As the phone call ended, a knock at the door drew his attention.
“Yes?” he said, loud enough for the person on the other side to hear. Chief Steelman’s face was downright ashen. He looked as if he’d just pulled the plug on his mother’s life support or something nearly as gut-wrenching.
“Chief? What can I do for you? Please, sit down.”
“Alex, I needed to talk to you about some housekeeping matters.”
“Chief, whatever happens to Danny, I don’t want his job again. Really. I don’t. If it means promoting Kellan over me, I’m fine with it. Or Janet. Or Michael Rigsby. I’ve never worked with him, but I hear he’s good.”
“Rigsby’s great, Alex, but that’s not why I’m here. Not exactly.”
“Okay?” Alex said, firmly confused. “So, why are you here?”
“Well, I just checked on Danny. Informed him, as a technicality of course, he’s on administrative leave pending an investigation. Just about killed me to have to do that to him.”
“I’m sure it did, Chief. Well, like I said, I’m not taking his job. That’s that.”
“No,” Steelman said, “I just wanted to apprise you of the situation. As my most senior Lieutenant, you’re in charge – whether you want it or not – until we sort out this mess. I need you on the job, Alex. Someone I can trust. At least until we can get it all figured out. I understand Kellan’s son is—well, you’re it, Alex. Escalante’s dead. Kellan is otherwise occupied. You’re it, Lt. Mendez, whether you want to be or not.”
Reaching into his pocket, the chief pulled out his sidearm. Alex blanched at first, instinctively reaching for his as own sidearm as if preparing to defend himself. Releasing the magazine, the chief secured it on Alex’s desk, checked to make sure there wasn’t an errant load in the chamber and set the weapon beside the magazine. Reaching into his pocket again, Steelman produced his badge.
“Chief, what are you doing?” Alex asked as the chief laid the badge on Alex’s desk next to the weapon and magazine.
“I’m not asking you to take over Danny’s job. You can promote who you wish, Alex. Or should I say Chief Mendez?”
“Wait! Wait! No, what? Chief what?” Alex stammered, trying to wrap his brain around what was happening, to say nothing of the why.
“Effective immediately, I am resigning as Chief of Police, and remanding myself into your custody. I waive my rights to an attorney. I’ll sign an affidavit to that effect. I formally submit myself for investigation and whatever disciplinary actions you see fit.”
“But, what?” Alex said, still stammering. “Chief? Why would we investigate you? You put tails on Danny and on me. You didn’t hinder the investigation. You tried to prevent your officers from being killed. You tried to protect your boys and girls in blue!”
“Alex, I didn’t tell you everything.”
“What do you—Chief so help me God, if you’re about to say what I think you’re about to say—”
“Only Danny knew. He sort of used it to his advantage. But yeah.”
“Wait—”
“I’m Calloway’s father, Alex. I’m the guy that had an affair with Danny’s mother. We figured that part out long ago. He wanted to punch my lights out for a spell, I tell you that much. But, when he came to me with this mysterious brother, I didn’t know what to do. I looked into the records. Figured out she’d given the kid up for adoption, rather than try to explain to people how she’d had an affair. Mr. Peterson had had an affair too, mind you, so neither of them were saints. But he insisted they give the baby up. Said he would never be able to look at her with a constant reminder of her infidelity lurking about. Back then, what was a woman to do? Weren’t many of them that were able to take care of themselves like today.”
“But, how?” Alex said. “I mean, you were nowhere near Longview…”
“United States Marines. I was being transferred. Was going to ship out the next week. Decided to drive it rather than fly. I was a scared kid on his way to war, so I thought at the time. Stopped at a bar for a drink. I wasn’t into alcohol, even then, but it was the only place open at that hour. Figured I could get a coke or some coffee to keep me awake. Next thing I know, well…”
As Steelman trailed off, Alex reached for his trashcan, certain he was going to wretch. Groaning, Alex felt a knot forming in his stomach.
“You okay, Alex?” The chief stood, as if coming to Alex’s aid.
When he raised his hand, Steelman sat back in his chair. His face so deeply washed with blood it was almost purple against the otherwise nauseous Hispanic pallor. Regaining his composure – to whatever level he could – Alex sat back straight.
“Alex, I know this comes as a shock. I’m sorry.”
“A shock? Chief, a shock would be Lisa telling me she’s pregnant again. This? This is… I don’t even know what to call it.”
Still reeling, Alex felt his stare growing distant. His head swam just a little and he dare not stand for the spinning room might fling him right out of it. Even as it happened, he was half aware of staring through Tom Steelman instead of at him. His eyes blurred.
Was this what it felt like to go into shock, he thought to himself?
When his phone rang, he almost didn’t hear it.
It was Steelman’s voice beckoning him out of his fugue that drew him to answer the phone.
“Mendez?” he said, his voice submitting to a bit of hoarseness. A result of a combination of things, from retching to just a hefty measure of stress.
“Alex?”
He was crying. Sniffling. His voice weak.
“Kel? What’s up, Bro? How’s Lil Man?” Alex asked, trying to be cheerful.
“He’s dead,” Kellan said, his voice only half choking out the last word. “Alex, my son is…”
“Oh God, no!” Alex said, his breath catching in his throat. A very real ache settled in his chest. Not a pain such as would accompany angina or a heart attack. No this ache was for a friend in pain. And for the absence of words that might offer any semblance of comfort.
“Alex, I…”
“Kellan, I’ll be right there.”
“N-no,” Kellan said, his voice still riddled with anguish and tears. “You gotta—”
“I gotta be with my friend, Kel. They can do without me for now,” Alex insisted, albeit gently. “You hang on, Buddy. I’ll be right there okay? I love you, Brother.”
As they hung up, Alex looked back at the chief.
“Chief, we are going to have to talk about all this. We have a lot to sort through. But, right now, I need you to stay here. I need to go see about Kellan and Andrea.”
“I take it their son…”
Without a word, Alex nodded.
“I’m sorry, son. Tell Kellan and Andrea I am very sorry.”
“Will do,” he said. “In the meantime, you’re in charge until I get back. Can you handle that? Can we just keep this between you and I? At least for now.”
“Alex, I don’t want you to get in trouble over this too,” Steelman insisted. “Anything you know makes you—”
Reaching down, Alex grabbed the chief’s badge, handed it to him.
“This conversation never occurred, you hear me?”
Without a word, Steelman nodded.
“Plausible deniability,” Alex said. “I don’t like it, but frankly I have bigger fish to fry than your past sexual exploits.”
Retrieving his gun and magazine from the desk, Steelman stood, stowed them.
A frantic knock at the door was immediately followed by a young female in a police uniform bursting through the door.
“Lt. Mendez!” she screamed, obviously out of breath.
“Officer, do you make it a habit of bursting into an office when the door is closed?
“N-No Sir!” she said, trying to catch her breath. “I-I’m sorry, Sir. I have a message for you. Someone from Longview Regional called. Said they need you there right away!”
“I am aware of the situation, Officer. Lt. Arthur called
me just a moment ago.”
“Sorry, Sir. I hope everyone is okay.”
“A baby is dead, Officer,” Alex said, absently. “But thank you for your concern.”
“Baby, Sir? I’m sorry. I didn’t realize Officer Warner was married.”
“Officer Warner? As in Alyson Warner? Okay, Officer Stratton, what exactly did the people at Longview Regional say? What happened to Alyson?”
“All they said, Sir, was that she and another guy were involved in a car wreck,” Officer Stratton said. “Said they found your card in her purse.”
“And my number in her cell!” Alex screamed, to no one in particular. “Why didn’t they call me directly?”
“I don’t know, Sir,” Officer Stratton said, “But they said you needed to hurry.”
“Oh God!” Chief Steelman said. “Alex, go! I’ll handle things here.”
“What about Kellan?”
“I’ll send someone to see about Kellan. Let him know why you’re not there.”
“Thank you, Chief.” Grabbing his jacket, he spun back around. “Call Moe! Have him meet me there!”
“On it!” Steelman said, “Go!”
Bolting down the hall, Alex knocked over several people in his rush toward the car. Silently, urgently, he prayed. He prayed for Kellan and Andrea. For Alyson. He prayed for Josh, Moe and their family. He prayed for the right way to break whatever news he was going to have to break to Lisa. As he sped out of the police department parking lot, he prayed fervently that God would protect him as he drove.
“And God,” he prayed as he was nearing the hospital, “I know You are supposed to not give us more than we can handle, but I am not Superman, okay? I’m really done, God. Please. No more. Not today. I beg of you. Amen.”
Chapter 27
Alex decided to wait before calling Lisa. He had no information other than she should be extremely worried about a situation, the details of which were completely lacking.
Steadily praying in his mind, Alex ran into the Emergency Room, stopping doctor after doctor, nurse after nurse, aide after aide. Finally, he reached the information desk. Out of breath, he flashed his badge.
Clearing his throat, coughing, Alex fought for breath.
“Alyson,” he huffed, “Alyson Warner? Josh Sutton? They were—”
“Alex?”
He jerked at the sound of his name, turned.
“Moe?” He said, looking into the haggard face of his friend. “What’s going on? What happened? Is everybody okay?”
“Let’s walk, Alex.”
“Moe, just tell me. What happened?”
“Walk with me,” he whispered, a tear falling from his eye.
Alex’s heart sank. His legs losing strength, he caught himself on the information desk. Instinctively, Moe reached out a hand, steadied Alex. Without speaking, Moe urged Alex toward a nearby waiting area.
“Sit,” Moe said, pointing to a chair. Alex was struck by the emptiness of the small waiting area. Despite the busy Emergency Room, not a single person waited among the seven seats available to family and loved ones of the injured and sick. A small coffee pot and stack of paper cups was the only adornment that seemed to be operating at the moment. Though there was a television hooked to a nearby wall, wired to the ceiling, a makeshift sign taped to the screen read “out of order”. A pile of magazines failed to draw his interest.
Shaking, Alex finally spoke.
“Okay, I need you to break the news, Moe. I can’t take this.”
“Alex,” Moe whispered, leaning forward in his chair. His tears could no longer hold back. As the dam broke, Moe’s chest shook. His face flushed red. “Oh God, why!”
“Oh no!” Alex said, tears welling in his eyes. “They’re—”
He couldn’t say the word. He couldn’t hear the word. He couldn’t—suddenly, he couldn’t think.
Gathering his composure, Moe shook his head. Rubbed his eyes.
“Alyson’s fine,” Moe whispered, his eyes to the floor. “Well, she will be.”
“Josh?” Alex asked, causing Moe to break again. “No! Moe, this isn’t right! No! You missed something. You misunderstood.” Alex stood, turned toward the hall. He turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder. “He’s gone, Alex. He’s on life support, but he’s gone. They’re waiting for his mom and sister to get here. I asked them for that much. But he’s gone, Alex. My boy is gone. Alex, I—Oh God! I wanna die!”
“Lt. Mendez?” Alex directed his attention toward the hallway when he heard his name. It was a young uniformed officer who appeared to have remnants of blood on his arms and, perhaps, on his clothes. While he couldn’t swear it was blood on the dark uniform, he’d seen enough of it to reasonably assume.
“Officer…Tillebrand?” He had to squint to read the nametag “What can I do for you?”
“The doctor is looking for you,” the young officer said. “Doctor Jerome. If you’d like, I can take you to him.”
“Yes,” Alex said, turning back to Moe, “You want to come?”
Shaking his head, Moe waved Alex on, “You go on, Alex. I’ll wait here.”
“Okay,” he said, not wanting to leave, but needing to find out about Alyson.
As Officer Tillebrand backed out of the way, he motioned for Alex to walk in front. “This way, Sir.”
Walking together, Alex rounded a corner. In the distance, a middle-aged man approached. His face was sullen. His white coat had his name embroidered on it.
“Doctor Jerome?” Alex said, extending his hand, “I’m Alex Mendez.”
“You have my deepest sympathies,” he began, “I understand Ms. Warner and Mr. Sutton were dating?”
“Yes,” Alex said, his voice breaking. “Doc, how is she? Is she—”
“I don’t know, Lieutenant,” he said, a seemingly genuine sadness overtaking him. “We are taking her into surgery now. I’ll be operating—”
“Wait…Surgery? Operating? What’s wrong with her? What happened?”
“The accident was pretty severe, Lieutenant,” the doctor began.
“Alex, please. Call me Alex.”
“And I am William,” Doctor Jerome said, “Alex, the injuries are severe. We’ve stabilized her as best we can, but unless we operate now, we’re going to lose her, too.”
“Okay, operate,” Alex said. “But what’s wrong?”
“Here,” Dr. Jerome whispered, extending a clipboard to Alex. “We’ll need you to sign this consent to operate. As Alex took the clipboard, he started to speak. As if knowing what Alex was about to say, the doctor interrupted, “Tests showed Alyson has some internal injuries. The abdominal bleed will be an easy fix. Shouldn’t take more than an hour. Dr. Teagan will see to that. Meanwhile, I will be operating on—Well, she has some bleeding around the brain.”
“Will she be okay, Doctor?” Alex asked, not sure he wanted to hear the answer.
“We’re going to do everything we can, Alex,” the doctor answered, “But, all things being equal, if you’re a praying man, I would get busy doing it.”
“Are you a praying man?” Alex asked.
“All my life,” Dr. Jerome said. “It was a bit of a slap in the face to my preacher father when I became a doctor instead of following him into the family business. He came to accept it once he realized that Jesus himself said it wasn’t the healthy who needed the doctors. It was the sick. In his last years, Dad used to tell people he saved their souls, I saved their skin.”
“Doc,” Alex said, “I’d like to pray with you, but I’d rather you get in there and save my cousin.”
“They will notify me when they’re done prepping her for surgery,” the doctor smiled. “Care to step over here?”
Taking hands, Alex, Dr. William Jerome and Officer Tillebrand bowed their heads.
As Dr. Jerome lead them in prayer, Alex could truly feel the power of his words. When it became Officer Tillebrand’s turn, his prayers were decidedly more simple, even a tad confusing. As Alex prayed last, he heard himself pray with power
and authority he’d never known himself to possess. As he concluded, he looked up just in time to see the doctor wipe a tear from his eye.
“Son, that was one of the best prayers I’ve ever heard. And I believe now that everything is going to be okay.
“I hope so, Doc,” Alex said.
“When two or three are gathered in my name,” the doctor began.
“There I am also,” Officer Tillebrand finished.
Smiling, Alex gave an encouraging squeeze to the young officer’s shoulder.
“And a little child shall lead them,” Alex said, giving a wink.
“Okay,” Dr. Jerome said, reaching into his lab coat pocket. “That would be the notification I’m waiting for. Producing a small device that looked like a pager, Dr. Jerome read the display screen. “Yep, that’s them. Okay, give your phone number to the nurse at the information desk. She will see to it that we notify you with updates. It won’t be quick, but it will be thorough.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Alex said.
“Don’t thank me yet,” he smiled, turning to walk away. “Thank me when I’ve saved her.”
“I’ll thank you now,” Alex said, as the doctor turned and trotted off, “Because you’ll save her!”
He wasn’t sure if the doctor heard him but he hoped that, more importantly, the Man Upstairs had heard him.
“You’ll save her, won’t you?” Alex whispered, looking up toward the heavens.
Without an answer, Alex retreated toward the small waiting room, stopping briefly to give his cell phone number and Moe’s, just in case he was out of pocket. Though it was a short walk, Alex seemed to have debated back and forth a hundred times on whether to call Lisa now or wait. No more certain as he walked into the small waiting room, Alex sat beside Moe.
“They’re taking her into surgery now,” he whispered.
“I pray she makes it, Alex,” Moe said, staring toward the nearby window. “There’s been enough death today.
“Oh, no!” Alex said, “Kellan!”
As Alex relayed the news of Kellan’s son, Moe began to tear up again.
“So much death today, Alex. I really, seriously pray Alyson is okay. There needs to be some good news today.”
Target: Mendez: An Alex Mendez Tale Page 10