Chapter 6:

Alan and Don waited for Charlie to come back downstairs, but to no avail. They could see light shining out from under the door of Emma's room and they could hear the occasional murmur, but there was no sign of what was going on between the math professor and his young charge.

Alan checked again an hour later. This time the glow had disappeared from under Emma's door, but Charlie's room was closed too. Alan sighed. There wouldn't be any answers tonight, he finally told his eldest son. Don went home to sleep.

The next day dawned bright and clear. Out of habit, Alan got up with the sun and began preparing breakfast. He was about to call Charlie and Emma down, when the young genius came bounding into the kitchen and grabbed a piece of toast.

"Good morning," Alan greeted him. "Have a good sleep?"

"Fine, thanks," Charlie replied around a mouthful of whole wheat crumbs. He headed back to the dining room, only to be stopped by his father's questioning gaze. "What?"

Alan frowned. "Don't you have something to share?" he asked pointedly.

Charlie shook his tousled head. "No time, Dad," he replied. "Things to do." With that he disappeared through the doorway.

Alan sighed and threw down the towel with which he'd been drying his hands. Heading out of the kitchen, he was just in time to see Charlie steer the little girl out the front door. "Hold it!" he commanded. Charlie turned. "Just where are you taking her?"

"With me," he responded simply. "Dad, we really have to go. There's a cab waiting."

Alan shook his head. "Charlie..." he began.

"Later, Dad. I promise." And they were gone, the door closing softly behind them.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Don sat and scowled at the computer screen. "Something I can help with?" He looked up, startled. David was watching him, his shoulder propped against the cubicle divider. "What are you working on?" he asked.

Don heaved a heavy sigh. "That's the problem," he replied. Throwing down the pen he'd been toying with, he confessed, "I haven't been 'working on' anything. I can't concentrate."

Nodding, David asked, "Charlie, right?"

Don gave him a sideways glance as he rose from the chair. "How'd you guess?" he growled.

David shrugged. "Not too hard to figure out. I am an FBI agent, you know."

"I hadn't forgotten." He headed for the small break room. Pouring coffee into a thermal cup, he added sugar and stirred it in, aware the other man had followed and was watching him carefully. He picked up his mug and took a long drink. Finally lowering the cup, he turned slightly and asked, "What's the matter?"

David took a step into the room. Lowering his voice slightly, he asked, "Did you sleep at all last night, Don?" Shaking his head, Don lifted the cup to his lips. David added, "You can't keep this up, you know. You were up all day yesterday and the night before, too." He moved closer, resting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "If you don't get some rest soon, you're gonna regret it."

Don glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "Keep the coffeepot full," he joked, half-heartedly.

"This isn't a laughing matter, Don," David said. "You, more than anyone, should know how dangerous it is to be over-tired in our line of work."

This time Don turned to face him fully. "Yes, David. I do." Meeting David's gaze directly, he added, "Do you think I'm a liability?"

"That's not what I'm saying, and you know it." David took a step back. "Don't take your anger at Charlie out on me, Don." He headed out of the room, pausing in the doorway. "I'm not the one to blame here." He shook his head once before departing.

Don turned back to the coffeemaker. Topping up his drink, he added more sugar and dropped a stir stick into the brew. He headed back to his desk in silence withhis co-workers eyes on his every move. Setting his cup on the edge of his desk, he swept the room with a piercing glare, pausing every time he met someone's gaze until they dropped their eyes in embarrassment.

Megan came in at a half-run, a folder clutched in her hand. "Don!" she called excitedly. "We've finally got a break in the case!"

"Let's see it," he replied holding his hand out for the file. Instead of giving to him, she glanced around the room in confusion. "Where's Sinclair and Granger?" she asked.

"Checking on something," he lied. He, too, had noticed their conspicuous absence in his scan of the area.

Megan frowned. "Well let's hope they don't take too long," she grumbled. "We've got a chance to catch this guy Dodds if we get going now. LAPD is already on their way!"

Don grabbed his coat from the back of his chair. "Let's go then," he replied. "We can phone them on the way." Picking up his keys, he tossed them to Megan. "You drive."

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Where's Don and Megan?" David asked. Colby was sitting on his desk, searching through a large folder.

He shrugged his massive shoulders. "Beats me," he replied. "They weren't here when I left." Just then his cell phone rang. Slipping it from where it rode on his belt, Colby flipped it open in one smooth motion and put it to his ear. "Granger."

After a pause, he said, "On our way." He snapped the phone shut and refastened it in the holder as he reached for his jacket. "That was Don," he explained. "Him and Megan are on their way to a takedown of this Dodds character. LAPD are already on scene, waiting for the word."

"Don called you?" David asked incredulously as they made a beeline for the elevator. "Why didn't he phone me?"

Colby punched the button for the parking garage. As the doors slid shut, he asked, "Because you ticked him off?"

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Hey there," Amita said as she entered Charlie's office. Emma was sitting cross legged on the floor, a book in front of her.

"Hello," Emma replied.

Charlie came around from behind a bookcase. "Oh hey, Amita," he greeted. "What brings you here?"

Amita sat on the chair closest to where the little girl was reading. "I heard you had a new friend, Charlie. I came to say hi."

Charlie set down the book in his hands. "Emma," he said. "This is my friend Amita."

Emma stood, wiping her palms on her jeans. Holding out her right hand, she said seriously, "How do you do?"

Amita laughed nervously. Glancing at Charlie, she took Emma's hand and shook it gently. "Fine, thank you," she replied. "How are you?"

Emma lifted her shoulders once. "Okay, I guess." Dropping back down to the rug, she picked up the book and set it in her lap.

Amita looked to Charlie for help, but he only smiled indulgently. Sliding down off the chair, Amita sat on the rug as well. "What are you reading, Emma?" she asked.

Another shrug. "I don't know. I don't read yet."She turned a page. "I'm looking."

"What are you looking at?"

Emma glanced at her suspiciously. "Pictures."

Charlie chose this point to intervene. "Emma's looking at a book I picked out of the library for her on astronomical phenomenon."

"Oh," Amita replied. "You mean like star clusters, and nebulae..." she trailed off when he nodded. To Emma, she said, "I always thought they were very pretty."

The little head bobbed in assention. "They're bee-you-teeful" she drawled. "My mummy had a book like this one."

"Did she?" Amita asked carefully, unwilling to upset her. She'd been one of the first people Charlie had told about the death of Cassandra Langhorne - Larry being the other - and was aware of the little girl's tragic situation. Charlie had also told them both of his unenviable position. "I have books like that, too," she added. "Would you like to see them?"

Emma looked up - not at her, but at Charlie. "May I?" she asked.

Charlie nodded. "I'll come and get you later, okay?"

"Okay," she agreed amiably. She turned to Amita. "Yes. I'd like to see them, please."

Amita spared her friend a surprised glance before replying. "Sure. Let's go take a look." Levering herself from the floor, she waited until Emma got up before offering her hand. Emma took it easily and followed her from the room.

Grinning broadly, Charlie reached for his book again only to begin searching his pockets for his cell phone as it started ringing. Finally locating it, he flipped it open and said, "Hello."

All color drained from his face as he listened. "When... But what happened?" He paused. "I see... No, I understand. I'll... Yes, I'm on my way now. Did you call...?" He grabbed his bookbag and started tossing items into it haphazardly. "Okay, good. I'm leaving now. Are you going to be... Okay. I'll be right there, Megan." He snapped the phone shut and dropped it in his pocket. Picking up his laptop case, he slung the strap over his shoulder and seized the bookbag by its handle. He headed for the open door, only to be stopped by the sudden appearance of Larry Fleinhardt.

"Charles, where are you off to in such a rush?" he asked.

"Amita," Charlie replied breathlessly. "Emma's with her - I have to go. Now."

Larry studied his friend's face. "Is everything alright?"

Charlie shook his head. "Larry, could you... Would you ask Amita to watch Emma for a little while? I really have to..."

"Certainly," Larry interrupted. "By all means go, Charles. Amita and I can look after the little girl for you. Don't worry."

"Thanks," Charlie said as he brushed by Larry. He called back over his shoulder. "I'll phone you later!"

"She'll be fine, Charles," Larry assured his rapidly disappearing figure. "Don't worry!" Turning back to the now empty room, Larry scratched his head thoughtfully. "Now where in the cosmos do I find them?"