Chapter 11

Jimmy Deakins had arrived while Mike was in surgery and together they had all kept vigil in the waiting room. While they had waited, he had explained David Virgini's connection to Mike.

"A few years ago, Logan and his partner at the time, Carolyn Barek, they worked this case – Mark Virgini and his partner Albert Kirkoff, veteran cops, both of them dirty. Virgini had gone so far as to offer his daughter's phone number up to any takers. He even offered the girl to Logan, told Mike that she couldn't hold her alcohol and he thought Mike might want to have a good time," Jimmy shook his head and Bailey felt her stomach twist in disgust. "I think Mike wanted to throttle the son of a bitch. I remember him asking how a father, and a cop at that, could pimp out his own daughter. He was sick at the thought of what Virgini had done."

"What happened to Virgini and Kirkoff?" Bailey asked in hushed tones.

"They're both doing time, last I knew. Virgini's daughter testified against him after Mike and Barek let her in on what her father had been doing. The trial was a circus – remarks flew about Logan being a disgraced cop and how he could possibly have the guts to bring down his brother officers," Deakins recalled the innuendoes as if it were yesterday and his anger began to rise as it had back then. "Logan's never been anything but honest and they tried to drag him down to their level – and the nephew, he was just entering the police academy, I think. He went after Mike outside the courtroom, called Mike all sorts of filth. Kid worships his uncle."

"That doesn't explain the transfer orders." It was Bobby's turn to speak now. "They had to come from somewhere and I doubt Virgini's nephew would have the smarts or connections to forge them. He hasn't been on the force long enough, has he?"

"I doubt it – he can't be any more than 25 or 26," Deakins replied.

"These orders had to come from higher up," Ross joined the conversation. "I've got a call into Jack McCoy…"

*************

Bailey sat in the chair alongside Mike's hospital bed. Her head rested on her folded arms, her right hand on Mike's left forearm should he awaken while she slept. All three men had insisted she go home once the surgery had proven successful, but Bailey had steadfastly refused and they all soon realized she was stronger willed than any of them where her husband was concerned.

"Why don't you both head home, I'll stay with her," Ross broke the silence in the hallway. When Bobby and Deakins looked at him, he added: "My boys are away with their mother and you both have families to go home to."

Both men opened their mouths to refuse, but the Captain simply looked to where Bailey and Mike slept before he stated:

"We all know that she's not going to budge from Logan's side and I'll call as soon as there's any news."

Goren Home

Charli hadn't even attempted to go back to sleep. She kept a close eye on Molly, in case the child should wake in strange surroundings, looking for her mother. She called Bobby several times, anxious for any news on Mike's condition. She had heard the concern in his deep, smooth voice as they spoke, along with his desire to reassure her.

"Hello?" she answered the phone in mid ring.

"I'm on my way home," Bobby told her.

"How's Mike?"

"He came through the surgery. The doctor said the next 24 to 48 hours are critical, but he was optimistic."

"Thank God," Charli whispered and Bobby silently echoed the sentiment.

Mercy Hospital

"Captain?" Megan located Danny Ross where he sat, half asleep, in the visitor's lounge. "Where's Logan? What happened? How'd he end up in central processing?"

"Slow down, Wheeler," he instructed as he tried to assemble his thoughts. "Logan's just down the hallway. I'm trying to put the pieces together of how he ended up downtown but apparently an inmate recognized him or at least knew Logan had been a cop. He and a few other prisoners decided to teach him a lesson."

"Is he alright?"

"He suffered a subdural hematoma – the doctor needed to relieve the pressure on his brain and reduce the swelling. He came through the surgery fine, but he's not out of the woods just yet. The doctor said the next few days are critical to his recovery…"

"I want to see him," she began to leave the lounge, but the Captain was quick to take a gentle hold of her arm.

"He's still unconscious and his wife is resting. It's best that we wait."

Wheeler opened her mouth to speak, but saw her Captain's stern expression and fell silent. While Megan had begun to respect Bailey, she still harbored doubts about the woman's intentions where Logan was concerned. She was certain a confrontation between the two was long overdue and Bailey's attitude at the Penalty Box had only strengthened Megan's convictions.

"I'm not all that good at waiting," Megan told him. "Something I learned from my partner."

*************

"Do you have any family, Mike?"

Mike heard the voice through the darkness and turned in an attempt to locate the source.

He had a family, Mike tried to respond, but no sound came forth.

"Have you ever asked yourself why not?"

But I have a family, Mike shouted, but still there was no sound. I have Bailey and Molly. They're my family.

"There's another world out there…"

Mike struggled to find a way out of the darkness as Father Shea's words seemed to taunt him. Mike knew he had that 'other world' that the priest had spoken of. He could see his family, smiling and laughing with him. He could hear Molly calling for her 'Daddy' as clearly as he heard Bailey:

"I love you, Mike Logan."

"Bailey…" his voice was hoarse and his throat dry.

"Mike?" Bailey was on her feet and alongside the bed even as she said his name. She reached for the cord hanging on the bed rail and pushed the red button. "I'm right here."

"Virgini," he began, but Bailey laid a gentle finger on his lips.

"We know about Mark Virgini's nephew, Captain Ross is trying to find out what happened," she told him. "Don't worry about that. We just need to worry about getting you well."

"Mrs. Logan, you'll need to step out of the room for a moment," the nurse touched Bailey's shoulder.

"I'll be right outside," Bailey assured him. She reached out a gentle hand and cupped his bruised cheek. "I love you," she told him and he offered her a soft smile as he replied:

"I know."

*************

Megan saw Bailey first and rose to meet her.

"How is he?" she demanded and Bailey replied:

"He's awake. The doctor's on his way to see him."

"The fact that he's conscious is a good sign," Captain Ross joined them.

"And he remembered Virgini," Bailey told him.

"Once the doctor's agreeable, I'll need to talk to Mike," Ross said. "Can I get you anything?"

"No, I'm fine, thank you" she assured him. "I need to call Jimmy and Bobby…"

"I'll take care of that," Ross told her. "You just focus on Mike right now. Let your friends handle everything else."

Bailey had long ago learned to be independent and wasn't accustomed to allowing anyone to take control. It had taken everything in her power to trust Mike and the fact that they were two strong personalities working at a relationship was a challenge in itself. Mike was the louder and more outspoken of the two, but Bailey knew that they had many confrontations ahead of them. Or at least she hoped they did.

"Captain…"

"Bailey, Mike and Molly need to be your priority now. Let us help you," the Captain's gentle tone drew Wheeler's attention. She wasn't sure she'd ever heard it before.

"Thank you," Bailey conceded. "I need to get back," she excused herself and hurried back to Mike's room.

Medical Examiner's Office

Rodgers wasn't a woman who liked mysteries. She wanted everything to be clearly explainable at the end of her day. It was because of this that she hadn't released Richard Denton's body, although no one had been clamoring to claim the man's remains either. She reread her autopsy report for any details that might have slipped by her, but found nothing. With a heavy sigh, she closed the file and ran her hands over her face.

She had known Mike Logan longer than any of the detectives she now dealt with and in spite of the fact that they might snipe at each other, she respected the man and considered him a friend. She had been deeply saddened when he had been transferred to Staten Island, certain that there had been many people who would have liked to take a swing at that city councilman. Logan had been the man to do it, though, and based on his reputation as a hot head, had been forced to pay for his actions.

When he had been transferred to Major Case, Rodgers had been pleased to see that little had changed. He had aged a bit, as had she, but he was still the Logan she had known from the 2 – 7. Self-assured, opinionated and not one to back down from a fight, he had never ceased to exasperate her, or bring a smile to her face at the most improbable of times.

"Dr. Rodgers?" a timid intern stood in the doorway. "You sent for me?"

"I did," the doctor acknowledged. "I need to re-examine a body and I'd appreciate an extra pair of eyes…"

Mercy Hospital

"So David Virgini was acting on legitimate orders?" Bailey studied Captain Ross.

"From what Jack McCoy can determine it was a clerical mix-up," he explained. "A clerk saw that Logan hadn't been processed and thought it was an oversight. She put the orders through, thinking she was doing the right thing."

"And as a result, Mike could have died," Bailey stated, laying her hand on her husband's shoulder. Mike had listened to the explanation, not convinced that he believed it.

"It was a mistake," Danny began, but Bailey's temper began to show itself.

"Well, that was one hell of a mistake!"

"Could've been worse," Mike added, his voice still hoarse. The doctor felt it was the result of the beating since there were indications that he'd been choked and may have suffered trauma to his vocal cords. Given time, his voice would heal, as would the rest of his injuries.

Bailey studied him, his head bandaged in what resembled a skullcap of gauze and his skin was discolored on every visible surface, the purplish bruises a stark contrast to the white bandages. She wondered if he'd feel the same way once he got a look at his reflection in a mirror. But he was alive, she reminded herself. He was alive and the doctor felt certain that he'd make a full recovery. Silently she agreed, it could have been much worse.

*************

Bailey walked along the row of food on display in the hospital cafeteria, certain that she wasn't hungry, but Mike had insisted she get herself something. She studied the fruit and selected several nectarines.

"You visiting someone?" the man's voice startled her and Bailey jumped visibly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"I'm sorry, I was lost in thought," Bailey replied. "My husband's here," she told him, keeping a comfortable distance.

"I thought I'd seen you here before," he said. "Is he going to be OK? Your husband?"

"He'll be fine, thank you," she moved along, retrieving a bottle of water and a Dr. Pepper.

"Would you like to sit together? I hate eating alone…"

"Thank you, but I'm going back to my husband's room," she offered him a weak smile. She set her selections at the register and dug several dollars from the pocket of her jeans. The man studied her and Bailey straightened her spine defensively.

"The offer stands if we run into each other again," he said as she collected her items and turned to leave.

"No, thank you," Bailey kept her voice polite, but firm. He watched her leave the cafeteria before he pulled the cell phone from his pocket.

"Hello?"

"Logan's going to be fine," he stated.

"You've seen him?"

"I just talked to his wife."

"You never cease to amaze me with the level of your idiocy. What the hell are you doing talking to his wife?"

"It was the only way to get information. No one would tell me anything," he defended his actions.

"You better damn well hope she doesn't make you!"

"You seem to forget that you're the only one who knows who I am," he stated before ending the call.

Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers' Lab

"You wanted to see us?" Alex asked as she and Bobby entered the lab.

"I did," Rodgers acknowledged. "This whole thing with Logan has been eating at me. The fact that I couldn't determine a cause of death – so today I had an intern help me go over Denton's body." As she spoke, Rodgers moved to the metal slab and pulled the sheet down to reveal the man's head and shoulders.

"And you found something?" Bobby asked, moving closer to the slab, while Eames stayed nearer to the door.

"We did – something so minute that I've missed it each time, even though it was right in front of me. Help me roll him," she motioned to Bobby and the two rolled Denton onto his left side. "Right here, underneath his hair line – there's a small puncture wound…" Bobby leaned in for a closer look, his face just inches from the hole and he touched the area with a curious finger.

"Which means what?" Alex wanted to know.

"Which means that someone intentionally inserted a sharp, pointed object into Denton's spine, killing him instantly. Not an act of anger or impulse. This was the act of someone who knew exactly where to insert it and how much pressure to apply." Rodgers nodded to Bobby and they released Denton so that the corpse returned to its back. "This was the act of a professional – someone who knew how to act quickly and precisely."

"Which means that Logan didn't cause Denton's death," Alex looked at Bobby, a smile teasing the corners of her mouth.

"No, he didn't," Rodgers agreed. "I'm just sorry I didn't find this sooner."

"You found it now. That's all that matters," Bobby replied softly.

Mercy Hospital

"You should go home," Mike began and Bailey shot him a look that he had come to know well.

"Molly's with Charli and I'm not going anywhere," she informed him. "Unless you're sick of me and are thinking of hitting on that pretty nurse who's been making nice with you," she teased.

"No, Baby, you're the only one I want making nice with me," he told her with a chuckle but winced at the pain that shot through him.

"I don't think you're up to making nice with anyone right now," she pointed out, but ran a hand over his left arm lightly. She had found herself touching him any time the opportunity presented itself, simply to assure herself he was truly safe.

"Up to some company?" Bobby knocked on the door as he and Alex entered.

"Sure," Mike was agreeable. He attempted to sit up a little straighter but the effort was beyond him and his face paled in pain. "Wheeler was here for a little bit but she had to get back to work. She's getting antsy for a new partner…"

"Ross is working on it," Alex said. "But how can any partner compare to the infamous Mike Logan?"

Mike couldn't help but laugh at that and winced again. Alex apologized but it was clear that both detectives were relieved to see Mike conscious and in a somewhat good humor.

"We've got some news," Bobby began, and Bailey rose to her feet, moving to stand along Mike's bedside. "But I'm not sure he's up to it, Eames, what do you think?"

"He does look a little weak and I wouldn't want to unduly excite him," Alex agreed. "Maybe we should leave and come back later."

"Hold up," Logan protested. "What's going on?"

"Well, seems that Rodgers just couldn't stand the thought of not knowing how Denton died," Bobby began but Mike cut him off.

"I thought that I was the reason he died."

"Apparently not," Bobby's gaze moved from Mike to Bailey and then back. "Rodgers re-examined the body and found a minute puncture wound at the base of Denton's hairline on the back of his neck – someone intentionally murdered him and tried to use you as a cover…"

"You mean," Bailey's brown eyes filled with tears and she clutched the bed rail to hold her upright. "This is over? Mike's not going to have to go back to jail?"

"No," Alex assured her. "No jail, no trial – when he's released he gets to go home with you and Molly. And we need to focus on trying to find the real murderer."

Goren Home

Charli heard the telephone ringing as she unlocked the back door. Molly pushed the door open and grabbed the receiver, hopeful it was her mother.

"Goren home," Molly said. "May I ask who's calling please?"

Bailey set down the car carriers on the floor as Molly brought her the cordless phone.

"Who is it?"

"Declan somebody," Molly replied as she knelt on the floor and began to unfasten Jake's seat, the child anxious to be freed from his confinement.

"Hello?" Charli was certain the man wanted Bobby but didn't want to speak with a child. "Bobby's not here, Declan."

"I know that. He's working, like he should be," the man remarked coldly. "I wanted to talk to you."

"What could you possibly need me for?" She held the phone with her shoulder as she unfastened Emma's restraints. Freed, the children crawled towards the living room followed by Molly and Charli.

"I want you to talk Bobby into helping me with my book. He's a wealth of knowledge and I could use his input."

"Bobby already told you he wasn't interested," Charli said, wishing Molly hadn't been so quick to answer the telephone.

"He's interested. I know him well enough to know that. He just doesn't have the time. Now that he has this 'family' you monopolize the time he should be focusing on his work and making contributions – You think you can keep him attracted to you? You're more naïve than I thought if you believe that. He married you because you were pregnant, that's the only reason. You're just another responsibility that he's taken on – just like his mother and brother…"

Charli didn't allow him to go any farther, she pushed the 'end' button on the phone and tossed it on the kitchen table. It rang again just seconds later and she was tempted not to answer it, but the thought of giving Declan a piece of her mind was a bit too enticing. She retrieved the phone, but calmed when she saw the caller ID - Robert Goren and Bobby's cell phone number.

"Hi," she spoke softly.

"Hi yourself," Bobby replied and Charli could hear the smile in his voice.

"What's going on?" she couldn't help but smile in return and she attempted to push Declan's hurtful words to the back of her mind.

"We're just leaving the hospital," he told her and proceeded to tell her of Rodgers' re-examination of Denton's body and her subsequent findings.

"Oh, Bobby, that's wonderful," she smiled, anxious to tell Molly the news. "Mike and Bailey must be so relieved. Do you have any leads as to who actually killed Denton?"

"Not yet," he replied. "Eames and I are going to retrace our steps and see if we can find anything new. I'm going to be late…"

"We'll be here," she assured him. "Wake me if I'm sleeping."

"I will," he promised. "I love you, Chuck."

"I love you back," she told him and knew that, no matter what might happen in their future, she would always love him.

*************

The news spread quickly that Mike Logan was a free man and he knew that he needed to go into hiding; otherwise he'd be joining Denton in the morgue. It had been his job to frame Logan, to make certain that that the ex-detective went to prison and now that wasn't going to happen. Fear unlike any he had ever known seized him, the fear of a man who knew he was going to die before he could tell anyone whose orders he had acted upon.

He tossed the newspaper on the coffee table of his small apartment and rushed to pack whatever he could manage to carry with him. He ignored the cell phone as it rang. He knew who it was and he knew that it was best to sever any communication. It would be harder to locate him that way.

Gary Spence watched him leave the apartment building carrying three duffle bags and knew that the man was on the run. Faced with a choice of letting the man flee or turning him in, Spence knew that if he was in this far, he might as well be all in. He reached for his cell phone and dialed 9-1-1 as he repeated the license plate number back to himself so he didn't forget it.

Mercy Hospital

While Mike slept, Bailey had showered and redressed in the clothes she had worn to the hospital. Charli had offered to bring her an overnight bag when she brought Molly by to visit and Bailey had been quick to accept. She dug through her purse and found a comb that she always kept to straighten Molly's hair when needed and ran it through her damp waves.

She studied Mike as she combed her hair, thanking God that he had survived the beating. His chest, arms and face were so badly bruised that she knew he had to be in pain. The doctor had shaved his head for the surgery, but gauze bandages covered the incision. She had asked Charli to prepare Molly so the child wasn't frightened when she came to visit, even though she doubted Molly would ever be afraid of her Daddy.

"Hey, lady, you come here often?" Mike teased and Bailey flushed to be caught staring.

"Only when there's a good looking man to be found," she smiled and moved towards the bed. She leaned down and kissed him lightly. "Good morning."

"That it is," he agreed. "Any idea when the doctor plans on springing me?"

"I think you're looking at a day or two, at least."

"Is it that bad?" he asked.

"It could be worse," she told him, caressing his cheek with a gentle hand. "I'm so sorry…"

"None of this is your fault, B," Mike covered her hand with his left where it rested on his cheek. "My damn temper got me into it," he told her. "But it's over and I'm coming home."

Major Case Squad Room

Captain Danny Ross slammed down his phone and swore under his breath. An anonymous tip, he never put any faith in them, but where the Denton case was concerned, he wanted every lead followed. The press would have a field day with the fact that Logan was being freed. The police covering for one of their own, Ross could see the headline as he pulled open his office door.

"Goren, Eames!"

"What is it, Captain?" Bobby rose and followed behind Eames.

"An anonymous tip – the man who's been following Bailey Logan was seen leaving his apartment with several bags. Our secret pal gave a description of a gray sedan along with a plate number – the car's been found in a parking lot near Lennie B's. With a body inside…"

"No one got a clear look at the man who may or may not have been following Bailey," Alex stated.

"No, but it's the only lead we've gotten so far and I'm not about to let it slip through our fingers," Ross told her. "Check it out."

*************

Bobby leaned into the car, cautious not to come in contact with the blood that was everywhere inside the vehicle.

"His throat's been cut," Bobby called to Eames, who was searching the trunk of the car. "He died quick."

"He packed quick, too," Eames commented, taking note of the crumpled clothes, shoved hastily into the bags.

"I've got a wallet," he pulled it carefully from the dead man's jacket pocket. "Bruce Hartman…"

"He was running scared."

"But from who?" Bobby asked as he left the body to join his partner at the trunk. He selected a second bag and unzipped it to examine the contents. "Hello…" Eames followed Bobby's gaze as he retrieved a Swiss Army-style pocketknife from the duffle. He opened several of the blades until one resembling an awl was revealed.

"Look at that, a sharp, pointed object," Alex said. "Let's get it to the lab…"

Mercy Hospital

Bobby handed Mike the photograph of Hartman that had been taken at the morgue. Mike studied it for a moment before he said:

"I've never seen the guy."

"I have," Bailey took the picture from Mike. "He – yesterday, he was in the cafeteria when I went to grab something to eat. He – he made me uncomfortable, asked me to sit with him and said he'd seen me around the hospital."

"Are you sure?" Alex asked as she accepted the picture back from Bailey's outstretched hand.

"Yes," Bailey nodded. "It was him."

"He had a pocketknife that had Denton's DNA on it and the puncture wound that killed Denton matched one of the blades on the knife," Eames explained.

"Guy must have had a grudge against Denton and I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," Mike shrugged. "Figured if I was taking the fall he wanted to know if I was going to make it or not."

"It's a little more complicated than that," Alex replied. "We got an anonymous tip that this was the same guy who had been following Bailey. So, if Hartman was after Denton then why was he following Bailey?" Alex's questioned caused the room to fall silent as Mike's gaze moved from her to Bailey.

"You were being followed?"

"I – I'm not really sure," she began, softly, but it was obvious that Mike was not pleased.

"Whether you were sure or not, you should have told me," he kept his tone even, but it was icy.

"You had too much to worry about as it was, I didn't see any reason to add to everything going on…"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause any trouble," Alex shifted a bit self-consciously. "I just assumed you knew."

"You didn't cause any trouble," Mike was quick to assure her.

"Let's just be thankful that this is all over," Bobby spoke calmly. "We may never know why he killed Denton, but Hartman's dead and neither of them will be bothering you again."

"Yeah, well, I've never liked loose ends," Mike grumbled.

"If we find anything else out, we'll let you know," Alex said. She looked at Bailey, adding: "I am sorry."

"It's OK," Bailey offered the detective a smile. If she and Mike were going to argue, no one else had to be involved and she had no one to blame but herself.

"We're going to get back to work," Bobby walked towards the door. "Charli and Molly will be here after Molly gets out of school…"

Once they had left the room, Bailey waited for Mike to say something, but he remained silent. However, before she could move away from the bed, Mike's left hand snagged hold of her wrist and he studied her for a moment.

"No secrets, B," he whispered. "No more, ever."

"I just didn't want you to worry," she replied, just as softly.

"So instead you lied."

"I didn't lie, Mike. It was just – you were being held for Rick's murder and there wasn't anything you'd be able to do but worry…"

"But I'd rather worry than not know," he stated.

*************

"Retired NYPD Detective Logan Cleared", the headline mocked and the newspaper was tossed on the desk in disgust. That hadn't been the plan. The plan had been for Mike Logan to go to prison for a long time, to be separated from his newfound family and suffer untold horror at the hands of the men he had helped incarcerate. Men who would be more than happy to welcome him into their folds. Damn Hartman and his blunders.

There was too much heat right now. Too many people trying to find out where the orders originated to have Logan transferred to central processing, Jack McCoy being one of them. Too many people trying to link Hartman with someone, anyone from Logan's history on the NYPD. A choice needed to be made, revenge against Mike Logan or political ambition, and for the time being political ambition would take priority. Revenge would wait and with political advancement would come more power.

It had been such a well thought out plan but apparently, using Hartman had been a mistake. That was not a mistake that would be made again. Hartman was dead. It had been easy enough to arrange. When one knew the right people, most anything was possible. With Hartman out of the way, there were no loose ends, no one who could link him to the person who had actually contracted him to murder Denton, or track the initial call that had gotten Logan taken to central processing.

Wheeler – it had been easy to even the score with Wheeler. Colin Ledger had practically invited his own arrest with his illegal dealings. And, if truth be told, Megan Wheeler had been an innocent victim in the entire situation. It had been Mike Logan who had almost brought ruination with his dogged investigation into the Randy Nichols case.

The knock on the door startled her from her thoughts and she called:

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, Ms. Driver, but your appointment is here…"

ADA Teri Driver smoothed her skirt as she rose from her desk, pushing thoughts of vengeance and Mike Logan from her mind for the time being. There would come a time that another opportunity would present itself and the Assistant District Attorney would be ready.

End Chapter 11