"Is something wrong?" Logan asked as he sat across from the SCIA agents.
"On the contrary," Agent Davidson responded. "We've been studying the information you collected from your investigations and your interviews with Silas Rochester. The work you've done has proven quite valuable to us."
"But I didn't think I turned up anything."
"I'm sure you would have if you had access to our resources," Agent Anders replied.
"Some of the names he gave you matched aliases we've been following. The names, dates, and locations from his statements are helping us build a clearer picture of all the things the local crime organization has been involved in over the years."
"We think they could be responsible for more than half of the unsolved murders and missing persons cases in this town," Anders added. "I know some of these cases you're already familiar with: the Arrendale car accident, the body that was believed to be Silas Rochester more than 10 years ago, Clifford Stuart's death."
"So he did borrow money from them that he couldn't pay back?" Logan asked.
"We believe so," Davidson replied. "He couldn't pay in cash, so he ended up paying with his life. At least that's what our evidence shows."
"I'm glad to hear that some good came of my investigation. I'll do anything I can to help reduce crime in this town. That's all I want to do."
"If that's the case, you'll be interested to know why were here," Anders said and turned to his partner to let her explain.
"We've reviewed your work and we think your skills as a detective would be better utilized in our organization."
"You want me to join the SCIA?" Logan asked in disbelief.
"If you're interested and you can complete the entrance training, then yes."
"You could be good for our organization and with access to our resources, you could do more good than you ever could in the police force."
"Wow. I'm speechless." The offer had caught Logan totally off-guard.
"It's not an easy job. There can be a lot of travel involved and a rigorous training process. You may have to be away from Bay Pointe for awhile. Luckily you're single and unattached, so it should be easier to put your personal life on hold than if you had a family to consider."
"Oh . . ." Logan said slowly as he considered how this offer could completely affect his life. "I'm definitely interested. This is a dream offer, but there's a lot to consider. How long do I have to think it over?"
"We'll give you a couple of weeks, but the sooner you make up your mind, the better."
"Zara? Cassandra?" a woman asked as she approached the two sisters. "Hi, I'm Samantha Ramsey. We talked on the phone. I'm going to be representing your mother in her trial."
"Hi," Zara said. "Have you talked to our mother yet? How does her defense look?"
"I just spoke to her and honestly, it's not looking good. There is a lot of evidence stacked against her and she's not denying any of it. In fact, she's openly admitting that she did it."
"Who would blame her?" Cassie asked. "Did she tell you our father had her locked away in a mental institution for most of her life?"
"Yes, and I think we might be able to use that to get her a lighter sentence. Maybe the courts will go easier on her if they believe she isn't in her right mind."
"Not in her right mind?" Cassie repeated, appalled at the idea. "You're saying she's crazy? You can't do that. She's not insane."
"Cass, she's just trying to help Mother," Zara said calmly. "It might be the only way. So you think she should plead insanity?"
"Possibly. The suggestion of temporary insanity is out. The notes she sent your father prove that this was set up and planned ahead of time. We'll speak with her psychiatrist and see what we can come up with. Like I said, I think the best we can do is try for a reduced sentence or convince them to send her to a mental facility instead of prison."
"No, you can't do that!" Cassie said, outraged. "That would be just as bad as prison if not worse. You can't send her back there again."
"A hospital would be focused more on treatment and rehabilitation. She wouldn't have to be there for a set period of time, only until she is determined not to be a threat to herself or others."
"The only person she is a threat to was my father, because of what he did to her and to all of us. She's not going to go around attacking other people."
"I don't know what else we can do, Cass," Zara said with a shrug. "It's a bad situation all around, but she's the one that made the choice to do what she did."
Samantha looked back and forth between the two sisters. One of the hardest parts about her job was facing the families when there wasn't much she could do. "Your mother told me she wanted to speak with you, Cassandra, alone. The guards can take you to her."
Cassie followed the guards into the dank, gray room where her mother was sitting at a bare table waiting for her. She hated to see her this way.
"Oh, Mother," she sighed. "We just talked to the lawyer. Do you know what's going to happen to you? They're going to take you away again. They're going to send you back to the mental hospital or worse, jail. She's not even talking about trying to prove you innocent. What are we going to do?"
Serena shook her head. "I knew the consequences I was facing when I did it and I don't care what they do to me now. It was worth it."
Cassie just stared at her, trying to find the words. "But I care. Zara cares. What about us?"
"Cassandra, I have something very important to tell you."
"What is it?" she asked anxiously.
"I saw something at the courthouse . . . and let me just say this. If you really want to be with Blaine and stay with him, get pregnant as soon as you can."
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