floating face-down in the Hudson River; but not at the expense of his
lifelong friend. The captain had watched Carter slip deeper towards despair
over the last three months, and had been unable to do anything about it.
“Look,” he began, “give us
another forty-eight hours, and if we still haven’t caught the bastard, I’ll
help you myself. And then we’ll both spend the rest of our lives eating cold
slop and making number-plates.”
Carter glanced up, his friend’s
final comment registering somewhat. “And what would you have me do until then?
I ain’t taking any leave – you can’t force me to.”
Mendoza nodded. Indeed, the
last thing the captain wanted was for Carter to have even more time on his
hands. No, that would be bad, very bad. “I’ve got something for you.”
“What?”
Mendoza reached behind him. He
took up a single sheet of paper. “This just came in.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m not sure – yet. A patient
at St Mary’s Hospital died this morning.”
“So?”
“So, the hospital staff suspect
foul play.”
“Isn’t there anyone else out
there,” he said, with a gesture at the door, “that can follow this up?”
“Yeah, Tyler is available.”
“Then send her.”
“I am,” Mendoza said. “I’m
assigning the pair of you, together.”
“Like hell, you are,” Carter
announced.
“Either take this graciously or
you can take time off – alone. Your choice.”
Carter clenched his jaw and
wavered for a second, his mind trying to figure out which of the two scenarios
would be worse: trapped in his apartment with nothing but silence to keep him
company, or fathering a wet-nosed female detective on a complete no-brainer? In
the end, fear of being alone won. He snatched the crime-report out of Mendoza’s
hand and mumbled a curse under his breath.
Carter left the office and was
met once again with a hush of conversation.
“Tyler!” he yelled.
A young, shorthaired brunette
stood up from her desk. The sea of faces that turned to her relaxed as one, and
an almost palpable sense of relief filled the room.
***
Detective Tyler picked up her shield and holster as she
rounded her desk. And, as she made the short trip to Carter, she shot a look
towards Captain Mendoza’s office and damned the captain for assigning her to
this duty – duties that involved keeping Carter out of trouble for at least the
next 48 hours.
Chapter
Nine
By the time the two detectives arrived at St Mary’s,
Joseph and Marianna had been informed about some of what had happened. The
doctor had revealed some of the worrying details, but not all or the most
important one.
Marianna sat close by her
husband as the doctor returned with two strangers in tow, a man and a woman.
Mercifully, Eugene had taken Jake back home, on the pretence that Joseph was in
need of clean clothes and toiletries.
As the three entered,
Marianna’s back straightened, subconsciously preparing herself for the
possibility of conflict.
“This is Joseph Ruebins and his
wife, Marianna,” the doctor announced, tension clear in his voice.
The male newcomer nodded and
said, “Thanks Doc, we’ll be a few minutes.”
Detective Tyler led the doctor
out of the room. She returned and offered her partner a simple nod.
“Okay, Joseph,” Carter began.
“We understand you had something of an eventful night last night?”
Joseph looked first to Marianna
and then back to the detective. “I guess so,” he said, slurring the words.
“Wait,” Marianna began, “we’ve
already said we aren’t discussing legal action right now.”
A puzzled look crossed Carter’s
face. “Sorry?”
“Over the mess up. Last night,”
Marianna said.
The detective nodded, now
finally understanding. “Yes, Joseph’s physician has already explained the
mix-up. But we’re not here for that,” he replied.
“Oh?” Marianna said, her back
straightening even further.
“Maybe we should
lifelong friend. The captain had watched Carter slip deeper towards despair
over the last three months, and had been unable to do anything about it.
“Look,” he began, “give us
another forty-eight hours, and if we still haven’t caught the bastard, I’ll
help you myself. And then we’ll both spend the rest of our lives eating cold
slop and making number-plates.”
Carter glanced up, his friend’s
final comment registering somewhat. “And what would you have me do until then?
I ain’t taking any leave – you can’t force me to.”
Mendoza nodded. Indeed, the
last thing the captain wanted was for Carter to have even more time on his
hands. No, that would be bad, very bad. “I’ve got something for you.”
“What?”
Mendoza reached behind him. He
took up a single sheet of paper. “This just came in.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m not sure – yet. A patient
at St Mary’s Hospital died this morning.”
“So?”
“So, the hospital staff suspect
foul play.”
“Isn’t there anyone else out
there,” he said, with a gesture at the door, “that can follow this up?”
“Yeah, Tyler is available.”
“Then send her.”
“I am,” Mendoza said. “I’m
assigning the pair of you, together.”
“Like hell, you are,” Carter
announced.
“Either take this graciously or
you can take time off – alone. Your choice.”
Carter clenched his jaw and
wavered for a second, his mind trying to figure out which of the two scenarios
would be worse: trapped in his apartment with nothing but silence to keep him
company, or fathering a wet-nosed female detective on a complete no-brainer? In
the end, fear of being alone won. He snatched the crime-report out of Mendoza’s
hand and mumbled a curse under his breath.
Carter left the office and was
met once again with a hush of conversation.
“Tyler!” he yelled.
A young, shorthaired brunette
stood up from her desk. The sea of faces that turned to her relaxed as one, and
an almost palpable sense of relief filled the room.
***
Detective Tyler picked up her shield and holster as she
rounded her desk. And, as she made the short trip to Carter, she shot a look
towards Captain Mendoza’s office and damned the captain for assigning her to
this duty – duties that involved keeping Carter out of trouble for at least the
next 48 hours.
Chapter
Nine
By the time the two detectives arrived at St Mary’s,
Joseph and Marianna had been informed about some of what had happened. The
doctor had revealed some of the worrying details, but not all or the most
important one.
Marianna sat close by her
husband as the doctor returned with two strangers in tow, a man and a woman.
Mercifully, Eugene had taken Jake back home, on the pretence that Joseph was in
need of clean clothes and toiletries.
As the three entered,
Marianna’s back straightened, subconsciously preparing herself for the
possibility of conflict.
“This is Joseph Ruebins and his
wife, Marianna,” the doctor announced, tension clear in his voice.
The male newcomer nodded and
said, “Thanks Doc, we’ll be a few minutes.”
Detective Tyler led the doctor
out of the room. She returned and offered her partner a simple nod.
“Okay, Joseph,” Carter began.
“We understand you had something of an eventful night last night?”
Joseph looked first to Marianna
and then back to the detective. “I guess so,” he said, slurring the words.
“Wait,” Marianna began, “we’ve
already said we aren’t discussing legal action right now.”
A puzzled look crossed Carter’s
face. “Sorry?”
“Over the mess up. Last night,”
Marianna said.
The detective nodded, now
finally understanding. “Yes, Joseph’s physician has already explained the
mix-up. But we’re not here for that,” he replied.
“Oh?” Marianna said, her back
straightening even further.
“Maybe we should
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