"Anything?" Nathan asked as Lee turned from the hospital information desk.
Shaking his head, Lee ran a hand through his hair. "Nothing. They've not had a Steve Grant or a John Doe in the last year."
Nathan let out a long breath. "Well, that rules out all the hospitals. Now what?"
Lee looked to be at a loss. "I honestly have no idea. Why don't we go back to the station and get one of those crime boards going to help us figure this out?"
The drive back to the station was a quiet one. Nathan went over and over in his mind what could have happened, and he always came back to the question mark of what had happened once Steve reached the road. Where had he gone? Or had he been taken?
The next week was a blur for Nathan. He and Lee worked nearly around the clock trying to find any sign of Steve. Nothing they did gave them a lead to follow. Nathan could feel his frustration growing. Dead ends did not sit well with him, especially since this one involved his family.
Nathan stood in front of their crime board, arms crossed. Hickam and Lee studied it as well. They had gone over it a hundred times. Everything always came back to the road. Nathan's brow furrowed, a question forming in his mind that he hadn't thought of before. Where did that road lead?
"Do we have a map of the island?" he asked.
Hickam produced one right away. "Here it is."
"Thanks," Nathan said, taking it and spreading it over the table. He found the road with his finger. "Okay, so it looks like this road stretches from our town to three others that are only accessible from this particular road. Each one is about the size of our town, but they are all up into the mountains." He looked up at Hickam. "How many people do you think live in these mountain towns?"
Hickam lifted a brow. "Hard to say, but I'd guess not more than we have here. Our population is at 500, so I would guess theirs would be somewhere around that too."
"Three mountain towns at 500 each. That's not a place a person can easily get lost in," Nathan mused. "How long would it take to drive there?"
"Probably about a half hour," Lee said, glancing at the map.
Another thought hit Nathan. "Hickam, can you find out if any of these towns have medical clinics or rehab centers?"
"Sure thing," Hickam said, sitting at his desk and promptly typing into his computer.
"What're you thinking?" Lee asked, eyeing Nathan. "You think Steve might be in one of these towns?"
Nathan shrugged. "It's possible. Unlikely, but possible. And we've got nothing else to go on. If this ends up being another dead end, I don't know where we go from here."
Hickam looked up. "There's a doctor clinic in each town, and one of them has a rehab center."
"Which one?" Nathan asked.
"Kahawai," Hickam replied. "And the rehab place is called Kahawai Rehabilitation."
Nathan looked at his watch. It was only 1:00. "I think we can make it to Kahawai in time to check both the clinic and the rehab center. Let's go, Lee." As they left, he called out, "Thanks, Hickam! You're the best!"
Lee chuckled. "He really is good at what he does. I think he wants to be a detective someday too."
"I'm sure he'll get there," Nathan said, sliding into the driver's seat. "The map showed it was a direct route to Kahawai from the road. I don't think we'll have a hard time finding the place."
It took them exactly half an hour to get to the clinic. Nathan walked in, easily finding the information desk. "Hello," he said, flashing his badge to the woman behind the desk. "I'm Detective Grant. Can you tell me if a Steve Grant or John Doe was admitted to this clinic anytime in the past three months?"
"Of course, just a moment," the woman said, typing into her computer. She scanned the screen, then shook her head regretfully. "Sorry, detective, I'm afraid not."
Nathan stamped down his disappointment and gave her a smile. "Thank you for checking." Handing her his card, he said, "Please give me a call if anyone shows up with either of those names." She nodded.
Nathan sighed as he and Lee went back to the car. "Another dead end."
"Maybe something will show up at the rehab center," Lee suggested.
Nathan raised a brow. "I doubt it," he said. "Why would someone be at a rehab facility without going to see a doctor first?"
Lee looked stumped. "Good point. But we're going to check it out anyways, right?"
"Yes," Nathan said. "No stone unturned."
The rehab center was only five minutes from the clinic. "You ready?" Lee asked, seeing the distressed look on Nathan's face.
"Am I really that easy to read?" Nathan asked.
Lee grinned. "Only to your best friend." He clapped Nathan on the back. "Whatever we find out in there, Nathan, it'll be okay. If we don't find Steve today, we'll find him eventually."
"I hope you're right," Nathan said, getting out of the car. "Colleen asks me every day if I've found something. I hate telling her that nothing comes up."
"Colleen is strong," Lee said as they walked into the center. "She will get through this, and so will you."
They walked up to the information desk, and Nathan braced himself for the answer he figured was coming. "Hello, ma'am, my name is Detective Nathan Grant. Have you had anyone by the name of Steve Grant check in here in the last three months?"
The receptionist typed the name into the computer, then shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. We don't have any Steves or Stevens here."
"What about John Doe?" Lee asked.
The lady typed some more, then shook her head again. "No, we don't have any John Doe's either."
Nathan sighed silently. Another dead end. He handed her his card as he'd done at the clinic. "Please call me if you get either of those names."
"Will do," she said. "Have a nice day."
"Thanks," Nathan said. They walked out the door. Back in the cruiser, Nathan leaned his head against the steering wheel. "Nothing. Again."
"We still have two more clinics to check out in those other towns," Lee said, buckling himself in. "Since we're already nearby, we might as well go check them out."
"Okay," Nathan said, starting the car. "But I get the feeling it'll be just as fruitless as these two were."
Elizabeth held baby Lucas in her arms, gazing down at him in wonder. "Oh, Rosie, he's perfect!" she cooed, running a finger down the baby's cheek. His brown eyes looked back at her solemnly. "He has the most soulful eyes I've seen in a baby!"
Rosemary sat next to her, grinning from ear to ear. She was clearly head over heels with her new little boy. "Isn't he just precious?" she sighed, letting Lucas hold on to one of her fingers. "We've had him for less than 24 hours, but I couldn't be happier. He is such a good baby."
"And so cute!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "How are Jesse and Clara taking the transition?"
"They're actually excited," Rosemary said. "And they're both smitten with him. Clara especially has been a little mother to him." She laughed. "And Jesse doesn't understand why he can't play with Lucas yet." Glancing at the clock, she gave a little sigh. "Well, I'd better get dinner going for the family. Are you okay watching him for a little bit?"
Elizabeth raised a brow. "Is that a trick question?"
Rosemary laughed. "Just thought I'd ask! Didn't want to assume."
"You can assume away when it comes to babies," Elizabeth said, cradling the little boy in her arms. "I could hold him all day."
"I'll remember that," Rosemary said with a cheeky grin, heading for the kitchen.
Elizabeth rocked Lucas back and forth, singing to him quietly. His eyes started to droop, and within minutes he was sound asleep. Elizabeth held his little body close, breathing in his baby scent. She loved babies. A slight pang went through her as she wondered if she would ever have children of her own. The older she got, the more she wondered.
Her mind drifted to Nathan. They had never talked about children. He was a wonderful uncle to Allie and he was great with Jesse and Clara, but did he want children of his own?
The front door opened, and Lee walked in with Nathan. Elizabeth's heart leapt at the sight of him. Since their declaration of love, they hadn't spent much time together. She had been working night shifts at the hospital, and Nathan had been working a lot on finding his brother-in-law. This was the first evening they would have together in a week.
Nathan greeted Rosemary, then made a beeline for Elizabeth. He sat next to her on the couch, kissing her cheek in greeting. "Hi, Elizabeth," he said, some of the weariness easing from his face. He looked down at Lucas. "Who is this little guy?"
Elizabeth turned slightly so Nathan could see the baby. "This is Lucas. He arrived yesterday, and according to Rosemary, he's settling in nicely."
"He's adorable," Nathan said, smiling at the baby despite the fact that Lucas was sleeping soundly. Elizabeth got up and gently placed him in his playpen, then sat next to Nathan, who immediately put his arm around her and drew her close to his side. He turned his cheek so it was resting in her hair. "I've missed you," he said softly.
"I've missed you too," she said, tucking her hand into his. "A week is much too long to spend no real time together."
"I agree," he said. He perked up, eyes sparkling. "Why don't we go on a date?"
Elizabeth's brows raised. "Right now?"
"No time like the present," Nathan said. "What do you think?"
Elizabeth laughed. "Absolutely!"
Nathan grinned. "Why don't we walk to Coffee and Books to get some dinner, and then we can hike up the pillboxes and watch the sunset while having a picnic?"
"That sounds perfect," Elizabeth said, cupping his cheek. "Though to be honest, any time spent with you would be perfect."
Nathan glanced at the kitchen. Seeing that Lee and Rosemary were occupied, he leaned forward and kissed Elizabeth quickly. They rose from the couch and went to say goodbye to the Coulters.
"Lucas is in his playpen," Elizabeth said. "He's sound asleep. Nathan and I are going to go for a hike."
"Sounds fun," Lee said, winking. "Elizabeth, make sure Nathan has a good time. He's been too grumpy this week."
"Ha ha," Nathan said dryly. "It's been a rough week, but I'll be fine with Elizabeth." He brought her hand to his lips, placing a kiss on her knuckles.
"Alright, go on you two," Rosemary said with a laugh. "Enjoy your date."
Nathan and Elizabeth walked hand-in-hand down the street. Elizabeth stayed as close by his side as she could while still walking. She had missed him so much in the last week. He looked down at her with a smile. "Elizabeth, I have a question for you that I hope you don't find presumptuous."
Curiosity piqued, Elizabeth tilted her head. "What question?"
"Watching you with little Lucas got me wondering. Do you want children of your own someday?"
Elizabeth's answer was immediate. "Yes. Very much. I've always loved children and wanted several of my own." She glanced up at him. "What about you?"
Nathan squeezed her hand. "I never really thought much about getting married or having children. My focus had always been on work." He looked down at her. "But since meeting you, I've allowed myself to think that marriage and children would be a good thing. So yes, I would like children someday."
A light blush dusted Elizabeth's cheeks at his words. She smiled at him shyly. "I'm glad to hear that. You would make a wonderful father, Nathan."
He looked down with a smile, then looked at her. "And you would make a wonderful mother."
They walked on in silence for a little while, each of them lost in thought. They reached Faith's cafe and ordered sandwiches and potato salad with sodas to go. Faith grinned at them from behind the counter, excited to hear they were going on another date. "Have fun!" she said as she handed them their bag of food.
Once back on the road, it was a short walk to the trail that led to the pillboxes. It was a short, steep hike up to the place where military forces built the pillboxes to keep an eye out for enemy ships on the horizon. It only took them twenty minutes to hike the trail, and Nathan jumped onto one of the pillboxes, then reached down to help Elizabeth up. They stood there catching their breath from the hike, looking out at the panoramic view of their side of the island. Mountains and ocean were breathtaking. The sun was slowly making its way down the sky, turning the clouds and the water a golden color with its evening rays.
Elizabeth took a deep breath of fresh air, then let it out. "This sight never gets old," she said, still feeling awe despite the hundreds of times she'd hiked this trail.
"It's amazing," Nathan agreed. They sat on the edge of the pillbox, letting their legs hang off the edge. They opened the food bag, then said grace and started eating.
"This was a wonderful idea, Nathan," Elizabeth said, casting him a smile. "I'm so glad we're able to spend some time together."
"Me too," Nathan said. "It's good to be together again."
She eyed him, wondering if she should bring up the case. She knew it had been stressful for him. He saved her from asking. "You want to know if we've found anything about Steve." It was a statement, not a question.
Elizabeth simply nodded. "But only if you're up for it, Nathan. I don't want you to have to think about work."
"It's okay," Nathan said, letting out his breath. "Unfortunately, there's not much to tell. We still haven't found anything. Steve has disappeared without a trace. Lee and I went to the three mountain towns around Kahawai to visit the clinics and rehab center there, but we found nothing. None of them had admitted anyone by the name of Steve Grant or John Doe. We're back to square one."
"Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry," Elizabeth said, the endearment slipping out without conscious thought.
Nathan laughed softly. "I could get used to that, coming from you," he said, putting his arm around her. They sat together for a few minutes, her head on his shoulder and his head on her head. Nathan spoke first. "Have I told you lately how thankful I am to have you in my life?"
Elizabeth smiled, her head still resting on his shoulder. "The feeling is mutual, I assure you."
Nathan turned, lifting her chin with his hand. He brought his lips to hers, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. Elizabeth closed her eyes, soaking in the love she felt emanating from him through his kiss. She didn't know how he did it, but every time he kissed her she felt like the most loved and cherished woman in the world.
He pulled away slightly, resting his forehead against hers. "I love you, Elizabeth," he whispered. "Thank you for being here for me. In everything."
"I wouldn't have it any other way," she whispered back. "And I love you more than words can say, my sweet Nathan."
They sat there together for a long time, just resting in each other's presence. No words were needed to fill the silence. Their hearts were joined in a simple but powerful communion that neither wanted to break. Heart spoke to heart as the sun quietly sank toward the horizon.
Elizabeth knew there was nowhere else she would rather be than here with Nathan, just being together. Tomorrow might bring its own worries, but right now they were both worryless, simply leaning on each other for strength. She knew life wasn't perfect, but this was as close to perfect as it could get.
