Danny stared down at the birthday cake and rapidly melting ice cream in his dish. Susan had made a big production out of not having anything special for her birthday, but he had arranged with the staff to surprise her with a marvelous cake and a birthday song.
She was thoroughly embarrased and he had laughed when they turned off the lights and lit the candles. Their wattress had jokingly brought out a fire extinguisher to indicate the fire hazard of having so many candles on the cake and everyone had had a good laugh, especially Susan.
But it was not so funny anymore. Something was not right. He felt it in his gut. He excused himself and went to the foyer and tried to call home again. Sarah told him that Michelle had gone to her brothers house to pick up a few things in her new car.
Danny realized that was why he couldnt get her and then dialed the cell phone in her new car. He wondered if she liked her surprise.
There was no answer again. He knew something was up. He couldn't do anything else until he knew for sure Michelle was okay. He asked Susan if she would be mad if he left and she told him to go on ahead.
He said his goodbyes to Susan and promised to see her and Joe soon. He took the elevator down and went to his car. He tried the Bauer house and got no answer there either. He heard the sound of distant sirens and he felt sick.
He got in his car and fully out of instinct followed the sounds of the sirens because every ounce of his being told him that they were going to where Michelle was.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Dietz cursed whatever force has made him turn down this road. He had to meet with his contact in the police force. He had promised Pilar to have the book in his hands today and so far his contact had been acting squirrely. He hoped he wasnt getting cold feet because bad things happened to people who had second thoughts where Dietz was concerned.
He was going to get her out of trouble yet again. She was such a spoiled brat and she was never appreciative of anything he did for her. Sure she came when he called but it was only because she wanted to keep her precious butt sitting on leather instead of the hard cold steel of a jail cell bench. He was beginning to think she wasn't worth all the trouble he was having to go through lately.
He had arranged for a man to be killed in his cell last night all to keep her little pill habit a secret from Danny. He felt the familiar pit in the bottom of his stomach every time he thought about how he was helping Pilar to hurt Danny.
He liked Danny, he really did. He had had a rough break these last couple of years and if he ever find out that his little sis had purposely not called his wife then she wouldnt have to worry about what the police did to her because Danny would kick her out on her little butt and cut her off without a cent.
Then there was the stealing. He didn't condone the stealing and had told her several times that it was the lowest thing you could do to someone, especially family, but she had laughed and said she didnt care. She would do what she wanted and she dared anyone to try to stop her. Dietz could be called a lot of things in this life and he had, but one thing he had never been called was a thief.
His contact was supposed to meet him at the docks. Noone would suspect him of being out there with Dietz. They could make the exchange and it would all be over. What he wouldnt do for that ungrateful little tramp.
A flash of red just off to the right near the woods caught his eye. What was it? It was something trapped down there. A truck of some sort or maybe a van? He couldnt tell what it was but his gut told him that someone was in trouble.
He pulled off the side of the road and got out of his car. He carefully sidestepped his way down the hill. It was really more like a ditch but it was so steep that it was damn lucky that that pathfinder didnt roll over several times, crushing the driver and any passengers in the car. He didnt know that the people inside had fared any better than he was hoping but he was going to find out. He let out a curse when he realized that he left his bolt cutters at home. How was he going to help the people trapped inside??
He saw someone laying on the seat. They werent moving. It was a woman, he could tell by her small frame and long blonde hair. She appeared to be the only person in the car. He made it to the wrecked vehicle and peered inside the broken window. Glass was everywhere and he had to be extremely careful how he went about getting into the vehicle.
It was then that he recognized her. Sweet double double cross, it was Michelle. Danny's Michelle. What had happened? He looked at the front of the car. It hadnt impacted on anything but the windshield was shatted to bits.
Gunshot? Had to be. There was no other explanation. Who would shoot at a sweet young girl like Michelle. He had always been able to see why Danny fell in love with this young lady.
It wasnt so much for her looks, although she was a beauty, but her demeanor and personality was so sweet. He had hated the way Carmen had persecuted this poor woman. She had stolen Danny's heart with her elfin face and silky hair. It was beautiful but Dietz had like fiest women with flaming auburn hair. He sighed thinking of the lost to him Sarah Jane. He could have been a good man had she not broken his heart and ran away with Dave. He was reduced to sleeping with the likes of Pilar Santos because he could not have the one he truly wanted.
He called her name and she didnt move. Oh no, was she dead? Was she hit by that bullet? He had to get in that car and quickly. He took his shirt off and put it over the broken glass that was jutting out of the windsheild. He lay his body over the makeshift buffer from the glass and was able to touch her neck. There was a pulse, It seemed awful weak, but it was there.
He called 911 and gave them their location. His contact was gonna be mad and so was Pilar but he didnt give a damn. This young lady was in trouble and the goodness inside him, the goodness that Sarah Jane had seen in him, was coming out. He simply could not let an innocent woman die.
The dispatcher said that an ambulance was on its way and Dietz went back to his task of tending to Michelle. He wasnt going to move her, goodness knew what kind of head or neck injuries she had suffered. He kept his fingers on her pulse though to keep a check on her lifeline and waited for help to come.
His contact was going to have to wait. Pilar was going to have to wait. Michelle needed him and he was going to help her. He just hoped noone saw what he was doing.Wouldnt do to get a reputation for being soft and that was his final thought before he saw the first ambulance pull up to the scene.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
If Dietz didnt turn up soon, he was going to miss his chance of getting this book. He wouldnt mind keeping this book if the truth were told. There were some mighty interesting names in this book and he was sure he could use that to his advantage. The people in this book would pay top dollar to keep things quiet. He decided to wait for 20 more minutes and then he would decide what to do after that.
This was Dietz's one chance at helping Pilar Santos. If he didnt come today then it was tough stuff. This little baby could make him very rich indeed and he could put away his going nowhere job as one of Springfield's finest.
It wasnt like he felt bad or anything about his betrayal of the force.The force was a joke. He had never been able to make anything he had ever gotten on any of the Santos' stick. They had always gotten loose and he had been made to look a fool.
He began to pace nervously thumbing through the book. He heard a sound and went and ducked behind some crates. Just some kids messing around.
He checked his watch. Ten more minutes. Ten more minutes Dietz, thats all you get and there aint no second chances. David Grant had a feeling that things were going to start changing for the better now.
Deciding to forfeit Deitz honerary ten minutes, he pocketed the book and went to make preparations of whom to bring down first. This was going to be fun. Springfield would look at him with respect instead of like a joke. He was going to enjoy this and Pilar Santos would be the first to fall and Dietz would be solely reponsible. He almost felt sorry for Dietz, almost, he thought and walked away laughing.