In The Wrong Place
Chapter 25
"Mike! What in God's name happened?..." Olsen yelled as he approached Mike...
"Calm down Rudy and I'll fill you in on the whole thing..."
"CALM DOWN?...Are you out of your mind Mike? Landers is over there in a body bag in the coroners wagon and you're telling me to calm down! The last order I gave was for Harris and Lockner to bring him in! What the hell happened Mike? "
"Alright Rudy...I don't like this situation any more than you do!...He gave Lochner and Harris the slip...Apparently he slipped out the back...When they went in they found bullets and...and my address!..."
"Your address?...But how?...Why?...DEAR GOD MIKE..!"...Then seeing people looking in his direction Rudy lowered his tone and continued..."Are you telling me that he came here to kill you?"
"Looks like it...only I was still down at the Bureau so he found Steve and Jeannie instead...He had a gun on them and was waiting for me to come home...Steve...Well Steve tackled him so that Jeannie could escape...When I got here with the other units I found her outside...As she was running away she heard a gunshot from inside...I tried ringing Joe but he wouldn't answer so I made the decision to try to talk to him face to face..."
"Mike!...That's some story...What happened then?"
"He charged out, pointing his gun at me and threatening to kill me...That's what happened!. There was no choice but to take him down Rudy...Unfortunately we learned too late that his...his gun...was empty...!"
"Oh Mike...Mike...Are you saying he committed suicide by cop?...and as Mike nodded Rudy gasped..."Oh I think I need to sit down..."and with that he sat down on the bonnet of a squad car. After a few minutes of processing what Mike had told him he continued..."This is not good Mike...this is not good at all!...Who took him down? You?"
Mike knew Olsen would not be happy with his answer so he hesitated and shook his head instead ...
"Well then who Mike?...Lessing? Healy ? Damn it Mike WHO ?"
Knowing he couldn't stall any longer Mike decided it was better to get it over with...
"Corky..."
"CORKY?"...and then again realizing he was yelling far too loud he lowered his voice..." Corky Shaffer? Damn it Mike you ARE out of your mind! This is a PR nightmare! The press is going to have a field day with this Mike...Its bad enough we have an Officer shooting and killing his own partner...Now we have that same officer going after a superior officer with the intention of killing him, taking people hostage and getting himself killed by the partner's son while unarmed! Dear God Mike! The press will tear us apart!..."Police Department takes the law into their own hands to protect their own" ...I can see the headlines now!...Why in God's name did you pick Corky Shaffer to back you up Mike? How could you let this happen?"
"Now you listen to me Rudy... I didn't let anything happen.. I did my job.. I followed normal hostage protocol. First priority is to establish communication with the hostage taker. I chose Corky because he's an ace marksman and because I felt that he would be less likely to get shot by Joe than anyone else!"
"Less likely to get shot!...DEAR GOD MIKE! Didn't you see the two of them having to be pulled apart at that meeting? What possessed you to think that?"
"Because I found out that Joe was his godfather that's why! Look Rudy...Joe chose to do what he did.. And maybe as Captain you should be less worried about what the Press thinks and more about your officers!..In case you haven't realized it you've got one officer down in the Morgue...another one in a body bag over there, one young officer beating himself up because he had to make the most difficult choice of all today and you haven't even asked about Steve who just in case you're interested is on his way to San Francisco General with burst stitches and suffering from possible anaphylactic shock!"
When Mike had finished his tirade he was almost out of breath...He stood glaring at Rudy Olsen and under his angry glare the Captain had the decency to look remorseful... Realizing that Mike was right and that he had overlooked his men, who should be his first priority he humbly apologized...
"You're right Mike...I'm sorry...Sometimes being Captain distracts you from what's important...I'm glad I can always count on you to set me straight!...How bad is Steve?"
Feeling bad for his rant and seeing that Olsen was genuinely sorry for his lack of concern Mike calmed down and answered him...
"He's not great Rudy...Dr. Armstrong rang earlier to say that Steve is having some sort of allergic reaction to the blood transfusion he had last night...When I saw him last he was burning up and when he tackled Joe he burst his stitches...Jeannie went in the ambulance with him...I'll follow them down later..."
Mike had calmed down and his thoughts turned to Steve...He hoped that he was doing ok and that his breathing had continued to improve...When he had seen him last in the ambulance he had been very quiet and unresponsive and despite the fact that he knew he was in good hands and that Jeannie was with him he couldn't help but be concerned about his partner...Seeing how worried Mike was about Steve made Rudy feel even worse about his earlier treatment of Mike and in that instant he was determined to make it up to him somehow..Putting a hand on Mike's shoulder he said...
"Mike...I really am sorry about going on like that...You must be worried sick about Steve...Look...you head down to the hospital and check on Steve...I'll wrap things up here and I'll make sure they lock up the house when they're done...By the way where is Corky?"
"I got Dan to drive him home...He was pretty cut up over the whole thing...He wanted to get home to break the news to Nina. I told him his report would wait until tomorrow and I made him promise to go talk to Lenny too...Are you sure you don't mind wrapping up here?"
"Not at all Mike...It's the least I can do...You did the right thing sending Corky home...Listen when you finish up at the hospital later you head home too...I'll see you at some stage tomorrow...You go take care of Steve and Jeannie. She's had a harrowing time of it today too by the sounds of it!..When I finish up here I'll drop in on Corky and Nina and see how they're doing and then I'll drop into the hospital to look in on Steve..Ok? "
Mike nodded at Rudy but before turning to go he added...
"Look Rudy, I'm sorry too for giving you a hard time...I know you have to deal with all the PR stuff too...I guess that's why I'm just a lowly Lieutenant and you're the Captain...huh? "
"Don't sweat it Mike...You were right...The men should come first...The press can wait...Like I said I'm glad to have you there to rein me in when I'm getting side-tracked...I'll see you later Mike..."
"Ok Rudy."
With that the two men took their leave of each other...Mike headed for his car to make the short drive to the hospital and Olsen headed over to Lee Lessing to see what was left to be done to clean up the crime scene...
Meanwhile...
The trip in the ambulance had been a worrying one for Jeannie...Steve had been very quiet and hadn't spoken much at all.. His fever was still raging and as she held his hand she could feel him still shivering violently... He kept his eyes closed most of the time but now and then he would open them again as he if he was checking whether she was still there with him or not...He felt so tired but despite the fact that he longed to just drift off and sleep his heart was racing and sleep eluded him...At one stage his heart had raced so fast that he became alarmed and had looked wide-eyed at Jeannie and was breathing very rapidly into the oxygen mask...Seeing Steve panic frightened Jeannie...
"Steve? What is it? Whats wrong?" she asked but getting no response she looked at the medic beside them who on seeing Steve's discomfort was now listening again to Steve's chest and taking his pulse...Before she had a chance to question him the medic spoke to Steve...
"Steve...Take it easy! Your heart is racing a little as a side effect from the adrenaline shot...I know it feels strange but it's perfectly normal and it will wear off soon..I need you to slow your breathing down for me and try to relax..Ok Steve?...Hang in there now...We're almost at the hospital..."
Despite not having much energy left to answer Steve had heard what the medic had said and dutifully did his best to breathe slower...and again shut his eyes tight at this point just begging for oblivion to come and take away the misery he was in ...but unfortunately his wish wasn't granted as another bout of shivering overtook him...All the while he gripped Jeannie's hand tight feeling as if she were the only lifeline left for him to hang onto...
Jeannie watched as Steve struggled to slow down his breathing and felt the relentless shudders that refused to let him rest and felt tears forming in her eyes...While she vowed to stay strong for Steve her resolve was weakening as the stresses and strains of the day took their toll...Seeing her getting upset the medic reached out and placed a hand on her arm and spoke...
"Miss, please try not to worry...I know he looks bad and he's very sick but once we get him to the hospital they'll be able to make him more comfortable and he'll be feeling better soon...Dr Armstrong is an excellent doctor...Your boyfriend will be in the best possible care..."
Hearing the young man call Steve her boyfriend amused Jeannie and distracted her from the upset temporarily...Despite feeling grateful for the young man's words of comfort she quickly moved to correct him that Steve was merely a very close friend of hers...
"Oh no! You misunderstand..Steve is not..."
However before she had a chance to finish her sentence ,the ambulance had pulled up outside San Francisco General and the medics flew into action opening the back doors of the ambulance and whisking Steve inside with a speed and efficiency that impressed Jeannie...Steve still clung to Jeannie as she struggled to keep up beside the speeding gurney...However as they reached the ER Steve was forced to let her go as the nurse informed her that she would have to wait outside while the Doctor examined Steve...Leaning over him she placed a hand on his burning cheek and smiled as wide as she was able and seeing the concern in his eyes she sought to reassure him...
"Its ok Steve...The doctor's going to look after you now...You're going to be fine and I'll see you real soon...I'll be just outside..."
Steve nodded at her but she felt the deep reluctance with which he finally let go of her hand and as they wheeled him into the examining room away from her she finally let her tears fall as she prayed that he would be ok...Not wanting to leave him just yet she watched through the window in the door as the doctor and nurses attended to him with lightning speed and efficiency ...
As Steve let go of Jeannie's hand he felt as if he had let go of his last lifeline and he almost started to panic as before he had time to even get his bearings as to where they were bringing him to, there were medical staff all around him attaching wires and monitors and needles...The hustle and bustle and the increased noise around him only increased his anxiety and he started to wonder if he was shaking still from the fever or from the fear in his heart as to what was happening to him...He felt pangs of pain as a needle was inserted into his left arm and as someone else examined the rash on his arm and his injured wrist...The oxygen mask was then removed and replaced with a nasal cannula instead...Steve just wanted them all to leave him alone and shut his eyes tight trying desperately to disconnect himself from what was going on around him...He felt he could cope better that way however then he felt someone probing the wounds on his side and his back and this sent a sharp spasm of pain reverberating through him...Still feeling too weak to communicate he merely groaned loudly and tensed up desperate to move away from the hands that were causing him so much pain...All at once he felt a hand on his shoulder restraining him from moving and then he heard a voice speak to him...Opening his eyes he saw Dr. Armstrong leaning over him and tried to make out what he was saying above the noise in the room and the fog that was developing in his brain from the relentless pain that he was being put through by the two hands that were still working on his side...However try as he might only some words reached him...
"Steve...Try to relax...something for the pain...Wound...bleeding bad...more stitches...local anesthetic...feel better...soon..." was all that Steve could make out...
Suddenly he felt very nauseous...He felt like he was going to be sick but started to panic as he felt that lying here on his back, if he were to be sick he might choke so he desperately tried to alert someone to his distress...Not having the energy to speak he tried to get someones attention as he felt the bile rise in his throat but luckily a nurse beside him saw him gag and obviously alerted the team as within seconds he was carefully rolled over onto his right side and a basin was produced into which Steve proceeded to purge the meager contents of his stomach...After the heaving finished Steve felt totally drained and exhausted...He had never felt so bad before in all his twenty-nine years of life and prayed in that minute that God would be merciful and let him sleep...He felt someone wipe his fevered brow and his mouth and heard someone talking to him...a somehow familiar voice...
"Steve Keller...I thought you promised me you'd take it easy and not end up back in here...You promised me on your scouts honour...Remember?"
Forcing his eyes open he saw the nurse that had looked after him the last time he had been in and was grateful to see a familiar face...She was smiling at him and he forced a smile back but glancing past her he saw Jeannie's worried face looking through the glass of the examining room door and as oblivion finally had mercy and took him to a peaceful place where he could rest for a while, his last thoughts were of Jeannie and Mike and the worry he was causing them...