Chapter 45

So nothing there at least not until he got to look at the dolls. Brian called Dean and talked him into a warrant, then we went back to the hotel suite to find Sarra and Eddy playing cards. Well Eddie anyway. Sarra was pacing the floor, The cards in her hand apparently forgotten.

"Where the hell have you been?"She asked Brian.

A smile tugged at his lips"I honey I am home."

"Brian", Eddie said."Maybe you can get her to stop wandering around. Have you ever tried poker with a woman who won't sit down?"

Sarra walked over to the table and slapped her cards Dow."Full house." she said."I win."

Eddie picked up his suit coat shaking his head."Good luck. he said shutting the door behind him.

"Evan called." Sarra said as soon as Eddie left."He needs me at the sale this weekend."

"No"

"I am the only one who knows this collection Its my catalog my customer consignment."

"No."

"Dammit Brian you can't keep me locked in here like a child."

"I thought we had already established that i am not treati-

"Stop it." she said."You tuck me in here with a guard who keeps filling my wine glass trying to get me to lie down or play cards.or look at dolls, anything to keep me busy while you and the rest of the world are trying to catch a killer."

"You are the target, Sarra. What am I supposed to do, Have you out there so he can get a clean shot? Take you to visit crime scenes?" He thought tears might start and he cursed."Aw jeez, don't do that."

"I won't let you shut me out." Her voice shaking."Adam did that He wanted to handle everything and I let him and-----

"Alright." Brian conceded."I won't shut you out But I will shut you in.You are staying under lock and key, if you like it or not."

She opened her mouth to say something and Brian kissed her.

She let it happen for a min. then pushed him away."You can distract me all you want, but you still have to tell me what is happening."

Brian nodded."Fair enough."

He sat down with her on the couch and filled her in on what they know about Brandon. His family his schooling, his employment. He hesitated when it came to brandon's sister Christie but told her anyway.

"Oh god." she said."Brandon killed her didn't he?

"No one knows that."

"But that is what they believe, isn't it?" Panic edged her voice."He killed a helpless little gir-

"Don't go there Sarra Not until we know."He waited until it look like she could hear him again.then picked up a napkin from the table and sketched out his homestead. The lay of Brandon's land bordering a river. The position of the house, the shooting range."Brandon spent his teenage years in foster care, but he inherited his mothers land when he turned 21. He sold it the same day, for a song. to the man who owns the shooting range here. Jesse ham. Agents are trying to track ham down now to talk to him. Of all the people in that town Ham might have known Brandon best. His family and the James family go way back." Brian gave Sarra's hand a squeeze." we will find him sweetheart, I promise."

She nodded and he thought she believed him. But there were questions in her head.Before he kills again or after?

He put down the pen and napkin."Did you talk to Abby today?"

"Emily said they did a lemonade stand this morning and made 6 dollars and 18 cents. Mostly donations I think."She stopped and sucked in her lips.

"And did Stard come by?"

Sarra scowled."You know she did, haven't you seen the latest additions to my file?"

"It is a file on the case Sarra not you. And yes I read it. It said you chewed Stard out clammed up and walked away,"

"I will do the same to you so don't try."

He smiled at the fire in her eyes even as he worried about all that independence.Maybe he shouldn't try and push her or bully her into trusting him. Maybe he should just be patient and let her open up to him in her own time. or maybe he should just damn everything and peel her clothes off  show her out it would feel to---

"I know what your thinking." she said smartly

"I don't think so." he cleared his throat.

"Yes I do. I know what you think. You think I never dealt with what Brandon did You think I avoided it by moving away and having Abby and focusing career. Well maybe you are right . but putting in a room with some some bulldozer shrink, ain't helping any."

"She is just trying to profile Brandon."

"She knows all about Brandon. shit the FBI must have a file on him 3 inches thick. They only thing they don't know is where he is at. It is me who she is profiling. It is like she thinks I am going to snap."

"you have hoarded things kept alot of guns and started training to fight. You held alot of secrets Sarra." He stopped he could of pressed this issue bot he stopped.He didn't want to talk about Stard, he didn't want to talk about Brandon, Shit he didn't even want to talk about Abby. He looked at his hands thinking about the one thing he really did want to talk about.. Sarra

She was dreaming again, Brian could hear it and the sounds tightened in his chest like a fist. Whimpers. screams that didn't quite make it out of her throat.

Brandon was in there with her. Doing what? Tormenting Amy Chaney? Striking Sarra with the butt of his gun? Something worse?

He groaned and layed a forearm over his eyes, sank deeper in his pillow. Leave it alone. It was part of the healing process, he knew that. Hell he had dreamed about McKenzie for years. still did sometimes. She would be 11 now. Taking piano lessons ballet. Playing soccer maybe even starting to look at boys.

He got up and peeked in the door of Sarra's room. She was asleep but sobbing softly. Hurting. He went to the bed.

When he touched her she jerked so hard he jumped backwards. She rolled into a fetal position, Her sleep drugged body not able to get away. The dreams not letting her out. The truth climbed on top of him, and he wanted to kill somebody. The next ten somebodies he ran into.

Brandon..

Brian left the room and called the agent stationed outside.."Stay with her." He said. There is something I have to do."

"It is 2 o'clock in the morning."

"I will be back by 3.

One Sarra's street he called Lexi.(The one who is staying at Sarra's house mimicking her.) and woke her up.

"Jesus Brian." She said."Do you know what time it is??'"What are you doing??"

"Call off the dogs.I need to come by. I am on Bayhead st right now."

She did then come back to the phone still sounding pissed about being woke up."What the hell do you want?"

"Let me in I am coming to the front porch now."

At first glance she reminded him of Sarra, wearing a longish polo shirt and her dark hair everywhere."You shouldn't be here." she complained."What if Brandon James is watching?"

"Then he will see me leave again in two min."

He climbed the stairs, not bothering with the lights until he got to Abby's room. He went to her dresser and found a comb, a couple of hairbrushes, a whole lot of ribbons and some bows.. He pulled out an elastic do dad that had two big plastic beads on it and held it up to the light. A tiny mass of ripped out hairs was tangled around the elastics.

"Cody says hi by the way." Lexi said from the door way."He was surprised when I told him you were back to quantico. said he wants a rematch in the ring."

Brian forced a smile."sure."

"You OK?" she asked

He pocketed the elastic band." I am fine sorry I woke you I got what I needed."

Twenty mins. later Brian waited at the entrance of an FBI lab. A short bulky man walked up."Christ you got old."he said extending his hand.

"I need a favor Dillon."

He laughed "I kinda figured that, what with the sneaking around in the middle of the night and all."

Brian handed him the rubber band."DNA, and don't report the findings to anyone but me, and oh...

"I know I know put a rush on it right?"

"If you can."

"Sure." Dillon said slipping the band into a plastic bag."I mean it is only my career ya know.Just a couple dozen years of work and my pension, my wife's future and my kids coll---

"Dillon."

He grinned jowls jiggling like a bulldogs."Love to see you big macho types squirm."

Brian was on his fifth cup of coffee the next morning when a agent called from the hallway. Brian opened the door.

"Dolls?" He asked pointing at the boxes  the agent carried.

The man handed them over."Evan foster was not happy about having them taken from the premises. Dean had to wake up a judge and get a warrant. He told me to tell you that you better make it worth his while."

"We will find out." Brian said and closed the door just as Sarra walked in. she dabbed makeup on the bags under her eyes.but she still looked beat.and beautiful.

"Are those Mrs chadborns doll's?"She asked frowning"What are you doing with them?"

Brian sat both boxes on the table and opened the first."Something you said about the last doll got me thinking."Brian said peeling of the package . He got through the bubble wrap and peanuts, he let that all drop then he seen the wide eyed doll come into view."This is the first one right.?"

"You picked her up in my basement remember?"

"You said she was worth 6 thousand of my salary. why did you say that?"

A little crease dug into her forehead."She is early, she is in good condition, and she blinks. well at least that is what she is supposed to do.The mechanism is broken.But its rare to exist at all in such an early doll."'

Brian's pulse began to race.. stay calm... stay cool...

He placed the doll on top of the padding inside her box.and opened the second one. Blood moving fast now."Was there anything unusual about the second one?"

"Unusual? No not for something nearly a hundred and fifty years old. The doll had some damages  hairline fractures to the legs."

Brian swallowed,"show me.'

Sarra took the doll, her slender practiced fingers removing the clothes,

"Ah Jesus.' Brian paced away from the table rubbing the back of his neck."Jesus." he said.

"what?"

"And the third one had a blouse that didn't match, right?

"I need to make a phone call." He cupped her shoulders ."Do you trust me?"

She shook her head. not negative.just confusion."Yes but wh----

"Do me a favor package the dolls back up I want to take them to the lab."

"You are scaring me Brian."

"I know. he said he was scaring himself." where is Mrs Chadborne staying I need to talk to her."

"I dunno all I have is her Boise number. It could be a cell phone. I din't know she was here until you told me. Brian what is going on.?"

'I think Brandon James knows Mrs Chadborne.He may be using her dolls to get to you."

she stared."I don;t understand?"

"I don't either. yet.'

"Oh God Brian if he knows her---

He put a finger over her lips "You are doing it again.Sarra jumping to conclusions. If they do know each other its because Brandon needs her. He is not going to hurt her."

At least Brian thought but didn't say it out loud... Not yet.