She started laughing until she almost couldn't breathe any more, while Tina just stood there looking at her, unsure if she should call the paramedics or the men in the little white coats.  Tina was about to reach for her radio again, when Whitney put her hand on Tina's arm, "sorry Tina, I guess the stress finally caught up with me.  cool your jets, no need to call out the Calvary!  This is my nephew's room. Kaci always leaves his room looking like this! You do what you need to do and tomorrow I'll get Kaci in here to see if anything is missing.  

  The rest of the upstairs didn't turn up anything missing & she doubted anythng was missing out of Kaci's room.  What she didn't understand was why only that one picture was taken?

  "Whitney, can you come in here?" the chief, Ben Morgan, asked her.  He and Marshall were waiting for her in the kitchen. The CSU techs were rolling the body out on the gurney as she walked backed into the kitchen.  He pointed to where the body had been between the counter top and the kitchen island.  "Is this your missing picture?"

  She walked around the corner of the island and squatted down to take as close a look as she could without touching any possible evidence.  

  "Yea, looks like it, but what's it doing here?  Was it under the body?  Do we know how we died yet?"

  Marshall looked at her as if she were the dumbest hay bale in the stack, "yes, that's where it was when we picked him up. And yes, we think he was killed with the steak knife we found under the edge of the sink.  You didn't see that when you came in?"  

  Whitney stood up, "No, I guess I didn't.  Jimmy checked his pulse while Sam & I secured the area.  Did we find any id on him?" 

  The Chief answered her, "No id, but the CSU team found a medi-alert bracelet for diabetes, a round trip ticket from JFK to DFW & back & five thousand dollars cash.  That should help us id him. 

  She just stood there & looked at her kitchen floor, so many thoughts running through her mind.  Whitney didn't hear the chief say her name the first two times, then he touched her gently on the shoulder, so he wouldn't startle her,  "Whitney" he said calmly "Why don't you and Sammy find Tina, they can help you grab some overnight things for you, Ginny and the boys.  I'm putting y'all under police protection until we know more.  Call Ginny and tell her we're sending a cruiser to pick up her and the boys.  No, we better send an unmarked car.  They'll meet you at a safe house & we're going to put a cruiser here and at your parents"

  He put one hand on each shoulder and looked at her gently "and Whitney, this is NOT up for debate"  

  Her eyes started to well up with tears, which she quickly wiped away, hoping no one else noticed.  "yes sir.  I'll get my report typed up tonight on my laptop and email it to you."  

  Ben turned to Marshall, "stay here until the 2nd half of the team get's here.  Whitney, come with me"  and he pulled her by the hand into the next room.  

  "Look at me Whitney.  You'll do no such thing, I want you to get your stuff and get some rest.  I promise I'll call you later and I'll stop by if I can" 

  Good thing Ben still had her by the shoulders, since she had an overwhelming urge to fall into his arms and cry like a baby!  Ben must have read her mind, because he took hold of her arms, trying to keep some measure of "professional decorum" looked into her eyes.  The unspoken words between them in that look was enough to calm her for a little while.

  "You know I have to get loose ends tied up here and start the search for the victim's id.  As soon as I can, I'll call you Whitney, I promise! I don't want you calling anyone but me once  we get you some place safe.  Not even your folks.  So don't even ask.  As soon as I can, I'll come by and we'll talk.  I'll send Tim over to talk to your mom & dad and I'll call Pastor Mark & Sadie to pray ok? This might not even be connected to you or Ginny, it might be just a case of the wrong house or something"

  "C'mon Ben, he was just passing by, happened to glance in the window & saw Ginny's picture and fell madly in love with her, broke in to take the picture and accidentally fell on a kitchen knife?"  Whitney started shaking.

  "Whitney," he whispered, "you've never been the kind to fall apart, don't start now.  I promise you, we're going to figure this out, I promise.  Call my cell phone if you need me, but I want you safe, now."  He squeezed her hand and looked in her eyes again.  

  Just then Sam walked in the dining room.  Ben sort of nudged her  Sam's direction and told Sam to help her get some stuff together & get a car to take her to one of the safe houses they use and to send a car for Ginny and the boys to take them to the same safe house.