XXXXXXXX

"You are what I never knew I always wanted." Alex, 'Fools Rush In'

XXXXXXXX

Chapter 6

XXXXXXXX

"What was that all about back at the office?" Sam asked as she held her hands in front of the cars heater trying to warm up her numb fingers. The snow had stopped but it was still cold and windy.

"What?" Danny replied as he strummed his fingers on the steering wheel.

"Spilling my personal life like it was just random conversation." She looked out the windshield to see Martin's tail lights glow red as he slowed to a stop at an intersection.

"What's the big deal?" Danny asked as he pulled the car to a stop.

"The big deal is it's my life; not office gossip." Sam replied as she pulled her hands back and folded her arms across her chest. "I'd rather not have them all privy to my love life."

"Or lack thereof." Danny replied with a smirk. Sam threw him a dirty look and hit him in the arm. "Ouch. Come on, why don't you just admit the real reason why you are annoyed?"

"What do you mean?" She retorted watching the street light turn from red to green and Martin's car pulling forward.

"I saw you making goo-goo eyes at Martin." Danny replied as pressed the accelerator to continue following.

"I did not." Sam argued as she shifted in her seat uncomfortably and turned her focus back to the heater.

"Yeah, whatever." Danny said with a chuckle. "I say you should just go for it. He's obviously into you."

Sam turned her head to look at him, raised her eyebrow and said, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Have a fling, Sam. I mean you haven't seen anyone since Kellar, at least not that of know of, and you deserve to have a little fun." Danny urged as he gently shoved Sam's leg with his hand. "You're in a different city, no ties, no obligations, just a little fling."

Sam's lips turned up into a grin as she replied, "Oh, if only we could all be as loose and easy as you."

Danny chuckled as he slowed to a stop behind Martin's car. She glanced around and saw that they were parked in front of a red brick classic Victorian style home with pale blue shutters and a wraparound porch. As she unfastened her seat belt she saw Martin step out of his car and walk onto the sidewalk to wait for them. He met her eyes and smiled.

"Like I said, go for it." Danny replied before opening his door and stepping out of the car.

Sam moved to do the same as she looked back at Martin and smiled in return. If only.

"Some house." Danny commented as he ambled up onto the sidewalk.

"Yeah, it's pretty impressive." Martin replied as he hunched up his shoulders in defense against the cold.

"What can you tell us about Dominic?" Danny asked as he eyed Sam.

"He is a computer engineer. He designs education software for deaf and other types of learning impaired children. He met Erica at the Center for the Deaf. The four-year old, Jeremy, is deaf. He is from a previous marriage, husband deceased."

"This is a pretty snazzy neighborhood." Danny conjectured as he surveyed the houses. "Are we sure ransom isn't a motive?"

"Doubtful. Their mortgaged to the hilt and have some savings but not a lot." Martin replied. "But we are still following protocol and have an agent inside monitoring the calls."

"Considering he's deaf it seems an unlikely way to contact him." Sam said with her eyes on Martin.

He grinned and said, "Good point."

Sam grinned back and kept their eyes on one another until she noticed Danny smiling smugly at her. She quickly put on her serious face and nodded her head at the two of them before heading up the pathway to the house with Martin and Danny following. She wanted to get inside, away from the cold breeze and Martin's warm gaze.

The three of them made their way onto the porch and Sam and Danny glanced around to try and get an idea of what kind of woman Erica was: there was patio furniture that was covered for the winter, a porch swing that looked like it got a lot of use, toy trucks and a little kid's plastic sled. Martin moved ahead of them and pressed the doorbell button.

"I thought you said he was deaf?" Danny asked skeptically.

"He is. This doorbell is linked to a light bulb that flashes to let him know someone is at the door." Martin replied casually.

Danny jutted out his chin but didn't say anything.

A few moments later a man with wire rim glasses, dark brown hair and a gentle demeanor answers the door. He recognizes Martin immediately and animatedly moves his hands.

Martin responded by moving his hands but did them the courtesy of talking while he did it. "No, we haven't found Erica. These are agents Danny Taylor and Samantha Spade from New York. We need to ask you some more questions."

Dominic eyed them warily but nodded his head and waved for them to come inside.

The interior of the house was true to the Victorian design. Sam marveled at the ten foot ceilings, hardwood floors and crown molding. From where she stood she could see the sitting room featured a gas fireplace with a Victorian mantle. It was like a house straight out of a Charles Dickens novel. They followed Dominic and Martin waved hello to the agent sitting in the studio surrounded by a laptop and other tracing equipment.

Dominic led them to a warm open living area next to the kitchen and motioned for them to sit down. She and Danny sat on the chairs while Dominic and Martin sat on the sofa.

Dominic's hands moved quickly with his eyes darting between Martin and her and Danny.

Martin turned to them and said, "He wants to know what questions we need to ask." He raised his hands and as he gestured he spoke. "Do you know the name Carmela Chicchini?"

Sam could see him spelling out the name and noticed that he had beautiful long fingers. She suddenly remembered that her friends used to say that you can tell a lot about a man by the size of his hands.

Dominic was shaking his head as he signed and Martin translated. "He doesn't know the name and wants to know why we are asking." Martin began moving his hands and explained, "We believe that Erica and Carmela are one and the same. The woman known as Carmela disappeared from New York five years ago which is around the same time that Erica showed up in Chicago."

Dominic watched Martin carefully before rubbing his hands over his face. Martin looked over at Sam and Danny. Dominic stood up and walked to the front of the fireplace and began pacing. He looked at them as he started moving his hands.

"Why do you think Erica is Carmela? How can you be sure?" Martin translated before replying. "DNA. The blood we found in Erica's car matches Carmela's. Has Erica ever mentioned her life before moving to Chicago?"

Martin spoke as Dominic started gesturing again. "No, Erica was very secretive about her life. She told me Jeremy's dad had died before he was born so when we were expecting Nathan and I told her I wanted to officially adopt Jeremy."

Dominic and Erica are in the nursery. It is a bright room with pale blue curtains and light blonde wood furniture. Dominic is on the floor putting together the crib while Erica is hanging pictures on the wall.

She steps back and rubs her protruding belly as she studies her handiwork. She holds her arms outstretched and uses her fingers to try and calculate if the picture is hanging straight. Dominic starts laughing and she looks down at him.

"What?" She signs as she says the word. She watches as Dominic's hands. "It's just a little crooked. It's fine."

They both laugh as she carefully maneuvers herself onto the floor to sit next to him. A little boy with curly blonde hair and big green eyes comes running into the room, his small chubby hands signing anxiously.

"No, Jeremy, I told you only two cookies." Erica replied with calculated hand gestures and her mouth annunciating each word carefully. "Besides, we are getting ready to go Grandma and Grandpa's. Go to your room and get your shoes."

Jeremy turned to look at Dominic who shook his head no. With lowered shoulders and a pout on his face, Jeremy exited to do as he was told.

Dominic smiled at Erica who looked directly at him and said, "I don't know why I bother. Your parents are going to stuff him with cookies when we get there anyway."

Dominic leaned forward and kissed her. When he pulled back he signed with a serious look on his face.

Erica, keeping her eyes on him said, "I am thinking about it. I want you to officially be Jeremy's dad but I'd have to find Colin's death certificate and I just don't know if I am up to that yet. He's dead but still very much a part of Jeremy's life and who he is."

Dominic rubbed her arm before speaking in a low tone, distinctive to those who cannot hear annunciation. "You never talk about your life with Colin. Why?"

"It was my life before I met you. I'd just as soon forget it okay." Erica leaned forward and kisses Dominic. She moves back and holds his face in her hands. "You are my life now. You, Jeremy and…Toby?"

Dominic shakes his head with a laugh and replies, "No son of mine will be named Toby."

"Okay, how about Nathan?" Erica asked.

"Nathan." Dominic pronounced. "I like it."

"So it's official then." Erica kissed Dominic before saying, "Okay, now help me up because Nathan is doing a tap dance on my bladder."

Dominic quickly stood up and held out his hands to help Erica up. He gives her another quick kiss before she waddled off to the bathroom. Once she was out of sight, Jeremy returned with his shoes and a cookie. Jeremy smiled devilishly at Dominic, who just shook his head laughing.

"I finally gave up asking. I thought I would just wait for her to come around." Martin finished as Dominic dropped his hands to his side.

Dominic looked at Sam who, now knowing that he could read lips, asked, "What is her deceased husband's name?"

"Colin Harding." Dominic replied. "Why?"

"I just want to make sure we cover all possibilities." Sam assured him.

There was a noise at the door and they all turned to see Jeremy standing in the doorway. He was signing feverishly and Dominic uttered, "Excuse me." and grabbed Jeremy's hand and exited the room.

"What was that about?" Danny asked.

"He spilled his juice on the carpet in his room." Martin explained before looking directly at her. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"If you're thinking that Erica would have had to of been pregnant with Jeremy when she left New York as Carmela and maybe this 'dead husband' isn't so dead or a husband, then the answer would be yes." She replied with a small smile.

Martin just looked at her with a grin and said, "Great minds think alike."

Danny looked annoyed and got up out of his chair muttering, "I thought the same thing but clearly no one here cares what I think."

Martin and Sam smiled and just shook their heads at him. Danny moved around the room and stood behind the sofa as Martin pulled out his cell phone.

As he dialed he said, "I'll call Anna and have her do some research on Colin Harding."

While he was on the phone, Sam started writing down some notes. She could feel eyes on her and looked up to see Danny grinning, giving her the thumbs up and pointing to Martin, who couldn't see him from where he sat. She shook her head for him to stop and Martin looked at her questioningly. With his cell phone at his ear he looked back and forth between her and Danny, who managed to look completely oblivious.

Martin eyed her curiously before returning his attention to the call. Danny laughed knowing he was in the clear while Sam cringed and made a mental note that she was going to make sure she paid Danny Taylor back. She wasn't sure when or how but he was going to pay.