To Part 23
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Blake raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Kermit, who shrugged innocently. "Captain had a right to know that one of her officers was in trouble."
Strenlich stared in the direction of Simms's office in amazement. "What about her presentation at the national conference? She's been obsessing over it for months."
Kermit got to his feet and headed for the recently slammed door. "Guess maybe a kidnapping took precedence over speech making." He rapped twice on the captain's door and entered without waiting for a response.
Blake leaned back in his chair and stretched cramped muscles, rolling his head around on his neck and listening to tendons and joints crack and pop. His eyes fixed on the tall, lanky figure that stood at the window staring sightlessly out over the city, shoulders slumped in discouragement.
The elder man rose from his chair and poured himself a cup of coffee before ambling over to join his young friend. He stood silently next to Peter, sipping his drink and allowing the barest of contact as their shoulders lightly brushed.
Peter's eyes scanned the horizon aimlessly as he spoke. "She's out there somewhere, Blake. Scared. Alone. God knows what could be happening to her. And it's all because she's married to me." He paused for breath. "She should curse the day she ever met me."
Blake watched the younger man out of the corner of his eye, seeing the facial muscles contorting and the throat working. He sipped at his coffee before speaking matter-of-factly. "She told me that she had always hoped she could have a marriage like her parents'. She told me she had almost given up hope on that dream until she met you."
Peter turned to Blake and stared in surprise. "When did she tell you that?"
"Remember the night of the banquet a few weeks ago? When she and I danced together? All she could talk about was how happy she was, being with you and having your baby."
Peter soaked in the words. "Really? You're not just saying this?"
"Swear to God, Pete. Maybe she is scared and alone right now, but she knows you're doing everything you can to bring her home."
"What if it's not enough, Blake?" The hazel eyes were filled with despair. "When-when the temple was destroyed, and I thought my father had died, I was sure my world had ended. And then-then-then when Paul left us, three years ago, I had an ache in my gut that never went away. But this…Jesus, this…" He leaned his forehead against the windowpane and breathed in through his nose sharply, letting it out slowly the same way.
Blake awkwardly slid an arm around Peter's back, letting his hand come to rest on the younger man's shoulder. "You got both of them back, didn't you?"
Lifting his head to stare at Blake, Peter first looked startled, then hopeful. "I did, didn't I?" He stood a little straighter and squared his shoulders. "I did!" The corners of his mouth turned up slightly. "I think you're wasted behind a desk, Blake. You should be a talker."
Blake took another swallow of coffee and let his arm slide off Peter's shoulder. "Nah. I can never think of anything to say."
"Hey, Pete!" Broderick called from his station at the front desk. "Somebody here to see ya."
Peter swiveled his head in the desk sergeant's direction and took in the trio of men who stood waiting for him. He walked in their direction, eyes narrowing. "Jack Wong. What brings you to our neck of the woods? Out slumming?"
Wong eyed the detective warily. The Oriental's long hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and his Italian suit was impeccably tailored. "Word is out on the street that your wife has been snatched. Is that true?"
Peter had twin fistfuls of suit in a split second. "What do you know about that?" he snarled. "If you've had any part in this, Wong, I'll..."
"Easy, Detective, easy." Wong's eyes glittered, but he made no move to resist. "All I wanted to know was if it was true. I come in peace, man, so let go the suit before you wrinkle it."
Peter released Wong with a jerk. "You come because you want something. What is it?"
Wong glared defiantly at Peter. "Your wife took care of my grandfather when he had heart surgery awhile back. She was good to him. He liked her. She was the only one in that whole place that didn't make him feel like he was a bug under a microscope." His chin lifted. "Grandfather sent me to you. Said to tell you that our people are gonna help you find your lady."
Peter snorted. "Why would your tong want to help me?"
Wong and his associates started to walk away. "I don't give a shit about you," he tossed over his shoulder. "Neither does my grandfather. But he is very unhappy that someone could be hurting your lady. Our people have orders to take care of the situation when they find her and the people that have her." The trio started to descend the stairs, and Wong halted halfway down. "Hey, Caine."
Peter stared at him distrustfully, hands on hips. "What?"
"We find her first, there won't be any loose ends to tie up. You can bet your badge on that." Turning around again, the man disappeared on the heels of his associates.
Broderick was dumbfounded. "Well, what do you make of that?"
Peter shook his head back and forth slowly, tongue lodged between his teeth. "Never thought I'd see the day I'd be glad to hear from that guy." His eyes grew hard and cold. "I hope they do find her before us. I've seen the way the tong ties up loose ends."
Simms and Kermit emerged from the Captain's office, engaged in a heated debate.
"Kermit, you KNOW that procedure is to call in the FBI on a kidnap case!" Simms snapped. "I can't believe that Frank hasn't."
"I wouldn't let him!" Kermit snarled. "We can handle this, Kar-Captain! The fibbies would only get in our way."
Simms opened her eyes wider. "In 'our' way? In whose way?"
Blake stepped in quietly. "His and mine. The FBI would have to play by the rules, and they'd try to get us to do the same."
"Blake? This is YOU not following procedure? I've come to expect it from certain others here, but YOU?"
Blake faced his captain unflinchingly, eyes an icy steel gray. "This is family business, Captain. In order for things to work properly, we don't have time to explain to anyone what we're doing, how we're able to do it, or where we got the equipment to do it with."
Kermit spoke smoothly. "Besides, Captain, the perp has made it quite clear that the gauntlet was thrown down at the feet of the 101st."
"So you're willing to risk the life of Mrs. Caine for some kind of precinct pride?" As soon as she'd said the words, Simms wished she had bitten off her tongue instead.
Kermit whipped off his sunglasses and shot daggers at his full-time captain and part-time lover. "I am willing to risk my LIFE and anything else it takes to get my brother's wife back," he hissed. Sliding the eyewear back on, he smiled from the teeth out. "Now that we understand one another, I'd like to get back to work. If you'll excuse me...Captain."
Simms looked as if she were about to say more, but firmly pressed her lips together, instead.
A soft voice spoke at her elbow. "It is sometimes difficult to guide such free spirits as work here, is it not?"
Simms's smile was more a grimace. "Free spirits…now there's a name for them. She studied the lined face and the hazel eyes. "How are the Caines holding up?"
Caine shrugged. "Helplessness, rage, fear."
"Are we talking about you, or your son here?"
"Both." He sighed. "It is very gratifying, the people who are working so hard to help us. Some expected allies, some unexpected."
"Caine, this is very difficult for me to say, but you do know that in all likelihood…"
"She will not be found alive. Yes. I know the 'percentages'. But I prefer to believe that Kay Cee will be returned to us."
Simms smiled sympathetically and patted his arm. "We all hope that." {And we all know that it probably won't happen that way.}