Chapter 2

The dawn was starting to break as he found himself sitting in the chair he had thought of and a stray thought crossed his mind 'What would happen if they sold the chair and he thought of it expecting it to be in Tess's room... Interesting.' He stopped it and started to call Tess's name gently this time as he didn't want to frighten her.

She stirred and gradually woke up, shivering as she recognised him.

He spoke first "Tess you are in danger Derek intends to kill you and stay with Maria. You have to save Ben he's in a basement in Seattle" He cursed himself for not checking the address before he came back.

As Tess listened to him she remembered he'd faded out on her and laughed at him. "Tim I'm not going to fall for that one. Derek loves me we planned all this together. Why do you think I stand for him sleeping with that cow in there! Yes! Ben and Maria will die in car crash when they are on holiday. That's why Benjy is staying here with me. He will inherit Ben's fortune and I will be his guardian. It's never been cancelled and after their funeral I will take Benjy to England to see where his father grew up, I will find a long lost relative and fall in love and we will stay there. To help it along Derek wrote in Ben's Will that his ashes will be taken back home. Easy!"

Tim gave a hollow laugh which seemed echo round the room, bouncing off the walls starting to scare Tess, and spoke through the laugh "Benjy according to the Will is part of Maria's family and no way will Ricardo or Carmen let Benjy out of America with you. They don't like you enough Tess! They know Ben and Maria did not completely trust you. They will claim their rights through courts to keep you and Benjy here. Your piece of paper is worthless." He paused giving her time to understand but she just shook her head not willing to believe him so he continued.

"I've just heard the two men keeping Ben, Josh and Jake Kincaid say Ben is going to be killed with you and Meg... It's been his plan all along! All Derek has to do is makes sure Ben isn't identifiable just have some papers on him and the case will be closed. You know the headline 'down and out man kills two women' Damn it! Derek could even play the hero. Then he lives happily every after with Maria and Benjy! If Maria remembers he can either talk his way out or kills her by suicide perhaps blaming memories of her lost years. Can't you understand? If he does it any other way Benjy will know there were two brothers and possibly realise Derek has killed Ben. Do you think Benjy could live knowing that? He is a small child, he would become a risk to Derek and so would you! Everyone becomes a risk eventually he is going to kill you all!"

There was a knock on the door; it opened slowly as Benjy walked in sleepy with tears on his face immediately Tess's attention was for Benjy alone. "Benjy what is it? Come up on the bed"

Benjy climbed up and held a wax crayon in his hand, there was movement at the doorway and Maria was standing quietly watching she mouthed "All right carry on"

Benjy only saw Tess and spoke his voice shaky "Dream daddy's hurt!"

Tess looked confused and at Maria who had come into the room and sat on Tim who was still in the chair. Unfelt he slipped through her and disappeared into door of the wardrobe as it seemed to be the only place to go and still find out what was happening.

Maria leaned forward towards Benjy saying gently "Daddy's fine. He's just getting dressed. Did you dream of him being hurt?"

Tess reluctantly took the roll of nanny not mother as Benjy shook his head as he tried to find words to make them understand. As he couldn't he held out the crayon and simply saying. "He's same but different from day Daddy... I dream of him trying to find me... He's hurt I heard him cry out."

Maria took the crayon that had left a mark on Benjy's hand and said gently. "You have put this under your pillow each night. That's why we have a mark on your sheet." She recognised it as the one Benjy had given to Ben before he went away and the fuss there'd been when Ben had forgotten about it on his return and added quickly. "No it's okay I don't mind. You've had so many changes that part of you must be wondering what's going to happen next and who is going to leave you again. Nothing bad will happen. If you like you can stay off school today be around Daddy so you know he's all right and the dream Daddy will be all right tonight."

She got up and held out her hand to Benjy saying "Come on let's go to Daddy and tell him all about dream daddy." As he took it she looked over at Tess and continued. "Tess you can stay around or you can take the day off as you planned... I wonder if Tim is still missing... that could be worrying him as well. He senses you and Hank are worried about him. Hey! Benjy we can all go and see the monument unveiling that should be fun, you can tell Zack tomorrow."

Tess feeling a pang of jealousy watched quietly as Benjy and Maria went out and shivered at the thought of the monument then froze hearing Tim's laugh and words as he materialised out of the wardrobe door. "Oh yes! everyone will be watching and I will rise, especially for you, out of the concrete... Strange that Benjy should hear Ben's cry. He yelled when Josh stun gunned him when he tried to escape tonight... Hey could he be connected to the wrong brother?"

Tess shivered noted the concrete on Tim was still wet and said quietly "The night Ben was in Seattle Benjy had a dream that Ben wouldn't come back... No! He's Derek's son!"

Tim sat in the chair. "Where did you and Derek live in Seattle?"

Tess replied automatically "Franklin Street..." then angrily "Maria's not going to have him he's mine both of them!"

Tim said sharply "Then ring the police at Seattle and tell them. Then warn Ricardo what is happening save Ben and he will help you have Benjy. He can explain about Derek. Tess for goodness sake do it!"

Tess tried to keep her voice down as she replied. "No!... I will lose Benjy... I'll pack some things and leave with Benjy tonight while they are asleep. Then call the police." She thought for a moment then exclaimed. "I must get some money!"

Derek's voice came from the doorway startling Tess. "What's wrong why must you get some money?"

"Oh! the car you gave me needs some gas and repairs it sounded odd yesterday." Tess replied hurriedly.

Derek came in and sat down on the bed next to Tess and took hold of her hand, his touch felt good to her, his voice soothing loving as he said "Is that all that's wrong? You seem jumpy since Tim's death; it will take a few more days to get used to it, then the memory fades don't worry. Maria and I will be going away in a couple days time and it will soon be over. We can be together as I promised. Benjy's dreams are just boy's dreams nothing else. I'll be ringing my friends about Ben today to get things moving. I'll give you a cheque, which will cover expenses when you get down stairs."

He gently brought her face round to his and kissed her lovingly but fiercely, gradually breaking off then got up to leave. She watched him go confident in his love for her.

When she knew he could not hear Tess said into the air happily. "See I told you he loves me!" But there was no reply so she set about tying her long blond hair up and getting dressed.

Tim was downstairs watching everyone get breakfast and trying to get to Benjy when Derek was not around. But Derek seemed to be everywhere, eventually though his chance came and he whispered "Dream Daddy needs you to stay with Maria today no one else." He carefully thought for a second and said to himself, "Carmen might help." Benjy jumped and brushed his hand against his ear as though his hair was tickling him and Maria called him back into the kitchen. Tim watched Tess come down the stairs and realised he had to go and try Carmen so called out. "Tess be careful! Think about what I've told you."

She shook her head at him and he thought of Carmen and disappeared.

Carmen sat at the table in the front room of her house, which looked just like a fortune tellers room with all the right trappings. The cards were laid out in front of her, some face down other face up, she was muttering to herself in her mother tongue the only words Tim recognised were Gabi and Ricardo and realised the words were certainly not said in love.

He had been pacing up and down in front of her for the past few minutes it could have been longer for all he knew, but he knew he was getting nowhere. He had tried sitting on a chair concentrating on her to get her attention. Nope … tried yelling, - calling her everything he could think of even called out Maria's name but nothing happened. He put his hands on the table and concentrated on the cards trying to move them off the table - nothing happened. He looked across at the candles and the matches nearby and smiled thought about the matches and candles then light. Nothing happened.

He was so angry he could feel energy building up, over flowing and shouted at her "You are a complete fraud!" took a breath and carried on a little calmer but not much. "Gabi is in love with Ricardo! They have the same aura as Sara and Casey, Joan and Hank. You silly old woman leave them alone!" He blew up again yelling "Think about Maria!" and spun round, missing the door he stormed through the wall, out across the beach till he calmed down enough to stop … just at the water's edge.

In the house Carmen sat back in surprise as the candle flickered then died. She looked around her and called the spirit to show itself. She then closed her eyes and putting her hands on the table where Tim had leant and saw pictures flash before her of Sara and Casey, Joan and Hank the Gabi and Ricardo all of them had an aura around them that she recognised. She opened her eyes and called out around the room. "You are too angry to help! Come again." Then to herself. "Could I be so wrong about them?" and hearing Maria's name gently in her mind but nothing else said quietly to herself "Si I will find you." Got her things together and left.