Families

Chapter 09

A shooting ending up in Chicago

Ben went on patrolling the wide spaces of the North Territories along with his father and Buck Frobisher. They were now days mostly staying around the post and town to keep the law up there. Being somewhat of a loner made it possible for Ben to do the long runs and during the winter early in 1994 he went on a long hunt.

For once Bob and Buck had been out in the fields and someone hadn't wanted them to discover whatever it was they did discover. They were shot at. Luckily not killed but both of them badly hurt and to trigger the shooter or shooters they had made it all up to look as they had been killed.

Ben set out to hunt the 'killers' down. He ended up talking to some old friends of his father and since he found a trail to Chicago he set out for there. In the end it was Gerard one of the old friends of his father that had been the hiring hand behind the shooting and he was caught and put to justice, but when Ben wanted to get back to his post the discipline board stopped him. He had turned in one of their own and to cool down a bit, now when everyone knew Bob and Buck wasn't dead and telling that they had had been a lie, that hadn't helped Ben in front of the board, he had to be disciplined and therefore he got sent down to the Canadian Consulate in Chicago.

His mother had cried when he left, but Ben promised he'd be back soon, it wouldn't be that long of a punishment would it? But neither of them knew.

He was to be a liaison officer working together with the detective who had finally helped him look for the one shooting Bob and Buck, Detective Vecchio. Vecchio and Ben had at first gotten off on the wrong foot, but since Ben's sharp eye had noticed the hole in the shoe of the perpetrator Vecchio was trying to frame it had all turned out well.

Vecchio had gotten word about going to the Canadian Consulate to set up a few things with Constable Fraser. He had on a bright colored shirt and dark gray trousers. With quick steps he walked passed the guy standing in front of the consulate as a guard. It wasn't until the person hadn't answered him when he said hi and he had passed that he realized it was Fraser.

"Oh, it's you? I didn't recognize you as a statue" he said and started towards the door "Come on, let's get out of this heat and talk inside" it was one of the hottest days in Chicago.

Ben didn't move a muscle. The woman who had been up for the position that had been given to Ben was the one making the schedules and Ben had a lot of sentry duty. He took it like a Mountie and never complained. As the clock on the church on the other side of the street stroke three Ben changed his position and left the guard. He had been there since nine in the morning when he first got to work. He looked around, where was Diefenbaker.

"Dief?" Ben called although he wasn't sure it was to any use, the half dog half wolf had turned deaf after an incident two years ago. "I'm going inside where it's cool" he said and knew the dog would follow. "Detective Vecchio" Ben said to the man leaning against the rail.

"Constable Fraser" Vecchio said back and followed him inside "It seems our work together when you first were here have resulted in you helping me out when you don't stand out there like a statue"

"Sentry duty, detective Vecchio" Ben corrected him.

"Yeah yeah" Vecchio waved his hands "Whatever does a Mountie do to get a punishment like that?" he asked.

"It's not a punishment, it's an honor" Ben defended the tradition.

"Whatever, looks more like a punishment, and however don't you sweat dressed up like that" Ray said and looked him up and down.

Ben pulled at his color, he knew that his undershirt wouldn't be as dry as he looked to be, it had been unusually hot today.

"What brings you to the Canadian consulate detective" Ben asked.

"That liaison thing, Welsh sent me over to discuss your schedule" Ray sat down in the visitor's chair in the small closet that was Ben's office "And you better call me Ray" he added.

"OK Ray, what did you want to know about my schedule?" Ben asked.

"When you can help out and so" Ray shrugged his shoulders "I actually don't know" his cellphone rang. "Vecchio, yes, I'll be right over. Yes, he's here. Yes, I'll bring him if nothing else comes between" he hung up.

Ben looked questioningly but didn't say anything.

"That was Welsh, a case has come up and he wanted you to come along too if you could" Ray said.

"I don't have any more duties here today so that will be possible" Ben stood up and took his stetson in his hand. "Dief, come one" he said to the sleeping dog "It's time for some police work"

Vecchio wasn't too fond of having the dog in his car, but had gotten used to it when they had been in Chicago that first time looking for the possible killer. "Do you have a license for him yet?" Ray asked as Dief sniffled him in the ear.

"No, it's not easy to get a license for a wolf" Ben said and put his hat on the dashboard.

"Maybe you shouldn't volunteer that he's a wolf" Ray suggested.

"But if I don't I'm lying" Ben said.

Ray sighed and made a quick turn right and stopped outside the station house of the 27th precinct. He got out and started towards the doors "I'll see what I can do" he promised Ben.

"Good afternoon Elaine" Ben said as he walked passed the civilian aid to hang his hat on the clothes hanger at Ray's desk.

Ben had brought a politeness to the station that it hadn't seen in years.

Ray knocked and entered Lt. Welsh office, Ben entered just behind him.

"Good afternoon Lieutenant" Ben said and closed the door.

"Good afternoon Constable" Welsh said from behind his desk and motioned to both him and Ray to sit down. Reluctantly Ben did so, he was used to get his order standing up.

"If only my own staff was as polite" Welsh said and lent back in his chair. He explained the case to Ben and Ray and gave them a thick file with information about the bad guys.

Outside the station Ben put his stetson on and opened the door for Dief to jump into the car. "So where to first?" Ben asked Ray.

Ray told him an address and started up his pride and joy an 1971 Buick Riviera.

"Maybe we could stop at an apartment in the same neighborhood that I've been meaning to look at. I can't stay at the Consulate forever" Ben said.

Ray quickly glared at him "You can't live in that neighborhood Benny, it's slum" he told Ben.

"It's perfectly alright, low rent for a city apartment, allows animals" this made Diefenbaker wine, he didn't like it when he was compared with all kinds of other animals "OK" Ben rolled his eyes "They allow Diefenbaker and besides it's just about half an hours walk from the consulate. Great exercise" Ben told all the positive sides.

"OK, we'll stop by" Ray gave in.

It turned out that the people they needed to talk to lived in the next house and Ben's apartment needed more than a few things fixing but he took it.

"Ma called me earlier. Told me to bring you home for dinner. She hates it when I try to eat out" Ray said as they were driving back to the precinct.

"Thank you kindly" Ben said and heard Dief wine again "I will ask" he turned his head to Ray who before Ben could ask answered.

"Yes he's welcome too. I bet the kids will love him" Ray said.

Dief laid down in the backseat. And Ben sighed.

"He's sulking. Last years some kid cuddle with him and lost his bubblegum in Dief's fur. I had to cut it out" Ben new it was an embarrassing story for Dief "I think he sulked until it all had grown back"

"We are all busy eating in my family so I don't think it will happen" Ray said and saw the dog raise his head at the mentioning of food. "I thought he was death" Ray added.

"Partially at least" Ben shook his head in disbelief.

Dinner at the Vecchio's was kind of like when all Fraser's and Frobisher's met up but much louder. Someone called for Pollenta and Ben offered to go get it. He had to turn back and ask Ray what it was.

"He's really polite" Ray's mother said to her son.

"He's Canadian Ma" Ray explained and his mother nodded understandingly.

Ray's younger sister Francesca couldn't tear her eyes away. She had already gotten to know that Ben had just turned 35 last of April and that he was single and never had been married. She flirted shamelessly with him and when Ray's phone rang Ben felt rescued that they had to leave.

"Let me pack you a box of leftover Ben" Mrs Vecchio said.

"Thank you kindly" Ben said and while Ray went to gather his gun since he had locked it up in it's safe box Ben received the box.

"Feel free to drop by anytime" Francesca said leaning in the door way.

"I'm sorry about Frannie" Ray said as they sat safely in his car "She can be a bit much, just don't take any notice and she'll back too" he suggested.

"She was a little pushy" Ben agreed.

"A little, you don't have to defend her Benny" Ray pulled the car in in front of the station.

It got to be a long night but in the end Ben managed to get three hours sleep. He had slept less in a night or not at all during the years. He was woken up by the phone ringing.

"Good morning Benton" he heard his mother's happy voice and rubbed his eyes awake.

"Good morning mum" Ben said back.

"I'm sorry if I woke you but I wanted to call and tell before I went to bed. I delivered your new niece at three am this morning" Caroline said.

"So it was another girl after all. I take it it all went well" Ben said and knew his sister had hoped for a boy this time.

"Perfectly, Rebecca's a natural when it comes to giving birth no pa.." Caroline said.

"That's a little too much information mum" Ben cut her off and yawned. He never was tired in the morning not even on y this little sleep. He missed the wide open nature and pure air of home.

"You sound tired Benton" Caroline said softly.

"I was out working with Detective Vecchio most of the night" Ben said. He had always been honest with his mother.

"We miss you" Caroline had a hard time keeping her tears back.

"I miss you too. All of you" Ben understood his father was away as his mother was this sensitive "I will see if I can get some time off soon. Tell Becky I'll call her tonight or tomorrow" he added.

"I will" Caroline sighed "Take care of yourself and stay safe" she hung up after hearing her son promise it.

Ben gathered his things and went to take a shower and shave before it was time to start the day.

Disclaimer/Copyright 2014 and forward: I don't own the characters from Due South, but I've written the story and therefore feel I own that. I also want to say I don't know about how the Academy for RCMP or something alike works so I've made it up a nice way to fit my story. I'm also not familiar with names for different kind of people in a village such as the Inuits live in.