Ransom

“What are you daydreaming about? Don't you have work to do?” Rick barked at him as he stopped in the doorway of Ted's office. Their new business was already up and running, and they were doing well. There was a sizable market for their services, and Ted had told his last police partner, Jeff Stone, the week before, that he had never had so much fun, far more than he'd expected. And he loved working with Rick again. The security business they were just starting up had been a great idea.

“Don't give me any crap about daydreaming, Special Agent. You took a three-hour lunch yesterday. I'm going to start docking your pay if you do it again.” Rick guffawed. He'd been out with Peg. They were getting married in a few weeks. Everything was coming up roses for them. And Ted was going to be best man. “And don't think you're taking a paid vacation while you're on your honeymoon. We run a serious business here. If you want to get married and go running off to Italy, do it on your own time.”

Rick wandered into his office with a grin, and sat down. He hadn't been this happy in years. He'd been sick and tired of his work with the FBI, he much preferred running their own business. “So what's on your mind?” Rick looked at him. He could see there was something eating at Ted.

“I'm having dinner with the Barneses tomorrow night. In Sausalito. They moved.”

“That's nice. Am I allowed to ask rude questions, like what your intentions are, Detective Lee?” Rick's eyes were more serious than his words. He knew what Ted's feelings were, or he thought he did. What he didn't know was what he intended to do about them, if anything. But neither did Ted.

“I just wanted to see the kids.”

“That's too bad.” Rick looked disappointed. He was so happy with Peg, he wanted everyone else to be happy too. “Sounds like a waste of a good woman to me.”

“Yes, she is,” Ted agreed. But there were a lot of issues he couldn't make his peace with, and probably never would. “I think she's probably seeing someone. She looked great at the trial.”

“Maybe she was looking great for you,” Rick suggested, and Ted laughed.

“That's a dumb idea.”

“So are you. You drive me nuts sometimes. In fact, most of the time.” Rick stood up and strolled out of Ted's office again. He knew his old friend was too stubborn to convince.

Both men were busy for the rest of the afternoon. And Ted worked late that night, as he always did.

He was out of the office for most of the following day, and Rick only caught a glimpse of him the next evening when he was about to leave for Sausalito, straight from the office, with a small gift-wrapped package in one hand.

“What's that?” Rick inquired.

“None of your business,” Ted said cheerfully.

“That's nice.” Rick grinned at him, as Ted walked right past him on his way out. “Good luck!” Rick called after him, as Ted just laughed, and the door closed behind him. Rick stood looking at it for a long moment, after Ted was gone, hoping that things went well for him that night. It was time something good happened to him too. It was long overdue.

Chapter 23

Fernanda was in the kitchen with an apron on when the doorbell rang, and she asked Ashley to get it. She had grown about three inches in the past year, and Ted looked startled when he saw her. At thirteen, she suddenly looked not like a child, but like a woman. She was wearing a short denim skirt, a pair of her mother's sandals, and a T-shirt, and she was a very pretty girl, and looked nearly like Fernanda's twin. They had the same features, same smile, same dimensions, although she was taller than her mother now, and same long, straight blond hair.

“How've you been, Ashley?” Ted asked easily as he walked in. He had always liked Fernanda's children. They were polite, well behaved, warm, friendly, bright, and funny. And you could see easily how much love and time she had put into them.

As he walked in, Fernanda stuck her head out of the kitchen, and offered him a glass of wine, which he declined. He didn't drink much, even when he was off duty, which he was all the time now. And as Fernanda disappeared into the kitchen again, Will strolled in, and was obviously happy to see Ted as they shook hands. He was beaming, and they sat and chatted about Ted's new business for a few minutes, until Sam bounded into the room. He had the personality to go with his bright red hair, and he smiled from ear to ear when he saw Ted.

“Mom said you have a present for me, what did you bring me?” He chortled, as his mother arrived from the kitchen and scolded him.

“Sam, that's rude!”

“You said he did …” he argued with her.

“I know. But what if he changed his mind, or forgot it? You'd make him feel bad.”

“Oh.” Sam looked mollified by the correction, just as Ted handed him the package he had brought from work. It was small and square and looked mysterious to Sam, as he took it from him with an impish grin. “Can I open it now?”