Chapter Sixty Four
They'd been waiting for a couple of hours. Jaime had been prepped and had gone into surgery at around 11 p.m. Elizabeth couldn't believe the myriad of ups and downs Jaime had been put through in the last month: first the kidnapping and then this shooting. She wanted to tell Taggert everything and have Rosco put away for life. That was her gut reaction to the situation.
He had waltzed into Port Charles like nothing had happened in Italy. As Elizabeth sat slouched on the uncomfortable waiting room chair, she'd studied the older man. He hadn't moved from his seat since he'd gone to the washroom. Rosco sat motionless for the past hour and a half.
If Elizabeth hadn't known better, she'd have thought that he cared about Jaime. She pushed that thought out of her mind and looked over at Jason who was on the phone with Sonny, she suspected. Part of her worried about Jason's decision to keep Nam and the other goons away from the crime scene; they could have possibly explained to Taggert that it had been an accident. But Elizabeth knew that Taggert would have been sure to find out about Nam's connections to the mob or triad, or whatever they called it in the East.
"Elizabeth?"
Elizabeth spun around to see Jason standing over her. "What? Did Jaime come out of surgery yet? Is she all right?" Elizabeth knew she was rambling, but she thought she had a right after finding Jaime shot on the steps of the docks.
Jason shook his head. "She's not out of surgery yet. I thought I'd talk to you about tonight. There's going to be an investigation and until Jaime comes out of this all right, we've got a lot to figure out," he explained seriously.
Rosco's eyes darted over at the couple. "What's your story going to be?" he sneered. "Blame it all on me?"
Jason glared at the unbelievably obtuse lackey. "If I wanted you in jail, you'd be there already," Jason threatened. "As of now, I haven't decided if it'd be worth the trouble to frame you. I think I'd rather leave it up to Lee to have his way with you."
He was filled with rage. An emotion that he'd left behind when becoming Sonny's right hand man. Jason turned away from the pathetic goon whose reputation was nothing in the criminal underworld. The thought of that made Jason feel a little bit better.
"Jason, you don't mean that do you?" Elizabeth asked worriedly.
She knew he was angry and how worried he was about Jaime, but Elizabeth couldn't believe Jason would frame a man for something he didn't do. That wasn't who Jason was. Or at least, that wasn't the man Elizabeth knew.
As she peered up at her best friend, his blue eyes, which at one moment had been as cold as ice, now gazed down at her with a warm intensity. He smiled at her briefly and shook his head. A wave of relief flooded over her. Elizabeth chided herself for even thinking that he might do such a thing.
Just then, Elizabeth noticed out of the corner of her eye, a petite blonde woman approaching the waiting area. "Jason," she whispered. "It's Monica!"
Every anxious person in the room stood up. Elizabeth kept an eye on Rosco, whom she could see out of the corner of her eye. "Monica," she sighed. "Is she all right?"
Monica's face was somber and clouded. She tried to lift the corners of her mouth into a reassuring smile, but found it a half-hearted attempt. "To tell you the truth, I don't know," she muttered. "It's a 50-50 chance going either way."
Elizabeth's heart sunk. "What do you mean?"
Monica sat Elizabeth down and wrapped her right arm around her shoulders. "She lost a lot of blood and the bullet was lodged very close to her heart," she explained. "We managed to get the bullet out and repair most of the damage the bullet did…" Elizabeth didn't like the sound of this. "But she's been touch and go throughout the entire surgery."
Suddenly a strong voice spoke. "Can I see her?"
Everyone turned towards the sound of the voice and saw an elderly Asian man standing before them. "Mr. Nam," Elizabeth gasped. "What took you so long?"
The older man didn't say a word and studied the blonde doctor who had been explaining his daughter's condition to everyone in the waiting room. "Can I see my daughter," he repeated in a mono-toned voice.
Monica stood up and shook her head regrettably. "I'm sorry Mr. Nam, she's in intensive care recovering from the surgery. We're hoping that she will regain consciousness and then we could possibly move her into recovery, but we'll have to see."
Nam nodded his head morosely. "Fine," he replied, his face expressionless.
Monica returned to her rounds and the unlikely group of allies, or conspirators, depending where you were standing, were left to stew in the aftermath of their confrontation. "Mr. Morgan, could I have a word with you?"
Jason nodded and Elizabeth watched anxiously as the two men talked. Elizabeth briefly glanced over at Rosco who seemed deep in thought. However, he must have felt her eyes on him because he suddenly turned his eyes up towards her uneasy gaze. "What?" he growled.
Elizabeth swallowed. "You seem worried." She motioned over to the whispered conversation between the tall blonde and short Asian.
Rosco rolled his eyes and scoffed, "They're the last thing I'm worried about."
Elizabeth furrowed her brow. Now what did he mean by that? Elizabeth looked furtively between Rosco and Mr. Nam. She didn't know exactly how this was going to work. Someone would go to jail wouldn't they?
As she pondered the large mess, Elizabeth understood the reason why Jaime loathed her father's business. Elizabeth didn't know if she could have ever lived with the knowledge that her father was in the business of killing people.
Mr. Nam interrupted her thoughts, asking her to step into the conversation he and Jason were having. Elizabeth strode uneasily toward the tête-à-tête. "What is it?" she swallowed, her throat dry.
Jason gazed at Elizabeth unhappily. He didn't seem overjoyed that Mr. Nam had invited her into the fray. "Elizabeth," he said somberly. "Mr. Nam has decided to inform the police of Jaime's kidnapping."
Elizabeth frowned. "But what has that got to do with explaining the shooting?"
Jason turned his eyes from hers, while Mr. Nam continued to explain their plan. "It's going to be self-defense," he stated firmly. "We saw my daughter with her kidnapper and feared for her life."
"But Jason," Elizabeth hedged. "Won't Taggert wonder why the place was cleaned up, and why Mr. Nam and his men disappeared?"
Jason's eyes were closed and he seemed frustrated unable to voice his concern. It obviously wasn't his choice and Mr. Nam seemed bent on telling this to the police, though he didn't know how aggressive Taggert was on sending Jason and Sonny to jail. "This is the plan," Jason sighed gravely.
Elizabeth couldn't help but feel a growing lump in her throat. She couldn't bare it if Jason went to jail all because of Mr. Nam's need for revenge. With the pull of a trigger, all of the people she cared about, lives' were hanging by a thread.
***
"Ah, Jason," Taggert exclaimed boisteriously. "Who might these friends be?" Taggert was pointing to Nam and his men who were hidden in the background, trying to be inconspicuous. He smirked at the well-dressed men in Italian suits. "Are you and Sonny dealing in the foreign market now?"
Jason couldn't believe the cop's timing. He hadn't had time to warn Nam about Taggert before the loud and irritating police detective showed up. Jason just hoped that Nam had dealt with guys like Taggert before.
Mr. Nam turned to face the slanderous, black detective, who now made unsavory remarks about him. "Excuse me, detective, is it?" he inquired coldly, his face remained expressionless. "Are you accusing me, and this man of some criminal behavior?"
Taggert brow creased and Jason assumed the detective was trying to get a read Mr. Nam and if he was a part of the underworld of crime. He seemed to awaken, like that from a dream, shaking his head and smiling politely. "I'm sorry, but are you from around here?" Taggert asked, pulling out his notepad. "I'm sure I would have seen you before."
Mr. Nam snorted and whispered something to Lien, his right-hand man. Turning back to the inquisitive detective, Mr. Nam smiled the same polite smile he'd received from Taggert. "Well detective, I hope you treat other family members of the victim with less hostility than you have treated me," he queried. "I am, for you information, Mr. Nam. Jaime's father."
Jason took it upon himself to interrupt the conversation. "Taggert, what do you want?" Jason asked. "We've got a waiting room of people who are just hoping that Jaime will make it out of this! Can't you bother some other poor sap who doesn't know he doesn't need to take this crap?"
Taggert's eyes narrowed at Jason's disrespectful tone. "Look Morgan, this girl, whom you're so obviously worried about got shot tonight. So maybe you'd like to know who shot her, if you're so worried." The detective turned back to Mr. Nam. "Do you know anything about this Mr. Nam?"
Nam glanced briefly at Jason, who knew that this would be the perfect time to implement their plan. He nodded towards Jason, revealing that was his intention. It was however, unnoticeable to Taggert. "Actually, what was your name detective?" Nam asked curiously.
"Detective Taggert," he answered respectfully, hoping that Mr. Nam's information might incriminate Jason.
"Well Detective Taggert," Mr. Nam said reservedly, "I must now inform you that Mr. Morgan was not a part of this tragedy. It was my fault."
Jason watched as Taggert frowned with every word that passed Nam's lips. He hoped Taggert would buy it. Jason had been kicking himself ever since he'd ordered Nam to leave the scene of the crime. Now he had to backtrack on the situation. The only thing Jason was glad about was that he hadn't said anything about another party, not being there. It was a mistake he never should have made.
"What do you mean? You weren't at the docks this evening were you?" Taggert pressed suspiciously.
Nam nodded solemnly, a look of regret passed upon his face. "Yes. I was there with my bodyguards. We were looking for my daughter," he explained. "I was worried about her."
"Why were you worried about her?" asked Taggert.
"Because about a month ago she was kidnapped in Italy."
Taggert shook his head in confusion. "What? What was she doing in Port Charles then? I've seen your daughter around, and she didn't look like she was being held captive."
Nam sighed and shook his head in frustration. He pretended to search for the words, but in reality the man spoke perfect English. "She was rescued by Mr. Morgan, and his friend, here." Mr. Nam pointed over to Elizabeth. "They came back to Port Charles after they found her."
"Then why were you worried about her?"
"Because, this man here," Nam motioned over to Rosco, who sat hunched over in a chair. "He hadn't been captured."
Taggert was furiously scribbling the information down in his notepad. "So, are you saying that this man here is the kidnapper and he was stalking Ms. Nam?"
Jason didn't know what to say. He felt elated that Rosco might be taken off the streets, but he couldn't help but remember Jaime's adamant protest that Rosco be 'taken care of'. Jason peered over at Elizabeth, who seemed embroiled in her own thoughts. He was just glad that she was safe and out of this whole mess.
Jason finally heard Nam identify Rosco as Jaime's kidnapper. "Yes."
Taggert sighed loudly. "So what does this have to do with Ms. Nam's bullet to the chest?" he asked conspicuously. "Did this guy shoot her? And if he did, then why the heck didn't Morgan and Ms. Webber I.D. the guy before? I mean he's been tagging along for the ride. It doesn't seem like he's the perp."
Nam gave Jason a withering shot and then turned back to Taggert, his face patronizingly gentle. "Well, Mr. Morgan and Ms. Webber arrive at the docks until later. Mr. Morgan arrived just before Jaime was accidentally shot. And Ms. Webber arrived after the incident," he replied, trying to explain the complicated web of lies and truth intermingled.
But Taggert had had enough. "Stop," he commanded, shaking his head and shooting an irritated glance at a near by footmen. "Take Mr. Nam here, and his boys downtown. That scruffy guy too."
Jason watched as a few of the officers rounded Mr. Nam, his men, and Rosco up into a neat little group. Taggert turned around and spied Jason. "Take Mr. Morgan downtown too. He's still got to give us his statement," he smirked.
Jason pushed off one of the arrogant men in blue as he tried to grab Jason's arm and guide him towards the elevator. "Am I under arrest Taggert? Because if I'm not, then get your goons off me!" Jason warned.
Taggert had a feigned look of concern on his face. "Aw, Morgan, the police department doesn't have goons. You and Corinthos have the corner on that market," he chuckled.
"What are you doing?" Elizabeth exclaimed, pushing by Taggert and standing a few feet away from Jason.
Jason turned his head and realized he'd almost forgotten that Elizabeth would have to watch this play out. But however regrettable it was that she would have to suffer through this, there was nothing Jason could do at the moment. Jason turned around and followed Nam and his men onto the elevator.
Elizabeth scrambled to the doors and held them open. "Jason, what are you doing? What about Jaime?"
Jason leaned out the elevator door and rested his hand on top of Elizabeth's. "You're gonna have to be the one to look after right now. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Elizabeth's eyes hardened and she shook her head in protest. "No! I'm coming with you."
Jason gently pried her fingers from the elevator door. "I'm sorry Elizabeth. You have to stay here, in case Jaime wakes up," he explained softly. "I'll be back before you know it." In the back Jason heard Taggert scoff and mumble something under his breath. Jason ignored the tactless detective. "Elizabeth, I'll be fine, he reassured.
Elizabeth's shoulder's slumped and pushed back the large metal doors that were closing in front of them. "You'd better," she warned, pointing her finger at him. "I need you here." Jason nodded and squeezed the hand that held back the elevator door.
"Aww, can we all get a tissue here?" Taggert groaned.
Finally Elizabeth released the elevator door and Jason watched as she slowly disappeared behind the muted silver metallic doors.