Disclaimer: If you recognize the characters, they belong to Alliance. If you don't then they belong to me

Author's Notes: This story was inspired by Laurie H. who pointed out how few gen/canon stories are being written. For that reason, I dedicate this to her.
Julia beta'd and as always, I appreciate her time and effort.

Story Notes: No warnings or special ratings. Just apply the same caution you would to watching an episode. Feeback is welcome and craved.

The knock on the door came in three sharp raps. The door rattled. Without a lock, it nearly came open. Diefenbaker sniffed at the door's edge. He either felt the vibration or perhaps, he simply smelled the visitor. In any event, I rose from my small kitchen and carefully turned over my father's journal so that my place wouldn't be lost.

I must admit to being somewhat self-conscious wearing only my brown uniform slacks and white undershirt. But since I was home and it was after seven, I could hardly be expected to remain in full uniform.

I opened the door to find Larry Rodriguez, a teenage neighbor from the first floor, staring at me with his hands plunged into deep pockets. I wondered idly how he managed to keep the oversized jeans from falling, particularly with the weight of his hands. The boy didn't speak but his eyes darted towards the end of the hall and back to me a number of times.

"Would you like to come in?"

"Yeah, I, uh, yeah."

I moved out of the way so he could enter. Larry was only sixteen or seventeen and hadn't quite filled out yet. The larger than necessary clothing dwarfed him somewhat. He wore his hair just past his collar but a gold earring remained visible in his right ear.

"I, uh, I didn't come here for no lecture."

"All right," I nodded.

"And I don't want you calling my mom either. She's got enough to worry about."

"And your father?"

"Couldn't call him even if you wanted to." He said this smugly as if he'd won some sort of battle that I hadn't recognized.

"Is there something you would like me to do?"

"Yeah. Get your dog off me."

I had only been peripherally aware that Dief was sniffing the young man with unusual interest.

"I'm afraid he won't stop. It's something we've discussed but, well, you are essentially a stranger and it is instinctive."

The boy moved away as if trying to escape Dief's scrutiny. He was not successful. Finally he just started moving, pacing almost, as if he were now trying to outrun my companion. Dief dogged him.

"Perhaps you have something that interests him," I suggested. I was partly hoping it was only candy and partly hoping not. For the boy's sake, food would be the best choice. For my sanity and the sake of Dief's junk food addiction, something more sinister would be better.

"I don't got anything."

Dief jumped on him, knocking him back a step. Something dislodged and I could see the boy squirming as an object made its way from the back of his jeans and down the leg to clatter on the hard floor. Dief growled and stood over the small gun.

"Oh, man," Larry muttered, slapping himself on the forehead before he went into the kitchen and slumped into a chair.

"Larry?" I asked as I picked up the weapon carefully, mindful of the possible need for a fingerprint check. I unloaded it, putting the bullets in my pocket and set the gun in the nightstand drawer beside my bed. "Why are you carrying an illegal weapon?"

"I have a, whadyacallit, a permit," he snapped.

"You're too young, Larry. Now, you came to me. What is this about?"

The boy turned his dark eyes in my direction. "Nothing. I just needed a hide out, ya know, like a hide out."

"A hide out from what exactly?"

"Don't matter. Ya done what I wanted, I'm out of here."

He started towards the door, forcing me to block his path.

"What the..?" He shoved at me. Not hard enough to really move me. He had neither the weight nor the musculature for that task. Diefenbaker growled and planted himself in front of the door.

"Carrying an unlicensed firearm is a crime, I can't let you leave."

"You're arresting me? You're arresting me?"

"Perhaps. But first, I'd like you to tell me why you need a gun."

"Aw, come on, just let me go."

"No," I said seriously.

"Crazy Mountie. That's what everybody thinks about you."

Hmm. I didn't know that.

Larry started pacing again. My apartment is not large so he managed to make several treks before finally coming to rest back at the kitchen table. He laid his head across his arms and made a moaning noise.

I went in the kitchen and pulled out the chair across from him.

"Would you like to tell me now?"

"All right fine. You're gonna bust me for that gun, so I guess you might as well get me for stealing too."

I remained silent.

"It was stupid, okay? It was stupid. But, everybody knows, everybody knows that Vince Sorrento always picks up from Mr. Ying on Thursday nights, okay? It's the only place he picks up so it's not like it's that much money, right, a few hundred bucks. But cuz of that, Vince is always alone and everybody knows it. So my buddy, he says, we should roll Vince, says it's illegal money anyway and who's gonna care about a few hundred bucks? But you know what? Vince did care. He came after us. I don't even know if Ricky is still alive cuz Vince came after us big time."

I imagine he did. Vince worked for Frank Zuko.

"When did this happen?"

"The roll on Vince or him coming after us?"

"Let's start with the initial robbery. Tell me what happened and when."

"Okay, okay, uh, it was Thursday, you know, the last one. And we hid out in the alley next to Ying's and we waited and Vince went in just like always and he came out, you know, just like always and we were waiting. We just jumped out at him and both of us had guns and we told him to give us the cash. Vince just laughed at first, like he didn't think we were serious, right? So Ricky, he tried to get tough. Well, Vince didn't like that and he tried to jump Ricky and Ricky panicked and started swinging his gun around. He didn't have a little piece like mine. He had a big, old hunting rifle that he stole off his dad. Anyway he nailed Vince in the head. It was all panic, right? He didn't mean to. Then he freaked out, grabbed the envelope out of Vince's pocket and we ran like hell."

I sat back. This was worrisome.

"Larry, I have to call my partner, Detective Vecchio."

"No, uh-uh, no cops."

"I have to. It's a police matter and he has a unique knowledge of Frank Zuko's business."

"Oh, God, I'm going straight to prison, aren't I?"

"I don't believe it will come to that."

I left Dief to watch the door and my skittish visitor while I went to Mr. Mustafi's apartment to phone Ray Vecchio. The mere mention of Frank Zuko's name had Ray abandoning his complaints at being called and promising to come over.

I returned to Larry who was flipping through the pages of the journal I had left out. I gently, but firmly, disengaged him from the book. My father's journals were a private affair and certainly not intended for prying eyes.

"Now, what happened after you stole the money?"

"Nothing at first. A couple days went by and there wasn't even a hint of trouble. But, then, tonight, all hell broke loose. Me and Ricky were hanging down by the playground on the corner when Vince showed up out of nowhere. He didn't say anything. He didn't even ask where the money was. He just started shooting. I ducked behind the slide and Ricky headed for the monkey bars. Vince went after Ricky and I hightailed it out of there. As soon as I got close to here, I knew I couldn't go home. My family is there, you know? So I came here."

I didn't bother to point out that he still came home, just not to his own apartment.

"You didn't see what happened to Ricky?"

"No. But, after Vince fired the first couple of shots, the ones that got us running, I didn't hear anymore shooting so maybe he got away."

"Maybe he did. Where is the money now?"

"It's in my room, under my mattress. We didn't dare spend any of it 'til we were sure we weren't gonna get killed over it."

"After Detective Vecchio arrives, we'll retrieve the money. I believe our only course may be to try and return it to Mr. Sorrento."

"I don't think he really wants the money anymore, man. I think he just wants to kill us."

"That may be true but we need a starting place. The return of the money with an apology may diffuse the situation."

I didn't bother to ask Larry if he was hungry. I opened the refrigerator, extracted three eggs and began to scramble them in milk. After warming the pan and starting them to cook, I put bread down for toast.

By the time, Ray arrived, Larry was vigorously eating.

I pulled Ray to the side before introducing them and gave him a synopsis of the situation. I gave him the gun I had confiscated and reminded him that the boy was young and afraid.

"And stupid," Ray said out loud so that Larry could hear him. I rolled my eyes.

Ray walked around me. "Really stupid. Where'd you get the gun?"

Larry grinned at him and swallowed his eggs. Ray stiffened at the response then drew off his long coat and laid it on my bed before he pulled a chair out at the table. We both sat down.

"I'm gonna run a trace on it so you better hope it hasn't been used in a crime," Ray said

"Ah, settle down, it's my mother's." Larry looked at me. "And she has a permit."

"We'll see about that," Ray said. "So, where's the money?"

"What's it to you?"

"It's under his mattress at home," I answered, hoping to keep the tension from escalating.

"And home is in this building, right?"

"I can take you downstairs, introduce you to his mother."

"No, no way, you are not bringing my mom into this."

"It's a little late to worry about getting grounded, kid," Ray said. "Now, let's go get the cash so we can take it back."

"I mean it. I don't want my mom to know about this. My sisters are still real young and she's by herself so we're not telling her."

"I see no reason to inform Mrs. Rodriguez," I said to Ray. "As long as we're able to appease Vince Sorrento."

"And Frankie Zuko. Don't forget about Frank."

"I haven't."

Our history with Frank Zuko is complicated. Our last encounter began with the murder of Detective Louis Gardino and ended with the death of Irene Zuko.

We waited while Larry dawdled over his toast until finally, Ray took the last slice out of his hand and fed it to Diefenbaker. Larry glared at him before he pushed out of the chair.

"I'll go get it and come back," he said.

"Not likely," Ray said.

"We'll go down with you, Larry but we'll wait outside," I bargained.

"Like hell," Ray said.

"Ray, he came to us for help. He knows that if we don't return the money then he and his friend, Ricky will be left in danger." I looked at Larry. "He knows that we're his best hope." Larry nodded reluctantly. "All right then, let's go."

I retrieved my leather jacket from the closet while Ray slipped back into his overcoat. Larry was still wearing his vinyl jacket over all of the other clothes. We took the stairs down to the first floor, none of us trusting the old elevator. When we reached the front door of Larry's apartment, both Ray and I moved to one side so that we weren't visible.

"I don't trust him," Ray said. "I'm going out to the alley in case he tries to sneak out through the window."

"Very well." I knelt down in front of Dief and took his muzzle so he was looking at me. "Go with Ray."

Dief followed Ray out the door. I waited for several moments but Larry never emerged.

I tuned in my hearing, knowing that it was eavesdropping but needing to determine the cause of the delay. Almost immediately I heard a muffled sound of distress.

Fearing the worst, I turned the doorknob without knocking and pushed it open. The first thing I saw were two small girls, sitting on the couch and staring in my direction. One of them was dressed in blue jeans and a pink t-shirt, the other in a yellow ruffled dress and diaper. The older one held the hand of the baby. The next thing I felt, rather than saw, and that was the barrel of a gun pressed against my neck.

"Oh, dear," I said.

"Who are you?" A male voice demanded.

"Benton Fraser and you are?"

"Don't worry about it. What do you want?"

"I'm looking for Larry and his mother. Are they at home?"

"Get in here," the man said. I took several steps into the room before I turned and grabbed the wrist holding the weapon jerking in on the assailant until he grunted and dropped the weapon. Using my superior weight I flung him around until he landed face first on the floor and then I twisted his arm up behind his back to hold him place.

I was somewhat surprised to see that I was not holding Vince Sorrento but another individual entirely. I was also surprised and relieved when Ray came into the room through the back of the apartment, probably through Larry's bedroom.

"Larry signaled from his window," Ray said. "Who do you got there?"

Before I could answer, Mrs. Rodriguez came into the room.

"Oh, my babies," she cried and drew the two little girls against her. "Are you all right? Did he hurt you?"

"No, mama," the oldest girl squeaked as her mother hugged a bit too tight.

"Oh, Constable, I..I don't know how to thank you. My poor babies, he could've hurt my babies."

"They're okay, mom," Larry said.

"And you...bringing your street nonsense into our home. What is wrong with you? These are your sisters, they could've been killed."

Ray and I averted our attention from the family drama behind us. Ray had already handcuffed our prisoner and we held him between us.

"Let's get him outside," Ray said.

Once we were in the hall, Ray looked closely at the young man in our grip. He was short and stocky with the dark coloring that denotes Italian descent.

"You're Paulie Zuko," Ray said. "I haven't seen you in ten years."

"Yeah, Ray, how're you doing?"

"Better than you. What're you doing, working for your cousin again?"

"Nah, not for Frankie."

"Vince?"

"Well, I can't really say, can I, Ray?"

"You know we got you on kidnapping and assault here, Paulie."

"Assault? I didn't touch any of them."

"You don't have to hurt them for it to be assault. Now, how about you tell me what's going on that you'd terrorize a couple of little kids like that?"

"Aw, Ray, I'm good with kids. I just wanted the boy to give back the envelope, ya know? No big deal. He just needed a little incentive."

"How does Vince fit in? Shouldn't he be here instead of you?"

"Vince had other stuff to do tonight."

"Ricky," I said softly.

"He's not off murdering the other boy, is he, Paulie? If he's doing that, you have to tell me so we can stop him. If we don't, then you go down as an accessory and neither of us wants that, right?"

"I don't want to go down at all."

"Tell me where Vince is then. Maybe we can work something out. I'm not saying definitely or anything but I'll do what I can."

Paulie thought about it. He scratched a stubbled chin and took a long look at Ray before he responded.

"He's down at the pier. Warehouse number 1020. He told me to get the goods and he was going to make an example out of that kid. I don't think he was going to kill him, Ray. Just rough him up some, you know?"

"It's good you told me, Paulie. Benny, go get the money. Paulie, you come here."

After assuring Mrs. Rodriguez that her family was safe and that the police would soon be arriving to speak with her, I asked Larry to take me to his bedroom. He lifted the mattress and pulled out a light blue envelope filled with cash. I thanked him and told him to wait for the police.

"He's not going anywhere, don't you worry," his mother said.

I thanked her before going outside to where I found Paulie handcuffed to a dilapidated bike rack.

"What are you doing, Ray?"

"I'm going to my car and I'm calling for a squad car to pick him up. I don't like to leave you alone in this neighborhood, Paulie, but..."

"You leave me like this around here and I'll end up a statistic."

"Nah, don't worry about it. I'll tell them to hurry."

"I'm sure you'll be fine," I whispered as we went passed him and to the car. I wasn't entirely confident of that fact but didn't want to worry our prisoner.

I stopped for a moment outside the door while Ray climbed in and called for a squad car to be dispatched to this address and then back up units to go to the warehouse at the pier. His voice sounded a bit far off. I noticed my hands were shaking. Diefenbaker whined. A moment later I felt Ray's hand on my back.

"You all right, Benny?"

"You know, Ray, you never really get used to having a gun pointed at your head, do you?"

"No, you don't, Benny."

"Ah," I sighed. "I suppose we should go."

"Yes, I think we should."

I pulled open the door, pushed the seat up for Dief and climbed inside. I had forgotten my hat inside the apartment and the dash looked strangely empty without it. Ray sat beside the steering wheel giving me a glance before he started the engine. Just as we pulled away from the curb, a squad car pulled up behind us. Ray waved into the rearview as we drove away.

The drive to the pier took less time than it should have taken. Ray seemed to delight in taking corners too sharply and running through yellow lights. I didn't comment this time since I knew a boy's life was at stake but I filed away the grievance for a future discussion.

The night was cool but not cold. The remnants of fall hung in the air just preparing for the first real cold of winter. Ray didn't use the heat for which I was grateful.

"You know, Vince is Michael Sorrento's brother," Ray said, seriously.

"Yes, I remember."

"Frankie kept him on the payroll even after Michael went to prison. The Zuko's and the Sorrento's are like family to each other, so must've figured he owed the kid a chance."

"The bond must be strong if Zuko was willing to keep Vince employed."

"Yeah, it is strong. Almost like blood."

The temperature grew cooler as we drew closer to the water. Ray didn't hesitate as he turned on to the inroad leading to the pier. He seemed to have a familiarity with the area. I should've realized that he would, but his intimate knowledge of every aspect of the city continued to surprise me.

"It's right around this corner, Benny. How do you want to play it?"

"Is there a back entrance?"

"Yep."

"I think we should use it. It's imperative that Vince doesn't panic in order to protect the boy."

"The kid's name is Ricky?"

"That's right."

"No last name?"

"I'm sure he has one but I don't know what it is."

Ray shook his head with a grin though I didn't know what amused him. He pulled around to the back entrance that was clearly marked with the numbers 1020.

"We used to hang out around here when we were kids. Frankie's cousin, Bobby, that's Paulie's brother was old enough to drive so we'd gang up in his car and head out over here. We'd smoke, drink a little, lie about girls, you know...the usual."

"The usual?"

"Don't tell me you never just hung out with the guys."

"Well, there weren't that many guys to hang out with most of the time."

I told Dief to wait in the car before we approached the door.

"You had a deprived childhood, Benny," Ray commented. "Anyway, the Zuko's owned this warehouse. I think they still use it for storage. You ready to go in?"

I nodded at him. Ray reached for the door latch. I stayed behind him since he was armed. Blessedly, the door did not creak.

Inside the warehouse, yellowed bulbs cast an unusual glow over the dust and boxes. From the corner of my eye, I spotted several spiders working at webs as well as wrapping the unfortunate insect trapped for their dinners. A scuttling noise advertised the presence of rodents. At first, I was worried that Paulie Zuko had led us astray and then I heard the unmistakable sound of flesh meeting flesh.

We continued on the narrow path between crates, watching our footing carefully so as not to trip or make a sound. Ray stumbled, causing a crowbar to skitter a few inches. Well, I thought, one of us was being careful to watch our step. I didn't voice this concern as we both crouched down. I could see that Ray was annoyed with himself but there was nothing to change it now.

"Who's there?" Vince called out.

Ray came out of his crouch, gun pointed, stance impeccable.

"Chicago PD, Sorrento, drop your weapon."

I couldn't see Vince and didn't know if Ray had a better view on his feet. I chose not to wait to find out and crept from my place behind Ray to make a circuitous route around the various boxes and crates.

"You're trespassing," Vince yelled out.

"I just want you to come out, Vince. Drop your gun and come over here where I can see you better."

"Vecchio...should've figured. Where's your pet Mountie?"

"He's looking after your buddy, Paulie."

"Help me!" The boy's voice was strong but desperate. I was nearly behind Vince when he yelled. Vince turned suddenly but didn't see me. He hissed something at the boy before looking back in Ray's direction.

"Who do you have there, Vince? Is that Ricky?"

"Yeah, yeah, it's me. Help me, help me."

The boy continued yelling which created a usable distraction. I glanced around a box and saw him sitting with his back to a pole in the middle of the room. He didn't appear to be restrained but he was holding his hand over his stomach. Vince swore loudly before pointing his handgun in Ray's direction. I burst out from behind the boxes and tackled him, which sent the weapon flying in another direction. Ray soon joined in the battle and we managed to restrain him beneath us. Ray used his spare set of handcuffs to further control him.

Our back up officers soon came through the door, guns at the ready, obviously alerted by the sound of Vince's shooting. Two uniformed officers soon took him away, reading him his rights as they walked.

I looked at Ray and he looked at me, both of us breathless from the exertion. We then turned to Ricky who had been helped to his feet by Detective Jack Huey. The boy was shaking but didn't appear injured.

"You all right, kid?" Ray asked. The boy nodded. "Good. We're gonna get you to the hospital anyway and make sure. Detective Huey will take you, won't you, Jack?"

"Oh, sure, Vecchio, running your errands is my favorite thing." Huey's sarcasm disappeared when he turned to Ricky. "Come on, junior, you can give me your statement after the doctor checks you out. We'll call your folks too."

"Excuse me, son. What is your last name?" Curiosity had gotten the better of me.

"Carmello," the boy answered and Ray dropped the handcuffs he had been holding. I bent over automatically to pick them up. As I rose, I noticed that all of the color had drained from Ray's face.

"I, uh, I gotta go outside," he said as he took the handcuffs from my hand.

I started to follow him out when one of the uniform officers stopped to ask a question. Nearly twenty minutes passed before I was able to leave the warehouse.

I found Ray sitting on the front of the Riv with Diefenbaker at his side.

He called out as I drew closer. "You all right, Benny? That's two near death experiences in less than an hour. I think it's a record, even for you."

"It is something of an adrenaline rush, I admit." I did feel shaky though I chose not to show it.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

"The kid's name, Benny. Carmello. That was Irene's husband's name. Richard Carmello."

"I didn't realize she'd been married."

"Yeah. She said they'd split up. They had a couple of kids but I've never seen them. Even the couple of times that I'd see her around, I never saw the kids. I met her husband the day she married him and never saw him again either."

"It could be coincidence, Ray."

"Come on, Zuko's thug, Zuko's cousin and now this kid with his sister's married name, it's gotta be connected."

"Doesn't it strike you as improbable that Vince Sorrento would dare assault Frank Zuko's nephew?"

"I don't know. It strikes me as improbable that those two kids knew he was collecting from Ying and knew he'd be alone. It's not like wiseguys advertise, Benny. They knew something they shouldn't have known."

"And Zuko's nephew would know about that."

"Maybe."

"I haven't turned over the money yet," I said.

"Then we got a good reason to pay Frankie a visit, don't you think?"

A very good reason, I thought.

Back into the car and we were driving towards Frank Zuko's house. We had to pass Ray's house on the way. It reminded me that they lived close to each other, went to school together, attended the same church, played basketball together.

We walked to the front door, leaving Dief in the car. The last time I walked to this door, I was, in fact, running. And by the time, I left, Ray was carrying Irene Zuko in his arms while she bled from a bullet issued by her own brother. I shivered at the memory and wondered how much worse it was for Ray.

"Ya know," he said thoughtfully, "I used to come here on Halloween in some homemade getup my ma would put together. Frankie's mother would answer the door and ask if she knew me. I'd say yes and she'd look me up and down and try to figure out who I was. Then she'd call Frankie's dad and he'd think about it. Here was this big mobbed up family and the head of it would be standing there trying to guess who I was through the mask. He'd be playing with me and I knew it but still, he'd guess the wrong name a few times and then finally, he'd say, Ray, you're Ray Vecchio and Mrs. Zuko would clap her hands and pat me on the head and I'd take off my mask to prove it was me. Every year, it was like that. If Maria and Frannie were with me, they'd play the same game with them too."

"It sounds like fun."

Ray must have heard something in my voice because he said, "What? You didn't dress up and go bug the neighbors for candy."

"We didn't celebrate Halloween," I said.

"You didn't?"

"My grandparents felt it was a pagan's holiday, which, of course, it is."

"Too much education in your house, Benny."

"Probably," I agreed.

Ray knocked on the door. A young girl opened the interior door but left the screen door closed. I recognized her from my first visit to Zuko's home. She was older but still quite young. Before either of us could speak to her, Frank Zuko came up behind her. He put his hands gently on her shoulders.

"I thought I told you to never answer the door, sweetheart," Zuko said.

"Sorry, daddy."

"Your mom is in the kitchen. Why don't you go give her a hand?"

"Okay," she said and skipped away.

"Ray, Constable Fraser, what are you doing here? It's late."

"It's not late, Frankie, not yet. We got a couple of things to discuss with you."

"Send another police officer, Ray, we have nothing to say to each other."

"It's about Ricky Carmello," Ray said.

Zuko's reaction dispelled any doubts I might have had regarding his relationship to the boy. He paled visibly even in the relatively dim light.

"May we come in?" I asked.

He flipped the latch on the screen door and pushed it open. We followed him into his study.

"What's this about?" His voice was stiff. Zuko is not a large man but his anger lent him power.

"We rescued him tonight from Vince Sorrento. Vince was hell bent to teach the kid the error of his ways."

Zuko glared at Ray and for a moment I thought he'd call him a liar. But something changed in him, perhaps it was Ray's expression or perhaps he just realized there would be no reason for us to lie.

"What error?"

"Ricky stole some money off Vince. Not much, a few hundred bucks."

I took the envelope from my pocket, removed the cash and handed it to Zuko. He fanned through the bills.

"A kid took this off Vince Sorrento?"

"Apparently the luck of youth was with him," I said.

"Your cousin, Paulie is in jail too. He tried to shake down Ricky's partner to get the money back," Ray said.

"Is Ricky all right?"

"Yeah. We had him taken to the hospital to get checked out but it didn't look like Vince had really gotten started."

"That's good."

"Richard Carmello was Irene's husband," Ray said. "Is this her kid?"

The mention of Irene's name darkened the room with hard emotions. Frank Zuko closed his eyes, either from pain or anger, probably both. When he opened them, his hands were clenched into fists at his sides.

"He doesn't know. Richard didn't want his kids raised with the baggage of this family and he convinced Irene to keep us a secret."

"Smart guy."

"Don't, Vecchio, don't even think about insulting my family in my house, not now, not after...not after her. Don't you dare."

Ray made a rude noise. "You got your money and you know the score, we're out of here."

"Hey." We both turned from our path to the door. "You don't tell him. He lost his mother, he doesn't need any more crap to deal with."

"I wouldn't hurt Irene's kid. Come on, Benny."

When we reached the pavement, I exhaled slowly. Ray just glanced at me, sizing me up, I suppose as we walked towards his car.

"We should bust him for taking possession of that cash. It connects him to Vince and that connects him to protection."

"It's not enough, Ray. He'd only claim that he knows Vince and he was returning lost money to a friend."

"I know, I know. Come on, I'll drop you off at home."

Ray and I didn't speak on the ride home and then we said a quick good night. I was distracted by disturbing memories of our last encounter with Frank Zuko and I would imagine that Ray was having the same reaction.

Dief and I stopped by Larry Rodriguez's apartment to check on his family and discovered the children were sleeping peacefully. Mrs. Rodriguez thanked us repeatedly for our assistance.

I was glad to reach my apartment after the long and overly ambitious evening. My body, however, was still thrumming with the effects of adrenaline so sleep took a long time to come. My mind refused to shut away the thoughts that plagued me.

How did Ricky and Larry know about Vince's schedule? If Ricky is not a recognized member of the Zuko family, then how did he come by his knowledge?

The next morning came earlier than desired. I didn't want to see the sun or rise from my bed but there was nothing to do but accept the day that was given. Dief whined and stretched and immediately insisted on an outing. I took care of his needs first, then returned to the apartment to take care of my own. I was downstairs waiting when the Riviera stopped at the curb in front of me.

I opened the door, pushing the seat up for Dief but Ray was already asking, "How did Ricky know what Vince was up to if he didn't get the information from Frankie?" He hadn't even bothered with a good morning.

"It could have been simple surveillance. If Vince does the same thing every week, then..."

"Get out," he said to Dief since he had already taken his place in the backseat. "We're gonna ask Larry."

Dief growled as he climbed out.

"I'm not leaving you here," I told him. "You heard Ray, we're just going to visit Larry." He growled again. "Don't take that attitude. He's still quite young and will likely grow out of his impulses." Another growl. "Oh, very nice, Diefenbaker. Do you lick your friend, Maggie with that tongue?"

I looked up to see Ray standing in the doorway holding the door open.

"Are you coming or did you need to talk to the wolf some more?"

"Sorry, Ray."

We knocked on Larry's door. Mrs. Rodriguez invited us in.

"Larry's gone to school already," she said. "Ricky picked him up half an hour ago."

"How long have Ricky and Larry been friends?" I asked her.

"Oh, I don't know. Not long. Ricky doesn't live around here."

"But he goes to Larry's school?"

"Larry said he transferred in a few months ago. He seems like a nice enough boy, but I'll tell you, after this, I don't know. I can't blame the other boy for Larry's actions but they were obviously in it together."

"You still let Larry leave him with him this morning? Even feeling that way?" Ray asked.

"Well, I haven't had the chance to sit down with him yet. I was too angry last night after...well, you know, he could've gotten his sisters hurt. And then this morning there was no time."

"What about his father?"

"His father is a three time loser locked up in Joliet."

"I'm sorry," I said.

"I'm not," she responded.

The older girl that had been sitting on the couch the night before toddled into the living room. She rubbed at her eyes and dragged a blanket behind her.

"Mama?"

"Good morning, baby. Do you want some cereal?" Her demeanor softened immediately at the sight of her child. She turned back to us. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No, ma'am, though we may drop in on Larry again."

"You're always welcome, Constable. You too, Detective Vecchio. Now, I'm going to feed my children."

She left us standing in the living room, obviously confident that we would leave on our own. Her determination and commitment to her children impressed me.

Ray didn't speak. I could only imagine how these new events were bringing back the unpleasant memory of Irene's death. Once we were back in the vehicle he said,

"Vince must've set a pattern for himself and the kids picked up on it. He probably didn't figure anybody would roll him for what he got from Ying."

"Probably," I agreed, keeping my suspicions to myself.

"Besides, Vince is cocky. I'll bet he never thought anybody'd get by him."

"And yet the boys did."

"It's what you said, they got lucky is all. It happens. The important thing is the kids are safe. I'll drop you at the Consulate."

With that, we marked the matter as closed. I was somewhat concerned that Frank Zuko would retaliate against Vince Sorrento but to do so he would only draw attention to the connection between himself and Irene's son.

Benny was like a dog with a bone. I could see it written all over him. He thought Frankie would do something to Sorrento or Sorrento would get out on bail and go after the kids or maybe the kids would go do something even stupider than knocking over Vince. But, I didn't think so.

Frankie would have a sit down with Vince and explain where he went wrong, probably clueing him into the family tie. He wouldn't do more because if it got around that he retaliated then Ricky might start wondering why Frankie cared. That would lead to uncomfortable questions that Irene had wanted to avoid and I knew Frankie would honor that.

On the other hand, Vince wouldn't go near the kids because if he did, then Frankie would kill him for sure.

As far as whether Ricky and Larry were going to do anything dumb, well, who knew? Teenagers did stupid stuff all the time but there was nothing to be done to prevent it.

I dropped Fraser at the Consulate, noting in my head that he was unusually quiet but I wasn't going to ask him. I didn't want to hear his logic or get some Inuit anecdote about caribou, wolves and teenage boys. Mostly I wanted to forget about the whole thing. Thinking about Irene hurt, thinking about her motherless children hurt more. We saved the kid, it was time to put it away and let him get on with his life.

When I got to the station, I found Elaine typing away at her computer and Ricky Carmello sitting in Fraser's chair in front of my desk. Through the glass of Lieutenant Welsh's office, I could see Richard Carmello. I'd only met him once but you don't forget the guy that married your adolescent sweetheart.

Irene was beautiful the day she married him. It was easy to see her attraction to him too. He looked strong under his tux, he was good looking and he was always touching her and watching her. He probably made her feel safe.

I shook that off. I had to. I couldn't stand around thinking about their marriage, about what I missed out on, about how I failed to protect her.

Elaine pushed a cup of coffee in my hand.

"You look like you could use it," she said. She went back to her desk.

Elaine and I have more of a combatant relationship so I figured I must look pretty desolate if she was being nice.

I put the styrofoam to my lips and sipped at the steaming liquid as I went to my desk. Ricky looked up at me with a weird expression, like he was angry about something but then he blinked and looked like a typical bored teenager.

"Hi, Detective Vecchio," he greeted me.

"Hi, Ricky. What's going on?"

"My dad brought me down. He doesn't want me to sign a complaint against Vince."

No wonder the kid was mad, I thought. "How come?"

"I don't know. I guess he doesn't want the hassle. He already called Mrs. Rodriguez and convinced her to drop the charges against the guy that held up her and Larry's sisters."

"Your dad must have some clout."

Ricky shrugged. "He's got money. Larry's mom can use the cash more than a court case, I guess."

Ricky's father worked fast. Benny and I had left Mrs. Rodriguez less than an hour before.

Even if Ricky and Larry refused to press charges, Paulie still pulled a gun on Fraser and Vince threatened us and resisted arrest but without the civilian backup that crimes were being committed, it put me and Fraser in a bad spot for getting the State's Attorney to file.

"What's he doing with my lieutenant?" I asked.

"I think he's thanking him. You guys did save my life, right?"

"I don't think it would've gone that far but I'm glad we got there before anybody had to find out."

"Where's your partner, the Mountie?"

"He's at his regular job."

Ricky nodded before he glanced towards Welsh's office. "I think they want you," he said.

I turned around and sure enough, Welsh was motioning at me.

I went in and closed the door behind me. Carmello was standing in front of Welsh's desk. He looked me up and down as I came in.

"This is Richard Carmello," Welsh said. "I understand you know each other."

"We've met," I answered.

"I wanted to thank you, Detective, for rescuing Ricky last night. His sister and I are grateful for your help."

"I'm glad it worked out for the best." I felt wary. There was more coming than just a thank you.

"Do you know the decisions that Irene and I made regarding our children?"

"Yeah. You didn't want the kids knowing her family is mobbed up."

Carmello sighed, apparently annoyed at my candor.

"I know you were fond of Irene. For her sake, I hope you plan to keep the secret."

"Hey, look, Irene didn't want Frank in her kids' lives and that's fine by me. I got no reason to muck things up for you or them."

"Good. Then I hope you'll respect our decision not to press charges."

"Yeah, your son said you got to Mrs. Rodriguez too."

"I didn't threaten her, Detective, I simply convinced her that it wasn't in her son's best interest to press charges against individuals who are involved with organized crime."

"Vince shot at the boys. Shouldn't that worry you?"

"No. I have every confidence that Irene's brother can handle that aspect of this situation."

"I'll bet you are," I said, not hiding the sarcasm.

Carmello turned back to Welsh. "Thank you for your time, Lieutenant."

He nodded at me with just enough condescension to make me want to pop him. He called to Ricky and the two of them left the station.

Welsh sat down before he started speaking again.

"Carmello's trying to protect his son and keep their secret but there's still enough loose ends with the reports that you and the Constable filed. The boy could still find out who his uncle is."

"It's a waste of time to file the charges, sir. No way will the SA file without the boys."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Welsh grumbled. "Just be aware of the possibility, all right? I already told Carmello the same thing. And Paulie Zuko is another problem."

"There's really no reason to connect him to Irene, Lieutenant. I'm thinking we have a dead issue here."

"Try to remember that as police officers, we actually want to make cases, Vecchio, not hope they get swept away."

No one glares like Welsh, I thought. "Yes, sir, sorry, sir."

"Get out of here," he ordered but I figured he wanted Ricky clear as much as I did.

As I returned to my desk, I was confident that we could keep Irene's secret. We had to protect her children, especially since we failed her so completely.

As expected, both Vince Sorrento and Paulie Zuko were released with nothing but a warning that we'd be watching them.

I spent the next few days making phone calls and following up on my nineteen open cases. I managed to get four put together and sent up to the State's Attorney for filing.

Fraser came by a couple of times but Thatcher had him busy so we didn't have much time to work together. When I dropped him at the Consulate on Friday morning, he hoped to get off early and planned to spend the afternoon at the station but he called around three to say he wouldn't be able to make it.

He was keeping close tabs on me and I knew he was worried that I'd get wound up thinking about Irene. He wasn't right exactly but he wasn't wrong, either. I still couldn't get the image of her bleeding out of my head. I could still see her expression when the bullet hit her. I hope someday I'll see her alive in my memories instead of seeing her dying.

I called the Consulate at 5:45, just before I left for the day and Turnbull said he was just locking up. He said that Fraser had left at five but he hadn't left a message for me. I don't pick Fraser up every day so I wasn't worried. Most of the time, he walks home from work unless he's at the station with me.

I checked out and headed down to the parking lot, surprised to see a light rain had started falling. Too engrossed in my work, I hadn't noticed the weather. I ran from the exit to my car and plugged the key into the lock before I realized that my left tire was flat. With a curse, I started around to the trunk to pull out the spare when I discovered the back right tire was also flat. The other two were okay but I knew it was more than coincidence.

I made a dash back into the station where I flagged down Jim Murphy. He was a beat cop that had been working out of the 27th for years. He grumbled about having to go out in the rain but he grabbed a camera and followed me anyway. He took some pictures of the two flats while he questioned me. He waved the instant photos around while they developed and then stuffed them in his pocket to keep them dry.

"Who'd you piss off, Vecchio?"

"Nobody I can think of."

"Tires are slashed, look." He pointed at three neat knife wounds carved into the rubber of the front. We checked the back one and found the same thing. "No accident."

"Son of a bitch," I muttered.

"Probably some punk just wanting to bug you."

"Probably. The little creep."

"You really got no idea who did it?"

"None. It could be anybody from one of my busts to somebody who just doesn't like cops."

"I think you're wrong about that, Vecchio, your car doesn't exactly scream police so I'm guessing it's somebody who knows what you drive."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Damn, I hate it when they pick on my car."

"Well, unless you got two spares back there, you better call somebody to fix it. Now, I'm getting out of the rain. I'll get the report typed up before I start patrol though."

"Thanks, Murphy."

"Ya know, Ray, you should probably take this as a heads up."

"I know. I will."

I shivered as the rain started coming down harder. I took out my cell phone and dialed the number for my cousin's garage. I could've called the station garage but they wouldn't have the right tires. I called Al and he was in the middle of somebody's brake job but he said he'd come as soon as he could. After I disconnected from him, I opened the trunk.

I jumped back, feeling like I'd been jolted when I looked inside. I stood there, staring like I was frozen in place, afraid of the worst and afraid of checking. The red was nearly blinding even in the dull light of the storm. I know it wasn't more than a second or two before I reached inside and pressed my fingers against Benny's neck. Below the skin, I heard the steady beat of a strong pulse.

"Oh, thank God," I said. He was lying on his side, facing away from me. The trunk had protected him from most of the rain but he was damp and getting wetter. I flipped open my phone and tapped in 911.

The EMT's showed up fast. They did a bunch of checking before they ever started moving him out of the trunk. Other cops had come outside to join us, asking questions. Jim Murphy talked about the slashed tires. It seemed like everybody wanted to know something but I couldn't think about anything but Benny lying so motionless in my trunk.

Once the paramedics were satisfied with his condition, they extracted him carefully, draped him on a gurney and then loaded him into the ambulance. One of the paramedics came back to talk to me after he closed the back doors.

"It looks like a sedative of some kind. His heart rate is good, his breathing is good and we didn't find any traumatic injuries. We're transporting him now so he can have some blood work done and get a more thorough exam."

"I have to ride with you. This is my car." I motioned towards the Riv. The rain was pooling in the trunk, the tires were still flat and there were cops walking around it, treating it like a crime scene.

"Then let's go," he said.

I rubbed at my arms, trying to replace heat and calm down at the same time. I felt the explosion bubbling inside. Someone had hurt Benny, someone who was apparently aiming at me. What if I hadn't opened the trunk looking for the single spare? What if I'd just stood around in the rain, waiting for Al or just gone back in the station where it was dry and had a cup of coffee?

"Vecchio." I turned at the sound of my name and found Jack Huey coming towards me, covered by an umbrella. I glanced around and discovered most of my peers under umbrellas too. I scowled as I realized no one had even offered to cover me up.

"Hey, Jack," I greeted him. "I'm going with the ambulance. Fraser's in there."

"I'll take you. You can fill me in on the way."

"I think I should..."

"Welsh told me to take you," Jack insisted. "Besides, you won't do anything but get in the way with them."

The paramedic who was waiting for me yelled out and I yelled back that he should go ahead. He cursed at my lack of consideration both for him and his patient. I turned back to Jack, biting back a curse of my own.

I followed him and climbed into the passenger seat. Before he had the chance to start talking, I dialed Al's cell phone and told him to forget about the tires. My car had to be impounded so there was no point in him coming over. After I hung up and put away the phone, Jack asked,

"So, what's going on?"

"I don't know yet. I came down to the parking lot and found the slashed tires. I went back in, got Jim Murphy and the Polaroid and he took a bunch of pictures. He said he'd fill out a report since it was obvious vandalism. Then I called my cousin's garage and told him to bring me a couple of new tires. When I opened the trunk to get the spare, I found Fraser."

"He was unconscious?"

"Paramedics say it's probably drugs."

"So, who did it?"

I threw my hands up, frustrated. "I don't know."

"You have a bunch of cases on your desk and you have Fraser who draws trouble like bugs go to a zapper but you have no idea."

"I'm not working on anything that would invite this kind of thing. It's gotta be some past case."

"Have you gotten any threats? Anything unusual happen lately?"

I thought about it. I hadn't gotten any prank calls or weird notes. I hadn't noticed anyone following me or watching me. No one in the family had mentioned anything odd. Benny had been busy at the Consulate so we didn't have any mutual cases going.

"I can't think of anything."

"What about the deal with Zuko and his nephew?"

Having Jack ask about Zuko sent a flare up in my stomach. Louis Gardino had been Jack's partner. "What about it?"

Jack took his eyes away from the road long enough to glare at me.

"Vince got away with kidnapping and assault so I doubt he's looking for trouble," I said. "Paulie's nothing to worry about. And Zuko just wants me to stay away. I don't see a connection to this."

He nodded, satisfied for the moment. "Well, maybe Fraser saw something."

"You know, Benny, he doesn't miss much."

"He missed somebody getting the drop on him," Jack said.

We spent the rest of the drive in silence. I could think of a lot of different people who might want to get even with Fraser and me. Since he came to Chicago, we'd made a lot of arrests together and annoyed some fairly powerful people. Then there was a whole separate group that might just be mad at me or might just be mad at him.

My instincts said it was me though. My car, my friend, my workplace, it felt personal. If someone wanted Fraser, they wouldn't have left him in my car and he probably wouldn't be breathing. So, it was a warning. Someone wanted my attention and they used Fraser to get it.

Jack left me off in front of the hospital emergency doors. He said he was going back to the station to oversee the forensics search on my car. He told me to call him as soon as Fraser woke up.

Fraser's ambulance had already arrived so he was getting examined. I waited outside but told the nurse at the front desk to tell me if he regained consciousness. Nearly an hour passed before a doctor came out to talk to me.

He greeted me and introduced himself as Dr. Young. The name fit. I had a nephew that looked older than him.

"Constable Fraser is still unconscious. I expect he'll remain that way for several more hours."

"The paramedics said he'd been drugged?"

"That's right. Your friend was drugged with Rophynol. Do you know what that is?"

"The date rape drug?" I couldn't believe it.

"Well, yes, it's commonly called that but the actual use of the medication is mainly as a sleeping aid. It's not been approved in the U.S. but several countries do have it available."

"How would he get it?"

"I was hoping you might be able to tell me that."

"I don't know yet. Somebody drugged him and dumped him in my trunk. I know he left work around five so there wasn't much time between then and when he got jumped. Were there any other injuries?"

"No. We did a thorough exam just to be safe. He has some bruises but I'd guess those were from moving him. Your friend will be fine, if a bit groggy, when he wakes up. In the meantime, we're going to keep him here. Frequently, Rophynol can cause some hallucinations, some confusion, a possible loss of his natural inhibitions. He'll be safer under care. On the other hand, it's almost eight now so if he was drugged around five, then the effects have probably already peaked and he could very well just sleep until the effects wear off."

"What do you mean by peaked?"

"The side effects with Rophynol generally hit hardest about two hours after ingestion. Obviously, that's an estimate. Everyone behaves differently dependent on size, weight, what they've eaten, if they've had alcohol..."

"He doesn't drink."

The doctor nodded politely, humoring me. "You can sit with him if you'd like. We admitted him into a room since he's going to spend the night."

"When will he wake up? I need to see if he knows what happened to him?"

"I assume you're familiar with the amnesiac effects of this drug as well?"

"I know but I can hope, right?"

"Right, well, just see the nurse there at the desk, she'll give you his room number. You're looking at 8 to 24 hours before he wakes up."

"Thanks," I said before I went to the nurse's desk. Eight to twenty-four hours is a big span of time so I was ready to be there for the night.

Benny woke up six hours later. He was confused for the next couple of hours, switching between moments of lucidity and then re-asking questions, I'd already answered.

I gave him ice chips and talked to him but I didn't see any point in trying to get a statement when he was still lost in his head. Besides at two in the morning, I wasn't exactly at my best.

We both drifted in and out of sleep until Benny bolted up at four am like a rooster crowed in his head. He fell back against the pillow closing his eyes and rubbing his stomach.

"You all right," I asked him.

"Dizzy," he answered.

"That's okay, it'll pass. The drug is still in there with you."

"Drug? What? Wait, wait, I think you've already told me this. Someone... my God, Ray, I think someone drugged me."

I rolled my eyes heavenward before I sat back down. "Somebody did. You got any idea who?"

"I don't know...I...don't remember."

"All right, look, Benny, you got slipped a roofie, you know what that is?"

"Rophynol. The proper name is flunitrazepam. It's often called the date rape drug and has received a great deal of publicity due to its frequent usage by..."

"Okay, okay," I interrupted. "You know what it is so you know that it messes with your memory, right?"

"Yes." He thought about that for a moment. "Oh."

"So, I just need you to try to retrace your steps the best you can and hopefully, we'll get lucky and figure out who drugged you."

He closed his eyes before rubbing the lids vigorously. No doubt he was trying to wake himself up. I touched his arm to get his attention.

"Take it easy, Benny. You just woke up, you don't have to stand at attention. Just take your time and tell me what you remember last."

He put his hands down. This time when he closed his eyes, I knew he was trying that memory thing he taught me. When he started speaking, his voice was like a monotone. It reminded me of a voiceover from television.

"I spent the day typing up reports that had been accumulating for some time. Inspector Thatcher discovered them one day while Turnbull was rearranging the filing system. It was mundane. After I completed the last of them, I took them into her office only to discover that she'd gone home for the day. I left them in her in box. When I returned to my desk, I discovered that Turnbull had prepared a cup of tea for me, which was welcome, to say the least. I remember sipping the tea until it grew tepid and then I stood to take it to the kitchen. I remember that vividly because Turnbull startled me. He was standing in my doorway and asked if he could take the cup away. I think I gave it to him but..."

"That's all you remember?" Fraser nodded but he looked worried. "Okay, well, we already figured that part. Huey talked to Turnbull and he said he thought you got yourself a cup of tea so obviously the tea was spiked. He also said you didn't seem like yourself when you left. He said you barely spoke to him and you seemed distracted. Picture Mountie on drugs and I'd say we have a match."

"Did he see anyone in the building that may have left the tea?"

"Nope. He said he was back in the file room and he didn't hear or see a thing until he took the empty teacup into the kitchen. You don't remember saying good night to him?"

"No," Fraser answered, shaking his head.

"What about when you went outside, do you remember seeing anybody out there?"

He shrugged. "I don't even remember leaving the building. How did I come to be in the hospital?"

"Whoever drugged you, managed to get you from the Consulate to the police station and then they put you in the trunk of my car."

"With no witnesses?"

"None so far."

"Someone crept into the Consulate, gave me drugged tea, then managed to kidnap me from outside the building, transport me and then put me in the trunk of your car?"

"That sounds like a recap to me."

"It's likely more than one individual."

"Yeah, well, I've been thinking about that. The Rophynol maybe didn't knock you out right away but it would've lowered your inhibitions so if you were already feeling it when you left the Consulate then it probably wouldn't have taken much coaxing to get you into a car. Transport from there and then convince you to get in the trunk."

Fraser nodded then grimaced and put his hand over his stomach.

"Benny?"

"A bit nauseous."

"Are you going to be sick?" I really hoped not.

"No, I don't think so."

"Good, glad to hear it. Now, you should go back to sleep. It's still early and the doctor isn't going to release you for a while anyway. I'm going to go grab a couple of hours in bed too but I'll be back to pick you up."

He nodded, already starting to relax into sleep.

"Do you need anything before I go?"

"No, thank you kindly."

"All right then. Don't worry about the drugs. It's just gotta work it's way out of your system."

He thanked me again but his voice was heavy with exhaustion. He still held his hand over his stomach so I figured the nausea hadn't passed but the need to sleep was apparently stronger than the discomfort.

When I woke again in the hospital, it was full day. I was alone in my room, still feeling a bit groggy but no more so than when I have trouble sleeping. No nausea remained for which I was grateful.

My memory remained frustratingly vague though I could now see Turnbull's face as he wished me a good night and I remembered the cold of evening as I stepped outside the Consulate doors.

Ray was not around so I gathered he went home to sleep. I decided to use the quiet time to try and remember more about the previous day. Unfortunately, my time for thinking was interrupted by a nurse checking my pulse and blood pressure, a lab technician taking blood and a volunteer delivering breakfast trays. By the time my doctor dropped in to ask a few questions, give some advice and release me, it was nearly midday and Ray had arrived to take me home.

"I need to go to the Consulate," I said once we were inside Ray's car.

"You need to go home and rest."

"I'm quite all right and I have to check in with Inspector Thatcher. I phoned her this morning but she wasn't amused by my absence."

"Tough. She'll get over it."

"Ray..."

"All right, fine, I'll take you to the Consulate. You can have your powwow with her then I'm taking you home."

"Very well," I relented. "Has there been any progress in the investigation?"

"No. No fingerprints in the Riv, no witnesses have turned up, nobody has called to confess."

"Hmm. Well, I suppose we shouldn't be surprised regarding the witnesses. At this time of year, it's dark at five o'clock and while the Consulate is fairly well lit, the police station parking lot is a veritable black hole. And it was raining so there wouldn't have been many people out walking."

"I still don't know how they got in the trunk. They must've had a key. There's no scrapings or damage to show it'd been picked or forced but who would have a key?"

"Ah, well, I do. Did you find it in my effects?"

Ray frowned at me before he remembered giving me the key a few months before. He said he wanted someone to have an emergency spare and he didn't trust his sister.

"No, we didn't find it. So, you think it was somebody who knew you had a key?"

"Possibly. Or perhaps they just lucked into it."

Ray pulled into his usual parking space outside the Consulate. He decided to wait outside rather than see the "Dragon Lady" as he was fond of calling Inspector Thatcher. I found the simple act of going from his car to inside the building more tiring than I would have expected.

Constable Turnbull was standing sentry so I nodded to acknowledge him, glad that he wasn't available to fuss over my return. While he would certainly mean well, I wasn't comfortable with his robust shows of concern.

I went directly to Inspector Thatcher's office, knocked and was granted entry. I found her standing in front of her lateral filing cabinet. She inserted a manila folder before turning towards me with a stern expression.

"Constable," she said in way of greeting.

"Inspector." I remained at attention.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better, sir."

"Good. Has there been any progress in the investigation?"

"Some, sir. I was just discussing the details with Detective Vecchio."

"Keep me apprised, Constable. The RCMP doesn't appreciate having our officers locked inside trunks."

"No, sir...I mean, yes, sir."

"You look like hell, Fraser, go home and get some rest. Phone in the morning if you require additional time to recover."

I regained my composure before completely humiliating myself, and left the building. There is something about that woman that keeps me off balance. Not that I should be thinking of her as a woman anyway. She is my superior but, unfortunately, her gender continually plays havoc with my equilibrium.

Ray grinned at me as I slid inside the car.

"Wha'd she do to you now?" He asked.

"Nothing, Ray. She merely sent me home and ordered me to rest."

"Yeah, that's what I like about her. The overwhelming concern she holds out for her subordinates." I gave what I hoped was a withering look in Ray's direction but he just laughed as he pulled away from the curb.

"How about I take you to my house instead of yours?" Ray asked after several moments.

"There's no need. I'm certainly not incapacitated so there's no cause to burden your family with a guest."

"Ma would slap you upside the head if she heard you talk like that. Come on, you'll hurt her feelings."

"Is she expecting me for some reason?"

"Not yet."

"Then I fail to see how her feelings could be hurt."

"Just stay at my house and stop arguing with me."

"I am not arguing with you. And I want to go home. Actually, I wanted to go to work. You're the one that insisted I go home instead."

"Somebody's out to get you, Fraser or maybe get me through you or get both of us or whatever. Hanging around that rattrap you live in is just a bad idea, especially alone."

"I appreciate your concern, Ray but I'm certainly capable of..."

"Of what? Taking care of yourself? Tell that to my trunk since that's where you got deposited yesterday."

"That was a fluke."

"Oh, yeah, drugged tea that causes amnesia and getting dragged all over town, sure that stuff just happens. In fact a couple of people on my street were just telling me the same story day before yesterday."

"Ray, really."

"And that was right after the alien ships dropped them off."

"I take your point, Ray."

"Then let me drop you at my house where you won't be alone. This slimeball isn't gonna bother you if you're surrounded by my family."

"Strictly speaking, we don't know that that's true. By staying at your house, I could easily be putting your family at risk, Ray."

Ray paused at that. What else could he do? He may be my best friend but family is family. He squeezed the steering wheel, obviously disturbed by the choice I had laid out for him.

"It's all right, Ray. I'll be more comfortable at home."

"I'm getting Welsh to put a guard on you."

"It's not necessary."

"It's going to happen anyway." He screeched unnecessarily as he parked the car.

He walked me upstairs and put water on for tea. Then he took Diefenbaker outside for nearly half an hour. When they returned, Dief was happy and Ray was scowling.

"Damn wolf tracked every food wrapper we came across."

"It's a failing," I said.

I was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping tea when they returned. Ray sat down to join me.

"I called Welsh on my cell. He says no guard. He can't get authorization on the overtime, thinks we don't have enough information to assume there's going to be a repeat."

I nodded. I doubted that the incident was isolated given the amount of planning required but I decided not to share that with Ray. I feel quite secure in my ability to take care of myself.

He folded his hands in front of him on the table.

"Welsh is full of crap," he said.

"Pardon?"

"This is not a one time thing. Somebody's making a point. If they wanted to kill you, they could've but they didn't so they're just getting our attention."

"That seems likely," I agreed.

"We got nothing from forensics. Tomorrow we better start knocking on doors around the station and the Consulate."

"We should also check any recent prison releases."

"I already have Elaine working on that."

Ray and I talked for another hour before exhaustion forced me to bed. Ray stayed for some time while I drifted in and out of sleep, but eventually he left. The next day we tried to find anyone who may have seen or heard anything unusual. Unfortunately our investigation yielded no evidence or witnesses and we were forced to abandon it.

On the positive side, there were no further attempts to gain our attention. We put the matter to rest and assumed it was a demented practical joke.

I never believed Benny's assault was random or a one-time thing. It didn't feel isolated but that was a hunch and I didn't have anything to back me up. When everything went back to normal for a few weeks, we stopped worrying about it. We went back to our routines and if Benny noticed that I was hanging around more, he didn't mention it.

Then one day, about a month later, Fraser got mugged on his walk home from the Consulate. I got the call on my radio right after I left the station for the day.

When I reached the alley, there was an ambulance and two police cars already on site. Even though I knew that dispatch always sent more people than anybody really needed, it was still a jolt to see all the activity.

I flashed my badge to the uniform who was doing crowd control and headed towards the ambulance. Sure enough, there was Fraser, like a beacon in his red suit, sitting on the bumper holding an ice pack against the back of his head. An EMT was flashing a penlight in his eyes and talking as I approached.

"I don't think you have a concussion, sir, but I'd like to transport you anyway, maybe get an x-ray."

"I shouldn't think all of that will be necessary. It's just a bump."

"I'll take him," I said, showing my badge to the EMT who agreed though he reminded me that I shouldn't wait too long.

Benny started to return the ice pack but the medic told him to keep it. He replaced it against his head.

"It was good of you to come, Ray."

He stood up and we started walking up the alley towards the street. He seemed steady enough, no slurred words or stumbling.

"You all right?" I asked him.

"Yeah, just, a, a mild headache. Nothing to be concerned about."

"Have you given a statement?"

"Yes, Officer Stanley finished questioning me a few moments ago."

"I'll take you to the hospital and get a real doctor to check you out."

"That would be a waste of time and effort." He pulled the ice pack away as if to prove it but I pushed his hand back up and told him to leave it there.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I was mugged, Ray."

"So, I gathered. You want to provide some details?" I was herding him towards my car so I could drive him to the hospital.

"I was walking home and since I left Dief alone today, I was in a hurry. I normally stay to the main streets since the exercise is always welcome but going through the alley reduces my travel time by two or three minutes. In any event, I noticed that Gladys wasn't in her usual spot by the trash bin but I didn't think anything odd of it. She often travels a bit in the evening foraging for dinner and her personal brand of treasure."

"The bag lady wasn't home."

"Yes, that's it. Unfortunately, I didn't notice that two individuals were lying in wait on the opposite side of the bin. Equally unfortunate, one of them wielded a length of wood that he used effectively against the back of my skull."

I opened the passenger side door so he could slide in and noticed for the first time that he wasn't wearing his Stetson.

"You're going to the hospital," I said.

"I suppose that would be wise," he relented. "I was a bit dazed for a few moments. In any event, they were able to take my hat and with it my cash but..."

That explained the hat. "They knocked you down for your hat?"

"Oh, I'm fairly certain they wanted the money inside."

"Did they search you?"

Fraser shook his head slowly. "No...well, not really. Although one of them did kick me in the back quite unnecessarily."

"Did you tell the EMT?"

"There was no need to cause a bigger fuss."

I glared at him but I knew Benny well enough to know that if he was really hurt, he'd ask for help. It was probably some Mountie code of honor to always be at your best or something.

"Ray," he said in that tone of voice that means I'm not going to want to hear the rest. "The muggers did not search me."

"It was probably a snatch and grab."

"Yes, except, how would they know I keep cash in my hat? It's hardly typical."

"Did the hat fall off where they might have seen the money?"

"Perhaps," he said but I knew he didn't believe it.

"You think they were after you and not just the next guy to walk down the alley?"

"It's something to consider. Although, I don't take the alley normally so they would have had to be watching me, waiting for me to choose that route."

"Unless they've been staking out the alley. You go that way often enough to make it semi-regular, right? You know Gladys."

"Yes, I guess I do."

"That's a long shot though, Benny. Who'd want to roll you on purpose? You don't carry enough money to make it real profitable."

"Which returns to the question of why they didn't search for more. Even if they spotted the cash in my hat, it stands to reason, they would assume a wallet existed with credit cards or the like."

"Maybe they got interrupted or they were in the open."

"We were concealed behind the dumpster. No one came down the alley. In fact, I went to the payphone around the corner to phone for assistance."

"So, they singled you out."

"Well, this is all guess work. There could be other explanations."

I pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. "Yeah and maybe the whole 'drug the Mountie and dump him in my trunk' was a fluke."

"That was weeks ago. If someone is singling me out then they're certainly acting at a leisurely pace."

We climbed out and trekked inside, both of us considering the possibilities.

Miracles of miracles, the wait was relatively short and Benny was pronounced healthy, more or less. He challenged the doctor a couple of times but I think he did that just to amuse himself. I drove him home afterward and went upstairs for coffee. I really just wanted to keep an eye out for a couple of hours to make sure he was okay and no one was going to try another attack on him but I didn't tell him all that.

Benny made coffee while I walked Dief. The wolf gave me nothing but grief but he finally did his business so we could go back upstairs. Dief and I have a complicated love/hate relationship.

By the time I left, the day had caught up with both of us. Benny looked like he hadn't slept in a week. I told him to call in sick the next day but I knew he wouldn't. What's a little mugging and head injury when there was laundry to retrieve for the Dragon Lady?

Ray left earlier than he intended and while I enjoy his company, I was glad for the reprieve. I ached from head to foot and wished only to stretch out on my bed and sleep for ten hours. Ray kindly walked and fed Dief so with that obligation accomplished, I stripped down to boxers and t-shirt and crawled beneath cool sheets for a good rest.

Time lost meaning as I drifted between dreams so when there was a knock on my door, I nearly leapt from the bed in surprise. My head began pounding at once as I stumbled towards the door.

Mr. Mustafi stood on the other side looking quite annoyed.

"You have a call."

"Thank you, Mr. Mustafi."

"I'm not an answering service."

"I know and I do appreciate your extra effort."

He led the way back to his apartment. Ray only calls there in cases of emergency so I expected trouble when I answered.

"Mr. Fraser?" A timid voice said.

"Yes, this is Constable Fraser."

"This is Ricky Carmello, do you remember me?"

Exhaustion made me dull and it took a moment to recognize the name. When I did, I remembered the dark boy who had inherited his mother's eyes.

"Oh, yes, of course, Ricky. Can I be of some service to you?"

"I didn't know who else to call, Mr. Fraser. Vince Sorrento is following me and I think he's wants to finish what he started."

This made little sense to me. Frank Zuko would have warned Vince Sorrento to stay away from Ricky. Also, Sorrento is a professional who wasn't apt to take revenge on a teenager especially several weeks after their original encounter. Still, the boy was calling and he did sound nervous. I could hear the wind blowing and the sounds of the street so I knew he was not indoors.

"Where are you?"

"I'm downstairs, about a block east of your building. I ducked into an alley when I spotted Vince."

"You're on a cell phone?"

"Yeah."

"All right, give me your exact location." Ricky obliged. "Stay put. I'll be there in ten minutes."

I hung up, thanked Mr. Mustafi again and then went back to my apartment to dress. I still felt a bit wobbly but I couldn't leave the boy to fate. As I dressed, I wished I had taken a moment to phone Ray but my mind wasn't working quite as well I would have liked. On the way out of the building I knocked on Mr. Mustafi's door and asked him if he would phone Ray for me and I told him where I would be. He grudgingly agreed.

"You look sick," he commented.

"Just a bit tired," I told him, not really certain if he meant the comment as concern or criticism.

Dief stayed by my side as we made our way to the alley that Ricky had described. He made considerable complaint at having to go out again that evening. Evidently, he was looking forward to a quiet evening of sleep and relaxation.

I scanned the street as I walked, looking for any sign of Vince Sorrento. The fresh air seemed to help my headache though I still longed uselessly for my bed. As I drew close to Ricky's hiding place, I finally spotted Vince turning the corner into the alley. Dief and I started running and I was soon left behind.

Just as I turned the corner, I heard Dief yelp and then start whimpering. The unmistakable odor of pepper spray greeted me before I spotted Dief lying on the pavement, rubbing at his eyes and snout with both paws. Unfortunately I looked for his assailant just in time to be sprayed in the face with the same chemical.

Fraser's neighbor is a rude bastard but he lets Benny use the phone so I don't let him annoy me too much. When he called to tell me that Fraser had a situation and needed me, I got a really bad feeling in my gut.

I broke as many traffic laws as I needed to get there, arriving about five minutes earlier than should have been possible. Unfortunately, all I found was a wolf with a bad attitude and watering eyes. Dief growled at me, low and dangerous, as I approached him. I talked to him, walking slowly, trying to be non-threatening. Since he's deaf, I knew the words meant nothing to anyone but me. I also knew I had to get near enough so he could smell me because the closer I got the more red I could see in his eyes and around his snout. The alley was dimly lit so seeing me would have been hard in the best circumstances and this clearly wasn't that.

When I was a couple of feet away, Dief let out a mournful howl then rolled on to his side, still batting at his face. I knelt down next to him to pet him, keeping one hand near his nose so he could get a good sniff of me.

"Where's Fraser?" I asked him.

I looked around the alley for any sign of what had happened but there wasn't much to see except some tire tracks in the dust that might have been recent.

I continued petting Dief with one hand while I fumbled the cell out of my pocket with the other. The thought that Fraser was indestructible interfered with my memory of finding him beaten after Zuko's goons got done with him. Awkwardly dialing with one hand, I called in my location and situation. I asked them to send Elaine too since somebody had to take Dief to the vet.

I hoped Benny would forgive me for not doing it myself but I had to find him before I could spend time worrying about the wolf. Dief whined as if he read my thoughts.

"It's okay, boy," I said. "Elaine will take good care of you."

Maybe ten minutes later the alley was filled with cop cars, marked and unmarked. Elaine and Welsh arrived together and they headed straight towards me. Elaine was dressed in street clothes so she must have been home when they called her. I had to admit I was impressed with the time they made in getting to the alley.

Dief had improved considerably. He was standing, still whimpering occasionally but starting to act more like himself.

"What happened here?" Welsh demanded.

"I don't know yet. I found Dief like this. I think he got maced or something," I answered.

Turning to Elaine, I noted that her hair was loosely pulled back and she wasn't wearing make-up. She must have rolled right out of bed to get here. When I asked her to take Dief to the vet I expected to hear the "no appreciation" speech but she just knelt down beside Dief and buried her hands in his fur.

"Of course I'll take him," she said in a voice that you'd use with a child. "Oh, you poor thing, do your eyes burn?"

"He's deaf, Elaine." I was irritable and didn't care that I'd been doing the same thing before she got there.

"I know that, Ray." She glared at me before she glanced towards the lieutenant.

"Take my car," Welsh said, handing her the keys. "I'll get a ride back with somebody."

"Thank you, sir. I'll call you, Vecchio."

She didn't need to coax Dief to follow her. The wolf was always willing to follow a woman, even when I knew he was still hurting.

"All right, tell me a story," Welsh said, folding his arms in front of him.

I ran a nervous hand over my head and glanced at my watch. It was the middle of the night. I wondered absently if Welsh ever went home.

"Detective," Welsh prodded.

"Sorry, sir. Uh, I don't know what happened. Fraser's neighbor called me and said Fraser needed me to meet him down here. It sounded like trouble so I came down as fast as I could but all I found was Dief."

Around us, there were officers running crime scene tape, taking photographs, measuring distance from the center of the alley to the dumpster and the walls of the buildings. I wondered how they knew what to do since no one had talked to me yet except Welsh but then I figured they'd recognize the wolf. Just like me, they'd know automatically that something had happened to Fraser just by who he left behind.

"Who's the neighbor?" Welsh asked.

"Mr. Mustafi."

"Let's go talk to him."

Welsh stopped long enough to talk to the next ranking officer on the scene. He gave him some instructions and his business card.

"Call me when you find something. And make sure you check everything," he said as he walked away.

We climbed into my car with Welsh looking wrong somehow sitting in Fraser's place.

I took the time to park legally near the apartment building. There was no sense in letting Welsh know all of my bad habits. Then we walked the half-block back to the entrance. I'm glad Welsh isn't the touchy-feely type, I didn't need a pep talk. I just needed to find my friend.

Mustafi opened after the first knock. His television was blaring a few feet away.

"It's the middle of the night," he complained, stating the obvious.

"Yes, sir, we know that," Welsh said. "We need to talk to you about Constable Fraser."

"Nosy neighbor, always borrowing things, suspiciously polite."

Mustafi's accent with his clipped, serious speech would have made me laugh if I hadn't been so worried.

"Yeah, that's him," Welsh said. "He asked you to phone Detective Vecchio earlier, did he tell you why?"

"No. He just knocks on the door and tells me to call the detective, so I do. I didn't do anything wrong."

"No, sir, you didn't. So, you have no idea why the Constable needed Detective Vecchio, is that right?"

"It probably had to do with the phone call. He's always asking to use the phone, getting calls at all hours, borrowing things."

"Fraser used your phone?" I asked, getting antsy with Mustafi's complaints.

"He got a call. I knocked on his door like always. I should start charging him."

"Do you know who he spoke with, sir?" Welsh was starting to let his annoyance show.

"No. I don't get a name. A boy though, sounded young."

"But he didn't tell you his name."

"No. Constable Fraser called him by name though."

"And what did Constable Fraser call him?" I was starting to think Welsh might blow a valve if his voice got any tighter.

"Is there a reward?" Mustafi asked, studying us suspiciously.

"No reward."

"Hmm, is the Constable all right? Ah, never mind, I don't know why I care."

"Maybe because he's fixed every broken appliance you ever had," I told him. "Not to mention saving all your homes when none of the rest of you would even show up for the meeting."

"All right, all right. Let me think. He said the name I think, it was, it was, let's see it wasn't Lucy or Ethel or Fred, so it must have been, yes, I'm sure, it was Ricky. He said the name Ricky."

I felt my stomach drop with the name. A boy named Ricky. It's a common name and I knew I was jumping to conclusions but I also knew I was right.

"Ricky Carmello?" I asked.

"I don't know the last name."

"Thank you for your time," Welsh said. Mustafi shut the door as fast as he could without slamming it.

"Ricky Carmello is Zuko's nephew," Welsh said, frowning at me.

"Yes, sir."

"Didn't Zuko threaten to kill you and Red?"

"Yes, he did. But, I don't think he'd use Ricky to get to us. The kid, both of Irene's kids, they're like sacred. To all of us."

"Then what's the connection?"

"I got somebody else we can talk to."

I led Welsh downstairs to Larry Rodriguez's apartment.

"I can't believe he lives like this," Welsh commented softly. I don't think he meant for me to hear so I didn't comment.

Looking at my watch I knew I'd scare the hell out of Larry's mother by knocking at this hour, especially if the kid wasn't home. I knocked anyway.

It took a few moments but then I heard the lock rattling around behind the door. Mrs. Rodriguez looked like she'd been woken from a dead sleep. And she wasn't happy about it.

"Detective Vecchio?" She asked and I was glad she remembered me.

"I'm sorry about the hour, Mrs, Rodriguez but I need to see Larry," I said.

"He's sleeping. What trouble is he in now?"

"None that we know of, ma'am," Welsh said. "We'd just like to have a word with him."

She shrugged. "Come in. Would you like some coffee while I get him?"

"No, no thank you, mam," Welsh answered her. As he looked around the shabby little apartment I could see him wondering if the RCMP needed to give Fraser a raise.

A few moments later, Larry came out of the back room dressed in sweat pants and a wrinkled t-shirt. He was rubbing his eyes and trying to get his hair to lay down at the same time. He squinted at me.

"What's wrong?" Despite his sleepy state, I could tell he was worried.

"Have you seen Ricky lately?" I asked.

"I told you to stay away from that boy," Mrs. Rodriguez said. She was standing a few feet behind Larry with her hands on her hips.

"I have to go to school, Ma. I can't help it if he's there."

She folded her arms in front of her looking a lot like my mother when I'm in trouble. Even at my age, that look worries me some.

"Excuse me," Welsh interrupted the family drama. "Have you seen Ricky Carmello or not?"

"Well, yeah, like I said, he goes to my school."

While Welsh ferreted out details my cell phone rang. I didn't recognize the caller ID.

"Ray?"

"This is Detective Vecchio, who's this?"

"It's Paulie Zuko, I need to see ya, Ray."

I didn't have time to deal with a small time hood while Fraser was missing. "What do you want, Paulie, I'm busy."

"This is kind of, what you'd call, sensitive. I need to meet with you."

"I can't break away right now, Paulie." I was looking at my watch trying to count backward to see how much time had passed since Fraser went missing so I was distracted.

"Come on, it's important. It, uh, it has to do with my cousin."

"Frankie?"

"Uh-uh. Irene." Her name got my full attention. It would have even if I hadn't been looking for her son.

"Where are you?"

"Downstairs. You know, where you left me handcuffed." Paulie was such a nothing in the scheme of things, I had almost forgotten that he was involved when we busted Vince Sorrento.

I pulled Welsh aside as I put my phone away.

"Paulie Zuko is downstairs. He says he has information for me."

"Thank you for your assistance, Mrs. Rodriguez, Larry, if we need to talk to you again, we'll be in touch," Welsh said. I hadn't expected him to close his interrogation with Larry.

"At a better time, I hope," Mrs. Rodriguez said.

"Yes, ma'am," Welsh answered before he shuffled me into the hall.

"All right, let's go talk to Paulie."

"Uh, that's not a good idea, sir," I said, trying to be diplomatic. "Paulie's a little skittish."

"Detective, did your partner go missing a few hours ago?"

"Yes, sir." I already knew where he was going with that question.

"Was Paulie Zuko involved the last time you had an encounter with Ricky Carmello?"

"Yes, sir, but, Paulie isn't..."

"I'll stay inside the lobby while you talk with your contact, however, meeting him without proper backup is not an option. I trust you'd make the same decision if I weren't with you?"

"Yes, sir." Feeling like an idiot and worried that Paulie would bolt at the first sign of Welsh, I headed towards the lobby.

As promised, Welsh stayed back and away from view while I went outside. Paulie was standing by the bike rack, pacing nervously. In the dark, he looked a lot like his cousin, Frankie but the minute you got close to him, he was all nerves. Frankie rarely showed anything like that. Of course, Frankie was always surrounded by bodyguards which is a luxury Paulie didn't have.

"Hey," I said as I approached. I watched his hands, making sure he wasn't going to pull a gun or a can of mace to try and take me.

"Hey." He gave me a nervous smile. "Thanks for coming."

"You know something about Irene or you just playing games, Paulie?"

"Jeez, Ray, nice way to talk to an old friend."

"I don't have time to reminisce, Paulie." I wondered if Paulie even knew what the word meant. The guy was born an idiot.

"Yeah, I guess not since the Mountie's missing, huh?"

"What do you know about it?"

"Irene's kid, the boy, he knows about his family. Not from me, you make sure Frankie knows I had nothing to do with telling him."

I was afraid of that, even suspected it but hearing the words made me sick inside. Irene had tried so hard to protect her kids.

"It was Vince. See, uh, Irene and him were close, real good friends. But her husband got nervous that she was putting the kids in danger by seeing him because he works for Frank. The husband told her it was him or Vince and they had a blow out over it. You know Irene, she wasn't one to take orders so he kicked her out which why she didn't have any place to go except back to Frank's."

"If they were so close, where was he when his brother was trying to take over?"

"Michael sent him out of town to keep him out of things. Anyway, after Irene, uh, you know, died, well, Vince started stalking the boy. I'm not sure how he actually got to know him but Vince told him everything including how his Uncle Frank and a cop named Ray Vecchio killed his mother."

"Oh, God," I said, turning away from Paulie.

"Vince aimed Ricky at you and Frank. I swear I didn't know what he was doing when I helped him get Frankie's money back from that Rodriguez kid. I really thought the boys robbed him, you make sure Frank knows I was in the dark as much as everybody else."

Getting myself together I faced Paulie again. "How do you know so much?"

"Vince told me." Paulie scuffed his foot as if he was embarrassed. "He said he'd tell Frank that I helped him do all this if it didn't work out right. But, I didn't, Ray. I just started out trying to get Frank's money back, I never would've gotten..."

"Paulie," I interrupted. "If what didn't work out right?" I could feel the fear start to build. This couldn't be going anyplace good.

"Right now, I'm supposed to be telling you that Frank's got the Mountie and he's gonna kill him to get revenge for Irene. If Vince's plan works out, then you're gonna find Frankie standing over your friend's dead body."

"Jesus. Where are they?" As soon as I shouted, Welsh came barrelling out the front door of the apartment house. I knew Welsh was strong but I had no idea he could move that fast.

Paulie nearly bolted but I grabbed hold of him. "Where, Paulie?"

"The back room at Pat Scarpetta's place. Vince and Ricky are holding the Mountie there and Frank is probably on his way. It's real important you get there before Frank does."

I wanted to shake Paulie for not calling me with this information, for not telling me right away about the plan. But, like I said, Paulie's an idiot and there wasn't time anyway. I shoved him away from me.

"You say nothing to nobody," I told him in my best neighborhood voice.

"I know where they are," I said to Welsh and then didn't wait for him as I ran to my car.

Ricky Carmello stared at me as he leaned against the opposite wall. I was sitting on the floor, hands tied behind my back and ankles tied together. The ropes around my legs were tight but my jeans protected me. The same could not be said for my wrists and I could feel the skin being abraded whenever I shifted even slightly.

As it was not the time for complaints, I ignored my cramping shoulders and the burning in my eyes from the pepper spray, concentrating on the boy instead. Despite repeated threats by Vince Sorrento I had not been gagged and since he was currently absent I decided to talk with Ricky.

"Was it you who drugged me last month?"

"Vince did all that. I just helped him get you to Vecchio's trunk."

"And the mugging earlier?"

"Sure. When they investigate Zuko, they're going to find the evidence that Vince planted. It'll look like Zuko's been ringleading a whole campaign against you, gearing up to murder you. It's more believable than he just woke up one day and decided to do it."

"And Vince wanted my hat."

Ricky burst out with a humorless laugh. "He wants a souvenir."

Everything about the boy screamed rage and yet the calm he displayed was chilling.

"What do you hope to accomplish by all this?"

"Vecchio's gonna go to prison for killing Frank Zuko."

"Right, yes, I understand the plan. You kill me, make it look as if Mr. Zuko did it, Ray kills Zuko in vengeance for me. It's tidy but what does it accomplish?"

"You killed my mother. The three of you killed her."

"So, then, you wish to avenge her death and this is your method."

"That's right. You murdered her as sure as if you pulled the trigger. All three of you had your hands on that gun and all three of you are gonna pay for it."

"But, what does that actually do for you? It won't bring your mother back. It won't make right the terrible events that took her from you."

"You were so busy. Visiting Zuko's right hand, Charlie, visiting Zuko, you even went to see Vince's brother, Michael. All that work to get Zuko and Sorrento, but they didn't get destroyed, did they?"

"I was investigating the murder of a friend, trying to bring his killer to justice."

"Well, you got Sorrento, didn't you? Was it worth my mom's life?"

"No," I said softly, feeling the admission stick inside of me. Nothing good had come of the attempt to take over Zuko's business. The only result was the death of two innocent people.

Despite the guilt I carry, despite the sympathy I feel for Irene's son, I still was not prepared to give my life for his vengeance.

"Would your mother approve of what you're doing? She tried awfully hard to protect you from this very thing."

"You can't protect somebody from what they are."

"That's right," Vince said, still wearing my hat, as he returned. "And you've said all you're going to, Constable."

I resisted as best I could but the threat of being shot in the leg bought my cooperation and Vince filled my mouth with a rag, then used a second to tie it in place.

I didn't want to call for back-up. All it would take is a siren or a stupid move and Vince would know we were on to him. If that happened, he'd have no reason not to kill Benny. Welsh disagreed. He said that the show of force would make Vince back down, that he wouldn't risk a murder charge if he had no way of getting away with it.

Welsh doesn't compromise, he goes by the book. But he did warn the responding officers to come in quiet and to keep a subtle presence.

I called Frank Zuko on my cell phone. Driving like crazy with Welsh hanging on as if he expected to get dumped out the door or through the window, I still managed to dial. It's not like I have Frank on my speed dial but they've had the same phone number since we were kids. His daughter answered the phone.

"Can I talk to your father, honey?" I tried to keep the panic out of my voice.

"He's not here. May I take a message?" Her little girl voice, perfectly sweet and polite reminded me of Irene when we were young.

"This is very important," I said. "Can you give me daddy's cell phone number?"

"I'm sorry. I'm not allowed to give that out."

"Okay, then, can I talk to your mom?"

"She's in the shower. Thank you for calling." And the little tyke hung up. I wanted to reach through the phone and shake her. I cursed instead.

"He's already on his way," I told Welsh. He took the phone away from me.

"Both hands on the wheel, Detective."

We reached Scarpetta's in ten minutes instead of the fifteen that it should have taken but I saw Frank's car parked out front and my stomach dropped into my knees. I could hardly breathe as I stepped out of the car. Welsh already had his gun out as he emerged.

He stopped me with a hand on my arm.

"Take it slow, Detective. We are walking into an unknown situation with the possible presence of a minor."

The reminder that Irene's son was inside kept me from barging in unprepared. I nodded.

"I'm all right, Lieutenant."

"Good. Scarpetta's is closed for a month while Pat is in Italy so we'll go in through the restaurant. No one's going to expect us from that direction. Now, we just need to wait until we have a unit in place in the alley."

"There's no time for that, sir."

"You can't help anybody if you're dead, Ray."

I cursed his logic but kept it to myself.

"How are we going to get in?" I asked him, feeling like an idiot for not having any answers. Despite everything else, I was acutely aware that this was my boss beside me.

"Pat's son is on his way down here with the key."

"When did you...how did you..."

"This is an old neighborhood, Vecchio, my old neighborhood. I walked this beat for four years before I made detective. Pat and I have been friends for years. As for the when, I called him on my cell while you were doing your best to wrap us around a tree."

When my car radio squawked, Welsh directed two units into the back alley. He reminded them again to keep quiet. About the same time, Kevin Scarpetta showed up. He parked across the street, then risked his neck running across to us. He already had the key out by the time he reached the sidewalk.

"You really think there's a hostage thing inside the restaurant?" Kevin asked as he handed Welsh the key.

"We're sure. I want you to go back to your car and wait where it's safe."

"Do you know how many times I've told my father to put in an alarm system?"

"Maybe he'll think about it after this," Welsh said.

"Sure, he will. This is the same guy that keeps Capone's old room like a shrine."

"Lieutenant," I interrupted, getting more anxious by the moment.

"Go back to your car, Kevin. Thanks for coming down."

Pat's son nodded and then made another suicide run across the street. He made it though just as Welsh turned the key to open up Scarpetta's restaurant.

The door didn't squeak and we crept inside. The dark rooms filled with empty tables and silence spooked me some. It was creepy, like it'd feel if you were touring the Titanic or something.

We made our way across the carpeted floor without making a sound. We had to be more cautious as we reached the smooth linoleum of the kitchen. I had never been in Pat's kitchen so the large area filled with stoves and ovens and preparation tables surprised me. I guess I always imagined it was Pat's mother back here preparing everything.

As we reached the halfway mark, we started to hear voices for the first time. I recognized Frank's tone even if I couldn't understand his words yet. I glanced back at Welsh and he nodded at me to keep going.

Ricky's voice rose above the rest, the high pitch of adolescence making it distinct.

"You killed my mother. Nothing you say is gonna make that better."

Frank's tone again, still low enough to keep his words unclear. Then Ricky's voice followed, not as loud but still distinct.

"When Vecchio gets here he's gonna kill you and even if he doesn't, you'll still go to jail."

"...bad plan, Rick," Frank's voice. "You're listening to Vince and that'll get you nothin'."

"Shut up, Frankie." That was Vince. Still not a sound from Benny and I was scared we were going to find him already dead.

We were close enough to hear everything now so we hesitated to wait for an opening.

"Your brother started all of it," Frank accused.

"And he's rotting in prison for it. At least he's paying for what he did. You shot her and you're free," Vince said.

"I loved Irene. She was my sister."

"Stop saying that," Ricky said. "You didn't have any respect for her, if you'd just let her out then she'd be alive now. My little sister'd still have a mother."

"I know. I have nightmares every day about it. But, your mother, she wouldn't want this. She wanted peace between me and Vecchio, she made us promise." The quaver in Frank's voice reminded me of our confrontation in the gymnasium when he proved he was spineless without his bodyguards.

"Come on, kid, it's time to finish. Vecchio'll be busting down the door any second."

"Wait, I'm not done. You all, you all had your war. Vince's brother and you, and you and Vecchio, and you against the cops. Even this Canadian who has nothing to do with anything, you all had your war. But my mother who never hurt anybody, she's the one who paid. Well, now you're gonna pay. You and Vecchio and Fraser are all gonna pay for what you did."

I couldn't wait anymore. I had a feeling it was now or never so I motioned to Welsh and was surprised when he nodded his agreement. I led the way in and we both stood near the door, side-by-side, weapons out facing four stunned people. Fraser was sitting on the floor in the corner, his arms pulled behind his back and his mouth covered by cloth. His eyes were wide open though and he looked like he was watching a tennis match.

Holding the only gun, Vince shifted and for just a second I thought he might fire on us. Then he just dropped it and started talking. "The kid's crazy. He said he'd sic Frank on me if I didn't go along."

Ricky turned to his partner, shock on his face. "You liar." He looked back at us. "He's lying." The squeak in his voice advertised his inexperience.

"I know," I said to him.

"On your stomach, hands behind your head," Welsh ordered. Vince went down automatically. He'd been busted enough to know the procedure.

I don't think Frank had it in him to admit being happy to see us. He just put his hands up, more sarcastic than surrender and stayed on his feet.

I wanted to get Fraser off the floor. It bothered me that he hadn't tried to get up or make any noise. A gag would never keep Fraser quiet, just muffled. But, we were still getting the situation controlled so I couldn't help him yet.

Just as I turned to check on Ricky, I saw his face contort with the same rage I'd seen in the police station. The transformation from stunned child to raging threat came too fast and I didn't have time to react. He charged me with fists flying and we both went down, sliding on the smooth floor through the doorway and into one of the preparation tables. I lost my gun in the scuffle while I tried to fend off Ricky's blows.

With rage as his weapon, the kid pummeled me pretty well before I was able to flip us over and gain the advantage. I pinned him down before the back door burst open with the arrival of our back up. Ricky refused to stop fighting despite the fact that I had him flat and both hands pinned down.

"Knock it off," I yelled at him, pressing harder against his wrists until the pain and the sound of my voice penetrated. He stopped struggling only to stare up at me with a jarring fury.

With uniforms standing over us, I maneuvered myself off him and let them get him into handcuffs. He kept cursing me and Frank and I prayed that Irene wasn't looking down on all of us just then.

I wish I had some magic words to take away all that hate but the truth is, the kid wasn't wrong. We had selfishly played our war games, pitting everybody against everybody and his mother had been the casualty. I couldn't watch as they wrestled him through the door and out into the air, so I went inside the tiny cement room.

It occurred to me that the room was completely empty with cement walls and cement floor which made me wonder about its usage.

"Capone's room," Welsh said as if reading my mind. "His guys used to hold his enemies here until they were ready to off 'em."

The similarity to recent events sent a chill through me.

"You all right, Vecchio?" Welsh asked just as my eyes met Frank's.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I answered absently.

Frank brushed passed me saying, "I look after my own." I knew he was warning me to stay away from Ricky.

"Do the right thing, Frankie," I yelled after him.

The uniforms had already taken Vince away which left just Welsh, Benny and me. Fraser had gotten up and somebody had untied him but he was still standing near the back wall, posture perfect, even if he looked like he wanted to fall down. His eyes and cheeks were red from the mace. I could see the marks around his mouth from the gag.

"Take him to the hospital and get him checked out," Welsh said. "I'll get Vince and the boy into booking."

"Thanks, Lieutenant."

"Get both of you checked out," he added as he left. I wanted to argue that I was fine but there was no point since Welsh would never take back his order.

"Benny? You ready to go?"

"Of course, Ray." He answered in his most official tone which alerted me that maybe things weren't good for him right then.

"You all right?"

"I'm fine. A little stinging around the eyes but nothing more serious."

"Yeah, that Vince is a real gentle guy."

No response. I tried again.

"Dief is okay. I had Elaine take him to the vet though, just to get his eyes rinsed out and stuff."

"Thank you, Ray."

He seemed to relax a little bit after that but he was still too quiet all the way to the hospital. Nothing I said drew him out except a quick explanation of how Ricky lured Frank in without his bodyguards. Benny overheard Ricky call Frank from his cell saying that he knew that Frank was his uncle and he was confused and he wanted to talk about it. Frank came running because the kid is family and he'd figure he owed Irene to look after him. I had to give Ricky and Vince credit, they covered their bases.

Other than that though, I couldn't even coax a caribou story out of Benny. He just sat like he was at attention and stared out the windshield. As we pulled into the parking lot, I couldn't take it anymore.

"All right, what gives?"

He was startled when I yelled at him.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Don't give me that. You're never this quiet. So spill."

"Ray, I...I'm just putting my thoughts in order. I assure you that I'm fine."

"Fine. You don't want to talk about it, don't talk about it." I got out of the car, exhaustion making me ache.

As he stepped out, he said, "There's nothing to talk about."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say."

I was getting more irritated by the second. This guy never lets me get away with not saying anything. He needles and wheedles until I have to confess my life's sins just to get him to shut up. Not that he does it like other people. No, not Fraser. He wears me down by talking about the weather and making stupid observations and telling me stories that don't make any sense at all until I can't stand it anymore and I spill my guts.

He caught up with me at the door. I didn't even realize I'd left him behind in my mental tirade.

"All right," he said, catching my shoulder to make me stop. "All right. I apologize. You're my friend and I shouldn't be embarrassed telling you this but...I'm also a police officer, Ray and I realize I shouldn't...but, I wasn't raised in an environment where..." He sighed and rubbed his eyebrow. His shirt pulled back and I could see some bruises on his wrist from where he'd been tied up.

"Take a breath, Benny. Whatever you want to say, it's nothing to be embarrassed about."

A couple of nurses slipped between us taking a moment to ogle the Mountie, of course. Even with a weird sunburn-looking-thing around his eyes, he was getting the attention.

"Could we just step over here, please." He asked, as uncomfortable as always with the women's attention.

We moved to just outside the beam of an outdoor light. Benny looked out into the parking lot, scratching at his eyebrow again and then slipping his hands into his pockets. This time I didn't press. He waited so long I almost jumped when he started speaking.

"Do you remember when Larry Rodriguez had Vince's money?"

"The night when this whole thing started? Yeah, I remember."

"And that cousin of Frank Zuko's put a gun to my head."

"Yeah, Paulie's a jerk."

"And I told you that one never really gets used to it. Do you remember that?"

I was starting to understand. "Sure."

"I'm nearly forty years old, Ray and I've had my life threatened so often, it's nearly become a clich. I suppose this evening just brought all of that to the forefront."

"You were scared, right?"

"Terrified," he admitted and closed his eyes.

"Hey, Benny, we all get scared."

"It was an unusually stressful day."

I guess it was. I had almost forgotten he got mugged a few hours before he got kidnapped. And I remembered six weeks before he got drugged and left in my car. Now in anybody else's life, I would've put the pieces together before but Fraser gets into weird, life-threatening stuff so often that I didn't.

I swore and pulled out my phone. Benny just looked surprised like he thought I was going to call the station and announce that he was human.

"Hey, Lieutenant. I want to know where Vince and Ricky were on the day Fraser got drugged and I want to know if they had anything to do with him getting mugged today."

"They were my assailants in both instances. Ricky admitted it to me. It might be good to know where they were on March tenth though," Fraser said.

"What?" I put my hand over the receiver.

"I was nearly run over on the evening of March tenth. Between seven and seven-thirty. The vehicle seemed to swerve towards me and then back as if the driver were playing a game."

"Why the hell didn't you tell me?" I heard Welsh yelling into the phone. "Sorry, sir. Ricky admitted he and Vince did the drugging and the mugging." I stopped for a moment, hearing the rhyme and then shrugged at Fraser. "Would you check on March tenth too though?"

I finished explaining things to Welsh but after I hung up, I turned on Fraser.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was minor, Ray. And it could easily have been some reckless driver. The possibility that it was a threat didn't appear valid until now."

"Fraser, you do not ignore a car trying to run you down. That is not the way police officers in Chicago behave. Here in America when a cop gets threatened, we tell our partners and we make a report. I don't know what the hell you do in Canada."

Ray complained for some time. I have to confess it was a relief to return to my apartment with the welcome news that neither of us were seriously injured. Elaine and Dief were waiting when we arrived and Ray grudgingly thanked her for her help, she responded with equal disdain. I thanked her sincerely and Dief was loathe to see her leave.

Ray didn't stay long. We were both tired and morning was already breaking around us.

Nearly two weeks after my kidnapping, the State's Attorney is still deciding what to do with Ricky Carmello. Vince Sorrento is being charged with kidnapping and assault and several lesser offenses. With his record there 's little doubt that he will serve time in prison. Ray believes that Frank Zuko will have him killed but I am confident that he'll receive protection from the police to prevent that occurrence.

Richard Carmello wants Ricky released into his care but that's unlikely. Ray is lobbying for him to be placed in a juvenile rehabilitation center. I hope he gets the counselling that he obviously needs.

I can't help feeling responsible for him.

The night that Ray and the lieutenant rescued me, I could only think of one important fact. We had caused the events that took his mother and through those actions, we placed Ricky on the path to Vince Sorrento. I couldn't explain that to Ray. He is carrying his own burden regarding Irene and her son. I see the despair and the guilt in his eyes as we wade through the legal ramifications of Ricky's actions.

He asked me why I was so quiet that night and I didn't lie. There was no doubt that Vince was committed to my murder so fear echoed through me even after my rescue. But, there was more that I couldn't share.

Ricky knew about my part in his mother's death. He knew that I had investigated independantly and that I had deliberately pointed Frank Zuko at Michael Sorrento. Hearing him rail at me about my responsibility brought the tragedy back in full force. First, the death of Louis Guardino and then being ostracized by the police when I refused to railroad Frank Zuko into prison and then my investigation that accelerated the final events leading to Irene's death.

I have gone over my actions many times and found no way to justify my behavior. I acted with malice in order to stop Sorrento and in doing so, two children would grow up without their mother. Just as I did.

This is a conversation that I won't have with Ray. I'll leave him to his own burden and carry mine silently.

End The Burden of Vengeance by Lea Barrett: l8tlea@aol.com

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