Brother's Keeper: Chapter 12

By: The Confused One

A/N: This is more a transition chapter than anything. Things will pick up again soon. I have huge plans for this story.

Dillon watched the doors to the gas station. He dialed a number on his cell phone. "It's me. What do you have?" After a pause, he nodded. "Good. What about…" Dillon shook his head. He started to argue, "I don't think that's a good idea." Before he could convince the other person of anything, he saw Ken coming out of the gas station. He sighed and cryptically, explained, "Thank you for the information. I have to go."

Getting into the car, Ken watched Dillon hang up. Curious, he asked, "Who was that?"

Dillon shrugged and played it off, "My girl. Look, the hospital is closer. We should, uh, try there first."

Ken gestured to the steering wheel. "You're driving." He was suspicious of Dillon though. Something wasn't right.

Dillon smiled. Starting the engine, he relaxed. With a nod, he headed towards the hospital.

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Mike and Carolyn arrived back at the hospital. Making their way to the room, Mike insisted, "We have to track this guy down in Atlantic City. He's the key to this whole mess."

Carolyn nodded in agreement. "He's the main domino. I'm just not sure how we're going to get him."

Mike grinned. "Trust me, my dear. We'll get him." No one got away with beating the hell out of a friend of his, especially when that friend was a fellow cop.

Carolyn couldn't help but smile back. She had the feeling that she might enjoy whatever it was that Mike was thinking. Come to think of it, she enjoyed a lot of things about Mike. She shook her head to chase the thoughts away. Looking at Mike, she ventured, "I can only imagine what you have in mind."

Mike snickered. Arriving at Bobby's room, they both walked in quietly. Looking from Lewis to Deakins, he asked, "Any change?"

Deakins shook his head sadly. "No. Nothing. He hasn't woken up yet."

Carolyn sighed. Approaching the bed, she asked, "And Alex?"

Deakins smiled. He explained, "We finally convinced her to go get something to eat."

Carolyn almost laughed at this. She shook her head. "I can imagine how that went."

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While she was eating, Alex let her mind wander. All of her thoughts kept coming back to Bobby. She had given up trying to direct them somewhere else. Until this was over, he would be her primary concern. She sighed and finished her sandwich.

Finally getting up, she threw her trash away and headed towards the elevator. That's when she saw them coming in. She frowned and locked eyes with Ken. They had spotted her, too. She sighed as they approached. She curtly greeted them, "Mullen. Harrison."

Eager, Dillon immediately spoke up. "Detective Eames. You are just who we're here to see."

Alex rolled her eyes. The more she got to know Mullen, the less she liked him. "I figured that. What can I do for you?" She was trying to keep things civil.

Dillon eyed her carefully. He ventured, "There was a message on Detective Goren's answering machine from you…"

Alex nodded at this. She remembered leaving the message on the way to his apartment. She explained, "After I talked to David. I knew something was going to go down, and I got worried. I tried to call him, to warn him. I was already on my way over there."

Dillon pushed, "In the message you asked him to pick up, not to ignore you. Is there a reason he would be ignoring you?"

Alex felt a tightening in her stomach. She didn't like this at all. She finally sighed and explained, "We had an argument the night before. I went behind his back to find David. He didn't want me to have anything to do with his brother. He wouldn't tell me what was going on. I finally got him to tell me in the course of the argument, and I was afraid he was feeling a bit…exposed. Bobby Goren doesn't like opening up to people, and he doesn't trust easily. It's hard for him. I was being cautious."

Ken nodded. "We talked to David. He told us everything he knew." Everything about Alex's story was clicking for Ken. He was losing patience for his young partner. He found himself once again, trying to keep Dillon from stepping on her toes anymore than he already had. He gently asked, "Is he awake yet?"

Alex shook her head. She quietly answered, "No, he's not. And his jaw has been wired shut. He won't be…talking for awhile."

Ken nodded. There was nothing more they could get from the hospital. He forced an end to the conversation before Dillon could say any more. "We understand. Please let us know when he wakes up."

Relieved, Alex nodded. Focusing on Ken, she answered, "Thanks, and I will." She gratefully headed to the elevators and back to Bobby.

Dillon held back his dissatisfaction. He knew Ken didn't want to hear it. He sighed and broke the silence. "We should go ahead and get back to the station."

Ken nodded again. Following him out of the hospital, he tried to figure out what was wrong with his partner. He was going to get his answers one way or the other. He was determined to get to the bottom of this case and Dillon.

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Alex arrived back at Bobby's room. She was relieved to see Mike and Carolyn were there. She smiled. She sat back down in her seat. "Good. You're both back." Without further preamble, she asked, "David give you anything?"

Mike nodded. He spoke up first. "As we were telling Deakins, he gave us a lead to a guy named Alan Stryker. Kane's name is Joseph 'Joey' Kane. He's a collector for Stryker, who is currently in Atlantic City."

Alex nodded. Closing her eyes, she was relieved. This was good. They were on to something. Without looking away from Bobby, she questioned, "And you're following up on both? Have people looking for them?"

Carolyn nodded. She assured Alex, "Of course. We have some people trying to track them down now. We just wanted to give you an update."

Alex sighed. Taking Bobby's hand again, she gratefully replied, "Thank you." After a moment, she added, "I ran into Mullen and Harrison downstairs. They had a couple of questions still. They said they talked to David."

Mike sat up in his seat. He assured her, "Yeah, they did. We ran into them. We didn't tell them what we were there for though. You OK? What did they want?"

Alex smiled in appreciation. She nodded. "I'm fine, Mike, but thanks." She sighed. Anyway, they wanted a few details on last night and the message I left on Bobby's machine."

Mike looked dubious. "What was the message?"

Alex sighed. This would be the second time she had to give this story, only this time she gave the details. As she finished, she threw a glance to Mike, asking if he had any other questions.

Mike shook his head, letting her know he was done. He watched visibly relax. He internally sighed, wishing like hell that Bobby would wake up already.

Watching Alex watch Bobby, Carolyn glanced over at Mike. He was getting restless. He needed something to sink his teeth into. She suggested, "Why don't we go check on those canvases?"

Mike nodded. He gratefully got up from his seat. He quietly replied, "Yeah…"

Deakins shifted in his seat. Watching his two detectives, he replied, "Be careful with this. We're going to have to get a hold of the Atlantic City Police Department."

Carolyn nodded. He assured Deakins. "Don't worry. We've already put a call out. They're going to get back to us any time now about Stryker."

Alex gratefully listened as they headed for the door. She gave Bobby's hand a light squeeze. She was about to say something when she felt the weakest of squeezes from Bobby. Startled, she froze. Sitting up straight, she called out, "He squeezed my hand. He's waking up."