"Blow the Cobwebs?"

She sighed. That was exactly the voice she needed to hear right now.

Laura went to stand up and found her legs weren't made for it. Robbie noticed that and quickly closed the distance between them, caught her in his arms and brought them both back down on the bench.

"Perhaps a sit down first."

He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. She inhaled his familiar scent and relaxed.

"How did you know where to find me?" They had agreed he would wait for her at home not knowing how much time she would spend with James. "And where is your white horse?" She attempted a smile.

"James called me. He was worried about you, what his abrupt departure might do to you, so he ordered me to come to your rescue. He said to say sorry for being so rude." He attempted a smile back. "And you know I can't ride a horse, although today I wish I could."

"The closeness was too much for him."

"He'll get there." He kissed her and tasted traces of coffee and caramel. She was almost too distracted to kiss him back.

The wind picked up and clouds prepared to burst open with rain.

"Can we just sit here for a few more minutes?"

"Of course we can." He used his jacket to protect her from the wind and slowly rubbed his hands up and down her arms.

She closed her eyes again and leaned into him, feeling he could protect her from the world. Her mind rested in a state somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. Every few seconds she felt a tiny drop of rain as she recalled another time Robbie comforted her.

It was after Ligeia Willard's funeral. She had been betrayed by friends who had lied to her and about her. Suspected of murder she almost became a victim herself. The worst part was the feeling that Robbie, her best friend, had doubted her. She often replayed their conversation from that day.

"Blow the cobwebs?"

She took Robbie's arm and they walked in silence for several minutes.

"Has your family gone home?"

"Yes, this morning, thank goodness. They meant well but my brother and sister-in-law do know how to fuss. I couldn't even get myself a drink of water without one of them appearing at my elbow."

"I'm glad they were there for you. I would have…"

"Robbie, I know you offered. The truth is I needed some time away from anyone connected with the case, even you, maybe especially you."

He knew he deserved that.

"Laura, there's something I have to tell you. First I need to know if you are all right. It can wait if you are not up to it."

"Go ahead Robbie. After what I went through, I'm sure I can handle whatever it is you want to talk about."

He led them over to an outdoor cafe where they sat and ordered coffee. Normally she would protest the coffee in favor of a drink but she was still taking the medication prescribed to help cope with her near death experience.

"First I want you to know that I'm sorry for doubting you. It was only for a few minutes, then I came to my senses. I came to the conclusion that the hospital records for the birth of the twins was wrong. You were not their mother. Even so, I still couldn't shake the feeling that there was something you weren't telling me, specifically about Holmwood Park Hospital because of your reaction when I first brought it up. You let Alec Pickman take over telling me about Holmwood; that wasn't like you."

"There was something I wasn't telling you. I was sure it had nothing to do with the case." I was someone else's mother.

"I went back to the hospital records later and spent hours pouring over them. It was just like the time I searched Oswald Cooper's files looking for information about Val. I was sure there was something I was missing."

Their coffees came and they sat and sipped quietly for a few minutes.

"You found something." She was sure that he had.

"I'm afraid I invaded your privacy. It had nothing to do with the case. You were a patient at Holmwood Park Hospital, several years before Ligeia Willard had twins using your name."

"And I had a child." She paused to take a deep breath. "Robbie, you have been my closest friend for a long time and we've shared many confidences. There was a reason I never told you."

"I know."

"You know?"

"Yes, do you want me to go on or just leave it." He reached for her hand across the table. He didn't usually do that in public.

She squeezed his hand letting him know it was okay.

"Go on."

"You knew that I wouldn't be able to keep it a secret, seeing him everyday at work."

"That's because you don't like deception and can't tell a lie." She absentmindedly stirred her coffee. "So how did you put the pieces together?"

"The first thing that caught my attention was the birth date of the baby boy."

My baby boy. "And the second thing?"

"Well, several things actually. I recalled times when you talked about him. They seemed like random statements but when you put them all together they meant something. You didn't realize you were leaving clues Laura."

"I should have been more careful. After all, you are a good detective." She felt calmer now that this was no longer a secret between them. "So, how did I give the game away?"

"It started my first day back from the British Virgin Islands. There was something about the way you looked at him at the crime scene and commented about how he got on with the new Chief Super."

Robbie took another drink of his coffee with his free hand. He still had hold of Laura's with the other.

"Then after the murder of a student newspaper editor in the case involving the true crime writer, Nicky Turnball, you were looking at James and said to me, 'he's good, isn't he?' It was rather unusual for you to compliment a police officer for doing his job. And you had the same look on your face that Val…" He hesitated.

"Go on Robbie."

"…that Val used to have whenever she was proud of something one of the kids did."

"I was proud of him."

Then there was your interest in his relationship with Fiona McKendrick. You don't usually pay attention to police gossip. And you referred to him as an 'equine 9'. Again high praise coming from you."

He grinned at her as he recalled the next clue.

"You practically spelled it out for me one day in the morgue after you gave me evidence proving that the supposed suicide of Jane Templeton was really murder."

"Oh, how did I do that?" She hadn't forgotten what she told him that day.

"You said 'I secretly love Hathaway', along with calling me a cocky sod, which I deserved."

"Anything else?" I did secretly love him.

"Yes, most notable was your clever way of getting him to attend your birthday party, by suggesting that I bring someone."

"I know it sounds a bit weird, but it meant a lot to me to have him there to celebrate my birthday. I never got to celebrate his." I'm sorry he did not have a good time.

They finished their coffees.

"Laura, there's a reason I'm telling you this now." He paused and she could see the pain in his eyes. "I need you to understand why I sent James into that grave to rescue you." He kept hold of her hand.

"Because you knew he was my son." The son I let slip through the cracks.

"Yes. I hope that someday you can forgive me."

"It was a sort of poetic justice. I gave him life and he saves mine."

"Looking back, I'd like to think I was sparing James from the hell I'm going through for not saving you myself."

"To tell you the truth Robbie, I was so relieved to be rescued that it wouldn't really have mattered who jumped in that grave with me. I'm sure it must have seemed odd to anyone who knew us."

"Yeah, I got a lot of strange looks."

"That was over in a few minutes. It's the people who are in your life forever that matter." Like you.

"Laura, I 'm sorry I found those records. This is something I should know only if you wanted to tell me."

"Robbie there were times I wanted to talk to you about it. Aside from your relationship with James there was another reason. The way it happened..."

"You must have been very young." He looked at her sadly. Then his expression changed. "Someone violated you."

She knew the anger in his voice was not directed at her. "Robbie, I didn't want you to have that image in your head. It hurts me; I knew you would be hurt by it too."

He took her other hand in his. "I've already imagined the worst. I understand that you might not want to talk to me about it. Just know that you can, if you ever want to."

"Someday I will Robbie. And maybe bad as it was, it will not be as terrible as what you imagine." She knew how his mind worked.

They sat quietly for a few minutes.

"Laura, there's something else."

"Oh?"

"He knows." Robbie took his free hand and brushed it against her cheek. "Later that night at Holmwood Park after you went off in the ambulance, James started adding up his own clues and he went back to the hospital records and then the next day to the adoption registry. He asked me to tell you when you were up to it."

"I see." He knows. She was numb, afraid to feel or move. The medication was the only thing that kept her from breaking down.

Robbie got up and stood by Laura's chair, put his arm around her to help her up.

"C'mon, let's get some fish and chips and then tonight either I spend the night in your spare room, or you in mine."

She gave it her best effort. "Robbie, I'm fine." Not really.

"Or I sit up with you all night." He held her close and whispered. "I'm not arguing."

A steady rain started to fall and Laura was brought back to the present.