Chapter Nine

"What'd you want to see me about?" Jaime asked Hansen, getting straight to the point.

"I owe you more of an apology than I could give in this lifetime, Jaime. I should've met with you when you wanted to talk about your father."

"Why didn't you?"

"It's a huge sore spot for me; a blemish on my good record. I was ashamed. James came to this agency for help, and we failed him." He looked at the young woman across the desk, his face lined with regret and sadness. "We failed you, too. I am so sorry. If you have any questions for me, I'll answer them – I owe you that much."

"So you weren't really investigating my father?" she asked softly.

"No. We were investigating The Advocates and their off-shoots – for your father and with his help. He volunteered to aid in the investigation since they wouldn't let him go anyway."

"Sort of a double agent."

"Exactly. Your father was no traitor, Jaime. He wanted to do right by his government, and we let him down. We just never saw it coming."

"Why was his file deleted?"

Hansen blinked. "Guess the same little birdie that told Steve about that, told you as well."

"Guess so."

"My right-hand man at the time got rid of the files to try and cover up the fact that we'd been working with a so-called member of the other side, and the fact that he'd subsequently been killed. Once he'd done that and I had no way to get the information back again, I went along with it. I wish I hadn't, but that's the entire truth. Your father was a hero, not a traitor."

Jaime nodded. "Thank you. That's means a lot, and...it does help." She got up to go.

"Jaime? How did you and Steve know the files had been deleted?"

"Little birdies work in mysterious ways, Jack."

- - - - - -

Jaime sat down at the edge of the river and opened her backpack, taking out two bottles, two yellow roses and two pictures: her mother, and her father. "Mom, Dad, it's finally over," she whispered, placing one rose and one picture in each of the bottles and sealing them. "The people who took you away from me are never gonna see the light of day – ever again. I wish that could bring you back, but at least we finally have justice. You can rest in peace, and I can finally say a proper goodbye." She set the two bottles in the water and watched them slowly drift away. Jaime felt a warmth spread through her body, as though she were being hugged, and she felt sure that wherever Ann and James were now, they were both smiling.

END