Chapter Six

Steve looked around the conference table at Oscar, Russ and Jack, trying to distract himself from thoughts of Jaime and what might be happening back in her cubicle. He was keeping his distance, allowing Chris his inconsolable vigil at Jaime's bedside. Rudy had decided it was best to keep her sedated for at least 24 hours, to give her body a little more time to begin healing and – hopefully – her mind a chance to catch up. She'd be waking up again soon, and Steve couldn't let himself consider the possibilities...not yet.

"What has Parr told you, so far?" Steve asked, barely able to focus. The way Jaime had looked at him, it was almost as though...no – she belonged to someone else now! He snapped his thoughts back to the task at hand.

"Absolutely nothing," Russ grumbled. "Not a single word, and he's lawyered up pretty heavily, too."

"I spoke with Williams this morning," Oscar announced, "and there are only two seats of keys for the TransAm. One set is on his ring and he gave the other set to Jaime; so both were accounted for at the time of the crash."

"Are we sure about that?" Hansen responded. He was having trouble admitting that not only had he been wrong about Chris but also that his own right-hand man could've been responsible for the near-tragedy. "I checked that car out personally, and there was no 'hot-wiring' -"

Steve shook his head. "Means nothing. The NSB – or parts, thereof – could've had a key made faster than most locksmiths. You're overlooking something important, Jack – again – Chris obviously wasn't driving that car, so who was?"

"Nobody."

"Excuse me?" Oscar responded.

"There was no blood anywhere in the vehicle," Hansen explained.

"Because it was at the bottom of the lake," Steve countered.

"Wrong. When you said it was found too quickly, Steve, you were right," Hansen allowed. "It had barely begun to fill with water when they pulled it out. But even if the blood had been washed away, the only damage – and yes, there was extensive damage – was external. The steering wheel and seat belt were both intact."

"They must have weighted down the accelerator and aimed it straight at Jaime," Russ theorized.

"Like a loaded missile," Steve concluded grimly.

"Exactly. Probably propelled it from the same truck they used to pull it from the tree."

"It still doesn't add up," Steve said, beginning to pace. "Parr may have been ticked as hell, but is that enough of a motive to murder? And why wouldn't he let the thing fill with water – and wash away any evidence – unless he wanted Chris picked up right away...it's almost like Chris was as much of a target as Jaime."

"Or the only target?" Russ added. "You know, get to the operative by hurting the woman he loves?"

"Chris isn't important enough for that," Steve scoffed.

"Not to the CIA, but maybe to someone else?"

Oscar stood up. "He may have a point, Pal. Russ, I want you to look into any contacts Williams may have forged, both inside and outside our ranks. Jack and I will see what we can get from Parr and Renshaw. Steve, keep your eyes and ears on Williams. He may be innocent, but it's still possible he knows a lot more than he's told us about."

A quiet knock on the conference room door ended the discussion, and Steve opened the door to find Rudy looking for him. "Jaime's awake," the doctor told him, "and she's asking for you."

- - - - - -

"She doesn't even know me," Chris said brokenly, from the hallway outside the cubicle.

Rudy quickly led Steve in to see Jaime. "I found him for you, Honey," he told her, quickly checking her vital signs one more time before stepping back away from the bed.

Jaime smiled weakly. "Thank you, Doctor..."

"Wells," he answered, realizing she no longer recognized him, either. "Rudy Wells."

"Thank you, Doctor Wells."

Rudy nodded, flashed Jaime a quick smile in return and cast a brief 'be careful' glance at Steve before leaving the two of the two of them alone.

"How do you feel?" Steve asked, suddenly completely unsure of himself with the woman he'd known nearly his entire life. "Are you in pain?"

"The doctor gave me something," Jaime told him groggily. "Steve, why do all these people seem to know me, and I don't know any of them? What's happening to me?"

"You've been here for a few days, Sweetheart; you were unconscious."

"What...happened to me up there?"

With the words 'up there', Steve knew she didn't mean the car crash, but he had no idea how to answer her or what Rudy and the others had already told her. "I think maybe you should take it easy for now," he suggested. "Plenty of time to talk about that later, when you're stronger."

"'K..." Jaime said softly, reaching for Steve's hand as she drifted toward sleep once again. Her eyes quickly snapped open. "Our wedding!" she gasped.

"What?"

"We're...gonna have to...postpone it...'til I'm outta here." With that, Jaime fell sound asleep and Steve turned to see Chris standing just a few steps behind him with tears in his eyes.

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