. I had to stop or he would have figured it out."

Lucie sighed.

"But, "Jake began again. "My aunt Sandy works for the Houston Chronicle. They have more power than you'd think. I told her we needed to find out as much information about this guy as we could. And you wouldn't believe what all she came up with."

Lucie face lit up and she stood up out of pure excitement. "What? What?"

"Well, he's not married. He got married in 1982 to somebody named Lizzie Cohen, but he got divorced that same year. No kids or anything. Umm…" Jake paused and Lucie could hear the sound of papers rustling. "Oh, okay, he started college in 1983, he was 23, and graduated in 87 from Texas State with degrees in business and psychology."

Lucie's mouth was hanging open by now. This was all better than she could ever have hoped for.

"Then I found out the reason they have all this information is because in 2001 the Houston Chronicle interviewed him for an article about the top businessmen in Houston. There was a website listed in the article for his company, Lucas and Brightmon Youth Rehabilitation Project. The company puts young people accused of crimes through all of these programs that help get them back on track. One guess as to what inspired him to do that."

Lucie laughed, while also feelings tears come to her eyes.

"Anyway, I checked out the website and got an email address for his office. I emailed him and got a response back from his secretary who said Mr. Brightmon is in Italy right now, how cool is that, finishing up some business and he will be gone for two more weeks. So, we know how to find him, we know he's unattached, but we'll have to wait a little while to get in touch with him."

Lucie was speechless for a minute, but then she let out a loud screech of joy. "Jake! You completely rock, do you know that? This is awesome! I can't wait to tell everyone."

Jake chuckled quietly. "Glad I could help. I'm just sorry we can't get everything started right away. I mean, I can't even get in touch with him for two more weeks."

"I know, that's kind of disappointing, but that'll give us time to plan here. "

After Lucie hung up with Jake, she immediately darted out of the house and ran as fast as her legs could carry her to the mess hall. The guys all looked up when she burst through the door, and the eyes of every D-tenter got wide, knowing Lucie had news.