Just a quick note to thank all my loyal readers, and the reviewers. It's always important
to find out if what you're writing is 'hitting all the right notes' and that the characters
are staying believable. So feedback is always appreciated (especially if it's positive LOL!).
"Did you know about this?" Healey asked Steve after Marilyn had left the office.
"That Mike was investigating the accident? No, I didn't. I mean, I had a feeling he was doing something he didn't want me to know… that was pretty obvious. But I didn't know about this," he tapped the composite that Marilyn had left on the desk. "And like I said, it was Nicole that told me about it… she says Mike knows of her as Mary Leary…" He shrugged.
"So Mike didn't think your 'accident' was an accident." Healey pondered the implications as his gaze unfocused. "And you said Nicole told you he was investigating Linda, to see if she was just… what? In the wrong place at the wrong time? Or she was part of the plan all along?"
Steve's eyes flashed. "She wasn't!" he snapped and Healey's eyes bored into him warningly.
"You know these are all things we have to check out, just like it seems Mike was doing."
For the first time in what seemed like ages, Healey's features softened and he allowed a smile to emerge. "I believe you, you know. I know you wouldn't kill your girlfriend and you'd definitely do nothing to harm Mike in any way, no matter what you were facing… but I had to make sure. I had to make sure you didn't waver in your story… because, you know, if we can't crack this, and you end up going to court, Gerry or whoever it is from the D.A.'s office is going to rake you over the coals. And with everything's that's stacked against you right now, proving your innocence is going to be almost impossible."
Despite everything, Steve smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Dan. I'm glad you're in my corner."
Healey's smile got a little wider. "I won't be alone believe me." He glanced down at the composite. "Well, now we definitely have something to talk to Mike about when we finally get in to see him." He looked at his watch; it was early afternoon. "I was hoping we might get in sometime today but it's not looking good."
There was a thump on the door and, frowning, Healey got up off the edge of the desk to open it. Haseejian, his hands full with a container of coffee cups and a paper bag balanced on top, wobbled into the room, trying to balance everything. He had obviously used his foot to knock.
"I was wondering where you got to," his partner groused as he made way and the Armenian sergeant deposited his load on the corner of the desk.
"I got us some lunch," Haseejian announced proudly as he stood up, beaming. "I went to Gino's, got us some good coffee instead of that swill from the office, and three BLT's and fries. I hope that's satisfactory."
Smiling, Healey nodded at Steve. "Sounds good to me."
"Yeah, it sure does. Thanks, Norm."
Suddenly frowning, the sergeant looked from his partner to Steve and back again. "So, what happened while I was gone?" he asked, sensing a change in the mood in the room.
Healey raised his eyebrows and leaned forward to tap his right forefinger on the composite. "This."
Still frowning, Haseejian leaned over the desk for a closer look. "Who's that?" He looked at the others again, but they just raised their eyebrows expectantly. Haseejian sagged slightly, perturbed, then his eyes widened suddenly. "That's Nicole?!"
Both Steve and Healey nodded.
Haseejian picked up the composite. "Wow, you said she looked different but holy cow, this looks like another person altogether."
"And not only that," Healey offered, "Mike had a composite exactly like this made last week."
"Last week…? What….?"
Healey glanced at Steve and smiled. "Sit down, Norm. We've got a few things to catch you up on."
# # # # #
They were almost finished going through everything for the second time when the phone rang. Snapping off the tape recorder, Healey picked it up on the first ring. "Olsen's office." The others watched as his face went very dark. "What? You're kidding! The son-of-a-bitch… Yeah, thanks, Bill…. I don't know, we'll let you know."
"What's going on?" Haseejian asked as his partner angrily dropped the receiver on the cradle.
"That bastard Leist. They just broadcast his piece on KBEX - breaking news. An 'unconfirmed' report that an unnamed detective is being investigated for the murder of his girlfriend and the shooting of his partner."
Steve's worried eyes shot from one sergeant to the other. "It's no secret within the department that Mike's in the hospital. I mean they've tried to keep a lid on it but it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it's him…"
Healey was nodding. "You've got that right. God damn it, I'd throttle that little piss-ant myself if I could get my hands on him."
"So what do we do?" Haseejian asked, all of them quickly thinking through all the ramifications this kind of malicious exposé would engender; none of it was good.
"It's only going to be a matter of time till this place is crawling with reporters. They won't be able to get up here, of course, but I bet they'll have all the exits covered, even the garage." Healey looked at his partner. "We've got to get him out of here… now."
"Where are we going to take him?"
They were talking over Steve's head like he wasn't there but he kept his mouth shut. He knew how serious this situation had become, and that any moment the D.A.'s office would be looking for him; the shit was about to hit the fan.
"Well, your place and my place are out, and so are Roy's and Rudy's. Just too obvious. And forget about Steve's or Mike's, that's a given." Healey rolled his eyes. "Oh, god, Jeannie. She's gonna be in the middle of this. Let's hope there's a girlfriend or somebody like that she can stay with."
Steve had slumped, his elbows on his thighs and his head in his hands. Even though it seemed impossible, things were actually getting worse.
"Well, let's figure that out once we get out of here. And we better do it fast." The sergeants got to their feet, grabbing their jackets. Healey picked up the composite as Haseejian dumped the remnants of their lunch into the wastebasket.
With a heavy sigh, Steve struggled to his feet and followed them out into the hallway. They headed towards the elevators, knowing they had to get out of the building as soon as possible, having no idea if they would be successful but knowing they had no other option.
# # # # #
Steve was slumped in the back of the forest green Galaxie parked at the curb on Baker in the shadow of the Palace of Fine Arts. Haseejian was casually looking out the passenger side window, ostensibly enjoying the view. Healey was on the payphone across the street on the corner.
"Yeah, we're at the Palace. We've just been driving around, trying to figure out where to stash him until the D.A.'s office tracks us down." He winced, taking the black headset away from his ear. He glanced in the direction of the Galaxie, pretty sure his partner could hear Olsen's rant all the way to the car.
"I know, Rudy, I know but, well, we panicked and -" He winced again. "I know, I know, but what would you have done?…. Okay, well, damage is done, so what do you want us to do with him?…. Really? Already? What did you tell them?…. Okay, good, well, I guess we'll jump off that bridge when we get there….Yeah, okay, that wasn't funny. But listen, we were thinking, there's a couple of really out-of-the-way motels down in Colma. Norm knows one of the owners a little bit, so we were thinking of taking him there."
Healey shot a look at the Galaxie; Haseejian seemed very relaxed. He envied his partner, but he had lost the coin toss.
"Okay, I'll call with the number as soon as we get checked in… Yeah, one of us will stay with him…. Okay, that would be great, thanks. Yeah, I'll call. Thanks, Rudy." He hung up and, looking around to make sure he wasn't being watched, jogged back to the car, slipping in behind the wheel.
"So Rudy's okay with us heading down to Colma," he informed the others as he turned the key and shifted into Drive. He glanced into the rearview mirror as he pulled away from the curb. "So, ah, Gerry called Rudy… he's pretty livid. He wants to meet with all of us but Rudy wants to talk to him first. I told Rudy we'd call in after we got registered in the motel and he'll let us know what he wants us to do."
"Listen, fellas," Steve said quietly from the back seat, "I really appreciate what you guys are doing, but aren't we just making things worse by trying to hide from Gerry and the D.A.'s office?"
Healey looked into the rearview mirror, at the worried and sad green eyes staring back at him; he pulled the car to the curb and shifted into Park. Haseejian was already studying the increasingly distressed young man in the backseat.
"So what are you saying?" the Armenian sergeant asked gently.
"I'm saying I'm willing to meet with Gerry, or whoever the D.A. assigns to this case, and do what I have to do to clear myself. Then if we can't prove that it was Nicole and not me, I guess I just have to accept my fate."
The sergeants exchanged a look then Healey responded emphatically, "Not on our watch. I don't know about Norm, but I believe you. I believe that… witch set this all up. She's clever, I'll give her that, but nobody's perfect, and she had to have slipped up somewhere. And we'll find it." He paused. "It just maybe not in time to prevent you from being charged and facing a jury."
Steve shrugged. "Then that's what has to happen… but I'm not gonna let you guys… and Rudy and Roy, and everybody else… jeopardize your careers… not for me." He shook his head. "I can't let that happen."
Haseejian nodded grimly. "Are you sure?"
Steve managed to find a small smile. "Yeah…yeah, I'm sure, Norm."
The sergeants exchanged another look then Healey nodded. With a smile that was full of pride, he turned back to face the wheel and shifted into Drive again. "Any bets Rudy has a heart attack when we walk into his office."
# # # # #
They managed to get back into Bryant Street without fanfare by taking the elevator from the garage; nobody from the press seemed to be covering the garage entrance yet, they were pleased to see, not sure how long that was going to last.
Olsen was deep in conversation on the phone when Healey opened the door and the three Homicide detectives casually strolled in. His eyebrows brushing his hairline as he stared at them wide-eyed, he babbled, "Yeah, yeah, I'll let them know," into the phone, hanging up without a 'good-bye'. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded, his eyes snapping from one to the other.
Steve stepped closer to the desk. "I'm not gonna run, Rudy, it's just avoiding the inevitable. I want to talk to Gerry. Let him decide if he wants to charge me or not. I mean, even if he does, it's not going to stop the investigation, right?" He shrugged helplessly.
"Well, no… no, of course not," the captain grumbled, obviously not liking the situation one bit. "We all know you didn't do it, Steve, and we're all gonna do our damnedest to prove it." He glanced up at the two sergeants for confirmation and they both nodded. "It, ah, it takes a lot of guts to do what you're gonna do. I respect that." He picked up the phone. "I'll give Gerry a call, tell him what's happening." He paused and looked at Healey. "Oh, ah, that was the hospital I was talking to. Mike's waking up."
