"Just flip this switch, and this... And here, put these on." He handed Waldo a set of headphones.
"I'm STILL curious as to how you managed to get in and bug his desk, Frankie." He shook his head in amazement.
"The magician never reveals his secrets, Waldo. Besides, haven't you heard? Curiosity killed the cat. And now, it's going to kill Anderson, too." Frankie slipped a set of headphones onto his head.
"I don't get it. If you wanna kill him, why bother bugging his office? Isn't that just a waste of time?"
"No, because he has to suffer, too. Georgie won't let me see my son ever since the trial, and that bastard is going to pay for keeping us apart. It's all Anderson's fault. Bastard should have just minded his own business..."
"It's not all his fault, ya know. Those damn reporters... they're trained to stick their nose where it doesn't belong. Look at that chick who was just in court. What was her name?"
"Marcetti. Amanda Marcetti. Amanda Jean Marcetti."
Waldo raised an eyebrow at Frankie. He certainly was aware of this girl, and they just got out on parole. "Got plans for her, or something?"
"No. Not yet, anyway. But we're gonna have to keep an eye on her, though. She's trouble." Frankie brought his index finger to his lips, and indication for Waldo to be quiet. "Shh... Listen," he whispered.
"Anderson!"
"Marcetti!"
Frankie smiled deviously. "We are on our way."
"Anderson!"
"Marcetti!"
AJ dropped the cardboard box onto her desk, and gave Rick a quick hug. When she pulled away from him, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hands, sniffing.
"Oh, boy! Here come the waterworks!" He handed her a tissue.
"Shut up!" She accepted the tissue and then playfully swatted him.
"I didn't think you were gonna miss me this much, Marcetti." Rick flashed her a cheesy grin, like the cheshire cat from "Alice in Wonderland."
"Who said anything about you?" AJ returned his grin.
"Well, why else would you be crying?"
"PMS."
"Ugh..."
"What's the matter, Anderson? Don't like that topic of conversation?"
"Not particularly... Changing the subject and making my statement... wanna go to the deli for lunch?" Rick perched himself on the edge of the desk.
"Sure. Sounds good to me." AJ began moving the contents of the desk drawers to the cardboard box.
"I still think you're making a mistake..."
"Anderson, don't start."
"Oh, come on, Marcetti. Admit it. You loved this job, and you were good at it, too. You loved the rush you got from just beating the deadline, the way a call from a source could get your adrenaline pumping. You don't want to give this up."
"No, I want something more."
Rick raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
"I want to marry Zac. I want to be a wife. I want to have his children. I can't do all that, and work here, too."
"You really love him, huh?"
"Yes. I really do." AJ slammed the last drawer shut. "Shit!"
"Whoa! What'd it ever do to you?" Rick stood up.
"I have a picture to send to Laura and Taylor. I forgot to give it to him while he was here. I searched the apartment, but couldn't find it to mail it to them. I thought maybe I left it here, but..."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing." AJ kicked the desk in frustration.
Rick swallowed nervously. "You got the negatives? Have a copy made."
"Yeah, I know, but that's not the point. What the hell could I have done with it?" AJ flopped into the desk chair.
"Maybe Zac gave it to Taylor?"
AJ shook her head. "Nope. He hasn't even seen the picture yet. Where could it have gone?"
"I don't know, but I'm sure it'll turn up." Rick's phone rang. He walked over to his desk, and picked up the receiver.
AJ followed him and sat on the edge of the desk. She let her eyes wander over the newsroom, and they settled on Rick's open briefcase. Something sticking out of one of the pockets caught her eye. She pulled it out and gasped.
"I'm gonna have to call you back." Rick hung up the phone and took a deep breath. "I can explain."
"I'm sure you can," AJ said dryly. "Let me guess. You're a pedophile, and have a habit of stealing pictures of eight-year-old girls!"
"AJ, please, lower your voice."
"No! I WILL NOT lower my voice!" She stormed over to her desk. She put the picture in the box before picking it up. "As far as I'm concerned, ASSHOLE, you're nothing but a damn liar. I'm not interested in anything you have to say." AJ's eyes flashed with anger.
She started to walk away, but Rick grabbed her by the shoulders. "Please, let me explain!"
"You know what? You can go to hell. You stole from me, and lied, too. You're nothing more than a Grade A fuckup!"
"You know what? You're right! And that picture's proof!"
AJ snorted and rolled her eyes at Rick's comment. He tried to take the box from her, but she shoved him away with it. "Oh, what the hell are you talking about?"
"The picture... That girl..."
"Madeline?"
"I'm her biological father, AJ."
"You know what? You can go to hell. You stole from me, and lied, too. You're nothing more than a Grade A fuckup!"
"You know what? You're right! And that picture's proof!"
"Oh, what the hell are you talking about?"
"The picture... That girl..."
"Madeline?"
"I'm her biological father, AJ."
"Did you hear that Waldo?"
He nodded his head. "Holy shit. He's got a kid."
"Sh! They're talking again."
"I can't BELIEVE you have the GALL to stand there and claim to be Madeline HANSON'S father!"
"I'm not claiming, AJ. I am her father."
"Oh? Really? Is that so? Where were YOU for the past eight years? Hell, you weren't even around for the BIRTH, and I know DAMN WELL you're not paying child support!"
"Not like Laura needs the money. OW! What the hell did you hit me for?"
"You dickhead! You can stand there and say all you want, but Taylor is ten times the father you'll EVER be! I'm warning you, stay the fuck out of Oklahoma."
Frankie took off his headphones and turned off all the equipment. Waldo followed the suit. The two sat in the front of the van, and Frankie started the engine.
"Where are we going?" Waldo asked, lighting a cigar and rolling down the window.
"To the airport." A satisfied smile spread across Frankie's face. "Oklahoma is calling us."
"As much fun as visiting a state shaped like a pot can be, I don't plan on spending the rest of my born days there. How are we ever going to find this Madeline chick?"
"Relax, Waldo. You just leave that to me."
"You dickhead! You can stand there and say all you want, but Taylor is ten times the father you'll EVER be! I'm warning you, stay the fuck out of Oklahoma."
"AJ, I have NO INTENTION of going to Oklahoma. And I KNOW Taylor's a better father than me. I'm glad she has him."
"Then why are you doing this?" Her voice cracked with emotion, and the tears that she had been desperately trying to hold back tickled down her face.
"I... I just..." Rick sighed. "I wanted to see if she looked anything like me. I wanted to know if she had any of me in her. I wanted to know if I would always be with her, even if she didn't know it." His own eyes began to water. "She doesn't look like me. So, AJ, please, tell me about her. Help me get to know my daughter. Please?"
AJ swallowed. "Are you athletic?" she asked softly.
"What?"
"Are you athletic? Maddy is, but Laura's not."
Rick nodded his head. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm athletic. Does... does she play any sports?"
"Yeah. Soccer."
"Is... is she any good?"
"One of the best, or so I'm told."
The corners of Rick's mouth turned up in a soft smile. "Good," he said softly, nodding his head.
AJ stood in silence, not really knowing what to make of the situation, other than it was making her EXTREMELY uncomfortable. She picked up the cardboard box. "Well, I... I better be going. I have a few errands to run still..." She began to walk towards the elevator.
Rick reached out and touched AJ's arm, stopping her. "AJ..."
"Yeah?" She kept her head straight, not able to look him in the eyes.
He nervously licked his dry lips, and sighed. "Thank you."
"AJ? Is that you? I got take-out. Your favorite, sesame chicken. Hope you don't mind, but I didn't think you'd wanna cook tonight. AJ?" Zac stopped setting the table and walked out into the living room. He found his girlfriend sitting on the couch, staring blankly into outer space. "AJ, what's wrong?" His voice was full of concern as he sat down on the couch.
She opened her mouth to speak, and no sound came out. She tried again, and again, no sound. Finally, she just shrugged and buried her face in her hands.
"AJ, Sweetie..." Zac put an arm around her shoulders. "I can't help you if you don't talk to me."
Slowly, she lifted her head, taking a deep breath. "Zac, you ever feel like you know too much, and you don't know what to do with the information?"
"If you're asking if I've ever been caught in the middle, the answer is a resounding yes."
AJ nodded. "Well, that's me. I'm caught in the middle, and I don't know what to do."
"Well, what is your heart telling you to do?" Zac asked, rubbing her back in an effort to calm her.
"It's telling me to cause as little pain as possible."
He nodded his head. "Well, then, that's what you have to do."
"Yeah..." AJ softly agreed.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Zac brushed the strands of hair AJ was chewing on out of her mouth.
"Love me."
"Done," he said, kissing the top of her head.
"Zac?"
"Yeah?"
"If you found out, years later, that I knew something and didn't tell you, would you be mad?"
Zac thought for a moment. "Well, that depends. If it directly affects me or my family, yeah, I suppose I would be. Why? What brought all this on? Did something happen today?"
AJ took a deep breath. She swallowed hard and looked directly into Zac's eyes. "Yeah. I met Madeline's biological father."
"I win! I am the Candy Land Queen!" A jubilant Kaitlyn stood up, arms raised in triumph.
"You won the game. What are you gonna do now?" Isaac smiled at his daughter's enthusiasm.
"Have some ice cream!"
"Okay. Let's go have some ice cream." He picked up his daughter and carried her into the kitchen. Kaitlyn removed two spoons from a drawer while Ike set the ice cream and two bowls on the table. "Chocolate syrup?"
"Yes!"
"Alright then..." Just then, the telephone rang. Ike picked up the receiver. "Hello."
"Ike! Sweetie, how are you?"
He smiled at the sound of his mother-in-law's voice. "I'm good, Mom. And you?"
"Oh, I'm fine. Just enjoying the warm weather. I can't stop worrying about my daughter, though. Is she around?"
"Yeah, she's in the laundry room." Ike dished out the ice cream, which Kaitlyn covered in chocolate syrup. "She wasn't feeling too hot when I got home from New York. She's doing much better today, though."
"She is? That's good. If she didn't bounce back sooner, I thought I might have to fly out there."
"Oh, that won't be necessary, Mom." He directed his attention to his daughter for a moment. "Kaitlyn, that's enough syrup." He took the bottle from her. "You know Bec. She's a trooper."
Maggie sighed. "Yeah, I know. But still, a miscarriage isn't easy to bounce back from."
Isaac dropped his spoon, not believing his ears. "Miscarriage? Did you say miscarriage?"
"Yes. The other day... Wait. Are you saying you didn't know?"
He shook his head. "No. When did all this happen? When did you find out?"
"Ike... uh... This is really something you should discuss with Rebecca." All sorts of thoughts scurried through Maggie's mind. On one hand, she was furious with her daughter for not telling Isaac about the miscarriage. And even though she felt bad that he heard it from her, she was glad that he now knew. He did have that right, after all. But at the same time, she now felt like she was in the middle of something, which is somewhere she doesn't want to be.
"Mom, please, tell me. It's obvious my wife doesn't want to."
"Ike, I don't think that's necessarily the case..."
"Mom, are you going to tell me or not?"
Maggie sighed heavily. "I called the other day just to, you know, see how everything was. Becca picked up the phone crying. While you were gone, she suspected she was pregnant. The day you came home she went for the test, but miscarried."
Ike sat in the chair, numbly watching Kaitlyn eat her ice cream. Finally, he whispered, "Why didn't she say anything?"
"Honestly, Sweetie, I don't know. You'll have to ask her."
He nodded his head. "I'll do just that."
"Ike?"
"Yeah?"
"Just... Go easy on her. She took this hard. That doesn't excuse her behavior, but..."
"I'll handle it, Mom. And thank you for telling me."
"Mmm-hmm... The two of you can get through this. I know it."
"Bye, Mom."
"Bye, Ike."
Isaac hung up the phone and stared at it for a few moments. How DARE Rebecca betray him this way? That's exactly how he saw it: betrayal. They were husband and wife, for better or for worse. "So much for honoring one another..." he mumbled under his breath. What the HELL had been going through Rebecca's head when she decided to keep this from him? Didn't she know that this affected him, too? Well, Isaac was going to make SURE she knew it now. He stormed off towards the laundry room. "Becca!" His voice echoed in the small room as he slammed the door shut.
"Shit!" Startled, Rebecca dropped the shirt she had been folding. "Jesus, Isaac! You took ten years out of my life span," she told him, picking the shirt up off the floor.
"Interesting that you should use that phrase..."
"Huh?"
Isaac just stood there, so Becca resumed folding the laundry. Anger consumed his body, and he snatched the shirt from her, throwing it on the floor. "You lied to me," he growled.
Frightened by her husband's anger, Becca took a few steps back. "Ike... I... I... I don't know what... what you're talking about." She realized the fear causing her to stutter wasn't helping her to appear innocent. In fact, she appeared guilty as all hell, when she truthfully didn't know what he was talking about.
"Oh, don't give me that!" His face was slowly becoming red with anger.
"Ike, honestly, I don't know what you're talking about." Rebecca tried to talk her husband down, calm him. "Tell me, when did I lie to you?"
"I asked you, point blank, if you were going to keep things from me. You told me no, never," he said through clenched teeth.
"And I meant it," she told him calmly.
"LIAR!"
Rebecca jumped as Isaac's voice boomed throughout the small room. Her eyes filled with tears, and she truly has never, EVER, felt this frightened before.
"That's TWICE, now, that you've lied to me." He held up two fingers for emphasis. "Care to make it three?"
Rebecca took a few, deep breaths in an attempt to steady herself. She WAS NOT going to let her husband see how scared she was. She WAS NOT going to cry. "I don't understand. What's gotten into you? Why are you like this?" She struggled to keep her voice steady.
"You know damn well."
"No, I don't. Honestly. Just tell me, please, what I did."
He gave her a look of disgust. "If I have to tell you, then I don't want to look at you!" Isaac stormed out of the laundry room, slamming the door shut behind him.
Frankie set the parking brake on the rental car and cut the engine. "You ready?" he asked Waldo.
He nodded his head yes, but wore an expression of uncertainty. "Are you sure about this? I mean, how are we gonna pull this off without anyone seeing?"
"Hey, hey, hey. Relax, will ya? You just leave everything to me, alright? This WILL work, okay? Now, you got the bag?"
"Uh-huh." Waldo patted the bag sitting in his lap. "One question, though. How are we gonna know what she looks like?"
Frankie opened the glove compartment, and handed his partner a photo. "This is who we want."
Waldo put the photo back in the glove compartment and snapped it shut. "Let's go do this, before I lose my nerve."
The two vacated the car, and headed off in the direction of the bleachers.
The players nodded their heads, and began to disburse. "Coach T? My dad's here, so I don't need a ride," Stacey told him.
"Okay, Stace. See ya later. You played a good game today."
"Thanks. Bye."
"Bye." Taylor began to pick up the empty paper cups the team had left scattered on the grass. "Hey, Maddy! You wanna help me clean up?"
She trotted over to her father, soccer ball under her arm. "Yeah, Dad?" she asked, brushing her sweaty bangs out of her eyes.
Taylor laughed, playfully tugging her ponytail. "Are you gonna help your old man clean up so we can get home that much faster?"
"No. I want to work on my dribbling. I can't believe that dork Mark got the ball from me."
"Don't call him a dork. That's not nice. We'll work on your dribbling tonight after dinner. What'd ya say?"
"Alright," Maddy responded, bending down to tie her shoelace. "What do you want me to take to the car?"
"That's my girl!" Taylor grinned. "Here." He handed her a black trash bag filled with empty paper cups. "Just throw this into the back. It's open."
"Okay." Maddy took the bag from her father, and made her way towards the car. The back of the Jeep Cherokee was open already, and she shoved the bag inside. As she began to walk back to the field, she noticed her shoelace had become untied again. "Stupid shoelace..." she muttered under her breath.
"Try double-knots next time."
Maddy stopped what she was doing and looked up. Two tall, strange men stood before her. She swallowed hard and blinked twice before turning around. She tried to walk away, but one of the men grabbed her arm, stopping her.
"I need you to come with me," he told her.
Fear consumed Madeline's entire body, from her head to her toes. She opened her mouth to yell for her father, but no sound came out. She was paralyzed with fear. And before she could try to call for Taylor again, she felt the man's body pressed close to hers. His hand clamped her mouth shut. When it registered in her mind that this strange man was touching her, Madeline felt as though she would vomit. In the hopes that it would help her escape this nightmare, she bit the man's hand with all the strength she could muster.
"Ow! This little bitch bit me! Waldo, quick, give me the handkie."
Waldo handed Frankie a cold, damp handkerchief. He covered Madeline's nose and mouth with it, and held tight as the girl tried, with no success, to break free from his grasp several times. Seconds later, her limp body slipped to the ground.
Frankie shoved the handkie in his pocket, and wiped he chloroform off his hands onto his jeans. "Waldo, pick her up. Let's get out of here before someone sees us," he instructed, picking up the bag his partner had left sitting on the pavement.
Waldo picked up the girl and carried her to the rental car.
Taylor closed up the jeep and walked around to the driver's side. "Maddy, don't ignore me." But as he turned to face the passenger seat, he saw that it was empty. Parental instincts kicked in, and Taylor began to worry.
"Madeline, this isn't funny," he said, checking to see if she was hiding in the back. When he saw that the back seat was empty as well, worry was immediately replaced with fear, and Taylor began to panic.
"Maddy!" He quickly got out of the car, eyes wide with fear. "Madeline Hanson, this is not funny! I want you to come out right now!" As he walked around the front of the car, his eyes scanned the parking lot for signs of his daughter.
"Maddy! Madeline!" Taylor continued to scan the parking lot as he made his way to back of the car. His pulse was racing, and his heart was pounding so hard, it echoed in his head. "Omigod... omigod... omigod..." The panic and fear took hold of Taylor.
Standing at the back of the car, his eyes which were rapidly filling with tears, continued to scan the parking lot. Taylor gasped at what he saw. How had he missed it before? His legs buckled underneath him, and he leaned against the jeep for support. A few tears spilled over as he bent down to pick the black cleat up off the pavement.
"MADDY!"
Taylor lifted his tear-stained face out of his hands. He squeezed his wife's hand, who was sitting on the bleachers next to him. He took a deep breath before beginning. "I gave Maddy a black trash bag to put in the car. She never came back to the field. I just assumed she got in the car. When I got in, she wasn't there. I got out, looking and calling for her. Then I walked around to the back of the car, and that's when I found..." Taylor paused to swallow the lump in his throat. He let out a shaky breath. "...her... her cleat." Tears slid down his cold, damp cheeks.
The officer nodded his head and closed his notebook. "I got it all. I want to thank you for your co-operation. I know this isn't easy. In the meantime, go home and get some rest. We'll take it from here. Also, keep your eyes and ears open for a ransom. If someone contacts you, contact me immediately."
"Ransom?" Taylor wiped his eyes.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, a small chuckle escaped the officer's lips. "With all due respect. Mr. Hanson, kidnapping a rich man's daughter isn't a seasonal sport."
"Of course not. Thanks for your help Officer O'Brien." Laura stood up and shook his hand.
"Don't mention it. I know it's hard, but just sit tight. I'll be in touch." Officer O'Brien walked to the parking lot, got into his patrol car, and drover to the station.
"Come on." Laura helped Taylor to his feet. "I'll drive home. We'll come back tomorrow for your car."
He nodded his head, and followed his wife to the parking lot in a zombie-like state. Taylor sat in the car, and blankly stared out in front of him. He licked his dry, cracked lips. "I'm sorry I lost your daughter," he whispered.
Laura swallowed and blinked back tears before she spoke. "Taylor, she's not MY daughter. She's OUR daughter. And you didn't lose her. Some asshole took her."
Both Laura's and Taylor's parents could be seen sitting in the living room as she pulled the car into the driveway. The two got out of the car. As Laura crossed the lawn to the front steps, she tripped over Maddy's bike. "Shit! I told her before she left to put her bike in the garage!"
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she stopped. Taylor stopped, and turned to face his wife. Immediately, the tears spilled down Laura's face, and she dropped down onto the soft grass, which was already damp with the evening dew.
"I know. I know," was all Taylor said as he knelt down to embrace his wife. He gently rocked back and fourth in an effort to calm her.
"Oh, God! Taylor, my last words to her were to put the bike in the garage, or she'd be grounded from it. I was angry with her, and now I may never see her again." She buried her face in her husband's chest and cried.
"Shh... Don't talk like that. We're going to find her." He stroked his wife's hair.
"Oh, God, Taylor, our baby's gone!"