XXXXXXX

"Come live in my heart and pay no rent." Samuel Lover

XXXXXXX

Chapter 17

XXXXXXX

As Martin finished getting dressed for work his mind replayed the events of the previous evening. It took every ounce of courage and resolve he had to walk away from Sam after kissing her but he knew that he had to give her time to think about what he had said. He had high hopes that when he saw her today that maybe they could pick up where they left off.

As he adjusted his tie he smiled at the memory of kissing Sam. It was more delicious than he ever could have imagined. If he closed his eyes and concentrated he could still taste her on his lips. He was still reeling from the excitement of the kiss when he got home and it took him hours to finally fall asleep. He couldn't evade the exhilarating feeling of having kissed a woman like her. Plus, he was also quite proud of how he handled the situation. He hadn't been that attracted or comfortable around a woman in such a long time that he wasn't willing to let her go without a fight.

He yawned as he wandered down the hall towards the kitchen, patting Milo as he passed. The big brown dog was sleeping happily on his pillow next to the heater. He opened his eyes at Martin's affectionate touch before stretching out and rolling onto his other side. Martin walked into the kitchen and headed straight to the counter, reached for the carafe of coffee and starting pouring the steamy brown liquid into his stainless steel travel mug.

As he stood he looked out the window at the falling snow; thick white flakes dropped heavily onto the ground, covering up the brown slush with a fresh white layer. Just as Sam predicted it had started snowing early this morning. If the rate of the snowfall kept up the city would be covered in ten inches of snow by nightfall.

When he was done filling his mug his cell phone rang out demanding his attention. He put the carafe back, unclipped the phone from his belt and answered, "Fitzgerald."

"Martin," Louisa's voice greeted. "I just got a call from Dominic's phone service. He got a Dear John email from Erica. I need you to get to his house ASAP. Theo and I will meet you there."

Martin exhaled a heavy sigh of sympathy for Dominic before quickly recovering. "I'll call Sam and Danny and tell them to meet us there."

"No, that's okay, I'll do it. I have to talk with Danny about that incident with the dumpster. See you in a few." Louisa replied before ending the call.

Martin closed his phone and returned it to his side. He was hoping he would have a legitimate excuse to talk to Sam this morning but he would have to settle for just seeing her at the house. He walked to refrigerator and pulled out the carton to add cream to his coffee before affixing the lid to his mug. He peered into the hallway to look at Milo and said, "I'm outta here buddy, be good."

Milo looked up at him under heavy lidded eyes before promptly closing them again and falling back asleep. "Hmph, man's best friend." Martin muttered as he put on his coat and walked into the garage.

A short drive later, Martin pulled into Dominic's driveway. He glanced around seeing that he was the first one to arrive. He ambled up onto the porch and rang the bell. While he waited for someone to answer the door he brushed the heavy snowflakes from his hair and shoulders.

Dominic opened the door looking ashen and distraught. He waved for Martin to follow him inside and hurried into the living room where he picked up a piece of paper from the table. He anxiously shoved it into Martin's hands.

The paper was a printout of the email Erica had sent him. Martin glanced at Dominic who had sat down on the loveseat, wringing his hands so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Martin gave him a sympathetic look before returning his focus to the letter and began reading.

Dominic,

I am sorry but I can't do this anymore. I can't live a life that isn't really mine. It would just be perpetuating a lie. I'm not happy with you and I need this time to go find myself. Believe me, this is the best thing for everyone. Tell Nathan that his mommy loves him and she's so sorry that she had to leave him.

Please don't look for me.

Erica

Martin re-read the letter and couldn't help but think that the Erica who wrote this letter was not the Erica he had spent the last week searching for. The letter was not only brief and impersonal but she only acknowledges one son, there was no mention of Jeremy.

He looked up at Dominic who started moving his hands while furiously shaking his head signing, "She didn't send that. Someone else sent it or made her do it. She's in trouble, you have to find her."

Martin nodded his head understandingly when the doorbell rang. The light above the door in the alcove lit up so Martin gestured for Dominic to remain seated and he would answer the door.

He pulled the door open and found Charlie and Theo standing on the other side. Martin stepped aside and held the door they could enter. "Hey come in, where's Louisa?"

"She got caught up in something at the office so she sent me." Charlie replied as he stomped his feet on the rug by the door. He eyes scanned the area searching for the husband and asked, "What do you got?"

"Here." Martin handed the paper to Charlie. "This is the letter Erica sent Dominic."

As Charlie read Theo held up his suitcase of equipment and said, "I'll go and see if I track down from where the email was sent. Where's the computer?"

Martin pointed to the office down the hall. As Theo walked away he glanced back at Charlie who was scrutinizing the letter.

Charlie handed the paper back to him and said, "So are we back to thinking she's just pulling the disappearing act again?"

Martin shook his head. "No, the husband doesn't think that she sent it and I'm inclined to agree."

"Why?" Sam's voice asked from the doorway. She and Danny must have arrived right on top of Charlie and Theo.

"Morning." Martin greeted at the sight of the beautiful blonde agent.

"Morning," Sam smiled with a blush. She looked simultaneously collected and discombobulated. It was an adorable combination.

Danny pushed her gently ahead of him into the foyer before shutting the door. His eyes darted back and forth mischievously between them as he said, "Ahem, so can you update us on what's going on?"

Martin debriefed the four agents on the email as he handed the letter to Sam. He also mentioned that Dominic believed that it wasn't willingly sent by Erica. "I think the fact that she didn't include Jeremy in her letter means something, she's giving us a clue I just can't figure out what it is exactly."

Charlie's phone rang and he excused himself as he walked the other end of the hall to answer it.

"Do you think she is planning on coming back and taking Jeremy? He's not Dominic's biological son so she's free to take him if she wants." Sam commented as she scanned over the email.

"If she was why would she send the email in the first place." Martin asked, noticing that today Sam had abandoned the nun look; her hair was down and she was wearing a tight black blouse with a low neckline. He tried not to stare at the freckles that decorated her chest. "She could have just told him she was leaving him when she came back to get Jeremy or for that matter why didn't she just take him when she left? And why take only one son and not the other?"

He and Sam looked at one another wonderingly when she licked her lips. He didn't know if it was an unconscious gesture or if her lips were just dry but either way he found it incredibly scintillating. His mind flashbacked to the kiss and then to her pink bra and he had to force himself to look at Danny before he seriously embarrassed himself in front of her with his staring.

Danny pilfered the sheet of paper from Sam's hand. "Plus, why would she leave rather than just get a divorce and collect that fat alimony?"

Sam rolled her eyes at Danny's comment when Charlie returned.

"That was James. The IRS got back to him with a hit on Carl Battarbee. He is now living in Milwaukee." Charlie said excitedly. "He's a rep for a credit card company that does work for LaSalle Bank."

Sam perked up and said, "That's just a ninety minute drive from Chicago; an easy day trip."

Danny handed the paper back to Martin and said, "I say we go pay Mr. Battarbee a visit."

"I have a few friends in the bureau who work Wisconsin. I'll call them up and let them know we are coming." Charlie offered as he pulled out his cell phone. "Smooth the waters."

"I'll tell Dominic and Theo that we're leaving." Martin explained as he headed back to the living room where he had left the distressed husband. As he walked away he could hear Charlie and Danny chatting about which is the best way to get to Milwaukee.

Dominic was still seated at the chair, his skin even a more pale shade of white if that was possible. Martin sat on the ottoman opposite of him and signed, "We might have a lead on where Erica is. We are going to leave but Theo, our tech, is working on that email transmission in your office. I'll let you know if we find out anything."

Dominic remained silent but nodded his head before slumping into his chair and cradling his head in his hands. Martin wanted to reassure him that he would find Erica but he knew that was always a dangerous promise to make.

He left Dominic alone and walked back out into the foyer to find everyone gone. As he stepped out onto the porch he saw Sam and Danny headed to their own car and Charlie sitting in his. Damn. He was really hoping that Danny and Charlie would ride together so he and Sam would have a chance to talk.

He stomped through the snow feeling disappointed. He opened his car door and sat down. The car was still warm from his drive over but a layer of snow covered the windshield. He stuck his key in the ignition and clicked on the wipers that pushed the snow to the side.

"You're welcome." Charlie said pointedly as he snapped on his seatbelt. Martin looked at him curiously and he added, "I figured with the way things went with you guys yesterday the last thing you would want is to spend an hour and a half in a car with her so I had her go with her partner in the other car."

Martin lamented the fact that for the first time in his life Charlie was actually trying to be considerate only to have it be the last thing in the world he wanted. He watched with longing as Sam got into the car with Danny. Sitting in the passenger seat she gave him a small smile before their car rolled away. He blew out a frustrated breath and begrudgingly said, "Yeah, thanks Charlie. Thanks a lot."