Chapter Eleven


I can't believe I heard from Renee today, it was so out of the blue. Dr. Laurent and I were collaborating on a new compound together until slimy Henri ruined it all because of his ego and his libido. Really, how often do men really resort to blackmail to get a woman to go out with them? Especially an HIV+ woman? Anyway, Renee found another source of funds to continue the project and contacted me to see if I was still interested in working on it with her. I don't really want to go back to Paris or to Geneva where she is, I like the life I have here, but I agreed to work on it with her long distance. I have to admit, I'd been spending so much time at GH treating patients, and not just in neurology, that I had forgotten how much I love development work.

"I didn't think it would take you this long."

Aidan put an arm out in front of Patrick who was about to charge the older WSB agent in response to his mocking comment.

"What the hell is going on, Sean?" Anna's voice was curt in fury, her fist was clenched. Noah, standing on the side of her, moved closer.

Sean stood in the center, in front of the white board which Aidan had methodically read through for Sean down to the conclusion that his story was a lie.

"What's going on is you're all wasting your time looking for someone who doesn't want to be found. Probably thanks to that lounge lizard over there." Sean motioned towards Patrick.

"I knew you would want to spin this into being my lie, but I assumed that would have happened on day one."

Patrick made a move towards Sean and Aidan moved to block him.

"And what proof of that do you have to give us this time?" Noah asked as he glanced between the two most volatile members of their group – Anna and Patrick.

"Explain the ATM picture! Explain Dr. Laurent!" Patrick demanded.

"I'm just as surprised as you are to hear she emailed Robin after her own death. I should take a look at all the emails and have my people trace back the header information."

"We can handle that just fine, mate," Aidan said dryly.

"I only want to help." Sean spread his hands out to show his innocence.

"Explain the ATM photo!" Patrick demanded again.

"ATM cameras are not designed to pick up backgrounds, only ATM activity. Crappy quality is to be expected."

"That's your explanation. Crappy equipment? Please!" Patrick lunged past Aidan and grabbed Sean by the lapels of his jacket. "Where the hell is Robin?"

"I'd suggest you let go, Dr. Drake. I do carry a gun."

"I'll let go when Robin is delivered to us safe and sound!" Patrick growled.

"This isn't helping anything, Son. Let him go." Noah put his hand on Patrick's shoulder. "But if you don't tell us what we need to know I'll help him. Gun or no gun." Patrick let his father pull him back, but his face was still red and he vibrated with rage.

"You've found yourself quite a hero here, Anna. But you always do inspire that in men. I see your daughter inherited your talents. I'm not surprised." Sean straightened his jacket. "I love Robin like she's my own daughter. It's not surprising no one sighted her in New Hampshire or Toronto; she is a Scorpio and a Devane. If she doesn't want to be spotted she knows how to blend in."

"Explain Heather Carmicheal's story? And her disappearance," Aidan demanded.

"To the best of my knowledge Heather Carmichael left the bar with some Dutch tourist and holed up with him for a couple of days in his hotel room. As for her story, she was probably lying to get you to take her to your room first or you just got her so drunk she didn't know what she was saying. I do applaud your faithfulness to Robin, Drake. I'm sure she'll be pleased to hear it, if she still cares when she gets back." Sean's voice related the information as if it was obvious, matter-of-fact.

"You son of a…" Patrick lunged forward again, but a sharp look from Anna brought him back. He turned around and took a deep breath and ran his hands over his face. He was going to kill this guy, he knew he was lying.

"And the airport clerk, Bill Roberts?"

"I'm sure you know that the guy has big gambling debts." Sean shrugged.

"Where is she, Sean? Where's Robin?" Anna demanded, her voice finally betraying her anguish.

Sean's expression softened as he looked at Anna. He hesitated a moment and then reached into his jacket and pulled out some snapshots. Anna grabbed them from his hand.

"What?" Patrick demanded.

"These are photos of Robin with Brenda sitting by a pool. Enjoying dinner and laughing together. Talking with." She glanced at Patrick. "Attractive men in a bar." She handed the photos to Patrick who took them with shaky hands.

"Why should we believe these are any more real than the other photos?"

"All the photos are real. You want to believe that Robin wouldn't run off without a word, except she hasn't. She told work and she told Brenda. How well do any of you really know Robin Scorpio?"

"He's still lying," Aidan said after Anna closed the door behind Sean.

"Of course he is," Patrick chimed in from where he sat on the couch.

"All these missing people are concerning. And Dr. Laurent," Noah said.

"Agreed," Anna said. She crossed her arms and began pacing. "We sent the incomplete paper and the finished article Patrick found to my sister Alex and to my ex, he's a bit of chemist," she informed the Drake men.

"An evil one," Aidan remarked under his breath as he walked out of the kitchen with bottles of water in his hand. Noah stepped forward and took the bottles and began to hand them out. All the while he kept his eye on Anna's pacing.

"Could you make heads or tails of it, Patrick?" Noah asked.

"I know biology. Just looks like a concoction intended to mitigate the effects of traumatic brain injuries." Patrick shrugged.

"We also have the story from my contact about the woman grabbed in Rome. It might not be Robin, but it's worth checking out," Aidan said. "And we can look for Brenda, too."

"Agreed. We should go to Rome," Anna said. "Can you two get away?" she asked Patrick and Noah.

"We can make arrangements. Patrick's surgical schedule is already cleared. I can have Dr. Michaels and some doctors from Mercy cover."

Before Anna could answer her cell phone rang. "Alex? Really?" Anna turned and looked at everyone. She listened for another few minutes. "I'm coming right to you. Do you have guards? Can you trust them? Okay, we'll be there." Anna clicked off her phone.

"Change of plans. I'm going to Hungary."