A Jewel Whodunnit...
BLAST FROM THE PAST
PART THREE: ENCORE
Chapter Four: Jetta Speaks

"You asked her out?"
Raymond Nicholson stared at his partner in disbelief, dropping the pile of files down on the desk with a disgusted thud. "Did you listen to nothing I said, Alex? She's a criminal! She's done time inside! Hell, she's most likely using drugs! You don't get done for possession if you're clean!"
"That was a long time ago, Ray." Alex said quietly, pushing the files aside. "In any case, I'm a grown man, I can make my own decisions. Sadie isn't a suspect here...if it's a mistake, let me make it myself, huh?"
"And what about the case? What about going over the evidence? What about that?" Raymond demanded.
"Not tonight." Alex shrugged. "We both need a night off, Ray, we've been working like mad on this business and we're not getting any leads. A night free from worrying about it might clear the brain cells some, don't you think?" he smiled. "Besides, Heather has probably forgotten what you look like, you've spent so much time in the office lately. Why not take her out tonight and stop worrying about the case for a few hours?"
"Heather understands what my job entails." Raymond said darkly.
"Ray, listen, you're lucky." Alex said softly. "You married your high school sweetheart, she's devoted to you and you are to her. You don't seem to understand that it isn't so easy for me as all that. I've never found the right woman. I spent too long working to get where I am, to make my brother's memory proud of me. I'm twenty eight this fall - that's two years off thirty and there are only so many years you can go home to an empty apartment."
"Dammit, now you're talking about marrying this chick?" Raymond stared and despite himself Alex laughed.
"What, without even taking the girl out once? No, Ray, that's not what I mean. But I decided that it's time to stop thinking so hard about work, and start thinking like you and Heather a little. Date from time to time. Besides, Sadie's an attractive young lady and she interests me...it's a free country, don't forget."
"Well, it's your funeral." Raymond rolled his eyes. "Fine. We'll take tonight off. But I'm warning you, that girl is nothing but trouble!"
Alex shrugged.
"You may be right." He said levelly. "But either way, I'll soon find out."

********************
"Hi Mom."
Nancy sat down beside the bed, casting her mother a grin as she did so. "How're you this afternoon? Dad said that they'd taken you off the ventilator and it was okay...you feel all right with that?"
Jetta cast Nancy a thoughtful look, then she nodded her head slowly. It was clear that she was somewhat more alert than the day before, and to aid her breathing the doctors had raised her up somewhat in the bed, giving her the appearance of better health, despite her obvious fragility. However, there was an anxious, troubled look still in her grey eyes, and Nancy was too perceptive not to see it.
"What's up?" She murmured, taking her mother's hand in hers. "Can you tell me?"
Jetta's hand went to her throat, and she frowned. Nancy sighed.
"Still no voice?" She asked, clearly disappointed. Jetta shook her head.
"Guess that's the smoke." Nancy frowned. "It's cool, Mom, you take your time. You've been through a lot, after all. It's just, with the investigation and all..."
Jetta squeezed Nancy's fingers tighter at this, and Nancy looked up, startled.
"What?" She asked. "Mom, you're in no state to deal with federal agents! Okay, they're nice enough - well, one of them is, anyhow - but the doctor has been firm about them not coming near you yet and I agree. You're not strong enough, and if you can't talk, what can you tell them? No, you're safer just resting and recovering."
Jetta's eyes took on a troubled look once more, and her frustration was clear in her expression. Nancy eyed her mother keenly.
"Something happen while we were gone?" She asked gently. Jetta nodded. Carefully she mouthed a word, and Nancy's eyes widened.
"Jake was here?" She demanded. "Jake Barren, the guy the FBI are after?"
Jetta nodded again.
"Did he speak to you?"
Jetta shook her head.
"Well, what did he want then?" Nancy's mind was whirling. "Oh, damn the smoke! Mom, I need you to tell me! Did he threaten you? Hurt you at all?"
Jetta frowned, shaking her head.
"No?" Now Nancy was more confused than ever. "Mom, I don't understand! I..."
At that moment, the door of the sideward opened and a nurse came in. She cast Nancy a pretty smile, checked the monitors and then left them alone once more. Her intrusion had been nothing out of the ordinary, but her timing suddenly told Nancy what her mother had been trying to say. Jetta's expression backed it up, and the guitarist bit her lip.
"He was pretending to be a nurse?" She murmured. Jetta nodded her head.
"Oh my." Nancy looked fearful. "Mom, listen. The general belief is that Aunt Phyl was the intended victim of this business...she had a threatening note the morning of the fire and she had another one two days ago, though I wasn't supposed to tell you about it. The FBI think that the attacker or attackers are still in the area, lying low, though they did think that this Barren guy had fled the state. But he was here...something's up. Mom, you must tell me who it was you saw at Misfit Music. I mean it. Your life and Aunt Phyl's might depend on it!"
Jetta's grey eyes were strangely unreadable, and she bit her lip, shaking her head.
"I know it's difficult, but Mom, I need you to tell me." Nancy pleaded. "Don't you see, Jake must have been here to check on your condition! Does he know you saw something? Do...do they know you know?"
Jetta nodded her head, and Nancy's expression grew even more frightened.
"Mom, you have to tell me!" She whispered. "I can tell the FBI, get them to put protection round you, make sure you're safe from harm here, but I need to know the name. You trust me, don't you?"
There was no answer, and Nancy squeezed her mother's hand.
"Just mime it, or something. I'll guess." she urged. "Please, Mom, it's so important that we know!"
Jetta obediently mimed the word, but Nancy shook her head.
"I didn't...can you do it again?"
Jetta did so, and Nancy found her frustration growing as much as the patient's. She swallowed hard, frightened by what her mother had told her and fearful that any moment the imposter nurse might enter the room and cause either one of them harm.
"I'm sorry...I don't understand." She said at length. "I can't make out what you're saying."
Jetta closed her eyes briefly. Then, with a determined look on her face, she pursed her lips, taking a deep breath.
"Zip..." She whispered.




BLAST FROM THE PAST
PART THREE

Chapter One: A Confession
Chapter Two: Jetta's Mind
Chapter Three: Alex and Sadie
Chapter Four: Jetta Speaks
Chapter Five: A Problem For Sadie
Chapter Six: Answer To A Riddle
Chapter Seven: Zoe Acts
Chapter Eight: A Shock For Stefana
Chapter Nine: Some Truths
Chapter Ten: Zoe Takes A Chance
Chapter Eleven: Truth Will Out

Chapter Twelve: A Close Shave
Chapter Thirteen: Zoe's Father

Epilogue

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE
Copper, Nancy, Sylva, Anna, Blade, Raesha, Sirena, Topaz, Aaron, Sophie, Justin, Elliot, Rosita, Luis and any other characters in this fiction which do not appear in the animated Jem series are copyrighted to me (E.A Woolley) as of January 2002 <unless otherwise specified> and are not to be reproduced without permission ANYWHERE. Jetta, Pizzazz, Stormer, Roxy, Raya and all other original Jem characters are the copyright of Hasbro Inc, Sunbow, Christy Marx and the other writers of the Jem series. The future world of Pizzazz, Raya, Jetta, Roxy, Stormer, Clash, Synergy, the fate of Jem and her memorial are all copyrighted to me. The future world of Kimber and Shana is copyrighted jointly to myself and Gemma Dawn.
The concept of 'Jewel' is entirely my own, and any apparent link with any fictional or actual person or persons of this name is entirely coincidental. Equally the characters in this fiction are not based on any real life individual.
The concept behind the future world of Danse, Aja and Craig, the idea behind Jerrica's futureworld and the split of the Holograms is copyrighted to Gemma Dawn, whose Teenangel Outsiders fiction is directly twinned with Just a Dream. The character Sammi and any of the other Teenangel Outsider characters mentioned in this fiction are entirely copyright to Gemma Dawn and appear here only with her permission.
Pay her page a visit!