Chapter 12:
“What the hell were you thinking Nick?” Brian practically yelled after walking into the hospital room where Nick was recovering.
“I wanted to get my brother back!” Nick defended, “He means something to me.”
“AJ means something to me too Nick. So do you! You have to let the police do their job.”
“Well they are doing a pretty shitty job as far as I can tell. They still haven’t found him! It’s been four days.”
“I know Nick. But they will find him. They just need a little time.”
Nick sighed deeply, “I’m sorry I got hurt. But I had to do something. I couldn’t just sit around idly and wait any longer.”
Brian sighed softly, “I’m sorry for yelling at you. You just … you scared me. I have to believe we will get AJ back but, if we lost both of you … I don’t know what I’d do with myself.”
“I’m sorry Brian. I just want him back.”
“I know buddy. We’ll get him back.”
****
“Damn it,” Tammy cursed as she tried to undo the rope that bound AJ’s hands behind his back, “This isn’t going to work.”
“I can’t get it either,” AJ groaned.
The tension in his shoulders was starting to make him light-headed once again and becoming weaker by the minute. Tammy felt his back lean against hers.
“AJ?”
She was answered by silence and she felt herself behind pushed forward as the weight of AJ’s body rested against hers.
“AJ?” she pushed back trying to get a response, “AJ!”
She realized again he was unconscious.
“Shit,” she swore quietly. She had to figure out how to get them out of there before Daniel came back.
****
After docking his boat, Daniel climbed off and grabbed his bag of money. We walked up the dock to the parked vehicle and climbed into the Ford Taurus he had stashed there. He Fired up the engine, threw the car in reverse, whipped the car back and then into drive. He made it a quarter mile down the road before being surrounded by police cars. He could hear a helicopter hovering over head. He slammed on the brakes a mere 2 feet from the Hummer that was facing him. He contemplated hitting the gas and going forward but he saw the driver climb out and draw his gun.
“Daniel Wheeler! Get out of the car with your hands in the air!” Horatio yelled over the whirring of the helicopter.
Daniel looked around at the cops that were surrounding his car, weapons drawn. He caught sight of a light flicker and spotted the sniper the had been position on the top of one of buildings. Sighing heavily he looked back at the man in front of him. He gripped the steering wheel and with a defiant look on his face, press the gas petal.
Horatio fired twice at the hood of the car and it screeched to a halt inches in front of him. With his gun trained on Daniel he slowly moved to the driver’s side of the car and spoke again.
“Mr. Wheeler, get out of the car!”
Daniel sighed defeated and slowly opened the door. He stepped out and raised his hands in the air.
“Frank!”
Frank Tripp holstered his gun and pulled his handcuffs from his belt, “Turn around. Hands on the car.”
Daniel did as he was told and allowed the detective to cuff him without a problem.
“Take him Frank,” Horatio ordered.
“Let’s go,” Tripp hauled him over to the cruiser and tossed him in the back seat.
****
Calleigh slammed on the brakes as she brought the Hummer to a stop in the parking lot of the abandoned warehouse.
“Next time, I’m driving,” Wolfe commented before climbing out of the vehicle.
Calleigh smirked and climbed down form the driver’s seat.
“Ready?”
Calleigh nodded and followed Wolfe to the door. He pulled it opened and she stepped in, gun drawn and swept the area with her flashlight.
“Miami Dade PD!”
She stepped in a few more feet and swept the flashlight through again.
“Clear!”
Ryan followed her all the way in and the two moved through the large room.
“Calleigh, I've got a door over here.”
She turned abruptly and pointed her gun at the door and gave him a swift nod. Ryan pulled the door opened and she stepped forward.
“Miami Dade PD! Hands in the air.”
**
After much struggling, Tammy got her wrist free. She moved away from AJ and carefully laid his body down.
“AJ?” she leaned over his almost life less body, “can you hear me?”
She shook him and slapped his face gently.
“Alex? That’s your name right? Alex?” she shook him again, “Please wake up. We have to get out of here. I can’t die like this.”
Tears slowly slid down her dirty face as she tried to get him to respond. She placed her fingers on his neck and felt for a pulse. It was very weak and she wondered if he was going into shock.
“Miami Dade PD! Hands in the air.”
Tammy turned toward the door with a gasp.
“Back away from him slowly,” Calleigh order, her gun trained on the young woman.
“He’s unconscious,” Tammy responded, “help us please. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for doing this.”
“Back away,” Calleigh spoke again, “keep your hands where I can see them.”
Tammy did as she was told and Ryan moved closer and knelt down to cuff her.
“Let’s go.”
Calleigh holstered her gun and knelt down next to AJ’s body.
“Alex,” she leaned over to see if he was breathing, “We’re going to get you out of here.”
She flipped her cell phone open and pressed a few buttons.
“This is CSI Duquesne. I need an ambulance at 1511 Grant. Now!”
****
“Mr. Wheeler,” Horatio began, “talk to me.”
Daniel sighed, “I ain’t telling you shit.”
“Why did you kidnap him?” Eric asked.
“Money. Why else do you kidnap someone?”
“But why AJ? What is so special about him?” Horatio asked.
“Nothing. He’s just a bitch.”
Eric crossed his arms over his chest, “I want an answer.”
“It wasn’t supposed to be him.”
Eric glanced at Horatio.
“Who was it supposed to be?” Horatio asked.
“That blonde Backstreet bitch,” Daniel answered with a scowl.
“Nick? Why?”
Daniel remained silent.
“Answer me!” Eric slammed his hands on the table.
“He took her from me! He took the one thing that meant something to me!”
“Talk,” Horatio demanded.
Daniel practically growled, “Celia. She was my girlfriend. The love of my life. I was going to ask her to marry me.”
“What happened?” Eric probed.
“She went to their concert and it all went to hell.”
Eric and Horatio waited for him to continue.
“He fucked her! He fucked my Celia. And she left me. Convinced herself she was in love with him and he was in love with her. She walked out on me and said she was going to find him so they could be together.”
Eric stood up straight and stared at Daniel, “So how does AJ fit into this?”
“He answered the door. It was Carter’s room. He is the one who was supposed to answer the door. Not the other one!” Daniel yelled, “I wanted him to pay."
Author's Chapter Notes:
We're about to find out why....
