Chapter Ten
Mark took Steve to his private exam room to look at the stitches in his hand. He was pleased to see that they were still clean and most importantly still in tact. Steve sometimes had problems with stitches. Often they would have to be replaced. There was no infection and everything seemed to be mending well. After he replaced the bandage and the brace back on his son's hand, Mark sent him into his office to wait. The doctor still had a few patients to see before he would be able to leave for the day.
Steve sat down on the couch and picked up a magazine to pass the time. He did a better job of actually looking at the magazine this time. He was reading an article about the latest developments in sports medicine when he felt his father shaking him. When he opened his eyes he realized he was looking up at his dad from a prone position on the couch. Mark was smiling at his son who had fallen asleep. He was grateful for the nap because he knew that Steve had not slept well since the day he had injured his hand.
"Come on sleepy head. Let's go. Jesse and Amanda are meeting us at the restraunt and I want to get there before Jesse does and eats up all the potato salad."
Steve yawned and stretched for a second trying to wake up. He stood slowly and let his dad lead him out of the hospital and out to the car. They drove up to Bob's and headed into the restraunt. The whole time they were walking, Steve kept looking around him to be sure that he wasn't about to be mobbed by a bunch of reporters and photographers. So far so good.
Jesse and Amanda came in right after the Sloans, and the four decided to sit at the corner table out of the way of the crowd. They ordered their meals and ate leisurely, engaging in generic small talk. After the meal had been finished and cleared away the four sat around enjoying coffee. The conversation turned towards the most recent events of the case and all the hype the papers were indulging in.
"Something is bothering me about the way he is picking his targets. I can't put my finger on it but I know that there is something I should be seeing." Mark sat stirring his coffee even though it was black trying to think of what it was he wasn't seeing. As he tried to figure out what it was he was missing the stirring became more rapid, sloshing coffee onto the table.
Reaching for the spoon that is dad was viciously stirring with, Steve piped up. "Well all I know is where ever he hits next you can be certain there will be some sort of building that he can scale and skip across jumping to another roof. Dad you want to just give me that spoon." After retrieving the spoon Steve continued. "I want him so bad I can taste it." All three doctors looked at the detective sympathetically.
"Is it possible he might try and hit one of the past targets twice." Amanda wondered.
"I don't think so. There's a pattern but I can't seem to figure it out. I think I'm just starring at it so hard that I can't see it." Marked scratched at his mustache absently.
"It's a good thing that he hit that pawn shop close to the hospital the other day. Other wise you might not have been able to come in by yourself." Jesse interjected.
Suddenly a light seemed to go on behind Marks eyes. A smile slowly spread across his face. "Say that again Jesse."
"What? I just said it was a good thing that he hit close to the hospital this last time." Jesse seemed puzzled by the fact that Mark would be so interested in what he had just said.
"Come on. We have to get back to the beach house. I want to look at the file again. If I'm right we might can pinpoint where he's going to hit next." Mark jumped up suddenly leaving the three younger people scrambling to catch up with him.
As soon as Mark had opened the door he made a beeline for the file that had been left on his desk. He quickly picked it up and made his way to the dining table depositing it with a thump. He then made his way to the kitchen and rummaged through several drawers before he pulled out a worn map of the city. He made his way back to the table and spread the map out on the table and then started to refer to the folder that held all the reports and evidence of all the robberies. With a marker he started to make little dots on the map occasionally referring back to the file. After about fifteen minutes he straightened up and looked at the three young people who had stood by quietly observing the doctor at work.
"OK Dad what?" Steve waited for his father to share his discovery with the rest of them.
"I think I know where he's going to hit next. Or at least one of two places." Mark looked proudly at the other three.
"Well are you going to tell us or are we going to have to wait to here it on the news when it happens?" Steve was very anxious for his dad to enlighten the rest of them.
"There is a pawn shop here and a convenience store here. Notice anything special about these two places." Mark smiled and looked at the three young people as if he were a teacher waiting for one of them to answer a question from a pop quiz.
All three looked at the map and stared at it for a few minutes. Suddenly Steve asked his dad for the file. After he glanced at it and pointed to some of the dots he looked up at his father with understanding.
"He has slowly been making his way towards the hospital hasn't he?" Steve asked his Dad.
"I think so. Look at the way he has moved from one location to another. Every mark has been just a little closer to the hospital. Notice that there are clumps of buildings here within a four block range or less at each place that he has hit. He makes sure that he has a way of escaping over the roofs. I think that he planned it that way long before he figured out that you have a fear of heights. I also believe that it was luck on your part that you even found out how he was getting away. You kept at his heals and I think that he counted on having a larger lead and just disappearing up the fire escapes before anyone could see where he went. You went after him and saw him skip from one rooftop to another. After you didn't follow him the first few times I think he may have suspected that you had a problem. He then tested you and confirmed his suspicions." Mark smiled at his son hoping that maybe by discovering all of this some of the pressure he was feeling would dissipate.
"Is there going to be a test on this later?" Jesse seemed to be in awe of what Mark had figured out.
Amanda looked at Steve and said. "If what Mark says is true then all you have to do is set up two teams to stake out the locations and wait."
"Well that would be easy now wouldn't it? Let's review however. Number one this is all theory. Number two we really don't know when he is planning to hit again. Oh and Number three. And I believe this will be the most important reason. No way are my superiors going to approve two teams on a stake out for a theory. Even if it did come from Dad. There just isn't enough man power to do it." Steve looked frustrated knowing that his dad was probably right and there was nothing he could do about it.
"There has to be something we can do. I mean surely they can at least try to set up some kind of surveillance. They do it all the time." Jesse seemed disgusted at the helplessness of the situation.
"They only do that with big high profile cases Jesse. This hardly rates as a major crimes case." Steve answered his friend.
"Well it's becoming major to us." Said Amanda.
"Steve's right. It isn't big enough to warrant that kind of set up. Besides it would take two surveillance teams instead of one. No we are going to have to figure something out ourselves." Mark sighed.
"Can't we at least warn the store owners?" asked Jesse.
"And tell them what? 'Oh by the way your store is a possible target from some two bit crook who makes his escape by flying across roofs.' Yea I can hear that going across real well." Steve aimed his frustration at Jesse.
"Don't get worked up son. He is only concerned about the welfare of the proprietors and you." Mark wanted to defuse any kind of fuss that might be brewing between the two boys before it got started.
"I'm sorry Jess. I guess I'm letting this effect me more than I should. I know you are only trying to help. I just don't know what to do next." Steve looked at his friend and smiled. He didn't want to take any of this out on anyone else.
"I know Steve. I guess I'm just as frustrated too. I mean it's like we are so close and yet we can't reach the prize." Jesse patted Steve on the shoulder trying to convey his sympathy towards his best friend.
"Look, there isn't a thing we can do about it now. It's late and you look like you could use some sleep Steve." Amanda told the group.
"I'm fine." Steve said with out much conviction.
"I know when you aren't getting enough sleep Steve Sloan. So don't argue. You need to go to bed and get some rest. Besides it's late and we all could use some rest. Now go. Jesse and I are leaving."
"Yes mom. I will be sure and go straight to bed just like a good little boy." Steve grinned at Amanda.
"You know it's just because I'm worried about you. I hate seeing you tear yourself up over all this. The best thing for you to do is just get a good night's sleep. It'll all still be here in the morning and we'll all feel refreshed so we can start over again. Now good night." She reached up and gave Steve a kiss on the cheek and then turned to Mark planting a kiss on his cheek as well.
After Jesse and Amanda left for the evening Steve walked out onto the deck and stared at the moon shinning over the ocean. He stood there a while just thinking about what his dad had discovered. Mark walked out and joined him handing him a cup of coffee. The two men sat down at the table and just silently watched as the waves lapped at the shore. Neither one spoke as they enjoyed their coffee.
After draining his cup Steve looked up to his father and spoke. "I thought coffee was suppose to keep you awake. Shouldn't you have made me a glass of warm milk."
Mark smiled over at his son. "Trust me kiddo this coffee won't keep you awake."
Steve looked at his father suspiciously. "What did you do?"
Mark continued to smile at his son and said. "I didn't do anything but make sure you get some sleep tonight. Now I think that I better help you down stairs and tuck you in good and tight."
"I don't need you to tuck me in. I am quite capable of getting to bed on my own." Steve informed his dad while emitting a head splitting yawn.
Steve went to stand up and suddenly the whole world turned around on him. Mark was at his side immediately helping him to steady. Once he was sure Steve could walk without falling over he headed him into the direction of the guestroom keeping a hand on him. The sedative that he had put into Steve's coffee was either stronger than he had intended or Steve was more tired than he thought. More likely the later. He decided not to navigate the stairs to Steve's apartment with his son so unsteady on his feet. He helped Steve to undress and just like he promised he tucked his son into bed sitting with him for a minute just to make sure that he was sound asleep.
As he sat and watched his son sleep, Mark was reminded of the many times he had tucked him into bed when he was small. Back then it was easy to scare away the monsters and all the fears. Now, well it wasn't so easy. Mark hated the guilt and frustration that he new Steve was going through. He wanted to chase away this monster back into the shadows, but he wasn't sure how to do it. One thing he did know however, he would be there for his son until the monster had been captured and locked away along with all the hateful news reports.
Little did he know that the ugly monster was about to rear his head again. It would take all his strength to help his son through the up coming days.
Mark took Steve to his private exam room to look at the stitches in his hand. He was pleased to see that they were still clean and most importantly still in tact. Steve sometimes had problems with stitches. Often they would have to be replaced. There was no infection and everything seemed to be mending well. After he replaced the bandage and the brace back on his son's hand, Mark sent him into his office to wait. The doctor still had a few patients to see before he would be able to leave for the day.
Steve sat down on the couch and picked up a magazine to pass the time. He did a better job of actually looking at the magazine this time. He was reading an article about the latest developments in sports medicine when he felt his father shaking him. When he opened his eyes he realized he was looking up at his dad from a prone position on the couch. Mark was smiling at his son who had fallen asleep. He was grateful for the nap because he knew that Steve had not slept well since the day he had injured his hand.
"Come on sleepy head. Let's go. Jesse and Amanda are meeting us at the restraunt and I want to get there before Jesse does and eats up all the potato salad."
Steve yawned and stretched for a second trying to wake up. He stood slowly and let his dad lead him out of the hospital and out to the car. They drove up to Bob's and headed into the restraunt. The whole time they were walking, Steve kept looking around him to be sure that he wasn't about to be mobbed by a bunch of reporters and photographers. So far so good.
Jesse and Amanda came in right after the Sloans, and the four decided to sit at the corner table out of the way of the crowd. They ordered their meals and ate leisurely, engaging in generic small talk. After the meal had been finished and cleared away the four sat around enjoying coffee. The conversation turned towards the most recent events of the case and all the hype the papers were indulging in.
"Something is bothering me about the way he is picking his targets. I can't put my finger on it but I know that there is something I should be seeing." Mark sat stirring his coffee even though it was black trying to think of what it was he wasn't seeing. As he tried to figure out what it was he was missing the stirring became more rapid, sloshing coffee onto the table.
Reaching for the spoon that is dad was viciously stirring with, Steve piped up. "Well all I know is where ever he hits next you can be certain there will be some sort of building that he can scale and skip across jumping to another roof. Dad you want to just give me that spoon." After retrieving the spoon Steve continued. "I want him so bad I can taste it." All three doctors looked at the detective sympathetically.
"Is it possible he might try and hit one of the past targets twice." Amanda wondered.
"I don't think so. There's a pattern but I can't seem to figure it out. I think I'm just starring at it so hard that I can't see it." Marked scratched at his mustache absently.
"It's a good thing that he hit that pawn shop close to the hospital the other day. Other wise you might not have been able to come in by yourself." Jesse interjected.
Suddenly a light seemed to go on behind Marks eyes. A smile slowly spread across his face. "Say that again Jesse."
"What? I just said it was a good thing that he hit close to the hospital this last time." Jesse seemed puzzled by the fact that Mark would be so interested in what he had just said.
"Come on. We have to get back to the beach house. I want to look at the file again. If I'm right we might can pinpoint where he's going to hit next." Mark jumped up suddenly leaving the three younger people scrambling to catch up with him.
As soon as Mark had opened the door he made a beeline for the file that had been left on his desk. He quickly picked it up and made his way to the dining table depositing it with a thump. He then made his way to the kitchen and rummaged through several drawers before he pulled out a worn map of the city. He made his way back to the table and spread the map out on the table and then started to refer to the folder that held all the reports and evidence of all the robberies. With a marker he started to make little dots on the map occasionally referring back to the file. After about fifteen minutes he straightened up and looked at the three young people who had stood by quietly observing the doctor at work.
"OK Dad what?" Steve waited for his father to share his discovery with the rest of them.
"I think I know where he's going to hit next. Or at least one of two places." Mark looked proudly at the other three.
"Well are you going to tell us or are we going to have to wait to here it on the news when it happens?" Steve was very anxious for his dad to enlighten the rest of them.
"There is a pawn shop here and a convenience store here. Notice anything special about these two places." Mark smiled and looked at the three young people as if he were a teacher waiting for one of them to answer a question from a pop quiz.
All three looked at the map and stared at it for a few minutes. Suddenly Steve asked his dad for the file. After he glanced at it and pointed to some of the dots he looked up at his father with understanding.
"He has slowly been making his way towards the hospital hasn't he?" Steve asked his Dad.
"I think so. Look at the way he has moved from one location to another. Every mark has been just a little closer to the hospital. Notice that there are clumps of buildings here within a four block range or less at each place that he has hit. He makes sure that he has a way of escaping over the roofs. I think that he planned it that way long before he figured out that you have a fear of heights. I also believe that it was luck on your part that you even found out how he was getting away. You kept at his heals and I think that he counted on having a larger lead and just disappearing up the fire escapes before anyone could see where he went. You went after him and saw him skip from one rooftop to another. After you didn't follow him the first few times I think he may have suspected that you had a problem. He then tested you and confirmed his suspicions." Mark smiled at his son hoping that maybe by discovering all of this some of the pressure he was feeling would dissipate.
"Is there going to be a test on this later?" Jesse seemed to be in awe of what Mark had figured out.
Amanda looked at Steve and said. "If what Mark says is true then all you have to do is set up two teams to stake out the locations and wait."
"Well that would be easy now wouldn't it? Let's review however. Number one this is all theory. Number two we really don't know when he is planning to hit again. Oh and Number three. And I believe this will be the most important reason. No way are my superiors going to approve two teams on a stake out for a theory. Even if it did come from Dad. There just isn't enough man power to do it." Steve looked frustrated knowing that his dad was probably right and there was nothing he could do about it.
"There has to be something we can do. I mean surely they can at least try to set up some kind of surveillance. They do it all the time." Jesse seemed disgusted at the helplessness of the situation.
"They only do that with big high profile cases Jesse. This hardly rates as a major crimes case." Steve answered his friend.
"Well it's becoming major to us." Said Amanda.
"Steve's right. It isn't big enough to warrant that kind of set up. Besides it would take two surveillance teams instead of one. No we are going to have to figure something out ourselves." Mark sighed.
"Can't we at least warn the store owners?" asked Jesse.
"And tell them what? 'Oh by the way your store is a possible target from some two bit crook who makes his escape by flying across roofs.' Yea I can hear that going across real well." Steve aimed his frustration at Jesse.
"Don't get worked up son. He is only concerned about the welfare of the proprietors and you." Mark wanted to defuse any kind of fuss that might be brewing between the two boys before it got started.
"I'm sorry Jess. I guess I'm letting this effect me more than I should. I know you are only trying to help. I just don't know what to do next." Steve looked at his friend and smiled. He didn't want to take any of this out on anyone else.
"I know Steve. I guess I'm just as frustrated too. I mean it's like we are so close and yet we can't reach the prize." Jesse patted Steve on the shoulder trying to convey his sympathy towards his best friend.
"Look, there isn't a thing we can do about it now. It's late and you look like you could use some sleep Steve." Amanda told the group.
"I'm fine." Steve said with out much conviction.
"I know when you aren't getting enough sleep Steve Sloan. So don't argue. You need to go to bed and get some rest. Besides it's late and we all could use some rest. Now go. Jesse and I are leaving."
"Yes mom. I will be sure and go straight to bed just like a good little boy." Steve grinned at Amanda.
"You know it's just because I'm worried about you. I hate seeing you tear yourself up over all this. The best thing for you to do is just get a good night's sleep. It'll all still be here in the morning and we'll all feel refreshed so we can start over again. Now good night." She reached up and gave Steve a kiss on the cheek and then turned to Mark planting a kiss on his cheek as well.
After Jesse and Amanda left for the evening Steve walked out onto the deck and stared at the moon shinning over the ocean. He stood there a while just thinking about what his dad had discovered. Mark walked out and joined him handing him a cup of coffee. The two men sat down at the table and just silently watched as the waves lapped at the shore. Neither one spoke as they enjoyed their coffee.
After draining his cup Steve looked up to his father and spoke. "I thought coffee was suppose to keep you awake. Shouldn't you have made me a glass of warm milk."
Mark smiled over at his son. "Trust me kiddo this coffee won't keep you awake."
Steve looked at his father suspiciously. "What did you do?"
Mark continued to smile at his son and said. "I didn't do anything but make sure you get some sleep tonight. Now I think that I better help you down stairs and tuck you in good and tight."
"I don't need you to tuck me in. I am quite capable of getting to bed on my own." Steve informed his dad while emitting a head splitting yawn.
Steve went to stand up and suddenly the whole world turned around on him. Mark was at his side immediately helping him to steady. Once he was sure Steve could walk without falling over he headed him into the direction of the guestroom keeping a hand on him. The sedative that he had put into Steve's coffee was either stronger than he had intended or Steve was more tired than he thought. More likely the later. He decided not to navigate the stairs to Steve's apartment with his son so unsteady on his feet. He helped Steve to undress and just like he promised he tucked his son into bed sitting with him for a minute just to make sure that he was sound asleep.
As he sat and watched his son sleep, Mark was reminded of the many times he had tucked him into bed when he was small. Back then it was easy to scare away the monsters and all the fears. Now, well it wasn't so easy. Mark hated the guilt and frustration that he new Steve was going through. He wanted to chase away this monster back into the shadows, but he wasn't sure how to do it. One thing he did know however, he would be there for his son until the monster had been captured and locked away along with all the hateful news reports.
Little did he know that the ugly monster was about to rear his head again. It would take all his strength to help his son through the up coming days.