In The Wrong Place
Chapter 5
As Mike left Steve's room and headed down the corridor the elevators opened and Nina and Corky Shaffer came hurrying out... Seeing Mike they headed straight for him and from the way Corky walked and his expression Mike could see he was mad as hell...
"Did we hear right Lieutenant ? Did Joe shoot Steve? Is he alright? Was he drunk Mike?"
"Now, now, Corky calm down! Let's sit down and we'll talk ok?"
Mike tried his best to calm the young man down..He had been through a lot in the last twenty-four hours and his emotions were running high...He steered the young man and his mother to the seated area and sat down beside them.
"Please Mike tell us..." the young man pleaded...
Seeing how distraught they were touched Mike and he placed a supportive hand on the young officer's shoulder and took Nina Shaffer's hand in his...
"Yes, he shot Steve...He thought he was our suspect Graves." Mike saw horror cross their faces and quickly continued..."Now, now Steve's going to be alright...He was lucky. The Captains launching an investigation. Joe will be suspended pending the results of the inquiry. He'll have to hand in his badge and his gun has already been taken from him ."
Corky looked at Mike and then slumped back in his seat...
Nina Shaffer burst out in tears...
"Oh Mike , this could have all been avoided..." she cried...
Corky put his hand around his mother's shoulders and tried to comfort her then turning to Mike and looking him straight in the eye he spoke...
"I'm glad Steve's going to be ok Lieutenant but you didn't answer one of my questions...Was he drunk?"
Mike squeezed Corky's shoulder and tried to decide whether it would be in the boy's interest to tell them that bit of information or not but his silence confirmed what Corky had suspected...
"He was, wasn't he?"...
"Yes..."
"Lieutenant ,...Mike...please tell me honestly did Joe kill my father? And do you think he was drunk when he did it?"
A single tear fell from Corky's eye as he spoke and Mike wished he had all the answers to give him...Beside her son, Nina was inconsolable...
"We don't know yet. But we suspect it...We have no evidence to support that theory yet so I don't want you going off half cocked on some misguided vendetta. Do you hear me now? We have to find Frank Graves...He should be able to tell us what happened. I suspect... that Joe is an alcoholic. Nina, did Mel ever say anything about Joe having a drink problem?"
Nina was distraught...but when Mike asked her that question she looked at him and seemed to try to pull herself together..Through tear streaked eyes she looked at Mike...
"Yes, Mel knew and he covered for him...and now he's dead because of him...He should have said something five years ago..." and again she burst into tears...
Mike squeezed her hand...
"Now, now Nina, we don't know that yet... Say five years ago...Wasn't that around the time when his wife walked out on him?"
Nina nodded but Mike could see how angry Corky was...
"That no good lousy drunken..." But before he could finish...Mike interupted him...
"Now, Corky...Don't hate him...It's a disease...They say it's the disease of loneliness...Look we'll get to the truth but right now you need to take your Mother home..Go home son...I'll keep you posted on the case...I promise..."
Corky leaned forward and put his head in his hands and thought about what Mike had said . He valued the older man's opinion and knew that he was right even though he hated to admit it...His mother did need him...He was worried about her...
"Ok Lieutenant ..." the young man conceded. "But you promise you'll keep us updated...won't you...please?"
"Of course I will...You can count on it... Do you two need a ride home?..I can take you if you like?"
"No thanks,Lieutenant ..Our car is outside. Tell Steve we were asking for him...Ok?...See you !"
Mike watched as Corky led his distraught mother back to the elevators and continued watching until the doors closed in front of them. Then feeling utterly exhausted he headed home...
What a day Mike thought as he went up the steps to his house! As he started to put his key in the lock he suddenly noticed that the lights were already on inside!...Startled he quietly turned the key and slowly opened the door and very cautiously stepped inside. Not knowing what to fully expect he opened the clip on his holster and placed his hand over his gun.. However as he came in the familiar aroma of meatloaf wafted towards him...He'd recognize that smell anywhere! He took his hand off his gun and started heading towards the kitchen just as Jeannie suddenly appeared in the doorway...
"SURPRISE !"