A Dozen Deadly Roses (5 page)

“15 Adam 21,” she shouted into the radio, “the boy and my partner are in the water.  They’re southbound.  I’m going to follow in my black and white.  Is the air ship en route?”

Jade scooped up Mac’s clothes and equipment and ran to her car, whistling for the dog to follow.  The dispatcher broadcast her last transmission and requested responding officers to switch to a tactical radio frequency so the other channel would be clear for radio calls not related to the water rescue.

Tossing Mac’s belongings on the passenger seat, she opened the rear door for the dog.  He hopped in.  Running to the driver's side, Jade jumped in and switched on her lights and siren.  Tires slid on wet pavement as she stomped the accelerator, made a u-turn, and tried to catch up to Mac and the child.

She remembered her academy training where she’d learned not to separate from her partner.  “You’ve sure mucked that up,” she said aloud.

In her rear-view mirror she could see the flashing lights of fellow officers and fire department personnel as they approached.  Her heart pounded so hard it hurt.

The dispatcher came on the radio.  “15A21, all air units are down due to weather.”

The radio crackled to life.  “Air 11 responding from Piper Tech.”

Jade said a quick prayer, knowing the pilot and observer were risking their lives for the boy and Mac.

It was impossible to drive and see down into the churning waters.  She tried to pick out her partner or the child in the fast-moving torrent.  Even with her emergency lights and siren activated she had to veer several times to avoid a collision with other vehicles.

Within minutes, the air unit was over the scene.

“This is Air 11 to units at the flood control channel.  I haven’t spotted the officer or the child in the water.  15 Adam 21, where did you last see the officer and child, and how long ago?”

Jade keyed the mic.  “15 Adam 21, southbound in the water parallel with Tujunga, north of Sherman Way – approximately three minutes ago.”

“Air 11, roger.”

Jade continued southbound, trying to slow her breathing.  Her mind raced with horrible outcomes to the situation.  She envisioned Mac impaled on a tree stump, or the boy careening into a boulder and splitting his head open.  She knew that often people who fell into the frigid water suffered from hypothermia and were unable to even make an attempt to save themselves.

“Please, Lord, don’t let Mac die,” she said to herself.  “I should have told him about his son.  I promise to tell him, just don’t let him die.”

“Air 11 to control, we have a visual on both parties in the water.  They’re approaching the Victory Boulevard overpass.  Fire department personnel are on the bridge trying to get set up.”

Jade glanced in the sky to see the air unit about a half-mile ahead of her.

"Sit down!" she yelled at the dog whose toenails slid across the hard plastic seat of the patrol car.  "I've got all I can do to drive without you acting up."  Jade forced herself to take a deep breath.  "I'm sorry, dog, I just feel so helpless with my partner down there and me up here.  Don't worry; we'll get your little boy.  I promise."  Jade monitored the air unit’s broadcast.

“Air 11 to control, send rescue personnel ahead to the Ventura Boulevard overpass.  They won’t be set up in time at Victory.”

The dispatcher relayed the message to all units and the fire department.

“Oh my God, Mac!” Jade whispered.

Bypassing the Victory location she sped ahead to the location further down the channel.

When she arrived, she parked her black and white behind one of the many fire trucks at the scene.  Relieved to see fire department personnel with numerous ropes and cables in place, she directed people out of her way as she ran to the overpass.

Despite the pouring rain, a crowd of on-lookers converged on the bridge.  Several news helicopters hovered over the scene out of the way of the LAPD air unit.  Arriving officers blocked off the streets to traffic and began to move the crowd away.  With all the noise and commotion, she turned her radio to full volume.

Jade stood at the railing, her hands gripping the cold metal.  She scanned the gushing gray water for any sign of the child or her partner.

“Air 11 to control, we’ve lost visual on one of the victims in the water.  We still see the other one, but we’re not sure if it’s the officer or the child.”

Jade knew she was crying, but thank goodness, no one would be able to tell.  Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the pounding rain.

“Air 11 to control, victim is approaching the Victory rescue location.  Stand by.”

Jade held her breath, knowing that just a half-mile up-stream a life and death rescue was being attempted.

“Air 11 to control, advise the rescue personnel at Ventura Boulevard to be ready - they missed him at Victory.  Be further advised, we’re still only seeing one victim.”

Jade expelled her pent up breath.  To lose the child was unthinkable.  She’d had a split second to look into the terrified eyes of the little boy before he’d lost his hold on the step.  All she could think of was what if it was Donnie in the water?  If the child weren’t saved, the look in those eyes would haunt her for the rest of her life.

On the other hand, Jade couldn’t bear the thought of losing her partner.  She’d always thought it was best if Donnie knew nothing about his father.  Now she wasn’t so sure.  At least Mac should be told he had a son...if only she got the chance.

Another officer on the overpass holding binoculars to his eyes yelled out.  “There he is.”

In a tense flurry of activity, the rescue team readied themselves.

Jade squinted as her gaze searched the agitated waters.  There!  A shapeless form bobbed in the water as it careened down the ravine.  Jade realized the figure she was looking at was actually two people.  The boy sat high on Mac’s chest, his head well above the turbulent water.  Mac fought to stay upright.

Her hands flew to her mouth as her knees went weak with relief.  “Good job, Mac.  Hang on.  Please, hang on,” she whispered through her fingers.

As they disappeared under the bridge, Jade ran to the other side to look over the metal railing.  On each side of the channel several swift water rescue team members stood ready.  Each team member was tethered by a rope, which was connected to a fire truck or a tree.

Mac sped by, the child still on his chest.  Water rescuers timed their approach, threw lines and jumped.  The first four men missed.  The last man jumped in and snatched at Mac’s arm, almost causing him to lose his grasp on the boy, but the police officer hung on.  A cheer went up from the crowd.

Jade exhaled with relief.  She clapped and cheered with everyone else as she made her way to where Mac would be brought up.  The trio was slowly pulled to the side of the canal.  One by one they were pulled from the treacherous water.

The boy was the first one to make it to the top of the channel.  She didn’t get a good look as he was placed on a backboard and loaded into an ambulance, which immediately sped away.

Mac was the second person up.  Jade ran to him as he was assisted onto a stretcher.

She threw her arms around him.  “Thank God, you’re alive.  Good job, partner. ”

“Well, I feel awful.  I think I must’ve drunk half the Los Angeles River.”

“You’re going to be all right,” she said.

A paramedic stepped between them.

“Officer, we need to check him out.  We’re going to take him to Valley Hills Hospital.  You can meet us there.”

Jade nodded and gave Mac’s shoulder a squeeze.  “I’ll see you at the hospital.”  She gave him a smile and a thumbs up. “Outstanding job, Mac.”

# # #

A half hour later, Jade couldn’t believe the number of people who crowded the trauma center waiting room.  Patients fidgeted in their seats as reporters crowded the already full room.

She tried to push her way through the throng into the area of the treatment rooms.  Due to the water rescue and accompanying media attention, the lobby was standing room only.  The hospital staff was understandably short with anyone trying to gain access to the rear emergency rooms.

Jade stood aside, waiting for a lull at the admission desk before she tried to get back to see Mac.

“Yo, Donovan.”

Jade turned to see who was calling her name.  Callie Lasko.

“Hi, L.T."  Jade said, using cop slang to keep things neutral.  "What’s up?”

“Have you been in to see Stryker yet?”  Callie tucked some loose strands of frizzy blond hair behind her ears.

“No, ma’am.  It’s a madhouse in here.  I’m waiting until the clerks have a minute before I bother them to go in back.”

“Nonsense.”  Lieutenant Lasko stepped to the front of the line of people waiting to speak to the admission clerk.  Moving ahead of a woman whose arm was held in place by a dishcloth forming a sling, the lieutenant knocked on the glass partition.

The frazzled clerk’s gaze was frosty.  “Can I help you?”

“I need to go in back and talk to Officer Stryker, the officer who saved the boy.  I’m conducting an investigation, so I can’t wait.”

Wordlessly, but with a look that would intimidate an ex-con, the clerk jabbed a button.  A buzzer sounded and the lock released in the heavy wooden doors leading to the examination rooms.

“Come on, Donovan.  I swear, you’d have stood there all day waiting for an invitation to see your partner.”

Jade bit back the sarcastic reply that came to mind, and whispered, “I’m sorry,” to the woman with the makeshift sling.

Lieutenant Lasko and Jade walked down the hall, glancing into open doorways looking for Mac.  They finally found him in the last examination room.  A blue patterned hospital gown replaced his soaked uniform.

Numerous medical personnel, working as a team, surrounded him.  A wire attached to his finger connected to a monitor that hung from the ceiling.  A lime green line blipped across the black screen, alerting the doctor to Mac’s pulse rate.  The physician quietly directed the staff as they worked.

The lieutenant tapped on the doorframe.  “Uh, excuse me, doc.  I need to get a statement from Officer Stryker.  Okay if I come in and talk to him while you’re working?”

The doctor lifted his head, irritation in his eyes.  “No, it’s not all right.  You can speak with him when we’re done.”  The physician glanced at Mac. “That’s if he wants to talk to you.”

The lieutenant seemed oblivious to the practitioner’s disdain.  “Oh, he’ll want to talk to me.  Mac and I go way back.  Besides, as his supervisor, he really doesn’t have any choice,” she said with a chuckle.

The physician spoke softly to the nurse, who immediately came and shut the door leaving Jade and the lieutenant standing in the hall.

Jade’s face burned with embarrassment.

“Okay,” said Lieutenant Lasko, leaning against the doorjamb. “It looks like it’s going to be a while before I can get a statement from Mac.  Might as well get down to business.”  She crossed her arms and glared at Jade.  “So, Donovan why don’t you tell me what the hell happened at the flood control channel.”

“I’m not sure I know what you mean,” Jade replied.

Her supervisor raised her voice.  “I want you to explain to me why your probationer violated department policy by going in the water after that kid.”

“What would you want him to do?  Let the child drown?”  Jade knew her sarcasm was disrespectful, but she didn’t care.

A technician wearing green doctor’s scrubs pushed a cart past the women into Mac’s room.  The man propped the door open with a rubber stop.

“Policy is very clear that police officers don’t go into a flood control channel after someone who’s fallen in.  The fire department has the swift water rescue team.  They’re properly trained to handle that kind of situation.  We’re not.”

“Lieutenant, the little boy fell into the water right in front of our eyes.  If we’d gotten there a couple seconds sooner he never would have been in the water.”

The lieutenant's eyes narrowed.  “I notice you managed to stay out of the channel and keep dry.  But then you've never struck me as the type to jump right in if it looked like you might break a fingernail.”

“You can’t have it both ways, lieutenant.  Write me up if you have to for Mac going in the water, but don’t think I’m going to let you berate me for not breaking the rules too.” 
I’m berating myself, thank you very much
.

Lasko waved her hand dismissively.  “Either way it seems to me that you didn’t display proper leadership or exercise proper control of your probationary officer.  You allowed his life to be put at risk.  Those actions are unacceptable and will be noted on a comment card and placed in your personnel file.”

Lasko removed a tube of lipstick from her shirt pocket and rubbed the scarlet stain over her mouth.  “You’re just damn lucky they both survived,” she said, pressing the lid on the make-up and returning the plastic cylinder to her pocket.  “I’ve got enough of the story to brief the Captain.  I’ll interview Mac later.”

The lieutenant glanced into the trauma room where the medical team worked on Mac.  “You know, I always wondered what might have developed between us if Mac hadn’t been married.”  A smile bowed her lips.  “I’ll see you back at the station.”

Jade fumed as Callie sashayed down the hall. 
She’s got some nerve saying I was afraid to go in the flood control channel.  At least I didn’t jump into bed with anyone and everyone I thought would further my career.  That bimbo has no street time other than her probation, and now she’s calling me a coward.  I’d like to kick her ass from here to Sunday
.  But Jade realized the priority was the little boy and Mac; not the fact Callie Lasko was an abrasive jerk.

“Hey, partner, is that you I hear out there?”

Jade looked toward the bed.  The medical staff was finishing up with Mac and leaving to carry out other duties.  She stepped into Mac’s line of sight, surprised he recognized her voice.  Her heart pounded.  She hated he had that effect on her.

“How are you feeling?  What did the doctors say?”

He started to shrug, then winced in obvious pain.  “Nothing broken, but I’m kind of beat up from my water ride.  How’s the kid?”