The Truth, And Nothing But The Truth - Part 4

Chapter 20

Sheridan looked out the front window when she heard the car drive up. It was Evan and Kay with the baby. She wanted Evan to have a nice visit with his son, but she also wanted him to get the DNA test done. Once they got settled in for the weekend she was going to broach the subject with him. She turned to look at her babies sitting in their swings. They looked so adorable in their little bib overalls, and she smiled at them.

�Your Uncle Evan is here, and he has your cousin with him.� She walked over to the French door and called Luis. �Luis, Evan is here with the baby.�

Luis was standing at the grill, basting his ribs when Sheridan called. �I�ll be there in a minute Sheridan.�

Sheridan opened the door. �Evan,� she said, kissing his cheek. �Kay, I am so glad that you decided to come.�

�Thanks Sheridan, I appreciate the invitation to dinner,� Kay said, smiling.

�I�m afraid little Evan is dead to the world,� Evan said in a low voice. �He fell asleep in the car on the way over here.�

�Oh yes, the car will put them out every time. I have the portable baby bed set up in the guestroom. We can put him down there for his nap,� Sheridan said, leading the way.

�I don�t know if I want to leave him up there when we�re all down here Sheridan,� Evan said, concerned.

Sheridan smiled. �Evan, I promise he�ll be fine. We�ll put the baby monitor up there, and that way we can hear him when he wakes up. I promise I do it all the time.�

After Sheridan and Evan went upstairs, Kay walked over to the twins and squatted down in front of them. �Hi you little cuties,� she said, shaking a little jingling teddy bear in front of the twins. They both laughed at Kay�s antics, so she picked up the pink lamb and made the teddy bear kiss the lamb. �See, Mr. Bear likes the little pink lamb.........�

�Don�t you think my children are a little young for the facts of life?� Luis said, coming up behind her.

�Oh Luis, I didn�t hear you come in,� Kay said, standing up. She noticed that Luis had on a full apron that said Kiss the Cook, and she couldn�t help but laugh. �Nice apron Luis,� she joked.

�Hey, don�t make fun,� Luis said, looking down at his apron. �Cooking my ribs is a very precise undertaking, and the process of brushing on the barbeque sauce can get messy sometimes.�

�Okay Luis, that�s all I need to know, and I promise that I�ll keep this to myself,� Kay laughed.

�So, where are Sheridan, Evan and the baby?� Luis asked.

�The poor little guy fell asleep on the way over here, and they took him upstairs to put him to bed.�

�So, how are you doing Kay?� Luis asked when he noticed a look of sadness in her eyes. �I know this can�t be easy for you.�

�You�re right it�s not, but I care about Evan and I�m going to stand behind him. Besides, that sweet little baby needs somebody to save him from Lauren.�

�Yeah, that was the same impression I got from Sheridan.�

�I can�t wait for Evan to get a DNA test done, and if it turns out that the baby is Evan�s I think he should take little Evan away from that monster Lauren.�

********************

After they got the baby settled, Sheridan and Evan stepped out into the hallway. When Evan looked hesitant to leave, Sheridan asked him what was wrong.

�Are you sure he�s going to be okay up here by himself?�

Sheridan smiled. �Evan, people put their children down for naps all the time. Even before there was such a thing as baby monitors. You need to relax a little.�

�Okay, I know that I�m being overprotective, but I just feel so sorry for him. He seems so sad to me. Lauren isn�t exactly what I�d call the perfect mother.�

�I�m glad you brought that up Evan, because I think that since you have the baby this weekend it would be a perfect time to take him to the hospital to get his blood drawn. We can ask Eve to do the DNA test............�

�I don�t know about that Sheridan. I�ve been giving that some thought, and I�m not sure that a DNA test is really necessary.�

Sheridan was shocked to put it mildly. �Evan, you can�t be serious? Don�t you want to have the proof that you�re the child�s father?�

�Maybe I don�t Sheridan. I love that little boy, and if it turns out that I�m not the father, then who�s going to be there to protect him? He�s just an innocent baby and I can�t just stand back and let Lauren destroy his life.�

�Oh sweetie,� Sheridan said, pulling him into a hug. �I know this is hard for you, and I have to admit that I�m very concerned for little Evan�s welfare too, but you have to know the truth. What if, God forbid, there was a medical emergency with the child, and he needed something that only a biological father could give? Besides Evan, you need that proof if you should ever want to challenge the custody. I promise you that if it turns out that you are not the father, we will find a way to make sure that the baby is all right.�

�Okay Sheridan, I�ll have the test done, but it�s going to tear me up inside if it turns out that I�m not little Evan�s father.�

�Everything is going to be okay,� Sheridan said, smiling at him. �Let�s go downstairs and see how Luis is doing with his ribs.�

�You go ahead Sheridan. I�ll be down in a few minutes.�

�Don�t be long,� she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Sheridan walked down the steps and saw Kay playing with the twins. �Don�t tell me that Luis is still out at that grill? I�m sorry Kay, I didn�t mean to desert you to babysitting duty with Luke and Lily.�

�Well actually, Luis was already in here looking for you, but he was worried that if he left his ribs unattended for too long they would get ruined. I�ve been having fun with the twins playing with Mr. Bear. Where�s Evan?�

�Oh, he�ll be down in a minute,� Sheridan said, walking toward her. �Kay, I know that you told me the other day that you were fine with all of this, but I have a feeling that this isn�t very easy for you. I just want to thank you for standing behind Evan through this whole thing. You�re a pretty special person Kay, and I�m glad that Evan has you in his life.�

�You�re right Sheridan. This hasn�t been easy, but I love Evan and no matter how this whole thing plays out, I will still love him.�

Sheridan put her hand on Kay�s shoulder, and smiled down at her. �I better go check on Luis.�

Kay watched as Sheridan walked out the French door. She smiled when she saw Luis put his arm around her, and pull her next to him. It seemed like so long ago that they had danced the tango that day at the youth center. It had been her idea that they dance, and she couldn�t help but think that maybe she was responsible in a small way for them getting together. Even back then they had been crazy about each other, and everybody had known it except for them. She would never forget the hot looks they were giving each other, and it was amazing that nothing had changed. They still looked at each other like they were the only two people in the world.

�What are you staring at?� Evan said, as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

�I was just watching Luis and Sheridan. They�ve been through so much, and still they act like they�re on their honeymoon. It must be so wonderful to have a love that can withstand anything.�

Evan looked out on the patio and saw Luis lean in and kiss Sheridan. He turned Kay around so that she was facing him, and put his finger under her chin to lift her face toward his. �I think that we are on our way to having a love like that. Do you want to know how I know that?�

�Of course I do.�

�Because you�re here with me now, and not many people would stick it out with a situation like mine. I�m so sorry that you�ve been hurt by this Kay.�

�Come on Evan, I love you, and I can�t be mad about an innocent baby who desperately needs you right now. The thing I do hate is that Lauren is involved, and she is not fit to be a mother.�

�I know that, and believe me that I intend to do something about that.........�

�Hey, who�s ready to eat some ribs?� Luis said, coming through the door carrying a large plate stacked with spare ribs.

�I am,� Evan and Kay said at the same time. �Luis does make some pretty good ribs,� Kay supplied. �I remember he always made them for the Memorial Day picnic.�

�Please tell me you�re going to take off that apron?� Evan said with a chuckle.

********************

Luis� ribs were a resounding success. Everyone was gnawing at them with gusto with the exception of Sheridan who was using a knife and a fork to cut the meat away from the bone. Evan teased her, and told that the only way to eat ribs was with your hands. Sheridan replied back that she had no intention of getting the barbeque sauce caked under her fingernails.

�See Evan, now you know why I call your sister Princess, but I promise I mean it in the most affectionate way,� Luis explained when Sheridan shot him a dirty look. He fed Lily a spoonful of mashed carrots, and wiped off her little mouth with a napkin. �Lily is Baby Princess, because she hates to have any food on her hands and mouth. I swear, the first words out of her mouth are going to be manicure daddy?�

�You might want to go easy Luis. Remember, the guestroom is reserved for me tonight,� Evan reminded him.

�Oh don�t worry Evan, Luis is going to pay for that one later,� Sheridan said, with a smug little smile, but Luis didn�t buy it for a minute because he could see the twinkle in her eye. He just hoped that her payback was going to be delivered in the same method as the time she was angry with Beth.

Sheridan opened her mouth to respond, but stopped when they heard little Evan crying. �Oh Evan, why don�t you go get him, and I�ll cut up some food for him? He can sit in Lily�s high chair.�

�But where is Lily going to sit?� Evan questioned.

�I�ll just hold her in my lap. I�m almost finished eating anyway,� Sheridan told him. �Besides, Luis has dirty hands.�

�Yeah buddy, this will be your first lesson on how to eat your meal and feed your baby at the same time. I just hope that you�re a coordinated person,� Luis warned.

Ten minutes later, Evan came back with little Evan in his arms, and Luis was struck by a sense of familiarity when he saw the child. He could have sworn that he had seen that little boy�s face somewhere recently, but he couldn�t remember where. �I know this seems strange, but I think I�ve seen little Evan someplace before.�

�But Luis, how can that be when this is the first time you�ve set eyes on him? There are a lot of babies that look alike,� Sheridan reasoned.

�I guess you�re right,� Luis said, not totally convinced with her explanation.

It was when the meal was finished and they were discussing dessert that it finally occurred to Luis where he had seen little Evan before. It hit him like a ton of bricks, and if he was correct about this, the implications could be huge. He made eye contact with Sheridan, singling for her to go to the kitchen. She looked a bit confused at first, but went along with him stating that she and Luis would take the dirty dishes to the kitchen. Kay had protested, and said that she would be happy to help clean up, but Sheridan graciously refused telling her that guests were not allowed to do work in her house.

When they got into the kitchen, Sheridan put the dishes down and turned to Luis. �Are you going to tell my what is going on?� she asked in a low voice.

Luis ran his hand through his hair, then looked into her curious eyes �Yes, but be prepared Sheridan, because this is really big.�

�Luis, please just tell me, you�re really starting to scare me here.�

�Do you remember when I said earlier that little Evan looked familiar to me?� When she shook her head yes, he continued. �Well, I finally remembered where I�ve seen him before. I was at the police station a couple of days ago to talk to Sam, and I noticed this baby picture on his desk. When I asked Sam about it, he told me it was a picture of a little boy that had been kidnapped from a couple that lives in Castleton. Sheridan, that little boy that is sitting in our dining room looks exactly like that little boy in the picture.�

�Oh my God,� Sheridan said, putting her hand to her mouth. �Are you sure about this Luis?�

�I don�t know that I would be ready to swear it on a Bible, but I�m pretty confident that this child is the same one that was kidnapped. I just remember staring at that little baby thinking about how devastated his parents must be, and how I would feel if anybody ever took Luke or Lily from us.�

�Oh my God Luis, this is just unbelievable. Evan is going to be so distraught over this, but we have to get that child back to his parents as soon as possible. They must be going through hell right now. This is just inconceivable to me how Lauren could actually kidnap a child as a means of holding onto Evan.�

�Yeah me too, and I can assure you that she won�t be able to talk her way out of this one. She is going to be spending some serious prison time for kidnapping.�

�I should certainly hope so,� Sheridan said, angrily. �I hope they lock her up and throw away the key for this. So, what do we do next Luis?�

�Well, we�ll have to tell Evan about this, and then I�ll call Sam. I�m sure he�ll want to get the parents into the station to confirm the child�s identity. We can drop Luke and Lily off at mama�s on the way to the police station.�

�Oh Luis,� Sheridan said, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close. �I know that this is the right thing to do, but I�m really going to dread telling Evan about this.�

�I know sweetie, but you have to look at the bright side of this. We are going to reunite that little baby with his parents. I know that Evan is going to be upset, but I�m sure that he�ll understand that this is the right thing to do.�

********************

To say that Evan was upset was the ultimate understatement. He couldn�t remember being this furious with anybody in his life. To think that Lauren could stoop to such a horrific act was beyond his comprehension. Kidnapping an innocent child just to get her claws into him made him shake with rage. If she had been there right now, he didn�t know if he could be responsible for his reaction to her. They had compared the picture with the child that Lauren was trying to pass of as his, and everyone agreed that there was an exact likeness. They were now all at the station waiting for the parents to arrive, and Sam told them that the second that the baby was identified as the missing child, that he would put out a warrant for Lauren�s arrest. Sam also told them that the names of the baby�s parents were Ross and Janice Baker, and their little boy�s name was Jonathan. The fact that little Evan seemed to respond to the name convinced him even more that this was indeed Jonathan Baker.

Evan was holding Jonathan when the Baker�s came into the police station. When they saw their baby, they rushed forward with tears in their eyes. Evan handed the baby to his mother, and she hugged him close. �Oh God, my baby,� she sobbed.

Sheridan stood there watching the scene before her, and wiped a tear from her cheek. After seeing Jonathan�s mother, she now knew why he had called her mama, because Janice Baker was a blond with a similar haircut to hers. �Thank you Luis for finding these people�s baby,� she whispered in his ear.

�Well, I can assure that this is your baby,� Sam said to the Baker�s. �Look, I hate to even ask this because I believe this is your baby, but I need to be sure in case there would be some dispute later on. Does your baby have any distinguishing marks that might help to identify him?�

�Yes,� Ross Baker told him. �Jonathan has a crescent shaped birthmark on his tummy just on the right side of his navel.�

�It has to be their baby Chief Bennett because I�ve seen that birth mark myself,� Evan told him.

�We also have a copy of his prints on record at the hospital in Castleton� explained Ross Baker.

�You don�t have to convince me Mr. Baker,� Sam told him. �As far as I�m concerned you can take your baby home, and I promise you we are going to catch the people that did this.�

The Baker�s approached Luis and Sheridan, and Ross Baker shook Luis� hand. �I understand from Chief Bennett that you are the one that discovered who our son was. Janice and I will never be able to thank you for what you did for us.�

�You don�t have to thank me, because I know that if I were in your situation that I would hope that somebody would do the same for us. We have two small babies, and I can�t even imagine what you�ve gone through during this time.�

�Well, we are still very grateful to you. I think that we should get Jonathan home now.�

Evan watched them leave, and as miserable as he felt about learning the truth he was happy for the Baker�s. Now Lauren was a different story. �Chief Bennett, I want to know when you�re going to bring Lauren in,� he demanded.

�Calm down Evan, I have two uniforms over at her hotel now picking her up, and you,� he said, pointing to Kay. �I want you to go home right now. I can�t believe that you are involved with this mess. This officer over here will see that you get home safely.�

�Come on dad, you�re not being fair, and I hope that you are not blaming Evan for this whole thing,� Kay said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

�Kay, your dad is right. Why don�t you go home and I�ll call you later,� Evan said, smiling at her.

�Okay, but will you call me as soon as you know something?� she pleaded.

�I promise I�ll call.�

After Kay left, Sam received a phone call. When he hung up, he looked extremely disturbed. �What is it Sam?� Luis asked.

�Lauren was not at her hotel room. The manager at the hotel said he saw her go out about three hours ago dressed like she was going to a nightclub. I�m going to have some of my officers search some of the local nightspots.�

�I can�t believe this,� Evan said angrily. �I�m going to look for that bitch myself, and if I find her I�m going to choke her scrawny little neck.�

�You listen to me Evan,� Sam said, shaking his finger at him. �You leave this to the police, because if I catch you interfering with this investigation I�ll throw your butt in jail. Do you understand?�

�Yes,� Evan said, backing down. �I understand.�

�Sam, we�ll take Evan home with us. Call us if you hear anything,� Luis said, nodding at Sheridan to leave.

On the way out he whispered in her ear. �I hope you can talk some sense into your brother.�

�Don�t worry, I plan on it,� she whispered back. �Now, let�s go pick up our children. I have this burning need to be with them right now.�

********************

Luis and Sheridan were more affected by what happened than they realized. They couldn�t bear to let their children out of their site, and they each slept with a baby on their chest. Luis awakened the next morning to a tiny hand squeezing his nose. �Hey buddy, daddy can�t breathe when you do that,� Luis said, in a nasal voice.

Sheridan was already awake, and she was leaning against the headboard with Lily on her shoulder. �I think Luke was trying to figure out what that big old thing growing on his daddy�s face is,� Sheridan said, laughing.

�Are you implying that I have a big nose?� Luis asked, pretending he was wounded by her comment.

�Of course not, but you have to admit that to Luke it must look huge.�

�Yeah, I suppose it does,� he said, lifting Luke up like an airplane. Luke giggled, and Luis swung him back and forth.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. �Sheridan, Luis, can I talk to you,� Evan asked through the door.

Sheridan had actually worn a nightgown, and felt perfectly presentable so she told Evan to come in. �What is it Evan?�

�I just wanted to let you know that I�m heading back to town. I just called the police station, and they still haven�t located Lauren.�

�Okay Evan, but you have to promise me that you�re not going to go off like a wild man and go searching for Lauren.�

�Sheridan�s right Evan. It would not be a good idea for you to get involved with this. You heard what Sam said...........�

�I know, I know. I�ve had a chance to sleep on it and I�ve cooled down, but I do want her punished for this. She not only deceived me in the worse way, but she did the most horrendous thing to those poor people when she took their baby.�

�We know Evan, we want the same thing, but I wish you wouldn�t rush off. Luis and I were just getting up. Why don�t you at least have some breakfast before you leave?�

�No thank you sis, I really need to get back to town, and check on Kay. Besides, I feel like I�m intruding on a private family moment here. I�ll see you later,� he said, leaning over and kissing the top of her head.

�Just remember,� Luis warned. �Stay away from Lauren...........�

�Don�t worry Luis, I promise I�ll be on my best behavior,� he promised as he walked out the door.

�I just hope that he means that.�

�I�m sure he does Luis. Evan is a sensible guy, and I believe him when he says that he won�t go looking for Lauren.�

�I think that we better get up and get these babies� diapers changed............ Oh no, it�s too late,� Luis said, lifting Luke in the air again. �I believe Luke just had an overflow problem.�

Sheridan looked down at Luis� wet chest and started laughing. �Oh my Luis, it�s just not your day.�

********************

Kay had spoken with Evan earlier that day and he had said that he was fine, but she wasn�t convinced. She decided to go to the Bed & Breakfast to check out the situation for herself. When he answered the door he smiled and pulled her into a hug. �I�m so glad to see you. After what happened last night I was afraid that you�re father would never let you near me again,� he said, pulling her inside the room, and shutting the door.

�Well my dad had to go to the capital for some police conference. He took my mom with him.�

�Kay, why would your dad leave town when they haven�t caught Lauren yet?�

�Evan, he has an APB out for her, and there are detectives working on finding her. My dad had to go to this thing so that he could get funding for the police department. He didn�t want to go, but he said that sometimes he has to play the political game for the good of the department,� Kay said, in defense of her father.

�I�m sorry Kay. I didn�t mean to be judgmental against your dad. I just want her to be caught.�

�Oh believe me Evan, I want the same thing. I can tell by the tightness in your shoulders that you�re all tensed up. Why don�t you let me rub your back?�

Evan smiled, and gave her a kiss. �That�s the best offer I�ve had all day.�

Evan pulled his shirt off and lay down on the bed on his stomach. �I�m all yours.�

Kay sat down beside him and began to rub the knots out of his shoulders and back. �How does that feel?� she asked him.

�Wonderful,� he said, turning over on his back. He pulled her down on top of him and kissed her passionately.

�Wow, what just got into you?� Kay asked, cuddling closer to him.

�I don�t know,� he said, stroking her face. �Maybe it�s because you�re so beautiful, and I had this urge to kiss you,� he whispered against her mouth.

Kay could feel his arousal, and it sent a burning need for him through her body. �Evan, it�s time. I want you to make love to me.�

�Oh God Kay, I want that more than anything in the world, but I want to make sure that you�re ready for this. I don�t want you to do this for all the wrong reasons.�

�Evan, I�m ready, and I can assure you that the only reason I want you to make love to me is because I�m crazy in love with you, and I want to be close to you in every way.�

�What about protection? We have to be responsible.�

�I�ve been on the pill for several months now,� she said a bit embarrassed. �When we admitted our feelings for each other, I decided that I should be prepared just in case.�

�Are you sure about this Kay? Because I don�t want you to wake up tomorrow with regrets...........�

�I�m sure,� she said, as she sat up and pulled her shirt over her head. �I love you Evan.�

�I love you too............� His heart beat faster when she put her hands behind her back any unhooked her bra throwing it across the room. �My God, you are so beautiful.�

She lowered her body bringing her naked flesh flush with his, and kissed him with all the passion inside her. He rolled her over and with fumbling hands he unhooked her jeans, pulling them from her body. He rose off the bed, stripping his jeans from his body and crawled back into the bed. �I�m giving you one last chance to back out of this Kay, because once we do this there is no going back.�

�I know that Evan,� she said, melting him with her big blue eyes. �Make love to me.�

********************

Sam walked into the dimly lit restaurant and looked around for Grace. He finally spotted her sitting at a corner table. He waved, and walked over and kissed her on the cheek. �I�m sorry I�m late. I didn�t think they were ever going to let us out of that meeting.�

�That�s okay, I�ve only been here for about fifteen minutes,� Grace said, smiling. �Do you think that you got the funding for the department?�

�It�s looks really good, but I don�t want to talk about that right now. I would like to have a romantic dinner with my beautiful wife, and then after dinner, I am going to take you upstairs to our room and take advantage of that king size bed.�

�I think that sounds like a perfect evening.� She noticed that Sam suddenly seemed distracted. �You�re thinking about this whole kidnapping business, aren�t you?�

�I�m sorry Grace, but I still can�t believe that Kay is caught up in this mess.......�

�Sam, I hope that you�re not blaming Evan for this. You do know that he was a victim in this too?�

�I know Grace, but I still can�t help but worry about our daughter.�

�Well, I happen to think that Evan is a very responsible young man, and I trust that he will be good to Kay.�

�I hope that you�re right Grace.� Sam�s cell phone rang, and he excused himself. �This might be news from the station,� Sam said, answering the phone.

Grace became worried when she saw the look on Sam�s face, and her voice was shaky when she spoke after he hung up the phone. �My God Sam, what is it?�

�They finally located Lauren........... She�s dead.�

Chapter 21

Evan had insisted that he walk Kay home despite her protest that her house was practically next door. She was disappointed that she couldn�t spend the entire night with him, but he was concerned that someone might see her leaving in the morning and start to gossip about her. Even though it was the wee hours of the morning, they had cut through the back yards, because Evan didn�t want to take a chance that they would be seen. She was in a wonderful daze right now, and she was dreading that she would have to be apart from Evan so soon after their beautiful night together. Feeling terribly naive, she was pleasantly surprised when Evan had made love to her a second time. She had no idea that people did it again so soon in the same night. He hadn�t planned on making love to her a second time fearing that she would be uncomfortable from her first time, but when she had felt his arousal, she was consumed with an overwhelming urge to be close to him again. With great regret, they arrived at the back door, and Evan pulled her into his arms.

�I hate to leave you like this,� he said, holding her close.

�Then don�t. My parents are not going to be home until tomorrow, so they will never know. I say we just go back to the Bed & Breakfast and.........�

�Kay, we�ve been through this, and you know we can�t do that, even though I�d like nothing better than to wake up with you in my arms.�

�Oh, all right,� she said, pouting. �It�s just that this was a monumental event in my life and I don�t want to break my connection with you just yet.�

He smiled at her affectionately. �It was a pretty monumental event for me too, and it was also the most beautiful night of my life.�

�You�re so sweet to say that Evan, but I�m sure my inexperience didn�t make for the most passionate night you�ve ever spent.�

�Oh Kay,� he said, stroking her face with his fingers. �I promise you that your inexperience was sweet and exciting. You were passionate and giving, and it was very special to me. I love you,� he said, bending down to kiss her.

�I love you too Evan.......... So much,� she said, initiating the kiss this time.

When they finally parted, he gently pushed her away. �Kay, I have to go now while I still can.�

�Okay,� she said, sticking her bottom lip out. �Will you call me in the morning?�

He gave her a quick kiss. �As soon as I wake up.�

When she closed the door, she turned and watched him walk away. As he got to the edge of the yard, he turned back and their eyes connected for a moment. He smiled, and then walked away.

Kay made her way upstairs as quietly as she could. The last thing she needed was for someone to wake up and catch her coming home so late. As she reached her bedroom door she breathed a sigh of relief. Now, if she could just manage to get undressed and into bed without waking Jessica, she would be home free.

�Gee Kay, you must have had some night.�

�Noah,� she said, turning around with a big smile. �I thought you were asleep.�

�Are you kidding? I can�t sleep until everyone is in this house,� he said, mocking Sam.

�Yeah, sure dad,� Kay said, rolling her eyes.

�You want to tell me where in the hell you�ve been until three in the morning?�

�Listen Noah, I�m eighteen, and.................� She didn�t finish because suddenly there was a loud bang that came from downstairs. �Oh my God, what was that?� she said in a frightened voice.

Noah put his finger to his lips as a sign for her to be quiet. �Stay here,� he whispered, going back into his room. He came out with a baseball bat in his hand. �I�m going to go check this out,� he whispered.

Noah crept down the steps carrying the baseball bat in a position to do bodily harm. Kay couldn�t just stay up there and wait, so she followed quietly behind him. When they got to the bottom of the steps, he turned around and gave her a dirty look. �I thought I told you to stay upstairs,� he hissed at her.

�Sorry, but I�m not going to stay upstairs while you get murdered down here.� Great, she thought to herself. She finally became a woman in every way tonight, and now she was going to get murdered.

As Noah came around the corner heading for the kitchen, he smacked right into Sam, and stumbled trying to right himself. �Dad, what are you doing here?�

�What are you trying to do, kill me with that thing?� Sam said, staring at the bat in Noah�s hands.

�We thought you were a prowler dad,� Kay said. �Why are you here? We thought you were staying overnight in the capital.�

�Yeah dad, you�re lucky that I didn�t come around the corner swinging this bat,� Noah said, leaning the bat against the wall.

�What are you two still doing up at this hour?� Grace said, walking into the room.

�It�s a long story,� Noah answered. �Are you guys going to tell us why you decided to come home in the middle of the night?�

Sam�s face became serious. �I received a call in the capital from one of my detectives. They finally located Lauren.�

�Well, it�s about time,� Kay said delighted. �I would have loved to see the look on her face when they locked her in that cell.�

�Well, I�m afraid that�s not going to be possible,� Sam said. �When my officer located Lauren she was dead.�

�Oh my God,� Kay and Noah said in unison.

�What�s going on down here?� Jessica said, walking down the steps with Charity following close behind her.

*******************

Luis opened his eyes slowly, and inhaled the flowery scent of Sheridan�s hair. It had to be near dawn, because the birds were already chirping outside their bedroom window. Her warm, naked body lay entwined with his, and the feel of her soft skin made him swell instantly with desire. His hand moved from her waist up her ribcage to cup her breast. Even in sleep she squirmed against him, bringing her backside more intimately against his arousal. He hated to wake her, but he wanted her so much that he was ready to burst right now. Maybe it wouldn�t be so terrible if he awakened her to make love if he promised to get up with the babies while she stayed in bed. Now that he had reasoned a way out of his guilt, he began his campaign to seduce her awake with his hot mouth, and roving hands.

Just when he had almost given up on her ever waking up, she turned and faced him, rubbing her body against his. �You better make this extremely fulfilling so I don�t have to punish you for waking me up so early,� she whispered right before she kissed him.

He kissed her back, consuming her with his passion. When he finally pulled away he mumbled against her lips. �I�ll do one even better, I�ll get up with the twins, and bring you breakfast in bed.�

�Oh my, all that and sex with you. How could a woman resist an offer like that?� she said, rolling on top of him. �Little Luis is sure perky this morning.�

�I know, and he needs some attention,� he said, flashing her a sexy white smile.

His smile did it for her, and suddenly her teasing mood flew right out the window. She positioned herself on his arousal and moved downward to surround him with her silky flesh. �Do you feel how much I want you? Kiss me Luis........ Kiss me while I make love to you..........�

He groaned as he pulled her head down, and her sweet mouth opened to accept the urgent hunger of his kiss. They kissed deeply and feverishly, as she moved against him increasing the temple with each stroke. She lifted her head to study his handsome chiseled face, and her eyes connected with his hot gaze. �Sooo hot,� he muttered as he pulled her down again to suck on her swollen bottom lip. Just as they went over the edge, the cries of their children mingled with the cries of their ultimate satisfaction.

Sheridan rolled off of him and lay down beside him. �That was extremely fulfilling,� she said, stretching her body. �Now, it�s time to make good on the rest of your offer.� She yawned. �I�m going to go back to sleep for a little while. Wake me when breakfast is ready.�

�Okay,� Luis said, leaning down to give her a quick kiss. He hopped out of bed, and grabbed his robe. �I�m off to do my duty.�

She ran her eyes down his naked body. �Over easy.........�

�What?� he said confused.

�My eggs. I want them cooked over easy.�

He chuckled softly. �What happened to scrambled?�

She wrinkled her nose. �I�m kind of burned out on scrambled eggs.�

�Didn�t you mean to say scrambled eggs that are burned?� he teased.

�Very funny Luis. Now, would you please go take care of my babies,� she said, snuggling under the covers and closing her eyes.

An hour later, Luis walked in the bedroom carrying a tray laden with bacon, eggs, an English muffin, strawberries with whipped cream, and a bud vase containing a single red rose. �Rise and shine beautiful, breakfast has arrived.�

Sheridan sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and flashed him a big smile. �Wow, look at this. It�s been a long time since you�ve brought be breakfast in bed.�

�Something I intend to do more of in the future,� he said, setting the lap tray in front of her, and kissing her on the forehead. �Oh no, I forgot something..........�

�Luis, I can�t imagine what you could have possibly forgotten. I�ll be stuffed just eating what is here.�

�I�ll be back in a minute,� he said walking out the door. A few minutes later he walked in with a baby in each arm. �I forgot dessert.�

�Oh yes,� she said with a big grin. �There is nothing like some sweet baby kisses for dessert and I think I�ll have mine before my breakfast,� she said, shoving the tray aside. �How are my little sweethearts this morning?�

�Well, they�re doing okay, but they miss their mommy,� Luis said, sitting down on the bed.

Sheridan leaned over and smothered her children with kisses, taking turns hugging them close. It was obvious that they were excited to see her, because they were moving their little arms and legs around and cooing happily. �My heavens, they certainly are happy, and I can�t believe you managed to get them dressed.�

�Yep dressed, and fed too,� Luis said, proudly.

�Well, I�m certainly impressed. How did you do all this, and manage to cook breakfast for me too?�

�I will admit that we had a couple of little setbacks, but then I remembered what you told me about multi-tasking.�

�Oh, so you do listen to me?� she said laughing.

�Do you ever give me a choice?�

�I�m going to ignore that comment since you were such a good boy today. I guess I should eat this wonderful breakfast before it gets cold.�

�You go ahead. The babies and I will sit here and keep you company.� Luis dipped his little finger in the bowl of whipped cream, and fed it to Lily.

�Luis, I don�t think you should give her any of that.........�

�But she likes it. Look how cute she is sucking my finger.�

�Really Luis, I think that cream is too rich for her system.�

�Okay, but can I just give a little taste to Luke? I have to be fair to both my children,� he said, pleadingly.

She smiled and shook her head. �Just a little one,� she said, taking a bite of her eggs. �Honey, you�ve been so helpful this morning, but do you mind watching the babies while I get dressed?�

�Of course not. I would never pass up a chance to spend time with my children.�

His comment touched Sheridan deeply. �Luis, thank you so much for everything you did this morning. Have I told you lately how much I love you?�

�I love you too,� he said, leaning in and giving her a kiss.

An hour later, Luis and Sheridan were coming down the steps with their children in their arms. They had planned to go out on a drive to see the colorful fall leaves, and then stop at the pumpkin patch to select one to carve out for their front porch. They were putting the twins in their jackets, when they heard Ace barking outside. �I wonder what he�s barking at?� Luis said, walking to the front window. �It looks like Chad�s car driving up the lane.�

�Oh good, maybe he would enjoy going on our drive with us,� Sheridan said.

Luis watched Chad get out of the car, and was a little surprised to see Whitney get out of the passenger side. Chad squatted down, and petted Ace and rubbed his neck. With Lily in his arms, Luis opened the front door and called out to them. �This is a nice surprise. You guys are just in time to go to the pumpkin patch with us.�

�I�m really sorry to ruin your afternoon but I�m afraid that I have some bad news for you two,� Chad said with a solemn face, as he walked toward the porch.

�Maybe you should come in the house,� Luis said, inviting them in.

Sheridan greeted them with a big smile. �I am so happy to see you..........� She stopped when she saw the look on Chad�s face. �What�s the matter?�

�They found Lauren last night down by the wharf. She was murdered.�

�Oh no,� Sheridan said, sitting down on the sofa.

�Does Sam have any idea who did it?� Luis asked.

�Well not exactly, but I have some more bad news.�

�Oh God no,� Sheridan said, having a bad feeling about what Chad was going to say.

�I was working out this morning with Ethan and Evan, and two uniforms showed up to take Evan to the station for questioning about Lauren�s murder.�

�I can�t believe this,� Sheridan said, rubbing her temples. �Evan would never kill anyone.�

Luis put his arm around her. �Did Sam officially arrest Evan?�

�Not officially, but it doesn�t look good. Ethan advised him not to say a word, until he got there.�

�Why are we just finding out about this now?� Sheridan asked.

�Because Evan doesn�t want you involved with this. He said that he was innocent, and that there was no reason to bother you when it would all be over soon. I just wish I could be as confident as he is about this.�

�Luis, we have to get down there, but what are we going to do about the children? We can�t take them to a police station,� Sheridan said in a frazzled voice.

�Don�t worry Sheridan,� Whitney said. �Chad and I will stay with the twins. That�s why I came out here with him. He didn�t know if he would be able to handle the both of them on his own. I promise we will take special care of them.�

�Thank you Whitney,� Sheridan said, relieved. �I�ll just write down some instructions, and I�ll have my cell phone with me if you need to call me for any reason.�

�Don�t worry we�ll be fine,� she said, picking Lily up. �This will be good practice for us.�

Luis looked at both of them with an odd look. �Are you two trying to tell us something?�

�No, Luis it�s not what you think,� Chad said, setting them straight. �When Whitney said that she meant someday. Right Whitney?�

�Yes, right. I meant someday.�

�Okay, here is the list,� Sheridan said, handing it to Whitney. �I wrote my cell phone number on there and also the twins� pediatrician�s number.�

�Are you ready to go?� Luis asked her.

�Yeah, I�m ready.� She kissed Luke and Lily, and then she hugged Chad. �Thank you for telling me. I know that it wasn�t easy for you to go against Evan�s wishes.�

�Hey, we�re family,� Chad said, kissing her cheek. �You might want to put in a good word for me with Evan though.�

�I will,� she said smiling. Shall we go Luis?�

�Don�t worry about the little ones, we�ll take real good care of them,� Chad called after them as they walked out the door.

********************

Evan looked around the police station, and noted the wanted posters on the wall. He would have never dreamed that he would be considered a criminal like those guys in the posters, but it was becoming more apparent with time that this was not a casual interrogation. Suddenly, he was scared to death, because he had a sick feeling in his stomach that they were trying to pin Lauren�s murder on him. Ethan had advised him to just tell the truth and everything would be okay, but what if they didn�t believe him? Chief Bennett hung up the phone, and shot him an accusing look.

�That was one of my men calling from Lauren�s hotel room. He found her appointment book, and guess whose name was penciled in for six o�clock last night?�

�I�m sure it was mine,� Evan responded. �We had originally planned to meet so that I could return little Evan, I mean Jonathan to her.�

�So, what happened Evan? Did you decide to keep that appointment after all, so that you could get your hands on Lauren?�

�All right, I admit that I did show up for the meeting. I was hoping that if she hadn�t heard that the police were looking for her it would be a way to bring her out in the open. I would have called the police if she had showed up.�

Sam leaned over, putting his hands on the edge of his desk. �Okay Evan, we�re going to start from the beginning again.�

�Come on Chief Bennett,� Ethan said, interrupting. �Evan has been cooperating up until now. Why is it necessary to answer the same questions again?�

�Because Ethan, I want to get a clear picture of Evan�s whereabouts last night. Now Evan, you said that you kept your meeting with Lauren last evening, but she never showed up. Where did you go after that?�

�I stopped to get a bite to eat, and then I went back to my room at the Bed & Breakfast.�

�The coroner estimates that Lauren was killed around nine o�clock. Where were you at that time?�

�I told you Chief Bennett, I was at the Bed & Breakfast,� Evan said exasperated.

Sam walked around his desk and sat on the edge, folding his arms in front of him. �Is there anyone that can confirm that you were there around nine o�clock?�

Evan didn�t say anything for a minute. Kay was his alibi, but there was no way that he was going to drag her into this. He had to protect her at all costs, so he lied for the first time since they had brought him in. �No, there is nobody that can swear that I was there, but I promise you that I didn�t leave my room after I got home around seven o�clock.�

�Evan, are you sure that nobody saw you?� Ethan asked.

He hated lying, but if it got out that Kay was with him until three, her dad would figure out what happened between them, and then it would get out in the press. He just couldn�t let that happen. �No Ethan, it�s like I said, nobody saw me.�

Just then Luis and Sheridan walked into the police station. Evan swore under his breath when he saw them. He did not want Sheridan involved in this mess he had gotten himself into. �Sheridan, how did you know I was here?�

�That doesn�t matter Evan. What I want to know is why do you have my brother here, Sam?�

�Your brother is here for questioning about the murder of Lauren Richards.�

�Why would Evan know anything about Lauren�s murder? He would never hurt anybody,� Sheridan said, defensively.

�Sam, do you have any evidence that Evan could be involved with this?� Luis asked.

�Of course he doesn�t,� Sheridan answered for Sam. �He is just grasping at straws because he can�t find the real killer.�

�Sheridan, just let me find out what�s going on here,� Luis whispered in her ear.

�Yes I do Luis. We were all witness to Evan threatening to put his hands around Lauren�s neck, and guess what? She was strangled, so I�m sure you agree that it looks suspicious. Evan admitted that he showed up for a meeting with her last night prior to the time she was murdered, and he has nobody to confirm his alibi at the time of her death,� Sam explained.

�Look Chief Bennett, I admit that I was blowing off steam the other night, but I didn�t mean it literally when I said I wanted to strangle her. I�m sure that you�ve been mad enough in the past to make idle threats that you didn�t mean.�

�Sam, you have to admit that this is all circumstantial, and you also know that Evan�s right. We�ve all threatened at one time or another to kill Julian Crane, but we wouldn�t really do it,� Luis reasoned. �Sorry, I mentioned Julian,� he said, looking at Sheridan and Ethan.

�Yeah, that�s true Luis, but Julian didn�t show up dead...........�

They were suddenly distracted by a commotion at the front door of the station. Two uniforms were accompanying a young guy wearing a black leather jacket and a nose ring. The officer�s brought him to Sam, and explained that he had some information about Lauren�s murder.

�Oh really,� Sam said. �What is your name?�

�My name�s Rocky............ Rocky Cole.�

�He says he saw Lauren Richards arguing with a guy last night right before her murder,� the officer explained.

�Do you know who this man was?� Sam questioned Rocky.

�Yeah, I sure do. That�s him sitting right over there,� Rocky said, pointing to Evan.

�He�s a damn liar,� Evan shouted.

�Are you positive about this?� Sam asked Rocky.

�Yep, that�s him all right, and I would swear it in court too,� Rocky said with a smug smile.

�Well Evan, it looks like I don�t have any other option but to place you under arrest. You have the right to remain silent............�

�Oh God Luis,� Sheridan said, pulling him aside. �This is a nightmare. I�m going to call Michael. Ethan is a good at corporate law, but he is not a criminal attorney.�

�Yeah Sheridan, I think that would be a wise decision, because Evan is going to need a big gun to get him out of this mess.�

Chapter 22

Luis had been watching Sheridan pace back and forth for a half-hour now, and her tension was starting to rub off on him. He had to stop her before she drove both of them crazy. �Sheridan, I�m sure that Michael will be here soon. He did have to drive from Boston you know. You need to come over here and sit down and relax, because you are going to drive yourself crazy if you don�t calm down.�

She stared at him open-mouthed. �Well, excuse me Luis if I just happen to be scared to death about by brother�s future. Do you have any idea what could happen to him if he is convicted for this horrendous crime?�

�Sheridan, I was in law enforcement, of course I know. I just don�t want to see you make yourself sick over this mess,� he said, trying to console her, but unfortunately if had the opposite effect.

She stared at him like he had two heads. �You believe that he�s guilty don�t you?�

�I didn�t say that Sheridan and you know it, but you have to admit that he looks guilty...........�

�I can�t believe you said that. You�re supposed to be on my side,� she said with tears in her eyes.

Luis got up and walked over to her, putting his hands on her arms. �I am on you side, and if you would have let me finish you would know that. What I was going to say is that even though Evan looks guilty, the only thing they are basing his arrest on is the statement by one witness, and I don�t trust that Rocky any farther then I can throw him.�

�Do you think there is a way to prove that he is lying?� she asked hopefully.

�We�re sure as hell going to try,� he said, flashing her a grin. �Of course it would be a big plus for Evan if he could think of a witness that saw him at the Bed & Breakfast at the time of Lauren�s murder.�

�Oh Luis,� she said, hugging him. �I�m sorry I was so hard on you earlier. It�s just that I�m really upset about Evan.�

�I know sweetie, but try not to worry. With us on his side and Michael for an attorney he can�t go wrong. After all, look what Michael did for us.�

�You�re right Luis, and I�m going to try and stay positive from now on,� she said, kissing him. At the sound of the doorbell, she broke away. �Oh, that must be Michael now. I�ll just let him in.�

When she opened the door the last person in the world she expected to see was her other brother. �Julian,� she said, rolling her eyes. �What brings you by?�

�This is what brings me by,� he said, thrusting a rolled up newspaper in her hands.

Julian walked in uninvited like he owned the place; Ace was in the room and started growling and snarling at him. Julian�s eyes got huge, and he backed up against the door shaking like a scared rabbit. Luis grabbed Ace by the collar. �It�s okay boy. Just settle down.�

�My God, I can�t believe you keep that monster around with children in the house,� Julian said as he straightened his tie.

�Ace loves the children, and he would give his life to protect them, but you know something Julian? Dogs have this amazing sense of smell, and I�m sure that he was just reacting when he smelled the stench in the room,� Luis said, with a mocking smile.

�Julian, this is a really bad time for a visit, so will you just spit it out and tell us why you are here acting like an ass?�

�Open the paper, and you�ll see what has me so upset.�

Sheridan unfolded the paper and read the headlines. Alistair Crane�s Dirty Little Secret Arrested For Murder. �Damn, these people are like buzzards circling their prey just waiting to go in for the kill.�

�This is all your fault you know,� Julian said, coming toward Sheridan while shaking his finger at her. �You just had to make sure that the whole world found out about our father�s bastard.� He grabbed her arm. �It was bad enough when it was splashed all over the papers that he was one of father�s indiscretion, but now he is dragging the Crane name through the mud. How will I ever show my face out in public?�

Sensing that Sheridan was being threatened, Ace started to go crazy, and Luis was using all of his strength to keep the dog at bay. He was just ready to put Ace outside, just so he could have the pleasure of knocking Julian�s block off, when Sheridan beat him to the punch.

�Get your hands off of me Julian,� Sheridan said, pushing him away. �The only person that drags the Crane name through the mud is you. I am so damn tired of you coming to my house to give me one of your sanctimonious lectures. Evan is innocent, and that is more than I can say for you. You have spent your whole life hurting other people, and destroying their lives just to get what you want. You are going to pay for that someday Julian, and I hope that God forgives me, but I am not even going to care when that happens.� She grabbed his arm with a super human grip and pulled him toward the front door. �Get out of my house before I lose it completely, and tell Luis to let go of Ace�s collar.� She opened the door with her free hand, and pushed him onto the porch. �Just remember something Julian. The next time you do something devious to someone else, you think about that place that�s reserved for you in hell right next to father............. Oh Michael, I didn�t hear you drive up,� she said, when she saw him peek around Julian.

�I hope I haven�t arrived at a bad time,� he said, with a twinkle in his eye.

She smiled. �No, you have arrived at just the right time. Julian, was just leaving,� she said, giving him a dirty look.

�Well, if it isn�t Michael Wakefield,� Julian said, giving him the once over.

�Well, if it isn�t Julian Crane, and I can see that you are on one of your famous diplomatic missions,� Michael responded.

�Let me just give you a warning,� Julian said, as he started toward his car. �That�s an insane asylum in there. Enter at your own risk.�

Sheridan rolled her eyes at Julian and invited Michael in. �Thank you so much for coming on such short notice. I wanted Evan to have one of the best criminal attorneys in the country.�

�Thank you Sheridan, I�m flattered. I just hope that I can live up to your expectations.�

Luis had finally let go of Ace, and moved up to shake Michael�s hand. �Michael, it�s good to see you again. I just wish it could be under different circumstances.�

�Michael, why don�t you sit down and I�ll bring you some coffee. I just made a fresh pot.�

�Thanks Sheridan, that would be great,� Michael said, taking a seat. He noticed a photo of Sheridan, Luis and the twins sitting on the table beside the sofa, and he picked it up. �Wow, it�s hard to believe that Sheridan and you are the proud parents of twins. You have some beautiful children Luis.�

�Yeah, Sheridan and my children are the best thing that�s ever happened to me. I wouldn�t trade them for all the riches in the world.�

Michael started to laugh. �It would have been pretty hard to convince me of that the day I suggested that you and Sheridan get married. You looked like marrying Sheridan was a fate worse than death, and Sheridan didn�t look any different. I also saw the way you looked at each other, and I remember thinking that if you two could just get past your pride issues you might discover that you cared for one another.�

Luis smiled. �We were both pretty hardheaded back then. We still are at times.......�

�Speak for yourself Luis,� Sheridan said in a teasing tone, as she walked in the room carrying a tray.

�I was just commenting to Luis about how beautiful your children are,� Michael said, trying to change the present subject. �When am I going to get to meet them?�

�As soon as they wake up from their naps,� Sheridan said, sitting down beside him. �So Michael, do you still take your coffee black?�

�Yes, I can�t believe you remember,� Michael said, taking the cup from her.

�Michael, I can�t tell you how much I appreciate you taking Evan�s case for me. I just hope this will not interfere with your present caseload.�

�Actually Sheridan, my caseload is not that heavy right now. As soon as I got your call, I had my secretary re-schedule my appointments. Besides, when you�re talking about a murder trial, it�s smart to get on it while the evidence is still fresh.�

�I was thinking that Luis and I could give you all the details of the case and then we can take you to town to meet with Evan.�

�That won�t be necessary, because I�ve already met with Evan. I got into town early this morning and I went directly to the police station.�

�Oh Michael, thank you. How is Evan this morning?�

�Well, lets just say that there is no question in my mind that he is your brother. He is as stubborn as you are. At first he refused my services because he said he couldn�t afford me. When I told him that you were paying for it, he went ballistic and said he didn�t want you involved in this mess. He especially didn�t want you to be burdened with paying his way.�

�Oh no, that certainly sounds like him. I hope you were able to get him to relent.�

�Yes, after I reminded him that you could afford it and that he would only hurt you if he refused your generosity. I also reminded him, that you are family, and that families were supposed to stick together.�

�Thank God,� Sheridan said in a relieved voice. �Where do we go from here Michael? I can�t stand the thought of him being locked up in that cell.�

�Well, I have some good news and some bad news. I managed to get Evan out on bail, but the District Attorney has decided that they have enough evidence to bring this case to trial.�

�I was afraid of that,� Luis said.

Sheridan was clearly upset by this news. She stood up, and began her pacing again. �How can they just take the word of this Rocky person? Did anybody bother to check out his background?�

�Actually Chief Bennett did do a background check, and the only thing he could come up with was a speeding ticket.�

�Maybe all is not what it seems. I have a bad feeling about this guy, so I asked Chad to run a deeper background check. Chad is a DEA agent, and has more flexibility,� Luis explained for Michael�s benefit. �I�m waiting on a call from him any minute.�

�Okay good,� Sheridan said. �So Michael, if we can cast doubt on this Rocky person�s credibility do you think that Evan has a good chance to beat this?�

�Well, put it this way Sheridan. I do believe that Evan is innocent, but I also have a feeling that he is not being completely honest about something.�

�What do you mean Michael? Do you really think that he would lie about something so serious?� Sheridan asked.

�I can�t be sure, but he acted really strange when I asked him if anybody could confirm his whereabouts at the time of the murder. It was almost like he was trying to cover for somebody.�

Sheridan was astounded. �Michael, are you trying to imply that Evan knows who murdered Lauren and is trying to protect them?�

�No, I didn�t mean to imply that at all. I think this has more to do with the fact that he can�t come up with someone to confirm his alibi. He just seemed to get strangely quiet when I asked him about it.�

At that moment Luis� cell phone rang. �This might be Chad,� Luis said, answering the call. He listened quietly for about five minutes, and nothing in his expression gave any indication if the news was bad or good. When he hung up he smiled. �Well, it appears that Rocky Cole is not as squeaky clean as we thought. He was convicted of robbery and assault. He beat up the man that owned the liquor store he was robbing. He even did some time in a juvenile correction facility. The bad part of this is that since he was seventeen at the time his records are sealed.�

�But still,� Sheridan said, excitedly. �Can�t we use this to cast doubt on his credibility?�

�I�m afraid not Sheridan. What Luis meant about this being a bad thing is that since his records are sealed, we will not be able to use it in court.� Michael explained.

�Oh no, what are we going to do now?� she said, sounding so dejected.

�Hey, don�t give up,� Luis said, hugging her. �I�m going to check into this guy�s movements for the last several weeks to see what I can dig up. Everything is going to be okay.�

�Michael I�m sorry, but I haven�t asked you where you were going to stay?�

�I think that he should stay here,� Luis suggested. �Don�t you Sheridan?�

�Yes Michael, you should stay here,� she insisted. �We have plenty of room.�

�That�s really nice of you two to offer, but I�ve already taken a suite at the hotel in Harmony. I�ll just set up my office right there, and it will be more convenient to get to the courthouse.�

�Okay, but you can at least stay for dinner. Luis is a wonderful cook,� she said, winking at Luis.

Michael laughed. �As long as Luis is cooking I would love to stay. No offense Sheridan, but if I remember correctly you don�t exactly have the culinary skills of Julia Child.�

�Actually Michael, her cooking is improving,� Luis said, putting her arm around her, and kissing her on the cheek.

�As you can see Michael, I have him well trained,� she teased. �If you two would excuse me, I would really like to call Evan.�

�You go ahead, and Michael and I will start working on some strategy for Evan�s case.

�Wonderful,� she said, gratefully. �I just can�t tell you how much I appreciate everything that you�re doing.�

********************

Warren looked around the club and smiled with satisfaction. He had just finished going over the books, and he had to admit that Hank had been doing a great job in the little time that they had been opened for business. It had been a risky move to open a dinner club that featured music from the big band era, but the people of Harmony had embraced it with open arms. He looked up to see Hank approach him with a newspaper clutched in his hand wearing a smug smile on his face.

�So Warren, have you seen the paper this morning?� Hank beamed.

�No, I haven�t had a chance to read it yet, but I can�t imagine any exciting news going on in Harmony. What happened, did Ivy Crane break a fingernail?� Warren asked with a bored look.

�Oh no, this is so much better,� Hank said, flipping the paper open to show him the headlines. �Alistair Crane�s bastard son was arrested last night for murdering some little socialite from Boston.�

�Let me see that,� Warren said, grabbing the paper out of Hank�s hands. As he read the article, a look of satisfaction blanketed his face. �This is too perfect,� Warren laughed.

�I was thinking the same thing,� Hank chuckled. �This couldn�t have been any better if we would have planned it out ourselves.�

Warren smiled evilly. �Oh yes, the beginning of the destruction of the Cranes.� His eyes glazed over as he stared off into space. �Watch them fall one by one, just like dominoes.�

�Whoa buddy, you�re looking a little scary there,� Hank said, half-afraid of the demented look on Warren�s face.

Warren shook his head and gave Hank a pointed look. �I think that now is the perfect time to bring the next bastard Crane down. Do you have any ideas yet on how you�re going to do that?�

�As a matter of fact I do,� Hank answered. �I hate to do this to Chad, because he was always a pretty decent guy, but unfortunately he is cursed with Crane blood.�

�Don�t go getting soft on me Hank. Just tell me what you plan to do?� Warren demanded.

�Well, let�s just say that it isn�t going to be a good thing when it turns out that a DEA agent is found hoarding a bunch of drugs in his apartment.�

�Oh perfect,� Warren gloated. �It will look like he is helping himself to some of the stash from his drug bust. You know Hank; maybe you are worth all the money I�ve spent on you after all.�

�Jack Russo at your service,� Hank said, giving him a little bow.

*********************

As he usually did when his life seemed to be falling apart, Evan went to the beach to run. He had to let out some of this aggression that was inside of him, before he did something stupid and got himself into worse trouble. He would love to find that Rocky bastard and beat the truth out of him, but Chief Bennett had given him a stern warning that if he went anywhere near Rocky, his butt would be back in jail before he could blink an eye. He had also warned him that if he came anywhere near Kay, that he would personally make sure that Evan was thrown in a dark hole somewhere where he would never see the light of day again as long as he lived. What had he done to deserve all this? Just when he had found a family that cared about him, and a person that he could love completely, life had thrown him a curve ball that could destroy him forever. Tears came to his eyes when he thought about Sheridan�s call earlier. She had been so encouraging and supportive, promising that she was not going to rest until they cleared his name, but he could still hear the fear in her voice. Luke and Lily�s sweet little laughter in the background had broken his heart when he thought about everything he would be missing if he went to prison, or worse............ God, he didn�t even want to think about that. Sheridan had tried to convince him to come out and stay with them, but he didn�t think he could take seeing the worried look in her eyes just yet. The thing that scared him the most was that he would never see Kay again and when he looked up and saw her running toward him, he thought he was hallucinating.

�Kay?� he said, rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn�t seeing things.

�Evan,� she cried, as she ran up and threw herself in his arms.

He traced her face with his fingers and kissed her feverishly. It felt so good to have her in his arms, but reality soon penetrated his brain, and he pushed her away. �Kay, what are you doing here? Your father would kill me if he knew you were with me.�

�I�m sorry Evan, but I couldn�t stand it any more. I just had to see you,� she said, wiping the tears from her cheeks. �Why is this happening?�

�I don�t know Kay, but this is a nightmare. How much do you know about all of this?�

�Not much. My dad came home last night and told me that he arrested you for Lauren�s murder, and that I was never to see you again. I tried to tell him that you would never do anything like that, but he wouldn�t listen. We had a terrible argument, and he�s been watching me like a hawk ever since then.�

�How did you get out of the house?� he asked, pushing a stray lock of her hair out of her face.

�Noah told me that you got out on bail, so I waited until my dad left for the police station, and I climbed down the rose trellis.�

�Kay, are you crazy? You could have fallen and broken your neck pulling a stunt like that. Damn,� he said, pounding his fist into his other hand. �If something would have happened to you, I would never be able to live with myself.�

�I�m fine Evan,� she reassured him. �I�ve climbed down that trellis lots of times.�

�Look, you have to leave before your dad finds out you snuck out of the house..........�

�No, I�m not leaving you,� she said, defiantly. �Not until I can understand why they would possibly think that you could murder Lauren.�

�Because Kay, they have a witness that said he saw me with Lauren around the time she was murdered.�

�A witness?� she said puzzled. �What time do they think that Lauren was murdered?�

Evan hesitated, not wanting to tell her, but he knew that if he didn�t, than somebody else would. �They think she was killed at around nine o�clock.� He could just see the wheels turning in her head, and he knew that before long she would figure it out.

Her eyes got big as she looked at him with realization. �Wait a minute........ That witness had to be lying, because you were with me at nine o�clock......... Evan, why didn�t you tell them that?�

�Because I don�t want you involved in this, and I want you to promise me that you won�t say anything,� he pleaded with her.

�I�m sorry Evan, but I can�t promise you that,� she said, with a finality that left no room for argument. �Do you really think I can stand back and let you go to prison when all I have to do is tell the truth?�

�Kay, please think about what you are saying. If it gets out that we were together that night, they will drag our personal business out for everyone to hear. I�m just trying to protect you.�

Her face softened and she smiled at him. �I know that you are, and I love you for it, but my reputation isn�t worth you ruining your life for. Besides, I�m not ashamed of what we did together.�

�Oh Kay,� he said, hugging her. �I wish that you would reconsider. What if this still goes to trial? I couldn�t stand the thought of them putting you on a witness stand, and if the D.A. believes that I�m guilty, they will drag you over the coals to try and discredit you.�

�I don�t care Evan,� she said with confidence. �I�m going to the police station right now to tell my dad the truth. I know he�s going to freak out, but it�s the right thing to do.�

He raked his fingers through his hair. �Damn, I should have sent you home that night.�

�But then you wouldn�t have me to back up your alibi........... Wait a minute........... You don�t regret making love to me do you?� she asked with an expression of hurt in her eyes.

�No, never! That was the most special night of my life, but I do regret that you might have to suffer because of it.�

�I�m a big girl Evan, and for once in my life I�m going to take responsibility and do the right thing. I�ve done some things in my past that I�m not proud of, and it�s time I started doing some things that I can be proud of.�

�Okay, it�s obvious that I�m not going to convince you to change your mind, but I�m not going to let you do this alone. I�m going with you,� he insisted.

She grabbed his hand, and started to pull him forward. �Let�s get this over with.�

�No wait a minute,� he said, stopping in his tracks. �Kay I lied to the police and they might throw me back in jail............. Oh who am I kidding; they will probably be taking me to the morgue after your dad gets through with me. Maybe I should go tell my lawyer first.�

�You�re probably right. Do you know Ethan�s cell phone number?� she asked.

�Ethan is not representing me. Sheridan hired some hotshot criminal attorney from Boston. When I spoke to her on the phone earlier, she said that he was at their house for dinner.�

�Okay, then let�s go to Luis and Sheridan�s.............�

********************

Sheridan was loading up the dishwasher, when Luis came up behind her and put his arms around her waist. She giggled when he tickled her neck with his kisses. �You�re distracting me from my duties,� she said, leaning into him.

�I couldn�t help myself when I came into the kitchen and saw you bending over the dishwasher,� he said, turning her around so that she was facing him. He kissed her soundly on the lips making her weak in the knees.

�What was that for?� she murmured against his lips.

�Oh, because you are beautiful, and also for kicking Julian�s sorry behind to the curb today. I was just about ready to stick my fist down his throat for touching you, but then when I saw those big blue eyes flash with anger, I knew that the bastard didn�t have a chance in hell. You were magnificent.�

�Well, I guess I did go a little overboard, but I am just so sick and tired of him showing up on my doorstep accusing me all the time. I have really tried to get along with him to protect our children, and because of the memory of my mother, but I�ve had enough. I wanted believe that there was some of that gentleness left in him that he showed me as a child, but I think that it is too late. My father has destroyed any chance for Julian to be a decent human being.�

�Yeah,� Luis said, with a solemn look. �Alistair has destroyed so much.�

�You�re talking about your father aren't you? I know that things have been crazy lately, but we are not going to give up on finding out what happened to him,� she assured him.

�I�m not only talking about my father, but Sam�s father too. I�ve been trying to trace this Spencer Shaw guy that was Ben�s old army buddy. I�m just hoping that he is still alive so that we can find out if he really did see Ben die that day........... But,� he said, kissing her forehead. �Our first priority is helping out your brother right now, and as soon as we clear Evan we can pursue that investigation.�

�Thank you Luis. When I talked with him earlier he sounded so miserable. I hate to talk bad about the dead, but everything was going so good in his life before Lauren came to town. He doesn�t deserve any of this.�

�No he doesn�t, but you got me so distracted that I forgot to tell you that Michael is getting ready to leave.�

�Oh no, I forgot all about Michael. What is he doing out there?�

Luis smiled. �I�m afraid that our children are seducing him. When I left them the three of them were on the floor on a blanket surrounded by their toys.�

�Well, I guess we better go save him before he becomes addicted,� Sheridan said, laughing.

They were both shocked when they walked into the living room, and saw Luke sitting up by himself holding a block in his hand. Michael was holding Lily in his lap and she was busy playing with the buttons on his shirt. �Oh my God Luis, our little boy is sitting up all by himself.�

�I know, and I can�t believe it, � Luis said, walking toward them, smiling with pride.

Michael looked at them confused. �You mean he hasn�t been sitting up?�

�He�s been attempting too, and so has Lily, but I�ve never seen him sitting up on his own. Oh Luis, we missed it,� she said, sitting down on the blanket beside Luke. She picked him up and hugged him. �Oh Luke, mommy is so proud of you.�

�Well, I think this little beauty is going to be next,� Michael said. �But I think that right now she is too engrossed in trying to get my buttons.�

�Come on Peanut,� Luis said, picking her up in his arms. �Michael has to go now, and he can�t do that if you�re playing with his buttons.�

Michael got up and rolled his sleeves down. He grabbed his suit coat off of the back of the chair, and was putting in on when the doorbell rang. �I guess you have some company.�

�Yeah,� Luis said walking toward the door. �This seems to be the popular place to be these days.� When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Evan and Kay standing there. �Hey you guys, it something wrong?�

�Not exactly, but we have something to tell you about that night Lauren died,� Evan explained.

Michael took his suit coat off again. �I guess we should all sit down then.�

�What is it Evan?� Sheridan asked anxiously.

�I lied to the police about something,� Evan said, in a muffled voice.

�What did you lie about Evan?� Michael questioned him.

Kay spoke instead. �What he�s trying to say is that the witness is lying. I was with Evan the night Lauren was murdered from seven o�clock until about three in the morning.�

Sheridan and Luis were speechless, but Michael sat back with a knowing look. �I had a feeling that you were going to say that.�

Chapter 23

For some reason this situation reminded Evan of those dreams you have when you go out somewhere without your clothes on, and you�re struggling to get back home, hoping nobody will see you. Everyone in the room was staring at him just waiting for him to explain himself. �Okay, now that I look back on it, I know that it was a really stupid move, but,� he said, grabbing Kay�s hand, �I didn�t want to see her get dragged into this mess. I just figured that I was innocent, and that should have been enough, but I can see that it was a little naive on my part to believe that the judicial system would work for me.�

Michael sat up, leaning his elbows on his thighs. �As your attorney, it�s my job to always be honest with you Evan and I think that you need to realize that this new information may not be enough to get you off the hook.� When he saw that everyone was ready to protest, he held up his hands. �Let me explain what I mean. You have been charged with murder because the District Attorney thinks that there is enough evidence to convict you. Now, I�m not saying that this new revelation will not work in your favor, however if I was the D.A. my first thought would be why didn�t this guy tell the truth in the beginning? Is this new witness believable, or is it just a last ditch effort to get himself off? I�ve got this witness that says he saw this guy with the victim at the time of the murder, now, who am I supposed to believe?�

�But I�m telling the truth,� Evan proclaimed.

�You didn�t tell the truth before,� Michael argued.

�Michael, don�t you think you�re being a little hard on him?� Sheridan asked.

�Sheridan, Michael is only playing devil�s advocate to prepare Evan for everything that could come up,� Luis explained.

�Luis is right, and we still have to be prepared for the possibility that the D.A. could bring charges against you for impeding a police investigation, maybe even obstruction of justice.�

�This is just great,� Evan said, throwing up his hands. �So, I�m pretty much screwed either way.�

�Calm down Evan, it�s my job to make sure that you don�t get screwed. Look, I know that I haven�t painted a very nice picture, but I just wanted to point out the worse case scenarios so that you won�t have any surprises. Kay may very well save the day for you.�

�Okay,� Evan said, blowing his breath out. �What do we do now?�

�We need to go to the D.A, and tell her this new information......... By the way Luis, what do you know about this Cynthia Shane? Have you ever been in the courtroom with her?� Michael asked.

�Yeah, she�s prosecuted some of my drug cases, and let�s just say that she takes no prisoners,� Luis warned.

�Okay, so she�s a bulldog, but I can be a bulldog too,� Michael said, grinning. �So Evan, here is what�s going to happen. We present the new evidence to the D.A., and if she buys Kay�s story, then she will probably drop the case...�

�And if she doesn�t believe Kay?� Evan inquired.

�Then, we will proceed with a trial. It will be Kay�s word against Rocky�s. There is a preliminary hearing scheduled in two days, at which time we will present our evidence, and the D.A. will present theirs. The judge will make the decision based on the facts whether or not to hold you over for a jury trial. If the judge doesn�t find probable cause to convict you he will give his ruling and you will be free to go.�

�Wait a minute Michael, I don�t want Kay to be put on the witness stand,� Evan protested. �I can�t stand the thought of her being subjected to that.�

�Evan, we don�t have a choice. She is your whole defense, and it�s this kind of thinking that got you in this mess to begin with.� Michael turned to look at Kay. �Do you have a problem with this Kay?�

�First of all Evan, I can make my own decisions, and if I have to get on the stand to get you out of this mess then I will do it.�

�Okay, then I�ll call the D.A.,� Michael said.

�Now, I just have to get up enough courage to tell my parents,� Kay said with dread in her voice.

********************

Two days later Sheridan awoke with a giant knot in her stomach. She still couldn�t believe that the D.A. was still pursuing this charge against Evan. Now it would be up to Michael to discredit Rocky�s testimony on the cross-examination. Kay was being very courageous through this whole thing, especially considering the fact that Sam had gone ballistic when he found out that she was the key witness for the defense. They had never come out and admitted it, but she had a feeling that the reason for Evan�s reluctance to involve Kay was because the two of them had made love. Thank God for the calming force of Grace, or Sam would have popped a blood vessel. It hadn�t helped matters when Noah had confirmed that Kay arrived home right before three in the morning. They didn�t stick around to see how Kay explained her presence in Evan�s room for so long, because they felt like that was a Bennett family moment. Actually, when Sheridan thought about it, she was glad that they could make their escape. Poor Evan felt terrible that Kay had to go through this, but she just wished he would start to worry about his own bad situation.

She glanced over and watched Luis sleeping. His muscular body looked bronzed against the white sheets. She smiled.......... Only Luis could still look sexy draped in a sheet edged with Queen Anne lace. He almost looked boyish with his thick dark lashes brushing his cheeks, and when he shifted to his back he licked his full lips, she shivered. Her body tingled, and it suddenly occurred to her that some morning �sex on a stick� would be the perfect way to relieve some of her built up tension over Evan. She was just about to seduce him awake when she heard the babies stir. Being careful not to wake him, she slipped out of bed and pulled on her robe. When she arrived in the nursery, she smiled brightly when she saw her little girl trying to pull herself up. Lily had her tiny hands wrapped around the railings with a concentrated look of determination on her sweet face. Luke was sitting up as well watching her, but when he saw his mother his little face lit up with a smile.

�Oh my God, look at Peanut,� Luis said, coming up behind her. He was dressed in nothing but a pair of worn jeans that hugged his body like a glove.

�I know Luis; they are growing up so fast. Pretty soon they will be crawling around, getting into everything in sight.� Lily got to a squatting position, but quickly fell on her behind. �Oh sweetie,� Sheridan said, walking to her crib and picking her up in her arms. �Mommy is so proud of you. What a big girl you are.�

�I�m glad she is focusing on something besides removing a man�s shirt,� Luis said, picking Luke up. �By the way, did you teach her that?�

�Yeah sure Luis and her next lesson is going to be how to unfasten a man�s fly,� Sheridan said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

�Well, she better not know how to do that stuff until she�s at least thirty and married to a respectable guy,� Luis said, laying Luke down on the changing table. �Right Luke? You�re going to help daddy protect Lily from all the creepy guys.�

Luke began to kick his legs excitedly, and grabbed onto Luis� finger with his hand. �Da.�

�Did you hear that Sheridan?� Luis said, with a huge grin. �My son just called me daddy.�

�He did not!� Sheridan protested. �Da hardly sounds like daddy to me.� She knew that she was being unfair, but it hurt her feelings that Luke�s first word was daddy.

Luis� excited look faded to one of hurt. �I�m sorry Sheridan, but it�s just that I read somewhere that a lot of babies will say daddy first because it�s a natural sound for them. I didn�t mean to rub it in.�

That was it, now she felt like the biggest bitch alive. �No Luis, I�m the one that should be sorry. In fact, I should be ashamed of myself, but it hurt my feelings that he would say daddy first.� She flashed him a big smile. �This really is wonderful news that our little boy said his first word, and I feel terrible that I have stolen such a special moment from you because of my petty jealousy.� She walked over and kissed him, then Luke on the cheek. �I promise that I am very happy for both of my boys.�

�Well, if it�s any consolation, you are the one that he lights up for when you walk in the room. It�s obvious that he has a special fondness for his mommy.�

�Thank you Luis. That is sweet of you to say, but I think we better get our children dressed and fed so that we can drop them off at the Bennett�s on the way to the courthouse. I don�t want to be late for Evan�s preliminary hearing.�

�Okay, explain to me again why we are taking them to the Bennett�s and not mama�s,� Luis asked.

�Because your mother is working, and so Grace suggested that we drop them by their house so that Jessica and Charity could baby-sit for them.�

Luis made a funny face. �Charity is going to watch our children?�

�Yes, why the face?� Sheridan said, surprised. �I thought that you liked Charity.�

�I do like her,� he insisted. �I just don�t want her to have one of her creepy premonitions when she is watching our children.�

Sheridan laughed. �I�m sure everything will be fine Luis.�

********************

Michael watched Cynthia Shane tap her pencil on the table nervously, and knew that the tough lady was losing her cool. She turned back to look at the door, and whispered something to her assistant. He got up and immediately left the courtroom. He had just finished his cross-examination with the police officer that had brought Rocky into the station that night, and it was time for the prosecution to call their key witness to the stand. There was just one problem with that though, Rocky had yet to show up. This was definitely a big plus for the defense, and he loved every minute of watching the D.A. squirm. She was a very assertive woman, but she seemed to have a problem with the fact that the judge was a woman as well. He was just about ready to protest the delay, when the judge did it for him.

�Miss Shane, are you going to call another witness?� the judge asked impatiently.

�Yes your honor, but I�m afraid that my next witness has been delayed while getting to the courtroom. If I may just beg for the court�s patience, I�m sure he�ll be along any minute.�

�I don�t like this one bit Miss Shane, but I�ll allow for ten minutes, and if your witness doesn�t show up by then, we are moving on to the defense.�

�Thank you your honor. Since you have been so gracious to allow us this delay, this is the perfect opportunity to announce that the people will also be pressing Obstruction of Justice charges against the defendant...........�

�Your honor,� Michael interrupted bluntly. �The people cannot just stand up in the middle of a hearing and press additional charges. Miss Shane had the perfect opportunity to do that at the time of the plea. Besides, what grounds does she have for this charge?�

�Mr. Wakefield is correct Miss Shane. You better have a good reason for introducing this charge at this time.�

�Your honor, the people feel that since the defendant lied to the police that he impeded the police investigation, and therefore...............�

�Your honor, this makes no sense at all,� Michael protested. �If Miss Shane truly believes that my client lied to the police, then we can only assume that she believes that my client did in fact have an alibi for the time that the victim was murdered. So, what�s it going to be your honor? Obstruction of Justice, or a murder charge? I�m afraid that she can�t have it both ways.�

The judge was clearly irritated. �Counsel step up to the bench....... NOW!�

Evan turned around and looked at Luis and Sheridan with a look of confusion. Sheridan was confused too, and leaned over and whispered to Luis. �What is going on?�

Luis smiled, and whispered back. �I�m afraid that our esteemed District Attorney has just backed herself into the proverbial corner. She just ruined all her credibility with this last ditch effort to stall for more time. This is not a good position for her to be in, especially during an election year..........�

�Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald,� the judge shouted. �Do you have something that you would care to share with the court?�

�No, your honor,� Luis said, embarrassed to be signaled out.

�Good, then stop that whispering back there. Now for you two,� she said pointing at the attorneys. �Mr. Wakefield I do not appreciate your untimely interruptions, but I have to admit that you raise some very valid points. Now, Miss Shane would you care to explain why you are wasting the court�s time, and the taxpayers �money with this little dog and pony show of yours?�

�Because your honor, I truly believe that the defendant is guilty of murder,� she answered defiantly.

�Well it appears to me that you don�t know what you believe. Now, let�s get on with this thing. Defense call your first witness, the ten-minute time period has long passed.�

�But your honor..........�

�Sit down Miss Shane, and the next time you come into my courtroom it would behoove you to be more prepared.�

Kay�s testimony went flawlessly, and she came off as very believable. Even when the D.A. cross-examined her she was tough as nails and didn�t let it rattle her in the least. When she was asked what they had been doing for all those hours, Kay looked her straight in the face and responded that she was spending time with her boyfriend, and that maybe the D.A. needed to do that a little more often herself. Evan smiled at her when she left the stand, and Michael gave her thumb�s up under the table. Noah�s testimony that Kay did in fact arrive home right before three only cemented what Kay had said. To everyone�s delight, with the exception of the D.A., the judge ruled that there was no credible evidence to bring Evan to trial, and dismissed the murder charge against him. She did however bring up the point that Evan had lied to the police, and told him to approach the bench with his counsel.

�Now young man, I do appreciate the fact that you were trying to be noble and protective of Miss Bennett however, I do not like that you lied to the police. If you had told the truth in the beginning we would not be sitting here right now. So, in light of that fact, I am going to charge you with impeding a police investigation and sentence you to two hundred hours of community service. Now,� she said pounding her gavel, �this court is adjourned.�

Evan didn�t even protest, he was so happy to have this murder charge off of his back. He ran up and hugged Kay, and then Sheridan. Sam even approached Evan and shook his hand after a little nudging from Grace, and she invited everyone back to their house for a little victory celebration. Sheridan and Luis were walking to their car with Evan and Kay when a distinguished looking man approached them. Sheridan was curious about him since she had noticed him in the courtroom earlier.

�That�s strange, I think that man is coming this way,� Sheridan commented. �I wonder what he wants?�

Evan turned around to see whom she was talking about. �Oh no, this is just what I need. That is Lauren�s father.�

At first appearance he looked like a cold man, but Sheridan could see the pain in his eyes, and for some reason her heart went out to him. When he was standing in front of them, he looked at Evan. �Evan, I just want you to know that I don�t blame you for any of this, and I never thought you were guilty to begin with. I want to apologize for the trouble this has brought to you.�

�Thank you sir, I�m sorry about Lauren,� Evan said, looking downward. �I never wanted this to happen.� Evan introduced him to everyone as Colin Richards.

�I know that Evan........... I�m sorry to intrude, but I was wondering if I could speak to Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald.�

To say that Luis was surprised would be putting it mildly. �You wanted to talk to me?� Luis asked, confused.

�Yes, I understand that you have left the state police and have opened your own investigation firm.�

�Yes sir I have, but why are you asking?� Luis inquired.

Colin Richards looked around. �Is there someplace that we can talk more privately?�

�We�ll go ahead to Kay�s house,� Evan said. �Sheridan, do you want to ride over with us?�

�No Evan, you and Kay go on. We�ll meet you over there as soon as we�re finished.�

�Maybe you should go with them Sheridan,� Luis suggested.

�No Luis, I would prefer to stay here. Now Mr. Richards, I am not only Luis� wife, but his associate as well, and we are curious about your interest in our firm.�

�It�s really no mystery Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald. I would like to hire you.�

If his statement surprised Luis he didn�t let on. �Our office is not that far away. Why don�t you follow us over there so that we can talk more comfortably,� Luis suggested.

�Excellent, my car is parked right over there. You just lead the way.�

On the short drive over Sheridan called the Bennett�s to check on the children, and was told that they seemed to be having a great time with all the attention they were getting. When she hung up the phone she smiled. �Apparently our children are the life of the party.�

�Did you really think that they wouldn�t be?� Luis chuckled.

�Luis, why do you think that Mr. Richards wants to hire our firm?�

�I�m not sure, but I guess we�ll find out soon enough,� he said, pulling into the parking lot.

When they were all upstairs and seated, Luis began the conversation. �So Mr. Richards what is it that we can do for you?�

�I would like to hire you to clear my daughter�s name, and to find out who murdered her,� he said, with little emotion.

�Mr. Richards it�s not like I don�t appreciate the offer of a job, but your daughter�s murder is an ongoing police investigation. I really don�t like to get involved in those situations unless the police themselves ask me to step in.�

�Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald, the police do not seem to be interested in finding out the truth. I went to the police station to give them some information about my daughter�s case, and the young officer acted like I was reporting nothing more serious than a mugging.�

Luis had to admit his interest was definitely peaked. �What was the information that you reported to the officer?�

�Sorry Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald, but I am not going to share that with you until you agree to take my case. I can assure you that I am a very rich man, and I am willing to pay you a lot of money if you can solve my daughter�s murder.�

�Well Mr. Richards,� Sheridan said, holding out her hand. �I believe you have just hired L&L Investigations.�

Luis shot her a pointed look. �What my wife really means to say is that you have hired L&L Investigations with the understanding that we will be sharing any information that we gather with the police.�

�I don�t have a problem with that. Now,� he said, pulling out his checkbook. �Let�s make this official. I�m going to give you a retainer to get started, and when you solve the case there will be more where this came from.� He wrote out the check, and handed it to Luis.

When Luis saw the figure on the check his jaw dropped. �Mr. Richards, ten thousand dollars is way over the amount that this whole case would cost. I realize your need to find out the truth about your daughter, but I will not take advantage of you during your time of mourning,� he said, handing the check back to him.

�No,� Colin Richards said, putting his hand up. �As I said before, I am a very rich man, and that money means nothing to me compared to finding out about the truth behind my daughter�s murder. I do appreciate your integrity though, and if I wasn�t convinced before that you were the man for the job, I certainly am now.�

�Okay sir, I can see that I�m not going to change your mind, so I believe we have a deal,� Luis said, shaking his hand. �Now, why don�t we get started?�

�Wait a minute,� Sheridan interrupted. �I�m puzzled about something Mr. Richards. Earlier you said that you wanted to find out who murdered your daughter, but you also mention that you wanted to prove her innocence. What did you mean by that?� Sheridan asked.

�Look, I know that my daughter had problems, and she could be difficult, but she did not kidnap that baby, and I want to make sure that the world knows that too.�

�But Mr. Richards, Lauren had the child in her possession, so how to you explain that fact?� Sheridan reminded him.

�She does raise a valid point sir. Lauren did try to pass that baby off as Evan�s child, so that proves that there was malicious intent at the very least.�

�Maybe I should just start from the beginning. I�m not proud of it, but I spoiled my daughter, and I did encourage her to go after Evan when I found out that he was Alistair Crane�s son, but I did that because my daughter was out of control. I will admit that I thought it would be a way to do business with the Crane�s, but I also knew that Evan could be a calming force in my daughter�s life.� He hesitated for a minute, barely able to choke out his next words. �You see my daughter was a sex addict. I know what you�re thinking, but I can assure you that there was a medical reason for my daughter�s addiction. When she was fifteen, she was involved in a car accident, and she suffered from some head injuries. She healed physically, but I began to notice a dramatic change in her behavior toward the opposite sex. She began to dress in provocative clothing, and I caught her in several compromising situations. I didn�t know what to think at first, because Lauren had never shown any more interest in boys than a normal teenage girl had before her accident, so I took her to a therapist. He ran a battery of tests, and came to the conclusion that this was a result of her head injury, and her addiction was medical and not physiological.�

�Wow, that must have been very difficult for you,� Luis sympathized.

�I�m sure it was,� Sheridan said, quietly. �Wasn�t there anything that they could do for her?�

�They tried different medications, and some therapy, and sometimes I did think that she seemed better, but my daughter had also learned the game of manipulation. They say that people with addictive personalities are very good at that. When she started to date Evan, she seemed to change and I was convinced that she had outgrown this disgusting problem, but then I caught her one night with this hoodlum that had been in all kinds of trouble with the law. She seemed to be attracted to those types of guys because they were dangerous, but then if was almost as if she had a split personality because she could act respectable too. I know that Evan and my daughter thought that I sent her away when Evan hurt his knee because I no longer approved of him, but in all honesty I sent her away because I was fed up with her behavior. I thought that if I could send her to my sister�s in London, that maybe she could help Lauren out. You see, Lauren�s mother died when she was twelve, and I felt that she needed a woman�s influence in her life. Well, my daughter managed to convince my sister and me as well that she had changed so I let her come back home. When I read about Evan in the papers, I encouraged Lauren to pursue a relationship with him because I thought that he would be good for her. I had no idea that she would go so far in order to get him back in her life.�

�So, are you saying that this whole setup to get Evan to believe that he had a son was some kind of last ditch effort to hold on to him?� Luis inquired.

�When I found out about what she had done, I was furious, and I told her to tell Evan the truth, and she swore to me that she would............. She called me the day she was murdered, and told me that the police were looking for her because they thought she had kidnapped a baby. She told me that she had become desperate and that she never told Evan the truth. There was some guy that she met that told her that he could find a baby for her because he knew of a mother that was in dire need of money and that she would be willing to loan Lauren the baby if she paid her five-thousand dollars. So you see, Lauren thought that she had that baby with the consent of the mother, but as we all know that didn�t turn out to be the case.�

�What did you advise Lauren to do?� Luis asked.

�I told her to turn herself into the police, and that I was on my way there with legal representation, but when I arrived at the police station, that is when they told me that my daughter had been murdered.�

�Did you tell the police everything that you just told us?� Sheridan inquired.

�I didn�t tell them Lauren�s history, because I didn�t think that it was any of their business, but I did tell them about what she told me about the guy that got this baby for her. As I said before, the officer didn�t seem to be interested in that information because apparently they were convinced that Evan was the murderer.�

Luis leaned forward on the desk. �Think back Mr. Richards, did Lauren ever tell you this guy�s name?�

�No,� he said, showing some emotion for the first time. �I wish to God that I would have, but I was just so worried at the time about her being arrested that I didn�t even think to ask.�

�We�re going to do everything we can to get to the truth Mr. Richards,� Luis told him.

�Thank you. I trust that everything I told you here today will be kept in confidence..........?�

�Of course,� Luis assured him. �You have already given the relevant information to the police, and I promise that Lauren�s problems will go no further than this room.�

�Thank you,� he said, handing Luis his card. �You will keep me updated?�

�Yes sir, I will give you a daily update,� Luis promised.

�Good, well since the medical examiner has released my daughter�s body, I am going to take her home now so that I can bury her by her mother,� he said, with a shaky voice.

Sheridan had to brush a tear from her eye. �Mr. Richards we are so sorry for your loss.�

�I appreciate that, considering how my daughter treated your brother.�

�Why don�t we walk you to your car?� Luis suggested. �We have to go pick up our children, so we were on our way out anyway.�

********************

As they drove to the Bennett�s, both Sheridan and Luis were in deep thought about their latest case. Sheridan couldn�t help but feel sorry for Colin Richards for everything that he had gone through with his daughter. Even thought he had been stoic when telling his story, she could still sense the man�s pain. How terrible it must be to lose a child. Even if a child had problems, you didn�t just stop loving them, and she didn�t even want to think about how terrible that would be. Luis� thoughts seemed to be more focused on the actual facts of the case, and it was becoming clearer to him how this thing probably played out.

�Sheridan, I would bet that ten thousand-dollar check that the person that killed Lauren is the same person that kidnapped that baby for her.�

�You probably have a good point, but how do we know that her murder was not a random act of violence?�

�That�s always a possibility, but I don�t think so in this case. I would love to see a copy of the medical examiner�s report. If Lauren died from strangulation, then chances are she put up a struggle. If they checked under the fingernails there might be skin samples from the person that killed her.�

�But if that was the case, then wouldn�t Sam have matched those samples against Evan�s DNA?� Sheridan reasoned. �I know that Evan is not one of Sam�s favorite people, but I can�t imagine that he would purposely forget to do that in order to pin this murder on Evan.�

Luis smiled. �You know you�re getting pretty good at this stuff,� he said, grabbing her leg. �Still, I�m going to see if I can get Eve to tell me if there were any skin samples.�

�I can still see those wheels turning in your head Luis. What are you thinking?�

�I was just thinking that we know that Evan didn�t murder Lauren, so why did this Rocky just show up out of the clear blue sky and say that he saw Evan with Lauren at the time of her murder?�

�You�re right it does seem a little too convenient......�

�Exactly, and why would he do that unless he wanted to throw suspicion off of the real killer? You know what I think Sheridan? I think that Rocky was the person that kidnapped the baby for Lauren, and I also think that he is the person that killed her too.�

�Wow Luis, that is quite an accusation. How would we even begin to prove that?�

�Well, the first thing is to find a prior connection between the two of them. Colin Richards said that Lauren liked the bad boys, and Rocky certainly fits that description. Now, we just have to find out if there is anyone out there that can confirm that they knew each other.�

�My God Luis, that would be like finding a needle in a haystack.�

�You�re forgetting that I have a lot of experience with the under-belly of this city from my days as a narcotics officer. I still have snitches out there that can be very forthcoming if the money is right. This may not be as hard as you think.�

�I�m confused Luis. What is a snitch?�

Luis laughed. �Well honey, a snitch is someone that rides both sides of the law, and any good cop will use these people for informational purposes.�

�I don�t know, they sound a little shady to me. Why wouldn�t you want to arrest these people?�

�Because most times their offenses aren't that bad and unfortunately we need them to get to the really bad criminals.�

They had arrived at the Bennett�s, and were just ready to get out of the car when Sheridan stopped Luis. �Wait a minute,� she said, pulling on his arm.

�What is it Sheridan?� Luis asked, confused.

�This,� she said, pulling him into a hot kiss.

�Wow,� he murmured against her lips. �What was that for?�

�I think all this cop talk is getting me excited,� she said, rubbing his leg.

�Okay, let�s get in there, wish Evan our best, and get our kids so we can go home and finish what you�ve started.�

********************.

Several days later Sheridan was at the office doing the billing. She swore that if she left this task to Luis to do they would never get paid from their clients. He was out right now doing the fieldwork, as he called it, trying to find out some information about Lauren�s connection to Rocky. They had stayed at the Bennett�s the other night longer than they had planned, because Luis was trying to pump information about the Medical Examiner�s report from Eve. She had finally admitted to him that there were no skin or sperm samples from the victim, so they had no DNA to connect to the murderer. By the time that they had arrived home, fed the babies and got them to bed, they didn�t even bother with dinner, and had gone straight to bed. She could feel her face getting red just thinking about their wild night of lovemaking. At one point during one of their sexual romps, Luis had broken the lamp on the bedside table. They had giggled about it at the time, but now that she thought about it she was a little perturbed because that lamp had cost a small fortune. The babies were sitting in their playpen playing with their toys, and she decided to check on them. As she walked toward them, she could see that they were huddled together concentrating on something that had caught their interest.

�What are you two up to?� she said, smiling. �You are being awfully quiet over here.� When she looked down to see what had caught their attention, she was shocked to see that they had Luis� cell phone. They were taking turns pressing the buttons on the keypad. �How did you get daddy�s cell phone?� Luis must have dropped it when he bent over to kiss the children goodbye. �Sorry, but this is not an appropriate toy for little babies,� she said, bending over to pick it up.

�Da,� Luke squealed, trying to grab for the phone.

�No sweetie,� she said, smiling as she tweaked his little nose. �You can not play with daddy�s cell phone.

Luckily she had managed to get them interested in their real toys, because Luis� cell phone rang right then. �Daddy must have discovered that he lost his phone. That�s probably him right now trying to track it down.� She pressed the button. �Did it finally occur to you that you left your cell phone here?�

�I guess I must have the wrong number,� a gruff voice responded.

�Wait, don�t hang up. Who were you looking for?�

He hesitated before answering. �I was looking for Luis. Who is this?�

�Luis forgot his cell phone, this is his associate. Is there anything that I can do for you?�

�I don�t know. I should probably talk to Luis.�

�No really, I can give him a message from you. Are you one of Luis� snitches?�

�What..............? Lady, what the hell are you talking about?�

Oh damn, she thought to herself. �Never mind, what is your message for Luis?�

�Tell him to meet Spike at Spankies on the wharf in two hours. And tell him to be on time because I got some things to do tonight.�

�Okay, he�s to meet Spankie at Spike�s on the wharf. Got it.�

�No lady, you don�t got it at all. My name�s Spike, and the bar is Spankies.�

�Oh sorry,� Sheridan said, feeling like a fool. �I�ll make sure he meets you.�

�You do that lady,� the guy said, hanging up.

Sheridan looked at the clock. Where was Luis? If he didn�t get back here or call in soon he was going to miss his appointment with this Spike character. She waited for fifteen minutes, then a half-hour, and decided that she was going to have to meet this guy for him. She called Pilar, and asked her if she could drop off the babies. When Pilar readily agreed to watch them, she gathered their things together and got the babies ready to leave. She looked down at her clothes, and decided they would never do for a meeting at Spankies. The long, denim skirt was okay, but her black Prada cashmere sweater looked a little too rich and conspicuous for a place like that. Her look definitely needed to be roughened up, and she got a brilliant idea to use her Natalie wig.

It surprised even her when she managed to drop the babies off, and be home in no time at all to work on her appearance. She changed her sweater, and put on a black knit shirt that hugged her curves. As she gazed at herself in the mirror, she decided that the skirt was still too conservative, so she got a scissors and cut it off to the middle of her thighs. The edge of the skirt was frayed, but that was the current fashion so it worked out perfectly. When she put the long black wig on, it was like she took on her alter ego of Natalie. She checked her appearance in the mirror, and her eyes traveled from her calf-high boots to the top of her ebony hair. �Okay Sheridan, lets� just hope that you can pull this off.� As she walked out the door, she grabbed her black leather bomber jacket, patted Ace on the head, and said a prayer that Luis wouldn�t kill her when he found out what she was up to.

*******************

Luis swore out loud when he discovered that his cell phone was missing. He had been waiting for Spike to call, and now because of his carelessness he had probably missed him. He pulled over to stop at a phone booth and called the office, but there was no answer, so he tried at home, and still there was no answer. Luckily he had Spike�s phone number on him so he called him, only to find out that he was not at home either. �Damn, where in the hell is Sheridan?� He fished around in his pocket for some more change and tried her cell phone number, but either she had it turned off, or she just wasn�t answering.

�I guess I�m going to have to take my chances that Spike is at Spankies. I just hope I haven�t missed him,� Luis said, getting in his car, and heading toward the wharf.

********************

Sheridan knew that she had made a mistake when she walked into the smoke filled Spankies. Every male in the place turned to watch her move toward the bar. Maybe cutting off her shirt so short hadn�t been the wisest idea, because she felt naked under their scrutiny. When she reached the bar, the bartender looked her up and down appreciatively, and bent over to get closer to her.

�What can I get you beautiful?� he said, in a swarthy voice that sent shivers down her spine.

She decided that if she was going to survive this evening unscathed she was going to have to act like she knew what she was doing. �I�ll take a beer,� she said, sitting on the barstool and crossing her long legs.

The bartender returned in no time, and put a long-necked bottle in front of her. �Did you want a glass for that doll?�

�Na,� she said, flashing him a smile. �I prefer to drink it out of the bottle.�

�So, what brings a beautiful lady like you to a place like this,� he asked, using that stale old pick-up line.

I was looking for Spike,� she said, unconsciously stroking the bottle. �Have you seen him around?�

He couldn�t take his eyes off of her hand, and she quickly pulled it away when she realized what she was doing. �Yeah, he was in here earlier, but he left a little while ago.�

�Do you know if he�s coming back?� she asked, feeling panicked all of a sudden.

�Sorry doll, I don�t know when Spike�s coming back, but I�d be happy to help you with anything you desire.�

Oh great, she thought to herself. This is another fine mess you�ve gotten yourself into Sheridan.

Chapter 24

Sheridan was disappointed that she had missed Spike, and by the looks of this place she decided that it was wise to make her escape now. She got some money out of her purse, tossed it on the bar, and swung around on the barstool to leave, but a hand held her back. She looked up and saw a tall rough looking man standing there smiling at her. This was not a good thing........., so much for an easy escape she thought to herself.

�Hey beautiful, where are you off to so soon?� He leaned down and put his arm on the bar blocking her way to the door. �Why don�t I get you another beer so we can get to know each other?� he said, in a slimy voice.

�I appreciate the offer, but I really do need to be leaving, so if you�ll excuse me I�ll be on my way,� she said trying to stand up.

�Oh come on,� he said, wrapping his hand around her arm. �Hey Jimmy; get this lady another beer,� he called out to the bartender.

Sheridan�s temper flared, and she shook his hand away. �Look, I told you nicely that I had to leave, and that I didn�t want another beer. You do not want to get me angry, because believe me there have been better men than you that still bear my scars.�

�Whoa, you�re a feisty one,� he said, chuckling. �I bet you�re a little wildcat in bed.�

�How dare you?� she sputtered. She stood up, and pushed on him. �Get the hell out of my way, or I�ll turn you into a eunuch.�

She was just about ready to turn to leave when another guy walked up holding a pool stick. �What�s the matter Mel� You having trouble handling the lady?� he said, laughing.

�Yeah, we got ourselves a little tiger here;� Mel answered, staring boldly at her chest.

Sheridan pulled her jacket together, and flashed him a drop-dead look. �I�m not going to ask you again, so let me by,� she demanded, eyes wild and flashing.

�I don�t know about you Mel, but I think the lady is protesting way too much.�

******************

Luis hurried down the wharf making his way toward Spankies hoping the whole time that he hadn�t missed Spike. Spike could be the one person that could give him the information connecting Rocky to Lauren. He still believed deep in his gut that Rocky was the one that murdered Lauren. Maybe Lauren had gone to him to convince him to go to the police to take the heat off of her. If Lauren had threatened him about exposing him as the kidnapper it would give him the perfect motive. That was one of the first things he had learned as a rookie and that was if you could establish a motive and a means it would be easier to build your case.

As he approached the front of Spankies, the door flew open as one of the patrons was leaving and he could see that the bar was really hopping. He walked in, sizing up the place hoping to spot Rocky when he noticed a gathering at the bar. There was a group of guys surrounding some brunette with long hair, and he could tell by her body language that she was trying to get away. He could only see her from the back, but there was something strangely familiar about her. His eyes moved from the top of her head traveling down her body, and when he saw her long shapely legs, he froze in his tracks. Damn it, he would know those legs anywhere, and he was going to kill her when he got his hands on her. What the hell was Sheridan doing here dressed like a hooker, and how in the hell was he going to get them out of here in one piece?� Luis decided that the element of surprise was his best plan of attack, so he walked toward them like he owned the place.

Sheridan�s earlier bravado was fading fast, and she cursed herself for getting into this situation. It was obvious that none of these morons were going to come to her rescue, and she had to think fast. She was contemplating a way out of her dilemma, when suddenly a pair of strong arms encircled her waist, and swung her around, bringing her flush against a hard, obviously male body. Before she knew what was happening, a pair of lips descended upon hers. She couldn�t believe the audacity of this guy, and she fought him like a wild woman. The kiss was angry, but there was something familiar about the taste of him, even the smell, and then it hit her. Her eyes opened wide. Thank God it was Luis, but she could tell by the rigid set of his body that he was madder than hell. The tension was oozing out of every pore of his body, and it was almost as frightening as trying to fight off Mel and his cronies.

�Damn it Sheridan, quit fighting,� he mumbled against her lips.

�Luis, what are you doing?� she mumbled back.

�I�m marking you, so be quiet and play along,� he hissed.

�Marking me?� she gasped, feeling her temper rising. �Marking me?�

�Yes, I�m marking you as my woman,� he whispered. �That is something that these creeps will understand.�

Her eyes flashed with anger. �Well, of all the chauvinistic�����

�I don�t think the lady appreciates you pawing her,� Mel said, getting up in Luis� face.

Luis shoved Sheridan behind his body. �Look buddy, there is nothing to get excited about here. This is my woman, and we had a little argument earlier so she�s still a little steamed,� Luis explained. �Why don�t you just move out of the way so that I can take her home?�

�Well, I don�t like your attitude, and the lady looks like she doesn�t appreciate it either,� Mel said, throwing a punch at Luis, and knocking him against the bar.

Sheridan sprang into action when she saw Luis stumble, and with the force of a freight train, she punched Mel in the side of his face with her fist. Caught off guard, Mel went flying backward falling on top of the guy with the cue stick. The bartender hopped over the bar and grabbed Luis by the shirt, but Luis managed to shake him loose, and leveled a punch to his stomach that knocked the wind out of him. Chaos ensued and suddenly everybody in the bar had joined the fight. Luis was holding his own trying to beat off his attackers, and when Sheridan saw someone come up behind him with a beer bottle raised over his head, she screamed out a warning.

�Luis, look out,� she shouted, as she jumped on the guy�s back and started scratching his face with her fingernails. The bottle dropped out of his hand as he tried to fight her off. Before she knew what was happening, Luis pulled her off of the guy�s back and told her to run. He grabbed her hand, and for once she didn�t take time to argue with him but followed his lead. The place was in such an uproar that nobody even saw them leave, at least not at first, but then just as they ran out the door they heard someone shout that they were getting away.

They were flying down the wharf when Sheridan turned behind her to see if they were being followed. �Oh no Luis, some guys are coming after us,� she said, gasping to catch her breath, while trying to manage with her high heals.

�Follow me,� Luis ordered, pulling her into an alleyway. He did a quick inspection of the area, and spotted a stack of barrows. �Come on, we�re going to hide behind those barrows over there.� Once they were securely hidden, Luis lifted his pant leg and pulled a handgun from his ankle holster.

�What are you doing with that gu.............?� She didn�t get a chance to finish, because Luis put his hand over her mouth.

�Shhh, someone�s coming,� he whispered in her ear.

Luis peeked through the open slit between the barrows, and saw two guys he recognized from the bar walking down the alley. �We better find them. Jimmy is mad as hell about the damage to the bar, and he wants them to pay for it,� one of the guys grumbled.

�Who gives a damn about the damage, I�d like to get my hands on that hot babe with the legs that go on forever. Just thinking about those wrapped around my waist is enough to get my blood pumping,� the other guy said, laughing.

Luis had to use every ounce of restraint to keep from flying over the barrow and beating the crap out of the guy for the things he just said about his wife. Sheridan on the other hand, was cringing because she knew that Luis was adding that last remark to his long list of grievances against her. Thankfully, the two men passed them and exited where the alley met the street. When Luis was sure that the coast was clear, he pulled her up by the hand and took off running in the opposite direction that the two guys had taken. When they got to Luis� car, he unlocked the passenger side door.

�Get in!� he ordered.

�I will not get in,� she protested. �I have my car here and I have every intention of driving it home.�

�Get in the damn car before I pick you up and throw you in,� he demanded angrily. �We can pick your car up tomorrow.�

When she saw the look on his face, she decided that now was not the time to assert her independence, so she got in the car shooting him a dirty look. �Brute,� she said, under her breath.

Luis walked around the car and got in the driver�s side, slamming the door so loud she winced at the noise. He didn�t say a word as he started the car and drove away. She glanced out of the corner of her eye, and she could see his ridged profile and it frightened her a little. She started to count to ten in her head, waiting for the explosion, and she had made it to number five when it finally came. �What in God�s name ever possessed you to pull a stunt like that?�

�I was trying to help you out,� she cried with exasperation. �You were the one that was careless enough to leave your cell phone at the office and when Spike called and said that you had to meet him in two hours, I had no other choice. I waited for you as long as I could but you didn�t call, and I had no way to reach you.�

�Oh, I see, so you dressed up in a sleazy outfit and went to a bar filled with a bunch of unsavory characters,� he snapped. �Well, let me assure you I don�t need help like that. My God, do you have any idea what could have happened to you if I hadn�t come along when I did?�

�I had the situation under control,� she shouted stubbornly.

Luis laughed sarcastically. �Oh yeah, you really had the situation under control. I saw those men surrounding you........., touching you,� he snarled. �You didn�t learn a damn thing from the time the drug cartel was after you.�

�I knew you would throw that in my face,� she said, rolling her eyes. �How am I ever going to learn the business if I don�t go out and do the fieldwork?�

�The field work?� he asked curtly. �I thought we had a deal that I would do the investigating and you would run the office...........�

�No Luis, we NEVER had a deal. As usual you dictated and expected me to accept your rules and regulations. I am your wife and your partner and I don�t take orders from you or anyone else,� she said, stamping her foot on the floorboard.

�Oh really, well you�re also a mother, and you have a responsibility to be there and to be safe for Luke and Lily............. By the way, just where are our children?� he inquired harshly.

�Well the same goes for you too, and our children are at your mother�s safe and sound,� she answered him just as harshly.

Luis didn�t say a word, and turned the car in the direction of Pilar�s house. The tension between them was so thick you could cut it with a knife, and the silence was almost worse than their strong words. Sheridan clenched her teeth, and stared straight ahead still so angry that the scenery was a blur as they drove by. When they pulled into Pilar�s driveway, Luis got out of the car to get the extra pair of car seats for the babies out of the trunk. Sheridan got out as well, and assisted him with setting them up in the back seat. Luis turned to walk in the house, and when he saw that she was following him, he stopped short causing her to bang into him.

�Just where in the hell do you think you�re going?� he asked.

�To get my children, so why don�t you get out of my way?� she demanded.

�Not dressed like that you�re not,� he ordered.

�I beg your pardon,� she said, shaking with anger.

�You heard me the first time,� he said, arrogantly. �You are not walking into mama�s house dressed like you�ve been standing on some street corner.�

Her blue eyes flashed with sparks of anger. She put her hands on her hips and leaned in staring him straight in the face. �If you think that you are going to issue me orders where my children are concerned, then you are a bigger ass than I thought you were.�

He would never admit it to her right now, but he had to admire her tenacity. �Okay, but at least take the wig off. You don�t want to scare the children.�

She shot him a dirty look, but conceded. Pulling the wig off, she walked over, and tossed it into the car. Fluffing her hair, she stomped past him walking toward the front door and slammed it in his face. When he got inside, Sheridan was already fawning over the babies, planting little kisses on their heads. Pilar and Theresa were there and if they found Sheridan�s mode of dress strange, they certainly gave no indication of it. When Luis took his turn greeting his babies, Sheridan turned toward Theresa.

�Theresa, I�m so glad that you�re here. Since Halloween is in a few weeks, I was wondering if you would help me make costumes for the twins. I really hate to ask, but I�m not exactly an expert with a needle and thread.�

�Oh Sheridan, I would love to help you,� Theresa said, excitedly. �Have you decided what you want to dress them up as?�

�Well, I�ve thrown a few ideas around, but I haven�t decided yet. I guess I better make up my mind soon, because we don�t have a lot of time left. When I do make up my mind, will you go with me to pick out the fabric?�

�Oh yes Sheridan, that would be so much fun.� Theresa gushed.

�I would love to help out too with the children�s costumes,� Pilar said. �It�s been a long time since I�ve had the enjoyment of getting my children ready for Halloween.�

�Oh course Pilar,� Sheridan said, flashing her a radiant smile. �I didn�t mean to exclude you, it�s just that I thought you would be too busy.�

�I do have a lot on my plate, but I am never too busy for my grandchildren,� Pilar said, looking at the twins lovingly.

�Wait a minute,� Luis interrupted. �Don�t you think the babies are a little young to be out trick or treating?�

�Luis,� Sheridan said, in a controlled voice. �I realize that but it is their first Halloween, and I thought it might be fun to take them by the party at the youth center. I think that they would enjoy seeing everyone dressed up in their costumes.�

Pilar could sense the tension between Sheridan and Luis, and she looked at Theresa with a raised eyebrow to see if she noticed it too. Theresa seemed oblivious to it, and thought that taking the twins to the Halloween party at the youth center was a wonderful idea. Pilar decided that maybe Luis and Sheridan needed some time to work through their problem so she suggested something. �Look, it�s late. Why don�t you leave the children here with me tonight, and you can pick them up first thing in the morning?�

�I appreciate the offer mama, but Sheridan and I really need our children with us tonight.� As a buffer, Luis finished in his head.

�Thank you Pilar, Luis is right. Besides, I would miss seeing their sweet little faces first thing in the morning.�

Luis and Sheridan gathered their babies and said their goodbyes. Once they were all settled in the car there was no continuation of their earlier argument because they had made a pact when the twins were born that they were never fight in front of their children. Sheridan spent the drive home ignoring Luis, and instead she turned back to sing to Luke and Lily. Luis had to admit she had a beautiful voice, and when he glanced over to watch her sing, he noticed that her skirt was riding up to the top of her thighs. It made him angry all over again that she had gone to Spankies dressed like that, but he also couldn�t help but enjoy the view of her long shapely legs. By the time they arrived home, both babies were fast asleep and they changed them into their pajamas and put them straight to bed.

As Sheridan walked down the hall toward their bedroom she finally spoke. �Maybe you would be more comfortable in the guestroom tonight,� she suggested, secretly hoping that he would refuse.

�No, I don�t think so,� Luis replied smoothly. �I have every intention of sleeping in our bed tonight. Now, you�re perfectly welcome to join me, but if not then maybe you should sleep in the guestroom,� he said, walking into the bedroom.

Sheridan stood there with her mouth gaping open. �Well, I never..........,� she said, following him into the bedroom. Luis was already tossing the throw pillows off of the bed, and she walked by him, straight into the bathroom and slammed the door. She washed her face and brushed her teeth, and when she walked back into the bedroom Luis had already removed his shirt and was pulling his jeans off. She watched him until he looked up, and then she turned her back to him pulling off her top. She bent over to remove her boots, and it was then that she saw her reflection in the mirror. Her breasts were spilling out of her black bra, and Luis was standing there looking at her with a smoldering look in his dark gaze. Their eyes connected as he walked toward her, and she turned and began moving toward him too.

It was a moment of insanity because nothing was really resolved between them, but there was a magnetic force pulling them together that they had no control over. They came together like two fronts to create the perfect storm of passion. Their kiss was intense, hungry and all consuming becoming a savage release of their earlier tension. Luis broke away; breathing heavily and tenderly traced her swollen bottom lip with his thumb right before he lowered his head to kiss her again. It was different this time............., a slow seduction igniting a spark that threatened to burn out of control. They melted into each other, becoming more inflamed by the volley of lips and tongues.

Luis ran his fingers up her smooth back, and with a flick of his wrist he unhooked her bra and flung it across the room. �I want you so much that I�m ready to burn up,� he muttered huskily as he rubbed his chest against her naked breast.

She shivered from the contact of their flesh, and slipped her hands inside the waistband of his boxers pulling them downward. �Oh God Luis, I want you too.�

His hands were shaky as he fumbled with the snap and zipper of her skirt. �Damn,� he swore frustrated that it was being so stubborn.

�Hurry Luis,� she cried out.

�I�m trying baby,� he said, finally giving up on the zipper. He grabbed the frayed bottom of her skirt and ripped the fabric all the way to the waistband. As it fell to the floor, he tore her panties off and they landed on top of her discarded skirt.

Her boots were forgotten as they explored each other�s bodies, and when Luis lifted her up in his arms to carry her to the bed he finally noticed them, and thought it was the sexiest thing he�d ever seen. They crashed to the bed and connected in the most intimate way, and the rhythm of their joining became faster and harder, making them shake with the pleasure of it. Just as Sheridan was on the brink of going over the edge, Luis kissed her deeply and told her he loved her. She tried to tell him the same, but the words remained unspoken as the wave of desire spread through her body like molten lava. Luis went crazy when he felt the evidence of her release and increased his tempo wanting more and more of her. She didn�t disappoint him, and with wide surprised eyes, she climaxed a second time. That was it, he couldn�t hold back any longer, and his powerful body jerked and shuttered as he lost himself in the euphoria that only she could bring him.

When Luis finally found the strength, he rolled from her and pulled her in his arms. She moved against him wanting to be close to him. �Just so you know, I had every intention of telling you that I loved you, but you rendered me speechless,� she said breathlessly, kissing his chest.

�I knew that, I could hear it in your charming little scream,� he said, kissing the top of her head.

�I think something is wrong with us because the normal way to do this is to makeup before you make love,� she told him with a little smile.

�Come on Sheridan, when have we ever done anything the normal way in our relationship? Let�s see, we got married and didn�t even make love for several months, we got married a second time and you were pregnant with the twins, and then we didn�t even have a honeymoon until two years after we got married.�

�You do make a strong case, but you know that we do have to talk about what happened earlier tonight,� she reminded him.

�You�re right,� he said, stroking the smooth skin of her back. �Look Sheridan, I know that you had good intentions, but surely you understand why I would go crazy when I found you in such a precarious situation. I love you so much, and it scares the hell out of me to even think of you being hurt, but I also know that I can be the biggest jerk sometimes, and I�m sorry for that. What if I agree to teach you the investigative side of our business if you promise not to go off half-cocked and getting into situations that you�re not prepared to deal with?�

She rose up and looked him in the face. �Oh Luis, would you really do that?� she asked, touched by his offer.

�Of course I will. Have I ever gone back on my word to you before?�

�No, and I love you for that,� she said, kissing him gently on the lips. �I guess it�s my turn to apologize to you. I admit that I have a tendency to rush into bad decisions without thinking first, but I really wanted to help you. I�m just sorry that my careless actions put both of us in a dangerous situation, and I promise that I will never intentionally do that again.�

�Good, now that we have that settled, I think that we should do something normal for once,� he suggested, brushing his lips against her neck.

�Oh really, and what to you propose?� she asked breathlessly.

�Well, now that we�ve made up, don�t you think that the next step is to make love?� he said, as he ran his hand up her thigh to the curve of her waist.

�Oh yes, I think normal would be a good thing, but Luis can I take my boots off this time?�

�Okay,� he sighed. �If you must.�

********************

The next morning was a beautiful fall day, and as Sheridan fed her babies, she thought about the twins� Halloween costumes. She knew that she was making a big deal out of it, but she wanted her children to experience all the fun of all the holidays. She remembered her excitement of picking a costume when she was a child, and her mother had always made it so special for her. But then her mother had died, and she was never allowed to celebrate Halloween again. Alistair thought is was a silly holiday and he forbid her to participate. They probably wouldn�t have had Christmas either if it wouldn�t have been for Ivy, but sadly she didn�t share many of those times with her family either. She was rarely allowed to come home for holidays when she was at boarding school in Europe. She looked at her children and swore to herself that they would always experience everything that life had to offer. Now if she could just figure out something as simple as dressing them for Halloween.

�Come on Luke, take one more bite for mommy,� she said, putting the spoon to his mouth.

�You do know that if you pretend it�s an airplane he thinks it�s funny, and then when he opens his mouth you put the spoon in,� Luis said, walking into the kitchen. He kissed Sheridan on the cheek, and then kissed his babies. �Sorry about the interruption, but I�m back to help out.�

�So, who was on the phone anyway?� Sheridan asked.

�Believe it or not that was Spike. We�re going to meet up later this afternoon.�

�But Luis, it�s Saturday,� Sheridan said, disappointed. �I thought that maybe since we had to postpone our trip to the pumpkin patch we could do it today.�

�I�m sorry, I wish I had known,� Luis said with regret. �I know thats it�s Saturday, but I need to earn the money that Colin Richards gave us. I�ll tell you what though, why don�t we plan on doing that tomorrow? We�ll make a day of it.�

�I think that sounds like a plan,� Sheridan said, smiling. �Did you hear that kids? Daddy�s going to take us to the pumpkin patch tomorrow. We will just have to think of a way to spend our time today.� It was Lily�s turn for a bite of cereal, and when Sheridan fed her a glob dripped out of her mouth. Before she had a chance to wipe her face, Lily put her little hand up and smeared it all over her chin.

Upset, she looked at her mother with big tear filled eyes. �Mama mama.�

�Oh God Luis,� Sheridan said, putting her hand on her heart. �Did you just hear that? Now I know how you felt when Luke called you daddy.�

�It�s amazing,� Luis said, flashing her and Lily a big smile. �Now if we only get them to both say mommy and daddy.�

�We have very smart children, and I�m sure they will be doing that in no time,� Sheridan said as she wiped Lily�s face off with a cloth. �There, does that feel better sweet pea? Mommy knows how you hate to have a dirty face.�

�Sweet pea? That�s pretty cute,� Luis said, smiling. �They are like two little peas in a pod.�

�Luis,� Sheridan said, excitedly. �I think that you just gave me an idea for the perfect Halloween costumes for the twins! They could be peas in a pod............ It would be adorable.�

*********************

Luis sat in the park on a picnic table watching some children jumping in a pile of leaves. It was amazing to him that even with the advances in technology that kids still had fun doing the simple things. He remembered that he had played in the leaves as a kid, and he figured that Luke and Lily would probably do the same thing. He wondered how Sheridan and Theresa were doing with their shopping. As soon as Sheridan had made up her mind about the twins� costumes, she had gotten Theresa on the phone to make plans. Since he had arranged to meet Spike here in the park, he had dropped Sheridan and the twins off at mama�s. He looked up and saw Spike walking toward him. He could certainly understand how he had gotten the name of Spike, because his hair was sticking straight up about inch high off of his head. Someone had told him once that Spike�s real name was Harold, so it was no wonder that he had adopted his nickname so readily.

�So,� Luis said, when Spike plopped down on the picnic table beside him. �What can you tell me about Rocky?�

�Not so fast Luis,� Spike said, holding his hand out. �You need to show me the money before I start talking.�

Luis took out a fifty-dollar bill and handed it to him. �Okay Spike, if you give me some information that I can use there will be another one of those for you.�

�Hey, ask away. For that kind of money I can get some real loose lips.�

�Just start telling me what you know about Rocky and Lauren Richards.�

�Lauren Richards was a real piece of work. She was one of those high society chicks that liked the dark side if you know what I mean. She used to come to Spankies a lot to find herself a bad boy. I know Rocky was doing her because I used to see them together all the time. Rocky even used to brag that he found himself some rich stuff.�

Luis could feel his adrenalin pumping. He had been right on about a connection between Lauren and Rocky, and now he had to get some proof that Rocky had kidnapped a baby for her. �Did you ever notice if Rocky suddenly came into a windfall of money?� Luis asked.

�Hell yes. We couldn�t believe it because Rocky couldn�t hold a job to save his life. One time he came into the bar with a large wad of money. He was buying everybody drinks and flashing it around like an idiot. I�m surprised he didn�t get robbed that night.�

�Didn�t anybody wonder why Rocky would suddenly have all this money?�

�Yeah at first, but then everyone just figured that Lauren was paying him to be her little toy boy, but if you ask me that money was too serious to be just a payoff for some good sex.�

�What do you mean?� Luis asked.

�Hey, I was standing right beside him when he whipped out that wad of money, and I�m telling you that was a huge stack of hundreds,� Spike explained.

�Spike, did you ever hear Rocky mention anything about him getting a baby for Lauren or anything about a kidnapping?�

�Na, I don�t know nothing about any baby, but it wouldn�t surprise me at all if Rocky nabbed some kid for that freak show Lauren.�

�Think Spike, is there anything else you can tell about this guy?�

Spike hesitated for a moment. �Maybe, but if you want more it�s going to cost you an extra fifty because this is really big............... I mean I could get my ass kicked if anybody found out that I ratted about this, and don�t even think that I�m going to the cops about this,� Spike demanded.

�If this is as big as you say it is, then I will give you sixty more,� Luis promised. �Now tell me what else you know?�

�The night Lauren was murdered I saw her with Rocky,� Spike blurted out.

�What? Are you sure about that?� Luis asked, feeling his heart pumping.

�Yeah, I�m sure. I remember because there was nothing happening at Spankies that night. The place was dead and Rocky was there playing pool, and then Lauren walked in and I could tell that she was on the warpath. She went up to Rocky and started yelling at him, and then Rocky took her by the arm and pulled her out of the bar.�

�What time was that Spike?�

�I know that is was after eight, because I checked the time just before that because I had to meet my girlfriend at eight thirty. I left right after they did, but I didn�t see them after that.�

Luis got the rest of the money out of his wallet and handed Spike sixty dollars. �This is just the information I needed Spike,� Luis said, excited about Spike�s revelation. �I just have one more question for you. Why do you think Rocky went to the police and claimed he saw Evan with Lauren at the time around Lauren�s murder?�

�Because Rocky�s an idiot, that�s why. Because he was dumb enough to think that if he went to the police and claimed to see that Evan guy with Lauren, then it would take the heat off of him. I guess he figured out that it was a stupid thing to do because I haven�t seen him around in days.�

Luis shook Spike�s hand. �As usual Spike, it�s been a pleasure doing business with you.�

******************

Sheridan was helping Theresa cut out patterns when Luis showed up at Pilar�s to pick them up. When he walked into the room and saw his family it struck him that he was the luckiest man alive. It felt so good to see normal people doing normal everyday things, and it was a nice contrast to the dark side of Lauren and Rocky. Sheridan looked up and saw him and smiled. She got up and walked over to him and put her arms around him, and he took advantage of her closeness to give her a kiss that curled her toes.

�Wow, what was that for?� she asked, puzzled by his enthusiastic greeting.

�I�m just really glad to see you,� he said, giving her an affectionate smile. �Why don�t we get our babies and go home?�

Chapter 25

Sheridan was getting ready to climb the steps to see how Luis was doing with the babies when the phone rang. She answered it and was delighted to hear Evan�s voice on the other end. �Evan, how are you?�

�I feel pretty lucky right now, and I wanted to thank you again for hiring Michael to represent me. I�m just happy I�m not going to be standing trial for Lauren�s murder, but I have to tell you I�m not happy about the community service the judge gave me.�

�Come on Evan, it can�t be that bad. What�s the matter, do you have to pick up trash in the park?� Sheridan teased.

�No, she�s making me do my time at the youth center,� Evan complained.

Sheridan burst out laughing, and had to catch her breath before she could speak again. �The youth center? Are you kidding me?�

�Thanks Sheridan,� Evan said, in a miffed voice. �I�m so happy I could entertain you tonight.�

�I�m sorry Evan. I promise I�m not making fun of you, it�s just that you have no idea how ironic this is. The reason I�m laughing is because I had to do community service when I first came back to Harmony and I had to do it at the youth center,� Sheridan explained.

�Why did you have to do community service?� Evan asked, feeling sure that she was joking.

�Oh, because I crashed into Luis� police car and he arrested me and threw me into jail. It was actually pretty funny, but I didn�t think so at the time.�

�Arrested?� Evan said, astounded. �Luis is crazy in love with you, and I can�t believe that he would arrest you.�

�Actually, that was the first time we met, and let�s just say we did not get off to a very good start, but that�s a story for another time. It really turned out to be a great experience for me even if I did fight it tooth and nail at first.�

�I guess it could be worse, but I don�t have the slightest idea what I�m supposed to do,� Evan lamented.

�Well, Miguel has been running the youth center and I know it�s been difficult for him because of school and everything, but he really could use the help. I�m sure he would be happy to work with you, and believe it or not I did run it for a while after Luis and I first got married and I could give you some pointers.�

�Thanks Sheridan, maybe I�ll call Miguel after we hang up to get a feel for what he expects from me. So, how are my cute little niece and nephew?�

�They are growing like weeds, and the joy of our lives,� Sheridan said, with affection.

�Well hopefully between working at the Lobster Shack and this community service at the youth center, I�ll have time to come and visit them soon.�

�They would love to see their Uncle Evan. Especially if you play puppets with them, but you know there is a Halloween party at the youth center, and we�re bringing the twins. I�m going dress them as two peas in a pod.�

Evan laughed. �I can�t wait to see them. So, what are you and Luis dressing up as?� he asked.

�Oh no, I�ve been so concerned about what the twins were going to wear that I forgot all about Luis and me. I�m sure I�ll come up with something.�

�Well, I guess I better go. Kay is working as hostess tonight at the Lobster Shack and I promised to pick her up.�

�Okay, but please don�t be a stranger, and don�t forget to call me if you need any pointers with your community service.�

When Sheridan hung up and was walking up the stairs, she heard Luis� voice and concluded that he must be reading to the babies. She headed for the nursery, but it was empty so she went to their bedroom. When she peeked in the door she saw Luis sitting on their bed with his back against the headboard. He had a baby cradled in each arm and he was reading her book to them. She couldn�t resist keeping her presence unknown, and stood there to listen for a while.

�Molly, her dog Rags, and her cat Muffin, hurried down the path knowing that their home was just around the bend. Their adventure had been grand indeed, but they were anxious to get home. They finally reached the edge of the forest and Molly saw her house standing in the clearing. The big porch needed a coat of paint and one of the green shutters had come loose, but it was the most beautiful site that Molly had ever seen. The End,� Luis finished, closing the book. �Did you like mommy�s book? See these pictures of Molly, Rags, and Muffin?� Luis said, pointing to the illustrations on the cover of the book. �Mommy drew these herself, and you know what? We are so lucky to have somebody as special as mommy in our lives............�

Sheridan was touched beyond measure, and her eyes filled with tears. �Well, I feel pretty lucky to have my three favorite people in my life too,� she said, finally making her presence known.

Luis looked at her with a raised eyebrow. �How long have you been standing there?� he said, sheepishly.

�Long enough.� She moved toward the bed and sat down. �I�m so in love with the three of you,� she said, giving them all a kiss.

�Well, we feel the same way about you,� Luis said, stroking her cheek.

�You do know that these two little ones are up way past their bedtime don�t you?� Sheridan asked.

�Well, I was putting them to bed, and then Luke said, read mommy�s book to us, and then Lily said, yes daddy, please read mommy�s book,� Luis said, imitating little baby voices.

Sheridan laughed, shaking her head back and forth. �You�re pretty cute, but we really need to get these two in bed,� she said, picking Lily up in her arms. �You bring Luke.�

When they got the babies settled in their beds, Sheridan turned on some lullaby music, and by the time they kissed them goodnight, and walked to the door, both babies were fast asleep. They tiptoed out of the nursery and made their way to their own bedroom.

�I think I�ll take a nice hot bubble bath,� Sheridan said, stretching. �Do you think you would be up for washing my back?�

Luis flashed her a sexy grin. �Oh, I can pretty much guarantee that I�ll be up for that.�

�Come on you bad boy,� Sheridan chuckled, pulling on his arm. �If you do a good job maybe I�ll consider washing your back too.�

Luis convinced Sheridan that he could do a much better job of washing her back if he joined her in the tub. That was what she had in mind from the beginning, but she didn�t tell him that. They were lounging in the tub, surrounded by the steamy water content to just be in each other�s company. Luis was resting his back against the edge of the tub and Sheridan was resting her back against the contours of his muscular chest.

Luis leaned down and kissed her shoulder in an attempt to get her attention. �You�re being awfully quiet. What�s going on in that beautiful head of yours?�

�I was just thinking about what Spike told you about Rocky. I still can�t believe that bastard try to set my brother up, when he was the one that murdered Lauren.�

�Well, we still don�t have the proof that he killed Lauren, but if somebody that was in Spankies' that night would testify that they saw them together right before the time of the murder it would give the police enough evidence to arrest him.�

�Then you have to convince one of them, and I still don�t understand why Spike won�t just testify?� she said in a frustrated voice.

�It�s just not going to happen. Spike is afraid that if Rocky and his friends find out, he�s going to end up where Lauren is. He probably wouldn�t have told me what he did if he didn�t need the money so much,� Luis explained.

�Then how are we going to prove that Rocky is guilty?� Sheridan asked.

�I�m not sure yet, but I really don�t want to talk about Rocky or Spike right now,� he said, wrapping his arms around her waist. �Let�s discuss more pleasant subjects,� Luis suggested.

She moved back close against him. �I�m glad you said that because we still need to decide about our costumes for the Halloween party at the youth center,� she said, squeezing soap from the sponge.

�OUR costumes?� You�re kidding right?� he asked, hopefully.

�No, I�m not kidding,� she said, lifting her long leg out of the water, to run the sponge up her thigh. �Come on Luis, we have to dress up. It�s a Halloween party,� she reasoned.

�All right, but just because you think you can dress my children up like vegetables, don�t get any bright ideas and think I�m going to be the Jolly Green Giant,� he laughed.

�Oh Luis, that�s perfect,� she said, turning to look at him. �That is such a cleaver idea. I can just see the looks on everyone�s face when you walk into the party holding your little peas in a pod.�

Luis looked at her like she had lost her mind. �Sheridan, it was a joke. There is no way that I�m going to dress up as the Jolly Green Giant so you can just forget that idea right now,� he said, with finality.

�Oh, you�re no fun,� she pouted.

�Don�t be mad,� he said, kissing her neck. �I�ll wear a costume if you promise that I can dress up as someone that is a little more ma...........�

�Macho,� she finished for him.

�Well, I was going to say manly, but I guess macho would do. Think about it honey, don�t you think we should have some kind of a couple theme?�

�We could go as Adam and Eve,� she suggested with a sly little smile. �We�ll put a fig leaf over little Luis.�

�That couldn�t possibly work, because I don�t think a fig leaf is big enough,� Luis said, arrogantly.

Sheridan scooted back against his hardness. �You definitely have a point. I guess we�ll have to come up with another idea.�

�I think that we should put this on hold for now, because the water�s getting cold, and I�m ready to get into a reclining position............, with you,� he said, seductively.

She put her hands on the sides of the tub, rose out of the water and turned to face him. �Are you coming Adam?� she asked. She dragged her foot through the water and splashed his chest.

Luis rose up as well, beads of water running down his chest. Sheridan leaned over and singled one out licking it with her tongue. �If Eve was as tempting as you are, I can understand why Adam succumbed to her,� he said, stepping out of the tub. He helped her out, and grabbed a towel drying her off in the most sensuous way.

When he was finished, she reciprocated running the towel over his taut body. The fluffy white towel dropped to the tile floor and Sheridan put her arms around him. �I want you Luis,� she said, right before she pulled his head down to her lips kissing him. Just like she had done earlier, she grabbed his hand and led him out of the bathroom toward their bed.

The view of her rounded bottom and the soft sway of her hips drove him crazy with desire. She lay on the bed and stretched her arms over her head offering him everything. Cricking her finger, she moved it in an invitation for him to join her, and with a groan of desire he was suddenly on top of her, kissing her hungrily. �You�re beautiful........... I could never get enough of you.� He lowered his head, ready to kiss her again, when the phone rang, interrupting his descent. �Damn,� he swore.

�Who could that be at this hour?� Sheridan grumbled.

�I don�t know, but I better get it,� Luis said, reaching for the phone. �It might be about the case. Lopez-Fitzgerald........�

�This is Colin Richards, I apologize for calling you at such a late hour, but I just thought of something that might be important.�

�No problem Mr. Richards, what did you have to tell me?� Luis said, sitting up.

�Well, actually there are several things. I spoke with my banker earlier today, and he told me that Lauren withdrew ten thousand dollars from her trust fund, and it was right around the time that child was kidnapped.�

Luis instinctively went into police mode. �Was Lauren in the habit of withdrawing large sums of money?�

�No, and that�s why my banker brought it to my attention. I�ve had so much on my mind lately that I hadn�t bothered to liquidate any of my daughter�s financial holdings, so I was shocked when I was told about the sizable amount withdrawn. Lauren never carried around a lot of cash, because she always used credit cards for all her purchases.�

�So, that is where he got all that money.� Luis proceeded to tell Colin Richards everything that he had discovered about Rocky that day, and his suspicions that he was the one that murdered Lauren.

�So that�s the bastard�s name,� he spat out. �I want him to pay for what he did to my daughter.�

�Don�t worry sir, I�m going to make sure that he does,� Luis assured him.

�I know you will. That�s why I hired you for the job, but there�s something else. Tonight it hit me that my daughter�s diamond ring is missing. It was her mother�s and I gave it to her when she was eighteen. It meant a lot to her, and she always wore it.�

�Are you sure that it wasn�t somewhere at the hotel?�

�No, because when it occurred to me that it wasn�t on her finger, I checked through all of her things that I brought home from the hotel and it was nowhere to be found. I know she wouldn�t have just left it sitting around somewhere. I think that bastard that murdered her stole it from her.�

�You could be right, and if we can find your daughter�s ring in Rocky�s possession that could be the evidence we need to tie him to the murder. Can you describe the ring to me?�

�Yes, it was a two-carrot emerald cut in a white gold setting.�

�Thank you Mr. Richards. You may have just given me the information I needed to put this guy behind bars for the rest of his life,� Luis told him.

�Good, because that is all I live for right now. Good night Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald. I hope that the next time we speak that you will have some good news for me.�

�I hope so too. ........ Good night sir,� Luis said, hanging up the phone.

�What was all this talk about a ring?� Sheridan asked, sitting up.

�Colin Richards said that Lauren�s diamond ring is missing. He said that she always wore it, and that it wasn�t among her belongings that he took from the hotel. He also said that his banker informed him that Lauren withdrew ten thousand dollars from her trust fund right before the baby was kidnapped.�

�Rocky must have taken her ring when he killed her, and the money has to be the payoff for the kidnapping,� Sheridan said, excitedly. �This is good news for our case, right Luis?�

�Yeah, it could be,� Luis said, pondering the situation. �How would you like to go on a stakeout tomorrow night?�

�Are you serious Luis?� she asked studying his face. When he nodded yes, she threw herself in his arms, and hugged him. �Oh thank you Luis. I would love to go on a stakeout.�

�Well, don�t get too excited, because they can be extremely boring sometimes,� Luis warned.

�I don�t care. I�m just so happy that you asked me to go with you.�

�Good, now where were we, before we were so rudely interrupted?� he said, right before he lowered her to the bed, kissing her the whole time.

********************

Sheridan couldn�t say that Luis didn�t warn her. They had been staked out in front of Rocky�s apartment for hours now, and she was ready to pull her hair out from the boredom. Pilar was staying the night at their house with the babies, and she had already called her six times to check on them. She looked over at Luis� shadowed profile as he took a sip of coffee, and got an idea. Maybe there was a way to alleviate this boredom that would be pleasurable for both of them. She scooted over in the seat, and ran her hand up his thigh. Luis jumped, spilling the coffee on his shirt.

�Sheridan, what the hell are you doing?� he asked, pulling his shirt out to get the hot liquid away from his skin.

�I�m so sorry Luis.........� She found a napkin in the glove compartment, and started to pat his shirt to absorb some of the coffee soaking the front. �I just thought that we could, you know............, have some fun while we waited.�

He was just about ready to lose his temper, but when he saw the regretful look on her face he softened. �Look Sheridan, I would like nothing better than to have some fun with you, but honey we�re working and you should never mix business and pleasure. When I�m making love to you the whole world could blow up around me and I wouldn�t even notice, so that�s why we need to stay focused.�

�I�m trying Luis, but I�m going to chew my foot off if something doesn�t happen soon. Tell me again why we are sitting here.�

�Because I talked to Spike today, and he said that Rocky was laying low, so I am waiting to see if he leaves so that I can break into his apartment and find Lauren�s ring,� he explained to her.

�But it�s illegal to break into somebody�s home, and if you do find the ring how would it stand up in court if you entered his home without a search warrant?�

�Somebody�s been brushing up on the law,� he said impressed. �How did you know that?�

�It�s really not so earth shattering Luis. You watch a couple of cop shows and you can get a pretty good education on the legalities of making a case.�

�Well, I have taken that into consideration, and I called Sam earlier and told him everything I�ve found out so far on Rocky. If I find the ring, I�m going to leave it there and call Sam so he can get a warrant. Of course, it had to be off the record, because Sam�s not supposed to know that I�m going to commit a crime, but sometimes you have to bend the rules when you�re after scum like Rocky..........�

�Luis, look,� she said pointing toward Rocky�s apartment. �I think that�s Rocky leaving.�

Luis got out his binoculars to get a close-up view. �You�re right........ Good job baby,� he said, flashing her a smile. �Now, I want you to stay here and lock all the doors, and keep yourself hidden. If I don�t come back after a half-hour, I want you to call Sam...........�

�But Luis, I want to go too. You said that you were going to teach me the investigative side of our business,� she reminded him.

�I know that, and this is part of it. I need to have a lookout, and besides if God forbid something should happen to me, you have to be there for Luke and Lily.�

�Luis, you�re really scaring me,� she said, with alarm.

�I didn�t mean to, and I�m sure that everything is going to be fine, but it�s always a good idea to take precautions,� he said, hoping his words calmed her down.

�Okay, but please be careful Luis. I don�t know what the children and I would do if anything happened to you.�

�I�ll be fine,� he said, giving her a quick kiss. �Now just remember, lock all the doors and try to stay hidden. If some thug walks by and sees a beautiful woman in a car by herself there may be trouble.�

Sheridan watched him walk across the street and disappear inside the building. She checked her watch and slid down in her seat out of view, and said a prayer that Luis would come back safe and sound.

********************

Luis had no problem picking Rocky�s lock, and when he entered the apartment, he called out to make sure that he was alone. He was dressed in a Harmony Gas Company uniform, so that if anyone saw him, he would explain that he was investigating a gas leak in the area. He scoped out the place and noticed two large duffel bags sitting on the floor. �Well, it looks like old Rocky is getting ready to fly the coop,� he said, walking toward the bags. He did a methodical search of both bags, and was just about ready to give up when he realized that one of the bags was not sitting level on the floor. He reached in, and pulled up the flat piece at the bottom of the bag, and discovered a wad of money. �It looks like there�s about seven thousand dollars here,� he said, flipping through the money. If the money was hidden here, perhaps the ring was too. He conducted another search and his hand connected with a small plastic bag. When he pulled it out, there was the diamond ring that Colin Richards had described. Ecstatic over his quick discovery, he put everything back just the way that he had found it, and headed out of the apartment. He was standing in the hall closing the door quietly, when he heard the click of a revolver in his ear, and felt the cold metal nuzzle of a gun against his head.

�If I were you, I wouldn�t think about moving or I�ll blow your head off right here in the hallway,� a cold voice hissed in his ear.

�Look buddy, there�s no need to get so excited. I�m just here checking out a gas leak that was reported earlier,� Luis explained trying to reason with him.

Rocky laughed. �I would almost believe you if I hadn�t seen you at the police station that night, and besides I happen to know that you�re married to Evan Harris� sister.� Rocky kicked the door open with his foot. �Now, why don�t you be a good boy and walk inside so we can have a proper visit.�

*****************

Sheridan had waited fifteen minutes, before she couldn�t stand it any longer and she put her head up to look out the window. She knew that she wouldn�t breathe easy until she saw Luis walking across the street. Suddenly, she saw a figure walking down the street toward Rocky�s apartment building. As he moved closer, a bolt of fear rushed through her when she saw that it was Rocky himself. She couldn�t believe that he was back so fast, and her hands shook as she dialed the number to the police station. When Sam came on the line, she explained what was going on, and he assured her that he was on his way, with an added warning for her to stay put. Concerned that Sam wouldn�t make it on time, she decided that she had to do something about the situation. �Sorry Sam, but I�m not about to sit here waiting for you to show up when Luis� life is in danger.� Her adrenalin kicked in, and she thought hard about what she could use for a weapon, and then she remembered that Luis kept his baseball bat in the trunk for impromptu games of softball. She located the bat, and took off running across the street. Now if she could only remember what Rocky�s apartment number was. The number thirteen finally popped in her head, because she remembered thinking at the time that maybe it was a good sign since thirteen was an unlucky number and it could be a bad omen for Rocky.

When she located Rocky�s apartment, she noticed that the front door was ajar. She could hear voices, but she couldn�t make out the words, so she took a chance and peeked through the crack in the door. There was a small entryway just as you walked into the apartment, and she quietly slipped inside, and flattened herself against the wall just outside the living room. She could hear the voices clearly now, and her blood ran cold when she heard what Rocky was saying.

�You just had to come snooping around didn�t you? I knew I should have stuck with my gut instinct and left town yesterday, but I�ll tell you what. Since you made such a good effort to find out who killed Lauren, I�ll tell you what happened. Now I know you�re thinking to yourself, why would he do something so stupid? Well I�ll tell you why. Because I�m leaving town tonight, and you�re coming with me, and when I get outside of town, I�m going to shoot you and leave you in the ditch for the vultures to feed on.�

�Look, why don�t you just let me go, and we can pretend this never happened,� Luis said, trying to reason with him.

�Sorry, but it�s too late. Just like it was too late for Lauren. You have no idea what a crazy bitch she was. She insisted that I find her a baby, so what choice did I have but to kidnap that kid from Castleton. I wasn�t about to let ten grand slip through my fingers. She was so stupid because she fell for my story that she was renting the kid from some woman that needed the money. Everything was perfect, until she showed up at Spankies that night demanding that I go to the police and turn myself in for kidnapping. She told me that there was no way she was going down for something that I did so I had to make her see reason. I tried to tell her that her old man and his high priced lawyers would get her off, and I would be the one doing time, but she wouldn�t listen. She started beating on me like she was insane, and I had to protect myself..........�

�So you strangled her,� Luis said with disgust.

Rocky was getting more agitated by the minute. �I guess I did go a little overboard, but she just wouldn�t let up. She was screaming at me just like my old lady used to do,� Rocky shouted.

Oh God, Sheridan thought. The guy was crazy and she had to think of something before he lost it and murdered Luis on the spot. She took a chance and peeked around the doorframe, and she could see that Rocky was standing with his back to her. Luis was sitting in front of him with his hands behind his head, but she couldn�t see his face because Rocky was blocking her view. She slipped her shoes off, and in stocking feet crept quietly up behind Rocky with the bat raised above her head. When she was close enough, she swung, hitting him in the arm knocking the gun out of his hand, and Luis took the opportunity to pounce sending Rocky crashing to the floor.

�Get his gun Sheridan,� Luis shouted to her, pinning Rocky to the ground.

She retrieved the fallen gun and handed it to Luis, and he pointed it at Rocky. Just then Sam ran in with two uniforms. Luis hopped off of Rocky and stood up keeping the gun pointed at him until one of the officers could cuff him and read him his rights.

�Okay,� Sam said, giving them both the third degree with his eyes. �Luis do you mind telling me just what went on here? And you,� he said, pointing at Sheridan. �Why aren�t you in the car where I told you to stay?�

�That�s what I want to know,� Luis demanded with a curt tone.

Sheridan refused to be intimidated by them, and her temper flared. �You know, just once I would like to be acknowledged for something that I did right. Why can�t you arrogant men admit that I saved the day here? I know that you both told me to wait in the car, but I refused to take the chance that Sam wouldn�t have made it on time. You also know that if the police came in here with guns blazing, that Rocky could have shot Luis,� she cried, completely aggravated. �Now, I would appreciate it if you would put your overblown egos away and get off of my back!�

Sam and Luis looked at each other in stunned silence, and then looked back to her with a begrudging admiration. �Well Luis, your wife is quite a woman,� Sam said, smiling.

�She certainly is,� Luis said, pulling her into a hug. �Thank you for saving my life. You did a fine job.�

�You are very welcomed sir,� Sheridan said, flashing him a radiant smile. �It was my pleasure.�

�Okay Luis,� Sam said, interrupting them. �It�s your turn. Please tell me you didn�t do anything that would keep this arrest from sticking.�

�Look Sam, I was standing in the hallway minding my own business, when I was forced at gunpoint by Rocky into his apartment. You might want to search his bags just to see if there is any evidence linking him to Lauren,� Luis suggested.

�Yeah, I�ll do that,� Sam said, giving him a knowing look.

�Rocky admitted to me that he kidnapped the baby, and then killed Lauren to keep her from telling the police,� Luis told him.

�I heard it too Sam,� Sheridan chimed in.

�I�m going to need you two to come down to the police station and give your statements, and then maybe you should go home and hug your children, because you�re both lucky to be alive.�

********************

Sheridan had just finished getting the twins dressed in their costumes, and stood back to check out their appearance. They looked adorable, and she was thrilled on how well they turned out. They were sewn in one piece with their little hooded heads being one pea, and the torso section was the other pea. Theresa had put batting on the inside so that they would keep the rounded figure, and the back piece was the actual bean. �You two look so cute,� she told them with a bright smile. �Wait until daddy sees you.�

�Wait until daddy sees what?� Luis asked, walking into the room. �Oh no, where are my children? I can�t find them anywhere,� he said, teasingly. They both smiled at their daddy talking to him in their own special baby talk. �There they are, but why do they look like little green peas?� he said, giving them a kiss on their chubby little cheeks.

�Did you remember to buy film?� Sheridan asked him anxiously.

�Yes, I bought two rolls, and why aren�t you ready yet?� he said, looking at her robe.

�That�s a typical man question. Maybe because I have not only myself to get ready, but I also had to get the twins dressed too. Besides, I�m going to need your help putting the dress on.� She finally took the opportunity to check him out in his pirate costume. He definitely looked hot.......... Just like one of those heroes on one of Tina�s romance novels. The white lawn shirt with the billowing sleeves made him look dark and roguishly handsome. His tight black pants fit him like a second skin, and the high black boots he wore gave her all kinds of wicked thoughts.

�Earth to Sheridan,� Luis said, bringing her out of her sexual haze. �Do you want me to help you with your dress now?�

�Yes, thank you,� she said slipping out of her robe to reveal white lacy undergarments.

�Oh, I like that,� Luis said, staring at her with smoldering eyes. �Are you sure we have to put the dress on?�

�I think that would be wise,� she said, shaking her head at him. She slipped the blue satin floor length dress over her head, and had Luis to fasten up the back. �Now comes to the hard part,� she said, presenting him with a blue satin corset that matched her dress.

�What am I supposed to do with this?� Luis said, confused.

�You�re supposed to lace it around my waist.� She pulled it on and presented her backside to him. She leaned down, resting her hands on the footboard.

Luis took the laces and pulled them together cinching her tightly at the waist. �What are you supposed to be?� Luis asked her, as he worked on his task.

�I�m the gentle English lady whose ship was overtaken by you the notorious pirate. Ouch, that�s a little too tight Luis,� she said, gasping for a breath of air.

�Oh, I see,� he said, smiling devilishly. �Does that mean that you�re my booty?�

She giggled at his question. �I don�t know if I would put it that way, but you do ravish me and steal my innocence.�

�Oh good,� he said, rubbing his hands together. �I think I�m going to like this party after all. There you go, all laced up,� he said, smacking her on the bottom.

�Luis,� she scolded him. �Don�t mishandle the booty........... Now, how do I look?� she said modeling for him.

Luis� gaze traveled from her blond curls piled on top of her head.........., to her breasts spilling out of the top of her dress........., moving to her tiny waist.........., and than back up to her breasts again. �My God Sheridan, you look beautiful, but...........�

�But what?� she said, running over to the full-length mirror. When she saw how much of her decollete was exposed, she cried with frustration. �Oh no, I can�t show up at the youth center with my, my...........�

�Yeah, I was thinking that you were going to throw Miguel and his friends into hormonal overdrive when they see you in that dress,� he said, with an edge of jealousy in his voice.

�What am I going to do? It�s too late to come up with another costume,� she said, contemplating her dilemma. �Wait a minute, I know what to do.� She walked over to her dresser and pulled out a white lace shawl and wrapped it around the top of her so that it covered her assets. �There, is that better?�

�Well, not for me, but I think it will have to do if you�re going to the youth center........ And, speaking of the youth center, I think we should grab our little peas and leave now.�

�Okay, I�m ready, but where is your hat?�

�It�s right here,� he said, placing the wide brimmed hat on his head. It was black with a large plume on the rim.

�Wow, you look very dashing and dangerously sexy,� she said, eyeing him up and down appreciatively.

He flashed her his heart-stopping smile. �Let�s get this over with so I can come home and ravish you.�

When they arrived at the youth center, the party was in full swing. Everyone converged on them gushing over how cute the twins looked in their costumes. Evan, dressed as Elliot Ness and Kay dressed as a flapper approached and each picked up a baby.

Evan, with Lily in his arms lifted her up in the air. �Hi, you little cutie pie,� he said fondly, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

�Oh Sheridan, they are just adorable,� Kay said, cuddling Luke in her arms. �Wow, the two of you look great,� she said, referring to their costumes.

�Well, so do you and Evan,� Sheridan said warmly. �I love your flapper dress. So, are the two of you having fun?�

�Yeah, we�re having a great time. Now if I can only get Evan to dance a slow dance with me I would be having a better time,� Kay whispered to her under her breath.

Hearing that, Sheridan decided to take action. �Why don�t you hand Luke to me and I�ll see what I can do,� she said, winking at Kay. �Luis, I think you should take Lily so that Evan can dance to this song with Kay.�

Evan, knowing he had been set up, gave Sheridan a look, and grabbed Kay�s hand to lead her onto the dance floor. Luis gave her a knowing look. �You are a bad girl,� he said, smiling.

�Well, sometimes men just have to be pushed in the right direction,� she said with flashing blue eyes. �Oh look, here come Eve and Grace.�

Grace was dressed as a nun and Eve as a doctor. �Sheridan, Luis,� Grace said, smiling. �Eve and I are dying to see Luke and Lily. Everyone is talking about how adorable they look.�

Eve looked down at her scrubs. �I know, it�s not very original, but Grace asked me to help her chaperone at the last minute and I didn�t have a costume to wear........ Oh my, would you look at these sweet little babies?�

�I know,� Grace said. �Don�t they just look precious Eve?�

Eve smiled, looking at the twins with affection. �They certainly do, and you and Luis look amazing,� Eve complimented them.

�Why don�t Eve and I hold the babies so you and Luis can dance,� Grace suggested.

�What is this, a conspiracy with you women,� Luis whispered in Sheridan�s ear.

�Thank you Grace. Are the two of you sure if won�t be a problem?� Sheridan asked.

�Of course not,� Eve insisted. �I can�t think of anything I�d rather do than hold these precious babies.

�Come on Sheridan, we need to take them up on their offer before they change their minds,� Luis said, handing Lily to Eve. Sheridan gave Luke to Grace, and followed Luis out onto the dance floor.

�That was certainly nice of Grace and Eve to watch the babies while we danced,� Luis said, pulling her in his arms.

�I know,� Sheridan said, smiling. �Our children will never lack for attention.�

�Really, they will probably be spoiled rotten by the time we get them home. You know Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald, you look ravishing tonight.�

�Don�t you mean ravishable?� she inquired impishly.

�Oh yes,� he said, moving her shawl aside so that he could have a private view of her voluminous assets.

�Luis, what are you doing? Somebody might see you.�

�No they won�t,� he assured her. �I�m standing too close to you, besides I need a little sample of what�s going to happen later when I plunder and ravish you.�

�I can hardly wait,� she purred in his ear.

�Please tell me we don�t have to stay long?� Luis pleaded.

�Not too much longer, because we need to get the babies home to bed,� she promised. �Speaking of the babies, it looks like they got kidnapped from Eva and Grace. Isn�t it cute Luis? Miguel and Charity are dancing with them.�

Luis looked around, and smiled when he spotted them. �Yeah, we are going to have a real problem with them after all this attention they�re getting tonight.�

When the music ended, Sheridan excused herself to go to the ladies room, telling him it may be a while since all her clothing bogged her down. Luis went over to the refreshment table to grab a soft drink, and relaxed against the wall watching the crowd. Suddenly Miguel approached him with Lily, llarge crocodile tears running down her face. �What�s wrong with her Miguel,� Luis asked, concerned for his little girl.

�I�m sorry Luis,� Miguel apologized. �We were dancing, and Reese came up with his Frankenstein mask and I think it scared her.�

Reese ran up with mask in hand. �I�m sorry Luis, I didn�t mean to scare her.�

�That�s okay Reese. I know you didn�t mean to do it on purpose. I�ll just step in the other room where it�s quiet and try to calm her down.� When Luis took Lily to the room where his office used to be, he wiped her tears and hugged her close. �Shhh Peanut.......... Daddy�s here, and he will never let anybody hurt you,� he said, kissing the top of her head.

When Sheridan came out of the ladies room she looked around for Luis, and became puzzled when she didn�t see him anywhere. She spotted Miguel and Charity with Luke, but Lily was nowhere to be seen. Concerned, she approached them. �Miguel, where are Luis and Lily?� she questioned him.

�Oh, hi Sheridan. Reese didn�t mean to, but he scared Lily with his mask, and Luis stepped in the other room to calm her down.�

�Oh no, I hope she�s okay........... Why don�t I take Luke so we can go check on them,� she said holding her arms out for her baby. Charity handed Luke to her, and she set out to find Luis and Lily. By the time she found them Luis had managed to calm Lily down, and she was fast asleep in his arms.

�Is she okay Luis? Miguel told me what happened.�

�She�s fine now,� Luis said in a low voice so that he didn�t wake her.

�I guess we�re going to be leaving sooner than we expected so we can get these two little ones in bed. They�ve had a big night with their first Halloween party.�

�You don�t mind do you?� Luis asked.

�Not at all. In fact I can�t think of anything I would rather do,� she said, giving him one of her special looks.

Chapter 26

Luis and Sheridan undressed their little sleeping peas in a pod, and tucked them into bed. As they walked into the hallway, Luis insisted that they continue to celebrate Halloween in their own special way. When they got downstairs, Luis suggested that Sheridan remove her shawl, so that he could appreciate her costume in a private setting. When she obliged, his eyes feasted on her ample charms with a hungry desire smothering within their depths. He popped a CD in, and the sultry strains of music filled the air as he offered her his hand in an invitation to dance. Pulling her close, so that their bodies were nothing more than a hairsbreadth apart, they began to move in perfect time to the music.

�So my lady, where were you bound when I came upon your ship?� Luis asked, slipping into his pirate mode.

Sheridan smiled and decided to play along with his game. �I would hardly call it coming upon my ship. It was more like accosting it if memory serves me, and if you must know I was heading to the Colonies to marry the man my father promised me to.�

�I hope that this gentleman is wealthy, because the ransom for you will be very high indeed,� Luis said, playing the gallant pirate.

�And what if he is unable to meet your price?� she inquired, trying to keep the smile from her face.

�Then I shall have to keep you for myself,� he whispered hotly in her ear.

�But I would be ruined��.., never allowed to show my face in polite society again,� she said, indignantly.

�I can assure you that once you�ve been with me that you would never want to go back to polite society,� he said, brushing his lips against the curve of her neck.

Her body trembled from the contact of his lips. �You are pretty sure of yourself.�

�Not really, but I am sure that we would be amazing together,� he said with a smothering look.

�I can�t imagine that it would be worth the loss of my virginity,� she said, challenging him.

�Trust me madam, virginity is highly over rated.�

She almost jumped when he ran his finger down her cleavage. �A gentleman would never take such liberties,� she said, breathlessly. �I did not give you permission to touch me like that.�

�Surely you must know that I am no gentleman, and I always take what I want,� he said, arrogantly as he lifted her up in his arms.

�Well, how dare you,� she said, trying to stifle a giggle. �Where are you taking me?�

�I�m taking you upstairs, so that I can ravish and plunder you,� he said, flashing her a cocky grin.

�And if I refuse���.?�

�You won�t����

Sheridan couldn�t hold it in any longer, and giggled out loud. When they got to the foot of the stairs, she grabbed Luis� pirate hat off of the banister where he had thrown it earlier. She was ready to put it back on his head when she noticed the plume. �Luis, what happened to the plume on this hat?�

�Why, what�s wrong with it?� he asked absently.

�It looks like somebody chewed on the end of it,� she said, baffled.

�Oh that,� Luis said, with a little smile. �Our little boy got a hold of it and decided that it looked good enough to eat.�

�Why that little devil,� Sheridan smiled.

�Yeah, he takes after his dad, the big devil,� Luis said, giving her a kiss.

When they finally made it to their bedroom, Luis put her down slowly so that she slid down his body, and leaned over to kiss the soft curve of her breast. �I�ve been dying to do that all night,� he mumbled against her flesh.

�So,� she said, throwing her head back. �Is this what you call being ravished?�

�Oh believe me, it�s only the tip of the iceberg.� He ran his hands up the sides of her corseted waist, and pulled the top of her dress down exposing her breasts. �My God you�re beautiful,� he said, lowering his head to ravish with his mouth and tongue.

�This isn�t right............ This isn�t proper,� she said breathlessly, falling into her role as the virgin lady.

His tongue grazed the tip of her breast. �Do you really want me to stop?� He moved to her other breast and gave it equal attention. �You just say the word, and I�ll stop at any time. I want my woman willing,� he said, moving his head up to stare into her eyes.

�I know that I�m insane, but I don�t want you to stop. Not now..........., not ever,� she said, pulling his head down to bring his lips to hers. The kiss filled her with fire, and she ripped his shirt open and pulled it off of his body.

�Turn around, so I can unlace you.� His hands were shaking with anticipation, and he fumbled with the ties until they ended up in a huge knot. �Damn, hold on a minute.� He went over to his dresser and pulled a pocketknife out of the drawer.

�Luis, what is going on?� she asked, frustrated by his delay.

�Just a little problem with these ties, but I plan to rectify that right now,� he said cutting the laces open.

When her corset popped open suddenly, she gasped out loud. �What did you do?�

�Sorry, but it was in a huge knot, so I had to cut it,� Luis explained.

�Oh no, first the plume on your hat and now this,� she complained. �I guess I can kiss that deposit goodbye.�

�Who cares,� he said pulling her corset off and throwing it across the room. He began to unhook the buttons in the back and her dress fell down to her waist leaving her completely naked on top.

She turned around to face him, and put her hands on his chest to push him onto the bed. �Why don�t you let me help you take your boots off?� she asked with a secret little smile.

Luis leaned back on his hands and watched her kneel before him. It was sexy as hell watching her undressing him in her half-naked state. �God Sheridan, hurry. These pants are so tight, and you have no idea how much pain I�m in.�

�I�m going as fast as I can,� she said, managing to get one of his boots off. The other boot was more stubborn, and she fell on her behind in puddle of satin when it finally pulled free.

They both giggled, as he helped her up pulling her dress completely off. She in turn pulled his tight pants down making him sigh with relief as he sprung free of the confining space. �Oh my��.. How will by virginal little body ever be able to handle you?� she teased.

�Well I could check you out to see if I�d fit,� he said, touching her most feminine place.

She melted all over him. �Is this another part of being ravished?� she whispered with pleasure and agony.

�Yes, and now is the time to plunder your sweet innocence,� he mumbled against her lips. He kissed her with a fiery passion as he lowered her to the bed, and proceeded to fill her completely.

�Oh yes,� she moaned. �I love it when you�re being my hot pirate.� She moved up against him offering everything, while at the same time demanded everything from him. Taking control, she went wild beneath him, and the pressure increased to such intensity that it sent them both into mindless oblivion.

As soon as he was able to think coherently again, Luis rolled off of her and pulled her in his arms. �You know Sheridan,� he said, kissing the top of her head. �You really aren�t very good at roll playing.�

�What do you mean?� she asked, lifting her head so that she could look at this face.

�Because those were hardly the actions of an innocent virgin.�

�Are you complaining?�

�Hell no,� he said, pulling her down for another one of his heart-stopping kisses.

********************

The next morning Jack Russo walked into the Book Cafe and took in everything about his old haunt. There were a few customers sitting around the tables, and some others looking at books, but nobody was familiar to him. Maybe that was a good thing, because it would allow him to relax and fall into his new character, so that when he did encounter somebody he knew, he would be at ease. Just as that thought passed through his mind, he saw Beth walk in from the double doors of the back kitchen. Beth didn�t notice him and it gave him a chance to study her. His mind flashed back to a time in high school when he had been interested in a relationship with her, but that had never come to pass. Luis had decided that he wanted Beth, and as usual Luis always got what he wanted. He could forgive Luis for Beth, and all the other women that they had competed for, but he would never forgive him when it came to Sheridan Crane.

When he had first started working for the Cranes in their drug operation, it had been nothing but an opportunity to make some big money, but then he met Sheridan and everything changed. She was beautiful, refined, and he had become obsessed with marrying her so that he would become forever ensconced in the Crane dynasty. Hell, Alistair hadn�t even objected to his pursuit of Sheridan as long as he kept her away from Luis. Everything had been going according to his master plan, when two events happened that would change his life forever. The first one was when he found out that Luis had married Sheridan. He could still feel the rage inside of him when he had heard the news. If that wasn�t bad enough, he had arrived early one night for a secret meeting with Alistair and Julian, and was just outside the door of Julian�s office at Crane Industries when he overheard something that drove him over the edge. They were actually joking about killing his father to stop him from helping Katherine Crane escape from Alistair. At first he had thought he had heard wrong, because his father had died from a heart attack when he was on a fishing trip, and then he remembered that they had never found his body. Something was also mentioned about the fact that Martin Fitzgerald had discovered what they had done, so it had been necessary to make him disappear. He didn�t stick around to hear anymore because he knew that he couldn�t keep that meeting that night until he was able to act rationally and plan his revenge. He was so caught up in his thoughts looking downward tearing apart a napkin when he heard her voice.

�Good morning,� Beth said, with a smile. �What can I get for you?�

Her presence unnerved him at first, but then it occurred to him that the look in her eyes was one of interest and not recognition so he was able to relax. �Yes, could you bring me some coffee, and one of those cheese Danish I see over there,� he said, pointing to the tray on the counter. Beth left to get his order, and he watched her walk away. This was his first meeting with someone from his past, and it felt good to know that he had passed the test. Not only his looks were different, but he had worked hard on changing the cadence of his voice as well, and it looked like it had paid off. Beth returned with his order, and set it down in front of him.

�There you go, coffee and a Danish,� she said, and turned to leave, but then she hesitated. �You must be new in town. I don�t think I�ve seen you around before,� she flirted.

�Well, actually I arrived in town about a month ago. I haven�t been out much because I�m managing that new dinner club out on Coast Road.�

�Oh yes,� Beth said, impressed. �I�ve heard about that place, but it sounds like it�s a little too expensive for my budget. Oh, by the way, my name�s Beth Wallace and I manage this place.

�Well, Beth Wallace,� he said, holding out his hand. It�s good to meet you. My name is Jack Russo.�

She shook his hand. �It�s good to meet you too Jack. I hope I�ll be seeing you around,� she said, turning to leave once more.

�Wait, Beth. Why don�t you come out to the club next Friday as my guest?�

She looked pleasantly surprised. �Are you serious? I would love to see that place.�

�Of course I�m serious. Just give the doorman your name and he�ll come and get me,� he said, flashing her a charming smile.

�This is really great of you.........� She looked over when she saw someone walk in the door. �Well, I have some new customers so I guess I better go wait on them. Let me know if you need anything else.�

When she left, Jack looked over to see who had just come in, and he was taken aback when he saw that Kay was there with Evan Harris. They sat down at a table not far from him, and he was able to observe them clearly. What the hell was his niece doing with that bastard Crane? Sam must be crazy to let Kay get involved with somebody like him. He was still steamed that Evan Harris had gotten out of that murder rap. Now he was going to have to start from scratch, and that thought pissed him off royally, because he didn�t want his niece involved.

Evan leaned over and gave Kay a quick kiss on the lips. �So, what do you think about us starting school in winter quarter? If we go to Castleton like Noah it would be a lot less expensive because we wouldn�t have to stay on campus......... Kay, are you listening to me?�

�Oh, I�m sorry Evan. It�s just that the guy that�s sitting over there keeps staring at me, and it�s really starting to creep me out.�

�Where is he?� Evan said, looking around. �Point him out so that I can go over there and tell him to quit bothering you.�

�No Evan,� she said grabbing his arm. �Please, just let it go. It looks like he�s leaving anyway.�

�Evan turned around to see whom Kay was referring to. �Who is that guy? I�ve never seen him around here before.�

�His name is Jack Russo,� Beth said, having just arrived with their coffee. �He�s managing that new dinner club on Coast Road.�

�He needs to mind his own business,� Evan said, watching him walk out the door.

�I don�t know,� Beth said. �He seemed like a pretty nice guy to me. Well you two, just let me know if you need anything else.�

After Beth left, Kay leaned in and took Evan�s hand. �Why don�t I sneak out of the house tonight after everybody goes to bed and I�ll come over to the Bed and Breakfast?�

�Kay, you know I want that more than anything, but your dad is already watching me like a hawk. If he found out you came to see me late at night, he will kill me for sure this time.�

�You know Evan; I think that when we start school we should get a place together in Castleton. Once I�m out of the house my parents can�t tell me what to do any more.�

�Kay, I�m lucky that I can afford to stay at the Bed & Breakfast. I would never be able to go to school and afford an apartment too,� he reasoned. �You know that you wouldn�t be able to afford it either.�

�You know Evan; I�m getting the feeling that you don�t want to be with me in that way,� she said, with a hurt look in her blue eyes.

�Oh Kay, you have no idea how wrong you are about that. I think about being with you constantly,� he said, giving her a reassuring smile. �I love you, and I want to be with you all the time, but I�m on shaky ground with your father, and I don�t want to do anything that would give him ammunition to break us apart.�

�I just don�t understand why my father has to be so unreasonable where you are concerned. You never did anything wrong, and I think he�s just being unfair for no reason,� she complained.

�I agree with you to a certain extent, but at the same time I respect your dad too. He loves you Kay, and I think he�s having a hard time letting go of his little girl. I just wish that I had had a father that cared enough about me the way that Chief Bennett cares about you.�

Her eyes softened. �I�m sorry Evan. I didn�t mean to bring up unpleasant memories for you.�

�It�s okay Kay,� he told her with a smile. �I�ll tell you what. I�m going to think of a way that we can be together soon.........�

�Really Evan?� she said, her mood brightening.

�Really,� he promised.

********************

Sheridan loaded the last of the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher, and turned it on. They had all slept in after their big night at the Halloween party, and it was already late morning, and she needed to get moving for the day. She sought out Luis, who was in the sunroom playing with the twins. She smiled when she saw the babies on their play mat, surrounded by their toys having the best time with their father. Luis was sitting on the floor with his legs crossed showing Luke how to stack the blocks one on top of the other. She couldn�t help but laugh out loud when Lily took her little hand and knocked the tower over.

�Now Peanut,� Luis scolded her gently. �That wasn�t nice to knock Luke�s tower over.�

�Well Luis, did you ever consider that she�s rebelling because she feels left out?� Sheridan asked him.

�Oh no,� Luis said, feeling terrible. �I didn�t mean to make Peanut feel left out. I thought that they would both have fun with the blocks.�

Sheridan smiled. �I guess she�s like me in that respect. Remember all the times I acted out because I was lonely and felt left out?�

�Yeah,� he said, with a little smile. �I certainly remember that, but you do know that you will never have to feel that way again, because we�re your family now and we love you very much.�

His words warmed her heart more than she could ever say. She never thought that she would have all this. A wonderful, loving husband and two beautiful precious children were the things that she thought would always be out of her grasp. �I know that Luis, and I love the three of you very much.�

�So, did you get the kitchen cleaned up? If not, I�ll take over for you,� Luis offered.

�Thanks, but that�s not necessary. Everything is all put away, but I was wondering if you would mind watching the children for a little while longer so that I can take a shower and get dressed for the day?�

�You go ahead. We�ll find something to play that will make both of the babies happy.�

�Okay, but you better keep your eye on them, because they are starting to get up on their hands and knees and I saw Luke start to scoot forward the other day.�

�We�ll be fine,� Luis assured her. �I don�t think they�re ready to run any marathons just yet.�

�Well, you two play with daddy, and I�ll be back in a little bit,� Sheridan, said, leaving to go upstairs.

�I think we should take turns pressing these buttons so you can hear the animals talk,� Luis said, showing them their little Playschool farm. �Come on Lily, press this one and you can hear the sound the piggy makes.�

Lily followed Luis� lead and pressed the button, and laughed out loud when she heard the piggy noise. It was Luke�s turn and he chose the cow. They both laughed over that one. Luis couldn�t believe how much fun he was having just watching their enjoyment over the discovery of new things. When the phone rang, he remembered that it was in the living room. �You two stay right here and play with your farm while daddy gets the phone.� When Luis answered the phone he was thrilled to hear his old friend from the agency on the other line. He told Luis that he had finally been able to track down Ben Bennett�s old army buddy, Spencer Shaw. Apparently Spencer Shaw was in bad health and was now in a V.A. hospital in Boston. Luis located a pencil and paper and wrote the address down on a piece of paper, but little did he know that his little babies had decided to go on an adventure. If he hadn�t been so intent on writing down the information his friend was giving him, he would have noticed Luke with Lily close behind his heals crawling into the living room.

When Sheridan had finished her shower, she dressed and was walking down the steps when she noticed Luis on the phone. She couldn�t believe he had left the babies alone, and when she went into the sunroom and found them missing, she went ballistic. �Luis hang up, the babies are missing,� she shouted to him.

�I have to go,� Luis said, hanging up the phone. �What do you mean they�re missing? I only left them for a few minutes.� He looked in the sunroom just to confirm what Sheridan had told him. �But Sheridan, I don�t understand how they could have gone anywhere. When I went to answer the phone they were right here playing.�

�Luis, I told you that they were ready to crawl,� she said, frantically looking for them.

Luis looked around too and in no time located them sitting on the other side of the armoire. They had gotten a hold of a video, and had managed to pull the tape out so that it was lying in curling swirls all around them. �Sheridan, I found them,� he called out to her.

When she came upon them, she had to stifle a laugh when she saw their faces. Their eyes were huge and they looked so guilty. She squatted down to see what video they had destroyed. �Well, it looks like daddy�s going to regret that he didn�t keep his eye on you,� she said, smiling.

�What do you mean?� Luis asked. �What video do they have?�

Sheridan flipped it over to read the label to him. �Oh, let�s see........ It says here Luis� game winning touchdown.........�

�Oh no, not the tape of one of my finest sports moments,� he whined.

�It looks like you�re going to be spending the day installing all those child proofing devices since our children have now gone mobile. I would also suggest that you move all these videos from the bottom shelf.�

�So you two,� Luis said, looking at the children. �What do you have to say for yourselves?�

�Dada,� Luke said, giving Luis an innocent look.

They both laughed out loud. �Oh Luis, look at that precious little face. How can you resist him?�

�I can�t,� Luis said, affectionately. �Sheridan, why don�t you go and get one of their toys, and sit in the middle of the room so you can entice them? I want to see if we can coax them to crawl, when we can see them.�

�Oh, great idea,� Sheridan said, going to the sunroom to retrieve something to lure them with. She came back with a stuffed Winnie the Pooh that had a little bell on his collar. She sat down in the middle of the living room and jiggled the bear to get their attention. �Oh wait. Get your camera Luis. I want to capture this moment.�

The camera was on the coffee table, still sitting there from the night before, so Luis snapped a picture while the twins were still sitting surrounded by the destroyed video tape. �Okay Sheridan shake Winnie.�

She did, and it didn�t take long to get the twins� attention. Luke was first, and he got down on his hands and knees and started toward her. It was so funny, because he had a little waddle to his crawl that was so endearing. When Lily realized that her brother was leaving her behind, she took off too, but her crawl was dainty, almost like a little ballerina. Luis and Sheridan were so touched by witnessing another one of their baby�s milestones, and they cheered them on. �You two are so special,� Sheridan told them. When they finally reached Sheridan, she kissed them both, and let them have Winnie. �So Luis, who was on the phone earlier?�

�Oh God, I almost forgot in all the excitement. That was my old buddy from the agency and he finally located Spencer Shaw.�

�Oh Luis, that�s wonderful news,� she said, excited. �Where is he?�

�In a V.A. hospital in Boston. I guess the guy�s in poor health, and I think that I should go to see him as soon as possible,� Luis explained.

�Good, when do we leave?� she asked, picking Lily up in her arms. Poor little girl was upset because her brother would not share with her.

�What about tomorrow? I was thinking that we could take the twins with us. It would be their first road trip.�

�That sounds great Luis, but I don�t think they are going to allow us to bring the babies into the hospital with us,� Sheridan reminded him.

�That�s right.........,� Luis said, disappointed. �I know mama has to work tomorrow, because Ivy is having a party.�

�Well maybe we can get Evan and Kay to baby sit?� Sheridan suggested.

�Okay, why don�t you call them and see if they can do it?�

Sheridan was happy that she had given Evan a cell phone for his birthday, because she was never able to reach him at the Bed & Breakfast. She called his number, and when he answered she asked him if he would be able to watch Luke and Lily for the day. He readily agreed, and said that he and Kay would be there first thing in the morning. �Well, Evan said they could do it,� Sheridan told him.

�That�s great,� Luis said, standing up. �Look, before I start installing these childproof things, I�m going to go out and get the mail.�

�Good idea. I�ll play with the children until you get back, and then they are going down for a nap.�

When Luis got back, he was going through the stack of mail when he found a letter addressed to Sheridan from Parker Publishing. �Hey Sheridan, you got a letter from your publisher.�

�That�s odd,� she said, perplexed. �I wonder what they want.�

�Well, you�re not going to know for sure until you open it,� Luis said, handing her the envelope.

Sheridan opened the letter and as she began to read a look of pleasure washed over her face. �Luis, you�re never going to believe this. My book was awarded the Parent�s Golden Seal,� she said, excitedly. �This really is quite an honor, especially for a first book.

�Honey, that�s wonderful news,� Luis said, happily. �I�m so proud of you.�

�Thank you Luis. I know it�s not a Pulitzer or anything, but it�s still nice to be validated like this.�

�Well, I happen to think that it�s very special, and I also think that we should go out and celebrate this weekend,� he suggested.

�That would be great Luis. It has been a while since we�ve been out on a date. Where did you want to go and celebrate?� She asked with flashing eyes.

�I was thinking that we could go to that new dinner club out on Coast Road. We can get all dressed up and dance the night away.�

�Oh yes, I�ve heard some wonderful things about that place. They play big band music, and I�ve always thought that era was so romantic.�

�Okay, then it�s settled. Saturday night will be a night for celebration and romance, and I�m going to be with the most beautiful woman in the place,� he said, giving her a smoldering look.

Chapter 27

After feeding the babies and getting them dressed for the day, Sheridan was running late, and scurried around to get herself ready. Thank God for Luis� help or she would never make it through the day in one piece. Since the twins had discovered the art of crawling they didn�t want to stop. Luis had childproofed the house yesterday, but they still needed to be watched because there were always some things around that you couldn�t keep them out of unless you had your eye on them. Last night after dinner, Luke had discovered that the soil in the Fichus tree was fun to play in, and when they had found him, his little face was smeared with dirt and he had a clump of it in his hand. So, for the second time that day, she had bathed him and put a fresh pair of pajamas on him. Lily had managed to find trouble as well when she had pulled some of Luis� case notes off of the coffee table and proceeded to tear, crinkle, and suck on them until they were totally unreadable. What was so amazing was how quick they were at finding trouble, and that was what concerned her the most about leaving them in Evan�s care today. It was not that she didn�t trust him with her children, because she knew that he loved them, but she also knew that he wasn�t prepared for her children�s newfound love of adventure. They were still getting adjusted to the twins� mobility, but thankfully Ace had nominated himself as their bodyguard, and he was doing a fine job of warning them when one of the babies was heading for trouble. The only problem was, even he couldn�t keep up if they decided to head off in different directions.

�Hey Sheridan,� Luis said, coming up behind her. �Evan and Kay are here.�

�Oh good, did you go over the list with them?� Sheridan asked.

�Yes, they know the doctor�s number, when to feed them, what to feed them, and what times they need to go down for their naps,� Luis assured her.

�Maybe this is not such a good idea that I go after all. It would be different if we weren�t going to be out of town, but if there is an emergency..........�

�Sheridan, everything is going to be fine,� he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. �Besides, Grace promised me she would check on them every couple of hours.�

�Oh, I see,� she said, giving him a knowing look. �Sounds to me that you�re a little concerned about leaving the children too.�

�Well, of course I worry every time I leave my children when we�re going out of town, but we can�t always be with them and we have to trust that they�ll be fine.�

�I suppose you�re right Luis. It�s just that I can�t help but remember what happened the last time we went out of town. There was an intruder in the same room with them, and just thinking about what might have happened scares me to death. Besides, now that they are crawling, they could get into all kinds of trouble.�

�Believe me, Evan and Kay have been warned about our adventurous children,� he said, smiling.

�Okay, I�m going to quit stressing about being so far away from them,� she said with conviction. �Shall we go to Boston?�

�Yeah, but first you have to give me a kiss,� he suggested, flashing her a grin.

�Oh,� she said, putting her arms around him. �I think that can be arranged.� She gave him a kiss that almost landed her on her back.

�I think we better leave while I can still walk,� Luis said, grabbing her hand, and leading her downstairs.

Evan and Kay were playing with the twins when they arrived downstairs. Each one had a puppet on their hand, and they were acting out a show for the babies. Luke and Lily sat in with a look of fascination on their faces, giggling when the puppets started dancing. �I think they really like the puppets Kay.�

�That�s obvious,� Sheridan said, laughing. �You two put on quite a show.�

�Luis, Sheridan,� Kay said, embarrassed. �We didn�t know you were standing there.�

�Yeah, we were just getting ready to leave,� Luis told them. �So, are you guys sure you want to take these two on? This is your last chance to get out of this, so you better speak up now,� Luis joked.

�Luis,� Sheridan scolded. �You act like our children are little monsters.�

�I was just teasing,� Luis assured her. �I happen to think my children are the sweetest babies alive.�

�Oh gee, can we say that somebody is a proud father,� Kay said, laughing.

�Well, their uncle happens to think they are pretty sweet too,� Evan said, grinning at the babies.

�Okay Sheridan, you better start your goodbyes with the babies so that we can get out of here within the hour,� Luis teased.

Sheridan made a face at him, and went over to say her goodbyes to her children. Luis joined her and they made their usual fuss over the babies, taking turns kissing them. As Sheridan and Luis left, they reminded them again about the twins� adventurous spirit, and Evan assured them that everything would be fine. Sheridan couldn�t help herself, and she had to go back and kiss her babies again. Kay and Evan laughed as Luis pulled her out of the house by her arm.

********************

Luis and Sheridan�s trip to Boston was uneventful, and when they arrived at the V.A. hospital, a nurse aide showed them to Spencer Shaw�s room. She told them that this would be a nice surprise because Mr. Shaw didn�t receive many visitors, since his daughter had moved to another state. The nurse led them into a room that he shared with three other patients, and for some reason the scene of these men living the rest of their lives in this place made Sheridan sad. When they got to his bed, the nurse introduced them.

�Mr. Shaw, these nice people are here to see you. Are you up for a visit?�

�Who is it nurse?� Spencer Shaw said, trying to sit up.

�My name is Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald, and this is my wife Sheridan,� Luis said, introducing himself. �We were wondering if we could speak to you about something?�

Spencer Shaw did look a little brighter at the thought of visitors. �I guess an old man like me shouldn�t look a gift horse in the mouth. Of course I�m up for visitors,� he said, with a weak smile.

�Well, I�ll leave you all alone,� the nurse said, smiling. �Just press the call button if you need anything Mr. Shaw.�

�What did you say your name was again?� Spencer Shaw asked.

�Luis, and this is my wife Sheridan,� Luis answered.

�No, no,� he said, waving his hand. �What was the last name?�

�Lopez-Fitzgerald,� Luis said, sharing a curious look with Sheridan.

Spencer Shaw pondered what Luis had told him for a minute. �Are you any relation to Martin Fitzgerald?�

�Yes,� Luis answered, excitedly. �Did you know my father?�

�No, I didn�t know him personally, but I�ve heard an old friend of mine speak of him,� Spencer said, sadly.

Luis grew curious, and just had to ask. �You�re talking about Ben Bennett, aren�t you?�

�Oh God, Ben,� he said with anguish. �What did I do to Ben?�

When Sheridan saw the tears running down his face, her heart went out to him. �Mr. Shaw, can I get you some water?�

�Yes, please,� he said, wiping his tears away.

�Look Mr. Shaw, we don�t mean to upset you, but we have something very important to ask you about Ben Bennett. My father disappeared shortly after Ben died and I think that there is some connection. You see my father was working with Ben on getting proof that his employers were involved in something illegal, and.........�

�You�re talking about the Cranes, aren�t you? � Spencer said, interrupting Luis.

�Yes,� Luis said, surprised. �Did Ben share some information with you concerning this case?�

�No,� he said, sadly. �Ben would never discuss police business with me, but I knew that he had a lot on his mind when we met up for our annual fishing trip. He got a phone call one night when we were at the cabin, and I could tell that he was upset about something. He told me that he had to go back to Harmony, and that he would return in a day or two, but he never came back.�

�But Mr. Shaw, I�m confused here since all reports of Ben�s death said that he died from a heart attack while on the boat fishing and fell overboard. You told the police that you tried to save him but the current was too strong and it carried his body away. Are you trying to say that you lied to the police about what really occurred?� Luis asked.

�Yes, I lied, and I�ve lived with the shame every day since then, but I�m a dying man and it�s time to do right by Ben,� he said, remorsefully.

�I don�t understand Mr. Shaw. What possible reason would you have for lying about the circumstances of Ben�s death�, Sheridan asked, knowing deep down what his answer was going to be. Her father or Julian had gotten to him, and she could tell by the look on Luis� face that he knew it too.

�Do you two have any children?� he asked them.

�Yes, we have twins,� Luis explained. � A little boy and a little girl, but I don�t understand what this has to do with Ben�s death.

�Because Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald, maybe you will understand why I did what I did, because I have a feeling that you would do anything to protect your children.�

�I would give my life to protect my children,� Luis proclaimed. �Are you trying to tell me that somebody threatened your children if you told the truth about Ben�s death?�

�I guess I should just start at the beginning. I had made some foolish business investments back then, and I had lost a great deal of money, and failed to make the payments on my health insurance policy so they dropped my coverage. My daughter was a teenager back then and she got real sick all of a sudden. It turned out that she was born with something called an arterial venial mass in her head, and it would require a risky operation to save her life. I had no money to pay for the operation, and the only reason that I even went on the fishing trip was to ask Ben if there was any way that he could help me out. I knew that Ben wasn�t rich, but I figured that if there was some way I could borrow some money from him I could at least give the doctor�s a good faith payment to start the operation. I figured that I could maybe work out some kind of payment plan with them. I was trying to get up the courage to ask him for a loan when he got the phone call and went back to Harmony. When Ben didn�t show up after a couple of days I got worried and I was getting ready to call his son when this guy showed up here. He told me that he knew about my daughter�s problem and that he would be willing to pay for her operation if I would just tell the police that Ben died while he was here with me.�

�Did you question this guy�s motives?� Luis asked. �Weren�t you concerned that he had been murdered?�

�Of course I did. I told him that if he had something to do with murdering Ben that I didn�t want any part of his filthy scheme, but at the time he offered me a good explanation and I guess I wanted to believe him so that I could save my daughter.�

�How did he explain Ben�s death?� Luis asked.

�He said that Ben died from a heart attack during a scandalous confrontation, and he wanted to protect his family and Ben�s son�s from the shameful publicity. I had my doubts about his sincerity, but he was smooth and he reminded me that if I didn�t go along with his plan that my daughter would die. I knew that I couldn�t do anything to save Ben at that point, but I did have a way to save my daughter, so I agreed to go along with it, and I promised that I would never tell anyone the truth about what happened.�

�So, why are you telling us the truth now after all these years?� Luis asked.

�Because, like I said before, I�m dying and I think that it�s time that Ben�s family found out how he really died. I�ve had so much time to think about this and I�ve come to the conclusion that Ben was murdered, but I was afraid to say anything because I know how powerful the Cranes are.�

�Who was the person that came to see you that day Mr. Shaw?� Sheridan asked, feeling a knot in the pit of her stomach.

�It was the son, Julian Crane,� Spencer spat out. �He�s as ruthless as his old man was, and I hope that somebody will bring him to justice.�

Luis knew now that he finally had some concrete proof that Julian was involved and he wasn�t going to let this opportunity slip through his fingers. �Mr. Shaw, would you be willing to give an official statement to the police about all of this?�

�Yeah, I�ll tell the police. Even if it means I�ll go to prison for keeping the truth hidden for all of these years,� Spencer said, with a firm resolve.

�I really don�t think that the police will bring charges against you Mr. Shaw, especially if you agree to cooperate,� Luis assured him.

�Maybe I can die in peace now that the truth is out,� Spencer said in a weak voice. �Now, if you folks don�t mind I�m exhausted and I�m afraid I�m going to fall asleep on you.�

�No problem Mr. Shaw. You get some rest and we�ll be contacting you soon,� Luis promised.

Sheridan and Luis had no idea that as they left the hospital a male orderly was dialing up Julian�s number to report that Spencer Shaw had just had a visit from Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald and his sister Sheridan. An hour later Spencer was dead from a massive heart attack after inhaling a dose of amyl nitrate.

********************

Luke and Lily had decided that they were not in the mood for any more puppet shows or stories because they were ready to go on an adventure, so they fussed until Evan had finally given in and put them down to crawl. Kay was in the kitchen making lunch when he detected the strong oder of a rank baby diaper. Since Luke was the closest to him, he figured that he was the culprit and he lifted him up and put him on the sofa to change his diaper. Luke was not happy to have his playtime interrupted and started to cry and kick his legs in protest.

�Come on Luke, I�m just going to change your diaper and then you can play again,� Evan said, trying to soothe him.

Kay was not having a very good time in the kitchen either, because she had already burned her hand on the oven trying to toast some grilled cheese sandwiches in the broiler. Ace was outside the back door barking wanting to be let in the house after Evan had let him out earlier to do his business. She heard the baby start to cry while she was running cold water over her hand, and wondered what could go wrong next. After rubbing some salve she found in the cupboard over the burn on her hand, she let Ace in and filled up his empty water bowl. When she went into the living room to check on Evan and tell him that lunch was ready, she couldn�t believe her eyes. Lily was sitting on the floor by where she had thrown her open purse earlier and she had gotten her hands on her fire engine red lipstick. Kay stood there in shock and observed the scene before her. Lily had managed to smear lipstick all over her face, clothing and hands.

�Oh........my........God,� Kay wailed.

�What is it Kay?� Evan asked, finishing up with Luke.

�Look at Lily,� she said, clearly irritated.

Evan cringed when he saw the state Lily was in. �How did she get her hands on that?�

�Because, Evan you weren�t watching her, that�s how,� Kay said, throwing her hands up in the air.

�Well, maybe you shouldn�t have left your purse on the floor and she wouldn�t have gotten a hold of your lipstick. How did she even get it open?� Evan demanded.

�The top for the lipstick was loose............. Oh God, Sheridan is going to kill me,� Kay moaned. She bent down to pick Lily up, and that�s when she noticed that the lipstick was all over the rug too. �Oh no Evan, it�s on the rug. How are we going to get the stain out?�

�I don�t have the slightest idea. Aren�t women supposed to know those things?� he asked with exasperation.

�Well, I�m sorry Evan, but I�m not exactly Suzie Homemaker,� she cried, completely aggravated. Just then the phone rang, and Kay panicked. �What if that�s Sheridan? What am I going to tell her?�

�I�ll get it,� Evan said, grabbing the phone. �There�s no reason to tell her about it until she gets home. �Hello.�

�Evan, this is Grace. I was just checking to see how the two of you were getting along with the babies.............�

�Mrs. Bennett, why don�t I let you talk to Kay,� Evan said, handing her the phone.

Kay knew she was being a baby, but she couldn�t help it, and when she heard her mother�s voice, she started crying with frustration. �Mom, you have to come out here,� she said, sobbing. �Lily got a hold of my lipstick............ it�s all over her and the rug............ Please, you have to help.�

�Oh no Kay. Please tell me it�s not that beautiful needlepoint Oriental in front of the sofa?�

�Yes mom that�s the one. Please tell me you can get the stain out........�

�Okay Kay, just calm down. I think I have some rug cleaner that might get it out. Your father and I are out doing errands. We�ll swing by the house and pick up the cleaner, and you get Lily cleaned up.�

�Oh thank you mom,� Kay said, relieved. �Just hurry as fast as you can.� She hung up the phone, and told Evan. �Mom and dad are going to come out and help us clean the rug.�

�Oh great,� Evan, said sarcastically. �I�m sure that your dad will find some reason to blame this on me.�

�You know something Evan; not everything is about you. Now, do you think you can keep your eye on Luke while I get Lily cleaned up?�

�Yeah, you go ahead and clean up Lily,� Evan said, feeling duly chastised.

As Kay carried Lily upstairs, the little girl laughed. �Mama mama.�

�See, even you know that your mama mama is going to kill me,� she told Lily as they walked up the steps.

********************

Sheridan and Luis were on their way back to Harmony, and Sheridan had just called Evan to check on the children. She looked a little puzzled as she hung up her cell phone and put it back in her purse. Luis glanced over at her and became concerned when he saw the look on her face.

�What is it Sheridan? Are the babies okay?�

�Yes, Evan assures me that the children are fine, but he sounded a little strange.�

�What do you mean strange?� Luis asked, feeling a little panicked. �You don�t think that he would keep it from us if something happened to the babies, do you?�

�No, I�m sure that he wouldn�t, but I have to wonder if one of the twins� got into some mischief and now he�s worried that we�re going to get angry.�

�Who cares, as long as the babies are fine, none of that other stuff matters.�

�You�re right. As long as the children are safe......... You know Luis; you�ve been really quiet since we left Boston. I thought you would be so excited about what Spencer Shaw told us.�

�I guess I am, but it�s not anything that I didn�t suspect already. How are you with this? I know it couldn�t have been easy to hear that your brother was involved in Ben Bennett�s death.�

�I admit that it wasn�t easy, but maybe it was like Julian claimed. I know that my father would have never wanted it to get out to the press that my mother was trying to leave him, and he knew that an investigation into Ben�s heart attack would have raised questions.�

�Sheridan, do you really believe that? We know from your mother�s journal and the bullet we found in the cabin that it could have very well been murder,� he reminded her.

�Oh, I know you�re right. I guess I just wanted to believe that my children didn�t have a grandfather and uncle that were the epitome of evil.�

�Sheridan our children are surrounded by so much love from their grandmother, uncles, an aunt, and cousins that nothing that Alistair and Julian have done will hurt them,� Luis reassured her.

�You�re right, but I do hate to think of what this new development is going to do to Ethan,� she said, with regret.

�Ethan is going to be fine. I think that he�s learning that Julian ruthless and would stop at nothing to maintain the Crane dynasty. Just be thankful that he didn�t follow in Julian and Alistair�s footsteps. I�m more worried about Sam. This is going to kill him when he finds out about how his father really died.�

�I know what you mean. Ben is just another citizen of Harmony that has suffered from the hands of my family. I just hope that this leads to finding out about what happened to your father. I also hope that this doesn�t give Sam more reason to hate Evan.

�I don�t think that Sam hates Evan. I think that he�s just upset about losing his little girl. When I think of Lily growing up and falling in love, I just get the shivers.�

�Tell me about it,� Sheridan said, smiling. �I get the shivers thinking about how unreasonable you�re going to be.�

�I can�t help it. Nobody is going to be good enough for my little Peanut,� Luis teased.

They had pulled into the lane that led to their property, and when they came upon the house, both were shocked to see Sam�s car in the driveway. �What is Sam doing here?� Sheridan said, concerned. �Oh God, I hope nothing has happened to the children.�

When they walked in the house, both breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the twins� playing with their toys on their play mat. Evan and Kay wore guilty looks on their face, and Sam and Grace were down on their hands and knees scrubbing on the rug. �Is there something going on that we should know about?� Luis asked.

Evan spoke first. �I�m sorry you guys, it was my fault. Kay was in the kitchen making lunch and I had to change Luke�s diaper. Then Lily got a hold of Kay�s purse and found her lipstick, and it was all over everything, and........�

�No Evan, it was my fault for leaving my purse sitting on the floor. It�s just that I�m not used to having babies around, and I didn�t even think about Lily getting into my purse...........�

�Whoa, slow down you two,� Luis said, interrupting them. �Okay, I got it that Peanut got into Kay�s purse and got lipstick all over, but what are you two doing here?� he said, pointing to Sam and Grace.

�We were trying to get the lipstick stain out of the rug,� Sam said, filling him in.

�Don�t worry Sheridan,� Grace said, when she saw the look of dread on Sheridan�s face. �I almost got it out. You can hardly tell that there was even a stain,� she said, assuring her.

�You know what Grace? It really doesn�t matter in the grand scheme of things,� Sheridan said, smiling. �Our children are safe, and happy, and we�re surrounded by family and friends who are the greatest people around.� Sheridan got down on the floor, so that she could greet her children. �Hey, you two, did you give Uncle Evan and Kay a hard time?� she said, planting a kiss on both of their foreheads.

Lily smiled at her mommy, and held her arms out. �Ma........�

Sheridan picked Lily up and hugged her close. �You know that you are way too young to wear lipstick little girl.�

Luis scooped Luke up in his arms to give him equal attention. �You�re going to have to keep an eye on your sister from now on buddy. It looks like she has a habit of getting into trouble like your mommy.� Everybody laughed at Luis� joke, except for Sheridan, who flashed Luis a dirty look. �Sam, I�m glad that you�re here. Do you think that I could talk to you in the kitchen about some police business?� he asked Sam.

�Sure Luis,� Sam said, giving him a curious look.

�Well, if you two are going to talk about police business, then I think you should hand that cute little boy to me,� Grace said, holding her arms out for Luke.

�Look, if you guys don�t mind, Kay and I are going to take off. We�re supposed to meet up with Noah, and his latest girlfriend to go to a movie.�

�You go ahead Evan, and thank you so much for watching the children today,� Sheridan said, smiling.

�We�re just really sorry about the lipstick,� he said, apologizing.

�Don�t worry about it Evan,� she said, kissing him on the cheek.

After Evan and Kay left, and Sam and Luis went into the kitchen, Grace asked Sheridan what they had planned for Thanksgiving. Sheridan told her that they were all going to Pilar�s house, but that she was going to have everyone out to their house for Christmas.

In the kitchen, Luis told Sam the whole story about how they had found Sheridan�s mother�s journal and what they found out about the relationship between Ben and Katherine. When Luis finished with the details about their visit to Spencer Shaw. Sam�s shock turned to intense anger, and Luis had to stop him from hunting Julian down and killing him right on the spot. In a defeated gesture, Sam sat down at the kitchen table rubbing his temples. �Now I finally understand how you must have felt all these years when you thought the Cranes had killed your father Luis.�

�The way I see it Sam is that if we can get a sworn statement from Spencer Shaw then you would have enough evidence for a search warrant to search the Crane estate. I think that your father is buried there somewhere.�

�Yeah, we have to have my father�s body in order to convict Julian. I�m going to call the V.A. hospital right now so that I can set up a meeting with Spencer Shaw as soon as possible.�

�I have the number for you,� Luis said, handing a card to Sam.

When Sam called the hospital, he was shocked for a second time that day, and when he hung up the phone, he swore out loud. �Spencer Shaw died of a massive heart attack this afternoon.�

�What?� Luis said, shocked. �That doesn�t make sense. He was fine when we left him this afternoon.�

�It�s true Luis,� Sam said, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. �Our chance to get a warrant to search the Crane estate just died with Spencer Shaw, and damn it, if it kills me I�m going to find another way to bring Julian Crane down.�

********************

Sheridan checked out her appearance in the full-length mirror and was pleased with the new dress she had just purchased for tonight. After all the sad business with Spencer Shaw, she was ready for a night of romance with her handsome husband. Her red silk sleeveless dress fell to about two inches above the knee, and the top was modest, but it hugged her curves nicely. She picked up a hand mirror and turned to get a look at the back of the dress, and decided with a sly smile that the view from the back was a definite showstopper. The dress was draped in a fashion that exposed her whole back and fell to a vee on one side to show the curve of her hip. She decided that her pearls would be the perfect finishing touch, and she had just slipped them on when Luis walked into the room.

�Wow,� Luis said, as his smoldering eyes raked her body from head to toe. �I�m not sure we�re going to make it out of this bedroom tonight.�

�So, I take it that you approve,� she said, turning around to show him the full view.

�That would be an understatement. I have no idea how I�m going to make it through this evening without losing it. The dress is sexy enough, but then you just had to go and add those pearls, and you know what those do to me,� he said, huskily.

�Speaking of sexy,� she said, walking toward him. �You look incredibly handsome in that dark suit and white shirt. I can�t wait to dance in your arms tonight.�

�I guess we better go before I give in to my urge to strip that dress off of you right now,� Luis said, taking her in his arms.

�Okay, but not until you give me a kiss first,� she mumbled against his lips.

She didn�t have to ask him twice, and he kissed her with all the passion and sexual need inside of him. �God baby, I want you right now.�

�I want you too Luis, but we do have dinner reservations,� she reminded him.

�Okay, but I�m putting you on notice. Since the babies are spending the night with mama, you better be prepared to spend the whole night making love with me.�

�Oh believe me. I wouldn�t have it any other way,� she said, taking his hand and leading him out the door.

Chapter 28

Sheridan gasped out loud when they walked into the dinner club. She felt liked she had just stepped into one of those old forties movies, and she half expected to see Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire float onto the dance floor. There were tables with white linen tablecloths and beautiful flower arrangements on the top. Along the walls were private booths formed in a half circle with tufted leather covered seats, which afforded some privacy for a couple wanting to be alone. The dance floor was fairly large, and there was a band playing a Tommy Dorsey tune that was popular in the forties.

Sheridan took in everything and was truly amazed. �Oh Luis, this place is wonderful.�

�It really is impressive,� Luis said, looking around. �I can see why this has become THE place to come.�

The maitre d� approached to show them to their table, and Luis requested that they be given one of the booths along the wall. He put his hand on the smooth skin of Sheridan�s back, and just that little contact caused a spark that made them gaze at each other longingly. Once they were seated, a waiter came by and Luis ordered a bottle of champagne. When he left, Luis took Sheridan�s hand and turned it to kiss her on the wrist.

�Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?� he asked her in a husky voice.

She graced him with one of her brilliant smiles. �I believe that you did, but I must say that you are being very romantic tonight.�

�It just comes naturally when I�m with you.� He still had a hold of her hand, and he was tracing lazy little circles on the top of it. �It still amazes me that after all the time we�ve been together that you can still take my breath away when you walk in the room. I�ve always heard that after a certain amount of time the bloom of romance wears off, but with you it only seems to get stronger. How do you explain that?�

�Oh, I don�t know, a miracle?� she said, laughing softly. �Seriously though, I think that we are pretty lucky to have a love like ours. Not to mention that I truly believe that we are soul mates, because even when we argue I always know that you still love me.�

�That is never going to change either,� he assured her. �You are the mother of my children and the love of my life............�

The waiter chose that moment to deliver the champagne. After he poured them both a glass, he asked them if they cared to order. They hadn�t even looked at the menu yet, so Luis asked him if he could give them a few minutes. When he came back they had decided to order Beef Wellington, and after the waiter left Luis suggested a toast. �To you Sheridan............ A talented author, a wonderful and loving mother, and the most beautiful and amazing wife a man could ask for,� he said, holding out his glass to hers.

�Thank you Luis. This evening has been just perfect so far. I think we need to go out on a date more often,� she said, taking a sip from her glass.

�I was just thinking the same thing, and I promise that we are going to do this more often, but right now I have something for you,� he said reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a little box wrapped in gold paper with white ribbon on the top.

�What is it?� she asked, with anxious excitement. �What�s the occasion? It�s not my birthday, and Christmas is still a month away...........�

�I know that, but let�s just say that this is to celebrate all the wonderful accomplishments you�ve made. I can remember when you told me how you didn�t know how to do anything around the house, because servants had always waited on you hand and foot. You also said that you didn�t ever think that you would be a good mother, but you know what? You�ve proven that you are a good businesswoman, you�ve written your own book, and you couldn�t be a more perfect mother. You always had it inside of you Sheridan, but your father and brother made you feel inadequate, but the last laugh in on them, because you�ve proven them wrong, and I couldn�t be more proud of you.�

She was so touched and tears formed in her eyes. �I just needed somebody to believe in me and you are the one that did that for me Luis.�

�I love you Sheridan,� he said, kissing her cheek. �Now, open your present.�

Sheridan tore the paper away, and opened the box to find another dark blue velvet box with a latch top. When she opened it, her face lit up. Inside was a pair of three-carat sapphire stud earrings surrounded by a circle of small diamonds. �Oh Luis, they�re just beautiful, but these must have cost a fortune.�

�Well, just a little bit of a fortune, but you�re worth it. When I saw these, I couldn�t help but think of your sparkling blue eyes. I know that they probably don�t compare to the Crane jewels, but they�re given from my heart.�

�And that is exactly why these are so precious to me. I wouldn�t trade these or the locket you gave me for any of the Crane jewels, because these were given with love. Thank you so much Luis,� she said, hugging him. �I love them, and I love you for thinking of such a special gift to give me.�

Just then the waiter arrived with their meals, and they ate in quiet silence for a while, both enjoying just being together. Sheridan looked up to take a drink of her champagne, and noticed that Luis was staring at her. �Why are you staring at me?� she asked, with a little smile.

�I was just thinking that with all this food we�re eating that it might be a good idea to do some serious dancing later to burn some of these calories off.�

�That sounds like a perfect idea,� she said, putting her hand on his leg. �But, only if we dance to the slow songs.�

He flashed her one of his sexy smiles that sent a wave of heat through her body. �If you keep touching me like that, I�m not going to be able to get up from the table.�

�Then I guess you�re going to be in big trouble when we dance, because I plan on getting extremely close to you,� she said, breathlessly. Just then she noticed a strange man in a white dinner jacket staring at them, and it sent a chill up her spine.

When Luis saw the sudden change in her demeanor, he grew concerned. �What is it Sheridan? You look like you�ve seen a ghost.�

�Don�t look now, but there is a strange man staring at us, and there is something about him that unsettles me for some reason.�

Luis couldn�t help himself, and he looked over in the direction to where Sheridan was staring. When he saw the man she referred to a strange sense of familiarity washed over him. He racked his brain trying to decide if he had ever met this man before, but nothing came to mind. �I know what you mean. I don�t think I�ve ever seen him before but for some reason there�s something about him that seems familiar.�

�Well, at least he�s stopped staring,� Sheridan said, glancing quickly in the stranger�s direction. �He must work here, because it looks like he is making his rounds to greet some of the customers.�

�Yeah, and why do I have a feeling that he�s going make a special effort to stop at our table?� Luis said, studying him suspiciously.

Luis was right on target, because it didn�t take long for the man to make his way over to their booth. He introduced himself as Jack Russo, and said that he was the manager. He held out his hand, and Luis started to stand and shake it, but Jack waved for him to stay seated. �I hope that you�re enjoying you�re dinner,� he said, giving Sheridan a look that was highly improper. Luis must have noticed it too, because he put his arm around her waist in a possessive gesture. �I don�t believe I got your name,� he said, with a smile.

�Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald, and this is my wife Sheridan,� Luis offered begrudgingly.

�Actually, I must confess that I already knew wife,� Jack admitted.

�Oh really?� Luis said, wondering what this guy�s game was. �How do you know my wife?�

�Yes, Mr. Russo,� Sheridan agreed. �I don�t remember ever meeting you before.�

�Please call me Jack, and what I meant is that I don�t know you personally,� he quickly explained. �It�s just that I�ve seen your picture in the society pages. I thought everyone knew Sheridan Crane.�

�Well, I�m Sheridan Lopez-Fitzgerald now,� she said, taking Luis� hand. �I�ve left that other life behind me, and I�m extremely happy because of it.�

Luis could have sworn that he saw a flash of hate in Jack Russo�s eyes, but it quickly passed to one of warmth. �Well, you folks have a great evening, and I hope that you�ll come back to visit us again.�

After he left, Sheridan commented to Luis. �I know this sounds rude, but I�m not sorry to see him gone. There�s just something about him.........�

�I know the feeling,� Luis agreed. �You don�t want to leave do you?�

�No, of course not,� she assured him. �I think we should just forget about Jack Russo and continue with our romantic evening.�

�Good,� he said, brushing his lips against hers. �I�m glad you said that, because I�m planning on making this a night you�ll never forget.�

Their eyes locked and held with a seductive look that was charged with heat and Jack Russo was forgotten like yesterday�s news. �You have no idea how much I�m looking forward to that,� she said, in a low sensuous voice.

Being afforded the privacy of the booth, Luis capitalized on the opportunity, and moved his hand under the hem of her dress to explore her thigh in places only he was allowed access. �Luis,� she gasped. �You have to stop, because the waiter is walking this way.�

�How dare he,� Luis responded with a devilish smile, and he took his time as he dragged his fingers down the inside of her leg to finally bring it to the top of the table in a proper position.

When the waiter arrived, he asked them if they would like dessert, but both refused claiming that they were full, so he removed the dishes from the table. They smiled when a member of the band announced that they would be playing an old Glenn Miller song, entitled, A String of Pearls. �I believe they�re playing our song,� Luis said, helping her from the table, and leading her to the dance floor.

Once they were on the dance floor, and she was enclosed in Luis� arms, Sheridan gave him a skeptical look. �Did you plan this?� she asked, with a knowing smile.

�I swear to you that it�s just a coincidence,� he said defensively. �I�ve never heard of this song before, but you have to agree it couldn�t be more perfect.�

�Oh, you are right about that,� she said, inhaling his scent, as she rested her chin against his shoulder. �Everything about this evening is perfect.� It was almost an involuntary reaction, but her body moved closer to his as they swayed to the music. Her heart was pounding with eagerness of what was to come when she felt his hand on her back pressing her to him.

�What do you think all of these people would say if I picked you up and carried you off the dance floor?� Luis whispered in her ear. His breath was hot, and his voice was husky, sending her senses into a tailspin.

�I could always pretend to faint,� she whispered back, moving her body discretely against him. Luis let out a little groan, as he rubbed her pearls against the silky softness of her back. His breathing became labored, and he whispered the most provocative things in her ear about what he was going to do to her later. She had to pull away a little before her body went up in flames, but the sight of him licking his sensuous lips in anticipation, did nothing to put out the fire that was threatening to consume her. �I think it might be wise to pay our tab and leave, because my knees are starting to buckle and I don�t know if I can stand up any longer.�

�Let�s just finish the song,� Luis suggested. �Little Luis is quite perky right now, and I need to give him a chance to calm down.�

She chuckled softly. �I noticed that. Perhaps I should step away from him.�

�That might be a good idea,� Luis agreed.

They were so caught up in each other that they didn�t notice a pair of hate-filled eyes staring at them. Jack was leaning against the bar taking in the hot looks they were giving each other, and it was obvious from their body language that they were getting ready to leave soon. He didn�t want to admit it, but he couldn�t get over how beautiful Sheridan was. It appeared that motherhood agreed with her because he had never seen her look so full of life. As much as he hated her family and wanted his revenge, he still wanted her. Maybe in the end when all was said and done he would finally be able to appease his hunger for her, but she still needed to pay, and so did Luis. The way they had treated him earlier only fueled his anger, and he couldn�t wait for the day when Luis was taught that things were not always going to go his way.

********************

Even in her sexual frenzy, Sheridan was able to call Pilar on the way home to check on the babies. She was told that they were sleeping soundly in her room, and she wasn�t letting them out of her sight, after the last fiasco when they had spent the night. Sheridan asked her to give the babies a kiss for her, and told her that they would be there in the morning to pick them up. �Well, the babies are fast asleep, and you have the rest of the night to romance me,� Sheridan said, with an impish smile.

�Don�t worry, I have every intention of doing just that,� he said, flashing her a sexy secretive look.

�Are you going to tell me what you have planned for the rest of the evening?�

�Nope,� he said, shaking his head back and forth.

�Do I have to come over there and seduce it out of you?�

�I suggest you keep your distance, or we might get into an accident. Besides, it�s not legal to take your seatbelt off.�

�Neither is what I want to do to you.�

�Time out Sheridan or I�m going to pull this car over, and I really don�t think you want to spend the rest of your romantic evening on the side of the road.�

�Okay, but could you drive a little faster?�

When they arrived home, Luis helped Sheridan take off her coat, and he led her into the living room. She was shocked to see a bottle of champagne being iced down in a bucket, and a dozen red roses placed beside it in a crystal vase. �Luis, how did you do this?�

�I had a little help from Evan. He came over after we left and set everything up,� he confessed. He was moving around the room lighting candles, and when he was finished, he turned the lights down low to create the perfect ambiance for romance. Next he shed his jacket and loosened his tie and pulled it off. �Now, all that�s left is to put on some music.� He sorted through the CD�s and chose one that lent itself to the current mood, and then poured them a glass of champagne.

Sheridan took the champagne flute from him, and proposed her own toast. �To my wonderful husband, whom I love with all my heart,� she said, bringing her glass to his. �I thank God every day that you came into my life.�

Luis flashed her a grin, his eyes blazing with love. �I love you too,� he said, brushing his lips across hers. �Will you dance with me?�

�Forever, if you�ll let me,� she said, coming into his arms.

Their bodies fit together perfectly as they danced to the music, and their gazes locked and held filled with a hungry passion. �You know, I think that I prefer dancing with you in the privacy of our home, because then I can touch you in ways that are not acceptable in public.�

�I know what you mean,� she agreed. �We never seem to last very long when we�re dancing in public. As soon as I�m in your arms I lose all control of my senses, and the only thing on my mind is making love with you.�

�I�m glad you said that because I have every intention of finishing this dance the way it was meant to be finished. Do you have any idea how much I want you?� he whispered softly against her ear, planting soft, wet kisses along her jaw line.

�I think I do,� she uttered softly, when she felt the state of his arousal against her belly.

They never missed a beat of the music as she unbuttoned his shirt and peeled it off of his body with shaky, eager hands. His shirt had barely hit the floor before his long fingers were lowering the red silk material past her shoulders, and over her breasts. Naked from the waist up, they continued their dance of seduction, the movement of their steps causing a delicious friction as their naked flesh brushed together with nothing between them but her string of pearls. He cupped the back of her head and brought it to his lips for a kiss filled with hunger, and as he thrust his tongue inside her mouth, she knew that it was a preview of what was yet to come. He moved her over in front of the fireplace, while kissing her the whole time, and she groaned a little when he left her alone for a moment as he threw some cushions down on the floor. She didn�t have to wait long until he was standing in front of her again, and before she knew what had happened they were completely naked. He lowered his head, she arched her back, and the dance continued. His lips were everywhere, as he moved the pearls over her sensitive peaks and valleys. She cried out with pleasure as he dropped to his knees dragging his lips down her body. When he flicked his tongue inside her navel, her legs buckled and she sank down beside him. He fell to the cushions pulling her down on top of him, and their lips met again in a wild reckless kiss.

She reveled in the feel of his flesh against hers and pressed her body closer, as she stroked the muscled contours of his chest. His head fell back, and he closed his eyes savoring the feel of her lips and tongue moving down his body. When her pearls grazed the tip of his arousal, he groaned out loud, and rolled her over to connect them in the most intimate way. As the tempo of the music increased so did the rhythm of their joining, until they both went spiraling out of control and over the edge. The music finally stopped, and the dance was over leaving them sated and out of breath.

�Now, THAT was a dance,� Sheridan said breathlessly as she cuddled against him.

Luis chuckled softly and kissed her forehead. �I�m glad you enjoyed. Are you ready to go upstairs for phase two of our romantic evening?�

�Phase two?� she asked, surprise written in her large blue eyes. �My body is still tingling from phase one. I don�t see how you can possibly top what just happened.�

�Oh, I don�t know,� he said, in a persuasive voice. �You just might be pleasantly surprised.�

********************

Thanksgiving Day had arrived, and Sheridan felt almost as giddy as a child. Never in all the time since her mother had died could she even remember gathering together with family and friends to celebrate the day. She was especially excited because it was the twins first Thanksgiving, and even though they were too young to appreciate what the day meant, she knew that they would sense that it was a special occasion. They were on their way to Pilar�s to eat, and because Sheridan felt bad that Pilar had to do all the cooking, she had insisted that she and Luis purchase the turkey and they had it delivered yesterday. She had also had the florist deliver a beautiful fall arrangement for the centerpiece.

The babies were very vocal today, and were chatting away in the back seat. Luis checked them in the rear view mirror, and had to laugh. �Our children sure are talking up a storm today.�

�I noticed that,� Sheridan said, turning around to look at them. �Too bad we can�t understand what they�re saying.�

�Yeah,� Luis laughed. �I guess I should have taken �Baby Gibberish� in high school. Maybe they�re talking about their mommy�s new sparkling earrings.� Luis commented, appreciating the way her blue silk turtleneck sweater brought out the blue of the sapphire earrings.

She touched one of the earrings with her finger. �I hope that they aren�t too much for the occasion, but I really wanted to show them off. Thank you again honey, I just love my earrings.�

�You�re welcome,� he said, grabbing her hand. �You look beautiful today. There�s an extra special glow about you.�

�I�m just so excited that the holidays are starting,� she said with a huge smile. �Christmas is going to be so much fun this year now that we have Luke and Lily. I can�t wait to take them to see Santa Claus, and they�re going to be so fascinated by all the lights and shiny ornaments.�

�Yeah, they�re going to have a field day with all the new trouble they can get into,� Luis reminded her.

�Oh, I don�t care. We�ll deal with it,� she assured him. �This is the first Christmas that we will be able to spend openly as a family Luis. As special as last year was, don�t you remember that we had to hide the fact that we were married?�

�I remember,� he said, thoughtfully. �I was so depressed because I thought you were off skiing with all of your jet setting friends, but you surprised me when I got home from mama�s. You have no idea how much that meant to me.�

�You should have known that once we found each other again, I would never leave you at Christmas, and now we never have to be apart again.�

�You�re right, we will never be apart again,� he said, flashing her a loving look.

�I just hope that your mother isn�t upset because I want to have everyone for Christmas this year.�

�Not at all, she thinks that the babies should be home for their first Christmas, but are you sure that it�s not going to be too much work for you?�

�No,� she said, adamantly. �Besides, I have you there to help me,� she said, with a knowing little smile.

They had just pulled into Pilar�s driveway. �Okay kids, we�re here,� Luis told them excitedly. �It�s time for turkey day.�

Luke and Lily responded with their cute little baby laughs. There was no way that they had any idea what turkey day was, and were just responding to Luis� animated voice, but they were adorable just the same. Luis and Sheridan got them out of their car seats and carried them into the house to be greeted by the whole family. Pilar had been kind enough to invite Evan too, and since the Bennett�s were having Thanksgiving dinner later on in the day, Kay and Charity had joined them as well. As soon as the babies� jackets were removed everyone took turns passing them around.

�Sheridan,� Theresa shouted across the room. �Your earrings are beautiful. I don�t think I�ve ever seen you wear those before.�

�That�s because they�re brand new,� Sheridan said, beaming. �My wonderful husband just gave them to me the other night.�

All the females present gathered around Sheridan to admire her earrings, so Luis joined the guys, who were huddled in front of the television watching the football game. �You know Luis,� Evan said, after taking a sip from his beer. �You�re setting a pretty high standard for the rest of us guys by buying Sheridan those earrings.�

�Really Luis,� Miguel agreed. �I probably will never be able to afford to buy anything like that for Charity.�

�Well bro, maybe if you�d quit hanging out at the Bennett�s all day and got a job it could become a possibility,� Luis teased.

Evan cracked up laughing, but then gave Miguel an apologetic look. �Sorry Miguel.�

�Next time you come over Luis, I would appreciate it if you would leave your sick sense of humor at home,� Miguel complained.

�Lighten up Miguel,� Luis said, laughing. �It�s turkey day, and I am ready to put some food away today.�

�Yeah, wait until you see him eat Evan,� Miguel said. �He eats the whole turkey leg, and half of the pumpkin pie.� Luis threw a pillow at him. �Oh, he can dish it out, but he can�t take it.�

�Take what?� Sheridan asked, walking into the room.

�Miguel�s just being an annoying teenager,� Luis told her, pulling her down on his knee. �What happened to our children?�

�The girls took them in the kitchen so that Pilar could see them. I tried to offer your mother my help, but she said that everything was under control. She also told me to remind you that you have to carve the turkey.�

�That�s been my job ever since papa left,� Luis told her with a sad look in his eyes.

�I�m so sorry Luis,� she said, guiltily in a low voice. �My family robbed you of so much.�

�Hey, there is no reason for you to apologize for anything,� he told her giving her a kiss.

�Okay, you two lovebirds,� Theresa said. �Mama said that dinner is ready.�

Pilar had really outdone herself and everything smelled wonderful. Sheridan�s centerpiece looked beautiful on the table, and was the perfect finishing touch. Sheridan and Luis were shocked to see two highchairs. �Where did those come from mama? I hope you didn�t go out and buy those.�

�Actually Ivy was kind enough to buy these for me. She thought that we needed something here for when the babies were staying with me. I warmed up some baby food for the children, so they wouldn�t feel left out while we were eating. Well, Mijo,� she said to Luis. �Why don�t you lead the prayer, and then you can carve the turkey.�

Luis said a very nice prayer, thanking God for all the things they had been blessed with that year. He also included a special thanks for the wonderful gift of Luke and Lily. Sheridan had to brush a little tear away over that one, and she squeezed Luis� hand under the table. After the turkey was carved, everyone filled their plates and began eating with enthusiasm. Pilar reminded Miguel and Charity, and Evan and Kay that they better not eat too much, or Grace would be disappointed when they were too full to eat any of her dinner. Lily�s high chair was placed by Luis, who was sitting at the head of the table, and Sheridan was given the other end so that she would have easy access to Luke in his chair. Luis was taking turns between giving Lily bites of food and then feeding himself, but Sheridan was not having the same success because Luke was not interested in eating and was whining for his mommy to hold him. He finally stopped fussing after she picked him up and put him in her lap. The table was filled with lively conversation, so nobody noticed when Luke picked up a handful of English peas off of Sheridan�s plate. Unfortunately for Theresa, she was right in the middle of telling a story, and had her mouth open when Luke decided to hurl the peas across the table. With amazing precision the peas landed in Theresa�s mouth, and the look on her face was priceless. When everyone realized what had happened they roared with laughter, but Sheridan still felt the need to correct Luke for throwing food.

�Now Luke, it�s not nice to throw your food at Aunt Theresa,� she corrected him gently.

�I can already see a brilliant career as a pitcher for the Sox,� Evan joked.

�Yeah, we should get him a little baseball suit,� Miguel suggested.

�Well, I�m just glad they didn�t go down my throat,� Theresa whined. �I could have choked on those peas.�

�It looks like fate was looking out for you sis,� Luis joked.

�I had a premonition that Luke was going to be an astronaut,� Charity told them.

Kay rolled her eyes over her comment. �Charity don�t you think he�s a little young?� she asked, embarrassed for her cousin.

�Well, I would be proud if my grandson became an astronaut.� Pilar said, graciously.

�What�s the matter Charity/� Miguel asked with concern. �You have a strange look on your face.�

�I just had another premonition that a stranger would come into our lives, and I have the feeling that he is not a good person,� Charity said, clearly upset.

A chill ran up Sheridan�s spine, and for some reason Jack Russo�s face came into her mind.

Chapter 29

Sheridan looked up from the computer when Luis walked into the office. He seemed distracted, and hardly noticed her presence until she cleared her throat loudly. He finally acknowledged her, flashing her a big smile, and he then walked over to the greet Luke and Lily, lifting them up one at a time to plant a big kiss on their forehead. She got up and walked into the kitchen to pour herself a cup of coffee. �Do you want some coffee Luis?�

�Yes, coffee would be great. How about the two of you?� he asked Luke and Lily. �Do you want mommy to bring you some coffee too?�

�Mama,� Luke said, kicking his legs excitedly.

�Ma.......... ma,� Lily echoed him.

�Do I hear my little babies calling me?� Sheridan said, with a big smile, as she walked toward them. She handed Luis a cup of coffee.

�Thanks honey,� he said, giving her a quick kiss.

�So Luis, how did your meeting with the D.A. go? Did she give you some work?�

�Yeah, believe it or not she did, and I have to tell you that I was surprised that she did. Her credibility took a big hit over the whole Lauren murder investigation debacle, and I don�t think it sat very well with her that I caught the murderer. Especially since the said murderer was her key witness for the defense, but she begrudgingly had to admit that I�m a good investigator. That WE are good investigators,� he amended when he saw the look on her face.�

�Good save Luis,� she laughed. �So, what is the case about?�

�The police have some guy in custody that is being accused of grand larceny, but the D.A. doesn�t think that the guy is guilty. She suspects that he was setup by his partner, so she wants me to investigate him. The case should be a no brainer.�

�Then why were you so distracted when you walked in?� she asked. �I could just see those wheels turning in your head.�

�To tell you the truth, I just can�t get Spencer Shaw out of my head. He was our one hope for being able to get the evidence that Sam needed for a search warrant. You�re father or brother, or both had something to do with Ben Bennett�s death and I think that his family deserves to know the truth about how he died.�

�I know, I�ve thought about that poor man too. I�m sorry that we hit another roadblock,� Sheridan said, regretfully.

�Yeah, well Sam may not have a legal recourse, but that doesn�t mean that we can�t keep looking for the proof.�

�Okay, so what do you suggest?� Sheridan asked.

�We have to find a way to get Ace on the Crane estate. Hopefully Sam still has a piece of Ben�s clothing or something that would have his smell on it. If his body is buried somewhere and it�s not too deep, Ace should be about to pick up a scent.�

�Why don�t we let the children play, and go over there to discus this,� Sheridan suggested. �I know they�re still babies, but I don�t like to talk about such morbid subjects in front of them.� After they were seated at the desk, Sheridan began again. �I�m not trying to discourage you Luis, but let me play devil�s advocate. Getting onto the estate shouldn�t be a problem now that we know we can go in through the back gate. That is providing that Julian has not changed the combination, however we still have to worry about the dogs, and there is no way I�m going to carry those disgusting meat patties again.........�

Luis couldn�t help but chuckle. �But Sheridan, you did such a good job with that duty.�

She made a face at him. �As I was saying, before you had to throw your little joke in there. The Crane estate is massive, and there is no way that we�re going to be able to cover all the grounds in one night. It would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.�

�You�ve made some very good points, but I think that if Ben�s body is buried on the Crane estate that it is close to the cottage. What ever went down that night was not planned out, and I don�t think that Alistair and Julian had time to run around the estate to find a place to bury Ben. They had to move fast to cover their tracks to make sure his death didn�t get discovered by anyone else before they could set up the whole fishing trip farce. Sheridan, what is it?� he asked when he saw the look on her face.

Sheridan shivered. �Just the thought that I lived in that cottage for all that time and that poor man�s body was buried close by. What�s even worse is the fact that he died trying to help out my mother and me.......... It�s just so terrible Luis.�

�That is even more reason to find out the truth, and I�m sure your mother is up there in heaven cheering you on right now. I didn�t really know your mother Sheridan, but I�m sure that she was all for fighting the good fight.�

�You�re right Luis,� she said, with resolve. �My mother would want me to get to the truth for Ben�s sake. So, where do you think we should begin our search?�

�I�ve done a lot of thinking about that time, and I don�t remember much about when we lived at the cottage, but I do remember that time when my father took us to visit my aunt, and there is one other that stands out in my mind. That is right around the time my father was building the gazebo.�

�Oh my God Luis, are you implying that Ben�s body could be buried by the gazebo?� Sheridan asked shocked.

�Think about it Sheridan. It was a construction site, and I can remember that my father was digging out planting beds around the area. That memory is really clear in my head because papa got angry with me one time when I was playing in the dirt with my little dump truck. I had gotten my shirt filthy and he knew that mama was going to get upset. It would have been so easy for Alistair and Julian to dig up the fresh earth and bury Ben�s body there. I know it�s a shot in the dark, but my police training just keeps playing the scenario in my head.� He stopped when he saw Sheridan smiling. �Is there something you find amusing about this?�

�I�m sorry Luis. I promise I wasn�t smiling about Ben�s situation, but I just have this picture in my head of how cute you were playing with your little dump truck.�

Luis smiled. �Yeah, but mama didn�t think I was very cute at the time when I came home covered in dirt. I think our little boy is going to have an affection for the dirt too after his incident with the Fichus tree.�

�I guess we�re kind of getting off the subject. When do you want to attempt our next caper?� Sheridan asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

�Well, tomorrow starts the weekend, and since I�m going out of town on Saturday, I was kind of hoping for a family day on Sunday, so how about in the first part of next week?� Luis suggested, sitting on the edge of the desk.

Sheridan set her cup down on the desk and slipped into Luis� arms. �So, are you excited about going to the big football game with the boys on Saturday?�

�Yeah, it should be a good time. Nothing like a good college football game and I think that Boston College has a good chance of winning. It�s just that I am going to miss you and the babies,� he said, brushing his lips against hers.

�We�re going to miss you too, but you�ll be back in time to read Luke and Lily their bedtime story.�

�That�s right,� Luis said, smiling. �Saturday night is Winnie the Pooh night, and then I plan on doing some snuggling with my beautiful wife.�

�I plan on holding you to that,� she said, right before she gave him a kiss that took his breath away.

********************

The next morning Sheridan opened her eyes to see Luis standing over her already dressed for the day. He was wearing a blue sweater and black jeans with a black leather jacket. He smelled all clean and soapy like he had just stepped out of the shower. She found him extremely handsome this morning, and the most amazing vision of him crawling back in bed with her filled her mind. �You�re up awfully early,� she said, stretching. �What time is it anyway?�

�It�s around seven...........�

�Oh no,� she gasped. �I better check on the babies. I can�t believe they�re not crying for me to go in there.�

�There�s no reason for you to jump out of bed. When I left them a few minutes ago they were both in Luke�s bed sitting there playing with their stuffed animals. I�ve already changed their diapers, but I�m afraid that I didn�t have enough time to feed them this morning.�

�Thank you Luis for doing that, but why are you already dressed? she said, disappointed.

�I have to go pick up Sam and T.C. Evan, Chad and Ethan are going to follow us in Ethan�s car,� he said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

�So early? I was kind of hoping I could convince you to come back to bed for a little while,� she suggested with an impish smile.

�Oh Sheridan, you have no idea how much I want to crawl back in bed with you, but I�m already running late. The guys will never let me hear the end of it if I make them late.�

�But I thought the game was in the afternoon, and it doesn�t take more then an hour to get to Boston, so what is the big hurry?� she asked, confused.

�Because, we�re going to stop at Grady�s truck stop on the way for breakfast. Grady has the best pancakes on the eastern seaboard, and it�s kind of a tradition. Then, when we get to Boston we�ll have to do some tailgating before the game........�

�Tailgating?�

�Another tradition, but I�ll have to explain that one later, because I really do have leave,� he said, regretfully.

�Okay, but can you at least give me a goodbye kiss?� she asked, sitting up against the headboard. The sheet fell down to her waist displaying her naked state.

He took in her appearance with a heated gaze. �God Sheridan, are you trying to kill me here?�

She gave him a mischievous grin. �Just want to give you a sample of what�s waiting for you when you get home tonight,� she said, wrapping her arms around him to give him a kiss that would keep him warm all the way to Boston. Sheridan offered to walk him to the door, but Luis refused knowing that if she got out bed, her naked body would be his undoing. So after he left, she hopped out of bed and slipped her robe on and went into the nursery to see her babies. �How are my little sweet peas today?� she asked, giving them a big smile. It warmed her heart to the core, because they both looked so excited to see her. �We have to get you two some breakfast, and then we�re going to get all dressed up in our Christmas outfits because the photographer is coming to take our picture as a surprise for daddy. He is going to be so excited when he opens our gift on Christmas.

Later on that morning when the photographer arrived, Sheridan answered the door dressed in a red velvet dress. It was very simple, and the only adornment was her gold locket that Luis had given her when she was pregnant with the twins. The photographer, Salvatore Munos was supposed to be one of the best in the area and Sheridan was excited that she had been able to hire him. She would never confess this to Luis, but she really thought the deciding factor for him accepting this shoot had been at the mention of her maiden name being Crane. �Mr. Munos, please come in. I really appreciate you coming out here to do our portraits.�

�Please Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald, call me Salvatore.�

�Only if you will call me Sheridan,� she responded with a smile.

�Okay, then we have a deal,� he said, shaking her hand. �I think that I should explain that I�m not a conventional photographer. I prefer doing shots that aren�t so staged.�

�That�s the very reason that I hired you,� Sheridan told him. �Let me get the children so we can get started.�

Sheridan had a good feeling that the photos were going to be great. He shot them in front of the fireplace in natural poses. Lily had on a red velvet dress that matched her mothers, only her dress was smocked at the top with a white embroidered bib collar. Luke had on dark green velvet overhauls with a white shirt, and they both looked adorable. Sheridan knew her favorite was going to be the photo that was not even planned. She had wanted some pictures of just the twins and while Salvatore was changing his role of film the babies were in front of the fireplace with Ace, when the perfect opportunity for a great picture presented itself. Ace was stretched out on the floor by the twins with a red and green plaid ribbon around his neck, when Luke giggled and wrapped his little arms around the dog�s neck to hug him. At that same moment, Lily was crawling toward them, dragging her stuffed bunny, Floppy by the ear wanting to join in on the fun, and Salvatore was just in time to get several shots to capture the moment.

�Sheridan, your children are beautiful and very photogenic. Have you ever considered letting them model professionally? There is a high demand for children in that industry now.�

�That�s very nice to know that someone else thinks our children are as beautiful as we do, but I think that my husband and I would prefer that they have a normal childhood out of the eye of the public.�

�Too bad,� Salvatore said, shaking his head. �I�ll try to have your proofs done for you in a couple of days so that you can make your selections, but I have a feeling that you�re going to want them all.�

�Thank you Salvatore,� Sheridan said, walking him to the door. �Just remember when you call that if my husband answers the phone don�t say anything because this is a surprise for him.�

********************

Luis tried to be quiet as he entered the house that night as to not wake Sheridan and the babies. Ace knew his scent enough that he didn�t bark when Luis entered the front door. He had never planned on arriving home this late, but they also hadn�t planned on T.C. having an appendicitis attack in Boston either. During the second half of the football game, T.C. had started to feel some pains, and they got progressively worst by the time the game was over. They ended up rushing him to the emergency room, and the next thing they knew he was in surgery. They had all waited through the surgery, until Eve and the girls arrived and they were sure that T.C. was going to be okay before they left Boston. Luis crept up the stairs, and decided to look in on the babies before he hit the shower. The nightlight was on in the nursery, and he checked Luke first, who was fast asleep. Now Lily was a different story, because she was wide awake trying to grab her mobile. She smiled when she saw her daddy standing above her, and reached out for him.

�Peanut, why are you still awake?� Luis whispered, so that he didn�t wake Luke. He reached down and picked her up and checked her diaper. �I think someone has a wet diaper. Daddy�s going to change you, and then I�ll rock you to sleep.� He removed her one-piece pink footie pajamas, and put on a fresh diaper, then pulled her pajamas back on and snapped them up. Luis was disappointed that he missed putting his babies to bed earlier tonight, so this made up for it a little. Lily fell asleep after only ten minutes of rocking, and Luis laid her back in bed on her back and covered her with a blanket. He decided to take a shower in the guest bathroom, so that he didn�t disturb Sheridan�s sleep. When he was finished, he moved toward their bedroom clad only in a towel, and he felt a sense of comfort to see Sheridan curled up sleeping. He threw the towel in the bathroom and slipped naked into bed beside his wife. Sheridan was sleeping in one of his T-shirts, and even though he would have preferred that she was wearing nothing, he liked that she was sleeping in his shirt. He snuggled up against her with his chest to her back and wrapped his arm around her, and she melted naturally into him.

She must have felt his presence in her sleep, because she awoke and turned to face him. �Luis, you�re home,� she said, in a sleep-laden voice. �How long have you been here?�

�I got home a little while ago;� he answered, pulling her close. �I checked on the twins and Luke was fast asleep, but Peanut was wide-awake playing with her mobile.�

�Oh no, is she still awake?�

�No, I changed her diaper, and rocked her for a while and she fell asleep again.� Luis assured her.

�How is T.C. doing?� she asked, suddenly remembering why he was so late.

�When we left he had just gotten out of surgery, and he was doing really well. Eve got there with the girls, and they�re going to stay until T.C. is released. The doctor believes that he should be as good as new in a few weeks.�

�Poor guy,� Sheridan said. �I�m sure that�s the last thing he expected when he went out for a boys day out.�

�No, I�m sure he didn�t,� Luis said, pulling at the bottom of her shirt. �So, why do you have so many clothes on?�

Sheridan laughed. �What do you mean so many clothes? I just have your shirt on.�

�I noticed. You look really cute in my shirt, but why are you wearing it?� he asked, smiling.

�Well, I didn�t expect to see you until the morning and I missed sleeping by you, so I put your shirt on so I could smell you.�

�That makes me feel good, but I�m here now so it�s no longer necessary to wear my shirt,� he said, pulling it up her body, and over her head. He tossed it across the room and pulled her into his arms, and began kissing her passionately.

�Luis,� she mumbled against his lips breathlessly. �You�ve been up since the crack of dawn. Aren�t you tired?�

�I was, but I suddenly got a second wind,� he said, running his hands up her body. He rolled on top of her and started moving his lips down her neck to her shoulder, and then to her breasts. She moaned out loud when he took the tip in his mouth, and began to work his magic. The sensations rushed through her body, and every nerve tingled from the touch of his mouth. Sheridan raked her hands through his still damp hair and pulled him closer, but when he moved lower to taste her, she let go clutching the sheet with her fists. Slowly he taunted her with his liquid kiss, and her mind screamed out for the release that only he could give her. He taunted her, and she lifted up to bring him closer, until finally a wave of pleasure washed over her and she cried out his name. She was still shaking when he moved up her body, and kissed her hotly.

�Luis..........., Luis........... Let me do the same for you,� she said, wrapping her hand around his arousal.

�Not tonight sweetheart,� he groaned in a raspy voice from her touch. �I need to connect with you in a different way.� She tried to protest, but he silenced her with another kiss as he slipped inside of her. She watched his face as he moved, his sultry eyes filled with his love for her, and she ran her hands down the smooth skin of his back. It started out slowly, but his rhythm increased as he began to love her with smooth hard strokes. She was surprised that her passion was starting to rise so soon after the intense pleasure he had given her earlier, but she gave into it freely.

Luis was going crazy with the feel of her, and he feared he was nearing the end of his restraint. She was so beautiful and responsive, her big blue eyes drawing him deeper into her soul. He knew then with clarity that he would never want another woman the way he wanted her. As close as he was to going over the edge, he held back wanting her to go over with him when the moment came. Her body tensed, and then he felt her shutter, and he knew it was time to go crashing into euphoria. He whispered her name hotly in her ear just before they both exploded with the ultimate pleasure that would always be there between them. Afterwards, they lay in each other�s arms, savoring the sensations as they tried to breathe normally again.

�You know,� he said, kissing the top of her head. �I really enjoyed my day out with the guys, but it doesn�t even begin to compare with my nights with you.�

�If you keep saying things like that Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald, you might not get any sleep tonight,� she chuckled softly.

�So Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald, it that a threat or a promise?� he asked as he pulled her on top of him.

�Oh, I think that�s a promise,� she mumbled, as she began to slither down his body with her eager lips moving toward his silky hardness.

Chapter 30

Luis and Sheridan were ecstatic when the back gate to the Crane estate opened with no difficulty, however they were puzzled that there were no dogs to greet them. Sheridan suggested that they might be somewhere else on the grounds, or perhaps security had failed to let them out of the kennel that night. It had been known to happen in the past, and she was hoping that was the case tonight. Sam had provided them with one of Ben�s old fishing hats so that Ace could familiarize himself with the scent. Luis knew that there was a good chance that Ben�s clothes could have disintegrated over so much time, but for some reason he had a good feeling that they were going to find something tonight. He didn�t even try to argue when Sheridan insisted that he carry the disgusting meatballs for the dogs, but Ace was certainly keeping close to him tonight. They made their way to the gazebo unhindered, and Luis pulled Ben�s hat out of his backpack to give Ace the scent once again before he commanded him to begin the search. Ace wasted no time putting his nose to the ground, and Luis followed him around while Sheridan acted as lookout. She had to admit that she was very nervous about being here tonight. Just the fact that the dogs were nowhere to be found was enough to make the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

�How long is this going to take Luis?� she called out to him, looking around nervously.

�I�m not sure,� he said, walking over to her. �What�s the matter?�

�I don�t know,� she said, hugging herself. �I have a bad feeling, and I just want to get out of here as soon as possible.�

�I promise I�ll do my best, but we need to give Ace some time. Don�t worry, everything is going to be fine,� he assured her.

Fifteen minutes went by, and Sheridan�s nerves were wound up as tight as a coil, and the time seemed like hours instead of minutes. Suddenly Ace found a stretch of ground just outside the wall of the gazebo that had clearly piqued his interest. She walked over to see him digging in the earth with his front paws. He let out a quick bark, and came walking toward Luis with something in his mouth. Luis pointed his flashlight on the object to discover something that looked like a man�s wallet. Ace proudly handed the filthy prize to Luis, and he took special care when he opened it up, because the leather had hardened and cracked from being exposed to the elements.

�Oh my God,� Luis gasped. �This is it Sheridan.� Inside was Ben�s drivers license, and some old photos of Sam and Hank still enclosed in the plastic covers. Unfortunately they didn�t have time to give much attention to their discovery because out of the night came a group of security guards leading the dogs. It was obvious that they had been spotted, and Luis made the quick decision to command Ace to take the wallet and run off with it. He knew that Ace would go back to the car and wait for them, and he prayed that security was still far enough away that they hadn�t noticed the dog�s presence. A backup story had been planned ahead of time in case they were caught on the estate, but they would never be able to explain why they brought their pet along. By the time the guards approached them with lights blazing and dogs barking, Ace had safely made his escape.

�Stop right where you are and explain your presence here,� one of the guards shouted, and Sheridan went into her spoiled princess fa�ade.

�It�s me, Sheridan Crane Lopez-Fitzgerald, and I demand that you call those dogs off. How dare you treat me like some kind of common criminal,� she said, indignantly.

The guard pointed his flashlight directly in her face. �Oh Ms. Crane, I didn�t recognize you at first. What are you doing sneaking around in the bushes?� he asked skeptically.

�The name is now Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald, and I was NOT sneaking around in the bushes. We were on our way to my former cottage to get some things that I had in storage there. Now, if you would be so kind as to get out of our way we will be about our business.�

�I don�t know Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald. Mr. Crane didn�t say anything to us about you coming here tonight, and I find this a little suspicious.�

�Come on guys,� Luis said, taking over. �This is my wife�s family home and she should not have to explain her presence here to you or her brother..........�

Just then the security guards� cell phone rang and he answered it, and after listening for a few minutes, he finally spoke into the receiver. �Yes, Mr. Crane. We did find some intruders, but sir, it turned out to be your sister.� After a few minutes the guard ended the call. �Sorry, but I�m afraid that we�re going to have to escort you to the main house. Mr. Crane would like to speak with you.�

�Well, you can just call my brother back and tell him that we don�t have time for a little visit with him tonight,� she said, defiantly. �We need to get home to our children.�

�Sorry, I can�t do that. Mr. Crane was adamant about speaking with you, and I would lose my job if I just let you leave right now.�

Luis didn�t want it to appear that they had anything to hide, so he encouraged Sheridan to go along with the guards. �Come on Sheridan, let�s just go see what your idiot brother wants so that we can get what we came for and leave.�

Picking up on Luis� intention, she finally agreed. �Okay we�ll go to see what Julian wants, but there is no need for you to escort us there like we are prisoners,� she said, shooting the guard a nasty look.

As they walked toward the mansion, Sheridan shot Luis a look of dread. The last thing she felt like doing tonight was having an argument with Julian so close to the holidays. She made up her mind that she wasn�t going to let him get to her tonight because this was her babies� first Christmas and she was just too excited to let her brother ruin her mood. When they arrived at Julian�s library the security guards waited outside the door as Luis and Sheridan stepped inside to see Julian sitting on the edge of his desk, with his usual drink in his hand. �Close the door and leave us alone,� Julian instructed the guards.

�Julian,� Sheridan said, hands on hips. �What is with the brute force tactics? I am your sister, and Luis and I deserve to be treated with respect. How dare you order us to stand before you like we�re some minions that work for you?�

�Really Crane,� Luis said, giving Julian a look that made him flinch. �What the hell do you want to speak to us about?�

Julian regained his composure and gave Luis an arrogant look. �I want you two to quit snooping around this property. I�m not stupid, and I know exactly what you are up to.�

�Oh really Julian,� Luis said, with a sarcastic look. �Since you�re so damn brilliant why don�t you tell us what we�re up to?�

�You�re still up to your old sorry game of trying to prove that the Cranes had something to do with your father�s disappearance, and frankly I have reached the end of my rope with this whole business. You have tried for years to prove our complicity and have not come up with one shred of evidence, so now you�re going to manufacture some just to prove you were right all along.�

�I wouldn�t be so smug if I were you Julian,� Luis spat at him. �I know a lot more about your nefarious past then you think that I do, and I�m not going to stop until you�re behind bars where you belong. But for your information, Sheridan and I are simply here to get some things out of storage from her cottage.�

�What things could you possibly want that required you to come sneaking onto the estate at night? If your visit was so innocent, then why not come during the day?� Julian inquired.

�Because Julian, I happened to remember earlier this evening that I had some of my baby clothes and toys that mother managed to save before father could toss them away. I wanted my children to have them and I insisted that Luis bring me here to get them,� Sheridan explained impatiently. �This is my family home too and you have no right to treat me like I�m an intruder.�

�Nice story, but I don�t believe you, and for the record, you gave up any rights as a member of this family when you stayed married to him,� Julian said, pointing to Luis. �You have plotted and schemed right along beside him to bring us down, and I won�t have any more of it.�

�Oh, that�s really rich coming from you Julian after all the vile things you and father did to keep Luis and me apart.�

�Father and I did that to protect you and to protect this family, and I will not explain myself again. Your husband is trying to set me up for something I didn�t do, you are helping him, and I promise you that I will stop you,� Julian shouted.

�Oh really?� Luis laughed. �And just how do you think you are going to stop me from finding out the truth?�

�I will make sure that you lose something that would tear your world apart,� Julian promised.

�If you think that you can split Sheridan and me apart, you are sadly mistaken. You tried it on several occasions before and it didn�t work,� Luis reminded him. And, you know why it didn�t work? Because Sheridan and I share everything together, and we have no secrets from each other. Not to mention that we have a love that is so strong that none of your sick evil plans can even put a dent in that.�

�Luis is right Julian,� Sheridan told him. �We trust each other completely and we are totally committed to each other.�

Julian put his hand over his heart in a mocking gesture. �This is definitely a Hallmark moment if I ever saw one, but I wasn�t talking about the two of you.�

Sheridan leaned forward and got right into Julian�s face. �Why don�t you cut to the chase and tell us just what you are threatening us with?� Sheridan said angrily.

�If you and your brute of a husband continue with this witch hunt against the Cranes, I will make sure that you lose custody of your children.�

Sheridan was shocked by Julian�s words, and at first she was struck speechless, but when she looked at Luis and saw the loathing on his face, she found her voice. �You are totally insane if you think that you could ever manage that,� she snarled at him.

�Sheridan�s right.� Luis said, with contempt. �You can�t just march in and take somebody�s children away from them. There would have to be proof of child abuse, and everyone knows that we would never hurt our children.�

�Oh, I think that any judge would be interested in know just what unstable parents the two of you are,� Julian said, pouring himself another drink. �Not to mention an extremely bad influence you could have on such young and innocent minds.�

�That�s a bunch of bull and you know it.� Luis was furious. �I should shove my fist down your throat for even suggesting it.�

Sheridan had started to shake, struck speechless once again by Julian�s words. �You bastard, I swear I�ll.............�

�Now Sheridan,� Julian interrupted her. �You need to calm down and get control of your emotions. You have such a shaky past with being in and out of institutions as a child. ........ And then there are those terrible nightmares that plagued you all your life of killing your children�s grandfather...........�

�You know damn well that Eve proved under hypnosis that my dreams stemmed from my guilt over mother�s death...........�

�Still, there must be a streak of violence inside of you to have such graphic, bloody dreams of murder,� Julian said with false concern, as he fingered the tape of Sheridan�s hypnosis in his pocket. �Plus, there is your past with men to consider. My God, the last con artist you were engaged to marry was a drug dealer. I�ll bet the judge would be very concerned for the safety of your children knowing that some of his cronies could show up here in Harmony again..........�

Luis was losing control, and he wanted to hurt Julian bad. �How dare you treat Sheridan that way. The only reason she was in institutions as a child was because you and your bastard father made her believe she was crazy. You treated her like crap all of her life, and now you have the nerve to say we�re unstable parents. You and that hatemonger Alistair are the abusers, not us.�

�Now Luis, you really need to learn how to control that temper of yours. That�s not something that a judge likes to hear, and then there are those kidnapping charges against you. A hot-tempered felon and a mentally unstable woman prone to bad judgment are a situation that should bring the folks from Children�s Services in for an investigation. And, if that�s not enough to convince them, there are always the terrible bumps and bruises that the pediatrician found when he examined the children at their last checkup.............�

�That�s impossible,� Sheridan in a shaky voice. �The doctor would never say that because it�s a lie.�

�Oh believe me, he�ll say it,� Julian assured her. �I feel sure of it, because he wouldn�t want his wife to find out about that mistress he keeps. I have every judge in this town in my back pocket, and if you don�t think they�ll go along with me on this you�re also delusional. I�m sure I could even convince him to give me temporary custody of those cute little twins of yours while the investigation is being conducted.........�

Luis lost it completely, and went flying toward Julian, but Sheridan jumped in front of him. The drink went flying out of Julian�s hand and went crashing to the floor as Sheridan pounced on top of him. She was beating him with her fist, and at the same time calling him every vile name in the book. Luis tried to pull her away, so that he could have his turn, when security came through the door to rush to Julian�s defense. Two of the guards grabbed Luis, and as they held him back, the third one was pulling Sheridan off of her brother. He finally managed to get her in an arm lock, but she wasn�t going down easy because she was fighting with all the strength she could muster. Luis was fighting like a wild man too, and when he saw the way the guard was manhandling Sheridan, he went over the edge. �Get your damn hands off of her you son-of-a-bitch.�

Julian extracted his handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at the blood on his lip as he moved over to the bar to pour another drink. �Escort these two maniacs to the front gate,� Julian commanded to the guards. As they were being pushed out the door of the library, he gave them a final warning. �Just remember, back off or I�ll carry through with my threat, and that is a promise.�

�You go to hell Julian,� Sheridan retorted angrily. �I�ll kill you before I would ever let you take our babies away from us.�

�You�ll have to get in line behind me Sheridan, because he wouldn�t live out the day if he even thinks about going through with his threat,� Luis promised.

�You cease this quest to try and set me up for your father�s disappearance and you will have nothing to worry about,� Julian said, saluting Luis with his glass.

********************

Pilar finally gave up trying to get the twins to go to sleep. They were wide-awake, and obviously determined to stay up until their parents arrived home. She had told them stories, and exhausted her supply of lullabies, and nothing had worked. Her grandchildren were certainly stubborn, but they got it honestly because both of their parents excelled when it came to that trait. She was sitting in the rocking chair watching them both playing in their beds, and when she looked Luke�s way, he gave her a sweet little smile. �I know that you are just trying to charm me,� she scolded him lovingly with a smile. �And you little one,� she said to Lily. �Your mama and papa are not going to be happy to see you still awake.� Just then Pilar heard a noise downstairs, and recognized Luis voice downstairs. �I hear your papa. You two better lay down and go to sleep before he gets up here.�

�Mama, are you up here?� Luis called from the hallway.

�I�m in the nursery mijo,� she called back.

When Sheridan and Luis walked into the nursery, Pilar could sense right away that something had happened. Sheridan just stood there staring at her children like she was trying to assure herself that they were all right. Luis was shocked to see that the babies were still awake because it was already after nine thirty. �Why are the two of you still awake?� he asked. �You should have been asleep two hours ago.�

�I�m glad they are still awake,� Sheridan said, walking toward Lily�s crib. She picked her up and held her close, and all the pent up anger toward Julian suddenly deserted her to be replaced by a fear like she had never known before. The tears started streaming down her face, and she quickly brushed them away so that the children wouldn�t see her crying. Luis, with Luke in his arms, walked over to see if she was okay. �Luis, will you bring Luke to our room for me?�

�Sure honey, but first are you going to tell me what is going on with you?�

�I�m fine,� she assured him. �I just want to visit with my babies before they go to sleep,� she told him, as she walked toward the door. �Pilar, thank you so much for watching the children tonight,� Sheridan said, kissing Pilar on the cheek.

�It was my pleasure,� Pilar said, smiling. �I always love spending time with my grandchildren, but I�m just sorry that they weren�t asleep when you arrived home.�

�Why don�t you spend the night Pilar,� Sheridan suggested. �I don�t like you having to drive home at night.�

�No thank you mija. I need to be at the mansion bright and early so I can help Ivy plan her Christmas party.�

�Mama, let me just take Luke to our room, and then I�ll walk you to your car.�

When Luis and Pilar were alone she asked him what was going on. �Luis, I haven�t seen Sheridan so upset in a long time. What happened tonight? I thought the two of you were doing some investigating on a case?�

�Actually mama, we were doing some investigating at the Crane estate. We had a terrible run-in with Julian and it really upset Sheridan,� he explained. �I have to admit that it upset me too.�

�Dear God mijo,� Pilar said, wringing her hands. �What were you doing at the Crane estate? I had hoped that you dropped this investigation into Martin�s disappearance.�

�This wasn�t exactly connected directly to papa, but it could have been a stepping stone to finding out what happened to him. I can�t tell you the details, but this is something big mama,� Luis told her. �Julian�s security caught us on the estate, and lets just say it wasn�t pretty when we were forced to meet with him.�

They had arrived at Pilar�s car, and Luis opened the door for her. �Luis, you must stop this quest of yours before it destroys your life. We both know that Julian can be ruthless when it comes to protecting the secrets of his family. I�m afraid for you and your family mijo.�

�Don�t worry mama,� Luis assured her. �I plan to fix it so that Julian never bothers us again.�

�You are not going to do anything foolish are you?� Pilar asked with a worried frown.

�Don�t worry mama. Everything is going to be okay,� he said, bending down to kiss her forehead. �You drive safely, and call me as soon as you get home.�

He walked in the house and got Ben�s wallet out of his coat pocket. The thing was on its last leg from being buried in the ground for so long. When he checked the inside and he saw Ben�s police identification it really made him feel sad. There were twenty dollars still inside and the thought crossed his mind that the money should probably go to Sam. Some legacy, he thought grimly to himself. He put the wallet down on the table and climbed the stairs to see what his family was doing. Sheridan had the babies on their bed and he stopped just outside the door to listen to what she was saying.

�Mommy promises you that we will always be together, and daddy and me will keep you safe and happy. We love you so much and you are the most important, precious gift that we could ever ask for.............�

�Your mommy is right about that,� Luis said, walking into the room. He sat down on the bed and kissed his children. �You certainly are the most precious gift that we could ever ask for. I think these two little ones are actually getting sleepy. Did I see a little yawn from Peanut a second ago?�

�I believe that you did,� Sheridan concurred. �I think that it�s time for you to be in bed, but mommy hates to be separated from you for even a minute.�

�It�s going to be okay,� Luis told her with love shining in his eyes. �I promise,� he said, stroking her cheek.

They put their sleepy children to bed and Sheridan sang them to sleep. Her beautiful voice sounded almost haunting to Luis, making him sad all over again. He knew that he had to make a monumental decision that would change his life forever, but he didn�t have any other choice. He had to protect his family at all cost, even if it meant giving up on every thing that he had worked so hard for. Once the babies were fast asleep, they gave them another kiss, and made their way to their bedroom. It was like a dam bursting, because Sheridan seemed to crumble before him, and she fell into his arms and began sobbing uncontrollably. He led her to the bed so that they could sit down, and he just comforted her until she was able to speak again.

�Luis, I know that finding your father has always been so important to you, and I know that Sam deserves to know what happened to his father, but I�m begging you to give this up. I feel terrible asking you to do this, and it would be one thing if it was just the two of us, but we have our children to consider. I�m just so scared that Julian is going to succeed at taking our babies away, and that would just kill me,� she cried.

�You don�t even have to ask Sheridan. The decision was already made when we were standing in Julian�s library. Under different circumstances I would never back down to your brother, but I just can�t take the chance when our children are involved,� Luis assured her.

�Oh thank you Luis,� she said, hugging him. �It breaks my heart to see you forced to give up on finding your father. Promise me that you have considered the ramifications of your decision, because I couldn�t bear to see this eat you up inside.�

�I�m not going to lie to you Sheridan. Finding out the truth about papa�s disappearance has always been something that I swore to resolve. It was the driving force behind so many of my life decisions, but I think that papa would approve of what I�m doing. He would never want to see any harm come to his grandchildren, and that gives me a certain peace about this whole thing. Some day Julian is going to mess up, and I�m going to make sure that he pays for everything he has done to us.� When he saw the worried look on her face, he reassured her again. �Look sweetie, don�t looked so worried. I made you a promise and I intend to keep it.�

�Oh no,� Sheridan said, concern written on her face. �I just remembered Ben�s wallet. What are we going to tell Sam? If he finds out about what we discovered, he will go after Julian, and he will know that we were snooping around.�

�I�m not sure what I�m going to say to Sam yet, but I�ll find a way to make this right without Julian knowing that we were involved,� he promised her. Luis picked up the phone and dialed a number.

�Who are you calling?� Sheridan asked.

�Julian, this is Luis. I just wanted to let you know that we�ve decided to back off, but you better stay the hell away from my family or I swear that I�ll kill you with my bare hands,� he said, hanging up the phone before Julian could even respond. �Now, let�s put this behind us and start getting ready for Christmas.�

�Okay,� Sheridan said, hoping silently that she would be able to do that.

********************

The next couple of weeks passed with a flurry of activity with all the preparations for Christmas. Sheridan was so excited about the coming holidays, however there was still a fear inside of her that Julian would sneak in like the Grinch and take everything away from them. Luis tried to assure her that Julian had no reason to come after them any longer, and that if he did he would regret it. Their first adventure occurred when they went to pick out their Christmas tree. The day was cold, and the weather report was calling for snow. Sheridan and Luis bundled the twins up in their snowsuits and they took off to the Christmas tree farm. On the way there the snow started falling in big flakes, and Luke and Lily stared out the back window mesmerized by the big fluffy particles that were hitting the windows. Sheridan led them in Christmas carols, and the twins tried to sing along, but their words were coming out as gibberish, and it was still the cutest thing that they had ever heard. When they arrived, they went on their search for the perfect Christmas tree, and by that time the snow was falling hard and started to blanket the ground. They came upon a beautiful twelve-foot blue spruce with full drooping branches, and Sheridan proclaimed it was the perfect tree for them. As the man was cutting the tree, the twins were getting fidgety, so Luis and Sheridan squatted down to see what the babies would do with the snow. Lily flailed her little hands like in a splashing motion, and ended up hitting Luis in the face with some flying snow. Luke�s first inclination was not to play in it, but to eat it, and the look on his face when the cold substance hit his mouth was priceless. As they drove home with the tree tied to the top of their SUV, Sheridan decided that this had been a special family day that she would never forget and treasure forever.

Evan had done a wonderful job with his community service at the youth center, and he had organized a Christmas party for all the children. Santa Claus would be there to hear all the children�s wish lists, and he had organized a campaign for donations for gifts for the children. Sheridan and Luis decided that rather then take the twins to see Santa at the department store that it would be more enjoyable to attend the Christmas party at the youth center. Lily was adorable in her little corduroy green dress with Rudolf appliqued on the pocket with a tiny red yarn nose. Luke looked just as adorable in his green matching overalls, but between the time that Sheridan had dressed him and the time they had arrived at the youth center, he had managed to lose Rudolf�s nose. It could have fallen off on its own, but Sheridan had a suspicion that Luke had been the culprit and pulled it off. Luis had a loaded camera in hand to get plenty of pictures of the twins on Santa�s lap, but Sheridan was a little apprehensive about their first meeting with Santa Claus. She hoped that the big jolly man in the red suit didn�t frighten them, and as it turned out it was just the opposite, because poor Santa was at the end of his rope by the time her children were finished with him. What was even worse was that everybody in the youth center, including the twins� grandmother, and their uncle and cousins were standing there to witness the scene. At first is was cute, because the babies were fascinated by the long white beard and the tassel on the end of Santa�s hat, but when they converged on him, pulling his hat and beard, Sheridan cringed. She and Luis were approaching Santa to retrieve their children when Santa lifted Luke up in the air and that is when they saw the huge wet spot on his lap. Apparently Luke had soaked his diaper, and it had overrun onto poor Santa. Sheridan and Luis were mortified and felt terrible and apologized profusely offering to make amends, but he refused and just handed their son to them. Since Sheridan had the foresight to always bring an extra outfit for the babies, she was able to clean Luke up so that they didn�t have to leave the party. Somebody had managed to locate a hair dryer and Santa was able to clean the spot on his pants and blow it dry. In spite of that little setback the day had been fun, and when they had the film developed later on that day, Luis and Sheridan laughed hysterically when they saw the pictures of Luke and Lily on Santa�s lap. There was nothing about the shots that was normal, or that you could put inside a Christmas card, because of the mischievous actions of the little precocious babies, but the pictures were priceless just the same.

Decorating the tree and house was proving to be quite challenging because the babies were crawling all over the place getting into everything in sight. Sheridan finally gave up and put the twins in the sunroom with a child gate between the opening to the living room. Luke and Lily were not happy, nor was their father because he was putting the lights on the tree and Sheridan had insisted that they be wrapped around every single branch. While Luis worked at his task, Sheridan wrapped greenery around the banister of the staircase, and the mantle, garnishing it with dark red and gold ribbon. She also added some holly berries and sugared fruit, topping it off with twinkling white lights that made the gold in the ribbon shimmer. It took Luis hours to put the lights on the tree, and when they were finally ready to decorate, they got the twins up from their nap and let them join them. The babies were fascinated by all the ornaments and lights, and they had to bring in Ace to keep them in tow as they decorated the tree. Keeping with the tradition that they had started last year, Luis put the angel on the top of the tree, and then they added two additional stockings to the mantle. Sheridan�s eyes welled up with tears when she saw the beautiful needlepoint stockings with Luke and Lily�s names embroidered on the top. Everything would have been perfect if she didn�t have this secret fear that Julian would do something to hurt her family, but she quickly buried it because she was determined that it would not ruin her first Christmas with her children.

Later that night, after the babies were already in bed and asleep for the night, Sheridan and Luis cuddled up on the sofa with only candles and the lights from the tree on, to set a very romantic mood. They were listening to Christmas music and sipping wine when Sheridan felt this overwhelming need to be close to Luis. She set her glass down and stroked his face with her fingers right before she kissed him passionately, and Luis responded with equal ardor. They slowly stripped their clothing away and made love with an intensity that left them both breathless. Afterward, as they were basking in the afterglow, Sheridan decided this was the perfect time to make her request to Luis.

�Honey, I was thinking that it would be so beautiful if you put white twinkling lights on all the bushes outside,� she said in a coaxing voice.

Luis sat up and gave her a knowing look. �I think I�ve been taken advantage of here,� he said, with a raised eyebrow, but Sheridan wasn�t worried, because she saw the little smile on his lips.

�I promise Luis, I didn�t even think about it until just a few minutes ago. You know that I would never use sex to try to manipulate you.�

�Okay, but let it go on the record that I hate putting the lights on, and I�m only doing this for you,� he said in a sulky voice.

�Thank you Luis,� she said, pulling him down against her body. �Why don�t we go upstairs to bed and I�ll show you just how grateful I am?�

Luis chuckled. �I thought you would never use sex to manipulate me?� he asked, kissing her. �Not that I�m really complaining..........�

�Hey, can�t I show my husband how much I appreciate him?� she pouted.

�Come on, let�s go, and if you�re a good girl, I might even string some lights in the trees too.�

Sheridan must have been very good, because the next day when Luis finished with the outside lights, Sheridan clapped her hands together with excitement. With the snow on the ground, and the twinkling lights in the bushes and trees, their house looked like a Currier and Ives drawing on a Christmas card. They both agreed that it was one of the most beautiful sights they had ever seen.

********************

On Christmas Eve they went to mass with the family, and the babies were perfect little angles, not making a peep through the whole service. Afterwards they all went to Pilar�s for the traditional Spanish eggnog, and Christmas carols. Luis� family and Chad and Evan were coming to their house to spend Christmas day together, but only after they woke up and opened their presents with their children. It was important that they spend that special time privately with their little family, and Sheridan was really looking forward to that moment.

Christmas morning Sheridan awakened at the crack of dawn, and slid quietly downstairs to put the turkey in the oven, and put on a pot of coffee. Pilar had instructed her on the preparation of the bird, and she just hoped that nothing happened to mess it up. She was providing the meat and the dessert, and Pilar was bringing all the side dishes. As she watched the darkness turn into light, she went upstairs to wake her family so they could begin their Christmas. She sat down on the edge of the bed and kissed Luis awake.

�Time to rise and shine,� she said, excitedly. �We have to get the babies up so we can open our presents.�

�Oh, come on Sheridan,� he said, yawning. �Just let me sleep for a couple more hours,� he teased..

�No way buddy. Get that hot body of yours out of bed. Besides I already hear the babies� stirring in the nursery.�

As they changed the babies� diapers, Sheridan told them that Santa Claus had come the night before and he had left lots of presents for them under the tree. Her excitement must have rubbed off on them because when they carried Luke and Lily downstairs and set them down in front of the tree they squealed with delight. The babies were too young to figure out how to tear the wrapping away, so Sheridan and Luis did it for them. Luis had complained the night before when they were putting the presents under the tree that Sheridan had bought them way too much. She had argued that it was their first Christmas, and she was unable to control herself. Luke was not the least bit interested in his Tickle Me Elmo, because he was having too much fun playing with the torn wrapping paper and discarded ribbons. Lily however was much more receptive, and she hugged her Muffy Vanderbear closely in her little arms. It was a slow process to get through all of their gifts, and an hour later, Luis dug under all the rubble to find his gifts for Sheridan. She opened the first one to find the special perfume she always wore, and Luis told her that the scent would always remind him of the time he found her scarf on the wharf. The next box contained some very beautiful lingerie, and she teased him that the gift was more for him then her. The last box was her most favorite, because it was charm bracelet that already held four charms, and she asked him to explain the significance of each one.

�Well, the little police car represents our first meeting, and the two babies are for Luke and Lily, and the Christmas tree is for our first Christmas as a family,� he explained. �You see, I�m telling a story here. We met and fell in love, we produced two beautiful children, and now we are celebrating our first Christmas together.�

�Oh Luis,� she said, brushing a tear away. �It�s just perfect, and I love it.� She hugged him close, and then she dangled it in front of the children. �See the beautiful bracelet that daddy got for mommy.�

Luke grabbed at it, and as usual tried to put it in his mouth. �Okay sport,� Luis said, putting him in his lap. �I think it�s time for you to settle down a little,� he said, kissing him on the top of the head. �You should play with your toys like your sister is doing. Santa went to a lot of trouble to bring all these nice things for you.�

�I guess that just goes to prove that children can be entertained by the simple things,� Sheridan realized. �Come on Luis. It�s time to open your presents. Here open this one first. This one is from the children and me,� she said, handing him the box.

When Luis opened the box and saw the two framed photographs a huge smile broke out on his face. One of them was of her and the children in front of the fireplace, and the other was the picture of Luke hugging Ace, and Lily dragging her bunny behind her. �Wow,� he said, fingering the photos. �These are amazing, and I couldn�t have asked for a better gift than pictures of my three favorite people and my dog.� He gave them all a kiss, and thanked them for such a special gift.

�Okay,� Sheridan said, grabbing another box. �You have one more, but before you open it I think I should tell you something. I know that we agreed not to spend a lot of money on each other, but with the proceeds from my book being so large, I just couldn�t resist giving this to you.�

Luis� curiosity was definitely piqued now, and he tore the paper away, and opened the box. When he unfolded the tissue paper he found nothing but a large envelope. What...........?�

�Just open it, and find out,� Sheridan suggested.

When he opened the envelope and pulled out the contents, he was shocked to see that it was for a trip to Spain. �Oh my God Sheridan, this must have cost a fortune.�

�It really wasn�t all that bad,� she told him. �My travel agent was able to get a special deal, and it turned out to be pretty reasonable.�

Luis was trying to be practical about the money factor, but he was so excited that it suddenly didn�t matter how much it cost, because he was finally going to visit Spain. �Oh baby,� he said, giving her a hug and a kiss. �You have no idea how special this is, and I love you so much for doing this for me.�

�Well, there is a condition that comes with the gift,� Sheridan said with a little smile. �You have to take me along as your tour guide.�

�Are you kidding? There is no way I would go to Spain without you to show me everything. It has been my dream for as long as I can remember.�

Sheridan and Luis played with their children, and they both agreed that this was the best Christmas that they had ever had.

*******************

The rest of the family arrived later loaded down with gifts and wonderful smelling dishes. Everyone complemented Sheridan on the lovely decorations, and her table was set to perfection. The last time she checked, the turkey was cooking nicely, and Sheridan couldn�t have been more pleased. They had a wonderful dinner, and then sat down to open more presents. Sheridan had never seen a house so full of love and laughter, and it warmed her heart. When they were finished, and the day was turning into night, Sheridan led the group in Silent Night. As they held their children, they shared a look, that without words, both knew that this was a special day that they would cherish forever.

Back in Harmony, the Bennetts were at that very moment singing Silent Night as well. The Russells were there too, even though T.C. was still recovering from his surgery. Evan and Chad had joined them earlier so that they could be with the ladies that they loved, and Evan was pleased to see that Sam was actually being amicable to him tonight. The group was so caught up in their singing, that they didn�t notice the stranger that was watching them from outside of the widow. Jack Russo, gazed longingly at the people inside the house, and wished with everything inside of him that he could be in there with them. Unfortunately, that was not to be because his fate had been sealed a long time ago when he had decided to avenge his father�s death. He knew that his brother would never forgive him for all the evil things that he had done, but maybe someday when the truth came out, Sam would understand why he had chosen the path that he did, and find it in his heart to forgive him all of his sins.

********************

At the same time that the folks in Harmony were singing Silent Night, it was past midnight in the foothills of the Swiss Alps. A lone man, gazed out through the bars of his window in the sanitarium where he lived. He was staring at the mountains that stood out against the darkness of the night by the bright light of the moon, and thought about his family back in Harmony. It was still Christmas there, and he could just imagine them gathered together singing carols. He could see Pilar�s beautiful face clearly in his mind, and longed for her with every breath that he took. His sons were grown men by now, and he had a feeling that Pilar had raised them to be decent and strong. He also thought about his daughters, and wondered if they had suffered too much from growing up without his presence in their lives. What was he thinking? Of course they had suffered, and so had his sons. Even though none of this was his doing, his stomach was twisted with guilt for all the pain he was sure they had experienced because of his disappearance. His patience was wearing thin, and he was more determined then ever to escape from this place so that he could get back to his family, and make the Cranes pay for every terrible sin they committed against him and his loved ones.

The End!

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