A magnificent story written by Dana.
Chapter One
Sheridan Crane, after picking up her dry cleaning, backed out of the parking space. All of a sudden, the car hit something, causing her to slam on the brakes. Her body pitched forward at the sudden stop. She glanced back, and through the window, saw a dark blue car.
"Oh, my God," she thought, "I didn't see that car coming."
She pushed the gear to drive and let the car drift forward. Then, she put the gear back to park, pulled the keys out of the ignition, and opened her door. She slipped out of the car and headed towards the one she had hit. The driver of the car was standing outside his door, arms crossed with an angry look on his face. Sheridan winced visible at the sight of that look.
"Oh, God, sir," she said, "I'm so sorry. I was backing out and I guess I didn't see your car. Oh, God."
The man gave her a smile that held no humor. Despite the circumstances, Sheridan couldn't help but admire his good looks. Tall, dark, and handsome, he was...in every way. She had an incredibly irrational urge to reach out and run her fingers through his dark hair. She shook her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts. She shouldn't be having these kind in the first place, especially with a stranger.
"You know, we should probably exchange information now. I...I'll... ah, get it right now," Sheridan stammered.
"Good idea," he spoke for the first time and Sheridan could see the anger leaving his face and eyes.
She gave him the information he needed.
"You know. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but it was probably my fault. I'll pay for any damage," she told him.
The dark stranger didn't say anything. She looked up at his face and was startled by what she saw. there was a look of restored anger on his face, but that wasn't what bothered her. She could have mistaken it, but for an instant she thought she saw...hatred.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked.
"Sheridan Crane. That's your name? Any relation to the Cranes of the mansion on the hill?" he asked.
"Well, sure. That's where my family lives. Why?" She said, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"That's just my luck," he said, "That something like this should happen to me with a Crane involved. Don't you people have anything better to do than mess with my life?"
Sheridan was taken aback by the obvious hostility that was present in his voice. And she was offended by the way he spit out her family name like it was a bad taste in his mouth.
"Hey, buddy. It was an accident for God's sake. I never meant to hit your damn car.
"Listen. Your family has been nothing but trouble for me, acting all high and mighty. You probably hit my car on purpose, just waiting for a chance to say it was my fault to take my money. I wouldn't put it past you people," he told her angrily.
"Hey! I would like to see you refrain from talking about me and my family like that. I told you it was probably my fault, not yours. So why don't you take your accusations somewhere else, instead of taking your frustrations out on me," she responded with even more anger. "You have my name and insurance info. I'll be going now. There are some important things I need to do."
She headed toward her car. A hand grabbed tightly onto her arm. Sheridan spun quickly around and came face to face with the man. She was going to tell him to let her go, when she felt something. It was like electricity between them. She stared into his brown eyes and felt a connection she couldn't explain. She wondered if he felt it, too.
"I'm sorry," he said with a look of confusion on his face that answered her question. He had felt it, and strongly, too.
Dazed, Sheridan responded quietly, "That's okay."
He backed away slowly, staring at her as he moved. Then, he turned abruptly and got back in his car. He was gone in a matter of seconds.
"What a strange man, that..." she looked down at the card in her hand, "Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald. Oh, dear. He must be Pilar's son."
She looked around as if she expected to see Luis again. Wait until she told Ethan of this encounter. Remembering something, she glanced at her watch.6:30. She needed to be at an appointment in half an hour.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald sat behind his desk at the police station. He was eating the rest of a sandwich while thinking about his encounter before he reported to work. The longer he tried to clear his mind of the beautiful blonde, the longer she stayed.
"Damn," he thought to himself.
He never expected to feel a connection to anyone, let alone a Crane. Her family was nothing but trouble. They were a group of people who didn't give a damn about anyone but themselves. But, still. He couldn't help how he felt. He shook his head. It was nothing more than a physical attraction. It wasn't as if their souls had connected. She was beautiful, but too rich for his own good.
For a second, he pictured himself in a relationship with the beautiful Sheridan Crane. But that was nonsense. She would use him and when she was done with him, would throw him away without a second thought or glance. She was a Crane, after all.
He had a lot on his mind. That was why it took him a while to hear Sam calling his name. Luis snapped out of his reverie and knew it was time to concentrate on word.
"What's wrong Luis?" Sam asked. "You seem a million miles away."
"Nothing's wrong, Sam."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. It's just...well, I had this minor problem before I came in. Someone ran into my car while backing out of a parking space. And you'll never guess who it was."
"Someone I know?"
"Sort of." Luis smiled.
"Well, who?"
"Sheridan Crane."
"A Crane. How'd it go?"
"Surprisingly well. I sort of lost my temper for a moment, though."
"Well, I'm sure she did something to deserve it. She is a Crane."
"That's just it, Sam. She didn't deserve it. The very first thing she did was apologize for what happened. But you know how I feel about that family. Anyway, it's over. I got through it all in one piece. If I see another Crane, it will be too soon."
"Luis," Sam said and paused as if he wasn't sure he wanted to go on. There was something Luis needed to know about Ms. Crane.
He didn't have to say anything. Before he could continue, Sheridan Crane walked into the station. Sam looked at his watch. It was 7:00. She was right on time.
Chapter Two
�Excuse me, but I�m looking for Chief Sam Bennett�
Luis� head snapped up at the sound of a familiar voice. He groaned inwardly as his eyes made contact with the beautiful blonde haired woman he had a confrontation with just half an hour ago. The gods must be punishing him, he decided. As if being pulled by the strings of a puppet master, he stood up quickly, banging his knee on his desk. A quick, burning pain shot through in his leg, causing him to suck in air through his teeth.
�Are you all right?� Sheridan asked, amusement written all over her face as though she were enjoying his pain..
�Yes, Ms. Crane. I�m fine.�
�Good. I wouldn�t want you to be seriously hurt. After all, you would probably find a way to put me to blame,� she said sweetly, smiling benevolently. �Fighting a law suit is the last thing I need.�
Luis opened his mouth to speak, when Sam interrupted him.
�Ms Crane, I�m Chief Bennett,� Sam said and shook her hand.
�Oh, good. I got a call from the FBI saying I needed to come here,� she responded.
Luis raised an eyebrow. What did the FBI want with Sheridan Crane? She wasn�t in any kind of trouble, was she? At this thought, Luis shook his head. He couldn�t imagine Sheridan Crane being in trouble with the law. None of his business, anyway.
�Okay. Well, they�re sending an agent here. He or she should arrive in a couple of minutes. We can wait by my desk over there. Can I get you a cup of coffee?�
�No. Thank you, anyway. I don�t drink coffee.�
�Well, let�s just move over here. Oh, and Luis, I need you to finish with that paperwork. Then, when the agent gets here, I�ll need you to talk with us.�
�Will do, Sam.�
�Ms. Crane. This way�
Luis watched as Sam led Sheridan to his desk. He sat down and tried to concentrate on his paperwork. He had always hated paperwork, and the presence of Sheridan in the room threw him into even greater distraction. Every couple of seconds, he would glance up at her. Unexpectedly, he wanted to be the one Ms. Crane was talking to. He fought the urge to rush through his paperwork and join them before the agent arrived.
�Get a hold of yourself, Lopez-Fitzgerald. This is no time for such ideas,� he muttered to himself.
He glanced up one last time. This time, Sheridan caught him looking. For a second, he held her eyes and was surprised as her face turned red with a becoming blush. They both looked way abruptly, embarrassed. Sam saw the look they shared and frowned deeply.
5 minutes later, Special Agent Andrea Phillips arrived. Sam, Luis and Sheridan joined her in an office in the back of the station. Agent Phillips was all business, for the urgency of what she was about to say left little to no room for pleasantries.
�The reason I�m here is because there has recently been the kidnapping of a child. This girl, her name is Rachel McHugh, is what the Bureau believes to be the third victim of a man who recently escaped from a jail in Pennsylvania. The first missing girl, Samantha Carter and the second, Angela Corrigan were both found in Harmony.�
She brought out pictures of the young victims. Samantha Carter was a beautiful young girl. In the photograph, her blonde curly hair was pulled up in a ponytail and she was beaming at the camera.
Angela Corrigan was sitting with her parents on a couch in the living room of their home for a quick family portrait. She, too, had blonde hair, only hers was straight. Like Angela, she had bright blue eyes that brightened the expression on her face.
Both pictures brought tears to Sheridan's eyes. When they were taken, the future for both girls seemed so bright. Nobody had any idea that a nightmare was about to take place.
�Samantha was already dead when she was found, but Angela was found just in the nick of time. All three of the victims were from Pennsylvania. We think that the last victim, Rachel, is still alive and may be here in Harmony.�
Agent Phillips passed around another photograph. It had been taken for school. Rachel was blonde with blue eyes, just like the other two girls, Luis noticed.
�On what grounds, Agent Phillips, do you think she�s alive?� Sam asked.
�Well, Samantha was found three months after she had been taken. She had been dead for a couple of hours. Angela, too, had been missing for three months when the kidnapper called to tell us her location. Fortunately for her, the results were different. Rachel has been missing for two. That gives us a month to find out where she is.�
All of this sounded familiar to Sheridan, which made her wonder why she was here. She hesitated before saying something. Luis, who was behind her, could feel her indecision.
�Go ahead, Ms. Crane� he prompted her.
�Ms. Crane?� Phillips asked.
�I was just wondering. Why does the FBI want me here? What can I possibly do to help this girl, Rachel? Sheridan asked Agent Phillips, though she was afraid she already knew the answer.
�The man who escaped from jail, who we believe took those children was Brian Watts.�
Sheridan took in a sharp breath. Her head pounded and she felt as though the room was spinning around her, making her dizzy. Taking a step backwards, she bumped straight into Luis. She would have collapsed had Luis not grabbed onto her shoulders. She took in another breath and let the air out shakily. Luis could feel her trembling.
�I see you haven�t forgotten� Phillips said.
�No...I haven�t forgotten. How could I have?� she replied, her voice cracking from the effort of supporting her voice.
Sheridan couldn�t believe it. She was absolutely stunned. After years of trying to forget, her past was coming back to haunt her.
Chapter Three
�Are you...absolutely sure it�s Brian Watts?� Sheridan asked, face as white as a ghost.
Agent Phillips could see her shock and said, as gently as she could, �We�re sure, Ms. Crane.�
�I think I need to sit down,� Sheridan informed them, faintly.
Luis, afraid she was going to pass out, took her by the right arm and guided her to a seat by a desk. Sheridan sank slowly down and took a breath to steady her nerves. Putting her face in her hands, she leaned forward. She didn�t notice that she was leaning too far until she almost fell off the chair. Luis helped her back, his hand soon resting on her arm. Sheridan couldn�t help but relax a bit. The very warmth of his hand on the skin of her arm gave her comfort.
�Are you okay, Ms. Crane?� he asked, greatly concerned for her.
�Yeah, sure,� she said sarcastically, more to herself than him. �I�m perfectly all right. The one man who�s very name brings fear into my heart, has escaped from jail. And now he may be here in Harmony. The first victim would have been found around the time I come home for the first time in fifteen years. It just figures, now doesn�t it?� she spat out, anger and disgust in her voice.
Luis was thoroughly confused. He had no idea what she was talking about. What he did know was that he wanted to hold her in his arms and protect her. But from what? He guessed he would soon find out.
Agent Phillips arrived with a cup of water for Sheridan. She slid down on one knee and handed the cup to her. Sheridan hesitantly reached out and grabbed a hold of it. It was then that Luis noticed her hands were shaking. He reached out and steadied her hands with his own. He helped her raise the cup to her lips. After taking a sip, she lowered it and turned to give him a grateful smile.
�Ms. Crane,� Agent Phillips began.
�Please. I don�t want this to be happening. I really don�t. What do you want from me? Why are you bringing this nightmare back to me? I don�t understand why you need my help. Or how I could possibly give it to you.�
�For one thing, Ms. Crane, we think that you may be able to help because from what we understand, you had a certain...connection to Brian Watts. After you escaped, you seemed to always know where he was and sometimes where he was going. It took a while for the police to get in sync with your...feelings, but they did and 2 girls� lives were saved because of it.�
�But that connection, whatever it was, had been broken when he was sentenced and sent off to jail.�
�Ms. Crane�
�Sheridan. Please call me Sheridan,� she requested absently.
�Okay, Sheridan. A former psychic connection to a psychopath isn�t he only reason we think you can help. We are aware that of some of the things you did for the CIA while you were in Europe.�
Sheridan�s lips lifted in her first genuine smile since the conversation began. There was a glint of wry humor in her tone as she told her �It was just research. I did nothing but research.�
�That�s the story now, now isn�t it? I know there are certain things you can�t tell us about your...research. But it�s not really a secret as to what you were researching. At least not for the four of us in this room.�
Sam and Luis were listening to this exchange in stunned silence. They had a virtual overload of information. Both wondered exactly they were talking about. They would soon find out.
�The Bureau isn�t usually one to use psychics on their cases, but they are willing to try any unconventional methods, granted they have a chance of working. Someone was sure able to convince them that your abilities can help. Someone with a lot of pull in Washington,� Agent Phillips explained. �That�s why you are being brought into this.�
�What if I don�t want to help?�
Then they�ll make you. And I assure you they can.�
Sheridan felt trapped. Didn�t they give a damn that her last encounter with Brian Watts left her emotionally scarred? It had taken years to avoid having panic attacks at the very sound of his name. Now they were pulling her back in, regardless of what might happen to her. But she knew how organizations such as the FBI and CIA work. She�d had plenty of experience in that area. It was hopeless to fight them.
�I wonder if Chief Bennett and Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald believed in psychics,� she though and looked over towards them.
Luis had a skeptical expression on his face that looked almost hostile, but Sam�s was quite the opposite. He had the look of a believer, almost as if he knew psychic ability existed as a fact.
�There is one other thing that you need to know, Sheridan,� Phillips said. �Mr. Watts has developed over the years an...obsession with you. My superiors are afraid that he is going to come after you.�
She turned to Luis.
�That�s were you come in Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald. You are not only going to work with Ms. Crane on the case, you will do double duty as her bodyguard.�
�Now wait a minute,� Luis demanded, standing up abruptly. Completely forgetting his previous concern for Sheridan, he glared at her as if he knew everything about her...and none of it was good. �You�re telling me that I have to play babysitter to some so-called psychic, voodoo princess?�
Sheridan just looked at him, mouth gaping open, and wondering where this sudden hostility was coming from. What happened to the man who had been treating her like fragile glass just minutes ago?
�I don�t know what con this woman is pulling, but we are running out of time. We don�t need some gypsy telling us some hocus-pocus mumbo-jumbo and wasting that time that can be used with better, more effective means?�
Sheridan stood up, quickly, fixing him with a glare that was just as icy as the one he gave her. She opened her mouth with a retort on the tip of her tongue, but he was not done speaking.
�What is in this for you, Ms. Crane? Is it money you�re after? Are you going to sell Rachel�s family false hope for a price?
�Now see here, Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald. I�m no charlatan like you are making me out to be. I can�t control this gift that was given to me...it�s very real and can be very useful in finding Rachel. And I would never, EVER ask for money from anyone. Not in this situation, or in any other.�
�You...�
�And do you really think that I would try to profit out of a family�s fear? I know what Rachel must be going through, Luis. Brian Watts put me through the same thing...years ago. I want to find her so badly, I can taste it right now. You can go ahead and not believe in psychics, Officer, but that�s no reason to insult me.�
Sheridan turned to Agent Phillips, not wanting to defend herself anymore to this jerk.
�I�ll do it. I�ll help.�
�Great,� Phillips responded. �You and Luis can get started as soon as you possibly can.�
Sheridan and Luis both opened their mouths to protest, but Agent Phillips cut them off.
You two ARE going to work with each other on this. So, don�t even try to argue with me. For the next couple of days or weeks, you two are going to be stuck together like glue.�
Sheridan and Luis looked at one another. They both wondered if they were going to get along...or end up killing one another.
Chapter Four
Sheridan entered her apartment and took a quick look around. She was never an organized person, so the living room was a mess. She looked at her watch. It was 10:00 and Luis was going to be arriving in about 20 minutes.
�Not much time to clean up,� she said to herself.
It was times like these that she wished she had hired a maid. But she was very uncomfortable with having people wait on her hand and foot. Putting her back into the task at hand, she cleaned the living and dining rooms, and washed the dirty dishes in the kitchen in 15 minutes. A new record.
I should be in the Guiness Book of World Records, she thought with a satisfied smile.
Sheridan was readying the spare bedroom when the door bell rang. Her heart rate began to increase as she rushed downstairs to answer. She let Luis in, trying ignore the fluttering of her heart. As Luis entered, she held her breath, hoping he wouldn't try to get into an argument with her. When he passed her, she looked at his back. Just by looking at him, one could tell that he had a lean, muscular body. Her eyes drifted down to his firm buttock, which was clad in tight jeans. She blushed furiously at the way she was looking him over and closed the door.
He looks good enough to eat, she thought.
�This is some apartment you have here, Ms Crane,� he said, examining it, �though I expected it to be much bigger.�
�Bigger isn�t always better. It�s still a mess because I haven�t had much time to unpack and organize everything. And please. Since we are going to be spending a considerable amount of time with each other, I�m going to insist you call me Sheridan.�
�Okay, and you can call me Luis.�
"Okay!" she stated on a sigh, clasping her hands in front of her.
Her gaze darted around the room, not wanting to look at him again.
There was an unending silence. They just stood there, staring at each other for a while. Then Sheridan cleared her throat.
�I, uh, have a spare bedroom set up if you want to sleep there.�
�Oh...good. That would be great. Just point the way.�
�It�s up the stairs, first door on the right.�
Halfway up the stairs, Luis turned around to look at her.
"Yes?" she asked resisting the urge to play with her hair.
Her voice was a little too high pitched for her own comfort.
"I just wanted to apologize for the way I acted at the station this afternoon. I knew that the whole thing was upsetting you and...you know, I was way out of line. I'm sorry."
Sheridan relaxed slightly and smiled at him.
"Apology accepted."
While Luis was upstairs, Sheridan decided to make a snack for them. Se hadn�t eaten in almost 5 hours. She turned on the radio and started singing along while preparing the food.
Luis was making his way downstairs when he heard her singing. He paused at the bottom of the stairs and listened to her. He smiled in appreciation of the sound. Then he smelled the cooking. Hamburgers.
God, he was starving! He went to stand in the doorway of the kitchen and watched her. She really looked as if she was enjoying herself.
Sheridan always loved to cook. And she learned from the best, Pilar herself. She would have started to dance around the kitchen a la Ainsley Harriot, had she not sensed Luis� presence behind her. She pretended not to know he was there.
Surprisingly, Sheridan jumped when she heard Luis say, �I hope one of those burgers is for me.�
She smiled to herself before turning to him.
�I figured you�d be hungry, so yes, I�m making one for you. I�ve also got some tossed salad. The best I could do in such a short time.� she answered.
Luis shook his head and tipped it slightly to the side. He had an undecipherable look on his face. She turned back to the hamburgers.
�Done!� she exclaimed.
Luis helped her set the dining room table. The meal was absolutely delicious. They ate in a comfortable silence. Near the end of the meal, Sheridan�s mind began to drift.
She began to think of Rachel McHugh and wondered how the girl was holding up. Brian Watts was probably treating her pretty well right now. But that would soon change. He was probably starting to get panicked as time was running out and the last month was coming up. Sheridan was hoping that he was letting her go outside.
She remembered the three months she had spent with Brian Watts. He had kept her locked up in a bedroom with no means of communicating with the world. There were no windows, so she couldn�t even look outside.
Then, in what she believed to be the last two weeks of the third month, he had grown paranoid about her trying to escape. He had locked her in a dark closet and opened the door only to give her food and drink.
�Sheridan,� Luis� voice interrupted her memories, �What are you thinking about?�
Sheridan took a deep breath.
�I was thinking about Rachel McHugh, wondering how she�s doing right now.�
�You know. I don�t believe in psychics,� he stated matter-of-factly.
�I noticed that at the station,� Sheridan said sarcastically.
�Sam is a definite believer. He said he�s had plenty of experience with paranormal phenomenon.�
�Well, most people don�t believe. I didn�t quite believe in it at first, even when I was experiencing it.� She laughed. �Maybe I�ll be able to change your mind.�
�Maybe. I�ll try to keep an open mind,� he said, looking at her curiously.
Chapter Five
Luis and Sheridan were exhausted after eating. After checking out the apartment, Luis decided he was going to bed. Sheridan was a night person and said she was going to read a book.
What Sheridan didn't tell Luis was that she was planning on trying to establish a connection to Rachel or, God forbid, Watts.
She pulled out a school picture of Rachel and tried to imagine her as a real life, three dimensional person. Nothing. Frustrated, Sheridan stood up and went to the kitchen to fill a glass of water. She turned from the sink and was shocked to see a young girl standing in front of her. She gasped and took a step backwards. The glass slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor. The girl disappeared in an instant.
She bent down to pick up the broken pieces. She looked up to see Luis standing in the doorway, holding a gun.
"I'm so sorry, Luis. I dropped the glass. I hope I didn't scare you."
"Nah. It's okay." He put the gun down on the counter. What happened?"
"A vision."
"A...what?" he asked incredulously.
"You heard me. It just took me by surprise. They're not usually so...vivid."
Luis gazed at her skeptically. He didn't believe she had a vision any more than he believed he had three eyes.
"The third eye can be very tricky if not controlled well."
He started, wondering if she had read his mind. Right, Luis, he told himself, get a grip.
He knelt down on the floor to help Sheridan pick up the shards of glass. At one point, her hand brushed his own. Startled, he grasped a piece of broken glass to hard. He winced at the pain and dropped it on the floor.
"Damn it," he muttered and opened his hand palm up. Blood oozed from the cut.
"Oh, Luis. What did you do?" Sheridan asked quietly as she reached out to take his hand in her own.
She examined the cut. It didn�t look deep enough to require stitches. Still, they needed to clean the wound and get it patched up.
"I'll get my trusty first aid kit," she told him and got up to find it,
Luis watched her search for the kit. He cursed silently. Why did her touch affect him so, he wondered to himself.
"Here we go. Just take a seat right here and we'll fix you up as good as new."
Luis watched Sheridan silently. She was lost in the task of cleaning and bandaging his injured left hand that she didn't notice.
Ever since he walked into her apartment, she had surprised him more than once. First, he was stunned to see that she had a smaller apartment than he had imagined. It was still a good size, but he expected bigger and more elaborate. Then, he discovered that she had no servants, that she did everything on her own. Also, he was surprised that she cooked well. It had been a while since he'd had a good meal.
Now she worked magic with her hands on his wound. She was gentle and he hardly felt any pain. He was disappointed to lose the touch of her hands, which disturbed him
"There."
"Thanks," he whispered.
"You're welcome."
Luis and Sheridan stood up at the same time.
"I think I'm ready for bed now," she told him and turned to finish cleaning up.
When she was done, she turned to leave. Luis reached out to grab her own arm with his uninjured right hand. She tensed at his touch and stopped short.
"What about your vision?" he asked.
"What about it?"
"What did you see."
"I just saw a young teenage girl standing in front of me. I think it was Rachel, but it happened so quickly, I can't be sure."
"Is that all?"
"No. A number crossed my mind, just as she was disappearing. It was a 3 followed by a partially hidden number. Maybe it was a 6. I don't know.
"Don't you think we should tell Agent Phillips?"
We could, but I doubt that we can reach her at this time of night. We're meeting with her in the morning. We'll tell her then. Look, I'm tired. Can you release my arm so that I can go to bed?"
Luis released her arm. He sighed and nodded his head. He followed her up the stairs. Before entering their rooms, they bid each other goodnight.
Sheridan was exhausted as she got ready to go to sleep. She brushed her teeth and looked in the mirror. Her eyes were beginning to look bloodshot. Sheridan wondered how she was going to survive the next couple of weeks, while she reconnected with her past.
Chapter Six
Sheridan sat silently at Sam Bennett�s desk, holding a cup of hot chocolate from the Book Cafe in her hands. Even though she hadn�t any trouble getting to sleep last night, her sleep had been plagued by a nightmare. She had had that dream many times before after she had escaped from Brian Watts. But it had been almost 2 years since her last one.
It was always the same. She was locked in a cold, dark place with no means of escape. She could feel the crawl of tiny spiders and insects on her arms, her face, everywhere. A shudder rocked her body. She didn�t want to think of it.
Luis found himself watching Sheridan across the room again. Last night, he heard sounds coming from her room that indicated she was having anightmare. He couldn�t help but get out of bed and go to her room to wake her up.
He had stood in the doorway and called her name. She had woken up abruptly. He sat with her on the bed for most of the night. They found themselves in a discussion of what happened all those years ago when she had been kidnapped. Sheridan fell asleep before she could tell him how she had escaped.
A wave of over-protectiveness consumed him unexpectedly. She had gone through hell as a teen. He wanted to make sure she didn�t have to constantly relive that experience. He would lay down his own life to protect her.
Luis was shocked at the strength of the emotion that coursed his body. He never expected to care about a Crane. But she was not her family. She was...Sheridan. So far, she proved herself to be a decent individual.
When Agent Phillips arrived, Sheridan told her about the vision of the girl and the numbers 3 and 6.
"36 Oakmond Drive," Phillips responded. "That�s Rachel�s address in Pennsylvania. I think you definitely saw Rachel. She didn�t speak, did she?"
"No. She was there one second and gone the next. No words."
"Agent Phillips," a man�s voice behind Sheridan said.
Agent Phillips turned. 2 people were standing there, a man and a woman.
"Ah. Mr. and Mrs. McHugh. So glad you got here so quickly."
Sheridan stood from her chair.
"This is Sheridan Crane. She�s the one I was talking about when we last spoke."
"Yes, Ms. Crane," the woman said, "It�s nice to meet you. I really hope that you can help us find Rachel. Tears filled the woman�s eyes as she fumbled in her purse for a tissue. She found one and dabbed her eyes with it.
Everyone was quiet as she tried to collect herself. Sheridan felt like she was going to cry, too. She hadn�t wanted to do this because of the pain in her past. But now, as she saw the anguish in the eyes of Rachel�s mother, she was determined to find the missing girl, or die trying.
Rachel�s father said, "We�ve got the things that you wanted us to bring.." In his hand was a large brown paper bag.
"Good. Why don�t we go into the interrogation room Sheridan, Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald, will you join us?"
They all followed Agent Phillips into the room Sam Bennett was already there with two FBI agents.
Luis was curious to know what was in the bag. Sheridan looked as though she already knew. Mr. McHugh reached in and pulled out a small china doll, a white blouse and a school notebook.
"These are several of her favorite possessions," Mr. McHugh said with a sigh.
Sheridan did what she had done dozens of times before during her "research" for the CIA. She sat down with the objects on the table before her. Hesitantly, she picked the china doll up.
What Sheridan and others had observed before, holding certain objects that the victims owned was very effective in connecting the owner with the psychic. It was as if a part of their spirits were in that object and only a person with a gift such as Sheridan�s could tap into.
"Gift?" Sheridan asked herself silently. "Sometimes this gift is more of a curse. But I�ll force it to be a gift right now."
She held the china doll in her hands and closed her eyes. An image of a christening flashed in her mind. Mr. and Mrs. McHugh were there, looking down at their child. Sheridan could see the pride and love in their eyes. She smiled.
The image changed to a living or family room. Mrs. McHugh was sitting on a couch, holding the baby in her arms. Mr. McHugh was standing in front of her, his arm around an older man. In that man�s hand was a beautiful china doll.
"Her godfather gave her this doll. On the day of her christening." Sheridan told them.
"Yes," Mrs. McHugh said in a shaky voice, "But do you see anything else? Like where she is or how she�s doing?"
Sheridan sighed and shook her head. She tried again, but nothing else came. She slowly put the doll down and pinched the bridge of her nose. She had a headache. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. This was going to take a while.
Chapter Seven
The whole thing was a bust. Sheridan got nothing on the location of Rachel McHugh. She was accurately able to find out where the objects came from and why they were her favorites, but that was it. By 2:00, everyone in the room was frustrated with the situation.
"Okay," Agent Phillips said, "Why don�t we all take a break and meet here at, let�s say...6:00. Maybe we can think of another way to get what we need."
They all dispersed.
"Oh, boy, am I hungry," Sheridan said.
"Why don�t we get a bite to eat at the Book Cafe. How does that sound? Plus, it�s a beautiful day. Why don�t we go for a walk in the parkafterwards."
"That sounds great, Luis."
They were drinking a soda on a bench in Lighthouse Park when Luis turned to Sheridan. She felt him looking at her and turned her head. Their faces were just inches apart. Sheridan felt her pulse quicken.
He spoke first. "I have to apologize to you."
"For what?"
"For a lot of things. For automatically assuming you were a bad person when you ran into my car, just because your last name was Crane. Fordoubting you had psychic abilities."
"What do you think now?"
"Judging by what I saw last night and this morning with the McHugh�s, I know you are a good person. You handled the two of themmarvelously...You handled me marvelously. The jury is still out of the psychic thing, though. I�m beginning to believe in it," he answered.
He stood up. "Let�s walk."
Sheridan reached up to grab the arm he offered and stood. They walked arm in arm down a path that headed towards a children�s playground. Doing this felt like the most natural thing in the world.
She glanced over at the playground and stopped to watch the children. She smiled as she watched a child try to keep a swing in motion. Then she tensed.
Luis looked down at her. She was staring intently at the swings. He knew without a doubt that she was seeing something.
He was right. The vision she was having was in black and white. She could see a playground with a building behind it. It was probably a school, or maybe a daycare center. Children were all around, swinging, running, climbing the monkey bars.
And in a corner of the playground, near the seesaw was Rachel McHugh. Her eyes were scared and she mouthed something to Sheridan. It looked like, help me.
Then it was gone. Sheridan spun around to face Luis. He searched her face, as thought he might be able to figure out what she saw.
"A...a playground," she stammered. "He�s keeping her near a building, a school with a playground.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Absolutely."
"We should get back to Agent Phillips."
"Oh, Luis," Sheridan cried. "She�s so scared. I hope we can find her. It breaks my heart to have seen her so afraid."
A tear trickled down her cheek and Luis reached up to brush it away.
"It�s okay, Sheridan. We�ll get to her. I know we will. You just have to believe."
"I don�t know if I can. What if I�m wrong?"
"Have faith in yourself. It�s time you bring this bastard down!"
Chapter Eight
There was a hope in the eyes of the McHughs and Sheridan prayed that it would never have to die. They'd been through so much already in these past two months.
"Now think back to the vision. You saw a school. Did you see anything that might indicate where this school might be located?" Phillips inquired.
Sheridan closed her eyes for what seemed to be the umpteenth time, trying to remember. It was useless. She covered her face with her hands, the headache that started earlier this afternoon was getting worse.
"I'm sorry. But that's all I could see. All I know is that I got the feeling that he was holding her in a house next to the building. We have gone over this a million times," Sheridan said as her voice started to crack from the pressure she was feeling.
"Look Agent Phillips," Luis said. "Can't you just let her rest for the night. She's not going to be of any use to anyone if she's too tired."
Agent Phillips hesitantly relented. Everyone was tired and getting extremely edgy. She didn't want anything to add to that tension.
Sheridan fell asleep on the way back to her apartment. When they arrived, she looked so peaceful, he didn't want to wake her. He hoped that her dreams would be good ones tonight. Sheridan wasn't a light sleeper. It took a while to wake her.
An hour later, Luis was in the kitchen, drinking a cup of warm milk. He couldn't sleep. He was thinking about Sheridan and what she told him about her past and the ability she had gained after the experience.
He couldn't even begin to imagine being connected to a psycho. He wondered how deep the connection went. Did she feel what he felt? See what he saw? Or was she just a passive observer?
There was a noise coming from the living room. He pulled out his gun and went to check it out. In the living room was Sheridan. She was digging through drawers as if looking for something important
"Sheridan. What are you doing?" he asked.
Curiously, Sheridan didn't answer. She just kept digging. He slowly approached her. As he stepped up to her, Luis saw that she was holding a sketch book and pencil. He watched as she sat down at the coffee table and started sketching.
When she was done, she got up from the floor. She left the book on the table. He followed her back to her bedroom to make sure she made it there safely. He closed the door as she settled back into bed.
For a minute, Luis listened outside her door in case she should get up again. She didn't. Slowly, he made his way back downstairs. He entered the living room and hesitated. He stared at the sketch book for a couple seconds before going to look at it.
His eyes widened as he picked it up. Yet another surprise from the lovely Sheridan Crane. It was a beautiful, well-drawn picture.
It was the picture of a school playground. Near the seesaw was a girl that looked like Rachel McHugh. Behind her, next to the school building was a small church that looked abandoned. Across the top of the sketch, in block letters was written, Westford Baptist Church, Westford, Mass.
Westford was just 10 miles south of Harmony. Luis looked at his watch. 5 AM. He hadn't realized how late, or rather, how early it was. Luis didn't care what time it was. He had to get in touch with the FBI to tell them where this place was and get Rachel out of there.
Chapter Nine
"I didn�t know you could draw so well," Luis said as he handed her a cup of tea.
"Well, it�s just another gift that I have. One of many, I might add."
"Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald, Ms. Crane," someone said. It was someone they never saw before.
"Yes?" they responded. My name is Agent Clark Engel. Agent Phillips can�t make it, so I�m here in her place."
"Any word on if they found Rachel McHugh," Luis asked.
"Unfortunately, I have some bad news. When we got to the old Baptist church, they weren�t there. But there was an indication that they had been. It looked as if Watts was in a hurry to get out of there. It was almost as if he knew we were coming."
Sheridan let out a frustrated sigh. So, close. She hated having the feeling of taking one step forward and two steps back.
"I�m afraid for her, Luis. I don�t know what he�s going to do after this. He knows we were close. How long before he makes a mistake and panics. He could kill her. She could die before he originally planned.
"He�s not going to kill her, Sheridan. We are going to get to her before he can."
"How can you be so sure?" she whispered.
"I can�t. But I trust you and I trust the FBI."
"Trust is seriously overrated."
Luis lifted an eyebrow. "Is it really?"
"Yes. You can trust someone or something, but that doesn�t mean they�re actually trustworthy."
"You sound as if you know that from experience."
"I do."
"How did you become so cynical?"
"I have every right to be, after all I�ve been through."
"Is that so?"
Sheridan was becoming very uncomfortable with the way the conversation was turning. She shifted uneasily in her chair and looked down a Sam�sdesk.
As a little girl, she had placed her trust in may people. She looked to them to keep her safe and protected. But she wasn�t safe. All the trust in the world didn�t save her from being taken.
And when she thought she could trust again, she was wrong. She silently cursed the day the CIA entered her life and flipped it upside down...yet another time.
"Besides being kidnapped as a girl, what else happened to make you feel that way," Luis asked gently.
"Nothing you�d be interested in."
"Try me."
"Look Luis. I can�t discuss this with you. Even if I could, I wouldn�t want to."
Luis could hear the anger enter her voice and decided to let it rest.
"I�m sorry I snapped at you, Luis, but I�m getting a little too stressed out."
"I understand ,Sheridan. Really I do. We are all starting to feel the pressure."
A large group of people were beginning to assemble around Sam�s desk for a meeting with Agent Engel.
"Okay, people. It seems as thought we have a very reliable lead on the location of Rachel McHugh and Brian Watts. A man fitting Mr. Watts�description was pulled over by a state trooper 5 miles south of there. A young girl around the age of 13 years, with long dark hair was sleeping in the passenger seat. The trooper didn�t know about the missing girl and her captor until he went back to his office. He contacted us 10 minutes ago. Looks as thought they are headed toward Harmony."
What are we doing to make sure we find them?" One of the four agents assigned to the case asked.
We have all available cops on alert. We are working with or best profilers and investigators to ensure capture. You will all be given your assignments in a couple of minutes. All I have to say now is good luck and Godspeed to you all."
With that, Agent Engel excused everyone.
"Sheridan turned fearful Eyes to Luis. She really didn�t want to get her hopes up, only to have them dashed again.
Luis saw a hint of fear in her eyes. He put his hand on her shoulder. She turned her head up to look at his face. She smiled at the sympathy she saw there. He really was a sweet guy.
She laughed to herself when she remembered their first encounter. She remembered how she thought he was a complete jerk. Now she liked nothing better than to be around him. He made her feel safe.
Safe. Sheridan never thought she would ever feel that way again. But there was a self-confidence about him that was more than encouraging.
To Be Continued...