It was past midnight when they got back. As Jack tried calling Tara, Sue changed into the jade camisole set.
Jack was sitting in a chair, his legs over the bed, talking to Bobby when she slid under the sheets with the picture. Her finger brushed over the faces of both girls. The redhead girl looked a lot like Vanessa. According to Owen, she was dead and Vanessa was alive. Did he lie? She didn't think so, and Jack didn't either. No teenager would invent a story like that. The scenery was magnificent. The picture was frozen in time as a huge wave came crashing on the rocks. She made out a manor in the distance. She wondered where it was taken. She flipped it over, and carefully removed the back of the frame, exposing a message.
'Vanessa Murphy & Laura Nielson. Best friends forever. Summer 2003.'
Sue gasped. The name meant something.
"Ja...Kevin?" For their own good, she had to get use to calling him Kevin.
"Bobby, hold on a moment, please," Jack said, having heard her small scream. "Naomi?"
"The second girl's name is Laura Nielson." She held the picture. "Didn't we come across that name?"
"Laura Nielson," Jack repeated, recognizing it. "On the list..."
"I gave you," finished Bobby. "Seat 3B. What is with her?"
"According to Owen, she died," and Jack filled him in on the picture. "It seems Vanessa is assuming Laura's identity. Find everything you can about that girl, Bobby."
Jack could hear Bobby and Tara talking. One more piece of a puzzle that kept getting bigger. The news Jack got from Bobby tonight were disturbing. Bobby would probably need to involve Myles very soon.
"Tara will be doing some more digging tonight. And her apartment is safe, you can call anytime, mate."
"I will check back around seven tomorrow morning."
"No problem, I will be here. Good night."
As he hung up, Jack wondered if he missed something. Tara and Bobby? Wasn't Tara seeing Stanley? And wasn't Bobby just over Darcy? He pushed the thoughts aside. His own life was complicated enough without adding anyone else to it. He stared at Sue. She was on her tummy, resting on her elbows, gazing right through the picture.
He threw his shirt and pants on the second bed, and walked around the room turning the lights off except for the night table. Standing between the two beds, he hesitated. If he was a reasonable man, he would avoid tempting situation until he slipped that ring on her finger. He knew he was waging a losing battle every time he held her in his arms. He also knew the new twist in that case was getting to her.
"Will you join me?" she asked, startling him. She had rolled on her side and was observing him. "You were far away, Kevin."
"I...I can sleep in the other bed...if you prefer," he offered.
"I don't particularly prefer...no." She smiled tenderly at him. "Jack..." She felt necessary to use his real name, extending her arm. "I know in my heart...if I was carrying your child, you would never act like that."
He lay beside her, wrapping her in his arms and tenderly kissing her. She gave a deeper meaning to his life. She was his life, and with her, he was home. He pulled away and looked into her eyes.
"The day you tell me that I am going to be a father, you will have to tie me down," he whispered mischievously. She stared in confusion. "Unless you prefer I spend my days floating in blissful happiness on cloud nine, my love." She smiled. He rolled her on her back and lovingly admired her. He caressed her tummy under her camisole. "I love you, Sue, and I will love all our children."
