Chapter 35

Brian drove Sarra's durarango, back to Panama City, Phil detoured to Jacksonville to bring the locals in on the case and check with the FBI. Sarra's instincts for Abby's safety had been good. Jacksonville is a peaceful small community. Emily and Christian were well known  Christian was a strapping career Military man just back from active duty, The only thing Brian could fault Sarra for is sending Justice away too.

"You should of kept the dog with you for protection. he complained.as they pulled away from the diner.

" Justice is no protection. He would be a murderer to pet him."

"He is noisy. That is something. more useful than Jon Hanson."

She frowned." Hanson watched out for Abby."

"Who was watching out for you?"

"I was I do it all the time."

"Not anymore."

A promise or a threat. Brian wasn't sure but it didn't matter. She was asleep before the words sunk in. She slept all the way back to panama. Shivered and shook and made heartbreaking sounds, but slept nonetheless. At four thirty they pulled into her driveway and gestured to the police officer walking toward them The officer jogged down the drive to meet him and shook hands with Brian as Brian stepped out of the vehicle.

"Phil told me to expect you."

"Everything quiet?"Brian asked.

The officer nodded."I came on about two hours ago And William parked down the street. we did a walk through when we got here  before we took our post. No sign of anyone."

"Okay." tomorrow- rather this morning when the task force assembled, they will work out a more sophisticated surveillance plan with a team of off site agents. Put some people inside the neighborhood, maybe put someone in the house, just In case Brandon James shows up.

"They lady is asleep, he said  nodding to the Durango."I need five Min's."

"I will keep an eye on her." the officer said.

Brian raided through sarra's purse for the key card for her garage and went inside. He went straight upstairs and found an empty suitcase. He went to Sarra's bedroom. The top corner of a big dresser was dismantled the compartment just big enough to hide the size of a glock.

"Pretty slick," he muttered, then rooted through her closet and a couple of drawers grabbing anything that he thought she might need, and folding the clothes as neatly as a man was capable of doing. In the bathroom a box of tampons made him stop, he took it just in case  then searched the drawers for birth control pills or something there wasn't any.

Brian looked at the picture of her husband on the nightstand. Some questions there but he was honest enough to acknowledge they were mostly personal. Adam Jane didn't appear to be a big guy  5'9 or 5'10  with the build of a softball player  light brown hair and kinda a smart look to him. Abby didn't favor him, She was a carbon copy of Sarra's exotic looks. But it was obvious the array of pictures around the house that Sarra worked really hard to keep Adam alive, and his ring was the only jewelry Brian ever saw her wear.

She was still in love with a ghost.

At five o'clock in the morning he pulled into the hotel parking lot.

"It's clean?" Brian asked when Phil met him.

"Yeah my guys got security got security in place about an hour ago."

He woke Sarra gently not knowing what to expect of her temper when she had realized that he had taken her to a hotel instead of home. He didn't know if she had any intentions of taking Brandon on  but it didn't matter anymore. He was finished letting her call the shots.

"Where are we?" she asked stretching out her legs as she got out of the car. She handed him his coat he tucked around her in the car while she was sleeping,.He draped it right back over her shoulders.

"Hotel keep you out of sight for  a little while."

She blinked but didn't argue. Probably just exhausted.

"Abby?" she asked.

"Jacksonville police and a couple of FEDS are on her twenty four seven. Adams sister will never know that they are there. But if Brandon discovers Abby we will be on him before he can breath."

"Okay."

"Your damn right OK, Get your purse."

"I am getting my purse you don't have to order me around."

It didnt' feel that way to Brian she needed someone to take care of her. God help him.

Sarra frowned when he pulled her suitcase out of the car."That's mine" she said.

"We went by your house and I picked you up a few things. If there is something I missed I will get it tomorrow." She reached for her suitcase and Brian pushed her hand away." I've got it."

"I can carry my own suitcase." she protested."I do it all the ti___

"Dammit Sarra he grabbed the suitcase with one hand and her elbow with the other."You aren't alone anymore."

He walked Sarra to her suite on the 8th floor of the Hampton inn. It had a comfortable central seating room, with two bedrooms  jutting out like wings, each with its own bath. Another half bath was in the middle of them, and to the right a pair  of double doors led to a kitchen.

"Phil his sleeves rolled to his elbows and a tie yanked loose had files spread  out on the coffee table. A larger table had been for the laptop printer and a fax machine.; Brian wasn't surprised at the man stationed there thin and slightly balding, he wore a black suit white shirt  and a navy striped tie.

The FEDS had arrived.

"Mrs Jane, Phil said gesturing the setup."I am sorry to intrude on you but we need to talk to you before you go to bed."

"I am not going to bed I slept all the way here."

Brian stopped him before he scoffed out loud. She sure as hell was going to sleep  for ten hours if he had anything to say about it.

"This is special agent John Bradley with the FBI." Phil said, introducing the man with the laptop." The rest of the task force will be assembled later this morning at Quantico. Bradley is a technology expert."

"Computer Jock,": Bradley said. he smiled at Sarra and shook Brian's hand.

"Do you know special agent Gene stard?" Brian asked.

"She is on her way." Bradley answered. "She said to tell you to take a chill pill."

Brian humphed.Bitch. But Jesus he was glad to see her.

Phil started in with Sarra."We know about Amy Chaney Brandon James.But we need you to help us figure out what he is doing now.:" Why is he after you?"

Her cheeks drained of what little color they had. but she nodded. She picked her way around the room as if she didn't know where to sit. then perched on the edge of the love seat.

"Mrs Jane." Phil began" When did you receive the first phone call from Brandon?"

"About 8 months ago," she said." I thought it was just a prank call."

"How many times has he called you since?"

She pressed her finger tips against her temples." I don't know."

"Two, ten, twenty?" Brian pushed.

"I don't know." she looked at Brian."You were monitoring my phone calls why don't you know?"

"Shit Sarra we wern't monitoring your phone calls. All we knew at first was the phone that called you on Wednesday night belonged to a woman with her eyelids cut off."

"Wh-what?"

Well shit Sarra was shaking, like she was going to pass out. Brian glanced at Phil whose face said nice work asshole.

"Mrs Jane- Phil stopped."May I call you Sarra? We only know about three phone calls.The one from Seattle you received at midnight this past Wednesday night  the one from Omaha we played for you at the station, and the one we tapped tonight" He looked at his watch. "I mean last night. Do you remember the first call?"

She nodded"It was Monday night Labor day I remember because I  had just flown back from a antique show in Dallas."

"What did he say?"

"Nothing hung up. I just thought it was a wrong number."

"Okay." Phil said "But there has to be a reason Brandon James called you.It wasn't random. Think about the people you have met threw Fosters maybe someone you dated."

"It's not that," she looked up and the words seemed to choke her."I wasn't trying to be uncooperative I thought he just wanted to get back at me. It's me he wants."

Brian's heart began to squeeze.

"But this time - t-tonight-- when he called he said he'd--" she drew a deep breath  Agony carved lines in her face "He said he killed a woman in her van. Was that true?"

"Its true sweetheart." Brian said."He shot a woman right before he called you."

She jerked as if she had been struck. A pallor of death mask crept over her face.

"Sarra?" Brian said "That was the third woman we think Brandon killed -on his spree- and to others are miss_____

She shoved past him swung he bathroom door closed behind her. She vanished quickly Brian frowned her heard the unmistakable sounds of cough and gags.

They gave her a few Min's.nobody talking until they couldn't stand it anymore and started to the bathroom. The door opened  and he stopped.

"Its not because of something at work." Sarra said he voice thready" And does not have to do with anyone i had dated."

Brian stepped closer "Then what is it Sarra? Why does Brandon James want to make you pay?"

She looked up forcing out the words." Because I killed Amy Chaney."