Hurricane

A New Lead

I wake up the next morning to the smell of pancakes and bacon. Denise always made the most delicious food. I sit up and stretch before grabbing my phone. The first thing I see is a text from Kelly saying good morning beautiful.

I felt myself giggle and then responded back with a good morning. I got up and slid on my jeans and a t-shirt before heading downstairs. I could hear Scotty begging his mom to let him stay home. I couldn't help getting a little teary eyed thinking about my little boy.

I quickly pulled myself together and walked into the kitchen. "Scotty listen to your mother. Plus today is going to be really borning and talking about adult stuff."

Scotty made this twisted up face "Yuck."

"How about your dad takes you to school and I promise to come pick you up?"

"Really?!" His face lit up like it was christmas morning.

I couldn't help but giggle and then ruffle his hair. "Yes really and I'll bring my mustang too."

"Sweet! Dad lets go!" Scotty gave me a hug before running out to the car with his dad. Denise and I couldn't help but giggle.

"That little boy loves you Kat."

"I know." I walk over to the coffee pot and pour myself some. "Tony should be over sometime this morning so we can get started."

"I'll be around today to try and help you."

"Thanks D."

"Of course." She places a reassuring hand on my arm. "You're family Kat and you always will be. Even when your up in Chicago freezing your butt off."

We both laugh and head over to the kitchen table so I could eat. "So you gonna tell me about this Kelly?"

Hearing his name made me grin from ear to ear. "He's wonderful D. He is so caring and loving. He fixed my GT mustang himself because he knew how much it meant to me."

"I'm happy for you Kat." Denise smiled. "And Like would be happy for you too."

I lay my fork down as I try to collect my thoughts. "Do you think we are meant to have more than one love?"

"Kat, I believe Luke would want you to have another. You can't live the rest of your life alone. And if this Kelly guy makes you happy then so be it."

"I've so missed you D." I lean over and give her a hug.

"I've missed you too Kat."

The doorbell rang and Denise went to go answer while I finished my Breakfast.

A few minutes pass and she comes walking in with Tony right behind her. "Where's my favorite girl?" His thick Italian accent made me happy.

"Uncle Tony." I get up from the table so we can hug and do the kiss on each cheek. Tony was born and raised in sicily and came to the states with his wife to raise his kids here. When their kids went to college him and his wife felt lonely. So started to foster teens. Luke and Josh were both under their care when they turned 18.

"How are you doing sweetheart?"

"I'm good." A look of suspicion came across his face. "Really Tony, I promise I am doing good." I give his arm a reassuring squeeze.

"I find out your lying to me young lady and I will come to Chicago to straighten whoever I need too out." We all laugh.

"Now let's get to business." We sit down at the kitchen table and Tony lays out all of the evidence and pictures of the pictures that burned.

Denise went and made a fresh pot of coffee for us.

"So this was the very first photo you were shown. Yes?" I take a look and it's the same photo of Luke, Josh, me, and someone whose face was burned out.

"yes."

"Have we made any headway into figuring out who this girl is?"

"No but Denise hasn't seen the picture yet." I turn around to look at her. "D can you come look?"

She nods her head and walks over to the table and examines the photo. "She seems familiar. Hang on." Denise left the room and came back a few minutes later carrying a photo album.

She sets it on the table and begins flipping through the pages. Once she finds what she is looking for she places the book in front of Tony and me. "Is this her?"

I look at the photo Denise showed me and the burned picture. It was the same dress and Josh was wearing the same thing. "That's her." I looked at the photo trying to remember who she was. "Do you remember who she is D?"

"She was Josh's foster sibling for a long time till the state sent her to live in Florida with her aunt. She came back to Houston looking for Josh."

"Ah yes. She came to the house a few times looking for Josh. Carmelina always invited her but she declined every time."

"She was kind of creepy because she was all over Josh but he only saw her as a sister." I say remembering the time Josh brought her over to Luke and I's house.

"Well Josh didn't exactly stop her or set boundaries either." I nod my head in agreement to Denise's comment.

"What's her name?"

Denise pulls out the photo from her album and flipped it over. "Alyssa James."

Tony wrote her name down. "You ladies keep looking over the evidence I will go run this lead down." Uncle Tony kissed each of our cheeks before heading out.

"Well maybe we will have this figured out in no time and you can go back home to Kelly."

"Maybe." I smile. "I am going to go give him an update."

"Alright I'll keep looking."

I excuse myself to the other room and called Kelly. My nerves rose higher and higher with each ring.

"Hey Kat."

"Hey Kelly."

"How's it going down there?"

"Well we may already have a lead. The girl in the photo was Josh's foster sibling. She was obsessed with him. Her name is Alyssa James."

"That's great Kat."

"So hopefully I'll be home soon and all this can be laid to rest." There was a moment of silence. "I miss you."

"I miss you too. Wish I was there with you."

"I know me too." I wipe away a tear that was falling down my cheek. "I just wanted to keep you safe."

"I know but whose going to keep you safe?"

I giggle. "I think Uncle Tony has that covered. He's old school Italian."

"Like mob old school?"

I laugh. "Something like that."

"Katherine!!" I hear Denise shout my name from the other room.

"I gotta go. Denise called me by Katherine and not Kat so something is wrong."

"Alright be safe. Let me know what Denise found."

"I will. Bye."

"Bye Kat."

We ended our call and I went to go find out what Denise wanted.