Chapter 13

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It was a foggy Tuesday morning in New York. The cloudy skies made the normally well-lit office appear dark and murky. And since Jack's office was in the center of the building, it was as gloomy as his mood. He wanted to sneak into its shadows and hide, to be alone with his depression. It was officially over, he thought, reading through the legal documents in his hand; the words 'finalized' and 'divorce' written boldly across the top of the page. Jack absentmindedly rubbed the ring on his finger and thought that if he were to be honest with himself, the marriage had actually died years ago, long before his affair with Sam.

Cause of Death: neglect.

He was the one who found it too easy to leave the business of the home and the kids in Maria's hands. He felt out of place in a home with happy kids and a wife who was smart and emotionally strong. He needed to be surrounded by dysfunction; that was what he understood. So he wasn't around when his girls hit their milestones: first tooth, first step, and so many more firsts that it was easier to list the things he was around to witness. Like the first time they realized that their dad was not the man they wanted him to be; that he was the first man to disappoint them and break their hearts.

It was a tough moment when he realized that he was almost a worse dad than his own. His dad was away months at a time as part of his military obligations. Jack was also never around but he lived and worked in the same city. He wondered if his girls would resent him as much.

The knocking at his door pulled Jack out of his self-misery. He shook off his depressing thoughts and answered, "Come in."

It was an agent delivering all the available details on the new case. After Jack dismissed him, he reviewed the files and got up to go inform the team.

As Jack stepped out of his office and started to the bullpen, he spotted Martin exiting the elevator. He stopped and waited for Martin to approach. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Better." Martin gave him a slight grin.

Jack looked him over carefully. For a guy who spent the last two days recovering from food poisoning he seemed to be in a really good mood. However, Jack decided, since it was a dinner prepared by Sam that caused Martin to get sick, he'd rather not think about why he was so cheerful.

"Good. We have a new case." Jack tilted his head, indicating for Martin to follow him.

Jack entered the bullpen where each of his agents sat at their respective desks. "Gather 'round boys and girls. Meet Jeremy Owen II, 17." Jack handed the missing boys picture to Sam. Jeremy was a good-looking boy: brown hair, blue eyes and a dimpled grin. He epitomized that all-American boy image. "He disappeared yesterday on his way to football practice."

"He's 17, any chance he just ran away?" Sam asked, passing the photo to Danny.

"No reported problems at home or school. All signs indicate his life was just peachy." Jack replied.

"Jeremy Owen? There's a former quarterback for the NY Giants by that name, any relation?" Martin contributed.

"It's his son." He should have known that anything sports related Martin would know about. The man was a walking encyclopedia of sports trivia. "What do you know about the father?"

"He retired after a knee injury in 1997. He still does an occasional sports report for ESPN."

"Any scandals we should know about?"

"Well, there was an accusation of gambling but nothing ever came of it. There was the occasional rumor of him having affairs but in sports that's not really news."

Viv chimed in, "Are we sure it's not a kidnapping?"

"Highly doubtful, the kid disappeared yesterday afternoon and the parents haven't heard anything yet. I'll send the techs to wire tap the phone just in case. In the meantime, Martin, check into the father's financials for anything unusual, gambling debts, etc. But just in case, also look at junior's cell phone records. Danny and Sam, I want you to go to his house and talk to his parents. Be sure to check out his room. Viv, you can come with me to go talk to his coach." Jack looked around at the team and said, "Let's get to it."

As he waited for Viv to gather her things, Jack watched as Martin walked over to Sam's desk, saying something that made her laugh. He felt inklings of jealousy that Martin, who seemed like the most boring of men, could make her smile the smile he once thought was only for him.

"You ready, Jack?" He turned to see Viv eyeing him warily.

"Yeah, let's go." He motioned for her to go first and he got in step behind her, glancing back to see Martin on his way back to his desk, but both he and Sam were still smiling.

Jack and Viv entered the elevator and as the doors were about to close she softly said, "She's happy, Jack; try and be happy for her."

Knowing that Viv knew him too well to try and lie, he answered. "I am trying."