Chapter 10

A large gathering of uniformed Los Angeles police officers lingered just outside Room 216 in the hospital. "Excuse me gentlemen, but can I help you?" Dr. Stevens asked one of the officers closest to the door.

Ed Wells tipped his hat to the doctor. "Uh, no sir."

"Can I ask you why you are all here?"

"Um, … an officer from our division was injured. We were hoping to see him."

"Well, I'm sorry, but you are blocking up the hallway and this is a hospital, not a police station."

"I apologize sir. We will do our best to stay out of the way." Ed spoke to the group of officers in a hushed voice and all the men, except one, headed down to the waiting area on the first level. Officer Green stood beside the door as a guard to keep watch for any potential danger.

The doctor then looked at the two officers remaining and asked, "Now what are you doing?"

Ed answered, "This officer in Room 216 was attacked. We are standing guard to be sure nothing else happens to him."

A moment later, another doctor approached in a knee-length white lab coat. He had a gray stethoscope draped over his shoulders and wore round steel-rimmed glasses. The surgeon seemed a bit different and sported a blue bow tie as well. "Hey, Bill. Do you need something?" The doctor knew that his coworker was always meddling in others' affairs.

Stevens stuttered, "No, I was just checking on all the commotion in the hallway before heading down to Medical Records."

"Oh, don't let me hold you up." He paused for a second as he watched Dr. Stevens head to the elevator. He held out his hand to Officers Wells, "Hi, I'm Doctor Stanton." He shook hands with Wells and Green, and both officers introduced themselves. "I'm your friend's doctor. I heard what happened maybe wasn't an accident. I really appreciate you fellas keeping a watchful eye. If you need a chair or anything, just let the staff know how they can help."

"Thank you, Doc." Wells acknowledged.

Dr. Stanton entered Jim's hospital room and found Sergeant MacDonald standing at the left side of the bed, while Mrs. Reed was sitting in a chair on the right holding her husband's hand. Pete leaned against the back wall while Jenny was in a seat just in front of him. Mac had been jotting down everything Jim could recall from the accident, which was minimal to say the least. He blanked out after his head struck the pavement when he was tossed backwards. All four visitors were looking a bit more relieved after spending some time with the patient.

"Excuse me for interrupting. I'm Dr. Stanton."

Quick introductions were made around the room. Jean Reed asked if he was Jim's surgeon.

"Uh, yes I am. I'm sorry I didn't speak with you right after the surgery, but I was called in to assist with another emergency." Sergeant MacDonald moved out of the way and the doctor strolled over to Jim's bedside. "So, how are you feeling Jim?"

"A bit wiped out, I guess." Jim shifted, and then grimaced as a sudden wave of pain hit.

His reaction didn't go unnoticed by Stanton. "Can you be more specific about your pain on a 0-10 scale?" The doctor glanced over his patient. Jim had his hospital bed propped up at a 45-degree angle. His lower right leg was heavily bandaged, and his knee was buried under a large ice pack and a towel. He was hooked up to a couple of IV lines and a heart monitor.

After mulling it over in his still aching head, Reed honestly said, "Maybe a six."

It was hard for his friends and family to hear Jim sharing about his level of discomfort. "I think we can get you another dose of medication to help with that." Then the doctor spoke up, "I hate to be rude, but I would like to check Officer Reed over. Would you all mind stepping out of the room for just a few minutes?"

Mac immediately responded, "Yes, we will just move out into the hallway, if that's OK?"

"Definitely." As all four of them got ready to leave, the doctor reiterated, "I won't be long. Thank you."

Jean stood up and squeezed Jim's hand. She was a bit reluctant to leave her husband's side since she had only been with him for 45 minutes or so. "I'll be fine, Honey," Jim swore.

After the room was cleared, Dr. Stanton put in his stethoscope earpieces to listen to his patient's chest. "Now take a deep breath… again … and one more." He pulled off the stethoscope and rehung in around his neck. "Your lungs are clear and your heart has a good steady beat. Are you hurting anywhere other than your leg?" The doctor was palpating and prodding around Jim's abdomen. He had some significant bruising where he was thrown up against the hood, let alone the contusion on the back of his head.

"Nothing I can't handle."

"Jim, there's no reason to be a hero. I'm your doctor. I need you to be honest with me about how you're doing."

Reed nodded his acceptance of the doctor's statement. "Really, it's uncomfortable to move, but I'm doing OK."

"Well, let me take a look at your leg." The doctor pulled off the ice pack to reveal the multi-colored knee, which was still quite swollen. "Jim, you need to keep your leg elevated at all times because it will help reduce the swelling." He checked over the surgical site of the fractures to be sure the bandage was still clean and dry. "This looks good. In a couple of days we may put on a temporary cast to help immobilize the leg better. But in the meantime, we need to monitor the bandage and redo it as needed until the swelling is down. Jim, both your tibia and fibula bones were fractured. They are set with multiple pins, and you'll be on antibiotics for the next two weeks to prevent the possibility of an infection. Now, I have one more concern to discuss."

Jim didn't like the sound of that statement. "What's wrong?"

"I'm afraid you may need another surgery."

Jim questioned, "for what?!"

"I believe you have a torn ACL along with some muscle damage associated with the joint. The swelling needs to go down before we can proceed with surgery."

Jim's mind was still a bit fuzzy from the effects of the anesthetic drugs, but he was getting the feeling that the fractures were not as serious as the knee injury. Almost afraid to ask, Reed queried, "How long is the recovery time for a torn ligament."

"Uh, usually about four to six months, but with your fracture in play, it may be even longer."

Jim ran his free hand through his hair showing the doctor a clear sign of his frustration.

"Jim, these things take time to heal. It will require a lot of work to get you back on your feet. …"

Reed interrupted, "Will I be 100% again?"

Dr. Stanton didn't want to sound pessimistic, but he had to be completely honest with his patient. "Jim, you might not recover full mobility and strength in the leg. You may have a permanent disability." The doctor saw a panicked look on Reed's face as the last two words were heard. "Jim, let's not jump to any conclusions just yet."

Reed covered his eyes with his hand and remained silent as he digested the bleak news.

The doctor worried about Jim's state of mind, but hoped some sleep and a little more time would help bring him around. "Get some rest. I'll check in with you in the morning." With clenched teeth, Jim said nothing, but anger brewed inside him for the person who caused this. Dr. Stanton left quietly.

His family, friends, and coworkers gathered in the hallway. They turned and acknowledged the doctor exiting the room. Jean asked, "How does he look, doctor?"

"Considering he was struck by a car, he is looking pretty good. But he has a long road ahead of him, and is going to need all the support he can get."

Pete chimed in, "He'll have it."

"Good to know." The doctor nodded to Malloy. "Mrs. Reed, I will swing by a little later before my shift is done, but I will be back in the morning to check on him too. If he needs anything in the meantime, or if you have a question, please have a nurse call me."

The doctor shook her hand as she thanked him, then he headed for the elevator. Jenny and Jean quickly went back into Jim's room while Mac and Pete stayed out in the hall for a moment to talk without the ladies. Both Green and Wells listened in on the conversation.

In an agitated voice, Pete asked, "Mac, are we any closer to finding the man who hit Jim?"

"Well, the car may be a dead end, but you did see the driver? How about you go by the station and look through some mug shots tomorrow morning? Maybe it will help jog your memory."

Pete glanced toward Jim's door. "I can do that, but should I go tonight instead?" Though he sensed it was a long shot in his gut.

Mac knew how important it was for Malloy to stop the man behind this, but he also knew Pete was only human and needed a break from it. "No, I think the morning is soon enough. Maybe you and Jenny should head home for the night. I can give you a ride back to the courthouse to get your car."

Before Pete could respond, Officer Woods and Walters came off the nearby elevator. Each officer was intent on learning the update on Walker, Jenny's father. Mac spoke up, "So what's the status on Walker?"

Walters shared, "Less than an hour ago, he came through surgery. They removed the bullet and managed to control the bleeding. He is currently in critical condition in the ICU. He can be transferred to the prison infirmary when he improves enough to leave Intensive Care."

MacDonald asked, "Did the doctor give you any idea how long that may be?"

"He said it would be at least 24 hours, but it's more likely to be 48 hours before his condition has improved enough to move."

Pete stared at Mac. "We need to talk to him. He may have a connection to Jim's accident."

Walters spoke up again, "They aren't allowing visitors yet, though they have one deputy stationed in the ICU. I believe he is still unconscious though they have him cuffed to the bed knowing he had escaped earlier today."

Mac claimed, "Pete, we will question him, but do you really think he would be forthright if he was involved?" The sergeant shook his head in disbelief. "I'm hoping we'll get lucky and lift some fingerprints from the sedan."

Ed Wells stated, "Well, at least your wife won't have the guilt of killing her own father."

Pete glared at Ed as he thought about the accuracy of his words. Woods felt led to share, "Pete, you wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for her. Jenny clearly saved your life! She is one brave lady."

Pete's reflex reaction was to rub at his sore neck. "You're right, Jerry. I need to let her know about her father." He stepped through the circle of officers to reenter Jim's hospital room. After coming in, Pete could tell that something had changed with Jim. He noticed he wasn't making eye contact with anyone. Maybe he needed to have a heart-to-heart with him, but he first wanted to take a moment to speak to Jenny. He pulled her aside into the back corner by the window. He grabbed both her hands in his. "Jenny, we got word that your father is going to make it. He's out of surgery and in ICU. It will probably be a day or two before he gets transferred to the prison infirmary."

She glanced down to the ground and let out a sigh. She thought to herself, 'Is it wrong to wish he was dead? Life would have been less complicated.' Then she spoke up,"I guess that's good?"Pete could hear the doubt in her voice. "What kind of daughter am I?" She looked away from Pete. "I shot my own father."

"Babe, he didn't give you a choice."

She turned back her gaze to him. "I couldn't lose you … too." Her last statement oozed with her raw emotions.

He reached over and put his hand behind her neck and pulled her close. "Beautiful, I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me forever." He planted a kiss on her cheek, then she reached over and caressed his neck where the red marks remained.

"I'm so sorry for bringing you into this." She shook her head in regret.

Pete lifted her chin so she would have to stare into his eyes. "Stop blaming yourself. It's not your fault. It's your father's and his alone. Do you hear me?"

Pete's authoritative tone caused her to submit. "Yes." As she continued to look into his strained eyes, she needed to hear he was truly all right. "Pete, are you really OK?"

"I am, thanks to you." He leaned in for a tender kiss on her lips. They both let out a sigh of relief afterwards. "Jenny, can you convince Jean to go to the cafeteria to get some food? I would like to talk to Jim alone."

"Of course. Do you want anything?"

"No thanks." Pete reached out and touched her arm. "Have one of the officers outside go with you."

"OK." Jenny moved close to Jean and put a hand on her shoulder. "Why don't we go get a bite to eat?"

Jean glanced up at her girlfriend and said, "I'm not that hungry…"

Jenny interrupted her, "But you need to keep your strength up. We can call and check in on Jimmy too." That additional thought got her attention.

"Maybe you're right. Jim, I'll be back in just a few minutes." She squeezed his hand then leaned in to give him a kiss, but he turned away." Jean sensed that something was bothering him, but wasn't sure what to do. The two ladies made their way out of the room quietly. Officer Green happily accompanied the women to the cafeteria while being observant for anything unusual or suspicious. "Jenny, is there something Jim isn't telling me? He just was acting so distant."

"Not that I know of. But I'm sure Pete can get him to open up."

Back in the room, Pete stepped up close to the bed and asked, "Partner, what's wrong?"

In a burst of anger Jim shouted, "Other than being mowed down by a car? That isn't enough?"

Malloy heard the random lashing out of Jim's sarcastic question, but sensed there was more to it. "Jim, you have every right to be upset. We are going to find whoever did this. I promise."

Jim covered his eyes with his fist. Under his breath he stated, "That won't change anything!"

MacDonald started to come into Reed's room when Pete stopped him with a look and asked, "Mac, can you give us a few minutes?" Bill could see he was interrupting something.

"Yeah. Ok." He left the two friends alone.

"Jim, what do you mean, it won't matter if we find who did this?"

"It just won't! I still have to deal with this!" He pointed at his elevated leg.

"Partner, I know you. You'll be back on your feet in no time."

The tray just to the right of the bed with a small pitcher of water, and a filled Styrofoam cup got the extent of Jim's rage as he swiped it off in one quick blow. The floor received the majority of the water spray though some managed to dampen Pete's pants as well. Jim covered his face again with his open hand as he clenched his teeth.

Pete gazed over his injured friend and started to put two and two together. Jim's demeanor had changed since the visit with the surgeon. "Partner, what did Dr. Stanton tell you?"

"We're probably not going to be … partners anymore."

"What are you saying?"

"Stanton said my knee is messed up." Jim continued to rub over his neck and face hoping to relieve the pent up stress. "He said I could be permanently disabled."

Pete shook his head in disbelief. "No way. That can't be right."

Jim shifted in the bed then stifled a groan from the movement. "The doctor said the fractures were bad, but the knee was much worse. He said I tore my ACL and some muscles in my right knee. It could take months to recover, but there was no guarantee that it would be 100% ever again." Jim turned his gaze downward. "Pete, what am I going to do if I can't be an officer?"

"Jim, that's not going to happen. You need to remember to take it one day at a time. Yes, it won't be easy, and it will require a lot of work, but I know you can do it." Pete could see the doubt and fear in his friend's eyes. "Partner, remember when I had to go through the weeks of physical therapy for my injuries caused by Harry Shaw? I was skeptical too that I could return to police duty. Did you forget that I wore a knee brace and used a cane to walk for a while? If I managed to overcome a shoulder and knee injury, I know you can!"

Pete's words sunk in, and it started to put him at ease with his condition. "Thanks Partner for the pep talk."

"No problem. I needed my fair share of them in the past."

Just then, MacDonald poked his head back in the room. "Can I come in now?"

Both Pete and Jim answered, "Sure, come in Mac."

The sergeant noticed the pitcher on the floor and had to ask, "Are you doing OK Jim?"

"I'm better now." He glanced up at his partner and smirked. Then Reed noticed the marks on Pete's throat. "Pete, what happened to your neck?"

"Jim, it's a long story, and you don't need to worry about it right now." Pete quickly became self-conscious about the bruises and rubbed at the area.

"Hey, just because I'm laid up in the bed, doesn't mean I can't handle knowing what is going on."

Mac stepped up closer and gave Malloy a look. "Well, I guess you would find out soon enough." Pete continued, "Jim, when you were hit in the garage, Jenny went for help. The deputy escorting Walker was the first person she found. Somehow Walker managed to incapacitate the deputy and took Jenny hostage as he tried to escape. After you got on the ambulance, I learned what happened and went searching for Walker and Jenny."

Jim looked alarmed and asked, "But … Jenny was just here."

Pete raised his hand. "Let me finish. The courthouse was put in lockdown mode and fortunately Walker was trapped inside. I found them in a second floor courtroom where Walker and I had a skirmish. At one point he got the upper hand and was choking me with a cord. Jenny was able to get her hands on a gun and shot him in the back." Pete let out a sigh before he went on. "We just got the update that Walker is going to survive."

"Pete. Oh man. Are you two OK?"

"Yeah. It's been a tough day to say the least. Considering what Jenny went through, she is holding up pretty well. I just wish … we had some answers for your hit-and-run."