Missing

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

Chapter 16 (Boiling Over)

Tori peered beyond her hand resting in front of her face, and to her clothes laying on the floor. The blanket that covered her added to the warmth of the man lying beside her with his arm protectively over her waist. "Good as always, Rick." She looked over her shoulder and saw him looking at her with deep emotion and fondness

"Well." He brushed her hair from her face and she felt herself melting into him. "I'm glad I could take your mind off work, if only for a Mi Amor." She pecked him on the lips and set her head back into its prior position on the pillow. Tori moved her hips back against his, sighing with content as he spooned her.

"My mind is always on work, why do you think my father and friends call me a workaholic?"

"Perhaps if you told them about us?"

She rolled her eyes and scrunched her face. "Ugh. I do that and they're all going to butt in." She looked back at him and raised an eyebrow. "My father, of all people, would have a heart attack celebrating. As much as he harps on me for grandkids. Then Jade, the experienced one would like to butt in with her unsolicited advice about making relationships work-no thanks Rick."

"I understand. Work first." She sat up and ran her hands through the sides of her hair with a heavy sigh. He pushed himself up with one arm and smiled at her as she grabbed her dress shirt from the floor.

"It isn't that." She just didn't want to tell her friends or her father, because this was something good in her life. "Every damn time I've been with a man, they don't know how to shut up and stay out of my relationship. They start to interfere, and all their pressure not only causes me stress, it drives the man away. I'd rather not lose you because they go overboard."

"I see." Rick's eyebrow rose and his head tilted up and to the right. "They could not drive me away."

"It isn't that they mean to, they mean well but just don't know when to butt out." She felt his finger curl over the back of her dress shirt and turned her head over her shoulder while holding the unbuttoned sides. "What is it?"

"The scar on your back. You never talk about it, why?"

She closed her eyes and pulled her shirt up, then fastened the buttons with careful precision. "College boyfriend was an asshole." She didn't want to say much about the guy, and Rick would have to understand that. "He is also the reason that Jade, Beck, Sam, my father and just about everyone else feel the need to advise me on how to handle relationships and how to kick men to the curb if I have to."

"I am sorry." The bed shifted and she felt him kiss her back where the scar was. She felt a shiver of delight as a tingling sensation drifted from his kiss and into her body. "Nobody should do such a thing to such a beautiful woman."

"If you're trying to get me to sleep with you again, we just had sex and I still have an investigation to work on."

"No, I'm being serious." He pushed himself up, using his hand to stabilize himself. She turned to him and found herself lost in his brown eyes once again. "I want you to know that I will always be here for you." He put his hand over his chest and warmed her with a smile. "Siempre tendrás mi corazón."

Her heartbeat quickened and blood shot up to her cheeks. "Usted es una terrible coqueta." She smirked at him and he started to laugh. After a few seconds, she grabbed her blazer and looked towards the door. "You know, for as much crap we gave my sister about her luck with men, I was in the same boat as her. I've had pretty much bad luck with men since Daniel."

"Who was this?"

"First boyfriend. Cheated on me, then played my best friend. Long story."

"I have time if you wish to talk about it?"

"I would." She fastened her blazer with a sigh and grabbed her pants off the floor while standing up. "But I need to get back to this-and I may need to take my blazer to the cleaners now." She looked to the sleeves and picked off the lint. "Since it was on the floor."

Rick pushed off the covers with a heavy sigh. "I will drive you back to the lab." She looked over to him with a small chuckle. "And I will take the coat to the cleaners for you."

"Thank you." She winced with guilt and turned towards him. "I'm sorry, Rick." Maybe her father was right about her being a workaholic, still she a had to devote her time to finding Trina. At least now she was certain that she wasn't chasing a ghost.

"Don't be." He gave her a smile, then kissed her cheek. Her eyes met his and her hand cupped around his which was caressing her cheek. "Duty calls my dear, I understand. It is fine."

Along the way back to the lab, Tori idly ran through her phone. There were no text messages or phone calls, so she wasn't too certain what she was looking for. "Rick, I've often wondered. That singer you say you knew growing up. Whatever happened to her?" Rick raised an eyebrow at her and shrugged.

"She went down a bad path like a lot of other pop stars out there. Humble beginnings to star to trash. Faded away a while ago. Why?"

"No reason." It was just another reason she was happy to give up the unrealistic dream of being a singer. Fame and stardom was too much for her, and she always assumed she'd fade from the spotlight after a while and be replaced by a fresh and new artist. "Back then we used to think singers that danced around like a stripper was crazy, then they started calling it art. Everyone said it was a fad and that it would change, but now what do we have-"

"Music videos with singers dancing full nude, calling it art and saying it's normal." He frowned and shook his head, his fingers tightened on the wheel and he clicked his tongue. "We have Hannah Montana to thank for that. Hay cantos, entonces no es ser un puta. Stripping in a music video for a song that has nothing to do with sex is not art-go work in a strip club if you want to do that."

"I agree." She'd never thought about it like that, but she could see where singers had lost quite a bit of their dignity. "Sure there are some people that like that sort of thing, but I remember my sister always said a singer that is confident in their music doesn't need to diminish themselves by using sex to distract from the song."

"Was your sister supportive of you singing in high school?"

"Yeah. She gave me a hard time sometimes." Tori chuckled and pushed her hand up into her hair. "She always told me though, she'd support me so long as I didn't degrade myself and lose my respect." She thought of something Trina would tell her and smiled as the words came to her mind. "Una ves que usted pierde su dignidad y auto-respeto, nunca se puede recuperar."

Rick chuckled softly and nodded. "So true. I almost feel bad for my old friend. Her brother and father, I've not heard from them in years. Last I did hear, Jackson moved away, changed his name. He said his sister shamed him and the family."

"Seems harsh. Where is she now?"

"I don't know. I think rehab, last I heard anything."

Tori was surprised to see Sam and Jesse at the lab with David and Jade. They were standing around a small table, each looking at each other with inquisitive gazes and quiet voices. "What's going on?" Tori asked. Rico followed her in and waved as the others turned around.

"Victoria spoke. Full conversation." Tori froze in her steps and her jaw fell open as her father removed his hand from his chin. "The Shapiro murder and Trina's disappearance are connected." She cleared her throat and took a strong step forward.

"Tell me more." She was jealous that Victoria spoke to him first, but right now there wasn't time for that. This was a breakthrough in the case, and she had to focus on anything the child might have said. "How much did she tell you that makes you think the murders are connected?"

"She said there was a man who wanted to bring her to safety. The plan was found out by her abductors and this man placed blame on Robbie, so he was forced to murder Robbie's sister. Then an 'evil woman' tied her to that tree."

"Courts accept a child's testimony nowadays, but they're still hesitant. If the two are connected, then we'll need to take over that investigation."

"We're already working on that," Sam stated. "I'll be working on that Saturday, Jesse's off." The blonde smirked at him and nudged his side. "Apparently he's got a date with some mystery woman." Jesse coughed and Tori smirked at the man. "He isn't saying much though."

"It's my personal life," Jesse replied, "I keep to myself."

Tori folded her arms and looked over her shoulder at Rico. "I understand that." Who was she to complain when she was the same way? "Just be careful, Jesse. You know this woman, right?"

"Yeah, we've grown close over our visits with each other." Before he could say much else, Sam's phone rang out. The woman grabbed her phone from the pocket and answered it after giving the others apologetic glances.

"Now is hardly the time for personal calls, Sam."

"I don't recognize the number."

"Then put it on speaker."

Sam did as asked and the voice that answered shocked everyone in the room. "S-Sam? Is this really you?" An eerie silence fell over them like a dense fog, and Sam's eyes started to tear up. The blonde dropped the phone onto the table and hunched forward, planting her palms firmly on the table.

"Cat?" The blonde's hair fell before her face and Tori moved over, setting her hand onto the girl's back. "It can't be. Who is it?" The others surrounded her. It had to be the redhead, even after all these years Tori still recognized the girl's airy voice as if she heard it just the day prior.

"It's me, Sam." Cat emitted a sob and Sam's hand flew up to her mouth. The blonde shook violently as tears ran down her face. Tori pat the girl and spoke up, she needed answers.

"Cat, it's Tori. We're in the Los Angeles crime lab. Where are you? Where have you been?"

"They have me. Holly, Gary, they have me." Tori's hand fell from Sam's back and she stumbled to the side. Hearing Holly's name ripped the air from her lungs. She felt a man's arm around her waist and looked up, Rick was holding her stable. She clutched her aching chest and clenched her eyes, struggling to breathe. "I don't have a lot of time, we tricked Gary. Well, I didn't…They have Trina, they have your sister. They've had her for nine years."

"Shit…"

Sam shook her head and stood straight, her muscles tensed and her jaw grew firm. "Cat. What in the hell are you doing there? Why are you there?" Tori wanted to shout at the girl, to demand the answer, but she knew Sam asking would be best.

"I'm not here willingly, Sam. They kidnapped me too nine years ago." Cat's weeping grew worse and Sam looked up at the others. "I was trying to figure out where Robbie was. I saw him with Gary once and followed them…I wish more than anything that I hadn't done that. God, I-I'm scared Sammy. I need you."

"Cat? Cat are you hurt? What shape is Trina in? Where are you?"

"I-I can't tell you right now exactly where I am." Tori furrowed her brow and stood up as Rick moved his arm away from her. "We don't want Holly and Gary to think it's an inside job, we don't want them to kill either me or Trina. She's alive, she's hurting and terrified…I'm not hurt, but I'm scared they'll kill me. They want to keep Trina alive."

"Why?"

"Holly thinks Trina imprisoned her for twenty years, so she wants to keep Trina imprisoned for that length of time."

Tori began to see red, her fists clenched tight and the panic inside of her turned to that of anger and rage. She started to speak up, but Sam continued the conversation.

"Cat, we're going to get you out of there. I promise! I'll find you, I swear to god I'll find you." Sam's words came out in a breathless rush. Sweat mixed with her tears, and her knuckles were turning white as she grasped the edge of the table.

"How's my Nona, Sam? Have you looked after her?"

"Of course I have, but Cat. She…" Tori cleared her throat and Sam looked over with wide eyes. In Cat's current state, it would be bad to tell her about her grandmother's death. Sam clenched her eyes and started to fall to her knees. Jade and Tori rushed over to catch her, holding her as she covered her eyes with her hand. "I'll tell you when I find you Cat."

"But what if-what if you don't? What if you don't get here in time."

"No. We will find you. You and Trina both, and even that Shapiro kid."

"Robbie's gone insane." Tori pressed her lips together and stress lines stretched from them. She stifled a growl and turned away as her stomach flipped and bile turned to hatred. "Oh no! I hear someone down the hall. I'll call you another time, Sam."

"What? No, Cat wait!" Sam pulled away from the girls and screamed at the phone when it clicked off. "Cat!" She pounded her fist on the table then threw her hand over her mouth, screaming loudly. "Goddamn!"

David's calm voice wafted into the air and enticed all to listen. Sam was breathing heavily and a new fire had appeared in her eyes. "We need to monitor any and all calls made by Cat," David suggested, "It's clear to me, Gary and…my ex-wife…have absolutely no idea that girl has a phone." His heavy hair fell on the top of a steel chair and his voice grew heavy. "If you're in an area where you can trace, try to keep her talking long enough to trace."

"So it is true," Tori growled, "My own mother, and one of my former best friends are involved in this…" She saw Rick's concerned gaze, then brushed past him, leaving the group to be alone and collect her thoughts.

"Tori?" Rick started for her and she threw her hand up in the air.

"Not now, Rico. I need to think."

Thoughts my friends?