Chapter Four #2
Mickey nodded then looked back at me. I watched him following the SAS soldier to the ambulance before eyeing the police barricade being moved to allow SACs Bradley and Bannister through.
Reporters were shouting questions at them both, and I wasn’t surprised they were going unanswered as the two bosses approached.
“Where’s Carson Turley?” Hope Bannister demanded.
“Taking care of Gomez’ ID at the rear of the building, ma’am,” Candy replied. The boss’ expression was open and honest, but I could see pain behind his eyes. “You know he lost a man inside, ma’am.”
She glanced toward the building before looking back. “Agent Sibley, yes. What the hell happened?”
“As best we can tell, Agent Sibley fell in the stairwell. Our team killed Gomez when he popped out through a back door in the rear alley.”
“Yes, I know that!” she snapped. “SAC Bradley and I were listening. Our subject was able to take a small child hostage in the building next door after killing one of my team only after one of your team allowed him to escape through a side door.”
“That is a vast oversimplification of what happened, ma’am,” Candy replied defensively, crossing meaty arms over his chest.
“Oh?”
“SAC Bannister, all of this will come out in the briefing,” Bradley said. “There shouldn’t be any finger pointing going on here.”
“Well, I lost an agent, Bradley.”
“And I nearly lost a best friend when Turley called for the breach without letting us know beforehand like he promised!” I shot back.
She turned to me, narrowing her eyes as I pointed to Mickey sitting on the bumper of the ambulance. His shirt was off and the blackening bruise forming on his sternum was blatantly evident. She looked back at me.
“Well, we’ll get to the bottom of this mess,” she said dismissively.
“Yes, ma’am,” I hissed through gritted teeth. “We will.”
“Like I said, all of this will come out in the briefing,” Bradley said, frowning at me before addressing Candy. “You did well, Captain Sorensen.” They shook hands.
“Thank you, sir.”
“I want all reports on my desk by five this evening. Briefing tomorrow morning, bright and early. See you all back at the office.”
With that, we were dismissed. Mickey was pulling his shirt back on as he and Joy came back to the BearCat. Candy lifted his chin in silent question.
“He looks okay, Captain, but I don’t like where he was hit. Nothing seems fractured and his sternum protected his heart, but I’d like to have him seen at the hospital to rule out an arrythmia, suh,” Joy drawled. “An EKG at the very least.”
“Thank you, Alain.” Candy turned to me. “As soon as we get back to the office, you go with him, Hampstead.”
“I’m fine, boss,” Mickey said, “just bruised.”
“I’m not taking any chances. You’ll do as you’re told and get back to the office, then the hospital. I need all your reports by five.”
I groaned, knowing I’d be writing it in a crowded waiting room while Mickey was being seen. “Yes, sir.” We loaded up in the BearCat and headed out to the office, our day only beginning.
JOSHUA
I reflected on the last twelve hours as I drove Billy to his apartment while he dozed in the passenger seat. I realized I’d made a lot of mistakes, not the least of which was going out and—as it happened—running into Billy.
My mistake had been accepting an offer for dinner with friends after putting the kids to bed.
I’d left my eldest sister to babysit and gone out to meet up with them only to encounter Billy on my way.
Looking back on it now, I wished I’d simply turned around and walked away.
But that wasn’t the person I was. I couldn’t leave a friend like that.
I’d seen how messed up he was and made the decision to walk him back to his place with the intent of putting him to bed to sleep it off.
I knew he’d been drinking, but perhaps naively, I hadn’t expected him to have drugs in the house until I got there.
I should have left right then, but I’d lost too much to drugs in my life to ignore a friend when he was in trouble.
I’d tried to be supportive. I’d only agreed to go to what turned out to be a Mexican cartel’s drug den, because if I hadn’t, Billy would have gone alone. What a mistake that’d turned out to be.
The time spent in the cartel’s apartment had been frightening.
I’d dealt with junkies before, but I’d never seen a gun in real life.
When faced with terrifying men holding automatic weapons I’d only seen in the news or on my favorite police shows, I’d nearly passed out.
What had followed boiled down to survival instincts alone.
I’d distracted Chico and kept him talking just to stay alive.
Early on, I’d realized my tactics would only keep me alive and unhurt so long.
They’d eventually wear thin. I didn’t want to think of what could have happened if the FBI hadn’t literally crashed into the room to save us.
It’s kind of a miracle we’d both escaped without a scratch.
I found a spot on the curb in front of Billy’s building, then reached over to shake him gently. “Hey, buddy, wake up.” His eyes fluttered open as he turned his head to look at me. “We’re home.”
He reached up to wipe drool off his chin, turning to glance at his building. When he looked back at me, he was smiling. “You want to come up, Joshua?”
I shook my head, glancing at the dashboard clock.
“I shouldn’t. I need to get home to make sure Barbie got the kids off to school.
” I thought of my oldest sister, feeling guilty as hell that my two-hour dinner plans had turned into an all-nighter for her.
I’d texted her as soon as the FBI had taken us out of the building, and I could tell she was pissed by the terse reply I got back.
Billy nodded at me as we got out of the car. I walked around to his side and held out the keys but when he reached to take them, I held on tight. He stared at me. “You’re going back, Billy, and this time, you’re staying all thirty days.”
Billy whined. “New Beginnings?” When I nodded, he shook his head. “Fuck, Joshua, you know I hate those people. Their attitude sucks.”
“Those people are trained rehab counselors and what’s more, you don’t need to update your insurance with them unless it’s changed.”
He sighed. “It hasn’t.” He suddenly got a gleam in his eye. “Wait…I can’t go, Joshua. I have work.”
I clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll drop into the record store and let Henry know you’re going back. You work hard. He’ll give you the time off if he knows you’re getting help. The man loves you like a son.”
“No, he’s gonna be pissed.”
“He wants to see you get well.”
Billy scoffed. “Henry’s a stoner. I’ve gotten some of my best weed from him.”
I frowned, pointing a finger at him. “That was before he knew you were doing the hard stuff. Look, it has to stick this time.” When he just stared at me with bleary eyes, I continued.
“The people at New Beginnings know what they’re doing, idiot…
and by the way, you’re the one with the attitude problem.
You know if you work the program, it’ll work for you. ”
He chuckled. “You sound like you’re reading from the card. “It works if you work it,” he mocked.
I’d attended several Al-Anon meetings with Barbie when our own family was going through hell, and even an AA meeting to support my friend.
I ignored him, pressing on. “Don’t be glib.
You need to get clean this time,” When he turned his face, I took his chin and made him face me.
“This is no joke, Billy. You have to get clean and stay clean. Do you realize you nearly died? Those people…the people you buy drugs from—”
“Okay!” he shouted before lowering his voice. “I get it, but they’re not all like that.”
I frowned. “Listen to yourself. You’re making excuses for drug dealers, Billy.” I crossed my arms. “If you don’t get clean, you’re going to die, either from an overdose or at the hands of some scumbag. The last few hours should have taught you a lesson.”
He looked defiant. “You’re forcing me to get clean.”
“And you are acting like a stupid little bitch. Get clean, Billy…for yourself this time, not for me.” I pointed at him.
“Just know this. If you don’t get clean and stay clean, we’re not going to be friends.
I won’t stick around just to watch you die.
You know how I feel about the whole drug thing.
I don’t want to see you go down the path she took.
She very nearly ruined my family’s life. ”
He looked away and then bobbed his head. He knew who I was talking about. “I know…you’re right.” Tears swam in his eyes as he inhaled shakily. “I’m sick of being sick all the time, Joshua.”
I reached for him then, pulling his slight frame into my arms, hugging him tightly as his whole body shook with sobs.
When I finally let go, I slung an arm over his shoulder to begin walking him inside.
“Then get well, my friend. Do what I said, stick it out this time, go to your meetings, get a new sponsor, and be transparent and honest with him.”
He leaned against me, wrapping an arm around me and holding on tight as we walked to the apartment. “Okay,” he said. When he finally pulled out of my embrace, I let him. “Do we have to talk to the FBI?”
“I’ll handle it. Just call New Beginnings and make sure they have a bed for you.
If they don’t, I’ll call Mike, and he’ll find one somewhere else.
” Michael Scheckter was a good man who never gave up on addicts.
He fumbled with the keys in his hand as we got to his door.
The puppy greeted us as we stepped into the apartment.
Billy bent and immediately scooped the wiggling guy into his arms.
“Dog! Did you miss me? Did you miss me?” he crooned into his neck.
I smiled as I shut the door behind us, getting a whiff of the mess the puppy had left on the kitchen floor.
I wrinkled my nose as I skirted more than one puddle, grabbing paper towels to begin soaking them up before cleaning the small pile.
Once I had everything sealed in a garbage bag, I set it down, washed my hands, and walked over to the living room with a second bag.
I spent another fifteen minutes in the apartment, making sure to clean ashtrays, pick up empty liquor bottles, and go through cupboards and drawers to make sure the house was free of temptation.
“You don’t have to do that, Joshua,” Billy said, holding the sleeping puppy on his lap. He looked away from me when I scowled.
“Call New Beginnings. I’ll wait. I’m not leaving until I know you’re really going.”
He glanced up at me, looking lost. “What am I going to do with Dog?”
I held out my arms. “I’ll take him with me and watch him while you’re in the program.”
He blinked, handing me the little guy. “Really, Joshua? You’d do that?”
I smiled, kissing the top of the puppy’s head as I cuddled him close. “Yeah, the kids will love having him and maybe they can come up with a better name than Dog. He deserves a real name.”
“Yeah, okay.”
I pointed at him. “Make your fucking call.” I sat at the kitchen table while he made the call, listening to him as he spoke to the intake coordinator. I’d been through this twice before with Billy, so I knew the drill.
When he hung up, he glanced over. “They can take me at eleven.”
I smiled. “Good. Pack a bag. I’ll drive you.”
He stood from the couch and walked over, leaning down to kiss my cheek as he petted the dog. “Thanks, Joshua. I mean it. You saved our lives today and thanks for taking Dog.”
I nodded. “Go pack.” When he walked out of the room, I bent and kissed the puppy’s head. “Just you and me, buddy…well, you, me, a grumpy older sister, and two kids who are going to spoil you rotten.” I smiled as he licked my nose.
I held him close until it was time to go.