Resolutions

Chapter Two

Cody looked at his phone sitting in front of him. He just wasn't in the mood to deal with what the last phone call he received had brought to the table. Aaron Bass had been a good family friend. He had lost his fishing lodge in the big quake of eighty-seven. Lake Jennifer still stood proud and brought in lots of tourist in the summer but the lodge was long gone. Now the new lodge on Lake Jen was being threatened. The snow that had fallen over the last few months had buried the building and frost had taken over the walls inside and out. Jack Lawson had gotten sick after Thanksgiving and hadn't called anyone to check on the old place. He had to call Jen before she started her Christmas trip to the lodge.

"Do you want me to do it?" Jess stood at the door of the weather room.

"It would be better coming from me."

"I think she's still a little sweet on you." Jess smiled.

"She's married with four kids and I'm married with three. How sweet can she be on me?"

"You've known her since she was twelve. She might have one of those school girl crushes."

"Like you and Cutler." Jess sat down across from him.

"That was lust pure and simple." Cody closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Over sharing again. Jess, when will you learn it turns my stomach to think of the two of you doing anything the least bit…lustful?"

"I know, that why I do it." She loosened her sling and took it off stretching her arm a little. "After you break the bad news invite her to come for Christmas here anyway. I talked to Matt and he said they could stay at his place and we'd stay here."

"That's nice of you two."

"Yeah, we do come up with some good ideas now and then. Derek and I decided to get married between Christmas and New Years."

"Oh really. Have you discussed this with our parents?"

"Not in so many words. I talked to Jensen over at the lodge and I can get the big dining room for the Friday after Christmas."

"You're really going to do this before you go meet his family for New Years?"

"We'll if they don't like me there's nothing that they can do about it then now can they?"

"They'll like you Jess. Don't ever worry about that." He sat back and looked at his baby sister. She wasn't a baby anymore. She hadn't been for a long time. Jess had been mopping up his messes for a lot of years. "As long as you're happy Jess you get married anywhere you please."

"I wanted Vegas but Derek said it might not fly with either of our parents." Cody laughed.

"I don't know about his but Jackie would have you drawn and quartered."

"I sensed that from her." Jess stood up. "I'll make that call if you want me to. I never seen you stressed over anything like this in a long time."

"No, I better do it Jess. It's all Jen has left of Aaron."

"She has those ten years of memories Cody. Nothing can take that away."

"I know." He picked up the phone and dialed.

"Hello." Cody closed his eyes. He didn't want to do this.

"Jen, Cody Hawkes."

"Cody! I was just thinking about you."

"All good thoughts I hope."

"Is there any other kind? How's Sarah and the kids?"

"Good. The boys just had there one month check up. Everything's good. How about Blake and the girls?"

"Great. Thanks for the card for Erin's birthday. It's so great you and your family remember us."

"I love to take credit but that's all Jess. She's got this huge calendar."

"We'll thank her for me."

"I will. Jen have you talked to Jake Lawson lately?"

"Not since Labor Day. Why?"

"Just before Thanksgiving he had a stroke. I didn't know until a few hours ago that he hadn't been up there in over a month."

"What happened to the lodge Cody?"

"Some frost damage from what Matt could tell. Inside and out. The roof buckled a bit but it can be repaired. Jen it's been snowing like nobody's business up here since Halloween. There's no way we can get somebody up there by next week to fix things."

"The girls were looking forward to seeing the twins and Ava."

"You're still welcome. Jess and Matt have been keeping things running here at the station and hardly make it home to sleep let alone anything else. Matt said your welcome to his place for a week or two."

"Cody I couldn't put your bother out like that."

"He wants to see you and Blake. And Jess is getting married on the twenty-sixth. She wanted you here."

"Jess is getting married. To who? Cutler?"

"God no. She met an FBI agent when they came to help with an investigation."

"Good for her. Well then I guess we can take Matt's hospitality. Blake can go up to the lodge and see what needs to be done."

"Matt went up and did what he could this morning. There were some hunters in the neighborhood starting their tents on fire. I'm kind of glad they did or we would have never found out about the damage."

"I guess I should be thankful for people's stupidity."

"My family wouldn't have jobs if it wasn't for stupidity. Tell the girls and Blake we can't wait to have them. My mom will be in heaven with all the kids here."

"Thank you Cody. Your always looking out for me."

"I promised Aaron. Talk soon Jen." He hung up. Jess was leaning against the door frame.

"Not so bad?"

"Not so bad. When are you done here?"

"I'm working a double."

"Jess Shep said take it easy."

"Does it look like I'm overtaxing myself?" Cody looked at her. "I haven't even lifted a pencil since lunch."

"Jen and her family are coming next week."

"I'll have Matt get the cleaning crew to hit the cabin the day before they get here."

"Thanks Jess. It really sounded like she needed to come out here."

"Anything for Jen. If I don't see you before you go home, have a good night." Jess turned around and walked away. Cody turned off his lamp and gathered his files. It was only Monday and the week was already dragging.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Matt sat at his desk. He checked his watch. It was nearly ten and the night had been quiet. He hadn't even seen Jess and Flynn since dinner. He got up and shut down his computer and headed to the kitchen. Flynn and Hart were playing cards.

"Where's Jess?"

"Weight room I think. She said something about kicking ass and I ran the other direction." Matt smiled.

"You're afraid of a girl Benji?"

"That one I am. Apparently you haven't seen my childhood trauma records. They have Jess's name written all over them." Hart laughed.

"I hear all these stories. Was Jess really such a bad ass as a kid?" Matt laughed.

"Two words. Broken jaw."

"Oh yeah I recall that story. Just before you left for college right?"

"Yeah. If I had to go with my jaw wired I would of skinned her alive." Matt grabbed a couple of water's from the fridge and headed to the weight room. "Jess?"

"Whatever they said I did I didn't do it." Matt walked in and she was sitting on a bench lifting small weights, exercising her shoulders.

"No one said anything."

"Good. They better keep it that way." She looked at him. "I got a call while you were on the phone to Sacramento."

"Something come up?"

"It was Folsom prison."

"That's never good."

"Sarah's ex is up for parole."

"When?"

"Thursday."

"Nothing like giving us notice."

"All they have to give us is forty-eight hours."

"They call Sarah yet?"

"They said they sent her a letter last week."

"Cody never said anything."

"Maybe Sarah didn't tell him."

"Knowing Sarah she'd try to protect him."

"Cody finds out he's going to fly off the handle."

"I can talk to Sarah. Maybe we can head up there and he doesn't need to know."

"How does that work."

"Tell him we're going wedding shopping and have mom and dad watch the kids?"

"Wedding plans without mom?"

"Okay. I got nothing."

"Who's off on Thursday?"

"Me, Flynn and Robin."

"Okay, I'll get Robin to work so you and I can go. Sarah should come. It would give the board a human factor."

"He already signed over his rights to Ava Matt. His lawyer will argue that he has no more ties to her."

"You get on finding anything we can against that bastard and talk to Sarah. He almost killed Cody once; I don't want him to decide he wants to finish the job." Jess got up and took off her gloves.

"You don't think he'd come for them?"

"Huge McKnight was a mean son of a bitch four years ago Jess. I can't see him becoming a sparkling ray of sunshine in a place like Folsom."

"I'll take a shower and head over to Cody's."

"It's too late to call in any favors in Sacramento."

"Wake people up if you have to. Cody and Sarah can't go though this again." Jess went to take a shower and Matt went to see if he still had some miracles up his sleeve.