Chapter Eight (by Mary)

Jack opened his eyes as he felt Erica move away from him. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked huskily.

Erica wrapped herself in the white satin sheet she pulled off the bed and faced him with a determined look on her face. "I'm going to create that romantic ambiance I was talking about earlier. Honestly, Jack, first the Pine Cone, now this. I don't know what's worse. I mean, that snake… this bed…the Magic Fingers…"

"Sweetheart, really, I'm flattered but…" Jack's voice trailed off. "Oh, you mean Flipper," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

"You know very well what I meant," Erica said testily. "Thank God I brought those mood enhancers. It's our only chance to salvage this–this–I don't even know what to call it."

"Honey, I swear, I didn't know about the mirror–" Jack said as she headed toward the door.

"Give me fifteen minutes and then come into the other room," Erica instructed, turning back to give him a seductive smile. "Oh, and clothing is definitely optional."

Jack smiled to himself after she left, thinking how happy he was that the playful, flirtatious aspect of her personality that he loved so much had gradually returned. Erica seemed completely like her old self these days, so much so that he was debating bringing up their engagement again. Surveying their present surroundings, however, he decided that Erica might be a bit more receptive at a later date.

After the appointed time had passed, he pulled on his boxers and walked into the other room. The lights had been dimmed and without their harsh brightness, the room seemed softer and less gaudy. The fragrance of roses filled the air and looking down, he followed the trail of rose petals to the base of the tub. Chuckling softly, he climbed the ladder and arrived at the top.

The tulip petals that served as shelves around the tub were lined with flickering candles that cast a warm glow on the water. Rose petals dotted the surface of the water, the flame from the candles bringing their color alive with a fiery brilliance.

In the midst of this incredible scene was Erica, a vision reclining in the tub with her eyes closed and her hair piled on top of her head.

"I hope you didn't have any trouble finding me," she said with a smile, opening her eyes. "What do you think?"

"Well, I certainly like the view," he said, removing his boxers and joining her in the tub. He held out his hand to her. "Come here."

Erica moved quickly to the other side of the tub. "No, you have to stay over there," she instructed. "We need to soak up the romantic atmosphere." She pressed the button next to her and a flurry of bubbles immediately filled the tub, mingling with the rose petals. "This is so relaxing, Jack," she sighed. "It's exactly what I needed after the day I've had."

"I'm glad you found something you approve of," Jack said. "After your modifications, of course. Just how long are you staying over there anyway?" he asked her, stretching out his foot and running it up her smooth wet leg.

The bubbles were coming faster now and Erica frowned as they began to rise in the tub, obscuring her vision. "This is ridiculous," she muttered. "Where is that button? I can't see a thing."

Jack took advantage of her momentary blindness to reach out and grab her foot, pulling her over to him. He leaned over and deftly turned off the bubbles.

"That's much better," he murmured, looking down into her indignant face. "Relax, I'm just soaking up the atmosphere," he said with a grin.

Erica smiled and leaned back against him. "I have to admit this is nice," she said.

"Mmm, it certainly is," he agreed. "I propose that for the remainder of the evening, we don't even think about Cambias Industries, spreadsheets, Swedish architects or untrustworthy building contractors. Let's just concentrate on us."

"That sounds perfect," Erica replied dreamily. Jack bent his head and blew the bubbles off her shoulder, replacing them with his mouth. He inhaled the scent of her skin as he moved his mouth along her shoulder to the back of her neck. Noting her increased breathing as he found the sensitive spot behind her ear, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer against him. She shivered as he reached down and lightly drew circles on her leg with the bubbles. Erica ran her hands up his arms, admiring the feel of his wet, sinewy muscles. She turned in his arms and touched her lips to his chest. Pushing the bubbles out of the way, she ran her tongue up his chest until she reached his neck. His breath quickened as she nibbled on his neck. "I think this concentration thing is definitely working," he said huskily as she finally reached his mouth.

"I never doubted it for a minute," she whispered, tangling her fingers in his damp hair and running her tongue along his lower lip until he opened his mouth with a moan. Her tongue sought his as they kissed deeply and he lifted her on to his lap. "Most definitely working," he said as they surrendered once again to their endless desire for each other.

———

Kendall perched on the edge of the chair across from Erica, drumming her fingers impatiently on the desk as she waited for Erica to hang up the phone.

"My goodness, what is it, Kendall?" Erica asked, putting down the phone.

"What do you think?" Kendall replied, smiling in anticipation. "Tell me all about it."

"All about what?" Erica was baffled.

"The hotel, of course," said Kendall. "Ever since Jack mentioned the Poconos, I've been thinking about one of those hotels you see in the magazines, you know, the ones with the champagne bathtubs and canopied beds."

Erica was at a loss for words. "Really, Kendall, I'm not discussing this with you."

"Oh, come on, Mother, I'm not asking for details," Kendall said, "Just a few tidbits."

"It was….interesting," Erica finally said, choosing her words carefully. "That's all I'm saying."

"So it was like the ones in the magazines? The tub, the vibrating bed…" Kendall's voice trailed off as Erica blushed. "I knew it! So what about the tub? Did you–"

"Kendall!"

"Hmmm, so I guess you did," Kendall smiled in satisfaction.

Erica stood up and moved toward the door. "I have a lot of work to catch up on, so if you don't mind…"

"I don't mind at all," Kendall said, getting up to leave. "I'm just happy that romance is alive and well in Pine Valley–or in the Poconos, at least." She gave Erica a quick hug and walked down the hall, humming softly under her breath.

Erica shut the door behind her daughter and let her mind drift back to the night before at the hotel. She decided that even though the current situation had its difficult moments, being forced to spend time with Jack under less than idyllic circumstances had its benefits as well. She smiled slightly as she walked back over to her desk. She was engrossed in work when there was a light knock on the door. Looking up, she was surprised to see Bianca standing there.

"Bianca, sweetheart, how nice to see you," Erica said. "Checking up on things? "

"I had to come over for a meeting," said Bianca, "and I thought I'd stop in and talk to you." She looked troubled.

Erica felt her heart sink, guessing what Bianca wanted to talk about.

"Sure, honey, how is Miranda?"

"She's fine. The teething ring really seems to be working," Bianca said as she sat down. "I wanted to talk about you and Uncle Jack though."

Erica sighed. "Honey, I know you're disappointed…"

"Disappointed?" Bianca repeated. "Mom, I really thought it was going to work this time. After everything that's happened, after all that Uncle Jack has done for you, how could you just dump him?"

"I didn't dump him, Bianca," Erica said. "It's complicated. You're just going to have to trust me that it's all going to work out."

"I really want to believe that," Bianca said sadly, "but I've heard all the gossip going around the building."

"This is truly a case of not believing everything you hear," Erica said, walking over to Bianca as her daughter stood up. "Can you trust me, Bianca? I know it's not easy after everything I've put you through but have faith in me this time… please."

The sincerity in Erica's voice made Bianca pause. "OK, Mom, I won't say anything else but whatever's going on, I hope it's over soon."

"It will be," said Erica. "I promise. Give Miranda a kiss for me," she added as Bianca headed for the door.

At least Bianca seems willing to listen to an explanation, Erica thought after her daughter had left. We must be making some progress. She wondered if Jack had any new information on Mariele. The fact that Beppe and Dino seemed to be their only hope right now didn't exactly inspire confidence. This whole thing can't be over soon enough for me, she thought, picking up a file and burying herself in work again.

———

Jack listened patiently as Greenlee sputtered on about his breakup with Erica. He had known this was coming so he figured it was best to let her get it out of her system.

"Has anything I've said here gotten through to you?" Greenlee finally asked in exasperation.

"Of course it has," Jack replied calmly. "Now can we get on with this discussion about Fusion's budget?"

"Fusion's budget?" Greenlee repeated. "I want to talk about Erica."

"Honey, you just did," Jack said, glancing at his watch. "For about 20 minutes."

"But do you really get it?" Greenlee asked. "Are you finally ready to admit that she's not good for you?"

"Greenlee, I don't want to discuss this," Jack said. "Let's just say that things have never been clearer between Erica and me."

"Well, good," Greenlee sat down in relief. "Because she stood right here in this office and assured me that she was never going to hurt you again and then what did she do? She trampled all over your heart for the hundredth time. You know what? I'm going to give her a piece of my mind." She stood up with a determined look on her face.

Jack jumped up and rounded his desk, effectively blocking Greenlee's path. "Greenlee, no, that's the last thing you need to do," he said. "Just leave it alone."

Greenlee hesitated. "Alright," she said reluctantly. "But I'd just love to tell her what I think of her."

"Let's just have a cooling down period, OK?" Jack suggested. "I'm sure she realizes how you feel." The thought of Greenlee barging into Erica's office and verbally attacking her for breaking up with him was more than he could deal with at the moment. Please, God, let that be a scene I never have to witness, he thought.

They discussed the Fusion budget for the next half hour and then Greenlee got up to leave. "I'm really glad you're here, Dad," she surprised Jack by saying. "It's been a big help. Things weren't going so well, although I hate to admit it. It's nice to have someone to come to with these things."

Jack walked over and put his arm around his daughter's shoulder.

"You know what? I'm really enjoying it too. Getting to spend more time with you has been an added bonus. How about coming over and having dinner with Lily, Reggie and me tonight?"

Greenlee paused for a minute and then smiled. "Sure, why not? Just tell Reggie to lay off the short jokes, OK?"

"I'll try but you know I can't make any promises," Jack responded wryly as Greenlee left. "See you around seven."

He walked over to his desk and leaned back in his chair. It had been a long day and still no word from Beppe and Dino. Obviously, they had nothing new to report. As much as he was looking forward to dinner with the kids, he wished that Erica could join them. Thinking of her, he realized that even though they couldn't see each other until the next night, there was no reason he couldn't email her now. Smiling at the thought of the evening he had planned for them, he fashioned what he hoped was a tantalizing message and sent it to her.

Before he left for the evening, he opened his desk drawer and took out the box that held the engagement ring. Thinking that tomorrow night it would be back on Erica's finger where it belonged, he put the box in his jacket pocket and turned out the lights.

———

Reggie threw some extra clothes in his backpack and yelled down the hallway to his sister. "Lily, let's get a move on. We're going to be late."

Lily appeared in the living room with a small suitcase. "What are we moving?" she asked, clearly puzzled. "I thought we were going to Bianca's."

"We are," Reggie said. "It's just an expression. Forget it." He looked at Lily's suitcase. "Man, why can't girls go anywhere without taking their whole closet? We're just spending the night at Bianca's, not a whole week."

"I know, but if I have a lot of my things, I won't be as nervous," Lily replied.

"Hey, there's no reason to be nervous," Reggie said. "We'll have a blast. You love spending time with Miranda. Besides, Jack said this is the last night he'll have to spend away on business for a long time."

"I know, I just miss him," Lily said wistfully.

"Yeah, me too, and I hate that he's so miserable without Erica," Reggie said. "That's why I haven't said anything else about him being away so much."

"But he's not miserable, Reggie," Lily said. "He's happy. I can tell."

"Yeah, I know he put on a big act last night when Greens was here for dinner but he's gotta be hurting," Reggie said, "He's never gonna be happy without Erica. That's all there is to it."

"He is happy though, Reggie," Lily insisted. "The other day he was on the phone and I could tell from his voice that he was happy. He was whispering and I couldn't hear what he said, but he sounded just like he does when he talks to Erica."

"You must have gotten it wrong, Lily," Reggie said.

"And this morning, before he left for work, he was humming. Then he picked up a box from the counter and put it in his pocket," Lily continued. "He seemed really happy about that."

Reggie stopped trying to stuff his sweatshirt into the backpack. "What kind of box?" he asked.

"It was small and black–like the one your class ring came in," Lily answered.

Reggie pulled the zipper shut on the backpack and flung it over his shoulder. "Come on. We're making a stop on the way to Bianca's."

"Where?" asked Lily, confused.

"Just a little detour to Cambias Industries," Reggie said. "I have a feeling something strange is going on and we're getting to the bottom of it."

———

Erica looked at the clock on the dashboard. She should be there any minute, she thought. She was hopeful that this time she might be pleasantly surprised by their surroundings. Thinking about Jack's email brought a smile to her face.

Sweetheart,

I will provide the ambiance this time. Just bring your gorgeous self and something stunning to wear (at least for the first part of the evening). I can promise you an unforgettable night where magic will be recreated and a special object returned to its rightful place. Directions to follow.

Love,

Jack

Erica rounded the corner in the road and looked around in delight. Although she was only in Llanview, Erica felt like she was a million miles away from Pine Valley. She hadn't even known this place existed. In front of her was a beautiful white building with a distinct Mediterranean flair. Flowers spilled from the boxes on the wide verandas and water trickled gently from a fountain in the courtyard. Erica smiled at the sign that read "The Continental Inn" as she walked into the building.

The foyer was deserted and since Jack had given her the room number, she headed for the elevator. As she walked along the hall, Erica noticed the names on the rooms. Rome, Venice, London. She didn't need to even glance at the number when she reached the room with the Eiffel Tower on the door. Tingling with anticipation, Erica opened the door to the room where it had all begun.

Closing the door behind her, she gazed around in delight. It was like stepping into the past. The room reminded her so much of their room in Paris, from the furnishings and décor to the immaculately set dining table. A cool breeze drifted in from the open patio doors, stirring the petals on the flowers that filled the room. She smiled as Jack walked in from the other room, looking incredibly handsome in a black suit. "I was starting to think you got lost," he said teasingly.

"Not a chance," she said, walking over to kiss him. "I missed you."

"Not half as much as I missed you," he replied, meeting her lips with his own and kissing her deeply. "So, what do you think of the ambiance?"

"What do I think?" Erica repeated. "It's absolutely perfect, Jack, just gorgeous." She did a quick turn so he could get the full effect of her white gown. "What about me? Will I do?"

"Oh, you will most definitely do," he said, taking her hand and pulling her close again. "You're even more beautiful than you were that night in Paris, if that's possible." He raised her hand and kissed it lingeringly, then led her over to the table and pulled out her chair.

For the next hour, they talked about Reggie and Lily, as well as Bianca, Kendall and Greenlee. They laughed easily over Jack's stories of his adventures with Beppe and Dino and, before Erica knew it, dinner was over.

"I can't possibly eat another bite," Erica said as Jack placed a beautiful glass dish with a silver lid in front of her with a flourish. "I hope that's not some decadent dessert."

"In all the years I've known you, sweetheart, is that likely?" Jack asked. "Go ahead, take a look." He was watching her in a way that Erica could not quite fathom.

Drawing a deep breath, she lifted the lid. Laying on the dish was a small black velvet box. Erica stared at it for a few moments, saying nothing as the knowledge of what it was sank in. She lifted her eyes and met Jack's gaze across the table. The look on his face told her everything she needed to know.

"Is this what I think it is?" she asked, still somewhat hesitant.

"I think you know it is," Jack answered, taking the box off the dish. He walked over to her and drew her to her feet.

"Jack, I–" she started to say tearfully.

"Shhh," he placed his finger against her lips. "Let me say what I need to say to you." She was silent, looking up at him as he spoke.

"I know when you gave this back to me, we weren't in a good place," he began. "and I have to take responsibility for most of that. I made a huge mistake when I agreed to keep Bianca's pregnancy from you. I should have persuaded her that she had to tell you right away. I should have realized that my knowing, even for a short while, would seem like a huge betrayal to you. Then you left and I was so scared," he continued. "I didn't know how to help you. Then I realized that you had to help yourself. Sweetheart, I don't think I can ever tell you how proud I am of what you did. You faced the darkest moments of your life, you fought them, and won. You are so strong and I love you so much." He wiped the tears that ran down her cheeks. "Let me finish," he said as she tried again to speak.

"When you first came home, I was so scared that you would run again. I didn't want to push you. I wanted you to know that the way I felt about you hadn't changed–that it would never change. I wasn't sure that you even wanted to be engaged again . . ."

"Of course I did," Erica said with a tremulous smile. "I wasn't sure if you did. And every time I tried to talk about it, you'd either change the subject or we'd get interrupted. I certainly thought you knew how I felt."

"Well, the day that we staged the fight, I finally got a clue," Jack said with a laugh. "I was going to wait until this whole mess was over but I don't want to wait any longer. So, without further ado…"

Jack sat Erica back down in her chair and got down on one knee. Taking her hand in his, he opened the ring box. The large diamond sparkled brighter than Erica had ever seen it, a sign of their future together, she thought. "I love you, Erica Kane," Jack told her, looking at her in the way that made her feel like she was the only woman in the world. "I want you to be my wife, to be by my side, always, in everything I do," he said, taking the ring out of the box. "You're my heart. You have been from the moment that we met." He took a deep breath. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes, Jackson, I will marry you," she said softly as he slipped the ring on her finger and leaned in to kiss her tenderly. She looked at him through her tears. "I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you and how important you are to me. I never could have gotten through everything that's happened without you and I can never tell you how grateful I am for what you did to help Bianca and Kendall while I was gone."

"Sweetheart, you don't ever need to be grateful. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you and our family. You know that," he said, drawing her to her feet once again. "But enough about the past. It's our future that's important. As soon as this thing at Cambias is over, we are going to plan the biggest, most spectacular wedding that Pine Valley has ever seen."

"I can't wait," Erica said, reaching up to touch his face.

"Neither can I," replied Jack. "And right now," he said, picking her up and carrying her toward the bed. "I can't wait to make love to my fiancé."

"Fiancé–I love the way that sounds," she said as he lowered her to the bed. She reached up to pull him down to her. "I love you so much, Jack," she said, running her fingers through his hair.

"I love you," he said huskily as their lips met with the promise of what was to come.

———

Reggie quickly shut the door behind them and walked over to Jack's desk as Lily trailed after him uncertainly. "Reggie, I still don't know what we're doing here," she said nervously. "Bianca is waiting for us."

"Relax, this will just take a minute," Reggie replied, sitting down in Jack's chair.

"But we shouldn't even be here," Lily protested. "Everyone is gone."

"There's still a couple of people around," Reggie said. "Look, there's no reason we can't be in Jack's office. We're his kids."

Lily came over to stand next to him. "I guess so," she said. "I just really want to get to Bianca's."

Reggie pulled open the top drawer of Jack's desk and rummaged through it quickly. "I knew it!" he exclaimed triumphantly.

"Knew what?" Lily asked.

"Erica's engagement ring­–it's gone," Reggie said. "It's been in here for weeks. I've caught Jack looking at it a million times. That's what the box was that you saw this morning."

"I don't understand," said Lily, frowning in puzzlement.

"You said J's been happy," Reggie explained. "Talking on the phone, humming, taking that box with him. Well, there's no way he's giving that ring to that ice princess so there's only one explanation. He and Erica are back together and you know what? I don't think they were ever apart."

"Now I really don't understand, Reggie," Lily sighed.

"I know, neither do I. I can't figure it out but as long as they're together, that's all that matters," Reggie said.

"Wait, what's that?" Lily asked as Reggie started to close the drawer. Reggie stopped and looked down at the large sheet of paper that had caught Lily's attention.

"I don't know, Lily. Some kind of spreadsheet."

Lily reached down and picked it up out of the drawer. "I know what this is," she said. "It's that paper that always makes Daddy get those frown lines when he looks at it. Like he can't understand it." She scanned it quickly. "These figures are all wrong." She studied it more closely. "It makes sense though if you look at it the right way."

"That thing's been driving Jack crazy for weeks," Reggie said. "Do you really think you can figure it out?"

"Sure, if I can see the other numbers," Lily answered. "Numbers always make sense, Reggie. They have to."

Reggie removed himself from Jack's chair and seated Lily in front of the computer. "If whatever is going on with Jack and Erica has something to do with this, we owe it to them to give it a shot."

"We'll need Daddy's password," she said. "We can't log on without it."

"It's probably Erica's measurements," Reggie muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing," he replied. "I'm sure we can narrow it down. It's gotta be about Erica. Let's just hope it's not all of her last names or we'll be here all night."

———

Erica put the finishing touches on her make-up and smiled as her ring sparkled in the mirror. She honestly didn't think she could be any happier after what happened the night before. She and Jack were engaged again, her relationship with Bianca seemed to be back on track, and hopefully this mess at Cambias would be over soon. Regretfully, she took off her engagement ring and put it in her purse. The day that she could wear it again in public couldn't come fast enough for her. As she gathered her things to leave, the shrill ring of the phone made her jump.

She hesitated briefly, wondering if it was safe to answer it. Jack had left a half hour earlier in a rush to get to the office for a meeting. Thinking that it could be him, she picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Ah, this is the beautiful Erica, no?" the voice with the Italian accent made her pause. "Jack, he is a lucky man."

"Who is this?" Erica asked guardedly.

"I am crushed you don't recognize my voice, cara. If you come to Europe, I promise you will never forget me," the voice continued.

"Look, Beppe–"

"It is Dino, my lovely one," he said. "As much as I would love to speak to you, I have information for Jack."

"He's not here," Erica said. "What kind of information?"

"I have something new on his Mariele," Dino told her.

"That would be impossible under any circumstances," Erica said evenly. "Jack doesn't have a Mariele."

"Ah, Jack said you would be jealous," Dino chuckled softly.

"He said what?"

"As you Americans say–forgot it," Dino said, still laughing.

"Forget it," Erica corrected him absently.

"Yes…so where is Jack?" Dino asked. "I need to speak to him about that woman–I know better than to say her name twice."

"You can't reach him right now," Erica said, thinking quickly. "Just give me the information, Beppe."

"Dino–"

"I'll pass it on to Jack," Erica continued.

"I don't know…" Dino hesitated.

"Really­–Dino," Erica changed her tone. "I don't know when you'll be able to get in touch with Jack and it's important that we get this information. I would be so grateful…"

Dino sighed. "I cannot resist a beautiful woman," he said. "Promise me you will tell Jack as soon as you see him."

"Of course," Erica said sweetly. She listened for the next five minutes as Dino gave her the information he and Beppe had uncovered. When he finished, she was silent.

"Cara? Are you there?" Dino's voice interrupted her reverie.

"Yes, Dino, I'm here," she answered. "Thank you. I have to go."

"Make sure you tell Jack–"

Erica hung up the phone and sat down on the bed. If what Dino had told her was true…Deciding that she wasn't going to wait any longer to become Mrs. Jackson Montgomery than she had to, she grabbed her belongings and left the room.

———

The short, stocky man parked his car and got out. Carrying a large brown envelope, he walked over to the dark-haired man waiting for him and handed over the envelope without a word.

John Andrews took the pictures from the envelope and sorted through them quickly. There was no expression on his face as he looked at the pictures of Erica with Jackson Montgomery.

"This is about a week ago at the Pine Cone Motel," the man said.

"This is a few days ago in the Poconos, and these are from last night at an inn in Llanview."

"It appears that reports of their breakup have been greatly exaggerated," John said, stuffing the pictures in his pocket.

"What do you want me to do?" asked the short man.

"Nothing, I'll handle it from here," John said. He walked to his car, thinking of his last date with Erica. He gritted his teeth at how she had flirted with him. He had been so sure that it was over between her and Jackson Montgomery and there she was all over him in those pictures. She had lied to him–and for what? How much did she know? Determined that no woman would get away with playing him for a fool, he drove away with a squeal of tires.

———

Jack sat down in his chair and glanced at the phone. He sighed in frustration–no messages. What the hell was taking Beppe and Dino so long with the rest of the information? Even with the time difference, they should have had something for him by now. After the way things had gone the night before, he was more anxious than ever to get this situation resolved. The private line rang suddenly and he grabbed the phone. Dino's voice came through with a sense of urgency.

"Jack? I've been waiting for you to call back, my friend," Dino said.

"Call back?" Jack repeated. "What are you talking about?"

"Didn't the beautiful Erica give you my message?"

"When did you speak to Erica?" Jack asked, confused.

"This morning–at the number you gave me for the inn," Dino answered.

"You'd better start at the beginning, Dino," Jack said. He listened for the next several minutes as his old friend updated him on what he had learned. Jack took a long moment to process what Dino had said, trying to make sense of it. Something just didn't feel right. "OK, Dino, I'm going to have to get back to you," he said. "I need to touch base with Erica."

Dino's attention was suddenly diverted by Beppe waving his hands in the background. "Jack, hold on a minute. I think Beppe has something." Dino handed the phone to his partner in crime and listened intently as his friend simultaneously updated both men. As Beppe relayed his news, Jack felt a growing sense of unease.

"Thanks, Beppe–and thank Dino for me too. I knew I could count on you guys. Listen, if you find out anything more . . ."

"We'll keep up the dig. Now, go."

Jack hung up the phone and tried to quiet the suspicion that was forming in his mind. Maybe Erica just hadn't had the opportunity to get in touch with him, he thought. Although for this kind of news, she certainly could have called him on his cell phone. Surely she wouldn't try to handle this on her own… He picked up the phone again and dialed Erica's cell phone, hanging up when he got transferred to her voice mail. Throwing caution to the wind, he pressed the button for Erica's extension. He swore under his breath when he got her voice mail again and then pushed the button for Erica's secretary. "Hi, Peggy, it's Jack," he said. "Do you know where Erica is?" He could tell she was surprised to hear his voice as she answered.

"She called in this morning and said she'd be in later. I'm not sure when. There's nothing on her schedule for this afternoon as far as I can see."

"Look, Peggy, can you go in and take a look on her desk? Maybe she added something to her copy," Jack said impatiently. He could sense Peggy's hesitation and added, "I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't important. I need to find her." He tapped his fingers on the desk with increasing urgency as he waited. He looked up as the door suddenly opened and Reggie and Lily burst in.

"J–it's about time, we've been waiting to talk to you all morning," Reggie said excitedly.

Jack put up his hand. "Not now Reg, I'm in the middle of something here."

"This is more important," Reggie continued, ignoring him. "You know that spreadsheet you've been trying to make sense of? Lily found something but we need your help–"

Jack barely had time to process this information when Peggy came back on the line. "Jack, she scribbled something on her calendar. Hold on–I can't make it out. OK, it says 1:00–Lunch–Joan–no, John Andrews. Does that help?"