Chapter 30 Life Is All About the Little Things You Enjoy (Jamie's POV)

Before Marie even made it back to our table you could feel the excitement flowing off of her. The smile on her face was the brightest I'd seen in months. Brandon grabbed the photo up as soon as her words processed through his brain.
I jumped up and engulfed her in my arms. I didn't need to see the photo, her excitement was enough proof for me.
"We found them Jamie." Her smile was blinding.
"That's what it looks like love. You found them." Her entire body straightened with a renewed since of hope and determination. I kissed her, hoping she felt the pride I had for her.
Brandon was on the phone giving someone all the details about the photo during our exchange. When he was done he blew out a deep breath that made us look at him. "That can't be bad Brandon. We found them, right?"
"Yea Marie, by the looks of it, and the trail Dewayne's left so far, it looks like its legit. We're gonna stay here for now. Find a cheap motel, get a lay of the land. Stay close to this diner were we can keep it under surveillance. I have a guy looking into the waitress also. I have a college from this area on her way down to join us. Her name is Elizabeth Dees and she will be here this afternoon." Brandon looked like he sucked on something sour when he said Elizabeth's name.
Marie noticed Brandon's scowl as well. She tightened the grip she hand on our joined hands. "You sure we can trust her?" Marie and I had put our trust in Brandon so far through everything, and if he couldn't even say this ladies name without scowling maybe she didn't need to come. Didn't matter if she was from here or not.
My sly questioning of his judgment didn't go unnoticed. His "I'm the Boss" face came back harder. "Elizabeth Dees is one of the best agents we have working for us, and she knows it."
"Then what's wrong?" Marie took the words right out of my mouth. I couldn't help stare in wonder as the bright red color made its way up Brandon's neck. I think the last time he blushed was in the fifth grade and he asked Alana James to be his first girlfriend.
"The last time we were on assignment together we got into a disagreement about who was in charge and it got a little heated, that's all." That's all my ass! Brandon was looking at the table instead of us. When he finished I was about to call him on his bullshit, but Marie got my attention first.
She had a mischievous smile on her face then turned toward Brandon. She'd caught Brandon's lie as well, but was smart enough to hold back from teasing him for now.
We grabbed our stuff instead and went back to the trucks. Marie and I were going to find the nearest motel, while Brandon went to the police station to see if they could give us any information. Marie waited till Brandon left the parking lot before she couldn't hold back any longer. "You think that's really what happened Brandon and this Elizabeth woman?"
I tried to stop the sarcastic laugh but failed miserably. "Not on his life. I haven't seen my brother turn that red since we were kids. We'll see for ourselves when she gets here."
The Sabine Motel wasn't that far from the diner, and we had a clear view of the parking lot and diner from our room. There was a door connecting the room on the other side were we could reach Brandon next door. They only had a double bed in both, so hopefully Brandon wouldn't mind sharing with Elizabeth.
Brandon came back an hour later with the detailed maps of the parish, but nothing of the new family in town. Hours later we had a solid plan of attack. Brandon had a broken the map down into four sections we would canvas while Marie stayed at the motel watching the diner. We memorized all the streets in the parish and went through each zones plan forward and backward.
Marie wasn't happy about having to stay behind at the motel at first, but one she understood she was the only one who could spot Dewayne if he'd changed his hair or beard better than we could the attitude stopped. Around midnight we decided to pack it up and get some rest for the morning when someone knocked on the door.
We all stopped and starred at the door. Brandon drew his gun from his hip and went to the peep hole before answering the door. He put the gun back and collected himself before answering he door. "Dees I'm glad you could make it."
"Shaw, I see the month away hasn't made you any prettier." I know it's wrong to laugh at my brother's expense, but that didn't stop me. Brandon visual 'Fuck You' face made it worse.
"Come in. This is my brother Jamie, and his girlfriend Marie."
The tall muscular woman who followed him into the room had a friendly smile. I gave her a quick hello and handshake. When she turned to Marie she drew her into a hug. "I'm sorry. I've wanted to do this since I first heard all the details of the case. I can't imagine what you've been through, but I'm here now and I'm gonna do everything I can to help." Elizabeth had Marie hook, line, and sinker.
"Thank you, and it's so nice to meet you as well Ms. Dees."
"No call me Elizabeth please."
"Ok."
"Dees, now that your here we were about to hit the sack. I'll fill you in on everything in the morning. I know how much your beauty sleep means to you."
I wasn't sure if Brandon was being sarcastic, but he was clearly uncomfortable now for some reason. Elizabeth stepped away from Marie and gave Brandon a deadly glare. "Green is not your color Shaw. Remember that." The two continued to stare each other down.
I moved closer to Marie in case they started throwing punches at each other. My money was on Elizabeth. "So we'll see you at 6 then." If I didn't break the silence now something was going to happen.
"Yep 6." Came Brandon's growled response.
"Sounds good to me. Just show me where I can sleep and I'll be out of y'alls way." Elizabeth grabbed her bag from the ground she had dropped before hugging Marie.
"Well, you see." As soon as Brandon got back to the motel we started planning and I hadn't told him about the sleeping arrangements yet. Marie could barely string the words together explaining about this being the last two rooms in the small motel and they would have to share. Brandon's mood was getting darker by the second. Elizabeth on the other hand looked giddy.
"There's a couch that pulls out in here if one of you want to sleep in it if that won't work for y'all. It's completely ok with us."
"That's fine with me Marie, I'm not picky. That ok with you Short Fuse?" Brandon had steam coming from his ears while lookin at Elizabeth. Oh yeah I liked his girl.
"That's grand I'll see y'all in the morning." Brandon marched out of the room after that. Elizabeth told us both goodnight and followed soon after.
Finally alone I pulled Marie into my arms giving her a hug. "I like her." Marie mumbled in my shirt. "I do too love. It's nice to see someone throw Brandon off his game that's for sure." Marie laughed at that.
"Come on love. Let's go to bed. We got a big day tomorrow."
The next day we left the motel fifteen minutes after six. Marie was sat up with binoculars and her phone to call with an update every hour weather she saw something or not.
The town itself was small. We finished two grid searches by the end of the day. The next day we finished the other two. We made note on the map of the places we might want to check again. Elizabeth also made note of the locals she wanted to speak with.
By the third day Marie was going crazy in the room by herself. When she called for our scheduled check in she was crying on the phone. "Please Jamie I can't keep lookin out this window not helping y'all find the kids. I should be with you helping look. What I'd y'all find them and I'm not there. They'll think I haven't been lookin for them and that I don't care. Please Jamie you have to come and get me!"
"Love, you know the kids know you're looking for them. They know you love them more than anything else in this world. You can't keep thinking like that baby. You are helping. Your steaking out the last place we know they were so you can spot them when they come back."
"I know. I'm sorry. I'm just all by myself and I keep going throw all these different scenarios in my head. It's making me freak out a little."
"Brandon and Elizabeth are almost done talking to this guy who has a few houses for rent in the bayou. Whenever they get done I'm gonna tell them I'm coming back to the motel to stay with you for the rest of the day. I'll help keep your mind from running crazy on you. How's that sound?"
"I don't deserve you." The tears had stopped finally.
"Love, you deserve more than I can ever give you."
"Love you." "Love you too see you soon."
Brandon and Elizabeth were headed back to his truck when I finished my call with Marie. I explained to them about Marie's call and told them I was going back to the motel for the rest of the day.
"Good. I'm gonna get my car. I wanna go see Old Man Snow, unfortunately he's a little paranoid so Rambo here can't come with me." Elizabeth pointed toward Brandon as if I didn't know who she was talking about.
"Why?" Brandon barked out.
"Cuz he's paranoid of cops Rambo, and you squeal like a pig." Brandon stalked to the driver side of his truck with a sullen look on his face. I on the other hand could stop the laugh at her joke.
All day these two had been at each other's throat. You would think Brandon would be happy for some peace, God knows I sure could. He doesn't say a word just gets in and slams his door. I caught Elizabeth starring at him as he walked away. She had a look of longing in her eyes.
It took us about 10 minutes to get back to the motel. I parked my truck beside Elizabeth's Jeep. Marie was standing in the doorway waiting. Elizabeth called a quick hello to Marie before jumping into the driver seat and leaving again.
"Where's she off to in such a hurry?" Marie asked pointing in Elizabeth's direction.
How can just looking at a woman make all my stress just melt away? "Going to talk to an old friend of hers." I wrapped my arms around her and picked her up for a kiss. "Hello my love. What can I do to make you feel better?"
Marie's cheeks bloomed a brilliant shade of red as she buried her face in my neck. She tightened her grip around my neck and waist clinging to me. "I just need you baby." Her mumbled words gave me pride.
I pulled her ass closer to my body letting her feel my hardening dick. I didn't say anything just started making my way toward the door. She was letting out quiet moans with each step I took.
It'd been a month since I'd tasted her. We both agreed we would wait till we got back home. Always on the road and sharing a room with Brandon at every stop made it almost impossible. We learned that one the hard way, so we hadn't tried anything since.
But if Marie needed me then that's what I'd give her. I made it to the edge of the bed and grabbed her hips stopping them. She broke away from my neck were she had started to suck and nip my skin to let out a whine of disappointment.
I gave her a laugh as I brought her face to mine. Any other time I know she'd give me shit for the look of absolute wonder I have on my face as I look in her eyes. "Oh baby, you have no idea what I'm about to do to you. Now strip." Marie giggled as I tossed her on the bed.
A few hours later we were back at the diner having supper. Marie was back to her beaming smile, and I'm sure the stupid grin on my face was no better. Brandon pulled into the parking lot finally calling it quits for the day.
When Marie called him and asked him to join us him frustration was clear. He hadn't heard from Elizabeth and she hadn't been answering his calls. He'd finished talking with all the names on his list and had nothing to go on.
When he walked through the door Marie gave me a worried look. Brandon looked worse than he had this afternoon. His hair was standing on end and dark circles were under his eyes that weren't there earlier. He pulled the chair out in front of me and sat down. "You ok bro?" I asked. Marie might be right to worry about him.
"I'm fine. Y'all still ain't heard anything from Elizabeth?"
"She'll be back Brandon. I left her a voicemail and told her to meet us here for some dinner. But I'm worried about you. Have you been sleeping enough? I know the beds suck but if you need a break just let us know." Marie must have thought about what we had done on that bed earlier, because she started blushing and couldn't look at Brandon anymore.
Brandon hot me a quick smirk knowing full well what made her blush. I just have him a shrug and put my arm around Marie smiling. "I promise Marie. I'm fine."
"Good." She gave him a bright smile. Ms. Jean was making her way toward our table when we heard breaks squealing from outside. Elizabeth's red Jeep came flying around the building and stopped by the front door. She jumped from the Jeep and ran into the diner smiling like a lunatic.
Elizabeth sat in the chair at the head of the table and sat a stack of papers on the table. They were folded in half so we couldn't see what they said. "Sorry it took so long. Their ain't no service out there so I couldn't call y'all. It took me awhile to convince Old Man Snow to make copies of the papers. I just heard your message and came straight over."
"You shouldn't make us worry like that. You should have let me come with you so I knew you were safe. It's protocol am I right?" Brandon didn't look as stress now as he did when he walked in. "What's this?" He snatched the papers from the table and Elizabeth's smile got bigger.
"Rental Agreement for a Mr. Dewayne Dusky and his two children along with a copy of his Mississippi driver license and social."
"Oh my God!" Marie looked on the verge of tears covering her mouth with her hand in shock. The crazy smile on Elizabeth's face made sense now. She'd found what we needed. I looked at the papers in Brandon's hand with a sense of excitement.
"That's exactly what I said Marie when Mr. Snow told me about the new family he was renting his hunting cabin to. When he told me he had a copy of the man's ID I all but did a happy dance in his yard!" Marie laughed with joy. "We've searched every known database for so long and the man that hates electronic had everything we need." The evil cackle coming from Elizabeth would have put any man on edge.
"Did he give you an address?" I could feel it, this hell was almost over. This was what we had been waiting for. Elizabeth started shaking her head yes. Marie grabbed my hand on top of the table and squeezed.
"132 Bayou Rd. The roads are hard to get down cuz their always falling down, but Mr. Snow agreed to rake us there in the morning on his boat." Brandon tossed the papers on the table and grinned. "We got him!"
The four of us just sat there with smiles knowing this was about to finally end.

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Finally! They know where the kids are. Things are about to get fun!
How do y'all like Brandon and Elizabeth?
Don't miss the rest.
Callie

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