Prodigal Son
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Kermit and Peter arrived back at the Caine apartment.
"You better get out of those clothes," Kermit stated. "I still don't understand how you got out of that cargo trailer."
"Something my great-grandfather taught me," Peter shot back.
"You never met your great-grandfather."
"I know, but I can still learn from him, can't I?"
As Peter crossed through the hallway to the apothecary, his father was there, holding a towel for Peter to dry his hair.
"Thanks Pop."
"How did he know . . ." Kermit gave the two Shaolin a perplexed look then shook his head. "Why am I surprised. I shouldn't be surprised. With what I've seen I should just accept . . ."
"You are learning, Kermit Griffin," Caine added. "You did not find Kelly."
"Obviously," Peter countered. "And not only that, Sarah Masterson was the one who led me into that trap."
"She fears what her brother will do to her if she does not help him."
"That's what I figured," Peter also concluded. "Pop, you got to help me. I can tell that Kelly is in darkness, but I don't know where she is. Maybe your Shambhala master skills can see her better than I can."
"She is your sister, Peter. You have a special bond with her. Only you can help her."
"Oh great," Peter huffed. "Let me get changed, then we'll go to the precinct."
Caine handed Peter a cup of tea next. Peter drank it without complaint, which astounded Kermit.
"It's got a special ingredient," Peter stated, as if reading Kermit's mind.
After downing his tea, Peter went to his bedroom to change. Peter decided to continue the renovation that had been started by the previous tenant before his father took over the place. While working, he discovered a hidden room. It turned out to be a large pass through to another portion of the brownstone where there was another space that mirrored this one. Peter surmised that at one time it had been one space, but in the need for offices and rentals, the hallway had been boarded up rather than divided. In that way both spaces could be rented. That mirrored space had been rented to the owner of the warehouse. The pass through because it had been boarded up for so long, had been forgotten until now. Peter talked with the owner of the building and received permission to reopen that space so it could be turned into a large bedroom.
"Aaachooo! " Peter sneezed violently as he entered his new bedroom to change. "Oh great, just what I need, to come down with a cold." As Peter pulled off his wet pants and shirt, another towel dropped over his head and another teacup was placed in his hand. "Thanks Pop."
"I have brought you some dry clothes. Kermit is calling the precinct. "
"Thanks. I haven't had an opportunity to move all of my thinks in here." Peter dressed then headed back to the main room.
"Jordan sends her regards and says you only have nine hours left. What's she talking about?"
Peter explained to Kermit what had transpired between them.
"She came over here and overheard me talking about Masterson. You know how she is. She'll sleep with me, but she'll go all high and mighty on me when it comes to working with the guys at the precinct. 'You're a civilian now Peter, you've got to let the police handle it,'" Peter stated sarcastically, trying to imitate Jordan McGuire's smugness. "Captain Simms understands, but Jordan doesn't even want me working as a consultant."
"That little 'vice squad detective' is heading for a fall ever since she was moved to homicide. When you left, we were short handed. A couple of new officers joined us fresh from the academy, but Simms thought we needed someone with experience."
"Yeah, I understand, but why did it have to be Jordan."
"I know what you mean," Kermit sympathized. "She's good, but she's not that good. There's been some rumors going on that some of the leaks we've had may have come from someone gossiping to the press. These leaks have been going on since you left."
"No one told me that. Still, I would not put it past Jordan, but with something like this, I don't know. You know Masterson will eat her alive if she stays on this case. We both know what the man is capable of doing."
"Oh yeah," Kermit confirmed, remembering the last time Masterson put his friend and sometime partner through hell with the kidnapping of both Peter's father and Annie Blaisdell. "It sounds like Jordan considers this her case. She said she won't report anything to Captain Simms, unless you agree to keep her informed every step of the way. She wants you to turn all evidence over to her. She'll probably take credit for it, too."
"Oh man, I'm screwed," Peter rubbed his hands on his face. "If I have to report to her every move that I make, Masterson is sure to get wind of it. He'll kill Kelly."
"By the looks of things, she's also setting you up to fail. If she didn't want the Captain to know about this, she certainly talked to the wrong person. She should have asked for you. That's one mistake she'll regret," Kermit paused then rubbed his hand along his bearded chin. "Let me talk to the Captain in private. I'll see what I can do to get that time extended, and I'll see about getting Jordan off your back. You better stay here. If you go in with me, Jordan will know something's up."
"All right, I'll stay put. I'll meditate or do something to keep busy. Be careful. If Masterson finds out he won't hesitate to kill my sister."
"I'll arrange a meeting somewhere, a place where Jordan wouldn't suspect. Just so you know, the Captain might not allow you to work alone on this either. Simms knows your record. With Jordan involved, it has become a police matter, but if done right, I think I can get you assigned a better partner. Someone a lot more discreet."
"Thanks Kermit."
Continues with Part 16
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2006.
This story cannot be reprinted or sold in any other form without strict permission from
the author. It is being distributed here solely for your enjoyment.
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