California Dreaming

Chapter 8

"Getting anything, Nolan?" Harper asks as John concentrates on the readout from his sniffer.

"Just the trace amounts I detected before. What's happening?"

"It looks like Tactical is preparing to go full breach. They've all got body armor. At least someone paid attention to our report about Wilson describing big guns." Calculating the seconds it will take for the L.A.P.D. to penetrate the building, Harper counts to herself. "They're probably in the center of the production area now. But I don't hear any shots fired."

"Thank God for that," Nolan responds.

Harper frowns. "I'm not so sure. La Fiera's people wouldn't go down that easy. It would shame them and the organization. She'd probably want to take out anyone who surrenders like that personally."

"So, what do you think is going on?" Nolan presses.

"I don't know," Harper admits. "But people, ours, and suspects are beginning to leave the building. Something's not right, John. Keep an eye on that sniffer."

John shrugs. "Nothing's changing."

"Our team is loading up the suspects for transport. If any of them are offering resistance, I can't see it from here."

"So the operation's finished?" Nolan wonders.

"For Tactical. But the detectives will question all the suspects. The Forensic Science and Technical Division will have to come in to examine everything in the building and clear it. And we won't be done for a while. As perimeter cops, we'll have to ensure the scene is secure until the lab people and detectives release it. We'll be here a while."

John checks his watch. "That D.N.A. lab where I dropped off my sample won't be closed for a few hours yet. It might come up with some results today. I hope we get to leave at end of shift. My maybe-brother and I decided we'd go through them together. But the last time I had a supposedly easy job guarding a crime scene, it stretched on until the killers came back – shooting."

"I don't think these guys are coming back, but I wouldn't count on relief either," Nyla warns. "At least Lila's with Donovan this week. I won't have to worry about picking her up and taking her to music class."

John turns to her. "But you wish you did."

Nyla sighs. "I guess I do."

As hours pass and his muscles stiffen, Nolan stretches, the sniffer almost slipping from his fingers. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a flash of red. "Harper, I've got a spike! A big one!"

Harper grabs her radio. "Possible imminent 10-80 Fashion District Crime Scene. Evacuate…." The radio flies from her grasp as a shock wave shatters asphalt and rocks the shop.

"You don't know that John was at the explosion," Kate insists.

"I know that he was as anxious for the D.N.A. results as I was," Rick replies, "but he didn't answer his phone when the email came in last night, and he's not answering now. I tried the Mid-Wilshire Division where he's assigned, and they're only giving information about the cops caught in the Fashion District blast to relatives."

"You haven't looked at the results yet. You could be a relative," Kate points out.

"Not according to L.A.P.D. records. Anyway, I promised John we'd find out together. And we will – if possible. According to the news reports, injured cops were taken to the U.C.L.A. Medical Center. Maybe I can get something from there. One of the center's doctors, Mikaela Messenger, consulted on one of my books in exchange for a storyline supporting concussion research. If John was caught in the explosion, she might know. It's worth a shot."

"Rick, privacy rules prevent me from telling you anything except a patient's general status," Messenger responds to Castle's phone query. "Your friend is alive and stable. But if you'd like to come to the hospital and wait until he can accept visitors, I can't think of anything that should stop you."

After hearing the Dr.'s reply on speaker, Kate lays her head on Rick's shoulder. "You go ahead. I'll take care of Lily. She's wanted to go swimming. We can hang around the pool for a while. And we were all going to see the La Brea Tar Pits. If you're not back later, I can take her by myself."

Rick leans in for a kiss. "I love you. You know that?"

Kate cups the back of his head as their lips meet again. "It never hurts to remind me."

When John's eyes finally obey his command to open, the first sight greeting him is Bailey's face. "Hi!"

She brushes a strand of hair back from his forehead. "Hi, yourself. This wasn't what I had in mind for our next date."

"How long have I been out?" John asks.

"Since the explosion in the Fashion District yesterday."

"Have you been here the whole time?"

Bailey shakes her head. "I was part of the battalion that fought the fire. It spread to the whole block. The captain let me go as soon as she could."

John immediately pictures Wilson and the group of homeless. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Other than members of the L.A.P.D. securing the perimeter of the building that blew, not as far as I know. From what I understand, your people pretty thoroughly cleared the area before you raided a drug lab."

"How about Harper?"

"She got her chimes rung, and they kept her overnight for observation, but from what I hear, she's OK. Your body may have shielded her. The staff let me stay with you as an E.M.T., but I haven't got much information about other patients, just what I picked up in the hall. And I'm not the only one here for you. Rick's out in the waiting room. He's been holding on to his phone like it's the crown jewels. He says you're supposed to look at the results of your tests together."

John blows out a deep breath. "So he has them. I don't know if either of us is sure what we want to see."

"Before you see anything, now that you're awake, the doctor is going to want to check you out. But as soon as she's through, she should OK Rick coming in here.

Rick gives a little wave from the doorway of Nolan's room. "Heck of a way to keep me on pins and needles, John. You OK?"

"Other than feeling like I was run over by a truck, yeah. The doctor said all the right words like 'equal and reactive.' So you've got them?"

Rick holds up his phone. "The email's right here. It's pretty long, so it might take us a moment to get to the part that counts."

"This is between the two of you. Do you want me to leave?" Bailey offers.

"If it's all right with Rick, please stay," John urges.

"It's fine," Rick allows. "I wish Kate could be here too. But she's on toddler patrol. I believe that at the moment, she and Lily should be looking at dinosaur bones. But John and I have our own history to dig out of the tar."

John pulls himself up in bed. "Let's do it."

Rick holds his cellphone where John can see it and scrolls through the text. Do you want me to slow down a little? I always get ahead of Kate."

John starts to shake his head but thinks better of it. "No, you're just fine. I've always been a speed reader. I guess we'll know in a second if that's genetic too."

Rick reaches the paragraph headed conclusions. After a rapid scan, he holds out his hand to John. "Welcome to the family, Bro."