The Gage Secret-10
Roy pulled his pick-up into the parking lot of Station 51 but didn't see any vehicles for the A-shift crew.
"Come on, Cap….please don't pick today to be late." He whispered to himself.
The bay doors were open in the back and he realized that the squad was in. Oh good; hope they can stay a little while.
"Hey Roy…..you're here early." Dwyer said in greeting his replacement.
Roy stood just inside the apparatus bay with his arms folded over his chest.
"Yea well, my partner ran into a little problem this morning and I need to go check on him. He transported an injured young girl to Rampart and he's still there. I was wondering if you two might be able to hang around for an extra hour or so. I'd really like to go check on him before shift starts; Dix said he was pretty upset."
The paramedics from the station were very generous when it came to helping each other out.
"Yea, sure, man. We had a quiet night so I'll check but I feel sure we can both stay over. My partner's in the shower. Uh, why don't you go check on Gage and then call us back here. By then he'll be out and I can ask him, ok?" Dwyer said in a voice that showed his genuine concern.
"Thanks." Roy said turning his head to his left as he heard a vehicle making the turn around the side of the station.
He let out a quick breath; relieved that Captain Stanley had arrived.
"I'll call you before shift change. Right now I need to talk to Cap." Roy headed off toward Hank Stanley's car as Dwyer made his way back to the kitchen.
"Mornin' Roy. Problem?" Hank said with a tentative smile on his face.
"Uh, yes…..Cap it's Johnny."
E!
Dixie reached out to squeeze Johnny's trembling hands. His response to her touch was a very audible exhalation. Dixie cut her eyes up to Dr. Early who took her cue and clasped the shoulder of the young paramedic.
"John, I think you might want to hear her version before you agree with it." Joe squeezed John's shoulder and felt it tense up beneath his fingers.
Johnny looked up into the eyes of both Dr. Early and then Dixie. Dixie gave him a brief smile that he wasn't sure how to take.
"Huh? What d'ya mean? I know why she wanted me to leave." He said through teary eyes.
"Ok, John, listen. I've already noted her 'official' explanation. But if we're going to help her we need to know for sure what happened to her." Dr. Early looked at the slim man before him and back up at Dixie.
"Johnny, listen….we're not trying to put words in your mouth or trick you here but Joe and I are fairly certain that her story isn't accurate. Now, what we need to know is whether or not you know who she's protecting?" Dixie watched as Johnny's countenance completely changed.
Johnny angled his face up at her and arched one eyebrow questioningly. "Wh…why do you think she's protecting someone?"
Dixie gave him a half-hearted grin. "John, you got those horses, what, a couple of months ago right?"
"About that. Dix what's this …" Johnny began but she quickly held up her hand to halt his questioning.
"And what was it you said you intended to do after you got them?" She stared at his eyes seeing the wheels turning inside his memory.
"Ahh, I remember saying I needed to build a hay loft."
Dixie's smiled broadened. "And last week I asked you how the loft was coming…and what did you tell me?"
Johnny still wasn't following where she was heading with her questions but he answered her anyway. "That I haven't started it yet."
Joe couldn't stand it any longer. "Then Johnny, why in hell would she tell us she fell down the ladder from your hay loft?"
Johnny sat straight up pulling his shoulders back as his gaze darted rapidly between Dixie and Joe.
"She said WHAT?" He said a little louder than he'd intended.
Dixie was the first to speak up. "When she insisted that you leave the room, I admit, I thought she was gonna try to say you assaulted her. But once she kept insisting that she had spent the night in your hay loft to get out of the storm and then slipped and fell down your ladder…..well, all I can think of is that she didn't want you to counter her story."
John took a deep cleansing breath then leaned back into the sofa. He was still concerned about his job but now he was more confused than anything else.
"Dix, I don't know why she was in my barn…but." He hesitated with a hitch in his breath as he closed his eyes to continue his statement. "…but when I was out there this morning, she just ran out of my storage room so fast all I saw was a blur."
He opened his eyes and with a look of extreme remorse and softly shaking his head from side to side he continued. "When I grabbed her, all I could think of was that someone was trying to steal from me. I didn't even think and I sure as hell didn't see who it was… I just…..kept….punching."
Dixie and Joe watched Johnny struggle with what he was telling them. His description did match her injuries; certainly better than falling from a nonexistent hay loft.
John scrubbed his hands down his face trying to dry the tears he was trying desperately to keep from falling.
"Uh, listen Doc….I know you've got to do what you've got to do and…uh….just know that I understand and…."
"Whoa, slow down, John." Joe was looking at him with sympathy; he just realized why Johnny was so upset over the events of the morning.
"John, there's absolutely nothing to report you on. Is that what you're concerned about?"
Johnny looked Dr. Early in the eyes as he shook his head reluctantly. "Yea….Doc, I assaulted an unarmed little girl. I mean, I ain't as smart as you but, I know Headquarters is gonna fire me for this…or at least revoke my paramedic license."
Johnny stood quickly then as both Joe and Dixie watched him pace; one hand on his hip while the other moved around animatedly. "Ohhhh, and don't even get me started on what Brackett's gonna do."
"What's Brackett gonna do?"
All three heads turned at once to see Roy standing in the doorway; Kelly Brackett slightly behind him.
"Oh, uh…." Johnny stammered.
"Well, are you gonna answer my question or just stand there, Johnny?" Kel asked with a twitchy smirk on his face.
Johnny blew out his breath and sank back down on the couch. "Somebody please tell him."
Within the space of five minutes both Dr. Brackett and Roy were caught up on Alyssa Keener and her false statement that, oddly enough exonerated Johnny of any wrong-doing. The five of them sat baffled for several long minutes; each one trying to fill in the blanks.
Finally, Roy spoke up. "Johnny, I think the others are right. You're beating yourself up over something that wasn't your fault. I don't see any reason why HQ would even reprimand you."
"Besides, Johnny." Dixie's smoky voice caught his attention. "She isn't exactly a little girl. She's nineteen years old."
"What?" Johnny questioned. "No way."
"The date of birth she gave us was February 3, 1956. She didn't hesitate either. I mean, she has no identification but, I examined her and I don't doubt her age." Joe finished with a soft chuckle. "Maybe she just ages well."
Johnny looked around the lounge; he counted each person present to be his friend. He even counted Dr. Brackett as a friend now even though they certainly didn't start off as such. He began to feel himself relax, at least a little. Ok, girl is alright, Brackett's not pissed off, cops haven't arrested me yet. I just might be ok. Then his paranoia made one final appearance.
"But what happens if later on she changes her story?" He asked sincerely.
"Then everyone would think she was blackmailing you for something." Dr. Brackett explained. "It's one thing for her to recant her story about you assaulting her…but if she recants her story that you DIDN'T do it, then says that you did…..she'll come across as a huge liar; no one will believe anything she has to say."
The group watched as Johnny's facial expressions changed from guilt and fear to relief and finally curiosity before he posed his question to the group.
"But why did she make up the story?"
No one had a good answer for him. Dixie did her best to answer for the group.
"Johnny, that's something she's gonna have to tell us."
The others voiced their agreement as they parted ways. After all, there was still an ER to run. Finally, only Roy and Johnny remained.
"Roy, how'd you know I was here?"
"Dixie called me." He said and watched his partner give him a knowing nod.
"Listen, I went by the station and talked to Cap and Dwyer. I've got it cleared for the C-shift paramedics to stay over for an hour or so. Um, why don't I go with you back to your place and get everything settled? I'm sure you left in a hurry." Roy turned hopeful eyes to his partner.
Johnny looked at his scuffed knuckles turning his hands over looking at both sides before he answered. "Uh, I'd…I'd appreciate that, Roy. I really would."
"Ok, gimme a minute to call Dwyer and let him know they won't have to stay over but a couple of hours at the most." He watched Johnny repeatedly staring at his hands and knowing exactly what he was thinking.
"Johnny, are you gonna be able to work this shift?"
Johnny inhaled deeply as his eyes looked up from his own hands to his partner's face. "Yea….yea, I'll a'right."
E!
Dixie and Joe were summoned by Dr. Brackett into his office as soon as they exited the lounge. Kel closed the door so that their conversation could be private. He propped with one hip on the corner of his desk as he looked at the other two.
"Well…..is there anything you know that you haven't told me? I kind of entered in the middle." He said moving his azure gaze from Joe to Dixie.
"Kel, it's the strangest thing. I mean, she acted like she was absolutely terrified of Johnny and refused to talk with him in the room. Now we all know that means she didn't want to talk in front of him; didn't want him to hear what she wanted to say." Dixie hesitated to take a breath and turned to Joe when he picked up where she left off.
"So the only logical explanation is that she didn't want him to tell the truth. She wanted us to believe her story instead. I just don't understand why?"
Kel pressed his lips into a thin line. "Well, I don't like it, not one bit. She was trespassing right?" He looked up waiting for confirmation before continuing.
"Johnny did, um, cause her injuries, right?" Again, the other two nodded in agreement.
Dr. Brackett hesitated for a moment with his chin between his thumb and forefinger; deep in thought. Then he relaxed the tension in his face as he stood up from his perch on the corner of his desk. "She's manipulating him."
"How so, Kel?" Joe asked.
"She doesn't want him to press charges against her for trespassing. She knows he feels guilty for assaulting her so she's made up this bogus story about what happened. She knows he'll be so grateful for what she's done that he'll be willing to just call it even." Dr. Brackett hypothesized; then mouthed a silent curse.
"You make a good point, Kel." Dixie looked up at him. "I just hope you're wrong."
"Yea, Dix…..so do I…..but these street-wise kids are pretty resourceful."
"Kel, you think she's homeless; a street urchin?" Joe gave his head an abrupt shake. "Never mind, no ID, dehydrated, malnourished and seeking shelter in a barn – of course she is."
"Joe, did you order a drug screen on her?" Kel questioned.
"Didn't think about it until thirty seconds ago." Joe announced standing up. "But I'm ordering it now."
"Junkie?" Dixie asked looking at both physicians.
"Possibly." Kel answered watching Dixie hang her head as she too stood.
"Well, if any of what we've mentioned in here is true then," she exhaled. "Poor, Johnny."
"John's a sensitive guy; especially for street kids." Joe spoke up.
"And cute young ladies." Kel mentioned with a smile.
"Like I said before." Dixie looked at her two favorite doctors. "Poor, Johnny." She'll have her hooks in him before he knows what's happening.