Episode 4.04

Downtown Durango, CO

Cassie Williams wrapped Jeff’s sweatshirt around her shoulders as they walked along the abandoned street’s around three am. Everything was quite and closed, they only had a few options if they wanted to get something to eat, or have someplace to go besides another wild party. But until they decided upon that, they window shopped and imagined the town filled with tourists and the summer heat. “It’s so hard to imagine I’m going to be leaving here soon.” Cassie stopped in front of Golden Dragon.

Jeff smiled, “I still can’t believe you’re not going to go to the fort with the rest of us.”

Cassie looked up at the night sky, “I know but Pinõn Hallow is going to be good for me. I won’t be alone either, Maggie will be there.”

“I know but I, I guess I was hoping I’d still have you here, that after tonight things would be different.” Jeff took hold of her hand, “But let me guess, we’re still friends.”

Cassie took a few steps towards the crosswalk, “How does Denny’s sound? Then we can go to Jillian’s for the after-party.”

Jeff sighed, following behind her, “Sounds good.”

“So, are you going to live in the dorms next year?” Cassie refused to let him question there status again, especially since things had changed, she just wasn’t ready for it yet.

“I’m thinking about it, probably Cooper Hall, or West Hall. Word is to avoid Camp Hall since it’s all guys.”

“It’s also the one that had the fire a few weeks ago.” Cassie slowed her walk as they neared the train tracks. “The train’s going to be making a lot of noise in a few weeks.”

“Yeah, but it’s how you know it’s summer. You can hear it all over town.” He continued to follow just a few steps behind, “I was with Brad the other day while he was looking at an apartment in Hillcrest and it was just around the time the train comes in and we could hear it over there.”

“Not surprised at all.” Cassie called out as she walked towards the back parking lot, “So you coming or what?”

“I’d follow you anywhere Cassie.” Jeff took a deep breath of the cool night air, and looked up to the sky, and mouthed thank you.

Conner’s Apartment

Maggie Williams led Lysa McKay towards her bedroom while Conner placed the bags down by the door and went to check the messages on the machine. The light blinked for five messages, so he checked the caller id—all from his parents.

“What’s wrong now?” Maggie stood in the doorway, watching the man she planned to marry as he stared at the phone.

He sighed and turned to her, a small smile gracing his face when he saw her, “My parents, they’re the ones that left the messages. I just, I just don’t know how to tell them about Sean.”

Maggie walked over and hugged him, “It’ll be alright. He’s probably two minutes away from getting arrested. You probably won’t even have to tell them. He’ll have to tell them what he did.”

Conner held Maggie in his arms, “I just know I can’t see him, if I do—I don’t know what I would do.”

“That’s why Dan and Chief Becker are the ones who are handeling this and not you.” Maggie reminded him as she pulled away and went into the kitchen, “Do you want something to eat?”

He shook his head, “I wish Siobhan was here for this, at least then I knew it would happen right.”

“We’ll she’s not. The woman needs a vacation once in a while. I mean between being a detective, working with Dan and dealing with the ADA all the time it’s a wonder she has a chance to breath.” Maggie reminded him while she started a pot of coffee.

Conner sat on the couch, “Did Lysa go to bed?”

Maggie nodded, “Yeah the moment her head hit the pillow she was out.”

“I’m going to have to find a therapist for her, this is going to be bad. I mean Clint Nevada was my therapist. I’m not sure I can trust them.”

Maggie leaned against the counter that divided the two rooms, “Then you’re just going to love meeting my mother, don’t forget she’s a therapist.”

“I met her, well sort of in Nashville.”

As Maggie remembered why he’d met her mother, sadness clouded over her. Fear engulfed her. What if her mother’s medical problems would be her own?

“Baby, don’t worry about it. You’re healthy, we’re going to have a family and nothing is going to stop us.” Conner stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her.

Maggie nodded before leaning into his body, “I know, but still it’s a very scary thought. And besides how do we tell everyone we’re engaged, when do we tell everyone?”

Conner kissed the top of her head, “We’ll tell them in a few days. Once things calm down. Then we’ll set a date and get married, and live happily ever after.”

The Garden’s Hotel—Elijah’s Balcony

Siobhan looked out at the ocean, amazed as the sun came up over the water. The way it all reflected. She couldn’t believe she and this amazing European man had spent hours talking, and walking along the beach.

“Here you go.” Elijah handed her a glass of champagne, “It’s never too early, especially if you’re watching the sunrise with someone as beautiful as you.”

A blush filled her cheeks, “You’re too kind Elijah, but I’ll accept it.”

Elijah turned his attention to the water, “This is my favorite time of day. This will be a memory I will cherish forever Siobhan.”

“Same here, I mean the sunrise in Colorado is amazing, but the Ocean is something so different from my normal view. It’s almost romantic.”

Elijah turned back to her, “Only almost? Well then I’ll have to fix that.” His right hand rested under her chin as her eyes searched his for a moment before his lips pressed against hers.

Siobhan could taste the champagne on his lips, and felt like she would melt when she opened her mouth for him. Everything she thought she had known about the opposite sex had been a lie until this moment. This was the moment she dreamed of in the pages of every single romance novel she had ever read. Yet it was very much real. All the lies Becker had told her—gone, the mistake of sleeping with Dan—erased. All that was left, was the feelings this mysterious man from France left her with.

That is until she felt the familiar vibration against her hip. She wanted to ignore it, but she knew that she just couldn’t, it could be about Lysa. So reluctantly she pulled away from Elijah, refused to look at him as she saw the call was from Dan.

“What’s wrong?” was all she asked, no hello, no hey, this was buisness that was interrupting the most pleasure she had ever felt in her life and that was just one kiss!

PHPD

Dan rested his arm on the desk as he looked at the clock, “Lysa’s alright. Conner and Maggie brought her home.”

“Good, anything else?” Dan cringed Siobhan did not sound happy, but she didn’t sound as though he’d just waken her.

“Actually yeah, we’ve got an APB out for Sean McKay and Alex Bowen, apparently they’re the ones that got Lysa and her friend Claudia into this mess.”

“What about the ring leader?”

“In jail in Mexico for killing his own son.” Dan saw Becker come out of his office, “I have to go, I’m sorry for waking you up—but I figured you’d want to know.”

Before he heard her reply he hung up, “I’m ready to go Chief.”

“Good.” Becker looked around the squad room, “This is going to be a hard one, but we’ve got to do this. The patrol said they were at Bowen’s home. No sign of them having left, perfect time to move.”

Hallow Hills—Pool House

Chad walked around the newly built pool house. It was really more of a regular house right next to the pool, everything was clean, sterile and undecorated. It had no personality. It was so late at night, but he couldn’t sleep, his trial would start Monday morning and Kyle Roberts was planning on making sure he went down for Ryn’s murder.

Chad looked at the brand new wet bar area, picking up the ice pick he studied it and leaned against the wall as he thought back to that night.

Kathryn searched around for something to help her get into the main house, a spare house key—anything at all. As she searched, she heard the door open with a creak from the winter cold. She looked up and smiled at the familiar figure, sure she could charm him with her female self.

“I’m glad its you that found me.” She said playfully as she reached out for him with her hand, “I’ve been a bad girl and I need some discipline.”

He nodded and picked up something from the bar—the ice pick and plunged it into her heart. He watched her fall to the floor in a bloody mess before walking out.

Chad looked back as he stood in the doorway, “Sorry Kathryn, but no one messes with my family. Too bad it had to be this way.”

Chad shook his head, “No one can ever know, no one. But I will not go to jail for this.”

The Garden’s Hotel—Elijah’s Balcony

“Sorry about that, it was work but it was about a friend.” Siobhan slammed her cellphone shut and shoved it in her pocket.

“I understand.” Elijah cupped her face in his hands, “Now what had you been saying about this only being sort of romantic?”

Siobhan smiled, “We’re way past sort of now Elijah.” She rested her hands on his upper arms and brought her lips to his, inviting him for more.

She had to taste him again, to feel him. This time she wanted more. She wanted whatever she could get from this European man, who was stealing her heart with every adventure, he could think of.

Elijah pulled Siobhan closer to him, crushing her body against his, allowing her to feel the effect she had on him. His hands moved down to her hips, then one to the small of her back and the other towards her legs as he lifted her in his arms and carried her inside the hotel room.

As he placed her on the bed, he pulled back just a bit, “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”

“I’m not stopping you Elijah.” She pulled him back towards her, and welcomed him with another kiss as her fingers worked to release the buttons of his linen shirt.

Alex’s House

“Sean this isn’t going to work.” Alex told him as he looked around the living room, “This place is a mess. There is no way we’re going to get out of town now. We’ve waited to long.”

Sean turned to his partner in crime, “We don’t have to run, at least not yet. They don’t know for sure that we know Doc is in jail. We just have to play the roles of two very confused young men, in search of freeing themselves from a controlling bastard.” He started to pull his pants off.

“Wait, I’m not sure how I feel about this.” Alex told him as he saw headlights come up from the driveway. “Okay, let’s do this.”

Sean took an unsteady breath as he pulled Alex’s half naked body to him and began kissing him.

The knocking started, “Alex Bowen, this is the Police please open the door.”

Alex pulled back, scared, about to open the door when Sean stopped him and pulled him on to the couch, working on removing what little clothes he still had, just as the door burst open.

A group of officers led by the Chief and Dan Adams all stood shocked at the sight of Alex Bowen and Sean McKay on the couch, half naked, together.

“Let’s make this easy guys.” Becker asked as he held his gun steady, “Just put your pants on, and give yourselves up. We’ll try to make this as easy as possible.”

Sean signaled to Alex to obey the police, and the two pulled their jeans on.

Just as Dan was about to cuff Alex, Sean pulled out his gun, “Back away from him Adams!”

“Shit!” Becker yelled as he looked at Sean, “McKay, put the gun down. You don’t want to hurt him and I don’t want to hurt you.”

“And then what? You lock me up in jail for having sex with a sixteen year old.”

“You know it’s worst then that McKay.” Becker attempted a step but Sean set the gun to fire if anyone moved.

“Come on Sean, you’re a better man then this. You’d have to be if Abby cared about you.” Dan told him as his eyes were focused on the gun, and all Dan could really think about was how he hoped to God he wasn’t about to get killed, he couldn’t die before seeing his brother again, he’d have to see his family once more.

“You don’t know me Adams, neither did Abby. Please do you think she’d expect this? No way!”

Becker attempted another step forward which prompted what ever rationality that Sean had to leave him as he fired the gun.

Dan fell to the floor, hitting his head on the sharp corner of the coffee table on the way down.

Downtown Durango, CO

Jeff pulled the car out into the street and began driving towards the after party. The radio played, and Cassie was silent.

“What’s wrong Cass?” Jeff finally asked trying to ignore the fact that Lonely was playing for there background music.

She looked at him, “What you said earlier about things between us changing, I think that they have.”

“Really?” Jeff was glad the traffic was practically non-existent.

Cassie nodded as Jeff came to an intersection, “Yeah, I think it has.”

Before either of them could say anything else, the sound of speeding metal against speeding metal filled their ears, before everything went black.

Ethan and Abby’s House

Abby turned on the bed side light when she heard the phone ringing. Ethan was sound asleep still as she glanced at the clock, noting the early morning time before picking up the phone, “hello?”

“Abby, Thank God it’s you.” Lydia Adams’ voice was shaky as she greeted her daughter.

“Mom, what’s wrong? It’s almost five in the morning.” Abby hugged the edge of the bed, trying to keep from disturbing Ethan’s sleep.

Lydia took a deep, breath that sounded just as shaky as her voice, “It’s Dan, he’s in the hospital.”

Abby sat straight up, this couldn’t be happening, no he was new on the force he couldn’t have been injured already, “What happened?”

“He was shot, fell, hit his head. He’s unconscious right now.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Abby paused for a moment as she looked at the clock again, “Do you want me to call Sam?”

“No, not until we know how Dan is doing. He’ll want to rush home and he needs to stay focused on school.”

“Alright, I won’t tell him. But he’s going to know something’s wrong.”

“We’ll worry about that when the time comes.”

Mercy Medical, Durango

Larry sat next to the hospital bed, watching as Cassie slept. The doctors had said she might not remember the few minutes before the accident, or the accident itself. He didn’t want to tell her what happened, he didn’t want to see the look on her face.

Cassie opened her eyes, and immediately looked around her surroundings trying to figure out what had happened. Just as her eyes saw Larry she sat up, “Daddy? What’s going on?”

Larry took her hand, “You and Jeff were in a car accident. But you’re alright, you’re wrist is sprained but that’s all.”

“What about Jeff, he’s fine too, right?”

Larry looked down for a moment, “I’m sorry sweetie. The doctors did everything but he didn’t survive.”

Cassie went whiter then her prom dress had been, it was only now she realized she was in a paper hospital gown, “He can’t be, no he just can’t be.”

“I’m sorry sweetie, Jeff’s gone.”

Cassie’s emotions took over and she burst into tears just as the nurse came into check on her.