Chapter 11

"Luis!" She screamed when she flashed the light on. "Luis!" He stirred slightly and she went over to him and shook him violently. "Luis! Luis! C'mon! Wake up!"

He was almost scared when he finally awoke. "Huh? What!"

"Luis! Wake up!"

"I'm up! I'm up!"

"Luis, I know where Gwen is!"

Now he was awake. "What, what, what?" he asked sleepily, still reeling from what he just heard. "Gwen's here?" But by the time his eyes were fully open and he was sitting up in bed, Theresa had left the room. Luis jumped from the bed and ran down the stairs in his boxers. He followed Theresa into the kitchen but before he could say another word, she quickly handed him the paper that Gwen had left to taunt them.

"Look, it's right there," Theresa exclaimed.

Luis studied the paper long and hard and saw nothing new. It looked the same. What was she talking about? "I don't see anything."

"Hold it in front of the candle."

Luis looked up and saw his mother's flickering flame dancing atop a red candle. Carefully, Luis held the piece of paper in front of the candle and let the light filter through it. Sure enough. He saw it. The words appeared as if he could always see them.

"I don't believe it." Luis stared at the paper in shock. How could he have missed this?

"It's been right in front of our faces this entire time. I just didn't put it together until now."

Clearly shown through the paper were five words that Gwen had intended them to see. It was just a matter of how long it would take them to. The glowing light showed through the much-folded paper and the words seemed to echo in the silence around them.

'I'M AT THE CRANE CABIN'

It was that simple.

"But… how?" Luis asked.

"Milk." Luis stared at his sister strangely. "Luis don't you remember what we learned in grammar school? Use milk to write a message and it seems invisible to the naked eye but once the piece of paper is put in front of a flame or light, the words shine right through."

"Oh, that's right," Luis said, getting images of first grade life.

"Gwen wanted us to see this. She was counting on it." Theresa stared at Luis nervously and he finally looked up from the paper.

"But, Theresa, are you sure?"

"What do you mean? Of course I am. It says right there that she's at the cabin."

"But," he disagreed, "it could be some kind ploy to mess with your head. What if she's somewhere else?"

Theresa took the note in her hands and turned it over showing him the riddle that Gwen had left behind. " 'MADE OF WOOD', that's the cabin. 'AND SPURNED OF SHINE' is…. it's the Crane wealth. The Crane money built it. 'MANY NIGHTS WHERE HE WAS MINE', Ethan used to take her up there all the time when they were together. 'STOLEN SONG AND COLDENED RAIN'. Well coldened rain is snow. There was always snow when we'd go up there."

"What about stolen song?" Luis asked.

"I… Well, it-- the only thing I can guess it's referring to is the night when Ethan and I sang a song together. But, I'm not sure how she'd find out about it. But it doesn't matter because it all fits. 'TRUSTING AND DECEIVING RESULTS IN PAIN.' Luis, it all fits. She's at the cabin. I know it." Luis took the note from her again and studied the words that showed through with the flame.

I'M AT THE CRANE CABIN

What if she was?

Without another word, Theresa ran past him and back upstairs. She pulled a sweater over Ethan's old Harvard t-shirt and almost put a pair of jeans over her pajama pants in her haste.

A minute later, Luis met Theresa in her bedroom while she tried to put her hair up in a ponytail.

"Theresa, what are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" Theresa said as she turned from the mirror. "I'm going to the Crane Cabin." She slipped a pair of shoes on her feet and pushed past Luis. He spun into the hallway but she had already run down the stairs. Still a little groggy, Luis followed her.

"Wait, Theresa-"

"Look, Luis. My husband and my son are out there and there's nothing that you can say that's gonna keep me from them. Now, you can come with me or you can stay here." Her eyes were firm when she spoke. "But I'd really like your help."

Luis let out an exasperated sigh and stared at his sister. He held the stare for a long time and he felt guilty when he saw the pleading in his little sister's eyes. "Okay…," he breathed. "I'll go with you." It took Theresa a moment to fully register his agreement to go with her but just as she began to smile, he spoke again. "But, we do it on my terms. I'm the cop, just please, let's do it careful, okay?"

It was strange that Luis, having known Theresa his entire life, didn't pick up on her subtlety. The look in her eye would have told anyone that had known her for as long as Luis had that she wasn't about to play by anyone's rules. Especially now.

"Okay," she agreed.

"Promise?" Luis questioned his notoriously-scheming-sister's motives.

Theresa flicked a piece of hair away from her eyes and nodded. "I just want them back."

Luis opened his arms to her and she fell into him in a hug. "I know. We'll get them back. Just gimme a minute. I'm gonna go put a shirt on. I'll be right down." When he walked towards the stairs, Luis eyed his sister as if he didn't believe that she'd stay to wait for him. Maybe it was a good thing he did watch her because she had to fight back any urge she had to dash through the door and head for her loved ones.

When Luis came back downstairs, he had dressed in a pair of jeans and t-shirt and as he came around the banister, he slid on his black jacket around his arms to finish. "Okay," he said. "Let's go."

It was almost funny how quickly an impatient Theresa jolted from the couch to the driveway, but he knew she was desperate. Her family was all she had and after having almost lost them a few months ago, at the hands of Gwen, she wasn't about to do it again-- especially to the same woman.

Theresa shoved the key into the front door of her car and was about to sit in the driver's seat when she stood up and spoke to Luis. "Wait, Luis. Why don't you follow me? I know a short cut."

"How far is this place?"

"It's about two and half hours outside of Harmony, but I can get there in about one and a half- two."

"Okay," Luis said, opening the door to his car. "I'll call for backup from the road and tell them the way we're going."

"That's fine. I'll have my phone on in case we get separated on the road."

Theresa was the first to pull out of the driveway and Luis had to speed up to catch up to her. She may have been leading but she wasn't waiting for anything. Theresa knew exactly where she was going and rarely checked her mirror to make sure Luis was still with her.

For several minutes Luis tried to keep up with Theresa and it seemed like if a cop saw him driving the way he was to keep up, he would get his license revoked. Theresa was obviously in a hurry when she quickly changed lanes and changed back so she could pass the guy that was in front of her. Luis tried to follow but as they hit one of the busiest streets in Harmony that would take them on their way, they hit a red light.

Luis and Theresa were one car apart but it didn't seem like much. As soon as the light turned green, Luis would try to get back behind her. He took the opportunity to call the station to let them know that he'd need back up and picked up his phone.

-- "Cortez here."

"Mark, it's Luis."

-- "Hey, listen, I think I got a-"

"Listen, we found 'em. Gwen's at the Crane Cabin."

-- "Oh well, that's nice. You put me on the case and then do my job for me." Mark sounded awfully bitter about it.

"Mark, look, I don't have time for this. I'm on the road right now. Me and Theresa are driving up there so we should be there soon. Tell the chief to send backup to meet us on the expressway by the state line, close to the mountains."

-- "And you think the chief is just gonna go with this?"

Luis was getting agitated because the red light seemed to be lasting for a very long time and he wasn't sure why. He heard a dinging sound and when he looked up he saw a flashing red light next to the right lane. And then he heard the train tear through. The rumble of the street and the loud churn of the engine charged through the street and the car shook.

-- "Yo," Mark called, "you still there?"

"Yeah. Look, just tell the chief that I need backup."

-- "But, Luis-"

"Just do it!" Luis snapped his phone shut and he saw the last train cars trail by. The lights began to flash again and the cars in the front were impatient and ready to charge through the railway blockers.

The striped sticks in front of her car finally went up. "It's about time," she sighed. She glanced in her rearview mirror and saw Luis a car behind her. The train was far enough away and the lights still hadn't changed. "C'mon!" she yelled impatiently at the lights that couldn't hear her. Finally, the lights changed from green to red and Theresa hit the gas. She charged through the intersection and cleared it with a rev of her motor. As the car behind her went to follow her through the crossway of streets, a car going the opposite way wasn't exactly paying attention. The man saw that the train had cleared and didn't bother to see that he still had a red light. When his foot hit the gas, a second passed before he slammed right into the car that was behind Theresa with a crash.

Luis was following close behind the car in front him to try to catch back up with Theresa. Then suddenly, a red car flew from the right just as he got to the middle of the intersection. Had Luis not immediately slammed on the brakes, he would have been somewhere inside the other car's trunk. His brakes brought the car to a screeching halt just inches from the hit car in front of him. Luis quickly got out of the vehicle to see what the hell had happened. He stretched his neck high to see if Theresa had stopped, but all he saw was her taillights fading into the dawn of a new day.

Luis slammed his hand on the roof of his car in anger and immediately chaos broke out across the street. Thankfully, both drivers were okay but their cars were a different story. Luis knew both were totaled and today of all days, the day he didn't have time to be, he needed to be a cop.

Theresa looked in her rearview mirror and saw an angry Luis emerge from his car and she continued on her way. "Sorry, Luis. I told you that nothing was gonna stop me from getting to them. And nothing will."

Luis dialed his phone hard and pressed it to his ear. "C'mon, Theresa. Pick up. C'mon." No answer.

Theresa heard her phone ringing in her purse in the seat next to her. She took one hand off the wheel and searched her purse for the buzzing object. When she brought her hand back to the wheel, she pressed a button and her thoughts were confirmed. It was Luis. She closed her phone and ignored any more calls he made to her.

"Damn it!" he cursed. Theresa wasn't picking up on purpose. She didn't want to wait for him and it was making him angry. After all, she was going on a short cut and he had no idea how to get there in the first place. Luis dialed a different number and waited for him to answer on the other line.

-- "You know, if you keep calling, the other officers are gonna start talking."

"Mark, listen, I need directions to the Crane Cabin."

-- "I thought you were on your way there."

"I was. My little sister got away from me."

-- "Sounds like you."

"Just get me the directions, okay?"

-- "Whatever you say, boss."

"And get me the number for Winthrop and Ryan."

-- "I have it right here. I'll patch ya through." Mark put Luis on hold and dialed the number for Ethan's practice. When the other line began to ring, he pushed the button and let Luis through.

-- "Winthrop and Ryan. This is Michelle speaking. How may I help you?"

"Hi, I need to talk to Matt right away, please."

-- "I'm sorry, sir. He's-"

"Look, Michelle, this is Lieutenant Lopez-Fitzgerald. Now, we can play this little game or I can come down there again and storm into his office like you made me last time. But, quite frankly, I'm not in the mood and don't have the time right now."

Michelle didn't make a sound and scoffed when she held the phone to her chest. She paged Matt and told him he had a call waiting and wanted nothing more than to hang up while she waited for Matt to pick up. It was a very tempting thought.

-- "Talk to me," Matt greeted.

"Matt, it's Luis. Theresa's brother."

-- "Oh hey, brother of my partner's wife! How's it going?"

Luis paused and seemed a little confused. "Matt, are you drunk?"

Matt laughed on the other end. -- "No way. I'm like this all the time."

"Uh huh…"

-- "So, what can I do for you today, lieutenant?"

"We found Ethan."

-- "Great! Where is he?"

"At the Crane Cabin. Theresa's on her way right now."

-- "Well, duh. I should have thought of that. Ethan lent it to customers sometimes and even let me have it for the weekend."

"Listen, you wouldn't happen to know a shortcut to get there would ya?"

-- "A shortcut? Actually, now that you mention it, yeah. Ethan told me of a way to get there faster."

"Great. Can you hold on for one second?"

-- "Absolutely not," Matt said playfully.

"Thanks." Luis put Matt on hold and transferred over to Mark. "Mark, forget the directions, we don't need 'em. Now we need a chopper."

-- "A chopper? What for?"

"Just get one, okay. Call me when you got it covered." Luis didn't give Mark a chance to respond and went back to Matt. "All right, what is this shortcut?" Luis asked him as he pulled out his notepad.

Theresa was well on her way to the cabin and pushed her speed on the expressway. The farther she got from Harmony the more isolated it seemed. No houses, just open land. Up ahead she could see the purple line of mountains and the orange light of a new day. She had just realized that she hadn't really slept but the adrenaline pumping in her veins was too strong to allow her to feel any exhaustion. Especially now when she was about to come face to face with her enemy--Gwen. Theresa looked at her watch. 3:42 a.m. She should be at the cabin and hopefully, in her family's arms in about an hour.

"Hold on, guys. I'm coming," she whispered.

Matt recounted all he could remember of the shortcut Ethan once told him about. Luis marked it all down and made sure that his writing would be legible to him later. As he wrote down the last sentence, he heard a beep in his left ear.

"Hey, Matt, can you hold on a sec? Someone's on the other line." He switched over and continued writing. "Lopez-Fitzgerald."

-- "Luis, we got a problem."

"What? We can't get the chopper?"

-- "No, we got it."

"What's the problem?"

-- "Well, see, in order for one to ride in a so called helicopter, one would need one to fly the so called helicopter."

"You lost me."

-- "We don't have a freaking pilot!"

"Why not? There's plenty of guys that can fly one."

-- "True, but the chief has to assign them to do it."

"And you're saying that he won't?"

--- "No. He says that because this isn't a 'warranted' cause, we need to find our own. You're lucky you're his friend, pal. Otherwise, you wouldn't have gotten the chopper in the first place."

"I know. But, damn it! Where the hell are we gonna find a pilot now!"

-- "Don't know. I'll check around the station to see if anyone has their license. I'll call ya if I find anyone."

Luis switched back over to Matt. "Well, it looks like it just gets harder and harder for us to get to the cabin."

-- "Why? What's up?" Matt asked.

"We don't have a pilot to fly the helicopter. Chief says that we need a warranted reason to get one and he's giving it to me on a friendly loan. I need to find my own pilot like NOW! Where the hell do I find one this early in the morning in Harmony?"

-- "Well… I think I know a guy…"

It had been over an hour since Theresa had pulled out of her driveway and she was still on her way to the cabin. She could begin to feel the altitude difference as she approached the mountains where the Crane Cabin was located. It was so beautiful out here. The road was lined with grand pine trees and the peaks of mountains showed upon the horizon. Theresa felt that she was getting closer as she approached more and more familiar things. A large green sign with white letters on her left told her that she was almost there. Just two miles to go.

Theresa gripped the steering wheel and noticed that the closer she drew to the cabin, the tighter her hands got. As much as she tried to fight it, her hands were sweating and she could now hear the sound of her own heartbeat. She suddenly realized that she didn't have a plan, no game strategy as to what she was gonna do once she got to the cabin. Well, she was almost there and could see the brown shelter peaking out from the trees ahead of her. The time had come…

Luis couldn't believe he was doing this. Mark climbed into the back of the helicopter and Luis took his seat in the passenger's seat. The thump of the turning wings of the chopper was loud and it seemed to make Luis even more angry for agreeing to this.

His pilot walked towards the flying vehicle and took his seat in the front. He placed the headphones over his ears and strapped himself in.

"Ready to go?" the pilot asked.

Luis gave him a dirty look. "Just get us there, will ya?"

"Ay ay, sir." He grabbed the joystick that maneuvered the craft and it began to hover. Quickly, a large bird flew in front of the windshield and he removed his hand from the flying joystick to point at it. "Oh, look!" he pointed out. Suddenly, the helicopter fell back down to its pad with a crash and Luis panicked.

"What the hell are you doing! Trying to kill us all!"

"Okay, okay. I just wanted to-"

"Matt!" Luis yelled.

Matt silently laughed to himself and he began to fly them to their destination….