AN: Thank you to all my loyal readers for being so understanding and patient. I managed to get another update written - yay!
This chapter comes with a tissue box warning though, sorry!
To "Guest" - thank you for your very kind review! You might be right about the twists and turns...
Tanith
Chapter 57
Mike and Steve stepped to the side as the paramedics hurried past them carrying the stretcher bearing the gravely wounded Inspector Pete Rogers. Mike's heart went out for the younger man who wasn't much older than Steve. Silently, he prayed that the detective would pull through. Tearing his gaze away, he continued into the apartment, gesturing for his partner to follow. Once inside, they went their separate ways with Steve finding Kim seated at the kitchen table and Mike making a bee-line towards Irene.
"Irene!" Mike rushed forward and wrapped his arms around the distraught detective.
"Oh, Mike!" Irene cried against Mike's chest then drawing in a lungful of air, she fought to regain her composure and pulled away. "I'm sorry."
"No, don't be sorry. What happened?" Mike rested his hands on top of Irene's shoulders and held her gently.
"Kim tried to tell us she was in trouble, that she wasn't alone and needed our help. I know we should've called for back-up but we couldn't just leave a mother and child…and Pete, he saved my life," Irene explained in one hurried sentence.
"He's gonna be okay," Mike tried to reassure Irene even though a sickening feeling was churning in his gut. Pete was far too pale on that stretcher, he thought.
"Listen, Pete's going to be in surgery for a while and I don't want to be in that waiting room doing nothing. Let me help you bring Jeannie home, okay?" Irene almost pleaded.
"Okay, if that's what you really want to do," Mike reluctantly agreed.
"It's what Pete would've wanted. We made this pact when we started out that we weren't going to be hanging out in hospital waiting rooms if one of us got hurt. He was always about helping the people that could be helped."
Mike rubbed Irene's shoulders. "He's a good cop. One of the best."
Irene looked away and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Yeah, one of the best."
Steve cupped his hands over Kim's and gave her a comforting squeeze. The petite Asian woman looked up and caught the pleading look in Steve's eyes.
"Kim, what happened? That woman, was she working for the George Holden? Look, I know who took Christina. I was there, okay? It's alright, I can protect you and your daughter," Steve implored.
"And Dave? Did you protect him?" Kim's eyes blazed with anger and she pulled her hands away from Steve's as if they were poisonous.
"Kim, that's not fair. He's my friend too. I can't help you or Dave if you don't say something!" Steve shot back.
"It is too late for Dave." Fresh, hot tears welled up in Kim's eyes and her voice shook.
"Don't say that. Don't you dare give up on…"
"The hospital, they call me! He's d-dead, Steve. My husband…" Kim's anguish poured out of her like a tsunami. She brought her hands up, covering her face but her heart-wrenching sobs filled Steve's ears like knives cutting into his soul.
Steve sat in shocked silence for he knew no words could take away the agony that Kim had to be feeling. A policewoman holding Christina's hand approached the table. Steve watched the mother and daughter reunion but the blood rushing through his ears blocked out whatever was being said between Kim and the officer. He stood up and wheeled around, almost bowling over another medic then hurtled out of the apartment. He had to find Jeannie and get her away from Whitney. Then George Holden was going to answer for what he did to the Lee's, Steve vowed.
Mike caught the flash of movement from the corner of his eye and his cop instincts kicked into gear. Steve! Something had his partner rush out of the apartment. "Steve!" He called out but it was no use.
Irene didn't need to be informed of what Mike had seen, she stuck to his heels as he weaved through the crowd of forensic examiners and SFPD's finest.
Mike caught up with his protégé at the stairwell. He called out to him once more, grabbed him by the back of the janitor's uniform and yanked him around. "What's got into you?"
"I'm going after the Holdens!" Steve declared, breathlessly.
"No, you're not. Steve, don't you know what kind of trouble you're already in! What's the matter with you?" Mike demanded, losing his patience.
"Mike, we have to find Jeannie!"
Stone saw the look in his partner's eye and his gut clenched in fear over his daughter's safety. "She's meant to be staying with Whitney. We went over to that cabin. There was no one there. If Kim said something to you, Buddy Boy, I want to know right now!"
"She hasn't told me anything! She didn't have to. I saw George and Whitney with my own eyes holding Christina hostage at that cabin. I saw Jeannie there! She was drugged. You believe me, don't you?" Steve persisted.
"Of course, I believe you, Steve, but we're going to do this my way, you hear me?" Mike took Steve's silence for cooperation then turned to face Irene. "Get an APB out for Jeannie and the Holdens. I'll take full responsibility if Rudy has anything to say."
"You got it. I'll see if I can get Kim to open up as well," Irene acknowledged.
Steve dry swallowed and croaked, "Don't."
"Steve, she's a material witness and a victim," said Irene.
"She just lost Dave!" Steve shot back.
"When?" Mike questioned, sadly.
"I don't know, she didn't say," Steve replied.
Knowing the friendship that Steve had with the Lees through her conversations with Mike, Irene softened her tone. "I'm really sorry. I'm still going to talk to her. She can't let these people get away with what they've done. It's the only way to keep her daughter safe. Besides, it's not just about the Lees anymore. Jeannie's safety could depend on information Kim may be holding back."
Steve nodded, realizing that Irene was right. "Go easy on her."
"I will." Irene left the two partners to themselves and wasted no time to fulfill her duty.
Steve looked Mike in the eye and said, "You should've married her when you had the chance."
Any other day, Mike would have given the young man a friendly swat or a glowering look but time was of the essence and he simply did not have the energy to even consider the seriousness behind Steve's comment or the regret he felt. "I'm sorry about Dave."
"Yeah." Steve broke eye contact with Mike then cleared his throat. "Let's just find Jeannie."
