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Chapter 2

It was a beautiful morning. The night before it had been snowing and now the landscape was covered with a thick, soft white cover of glistering snow. The sun was shining in the deep blue sky, and Lindsay was convinced that her home never looked more beautiful than in the snowy months in winter. She wasn't too happy with the incredible cold, making her shiver even beneath the thick coat she was wearing over her dress. The beauty of a snowy landscape never failed to impress her though. Days like this were simply perfect, especially when an event like a party was awaiting her.

Smiling at the prospect of a party after a long time wishing for this to happen, she closed her eyes, taking in the fresh air of the cold winter morning. Opening them again, Lindsay released a light sigh, before she stumped back into the house. It was still early. She could remember times when her father had stayed at home over the weekend, sometimes even on both days, Saturday and Sunday. Since he was leading his cotton factory, weekends with one day off already were rare. So it had surprised her even more when she had learnt that this weekend, Mac would spend both days with his family.

Quietly, Lindsay made her way through the hallway. She could hear noises coming from the living room. Carefully, she opened the large doors, so she could glance into the room. She found her father standing at the large cupboard with his beloved wine glasses. Mac was holding one of them, examining it. But from his eyes she could tell he was far away with his thoughts. Once again his eyes were filled with concern, instantly making her feel a lump in her throat. How much she wished she knew what was torturing him. Of course she was aware of the fact that she was only his 18-year-old daughter. How should she help him with his problems? Still, it was breaking her heart to see him like this, so concerned, so afraid and worried. How much she just wanted to comfort him.

Briefly, Lindsay hesitated. Should she just leave him alone and mind her own thoughts or should she give it a try and ask him if he was alright? She wouldn't be able to simply ignore the fact that she could feel something was wrong. Even when her father would send her away, she could at least try to show some support. So she took a deep breath, knocked at the door and entered the room.

"Hello Dad," she greeted him, trying her best to give him a bright smile. "Are you already preparing for the party today?"

Mac, snapping out of his thoughts, looked at her in confusion, needing a moment to clear his thoughts. Then he smiled at her and answered, "Oh yes. I'm already looking forward to it." His smile was telling her he was lying. Lindsay knew better than to utter those thoughts out loud though.

"I heard Mom invited a lot of people to the party," Lindsay said instead.

Mac nodded in agreement. "Yes, she invited almost all of our friends. She wants us to have a wonderful party. It's the first party after a long time and she wants us to enjoy it, with all the people we like."

"But that's not exactly what you want, right?" Lindsay spoke out before she could stop herself. When she saw how her father raised his eyebrows at her, her face blushed bright red, her hand flew up to cover her mouth. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that. But...you don't seem to be so happy about the party..."

Lindsay wasn't sure how to interpret the look her father was giving her. Would he yell at her for being so honest to tell him, her father, that she didn't believe him he was looking forward to their party and not being able to speak that out in front of his wife? Preparing herself for a reaction like that, she already regretted that she hadn't thought before talking. But to her surprise, her father's reaction was completely different.

"A party will be a nice distraction," Mac answered. "I've had a lot of stress at work and it will feel good to not think about it for an evening. Still, we can't do parties like that often, especially not at the moment. But you don't have to worry, it will be a wonderful party anyway."

Lindsay could feel this was the moment to stop questioning her father. Although this surely hadn't been his intention, Mac's answer had revealed what she had already expected. He had problems at work - they couldn't do parties like this more often. For Lindsay, the reasons for that were clear; they had financial problems, certainly because of the economical crisis she had read about in the newspaper and heard about on the radio and while listening to people in the city. She knew that her father wouldn't want to talk about this topic with her and so she decided to drop it. She chatted with her father for a few more minutes before she decided to head back into her own room. She still felt sorry because he was worried and she couldn't support him. She knew questioning him wouldn't help him either. She hoped he would find a solution for whatever problems he had. Or at least would allow himself to talk to his Stella.


Donald Flack Jr. walked up to his father's study and knocked gently on the door. He knew not to disturb his father when he was bent over some papers or books, but it had been his mother urging him to interrupt him and get him to stand up from his chair. It was this exact chair that Donald Flack Sr. seemed to be glued to for a couple of months now. He had completely kept himself out of all family business and had his wife deal with their two children - Don and Samantha. His wife was worried about him and so were his children. No matter who asked him what was going on, he always replied in a scruffy voice that it was work-related and he couldn't talk about it.

Donald Flack Sr. was a Detective for the Kansas Police Department. He was highly valued amongst colleagues and he was doing a fantastic job - ever since he had earned the rank of detective, there were by far less unsolved cases. Don was proud of his dad, but he had no idea how to show it. His relationship to his dad had never been exceptionally cordial and so any expression of deeper emotions had been omitted from the start. Both knew that the other one loved him and for his father, that seemed to be enough.

"Dad?" Don now hesitantly walked into his father's study.

"What?" his father asked, not looking up from his papers, not welcoming his son in.

"Mom said that there seems to be a problem with the car. I've looked, but I can't seem to find anything. Would you mind helping me?" Don carefully addressed the senior.

"I don't have time for this," was all the answer that Don got.

"Oh, alright. I'll see what I can do then," Don replied and was about to leave the room when his father called him back inside.

"Don, come in for a minute."

Don walked into the study and sat down on the chair opposite his father's. He had no idea what might be following and awaiting him.

"You have once said that you want to follow in my footsteps and be a detective one day. Is that still so?" his father wanted to know.

"Yes, it is," Don firmly answered.

"Then one day you will understand that a man, a father, sometimes has no choice but to engross himself into his work and forget about everything else, including his family. This case of mine - it's hard and bitter for me and it might be my first failure. I can't name any details, but this very rich man is very crooked and the police knows it. But there is no evidence - we can't prove anything. So basically, he is staring us right in the face and he's laughing at us. Can you understand how depressing that is?"

"I can," Don said.

"Good," his father said and then looked back down on his papers, dismissing his son, wanting his privacy again.

Don slowly walked back out, feeling proud. It had been the first time that his father had sort of confided in him and Don felt as if that now made him more of a man that he had been till now.


Danny was standing in his room in front of the mirror, putting on a tie. He had to attend a party today, a party he didn't even want to go to. For some reasons, his father had said that he would attend the party today, alone, without him. Danny had not known why and it had been just one of those things he hadn't gotten an explanation for. It was always the same with his father - he ordered people around and if they did not follow, they would soon learn of the consequences their actions had. Danny had given up arguing with his dad, any resistance was futile anyway.

Danny heard a knock at the door. "Come inside," he said. It was his best friend Adam, already wearing a suit himself. "Looks like dad made you go as well," he commented.

"Yes, he has," Adam answered.

Danny stopped with his tie and turned towards Adam. He studied his best friend and had to see that he looked tired, completely worn out. "When was the last time you have slept?"

"Last night, even if it had only been for about two hours. I got a call and had to get back up," Adam explained.

"Who would call you in the middle of the night?" Danny wondered.

"Your father," Adam replied.

Danny took a deep breath and then asked Adam something he had never dared ask before: "Why are you following everything my dad wants you to do?"

"Because he saved my life. This is what others call loyalty," Adam declared.

"He saved your life?" Danny dug deeper. Even though Adam was one of his best friends, probably even the best, there were a lot of things he did not know about his past. It had always been a mutual understanding between both that those matters would not be discussed. Danny knew he broke the rule just now, but he tried his luck anyway.

"My father used to hit me and my mother. After my mother died, he took all his anger and frustration out on me. I ran away and ended up on the street. Your father saved me and gave me a home. I owe him," Adam said.

Danny did not know what to say to this, so he just nodded. He had finally fixed his tie and put on his jacket. Adam saw that Danny was finished and asked: "Ready to roll?" and so both left - for a party neither one wanted to attend and yet, the evening would hold things in store for both that they could not have expected.


Just arriving at the house of the Taylors, where the party was supposed to be, Danny was already willing to turn around and go home again. He wasn't a fan of parties - he liked to be on his own, alone. He wasn't a fan of being around all those people, laughing and chatting. He could definitely imagine something better to spend his time with. Still, his father wanted him to go to this party for whatever reason. Just like Adam. Usually Danny would have simply followed his own wishes, had briefly entered the house to make sure this servant thought he had arrived at the party and then would have left the house again to do whatever else came to his mind. He was together with Adam now though and he could feel his best friend wasn't all too amused by having to go to this party either, especially not after hardly getting any sleep.

Danny felt sorry for his friend; of course he could understand his reasons for being loyal. He didn't believe for a second that his father had rescued Adam because of his big heart. He had done it because he knew - if he rescued anyone's life, the person owed him. Just like Adam now. Adam was grateful for not having to face his brutal father anymore. Instead, he had a warm home and didn't have to be hungry or thirsty. Danny knew his father well enough to be aware of the fact that Gerrard would never get tired of reminding Adam of that.

Together, the two men walked through the large entrance door into the wide hall. The house seemed to be big, but still it didn't look like the typical house of a rich man. It felt warm and although Danny visited this house for the first time, he instantly felt at home. They were lead into a large room, the living room, he assumed. Many people had already arrived and where chatting in small groups. He let his eyes wander over the group, trying to make out whether he knew any of the persons. His gaze stopped half way when his eyes found a young woman standing a few feet away from him near the fireplace. She was talking to a man. When she laughed at a comment of the man, he felt his heart beat faster. He had never heard such a clear, friendly and influencing laughter.

Danny heard Adam say something to him, something that sounded like a question. He only nodded in response, his eyes still resting on the young woman across the room. He didn't know what had suddenly happened to him. All he could be certain of, was that suddenly everyone in the room seemed to be miles away. There was only her he was seeing, only her he was hearing. And he couldn't tear his eyes away from her, even if he had wanted to.

But what was he supposed to do now? Simply keep on standing in the middle of the large living room and staring at a woman he had never seen before? Before Danny could decide which reaction would be the best, his instinct made him act. Without hesitation he started to walk towards her. He felt how he bumped into someone, heard a 'Hey, watch out', but didn't react to it. Led by whatever instinct that had taken control over his actions, he walked across the room until he reached his target. Being so near to her now, he found her even more beautiful than from the distance. The bright sparkles in her eyes and the heart-warming smile that played around her lips made her appearance even more perfect to him. He didn't have any idea what he wanted to say, how he wanted to greet her or what he wanted to ask her, but somehow he didn't care. And all of a sudden she turned around to him, those beautiful brown eyes finding his.

"Hello," she greeted him, giving him a smile that made him speechless. "Welcome. You have to be Daniel Messer, the son of Gerrard Messer."

Despite his current state of impression, Danny looked at her in surprise. "Yes. How did you know that?"

Again she laughed, causing a light shiver to run down his spine. "Well, my father told me he invited you and I didn't see you here before. You and your friend, who arrived with you. So I just guessed. So welcome, Daniel, nice to meet you. I'm Lindsay, Mac Taylor's daughter."

"Nice to meet you, Lindsay," he answered, lightly shaking the hand she offered him. "Danny is fine though. Usually, only my father calls me Daniel."

"Fine, Danny it is then," she replied, chuckling. "So, Danny, may I do something for you? Maybe bring you a drink?"

"That would be nice," he answered. "Although you don't have to..."

"It's my pleasure," she interrupted him.

With a smile, Lindsay turned around to head over to a nearby table. Danny watched her, still not able to tear his eyes away from her. Who would have expected this party, which he didn't want to go to earlier, would turn out like this? Now he was almost grateful his father didn't accept him to disagree with him. Who knew what else this event had in store for them?