Chapter 2

Levon kept his head down when Joanne burst out of her office.

"Lundy, LaFiamma, in my office, now."

Joe got up and headed for the Lieutenant´s office. When he reached the door he looked back over his shoulder.

Lundy sighed. Though he did not feel up to the job today, just like the majority of the colleagues, he knew he had no choice. He heaved himself out of his chair, careful not to garnish his enormous hangover with too great a headache.

Joanne scanned the two detectives. She knew that Levon had been drinking too much at the party last night. How Joe had spent the evening, she had no idea. She had seen him at the beginning of the party but had quickly lost him in the crowd. She put her musings aside.

"Levon, Joe, I need you to go to the harbor. One of Sutton´s snitches has informed him that Dexter was seen near his warehouse an hour ago. I want you to bring him in, the APB has been out too long on that scum." She could feel her rage rise. Dexter had kidnapped a fifteen-year old girl a few months ago and even though they had no evidence they were all convinced that he was responsible for the girl´s death.

Joe had already turned around to comply with her order. Levon hesitated for an instant. Joanne seemed to sense his reservation. "Levon, let Joe drive." He nodded, knowing that she was right.

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When they reached the warehouse, Joe and Levon split. Joe took the back door, Levon went in through the front entrance. Levon went from one room to the next, without finding anyone. He was almost at the end of the corridor and expecting to meet Joe, when he heard his partner shout.

"Dexter, drop the gun. You´re not getting anywhere." Joe´s voice was cold as ice.

Dexter laughed. "Who do you think you´re foolin´? If you don´t let me go this woman is dead meat." The sound of Dexter´s voice was eerie. Then there was silence. Levon peeked around a corner. What he saw made him gasp. Joe had stepped aside. He couldn´t do anything but let Dexter pass. The man had a revolver at a young woman´s throat. Dexter shoved the hostage out through the door into the yard and towards a car. Joe aimed at him all the time but it was useless. He was well aware that he even endangered the life of the young woman and he knew he could not risk to injure or even kill her.

At last Dexter had her in the car and he peeled rubber. Levon and Joe both ran for their vehicle. Joe jumped behind the wheel, forcing the car to a kick-start. Levon held on to the handle above the door and with the other hand got hold of the microphone. "92-14, we need backup, warehouse 34, quayside harbor premises. We have a hostage situation." Levon found it hard to get the call across. Joe´s style of driving was breathtaking, he had to admit.

"No!" Joe´s cry made Levon turn his gaze straight ahead. Dexter´s car was heading right for the quay. A second before it crashed into the water the driver´s door opened and Dexter jumped out. He rolled away from the descending car. Joe hit the brakes hard and the Jimmy swerved to a screeching halt. The partners jumped out simultaneously. Levon sped after Dexter who was seeking refuge behind a container, thus evading Levon´s aim.

Joe took one stride towards the quay, shed his jacket, the holster with his guns and his shoes. Without a moment´s hesitation he dove into the water, head first.

Levon was torn. He knew he could not let Dexter get away. But he also wanted to help his partner. In a spit second he had to make a choice. He followed Dexter. For a few minutes he trailed the criminal on his meandering course through the lanes and around the containers between the warehouses. Then there were the sirens of a patrol car in front of them. Dexter looked around wildly, searching for a way out, to no avail. The patrol car blocked his way. The uniformed colleagues jumped out and faced him at point blank. With an eerie laugh Dexter put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.

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Still trying to shake off the image of the suicide he had just witnessed, Levon ran back to the quayside. The water was dark and clouded, and there were bubbles coming up from somewhere, most likely the car. Then there was nothing else. Levon was still panting and a cold fear gripped his heart. Why did Joe not come up again? Out of the corner of his eye he perceived a motion beside him and he looked into the faces of the uniformed colleagues who had followed him.

Then, all of a sudden there was a vortex like movement in the water and the body of the young woman emerged, her arms outstretched and her face pointing downwards and remaining under the surface.

Levon kicked off his boots and jumped in. He got hold of the young woman and lifted her up to be received by the helping hands of the uniforms. They pulled her out of the water and started to administer CPR immediately.

Levon dipped his head under the surface in an attempt to see in the clouded water. Where was Joe? He took a deep breath and dove down, down towards the point where he suspected the car. He couldn´t see anything but with his outstretched hands he searched for signs of his partner. Then he felt something soft and he got hold of what felt like an arm. With all the force he could muster he pulled, but the body did not move upwards. He dove down deeper, searching Joe´s body with his hands and finally finding Joe´s foot entangled in what seemed to be the seatbelt of the car. Levon´s lungs felt like bursting. In one big effort he yanked Joe´s foot free and pulled the lifeless body up towards the surface. As he immerged he greedily sucked in the air, coughing and spitting out water.

The uniforms got hold of Joe´s shoulders and pulled him up. His dead weight was hard to handle but they did not give in easily. Finally they had him lying on the quay. While Levon saw the officers frantically working on the two unconscious bodies, he had to take a minute to catch his breath and to fight the dizziness. Then he reached for the cat ladder and with shaking hands pulled himself up to the street level.

Levon´s eyes were glued to his partner´s pale face. Joe wasn´t breathing and one of the officers was pumping his chest in an attempt to press out any water that might be blocking his airways. Levon felt tempted to push the other man aside to take over but he knew the officer was doing his best. From behind him Levon heard the young woman cough and spit out water. Her eyes were wide in shock and the officer who had reanimated her spoke to her in a soothing voice.

Levon veered around to the Jimmy and reached for the microphone, calling in to dispatch to send two ambulances. When he turned back the patrol cop had rolled Joe onto his side. At last a gush of water sputtered from Joe´s mouth. His lips were still blue. After another agonizingly long moment he finally started to cough and to breathe. Levon knelt down and the eyes that fluttered open in the white face of his partner were almost black. Joe looked around frantically and panted, spitting out water and couching violently. Levon laid his arm around Joe´s shoulders and helped him sit up. Oblivious of his own wet clothes he perceived that Joe was shaking. He looked around for a jacket or blanket.

In the distance he could hear the wailing sirens of the ambulances.