Should Have Been Mine - by Pho
Go to part 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
Home ToC


part - 01

March 6, 1964

Dearest Benjamin,

It truly grieves me that I cannot be with you now to tell you this in person. Our relationship has always meant a great deal to me. When you left for Southeast Asia, you swore you would not be gone more than four months. It has now been almost twelve and I find that my feelings for you have changed. I will always treasure your friendship but I have given my heart to another. I believe that you would like him, Benjamin. He is also a student of many things, including the antiquities, though not in the way that you are. He is quiet and gentle and so very, very loving. We will be married soon, and I beg you, Benjamin, to wish us joy. I can only pray that one day you will be able to understand my change of heart and forgive me for what must seem a cruel betrayal to you.

Forever your friend,

Laura


Bloodshot eyes swam with tears as the memories associated with this long buried letter forced their way to the surface. As tanned hands crushed the once valued parchment, a ragged voice swore softly, "You will pay, Kwai Chang Caine. SHE would still be alive, with ME, if not for your interference, and HE, He would be mine. Damn, you Kwai Chang Caine, HE should have been mine and by all that's holy, he WILL be mine."

*******

An involuntary shiver raced up Kwai Chang Caine's spine, and he choked on his tea. Coughing violently, he reached for his napkin.

The Ancient watched sympathetically for a moment, then asked, "Is the blend too strong? Peter seemed to think so, the last time."

"No," Caine cleared his throat, "the blend is adequate."

"Indeed. Then what is the problem, my dear old friend?"

Caine rose and moved to the window of Lo Si's apartment. He stood motionless for a moment, studying the chaos that was Chinatown. "I do not know, Master. I find suddenly that I am afraid but am unable to determine a reason for this fear."

"Perhaps Peter?"

"THAT has already crossed my mind, but I have discounted it. Peter is fine. No, it is something else, but what?" The Shaolin turned troubled eyes towards his older friend.

"I do not know, Kwai Chang Caine. I, myself, have no such sensations. Nor do I feel a problem where you are concerned. I am, however, concerned about young Peter."

"Indeed, how so?"

"Peter rarely visits anymore. I find that I miss him."

Caine sighed, "My son has been very busy in the last few weeks. I, myself, have not seen him in almost two." He smiled, "And, I also miss him." Reseating himself, Caine pushed his feelings aside, and returned to his forgotten cup of tea.

**********

Peter Caine sighed wearily as he exited the elevator. An unusually heavy workload had kept him working sixteen hour days for several weeks. A wave of guilt passed over him as he realized that he had not seen his father for quite some time. His mother had been equally deserted by her number one, and only, son. Simms had ordered him to take the coming weekend off, and for once he had not argued. Peter made the short walk to his apartment and deftly juggled two grocery bags and a case of beer as he searched for his keys. His exhaustion was such that he initially missed the fact that his door was not locked.

"What the..." Peter quickly deposited his groceries to the left of the doorway. Drawing his Beretta, he carefully maneuvered his way into his front hall. Shaolin senses combined with years of highly developed cop instincts told him that no one was there. A cursory glance into the kitchen and living area proved that nothing was amiss, but a feeling of foreboding almost overwhelmed him as he started for the bedroom.

"Do you always store your beer in the hall?"

"Only when I have uninvited company. What brings you here, Kermit?" From the corner of his eye, Peter noted that his friend had taken a backup position with his Desert Eagle held in readiness.

"You know me, always like to be in on the action. Toss you for first in."

"Nope, my place." Peter nodded to the ex-mercenary, slowly pushed the bedroom door ajar, and stopped. Kermit, puzzled by Peter's lack of motion, shoved around him to peer into his young friend's bedroom.

"Oh my God!" Kermit reached into his pocket and withdrew his cell phone. "Griffin here. I need a lab crew pronto to Peter Caine's apartment. Yes, that's right. Caine's place."

The older man's words partially thawed Peter's frozen senses and the young detective moved forward, staring in shock at his drastically re-decorated bedroom.

"Peter, no. You know the drill. Don't touch anything until the lab crew dusts it. They'll be here soon."

"Right." The young man replied weakly, "I don't believe this."

"Neither do I, kid, neither do I."

The two men stared at the changes to the room. The furniture and coverings were the same. It was the additional accessories that spawned the mystery. A small well-worn teddy bear wearing a new red ribbon lay in the center of the bed, under it was a large Valentine's card. And one wall had been virtually covered with photos of a child. The poses showed the progression of childhood from toddler to pre-adolescent.

"There're you, aren't they, kid?"

Peter nodded and pointed to one, "That's my mother." Kermit followed the line of Peter's finger and gazed upon the prettiest young woman he could ever remember seeing. She was laughing and in her arms was the slightly blurred image of an obviously squirming toddler. Peter's gasp of dismay caused Kermit to turn swiftly to his friend.

"What? What's wrong, Peter?" The ashen face of the young man concerned Kermit Griffin more than the room's new pictures.

"T..that p..picture."

The ex-mercenary looked at the indicated photo. "What about it, kid?"

"I..It was t..taken just before the t..temple was d..destroyed. Oh, God, Kermit. Father died a few days... No, I mean... Oh DAMN!"

Kermit seized his trembling friend's arm and propelled him out of the room. Taking a chance that nothing had been disturbed in the kitchen, he sought out, and found, Peter's only bottle of hard liquor. The Crown Royal was normally saved for special occasions, and Kermit thought to himself, "This is certainly an occasion." He quickly poured a small amount of the golden liquid into a glass and thrust it into Peter's shaking hand. "Drink."

Peter choked as he downed the liquor in a single gulp. The feel of the alcohol in his throat served to calm him, as did his friend's steading hand on his shoulder. "Thanks, Kermit. I..I'm sorry I freaked."

"Totally justified, kid. I take it you've seen those pictures before."

"Y..yes, but I thought they'd been destroyed with the temple."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 02

"Somehow I didn't think there were cameras at the temple." Kermit kept a close eye on his young friend as he spoke.

"Yeah, well Pop was really pretty ordinary when it came to his family. I mean, he had this camera that Mother bought for him when they got married, I think it was a Brownie. At any rate he would take pictures whenever he could get film. He kept them in this trunk in his room. S..sometimes he'd let me stay up after my bedtime and we'd sit and look at the pictures a..and talk about them. He knew the story about every photo he had." Peter's mind shifted back in time -

Childish giggles filled the night as Kwai Chang Caine lifted his small son onto his lap.

"Which picture would you like to hear about tonight, my son?"

"Dat one!" The child's voice was emphatic as a tiny finger pointed to a worn photo.

"Peter, you heard that story last night."

"'Gin, Fadder, tell it 'gin."

Caine smiled and kissed his child's tiny hand. "Very well, my son. Your mother decided to make cookies..."

"Chocat Chip." The little voice interrupted.

"Yes, Peter, chocolate chip cookies, and you decided to help her..."


"PETER!"

"Huh?"

"Kid, the lab crew's here, but where were you?"

"Sorry Kermit, those photos kinda brought back memories."

"I'm sure..."

"Peter?"

"Pop! What are you doing here?" As Peter turned to greet Kwai Chang Caine, Kermit slipped away to supervise the lab crew.

"I felt your distress my son. What has happened? You are all right?"

"I am fine, Pop. I just got a major surprise when I got home."

Caine patiently waited while Peter gathered his thoughts. "Do you remember that large trunk in your room? The one with all the photos?"

"There was a trunk of photographs, Peter, but it was quite small."

"Really? It always seemed so big."

"You are remembering it with the eyes of a child, my son. In truth, it was no larger than your bread box."

"Oh. I..Well anyway, someone's planted a bunch of pictures from that trunk on my bedroom wall. I don't understand, I thought they'd been destroyed with the temple." Peter's voice held a mildly accusing tone as he spoke to his father.

Caine's eyes revealed his concern, "My son, the trunk and its contents were destroyed with the temple. You are certain these photographs are the same?"

"Absolutely, I'll never forget some of those photos. Their memories..." Peter's words ground to a halt and he suddenly blushed and studied his feet.

Kwai Chang Caine gently touched his son's cheek, "were part of what little you had left. I am sorry, my son."

A familiar voice inserted itself into the conversation, "I hate to interrupt, but I need to find out what's going on, Detective."

"Captain, you didn't need to..."

"Detective Griffin calls the lab crew to Detective Caine's apartment and tells them to hurry. I definitely think I needed to be here. What's happened?"

Peter quickly brought her up to speed on the evening's decidedly odd happenings. He'd no sooner finished than Kermit Griffin came out of Peter's bedroom carrying the worn teddy bear and the large Valentine. "It's like we figured, oh, hello Captain, there are no prints. Peter, do you by any chance recognize this bear?"

"Nooo, but it kinda looks familiar." Peter's words coincided with Caine's short gasp. "Pop?"

"That is LK." Kwai Chang Caine's face was pale and his voice trembled slightly as he spoke. "It was Peter's favorite toy when he was very small. It belonged to Laura before we were married. An old friend had given it to her for Valentine's day. Peter slept with it every night until he was about five."

"When he got too old for it?" Karen Simms asked gently.

"No, when it disappeared. Your mother gave it to you, my son, not long before she died. Do you remember?"

"I..I'm sorry, I really don't remember." Peter took the bear from Kermit's hand and examined it curiously, "Well, not much, anyway."

"Look Peter, Master Cho has brought you a new bear."

The sobbing child lifted his head from his father's shoulder and turned to glare at the new toy. "NO! I want LK. I promised M..Mother that I would take care of him. I promised! Please, F..Father, where is he?"

Caine pulled the child more tightly into his arms and rocked him gently. "I do not know, my son, I do not know."


"Peter? You're gone again."

"Oh, sorry Kermit." He turned to his father, "I took him, the bear, I mean, into one of the gardens and forgot him. When I went back to get him, he was gone. Isn't that right?"

"Yes, my son." Caine said sadly, "You cried for days because you thought your mother was angry with you for losing her bear."

"I remember! God!" Peter ran his free hand nervously through his hair.

Kermit quickly interjected, "Well, you better read the Valentine."

Peter took the very large card from Kermit's hand and opened it. The Valentine was one of those geared toward children. The sports images on the face and the pre-printed verse proved that it was aimed at the small boy market. The hand-written note was brief but clear as Peter read it aloud, "'I am sorry, my dearest child, that I took your bear. But she was your mother's before she was yours and I could not allow HIM to pollute her with HIS presence any longer. I return her to you now as a good will gesture in the hope that we can become close in the near future. Your mother would be so pleased. I was not able to save your mother from HIM but I can and will save you.'" Peter could only stare at his dumbfounded father in silent disbelief.

The shocked silence was broken by Karen Simms as she said grimly, "This is bad, very bad."

Kermit Griffin seconded the sentiment, "Oh Yeah!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 03

February 28, 1962

Dear Benjamin,

I have finally remembered my manners and am writing to thank you, once again, for the wonderful stuffed bear you gave me on the 14th. I shall cherish her forever and I really love the little heart-shaped necklace that she's wearing. It was sweet of you to have it engraved with my initials. I must confess to some surprise at receiving any gift at all from you since we dated for the first time at the end of January. However, do not think that I am disappointed. Please feel free to shower me with gifts as often as you like.

Your friend,

Laura


The man let the letter drop from his trembling hands and stared at the cherished photograph of the young girl. The elaborate brass frame that complemented her delicate features shook as he lifted it from the desk. "Oh Laura, you were so gentle, so fragile, so vulnerable. HE did not understand how special you were. I loved you so much, but the opportunities on the expedition were so great. I had to leave. My darling, I thought you understood why I had to go. No, I know you understood. HE turned you against me. For that HE will pay." The snapping motion of his wrist was followed by a dull thud as the weighted knife pierced the skull of Kwai Chang Caine.

*********

"Peter, no! Kwai Chang, catch him, quickly. Peter, you little imp. Come to Mama!"

The young Shaolin stood motionless outside the garden gate and watched, seemingly mesmerized, as his beautiful wife chased the giggling, naked toddler around the garden.

"Kwai Chang, he just had his bath! What will the neighbors say?" Laura Caine was almost in tears.

Caine reached over the gate and captured his errant son on the next pass, "They will say he is a very clean baby, my dear." He tucked the struggling child under one strong arm, opened the gate and moved forward to hug his young wife. Uncharacteristically, she dodged his embrace and fled into the house. Concerned, he followed her quickly through the front door and found her sobbing on the sofa. "Laura? Your headaches have returned?" Placing the child on the floor, Caine sank down beside her.

Tears streamed down her face as she turned to face him, her answering 'yes' almost too quiet to be heard. He pulled her into his arms, and whispered, "I will make you Ping Hi's special tea. It has always helped you."

She nodded her agreement as he settled her back against the cushions. He gently kissed her soft hair and hurried toward the kitchen. As the tea brewed, he went to check on her and stopped in the doorway. She had moved from the sofa to the old rocker and sat quietly rocking a now diapered little boy. As he watched, a tiny hand touched her face, "Mama sick?"

"No, baby, Mama's tired."

"Need nap?" The hazel eyes watched her face with a concern far beyond his eighteen months. His large yawn brought a smile to her lips.

"I think we both do."

"NO!" The terrible two's were beginning to assert themselves.

She kissed his head and reached for a small stuffed bear. "LK needs a nap, Peter, but she doesn't like to sleep alone." The child looked at the little bear suspiciously. Laura continued, "If you promise to take care of her, I will give her to you for your very own."

The whistling of the tea kettle pulled Caine back into the tiny kitchen. When he returned to the living room, he smiled sadly at the image of the young mother, gently rocking her sleeping toddler, toy bear dangling from a chubby fist.


Peter's anguished cry of "NO!" pulled Caine quickly from his thoughts. The Shaolin whirled to find the source of Peter's pain.

The lab technician stared in amazement at the young detective, "Sir, I've got to take all of this stuff."

"No. Just take the card. Leave the rest!" Peter stood with crossed arms, blocking the door into his bedroom. The lab tech appealed silently for aid to Kermit.

"Kid, this is all evidence. You know the drill. The lab has to tag it and store it downtown."

Peter adamantly shook his head, "NO!. It all stays here."

Simms moved toward the altercation. Motioning the lab tech to leave the apartment for a moment, she said, "Peter, I know that these things mean a great deal to you, but ..."

"Captain, please." The anguish in Peter's plea caused his father cringe.

"I'm sorry, Peter, but we've got to follow procedure." Simms was sympathetic but adamant in her decision.

Peter stared at his colleagues for a moment, took a deep breath, then said, "Captain, I apologize. I made a mistake. Those pictures and the bear have been here all along. Only the Valentine is new."

"Peter."

"Kid."

"My son."

"I'm quite serious. Don't know what I was thinking earlier." Peter could look no one in the eye as he spoke.

Simms frowned at her best detective, "You would swear to that it a court of law?"

There was no hesitation to Peter's emphatic, "Yes."

She looked at him closely, then said, "Very well, Detective, we'll concentrate on the card, starting with a handwriting analysis. If you should have a change in memory, call me first." Plucking the Valentine from where it lay on a nearby table, she exited the apartment, dismissing the lab crew as she went.

Peter sighed with relief and unconsciously clutched the little bear to his chest while nearby, Kermit and Caine exchanged concerned looks.

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

The door to the bedroom opened swiftly and he looked around approvingly. A single bed with a dinosaur comforter occupied the center of the room. The curtains matched the primary colors of the comforter. Stuffed animals lined the wall nearest the closet. A bright blue toy chest overflowed with toys, and the beginnings of a race track occupied the far corner. "It's almost complete, my dear boy. Soon you will be safe." The bars on the window formed ominous shadows across the bed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 04

"Morgan?" The fifty-something man walked into the near empty chamber and glanced around, confused.

A pretty, young woman with piercing brown eyes rose from behind a display case, "Over here, Dr. McKensey."

"Ah, there you are. Nothing's arrived yet?"

"Sir, I'm sorry, I got the word while you were out. The shipment has been delayed again."

"Damn IT! More trouble with Customs?"

"No, sir. Weather. All flights have been canceled out of Newark due to heavy fog. The airline says that they'll try to get it out on the next available cargo run but that passenger flights are taking priority. They say thirty-six hours, tops, if the fog lifts."

The archaeologist shook his graying head and said, "That won't do, Morgan. I personally promised Dr. Alexander that the exhibit would open a week from Sunday. He's arranged for a private viewing with all the local brass and the press on Thursday. If everything was here now, it would still take twelve hour days to get it ready in time."

"Well, then, we'll just have to work eighteen hour days, won't we, sir?"

"Morgan, my girl, I can't ask the team to..."

"You don't have to, Dr. McKensey. We're all aware how important it is to get this exhibit permanently secured somewhere. And I know how lucky it was that Dr. Alexander had just taken over the museum here and wanted to start his, uh, reign, with something new. I've already talked to the boys, they're willing to do what it takes."

The older man smiled, "Morgan, did I ever complement you on your efficiency?"

The girl's long brown hair swung freely as she shook her head and tried to stifle a yawn, "Well, not in the last twenty-four hours."

"I'm sorry, my dear, it's very late. Go back to the hotel and get some rest."

"What about you, sir? Did you finish your errands?"

"Not all of them, Morgan. But I got enough done for tonight. I'll finish later."

***********

"Kid, of all the bone-headed, lame-brained..."

"What, Kermit?" Peter Caine did his best to feign innocence.

"What! You damned well know what! In all my years of working with you, I've never seen you do anything that, that stupid. While I understand your reasons, I..."

"You don't understand shit, and I don't owe you any explanations for anything, Kermit." Peter snapped angrily.

A hand firmly moved the fuming ex-mercenary aside, "Kermit, may I speak to my son, privately, please?"

Kermit sighed deeply, "Yeah, Caine, I was fixing to leave anyhow, but Peter needs to realize two things before I go."

The indignant young voice was controlled as Peter asked, "What?"

"First, if the Valentine doesn't turn up anything, then we may need the pictures to track the nut down."

"I'll deal with that when the time comes, and the second?"

"You look really ridiculous clutching that bear." Kermit nodded to Caine and vanished quietly from the apartment.

As the door closed behind the older detective, Caine said quietly, "Peter."

"What?" Curiosity, anger, and guilt flavored Peter's tone as he spoke.

Caine was quick to notice that his son would not meet his eyes. "My son, I understand why you felt it necessary to retain control of the photographs and the bear, but would they not have been returned to you eventually?"

"Y..Yes, but I might have had to wait for months, Pop."

"Indeed, but would that not have been preferable to allowing your commanding officer to know that you will not only lie, you will lie to her?"

Peter looked startled, then blushed with shame, "I..I didn't think of that."

"No, you did not."

"I'm sorry Father."

"I am not the one to whom you must apologize."

"I know." Peter sighed heavily. His next words were interrupted by a knock on the door. He smiled an apology at Caine and moved to his foyer.

"Be careful, my son."

Annoyed that he'd forgotten that his apartment had been violated, he replied, irritably, "I will, Pop.... Who's there?"

"Delivery for Peter Caine."

Peter glanced over his shoulder to notice that his father had moved closer. Caine answered the unasked question with a single word, "Backup."

The young detective nodded grimly, opened the door slowly and gasped in astonishment, "What the heck?"

A teenage delivery boy juggled a floral Valentine display situated in a large red bucket. The assortment of red and white carnations was highlighted by Baby's Breath and ferns. The largest balloon Peter had ever seen floated above the basket in the shape of a Hershey's Kiss. Dangling from it was a small bag of the candy that the balloon represented. The kid said tiredly, "Sorry I'm late, the address was wrong. Took this to the other side of town then had to come back here. Where do ya want it?"

"I'll take it." Peter tucked the bear under his arm and held out his hands.

"OK, but you gotta sign for it."

Peter balanced the arrangement in one hand, signed the receipt and tipped the kid. Closing the door, Peter returned to the living area and placed the container down on his coffee table.

"Well, Pop, since I'm not seeing anyone right now it's a good guess this came from my mystery visitor." He eyed the card for a moment then started to remove it from the arrangement.

Caine placed a hand on his son's, "Peter, should you not 'dust' it for prints first?"

"No, Pop," Peter grinned at his father's words, "I've sent enough of these to know that this card was written off of a telephone order. The only prints will belong to the florist, and the kid that just left."

**********

"Late? What do you mean late? How late? Great, just great." He slammed the phone down hard, cracking the plastic casing.

"Is there a problem, Dr. Anderson?" McKensey inquired.

"What? Oh, uh, your shipment's delayed."

"I know, I just found out from my assistant a few minutes ago. I'm very sorry, Dr. Anderson."

"Dammit, everything's been late today."

Benjamin McKensey nodded in angry concurrence, "Tell me about it."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 05

Peter groaned and covered his head with the extra pillow. It did nothing to drown out the ringing telephone. A long arm shot out from the covers and dragged the offending mechanism closer. Pulling the hand set under the pillow to his ear, he mumbled a barely intelligible, "Hewwo?"

"Detective Caine?"

A too familiar voice caused the young man to sit bolt upright in bed, the extra pillow falling unnoticed to the floor. "Captain Simms?"

"Yes, Detective. I apologize for the early morning call but my answering machine light is out and I did not realize you'd left me a message until a short time ago. Your 'admirer', for lack of a better word, sent you flowers?"

"It looks that way, Captain. They arrived last night. I didn't call the lab crew because it was apparent that it was a simple call-in order. The card was just signed 'We'll be together soon, with love', nothing else".

"Have you contacted the florist?"

"I tried last night but the florist was already closed. I'm planning on going there first th..."

"No. Skalany and Powell will go. I'll also let Frank know ASAP."

"Captain, it's my case."

"Wrong, Detective. You're the victim, not the investigator. Skalany and Powell will handle the florist."

"Captain!"

"Peter, I know this is not the part you want to play, but this man has given you a new role. Where is your father?"

"He spent the night here. Why?"

"Because I'm inclined to put an officer on protection duty and if the two of you are together, I only have to send one person to guard duty."

"Captain Simms, I, that is, we can take care of ourselves."

"Detective Caine. Perhaps I wasn't clear, YOU ARE THE VICTIM. Someone has broken into your home, leaving you that Valentine note. While the wording on the note does not threaten your father directly, it does allude to 'saving you' from him. I realize that the 'being together soon' note you got on the flowers last night was not overtly threatening either, but it could be interpreted that way. MY assumption at this point is that this man will probably attempt to kill your father, or kidnap you, or possibly both."

"Or neither, he could just want to get to know me because of my mother." He hoped he didn't sound as inane to the Captain as he did to himself.

"Peter."

"OK," he thought, "It did sound just as stupid." Aloud he sighed, "I know, Captain, but..."

"The addition of the flowers to the one piece of evidence we have causes me to feel justified in ordering you and your father a bodyguard."

Peter winced at her words, then said softly, "Captain, you've got more than that. The photos and the b..bear were left also. I..I was l..lying before. I'll take them to the lab shortly."

"I know, Peter, and I do understand, that's why I didn't press the issue. Now about that guard..."

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really, I already called Kermit..."

"Kermit!"

"Problem, Detective?"

"Uh, no, ma'am" Peter groaned inwardly as he remembered how angry he'd been with his friend the night before.

"Good, he'll be there shortly, I'm sure."

"Captain, I, uh, I'm sorry I lied to you last night."

"Oh, don't think we won't discuss THAT at a later date, Detective."

"Yes Ma'am. I understand." To himself, he muttered, "Great, I'm dead."

"And, Peter?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"I promise we'll get the photos and the bear back to you as quickly as we can."

*********

"Ms. Mallory?"

"Hiding over here, Dr. Anderson." She stood up from a position, behind a display case, thinking, "Geez, this is getting to be a habit."

"I came in early and saw the sign-in log. It's only 7:30. Why are you here so early?" the older man spoke as he advanced on her position.

She smiled and handed him a tape measure, "I plead workaholic. Please, walk to that wall. I need some measurements for the display."

"Ms. Mallory, our people have already determined the precise measurements necessary for Dr. McKensey's exhibit."

"I'm sure they did the best they could, Doctor, but I know the pieces better than just about anyone. I've already determined that the other room is six inches too small to handle all the pieces that were supposed to go into it."

"What!"

"Yep, that's why I'm measuring this room, it's slightly larger than the other one so we may just flip-flop the displays."

Obediently the older man started toward the wall, "Have you always been this precise?"

"Sorry, it gets on people's nerves sometimes. My brother says it's a female thing, something to do with nesting instincts."

"Wouldn't know about that, only have a son myself."

"Only child, eh?"

"Yes," the administrator replied sadly, "but I haven't seen him in years."

*********

Peter stumbled groggily into the living area of his apartment, "Pop?"

"Ah, my son, you are awake." Caine rose from the floor where he had been meditating.

"Not exactly. God, I hope I set the timer on the coffee." Peter climbed the steps into his small kitchen. "YES!" Gratefully downing his first cup of the day, he said, "That tastes good."

"Herbal tea would be more healthful, my son."

"Pop, I know you want to believe that but this is hi-test, herbal tea is regular." Peter smiled at his father's confused look, "Sorry, Pop, I need the caffeine kick."

"Pour me a cup."

Peter whirled with astonishment as Kermit entered the kitchen. "How, when?"

"About thirty minutes ago, kid. You were still in dreamland. Now about those pictures."

"I already spoke to the Captain. They go to the lab this morning, along with the b..bear."

Kermit studied the younger man's face for a moment, then said, "Good. Now, I need to know everything there is to know about those pictures."

*********

The sales clerk sighed with relief as the young mother finally forced her screaming twins away from the stuffed animals and out of the store. He wondered again why he'd taken a job at a toy store; he hated screaming children. Glancing at his watch he saw with dismay that it was only 10:30. Turning to the distinguished looking gentleman waiting patiently at the counter, he asked, "May I help you sir?"

"Yes. I purchased this race track here a few days ago and have found that I bought the wrong item. I'd like to exchange it if that's possible."

"No problem, sir. What would you like to buy to replace it?"

"I need to see what you've got in the way of train sets."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 06

The bells on the door jingled loudly as Mary Margaret and Jody opened the door to Adelle's Flowers. It had taken the better part of an hour to find the little shop, closeted as it was between a large grocery warehouse and a 'super' pet store. The flower shop itself was typical of the small, family owned business. Silk arrangements dominated the shelves with live plants scattered at random among them. Large fern and Wandering Jew arrangements cascaded from the ceiling. An elderly woman appeared as if by magic from a back room, "May I help you?"

"Yes, Ma'am, I hope so." Skalany flashed her badge and identified both herself and Jody as police officers. "We need to ask you a few questions about one of your deliveries."

"Of course. I'll answer anything I can."

"Thank you, Ms..?"

"Adelle, Mrs. Carl Adelle."

"Yes, thank you Mrs. Adelle. Did you get an order for a delivery to a Peter Caine yesterday?"

"Just a minute, I'll check," reaching under the counter she pulled out a large ledger book, "No, Nothing came through for a Caine."

The two detectives looked puzzled, "Ma'am, an arrangement from your shop was delivered to him yesterday."

"Yes, I know, it was late getting there. Robbie is not very careful about addresses."

"But you said no one ordered anything."

"No, I said no one ordered anything yesterday. Didn't think anything else had been purchased, but thought I better check. My granddaughter was running the shop for part of the day, you see."

"Mrs. Adelle, I'm a little confused, when did the order for Mr. Caine come in?"

"Oh, that came in about two weeks ago. The instructions were most specific. It was to be delivered by six p.m. yesterday."

Jody quickly interjected, "How was it paid for?"

"Oh, cash. It was rather odd, but, well, green does still spend, at least in this shop."

"Cash?"

"Yes, a large manila envelope came in the mail with fifty dollars in tens and twenties along with instructions for the arrangement. You know, what kind of flowers, when to deliver it, that kind of thing."

"Do you remember anything special about the envelope or the note?"

"Other than the cash payment, it was just plan paper with written instructions and a plain envelope."

Disappointed, Mary Margaret said, "Well, thank you, Mrs. Adelle. We appreciate the help. Here's my card, if you can think of anything else, please let us know." She and Jody were almost to the door, when the elderly woman called out,

"Would you like the note and envelope for anything?"

Whirling the two women said "Yes" in unison.

Mrs. Adelle leaned down and looked under the counter, "I think that, yes, I thought so." Standing she passed a worn envelope and white stationary to the two women. "Forgive the crayon, my great- granddaughter likes to draw so I keep any kind of paper that comes in."

***********

June 13, 1962

Dear Benjamin,

I can't believe that I've actually been lucky enough to get this summer job at camp. I've been here two whole weeks now and the first group of kids go home tomorrow. For the most part, they've been great, although I have to confess that I prefer the boys to the girls. Boys are so active and into everything. The girls are adorable but usually don't want to get dirty. Mind you, some of them do but the rest have been talked into be real little neat fiends by the age of ten. Thank goodness Mom and Dad encouraged me to play any kind of games I wanted to.

There's one little fella that reminds me of you. He's very smart and sweet and I think he's got a crush on me. Poor little guy, he cried buckets when he found out he had to go home.

Well, I hear my crew returning from their nature hike so I'd better end this note quickly.

Love,

Laura


"Laura, my darling, you were a wonderful mother to little Peter. I'm so sorry that I couldn't get to both of you in time. Peter should have had brothers and sisters. And Peter, Peter has been corrupted by HIM, but he is a smart boy, just like his mother. It will not be hard to lead him back to the right path." Benjamin stared at the array of photos on the table, "I wonder, Laura, which picture he will like best." He sifted through the various photos and finally selected one, "Yes, this is the mother he should get to know. My dear boy, you'll finally get a chance to know your mom." He took a quick survey of the bedroom and frowned as his eyes came to rest on the train. "It needs something, doesn't it, Laura, but what? I know, dear, I'll go to the hobby store that nice young clerk told me about." He swiftly rose from his seat, placed the chosen picture in an envelope and left the chamber, locking the steel door behind him as he went.

***********

Peter Caine walked the halls of the 101st like a condemned man on his way to the gallows. Caine and Kermit followed a few steps behind. Peter paused outside the door to the lab, and turned to face his shadows. "Pop, Kermit, there's no need to follow me in here. I really am going to give all this stuff to Carrie."

Caine granted his son a small, polite bow as Kermit replied, "OK, kid, we'll be out here."

The young detective nodded and disappeared through the door.

"Caine, will he be all right?"

"I do not know. His balance has been greatly disturbed by these events. Images from the past rise again to confuse and frighten him."

"Frighten him? How could pictures from his childhood frighten him?"

"They are reflections of a past he has long chosen to bury. A past that may be too painful for him to remember."

***********

The fax machine in the squad room beeped a warning of an incoming message. Broderick wandered idly up to the machine and watched in fascinated confusion as the cover sheet emerged. His eyes widened as he saw the image on the second page. Not waiting for it to finish printing, he dialed the Captain at home.

"Hello?"

"Ma'am, Broderick here, there's an unsigned fax coming in for Peter, and Captain, it's a picture of a young woman."

"Peter's supposed to be in the building sometime this morning. Find him but don't show him the picture until I get there. I'll be about twenty minutes."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 07

Kermit could think of nothing to say to Caine's declaration concerning Peter's state of mind. Instead, he opted to walk down the hall and around the corner. Caine chose to keep pace with the ex-mercenary. The Shaolin recognized the concern in the man beside him as easily as he saw the fear and confusion in his only child. He was grateful that Peter had such a friend. Kermit was on the verge of renewing the conversation when Caine suddenly whirled and went back the way they'd come.

"What the..." Kermit picked up speed and followed the priest. As he rounded the corner he saw Peter slumped in despair, supported by the door frame. Kermit forced himself to stop at the corner as Kwai Chang Caine approached his son.

"Peter?" the father spoke softly, not wishing to intrude if he was not wanted.

Peter looked at Caine, "Damn that was t..tough." He choked on the last word and quickly cleared his throat, "I..I'm sorry, I..I'm being stupid. I'll, I mean, we'll get them back sooner or later." As Peter glanced behind him at the closed door, it was obvious to the observant ex-merc that 'later' was the younger man's fear.

Caine placed his fingertips under Peter's chin and gently forced his son to meet his eyes, "Yes, my son, we will."

Kermit decided he'd played voyeur long enough and moved to join the pair, "I don't know about you two, but I'm starving. I vote we go get breakfast."

The young detective forced a grin, "Sounds good to me."

The three men made it halfway up the stairs when hurried footsteps caught their attention. An over-weight middle-aged woman called out, "Peter, Wait!"

"Carrie? What is it?"

Breathlessly, she answered, "Broderick just called. He says you're needed in the squad room."

"It's my day off."

"Hey, don't shoot the messenger, but he sounded really strange."

Kermit interrupted, "Strange?"

"Yeah, kinda tense. He was real relieved to catch up to you down here."

**********

A security guard appeared in the doorway of the exhibit room, "Miss Mallory?"

"Yes?" She and Dr. Anderson turned their attention to the young woman in the door.

"You have a phone call, ma'am. You can get it on line one in the office over there."

"Thank you." Morgan hastened to the office and impatiently punched the line one button. "Mallory, here...WHAT!...But that was already...missing...fine. I'll be there as soon as possible." She hung up the phone with a disgusted "Drat!"

"Problem?" Dr. Anderson was watching the young woman curiously.

"There's a screw-up with the shipment. They can't find part of the paperwork and are refusing to ship some of the items without it. I've got to go to the airport and sign the forms. They won't take a faxed copy."

"Which pieces are in danger of not arriving?" Dr. Anderson was concerned; he gone out on a limb to bring this exhibit to the museum and fervently hoped that the bad luck plaguing getting it would not continue once it was installed in its new home.

"I don't know. The woman at the airport didn't have the list in front of her. Will you fill Dr. McKensey in when he gets here? I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I may not be here myself but I'll leave word at the security desk. Go ahead and go out the side door. It's closer to the parking lot. I'll explain the alarm to the guards on my way out."

**********

Karen Simms glared at the pictures on her desk. She'd made record time to the precinct, hoping to beat Peter to the squad room. By the time she'd arrived the fax was long since complete. The return number on each page had been traced to a local office supply warehouse on the other side of town. Knowing it was futile, but hoping for the best, Broderick had contacted Skalany and Powell on their way back to the precinct and redirected them to the store.

Glancing up, she saw Peter hit the top of the stairs, followed closely by Caine and Kermit. Peter's face registered his surprise at the sight of his Captain in her office on a Saturday morning. His commentary on 'surprises' was forestalled by Broderick's "Captain wants you in her office, Detective."

The three men crossed the sparsely manned squad room and entered Simms' domain.

"Captain?"

"Gentlemen, please take a seat." She allowed her eyes to be drawn once more to her desktop. "Peter, there's no easy way to do this." She gathered the faxes from her desk and passed them to the young man. "These came a short time ago."

Peter could not help but grin in delight at the first image. His mother laughed brightly at him from inside a Harlequin costume. The black and white outfit and equally silly hat complemented her fair features and her face was filled with a joy of living that Peter had never seen in his mother before. His only images had been of a slightly older Laura whose personality had been tempered by the disease that claimed her life. He stared at the photo, eagerly drinking in every aspect of Laura.

Caine watched his son for a moment, then slowly held out his hand, and asked gently, "May I?"

Reluctantly, Peter Caine relinquished control of the old photo to his father. Peter quickly turned his attention to the next fax image, thus failing to see his father's confused frown as he looked at his long deceased spouse. Peter's gasp of astonishment drew his father away from his thoughts, "Peter?"

Peter Caine thumbed rapidly through the rest of the faxes, passing some to Kermit as he went. The older detective's features grew increasingly grim as he studied the fax sheets. Noticing the concern in his father's face, Peter handed him some of the pictures also.

Karen Simms was the first to break the silence, "Unless I'm wrong, Peter, I believe these pictures were all taken in the last six months."

Peter glared at the image in his hand, "Nine, Captain, nine. This son of a bitch has been watching me for nine months."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 08

Benjamin jumped slightly as he entered the hobby shop. The small robot positioned at the door gave a stilted greeting as each new customer arrived. Benjamin watched it for a moment as mechanical arms moved through a programmed pattern and then reset, awaiting the next person to open the door. He wandered up and down aisles that were crowded with a wide variety of items including rockets, telescopes, microscopes, and race cars. Frowning, he was on the verge of leaving when he rounded a corner and found, at long last, trains and their accessories. He stared in amazement at the wide variety of items available. His eyes were drawn to a western town layout, complete with rickety water tower and saloon. As he gently touched each miniature building, he thought, "Oh, Laura, Peter will be so pleased."

"May I help you, sir?" The middle-aged clerk eyed the newcomer in anticipation of a large sale. He was not disappointed.

"Yes, I'd like the entire western town and two of the tunnels."

"Yes, sir."

Benjamin looked at his watch, "And do you have a phone? I need to make a call."

*********

Lunch had been a somber affair. It had followed a frustrating conversation with Karen Simms on exactly who was conducting the investigation of this particular stalker. The young detective argued vehemently to be allowed to handle the case. It had take Karen, Kermit and Caine the better part of an hour to force the angry young man to calm down enough to do a reality check. He finally conceded, none too gracefully, that he was too close to the case to be the primary. Even so, he found himself flanked closely by his father and his friend as they left the precinct.

Peter sat silently at the table, idly chasing his peas around his plate. Kermit sat in nervous anticipation. He knew that this abnormal silence on the part of the youngest Caine would probably be followed by an unusually high flurry of activity. Activity, which, if past patterns held, would be based on emotions and have little if no logical thought surrounding them. So engrossed was the older detective in following Peter's fork that the vibration of his beeper startled him. Glancing quickly at the number, he excused himself from the table, dodged a nearby waiter and went to find a phone.

Caine took advantage of the ex-mercenary's absence to start a dialog with his son. "My son, we must talk."

Peas merged with corn as Peter continued to play with his food.

"Peter!" The Shaolin's sharp tone drew a quick reaction from his son.

"What?"

"These pictures of your mother and yourself have been very disturbing for you."

"No kidding, Pop. Tell me something new."

Caine ignored the sarcasm and continued, "But that is not all?"

Peter refused to look at his father, "It's just that you usually sense when something's wrong. I guess I'd kinda grown to count on it. And after the Eagleton visions, I sort of thought that I'd know if something was awry in my life as well. Instead, it seems that we were both surprised that this, this jerk even existed."

"I confess to no small amount of confusion myself. The only explanation seems to be that this poor, tormented soul has never posed a threat to either of us. And that something has happened to change that."

"Poor, tormented soul? Pop, get real. This asshole stalked us before MOTHER died and is stalking me right now. And all the time you stay the perfect, inscrutable Shaolin priest. Doesn't anything ever bother you?"

"Peter, I assure you that I am just as disturbed by these events as you are."

"Well, why don't you show it? All I've seen so far is mild concern."

"Would my ranting and raving about the pictures change the situation in any way, my son?"

"N...no," Peter reluctantly admitted, "but it would make you seem more human."

Caine sat silently for a moment, then commented, "Peter, I promise you that I have feelings about these photographs. Rage is probably the foremost emotion that I am attempting to deal with."

Peter looked shocked at his father's words but before he could reply, Caine went on, "These stolen pictures from our past anger me greatly. Almost all were taken by either myself or your mother. I do not understand how he obtained copies. But your mother is beyond his grasp. You, my son, are not. The photographs that were faxed to your precinct show that he has been too close to you on at least one occasion."

Peter blushed, "I didn't think you saw that picture in the park."

Caine gently cuffed his son's chin, "It was a most interesting photograph."

"Yes, well, uh." Peter cleared his throat, "Oh, all right, he's been close but I'm on my guard now. He won't get that close again."

"I wouldn't be too sure." Kermit Griffin placed a sheet of paper, face down on the table in front of the Caines. "This just came over the restaurant's fax machine, while I was on the phone."

Caine was once again too fast for his son and turned the paper over as Peter watched. A familiar image of Laura laughed at the men from her Harlequin costume.

Peter stammered, "T..This i..s the picture t..that came to the s..station. How?"

The ex-mercenary's voice was grim, "I do not know, kid, I just dammit, do not know."

*********

Morgan Mallory parked her rental car in short term parking and raced into the airport, long dark hair streaming behind her. The baggy sweatshirt did nothing to conceal her tall slender figure and her tight-fitting jeans caused more than one head to turn. The metal detector spasmed twice as she attempted to reach the local office of the air cargo company her boss had contracted with. She stomped her foot impatiently as the security guard ran the hand- held wand over her body. The large belt buckle at her waist was revealed as the culprit. The guard finally waved her on through the check-point and she increased her speed as she sought out the cargo offices. Fifteen minutes later she was signing the last of the clearance forms. The clerk had been unusually sympathetic to her cause and Morgan's mood was improving rapidly, "This stuff may just get here after all."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Sorry, I was talking to myself. Bad habit."

"I see, well there's only one more form." With that he passed a yellow form to the girl. Morgan barely managed to suppress a smile as she read it. "This is too weird," she thought. The sender on the last set of paperwork was listed as 'Benjamin A. McKensey', the recipient was 'Benjamin M. Anderson'.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 09

"OK, let's trace the number on this fax." Peter flung himself desperately into cop mode.

"Already called it in." Kermit replied dryly.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Where's the location?"

"Excuse me, kid, but that information belongs to the primaries on this case, Detectives Skalany and Powell."

"Dammit, Kermit, I'm a cop!"

"Not on this, you're not!"

Caine watched as the stand-off developed. His soft, "Peter" went unheeded by his son. He repeated, equally softly, "Peter."

The young detective kept his glare fixed on Kermit but finally responded, "What?"

"Did not your commander order you to leave this alone?"

"Y..Yes."

"Did you not give her your word that you would do so?"

An embarrassed Peter Caine turned to his father, and replied with a quiet, "Yes."

"Then you will compromise your honor if you go against her wishes."

"I..I just want it to stop, Father." Peter slouched into his chair.

"I know, my son, I know."

"Just knowing he's been out there, watching, for over half of the last year is really getting to me."

Kermit Griffin placed a supportive hand on Peter's shoulder.

Glancing back at his friend and coworker, Peter said, "I'm sorry Kermit."

"No problem, kid,"

The uncomfortable silence that followed caused Kermit to take a different tack, "OK, Peter, since it is your day off, what were you planning to do today?"

The young detective replied sadly, "Well, before all this garbage happened, I was going to the hobby shop in the Southeast mall."

Kermit looked puzzled, "Kid, just curious, but there're several shops closer than that one, why it?"

For the first time in almost twenty-four hours, Peter's face came alive with excitement, "They've got the best supply of train stuff. I've had my eye on a HO scale Boston & Maine 4-6-2 steam engine and the store's running a sale on their HO stock."

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

A very dejected pair of detectives returned to the 101st just after one. Broderick pointed them to Simms' office without a word.

"Captain?"

"Sit down, ladies. From your faces, I can see you didn't find anything on the faxes."

"No, Ma'am. The fax machine is in an open location but unless someone asks for help, no one pays any attention to it at all."

"Captain," Jody asked, "are the faxes still here or does the lab have them?"

Simms passed her the packet of faxed images, "I held them until you could take a look. All but one were taken relatively recently."

Skalany leaned in as Jody studied the first image of Laura. "Poor Peter, first the pictures in his bedroom, now this."

Jody let the picture drop to the Captain's desk. Picking up the next one she let out a startled, "Whoa!"

Skalany's eyes widened as she looked at the shot. "Peter Caine! In the PARK?" Recovering quickly, she asked, "Captain, do we know who the young, uh, lady, is?"

Karen Simms grinned, "Yes, Officer Bernice Holden of the 42nd."

"How red was Peter when he saw this?"

"Detective Powell, let's try to maintain a professional demeanor." Simms paused for a moment, "Very red. I suggest that one of you interview Officer Holden to see if she remembers anything unusual about that night."

Mary Margaret and Jody shared a silent "I doubt it", then Jody offered, "I'll talk to her. What about the other shots?"

"As you can see most are candid distance shots, Peter going into the dry cleaners, grocery store, that sort of thing. The ones taken at events like the all-star hockey game last month are also pretty useless. The reception at the mayor's was small enough that someone might have seen something but it was five months ago. No, Officer Holden is our best chance."

The buzzer went off suddenly and Karen punched it hard in frustration, "Yes."

Broderick's voice came through the line, "Captain, Kermit just called from the restaurant they went to. That last image of Peter's mom was just faxed there."

"Damn! Return number on the fax?"

"Being traced even as we speak."

"Jody, you talk to Officer Holden. Mary Margaret, this fax is yours."

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

Jody arrived at the 42nd; grinning she noted that the chaos component was just as alive there as it was at the 101st. The desk sergeant directed her to the office where Officer Holden was waiting.

Jody took a deep breath to settle her nerves, then entered the small office, "Officer Holden, I'm Detective Powell from the 101st."

A nervous voice replied, "I've been expecting you, the Captain said you wanted to ask me some questions. Am I in trouble?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that. We're just hoping you might have noticed something that will help us."

"I don't understand."

Jody hesitated a moment, then passed the woman the picture, "This pretty much tells it all."

"Oh, shit! Who took this?"

"That's what we hope to find out. Did you see anyone in the park?"

"No, not that I remember."

"How about any other night you were with Peter Caine?"

The young woman sighed with relief, "Oh, this is about PETER."

"Well, yes. Now about other times..."

"There weren't any other times. This was it."

"I don't understand."

"Well, Peter's a great looking guy and really, really, uh, good, but..."

"But?"

"He's dull."

Jody was shocked almost speechless, "D..Dull?"

"Well, tame might be a better word. Look, Detective Powell, for what it's worth, I like my sex on the wild side and it took the better part of an evening to get him to even consent to sex much less do it in the park."

"I, uh, I see," Jody gulped in a mind-clearing breath, "So there wasn't anyone in the park."

"No, I tried to talk him into the movie theater, but he said there were too many people there. He was afraid someone might see us."

"But they might have." Jody couldn't control her shock.

"That's half the fun, Detective. Sex in public and not getting caught." Bernice giggled as she spoke.

"Well, thank you for your time." Jody was anxious to make an exit.

"No, problem, any time."

Jody was edging toward the door when Bernice suddenly called out, "Hey, there was someone outside the park. A man."

"Can you describe him?" The eagerness in Jody's voice made the other woman laugh.

"Better than that. It was Maury Spencer. He's a sleaze-ball private detective that usually operates in our precinct. But he wasn't following us. It looked like he'd been there for quite some time when we arrived."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 10

Kwai Chang Caine stood back and watched his son. When they'd entered the hobby store, Peter had been greeted, by name, by every clerk in the store. He had returned their greetings enthusiastically, but never wavered from his course toward the back of the store. Caine had trailed behind the excited young man, somewhat befuddled by the wide variety of hobby accessories on sale. They'd temporarily lost Kermit at the front door, when the little robot did its welcome. The ex-mercenary was now leaning against a wall, watching the Shaolin watch the young cop.

"He certainly is engrossed, isn't he?"

"Yes. He is unusually enthusiastic." Caine smiled as Peter moved swiftly from one item to another. The priest in him had no need of material things and frowned at the youngest Caine's self-indulgence. The father in him quickly silenced the priest and relished the sight of his only child enjoying his hobby. Caine was startled to realize that he rarely spent time with Peter doing what Peter enjoyed. Instead Peter did whatever Caine, or Lo Si, required of him. He was saddened deeply to recognize that by ignoring Peter's interests, he had effectively locked himself out of this portion of Peter's life.

"Hey Marty?" Peter hailed an older clerk.

"What, Peter?"

"Did you finally sell that Western town as a set or did you have to break it apart?"

"Sold it just this morning to some guy, and two tunnels as well."

"Whew, dude must have money."

"Probably, he paid cash but he either didn't know anything about trains or he's into it in a real big way."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, Peter, he bought some track almost as an afterthought, but bought 'Z', 'N' and 'HO' scale."

********

The phone was once again ringing off the hook as Karen Simms opened her front door. She reached it by the third ring, barely beating the answering machine. "Simms."

"Captain, it's Mary Margaret. That fax number turned out to be across the street from the restaurant in one of those quickie copy shops."

"I take it no one saw anything."

"Not around the time of the fax, no. It looks like another dead end."

"Keep me posted, Skalany."

"Yes, Ma'am."

As she hung up the phone, Karen Simms punched the sofa in frustration, "Damn it to hell. We've got to get this jerk."

********

The sale had been a good one and Peter had been delighted to be able to purchase the engine he'd been looking at, as well a Diner car, for the original price of the engine. So high were his spirits that he was not at all perturbed by the unusually high traffic near downtown. Even thoughts of the stalker were banished by his good mood. He chattered merrily away about his purchases while his hands beat a snappy tune on the steering wheel.

Kwai Chang Caine had elected to sit in the back seat, leaving the front for Kermit. The Shaolin sat lost in his thoughts until he suddenly heard,

"Earth to Pop!"

"My son?"

"Where were you, Pop? I've called you three times."

"I am sorry, my son, I was thinking."

"'Bout what, Pop?" Peter asked curiously.

Taking a deep breath, Caine asked tentatively, "I do not understand why it was wrong to purchase 'Z', 'N' and 'HO' track."

Both Kermit and Caine could plainly see Peter's pleasure in being asked the question. Truth be known, Kermit was interested as well. "Well, Pop, it's not actually wrong, but it is unusual. 'Z', 'N' and 'HO' are three different sizes of track. Cars that run on one, won't run on the other. 'HO's the most popular so it's got the widest variety of accessories. It gets pretty expensive to set up all three since they really need separate layouts to look right. I've only got 'HO' and that's enough for me."

Peter brought the Stealth to a smooth stop as the light changed. A blue mini-van moved carefully into the intersection in preparation for making a left turn. An approaching siren caught their attention and Kermit switched on the police bands to see what was happening. Almost simultaneously, a small pickup truck came from nowhere and swerved around a slow moving Jeep. To the horror of the onlookers, the driver of the litle truck lost control and spun-out, T-Boning the mini-van. The cruiser in pursuit screeched to a halt as Peter, Kermit and Caine raced to the stricken vehicles. The screaming woman in the driver's seat was struggling to remove her belt as Peter jerked open the door. He released the catch and pulled her away from the van as she fought to free herself from his grasp.

"MY KIDS ARE IN THE BACK, I'VE GOT TO GET THEM." Her frantic scream almost deafened Peter as he shoved her into Kermit's arms and raced back to the van. Caine, and the cruiser officer were assisting two shaken, but uninjured teenage boys from the truck.

"HOW MANY?" Peter screamed back at the woman.

"Two in the back, and the baby's in the center seat. Dear God, I thought she'd be safe there." She collapsed in hysterical sobs as she spoke and Kermit passed her care onto Caine, who'd left the boys to assist with the victims from the van.

Kermit ran toward the center doors and found them crushed shut, windows now mere slits. "Shit, kid, the fuel tank's ruptured, this thing can go at any moment."

Two terrified and bloody faces screamed at the rear window as Peter fought with the door. He managed to get it ajar enough for the frightened children to scramble to him. He passed them quickly to the ex-mercenary who raced them back to their frantic mother.

Racing to the side window, he saw the infant seat jammed up against the crushed doors. To his relief, he heard the baby's frightened wails as he crashed through the windows. The narrowed windows were too small for his frame to slide through. "Damn IT, I can't reach her." He begin what he knew would be a futile attempt to pry the window further open, when a voice behind him said urgently, "Move, I'll fit."

Moving quickly aside, he barely had time to see the slender figure as the young woman squeezed quickly through the narrowed opening. Her jeans ripped at her hips as she forced her way to the baby. Releasing the crying infant from her bonds, the young woman carefully passed her to Peter, "Careful, her neck could be hurt, that infant seat's in real bad shape."

Kermit arrived back at the van as Peter turned to race to safety with the baby. Seeing sparks fly under the van, Kermit gave the young woman no time to make a graceful exit. As her head and shoulders cleared the broken window, he reached in, yanked her out and with a non-stop motion, carried her away from the van. The explosion that followed threw both of them to the ground at Peter's feet.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 11

Caine assisted an uninjured Kermit to his feet as Peter knelt beside the young brunette, "Are you all right?"

"Just peachy. How's the family?" She turned her head in search of the van's occupants and watched as Kermit made his way toward the fire chief. She then attempted to rise, wincing as her bruised muscles protested. Peter held firmly onto her arm as she got shakily to her feet.

"Various cuts and bruises, and the mother has broken ribs but no life-threatening injuries." Caine nodded toward the departing ambulance, "You were in time."

"Barely," she replied. Turning to the young man at her elbow, she asked, "You were careful, weren't you?"

"Yes," he smiled, "I was careful. The paramedics even said so."

She looked at him suspiciously for a moment, then returned his smile, "Good. That car seat was almost non-existent."

Kermit returned from checking with the fire chief, "Everyone was very lucky. The chief says if the two kids had been in the center seat, they would have been badly hurt. It was only the infant seat that saved the baby."

The young woman turned quickly toward the ex-mercenary, "Thank you. I wouldn't have gotten out it time if you hadn't pulled me."

"You were very brave; you didn't have to go into the van." Kermit answered, embarrassed a little by her praise.

She looked vaguely surprised, "Yes, I did, if I wanted to live with myself."

Peter interjected, "Still, you were very brave, Miss?"

"Mallory, Morgan Mallory." She glanced down at her shredded pants, "Oh, geez, I better get off the streets before I get arrested for indecent exposure."

Peter laughed, "Well, Ms. Mallory, I can guarantee that no one will bother you."

"How come?"

Peter nodded to Kermit, and replied, "We're cops."

***********

It was late in the afternoon before Benjamin McKensey arrived at the museum. As he checked in at the security desk, the guard on duty checked his id. "Oh, Dr. McKensey?"

"Yes?"

"Dr. Anderson left word that Ms. Mallory had to go to the cargo offices at the airport. Something about paperwork."

"Great, just great."

"Sir?"

"I'm sorry, thank you for the message. Where is Dr. Anderson?"

"He left just after Ms. Mallory to run some errands."

"Oh, I see. If he returns, will you ask him to come to the second floor display hall?"

"Certainly, sir."

McKensey signed in quickly then headed for the exhibit room which would soon house, he hoped, his life's work.

***********

Chaos reigned for a while at the crash scene as fire trucks threw water on the inferno. Police officers from the local precinct arrived to do crowd control and take statements from all witnesses available. The young cruiser officer was badly shaken by the events which were beyond his control.

"But, sir, that family could have been killed. I shouldn't have pursued those kids."

Peter asked severely, "Then why did you?"

"They were driving recklessly, sir. They'd already sideswiped another car about two miles back."

"Then your pursuit probably didn't make much difference, now did it?" Peter had deliberately softened his tone.

"Sir?"

"Did they increase speed when you turned on your siren?"

"No, sir, they were going pretty fast al.. OH!"

"Exactly, they would have hit someone sooner or later, anyway. I'll testify to what I saw at the hearing. Now you'd better get back to your precinct and fill in the paperwork."

"Y..yes, sir. T..Thank you, sir."

Morgan Mallory was finishing up her statement to a patrolman as Peter walked up. Caine had lent her his long jacket to prevent her from 'exposing herself to the world', as she put it. He smiled at the pretty young woman and asked, "All finished?"

"YES!" she said fervently, "Do you suppose anyone will have a hissy fit if I leave now? I'm already really, really late."

"We've got your address?"

"It's on the statement."

"Then I guess we can part with your company, reluctantly, but we'll make the sacrifice."

"You're not Irish by any chance, are you?"

"No, why?"

"Cause that, Mr. Cop, was the biggest bunch of blarney that I've heard in a while. Surely a man of your obvious talents can do better than that."

Peter blushed, "Yes, uh, well,"

"Oooo. You do turn a pretty shade of pink." Morgan laughed at his increased embarrassment, "But seriously, could I call you later and find out how that family is doing? I know they won't give me any information at the hospital, but as a cop, you should be able to find out how they are. I'm really worried about that baby."

"No problem." Grateful for the change in subject, Peter gave her his phone number as he escorted her to her car.

As she handed him Caine's jacket, Morgan added, "Thank your father again for me. His jacket came in really handy." With that, she started her car and drove away.

Peter walked slowly back to the Stealth. Kermit and Caine were waiting for him there. "Here, Pop, Ms. Mallory says thanks."

"She is most welcome. She is a very brave young woman."

"Not to mention, very pretty." Kermit added slyly.

Peter smiled broadly, "That she is, and she's got MY phone number."

"Don't let it go to your head, kid. You ready to get out of here?"

"Yeah, let's go back to my place. I'll call the hospital from there and find out how everyone's doing. AND I've got an engine to try out."

**********

Twenty minutes later, Peter unlocked his apartment door. The horror of the near tragedy had faded and his excitement about the new train pieces had increased as he got closer to his home. He was once again chatting merrily about the set-ups he would try when he froze in the foyer and gasped, "Oh, my God!"

Caine and Kermit pushed their way around the stunned young cop to stare in dismay at a living room filled with balloons. Only weights attached to the streamers prevented them from floating freely to the ceiling. And in the far corner, near the train set, stood a life-size photo of Laura, again in the Harlequin costume. As Kermit reached for his cell-phone, Peter sank slowly to the floor, "Oh God, for a little while I'd forgotten about HIM."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 12

Mary Margaret gasped and clung to the door handle of Jody's Buick. "Good Lord, Jody, did you take driving lessons from Peter?"

"No, why?"

"Because," she squealed, "This is a sedan, not a Stealth. I don't think you should take the corners like that."

"We've got to get to Peter's."

"Yes, but I'd like to get there, EEEK! ... alive."

"Fine. I'll slow down."

"Only," her shaken partner replied, "because we're here."

Jody pulled her car into the closest parking space she could find, then she and Mary Margaret raced to Peter's apartment. The elevator ride gave them a chance to catch their breath. Skalany shook her head in mild amusement as Jody forced her way through the opening door. Arriving at Peter's apartment, Kermit admitted them and pointed grimly to the living room. The lab crew was already hard at work dusting for prints. "Non-existent prints," was Kermit's only thought. Jody's thoughts circled around Peter and how he must feel. Mary Margaret, on the other hand, could think only of Caine.

Jody walked slowly toward the balloons. There were nine sets of balloons, all pale blue with various baby decorations and ranging from one to nine balloons in each set. The set with nine balloons had candy cigars attached to every one. A card dangled enticingly from one of the streamers. She looked expectantly at the nearest lab tech.

"No prints, Detective Powell, go ahead and look at the note."

Jody detached the card from the balloon and returned to where her friends were. She started to open the card, then looked at Peter. Unable to deny him, she passed the card to her dearest friend. Peter took a deep breath and started to read. He choked on the first words and Kermit took it from him:



My Dear Child,

I am so very, very sorry for the pain you have suffered at HIS hands. Rest assured your mother never told me of your existence. Had she done so, I would have returned, no matter the cost to my career, to make her my wife. Soon we will be joined as only a father and son should be.

With much love,

Daddy


Silence hovered over the group like a shroud. Skalany was the first to speak, "Caine, I must ask. Is what he suggests possible?"

Kwai Chang Caine positively blanched, "NO! Laura and I were married almost two years before Peter arrived."

Caine was so intent on Mary Margaret's face, that he missed Peter's sigh of relief. Kermit, however, did not. "Damn the man," he thought, "He screwing with the kid's mind, big time."

*********

Morgan Mallory parked her car in the parking garage of Sutton Place, as close as she could get to the elevators. She climbed gingerly from her car, the bruises on her hips aching as she moved. Glancing down at her ravaged clothing, she regretted again not keeping that nice Mr. Caine's jacket for a while longer. Moving as quickly as possible to the elevator she impatiently punched the button, over and over again. After what seemed an eternity, the doors opened, and she was able to slip in and punch her floor. She muttered a small prayer of thanks as she slipped, unnoticed, into her room. Once there, she froze at the mountain of paperwork that had obviously been delivered in her absence.

"Thank you very much Dr. McKensey or is some of this from Dr. Anderson?" Laughing, she knew she'd get no answers from the pile of paper, so she opted for a bath instead.

*********

Mary Margaret had also not missed Peter's sigh of relief but chose to ignore it. She had a job to do and personal feelings had to be cruelly suppressed for her to be successful.

"Caine, I know this will be hard for you but we really need to hear the story behind this latest photo of your wife."

Kwai Chang Caine turned troubled eyes to the younger woman, "I fear I cannot give you what you wish."

"Great," Mary Margaret thought, "I've touched a nerve." Aloud, she said, "I'm sorry, Caine, I don't like having to pry, but it may help us find this nut."

"You misunderstand, Mary Margaret, I do not know the story. Until today I had not seen this photograph of my Laura."

*********

Morgan sipped at her hot chocolate, grateful once again for the wonderful extras this hotel provided. She'd muddled her way through much of the paperwork, dividing it into two stacks, one for her Dr. McKensey, the other for Dr. Anderson.

"Why on earth did I agree to handle the museum opening for Dr. Anderson at the same time I'm handling the exhibit setup for Dr. McKensey? I really need to stop this over-achiever nonsense. What on earth?" Her eyes settled on a manila envelope with no markings. She quickly flipped it over and was surprised to see nothing there either. "OK, fine. I'll open you now." She ripped into the sealed envelope and withdrew a series of photos. Her brow furrowed with confusion at the first few photographs of a young woman in clothing that looked like something out of the sixties. "OK, this is weird." The next series of photos caused her to gasp in surprise, "What the heck?" She stared in shock at a series of pictures of the young cop she'd met at the wreck.

*********

After an agonizingly long stay the lab crew finally departed. Peter sat slumped on his sofa, attempting to sort out his thoughts.

"OK, Kid, you've got that 'I have got an idea' look. What?" "Kermit, this guy thinks he's my dad, right?"

"Looks that way."

"Well, when a woman's pregnant, what happens?" The puzzled detective looked at his younger friend and searched his face. Finding only a sincere interest in the answer to his question, Kermit responded, "Well, if everything goes normally she delivers a baby in nine..."

"You got it, Kermit. A woman is pregnant for nine months."

Mary Margaret spoke up, "The balloons - there were nine sets, to symbolize the nine months. It makes sense, in a crazy sort of way."

"It does fit with the baby toys, but why now?" Jody asked. "And it's obvious this guy's one card shy of a full deck." Mary Margaret couldn't hide her concern as she addressed Peter, "So this guy's counting down to your birth as his son?"

"That's my guess, and as to why now," Peter sighed, "My birthday's next week."

Kermit looked grave, "Kid, what comes at the end of a pregnancy?"

"A baby."

Kermit shook his head as Caine responded, "Yes, my son, but before the baby there is the very pain filled process called 'labor'."

Peter Caine's eyes traveled from one person to the next, his only response being, "Oh, shit."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 13

With the revelation that Caine did not recognize the Harlequin photograph of Laura, Mary Margaret had elected to bypass further discussion of the issue until the lab personnel had departed. The frightening thought that this madman looked as if he were planning for Peter's birth had served to suppress the necessary questions for an additional space of time. A sideways glance in the direction of the train set, where the image had stood, pulled the question back to the surface.

"Caine, you said earlier that you didn't recognize the photo of Laura that was here. D..Did she ever speak of such a costume?"

"Laura spoke of many costumes," Caine replied sadly, "She was heavily involved in community theater. That is where we met. I was the janitor at the theater where she was acting."

Peter stared at his father, "I..I didn't know any of that. Y..You never told me that."

Caine gently touched Peter's face, "I am sorry, my son. She has been gone so long. I did not think you would find it interesting."

"ANY piece of Mother is interesting, Father. It's not like I have a lot of her."

Kwai Chang Caine barely controlled his hurt as Peter spoke, "When this is over, we will speak of your Mother."

"Yeah, right. Like we've talked about those fifteen years!"

Caine could not suppress his feelings this time, "Peter!"

The younger man visibly cringed, "I..I'm sorry, Father. I..I shouldn't have said that."

The Shaolin's eyes filled with tears as he pulled his son into an embrace. "I understand, my son, but we will talk. You have my word." Peter pulled out of the hug and nodded without speaking.

An embarrassed Mary Margaret gulped, then spoke, "I know this will be painful, Caine, but we really need to know about Laura. Did she ever speak of old boyfriends?"

"Laura was very beautiful and very popular. She had many dates but she was never seriously involved with any of the ones I knew." Caine's pride in his late wife showed in his face as well as his voice.

"What about ones you didn't know?"

The Shaolin's slight frown showed Mary Margaret that she might have struck pay dirt. His reply was slow in coming, "There was one whom I never met. He was out of the country when I found my Laura."

"Do you know anything about him?"

Caine hesitated, glanced at Peter, then replied, "Laura had to go out of town for a while. An old friend was having surgery and needed her help. This was shortly after we became engaged. She wrote me about a letter she received from him after she became engaged to me. I do not know what he wrote but his letter caused her much pain."

"No name?"

"Yes. Benjamin."

"No last name?"

"I do not think so."

"Do you remember anything else that might help us?"

"It has been so long since I read the letter."

"Well, I really meant anything else, friends, co-workers at the time. Particularly since the letter's gone."

"It is not.. Gone." Caine spoke with obvious reluctance.

All eyes stared at the Shaolin.

"But I thought, I mean, the temple..." Mary Margaret's words died on her lips as she caught sight of Peter's pale face.

He stuttered, "Y..You have a L..LET..TER from M..Mother t..that you n..never sh..showed me?"

"It is not a letter that a child should read."

"I'm not a child, Pop." The anger and hurt in Peter's voice was unmistakable..

"You misunderstand. It is not a letter that a son should read."

"POP!"

"NO, Peter."

The youngest Caine glared at his father for a short moment then stalked away to fiddle with his beloved train set.

Keeping her voice low, Skalany asked, "Caine, Jody and I need to read this letter. Will you permit that?"

Caine nodded slowly, then sadly looked toward his son. Peter would not turn to face him. Caine sighed deeply and followed Mary Margaret and Jody out the door.
***********

Morgan's thoughts went into a tail-spin - who was the young woman in the pictures and why were her photos in with what appeared to be surveillance photos of that cop? Better yet, what the hell were the things doing in HER hotel room. "Settle down, Morgan, there's got to be a simple explanation for this, but what?" She paced up and down the small confines of the suite but try as she might she didn't like what she came up with. The simplest explanation was that the manila envelope had been delivered by mistake with the remainder of the items from Dr. McKensey and Dr. Anderson. "OK, there could be a really innocuous reason why one of them has a folder full of pictures of, what's his name, Patrick, no, Peter Caine. Yeah, right, Morgan, like taking telephoto shots of a cop is a national pastime."

She crossed to the phone, and dialed a familiar number.

After what seemed an eternity, a male voice answered "Hello?"

" Jeff, it's Morgan."

"Hi, Little Bit, what's up?"

"Jeff, can you think of any reason someone would take candid photos of a cop?"

"Sure, lot's of em."

Morgan waited a moment, "Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Dammit, Jeff! What reasons?"

"Touchy aren't we, little sister, you didn't ask what. What is this book about anyway?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm not researching a book, this time. I'm still helping Dr. McKensey get his exhibit set up. Now what reasons?"

"OK, he's under investigation by the Feds or Locals, or on the flip side, he or she is being set up, or even targeted for murder. Those are the best I can do right now. I've got to be at Linda's in thirty minutes. Now answer something for me, Why?"

Morgan hesitated a moment, then blurted out the story.

Jeff Mallory's voice was grim, "This doesn't sound good, Bit. Have either of your doctors been acting odd lately?"

She snorted a laugh, "McKensey's always odd, and I hardly know Dr. Anderson. But even so, with the problems we've had even getting this stuff into town, both of them are as jumpy as the proverbial cat on a hot tin roof. So, do I try to charm the info out of the Docs or do I talk to the cop?"

"Do not, under any circumstances, let either Doctor know you've got the pictures. Get hold of this cop and show them to him, fast. It sounds very bad to me and he needs to be warned. BUT, you need to be careful. You're young, not immortal."

"Jeff, I can take care of myself."

"Right. Girl knows a few moves and thinks she can take care of herself. "

"Excuse me, but I took you down last time we sparred."

"Yeah, but you lost to Mark and Mike."

"They are Navy Seals, and you lost to them, too."

"Yeah, but I'm a JAG lawyer. Seriously, sis, be careful. My life expectancy will be short, if anything happens to you and I didn't call the others about your, uh, problem."

"You aren't going to call them, are you? Daddy will just go ballistic."

"Little Bit, I assumed that's why you called the lawyer in the family. You know, attorney/client stuff."

"Thanks, Jeff."

"Don't mention it, uh , ever. And go call that cop."

"Right." Hanging up the phone, she fumbled through her purse, searching for the card with his phone number on it. Morgan finally located it lodged between her make-up case and wallet. She reached for the hand set. The sudden ring caused her to jump nervously and she practically yanked the phone off the table answering it. "Hello? ...Oh, hi Doc...yeah, uh, e..everything was here when I got here... don't worry, I'll handle it...You're welcome...Oh, I've taken care of the airport mess....Yeah, I'm sorry I couldn't get back to the museum, but there was a wreck on my way ba...No, not mine...But I was a witness and the p..police needed a statement....OK, Tomorrow. Bye!"

***********

"Damn! Damn that security guard!" He threw a piece of unused track across the bedroom, "That hesitation - the pictures are there and she's seen them." He walked toward the live-size blow-up of Peter Caine. Gently touching the image's face, he said, "Nothing will separate us, my dear boy. Nothing. But it's a pity. She's very young." As he spoke, his hand traveled the length of the blow-up's figure, stopping to rest delicately on the visible portion of Peter's Beretta.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 14

As the door closed behind Caine and the two detectives, Kermit waited in silence, knowing that Peter Caine would speak sooner or later. He didn't have long to wait. Peter fiddled with a small box car for a moment then placed it gently back on the tracks. Kermit winced as Peter slammed a fist into the wall beside the track. Still not willing to meet his friend's eyes, Peter said quietly, "He's going to let them read the letter, isn't he, Kermit?"

"Yes, kid."

Peter whirled to face the older man, "I can't believe he never showed me the letter, Kermit. He never even TOLD me about the letter."

Kermit shrugged helplessly, "I don't know, Peter, maybe it was too personal for him to share."

"He's going to share it now!"

"Only to help you, Peter."

"But..."

His comment was cut short by the telephone. As the young detective turned to answer it, Kermit couldn't help but worry about the sudden rift that had developed between father and son. He knew from past experience that his young friend had a tendency to become reckless when his relationship with Caine was in turmoil.

Peter's sudden exclamation of "WHAT!" occurred just as Kermit's cell phone rang. The ex-mercenary tried to focus on both Peter and his own conversation but found it to be an impossible task.

"Kermit, are you listening?"

"Yes, Karen." Kermit watched as Peter spoke softly into his phone and began pacing within the limits of the phone cord.

"Detective Griffin, I need your undivided attention and you need to be able to speak without Peter hearing you. I don't want that young man any more involved in this case than he has to be."

"Yes, Captain." The older detective glanced at his younger friend. Peter's conversation was too low to be heard but had the appearance of being a long one. Kermit moved quickly into Peter's bedroom and said, "Go ahead, Captain."

"Fine. Mary Margaret did a good job. Even though there were no witnesses, she had the fax machine across from the restaurant dusted for prints."

"Something turned up?"

"Oh, yeah. Ricardo Hernandez."

"THAT Sleazebag! What the hell?"

"TJ's going to interview Mr. Hernandez and Maury Spencer."

"Spencer!"

"Yes. Evidence looks like both may be trailing Peter."

Kermit was stunned, "Wait a minute. You're telling me that two Private Detectives have been trailing Peter, and Peter didn't notice? I don't think so. The kid's too good for that."

"I don't make up the facts, Kermit, but Spencer was at the park where some of the first pictures were taken..."

"Ouch."

"Right, and with Hernandez's prints, well, Peter obviously missed something. Facts don't lie."

"Karen, you can think that if you wish, but I'm telling you something's really wrong. You'll never get me to believe that Peter didn't know about those two dirt-bags. You'll keep me posted?"

"You'll know as fast as possible. Take care of Peter."

"Oh, yeah." Kermit snapped his cell phone shut and returned to the living room. "Peter, who was th..." The ex-mercenary stared in horror at the empty space where Peter Caine had been.

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

Peter Caine felt a momentary pang of guilt as he climbed aboard the city bus two blocks down from his apartment building. Saying a "Sorry, Kermit", he dropped into a seat near the front. As he stared morosely out of the window, he thought he recognized a figure on the sidewalk he'd just vacated. Glancing quickly backwards, he found no one there. "Naw, I'm just seeing things. Carl Reynolds digs up most of his dirt in the 110th's area. He'd never be in this neck of the woods."

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

Kermit raced down the steps to the garage, cursing as he went. He'd taken a short moment to check the number on Peter's caller id device, then darted out the door. He clicked opened his cell phone and managed to call in an APB on Peter's Stealth and a trace on the call the kid had received as he ran down the stairs. Interference from steel beams ended his conversation with Broderick before he reached the bottom of the stairs. Cursing loudly, he snapped closed the useless phone, thrust open the garage doors and raced for Peter's regular parking place, hoping against hope to catch the young idiot before he left the garage. The ex-mercenary slid to a stop and glared at the Stealth. "God dammit, kid. Where are you?"

The frustrated detective headed for the nearest exit to the garage. A horn blared and he leaped out of the path of a red Taurus. An angry man yelled, "What are you, nuts?" as the car disappeared into the bowels of the building. Kermit ignored the near disaster as he hit the sidewalk. Breathing very hard, he glanced in both directions. No sign of Peter. He leaned down, resting his hands on his knees and tried to regain some control on his breathing. When at last he could speak, he lifted his cell-phone and called the station.

"Broderick, cancel the APB on Peter's car. He didn't take it. Run a check on the cab companies and see if they picked up a fare near here that matches Peter's description. Also, find out when the last bus left the bus stops within a two block radius of here. Can we get anything on that call he got from Sutton Place?"

"No dammit. His caller-id only got us there. It's their main number going to an internal phone system that doesn't show up on caller id and the damn manager is asking for a court order to produce his call-out records."

"Did you explain..."

"Yes, Kermit. The Captain spoke to the asshole herself. He has to protect the privacy of his guests. Captain Simms is working on a court order but it is Saturday night." Broderick spoke with a sneer.

"Shit. I'm going to Sutton Place. Get a car to Sutton Place. Tell them to keep Peter there for me, even if it means cuffing him."

"Kermit, are you sure..."

"YES! Peter is not operating at full throttle and this nut appears to have all the cards. Cuff him and throw him in the squad car if necessary and keep me posted."

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

Twelve blocks from his apartment complex, Peter Caine climbed out of the bus. He quickly purchased a baseball cap at a nearby shop and walked half a block to the nearest cab stand. The bored cabby sized up the younger man as he climbed into the cab.

"Bayside Park and hurry."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 15

The ride to Kwai Chang Caine's living quarters was made in silence. Jody was too uncomfortable with what had occurred to speak and Mary Margaret was too worried about Caine's letter to start a conversation. As for Caine, Peter's anger had hurt him deeply and left him with his emotional defenses at a low ebb.

Mary Margaret pulled into a parking place close to the Shaolin's abode and all three started for the brownstone. As they started to climb the stairs, Caine suddenly held up a hand, stopping the women, "Someone has been here." Before either detective could prevent it, Caine took the remainder of the steps two at a time. Jody and Mary Margaret raced after him but his lead was too great.

"Caine, don't!", Mary Margaret tried in vain to prevent the man she cared deeply for, from entering his living area without her.

A strangled cry from inside the rooms caused both women to draw their weapons and increase their pace. They froze in the doorway at the site in front of them.

Jody recovered first saying, "I'll call it in" as she disappeared back down the stairs.

Mary Margaret moved slowly forward and knelt beside the distraught figure huddled in a heap on the floor. Tears streamed down Caine's face as he turned to look at the younger woman. "I am sorry, Mary Margaret, this is just, just...." His voice broke and he buried his head in his hands.

Not quite knowing what to do, she opted to take a closer look at the additions to Caine's apartment. Her eyes widened with horror as she realized that the enlarged photographs were a series of shots taken of a horrible fire. Judging from Caine's reaction, this had to be the destruction of the temple. Terrified occupants could be seen fleeing the flames. Each image was increasingly worse, with walls beginning to crumble and people falling to the ground underneath the debris. An out of place arrow caught her eye and she moved toward it. Looking closely at the figures indicated by the arrow, she was shocked to see a much younger Kwai Chang Caine being helped from the building, blood streaming from a gaping head wound.

A trembling voice spoke from behind her, "This was attached to the arrow." Caine thrust a crumbled letter into her hand and backed away from the photograph.

She tore her eyes away from the shaken man, and started to read the letter out loud. The words on the paper put a chill in her soul.

"Peter was still inside, Kwai Chang Caine. You left her son to die. He was inside, screaming for you to help him. You left him there. You ran away to save yourself and left him to die in the flames. She will never forgive you for that. I will never forgive you for that and Peter, well, Peter will soon learn he should not forgive you for that.'"

***********

Peter paid the cab driver at the entrance to the park and watched the cab drive away. Walking quickly into the park, he headed for the children's playground. The stars were clear in the moonless night as he approached the deserted swings. Exhausted, he realized that he'd been up entirely too long. He'd need to sleep soon, but there was so much left to do. The motion of the swing in which he'd sat down dulled his senses enough so that the girl's voice took him by surprise.

"Detective Caine?"

He jumped out of the swing and faced the pretty young woman. "Miss Mallory, thank you for meeting me here."

"It's Morgan, and I don't really understand why you wanted to meet in a deserted park, this time of night. Wouldn't my room have been better, Detective Caine?"

"Peter, please. No, I, uh, had to slip a body guard to get here and my caller id gave the number of your hotel, besides I don't want you involved in my problem."

"I see and you want to ' fix' the problem yourself because you don't want anyone hurt on your account and you really don't need any help."

Peter blushed in embarrassment, "Well, yes. Something like that. How did you know?"

"I have four over-achieving, macho older brothers, Peter. Any one of them would have done exactly the same thing. I suppose you'd like to see the photographs now."

"Yes, by all means."

"I left them in the car. Come on, we'll take my car and go somewhere with better light. Some of the details won't show in the car lights. Then you can tell me the whole story."

"Look, I don't want to get you involved. If you'll just give me the pic...."

"Don't think so." It was Morgan's turn to look embarrassed. "I, uh, neglected to mention that Dr. McKensey called before I called you. I'm afraid I was a little nervous on the phone with him and trust me, he'll have noticed my tension. Even if Dr. McKensey isn't behind the photos, they still came to my place, and whoever had them taken is going to suspect that I've seen them. So correct me if I'm wrong but I think I'm involved whether I want to be or not. We'll look at them together." Morgan turned and started toward her car, "Coming?"

Peter shook his head and followed, "I think this is a mistake but I'm too tired to argue." He walked beside her for a short distance, then asked, "FOUR brothers?"

"Yepper, four OLDER brothers."

***********

"Caine, you can't let this madman get to you. It didn't happen like this." Mary Margaret once again found herself kneeling beside Caine's trembling form.

"You are wrong, Mary Margaret. Peter was still inside then. Ping Hi had Kahn help me out, then went back to rescue others. My child was only twelve, Mary Margaret. He was surrounded by flames, screaming for me. I heard him and could not get to him because of the flames. The ceiling collapsed on him and his screams died with him or so I thought. I could not get to him, Mary Margaret, but I heard him, then and for the fifteen years that I wandered. I heard him, and could do nothing. Laura, forgive me, I could do nothing."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 16

Anger was the primary emotion on the man's face as he read the figure on the PC monitor, ~250,000~.

His tanned fingers typed a response into the private chat room, ~50,000~.

~No deal, 200,000~

~I can get cheaper~

~But not safer - results guaranteed or your money back and I've already got a tail on her.~

~100,000~

~150,000 and I get to play first~

Benjamin leaned back in his chair and thought for a moment. Morgan was a sweet child but there was too much at stake. He gently touched the framed picture of Peter on his desk. Leaning forward he typed his final response, ~Done. The girl is yours, but NO witnesses~.

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

"Drive north on Cannon." Peter instructed as he dropped his tired frame into the passenger seat.

"Where are we going?"

"Doesn't much matter. That area has several all night coffee shops and restaurants that we can go to. Have you eaten?"

"No." Morgan admitted, "I haven't had time."

"Me either. You like Mexican?"

"Yes. The hotter the better."

"Great. Then look for The Matador. The food's good and the lights are not so dim that I can't see the photos. How many are there?"

"Twelve but only eight are of you."

The young man next to her took a deep breath and asked, "And the other four?"

"Some young woman in a get-up that looks to be straight out of the sixties."

Peter reached into his wallet and removed a picture. He said nothing else until she stopped at a light. "Is this her?"

"Yes. Who is she?"

His reply was almost too soft to be heard, "My mother."

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

Kermit Griffin restlessly paced the lobby of the Sutton Place Hotel. The night manager was growing increasingly uneasy with the behavior of the strange man in sunglasses. Guests and staff were taking a wide berth around the man and even the two uniformed patrolmen were showing signs of discomfort. The appearance of a lovely blond in the outer door was a welcome distraction to all present.

Karen Simms acknowledged Kermit's presence with a slight nod as she made her way to the front desk. "Mr. Rafferty?"

"May I help you, Madam?" The manager was entirely too eager to please.

"Here's your court order. I want those phone records now!"

The stunned man stared blankly at the papers in his hand, "Y..You're a cop?"

Karen bit back the sarcastic remark that rose to her lips, they might need this idiot's help, "Yes, now about those records."

"It should be simpler than that, Captain," Kermit spoke in icy tones directed at the overwhelmed manager, "With the system they've got, you should be able to enter the number dialed in the computer and get the room it was called from."

"Is this true?" Karen glared at the manager.

"Y..Yes, C..Captain. W..What number do you need?"

The ex-mercenary handed the man a scrap of paper with Peter's number and within minutes, the hotel room popped up.

"Who's room is that?" The question came from Simms and Griffin simultaneously.

"Morgan Mallory."

"What!" Kermit was stunned by the revelation.

"You know this man?" Karen could not hide her surprise at Kermit's exclamation.

"Woman. It's, I mean he's a she. Peter and I met her for the first time today at a wreck downtown. She helped us pull a baby out of a van before it exploded." "Any chance the wreck was staged?"

Kermit thought for a moment then spoke slowly, "It's possible but I'd have to say highly unlikely. Too many factors came into play for a staged accident."

"Then let's go visit Ms. Mallory."

"Oh, yeah!"

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

"Why would pictures of your mom be mixed in with yours?" Morgan's curiosity was beginning to run rampant.

"OK, I'll give you the Reader's Digest Condensed Version of the story."

"Please."

"Some guy my mother dated before she married my dad is stalking me. That's pretty much it."

"Except?"

"Except what?"

"Look, I'm not stupid. He's got you under really tight surveillance. Some of those shots were taken in rather interesting places. There were a couple in a park...."

Peter blanched, "Oh, shit. They weren't, uh, kind of..."

Morgan kept her eyes on the road, but her voice held a hint of laughter, "All I can say is that the young woman is very, shall we say, athletic."

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

Kermit knocked on Morgan Mallory's room, "Police, Ms. Mallory. We need to speak with you a moment." Trying the knob, he found it to be unlocked. He glanced at Karen Simms for permission to enter.

Captain Simms hesitated a moment, then said, "She could be in trouble. Go on in. I'll deal with the fall-out later."

Kermit thrust open the door, and stopped dead in his tracks. What was visible of the suite was completely trashed. Concerned, he raced toward the bedroom, fearful of finding the young woman's body. Karen Simms was right behind him. They both breathed a sigh of relief when the bedroom and bathroom were found to be trashed but empty. Simms ordered one of the accompanying patrolmen to call the lab crew and sent the other to search the garage for the rental car Kermit had seen the girl in.

"Let's just pray she went to meet Peter somewhere." Karen's voice was grim, "Otherwise, seeing the condition of this place, I can't say much for her chances."

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

"DAMN!" Morgan suddenly braked hard to avoid hitting the van that wanted her lane. "There's never a cop around when you need one."

Peter grinned in spite of himself, "I'll have to see if I can rectify that." Warning bells went off in his head as the van slowed. Glancing behind him, he saw a small pick-up closing in from behind. "TURN RIGHT, NOW!"

The girl reacted remarkably quickly, but the corner was too tight to take at the wrong angle. The stop sign made a horrible metallic grating sound as it thudded underneath her car. "Great, how am I going to explain this to the rental company? I assume we're being tailed?"

"Yes, dammit. I'm sorry. How did they find me so fast?"

"They probably followed me." She spoke contritely, "I was kinda stupid. Didn't think to look for a tail."

"Why would you?" Peter grabbed the arm rest as the little car took another corner rather quickly. "Left at the next street."

"Daddy will have my hide for coming out this time of night and NOT looking for a tail. He and the boys have drummed it into my head for years that a woman alone is fair game for some creeps." She jerked the wheel to the left as Peter clung more tightly to the arm rest.

"Where'd you learn to drive like this?" He gasped as she barely missed an illegally parked car.

"Italy. Daddy was stationed there for a while. Uh OH! "

The large delivery van blocked the side street completely. No driver was in sight but the lights in the restaurant behind the van were a good indication of where he might be found. Morgan threw the gear shift into reverse but it was too late.

Peter glared at the armed thugs cautiously approaching the car, then said quickly, "Stay inside. I'll try to talk them into just taking me and leaving you alone. Lock the door behind me." Before she could respond, he'd leaped out of the car.

"OK, fellas. Let's leave the girl out of this."

The tall man in the front snorted with laughter, "I don't think so and the boss said no witnesses."

"She doesn't know anything. Let her go."

The man in the lead couldn't hide his pleasure, "HER? She's why we're here. As for you...." The AK47 suddenly pointed in Peter's direction. His gasp of surprise coincided with the loud discharge of the weapon.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 17

Kwai Chang Caine sat motionless, an immovable object in the center of the chaos in his home. Mary Margaret kept a concerned eye on the Shaolin as the lab crew completed its work and packed up to leave. All photographs had been cataloged, tagged and boxed safely away. Since his completely out of character outburst earlier, Caine had gone to the other extreme of absolute silence. He'd folded up entirely when the lab crew brought a previously unnoticed picture of a child to Mary Margaret's attention. Caine had taken a brief look at the photo, identified it as his son, then sank to a full lotus position in the center of the room and withdrew into himself.

As the lab crew left, Jody nodded toward Caine, "What happened?"

Mary Margaret looked grim, "This." Handing Jody the photograph, she added, "It's Peter."

Jody glared angrily at the picture in her hand, "What the hell! It looks like the asshole tried to burn it, wonder why?"

Caine's tired voice was barely detectable, "It was taken three days before the temple was destroyed. HE wishes me to be reminded of my unforgivable failure."

"Caine, you did not deliberately abandon Peter. You would not have left the temple if you'd thought he was alive."

Kwai Chang Caine's features had turned to granite as he rose to his feet, "I thank you for your faith, Mary Margaret, but HE is correct. I did not check to see if Peter still lived. I saw him fall and the path to him was difficult. I chose the easy path to self-preservation, leaving my child to die."

"You were injured, Caine, not thinking clearly...."

"You may make as many excuses as you wish, Mary Margaret, but I have finally seen the truth, thanks to a madman. He is right. Laura would never forgive me for my actions. I should have saved my son."

***********

TJ Kincaid checked the address one more time. He groaned loudly as he realized that his quarry's apartment was on the fifth floor of an older building with no elevator. He glanced at his watch and was surprised to find that it was already after midnight. His little chat with Hernandez had taken much longer than he anticipated but had pointed the trail back to Spencer. Of course the slight amount of cocaine found in Hernandez's possession had given TJ a much needed edge. The private detective readily admitted that he'd been hired to photograph Peter Caine whenever possible, but adamantly denied following the young detective. TJ'd almost lost his patience as he tried to piece together the facts concerning Peter. Hernandez was more concerned with the loss of his license and alternated between usable information and whining. It was with undisguised relief that TJ had turned Hernandez over to the booking officers with instructions to "hold up the process for as long as possible."

The young detective sighed and started the long climb to Maury Spencer's latest place of residence.

***********

Jody listened to Mary Margaret and Caine's conversation with mixed emotions. She cared deeply for Peter but knew that he cared for her as a friend, not the lover she so desperately desired to be. She quickly realized that her feelings for Peter Caine were getting in the way of her objectivity, at least where his father was concerned. She'd read the vicious letter and heard Caine's heartfelt declaration to Mary Margaret and, while moved by his obvious distress, found that she agreed with him. In her opinion Caine had deserted Peter as surely as if he'd left him by the side of the road. She needed to get away from this place and get herself back under control. Peter was in danger from this madman and she'd be damned if anything was going to hurt him. "Mary Margaret, I'm going back with the lab crew. T..There's some things I need to check on."

"OK, Jody, I'll join you when I finish here."

"No! I mean, don't bother. I'm going home to bed. You should do the same."

Skalany's confusion was evident but she conceded the point as she checked her watch. "It is late, much later than I thought. Eight tomorrow, at Peter's? What about the second shift?"

"Peterson and Hendricks are outside, front and back so Caine should be safe. And eight's fine." She nodded briefly to Caine and cringed inwardly as she realized that he knew what she felt. Jody quickly rushed from the room before she lost all semblance of control.

Mary Margaret shook her head as Jody left, "What on earth..."

Caine replied, sadly, "She has much anger."

Skalany sighed deeply, "You're right, this whole mess is getting to all of us. OK, I really hate to bring this up again, but I have to see that letter."

Caine nodded silently, reached into his ever-present pouch and pulled out an time-worn envelope.

Stunned, Mary Margaret said, "You had it with you at Peter's? Why on earth did we have to come back here to read it?"

"I always have it with me, Mary Margaret. If I had removed it in his home, his anger would have become even greater than it was."

"I don't understand."

"I," Caine paused, "I cannot let him read this letter. It is the first letter Laura ever sent me. It contains sentiments that I would have preferred remain between Laura and myself."

"I'm sorry, Caine."

"It is not your fault, Mary Margaret, but if I may ask a favor?"

"Certainly."

"If it is possible that only you read this letter, I would be forever grateful."

"I'll do my best, Caine, but I can't make any promises."

"I understand." He handed her the envelope, then left her side to stare forlornly out of the window.

**********

TJ knocked on the dilapidated door. A few moments later, the door shifted slightly ajar.

"What?"

"Maury Spencer?"

"Who wants to know?"

"My name's TJ Kincaid. We have a mutual acquaintance in Ricardo Hernandez."

"Never heard of him."

"That's not what he says."

"He's lying."

As the door slammed shut, TJ blurted out, "Blue Boy." The door re-opened, all the way this time, "Why didn't you say so? Come on in."

**********

Before Mary Margaret could pull the letter out of its envelope, running footsteps could be heard on the landing. Jody Powell thrust her head into the room, "Skalany, Caine - Captain wants us back at the station, yesterday."

"What, Why?" Mary Margaret asked quickly.

"That damn Peter slipped away from Kermit of all people. We don't have a clue where the idiot is."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

part - 18

TJ tried to suppress his revulsion at the private detective's living conditions. Empty potato chip bags littered the floor and beer cans lined the desk and coffee table. Spencer swept a stack of newspapers out of a chair, "Have a seat."

"No, thanks, I won't be here long. Just tell me what I need to do."

"First tell me how a guy dressed like you comes to me for a job."

"Bad investments have left me strapped for cash."

Spencer eyed him closely, "I see. Got any more suits like that?"

"A few, why?"

"Cause the place we've had the least coverage is the uppity parts of town. Caine doesn't get there much but when he does we lose him."

"What does the job pay?"

"$5 per regular photograph, $15 for intimate shots BUT only if you're not spotted. Zippo otherwise."

"So I just follow Caine..."

"NO - absolutely not. Damn cop's got eyes in the back of his head. What are you, new in town?"

"Yes, if I don't follow him then how..."

"Think of this as a side venture. Keep your camera with you and take photos if you see him, just make sure that he doesn't notice you."

"I don't understand. I thought we were tailing this, uh, cop?"

"Naw - it's really kinda fun. Nothing illegal to it so the cops can't arrest you for more than loitering. If we spot him then we get pictures. And Caine, well that cop's so active that getting a shot or two a day is possible for at least one team member. Like I said, with you concentrating on the uppity areas of town, we should get even more pictures."

"But, why?"

"Damn you're nosy. Doesn't matter, cause I don't know. I just deliver the film. By the way, don't develop the film, just give it to me raw. I'll have your cash a couple of days after that."

"But..."

"Look, if it helps just think of us as cop paparazzi and the buyer likes his privacy."

"His?"

Spencer shrugged, "Could be a her actually. Hard to tell gender in Internet chat-rooms."

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

Peter Caine threw himself behind the rental car, cringing as the rounds from the AK47 impacted with the metal body of the car. He whipped his Beretta out of its holster and prepared to return fire, knowing full well that the handgun's ammunition would run out way before the fire power he faced died down.

A loud, "What the hell?" came from the lighted doorway followed by a yelp of "Oh, Shit - Harry, call the cops". Another burst from the automatic weapon impacted with wood, telling Peter that the thugs had attempted to take out an innocent bystander. Furious, the young cop returned fire from his Beretta, hoping to draw attention back to himself. It worked. Metallic pings rang against the side of the little car as he made his way back to the passenger door.