A/N: Yes, I know I seem to have died and deserted you, but let me assure you all I am still alive (those who have been waiting for me to post for the last centuary start sharpening their hatchets at this last statement). I have had most of my time taken up with exams and coursework with are finally over and I am on holiday for the next two months which will give me time to make up for my gross abandonment hitherto. If anyone is faithfull enough to still be out there, let me reward you by a promise of another chapter within the next 7 days.

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Alan Eppes sat round the table with his two sons. The food was nearly finished and Don and Charlie were eagerly discussing their latest case. Well, Don's latest case, but Charlie already seemed just as absorbed by it.

Don had briefly explained to his father Charlie's findings and their latest suspicions without giving away any classified information, but although Alan sympathised with his excitement, he had hoped that this idea of dinner at home might have been enough to drive the case from Don's mind for at least one night. Obsession was not good. It caused you to miss what was going on around you, and there was a hell of a lot going on around Don right now, if he could only see it. Terri had been there only that afternoon, she had been at her kindest and most helpful, but Don, while perfectly friendly and grateful to her, and perfectly swept away with her to Alan's practiced eye, had completely misunderstood every gentle overture on her part.

"I had a task force checking out those garages today, they haven't found anything but that's nothing new. It'll take them at least a week to get through them all thoroughly."

"Where are they working from?" Asked Charlie, absentmindedly shredding the vegetables left on his plate with his fork.

"I just told you, from the garages," replied Don, confused.

"No, I mean are they working from the middle of the row outwards, from the ends inwards, or starting at one end moving towards the other?"

"I dunno. Does it matter?"

"Strategically speaking, it would be better for them to have a garage right in the middle, therefore those are the ones they should search first. Of course, it may be a factor beyond their control, in which case there's nothing you can do."

"I'll check on that," promised Don taking a sip of his drink. He looked up to see Charlie still shredding his vegetables, staring into space. Something seemed to be bothering him. "What is it?"

"What? Oh, nothing. It's just … you said these guys weren't sexually abusing the children . . ."

"Charlie, that's a good thing. Why do you keep bringing it up?"

Charlie frowned at him, trying to put his thoughts into words, "it's just that if they aren't abusing them . . . they must want them for something, Don. They don't just get kicks out of it. These guys are smart – its – there has to be a reason they're kidnapping these kids."

"Charlie, some guys are just sick –"

"I know that," said Charlie impatiently, "but don't you see; this whole thing is too much effort to go through just because killing children gives you a high. Besides, I don't mean to be stereotypical but the kind of guys who get off on killing kids aren't normally the kind you'd associate with this level of intelligence. It's been what, several weeks, and no one can lay a finger on them –"

"We have your bank account evidence," cut in Don defensively.

"That indicates you might, possibly, be on the right track. It's not proof," he spoke bitterly.

"I don't get it. You were the one who was all excited about it this morning." Said Don.

"It's not enough. You said so yourself."

Alan suddenly cut in, "I've been thinking. Listen, what you said just now Charlie about these guys needing the kids for some purpose. In some countries people have a lot of children because children earn money. In the US children aren't allowed to work, so they can't earn money for their parents, so they cost money, but in poorer countries children are a source of income."

Don and Charlie exchanged a look that said only too plainly that they both thought this was going no where. If Alan was about to suggest what Don thought he was, the idea was simply too far-fetched to be conceivable. "Dad, that's all very well, but we are in the US," Don interrupted.

"Yes – that's what I was coming to. I remember once, just before I met your mum, I was working with this charity to do with social security. Looking after children from underprivileged families. Well – if you earn below a certain amount, or are a single parent, for every extra child you have you get more money. Could be as much as a hundred extra a month."

"But then that'd go on feeding the child and looking after them," said Charlie uncomprehendingly.

"Only if you did feed them," said Alan darkly, and Charlie thought about the photographs of the emaciated victims.

"Are you trying to say someone kidnapped five children to commit benefit fraud?" Put in Don with a hefty amount of scepticism in his voice.

"Not just someone. This would have to be a pretty big operation for it to make enough money for it to be worth it. Kidnapping children isn't easy – if you kidnap enough people you have the FBI on your track – so it would have to be really profitable for it to be worth it, and the only way to make it profitable is to make it into a large scale thing."

Don shook his head. "But – you couldn't operate this whole scam on just five victims – especially if they're dead."

Alan looked at him. "Come on Don, how many children have disappeared in the last year alone that never found their way onto the FBI agenda? I've seen a missing persons list. And you wouldn't need that many anyway. The neighbours would notice things so it would be a good idea to have one or two permanently about the house, but not the same ones or they may become familiar, and occasionally social security will come round and check on the kids, so you'd need a contact who could get you a few children at short notice, but trust me, its not that hard a crime to get away with. Social security are overworked already; it only has to look half genuine and no one's going to have the time or inclination to look any further."

"So how did these five end up dead then?"

Alan shrugged, "something went wrong," he suggested.

"How come you know so much about this anyway? It's hardly anything to do with city planning."

"Like I said, I used to work for this charity for underprivileged children in LA. That was where I met you mother if you want to know. You used to see quite a lot of things you'd rather think weren't happening.

"I remember just after I joined, something similar to this came up. A woman got sent to jail for pretending she had more children than she did by borrowing some from a friend whenever the social worker went round.

"It took ages for anyone to twig what was going on because, like I said, no one really looked into it for a long time. At the time there was a whisper that she wasn't the only one – that there was a big business going on beneath the surface – but nothing more was found out as far as I know."

Don was silent for a moment then he looked sharply up at Charlie and said with a hint of enthusiasm in his voice "hey – that would fit in with what you said about there being two different perpetrators remember? It could have been two different sets of parents!"

Charlie nodded slowly, "I suppose it could. It does seem plausible, but I still think it's highly improbable."

For a few moments they were all silent then Charlie said, "to be honest Don, there are – mathematically – infinite possibilities why these children are being kidnapped. No offence Dad, but the chance of you hitting of the correct reason among so many is extremely slim.

Alan smiled, "I don't disagree," he said. "But whether your case is anything to do with it or not, this sort of thing does go on. You might as well check it out Don, at least to eliminate it."

"You know what?" Said Don, "I'll get Terri onto it right away. I know the chances of Dad hitting on the correct one are remote, but you have to admit the evidence we have so far does seem to fit. After all we haven't found a suitable explanation up to now, and if this kind of scam does happen, isn't someone going to stumble across it sooner or later? It could be now." He had his cell phone out, almost rising out of his chair at the possibility that they might be getting somewhere. "Dad – you're amazing," he said, dialling his 4th speed dial. "Hey Terri - listen –"

While he quickly expounded this theory to Terri, Alan exchanged a significant look with Charlie who nodded slightly.

"– OK, that's great, check on that and get back to me. Yeah. See you." Don put the phone down and looked around the table.

"Don," said Charlie tentatively, "maybe you should give this thing a rest for this evening."

Don opened his mouth and looked as if he was about to reply sharply when he seemed to change his mind and shut it again. He sighed and said, "yeah, OK Charlie, I'll give it a rest for this evening." Out of the corner of his eye he could have sworn he saw his dad wink at Charlie as he got up to take his plate into the kitchen.