As it turned out, closing the case took some more leg work. The man they arrested in the subway stop bathroom was named Hank Meske. The TTC confirmed he was an employee and would have access to the maintenance door. However, he was not scheduled to be working that day.
The fact that he claimed to be working when he wasn't supposed to be wasn't enough evidence though. He confessed to seeing the hoodie on the ground in the maintenance room and he picked it up to inspect it before returning it to where it was, thinking whoever left it would come back for it.
Sam knew that line was bullshit but he couldn't prove otherwise and now any DNA that was found and traced back to Mr. Meske, he'd have plausible deniability for.
To make matters worse, the eyewitness from the platform couldn't definitively identify Meske from a lineup and none of the jewelry store employees got a good enough look either and said as much in their statements to Nick and Chris.
The second suspect got away from police and got lost in all of the people that were crowding downtown that day. The fact that they didn't get off with any jewelry made their escape easier.
In regard to the escape vehicle, it was meticulously clean. Especially considering it was a rental, there should have been tons of DNA in there. But every surface was wiped down. Not a fingerprint to be seen without tearing the car apart more. And that would take time.
But, Sam was able to get the rental information from the rental company and he and Nick paid a visit to the renter, an Angela Logan. But after knocking and getting no response at her house they were told by a neighbor that she was out of town. In fact, she had just left yesterday.
They asked the neighbor if she knew anything about the rental car and she said she'd seen Angela's brother pick it up this morning. They thanked her for the help and ran down the brother.
It was getting late in the day when Sam and Nick knocked on his apartment door. He opened the door and saw who they were, said "shit" and tried to slam the door. Nick forced the door open and knocked the man over in the process. Sam held him down while Nick put on some cuffs and they called for a transport back to the barn.
Sam got him into interview and the man, whose name was Matt, was visibly nervous. Sam hit him with the fact he'd been in possession of a car that was used in an armed robbery and fled from the police. Apparently, in the interest of self-preservation, Matt wanted to make a deal.
Sam listened to what he had to say. Logan rolled over on his partner, Hank Meske, and detailed the plan. The idea was to get to the same subway stop Meske was arrested at. The jewelry they stole was to be hidden in the maintenance room and Hank would come back for it later. Meanwhile, they'd change into a couple of maintenance uniforms that Hank had previously stashed and then walk out.
It wasn't the worst plan Sam had ever heard. In fact, it may have worked if a couple things went the other way that morning. And maybe if the getaway vehicle couldn't be so easily connected. In the end both Meske and Logan were charged and booked. Sam promised he'd talk to the prosecutor on Mr. Logan's behalf and said the prosecutor would probably offer him a good deal to testify against Meske. It was the best Sam could do, and frankly, the best Logan was going to get.
When Sam got home that night, it was late enough that Andy had fallen asleep on the couch, waiting for him to come home. She must have been really tired because she didn't stir when he came in. However, Boo perked up and came over to the door. He wanted to go out, so Sam took him for a quick walk and when they got back Andy was still sound asleep.
Sam figured she needed the sleep and decided not to wake her. Instead, he draped a blanket over her and he changed out of his street clothes. Then he settled in to sleep in the recliner, next to his wife, with Boo on the floor in between them.
The next day Dov returned and Sam filled him in on the excitement of the previous day.
"Gee, and here I was signing contracts and paying deposits," Dov said.
"Yeah, did all that work out?", Sam asked.
"Oh yeah, it's all good. It just took a lot longer than we expected. This being my first time and Chloe's only experience being a spur-of-the-moment Niagara chapel marriage, it's fair to say it was a little overwhelming."
"But now that's behind you and you got nothing else to do except look forward to the big day."
"Yeah, I'm just afraid it'll be gone like that," Dov snapped his fingers, "and it'll all just be a blur. You know what I mean, right?"
Sam nodded, "Yeah, I do. It will be a blur. At the same time, though, you'll have the memories you create. In each moment, take your own mental snapshots and those you'll be able to cherish."
"Yeah? What's some of yours?"
"Uh, let me see." Sam closed his eyes. "Well, there's Andy finally getting to the Church to walk down the aisle. Oliver's ring mix-up. Oddly enough, my Pop being there. Thanks for that by the way. And our first dance, obviously. Oh, and when I saw Andy looking down at everybody dancing and having fun from Oliver's deck. In that moment, she looked happier than I had ever seen her before that day. That's something I'll always remember." Sam opened his eyes again. "But yeah, you'll make your own. It's really more of an in-the-moment thing. You'll know it's a 'snapshot moment' as it's happening."
Dov nodded, understanding what his partner meant. "Speaking of your Dad, how's he doing."
"Ah…"
"If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. I just figured since he came up I'd be polite and ask."
"uh, no. It's alright. I mean, he's got some problems. He's got to seriously change his lifestyle habits. And in prison, that may not be that easy."
"Doesn't the prison have systems for inmates with health problems?"
"Yeah, they do. But he's stubborn."
"Well, you had to get it from somewhere," Dov said.
Sam conceded that. "You know, he's got another meeting with the parole board coming up. He's probably got a good shot at getting out."
"And then what?"
"I honestly don't know. Sarah will probably want to make sure he's getting the care he needs. And she'll probably want us all to mend the broken bridges between us."
"And you're not ready for that," Dov ventured.
Sam didn't say anything but stared off for a while. When he came back he just shrugged and shook his head. He had no idea. "Look, let's not talk about all this family drama on the eve of your wedding. It's just some pretty depressing stuff."
"Okay," Dov said. So, what's on the docket for today?"
"Well, we have to run the case file from yesterday over to the prosecutors, and talk with them about some leniency for Mr. Logan. After that, it's on to the next one."
"Just another day at the office."
"Yeah. Speaking of," Sam picked up the file, "she's all ready to go."
Nick had expected Chloe to be talking non-stop, like usual, about the wedding tomorrow and about a million other things. But, instead she was oddly reserved today. Still her happy and cheery self, just not talking as much.
Eventually Nick had to ask, "Everything all right over there? Your half of the car is strangely quiet."
Chloe turned to him and said with a smile, "Yeah, all good. I'm just thinking."
"Oh yeah? About the wedding?"
"Well, duh. But about other stuff too. Like what real married life will feel like. Not what it felt like with Wes."
"Oh."
"Don't tell me you never picture that with Juliet. When are you going to pop the question?"
"How do you know I'm going to?"
Chloe raised an eyebrow at him. "You're kidding, right? There's no way you went all the way to Vancouver after her, came back here with her, and are still together if this isn't serious. You obviously love her. And she's not stupid so she obviously loves you back. So, what's the hold up?"
Nick blushed a little. "Wow, you've obviously thought this through very well."
"Eh, a little. Mainly though, I'm just good at reading you. Remember, I pegged you and Andy, even though you denied it. We both know the truth."
"Okay, you're right. I do love her. I'm just waiting for the time to be right. I wanted to get settled in back here first. Then Dov proposed to you and I didn't wat to come behind and piggyback that. And I don't want to piggy back off the wedding, either. So, I'm going to wait for everything to cool down again and then we'll see."
Chloe was about to respond when dispatch came through the radio. "In 15, a 27 division unit is on a traffic stop that crossed over to 15. They're requesting a unit to assist. Unit to handle respond for further."
Nick jumped at the chance to get off the topic of his love life. "1509, we'll back-up the 27 unit." Nick began to navigate over there, in no real rush. When they were still a few minutes away, a frantic, non-dispatch voice came over their radios.
"2710, 10-33 my partner's been shot! I need help! She's bleeding bad!"
"That's Wes," Chloe said as Nick flipped the sirens and flashers to full and began responding code 1. Chloe grabbed the radio. "This is 1509, we're just around the corner." Soon, they pulled up next to Wes who was hunched over his partner, Tori Luck, and applying pressure to her neck.
"Stay with me Tori. Stay with me!" Wes was saying. Nick popped the trunk and Chloe raced to the back to get the first aid kit. Nick asked Wes where the shooter went. While Chloe was doing that.
"Green hatchback Toyota with a temp plate and a smashed up back windshield. Occupied one time. Took off down the street and hooked a right at that first light."
"Price," Nick said. "Stay here and help, I'm going in pursuit."
"Nick, you could use backup."
"Chloe, you're getting married tomorrow, and they already shot a cop. I'm not risking it. Help Wes help Luck." Nick got back in the car and took off. Chloe then registered the cacophony of responding sirens and realized he wouldn't be alone. On cue, Nick relayed the information Wes gave him to dispatch and everyone else responding.
Chloe went back to Wes who was pressing gauze to the wound now with one hand and grabbing his radio with the other, yelling, "That's not soon enough! Forget it, we'll transport from the scene."
"Chloe, ambulance is at least 15 minutes out. They had to divert from a major accident across town. We're taking her in our car."
"Yeah, got it," Chloe opened the back door as Wes picked up his fading partner. He laid her down in the back seat and Chloe climbed in the other side and began applying pressure and gauze to the wound that was still bleeding pretty bad. She was having flashbacks to her own gunshot wound to the neck. She didn't remember the incident, but Andy told her that she wouldn't stop talking for the longest time until consciousness faded away. Tori was past that point, and slipping further fast.
As Wes pulled away, lights and sirens, he called the hospital and told them to put him through to the emergency room. "This is Officer Cole, 27 Division. I'm coming in code 1 with a 27-year-old female, P.O., G.S.W. to the neck with fading consciousness and significant blood loss. "We're about 5 minutes out."
Chloe knew about where they were relative to Memorial and thought 5 minutes was pushing it. But Wes stepped ono the gas a little more and Chloe thought that estimate was actually pretty close, now.
They got there in just over 5 intense minutes, and were met outside the doors by a team of nurses and two doctors with a gurney and an array of equipment. They opened the door and lifted Tori out of the back seat and placed her on the stretcher. She was completely out now. They rushed her in and Wes and Chloe followed them all the way until they got to the doors that they couldn't pass. The doctors and nurses rushed her through and Wes and Chloe, covered in blood, watched through the small window on the door until they lost sight as they turned again.
Meanwhile, a unit from 34 division heard the vehicle description over the wire and was familiar with a vehicle matching it that he'd had run-ins with before. He still had the information in his notebook from the last pullover on it. He pulled up the address that the vehicle is registered at and went over there since it was in 34, although just barely. A block away was a major street that defined the border between 34 and 15. He did a slow drive-by and confirmed that the car was parked in front of the house. Exercising, caution, he went further on down the street and turned down a cross and stopped where he could maintain a visual with the house and car while he called and waited for backup.
Nick was among the group that met up at the house. The group was mostly made up of 34 division officers and some from 27that weren't at the hospital. Nick grabbed the long gun from his trunk and fastened the strap around him. The rest of the assembled officers did the same if they had some heavier weapons. When an officer had already been shot, nobody took any chances. Plus they ran the owner's name through the system and it came back with a felony warrant attached, which possibly explained his actions on the day.
When they were all ready, they made a slow tactical approach, Nick leading due to his military and entry team experience. When they got to the edge of the property the back half of the group broke off and advanced around the back of the house. The lead guy of that group held the back door while the rest formed up behind him. "Back's clear," somebody radioed.
Nick's group formed up behind him and he took a position at the right rear of the hatchback, barrel leveled at the front door. Another took position over the hood and aimed down the front window to the right of the door while another still took position at the left front and aimed down the window to the left.
Towards the back of Nick's group was the original officer from 34 who had a megaphone. "James Casey! This is the Police! Your house is surrounded. Make this easy on yourself and come out slowly with your hands up!"
They waited a few heartbeats and the officer was preparing to give another warning when the front door sprang open.
"Movement at the front door," someone radioed. A man came out with his hands up and squinting at all of the flashlights that were shining in his face.
"That's him," the 34 division officer confirmed into his radio. Back into the megaphone, "Slowly lift up your shirt and slowly turn around in a circle."
Casey complied and had no weapons tucked into his waistband.
"Okay, now turn away from me and walk backwards to the sound of my voice until I tell you to stop."
Again, Casey complied and came to a stop on command.
"No get down on your stomach, ankles crossed, with arms straight out to the side. Slowly."
Casey followed the directions like somebody who'd done them all before, Nick thought. When he was down, Nick stood up and said, "I got cover." Keeping his rifle aimed at the suspect, he watched the two officers who were still behind him come in and handcuff Casey. When that was complete, everybody relaxed a bit and Nick radioed that they had one in custody.
Since the shooting happened in 15, Swarek and Epstein were on the crime scene. 34's people would handle this scene and 27 would probably have a person or two at both since it was their officer that got shot. But for Nick he was done here so he joined in the congratulations everybody gave each other for a safe and successful capture and went back down the street to his car. He locked up the rifle in the trunk and drove back to 15 to file his report.
At the scene of the shooting, the crime scene people had marked off the blood spatter from Luck but that was about it. There was no other evidence of note. The lack of a shell casing probably meant that it landed in the car, or the gun was a revolver. Either way, there was nothing for Sam and Dov to work off of at the scene. But they later got word that After Casey had been arrested and the house and car searched, the officers found a gun, 1 round missing from the mag, and a spent casing on the passenger floorboard. That would be bagged, and ballistics would be run to match it to the slug pulled from Officer Luck.
They went back to 15 and filed their final report for the day and clocked out. Sam was heading home to check up on Andy who had taken the day off to go to a couple of doctor appointments. And Dov went to the hospital to check on Chloe, who was still there. Both of them decided to forgo the bachelor and bachelorette parties due to the events of the day, opting for a peaceful night at home and a good night's sleep.
Dov found Chloe sitting in the waiting room, out of her uniform shirt and in a Metro Police t-shirt. She smiled as he sat down next to her.
"She's out of surgery, but she's still out of it. Stabilized, though, I guess," Chloe said.
"They got the guy," Dov said. "Nobody else got hurt, it went well."
"Good, that's good," Chloe said weakly.
"Yeah, turns out the guy had a felony warrant and I guess he freaked."
"So stupid…"
"Yeah, but it's over now. They have the gun, it'll be matched to the bullet they get from Officer Luck."
"Tori, that's her name."
"Oh, Tori. I didn't know that."
"I didn't either, until I heard Wes saying it today. I don't think I'd ever even met her."
"I did once. Me and Gail and she and Wes were working the same house on Project Accountability."
"I never really talked to her though. Gail and she had some bickering though."
Chloe smiled at that thought but it quickly faded.
Dov noticed and wrapped an arm around her. "Hey, it's going to be okay. You got her here alive-"
"Barely."
"And she's in the best hands possible right now."
"I know, it's not that. Well, not completely that. I'm sitting here worrying like this for a person I didn't even really know. I get she's a fellow cop but still. And I can't help but wonder how bad you felt when I was in there."
Dov considered how to answer. "I tried to keep my cool, and on the outside, I think I pretty much did. But I was a wreck inside. And then Wes showed up and that threw me for another whirl."
"Sorry about that, again. I'm so sorry for all of it."
Dov grabbed her hand and stood her up. "C'mon, let's go home."