Hi Folks! I hope you're still sticking with me on this story. Thomas is still missing but there is always time for a little fluff and hot stuff. Let me know what you think. Thank you - Carebearmaxi

Honorable Mention

Chapter 14

Reluctant Help

This time heading to the precinct William and Eliza drove in the car. When he pulled it into the parking lot, the parking spot was not far from the entrance of the building. William had a head full of steam as he was almost 100 percent certain that Bochinko either assigned the case to Thomas or at least knew of it. William wanted to know the facts and then he and Eliza could aid in getting Thomas back.

William with that scowl on his face that Eliza remembered when it was directed toward her, slammed through the doors of the precinct. With his fierce protective nature, William was particularly angry. Eliza again had a hard time trying to keep pace with his determined footsteps. She knew it would be useless to ask him to slow down, so she just did her best.

Eliza followed her husband a step behind with no courteous stopping at the duty desk. Most knew Thomas and knew Thomas' father had been the Police Commissioner so his former position did afford a bit more respect. Especially if the ex-Police Commissioner demanded to see the Captain.

They walked through the same parts of the building and when they got to the Captain's office Bochinko rose from his seat that everyone could view through the glass window of his office.

"William…I know why you're here," Captain Bochinko tried to placate William with splayed hands against his chest. "Calm down. You know Thomas.."

"No, I don't know Thomas unless you are going to say he's a police officer/detective. Yes, that I know," William said with nostrils flaring. He silently looked at Eliza.

"Captain, I suggest we all sit down and get this out in the open," Eliza suggested.

Steven Bochinko who was a large man as large as William invited them all to sit and discuss this professionally as the officers and detectives they were so they could create and execute a plan of action to find Thomas and bring him home.

"I apologize for my lying to you, William, and Mrs. Wellington…."

"Eliza, Captain," Eliza interjected. She felt that everyone would become very familiar during this campaign so might as well forego the formal titles.

"Eliza. William. Again I apologize for my lying to you about knowing about this case. Thomas was such a driving force last year when we apprehended the first level of jewel thieves that he wanted to be included in the larger case. He claimed that's why he became a detective. He's an admirable boy, William."

William nodded silently but still waited to hear more.

"Louisa Scarleterri Abercrombie as you know is a matron of jewel smuggling, fraud, and thievery. Thomas begged to take this case. We had contacts set up, but apparently something happened to our contact and it accidentally must have uncovered Thomas' identity. "

"Was this contact part of the US Government?"

"You mean counterintelligence?" Captain Bochinko nodded.

"Then it may be harder than we thought to find him," Eliza voiced.

William uncrossed his legs and leaned forward and eyed Bochinko seriously.

"We both have contacts over in Europe that can help find Thomas. I want your support if we do this," William stated.

Captain Bochinko shook his head vigorously back and forth. Then he stopped. He snapped his long fingers and leaned forward at his desk eyeing both William and Eliza.

"You know that may work. I have the original contact's boss. I can talk with him and then if he is willing we can come up with a plan."

"We have Thomas' notebook. I have transcribed the notes that were in shorthand and there is a timeline. That's how we figured you really did know about Thomas' whereabouts," Eliza stated rather accusatorily.

"Do you have it with you?" Bochinko asked. "I would like to look at it and have Jensen, the contact's boss get a copy of it."

Eliza and William looked at each other and had the same thought: There is no way that anyone is getting Thomas' original notebook.

"We'll get you a copy," William agreed. His expression was still grim as Eliza was used to seeing it when they were pursuing a case. However, his eyes tell a different story. He's worried underneath. I surely understand. I would worry if it were Alex. Well, now that I am William's wife, Thomas could be considered my son. Just like Camille is my daughter. Just like Sophia became my daughter when I had married Alexander. Eliza thought silently to herself as she looked at her husband.

Eliza put a comforting hand on William's arm and as he looked at her he gave her a rueful smile and laid his hand on top of hers as if to say. Thank you. I'm glad you're here with me.

Captain Bochinko said he would make his contact and then would inform them of what the final decision would be.

"Please understand that the government may not want P.I.'s on this-even if the missing person is an ex-Police Commissioner's son."

"Let's hope they don't decide that way," William said.

The two men shook hands as Bochinko dismissed them from his office. William and Eliza walked back down the hall to the exit of the precinct.

"Look, I know that even if his contacts come back without authorization for us we are pursuing Thomas' return," Eliza stated.

"Yes, we are," William said.

Eliza stopped William before they arrived at the motorcar. She turned him around so she could look at him.

"Look, I still have my agency in England. I can get Alex on the case. He's the same age as Thomas and he is also familiar with the Scarleterri's," Eliza suggested.

"No, Eliza, I will not share the responsibility of having two sons maybe captured…or worse."

"William! I will write to Alex with Thomas' photo enclosed and he can then cable me when he gets the letter. By the time he receives it, we will know if we're in this alone," Eliza said staunchly.

William shook his head. "Eliza!"

Eliza opened the car door and took the passenger seat primly.

When William arrived at the car, he was doing his old stubborn motions resembling a bull about to charge. He jerked open the car door and slammed it shut.

"You are not going to tell me no, William. I'm doing this. Alex will not have a problem."

"Eliza, aren't you afraid for your son if he goes on this quest to find my son?" William wondered.

"What's that supposed to mean? "

"I'm not commanding him, but I will get the lay of the land and see if he thinks he can pursue it," Eliza stated firmly.

"If you want to employ Alex, Jr. then I will go back over and be his partner."

"No! William," Eliza cried as William started the car and pulled away from the precinct.

She wanted an answer from him, but he raised his forefinger and gave her a stern side eye. Just like the old days when he would do his best to protect her from harm.

Eliza decided to bide her time. She would contact Alex, Jr. in the meantime. He would be more up to date with the latest European events than in America.

Mrs. Ryan greeted them at the door.

"Is Thomas' Captain going to help?"

"We hope so," William said. "If he doesn't we have other means we can explore to get Thomas home."

"Oh, Mrs. Wellington, does this mean that you and Chief will be working on this alone?"

"Not exactly… I hope I can employ my agency in London to help."

"Oh! Speaking of which, you received a cable from your son," Mrs. Ryan said as she handed the yellow paper to Eliza.

Eliza read it and followed William upstairs to their office.

"William!"

William headed straight to the whiskey decanter kept in the corner of the office and poured himself a drink. He offered one to Eliza who nodded.

She handed the cable to him.

"Mama—

Coming for your birthday next week. Will bring financials and will catch up.

Love

Alex" William read aloud.

"So you're going to tackle him with Thomas' predicament?" William asked. His temper was flaring.

"Yes! Of course!" Eliza answered.

William handed Eliza back the cable hastily and sped off to his son's room down the hall in the corner.

"We put Thomas in this room when he was three years old. Camille's room was originally a nursery because they were both so close in age. Their sleep habits were very different, so Ellen said to give this room to Thomas."

"Perhaps I should go back in the office and work on deciphering and copying Thomas' notebook," Eliza said softly thoughtfully considering that he wanted to be alone.

"No, Eliza, please," William said quietly holding out his hand and pulling her into his side. His arm encompassing her waist. He felt her hand encompass his waist in return. Eliza looked up at him but his eyes furtively encompassed the room.

"This room has grown has Thomas has. It's now a man's room with all of a man's secrets," William said.

Eliza made a face and said, "You mean like photographs with scantily clad women or love letters from young girls they fancy?"

William looked down at his wife and smiled. "I see you're familiar with the type," he quipped.

"Well, I have a son, too, who was not above being secretive. However, we mothers have a way of finding out their son's secrets no matter what age," Eliza said with a smile.

That made William think. He knew his son better than anyone. He also knew that Thomas was not reckless without having a safety net or a second line of defense. He released Eliza's shoulder and began to look around Thomas' room.

"William, what are you looking for?"

William crouched and felt underneath Thomas' made bed.

"Thomas' safety net".

Eliza worked on transcribing more of the shorthand in Thomas' notebook and compared it to his plan mapped out on the timeline. That was their one link to approximating where Thomas might be located.

While William searched Thomas' room for his son's "safety net" which may have consisted with an extra secret contact or a note left for someone to find stating what to do if something happened to him. William had not found anything yet, but he just knew it had to be there.

Taking a respite from his searching, William checked on Camille who was busy looking at the next day's lesson plans for her class.

"Is everything ok, dad?" Camille asked when she saw her father standing in the middle of her doorway.

"Well, no, your brother's missing and it looks like Eliza and I may be working this without any support from the US Government."

Camille looked up at William and said, "I miss him, too, daddy."

She put her pen down and rose from her desk and embraced her father. William squeezed her tight and kissed her forehead.

"You haven't called me daddy since before you were ten. Anything amiss?"

"Not with me. I just know that Thomas' continued disappearance as taken away your smile again," Camille mentioned.

"What do you mean?" William asked taking a seat on his daughter's bed beside her. She put her hand in his.

"When you came home with Eliza, you were smiling again. I had not seen you smile like that since way before mom died. I was so happy to see you so happy."

"Oh my daughter, you know how life is. One thing makes you happy and then something else tears at your soul."

"Eliza and you are still happy, aren't you? She's an amazing woman. I really love her."

William brushed the long dark hair from his daughter's shoulder and said, "Yes, she is. Everything is fine between us, however, if you hear raised voices in the middle of the night don't get too worried. We're just working on a case." He smiled.

"You two must have been quite the combustible pair when you were young."

"Yes, we were and we weren't even a couple until I said goodbye to her."

"She always loved you. I can tell by the way she looks at you. She has a certain twinkle in her eye and a smile always ready."

"Or a smirk. We do get on each other's nerves when we're working," William said laughing. His memories of him and Eliza when they were young had never left him.

Camille rose from the side of the bed kissing William on the cheek and giving him a hug.

"I've got to finish these plans for tomorrow. It also sounds like Eliza might be getting ready for bed."

"I'll take that as a sign that my daughter needs me to say goodnight."

"Oidhche mhath, a nighean," William said in Scots Gaelic. The small amount he remembered from his childhood before he was in the workhouse was usually only spoken at special times. His time with his daughter was always precious.

Eliza was just slipping into her silky nightgown and brushing her midlength blonde hair standing at the full length mirror. She turned this way and that examining a body that was just days short of her 58th birthday.

"You are still the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," William said standing in the doorway. The door was half open and William stood with his right hand holding the top and his left hand was in his pocket.

Eliza turned her head to see him standing there with his white shirt opened at the throat his dark blue waistcoat was loosened with the pocket chain hanging from the pocket. The pocket watch at the end of the chain tucked in his pocket was his wedding gift from Eliza when they got married. He was touched because somehow she had time to get it engraved with their first initials with a beautiful ampersand in the middle. Every time William would turn over the watch he would see the engraving that Eliza had done: Gu bràth mo ghràdh..

"Forever my love and our wedding date in Scots Gaelic. It's exquisite. I shall cherish it always," William said softly as he opened the gift on their wedding night. He kissed Eliza holding her lips longer than usual. Then attempting to be the stoic Scotsman he purported to be tried to hide his deep feelings at receiving of this gift by quickly wiping his eyes and rising quickly from his seat on the bed they had shared at the hotel during their quick honeymoon before leaving for New York.

"Do you like it?" Eliza had asked watching him quickly wipe his eyes and sniff. "I noticed you aren't wearing one and I know how much you always loved them." He had looked back at her and saw such love in her face that he could not refuse her the moon had she asked him for it.

William closed the door behind him, turned the key. William took two steps and put his arms around his wife. His arms encircled Eliza's waist coming together just under her small breasts. He held her for just a minute with his lips in her hair.

"You look so small when I see you like this," William softly said. "I love you Mrs. Wellington. I sometimes can't believe you're here in my arms," His lips found her neck where he started with fervent little kisses. He felt her chills and heard her slight intake of breath.

Eliza leaned into his touch and then laid her head back onto his chest and reached up with one hand and watched as she caressed his bearded jaw and William dipping his head and giving them both pleasure Eliza watched herself lean into his perfectly placed, goosebump raising kisses between her soft neck and shoulder.

He was fully clothed but his need was unmistakable suddenly as the space between his legs was growing uncomfortable. He could tell that Eliza had felt it pressing into her back. He watched as she turned in his embrace. She reached up and standing on her toes she kissed him deeply giving him her tongue acknowledging his need and letting him know hers. Breaking the kiss Eliza smiled at him while brushing his beard with the back of her hand. It was soft and alive and it was all him.

"You are never to shave this beard off, my love," Eliza demanded softly kissing him.

Her palm came to rest on the back of his neck. She looked deep into his eyes. William pressed her close and they kissed gentle punctuated but needy kisses that grew deep as their fires flared. Mouths opening and tongues fighting each other for taste. Eliza's breath hitched as William held her tightly against him. They drew apart a minute to see each other and smiled because although there were outside issues that called their attention away from each other they had this for just the two of them. This intimacy. Every time always felt like the first time.

"Mr. Wellington, you're wearing too many clothes. Let's rectify this," Eliza seductively in a deep whisper told him.

"Anything you say, Mrs. Wellington."

Seeing the lust for him there in her big blue eyes, William thought of Eliza's determination when she wanted something. This time it was him she wanted and he was a willing victim.

He released her and she unbuttoned the rest of his waistcoat after William carefully removed his pocket watch lying it on the tallboy beside him. Eliza helped him shrug off his waistcoat leaving it lay on the floor. She worked on his shirt next. He quickly helped her hands shed his shirt. He knew she admired his body.

"You amaze me, my love," Eliza said as she ran fevered hands over his shoulders and down his chest trailing one finger to run down the center of his chest to his navel.

He barely could catch his breath. She still has no idea what her touch does to me. He caught her hands and kissed them sweetly. They kissed fevered kisses. Their love was simmering. Eliza was William's fire, heart, passion and love. He needed and wanted to feel her body meshed with his again. No doubt about that. He came to her and he was intoxicated with her. He had always been besotted with her even when they were teenagers. All he ever wanted was Eliza. He yearned for her body to be with his.

"I want to be inside you wife," William said kissing and guiding her to the floor in front of the mirror

Kneeling now, Eliza's fevered hands worked the temperamental hook on William's trousers. Finally, they were undone releasing the promise of what was being held in check underneath. He kicked the trousers away. He stood there naked for her gaze. His hard member jutting out ready to penetrate her warmth.

Slowly, William lifted one hand smoothing her shorter blonde curls. He remembered once when her hair was so long and curly and how those curls would bounce with life when not tightly pinned. This is how he liked her, though, seductive, seduced, wanton, and burning for him. He watched as Eliza's chest heaved with want. As Eliza kneeled before him kissing his warm skin between navel and manhood. She stroked that area with her cheek loving the heat against her skin. She kissed him there making him harder and harder, if that were possible. She coquettishly looked up at him and placed her lips on his penis and left a kiss there. She teasingly rose from her knees with his help.

"I love you," Eliza whispered into his mouth. William released a breath he had not known he was holding when gasped again as Eliza slipped her cool hand and touched his hot hard cock again. Eliza raised her lips to him and William kissed her hard and needy. Their breathing getting heavier with each touch.

"I…love…you…" William moaned.

Wanting to be with her, inside her, feel her pulsating womanhood around him, William needed her as naked as he. Lovingly and with increasing speed, William turned Eliza around so they could see their reflection loving each other in the full length mirror. He stroked each of her arms this time with his knuckles lightly grazing her soft skin so she could feel the little fires rising on her flesh. His arms met again underneath her pert breasts her nipples erect. He took a breast in each hand and plied the nipples with his nimble fingers through the silk sheath. Her nipples were so hard. Her sighs were heavy and long. They both watched as William quickly removed the sheath from Eliza's body lifting it over her head and tossing it aside.

William moaned at the sight of her as she had foregone wearing her panties this night because somehow they knew each other still after all this time.

"Mrs. Wellington, you naughty wife, you forgot something," William said as his hand traveled down her stomach. Eliza watched as she guided his hand to that most feminine area and urged him to dip his finger there. William deeply moaned as he touched her soft flesh. She was moist. He acknowledged this night she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He looked up to the mirror and could see her opening her legs for him, her mouth open in a silent needy moan, and feel her hands stroking the back of his neck and the tops of his shoulders which was all her petite height could reach.

William gasped at the sight of her beautiful body being loved by his hands and mouth. They stood in front of the mirror naked and loving each other. Kisses deep, hands rampant all over, breaths heavy with want.

"William," Eliza said looking up at him between breathless kisses. "Take me to bed."

"Turn around, Eliza," William said as he turned her around to face the mirror. "Open your eyes. I want to watch how we love each other." He reached out one arm to tilt the mirror to the floor. Eliza's kisses on his chest set little flames all over his body and watching her do it was even more arousing. He sighed deeply as he watched her loving him. It was erotic not only feeling but watching Eliza mouthing his chest, plying his nipples with her nimble tongue. I knew her tongue was capable of more than just talking back, William thought. He then watched as he turned them. His eyes closed as they kissed their mouths open tasting each other.

Eliza trusting him allowed William to gently kiss her to the floor onto the thick warm carpet. He swiped a blanket from the edge of the chest at the end of their bed. He then rolled Eliza underneath him and settled on the length of her between her open silky alabaster thighs. Her arms were around him kneading his shoulders.

"William, I want you," Eliza whispered as she caressed his narrow hips with the inside of her thighs and stroked his round buttocks with pointed toes. "Your have the body of a god, husband," Eliza said as her head turned to see his large biceps enfold her and flex as he held her. She watched as his dark hair not as thick as it once was but still lush enough for her to run her hands through dipped as he lay kisses along her tiny waist, stomach and lower.

Eliza could see and feel his soft beard tickle her as he trailed his loving touches setting her further aflame all the way to her thigh. He kneeled at the length of her. His length stiff and hard with want. He stroked himself once. Eliza bit a finger as she found that totally arousing. Her legs were so open and she wanted him to warm her with his body as she lay there. In response to seeing William stroke his own she did the same. Her finger came away wet with moisture and she licked it staring at her husband. At her age, one never knew how fast you would be ready for your husband's fullness. Her husband was a god everywhere.

William watched as she readied herself for him. Eliza's focus on the mirror as she watched William's head between her thighs and feel the flick of his tongue along her sex eliciting more than just heavy breathing and chanting of his name. He could feel she was ready for him-almost.

With his flicking at her clit and the feel of his beard on her labia, Eliza was close to seeing stars right then. She still yearned for him to fill her completely.

"William," she demanded. "Get in there."

At her insistence, William smilingly did as he was told and slid up her small lithe body and back where she could hold him in her arms and they could see each other as they loved. He looked into her eyes and she gave him that impatient look she always gave him when she was demanding and wanting. He smiled and placing himself at her entrance he pushed into her and Eliza gasped. She watched as William pumped again. The biggest moan elicited from Eliza's mouth as William thrusted inside her. William moaned deeply, contentedly, kissing her and then burying his head in her neck to better satisfy her with deeper moves.

Eliza arched her back meeting him at every thrust. She threw her head back in pleasure and smiled widely. She was almost giddy riding the waves that rushed at her. With his quickening movements, Eliza could not hold him close enough. She laid small, tiny love bites into her husband's shoulder. Her legs came to encompass his hips as she crossed her ankles.

"William!"

William was feeling her tightness around him. He felt her mouth and hands on him. He glanced once in the mirror at them and saw the pink flush that Eliza was wearing from his touch and their loving.

He thrusted harder and harder. Sweating, their bodies slick as he continued. He glimpsed at Eliza in the mirror spurring him on to swifter thrusting. Her hands on his buttocks controlling the rhythm. As he neared orgasm, he slowed his rhythm and flexed his arms all his weight supported by his hands. He moved his head back and felt himself go even deeper into Eliza and he cried as he was balls deep into his wife and they were both riding the crescent of the waves of ecstasy together. William almost roared as he felt Eliza climax. She was panting and laughing.

With an effort, William lowered himself and stroked Eliza's hair. His breathing still heavy as he was still inside her after emptying his essence into her. He looked into her eyes and she looked back at him with tears in her eyes.

"William," Eliza whispered panting. "I'm so happy, William. I have never felt so much happiness since we've been together." She stroked his cheek.

He fell to Eliza's side and pulled the blanket over them. She moved to put her head on his chest and he kissed her still damp forehead.

Eliza felt so much more as she was able to not only feel William love her but to see his reflection-their reflection as they made love-was such a thrilling and so sublime an experience. She was afraid at first because she had never watched anyone have sex let alone watch herself and her husband in throes of ecstasy.

"William, I've never watched before," Eliza whispered softly looking up at him.

"I never did either. Ever since we came together as a couple-as a loving couple-I wanted to experiment like we could have when we were young.

"Really?"

William's deep "mmhmm" resonated through his throat vibrating seemingly through his body. Eliza smoothed her hand across William's chest as he held her to his side.

"Are you cold, or would you like to get into bed now?" William asked softly.

"No, I'm not cold," Eliza said rising on one elbow. "The carpet is warm. So are you husband," Eliza stated as she kissed William deeply again.

She slid into William's arms feeling him tuck her head under his chin.

"I suppose you don't see what I see when I make love to you?" William asked stroking her arm that lay over his waist.

"Probably not. I only have you as my focus. I guess, though, it's the same for me. You don't see what I see when I make love to you."

"Touche."

Eliza's hand lowered and found his cock again. It quickly went from flaccid to hard with her touch.

"How about we try our theory again?" Eliza asked kissing William deeply and shedding the blanket mounted his hips. She had plied his penis with her hands and mouth while William lay there deeply moaning and sighing. When he was rock hard, Eliza no longer teased him placed herself on top of his length. She was still open and wet from before. She moved slightly biting her lip as she controlled the feel and depth of his penetration.

"That feels incredible," Eliza breathed as she stroked his length within herself.

William came to lean on his elbows and chased Eliza's bobbing breasts in front of him catching one in his mouth. He suckled and then played with her nipple with his tongue and then as the rhythm grew he gently used his teeth. Eliza stroked his head and gasped.

He released her breast and whispered to Eliza as he rose up to hold her close their bodies still conjoined and moving.

"Look in the mirror, Eliza, see how beautiful you are. This is what I see when I make love to you," William's gaze did not move from the mirror until hers joined his. Eliza gazed at herself all pink and loved up and William content and masculinely beautiful. They joined hands with fingers closed on each other's palm as they gazed at one another in the mirror.

Quickly, the need for completion again took them over the brink. Eliza raised her arms messing her hands in her hair as William held her hips and controlled their loving. Faster and deeper until they both almost forgot where they were and shrieked with ultimate pleasure. They quickly quieted each other and kissed. Eliza finally sliding off her husband.

After a few minutes of recovery between loving breathless pants and loving kisses, they rose with overly used legs. William picked up his wife and carried her to the bed. He kissed her as he lay Eliza down on the four poster bed. William climbed in on the other side and took Eliza into his arms and held her so close. They talked again of nothing until both fell asleep.