Chapter 2

Grace returned to her office in silence, the men and women she passed didn't know what to say to the obviously grieving woman so they let her be. Sitting at her desk she tried to focus on Oliver's schedule for tomorrow but her eyes kept drifting to the photograph on her desk. It was taken the night they all went to the movies, the night Grace saw that Oliver was capable of love and the night before her world crumbled in around her as the search for Annie's parents began. She had once overheard Mrs. Pugh call it their 'Family Picture' and Grace had hoped to fill her office with more of them but alas it was not meant to be. She was drawn from her solitude by a huge commotion outside her door.

Oliver hung up the phone and sighed, it had been Eleanor Roosevelt asking how the search was coming along. He picked up the picture of Annie that sat on his desk, he wasn't sure when it was put there but he knew by whom. Silently he ran his fingers over the photograph recalling the time he had spent with the little girl.

"It's over Oliver," he told himself. "She's gone."

Then he placed the photograph in his desk drawer. Tears were threatening to overflow, but he suppressed them. He had to remain strong, if not for himself then for Grace. That woman had been through so much Oliver was surprised she had held out as long as she did.

"Are you really that surprised that a wonderful woman like her could handle her emotions?"

His thoughts were interrupted by what sounded like children's voices coming from downstairs.

All the children, who Grace identified as being Annie's friends from the orphanage, were speaking at once and she couldn't make heads or tales of what they were saying. It wasn't until they heard the voice of one Oliver Warbucks that they quietened down.

"What now?"

Grace listened intently as the girls told the story of what Miss Hannigan had done and what she was planning. The whole time her heart was in her mouth and her eyes were filling up with tears.

"Grace get me J. Edgar and the chief of police on the phone," Oliver said softly as he placed a hand softly on her shoulder.

"We're going to find her."

Grace quickly got to work on the phones and within minutes every cop and G-man was on the street looking for Annie.

"Why don't you stay here with the girls?" Oliver suggested. He wasn't sure if he wanted Grace out there as he was unsure of how it would end.

"No Oliver I'm coming with you!" Grace said in her most commanding voice but in her eyes Oliver could see nothing but fear. She didn't want to stay in that big house not knowing what was going on. Oliver nodded and the two headed out to the car.

Oliver drove as fast as he could down the abandoned streets of New York. He was sure he was breaking about a dozen road safety laws but he really didn't care. He drove in the direction of the bridge wondering why they had stopped there.

"Oh Oliver what if they have hurt her?"

It was a possibility Oliver knew but one he chose to deny.

"Don't think that way, Annie will be fine."

Pulling up by the bridge he saw the truck, Miss Hannigan and "Mrs. Mudge" but no Annie or "Mr. Mudge".

"Oh my God, Oliver look!"

Grace squeezed his hand and pointed to the top of the bridge. Oliver's eyes followed and what he saw sent shivers down his spine. Annie was hanging off the top of the bridge and "Mr. Mudge" as trying to make her fall. Grace and Oliver moved out of the way to let the firemen through. Grace didn't want to look but found that she couldn't help herself and as she clung to Oliver for support he could feel her shaking, Silently they watched as Punjab lowered himself down and caught hold of Annie but their hearts did not beat normally until both Annie and Punjab were safely on the ground and "Mr. Mudge" was in police custody.