AN: A BIG thank you goes out to all my readers who have waited so patiently for updates and for your feedback.
Tanith
Chapter 58
Mike gave his partner an incredulous once-over. "Now wait a minute. I will find Jeannie. You, on the other hand...I'm taking you straight home!"
"No, no way, Mike! Not after everything that's been going on," Steve argued.
Mike thought about returning fire but he could see the iron clad determination lighting up Steve's green eyes and knew he'd only be wasting more precious time. His partner had risked a lot to get to the apartment. He had tried to rescue his daughter numerous times. It would serve no valued purpose to bench him. "Alright. Let's start with George Holden but we're going to need a warrant."
"Please tell me we have enough for the judge to issue one at this hour!"
"That's where Irene comes in and we're counting on Kim's cooperation. In the mean-time, we'll go back to my place and get you out of these clothes then come straight back," Mike suggested.
Steve nodded in wordless agreement.
Irene drew a deep breath and approached the young Asian woman and child. The woman looked up and Irene gestured to the empty seat at the dining table. "May I?"
Kim gave a small, barely noticeable nod and turned to the younger officer standing nearby.
Officer Faye Andrews who had been attending to the mother and child's needs, gave Mrs. Lee a reassuring smile then knelt down and spoke softly to Christina, "Sweetheart, why don't you show me your room?" She held out her hand but the small child snuggled closer to her mother, clutching a teddy bear in one arm.
Kim buried her face in Christina's hair and whispered in her ear in Chinese. The little girl reluctantly turned to face the stranger beside her and offered her small hand.
"That a girl!" Officer Andrews smiled and gently closed her fingers around the tiny hand, anchoring the child as she hopped down from her mother's lap and allowed her to lead her to the bedroom.
Irene sat in the empty seat opposite the distraught mother.
"I have already told the other officers everything. The woman forced her way into my home and demanded money," Kim said robotically.
"Mrs. Lee, if there is anything else you can tell me, please...You and your daughter deserve to feel safe. I promise you that you will both be protected. All I need is a name," Irene pleaded.
Kim looked into the inspector's eyes and could see there were unshed tears threatening to spill. "The officer who was shot...he is your partner?"
"Yes. He is also a dear friend," Irene answered stoically.
Kim nodded. "He will live?"
"I don't know," Irene replied sorrowfully. She had seen how badly Pete was hurt and feared his chances of survival was slim.
"I am sorry," Kim said sincerely. "He is a very brave man. Just like Dave. Does he have someone special? Children?"
"No children but..." Irene paused to take a deep breath and maintain her composure. "There is a special someone. Her name is Felicity. She does not yet know but I will be the one to tell her."
New tears formed and ran like rivulets down Kim's face. She was angry, afraid and a part of her felt like it had died with Dave, her soul mate, but she knew she had to be strong for Christina. Enough lives were destroyed. There will be time to grieve but now was a time for justice and she owed it to Dave and the officer who risked his life to try to save hers and her daughter's. "Promise me that my daughter will be safe.? I cannot lose her."
"You have my word," Irene promised, hoping that whatever Kim was about to tell her would give them the break they desperately needed to put an end to George Holden's corrupt business empire.
Steve tried to hasten his slow progress in changing clothes but he was stiff and sore. Every muscle seemed to be protesting but he grit his teeth and persevered through the painful process. The right side of his lower back ached fiercely and his stomach churned. The near miss from being run down by a car earlier had added more bruises to his body when he collided heavily with the ground. The impact further aggravated his injured ribs and jarred his fractured hand. With a grimace, he bent down slowly and scooped up the janitor's outfit then tossed it in the trash. He would gladly purchase a replacement for its rightful owner once this nightmare was over and Jeannie was found safe and sound. With one last look into vanity mirror, Steve decided he would have to downplay how he really felt to Mike. He looked awful and felt worse but if he told his partner the truth there was no way Mike was going to allow him to continue on their take-down mission. With a trembling hand, he reached out and turned the doorknob. He was relieved to see Mike wasn't waiting out in the hall. He could hear his partner's voice coming from downstairs and figured he was on the phone. Wincing with each step, he made his way down the staircase.
"Mike?" the younger detective called out.
Mike's head poked around the living room wall. He had just pulled on his coat and placed the fedora on his head. "Steve, your friend came through. Kim has just given an official statement and Irene is working on getting that warrant we need to bring the Holdens in. I've put out an APB for Jeannie and Norm is notifying airport security."
"Let's go get the sonofabitch!" Steve declared.
"Now, wait a minute, Steve. I hope you realize that you're already in hot water," Mike reminded his young partner, though he knew there was little he could do to stop him. Steve was adamant to remain involved with the case and the more time they spent arguing over it, the higher the chances were that Whitney had taken Jeannie out of their reach. Mike's gaze reverted to the clock on the wall behind Steve. It read just after five in the morning. It was likely the young couple were staying at a hotel so they would be checking out soon then who knows where they were going to go next? Mike's worry deepened. Regardless of whether Jeannie willingly went with Whitney, she was now officially a missing person's case and the man she was with was a suspect in a deadly racketeering organization.
"Yeah, I think have a fair idea but let's talk about my future after we save Jeannie's. Deal?" Steve compromised.
"Okay, deal," Mike relented with a sigh. "Let's go! I'll drive."
