SOLACE: Behind The Shield (Beauty 0f Life Book 2)

by Laura Acton

  Entering the stairwell, he gripped the handrail and lifted his chin, peering up at Mount Everest. Perhaps I can sleep right here. I’ve slept in worse places. He placed his foot on the first stair. One small step at a time, right Brody? Dan began his arduous journey.

  Found Dan … It’s Bad

  8

  November 27

  TRF HQ – Gym – 5:00 p.m.

  Ray and Loki joked around on the treadmills as Lexa joined the rest of the team. Smiling, she called out, “Ray, Loki, glad you two are better.”

  “Thanks. Ma’s chicken soup and a few days of rest are all it took.” Loki said.

  Grinning at Loki, Ray said, “Yeah, tell your ma thanks for the soup. Between your mom and mine, I swam in broth.”

  Bram laughed. “Kellie wanted to make you guys some, but I assured her your mothers would have you covered.”

  “Moms are like that.” Loki grinned.

  Jon smirked. “And wives. Jen hovers when I catch a cold. Damn good thing I don’t get sick often.”

  “Germs are afraid of you, Jonny.” Nick chuckled.

  “They should be!” Jon glanced around. “Anyone see Dan yet?”

  As the others shook their heads, Nick said, “Not like him to be late.” He went to the bench and checked his phone. “Didn’t call, either.”

  Bram shouted out to the dispatch area, “Tia, did Dan call in?”

  “No calls from Dan,” Tia responded.

  “Might be he ran into some traffic,” Ray suggested.

  “Traffic isn’t a problem for him he always jogs to work. I can’t believe he runs seven miles here and back every shift. That is plain crazy. I doubt he enjoys hoofing it in the rain, but when it starts snowing, there is no way Dan will want to be out in frigid weather.” Lexa received several nods of agreement.

  Her mind chewed on several things. Why doesn’t Dan own a vehicle? Can’t he afford one? Well, his apartment, while not in the seediest part of the city, is definitely not in the affluent area. Perhaps he racked up a huge debt staying at the Grand Citadel and now must live frugally to pay it off.

  “Maybe he overslept,” Loki speculated.

  “Could be,” Jon said preparing to lift weights. He decided to give Dan until the start of shift before calling. Though he set the expectation the team workout together it was not official, so technically, Dan wouldn’t be late until seven.

  TRF HQ – Briefing Room – 7:10 p.m.

  Dan never showed for workout and had not contacted TRF indicating he would be delayed. Calls to Dan went straight to voicemail, and the entire team became worried. In the few months Dan had been with them, he arrived at least ten minutes before workout. If he ever suspected he might be tardy, he called the dispatch desk, but he had never actually been late.

  Trying to downplay his unease, Jon huffed out, “Broderick is going to be in deep shit for being late and not calling. I see twenty laps in his future.”

  Voicing his worry, Bram said, “Dan didn’t look so well when he left three days ago. I hope he’s alright.” Bram realized he should have checked in on him after Dan endured a hellish shift stuck in the cold rain for hours.

  Nick said, “We’re patrolling today. Jon with me, Lexa with Bram, and Loki with Ray. Jon and I will take a swing by Dan’s place to do a welfare check. Let’s keep the peace.” Everyone started for the parking garage.

  Pausing at Tia’s desk, Nick requested, “Tia, would you pull up Dan’s address for me?”

  “Sure. Give me a second.” Tia accessed Dan’s contact data and wrote down the address.

  SUV En Route to Dan’s Apartment

  As Nick drove, Jon muted his headset and confessed, “I should’ve checked on Dan. He looked like crap when we returned to headquarters. I wish I had been aware the rain started falling out there. I would’ve swapped with him, but Broderick never said a word.”

  Nick glanced at Jon before returning his gaze to the road. Jon tended to beat himself up for things out of his control. “Jonny, you didn’t know. Dan didn’t say anything, either. If he needed to change up, I’m sure he would’ve said something.”

  “I doubt it. Remember, he is ex-Special Forces. In the military, you don’t complain. You follow orders whether you like them or not. And Dan is good at following direct orders, but not so much at speaking his mind since I harshly shut him down so often.” Jon comprehended he screwed up with Dan. The rookie’s demeanor remained quiet, but a glimmer of light existed. Dan voiced an opinion during their last call when he suggested Wayne’s motivation might be revenge. Dan had been right.

  An internal hallelujah sounded in Nick’s head at Jon’s new attitude. “That is something we must be careful of as we move forward with him. He hit the nail on the head with our previous call. We need to do a bit of retraining in that regard. He needs to understand we value his input.”

  The remainder of the ride both quietly contemplated the team’s newest member. He presented a challenge since he operated differently from the rest of them. Both wondered how long it would take for Dan to make the transition from a military mindset to the TRF one.

  They recognized his efforts to modify ingrained military behaviors, not an easy task, but Dan continued despite stumbling often. By changing the way they dealt with him, attempting to be better mentors than the previous months, they hoped to help facilitate Dan’s transformation.

  Nick continued to speculate why Dan was fast-tracked to his team. In the grand scheme of things, it didn’t matter, but he still wondered. And though they didn’t choose him, Dan turned out to be a decent fit. He had rough edges to be sure, but the team would smooth those.

  They were finding out a seven-member team had advantages. With seven they could handle more situations without calling in a second team, and fewer disruptions to scheduling occurred when they had more than one member out. Gambrill even started the process of seeking necessary funding to add a seventh member to each of the teams.

  Dan’s Apartment Complex

  Arriving at the complex, Nick dropped Jon at the front door then found a parking space. He entered the lobby as Jon headed for the stairwell. The area was illuminated by only the street light outside. He walked to the elevator, and in the dim lighting, he could hardly read a note taped above the button.

  November 24

  Dear Tenants: We regret to inform you a power surge damaged the main electrical junction box and it will take four days to repair. Additionally, the furnace failed. Unfortunately, the parts are back ordered and will be installed in five days. It would be in your best interest to find accommodations with electricity and heat for the next few days. We apologize for the inconvenience.

  Management

  No wonder it’s so cold and dark. Dan probably isn’t here given the fact the note was posted the day of their last shift. No way would Dan stay a cold apartment for three days. He most likely called a friend, perhaps Jarmal. Though it niggled at him, because this wouldn’t prevent him from notifying them, he would be late.

  Nick exited the stairwell on the tenth floor and found Jon pounding on Dan’s door. “Jonny, he’s almost certainly not here.”

  Jon stopped knocking. “Why do you say that?”

  “A memo in the lobby. Apparently, the electricity and heat have been out since the twenty-fourth.”

  “The day before our break?” Jon stared at Nick a moment before his gaze traveled back to the door. Dan isn’t answering. Nick is likely right, but …. Pulling out his lock picking tools, he set to work as he said, “My gut tells me something is wrong. I’m not leaving until I investigate his apartment.”

  Nick understood. Jon’s intuition tended to be rock solid, and most of the time worth indulging him.

  Inside Dan’s Apartment

  Going in first, Nick shivered in the dark and frigid apartment. Switching on his flashlight, he moved the beam around a tiny kitchen noting it was spic and span. Not large, but more than enough space for a single man.

  Turning the light to the main area, he be
came concerned. The size didn’t bother Nick, but the fact Dan’s place was essentially barren did. A lone black swivel chair was the only piece of furniture. He found some boxes neatly stacked in one corner, but nothing else. It didn’t look like their rookie had moved in—and he been here four months. Did Dan plan on staying? Did he already pack up and leave? His mind whirled with many possibilities.

  Entering behind Nick, Jon went straight for what he assumed to be the bedroom as he glanced around. The spartan furnishing gave the impression no one lived here. He opened the door and flicked the flashlight around.

  Shocked by what he discovered, Jon rushed to the bed and reached down to check for a pulse. The heat radiating off the rookie as he touched him both relieved and scared Jon. He isn’t dead, but he is undeniably very ill. After lightly shaking Dan and receiving no response, Jon yelled, “Nick, in here. Now!” Broderick didn’t flinch at his yell. “Goddammit!” He fished his phone out from his vest pocket and dialed 911.

  Startled by Jon’s shout, Nick raced to Dan’s bedroom. He went directly to the Dan, noting Jon on the phone with an emergency dispatcher. Crouching down, Nick placed a hand on Dan’s forehead. He was burning up and dry to the touch, but his clothes felt damp. His breathing came in ragged rattles as he struggled to take in air.

  Not a medical expert by any stretch of the imagination, Nick still understood Dan was in dire shape and needed help immediately. “Dan. Dan. Wake up, Dan,” Nick raised his voice endeavoring to elicit a response from their rookie.

  Dan cracked his eyes open a sliver, no energy to do more. He tried to say, “Sarge,” but no sound came out, except a fit of jagged coughs which left him gasping for breath.

  “They’re on their way.” Jon hung up and paced back and forth in the room. He stopped next to Nick. “Why didn’t you call for help, Broderick?”

  A new round of coughing overtook Dan. He could scarcely inhale. Nick reached behind Dan and lifted him part way up trying to make it easier for him to breathe. Jon went to the other side and sat on the mattress propping Dan up against him as he did with his boys when they suffered a chest cold.

  Jon caught Nick’s glance as they listened the rattled, rapid, and weak breathing. Both wondered how long his illness had incapacitated him.

  Surveying Dan’s surroundings, Nick eyes absorbing their fill, his focus came back to rest on the man himself. He found no dishes or take out containers in the other room and none in here either. He also made another troubling observation. Dan wore the same clothes he left headquarters in four days ago, and his boots lay askew at the foot of the bed.

  Dan began another round of abrasive coughing. When his head sagged to his chest, Jon gently pulled the rookie’s head into the crook of his shoulder, cradling him. Dan remained unresponsive, and Jon wished the paramedics were here already. It almost hurt watching Dan struggle to suck in a breath.

  Hazel eyes filled with worry as Nick gazed at Dan. “I’m certain he’s been in this bed since Lexa dropped him off.”

  “How do you know?”

  Pointing to Dan, he said, “Same clothes he wore at the end of our last shift. No food or drink around, no dishes, and no takeout containers.”

  “Why didn’t he call? We would’ve come and helped.” Anger rose in Jon. Just like his little brother again. Joe never thought about how his actions affected others.

  “No idea, but I’m gonna find out once he can respond.”

  “EMS, may we come in?” Bailey called out into the dark apartment.

  Jon hollered, “We’re in the bedroom.”

  Two medics entered carrying several boxes and a backboard.

  Moving out of the way for the medics, Jon stood off to the side with Nick as they began to assess Dan. Jon was pissed at Dan for not calling for help and at himself for not checking on the rookie. He was also ticked off Dan spent nearly four hours in the cold rain believing it might be a contributing factor to his current state.

  “How long has he been sick?” Bailey Masters glanced up at the men.

  Nick shook his head. “We’re unsure, but we’ve been off for three days. Dan didn’t show for work tonight, so we came to check. He’s wearing the clothing he left work in, so I’m guessing since then.”

  “He might’ve been ill before too,” Jon added.

  “Temp one hundred three, heart rate ninety-five, respirations thirty and shallow, BP ninety over fifty-five,” Roy Falkner reported to his partner.

  Bailey nodded as he inserted the IV line to start fluids. His patient appeared to be severely dehydrated, but his primary concern was the respiratory distress. Worried about losing a viable airway, Bailey determined they needed to transport him to a hospital quickly.

  “What’s his name?” Roy asked waiting with his pen poised at the clipboard ready to take notes.

  “Dan Broderick, he’s on my team. I’m Sergeant Nick Pastore.” Nick kept his eyes on Dan as the other medic put a pulse oxy reader on his finger.

  “When did he last eat?”

  “Not sure,” Jon answered as Dan engaged in another round of weak, ragged coughing. Dan’s eyes never opened. Jon cringed at the sounds coming from the rookie.

  Roy dropped his clipboard and helped Bailey prop Dan up during the coughing fit then laid him down carefully and started to put the oxygen on him as Bailey said, “Ox level is only eighty-three. Use the mask, not the nasal cannulas. We need to move him now. We can do the rest of the checkout in the rig on the way.” Roy nodded and complied.

  Bailey peered up at Nick and Jon. “Can you help us carry him down the stairs?”

  “Absolutely. Which hospital?” Jon replied.

  “Mercy,” Bailey answered as the two worked to secure Dan on the backboard.

  Nick turned on his headset. “Found Dan. It’s Bad. He’s ill, and the paramedics are taking him to Mercy hospital. Bram, contact Tia and tell her to route any critical calls to Charlie Team then meet us at the hospital.”

  Turning to Nick, Jon said, “I’ll ride with Dan. Meet you there. That way you can call Commander Gambrill. He’ll want to know why you made Charlie primary.”

  Nick nodded. His own gut indicated Gambrill would not like learning about the state of Dan’s health. Though he possessed no proof, Nick now believed Gambrill had a hand in placing Broderick on his team.

  The ultimatum to integrate Dan was his first clue. His second, Gambrill’s directive to provide him weekly progress reports. And although he had not sussed out the exact nature of the relationship, he strongly suspected one existed between Gambrill and Broderick.

  You Stubborn Idiot

  9

  November 27

  Mercy Hospital – Waiting Room

  Bram and Lexa arrived at the hospital before Dan. They watched as the medics wheeled him in, unconscious. The head of the gurney had been raised to assist his breathing. Despite the hiss of oxygen flowing through the mask covering his face, both could hear the harsh wheezing breaths … definitely bad.

  Jon walked right by them, straight to the woman at the admitting desk. “Dan Broderick was just brought in by ambulance in respiratory distress. He’s a member of my team. Please inform the doctor we’re waiting when they know what’s going on.”

  Brenda glanced up. “Are you next of kin?”

  “No, but—”

  “I’m sorry, but we won’t be able to share anything with you.”

  Lexa walked to the desk. “He’s our teammate. His family doesn’t live here.” Yes, she made an assumption, but he stayed at a hotel when he first came, and his father is a general, and the Special Forces base is in Ottawa, so logic would put the family home there as well. Guilt welled in her when she realized they lacked knowledge of Dan’s family.

  Brenda studied the female cop deciding whether to believe her. Despite her being a TRF officer, Brenda couldn’t break the rules of confidentiality. “It will be up to the doctor. I’ll inform him Mr. Broderick’s friends are waiting.”

  Bram gently corrected, “Constable Broderick.”


  The clerk read the concern etched in the soft blue-green eyes of the giant officer. His fatherly demeanor differed vastly from the hard edge of the tall, bald officer and the firm control of the petite, female. Acquiescing, she repeated, “Constable Broderick.” Pointing to the main waiting area, she said, “Please wait over there, someone will come to you when they are able.”

  Ray, Nick, and Loki met them in the waiting room. Jon and Nick explained the dire conditions they found Dan in. They spent the next hour anxiously waiting, alternating between sitting and pacing as recriminating thoughts assailed their minds, and drinking crappy, vending machine coffee.

  After speaking with the commander, Nick relayed to the team that Gambrill offered to contact Dan’s family. He also shared with them Gambrill told him it would be unlikely any of the Brodericks would show.

  “Why?” Loki couldn’t fathom his ma and sisters not coming to visit him. Though, his ex-stepfather wouldn’t bother coming. This reinforced his remorse regarding his failure to learn about his new teammate. He didn’t even know if Dan had siblings or where his mother lived. His knee began bouncing.

  Pursing his lips a moment, Nick answered tersely, “His father is a general. Busy man, I guess.” Keeping other thoughts to himself, like he would drop anything if his boy Martin were ill … that is if Martin was still alive. How could a father not—Nick stopped his unproductive thoughts.

  Bram grumbled, “Too busy for his son?” Rising from his seat, he began to pace. He grew angry at a man he never met. As he walked back and forth, Bram realized he was not really mad at Dan’s father, but at himself. He had been the one too busy, never once giving Dan a thought in the past three days.

  He was aware Dan didn’t look well at the end of shift. Hell, they all were aware, and not a damned one of them bothered to check in on him. They called Loki and Ray each day, and those two had family to take care of them.