Chicago Hope; Life on the Streets by stephanie meyer i don't own them, nor do i claim to. It's just for fun. some notes 1) time span is unrealistic in regards to parole. i needed a character so i threw all sentancing and parole regs out the window. 2) if you haven't watched H;LOTS long enough to know who luther and georgia ray are, give up on understanding this. you might enjoy the ch parts but you will be thourghly confused. thanks to bj for her editing, comment, and ocational, what the.... that kept me sane. It was a professional hit all right. Clean, efficient, effective. There was of course, very little to go on. That meant finding out who the victims were. Which in turn meant canvassing the projects. Lewis climbed out of the car. "Smell the sweet smell of the city!" Munch buttoned his coat. "That's raw sewage." Lewis chuckled and shook his head. "Always the pesimest, huh munchkin? Why don't you take the left and I'll take the right, ok?" "Fine whatever." "Then let's get it on." After six hours of canvassing the projects they'd come up with a few leads but no solid motive. Back in the squad room, they were running wrap sheets and grilling Stivers for anything she might recall about the two suspects. "Gary Poltran and Marvin Yates. Two upstanding drug dealers," Stivers added before she got called out of the squad room. "So we know both kids pushed drugs. A fraction of Mahoney's organization?" Munch tossed out. "Maybe, but who aced'em? Mahoney's guys always left a calling card. Like a personal challenge." "Maybe they got sloppy. Or it could be just another pissed off, small time pusher." "Nope. They'd still have to deal with Georgia Ray. Besides, it feels all wrong." The wrap sheets were dumped on Munch's desk. He skimmed them. "Well, Yates is nothing unusual. Poltran, well, well whay do we have here?" "Find something?" "Poltran is part of an overflow program from Joliet. Seems like he was exterdided to Baltimore on some small time drug charge. He was in for second degree murder. Seems like the great state of Maryland decided to parole him after three years and dumped him here. Don't you just love the justice system? You know, they're just providing a distraction for what's really going on." "You've watched too many episodes of the xfiles, munchkin." "It's all true. Every bit of it." |
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| "Man I hate planes," Lewis
shifted in his seat. "Don't be such a weenie," Munch replied. "Who's a weenie?" Lewis and Munch stepped out of their rental car into the projects. "They smell the same in every city!" Munch exclaimed. "Which house?" Lewis asked. "The green one." |
"Which green one."
| Thirty minutes later, Munch and Lewis were
driving back to their hotel. "That was the
most informative statement I've ever gotten from a gang banger's mother." Lewis chuckled. "Read me back the highlights, Munchkin." "Basically, she thinks Poltran was set up, that the witness was biased or lying. Not much there. But this is interesting. She also claims that her son was attacked by a doctor at Chicago Hope." Munch looked at his notepad. "A Diane Grad." "Diane Grad? Isn't that the original witness?" "Prehaps it's time to visit Chicago Hope." Munch and Lewis entered Chicago Hope's er. Lewis flashed his badge at the nurses' station. "Could one of you lovely people point me in the direction of Diane Grad?" A black man in scrubs looked up. "What do you want with Diane?" His dreadlocks swung around his face. "Nothing. We just want to talk to her." "Yeah right." He closed the chart he was scribbling in. Munch watched him wade back into the fray of chaotic people. He paused at a gurney, spoke to a brunette in scrubs, either a nurse or a doctor, who was in the middle of what looked like a very bloody trauma. She looked up briefly then turned back to the patient. "You'll have to wait here, out of the way, until she can speak to you," a nurse ushered them aside. "Do you notice the hostile looks we're gettin?' Munch asked. "I am feeling very opperessed." "They must not like cops very much," Lewis replied. Nearly twenty minutes later, the brunette Munch had noticed earlier headed toward them. "Are you Dr. Diane Grad?" "Yes, what can I do for you? Make it fast; we're swamped." "Busy day?" "A chemical spill, one massive MI, three MVA, and one field trip to a petting zoo gone amuck. Yeah, busy day." "Diane, some help please?" Keith called. "Look, I've got to get back it there." "Just one question. Have you had any contact with Gary Poltran recently?" The blood drained from her face, and her lips tightened into a thin line. "Gary Poltran can choke on his own vomit and drown in his own blood for all that I care. Excuse me." She walked back into the jungle of people. "We're not done yet, Dr. Grad!" She stopped and turned to look at them. "Yes we are." Then she resumed her course. "Well, that went well," Munch cracked. Keith looked at her and then at the detectives. "What was that about?" "Not enough criminals to harass so they police start on the victims. It's not like innocent people get gunned down on the street or anything." Her tone was bitter. "Okay.." The kid was one of those gun shot wounds that as far as gun shot wounds went, was one you prayed for. Just enough pain to put you in a bad ass mood but not enough to drain all your strength. Diane was attempting to reason with the kid. "Listen, if you don't lay still, I can't help you." "Get off me, bitch!" Diane was draped across him, trying to find where the bleeding was coming from, when the kid decided that she hadn't heard him. "I said, get off!" He bucked and kicked, effectively slamming Diane into a crash cart. Keith had the kid pinned in a second. "You ok, Diane?" She gingerly touched her forehead. She was bleeding. "Yeah. Fine." Keith turned back to the kid. "Now listen here, you little ingrate. We're trying to help you! You pull a stunt like that again, I will personally kick your ass after it's healed, you understand?" Then he looked at Diane. "Go get somebody to look at your head. Jack's in curtain two." Diane headed for Jack, noting that she was being tailed by the two detectives. "Do you mind?" "You look like you've got some free time." Diane rolled her eyes and pulled back curtain two. Jack was just finishing icing an ankle. "What happened to you?" "Don't ask. Got a minute?" "For you Diane, always." He ushered her to the next curtain area. He threw a look over his shoulder. "You want me to get rid of our audience?" he asked referring to Lewis and Munch. "Can't if you tied. Police officers." "Anything serious?" "I hope not." Jack checked her pupils. "No sign of concussion. You're going to need stitches though." "Wonderful. Let's get started." Munch and Lewis watched the interplay between the two doctors. "Damn, Jack! I'm not a pin cushion!" "Well, if you would stop moving, it wouldn't hurt so much!" He glanced at the detectives. "Is your secret service going to watch every move I make?" "I'd ditch them if I could." "Oww, Munch. I do think we've been insulted."(give munch a smart ass remark about Secrit servis) The curtain was pulled back with one quick jerk. A tall man in scrubs came in and spoke to McNiel. "Mind if I take over?" "She's all yours, Billy." Billy took her face in his hands and gently examined her. "Heard you got in a shoving match with a patient." "Yeah, well, he won." "Did he make it?" "The ungrateful little punk is in surgery now with Keith." "Is that on or off the record, Dr. Grad?" Munch reinserted his presence. Billy threw a look back at the detectives. "What's with the goon squad, Diane?" "You people have a real attitude about law enforcement, don't you?" inquired Lewis. "Ignore him," Diane stated. "He has authority issues." "I have authority issues? You're the one who doesn't trust cops!" "Just the Chicago DA's office. Not the cops. Anyway, Detectives Munch and Lewis are here to badger me about Gary Poltran." Billy put in the last stitch and began to clean Diane's forehead. "Look, she didn't do anything that anybody else wouldn't have done in her situation. So, why don't you just back off and don't make her relive it!" "Billy.." "And you are..." Lewis interrupted. Billy turned around and got in the man's face. "I'm going to be the guy who kicks your butt if you don't stop harassing my wife!" "Look we just want to ask her some questions." "Yeah, the last time we started answering questions, they trump up charges of manslaughter." "Billy," Diane inserted herself in front of her husband. "I'll talk to them. Just don't say anything stupid, ok?" "Stupid!" "As in Lamb and Danny." "You don't talk to them without a lawyer. And Watters." "OK. I promise. Now scoot. You should be in surgery." He kissed her and left. As soon as the man was gone, Lewis began. "You can come down to the station with us or we could interview you here." "Here. Just give me a few minutes. Why don't you meet me in the conference room on the fifth floor?" "You ain't gonna run on us are you?" "Fifteen minutes." When Munch and Lewis entered the conference room, they found that Dr. Grad had beat them there. She was sitting in one of the large chairs, her knees drawn to her chest, picking imaginary lint off her scrub pants. She was not the same smart ass doctor they'd met down stairs. An older, balding man was seated next to her on the left. He rose at their arrival. "Gentlemen, I'm Dr. Watters, chief of staff. What can I do for you?" "What do you know about Gary Poltran's whereabouts?' Phillip's eyes momentarily clouded. Then he recovered. "Joliet penitentiary." "Well actually, he's dead." Diane looked up. "Dead?" Munch looked at her. "Happy, Dr. Grad? You did wish him dead." "Don't answer Diane." Phillip placed a comforting hand on her arm. Then he addressed the detectives. "What are you insinuating?" "She attacked him and threatened him. She showed intent and had a motive." "How could she have had anything to do with it? He was in prison!" "Actually, he was killed, professionally, in Baltimore." Lewis's tone was stoic. Diane scrambled out of her seat. "He was out?" "Yep." "That piece of scum was out and walking around free? Unbelievable!" "Dr. Grad..." "Don't. I didn't kill the son of a bitch. But he got what he deserved!" "Diane," Phillip tried to calm her. She was pacing. "Don't start with me Phillip! I saw him shoot Alan seven times and he's out in three years! He's walking around on the street! No, Phillip, I will not calm down!" "Did you want him dead?" Munch asked. "Don't answer Diane." "Yes, but I didn't kill him." "You were also questioned about the death of a man last year.." "That has nothing to do with this." "It could show, I don't know, sociopathic tendencies." "Well for your information, the bastard tried to rape me while I was pregnant and after attacking my friend, died of head trauma contracted while he tried to strangle her. If you were worth a damn, you'd know that." "Our apologies," Lewis answered. "Silly me, I just have this little pet peave about people getting murdered and like to clear things up." "Yeah, well, you should be sorry. For the fact that the streets aren't safe and murders walk free!" "Dr. Grad, he is no longer doing any walking and from the last i saw of him he isint doing much of any thing." Munch reminded. She stopped pacing and buried her face in her hand. A sob broke the silence that had fallen over the room. Phillip rose and put a comforting arm around her shoulder. "I think you should leave now. This has been more than enough." The detectives rose to leave. "We'll be back," Lewis warned. After they left, Munch asked, "You think she has anything to do with it?" "Nope," Lewis replied. "She might know somebody who did. Seen more than she knows she saw. But I think if we lean on her hard enough she may give up some more info. Everybody seems pretty protective. Must have been hell." Phillip had finally gotten Diane calm enough to comprehend. "Take a deep breath." They were seated in two chairs, facing each other. "Nice and easy." "I'm sorry Phillip. I kind of lost it." "Perfectly understandable. Do you want me to call Billy?" "No. The last thing I need is Billy chasing after them and harassing them." "I have half a mind to 'harass' them myself." Diane smiled. "At least I've got someone in my corner." "Always." Munch and Lewis pounded on the door. It opened slowly. "Harassment the home version?" "We just want to talk to you Dr. Grad." "Fine." She let them in and showed them to living room. "Can I get you anything?" she asked as she bent over to pick up several stuffed animals. "Soda, coffee, polygraph test?" "No thanks but we appreciate the offer," Lewis answered. "If you'll give me a minute to put those away and check on my daughter?" "We're not going anywhere." When she returned, a smiling little girl was in her arms. "Cute kid," Munch commented. "Thank you. Can we get this over with?" "You don't waste time, do you?' "Nope." "We know about the law suit from the Jessup and Poltran families. We just want to know one thing. Did you hire someone to kill Gary Poltran?" "No." "Do you know who did?" "No." "Well somebody thinks you do." Lewis handed the woman a note in a plastic sheath. "This showed up at the station today. Somebody thinks you're involved with Gary Poltran's death." "Besides you?" "Dr. Grad, that letter is a threat against your life by someone who's in all likelyhood a drug dealer. Does that not concern you even a little bit?" "It does, but I can't do anything about it." "You can work with us so we can get to the bottom of this!" "In case you haven't noticed, I don't have the greatest of confidence in the justice system." She was sitting on the edge of an armchair, gently rocking her daughter back and forth. Any further conversation was stopped short by Billy's arrival. "Diane, who's car's out front?" he called before coming to a stop in the living room. His tone changed when he saw it's occupants. "Do you ever quit?! Get out off my house!" "Dr. Kronk, I think you want to hear this." Lewis began to explain. "You're telling me that someone is trying to kill my wife?" "Dr. Kronk.." "Forget it. Diane, pack up. You're leaving." "Billy..." "Get your stuff and Emily's. You're leaving the country." "Where am I going to go?" "Africa, Loft's still there. Or South America with my mother. It doesn't matter. You're not staying here." "I am not dragging Emily all over the third world!" "Would you rather be dead?" "Running away isn't going to help anything!" "You'll be safe!" "What about you?" "I'm not the one that's in danger here!" "I'm not going anywhere without you, Billy! End of story! We've been apart enough! Life's to short!" "I am trying to prolong yours!" "What good does that do without you?" "Diane, please?" "Not to interrupt, but may I make a suggestion?" Diane and Billy looked at Lewis. "Why don't we put a couple of plain clothes on the house tonight and tomorrow Munch and I take you in, have you look at some mugs, whatever. See if we can drum up whoever is looking for you out of your memory. Then , take you to a safe house." "I still don't understand why you need me." Diane flipped through the mugs sots. "I don't really remember anybody but him." "We just gotta go through the motions, Dr. Grad." Diane sighed again. She just wanted to go home and cuddle up with her husband and daughter. Both Billy and Emily were at the hospital. She thought it was better that Emily wasn't with her. She paused. "This kid looks familiar. I don't know if it was from then or if I was him in the er." "I don't think you treated him in the er," Munch said, handing the picture to Lewis. "Why not?" "You picked him out of a Baltimore book," Munch replied. "Bingo," Lewis stated. "Mahoney's finger prints." After two weeks of rattling around in a Chicago hotel room, Diane was at home and at work. Lewis and Munch were convineced she was safe and left her out of their report. They had more foot work ahead of them. The drug cartel in Baltimore was infighting and expanding. Poltran had been their first foothold in Chicago. Then he'd made one mistake. It was back to square one for Lewis and Munch. _______________________________________________________________ |