Not my characters, just my story. I only wish I owned Pete. The story is best read if you've seen the series and know the characters. If you haven't seen it lately, watch, enjoy.
A Lifetime in Eight Days
Chapter 14: The Heart in the Man
During the ensuing days Jacoby would say that it had been like something straight out of the movies. Any time he had to explain, every time someone asked, it was the only way he could describe what happened that eerie early morning in an old warehouse in the derelict waterfront district of their fair city. The entire episode was strictly film noir instead of True Detective. There was no other way to paint it. The big loading doors slid open almost noiselessly, a low rusty squeak less of a giveaway to Pauly Denner than the sight of the big man up front making a fumbling grab for his revolver and aiming it toward the three policemen before he was cut down by a bullet from Detective Harmon's service revolver. Denner had just turned in his restless pacing, the expression on his face priceless as he found himself staring straight into the faces of the lawmen and down the barrels of their weapons. Realizing he was inconceivably doomed, his final earthly action was to swing his arm sideways and release a rapid succession of gunshots in the direction of the idle Plymouth as he was simultaneously hit by a hail of gunfire from Jacoby and Davis. Denner was slammed backwards then slowly fell to his knees before ending up prone on the dirt and gravel floor of the warehouse, his lifeless body twisted grotesquely as he fell backwards on still bent knees. The echoing pings of the bullets from Denner's gun as they hit along the broad side of the old car, the whooshing noise as one tire was punctured, would probably remain with Jacoby for the remainder of his life.
After that events seemed to move in a surreal manner. Jacoby rushed to the Plymouth, his hands grasping at the edges of the open trunk, his vision blurring as for the first time in eight days his eyes landed on the familiar face of his friend, his confidant, the man who was in many ways like a pesky kid brother to him. A battered face sporting a week's growth of stubble but the face of Peter Gunn nonetheless. Jacoby's hand went to Pete's neck, his fingers searching desperately for a pulse as he yelled for Lee Davis to get back to the squad car and radio for an ambulance and crime scene backup. His fingers slid to the other side of Pete's windpipe as they continued to dig for a pulse with no result. Come on, come on, be there. The man's skin was pale and clammy. He lay half on his side, half on his back, his six foot two frame curled into the cramped space. His once pristinely white Brooks Brothers dress shirt was filthy, marred by dirt, scuff marks and smears of dried blood. His black pants were streaked with dirt, small bits of gravel clinging to the fine fabric, any possible blood stains invisible against the dark material. Cuts and abrasions and bruises covered his face beneath the stubble and around both eyes. There was a gash on his bottom lip that looked like it had been reopened several times. Jacoby felt rather than saw Detective Harmon appear at his side and he motioned for help in getting the PI's lanky body out of the narrow space of the trunk. They had him awkwardly moved to the ground in a few moments and Jacoby was once again attempting to locate a pulse when he was elbowed roughly aside by Sergeant Davis, out of breath from his dash to the squad car and back again.
"Army medic, remember?" He took over Jacoby's search. "Ambulance is on the way." Davis leaned closer, barely aware of the gravel digging into his knees, his head against Pete's chest as he concentrated not only on locating a pulse but listening and feeling for a heartbeat or a breath. "Come on Pete, give me something... anything," he murmured, his soft voice at odds with the growling siren of the approaching ambulance. He grasped the front of the detective's shirt and pulled to release the buttons then ripped open the collar of his undershirt and placed his ear directly on the skin of his chest.
Detective Harmon silently stood and made his way outside to flag down the ambulance and direct the driver to the back of the building, quickly leading the two attendants into the warehouse. Davis glanced up and then lifted his head and moved his fingers away from Pete's neck.
"There's a heartbeat, but barely," he said. "Just a tickle, and I couldn't get a pulse at all."
One of the attendants nodded and knelt next to the man lying on the ground, personally feeling for a pulse and checking pupil reaction as Jacoby helped the other remove a stretcher from the back of the ambulance. Pete was gently lifted onto the stretcher by the two attendants, Sergeant Davis and Detective Harmon as the Lieutenant looked on. One of the attendants slid back into the driver's seat while Jacoby joined the second in the back of the ambulance. He turned to Davis and Harmon just before the doors were shut.
"Hey, Lee? After the crime scene unit arrives follow me to St. Francis." Davis nodded at his superior's soft words and Jacoby looked at Harmon. "You get the crime scene boys started and then check with DeVito's surveillance. I want him picked up." Another nod.
The ambulance doors were pushed shut and secured and the vehicle slowly pulled away. The siren screamed in Jacoby's head as the ambulance raced along the almost deserted streets of the waterfront district before eventually veering onto Main Street for the quick trip to the center of town. He watched the attendant go about his business, wishing the man had the ability to do more for his friend. But he was just an ambulance attendant, not a doctor. He and his partner picked up the injured and got them to the hospital, they didn't practice medicine. Maybe one day that would change, Jacoby thought. Perhaps some day in the future the men working the ambulance shifts at the hospital would be trained to provide basic medical treatment to the folks they transported, giving them that much more of a chance for survival. Unfortunately that wasn't the way things worked nowadays. Pete would have to hang on until they arrived at the hospital's emergency department to receive the treatment he needed. And even that might be too little too late.
Jacoby crawled from the back of the ambulance the moment the doors were pulled open from the outside, grasping one side of the stretcher, helping the attendant lift it from the vehicle into the waiting hands of the emergency department personnel. He ran beside them as they rushed his friend into a small room, watched as they quickly removed clothing in search of less obvious injury and checked vitals, turned his head and closed his eyes at the sight of the visible bruising on Pete's chest and ribs and sides, protested when the doctor on duty told him he had to leave the room, sat slumped in a chair in the waiting room for an indeterminable amount of time until suddenly Sergeant Davis was standing in front of him.
"How is he?" Davis asked quietly.
He removed his cap and held it in both hands as he watched his boss and waited for an answer. Jacoby looked at him for a few seconds before straightening in his chair and leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, hands clasped, staring at the floor. He shook his head slowly and said nothing for a moment, leaving Davis fearing the worst, before dropping backwards in the chair and looking up again.
"I haven't heard anything," he glanced at the clock high up on the opposite wall. "It's been about thirty minutes since they booted me out of the room."
"I guess that's a good thing, right? Otherwise someone would've come out and..." His voice trailed off.
"Yes, maybe." Jacoby quietly agreed with him before looking at the clock again. It was after two in the morning. His eyes went back to Davis. "I need you to do something."
"Anything, Lieutenant."
"You say that now," Jacoby almost smiled as he gave a thankful nod. "I need you to head over to Pete's to pick up Edie and bring her to the hospital."
"Does she know...?" His voice trailed off again as Jacoby shook his head.
"It will take you about ten minutes to get there. I'll give you a few minutes head start and then I'll phone her to let her know we've got Pete and that you're on your way over there. That should give her time to get herself together and put on some clothes."
He watched Davis give a nod and put bis cap back on.
"You got it, Lieutenant." Davis turned around and was about half way to the door when Jacoby's voice stopped him.
"And Lee?" Davis turned. "Don't tell her anything about Pete. Okay? If she asks just tell her that he's at the hospital and that you don't have any more details. You'll be telling her the truth." Jacoby shrugged. "I just don't want her to have to know all the details until she's ready."
Mother jerked awake as if from a bad dream, eyes suddenly wide open as she glanced around, wondering for a brief moment where she was until reality quickly sank in. The strangely shrill ring of the telephone had her up out of the chair she'd fallen asleep in and grabbing for the receiver before it could ring again. She'd finally persuaded Edie to head upstairs to bed just about an hour ago and didn't want the phone to waken her. She had gone as far as removing the bedroom extension once the girl was actually in the bed to keep her from being disturbed, much to Edie's dissatisfaction. Mother glanced at the clock as she lifted the receiver to her ear, her heart in her throat. Who would be calling at this hour? Maybe Frank Gunn with news about his flight. As upset as he had been with Edie earlier he might not take into consideration the time when calling back.
"Hello." She turned around and trained her eyes on the stairs, hoping the noise hadn't woken Edie if she was indeed asleep. Her concerns were answered when she saw the girl descending the steps, pulling a robe on over her pajamas. She forced her attention back to the phone as she heard a voice at the other end.
"Mother? It's Lieutenant Jacoby." She stilled at the sound of the policeman's voice and glanced at the clock again. Two forty-five. Nothing good could come from a call from the police at two forty-five in the morning. Mother knew that from experience. She tried to keep her face expressionless as Edie came to stand beside her.
"What is it?" She heard Jacoby sigh and then there was a moment of silence across the line.
The policeman found it difficult to decide whether he should speak with Mother and give her the details he needed to impart since she was the person who had answered the telephone, or whether he should speak with Edie. He finally decided that he owed it to the lady to be up front with her.
"Is Edie somewhere close by?"
"Yes she is. Why?" The older woman shifted her eyes to meet the blonde's questioning gaze.
"May I speak with her please?"
This time it was Mother's turn to sigh. Against her better judgment she handed Edie the receiver, maintaining her presence as the girl accepted it with seeming reluctance.
"Hello?" The younger woman kept eye contact with Mother as she answered.
"Edie, this is Lieutenant Jacoby." The man's voice was quiet and gentle, as gentle as she had ever heard it. "I want you to listen to me very carefully, all right?"
"All right." She concentrated on the sound of the policeman's voice, her eyes closing helplessly as she wondered what was coming. She felt Mother's hand on her arm, a soft touch from a woman hardened by life's experiences.
"Sergeant Davis is on his way over there. He should be arriving in just a few minutes." Jacoby paused as if waiting for her to say something then continued when she didn't respond. "Edie, did you hear what I just said?"
"Yes." She nodded, tears beginning to form at the corners of her eyes. "Sergeant Davis is on his way over here." She felt the grip of Mother's fingers tighten.
"When he gets there you need to go with him. He's going to bring you to the hospital."
There was a palpable silence. Edie opened her eyes.
"What?" She was finally able to get the word out after several tries.
"Sergeant Davis is going to bring you to the hospital. If you're not dressed you need to throw some clothes on and when Lee arrives you need to go with him." Another pause by Jacoby. "Edie, do you understand what I'm telling you?"
"I- You found him? You found Pete?" The tears had escaped and were making damp tracks down her cheeks.
A sudden soft knock on the door pulled Mother from the stupor brought on by Edie's words. She hurried to open it, watching as Sergeant Davis stepped into the apartment, removing his cap respectfully as he did so. His dark eyes moved from the tall woman next to him to the blond woman with the telephone receiver held tightly to her ear.
"He's alive?" Of course he was. He was at the hospital so he had to be alive. Otherwise he would be somewhere else. At that other place.
"Edie. Just come with Lee to the hospital. He's probably already on his way up to the apartment." He hoped she didn't notice that he didn't answer her question and that he didn't expound on Pete's condition.
"He's here," she told Jacoby, glancing at the young black officer standing beside Mother.
Edie held the receiver out, offering it to the Sergeant, but it slipped from her suddenly lifeless fingers and dropped to the floor with a thud.
Edie Hart climbed the few steps leading to the wide front doors of St. Francis Hospital, holding her long raincoat closely around her with both hands, having not taken the time to button it after pulling it on over the pants and shirt she had quickly thrown on. Flashes of lightening in the distance and low rumbles of faraway thunder heralded another day of rain that just didn't seem to want to go away. Lee Davis held the door open and she stepped into the antiseptic smell of the building, her feet automatically taking her in the direction of the emergency department. She'd been around Peter Gunn long enough to know exactly where that was. She and Davis had to pass through the small waiting area just before the nurses station and that's where they found Jacoby still doing just that. Waiting. He ran tired hands over his tired face and stood up as they entered.
"Where is he?" Edie didn't wait for an answer as she moved toward the nurses station.
Jacoby reached out and gently took hold of her arm as she made to step past him. He didn't pull or push, just stopped her from going any further. She looked at him and the pain and fear in her eyes felt almost like a physical blow.
"He's back there with the doctors." He shook his head as Edie glanced toward the nurses station again. "They don't know anything either."
Jacoby's hand curved around her elbow and he led her to one of the small couches in the waiting room, one facing the nurses station and the door just beyond it that led to where Pete would be. After helping her off with her coat he settled down beside her and glanced up at Lee Davis, who didn't seem certain about what he should do and appeared hesitant to ask.
"Thank you, Lee." He nodded toward an opposite chair. "You're welcome to stay."
Davis nodded his acceptance, divesting himself of his light jacket and cap and offering to run down some coffee, an offer which the Lieutenant gladly accepted. Jacoby leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and stared at his clasped hands. After a moment or two he looked sideways at the woman beside him. Her eyes were trained on the emergency department door across the way. He broke the silence to ask why Mother hadn't come to the hospital and winced inwardly when Edie told him that she'd stayed behind to wait for Pete's dad to call back with his flight information. Not really knowing what to say to that he decided not to say anything, then looked up as Lee Davis reappeared with coffee. He gratefully accepted a cup and motioned for Davis to set another on the small table next to Edie.
He knew exactly when her gaze moved from the door opposite them to his face. For a very short while he tried to ignore it. Finally he leaned back in his chair and turned his face toward her, saw the questions in her eyes, wasn't exactly sure which ones he should answer. He took a tepid sip of coffee then lowered the cup to his lap, gripping it with both hands.
"We got lucky with some information we found," Jacoby finally sighed. He stared across at Lee Davis, not really certain how he could explain what had taken place, not sure he wanted to at this very moment. "Denner is dead." It was the only other thing he could think of to say, the only other thing that mattered. Except for Pete.
"That's not what I need to know."
That brought his gaze back to Edie. He knew exactly what she needed to know. He just didn't know how to say the words. He searched her face. Her blue eyes held a strength he had always known she possessed but that he had never seen this close up or for so long a period of time. A woman had to be strong to love a man like Peter Gunn, to share her life not just with him but with his profession and with the people and experiences that came with it. That strength would have to continue to carry her through. He decided that sometimes bluntness was the best option in the face of such strength.
"He was in very bad shape when we found him. We couldn't get a pulse. Lee finally got a heartbeat." Jacoby stared into his coffee cup. "It was the same when the emergency department doctors started working on him. No pulse but a faint heartbeat. I don't know any more than that because they ordered me out of the room." He paused and swallowed past a lump in his throat. "But I do know Pete's got a very big heart," he softly said.