Disclaimer: Read disclaimer in part 1. Also you might want to read Keeper Of My Heart of The Magic In Your Heart Series so you would be able to understand more of everything that is going on in this story.
I would like to thank my beta reader Mary. She did a great job and didn’t run screaming into the night after she read all of my spelling mistakes. (G) Thanks Mary. And thank you to Tap for telling me about Mary.
Feedback is always welcomed.
Detective Samantha Knight could hear her partner, Cricket Jones, in the kitchen fixing breakfast. In fact the thought of Cricket in the kitchen around all those knives made Sam hurry down the hallway a little faster.
If you asked Cricket she would tell you she was not clumsy that it was just depth deception. But if you asked Sam she would tell you it was just one of the cute things she loved about Cricket.
Cricket hearing Sam coming down the hall picked up one of the plates filled with bacon, eggs and toast to take to the table. But Cricket turned too fast and the toast went flying off the plate. Sam walked around the corner in time to catch the toast in mid air.
“Sorry honey.” Cricket sighed.
Sam chuckled as she put the toast back on the plate. “Hey don’t worry about it. At least it woke me up. Nice to know the reflexes are still working great.”
Sam gave Cricket a kiss grabbed the other plate and placed it on the table beside hers.
“This looks good.” Sam sat down picked up a fork and started eating after she helped Cricket into her chair.
Sam could not believe how much her life had changed in the last month since she had met Cricket during an arrest of a drug dealer.
Sam felt as if she had fallen in love with Cricket from the first minute she saw her. She knew Cricket was special. She found out how special when she learned Cricket had powers, special powers where she could open locks, and move things all with her mind. She was also able to see things other people could not see. Cricket was just discovering for herself what all she could do. Most of her life she had tried to hide her powers afraid of what people would say. But Sam has shown so much faith in her that Cricket brought her powers out of hiding to help Sam on a kidnap case involving Judge Hall’s twelve year old daughter Jane.
That had been a month ago. Since then Cricket and Sam have not only became partners on the police force, but also in their lives. Sam could not be happier. Cricket had enriched her life so much that there was no way in the world Sam ever wanted to go back to a life without Cricket in it.
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It was a nice sunny Monday morning when Sam and Cricket walked into the police station to check in on the case of Judge Hall’s daughter’s kidnapping. It was a sight to see as each detective grabbed their coffee cups as Cricket and Sam walked by their desks. Sam had to quickly wipe the smile off her face when Cricket looked over her shoulder at her.
“I am not that clumsy. What have you been telling them Knight?” Cricket questioned her.
“Shit.” Sam thought to herself. She was in trouble when Cricket called her by her last name. “Come on honey what could I tell them?” Sam started to say as Cricket, who was looking at Sam and not watching where she was going, walked right into Captain Tools coming out of his office with a cup of coffee that was now all over the front of him. “That they won’t find out for themselves.” Sam finished with a sigh.
“Hello Captain.” Sam gave him a sweet smile as she handed the towel that had been handed to her to him. Cricket started to stammer out an apology.
“Forget about it Jones. In my office now.” The Captain told them as he walked back into his office.
Sam closed the door behind them as she entered Captain Tools’ office.”
“What’s going on Captain?” Sam asked as she sat down beside Cricket.
“We found the car from the kidnapping at an old farm house. The guy got tipped we were coming and took off.” The Captain told her.
Sam had a puzzled look on her face as she sat forward in the chair. “How the hell did they…oh crap we have an informant on the force.” Sam sat back with a thud.
Cricket looked from Sam to the Captain. “Is that why we haven’t been able to catch the kidnapper?”
“That is a good possibility.” Sam answered her.
“Damn that is why I kept getting pictures of the police department when I would think about the kidnapper.” Cricket told them now that she understood her visions.
“Did you hit on anyone’s face?” Sam asked.
“No every time I would picture the department I would stop, thinking I was doing something wrong. I won’t make that mistake again.” Cricket said.
“Don’t worry sweetheart, you didn’t know.” Sam tried to make Cricket feel better.
“Anyhow ladies, we have some other business to take care of too.” Captain Tools told them.
Sam and Cricket both looked at each other as they mouthed the words. “Ladies.”
“Seems like the Judge decided to award you both tonight with a banquet for finding his daughter.” Captain Tools got one of his rare smiles on his face as he knew how much Sam hated parties.
Cricket looked over to Sam when she heard her give a growl at what the Captain said. Cricket understood how Sam felt she didn’t like parties either.
Cricket knew if it was an important party her father would be there and she was not looking forward to seeing him again. If there was one thing Cricket did well it was to avoid running into her father. And now they were going to be thrown together.
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“Do we really have to go to this party tonight Sam?” Cricket asked as she was putting on her light green sleeveless dress with matching green flats.
Sam went over to help Cricket zip up the back of her dress. “Honey, I know you’re worried about meeting your father tonight but don’t, ok. I’ll be there to watch out for you. Besides if he does cause you trouble just have a glass of wine dumped on him.” Sam smiled at her.
Cricket couldn’t help but giggle at the image Sam had just put in her head. “I just might do that.”
“There you go.” Sam told her as she finished pulling up Cricket’s zipper. She leaned down and gave Cricket a little kiss. “You look beautiful.”
“Why thank you kind lady. You don’t look so bad yourself.” Cricket smiled as she gave Sam the once over.
Sam had decided to wear a silk, light blue blouse tucked into a pair of black slacks. She also decided to wear black flats. As Cricket looked at her the word sexy kept coming to mind.
Sam lifted her eyebrow as she looked at Cricket. Cricket chuckled at Sam’s way of asking are you ready, and thought of how well she had gotten to know Sam’s little signs.
Cricket gave Sam a smile hooking their arms together as they walked out the door.
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“Welcome, welcome.” Judge Hall said as he met Sam and Cricket at the door. “It is so good to see you both again. If you need anything just let me know. I don’t think there is too much I can do for you after what you have done for me. My daughter is very special to me.” He finished as he shook their hands.
“Thank you Judge. There’s nothing we need. I’m glad we were able to help Jane. How is she by the way?” Sam asked after she finished shaking the Judge’s hand.
Judge Hall smiled as he took Cricket’s hand in his and kissed the back of it. “My daughter is fine and safe thanks to you, out on her grandparents’ farm with her bodyguard till this case is solved.”
“I’m glad.” Cricket replied.
“Well, I have to go be a good host and greet some more guests. Enjoy yourselves; this is your night.” The Judge told them as he walked away.
“If it’s my night can I tell the doorman not to let my father in?” Cricket asked.
Sam laughed as she took Cricket’s hand and started leading her toward the food table. “I don’t think so honey, come on I haven’t eaten all day. And if I’m hungry you must be starving.”
Cricket took the plate Sam handed her and was just starting to fill it up when she felt a twinge in her back. It felt as if something evil was staring at her. Cricket took a look over her shoulder to see if she could figure out who it was. It didn’t take much looking. Across the room Cricket spotted her father in a group with some men staring at her. Cricket acted like she didn’t even see him. She just turned back and started to fill her plate again.
Sam saw the exchange but didn’t say anything to Cricket. She was going to let Cricket handle it the way she wanted to, but Sam knew she would be close by just in case Cricket needed her.
“HEY!” Someone yelled.
Sam turned toward the yell to see a waiter hurrying toward Cricket’s father, Mark Jones, to help clean up the mess of his drink that just spilled down his shirt.
Sam looked back at Cricket who was innocently filling her plate. “Remind me not to get you mad.” Sam said to her.
Cricket just smiled and kept filling her plate.
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It had been a long, trying night and Cricket was very ready to go home. Sam’s boss, Captain Tools, had called her over to meet some people. Cricket assured Sam she would be just fine by herself for a few minutes.
Cricket knew Sam was still keeping an eye on her from across the room; it felt good to know someone cared about her that much.
“Finally lost the bodyguard I see”.
“Great this is all I need.” Cricket thought to herself. If she hadn’t been watching Sam so closely she probably would have felt her father walking up beside her.
Cricket turned to face the man she had learned to hate over the years. “What do you want?” She asked not that she really cared.
“Just like always.” Mark Jones shook his head. “Showing no respect for your father.”
“Why should I show respect for a man that has no respect for anyone else?” Cricket asked him.
Mark’s face turned a deep red as he tried to control himself from hitting his daughter across the face. Instead he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Look I didn’t come over here to fight with you. I figured since you have an in with Judge Hall right now you could put in a word for me on a land zoning I would like to get passed.”
Cricket looked at him in shock. “You have got to be kidding me. Why the hell would I do anything for you? What did you ever do for me but call me a freak and kick me out of the house with nothing.” Cricket could feel herself losing control.
Mark laughed. “Look at yourself, moving things with your mind, seeing what other people can’t see, what the hell would you call that if not a freak.
“I’ll call it being special.” A voice growled from behind him.
Mark twisted around and came face to face with his worse nightmare.
Sam leaned closer to him. “Look you shit head I don’t gave a damn who you are, if you ever call her names again or hurt her I will mop the floor with you. GOT IT!” Sam told him in a low growling voice.
“Is that a threat?” Mark was stupid enough to ask.
Sam gave him one of her your in trouble now smiles. “Oh no Jones that was no threat, that was a promise.”
Before Mark could say anything more Judge Hall walked up to them. “Well there little lady Sam told me you’re getting tired and she was going to be taking you home. I just wanted to thank you again before you left.”
Cricket was so thankful for the Judge coming when he did that she almost hugged him. “You’re welcome.” Cricket smiled at him as she walked over and took hold of Sam’s hand hoping they could get out of there before something else happened.
Sam was still standing there giving Mark Jones a hateful look when she felt Cricket’s hand slide into hers. She gave Cricket a loving smile as she gave her hand a little squeeze to let her know everything was ok.
“Thank you very much for a nice night Judge and we will keep in touch about the case.” Sam said as they started to walk off.
“That is good to hear Detective, but I also came over to shake Mr. Jones hand here and tell him what a great daughter he has.” Judge Hall told them.
Mark stood up tall ready to take all the credit for his daughter. After all he was her father and it was only right he would be the one people thanked. This would also give him a few points with the Judge when it came time to talk to him about the land zoning he needed changed. Who knew that someday his freak of a daughter would become good for something.
“I’m sorry Judge.” Cricket interrupted before Mark could say anything to the Judge. “But this man isn’t my father. My father is dead and he was nothing like Mr. Jones here. He was a good man.”
“Oh really, I guess it is my turn to ask for forgiveness. I just assumed with the last names you were.” The Judge told them.
“Sorry afraid not. Night Judge.” Cricket said as she and a chuckling Sam walked out.
Mark caught up with them outside waiting for the car to be brought around.
“You little shit get back in there and tell him you were joking with him. I need him on my side.” Mark started to reach for Cricket’s arm but instead took a step back when Sam stepped towards him.
“Sam I can handle it.” Cricket told her as she put her hand on Sam’s arm to stop Sam from killing her father. She didn’t do it for her father; she did it for Sam. She didn’t need to have that on her record.
“Do you really want me to go back in there and tell Judge Hall the truth about you? Because if that is what you want I will be happy to do it. But let me tell you one thing you’re not going to like what I tell him.” Cricket said as she poked her father in the chest.
Mark lifted his hand to strike her and felt himself being thrown off his feet backwards. He hit the sidewalk with a thud. Mark lifted himself up to see who hit him but everyone was still standing where they were. No one had been close enough to him. Mark started to stand up when he felt himself being pushed again but this time instead of landing on the sidewalk he found himself waist deep sitting in the mud puddle on the side of the road.
“Go to hell father, you are dead to me.” Cricket said as she got into the car that had just been brought to them.
Sam shut Cricket’s door. She walked around to the driver’s side but before she got in she took another look at Mark Jones sitting in a puddle of water. Sam shook her head chuckling. “Just isn’t your night is it?” She told him as she got in the car and headed for home.
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The emptiness in the bed woke Sam up and seeing Cricket gone she went in search of her. Walking into the front room she found her sitting on the couch in the dark.
“Sweetheart what’s wrong, why aren’t you sleeping?” Sam asked as she sat down beside Cricket.
Cricket sat there for a second staring out into the darkness then turned to Sam. “Sam, do you think I was wrong to do what I did to my father?”
Sam took Cricket in her arms and leaned back on the couch. “No honey I don’t. From what you have told me about your father he is not a nice man at all. You were kinder to him than I would have been if I had gotten my hands on him.” Sam gave Cricket a little squeeze and kiss.
Cricket smiled at the thought of Sam defending her. “Come on my hero let’s go back to bed. Thanks for making me feel better.”
“Do I get a reward?” Sam asked as she let Cricket lead her back towards the bedroom.
“Oh definitely.” Cricket smiled at Sam and would have tripped over an end table if Sam had not stopped her.
“I think it would be safer if I just carried you to bed.” Sam laughed as she picked Cricket up in her arms and headed for the bedroom.
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The next morning Cricket and Sam headed over to the police impound yard to take a look at the getaway car. Cricket wanted to see if she could get any feelings from it.
The minute Cricket sat in the car all kinds of images flooded her mind; the warehouse where they found Jane, the shooting of the Judge’s brother, though the person holding the gun was not clear enough for her to tell who it was.
“Sam.” Cricket called.
Sam had been looking in the trunk and came running the second she heard her partner call. “Yeah honey did you find anything?”
“I know where they are or might be.” Cricket told her. “I keep seeing a building it is like an old factory of some kind, but not a big one. It has only one floor.” Cricket got a puzzled look on her face as she stopped talking.
“Cricket you ok?” Sam asked her worrying about her.
Cricket took Sam’s hand and kissed the back of it. “I’m ok honey thanks for worrying. It is just something about the building feels like I have been there before, but don’t know when.”
“Maybe it will come to you. Come on let’s go tell Captain Tools what we found out.”
By the time they got to the Captain’s office Cricket felt that the factory was at the end of town by a lake. Looking on a map of the area they located the old factory Cricket had seen in her vision.
Cricket looked at Sam as she was sitting down. For some reason something made her look past Sam out into the station. The second her eyes came upon the Detective known as Walls she knew that he was the kidnapper’s informant they had been looking for.
Cricket didn’t have a chance to say a word to Sam, as she saw Detective Walls start out of the station. She was worried that he might have over heard them talking about the factory and was on his was to tell the kidnappers. Cricket jumped up pushing past a surprised Sam as she ran through the station and did a flying tackle on Walls that any football player would be proud of.
Captain Tools didn’t even question Cricket about her motives, he knew. He had Detective Walls arrested on the spot.
“So that’s the informant.” Sam said shaking her head as she helped Cricket up. “I never in a million years would have guessed it was him. He has such a clean record.”
“Well now that we have him let’s go get the others.” The Captain told them as he grabbed his jacket and walked out. “Oh and Jones the next football game we have you’re on my team.” The Captain said over his shoulder to Cricket.
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It wasn’t too hard to find the factory once they knew where to look. Captain Tools had one of his men get the blueprints of the factory so they would have a better idea how many rooms were inside.
“Ok I have the place surrounded. We just need to know what to expect once we get inside.” The Captain said as he laid the blueprints out on the hood of the car.
As Cricket looked down at the blueprint the images of figures that only she could see started appearing on the blueprint.
“Captain.” Cricket said as she started pointing the figures out. “There are two men here at the front of the building, one in this room, and two in the room over there. The last room is the office; it has two people in it, but I feel as if there is a third person but I can’t see him. I don’t understand why I feel that he is there.”
The Captain just shook his head. “Damn I’m glad you’re on our side Jones.” He gave Cricket a smile as he walked over to his men to tell them the plans.
“You ok?” Sam asked Cricket as she put her arm around her waist.
“I’m fine it is just this person I can’t see. I feel like I should know him, but it is just out of my reach.” Cricket told her.
“Well hang in there honey, we will find out who it is soon enough.” Sam
smiled at her as she got the signal from the Captain that everything was ready.
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They had three policemen assigned to each room, so that everyone wouldn’t go after the same area. Sam, Cricket and Captain Tools had the office. Sam tried to keep Cricket out of it and safe back by the car but Cricket would not hear of it. She told them if she was part of the team then she was also part of the action.
Everything went like clockwork. The people inside the factory had no idea what hit them. The police hit hard and fast thanks to Cricket telling them where everyone was and taking the guesswork out of it.
But their good luck ran out as Cricket, Sam, and Captain Tools entered the office. They had surprised the two men by the desk and got the drop on them. The rest of the office looked empty but Cricket could feel someone else was there. But where?
As Sam and the Captain were hand cuffing the others and reading them their rights Cricket closed her eyes as she opened up her feelings to see if she could tell where the person was that she could feel.
Cricket pin pointed the spot and was opening her mouth to tell Sam when the faulty bookshelf swung open and out came a man holding a gun.
“Judge Gear?” Sam looked at the man in shock. This man was a friend of her grandfather’s. She had known him her whole life and felt like he was another grandfather to her. Now here he was standing in front of her holding a gun on them.
“Damn it I knew he couldn’t control you like he said he could.” Judge Gear growled at Cricket. “Now I’m going to have to finish the job.”
Cricket was puzzled by what the Judge had just said. Cricket remembered seeing Judge Gear with her father a few times when she was younger so she knew who he was.
“Wait.” Sam said has she held up her hand. “What is all of this about? What do you have to do with these guys?” Sam asked him.
The Judge waved his gun over at the men in cuffs. “All these idiots had to do was kidnap Judge Hall’s daughter. But could they do that? No, they had to kill the Judge’s brother. Then they lost the girl.”
“Hey what did you want us to do? He got cold feet and was going to back out of the deal.” One of the men in cuffs yelled.
“Shut up you idiot before I shut you up myself.” Gear yelled back pointing his gun at them.
“Ok everyone just calm down here.” Sam told them. “Judge you still haven’t answered me. Why are you here?”
The Judge gave Sam a sad look. “I got myself into trouble Sam. I like to gamble. I gambled big and lost a lot more than I had. The person that I owed the money to offered me a deal.”
“This whole thing had nothing to do with the case Judge Hall was working on does it?” Sam asked Judge Gear.
“No it didn’t. That message was left to throw off the police. And we waited as long as we did to make the call so you would think you were dealing with stupid kidnappers, which I am finding out was not too far from the truth.” Judge Gear said as he waved at the men in cuffs.
“It was all supposed to be so simple. Kidnap Judge Hall’s daughter and have him so busy with that he would not think about anything else. Then I would be the next Judge in line to take over all of the cases. All I had to do was pass a new land zoning and my gambling debt would be wiped clean.” That was all. But then these two had to screw it all up by killing the Judge’s brother.” Judge Gear explained to them.
“Why was Judge Hall’s brother there?” Captain Tools asked.
Gear looked over at him as he answered the question. “Because he was into this guy for a lot of money too. All he was supposed to do was bring his niece then act surprised when she got kidnapped. He would have been out of the woods. But, like the idiot over there pointed out, he got cold feet. When he tried to leave with his niece they shot him.”
Cricket had been quietly standing beside Sam listening to all of the talking going on. She understood now why she couldn’t see the third person in the room clearly. Somehow she knew it was someone Sam cared a great deal for and this was going to hurt her. So Cricket knew by not seeing this person clearly she was trying to protect Sam from being hurt.
“Who is behind all this Judge?” Sam asked.
“I’m sorry Sam I can’t tell you that. I screwed up my life but I’m not going to screw up my wife’s. He would hurt her.” He told them.
“Then give me the gun Judge and we will talk more about this later ok.” Sam said walking slowly towards him holding her hand out.
“No stay back!” “Sam!” Judge Gear yelled not knowing the gun he held had a hair trigger on it. When he jerked his hand towards Sam it fired. The bullet hit Sam right in the chest. “Oh my god what have I done.” The Judge cried as he fell to his knees dropping the gun.
Captain Tools wasted no time kicking the gun out of the way and hand cuffing the Judge. He looked over as he finished and saw Sam laying in Cricket’s arms a pool of blood on the floor beside them.
“Sam, Sam honey come on open your eyes for me.” Cricket kept repeating as she rocked back and forth with Sam.
The Captain knelt down by Sam and felt for a pulse. He let out a breath as he bowed his head. “Damn.” He thought to himself.
The other police officers that came running into the room after hearing the gun shot stood in shock. Captain Tools just waved for them to take the prisoners down to the station quietly.
“Did you call 911?” Cricket asked not taking her eyes off of Sam.
“Cricket honey it won’t do any good she’s gone.” Captain Tools sadly said.
Cricket gave the captain a shocked look. “No, no she’s not. She’s not leaving me. Come on Sam open your eyes you’ve got a lot to live for. You can’t leave me. I love you.” Cricket kept saying over and over again.
Captain Tools started to put his hand on Crickets shoulder when he noticed a glow coming from her getting brighter and brighter.
Cricket could feel warmth shooting through her body. She had no idea what was happening and she didn’t care. All she could do was think about Sam lying there not moving.
She laid her hand over the wound in Sam’s chest somehow thinking if she could stop the blood from coming out then Sam would be ok. The more Cricket stared at the wound the hotter she felt and the brighter the glow got around her.
Suddenly Cricket felt as if her hand was on fire; the brightness coming from it was almost blinding. A power of energy shot from Cricket’s hand into Sam’s body so fast it almost brought Sam out of Cricket’s arms as her body jerked.
“What the hell?” Captain Tools asked himself as he saw Sam take a deep breath. He had stood there witnessing it all, but could still hardly believe what had just happened.
Tears started running down Cricket’s face as Sam took a breath and opened her eyes.
“What happened?” Sam started to ask then remembered. “Shit, I was shot.” Sam said sitting up to look at her chest. But when she moved Cricket’s hand away from the wound to take a look there was nothing there. The hole in her shirt was still there as was her blood, but there was not a mark on her chest.
Sam looked up in shock. “What happened? How?”
“Don’t ask. I was right here watching the whole thing and still don’t understand it.” The Captain told her. “Damn you’ve got one special girl there Knight. Don’t ever let her go.” Captain Tools told Sam and turned so they wouldn’t see him wipe the moisture from his eyes.
Sam looked over to Cricket. “You don’t have to tell me how lucky I am or how special Cricket is Captain.” Sam said as she ran her hand along the side of Cricket’s face. “I already know it. You don’t have to worry. I’m never going to let her get away.” Sam leaned over and gave Cricket a kiss. “Thanks, didn’t know you could do that.”
Cricket chuckled as the tears ran freely down her face. “I didn’t know I could do that either.” Cricket couldn’t hold back any longer as she threw herself into Sam’s arms. “But god I’m glad I can. All I could think about was our love. I couldn’t lose you.”
Sam and Cricket stayed on the floor just holding each other thankful that the love and life together they had just found was not lost that day.
Captain Tools let them stay that way for as long as he could before telling them they needed to go question the Judge some more to find out who was behind all of this.
Cricket wiped her eyes as she sat back on her heels. “That won’t be necessary Captain.” Cricket told him. “The minute Judge Gear mentioned land zoning I knew who was behind this whole thing.”
“Who is it Cricket?” Sam asked her.
Sam could see the hurt in Cricket’s eyes as she gave Sam her answer. “My father.”
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“Hello father.” Cricket said as she entered her father’s office.
“What!” Mark Jones looked up from his paper work on the desk. “How the hell did you get in here?”
Cricket just ignored her father as she sat down in one of the chairs in front of his desk. “I just had a very interesting talk with Judge Gear. You remember him don’t you father?”
Mark Jones narrowed his eyes as he looked at Cricket. He leaned back in his chair. “What is this all about?”
“He’s been arrested, but not before he shot Sam, father.” Cricket tilted her head a little as she watched her father. “Did you really think you would get away with this?”
“What? She is dead and you’re here to get revenge.” Jones laughed. “You can’t prove a thing. Now get the hell out of here.”
“Wrong again. We have your men in jail; one of them will make a deal to save himself. After all they worked for you so they know how to stab people in the back.” Cricket told him. “And no you’re lucky Sam’s not dead. If she was father I would kill you myself.”
“Listen you little freak, I have had just about enough of your shit.” Mark yelled as he stood up.
Mark felt himself being pushed back into his chair. “Sit down we’re not finished yet.” Cricket told him.
Mark tried to get back out of his chair but found he couldn’t. “What the hell are you doing? Let me go you damn freak.”
“When I get my answers I will.” Cricket told him. “Why is it so important you get the zoning changed on a piece of land?”
Mark wasn’t going to answer until he felt his body getting hotter and felt like he was going to burn up. “OK!” He yelled. “Knock it off. I’ll tell you.”
Cricket looked at the man before her. This was the man that had made her life a living hell while she was growing up. She knew she was different from the others in her family but she never knew why this man hated her so much. Cricket shook these thoughts out of her head. All of that didn’t matter now. She had a job to do.
“I’m waiting.” She told her father.
“Gold, that’s why. There’s gold on that land and I want it.” Mark told her.
“Gold, all of this was over gold?” Cricket gave him a shocked look. “A man has been killed and a young girl’s life was put at risk over gold. Don’t you have enough money? You’re one of the richest men around here”
Mark laughed at his daughter. “I’m rich only on paper little girl. All of this you see around you is just show. I’m in debt up to my eyeballs. I damn well need that gold to put me back on top again.”
“You lost all your money?” Cricket questioned him.
“Bad business dealings.” Mark said as if it was nothing. “It happens. That’s why I need this gold so much. When I found out about the gold I bought the land. Only to find out it’s a protected area for some animals or some stupid thing like that. The only holdup left before I could start mining was getting the zoning changed”
“You’re a fool. They wouldn’t have changed the laws for you.” Cricket told him.
Mark Jones got an evil grin on his face. “You’d be surprised what you can do little girl when you hold gambling markers on important people. I knew Judge Hall couldn’t be brought so I had to get rid of him.”
“Well father you almost got away with it.” Cricket told her father as she stood up. “Thanks for telling me what I needed to know.”
“It’s your word against mine. Who do you think they’re going to believe? Me, an upstanding businessman, or you, a freak. You forget I own half this town.” Mark told his daughter.
“I think they’re going to believe us.” Sam said as she, Captain Tools and about a half dozen more police officers came into the room.
“We have it all right here.” Sam told him as she held up a tape recorder.
Cricket took her eyes off her father as she looked over to Sam. That was all the time Mark Jones needed to grab a gun out of his desk drawer.
Cricket turned back around just as her father brought the gun up to point at her. “I should have done this years ago.” He screamed.”
“NO!” Sam yelled
But before Mark Jones could pull the trigger he found himself flying through the air hitting the wall behind him losing his hold on the gun. Mark didn’t even have a chance to catch his breath when he found himself once again flying through the air over his desk and landing on the floor at the feet of the police officers.
“Take him and get him the hell out of here.” Captain Tools told his men. “Thanks Cricket.” He smiled at her as he followed his men out.
Sam walked over and took Cricket in her arms. “I thought my heart was going to stop when I saw him point that gun at you.”
“Why does he hate me so much Sam.” Cricket questioned.
“I don’t know honey but it’s over with now. He’s going to be put away for a long time.” Sam gave Cricket a hug. “Come on let’s go home so I can do nothing else but hold you.”
“Nothing else.” Cricket leaned back and smiled at Sam.
Sam chuckled. “Well if you’re good I just might think of something else we could do.”
“Oh, I’m always good.” Cricket winked at Sam as she walked out the door.
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Sam and Cricket were just sitting down to lunch a few days later when there was a knock at the door.
“I’ll get it.” Sam said giving Cricket a kiss on the top of her head as she walked pass.
“Cricket.” Sam called to her. “There’s someone here to see you.”
Cricket stood up and walked towards the door as Sam invited the person inside. Cricket couldn’t believe who she was looking at. The last time she had seen her mother was when her father had kicked her out of the house. Cricket remembered her mother just standing there crying but not saying a thing to help her.
“Mother what are you doing here?” Cricket asked.
“I know I don’t have the right to be here but please I had to come.” Janet Jones told her daughter. “It’s time you had a right to know the truth.”
As Sam looked between mother and daughter she could see a little bit of likeness between the two, same height and shape, but that is where it ended. Janet Jones had brown hair and hazel eyes, whereas Cricket had blonde hair and green eyes.
Sam and Cricket sat on the sofa as Janet sat in the chair across from them.
“Ok mom what is this all about?” Cricket asked.
“I don’t know where to begin.” Janet said in a nervous voice.
“Why not just start at the beginning.” Sam told her.
“Yes, your right the beginning.” Janet took a deep breath. “My marriage to your fath…Mark has never been an easy one. It seemed like we were always fighting about something. Right before I was expecting you we got into an awful fight and I left. I just needed some time to myself to think so I left the other children with the Nanny.” Janet looked up at them as she wondered if she should say more.
“Go on.” Cricket told her.
Janet cleared her throat. “Anyway I went up the coast and stayed at this little out of the way motel by the beach. I was at the bar one night having a drink when this good looking man came over and started talking to me. I don’t know what happened. One thing lead to another” Janet looked at her hands as she told them the rest of the story. “We spent the night together.”
Cricket gave her mother a puzzled look. She was starting to get an idea where this was leading but she had to make sure. So she asked. “Why are you telling me this now mother?”
Sam gave Cricket’s hand that she had been holding a squeeze to let Cricket know she was there for her.
Cricket gave Sam a sweet smile and mouthed the word ‘Thanks’ to her.
As Janet watched the two women in front of her, she couldn’t help but see the love they shared.
“I came today because it’s time you knew the truth. Mark Jones isn’t your father.” Janet finally told them.
Cricket let out the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. “Is that why he has hated me all these years? Because I’m not his?” Cricket asked.
“Yes, I’m so sorry but I couldn’t tell you. He told me if I ever told anyone he would kick me out without a dime.” Janet said trying to make her understand.
“So instead you let him treat her like dirt then kick her out without a dime.” Sam growled.
“It’s ok Sam. I’ve got you now.” Cricket smiled at her protector. “Do you know who my real father is?” She asked her mother.
Janet shook her head. “No, I never found out his name. And when I asked around no one remembered seeing anyone that looked like him. The bartender told me that he remembered me but he never saw anyone sitting by me and that he was sure I left alone. But that can’t be true. I spent the night with him and two months later I realized I was expecting you.”
“What did he look like?” Sam asked.
Janet looked over at her daughter. “Just like Cricket. Blonde hair and green eyes. Every time Mark looked at her he was reminded of what I had done. He kept quiet about it because to him the family name was everything.”
Cricket wasn’t sure what to think. Somehow in the back of her mind she knew Mark wasn’t her father. She could just feel it. In a way it was a relief to find out it was true. Now she knew why he hated her all of these years.
“What about my powers mother. Did I get that from my real father?” Cricket asked. “Did he do anything?”
Janet thought for a minute. “Well I’m not really sure we only had that one night together. But I do remember he knew a lot about me before I even told him anything. And one time I asked for a drink and the bottle that was across the room was suddenly in his hand. When I asked him about it he said I just wasn’t paying attention to him getting up to get it. But I don’t remember him moving.”
Cricket looked over to Sam at what her mother was telling them. Sam gave Cricket a smile as she whispered to her. “Like father like daughter.”
Cricket felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Mark Jones, the man she had hated her whole life, wasn’t really her father. And to also find out she wasn’t a freak. The man that was her real father had the same powers as she had.
“I need to be getting back.” Janet Jones told them as she stood up.
“Thank you mother for finally telling me the truth.” Cricket said as she walked her mother to the door. “Mother, did the others know about me?” Cricket asked wondering about her brother and sisters.
“No,” Janet told her. “I don’t think they had any idea why Mark treated you like he did. They just tried to stay out of the fallout from it.” Janet lifted her hand as if she was going to touch Cricket’s face. But then changed her mind and dropped it back down. “I’m sorry Cricket for never standing up for you. I never should have let him treat you like that.”
Cricket knew this could be her chance to get back at her mother for all of those years. But she couldn’t do it. No matter what she still loved her mother. “You wouldn’t have been able to stop him mom. It is all in the past now. It’s time to just move on.”
Janet gave Cricket a smile as the tears in her eyes started to fall. Cricket was the first one to make the move toward her mother. They held each other and cried for all the lost years. Sam felt so happy for her lover.
___________________________________________________
Cricket was snuggled up to Sam who had fallen asleep after they had made love that night. But Cricket was to wound up thinking about all the stuff her mother had told them. She couldn’t believe it.
“Cricket honey.” Sam kissed her forehead. “It’s late go to sleep.”
“I thought you were asleep.” Cricket told her.
“I was but your mind is making too much noise.” Sam smiled at her.
Cricket chuckled. “You brat. I just can’t help it. I have to find him Sam.”
“We will honey. We’ll start looking tomorrow but right now go to sleep.” Sam told her.
“I’m too excited to sleep.” Cricket whined.
“Oh really.” Sam looked at her with this evil smile. “Then I guess I’m just going to have to wear you out.” She bobbed her eyebrows up and down.
Cricket gave a squeal as Sam pounced on her making good her threat of wearing Cricket out.
The End.
12/20/04