Chapter XIII

illiam and Sharon were simply destroyed when they saw what was left of their home.  One whole side had been blown out and the little room where Billy slept was gone.  His playpen and things were scattered all over the yard.  The babysitter was blown to small pieces.

William and Sharon both were in shock.  There was no doubt the attack had been aimed at one of them, probably both, but they had escaped yet again with their lives.  Sharon was led to the front passenger seat of Williams vehicle and was rocking back and forth sobbing uncontrollably.  Melinda was sitting on the edge of the floor jutting out from the seat, tears streaming, trying her best to comfort Sharon.

Len was at such a loss of words he couldn't think, just wandered around trying to remember what he was supposed to do in situations such as this.  Lane, Victor, Ellen and Chief Coker was trying to assist other officials in the cleanup of the body parts.  William would have the final portion of the home demolished and hauled off.  He would see to it that it would nothing would ever be built there.

What to do?  Their entire lives was in that little house.  Everything they'd ever worked for, their family, the memories, the hurts, the reason they lived . . . all tied up in that house.

Victor Bension, Lane and Loraine, Banty and Ellen, Len and Melinda all rallied behind William and Sharon.  The team had been through a lot together, Len and Melinda and William and Sharon a lot more so than the others.  But nothing could conquer the hurt they all felt.  To place a stick of dynamite under a house with occupants, innocent occupants was more than could be understood.

Lane had lost his first wife and a daughter so he could relate somewhat.  But this was much different.  This was a two year old toddler and a police attendant.  Lives snuffed out in a moment, never having the chance to flee the danger.  And for what purpose?

Something building up in William and Sharon was like an all powerful volcano which could explode at any minute.  The Team walked around them on eggshells in the coming days.  The funeral for the two was now a week gone and a terrible, murderous resolve was welling up inside them both.  There was no telling what would happen when it was released.

They went through the motions of purchasing new clothes, a new home, all with the tasteless and zombie like features of one long dead.  Their lives shattered, their future, the hopes and dreams and nearly the marriage.  All shattered.  What was it to live for any more?  The life and the zeal for same was all but gone.

Sharon was wanting just one chance at the culprit who'd done this dirty deed.  They would learn the details in the coming week, and Sharon would see a side to herself she never wanted to see again.  William was more or less just tired of the whole game, and just didn't show up one morning to the meet as they'd done for years.

No answer to his phone, no location or hints where, no indication if he was hurt or OK.  Nothing.  William had just disappeared.

This threw Sharon into an even lower plane thinking that perhaps he'd been kidnapped again.  About noon a cruiser called in to Chief Coker to report Williams vehicle in a parking lot of a motel in Santa Cruz.  But William was still no where around.  The motel had called the police citing they wanted it towed away.

A police attendant realized it was an FBI vehicle and made the call into headquarters.  The vehicle was towed and inspected with a fine toothed comb but no evidence of foul play was to be found.

Later that evening Chief Coker received a call from William.  "Yes William, what can I do for you?"  He had kept his voice chipper so as not to warn William they were overly worried about him, and, to alert those within hearing distance who it was.  He touched the speaker phone button and set the phone down for all to hear.

"Sorry about the unreported activity and intentions, but I had a thought last night and decided to follow it up.  I left home about four AM not wanting to disturb Sharon, and then things went a little crossways.  I located the man responsible for the explosion and I have him in custody.  I hope by now you have a GPS fix on my phone."

"Already done William.  Are you hurt?  What can we do help you?  Are you in need of anything?"

"Yeah.  Tell my beloved bride, the most beautiful woman in the world, that she needs to bring some new clothes for me and for Billy."

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