Chapter 4.

Like clockwork Danny arrived at the house with Tessa and Rebecca armed with the food for the BBQ he was to prepare for the family.

'Just as well you brought plenty of food.' Cate said as she helped take the food through to the kitchen.

'Oh really, missed my BBQ that much sis?'

'No, but we've got a couple of extra people coming to join us.'

'Who?'

'My friends Kris and Sabrina.'

'You work with them as well right? They're private detectives like you and Kelly.' Danny asked stopping what he was doing to listen to Cate. 'What's Bobby gotten himself involved in this time?' Danny asked knowing there was more to what had happened with Bobby last night than he had been told.

'Something that's going to take the entire team to sort out by the looks of things, he took some money and who knows what else from people that are more than a little upset by it.'

'They've threatened him then?' Danny asked beginning to get as angry about his brothers situation as Cate.

'Yeah, they threatened him and want their money back a total of $500,000.'

'What! Is he crazy, what was he thinking taking money like that? Where does he expect to get the money to pay them back from?' Danny asked beginning to pace the kitchen he looked at Cate who didn't have to give him the answer. 'Mom. He went to mom didn't he? How much did she give him?'

'$2,000, that's when she called me and Kelly in on it, after Bobby had left obviously.'

Cate said watching her older brother as he came and stood by her side. 'Kris and Sabrina are flying in now. We're going to see what we can do and shut these guy's down.'

'Well it's obviously not a legal operation these men are running. No wonder he didn't want to come and wok for me if he was lifting cash from these guy's.' Danny said as Kelly walked in to the kitchen.

'Your brother says he only stole from them once but it was a large amount if that's true considering the amount these men are asking for.' Kelly said putting on her jacket and handing Cate hers. 'We'd best get moving if we're going to be on time to pick up Kris and Bri.' Cate nodded in response putting on her jacket, heading out of the kitchen Cate turned back to her older brother.

'Not a word to mom ok, just don't give her a hard time about it. We're going to fix this and Bobby is going to pay mom back and if I have my way go to work for you. If you're ok with that.' Danny nodded to his sister.

'I promise Lil' C, but if Bobby shows up I may not be so cool about it.' Danny warned. Cate looked at her older brother, she couldn't tell him not to want to punch Bobby out for the trouble he had caused as she wanted to do the same instead she half smiled at him and went out to join Kelly to go and collect their fellow Angel's.

'Everything ok in there?' Kelly asked as they drove to the airport.

'Not really but then what can you expect I suppose when something like this happens, strange though.'

'What is?'

'Being on the other side, you know being the client not just the detective it's kind of weird.' Cate said quietly.

'It'll be ok and you'll have all of us with you to figure this all out for your mother, hopefully we might be able to straighten out Bobby whilst we're at it.'

'Well you never know our luck and with Bobby we'll need all the luck we can get.'

The flight carrying Sabrina and Kris arrived on time the pair of them headed for the baggage claim.

'I hope Kelly and Cate are here.' Kris said lifting her suitcase on to the trolley Sabrina was steadying.

'I'm sure they're waiting Kris, right outside the arrivals. There's my case.' Sabrina said as Kris went forward to retrieve the case for her friend. With their luggage on the trolley the Angel's headed out to meet with their friends who were waiting as arranged outside the arrivals gate. Kelly saw them first, waving she moved forward to meet them.

'Good flight?' She asked walking by the side of Sabrina who was still pushing the trolley.

'Not bad at all, how's everything been here?'

'Same as it was when we called, no change.' Kelly answered. Kris moved ahead of Sabrina and Kelly to walk with Cate.

'My eldest brother is at the house with his family preparing for a BBQ tonight for us all, hope you have an appetite.' Cate said looking sideways on at Kris.

'I always have an appetite for BBQ. Is it a good idea though? To have it with all that's going on.' Kris asked concerned.

'It keeps mom's mind off the situation and everyone else's plus we need to eat and it's the best way for you all to meet.'

'True, does your brother do a good BBQ?' Kris asked as they walked out of the airport to the car park.

'Oh yeah, he's the best at them you'll love it. His wife and daughter will be there as well as will Scotty my youngest brother.'

'What's your oldest brother's name?'

'Oh, sorry it's Daniel, Danny. His wife's name is Tessa and their daughter's name is Rebecca. You'll like her, well you'll like them all hopefully.'

'I'm sure I will.'

'I'm sure we both will.' Sabrina said from behind them, the two older Angel's had been listening quietly from behind.

'Besides,' Kris said 'they can't be as bad as you know can they?' The four friends started to laugh.

'Oh, it's going to be like that is it? Cute, real cute.' Cate said as they reached the car. Loading the luggage in to it they all got in and headed back to the house.

'Have you had any chance at all to get any information on the guy's that are demanding the money?' Sabrina asked getting straight down to business.

'Not yet, we were waiting for you to arrive. Strength in numbers and all.' Kelly explained. 'We have the name of course of the company that Bobby has been trucking for where the loads of money and jewellery having been going through but not much else yet.'

'You haven't spoken to Bobby then.' Sabrina asked Cate, who continued to concentrate on the road her jaw clenched and hands gripped tighter on the steering wheel.

'We decided it was best one of us talked to him.' Kelly said circling her thumb at her self, Kris and Sabrina. Understanding the tension Sabrina nodded her head deciding it was wise not to say any more about it.

'So aside from Bobby how did the family get together go?' Sabrina asked changing the subject ever so slightly.

'I think really well but Cate, you'd be the expert.' Kelly said nudging her sister's knee.

'It went great, Kelly of course was a great success with the family they loved her.' Cate happily explained.

'Well of course they loved her, how could they not?' Kris said sat behind Kelly squeezing her shoulder Kelly turned herself slightly in her seat to smile back at Kris.

'Well they are all wonderful' Kelly said to Sabrina and Kris turning more in her seat so she could face them a little better as she spoke. 'Bette, Cate's mom is just a hoot! So much fun and a wonderful cook, she doesn't let Cate or her brother's get away with anything and they try, believe me they try! Tessa, Danny's wife is very sweet and their daughter Rebecca is just adorable. She asked me if I was going to take Cate away from her.' Kelly explained placing her left hand to her heart and her right to Cate's shoulder a sweet loving expression across her face. Both the other Angel's cooed in the back of the car.

'Oh, she's adorable now but wait until she brings out the madam in her! Then she won't seem so cute.' Cate laughed.

'It really has been great and you should have seen the way Cate's brothers greeted her when we arrived. We barely got to the front door when they rushed out of it tackling Cate to the ground! I didn't know if I should shout and yell at them, pull my gun or join in!' Kelly explained smiles beaming across her face.

'So what did you do?' Sabrina asked enjoying every minute of her closest friends happiness.

'She just stood there and watched my brother's wrestle me to the ground and flatten me!' Cate chimed in. Sabrina and Kris laughed out loud in the back seats of the car, Kelly turned a little red with embarrassment.

'Well, I wasn't sure who they were until I heard their mom yelling at them, then the tables turned and Cate won the fight anyway!' Kelly explained.

'Momma's always good for a little back up!' Cate laughed with her friends. They were all still laughing as Cate pulled in to the drive of her mother's house.

'Wow.' Kris and Sabrina said together as they got out of the car at the same time the front door opened. Bette a long with Scotty came out of the house smiling and welcoming. Scotty moved to the trunk of the car with Cate to help take in the luggage.

'Scotty this is Kris and Sabrina.' Cate introduced. Scotty shook hands with both women but lingered longer with Kris still holding on to her hand. Kris began to smirk amusingly as the young man was obviously besotted with her beauty. Cate nudged him in the back of his knee making him stumble slightly.

'The luggage Scotty.' Cate said to him smiling wickedly at him. Scotty moved quickly over to the car to grab the last of the luggage and chased after his sister and the Angel's as they went into the house.

Inside the house Bette led Kris and Sabrina through in to the family room, Kelly making the introductions as they went whilst Cate and Scotty took their luggage up to the guest rooms where Kris and Sabrina would be sleeping.

Seated in the family room Bette handed out iced drinks to everyone as they sat around chatting about the journey, Bette's house and the smell of Danny's cooking on the BBQ.

'That smells delicious.' Sabrina said catching the aroma coming from the back garden.

'Certainly does.' Kelly agreed.

'He get's his cooking talents from me.' Bette said smiling winking at Scotty and Cate.

'Well one of us had to.' Scotty quipped.

'Shall we go out to the garden, watch the master at work?' Bette asked as she got up from her seat. Everyone followed after the chirpy woman as she lead the way.

'Aunt Cate! Aunt Cate!' Rebecca called out running excitedly towards her aunt. Cate caught her as she jumped up to her and swung her round in the air before holding her and balancing her on her hip. The other Angel's watched their new teammate, as she teased and tickled her niece, with admiration. All three of the Angel's tilted their heads to the side watching the sweet interaction between aunt and niece when Cate caught them staring they all snapped back and carried on with something else chatting amongst themselves. Cate only laughed at them as she moved over to her big brother who was clouding himself in BBQ smoke.

'How's it going chef?'

'Yeah daddy, how's it going?' Rebecca said peering over the BBQ grill.

'It's going great another 10 minutes or so and we'll be ready to eat.' Danny said as he leaned over and kissed his little girl on the tip of her nose making her giggle.

'This smells delicious.' Kris said as she approached Danny and Cate 'Hope you have enough for us all 'cause we eat a lot!' Kris laughed.

'Just as well then as we cook a lot.' Danny replied smiling.

'Danny, this is Kris and that's Sabrina over there with mom, Tessa and Kelly.' Cate indicated lifting Rebecca up slightly as she did. Sabrina raised her glass in acknowledgement to her introduction Danny returned the favour with his cooking tongs.

'So you're all here to straighten out that brother of mine then.' Danny asked his eyes darkened as he spoke of Bobby.

'Rebecca, honey, why don't you go sit with your mom and Kelly.' Cate told her niece who oblivious to what was going on was more than happy to do so, bounding over to Kelly who lifted her up to sit between her and Sabrina.

'Not in front of Rebecca Danny, come on.' Cate said scolding her older brother.

'I know, sorry it's just so infuriating the trouble he's causing, again.'

'That's why we're all here Danny, with all of us working on it we'll hopefully get Bobby and this whole mess cleaned up in time for another Sunday BBQ.' Kris said in her best reassuring 'business voice'.

'Sure but knowing my brother.'

'Knowing Bobby it's going to be a mess and take a lot of clearing up.' Cate finished for her brother.

'Exactly. I don't know what it is with him lately he just keeps finding ways to either get into a fight, trouble or make a quick buck. I just don't know how to help him anymore or if I want to.' Danny said defeated as he sprayed water across the BBQ causing it to sizzle and smoke.

'Don't give up on him, we'll get him out of this Danny and get back on the right track.' Kris said reassuringly.

'Easier said Kris. You're yet to meet Bobby and he's not quite the gentleman that my other two brothers are.'

'Why Cate, that might be the nicest thing you've said about me.' Danny teased batting his eyelashes at his younger sister.

'Oh shut-up and burn the meat some more.' Cate teased back picking up the water spritzer and spraying him with it.

'Don't make me come over there you two.' Bette called from her chair seated with Kelly and the others watching with amusement at the brother and sister.

Time passed on as the Angel's sat and relaxed with the family enjoying stories of Cate with her brothers for the few years she stayed with them and after when she returned from wherever she had gone on whatever adventure.

'All right everyone dinner is ready to be served.' Danny called from behind the BBQ grill. Night had fallen but the air was still warm enough to sit outside and enjoy the good food prepared for them.

'I thought Robert might have come and joined us this evening and met you all.' Bette said as Scotty hand her a plate of food.

'He's probably just keeping a low profile for now mom, that's all. He'll be here when he thinks some of the dust may have settles or there aren't as many of us here.' Cate said trying to make excuses for her brother which she hated doing.

'What Lil' C means is when I'm not here.' Danny said biting in to his burger.

'Well he won't be too thrilled to come in whilst I'm here either but he won't have much of a choice if he wants help.' Cate said tossing the ketchup bottle over to Scotty.

'Well you're both wrong because I'm here.' Bobby said as he entered out onto the patio from the house. 'Sorry I'm late mom.' He said barely able to look his mother in the eye.

'Get yourself a plate Robert, looks like you could do with a good meal.' Bette said pointing over to the service table where the food stood. Bobby took a plate and started to pile food onto it. Sitting himself down on a seat opposite his family and their guests everyone continued to eat.

'Robert, these ladies are Caitlin's friends and colleagues. Sabrina Duncan and Kris Monroe. Also in your rush last night you didn't get to meet this lovely young lady.' Bette said indicating towards Kelly. 'This is Kelly Garrett, Caitlin's sister.'

Bobby looked to each of the Angel's and nodded his head in acknowledgement to them.

'Pleasure.' He said between mouthfuls. Danny clenched his hand on his knee which Tessa covered and smoothed out again calming her husband so that he didn't get carried away with his anger.

'Excuse me for a moment I need to refresh my drink.' Cate said as she got up from her seat next to Kris. 'Anyone else need a refill?'

'I'll come with you I need to wash some of this sauce of my hands as well. Danny just can't get enough of it!' Kris smiled to Danny trying to lift the air that had fallen thick over them all. Cate headed in to the house taking Kelly and Bette's glasses with her as she did.

'Air's pretty heavy out there huh?' Kris said as she followed Cate in to the kitchen, moving to the sink to rinse her hands.

'Yeah well, we can't raise voices whilst Rebecca's here and it's not fair to mom either. Danny and I will just have to keep our cool for now.'

'Scotty doesn't seem affected by it all as much.' Kris noted.

'Yeah well Scotty has college to be concerned about. He's studying really hard and we try to keep him out of things that could affect that as much as possible.'

'He knows what's going on though right?' Kris asked drying her hands with the hand towel.

'Yeah of course, but he understands that we're dealing with it and that he should carry on with his studies. Somehow he manages to as well.' Cate said with a smile on her face thinking of her little brother working so hard when so much is going on.

'I'll give you a hand to carry those glasses out in a minute I just need to get some hand cream from my purse…' Kris said trying to remember where she'd left it.

'It's in the family room by the window.' Cate said as she poured more lemonade.

'Right, thanks.' Kris said as she walked out of the kitchen to the family room. Just as Cate filled the last glass with lemonade she heard the sound of gunfire followed by the shattering of glass and a scream from Kris. Cate slammed down the jug of lemonade and rushed through to the family room the other Angel's not far behind her.

'Kris!' Cate called out but to no reply. Cate had a feeling of dread whip through her as she scoured the room. The front window had been shot through, glass lay everywhere across the floor and furniture. Moving around the armchair Cate found her friend. 'Kris! You ok?' She asked as Kris slowly began to pick her self up from the floor.

'I think so yeah. As soon as I heard the first shot I hit the deck, ow!' Kris called as she put her hand down to steady her self as she got up. Taking hold of Kris, Cate helped her friend get up, Sabrina and Kelly headed out in to the street to see what they could find, witnesses or something.

'Come on let's get you in to the kitchen.' Cate said as she turned Kris's hand over and found the cause of her pain some of the glass had cut the palm of her hand. 'We'll get that cleaned up.' As they went in to the kitchen Bette and Danny came in after them.

'What happened are you all right?' Bette rushed Cate checking she was unharmed.

'I'm fine mom, Kris is the one who's hurt.' Cate said gently pushing her mothers worried affection aside. 'Where's the first aid?' She asked her mother who pointed to the pantry.

'Top shelf.' Bette moved to Kris taking her hand gently. 'Well, the cut doesn't look too deep but that doesn't mean it won't smart some. Danny fill the bowl with warm water.' Bette ordered, Danny did as he was asked. Cate returned to Kris with the first aid kit in hand.

'Right let's see what we have in here.' Cate said as she opened the kit.

'Everything ok in here?' Sabrina asked as she came in to the kitchen Kelly behind her. 'Kris?'

'I'm fine Bri a little shaky but I'm ok.'

'You're bleeding kiddo.' Sabrina pointed out.

'It's nothing, I'm in good hands, I'll be fine, scouts honour.' Kris smiled her best smile just as Bette dabbed at the wound with a damp cloth making Kris wince. Sabrina catching Cate's attention motioned for her to join her and Kelly in the other room. Once in the family room overlooking the mess and out of earshot from the rest of the family the Angel's began to talk.

'So what happened?' Sabrina asked.

'Wish I knew Bri.' Cate started 'Kris came in here to get hand cream and the next thing I hear is gunfire, shattering glass and Kris screaming. A drive by I would guess.'

'Most definitely.' Kelly spoke. 'There's tyre marks out on the road where whoever it was made their quick get away. We'll get some photo's of them tomorrow in the day light.' Looking around at the mess and thinking of what could have happened Cate's temper began to rise and flare.

'Where's Bobby?'

'Still out back, we told them all to stay put until we gave them the all clear.' Sabrina explained. Cate took a couple of steps backwards then turned on her heel headed for the back garden. Kelly now beginning to recognise her little sisters moods and facial expressions knew that trouble was afoot.

'Bri,' Kelly started.

'You don't need to finish Kel, let's get after her before she does something stupid.' Sabrina said as they both moved quickly after Cate. Tessa passed them on their way through taking Rebecca away from what was about to happen outside with the siblings and up to her room in the house.

Kelly and Sabrina walked out on to an all out shouting match between Cate and Bobby.

'How was I to know Cate, how was I to know this would happen?'

'How were you to know? Bobby you stole money from these guys and didn't expect them to come after you or the family to make sure you paid them; gave them back what was theirs! Wake up Bobby this isn't high school and they're not the local bullies. They mean business and their business allows them to carry guns that they will happily fire in to your family's home where your six year old niece is playing!'

'I'm sorry I didn't think it would go this far.'

'That's the problem Bobby you never think!' Cate yelled back moving slightly forward towards Bobby.

Scotty got up from where he was seated to stand in front of his sister he knew where this argument would be heading.

'Cate, please calm down there's been enough going on tonight please stop.' Scotty placed his hands on Cate's arms looking her straight in the eye trying to calm her. Cate looked in to her younger brothers pleading eyes and signed heavily lowering and shaking her head, lifting her head again to face Scotty tears had begun to form in her eyes.

'When are you going to learn Bobby, when.' Scotty pulled his sister in to him comforting her. Sabrina and Kelly stood watching over them all.