Chapter Two: Mad as Hell
They finally pulled up to the hospital, narrowly avoiding a collision with a departing ambulance. Cait was out of the squad car before Bosco even had it in park.
"55 David to central, put us out at Mercy." Bos said into his radio, knowing that Christopher would know they got to the hospital.
"10-4 55 David." Dispatch replied as Bosco made his way into the ER. Cait was already yelling at Nurse Proctor.
"…the Doctor." Was all Bosco heard of Proctor's sentence before Cait launched into another tirade.
Cait couldn't believe it. All she wanted to do was see how Grace was and they wouldn't tell her where she was. Hell would freeze over before she was going to wait for the doctor. Cait was in the middle of a curse when a familiar uniformed figure appeared from around a corner. Cait stopped yelling at Proctor and took off down the hall toward the other cop. Bosco just shrugged at Proctor and followed Cait.
"I'm sorry, Cait." Officer Peter Hudson said, his brown eyes sympathetic.
"Where is she?" Cait asked. Peter nodded in the direction he had come from and Cait headed that way without a word. Bosco followed again, this time with Peter following as well.
Cait stood frozen in the threshold of the exam room, her right hand covering her mouth. Bosco and Peter came up behind her and Bosco was stunned. The form in the bed was an exact copy of the woman standing in the threshold. It was almost freaky seeing the badly beaten woman lying in the bed and another as healthy as can be. Grace looked half-dead.
Tears streaming down her face, Cait turned to Peter. Bosco could see the anger in her blue eyes. He'd seen that look in enough women's eyes to know what it meant. Oh-oh, here it comes.
"You were supposed to keep her safe!" Cait screamed at Peter. "You're her partner! Where were you!" Cait lashed out at him, and Bosco grabbed her. Mad as hell, Cait jammed her elbow into Bosco's stomach. She hit him so hard that he instantly released her and doubled over in pain, despite his bulletproof vest. Peter just threw up his hands and walked in the opposite direction.
Cait finally went into Grace's room, leaving Bosco alone in the hall.
"Hey, Gracie." Cait said softly. Careful of the tubes and iv, Cait took her sister's hand and sat next to her. Soon, a doctor came in. He explained that Grace had been beaten and they were waiting to determine if she needed surgery. She had a collapsed lung and several broken and fractured bones. They weren't sure if she would wake up.
After the doctor left, a nurse came in and told her that visiting hours were over.
Cait got a ride back to the precinct house with 55 Victor so she could change out of her uniform. Christopher saw her when she walked through the door and tried to make a getaway.
"Don't piss yourself, Jason." She told him, almost smiling. "I'm okay now."
"Good, you had me scared." He replied, leaning on the desk.
"Tell me who's in charge of Grace's case."
"Don't you ever ask for anything politely?" this comment earned him a death glare. Jason cleared his throat and gave her the information. Cait went in search of the detectives.