A/N - Chlex as requested...and that question of the mother..thanks for the reviews...keep it up!

The Investigative Reporter's Inquest – Chapter 6

Chloe walked loudly down the hall to the office of the mansion and met Lex halfway down the hall telling her to hush. "Sorry, I haven't exactly been around a lot of babies."

As they continued back into the office, Lex leaned over and whispered, "Oh yeah, and this happens to me all the time." She sat down on the couch and observed Lex. He had the same pressed pants but what looked like an older pullover shirt on. Looking around the room, she noticed that the piano had been pushed further in the corner and a very expensive playpen had been set up.

"Where did you get it?" she asked pointing at the playpen.

"From the basement; it was mine. As for my father's incessant need to get rid of everything that reminded him of Julian, the baby items never got thrown away – just packed away out of sight. Carmen was down in the basement looking for something and noticed the old highchair and started digging. Anyway," Lex turned and gently put his hand on her arm. "What have you found out?"

"Not much since you basically gave me nothing to go on. How about we start with what I have found out and then you can answer some questions. And Lex," she glared at him with a suspect look, "you can't feed me a bunch of crap and expect for me to help you – so just answer the questions. Ok?"

"As long as these things are kept between us – this isn't an article, not yet. What do you have?" She watched as Lex took a deep breath and waited.

"One question that will help me in my search – and remember you said you will answer." She paused for him to back out of his promise. "If you can remember their names, who have you…you know…had relations like the last 10-14 months ago?"

Lex leaned back on the couch and bit his lip as a half smile came across his face. "First, are you having an issue with the word sex? I didn't think there was anything that could embarrass you but apparently I was wrong. And now I know your Achilles Heel, besides Clark of course." He stopped when Chloe's face became more angry and irritated. Seeing her pull her purse close to her and start shoving her pad back in her it, he grabbed her hand and stopped her.

"Look, I told you my terms for helping you – as much as you are evidently doing a good job as a father, I'm not putting up with this typical Luthor escapade. Either you're straight with me or I leave. I already have my story and I could use it to bury you – you know that." She finished and ripped her hand out from under his.

Backing up on the couch, he spoke softly, "Sorry." She slowly pulled the pad out of her purse again and sat back. "No personal judgments please. Here goes - Shannon Bell – she's in a mental health facility for that little attempt on my life, Eve Andrews – she's dead, Gabrielle Vaughn – my physician but I've seen her since and she was never,"

"Wait – your doctor? Are you kidding me? No offense but if you contract anything," Chloe stopped at the obvious irritation she had caused. "Ok, no judgments. Go on." Chloe couldn't believe that she was about to leave her first hand in counting his encounters, and he was only supposed to be counting four months.

"Leandra Michaels – I met her at a dinner and haven't seen her since – she didn't even want the money, just the, never mind, and Catherine James – she was an intern and…" Lex trailed off.

Chloe watched his expression change and knew he head pinpointed the moment it happened. "Lex? What about her?"

"She was an intern in my father's attorney pool, and I was using her for information. It was more for payment and comfort I guess. I felt like a little part of me was getting back at him. She fed me information to use against him in his trial – things his lawyers weren't surrendering as evidence etc. Anyway, she disappeared the same time I put you in hiding and never heard from her again." Chloe watched as Lex moved across the room and tucked the blanket around Julian and turned back around with his eyes closed. "She was scared the last time I talked to her."

"How long ago was that?"

Lex thought and rubbed his forehead. Chloe observed as Lex paced and counted back mentally when their last fated day had been. "Seven months ago. She just said she was leaving. What's funny is that was the first person that I actually had any interest in a long time, at least past the physical. And she knew exactly why we were together and didn't care. She's got to be it."

Chloe walked over and looked at Julian. Almost whispering, "Are you sure?" She waited as he turned and looked at Julian again.

"Yes." Chloe took his hand and led him to the couch.

"My turn." Sitting down on the couch, he took a deep breath. "I found out that the card that she wrote the note on is only available at this stationary store in Central City. After some prodding, the manager looked up the buy and said the woman only bought one card and envelope. Here's the signature of the purchase." Chloe handed the copy of the handwritten receipt to him as he traced his fingers over the completely unreadable signature. "Lex, that card was bought on the day your father died. I have a strange feeling that her being pregnant may not have been the only reason that she left."

She watched as Lex paced in the office, him either eyeing the signature or his bar. He turned and looked at her. "Amazing how everything I get involved in goes so badly. I failed at hiding you, I failed at staying friends with Clark, and now Catherine." Chloe got up and walked over to him.

"Look, you don't know that. I mean, Julian's here, and there's proof of her signature – she could still be out there and regardless of what she said, your father is gone and you two could,"

"What? Become a happy little family?" Lex turned and took Chloe by the shoulders. "Have you met me?" he smirked.

"Seriously, we should at least try to find her." Lex exhaled and let go of Chloe and leaned on the playpen, looking at Julian. He felt Chloe walk up lean against him. "If we find a dead end, at least you tried. I have never known you to give up on anything. Two days ago you were paying people to look for her and now you just quit?"

"Two days ago I didn't realize that my father probably had a hand in her disappearance. My looking for her could put her in more danger."

Chloe reversed Lex's role and grabbed him by the arms, "Look, your father is dead. You saw him die – you watched him take his last breath from the other side of a prison cell, you had his DNA checked to make sure it was him and not some incredible imposter. His chief minion mysteriously ended up committing suicide in Suicide Slums three days ago and rest of his league of villainous friends have taken to running. So, I think if you look for her now, she'll be ok." Chloe let go of him, somewhat pushing him back as a jolt. Grabbing her purse, she headed for the office door, "I'm going to find her. She at least deserves to know that what she wanted for Julian is happening."

"Chloe." Turning around, she waited. "Hang on, I need to get the nanny in here and we'll go." Chloe stopped in her tracks. She sat back down on the couch and waited as Lex made a phone call. After speaking to the nanny, he picked up his coat and tapped Chloe on the shoulder. "Have you ever been in a private jet?"