Garrett's POV

I am both cursed and technically a slave to the Volturi. The only good part about this at the moment is that Carm decided to return with the group this time instead of going off to meet up with her wolf friend in La Push. Her and Splinter were the two who generally worked as a boundary between me and the rest of the legend.

I have been spending a good part of my time lately trying to track down the latest moonchild who would hopefully be able to end the curse. Though the signals keep getting messed up. Every so often I would feel a blip of them in the northern parts of the US then hours later I would feel one from Australia. I knew everyone wanted to see the journals that were left for the next in line but once what happened to me happened, I sent them off to who would be the next in line. That was several hundred years ago so I wasn't too sure where they were now.

Trance fired into the garden with a smile on her face. I had been in there reading trying to clear my head from the torture of the morning with Caius being in a mood.

"Oh, good. You're here. I need you to stay here." She turned to the door as a good friend of mine walked in with a smile. Leo was like me in a way, though a leopard version they had been brought in on the curse as well when one of each of our ancestors had decided to hook up and have a cursed set of twins.

He smiled to her. "We will stay here, who are you expecting to bring?"

Trance smiled at him. "Sean, he has apparently never been around humans before and it is market day in the city."

Leo smiled. "You might want to grab Carm too, if she will let you?"

Trance snorted and blipped back out.

"What is going on that Carm shouldn't be walking through the city?"

Leo shook his head. His vampire gift wasn't the greatest from what he had said. Though once a member of the legend he left them being forced to the palace as I was. He had said he was a fixer; he could travel back and forth through events in time to try and change the outcome. When Carm had seen this is what his power would be she had persuaded the council to change their mind about killing him and instead forge him into an undying weapon for the Volturi.

I nodded to him. "I take it there was an accident, and you couldn't do anything to stop it?"

He smiled. "Something like that. Splinter caused the damn thing with the captor he is bringing back. A kid tripped and skinned his leg pretty good. Splinter is pickier than Carm and Xavier combined with food habits. So, he hasn't eaten yet since he got back last night. Then him using as much as he has been lately, he is really running low. I left it as good as I could, but she is still going to require you or me to help when she returns."

I nodded. "I can do it this time if you want a break, all they have me doing is tracking the moonchild which is giving me a headache. I think we are going to have to go check out both locations if I can get them narrowed down a bit better."

His eyes shot to me. "How can their be two locations?"

I shrugged, lowering my voice. "The journals say that one should die within 16 hours of the sacrificing of the older child. Though the prophecy states that the ones who will end the curse will be a set of two and they will let the vampire live."

He nodded. "Okay but why would they be so far apart? I mean shouldn't they have been together at least being young enough that they haven't presented yet?"

I shrugged. "There might be more that Caius isn't telling us, I was going to ask Carm to work them over for me see if there is anything we are missing."

He laughed. "The best chance might be with the vampires who were captured. Though with how bad Splinter, Xavier and Noddy roughed the one up, and how mad Caius was about it you can probably bet we aren't getting any answers from these three new ones they just brought in."

I laughed. "You are probably right."

He smiled at me as we turned to the doorway. The garden was our sanctuary in the palace as it gave us the much-needed outdoor space when we weren't allowed to go hunting for ourselves. We had our vampire needs as well as our animal needs which we had to try and satisfy.

Carm walked in blood was dripping from her hand as she looked up at me with a weak smile on her face as she usually had. Her eyes though were not the bright red meaning she only needed a little bit of help from one of us before something pulled her attention into the hallway.

Splinter looked towards the doorway of the palace where they had come and shook his head.

"Leo, you want to go take a look at that?" I asked him.

He shrugged closing his eyes. "I can't see either one of us being helpful there. Marco is having issues with Sean." He laughed for a second. "But give her a drop of blood then go take a look. I will stay with Carm and make sure she is okay to continue with the day's events."

I nodded, using one claw to open a cut on my side to allow her to drink from it. After she had drank a bit, she smiled wiping her mouth with her sleeve. "You need to change before you go into the chamber. If you don't Caius is going to be upset with you."

She smiled. "Always looking out you two." Her hand rested on Leo's cheek for a second. "Any help you can give would be appreciated."

He nodded slowly. "Go to them. Stand between Jane and Sean. Then take Sean into your room. Demetri will come looking for you and be your escort."

Carm smiled. "I've missed that on missions, I'm curious as to why you left us."

Leo pushed her hand away. Power sparked between them. I wonder why she doesn't know how much hate he holds for her. "When we find this moonchild and the curse is broken both of us go free!" He spat out at her.

Carm just giggled. "How I wish Sean was here right now, he could actually stop him from walking away from me."

I glanced at her. "Does Sean know your plan?"

She shook her head. "He is much too powerful to let into the world."

I just shook. "You go change and I will see you in the room." I shifted stalking off to the entrance of the palace and just past there is where I found Jane holding onto Sean. Wedging my way between them with a smile. Though Jane commented that Carm needed me. Shifting back into my human form I explain that she is fine and then take Sean into my room.

True both Leo and I tend to sleep in the smallest rooms in the palace. I spent most of the time out of this room anyway only sleeping in it the occasional night and using it to change clothes. The closet of clothes was almost the same size as the room itself. Sean looked around as we just basically waited for Demetri to come and find us.

Sean seemed scared of the idea of meeting Caius. And though I had delivered to him that I could narrow down the location of one of the moonchildren, though he still thinks that there is only one he was in a sour mood for most of the morning. I had yet to reveal to him that we had found a second one that keeps showing up on the map, though the power from the one in northwestern US is a lot more. I still figured that we have about another year before they turn 18 and come into their power.

Walking up to Caius and him sticking out the hand that would require Sean to let go of mine had him grinning. My eyes scanned the legend which was standing in their usual semi circle I got Torrent's attention asking him silently to bring Splinter up here.

Though he and Sean had never really met he had the ability to help out here. His adaptive skills were useful to help Sean seem comfortable. Once the handshake was done Carm returned in a fresh outfit meaning she had walked all the way to the outer wing to get changed unless she still had some stashed in Alec's closet.

After a few of us agreed that she had needed blood she was ordered to start questioning one of the three captors. I noticed the leg of the one she went to explaining that she had been ordered to leave this one until Jane had been allowed to question him. His leg was green which meant she had poisoned him, and he would be dead within a day, though the hours would be painful. She would have enjoyed watching this and I knew that, though what she did was glance at Caius. Her eyes flickered up to Torrent then to Leo who had just walked in. I knew she had a few area abilities though I never expected her to use them in a small space. When Torrent's eyes hit mine, I had already started to use my body to shield Sean from sight of what was going to happen. Leo had hit the deck before it all went. A bit of the cut caught my back opening it up.

When Sean seen it, he immediately tried to help, the healing ability was that of the moonchild. Though the connection was not completely there yet, he gave up in frustration as the connection which he more so describes as that coming from Leo's line was voiced. I needed the two of them to meet each other though Leo wasn't the greatest with newbies he might actually like Sean.

When we got to my room, I pulled on Sean's cloak wanting him to come join me for a bit. We needed to talk about what was happening. He needed to know he had a choice in all of this. Though if he did run away Carm would more than likely hunt him down then who knows what would happen. With Leo and I gone from the palace he might not have many friends.

Xavier chose that moment to show up. Noddy smirked at him as he did his normal greeting with Carm. I never knew why Alec allowed that to happen. I had seen the two of them fight and they were just as powerful as each other. His arrogance as he patted my head like I was actually a dog spurred something in Sean. Then Trance laughed about Sean stepping between the two of us. The connection between Sean and the moonchild was back and more powerful than ever. The power calling each member of the Vultori to the staircase and hallway.

Glancing around I could see most of the palace. It was very true that the rules of engagement stated that if Sean did pick a fight with a member of the legend no one else could step in. Though there were a few who could break that rule and Leo was edging closer and closer to doing it. We both knew that a few bites from us and not even Carm's magical blood could heal the damage we did. Torrent stomped his foot lightly grabbing Xavier's attention pulling him to Carm to apologize for the outburst in the hallway and making a scene.

I shifted back to human letting the small cut seal itself quickly, promising to have Sean back to their wing of the palace by dinner time. That would give me a few hours at least to chat with him. Torrent asked to speak with him though promising to only take him as far as the bench unless Sean asked to go further. I knew he wouldn't request it though.

I could hear them in the hallway as I changed into a pair of comfy worn jeans and sweatshirt. Usually this is what I wore around the palace. Normally only getting into the cloak and stuff when I am needing to status which so rarely happens. Even then situations like today there is normally one of the Royal Guard around to help. I walked out waving to Torrent to acknowledge him with a smile and our usual greeting, Sean had just been rhyming off questions that he wanted answers to, but Torrent was too scared to answer a few of them, I however would answer all the ones except the ones that specifically pertained to Carm.

When Sean seen my outfit, it was all over his face how disappointed he was in having to wear his outfit that the Royal guard wore. Torrent laughed about the look causing Sean to become defensive again towards him.

After Torrent had walked away, I pulled Sean to his feet. "If you want to change, I have a clothing supply in my closet?"

Sean looked at me. "How much trouble would that cause for me with Xavier?"

I laughed. "Considering they smell like either me or Leo he won't be happy."

Sean stood up. "Who is Leo? I heard Marco say his name when we were on the edge of the city. He can't be like you; Marco didn't say his name with disgust."

I just about growled at him. "Leo is similar to me. Though he was taken from the ranks, and Marco knows if he spoke Leo's name with disgust it would get back to Carm and she wouldn't be happy."

Sean looked taken back, we needed something, he wanted answers though there were still vampires roaming the hallways though as usual most of them tended to ignore me. "I … I need to" he ran his hands through his hair then wiping at his arm. "We aren't safe to talk here."

I glanced around though I neither seen nor sensed any of the members of the legend. The garden was Carm's usual place to take Alec so that wouldn't be safe. Though maybe they would vacate if they knew we were there talking. Still there was a chance that Carm would become involved in the conversation unless I gave her another task.

I smiled to him standing up and pulling him along. "We are going to go to the garden. The only ones who ever go there are Carm and Leo. In fact, it is where Alec and Splinter took Carm when her arms were bleeding."

He smiled at me realizing that I had heard the questions he had asked Torrent, and I was more than willing to answer most of them.

He blushed for a second, "How many of the questions did you hear?"

I laughed for a second, pulling his face up to look at me. "All of them."

"What happens if Carm is in the garden? Will you make her leave?"

I nodded. "If you really want full answers to all your questions then yes, she needs to leave. Or you are more than welcome to ask her the questions yourself. I'm sure she will be more than willing to answer some of them."

He smiled at me. "And if she doesn't answer the questions completely?"

I shrugged. "The decision will be yours, I can further her answers or you can re-ask them when you get to their wing tonight."

Sean shook for a second as we got to the door of the garden. He looked through the glass doors and the windows that surrounded the garden. "How do you keep the others from hearing you when you are in there? I mean the place doesn't seem all that private."

I nodded just opening the door for him. Once we were inside the music began to play and I sniffed the air. "Carm must be off somewhere. As for soundproofing that has been done though anyone walking by will be able to see us talking in here. Leo and I are both were animals who have been turned into vampires against our wills. We were both from the cursed line of moonchildren, captured and as Carm would probably put it saved from death because what we could do."

He shivered for a second, I guest possibly starting to realize that the ones who so called saved him were only thinking about themselves. "Okay so if you heard the questions from earlier, I have some more to add to that list. What is Leo? Are you two members of the Legend? Why do you get to dress in regular clothes while I have to wear this?" He gestured to his cloak and outfit.

"Leo was at one time a member of the legend, though about 50 years ago he decided he wanted out he hated what Xavier and Carm were forcing him to do. So now he is forbidden to leave the palace other than to hunt once every other month. And even then, we are on leashes. We hate our lives and when they found you, we both saw it as a way to finally hopefully escape from the Volturi and maybe enjoy our lives again."

He nodded. "Who turned you both into vampires?" he stopped for a second looking around the garden, at the trees and different plants growing. "Is this the only outside you get?"

I nodded. "Yes, sadly this is the only outside we get unless we are with the royal guard. Though we are a part of the royal guard which is kind of funny. Ages ago Aro made a rule that once that status was given unless a vampire was convicted of committing a serious crime it could not be taken away." I breathed a sigh; I didn't like talking about the transformation into a vampire. For one I had killed the vampire that had bitten me turning me into what I am, secondly it was the reason why Xavier and I hated each other as he was the one who had requested that I be turned. "I do not speak about being turned into a vampire. It is not a conversation I wish to ever have with anyone."

He looked at me. "Okay then tell me about the members of the legend. Torrent said there were 15 members."

I nodded. "Yes, there are 15 members of it. Carm is one of the leaders of it which I sure you could have guessed by the reaction Xavier gave her both when he arrived then after the attempted fight with you in the courtyard."

He stopped me holding up his hand. "If Carm and Alec are so much lovers, then why does Xavier greet her like that? It seems kind of intimate?"

I laughed as the two of them came to the door of the garden. I waved my hand to them inviting them inside. It was well known that if Leo or I were in the garden it was generally respectful to ask permission before entering.

Carm smiled as Alec settled against the tree pulling her down with him. "What are we talking about all private in here?" He smiled at us.

Sean looked scared about him, so I decided to answer. "Sean was wondering, actually I have been too for a while, about something that we have seen today."

Carm nodded. "The fight, room, garden, or after it all?"

I nodded to Sean that it was okay to answer. "The fight kind of. Actually, I have a lot of questions some of which Torrent said you had to be the one to answer." When she nodded to him, he continued. "When Xavier came up to greet you. The way he reacted and how he greeted you it seemed kind of intimate at least it did to me. Kissing your throat."

Alec shook his head before looking down at Carm. "I told you it would get people's attention when he started doing that, however now you can't stop him." He turned to us. "On a mission, Xavier had gotten hurt. He had gotten hit by a vampire with a psychotic ability. Carm had used her poison ability so she couldn't have given him blood from her wrist like usual, so he got it from her neck. It became their way to greet each other. I don't actually approve of it and though I am strong enough to win in a general fight against him the rules for a legend fight are different." He kissed Carm's cheek before whispering something to her.

Sean huffed. "What is it with everyone whispering around me today?"

I had to laugh the way he was acting was just so much like me when I first arrived at the palace. "Alec was just trying to explain something to Carm. Though I will admit that doing something like that in front of Sean isn't exactly nice."

Carm smiled meeting Sean's eyes. "I'm sorry, though Alec is correct. I probably should have explained something to you before Xavier picked a fight with you today." She took a breath rubbing her arms slightly. She turned to both me and Alec stating, "and before the both of you start worrying, I'm fine they aren't bleeding again." She smiled refocusing on Sean. "If Xavier does that again which I doubt he will do as Splinter is yelling at him right now for me, I am going to ask that you don't respond to it. There is a long history between Xavier and Garrett, as well as between me and Leo. Though Leo and I tend to be more civil around each other. Because Garrett has shown an interest in you, Xavier is going to always pick fights with you or trying to get you to react to him." She shut her eyes for a moment before them turning molten orange on him. "If you do respond, sadly the rules of engagement state that no one can step in to help you and it will be a fight you won't win."

He looked at her confused. "I can take him. The kitten said we could, it is the one giving me the strength to press on right now even."

Alec looked at us slowly his mind made some connection before he stood up, kissing Carm. "I have to go see Jane about something." He turned to me, "Where is Caius?"

I shrugged. "How should I know? Go ask Demetri." I huffed out for a second shutting my eyes. True I could usually find Caius as he was the one connected to the curse. "Check his study."

Carm looked at him confused as he left the room before turning back to me. "Why is he looking for Caius?"

Ryan's POV

It was 9:25 am when my phone went off. It had been sitting on my desk though I wasn't expecting a message from anyone until after at least 11. I had texted Owen this morning asking him about going grocery shopping. Then I had texted both Nikita and Michael to let them know that Charlie had requested he join us. I didn't want either of them pissed that he was joining us when it was Charlie who had made that decision.

I picked up the phone and smiled at the video that came up along with a message. The message was her sub order which I am guessing she wrote out during first period. The video though was of her eating a muffin that I guess one of the guys had brought her and drinking the yogurt drink.

It had made me smile to see she was actually eating. I sent her back a smiley face telling her to pay attention to class.

The information from Jake on Friday night had given me a place to start my research into this picture which did strangely look like the tattoo Jake and the rest of the guys had. I knew I wasn't to be looking into it or any information that Owen had sent to me but the connection to Jake was weird. He had said there were still some uncertain things about Charlie that he and Sam were looking into and if I might be able to help them, they would appreciate it.

I picked up my office phone dialling Sam's number on the card he had given us. When a female answered I was confused. "Is Sam around?" I asked after she said hello.

'He is, can I ask who this is?'

"It's Ryan Fletcher, one of Charlie's fathers."

She must have covered the speaker box as I could only hear muffled voices for a few minutes before he picked up the phone. 'Ryan, is everything okay?'

I nodded though forgetting he can't see me. "Oh, yes. Everything is fine. Jake just mentioned you have some questions about Charlie that I might be able to help with. Also, I wanted to express my thanks to your wife as I'm sure she is the one who made the muffins that Charlie was eating between the first two periods. Someone filmed her eating them and drinking the yogurt drink and she sent it to me."

I could hear him laugh for a second. 'Probably Embry, for both the muffins and filming. I knew you were still concerned about her eating so I let it slip that if you had some proof that it might help calm some nerves. Also, about the other thing. Yes, we still have some questions. If you are free right now, we can meet up and talk. Though it would have to be on the reservation.'

I smiled. "Great. Give me 45 min and I'll meet you at my place?"

'That location would work perfectly. I'll grab what I have and meet you there.'

I grabbed up everything I had on my desk for work for the day and left my office. Down the hallway I ran into the entrance way without meeting up with anyone. I was just about to my car when I turned around to see Tessa running after me.

"You going out for the rest of the day?"

I nodded. "Something has come up with Charlie. The girl Seymour and I are looking after. I'll be back in tomorrow. It is just best if this meeting happens face to face."

She nodded. "Okay. I guess this can wait."

I looked at her confused. "You needed something Tessa?"

She nodded. "A few of us were going to go out after work. We usually go out on Mondays to talk about the weekend how our current assignments are going. I mean you are working on a big one. I thought you might want to come out too."

I smiled and for once was actually glad I had a valid excuse. "Actually, Mondays don't work for me. Usually after school on Mondays Seymour, Charlie, and me all go grocery shopping for the week. It is usually a good bonding time for us. We started it last week and it seems to be really working well about getting Charlie to open up about some of her food issues. I don't want to change it on her if it is something that is working."

She looked down. "Oh, I mean if that is more important." She looked up at me through bangs. "I guess you'll have to go grocery shopping."

I laughed. "You are flirting with me because you heard the project, I'm working on is a big one and you want in on it? And yes, because Charlie is just starting to open up plus, I have to pick up the food for dinner. She already sent me her order. Maybe some other time, see if you are still interested after this assignment is done."

I unlocked the car door, getting in, rolling down the window. "Now I do have to meet someone about this, so I'll see you tomorrow, Tessa." I rolled the window back up and drove away from her. I was still laughing about this whatever she was up to was beyond me. I had been warned about her already by a few coworkers that I trusted that she would try to take the big projects or take over them then when hers didn't get done she would blame it on the fact the other person needed help. For one I didn't need help from anyone especially her. And two I really did have to go meet Sam and find out what all this was about.

When I landed home, I put on the coffee. I did send the video to Birkoff so he could watch it too seeing that he was also worried about her not eating though he didn't show it as much as I showed my concern about the same topic. I also told him that I had mentioned to Nikita and Michael about Owen coming shopping with us. If Michael wanted, he could check on that.

Minutes later a knock came from the front door. I went to answer it welcoming Sam into the house again with a smile.

"It is a lot less stressful than the last time I came in here."

I nodded to him. "For sure, though I mentioned to Charlie this morning that I wanted her to pass along a message for me. Basically, I wanted to say thank you to Leah for the help she did on Friday here."

Sam smiled. "I told her to make sure no one followed Charlie if she did decide to leave. Though I would hope that we don't run into any of the situations that have happened this weekend again."

I looked at him. "We aren't having another BBQ for a while and the next one either myself or Birkoff will be picking up the food. So, I can promise that won't be happening again. As for the situation with Alex, I do believe we could have handled it better than we did prior to everything happening."

He pulled a file from the bag he was carrying. "This is all the information we have. We have done it all out by time we found out everything. Unfortunately, the one who would be able to fill in most of the blanks is Andrew. The man we thought to be her father. Last week on Thursday we found out that wasn't actually the case. However, we found out on Sunday that Charlie has known that her parents weren't really her parents back 2 years ago just after they left on this mission."

I took the file from him holding out the picture for him to take a look at for me. "Owen was given this picture by someone looking for an old Seal friend of ours. He said there was something odd about him, though he couldn't put his finger on it."

He took the picture and looked at it. "I can ask around. Even ask Paul to send it to a friend of ours who was stationed over in Italy for a while. Not too sure where she is now though."

I scratched my head for a second. "Paul is seeing someone now though, right?"

Sam laughed. "Yes. She is just a friend. Grew up in Texas then ended up finding her way to Italy after coming here. Her and Paul were believed to be soulmates though decided it was best for both of them if they were allowed to be with other people. I do believe he still keeps in contact with her, she happens to be good friends with him, Embry, as well as a few of the Cullens from Forks."

"Cullens?" I asked him. I hadn't heard them mentioned at all.

He nodded. "Jake's girlfriend Nessie. Her aunts, well mostly uncles. I get along with her quite well too though I don't have a direct line to her like they do. I can see what she makes of this?"

I nodded. "If you would that would be great. I have a feeling there is a connection between Charlie and that symbol. Because I was looking at dates and it would seem that Sean, our Seal friend, was on the mission to rescue their parents." I held up my hands. "I don't know what happened, truthfully, I am still looking into it. I put a request in for the records, but the military is being slow getting them to me. I have a back door I was going to try and use if it gets to the last week, and we still don't have answers."

Sam smirked. "Shadownet?" he asked. "It is no secret to me that Birkoff was the creator of that. Though I know for a certain little birdy that Charlie has already looked there. She really is a genius when it comes to some things. I honestly dread the day if her and Carm were to ever meet. Carm is the friend of ours who is in Italy. Though she must be still out on a mission because normally when she has done them, she calls Paul and the two of them meet up."

I ran my hands through my hair. "Okay there goes the idea to look on there. Though there is the other place we could look. It was one of Michael's army friends who asked us to do this. He might know something about what happened to them."

I knew there were still a few black boxes out there. We still had one in the Langley headquarters which I might be able to get someone to plug into for me. Because if the idea of this being a division job was right than it would be on there. Though timeline wise it would have to be somewhere between Percey and Amanda. Well technically Amanda and me. Though this does have Percey written all over it. Though the Sean angle doesn't fit.

I looked back at Sam for a second. "Sorry. I guess you finally got to see what Nikita and Michael formally call my wall of crazy look."

He grinned. "I'm glad Charlie has you here. You are good for her, you know that. She told me that she was upset about not getting to work on some puzzles with you over the weekend because of what happened here on Friday night."

I gulped. "Oh, those were just some brain teasers we have at work. I got a coworker from Langley to send me a bunch of them we used to have one up on the wall a week. Birkoff mentioned something about her not being challenged during class." I thought for a second. "Why did Embry feel the need to keep Charlie away from the house all weekend though? I mean we didn't even see her come home last night."

It was Sam's turn to gulp. "Embry was very overprotective of Charlie. The two had gone through a really big rough patch over the weekend. He needed to be with her, and he didn't know what the two of you would think about that. I think the 4 of you need to sit down and talk. Maybe on Thursday night after school about what they need to actually feel calmer."

I nodded. "Okay we can look into that. I mean if he needs to spend the night here to make sure she is okay we can easily buy an easy chair to put into the room so he can sleep on that."

Sam's eyes bugged out of his head. "You would be willing to allow the two of them to sleep in the same room?"

I nodded. "There would be rules of course like clothes must stay on and at least a sheet between them in the bed if they decide to sleep there together but I would be fine with it. And I'm sure if that is necessary that you can help convince Birkoff of it too. As I'm sure when she was over at your place all weekend they slept in the same room."

He nodded. "They did do that." He stood up holding out his hand. "I have to admit Ryan, you surprised me." He snapped a picture of the cat like tattoo with his phone. "You know this kind of looks like the one that appeared on us, with our bloodlines. I will make sure she gets this though it might take a few days for us to get an answer back. She is sometimes out of cell range."

"Does she work for the military over there?"

Sam shook his head. "Not exactly. More like an international policing agency. Though I would think that Carlisle might have a few contacts he might be able to get this to someone over there for us." He thought for a second. "That is on the box from the courthouse too." When I gave him a funny look he continued. "I remember Embry saying that it had been on the front of the assignment that Charlie took a zero on, it was actually what caused the teacher to ask a question about the assignment and why Charlie apparently shredded the paper in front of the class and then walked out."

"How long ago was that?" I asked.

"About 2 years ago or so. Could be almost 3 now. I know Charlie would know the date though I'm sure she would get suspicious if we started asking her about it."

I nodded. "We will look into our other sources first then. Though if I could get a look at that box it would help."

Sam shrugged. "I don't know what happened to it. I went looking for it this morning and it vanished. The lady at the desk said some man came and picked it up and because he had all the paperwork he was allowed to get it. Though good news is apparently the lock on it can't be picked. Charlie tried to do that and broke 3 picks on it."

Sam nodded before heading for the door. "I do hate to run but I have to get to work myself. I'll chat with Paul tonight about doing something with this picture and have Jake see if any of Nessie's uncles or grandparents can get a message to Carm as well. The more people trying to reach her the better the chances are that we actually succeed. There is the very remote chance that she might be able to get all the messages and then just show up on our doorstep."

I laughed for a second. "I welcome all the help we can get, especially if it means helping Charlie get to the bottom of the questions she has had."

He smiled before walking out the door and running down the road.