Second Chances by Randi Cardoza Page A

the storm had calmed and they were in the air on a private plane to Chicago.

Kenzi slept fitfully while Janey finally slept without nightmares. Kenzi kept murmuring Layla’s name in her sleep and Shawn wondered how long she would have nightmares about their daughter. His had stopped after a few years but he still woke sometimes thinking he’d heard her crying for a bottle.

Four hours later, at around six in the morning., they arrived at O’Hara and traveled by unmarked car to the local FBI headquarters. They each had to file their reports and be debriefed.  They didn't leave headquarters until around ten in the morning and would have been on the road another two and a half hours after that before reaching Farmington. A driver vetted by the FBI got them there in two hours.

Kenzi and Shawn were immediately called into conference with Mac. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson would be called in at 8 a.m. to come and get their daughter but Kenzi and Shawn needed to talk to her first.

Kenzi sat down with Janey and held her hand. “Janey, Shawn and I have to ask you a few questions about when Mr. and Mrs. Mortimer took you. Okay?”

Janey nodded and her tangled black curls bobbed up and down.

“Where did they take you from?” Shawn asked kneeling down to look at her face.

“We was at Farmington Inn. Mommy was workin’ and told me I had to be quiet. That woman asked me if I wanted some chocolate,” Janey said squeezing Kenzi’s hand.

“Is that when she took you?” Kenzi asked softly.

“No, she told me it was in her room and I didn't ask my mommy if it was alright to go get it. I went and Mr. Mortimer grabbed me when I got there.”

“Where did you go?”

“They got on a plane and took me to Really. They kept sayin’ they was leaving that day anyway so no one would think it was them.”

“’Really?’ Do you mean Raleigh?” Kenzi asked.

“Yeah, that’s it. I didn’t like it there. Can I see my mommy and daddy now?” Janey asked looking at Kenzi then Shawn.

“Sure you can, honey. Mr. Mac was going to talk to them when they got here. I think they’re in his office now,” Kenzi said rubbing Janey’s back.

Kenzi and Shawn walked with her to Mac’s office. The door opened before they got there and a woman with Janey’s features stepped out with a man with dark haired man that didn't look like he'd slept since his daughter had disappeared..

“Mommy! Daddy!” Janey cried and ran to them.

She was caught in Mrs. Wilson’s open arms and tears flowed from their eyes. Mr. Wilson picked her up and hugged her tightly to him.

“Oh, baby Jane, we missed you so much,” he whispered into her hair.

Mrs. Wilson gave Kenzi and Shawn a watery smile. With an arm wrapped around Janey and her husband, they walked over to Kenzi and Shawn.

“Thank you both so much for finding our baby. We missed her so much,” Mrs. Wilson said as fresh tears coursed down her cheeks.

“We’re just glad we could find her for you,” Kenzi said as she worked hard to avoid crying. “She’s a very special little girl.”

The Wilson family left and Mac called Kenzi and Shawn into his office. Kenzi collapsed wearily into a chair as Shawn stood gripping the back of her chair.

“What’s up, Mac?” Shawn asked.

“Our other operatives reported that shortly after all the guests left the police came in to investigate the kidnapping of Molly Mortimer.”

“Kidnapping? I hardly think so,” Kenzi scoffed.

“Well, we straightened all that out. They went back to arrest the Mortimer’s for Janey Wilson’s kidnapping and they had disappeared. There’s an APB out on them,” Mac said sipping his coffee.

“How did they get away? Toby and Helen knew they were kidnappers and possibly tax evaders. Why didn’t they arrest them?” Shawn asked running his hands through his hair.

“Ask them,” Mac replied and walked around Shawn to open the door. “Agents Murphy and Nelson, Agents Fromier and Douglass.”