Picture Perfect

Chapter 8

    "Tony, you are going to put away that phone when we get our pictures taken right?" Theresa Garcia joked with her son while they waited outside the portrait studio.
    "I will if mom will mama." He responded with a sly grin.
    Theresa looked over at her partner of ten years and rolled her eyes. Jamie stood a few feet away speaking urgently into her phone. "I'll tear it out of her hand if I have to." She joked back.
    "You may need to surgically remove it; I can't remember the last time it wasn't in her hand." Tony sarcastically. "Does she sleep with it attached to her ear? I can't imagine that helps your..."
    Theresa quickly cut him off, "That's enough young man."
    "I was just joking mama."
    "I know but your mind does not need to go there." Theresa warned.
    Unfortunately her son's joking hit a little too close to home. Jamie had recently opened a third restaurant which, like the other two, consumed her every waking moment and a lot of the time she should be sleeping too. This left very little time for family and virtually no couple time for the last few years. This appointment for a new family portrait was made a month in advance and Jamie still almost missed it. Theresa actually had let the family with the appointment after them go for their pictures first because Jamie was running late.
    "Theresa?" The photographer came out. "Is everyone ready to go?" She asked and looked around happily.
    Theresa frowned slightly looking over at Jamie who was still intensely talking on her phone. She took a deep breath and walked over to her partner. Lightly touching Jamie's shoulder she said, "Hon, they're ready for us." Ending with a loving smile.
    "Hold on a sec." Jamie said into the phone then turned to Theresa. "Can I have just five more minutes sweetie? Carl is getting the run around from our seafood distributor. I'm on the line with them right now. It shouldn't take much longer I swear."
    "Alright." Theresa said trying to hide the disappointment. "Tony and I will get started. I did want to get some individual shots of Tony anyways."
    "Great!" Jamie said hugging Theresa. "I swear, only five more minutes."
    Theresa walked back over to the desk and spoke with the photographer, "Could we start with some shots of our son? She'll be ready in a bit for the full family shot."
    "Not a problem." The photographer said with a grin and turned to Tony. "You ready?"
    Tony nodded and followed the photographer.
    As they walked into the back room where the pictures were taken she thought, 'This family is perfect. I will create family photos people will never forget.'

    It took over a month but Aaron finally complied with the judge's orders and moved into the downstairs of my home. I had moved my stuff to the upstairs apartment so Aaron and Sebastian could live in the larger space downstairs. I also figured Sebastian would be happier in his own room and of course Aaron would have thrown a fit if he had to live upstairs.
    On the job front things were not going well. We were a month into the investigation of the Olsen's murder and all we had was that the three victims were indeed Chris, Jennifer and Donovan Olsen. It was extremely frustrating but there was nothing I could do. This killer had managed to leave no trace of themselves at the crime scene and no other crimes with the same MO had been committed in the state in the last ten years. There were other similar home invasion cases but none were unsolved. It didn't make sense, why would someone go to so much trouble to stage an elaborate scene then nothing. But today wasn't the day to think about the case because it was Sebastian's birthday, one of the few days of the year I always took off from work no matter what.
    "Mommy, is it time for presents yet?" Sebastian asked enthusiastically.
    I had to laugh because he was wiggling nearly as much as our puppy Zebbie. "No honey it's only breakfast time, you've gotta wait a few hours yet for your party."
    As I set down the chocolate chip pancakes for my son, Aaron came busting into the kitchen with a huge wrapped present and a bundle of brightly colored balloons. "Hey birthday boy!" He yelled and slid Sebastian's breakfast plate out of the way putting the present in front of him.
    "Present!!!" Sebastian squealed then looked at me. "Can I open it mommy?"
    Aaron butted in and said, "Of course you can, its your birthday little man. You can do whatever you want."
    Even with Aaron's permission Sebastian kept his eyes on me, I know I was being put in the bad guy role by my wonderful ex but I wouldn't let him succeed. "Go ahead buddy; see what your daddy got you." I said with a smile the walked over to Aaron and whispered, "Or what grandma and grandpa bought for daddy to give you, right?"
    "What does it matter who brought the present?" He hissed back. "I'm just trying to make his birthday a big day."
    "Well good job starting it off trying to make me the bad guy." I hissed back. Two could play at this stupid little game.
    "Look mommy, it's a new scooter!!! It's got Transformers on it." Sebastian said with a huge grin. "Thanks daddy!"
    "See you're not the bad guy." Aaron whispered.
    "I said you tried to make me the bad guy. I didn't say you'd be successful, don't misquote me Aaron." I said quietly with a satisfied smirk. "Alright little man, eat your breakfast. If you eat it all you can go play with your new scooter for a while before you have to get ready for your party." I grabbed the box from the table and moved his plate back in front of him.
    He enthusiastically dug in and I knew he just wanted to go out and play. After ten minutes of solid eating I had a syrup covered son grinning up at me holding his plate up for inspection. "Alright little man, let's get you cleaned up then outside."
    I decided to sit outside with Sebastian and try to relax before the craziness of the party began. As I was thinking about the army of children that were going to be invading my house my phone rang. The caller ID showed someone I did not want to talk to or even think about today.
    "Capt, I hope this is a call to wish me luck with the party today or to wish Bash a happy birthday."
    "I wish that's all this was Ashlee. You know I normally wouldn't bother you today but this is important. A buddy of mine works with the Waukesha county sheriff's department and they were called in on a case with some similarities to the Olsen case."
    "You're kidding me right?" I could not believe what I just heard. Nothing for almost two months now today of all days this person decided to show their face.
    "I wish I was. I just thought I would give you a heads up. I already sent Hayley to the scene. She'll get as much information as she can then fill you in."
    "Thanks Capt." I said thankful that he wasn't making me go to the scene myself. "I'll check in with Hayley later."
    "And Ashlee we're just looking into this as a curiosity thing, not actually investigating. For now we'll leave it to New Berlin police and Waukesha county sheriff's department."
    When I got off the phone, Kayla was sitting next to me. "What was that about?"
    "You don't want to know," I said shaking my head. "I don't even want to know what I just heard."
    "There was another family, wasn't there?" Kayla asked.
    "Yeah, out in New Berlin found a few hours ago." I sighed.
    "You wanna go out there don't you?" Kayla said knowingly.
    "Kinda but Capt sent Hayley out there. I'll get the run down later tonight." I said then looked at Sebastian rolling around the patio with a huge grin on his face. "I need to be here, no question."
    "Agreed, you need a happy day just as much as he does." Kayla said with a smile. "Then tonight we'll go through what Hayley comes up with when Sebastian is fast asleep."
    I sighed and replied sarcastically, "Great, a wonderful night to look forward to."