And love
Chap 23 Home w stowaway
BAY RIDGE
Edie's phone rings . . . unknown number.
Given the current situation she answers. "Who is this?"
"Eddie, don't scream. It is Kara."
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FRANK REAGAN'S HOUSE
Eddie sucks in a breath, she can hardly believe it!
"Kara? Where are you?"
"Eddie, just listen please. I don't know how long I'll have this phone."
"Kara-
"JUST LISTEN!"
"Ok. Go ahead."
"Please record and trace this call. I don't know where we are, Dylan is with me. We are in a small room, 1 window and 1 door. There is a young girl Cassie, a young woman MaryAnn. Maybe mother and daughter, or sisters. They have helped us including giving me this phone. Dylan isn't conscious, but he moans when I stroke his cheek. He has been beaten around the face and upper torso. A man named Johnny just came, chased the girls away and said, "We aren't to mess with those folks, Kelley said she would be back and deal with them." That's all I know."
"That's good Kara. Wait-
Jamie and Frank walk in. "TARU says they are somewhere in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are trying to narrow it down," Frank says.
Jamie asks, "Kara, can you hear anything?"
"Just a moment . . . yes, a low moan, no a ship's horn. We must be near a harbor or a waterway."
"That's good. Are you injured?" Frank asks.
"Not physically, no."
The door bursts open, "Who you talkin' to? Where did you get that phone?" Sounds of a scuffle, then a slap. The door slams shut. "Who is this?" a male voice asks.
"A friend," Eddie answers.
"You better stay away," footsteps sound.
"We're coming, you better watch out!" Eddie threatens.
"You can't touch us, we got immunity, bitch!" He threatens right back.
"Oh, I'm not going to go that way, sonny!"
"Shut up," the call ends.
Kara and Dylan are alone.
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"Baker, get me Chief O'Malley of Bridgeport PD. Have him call my cell."
"On it, sir."
Frank fills the chief in on the situation. The O'Brian's have a compound out on Dunes Road. It is close to the harbor entrance. The chief will send the anti-terrorism unit to investigate and rescue.
2 HOURS LATER
Frank takes the call informing him that Kara and Dylan have been rescued. He asks how Frank wants to transport his officer and her husband back to NYC?
"Can we go?" Eddie asks, hopefully. Jamie supports her request.
"Yes, I will send you two in my SUV. Detective Nocifero will drive you and an RMP and ambulance with EMTs will accompany you. You will leave in 1 hour, get ready to go," Frank tells them.
Eddie and Jamie pack a small suitcase with comfy clothes for Kara and Dylan just in case. They also pack a small cooler with bottled water, granola bars and sandwiches. They don't know if Kara will go with Dylan in the ambulance, they suppose she will. They want to be ready either way.
Frank's car arrives in 35 minutes; they pack up and are off. Jamie and Eddie sit in the 2nd row of seats. Their girls had lobbied hard to go along – to no avail.
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BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT
3 hours later they pull up to the O'Brian compound on Dunes Road. Dylan had been evaluated by EMT personnel, stabilized but not moved. He was found to have multiple contusions and small lacerations over much of his head, face, neck and upper torso. It did not appear that he had suffered significant blood loss, but he was deemed to be dehydrated. Heart rate & rhythm were stable; he was breathing on his own. He was not conscious, but did respond to painful stimuli.
The Bridgeport EMT personnel gave a comprehensive report to the NYC EMTs; as expected, Kara chose to ride with Dylan in the ambulance going back to NYC. They talked it over and decided to stop at the Reagan residence in Bay Ridge, dropping Jamie off first – then proceed to St. Vic's and drop their patient off. (Unless Dylan's condition dictated differently).
Kara would obviously stay with Dylan, and Eddie would stay at the hospital and support Kara.
As they were loading the SUV, preparing to leave; Jamie was about to close the rear door when he was distracted by a back-fire on the adjacent road. He turned his head, looked and pulled the rear door down. In that split second a small girl carrying an overnight case darted past him and slid into the wayback and curled up in a corner. The door closed behind her, Jamie joined Eddie in their 2nd row seats and they were off.
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A PERFECT STORM
At the Reagan home in Bay Ridge, the reverse occurred.
The SUV pulled up to the kitchen (back) door. Jamie was busy waving and blowing a kiss to Eddie as he opened the back door of the SUV.
The young girl (we know her as Cassie) slipped out quietly. She found the back door to be open; she slipped in (Pops was looking the other way) dashed thru the kitchen and up the stairs. She tip-toed down the hall, finding an open door and 2 younger girls sitting on a bedroom floor building something with Legos. She slipped into the room and closed the door quietly behind her.
"Hi, I am Cassie," she whispered. "Can you show me where the bathroom is?"
Mal and Mary Rose look at each other and shrug. The girl doesn't look dangerous. Mary Rose shows Cassie where the bathroom is, and returns to their daddy's old bedroom. Shortly, Cassie returns and closes the door behind her.
"We're supposed to leave the door open," Mal announces. She gets up and opens the door half way then sits back down. "Hi Cassie, I'm Malina. Everyone calls me Mal; and this is my sister Mary Rose." They give each other a high-five. "Are you visiting my grandpa?"
"Grandpa?"
"Grandpa Frank. Big guy with a funny moustache."
"Ah no, I came with Jamie and Eddie."
"That's our mommy and daddy," Mary Rose explains. "Are you with auntie Kara?"
"I was at the house with Kara and Dylan."
"Oh, we heard that Dylan was hurt. Is he ok?" Mal inquires.
"He's going to a hospital. I think he will be ok. Kara and your mommy are going with him."
"GIRLS, I have a snack for you. Come and get it." Pops announces.
"We will go get it, you stay here," Mal tells Cassie. She and Mary Rose clamber downstairs.
"Pops, can we take our snack upstairs, please?"
"Well, I guess so. Don't make a mess!"
"We won't," Mary Rose promises.
Pops hands them a tray and turns to do another task. The girls take the tray and pile on sandwiches, chips and 3 bottled waters. They scamper back upstairs before he notices. 'Wow, they must be really hungry!' He needs to make another sandwich or two.
Mal sets down the tray as Mary Rose closes the door, leaving it open just a crack. Cassie is surprised as the girls each grasp one of her hands; Mal offers the traditional blessing and they start to eat.
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DINNER TIME
"I'll go down and make sure that a place is set for you," Mal says to their friend Carissa.
"Thank you," Carissa hugs Mal, her new friend.
Mal sets the table for Pops who doesn't notice the extra setting.
As the family gathers, Jamie calls upstairs, "Mary Rose, come on down sweetie."
Mary Rose takes Carissa's hand and leads her downstairs. They enter the dining room and Carissa takes the place between the sisters. The adult's gape at the newcomer; "Mary Rose, who is our guest?" Jamie mumbles.
"This is Carissa, she is here visiting us," Mary Rose confidently introduces the guest. "She came with mommy and daddy today."
All heads turn to Jamie.
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TBC