Jessie eased herself onto the couch, next to the frightened girl. Heather still had the bear clutched to her chest. Jessie used it as an opening.

"How’s Bert today?" she asked gently. Heather’s gaze never moved from a spot on the opposite wall. "Do you know what, Heather," Jessie continued. "Bert is a great listener. Carlos told me that he tells Bert all about things that scare and upset him." Watching for a response, Jessie continued. "A friend of Carlos gave him Bert when he was really sad, just like you are. Carlos talked to Bert about what was making him sad and he felt better." She drew the child closer. "He can help you, too Heather. You just have to talk to him."

**

"Jason, we need to know everything…the truth, if you want us to help you." Carlos sat across the patio table gazing intently at the once hulking man.

"I told you, I didn’t do it." Anger flashed in the pale blue eyes. "Don’t you believe me?" he challenged.

"I believe you, Jason, but you might have missed something." Carlos voice softened slightly. "Help us, Jason."

Jason looked at Carlos then at Trent sitting on a fountain ledge behind his partner. Trent’s face was impassive.

Sighing heavily, Jason started his story. "I met Maggie at the house around 2 – 2:30. Everything was okay until we started talking about Caroline…Ritchie’s mom." He paused, trying to keep his voice steady. "Maggie wanted her to come and stay with us but I said ‘no’. I know she’s Heather’s grandmother but all she ever does is run Maggie and I down. She blames Maggie for getting remarried and I am definitely not the angel Ritchie was." Another heavy sigh. "But, Maggie is willing to put up with it for Heather’s sake. I thought it would hurt Heather more than help. We fought and finally I left. The guard saw me leave at about 3:10pm."

"And no one else came in or out until we got here about 4:00, except Mrs. Robinson dropping Heather off around 3:20," Carlos stated.

"They could have used the maintenance access," Jason muttered.

"What maintenance access?" Carlos and Trent asked in unison.

"There’s a road that is used for heavy equipment and contractors, that sort of stuff. The security guys have key and unlock it when they need to. Not many people know about it."

"I didn’t even know about it," Dave Henderson spoke for the first time. He had brought out papers for Jason to sign, then decided to stay to offer moral support.

"Sure you did, Dave. Remember when we dug the pool? We borrowed the keys for a couple of days and then gave it back to security. The contractors came in through there so they wouldn’t bother anyone."

"Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember now."

Trent watched the exchange between the brothers. He was trying to read Jason. Could he have possibly committed this murder? How could anyone murder someone they professed to love? If he hadn’t done it, Trent could certainly identify with his pain. Trent himself would give almost anything to get his own wife back. Trent had also witnessed Jason’s brutality on the football field. Is it possible that violence could have translated to his marriage? The possibility of Jason’s guilt disgusted him, but he knew he had to remain detached. It wasn’t going to be easy.

"Are you sure Heather is okay? I just want to see her, talk to her. Make sure she’s okay." Jason’s voice was almost pleading.

"I don’t think that’s a good idea, Jason," Trent tried to keep his voice even.

"You don’t trust me. You think I did it." He was daring Trent to admit it.

"No, we don’t think you’re guilty," Carlos told him, bringing the attention back to himself. He took a big step. "Heather is with Jessie at my place." A look of shock appeared briefly on Trent’s face and then it was gone. Carlos continued. "Jessie thinks she can get through to her, but she’s scared Jason. Scared of you for some reason. So if you want to help us out, you’ll leave her alone. Otherwise, we’ll never know what she saw. Understand?"

A hesitant sigh. "Okay, Carlos. Just catch the bastard who did this."

**

"What the HELL did you do that for??" Trent could barely contain his anger until they got into the Durango. "You just put Jessie and Heather’s lives in jeopardy!!"

"Yeah, well, now Jessie will know how it feels," Carlos said angrily, regretting it almost as soon as he said it. Before Trent had a chance to respond he stopped him. "Look, manno, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. Jessie has been great to help Heather and I wouldn’t want her to get hurt. I just think that Jason didn’t do it. Besides, on the off chance that he did, there are cops all around my place by now, thanks to Ryan. If Jason tries to go near them, he’ll get caught. Either way, it’s a good gamble."

"I hope so, Carlos. I hope so."

**

He smiled to himself. What fools! Now, he knew where Heather was and he also knew she hadn’t said anything. In his mind’s eye he saw her, coming around the corner into the kitchen. He had tried to stop Maggie from screaming but she was stronger than he thought. Stupid bitch. Why hadn’t she just signed over the trust? He had tried to explain it to her but she wouldn’t listen. He needed the money to pay off the loan sharks or else they would come after him. But she didn’t care. All she kept talking about was Heather. The money was for Heather’s future, she said. Yeah well now, Heather had no future so it really didn’t matter, did it? He pictured the girl, staring at him as he looked up from the bloody mess that lay before him. The colour had drained from her face as she realized what had happened. He had tried to grab her but she was quick. She ran but he couldn’t follow, not like that, covered in blood. But he’d get her now…soon enough.

**

As the Durango pulled up to the gate, Trent jumped out and examined the lock. It was still in place, locked securely.

"Well, if they used this way to get in, they had a key."

"Which means it would have had to be premeditated and I can’t believe that it would have been Jason."

"Carlos, why are you so sure he’s innocent?"

"I don’t know. Why do you think he is guilty?"

"I never said that. I just am getting some really weird vibes from this case. I mean, who else would stand to gain anything if Maggie is killed? Jason had the insurance policy. If he’s in as big of financial trouble as Ryan seems to think, that just might be a motive. Or maybe it was just an argument that got outta hand. I just can’t get a handle on this one." The thoughts in Trent’s mind were whirling like sand in a wind storm. Nothing seemed to fit together.

Yeah, I know what you mean. Let’s take a look down here." Carlos climbed over the chicken wire fence, leaving the Durango at the entrance.

The road was paved, eliminating the possibility of tire tracks. The two men began walking the road, their keen investigator eyes looking along the ditches. Neither knew what they were looking for, but they knew they would know when they found it. It was Carlos who finally hit pay dirt.

"Trent!" As he ran over, Trent’s eyes settled on a lump of clothing lying in the ditch. Two things were visible and unmistakable. Blood and a Dallas Cowboy emblem.

**

"I suppose you two stepped all over here, didn’t you?"

"No, Ryan," Trent answered calmly. "We stayed on the pavement and didn’t touch the stuff in the ditch or the lock." Trent knew the detective was baiting him but he wouldn’t respond. He was too tired and angry to play the game. After they had discovered the clothing he had called Jessie to see how things were going. Heather still hadn’t said anything and no one had tried to see them. He was worrying about nothing, she told him. So why did something just feel so wrong?

"Get that stuff to the DNA lab as quickly as you can," Ryan’s voice brought Trent back to the present. "As for you two, start by telling me how and why you’re here."

After exchanging subtle glances with Trent, Carlos began. "Jason told us about this access. The keys are available through security. We were going to check this out and then find out who borrowed the keys lately."

"Okay, we’ll take care of that. What else did Henderson say?"

"Not much. Pretty much just what he told you," Carlos rubbed his temples as if trying to ease a migraine. He really didn’t like where this case was going.

"’Pretty much?’ What isn’t included in ‘pretty much’?" Ryan’s tone was sarcastic.

"Nothing else," Trent finally spoke up.

"Fine," Ryan muttered. He was sure the detectives were holding out on him. "You two stay here until I’m done with you," he yelled before turning and marching determinedly back to his car. Those two SOB’s can just sit and stew, he thought.

**

"Samantha."

The word pierced the silence like a gunshot. Jessie looked up to see big blue eyes looking at her from the couch. "Pardon?" she asked, even though she had heard the word clearly.

"Samantha," Heather repeated. "Trent’s wife. She gave this to Uncle Carlos." It was a statement, not a question. Her eyes fell to the bear she still held tightly in her lap.

"Yes, she did," Jessie said. She remembered Carlos telling her offhandedly how Sam had given him the bear when he had broken up with her sister. He had kept it for sentimental reasons. Now, there were so many questions she wanted to ask Heather but she quietly reminded herself to keep it slow. "Sam gave it to Carlos."

"And now, Sam’s in heaven," came the quiet voice. "Just like my dad." Heather’s eyes never left the bear, but Jess could hear the quiver in her voice that was usually followed by tears.

"Yes, Honey. Just like your dad."

"And…" her voice caught. "Like my mom." It was a barely audible whisper.

"Yes, Heather." Jess moved over beside the tiny figure, putting her arm around the delicate shoulders. "Your mom is in heaven too," she whispered.

With those spoken words, the floodgates opened. Heather’s voice came in great sobs and the words began to tumble out. "I couldn’t help her…I froze…I couldn’t…I…I…I let him hurt her…" she threw her arms around Jessie, burying her face in the fabric of her sweatshirt. "It was my fault!!!" she wailed.

"NO!" Jess spoke strongly but quietly. "It wasn’t your fault, Heather. If you had tried to help her, he might have hurt you too." Jess couldn’t help but wonder who ‘he’ was but her first concern now was Heather. "You couldn’t have done anything, sweetheart." Holding Heather, Jess let her release all the pent up frustration, fear and guilt over her mother’s death. She felt relief knowing that Heather had taken that first step to dealing with her mom’s death.

"He was hitting her, and hitting her. I should have made him stop!!!" The anguish in Heather’s voice tore at Jessie. She knew that guilt was on of the strongest feelings of people who survive when others don’t.

"Honey," she whispered. "He was bigger and stronger than you. There was no way to stop him. You did the best you could by getting yourself out of there. You know that."

"Yes," came Heather’s muffled reply.

**

Carlos and Trent were still standing beside the Durango when Ryan came towards them. "You two gonna stay here all day or you coming downtown?"

"What?"

Ryan almost smiled as he told them what he had just learned over the radio. "Jason Henderson was stopped trying to enter your building, Sandoval. Seems he was trying to get to his step-daughter."