Tangled Web

By Sarah & Lanie

Chapter 19

September 2, 1999
Cory Mansion - Kitchen
7:15 AM

Cameron smiled at Helen as she set a stack of cinnamon toast on the counter in front of him. "Thanks, Helen. You're the best."

Helen blushed and smiled back at Cameron. Her fondness for him was openly reflected in the sparkle of her eyes. "Would you like a fresh cup of coffee with that, too?"

Cameron nodded and held out his mug to her as she gingerly poured the piping hot brew. He took a small sip and smiled at her with pleasure. "Now how do you do that?"

Helen lifted her eyebrows in response. "Do what?"

"How do you make the best coffee in town? I can't get a cup of coffee like this anywhere."

Helen giggled slightly and took a swing at him with a potholder. "Oh, Mr. Cameron, you are such a tease!"

Cameron smiled in response and started eating his breakfast. Matt walked into the kitchen a few minutes later. It was obvious that he had just awakened and stumbled downstairs. His hair was mussed, and he wore a navy robe. Cameron raised his eyebrows when Matt sat on the stool beside his.

"You're up early," Cameron observed as he watched Matt lean forward and place his elbows on the counter, obviously still trying to wake up.

Matt lifted his eyes to Cameron's. How can anyone be as wide-awake as he is this early in the morning? Matt thought to himself.

"I've got a busy day ahead of me. We've got a lot to do with the holiday weekend coming up. I'm going to be in meetings all day long. It's a good thing that we hired Tess Richardson when we did to take on part of the workload."

Matt watched Cameron for reaction. Cameron nodded. "Amanda says she's a workaholic."

"Yeah, she's great. Have you been around her much?"

Cameron had been fully intent on reading the paper and eating his breakfast until that point. He continued to do so trying not to react to the question, sensing that there was more behind it than Matt was willing to reveal.

"Only at the few social gatherings she's been at and the times I've seen her at Cory."

"So you haven't really been around her that much?"

Cameron narrowed his eyes and leveled his gaze on Matt. "What are….."

"Good morning!" Rachel called out as she walked into the kitchen. She walked over and stood between Cameron and Matt. "How are you two this morning?"

Matt leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "Good morning, Mom. You are wide awake."

"I have lots to do today," Rachel told him, then turned to Cameron, who placed a gentle kiss on her other cheek. "I suspect that you have been up for quite a while, young man."

"How did you know?" he asked with a smile.

"I've never seen anyone as fully awake as you are in the morning," she told him.

"Are you going in to the office today?" Matt asked her.

"No, I've far too much to do around here," Rachel responded as she walked to the refrigerator and removed child-sized cups of milk.

"Is there something going on?" Matt asked.

"Of course, we're having a family gathering. It's a three-day weekend. The perfect time for everyone to get together, don't you think? And I do mean everyone. There's no getting out of this one," she told Matt, but purposely looked back and forth between the two of them.

"Uh-oh, she's giving us the evil eye," Matt observed as he gently elbowed Cameron in the side.

"Something tells me that she'll hunt us down if we're not there," Cameron responded with a twinkle in his eye.

Rachel laughed. "Something like that."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Carlino's
8:15 AM

Tess pushed open the door and walked inside. She had the morning paper tucked under her arm. Her signature black suit had been replaced by a navy floral sleeveless dress with tiny white flowers. It was much too warm to wear a business suit today. Her hair was upswept into a loose twist, which allowed a few curls to frame her face. She walked to a booth and sat down intent on enjoying a peaceful breakfast. She barely nodded at Remy as she walked up and asked for Tess's order.

Lila Winthrop whisked through the door with Jasmine firmly on her hip. She was wearing a dark purple sundress. Jasmine had on a lilac shorts outfit and matching hat. Lila smiled as people noticed Jasmine. She was still beaming with motherly pride as she strode up to the counter.

"Good morning, Paulina."

"Hi, Lila. Oh, Jasmine, you get more beautiful every day. I can't believe how much she's grown."

"She's growing like a weed. I'll tell you what. I can't keep her in clothes."

Paulina smiled and looked a Remy as she brought a tray from the kitchen. "I bet it's a lot of fun buying clothes for little girls."

Lila noticed the sad look in Paulina's eyes and instinctively knew what she was thinking. "Well, it's just as much fun buying clothes for big girls too!"

Paulina nodded then smiled. "You're right. It is. So what brings the two of you out so early?"

"Cass had to drop some things off at the police station, then he's going to be in court all day so we thought we'd eat breakfast together."

"I'm glad you came here. Let me find you a seat."

Paulina looked around for an empty spot. It was tough to find one at this hour. People were stopping in to grab a bite before they started their workday. Lila looked around Paulina hoping that a seat would come open soon. Her eyes narrowed when she caught sight of Tess.

"Maybe you can sit at the bar until something comes open," Paulina suggested.

Lila shook her head. "That's all right. I see someone that I need to talk to. We'll just sit with her until then. She won't mind one bit."

Paulina gave Lila a puzzled look as Lila walked toward Tess Richardson. Paulina shook her head in confusion as she went back to the kitchen.

Lila strode purposefully toward Tess's table. She stopped beside the table and waited for Tess to look at her.

Tess slowly looked up from the newspaper. She leaned back and returned the challenging look in Lila's eyes, then raised her eyebrows.

"May I help you, Mrs. Winthrop?" She asked placing extra emphasis on Lila's last name.

Lila continued to stare at Tess then smiled a humorless smile. "You and I need to chat."

"Really. Unfortunately, I'm on my way to work. You can make an appointment with my secretary," Tess told her and started to leave.

Lila was lightening quick. She grabbed Tess's arm as she made a move to get up. "Not so fast. I'm sure Matthew won't mind if you're a bit late. This is important."

Tess looked down at Lila's hand where it rested on her arm. Lila saw the anger in her Tess's eyes and snatched her hand away. Tess did not respond but remained seated. Lila sat down and placed Jasmine on her lap. Jasmine cooed at Tess, then reached for her. Lila looked at her daughter as if she had betrayed her. She pulled her back against her tightly. Tess smiled at Jasmine, who gave her a toothy grin in response.

"Jasmine! That old tooth did come through, didn't it?" Tess said playfully and reached out her hand to Jasmine.

Lila pushed Tess's hand away. Tess tilted her head and gave Lila a threatening look.

"As I said, we need to chat. I'm on to you, Tess Richardson. I know about the restraining order that Matthew got for you. You may have him fooled, but you don't fool me."

"What is the purpose of this conversation, Lila?"

"I don't know what you're into, but I'm warning you now to stay away from Matthew."

"And what right do you have to tell me what to do?"

Lila smirked. "This child I'm holding in my arms. She is what gives me the right. This is Matthew's child. When you put Matt in danger, you put her in danger. I'm not going to sit idly by while you unleash your poison."

Tess lowered her voice. "I would never do anything to hurt Matt or Jasmine."

"You can't open your mouth without a lie coming out. I'm on to you, Tess. I'm warning you, if you hurt Matthew or put his life in danger in any way, you'll answer to me."

"Is that a threat?"

Lila smiled a humorless smile. "Oh no, that, honey, is a promise."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

David's Townhouse
6:15 PM

David flipped through the contract one last time, then looked up at Cindy. "We have the property in Tanquir ready to go. Now all we need is to get bids on the construction. Do you have that list of contractors?"

"Yeah," Cindy replied, holding out a sheet of paper.

David took the list and said, "Good. We can send out bid requests as soon as the paperwork is ready. I'll call the lawyers in the morning and see what they have. Now what about…"

"Enough!" Cindy interrupted with an exhausted sigh. "We've been working non-stop since seven thirty this morning. We even worked while we ate lunch, if you call coffee and stale cookies lunch."

"They weren't stale, Cindy," David said with a lopsided smile. "They were biscotti. They're supposed to be hard."

"Uh-huh. Well maybe you can subsist on caffeine and dog biscuits…"

"Biscotti."

"Whatever. I need some real food." Cindy reached over and took the contract out of David's hands. She put the papers down and grabbed his hand. As she pulled him toward the door, she said, "Come on, big guy. I'll treat."

David grinned as he allowed Cindy to pull him along. "I suppose that's an offer I can't refuse."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

6:30 PM

Tess waited just inside the door to her apartment building. She gave a slight wave to Rutherford who was stationed in a van across the street. He knew Cameron was on his way to pick her up so he had gone to the van to wait. Tess looked up at the sky skeptically. The thunderclouds were black in the distance. Leave it to Cameron to want to meet when there was a storm brewing. He loved storms. She remembered another stormy night just like this….

The rain poured as the lightening flashed above them. Tess and Cameron ran along the hidden path to the cabin.

"I told you that we should have left sooner," Tess spat at Cameron as they hurried toward shelter.

Cameron smiled. "I like a good storm."

Tess was infuriated by his smile. She growled low in response as she fumbled with the lock. She nearly fell when the door suddenly gave way. Cameron caught her around the waist, keeping her from falling. Tess jerked away from him, moving a few feet away.

"This is all your fault!" Tess yelled as she looked down at her new leather boots, which were ruined beyond repair.

"So you'll get a new pair."

"I just got these broken in! And I'm not going to be in Texas again any time soon," Tess shot back as she began tugging them off.

Cameron shook his head at her prickly reply. He was used to her moods. He watched as she began to tug at the buttons of her shirt.

Tess fumbled with the buttons. Her fingers would not work properly because the rain had made her cold. The cotton fabric had shrunk, making the buttonholes almost impossible to work. She pulled at them, then let out a half growl half scream of exasperation.

Cameron walked over and pushed her hands away from the buttons. He started to unbutton the shirt. Tess hit him in the chest hard, forcing him back a couple of steps. Cameron raised one eyebrow at her, then touched her chin, lifting her eyes to his.

"Quit being so damned stubborn," he told her.

Tess's eyes flashed with fire. "Quit provoking me!"

"Just let me help you, then I'll leave you alone."

Tess let her hands fall to her side and watched as Cameron quickly undid the buttons of her shirt. His fingers grazed her skin underneath. Tess felt a mixture of emotions. She swallowed hard, pushing them away.

Cameron looked at her and saw something in her eyes. It was a mixture of fire and ice. He pushed the shirt of her shoulders and Tess shrugged it to the floor. As should stood there in her black lace bra, Cameron felt his pulse accelerate. Her auburn hair fell in unruly waves across her shoulders. He leaned forward and grazed her chin with a gentle kiss. As he started to walk away, Tess grabbed him bringing him fully against her. They swayed in silent harmony with one another for a moment before their lips melded together. They nipped and teased each other as they slowly moved toward the roaring fire.

Tess slowly lay on the soft rug and Cameron followed. As he leaned down over her, they both paused. At the same moment, they looked at each other and yelled, "Ewwwwww!"

Tess wiped at her mouth as Cameron made a similar gesture.

"That was like…..like…..kissing my brother!" Tess said in disgust then made a spitting noise.

"I feel the need to go to confession and I'm not Catholic."

"I could have sworn… All of those missions where we were pretending to be involved, I thought… It felt like…".

"Like there was something more between us?" Cameron completed the thought for her. "I know what you mean." He smiled crookedly at her. "I guess we must be better at playacting than we thought."

"That night after the opera when we were alone in the apartment, I was sure something real was going on between us. If Kane hadn't called…"

"We would have found out the truth sooner, that's all," Cameron replied. Tess nodded in complete agreement.

"Promise me that we'll never mention this again," Tess said and held out her hand to him.

Cameron took her hand and nodded. "I promise."

Tess smiled as she recalled the incident. The very thought of the whole thing always managed to bring a smile to her face.

Tess still had a faint smile on her face when Cameron pulled alongside the curb in Amanda's white BMW. Tess looked up at the sky, which was filled with dark clouds, as she walked to the car. She would not be surprised if it started pouring anytime.

As Tess got in and closed the door, Cameron said, "What's got you standing around with a smile on your face?"

Tess cut her eyes at him and smiled again. "I was just thinking about another time that you dragged me out in a storm."

Cameron's eyes widened in surprise, then he smiled. "You weren't too happy with me then."

"Let's just say that I get a few smiles out of the whole thing now. So what's with the car?"

Cameron shrugged. "My car is in the shop again."

Tess rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Why don't you just buy a new one? It's not like you can't afford it."

"I'm not using Amanda's money."

"I'm not even going to say it," Tess responded looking at the dark skies once again. "Where are you taking me anyway?"

"Be patient."

Tess laughed. "That word isn't in my vocabulary."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Matt walked out the door of the Carrington Foundation offices. He had just finished a meeting and was on his way home after a long day. As he stepped to the edge of the curb and waited for the light to change so he could cross the street, he saw Amanda's car come to a stop at the red light. He started to wave when he saw that Cameron was driving. He froze in place and stared as the passenger leaned forward and turned toward Cameron.

"No, it couldn't be," Matt whispered out loud.

He started to cross the street before the light changed. Cars honked at him as he got half way across. The light changed and Cameron sped away. Matt ran toward his car without hesitation. His eyes never left the taillights of the white BMW.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cameron and Tess stopped in a secluded portion of Foster Park. They had almost finished talking about their next mode of operation involving Logan. Thunder rumbled above their heads.

"So we've got it all settled. Now you can take me home."

"Are you okay? You're very nervous all of a sudden."

Tess looked around. "I just don't want to get busted before this is over."

"Rutherford is watching out for you."

"Yeah, not that I need him to. I would be fine on my own," she told him as she patted her gun where she had tucked it in a concealed pocket inside her jacket.

The gun had gone with her everywhere since the night Logan's thugs had absconded with her. Even though Tess knew that people were watching out for her, she had to have a back up plan even if it meant someone seeing her gun.

Both Cameron and Tess spun around at the sound of a twig breaking. Tess rested her hand on her gun. Matt sauntered out of the shadows. He looked angrily between the two of them.

"So do you want to tell me what's going on here?" Matt demanded.

Tess and Cameron looked at each other.

"What are you doing here, Matt?" Tess asked.

"I followed the two of you. For two people who barely know each other, you seem awfully cozy."

"Matt, this really isn't any of your business," Cameron said flatly.

Matt's eyebrows shot up. "Where my sister is involved it is my business."

Tess looked back and forth between the two men. Cameron had told her several times how well he and Matt got along with each other. On a professional level, it would not bother her if the two of them did not like each other nor that they had a misunderstanding. But on a personal level, she could not allow her deceptions to come between them.

"It's my fault," Tess said hurriedly. "I freaked out over this business with Logan so I wanted to get Cameron's opinion on what I should do about it since this whole thing falls in his line of work."

Matt seemed to accept her explanation and immediately relaxed. "That makes sense. I should have thought about that since Cameron was trained by the FBI. I’m sorry for thinking the worst."

Cameron nodded at Matt.

Tess turned to Cameron. "Thanks for meeting with me. I'll be in touch."

Cameron gave her a searching look, then left the clearing. When he was out of sight, Tess turned on Matt with fire in her eyes.

"Just hear me….."

"Why were you following me?" She asked in disbelief.

"I can explain, Tess."

"I thought we agreed that you were going to let me get everything worked out and then I would come to you."

A fork of lightening lit the sky followed by the clap of thunder.

"I can't leave you alone, Tess. I'm afraid something horrible will happen to you. Don't you know that?"

Tess stared at him with a mixture of anger and awe. This man cared about her. It was not like the way her partners cared about her. This was something different. This was something that she had never felt before.

"You don't have to be my keeper, Matt. I think you did more than enough when you got the restraining order against Logan. Just go home."

Matt narrowed his eyes at her. "'Go home'? Is that what you want, Tess?"

"Yes, that's what I want."

"Just tell me what this is all about. You can tell me anything."

"Matt, I'm warning you…."

"The truth, Tess. Tell me the truth."

Tess shook her head at him and brushed past him to walk away. He grabbed Tess's arm spinning her around to face him. They glared at one another as the first raindrops started to fall.

I never liked the rain until I walked through it with you
Every thundercloud that came was one more I might not get through
On the darkest day there's always light and now I see it too
But I never liked the rain until I walked through it with you

Tess jerked away from him and continued walking down the sidewalk. Matt paused for a moment before running after her.

"Why won't you answer me?"

Tess kept walking and the rain fell harder.

"Leave it alone, Matt. I've told you before that this is something I have to handle. I'm a big girl. Go home, Matthew."

"I can't," he confessed as the rain began to fall harder.

I hear it falling in the night and filling up my mind
All the heaven's rivers come to light and I see it all unwind
I hear it talking through the trees and on the windowpane
And when I hear it I just can't believe I never liked the rain

Like the rain I have fallen for you and I know just why you
Liked the rain always calling for you I'm falling for you now
Just like the rain

Tess heard the emotion in his voice and it tugged at her heart. She could tell him everything. But what if he could not live with it? What if he could not understand what she did for a living? She was not sure that she could handle the rejection.

"I’m leaving before I get soaked," she told him and once again tried to walk away.

"Please, Tess," he pleaded.

Tess took a step and paused. The skies opened up above them and the rain poured down. She turned closing the few steps between them. She lifted her lips to his and they kissed undaunted by the storm clouds surrounding them. All the passion they felt for one another was expressed with breathtaking, hungry kisses.

When the cloud is rolling over thunder striking me
It's as bright as lightning and I wonder why I couldn't see
That it's always good and when the flood is gone we still remain
Guess I've known all along I just belong here with you falling

Like the rain I have fallen for you and I know just why you
Liked the rain always calling for you, I'm falling for you now
Just like the rain I have fallen for you
I'm falling for you know just like the rain

As they caught their breath, their eyes searched the face of the other. Matt put his hand on her cheek.

"You are so beautiful. I can't get enough of you."

"One of these days, I'll remind you that you said that," Tess teased.

Matt looked at her seriously. "You won't have to because I will say it for the rest of our lives."

Tess's smile died on her face. She looked at him in confusion. Her heart pounded a frantic rhythm as his words spun in her head.

"Matt…." She began.

He placed his fingers on her lips. "No, not this time, Tess. This time I'm going to finish."

Tess stared at him wide-eyed.

"I am madly, deeply, head-over-heels in love with you, Tess Richardson. I love you," he declared.

Tess stared at him for a moment. She was not sure if it was rain or tears that slid down her cheeks. She opened her mouth to say something, but could not find the words. As Matt waited for her to say something, Tess pushed past him leaving him standing alone in the rain.

And when the night falls on our better days
And we're looking to the sky
For the winds to take us high above the plains
I know that we'll find better ways to look into the eye
of the storms that will be calling
Forever we'll be falling

Like the rain I have fallen for you, and I know just why you
Like the rain always calling for you, I'm falling for you now just
Like the rain….

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

David's Townhouse

David opened the door and waited while Cindy walked into the townhouse. As he closed the door behind them, he said, "I still can't get over that restaurant. That's the best Chinese food I've had in ages, but I never would have noticed the place on my own. How did you find that little hole in the wall anyway?"

"Did you notice how close it was to the hospital? I found Mai Lyn's when I first moved to Bay City. I'd go there for lunch or after my shift when I was still a nurse. I haven't been there for a long time."

"Why not?" David asked as he sat down on the couch.

Cindy sat down next to David. "Mai Lyn's didn't exactly fit Grant's 'image is everything' motto. It wasn't appropriate for the mayor to be seen in a little family restaurant, even if the food was great."

"I see." David could see that discussing Grant, even peripherally, brought up bad memories for Cindy, so he tried to move the conversation to a different subject. "So what other secrets of Bay City can you share with me?"

"Wait a minute, buster. I did most of the talking during dinner. I think it's your turn."

"What do you mean?"

Cindy considered asking David about what had him so distracted, but something about the look on his face warned her not to. "Well, it's just that you know all the gory details of my life and I'm totally in the dark about you. So tell me something about yourself."

"Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know… Tell me what it was like growing up in the lap of luxury."

David burst out laughing. "You'd have to ask someone else. I don’t have the first idea what that's like. I grew up just about as far from easy street as you can get."

"I'm surprised. You seem very comfortable being filthy rich. I assumed you had grown up in a big house on the hill."

"Try a small house in the flatlands. My parents owned a small farm in Nebraska. I grew up literally in the middle of nowhere."

"A farm? I have a hard time picturing you slopping the hogs."

David laughed quietly. "Well, we didn't have any hogs, but I did have almost every other chore you can imagine: feeding livestock, working in the fields, you name it, I did it."

"What was it like? Did you love living in the bucolic wonderland?"

"Actually, I hated it," David said with an ironic laugh. "I swore to myself that the first chance I got that I'd be out of there. I wanted something bigger and better for myself than owning a farm that was large enough to be a lot of work but small enough that it never made any money. I used to spend whatever free time I had reading travel books."

Cindy smiled softly, fascinated by the pieces of himself that David was sharing with her. She planted her elbow on the back of the couch and propped her chin on her fisted hand. "Travel books, huh? Exotic locations from around the globe that you'd visit some day?"

"Not necessarily 'exotic'. I read anything I could get my hands on. I read books about Canada, Europe, New York City… My motto was basically 'anywhere but here'."

"So what happened? I know, you got a scholarship to an Ivy League business school and the rest is history, right?"

David shook his head. "Hardly. When I was a senior in high school, my parents were both killed in a car accident."

Cindy's smile melted away at the obvious pain in David's voice. She reached out and placed a consoling hand on his arm. "Oh, David, I'm so sorry."

David tried to shrug off the pain. "It was a long time ago."

"Still, it must have been hard losing both of your parents when you were so young. What happened to you? Did a family member take you in?"

"No. My parents were the youngest children in both of their families and they had me late in life. I was their only child. When they died, I'd already lost my grandparents, my aunts and uncles too. There was no one left to take care of me, and since I was still under eighteen, I became a ward of the state."

"Where did you go?" Cindy asked with a lump in her throat. She couldn't imagine being so alone in the world at a young age. It had to have been terrifying.

"You don't need to be so sad for me, Cindy," David assured her with a smile that said he was glad of her compassion. "I was luckier than most. My best friend in high school, Bryan, lived with his family nearby. They took me in until I graduated so that I wouldn't have to live at the boy's home in Omaha. I got to finish school there rather than moving to the city."

"I'm glad there was somebody there for you," Cindy commented softly. "What did you do after graduation? Did you head off to college in the big city?"

"No," David said with a shake of his head. "With all the work I did at the farm, I never spent as much time as I should have studying. My grades weren't terrible, but they weren't good enough to earn a scholarship anywhere."

"So once you were eighteen, did you sell your parents' farm to make some money?"

"The farm was long gone by then. The place was deeply in debt when my parents passed away. Even the life insurance policies weren't enough to get it out of the red. The bank foreclosed on the property as soon as my parents' wills went through estate."

"Since the farm was gone and you didn't go to college, what did you do?"

"The same thing anyone else did back then who didn't stay home or go to college. I joined the military."

Cindy nodded as she came to a realization. "So that's what you meant."

"I'm sorry, I don't follow you."

"The day you went to the shooting range, you said something about 'old habits dying hard'. I didn’t understand what you were referring to at the time, but now it makes sense. So how long did you stay in the service?"

"Six years. I was building a career there. It wasn't what I wanted, but I was reasonably happy. I got to see a lot of the places that I'd read about, and I was earning money towards a college education."

"So you left as soon as you had the money for college."

"Actually, I left because I got the offer of a lifetime."

"Really? What was it?"

"Bryan. His grades had always been better than mine. He got a college scholarship and left for school right after graduation. He got his bachelors degree and an MBA. When he finished grad school, he moved back to Nebraska and decided to start an investment firm in Omaha. That's when he called me. He asked me to be his partner, and I said yes."

"Wasn't that pretty risky?"

"Very. But I knew if anyone could make a go of it, it was Bryan. He was always a go-getter. So, I quit the military and moved back to Nebraska. I worked with Bryan to develop the firm during the day and took business classes at night and on the weekend."

"Well, you obviously made the right choice. Were you two an overnight success?"

"Not overnight, but we were luckier than we probably deserved to be. It turned out that I had quite a knack for making money fast. Bryan kept the business grounded, and I was the risk-taker. The balance worked out perfectly."

"So where is Bryan now? Is he still in Omaha?"

David shook his head. Cindy watched the light in his eyes dim. "Bryan died last year. He was diagnosed with cancer eighteen months ago. It went through him so quickly that he died less than six months later. There was nothing the doctors could do except make him comfortable."

Although he spoke matter-of-factly, Cindy could see the pain in David's eyes when he spoke of losing his friend. After losing his parents when he was so young, losing his best friend had to have been devastating. Cindy took David's hand and squeezed it gently. "I don't know what to say… I'm sorry. That must have been horrible for you."

"I didn't realize it at the time, but I think I went a little crazy. Without Bryan there to be the voice of reason, I started taking bigger and bigger chances. I made some bad investments that lost a great deal of money for my clients. I tried to make up for it with even riskier investments, hoping to regain the ground I'd lost quickly. When the new investments tanked, I made more bad choices. Some of the people who worked at the firm saw what was happening and tried to stop me, but I wouldn't listen. I fired anyone who dared voice concerns about what I was doing. I was completely out of control."

"Is that when the Feds froze your assets?"

David nodded. "I don't know how they found out, but some of the clients came to me and wanted to pull their accounts from the firm. When I didn't have the funds to cover their demands, the SEC started an investigation into the company. It wasn't long after that when they brought charges. And then…" David looked away, unable to voice what had happened to him the night at the railroad tracks. "Well, I somehow ended up here in Bay City lying in a hospital bed. During those intervening months, the whole mess miraculously got straightened out and the charges were dropped. You know the rest."

Cindy gazed at David. She saw the echo of emptiness in his eyes. More than anything, she wanted to remove that loneliness from his expression. "You've lost so much in your life, but you don't need to feel alone now. I know how you feel. I've lost people I loved too. I know it's not the same, but I'm here now, and I'll stay as long as you need me to."

David closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, they met Cindy's. She reached up and placed her palm against his cheek. He could see the sincerity in her eyes, the affection. It washed through him, dulling the sharp pain he was feeling and transforming it to a softer feeling of melancholy. "Thank you… It's been a long time since I've allowed myself to… depend on anyone. But having you here, talking to you about these memories… it helped."

Cindy scooted closer to David on the couch. She hugged him to her, offering whatever comfort she could provide. At first, she felt the tension in David. But as she continued holding him, his unease faded away. His arms enclosed her and he held her tightly to him. They stayed that way for several minutes, Cindy silently offering comfort and David slowly opening up to her enough to accept it.

They eventually leaned back to look at each other. David smiled softly and ran a finger down Cindy's nose, then across her lips and underneath her chin. "The people in this town have no idea."

Cindy's pulse had accelerated with the simple touch. As a result, her voice was slightly breathy when she spoke. "No idea about what?"

"What a big heart you hide underneath your flashy clothes and sarcastic attitude."

"It's a side I don't want people to see," Cindy said quietly.

A small wrinkle formed between David's eyes. "Why not?"

"When you let people in, they have the power to hurt you," Cindy confessed before she could stop herself. She hadn’t intended to blurt out the truth like that, but she suddenly found that her carefully constructed walls were crumbling. After all the time she'd spent building them up, it was a shock to find them gone without knowing how it had happened.

David listened to Cindy and heard his own thoughts echoing in her words. He felt an emotion he couldn't define spring up within himself. Rather than dwelling on what the sensation meant, he simply acted the way it prompted him to. He reached out and cupped his hand around Cindy's neck. He caught her eyes in an intense gaze and whispered, "I would never intentionally hurt you. You know that, don't you?"

Cindy's heart leapt at the look in David's eyes and the tone of his voice. She felt like she was standing at the edge of a cliff leaning over the edge of it. Any second now, she would lose her balance completely and plunge forward into… something. The sensation frightened her even as it made her heady with anticipation. Out of habit, she grinned wickedly. "You know what they say the road to hell is paved with."

David didn’t react to her quip the way that Cindy expected. He shook his head and pressed a finger against her lips. "Don't make jokes. Not now." He locked his eyes on hers. Cindy's smile quickly faded. She felt off balance again. But this time she didn’t fight the sensation. She let herself fall.

I don't know what is going on
You turn around and touch my heart
A silent moment speaks the truth

David seemed to know the second it happened. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Instead of the demanding kiss she'd expected, David gently brushed his mouth against hers. The kiss was sweet and tender… and it hit them both like a shock wave.

Something has happened all at once
It should have scared me in advance
But I was falling in those eyes of yours

Gentleness was forgotten in an instant. David's mouth opened over Cindy's and she welcomed the fire that burst to life inside her. She groaned softly in the back of her throat, the sound barely audible as she crushed her lips to David's. They kissed almost desperately, needing to feel a part of each other, blindly seeking something they could not express aloud.

And so
Fear was gone
I knew
There was nothing else I'd ever want

Not knowing which of them initiated it, Cindy found herself lying back on the couch. David was leaning over her as they continued kissing passionately. David's lips traveled down Cindy's neck and across her collarbone. A small gasp escaped her throat as his tongue shot out and laved the skin there. One of Cindy's hands was tangled in David's hair. The other ran down his back to pull him down toward her.

I know you
You're not from here
I've waited for you to appear
To take my breath away
And make me weep…

Cindy's breath caught as David settled fully against her. She could feel the strength of his long frame resting heavily against her entire torso. The sweet pressure was both a release and a further torture. It seemed she couldn’t get him close enough.

You're not from here
Not from this here and now
Just a touch of yours
And I fly…

David felt Cindy shift under him and the result of her movement drove him wild. She had moved so that her legs curved around his, bringing their bodies into contact that would have been completely intimate without the barrier of their clothing. David felt his control slipping away from him. It wouldn't be long before they reached the point of no return… if they weren't there already.

The strident sound of the phone ringing caused David to lift his head. He looked down into Cindy's eyes. She reached up and hooked a hand behind his neck. "Ignore it," she pleaded huskily.

David wanted to ignore the phone and lose himself in the heat between them. The phone rang again. David sighed heavily and pressed a quick kiss to Cindy's lips. "I have to get it. I'm expecting some important information."

David pushed himself up and walked toward the phone. "Can't it wait?" Cindy asked hopefully.

David turned and smiled. With his hand on the receiver, he promised, "If this isn't the call I've been waiting for, I'll hang up and rip the cord out of the wall. That's a promise." Cindy smiled, clearly appeased with his answer. David chuckled and picked up the phone. "David Halliday…" The smile faded as David's expression turned intense. "Keith, did you find what I was looking for? … Where? … I'll be on the next flight out. Can you keep things under wraps until I get there? … Great. I owe you big for this one, Keith. I'll see you soon."

David hung up the phone and turned to walk over to his desk. "That was the call I was waiting for," he said over his shoulder.

Cindy stood up and watched David rummage through his desk. He pulled out his passport and shoved it into his jacket pocket. As he was putting some files in his briefcase, Cindy replied, "So I guessed. I'm also guessing you have to go somewhere."

David snapped the latches on his briefcase closed and grabbed the case. He set it next to the door and said, "Yes. This is something that requires my immediate attention."

Cindy followed David into his room and watched while he pulled a garment bag out of his closet. As he raced around the room gathering the things he needed for his trip, Cindy sat down on the edge of his bed. "I guess it would be pointless for me to remind you that you have dozens of employees who could handle this meeting for you."

David put a couple of suits into the garment bag and zipped it up. "Not this time. I need to handle this myself."

Cindy had expected that answer. She had an eerie feeling that this sudden trip had something to do with what had been keeping David so preoccupied recently. David went to the closet and grabbed an overnight bag. As he walked into the adjoining bathroom, Cindy said, "I don't suppose I could come along with you?"

David paused while putting his shaving kit into the bag. He considered Cindy's request and found himself wanting to say yes. He could use her support when… No, he couldn't do that. He wanted to keep Cindy out of this mess if at all possible. She'd had enough problems without him adding his personal mission to the pile. Until he had the situation sorted out, it was best to keep Cindy out of it.

David walked out of the bathroom and dropped the bag next to the bed. He sat down next to Cindy and said, "As much as I'd like to have you along, I think it's best if you stay here."

"Are you afraid I'll mess things up?"

David shook his head. "No. I'm afraid you'll distract me, and I can't afford that on this trip."

"Serious business, huh?"

"Extremely," David replied earnestly.

Cindy gave a disappointed sigh, then shrugged. "Ok. But call me when you get wherever it is you're going. All this talk about 'serious business' has me worried."

"I'll call, I promise." David leaned in and kissed Cindy quickly. As he started to pull away, she grabbed his shoulders and gave him a long, passionate kiss. When she released him, David leaned back and smiled at her. "Wow. You sure know how to give a memorable good bye."

Cindy smiled slyly and said, "I'm even better at 'welcome home', big guy."

David chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind." He kissed her cheek before standing up and grabbing his bags. At the door, he turned around and smiled. "I'll see you soon."

Cindy sat on the bed with her hand raised in a wave long after he'd left the room. When she heard the front door shut, her hand dropped to her side and she flopped back on the bed. She lay there for a while listening to the silence and hoping it wouldn't last long.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tess closed the door of her apartment, then leaned heavily against it. Her clothes were soaked and her hair hung in a saturated unruly mass of curls. She threw her shoes across the room oblivious to the sound of breaking glass. With a strangled cry, she slid down the door and the tears flowed from her eyes. Her body shook with violent sobs. The cold facade was completely gone as she allowed the raw emotions to overtake her body.

I have to get out of here. I've got to leave Bay City before…..before….

Tess wiped the tears from her face as she willed herself to get her emotions under control. She slowly stood and padded to the phone on shaky legs. Gripping the receiver tightly, Tess punched the numbers and waited as the call rang through.

"It’s Devlin. I want out. I’m leaving Bay City tonight," Tess told the party on the other end.

"That is not an option, my dear," Kane intoned from the other end of the phone. "When that job is completed, you will get your new assignment."

"You don’t understand. I can’t stay here anymore."

"No, you don’t understand. This is your job. I sent you there specifically for this operation and you will finish it. Don’t bother me with this nonsense again," Kane yelled at her, then there was a loud click.

Tess stared at the receiver for a moment, then hung up the phone. She walked to the bookcases in the room and pulled out a row of books, which revealed a thin metal box with a lock. She heaved the box out of its hiding place and walked with it to the couch. She opened the ginger jar on the table beside the couch and pulled out the tiny key taped inside the lid. With trembling hands, Tess unlocked the box and looked at the contents. She pulled a thick manila folder from the top and stared at it. In large letters was the name "Sinclair". She flipped through the contents thinking back to the day that she had first discovered it.

Tess walked purposely through the halls of the FBI headquarters. It was a maze. As she approached a metal door, she placed her hand against a matte black plate on the wall and said, "Devlin." The door in front of her slid aside and she walked farther into the bowels of the building.

She approached the desk in front of her. The man sitting there gave her an intense stare. Tess nodded at him, then flashed her identification.

"Agent Richardson, I've been expecting you," he said in a low monotone.

"You have the files I requested."

The man handed her a large, thick manila envelope. Tess signed the clipboard, then continued on her way down the hall.

She entered a small conference room and closed the door behind her. Tess entered a code ensuring that no one else could enter the room. She sat down and began taking out the contents of the envelope, which she then placed on the table in front of her.

"Let's see what we've got on you, Mr. Logan. I don't want any surprises when I get to Bay City."

Tess sifted through the contents, then removed the last file from the envelope. Her eyes widened visibly when she saw the name on the label…"Sinclair". Tess quickly looked through the contents of the folder.

"My God, I've got to tell Cameron."

Some instinct had told her that if she shared what she had discovered with Cameron, he might end up dead, and she could not deal with that. So she had lifted the file and tucked it safely away.

"If they won’t let me out the easy way, then I can always make their lives miserable," she said out loud as she stared at the file.

Tess looked at the phone. Cameron had to see this. She looked between the phone and the file several times before she set the file aside. Delving deeper into the box, she found pictures of Cameron and herself taken at various stages during their partnership. So much had changed.

Little boys and little girls dream of big, big things.
They're taught at a tender age just what life should bring.
Get a job, say "I do", and settle yourself down.
But what about those of us whose lives are still spinnin' around.

She picked up another picture of Cameron, Hawk, and Scout. Tess traced their faces with her index finger. They were family. She stared into the distance for a moment.

Tell me what's so great about picket fences.
Paintin' them's such a mess.
And a big back yard where kids can play.
I'd probably never get a moment's rest…..

Wherever Cameron is. . . .that’s home. It was the first time she had admitted that to herself. They had been on many separate missions, but each time something was missing. Tess became lost in herself as the significance of her thoughts weighed on her mind.

What's so great about picket fences?
I guess I'll never know.

Here I am in my prime at least they tell me so.
And if I go to sleep at night I always go alone…..

Then there was Matthew. Why had he said it? Why? Her feelings for him were raging out of control. She looked at him and saw…… she saw things that were only seen in movies or written in a fanciful romance novel. Things to her that were foreign and confused her further, spinning her world out of control.

"Matthew," she breathed as she closed her eyes. A single tear slowly slid down her already dampened cheek.

I guess that I could have it all and someone by my side.
But I can't take the give and take the price is just too high…

Tell me what's so great about picket fences.
I guess I'll never know…

Pushing the pictures of her "family" aside, she picked up another. A tall, rugged, handsome man held a little girl with curly hair. She put the other items back in the box and slid the box underneath the couch. Tess held the one picture out in front of her. Her body began to shake again.

"What do I do, Daddy?" She sobbed slipping into a comfortable Texas drawl, then she rolled up into a ball and felt all the misery she had ever felt in her life surround her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cameron smiled as he watched Amanda fuss with her hair. He could not figure out what the big deal was about combing it before bedtime. It was a waste of energy as far as he was concerned. Especially when he had other ideas as to what to do with that energy.

"Mom has big plans for us this weekend," Amanda told him.

Cameron tugged his shirt out of the waist of his pants and began unbuttoning it. "Yeah, she was telling Matt and me all about it."

"I think it will be good for the whole family to be together."

"Yeah, it will. I hope that there is time for some other activities as well," Cameron confessed as he stepped out of his pants.

Amanda’s eyes shot to him, then she smiled. "Cameron Sinclair, where is your mind?"

Cameron shrugged. "Can you blame me? This house is like Grand Central Station."

Amanda laid the brush on the vanity. She glided across the room into the circle of Cameron’s arms. He leaned down and she met him half way as they kissed. Amanda laid her head against his neck as she hugged him tightly.

"Aw, my poor baby," she said in a little girl voice.

Cameron smiled as he looked over her shoulder. His body stiffened as a cold chill moved his body. He stepped away from Amanda as if he had been burned.

"Cameron? Cameron, what is it? What’s wrong?" Amanda asked with concern as Cameron pulled on a pair of jeans and took a tee shirt out of the chest of drawers.

"I need to go."

"Where . . .where do you need to go?" Amanda asked.

"Something is wrong. I can feel it."

With that, Cameron ran out the door of the bedroom. Amanda stood in the middle of the room looking after him. He was hiding something and it made the hair on her neck stand on end. Amanda’s eyes narrowed as her mind spun with possibilities. She walked to the phone and dialed.

"Gary, I’m sorry to call so late."

"Amanda, what’s wrong?" Gary asked anxiously. He could sense something was amiss by her tone of voice.

"I don’t know. I honestly don’t know. Cameron was fine one second, then bolted out of here the next with no explanation. I don't know what's going on with him."

Gary sighed heavily. "I don’t know, either, Amanda. When did he leave?"

"Just a few seconds ago."

"Listen, Amanda, let me see if I can run him down."

"Are you sure, Gary? I don’t want to bother you with this."

"Don’t you worry your pretty little head about this. I’m going to take care of everything."

For some reason, his assurance soothed Amanda’s wounded feelings. "Thanks, Gary."

After they each hung up the phone, Gary grabbed his keys and walked out the door. As he squealed out of the driveway, he said. "I’m getting to the bottom of this tonight."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ryan crouched near the edge of the woods on the Cory estate. He had on a pair of headphones that allowed him to hear the feed from the bug Cameron had planted in the study. The entire team had agreed that keeping tabs on Carl was a necessity now that his curiosity about Grant's grave had been peaked. Cameron had hated planting a listening device in Amanda's family home, but he'd agreed that it was better than chancing Carl stumbling onto their investigation and the team being caught unaware.

Carl was talking on the phone about Cory business, so for the moment, they were safe. Ryan was about to return to the surveillance van on the access road when he saw Cameron come bolting out of the house. He made a beeline for the garage. Moments later, Ryan heard the loud squeal of tires and a white car shot out of the garage.

Ryan ran across the lawn and jumped into his car rather than entering the van. He knew the surveillance team could keep an eye on Carl. He was more concerned about not losing Cameron. Wherever he was rushing off to, Ryan was determined to follow. Something had to have gone very wrong for Cameron to act so rashly. Ryan started his car and put it into gear. As he tailed Cameron, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hawk slid stealthily through the front door and shut it behind him. Although he was heavily disguised, he knew that he was taking a huge risk. He'd warned Ryan more times than he could count about doing this exact thing. But something inside him had made him ignore his own advice. He had not been able to stop himself from coming here.

Hawk slipped silently up the stairs and down the hall toward the bedroom. The door stood partially open. Hawk flattened himself against the wall and sidled toward the doorway. When he reached the jamb, he peered around it carefully, moving slowly so as not to be noticed if the occupant of the room was awake.

She wasn't. Despite the relatively early hour, she was curled up on the bed asleep. She was fully dressed and lying on top of the covers, like she'd unintentionally drifted off. Hawk had instinctually known that she was asleep, and he didn't intend to wake her up.

Hawk entered the room and quietly approached the side of the bed. He knelt down so that he was at eye level with her. Being so close to her and unable to hold her was torturous. Hawk had expected it to be difficult, but the urge to wake her was nearly overwhelming.

Hawk stared at her face as if trying to burn her image into his memory. It had been so long since he'd been this close to her. A lock of hair had fallen across her forehead and he itched to brush it away. Did she remember every detail the way he did? Or had the memories faded for her?

The emergency pager in his pocket vibrated. Hawk pulled it out and read the message on the display screen: Hawk - 911 - Call me ASAP - Scout.

Hawk shoved the pager back into his pocket. He had to leave and make that phone call. He gazed lovingly at the woman sleeping peacefully on the bed. In a barely audible whisper, he said, "I've missed you more than you will ever know. When this is all over, nothing on this earth will take me away from you ever again. I love you… Blackie."

Michael Hudson stood up and quickly made his way out of Donna's apartment. He had a job to do.

Back inside, Donna shot up on the bed. "Michael? Michael, where are you?" As it always did, the realization that she'd been dreaming brought with it a wave of pain and sorrow. Donna closed her eyes tightly against the anguish. Tears slid down her cheeks unnoticed. "Why can't I let you go? Why is it that no matter how hard I try to say goodbye, I still hold you in my heart?" Donna pulled her knees up in front of her protectively and sobbed into her folded arms.

The world moves on
With no regret
And though you're gone
There are feelings I'll never forget
So I remember you
And though I try
I don't know how to say good-bye

Donna raised her head and wiped the tears from her cheeks. She rose slowly from the bed and walked over to her dresser. She picked up a framed photograph of herself and Michael. They were looking at each other rather than at the camera. Donna's hands rested on Michael's shoulders and his were clasped around her waist. Happiness and love exuded from both of their smiling expressions. Donna smiled softly to herself. The smile turned bittersweet as she traced Michael's image in the picture.

The house we used to share
Still looks as if you're there
And I won't change a thing
Not even the wedding ring I wear

Donna put down the photo and opened a bureau drawer. She quickly changed into a nightgown and crawled into bed. She curled up under the covers and concentrated on not dreaming about what could have been…

The evenings fall
Much harder now
The stars grow small
And the moon seems so different somehow
But every time I think of you
The moon and I
Know you're the only reason why
I don't know how to say good-bye

Author's Note: "Like the Rain" was recorded by Clint Black and can be found on his CD entitled The Greatest Hits. The lyrics quoted in David and Cindy's scene were from the song "You're Not From Here", performed by Lara Fabian on her self-titled CD. "Picket Fences" was recorded by Chely Wright on her CD entitled Single White Female. The song used for Donna's scene was "I Don't Know How To Say Good-bye" from Linda Eder's CD, It's Time. Click on the hyperlinked title(s) to listen to a Real media clip from the song.

(click here to continue on to chapter twenty)