A/N: I have finally been able to break my writers block with this story. I hope you enjoy and I have started writing chapter 21 so that should not be very long in coming.
Thanks
Tina Marie
Chapter Twenty
The next morning after Elizabeth got the kids up and fed them breakfast, she found Bill in the living room with a man she had never met.
"Elizabeth," Bill smiled as he draped his arm over his wife's shoulders, "This is an old friend of mine, Randall Cole. Randall is a federal agent and I've asked him here off the record to help us set things up to catch Wickham with whatever he is planning."
"I'm going to get Jane to come over and watch Anne Marie and David." Elizabeth said as she dialed her sister's number.
Jane agreed and within fifteen minutes had arrived at the Darcy's house.
"Thank you Jane." Elizabeth hugged her sister.
"Anytime," Jane said with a smile, "I love these kids too."
Elizabeth joined the gentlemen in Bill's office. "Your husband says you have a theory about what Wickham is planning, would you care to enlighten me?" Randall asked.
"I believe Wickham is after Sara's trust fund." Elizabeth answered succinctly, "Five years ago, his plans were foiled by Mrs. Masters and it would be my guess that he thinks the money should be his." Elizabeth picked up the police report from the desk and handed it the FBI agent. "Lydia told me yesterday morning that Wickham is friends with Detective Saunderson. You can see from the report that he was the investigating officer on Sara Darcy's death. I do not believe for one moment that that is a coincidence." Elizabeth took a deep breath, "There are two things that are needed to set this up. First he needs to steal my phone to lure Bill into a dangerous area. He will also have to manually drain the brake fluid from the reservoir to disable the brake system on Bill's truck."
"So you think Bill is the target."
"Yes." Elizabeth agreed.
"You don't think that he might go after Anne Marie?"
"No." Bill and Elizabeth said together.
The couple looked at each other with a smile and Bill finished the thought, "That is not Wickham's style as in that scenario he would actually have to get his hands dirty."
"Wickham will set this up," Elizabeth added, "So that he is nowhere near the scene. He will have to arrange an air tight alibi because he knows he will be investigated by the police."
"Well, I think we know what we have to do." Randall told them efficiently, "I've brought a few surveillance camera's with me. We will put one up in the garage near the cars so that we will know if he does something to either of your cars. We'll set up cameras to watch the driveway and the front door so that you will have clear warning of his approach." He paced the room deep in thought, "But we will need to notify your local police. They should be able to provide you with a decoy cell just like Elizabeth's phone." He turned to Elizabeth, "I would be suspicious of your sister as she has proven that her allegiance is with Wickham. It will be very likely he would send her in to grab the phone so it wouldn't be seen as suspicious behavior."
Randall set up the cameras and showed Elizabeth and Bill how to use the monitor that he set up in Bill's office.
Elizabeth informed Jane of where they were going and after getting her agreement to stay with the kids, it was just a short drive to the police station. Agent Cole requested an interview with the Police Chief and soon the three found themselves seated in front of Police Chief Goulding.
Once Agent Cole made their case, Police Chief Goulding sat there and tapped his pen on his desk, deep in thought, "I have to tell you, I have known George Wickham since he was a teenager and he has always been a punk. He dated my daughter when she was in high school and the sleazy bastard thought he could win me over by kissing my ass." The chief shook his head, "I had been around the worst criminals in the system and this stupid kid didn't think I could see right through his act. What a laugh." He glanced across the table, "Thank God, my daughter wised up and dumped him before he could break her heart." His eyes caught Bill's, "I heard about Mrs. Darcy's death but I had no idea he was involved."
"Not many people did as the police ruled her death an accident." Bill explained to the other man.
"You just tell me what you need and my department will provide it." The chief told Agent Cole, "I would love to be involved in the arrest of that little creep."
Randall Cole explained their plan to the chief and took their leave after he supported the plan wholeheartedly.
It took the rest of the day to work out the details and by the time Agent Cole had left and the Darcy's tucked the children into bed, the husband and wife were exhausted and emotionally drained.
As Darcy held his wife in his arms in bed, "Elizabeth, I am afraid for your safety." He admitted, "For the first time in my life, I am deliriously happy and I am terrified you will be taken from me."
"My love, Randall and the chief have this all under control," Elizabeth laughed, "All you and I have to do is show up."
"I love you." Bill's throat closed up with emotion, "You and the kids are my life and I will be damned if I'll let anything happen to you."
"The kids and I love you too." Elizabeth smiled, "I am not letting you go this easily."
Both the Darcy's fell into an exhausted but troubled sleep.
Elizabeth was exhausted when she returned home after school the next Friday. Lydia had called her at work to find out when she would be home. Elizabeth knew the time had come for Wickham to make his move. She had arranged for Jane to pick up David and Elizabeth had dropped off Anne Marie at her place on the way home. She knew Wickham would not make his move until she was alone and so she had organized it that way.
She took a quick shower and was just toweling dry when the doorbell rang so Elizabeth checked the monitor and saw Wickham standing at the front door looking impatient. Elizabeth threw on sweats and a t-shirt before opening the door.
Acting surprised, Elizabeth sputtered, "Mr. Wickham, what are you doing here?"
Wickham looked at Elizabeth with what she was sure he thought was his most charming smile, "I thought it was time you and I talked."
"Talked about what?"
"About Lydia's kid, of course." Wickham sneered.
"What about David?" Elizabeth asked warily.
"You know, Lydia will do anything I say and if you are nice to me, I might be willing to talk Lydia into signing the release of parental rights."
The cell phone rang, "Excuse me I have to get this." Elizabeth said as she stepped away from the door and glanced back surreptitiously, where she saw Wickham step swiftly through the door and closed it behind him.
She had stepped away from Wickham but spoke in a voice just loud enough for Wickham to hear. "Bill darling, where are you? Oh, you are going to be late. That will be fine, I don't have any special plans. I'll see you when you get here."
When she turned, she found Wickham lounging comfortably on the sofa, "So it's started already, you have become a work widow so quickly." He smiled up languidly at Elizabeth, "I could have told you that Darcy's first love is his construction company. Sara always said work came first with her husband."
"You are wasting your time with your attempt to get me to turn away from my husband." Elizabeth said as she sat the phone down on the coffee table.
Wickham stood slowly and walked toward Elizabeth where he sat down on the edge of the coffee table, "Darcy will never be able to hold a woman like you for long. He is too set in his ways and predictable." Wickham sauntered toward the door and he turned around dismissively, "When you're ready to be nice to me, I will think about getting you the release you want."
After Wickham was gone, Elizabeth sighed with relief. She glanced at the coffee table and saw with satisfaction that the phone was gone.
She pulled her cell phone out and texted Bill, 'Snake took the bait.'
Bill smiled with relief when he got Elizabeth's text. He finished the paperwork he was working on and drove to Jane's and picked up the children.
Anne Marie threw herself into her father's arms. When he looked down, he saw David launch himself onto his foot. Bill bounced the toddler up and down while David giggled.
"Are you ready to go home?" Bill asked.
"Yes." Anne Marie answered before turned to Jane, "We had fun Auntie Jane."
"You're coming back to see me tomorrow morning and we are going to have loads of fun." Jane said as she gave Anne Marie a kiss and picked up David to walk Bill to the car and helped by putting David into his car seat. Bill strapped Anne Marie into her car seat and then got into the driver's side.
"See you tomorrow." Bill called out the window as he pulled away.
Bill put his truck in the garage and helped David and Anne Marie out of the truck. He carried David and Anne Marie took his hand. Bill opened the front door and Elizabeth was waiting for him as she threw her arms around his neck. "I've missed you."
"I missed you too."
"Mommy, we missed you too." Anne Marie said as her eyes looked up at Elizabeth, "Auntie Jane is fun but not as fun as you are."
Elizabeth bent down and scooped up her daughter, "I saw you both a few hours ago but I missed you too."
Bill threw one arm around Elizabeth and she took David hand. "I love our family." Elizabeth whispered as she kissed her husband.
"There is nothing better in this world than a loving wife and two loving children."
"Mommy, when am I going to get my baby sister?" Anne Marie asked as she tugged on Elizabeth's sleeve.
"I'm not sure." Elizabeth answered with a smile, "But I promise you will be the first to know right after your daddy."
"Okay, but I really want a baby sister." Anne Marie pronounced as Elizabeth hugged her tighter.
"What if you were to have a baby brother, instead?" Elizabeth asked.
Anne Marie looked at David, "I don't need a baby brother; I already have one of those."
Both Bill and Elizabeth laughed with amusement at the girls words.
"We'd better get some dinner." Elizabeth grinned, "How about we order pizza?"
"Yeah!" Anne Marie clapped her hands, "I love pizza."
"We know." Bill and Elizabeth said together.