The Ransom of Dr. Dave

Part 36

A/N: Anything in bold italic is being spoken in Italian

Jing-Mei screams and drops the phone as she is grabbed from behind. She turns to see Carter standing behind her.

Carter: Deb, take it easy. It's just me.

Jing-Mei: Oh god, John!

She tries to calm down and falls into Carter's arms still shaking.

Carter: What's wrong, Deb?

Jing-Mei: Dave is going back into surgery and I'm just a little jumpy.

Carter: What are they doing now?

Jing-Mei: Putting in a new plate and a second shunt. Dr. Vasquez says that Dave's sats are up and he should be able to handle the surgery. Dr. Corday is assisting him.

Carter: Well then he's in excellent hands. (pause,doubtful) That's not it. There's something else. Is it the baby?

Jing-Mei: He's doing fine. (pause)John, we've known each other for a long time.

Carter: For awhile anyway.

Jing-Mei: So I can confide in you, right?

Carter: Right. You bet.

Jing-Mei: I've been getting these phone calls.

Carter jumps to his feet with a chill down his back.

Carter: Threatening calls?

Jing-Mei: Depends on how you take them. I think so. I'm kind of new at this.

Carter: What did they say?

Jing-Mei: The first one said that I was next and the one I got just before you walked up said that he was getting closer. So when you grabbed me I panicked.

Carter: No wonder. Tell me, did the person who made these calls have an Italian accent?

Jing-Mei: It was kind of muffled but...yes. Yes, he did. (pause)Why? How did you know?

Carter: The phone calls that I got before Dave was kidnapped, they came from someone with an Italian accent, I think.

Jing-Mei: That would make sense with what he said then.

Carter: Deb, I think we better call Capt. Amos and let him know.

Jing-Mei: Let's not. I'm probably overreacting anyway.

Carter: Deb, this is serious. You have been threatened. Capt. Amos can probably get you some more police protection.

Jing-Mei: That's what I don't want. I don't want the police following me around all the time. Excuse me, John.

Carter grabs Jing-Mei's arm as she is about to leave.

Carter: Wait Deb, you need to take these calls more seriously. Maybe if I had, Dave wouldn't be in having a second shunt and new metal plate implanted in his skull.

Sophie approaches Jing-Mei and Carter.

Sophie; Jing-Mei, we're booked on an early flight tomorrow morning. We'll probably be gone for about a week. If there is any change in Davey's cond...

Jing-Mei: I know I'll call you. Just go take care of Rusty, he needs you now.

Sophie: Speaking of which, I need to get him home to bed and start packing some things.

Jing-Mei: I'll drive you.

Carter: After we make that call, right Deb.

Jing-Mei hesitates for a moment then regretfully nods.

Jing-Mei: You win, John.

Sophie: What call?

Jing-Mei: Never mind. I'll tell you later.

Sophie: I'll go collect Rusty and meet you down outside the neonatal ICU. I want to see the baby before I leave.

Sophie picks Rusty up off the couch without waking him up. Jing-Mei and Carter head to the nearest phone and call Capt. Amos.

Jing-Mei(into the phone): Hello, this is Dr. Chen. I need to speak with Capt. Amos.(pause) This is urgent. (pause) Fine. Yes, I see. (pause) Just could you please have him call me here as soon as possible. Thank you. (hangs up)

Carter looks at her and wonders what happened.

Carter: Well, what did they say?

Jing-Mei: The captain is in a meeting right now and they'll give him my message when he comes out. Okay, now I'm going to visit my baby.

Jing-Mei arrives at the neonatal ICU and sees Sophie and a now awake Rusty waving at the baby. Dr. Evans is in with Antonio.

Jing-Mei: How is Rusty?

Sophie: Still in shock. He sure loves his little brother. When do you think they will let us in to hold him?

Jing-Mei: I'm not sure. Maybe by the time you guys come back. Maybe there will be good news about Dave as well.

Sophie: I hope so. Rusty, wave bye bye to the baby. We have to go now.

Rusty: Ciao, little Tonio. I love you.

As Jing-Mei, Sophie and Rusty get ready to leave, Dr. Evans comes out of the ICU.

Jing-Mei: Well, good news I hope.

Dr. Evans: Maybe. The baby's lungs are starting to develop and I see signs of him starting to breathe on his own.

Jing-Mei(smiling, excitedly): Great!

Sophie: What does that mean?

Dr. Evans: It means that we may be able to take the ventilator off him shortly.

Sophie: That is great news.(pause) I just wish we could take Dave off his ventilator as easy.

Jing-Mei: Who knows. Maybe when you come back.

Sophie: I will certainly be praying. We really have to be going now.

Jing-Mei: Alright, go ahead down to the ER. I just want to call the nurse up in ICU and leave word for the doctors to call me the moment Dave is out of surgery.

After about 20 minutes, Jing-Mei meets Sophie down in the ER and as they leave they are confronted by Capt. Amos.

Capt. Amos: I'm glad I was able to catch you.

Jing-Mei: I called you earlier.

Capt. Amos: I know. I got the message but I had to talk to you in person.

The ER staff gathers around wondering what brings Capt. Amos back to the ER.

Capt. Amos start staring at Sophie and Rusty.

Jing-Mei: I'm sorry. Sophie and Rusty, this is Capt. Amos he's the detective investigating Dave's kidnapping. Capt. Amos, this is Sophie Pancamo, Dave's sister and Rusty, Dave's son. Could we talk later, I really want to get...

Capt. Amos: No. This is important. Maybe we can do this in private.

Jing-Mei: It's alright. If this is about Dave just say what have to.

Capt. Amos: He's involved, yes. Something very strange has happened regarding his case.

Mark: What?

Capt. Amos: Jing-Mei, do you know a woman named Jada DePalma?

Jing-Mei shakes her head but Sophie and Rusty's eyes pop open.

Rusty: Mama!!

Sophie: That's Dave's ex-girlfriend, Rusty's mom. Funny you should mention her, we're leaving for Italy tomorrow for the funeral.

Abby: Rusty's mom died.

Sophie; She walked into a burglary in her house. The son of a bitch shot and killed her.

Abby: Oh no.

Capt. Amos: That's what I need to talk to you about. The medical examiner did the autopsy on Jada. He removed the bullet and sent it to the police lab.

Carter: Standard procedure.

Capt. Amos: Right, but they found something totally unexpected.

Sophie: What?

Capt. Amos(looking at Rusty): Maybe we shouldn't talk about this in front of the little boy.

Sophie: It's alright. He doesn't understand a word of English. Now what did you find?

Capt. Amos: The detectives who investigated Jada's shooting didn't find any fingerprints in the house.

Jing-Mei(sarcastically): That's great. They were obviously wearing gloves.

Capt. Amos: But when they ran the tests on the bullet they got prints off of it. Apparently our gunman took his gloves off when he loaded his pistol.

Sophie: So they know who killed Jada?

Rusty: Mama.

Sophie: Si mama, Rusty.

Capt. Amos: There's more to it than that. The police took the prints they lifted off the bullet and put them in the International Police Computer Data Files hoping they could get an ID.

Jing-Mei: They found a match.

Capt. Amos: Oh yeah! Big time!

Kerry: Who's prints were they?

Capt. Amos: They don't have a name on them yet, but Dr. Carter when you were getting those anonymous calls around the time Dr. Malucci was abducted you said that although the voice was muffled you heard an accent, maybe Italian in there right.

Carter: Right.

Capt. Amos: Well when you told me that I had all the prints we lifted from our investigation put into the same data base. They matched perfectly.

Jing-Mei: What are you saying here, captain?

Capt. Amos: I saying that one of the people involved in Dr. Malucci's kidnapping was also the one who broke into Jada's house.

Sophie: That means that the same person who kidnapped Dave killed Jada.

Capt. Amos: Exactly! Coincidence, that the same guy kidnapped Dr. Malucci than just happen to break into the house and kill the mother of his child. I think not.

Jing-Mei: From Chicago to Italy?!

Capt. Amos(nodding): Ladies and gentlemen, this thing is bigger than any of us ever could imagine.

To be continued. Please read and review.