Laura listened nervously, waiting for the explosion she feared was imminent.  She held nothing but contempt for Jeff Cutter, but she knew it paled in comparison to the hatred Fenton had been carrying all these years.  Standing up, she walked towards the mantle, drawn to the pictures of her family that had captured Jeff’s attention moments earlier.  Looking at the photos of Joe, she saw a happy, carefree, well-adjusted young man who showed no signs of the trauma he’d endured as a child.

Yet while Joe had grown up with no memory of the horrors he had suffered, his parents had never been able to forget. For the first few years after it happened, Laura rarely let Joe out of her sight and tried to shield him from any situation she feared would trigger those memories.  However, as Joe got a little older he began to bristle at his mother’s overprotectiveness and she had no choice but to loosen her grip on him.  Even though it took seventeen years for Joe to remember what happened, Laura and Fenton had lived with it every day.  While she eventually learned how to cope, it had practically eaten her husband alive.

Tonight the images and emotions seemed to be stronger than ever.  The intensity of the fear and anguish she felt were as strong as the day Joe disappeared. With a shaking hand, she returned a picture of Joe to the mantle.  As she turned away, her eyes were drawn to the phone on the end table.

Laura suddenly had an overpowering need to speak to Joe just to assure herself he was home, safe and sound.  She knew she was being ridiculous.  Joe wasn’t a helpless little boy anymore.  He was a grown man, perfectly capable of taking care of himself. But the memories were relentless - so vivid, so persistent.

‘You’re being totally irrational,’ Laura chided herself.  ‘Unreasonable, illogical…you’re going to feel utterly foolish trying to explain to Joe why you’re calling…’  she continued even as she reached for the phone…

*****

Fenton stepped out onto the front porch and saw his brother-in-law gazing up at the star filled sky.  Jeff’s presence had reawakened some very bitter feelings, the intensity of which Fenton found quite unnerving. He took a moment to steady himself as he watched Jeff, knowing the man was wondering – and worrying – about Kevin.  Fenton found himself almost feeling sorry for Jeff, being much too familiar with the agony of a missing child himself.  When Joe had been abducted the previous year, the terror was just as overpowering as when Joe was taken by Tilghman’s men as a child.  It didn’t matter that Joe had been an adult; the fear of not knowing where his son was or what was happening to him had been close to unbearable.  

Fenton frowned, trying to push aside the twinge of sympathy.  He didn’t want to feel any kind of compassion for Jeff Cutter.  Jeff was the reason Joe had suffered so horribly the past year!  He hated this man with a passion and had grown quite comfortable with that hatred.  Although some nights he wondered who he hated more – Jeff for allowing Joe to be taken, or himself for not being able to find Joe sooner…

Shaking his head to rid himself of the horrible memories, Fenton stepped off the porch and approached his brother-in-law. “I’ll take the case.”

Jeff spun around a mixture of shock and relief on his face.  “Thank you! You have no idea-“ Jeff had barely begun to speak when Fenton cut him off.

“But if I even suspect that my helping you is detrimental to Joe’s recovery in any way, all bets are off.  I’m not risking my son’s sanity to find Kevin,” Fenton announced leaving no room for argument. “I’ll give you the names of some colleagues, but I will have nothing further to do with you or the investigation. Understood?”

“Of-of course,” Jeff replied, slightly disheartened.

“Kevin still lives in Phoenix?” Fenton asked, all business.

“Yes,” Jeff answered, appearing a little bewildered at Fenton’s sudden change to investigator mode.

Nodding, Fenton made a few more notes.  “I’ll see if I can get on the first flight to Phoenix tomorrow morning.  If not I’ll have my pilot fly me out.  Either way, I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon.”

“You have a…a pilot?”  Jeff stammered, shocked.  “On call?”

‘Being the best at what you do has certain advantages,’ Fenton thought as he bit back a smile of satisfaction at Jeff’s obvious awe.  “Something like that. Who was in charge of the investigation at the Phoenix P.D.?”

“Detective Gainey.  John Gainey.  I can contact him and let him know to expect you,” Jeff offered.

“Not necessary. I’ll be in touch with him when I’m ready,” Fenton replied as he held the notepad out to Jeff. “I’ll need your address and phone number, Kevin’s home and work addresses and phone numbers, and the name of Kevin’s supervisor at work.  Do you have a key to his house on you?”

“Yes,” Jeff responded without looking up. “I can take you there tomorrow-“

“I work alone, with Sam Radley or with my sons,” Fenton said curtly. “If I need any more information from you, I’ll call.  Otherwise I’ll be in touch as soon as I have anything to report.  When the investigation is concluded, I’ll bill you – my standard daily rate plus expenses.” Fenton took the pad and pen back and glanced at the notes Jeff had made.

“That… that’s it?” Jeff asked, incredulous.

“Yes, that’s it,” Fenton replied putting the notepad in his jacket pocket.  “Goodnight.”

Turning his back on Jeff, Fenton drew in a shaky breath.  Trying to control his anger and emotions while speaking to Jeff had been more difficult than he’d anticipated.  Walking back into the house, Fenton wondered how he’d been able to carry around such pure hatred for so many years without imploding.