New
Arrivals
Author-Suzie
Titles
Witness
by Suzie
Summary: Jim and Blair protect the only witness to a murder.
Disclaimer: Some of the characters in this story belong to the UPN Network and Pet Fly Productions as part of the television show The Sentinel. I do not claim these characters as my own. No money has changed hands.
Jim and Blair had finished dinner and were washing the dishes when the detective brought up the trip into Tacoma. His Captain, Simon Banks, had assigned him to escort a witness back to Cascade.
"Want to come along, Chief?" Jim asked his roommate. "I could use the company."
"Sure, Jim," Blair smiled as he handed a clean plate to the taller man to dry. "What time you want to leave?"
"If we leave around 7am, the downtown traffic won't be as bad."
"Okay."
**********
It took about four hours to drive from Cascade to Tacoma and another hour to get to the police station through the mess caused by downtown construction. It was nearly noon when Jim pulled his late model pick-up into the Tacoma Police Department parking lot on M.L.K Way.
"May I help you?" the uniformed officer asked from behind the lobby desk.
Jim showed the officer his badge. "Detective Ellison, Cascade Police." He indicated Blair with a nod, "This is my associate, Blair Sandburg. We're here to transport a witness back to Cascade." Jim checked the name in the file he was holding, "Name is Kelsey R. Lind."
The officer nodded, "Yeah, she's downstairs in a holding cell."
"A holding cell?" Blair frowned. "Why?"
Jim noted the nameplate on the officer's shirt. Officer Tim Patricks.
"Protective custody," Patricks sneered. "But you'll need to see Captain Davidson before taking her. Third floor." He shoved a clipboard across the desk to Jim, "You need to sign in first."
Jim put his name on the sheet and signed it. "C'mon, Chief, let's go," he said as he glared at the man behind the desk. When they reached the elevators, Jim pushed both the up and the down buttons. "You go down and get things started for Miss Lind's release," he said, handing one of the long forms to the young man. "I'll go upstairs and get the rest of this taken care of."
"Okay, but don't take too long, man," Blair said. "I really hate being around those holding cells."
Jim grinned at his partner's look of disgust, "Shouldn't be more than ten minutes. Just need to sign and exchange paperwork so we can get outta here. I'll be down there before the ink's dry."
There was a sharp ding. The down arrow lit up over the doors as the elevator doors opened. Blair entered the car and pushed the button for the basement.
**********
Officer David Krammer looked over the form that Blair handed him. "She's in cell three." He pointed toward a corridor, "Down there. I'll just sign this off and get the keys."
Blair noted absently that Officer Krammer couldn't have been any older than he was. "Okay," he replied and started walking in the direction of holding cell three.
A young woman sat on a bunk in the far corner of the small cell. She was huddled there with her knees pulled up to her chest and her shoulder length hair hiding her face.
"Hi ... um ... I'm Blair Sandburg." There was no indication that she heard him. "I'm here with Detective Ellison." Like you know who that is, Blair thought with a grimace. "We're here to take you back to Cascade."
Kelsey's head snapped up and she stared at Blair with frightened green eyes.
Blair saw the bruise on her left cheek and the handcuffs that connected her right wrist to the bunk's metal frame. "Why is she handcuffed?" Blair asked when Officer Krammer joined him. "She's a witness, not a suspect."
Krammer looked into the cell and shrugged vaguely. "When I came on duty at 6am, I was told that she'd been difficult and needed to be restrained."
"Let me in there, please," Blair said. The cell door was opened and Blair stepped inside. The young woman watched him, pushing herself back against the wall. Her eyes held more fear than Blair thought possible. "Kelsey?" he said, keeping his voice quiet. "Kelsey, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to take you out of here."
Kelsey held Blair's blue eyes as he moved towards her. There was no where to go. Tears started trailing down her cheeks and a soft whimper escaped her trembling lips.
"It's okay, Kelsey." What the hell did they do to you?
"Hey, Chief. What's going on?" Jim asked when he arrived on the scene.
"Wish I knew, man," Blair answered, relived that Jim was there. "She's been handcuffed to this bunk, and she's really terrified."
Jim scowled down at the young officer standing next to him.
"I was told when I came on duty that she'd had to be restrained," Krammer said in his own defense.
Listening with sentinel hearing to Kelsey's wildly beating heart and too fast breathing, Jim thought she was near hyperventilating. "We need to get her out of there," he said quietly. "She doesn't appear violent, just scared." Taking the keys from Officer Krammer, Jim tossed them to Blair.
Kelsey froze as Blair closed the remaining few feet between them and removed the handcuff form her wrist. The skin was raw, and obviously sore, but not bleeding.
"Will she come out with you, Blair?" Jim asked.
Blair gently took Kelsey by the hand and pulled slightly. She resisted. "It's okay now," Blair reassured her. "We're taking you out of here now. Please ... trust me."
Trust? Kelsey let herself be pulled into a firm embrace. Trust. Her body shook as Blair led her out of the holding cell.
Jim struggled to keep his anger in check as he said to Officer Krammer, "I want a full report ASAP! I want to know exactly what's happened since Miss Lind got here!" Krammer nodded meekly. "Have it faxed to me at the Cascade Police Department, Major Crimes Division." Jim retrieved a card from his wallet and handed it to the officer. "I'm Detective James Ellison."
"Yes, sir. Right away, sir," Officer Krammer stammered.
As they took the elevator up, Kelsey clung to the sleeve of Blair's jacket as he held her close. She held on so tightly that her knuckles were white, as if holding onto a lifeline. Jim looked at the young woman and felt the anger bubble near the surface again as he saw her wide eyes, bright with tears.
When the three stepped off the elevator into the lobby, Jim held the doors and handed the keys to Blair, "Here, go wait in the truck. I need to go talk to Captain Davidson again."
"Jim, don't ...," Blair began nervously, knowing the dark look on his friend's face.
"I'll only be a few minutes. Go on."
Blair watched as Jim got back on the elevator and the doors closed. "Okay, Kelsey, let's get you outta here," he whispered. They walked out into the afternoon sun and Blair gently led the way to the parking lot, keeping his arm around Kelsey. He felt her relax slightly against his side, "How ya doin'? Must be nice to get out of there."
Kelsey looked at Blair with relief, but remained quiet. Her face was pale, and the bruise that spread over her left cheek down to her chin showed in sharp contrast in the sunlight.
When they reached Jim's truck, Blair let go of Kelsey to unlock the passenger side. He pulled the door open and turned back to help Kelsey inside. But, to Blair's dismay, she had started gulping in air and was shaking violently, leaning heavily against the vehicle. "Kelsey, it's alright. Just relax," Blair said, recognizing that she was about to pass out. "C'mon, sit down." He reached out to help Kelsey as her eyes rolled back and she went out like a light. "OhmyGod,"
Jim rounded the corner into the parking lot a few minutes later and immediately saw Blair kneeling on the ground with Kelsey. He jogged over and knelt across from Blair, setting the backpack he'd been carrying aside. "What happened, Chief?"
Concern filled Blair's eyes, "Jim, man, I think we should take her to a doctor."
Jim looked at the young woman as she shifted her knees up to her chest and looked away. "Hey, what happened?" he asked quietly, placing his fingers under Kelsey's chin to get her to look at him. Taking in the slightly glassy look and bruised cheek, Jim was taken by what those green eyes showed. After what they did to you, you're willing to trust us.
"I don't feel so good," Kelsey murmured softly.
"She passed out when we got out here," Blair explained. "I think she's running a fever, too."
Jim placed a hand on Kelsey's forehead. 101, maybe 102, he thought. "Yeah, I think so." He hoisted her small frame into the passenger seat of the truck with one smooth move, "We'll take her to Tacoma General."
Kelsey scooted herself over in the seat so Blair could get in. Jim grabbed the pack and put it in the back before climbing in behind the wheel.
"Is that hers?" Blair asked.
"Yeah, one of the officers upstairs had it," Jim answered.
Blair put an arm around Kelsey as she shivered.
**********
"Banks," the familiar voice said.
"Hey, Simon, it's me," Jim said into the motel phone.
"Where the hell are you, Jim?!" Captain Banks barked angrily. "I've been trying to contact you for hours!"
"Sorry, sir, but we're still in Tacoma. Kelsey Lind was ... mistreated, and we ended up at the hospital for a while."
"Mistreated? How?" Simon's tone changed to concern. "Is she alright?"
"Nothing serious. The doctor said she needs some rest, and food. She's a little dehydrated."
"Jim, what happened?"
"Kelsey hasn't said anything yet, but she was in a holding cell for at least twenty-four hours."
"Holding cell!!? What the ..."
"Simon, I'll explain more when we get there tomorrow," Jim interrupted. "There should be a report faxed to the station. I don't know how much it will tell us."
"Alright. I take it you're spending the night in Tacoma?"
"Yeah, it's been a long day. Thought it'd be better to just get some rest," Jim sighed.
"No problem. See you when you get in tomorrow, Jim."
Hanging up the phone, Jim heard the shower come on. Blair was sitting cross-legged on one of the beds looking through a phone book.
"Find anything nearby?" Jim asked.
"Yeah, no problem. There's a Deli and a KFC a couple blocks up," Blair answered.
Jim pulled his keys out and gave them to the young man, "Why don't you go get us some dinner." He pulled his wallet out and grimaced when he looked inside. "You bring any money, Chief? I have just enough to buy gas in the morning."
Blair looked in his wallet, "Yeah, I can spring for dinner."
"I'll put breakfast on my VISA."
"Okay, I shouldn't be too long," Blair said as he headed out the door.
A short time later, Jim heard the shower shut off. A few minutes went by before he heard the muffled sound. There was nothing overwhelming about it. Jim focused his hearing and followed it to the bathroom. He could hear soft sobs through the door. "Kelsey?" he asked, knocking lightly on the door. "Are you okay?"
No response.
Jim carefully tested the doorknob. It wasn't locked. "Kelsey, I'm coming in," he said as he slowly opened the door.
Kelsey was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, dressed in shorts and a nightshirt. Her wet hair hung forward, hiding her face as she stared at the floor and rocked slowly, hugging herself tightly. Kelsey's hiccuping sobs and trembling body broke Jim's heart. In two long strides the big man had the small woman in a tight embrace. Her sobs quickly turned into a river of tears as she broke down completely, and she excepted the comfort Jim offered. Her hands clinging to Jim's shirt, her face pressed into his broad chest.
"It's okay now. Let it out," Jim said, stroking Kelsey's heaving back with big hands. "You're safe." Grabbing the box of kleenex off the bathroom counter, Jim led her out to sit on the nearest bed. Kelsey cried her heart out as he held her and whispered words of encouragement.
By the time Blair returned with dinner, Kelsey had settled down some. But, it was obvious she'd been doing some hard crying. "What happened, Jim?" Blair asked as he set the food down on the small table.
"Just a little stress relief, Chief," Jim replied, smoothing the damp hair back from Kelsey's face as she wiped the remainder of her tears away. "Nothing to worry about."
Blair and Jim encouraged Kelsey to eat something, but she ate little and said less. Silently, she curled up in bed and slept fitfully through the night.
**********
"Well, it's a good thing it didn't get cold last night." Jim was teasing Blair as he drove the next morning. "You had 99.9% of the blankets wrapped around you like a mummy!"
"Hey, man," Blair retorted good-naturedly. "You snore! I was just trying to block out the noise."
The night in the motel had turned into quite an experience when the office told them there wasn't a rollaway bed available.
Kelsey was sitting quietly in the middle of the seat, not hearing the two men as they joked together. Her thoughts were haunted with sights and sounds of what happened in Tacoma.
Jim glanced at her, "Kelsey, you need to talk to us. You can't hold it inside like this."
Kelsey tensed, and Jim saw terror reflected in her eyes as she stared straight ahead.
Blair turned in his seat to look at her, "If someone at that precinct hurt you, we have to stop it from happening again."
Kelsey said nothing and shifted her gaze to the floor to avoid looking at either man.
"Look," Jim said, trying another tactic. "We know you didn't have anything to do with murder of Carlson Willard. You're a witness. You have nothing to be afraid of." What *are* you afraid of?
"That's not what he told me," Kelsey finally said quietly, still staring at the floor.
Jim and Blair looked at each other.
"What did 'he' tell you?" Jim growled. Who is 'he'?
"He said that if I wouldn't tell them who killed ... that man, that I would be charged with his murder."
Without warning Jim pulled quickly to the side of the road and brought the truck to a sliding stop.
"Whoa, Jim!" Blair cried out in surprise, grabbing the dash. "What's ..."
He reached over and released Kelsey's seatbelt before turning her to face him. "Look at me, Kelsey!" Jim said forcefully when she tried to pull away from his grip.
Kelsey froze at Jim's tone. She was near panic, but turned to stare into angry blue eyes.
"You did not kill Willard! You can not be charged for a crime you did not commit!"
Tears formed in Kelsey's eyes, "But, he said ..."
"He was wrong, Kelsey." Jim searched her face for some hint that she believed him as the tears spilled down. "Do you understand?" He asked gently.
Kelsey nodded slowly, still holding Jim's eyes.
"Did you see who killed Carlson Willard?"
Another nod.
"Did you tell them in Tacoma?" Blair asked from the other side.
"I-I tried to," Kelsey answered. "But, I only got a good look at two of the three. Sergeant Wheeler kept saying it was my fault they got away, and that I know the men who did it. I didn't even know the police were looking for me 'til I saw it on TV." She was rambling now, but couldn't stop. "I went to the police station as soon as I heard and told them who I was. They took me into custody ... arrested me ... fingerprints and everything. Then ...." Kelsey's voice cracked as she started to lose what little control she still possessed.
"Then ... what?" Jim prodded carefully.
Kelsey reached out and took Jim's hand, holding on to it like a life preserver, "Sergeant Wheeler took me into a room. I had to ... he made me ... take my clothes off ... and he ..." Tears were streaming down as she began to cry in earnest, unable to continue.
Good God! Jim pulled her to his chest, "Shh, it's over now. They were wrong. What they did was wrong." He looked at Blair, whose eyes were filled with angry tears.
"Son of a Bitch," Blair whispered so only Jim's sentinel hearing picked it up.
**********
It was late afternoon when Jim arrived at the Cascade Police Station with Kelsey. Captain Banks was waiting for them in his office in Major Crimes.
"Captain Simon Banks, this is Kelsey Lind," Jim introduced her to the tall, black man.
Kelsey reached out her right, slightly shaking, hand tentatively, "Um, nice to meet you ... sir."
Simon grasped the hand gently, "Nice to meet you, too, Miss Lind." He took note of the bruised cheek and dark circles under her eyes. "Or would you prefer I call you Kelsey?"
"Call me Kelsey," she replied nervously, trying to smile a little.
"Alright, Kelsey ... please have a seat," Simon smiled. He wanted to keep this session as relaxed as possible.
Kelsey looked up at Jim, who nodded. He could sense her nervousness and knew this whole messy process was going to be difficult at best after what she'd been through. Hearing Kelsey's racing heart, Jim wondered how the young woman could trust anyone again, let alone a cop.
"Where's Sandburg?" Simon asked as he shuffled through some papers on his desk.
Jim pulled a chair over so he could sit next to Kelsey. "He went over to the university soon as we got back."
"Thought he was done for the summer?"
"Yeah, he is as far as teaching and taking classes. He'd agreed to help out one of the Professors with some project, and the Professor promised to pay Blair for his time."
"I'm going to need a statement from him, too, as soon as possible. I'll need to know what he saw when he went down to the holding cells." Simon glanced at Kelsey, but she was staring at the floor. He passed a report to Jim and continued, "This is the fax from TPD. Doesn't really tell us anything, but your discussion with Captain Davidson about the matter did do some good. He was ... impressed with you, Jim. An investigation is under way into the incident."
Feeling a certain amount of satisfaction, Jim scanned over the faxed report quickly and noticed Sergeant Brad Wheeler had signed it.
Simon picked up his pen, "Now, Kelsey, all I need to do right now is verify the information we have at this time."
Kelsey nodded.
"Your full name and date of birth?"
"Kelsey Rene Lind. October 17, 1975."
"Are you still living at 441 Oxbow Heights, #2?
"Um, no. I gave it up when I went to Tacoma."
"Where are you living now, then?"
Kelsey stared dumbly at the Captain for several seconds. The fact that she was now homeless suddenly hit her. "I-I guess ... I don't have any place right now. I was staying with friends in Tacoma."
"She can stay we Blair and me for now, sir," Jim said without hesitation.
Simon nodded. "Are you employed right now?"
Kelsey shook her head, "I went to Tacoma for a job interview, but I didn't get it."
Simon smiled sympathetically, then handed her a document. "This is a copy of the statement you originally gave about the ... what you saw. Read it over. If it's accurate, sign you name at the bottom."
"Kelsey," Jim said. "Why don't you take that out to my desk. I need to talk to the Captain."
"Sure ... okay," Kelsey replied quietly. She wasn't looking forward to reading the statement. She didn't want to remember any of it.
After Jim saw Kelsey to his desk, he returned to Simon's office and closed the door.
Simon could see that something was bothering the detective. "What is it, Jim?"
"It's something that Kelsey told me and Sandburg." Jim's eyes clouded with emotion as he told his Captain what Kelsey had said to them in the truck.
Standing, Simon paced to the other end of the office, obviously disturbed by what he'd been told. When he turned, he asked Jim, "There's no reason to doubt her story?"
"If you could've seen her, sir. Kelsey was ... is terrified. She came forward on her own when she heard that we were looking for her, and she was treated like she's the one who murdered Willard. Hell, that bastard, Wheeler, had her convinced she was going to be convicted of it!"
"Okay, Jim. I'll be talking to Captain Davidson tomorrow. I'll relay what you've told me to him."
"Thank you, Simon," Jim sighed gratefully.
Simon returned to his desk and picked up a folder. He handed it to Jim. "This is the information we have on the Willard case."
"I thought I'd have Kelsey talk to a forensics artist," Jim said as he took the folder. "Maybe we can get a sketch of the men she saw."
"Good idea," Simon agreed, looking over Jim's shoulder at the young woman sitting at the detective's desk.
Jim turned, following Simon's line of sight, to see Kelsey's face drained of color and her hands shaking. Moving quickly out of the office, Jim and Simon found her looking as if she might pass out.
"You alright, Kelsey?" Jim asked her, putting a hand on her back.
Looking up at the big man, Kelsey smiled faintly, "I'd forgotten how bad it was. It was pretty gruesome. Guess I kinda blocked a lot of it out, ya know?"
Jim nodded and returned the smile, "Yeah ... I know."
"Go down to forensics and talk to Higgins," Simon said. "He'll set you up with an artist. Then go home and get some rest."
"Sounds like a plan," Jim said. "We'll see you in the morning, Captain."
Kelsey signed the statement and handed it to Jim to add to the folder he was holding.
**********
Pointing to the nose on the face in the sketch, Kelsey frowned and said, "It's in the right place and all, but the bridge was ... I don't know ... maybe longer?"
Cindy, a forensics artist, was good, patient, and worked with Kelsey to put the description she gave down on the paper. Jim sat back quietly and watched from a chair behind the two women.
"Yeah, that's it," Kelsey smiled triumphantly. "His hair was a little longer ... about the length of mine. Light brown, scraggly like." Her voice trailed off as she stared at the familiar face on the paper.
Jim leaned forward, "What's wrong?"
"I don't know," Kelsey whispered nervously. "Something ... I can't quite remember."
"Is it something about the sketch?"
Cindy set the second sketch next to the one already on the desk.
Kelsey shuddered as she looked from one picture to the other. That's them all right. "No ... no, it's the third man. The one I didn't get a good look at." She placed her hands over her eyes and said, "It's been buggin' me since I went to the station in Tacoma."
Jim rubbed the back of the young woman's neck, feeling the tension. They'd been at it for several hours. "Why don't we call it a day," Jim said. "You did real good here, Kelsey. We've got two faces to work with now." He smiled at the artist, "Great sketches, Cindy. Would you send those up to Captain Banks in Major Crimes?"
"Sure, Detective, no problem," Cindy answered.
Standing, Jim put his hands on Kelsey's upper arms and eased her up out of her chair, "Let's go home."
**********
"Hey, was beginning to think you two go lost, man," Blair grinned from the kitchen as Jim and Kelsey entered the loft.
Kelsey sighed quietly. Suddenly she felt very tired.
"C'mon and sit down here," Jim said, gently guiding her to the sofa. "Blair, you want to get Kelsey something to drink?"
"I'm okay," Kelsey said. "Just a little headache." She sat limply on the sofa and put her head back, closing her eyes.
"It's the stress," Jim said, sitting on the coffee table in front of her. "And you're exhausted."
Blair joined them, handing a glass of 7-Up to Kelsey and an opened beer to Jim. "You haven't been eating much. You're probably hungry, too."
Jim took a long pull on the beer before grinning at his partner, "Thanks, Chief. It has been a long couple of days."
"Thank you," Kelsey said to Blair as she sipped the bubbly clear liquid. "Guess I am a little hungry."
"Great! I've been waitin' supper on you two, and I'm starved!" Blair grinned.
Jim glanced at his watch. Nearly 8:00. "Didn't realize what time it was." No wonder she's not feeling too good.
"Table's set. Food's ready."
"Hey, Chief, you shouldn't have waited. You didn't know when we'd be here."
Blair was heading for the kitchen, and said over his shoulder, "I called the station when I got home. Simon said you were getting a sketch done, and shouldn't be too long." He retrieved a bowl of fresh salad out of the refrigerator, and pulled a loaf of fresh sourdough bread from the oven. "I figured I may as well wait. Besides, it gave me a chance to change the sheets on my bed. Simon said Kelsey's going to be staying with us."
Jim stood and looked down at Kelsey as she sipped absently on the soda and stared out into space. "You okay?"
"Mmm?" Kelsey shook herself out of her thought and smiled shyly, "Just trying to think of what it was I forgot to remember."
Blair made one more trip to the kitchen for the pot of stew.
"Don't think about that now," Jim told her, reaching a hand down. "You concentrate too hard and it'll never come to you."
Kelsey took the offered hand and was pulled to her feet, "Yeah, I guess so."
Supper passed with quiet conversation about anything that didn't involve Wheeler or Willard.
"So, what about your family?" Jim asked Kelsey.
Kelsey shrugged as she finished her spoonful of stew. "No family. I've been on my own since I was fifteen."
"You must have someone," Blair ventured. "Aunts, Uncles? Cousins?"
"No one showed up to claim me after the accident that killed my parents. So, I became a ward of the state and put into foster care."
"Well, at least you had someone."
Kelsey smiled and shook her head slowly, "Not really. I was shipped around. Never stayed in place too long. Being a teenager, I wasn't considered adoptable by most families. People want babies."
"It must have been difficult," Jim said, taking another piece of bread from the loaf.
Kelsey pushed her bowl aside, unfinished. "You get kinda ... numb after a while. You go from one foster home to another, and it becomes a place to sleep and eat, nothing more."
"What about school?" Blair asked.
"I went to eight different schools between the ages fifteen and eighteen. When I graduated I'd only been in that school for two weeks."
"Jeez, I'm surprised you were able to learn anything at all."
"Well, I ain't no Professor, but studying was about the only thing that really gave me any satisfaction. At least I always knew I have a chance after I turned eighteen."
"What happened when you turned eighteen?" Jim questioned.
"That's when you have to leave the foster care program. Doesn't matter if you graduated high school, or whether or not you can even read and write. On my eighteenth birthday I received a notice in the mail informing me that I was on my own. The foster parents I was with at the time had my bags packed and waiting for me when I came home from my part-time job."
"Great role models," Blair mumbled sarcastically.
"For a lot of them, it's a way to get financial aid and someone to do the chores for free."
Jim looked pensive as he finished his meal in silence.
"You should eat more," Blair said, moving the bowl back in front of Kelsey.
"No ... thanks. It was really good, but I'm really tired," Kelsey said.
"Oh, yeah ... sure." Blair stood and showed Kelsey where his room was. "You need anything, just holler, okay?"
"Thanks, Blair. G'night, Jim."
"See you in the morning, Kelsey," Jim smiled. "Sleep well."
Kelsey went into the bedroom and closed the door.
Blair strode back to the table and sat down again. "God, and I thought I had it rough at times growing up."
"I'm surprised she's turned out as well adjusted as she has," Jim said. Looking at the sad/angry statement on Blair's face, he asked, "What's wrong, Chief?"
"Jim ... even though I never had 'parents', I always had mom. Or, at least there was someone ... my aunts and uncles, cousins. I knew love when I was growing up. I was never ... alone. No kid should have to grow up like that."
**********
It had just started to rain as Kelsey got ready for bed. A storm was building.
Kelsey crawled gratefully into Blair's bed, but she couldn't sleep. She lay there listening to Jim and Blair's muffled voices as they cleared away the supper dishes and cleaned up. The bedside clock glowed midnight when the lights in the loft went out and things got quiet.
She tossed and turned for what seemed like hours. If only there weren't so many things swirling around in her mind. There were too many shadows. A gust of wind blew rain against the glass, sounding like pebbles. Opening tired eyes, Kelsey stared blankly into the dark. She felt afraid and lonely, and squeezed her eyes shut as more "pebbles" blew against the glass. A single tear slipped from under one tightly closed lid as images of murder swam through Kelsey's mind.
Finally, giving up any more attempts to sleep, Kelsey got up.
In the living room, she stopped for a moment to look at Blair as he slept on the sofa. Sighing softly, Kelsey went to the balcony windows and peered out into the rainy night. The lights of the city reflected off the bay and threw eerie dark, bluish light over the wet scenery.
"Hey, Kelsey. Couldn't sleep?" Blair whispered as he sat up and pushed his hair out of his face.
"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you," Kelsey whispered. "I'm tired, but can't seem to get my mind to shut down."
Blair smiled, "Been there, done that." He saw her shiver as she turned back to the window. "Hey, c'mere."
"Even when I do sleep ... the dreams come and I don't rest," Kelsey said as she sat next to Blair.
Been there, done that, too. Blair could feel the cold radiating off her bare arms and legs, and wrapped a blanket around her. "Jim always says that dreams can't hurt us. It took awhile, but I believe that now." He gently eased Kelsey down on the sofa in front of him and brought another blanket up and over both of them. "After I had a bad experience during a case we were working on, Jim helped me through the nightmares. He'd sit up at night with me so I wouldn't be alone ... sometimes even holding my hand." Blair put an arm around Kelsey and brought her back snuggly against his chest. He felt her tense against him. "It's okay ... just relax," he breathed softly as he stroked Kelsey's silky hair. "Jim's taught me a lot of stuff since I met him. But, I think the most important thing he's showed me is that the touch of another human being can be the most relaxing thing in the world." Blair felt Kelsey's body begin to give in. "That's it. Close your eyes and relax. Rest." He lightly kissed the back of Kelsey's neck as her breathing slowed and evened out in sleep. Blair smiled and let himself drift off.
Jim had heard the exchange from his room upstairs, and grinned sleepily. Yes, Blair was special. When Jim was sure that the two were sleeping, he rolled lazily onto his side and slept easily.
**********
Two days later ~ 7am.
The phone rang as Jim poured himself a cup of coffee. "Ellison," he said into the receiver, trying to keep his voice down. Sentinel senses told Jim that Blair was still sleeping under the mound of blankets on the sofa.
"Sorry to call so early, Jim," Captain Banks said.
"No problem, sir. I've been up for a while," Jim said as he took the cordless phone and his cup of coffee and headed for the stairs to his room. "So, what's going on?"
"Need you to bring Kelsey in with you this morning."
"Why?" Jim asked as he slipped a shirt on and started buttoning with the phone tucked under his chin. "What's happened?"
Simon sighed, "It's about Brad Wheeler, Jim."
Jim froze and anger narrowed his eyes. "You mean 'Sergeant' Wheeler?" he said sarcastically.
"Yes, Jim. He's here with ..."
"NO, Simon," Jim interrupted loudly. "No way!"
Blair jerked awake downstairs and burrowed out of his nest.
"Captain Davidson is here with him. Wheeler has denied having done anything to Kelsey, and insisted that she make her accusations to his face." Simon's voice betrayed the disgust he felt.
Jim fell silent, jaw twitching with anger. He felt Blair's presence on the stairs behind him.
"Wheeler's been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the investigation," Simon continued. " Jim, without Kelsey's testimony, he'll be back to work in less than a month. Who knows what will happen to his next victim."
"Alright, sir," Jim finally said with forced calm. "We'll be there around 9:00." He clicked the phone off before the Captain could say anything more.
"Jim?" Blair asked quietly. "What's goin' on, man?"
Jim turned to see his young partner standing on the top stair in his boxers, hair tousled and rubbing sleepy eyes. He took a deep breath to push the anger aside and said, "That was Simon. We need to take Kelsey to the station to ... talk ... to Captain Davidson."
"From Tacoma?"
"Yeah ... and Wheeler's here, too."
"Oh, Jim! Oh ... man!" Blair pushed his long hair back angrily. "We can't ..."
"I know, Chief ... I know," Jim said calmly. "I don't like it either, but we don't have a choice here, okay?"
"Yeah ... yeah." Blair looked at the big man and saw the smoldering anger in his darkened eyes. "Jim ... sorry I snapped, man," he said quietly. "I know this isn't your fault."
Jim gave a warm smile, "S'okay, Chief. I understand." When Blair didn't move, Jim tossed him the phone and said, "Go get a shower and wake Kelsey. I'll start breakfast. I told Simon we'd be there around 9:00."
**********
As Jim, Blair and Kelsey entered Major Crimes and went to Jim's desk to drop off their jackets, Kelsey spotted Sergeant Wheeler in Captain Banks' office. "I don't think I want to do this," she trembled.
Blair took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "You have to, Kelsey. It's the only way to keep the bastard from doin' the same thing to someone else."
"He's right," Jim sighed resolutely. He saw Simon look up and wave to indicate they should come in. Jim nodded and said, "Okay, Kelsey, this is it. I'm with you all the way." He looked at Blair. "You better wait out here, Chief."
Blair nodded, then gave Kelsey's hand another light squeeze, "It's gonna be okay."
Kelsey nodded and tried to at least look brave, but only managed a scared little smile. Then Jim guided her to Simon's office.
As they entered the office and Jim closed the door, Simon and Captain Davidson stood. Kelsey's eyes went immediately to a smug and sneering Sergeant Wheeler as he, too, stood. Kelsey unconsciously took a step back into Jim, wanting to stay as far away from Wheeler as possible. Glaring angrily at the man, Jim put a protective hand on the young woman's shoulder.
"Kelsey ... Jim," Simon began. "This is Captain Davidson."
"Miss Lind," Davidson said. "I wish the circumstances were better."
Kelsey eyed the hand that stretched towards her for a moment before taking it into her own, trembling, hand. "Yes, sir," she whispered without looking at the man directly.
Jim shook hands with the Captain before leading Kelsey to a chair next to Simon's desk, and stood at her side. Kelsey's eyes locked with Sergeant Wheeler's again and she paled.
Simon tracked her line of sight to the Sergeant and scowled. "Kelsey," Captain Banks said carefully to get her attention. "I know this is hard for you, but there's no other option."
"I understand, sir," Kelsey said quietly, looking at Simon with frightened green eyes.
Captain Davidson stepped forward holding a pad of paper and pen. "Miss Lind, the allocations you've made are very serious."
Kelsey looked up at the man standing before her.
"Is the man you say mistreated you in this room?"
Kelsey nodded, "Yes, sir."
"Can you point him out to me?"
Kelsey pointed a shaky finger at Sergeant Brad Wheeler.
"Now, Miss Lind, Sergeant Wheeler contends that he was no where near you at the time of your incarceration."
"Yes, sir, that's right," Kelsey said quietly.
Wheeler smirked. Jim and Simon looked at each other worriedly.
"What he did to me ... he did before I was taken down and put in the cell." Kelsey's voice trembled and tears filled her eyes. "He was never there ... after I was taken downstairs."
Captain Davidson frowned as he scribbled notes on the pad, then asked, "What did Sergeant Wheeler do to you?"
Kelsey looked up at Jim, desperately seeking a way out of this.
Jim knelt beside her chair and took on cold, shaking hand, "If there was any other way, Kelsey, you wouldn't be here."
Tears spilled down Kelsey's cheeks as she spoke, never taking her eyes off Jim's face. She told of the interrogation, the accusations, the slap in the face, and the strip search.
"Did Sergeant Wheeler rape you or attempt to do so?" Captain Davidson asked. The look on the man's face had turned to one of sorrow ... almost shame.
Kelsey blinked dully at the question, glancing up at the Captain. It felt as though all the air in her lungs was gone and she couldn't suck any back in. Wheeler certainly could have raped her. No one would've stopped him. Kelsey shook her head no.
He may as well have! Jim thought angrily.
"How did you get handcuffed to the bunk?" Captain Davidson asked.
Kelsey absently rubbed the wrist that was still slightly sensitive, "When ... he was done with me ... and let me get dressed, two other officers came in and took me down and put me in a cell."
"This 'he' being Sergeant Wheeler?"
"Yes, sir. He told the officers that I'd been uncooperative and difficult, and that they should restrain me for my own safety."
"Were you uncooperative and difficult?" Simon asked.
"No, sir. I answered his questions the best I could."
Sergeant Wheeler suddenly stood up and shouted, "She's lying!" Every ..."
Kelsey jumped and let out a small cry. Jim and Simon both moved protectively to her. Jim could see Blair out of the corner of his eye as the younger man stood at the sudden shouting, but hesitated and didn't go to the office.
Good, Chief. Just stay put, Jim said to himself.
"SIT Down, Sergeant!" Captain Davidson said angrily, cutting of Wheeler's protests.
"But ... sir!"
"Not ... another ... word!" Davidson looked at Kelsey, "I think that's more than enough for now." Looking at Jim, he continued, "I would like to speak to you, Detective, and Mr. Sandburg."
Jim escorted Kelsey out of Simon's office. She was shaking uncontrollably as he gently pushed her into the chair behind his desk.
Blair moved to Kelsey's side. "You okay?" he asked her, concern and anger showing dramatically on his expressive face.
Kelsey nodded without looking up, trying to control her tremors.
"C'mon, Chief," Jim prodded. "Davidson has some questions for us now."
"Yeah ... okay, Jim," Blair said nervously.
"Hey, Brown," Jim said to the other only other Detective in the bullpen at the time. "Get Kelsey whatever she wants, okay? Keep her company?"
"Sure," the black man said with a friendly grin. "No problem, Jim."
**********
"Brown, where's Kelsey?" Jim asked as he and Blair left Simon's office.
"Ladies room," Detective Brown answered. "A fax came in for you about ten minutes ago. It's on your desk."
Jim nodded as he went to his desk and picked up the sheet of paper.
Blair saw the frown on Jim's face deepen as he read. "Jim, man, what is it?"
"One of Willard's killers has been captured," Jim replied and continued to read.
"Well, that's a good thing ... isn't it?"
Jim's head came up to look at Detective Brown, "How long has Kelsey been gone?!"
Looking at his watch, Brown said, "Just a few minutes. Why?"
"Do you know if she saw this?" Jim asked, indicating the fax.
"Probably, she was sitting right there when it was delivered. What's wrong?"
"Shit!" Jim muttered as he let the fax drop to desk and grabbed the phone.
Blair picked up the piece of paper. It was a short article from a Seattle newspaper about the capture of Aaron Wheeler by the Seattle Police. Apparently he confessed to his part in the Carlson Willard murder. But, it was the hand written note under the copy of the article that sent a chill through Blair. It read, "Can't have a trial without a witness." Beneath this was a photo of Kelsey with an "X" drawn over it.
"Oh my God!" Blair said quietly.
"All right, thank you," Jim said, then hung up the phone. "She walked out a few minutes ago."
"We gotta find her, man!"
"Yeah, go out and comb the block. Maybe she hasn't gotten far."
"Right," Blair agreed and headed for the elevator.
"Brown ..."
"On it, Jim," Brown said.
Jim nodded, picking up the phone and punching in Simon's extension. Captain Davidson and Wheeler were still in the office, and Jim didn't want Wheeler to know what was going on.
**********
"I'm going to drop you off at home, Chief," Jim told Blair as he pulled the truck into traffic from the police parking garage.
"No way, man!" Blair protested adamantly. "I am not sitting this one out!"
Jim couldn't help but smile a little at the tone of his guide. "You're not sitting this one out, Blair. I just want you to get your car and start looking for Kelsey."
"Oh," Blair replied sheepishly. "Sorry, Jim."
"It's okay. I'm worried, too."
"Where do you want me to start?"
"Well, Simon's sending a team searching six blocks around the station. Why don't you go east around the Oxbow Heights area. She was living there before going to Tacoma."
"Right. Where you going?"
"I'm heading to the area around the bus station." Jim gave a quick glance at Blair, "Got your cell phone, Chief?"
Blair pulled it out of a pocket of his jacket and held it up, "Right here."
"Battery?"
"Charged last night."
"Be careful."
"You, too."
**********
"Jim, I've combed everything within a five-mile radius, and nothing, man," Blair said into the cell phone. "I asked around some, but no one recognized the picture."
"Okay, Chief," Jim sighed. "Make your way over here. I'm parked on the west side of the bus station."
"You really think Kelsey'll try to leave Cascade, Jim? I thought she was trusting us."
"Her trusting us isn't the issue here. She's running scared, and wants to get away from the place where the killers can find her."
"Yeah, I guess. I'll be there in about ten minutes."
Blair arrived at the bus station a half-hour later and joined Jim after parking his Volvo two blocks away. "Man, traffic is the pits today!" he griped as he got into the passenger seat of Jim's truck. "And it took longer to find a parking spot then it did to get here!"
Jim grinned at his partner's frustration, "How much did you pay to park?"
"Twenty-five bucks, man! I don't know how long it's gonna have to stay there, and I can't afford a ticket."
Jim frowned, pulled out his wallet and handed the young man a twenty-dollar bill.
Blair shook his head, refusing to take the money, "Jim, I didn't mean you should ..."
Jim waved him off, "I know, Chief. But, you shouldn't have to pay that much for parking."
"But, Jim."
Pushing the bill into Blair's hand, Jim said, "It's okay. I'll just add it to my voucher at the end of the month."
"Well ... all right then," Blair said, his fist tightening on the bill. "I can use the gas money. Thanks, Jim."
"Don't mention it, buddy," Jim replied, satisfied.
**********
It was dark; the streets nearly devoid of people, when the small figure appeared outside the bus station.
"Blair, she's here," Jim said, watching intently.
Blair tracked Jim's line of sight and found Kelsey as she passed under the building's fluorescent lights just before she went inside. The two men exited the truck to follow Kelsey into the all but deserted station and saw her at a ticket window.
Catching Jim and Blair's reflection in the ticket window, Kelsey turned. Her eyes filled with panic and she bolted toward the nearest exit.
"Kelsey!" Blair shouted. "Wait!"
Jim and Blair followed Kelsey outside and spotted her again as she ran up the sidewalk. She was already a good half-block ahead of them.
"Damn, she's fast!" Blair mumbled as he ran with Jim in pursuit.
"KELSEY! Stop!" Jim hollered after her.
Kelsey turned to glance over her shoulder as she started to cut across the street. A red mini-van was making a right turn at the same moment right in front of the frantic young woman. When Kelsey turned back and saw the van, it was already too late. She couldn't stop her forward momentum in time and slammed into the passenger side of the vehicle, then slid to the ground and didn't move.
Jim and Blair both heard the rather sickening thud of the impact. The driver was already out of the van when the two men got to the scene. Jim knelt down and felt for a pulse in Kelsey's neck.
"Oh God, Jim!" Blair said as he got down on his knees across from Jim. "Is she okay?"
Jim sighed with relief as he felt Kelsey's pulse beating steadily. "Call for an ambulance, Chief." Then gently began checking for injuries.
"She darted right out in front of me!" the distraught mini-van driver said. "I couldn't stop in time!"
Blair was just pushing his cell phone into his pocket when Kelsey moaned softly as Jim touched her left arm. Then her eyes few open and she began to struggle against the two sets of strong hands that held her.
"No! Let me go!" Kelsey wailed as Blair pulled her into his chest and held tight, trapping her arms beneath his own. "Please, let me go!"
"Shh. Hush, now," Blair soothed. "It's okay. You're safe."
"No, you don't understand!" Kelsey sobbed as she strained against Blair's hold. Pain suddenly shot through her injured arm, forcing her struggles to stop. "Owowow!"
"Kelsey, calm down," Jim tried, holding her legs. "Your wrist is broken. An ambulance is on the way."
Kelsey remained still, but wouldn't look at Jim as she said, "I can't stay here." She slumped into Blair, exhausted, the fight gone out of her. Her body was beginning to hurt. "What kind of friend would I be if I let them kill you or Blair?"
Friend? She considers us her friends, Jim thought with a faint smile. He gently pulled Kelsey's face up until their eyes met. He had suspected Kelsey had run because she was afraid she'd be found and killed by the same people who murdered Willard. Jim had not expected this revelation. Jim looked at Blair, whose statement reflected his thoughts.
Kelsey sobbed quietly.
Jim saw a glassy, dazed look in her eyes. Concussion, he thought. "No one is going to die, Kelsey."
Blair relaxed his grip a little. "It's going to be okay," he said softly as she laid her head back against his shoulder.
Kelsey moaned quietly.
"Are you hurt anywhere other than your arm?" Jim asked.
"My entire body hurts," Kelsey gasped. "Next time ... just shoot me ... okay?"
Jim chuckled, "Sure, no problem." But, he knew there wouldn't be a next time.
Blair stroked Kelsey's hair and gently kissed the top of her head.
"I'm sorry I ran," Kelsey whimpered softly. "I just panicked when I saw that fax."
"Shh, it's okay," Blair replied, looking at Jim who nodded.
"They know that I'm here. They'll find me." A painful spasm ran through Kelsey's left arm and she squeezed her eyes shut. "Ow! Owow! Damn!"
"Just hang in there, Kelsey," Jim told her as he stood up. "Won't be long now." He'd been listening to the sirens coming closer with sentinel hearing. Moving around to Blair, Jim patted the younger man's shoulder. "Everything's going to be fine." Then he stepped over to the driver of the mini-van to assure him he was not to blame for the accident.
**********
Jim snapped his cell phone shut after catching Simon up on what was happening.
"Is this how it felt for you, Jim?" Blair asked as they sat in the waiting room of the ER at Cascade General.
"What?" Jim questioned from the chair next to Blair.
"The Evans' case. When the doctor's were working on me."
"If you mean the worry, anger, frustration, and blaming myself for what happened? Yeah, this is it." Jim glanced at his friend's tired, anxious face and smiled. "You really like her, don't you?"
Blair looked up at the big man with a matching smile. "Don't you?"
"Can't help but like her, Chief," Jim replied. "But, I think my 'like' and your 'like' are two different things in this case."
Blair blushed and looked away. "You really blamed yourself when I got hurt?" he asked, deciding to change the subject.
Jim sighed thoughtfully, a small grin still playing on his lips. Then he turned more serious and said, "You're my family, Blair. There's been more times then just the Evans' case when you've ended up getting hurt. I can't help but blame myself. A couple of times I've thought about having your observers status cancelled just to keep you safe."
Blair stared at him dumbfounded for several seconds. "Jim, I didn't know," Blair finally said softly.
Jim shrugged, "I'm your Blessed Protector, remember? When I can't protect you, I end up blaming myself for your pain." He leaned back in the chair and put his head against the wall. "It's about, well ... it's about you being like the brother I wished I'd had growing up."
"What about Stephen?"
Jim's sigh was sad. "Stephen and I were never close. Too much competition." He looked down at Blair. "Things are better between us now, but he and I lost too much time together for us to really be close as brothers, Chief. Not like you and I are."
The two men fell silent for several long minutes.
"Jim?" Blair's voice was barely a whisper.
"Hmm?" Jim responded with eyes closed and head back.
"Thanks for telling me."
"Anytime."
A doctor walked into the waiting room. "Detective Ellison, I thought I recognized the name."
Jim stood, smiling as he took the outstretched hand, "Dr. Reams. It's been a while."
"Yes, I spent some time doing some research in Seattle." The doctor smiled at Blair, "And this would be?"
"Oh, sorry. Blair Sandburg is my partner. He's an observer with the Department."
Blair smiled and shook Dr. Reams' hand before asking, "Are you taking care of Kelsey? Is she okay?"
The doctor chuckled warmly, "Yes ... and yes. Broken wrist, but it was a clean break and should heal fine. Bruises, scrapes, slight concussion, but nothing serious. She's getting dressed now ... room five."
Blair let the air out of his lungs that he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
Jim felt the relief reflected on Blair's face, and said, "Why don't you go ahead, Chief. I'll sign the paperwork and be there in a few minutes."
"Yeah, okay. Thanks, doc. Nice to have met you," Blair said as he hurried out into the hallway.
Blair found Kelsey standing in the small cubicle struggling to pull her T-shirt over her head. She had her right arm through the sleeve, but the left sleeve was hung up on the bright green cast making it impossible to get her head completely through the neck.
"Need some help, there?" Blair asked, eyebrows raised, trying not to laugh.
"Blair?" Kelsey stopped her struggles, her voice muffles through the cotton shirt. "Zat you?"
"Yeah, it's me, Kelsey," Blair grinned as he stepped over to help her.
"Thank God! I can't find where my head is!"
Blair couldn't help but giggle at the dopey sound of her voice. He got Kelsey untangled and pulled the T-shirt down over her head. She smiled through mussed hair that Blair pushed out of her face.
"Hi, Blair," Kelsey grinned. Her eyes were dilated and slightly glazed.
Blair chuckled, "Hi yourself. How you feelin'?"
"Not too bad," Kelsey said and swayed slightly on her feet. "I feel a little fuzzy though."
"Here, sit down before you fall and break your other arm." Blair gently pushed Kelsey down into a chair. "Do you know what they gave you?"
"Gave me a shot. The nurse said it's the extra-strength version of this," Kelsey replied, handing a prescription bottle of pills to Blair.
Blair took the bottle. "Demerol. Geez, no wonder you're so doped up."
"Good stuff?"
"Yeah, great," Blair said, sounding slightly disgusted. He knew he had something that would work just as well at home, but without all the chemical side effects.
Dr. Reams and Jim walked in as Blair was adjusting the sling for Kelsey's arm.
"Ready to go home, kids?" Jim asked.
"Yeah, we're ready," Blair said, holding Kelsey upright in the chair as she leaned against his hip.
"Hi, Jim," Kelsey yawned.
Jim looked at Dr. Reams and asked, "I thought you said she was all right?"
"She is," Dr. Reams grinned. "Just gave her a shot for the pain. It'll help her sleep, too. She can start taking the Demerol in the morning as needed every four hours."
Blair handed the bottle of pain pills to Jim.
**********
At 7am the following morning the phone rang. Jim rolled over in bed and picked it up. Simon needed him at the station. Some new information had just come to light.
Dressing quickly, Jim went downstairs. Blair was sleeping peacefully, and obviously hadn't heard the phone. Jim went to the small bedroom and looked in on Kelsey, who was still in a drug induced sleep. After using sentinel hearing to listen to her heartrate and breathing, he concluded the drug was wearing off normally. Walking back out to the living room, Jim went to where Blair was sleeping.
"Hey, Blair," Jim said, lightly shaking the form that was sprawled on the sofa. "Chief, wake up."
Blair groaned, "Huh? Okay ... yeah."
Jim grinned as the young man tried to focus. "I have to go to the station for a while."
"Sure, Jim," Blair mumbled through a yawn as he sat up. "What's up?"
"I just got off the phone with Simon. He has something he wants to talk to me about. Can you stay here with Kelsey?"
"Yeah, no problem, man," Blair yawned again. "I don't have to be anywhere."
"Stay away from the windows and keep this door locked, okay?" Jim instructed as he headed for the door.
"Okay, Jim. You gonna be gone all day?"
Jim grabbed his jacket off the hook next to the door. "Shouldn't be. Probably just a few hours, but I'll call to check in with you." He opened the door, then turned back to his partner. "Watch yourself, Chief. Don't let anyone in that you don't know. Even if they say they're a cop."
Blair suddenly felt a nervous twinge in his stomach as he looked up at the tall detective. "Um, are we expecting trouble here?"
"Don't worry, it's just a precaution," Jim assured.
Blair closed the door behind Jim, locked it and slid the chain into place. Jim stood near the door until he was satisfied that Blair had locked it. In light of the information Simon had given him on the phone, Jim didn't want to leave the two alone, but he felt the loft was safe. He didn't want to say anything to Blair and Kelsey until he knew more, and there was no reason to think Wheeler would know where Kelsey was staying, and she needed the rest too much to drag her out if it wasn't necessary.
**********
"Hello?" Blair said into the receiver.
"Blair, it's me," Jim said from the other end of the line.
"Hey, Jim, how's it going?" Blair looked at his watch - 12pm.
"Listen, Chief, Wheeler is involved in the murder of Carlson Willard."
"Oh my God, Jim. Who would've thought ... I mean ..."
"Brad Wheeler has disappeared," Jim interrupted. "I want you and Kelsey to come here to the station where I can keep an eye on you both. Pack a few things, and grab some stuff for me. We're going to arrange a safe-house."
Blair pushed his hair back, "Okay, we'll be outta here in ten minutes."
A car pulled away from the corner as Blair drove away from the loft with Kelsey. He noticed, but didn't think too much about it until it had stayed behind them for several blocks, changing lanes as Blair did and even running a red light to stay with them. Blair wasn't sure what he should do, or if he should do anything at all. Anything could happen before they reached the safety of the police station. Choosing the route that would take them through the busier parts of Cascade, Blair pulled out his cell phone and hit speed dial number one.
"Ellison," Jim answered the phone on his desk.
"Jim, it's me, man," Blair said nervously. "We're being followed."
Kelsey turned to look at the car behind them and let out a gasp. "The driver is one of the killers!"
Blair's eyes grew wide, the phone momentarily forgotten as he looked in the rear view mirror.
"Sandburg?!" Jim said loudly into the phone. "Blair, talk to me, buddy. Where are you?"
"Oh ... yeah, okay." Blair tried to think. "We've just crossed 'L' Street on 16th. Jim, Kelsey says one of the murderers is the driver."
Shit! "Okay, stay calm," Jim said, trying to sound calm himself. "We're on our way, Chief. Stay on 16th. What kind of car is it?"
Blair glanced in the mirror, "A ... ah, black, Taurus. There's no license plate."
"Hang in there, Chief. I'll be there in a few minutes."
The Taurus pulled close to the bumper of Blair's Volvo as he clicked off the cell phone.
"Blair?!" Kelsey's voice trembled.
"I see it. Hang on," Blair told her.
The Taurus connected with the back of Blair's car. Not too hard, but enough to send a jolt through them. The next hit was harder, but Blair kept the Volvo under control. The little car just didn't have the acceleration to stay ahead of the newer Taurus. The third hit was hard enough to send Blair's car into a spin that sent it into a parked car before jerking to a halt.
Shaken, Blair asked Kelsey if she was all right. But, before she could answer, Blair was unceremoniously pulled from the car into the street. He heard Kelsey's cries as she was forced from the passenger seat.
"Let her go!" Blair yelled, twisting around in the grip that held him to see Kelsey being dragged, kicking and screaming, towards the black Taurus. "Wheeler! You Bastard! Let her go!"
Blair didn't see it coming. Everything just went suddenly black.
**********
Jim saw the Volvo ahead as he turned the corner onto 16th Street, followed by a good many of Cascade's finest. When he spotted Blair struggling and Kelsey being forced into the Taurus by Wheeler, anger and helplessness surging inside him. If Jim could've gotten more speed by putting his foot through the floor of the truck, he would've done just that. As he brought the truck to a screeching halt, Jim saw Blair go down after a powerful blow was delivered to his right jaw.
Wheeler sped away in the black Taurus, leaving his accomplice behind. The man tried to run, only to be tackled by Detective Brown. Jim rushed to Blair. He pressed his hand to the smaller man's chest, and was rewarded with the feel of his friend's heartbeat.
Simon appeared Jim's side. "Is he all right?"
Jim nodded, "He's going to have one hell of a headache, though."
"Wheeler got away with Kelsey, but our guys are in pursuit."
Blair moaned and his eyes opened slowly. He looked up at Jim with an statement of shear horror.
Jim put a hand on Blair's chest to hold him still. Seeing that his partner's eyes weren't focusing, Jim said, "Hey, Chief, it's me."
With a gasp, Blair grabbed Jim's arm and tried to push away from him. "No! Let me go!"
"Chief! Blair!" Jim pulled the struggling man into a tight hold. "Blair! C'mon, buddy! It's okay now!"
Blair stopped his struggles and looked around, vision still a little blurry.
"It's me, Blair. It's Jim."
Blair went limp in Jim's grasp, and heaved a gasping sigh.
Jim didn't need his sentinel abilities to feel the shivers that ran through Blair's body. "Hey, Chief, you with me here?" he asked quietly.
"Jim, they took Kelsey," Blair whispered.
"Yeah, I know, but we'll get her back."
"It all happened so fast after ... he ran us off the road ... I tried to ..." Blair rambled for a moment before leaning back into Jim and closing his eyes.
"It's okay. I wasn't your fault," Jim assured him as he smoothed Blair's hair back to get a look at the forming bruise on his face.
Simon knelt and grimaced at the darkening area on right side of Blair's face. There was a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. Jim's eyes met Simon's for a moment.
"Blair, c'mon. I'm going to take you to the hospital," Jim said.
"We gotta go after them, Jim," Blair said, unmoving and with eyes still closed.
"Not just now, Chief. I want you to get that looked at." He shifted Blair's weight so he could stand. Then hoisted the smaller man to his feet.
"No, I'm okay, man ... really," Blair mumbled as he wobbled on his feet.
Catching one arm, Jim held up three fingers in front of Blair's face, "How many fingers do you see?"
Blair squinted, trying to focus, "Umm ... six?"
"Oh, Lord," Simon said under his breath. "Jim ..."
Jim smiled faintly at the tone in the Captain's voice and locked an arm around his partner. "Yes, sir, we're going right now. Keep me updated."
"Sure, Jim." Simon watched his best detective lead his only observer to Jim's truck.
Just as the truck was out of sight, a call came over the radio, "Captain Banks, this is Brown."
"Go ahead," Simon said into the radio.
"Sir, we lost them in traffic."
**********
After finding that Blair only had a slight concussion and a badly bruised jaw, Jim drove them home.
"So, Wheeler was the third one that Kelsey didn't get a look at?" Blair asked quietly as he sat down on his bed.
"Looks that way, Chief," Jim said, pulling Blair's sneakers and socks off. "Wheeler's in debt up passed his eyeballs. Mostly from gambling. He's been in real desperate need of money."
Jim steadied his partner as Blair stood to unfasten his jeans, letting them fall to the floor around his feet. "But why kill Willard?" he asked, sitting down again with eyes falling shut.
"Don't know yet," Jim replied. Noticing Blair was falling asleep sitting there; he lifted the young man's legs onto the bed to get him to lie back.
Wincing slightly as he laid his sore head on the pillow, Blair cracked open his eyes and said, "So, now he wants to get the only witness out of the way."
"Wheeler was hoping Kelsey had just disappeared. When she showed up at the station in Tacoma, he thought he could frighten her into silence. When that didn't work, Wheeler tried to discredit her as a reliable witness, but Captain Davidson blew that for him by believing Kelsey was abused by him." Jim watched Blair's eyes slip closed again. "Now, get some rest. We can discuss it in the morning."
Blair tried to stifle a yawn, then asked, "Jim, how're we going to find Kelsey?"
Jim sighed as he pulled the blankets up and clicked the electric blanket control on. "Don't worry, Chief. We will find her."
**********
Kelsey opened her eyes to darkness. Wheeler had gotten angry at her struggling and screaming in the car and had struck her, knocking her out. Struggling to sit up now as a wave of dizziness assaulted her, sharp pain ran through Kelsey's left arm. When she cradled the broken wrist in her right arm she realized the cast was missing.
A few yards away a flashlight clicked on. "Hey, it's 'bout time you woke up. I was starting to worry," Brad Wheeler said. "Didn't mean to smack you that hard, but you've got a way of really pissin' me off."
"What happened to the cast?" Kelsey asked, trying to keep a calmness in her voice she didn't feel.
"Didn't like the color." Wheeler stood and sauntered over to where Kelsey sat on the floor. "I have to go make a phone call," he said as he grabbed her right hand. "Need you to stay put while I'm out." Wheeler took out a pair of handcuffs and put one around Kelsey's right wrist, the other around a metal pipe attached to the wall behind her. "Yell all you want. No one will hear you."
**********
"Yeah ... Ellison," Jim said sleepily into the phone. He rolled onto his side to look at the clock next to the bed. It said 2am.
"Detective Ellison," the familiar voice said. "So sorry to wake you."
"Wheeler? Where's Kelsey?!"
"Now, now, Detective. Miss Lind is alive ... for now."
Jim pushed himself up into a sitting position. "What do you want?"
"Without a witness, you won't be able to even charge me with anything."
"We don't need a witness. We have your accomplice ... Graham Peters. He's already talked to us in hopes of a plea bargain. Then there's your brother, Aaron, who is still being held in Seattle. I'm sure we'll get a confession out of him, too."
Wheeler was momentarily silent, thrown off guard. "Son-of-a-bitch," he cursed under his breath.
Jim smiled to himself, "What do you expect? You left Peters behind to be caught. He doesn't want to take the rap alone." Hearing soft footsteps on the stairs, Jim looked up to see Blair. "Where is she, Wheeler?" Jim asked again as he waved the younger man over. "She's no good to you. We've got you no matter what you do."
Blair quickly moved to the bed and crawled under the covers.
"For now she's my bargaining chip," Wheeler said. "Drop the charges. I'll leave the country," his voice held a hint of desperation. "I'll let you know where she is when I'm safely out of here."
The connection went dead.
Jim set the phone down and turned to the pale figure huddled on the other side of the bed. "You okay, Chief?"
"I heard the phone," Blair said quietly.
"C'mon ... lay down here." Jim smiled gently. "Is this going to become a habit?" It had been many months since the young man had felt a need to do this. Probably had a nightmare.
Blair's lips curled into a small smile and his cheeks reddened slightly. "Only when I get scared of the dark, man." He lay down, suddenly feeling safe and relaxed. "I know that was Wheeler, Jim. What's goin' on?"
Jim saw Blair's eyes becoming heavy. "Nothing ... yet. He wants to trade Kelsey for his freedom."
"He's going to kill her, isn't he?"
"Not if I have anything to say about it. Now ... are you going to go to sleep, or am I going to have to go into mother hen mode?" Jim smiled at the look of disgust on his friend's face. "There'll be time to talk later."
"Jim ..."
"Shh, go to sleep. You need rest."
Jim sat there and waited until Blair's breathing evened out into the slow rhythm of sleep before carefully getting out of bed and gabbing his robe. He'd call Simon from downstairs.
**********
Kelsey dozed fitfully. Dreams and images invaded her mind as she lay on the cold floor in the dark. She listened to the squeals of rats as they moved around her. As the time dragged on a strange numbness was overcoming Kelsey's fear and pain. By the time anger set in, she was trying to work her hand out of the handcuff.
When that tactic failed to do anything more than rip the skin from her wrist, Kelsey began working on the rusted old pipe the other end of the cuffs were connected to. She felt her was along the pipe to where a metal strap held two sections of the pipe together. Using the handcuff on her wrist, Kelsey hammered at the metal strap until it loosened enough to separate the sections of pipe. She was then able to slip the cuff off the pipe.
At that same moment Wheeler burst through the door of the warehouse. Taking his anger out on the door, he slammed it shut as hard as he could. An animal like grunt escaped from deep inside him. Everything was lost. His family, friends, a good job, all his savings ... and his pride ... all gone. Brad Wheeler was as poor as a man could get.
Hearing a noise above him, he grinned evilly. She's the reason my life is falling apart! Wheeler thought. She's the one responsible! She'll pay for what she's done to me! Grabbing the flashlight, he stomped his way up the stairs to where he'd left Kelsey.
**********
Kelsey heard the commotion as Wheeler came through the door and slammed it shut. In a moment of panic she looked around the dark room for a place to hide. Then a calm flowed through her and Kelsey knew the time for hiding was over. It was time to fight now. Time to fight for the right to live.
Wheeler appeared at the top of the stairs and shined the light he held on the spot where he'd left Kelsey handcuffed. "Shit!" he cursed aloud when he saw she'd escaped. Drawing his gun and moving the light about, he growled, "Where you hiding, bitch!?!"
Stepping out of the darkness behind Wheeler, Kelsey swung her right hand, holding the loose end of the handcuffs in her fist, around into the back of his head. "I'm right here, you bastard!"
The blow sent Wheeler to his knees with blinding pain, and sent the flashlight and gun skittering across the floor. Twisting to one side, he grabbed Kelsey around the knees and pulled her down before she could get out of his reach.
Screaming at the pain that shot through her broken wrist when she hit the floor, Kelsey tried to scramble away. She kicked at Wheeler as she tried to push him away and connected with his forehead, leaving a bloody gash.
Wheeler howled with pain and anger as blood poured down his face. Grabbing Kelsey around the waist as she desperately tried to get away, he got to his feet and spun her around to face him. "You little shit! You'll pay for this! You'll pay for everything!" Then he backhanded Kelsey hard across the face.
Kelsey went sprawling from the blow. Something hard pressed into her lower back as she moved to get up. Kelsey's fingers curled around the gun before she even realized what it was.
**********
Captain Simon Banks hung up the phone in his office and looked at Jim and Blair. "Shots fired in the warehouse district. 1491 Cyan," he said grimly. "From the description, it's Kelsey."
Cascade Police cars swarmed the block.
Kelsey paced the sidewalk, brandishing a handgun at anyone who came near. "I killed him. Shot him with his own gun," she said hollowly to no one in particular. Her eyes were sad and dark in her pale, bruised, tear-streaked face. Handcuffs dangled from her bleeding right wrist, clanking against the gun as she moved about nervously. Kelsey's left arm and hand hung uselessly at her side, and were horribly swollen with a broken bone just above the wrist working its way through the skin.
Jim and Blair pushed through the crowd of police and reporters as Simon shouted instructions.
"Oh my God," Blair whispered.
"STAY BACK!" Kelsey yelled, pointing the gun at Jim and Blair as if she'd never seen them before.
"It's alright, Kelsey. Calm down," Jim said gently.
Kelsey was shaking uncontrollably, blood dripping from her wrist and hand. "Go away! Leave me alone!" she pleaded.
"Kelsey, what happened? Where's Brad Wheeler?"
Kelsey sniffled back tears. "I-I shot him. He's dead. I killed him."
Blair took a slow step forward.
"Don't come any closer, Blair!" Kelsey pointed the shaking gun at Blair's chest. "Please."
Jim grabbed Blair's arm to stop him.
Blair raised his hands in resignation, "Okay. Okay, Kelsey. I won't come any closer. Just talk to me. Tell me what happened." He kept his voice level and calm.
Kelsey stared at him for a long moment. "H-He was so angry ... 'cause I got loose," she started at last. Moving her right arm to indicate the handcuffs, she continued, "He cuffed me again ... li-like he did before ... and h-he hurt me."
"Let me help you, Kelsey," Blair said. "Like I did in Tacoma. Remember that? I got the cuffs off and took you out of the holding cell."
Kelsey smiled, lips trembling, tears falling. "You were nice to me, Blair. You and Jim both. But ... I k-killed him. He wouldn't stop hurting me."
"It's going to be okay now, Kelsey. He won't hurt you ... or anyone ever again," Jim told her.
"But ... you don't understand! I KILLED him!" Kelsey sobbed. "I killed someone." Her voice fell to a pain filled whisper that spoke volumes.
"Oh God," Blair said quietly, realizing what the young woman was saying.
Jim understood, too. "Kelsey, listen to me. It was self-defense. It wasn't your fault." That bastard deserved it!
Kelsey looked at the gun she held. "But, I didn't ha-have to kill him." Her voice was a whisper. "I kept pulling the trigger ... I d-don't know how many times. I'm no better than he was. I murdered him." Slowly, deliberately, Kelsey's hand shaking, she brought the gun up until it rested under her chin.
"NO!" Jim and Blair cried simultaneously.
"If you do this to yourself, Kelsey, you've let Wheeler win," Jim stated, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice.
Kelsey looked sadly from Jim to Blair. Her thumb pulled back the hammer.
"Kelsey, please! Don't let him do this to you!" Blair pleaded. "I want to help you." He glanced at Jim. "We want to help you. You're our friend, Kelsey. We care."
Kelsey closed her eyes, her finger brushing the trigger for a moment, but not quite settling around it.
"C'mon, Kelsey, let us help you," Jim said.
"I don't want to go to jail, Jim," Kelsey sobbed with her eyes still closed. "I-I couldn't go through that again."
"I was self-defense. There's no reason to put you in jail."
Kasey opened her eyes and stared at the big detective as if searching for something. "Truth?"
"Truth."
"Promise?"
"Cross my heart," Jim said, tracing an 'X' over his chest with one finger.
Kelsey stared at Jim for a moment longer, then gazed at Blair before letting the hand holding the gun drop to her side. "Help me!" Kelsey sobbed.
Jim quickly stepped forward and took the fun from Kelsey as she collapsed into his strong arms. He carefully released the hammer and clicked the safety on. Moving in with Jim, Blair helped to ease Kelsey down to the sidewalk. Simon took the gun from Jim's outstretched hand.
"I'm sorry," Kelsey cried into Jim's shoulder.
"It's all right now, Kelsey," Jim whispered as he wrapped her in his arms. "It's over."
Detective Brown handed a key to Blair, who carefully removed the handcuffs. As the cuffs fell away, making a sharp clattering sound when they hit the concrete, Kelsey's hand latched onto Blair's with no intention of letting go.
Jim gently let Kelsey move into Blair's arms and stood. "It'll be right back."
"Jim ...," Blair began as he hugged the hysterical woman close.
Jim shook his head and indicated the building behind him. "I have to see for myself."
Blair nodded solemnly; rocking Kelsey slowly as the paramedics arrived.
**********
Epilogue
A month after the Carlson Willard case was closed, Kelsey was well on her way to recovery. Surgery repaired her broken wrist, therapy was doing wonders to get her through the emotions and nightmares. She remained with Jim and Blair at the loft during the recovery time. Jim insisted Kelsey needed to be around friends and the people she could trust.
"Great. Now he's got himself a little sister, too," Captain Banks muttered to himself after receiving an update from the Detective. But, he was smiling.
**********
As soon as the doctors released Kelsey to do so, she was out looking for a job.
Jim opened the door when his sensitive ears picked up the sound of keys outside, and was surprised by a bundle that immediately attached itself to him. "Kelsey?" Jim could hear the young woman's accelerated heartrate as he embraced her. "What's wrong?"
Blair came out of his room at the mention of Kelsey's name. "What's goin' on?"
Jim shrugged, then gently pulled Kelsey back to see a wide grin and sparkling eyes.
"I got the job!!" Kelsey squealed happily.
"That's great!" Jim said, hugging her again.
"Fantastic!" Blair chimed in and stepped forward to receive his own embrace. "When do you start?"
"Monday! I'm sooo excited!"
"Isn't that a little soon?" Jim questioned. "You don't get the cast off your arm for two more weeks."
"They said there shouldn't be any problem working around my arm while it heals. I'll probably start out in the mail room," Kelsey replied.
"Wow, the Cascade Times."
Kelsey became momentarily serious, "Do you think you can put up with me for another month? I should have the money for a place of my own then."
"You are welcome to stay as long as you need to," Jim said.
Kelsey looked at Blair, "You don't mind? After all, you've given up your room."
"No problem," Blair smiled.
Jim handed Blair a jacket and said, "Let's celebrate! We'll go have dinner at Giannie's Italian Restaurant."
"Umm ... Jim," Blair sighed. "I don't get paid 'til next week, man, and ..."
"My treat," Jim grinned without a moments hesitation.
"Boy, if I thought getting dinner out at a great restaurant was this easy ... I would've changed jobs months ago," Blair whispered in Kelsey's ear.
"I heard that."
Kelsey and Blair giggled as they preceded Jim to the elevator.
~~~~~
end