Chapter 16
Five minutes later Don, Colby, the doctor and the two uniforms stood around Craven's bed.
"Your behavior will have consequences ", the doctor mumbled, "I hope you don't think you'll get away with it."
"Stop talking doctor. You better wake this bastard up NOW."
The doctor took a syringe up and injected the fluid into Craven's veins.
"It will take a couple of minutes", he said.
They just stood there in silence and waited for a reaction. Don would have liked nothing more than to grab Craven by his neck and shake him. The eyelids of the serial killer finally fluttered open about five minutes later.
"Craven, do you hear me?" Don yelled impatiently, "Rise and shine, asshole."
Sweat had beaded on the doctor's forehead, he wiped it away with the sleeve of his coat, "give the man some time. His body ..."
"Shut up, doc," Don hissed, "wake up ugly beauty, we gotta talk."
Craven opened his eyes slowly, he tried to move his hands, but these were strapped to the bed.
He focused his eyes. When he recognized Don he gave him a smug grin, "hello Agent Eppes. It wouldn't have been necessary to pay me a visit, anyway, but thank you." His voice was weak.
"If you don't tell me what has happened to my brother, you won't be needing tranquilizers anymore," Don yelled at him.
Craven swallowed, "my I have a glass of water please? My throat ..." He coughed.
"You can have a punch in your ugly face," Don threatened, "tell me first what I want to know."
"You had your chance Eppes and you didn't use it."
Don grabbed Craven's neck and started to strangle him, "you self-aggrandizing asshole. Do you really think someone could stop me from beating the crap out of you?"
"For Heaven's sake," the doctor hollered out and looked at the two cops. They just watched. So he decided rushing from the room saying he was going to call Security.
Craven's face turned crimson, "do it and your brother is lost forever", he gasped.
Don's head was spinning. He was undecided. But neither Colby nor the policeman moved an inch. They knew that Charlie's life was at stake and that they needed any information they could get.
Don's breath came in shallow rasps, the adrenaline rushed through his veins. He wanted nothing more than to snap this moron's neck. But that wouldn't help Charlie at all. So he let him loose.
"This was very stupid agent, very stupid," Craven croaked.
They all could see Don's fingerprints on his neck.
Before Don could reply they doctor returned followed by two human bulldogs, " FBI or not. I'm telling you to leave this room and this clinic," he snapped and indicated the door, "get the hell out of here, immediately."
Don still hesitated.
"Mr. Davis, Mr. Conroy, please escort these gentlemen outside."
Colby was less emotional. For him the man in the white coat looked more like Rumpelstiltskin for the poor and not like a doctor.
"Don't worry, we're already on our way out", he said smugly, "there's no need for special treatment."
He pushed Don gently outside.
Back in the SUV and slipping the key into the ignition Colby stated dryly, "You know this whole thing was bullshit. However, I understand. I probably would have acted just the same."
Don's rigid look went through the windshield into nowhere. He'd simply "switched off".
Back at the office he took off his jacket, dropped into his chair and folded his arms on the desk. Exhausted he rested his head on them. He felt empty and worn out.
Megan took Colby aside and went with him into the kitchen.
"Why didn't you stop Don?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don put his hands around the doctor's neck, didn't he?"
"You already know that?" Colby was stunned.
"What do you think? Also that he then forced the doctor to wake Craven. The AD is livid with Don; I'm now in charge of Charlie's case."
"And what about Don?"
"He'll be suspended", Megan put a hand to her stomach feeling miserable.
"He can't take the case away from him, I don't believe this ", Colby shook his head, "what the hell is going on in here? They treat Don like a criminal while Craven's treated like a princess. That's ridiculous."
David joined them, "Megan I just returned from the locker room, there are rumors that they want to suspend Don."
Nervously she chewed at her lower lip, "that's right, I've been assigned to take over the case."
"Shit," David said.
All three looked worriedly at Don. He still had his head on his arms and had not moved.
"Why don't they just pull him out because of prejudice? Why are they going to suspend him all of a sudden?" asked David.
"You remember the thing with the shrink not too long ago?"
"Don't tell me they gonna use this against him, Meg. That's old hat," Colby hissed, "His younger brother has been kidnapped, for Christ's sake. What they expect him to do? Go about his job merrily whistling without giving a damn?"
Megan shrugged, "maybe, I don't know. But first of all he should stay away from Craven."
Colby looked Megan squarely into the eyes, "you know there is no way that we can exclude him from this case, suspension or not. He has a right to know what's going on and ..."
Megan put a hand on his left lower arm, "relax Colby, I do not intend to withhold information from Don. They'll just be keeping a close eye on us, we gotta be careful."
In a tone bordering on conspiracy she added, "Boys, don't let it get you down. We're going to find Charlie, no matter what."
They nodded at each other, equally determined.
The ringing of the telephone roused Don from his lethargy.
"Eppes?"
"The AD wants to see you right ahead," Dotty's normally friendly voice was somewhat muted.
"I'm on my way," Don mumbled.
He dragged himself to his feet, making a short stopover in the men's room to splash cold water onto his face. He felt sick to his stomach as his reflection proved.
Dotty's usually friendly smile died on her lips when she saw Don. "I've heard about what's happened to Charlie. I don't know what to say, I'm so sorry."
He lifted his hand, "its okay, Dotty. I appreciate it. May I go in?"
She nodded.
To Don's surprise Director Vasquez was also at the AD's office. One chair was still available. Don just took a seat without being asked.
"I think we know why you are here," the AD said.
"Certainly not to discuss my promotion," Don replied with gallows humor.
"We've just received a very disturbing call from Mount Mitchell. Did you have to turn into Rambo over there, Special Agent?"
Don pursed his lips slightly, "what do you want to hear? I'm currently running on adrenaline, as you might know. I think I can spare you the details."
"I'm really sorry about your brother but that doesn't give you the right to go postal in a clinic. You are obviously not thinking clearly." The AD shook his head.
Vasquez cleared his throat and said, "We came to the conclusion that it would be the best for you and for us to suspend you for awhile. What has happened to your family is tragic, but this is no excuse for your behavior."
Don swallowed repeatedly trying to suppress his anger and the big lump that rose in his throat.
"I take your silence as an approval and ask you to give me your badge, your weapon and your ID, please," the left corner of the AD's mouth twitched a little.
"Don't think that this is going to stop me searching for my brother," Don muttered while he put the things he was asked for on the glassy desk of his boss.
"Don, we appreciate Professor Eppes and his abilities as an extraordinary support to our agency," the AD said, "and I assure you we will be doing all we ..."
"Hah! So you suspend the only person who knows Craven and his dirty tricks?" Don got up and applauded.
"The fish rots from the head down," he said cryptically, "what else does Novak have up his sleeve that scares the crap out of you, gentlemen?"
Both men glared at him.
Don shrugged, "am I wrong? Oh well, I forgot I'm just a simple FBI agent. I don't have a clue of what's going on in here or what games you're playing. Just as I don't know the rules to be part of this game."
"I'm going to ignore your allusions, Eppes," the AD said harshly and wiped away the sweat that had beaded on his upper lip, "we're done, goodbye."
But Don had already closed the door. He went back to his desk and took his jacket from the chair. Megan came toward him.
He closed his eyes for a beat, "don't say it, Megan. I'm so sick of it, I don't wanna hear it."
"What?" she asked in confusion.
"That you are sorry."
"That's not what I'm going to tell you. I just want to inform you that Colby, David and I do not intend to exclude you from the inquiries. You will always be up-to-date."
He drew in a breath and looked her squarely into the eyes, "I didn't honestly expect anything else from your side."
"And what are you going to do now?" Colby wanted to know.
"First I'll pay a visit to my dad and then I'll go home and try to catch some sleep."
He took a packet of chewing gum from the topmost drawer, "take care guys, we'll stay in touch."
He nodded at them briefly and left the building with his head up high.
"I hope he won't screw up again", Megan mumbled.
123456
"Hi Dad, it's me!" Don yelled as he entered the house but he got no answer.
He took off his jacket and hung it on the hook next to the door. The silence felt strange and he found it absolutely depressing. He could even hear the ticking of the grandfather clock. He was up for a beer so he went to the refrigerator and took one out. He cracked the cap at the edge of the kitchen table, something his father would've killed him for, but he was not here.
Don strolled through the house. Something almost magically lured him into the garage, Charlie's refuge. Charlie was omnipresent. By the black boards, the chalk, his writing, the table in the middle of the room where files and books where piling up, simply everything. Don's throat tightened.
Lost in thought he ran his hand along the frame of the black board, "where are you Charlie?" he whispered, "What have they done to you?"
The suppressed rage unloaded itself suddenly. With a loud cry he threw the half empty bottle straight across the room. The glass split and the liquid left an ugly spot on the opposite wall.
Never ever before he'd lost so much control over his life. With his back against the wall he slid down until he sat his right foot bent and the left one extended on the cold concrete floor.
Again and again he beat the back of the head against the wall making inarticulate sounds. Helplessly he lifted one hand to ... He had no idea what he wanted to do so he dropped it limp at his side again. The lump in his throat seemed to be the size of a football. Tears cascaded down his cheeks and there was nothing he could do prevent them. Pictures from the past flooded his mind. He saw himself in school and at home together with Charlie at various celebrations. Good memories as well as some not so good ones.
Later he wasn't able to tell for how long he'd been sitting in the garage. The signal of an incoming SMS on his cell finally jolted him back to reality. With the back of his hand he wiped away the tears and opened his cell automatically thumbing through the keys to open the message.
He stared at the screen for quite a while until his brain accepted the message that came from an unknown caller ID: Tomorrow evening at 10 p.m., if you want to get some inside information about Craven's case meet me at the dilapidated factory building at the corner of Fortuna and Crest alone! Someone who's on your side.
Don's instincts were aroused immediately. He rang a tech at the bureau and hoped the guy didn't know about his suspension. He was lucky and arranged for a trace of the phone number which got him nowhere, unfortunately. The message had been sent from an un-registered prepaid cell. tbc
A huge thank you to ALEO for betaing! You did a tremendous job!