Watching-Part 4

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PART 4

Chapter 14 “I hurt you bad…”                                                                Music: “Cola” by Lana Del Rey, (Paradise)

April 19, 1994: Black Point Park and Marina, South Dade
Sonny 

For two solid hours, Sonny had been watching the shoreline through night-scope binoculars and his eyes were beginning to burn. He shifted his position on the hard floor of the boathouse, trying to get comfortable.

Once again, he was part of an all-night surveillance, fighting the impulse to doze, and wishing he had a cold beer in his hand instead of a stale cup of coffee.  He hadn’t gotten much sleep over the last thirty-six hours. Just a quick, two-hour nap on the St. Vitus  with a pillow over his head to block out boisterous tourists, returning from a day at sea.

Sonny wiped the heavy coat of sweat from his forehead. The room was like an oven, and the only ventilation was a small broken window and a crack in the plywood door. The temperature had soared into the high nineties during the day, and now the air had the odor of stagnant water, bubbling over a simmering fire.

“I hope Switek’s still awake. I’m willing to bet this heat has him in a daze, cramped in that stuffy van.”

“I heard that, Sonny,” came a voice, crackling from the two-way radio in Rico’s hand. “For your information, I’m wide awake, busy reviewing the stats on Playboy’s ‘The Lovely Miss April. Not planning on getting much sleep for at least the next few hours....”

Sonny heard the rustling of paper. “I must remember to bring my copy the next time I’m wasting my time on one of Izzy’s bogus tips!” 

He turned his head back toward his partner. “I tell you Rico, the little worm told us whatever came into his head, so we’d get off his back!  Pedrosa’s isn’t gonna show tonight. He’s been out of the country since that nasty gig with Gina and me on his yacht, and if he knows what’s good for him, he ain’t never comin’ back!”

“Think so?” Rico countered. “Then, let’s pack it in and go home. You won’t get an argument from me!”

“Very tempting. No, we stay put. I have to be sure.”

Not since the days he’d been tracking Hackman did he feel this driven.  And hell, look at how that turned out! 

They’d been waiting a long time for Pedrosa to come back.  Promising leads were turning out to be nothing more than dead ends; their best informants were mysteriously silent. Maybe the guy had crawled back under his rock, but Crockett seriously doubted they’d seen the last of Carlos Pedrosa.  He crushed the empty Styrofoam cup and threw it over his shoulder.

Rico was opening his shirt collar. “So, how’s Gina feeling?” he asked.

Sonny gave a deep sigh. “Uncomfortable. Anxious. She’d better have this baby soon or she’s going to drive me up the wall with her middle-of-the-night false alarms. Every little twitch and she’s got me throwing her suitcase in the back of the car and flying to the ER like a bat outta hell.” He chuckled. “Funny, I don’t remember it being this way with Caroline, but that was fifteen years ago. Maybe my memory’s a little fuzzy.”

“Startin’ over again.” Rico shook his head and laughed. “Sonny Crockett with an infant in his arms. I don’t know how I’m going to handle it! An Uzi, maybe, but a baby? Man, I can’t see it.”

Sonny knew Rico loved teasing him about this sudden change in life style. But he also knew Rico appreciated how this marriage had turned his partner’s life around. Instead of a man teetering on the brink of destruction, he had become more even-tempered, taking the time to enjoy what life had denied him in the past. 

“Izzy’s been out in the sun too long. His brains got fried on the beach this morning trying to sell those bottles of fake sunscreen to the tourists. Little scam artist, always trying to make a fast buck! I ought to ring his goddamn, scrawny neck! You should have heard him, Rico! “Jus yu wait, meng…I got something to tell jus gonna make your mouth watta…and…”

“Wait, Crockett… Listen! I hear a boat.”

Sonny put the binoculars back on his face and peered out over the dark ocean. It took a minute before he saw the outline of a sleek powerboat, similar to his own.

“Looks like a cigarette, Rico. Maybe it’s the one we’re waiting for.Well, whata ya know! Could it be our Cuban pip-squeak came up with something solid for a change?”

“Remember. This is just surveillance. We call in the sighting and we wait for backup.” 

Sonny didn’t answer.

“You heard me Sonny, right?”

“Yeah. I heard you.” 

Sonny got on his hands and knees and pushed the door open until there was enough room for him to pass through.

Rico let out a frustrated sigh. “Crockett!”

“Sit there if you want. Your choice.”

The loud voices chattering in Spanish sounded close. Sonny didn’t dare say another word, for fear he’d give himself away. He made it to the safety of a large palm tree bordering the shoreline and unsnapped his holster. A man on the dock was securing the boat to the pilings.

There were three men altogether. One man, slightly built, behind the wheel. The other two were muscle. 

Rico came up behind him. “So?” he whispered.

“I don’t see Pedrosa. At least not yet.”

“Yet? How long do you plan on staying out here in the open?”

“I couldn’t stand being cooped up back there, Rico. Besides, we get a much better view from here.”

“And we’re much better targets, especially if some wise guy comes up behind us.”

Crockett put his hand on Rico’s arm to silence him when he saw the smaller man in the boat turn his head as if to listen. The other two paused and were looking in the direction of the cops’ hiding place and for a minute, Crockett was sure the battle was about to begin. Instead, he heard footsteps on the path to his right.

Rico flattened himself to the ground, while Sonny ducked around the trunk of the tree, praying they would both blend in with the shadows. The figure approached the boat and he heard the two men on the dock give him a friendly greeting.

From what Sonny could make out, the newcomer was small in stature. And he was young-very young. He was carrying a satchel in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other. The figure paused, brought the cigarette to his lips and inhaled. Sonny watched transfixed as the bright orange tip lit up the baby face. 

It was Danny Santiago.

Sonny lowered his head and cursed under his breath. Four months had passed since he rescued this boy from the streets and tried to help him beat his addiction. The judge had granted probation; then, Sonny arranged for rehab. After he finished his therapy, Sonny and Gina found him a place to stay with a guy who took in recovering young addicts. The biggest challenge was finding him a job. It was a gamble, recommending him for the messenger service position. He’d be riding a bike, delivering packages or important documents all over town.

“I’m trusting you,” Sonny had said to Danny the night before he was to start. “Don’t screw this up!”

He remembered Danny’s solemn expression. “You gave me a chance. That’s more than my old man ever gave me or my brother, and he’s supposed to be family. You won’t be sorry, Sonny. I promise. Thanks, man.”

He checked in with Sonny once a week and Sonny bought him lunch or helped him replace the sneakers worn out after hours of pedaling the traffic-choked streets. His boss told Sonny the boy was one of the most reliable workers he had ever employed. He got to work on time, never called in sick and even when it rained, he got the packages to where they needed to go. The kid was settling in. Talking about going back to school. Sonny even took him fishing-twice. He seemed happy. 

And Sonny really liked him.

So — what the hell happened?

Rico was trying to get Crockett’s attention. Sonny saw his partner motioning him to move closer.

Danny was already aboard the boat and was taking a seat. The satchel they’d seen him carrying was on his lap. Things seemed friendly enough. The two beefy men were laughing, slapping him on the back. Danny laughed along and Sonny saw him drag on his cigarette once more, before flicking it into the water. Then he heard the motor on the boat come to life.

“So, what do you think?” Rico asked, as Sonny joined him behind the protection of another palm tree.

“I don’t know what to think. I’m afraid Danny is about to make some kind of delivery.”

“It looks suspicious, I’ll give you that. But still, you can’t be a hundred percent sure it’s drugs, or even money.”

“Come on Rico. He had a heavy-duty habit, remember? A heavy-duty habit needs heavy-duty connections.”

Rico leaned against the tree and checked his weapon in the light. “I’m sorry man. You went out on a limb, and he let you down. It happens. You did what you could.”

“Yeah.” 

“So, I asked Stan to call for backup,” Rico muttered.

“They’ll never get here on time. The boat’s about to leave. We’ll have to move now if we’re going to stop this deal from going down.”

“Stan said Castillo was already in route. The troops should be here any minute.”

“I don’t give a damn! I’m moving in!”

“No good, Sonny,” he heard Rico muttered as he followed his partner out into the open. 

“Hold it right there!” Sonny was shouting. “Stop the boat, now! Miami Vice!”

Danny’s head swung around, alarm frozen on his face. “Sonny… wait!”

One of the men had pulled out his pistol and was aiming it at Sonny and Rico. Danny threw his shoulder against the gunman and managed to throw him off balance. Someone grabbed Danny’s jacket and pulled him to the floor of the boat. A single shot rang out.

“Miami Vice! Stop the boat!” Sonny shouted again. 

There was a sudden burst of screaming sirens; revolving red lights bathed the pier in a fiery glow. The men dropped their weapons and raised their hands in the air. Then, Sonny pointed his pistol at the man behind the cigarette’s controls. He recognized Hector Castaneda. “Hands on top of your head, pal!” Sonny growled. Castaneda’ hands slipped off the wheel.

Rico had grabbed one of the suspects by the arm and was twisting it behind his back. Officers from the patrol cars patted down the other two suspects, removing weapons and throwing them on the dock, out of reach. Once all of the suspects were cuffed, Sonny knelt to check on Danny.

“Ah, no….” he moaned when he saw the ragged wound in the boy's chest. The hole the slug made was as big as his fist. He took Danny in his arms and pulled him close.

“For God’s sake, why?”

“Sonny…” The boy’s voice was nothing more than a harsh whisper. His eyes were dull and lifeless, but he held Sonny’s arm in a tight grip.

“I messed up. I’m sorry,” he groaned. “But you gotta believe me. I was trying to make things right. I was gonna do something to help you. Instead, I think I hurt you bad.”

Sonny winced when he heard the bubbling in Danny’s throat and saw the blood trickle down his chin. “It didn’t work out the way I wanted,” Crockett heard him say. Danny fought for air and gasped. Then his body went limp and Crockett lowered the boy’s head gently to the ground.

“Damn it!” Sonny exploded 

“You guys okay?” Stan asked. He was breathing hard. 

“Yeah,” Rico answered. Sonny hadn’t found his voice yet. A sob was in his throat and he was fighting hard to hold it back.

“Ambulance is on the way.”

“Yeah. Thanks. Stan.” 

Thankfully, Rico had answered for both of them, again.

***

Danny’s canvas satchel was resting next to his body. Rico unzipped the bag. He took out handfuls of old newspapers and put them down beside him. Then, a pack of cigarettes and a bottled water.  At the bottom was a gray sweatshirt. Rico sucked in his breath when he saw what was wrapped inside.

Crockett frowned. “What is it? Flake? Money, what?”

“No,” Rico answered.   He dangled a semi-automatic pistol in front of Crockett’s face. “Tell me what the hell the kid was planning on doing with this?”

Crockett could still hear Danny’s dying words in his head: “I was trying to make things right”. It made him cringe, to think what the kid could have meant.

“Protection maybe?” he said. “I don’t know. But Rico; if he was in trouble, why didn’t he come to me? I would have helped him, and he knew that. The kid died for nothing.”

“Danny was a boy of the streets. You reached out, but it was probably already too late. The timing was all wrong. Who knows? Maybe his no-good brother got close to him again. Only Danny could have given you the answers.”

Two of the backup officers were escorting the three men from the boat to the squad car.

“Hold it!” Sonny shouted. 

“Sonny, not now! You’re too wired. Save it for the interrogation room.”

“You telling me my job, man? Back off!” 

Rico sighed. “No, just trying to give you a nudge in the right direction. Let’s get back to headquarters and set things up before the lawyers swoop in.”

Sonny ignored him. Instead, he stopped and stared, as the trio got closer. He reached over and grabbed  Castaneda’s jacket.

“You… are… mine!”  he shouted.

“You’d better calm down, Detective Crockett,” Castaneda said, staring back at Sonny with a look of defiance. Crockett let go of the man like he was a hot coal. Hearing Castaneda use his real name shocked him. 

“Don’t you tell me to calm down, you slimy bastard! I know who you are! And I remember when that judge got wacked! This time things will be different!”

Rico pulled Sonny’s arm back, his voice rumbling with warning. “Castillo’s on his way over.”

Sonny fell into silence.

“This whole operation was sloppy,” the Lieutenant was saying. “I want to talk to both of you at headquarters and then I expect a written report on my desk before you sign off for the night.”

“Oh, don’t worry. You’ll be getting more than just a report!” Sonny saw Rico cringe, and suddenly, his bluster deflated. 

“I’m sorry, Lieutenant. I … this has been a tough night. Coming down a little slower than usual."

“I don’t want you in on the interrogation if you can’t control yourself, Detective.”

“Count on it, Lieutenant. I wouldn’t miss this interrogation for the world.”

Sonny  saw Marty glance over at Rico and an understanding seemed to pass between them. The seeds of paranoia began to sprout.

“What was that all about, Rico?” he muttered once the Lieutenant was safely beyond hearing.

“He’s letting me know I need to rein you in, I guess. I just told him ‘No problem’.”

“You two said all with one look, huh?  So, he thinks I’m on the edge again. Is that how you feel?”

“I think the Lieutenant is afraid you’re too involved. I see it myself, Sonny. Helping that kid was something you needed to do. You wanted to touch one life, make a difference. It was a good try, very noble. And Danny himself appreciated it. Deep down, he was a good kid. Even I saw the potential. Something happened though. Someone got to him. You can’t blame yourself.”

“Yeah, maybe.” 

Sonny turned away from Rico in time to see the coroner wheel the stretcher toward the body on the pier. He couldn’t shake the feeling he had missed the signs and now the guilt was killing him.

“I thought we had a trust thing going. Man, he was going to make it, I know it. Gina saw it too. This is going to break her heart.”

CHAPTER 15: OPEN WOUNDS        
 

Rico

 “Come on, guys. I’ll take you back to your car,” Stan was saying.  “You have a lot of writing to do, and I’m coming back here to help them clean up. It’s going to be a long night, for all of us, I’m afraid.”

Sonny was still brooding. “You sit up front with Stan, Rico,” he said. “I’ll get in the back. I need to think.” 

Stan looked over at Rico, worry written on his face. He knew Sonny, too. “Sorry for the mess. Just shove all that junk off the back seat, Crockett. I wasn’t expecting company. Oh, and switch off the recorder, will ya.”

Crockett’s head whipped around. “Wait! Recording? What recording?”

Stan looked startled. “Well, for a while there, I was trying to pick it up what they were saying with a parabolic mike, but there was a lot of interference from the boat’s motor.” 

“You’re kidding! Set up the tape! Give me the earphones!” 

Stan rewound the tape for Sonny. “Here, see what you can make of it,” he said.

Sonny put the earphones on and settled back, but then, he groaned. “Rico. Come here buddy. It's in Spanish! I need you to translate!” Rico eased himself into the back next to Sonny and adjusted the volume. 

He translated what he could and repeated it back to his anxious partner. The conversation began.
 

“Who is it, Hector?”
“It’s okay. It’s the kid. I can tell by his walk.”
“Yes. You’re right. I see him.”
“You sure it’s him?”
“What do you mean, am I sure? He lived in my house, didn’t he? I’ve known him a long time.” “Okay, okay. Just being careful. Besides, there must be cops around cause I’m pretty sure I can smell a certain stink in the air!”

There was laughter.

“Danny, over here. It’s good to see you. What you got for me, eh? What’s in the case? Money?”

More laughter.

“No, Señor Castaneda. Some papers. More information about Crockett, like you asked.”

Crockett bowed his head and closed his eyes. Danny was feeding them information about him. The disappointment was crushing. 

Castaneda continued: “Let me see what you have.”

“No! not now. After, when we get to the yacht. Let’s get away from here. I think I was followed.”

Silence.

“What you mean, followed? Crockett followed you, boy?”

“No,  he’s out on an assignment,”  Danny continued. “Let’s get going!  Start the boat, Señor. I’m  a little spooked, that’s all.”

"Sure, kid. Señor Pedrosa will be very happy. Maybe he’ll even let Chico go.” 

Rico saw Sonny’s eyes widened. 

“You did a good job. I have something for you. Some coke, from the latest shipment, straight from Peru.”

“No. I don’t need it.”

“What you talkin’ about. Of course you need it.”

Then Rico told Sonny he could hear the speedboat’s motor roaring to life and the sound of angry voices. “That’s when we came along,” he said. But Sonny wasn’t listening. He was dazed, deflated.

“Pedrosa!  Danny was working for Pedrosa? I don’t believe it!”

“Sounds to me like this Castaneda had the boy in his grip. Maybe they were holding his brother Chico to make him turn on you. But it also looks like Danny was planning a little rebellion of his own.”

“Maybe.”

“It makes sense, Crockett. Danny seemed reluctant to open the satchel for Castaneda. He was stalling, telling Castaneda to move away from the dock.”

“And then what, Rico. Open fire on the guy? And what about the other two? He was no match for them.”

“Danny said he’d had information and he would give it up at some yacht.  Maybe Pedrosa’s yacht. And maybe he had a little surprise for Pedrosa.”

“That would have been suicide, man. If that was his plan, he wasn’t thinking straight.”

“The kid was desperate. He couldn’t tell you what was going on without hurting his brother. He had nowhere else to turn.”

Crockett was shaking his head. “I don’t know, I don’t know…”

“He shouted your name to warn you, Sonny. Then, he pushed one of the gunmen away. He took a bullet for you, man.”

“Could be, Rico. Doesn’t make me feel any less responsible. But if it’s true, at least he was on the right side of the law this time.”

Rico put the earphones down and signaled to Stan they were ready to go back. Sonny wasn’t ready to let things go. 

“Pedrosa … damn it! He keeps haunting me at every turn!”

“So, now we have Castaneda in custody. And now we know he works for Pedrosa. Maybe this is the break we’ve been waiting for.”

“I hope so. Otherwise, all we’ve got is a dead kid, a worthless tape and a satchel with a loaded gun.”

Rico decided it was time to change the subject. “So, how do you know Castaneda, anyway?” 

“He was involved in another case I was working on a while ago. Right before Caitlin was killed. You weren’t around-I think you were testifying up in Lauderdale or something. Anyway, it was nasty.”

Sonny sat back. “Castaneda had this stable full of boy prostitutes and one of the john’s was a District Court Judge by the name of Faraday. When they found “his honor” dead in his hotel room with his throat cut, homicide rounded up Castaneda’s boy toys and managed to scare away most of the clients. I never got to collar him on the vice charges, but his income was cut off for the time being, so I was satisfied. Hell, I wish I’d been more persistent. The man could have been behind bars.”

“The Faraday case was taken out of your hands. Besides, that was a time you had bigger fish to fry.”

“Yeah. Like Hackman, you mean.” His face clouded over. “When Hackman killed Caitlin, Castaneda was nothing more than a distant memory. I never even thought about him again… until now.” 

The van pulled over next to the Testarossa and the two detectives hopped out. Sonny saluted Stan and the van sped off, back to the docks and the scene of the crime.

“So, what’s the deal. Castaneda still remembers you?” Rico asked.

Sonny unlocked the car door and climbed in. “Apparently. I did question him the night after they busted him for the Judge’s murder but Lippman over at Homicide was the detective who handled the final phase. I played a very minor role.”

“He beat the charges.”

“Of course! Got off on some technicality. What else is new? Anyway, he didn’t murder the guy. His alibi was solid. There was a timed video of him at the crap tables in a local casino. Most likely, it was one of his kids that did it.”

They pulled into the lot and parked. As they approached the building, they nodded to several fellow detectives coming out the front door.

“Busy tonight. Must be a full moon,” Sonny observed.

“That would be on tomorrow night’s calendar.”

“Oh, great. Another night full of whacko’s to look forward to!”

“Hope not,” Rico chuckled. “Tonight’s action was enough to last me a lifetime.”

“A-men to that brother!”

Rico found out from the desk sergeant Castaneda was already booked and cooling his heels in a holding cell. After asking to have him brought to an interrogation room, it took another twenty minutes before they saw him being escorted down the hall. 

“Just let me at him,” Rico heard Sonny mutter under his breath.

“I’ll go along,” Rico insisted.

“Suit yourself. It’s as much your bust as it was mine.”

Rico sighed. Crockett’s surliness had returned. 

“So, what have we here?” Sonny shouted as he slammed into the room. Castaneda looked back at Sonny, an infuriating grin on his face.

“Hector Castaneda! No introductions necessary on my part, since you already called me by name.”

“Sure, you’re Sonny Crockett. So what?”

Sonny’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t think you’re going to get off this time, buddy!” He flipped a chair around and straddled the seat. “Hector, Hector, Hector,” Sonny taunted. 

“I have nothing to say to you, Crockett. I’m waiting for my lawyer.”

“Lawyer, huh. Well sure. You can wait all you like. But we have the goods on you this time, buddy. Let’s see, now.” Crockett picked up the report attached on the clip board resting on the table. “Resisting arrest. Possession of a narcotic. Threatening the welfare of a minor by offering him a narcotic. Kidnapping…”

“Kidnapping! No, Señor. The boy got on my boat of his own free will!”

“What about Danny’s brother, then? You gonna tell me he went to visit Pedrosa of his own free will?”

Sonny saw a tiny flicker of fear register in the man’s eyes. “Didn’t know we heard about that one, did ya?” 

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Carlos Pedrosa. I’ll bet you’re gonna tell me you never heard of him.”

“If I told you that, you’d know I was lying. Sure, I’ve heard of him. We all know about the generosity of Carlos Pedrosa.”

“Oh, that’s a good one. His generosity, huh. How ’bout his reputation for killing? We know about his expertise on the execution squads in Columbia. We’re not especially tolerant of his type around here. And when we catch up to him, he’s going to take a voyage back to his homeland, courtesy of Uncle Sam.”

“If you say so, Señor.”

“I say so. And you. What’s your connection to him?”

“I told you. I respect the man. As far as doing business with him, I’ve never had the pleasure.”

“I see. And what if I were to tell you we have you on tape, congratulating Danny Santiago for doing a good job for this man you’ve never met?”

“It  won’t hold up in court…”

“Are you sure, Señor?” Sonny drawled. 

“Yeah. I’m sure. You’re baiting the hook and I’m not going to bite.”

“Listen to that, Rico… a fishing metaphor. How poetic!”

Castaneda seemed unconcerned. “I’ve lived in this country for many years. I know the law and I know my rights. You have nothing. I will be out on bail by the morning, and the charges will be dropped for insufficient evidence. A voice on a tape mentions a Carlos Pedrosa? Where’s the crime there? And as far as offering the Santiago boy a narcotic? It could’ve been a soda for all you know.” He laughed. “Yeah, like Coca Cola. Although, I prefer Pepsi Cola, myself.”

Rico could tell Crockett was struggling to keep his hands at his side.

“The white stuff we found looked an awful lot like recreational drugs to me, Hector.”

Castaneda shrugged. “The boat belongs to a friend. He stashed the coke there. We never knew it existed. He’s already doing time on some other charges and I know he’ll back us up. You’re wasting your time if you try to make those charges stick, Detective.”

“And here’s another thing! Why the hell were you pumping the kid for information about me?! Who told him to spy on me, because you wouldn’t have any reason to as far as I can tell? Was it Pedrosa? Who, damn it, answer me! Who?”

Sonny jumped up, knocking over the chair and kicking it off to the side. Rico put a warning hand on Sonny’s arm.

“Lay off, Rico,” Sonny snarled, pulling away. “I’m not done yet!”

Rico rolled his eyes. 

“I asked you a question, Hector,” Sonny muttered between clenched teeth. “Now answer me, damn it, or I’ll…”

“Or you’ll what? Hit me? Go ahead. Then, you’ll be brought up on charges of assault. Unbecoming behavior for an officer of the law! And then, I’ll sue you for all your worth, Crockett. Then what will you have left to live on? Who will support your pretty wife and new baby? Huh. Answer that, you dumb cop?”

Sonny was enraged. Rico was doing his best to hold him back, when the door opened and Castillo stood there.

“Enough, Crockett!”

Sonny pulled away from Rico and Rico stepped back.

“I’m through with this slime ball anyway,” Sonny muttered slipping past Castillo and stalking out of the room. 

Castillo closed the interrogation room door and watched Sonny head for his desk.

“My office.” he ordered.

Chapter 16: Bat Outta’ Hell
April 20, 1994
 

Sonny
 
Sonny's mouth was set in an angry line. He followed behind Martin, opening and closing his hands into tight fists.

“Don’t lecture me, Lieutenant,” he began as soon as the door closed. “I admit I overreacted. But damn it, he knows about Gina and, the baby… that’s too close for comfort. I can’t have information like that out there!”

The Lieutenant gazed at him with a detached air. “Are you finished?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“I got a call from homicide. They found the boy’s brother, Chico, floating in the bay.”

Crockett’s expression turned to stone. “That bastard! Marty, you know Pedrosa and Castaneda murdered that kid! We have to do something about it!”

“We?”

“Yeah, me…Rico… you!”

“Chico OD’d. There was no evidence of physical violence.”

“Well, what about an autopsy? That might show something.”

“I doubt it.”

“Okay, the slug that killed Danny?”

“We haven’t got a ballistic report back on that, yet. Don’t pin your hopes on it though. There was a gun battle; bullets were flying. There’s no proof they turned a gun on him.”

“So, you’re saying Castaneda just walks?”

“You’ll need to convince the DA there’s a case. Are you prepared for that?”

“Whatever it takes, Lieutenant.”

“If you can’t keep the emotion out of it, then give the rest of the interrogation over to Tubbs.”

“It was my tip, and the kid was my responsibility. I’ll handle it. And I won’t let it get personal, I swear.”

Marty stared. “It’s too late, Sonny. You already have.”

“Okay, then Rico can question Castaneda. But when it comes to testifying against him, I want that right.”

“If it comes to a trial.”

“Oh, it will, Lieutenant. And I’m gonna make sure his sleezy lawyer doesn’t come up with some story, like we conducted an illegal search and seizure.”

“Homicide will handle the deaths of the Santiago brothers. Don’t try and connect them to Castaneda yourself. Keep the case simple and there’ll be more of a chance to convict.”

The door opened, and a secretary poked her head in. “Call for you, Sonny. Line two.”

“Can I take it here?” he asked. Castillo nodded.

Sonny leaned against the desk and closed his eyes. Getting home soon was starting to sound more and more like a good idea. 

“Yeah…Crockett.,” he said into the receiver.

“Sonny, it’s Trudy.”

“Trudy?” Sonny suddenly remembered Trudy and Gina were going shopping this morning. His eyes shot open. 

“What’s the matter?”

“We were at a store, picking up some things for the baby, and… well, Gina doubled over and passed out. Sonny…she was so pale… and… the manager… he saw what was happening and called an ambulance…”

His eyes blazed with worry. 

“Where?” he shouted.

“The ambulance is about to leave for Jackson Memorial. She’s awake, but in a lot of pain. They said she’s in labor… and she’s asking for you.  Go to the hospital and meet us there…”

Crockett had already dropped the receiver on Marty’s desk, and was headed for the door, a wild-eyed look on his face. “Gotta go, Lieutenant. It’s Gina!”

Sonny crashed through the swinging doors and sprinted for the stairway, taking the steps two at a time. “I’m getting’ too old for this!” he muttered when he missed the bottom step and twisted his ankle. Cursing under his breath, he tried to rub out the pain while he continued to hop on his uninjured foot toward the back lot where he’d parked the car.

“Come on, Crockett. I’ll drive,” he heard a voice behind him say.

Martin was standing by the open passenger door of his maroon sedan. Sonny glanced at Castillo’s older car and grinned.

“It’s okay, Lieutenant. I’m up for it.”

“Like hell you are. Get in.” Marty waited for Sonny to follow orders. His expression was stern, but Sonny was sure he’d caught the tiny hint of a smile.

“Okay,” Sonny agreed. “But I’m counting on getting there sometime this week, Martin.” He shut the passenger door.

“Seat belt,” the Lieutenant rumbled as he closed his own door and put the key in the ignition.

“Huh?” Crockett glanced over with a frown.

“You heard me.”

Sonny hated seat belts and rarely used them, but realizing it was going to be useless to argue, he pulled the strap across his chest and buckled it in place.

Marty started the engine and backed out into traffic, carefully negotiating a three-point turn amidst the howls of protesting honks from several irate motorists. He floored the accelerator, and the car jerked forward. The tires spun for a minute, and then the car hurtled down the highway like a launching rocket.

“Ah … Lieutenant?” Sonny shouted. His knuckles were white as his hand gripped the passenger door’s armrest. Sonny didn’t mind speed, but the only driver he trusted with it was himself.

“You’re in a hurry, right?” Marty muttered.

“Yeah,” Sonny answered, swallowing hard. “I guess I am…ah…thanks, Lieutenant.” 

He patted the strap crossing his chest and tried not to laugh. 

“And thank God for seatbelts!” he thought, for the first time in his life.

 

Chapter 17: “Even heroes have the right to dream…”            Music: “Superman” by Five for Fighting 

April 20th, 1994: Jackson Memorial Hospital
 

Sonny

He reached for her hand, trying not to tangle the IV line nestled in the crook of her arm.  

“I’m here, Gina,” he whispered close to her ear.

Glancing over at the plastic bassinet by the stretcher, he read the small pink card attached to the outside: Crockett Baby-Girl

Gina squeezed his hand. Her eyes opened. He thought she looked exhausted.  

“I’m sorry, Sonny. I know we were supposed to do this together. I kept telling her you were on your way, but she just wouldn’t listen!”

Sonny chuckled. “Impatient. Guess she gets that from her Dad. Don’t worry about it. You and the baby are okay. That’s all that matters.”

“Did you see her?” she asked.

“No, not yet. 

“Go and meet your daughter.”
 
Sonny wasn’t exactly prepared for what he was about to see. Billy had been a big baby. This one was petite and delicate. The sight of her filled him with awe. “Of course, you want to hold her,” the nurse insisted as she picked up the sleeping infant and handed her to Sonny.

He hesitated, but only for a second. “Some things you never forget,” he muttered as he cradled her against him.  “Hey there, blondie” he said. He put his finger on her cheek. “Hey there, Emily,” he whispered.

“What did you say?” Gina asked him, frowning.

He gave her a sheepish grin. “Okay. Just hear me out. Over the last few months, I’ve never laid eyes on that famous list of names you had squirreled away somewhere. And I know,  I haven’t said much about baby names myself.  But I did give it some thought, believe it or not.  There’s a girl’s name I kind of like. You don’t have to give an answer right away. Just think about it, okay?”

Gina tried to sit up and she winced. She held onto the bed's side-rails and stared at him. “You’ve been holding out on me Crockett! Every time I brought up the subject of girls’ names, you made it seem as if you didn’t care.”

“Well, I did care. I mean, I do. I didn’t want to insist, that’s all.”

“You had one picked out all along?”

He chewed on his lower lip. “Yeah. I guess. Something like that.”

“This is amazing! Okay, let’s hear it! What is it? Lola? Mary-Belle? Ellie Mae?”

“Very funny. Sounds like a bunch of girls we picked up on a street corner last Tuesday. No,  I heard this name a while ago and it kind of stuck with me ever since. How does the name ‘Emily’ sound?”

She studied him for a moment. “Old girlfriend?” she teased.

He tried not to look hurt.

“I’m fooling. It’s a nice name, Sonny.” 

He could tell she wasn’t wild about it. He tried not to show his disappointment.

“This means a lot to you, doesn’t it?” 

Now he was embarrassed. He shrugged. “It shouldn’t I guess. What’s the difference? It’s okay. Whatever you want, Gina.”

He touched the baby’s cheek again. “You know, she’s a beauty, Gina,” he said with  a devilish grin. “Aren’t you, Ellie Mae?”

She shook her head and laughed. They were both quiet for a while.

“Okay. ‘Emily’ it is,” Gina said finally. “I like it, Sonny. It kind of grows on you.”

He wasn’t about to argue. 

“Emily Rose. Aunt Rosemarie will like that,” she said.

“Done.”

“See? Not so bad.”

“Hope it’s that simple the next time.”

“Next time! What makes you think I’d go through this again?”

“Oh, just a hunch, I guess. They tell me my hunches are pretty good.”

“We’ll see,” she muttered as she lay back down. He could tell she wasn’t amused. 

The baby was quiet. He put her back in the bassinet and sat back down.

“I’m going to shut my eyes, Sonny. I’m really beat, and something tells me I’m gonna need all the sleep I can get.”

“Sure, darlin’. I’ll just stay a little while longer.”

 He smiled at her and took her hand again. Only this time, he gripped it tightly, as if holding on to her for dear life.
 

 

Edited April 5, 2021 by mjcmmv

[vicegirl85]

1 hour ago, mjcmmv said:

Marty started the engine and backed out into traffic, carefully negotiating a three-point turn amidst the howls of protesting honks from several irate motorists. He floored the accelerator, and the car jerked forward. The tires spun for a minute, and then the car hurtled down the highway like a launching rocket.

“Ah … Lieutenant?” Sonny shouted. His knuckles were white as his hand gripped the passenger door’s armrest. Sonny didn’t mind speed, but the only driver he trusted with it was himself.

“You’re in a hurry, right?” Marty muttered.

LOL, my favorite   

But the name discussion is even better than it was the first time 

Poor Danny!  and I'm not getting a good feeling about Pedrosa's future actions in regard to Sonny .    It's worrisome that Danny apparently passed on a lot of information about Sonny and his real life to Castaneda and his pals.

[mjcmmv]

1 minute ago, vicegirl85 said:

LOL, my favorite   

But the name discussion is even better than it was the first time 

Poor Danny!  and I'm not getting a good feeling about Pedrosa's future actions in regard to Sonny .    It's worrisome that Danny apparently passed on a lot of information about Sonny and his real life to Castaneda and his pals.

So happy you think it's improved! I was NEVER gonna take out the line about Sonny and his love of speed!

 

[vicegirl85]

I think it's perfect for Sonny!

[mjcmmv]

3 minutes ago, vicegirl85 said:

 

But the name discussion is even better than it was the first time 

 

Thank you... I almost took this out, but loved it too much. 

[sdiegolo78]

Reading this I could feel 'old Sonny' vibes...this is like watching the real thing on TV