Unfounded Fears
Part 5
"Not again, Paul." Annie's voice was a mere whisper. "How bad?"
Paul gripped the phone tightly, his heart breaking with Annie's efforts to remain calm. "Caine says that he will. . ." Paul couldn't limit the words to just 'live'. That word left too much potential for suffering and doubt. "Caine says he'll be okay," Paul completed.
"Paul, don't. Don't try to protect me." Annie could read Paul whether standing in the same room with him or miles apart. "How bad is he?" she repeated. He could hear her silent prayer for Peter through the phone line.
Paul took a deep breath, "I don’t know Annie. God, I wish I did. But I don't. They. . .they hit him. He was pretty banged up by the time we got to him."
He wished he knew a way to soften the words, but he didn't. He was just fortunate that Annie had always been a strong person. She was not easily flustered or prone to overreaction.
"I'll have Kelly bring me to the hospital. We'll be there in a half hour." He heard the phone disconnect, taking comfort that his wife would be with him soon.
Paul held the receiver for several seconds before hanging up. Muttering, he rubbed a hand across his tired eyes, "Peter needs you here, Annie." He paused and took a breath. "I need you here."
Feeling a familiar presence behind him, Paul kept facing the telephone, hoping that he would be left alone. But deep down, he knew Kermit wouldn't leave. "Annie's coming?"
"Yes. Kelly's going to bring her."
"Good. Maybe she can help." Kermit remained behind Paul, watching the slumped shoulders of his mentor.
"Yeah. Peter has always needed her."
Kermit narrowed his eyes. "I wasn't talking about Peter." Kermit stood in front of his captain. "I want to know why you think this is your fault."
Paul shook his head, turned around and left Kermit standing by the phone. Kermit followed, not letting the man out of earshot, "Paul, we need to talk."
Paul didn't turn around, nor did he stop walking. "I don't want to talk."
Kermit raced forward and reached out, grabbing Paul by the upper arm, halting his progress. "But Paul. . ."
Paul stopped walking, his eyes focused on Kermit's hand. Kermit looked down at his hand and then up at Paul. Wisely, he released his grip. Paul continued walking again and Kermit followed. "Don't Kermit. Don't lecture me. Don't try to make me feel better. I don't need that right now." Paul's voice was cold and harsh.
Kermit stopped walking, knowing that no purpose would be served by trying to push Blaisdell further. "Where are you going?" he asked the older man.
"To find the doctor. I'm damned tired of waiting for an update on my detective's condition. I've got to have some answer for Annie when she gets here."
Paul continued walking, leaving Kermit behind. "Damn it, Paul. Don't do this," Kermit muttered.
Paul made his way around the emergency room admissions desk, heading back to the examination rooms. He needed no directions on where to find Peter. He was all too familiar with this part of the hospital.
"Sir, I'm sorry, you can't go back there," the desk clerk said from her seated position behind the counter.
Paul held up his badge, but never stopped walking, "Police."
The clerk rose quickly and followed the gray-haired man. "But Sir. . ."
"I need to see my detective. Which room is he in?"
"Mr. Caine? The doctor was examining him in room 6. I know that the head nurse said he would let you know of Mr. Caine's status as soon as possible. I think you should. . ."
"I want to know my detective's status now." Paul growled, and continued walking to the designated room.
As he prepared to enter, a tall woman in a white lab coat rounded the corner and ran into him, "Oh!" she exclaimed, surprised. Losing her balance, she started to fall backwards.
Paul reached out and grabbed the woman by the arms, steadying her. "Sorry. I didn't mean to surprise you."
"That's okay. May I help you?"
The desk clerk spoke up from her position behind Blaisdell. "I'm sorry, Doctor. He's with the police department. He wants to know about his officer."
"Oh. . .well, I was just getting ready to visit with the family."
"Is he okay? May I see him?"
"No, I'm sorry. Not right now. We're moving him to a room. Once he's settled in, we can talk about visiting arrangements."
"How is he?" Paul couldn't maintain the cold professionalism. His concern for his son was overwhelming.
"Let's go to the waiting room, then I can tell everyone about his condition and there won't be any misunderstandings."
The doctor walked to the waiting room, leaving Paul behind. Paul took a quick peek through the entryway of the examination room, but the room was empty. Peter had already been moved. Turning, he followed the doctor to where Peter's father and friends waited.
Upon entering the waiting room, Paul saw the doctor shaking hands with Kwai Chang Caine. "I'm Dr. Kim Holthaus. I treated Peter in the emergency room."
Caine bowed respectfully, "I thank you for the care you have given my son."
"Your son is a very lucky man." Kim motioned to the couch a few feet away, "Why don't we have a seat and I'll fill you in on his status."
Paul stood at the doorway, hesitant to come closer and interfere in the discussion between Peter's father and the doctor. Caine looked at the captain and smiled, "You should be here as well." He motioned for Paul to come forward. Paul nodded silently and stood at Caine's side. Kermit stood behind Paul, prepared to not just listen for Peter's diagnosis, but to watch his friend's reactions as well. Kermit glanced at Lo Si and saw a peculiar look in the old man's eyes as he watched Paul's actions.
"Your son has been moved to a private room. I want to keep him here for at least the next 24 hours for observation."
"How is he?" Paul spoke first.
The doctor took a deep breath. "As I said, he was very lucky. The report that we received from the paramedics was that he was hit numerous times with a blunt instrument."
Paul nodded, "A crowbar." The words were whispered.
The doctor winced slightly, "That explains the intensive bruising that we're seeing. We've taken several X-rays and have confirmed that he has two broken ribs on his left side. He has deep bruising in the lower back, on his left side and his left shoulder blade. We are treating him with hot and cold compresses, but I'm concerned about internal injuries. That's why I want to keep him here. If all goes well, he should be out of here in 36 hours." She smiled at the men, "Believe me. It could have been much worse."
Caine nodded, taking comfort in the doctor's words, now knowing that his instincts about his son's condition were accurate. "May we see him?"
The doctor nodded, "As I told this gentleman," she pointed to Blaisdell, "we are getting him settled into his room right now. Give us about fifteen minutes and then you can see him. . .but only for a moment. We want him to get some rest. The head nurse can tell you what room he has been moved to."
Dr. Holthaus stood and Caine followed. "Thank you, doctor. I. . .we appreciate what you have done for Peter," Caine bowed a second time.
"Just glad I could help," the doctor smiled and she left the room.
Kermit approached Paul and slapped the older man on the back, "Knew the kid would be okay," he grinned.
Paul turned to the ex-mercenary. Kermit expected to see some sign of relief in the steel blue eyes. Instead, there was still the pain he had seen earlier in the evening. "Paul? He's going to be okay. What's wrong?"
"Kermit, do me a favor. Find out what room Peter's in and take Caine and the Ancient there. They should be with Peter."
"And you shouldn't? Where are you going?"
"Peter will want his father with him right now," Paul responded, not answering the question.
Kermit nodded, "Agreed. Peter will want his family and friends nearby. That means you, too."
Paul shook his head and readjusted his jacket and zipped it up. He turned to the door of the waiting room. Kermit shook his head, "Leaving?"
Paul mumbled as he left the room, "I'm going outside to wait for Annie."
End Part 5
To Part 6