Seajae's feet hit the pavement in perfect rythm. It had been a long
time since she ran to clear her head but today was one of those days. The
New York streets were wet and the fog still hadn't lifted and it was after
seven. She ran about a mile when she heard foot steps behind her. She
turned to see Jimmy comming up behind her.
"Hey stranger. Long time no see." He fell into pace with her.
"Yeah. Hows things?"
"Good. Kim and I are looking for an apartment near work."
"Great. I'm glad things are working out for you guys."
"How's things with you and Bosco?"
"Super, couldn't be better." She picked up the pace a little.
"Are you sure. It's been months since you ran. I thought..."
"You should of noticed when I stopped running. Thats when I had a problem."
"I asked you then too and you said everything was just ducky."
"I lied then. I'm not lying now. I needed some down time. I'm good to go now. Head clear and body back in shape."
"Never knew your body was out of shape." He smiled and she laughed at him.
"Mine is the last body you need to be looking at Doherty." She started running a little faster. "My husband catch you looking he'll kick your ass."
"Your husband can try." They jogged in silence for awhile. "Hey Seajae?"
"Yeah."
"You guys want to go to dinner Saturday. Joey's ding to see Angel again. I think those two will be a couple some day."
"If he's anything like his old man no way."
"Naw he's going to be just like his mom."
"Wearing his heart on his sleave. There's got to be a happy medium there." They were in the park now. The fog was still blanketing the city. The hair on the back of Seajae's neck stood up. She slowed her pace making sure Jimmy was right next to her.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know. It's too quiet." She slowed even more and stopped. Bending over and holding her side. A scream broke though the fog. Seajae pulled her phone out of the wiast band of her pants and thew it to Jimmy. " Call it in. " She headed the direction of the scream.
********
Seajae unholstered the small colt she carried while running. There was the sound of leaves russling. She could not see but a foot or two in front of her. She tripped over something at her feet. She looked down to see a woman lying amongst the leaves. Bending over she checked her paulse. There were sounds all around her. She couldn't disgish what was on top of her and what was at a distance. "Jimmy!"
"Here." He came up behind her.
"She's still breathing." She handed Jimmy her gun. "Keep your eyes open, I can't see anything in this shit." Seajae checked the woman for wounds. She was bleeding from her abdomen. "Oh god." They heard foot steps and saw two uniformed officers when they were nearly on top of them. "Get a bus here now. We have a woman late twenties, stab wound to the abdomen."
"Seajae this doesn't look like any stab wound I ever saw." Seajae took of her jacket to put pressure on the wound. It ran from her left side to her right.
"Oh dear God, Jimmy. Someone peformed a c-section on her. " Jimmy looked at the woman who was loosing blood to fast. "Damn it where's the bus." She heard the running foot steps. She felt the paramedics next to her. Looking up she saw Doc. "Oh man I'm I glad to see you."
"What happened?"
"We found her this way. I think someone stole her baby. The wound...."
"I see the ambilical cord. Your right. You catching this one?"
"If they let me. On on leave...but I want to help." She stood up and let Doc and his partner work on the woman. The uniforms gathered around and started taking her statment. Jimmy came up behind her and and put his hands on her shoulders. "Hey."
"Here." He handed her her gun and her phone. She had blood all over the front of her.
"I need to call Bosco." She dialed her home phone number. Kelly answered the phone.
"Hey Kelly is Bosco still there."
"Yeah. Hold on." It took a couple of minutes for him to come to the phone.
"Yeah."
"Hey hotpants."
"What happened?"
"I cought a case."
"Your on leave. You can't catch a case."
"Okay, I fell into a case." She so wanted a cigarette.
"I was running and I heard a scream. I found a woman Bosco. Someone cut her baby right out of her."
"Oh God. Are you alright?"
"Yeah. Jimmy was with me. Bosco it was.....jesus, I've never seen anything like it. I'll be home it a bit."
"Okay. Take care baby. Be careful." He paused. "I love you."
"I love you too." She hung up and headed back to Jimmy. "Can you catch a ride with a black and white?"
"I'll run. It isn't that far." He looked at her. "You on the other hand are a mess." Seajae looked down at her shirt.
"I'll grab a ride. We'll talk later." She headed to where the woman was attacted. There were quiet a few uniformed officers along with three detectives. One came up to her.
"Detective Boscorelli?"
"Yeah."
"I'm Detective Grayson. Special Victims. Heard your SVU for the five five."
"I'm on leave for a few more weeks."
"How did you come across the woman?"
"A friend and I were running. We hit the park about seven forty-five. It was eirry quiet with the fog and all. I guess people were smart not coming in. Anyway I slowed down for a minute then stopped. I had a feeling, a stich in my side."
"Or in your gut? I beleive in gut feelings Detective."
"What ever it was I stopped and then we heard a scream. I threw Jimmy my phone to call for back up and I ran toward the area I thought the sound had come from. I went about a hundred yards and I found the woman."
"Do you run this way every morning?"
"There's the funny part. I quit running six months ago. Personal reasons. I just felt the urge this morning. Before I knew it I was heading here."
"Where did you meet Mr. Doherty?"
"On eighth ave. He runs the park on his days off."
"He on the job too?"
"Firefighter." The woman wrote some things down.
"We have everything we need. If you think of anything else, just give us a call." Seajae took the card the detective handed her. "You need a ride home Detective?"
"Yeah kinda hard to catch a cab covered in blood." The woman headed to Grayson's car. A tech from the CSI team came up to them and showed them something in a bag,
"What do you make of this?" In the bag was a seringe, marked with Mercy's logo.
"Somebodies stealing supplies...or our kid napper is an employee of the hospital." Seajae put up her hand. "Sorry. Just use to..."
"It's okay. I've never seen the logo stamped on a syringe before."
"They started it about six years ago when needles started washing up un beaches. This way if there's dumping they know where to start."
"Your not from New York are you?"
"No Texas, why?"
"Thought I detected a twang." They headed toward the car again. "How long have you been with the five five."
"Offically nine months. I was a US Marshal on specail duty for three years before that."
"You were a US Marshal? Why quit the exciting life like that?"
"A man. And a baby. " The women got into the car.
"Both worth the change of scenery I take it?"
"Oh yeah. I never believed in happily ever after till them."
"What does your husband do?"
"He's a cop."
"Wow talk about stess loads."
"It's not so bad. We work the same shift. We have a nanny we can depend on. It was tough going recently but were working it out." Seajae wanted a cigarette more then anything in the world right now.
"I envy you Detective." Grayson smiled. "I would love to settle down but you get someone who's not on the job they don't understand. If they are they understand too much." Seajae gave the Detective directions to her house. They pulled up five minutes later. "You did a good job today Detective."
"Thanks. Keep me posted on the case, will you. If they find the baby."
"I sure will. When are you going back to work."
"May first. I was going to start earlier but after today I think I'll milk this one out."
"I don't blame you." Seajae got out and headed ito the building. An old lady was coming out as she was going in.
"Hi Mrs. O'Rourke." The woman looked at her.
"Hard day at the office dear?" Seajae smiled.
"Yeah Mrs. O. One hell of a hard day." She took the steps three at a time. Bosco was sitting at the kitchen table when Seajae came in. He looked up from the sports page. His eyes got wide. "I'm fine. " She grabbed a bottle of water. "I'm taking a shower. Tell Faith I'll be over in fifteen."
"Honey please don't leave your bloody clothes all over the bathroom. People are starting to talk."
"Bite me Bosco." She slammed the bathroom door.
*******
Seajae sat with her legs curled under her and a cup of coffee in her hand. Faith sat across from her.
"Only you Seajae, only you." Faith said after she heard the story of he run with Jimmy.
"Yeah. I just can't get over it. To cut a woman for her baby. I've delt with some sick puppies but this is just...unthinkable."
"How is the woman?"
"I'm going to call the hospital a little later. Faith it was terrible. She was so young and beautiful."
"God I hope this isn't the start of something."
"Like a serial thing? Me too. I couldn't deal with that kinda crisis right now." Caleb came out of the bed room.
"Hey Kiddo how's it going?"
"You know me. If it's going to happen it will happen to me." Seajae relayed her story to him.
"Jezze girl trouble does find you. Hey I got to split. My wife makes me late every morning." He kissed Faith and headed out the door. "We'll catch up soon Seaj."
"See ya buddy." Faith and Seajae caught up for the next hour. Faith checked her watch.
"Hey I got a doctor's appointment up town in forty-five minutes. You want to tag along and we can do lunch after."
"Sure. I'll go grab my jacket and purse." Seajae got up and put her cup in the sink. She headed next door. There was a note from Kelly that she had gone to the park and one from Bosco that he would be home later. He had one more day before he went back to work. Seajae smiled. One more night of all night lovemaking.
"Hey stranger. Long time no see." He fell into pace with her.
"Yeah. Hows things?"
"Good. Kim and I are looking for an apartment near work."
"Great. I'm glad things are working out for you guys."
"How's things with you and Bosco?"
"Super, couldn't be better." She picked up the pace a little.
"Are you sure. It's been months since you ran. I thought..."
"You should of noticed when I stopped running. Thats when I had a problem."
"I asked you then too and you said everything was just ducky."
"I lied then. I'm not lying now. I needed some down time. I'm good to go now. Head clear and body back in shape."
"Never knew your body was out of shape." He smiled and she laughed at him.
"Mine is the last body you need to be looking at Doherty." She started running a little faster. "My husband catch you looking he'll kick your ass."
"Your husband can try." They jogged in silence for awhile. "Hey Seajae?"
"Yeah."
"You guys want to go to dinner Saturday. Joey's ding to see Angel again. I think those two will be a couple some day."
"If he's anything like his old man no way."
"Naw he's going to be just like his mom."
"Wearing his heart on his sleave. There's got to be a happy medium there." They were in the park now. The fog was still blanketing the city. The hair on the back of Seajae's neck stood up. She slowed her pace making sure Jimmy was right next to her.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know. It's too quiet." She slowed even more and stopped. Bending over and holding her side. A scream broke though the fog. Seajae pulled her phone out of the wiast band of her pants and thew it to Jimmy. " Call it in. " She headed the direction of the scream.
********
Seajae unholstered the small colt she carried while running. There was the sound of leaves russling. She could not see but a foot or two in front of her. She tripped over something at her feet. She looked down to see a woman lying amongst the leaves. Bending over she checked her paulse. There were sounds all around her. She couldn't disgish what was on top of her and what was at a distance. "Jimmy!"
"Here." He came up behind her.
"She's still breathing." She handed Jimmy her gun. "Keep your eyes open, I can't see anything in this shit." Seajae checked the woman for wounds. She was bleeding from her abdomen. "Oh god." They heard foot steps and saw two uniformed officers when they were nearly on top of them. "Get a bus here now. We have a woman late twenties, stab wound to the abdomen."
"Seajae this doesn't look like any stab wound I ever saw." Seajae took of her jacket to put pressure on the wound. It ran from her left side to her right.
"Oh dear God, Jimmy. Someone peformed a c-section on her. " Jimmy looked at the woman who was loosing blood to fast. "Damn it where's the bus." She heard the running foot steps. She felt the paramedics next to her. Looking up she saw Doc. "Oh man I'm I glad to see you."
"What happened?"
"We found her this way. I think someone stole her baby. The wound...."
"I see the ambilical cord. Your right. You catching this one?"
"If they let me. On on leave...but I want to help." She stood up and let Doc and his partner work on the woman. The uniforms gathered around and started taking her statment. Jimmy came up behind her and and put his hands on her shoulders. "Hey."
"Here." He handed her her gun and her phone. She had blood all over the front of her.
"I need to call Bosco." She dialed her home phone number. Kelly answered the phone.
"Hey Kelly is Bosco still there."
"Yeah. Hold on." It took a couple of minutes for him to come to the phone.
"Yeah."
"Hey hotpants."
"What happened?"
"I cought a case."
"Your on leave. You can't catch a case."
"Okay, I fell into a case." She so wanted a cigarette.
"I was running and I heard a scream. I found a woman Bosco. Someone cut her baby right out of her."
"Oh God. Are you alright?"
"Yeah. Jimmy was with me. Bosco it was.....jesus, I've never seen anything like it. I'll be home it a bit."
"Okay. Take care baby. Be careful." He paused. "I love you."
"I love you too." She hung up and headed back to Jimmy. "Can you catch a ride with a black and white?"
"I'll run. It isn't that far." He looked at her. "You on the other hand are a mess." Seajae looked down at her shirt.
"I'll grab a ride. We'll talk later." She headed to where the woman was attacted. There were quiet a few uniformed officers along with three detectives. One came up to her.
"Detective Boscorelli?"
"Yeah."
"I'm Detective Grayson. Special Victims. Heard your SVU for the five five."
"I'm on leave for a few more weeks."
"How did you come across the woman?"
"A friend and I were running. We hit the park about seven forty-five. It was eirry quiet with the fog and all. I guess people were smart not coming in. Anyway I slowed down for a minute then stopped. I had a feeling, a stich in my side."
"Or in your gut? I beleive in gut feelings Detective."
"What ever it was I stopped and then we heard a scream. I threw Jimmy my phone to call for back up and I ran toward the area I thought the sound had come from. I went about a hundred yards and I found the woman."
"Do you run this way every morning?"
"There's the funny part. I quit running six months ago. Personal reasons. I just felt the urge this morning. Before I knew it I was heading here."
"Where did you meet Mr. Doherty?"
"On eighth ave. He runs the park on his days off."
"He on the job too?"
"Firefighter." The woman wrote some things down.
"We have everything we need. If you think of anything else, just give us a call." Seajae took the card the detective handed her. "You need a ride home Detective?"
"Yeah kinda hard to catch a cab covered in blood." The woman headed to Grayson's car. A tech from the CSI team came up to them and showed them something in a bag,
"What do you make of this?" In the bag was a seringe, marked with Mercy's logo.
"Somebodies stealing supplies...or our kid napper is an employee of the hospital." Seajae put up her hand. "Sorry. Just use to..."
"It's okay. I've never seen the logo stamped on a syringe before."
"They started it about six years ago when needles started washing up un beaches. This way if there's dumping they know where to start."
"Your not from New York are you?"
"No Texas, why?"
"Thought I detected a twang." They headed toward the car again. "How long have you been with the five five."
"Offically nine months. I was a US Marshal on specail duty for three years before that."
"You were a US Marshal? Why quit the exciting life like that?"
"A man. And a baby. " The women got into the car.
"Both worth the change of scenery I take it?"
"Oh yeah. I never believed in happily ever after till them."
"What does your husband do?"
"He's a cop."
"Wow talk about stess loads."
"It's not so bad. We work the same shift. We have a nanny we can depend on. It was tough going recently but were working it out." Seajae wanted a cigarette more then anything in the world right now.
"I envy you Detective." Grayson smiled. "I would love to settle down but you get someone who's not on the job they don't understand. If they are they understand too much." Seajae gave the Detective directions to her house. They pulled up five minutes later. "You did a good job today Detective."
"Thanks. Keep me posted on the case, will you. If they find the baby."
"I sure will. When are you going back to work."
"May first. I was going to start earlier but after today I think I'll milk this one out."
"I don't blame you." Seajae got out and headed ito the building. An old lady was coming out as she was going in.
"Hi Mrs. O'Rourke." The woman looked at her.
"Hard day at the office dear?" Seajae smiled.
"Yeah Mrs. O. One hell of a hard day." She took the steps three at a time. Bosco was sitting at the kitchen table when Seajae came in. He looked up from the sports page. His eyes got wide. "I'm fine. " She grabbed a bottle of water. "I'm taking a shower. Tell Faith I'll be over in fifteen."
"Honey please don't leave your bloody clothes all over the bathroom. People are starting to talk."
"Bite me Bosco." She slammed the bathroom door.
*******
Seajae sat with her legs curled under her and a cup of coffee in her hand. Faith sat across from her.
"Only you Seajae, only you." Faith said after she heard the story of he run with Jimmy.
"Yeah. I just can't get over it. To cut a woman for her baby. I've delt with some sick puppies but this is just...unthinkable."
"How is the woman?"
"I'm going to call the hospital a little later. Faith it was terrible. She was so young and beautiful."
"God I hope this isn't the start of something."
"Like a serial thing? Me too. I couldn't deal with that kinda crisis right now." Caleb came out of the bed room.
"Hey Kiddo how's it going?"
"You know me. If it's going to happen it will happen to me." Seajae relayed her story to him.
"Jezze girl trouble does find you. Hey I got to split. My wife makes me late every morning." He kissed Faith and headed out the door. "We'll catch up soon Seaj."
"See ya buddy." Faith and Seajae caught up for the next hour. Faith checked her watch.
"Hey I got a doctor's appointment up town in forty-five minutes. You want to tag along and we can do lunch after."
"Sure. I'll go grab my jacket and purse." Seajae got up and put her cup in the sink. She headed next door. There was a note from Kelly that she had gone to the park and one from Bosco that he would be home later. He had one more day before he went back to work. Seajae smiled. One more night of all night lovemaking.