Scenes we would have liked to see -- The Ransom -- part 2

Trapper was in Emergency -- again. He wasn't even bothering to make an excuse this time, and Ernie handed him one of the last oatmeal cookies with a sympathetic smile. "They can't take much longer, Trapper. And you know Gonzo would call if there were anything to worry about."

"I know he said that Stan's all right," Trapper said, "But I'd feel better if I could just see him for myself."

Ernie nodded. "I know what you mean. It's funny; I was irritated with him on Friday and I let it show, and Stanley went off in a huff, you know the way he does, but I never thought about whether or not he would forgive and forget. I just thought that it must be nice to be so rich you didn't have to worry."

Trapper rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Not about the usual things, anyway."

A commotion at the entrance interrupted them. It was Gonzo, backing away from a pair of cameras, with a cardboard box in his hands. "Look," the young surgeon said. "I told you, I left him at a friend's place, and he's not in any shape for an interview tonight. Haven't you got any stock footage from all the blood drives we've done?"

"Is it true the police have charged the kidnappers with attempted murder?" one of the reporters asked.

"That's what they told me," Gonzo said. "Now if you'll just excuse me..."

Ernie and Trapper looked at each other and went to the rescue.

"Dr. Gates," Trapper said, waving a chart he had grabbed at random. "I need to get your opinion on a patient."

"Gentlemen, please," Ernie said in her clearest nurse-in-charge voice, "this is the Ambulance Entrance, it is absolutely vital that it not be blocked."

The reporters shifted nervously, and one in the back tried to regain momentum. "Dr. McIntyre, Dr. McIntyre, what do you think of the Riverside kidnapping."

"I'm glad it's over," Trapper said, glaring over the top of his glasses. "But if you want details, you'll have to talk to Mr. Slocum. The police spoke to him, not me."

"Fifth floor, on the right," Ernie said, sending Arnold a mental apology, as she pointed to the elevator bank. "Now if you would please clear my corridor?"

The wolves hesitate, but then went in the direction of fresh meat, and Gonzo leaned against the wall and dragged his arm across his forehead with a dramatic sigh. "Whew! Thanks, guys."

"You're welcome," Trapper said, steering the pair of them toward Stanley's office and some privacy. "In here. Barbara," he called to the nurse on the desk, "If the other Dr. Riverside calls..."

"I'll reroute it," she promised.

"Wait," Gonzo said. He put the cardboard box on the counter. "Send these to the lab and ask for a CBC, a blood sugar, and a urinalysis. Stat. And let me know the results as they get them." He turned and went to join Trapper and Ernie in Stanley's office. As soon as they got in the door he asked, "Hasn't EJ called yet?"

"Not yet," Ernie said, taking the seat at the desk. "But the last workshop was supposed to end at five, and it's five-thirty in Chicago now, so I'm expecting a call soon."

"That's good." Gonzo dropped into one of the chairs. "Stanley tried to call her from the police station, but she wasn't in the hotel so he had to just leave a message."

"Where is Stanley?" Trapper growled. "You didn't really leave him at 'a friends', did you?"

"Relax, Trap. He's asleep in the Titanic. And Gloria's keeping an eye on him while I figure out how to sneak him in past all the reporters."

"Asleep?" Trapper repeated, tugging at his beard and frowning.

"Yeah. Once he got horizontal, he went out like a light. He's pretty tired."

"Is he all right?" Ernie asked.

Gonzo waggled a hand. "Mostly. They didn't beat him up much, at least not physically. But they didn't exactly take good care of him, either. From what he said, they kept him tied up in the same chair for the whole time, and didn't bother to give him any food or water. And they didn't let him sleep. One of them was always watching, or telling him how much they hated anyone named Riverside." Gonzo shook his head, remembering how frightened Stanley had been when the kidnappers had tried to kill them. "He's thirsty, and hungry, and just plain exhausted, but I think that's the worst of it."

Trapper didn't look happy. "You weren't here the last time Stan got really exhausted," he said. "He was really strung out. Should I give David Sandler a call?"

Gonzo shrugged. "I don't know, Trapper. Stanley's shook up, but he's trying awfully hard not to give in to it. You know he gets when he's acting some way because he thinks that's how he's supposed to act?"

Trapper nodded.

"Like that. Like he's not supposed to let a little thing like being kidnapped keep him down. I think David won't get any honest answers out of him until he's gotten some sleep and a hug from EJ."

The phone rang, and Ernie picked up. "Dr. Riverside's office, Ernestine Shoop speaking. Oh, hello, EJ."

"Speak of the devil," Trapper said, and Ernie waved him to silence.

"I'm glad you called," she said.

In her Chicago hotel room EJ Riverside eyed the box of chocolates she had bought for her husband and decided to open it anyway. She tried to do it quietly. "Hello, Ernie. What's going on? I got an urgent message to call you, and then a message from Stanley, saying he's all right. Why would he call me to say he's all right if he's all right? What happened? Was he in an accident?"

"No," Ernie said. "He wasn't in an accident. And he is safe now. Are you sitting down?"

EJ tugged the top of the box free. "Safe? Safe from what?"

Ernie took a deep breath. "Well, on Friday, as he was leaving work, Stanley was kidnapped."

EJ dropped the phone and almost dropped the chocolates and it took her a few seconds to recover the reciever. Ernie was asking, "EJ? Are you there?" when she got the phone to her ear.

"Yes. I just dropped the phone." EJ found a chocolate creme and held it like a talisman. "Kidnapped? Where is he? Can I talk to him?"

"He's in the Titanic, sleeping," Ernie said. "Gonzo just brought him back from the police station a few minutes ago."

"Stanley fell asleep in the Titanic?" EJ thought about Stanley's description of Gonzo's RV and stuffed the chocolate into the corner of her mouth. "He's that tired?"

"Here, Gonzo, you tell her how he is." EJ heard Ernie giving over the phone and took the chance to get another piece of chocolate.

Gonzo came on the line. "EJ? It's Gonzo. Stanley's going to be just fine. All he needs is sleep and fluids and a few square meals. He's got some bruises, but none of them are serious. I'd have brought him in to the hospital, but we're under siege by reporters, and he'd just end up on the news looking ragged."

"What did they do to him? Who was it? Did the police catch them?" EJ felt herself bursting with questions. "What did they want from Stanley? Why is he so tired?"

Gonzo wasn't fazed. "He's tired because he didn't get any sleep. They kept him tied up in a wooden chair the whole time, and watched him to make sure he wouldn't yell for help or try to break free. One of the kidnappers used to work for the hospital, and he lost his job when Riverside Senior approved the last round of cuts." She heard Trapper say something rude in the background and Gonzo's voice went distant for a moment as he explained, "It was Pop from the laundry and his son. You know, the old guy with the cane?" Then his voice came back strong again as he addressed the phone. "Anyway, they wanted Stanley's father to pay them a million dollars."

"A million?" EJ put aside the milk chocolate creams and went into her bag for the box of dark chocolates from Godiva's. "For Stanley? From his father?" Her voice cracked. "What did you have to do, put a gun to his head?"

"Actually, we couldn't reach him. Riverside Senior is somewhere off the coast of Tahiti in a boat with the radio off. Some of us put together what we could and we were able to fool the kidnappers into thinking it was enough long enough for the police to catch them and rescue Stanley and me." Gonzo's voice cracked a little, and EJ realized that there was more she had better know.

"Wait a minute," she said. "Rescue you? Why did the police have to rescue you?" And why are you unhappy thinking about it, she wondered.

"Well," Gonzo cleared his throat. "I volunteered to drop the money. I didn't plan on any heroics, but I thought if a cop did it, the kidnappers would know and they'd said no cops. The drop was at a phone booth, and when I got there, they called and said to go to a little carnival nearby. Once I got there, I was supposed to ride the ferris wheel. So I did what I was told, and Pop showed up and took the suitcase full of money just as the ride was starting. You know how long it takes to get off a ferris wheel. I thought he was long gone, but he must have recognized me the same as I recognized him, because when I did get off, he and his son came up and shoved a gun in my back."

"Go on," EJ managed around a mouthful of chocolate when he paused.

"They had Stanley tied up in a warehouse. When we got there, they tied me up too. The police had put a bug in the suitcase with the money, but the kidnappers had dumped that. What I didn't know is that they'd also put a bug in my coat. It turned out to be a good thing, too, because the last thing the kidnappers did before they left us was turn on the gas valve."

"They did what?" She could hear Trapper and Ernie exclaiming on the other end, too.

"They tried to kill us," Gonzo said flatly. "We tried to get out of the ropes, but it didn't work. If the cops hadn't come in... well... EJ, to be honest, I don't think they ever intended to let Stanley go. They never blindfolded him at all."

"Oh, my poor Stanley," she said, too appalled for bad language. "And me in Chicago. Are you sure he's all right?"

Gonzo sighed. "I guess you'd feel better if you could talk to him. It'll take a while to get him in and settled, but then we could call you back. Just don't get worried if he's a little groggy, okay?"

"You don't sound happy about the idea," EJ said

"I'm not," Gonzo admitted. "I'd just as soon leave him where he is and let him sleep himself out. The Titanic is a lot less accessible than a hospital room; and I could keep an eye on him without getting pulled away to look at patients; I've got Gloria out there right now just in case he does wake up, 'cause I don't want him to think he's been abandoned. But if you wouldn't mind waiting, I think he really needs the rest."

EJ bit her lip. "I can't get out of Chicago tonight anyway," she said, trying to think practically instead of emotionally. "I booked for tomorrow because all of the flights were full for this evening in the first place. And knowing Stanley, if you wake him up properly, he'll have trouble falling asleep again, no matter how tired he is. I hate to say it, but keeping him where he is is probably the best plan if you want him to rest."

"He really needs it," Gonzo said, relief in his voice. "What time is your flight?"

"9:00 Chicago time," she said. "I planned to check out of the hotel around eight in the morning. I should get into San Francisco around 1:00 in the afternoon."

"Do you need someone to meet you at the airport?" Gonzo asked.

"Well, Stanley was planning to meet me," she said, "but if he's not up to it I can take a cab."

"He may yet," Gonzo said. "But if not, then one of us will be there."

"Gonzo?"

"Yes?"

"If he wakes up, by himself I mean, and it's before eight Chicago time, would you have him call me? Please?" EJ figured she could have room service bring her meals while she camped by the hotel room phone. She wasn't going to get any sleep, that was for sure.

"Yeah. I'll do that." Gonzo paused for a moment, and she could hear voices. "Listen, EJ, I've got to go -- could you give Ernie the flight number and airline and all?"

"Sure. Thanks, Gonzo." She took the chance to eat another piece of chocolate

Ernie came on the line, her voice rich with sympathy. "Trapper and Gonzo are going down to the lab to check some results," she said. "Now, what is this about an airline?"

The corridor was starting to fill up with reporters again, some of whom were trying to lurk discreetly in spite of the notebooks that stuck up from their pockets. Trapper and Gonzo looked around them and hustled the lab tech who had come to see them across into the file room. It was empty, except for Jackpot Jackson, who had put his head down on the desk and was sleeping. Trapper shook his shoulder, and the younger doctor sat up, abruptly, pretending alertness. "I'm awake."

"No you aren't, but just listen for a few minutes. Li, have you got those results?"

"What's going on?" the small oriental man asked. "Who's the secret patient?"

"It's not a patient, Li," Trapper said. "It's Dr. Riverside."

Jackpot started, and bit his lip, his eyebrows high with worry.

Li raised an eyebrow, and fidgeted with his glasses. "Dr. Riverside? I heard about the kidnapping. Which room are you going to put him in?"

"Which room?" Gonzo repeated, as he plucked the lab report out of Li's hands and started to scan it. Jackpot got up and looked over his shoulder

"Well, he's very dehydrated," Li said. "The urinalysis -- second page. And his white count is slightly elevated. That's why I assumed it was a patient."

Trapper put on his glasses and read over Gonzo's other shoulder. "Red count's okay. And his blood sugar isn't as low as I expected."

"He ate some soup at the police station," Gonzo said, flipping to the second page. He grimaced at the numbers. "This isn't so good."

Trapper shook his head thoughtfully. He'd been imagining worse. "It's easy enough to deal with, though. Put him on IV fluids for the night and he should be raring to go."

"Dextrose and saline would bring up the blood sugar too," Jackpot added, starting to look more truly alert.

Gonzo nodded, but he was still uncertain. "I'm not worried about the medical part of it, Trap. Stanley's not in real bad shape, but he looks pretty frazzled and he's too tired to walk straight. My question is, do I let him stagger in the door on his own two feet, or try to get him to ride in a wheelchair or on a gurney? Either way, he's going to have to go past all those cameras and reporters."

Trapper smiled, smugly. "None of the above. We'll leave him right where he is and set up the IV in the Titanic. Slip a mild sedative into the mix, and he shouldn't even have any nightmares."

Gonzo brightened. "Good thought. It isn't like there's no one around to keep an eye on him. And the reporters will have to give up after a while if they want to make their deadlines."

"I can put a different name on the paperwork," Li offered. "That will make it easier to keep Dr. Riverside's location a secret. You know how hospital gossip is."

"Use Sam Waters," Trapper said. "If we need any more lab work, we'll send it under that."

"All right." Li took back the lab report and left.

Jackpot looked from Trapper to Gonzo. "Have I got this right? Stanley's in the Titanic?"

"Yeah," Gonzo said. "Are you on duty?"

"Not officially," Jackpot said. "I swapped shifts with Redmond so I could try to raise some money for the ransom at a poker game last night. I'm supposed to go back on at 11 tonight, but I wanted to hang around until you got back with Stanley. What happened to him, anyway?"

Gonzo -- who was getting tired of explaining -- blew out a sigh. "It's a long story, Jackpot."

"I thought you didn't have any money for the ransom," Trapper said.

"I used the money Gloria raised as a stake, but I didn't get back in time. Do you know she sold her car?" Jackpot shook his head. "I'm glad it turned out you didn't need it."

"Look," Trapper interrupted, "Gonzo, the reporters are going to want to talk to you, so you'll have to be the distraction while Jackpot and I go out to the Titanic and get the IV started. We can tell each other stories all night once we've got Stanley taken care of."

Gonzo pulled a face. "Maybe I should just paint, "sacrificial victim," on my forehead for today." He started for the door and then stopped and leaned against the jamb, looking wistfully at Trapper. "Do you think I can get hazard pay for this?"

"No," Trapper said, amused. "But I'll arrange for some beer."

"That would be good." Gonzo pretended to straighten his non-existent tie. "Forward into the breach!" he said, and headed out into the hall.

There was half of a case of beer left in the box on the floor of the closet in Trapper's office, and two cold ones in his little frig. He had Jackpot put the IV bags and the rest of the paraphanalia in the empty half of the box, while he gave Ernie a call to let her know where they would be. In five minutes, they had gotten out to the Titanic with no more than a few glances from the reporters. Gloria opened the door at the knock.

"I saw you coming," she said. "You aren't planning to have a party in here, are you?"

"Camoflauge," Trapper said, as they clambered in. "How's Stanley?"

"Out like a light," she said. She stood aside to let Trapper and Jackpot get a good look at the sleeping man. Trapper reached the bed first, but Jackpot watched over his shoulder as he turned back the covers to make a cursory inventory.

"Could be worse," Trapper decided, although he was unhappy with the raw bruises that ringed Stanley's wrists, and the used-up look that pallor and thinness gave him, there was nothing that looked like it would leave permanent damage.

Jackpot shook his head. "Sure, but who'd want it to be?"

"From what Gonzo says, the kidnappers," Trapper said. "Give me that IV, will you? His skin feels like dry paper."

"Right," Jackpot said. He went into the box and handed Trapper what he needed.

Trapper shook Stanley gently. "Stan?" he said, "It's Trapper. Can you hear me?"

Stanley stirred and shifted, but didn't open his eyes.

Trapper decided to play it safe, and explained what he was doing. "You're dehydrated, Stan, so I'm going to start an IV, all right?"

Stanley made a two-toned noise that might have been "all right" in someone more coherent and let Trapper take his arm. When the needle went in, though, his eyes opened. "Ow."

"It's all right, Stan," Trapper said. "We're just taking care of the dehydration. You can sleep."

Stanley blinked at him. "John?" he murmured slowly. "'m sorry. Di'n' mean t' ge' k'napt. Tell Eeej."

"She knows, Stan. Gonzo told her all about it. She'll be back home tomorrow." Trapper signalled to Jackpot for some tape to hold the IV in place against Stanley's arm.

Stanley flinched as the tape pinched against his skin, and frowned, "He di'n' know they were gon' kill us. I cou'n' move my han's. My faul'. Careless."

Trapper snorted, wondering why he would be surprised that Stanley would take responsiblity for his own kidnapping. "Nobody's blaming you, Stan. It's not your fault," he said, getting the IV set and adjusting the drip rate.

Stanley's eyes were closed again, but he shook his head fretfully. "'s careless. Dad mus' be angry f'r all tha' money."

"Nobody's mad at you, Stanley. Now sleep. Doctor's orders." Trapper took the hypo with the sedative that Jackpot had prepared and added the drug to the IV.

Stanley made a sound that might have been a protest, but the drug hit his system almost visibly, and he relaxed back against the pillow, his breathing evening out into a deeper sleep. Trapper doublechecked his pulse to make sure that he wasn't reacting badly, but it seemed okay. He turned back to Jackpot and Gloria. "Well, that should keep him for a few hours."

Gloria looked pensive, and Jackpot just looked stunned. "They were going to kill him?" he asked. "The kidnappers tried to kill Stanley?"

"And Gonzo too, from what he told EJ." Trapper pulled out a beer and handed it to Jackpot, and looked an inquiry at Gloria.

"No thanks," she said. "I'm still on duty. What did Gonzo tell EJ?"

"Well," Trapper began, "the way I understand it..."

By the time Gonzo got loose from the reporters, and finished reassuring Arnold, he was sick of explaining, and a lot more tired than he thought he should be this early in the evening. As he came off the elevator, Gloria called his name, and Gonzo groaned and came over to drape himself dramatically on the counter. "Sorry, Gloria, whatever it is, I can't face it. Not without some dinner and some sleep."

"Actually," Gloria said. "That's sort of what I had in mind. I hope you like your pizza loaded. We ordered it with everything but anchovies."

"That's just how I like it." Gonzo brightened at the prospect of pizza. Then he frowned and leaned over to ask, "Who's minding the baby?"

Gloria held up a finger and answered something to the person on the other end of the phone she was holding. She nodded, and thanked the person at the other end before she hung up and smiled at Gonzo. "Ernie and Jackpot are taking care of ..." she tipped her head to indicate the parking lot, "matters, right now. Trapper came in to finish up his rounds, but he and I will come out to talk once the pizza gets here."

"If I'm asleep, wake me up," Gonzo said -- and then showed his teeth to the journalist who was trying to edge closer. "It's been a long day."

"All right, Dr. Gates," Gloria said, all efficiency. "Dr. McIntyre asked me to remind you that you have two surgeries tomorrow, so you should try to get plenty of rest. He'll probably bring the charts with the pizza."

Gonzo sagged his shoulders, and wondered if he was spreading it a little too thick. "Of course he will. Maybe a shower will keep me coherent long enough to do some good. See you later, Gloria."

"See you," she said, and turned to corner the reporter. "Now, look here, you know Mr. Slocum has already given a statement..."

Gonzo headed for home. The TV reporters were on the lawn, talking to cameras with the hospital as their background, but their own vans blocked the view as he got closer to the Titanic, and he was able to slip inside the RV without being observed.

Jackpot was curled up in the big dentist's chair, with his eyes closed. Ernie was standing back near the bed, watching Stanley, but she shifted and came over to the counter as Gonzo tugged off his jacket and hung it up. "How are you holding up?"

"I'll live," Gonzo said. "How's Stanley?"

She glanced back automatically before she answered. "The IV is set, and his respiration is steady, so I suppose I can tell EJ that he'll be fine with a clear conscience, but the more I look at him the angrier I get." Ernie folded her arms, and scowled. "And I can't figure out why on earth I should be feeling protective of Stanley Riverside the second. It's not as if..." she paused, frustrated.

Jackpot sat forward and rubbed at his eyes, yawning. "Not as if what?" he asked, reasonably. "Ernie, we're all feeling protective of Stanley right now. It's only natural. Gonzo, do you want a beer?"

Gonzo found a chair and sank into it, waving Ernie into another one. "Yeah, that'd be great," he said to Jackpot and then reached over to take Ernie's hand. "Jackpot's right, Ernie. It's normal to be a little overprotective about someone when they've had a close call. Remember the way we all watched out for Trapper after he got hurt?"

Ernie nodded and squeezed his hand. "I remember. But I wasn't so angry then. And if that's the only reason, then why aren't I worried about you? You almost got killed too."

Jackpot handed Gonzo the beer he had retrieved from the little frig, and said. "Yeah, but Gonzo can take care of himself."

"And Stanley can't, is that it?" Ernie rounded on the young doctor.

"That's not what I meant," Jackpot backpedalled, jamming a hand into his hair. "I just meant that Gonzo's more-- more self-sufficient. He's had more practice at getting himself out of trouble."

"Hey," Gonzo said. "When those kidnappers stuck that gun in my ribs I did exactly the same thing that Stanley did when they pointed it at him; I shut up and did what I was told."

"Oh, come on," Jackpot said, with the bluntness of the tired. "Stanley's a good doctor, but he's lousy at sticking up for himself. If you lean on him hard enough, he'll back down. That's why it's not fair to lean on him too hard."

"It's not just that," Ernie said, looking back toward the bed. She took a breath, "I think I'm angry at myself, too. I mean, look at how thin he is! That didn't happen in one weekend!"

Gonzo and Jackpot exchanged glances and then looked down at their beers. "No, no it didn't," Gonzo said. "And if anyone else had lost weight that fast, I would have been all over them to get a physical. Or at least some blood tests."

"He did get a physical," Trapper said from the doorway. "Here, Jackpot, grab the pizza."

Jackpot levered himself up and did as he was told, and Trapper reached back to relieve Gloria of the cardboard tray of coffee cups she was carrying. He waited until he and Gloria were inside and the door was closed before he made his way back to take another look at Stanley. What he saw satisfied him. Stanley was sleeping like a baby. Trapper went back to the others, who were collecting slices of pizza and coffee, and they all settled quickly, looking to him for more details.

He took a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter. "Stanley's okay. He was pretty depressed for a while there, but David Sandler says he was pulling himself out of it and meeting EJ pretty much finished the job. That's what caused the weight loss and that's why I didn't discuss it with any of you. But I just got through talking to David on the phone, and he says that a trauma like getting kidnapped is likely to leave Stan a little more irritable -- and irritating -- for a few weeks."

"Depressed?" Ernie said thoughtfully.

"A few weeks?" Gonzo asked. "Why so long?"

"Well, it's like after a big earthquake. Every big truck going down the road makes you duck, even though you're trying to act normal. Stanley's likely to be edgy or fussy. Or he might get depressed again. David says we should try to make sure he doesn't start skipping lunch again, or working til all hours." Trapper shrugged, "Having EJ around will make a difference, but she can't be here and take care of her practice too."

Jackpot sat up a lot straighter. "Don't worry, Trapper. We'll keep an eye on him," he promised. "We would have helped before if you'd asked."

"Trapper shouldn't have had to ask," Ernie said. "We should have noticed."

Trapper shook his head, "Stanley didn't exactly announce that he was having problems -- and he managed not to let them interfere with getting the job done. So don't kick yourself, Ernie. I was keeping an eye on him."

Ernie subsided, but she still didn't look very happy with herself.

"So what happens tonight?" Gloria asked.

Gonzo reached back into a drawer and pulled out a deck of cards. "Poker anyone?"

Jackpot grimaced. "How about bridge? I'm kind of pokered out."

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