A/N: Ok, so I'm not 100 percent happy with this chapter, but I feel this is the best it's going to get. Ya'll enjoy! Until next time--PCGirl.
John stared at the white board covered in arrows connecting one part of Natalie's disappearance to another, but they didn't tell him what he wanted to know--where was she?
"Still waiting for it to talk to you?" asked Antonio as he walked up and joined his friend, handing him a cup of coffee he'd just picked up.
"This part is what we definitely know--Eddie was told by Ramsey to spy on Natalie in her bedroom that night and he was also told to delay my leaving the station the night Natalie went missing."
"It still creeps me out that he knew you could see into Natalie's room--did you know that?" asked Antonio as he took a sip of his own cup and then grinned at the silence John gave him in response. "Any word on his whereabouts yet?"
"Nothing. I've got friends with the Bureau that are keeping an ear out, but as far as they know he's not been welcomed back with open arms and probably won't be."
"They'd be smart if they didn't," he said as he began looking at the information they knew from the interviews at BE. "Ok, so Natalie talks to Jared and then calls you. Forensics showed it looked like her office door was picked by a professional--which means while she was waiting for you she'd locked herself in rather than trying to get outside and to her car."
"Probably means someone was already in the building and she somehow knew it. Inside job?"
"Would explain a few things Mike the security guard told us. He's the head of security, has worked for BE for years--Asa had handpicked this guy and had given him the standing rule of staying until every person was out of the building--the entire security force knew to never try and force a Buchanan to leave. The hours could run late sometimes so normally whoever was supposed to close up would slip out around 8:30, locking the front door behind them, and grab a quick bite to eat. Someone would know that whoever it was on the clock that night would be leaving at this time--."
John dropped the empty coffee cup in the trash and walked closer to the board, "And when the security guard comes back Natalie's car is gone and the front door has been unlocked so he assumes she's left for the night, doesn't think anything else about it, locks up, and goes home."
"The next morning--sometime between Gigi and Jared arriving her car is driven back to BE where the keys are dropped in the parking lot."
"That has to be on purpose--they knew once the tape they'd left the night before was found and watched there was no way to get the keys back into her office. So again the question is how to connect our inside person on this side to Ramsey on the other side," he said as he grabbed the marker and placed a question mark in the center of the board.
"We don't have enough for a search warrant, John."
"I know," he said as he put the marker back and took a few steps back. "You know what--I've got an idea--give me thirty minutes and meet me at the penthouse."
"John--," spoke Antonio, wary about doing anything at this moment without following the proper steps.
"Either be there or don't--but I will be," he said as he walked out of the room quickly.
With his hands stuffed in his pockets Antonio took a look around while John pulled out a key and opened Penthouse 4. "Do I even want to know where you got that from?" he asked as John opened the door with his gloved hands.
"Probably not," he said, taking just long enough to stop chewing on the piece of gum he had in his mouth to give his co-worker a smile.
"What happens when we get caught John? You aren't going to find Natalie behind bars for breaking and entering."
"Did you come here to help or to harp? Go find Talia and you two go to a movie or something. I doubt there's anything in here to lead him to Natalie anyway," said John as he opened the door and went in--Antonio following behind him.
Natalie leaned against the door trying to listen to the conversation outside--she'd heard a car approach the building and then a second. She'd been planning on a way of attack when she'd heard Ramsey's voice, full of shock, ask the second person what they were doing there.
"I'm here because I'm tired of this, Lee. I love you, but I can't stand the running anymore--I've given up my whole life and hid in secrecy for years because you say it's not safe. And now you drag me to some town where there's actually a possibility I can be spotted and caught--why?"
"It's not going to happen--we're going to be gone shortly. Just go back to the hotel, ok? I'll be there soon."
"I've got to go back to the penthouse--I forgot some items."
"It's not safe, John might see you."
"That's your way of keeping me from doing anything--isn't it? Is there anyone actually out there after me?"
"Would I lie to you? I saved you, remember? Just go home--soon we'll be able to leave and start our lives over anew--I promise."
Natalie bit her lip at trying to guess who he was talking to--it was someone from both Ramsey's and John's past. She walked away from the door and into the middle of the room as he unlocked the door, "Sounds like you're having woman problems, Ramsey. She's getting antsy--might blow this whole thing up and go to John."
"She won't," he said as he began to set up a tripod and place a video camera on top. Handing a paper to Natalie he aimed his gun at her, "Start talking--and don't make any gestures. Wouldn't want to harm McBain's baby, would we?" he asked and pressed record.
"Not a damn thing," growled John as he dropped a small stack of papers he'd flipped through back in the desk in the bedroom.
"You said it first--we probably wouldn't find anything," said Antonio as he paused before pulling something out of a drawer he'd just opened. "But I'm pretty sure this isn't Ramsey's," he said as he pulled out a black negligee with one finger before dropped it back in and closing the drawer
John just shook his head, "I knew it was a long shot, but I figured maybe he wasn't that smart."
"He's fooled the FBI for years--it's just going to take time. Let's call it a night, get a couple drinks, and we'll look over the data again," he said as they walked down the curved stairway. "Who knows--maybe the alcohol will do us both some good," he laughed, trying to lighten the mood with is friend.
Both were trying so hard to get their mind off the case that they didn't pay attention to the woman standing with her back to them in front of one of the other doors as if to knock. Once the elevator doors closed she stared at them, "What were you doing here John?"