A/N: Well, here's 23! Hope you all like it! I'm on a wild ride, with my
muse at the wheel!
**********
Chapter 23
**********
((takes place right after 22...))
~~Garret~~
"He's what?!"
"He's in trouble..."
"What kind of trouble Peter?" I glanced up at Jordan across the table. We'd just been discussing the pros and cons of an office romance when my cell phone had rang, complete with a very shaken Peter.
"It's about that case he had...with the kid that was abused...we got into an argument on the roof and he told me that he was going to go get the kid's father himself."
"What do you mean by get?" I waved Jordan off as she tried to lean in to listen in on my phone.
"He said he was going to teach the bastard a lesson...I'm afraid he's going to do something stupid."
"You're probably right. I'll be back in a few minutes." With that, I flipped my phone closed and was quickly greeted with a hissed string of words from Jordan.
"Who's in trouble Garret...you tell me right now or you'll hav-"
I cut her off. "Calm yourself. It's Nigel." I stood, handing a few twenties to the waiter.
"Keep it." Grabbing my coat, and Jordan grabbing her purse and keys, we headed out into the parking lot, climbing into the Explorer.
"Where?" She looked at me as she started the engine.
"Morgue. We've gotta get the address of the father's residence. With luck we can get there before Nigel get's himself so deep into a hole that he can't get out."
"Alright." She backed out of the parking lot, and headed straight for our building. A quick trip up the elevator, and I was headed straight for the office he and Bug shared.
I needed to find something with his address on it. I didn't care what it was, it just had to be something. I rifled through the papers on his desk with no luck. Calling out, to no one in particular, I asked for help. What I got was a Peter, a Bug, and a Jordan.
"Do any of you know where Nigel went? Bug?"
"I just got here and got confronted by Peter...what's going on?"
"I didn't confront you I asked you a question!"
"Yeah, you nearly had me pinned to the wall to do it!"
I shook my head. You're always dealing with the petty things...the bickering never ceases... "Stop it, both of you. This is serious. If Nigel messes up he could face felony charges. Now where is he?"
Jordan stepped into the mix. "I say we goto the Plaza and have them run a search just for the case address. No mention of Nigel being there, just for our records."
Peter looked at her. "You think that will work?"
She nodded. "I can get Eddie to run it."
"Alright then. Let's go. Peter, you stay here and run look for more information. Dig though trashcans, put together shredded paper, I don't care. If you find anything call me."
"Yes Dr. Macy." With that, he started looking through the piles on Nigel's desk.
"Jordan, you're coming with me."
"I figured as much. You don't have the right stuff to get what we need."
"Just go get in the car." I nudged her towards the door.
"Yes, sir. Right away sir." She mockingly saluted me and then marched out of the room.
I followed, running the situation through my head, and attempting to figure out why I shouldn't skin Nigel the moment I saw him next.
*******************************
A cigar shop in South Boston...
*******************************
~~Nigel~~ It took all I had in me not to run in and start throwing punches to anyone in the joint. I sat outside for a good ten minutes, just watching, until I saw the same crowd of men that I had seen when I had last been there drive up. Yeah, this was them. Same rotten scum who'd blew the kid's picture off. And one of them was the bastard who'd killed him himself. Containing the growing rage inside of me, I carefully climbed out of my truck and jogged across the street, entering the shop slowly.
The air inside stunk with the smell of cigars, and I could hear a group of voices coming through the door into the back room. Crossing to the counter, I carefully picked up a cigar and turned it over in my fingers, waiting for someone to come out and see who I was.
I got so zoned out in my own thoughts that I didn't hear the owner trying to get my attention for a few minutes.
"Hey, man! You gonna buy that thing?!"
I turned and came face to face with the man who ran the shop. He wasn't the father. "No, I was just looking."
"Looking for anything in particular?"
Just then, the men came out into the main part of the store and slowly looked me over. There were five of them, plus the kid's dad. Sure, they were all big...but I wasn't worried about that at the moment. Silently wishing that I'd brought a gun or some other weapon to protect myself, I set the cigar down and approached the men.
"I was actually looking for you." I nodded my head in the dad's direction.
"For me?" He looked back at his friends. "He knows who I am guys."
"Yeah. You're the lousy son of a bitch who killed his own son."
His mouth dropped and he turned his head back to me.
"You heard me. You're a lousy son of a bitch."
Throwing his cigar on the floor and crushing it with his boot, he stepped up into my face. "You know a little too much, I'm afraid."
"Oh yeah? Well, then you might want to just give up. God know's every cop in town in going to find your little gang here...and then we'll finally be able to put your son to rest."
"He shoulda been put to rest a long time ago. That's why I killed the little brat. But you want to know the best part?"
I shook my head.
"I enjoyed pounding on him just to hear his ribs snap like the puny little twig that he was."
Without even thinking, I threw at a stiff hook that landed straight on his jaw. He staggered back, and his motley crew rushed forwards at me.
I jumped back, and put up my fists again. Hell, if I was gonna go down, I was gonna go down fighting. I didn't spend those years in the military for nothing.
"Don't touch him." Rubbing his jaw, he pushed the other men aside. "The bastard's mine."
"But it's my pleasure." That comment was instantly met with a shot to the ribs, then a few more to the face. Tasting the salty taste of blood in my mouth, I wiped my lip and then lunged at him. I landed several good hits before his ruffians grabbed me and threw me out into the alley on the side of the building.
It's broad daylight, and you're outside boxing with the Irish mob... I only had a second to think before I had to defend myself from six guys instead of the one I had been fighting a moment before. I started to notice the swelling in my eyes, and the pain I knew could only come from broken ribs. I turned on the men and threw a few more punches, some connecting, some not. I was seriously debating in my head whether or not to turn and leave to my car when I was tackled by the leader himself.
We scuffled on the asphalt for a few minutes, kicks and punches bouncing off each other like it was nobody's business. After I managed to throw him off of me, I flipped him off and walked down to the end of the alley out into the street. They wouldn't care come out of their black hole and face me on the streets.
Or at least I thought they wouldn't.
They all came, a darkened wave rushing upon me from the end of the alley. Glancing around, I saw a few people walking down the street on the other side, giving me weird looks. I stared back at them, then diverted my gaze to the glint of metal I saw in the darkness of the alley.
The father kept his arm down until he emerged from the alley. With a few quick glances, he raised his arm and I found myself staring down the barrel of a loaded .44 Magnum. "Get out of here."
I stood my ground. If I left, they'd disappear into the woodwork forever like the termites that they were. If I stayed, I had the likelihood of getting shot.
"Fine. Be that way." The man turned and opened fire on the pedestrians on the other side of the street. "They'll die then."
He had to be crazy. Gunning people down in broad daylight. I was about to yell for someone to call an ambulance when I felt a shocking pain in my abdomen. I looked down to see 3 distinct bullet holes in my shirt.
They stopped shooting.
Grabbing at my stomach, I collapsed to the pavement. I saw the men all retreat into the cigar shop, and I felt the hands of a stranger on my body.
"Don't worry, I've called an ambulance...they'll be here soon. Stay with me buddy...don't pass out...come on..."
Lying my head on the sidewalk, I glanced with my eyes and saw the puddle of red coating the sidewalk. I felt myself go weak, and then it was black.
********************
At the Police Plaza.
********************
~~Garret~~ After finally weaseling our way into Eddie's office, we were just about to get him to run the trace information when his and everyone's radio's crackled to life.
"Reported shooting in South Boston. 4385 Scott Alley off the expressway. One man down. Repeat shooting in South Boston."
I looked at Jordan, and I nearly got sick to my stomach. This was not a good feeling I had, and I knew Jordan didn't like it either.
"Scott Alley...that's where the body of the kid was found." Eddie perked up when the computer printed out the results.
I nodded. "I know. That's Nigel."
TBC......
**********
Chapter 23
**********
((takes place right after 22...))
~~Garret~~
"He's what?!"
"He's in trouble..."
"What kind of trouble Peter?" I glanced up at Jordan across the table. We'd just been discussing the pros and cons of an office romance when my cell phone had rang, complete with a very shaken Peter.
"It's about that case he had...with the kid that was abused...we got into an argument on the roof and he told me that he was going to go get the kid's father himself."
"What do you mean by get?" I waved Jordan off as she tried to lean in to listen in on my phone.
"He said he was going to teach the bastard a lesson...I'm afraid he's going to do something stupid."
"You're probably right. I'll be back in a few minutes." With that, I flipped my phone closed and was quickly greeted with a hissed string of words from Jordan.
"Who's in trouble Garret...you tell me right now or you'll hav-"
I cut her off. "Calm yourself. It's Nigel." I stood, handing a few twenties to the waiter.
"Keep it." Grabbing my coat, and Jordan grabbing her purse and keys, we headed out into the parking lot, climbing into the Explorer.
"Where?" She looked at me as she started the engine.
"Morgue. We've gotta get the address of the father's residence. With luck we can get there before Nigel get's himself so deep into a hole that he can't get out."
"Alright." She backed out of the parking lot, and headed straight for our building. A quick trip up the elevator, and I was headed straight for the office he and Bug shared.
I needed to find something with his address on it. I didn't care what it was, it just had to be something. I rifled through the papers on his desk with no luck. Calling out, to no one in particular, I asked for help. What I got was a Peter, a Bug, and a Jordan.
"Do any of you know where Nigel went? Bug?"
"I just got here and got confronted by Peter...what's going on?"
"I didn't confront you I asked you a question!"
"Yeah, you nearly had me pinned to the wall to do it!"
I shook my head. You're always dealing with the petty things...the bickering never ceases... "Stop it, both of you. This is serious. If Nigel messes up he could face felony charges. Now where is he?"
Jordan stepped into the mix. "I say we goto the Plaza and have them run a search just for the case address. No mention of Nigel being there, just for our records."
Peter looked at her. "You think that will work?"
She nodded. "I can get Eddie to run it."
"Alright then. Let's go. Peter, you stay here and run look for more information. Dig though trashcans, put together shredded paper, I don't care. If you find anything call me."
"Yes Dr. Macy." With that, he started looking through the piles on Nigel's desk.
"Jordan, you're coming with me."
"I figured as much. You don't have the right stuff to get what we need."
"Just go get in the car." I nudged her towards the door.
"Yes, sir. Right away sir." She mockingly saluted me and then marched out of the room.
I followed, running the situation through my head, and attempting to figure out why I shouldn't skin Nigel the moment I saw him next.
*******************************
A cigar shop in South Boston...
*******************************
~~Nigel~~ It took all I had in me not to run in and start throwing punches to anyone in the joint. I sat outside for a good ten minutes, just watching, until I saw the same crowd of men that I had seen when I had last been there drive up. Yeah, this was them. Same rotten scum who'd blew the kid's picture off. And one of them was the bastard who'd killed him himself. Containing the growing rage inside of me, I carefully climbed out of my truck and jogged across the street, entering the shop slowly.
The air inside stunk with the smell of cigars, and I could hear a group of voices coming through the door into the back room. Crossing to the counter, I carefully picked up a cigar and turned it over in my fingers, waiting for someone to come out and see who I was.
I got so zoned out in my own thoughts that I didn't hear the owner trying to get my attention for a few minutes.
"Hey, man! You gonna buy that thing?!"
I turned and came face to face with the man who ran the shop. He wasn't the father. "No, I was just looking."
"Looking for anything in particular?"
Just then, the men came out into the main part of the store and slowly looked me over. There were five of them, plus the kid's dad. Sure, they were all big...but I wasn't worried about that at the moment. Silently wishing that I'd brought a gun or some other weapon to protect myself, I set the cigar down and approached the men.
"I was actually looking for you." I nodded my head in the dad's direction.
"For me?" He looked back at his friends. "He knows who I am guys."
"Yeah. You're the lousy son of a bitch who killed his own son."
His mouth dropped and he turned his head back to me.
"You heard me. You're a lousy son of a bitch."
Throwing his cigar on the floor and crushing it with his boot, he stepped up into my face. "You know a little too much, I'm afraid."
"Oh yeah? Well, then you might want to just give up. God know's every cop in town in going to find your little gang here...and then we'll finally be able to put your son to rest."
"He shoulda been put to rest a long time ago. That's why I killed the little brat. But you want to know the best part?"
I shook my head.
"I enjoyed pounding on him just to hear his ribs snap like the puny little twig that he was."
Without even thinking, I threw at a stiff hook that landed straight on his jaw. He staggered back, and his motley crew rushed forwards at me.
I jumped back, and put up my fists again. Hell, if I was gonna go down, I was gonna go down fighting. I didn't spend those years in the military for nothing.
"Don't touch him." Rubbing his jaw, he pushed the other men aside. "The bastard's mine."
"But it's my pleasure." That comment was instantly met with a shot to the ribs, then a few more to the face. Tasting the salty taste of blood in my mouth, I wiped my lip and then lunged at him. I landed several good hits before his ruffians grabbed me and threw me out into the alley on the side of the building.
It's broad daylight, and you're outside boxing with the Irish mob... I only had a second to think before I had to defend myself from six guys instead of the one I had been fighting a moment before. I started to notice the swelling in my eyes, and the pain I knew could only come from broken ribs. I turned on the men and threw a few more punches, some connecting, some not. I was seriously debating in my head whether or not to turn and leave to my car when I was tackled by the leader himself.
We scuffled on the asphalt for a few minutes, kicks and punches bouncing off each other like it was nobody's business. After I managed to throw him off of me, I flipped him off and walked down to the end of the alley out into the street. They wouldn't care come out of their black hole and face me on the streets.
Or at least I thought they wouldn't.
They all came, a darkened wave rushing upon me from the end of the alley. Glancing around, I saw a few people walking down the street on the other side, giving me weird looks. I stared back at them, then diverted my gaze to the glint of metal I saw in the darkness of the alley.
The father kept his arm down until he emerged from the alley. With a few quick glances, he raised his arm and I found myself staring down the barrel of a loaded .44 Magnum. "Get out of here."
I stood my ground. If I left, they'd disappear into the woodwork forever like the termites that they were. If I stayed, I had the likelihood of getting shot.
"Fine. Be that way." The man turned and opened fire on the pedestrians on the other side of the street. "They'll die then."
He had to be crazy. Gunning people down in broad daylight. I was about to yell for someone to call an ambulance when I felt a shocking pain in my abdomen. I looked down to see 3 distinct bullet holes in my shirt.
They stopped shooting.
Grabbing at my stomach, I collapsed to the pavement. I saw the men all retreat into the cigar shop, and I felt the hands of a stranger on my body.
"Don't worry, I've called an ambulance...they'll be here soon. Stay with me buddy...don't pass out...come on..."
Lying my head on the sidewalk, I glanced with my eyes and saw the puddle of red coating the sidewalk. I felt myself go weak, and then it was black.
********************
At the Police Plaza.
********************
~~Garret~~ After finally weaseling our way into Eddie's office, we were just about to get him to run the trace information when his and everyone's radio's crackled to life.
"Reported shooting in South Boston. 4385 Scott Alley off the expressway. One man down. Repeat shooting in South Boston."
I looked at Jordan, and I nearly got sick to my stomach. This was not a good feeling I had, and I knew Jordan didn't like it either.
"Scott Alley...that's where the body of the kid was found." Eddie perked up when the computer printed out the results.
I nodded. "I know. That's Nigel."
TBC......