Yours, Mine, and Ours
"Freeze! This is the police!" Peter called to the two men running down
the alley. Their motion didn't slow. Exchanging exasperated looks with his
partner Jody Powell, he sighed "Why do I even bother wasting my breath?"
then took off after the men with Jody following close behind. Man 1 veered
off down a side street as Man 2 attempted to scale the dead end street's
wall. Jody followd and strained to catch up with Man 1, willing her aching
limbs to keep moving.
Peter continued chasing Man 2. He jumped up and planted his foot on the wall
and used it to push himself up onto the top of the wall a split second
before Man 2. Perching on top, he pushed his foot into Man 2's face kicking
him off the wall, down onto the street. In one graceful motion, he fron
flipped off the wall and rolled to his feet. Man 2 was already recovering
and trying to follow Man 1's path.
"I mean it! Freeze!" he called again. There was no time to catch his breath
before starting after his fugitive. An idea grabbed him, quickly he climbed
up onto the firescape landing of the nearest building and began quietly
making his way, firescape to firescape down the street. Glancing behind him,
Man 2 saw that the cop was gone.Confused and out of breath, he stopped and
looked around. No sign of the cop anywhere. He leaned over gasping for
breath and wincing from the pain in his face.
Peter dropped down on top of the surprised man and held him to the ground.
Whipping out his handcuffs, Peter placed them on the man.
"I said 'Freeze'!" Peter huffed.
A gunshot rang farther down the street and Peter realized that Jody had not
yet captured Man 1. Placing one cuff on the man's arm and the other to the
firescape, Peter left him there and took off down the alley. No rest for the
weary.
Jody was backed up into a doorway trying to get off a shot. Man 1 was
walking quickly backwards trying to get away and keep her at bay
simultaneously. Man 1 didn't see the cop emerge from the adjacent allyway
and kick the gun from his hand. Peter punched the guys face and he collapsed
to the ground. As Peter motioned Jody over to place handcuffs on the perp,
Peter noticed the man's face for the first time.
"Ed?!" he gasped in surprise.
"Edward Jennings has a rap sheet as long as my hit list." Kermit
quipped as he handed the sheet of paper to Karen. "There's also a little
background information that you should know. Check out the sixth entry and
it's attachment."
As Karen read the sheet, she let out a low whistle.
"Oh yeah." Kermit said.
"I want to see Detective Caine and Powell when they come in." she ordered.
Kermit nodded.
As he left, Karen called after him "Are we still on for tonight?"
Kermit tossed her a gummy bear.
Peter had a tight grip on Edward as Jody led in front with his brother
Edmund.
"Sit down" she ordered. Edmund just smirked. "You gonna make me?" he
drooled. Jody shoved him into the chair at which Edmund immediatly stood up
again and shoved back. Immediatly, detectives were on him, holding him back
as he struggled.
"she touched me. I'm gonna kill her!! I'm gonna kill her!!"
Strenclich twisted Edmunds leg out from under him and forced him to the
ground. He kneed him in the back.
"Now you're gonna stay just like this until you calm down!" he barked.
Edward grew livid and fought against Peter.
"Leave him alone!" he screamed, face turnign bright red. "Leave him alone!
You hurt him and I swear i'll cut out your heart!!"
Peter jostled Edward to three other guards who hauled the irate brother to a
jail cell. A few minutes later, Edmund had calmed down and was hauled to a
seperate cell.
"In and out of Juvenile hall, first conviction as an adult when he turned
20. Served two years, got out, managed to stay clean and became a director
of a childrens home until someone turned him in for child abuse and misuse
of state funds. Convicted. Released and convited again for drug trafficking,
released and convicted again for child abuse, released and became a trucker.
His brother Edmund doesn't have a record except for five outstanding
speeding tickets. I don't think he's quite all there. A few bullets short of
a full clip."
Jody groaned at Peter's lame joke. The two of them were seated in the
Captain's office giving their report. "Now, Most recently, Two witness
swear they saw Edmund and Edward beating to death Edmund's girlfriend Jamie
Wyatt. When the police arrived, the girl was gone but there was blood on
two bats in the closet. "
"Her poor parents." Jody murmured.
Captain Simms nodded. She knew what it was like to be seperated from a
child. At least she knew that Todd was alive and safe but to not know and
know that you would probably never know... she shuddered.
All three of them were lost in their thoughts of the situation.
Captain Simms regained her proffesionalism first and redirected her
detectives focus.`
"All right. Jody, i want you to lean on the one you think will crack first.
Find where Jamie is."
"That would be Edmund." Jody answered.
Peter shook his head. "No. Edward."
Jody disagreed. "We already know Edmund is a pretty innoncent and clean guy.
He'll crack like an egg."
"NO!" Peter insisted. "Edward probably didn't even tell Edmund where the
body is. He wouldn't risk it. We skip Edward, and go straight for big
brother. Pretend like we already had our way with Edmund. That will push the
right buttons. Edward has always been way to overprotective of him."
"Always?" Jody questioned. "How would you know?"
Peter delibratly ignored her question.
"That could backfire on you detective." Captain Simms warned.
Peter shrugged. "Then we have Edmund to fall back one. He can at least tell
us how to reach Edward."
Captain Simms dismised them but held Peter back.
"Care to let me in on your little secret? Or do I have to reprimand you for
withholding information?"
Peter shifted uncomfortably. "Ma'am" he whispered trying to sound innocent.
"Don't play games with me Detective." She bit out. "There's something
personal with Jennings. Jamie Wayatt is the Mayor's neice so I know all
there is to know about the two Jennings men already. I also found out that
you were a ward of his children's home. When were you going to volunteer
that important tidbit?"
Peter grimaced and immediatly began his neurotic pacing that was already
wearing out Simms new carpet.
"Captain, I can be professional about this."
Karen Simms could recognize a child in pain, her maternal instincts were
buried deep but they were there.
"This is important to you. I can understand that but I'm going to have to
re-assing this case to someone else."
Peter started to interupt but Captain Simms held up her warning hand.
He resumed his pacing but with greater speed, stopping periodically in front
of her desk.
Captain Simms couldn't decided wether to be amused, concerned, or annoyed.
"Captain Please!! All I have to do is get him to tell us where Jamie is and
the case is closed. open and shut. the end."
"Sit down!" she finally snapped.
Reluctantly Peter sat but his leg began shaking.
"Listen to me detective. High Profile means Press, Press means Public,
Public means opinion, Opion means outcry. Are you following me> I don't want
this to reflect badly on us if anyone decides to say that we mishandled
this case. I don't want anyone to start throwing your already unpopular name
around. That's a situation that I would rather not adress. End of
Discussion. Dismissed. Skalaney will take over."
"But Captain!" he insisted
Arguing was no good and a few moments later Peter stalked out of the office
and sulked at his desk.
>
> Anyone entering the precint would think that Peter Caine was
>working
>hard at some paperwork and applaude him for the unusual effort. A
>closer
>inspection would show that Peter Caine's pen was poised but had not
>written
>single word in over five minutes. His thoughts were far from the
>forms in
>front of him.
Please Mr. Jennings! I .. I just want to see him. I don't even
>half to
>talk to him, just see him! I used to know some Shaolin priests and I
>just
>want to.."
>A backhand dropped him to the floor and a boot in the stomach
>stopped his
>request.
>"Get out of her you Brat. You come asking again and I'll have to tan
>your
>hide for the third time in two days! Now this man is here on
>business and I
>better not see you anywhere near him."
>That attempt had been made when Peter, 13, had heard that a Shaolin
>was
>visting the Titan Children's Home. He had rushed to get a look but
>after
>that Peter, not yet hardened to the cruelty of life, had scurried
>back to
>obscurity. Re-thinking the idea, he had decided that seeing the
>priest was
>not only not worth the beating but brought back to many painful
>memories
>that he was trying so hard to forget. The Shaolin had visited once
>more then
>the home had been mysteriously shut down. Peter was moved to
>Pineridge.
> A holler from Strenlich brought Peter out of his revelrie.
>Fearing that
>he had been caught daydreaming, Peter began scribbling furiously to
>fillout
>his forms before realizing that Strenlichs ire had been directed at
>Jody and
>Scalany who went out to follow a lead.
>One glance at Jody's empty desk started thoughts going through
>Peter's head.
>He couldn't activly join the case but he could follow it and if he
>stumbled
>upon clues before the official team, then he would take it as his
>civic duty
>to point it out to them. Entering the database, Peter looked up the
>news
>articles on Jenning's arrests. A name caught his eye that sent a
>shock
>throught the young detective. His breath caught, his face paled then
>turned
>scarlett. This couldn't be possible!! The identity of the man
>responsible
>for bringing the horrors of Titan Children's Home to light ....
>"This has to be a mistake." he mumbled but knew the ludicrousy of
>his own
>words as he spoke them.
> One step, then another, then another. A firescape begins with
>but a
>single step. Peter Caine intoned as he forced himself to calmy enter
>his
>father's apartment. Looking up from his lotus position on the floor,
>Caine's
>face was one of concern. His son's unusually subdued demeanor
>unnerved the
>elder Caine. It was intriguing how Caine yearned for a stillness in
>his son
>yet when it came (Peter did have his moments), Caine found himself
>longing
>for the usual hyper activity.
>"Yes, my son?" He queried.
>Peter's gaze delibratly wandered around the room, not quite willing
>to look
>him in the eye. He knew such content would reveal all the emotions
>he was
>trying to hide.
>"Father, do you know a man named Edward Jennings?"
>The effect his words had on his father was not lost on Peter. His
>father
>quickly masked these thoughts. Several thougts dashed through
>Caine's head.
>First, Peter only used the term Father when he was frightened or
>agitated.
>Second, the name of Jennings brought a memory of disgust to Caine,
>and
>thirdly, he was curious as to the origin of his son's question.
>After a pause, Caine finally answered "Our..paths..crossed many,
>many years
>ago."
>Peter chuckled grimly. "You turned him in for child abuse among
>other things
>right?"
>Caine nodded.
>"Care to tell the whole story?"
>Peter's tone made it clear that a no would not be accepted. He had
>almost
>given up getting any information from his father about those fifteen
>missing
>years but this was important. Caine was taken back to a much more
>painful
>time.
>"It had been a year since your death..ah..supposed death."he
>amended. "I
>wandered intow a town called Weidella. I was helping a man fix his
>broken
>down care when he began arguing with his child and was striking him.
>I tried
>to intervene and was told to mind my own business. I did not. I
>earned his
>hatred by taking his child to safety. I ran into him several more
>times,
>each being an umpleasant encounter. I found that he ran a children's
>hom so
>i decided to pay a visit. He was a man in deep turmoil."
>> The building looked old but well kept. A fresh coat of tan paint
>shone
>with dark blue trim around the edges and windows. Standing five
>stories
>tall, it was an impressive edition to the small town of Weidella.
>"It used to be a law firm." a voice volunteered.
>Caine turned to see a 15 year old boy with long blonde hair standing
>behind
>him.
>"You looking for something Mister?" he asked hesitantly.
>Caine bowed. "I am seeking a Mr. Jennings."
>The kid snorted. "Yeah, figured. Nobody ever comes to take us outta
>here.
>Well," he crossed his arms across his chest and thought for a
>minute. "Mr.
>Ed" he paused to see if the man would laugh at the irrevreant joke.
>Disappointed at the man's obvious ignorance, the child huffed. "He
>should be
>back any minute. You can wait inside his office."
>Another voice called the child away and Caine entered the building
>alone.
>The emotions of fear, anger, and lonliness hit Caine like Mac Truck
>doing
>the Daytona 500. No children were in sight. The corridors were too
>brightly
>lit and the atmosphere was one of imposed, enforced cheerfulness.
>"What do you want?!" a voice sneered.
>Edward Jennings made no attempt to hide his disdain for his guest.
>"Who said you could go poking around my building?" he bullied.
>Caine shrugged, "I did not realize that I was not permitted to see
>the
>children."
>"People are. You ain't. First, you mess with my kid, then you get
>the cops
>involved, they came snoopin around. Now your back? Getta outta
>here."
>"The rest I assume you know." Caine finished.
>Peter's eyes were moist.
>"Yeah. You exposed him for the filth he was."
>"Why does this upset you so?"
>Peter's voice was so low and hoarse that Caine almost did not make
>out the
>broken words "I..was one of those children."
>His words became higher as he choked on his tears "At first, I tried
>to see
>you but ...it just didn't work out. Then, I lost my nerve.
>It was just to hard!" he cried.
>"Of course, had I k..known that y..you were the ..the priest"
>Peter's voice
>trailed off leaving the thought unfinished.
> Caine tried to embrace his son but Peter pulled away.
>"Why does it still hurt so much?" he asked with frustration.
>"After a..all these year..years both with and without you, why is it
>still
>so hard?"
>Caine judged correctly that these questions were not rhetorical.
>Peter
>wanted..needed to know that it wasn't foolish to feel the pain. For
>once in
>Caine's Shaolin existence, he was at a loss for the proper Tao
>quotation. He
>simply reached in no uncertain terms for his son and hugged him
>tight,
>refusing to yield. Peter gave in and returned the embrace, resting
>his weary
>soul in his father's loving arms.
>After a considerable length of time, they finally seperated.
>"One more task lies ahead of us down this road."
>"What's that?" Peter asked, dreading the answer.
>"Together, we must face Jennings."
With a heavy heart, Peter Caine re-entered the precinct, his father
following him. He had told his father about his traumatic experience years
ago and felt better. Unfortunatly, telling his father and confronting
Jennings were two entirly diffrent matters.
Father and Son made their way through the bedlum that was the 1o1st
precinct, both to pre-occupied to even notice. As they reached Peter's desk,
Kermit emerged from his office.
"There's something you need to know..." Kermit stopped as he noticed the
priest standing next to the kid.
"But apparantly you already know." he deadpanned. "My, MY, this is a switch.
But then again, this is the Caine duo." He re-positioned his trademark green
glasses. Peter nodded.
"He's going to see Jennings."
"We will see him." Caine corrected.
Kermit recognized the look of defiance spreading across Peter's face.
"No, you're seeing him. I've had enough of Jennings for a good long while."
"That's to bad." another voice interuppted.
All three men turned to see Captain Simms standing behind them with a file
in her hands.
"Against my wishes and better judgment, I'm assigning this case to you
Detective Caine."
For once, Peter was speechless. This was a good thing because at times like
this, Peter always managed to say something to land him in trouble. Taking
advantage of her detective's silence, she continued.
"This case needs to be closed up soon and all my other detecives have more
pressing matters. Jody's called in sick. Aparrantly, the food provided
during a stake out was not of desirable content.She's out for at least a few
days. T.J.'s got a dozen other cases. Your the only one who already knows
what's going on and the Mayor wants his niece found immediatly. His breath
on my neck is starting to burn.
Be quick but be quiet."
With a warning look, she handed the file to Peter and walked back to her
office. Kermit followed her.
"Comeon" was all Peter said.
He was ecstatic to have the case but fear gripped his stomach.Putting on a
brave, determined face he headed towards Jennings cell.
As he reached the door, an idea came to him.
"I have a plan." Quickly, he told his father.
Jennings lay flat on his back, on his cot, staring at the ceiling, bored
out of his twisted mind when the door opened. He stood up and stepped to the
bars.
"Well, Well, if it isn't dear little Buddha man."
He cackled with glee as Peter Caine squirmed at the hated nickname.
The mirth died as a second man stepped into the room.
Instinctivly, Jennings took a step backwards, grateful for the bars
seperating him from Kwai Chang Caine.
Caine fought to disspel the emotions rushing him. He had been confident
that he had done this last night but negative energy, specifically rage,
buffeted him at the sight of the man who had delibratly hidden his son from
him for no better reason than spite.
"Well, I see you two have met." Jennings taunted.
"No thanks to you." Peter shot back.
Jennings rolled his eyes.
"oh please. We're not going to have one of those 'made-for-t.v.' movie
moments where you tell me of your suffering and guilt trip me into begging
forgiveness and confessing to purge my soul, are we?"
Peter shook his head. "Actually, I thought we'd skip that part and go
straight to where I beat the confession out of you and prove to myself and
the viewers that I refuse to be a victim. I think I can still remember some
of your better methods."
Jennings blanched.
"I still have my rights. You touch me and I'll have your badge."
Peter looked at Caine in confusion.
"Badge? Do you see a badge?" Caine shook his head.
"Do you have a badge?" Caine again shook his head.
"I..do not. Perhaps you?"
Peter patted his pockets, then snapped his fingers. "That's right. They took
mine away from me for what I did to Edmund. I'm not even supposed to be
here."
He gave Jennings an apologetic look. "Sorry. I guess your out of luck."
Jennings immediatly grabbed the jail bars in fury. "What happend to Edmund?"
Peter gave him a longsufering look of a parent to a child.
"Well, he wouldn't talk to me. I had to get him to obey and answer my
questions."
"If you lay one finger on him Peter. I will break you into a million
peices."
Peter shrugged. "Big words for such a small man."
Jennings temple throbbed. "Who do you think you are coming in here and
treating me like this. I am a citizen innoncent of any wrong doing. You
think you can come in here and bully me?! Like Father, Like son right? I
hoped that you wouldn't pick up that annoying feature of his. Let me remind
you that I can.. I have.. hurt you before. When I get out of here, if
Edmund's hair is even mussed, I'll squash you like a bug."
Peter glanced at Caine to see his reaction to this. Jennings didn't miss the
look but he did misinterpet it.
"Oh. I see. You couldn't come in here alone. You needed Daddy to save you
from the big bad man. Even with me in jail, you couldn't face me alone."
Jennings was into it now. Peter's pale palor told him that he was right.
Peter was wounded and whenever Jennings smelled the proverbial blood, he
always went in for the kill.
"You think Daddy can protect you? He coudn't protect you fifteen years ago
and he can't now."
Jennings was practically crowing. He turned his wolfish grin on Caine.
"And how will you feel? With your baby boy dead....I mean..dead again. This
time for real. You were so gullible then. Your son was three doors down and
you left them there. You never even realized. I did it on purpose of course.
My little way of saying Thank You for trying to convert me and put me on my
right path."
Caine could not trust his voice so he stayed silent.
"This time you won't find your precious brat! I'll hide his body right next
to Jamie's and no one will ever see them again."
Peter snarled and pressed his body against the bars.
"You're all talk Jennings. I always knew that when you started bragging, it
meant that you were lying. You don't know where Jamie is, you big braggart.
This was a waste of my time. Now I've lost my badge over Edmund for
nothing."
As he moved away, Jennings grabbed Peter violently. Caine immediatly moved
to seperate the two. As he pushed Jennings back, Jennings lost all semblance
of control.
"He doesn't know but I do! I did it. You think you can call me a liar, you
brat. I hid her while the cops were checking me out then I took her to the
forest and dumped into the ravine. Some leaves and rocks will keep her
hidden long enough for her to rot! You can join her!" His face was beat red
and his voice was cracking from all his yelling.
Peter couldn't help but smile.
"what are you smiling at?" Jennings screamed, frustrated that his prey was
not properly cowed. As it slowly dawned on him, the crestfallen man threw
himself onto his cot and stared up at the ceiling. As Peter and Caine left
the room, Jennings began to hum. All during the night, he hummed. During the
day, he hummed. If asked any questions, Jennings would stare vacantly at the
person and hum. Only when his brother was mentioned did Jennings show
emotion and then, the humming only got louder and more insistent. He had, in
a word, snapped.
Peter finished up his paperwork on Jennings. He had recieved special
thanks from the Mayor and an apology from the Captain. Life was going on and
Peter was forcing Jennings from his mind. It was a warm night as he exited
the precint and he decided a nice walk to clear his head was in order.
Unerringly, his walk led him to the lake. He sat on the bench and stared out
onto the lake, mesmerized by the play of the setting sun on the glassy
surface. He lost awareness of the world around him until a hand squeezed his
shoulder. Inhaling sharply, he looked up. His father stood there.
"Do you wish to talk, my son."
Peter didn't answer right away.
"I.. I'm... In time.." he paused, unsure of his words. His father sat down
next to him.
"Sticks and stones my break my bones but words can never hurt me." Peter
finally stated quietly.
Caine cocked an eyebrow.
"A very popular saying in non-Shaolin circles, Pop."
"Ah."
Peter found himself chuckling. His father wondered at the sudden mood
changed.
"Jennings hurt me. But that's over now. I can move on. I am trying to move
on. We're together. He'll never walk the streets again."
He nudged his father with his elbow.
"And you?"
Caine shrugged. "I.. must accept what has happend. It can not be undone. The
mistake has been corrected. We are here, now."
Peter gave his father a mischievous grin.
"In short: no harm done. Right.....daddy?"
Caine couldn't help but laugh. "It is better than Pop."
THE END.
