Chapter 3.

'What time is it?' Kris asked as she and her fellow Angels sat out on the decking of her beach house.

'It's just coming up to noon.' Tiffany replied looking at her watch. The autumn sun was high and warm with a refreshing breeze floating through the air. The four Angels all sat quietly enjoying the day and each other's company.

'Cate?' Kris called over to her friend who sat opposite her. Cate looked up to Kris from the magazine article she had been studying for the last half hour, she knew what Kris wanted.

'Yeah ok, let's go.' Cate responded putting the magazine on the table getting up from her seat and moving through to the house.

'Where are you off to?' Julie asked concerned.

'I've got a friend to visit.' Julie and Tiffany understood straight away where the two were headed.

'Would you like us to wait here for when you get back?' Tiffany asked with a sympathetic smile.

'That'd be nice, we might be a while we need to stop off on the way back.' Kris said with an appreciative smile.

'I'll tell you what; we'll make a start on dinner whilst you're both out.' Tiffany smiled sitting up straight in her seat.

'We will?' Julie asked looking at Tiffany as if she had suggested they spilt the atom.

'Don't worry Julie, it'll be easy.' Tiffany smiled with a wink; Julie smiled back with a nod.

'Thank you both of you, I really do appreciate it.' Kris thanked them as Cate came back out on to the decking handing Kris her jacket and handbag.

'You ready?' Cate asked gently looking Kris deeply in the eyes.

'Yeah, let's go.' Kris sighed leading the way off the decking down the side stairs to their cars. Climbing in to Cate's Mustang they drove off.

'You think Kris will be ok now Tiff?' Julie asked as she and Tiffany watched their friends drive off.

'I hope so Julie, I really do.' Tiffany replied sighing as she did.

In the car silence had fallen across the two friends.

'You're quiet.' Kris quietly said trying to open up the lines of communication.

'Yeah, I have a few things on my mind.' Cate replied keeping her eyes on the road.

'You've got every right to be mad with me Cate, disappointed even. I acted terribly when I shouldn't have and when I was most needed by my family.'

'Kris stop, I'm not mad at you or disappointed I'm just…I've got a lot on my mind is all.' Cate said in a tired tone.

'I'm sorry.' Kris said looking down to her hands fiddling with the ring on her right little finger.

'Stop apologising, look, I'll tell you when you need to do that all right, and right now you don't so just don't. We're ok Kris and we're going to figure things out, I promise.' Cate said, as she turned down the road leading to the cemetery. Driving slowly through the cemetery Cate parked where she had the day before when she was here. 'You want me to come with you?' Cate asked looking at Kris who stared out the window looking up to Kelly's lone gravestone on the hill. Kris turned back to Cate with weak eyes and a sad smile.

'I think I'm gonna need you up there.' Kris replied Cate smiled at her sweet friend brushing the tears away from Kris's face she nodded in agreement.

'Ok, come on let's go.' Cate smiled as she opened her car door exiting the car.

'It was a beautiful service.' Kris said as she looked down at Kelly's grave stone. 'Beautiful music and prayers, Kelly would have been proud, you would have loved it, here I have this for you.' Kris explained as she took the funeral service programme from her handbag. Taking it Cate opened it looking over the service a mix of popular songs as well as hymns Kris was right Kelly would have been proud. As she looked through the list of songs performed, one in particular caught Cate's eye making her smile.

'Kris will you be all right on your own for a minute, I'll just be sat on that bench over there.' Cate nodded over to where she meant still holding the service programme.

'Yeah fine, Cate?' Kris looked up to Cate concerned.

'It's fine I just... I'll be sat right there, call if you need me.' Cate gave Kris a quick smile before heading over to the seat. As she sat down Cate returned her attention to the title of song that had grabbed her attention. 'Somewhere – from Leonard Bernstein' West Side Story.' Cate read out quietly to herself as she looked out across the cemetery and back to Kris. Before Cate even realised it Kris was stood in front of her.

'You ready to go?' Kris asked bring Cate back to attention.

'Yeah, sure come on.' Cate smiled at Kris as she placed the programme in to her jackets inside pocket.

'Cate, you ok?' Kris asked taking hold of Cate's arm making her face Kris and stopping them from walking on back to the car.

'I'm fine Kris, come on.' Cate tried to move on but Kris wasn't budging or letting go of Cate's jacket. 'Kris.'

'Cate, talk to me. You've barely said anything about any of what's happened since you've been back.'

'Kris I've barely been home five minutes with all of you and the first half of those five minutes I spent here or .'

'Chasing after me.' Kris finished for Cate.

'I wouldn't have called it chasing.' Cate grinned. 'You were easy to find Kris almost as easy to calm down. How is your hand anyway?' Cate asked trying to get the subject changed.

'It's fine, stop trying to change the subject.'

'I'm not.'

'You are.'

'Well maybe Kris I just don't want to talk about it at least not right now and definitely not here.' Cate explained, Kris knew from her tone and body language Cate wouldn't and shouldn't be pushed any further on the subject. Silence fell across the friends again as they drove on to their next destination.

'When was the last time you were at the house?' Cate asked finally breaking the uncomfortable silence she knew she had created.

'Not since Kelly died.' Kris said looking straight out the cars windscreen. Cate pulled in to the drive of Kelly's home, switching off the engine they both sat in her car looking at the house.

'Would you rather wait here?' Cate asked her eyes still trained on the front door.

'No I'll be fine, besides I know where Kelly put everything for you.' Kris replied opening her car door.

'Right.' Cate simply replied getting out of the car following after Kris who was all ready at the front door unlocking it. As soon as they walked in to the home and closed the door the smells within the rooms hit every inch of Kris and Cate triggering every memory.

'She put your keys and some other things for you in the spare room.' Kris said as she placed her handbag down on the coffee table in the front room while Cate moved through the room heading towards the spare room at the back of the bungalow. Opening the bedroom door Cate straight away found the box Kelly had been placing things in to for her, Cate's house keys, a couple of jumpers that Cate had left either in her car or at Kelly's, some books that Cate didn't recognise but guessed her sister had placed in there for her to read Kelly had obviously read them first from the faint crease lines on the spines. Cate took one of the books in her hand looking at the cover 'The Color Purple' intrigued Cate turned the book over to its back cover to read about it before she began to flip through the pages, as she did this a photo fell out from between the pages landing at Cate's feet. Picking it up Cate looked at the photo and smiled, it had been taken when the Angels Jill, Kelly, Kris and Cate had returned from their cross country drive which ended with the sisters racing each other home after they had some bad guys put where they belonged, behind bars. Cate remembered the photo being taken, they had just returned to Kris and Jill's beach house it was a tight race, which ended with Kris, and Cate racing down to the waters edge of the sea, the final agreed stretch of the race, agreed by the older sisters it had to be noted. Cate and Kris ran as fast as they could across the sand, not easy in cowboy boots they both discovered but Kris managed to pull ahead of Cate, which she noticed so not to be out done when Cate saw Kris about to reach the waters edge she changed her direction slightly so that she would collide with Kris, not just colliding though as both Kelly and Jill were witness to as Cate threw herself at Kris sending them both crashing down in to the water being soaked upon impact with the sea and the waves that rolled across them. Neither could keep a straight face though, Kris couldn't even be angry at Cate for doing it as she watched Cate have the greatest of trouble standing up again without falling or stumbling back over in to the water. Helping each other out of the water they made their way back up to the beach house where Jill and Kelly met them half way, handing them towels to dry off. Later once in dry clothes and sat eating on the deck of the beach house on a beautiful summers evening Jill came out on to the deck with a camera which she setup, setting the timer she then rushed back to the others to get in position before the camera went off, she just made it and took and great photo, it was the first time Cate had seen it. Once Jill went back to the circuit for the new racing season it wasn't long before Charlie was being called on because of the threats being made to the race teams so off Cate went to help out two years later and so much has happened and changed.

'Cate?' Kris tapped on the bedroom door lightly as she entered. 'What's that?' Kris asked standing next to Cate looking over her forearm to the photo.

'The day you won the race.' Cate smiled handing the photo to Kris. Kris smiled brightly as she looked at the picture.

'That was a great day, it turned out to be a great trip as well.' Kris recalled.

'Well, I think I have everything, might as well head back to the beach house.' Cate said packing the books and other items back in to the box.

'Yeah, better see what the other two have cooked up for us.' Kris agreed tucking the photo back in to the book.

A short drive later they were back at Kris's beach house.

'Honey we're home!' Kris called out as she and Cate entered in to her house. 'Something smells good.' Kris enthused walking up to the stove where Tiffany stood.

'Just a simple stew is all.' Tiffany said with simple shrug of her shoulders and smile. 'Everything go ok?' She asked looking down at Kris.

'Fine, everything was fine.' Kris simply replied taking off her jacket.

'Where's Julie?' Cate asked looking around for the absent Angel.

'I think she just stepped out for a stroll on the beach.' Tiffany answered as she quickly began to stir her stew again before it stuck to the pan.

'I'm gonna go and catch up with her, get some fresh air myself.' Cate said as she headed for the door that lead out to the decking.

'Great because dinner is nearly ready so by the time you both get back we can all eat.'

'Ok mom.' Cate teased as she went out. It didn't take long for Cate to spot Julie and catch up to her, she was walking along the break waters edge bare foot allowing the water to rush over her feet.

'Hey there.' Cate greeted as she met with Julie. Julie looked up to see Cate smiling at her as she reached her.

'Hi, how'd everything go?'

'Everything is fine and dinner smells pretty good.'

'That was Tiff's doing, I just chopped things for her. Is Kris ok?'

'Kris is fine, she had a moment the other night with me which ended in a scuffle but she's over it and we're moving on.' Julie looked at Cate surprised and confused at the same time. 'You meant today didn't you?' Cate asked realising her crossed wire.

'Yeah but thanks for letting me know. Scuffle, what happened?' Julie smiled as she asked.

'I pushed some buttons and Kris reacted and it turned in to well…'

'A bit of a scuffle.' Julie finished with a small shocked laugh.

'Exactly.'

'You know Kris said you had a pretty interesting friendship.'

'She's right we do. I suppose like you do really, you can call each other on things when you're being dumb or out of order or whatever. We're just close friends, family.'

'You managed to get through to her when neither Tiff nor I could; Kris wouldn't even let us in.'

'Yeah well, sometimes you just need to be a little hard or harsh or both in Kris's case, I don't know how close yours and Tiffany's relationship is with Kris so I don't know how well you're relationship would last with her if you had said the things to her that I did.'

'She's been angry for a while now, can't say that I blame her.' Julie said as she stopped looking out across the sea.

'You're not going to start blaming yourself again are you?'

'No.' Julie simply said.

'Good 'cause that was getting annoying.'

'Hey!' Julie turned to Cate punching her in the arm laughing slightly as she did.

'Sorry, but what do you mean? Why wouldn't you blame her for being angry?' Cate asked watching Julie as she turned her attention to the sea.

'If my sister had gone off with a known criminal when your best friend had just been killed I'd be angry too, more than angry I'd be enraged.'

'Believe me Kris was.' Cate said rubbing her shoulder remembering where Kris had hit her. 'We don't know what's going on with Jill yet though Julie, we have to give her the benefit of the doubt until we know something for sure at least.'

'I just wish she would speak to Kris, acknowledge her in some way. She's just cut her little sister out of her life completely! I just can't understand why but I know this Damien Roth has a lot to do with it.'

'So do I but we'll figure that all out next, first things first let's go inside and eat.' Cate half smiled pointing her thumb over her shoulder towards the beach house.

'Sure.' Julie agreed turning and beginning to walk back to the house. 'Cate?'

'Yeah.'

'You haven't said anything.'

'About what?'

'About wha.. About your sister Cate, about Jill, about what the hell has been happening here!' Julie loudly spoke stopping in front of Cate blocking her from walking on to the beach house.

'What would you have me tell you Julie that I haven't all ready told you?' Cate asked trying to keep her cool.

'Cate I haven't even seen you shed a tear, not one!'

'Maybe I've done my crying Julie.'

'You've done your crying? Jeez Cate, your sister is killed, murdered and you've done your crying?' Julie continued speaking loudly lifting her arms above her head and dropping them again exasperated by the answers she was getting. 'I really don't understand you Cate.'

'I know that Julie but then you don't really know me that well either do you?'

'I think I know you well enough and I don't by this strong leadership crap you're putting on. Cate I know how much you loved Kelly because I know how much she loved you. I watched her react every time Charlie called hoping it might be a message from you only to find we were being sent out on another case and there was no word from you. She would crumble a little more each time, even Kris had problems trying to keep Kelly's spirits high or thoughts good. Then a message would get through and Kelly would be elated for the next few weeks until your next contact time, every minute or hour or day you were over that time she worried.'

'It was part of the job Julie, we all do it and we all understand it. It was hard on all of us.'

'What's going on out here, we can hearing you shouting back at the house.' Kris questioned as she and Tiffany arrived on the scene.

'Has the job made you so hard that you can't even show the emotions of losing your own sister?' Julie demanded. The four women stood silent as Julie and Cate were at a standoff. Kris couldn't believe what Julie had just said; something she had wanted to say herself but knew better than to challenge Cate at a time like this.

'Julie.' Kris began trying to step in before all hell really broke loose.

'You know what Julie, you might be right. I may have been in this game, this job too long that it's made me too cynical and too hard. But right now I can't stop to think about what has happened and what has been lost because if I do I won't be able to get up off the floor. So right now and until we get to the bottom of what's been going on this is the way I am, you can either accept it or not I really don't care I was asked to come home and come in to help and get everything and everyone back on track so here I am and that's what I'm doing. Everything else can come later and it will, like a tidal wave.' The air fell silent again as the Angels each looked at one another Kris stood beside Cate, Tiffany opposite her who stood beside Julie who was still stood opposite Cate.

'Maybe we should eat now?' Tiffany suggested.

'Good idea.' Kris said as they all went back in to the house. A couple of hours later after a good meal filled with small talk and small amounts of laughter Cate decided it was time for her to leave and go back to her own house.

'Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay here?' Kris asked as she walked Cate out to her car.

'I'm sure, besides it looks like you're short of space any way, I think you'll be having both Tiff and Julie staying with you tonight.' Cate smiled looking back up to the beach house.

'You know Julie didn't mean.'

'Yeah she did Kris and she should, Julie has every right to ask those questions and have those emotions, I suppose I would if I were in her position.'

'Well you are in her position aren't you? I mean we all are.' Kris pointed out.

'I suppose so yeah. Anyway, I'll be back tomorrow morning and we can all get down to business.' Cate smiled as she got in to her car.

'All right, we'll see you in the morning, drive safe.' Kris said as she shut Cate's car door, Cate waved as she drove off.

As Cate drove home the last few days and conversations ran through her mind. Getting Charlie's call to come home, the long conversation they had on the flight, meeting with Tiffany and Julie and then there was Kris. Cate pulled in to the drive of her home, stepping out of her car she looked at the front of the neat bungalow. Somewhere between coming home from the Cannonball race and being sent to Europe Cate had managed to move in to this new home, she'd barely been there three weeks and was on her way to help Jill. Kelly had promised to look after it while she was away neither one of them thinking it would be two years before she would return. Entering in to the house everything was as she had left it, freshly moved in although Cate could tell Kelly had been straightening and cleaning and adding by the looks of some of the furnishings Cate didn't recognise. Cate placed the box Kelly had put aside for her down on the coffee table where she found an envelope addressed to her in Kelly's handwriting. Opening the envelope Cate removed a card welcoming Cate to her new home 'with all my love your sister Kelly.' and a photo of the pair together. That was the last straw as Cate watched the tear that spilled from her eye fall down on to the card smudging the note slightly. Tossing the card down in to the box Cate looked around the room anger rising she switched on her stereo hoping the music on the radio would calm her as soon as the music filtered through the speakers Cate laughed to herself shaking her head at the same time Patsy Cline's voice in all its country glory came through singing 'I Fall to Pieces' Cate looked around the room finding what she was looking for, she grabbed the baseball bat and began to swing at things starting with the empty cabinet to the side of the front door whilst Patsy sang on. After beating the hell out of several items Cate turned to the stereo where Patsy was still singing, Cate brought the bat down swiftly with tremendous force, the stereo stopped playing music but at the same time broke the bat. Cate held up what was left of the bat looking at it she lowered it again and walked through to the kitchen, upon opening the fridge Cate realised there was of course no food or drink in the house closing the fridge Cate dropped the remainder of the bat to the floor, picked up her jacket and walked out of her house back to her car she then drove to the closest and open convenient store she could find returning to her home twenty minutes later carrying grocery bags full of food and drink.