So I left you and my characters wondering where Petey went to this time. Once he puts his mind to it, House will come up with the answer and he won't keep it from Jess or you.

I love to hear from my readers even if it's just a few words.

Chapter 80.

There was no sign of Petey anywhere. No one had heard from him.

Jess stopped pacing the floor of my office for a few seconds to ask, "Do you think we should go back to Florida and look for him there again?"

"I doubt he'd go back." I might have been the only unconcerned one.

Nina was calling everyone she knew who knew Petey, too, everyone that is except her father. Ellie had enlisted Chase's help in the search and they'd gone to the motel to find out whether he'd checked out and if not, whether his things were still in his room.

Jess paced some more. The next time she stopped, she placed her palms on the edge of my desk. "How can you be so calm? My brother is missing."

"Again. He has a habit of bailing. Why should it surprise you?"

She glared at me, then turned and resumed walking to the door and back.

"You're wearing a rut in my floor. Jess, you can't do anything about Petey. Why don't you use that energy to plan what you and Nina will do when you meet your uncle?"

But I couldn't get her to refocus. "How can I even think about that when Petey's missing?"

I sighed. If she wouldn't, couldn't think about anything else, I'd have to toss in my two cents. "Did you ever consider the possibility that he went home to Papa?"

She shook her head vigorously. "He'd never do that! I think he hates Father, not just for how he was treated, but because, deep down, he feels he's a disappointment to us all. Father is everything he won't ever be."

"Maybe. Did he know you and Nina were going to approach your uncle?"

That gave her pause. "One of us may have mentioned it to him."

"Could he have jumped the gun, as it were? Made his own play for Uncle Johnny's help?"

She smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand. "Of course. That's just the sort of lame-brained thing my brother would do."

"Why is it lame-brained if he does it, but a smart move if you and Nina do?"

"Why, because..." She looked down, then up again and nodded. "You're right. It isn't so dumb. But what would he have to offer?"

"You said your uncle wanted to meet his brother's kids. Petey's one of them, the only male, the one with the same name as your father."

Her eyes popped open. She nodded again, slowly. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're brilliant?" She leaned across the desk to kiss me quickly, then turned and started for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To call..." She stopped and her shoulders slumped. "I guess I can't really call my uncle, can I?"

"Why not?"

"Because I haven't met him yet. He doesn't know me."

"If that's where Petey is, he hadn't met him before, either."

She held her hand over her mouth and breathed through her fingers. Dropping her hand to her side, she said, "You're right. Again." And with that she left, presumably to make the call.

The more I thought about it, the more I believed I was right. I expected Jess to return before long and confirm my guess. But a half hour went by, then an hour, and I hadn't seen her.

Chase and Ellie appeared in my doorway instead. "Where's Jess?" she asked.

"What did you find at the motel?" I countered.

Chase shook his head. "No one's seen him today. The manager checked for us and found that all of his clothes were still there."

"Did Jess or Nina find out anything?" Ellie's face was pinched with anxiety.

"Jess is checking with her uncle. We think Petey may have gone to see him."

Ellie moved closer. "Her uncle? You mean the one that Nina was going to approach, Uncle Giovanni?"

"Yeah. Petey knew what Nina was planning, or at least some of it." I shrugged. "Maybe he decided to try for his own deal."

I sighed when I caught sight of Jess approaching. I don't know what I was thinking, but I'd been worried about where she might be. I jutted my chin in her direction. "Maybe she has some news."

Chase and Ellie turned around.

Jess hurried toward us, nodding. "Bingo. Uncle Giovanni says Petey's with him now. He was happy to hear from me and hadn't been told yet about the appointment tomorrow with Nina and me. He sounded so nice."

"Did he say anything about what Petey wanted from him?" I asked.

"Petey was asking for a job. Seems he'd rather work for our uncle than here at the hospital." She laughed lightly. "We were looking for him to see whether he'd want to work with Nina after she arranges to do catering for him, but I guess he couldn't wait."

"So now what?" Ellie studied Jess.

"Nina and I meet with our uncle tomorrow and we go from there." She reached out a hand for Ellie's arm. "She still wants you to work with her."

Ellie smiled, then looked at Chase.

He nodded. "It's a good idea."

"You're all acting like Uncle Giovanni is the savior. Maybe you should start a new religion, worshiping Johnny Giordano."

Jess frowned at me. "No need to get sarcastic. I'm sure it won't be smooth sailing, but at least he's embracing us as family. Let us keep our rose-colored glasses a little longer."

I tilted my head to acknowledge her request, but I still had misgivings and vowed to be there, at least for Jess, when all of this came apart. I looked over Jess' shoulder. "Come join the party."

Nina looked puzzled as she stepped through the doorway, but Jess rushed to reassure her. "Petey's with Uncle Giovanni."

Nina's body relaxed. "What's he doing there? And how will that affect what I'm trying to do?"

Her sister explained what had happened and that their meeting with their uncle was still on.

Nina nodded, but she wasn't smiling. "This is all happening so quickly."

"Don't get cold feet now, Nina." Jess put a hand on her arm.

"No, no. Of course not. I want this too much. Ellie, you're in this with us, aren't you?"

"Absolutely. I've had my own problems with your father and anything that will make him squirm is fine with me. Why, he wouldn't even acknowledge his own grandson!"

"Speaking of whom, where is Christopher?" Jess asked.

"Remy's minding him."

"You left that impressionable baby with Thirteen?" I asked Chase, rather than Ellie.

"Relax. Taub's there too. He's had lots of experience with kids Christopher's age."

But Nina's eyes narrowed. "What are you implying about Remy? Why shouldn't she be trusted with my nephew?"

"Nothing, really," Chase replied. "She has her peculiarities but nothing that would affect her ability to watch a little boy for a short time."

"What peculiarities?"

Chase and I exchanged a look. I knew he wanted me to explain Thirteen's proclivities, but I'd been hoping Nina would realize them for herself. "Haven't you noticed her interest in you? As intense as Wilson's?"

"She's a lesbian?" Nina didn't look as shocked as she sounded.

"Actually, she's bi." Chase decided to join in, now that the cat was out of the bag.

"She is?" Ellie looked much more shocked than Nina. "And you let me leave Christopher with her?"

"It's not like she has cooties or something," Jess said. "Her sexual persuasion, or rather ambivalence won't keep her from taking care of him, just as it doesn't prevent her from giving any patients the best care possible."

"How did we end up talking about Thirteen?" I asked.

Jess shook her head. "You started it with your response when you heard that Chris was with her. What we should be doing is deciding what we'll say to our uncle now that we have his attention."

Nina nodded. "I've been putting together a business proposal. I'd like you to look at it from a financial viewpoint when you have the time."

Jess shrugged. "I can do it right now." She looked at me. "Unless my boss has something else for me to do."

"Your time is your own. Just use it wisely. Ellie, you should go collect your son. And Chase, don't you have clinic hours to do or something? If not, you can do mine."

Soon my office was empty again. I needed time to think through what was happening with Jess and her siblings. I hoped their uncle would help them get the revenge they wanted against their father, or at least provide a way to ensure he couldn't hurt any of them any more. I doubted he'd ever been physically abusive. Jess never mentioned it. But the kind of domineering control they'd lived under all their lives wasn't good for anyone.

I'd been the one to suggest Nina's catering business and now I was eager to see it happen, whatever the other consequences. As I thought about what the possibilities were, my phone rang. The caller ID surprised me. What did Peter Giordano Sr. want with me?