Stella and Mac walked into the typically busy police station. Mac leaned on the counter and asked for Claire while Stella browsed the wall children who'd recently gone missing.
Claire came out of one of the back offices, paperwork in one hand, and bottle of iced water in the other. She peered over a pair of sunglasses she hadn't had the time to take off as she searched the faces. She spotted Mac and stuck her tongue out at him playfully before grabbing a young officer and getting him to take the papers.
"Hey, baby." She smiled as she exited through the small saloon-style swinging door and into her husbands' arms.
"Claire." He grinned as he kissed her.
She let him and than quickly straightened herself, snapping back into the professional atmosphere.
Stella joined them as Claire explained the "who and what" of their latest case.
"Hopefully this won't end with a call to the crime lab, but rather just a call to us." She began. "There was a new report early this morning, 4:30 to be exact. A woman had gone missing, a nun from Saint Basil's Orphanage."
Stella tensed.
Claire caught on. "What's up, Stel? Recognize it?"
"Yeah." Stella hesitated. "Damn. Saint Basil's has been around for a long time as have each of the nuns who care for the children there. Do you have a name?"
Claire leaned over the counter grabbing a file and flipping through it. "A Sister Beverly Manten."
"No." Stella whispered barely above a breath.
Claire and Mac exchanged quick glances as Stella looked at the picture of the tall woman clipped to the pages.
Claire took two pages and photocopied them for Mac and Stella to take as Mac began to search for directions.
Stella grabbed his arm. "I'll drive. I know where it is and who we can talk to."
He gave her a look, eyebrow raised to his hairline. "You alright with this? What's going on?"
The double question sent Stella's mind spinning as she gripped his arm tighter. "I'll tell you later." She answered the second question only.
He stared after Stella as she walked out the door. Without diverting his eyes he leaned in for Claire to kiss him on the cheek as he took the copies from her.
"She looks shaken. Take care of her, husband." Claire spoke strictly.
He nodded than smiled down at her before leaving to find his partner and his car.
Stella stood in the main drive of Saint Basil's Orphanage staring down at the paperwork in her hands. Two sheets were the ones Claire had copied for her and the other folder contained information on the suspect of their homicide/rape case. Her hands were shaking as she felt Mac take her arm and lead her up the long drive. They had to leave their vehicle at the end, so the walk was almost agonizing for Stella.
He raised his hand to knock on the door, but it opened for him. A young child stood there wearing flowered pajama pants and a matching shirt. She held a teddy bear tight in one arm and she clutched the doorknob.
"The sister's are in the chapel." She whispered.
Mac looked at the child for a long moment before identifying himself. "My name's Mac Taylor. I'm a police officer."
She nodded and pointed at the badge clipped to his belt. "I know. They said you were coming and I was supposed to watch the door." She looked up at Stella and smiled shyly.
Mac glanced at her as well and saw quite a bit of compassion in her eyes.
The child took Stella's hand and pulled her with her waving Mac to follow behind them. "I'll take you."
He bare feet pattered on the long stone floor that reminded Mac of being in a church. Soon they reached a long hallway with tiled carpet squares and photos of orphans through the years. It was dark except for the tiny lights that illuminated each picture. They made their way through the hallway and stopped at the end.
"Who did you need to speak to?" She asked hesitantly.
Stella knelt next to her. "Do you know Sister Brooke?"
"Of course." She smiled wide.
"Can you find her for me? Detective Taylor and I will wait here."
She nodded and ran off down a separate hall.
Mac looked at Stella. "Can I have that story now?"
"Umm… Yeah. Mac I was an orphan. I grew up her… all 18 years of my life." She touched a wall as if it were precious jewels.
Mac watched her closely and could tell she was fighting tears. He'd only known her three months and he might actually see her cry. This strong woman he'd come to know as his right hand in the lab and on every case covered up a lost, scared child. He touched her back cautiously.
"Beverly Manten was the only person in this world I trusted. We used to go for walks through Central Park talking for hours on end. She took care of me and believed in me. Told me I could do anything I wanted."
Mac didn't know what to say. He stood there for a long time.
Soon they heard the familiar patter of bare feet racing through the hallway. "I'm late for church!" The child squealed as she raced up a set of stairs. She leaned over the banister from three floors up. "Sister Brooke will be with you momentarily!" The big word came out oddly pronounced, but it was cute.
Mac removed his hand from Stella's back as she slowly inched down the hall, looking at the photos. She laughed when her hand brushed across one of them. He leaned over her shoulder to see it.
"Mac, this picture was taken at a birthday party we threw for a three year old who didn't know her name, birth date or anything when she got here. All she knew was she wanted her mom. So we made up a birthday for her." She paused as her finger moved through the girls posed in the picture. "That's her and the girl holding her…"
"You?" Mac guessed.
"Yeah. We were close while she was here. She was adopted before she turned 8."
"Your hair was straight." He teased.
"Very. Annoyingly so, actually. I cut it one year and it frizzed up bad. Next day it was wavy so myself and another girl I knew well decided we could perm it. Ha… I miss my straight hair. For some reason it just-"
A voice interrupted. "Wouldn't straighten again. Despite the oatmeal and honey treatments."
Stella turned to see a short, chunky nun standing in the doorway. To Mac she wasn't all that short, but Stella thought so.
She smiled almost shyly. "Sister Brooke."
"Stella Bonasera." She walked over and studied her through thick glasses. "I've not had anyone interested so in the library since you left."
Stella clasped her hands tight behind her back.
The nun took her arm and also grasped Mac's, leading them up a staircase opposite the one chosen by the little girl. They went into a large library and sat at a table.
"You're looking for the man who took Sister Beverly?" Sister Brooke asked.
Mac nodded, sparing Stella the painful explanation. "We're detectives with the homicide department. The man we believe took her could be connected to two murders last month. We're hoping with the information we already have and anything you might be able to provide we could find him before anything happens."
