ANs in Chapter 1
Together (4/5)
In our togetherness, castles are built- Irish proverb
"Here, put these on," Steve said as he tossed Catherine the extra pair of scrubs he grabbed from the locker room earlier.
"Thanks," she smiled. "This gown was starting to get a little drafty." She looked down and saw patches of soot smudged on the material. "Plus I don't think that ductwork has been cleaned in a really long time.".
Steve quirked an eyebrow. "Ductwork?"
"I'm very resourceful," she grinned.
Now that his eyes were adjusted to the low light, he noticed several blood trails on Catherine's legs and arms as she tossed the gown aside and donned the pilfered scrubs. "You're bleeding," he said, voice laced with concern as he reached for her.
"It's nothing," she assured him, grabbing his hand in mid-air. "Just a couple small cuts."
"We're getting those looked at later." His tone left no room for debate. "If that ductwork was dirty those could easily get infected.
She pulled his head down and kissed him softly, letting her hand linger on his cheek. "I'll get them checked out. Just for you. But first we have to get out of here. Any ideas?"
"Were you being held above this floor or below?" he asked.
"Below."
"Me too," Steve nodded thoughtfully. "We could head for the roof but once we get there we have no idea what we'll find. For all we know we're miles from anywhere and we might not be able to signal for help."
"So down it is," Catherine nodded as she tied the string on the scrub pants and picked up her mop handle. "Hopefully we can get out before they even know we're missing."
They were ten steps towards the stairwell when the air was abruptly filled with the shrill sound of an alarm siren.
"I think they know we're missing," Steve deadpanned.
"This is a big structure," Catherine said as they continued to move towards the door. "They have no idea where we are. It's like a giant game of cat and mouse. So let's be the cats, not the mice."
They reached the door to the stairwell and Steve went through first, gun raised, scanning the area both above and below for any signs of life. When he was sure it was clear he nodded and Catherine stepped out behind him.
Two seconds later every light in the building went out and the stairway was plunged into total darkness.
"What now, kitty?" he asked with a teasing tone.
Catherine sighed. "Well … ok ... this complicates things a little."
Danny huddled up with Chin, Kono, Grover and Duke at the far end of the parking lot as dozens of HPD and SWAT officers behind them donned their tactical gear and prepared for an assault. The night was slightly overcast but it looked as though the rain was going to hold off, which was a very good thing. The less complications to deal with the better.
"The building is an old furniture manufacturing plant," Duke said. "It's been abandoned since the early nineties. Anton Sinclair purchased it a few months ago but so far hasn't applied for any occupancy or usage permits."
"How many floors?" Danny asked.
"Eight."
"That's a lot of ground to cover." Grover shook his head. "Do we know if there are any working elevators?"
"We don't think so," Duke replied. "But we can't be sure."
"I say we work in smaller teams so we can cover more ground," Danny proposed and everyone nodded their agreement. He looked at Duke and Grover."Tell your entry teams not to engage unless absolutely necessary. Their main objective is to find Steve and Catherine."
"Got it," the men replied simultaneously.
Danny tightened the straps on his TAC vest. "I want every available officer not on one of the entry teams stationed in the lobby and parking lot to take care of anyone who tries to flee the building. Everyone gets stopped and taken downtown. We'll sort them out there."
"We've got plenty of manpower," Duke assured him. "We can handle it. I'll get some wagons here to handle transport."
Suddenly a young, uniformed officer came running up to the group. "We have a problem."
"What kind of problem?" Danny asked warily.
"We sent a couple of men ahead to scout out the building and they just radioed back that there's an alarm going off and the whole place has gone dark."
Grover turned and called to all the entry teams. "Everyone get your night vision goggles and extra flashlights. We're going to be working in low light conditions."
"Sounds like the situation is deteriorating." Danny made one final visual check of his own equipment. "We have to find out what's going on inside that building right now."
Frank Sacia tore off the white lab coat he'd been wearing for the last several days and tossed it in the corner of the dingy cubicle that had been serving as his office as the building alarm finally fell silent. He was done with the Dr. Wolfert personality. It brought him nothing but trouble.
The only thing he could think about now was getting out of the building and off the island. He used his cell phone to illuminate the shelves in the room hoping to find a flashlight. He'd never make it down two flights of steps to the ground floor without it.
As he searched his phone buzzed with an incoming call. He answered without even bothering to look at the caller ID.
"Sacia."
"What did you do with that ambulance I loaned you?"
"Nothing except what I told you I was going to do," he replied testily. He was in no mood to deal with another crisis.
"Then how come I have police, Five-0 no less, calling me demanding to know why that ambulance stopped at the scene of an accident Sunday night?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"I told you I needed it back safe and sound Monday morning to take to the auction."
"And you had it back." Sacia gave up his search for a flashlight and decided he'd just have to use the light of his phone. "Now if you don't mind I have something more pressing to deal with right now."
"I had it back AFTER it apparently stopped at the scene of an accident on Sunday night where your guys actually tried to treat an injured woman. A judge's daughter no less."
Just like that he had Sacia's full attention. "Are you sure?"
"Positive. When they pulled her out the car they opened a gash in her thigh and she almost bled to death."
"And it was definitely a judge's daughter?"
"Yes. Aren't you listening? I appreciate you offering to forgive the interest on the ten grand I borrowed to keep my business afloat last year but … I'm sorry … I'm not going to jail for anyone."
"Convince them someone must have stolen it and returned it without you knowing and I'll forgive the principal on the loan as well."
It was Sacia's experience that people desperate for money could be talked into almost anything. After a few seconds of silence the person on the other end of the phone spoke again.
"100% free and clear? I owe you nothing?"
"Not a dime."
There was another short hesitation.
"Fine. I'll do it."
"I thought so," Sacia said triumphantly. "Now I think it would be better for both of us if we don't have any more contact. Lose my number and forget you ever met me."
Without another word he disconnected the call and dialed a familiar number. "Hey, it's me. Do me a favor and make sure you grab all the IV bags and anything that might have any traces of ketamine on it. We don't need the DEA on our backs on top of everything else."
"Already done. They can search all they want but they won't find a trace."
"Perfect. Meet me on the ground floor near the door in the back in ten car is parked right outside. We're going straight to the airport and we'll buy anything we need once we land in Chicago."
"Sounds perfect. I'm on my way."
"Is that a police siren?" Catherine asked as they made their way carefully down the stairs towards the ground floor.
Steve listened for a few seconds. "I think so. Sounds like they're getting close."
"Danny always did have perfect timing."
Steve slowed as they approached a landing and once again listened for any movement. "These last couple of days must have been tough on him. Chin and Kono too."
Catherine nodded in agreement. "I'm sure they were. But was there ever any doubt in your mind they'd find us?"
Steve shook his head. "Not even for a second."
"Same here."
"Steve … do you …" Catherine started hesitantly then trailed off as they continued their journey downward.
"Do I what?"
"Do you think they … hurt Cammie?" The very thought was enough to make her sick to her stomach.
"If they touched a hair on her head," Steve said angrily, "I won't be responsible for my actions."
"Hopefully she's safe and sound with Esther or Grace." Catherine was going to choose to believe the best until she head reason not to.
Before Steve could reply the sound of Danny's voice over an amplified bullhorn rang out.
"This is the police. Throw down your weapons and exit the building immediately or we will be coming in."
"I guess it's go time," Steve said.
"I only saw two armed men, the guards outside my door, what about you?" Catherine asked as she felt her way along the dark stairway.
"Same here, two guards, though I took this gun off one of them, plus I saw one very fake U.S Marshal. But we have no way of knowing what else they might have stashed in the building in terms of firepower."
"The building is completely surrounded. There's no way out. Let's end this before anyone gets hurt," Danny's voice rang out again.
Suddenly the door on the landing above them slid slowly open and the beam of a flashlight illuminated the area. Steve and Catherine wheeled around and found themselves face-to-face with Penny and Kelly.
"What the hell is going on there? You told me you had everything under control. Now all the sudden I hear on the scanner every cop car on the island is headed your way."
"I had everything under control," Sacia said angrily into the phone as he gathered up a few last pieces of evidence that could tie him to the operation and shoved them in a bag. "If the trial had gone off as planned we'd all be home free by now. I'd be back in Chicago eating deep dish pizza and watching the leaves fall off the trees."
"It's not my fault the judge's daughter got into an accident. Despite my best efforts some things are out of my control."
"Are you sure about that?" Sacia was in no mood to placate anyone, no matter how powerful they might be. If it wasn't for Anton Sinclair's insistence he stay on for a six-month transition period for the document business Sacia would have been long gone before any of this mess even started.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means the two guys you sent along to drive the ambulance and transport McGarrett and Rollins are idiots."
"How do you figure?"
"Looks like they stopped at the scene of an accident on their way back here. But it wasn't just any accident. It involved Judge Okala's daughter."
Sacia reveled in the silence on the other end of the phone. He could almost picture the look on Sinclair's face as the reality of what had happened settled in.
"You're making that up."
"No, I'm not," Sacia said with a self-satisfied grin. "They stopped at the scene of the accident and when they pulled the judge's kid from the car they made her injuries worse. If they'd have just left well enough alone this would all be over."
"Those idiots!"
"Idiots that were hand-chosen by you," Sacia spat out. "My guys would have never made such a stupid mistake."
"I want you to find the two of them and bring them to me right away."
"Sorry. I don't take orders from you anymore. I'm gonna save my own ass and I couldn't care less what happens to anyone else."
He could still hear Sinclair yelling as he disconnected the call and dropped the phone is his bag. He'd have to remember to drop it in the ocean on his way off the island.
He walked out of the office without a backward glance.
"Chicago here I come."
"Oh, Commander McGarrett, you scared me," Kelly said as her hand fluttered to her chest. " I mean … well, we all heard you'd escaped but … and this must be Lieutenant Rollins … ummmm...everyone is looking for you."
Catherine looked on as the flustered woman on the landing above babbled to Steve. Under different circumstances she might have teased him about another case of McGarrett-itis but this clearly wasn't the time. Still, there was no doubt the pretty, young blonde had come down with a mild case.
"Catherine, this is Kelly," he said. "She was my nurse, although … something tells me that was just an act. You're not really a nurse are you?"
She twisted her hands together. "What gave me away?"
What Steve thought was 'Many things', but what he actually said was, "It's not important."
"And this is Nurse Penny," Catherine said, indicating the older woman.
"I have no idea what's going on here. I'm just … I'm so frightened and I want to go home," Penny said.
Something in the woman's tone caught Steve's attention and when he glanced at Catherine he could see she noticed it as well.
"There's not really time to explain," Steve said, glancing between Penny and Kelly. "You ladies are coming with us. We'll sort everything out once we get out of the building. You can tell the police your stories and I'm sure if you didn't know what was actually happening they'll be willing to make you a deal."
"Thanks, Commander," Kelly said gratefully.
"Yes, thank you," Penny chimed in.
With the aid of Penny's flashlight they made much better time as they headed for the ground floor and within minutes they reached the bottom of the stairway. Steve pulled open the heavy door leading the main factory floor and they all stepped through it.
"I'm afraid this is where we part ways," Penny said and Steve turned just in time to see her raise her weapon and point it directly at Catherine's head.
"What are you doing?" Kelly asked frantically, a look of horror on her face.
"I'm getting out of here and heading to Chicago with the man I love," Penny sneered. "And if I have to kill all three of you to make that happen I'm more than happy to do so."
"You don't wanna do this," Steve said calmly as he leveled his weapon at Penny. "Just put the gun down and we all walk out of here."
"Not gonna happen. I waited too many years to find a man I could love who would love me back. And now he's waiting for me on the other side of this building and no one, including you, is going to keep me from getting to him."
Steve watched as her hand started to shake ever so slightly. It was one thing to think about shooting another human being, but actually doing it was a whole other matter.
"Drop your gun, Commander," Penny said with a slight tremble in her voice, "Or I'll shoot Lieutenant Rollins in the head."
"Why don't you put down your gun," Steve countered. "And you'll get to live to see tomorrow. If you pull that trigger there's no scenario where you don't end up dead."
"We'll see about that." Penny looked at Catherine and snarled. "I knew you were gonna be trouble. I should have killed you on day one. It would have been so easy. Just turn the dosage on the IV up a smidge higher and you'd have gone to sleep and never woke up."
Steve's jaw tightened.
"I'm not the problem here," Catherine said in a calm, even voice. "Any man who would ask you to participate in something like this doesn't really love you. Just let us help you."
"I don't want your help," Penny lashed out. "Maybe I'll kill Kelly first so the two of you can see what you caused." She spun and pointed the gun at the terrified young woman beside her.
Steve saw her finger twitch and did the only thing he could. He fired one shot right through her head.
Kelly's screams filled the air as Penny dropped to the ground dead two feet away.
Danny's head snapped to the right as the sound of a gunshot rang out from the interior of the building followed by a piercing scream.
"That didn't sound like Catherine," Kono said, relief clear in her voice.
"No, it didn't," Danny agreed. "But it's still a pretty good indication things are going south in there. I don't think we can wait any longer."
"I agree," Grover nodded as he put on his helmet. "It's time to move in." He raised his arm and signalled for his men who fell in immediately.
"Remember," Danny yelled as dozens of armed men prepared to enter the building, "We've got two of our own in there. We have no idea if they are confined or out moving around. So before you take a shot make sure you know what you're shooting at."
He turned to Chin and Kono. "There are eight floors. I want the three of us to spread so if if we find Steve and Catherine, no matter what floor, we can get there fast."
"Sounds good," the cousins nodded.
"I'll stay with the team on the ground floor then work my way up to three. Kono you take four through six. Chin, take seven and eight plus the roof."
"Got it."
"Duke, have some of your guys get to work turning the lights back on in the building as soon as possible. And the second anyone has eyes on Steve and Catherine I wanna know it."
The sound of a woman screaming caught the attention of Darrin Rivera and he took off running towards it. He wasn't sure who the screams belonged to but something in his gut told him if he followed the sound he'd find Steve McGarrett. And finding McGarrett was precisely what he planned on doing.
He'd worked too hard to become Anton Sinclair's head of security. To win the trust of one of the most powerful men in the country. Since Sinclair was placed on house arrest he'd been the big man's eyes and ears. Someone who could move about the island freely when the boss couldn't.
He'd been promised a big reward after this whole matter was handled and his boss was once again a free man and he still intended to collect. He'd seen Anton Sinclair escape from worse situations than this. Walk away clean when the cops were sure they had him dead to rights. All he had to do was take care of McGarrett and Rollins, then take out Sacia, and nobody would be able to tie anything back to Sinclair.
He'd been very careful. No one talked to the boss directly. Everything went through him.
It felt pretty good being the big man for a change. Flashing a little money around the old neighborhood. Driving all the girls at the strip club crazy. They might have ignored him back when he was a two-bit hustler but they sure knew his name now. And things were only gonna get better from here.
He could go to jail for a few years to protect Sinclair if had to. He knew he'd be taken care of when he got out. The worst thing they had on him now was kidnapping and if he could find McGarrett and Rollins, kill them, then get rid of their bodies by burning the entire building to the ground, they wouldn't even have that. This place was so old and run down it'd go up like it was made of paper, taking any evidence the two Five-0 cops were ever there with it. So what did they have? Maybe a couple of drug charges. Two years tops.
When he got the call at home that the Five-0 leader had escaped he was furious. He warned his men over and over that they needed to be constantly vigilant around the ex-SEAL. That if he saw any opening at all he'd take it.
He thought back to sitting in the chair beside McGarrett's bed, watching him look at pictures of his dead girlfriend. No matter how stoic he appeared, Rivera knew the truth. Those pictures were like a knife to the cop's heart. He had to hand it to Sacia, having that stuff printed up was a stroke of genius.
He hoped when he found McGarrett, Rollins was with him. That way he could kill her first and get to see the Five-0 chief's reaction when her body was right in front of him. And when her death was real.
He heard hushed voices and figured he was headed in the right direction. He stuck as close to the wall as he could and sure enough, about twenty feet up ahead, he saw them. They were trying to console Kelly who was distraught to nearly the point of hysteria. He assumed that had something to do with the dead body of Wolfert's girlfriend laying at her feet.
This was perfect.
They were so busy dealing with Kelly they didn't even see him coming. It was too bad he was gonna have to kill her too, but he couldn't leave any witnesses. He just wished he'd gotten a chance to bang the pretty blonde before shooting her. Oh well, there were plenty of girls down at the club willing to give him whatever he wanted.
"I can't stand … I mean the blood … and the bullet hole …" he heard Kelly say. This chick was on the verge of hyperventilating.
When Rollins grabbed a discarded paint tarp and leaned down to cover the dead woman's face he made his move. He stepped out of the shadows and grabbed Kelly around the neck, pressing his gun to her temple.
"You may have been able to get away from those idiots that worked for me but I'm not them," he sneered at Steve.
"Let the girl go, Rivera. She doesn't have anything to do with this," Steve shouted as Kelly started to shake.
"That's not how this is gonna work," Rivera yelled back. You put your gun down and kick it away before I count to three or she's dead. One … two .."
Steve knelt down and placed his gun on the floor, making eye contact with Catherine in the process. Rivera took notice of the moment but wrote it off as nothing more than a last look between lovers.
"Now let her go," Steve demanded.
"For the time being," Rivera shrugged. "I'm far more interested in watching how you react to seeing your girlfriend's head get blown off anyway."
As if an unspoken command had been given Steve and Catherine moved at precisely the same time. From her position squatting next to the body she slid the gun that had fallen from Penny's hand when she hit the ground to Steve, then sprung up and tackled Kelly out of harm's way. In one smooth motion Steve knelt down, grabbed the gun and fired two shots.
The first went through Rivera's right wrist causing the gun to clatter to the floor.
The second went through his chest.
Steve had never been the type to feel good after killing any man, no matter how much he deserved it, but he wasn't going to lose any sleep over Darrin Rivera. He may not have been the creator of the faked pictures and articles, Steve doubted he was that clever, but the level of glee he took in them told Steve everything he needed to know about the fake Marshal's character.
The world was a better place without him.
"Who's there? What's going on? Penny, is that you?" a man's voice called out from about fifty feet away. "I can't see you, baby. Do you have a flashlight?"
"That's Dr. Wolfert," Kelly hissed. "He's calling for Penny. Do you think he was the man she was meeting?"
"Probably," Catherine said as she helped the traumatized young woman move to a sitting position with her back against the wall. "Now listen to me. You sit right here. Keep your hands visible. The police will be along any minute. You just tell them who you are and that they need to talk to Commander McGarrett about you."
"What if it's not the police that come? What if it's someone else?" she began to panic. "I think I should go with you."
"Right now I think you're a lot safer away from us," Steve replied sincerely.
"We're just going to the other side of the room," Catherine said as soothingly as possible. "If you need something just yell and we'll come back. But Kelly … " Catherine looked her directly in the eye, "Only if you really need something."
"I understand," Kelly nodded bravely.
While Catherine grabbed Penny's flashlight, Steve retrieved his gun then handed Penny's to Catherine and the two of them started off across the factory floor to find Dr. Wolfert.
As soon as Danny entered the building he started making his way towards the the far end, the area he believed he heard the first shot come from. He had a gut feeling that if he located the origin of that shot he would find Steve and Catherine. Or at least something that would point him in their direction.
Gun raised, clearing areas he went, he moved along the front wall of the building with determination. As he got closer to the back corner he heard a soft whimpering and his heart began to beat faster. He turned off his flashlight and crept through the darkness, carefully concealing himself in the shadows.
As he approached the sound of the whimpering her saw two bodies lying on the floor. One male. One female. Thankfully neither were Steve or Catherine. A short distance away an obviously frightened young woman sat backed up against the wall, her knees to her chest, arms wrapped around them, head down and crying softly.
"Five-0," Danny said in a voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," the girl said as she raised her hands high in the air. "They told me to keep my hands visible. I'm sorry. Please don't shoot me."
"I'm not going to shoot you," Danny said calmly. "What's your name?"
"Kelly."
"Who told you to keep your hands visible?"
"Commander McGarrett and Lieutenant Rollins." She continued to sniffle but her tears were subsiding.
"Where are they?"
Kelly pointed to the other side of the expansive warehouse, not visible because of the lack of light. "They went after Dr. Wolfert."
"Are they armed?"
Kelly nodded in the affirmative.
Danny waved his flashlight to get the attention of an HPD officer who he then directed to escort Kelly outside for questioning. She smiled gratefully as the young officer helped to her feet and they headed back in the direction from which Danny had come while he headed off to find Steve and Catherine.
"Hold it, Dr. Wolfert!" Catherine said as she and Steve approached, guns raised. "The building is surrounded. You'll never even get out of the parking lot."
The cowardly doctor had his hand on the back door and looked ready to make his exit, with or without his lady love.
Catherine felt a brief twinge that Penny gave her life for a man so clearly unworthy of that level of sacrifice.
He froze for a minute, as though momentarily considering making a break for his waiting car, then clearly thought better of it and turned around slowly.
"My name isn't Wolfert and I'm not really a doctor," he said, squinting into the beam of the flashlight Catherine had taken from Penny.
"You don't say," Steve said sarcastically. "So what's your real name?"
"Frank Sacia … but I'm not the man you're looking for. None of this was my idea."
"Is that so?" Steve said. "And whose idea was it?"
"I'm not telling you that until you give me a deal."
Catherine looked at Steve and rolled her eyes. "Most people at least wait until they get to the police station before they start groveling for a deal."
Steve chuckled. "Apparently Dr. Wolfert … excuse me Mr. Sacia … is an over-achiever."
"Mock all you want but I know how this works. You want the person who ordered the kidnapping, and who ordered you to be murdered once all the pieces were in place," Wolfert taunted. "All I did was keep an eye on you once you were here and make up a few fake articles and pictures."
Instantly the air crackled with tension.
Steve took three strides forward, placing himself right in front of Sacia, backing the now visibly nervous man against the wall.
"Those pictures were your idea?" he ground out, enunciating every syllable.
Sacia swallowed hard and tried unsuccessfully not to cower. "We needed a way to keep you contained until …" He squared his shoulders, took a deep breath and pulled himself up until he was almost at Steve's eye level. "No … you don't get any information until I know I have a deal."
"You think you're gonna walk away scot free after doing something like that? Because honestly I'm trying to think of one good reason not to put a bullet through your brain right now."
Catherine knew Steve's intimidating stance was a tactic but in this case, after what Sacia had done creating the pictures and articles, she also knew he'd welcome any excuse to beat the man to a pulp.
Truth be told she wouldn't mind taking a swing herself.
"I think you'll be more than happy to make a deal with me when you find out what … or rather who … I have to offer."
"Let me guess," Catherine said. "Anton Sinclair."
"Well … yes … how …" Sacia trailed off.
"It didn't take a rocket scientist," Catherine replied. " But Sinclair is notorious for keeping his inner circle small. How do we know you're even close enough to give us everything we want?"
"Oh, I'm close enough," Sacia said haughtily.
"I don't know," Steve shook his head and looked Sacia up and down. "You don't really seem like the type."
"Definitely not," Catherine joined in and agreed wholeheartedly. "Sinclair tends to stick with guys that are more like him. Tough, rugged, real man's man types."
"Something tells me this guy just thinks he's on the inside when he's probably just getting coffee and handling the easy stuff."
"Is that what you think?" Sacia shot back. "Well, you're dead wrong. I know everything. I was right there beside him when it was going down. The document forgery, the drug dealing, the international arms trading, and every murder he's ordered since he came to Hawaii … including yours."
"Well, I guess we were wrong," Catherine shrugged. "That's quite an impressive list."
"And if I'm not mistaken our friend Mr. Sacia just implicated himself in all of it," Steve smirked.
Suddenly every light in the room sprung back to life, revealing not only the hiding places of several of Sinclair's men but about a dozen HPD officers and a very happy looking Danny Williams who had been standing ten feet behind Catherine, watching the show.
"When were you gonna let us know you were there?" Steve asked with a smile.
"I was having too much fun watching you two trick this moron into confessing," Danny chuckled. He nodded at Duke who was approaching from the left. "Take him in on suspicion of … what was it again?"
"Forgery, drugs, gun running and murder, I believe," Steve smirked.
As Duke reached for his cuffs Steve suddenly cocked his arm back and punched the faux-doctor square in the face so hard his head impacted the wall behind him. He let out a howl of pain as blood began spurting from his nose and lip.
"That was for the fake articles and pictures," Steve growled and Catherine couldn't help but smile.
"Glad you did that or I would've had to," Danny said dryly.
He crossed to where Catherine was standing and wrapped her in a tight hug. "You ok, Hon?"
"I'm better now," she said against his neck.
He gave her one last squeeze and turned to Steve. "You look cute in those scrubs."
Steve smiled. He saw past the teasing to the true emotion in Danny's words. The relief of finding them safe and unharmed was written all over his best friend's face. "I'm touched by your concern."
"I was just worried … you know … that I might have to break in a new partner. Plus … I don't want your job … it involves too much paperwork."
Catherine watched the two men with an affectionate smile. Where some people saw only teasing, she saw the deep and abiding love of brothers.
When she couldn't wait another second she said, "Danny, is Cammie ok?"
"She's fine," Danny said reassuringly. "She took in a little gas but the vet checked her out and gave her a clean bill of health."
Catherine and Steve's faces took on matching scowls at the thought of Cammie inhaling the same gas that had rendered them both unconscious, and the damage that could have resulted. They shared an intense look that let Danny know both intended to revisit the matter with the person or persons responsible.
"She's fine," Danny repeated. "Esther's been looking after her.
Catherine knew Cammie couldn't have been in better hands than Esther's still she needed to see for herself before she would be 100% satisfied their beloved dog was completely ok. She clasped her hands excitedly in front of her body. "I can't wait to see her."
"I'm sure she'll be happy to see you too … however … first things first." Danny pointed at Catherine, "You need to call your parents," then at Steve, "And you need to call your sister. Then you both need to call Grace. And the Allens. And Esther. And Carrie and John. And of course, Nonna."
Steve wrapped his arms around Catherine's shoulders and she leaned into his side, both sporting wide smiles.
"Just keeping up with all the people who love the two of you is exhausting."
END CHAPTER 4