Chapter 2

Gus was feeling left out, like a kid in a room full of adults. He wanted to be there for

Rusty in his time of need as Rusty had been there for him as his sister's murder case

navigated its way through the justice system. Rusty, though, was still very distant and

aloof. At times, Gus felt as if Rusty would be happier if Gus were not even there. But

that would not make Gus happy, so he stayed with Rusty in the hospital between work

shifts at the restaurant.

Late one afternoon, Gus made his way to the ICU waiting room where Rusty had his papers spread out across a table waiting for his turn to see his Mom. Patrice was back with her at the moment, having chased Andy home for a shower, food, and much needed rest. In a few days, Sharon would be moved to a regular room on the transplant ward. There Andy could "move in" with some of his and her bathroom stuff. He might even get a small part of the closet for a suit to be stashed there should the need arise. He already knew that one chair folded out like a fancy first-class seat on Dubai Air. All he'd need was a blanket and pillow.

"Hey," Gus said softly.

Rusty looked up, "Hey."

Gus settled in a chair nearby and watch Rusty shuffling photographs, news articles, a

folded map, and police reports.

"What's that?" Gus asked.

Without looking back at Gus, Rusty informed him, "Some of my Stroh files."

"Anything new?"

Rusty stayed quiet and continues studying the material he had in front of him as if he

was looking at it for the very first time. Lying in the pile was Sharon's folder on Stroh. She'd told Rusty about the folder and which of her desk drawers it lived in about two days ago. She had kept it from him until now. Paperclipped to the outside front of the folder was Stroh's mugshot. As Rusty pawed through the stack, that folder rose to the top and caught Gus's eye.

He leaned over peering at the face in the photo. It looked strangely familiar. Where had

he seen this guy?

"Who is that?" Gus finally asked Rusty.

"What guy?" Rusty never bothered to look up.

Gus tugged the folder closer to himself and pointed, "This guy. The one in the photo?"

Now Rusty looked up, first at the folder then at Gus, "That's Stroh. Well, at least that is what he looked like just before he killed the judge and ran off."

"Man, he looks so familiar to me," Gus could not shake the feeling. "I know I've seen him somewhere."

"You better hope you haven't, Gus," Rusty was now paying attention. "He's a serial rapist and serial killer. he's really dangerous."

"Yeah, state the obvious," Gus retorted, slightly annoyed at Rusty's condescending tone.

Rusty shrugged, "Yeah, well, they say he's got a beard now."

With that announcement, Rusty returned to rereading the newspaper articles for some missed tidbit or clue.

Gus pulled the photo off the folder and stared at it, thinking as hard as he could to figure out where he'd seen that face.

"There is a guy who is new to town who comes to the restaurant for lunch," Gus began. "He's really nice, great tipper, too. He kinda looks like this guy. And, my customer has got a beard."

Rusty froze in horror.

Gus continued while focusing on the photo, "But it could not be Stroh. This guy is really nice. Super respectful. He's nothing like a serial killer...just can't shake it."

"Gus, serial killers are often the most charming person in the room," Rusty began. "Andrea has been teaching me stuff about serial killers to get me ready for

Stroh, if he really does come back for me."

"Well, I guess he's back then," Gus commented glumly.

"No, no, now we have the advantage," Rusty indicated. "He doesn't know that we know he's back."

He dialed Provenza's number.

"Yes, Rusty," Provenza answered. "How's your Mom doing? Everything okay down there?"

"As far as I know, yes. But Lieutenant, we just caught a break on the Stroh case," he whispered excitedly into the phone, even though only he and Gus were in the waiting room.

"Do not mess with Stroh, yourself, son," Provenza cautioned. "What information do you have that we did not have earlier."

"He's here in town. He visited Gus's restaurant. And he is wearing a beard!" Rusty fired back as quickly as he could.

Provenza assembled the team in the bullpen with Rusty and Gus.

"All right, here is what we know," Provenza began as Mason looked on from the back of the room. "Stroh is back in LA. He's already started his hunter's stalk by finding Gus, here. It means he already has a plan to kill our Commander and Rusty. So, from here on until we have the bastard in custody, none of us go anywhere alone. Period."

Rusty looked very uneasy while Gus gave him a "puppy dog look."

"Gus," Rusty whispered, "you are in as much danger as any of the rest of us, too. You've seen his face. When he's done with me, he'll come after you."

Amy leaned in, "Or he may start with you to hurt Rusty."

Gus's face went ashen with the contemplation of those twin thoughts.

"Here are the assignments. Cami, you and Nolan will stake out the restaurant with Gus. If Stroh shows back up, take him down."

Cami and Nolan nodded and moved toward Gus.

Wes directed, "Okay, let's get a vest for you and get you to work."

"Julio, you and Sykes will keep Rusty and the Commander safe in her hospital room," relayed Provenza.

"Mike, you and Buzz drag everything on the net to find him. Cameras, whatever it takes. I want to know where the hell he is and where the hell he's been!" Provenza ordered.

"Flynn, you and I will also be at the hospital. I'm going back 'undercover' as a doctor like before. I want you to do the same," Provenza sketched out. "Oh, and Chief Mason, I need you to coordinate Lt Cooper's SIS at the hospital where our principals are going to be."

Flynn spoke, "So, you are going to intentionally draw him to the hospital?"

"Like the moth to the flame," Provenza declared triumphantly. "Everyone, make sure you have good comms with Buzz and Tao back here. And for God's sake, wear your vests. On second thought, I want you two in the van in the parking lot of the hospital, just in case we need you. So vest up."

All eyes were on Provenza and nodding in agreement.

"Now, let's go, get this bastard," ordered Mason who turned to head to his office to double check arrangements with SIS.

Stroh sat at the table in his dingy rented room. The TV was on but muted in the background. He stared into a small gym bag deciding which weapon he wanted to use. Next to the gym bag was a hand-drawn sketch of the hospital, the floor and ward where Sharon was, and the room number circled. He picked up a .32 pistol, screwed in a suppressor, checked the magazine, chambered a round then added one more bullet to the magazine before tucking it into the waistline of his pants. He picked up the sketch of the floor where Sharon lay. He made note of the access points, stairs, elevators, nurses' stations. Then he folded it and put it into the pocket of his scrubs. He threw on a lab coat and headed out the door. This was the first day he would begin to stalk his prey. He had to see the lay of the land for himself. Where were hospital security guards, the police that would surely accompany Raydor, the medical staff, the exits, the stairs, etc.? Part of the thrill of the hunt was the preparation and stalking. It made him feel alive, blood on fire.

Flynn felt completely out of place in scrubs and lab coat. He'd wished Provenza had let him just switch out the lab coat for his suit jacket. However, that was Provenza's "disguise" instead. Flynn did not like the way the vest chafed him since all that was between him and the outer shell of the vest was a tee shirt instead of tee shirt and dress shirt. Without his suspenders, he also felt like the scrub pants might fall down at any moment. His pistol was also happily working with gravity, making him all the more uncomfortable about the pants falling down. It meant he'd be pulling them up every so often and grumble about it. He envisioned himself running to Sharon's door only to trip on the pants which had fallen down around his ankles.

Julio sat at the nurse's station on Sharon's ward pretending to be a unit clerk. His eyes seldom left her door. Instead of volatile angry Julio, today he was going to be patient sniper Julio who merely was lying in wait for the quarry to show up. Every now and then, he'd pick up a record, flip through it, and pretend to enter information on the computer which sat in front of him. Provenza had moved the uniformed officer from Sharon's door to a door across from Sharon's. He did not want them all tripping over one another. Just maybe, it would cause Stroh some confusion, too.

Amy got a deck of cards from her desk and stuck them in Rusty's messenger bag, "To pass the time," she said.

Once she had Rusty in a vest, she drove them to the hospital.

Sharon had stabilized with the LVAD implant, new meds, and a quieter surrounding. She also continued to ruminate about what her Guardian Angel had told her about taking down Stroh belonging to someone else as well as learning how to let go of her need to control things. She had even asked Andy to bring in that book that Landon had given her shortly before his murder. The first couple of chapters were really not a bad read. Provenza had briefed her on the overall plan of catching the "moth" with her as the flame. Mason made it clearer still by ordering her to do nothing! The team had it all, she was to remain on the sideline this time.

Sharon thought she heard the Being reminding her that Stroh was not hers but another's to defeat. So, she agreed fully with both Provenza and Mason on the matter. She would let God deal with Stroh and with her own well-being. It was one of the hardest things she ever had to do. She willingly gave up control to others.

A light knock at the door, fingers tucked around the edge of the door, and a chipper, "Hi Mom!" were what pulled Sharon's head up and nose out of the book.

Sharon beamed at Rusty, "Hi yourself!"

Sharon was in casual clothes sitting in the chair near the window. She tucked a slip of paper to mark her spot. Amy followed Rusty inside.

"My turn," declared Sykes. "Lt Provenza said he told you that one of us would be with you 24/7 until Stroh is dealt with, so it's my turn."

Rusty handed her the playing cards, "Anyone for a game of gin rummy?"

Rusty found another chair and the three of them settled into for several hands of rummy. In the mid-afternoon, Sharon's nurse came in with the shift change to do meds, vitals, and check on her patient. He would not disturb Andy's chair-bed over by Sharon's bed.

After checking the chart, Naomi spoke, "Commander, it's time for you to take a lap around the ward. We've had you sitting up for a few hours. The doctor wants to have you walk slowly then rest."

Rusty moved out of the way as the nurse retrieved the walker from the corner of the room. The whole party moved slowly through the hallways of the transplant ward. Julio looked up and gave a small nod to Sykes. Andy could not resist one of his goofy smiles as she passed by where he was posted. Provenza did his best poker face when she caught sight of him.

Once back in the room, vitals were collected as Sharon sat in the chair.

"Now, back to bed for a rest. We want to see your vitals while lying down," Naomi added.

Satisfied, the nurse took her leave of the trio. She had covered Sharon with a lightweight cotton blanket.

It was on the sixth day of the "stake out" that things finally picked up. Amy peeked out the door then moved the game to the tray table where they continued just as they had done every day since Gus first warned them that Stroh was back in town. She faced the door, Rusty to her right, and Sharon on the bed on her side. The game continued for some time before the door eased open. All Amy saw was the back of some staff person with some kind of cart - until he wheeled around.

"Stroh!" Amy exclaimed.

Stroh leveled the pistol at Amy, "Three for one," he purred.

Rusty's eyes were wide open. Without hesitation, he threw himself across Sharon to shield her from Stroh's weapon.

"I got this, Jumpstreet," yelled Sykes as she flew over the bed feet first.

Amy's foot made solid contact with the side of Stroh's head. Stroh reeled backward and to the side, his jaw fractured. The pistol discharged with a soft pop. Amy followed up her savage foot with savage open-handed blows to his head with lightning speed and agility. The pistol discharged once again before clattering to the tile floor. Stroh's head hit the metal corner of Andy's chair-bed as it made its way to the floor.

It was Julio who stormed through the door first, followed by the uniformed officer. Amy

had Stroh fully on the ground and was quite literally beating him to death.

"Sykes! Sykes!" he screamed as he worked to pull her off their quarry.

Julio had his arms around Amy's middle and was pulling her off. Mason, who had only just arrived, had followed him and grabbed Amy's arms.

"At ease, Soldier!" he commanded. "That's enough! ENOUGH! Stand down!"

Amy stopped striking her arms but was still not relaxed as Julio held her, Mason let go, "It's over. It's over," he repeated in hushed tones.

Amy was still breathing heavily as she relaxed enough to be let out of Julio's grasp.

"I'm all right. I'm all right," Amy shook with the latent effects of adrenaline and lingering rage.

Mason knelt down to check Stroh, "Well, I can say with some satisfaction that our Mr. Stroh here, is not all right."

Julio retrieved Stroh's weapon and looked for where the bullets landed.

Wet, warm, red blood pooled on the sheet of Sharon's bed near her hip. Rusty eased himself off his mother's body.

"Mom? Mom?" he began. "Are you okay?"

A stunned Sharon nodded.

Rusty continued, "Ever been shot?"

With that Rusty slumped down into the chair where he'd been playing cards moments ago, "I think I'm hit," he remarked nonchalantly as he drew a bloody hand away from his side. Looking at his hand covered in his own blood, Rusty passed out with his head on the bed.

The room was fast filling with medical personnel. Her day nurse immediately went to check on Sharon's condition. The monitors noted an elevated heart rate. It was hard to tell if she'd been hit or not since Rusty's blood covered her as well.

"Rusty! Rusty!" Sharon cried and tried to wiggle free from her nurse.

"Easy, easy!" the nurse ordered as she quickly examined her patient for gunshot wounds. "Looks like you're fine."

Mason and Julio moved the uniformed officer and themselves out of the room, dragging

Sykes with them, "Make way for the medical team!"

Julio fell against the wall outside and began to laugh uncontrollably, "Make way for

ducklings," came out unfiltered after exhaustion had finally taken hold.

Stroh's body was put on a gurney and taken down to the ER for treatment. Mason followed, "Detective Sanchez, keep an eye on Detective Sykes," he called over his shoulder.

Julio nodded, "Come on Sykes, let's have them take a look at you downstairs," then to the commander, "We'll be back, Ma'am."

To the uniformed officer, he turned and order, "You stay here" as he posted the uniformed officer outside the door.

Rusty was placed on a gurney and also taken down to the ER.

Sharon was alone and trembling. She rolled over on her side and reached for the drawer

of the tray table which Rusty had moved to one side in an effort to protect her. The card game now lay all over the table, the bed, and the floor. Inside, safe from the chaos without, she found what she was looking for - the rosary that Fr Stan had brought by for

her when she was checked-in for the "stay" as she termed it.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she began, "Hail Mary, full of grace, have mercy..."

She had prayed one decade when she abruptly stopped and cried out, "Lord God, save

my son! You have been so merciful to me of late, please have mercy on me again...and now."

A tender calm came across her and she thought she heard her name being called by the

Guardian Angel. She rolled back over and found the room just as empty as it was five

minutes ago. She looked at the crucifix dangling from the end of the rosary. She ran

her fingers across the form of a man nailed to a Roman cross. It made being trapped in the middle of a crime scene more doable.

"Yes, Jesus, I do love you," she mouthed as her soul connected to the Divine Presence. She drew the crucifix to her mouth and kissed it then rested it upon her forehead. She permitted herself to breathe as deeply as broken ribs would permit. She closed her eyes and tried to hear Him calling her name again. The solitude was no longer intimidating. It was no longer solitude either.

The nursing assistant quietly entered the room and found Sharon continuing to pray using

her rosary.

With a soft voice, "Commander, may I get you cleaned up?"

There was blood pretty much everywhere. Rusty's blood stained the sheets and her clothes.

Stroh's blood was drying on the chair and floor. Amy really had mopped the floor with

him. Sharon decided that deep inside her, Amy was a tiger, much like herself. Perhaps I could be more of a direct mentor, she thought. I don't want Amy to become a human doing and make the mistakes I've made along the way.

"No, you can't touch anything," Sharon declared. "I'm sitting in the middle of a crime scene!"

Tao arrived quickly and took charge but only after a few "Holy Crap!" exploded from his lips. He remained at the door so as to preserve what he could of the crime scene.

"I take it that you're okay, Ma'am?"

Sharon nodded, "I guess you might call it that...in some other universe."

"I'll get the techs up here right away," he offered his boss. "Let me get some booties, so we can move you to a clean room or something."

Provenza stood next to Tao, "I don't do stairs. Flynn is with the kid who is going to be fine. It's just a flesh wound. Probable ricochet according to Amy and Julio. So, don't you worry about Rusty!"

Andy came up an hour or so later to report that Rusty's wound was a through-and-through, having caught him in the fleshy part of his waistline. The sight of his own blood and the adrenaline rush were what caused him to pass out. As soon as the doctors were finished applying the dressing and tetanus shot, Rusty would be back up to show her that he was truly fine. Andy promised that he'd get Rusty back to the condo for the night.

Stroh had a cracked skull from hitting the metal edge of the chair on the way to the floor. Over the next few days, he was put on life support as his next of kin was sought. A cousin was found by the end of the week. He had known Phillip when they were boys growing up. Jimmy was living on a farm in rural northern California and drove down to see his childhood playmate. After hearing all that Stroh had done, he asked that Phillip's brain be donated to science. It was Jimmy's decision to end the life support and donate the rest of the organs. At least in death, Phillip Stroh would make some lives whole.

Months later, a heart was located which matched Sharon's needs. By the time she had made a full recovery, she was a few steps into the 12-Step program to recover from her addiction to control. She actually found that she could begin to enjoy being pampered for a change. She decided that letting go and becoming a human being was better than being a human doing when it was all said and done. She learned to savor every moment with Andy, Rusty, and her friends who were once her team.

Andy decided to work perhaps as much as one more year before retiring with his wife. Sharon put her papers in shortly after the transplant had been made. It was enough. She had been successful at what she did for a living. Now it was time to explore the person within after the promised honeymoon to Ireland.

-the end-