Secure Again

by R L Dunn

"Thank you for saving Austin. We’re here when you're ready." Olivia piled on the hug.

  Patrick coughed. "Beth, he's at full ventilation. ECMO is off. We've started warming. At six, he should be at normal temp, and I'll take him to the OR to take out the cannula."

  "Thank you, Patrick. Can I ask a favor? I'm about to float. Could you watch the floor?" The Bailey sisters overwhelmed her. She needed to breathe.

  "Go, before we need to call housekeeping. Doctors Caine and Perry, tell me about the plan for Sergeant Bailey."

  Chapter Eleven

  Talbot Reed drove up to the sprawling Dufour home. Hal Dufour, a bald man with a stomach overflowing his belt, stood talking on the phone. His wife, Cecile Moody Dufour, who was fifteen years his junior and the assistant to the director at the Silverton Department of Corrections, welcomed him into their vast living room. Always a well-groomed woman, she wore no makeup, and her blonde hair hung in straggles around her face.

  "Cecile, I'm so sorry about Viola." Talbot embraced her. "She was a beautiful light, gone too soon."

  "Talbot, would you like something?" Cecile offered. Another woman was sitting on a comfortable couch. The women were identical except Celine Moody McAllister dyed her hair jet black. Talbot, suave with silver hair and a fit body, had affairs with both women for years. He stopped sleeping with the third Moody triplet, Cicely, sometime earlier.

  "I’m fine, sugar. You need to tell me what I can do for you?" He kissed Celine's hand. "Sorry to be with you both at such a terrible time." Hal joined them, and Talbot gave his friend a consoling hug. "Hal, I was just telling Cecile to let me know what I can do to help."

  "Thank you, Talbot." Hal held his wife's hand. "We are planning Viola's funeral, visitation on Saturday and Sunday, and the service at our church followed by the burial on Monday." Hal cradled his wife.

  Cecile dabbed her eyes with a linen handkerchief. "Please excuse me, I need to lie down." Celine went with her sister.

  Both men rose as they left the room. "She's taking this hard. I hate her suffering this way," Talbot bemoaned.

  "Elizabeth told us Viola was pregnant. For obvious reasons, I can't let anyone, most of all Elizabeth, talk about that."

  “Then I need to tell you, if you pursue that lawsuit against the doctors or the hospital, the pregnancy will come out."

  Hal Dufour narrowed his gaze. "My notice of intent-to-file was to scare them. But following through? Maybe?"

  Tighe wrote on a whiteboard, diagramming the case. "We need to decide if Austin was the intended target. If he was, who had knowledge of Austin's position? If not, what did he stumble upon?"

  "The timeline is too tight. Austin was dispatched an hour before he was found. He had to come upon something. The shooter had a short window. Three shots—they were aimed. No one hits those voids by accident. The child was found in the morning, so why did the inspection of the crime scene start so many hours later? Also, his previous caseload was innocuous," Zach outlined his thoughts.

  "I ordered transmission timelines and logs from when Shaun found the child to the time Tighe arrived." Mike steepled his fingers. "I agree with you, Zach. This case is starting to stink."

  The investigators sorted through all the evidence against Elizabeth next. "A lot of perfect circumstantial evidence. So much so, I don't think the DNA will be a surprise," Noah grimaced.

  "She bagged Austin's vest alone and also told Martin she thought he was turning while being shot based upon his wounds." Zach stood and turned in various ways. "The only way for those bullets to strike where they did is if he had his hands up. We need to see if Keys agrees with her theory and find that vest. This could be another reason to frame her," Zach theorized.

  "In the nothing is a coincidence pile is Ralph Locke, a corrections officer. Suicide attempt. He's expectant," Ford sighed.

  "Noah, grab Caleb and find a way into his home." Mike rolled a pen between his fingers.

  "I'll speak with Martin in person. Every hour this goes on, there are more questions and no answers." The muscles in Tighe's neck tightened.

  "That leads us to the case with Homeland. The first five agents killed were all tracing the distribution line of the violent materials. Each agent was found dead after filing their first brief. The sixth, borrowed from the FBI, was posing as a prisoner in the jail. His last report stated that he was moving drugs from the guards to prisoners. Question, are the drugs part of the case or did he pick up another issue within the jail? The autopsy is gruesome." Mike’s jaw locked.

  “That makes me think his death is part of the primary case,” Ford said.

  "Who is aware of Troy infiltrating as a prisoner?" Zach shifted in his seat.

  "Just us, Bravo team, and Sutton, his attorney. Ian’s secretary, Esther is acting as his mom. We’re keeping Homeland in the dark, feeding them programmed information," Mike said. "Our only contacts on the case are Brynn Hackman and Todd Duran."

  "The leak must be coming from their office." Tighe balled up his fists.

  "We need to check them out. I mean, I hope someone managed to read something off a desk, but..." Noah said.

  Mike cut Noah off, "They are two undersecretaries in Homeland. I brought my concerns to Ian and Kieran. Ian said he's handling it."

  Elizabeth returned to the floor to find the bloodwork on Ralph Locke was worse than expected. The phone played canned music while waiting for the organ transplant representative. He didn't meet the acceptable criteria, but she had to try. The coordinator confirmed it for her. It would be a matter of time before he died. She paged her residents to the conference room. "Ralph Locke's labs came in. Dr. Keller, I believe you’re assigned to him. What do they mean, and what is our plan?"

  "We support him until a liver becomes available," Keller spoke with a naïve surety.

  "That would be correct if not for his psychological condition." The sad group discussed palliative care. "Dr. Keller, I'll go with you to tell his parents."

  The rest of the day continued at an even pace. Elizabeth stood by the elevator waiting for Patrick, the PAs, and the OR assistants to roll Austin off the floor to remove the ECMO cannulas. "I'll call you, Beth," Patrick said.

  Martin walked up beside her. "According to Yelp, the cafeteria makes delicious hamburger hockey pucks."

  "They're not bad with cheese and ketchup. Lots of ketchup," she said with mock seriousness.

  "You work these hours every day? Is that all you’re going to eat?" A small smoothie sat on her tray.

  "I'm not hungry, and to answer your other question, part of it is being a surgeon, but the truth is, I didn't want to be anywhere else or to be with anyone else. I still can't believe this is happening."

  "Are you okay with the idea, Sunshine? I am sorry my sisters ambushed you. I jumped the gun; I should've asked you first before I told them. But I don't want to keep us—a secret. Also, if we keep looking at each other the way we are, no one will miss it." He waggled his brows.

  Elizabeth took a moment to think. "Marty, I'm scared. Not of you. Not of us. I'm afraid if I’m happy, someone will take you away from me," she whispered the words.

  "You can't let that fear keep you from exploring the possibilities." His eyes turned devilish. "A lot of exploring."

  Elizabeth's cheeks flushed. "Mmm, you do realize I’ve blushed more in two days than I have in years."

  "A beautiful color on you." He gave her the same grin she’d loved from the day she met him.

  "Well, Mr. Bailey, I guess we’re official: you're my boyfriend. I'm thirty-eight and going steady."

  "Haha, I'm Elizabeth Reed's boyfriend," he cheered.

  Elizabeth blushed again and giggled. "We both have careers. I mean, your job is in DC. Would you want me to come and live with you?"

  "I want you to come back east with me because you want to. I love you, Elizabeth."

  "I love you too. But we aren't naïve teenagers anymore. What about me working?"

  "Time brings clarity, Sunshine. Maybe it’s my career or my age, could
be both, but I know what I want. I want you by my side. I want you to be happy. If you want to work and how many hours is all up to you. Though I prefer you didn’t work these grueling hours, only because I want to spend time with you. My work hours can be long too, but, as far as I’m concerned, what's mine is yours. I'll be patient for as long as you need. Sharing a bed with you is such a gift, but even without that, you complete me. I only took twenty years to figure it out." His eyes glittered.

  "You mean that?"

  "If you’ll let me, I'll prove it to you—every day."

  "You meant what you said about waiting?"

  "Of course. Tell me, if you could have whatever you want in life today, what would it be, including world peace?"

  "Anything?" she verified, and he nodded. "The rest of my life spent with the man I love in a house on a lake in Virginia and working a normal schedule." Elizabeth placed her hand over her heart.

  "Are you saying you'll consider coming to live with me when Austin is better?"

  "Yes. We still have a lot to learn about each other. But nothing is keeping me here. Being in your arms is a piece of heaven."

  The rest of their meal, he had her giggling like a schoolgirl. "Sunshine, you came in fourteen hours ago. You need some rest. I want to wait for Austin. Would you like me to stop by after?"

  "Yes, but, no, you need to rest too. I’m on-call; Friday nights are always busy in the ER, which means a long day tomorrow. I should sleep tonight.” She blushed once more.

  Martin walked Elizabeth to her car. "Sleep well, Sunshine."

  Chapter Twelve

  Saturday, July 13th

  Elizabeth operated until late afternoon. Finished with her surgeries, she conferenced with Virginia. "Austin is waking up. He's growing agitated."

  "How long has he been doing this?" Elizabeth found the PAs applying gentle restraint to his four limbs while his sisters attempted to soothe him.

  "On and off since 0900. We are trying to keep from over-sedating him," Judson said.

  Elizabeth concentrated into space. "Try swaddling him."

  The two PAs wrapped Austin like a newborn baby.

  “It’s working,” Judson reported, settling Austin without sedation.

  Elizabeth continued her rounds and went to examine Tonette. "What happened to you?" The sonogram proved her child was conceived while she was in custody.

  "Mmm, aren't you a princess?" An imposing man with a ponytail of coffee black hair and cold, coal-colored eyes sauntered into the room and pulled the wall of drapes closed.

  "Can I help you?" she asked, noticing the guard stationed at the door was gone.

  "My woman is in that bed." Tonette's boyfriend loomed between her and the door.

  "Only immediate family are allowed in intensive care. Tonette's visitors require police permission."

  "Ain't no one here to say no. Toni is mine. We live together; we fuck only each other, and we tell everyone we’re married. Is that good enough for you, holier than thou bitch?" He took another menacing step closer to her. "Now, tell me how she is?"

  "She is very ill. The methamphetamine she put inside her body almost killed her."

  "What are you accusing me of?" His fist struck her hard to the side of her face, propelling her to the floor.

  "Not a thing, Mr...?" She blinked a few times to bring things back into focus.

  "Jasper Satanta. Who are you?"

  "Dr. Reed, Tonette's doctor."

  "Where are the drugs that were in her?"

  "We retrieved them."

  Jasper's eyes glowed, making Elizabeth realize her ill-chosen words. He wrenched her left arm, dragging her to her feet. "Where are they? I want my property now."

  "I don't have them. The detectives took them." The ominous man was too strong for her to pull away.

  May pulled back the curtain, holding a bucket. "Dr. Massey ordered more bloodwork for Tonette's pregnancy." She bobbled everything in her hands at the sight of the blade against Elizabeth's throat. Blood tubes trailed after May as she ran screaming for help.

  Cornered, he jerked Elizabeth’s left arm higher, dislocating her shoulder. "Toni is knocked up? She told me she can't make babies. She got that endo something. Besides, she's been locked up. She only fucks me. I'll kill her if she cheated."

  The weapon's sharp stainless steel nicked Elizabeth’s skin. She cradled her elbow to support her useless arm. "It could be a mistake."

  Patrick was sitting at a computer going over Austin's latest results when May's screams reverberated in the hallway. "What's wrong?"

  "Tonette. A man. Beth. A knife," May's voice faltered.

  "Where are the police?" Patrick searched the hall.

  "With...with Sergeant Bailey," May babbled.

  Tommy returned to the station from another room as Patrick scrambled into action. "Dial 911 and security. Keep the other patients and their families in their rooms." He found Austin asleep and no sign of his law enforcement visitors. "There is a hostage situation on the floor. Are either of you armed?"

  The second Chase PA, Jonathan, passed him his Beretta M9 holstered around his ankle.

  In the waiting room, two of Austin's colleagues were chatting with Martin and Tate Webster. Their radios squawked. "Meet units at the Horizon ICU, a man with a knife."

  Patrick's lips flattened entering the room. "A man is holed up in room five, holding a patient and a doctor hostage. He's a meth dealer. He's got two exits: the window and an eighteen-story fall or the door."

  The one thing serving in combat taught was unspoken communication. "Viper?" Martin, eyes alert and scanning, called Patrick by his call name. There was no need to ask the question.

  "He has Beth." Patrick’s lips pressed together.

  Officers Pellegrino and Forrester and Detective Beck Ferguson reappeared and stood to await Silverton SWAT in front of Tonette's room. Austin's fellow sergeants assisted Chase personnel Janice and Matteo to isolate the area.

  The first contact with Jasper ruled out him giving up anytime soon. Martin and Tate walked into the lounge. Patrick, a minute behind, grabbed scrubs and lab coats for them. "SWATs en route."

  "Farmer, I put the call out for any of our available people at the hotel to respond for a possible roof drop. The floor is secure." Matteo supplied him with a com.

  “Thanks." Martin inserted the earpiece. "Viper, think we might make it with both of us walking in?"

  "No way. He's seen the responders. This isn't his first time, and I'm sure he's high. Even one going in is risky, but these outfits may buy you a momentary pause.

  Elizabeth's chest was heavy, and she fought back the desire to throw up. "Please, I understand you're upset about Toni. No one needs to get hurt."

  "Hahaha, funny. Not how the cops work. Those balloons didn't belong to me; Toni was paying back a debt. My ticket out and yours is you. We’re gonna walk outta here and go to the bank. You have cash, right? When you give me the money, you can go your own way, and I'll disappear."

  Elizabeth couldn't suppress her nervous laugh. "Toni needs more medicine. Please, let me keep her alive?" She was covered in sweat, the odor of her own fear taunting her.

  "Use the intercom. You ain't going near the door. And if she's pregnant, she don't deserve to live, and neither do you."

  Elizabeth depressed the button over the bed. "I need a bag of normal saline, please."

  Janice Fitz from Bravo team answered the request, "Anything else, Dr. Reed? Are you all right?"

  "I'm fine. I need 20 milligrams of lorazepam, a negative HCG, and a fourteen-gauge syringe for blood too."

  "Beth's one smart woman; she just gave us the in. Crazy but brave. She asked for a sedative in a dose that would knock out a hippo and a large needle." Patrick touched his hand to his chin.

  "What?" Tate read the confusion.

  "She asked for a negative pregnancy test. Why?" Patrick wondered.

  "Doesn't matter other than she thinks word of the pregnancy will make things worse." Martin tapped a finger to hi
s ear. “Roger. There is no vantage point for a shot. Jule and Ford are on the way up to the roof."

  "I borrowed Jon's gun. I'll go in." Patrick chambered a round.

  "No way. I’ll do it. I'm a noncom; you're an MD. You aren't a loss we can afford." Martin blew out a breath from puffed cheeks. "Give me the stuff."

  "Be careful. Meth heads can be dangerous," Tate said.

  "Any helpful ideas?" Martin deadpanned.

  "No—that will protect my ass when Ian and Kieran want my excuse for not stopping you from trying your hairbrained scheme," Tate's tone teased. His expression was the opposite.

  Martin and Tate watched from the lounge door. Emerson "Coach" Davis, a Bravo team member undercover as SPD, was standing with a SWAT team member, who tried to reason with the erratic man. "Tell me what we need to do to end this?"

  "Real simple, you back off so me and her can walk out of here. And prove this ho ain't having someone else's kid," Jasper yelled.

  "Jasper, we can't let you leave with the doctor. Put the weapon down, and we can find a solution that works for both of us,” Trip Mathias from SWAT said.

  Hand resting against his outer thigh, Tate signed their intentions to Davis. He pivoted his body to block Mathias's view of Martin. A pair of bright purple magnifying glasses Martin borrowed from the secretary sat low on his nose, and he held her requests in one hand. Hedges' stethoscope around his neck augmented the disguise. Counting down from three on his empty hand, he walked into Tonette's room. "Got what you need, Doc."

  Small tremors moved through Elizabeth's body as she supported her dangling left arm. "Thank you, Marty."

  "You do what she wants and go the hell away. I got no issue cutting her." Jasper dug the knife deeper into Elizabeth's skin.

  Blood drops beaded on the shank. "Be calm, man. I got it. Doctor, what do you need drawn?" Martin was convincing as harmless with his shoulders slouched in the oversized white jacket. He fidgeted as he worked. Shaded by the thick frames, he maintained an eye on the lethal eight-inch knife.