Trevor, arriving as promised just after dawn, knocked on the Abbey gate. It was promptly opened by Brother Dominic.

"Hullo," Trevor said with a smile. "I'm here at Stephen's request. Trevor..."

"Raine?" Brother Dominic finished.

"St Cyr, actually. I'm back to using my own name."

Brother Dominic looked Trevor St Cyr up and down. He remembered him as a rather pale, sad-looking, too thin young man, who only seemed to come alive around the horses. Now, he was tanned and looked relaxed and confident. Obviously the last 10 years had treated him well.

"I'll contact Tommy. He'll take you to Stephen's office," Brother Dominic said.

Trevor nodded, as he looked around curiously.

Within several heartbeats Tommy was standing beside Trevor holding out his hand. "Stephen is anxious to see you." Tommy said as he held out his hand. "I'm Tommy, his minion."

Trevor grinned. "I'm my wife and son's minion so I can relate," he replied with a grin.

Tommy scooped up a battered leather valise and said, "This is all you brought for a two week stay?"

Trevor shrugged. "I travel light. I do a lot of field work."

"Good," Tommy said as he popped out for the House, with Trevor in tow.

They arrived at the front door, Tabitha awaiting them, her arms crossed on her chest. "Tea. Indian. Assam," she said somewhat cryptically, or so Tommy thought.

Trevor grinned. "Hullo Tabitha. You haven't changed. Just as handsome and awesome as ever."

"Oh, go on with ya," Tabitha said. She giggled which made Tommy goggle. He just didn't picture Tabitha giggling for anyone.

Reno sauntered around the corner just then as if he'd just casually happened to show up. Yeah. Right.

"Morning Tabitha. Tommy. And this is?" Reno asked holding out his hand.

"Trevor St Cyr."

"Ah, the cop," Reno said with a nod.

"Ex cop. I've sold out to filthy lucre."

"Good for you. I'm Reno. Tommy's shadow for the duration."

"He works for Marc Rogatien. Do you know..." Tommy began but let the words die away when Trevor nodded.

"I know the name, not the man."

Tabitha took the valise from Tommy. "I'll have this sent up to your room, Trevor. You all just go on to see Stephen. He's a bit anxious to get started."

"Thank you," Trevor said, a dimpled smile just for Tabitha.

"Flirt," Reno whispered as the three men walked away.

"Never hurts," Trevor replied with a grin.

Tommy did a mental nose count and decided that Stephen's office would not be the best place to hold the first meeting about what he was already mentally calling that `Le Affaire de Bones'. So, girding himself he went looking for Tabitha and found her in the kitchen making tea… presumably for Trevor. Possibly he too should start flirting with her. Possibly not.

"Uhm, Tabitha, uhm excuse me for interrupting but…" Tommy got no further.

"Don't just stand there blocking traffic, move outta the way. And what are you doing in my kitchen anyway?"

Tommy moved aside and stammered an apology. "Uhm, I'm sorry, but uhm, well, I was wondering, if you're not real busy of course…and it wouldn't be a bother…well, could I get coffee for ten in the conference room in about half an hour." He said the last in a rush that ran his words together and then braced himself for the scolding. He should have asked her yesterday he knew, but yesterday had been a very strange day so he thought he might be forgiven for leaving it until the last minute.

"Already taking care of it."

"Oh. Thank you. Is there anything I can do to help?" Tommy replied automatically, his brain having trouble grasping that he wasn't about to be driven from the kitchen for presumption.

"Yes, get out of my kitchen."

Tommy made haste to obey.

Half an hour later he entered the conference room and discovered that Tabitha had not stopped with just coffee, and tea for Trevor of course. She had also provided warm scones, butter, jam and fresh fruit. Perhaps he should reconsider flirting with her. Perhaps there was another way. Maybe Trevor had tips he'd share.

Tommy shrugged the question aside and put a scone on a plate instead for later. He was in his seat and ready to take the minutes when Stephen started the meeting, beginning with the introductions.

"Since there are several of you who don't know everyone here…I'll just go around the table. Trevor St Cyr is here at my right. He's here as an expert criminalist and investigator, to make sure that we don't miss anything. Next to him is Charlie Palmer, a forensic anthropologist and one of the two who discovered the remains. On my left is Mellisande Stewart, archaeologist who has some expertise in site excavation and other related areas, and next to her is Sam Watkins who, along with his crew, will be doing the heavy lifting. The rest of the people here are: Marc Rogatien at the end of the table, Reno, and Tommy to his left and on his right is Liam ap Cadfan and then Cal Cahill."

He paused to sip some coffee and gave them the background, beginning with the history of the site and ending with the discovery of the bones. He then went on, saying "It is too soon to tell but the most likely scenario in my view is that underneath the ruins of the house we will find the remains of six adults and four children. The adults, if I'm right, will be Richard and Lily, Richard's wife Anne and his nephews Ned and Diccon, as well as the children's nurse, Nastertium as I believe she was called but I could be wrong about that. The children would be Lily's son and daughter, Anne's daughter and Ned's son. For that reason it is important that this be approached in such a manner that whatever evidence that could tell us what happened there that night is found and recovered, as intact as possible.

"Therefore, Trevor will have overall control of the investigation and he and Charlie will be in charge of the site. Cal has established a perimeter and it is being monitored 24/7.

"Now, I am sure you all also know that Doni's body was found there that night as well. I do not know if or how that might be related to this. Nor do I have, at the moment any idea, beyond what we know factually, about what might have happened out there. We have always assumed Lily destroyed the house prior to departing. If we find what I expect we will find then that scenario is clearly no longer viable and we will have to find another explanation.

"So, while it is impossible to keep what we're doing a secret, I would prefer that no one discuss the site, what we find or expect to find or otherwise speculate with anyone outside this room. Any questions?"

"One thing," Trevor said. He was taking his own notes. "A professional photographer? I'd like a record as to exactly where we find everything, that I can refer too as we try to put the details together. Also, DNA testing, or do you Awakened have a better way of identifying victims? If we have multiple bodies in there, we'll need to know how the remains separate out, in order to recreate the scene as best we can."

"For now let's stick with DNA." Stephen replied. "I may have another alternative if that doesn't work, but I'd prefer the certainty of DNA."

Trevor nodded, frowning down at his notes. "I assume we can get lab work done if we need to? I'll want to know if, for instance, they were dead before the building fell on them, or if they were killed at the time. If they were already dead we'll need to check to see if they were drugged. Should be able, hopefully, to find enough remains, even after 10 years to determine that, I'd think. Or can you do that Charlie?"

"It'll depend, as you say, on the remains, but it's doubtful. Unless they were long term users there'd be nothing in the bones to show that, nor hair or nails. If say, they were drugged before being killed we'd need tissue samples to determine that or stomach contents. After this long...it's not likely."

"Maybe not, but let's plan on testing anyway. Certain poisons will remain in hair fibre if not in bones. We'll need a tent, I'd think, near the site, for protection of any fragile bits found. And Charlie will need a lab, with an area to set out his bones once we've freed them from the site itself."

"Just let Tommy know what you need." Stephen replied.

"Is there a real possibility we could find some evidence to ID anyone who might have been responsible?" Marc asked.

"Hard to say," Trevor replied. "But that will be my focus. If someone killed them, I want their asses."

Reno shared a look with Marc.

Stephen scanned the room. "Anything else?"

As the meeting broke up Stephen caught Liam's eye and then Melly's. "A word, please," he said and led them back to his office where he closed the door behind them.

Stephen plunged in forestalling anything they might have said. "What I didn't share in there just now is that the Reverend also found the same traces of whatever it is he senses on those bones in the cemetery in a single spot...Doni's grave."

"Doni's grave?" Liam said it as if it were a phrase from some foreign language he didn't quite grasp. "Doni's? Is he sure?"

"You know the Reverend, He's never anything but sure. However I did some investigating of my own yesterday and he certainly has some ability that senses something. So, while I might wish to conclude that it's just him being him, I can't. Nor, though, do I want to turn this into a circus so I need you two to very quietly exhume Doni and make sure...for the record...there's nothing there's nothing to this or, if there is, what that might be. I already spoke with Clem and two of the brothers started digging this morning, using as cover the need to bury old Brother Destin who died early yesterday morning.

Liam was still struggling with the implications. He said, without thinking about it, "But Brother Destin's a dog. They wouldn't put him in the cemetery, that's consecrated ground."

Stephen ignored him. "I need you to make sure that nothing has disturbed Doni's remains since the funeral. I can't begin to imagine anyone being able to accomplish such a thing, but stranger things have happened. So you'll have to open the coffin I'm afraid."

Melly nodded. 'I'll do whatever you need me to."

"Sure Stephen. Can we talk to the Reverend?"

"If you need to, but I sent him to Dinah's to get him out of the way."

"OK. Do you, ah, want to be there, when we ah, open the coffin?"

"Ask me then. Now, I don't want this known until we're through and if there's nothing there I don't want it known at all if that can be helped. For right now this is a private matter."