Alias- Jack & Laura

46) Why So Sad ?

On Thursday morning, Khasinau met with Volsky once again and reviewed the information he'd obtained. The accident had occurred about a ten minute drive from the hotel, fifteen minutes from the Bristow home. Traffic on the road where the accident had occurred was light at that time of night, and, according to the police report, Laura Bristow's vehicle hadn't been readily visible from the road. The police had arrived at the scene of the accident at 11:40 p.m., and had run the car's license plate and contacted the CIA. Paramedics had arrived at 11:47 p.m. to transport the car's sole occupant to the naval hospital. The police determined that another car had been involved in the accident and had apparently left the scene. Investigation of the car had found no evidence to identify the other vehicle, and the investigation was currently halted.

So the missing hour was easily explained by a delay in the accident being reported, Khasinau decided. He was still concerned, though. Why weren't the police investigating more thoroughly? He wondered if the CIA might suspect something and had called off the police investigation to conduct its own investigation.

He looked at Volsky, who was waiting patiently. "There are just a few more things I need you to do."

***

Jack entered the church at 9 p.m. to pick Laura up from choir practice, a sleepy Sydney dragging her feet behind him. He led Sydney into the sanctuary and slipped into a pew near the back; they were still rehearsing. Laura stood balanced on her crutches and left leg, looking off her neighbor's music.

The music stopped, and the director put down his baton. "Good work tonight, everyone. I'll need the organ, first cello, and Laura to stay to rehearse the solo movement; I'll see the rest of you on Saturday."

Laura sat down as the rest of the choir and orchestra flowed away around her. Jack looked up when Emily appeared beside him; he lifted Sydney into his lap to give Emily a place to sit. "I can't wait to hear this," she whispered as she sat down beside him. "It's an awfully hard solo; when Jim had tryouts earlier, nobody showed up. Have you heard it?"

Jack shook his head but didn't speak, since Jim had picked up his baton. Laura stood, using her crutches, no music anywhere in sight. She met Jack's eyes and gave him a small, nervous smile; he returned a smile that he hoped was encouraging.

The piece began with a few beats of instrumental music; when Laura began to sing, Jack stopped breathing for several seconds. He didn't know enough about music to tell if the solo was difficult or not; what he did know was that it was absolutely beautiful. "Pie Jesu domine, dona eis requiem," Laura sang repeatedly. Jack knew the meaning from his Catholic upbringing: "Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them rest." Pain and sadness came through clearly in Laura's voice. At one point, when the music grew louder and her voice jumped up to a high note, she met his eyes, and he knew in that instant exactly who she was thinking of. Her mother, her brother. The baby they had lost. Him and Sydney, and the separation from them that seemed likely, if not inevitable, despite all their best efforts to stop it.

The piece faded to a close, and Jack wiped at his eyes, which were suspiciously moist. He heard a shuddering breath from beside him and turned to see Emily blinking furiously. There was utter silence in the church.

After a moment, Sydney turned and tugged at his lapel. "Daddy, why is Mommy so sad?" Her voice carried easily through the vast space; a moment later, he heard several sharp laughs from the front of the sanctuary.

Jack smiled down at his daughter. "It's just a song, Sydney," he whispered. "Be quiet until Mommy's finished, okay?" She nodded.

The director put down his baton. "Well, Laura, that was...wow. Do it just like that on Sunday, and you'll make me a very happy man. See you Saturday."

Jack lifted Sydney, made his way to Laura, and kissed her gently. "That was incredible."

She smiled at him with that shy look that only seemed to appear when they talked about her singing. "Sydney looks exhausted. Let's go home."

It started to rain just as they reached the car, and Jack hurried Laura and Sydney into it—Laura in the back so she could stretch out her leg, Sydney in the front. Fifteen minutes later, when they were only a few minutes from home, they began to pass over the Canyon Creek Bridge. A car was coming from the other direction, but Jack didn't pay it much attention—until it swerved directly into his path. Instinctively, he turned the wheel sharply to the right. The car crashed through the guard rail and plunged toward the river below.