Chapter 5 -
Luke and Tyler watched as finally the safe was unlocked, peering in they placed the contents on the desk.
"Most of it looks normal enough, birth certificate, marriage certificate, passports."
"Yeah but hang on Luke."
Tyler frowned as he opened a small metal box.
"External hard drive, we need to get this to Garcia."
Luke nodded in response to Tyler as he reached for his cell, taking photos of the apartment before he rang Rossi.
"Hi Luke how are you guys getting on?"
"We've got an external hard drive from inside the safe Rossi, we need to get it to Garcia ideally."
"Ok I want us to head back and regroup, I want us all together while we decide on the next steps. We can meet in the office tomorrow morning."
"Ok Tyler and I will finish up here and meet you at the airport shortly."
Luke put his cell away and looked at Tyler who nodded as they checked the apartment one last time.
Tara had her arms full as she stood at Emily's front door, carefully she put a couple of bags down as she rang the doorbell. Knowing that Emily and Libby may be asleep she waited patiently, but it wasn't long before the door opened.
"Hi Tara. Oh my, have you got enough?"
Emily smiled as she took a couple of bags from Tara and gestured for her to follow her through to the kitchen.
"Well yeah, I may have gone a little overboard with the clothes, and maybe the food. I am completely justifying the food as I know, without looking, your cupboards will be practically bare!"
Tara laughed as she opened up a bag and brought out a cuddly toy and some stationary.
"And I thought it might help Libby to have a little comfort."
Emily felt the tears well up as she walked over and warmly embraced Tara.
"Thank you Tara, this means so much to me, let's quickly put the food away and then we can see Libby with the clothes and toys."
Tara smiled, it didn't take long for the two of them to put the groceries away, turning to the doorway they saw Libby yawning and walking towards them.
"Hello Libby."
Tara spoke softly, she could see that Libby had just woken up but she still looked tired.
"Hello."
Libby managed a small smile as Emily pulled out a chair and gestured for Libby to sit down, before she put a glass of water in front of her niece.
"Thank you Emily."
"So Libs, Tara has brought us some food and some clothes for you."
Libby's eyes opened wider as she saw the large pile of clothes on the table.
"Wow, thank you Tara!"
"You're welcome sweetie, I also got a few other things for you."
Tara smiled as she brought up the teddy bear. Emily watched Libby carefully as the young girl got up and quickly moved around the table, before she wrapped her arms around Tara as Tara passed her the teddy bear, with Libby holding it and Tara tightly.
"Thank you Tara, this is amazing."
Libby smiled as she looked at Tara and then Emily.
"Ok then Libby, why don't you take your clothes upstairs, you can put them in the other bedroom, find something you like and get changed."
Libby nodded as she slowly moved away from Tara and carefully picked up the clothes.
"Can you manage with your wrist?"
"I think so Emily."
"Ok well see how you go and I'll pop up in about ten minutes to see if you need help with anything."
Libby nodded her head, she still had a hold of the teddy bear but she managed to take the clothes upstairs.
"Well that went well, thank you so much Tara."
"Seriously Emily, not a problem. But I do need to talk and show you something while Libby isn't here."
"Of course, coffee?"
"Please."
Emily turned and walked over to the coffee machine, pouring two mugs while Tara went and brought her laptop back into the kitchen.
"I noticed when I talked to Libby earlier today how much she wanted comfort from something. When I was at your sister's apartment I noticed a couple of things."
Emily frowned as Tara loaded up the photos that Luke had sent over.
"I have never even been there."
Emily's voice was quiet as she looked carefully at the photos, taking a deep breath as she lent back and looked at Tara.
"It's like a show home, even Libby's bedroom, so bare and stark, no toys, no books, no photos."
Tara nodded as she closed the laptop.
"Luke noticed the same thing. But they also found a safe in Neil's home office, there was an external hard drive inside."
Emily sighed and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Listen Emily, you go and check on Libby and I'll make us all something to eat."
Tara put her hand on Emily's shoulder before Emily nodded her head and pulled herself up, swallowing hard as she composed herself and walked up the stairs.
JJ puffed her cheeks out as she walked into Garcia's office and slumped on the chair beside Garcia.
"Hi sweet cheeks."
"Hey Pen, come on let's get out of here, you must have got Dave's message about them coming home and meeting here tomorrow?"
"Five minutes JJ, I just need to set this search going."
JJ stayed sitting next to Garcia as her cell vibrated.
"Ok five minutes tops Garcia, Tara is cooking at Emily's and the two of us are invited round."
"Nearly done my sweet I promise."
Garcia turned and smiled, the prospect of seeing Libby and Emily was definitely what the two of them needed.
"That's it, all ready to analyse overnight and by morning we should have some answers. Come on JJ let's go and check on our darling Section Chief and her gorgeous niece."
Garcia smiled as she stood up and held out her hand, walking out arm in arm with JJ.
Emily knocked softly on the spare bedroom door, even though it wasn't closed she wanted to give Libby some privacy.
"Can I come in Libby?"
"Yes."
Emily smiled as she walked in, Libby was wearing jeans and a pink jumper.
"You look beautiful Libby."
Libby felt her cheeks redden slightly, not used to compliments but it felt good to be in new clean clothes.
"How are you feeling sweetie?"
"A bit sore, but not too bad."
"Ok well how about we go and have some dinner? Tara is cooking and we have invited Jennifer and Penelope around. I hope that's ok with you?"
"It's your home Emily."
"Yes sweetheart but at the moment you are my main priority."
Libby looked at the floor momentarily before she looked up at Emily.
"Thank you Emily, it will be nice to see them, your friends have been so kind to me."
Libby gave Emily a quick hug before they started to walk down the stairs, the doorbell sounded while they were halfway down, Libby trotted off into the kitchen leaving Emily to answer the door.
Once in the kitchen Libby wandered over to where Tara was standing and wrapped her arms around the taller woman's waist.
"Thank you Tara."
"Hey sweetie, you're welcome, you are looking beautiful. Ready to have something to eat?"
Tara kept a hold of Libby, pleased that she felt safe and was able to convey her feelings at times. Tara felt Libby nod her head as she moved Libby to the table and sat her down, smiling all the time.
"Good. I've done mac and cheese and a salad, it sounds like it has been done just in time by the sounds of it, hey guys!"
Emily, JJ and Garcia entered the room and smiled warmly, quickly everyone sat down at the table, with Emily and Tara sitting either side of Libby.
The talk around the table was light, with everyone avoiding the topic of work and the case. The topics of cartoons and Disney films helped to put Libby at ease and gave her the opportunity to talk and gain confidence that nobody around the table was going to hurt her, in fact Libby started to feel that it wasn't just Emily that she felt safe with, it was everyone around the table.
"Well that was an amazing meal, thank you Tara, but I need to get home to the boys."
JJ smiled, she had noticed Libby yawn a couple of times and that, as nice as it had been they needed to give Emily and Libby some space. Standing up she elbowed Garcia who quickly got up and followed suit, Emily smiled as she showed her friends out.
Tara cleared the table while Emily was with the others saying goodbye, making sure that everything was put in the dishwasher before she turned back towards Emily and Libby.
"Right I'm going home too, Rebecca should be home now. Are you two going to be ok?"
Tara raised an eyebrow looking at both Libby and Emily.
"Thank you so much for this afternoon and tonight Tara, we'll be fine won't we Libs?"
Libby nodded her head and she got up and gave Tara an affectionate embrace.
"Thank you Tara."
"You're welcome sweetheart, make sure that you both get some rest and I'm sure I will see you tomorrow."
Tara smiled as she reciprocated the hug, it had been a long day for Libby but Tara was hopeful that she at least now, was feeling that she was in a safe place.