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Author's Chapter Notes:
Hello! I finally managed to update this one! Woot!! Sorry about the delay. I hope it was worth the wait. :O)

Thanks for reading!
36

Following close behind…



As Kevin followed Jack’s car, so many thoughts were running through his mind he briefly thought his head might explode. Was it possible that all this time Jack Roberts was the bad guy and Kevin had just let him go? They even had him in custody at one point so long ago, but yet he just seemed like another innocent victim. Then again, maybe he was. Maybe this was just a coincidence, but if it was, why was he carrying a gun? And besides that, Kevin had long since abandoned the idea of coincidences. Everything happened for a reason, there was no ‘just by accident’ and the people that really believed that were delusional.

The thought of it all was making Kevin sick, that too and the never ending feeling of dread he had. Seeing the gun made him realize that without a doubt his brother was in trouble. He was so sure, he was about to call into the office and request some more backup, but Jack’s car coming to a sudden stop made him put his phone down and quickly find a spot himself.

Jack placed a coin into the parking meter and walked into a drug store. That’s when Kevin decided that maybe it was a bit early to call for backup. He needed some kind of proof before he got his team tailing this guy as well as Anita. He regretted having Brian leave now; wishing instead that he chose to keep him over at Anita’s so he could watch what she was up to. Maybe if Jack was a dead end, she would be the one to lead them to Nick.

It didn’t take long for Jack to come out of the store carrying a small bag. He looked around suspiciously before getting back into his car and taking off. It was if he sensed someone might be following him. That was always one way to pick out a suspect; they were the ones that usually looked everywhere but in front of them. Kevin always had a keen eye for things like that. Howie was known for being an expert on criminal behavior as well.

Before he knew it, he was calling his best friend. As he once again started the car and followed Jack.


~*~*~*~*~




Howie looked at his watch as he allowed his legs to dangle off the side of the bed. He was growing more impatient as the hours went by without hearing from his wife. He tried not to let it bother him too much, but it seemed so unlike her, he couldn’t help but worry. The doctor had given him the all clear to leave and he was anxious just to be able to get himself out of there and back home into his own bed. Even though this hospital stay was as short and sweet as you could get, he felt like he had been there too long.

He smiled when he heard the phone sitting next to him on the generic table ringing. Maybe it was finally Riri saying she had a flat tire and was stuck in the middle of nowhere but now she was all good to go.

“Hello?” He was almost positive he was going to hear his wife’s voice on the other end of the line.

“Hey D! How are you feeling?”

His heart sunk a little, “I’m good, just waiting on my wife to get here so I can go home.”

“That’s excellent, you’re not rushing out of there though, right? Did the doctor give you the go ahead?”

“Yup, it’ll take more than a bat to the head to keep me down for long Kev.” He smiled when he heard his best friend laugh, but it sounded forced, almost strained. “Everything okay?” He decided to ask after a short pause.

“I think Nicky might be in trouble again. Do you remember Jack Roberts?”

The name sounded familiar to Howie, but he just couldn’t place why, then he remembered, “Wait the baby killer case, right? It was his phone if I remember correctly.”

“Yeah, well I think we missed something back then. Turns out he was at Anita’s place and he had a gun on him, I’m tailing him right now.”

“A gun? Do you have backup? Is Brian there with you at least? And why do you think Nicky is in trouble?”

“I sent Brian back to my dad’s to see if Nick was there. I can handle Jack. Right now I’m just tailing him. Nicky hasn’t answered his phone in a long time and I’m just having a bad feeling…he hasn’t by chance popped over to see you has he?” the hopeful tone of Kevin’s voice made Howie scared. He could tell that deep down inside his best friend had reached full blown panic stage but was trying his best to hide it.

“No he hasn’t. What about your dad or AJ?”

“That’s the other thing… AJ seems to be missing too. He’s not answering his phone and no one knows where he is.”

“Maybe they are together?”


“I’m hoping…is my dad there?”

“He left a little while ago…I wish I could do something to help, I mean when I get out of here I could always join you.”

“Absolutely not! Besides, your wife would beat my ass if she knew I was already putting you to work.”

“She would never know, at this rate I’m beginning to think she fled the country.”

There was along pause, almost uncomfortably long. It made Howie uneasy. It was the kind of silence that told him that maybe Kevin thought that was exactly the case. “Is she missing too?” He asked. The tone of his voice didn’t do much to squelch Howie’s apprehension.

“Not so much missing as not answering her phone. I’m sure she maybe just forgot to put it on or it might have died. She’s so bad at remembering to charge it.” Now it was his turn to make himself laugh and mask his anxiety as something else.

“When was the last time you spoke?”

“It’s been a while.” Howie answered as he rubbed his neck worriedly.

“I’m sure everything is okay D. Like you said, she probably just forgot to put on her phone. Where do you think she could be? I could have someone try to track her down.”

“I’m not sure, maybe at home.”

“She’s not answering the home phone either though?”

“No.”

“D…I’m going to have to go. Jack is making another pit stop…”

Howie nodded, actually grateful that he was being let off the hook. Truth was, with every question Kevin asked, Howie felt more insecure because he was so unsure of the answers. Where was his wife? It’s true, if she was home or at the office, the two places she said she would be, she would have answered the phone or at least heard his messages by now. If she was out and about somewhere, by now he would think she would have called to check up on him. Something was wrong…


~*~*~*~*~*~


This time Jack pulled into the parking lot of an animal hospital. Kevin decided to drive right by it and park across the street at the McDonalds. After talking to Howie, he grew more suspicious of Ariana and how weird it was, that she seemed to disappear at the same time as Nick and also AJ. His mind didn’t want to go there, but he couldn’t help it. What if she was involved in this, not that she could be…no, there was no way that his best friend was married to someone who could ever do anything that bad.

He jumped when his cell vibrated in his hand, never having put it down after talking to Howie. “Hello?”

“Hey, it’s me.” Brian said.

“Are you at Dad’s?”

“Yeah and Nick’s not here. I don’t think he has been here in a while, but Kevin…things are out of place in his room.”

“He’s a pig Brian, have you seen his room?”

“I know, but it’s a different kind of mess.”

“Well, I just found out something interesting, D said that Ariana is missing too.”

“Really?”

“Yes, he hasn’t heard from her and she’s not answering her phone.”

“Think it’s connected?”

“I hope not.”

“Me too…what about Jack?”

“He’s inside an animal hospital right now.”

“I don’t recall him having any pets but that was a long time ago.” Brian answered as he walked around Nick’s room looking for anything that might help him figure out where his little brother was.

“I’m going to keep following him though, just in case. Let me know if you find anything, okay Brian?”

“Yeah…I think we should tell dad…” He said after a few seconds. He didn’t want to admit that to Kevin, but enough time had passed where their father deserved the right to know something was going on.

Kevin let out a small sigh, “I agree…okay he’s coming out…gotta go.”

“Stay safe Kevin, don’t do anything stupid.”

“Same to you.”

Once again Jack looked around before getting into his car and driving off while Kevin remained close behind.

~*~*~*~*~


Brian sat down on Nick’s bed and rubbed at his eyes. He felt a stress headache coming on and wondered how it was that his father and brother were both able to pull this job off for as long as they did. It was no wonder that FBI agents were required to retire by the age of 57. There was no way anyone could stay sane longer than that. He’d only been on the job for a year or so and was already counting down the days until retirement and this wasn’t even a case! At least he hoped not.

“Please God…don’t let this become a case…not again.” He said aloud, deciding to try AJ’s number one more time. His blood ran cold though when he suddenly heard the theme song to Inspector Gadget coming from Nick’s trashcan. That was the ring tone AJ had picked out especially for him. ‘Inspector Gadget for Brian the FBI guy,’ he had joked as he programmed it in.

He walked over to the garbage holding his phone up as he did and just as the song stopped, AJ’s voicemail picked up. Bending down, Brian emptied the contents of the garbage can and sure enough, out came the phone amongst a pile of papers.

He was just about to call Kevin back to let him know what he had found, when he heard the front door creak open. He began to make his way over to the edge of the stairs when he heard his father’s voice ring through the house, “Son, are you home?”

“Not the one you are talking to, I’m afraid.” Brian said leaning over the banister and looking down at his father.

“Brian what are you doing here?”

“I was hoping I’d find Nick.” He answered as he walked down the stairs.

“He’s not returning my calls.” Kevin senior said as he threw his keys onto the end table and sat down on the couch. “I’m beginning to worry.”

Brian walked over and sat next to his father, “I think maybe you should worry…” he answered, looking at his father and shaking his head. “I need to show you something upstairs.”


~*~*~*~*~


Kevin was doing his best to try not to just drive ahead of this guy and stop him, demand to know where and what he was doing. He felt like he was wasting his time and that maybe the real answers were with Anita or even Ariana. It finally seemed as though he was done making pit stops as he ventured onto the highway. “Good, maybe we’re finally getting somewhere then.” He said to himself as he followed Jack down the road and without knowing it, further away from his brothers.


~*~*~*~*~



The three of them sat in a still silence. It wasn’t uncomfortable, which was kind of a feat in itself considering the circumstances they were in, but because of all the new information laid at their feet, the eerie calmness was almost expected.

“So, you’re saying you are our….sister?” AJ finally said in a whisper.

Ariana didn’t answer, but chose to nod. Telling the truth was supposed to feel different than it did. Somehow, it didn’t lighten her burden but only made it heavier. When she kept her feelings inside, it was just easier to process all that her father had put her through, but once it came out of her mouth, the hurt was almost unbearable. She didn’t hate these two people in front of her, in her own way, she actually cared about them. Maybe even loved them a little, but yet she knew she couldn’t allow herself to have those feelings because in the end, they too would end up abandoning her.

“But I’m confused…if what you’re saying is true…”

“It is true.” She said, allowing herself to look AJ in the eyes for the first time as his older sister. “Every single thing I just told you is true and you know it too.”

“Okay, then why do this? Why not just go talk to him?” She could tell that AJ was choosing his words very carefully afraid that if he said something wrong it might ‘set’ her off like she was some kind of lunatic.

“I’ll tell you why, because she’s full of shit! That’s why.” Nick had his arms folded in front of him and would not look at Ariana or AJ. All he made eye contact with was the wall and the floor.

“Why would I lie about that?”

Nick let out a loud laugh, “Yeah, I don’t know why I would ever think someone who is psychotic enough to kidnap people, kill kids and try to poison me would lie. I know I’m sooo crazy to think that.”

“Nick…” AJ warned.

“No…” Ariana said, cutting AJ off. She was interested to hear what her youngest brother had to say. “I’m not lying Nick and I think deep down inside you know that. The truth is your father is a vile man and he needs to pay for what he has done to me and my mother.”

She walked over to him and gently moved her hand under his chin, forcing him to look up at her. Even though it took all the will power he had, AJ just sat and let her do it. “I am the victim in all of this Nick. Can’t you see that honey? We are the victims of your father’s lies and betrayal. Like I said he’s a wretched horrible person.”

She felt AJ’s eyes on her as she continued to stare down the youngest, holding his chin in her hands. When it looked like Nick was about to speak she let go of his chin but still remained almost on top of him.

“Well if my father is as vile and disgusting as you just said he is, then there’s no doubt in my mind you are my sister because you seem to have taken after him. Two peas in a pod I guess.” He said with so much intensity and anger that the laugh he attached to the end of it sounded almost like a low growl.

Ariana’s face turned a shade of red as she moved her hand and slapped him across the face, his neck moving with the hit and his head hitting the wall directly behind him. AJ took that as his cue to move into action.

Ariana had forgotten that he was no longer in handcuffs but that’s all that was on AJ’s mind. He sat and eyed the room as she went on and on about their father, looking for something, anything he could use for a weapon. His eyes rested upon the leg of a broken chair and that’s what he grabbed as soon as she slapped Nick.

AJ made a move for the leg and with one swift motion he hit her in the back of the head and as a result, she went sailing off his baby brother and rolled into a pile on the floor. “Come on!” AJ said reaching out his hand to Nick, who seemed a little out of it. “We have to go now!” He grabbed Nick’s arm and pulled him up and the two of them ran out the bedroom door and headed for the steps, just as Ariana began waking up.


~*~*~*~*~



Brian stood watching his father as he looked down at AJ’s phone. He saw the pained expression in his eyes and felt completely helpless. “You didn’t touch anything did you son?” Kevin finally asked. “We’re going to have to dust this entire room for fingerprints.”

“No, I only touched the garbage can to turn it over. I made sure I didn’t touch the phone.”

“Good.” Kevin ran a hand through his hair, he seemed so lost. “How long has it been since you heard from AJ?”

“I’m not sure. We’ve been trying to reach him for a couple of hours. We were hoping that Nicky was with him.”

Kevin was looking down at the floor, “I need to tell you boys something…where is Kevin?”

“He’s out following a lead.”

“What lead? Does the office know about this already?”

“No sir, we didn’t want to tell anyone until we knew for sure there was a reason to bring them into this.”

“How long have you kept this to yourself?”

It was now Brian’s turn to look at the floor, “It’s been awhile.”

“And you never bothered to let me know that you thought my sons were in danger?”

“We didn’t want to worry you.”

“Where is Kevin? What kind of a lead is he chasing?” Kevin asked as he began to nervously pace around the room.

“It’s a guy who was at the Nicosia house. When Kevin was working that huge child murder case back when Nicky went missing, this guy was a suspect for a little bit.”

“But you let him go?”

“I think they didn’t see a reason to suspect him.”

“But now your brother changed his mind?”

Brian nodded and Kevin shook his head, “I’m going to call Rob and get a team down here ASAP, you need to get in touch with your brother and tell him to get his ass back here. We have to talk.”

“But he’s following the guy who he thinks will lead him to Nick and now AJ.”

“Well he’s wrong…”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because it’s not a guy you should be looking for, it’s a girl.” He said as he grabbed his phone and dialed the office.


~*~*~*~*~*~



Jack finally turned off the highway and headed past a few new housing developments. He decided to go another route, just in case the bodies of those kids were found. He hated the sloppy way he left things out there and was about to make it all better. He’d find those two kids and bury them deep in the woods, unless the animals got to them already. Ever since leaving them behind the way he did, he feared that someone might happen upon them since they were left out in the open. That would be a disaster even though he was pretty sure there was no evidence that he was involved. Coming up from this direction he would be able to see police cars before they could see him. No one knew this back way; he had just about created the path himself.

He looked down at the bag he got from the vet, not sure of what exactly Ariana planned to do with it. At this point in her plan, he found it best not to ask too many questions. He was hoping that they would be used on the brothers. Maybe she changed her mind and decided to do away with them. That would be just fine by him. “Or maybe that’s for good old daddy.” He said to himself with a smile as he turned up the small road leading towards the back of the hill.

Thinking back to earlier, he was sure he was going to be busted once Kevin saw his face. The adrenaline he felt coursing through his veins at that moment reminded him of how he felt the first time the FBI showed up at his house. There was nothing more exhilarating than almost getting caught doing something bad. Of course if he had to, he wouldn’t have hesitated to shoot them all. Maybe he should have done just that. Shot them and then set the place on fire. Of course with two trained agents there, chances were good he would have gotten himself shot in the process and lord knows that was the last thing he needed.

He made one final curvy turn before tucking his car away in the small hiding spot he had become so familiar with. This out of the way place was a frequent spot for him. He had brought a few people up here when he needed them to disappear. As of yet, no one was found either. He’d park the car here and make his way further up the mountain by foot, just to make sure the coast was clear before he properly disposed of the bodies. By then, Ariana would be calling him, most likely annoyed that he was late, but he had to do this. In the end she would be grateful he took the time to make things right.

He got out of the car and went to the trunk where he had his shovel and anything else he would need to make the kids vanish. When he heard the sound of another car coming up the hill he quickly ducked behind the nearest tree and watched as he saw it pass him by. His heart began to pump double speed and that adrenaline began to pick up when he recognized the man behind the wheel as Kevin Richardson.

“Well now, isn’t this an interesting development.” He said as he smiled and pulled a knife out of his pocket and venturing up to the top of the hill as fast as he could on foot.