Chapter Seven
When Catherine told Elliot that she had seen Joe Maxwell and had broken the ice, Elliot's brain immediately went into overdrive to formulate a plan of action. The first step had been taken, Joe appeared to be on their side, although Catherine hadn't told him that Elliot was alive, well and safe. In the meantime, Elliot had some investigating of his own to do.
All day, various people who spoke to him had the distinct impression that he wasn't quite with them, but off, somewhere else. No one said anything, but they began to wonder... what was Elliot thinking about; or up to? They were soon to find out.
Elliot spent the next couple of nights observing the place his university friend said he would hide the book, to make sure no one else was watching. It had been a few months now since Elliot had 'disappeared' so he hoped if anyone had been looking out for him, they had lost interest.
Satisfied there was no one about, Elliot slipped out from his place of concealment and dived behind the bushes in front of the wall. At the base, was a loose brick, which—with some gentle persuasion—he managed to remove, before tentatively slipping his hand inside. It came in contact with a plastic bag which he withdrew. In it was the book, along with some other papers.
Quickly, he replaced the brick, peered carefully out of the bushes and, seeing it was still all clear, made a break and ran for cover.
He was impatient to inspect the contents to see if his friend had managed to crack the code, but first he had to get out of sight. Slipping down the nearest manhole, he pulled the cover back over his head, then dropped to the ground and reached into his pocket for the small torch, which he then switched on.
Shaking fingers eagerly opened the bag and pulled out the book. A note was sticking out of it, which he quickly read:
Elliot
This was a real challenge—thanks for the exercise in deciphering! I just hope it makes more sense to you than it did to me!
Adam
He briefly flicked through the book, seeing annotations and references he assumed were to the additional sheets he now possessed. Adam had indeed cracked the code! Triumphant, he snapped the book shut, wrapped it back up in the plastic bag and placed it in an inside pocket of his coat. He was going to clear his name!
Elliot glanced at his watch. It was 1:05 am. Thoughts of JD suddenly popped into his head. Perhaps he ought to go and see her to warn her that he was coming back, in case she got a shock if she saw his picture in a paper, or on a TV. The more he thought about seeing her, the more he liked the idea... He had twenty-five minutes before she got home...
Mind made up, he moved swiftly through the drainage tunnels, emerging in a quiet alley near her apartment block. It was not particularly well lit and dressed in black, he was able to move around unnoticed. Elliot hid in a dark corner of the basement area, under the steps and waited.
JD climbed wearily out of the taxi and paid the driver. It had been another long, hard evening and she was bone tired; all she wanted to do was fall into bed and sleep for a week!
With the aid of a street lamp, she fumbled around in her purse for her key, before descending the stairs to the dark basement area—the light still hadn't been fixed, but she was used to groping in the dark for the keyhole by now.
Too tired to even think that there might be someone hidden down there, she carefully made her way down the stairs and felt for the keyhole, struggling a little to get the key in exactly the right position before she was able to turn it. The door opened, she pulled out the key and suddenly, from nowhere, she was grabbed from behind, a hand clamped firmly over her mouth, bundled inside and pushed back against the now closed door.
Rigid with fright, her heart pounding like a captive bird's, she stood, pinned helplessly, a firm body pressed against her, waiting for the inevitable to happen...
"JD!" a voice hissed. "It's all right, it's me, Elliot! I'm sorry if I frightened you..."
The shock of this piece of news was almost too much to bear. JD felt the blood draining from her face; felt her legs buckling under her and clutched desperately at his clothing to prevent herself from collapsing.
Elliot, concerned that she was going to faint on him, immediately released her mouth and gathered her into his arms as she took great lungful's of air.
"Elliot..." she finally said, breathlessly. "I... I thought..." Her hand fumbled for the light switch and turned it on, and she gasped at the sight of him. He looked fit and well and healthy; a little thinner maybe, but apart from that... His shoulder-length hair was tied back, and his beard neatly trimmed. "Elliot..." she said again and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.
"I had to come and see you, JD. I admit, I tried to stay away, I was scared for your safety, but now, circumstances have forced my hand. I'm going to clear my name and start over again." He pulled back and looked down at her. "I didn't want you to suddenly be confronted by my picture in the paper, or on the television and think badly of me. It could get quite ugly and dangerous, so you must be careful. I would have preferred to come back into your life when it was all over, but the publicity is going to be gigantic and I didn't want to... to start anything that I might not be able to finish, should I fail."
"Elliot..." she breathed again, and he smiled kindly at her.
"Why don't you relax. I'll go make us some coffee," he said, gently disentangling himself from her clutches. He winked at her as he headed for the kitchen.
Everything was as he remembered, and memories washed over him as he prepared their drinks.
As JD came back from the wardrobe after hanging up her coat, she caught sight of herself in the mirror above the fireplace. A stranger seemed to stare back at her. Was that wide-eyed, haunted looking woman really her?
At that moment, Elliot came out of the kitchen, two steaming mugs of coffee in his hands. He saw that JD appeared to be in a world of her own; quickly put the mugs down on the little table, went and stood behind her and ran his fingers slowly down either side of her neck, to finally rest them on her shoulders. He felt the tension there and gently applied some pressure to try and ease it away.
JD's gaze altered and she stared into his expressive, pale eyes, reflected in the mirror.
"Why are you so sad?" he asked, his voice a deep, even-toned whisper.
She blinked slowly and sighed deeply before lifting her gaze to his once more. "I'm scared, Elliot; scared of the immediate future. I'm scared for you... and myself. I can't help it. I just wish it was all over and we could get on with our lives. I... You've come back into my life and I... I don't want to lose you again..."
He saw the tears in her eyes. "Don't be afraid," he replied and, as his thumbs caressed the skin at the very top of her spine, between her shoulder blades, he bent his head and gently nuzzled the side of her neck.
She moaned softly and her body trembled as his hot breath teased the delicate skin of her throat.
Elliot felt the sudden surge of blood within his veins and succumbed to the passion of the moment. He turned JD around to face him, slid a hand around the back of her neck and drew her close to kiss her slightly parted lips, firmly. Immediately, her arms snaked around him, pulling him close so he could feel the hunger in her body and his own, answered her.
"God, I've missed you!" she breathed as they came up for air. "I didn't know if you were alive or dead. Every day I hoped and prayed you'd come back." She leant back in his arms and looked up into his concerned face. "You don't know how good it is to have you back again."
Elliot looked down at her; at the tears that trickled in two rivulets down her cheeks; at the way they had made her eyelashes seem thicker and longer. The orange specks within her brown eyes seemed much brighter than he remembered. He heard the depth of feeling in her voice and his heart rejoiced. Elliot took a deep breath to steady his emotions. The last thing he wanted to do now was rush things, even though his body was crying out in its need for her.
"Let's drink that coffee," he said, releasing her and turning to pick up the two mugs. "Tell me how things have been with you." He sat down on the bed and held out a mug.
Hesitating for just a second, JD reached out and took it from him then sat down beside him.
"Have you been well? You look thinner."
"Oh, I'm okay," she smiled tentatively, and Elliot sensed there was something wrong.
"What is it, Sweetie-pie? What's wrong?"
She took a gulp of her coffee and looked hatefully around the room. "Look at this place! It's awful! I hate it here, Elliot, I hate living here and I'm ashamed I live here, but I can't afford to move and the landlord's put up the rent. He wants us out so he can sell out to a developer... I'm barely holding on, but I knew I couldn't go even if I could have afforded to because if I did, you wouldn't be able to find me..."
Elliot closed his eyes briefly and looked away. He'd heard the same story many times before and it shamed him, because he'd been one of those developers; but at least he'd always offered some form of compensation: a nice apartment at the same rent and a cash incentive. He hadn't totally forgotten the 'little people'. Maybe it was still questionable, removing tenants from their homes; their memories; so he could fulfil his dreams, but no one ever landed up on the streets—at least that was how he'd justified his actions in the past. Now he was seeing, first hand, how it affected the victims: the worry, the pressure and he vowed that if he was ever in that position of power again, he would do his utmost to ensure that the 'little people' were cared for.
But that didn't solve this problem. What could he do? JD needed somewhere decent to live; who did he know who he could trust, who had... A crazy idea popped into his head.
"JD, try not to worry, I think I may have an answer. A friend... with an apartment sitting empty. Let me check it out and I'll get back to you, okay?"
"Oh, Elliot... anything would be better than this... But what about you? You say you're going to clear your name? How?"
"It's not that I'm evading the question, JD, but the organisation behind what happened to me and a lot of other people, is extremely powerful, with connections in every government department I can think of. The least you know—for the moment—the better. If you don't know anything, then you're no threat. That's why I won't tell you where I'm hiding out, or who my friends are; but I'll tell you now, you will be contacted by someone when the investigation starts. Don't worry, I'll brief them to tell you things that only you and I know about, so you'll know they're okay. Just be careful, in case this organisation finds out about you and comes calling."
JD shivered. "It sounds frightening, Elliot. I'll admit, I'm a little scared."
"Try not to be, honey, everything's going to turn out right and when it does, I promise you, I'll tell you the whole story. It won't be pretty, but there will be no secrets between us." He took her coffee mug from her and put it and his own, down on the small table, before turning back to her.
Her eyes were huge, so he took one of her hands in both of his and gently stroked it.
"You'll be fine, and I'll keep in contact as much as I can."
"I can survive anything, if I know you're with me."
Elliot wasn't quite sure after that, just how it happened, but suddenly, JD was in his arms, and he was pushing her back onto the bedclothes, pinning her there with his body as his lips fastened on hers; firm and demanding, urging her to respond. He was aware of his hand, tugging her T-shirt loose from her jeans, so he could touch her bare skin and realised he was losing control.
With a supreme effort, Elliot broke the kiss and took a deep, shuddering breath, attempting to get himself back on an even keel. He removed his hand from her waist and pulled the T-shirt down, swallowing slowly as he felt the heat in his body, still burning; ashamed of his actions.
JD looked up at him from where she lay, her face slightly flushed. Idly, she pulled at the lacings of his shirt, blinked slowly and whispered, "Love me, Elliot. Love me, please..."
He smiled kindly at her then, the laughter lines around his eyes deepening as his love for her showed through.
"Are you sure?" he asked, gently stroking her cheek with the back of his hand.
"Yes," she replied, tangling her fingers in his hair and pulling his head down to hers once more. "I'm sure..."
His kiss was as soft as a butterfly landing on a leaf and floated from her forehead to her eyes, her cheeks, chin and finally, her mouth; each subsequent kiss a little firmer; more demanding; longer, rising in both passion and intensity. He touched and stroked her as if she were made of the finest, most delicate crystal, arousing desire and leaving her wanting more.
JD tugged at his shirt, eager for the feel of his skin against hers and he obliged her in her request.
"What's with the weird clothes?" she suddenly asked, fumbling with the lacings.
"Hey, honey, don't knock it. Beggars can't be choosers."
"No, I love them. You're dressed all in black... just like Morgan..." and she placed a cheeky kiss on the end of his nose.
He smiled disarmingly at her, his eyes sparkling with desire.
"You are a dangerous man, Elliot, and you know it. Your eyes should come with a government health warning!"
He gave her a look of feigned innocence as he started on the fastening of her jeans, then laughed and concentrated on the task in hand, until they were lying side by side, naked on the bed.
They were content, just for a little while, to lay in one another's arms, just savouring the feel of the intimate contact between their bodies; then Elliot started to kiss her again, attacking her neck; nuzzling the delicate skin of her throat and gently biting her ear lobe. JD was lost. She squirmed against him provocatively, arousing his own desires; trailed her fingers down the length of his spine and drew him more firmly against her.
Their touch inflamed one another, yet when he claimed her as his own, he was still gentle and tender; treating her body with reverence and respect, mindful of her needs as well as his own, leaving them both sated and fulfilled.
She lay against him, head resting on his shoulder, a hand idly teasing the hairs on his chest and sighed in contentment.
"Elliot?" she finally questioned.
"Mmm?" came the sluggish reply, as his fingers trailed up and down the length of her spine.
JD shifted so she could look down at his face. Her heart thumped at the intensity of feelings she felt for this man. "I love you... so much..." and she kissed him with all the love she felt, taking his breath away. "I love you so much, it almost hurts..." and she began her own journey of exploration of his body; discovering what pleased him; what inflamed him, until she drove him beyond his endurance, and he possessed her again, throwing them both over the edge.
Afterwards, they slept, but Elliot woke a couple of hours later, mindful that dawn would soon be upon them, and he had to get back to the safety of the tunnels.
Carefully he manoeuvred his body away from JD's. In her sleep she protested, and tried to hang onto him, but eventually he succeeded and left the bed. He quickly showered, then returned to dress, conscious of time passing.
"You're leaving?" She sounded so sad.
He looked up, apologising for disturbing her. "I must. It will be light soon, I dare not be caught, I have evidence that must be delivered into safe hands." He went to her and knelt down by the bed; his body very conscious of her nakedness. "But I'll be back, Sweetie-pie, I promise. I have to get things moving, but then I'll come back."
He leant over and kissed her fiercely, a hand resting protectively on her breast. His mind forcibly ordered his body not to respond to the way she literally melted under his touch, openly inviting his caresses.
"I really will be back!" he said raggedly as he broke the kiss and wrenched himself away. "I have to, I love you too," he admitted, then turned and left.
Vincent was waiting for him when he got back. "Elliot, I was worried about you, I was beginning to think -" He stopped, suddenly aware of the change in his friend; the bottled energy, coming to the boil. "Tell me," he said.
Elliot grinned almost boyishly. "I made a couple of visits up top... I saw JD—she looks thinner than I remember, I think things have been tough for her..."
"You've seen each other?"
"Yes. I paid her a surprise visit, to tell her to be patient; to let her know that I—" He stopped. "I'm going to clear my name, Vincent. I've got to. Elliot Burch is about to return with a vengeance and this is going to help me." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a black book.
"What's that?"
"This, my friend, is what started all the trouble; why Cathy was kidnapped and why I was taken apart piece by piece. A lot of good people lost their lives because of its contents. Now it's time justice was served. I left the book with an associate of mine who teaches at the university. Prior to that he was in Navy Intelligence. I knew that if anyone could crack this code, he would. Well, it's all here. Dates, payments, receipts... an absolute gold mine."
"That's good news, Elliot, but JD, is she all right? You said she looked thinner. From what you've told me about her, she was thin to start with."
"Yes but—" He turned away in frustration, took a deep breath and faced Vincent again. "She didn't say anything about her health; I just know, Vincent. I've got to get her out of that place; somewhere better. It's just not fit to live in, the owner wants all the tenants out, so he's letting it fall apart all around them. It was so painful having to leave her when she so desperately... This business is going to take months to sort out..."
"Perhaps Catherine can help and you know, there is nothing to stop you from entering her life again, once you have 'reappeared'."
"I know, but... Suppose... suppose it came to the worst and they put me in the penitentiary for the casino fire at my hotel? I - I wouldn't want to put her through that."
"The path you have chosen will be a long and difficult one." Vincent placed a hand on his shoulder. "Make sure you let your family help you, Elliot."
"Your words as always, have their soothing effect."
"But of course. Now, go get some rest. We will begin work on your return, tomorrow—no, later this morning."
"All right, Vincent, and... thanks."
Vincent inclined his head. "Sleep well."
Elliot didn't get that much sleep. He was too restless. Time weighed heavily, he wanted to get going, now. So he stayed up what was left of the night, jotting down notes on the events as he remembered them; when it all started, what it entailed; the warnings, the threats, the fire, Cleon Manning... That was the one thing that had really cut him up. Cleon, who had quit on him because of his family... and the bastards still killed him... Then that hideous meeting with Gabriel in the graveyard that night. Elliot wasn't a violent man; he abhorred it, but God, if he could have gotten away with it, he'd have killed him then. He remembered every single word of that conversation, it still haunted him, but he only wrote down those things which made no mention of Vincent. His name had to be kept out of the proceedings at all costs.
His hand developed writer's cramp, so he put the pencil down and flexed his fingers, meaning only to take a brief respite, but his eyes gradually grew heavy and the next thing he knew, Cathy was shaking him softly by the shoulder.
He jerked awake, sitting up sharply, wincing as he did so.
"I see you've been burning the midnight candles, Elliot," she said teasingly, then sobered as her eyes focused on the words. She paled slightly. "Is this what really happened?"
"More or less. I've taken out all references to Vincent; the rest is true. Cathy, has Vincent told you anything?"
"Only that you've decided to get everything cleared up once and for all."
"Sit down."
The tone of his voice was not to be ignored. Cathy did as she was told and frowned as Elliot took a deep breath.
"I don't know of any easy way to say it, Cath." He lifted a pile of writing paper and pulled out the black book. "I collected this from its minder last night."
All colour drained from Cathy's face and her eyes widened in horrified recognition. "The book! Oh my God, Elliot!" With shaking hands, she reached out and took it from him, thumbing through it briefly, noting the annotations in the margin. "Your man did it? He cracked the code!"
"Yeah." He indicated the scatter of papers on the table. "These are the rest of his notes."
"You know what this means, don't you?"
"Yeah, I get my name cleared with regard to the casino fire and Moreno's murder."
"You may also be able to get some of your wealth back too," she added quietly. "Compensation... reward..."
"Once, that may have been important to me, Cath, but not now. Sure, I'm coming back and I'm going to be a force to be reckoned with, but not so heartless; ruthless."
"You were never heartless, Elliot, just... well, let's settle on single-minded!"
"I admit, I will build up an Empire again; a fortune, but it's the best way I know of helping everyone out down here. If they need something, we won't have to worry about if we can find one in a salvage yard and try to repair it, we can get new stuff. Some places and tunnels down here are in a bad way, they're becoming very dangerous. With my wealth, we can fix it."
"Oh, Elliot..." Catherine put the book down, gave him a hug and kissed his cheek. "You know, maybe if you'd acted this way when we first met, you could have given Vincent a run for his money!"
"What was that?" Vincent asked, suddenly appearing in the doorway.
Cathy looked mischievously at him. "It would have kept him on his toes, at least and made him inventive!"
They all laughed.
"I came to collect you both for breakfast. Then, afterwards we can discuss a plan of action. I've taken Jacob to the nursery."
Breakfast eaten, they returned to Elliot's chamber.
"We'll try and keep the entire thing under wraps as long as possible. No press, no publicity, until it's absolutely necessary," Catherine began.
"I'd appreciate it. I don't want JD to see my picture plastered everywhere; she may get the wrong impression."
"I'll make sure Joe does his best, although I will suspect he will want to take a statement from her, to tie up some loose ends, but if he does, I'll make sure I do the interviewing. The first thing we've got to do is get this book to Joe and get the search warrants and injunctions. We should keep it as close to our chests as possible—we don't want Malloy Davidson and Hanover Norton Trust to get tipped off and dispose of vital evidence. Elliot, I do not want you to leave these tunnels, do I make myself clear?"
"As crystal, but..."
"Good. Vincent, I expect you to keep an eye on him! Now, is there anything else?"
"JD. I must get her out of that apartment, Cathy, it's not fit to live in..."
"I'll sort that out," Catherine said briskly. "Now, courage and faith, Elliot. It'll all come right, you'll see!" She gave him a hug before leaving to change for a journey Above, the infamous book and notes clutched tightly in her hand.
"Cathy!" Joe took her in a fierce bear hug of welcome. "It's great to see you here! Hey—where is he, then?"
"In the nursery."
Joe's face fell. "Aw, Cathy, how could you!"
"Because I want to talk business."
Joe sobered up immediately. "Sure kiddo, you think you're ready to come back to work?"
"Sort of..." Her voice trailed off and luckily, Joe picked up on it straight away.
"Let's go somewhere a little more private; come on into my office-I've got some decent coffee in there too..." He led her through, then shut the door firmly behind them. Going around the desk to his chair, he sat down and hit the intercom button. "I want no disturbances until further notice," he ordered as he watched Cathy take off her coat and make herself comfortable.
"Very well, Mr Maxwell," a disembodied voice replied.
Joe then fixed them a couple of coffees and sat back and waited.
"How would we stand if we re-opened the Malloy Davidson-Hanover Norton—"
"Aw, Cathy! Come on! We can't, we've nothing to go on. Dammit, we need the book! And the last person to have it was Elliot Burch!" Joe got up and began pacing the office. "But Burch is dead—probably killed by Vincent."
Catherine steadied herself. "Vincent didn't kill Elliot, they were working together, trying to find my 'killer' and baby Jacob. Elliot was one of the good guys, after all. Gabriel took him apart piece by piece; first the casino fire and then his Empire and his friends."
"I know he was on our side now, but you've no proof, Cathy!"
"Yes, I have!" She pulled the book and notes from her bag and threw them onto the desk. "One black book, all decoded, with augmented notes."
Joe's eyes almost popped out of his head. "Where the hell... how..." He was bereft of speech, but his actions spoke volumes. He grabbed the 'evidence' and eagerly browsed through it, picking out odd words here and there that caught his eye. "Jeeze, Cath... this is incredible... Where did you get it?"
"Before I answer that, perhaps you'd better read this statement." She delved into her bag again and pulled out some further papers.
Joe took them from her and did as she asked. The frown on his face grew as he got further into it, then suspicion appeared; suspicion that he had idea of who had written it.
He mouthed the name silently and then did a double-take on seeing the date: yesterday!
"Are you trying to tell me that Elliot Burch is alive!"
"Yes."
"Where the hell has he been all these months?"
"Recovering; hiding."
"Recovering?"
"Gabriel's henchmen shot him in the back, Joe. They tried to kill him! He was too much of a threat to be allowed to live."
Joe sat back heavily in his chair. "Cathy, Burch is wanted for—"
"Oh, come on, Joe, we both know he had nothing to do with Moreno's death! It all points to just one man—Gabriel. Now, if you'll shut up and listen, I'll fill you in on the complete story. Elliot wants to clear his name and we're going to help him."
Thus, the whole ugly story was told, from beginning to end, in all its gory detail—apart from the references to Vincent. Joe sat stunned as he listened to the cold-blooded, single-mindedness of the man who had been Gabriel; to the evil he represented; to the suffering he had inflicted upon countless people. The threats, the beatings, the fires, set ups, the kidnappings; murders... He thought he'd heard it all the other evening, but it went on and on until his mind was almost screaming for her to stop.
When she finally did, he sat there numb and speechless, his eyes haunted.
"Joe?" Cathy asked softly. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah... I just..." He shook himself. "We'll need to get a statement from this Jahnine Davies."
"I told Elliot I'd do it. He's worried about her. The other thing is, Joe... no press until we've absolutely no choice. Elliot wants to stay out of it."
"That's going to be difficult, he's one of the main witnesses."
"Please, Joe. All he wants is a statement at the end, saying he's completely exonerated of all charges."
"We'll do our best. I'll get to work on the warrants. You go interview Burch's girlfriend."
"Joe!"
"Well, what else can I call her?"
"A witness?"
"Just get outta here, will you! And don't forget this-it's a temporary ID until we get you an up to date one."
"Yes sir, boss!" Cathy stood up, took the offered ID and saluted smartly, before turning towards the door.
"Hey, Cathy!"
"Yes?" she asked, pausing on the threshold.
"Almost like old times, eh?"
She gave him a dimpled smile. "Yeah, it is, isn't it!"
Cathy stood across the road and looked at the building opposite. Over a hundred years ago, it would have stood proudly in the street, but today, it was just a sorry echo of its former glory. Stone work was cracked and broken, paint was peeling, graffiti adorned the walls. It could only be described as a dump. Inside, it was probably damp, rodent infested, cockroach inhabited and a living time bomb waiting for the right opportunity to go off. And for this luxury, the poor residents were likely being charged an arm and a leg. They couldn't afford to move out because of the down payment that would be required as a new tenant.
Even now, after all she had witnessed, it still got to her; still choked her to think that people were victimised like this. She had to give Elliot his due, he did offer immaculate alternative accommodation at a reasonable rent for those he wanted out...
She glanced at her watch. Ten thirty; but she had seen no movement. She knew JD worked nights, perhaps she was still asleep, but then Cathy remembered Elliot saying she was always up by nine forty-five at the latest... but he'd also said she was reaching the end of her endurance...
Cathy crossed the street and made her way carefully down the chipped steps to the doorway in the poky recess. Taking a deep breath, she knocked firmly and confidently on the door. There seemed to be no sign of life, but as she lifted her hand to try again, the door was opened as far as its chain would permit.
"Yes?"
"Jahnine Davies?"
"Yes?"
"My name's Catherine Chandler..." she pulled out her temporary identification. "I'm with the District Attorney's office and I'd like to talk to you."
"One moment, please." The door closed briefly as the chain was released and then opened again. "You'd better come in, it's cold out there." JD stepped back and Cathy entered.
The apartment was as she'd expected; dark, cold, damp, but it was scrupulously clean and tidy.
"Would you like a coffee?"
"That would be nice, thank you." Cathy used her softest tone of voice in an effort to reassure the woman that she herself had done nothing wrong. Previous experience had taught her that many women were terrified of government authorities and their representatives.
JD walked into her small kitchen while Cathy stood at the threshold, appraising the woman Elliot had fallen in love with. JD was very fine boned, about the same height as herself, with dark brown hair and large brown eyes. She had the air and grace of a dancer, but at the moment, her whole posture indicated she was suspicious and on guard against her visitor.
"I'm sorry I'm not dressed," JD suddenly said, as if conscious of the scrutiny the beautiful woman in the doorway was giving her. "I slept in."
"It's all right, really. I understand you work nights, anyway."
"Yes." She turned and placed two mugs on the table, then reached for milk and sugar. "Help yourself."
"Thank you." Cathy made herself comfortable in a chair and waited for JD to sit down opposite.
"So, what's this all about?"
"We're tying up some loose ends to a case we're working on," Catherine started to explain. "We've had a lead that about four months or so ago, a man was seen leaving your apartment—a man we would be interested in questioning to help us solve this case."
JD's expression remained neutral, but her heart started pounding. Was this the person Elliot was talking about? Or had his enemies somehow found out about her? She had to be sure, so she said nothing. And her name... Catherine? Elliot had said he'd loved a Catherine, but that she was dead... so how...?
Cathy decided she needed further prompting. "It's vital we get as much information as we can, it's a very serious matter," she said, interrupting JD's frantic thoughts.
"What is this man... supposed to have done?" JD asked, finding her voice.
"Quite honestly, we don't believe he did anything. We think he was set up, but unless we can get information and crack this case, things may go against him."
JD decided she couldn't take the chance. This woman was supposed to be dead. "I'm sorry, I think you've been misled. I don't know what you're talking about."
"Jahnine, please, I'm on his side... Didn't Elliot tell you that someone would be coming? I know you saw one another the other night, he told me."
JD tried not to fidget and took a deep breath. "Oh really? And just what did this... Elliot person—whomever he is—tell you exactly?"
Cathy had to admit, she was doing a good job of protecting him, but she had to convince her that she was the right person to tell. "How detailed do you want me to be?"
"Try me."
Cathy took a deep breath. She had asked Elliot to tell her the details of his visit in enough detail that she could convince JD that she was genuine. She remembered he had almost stammered over the last part; but he had told her because he guessed JD may well deny everything and had asked Cathy to use it only as a last resort. "He came here at one thirty and hid in the shadows under the stairs. As you unlocked the door, he grabbed you from behind and bundled you inside, then explained who he was. You cried; he made coffee. You talked; he told you he was going to clear his name as he had the proof he needed. You told him you hated this place but couldn't afford to move out and even if you did, you couldn't have until you knew for sure what had happened to him..." Cathy paused briefly then hit her with the final blow. "Then he made love to you. Is that enough detail for you?"
JD slammed her mug down on the table, spilling some of its contents and blushed furiously, before getting up and turning her back on Cathy.
"I'm sorry, JD, I didn't mean to embarrass you. I didn't know what else to say to convince you that I have spoken to Elliot. Please, be reassured, he did not shame you; he told me very little, just enough that I could repeat to you, so you'd believe me."
"What was he wearing?"
"Pardon?"
"His clothes. What was he wearing?"
"Nowadays, Elliot likes to dress in black... perhaps it has something to do with a character named Morgan?"
JD whirled to face her and gripped the back of the chair. "I believe you, now," she whispered.
"Good."
"What do you want of me?"
"I need a statement of what happened from the moment you met Elliot, up until he left this apartment." Cathy smiled kindly at her. "You're a very lucky woman, you know. Elliot's quite a catch."
"What do you mean?"
"You do know who he is, don't you?"
"He's just Elliot."
"No, he's not 'just Elliot', he's Elliot Burch; New York's most eligible bachelor, but I think I've said too much already. If you want to know everything, you must ask him."
"I did, but he said it was too dangerous for me to know anything. All he said was, he wanted his name cleared so he could start over again, but he didn't say in what."
"Well, you've got a pleasant surprise coming. Now..." Cathy rifled through her bag and retrieved the relevant paper work. "I need you to write down everything that happened from the moment you and Elliot came into contact. Can you do that?"
"How detailed do I have to be?"
"It depends on how much you can remember of the events. As much as possible would be best, it helps tie everything up."
"I can remember everything..." JD's eyes took on a faraway look for a few moments, then she seemed to pull herself together and sat down at the table, gathering the paper up and taking the pen Catherine offered her. "This might take quite a while... if you want to make yourself another coffee or something..."
"Thanks, I will. I'll go into the other room so I don't disturb you." Catherine took her mug with her and sat in JD's favourite chair. Her eyes caught sight of a well-thumbed book and curious, she picked it up. The title: Deryni Rising stared back at her. Catherine opened it and began to read...
"I've finished." JD's voice broke into her world, making her jump. Reluctantly, Catherine dragged herself away from Alaric Anthony Morgan and his adventures to protect his new king, back to the present.
"Good. Have you read it through, made sure it's accurate?"
"Yes. I have to sign it here, at the bottom, is that right?"
"Uh-huh... That's great. Thank you very much JD. Now, sit down, I want to talk to you."
Frowning, JD did as she asked.
Catherine gathered her thoughts. She knew she had only this instant met the young woman Elliot had fallen in love with, but she was a good judge of character, and she liked what she saw. Elliot wanted JD out of that apartment and Catherine had just the place for her.
"Elliot has told me so much about you, I feel as if I've known you for years, instead of us just meeting," Catherine began. "So, I was wondering if you would do me a favour."
"If I can..."
"Well, at the moment, I have two homes and I don't want to give either one up, for various reasons, but it means that one is standing empty, which seems such a waste. I was wondering if you'd consider moving into my apartment and well... apartment-sit for me; you know, give it a lived in kind of look, show that it's occupied. The rent's all paid up for the year, so any money you'd normally pay for this place, you can save to put towards a better place of your own... that's if you're interested? It's uptown a bit, but I don't think the fares to and from work would make it impractical. What do you say?"
"You're saying you want me to live in your apartment, rent free?"
"Yes. It's got a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and lounge; it's all fully furnished; there's a TV, a stacking centre, cooker, microwave, the works. Please, you've just got to help me out!"
JD knew she would be crazy to turn it down. "When?" she asked.
"How about if I come back late this afternoon. Do you think you could be packed and ready?"
"Well, yes..."
"Okay. I'll see you about... let's say four thirty." Catherine held out her hand for the statement, placed it safely in her bag, stood up, put on her coat and went to the door. "See you later, then." With that, she was gone, leaving a stunned JD standing open mouthed behind her.
Cathy returned to the DA's office and triumphantly dropped the statement onto Joe's desk.
"Here you are. Now, I've got some errands to run, but I want you to know that I'm moving JD into my apartment. The place she's living in is a dump and I promised Elliot I'd do something. This way, you know exactly where she is and I get an apartment sitter. She's packing up her stuff now. I said I'd go back about four thirty. Any chance we could both go to give a hand. I think you should meet her, so she's got another contact in case she needs to speak to someone."
"Sure, I can clear my desk by then."
"Good. Are you doing anything tonight?"
"No, why?"
"I wondered if you'd like to come to dinner; see my new home, meet Jacob again, say hello to Elliot and... meet Vincent?"
Joe couldn't help gulping. "Me? Meet Vincent? I, I dunno, Cathy..."
"Joe, he's part of my life. I want you as my friend; I want you to be a friend of my family and, that includes Vincent. But if you feel you can't—"
"I didn't say that," Joe interrupted. "You've got to understand, this is difficult for me. I'm a lawyer, I'm supposed to see things in black and white. You and Elliot keep throwing shades of grey at me, and now I'm going to meet... But I don't want to lose you or your friendship, Cathy. My life's been empty this past year, without you getting at me, so, for that friendship, I'd do anything—including meeting Vincent."
Cathy beamed at him.
"Right. After we've dropped JD off at my apartment and seen her settled in, we'll carry on Below. You won't regret it, Joe, honestly you won't."
"I just hope I don't make a complete fool of myself," he muttered.
"You won't, I know you won't. I'll see you about four. Bye!" And with that, Cathy breezed out of the office, leaving a stunned Joe Maxwell behind her.
Outside, Cathy sobered. Father would be furious, she knew, but they had to get things going and somewhere along the line, Vincent's name would come up. Cathy knew they had to keep Vincent out of the whole thing and that would mean involving Joe, so he had to meet him; come to understand him and realise that Vincent was not a threat, or a danger, but a wonderful person, who just tried to protect the ones he loved. Yes, it was the right decision!
Having convinced herself of this fact, she did some shopping for the meal that evening, then returned Below to ask William to excel himself on her behalf. Next, she went in search of Vincent and told him what she had done. Obviously he was concerned but realised the gravity of the forthcoming situation. His name was sure to be mentioned unless they did something, and this seemed the most logical course of action. They could not ask Joe to disregard Vincent's actions without him knowing something of him; of how gentle he was, so Vincent agreed and together they told Father who, as expected was angry, and went on about the dangers of allowing others Below.
"Is it more dangerous to have Joe Maxwell on our side, or to have him ignore Catherine's pleas to leave my name out of the investigation and instigate a search?" Vincent asked. "We're sure we can convince Joe, and of course it will be easier if he knows me; knows what I'm really like, instead of having just those coroner's reports which imply I'm some kind of a monster."
Father stopped and considered this. Either way, he did not like it, but he could see it was the most logical step to take. "Very well," he agreed. "But be careful!"
"Thank you, Father!" Cathy kissed his cheek and hugged him tightly.
"I just hope we don't finish up regretting this," he muttered as Vincent and Catherine left.
Next, they went in search of Elliot and found him, as usual, in his 'office', which was what the Map Room had been re-named, and issued the dinner invitation. That done, Vincent went off to work and Catherine spent some time with Jacob, before returning Above to do some more shopping to stock up the fridge in her apartment. JD was far too thin, she decided and needed some meat putting on her bones! At five to four, she was back in Joe's office.
"I'm ready," he stated, locking his desk and grabbing his jacket. "Let's go. See you tomorrow, Sandra!" he added as he passed the temporary research assistant's desk.
"Er, no you won't, Rita's back tomorrow," she called after them as they left, but her information fell on deaf ears.
They parked the car outside JD's apartment block and Catherine led the way down the steps.
"Jeez, I see what you mean," Joe muttered as she knocked on the door.
"JD! It's Cathy!" A few minutes passed, then the door opened.
"Sorry, I was trying to get my last bag closed... I didn't realise I had so much junk!" Her eyes strayed to the man standing at Cathy's side.
"Oh, JD, this is Joe Maxwell, the District Attorney. You can trust him, I promise. So if you need to speak to someone urgently, or you have a problem, he's your man."
"Miss Davies." Joe held out his hand.
"Hello," she replied tentatively, shaking it. "Wow, a hot line direct to the DA!"
"It helps to have the right connections!" Cathy replied. "Now, are you ready?"
"Yes." She motioned for them to come in. Everything was packed into three large bags and two boxes.
"This is it?" Joe asked.
"This is all I want to take with me. As Cathy's apartment is furnished, I decided to forget about the bedding and furniture. It's old anyway and I wouldn't get anything for it. I've given a couple of bits away to some people."
Joe nodded. He found he couldn't help studying her. Knowing the type of women Elliot had been seen with in the past, he saw that JD was a complete contrast. She was dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, a sloppy-joe and her hair was pulled back in a plain ponytail. She was an inch or two above average height, fine boned, and had the most beautiful large dark brown liquid eyes, with unusual orange flecks, he had ever seen. They gave the impression of helplessness and fragility, but Joe knew she was pretty tough, from reading her deposition. He almost felt though, as if he wanted to take her in his arms and protect her from the big, wicked world outside. Was that what Elliot had felt? he pondered, and then wondered what she would look like dressed and made up for an evening out.
A dig in the ribs from Cathy brought him back to his senses. "Don't just stand there, grab a bag!" she ordered.
"What? Oh, yes..."
With three of them all moving JD's belongings, it did not take long to load the car, and then they were off to upper Manhattan and a new beginning for JD.
Joe was given the task of making the coffee whilst Cathy gave JD a conducted tour of the apartment. Sitting down at last, Joe issued some instructions.
"Don't talk to any strangers and try to keep as low a profile as possible. So far only Cathy and myself know about you; but there will have to be a couple of others later. If you get scared, call me on one of these two numbers—depending on the time of the day... or night." He handed her a business card. "I'll come running."
"Elliot said that this thing involved all sorts of government departments and the police... how will you know who you can trust?"
"There are a couple of people, but I'll probably do a lot of leg work myself, to make sure those involved don't get tipped off before we get there. I won't say any more. The less you know, the better."
"That's what Elliot said."
"Well, we must be off," Cathy said, rising from the dinky couch. "Just remember what Joe said. We'll be in touch in a little while." She gave JD a hug. "Any message for Elliot?"
"That I'm missing him; thinking of him and that... that I love him," JD finished quietly, feeling self-conscious at having admitted such a thing in public to two people she hardly knew.
"Okay, will do. Come on, Joe, or are you going to sit there all night?"
"Nag, nag, nag, that's all she ever does," he mumbled good naturedly to JD. "Just make sure she doesn't start on you. I'll be in contact in a couple of days. Take care." He squeezed her arm affectionately and followed Cathy to the door. "Make sure you lock this after us and put the chain across."
"I will. Bye."
Cathy led the way to the basement of the apartment building but stopped before she reached the secret entrance.
"This is going to sound very melodramatic, but I must have your word that what you see tonight will never pass your lips. As I told you earlier, a lot of lives depend on the safety of what you are going to see tonight. They are good people, and I would not want anything to happen to them. Can you give me your word, Joe?"
He could see that she was deadly serious. Part of him didn't want to do it, but the other half was filled with curiosity. It was a dilemma, but in the end, he knew he didn't want to lose Cathy, or her friendship. He reasoned that it couldn't be anything too awful, for Cathy had never been involved in anything that shady. "I give you my word," he finally said and was rewarded by a smile.
"Then come. The wonders you are about to see will astound you." She led the way to the secret entrance and thus began Joe's journey of wonder into another world.
He was sure his mouth must have been hanging open for most of the journey. Never, would he have believed that this complex system of tunnels existed below New York. Sure, he'd heard about there being tunnels, everyone had, but he hadn't realised there were so many. He'd become lost within the first few hundred yards.
"Er, Cathy, are you sure you know where you're going?" he asked after they had been travelling for about half an hour.
"Trust me, we haven't far to go now."
"What's that tapping noise I can hear? It doesn't stop."
"That's how we communicate down here. You see these pipes running along here? Well, they extend and branch and carry on down for a long way. They transmit sound well and we have a special code devised by one of the people who live down here. Everyone has their own identity code and right now, the sentries who keep watch in case people come wandering, are sending messages to tell those Below that we are on our way."
"Really?" Joe was quiet for the remainder of the journey, obviously deep in thought about what he had learnt so far.
Eventually they reached Father's study. Joe was taken aback at the sight of so many books crammed in every nook and cranny; but it was a cosy room; a warm room. He liked it. An elderly man, leaning on a walking stick appeared from the shadows.
"Welcome, Mr Maxwell," he said.
Joe looked at him and then gave an exclamation. "You!"
"You've met?" Cathy asked. She had not been expecting this.
"He kidnapped me!" Joe said.
"I'm afraid we appear to be making quite a habit of it, don't we? I do hope you'll forgive us. Everyone calls me Father."
"Tonight, I can forgive everyone everything," Joe said, holding out his hand, which the old man shook."
"I hope that includes me," a deep, rich voice said from the doorway. Joe turned to find Elliot Burch surveying him cautiously.
"Hey, Elliot, I mean it. Let's let bygones be bygones and start afresh." Joe offered his hand in friendship and Elliot took it. "You look well, pal."
"Yeah, they really know how to look after you down here."
"You should have seen him when he first arrived," Father broke in. "It was touch and go for a while there."
"So I heard."
"Elliot, you'll be pleased to know that JD has been safely deposited in my apartment," Cathy said.
"Thanks, Cath, that means a lot to me."
"She says she's missing you, thinking of you and loves you."
He smiled.
"Hey, Elliot, she's not your usual kind of companion."
"Joe!"
"No, but she's genuine and she loves me for being just me, not the high powered Elliot Burch. That's all that matters."
"Would anyone care for some tea before we eat?" Father interjected politely.
"Love some."
"Any coffee?" Joe asked hopefully.
"Heathen! Yes. Here you are," Cathy teased.
Joe looked around expectantly as he took a sip, before placing the mug down on the table.
"If you're looking for my son," Father said, "He will be here shortly."
"Your son?"
"I assume you're looking around, waiting for Vincent to arrive," Father continued. "You must understand, Mr Maxwell, Vincent is very dear to all of us here. We look after him and he in turn, looks after us; protects our world from the evils of the world Above. Many of us here have been rejected or persecuted by those Above. This place is our refuge, our sanctuary; we have nowhere else to go. For Vincent, this is the only place of safety, that is why we ask you to give your word that you will never speak of what you see here.
"To those who do not understand; who fear; Vincent is a... freak of nature. They take notice only of what they see. Above, he would be either hunted down like an animal or placed in a show to be looked at and ridiculed, or experimented on in some hideous laboratory. No one would even give a single thought to his mind or what this would do to him, for Vincent is intelligent; he cares; he loves, and he protects."
"You must understand, this is difficult for me also. I have only police reports to go on. I know nothing of this side, for I have seen only the violence," Joe replied softly.
"I have seen both sides of Vincent, Joe. Believe me, he has acted only in self-defence. He saved Cathy's life on numerous occasions, and he saved me from John Moreno, getting seriously wounded in the process," Elliot said. "Give him a chance."
Joe nodded and took a deep breath. "I want to. Having Cathy back means so much to me, I will do my best, I promise."
"Then I can ask no more of you," a deep, soft velvet voice said from the shadows beyond the threshold.
Joe whirled around to face the newcomer, but his view of Vincent was obscured by darkness.
"You are Vincent."
"I am." A large figure detached itself from the shadows and came forward.
Joe was aware of taking a deep breath and holding it. Cathy, sensing his apprehension, slipped her hand into his and squeezed it gently. The first thing that struck him was the brightness of the blue eyes; so intense, alive, kind and gentle, that for a moment Joe forgot all about the other features. Then he saw Vincent's face and he was aware of his eyes widening. Leonine, Joe mused. But not threatening... magnificent...? He was not able to put into words what he felt. Vincent was not ugly, that was certain; just... different. And that voice...
"I... I'm pleased to meet you at last, Vincent." Joe finally found his voice and held out a hand. He looked down as Vincent paused before taking it and saw the reason why. Oh, my God! These are the hands that have ripped those people to shreds... He forced the thought from his mind, but it was difficult. All he could sense was the overwhelming power before him, held in tight control. Vincent was not someone to upset. Joe swallowed again, but steadfastly held his hand out and eventually, Vincent clasped it and the two shook hands.
That seemed to break the ice somewhat and a pleasant evening was spent talking about a variety of different subjects. Joe soon realised that whatever Vincent's appearance, he was an intelligent and sensitive person and possessed a wry sense of humour. Eventually, the evening came to an end and it was then Joe issued his orders.
"I want neither of you to make an appearance Above, until further notice," he said to Cathy and Elliot. "At least not until we've swooped down on Malloy Davidson and Hanover Norton Trust and grabbed everything we can get our hands on. It will be dangerous, and we don't want to leave ourselves open to any threat. Do you both understand me?"
"Yes, Joe," they replied, reluctantly.
"Should you wish to get a message to us, I shall give you a signal that you can tap out on any pipe and we shall come to you. Alternatively, we can arrange contacts," Vincent told him.
"The signal sounds sufficient. That would be great. Well, it's been a great evening. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me, I promise."
"Thank you, Joe." Cathy gave him a huge hug. "Be careful out there."
"Yeah. Look, there's one thing been puzzling me; Dr Peter Alcott. He knows about this place too, doesn't he?
"Yes, he does."
"I thought so." Joe turned to Elliot. "Any message for JD, Elliot?"
"Tell her I'll come and see her when I can, for her to take care and that I love her too."
Joe nodded. "Good bye, Father, nice meeting you again." He finally turned to Vincent. "Okay, Vincent, lead the way."
They waved him off, then Cathy and Elliot looked at one another. "He took it better than I expected," Elliot confessed.
"Yes, he did."
"Cathy? Thanks for getting JD out of that place, I really appreciate it."
"My pleasure, Elliot. You know, I really like her and I'm sure, once this is all over, we're going to be good friends."