Some Trouble

Jamie removed the plain brown wrapper, taped to the top of the tin box was a handwritten note.

‘Officer O’Keefe, I understand you are handling this cluster. First, I want you to know I’m not sure what I intend to do.  I told Ed that he and I were no longer family if Pete got hurt over this. Ed did kill Tony Salazar. Pete was our world. I want you to know he was a good son.  He never gave his mother and I one day of worry, until this. He made a mistake. A mistake that cost him everything. I’ve sent you evidence of Ed’s crime, so you can put your ghosts to rest I wish my end was that simple.”

 

“That doesn’t sound good,” Ted said

“We better fortify the watchmen at the hospital,” Chief Fortner said, “Well, don’t sit there all day open it.”

Jamie flipped the clasp of the etched box to remove the cover. The box held a pile of ashes, resting on top a man's finger. It sported a simple gold wedding band. “I guess we’ll need to lift its print.”

The chief hit his intercom to hale his assistant, “Marsha, bring us a fingerprint card and pad and be quick about it." 

He then released the com, his mind seemed lost in the box, for he never lifted his head to speak, "well, there’s no rest for the weary, you two need to find that man  before all hell breaks loose.”

The two men stood, but neither took a step. Finally Chief Fornter looked up at his men. “I do know how to roll a print, get on with it,” the chief said.

Jamie and Ted walked into the hallway. “You’re driving. I’m beat,” Jamie said.

“I hate that we’ve kept you up past your bedtime, I was once in a battle that lasted three days."

'Marines,' Jamie thought, as he snarled at his friend, and in minutes they were en-route to the hospital. 

Quickly they updated the two officers on guard duty. Which informed them that Ed had not made it out of recovery yet. There was a complication of some sort. The nurse was keeping them updated. At the end of the hall, the guards saw the surgeon. Once he was pointed out, Jamie and Ted headed toward him for an update.

“We understand you were the doctor for Ed Matthews? Can you tell us what kind of complication he has, and when do you think our prisoner will be able to be moved to a private room?” Jamie asked.

“What,” the doctor said, “nothing went wrong with that procedure, that man should have been in a private room hours ago.”

The doctor headed that way, but Jamie and Ted broke into run beating him there. The two pushed through the swinging doors and entered the recovery room, only to find an empty bed, and a partly opened door leading to the hall. All four officers passed through the side door of recovery. However, the white hallway revealed nothing but silence. That was until Jamie tore into the two men.

“He’d just left surgery, Sir. There’s no way he just creeped out that room.” Eric said.

“That’s true,” the doctor added, “someone moved that man he didn’t leave on his own.”

Jamie spun around on his heels to face his men. “Find me that nurse. The one that told you about the complications. Find her now,” Jamie said, as he walked to the nurse’s desk to call the station, “send a unit to sit on the corner of Jasper Street and another to fifth and Hudson. I need a B.O.L.O. for one Nick Matthews driving a green Buick, Road Master, and another one for Ed Matthews. Ed’s been moved from the hospital he’s injured and possibly nonresponsive, both parties should be considered armed and dangerous. Now, patch me through to the chief.

________________________

Ed woke up to find himself in his houseboat named ‘Some Trouble.’ There was a terrible pain coming from his left shoulder area. It took a minute for his eyes to focus, but as soon as the room came into focus, he realized the corner blur was Nick sitting on a wing-backed chair, hovering over a bourbon with a colt balanced on his thigh.

Reviews

[Einstein Noodle]

action packed .. smooth fast read for me .. the pieces begin to come together ...the momentum in reading this chapter has spurred me to read another ... right now! ;)
E.

[Cherrie Palmer]

Hurray, that's what a writer likes to hear. :) and thank you for sticking with this story.

[Einstein Noodle]

its a good write says i! .. i would buy this one .. truly!

[barleygirl]

The way the missing patient issue unfolded felt very realistic & I was taken in by the action thru-out this chp. The handwritten note you open with is well-constructed & it serves to help remind me of what's been going on in this story, since I've been away a while. Nice way to encapsulate some details & get your reader immersed right away (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Cherrie Palmer]

I liked the idea of a package being delivered. I just wanted to make it sound authentic.