Chapter Thirty-Two
They Say It's What You Make
I Say It's Up To Fate
It's Woven In My Soul
I Need To Let You Go
Roughly about 10:30 Boston Time
Albert walked quietly into the kitchen where his wife was sitting at the kitchen table drinking her second cup of coffee while still in her nightgown and bathrobe. He smiled down at her froggy slippers he'd gotten her last Christmas. God, she loved those things and she wore them every day. By the looks of them they were showing that love and he thought he'd have to find another pair for this year's gift.
Marion smiled back at her husband as he bent to kiss the top of her head. The man knew how to show just the right kind of affection and always at just the right time. She watched as he moved over to get a cup of coffee for himself before settling down at the table across from her.
"Do you want me to make you some toast or maybe a regular breakfast?" She asked him reaching over to gently stroke his hand.
"In a bit, hon." He clasped her hand in his as he took a healthy sip of his morning brew. "Just need my morning wake up first." He paused as he took another sip of the hot liquid. "I don't care how old I get, or what my body does to rebel against my brain, don't you ever let them take my coffee away from me." He replied with a blissful look.
"Wouldn't think of it, dear. I value my health too much as it is." She chuckled at the man she'd known for almost all her adult life. "Did you get everything taken care of with Eliot's team?"
Albert set the cup down and traced the rim with a finger from his free hand. "Yes. I just destroyed the earbud so they should know it's offline soon. The camera footage I got from the warehouse shows they got my breadcrumb trail and found Liam Chapman as well as the others on this Evan Whoever's team. That being taken care of means now all they must do is find Eliot. It seems though that the man they call Quinn has run into some trouble; while they were talking to him, he seemed to be injured, so I sent out a message to some friends and they should be able to find him soon. I'm waiting for a call back on that."
"What about this Evan? Do you really think he was Mary and Jack's son? Have you found anything out on him yet?"
"Yes, I do think it's possible now that I put some pieces together. I wasn't myself back then you know. My memory didn't come back in full till after Mary and Jack were already married, but I searched through some records and I found something about a time when Mary was about 16 and she went to stay with some relatives of her stepfather. That was probably when she was pregnant. After she had the babies, her oldest stepbrother Martin Taylor and his wife Marie adopted both babies. Marie was with Mary and the excuse was that Marie was pregnant and Mary was helping her out." Albert thought back on some of the pages he'd read from the newspapers as well as the previously sealed adoption papers he'd found from the small town of Oklahoma.
There hadn't been much, but he'd been able to search using genealogy websites and he'd found the twin boys' birthdate and was able to put together a fairly accurate timeline. He wished he could have been there for his daughter and Jack during that time. He hated that he'd missed out on so much of her life.
"Albert, you're blaming yourself again, I can see it in your eyes. Stop that right now. We've been over this a hundred times; you didn't know who you were back then; and besides you couldn't have done any more than your Evelyn and her husband did for Mary. You know they did the right thing for her considering the way things were back then. And you know Mary ended up with a good man and a good family."
Albert squeezed his wife's hand. "I know, it just doesn't help me to stop feeling guilty about leaving Mary and her mother Evelyn all alone; but you're right. If I'd known, I'd have been there for them." He heaved a heavy sigh. "But what bothers me the most is how this Evan turned out. He's evil; and nothing like Mary or Jack or even this Martin or Marie. Something's not right when a brother tries to kill another brother, I don't care what his reasons are."
Marion reached out her free hand and gently stroked her husband's cheek. "You've done what you can to put an end to the warehouse crew. Thank God we were able to figure that part out. But now you must trust Eliot's team to find him wherever he is now. We know he's not with Evan anymore so that's a plus. We know that the nurse got him out and that she's at least gotten him someplace safe and maybe this Quinn will be able to help when he's fixed up. Do you know how badly he was hurt?"
"No. I just overheard his call to this Col. Vance and Ford. When he told them where he was going to land, I sent a few of Edgar's boys out to keep an eye on him. I haven't heard back from them yet. All I know is he passed out while talking to the Colonel and that man Hardison is working on tracking him and his phone which is kind of ingenious." Albert chuckled as he remembered what Hardison planned to do. "I'm good, but that boy is damned brilliant and if there was any way to let him know how proud I am of him as Eliot's friend I would." He beamed at how this team of Eliot's cared for him like a family.
"Well, it just means that boy was brought up right by his Nana." Marion laughed as she remembered Eliot telling them once about Hardison's Nana.
Sometimes people told old people all kinds of things because they didn't see them as a threat and while Eliot was definitely cautious to a fault, he'd slowly been letting his guard down with them and just seeing them as his elderly neighbors who needed help every now and then.
Albert sobered as he thought of something else. Marion watched her husband as his demeanor changed. "What is it, Albert?"
He squeezed his wife's hand again and reached over to kiss her on the lips. "Nothing, my dear. I was just thinking that this is about as far as we can go now that I've destroyed the earbud; which is a good thing anyway because I think that Nathan Ford was very aware of the fact that they were being monitored. Everyone's moods have shifted just a bit; not enough for most people to get, but I can tell. That Mr. Ford really is as smart as Eliot said and I think he may remember this even after getting Eliot back. He's going to file this away and someday he may just show up on our doorstep."
Marion looked worried at that. "Then maybe we should move on. I know you say it's safe, but I don't want anything to tear us apart. Although..."
Albert smiled at his wife. "Although you couldn't stand being two feet from Eliot. That boy has you wrapped around his finger; you know." He teased as his wife swatted his hand still clinging to hers in mock protest. "Don't worry, I think it's safe and besides, I'm beginning to think that it really wouldn't matter if Mr. Ford showed up. We'd tell him the truth and I think he'd be understandable." Albert thought about what he'd learned of Nathan Ford, the man. "Yes, I think he would be very understandable in family wanting to watch out for family."
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Mikel stared at the magazine she had brought with her when she boarded her plane in New Orleans. She still knew she had to keep up appearances for Evan Chapman, so she was headed to Boston. She knew he'd never just let her go about this job without being watched, so after she finished filling in the nice Detective Captain Bonanno on Evan, she'd made flight arrangements and had been able to secure a first class ticket on the next flight out. She would be arriving in a couple hours; from there she would be meeting with Evan's contact who would give her all the information she needed on finding Eliot Spencer.
She also knew she couldn't take the chance of contacting the detective or any of Ford's team once she landed, but she felt fairly certain that she wouldn't be monitored too closely from the plane if she managed to make a phone call from the privacy of the bathroom.
She quietly got up and made her way back to the bathroom where she secured herself before she pulled the air phone from its cradle. She was certain that she had been followed on the plane, but the gentleman was riding in coach and he wouldn't see her using the first-class facilities. She was also certain that he couldn't trace her call from the air. If he could, she could just explain it away as trying to contact Eliot's team for information on the retrieval specialist; it was thin, but it could work.
She sat down as she waited for her call to be connected. She wasn't sure what she would say, but she had made her decision when she'd spoken with the police detective. She liked Eliot Spencer and if he wasn't coming after her, then she didn't feel right going after him without a more concrete reason other than her family's honor being at stake.
Honor was a funny thing when other aspects of life got in the way. She owed her family, but she didn't owe Evan Chapman. Maybe her brother had once, but her brother was gone now and if she could she was going to figure a way to make sure Evan got what he deserved while her brother's honor remained untarnished.
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Nate felt his phone going off and he reached in his suit pocket for it. He read the info on the caller ID. Caller unknown. Seemed everyone liked to be considered caller unknown lately, he thought grimly.
He hit the key to answer. "Ford."
"Hello, Mr. Ford."
Nate looked up at Sophie who was seated across from him at the table where Emma had just set down some fresh orange juice and muffins from the oven.
Emma been able to catch a couple hours of sleep and was now working in Nate's kitchen in pretty much the same way Eliot did when he was there. The smell was amazing as she made space for the breakfast casserole she set down in the middle of the table next to Sophie.
"Miss Dayan. I'm guessing this isn't a casual call." He replied as he let his team know who was calling as well as the others in the room. He got up to walk over and stand next to the window overlooking the parking lot behind the building. "Why would you be calling me and not Eliot?"
"I think you are a smart man Mr. Ford, so you've probably already figured that out." She paused as she heard footsteps outside the door, but they soon faded away. "I have some news for you concerning our Mr. Spencer."
"Our Mr. Spencer?" Nate questioned. "Is that a term agreeable with Eliot?"
Mikel laughed softly at the man. "True, no one owns Eliot Spencer." She smiled as she thought of the man in question. No; no one owned Eliot Spencer. "I am just sharing some information which you may or may not already have."
"Well, then please Miss Dayan, continue. I'm all ears." Nate Ford smiled charmingly as he took in the sight of two SUVs just pulling up outside the building across the street. The first one's occupants were barely visible, but the car behind it, Nate was able to get a good view of the two men inside. Surveillance teams one and two he surmised. He was surprised that Evan Chapman hadn't put a team on them sooner, but he didn't pause to think too much as he turned to Vance who was just about to sit down at the table.
Nate snapped his fingers to get the man's attention. Vance raised questioning eyebrows and then reached for his weapon lying on the table where the team sat for viewing Hardison's presentations. He come over to Nate with Whitmore following closely behind him. Nate didn't have to point out the surveillance as both men caught sight of the teams right away.
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Kat walked out of the small cabin's bathroom after having left Eliot sleeping soundly for once without being medicated. She pulled the towel wrapped around her body tighter as she hurried towards the only bedroom of the cabin.
She'd forgotten to grab some clean clothes to take with her after she'd taken a much-needed shower. She looked over at Eliot to see he was in the same position she'd left him, slightly elevated with the extra pillow behind his back and he seemed to be breathing evenly and without any distress. She released a breath as she realized she'd been worried just being away from him the ten minutes it took to shower.
She turned to the dresser and was glad to find clean underwear, bra, socks as well as a black tee shirt and comfortable jeans among the items that Bella had kept stocked for her. She turned around clutching the clothing to her and was shocked to see Eliot in the same position, but now his eyes were open, and he was watching her movements.
She managed to hold in the sound she almost made at the surprise of seeing him like that. "That is creepy Spencer!" She managed to get out while she watched him slowly smiling at her from behind the oxygen mask she'd left over his nose and mouth.
Eliot carefully raised a hand and moved the mask from his face and let it drop to his side. "Sorry." He replied evenly although he wasn't. He'd enjoyed seeing the woman wearing next to nothing moving around quietly trying to not disturb him.
He'd seen the moisture on her shoulders even from the distance between them and he could just imagine what was hidden beneath the towel. Her hair was freshly washed, and tendrils were escaping the hastily wrapped towel covering her head, but he could smell the green apple fragrance wafting his way. That's where that smell had come from triggering memories for him, he thought with a smile.
Kat looked at the man lying there smiling at her. He was about as sorry as a cat was at catching the mouse, she thought. The man didn't even bother hiding his smile at her and she hated herself for it, but it brought a thrill to her deep inside to see a man look at her like a woman. She was suddenly so damned curious to know what exactly he was thinking at that moment.
"Yeah, you look sorry." She clutched her clothes tighter to her. "I'm going back to the bathroom to change so wipe that smile off your face, mister."
"What? I don't even get a sneak peek?" Eliot replied taking in her defensive gesture of the way she was clutching her clothes to her. "I'm injured here, and I've been a relatively good boy as far as not taking you apart for drugging me every time you pleased."
Kat smiled at that remark. She knew he'd be mad about that, but she wasn't going to apologize for it. He'd needed rest and it was her job to make sure he got it; and she loved her job. "Well, Spencer, you may be right, but you are still in no condition to do anything let alone getting a sneak peek. So sorry, but I'll just have to keep your health in mind and stay covered up." She grinned at the man.
She couldn't believe she was standing there trading sexual innuendos with a man she'd just met the day before while helping to remove two bullets from his chest. Her life wasn't even remotely considered normal, but this was not even in a league with what she faced day to day.
Eliot chuckled at her while taking a good long look at what he was able to see. "Fine, but I'll warn you, I heal quickly. I'm already feeling much better." He looked over at the window and could see the sun was still high outside the tree line. "What time is it exactly? Or day? Or hell what year is it?" He asked with some worry showing through in his tone.
He really needed to find a way to contact his team. They had to be worried beyond worried, especially Nate. He hated that they didn't know what was going on with him. Then again, maybe they did know something. Eliot didn't know what Evan had done to his team. For all he knew, he may have let them think he was gone for good or worse even dead...
Kat laid the clothes down on the dresser as she stepped closer to Eliot on the opposite side of the bed. "You're worried about your team, aren't you?"
Eliot turned to look at her and he didn't have the energy to try and hide his fear of what was going on with everything. He hated not knowing what to do or at the very least just having a clue. He'd depended so much on his team these past years that not having backup suddenly put him at odds with his inner instincts for survival.
Kat couldn't help feeling his pain at not knowing what to do or who to trust. She didn't know how to help him with that right now until Sam or Bella came back to check on them. Her cell wasn't working so there was no way to contact his team, but if she could get her friends to call them that would be the best she could do.
"Yeah." He replied softly. "Just a little." His breathing was beginning to become more pronounced as he spoke.
Kat reached out for the oxygen mask he'd dropped, and she placed it back over his face. As Eliot gave her an exasperated look, she smiled at him. "If you keep this on for however long I decide, I may just let you have a sneak peek later." She laughed as she saw the look of surprised anticipation in his eyes. "You, Spencer bring out the very worst in me." And with that she reached out and gently placed a kiss on his forehead.
Eliot was still grinning under the mask long after Kat had grabbed her clothes and left the room.