Chapter 18 – Surprises come in all forms

While Danny looked nervously up and down the corridor in search of the dragon despite the fact it was one minute past nine. Don tapped on the door, pushed it open and peered inside. He half expected to see Mac sitting up enjoying breakfast. Or, if he thought about it, it would more likely be Mac sitting up in bed eating breakfast and glowering. Don knew how much he hated hospitals However, Don was surprised to see the room empty. The blinds were up and the early-morning sun streamed into the room. A half-eaten breakfast tray stood on a table next to the hospital bed, the covers of which were thrown back casually revealing crumpled sheets. A large shopping bag with the emblem of a local outlet store stood on top of the bed next to a brand new button down shirt still in it's cellophane wrapper.

"It's safe!" he whispered to Danny and quickly the two men entered closing the door behind them. "Maybe she's off duty." Don added hopefully. They were wondering where Mac was when they noticed the bathroom door that stood ajar at the far side of the room. Their ears caught the sound of running water. Don pointed to the door and was about to announce their presence when a soft feminine voice came from the behind said door.

"So how is that?"

"That's great … in fact, that is fantastic. I've got to say I'm impressed!"

"You see I told you I was good."

The two men froze on the spot.

"Jo Danville, you are a woman of many talents."

"You have no idea."

Don's eyes turned the size of saucers at the innuendo in her voice as Jo's lilting laughter filled the room. He couldn't help smiling to himself as he wondered what on earth they were doing. A rather wicked thought entered his head but he brushed it aside immediately scolding himself for even thinking such a thing. However, a quick look at Danny who had folded his arms and was rocking back on his heels, his face a picture of unconcealed amusement confirmed that he was thinking along the same lines.

"I have to admit I haven't had one that good for years."

"Oh seriously Mac ..."

"No, it's true. I always thought I did a good job myself but this is way better."

Jo laughed again. "Well I'm glad because it looks like you're going to need my services for a while yet." Don could hear Mac clear his throat and give a low rumbling laugh.

"Well, I'm not going to complain about that."

"Now sit still and I'll wipe you off."

Don was beginning to think that this was a little too much information. He turned to look at Danny who was looking highly amused and was about to suggest they leave when the door behind them opened. Both men almost flattened themselves against the wall. Dragon Deirdre nodded to them curtly, eyeing them as they imagined she would a particular nasty virus. Deirdre marched over to the bed and placed a large white plastic bag on the bed. She transformed back into Darling Deirdre. "Mr Taylor," she called in a sweet sing-song voice. "I've brought your medication and a sling."

Jo stepped out of the bathroom with a white towel over one shoulder and a silver canister in one hand. "Oh Deirdre, bless you. You are an angel." Sounds of teeth brushing came from the bathroom.

Deirdre favoured Jo with her best smile that made Don and Danny wonder what they'd done to deserve such disdain. Don reckoned it was Danny sitting on the bed. Danny reckoned it was Don saying he'd be able to sweet-talk a nurse into letting them stay beyond visiting hours. "You're very welcome ..." She broke off as she stared at the object in Jo's hand. Her mouth opened in a surprised oh! Don's jaw dropped. Danny rocked back on his heels again with a look of astonishment.

Jo waved the cut-throat razor. "Just giving Mac a shave." She tipped her head towards the bathroom door and lowered her voice. "He doesn't do the designer stubble look." Jo rolled her eyes and flipped the razor closed.

"With that?"

Jo gave a wry smile. "My uncle was an old-fashioned barber. He taught me how to use one. I used to help out in the shop during summer break." She tossed the razor and the canister of shaving foam into the bag and picked up the blue checked shirt, ripping off the cellophane.

It was at this point that Danny realized that Mac was clearly getting ready to leave. "Whoa! Wait a minute. You're releasing him?" Deirdre shook her head and shrugged to show her disapproval but it was out of her hands. Jo looked at them rolling her eyes sending him a silent message of 'what did you expect?'. "Oh come on! You can't be serious?"

"I'm fine." Mac made his appearance at the bathroom door giving them his 'now is not a good time to argue with me' look.

Don grimaced and Danny looked horrified. In the light of day and standing there wearing only a pair of brand new blue jeans, Mac looked a mess. Facial injuries apart, his left shoulder was encased in a dark blue tight-fitting shoulder strap that extended down to his biceps and was held in place by a wide strap that crossed his chest finishing under his right arm-pit. This contrasted to the white dressings taped to his left side, his right elbow, both wrists and his right hand. Any skin that wasn't covered by bandages sported a multitude of bruises, scrapes and scratches. Danny waved his arms in the air. "Do you have a different definition of the word 'fine' to the rest of us?" Mac arched a disdainful eyebrow pretending to ignore him. "Because in my book fine means quite well or in satisfactory health. That ..." Danny broke off as he gestured towards Mac, his stomach clenching at the state he was in. "...does not look fine to me."

"It's not as bad as it looks," muttered Mac as he held out his hand for the shirt Jo was unbuttoning for him. Jo paused and gave him a scathing look. Deirdre made an audible noise of disapproval and crossed her arms. Mac looked at the four of them a little disconcerted by their glares. "I'm …", he began but caught himself before he said fine again. Good wasn't going to work either. "I'll be okay. I can manage," he finished lamely. Having already lost the argument, Jo caved and held out the shirt gently slipping Mac's injured arm into an unbuttoned sleeve. He patiently waited for her to button it. As he did so he glanced at Don who gave up even attempting at getting Mac to stay in the hospital and decided there was another more fun game to play. Don nudged Danny and then jiggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively at the intimate scene. Their reward was seeing Mac blush. At least that's put a little natural colour into his cheeks, thought Don to himself and as an added bonus they had the whole three hour drive back to New York to embarrass Mac further. Don crossed his arms and gave Mac a smug smile. Mac grimaced knowing exactly what his friend was thinking.

Having finished buttoning up the shirt, Jo reached into the bag and pulled out a pair of dark blue suede moccasins. She dropped them onto the floor in front of Mac. Mac stared down at them as though he was studying a rather new, strange and unwelcome life-form. He glanced up at Jo. "Well you can't go back barefoot and these are easier than running shoes. No laces. Besides you didn't exactly give me a lot of time. It's the best I can do on short notice." Mac wasn't convinced but having little choice in the matter he obediently slipped the shoes on. He wiggled his toes surprised to find that they were actually quite soft and comfortable.

He looked at Jo under his lashes, giving her that coy smile she adored so much. "Thanks Jo."

"You're welcome."

"Right, now let me show you how to fit this ..." Deirdre held up a length of blue elasticated fabric.

Mac frowned "Is that really necessary? I've already got a..."

Don was highly amused to see Mac break off mid-sentence under the acid look from his nurse. Clearly Dragon Deirdre was a force to be reckoned with, one that even Mac Taylor wouldn't dare cross. "Sit," she ordered pointing to the bed. Mac decided he had pushed his luck far enough and sat. Deirdre showed Jo how to fix the sling that immobilized Mac's arm to his chest then gave him detailed instructions regarding the medication: painkillers, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics. Mac signed the release forms and Jo placed the forms and the after-care instructions together with letters for his doctor back in New York in the bag with the medication. Mac and Jo thanked Deirdre who wished them well.

"So I guess it's back home then?" Don asked sighing with relief as Deirdre left.

"Erm, I'm afraid not." All three turned towards the door where Randall Wade stood, his hat in his hands. "Detective Taylor, I hate to have to ask this but we have a body. We believe it's one of your abductors and we need you to ID him for us."

.

The city morgue was the same as morgues the world over. It was tucked away in a nondescript street disguised among a bunch of nondescript buildings. It had the same cool clinical interior with the same stainless steel drawers and examination tables with the same smell of death and disinfectant only this one didn't boast quite the same level of technology that Sid was so proud of.

Randall Wade led them into the spartan examination room and introduced them to the M.E., a dour looking man in his mid-forties with precisely trimmed hair and strange quirky little eyebrows that sat uneasily on top of his dark hooded eyes. Mac was a little disconcerted to see the M.E. look him over as though he were trying to determine if Mac's injuries were about to put him on one of the two empty tables.

The M.E. led them over to the third table and lifted the sheet covering the body. "Male, early to mid-forties, cause of death a single gun-shot wound, large calibre, to the upper abdomen. Time of death sometime around eight p.m. yesterday evening." He stood back to let them view the body.

Don and Danny tipped their heads to one side staring at the face with it's distinctive goatee beard, the sutured tops of the Y incision just visible above the sheet.

"Oh dammit!"

They all turned to see a strange expression pass over Mac's face, a mixture of sorrow and regret. He ran a hand through his hair and turned away from them clearly trying to compose himself. For a moment no one said anything as no one could fathom the depth of Mac's reaction.

Randall Wade shuffled nervously wondering if he'd made some gigantic mistake. From what he had been told, he had been pretty certain that this was the other man who had been involved in the abduction and his body had been found alongside one of the minor trails not far from the cabin that the crime scene people had been processing. In order to fill the gaping silence he cleared his throat and began, "We don't have a formal ID as yet. We ran his prints in AFIS but there was no match. We were wondering if you … er ..." He broke off as Mac turned around, his mask of professionalism back in place.

"You won't find his prints in AFIS. I knew him as Casey," Mac began. He stepped back up to the table to look down at Goatee. "But that was an alias. I suggest you run his prints through the federal databases. They'll be able to tell you who he is."

"Federal databases?" The dour little M.E. suddenly looked interested.

Mac nodded. "I think you'll find he was an undercover agent with a federal law enforcement agency. Most probably the FBI."

END OF PART ONE

A/N I do hope you've all enjoyed it so far. Please do come back for part two next week.

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