Chapter 15

Catherine used the small shower in Vincent's chamber. It was nothing fancy, in fact it was quite primitive. The water only a lukewarm trickle from a hand held nozzle but at least it was private, better than going to the bathing pools where he'd headed, at least until people knew they were together and going to marry. The water drained into a receptacle that would have to be emptied. She had rented an RV one summer in California and could take a shower using a minimum amount of water. Mouse had installed the shower for Vincent when he had been so devastated after her death and kept to himself. He rarely used it now. He took a chamber pot out of one of his wardrobes, embarrassing her before he left for the pools.

"Catherine," he said teasingly. "Nature calls for everyone. I just thought you’d rather stay here."

"I would for now. Thank you."

She lighted some of the candles around the room and changed the sheets on his bed. She'd take them to her place to wash. Whoever did Vincent's and JV's laundry didn't need to know what went on in his bed last night.

She pressed her lips to her ring. Could their dream finally come true? Could they live happily ever after like in all the fairy tales? Her vision blurred.

Vincent returned, his hair wet, a towel draped around his neck. She turned to face him. He saw tears glittering on her lashes. "What's wrong, Catherine?" He put his arms around her.

"Nothing's wrong, my love. I was dreaming a dream of happy ever after."

"We'll have that dream, Catherine. I promise." He kissed her tenderly.

She combed her fingers through his hair, took the towel from him, "Can I dry your hair?" He raised an eyebrow but didn't object when she pulled him to a chair. She rubbed the tawny gold strands with the towel until his hair was almost dry. She took a comb from his dresser, he leaned back into her gentle strokes as she carefully worked out any snarls. She switched to his hairbrush, brushing from his scalp down through the thick soft mass fanned across his shoulders. He sighed in pleasure at the touch of her deft fingers and each stroke of the brush. She laid her cheek against his head.

He reached around and pulled her onto his lap. His eyes hot and wildly blue bore into hers. His voice was quiet when he spoke. "I imagined you here one day many years ago, that there could be happiness for me with your love. Catherine, you've changed my life, become my life. I'm so in love with you."

She took his face in her hands, "I love you," she whispered against his lips. "Forever."

He sighed, "JV is on his way here."

"You have a bond with him?"

"Yes, not like us, but I know where he is, if he's safe, if he needs me."

"We have to keep him safe, Vincent."

"We will." He kissed her quickly, firmly.

"Mom, father." JV called. "I brought some of William’s donuts." He carried a basket full of the baked confections.

"I'm starved," she said, hugging JV. "How was the camp out?" She bit into a jelly donut and offered the basket to Vincent.

"Great, the pool was covered with star reflections. The moon was shining. You have to come see them some night."

"I'd love to. Maybe the three of us can go together."

"Your mother and I have some news to tell you. We are going to get married."

"Really?"

"I have a ring to prove it." She showed JV the ring on her finger.

"Wow, we'll be a real family. Let's tell grandfather right now."

Vincent dropped his arm over JV's shoulder, "Let your mother finish her donut first." He poured tea and handed her a cup.

JV laughed, "Mom, you have sugar on your nose and jelly on your chin."

Catherine tried to reach the jelly with her tongue to no avail. Vincent leaned over, looked quickly to see that their son was busy digging through the donuts, and licked the jelly with a swipe of his tongue. "Mmm tastes good."

The three of them went to Father's chamber.

"Grandfather, we're going to be a family."

"So much for breaking the news to him gently," Vincent said.

"What?" Father said.

"Mom and father are getting married," JV said excitedly.

"Sit down Father," Vincent said, guiding the older man to a chair.

"I don't know what to say. At one time I would have talked you out of taking such a risk. I didn't think any of this could ever be possible for you. That all you had were your dreams. I stopped you both from achieving your dreams too often. An old man’s stupidity thinking you could not have what other men had, Vincent. Of course Catherine proved me wrong in that. Then she lost her life, or at least that was what all thought. I watched you dying Vincent, day by day, year by year without her.

"Today you are alive, more alive than I have seen you in ten years. You are both well aware of the dangers and are ready to face them. Please, forgive a foolish old man for not seeing what was in front of his face back then. You deserve to have your happiness together. If I can do anything to help that happen for you, I will."

Father noticed Catherine's ring. "Vincent gave you Margaret's ring."

"Yes, Father. It's beautiful."

"She would have given you both her blessing."

Vincent laid his hand on Father's shoulder, "I know you still miss her."

"I do. You and Catherine have found your happiness. Don't lose it. Have you set a date?"

"Not yet, but, soon."

"Vincent, if Diana's coming tomorrow I have to go back to the shop."

"I'll walk you back. Jacob, do you want to walk with us?" Vincent asked.

"Can I?"

"Sure, come on."

Vincent took her left hand and JV took her right. She squeezed both hands tightly. Tears began to gather in her eyes, "My guys."

When they got close to her shop JV ran ahead. "Vincent can I ask you something?"

"You know you can ask me anything, Catherine."

"Doesn't it get confusing?"

"What?"

"Father is Father and Jacob. JV calls you father and you call him Jacob."

"I guess it can get confusing, sometimes. Especially if we are all together."

"Why not have JV call you dad and you all him JV. Unless you like the formality of being called father."

"No. I'd like dad. When Jacob, JV, was a baby Mary and Father started him out with calling me father. I didn't really care at that time. I was so depressed over your death the only joy I had was holding Jacob. Before I knew it he was calling me father. We can ask him."

"Jacob."

"Yes father." JV ran back to his parents.

"Your mom has something to ask you."

"Mom?"

"JV, everyone except you father and grandfather calls you JV. Would you like your father to call you JV instead of Jacob? "

"Would you, father? I'd like it."

"If you wish and if you would be willing to call me dad."

JV threw his arms around Vincent’s waist. "Dad."

They had arrived at the door to Catherine's shop. JV went in first. Vincent held her in his arms. "Can I come back tonight?"

"You’d better but I'm sure JV is going to want to come too." She nestled her head under his chin.

"Are you two coming?" JV called.

Catherine raised her hands to Vincent's face, "I really have to go."

"I know. It's hard to let you go, even for only a few hours. Let me check out your apartment first. You and JV wait here." He returned quickly. "All clear."

"You'll be back tonight."

"We will," he promised. "JV, your mom has work to do. We'll come back tonight." He kissed her before leaving with JV.

"See you later, mom."

"Bye."

She watched them walk back through the tunnel until she no longer saw the lantern's glow then slipped through her door into the basement. Things were moving so fast. She had to think. Her brain was spinning and her heart was bursting with love. Love for the wonderful man she now remembered and the son she bore. How could she have forgotten a love so deep. How long had she been given drugs to forget?

She went up to her apartment and pulled out all her medications from the bathroom medicine cabinet. She didn't see anything unusual. She went to the bag she had tucked away on a shelf in the bedroom that had medications she had taken before she left California. She had decided to stop taking them when she moved. She was starting a new life and was going to do it medicine free. Maybe one or all of these pills had kept her from regaining her memory. She had been in New York long enough for all the drugs to be out of her system. Between the nightmare after reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and being drug free her memory had returned. She'd give the pills to Vincent and get his opinion.

She tried to work on her quilts but her thoughts shot off in many different directions. Would she have to give up the shop or could she work something out? She didn't want to be away from Vincent, not even for a night. There was an entrance from the tunnels right into her basement. Vincent could stay, safely, with her here sometimes when she wasn't Below. If he asked, she would give up everything to be with him. One thing she knew, she didn't want to go back and work in the District Attorney's office. She would love to keep quilting. It had kept her sane over the last nine and a half years.

She didn't know how many rooms Vincent's chamber consisted of. Were there just the two rooms for him and JV. Both rooms were overflowing with things. Could they fit her in. She would love to hang some of her quilts but did not remember any empty wall space. An idea for a big quilt for his, their, bed was brewing inside her. It would have to be warm, flannel maybe with a wool batting. She felt herself blush. Vincent kept her warm, even naked. He was a fantastic lover, soft and gentle, big, strong and powerful all wrapped up in one. They were getting married.

She'd better think about the wedding. Would they get married in the chapel Below? When? Vincent said soon and she agreed. What would she wear? She would talk to Ruth Ann and Mary, see if they would help her make a dress. She could sew a quilt, embellish it even but she wasn’t sure about sewing a wedding dress. She had an idea but it would take many hands to help her get it made in a hurry. She quickly called her suppliers and ordered the fabrics and threads she would need.

Vincent and JV returned in time for dinner. Vincent brought a basket of Easter leftovers from William. They spent the evening playing a game of Monopoly. Catherine felt she and Vincent should be circumspect around JV so offered them her bed while she would sleep on the couch. She had an empty room she would set up for them that JV could have after she and Vincent married. She and Vincent read a few chapters of Harry Potter to JV before he fell asleep.

Vincent helped her carry the potted flowers he and JV had brought only two days ago out onto her balcony. They settled onto the teak bench tucked into the secluded corner. He put his arms around her, touched his lips to hers. " Catherine, I've kissed you more in the past two days than I ever have before and I still can't get enough of your lips."

She took his sensuous, full bottom lip between her teeth and bit lightly, traced his slightly feline upper lip with her finger. He had a groove that ran from his upper lip to the base of his nose, similar to a cat's. She pressed her lips to the space and ran her tongue along the line. "Catherine," his mouth plundered hers sending her senses spiraling out of control. When he kissed her his mouth could have had any shape, all she could feel was the fire and the passion within him drawing the same from her. She lost track of how long their lips explored each other before she nestled into his neck to catch her breath. She could have stayed like this with him all night.

"As much as it pains me to be separated from you, you had better get some sleep before Diana comes in the morning. I want to talk to her too but need to get JV back below before she comes. I haven't said too much to him about what happened at that time except that you were murdered by an evil man. That the man was killed also. Sometime, when we know everything we can tell him all." Vincent rose and extended his hand to her. He led her into the living room. "Goodnight, Catherine." He kissed her cheek softly.

"Goodnight, Vincent."

Diana arrived early the next morning with a large briefcase. "I have all the information I could get on your case, Catherine. It is officially closed as you were believed dead and so is Gabriel. I also have some pretty graphic photos you might not want to see."

"I need to see everything, Diana. Vincent will meet us downstairs. He wants to view all the information with us."

Diana noticed the ring on Catherine's finger. "What's this?" she asked pointing to the ring.

"Vincent asked me to marry him. I accepted."

"Isn't that kind of sudden?"

"We've been apart too long already. I want to spend the rest of my life with him and JV. I hope you'll be happy for us. I know how much you care for him."

Diana felt a tiny bit of jealousy in her heart and let it go. "Catherine, when you died and Joe Maxwell insisted I take your case, I was lucky enough to meet Vincent and learn about the world Below. Not one minute has gone by without him thinking of you and what he lost. He made himself go on because of JV. Since your return he is a different person. There is an aliveness about him. A lightness in his step. Happiness radiates from him. His eyes never leave you when you are together. I would have loved to be the woman in his life but there has never been anyone but you. I've known that from the beginning."

Catherine reached out to her, "I love him with ever fiber of my being. We had a dream that we would one day be together. I lived and worked Above. He had to live Below. We held onto our dream. We only had a moment here, a moment there. All precious to us. Everything was taken away from us by Gabriel and whoever has taken his place. Diana, our lives may be taken from us. We will not let our dreams be shattered. I will give up everything I have up here for Vincent and JV if I have to. We will live our dream. We will never be lost to each other again."

Catherine angrily brushed the tears from her cheeks and noticed Diana's face was also wet. "Let's go over all the information with Vincent. I'll tell you about the last ten years of my life. I want to find out who wants to destroy me."

Vincent was waiting for them in the basement.

"I hear congratulations are in order," Diana said.

He pulled Catherine close, kissed her quickly. "Thank you."

"Diana has a lot of information for us."

Diana pulled police photos out of her briefcase. "Are you sure you want to look at these pictures?"

"Yes, we have to."

Diana spread the photos across the worktable. Catherine saw herself lying on her bed where Vincent had placed her almost ten years ago. She looked dead in the stark black and white still pictures.

Vincent drew in a sharp breath, "These photos bring everything back."

There were closeups of her face, her body, each hand, leg, foot.

"I had just had a baby, I wonder why there is no blood."

"Maybe the medications they gave you to make you appear dead stopped all the bleeding," Diana said. "What we need to determine first is...is that you in the bed. Vincent is that how you left Catherine? Was the body switched before the police came, before the body reached the coroner or before the autopsy? Here are the photos taken before the autopsy. Notice there are no close-ups of her face. There is blood all over the gown.

"That is you Catherine in the bed. That is how I left you. There was no blood on you when you died in my arms or when I placed you on your bed." Tears ran down his face. "Catherine, I thought you were dead. I could have saved you had I known."

"Maybe not, Vincent," Diana said. "We don't know what medication she was given and would not have had the antidote in time to save her."

"We have to find these evil people, Diana. I will not lose Catherine again. I'll kill them myself."

"We'll find them, Vincent," Catherine gripped his arm. "Let Diana finish."

"The drugs had to be timed perfectly. They must have thought Vincent would take you back to your place. The drugs had to hold until the police came and took the body away. Unless one of the cops gave you another dose. Who called the police?"

"Father had someone call when I told him. I left Catherine at dawn."

"The autopsy wasn't done for a day or so. I was there. These pictures were taken then." Diana showed then the autopsy photos.

Vincent held Catherine close while they studied the photos. She closed her eyes and couldn't look at herself naked on the steel table, her chest cut open.

"That is not Catherine," Vincent said.

"Are you sure?" Diana asked.

"I'm sure. Look, this woman is heavier than Catherine, the hair is slightly different. Now there is blood on her legs."

Hearing Vincent say the woman was not her, Catherine opened her eyes and looked at the photos. "No, she isn't me."

"The bodies would have to be switched on the way to the morgue. There should be a record of who drove the ambulance that night." Diana walked around the room. "Gabriel was pretty powerful with many people in his pocket. He already had JV, why go to all this trouble for you. Why not kill you outright instead of making people think you were dead?"

"We know he wanted my baby because he saw how powerful Vincent was. He thought all that power would be passed onto his son."

"He thought I enjoyed killing just to kill. He wanted to control that power, use it. What better way than to raise a son. He could rule the world."

"When Gabriel learned that I didn't enjoy killing, that I could control my anger, he started to worry that maybe his idea wouldn't work after all. If I could control myself, my son probably could also. If he couldn’t have a powerful son, no one was going to have him. He was about to smother JV when I found him. I guess he was surprised when Diana was able to talk me out of killing him. She convinced me to take JV and go to Father."

"I killed Gabriel with you gun, Catherine," Diana said.

"Yes, Vincent told me. I also saw you shoot Gabriel."

"You saw me shoot Gabriel? How?"

"There were TV monitors set up where I was being held. Gabriel played everything, live and tape. Over and over."

"Father gave me the gun you had brought to him at one time. I thought it a rough justice for Gabriel to be killed by your gun. I think Gabriel was also surprised. A few of Gabriel's people must have known ways to make you lose your memory and keep you from remembering. Why they didn't kill you when Gabriel died we may never know."

"Who is buried in my grave, Diana?"

"To find out the body will have to be exhumed. To do that we have to tell Joe Maxwell you are alive. Are you ready to do that? If Gabriel's men don't know you've regained your memory they will know as soon as you go public."

"I want to be safe, live my life in peace with Vincent and JV." Catherine held Vincent's hand tightly. "If the only way to do that is to let Joe know I'm alive and reopen the case, so be it."

"Vincent?"

"It's Catherine's decision. I will go along with her wishes no matter how much I fear for her. As my wife she would be safe Below. I know she wants to be able to continue her life above as well, either back in the DA's office or here in her quilt shop. That's who and what she is."

Catherine laid her cheek on Vincent's arm. "Not in the DA's office. I have no wish to go back there. I would like to keep my shop and continue quilting."

He put his arm around her shoulder, pulled her close, kissed her brow.

"Get Joe Maxwell, Diana. I will tell him everything," Catherine told her. "Maybe we should tell my friends Jenny Aronson and Nancy Tucker too just in case their lives are in danger because they know me."

"I think it is time for all of them to know me too," Vincent said quietly.

Chapter 16

 

Diana called Catherine two days later. "I've set up a meeting at your shop for Sunday afternoon. I told Joe I need him to meet someone about a case I'm working on. Jenny will be coming to meet Elizabeth Collins about a gallery show. Your friend Nancy is in Paris for a few years with her family studying photography. She should be safe in France. I'll leave it up to you and Vincent how he intends to introduce himself to Joe and Jenny."

"There is no turning back now. Thanks, Diana."

That afternoon Catherine was surprised to see Amanda Northrup in the shop. She was dressed as elegantly as before but her attitude was more subdued. The right side of her face was a bruised purple and green.

She came over to Catherine and said softly, "I'm sorry about your quilt. I didn't know he would destroy it if I didn't bring it home."

"Who?"

"My husband, or someone he hired." She furtively looked around the shop. There were only the two of them. "Be very careful Ms. Collins. My husband is a dangerous man. He always gets what he wants."

"Did he hit you? You don't have to stay with him."

"Yes I do," Amanda whispered.

"What does he want?"

"I don't know, but it has something to do with you from many years ago. I've said too much. I have to go before he realizes I've spoken to you." She practically ran from the shop.

What was that all about, Catherine wondered. Could this have anything to do with her kidnapping and memory loss or with the diamonds.

Vincent came to her place that night. She told him about Amanda Northrup's visit and Diana's call.

"I think your kidnapper knows where you are and is checking on you."

"Amanda seemed so frightened. I think her husband beat her."

"I'm glad you are meeting with Joe on Sunday. You're in danger, Catherine. We've got to find this man before he harms you. I wish you would stay Below with me."

She put her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. The beat of his heart comforted her, gave her strength. His strong arms surrounded her in safety. "Vincent, I will not be foolish again. If I'm really in danger I will come Below to stay with you and JV. I promise."

Vincent was not happy about her decision to wait, but he did not push her to change her mind. They discussed the meeting with Joe and Jenny and the best way to introduce Vincent to them.

"I'm not a total unknown to them. They've heard my name. Know I'm your friend. They just have not met me."

"Between finding out I'm alive and meeting you, they are both in for big shock."

Later that night Vincent told Father of the plan.

"Are you crazy, Vincent," Father shouted. After all these years you're going to let someone Above learn about you."

"Plenty of helpers know about me and accept me. I think we can trust Catherine's two closest friends with this knowledge."

"I can't believe you would jeopardize our world and yourself this way. One of these people is the District Attorney. I know how much you love Catherine. We all love her, are happy she is alive. But Vincent, trouble always seems to follow her and I worry about you both."

"Right now her friends do not need to know where I live. Everything and everyone down here will be safe. Don't worry so much Father. I haven't gotten this old by being careless."

Vincent stayed at Catherine's Saturday night so as not to risk discovery on Sunday. Diana had set up the meeting for 1P.M. Catherine and Vincent would stay hidden on the balcony until it was time to meet Joe and Jenny.

Joe Maxwell jumped out of a taxi in front of the three story brownstone. He had no idea what case Diana Bennett was working on or why she would have him meet her at a quilt shop. Jenny Aronson alighted from another taxi that pulled in as his left the curb.

"Jenny, is that you? I haven't seen you in years." Joe hugged the curvaceous, curly dark haired woman. Her smile was as big as he remembered.

"Joe, what is the District Attorney of New York doing at a quilt shop? Has Elizabeth Collins broken the law? Let me look at you." He had a little gray hair mixed with the dark at his temples and a few wrinkles or worry lines, probably work related. "Work driving you crazy?" She touched the gray .

"Sometimes. I have no idea why I'm here. Diana Bennett asked me to meet her about a case she is working on. Why are you here?"

"I'm here to see if any of Elizabeth Collins quilts are good enough for a gallery showing. I hear they are works of art. She has done some well known shows in California and I might like to get her name well know here in the city."

They climbed the steps to Stitches to Remember together and rang the doorbell.

Diana answered the door. "Jenny, I’m Diana Bennett. I'm a friend of Elizabeth Collins. Please, take a look at the quilts hanging all over the place." She waved her hand in a wide arc. "When you are finished, Elizabeth will meet you on the third floor."

"I can already see these are beautiful quilts. Perfect for a show." Jenny walked over to take a closer look at the quilts.

"Joe."

"Diana."

"Please come up to the third floor. I have a problem with a case. Jenny, take all the time you need. Quilts go all the way upstairs too."

Joe followed Diana up to the apartment on the third floor.

"Coffee, Joe?"

"Sure. What's this all about, Diana?"

"Sit down Joe. I have an unbelievable story to tell you and it involves Elizabeth Collins."

"Where is she?"

"She's waiting on the balcony until I give you some background information."

"Okay." He sipped from the mug Diana handed him and looked around the apartment. Bright quilts hung from the walls, some were in the blues and greens of oceans, some the colors of the wilderness. They were as detailed as photographs of which he saw only one of a young boy in Central Park wearing a NY Yankees baseball cap. The boy looked familiar but he didn't know any children. He noticed the woman collected lions. She had a cabinet full of them. Her furniture looked feminine and comfortable. He glanced toward the balcony but saw no one.

"Joe, I have reason to believe everything was not as it seemed with the Catherine Chandler case."

"What do you mean? That case was closed almost ten years ago."

"I believe, for a reason I don't know yet, Catherine's body was switched and someone else is buried in her grave. I want you to arrange for the body to be exhumed."

"Are you crazy," Joe jumped up.

Jenny walked in. "What's the problem, Joe? Diana, all the quilts are beautiful. Where is Elizabeth Collins? She can put any quilt she wants in a show."

"Jenny, why don't you sit here with Joe," Diana guided her to a chair and handed her a mug of coffee.

"Diana, tell me now. What does Elizabeth Collins have to do with Catherine Chandler?' Joe was getting angrier by the minute.

"Cathy?" Jenny asked.

Diana went to the balcony door, opened it. "I'll let Elizabeth tell you. Joe, Jenny, I'd like you to meet Elizabeth Collins. Maybe I should say Catherine Chandler."

Catherine walked in, "Hello Joe. Hello Jenny," she said softly.

Joe sprang from his chair, dropping his coffee. "Radcliffe."

Jenny screamed and slipped to the floor in a dead faint.

Catherine ran to her, dropped to her knees and put her arms around Jenny. "Jenny, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

'"This isn't funny. Who are you? Why are you here impersonating Cathy?" Joe said, angrily.

" It's no joke, Joe. I'm alive."

Jenny came to and almost fainted again. "Cathy, it's really you?" she cried hugging Catherine tightly she burst into tears.

"If you're Catherine Chandler, where have you been for the past ten years." Joe grasped Catherine's arm pulling her to her feet. "Why did you let everyone believe you were dead?"

"Joe, until last week I thought I was Elizabeth Collins." She told Jenny and Joe all that had happened to her when she was kidnapped, her memory loss.

"Gabriel is dead. What about this Vincent I've heard about."

"No Joe. I trust Vincent with my life, and our son's." She picked up the photo of JV then placed it back on the table.

"That is your son? And Vincent is the father." No wonder the boy looked so familiar. He looked a lot like Cathy.

"Yes."

"He's been with you all this time."

"No. I didn't know I had a son until recently. He's been living with his father."

"I'm so confused," Jenny said. "You were kidnapped by a man called Gabriel because of a black book, naming important corrupt people you retrieved from Joe's things when he was in the hospital ten years ago. Held until you gave birth to a son. Your death faked and your memory erased. For the last nine and a half years you've been living in California with no memory of any of these things."

"Yes, in a nutshell." Catherine smiled.

"Why did it take so long for your memory to return?" Joe asked not sure he believed the story.

"Excuse me a minute." She went to the bedroom and returned with a plastic bag of medications. "I've been taking these pills until I moved to New York. I think they kept me from remembering. I started having nightmares in California. My memory trying to fight through, I think. When I moved here I decided not to take any more pills. I met my son. Vincent found me. With their love and help my memory returned a few days ago."

"This is a very fishy story."

"Joe, there is so much to tell you and some of it is still hazy in my mind. I want and need to tell you everything."

"I need to know about this Vincent, Cathy. I don't trust him."

"I love him. He is everything to me. He's the father of my child. We are getting married, soon. He would like to meet you and Jenny." She went to the balcony door. Vincent stepped in. He wore his black cloak, the hood concealed his face.

"Joe, Jenny," he said in his low, husky voice.

"Let me see your face," Joe insisted.

"You are not ready yet. Let's talk awhile." Vincent sat in a darkened corner of Catherine's living room. She sat beside him. "I'm here to tell you about the night I found Catherine. How to figure out who is still after her and how to keep her safe. Catherine, did you tell Diana and Joe about Amanda Northrup?"

"Not yet. There is so much to tell about everything I don't even know where to begin." She told them about Amanda Northrup's visit.

"Otis Northrup is one of the biggest real estate lawyers in New York," Joe said. "He's been here for about nine years. Hey, he was the lawyer of record for handling all the Elliott Burch properties."

"He may be the man responsible for Catherine's memory loss," Vincent said. "With her memory back she could recognize him if he was one of Gabriel's men. Maybe he's Gabriel's lawyer, Pope. If it is him and he's made a big name for himself under a different name he will not want Catherine to remember. He'll want to kill her. Her close friends could be in danger too."

"That is why I wanted you to come here Jenny. To make sure you are protected."

"No gallery show of your quilts?" Jenny asked disappointedly. "Who made them?"

"I did. I learned how to sew and quilt in California as therapy. I became good."

"More than good. These quilts are exquisite. I'd love to arrange a show, just name the date."

"You sew Radcliffe," Joe laughed. I find that hard to believe."

"There is a lot you don't know about me."

"Yes, especially Vincent." He looked pointedly toward the dark figure. "I like to know the people I'm working with. People I can trust."

"You can trust Vincent," Catherine said. "His identity and involvement have to be kept secret."

"Your safety right now is the most important." Vincent said quietly rising from his chair. "I am ready to show my face, but I don't know if Joe is ready to understand. I think Jenny will. She knows something of our love." He stepped to the center of the room, reached up and slowly pushed the hood of his cloak off his head, faced Joe

"What are you?" Joe gasped. He almost reached for his gun. Instead he jammed his fist into his pocket.

Vincent stood there watching him. Big, powerful, relaxed. Blue eyes dark. "I am what I am. No more. No less."

"You were born this way?"

"Yes, and I survived."

Jenny whispered to Catherine, "I can see why he attracts you so much."

Catherine squeezed her hand and smiled. The two men would have to work out their differences.

If Catherine could love and trust this strange man, the least he could do was get to know him. Joe reached out his hand to Vincent. "Oh man," he exclaimed seeing the claws and hair on Vincent's hand. He took the hand and clasped it firmly. "We can catch this man before he hurts Catherine."

"I'm not going to release anything to the press. I need to follow all the legal channels to get the body in Catherine's grave exhumed and find out who she is. At some point the press is going to pick up what is going on. Vincent, I guess I don't need a special guard for Catherine. That will be your job. I will get someone to protect you, Jenny and patrols to keep an eye on the shop. Catherine, can I interest you in your old job?"

"No, Joe. I love quilting. That's what I do now."

They heard footsteps on the stairs. "Mom, dad."

"I have a family to think of too," she continued.

JV burst into the room. "I'm sorry mom, I forgot my baseball cap."

"Joe, Jenny, I'd like you to meet our son, Jacob Vincent. JV this is my best friend Jenny and my former boss Joe Maxwell."

Joe was stunned, "The child is normal," he breathed low enough no one heard him.

"You're a handsome boy, JV," Jenny said. "I went to college with your mom. I've missed her."

"Hey kid," Joe reached out to take JV's hand.

"What did my mom do for you Mr. Maxwell?"

"She helped me catch the bad guys and take them to court."

"Is she doing that now?"

Joe saw Catherine shake her head. "No, this time I'm catching the bad guys. She's just a very nice lady who quilts. Diana, let's start the balls rolling back at the office. You can show me the information you have so far. Cathy, Vincent, I'll be in touch."

"Let me know if you want to do a gallery show Cathy." Jenny hugged her tightly. "Let's get together in a day or so."

"Sure Jen."

Catherine locked the shop door behind everyone and returned to her apartment. Vincent and JV sat on the floor watching a Yankee's game on TV.

Vincent joined her in the kitchen. "What's wrong Catherine?"

"Do you think Otis Northrup could be Pope? Do you think he's been keeping track of me all these years?"

"After what Joe said about Northrup being responsible for all the Burch holdings, I think Pope and Northrup are the same man."

"Will it ever end? Will I ever truly be safe?"

Vincent put his arms around her, "With Joe and Diana working on the legal aspects and me keeping you safe, you don't need to worry. This will be over soon and we can get married."

"I hope so." She stretched on her toes and kissed his jaw. "I can't wait to become your wife."

Diana rode to the office with Joe after seeing Jenny step into a cab.

"I never thought anything like this could happen in a million years," Joe said. He looked at Diana accusingly. "You knew about Vincent from the beginning."

"I met him after you made me take on the Catherine Chandler case. He was blown up with Elliot Burch on the Compass Rose. I found him almost dead at Catherine’s grave. I came across his name going through all of Catherine's things. I found out they had a history together, loved each other. I didn't know what he was at first."

"What is he?"

"I don't know but as you get to know him you'll see he is a wonderful human being, a loving father to JV and when it comes to Catherine Chandler the most loving, protective man you'll ever meet. But.....you never want to make him angry. You don't want all that power and strength against you. I've seen it unleashed, it's terrible."

"You love him."

"I thought I did, once. My love was not returned. Dead or alive, Catherine is his only love."

"Do you know how they met?"

"He was the one who found her in the park when she was attacked years ago. The rest is history. They always had some kind of a bond, a connection. He was attuned to her. He knew if she was happy, sad, in trouble. He saved her life many times. I understand he became very ill and the bond was broken. It was her misfortune to be kidnapped at that time or he would have been able to save her. He was able to save their son."

"The first thing I have to do is get the body in Cathy's grave exhumed. We need to know who is in that grave. Next we have to see if there is a connection between Otis Northrup and Jonathan Pope. I'll need pictures of them both. If they are the same person it's reasonable to expect he is the one who made sure Cathy did not remember who she was. Once he finds out Cathy's memory has returned she will be in serious danger. I hope Vincent really can protect her."

"He can Joe. He is no longer ill. Their bond is back stronger than before. He has a safe place to take her if necessary."

"Let's get this guy, Diana. A son. Catherine and Vincent have a son. A normal kid."

"So is Vincent. Once you look underneath and get to know him."

"I'd like to get to know you again, Diana."