And I'm pretty sure I know who committed the murder of Martin, Adelia and Quinton.

Sean had been very quiet while Sam & Ben rehashed Clark's statement, but then suddenly interrupted them, "Wait, rewind that last part."

Sam pushed the rewind button and looked at Ben quizzically.

"Stop, right there" Ben paused as if to remember something, "He said he got a text  to meet Martin at Whitney's.  How do we know who sent the text?   Was it Martin or was it the murderer?  Was he being set up?  Or is he lying?  I don't think he knows who I am, let me in there to ask him some more questions, I have an idea."

Ben responded quickly, "Are you sure Sean?  I don't want to take any chances with this.  If he is the murderer I don't want him to get off on a technicality because you aren't on the force any more."

"Call me crazy Ben, but I don't think he is the murderer, but if I can ask him the right questions, I think we just might find out who is, or at least be much closer to finding out who is, closer to finding the truth."  Ben looked so serious, and maybe a little bit sad.

"Do you know who it is Sean?" Sam seemed a little on the cautious side too.

"No, well, not for sure, but I have my suspicions of the right direction to look in, and it's not in Clark's direction.  I don't think he knows he holds the key, but I'm sure he does or at least a clue where to find the key, and the murderer."  Sean suddenly got a very determined look on his face.  "I need to do this Ben, I have to do this!"

Ben looked at Sean steady for a few seconds, long enough to see the Irish fire in his eyes, "Ok, let's do it Sean.  Sam, I want you to go in with him, introduce Sean as a special investigator with our homicide team.  If Clark asks where I am, just say that we had some new lead come in and I'm checking into it.  Nothing more, nothing less.  In fact, don't wait for him to ask, after you introduce Sean, bring it up yourself, look at your watch and let him know we should have some answers, more evidence in a matter of just an hour or so."  

This time Sam grabbed the folder they'd put together on Martin's murder, including the graphic pictures of his body,  they were turning up the heat and taking off the gloves on this one.   They were all three just a little tired of Whitney and Ginny hanging in limbo, their family being threatened, not knowing the truth.  

Sean walked into the interrogation room first and just stood across the table from Clark, glaring at him.  Clark looked up at him first, but when he saw Sean's glare, he looked down and avoided his gaze.  Sam came in a few minutes later,  appearing to read information in the folder, slowly shutting the door behind him, walked over by Sean, still reading the folder.

Sam slowly closed the folder and handed it to Sean.  "Clark, this is Sean, a special investigator with our homicide team and he has a few questions for you."

Before he could bring up Ben's absence, Clark did, "Where's the other guy, your chief, I'd rather talk to him?"  Obviously Sean's glare was doing the trick, making Clark feel very uncomfortable.

Sam responded, "Sorry guy, the Chief got called away to investigate a new lead that just came in.  We should have some definite answers within an hour or two, after that, we might not need you or your information.  You better hope the information doesn't point to you or you could be spending a lot of time with us, if you know what I mean?  At this point cooperation is probably is in your best interest."  

Sam sat down in the chair in front of him.  

Sean started walking back and forth behind the table, then slowly started walking around the table.  The second time around he stopped behind Clark, a little to his left, and leaned on the wall.  He purposely stood far enough to the left, but still behind, so that Clark could see when he opened the folder, looked at the pages within and then closed again, holding it down by his side.

"Clark, I just have one question for you, hmmmm, maybe two, depending on your first answer, and for your sake you'd better answer me honestly the first time I ask.   Did the text directing you to that address come from the same phone?"

"Ummm, I don't know off hand, I'm not sure,"  Clark was stumbling over his words, more nervous than before.  "I have my phone in my pocket, do you want me to check?"

Sean interrupted before Clark could reach in his pocket for his phone, "If you're not sure if it was from the same phone number, then how do you know it was from Martin?  How soon did you the message before you went to that address?  Why were you seen outside of the local elementary school?  What were you doing there?  AND, why did you tell us some lady  gave you directions to the library when we already know that wasn't you she was talking to?"

Clark looked like he'd been hit with a sledge hammer instead of just a barrage of questions.  He started to reach in his pocket for the phone.

Sam stood up and pulled his weapon from his side holster, aimed squarely at Clark's chest.

Clark turned white as a sheet, "I'm just getting out my cell phone, to look at the number"

"Slowly, very slowly and lay it on the table in front of you,"  Sam instructed. 

Clark was rattled, that much was sure.  Sean moved in for the kill shot, "So, do you have some honest answers to my questions or not?  Or should we just arrest you and let the courts decide your guilt?"

"NO, wait, please.  Ok so part of what I told you wasn't the truth.  I didn't want to tell you I was lurking around the house and overheard the conversation between that lady and the other guy.  My guess is that was Martin?  But honestly I did get a text telling me to meet him there.  I saw him walk away after their conversation, the lady got in her car, made a phone call on her cell, then drove away.  I was about to leave, through the alley and get back in my car when I saw another man heading up to the house.   He tried the front door and when that didn't budge he went around back.  I heard some loud noises and assumed he was breaking in.  About that same time the first guy (Martin?) walked up from the other direction and hearing the same noise I heard, he ran around to the back side of the house.  You know come to think of it, they looked a lot alike, maybe older and younger brothers?  When the 2nd man came running out of the front door and it looked like he had dirt or something on his fresh white shirt, I left as soon as he was out of sight.  I ran down the alley and got in my car and took off."  By this time Clark had placed his phone in the middle of the table and Sam had picked it up and opened it.  

Clark continued, "As to why I was at the school.....   When I was supposed to meet Martin at the steak house and he didn't show, I got in my car to drive back to my hotel room and I noticed I was being followed, at least I thought I was.   I decided to check it out and pulled into a car dealership, parked in with the other cars and ducked down as low as I could and still watch for the car I thought was following me.  Sure enough it circled the parking lot twice.  When it left I followed it, at some distance since my car sticks out like a sore thumb, well, at least a silver thumb anyway, hard to miss.    When I saw the car park in the school parking lot, I parked some distance away too.  I couldn't see exactly who it was going into the school since it was so far away, but it was a man, could easily have been Martin but I didn't see his face.  Come to think of it, it could have been that other guy too.  I was parked right outside the school playgrounds and at first didn't notice the kids, but while I was waiting for the driver to come back out, some kind of ball hit the fence and this young boy came up to the fence to retrieve it.  I was startled by how familiar he looked and began watching him. I was trying to figure out why he was so familiar to me when I realized the driver had left and I lost my chance to follow him some more.   I saw another boy watching me, he looked a lot like the other little boy, I acted like I got a call and had somewhere to go, then I left.  That's all I  know until after you pulled me in here."  

Sean moved around to Sam's side of the table, kicked the chair out and sat down, opened the folder and looked at it some more while Sam perused through the phone calls and messages.

Sam turned the phone so Sean could see it and looked at Clark.  "So I see here the text you got, but I don't see an incoming call with the same phone number.   When did you get that call?"

Clark answered him and Sam found the call.   "I guess you talked directly to him?  No voice mail?"

"No voice mail, and it was a short call.  To be honest, I guess anyone could have made that call and said it was Martin."  Clark was starting to sweat a little bit, even though Sean and Sam knew the room temperature was a comfortable 'coolish' 68.  "Is it ok if I take off my jacket? Clark asked.

Sam looked at him and put his hand back on his revolver in it's holster where he'd put it after the phone was on the table, "Slowly."

Sean finally spoke, "I'm going to take this out to our tech guys and see if we can get some information off of it.  If you're innocent, you'll get it back.  Let's take a little break Sam.  Can we get you anything Clark, a hamburger, soda, anything?"

Clark finally looked at Sean, "yea, maybe a soda, and a sandwich?  hamburger all the way?"  

"Sure" Sean replied, "we'll get you some fries too.  Just relax, if your story checks out, we could be almost done.  I'll have someone bring your soda in a few minutes and your burger and fries here in a little bit.  Just one more question.  Which of the guys would you say was younger, the man who ran out of the house? or the other one? or the one who stayed in the house?"

Clark looked straight ahead, thinking, "The guy who came out of the house was the older one, by quite a few years I would think.  The younger guy was about your age."  He nodded at Sam. Then he looked at Sean,"The older guy was closer to your age sir, but not quite as old maybe, sorry about the old thing."

Sean nodded in response, then he and Sam both left the room, shutting the door behind them.  Sam stopped at the clerks desk and gave directions for Clark's soda and burger and for an officer to be stationed in the room with Clark, and one in the observation room, just in case.  Sean stepped down the hall to give the tech team the phone and tell them what he needed.  Then Sean, Ben and Sam walked into Ben's office.  They all sat down, Sam and Ben turned to look at Sean.  

Ben tapped a pencil on his desk, still looking at Sean asked, "well?"

Sean looked from one to the other then began, "I know who it was, at least who it was that made the call to our man Clark in there.  And I'm pretty sure I know who committed the murder of Martin, Adelia and Quinton.  As soon as we get back the information I need from the phone"

Blessings and smiles to all!

My apologies for being behind in my story, again! 

 There seems to be so much going on in the world today, Ebola, wars, rumors of wars, subtle and not so subtle threats from other nations, politics, economics, I don't think I can keep up with it all.   

   But today, I'm feeling a wee bit selfish.  My focus is not on the craziness of the world or our nation or "the church", but on myself and my family.  I had something personal (sorry can't say what just yet, Tuesday or Wednesday I can tell) and wonderful happen on Friday.  Also my mother is staying with me until at least Monday evening.  We've had a fun few days.  I worried about my house not being clean enough.  She doesn't seem to care.  I worried about not be "entertaining" enough.  She doesn't seem to care.  We had some fun on Friday, just tool'n around town while we waited for my news.  When we finally got the small town I live in, we went to my son's house first, visited there a short time, then I took her home to not my not so clean house.  We've had a nice calm visit.  (Which IS an accomplishment in and of itself.)  

  So pardon me if I feel a little selfish and enjoying my "moment in the sun", if you will, and if you won't, oh well.  I'm going to enjoy it anyway!  (the "if you won't is for certain people who are always ready to point fingers of guilt, shame, etc, no matter what.   I'm hoping no one reading this is one of those.  But if they are, I hope you find better days.  

  Which brings me to my point.  Why SHOULD we feel guilty when we are fortunate enough to have our Father Creator bless us?  I'm saying we shouldn't feel guilty.   I've worked hard and been very blessed, concerning my good news that I can't tell you about yet.  And I've bit my tongue many times to keep the peace with several different people for the last week (she arrived last weekend), you know how families are.......

  No, I think with all the turmoil around us, in the world, in our nation(s), in our lives, whatever little pieces of peace, joy, contentment we find, we should savour every moment!  And so I shall.  I got online just long enough to write this, because it was stirring in my spirit.  I owe some very fine writers/bloggers some heavy duty reading after my mother leaves, and I apologize for not being on top of my reading as much as usual, but Mom will be 80 in 10 days, and when she goes back to Nebraska in 21 days, I don't know for sure when I'll see her again.  So, thank you for your patience and understanding.  I will get back to my writing and reading (no 'rithmatic', hahaha), after she goes to stay with my son.   

Blessings and smiles to all!


Shalom!

"That was just was way to easy" Sam said quietly, "Now what boys?"

The guys got to the station just a little before Joshua Clark was brought in.  They had just enough time to get some coffee, get Sean into the observation room and get Ben fitted with an ear piece so he could hear Sean if Mr Clark gave up any information that might be useful.  

The night clerk put Mr Clark in the room attached to the observation room and asked if he wanted something to drink.  

Joshua answered, "Na, let's just get this over with.  I don't know what I'm doing here, so just bring in your head cheese so he get busy with the questions."

The night clerk was about to close the door when Ben walked up and nodded at him, "Go ahead and get him some water, we might be awhile."  

Sam walked in right behind Ben with a file folder in his hand.  They both sat down at the table, opposite from Joshua Clark.  Sam opened the folder and rifled through the pages, keeping the folder slightly tilted so Clark couldn't see those pages were blank.  Sam nudged Ben slightly with his elbow and nodded for Ben to look at a certain page.  Sam grimaced then looked at Clark with a cold stare.

"So, Clark, tell me what you know about Martin Dobbins."  

"Who?"

"Uh-uh", Sam jumped in, "Don't even bother playing dumb.  We have eye witnesses that place you in his vicinity.  Now, let's try it again.  Tell us what you know about Martin Dobbins"

Clark looked down at the table for a few seconds, maybe a minute. Then he looked up at Sam, then Ben.  "Okay, I knew him.  He was the older brother of a girl I loved once, a long time ago.  He called me last week and said he needed to talk to me, that there was a problem and he needed my help.  We were supposed to meet a couple days ago, at that new steak house between here and San Antonio.  He didn't show up.  Then I got a text to meet him at an address here in Neligh.  When I got there this lady came out of the house and I thought he probably gave me the wrong address.  I made up some lame excuse about looking for the library and I left.  But I haven't seen Martin in years.  And that's the truth."

Sam closed the folder and slammed it down on the table, leaned over and got in Clark's face, "You are just full of it aren't you!  How about you try a little bit of truth now!"  

Joshua Clark looked up at Ben, "That is the truth, and it's all I've got.  I haven't seen Martin since his sister and I broke up, I don't even remember how many years ago.  Look, I was stupid then, real stupid.  I was mean to her, I loved her so much and I was so scared of losing her that I tried to control and manipulate her.  I didn't just lose her, I pushed her right back into the arms of the man she left for me.  It wasn't long after that she died in a horrible accident, which if I'm not mistaken, you already know about that don't you?  Look, I don't know what you want from me, but that's all I got.  I wish you cops would have put as much effort into looking for who killed Adelia back then as whatever it is you are investigating now.  And if it has to do with Martin then it just might have to do with Adelia.  If it has anything to do with Adelia or finding her murderer, I'm in, I'll do whatever I can to help you.  But you have to believe me, I don't know any more about Martin than what I just told you."

Sam slammed his hands down on the table, picked up the folder and left the room.  Ben got up from the table glaring at Clark and followed Sam out the door which he slammed behind him.

They quietly entered the observation room.  Sean, Sam and Ben all looked at each other.  "That was just was way to easy"  Sam said quietly,  "Now what boys?"

she saw tears start falling quietly from Ginny's eyes

** many apologies, as I read through the story from start to current page, I found so may error, esp in character ages and a few details, some that will make a difference & I'll try to correct, some that were minor.  MANY APOLOGIES!!!!**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  As the guys headed back to the NPD offices, the ladies were busy chattering about wedding plans.  Whitney kept her eye on Ginny and knew there was something bothering her, maybe a question unanswered, or frustration building?   While they talked about colors, lemon-yellow and turquoise, flowers, daisies and roses in lemon yellow, carnations in turquoise, lemon cake with the same colors, grammy's chocolate fudge cake for the grooms cake.  Ginny & Tara would be her matron & maid of honor, and of course she'd let Ben choose his best man, most likely his brother or Sammy or both?  She wanted Kaci and Neal for the ring boys of course, but who for the flower girl?  maybe Paul's youngest daughter, at three years old she should be a delight!  
  They were just starting to talk about the menu for the reception when she saw tears start falling quietly from Ginny's eyes.  Whitney put a hand on her mother's arm to stop her talking and nodded towards Ginny, who's eyes were closed and didn't seem aware of what was going on around her.  Whitney and her mother moved simultaneously around the table and both were hugging Ginny when the silent tears turned to sobs, heart wrenching, soul wrecking sobs.  
  After ten minutes or so her tears seemed to have found an end, Whitney pulled her chair closer to Ginny while her mother got a cold soda from the frig and opened it into a glass for her.  They let her take a few sips and let the last few tears escape with a few lingering sobs, before they dared to ask her any questions.  
  They didn't have a chance to ask questions though, Ginny asked the first question, "Why?, why was Mike taken from me, why when I'm just beginning to feel normal again does all this have to happen, and Ma, why did you lie to me about how old I am?"
  Celia sputtered a little bit before she spoke "What do you mean?"  
  She was as gentle as possible, but she wanted the truth when she confronted Ceila, "Uh-uh, don't even try that,  a long time ago you said I was 3 years old when I came to live with your family, but this afternoon, you said I was just a few days old?  Which is it and why would you tell such different stories?  Is any of what you told me true?" 
  Celia lowered her head and seemed to be fighting her own tears.   When she answered, she was very quiet, "I'm so sorry Ginny, it's true, what I said this afternoon.  You were just a few days old when you came to live with us, when your parents were murdered.  I was just barely pregnant with Whitney.  We thought by the time you were old enough to understand that you were 'adopted' into our family, it would be best to tell you that you were three years older, in case anyone ever came snooping around, looking for you or for information about you.  You were a bigger baby than most little girls, born at 8.5 pounds and 21 inches, and smart as a whip.   Your Da and I talked about it and thought it was a good idea at the time.   You have to know, we never meant to hurt you, we only wanted to protect you.  I'm so sorry Ginny girl!".   And the sobs started all over again, this time with both Celia and Ginny participating.  Whitney couldn't help herself, she started crying too.  
  Andrew came to the door to see if everything was ok, saw three females crying and decided it was safer to take the boys back into their bedroom and play more video games.  Besides, the boys didn't need to be submitted to seeing their mother & grandmother crying.  
  After a few more minutes their tears subsided, again, they hugged each other, Whitney was the first to speak.  "You know what, I don't think that's a major piece of information that affects our relationships with each other, but I do need to let Ben know before he interrogates Mr Clark.   But Ginny you have to know, I love you, as far as I'm concerned you are my sister, and nothing and no one can change that,  I know the same is true for Ma and Da, our brothers and Tara.   I can't imagine what our lives would be like without you as part of our family!"
  Ginny giggle a little bit, "Well for one thing, you'd probably starve to death!"  and she reached over and hugged Whitney,  "go call Sammy, We're going to be ok."  Ginny reached over and put her hand on top the hand of the only woman she'd ever known as a mother and looked into her eys with kindness and forgiveness. 
  Whitney stepped out of the room and asked to borrow the guard's burner phone to call "the chief", then she stepped into her bedroom to call Ben.

Back on track

My apologies, again.  I'll be posting again sometime between now and next Monday, the 22nd, not much further to go, and I HOPE no one has figured out the guilty culprit yet? 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE!!

More important than anything we do not mention Ginny's or Whitney's names

The 3 men left a few minutes later.  Andrew decided to stay until they returned, just to make sure there was "plenty of protection"  

Whitney suspected he kind of liked the security guard who had changed out just as the guys were leaving.  She was kind of cute if you liked the blonde, blue eyed, overtanned look?  Oh well.

Whitney, her mother and Ginny went into the kitchen, leaving Andrew to flirt in private.  

"Sooooooo, Whitney, big wedding, little wedding, elopement?" Ginny asked.

Whitney's mother gasped, "WHAT?   There will absolutely be no elopement!  Don't you dare even think about it girl!"

"Of course not Ma, Ginny shame on you for teasing ma"  of course Whitney was smiling just a little bit  as she said it.  "No, I think I would like to keep it small, just our families and a few close friends.  I don't want some big whoop-to-do with a bunch of money spent on flowers and decorations and stuff that will never be used again.  But there is one thing I want, Ma, do you still have your wedding gown from when you & Da got married?"

It took Celia a few seconds to answer, and then it was through some very quiet tears, "oh of course I do Whitney girl, and you know you just asked the one question a mother always wants to say yes to!"    

They all 3 looked at each other, squealed like little teenage girls & started laughing.   

*****

Meanwhile, as the guys  drove into town, the silence was finally broken by Sammy, "Sooooo Ben, big wedding, little wedding, eloping?"

Whitney's Dad exploded "WHAT? Oh no sirreee, there'll be no eloping!  You'll be walking her down the aisle proper like or you won't be walking her down the aisle at all!"

"No sir, no eloping!  I promise you that much, as to the size of the wedding, I'll leave that up to Whit, but I'm hoping she'll go with something small, you know just our families and our close friends." 

"Well, that sounds good to me, whatever my little girl wants"  

"Yep, what ever she wants."  Ben smiled a little bit, thinking how much he loved that "little girl". 

Sammy broke up the fun, "So how are we going to go at this guy, direct approach, or bait him and see what he knows?"  

Looking at Whitney's dad Ben said "I want you to stay out of this for now, just observe, he might say something that you can counter later & the less he knows about what we know, including just your presence, the better.   Sammy you and I will just start with baiting him, see how much we can get before he catches on to anything.   More important than anything we do not mention Ginny's or Whitney's names"  

Both the other men nodded in agreement.

He was anxious to put all this murder mess behind them...

"I think I can tell you the why."  Whitney looked at her Da's face and reached for Ben's hand for security at the same time.

 "Da?" 

"Yes, I think I can tell you why.  Can I get some room to sit & eat? "  

Whitney & Ben wiggled closer together, Sammy moved the other direction.

He took a few bights then looked around at everyone watching him.  He dabbed at his mouth with a paper napkin.  "Ok, so yes, there was something in that picture.  Ginny, do you remember when Ma & I gave you that picture for your birthday?  I took you shopping a few days before at that craft store & walked you by the frames on purpose.  I wanted to see which frame you liked the most.  I didn't want anyone looking behind that picture until it was time.  A long time ago, your mother's brother, your biological mother, found me, just a year or two after your mother & her husband died in the car explosion. "  He looked at Celia, and continued, "I was worried at first, worried he was going to try to claim you and take you away from us.  You were just a little over 2, your Ma was pregnant with Whitney, and you were so much a part of our family, I couldn't imagine losing you."  His voice choked up a little bit. "But he didn't want to take you away, He wanted to protect you.  But he gave me a copy of your grandmothers will. It named you an heir of your mothers portion of the family fortune, if you were ever found.  Together we came up with a plan, to protect you and the will.  I told him we would keep the will behind a picture of you.  I would write,  to "Ginny, with love from ma & da" on the back, with a little heart that would have your name in it, just in case.   Over the years we kept in touch, but very infrequently.  He would send me updates to the will, at the office, and I would occasionally send him a copy of the picture the will would be stored in, at his office.  He didn't know about your biological father, he was afraid someone in his family had killed Deli and Quint.  Everyone thought you'd died in the explosion along with them and he wanted to keep you safe.  He loved your mother so much.  All he wanted to do was keep you safe."

The room was so quiet, you could hear everyone holding their breath.  

"The night Mike died, I suspect there was someone looking for you.  Mike didn't know anything, but I know he suspected.  He had asked me questions about how you came to be in our family and I told him the story Celia and I came up with about a cousin who died in childbirth.  I could tell he wasn't buying it.  Then that night, the night Mike died, I remember one of the neighbor's said something about a silver mustang in the area a couple days before and then again that day.   But not the night he got shot."

Ben was the first one to break the silence, "That's it, I think we have enough to at least bring in Joshua Clark for questioning.  If he's the guy, he's not a very smart guy, you don't let yourself get seen watching your victims or drive the same car year after year.  Sammy, make the call.  Then you and I are making a trip back into town to be there when they bring him in."

"I want to be there too Ben"

"No way Whit,  I'm pretty sure you're not the target, but I'm not taking any chances.  Besides, you need to stay here and help keep your security guard keep Ginny and the boys safe, and your mother.  I need you to come with me to identify him if you don't mind," Sammy looked at Whitney's father.

"Absolutely, let's get this done!"

"Actually, while Sammy is calling this in, can I talk with you in the kitchen for a minute?"

Ben kissed Whitney on the cheek and winked at her before he followed her father into the kitchen.

Celia, Whitney and Ginny just looked at each other and then started chatting.  Whitney knew Ginny probably had a lot of questions about her biological parents, so after a few minutes, she excused herself to the ladies room for a few minutes.

When she came back out she heard Ginny and her Ma talking in her room.  

She went back into the living room and started to clean up the mess.  Sammy had finished his call and was just waiting for Ben, so he started helping her.  

Ben and her Da finally came out of the kitchen.

"Finally, I can ony clean up so much with out a trash bag, if you'll let me through, I'll get rid of all this mess,"  she gently poked Ben in the ribs and started to reach up to give Ben a quick kiss when she remember her Da was right there watching.

"It's ok girl, go ahead and give the boy a kiss" her Da winked at her.  "where's your Ma at?"

Whitney was still blushing when she answered her Da, "Ginny and she are talking in the bedroom Da"

"I'll be right back, hurry up with that kiss'n stuff girl"

Whitney looked at Ben, they both smiled and kissed each other.  She felt like she was smiling all the way down to her toes!

"Ahem!  If I can get your attention please?"  Whitney turned around with her back to Ben and he wrapped his arms around her.  

Sammy, Ginny, Celia, Andrew, the security guard and the boys were all quietly watching.

"This young man here asked me permission for someth'n and I told him to go on ahead and do it.  So go ahead Ben, You've been wait'n long enough."

Ben turned Whitney around, pulled something out of his pocket then got down on one knee.  "Well Whit, it's true, I've been carrying this around in my pocket for over a year.   I really want to put this where it belongs, on your finger.   Will you marry me?"

Whitney could barely see from the tears glistening in her eyes, she looked at her Ma and Da and saw their smiles.

She looked down at Ben, and with what little voice she had left, whispered, "yes"

That was all the answer Ben needed, he stood up and took her in his arms, kissed her and then put the silver and gold engagement ring on her finger.  Then they kissed again.   Everyone in the room cheered and clapped their hands, even the security guard and Andrew.

Ben looked down at her and whispered in her ear, "I love you Whit."   

She whispered back  "I love you Ben"

The moment was broken when Sam's phone rang.  He answered it while Celia and Ginny swooped in to look at her ring.

"All right guys, time to head back, that was the office.  They found him and they are heading to the office.  If we leave right now we should get there about 15 minutes before they do.  Sorry, I hate to tear you two love birds apart right now, but we gotta go."

Ben and Whitney looked at each other and kissed again, "It's ok, I'm sure Whit, Ginny and her mother have a lot of planning to do. And,  by the way, Whit, the sooner the better."  Ben gave her a wink and another kiss before they all headed out the door.  He was anxious to put all this murder mess behind them and get started on something more pleasing to his spirit!