"Listen, Josh," Matt sighed, "do you have any idea who would want Mel dead?"

"No idea," Josh said with sorrowful eyes. "You got to believe me, Matt. I wouldn't have ever let her be put in danger."

"I believe you," Matt nodded.

Cath left Mari alone in the living room and clicked the door to Josh's bedroom shut gently behind her.

Josh's attention immediately snapped in her direction. "How is she?" He asked with helpless eyes of concern.

"She's alright," Catherine chuckled.

"I feel bad," Josh said in embarrassment, "that she had to stay. She should be out living her life, not trapped in some basement with boring old me."

"She has no life," Cath laughed. "Don't worry...Hey, Josh?" She asked hesitantly. She glanced nervously at Matt before continuing, "What made you change your name?"

Josh gave a little hesitant glance in Matt's direction. "Well, I suppose I knew I had to tell you eventually. I'm wanted by four different governments. Mainly the United States for the decoding and pirating of top secret government files," he said with a smug little smile.

"Wow," Catherine grinned. "I'm impressed."

"Don't be," Josh huffed, "I have my face on a million FBI pamphlets and I wasn't even the one to do it. I worked in white collar crimes, helped them track down art thieves and stuff. Easy little tasks. They had me checking out this one guy, and somehow, he beat me and turned everything back. They traced the code back to me and I lost my dignity, my respect, and eventually, my identity."

Catherine frowned. "That's not so fun."

Matt crossed his arms. "And now that that's out in the open, how about you tell me about Mel?"

"Oh," Josh said softly, his eyes going straight to his shoes.

"Yeah," Matt said sternly. "Oh."

"What do you want to know?"

"How you met."

"Is that really important?" Josh asked sheepishly.

"Josh, if you don't want to, then you don't have to," Catherine sighed, putting a hand on Matt's arm.

"No, no," Josh stammered, "he deserves to know. It's just been so long." He took a deep breath. "Mel wasn't just some costume designer. She had brains, a whole lot of em. Her father worked for the government, and well, one thing led to another..."

Cath gave a surprised little nod. "She recruited you?"

Josh nodded. "She had spent weeks trying to get me to see that sound wasn't good enough. I couldn't understand why, then this guy came...Well, by the time me and Mel-" he gave a shaky sigh and steadied himself on the table. "By the time me and Mel were together, we were both occupying minor essential jobs."

Catherine nodded slowly. She glanced over at Matt, trying to read his expression.

"Together?" Matt choked, taken aback.

"I just told you your wife was practically a government spy and you're fretting over my word usage to define our relationship?" Josh questioned, stupefied.

"So, there was a relationship?" Matt asked, feeling sick.

"No!" Josh exclaimed.

"You just said so!"

"Yes, but no!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Matt, are you alright?" Catherine asked worriedly, putting her arm around him. "You don't look so good, Babe."

"It depends," Matt said bitterly, "on what constitutes a relationship."

"We kissed once. That's it, I swear," Josh sighed. "Other than that, we just dated."

Matt stared holes into the floor. "She never told me. You never told me."

"I just thought it would hurt you," Josh frowned. "I should have told you. I realize that now. I'm sorry, Matt."

"I just need some time," Matt sighed. He thought long and hard about that last week before his life ended. "I never met her father," he said with a frown. "Not even at the wedding. Why?"

"Maybe she didn't like him?" Cath shrugged.

Matt's eyes twinkled with the first sign of enlightenment. "Or she was trying to protect me," he said coldly as he met Josh's eyeline. "When you told me, the first time, you said you still had her shoes."

"Mel's?"

"Yeah," Matt nodded. "A pair of her nikes. She wore them constantly. Why would she leave them with you, Josh?"

Josh stared dumbly. "I don't know. What are you trying to say?"

Catherine sighed. "Matt, please don't do this."

Matt ignored her. He approached Josh with unblinking eyes.

Josh trembled in fear. He hadn't seen Matt this calm in his entire life. There was a terrifying feeling to it, as if he were the prey being stalked silently by the killer.

"Why you, Josh? Huh?" Matt spat.

Josh braced himself as Matt raised an arm, but no blow came. Instead, a soft hand touched his shoulder and Matt grinned. "Because she trusted you with something she couldn't trust anyone else with."

"Her shoes?" Josh questioned skeptically.

Matt turned and pointed toward Josh's closet door. "No. With her life. I need to see those shoes."

"Okay," Josh said slowly.

"Matt," Catherine said with concern, "maybe you should sit down a minute."

"I'm fine, Cath," he sighed.

She muttered something under her breath and stared at her phone.

Mari knocked the door. "Guys, can I come in?"

"Sure," Catherine replied. When her friend entered, she asked, "Did you call and confirm it?"

"Yes," Mari grinned. "He's coming."

Catherine face lit up. "I'm so excited!"

Mariah squealed. "Me too!"

Matt sent a glare in their direction. "The shoes, Josh. Please?" He said softly.

Josh nodded and looked around the room. He felt exposed. This was all head left of Mel, the only thing that tied him to her, and he was being forced to share it.

He opened the closet door and pushed aside a long line of Catherine's shirts to reveal a white pair of nikes hanging by their laces.

Cath whispered something to Mariah.

"Woah," Mari whispered back. "Four governments?"

"You had to tell her?" Josh moaned.

"It's alright," Mari smirked, "I like bad boys."

Josh flushed beat red and Matt reached for the shoes.

Josh quickly pushed him away. "Hold it. Why do you want em?"

"Yeah, Matt, what's going on?" Catherine asked with curiosity.

"She was smarter," Matt laughed deliriously. "Smarter than all of us and she's dead."

"What do you mean?" Mari questioned.

"The shoes!" Matt grinned, his smile was starting to fade as he looked at their confused faces. "Doesn't anyone get it?"

"Matt, we're in the dark," Catherine laughed.

Matt snatched the shoes and Josh looked like he could have fainted right then and there. "She didn't mean to break up with Josh. Though, I thank heaven she did. She was trying to protect him. The shoes! You see, she left her shoes in case he was ever in trouble!"

Josh stared blankly. "Matt, give em back."

Matt turned them around, checking every side. "Come on Mel," he whispered hopefully. "Give me something to work with, Honey."

Josh watched in horror as Matt began to untie the laces. "Please!" He yelped. "Don't do that!"

Mari put a hand gently on his arm. "He's figuring something out. Calm down, Josh. If he finds something, they might be able to figure out who was behind her accident. Isn't that worth more?"

Josh had tears welling in his eyes and he slowly gave a nod. Something within him broke as Matt removed the inner soul of the shoe.

A small piece of paper fell to the floor.

Matt picked up with a trembling hand. How badly he wanted to open it, but he found his hand giving it to Josh. "She wanted you to have it," he said softly, "not me."

Josh took the note and wiped his running nose on his sleeve.

Mari sighed and moved over to Catherine. "What's with the look?" She whispered.

"What look?" Cath mumbled.

"The look on your face," Mariah laughed.

"It's nothing," Catherine sighed.

Mari pulled Cath out of the room. "What's wrong? Is this about Mel?"

Catherine shrugged. "Maybe a little. I don't know. I just don't feel great."

"Are you sick?" Mariah asked in concern.

"No, I'm fine. Just forget it."

"Alright. I'm going to check on Josh."

"Okay. I think I'm going to get some air," Catherine sighed.

Mariah returned to the room with Matt and Josh after her friend left.

"What's it say?" Matt asked slowly.

"Only when desperately needed," Josh read. "Then a whole bunch of random numbers."

"Here let me see it," Mari sighed. She took the paper in her hands and rolled her eyes. "Josh this is clearly a phone number."

"Should we call it?" Josh asked uncertainly.

"I would," Mariah laughed nervously.

"Did he even notice that I'm gone?" Catherine texted Mari.

"No," she texted back.

"I knew it," Catherine replied.

Mari ignored the message and urged Josh to call the number.

"Matt?" Josh said with a waiver of uncertainty.

Matt gave a nod. "Do it."

Josh took a trembling hand and typed in the number.

Could there be hope-

No.

He shut the possibility out of his head. But as he looked over to Matt, whose eyes were shining brightly, he knew that the thought had crossed his mind too.

That maybe she was out there.

Josh brought the phone to his ear.

The silence was brutal.

Mari watched in silent horror as a voice came over the other line and Josh sank into the bed, sitting down slowly and placing one arm behind him.

"Hello?"

"Hello."

There was a pause.

Tears welled in Josh's eyes. "Yes, sir. Yes, it is."