Soul To Soul
by The Elusive Pen
Chapter 9
John wanders over to the window in Alderman Mark Krakauer’s office in the Llanview Municpal Building. Nice view, he tells himself. Guess a nice view’s one of the perks that come with upward political mobility. At least, that’s what Krakauer’s had up to this point.
But after what happened to Krakauer’s right-hand man Robert Castro and Evangeline being shot and nearly killed because of it, political mobility upward or otherwise is the last thing that Krakauer needs to think about.
What he needs to do now is to figure a way to keep John from killing him if it’s proved that he’s the one behind the hit on Robert Castro and everything that happened to Evangeline as a result.
John inhales deeply and exhales, reigning himself in.
’Slow down. The answers will come. Just be patient…’
“I’m sorry to keep you waiting, Lieutenant,” a seemingly efficient non-descript young man with thinning dark hair says on entering the office. He thrusts out his hand. “I’m Alan Reed – Alderman Krakauer’s assistant.”
John shakes his hand.
“Mr. Reed,” John acknowledges. “Is the Alderman available to answer a few questions about his late associate, Robert Castor?”
“Unfortunately no,” Reed tells him. “Alderman Krakauer has been called away suddenly on personal business.”
“Hmm,” John responds, not at all surprised. “Any idea when he’ll be back in the office?”
“I’m afraid not. You know how these personal situations can sometimes be. No telling when he’ll be back at this point.”
“Hmm. I see…”
“Meanwhile,” Reed begins, already knowing the answer, “perhaps there’s something I can help you with.”
“Actually, not at the moment,” John tells him. “I really need to speak with the Alderman. But I’ll give it some thought and get back to you.” He starts for the door but stops suddenly. “Oh and – it’s Reed, right?”
“Yes.”
“Well Mr. Reed, you can tell the good Alderman for me that I will be back and that we will definitely talk.”
“I’ll be sure to tell him,” Reed responds, understanding perfectly.
“I’ll see myself out,” John says before walking out of the office.
The on-duty nurse watches as Evangeline gingerly lowers herself to sit in the chair by her hospital bed, her right arm in a sling bound tight to her body. The effort is not without some pain but not as much as she expected.
“Okay,” Evangeline says once she’s seated, pleasantly surprised. “How was that?”
“Perfect,” Ms. Chin the nurse answers. “Just remember to use your legs to lower and lift yourself out of the chair. Your tummy area’s going to be pretty weak for the next weeks so don’t strain yourself.”
“Got it.”
Just then Dr. Michael McBain appears in the doorway.
“She giving you much trouble?” he teases.
“Not at all,” Ms. Chin answers with a smile. “I wish all my patients were like Ms. Williamson here.”
“Why, thank you, Ms. Chin,” Evangeline says.
“Likely story…” Michael mutters, coming into the room and sitting on the edge of the bed.
“And now that you’re here, Doctor,” Ms. Chin says, “I’ll go check on my patient next door.”
“Thanks again,” Evangeline calls after her as she disappears out the door. She looks at Michael and smiles. “So how are you?”
“Beat – as usual,” Michael answers.
“Wait a minute. I thought you were working nights.”
“Yeah, that’s my regular shift but I’m covering for a friend of mine today. Anyway, that’s enough about me. How are you feeling? You look pretty great for somebody who’s just getting over two gunshot wounds.”
“I’m feeling much better, too. I just can’t wait to get rid of this thing,” she says, referring to the sling. “And get out of here…”
“I know. Well listen, I checked your chart and you’re coming along at a pretty good clip. They’ll be discharging you before you know it.”
“I hope so, Michael. I hate hospitals…So Marcie hasn’t been by in a couple of days. How is she?”
“Good question…”
“Oh no. Is everything okay with you two?”
“We had one of our arguments yesterday. She keeps running herself ragged and I keep telling her she needs to slow down but…”
“But she’s not listening. Hey, this must be an incredible time for her. She’s a best-selling author. That must be pretty exciting.”
“Yeah,” Michael acknowledges. “Yeah, she is pretty excited…Guess I’m just a little jealous…”
“She doesn’t have time for you these days, huh?”
“Not much. I don’t know. I’m telling you, E. Between my hours here at the hospital and her book signings and talk shows…”
“I understand,” Evangeline tells him. “It’s like that with John and me sometimes. I’ll have my nose buried in briefs and he’ll be consumed by some case he’s working and we hardly get to see each other…”
“So what do you guys do when that happens?”
“I don’t know. I guess we just stop what we’re doing and take time out to spend together – even if it means taking our files over to the diner and just being together while we’re working. Sometimes that’s all you need – the being together part. It helps…”
“Yeah well maybe Marcie and I will try that sometime – although it’s a little hard for me to take my work with me…”
She laughs.
“Good point.”
Michael studies her for a quick second, remembering how completely having her in his life has changed John around – for the better.
“You know what?” he begins. “I don’t know what my brother would do without you, E.”
“In what way?”
“In every way. I mean he’s actually happy these days. Know how long it’s been since anybody’s been able to say that? Too long…”
“Well…I have to admit that having John in my life has made a big difference for me, too. I didn’t know I could ever feel this way about anybody. Don’t get me wrong, now. I mean we still have our issues here and there but mostly…I’m kinda crazy about him, I guess.”
“Looks like that goes both ways,” Michael tells her. He makes his way to his feet. “That brother of mine is a very lucky man.”
“Yes, he is,” she kids.
“See ya,” he says with a wink as he walks out.
“See ya, Michael,” she calls after him.
Willy Chase, small-time hustler and perennial loser, takes the paper bag from the wiry guy with short hair and makes sure not to watch as the guy disappears around the corner and out of sight.
He holds the bag in his hand and opens it slightly – making sure that no one who might be watching can see the black semi-automatic weapon that’s inside. Looks like what he paid for, he tells himself before closing the bag again. He reaches around to stuff it into his jacket pocket but before he can, he feels it being snatched away from him.
“Hey…” he begins before seeing Lieutenant John McBain of the Llanview Police Department standing there, the paper bag in his hands.
He rolls his eyes, pretty much knowing what he’s in for.
“Willy, Willy, Willy…” John says calmly, looking into the bag and seeing the gun inside. “How many times do I have to tell you that crime doesn’t pay?”
“Hey, Lieutenant,” he answers, his heart pounding. “It’s not what you think. That’s not mine.”
“Oh, I know. It belongs to the Llanview Police Department now.”
“Look…” Willy manages, “what do I gotta do to make this go away? There’s gotta be something…”
“Well, now that you mention it, there just may be,” John tells him. “Know anything about Robert Castor or Alderman Krakauer or people they may have done business with – the kind of people whose names might not appear on the official payroll?”
“You mean that guy they took out at the restaurant about a week ago?”
“That’s the one.”
“I don’t know, Lieutenant,” Willy says, warily. “I don’t usually do business with those guys…”
“But you know guys who do, right? Willy Chase knows everybody. Isn’t that right?”
“I don’t know. Look maybe…maybe there’s somethin’ else you need -”
“This is what I need, Willy,” John states. “Or I’m gonna have to make a few calls and see what we can do about changing your living arrangements. Ex-con carrying an automatic weapon, parole violation…You know, we might be able to get your old cell in Statesville ready for you when you get back -”
“Okay, okay,” Willy blurts quickly. “I’ll ask around – see what I can dig up.”
“You do that. And don’t disappoint me, Willy. Play games with me on this one and I’ll make sure to let all your friends know what a friend you’ve been to the LPD…”
“Hey man,” he manages, the idea filling him with terror – especially when he thinks about all of the people he’s snitched on over the years. “There’s no call for all that. I said I’d ask around…”
“You just get me something on Castor or Krakauer,” he says before turning to leave. “And don’t make me wait too long.”
Willy sighs deeply.
“Whatever you say, Lieutenant…” he says quietly.
The dirty beige sedan pulls around the dark, rain-slicked drive, parking alongside Llanview Hospital – just out of view of the Emergency Room entrance at shortly before 12 midnight. Ray Remsen puts the car in ‘park’ and turns off the engine.
“Wait here,” Danny tells him.
“Hey man,” Ray blurts. “Let’s just blow this town. Killing that Williamson chick ain’t worth it. If she could’ve fingered you, the cops would’ve picked you up by now.”
“I told you before. I don’t like loose ends.”
“Danny -”
“Look, just shut up and wait here,” he says menacingly. He opens the car door. “Be right back.”
Before Ray can say another word, Danny is out of the car and on his way around to the Emergency entrance. He’d talked earlier about that being the easiest way into the hospital – a crowded emergency room where no one would really notice him.
As he sits and waits, Ray becomes more and more nervous. He hasn’t known Danny Winters for more than a few months but he’s always been afraid of Danny’s temper. He remembers hearing somewhere about Danny having served time in New York for armed robbery but also being warned that he won’t hesitate to kill anyone who crosses him.
So Ray inhales deeply, blows it out slowly, and waits.
And tries hard to keep his nerves in check.
Danny makes his way up the flight of stairs to the 5th floor entrance. Getting through the Emergency room and into the staircase was even easier than he expected. He opens the door slowly and peeks in. In front of him is a lighted and unpopulated workstation. He steps out onto the floor, letting the door close quietly behind him as he peers first one way down the corridor and then the other. It’s quiet at this time of night – maybe quiet enough for him to be able to get to Evangeline Williamson to tie up that loose end that keeps bugging him.
And he knows exactly which room she’s in – Room 5111A – thanks to Leslie, his former girlfriend who happens to be a Nurse’s Aide at the hospital. They’d ended badly several months before – back when he’d broken her ribs during their last big fight. But she was still afraid of him, which is why when he approached her wanting to know Evangeline Williamson’s room number, she’d gotten him the information without much protest. He figured she’d want him to just take the info and go and he told her he would. Whether he will or not remains to be seen.
Danny makes his way down the quiet corridor, trying not to make any noise that will give him away. At the very least, he wants to see the area around Evangeline’s room – to see how secure it is. That way he’ll know what to do if and when the chance presents itself.
He turns a corner slowly because he hears voices as he approaches. He looks down to the opposite end of the corridor. Room 5111A looks to be about halfway between him and the workstation he sees at the other end – the one where the uniformed police officer stands sipping from a cup and speaking in low tones to an attractive blonde-haired woman in a nurse’s uniform.
Danny inches his way over to Room 5111A, the room with the unoccupied chair outside. He checks quickly to make sure that the cop at the desk hasn’t noticed him before peering into the room. He sees who he remembers to be Evangeline Williamson lying quietly in bed and it looks like she’s asleep.
Tonight just may be the night, Danny tells himself, his adrenalin beginning to pump. All I have to do is to go in, pick up a pillow, and my worries are over.
He’s about to step into the room when he hears the faint bell of the elevator on the other side of the station. He hears the sound of footsteps, footsteps that seem more casual at first but then speed up.
“Hicks!” an angry male voice demands. “What the hell are you doing away from your post?”
’Damn!’
Danny quickly moves away from Room 5111A, stepping into the room a couple of doors down, where a middle-aged male sleeps. He pulls open the door to the toilet near the entrance and steps inside, careful not to let the door make any noise as it closes, and listens for the quiet to resume.
“Lieutenant,” Hicks begins nervously, “I…I was just having some coffee -”
“And leaving Evangeline without protection,” John adds, moving quickly toward Evangeline’s hospital room. His eyes quickly scan the area for anything that looks out of the way before he enters the room, Hicks hurrying behind.
He’s relieved to see Evangeline sleeping soundly – looking safe.
“I just stepped down the hall for a minute, Lieutenant,” Hicks offers.
John grabs Hicks by the arm, faintly yanking him through the door and out into the corridor.
“You know what could’ve happened in that minute?” he demands through clenched teeth. “While you’re down the hall making nice with that nurse, somebody could’ve gotten to her.”
“Lieutenant -”
“You’re relieved,” John angrily dismisses. “Get out of here.”
“But sir -”
“I said get out of here!” John repeats, trying hard not to raise his voice. “Talk to your squad commander in the morning. You’re gonna be filing reports for the next six months. Now get out of my sight!”
Hicks takes a step backward and sighs deeply, remembering what he’s heard from other officers about Lieutenant McBain – how he’s tough but fair but that if you screw up on his watch, he’ll make you pay for it and won’t ever forget.
“Yes, sir,” he says quietly, knowing that he screwed up – and badly.
As the Lieutenant steps back into Room 5111A, a defeated Officer Hicks turns and heads back to the elevators beyond the workstation, figuring rightly that the sooner he makes himself scarce around Lieutenant McBain, the better.
Danny Winters pokes his head out of the room he ducked into and, seeing the corridor momentarily clear, heads back in the opposite direction – back into the staircase and down the stairs to the waiting car.
’Next time, Ms. Williamson…’
John walks around to the far side of Evangeline’s hospital bed and pulls the chair over from the corner of the room - his eyes never leaving the sight of her lying there, looking so peaceful.
Almost without realizing it, his hand raises to stroke her hair, causing her to stir.
Her eyes flutter open. When they focus on John’s face, she takes a deep breath and relaxes.
“You’re here,” she manages in a sleepy voice.
“Yeah,” he whispers, his eyes pouring over her face. “I’m here.”
“Didn’t think I’d see you again until tomorrow…”
“I got caught up in a few things,” he explains softly. “But I’m here now.” He touches her face. “Go back to sleep.”
Evangeline closes her eyes and sighs contentedly, the feeling of John’s hand gently stroking her hair lulling her back to sleep.
He leans over, kisses her cheek, and watches until he’s sure that she’s asleep again.
Then he takes off his jacket, drapes it across the foot of the bed, and sits.
He inhales deeply and exhales, relieved that they made it through another incident-free day at the hospital.
But his cop’s instinct keeps screaming at John. It has ever since that first night and most especially after the call that came to the floor desk asking about Evangeline. The danger’s not over yet and, until it is, he’s determined that the woman he loves will be protected.
No matter what.
Danny opens the car door on the passenger side and gets in, closing the door.
“Well?” Ray asks.
“Shut up and drive.”
Ray starts the car.
“So? Did you get to her?”
“Not yet,” Danny answers, fidgeting in his seat. “But don’t worry. I will.”
Ray pulls the car away from the curb slowly, heading out of the parking lot and away from Llanview Hospital.
“I will…” Danny mutters to himself.