They were just about to land and Jonathan went to wake Jennifer who was sleeping in the back where it was most comfortable. She had resisted at first, so consumed with thoughts of her father but Jonathan insisted she at least lie down and he stayed with her until sleep finally came. He made another call from the plane to Walter to see if anything had changed and there was still no word from Stephen. The police said they couldn't do anything until he had been missing at least twenty four hours but Jonathan called them and finally wore them down and they were supposedly on their way to the museum to check out the crime scene. Stephen's assistant, Marie was called and didn't know anything. She agreed to come let the police in. After they finished they were going to meet Jonathan and Jennifer at the house. When Jonathan went to wake her he couldn't help smiling to himself. She was sleeping on her side, one hand resting on her belly. He sat down on the edge of the bed and kissed her gently on the forehead.
"Darling." He said softly, "We're landing in about twenty minutes."
"Hmmm." She mumbled opening her tired eyes; she sat up with a start, "Why did you let me sleep so long?"
He ran his hand over his abdomen, "Because you needed it, sweetheart. Besides there is nothing we can do until we land anyway."
She sighed heavily and looked at him, her eyes revealing more than just fatigue, "Oh, Jonathan, what if he's…" She trailed off tears pooling in her eyes
He wrapped his arms around her, "Now, don't even think like that." He stroked her soft auburn hair, "We'll find him. I promise."
She pulled back and looked at him, caressing his cheek, "My knight in shining armor, huh?"
"Always." He leaned in and kissed her
When they arrived at Stephen's the police were there waiting but they didn't have much. There didn't seem to be a struggle at the museum and they had to wait for the results of the fingerprint tests.
"Mrs. Hart can you think of a reason your father would just take off like this?" Sargent Fisk asked
Jennifer's eyes radiated anger, "Sargent, my father didn't 'take off'. Something has happened to him. His car is still at the museum."
Fisk sighed, "Ma'am, I'm sorry but we have nothing to go on. No forced entry into the museum and no one saw or heard anything."
Jonathan put his arms protectively around her waist, "Sargent, if my wife says something happened to him, then something happened to him. My father-in-law wouldn't take off like that. The man is in his seventies. So I suggest you get to work on finding out what happened."
"Mr. Hart, we would gladly do that if we had anything to go on." He replied, "Look, we'll get the fingerprint tests back in a couple of days and maybe something will turn up. But a lot of people come in and out of that place."
Jonathan nodded, "Well, we would appreciate you taking this seriously."
"Of course, Mr. Hart." He assured him, "If you'll excuse me. I'll contact you the moment we hear anything."
"Thank you." Jonathan replied, "Walter, please show him out." He said then turned to Jennifer, "I think you and I need to get some sleep."
She nodded and they said their goodnights to the officer and good night to Walter. Jonathan changed into his pajamas and got into bed while Jennifer took a shower to help relax but between sleeping on the plane and worrying about her father she was too keyed up to get back to sleep. She stood at the window that overlooked the beautiful horse farm where she had grown up. Her mind flooded with memories of her childhood. Her father was gone much of the time, supposedly conducting his business as an art dealer, but he was off playing the hero, catching the bad guys. He had always managed to keep his work from having an effect on his family. She hoped she and Jonathan could do the same for their child. They still had a lot to discuss about their future and she wondered if either of them could put their cloak and dagger days behind them, for good anyway. She felt his arms around her, breaking her brief visit to the past.
"You really should get some sleep sweetheart." He said softly, he worried how the stress was affecting her
"I'm too wired to sleep." She replied continuing to stare out the window
He rested his hands on her abdomen, "You know, worrying isn't going to help anything and it's not good for you or the baby."
She turned around and met his eyes with her own revealing sheer fatigue and raw fear, "I know and my body says go to sleep but my mind is racing."
"Why don't we get back in bed, maybe if you lie down, you'll get sleepy?" He suggested
She nodded and they got back in bed. She snuggled up to him as close as her baby bump would allow and he put his arms around her. He belly pressed close against his side he could feel their little one moving.
"Just close your eyes and relax." He told her, "I bet you'll be asleep in no time."
"Hmm." She mumbled her eyelids already growing heavy
He held her and when he felt her breathing change he knew she had finally fallen asleep. God, help me protect her and our child and bring Stephen back to us safe. I don't think she could handle losing him…not now…not this way
WASHINGTON DC-THE NEXT DAY
He stood over him with a gleeful grin on his face. He was enjoying playing this little game on his father's behalf.
"Wake up, old man." He sneered kicking him
Stephen opened his eyes, "What in God's name do you want?"
"I told you, I want your daughter and her husband to leave my father alone."
Stephen knew this had something to do with what happened in Zurich and that Jonathan and Jennifer couldn't tell him, "Who is your father?"
"Don't play dumb." He told him, "It's because of you my father has been hiding out, had to change his name. You know very well who he is."
Olbermann Stephen thought, they were after Olbermann in Zurich, "Look, your father is a criminal. I was only doing my job back then and so were my daughter and her husband."
"My father is an innocent man." He replied
"What are you going to do?"
"Anything it takes to protect my father." He pointed a gun at him, "and if your daughter does as she's told no one has to die."
EDWARDS ESTATE
Still in each other's arms Jonathan and Jennifer's peaceful sleep was broken by shrill ringing of the telephone ripping through the silence. Jonathan sat up abruptly, breaking their embrace.
"Hello." He said sleepily
"Well, Mr. Hart." He sneered, "It is Mr. Hart, isn't it?"
"Who is this?"
"Just listen." He ordered, "You stay away from my father or your wife will never hers again."
"Where is he…" Jonathan trailed off but the line went dead
There was a knock on the door, "Mr. Hart." Walter called out
Jennifer got up, put on her robe and answered the door, "Come on in, Walter." She closed the door behind him
Jonathan hung up and turned to Walter and Jennifer, "He hung up."
Jennifer crossed the room, "Who was it? Where is my father?"
Jonathan placed his hands on her shoulders, "Olbermann's son." He replied, "He didn't say where your father was. He thinks we're still after him. My guess is he found out who we are but since any trace of our involvement in the CIA is wiped clean they more than a bit confused as to why we were after him."
"But Jonathan, Olbermann probably told him my father was the one who was after him years ago." She replied, "What are we going to do?"
"There's nothing we can do, Darling, but wait." He said then turned to Walter, "Will you call the police and tell them we need a trace on this line and see if the phone company can tell us where that call came from?"
"Yes, sir." Walter nodded then left the room
Jonathan looked in her weary eyes, "We'll get him." He pulled her close, "We'll get him."
She pulled back and wiped her eyes, "I know."
The phone rang again and for a moment they stared. Jonathan picked it up, "Hello."
"Jonathan." A familiar voice came over the line, "It's Connie. I knew you'd be there. We've been watching Christian Olbermann, we know he has Stephen. Jansen and Rush are trying to get him out but it might take some time."
Jonathan sighed, "Where is he?"
"At the Military Museum. Please just stay put and let us handles this. How is Jennifer holding up?"
Jonathan looked over at his wife, "She's alright. We'll wait to hear from you."
"Good." Wainwright said and disconnected the call
"Do they know where he is?" Jennifer asked
"Yes, they do but it might take some time to get him out. They have to make sure Olbermann or his son isn't watching."
"Well where is he?"
"The old military museum." He told her, "But we need to stay put until we hear from Wainwright."
"But Jonathan…" She began
"Now, darling, we can't go, it's too dangerous. They know what they're doing and with Olbermann thinking we're the ones after him, it might give them the advantage."
She sighed heavily, "Alright."
He put his arms around her again, "Why don't we go downstairs. You really need to eat something."
She smiled slightly, "I thought knights in shining armor didn't worry."
"They don't but husbands and fathers do." He caressed her abdomen