Every now and then people come to realize the truth of their situation even when the evidence is hidden from them. It is then someone has a change of heart.

PRECINCT NINE

Detective Gennery hurriedly walked into the precinct looking for the two small time hoods. He gave an order as he passed a desk officer. "Humphrey, bring Lawrence and Billy to Interrogation Room one."

"Ah..." Humphrey sputtered.

"What is it, Humphrey? Bring those two to room one. Now!"

"I...I can't." Humphrey stood before addressing Gennery. "The Captain released them an hour ago."

The detective's disbelief  could be seen in his facial expression. "They are wanted for assault on John Doe!"

The officer offered a shrug and innocently proclaimed. "Captain did not see it the same way."

"Shit!" Gennery turned to leave the precinct only to come face to face Captain Chambered.

The Captain folded his arms before asking Gennery if he was successful. "Detective, did you locate John Doe?"

"Ah, no Sir, I have not been able to find him. I checked the hospitals but nothing."

The superior officer raised his hand to stop the excuse. "Come with me, detective."

The two walked into the Captain's office. "Sit, Gennery. Coffee?"

"No Sir, I'm already amped up as it is."

"You were not supposed to come back empty-handed. I told you I wanted John Doe. Here!" He slammed the desk with his hand.

"I came back to question Lawrence and Billy."

"Those two idiots?" The Captain barked at his newest detective. "What the hell would they know?"

"They found him before. I thought..."

"You thought they could find him again? I thought you were the detective!" Chambered knew he needed Gennery away from his two pippets. "You are off this case. Take up the Kennedy break-and-enter case."

"This is the first time I have been pulled from a case. It's only four days old, Sir." Gennery felt something amiss.

Captain Chambered stood before laying into Gennery. "Goddamn it! Both the mayor and the governor are on my ass! I can't wait for you to dick around taking shots in the dark. I need this case off my desk and into the district attorney's hands by Monday."

"Who is taking over?"

"Reston. Pick up the Kennedy break-and-enter. We are backed up on several cases!" The Captain stared at the Detective. "Now, drop the John Doe file off on Detective Reston's desk. I am giving you a direct order Gennery!"

"Yes, Sir." Gennery understood. "Anything else, Sir?"

"Don't look so dejected. This case needs an experienced detective and I need the mayor and governor off my ass. Dismissed." Captain Chambered waved his hand towards the door.

It felt like a punch to the stomach for Gennery. He pulled the file from his active case rack and put it on Reston's desk. As he laid it down he read a message left on a post-it note for the absent detective.

John Doe at Saint Vincent's.
Lawrence

"Hmmm." Gennery casually left the precinct. Once in his car, he looked at his cellphone. "Missed called, Dr. Kline?"

He listened to her message. "Carol Vecshere? He isn't a cop. He's Fromanger's bodyguard. Fuck me!" Gennery sped away to Saint Vincent's.

He quickly called Dr. Kline as he sped towards the hospital.

"Hello, Dr. Kline." The doctor anticipated his return call.

"Yeah, it's Detective Gennery. Is Mr. Dunn okay, Doctor?"

"Yes, our security person scared that other man off."

"Get Mr. Dunn out of the ICU. Find a room out of the way. Be quiet about it but hurry! A Detective Reston is on his way and he will take him away."

"You believe he is innocent?"

"I believe he is being framed. Call me back when you have Mr. Dunn moved."

"I will." Dr. Kline ended the call and moved quickly to get her patient to safety. "Nancy, we need to move Mr. Dunn right now! Ready a bed in the ward on the sixth floor."

She grabbed a wheelchair from the hall and entered the ICU. "Mr.... who are you?" The man startled Dr. Kline.

"Oh, hi doctor."

"This is a restricted area." Dr. Kline asked again. "Who are you?"

The man did not have a chance to answer. Jimmy turned the man where he stood and delivered a left cross that knocked the unknown man out.

"Mr. Dunn!" The doctor did not expect violence from Jimmy.

"His name is Lawrence. AKA Killer. And this is the third time he has tried to take me out this week! Mother...ah, sorry Dr. Kline."

"Quite alright. Help me get him into your bed. I have just the thing for this guy." Dr. Kline chortled.

"What are you thinking doctor?"

"I am thinking you should call me Cassandra and this guy needs a pinel restraint." A fitting use to slow down any would-be assassin.

"What?" Jimmy frowned.

"Don't ask. Just help me." Together the two fitted Lawrence with a body harness and slipped his hands into the restraints. "That ought to hold him." The doctor stood back admiring her handy work.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I can feel you are not the man that has done those crimes. Detective Gennery just called. A Detective Reston is coming for you."

"Forget the wheelchair. I am out of here." Jimmy gathered his clothes from the locker behind the door when Reston showed up at the door of the ICU.

"Are you the doctor?" Detective Reston enquired. "They said a Dr. Kline would be up here. I didn't see a nurse at the station."

"I am Dr. Kline, how can I help you. Mr.?"

"Oh, it's Detective Reston. I am looking for a John Doe."

"This man just arrived without any identification. Maybe he is who you are searching for." Dr. Kline directed Reston to the bed. "They said he was violent and had him restrained."

The detective approached the bed and Jimmy quietly slipped into the hallway without being noticed.

Detective Reston looked at Lawrence and rolled his eyes. "This man is not John Doe. I know this guy." He pulled the sheets back. "What kind of game are you playing here?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about detective." Dr. Kline played dumb.

"Where is he? I will not ask you again!" Reston raised a finger. "If you..."

Just then Brainless Billy yelled out. "Not you, again! Stay away from me!"

The detective raced to the door knowing Billy's voice sounded distressed. "Billy?" But by the time he made it to the doorway to see what had happened Billy could not be seen. "Billy?"

The detective slowly walked towards the elevator. As if on queue, the doors opened and Billy laid there unconscious. "Geesus, Billy, you are an idiot." Reston rose and yelled. "Doctor!"

Dr. Kline ran to the detective. "Check this man out."

Dr. Kline checked Billy over. "He appears to be unconscious, his heart is good." She grabbed the closest wheelchair and they put Billy in a bed next to Lawrence.

"When they wake, tell them to call me." Reston handed the doctor his business card. "And get Lawrence out of that restraint!"

Once detective Reston took off, Dr. Kline proceeded to fit Billy with the same pinel restraint. She pulled the privacy curtains around both beds and headed to the nurses' station.

Cheryl returned to the nurse's station. "Dr. Kline, the bed is all ready for Mr. Dunn. I thought you were following right behind me."

"Change of plans Cheryl. There are two men in pinel restraints in beds three and four." Dr. Kline pulled her cellphone from her pocket. "When they wake tell them they are under observation."

"For how long?" Cheryl frowned.

"Overnight. I am finally going home. See you tomorrow, Cheryl!"

"Yeah, yeah. See ya, Doctor." The nurse shrugged but accepted the doctor's orders.

Once in the elevator, Dr. Kline called Detective Gennery. "Hello detective, it's Dr. Kline."

"Everything okay? I am almost there."

"Well, Mr. Dunn ran but there are two men in restraints in my ICU. I believe one is Billy and the other..."

"The other is Lawrence?"

"Yes."

"I want to talk to those two!"

"And a detective Reston was here but is searching for Mr. Dunn now."

"I told you to hide him away."

"He had no intentions of being caught by that other detective."

"Okay. I will be there to talk to Lawrence and Billy."

"They are in the ICU but hurry, the pinel restraints will not hold them long. I am going home now."

"Thanks, Doc. I appreciate what you've done."

The two ended the call and Gennery continued towards the hospital. He parked and rushed to the ICU in time to see the two men struggling and swearing at each other.

"Alright guys, lower the volume. I could hear you from the hall. This is a hospital. Now I have a few questions."

"Screw you, Gennery. We know our rights and you can't do this?" Lawrence struggled with the harness.

"Do what, Lawrence?" Gennery shrugged.

Lawrence's face turned beet red from his efforts to free himself. "Hold us here against our will!"

"I did not put you two in restraints. I have no idea who did or why. So why don't you shut your pie hole? Billy, want to answer a question?"

"Don't do it, Billy!"

Gennery looked down at the younger man. "Billy, why are you after John Doe?"

"Not a fucking word, Billy!" Lawrence barked.

"Don't listen to Lawrence, Billy. Just answer the simple question."

Billy looked at Lawrence then to Gennery.

"I am fucking warning you, Billy!"

Gennery looked to Lawrence then back to the younger man to repeat his question. "Billy. Why were you chasing John Doe?"

"Billy...." Lawrence was interrupted by his less intelligent friend.

Billy confessed. "We are supposed to kill him."

"Ah fuck, Billy! Shut the fuck up! Gennery, you know you can't use that as evidence."

Gennery did not look back at Lawrence this time and asked Billy the much more important question. "Who told you to kill John Doe?"

"Billy, you are fucking dead if you talk. Don't answer Gennery." Lawrence strained trying to convince his friend.

Billy looked over at his longtime friend. With his face drenched in sweat, his eyes fixed on Lawrence, he opened his mouth. "Ca..ca."

"Fuck Billy, don't say it." Lawrence pleaded.

Billy turned to the detective. "I can't, Sir."

Lawrence breathed.

The detective made sure Billy knew his predicament. "Billy, you understand you are in big trouble?"

Billy nodded.

The detective chose a softer tone and a more gentle approach with Billy. "You know you can go to prison for a very long time for just planning a murder, right?"

Again Billy nodded.

"You can make it easier on yourself by telling me. Okay?"

Billy nodded but Lawrence lashed out again. "Billy, you dumb mother..."

Gennery hovered over Killer. "Hold your tongue, Lawrence!"

"Fuck you, Gennery. Don't listen to this fucker Billy. He isn't like the rest of them." Lawrence let the cat out of the bag.

The detective paused. That aha moment arrived and directed the next question at Lawrence. "I'm not like the rest of who?"

"Fuck you, Gennery!" The red faced man knew he screwed up.

"Same old answer, hey Lawrence? Well, fuck you." The detective pressed Billy again.

"Okay Billy, Lawrence doesn't care about you. He just wants to save his own ass." Gennery dangled a carrot. "Answer my question and I will personally release you."

"Can I let Lawrence go too?" Billy showed his loyalty.

"If you want. That is up to you but you have to give me that name or the deal is off, Billy." Gennery stepped back.

Billy struggled with his choice looking up at Gennery then to Lawrence. He relented and let out one name that would change his life forever. "Captain."

Lawrence slammed his head against the pillow viciously several times as he cried. "Billlllllly! Why?"

Gennery held to his word and released Billy from the restraints then walked out of the ICU. He made it to the elevator and waited.

"Detective."

Gennery turned. "Hey, Billy. Where's Lawrence?"

"He is still on the bed."

"You didn't let him out of his restraint?"

"He will kill me."

Gennery nodded. "A lot of that going around, Billy."

"I can help you." Billy offered.

The elevator doors opened and Marie exited the car looking at Billy. She frowned as she fired questions at the young hood. "What are you doing here, Billy? Looking to kill someone? Where's Jimmy?"

"He is out there running from another detective." Gennery looked at Marie's cast. "How did that happen?"

"Some idiot that wanted to take Jimmy away."

Billy frowned not knowing what the other two knew. "Who is Jimmy?"

"Never mind who Jimmy is." Gennery deflected Billy's question.

"You are brainless, Billy," Marie added.

"What?" Billy did not like being called stupid.

"Get in the elevator, Marie." Gennery motioned to her.

Before the doors closed Billy slipped in as well. "Let me help, Gennery."

"What am I missing here, Billy?" The detective asked a second question. "How can you help?"

"I know where the girl is." Another confession from Billy.

"You know where Lana is, you little puke? She better be alive or else you will not have to worry about prison!" Marie threatened Billy.

"Ya?"

"Ya!"

"You two shut the hell up! Marie go home! Billy come with me!" The elevator door opened and Gennery yanked Billy out and pulled him to the car. Marie kept pace. "Marie, go home!"

"Uh uh." She shook her head. "Alex is out there looking for Lana and he could be in trouble so push over Billy!"

Detective Gennery rolled his eyes and looked to the heavens. "This day keeps getting better. Fuck me."