A Cut Above The Rest
Chapter 8
As Mike and Rudy exited Steve's room, Dr. MacKenzie noticed how uneasy Steve seemed to be. He was definitely more agitated than he had been earlier and he wondered what had caused the new-found anxiety. He wondered if he was anxious about the wound being examined or if his new visitor had caused it. Sitting on the bed beside Steve he opened the sling and started to remove the bandages all the while studying his patient closely. However Steve wasn't even watching what he was doing but seemed to be a million miles away, lost in his own thoughts.
"Somewhere nice?" the Doctor interjected trying to lighten Steve's sudden sombre mood.
This brought Steve out of his thoughts and looking at the Doctor he realized to his embarrassment that he hadn't heard the Doctor's question.
"I'm sorry. What do you say?"
"You seemed to be someplace else there for a minute. I was just asking if it was somewhere nice?"
Steve just smiled, inwardly wishing that it had been.
"No, not really. I was just thinking that's all. Sometimes that's not a good thing to do!" Steve responded rather dejectedly and the Doctor eyed him up worriedly.
"Has something happened?" the Doctor continued, determined to get to the bottom of this latest development.
"Yeah, you could say that. There was a minor hostage situation at the scene this morning. I had to drop my gun to resolve it. Looks like someone took it and now they can't find it."
Dr. MacKenzie felt sorry for the young detective who was clearly worried about his missing gun but he couldn't afford for Steve's vital signs to start fluctuating again especially as he had just managed to get them stabilised.
"The man who just visited you. Is he giving you grief over it?"
"You mean the Captain? No ... Actually he told me not to worry about it ... I guess I'm just giving myself grief over it!"
"Then DON'T! You need to rest. I don't want your vital signs going through the roof again. Let your colleagues handle it. You have to concentrate on getting better. Doctor's Orders!"
Steve smiled a weak smile at the Doctor.
"That's what Mike said!"
"Then he's right! And you need to listen to us. Ok?"
Steve nodded and then winced slightly as he felt a tugging on his arm. It wasn't sore just a strange sensation and forgetting his troubles for a while he glanced down to see the Doctor carefully lifting the dressing which had become attached to the stitches a little. He shuddered as he saw the dark sutures down his forearm and saw that the wound was at least six inches long.
"Great! Now I feel like Frankenstein!" Steve joked but even the Doctor could tell that behind the joke he genuinely was concerned by the size and look of the wound.
"Don't worry. It looks worse than it is right now. When those sutures are removed there'll barely be a scar! Dr. Montgomery is one of the best in his field."
"Removed?" Steve asked slightly more anxiously than he had intended.
Dr. MacKenzie smiled at Steve's reaction.
"Don't worry. It's a simple procedure and anyway we won't be removing them for several weeks. It will be a simple out-patient procedure."
"Great! Well, that's something to look forward to!" Steve said jokingly, looking at the thick dark sutures one more time and almost feeling faint at the thought of having them removed.
While the wound wasn't hurting it looked awful and as the Doctor finally freed the dressing, Steve saw that the dressing he had removed was covered in a clear translucent ooze mixed with some blood and he decided he didn't want to look at it anymore. Glancing over at the window instead he could see that the sun was starting to go down and the city outside was bathed in an orange glow. But even with the beautiful sunset to look at, his thoughts still seemed to dwell on the fact that somewhere out there someone had his gun and intended to use it for God knows what purpose and it made him feel very uneasy. He stayed looking out the window as he felt the pulling at his arm continue. A very brief glance at the Doctor saw him cleaning the stitches and so he turned away quickly again. The procedure felt like it took a half an hour to Steve but realistically it was only around ten minutes and soon the wound was clean and redressed and rebandaged. As the Doctor put his arm back into the sling Steve questioned him.
"Is it ok? What was the discharge on the dressing? Should I be worried Doc?"
Dr. MacKenzie heard the concern in his voice and moved to reassure him.
"No, not at all. It's perfectly normal for there to be a small amount of discharge after surgery. We only need to worry if it increases or changes colour. But we'll be keeping a close eye on it. There's very little blood discharge so that tells us that the artery is holding nicely. Just don't go banging that arm off anything or trying to do anything silly with it just yet. You need to keep it still and out of harms way and give it a chance to heal."
"Ok Doc!" then suddenly noticing for the first time that his fingers were all strapped up he became slightly alarmed again."Doc? Why are my fingers strapped?"
"Again that's no reason to worry Steve! We just don't want you moving the fingers until the tissue and muscle damage has a chance to knit together. That will take about forty-eight hours."
"Forty eight hours! So I guess that means no early release for me huh?"
"EXACTLY! You're going to be here for at least three days Steve so just lie back, relax and most importantly stop worrying! How's the wooziness? Any improvement?"
"Yeah, it's a little better."
"Good! It should be fully worn off soon. How about the nausea? Do you feel sick at all? "
" No."
"Ok! Try to get some sleep Steve and I'll look back in on you later after my rounds. I'll send your visitors back in on my way out!" and with that the Doctor left the room.
The thoughts of being stuck in the hospital for another three days was enough to cause a cloud of depression to descend over the young man in the bed but what bothered him more was not being able to help in the search for his gun.
Mike had almost paced a ridge in the floor waiting for the Doctor to come out of Steve's room and as soon as he emerged he was over to him in a second.
"Is everything alright? Is the wound ok? How is he?"
Dr. MacKenzie smiled at the older detective.
"Yes, everything's fine. But he's very out of sorts. He said something about his gun."
"Yes, his gun is missing. I wasn't going to even tell him about it but the Captain! ... Well ... he had other ideas! Until it's found he's going to worry himself sick! I just know it! "
"Try not to worry. I'm sure if anyone can reassure him that he's worrying for nothing then it's you! Remember I've seen you in action in the ER already this morning! Talk to him. You'll get through to him. Now if you'll excuse me I have rounds to make. I'll check back on him later."
Mike thanked the Doctor and watched as the Doctor disappeared down the corridor and then thought about what the Doctor had said. He was touched by the Doctor's faith in him but without the gun being found he didn't really see how he could stop Steve worrying unnecessarily about it, but he knew he had to at least try!
Mike went back into Steve's room and saw the young man staring out the window looking utterly miserable and also noticed that he was absent-mindedly rubbing his sore arm. He hadn't seemed to even notice that Mike had come back in and he wondered what the young man was so deep in thought about although he would wager a good guess that it was about the missing gun.
"I don't think you're supposed to be messing with that sore arm of yours! Is it bothering you?" Mike asked concerned that the wound cleaning had been a painful experience despite the assurances that the arm had been numbed.
Steve only then seemed to realize that Mike had come back in and he turned and smiled at Mike and also realized that he had indeed been rubbing at his arm without thinking.
"No ... it's not sore. It just feels strange not being able to feel it. Although after what I just saw it's probably just as well I can't !"
"That bad huh?"
"Think Frankenstein and you'll get a fair idea!" Steve joked.
"Oh, it won't be like that for long. You'll see, besides ... look at all the interesting stories you'll be able to tell people about your scar. Huh? "
That made Steve smile.
"Yeah, you have a point there. Scars do evoke great sympathy!"
"Now you're thinking buddy boy!" Mike said tapping a finger against his temple.
It was only then that Steve noticed the Captain hadn't come back in.
"Where's the Captain? Has he left already?"
"Yes, he headed back down to the office to check up on things!" Mike answered hurriedly but something about the way he said it made Steve wonder and smile. Knowing Mike the way he did he wouldn't have been pleased with the fact that Rudy had mentioned the gun in the first place while he had been listening. He began to wonder if Mike had sent him back to the office with a flea in his ear and his smile widened. Noticing Steve's smile Mike asked.
"What buddy boy?"
"Did he leave or was he sent Mike?" Steve asked, definitely sorry that he had missed that conversation.
Mike chuckled at Steve's perception.
"Let's just say he was persuaded that it was for the best!"
Both men started to laugh and Steve was the first to continue.
"Mike, you do know he outranks you don't you? He could do nasty things to your overtime and your credentials if he had a mind to!" Steve teased the older man secretly proud of the older man for not suffering fools gladly.
"Well, he was lucky I didn't do something to his credentials after what he just came out with!" Mike said still feeling slightly outraged at how Rudy had caused further unnecessary angst to his partner.
However his enraged expression and his comment only caused Steve to burst out laughing which softened Mike's temper and soon had him giggling too. When they had stopped Steve added.
"You know Rudy's harmless Mike! I honestly think he thought I was asleep. I don't think he would have said anything otherwise."
"Yes, I know. You're right. Just sometimes he really needs to think before he speaks that's all. But ... at least it made you laugh. Eh buddy boy?"
"Yeah ... I was starting to forget how to, there for a while!"
"Yeah ... I noticed! But you've had every reason not to feel like it too."
Steve smiled at Mike but his smile faded quickly as the memory of the missing gun returned to his mind refusing to let him forget about it. Mike saw his expression change and decided it was better to tackle the subject now and not let it fester
"Listen Steve! I AM going to find your gun and well ... I hope to find it unused but if for some reason by the time I get it, it has been used then ... you need to start accepting the fact that if it has been, that you are NOT responsible! Do you hear me now? You did everything by the book today and if anything happens to anyone with your gun afterwards, then the creep who picked it up is responsible! NOT YOU! Now hopefully it won't come to that and I am going to do everything in my power to make sure it gets found as soon as possible but you have to let this go and stop thinking about all the worst possible scenarios that could happen with it!"
Steve looked amazed at Mike for a brief moment, fascinated by the fact that Mike knew exactly what he had been thinking as if he had read his thoughts. Mike caught the look and smiled.
"That's right. I know you buddy boy! You'll just torture yourself Steve. I'm telling you now! Leave it to us and just you concentrate on getting better. Ok?"
Steve let out an audible sigh and resigned himself to the fact that Mike was right as always. Worrying wasn't going to solve anything. It never did.
"Ok Mike. You're right. Worrying is not going to help anything. I just wish ... I just wish I could help you find it instead of being stuck in here, one armed and useless!" Steve said frustratedly
Mike patted Steve's good arm understandingly.
"I know, I know. But you are not useless and you still may be able to help me find it!"
Steve perked up at this statement and sat up further in the bed.
"How?"
"Ok, I want you to think back to the escalator incident Steve. Can you remember if there was anyone on the stairwell when you dropped your gun, either going up or coming down?"
Steve sighed again and tried to picture the stairwell as he remembered it in his mind. After only a few seconds he shook his head.
"No, Mike. The stairwell was empty. There was no-one going up or down!"
"Are you sure Steve? Think carefully now. No-one at all?"
Steve thought again but remained positive.
"No there was no-one Mike. I'm sure of it. There was no-one coming down and I remember looking down when I dropped the gun and there was definitely no-one coming up either. Sorry Mike. That's not much help is it?"
"That's alright. That memory of yours might just give us a clue yet. Listen would you be ok if I head down to the office for a while and see what they've come up with so far?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine. You go on. Maybe you'll see something they can't, you know, a fresh pair of eyes and all that! Besides, I'm starting to feel a bit tired. I think I'll try to sleep for a while. Mike? You'll keep me posted though huh? Promise? Even if ... even if it's bad news. You'll tell me right?"
"Ok, I promise. And I'll keep you updated, don't worry. Just try to sleep ok? I'll pop back first thing in the morning and fill you in. Do what you're told now!" Mike added swatting Steve playfully on the shoulder and with a final smile he picked up his coat and hat and headed out the door.
Steve watched him leave and prayed that Mike would be able to help find his missing 38". Then he shifted back down in the bed and leaned back against the pillows. He really did feel very tired so as he looked out at the city through the window once more and watched the relaxing sunset fade from orange to red, he found his eyes closing of their own accord and soon found himself drifting off into a healing sleep.
Mike had made it down to Bryant Street very quickly given the time of the evening and the reduced traffic and as he entered the bullpen he felt an overwhelming pride in his men as he was met by a great flurry of activity. Norm Haasejian was the first one to see Mike enter and getting up quickly he called over to his Lieutenant.
"Mike! Hows Steve?"
Norm had a deep booming voice and his question immediately drew everyone's attention and silence descended over the bullpen eerily as everyone's eyes rested on Mike and all ears listened for his answer.
Mike smiled at how everyone was so concerned for the young detective who had easily found his way into all their affections through his helpful and easy-going manner. Putting his hands up in a gesture for calm he quickly answered.
"He's ok. His arm is fixed. It just has to heal now. Looks like he's going to be stuck in there for a good few days though but I know he'll really appreciate you all helping to try to find his gun. Thanks for the effort guys. I know some of you are giving up time on this one."
Bill Tanner answered first.
"I think I speak for us all Mike, when I say you're both welcome. We all know you'd both do the same if it happened to any of us. And we're real glad he's ok."
Mike nodded appreciatively to all his men and then getting on with business he clapped his hands together and announced.
"Ok, what have you got for me?"
Three or four men started talking all at once and Mike laughed.
"Ok, ok, one at a time would be better! Just let me get my hat and coat off and get some coffee inside me and you can all fill me in then."
Mike entered his office and took off his jacket and hat and hung them up on his coat rack and then coming outside Norm handed him a cup of coffee.
"Here Mike. Looks like you could use this! My treat!"
Mike again looked appreciatively at the stocky detective and smiled.
"Thanks Norm ... So, what have you got for me?" he asked taking a mouthful of the reviving liquid and sitting down on the corner of Steve's desk.
"We tracked down a couple of the eye witnesses on the escalator from their statements. Any that we spoke to on the phone, said they didn't see anything unusual after Steve chased the suspect and nobody noticed what happened to Steve's gun after he dropped it. One lady kindly agreed to come down and view the CCTV footage to see if she recognized anyone. She's in with Lee at the minute in interrogation room one. She was at the bottom of the escalator when Steve dropped his gun so we're hopeful that maybe she might remember something, if we jog her memory."
"Ok good work Norm. Bill? What about the footage?"
"No joy Mike. The lab cleaned it up a bit but all we can still see of the guy is his back. A black coat and hat and very little else. Sorry Mike! "
"Ok, listen get back onto BART security. See can you get footage tapes for yesterday at the same time of day. If this guy commutes every day he just might be on yesterday's tape. It's worth checking."
"Ok Mike! I'm on it!" Bill said picking up the phone on his desk and starting to dial out a number.
With that the door to Interrogation room one opened and Lee Lessing came striding out towards Mike.
"Mike! I think we might have caught a break! "
Mike's face brightened as he raced towards his colleague.
"What have you got Lee?"
"I've just been talking to Ms. Norma Saunders. She commutes everyday on the BART. This morning when she stepped on the escalator the incident was in full swing. Stahlbecker had the lady in a choke hold and Steve was about half way up, trying to control the situation. She saw Steve drop his gun and noticed that it fell onto the tenth step from the bottom of the stairwell but she didn't see anyone pick it up."
"Wait a minute Lee! You haven't told me anything I haven't heard already. If she didn't see who picked it up what did she see?"
"Ok Mike, I'm getting to it. I showed her the footage of who picked it up and she said she saw a man wearing a black coat and hat on the escalator when the incident happened!"
"Can she give us a description?"
"No Mike, he was ahead of her so all she saw was his back."
"LEE ! How does that help us? We already know what his back looks like. It's his face we're trying to get a description of!" Mike said getting slightly exasperated by Lee's account.
"That's just it Mike! The guy was standing right behind Steve! Literally looking over his shoulder as the incident happened! Maybe Steve might remember him? What do you think?"
Mike froze.
"Yeah ... maybe! That would explain a lot. He saw Steve drop the gun first hand and saw him race after Stahlbecker. If he was right behind Steve he would have had plenty of time to double back at the top of the escalator, make his way down the stairs, pick up the gun and leave while everyone else was still in shock after what happened. Yeah it makes sense! Listen Lee, Get Ms. Saunders to sign a statement of what she saw, thank her for coming in and get one of the black and whites to drive her home. Then see can you track down the lady who Stahlbecker was holding? If the guy standing behind Steve is the guy we're looking for then from where she stood she would have been looking straight at him! Get her in here and see can she give the sketch artist a description of him. In the meantime when I'm done here I'll head down and see can Steve shed any light on what the creep looked like. Good work Lee, very good work indeed! " Mike said patting Lee on the back and feeling more positive about the task at hand as they got one step closer to catching their man!
