Can A Snowflakes Be Saved?

Cat And Mouse

"Babe, don't wait up for me . Lou and I have a lot of stuff to get done and I'm not sure what time we'll make it back." Zayn hugged his younger husband close as he spoke. "I know you hate me being away, especially with everything so tense right now, but we've got to make sure we can get away. Love you, babe, you and Niall." He kissed Liam's forehead gently then broke away from him to go and stare down at Niall, who was sleeping peacefully in his bassinet, his paci wiggling gently as he sucked on it in his sleep. Zayn bent down and kissed his son then trailed a finger across the boy's soft cheek. Straightening up, he smiled at Liam . "I gotta go, Li." He left the house, Liam listening  to the roar of the car's engine as it pulled away from the house , then there was silence. 

Liam wandered about the house, picking up the den and generally straightening the room before going into the kitchen to prepare a bottle  ready for Niall who was due to wake from his nap soon. A ring at the door interrupted him and he hurried to see who was there.

"Li, how are you?" Serena stood there, Harry cuddled into her chest." I'm sorry, but I really need company"

"Come in, come in" Liam stood aside to allow her to enter. "Actually, I feel the same. These latest developments have really made me nervous. Make yourself at home, I'll make coffee" Liam waved a hand towards the Den. "Nialler is  just finishing his nap."

Liam soon returned, a tray in his hands which he placed on the coffee table. Serena was sat on the couch, feeding  Harry , who was looking up at her with his big green eyes. Niall was stirring in his bassinet and Liam then hurried over to pick him up and sooth him before he started to cry.

"How's Patience doing now?" Liam asked as he returned to the couch, Niall cradled in one arm, the  warm bottle of milk  that he had fetched, in his other hand.

"Much better, thanks" Serena said looking happier. "They have had so many Littles in the hospital with this virus thing and they all seem to be taking their time in recovering. I visited her earlier and Mark says she'll be able to come home soon. He's such a darling, that man. I mean, he's built like a wrestler , yet he is so gentle with the babies. He's very attached to Patience and is taking wonderful care of her. You'd think she was his own Little the way he fusses over her. She'll be so spoilt by the time she comes home."Serena laughed lightly. Liam felt his eyebrows draw together in a slight frown as he tried to recall a recent conversation he'd had with Zayn , regarding Mark. Hadn't Zayn expressed some concern over something Mark had said to him? Liam shook his head and dismissed it from his mind. He was mistaken, Mark was a great guy.

Joe stared into space. He knew he was missing something, something important. Greg Horan was adamant that Zayn was the man he'd seen near the abandoned fuel dump. But Zayn was dead. He died years ago. Maybe the answer lay in Rexfordlea, the small town where Niall had been meant to meet up with his brother. Mind made up, Joe stood up and grabbed  the thick file. Maybe he'd go there, go to Rexfordlea. After all, he'd nothing to lose and maybe something would throw some light on the case.

The drive was a long one and Joe found himself going over and over in his head , his last conversation with Greg Horan. The man was so sure that he'd seen Zayn, but described him as much more muscled and with visible tattoos on display, on a lotus flower that covered the back of one of his hands. Didn't that signify new beginnings? He chuckled to himself. Well, if Zayn had miraculously risen from the dead, that could definitely be described as a new beginning, for sure!. Joe realised he'd finally arrived at his destination and, spotting a diner that appeared to be clean but rundown, parked his car and headed in, desperate for coffee and a hot meal.

"Hi, I'm Lucy and I'm your server" a chirpy voice pulled Joe back to reality. He'd been staring out of the Diner window, mind mulling over the case. "What can I get you?"

"Ummh..ah...Coffee , black and what's good to eat around here ?" Joe smiled up at her.

"We do great hamburgers here, best in the town." Lucy replied cheerfully.

"Yeah, well then I'll sample one" Joe agreed pleasantly . Best in the town? he thought. Well the town was small and very old fashioned, like it hadn't moved forward in decades, so that wasn't much of a recommendation for the hamburger. Still, he was hungry and the diner was clean, despite being worn and tired looking. He might as well risk it. The hamburger turned out to be surprisingly good and Joe found he enjoyed it. Appetite dealt with, he settled his check, gathered up his paperwork and left the diner, deciding to walk around the town. He wasn't sure why, maybe get a feel for the place, maybe hoping that the illusive clue that was bugging him would miraculous appear before his eyes, putting everything into perspective. With that thought, he headed down the street.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going" the man said as he bent down to pick up the papers that has scattered when he had collided with the detective. "I must have been in a trance." He straightened up and handed the papers to Joe, looking at the man properly for the first time. Joe found himself staring into eyes that were somehow a familiar buttery brown, surrounded by eyelashes as dense and long as those of any woman, the tan colored skin of the  hand holding out the papers , had a beautiful lotus tattoo covering the back of it. Joe thanked the man in a distracted manner.He was so familiar to the long dead Zayn, more muscled, not the skinny lad who had been in the Police Academy with him, but a fully grown man.

"Ummh, I'm sorry..I ..ah"  The man, the Zayn lookalike, suddenly looked extremely uncomfortable and hurried away, joining another, shorter man, and disappeared rapidly from sight, Joe staring after his retreating figure. Things fell into place. This had to be the man that Greg claimed had given him water for his car when it overheated near the abandoned fuel dump. He fitted the description exactly, right down to the lotus tattoo adorning his hand. Joe started to walk in the direction the man had disappeared but stopped himself. He'd obviously been recognised himself so he had to be clever. The game of cat and mouse was about to commence. Joe headed back to his car, his mind whirling.