A/N Thanks goes to Shergar for looking over this story for me. I wanted to alert readers there's a part in this story where Steve acts out off his character. I felt that with his state of mind at the time what took place could happen top almost anyone. I don't mean to offence anyone. Also thank you in advance to all the readers of this story.
Disclaimer: I do not profit from the characters from "The Streets Of San Francisco". I am not the creator of the series. That is Quinn Martin.
Can Some Wounds Ever Heal.
While Mike and Steve were driving back to Bryant Street to call it an early day after finishing their last reports, dispatch called in with the request to head for 2190 Nob Hill for a possible murder and rape. A young woman had called 911 to ask for help; a disguised man had forced himself into their house threatning her and her husband with a gun. When he was in the house he shot her husband without a warning and raped her twice. Two patrolcars were already at the crime scene and the coroner and the ambulance was on the way over there. Mike confirmed they would take the case.
"Buddy boy there goes our early day off." Steve didn't respond. Mike looked over to Steve. He sensed something was bothering him. He seemed absent-minded all of a sudden. "Steve what is the matter? I believe you were looking forward to a long evening with your wife and kids"
"Oh sorry, Mike I am just tired and I wasn't paying attention ." That was a lie. Hearing about the rape of a young woman reminded him of his conversation with Jeannie this morning still lying in bed counting their blessings. Just exactly three years ago Jeannie was raped too. They had almost lost each other. With a lot of patience they had come stronger out of the ordeal.
As they arrived at Nob Hill, the paramedics had prepared the young woman for transport to Franklyn Hospital. Steve parked the car at the curb. They exited the car rather quickly to rush over to the ambulance to see if there was a possibility to talk to the young woman. That wasn't possible because the paramedic had had to give her a light sedative to calm her down. Looking at the woman, Mike and Steve saw that she has been beaten up pretty hard.
During their line of work Steve had seen a lot but this startled even him . Steve's pallor turned whiter than white. Mike noticed and took Steve by the sleeve of his jacket and pulled him aside.
"Steve I need to know what is going on? I have to rely on you. I don't know what has made you feel so upset?"
"Ok, Mike don't make such a fuss. Did she , the young woman, remind you of something or did she resembles maybe someone you know?"
"No, buddy boy. You are speak in riddles. Tell me to what or to who you are referring?"
"Mike, I am referring to your own daughter. It happened to her too exactly three years ."
"Sorry, Steve It explains your strange behaviour. But I need to know are you able to work unbiased with me on this case?"
"Of course, Mike don't be ridiculous."
"Ok I only needed to know. Lets go inside and wait for the lab boys. In the meantime we try to figure out what has happened here."
Officer Cooper and officer Abrahams agreed to meet them halfway in the corridor.
"Mike, Steve I think you two want to know who is who and what do we know for sure." Both men nodded.
"Follow me please to the livingroom where the deceased man lies. Nothing has been touched or changed ."
While they walked to the body the two patrolmen filled Mike and Steve in. "According city hall Johanna and Andrew Hart lived at 2190 Nob Hill, age 27 and 32. After the call from dispatch my partner and I rushed to this address. Arriving here we found the frontdoor wide open. After several warnings the police was there and to come forward if somebody was there, followed by no reaction we two went inside with our weapons drawn. In the livingroom we have found the young woman sitting next to the body of her, I assume, dead husband, half naked, clothes torn, whimpering."
"Thanks for your update. And stay here till our lab boys and Bernie are ready." Bernie arrived just as Mike and Steve were ready to leave. "Bernie here is our victim. Can you give us a preliminary as to what has caused his death and how long he is already dead? Steve and I will head to Franklyn's hoping the girl is doing well considering the circumstances, so she might be able to answer a few questions."
"I will try, Mike, but I can't promise you anything. I'll know for sure after the autopsy."
"OK, Bernie but do it anyway." Steve still hadn't said a word. Mike looked worried. Pointing in Steve's direction with his head, Bernie asked Mike almost inaudibly, "What has happened to our sunshine of the department?"
"Nothing just tired. He needs a massage, a hot bath and kisses from his wife. We'll call it a day when we return from the hospital."
"Probable shot at close range straight into the heart," Bernie reported 15 minutes later.
Instructing the lab boys to work thoroughly they started with photographing the victim from all sides including every little detail and continuing to gather everything that could help to solve this crime such as fibers, hairs, cigarettes, glasses or coffee cups.
After that Mike and Steve headed for their car to drive to Franklyn Hospital to ask how the young woman was been doing and if she is able to answer some questions. Again the answer was no,because Johanna Hart had been given a sedative. They wouldn't be able to question her until tomorrow around noon. What the doctor could tell them for certain was that during her first examination everything pointed at a very sadistic rape. "To gather all evidence we have worked according the rape protocol."
"Considering we can do nothing here, buddy boy, head for Bryant Street. We'll finish our last report and then we go home." Steve nods.
The first thing Steve did arriving at the department was call Jeannie, apologizing to her that he had failed her again. She didn't have to wait up for him. It would probably be 11:30 p.m before he would be home. Jeannie sensed immediately that something was bothering him. She presumed he had a difficult case to solve and was not allowed to talk about it regarding his oath of secrecy. Despite that, she decided still to wait for him because just listening to him and caressing him worked wonders.
At exactly 11:45 p.m Steve parked his car in their drive way. All lights were out. Steve felt relieved and though a lttle sad at the same time, because just talking to Jeannie had helped him more than once to pull through at difficult time. Thinking about her had brought a big smile to his face. He wished he hadn't told her not to wait for him.
Luck had been on his side. As he entered the house he perceived someone in the dark. It was Jeannie waiting for him in the hall.
"H,i honey I am so glad to see you," she welcomed him warmly. She walked towards Steve and embraced him. He could only answer it it with a long kiss too.
"Steve don't ever apologize again like that. You have scared me. You sounded like you are guilty of something, but of what babe? It wasn't your fault three years ago. You have saved me from Mason Forrester," Jeannie said determindly. She took him by his hands and led him to their bedroom to give him a relaxing massage. Steve eased literally up.
"Oh, angel what would I be without you? A lesser man. You make my life a lot easier."
"May I know now what had occured you reacted like that?"
"A young man murdered and a young woman raped and she reminded me of you back then. A voice in my head told me Steven Keller you have failed your wife again. You are a nobody, a big loser and it felt real, so damn real. In a flash I saw you begging me to help you, but I couldn't."
"You aren't a loser at all. I only see an amazing man who will defend his wife and kids and a man who is so precious to me and who I love tremendously."
As the alarm clock went off at 6:30 a.m it was time to get up and to take a shower. Jeannie lay still, curled up in his arms. He wouldn't wake her up. She and the kids could still sleep for awhile. He stroked her hair softly. After his shower he admired her from a distance before kissing her goodbye. He decided to leave a note behind for her on his pillow. "Will call you later. Going to pick up your dad. LOVE YOU."
Mike was already waiting impatiently for Steve. He hoped to solve this horrible new case as soon as possible. The lab boys had to have good news for them, evidence they could work with. Although the men had worked all night long they hadn't much for Mike and Steve. The preliminary report on his desk told them that they hadn't found strange hairs or fibers on, up, under or next to him; only from the victim itself or probably from his wife regarding the color, the length and the thickness of the hair. Some more specific tests would have to confirm their suspision. Mike stared disappointedly at Steve, who turned around immediately.
"Ok, boss I can read your mind, our next step will be talk to the Johanna Hart in the hospital." He took his jacket . He beamed at Mike. "A step ahead of you".
"My my, you are in a good mood, buddy boy. I believe my daughter is a miracle worker. She takes after her father." Affectionately he ruffled through Steve's hair.
Now the luck was with them; they got permission from the doctor to talk to the young woman. Mike stayed behind to talk to the doctor while he send Steve ahead to talk to the young woman. The confidential information he got from the doctor was very interesting. The doctor told him the woman Johanna Hart was definitely raped, but at least a day before yesterday and more than once. He had everything documented with photographs and statements.
"As you already will know, considering your profession, that if a woman has been raped she has bruises and contusions at the innerside of her legs and at the outside and the inside of her vagina, very often ruptures at the top of her vagina too . The color of the bruises follow a certain range from black/dark purple till yellow a few days later. And the bruises of Johanna Hart have the color of a two at the most three days ago."
"Thank you, Doctor that is very peculiar."
Meanwhile Steve entered Johanna's room and introduced himself as Inspector Keller of homicide.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Hart but I have to ask you a few difficult, awkward questions about yesterday." She looked at Steve as if she hadn't understood what he said.
"About the intruder, who has murdered your husband and raped you," Steve added.
Her eyes grew even wider. She looked very frantic. To put her at ease, Steve told her that he knows what rape can do to a woman, because Jeannie, his wife, had experienced it herself. And with patience and understanding they came stronger out of this ordeal than they were before. While Steve was telling her that he took her hands in his and looked her right into her eyes to reassure her he believed her.
She responded by squeezing his hands . "You can call me Johanna. What is yours?"
"Ok, Johanna my name is Steve. Will you tell me in your own words and take all the time you need what happened to you and your late husband?" Steve loosend his hands from hers just as Mike entered. Steve introduced him to Johanna, but although Mike shook her hand her eyes kept following Steve.
"If you are ready, Johanna you can start your story."
"Ok, honey if you hold me close. You make me feel secure." Steve looked flabbergasted to Mike flustering "Help Me ". Mike came of course to his rescue, but he noticed at the same time that the young woman didn't answer his questions her whole attention went to Steve. They decided that Steve should play along with her to get the right answers. While Steve sat close to her she started telling her story. Meanwhile she cupped Steve's face. Both men got the impression she was telling her story to a very close friend.
"Yesterday I don't know the exact time anymore somebody was knocking impatiently on our front door. As my husband Matthew went looking who it was a disguised man pushed him back to our livingroom where he pointed a gun at us."
"What kind of gun? Color; maybe the brand?" Steve asked reluctantly not to take her out of the kind of trance she was in.
Looking at her right hand she answered, " A golden/black Smith&Wesson 39 or 59." Mike observed and made notes in the meantime.
Then she looked up from her hand to Steve with sad puppy eyes .
"He pulled the trigger and Matthew is death. I tried to escape but he was way too fast. He grabs me and does what ever he wants to do with me." Tears rolled down her face.
As caring as Steve was, he wiped the tears away with his hand. That made her move slowly towards him till she was within whisper range of his ear.
"Keep him away from me."
Before she could kiss Steve, he moved backwards asking out loud, "Do you mean the guy that attacked you?"
"Yes that horrible man I mean." Her eyes lowered from Steve to the hospital floor.
"Are you able to give me a description? Height, weight, strange smell, kind of voice?"
"I will try, but you know he was in disguise. He was from your height, weight and he had also your eye color." Steve could hear Mike sigh. Looking towards him Steve knew something was bothering him.
Steve would like to know what. Mike's reaction said enough. He said rather angrily. "Mrs. Hart we know enough for now." And he signalled Steve to exit with him.
"Is that the behaviour of an assaulted woman, Steve? If she could she would have swallowed you totally. Didn't you notice, buddy boy how she came onto you ? She must have seen your wedding ring, Steve ."
"Yes, Mike she only was searching for protection. Thinking about her ordeal has made her so scared that she was searching for someone to protect her and I, a policeman, can give her that. Besides her behaviour is similar to what Lenny has told us when Jeannie had been attacked and assaulted; a part of the bathered women gets a very low self esteem and gives herself to every other man like a whore. Mike, this is definitely a battered woman."
"Buddy boy I think this woman has a much bigger problem if my gut tells me right."Although Mike told Steve what the doctor had told him, Steve didn't change his point of view and he was determent to nail that bastard who had done this.
Back at Bryant Street, both men tried to make an image of what could have happened to compare it with gathered evidence . Mike recalled in his head the brand of gun Johanna mentioned. Mike was certain that the used gun is a Smith&Wesson 39 or59 like Mrs. Hart told them. To solve this crime to their satisfaction he needed more conformation. He needed the coroner's report about the victim, background information about the Harts, the results of the lab boys, the report of examination of the inner scar tissue of Mrs. Hart and last, but not least, the opinion from their own department shrink Lenny Murchison. Mike needed to verify his observations. Were Steve thoughts accurate or his? So a lot of research for his team. First he ordered Steve to go to the coronor's office and put some pressure on the coroner. He needed the report at least within half an hour.
As Steve exited the department Mike called Tanner and Hassejian into his office. "Listen, you two gather all information you can find about our Johanna and Matthew Hart. Every little detail however small and unimportant it looks I need to know and check and double check it."
For number two, the lab results, he didn't have to wait long either, although Mike had to wait still a little bit longer on Steve, Bill and Norm. And Steve didn't only bring the coroner's report with him but also all mugshots of rapists. Mike knew what Steve had in mind. He hoped he could change his mind with all information they had gathered. It would still depend on what Bill and Norm came up with.
After Mike read all the information he invited them for a meeting in his office.
"What do we know exactly and what will be our next step, guys? While I try to put everything in prospective you may interrupt me if one of you thinks I am wrong.
"Our victims are Mrs Hart. was murdered by a bullet straight through his heart, shot from close range by an intruder, who forced himself in to shoot the man right on the spot ; bullet belongs to a Smith&Wesson 39 comfirmed by Lab. Peculiar is according to the coroner Matthew was at least 72 hours dead due to the degree of rigor mortis of the body, almost no stiffness, and the degree of liver mortis; very dark colored skin at the back. Mrs. Hart tells us he had just been murdered. It becomes even better she knows the brand of the gun a S&W39 or 59, from each of them the couple purchased one though nowhere in the house we have found one of them."
"Maybe we should ransack all trash cans in the neighbourhood?" Steve interrupted Mike.
"Buddy boy, a splendid idea. Can I continue or has someone else something to add. No? OK. Then she claims to be molested and raped." Steve reacted rather agitatedly.
"Mike that woman was assaulted. I recognized the way Jeannie was three years ago."
"May I finish, son? By that unknown intruder. The lab boys have found no trace of a stranger in the house. All fibers and hairs on, under or next to the victims belonged to one of them. Furthermore the poor young woman had been raped. According to her attending physician not once but regularly. That is confirmed by examination of scar tissue found in and outside certain parts. And there is a possibility she has been raped around her husband's time of death, but they can't prove it yet."
"What do you want to imply, Mike? Do you want to say she killed her husband, because he was the one who was assaulting her?" Steve yelled. "I believe you are insane. She kills him and sits and waits for three days to call the police? If she was capable of that she had to plan it in advance. Besides she had to be a cold blooded murderer. Be honest, Mike you have seen Johanna Hart in the hospital, a fragile scared woman, no coldblooded killer, just like my Jeannie only caring for the other. Besides have you got any evidence of this?"
"No but Tanner and Healy are going to find that for me. They will go and dig deep into their private lives even if they have to go back to their childhood. Comprende Bill and Healy. Norm you will keep me company as I visit Mrs. Hart in the hospital before she will get permission to go home."
"Oh you are taking Norm with you instead of me? Do you know what I am going to do, daddy? I will go with these mugshots to R&I and together with them I will prove you are wrong. For your information I will leave you a note on your desk if I will have to leave the department."
As Mike and Norm knocked on Mrs. Hart's door she was on the verge to leave. "Hello, Mrs. Hart Lieutenant Stone again with one question." Johanna's eyes kept focused on the door even if it stayed closed. She looked rather strangely at the two men, but said nothing at first. Then "Where is that young police officer, your partner Steve? I will only answer his questions. With him I feel safe."
"Mrs Hart he won't come, because he is where he supposed to be with his wife, my daughter, and kids."
"Ok then you won't get any answers either. For more questions call my laywer Rita Long."
"Mrs. Hart, Johanna, I am not here to hurt you. I only want to help you like my young partner Steve would do. I sense, and my gut never fools me, something is wrong, very wrong. Steve and I need your help to solve this crime. Here is my card for if you change your mind." Johanna took her bag and exited without one word. " May I know where you want to stay till you have permission to enter your house again?"
"If you insist my laywer Rita allows me to stay at her place , 1234 Nob Hill 555-4576."
"Thanks. Norm we'll pay the Harts' house a visit. We might have missed something." Together they inspected the whole house hoping to find the clue, which would let fit every piece of the puzzle, but Norm would only add a piece to it. While Norm was looking at all the family pictures something drew his attention. He looked and looked again than as if he was struck by lightning. "Mike look at the pictures and tell me of whom does Matthew remind you?"
"How could I overlook that? Matthew could be Steve's brother. It would explain Johanna's attraction to Steve. Let us return to Bryant Street and confront Steve with this news. Norm please hurry I am worried."
Meanwhile Steve had put his list of rapists through the computer to shift by parameters as dead or alive; in the area; in or out of prison; description Johanna gave and last but not least in possession of a S&W39 or 59. A list of 25 names remained. Steve decided to pay them a visit one by one. As promised, he left a note behind on Mike's desk to fill him in and to tell him he would report every two hours till he would go home.
The two men were just too late. Steve was too quick for them. Mike and Norm saw how he rushed to the parking lot jumped in a car and in a split second he was gone. Mike was a little relieved reading Steve would report every two hours. And he did only mentioning "Until now no luck". Mike got no chance to react. Steve had hung up before he could say one word.
After 9:30 p.m Mike assumed Steve had called it a day and gone home to Jeannie and the kids, because he had heard nothing more. But he couldn't be further away from the truth.
Steve's mind was only consumed by one thought: to get the guy who had hurt a woman like that. It didn't even cross to his mind to call Jeannie, who was worried sick as he hadn't shown up at home. At 3 a.m she woke up and his spot was still empty. Normally he called or left a message at the department or dispatch, but there was nothing. Around 4 o'clock she was so desperate she decided to call Mike. Mike was stunned. If he would find that son-in-law of his he would tell him where his responsibilities lay.
"Take it easy, Jeannie he will have fallen asleep. I will find him for you and send him home." Mike dressed immediately to head for headquarters. Lessing looked surprised seeing Mike that early.
"I know, Lee I am a bit early. Jeannie just called me in total panic. Steve isn't home yet and no call or message from him. Will you check all the hospitals for me? I would appreciate it very much."
"No problem, Mike".
What could he do while Lee did that? Steve's list. He would call everybody on that list since Steve called in last night. Before he realized it was already 9 a.m and there were only a few names left on the list as he heard a knock at his office door. As he looked up he saw a well dressed lady. He asked her to enter. She introduced herself as Rita Long, Mrs. Hart's laywer. Normally Mike disliked laywers and he tried to get rid of them as soon as possible though her voice sounded pleasant.
"What can I do for you, Rita, if I may call you so? You may call me Mike."
"All right, Mike I am here on behalf of my client Johanna Hart. I can tell you she is a very sick young woman psychologically. Her late husband was a tyrant and a sadist. He has battered and assaulted her whenever he liked to. She has been in all the hospitals here in the neighbourhood. The doctors advised her to go to the police and report him but she always went back. She had a love-hate relationship with Matthew untill 5 days ago. After their lunch she told him she would leave him and that was the trigger for him to beat her till she was unconscious then he abused her. At a certain moment he was drinking his whisky, she had enough of it, opened a drawer took the gun out and shot. She doesn't know if she has killed him or not, because he was with her in the hospital. He even was friendly to her, hold her hands or something like that."
"I know who she has seen."
Rita looked rather strange. "Are you psychic, Mike?"
"No I was there with my partner, my son-in-law. Here I have their wedding picture, look at him and you will see the resemblance too. I must admit first I had overlooked it." Rita looked at the picture and was stunned.
"What will happen to her now, Mike?"
"Try to bring her in and I will do everything in my power to keep her out of prison,be cause to my honest opinion it was self defence. But first I will talk to Lenny Murchison, our department shrink. He might be able to help her go back to the moment Matthew raped her again and she decided to stop him forever through hypnosis. We will need as much evidence as possible to prove this."
"I will try to persuade her but give me time please." Mike nodded. Rita exited the department at the same time Tanner and Healy entered waving enthusiastically at Mike. Mike rushed to them.
"According your smiles I can assume you two have important news for me. Don't keep me any longer in suspense."
"Yesterday you have given us the assignment to check the whole background of the Harts' and to go back in time as far as possible. We started with Matthew. He had a lot to answer for. He was no angel. He was more a devil in disguise; at the age of 14 he had assaulted and battered his ten year old sister. As punishment his parents had send him to a boarding school in Switzerland for four years. And abroad he couldn't keep his hands off the girls. Dan has contacted the head of the high school he was send to," Healy continued. "Dr. Hoppenbach told me that in the four years he went to school there at least 5 girls reported him as being touched by him or worse improperly though it came never to a trial because his parents paid all the girls a great amount of money to take their accusations back and keep their mouth shut for as long as Matthew would live. Meanwhile his sister, couldn't handle what her brother had done to her and her parents' solution to that problem and committed suicide. As Matthew was told by the dean himself what Myriam, his sister, had done he laughed satanically yelling 'Well done bitch. You have lived long enough.'" Cold shivers went down his spine. Dan had to swallow. "Mike I believe he got what he deserved," Tanner continued.
"After his sister's death he graduated and returned to San Francisco to study psychology at the University here, but as expected women weren't safe. But this time his parents couldn't pay his crime off. It came to a trial and he was found guilty and sentenced to 3 years in a psychiatric clinic. His parents have never paid any attention to him. In the clinic he met his wife Johanna. She is a nurse. She falls for him head over heels. Despite the warning from the doctors there she marries him anyway. We believe right after the wedding he had begun to torture her. Since that moment she had appeared in several hospitals in SF and area with contusions and bruises over her whole body. And more than once the attending physicians suspect rape, but she keeps denying it. I have a list of those hospitals. They have still all the documentary including pictures of her injuries. If we ask them they will send it to us. Some physicians are even prepared to testify on behalf of Johanna."
"You two have done a great job, guys. Now I have only to find Steve to tell him we solved the crime so he can return home." Mike called Jeannie to tell her he was still looking. "You have to believe he will return home save and sound. No news is good news, sweetheart."
Meanwhile Steve believed he had found the rapist and murderer. Everything fitted; the weight, the height, color of his eyes, he was in the neighbourhood of Nob Hill, in possession of a S&W39 and 59, he knew Johanna from High School and the most important fact he tried to escape, but he knew the tricks of a criminal. Within five minutes he had caught him and now Steve cuffed the man to his own bed. He would let him confess the crime by playing a Russian Roulette. Steve wanted to see the fear in the man's eyes. What the man didn't know was that Steve had removed the bullets. Steve put his 38 to the man's head and pulled the trigger. The man cried it out of fear. Steve laughed. "Do you feel the fear? The same fear all those women felt when you were abusing them. Did it feel good? Shall I do it again? You may say it. In the meantime I will call my partner. He will be proud of me solving this crime." Steve dialled Mike's number, who answered right away. Mike was glad to hear from him.
"At last a sign of life from you. Don't you know Jeanni….." He couldn't finish his sentence. Steve was too exhausted and upset to let Mike speak.
"Mike I have him. He will confess in a sec. You will be a witness of it." Mike heard Steve ask, "Did you kill Matthew Hart and battered his wife?" He put the gun against the man's head for a second time.
Mike heard the man scream, "No I haven't done that." The next thing Mike heard was how someone at the otherside of the line pulled a trigger simultaniously with the man screaming, "Yes I did it."
"Mike did you hear it? I will go now with him to Johanna to apologize and beg for forgiveness for all that he has done to all those women, especially to my Jeannie."
"Do you know where Johanna is staying, Steve?"
"Yes, Mike I have called the hospital to ask how she was doing and they have told me where I could find her."
"Tell me where you are and we'll go together. It could be dangerous for you."
"Don't make me laugh. I am leaving now with that scum." Steve let the man drive, cuffed to be sure he couldn't escape. As an extra precaution he kept his gun pointing at him. Within 15 minutes they arrived at 1234 Nob Hill, Rita Long's place. Steve and the accused got out of the car. Steve commanded the man to ring the bell threatning with his 38 now with bullets.
At the moment Steve ended his call with Mike, he stormed out of the office yelling at Tanner and Healy to follow him ASAP. And Norm had to make sure Mike and the men would get enough back up. Mike realized there was a big chance Steve's life was at stake; every minute counted.
After ringing twice Johanna opened the door. Her eyes lighted up seeing Steve. Her face became one big smile. Steve tried to explain why he was there with a strange man.
"I have found the murderer of your husband and your abuser. He has to apologize to you before I bring him in." But Johanna didn't listen to what he said. Her eyes rested on Steve.
"Honey I am so glad you came back to me. I thought I had lost you forever." She walked towards Steve to kiss him. She kissed him before he realized it. He didn't answer with a kiss instead he pushed her away. This he shouldn't have done. All that had occured to Johanna and Matthew days ago came back image for image. She got angrier by the minute. Her eyes spat fire. She walked to her purse opened it and pulled a gun out. She pointed it in Steve's direction. Steve wanted to move but he couldn't. Johanna pulled the trigger screaming, "Matthew to hell with you."
As the bullet had hit him everything blackened. Mike and men heard the shot as they exited the car. Mike's pallor whitened. He yelled, "Tanner and Healy kick that door in now." What they saw as they entered was very frightning, two motionless bodies with standing beside them a cuffed very scared looking man. Johanna lay upon Steve. Mike rushed towards them. As he came closer he heard crying. It seemed to be Johanna. Mike ordered Healy to check if she was wounded, because her dress was one big bloodstain; otherwise he was to cuff her and take her to Bryant Street. Seeing the blood pouring out of the wound near Steve's stomach, Mike became desperate he didn't know what to do, because he couldn't feel a pulse. To calm Mike a bit, Tanner told him that an ambulance was on the way. Tanner started CPR while Mike pushed a towel on the wound till the paramedics arrived.. They took over immediately. Within seconds Steve was lying in the ambulance. Before Alan, one of the paramedics, closed the back door he gave both men a compliment, because he could register a pulse though it was a weak he could feel the heart beating. Mike and Bill looked at each other with moist eyes.
"Bill, I will follow the ambulance. You are now in charge, keep me posted."
"If the lab boys arrive I will head to County General too," Tanner replied.
Because Steve's rescue had priority no one had payed any attention to the man with the handcuffs on. Although he got scared to be killed too by Johanna he still had the courage to grab quickly the cuff keys from Steve's pocket before the door was knocked down. In the following chaos, he unlocked his cuffs and sneaked out of the backdoor.
As Mike entered the waitingroom of the ER a nurse hurried towards Mike to ask him if he was Lieutenant Stone. Of course he confirmed that. She told him that Steve had just been made ready for surgery. Nevertheless Dr. Billings, attending physician ER, wanted to talk to him now instead of waiting till Steve lay in the ICU. Mike followed the nurse. Dr. Billings was impatiently waiting for him.
After Dr. Billings had introduced himself he came straight to the point. "Regarding the young man's wedding ring; I assume that he has a wife and maybe kids too. I wanted to advise you to bring his wife here as quick as possible, because my medical team and I believe he won't survive the surgery. The surgeon will try to stop the internal bleeding; the bullet went through the diaphragm to get stuck at the lowest point of his stomach. He has lost a lot of blood. If the surgeon isn't able to stop the bleeding within minutes, his organs will shut off one by one due to lack of oxygen." Mike had to sit down.
"Poor Jeannie, Mickey and Kimmy" he murmured. Doc Billings looked astonished. "He is married to my daughter Jeannie and they have two kids. I have promised her this morning I would keep her posted if I would get a sign of Steve. She will be totally frantic by now. How much time do you think does the surgeon need?"
"Considering the necessity to remove the bullet and stop the bleeding at the most an hour."
Mike hurried to the exit where he almost bumped into Tanner. "Come on, Bill we have to go to Berkeley to pick Jean up. Steve's prognosis isn't bright."
They used the sirens to be able to drive at high speed. Opening the door and seeing Mike and Bill, Jeannie sensed this meant bad news. "Dad, Steve is dead, am I right?" Tears rolled down her face. She shivered from top to toe. All of a sudden, two little faces peeked up around the kitchen room, curious as to who was there.
"Hi, Grandpa Mike and Uncle Bill. Where is daddy?"
"Kids, get your coats and your mommy's. "
"Where are we going to, Uncle Bill?"
"We are going to your daddy. Someone has hurt him. To help him to get better he needs the three of you." While he talked he got a feeling of nausea. Mickey and Kimmy couldn't wait to see their daddy. They yelled at their mother to hurry up. Mike needed to support her to get in the car.
"Will you two do your grandpa a favor?" They nodded simultaniously. "Sit very close beside her, tell her how much you love her."
"Grandpa don't be so silly, mommy knows already how much we and daddy love her. Don't you Mommy?"
"Yes I do know, sweethearts." Jeannie tried to smile, but instead her eyes were filled again with tears. "I love you two and daddy very very much. Just hug me it feels so good."
They headed back to County General with sirens too to speed things up. As they returned the five of them to the ER they noticed that half of the department had gathered there. All wanted to ask Mike at the same time how Steve was doing. It was pretty noisy. Seeing Jeannie and the kids appear made the rumour shut down immediately.
"Will you fill our colleagues in, Bill while I will report we are back to one of the nurses."
Within 10 minutes Dr. Billings showed up. According his facial expressions, Steve's surgery didn't go well. Mike laid his hands on Jeannie's shoulder.
"I am Dr. Billings, Mrs. Keller. Will you and your kids please follow me to room 210 where I will bring you up to date." As a kind of protection of what they might hear Jeannie pulled her kids on her lap and held both tight. Dr. Billings cleared his throat. "To start with your husband's surgery, it went better than expected. He has to be as strong as an ox and he has to have a heart of steel. Normally twice a code blue means the end. Dr. Lowel had to remove the bullet and a small part of his stomach to stop the bleeding. He has a good chance but to be sure we have to wait at least 48 hours. Mrs. Keller you may see him for a few minutes." Kimmy cupped her mother's face with her two little hands screaming, "I want to see my daddy, too."
"Me, too," said Mikey nodding.
"I am afraid your children will get scared of all the machines and sounds around them, Mrs. Keller."
"It might be frightening, but not being able to see their daddy will scare them even more," Jeannie objected.
"OK, little ones you, your mommy and your granddad may follow nurse Mabel."
"Tell me your names please," Mabel requested.
"My mother's name is Jeannie, my sister's name is Kimmy, my grandfather is called Mike and I am Mikey. And my daddy's name is Steve."
As they stopped before a door with number 240, nurse Mabel turned around, addressing the kids. "Listen, sweethearts, behind this door lies your daddy. He is connected to a lot of machines, which help him recover, so don't be afraid. Your mommy or grandfather may lift you up to give your daddy a kiss. He will like that a lot." Mikey and kimmy nodded.
"Yeah, mommy I want to kiss daddy."
"But when I open the door you may not run inside." Jeannie takes both by the hand and entered the room. Jeannie didn't want to cry but it was inevitable seeing Steve. She kissed him gently on his cheek; tears flowed over his face. Then she let her kids kiss their father.
"Mommy, when does daddy open his eyes?"
"We must wait and see, maybe tomorrow. We will visit him again. Is that all right, angel?"
To allow Jeannie some time alone with Steve, Mike took the kids with him asking if they liked ice cream. Jeannie thanked him with a big smile. Nurse Mabel gave her permission to stay half an hour alone with her husband. Jeannie put the only chair in the room as close to Steve as possible she had taken his left hand in her two hands and squeezed and kissed it hoping she would get a sign of life.
"Babe I love you, our kids and I need you desperately please come back to us. Do you hear I will be in your neighbourhood till you will awake. I will be gone for a split second to ask the doc if I can stay." Jeannie exited to ask for the doc for permission. "Whether you will like it or not, Doctor Billings I will stay overnight. If necessary I will sleep in a chair in the waiting room."
Considered the precarious situation, the doctor allowed her to sleep in the chair in Steve's room. In case of an emergengy she had to move out of the room. Jeannie accepted immediately. Then she had to arrange who would take care of her kids. After a few calls she told Mikey and Kimmy that Eileen, their nanny, would pick them up. But she had to promise them as soon as their daddy opened his eyes she had to come and get them. Jeannie reasured them she would do that when Eileen picked them up.
Mike rushed to Bryant Street after he had spoken to Steve. "Son I hope you will pull through. You have scared again the hell out of Jeannie and me. But If you open your eyes and you get better , you and I have a long talk ahead of us, because that stunt you pulled with that innocent man is unacceptable. You can be glad if he doesn't lodge a complaint against you. Hang on, kid".
The first thing Mike would have to do was ask Tanner or Healy where the man was or if they had his address. As Mike entered the bullpen all eyes were focussed on him. They were all anxious to know how Steve was doing.
"The next 48 hours are crucial. If nothing has serious happens in the meantime he will survive. Jeannie is with him, so I will regularly check upon them. But something else; where is Mrs. Hart and where is the guy Steve thought was the rapist?"
Healy was able to answer the question about the whereabouts of . When she was brought in Lenny tried to talk to her and had to draw the conclusion that she was totally psychotic and had to committ her into the mental ward of St. Franklyn's.
As far as it concerned the cuffed man, nobody knew where he had gone. No one even knew his name and address. All of a sudden Mike remembered Steve's list. "I'll look it up. You two will pay him a visit and reassure him that nothing will happen to him; you only want to know what happened from the moment Steve arrived at his house until Steve got shot." Mike took the list. "Here I have found his name and address. Do you have pen and paper, gentlemen? Miles Hartford, 3421 Montgomery Street. Hurry and take two men with you."
Tanner, Healy, Hassejian and Lessing rushed to their unmarked cars. To get as quickly as possible to their destination they used their sirens, although they were too late. Miles had already left the building. Everything he could take with him he had. He seemed to have no intention to return.
As Lessing told Mike about the disappearance of Miles Hartford he was pretty pleased. "One worry less,"Mike commented. Lessing didn't know what he was talking about. He didn't ask because he knew Mike would tell him if he needed to know.
At 8 p.m Mike called it a day to head for County to see it there was any progress in Steve's condition. Jeannie's watery eyes told him more than a thousand words. He embraced her to comfort her.
"Sweetheart don't you worry, just keep Steve company; it will pull him through. I will keep an eye an your kids together with your nanny, so if you need us you can reach me at your house." He embraced her and had to leave her behind with pain in his heart. He wished he could take this anguish away from her.
Nurses entered and exited Steve's room every half hour for a check up. Until now they could give Jeannie nothing more than a reassuring smile. Jeannie only left his room to go to the restroom or drink a cup of coffee. Nurse Mabel even offered to make her a few sandwhices for the night.
"Young mother, you have to stay strong. He will need you desperately in the near future."
Hearing Mabel say that made a shiver go down her spine. She hurried back to Steve to hold his hand even tighter, laying her head beside him. Exhaustion took its toll. Jeannie fell asleep dreaming about their wedding day; how happy they were back then. She even heard the wedding bells ring at the chapel of Our Lady. Or not that noise sounded more like bleeping. Maybe I am hallucinating Jeannie thought. Suddenly she felt someone tapping her shoulder. She opened her eyes abruptly realizing Steve's machines were bleeping. The whole room was filled all of a sudden with nurses and physicians. Jeannie was asked to leave the room. She wanted to refuse though she left reluctantly as the doctor promised to fill her in as soon as he had checked Steve. She heard the doctor scream at a nurse, "Haven't I asked for a syringe of epinephrine? At last thanks. We got him back and now to the OR STAT."
As they rode Steve out of his room the doctor asked Jeannie to walk with him. "As I have told you before the bullet has ruptured the diaphragm to stay stuck in his stomach. Although we believed that our surgeon had fixed the stomach as well as the ruptured diaphragm, it seems that your husband has still a rupture in the diaphragm. This has resulted in the fact that your husband is not able to breath anymore. His brains and heart got less oxygen, his heart had stopped for a while. With a shot of adrenaline straight into his heart I could resussitate him. And now he needs immediate surgery."
She didn't know how long she had stood there in front of the operating room's door. It could have been 10 minutes but could have been 10 hours. She lost all track of time. She came out of the daze as Mike tapped her on the shoulder and took her in his arms. "Come, Jeannie we'll go together to the chapel to pray and to light some candles." Jeannie nodded.
"I am so glad you're with me, daddy. You won't never know how much I appreciate this, but how did you know?"
"One of the nurses was able to track me down. She had seen you standing there, staring motionless at the door. She was afraid you would lose it. And here I am."
As Mike and Jeannie returned to Steve's room he was already back in his room. The doctor was just checking all the machines Steve was still connected to. He noticed the urge of Jeannie to be brought up to date.
"Mrs. Keller, I assure you this time we fixed the rupture 100%. Nothing can go wrong anymore. Your husband will sleep till noon. Maybe it would be better for you if you went home to sleep awhile."
"No, doc thanks. I'll stick with him. I want to be the first he sees if he opens his eyes." It sounded not to friendly to Mike, but he recognized the true spirit of his daughter again. She would keep fighting for her loved ones. With a relieved feeling he headed back to his grandchildren. Jeannie put her chair even closer to Steve's bed. To her knowledge not close enough. She decided to lay beside him. So she fell asleep. The first nurse, who had to do a check up on Steve's life signs, had to smile.
All of a sudden Jeannie felt someone stroking her hair. When she opened her eyes she looked straight into Steve's warm lovable eyes.
"Oh, honey I am so glad I have got you back. You have scared the hell out of me," Jeannie said cupping his face.
"Where am I and what has happened to me, Jean?" Before she could answer his question Steve started moaning and breathing heavily pointing at his stomach. Jeannie saw his distress caused by an excruciating pain. She pushed the alarm button straight away. Within seconds a nurse and the doctor stormed into the room. After examining Steve's wounds the doctor sighed, relieved. "Nurse you have to increase the pain medication."
"Mr. and Mrs. Keller, nothing to worry about. As long as the diaphragm isn't totally healed breathing can be very painful. So try to exert as less as possible. The extra amount of pain meds you will get will lend you a hand."
Fifteen minutes later Steve was already asleep. Jeannie decided to stretch her legs a bit. On her way out she almost bumped into Mike, who was delighted to hear Steve would pull through.
"Sweetheart that news is worth a little celebration. I will take you out to dinner, you can use some food." Mike hugged his daughter more tightly than he ever had done. "At this kind of moment you remind me of your mother. She was as strong as you. And after dinner you go back to that man of yours while I will pick up your kids. I think they want to see their father awake." Jeannie agreed smilingly.
When Jeannie returned, Steve was still sound asleep, but when Mikey and Kimmy stood right beside his bed talking and laughing rather loudly he opened his eyes.
"Mommy, daddy is awake. I want to give him a kiss." Mike lifts her up. Steve beams from ear to ear. He whispered, "Love you, little princess of mine".
"Now it is my turn." Mikey yelled with a crack in his voice. Mike laid him beside Steve to appease him. Now Steve was able to talk to his son. "Big son of mine I love you, too." Cupping Mikey's face. Tears ran down both faces. And of course Kimmy was jealous. At a certain moment both kids lay beside their father sleeping.
"I think it is time to bring them home. I will take them home, so you have some private time with your buddy boy."
"Thanks, Jeannie. I have to talk with Steve about the things that occured."
"Okay as soon as they are sleeping peacefully and I have arranged a babysitter, probably Eileen, I will return." Jeannie lifted her little girl up while Mike lifted up Mikey to carry them to his car. "Till later."
Entering Steve's room Mike checked upon Steve if the pain meds still did their work. Mike doubted if it was the right time to confront Steve with Johanna Hart's rape, Steve's search and ending up in the County Hospital. Steve, who just had dozed off for a while, noticed that something was bothering Mike.
"Spit it out, dad. What have I done wrong this time? I don't know if you realize it I am the one who has been hit badly," Steve flusters.
"Are you serious, Steve? What can you recall from the last few days?"
"Yes, Mike. When I woke up I didn't know where I was. Jeannie was lying beside me, all those machines and a tremendous pain in my abdomen. "
"Then let me ask you more specifically. Do the names Johanna Hart, Matthew Hart or Miles Hartford sound familiar in a way?" Mike was stunned. Where did this memory loss came from? He would ask Doctor Billings as he was around and tomorrow morning he would ask Lenny Murchison to pay Steve a visit. As Steve got drowsy again Mike decided to leave. On his way out Dr. Billings approached him from the parking lot. Mike, worried, asked the doctor if he could ask him something concerning his son-in-law as the doctor just passed him. Dr. Billings was more than willing to answer. In his opinion Steve's amnesia was caused by the trauma that happened to him. "His memory could eventually come back, but what that would do to him I can't answer that question. A shrink will be needed to tackle that problem."
Walking outside, feeling the cold breeze, which his brain needed so badly, Mike realized Jeannie had his car. He had to call a cab, but he got saved by the bell. Jeannie just parked his right in front of him.
Making a call to Lenny would be the first thing Mike did as he arrived at headquarters. Mike explained the situation. "I am glad that you called me, Mike. Since I have still a practice in County Hospital I am able to pay him a visit today. Regarding your information about this case, counselling will be necessary otherwise Steve could develop PTSD. That I have to prevent. Everything you have told me, and Steve will tell me, will be treated confidentially. But first I have to get permission to talk to Steve."
After a meeting with Dr. Billings, Lenny had to decide to wait a few days. Steve's pain meds could have a negative influence on his memory. Within three days, the dosage would be so low that they would have lost their influence. Though it didn't matter. Steve had still no recollection of what had happened.
According his knowledge and his years of practice as a psychiatrist, Lenny knew almost for sure that the problems Steve were fighting against had to be related with things he had seen or experienced in his childhood. The fact that he couldn't protect Jeannie from being assaulted had opened the not totally healed wounds he had suffered earlier in childhood. He had witnessed how a close relative, probably mother or sister, was battered by someone and he was too small to help. Regression therapy could help Steve to cope with this matter once and for all.
By mutual agreement with Mike, they decided to confront Steve with Lenny's findings as soon as possible. No matter what Mike, would tell Steve also about his wrong behaviour towards Miles Hartford. Although this man had a past regarding battering women, this time he was totally innocent. Steve couldn't believe he had done that. At this moment Lenny took the conversation over.
"Listen, Steve I believe Mike. And you know for yourself you have a special place in Mike's heart. Normally he never will accuse you of something. And in my capacity as shrink your amnesia is the result of a tremendous trauma related to abusing women. I will go back in time with you to find the problem and deal with it. You know what one of my tasks is within the SFPD, to judge if a cop is allowed to restart his activities. So starting working again at the streets depends on your cooperation. Young man, be aware of that. Although I am your friend I won't do you any favors, because your and other people's lives can still be at stake. I think you have heard about PTSD. I am afraid you can develop that if you don't get treatment. If you won't do it for yourself than do it for your wife and kids."
"Please, Steve listen to Lenny. Jeannie, your kids and I, in fact no one, want to walk behind your coffin or see you behind bars," Mike begged ruffling affectionately Steve's hair. As expected Steve couldn't refuse Mike's request. He would never want to hurt those 4 important people in his life, his family.
A week after Steve had left the hospital, Steve's regression therapy started. At Steve's request only he and Lenny would attend the session. As usual Lenny would tape everything, so there was always a possibility to relisten it over and over again. Both men were pretty nervous because you never knew what was lying beneath the surface . The problem could be bigger than expected.
"Are you ready, Steve?" Lenny asked determindedly. Together with Steve he went back to Steve's childhood and had to let Steve relive it. Steve's problems started at the young age of 3. He witnessed how his biological father raped his mother regularly. Little Steven screamed as hard as possible. With his little hands he hit his father to make him stop. It stopped finally as his mother decided to divorce his father and returned to her parents until she died in a car accident. Little Steven was left behind with the guilty feeling he couldn't help his mother. This scenario repeated itself for the first time as Jeannie was abused. The second time with Steve's and Mike's case,the Johanna and Matthew Hart case; again an abused woman Steve wanted to rescue. Reliving it showed Steve that everything Mike said was true.
While Steve relived his past Lenny taught him that there was nothing he was guilty of. What could a three year old do against an adult man? Nothing, his father was the only one to blame; and concerning Jeannie, Mason Forrester was to blame. Steve had to memorize that. Lenny would work a few more times with him meanwhile Steve was allowed to restart his activities at SFPD. Lenny would let Steve decide if he would tell this to Jeannie and Mike.
Earlier, realizing Jeannie and Mike were his real family, he had to confide in them. They already knew that his biological father was a gambler and a tramp, but telling this meant opening up more than he had ever done before. It was a big step for Steve though he did it out of love and respect for those he loved so deeply.
After Steve was able to open up to Mike and Jeannie the horrors he had witnessed as a child, with their help and love and with Lenny's continued support and help Steve was finally able to lay the demons to rest, that had haunted him for far too long. Although there would be still a struggle at times for the young man he knew he wouldn't have to deal with it alone and helped his path to recovery become an easier task.