Chapter 27

In frustration, Tim said rather loudly, "How come I'm not told about these things?"

Jeanie was in the hallway, not really to listen in, but just to be there. She heard Tim's outburst and stepped into the bedroom.

"Tim..." Jeanie said in a disapproving voice.

Tim turned and looked at her. His face showed the anger he felt.

"Don't you think I should know? They did a raid on the factory last year and picked up three guys. We found out what they were doing as a sideline. The FBI? Jeanie, she's my daughter! What's she hanging around scum like that for?" Then turning to his daughter, he said, "You, little lady, are not going to see this ... John ... again. Do you understand me?"

Jeanie was surprised. She'd never seen Tim be so possessive of his daughter before. Jessica, on the other hand, was pissed. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her father.

"You..." Jessica seethed.

"Tim," Jeanie butted in, seeing Jessica was ready to explode, "John helped stop a bank robbery and now they are concerned that he's in danger."

"Oh," Tim said, with a deflated attitude and not knowing what else to say.

Jeanie quickly added, "They were also concerned about Jessica and Theresa."

"What?" Tim exclaimed.

"Theresa is taking care of John. Sort of rehab, as he has a full leg cast. Oh, of course you don't know. He got his leg shot during the robbery. So that is why Theresa and Jessica are living here, for now."

"You're in danger?" Tim said as he looked at his daughter.

"Daddy," Jessica said in an exasperated voice.

"Don't 'Daddy' me, Jessica, if anything happened to you..."

Jeanie knew this was her cue to exit. She did hear Jessica's question as she walked around the doorframe.

"Daddy, if you care about me, why did you leave?"

Tim looked at his daughter with a woeful expression.

"I don't think you'd understand."

Jessica bit her upper lip. The last time she brought this up, only yesterday, had been disastrous. Yet, on the other hand, he was here. That was a first in a long, long time.

"I know your mom wasn't around when you grew up," Jessica said. "That must have been very hard on you."

Tim nodded, not really wanting to get into this.

"Daddy, didn't you do to me, what your mother did to you? You took off."

"It's not the same," Tim said.

"It is to me," Jessica replied. "You had a parent that wasn't there for you. So do I."

"But I..." Tim's words failed him. To suggest that Jessica could have come to see him, he knew, was a cop out. In resignation of defeat, he simply said, "It's what I grew up with. Your mother couldn't run out on you, if I left."

Jessica blinked — twice — while her brain was trying to fathom that logic.

"Do you think Mom would ever do that? Really?" Tim didn't have an answer to that and after a long pause, Jessica went on, "I guess there's no way to change what has happened, but don't you want to be in my life?"

As soon as Jessica said those words, she understood some of her classmates. The ones who had been adopted. The ones who grieved, wondering why their parents had let them go. She felt the tears start to form in her eyes. Even though she didn't want to show how much it hurt inside, she couldn't help herself.

Tim saw the tears and pulled Jessica close to him. The shuddering of her body as she cried hurt him. It was his own selfishness that didn't allow him to think what his leaving had done to his daughter.

"Jess, what do you want me to do? I can't come back. Your mother and I..."

She sniffled in, and then said, "I want you to talk with her. You told me you loved her and that's why you married her. I have to believe that. So talk. I want you to be in my life and the only way that can happen is for you and Mom to talk."

"Talk?"

"Talk," Jessica said. "Not yell, or try and hurt each other. Just talk."

"Do you realize how hard, what you're asking, is?"

"No, probably not."

"Well, at least you're being honest. Jess, I'm not sure if I can."

"Will you try? For me?"

"I think your mother has something to say about this. What if she doesn't want to talk?"

"She will."

"Special Child Operation Planned Elimination."

"Scope," I said, wanting to hurl.

"Sick, isn't it."

"I think it goes way beyond sick," I said. "How did you find out?"

"Hypnosis. She doesn't even know."

"Who?"

"The girl you saved. The two men in custody are talking as much as possible. They've even agreed to a polygraph. They are almost begging us to give it to them."

"Why?"

"There was another robbery yesterday. This time it was in Pittsburgh. The young boy that was part of this one wasn't so lucky as our girl."

"He's dead?" I asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

"John, there wasn't much left of him. The two we have want to make sure we know they had no idea that this is what was supposed to happen. Their story is that the girl was to be a diversion, just by being there and getting in the way."

"And you believe them?"

"It is possible. We have a man coming in to do a polygraph. He'll be here in the morning."

"You can lie with those things, can't you?"

"Is it possible? Yes. Is it probable? No. John, they work. What makes them not work is asking the wrong questions. That is why polygraphs got such a bad rap. Our guy knows just the questions to ask, how to ask them, and the order to ask them in. There is only one way to get by him, and he knows it, even if it doesn't show up on the machine."